Sold AS The alpha King's Breeder

Chapter 11 My Bracelet

My eyes flew open before the sun was fully up. I remembered instantly where I was, and my interaction with Prince Theo weighed on my mind.

I took a few deep breaths, trying not to let his constantly irritated state get to me. I had slept well, had good dreams, and had a lot of energy pulsing through my veins. Why would I let his pessimism ruin my day before it had even begun?

I glanced down at my pillow and saw the flower that Prince Warren had given to me and instantly felt a rush of

adrenaline.

No wonder I’d gotten a good night of sleep. The blooms were slightly faded from the vibrancy they’d had when he’d first picked it and handed it over to me, but the fragrance still filled my lungs when I inhaled, and I thought it might last another day or two.

I quickly put the flower in the top drawer of the night stand and hopped up, ready to prepare for the day. Lots of hard manual labor lay in front of me, but I was mentally prepared for all of it.

After a few hours, I had almost finished wiping down the entire wing. Almost, because the ceiling was too high for me to reach. While I was pondering what I should do to get

myself up there, I had an overwhelming feeling that someone was watching me from behind.

I looked down the hallway and saw a tall, lean form coming toward me, and immediately, my heart knew who it was.

Quickly, I sprinkled some water on the floor so I’d have an excuse to speak to him. “Be careful, Your Highness!” I called. “The floor is wet here!”

“There you are!” Prince Warren greeted me as he approached, staying back from the area I’d just dampened. “I had wondered why you weren’t outside with the animals. So… you were chosen to be my brother’s personal attendant, huh?”

Something was slightly off about his tone. He was saying kind words, but he didn’t exactly seem happy about the news.

“This is my assignment, for now,” I said, keeping my head down. “It was… an accident… sort of.” I couldn’t quite explain to him how I happened to be at the pavilion at the same time that Prince Theo was expecting his attendant there.

“Well… congratulations.” His smile looked forced for some reason that I didn’t understand.

“Thank you,” I said. “But honestly… if I had a choice….” His eyebrows raised, and he took a step closer to me, as if he knew I was hesitant to say what I was trying to get out, which was true. “I wouldn’t have chosen to be Prince Theo’s attendant.”

I wasn’t sure whether it was a good idea to share my displeasure about one prince with another prince, but looking at Warren’s face, I knew I could trust him.

“Really?” His tone suddenly changed, and I thought I heard a bit of lightness to his voice. “Well, it looks like you’ve got quite

a bit of work to do, cleaning up this wing of the castle. You know, a personal attendant isn’t meant to be a maid.”

I felt my cheeks redden as I thought about how I had gone

| into Prince Theo’s room last night and ended up getting myself into this predicament. But at least I had something to do. “I don’t mind a bit of hard work,” I told him.

“Perhaps I could help you? I’ve never done much cleaning, but I can give it a try.” He flashed a kind smile to me that made my heart skip a beat, and I wondered if he could hear it.

I had to turn down his offer. “That

up again. “You’re not asking me, silly,” he reminded me. “I’m volunteering-as

accept his offer to help, simply because I wanted to spend more time with him. I glanced around and suddenly realized exactly what I could ask him to do. “Well, I am having a bit of trouble reaching

his pocket as he studied the problem. He gave me a nod and smiled again.

and a duster with a long pole, he moved over to the corner and climbed

he did so, his sleeve moved back just

in my throat as I got another,

the one I’d given away as a gift all those years ago, I could see some wear

not to stare, I looked away, but I couldn’t lose this opportunity to satisfy my

said, “That’s an unique bracelet you have

him a moment to respond since he was working. When he finally lowered the duster down, he said. “This?” He held it up so I could see it. His gaze seemed to get even softer as he said, “It was a gift I received a long time

again. “From… whom?” I was fishing for

off of the ladder and moved it

another web above him.

you have fond

avert my eyes, grabbing the mop and sliding it across the floor

“I-I was just curious.”

the information I got from him for today before he got suspicious. I had to pretend like

if I could just blurt out to him that it had come from me, that I’d been the girl who saved him in the

else, an annoying voice hit my ear, and

girls. She’s supposed to be one of Prince Theo’s bride candidates, but here she is again, doing the dirty work that only maids would do! She must have embarrassed Prince Theo so much

to be

few feet away, her arms folded, her friends gathered at her shoulders, all of them looking down their noses at me. Sophia bowed down to greet Prince Warren, “You Highness, please do not be deceived by her. She would bring you nothing but disgrace. She was

of the

a whore!”

not lady-like at

way. Likewise, you shouldn’t be spreading rumors and speaking unkindly about others. That’s not the job of

mouth but then closed it again, dropping her eyes. She raised them to glare at me before she said, “Come along, ladies. Let’s get back to the clean part of

I got the distinct feeling that she didn’t

she was going to be making

was gone, I turned to Prince Warren. “Thank you for sticking

briefly on the shoulder. “You’re

a tingle of electricity

When he

there, I enjoyed his company. He was so different from his brother, so much more thoughtful and kind. I wished I had been assigned to

||

7.