Sold as the Alpha King’s Breeder

Chapter 91: Open Your Heart To Me

I watched as Tallis talked to Nelson about something. I watched the way his jaw locked in place and his

eyes focused on the piece of paper he was being shown.

Could it have been him? Could he have been the one I met so many years ago?

So many thoughts swirled in my mind at that moment. Tallis was Theo. But he could also potentially be

the boy from the forest. That thought made my heart flutter.

Warren’s deep sigh drew me back out of my reverie.

He followed where my gaze had been. “You’re looking at Tallis.”

“l wasn’t,” I tried to deny it. “l was just deep in thought. Tallis and I are just mere acquaintances.”

Acquaintances who had kissed on multiple occasions. But Warren didn’t need to know that.

Tallis and Nelson walked off somewhere and then Warren turned to me. From the look on his face, I

knew that he wanted to say something, something that I wouldn’t like to hear at this moment.

He stepped toward me and I instinctively took a step back. It was unintentional but based on his

expression, I knew what I did just now was hurtful to Warren.

o Ooi “Sorry,” I muttere<. I didn’t know why I was acting so awk-

: OPM TO Me ward. But being under his gaze like this really unnerved me.

He cleared his throat and bored his eyes into mine. “You know how I feel about you, Ciana, I made it

clear months ago and my feelings have never wavered since that moment. You came into my life by

pure chance. You were there in the palace for my brother but somehow I feel like you were sent there

for me.”

He took a deep breath, stepped toward me, and grabbed my hands. “l have feelings for you, Ciana and

they run deep.

I gulped

My heart hammered like crazy in my chest and my palms began to sweat. I didn’t want him to say the

words. I didn’t want to hurt him. His heart was too pure and too good to break.

But I also couldn’t lie to him.

“You said you needed time. That you had to sort through your feelings and I have given you that time.”

His hands squeezed mine. “Ciana Black, you are an extraordinary woman. Will you please do me the

honor of being mine? I know we can be so good together. Just…say yes.”

Time stood still.

His eyes glistened against the light that hung above us. I could see the hope and fear in his eyes and it

broke me. This was not what I had wanted.

I had thought that maybe if I waited long enough, his feel-

ings would fade, or he’d realize that what he was seeing in me was only friendship.

A while back, maybe there was also another part of me that thought one day I would be able to see

more in him. But that day never came.

I could never see him as more than just Warren, a friend, to me.

Even as he held my hands right now there was no spark. There was no fluttering feeling in my belly.

“Say something,” he pleaded, “please.”

I looked down at our hands and then met his gaze once more. There was a small smile playing on his

lips that had my heart breaking even more.

I was struggling to get the words out. ‘$1…can’t.”

I watched as the light slowly dimmed from his eyes and his smile slipped from his face.

He dropped my hands from his. “Why?”

I let out a shaky breath and wrung my hands together. “l can’t be with you, Warren, because I don’t

view you in the way you want me to. I wish I could give you what you wanted but I can’t. I can’t force

that feeling when it’s not there. And it’ll never be there.”

He flinched at my words. It was like I was throwing daggers into his chest and he was just standing

there taking it.

“l knew it,” he scoffed at himself bitterly, “l wonder if I had never told you what I did just now, would

anything be differ ent?”

MapW91. Opm You. Hean To Mø

He let out a helpless chuckle and turned his gaze to the distance. “Well, at least that made me feel a

little better, and not regret telling you the truth.”

“Sorry, Warren. All I can say is that I’m grateful to get to know you, and that you’re my friend.

Friend,” he spat the word like it was bitter acid. “We are friends. You’re right.” “l am sorry.’ “The truth

hurts, but I can’t continue to lie to you, just like you can’t and shouldn’t lie to me. No need to apologize.

Thank you for being honest.” “Wårren. “Has my brother confessed to you?” “What?” My eyes widened.

He took a step away from me, placing a comfortable distance between us, his face looking a bit pale.

“Well, I hope he figures out how he feels about you before it is too late…’ Warren’s words left me in a

bit of a daze. Since when had he become an advocate for me and Theo being together? “Um,” I

cleared my throat, trying to find an accurate word to describe my relationship with Theo, but failed.

“You’re in love with my brother, aren’t you?” My eyes nearly fell out of their sockets. “What? No.” “Then

with Tallis? I see the way you stare at him when you think no one is watching. At least, he is a more

interesting fel low than my brother. ” I nearly choked on my own saliva. Oh, Warren. If only you knew

that they were the same person.

Before I could say anything, Tallis decided to make an appearance.

