Sold as the Alpha King’s Breeder

Chapter 348

Chapter 7: Prince Theo’s Challenge

“The king?” I repeated.

“Yes, the king! C’mon, let’s hurry.”

| stashed the flower Prince Warren had given me in a pocket in my dress and thought about what Brook was telling me.

The king was summoning all of the girls, and we were meant to make an appearance, and a good impression on him.

However, I was in no position to do that in my current state-not that it really mattered to me. If I had my way, I wouldn’t be interacting with any of them at all, except for maybe Prince Warren. I’d rather they didn’t notice I was there. Or not there, as the case may be.

“I don’t know whether I should go…” I murmured.

“You don’t know?” Brook repeated. “Ciana! It’s the king!”

I thought up some excuses. “But… I have to feed the ani mals. You see, I still needed to feed the tiger, and there were other chores that needed to be done for the animals. If I were to leave now, my work wouldn’t be completed, and this was a task the prince had assigned to me….”

“You do know that it’s important to make a good impres sion on the king whether or not you win Prince Theo’s hand, don’t you? I mean… he’s the king! He can just as easily decide the fate of our packs as the prince.”

“I know, I know. You go ahead,” | told her. “I’ll see what || can do.”

“But Ciana,” she pleaded.

“Brook, you shouldn’t be late on my account. Go! Take care of yourself and your pack, and make sure the king sees how wonderful you are. I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

She hesitated, but her eyes flashed between me and the palace, and I understood that she was struggling with the burden of trying to be a good friend while not disobeying the king and missing her opportunity. “Please hurry,” she urged me.

I gave her an encouraging smile. “Of course. Now, go! Don’t be late!”

“All right,” Brook said, and with a sigh, she turned and ran back toward the castle doors.

I couldn’t help but smile after her. She was such a kind hearted person to even come out here to tell me, and I felt very lucky to call her my friend.

But I didn’t intend to go. Knowing Brook, she should be able to navigate the scenario on her own.

Enough girls would doll themselves up and do their best to look beautiful and elegant in front of the king. I had inten tionally put myself in a position where anyone who looked at me would think I was a mess. It was the best way to stay out of the royals’ way and survive these three years so I could go home.

never been one for

other girls bat their eyelashes, show off their gowns, and fluff their curls at His Majesty. I would be out here with those

given me an order, and

mind made up, I picked up the handle of the bucket holding the tiger’s food and headed back to the “zoo,” certain he’d be starving by now. I would need to give him ex tra belly rubs to make up

Samson!” I called the tiger, tossing the meat to him. He was keeping his distance today, possibly because he was irritated that I was late. Once he’d nibbled on

had headed to a shed to return the bucket i’d been carrying and see what else needed to be done when I heard a

it isn’t my dear friend the python!” I said as he grew closer to me. “Now, what are you up

around me on the ground, and I thought | saw a gleam in

and soon enough, he was slither ing across my

him. “I know an other handsome fellow.” I felt a blush creep into my cheeks just thinking about Prince Warren. “To think, here I am sharing my happy news with a snake. Well, of all of the snakes in the castle, you’re the one I

hand. I contin ued to pet

Warren and that bracelet, which I had only caught a glimpse of. He seemed to have changed a bit since I’d given it to him.

that it’s him, you know?” | asked the python. He

It’s possible my dreams and my memories have become intertwined and reality is now framed through a different lens, isn’t it? Could it be him? Even though he’s not

made me smile. Then, he gave me a little nudge, and I got

“What is it?” | asked him. He glided over the ground but didn’t go far before he turned

head rocked up and down just a bit, so I took that as a yes. And then, I was off with the python

were

*Theo”

my father. I’d done

he were admiring a work of art, and then, when he’d gotten a solid enough

voice of his. “What do you think of

managed to sound believable when I said, “They’re just

and I realized immediately

to him. If I gave him the impression / was overjoyed with this venture, who knew what he might pull next?

father scoffed at me. “These are the most beautiful, elegant, well-bred ladies in all of the kingdom, Theodore! But to you, they’re

to do was argue with him in public, but frustration was beginning to well up inside of me at his in trusion; the

had made when he’d first told me of the idea

you?” He had a gleam in his eye that told me he disagreed with my assessment. “Theo, I am ordering you to find a mate. There are eighty of them. At least one has to be to

“Seventy-three.” I corrected him.

understand my meaning. Turning back to me with

do was shake my head. “You shouldn’t be sur prised, Father. After all,

if it’s eighty, seventy-three, or a hundred and sixty!

I really didn’t want to have this conversation here,

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