Sold as the Alpha King's Breeder
Chapter 357 - 16 Have A Baby with This Woman

Chapter 357: Chapter 16 Have A Baby with This Woman

*Theo*

I’d touched her.

I’d touched the girl, Ciana, and she hadn’t pulled away from me. She wasn’t afraid, nor did she seem disgusted by me.

“Here you are, Father,” I said, giving my dad the book that he’d requested. “If you would be more comfortable working in your own office, I can have whatever books you require brought to you.”

“Nonsense,” the king said, taking the book. “I am quite enjoying seeing my son with such a lovely young lady. The two of you are quite a match.” He chuckled, and my stomach twisted in a knot.

While I was happy my plan was working and we were able to fool him into thinking that Ciana was a woman of interest to me, I didn’t appreciate having to pretend like this in my own office.

And that coffee she’d brought me was dreadful! It was clear she’d grabbed that nasty banana creamer Jake uses, rather than my own. And she obviously didn’t know what a “splash” of creamer meant!

As I walked back to my desk, I gave Ciana a look, hoping she could read it. I was somewhat regretful that I had come up with this idea now that my father was hanging around for so long, but I was also hoping she would find some magical way of making him leave.

She must’ve read my expression, because she came over toward me, which made me stop in my tracks.

What was she planning on doing now?

“Might I have a hug, my prince?” she asked me.

“A... hug?” I asked her, swallowing hard. “Not right now,” I said, stepping away from her. “I think we should save that for when... we’re alone.”

“Oh, but it’s just your darling father who loves you so much who is present,” she reminded me, and I knew what she was getting at. She wanted to hug me precisely because my father was there.

“Yes, let’s have a hug!” my father exclaimed.

I turned and gave him a pointed look, and he chuckled under his breath.

I glared at him for a few seconds, unable to keep from doing so, and then turned back to the girl. “Really, I don’t think—”

Before I could finish the sentence, her thin arms were wrapped around my shoulders, and she was pressing herself against me.

My breath caught in my throat. But when I finally relaxed enough, I gently put my arms around her.

She was warm and soft, and I realized how small she was in my arms. This wasn’t the first time she had been in them. I remembered that night in the greenhouse... but this time, it felt different.

When she pulled away from me after a brief moment, she was still smiling. The hug was obviously fake, but it wasn’t painful as I thought it would be, not even a little bit.

It was quiet and peaceful.

I headed back to my desk, and Ciana reclaimed her chair.

Just then, my father cleared his throat and set his book aside. “That’s it, then. I’ve made up my mind. Theodore, this is the one, the girl for you.”

“Father?” I said, looking at him with a look on my face that would certainly tell him I didn’t understand.

“I want you to have a baby with this woman,” he said, a delighted smile on his face.

My eyes went to Ciana, and I could tell she was even more shocked than I was, if that were possible, with her mouth hanging open and her eyes wide.

“But... Your Majesty, sir,” she said, tipping her head down in respect. “We’re not even betrothed, let alone married.”

“So what?” he asked. “You don’t have to be married to bear an heir.” Turning his attention back to me, he said, “See to it,” and then he exited the room, leaving us staring at one another.

***

*Ciana*

King Sebastian’s proclamation rang in my ears. I couldn’t stay there alone with Theo any more, so I asked to be excused. He must have felt as awkward as me, and that was why he agreed to my request.

Later that evening, I decided to go and check on Brook. It had been a few days since I’d seen my friend, and I wanted to make sure she had fully recovered from her fainting spell.

As I walked down the hallway, I pondered what the king had said. Theo and I were ordered to have a baby together, even if we weren’t married, and even though we most likely were not fated mates. The idea seemed preposterous to me. Only one man had ever crossed my mind as being someone I wanted to have a baby with—and that definitely wasn’t Prince Theo.

Images of my young man from the woods entered my thoughts, and then those visions morphed into a picture of Prince Warren’s face, and it was all I could do to concentrate on where I was going.

That was why when I saw the form of a woman being dragged outside through a window at the end of the hallway, none of it registered in my mind for the first few seconds.

The man who had a small redheaded girl under his arm looked up at me, his jade green eyes nearly glowing in the dark outside of the window before he disappeared.

“Hey!” I shouted, running after him. “What in the world are you doing?”

It was Brook! I would recognize her anywhere, and as she disappeared from my sight, I picked up speed, unwilling to let this man get away with whatever he was doing.

The man ran through the woods with Brook tossed over his shoulder. She was unconscious, or else I was certain she’d be trying to free herself from him by beating on his back with her fists, but she just lay there limply, bobbing up and down with each of his long strides.

My pace was just quick enough to keep up with him as he twisted and turned through the gardens and nearby woods. I supposed the additional weight of the woman must have been slowing him down, or else I wouldn’t be able to keep up with him.

