Sold As The Alpha King’s Breeder Chapter 487
Sold as the Alpha King’s Breeder Chapter 487
Chapter 145: Things Are Not The Same
I woke up early in the morning and stretched my limbs. The warm rays of the sun were on my face and
I smiled at the familiarfort of being in my own bed. I turned, reaching out to the other side of the
bed and frowned at the cool emptiness beneath my hand.
Why did it feel strange? I sat up in bed and looked around my room. Nothing seemed missing or out of
ce but still, something was off. I reminded myself that I had been away for a year based on what
everyone told me, and whatever I did during that time, my body had to get used to being back home
again.
My stomach growled and I hurried to get cleaned up and dressed for breakfast. Rushing into the dining
room where the staff had already prepared my favorite foods, I felt myself frowning again as I sat at the
empty table.
My father was usually a very early riser and I assumed he must have already eaten and gone to catch
up on business he missed with the elders. It was so quiet. At the pce, people seemed to fuss over
me nonstop, which I hated. But, I didn’t like the feeling of sitting alone to eat either. There were so
many things on my mind but no one to talk to.
I reminded myself that my forest friends would have missed me and were eager to hear whatever I was
thinking about.
After I hurried through breakfast, I wrapped a spare biscuit in a napkin, grabbed a pencil and
sketchbook, threw a shawl over my shoulders and made my way from the house into the forest,
enjoying the crisp morning air and warming sunshine.
Birds fluttered happily in the tree canopy and rabbits scampered along the path. It didn’ t take long for
me to get to my favorite spot beneath a great oak tree.
“I can see that you all missed me,” I teased the animals that seemed curious and shy about my return.
‘Apparently, I have been away for a year. But, I have lost my memory. Don’t be shy. It’s the same old
Ciana.”
I set my pencil and sketchbook down before unwrapping the biscuit and breaking off a piece. I
crumpled the pieces between my fingers and sprinkled the crumbs on the ground. The birds dove in
first and were joined by the squirrels and rabbits.
‘Okay, so you remember me now…” I giggled and smiled as they gotfortable gathering together for
the crumbs I tossed on the forest floor.
When the biscuit was all finished I brushed my hands together and picked up the sketch pad.
“I have to say, I am so happy to be back home. When I was in the pce, I really didn’t have anywhere
to go or even any room to breathe. Everyone seemed concerned because I was injured and I did lose
my memory.”
A red robinnded on my shoulder and nudged my cheek while a squirrel took a moment to blink at me
sympathetically.
“Dottie, the healer, was very kind. Then there was Brook who felt like a sister. She was in love with the
king’s beta,” I emphasized dramatically and they all rustled around excitedly. ‘Yes, he loves her too. His
name was Jake and they are mates and getting married.’
Even more excitement rippled through them.
“There was Prince Warren who was polite and tender, he’s the king’s brother. And then King Theo. He
has a zoo.”
They all looked stunned by the idea.
“Oh, he had all kinds of beautiful animals. All were very smart and clever…”
Theo’s eyes shed in my mind and I put down the pencil I was sketching with.
“The king… He told me to call him Theo… He knew how much I like animals and he bought me a gift. It
was a very sweet leopard. I named her Neava. Warren and Jake were supposed to make it a surprise
but I stumbled upon them with her.”
Iughed as I remembered the time he and I were together in his garden. My fingers touched my lips
as I remembered the kiss he gave me when I first woke up.
When I came out of my daydream the animals were looking at me in anticipation.
“I… I think I might miss him… all of them,” I whispered,’ They are not as free or as much fun as all of
you but if they are that kind and caring after a few days, maybe I do have deep and significant
memories of them that I should uncover.”
The animals looked at me with sympathy.
I moved to pick up my pencil, I wanted to finish thatst sketch before I left. When I was done, I let out
a heavy sigh and tossed it aside.
On it was a handsome man under a tree with a python and a leopard next to him.
I wrapped my arms around my knees and looked out at the horizon.”
Perhaps I should ask daddy to help me recover my memories after all.
Just then, the sudden cracking of a twig startled me. I turned to see what stepped on it but then felt
strong slender arms holding me tight.
A cloth came over my mouth as I struggled to free myself. I quickly became dizzy. The world spun
around me and I crumpled to the ground as all went dark.
***
*Theo*
I sat at my desk, slumped over the budget for the pce staff and soldiers. After staring at the file for
five minutes straight, I tossed my pen down.
I was thinking about Ciana again.
That day, I had a long conversation with her father, and I was hopeful.
The portal, the Realm of Light and the White Queen. Everything seemed to havee together, then
she ran away.
Her father Soren didn’t deny my request of courting her, and at some point, I would. However, after
following her all the way home, after seeing how happy she was with her father and without me, I
couldn’t bring myself to force her back here anymore.
Her father was right. She was so free, energetic and joyful outside of the pce, why would I bring her
back? She was safe and happy at home, and that was all that mattered.
One day, if she could recover her memories and then… maybe…
I looked at my hands. Maybe what? Even if she remembered, we might get together, then I would
brush against her, and it would happen all over again or worse.
