Sold as the Alpha King’s Breeder

Chapter 136: Why Is This Happening Now?

*Ciana*

Worry tightened my heart.

What happened? I couldn't see from this distance but it couldn't be good. When I got to where Theo

and Luther were, I noticed there was a huge space cleared around them like no one wanted to get

close.

Theo had Maggie in his arms and was slowly lowering her to the ground.

"Theo, are you okay?" Then when I saw Maggie's lifeless pale face, I gasped, "MAGGIE!"

Theo was expressionless, brow slightly creased. He stared at Maggie for a moment longer and looked

upto me. "She... sacrificed herself," he murmured distantly.

Luther was on his knees, wavering from side to side. Just before he crumpled into a heap, Jennifer ran

out of the crowd and grabbed him. She wrapped her arms around him, tears in her eyes, and lowered

him to the ground.

The air was still and quiet as all of Luther's allies realized he was dying. Then whispers swept through

the crowd, but still no one moved away from where they were. Some people looked like they wanted to

run and hide. Others dropped to the ground on their knees showing they were ready to surrender.

Soon, all of them were on their knees, waiting to be told what to do.

The battle seemed to have ended. For a moment, I was still processing the situation. Was everything

over?

Suddenly, Demarco let out a long, low cry and pushed through the warriors. He was headed straight for

Maggie and Theo. He shoved Theo out of the way and took Maggie into his arms.

"No! Why? Why! I just got you back. Why would you leave me again?" His wails turned into heart

piercing howls that filled the air and drowned out the whispers.

With a heavy sigh, Theo rose to his feet and glanced at me, giving me a quick onceover. Probably to

make sure I wasn't hurt.

I nodded at him, silently confirming that I was okay. I hadn't been in the thick of the fighting.

Warren stood by Demarco and Theo, his face was a stony mask. I couldn't tell what he was thinking or

feeling, nor did I know what to say. His sister was dead before his eyes, again. Only this time, she

wasn't coming back.

In Jennifer's arms, Luther gasped and shuddered.

I started, my eyes snapping to him. I thought he was dead, but it seemed like he had a little life left in

him now.

"Fate is unfair..." he murmured in a quiet whisper, and when he tilted his head and saw me, he asked.

"Ciana... what did I... do wrong?"

He gasped again and with one, last shuddering breath, he died. He went completely limp in Jennifer's

arms, with his eyes open, staring at me.

I walked over to his body and crouched down, placing my hands over his still eyes and closed them.

"Fate is never fair. Our destiny is only determined by our choices. May you rest in peace..." I sighed.

Even if I had intended to answer his question, he wasn't able to hear it now.

I should've been relieved that Luther was dead and wasn't going to cause any more problems.

However, a part of me felt sorry for him. I wished he could have overcome his need for revenge,

rediscovered his family, and moved on.

But he wasn't able to let go. If he was alive, he would not give up his goal to bury the entire world with

his hatred.

My spine tingled when I thought of the darkness that had nearly devoured the entire valley. Had it been

a terrifying illusion or had it been real? I wasn’t sure I wanted the answer to that.

Jake appeared beside Theo and bowed his head quickly. "The remainder of Luther's allies have

surrendered. They are pleading for the new king's mercy."

Theo turned to Jake and began discussing the next steps. "Round up the Alphas of Luther's allies and

take them to my tent..."

I tuned out Theo’s instructions. Instead, my focus turned back on Warren. I was worried about him,

after losing Maggie a second time, and for real this time. When he thought she died before, he had

been very distraught and gone into a depressive state.

This was the second time he'd had to watch her die. I couldn't imagine how he would feel.

It was like being stabbed once in the heart, and after he went through all the pain and tears, someone

told him it was just a nightmare. Yet, as soon as he woke up, it happened again, except, this time it was

real.

What would Warren do, knowing she was really gone? There was no mistaking what had happened

with Theo and Maggie. How was he going to react?

I wanted to go to him and comfort him but he was just standing there like a statue. The last time we'd

been through this, he hadn't wanted my comfort. He'd pushed me away and blamed me for supporting

Theo.

I half expected Warren to snap any second and become that angry, depressed, hateful person he was.

It didn't matter. Warren was my friend. He'd helped me countless times and despite his wanderings,

he'd remained loyal to our friendship and his brother. If there was anything I could do to provide solace

for him, I would, whether he wanted it or not.

Before I could go to him, Theo approached and nudged Warren’s arm. He was being so careful not to

touch anyone since his gloves had gone missing.

"I know there is nothing I can say. No words will ease your pain but I want you to know that Maggie...

She sacrificed herself to save us. This was not a malicious act. The entire kingdom owes her a debt of

gratitude, including me, and none of us will ever forget," Theo said.

I glanced at Maggie's peaceful face as if I could still see her elegant and graceful smile that she usually

wore. It was no longer a permanent, fake mask that she used to deceive others anymore. This time, it

was genuine and tranquil.

After years of being away and chasing a destiny that didn't belong to her, Maggie chose to give up her

life for Theo and his people, his world. She restored her honor as a princess, as a royal, and as Theo's

sister.

I looked at Theo, his gaze towards Maggie was calm but I couldn't quite read him. Did he know how

Maggie had felt about him? I wasn’t sure whether Greg had told him every small detail about what

Maggie said. At least for me, I hadn't found an appropriate chance to update Theo on Maggie's

romantic life.

