Sold as the Alpha King's Breeder novel Chapter 413

Chapter 71: How Did You End Up Here Too?

*Ciana*

At my parents' house, I waited for Warren to get back. Things with that fake Ciana must have been going well because it was taking a while for him to return.

I stood up and started pacing around the living room. Warren was taking longer than I thought. A part of me started to worry about him, but he was Prince Warren. Not even Beta Raymond was stupid enough to move against a prince. I knew

Warren could take care of himself.

My mind kept wandering back to the man I'd seen, Tallis. Well, that was what Nelson called him, but he just felt like Theo.

He stood like him, talked like him, and even had his scent. I'd been around the Dark Prince enough to know the kind of person he was, and this Tallis just reminded me of Theo.

Although, he did look different once I got the chance to get a closer view of him.

But, if I could disguise myself well enough that people thought I was a boy, and if "Fake Ciana" could use magic to look like me, why couldn't someone do the same with Theo?

Maybe Theo was trying to disguise himself as an unknown carnival worker. But this was Prince Theo! There was no reason for him to do so.

First of all, he hadn't cared that I was leaving, he hadn't even come to say goodbye to me. Why would he follow me all the way to my pack? Why would he care what was going on in my pack?

He'd made it pretty clear in the days before I left that he didn't care.

Besides, if that Tallis guy was Theo, why try to hide it, especially from me? The only reason Theo would come here would be to make good on his word and help my pack. Not because he cared about me but because he was keeping his word as a prince. But then, he wouldn't have to hide his identity from me.

Sighing, I rubbed my hands on my thighs and sat down on the couch.

As soon as my butt hit the cushion, the doorknob clicked and Warren walked through the front door with a grin on his face.

"I take it your chat went well?" I asked, jumping up to greet him.

'He nodded. "Your look alike invited me on a date. We'll meet

up three nights from now in the packhouse gardens," he said.

Something flickered in his eyes and his smile fell slightly.

"Packhouse? So she didn't want to come back here?" I murmured to myself, but that didn't matter. "Isn't that a good thing?"

"Yes, it is a good time for me to fish more information out of her. I'll see if I can poke some more holes in her identity. It could help later," he suggested.

"That's a good idea. I'd say, mission accomplished for the night," I grinned at him.

"Agreed," he said with a nod. Warren sighed heavily and headed to the couch, flopping down.

"But you're not happy. I'm sorry that I forced you into doing this."

We were getting exactly what we wanted, but Warren obviously still felt bad tricking a young girl.

I sat in a chair across from him and leaned forward, resting my elbows on my knees. "You know, you truly have a good heart. If this is getting too hard, we can figure something else out. I don't want to see you suffer."

Warren's lips quirked up. "I said I'd help, Ciana. Besides, I can't just sit around when I know there is someone trying to steal your life and your identity. You don't deserve that. You're an Alpha's daughter!"

"I really appreciate what you are doing," I added. "I hope you understand how much it means to me and my people."

***

Nelson's traveling carnival had set up a large tent on Alvar territory. It wasn't unusual for traveling entertainment groups to show up from time to time in different pack territories. They didn't belong to any pack, but they had to follow the laws and rules of whoever's territory they were in.

I couldn't imagine not having a pack and family. I loved mine too much, which was why I was so determined to stop Raymond from his insane plan to rebel against the crown.

After a good night's rest, my suspicions of Tallis hadn't diminished any. I put on my disguise so that no one in my pack could recognize me and headed to the carnival tent to find Nelson and figure out whatever I could from him about this Theo lookalike, or feelalike, to be precise.

It would be too much of a coincidence for there to be a Ciana and Theo imposter in my pack at the same time.

The tent was busy. I saw a few women walk by on their hands. Others were dressed in glittering unitards, trapeze slung over their shoulders. One burly, hairy man was walking around with a bull whip coiled around his arm.

It looked like they were getting ready for a big performance.

"Hey, you're the young lord from last night. Good day!" Nelson greeted me when he saw me, laughing heartily and clutching his chest.

"I'm sorry for the misunderstanding. I just dropped by to learn more about your performance program, is that okay?" I asked using a deep voice, sounding as casual as possible.

"Of course! I can tell a fellow carnival fan when I meet one.

Come to my office," he said, beckoning me to follow.

Nelson's office was a small corner of the tent blocked off with red, silk curtains. He used a collapsible table for a desk and old milk crates for a filing cabinet.

I could hear snarls and growls from animals in another section of the tent. There was also a sharp cracking sound. Probably the bullwhip that animal tamer had been carrying around.