Sold as the Alpha King’s Breeder

Chapter 153: Bonus Story-ls Ciana My Mate?(Part 1)

*Ciana*

Laying in bed, Theo pulled me into him and gave my cheek a kiss from behind. My body molded into

his perfectly. I sighed as he drew me in closer, rubbing his large hand over my belly.

I was almost six months along, and my baby bump had begun to show. I was always amazed when I

looked at my body and how it morphed and changed to accommodate our child.

Being pregnant had been one of the most rewarding things on this earth for me. Theo and I had

created something out of our love for one another.

'Good night, my love," he murmured against my skin. "Tomorrow is a big day for you."

I let out a heavy sigh and moved more into him. "Yes, it is."

Tomorrow would be my 21st birthday, which meant that I would finally be of age to shift and find my

wolf, which also meant that I would be able to recognize whether or not Theo was my mate.

My heart told me he was but not everything was set in stone. All signs pointed to him but there was still

that little doubt that played in my mind.

What if there was the slightest possibility that he wasn't?

Theo must have sensed my tenseness because he willed me to turn around so that I was now facing

him. He ticked a stray of hair behind my ear and looked me dead in the eye.

"It will all work out, Ciana. We've got this. You're mine and I’m yours, okay?" He captured my lips in the

sweetest of kisses and then leaned his forehead against mine.

Our baby wiggled in between us making herself known. We were both convinced that it was a girl and I

just knew in my heart that she was.

"Baby girl seems to agree with her father," I giggled. "I still can't believe we made a little life!"

"I can." He rubbed my swelling belly. "I'm sure she is as beautiful and brave as her mother."

I placed my hand on top of his over my stomach. "And I hope that she has her father's courageous and

resilient heart."

I placed my head on his chest and closed my eyes, willing sleep to come to me but I knew it was

pointless. There was no way that I would be able to sleep tonight. Too much was going to happen

tomorrow and my heart was unsettled.

I believed in our bond and the love we had, but that didn't lessen my anxiety of the unknown. No matter

how hopeful we were, there still were possibilities that he wasn't my mate, and what if one day his true

mate came into the picture? Would his love for me simply dissolve?

All my worries made my heart beat speed up. I was desperate to find a comfortable position to settle in,

but I failed miserably. However, I tried my best to keep myself still so that I didn't bother Theo.

When I felt Theo's chest rise and fall slowly I knew that he was asleep. I carefully crawled out of the

bed making sure not to wake him and put on a hoodie and a pair of sweats.

Making my way out of the room, all I could think about was tomorrow.

When I passed the grand clock in the long hallway, I saw the time and I had just under two hours

before my 21 st birthday. There was no possible way I could wait in bed quietly and pretend to be

asleep for the rest of the night!

I made it out of the back gardens and a little bit into the forest behind the palace. There sat the Moon

Goddess temple.

The silver moonlight coated the praying hall. It wasn't an overbearingly grand building, but rather a mid-

sized, simple, open square hall with twelve stone columns supporting a marble rooftop. Surrounding

the temple was a garden that stretched out to vast open fields and into the forest.

The white marble statue of the Goddess stood closer to the east end of the hall, looking down on us.

The moment I stepped onto the white marble floors with my bare feet, I felt serenity and peace wash

over me. I didn't come here often but when I did, I always felt my heart ease.

With my hand over my belly and my knee knelt on the floor, I closed my eyes and surrendered my heart

to the divine deity.

She was the one that ordained the matebond and she was the one who blessed the unions of the pair

that should be fated to each other. She was the only one who could grant me my wish.

‘Great Goddess of the Moon, I come before you here as the daughter of an alpha and a mother. You

witnessed the great endeavor Theo and I have been through to get to this point. The blood that was

shed, the darkness that was defeated and the courage it took. We're grateful for this baby that grows

stronger each day in my belly..."

A large lump lodged itself in my throat. "I love him, Goddess. I cannot imagine a life without him.

Please let Theo be the one who is fated with me. Please bless us with the bond that will solidify our

destinies together forever."

The Goddess didn't move and I chanted to myself in my heart that it had to be him. It could only be

him. I couldn't even bring myself to envision my life with anyone else.

I continued with my plea until echoing footsteps drew my attention. My eyes flew open.

I quickly wiped off the tears that wet my face and hid myself behind the closest column.

Who else would be here at this hour?

When the elegant silhouette got closer, I was surprised to find that it was Theo's mother, Nita.

I wondered what brought her here. When I came back, she had already moved out of the palace. Brook

told me that she decided to stay where the Ortiz pack was, and hence I hadn't seen her, and I definitely

wouldn't expect to see her here tonight.

She knelt down before the Goddess just like I had, and I heard my name mentioned. "Ciana Black...

twenty-one..."

I leaned closer and listened carefully to what she was saying.

‘Please let her be my son's mate. Please bless their union, Goddess. She brought light to his life and

as a mother, that is all I could ever want for him. They love each other. I can sense and I can feel it..."

She was praying to the Moon Goddess about us!

Ever since Sebastian's death, although Nita's attitude had softened toward Theo and me, we were still

far from being close. Sometimes, I felt that both Theo and his mother had been keeping their distance

from each other for so long that neither of them could take the initiative to rebuild their relationship.

However, that didn't mean they didn't love each other.

I just didn't expect her to come back to the palace before my birthday, just to pray for her son-for us.

