Sold as the Alpha King's Breeder
Chapter 402

Chapter 60: A Token of Affection

He didn't. Instead, he totally ignored me and turned around. In his deep and soothing voice, heasked Sophia, “Only one of?"

Sophia blushed and lowered her head as if she was really shy, “Your Highness...

The whole scene caused a cold and hard knot in my stomach and I felt like a fool for ever makinghim anything.

It was clear now that all he'd ever wanted from me was help in getting his berry to grow. I fisted myhands, trying to fight back the bitterness.

I couldn't understand why I was so upset. Yes, I might have considered myself a friend of his, andwhoever that he chose to be with really wasn't my business, right?

But that wasn't working... I couldn't help feeling betrayed, somehow, and it hurt, especially when Iheard Sophia giggle.

Rounding the corner, I saw two other girls coming down the hallway. “Oh, look over there. It's thehas been,” one of them said, and then they laughed. I recognized them as being friends of Sophia.Before they got far enough away from me that I couldn't hear, the other one said, “Sophia is the onePrince Theo wants now. I'm so happy for her. Everyone should've known she would win. She is themost beautiful one here. Not that loser.”

I managed to keep my tears back until I heard the other one say, “Sophia will be Prince Theo'sLuna.”

I should've turned around and ran away when I had the chance, but it was too late.

"What the hell are you doing here?” Sophia's sharp voice. echoed in the empty hallway.

“Don't curse,” Theo reminded her quietly, his voice almost gentle. “It's not becoming of a lady.”

“I'm so sorry, my Prince,” she said. “It's only... I can't believe the same girl you just told to leave thecastle immediately is standing here staring at us with her mouth hanging open. Better close itbefore you swallow a fly.”

I wasn't sure what to say to her, so I ended up saying nothing at all. I took a step backward, thinkingnow was as good a time as ever to leave, but now, Theo was also finally paying attention to me.

I fully expected to see rage in his eyes, but I didn't. He just looked more indifferent than anythingelse.

“What are you doing here, Ciana?” he asked me. “I didn't think I'd left things unclear before.”

"You were quite clear, sir,” I agreed with him, replaceing my voice despite the feeling that my heart wasbeing squeezed. “I am leaving. I just... had something to give to you first.”

"What is it?” Sophia asked, sashaying across the hallway.

“It's not for you.” I withdrew my hand, accidentally squeezing the metal of the lapel pin again. Itstung as I got yet another

cut on my hand. I tried not to wince.

“I know it's not for me, but if you haven't noticed, I am the prince's personal attendant now,” Sophiasmirked. “Let me see it.”

My eyes shifted back to Theo. He didn’t make a move to stop her, so with a sigh, I opened my palm,noticing a bit of blood near the bandage I had on from earlier.

Sophia picked up the lapel pin out of my hand and immediately began to laugh. “What the f-"“Language,” Theo reminded her quietly again. He rarely spoke to me in that tone, yet, he was willingto show his tenderness to Sophia!

Sophia cleared her throat. He really was investing his time and effort in her if he was trying to gether to act like Luna Queen material.

“Beg your pardon, Alpha,” she said, placing the pin back into my hand. She crossed back to him."You wouldn't want it anyway. It's just a little scrap of junk.”

Rage coursed through me. I'd worked really hard on that gift, and even though it might not looklike much to Sophia, it had meant a lot to me.

Theo didn't say anything. I took another step backward.

"Although, I guess I can see why she made a lapel pin for you, Alpha. It is a bit pathetic, though,don't you think?” Sophia said as she took her place back at the prince's elbow.

“A lapel pin?” His eyebrows arched, and I noted he was

thinking about something deeper than he had been before.

“I just thought-" I began, wanting to explain to him that I had thought it would be something hecould wear on special occasions when he had to wear a suit jacket. At least, that was something I'dbeen telling myself while I was making it. I saw no reason to tell them that it had been Brook's idea.“You just thought that you could win over the heart of the prince the same way that Luna Jezebelwon over the heart of Alpha King Titus two hundred years ago? Right?” Sophia asked, giving me anaccusatory remark as she folded her arms beneath her ample bosom.

"What?" I gasped, not knowing what she was talking about. I could tell now by the expression onTheo's face that he was also familiar with this story.

