Sold as the Alpha King’s Breeder

"Can this wait until we get somewhere safe?" Greg asked sharply. He'd been leading the way through

the woods, further from the camp.

"No one is following us,* I said.

"We are still incredibly vulnerable out here," Greg muttered. I had a feeling he was more unsettled by

the fact that I was talking to Warren and being friendly to him than by our dangerous situation.

"We'll be quiet," I said with a nod.

Greg grunted and went back to forging our path through the woods.

"Then, what are you planning to do?* I asked Warren, keeping my voice low.

He shook his head again.

This was a different Warren I was seeing. I'd seen him go from warm and friendly to depressed and

hostile. Now he was so... shaky and unconfident. He was going through a complete identity crisis.

I sighed. This was the second time within a month that his life had fallen apart. First, when he thought

Maggie was dead, and now when he found out he'd been lied to his whole life. If I'd had that big of a

bombshell dropped on me, I didn't know how I'd react.

"Come this way, I know of an escape route," Warren said loud enough to get Greg's attention.

"Why are you only bringing this up now?" Greg asked, circling around and glaring at Warren.

“Because it is to the left and you're angling to the right,* Warren explained, holding his arm out in the

correct direction. "You'll be able to get far away from the camp and back to safety.*

"Why would you help us?* Greg frowned. He stood toe to toe with Warren, glaring at him.

“Because I don't want Ciana involved in this," Warren stated firmly, crossing his arms.

"Guys, this isn't the time or place," I argued. I stood between them and pushed them both back a few

steps. 'Greg, we need Warren’s help to get out of here without being caught by Maggie.'

"I don't trust him," Greg said bluntly.

"Noted. Nov/, let's go," I hissed. I motioned to Warren to lead the way.

He nodded and took the lead, subtly heading back toward the camp. Greg was getting more and more

agitated, whispering to me that he thought Warren was leading us into a trap.

"Why would he go through all that trouble to save us and then bring us back to Maggie?" I asked.

"Well... I don't know. But he must have some kind of plan,* Greg insisted.

"Yes, to get the two of you out of here,' Warren grumbled up ahead.

"It doesn't make sense, that's all I'm saying. If he's so loyal to his sister, why is he helping us?" Greg

asked.

"People make mistakes. Warren was hurt and confused, but he’ll figure out right from wrong." He

wouldn't have opened up and confided in me if he was trying to play games. He would have used that

time to try and get information out of me.

Warren was too emotional at the moment to be sly and sneaky. I could tell that he was struggling with

his decision to help us escape from Maggie. He was loyal to her but he also didn't want anything to

happen to me.

I was hopeful that a part of him still felt loyalty to Theo too, even if they weren't related by blood.

Warren needed to figure out who he was and who he wanted to be on his own. No one could influence

that, not even Maggie.

I quickened my pace to walk with Warren instead of Greg.

"You don't have to trust me, Ciana, but I do want to help you. Think of it as my apology for hurting you

before," he said, his voice dull and distant.

In just a few more steps, we made it to a road that led out of the forest. It was a narrow dirt road with

lots of heavy footprints imprinted in the soft soil but I didn't see or hear any guards. I glanced at Greg

and he gave a convinced nod.

"Thank you, Warren,* I said, touching his arm again.

Warren winced, like my touch was somehow painful or burned him.

"This road won't have any guards. You can get to safety," he said, slowly backing away from me.

My heart sank a little. I thought that maybe if I could get him to a place where he wasn't being

pressured by Maggie or Theo, he might be able to come to terms with things.

“Can't you come with us?" I asked when Warren turned to follow the road back to the camp.

Greg had already started heading in the opposite direction and he gave me a "look" for holding us up

even more.

"Ciana..." Warren whispered my name tenderly.

"Please. I know you're dealing with a lot, but you should figure things out away from all of this," I

pleaded. I widened my eyes, silently begging him to come along.

Warren’s face contorted and he looked over his shoulder toward the camp, then back at me.

"I can't," he muttered.

My hope faded and I looked down. I didn't think that Warren would ever sort through all of this if he

stayed with Maggie. She might have thought that Warren being with her was in his best interest, but

she was wrong.

"Maggie is my twin. I can't abandon her. She still needs me," he explained with a heavy sigh.

"She has a lot of people to take care of her," I pointed out, crossing my arms.

"Ciana," Greg hissed urgently.

I waved him off. I wasn't going to leave until Warren and I sorted this out. There was a part of him that

wanted to come with me, I could see it.

"Maggie's still pretty weak. I know she doesn't act it. but her illness weighs on her heavily. I can't bear

to see her suffer, so I’m going to stand by her. She got a little stronger, after Sebastian died, just like

how I woke up. Maybe, there is still hope for her to recover fully," he explained in a rush.

"Warren that's... that's really admirable, but look what she’s done. She tricked all of us into thinking she

was dead, turned you against Theo, and is trying to destroy my pack and the crown. Is she really the

sister you know?" I asked. I was careful with my words, hoping it wouldn't piss him off and change his

mind about helping us.

“I just want Maggie to live. We've both suffered enough and if I can help her get better, then I think she

will stop being so angry and hateful,* he said, giving me a gentle, hopeful smile.

I wasn't convinced, but I couldn't argue. Warren had a dream, an ambition, to save someone important

to him. I respected that because I would do the same.

“I'm not following her blindly. I hope you know that. There are lines I won't cross. I have no intention of

killing anyone or badly hurting anyone for her. That's why I'm helping you escape. But I'm not going to

abandon her while there is hope for saving her," he told me firmly.

“O-okay." I sighed, nodding slowly. “Well, in that case, Warren, hopefully, we'll meet again.’

Warren grinned and nodded. "Count on it."

My heart ached for Warren. So much had been taken from him. He was so confused, and through it all.

he was still trying to be noble. I just hoped that in his efforts to save Maggie, he didn't lose himself

entirely.

Also, what would Maggie do if she found out Warren helped us escape? She might not be so forgiving.

After all, she seemed more interested in winning Theo as her own than rebuilding her family.

I turned away from Warren and headed toward Greg. He gave a relieved sigh and we headed down the

road. I glanced back once to see Warren walking in the opposite direction. Once we went around a

bend, he was gone completely.

"I know it isn't easy, Ciana, but you have to let him figure this out on his own. Warren is a big boy, he

can handle it," Greg said, trying to be comforting.

"I hope so," I replied, more to myself.

Just as Warren said, there were no guards on the road. I was greatly relieved by that. It didn't take long

before Greg and I could see the edge of the forest and the main road beyond. We'd be out of that place

in just a few minutes!

Suddenly, a cold, sharp laugh echoed through the trees and I froze.

Beside me, Greg snarled and lowered into a crouch, ready to fight.

"Dear oh dear, how did the two of you get this far?" Maggie's voice chimed.

I turned to face her, my spine a stiff rod, palms clammy.

Maggie grinned and shook her head. "I knew Warren would betray me. He just doesn't have it in him.

That weak, soft hearted fool. But it worked in my favor, because he dropped you exactly where I knew

he would."

Maggie laughed again and all the hair on my arms stood on end