‘l heard my name.” He walked up beside me. “What were you guys talking about?” A pregnant pause

passed between us. What was I supposed to say? Warren glanced at Tallis with mixed emotions and

Tallis looked confused. I was not about to get in the middle of their little brothers’ tiff again— I’d learned

that lesson before. ‘Hey hey! Good that you’re all here.” Nelson came toward us with wide eyes and a

topper hat in hand. “It’s showtime people. Let’s take to the stage and wow Maggie.’ Phew! Whatever

was going on here could wait. Or never be addressed again. “Yes, sir! Break a leg!” I responded to

Nelson and waved at the royal brothers before scurrying away to stand in my area on the makeshift

stage, waiting for the curtain call. “What’s that scowl about?” Tallis followed me. “What scowl?” He

raised an eyebrow. 91 • Open To He was in what looked to be some kind of raggy costume. However,

even with the torn clothes and disguise, it didn’t make him any less attractive. The more I looked at

him, the more I couldn’ t stop myself from appreciating his god-like face and perfectly fit body. “Don’t

comment,” he said in a deadpanned tone. “l wasn’t in charge of the wardrobe.’ More and more often,

when he was this close, I felt the butterflies in my belly and the weightless feeling. “You look great, still

regal like the prince.’ He rolled his eyes at me which only caused me to chuckle. “Re•ady for the

show?” he asked me. ‘I should be asking you. You’re the real star of the moment.” “l just feel bad for

these people who are forced to watch me act.” “Aren’t you part of the company?”

He shrugged. “Pure luck.”

I hummed in agreement and looked out to the crowd. Maggie was sitting in the front center, waiting for

the show to begin. Demarco sat beside her, his hand in hers.

The lights dimmed, signaling the start of the show.

“You never answered my question. What were you and Warren talking about? It seemed intense.” He

drew his lips so c ose to my ear I could feel his hot breath.

91. Orm Hean To Me

I really didn’t want to tell him. Fortunately, the narration of the performance began just in time for me to

step away from him.

Tallis gave me a disapproving look and turned back to the stage. He walked onto it and lowered himself

so he could shift into his wolf.

I watched with bated breath as he shifted into his impressive big wolf. His fur was not that midnight

black I’d seen. It was slightly lighter, like gray. Whoever helped him with his disguise obviously also

figured out a way to alter the color of his fur.

The play started and everything went well.

When I took a peek at Maggie seeing her grinning from ear to ear, I knew that the show was a success.

Finally, it got to the part where the Rogue was able to find his soul and his memory, he finally shifted

back to his human form. When Tallis appeared back on the stage as the Alpha King, the spotlights

shone on him, making his regal and handsome appearance look like the incarnation of a deity.

He didn’t need to say anything, he didn’t need to act. At that moment, the stage was his.

Everyone gasped, and Maggie’s reaction was even more dramatic. Her mouth was slightly ajar, her

eyes fixed on Tallis, and she could not hide her surprise even if she tried. It took her a few seconds to

snap out of her trance.

I knew that Nelson did a great job setting up the stage special effects during rehearsal, but judging by

Maggie’s re action, it must be even more impressive to the audience who

Open Your TO saw it for the first time.

When the show ended, we received great applause from our audience. Tears welled up in Maggie’ s

eyes and she clapped loudly for at least two minutes straight to show us her appreciation until Demarco

gently reminded her to go back to her room and take some rest.

She was so sick that sitting for a couple of hours straight to watch the show had taken a heavy toll on

her body.

I sighed internally and again felt terrible for Maggie, as well as Warren.

The crowd had dispersed and it was time to finish taking down the stage and packing everything up.

“That was incredible, Warren. You directed a spectacular show,” Nelson walked over to us, “You too,

Tallis and Ciana.”

I smiled back at him. “That was incredible. And most importantly, Maggie seemed to love it too.’

“She did,” he smiled. “Well done, guys. I think we all deserve a drink or maybe even seven!”

Nelson bounced off to where some of the other caste members were and started speaking to them

animatedly too, leaving Tallis, Warren, and I on the stage.

I picked up one of the makeup boxes and was about to place-it in the crate when I heard my name

being shouted out loud by Tallis and Warren.

“Watch out!” Warren shouted.

I looked up and saw a huge cage falling from above.

In the next moment, someone pushed me through the air. As soon as I hit the ground, I also heard a

loud noise of metal hitting the ground.

I turned around and found both Tallis and Warren in the cage.

“Ciana, run!” Tallis yelled at me.