"Everyone knows that Jezebel was a poor woman who lived in the village. She saw King Titus from adistance and knew she had to do whatever she could to win his heart.”

She glared at me and continued, “On the day when the king traditionally met with people from thevillage, she came to the throne room, kneeled down before him, and said, "Your

Majesty, I know it isn't much, but I have made this lapel pin for you as a token of my appreciationfor your service to our pack.’ Then when she looked up at the king, he was stunned by her beautyand immediately fell in love with her.”

Theo looked away from me, seemingly didn't care about what Sophia was saying. I had never heardof it before, but something told me my dear, sweet friend Brook had.

I was going to have to have words with her when I got back to our room.

"So even though Jezebel and King Titus were not fated mates, the Moon Goddess smiled uponthem. She rewarded the poor village woman who had gone to such great lengths to impress theking and made it so that he fell deeply in love with her. They were married, and she became theLuna Queen of all the land."

Sophia tipped her head to the side and pursed her lips a moment before saying, “Such an originalidea you had.”

“I... I didn't know,” I stammered.

She scoffed. “You didn't know? Somehow I doubt that. Everyone in the palace knows that a gift of alapel pin is a token of one’s love. But who do you think you are daring to give it to the prince?”Nothing came to mind in regards to an answer, so I just stood there, staring at both of them,wondering what I could say to dismiss myself.

It didn't take long for Theo to respond anyway. “Sophia,” he said, his tone rather bored, “leave Cianaalone.” For a moment, I thought perhaps he was going to defend me against her.

But then his tone changed completely, and he sounded scornful, notes of boredom still comingthrough as well just to

make me feel even worse.

“You know there's nothing between the two of us. Sure, I kept you close for a while, but that wasonly because, at the time, you were useful to me. Now, you are not, and you know it. Your time atthe castle has come to an end. I'm not interested

in your pin or whatever gifts you want to make for me. 1 only ask you one thing-leave, now.”

His eyes cut through me like daggers, and I truly wished I had never even come here today at all, letalone having gone to the trouble to bring him a gift I made with my own two hands.

To think, I'd actually thought there was a chance he might appreciate my hard work.

Hadn't I known him long enough to understand that he wasn't capable of appreciating anythinganyone did for him?

“All right,” I said quietly. “I understand what you are saying, my Prince. I'm very sorry that I botheredyou. I promise you, I will comply with your wishes and stay away from you now.”

"Well, thank the Moon Goddess for that,” Sophia chimed in. “It's not as if your face is even pretty,anyway.”

“Sophia,” Prince Theo said, but he didn’t say more, and she didn't take the saying of her name tomean she should stop.

“Really, having you leave the castle will be the best thing for all of us. None of the other girls canstand you, except for that ridiculous little redheaded girl. We're all sick and tired of you doingeverything you can to steal Prince Theo's attention. Clearly, he’s not been fooled by you, so you mayas well take your fakeness somewhere else.”

She buffed her fingernails on her shoulder and then admired them for a moment before blowingthem off and giving me a vindictive smile.

I couldn't think of anyone else in the world I despised more

than her at the moment.

But she was right about one thing. Everyone would be better off without me here.

I still had the lapel pin in my hand, and I wasn't sure why, so I tossed it on the ground. If he didn'tlike it. That was fine. He could be the one to throw it in the trash-the same way that he believed hismother had picked up the bookmark he had made for her and tossed it in the trash.

Let him draw his own parallels if that's where his mind took him.

“I'm sorry for all of the trouble I've caused,” I said. Then, I turned around and walked away as fast asI could. The sooner I could get away from the two of them, the better.

Thankfully, this time I made it down the hallway without seeing anyone else. I was leery of runninginto any of Sophia's friends, like the rude girls I'd seen before. I should've turned around and left themoment I overheard what they had to say.

My feet carried me outside, where I had always felt most comfortable. When I stepped into thegarden and took a few deep breaths, my head felt slightly clearer, but my heart still ached.

It was foolish of me not to listen to what Prince Theo had told me in the first place. He'd made hisposition very clear. He had only been using me for my blood. Now, I had served my purpose.

It was truly time for me to go home.