Sold as the Alpha King’s Breeder

Chapter 61: The Wrong Prince

I wasn’t sure where I was going or what I was planning to do, but I wanted the fresh air in my lungs to

clear my mind.

After I’d been outside for a few moments, the bitterness in my chest seemed to be relieved to a degree.

I let out a sigh. I didn‘ t even understand why I felt the strange need to see Theo or talk to him.

At this point, I didn’t owe him anything, and he’d granted me freedom. I’d gotten what I wanted, and

there was no reason to be upset.

Yes, I would comply with Prince Theo’s wishes and leave the castle- after I went to see his animals and

tell them a proper goodbye. I had become close to them, especially that silly snake of his.

Just then, before I could even make it to his zoo, I heard a thud, sounded like something fell on the

ground.

What happened? I changed my path to check it out in case someone needed help.

In the distance, a little boy was sitting on the grass near the sidewalk. He was dressed in regal clothes,

the royal colors, and the fabric was fine. His hair was a bit messy, and he had a streak of dirt on his

cheek, but I could tell despite his disheveled state that he was someone important.

It also looked as if he might be injured. He was holding his leg, up his knee, and while he wasn’t his

pant leg was pur crying, he did look distressed.

“Oh, no!” I said in a gentle voice as I rushed over to him. He looked to be about eight or ten at most.

“You alright?”

He looked up to me with similar dark eyes to the ones I was used to looking into when I stared at the

princes, but he didn’t say anything.

Perhaps he was afraid of me. He didn’t know me, after all. I gave him a smile that I hoped would set

him at ease as I sat down on my knees next to him on the path.

From here, I could see that he had a cut on his leg. It wasn’t too deep, but it did look painful. Thankfully,

I had placed an extra bandage in my pocket earlier, in case my hand started bleeding again.

So, I pulled it out of my pocket and showed it to him. “Do you want me to put this on your cut? Will that

make you feel better?” It needed to be cleaned, but at least it wouldn’t bleed all down his leg to his sock

as he went inside.

Again, he said nothing, but as I opened the bandage and put it on him, he didn’t try to pull away from

me. I smiled at him and said, “There you go. All better. What’s your name? I’m Ciana.”

Before he could respond, I heard the sound of footsteps coming up the path from the castle and turned

my attention in that direction, startled and afraid it might be Theo. I doubted he would’ve followed me,

but it was possible he had just come this way, and I didn’t want to see him..

I saw that it was Warren coming my way and contemplated getting up and darting away. I really didn’t

want to speak to him at the moment. Not that I disliked him or anything, but I wasn’t in the mood to be

friendly.

With a sigh, I turned back to the boy, but… he was gone.

Confused, I looked all over the place for him and noticed him darting off between some bushes in the

distance.

I guessed he hadn’t hurt himself so bad after all.

With a chuckle, I got up off of the ground just as Warren reached me.

“Did you become friends with Alexander too?”

“Alexander? The boy?”

“Yes, that was my nephew,” Warren said with a light smile. “He‘ s always out here playing in the

garden.”

“Your nephew?” I tried to understand whose child that boy could be. As far as I knew, there weren’t

other siblings of Warren living in the palace.

“Yes. He is my older half brother’s son.”

“Oh,” I searched my memory and tried to figure out who Warren’s older brother was, but to no avail.

However, it wouldn’t matter. I was going to leave here very soon, and the royal family tree really

shouldn’t concern me all that much going forward. So I simply commented, “I hope I didn’t scare him.

He wouldn’t speak to me.”

“Alexander? No, I’m sure you didn’t scare him. He has selective mutism,” Warren explained. “Ever

since his father was executed for treason and his mother went missing all of those years ago, he hasn’t

said a word.”

My eyes widened. That was the last thing I expected to hear!

My heart broke a little for Prince Alexander. Now it rang a bell. His father was Prince Warren and

Prince Theo’s older brother, the late Crown Prince Justin, the oldest son of King Sabestian, who

betrayed his father and was sentenced to death many years ago.

“I’m really sorry to hear about that,” I said. “He seems sweet.” My eyes trained off in the distance where

the child had disappeared, but I could no longer see a trace of him.

“You have nothing to apologize for! Say, do you want to hear something kind of funny?” Prince Warren

asked me with a broad smile, the kind that might’ve made me lose my sleep a few weeks ago, but now,

all of that charm seemed to be missing the mark for me.

I didn’t want to be impolite, though. He was still a very kind man, and he was a prince. “Sure,” I told

him, forcing myself to smile back. “What is it?”

“Well, I had a really strange dream the other night. And you were in it.” He wiggled his eyebrows at me,

but I felt the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.

I managed to keep the smile frozen on my face. Goddess, could he be talking about what had

happened in the realm created by the crystal? There was only one way to find out.

“Oh?” I asked. “What happened?”

I hoped I didn’t regret my choice to pry, but it was clear he wanted to tell me.

“Well, I dreamed you and I were getting married!” He made a face at me like he wanted to know if I

thought it was silly, even though he clearly didn’t think it was.

“Oh… how… funny,” I said. “Uhm, well, I can tell you that no such thing has ever happened in real life.”

A nervous laugh escaped my lips. “So it had to have been a dream!”

“Yeah, yeah, it was a dream, I know, but…” he began.

I cut him off. “You know what they say about dreams being opposite of reality, right?” Again, I laughed,

but this time it sounded nervous and slightly annoying.

Prince Warren’s eyes shifted, and I thought I had hurt his feelings. “Ciana, are you alright? Something

seems to be bothering you. I mean, no, of course, I understand we didn’t really get married, but you

and I have known each other for many years–right? Remember, the bracelet?”

He raised his wrist to show me the gift I’d given him a long time ago.

I smiled bitterly. Of course, I remembered the bracelet. How could I forget? Still, a lot had changed for

me since I came to the castle. I wasn’t the same silly girl I had been who thought I might be in love with

the boy I’d met in the woods.