Sold as the Alpha King’s Breeder

Chapter 18 Is It Really Warren?

I tried my best not to let my irritation show on my face as I digested the name the redheaded girl had just divulged.

She was under the impression that my brother might be the one person on the planet who could save the life of the woman I was meant to have a child with.

I needed to concentrate on the fact that the blood within the girl was the most vital part of the equation to me. I had no reason to want to see any harm befall Ciana. She was nice enough, I supposed, but to me, her true value lay in the blood coursing through her veins.

“Shall I send for Prince Warren, Your Highness?” Dottie asked me respectfully.

“No,” I said immediately, my voice stern enough that everyone in the room flinched. I took a deep breath to steel myself. “I will fetch him myself.”

The moment I walked into the hallway, my head cleared a bit, and I felt like I could pull a full breath of oxygen into my lungs. Something about being in that room with all of those concerned people had been like a weight on my shoulders. But now… my thoughts were sharper. I could sense reason.

Winding my way to the other side of the palace where my brother’s rooms were, I took my time.

He only needed to give it a try so we could see if it worked, but there was no need for him to know that Ciana was fond of

him….

Two guards stood here, neither saying anything to me but making a sign of respect. Unlike me, Warren was constantly surrounded by people. They knocked and opened the door for me.

My brother was clutching a book in his hand. “Oh, Theo,” he said, setting the book aside. Obviously, he was enjoying a leisurely evening. “What in the world brings you here?”

“I have a bit of an issue, and I was hoping you could help.” I tried to keep my tone as relaxed as possible.

Immediately, my overly helpful brother snapped to attention. “Of course. What is it?”

“One of the girls who is here as part of Father’s task was unconscious. Dottie thinks it may be a sleeping spell… a curse of some sort. There’s a possibility that you might be the one to wake her.”

“That sounds just awful!” he said, resting his palm against his heart. “The poor girl! Why does Dottie think I can be of

assistance?”

“I’m not exactly sure,” I lied. “I guess… perhaps… you know the girl… well?”

“Who is it?” he asked, leaning toward me slightly as he shook his head. “I haven’t spent much time with any of the girls. They are here for you, after all.”

Why did I feel relieved? Whether he knew Ciana well or not had nothing to do with me!

With a sharp nod, I tried to forget all of the times I had seen him with her myself. “She’s called… Ciana, I believe,” I said, forcing nonchalance into each word

“Ciana?” he repeated, his eyes widening. “Oh! Oh, no!”

one?” I asked, sarcasm dripping from the question

few times. Such a

asked, folding my arms. “I guess

attendant now?” Warren asked

“You know, they all

I’d be happy to try and do what I can,” he said, putting on a jacket. “Although, I hardly doubt there’s much I can do. It’ s unfortunate that I didn’t get to know her

of us were about to leave the room when we realized that he had another visitor who

me… I wondered how much of our conversation she

moment, so I hardly spared her a

“Your Highness! Please!”

We both stopped.

or you?” Warren

at

eighty girls father got for you, right? I thought she used to be

this was the girl who’d withheld the food from

Sir,” she said, dipping her head. Then, she turned to me. “I beg your

evening, Miss-?”

said. “Please forgive me for interjecting, Sir, but I’ve been studying sleeping sicknesses like this one for

conversation?” Warren

been cast on her, and if you are to touch her, you could also

inconsequential as her!”

but this wasn’t the right time. I was about to step forward and pull Warren away when I heard him say, “Miss Chambers!” His tone was sharp. “I will decide for myself what is a risk for

about your peer that way! You made fun of her for feeding the animals and made demands of her

at him.

determined look on his face than ever, and

her place and was resolved to help Ciana,

my chambers, Brook was still there, sitting

resting, dreaming, and I wasn’t able to peel my eyes away from her. But then I forced those thoughts from my

her, concern marring his handsome face as he studied her. He picked up her delicate hand in his and

asked him to touch her hand, had I? I pulled her hand out from his and tucked it

hours,” I

“Poor girl,” he sighed.

you are truly the one she

hadn’t quite told him all of that, and I could see he was surprised. “But why would she -” He stopped talking, his shock not

sentence.

said from her seat across the room. “She often spoke of how kind you were

smiled at one another for a

Ciana.

like I was going to be sick. It must have been because I was so worried about not being able to use her