Sold as the Alpha King’s Breeder

Chapter 56 The 21st Generation of King Lycaon

Cedrick wanted to say something but my mother raised her hand to stop him.

“I suppressed your mate sense,” she answered my ques- tion instead. Her voice wasn’t loud, but shock

settled into my bones.

“How could you….”

“If you cannot find your mate, then you will not have to worry about losing control around her.”

All I could do was stare at her from across the room.

So what was I? A crazy, heartless freak who was cursed to live in this world all alone until the end of

his pathetic life? I was not allowed to love, nor was I allowed to hate. No emo- tions, no friends, and

no… hope.

“Why me?” I murmured.

“I do not know. But what I do know is that you’re the 21st generation of King Lycaon’s bloodline and

your power is un- paralleled. Whether you like it or not, it’s a blessing from the Moon Goddess herself.”

I’d never asked for it! I never wanted this damn power!

She sighed and said softly, “Now, let’s take care of what- ever it is you feel you must do as

ramifications for the crystal, and we will talk about these other matters at another time.”

*Ciana”

It had been almost two days since Lady Nita and Theo were locked in his room.

I assumed she was treating him for the nightmares Luther had inflicted upon him. I spent much of that

time wandering outside-waiting.

What I was waiting for exactly, I wouldn’t admit to any- one. Whenever Brook came to check on me, to

bring me some food or see if I needed anything, I’d eat a little to appease her, but mostly, I just

pretended to be tending to the garden or feeding the animals that sometimes came by.

But I think she knew, as I did, that I was worried about Prince Theo. I wanted to make sure that he was

well.

Just as the sun was beginning to set on the second day, the door opened, and she came out, along

with her servant, Cedrick and… Theo.

I tried not to rush in to see if he was okay, but instead, I casually walked over, keeping my hands folded

behind my back, pretending to be nonchalant.

Lady Nita looked down her nose at me and shook her head, obviously irritated at my presence. “You’ll

be happy to know that whatever that was bothering him has been lifted,” she said.

I noticed then that she had something in her hand. It was the Moonlit Crystal. It looked benign just

resting in her palm, but I knew better. It could be dangerous.

“That’s wonderful!” I couldn’t help but bounce up and say a silent prayer to the Moon Goddess.

Perhaps it made me seem like a little girl, but what I really wanted to do was hurl myself at him and

wrap him in a hug.

I couldn’t do that, though. If I had learned one thing about Theo over the weeks that I had known him, it

was that, under normal circumstances, he was not a hugger.

So I was doubly surprised when he closed the distance. between us and wrapped his arms around me

in a tight hug.

“Thank you, Ciana,” he muttered.

My cheeks immediately flamed from his touch, and the thoughts that filled my mind were of all of the

intimate times we’d spent together.

The time he’d kissed me in the pavilion, the passionate ex- change we’d used to attempt to fool

Raymond at my pack, and especially making love to him in the illusional realm of the Moonlit crystal.

“You’re welcome, Your Highness,” I said, finally managing to pull away from him. “I’m just glad you’re

feeling better.”

Behind me, his mother cleared her throat, and in a voice that meant business, she said, “You know,

Theodore, the terms of my agreeing to break this curse included Ciana going away and never coming

back again. I think it’s time that hap- pened.”

“After the berry,” I reminded her, and the look she gave me told me I’d better shut my mouth right away.

“No, Mother. I don’t remember ever agreeing to your

terms,” Theo commented. He had released me, but we were still standing very close to one another,

and seeing his resolve made me proud to know him.

“You have been warned about what will happen, Theodore!” Queen Nita folded her arms beneath her

chest, her nostrils flaring with anger.

“It won’t matter, Mother.”

What were they talking about? What wouldn’t matter?

Then he added, “Because I do not love her.”

His words stung a bit, but I shouldn’t have been surprised to hear him say that. Of course, he did not

love me…. I didn’t love him either. So what difference did it make?

It was then that I noticed that the crystal in her palm was glowing, much the same way it had right

before we’d all fallen into the dream realm. Except the light wasn’t as intense this time. It was warm

and inviting.

“What’s going on with the crystal?” Theo asked. “Why is it glowing like that?”

Lady Nita unfolded her arms and held her hand out so we could clearly see the glowing crystal.

She frowned and then let out a relieved breath. “It was cleansed and now is ready to be used again.”

“But… I thought we failed,” Theo muttered, looking at me.

I did, too. In fact, there was no doubt in my mind we had failed the quest. Theo had been forced to

smash the ring to protect me from being killed. So no token of the love between the king and the

woman I was role playing was ever ex- changed.

Unless….

Theo pointed at my wrist. “Could it be?” he asked, both of us staring at the place where Warren had

slipped the bracelet on. It wasn’t there now, but we both understood the symbol- ism.

“Perhaps the bracelet was the token instead,” Theo con- tinued. “It was special to you both. Maybe that

was enough to make the wedding go through in the illusionary world.”

“Quick! We don’t have a second to lose!” I said to Theo. While we had been talking, the crystal glowed,

but this time, in a mild red color, just like the blood moon would.

Theo extended his hand, and his mother handed over the crystal, probably thrilled that I would be

leaving the second the ceremony was over with. I couldn’t think about that at the moment. I just needed

to help Theo replant the dreamberry.

As we rushed to the pavilion, he called Jake to meet us there through the mind-link. When we arrived,

the Beta was running in from the other direction.

Nita and Cedrick came along with us. I had no idea what needed to be done, so I followed Theo up the

stairs. I stayed back, afraid I’d accidentally ruin something again.

Setting the crystal down on an empty planter turned up- side down on the table, Theo positioned it so

that the moon- light was hitting it. The crystal reflected the light, creating an eerie red glow, giving us all

the illusion of a blood moon. It had to be enough to fool the dreamberry seed as well.

“I need some of your blood, Ciana,” he said, looking right into my eyes. “Please.”