Sold AS The alpha King's Breeder

Chapter 17: The One She Cares for the Most

I let out a low whistle, and the next moment, a lion came flying through the doorway, aiming right for my assailant, who had to let go of me.

Perceval slithered in, tripping Luther up, and the Samson the tiger came charging in with a roar and forced the man to back further away.

I rushed to Brook and wrapped my arms around her. “We need to get out of here,” I whispered to her. “Are you well enough to stand?”

She had a confused look on her face as her eyes shifted back and forth, but she quickly collected her senses and gave me a firm nod.

As we moved toward the door, I caught a glimpse of Luther. He pulled a long blade from somewhere I hadn’t seen and swiped at Linus, cutting the lion in the leg, then he turned to the tiger and did the same.

“No!” I cried. The last thing I wanted was for my friends to get hurt.

He kicked Perceval aside and quickly closed the gap between us. I realized that the animals were outmatched by him since he had weapons, and that Brook and I would be as well. I could only pray that with the animals running through the palace to get here, it had caused enough commotion to draw the attention of the guards.

“Brook, keep running and get help!” I was about to stop and go back to deal with the attacker when I heard a piercing howl. We turned around and saw a large wolf. It was

beautiful-its fur was a deep onyx black that shimmered in the light, with glimmering gold stripes on both sides of its back.

That had to be Prince Theo.

He took one look at the bleeding animals and went after Luther, who still hadn’t shifted.

Luther swiped at the upper shoulder of the wolf. Theo lunged at him anyway, pushing the attacker backward, causing Luther to almost collide with us. Immediately, the tables had turned on this battle.

I let out a breath of relief. The most powerful warrior of the country had arrived, I knew we were safe. But then Luther let out a chuckle and whispered in a voice that only I was close enough to hear, “Naughty girl….”

Before he stood to go after the prince again, he shoved something in my hand. “You may think you know everything, Ciana, but you don’t. Use that when you want to see me again -if you’re still alive then.”

Everything happened so fast, and before I knew it, Theo went after Luther again. The kidnapper was back up, swinging the blade toward the prince’s wolf.

I didn’t have time to stand around and see who won the fight because Brook still looked quite concerned. “It’s all right,” I told her. “The prince will protect us.” I believed those words, and as he went at the man again, I saw his teeth chomp down on the hand holding the blade. The kidnapper roared, let the

blade go, and tossed himself into the woods.

Night had completely engulfed the forest. Knowing that we were safe now, Brook and I dropped on the ground to catch our breaths, then I heard a familiar voice behind us.

“What did you think you were doing, leaving the castle like that?!” he asked, storming up behind us and dropping a shirt over his head. The fact that his clothing wasn’t shredded made me think he must’ve undressed before he shifted, rather than just bursting into his wolf to run into the house to save

us.

Priorities….

had to get to Brook,”

pain began to form in my head, and I thought it might be a stress headache from too much excitement all in one day. I loosened my grip slightly on my friend,

prince said, coming up on my other side.

good, Brook would’ve never been kidnapped by Luther to begin with,” I said, tilting my head up. to stare down my nose at him the best I could, considering he was a full six or seven inches taller than me. “I am sorry about

he asked. He had a bit of blood on his neck, chest, and shoulder-based

was from our

back to the walkway so I didn’t lose my footing as he continued to berate me. “Whoever that was… your job is to be

vision. How badly did I want to tell him where he could shove

my ear and whispered. “Oh, how romantic! He loves you so much, he can’t stand the idea of the two of you

at all, but then I remembered I was supposed to be pretending that Theo and I were in love-to everyone. So I kept my

splinter now. Every ounce of light was like an icicle being rammed into my eyes, and I felt the world

away from me again, Ciana,” Theo was telling me in a voice that seemed quite a bit more calm than the

My words were becoming jumbled, and

and forth when I looked at her, and

it wasn’t her that was

It was me.

then, both of them faded away and all I could

*****

*Theo*

I shouted her name as I scooped her up into my arms. She didn’t answer though, and as her friend began

woman! How did she let

mind-link, I called ahead for the healers to be ready in my room. Her blubbering friend trailed along behind us, crying and

I reached the castle, the guards threw the doors open for me. They waited for her friend to catch up, but I sprinted down the hallway and shoved my bedroom

woman who was old enough. to be my mother, went about checking her-listening to her heart, checking her pulse, all of

attack.

turned to face me. “I’m afraid the

It

Ciana’s little friend began to cry again. Jake handed her a tissue and comforted

that the

at the

and potions since she was in the service of my father. In a place like this, one needed to know about

certainly fell into

exactly sure,” Dottie replied, walking over to Ciana’s side. She arranged her hair so that it was

not pay attention to her eyes-she was kind, witty, and brave, and her eyes reflected those qualities, which shone even brighter than

her eyes were closed, and I

about how beautiful she looked or how delicate she seemed when she was so still, like she was

should head to