Sold as the Alpha King's Breeder
Chapter 376

Chapter 34: Share His Room

*Ciana*

The ride back to the castle was quiet and long. For hours and hours, I sat in a seat across from Theo,but like on the way here, we didn’t speak much-except this time, I wasn't upset with him. I was upsetwith myself.

I'd gone to a whole lot of trouble for absolutely no reason. While I had figured out that there weremultiple problems brewing in my pack, I had solved exactly none of them. And even worse, mygood friend and mentor had been killed in order to frame me for her murder.

Every time I thought about her, I felt overwhelmed by suffocating sadness and white-hot anger. Thepain growing within my chest was too raw and too fresh for me to even accept that it was real, and Ilonged to be out of the range of the prince's watchful eye so I could let my emotions out.

Theo had only briefly mentioned that we needed to be back to the palace by Full Moon, which wasonly a couple of days away from now, but he didn’t tell me anything else- even if he had, I probablywouldn't pay much attention.

As the car approached the palace, I could feel the dread that washed over me. Looking at Theo'sface, I saw a similar expression there and thought perhaps I didn't know him that well after all.

The door was opened for me, and I got out. We had arrived late in the evening, and I wasexhausted.

As we walked up the steps to the palace, I suddenly remembered that I was supposed to be hisprisoner before I'd left the palace. What would he do to me then? Would I be returning to mygenerous accommodations in the dungeon?

But when Jake asked where he should place me, Theo replied, “The room next to mine will do. Also,get Dottie.".

My eyebrows raised, and for a moment, I thought he was being a civilized human being for once.But then I remembered why we were here-the dreamberry, and the fact that I was the source of theblood he needed.

That's right. Theo doesn’t want me for me. He just wants my blood,’ I reminded myself.

Luckily, I was able to recover quite fast.

“No major concerns regarding Miss Black,” Dottie assured Theo, and then she turned to me andsaid, “Dear, make sure you get lots of rest and you'll be fine!”

I sat up, thinking maybe some reading before bed would help me fall asleep easier when the doorbetween my room and Theo's opened.

“You should be asleep by now,” Theo said.

I had forgotten that he had extraordinarily sharp hearing. “Did I bother you? Sorry, I couldn't sleep,”I said.

He came over to the foot of the bed, and in the light of the almost-full moon, I could see that hewas concerned.

It was shocking to see such an expression on his handsome face.

“Perhaps a visitor will do you some good,” he suggested.

My forehead crinkled as I tried to decipher what he was talking about, but a moment later, therewas a light rapping on the door, and I had to wonder if he had summoned someone with the mind-link.

He went and pulled the door open, and standing there in her robe was my beautiful redheadedfriend, Brook.

A smile immediately came to my face as she bowed to the prince and then bounded across theroom, throwing her arms around me. I looked over her shoulder to see Theo standing there withwhat could only be described as a faint smile on his face.

“Thank you,” I mouthed to him.

He only shrugged and then went back to his room.

"Oh, Ciana! I missed you so much!” Brook said. “You've missed out on quite a bit while you weregone. How are you? Are you okay?"

“I'm fine,” I assured her, though it wasn't exactly true. “How are you?”

"Good, but I feel so terrible, Ciana! If I had never allowed myself to be kidnapped by that horribleman in the first place, you would never have gotten yourself into this awful situation!”

“No! No! You mustn't blame yourself,” I told her. “Believe me, Brook, I've managed to get myselfinto plenty of trouble on my own, thank you very much.”

That made her giggle. “How are things in your pack?”

“Not good,” I admitted.

Knowing Brook, she would internalize everything I told her and become even more upset about thesituation than I was if I allowed her to know exactly what had gone on.

So I didn't.

“I had some trouble with a man who wants to be Alpha,” I said with a simple shrug of my shoulders.“But Prince Theo set him straight.”

“And he brought you back here!” she added, a glint of mischief in her eyes. I knew she was implyingsomething.