I shook my head. There was no “maybe” until we could find the portal to the Realm of Light and get her
the blessing from the White Queen again.
A quick knock at the door let me know that Warren was about to enter. I picked up the pen again and
looked up as he brought yet another stack of papers for me to review.
“Hey Theo.” Warren scanned my desk for an empty space. “The census results havee back in for
each of the packs. You promised to send aid as needed. These are the figures for the assistance they
are asking for.”
“Of course.” I shifted papers to clear a spot for him to ce his papers then went back to work on the
budget. Warren put the papers down but remained in the room… hovering.
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I knew he was going to try, yet again, to bring up Ciana. I kept my eyes on the numbers hoping he
would get the hint and leave.
He didn’t.
“I think that it is time for the pce and its new King to host a Moon Ball,” he said.
I put the pen down as a million reasons why that was a bad idea ran through my head.
“Warren, it will be a miracle if we have two coins to rub together after all the aid and repair we have to
pay for. The country is just getting up and running. No one will have the time or the energy for a dance.”
“I forget how antisocial you’ve always been, A Moon Ball is about more than dancing, Theo, mothers
and fathers bring their best and brightest,ing-of-age children to meet and match with their potential
mates. Nothing is more imperative to the future of this kingdom than seeing that the packs remain
amicable and form friendly and familial alliances.”
“Those are a lot of words…’
“I rehearsed them.”
“Of course you did. Fine. Sure, let’s throw a Moon Ball, for the best and brightest…”
“ing of age children,” he recited again. “I knew you would say that.” He reached into hispel and
extracted a folded piece of paper. ‘Here is the start of the invitation list. Do you want to look it over?”
“Put it down there. I’ll look it overter.’
Warren huffed and sighed with frustration.
“What now?” I asked.
“Theo, you have been working night and day nonstop. You can’t keep this up.”
“I’m fine.”
“Bro, if you miss her so much, why didn’t you go get her and bring her back?”
“She is happy now and she is living the life she has always wanted. Besides, do you not remember
what happened thest time I touched her?’
“How many times do you have to be reminded, it was an ident, and especially now we know it’s
much more manageable? Besides, that didn’t stop you from pursuing her before you knew you could
touch her.”
“I wasn’t pursuing her, I was protecting her,” I reminded him.
“Yeah, from thepetition of another man,” he muttered.
“Warren-“
“All right, my point is, if you love her, then do something! Not just sitting here, burying yourself in work
and slowly killing yourself.”
I stared at Warren. The determination on his face told me that if I tried to blow him off one more time,
he would make the rest of my night a living hell.
“You don’t understand. I haven’t seen that kind of pure, simple and content smile on her face for a long
time, even before she lost her memory. I sometimes wonder whether she is better off without me all
together.”
“You’re wrong,” hemented. “Because you both love each other too much.”
“Yes, I’ll love her the same, but loving her doesn’t mean restraining her freedom. She isn’t here
because she doesn’t want to be.”
“Well, then I guess you’ll just have to find a reason to invite her here, and make her want to be here.
Something fun… Like a Moon Ball.”
He ced the guest list on top of the budget I was working on. My eyes scanned over Ciana’s name at
the top.
“Any more excuses?” he asked.
When he saw that I had no more rebuttals he smirked and turned on his heel to leave. I decided then
that it was time for me to take a break. I didn’t want to go to my room.
There was no torture like the memories of having Ciana there in my room, in my bed, in my arms,
beneath my touch.
Her fading scent of fresh water lily was faint but still there. Memories chased my footsteps out into the
garden and along the path through the zoo and to the pavilion.
I shook my head as I remembered our first interactions, how she’d bravely spoken back to me when I
was rude and the impressive way she handled feeding my animals that would have frightened almost
anyone else.
The first time I’d kissed her, the taste of her mouth mixed with her blood and the dreamberry.
Something cool was rubbing against my leg. I looked down and there was Perceval. He found me in
the pavilion and wrapped himself around my ankle.
“Yeah, I miss her, too,” I told him as I took a seat and he raised his head to be eye level with me. “I
could’ve been nicer to her. I could have treated her better and had more respect for her. But, the
moment I realized I could touch her I just… I just took what I wanted.”
Perceval cocked his head to the side as if he was puzzled by what I was saying.
“I just should have asked her if she wanted to be my mate. I imed her without even taking into
consideration that she might not be my mate in the long run. I don’t know how she felt about that. I’m
just selfish and I’m not good enough for her. I never will be. You know, perhaps she’s better off just
forgetting about me.”
Perceval rested his head on my shoulder in sympathy and I sat quietly with my thoughts for a while. In
the distance, I could hear rapid footsteps and knew that someone was running and tugging on the
mindlink.
‘Alpha!’ Jake’s voice called to me anxiously in my head.
*Yes, Jake. What is it?’ I asked, standing on alert and ready to shift as Perceval found a safe ce to
retreat.
‘It’s Ciana. She’s missing!’