That truly warmed my heart.

The last thing I wanted to happen was to be caught eavesdropping on Nita, therefore, with a smile on

my face, I slowly tiptoed away from the temple and made my way out to the garden.

I wasn't ready to go back to the palace. Some fresh air sounded like a wonderful idea to me at this

moment.

It was almost midnight and the moon had almost reached her apex. All of a sudden, I started to feel an

indescribable chill coursing through my body. Something stirred within me. I felt her-my wolf. Swimming

in the back of my mind.

I pressed my hand over my belly and felt the little flutters in my stomach. Baby could feel it too.

Suddenly, I was eager to get up and run.

Was it almost time?

I let my instincts take over. My walk turned into a brisk jog, and then before I knew it I placed one foot in

front of the other and began running in a random direction.

I should have been worried about the baby but I just knew that she would be okay. All the fear and

doubt melted from my body and all that remained was anticipation and excitement.

I was going to do this. It was happening right now.

I picked up my pace. I had taken many runs before, but never one like this. I felt so... free. So at ease

with myself and my spirit.

I pushed myself even harder and came to a halt in the clearing. The moon's rays beamed down on me

and I felt it. Deep within my chest, I felt my wolf awaken and come to life.

I closed my eyes and lowered myself to the ground. I focused my mind on the image of a wolf. The

paws, the nose, the fangs. I focused on every single detail that made up my majestic beast.

That was when I felt the first bone crack and my shift began.

***

*Theo*

I had been following Ciana.

She thought I was asleep but there was no way that I could sleep through any of this. At midnight, we

would finally find out if it was all fate in the end.

There were very few times in my life I was nervous about the unknown. But tonight, I was. To the core.

I couldn't see my life without Ciana. She was all I ever desired and all I ever needed to share

everything with for the rest of my life. She was my oxygen. Living without her would be no different from

a swift and early death.

She had gone to the Goddess temple to pray. A prayer that had been on my heart for a long time as

well.

We were now less than half an hour from her birthday and my mind was running wild. I knew my

decision. Mate or not, it wouldn't change who she was to me.

I loved her, always had, and always would. My mate sense was suppressed, and I had no intention to

restore that, so that my heart and soul would always belong to her.

But she had her choices.

Out of respect for her privacy, I didn't follow her into the temple. Honestly, I didn't need to eavesdrop to

know what she would be praying for.

I came here simply because I desired to be close to her and be the first person to meet her wolf.

She had been in the temple for a while now and I wondered how long she would be in there for, so I

decided to take a peek just to ensure she was doing all right.

However, when I turned the corner, I found that the person in deep prayer wasn't Ciana.

It was my mother.

I was shocked to see her here. She had moved out of the palace and moved back to Ortiz. I knew she

hated this place. It held too many tainted memories for her as Sebastian had made her life hell while

she was here.

We didn't speak much if at all while she was away. There was too much pain we needed to sort through

and too many wounds that we had to heal in order to mend our relationship.

Only time could work those wonders.

I had sent her maids, chefs and various servants. They all reported that she was doing well. I had

meant to visit her but between handling the post-war restoration and caring for Ciana and the baby, I

had been tied up.

I plastered my back against one of the columns and listened closely to what she was saying.

"...them be mates. Give him the courage to love her wholeheartedly and without doubt.

I know they are meant to be."

She was praying for Ciana and I.

I knew how she and Ciana had not seen eye to eye since the beginning. The fact that she cared

enough to put us before the moon goddess meant a great deal to me.

"I know you're there, Theo." My mother's voice became louder.

I stepped out from behind the stone pillar and saw her getting up from the ground gracefully. Even to

this day, she was as regal as a loyal lady could be.

She stood there elegantly and her arms were slightly opened to me. I hesitated for a moment before

walking up to her and gave her a quick embrace.

I was about a head taller than her but when her arms gently came around me, it suddenly reminded me

of the days when I was a young boy.

Trying to start our conversation, I asked, 'Mother, why didn't you tell me you were coming back to the

palace?"

She let go of me and her usually expressionless face was softened under the moonlight. "You're busy

enough. I didn't want to bother you. How are you?"

I let out a low breath. "She is going to shift soon."

My mother nodded. "Nervous?"

‘I would be lying if I said no."

She didn't comment on my agitation, instead she asked, "Do you know why I'm here?"

But she didn't wait for my answer. I knew she didn't really need me to answer. With a small smile on her

face, she said, "I came here to thank the Goddess for saving you from your dark and lonely fate."

I nodded my head.

"For a long time, I thought fate was unfair, for myself and for you, but now I know that the Goddess

always has a plan..."

I opened my mouth to speak but some rustling caught my attention. I immediately placed my mother

behind me. To shield her from whatever possible harm there was.

I was ready to defend her but then my body relaxed when I came face to face with the most majestic

creature I had ever laid eyes on.

There was Ciana in her wolf form. Her fine light-brown fur glowed in the silver moonlight, making her

soft golden silhouette even more breathtaking. The entire world was painted in dark blue and black,

and she was the only color and light on earth other than the full moon.

The small bump on her belly showcasing our growing pup and her mesmerizing eyes pierced into my

soul, seizing all of my heart.

I looked up at the position of the moon in the sky and knew that it was well past midnight.

Where had all the time gone?

But one thing was missing though. Something that was so crucial.

As expected, I couldn't feel the matebond.