"Yes, well, I believe the prince had his own reasoning for that,” I said, implying that it wasn't at allwhat she thought it was. Again, the details were not important.

“Well, the other girls are saying he took you with him even during his work because he loves you.”

I laughed. I couldn't help it. So that was the rumor? It seemed that no one other than Brook knew Ihad been thrown in the dungeon, and when they didn't see either Theo or me for a few days, theyjust assumed that Theo had brought me along with him wherever he went.

“Believe me, that is not the case at all. Prince Theo doesn’t love anyone as far as I can tell.” I meantthe statement as a blow to His Royal Pain in the Butt, but when I said it, the words only made mesad.

We talked for about an hour about the things that had gone on in the castle, but I could tell Brookwas extremely tired, and I decided I should let her go. “You should go get some rest,” I told her. “Wecan talk more tomorrow.”

Brook yawned and said, “You're right.” She smiled at me, but it seemed forced, and I began towonder if something else was bothering her.

But by then, she was already moving off of the bed. She kissed my cheek, and I gave her a hug aswe both wished each other goodnight.

Falling back onto my pillows, I was greeted with the same view that had not allowed me to sleepbefore. Susan's face filled my mind, followed by Raymond's and Hawke's.

I didn't want to be alone.

It had only been a few minutes since Brook had left, so I thought I might go after her and see ifmaybe she might want to sleep in my room with me. Throwing back the covers, I put on my robeand flew to the door, throwing it open.

Peeking my head out, I looked down the hallway. To my surprise, Brook was still nearby.

But she was busy.

I stepped back inside of my room to observe what was going on without being seen.

Brook was speaking to Jake at the end of the hall, and it appeared that she was softly crying. Hepulled out a handkerchief and handed it to her, and she dabbed at her eyes.

I had noticed that she'd looked upset when she left, but I didn't know what was wrong. And whywas she with the

Beta? Had the two of them established some sort of a... relationship?

At the moment, it wasn't my business. I decided to let it be and went back inside, closing the doorquietly behind me.

Taking off my robe, once again I lay down and stared at the ceiling. I couldn't start tossing andturning again or I'd disturb the prince next door, and the next time, he might not be so nice as tosummon my best friend.

I lay there for another hour, watching the shadows cast by the moon track across the white expanseabove me.

Nothing worked to make me forget the horrors I'd encountered on my journey. From Susan's faceto the pile of mangled wolves that Prince Theo had dropped in front of me, it was all a nightmare.Looking at the seam of our shared door, I saw that Theo's light was still on. Did he not need rest?Finally, out of desperation, I got up one more time and shoved my arms into my robe. This time, Iwent to the other door and knocked gently, fear pulsing through me as I imagined he might shoutat me for waking him again.

Theo opened the door fairly quickly.

“I'm so sorry, Your Highness,” I whispered. “I can't sleep, and I dont want to be alone. Would it bepossible for me to use your couch?”

He didn't say anything and only stared at me for a moment.

I had started to second guess what I'd asked when he stepped aside and hooked his head in thedirection of the sofa, which I took to mean yes.

“Thank you,” I whispered as he pulled the door closed behind me. He looked a bit sympathetic as Ipadded across the carpet and lay down on the couch.

He dimmed the light in the room and left a reading lamp for himself while he continued working onsomething.

Through my half-opened eyes, I saw that he was as handsome as a god, but his usual, colddemeanor seemed to not only keep people away, but also the evil ghosts, restless spirits and evennightmares. It was strange. The more I spent time with him, the less I seemed to know him.

Slowly, my eyelids grew heavy, and a wave of sleep crested over me, dragging me down into theabyss. I closed my eyes.

What was it about being there, in Prince Theo's room, that had suddenly made me feel so content?I had no idea, but I was glad to realize I was finally dozing off.

The last thing I noticed before sleep claimed me was the feel of a warm, soft cover being tossedover me.