Sold as the Alpha King's Breeder novel Chapter 404

Chapter 62 What If She Said Yes?

*Theo*

“This is the ugliest lapel pin I’ve ever seen in my life,” Sophia said, picking up the trinket off of the ground and turning it around and around in her hands. “Really, why would she put all of these random things on it anyway? A berry? Red moon? She’s so stupid.”

“Shut up.” I ordered, watching her cheeks turn slightly pink from embarrassment. She just couldn’t help her filthy mouth.

She was walking toward the wastebasket. While I wasn’t certain what I wanted to do with it, I knew I wasn’t going to let her throw it away.

I held my hand out, knowing if I said anything at all, my emotion would show too much. Just because I didn’t want Ciana hanging around the castle anymore, that didn’t give Sophia or anyone else the right to insult her.

Sophia dropped the pin into my hand. “Haven’t you got work to do?” I asked her, pointing to her own room. She started moving her junk into the side chamber, she might as well get that completed. It seemed like a good excuse to get her out of my hair.

I turned my attention to the pin. I could tell even at first glance that Ciana had put a lot of effort into making this for me. It did have a symbol of berries on it, as well as other items that only we would know the meaning of. It made my heart feel warm.

I remembered seeing a bandage on her hand and a smear of blood. Had she injured herself going to all of this trouble just for me? I shook my head. She really wasn’t the crafty sort, but she’d been trying to make an impression.

She seemed to have never heard of the story Sophia told about the Luna who made a similar gift for her Alpha, but was there a likelihood that she had and still chose to make this for me?

I gently brushed my thumb against it and the time we spent together replayed in my mind.

“There you are!” My father’s voice bellowed through the other end of the hallway.

“Your Majesty,” I acknowledged him.

Sophia, who hadn’t been too far away, also bowed in respect. “Your Majesty.”

His Beta, Xavier, whom I couldn’t stand in the least, was standing behind my father. His nose was up in the air as he prepared to interject his thoughts into our conversation, I had no doubt.

“I have been looking for you,” my father said.

“What for?” I really wasn’t in a mood to deal with him at the moment. I shoveled my hand in my pocket and dropped the pin in. No one needed to see the gift from Ciana.

“You tell me,” Father said with a haughty air about him as he tilted his head to the side and observed me. “Tell me how the

new heir is coming along. Have you succeeded in impregnating one of these women yet? I certainly hope you have good news for me. I’ve gotten quite tired of waiting, after all.”

I nearly choked at the wording of his question but covered it with a cough. “No, King Sebastian,” I said, being more formal than I had been before. “We have not successfully completed that transaction–not as of yet, anyway.”

“Why not? I thought the Black girl was the one you had chosen. Is she not capable of bearing a child?” He looked down his nose at me with great scrutiny.

I wasn’t sure how to answer that question. It wasn’t as if Ciana and I had even tried creating a child–at least not in the real world. I wouldn’t let thoughts of what had happened between us in the dream realm linger. That was a dangerous path to go down, and so far, I’d avoided it every turn.

Almost every turn.

Instead of letting him know all of the details that were honestly not his business, I said, “She isn’t physically fit for the task, Your Majesty. I will be choosing someone else.”

“Someone else!” he shouted. “But… you’ve already wasted so much time on this girl!”

“Your Majesty, if I may,” Beta Xavier spoke up, “wouldn’t it be best if the prince chose whatever girl makes him most happy? Shouldn’t he find a girl that makes him feel a certain kind of way, one he is attracted to and wishes to spend time with?”

“Happy? Why in hell would I care about that?” my loving

father remarked. He shook his head, making his long mustache swoosh back and forth.

“Well, we want an heir that is strong and powerful, right? So… we need to give Prince Theo a chance to explore all of his options and not just settle for the first girl who catches his eye,” Beta Xavier explained, and for once, I thought perhaps he wasn’t that bad after all, even if he was encouraging my father not to care about my wishes.

“Yes, yes, of course we need a strong heir.” The king stroked his chin with his fingers. “But we must not wait too long.”

“With all due respect,” Xavier continued, “we do want Prince Theo to make a good choice, but let us not forget he isn’t the only male with royal blood who is capable of producing a strong heir.”

My father sighed and dragged his hand down his face. “Are we going to have this conversation again, Xavier? I already told you, I want Theo to be the one to produce the heir.”

He wanted me for my powers, not my intellect, battle skills or leadership abilities.

“Yes, I know, but wouldn’t it be smart to have more than one to choose from, Your Majesty?” Xavier prodded.

I wasn’t sure whether I should be happy or irritated that he was pushing the attention onto my brother.

“Very well.” I was surprised to hear my father say those words. “Let Warren know he can also choose a woman from the consort.”

My mouth wanted to drop open, but I fought it. From the consort? From MY consort? No, that wouldn’t do, not at all.