I wondered whether or not it was worth telling him sometime, so that he knew why she was willing to

sacrifice herself for him. Or maybe I should just leave it alone as it would just add more unnecessary

drama to the already chaotic family relationship.

I turned my attention to Warren, who shook his head and smiled kindly at Theo. It was a pleasant

surprise.

"Maggie mindlinked me before she... went. She told me that this was her choice, how

she chose to save the kingdom, and she was at peace with her decision," Warren explained.

"I am still sorry, all the same. The world is a darker place without her," Theo said, bowing his head.

Demarco still clung to her, crying and rocking her body. "She saved us all. She saved us all," he

chanted.

I wasn’t sure he'd be able to overcome her death a second time, especially since he never got his

answers about her lies and suppressing their matebond. It probably didn’t matter to him anymore. All

that mattered was he loved her and he could remember her as a loving mate.

The fact that she had sacrificed herself to save everyone might help Demarco find some peace and

comfort in her demise, but I doubted it. Fortunately, he didn't seem like he was going to turn around and

declare war on Theo.

We stood around a moment longer while Jake organized Theo's troops to help with the post-battle

clean up. He was corralling all of Luther's loyal followers to one tent where I suspected they'd swear

new oaths of loyalty to Theo and the crown.

Warren didn't want to leave Maggie's side until the medics came to collect her. Theo and I waited with

him. They would collect Luther, too, who wasn't far from us.

When the clean up crew moved to Luther's body Jennifer sobbed and wailed. She swatted at them,

laying herself across his body like she could protect him.

"No! Leave him alone. Leave me with him," Jennifer cried, holding onto him tighter.

"It’s over, Jennifer," I said gently, moving to her side. "It is time to let him go."

Instantly, she stopped sobbing and she raised her eyes to me. As soon as I met her pain-filled eyes,

her gaze turned into fire, burning me with hatred and ferocity.

"This is your fault, you heartless bitch!"

She jumped to her feet and shifted, pouncing on me.

White hot pain seared my side as her claws raked me from shoulder to hip, tearing through skin and

muscle.

I groaned and tried to shake her off but the pain blinded me. Jennifer snarled and snapped in my ear

and then her teeth sank into my neck and shoulder. Warm liquid poured from my neck and soaked into

my clothes, hot, wet, sticky, and rusty.

My knees gave out and I crashed to the ground, Jennifer still on my back. Searing pain burned through

me and my blood covered my neck, arms, and hands and had soaked through my shirt. Through my

blurry vision, all I could see was deep crimson all over the ground.

Blood continued to gush out and soon I felt like I was soaking in a small, sticky, metallic smelling pool.

For a moment, I wondered how my body could even hold that much liquid.

Something heavy collided with Jennifer and she wasn't on top of me anymore. I fell backward to the

ground and lifted my head enough to see Theo, in wolf form, tackling Jennifer.

She fought back fiercely for a moment and then Theo let her go, running back to my side.

Jennifer let out a mournful howl. She grabbed Luther’s arm in her jaws and dragged his dead body

away. No one else tried to stop her.

I could still feel hot blood pumping out of my neck. My mind was fuzzy and all my limbs went numb and

tingly. I started to get cold.

"We need a stretcher, here, now!" Jake ordered, motioning to me. "The dead can wait. She's badly

injured!"

Two medics with a stretcher came over. When they moved me, my whole world was spinning around in

a million directions. I hoped I would pass out before they had to move me again!

Dottie was there too. I recognized her voice as she spoke to Jake and Theo but I couldn't see her from

where I was on the stretcher. I wanted to tilt my neck and look at her but the gaping hole Jennifer had

left ached and protested with sharp jabs of pain when I tried.

My entire body was weak and heavy like I was nothing but dead weight. I was exhausted, and even

feeble breathing seemed hard.

My mind seemed to have detached from my body and I was floating over myself, looking down and

seeing how pale and weak I looked.

The wounds didn't look as bad from the outside, but the blood loss was immense. Jennifer must have

bit my artery. I should have been healing but it didn't look like I was.

Dottie's concerned face as she hovered over me confirmed for me that I was healing too slowly.

With how much blood I’d lost, I figured I should just be grateful I was alive... for the moment.

Theo shifted back to human form and he ran to my side. He grabbed my hand.

Suddenly, my mind rushed back into my body and I felt woozy and disoriented. Pain shot through me

and the tingling in my limbs became unbearably painful.

I saw, clear as day, the look of horror on Theo's face.

Was this what it was like to have the life drained out of me?

I was half dead already but I could feel his hand like a hot iron in mine, and my life essence rushed to

him involuntarily like dust being sucked by a vacuum.

Mentally, I panicked. Was I no longer immune to his ability? How was that possible? I was supposed to

be special, fated to be with him! Why was this happening now?

Theo's mortified eyes widened further and he ripped his hand from mine. Thankfully, we'd only been in

contact for a split second and he was still able to break away from me.

His eyes darkened with a look I'd never seen. I didn't think I would ever see the Dark King look terrified

but in that moment, he was.

My heart thudded heavily in my chest and I wanted to say something but my mind was detaching from

my body again. I could feel how slow my pulse was, how freezing my body was, and then the world

went black.