I was amazed by the size of the royal residence, because after almost half an hour of running, we were still within the walls of the royal palace territory.

Eventually, I saw a mansion in the distance. Its size was decent, but it was dilapidated, with ivy and other plants growing up the sides all the way to the roof. The paint had long since faded, and some of the tree branches were battering against the shingles, knocking them free.

He quickly tore inside, leaving the door ajar. I hastily made my way up the steps, barely missing a hole that might’ve cut my foot off at the ankle.

Inside, I slowed and looked around. The marble floor was covered with dirt and windswept leaves in the corners. The furniture was nice—antique velvet couches, maple tables, marble busts, and the like—but it was all dirty and broken.

I heard footsteps further down the hall and followed, trying my best to use caution, but now that I was in this situation, I realized it would be difficult for me to fight this man off. I’d do what was necessary to save my friend, though.

In the back of my mind, I considered what I might do if I needed assistance and wondered how feasible that might be....

Entering the room, I saw a muscular man wearing all black standing beneath a dirty chandelier that flickered as it swung slightly above him. His green eyes were narrowed on me, his hair slicked black, and the scowl on his face told me he was ready to handle me in much the same way that he’d taken care of Brook.

She lay on a dusty couch behind him, moving slightly, which made me think whatever he’d done to knock her out was beginning to wear off.

“I don’t know who you are or why you’ve taken my friend, but she’s coming back with me right now,” I said in my most stern voice.

A smile cracked across his face. “Your friend can go wherever the hell she wants to,” he said with a dismissive shrug of his shoulders. “It’s not her I’m worried about.”

“What’s that?” I asked him as he came a few steps closer to me. I wanted to retreat, but I had to hold my ground—for Brook’s sake.

“I didn’t go there to take this little nymph,” he explained, pointing at Brook. “I came there for you.”

I pressed down the wave of confusion that was washing over me and just quietly stared at him while I quickly evaluated my retreat options.

An evil laugh ricocheted off of the walls. “I knew if I took her, you’d follow along like the sweet little puppy dog you are. Do you know why?”

Father had once taught me that I should never follow the verbal traps my enemies set for me. Since he obviously wanted me to ask for an explanation, I decided not to behave as he wished. “I don’t have time for this! Release Brook, right now!” I demanded.

As expected, even without me pressing him, he told me what he wanted me to know. “I’ve heard about King Sebastian’s plans for you, Ciana Black, and I have to make sure that they don’t happen. You cannot have a child with Theo.”

My mouth dropped open as I digested what he was saying. How in the world had he heard about this already? I’d only found out myself a little while ago. My disadvantage was that he seemed to know me quite well, yet I had no clue who he was.

My brain quickly came up with a reply that may help to get some information out of him. “It’s none of your business!” I scolded him. “And who are you to disagree with King Sebastian’s order?”

“You can call me Luther,” he grumbled under his breath. “Sebastian might be your king, but there are plenty of people, including many in your own pack lands, who rebel against his rule.”

What?!

Sometimes at the dinner table, I had heard Mom and Dad talking about their disagreements with King Sebastian’s policies, but I also remembered how they’d said that simply overthrowing the royal court would only cause more issues for the already unstable society.

The bottom line was that having different political opinions and publicly rebelling against the royal court were two very different things; the latter could easily result in the destruction of our entire pack!

I pressed down my emotions and purposely rolled my eyes. “Yeah, right,” I said, trying my best to maintain a level tone and pretending that I didn’t care what he had to say, even though I was desperate to learn more about what might have occurred in my pack.

“Ciana. The rebellion has already begun. Why, even in your own homeland, there are people who are against King Sebastian, those who would cast off your father for being loyal to him. Join me...”

I couldn’t help but scowl at this man for bringing my dad into it. “What made you think that I would trust the judgment of a stranger who kidnapped my friend rather than my own father’s!”

“Well, well. I’m not going to continue to stand here and have this conversation. I have other plans for you, gorgeous.” With that, he came at me, and I hastily dodged out of the way, grabbing a small table that was sitting by the door and tossing it in his direction.

Brook was stirring again on the couch, but she was so out of it, I didn’t think she could be of any help.

“Not bad,” he praised. “But your opponent is me.” Suddenly, his hand moved as fast as lightning and his powerful fingers were wrapped around my throat. His other hand had grabbed both of my wrists, and I wasn’t able to move anymore. I was captured!

“Now, be a good girl,” he chuckled in a low voice. “You’re a slippery one, but I’ve got you.”

Just then, I heard thundering footsteps in the hall. My help had arrived.

I looked him in the eye and gave him a bright smile. “Oh, really? Have you?”

#

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