Mated to the Alpha King (A Royal’s Tale Book 1)

A giggle left my lips as Bryce snuggled closer to me. He draped his heavy arm around my waist as he drew lazy circles on the cotton of my tank top.

“Tomorrow’s Monday,” I commented randomly, my eyes on the lit Christmas lights placed in jars on the stand beside my bed.

They looked so pretty.

“Aren’t you a smart one!” Bryce replied, his tone carrying a hint of sarcasm.

I couldn’t help but frown.

“Shut up!” I mumbled, smacking his arm lightly, while he chuckled and pulled me even closer to him, his naked chest touching my bare shoulders.

I was thankful he had agreed to at least put on the boxers. The other articles of clothing I had removed from his bag were now back where I had obtained them—inside the bag.

“Can we play Twenty-One Questions?” I asked, turning slightly to look at him.

It was obvious that neither of us was sleepy. While I could feel the reason for his sleeplessness pressing against my butt, I, on the other hand, was beyond excited to have the man I thought to be the human replica of Adonis himself lying beside me, whispering compliments.

Smirking, I looked towards the ceiling and laughed mentally.

“Sure,” Bryce answered with a chuckle, turning me so I’d face him.

I, however, turned again so that my back would rest against the soft mattress of my bed.

“You start!” I said enthusiastically.

Bryce breathed in, and although I was not looking at him, I was sure he had his thinking face on.

“Okay . . . Er . . . Oh, wow, I’ve got nothing.”

I gasped and sat up straight. He didn’t have anything to ask me? There was nothing he wanted to know? Did he even want to know me?

“You have nothing you want to ask me? Nothing?”

Bryce grimaced. “Well, there isn’t much— There isn’t much to know anymore.”

I stared at him, wide-eyed. What?

“What do you mean?”

He sighed and pulled on my hand, making me lie on my back again.

“I know everything there is to know about you,” Bryce murmured, then changed positions so that he could loom over me.

I gulped.

“I know you, Theia,” he whispered, his lips now only a pencil’s width.

“How—?”

His lips landed on mine, then he bit on my lower lip and slightly licked it before pushing his tongue into my mouth, my own tongue instantly massaging his. I couldn’t hold in the moan that left my lips as my arms went around his shoulders and pulled him closer.

How did we go from Twenty-One Questions to kissing?

It seemed like forever until I finally managed to settle back in reality. We couldn’t put off knowing each other like this all the time. I was serious, and I needed to know if he was too.

“Bryce,” I breathed, pulling my lips away from his, and quickly turned my face so that his lips would land on my cheek instead.

That didn’t deter him, though. He only continued to place warm, wet kisses all over my neck, nipping me in certain spots occasionally.

I sighed. There was no use in telling him to quit it. He would just growl and continue as if I had never spoken.

A soft sigh left my lips again as I felt him drag his tongue over a heated bit of skin.

“Bryce! I thought we were playing Twen— Bryce! Please!”

He stilled for a second before placing a soft kiss on my neck and moving to snuggle with me again.

“Theia Anderson, born on the ninth of March, 1995. You grew up in California and went to school there until you moved to Piedmont a month ago. Your favorite colors are gray and navy blue—two very complementary colors, if you ask me. You love pizza, french fries, and grilled chicken—together. You love pie more than cake.

“Your favorite ice-cream flavor is cookie dough. You’re in love with books and me—me more than books, though. You prefer rain over the sun. You’re crazy yet compassionate.” He moved closer, his lips touching my ear, then he whispered, “And you also look extremely sexy in lingerie.”

“Lingerie . . .”

I gulped. “H-h-have you b-been stalking me?”

Bryce stiffened a little before he turned to face me.

I didn’t turn to him.

“Maybe,” he whispered, picking up my hand and entwining our fingers.

Whaaa—?

“What? You stalk me?” I shrieked in surprise, now turning to face him.

“Not literally. I just . . . Don’t you want to know anything about me?” He suddenly frowned at me.

My startled stare turned soft as I realized he was right in a sense—well, wrong. I did want to know about him.

“You’re so strange,” I mumbled, turning so I could snuggle against his chest. “Erm, so . . . tell me about your family, where you grew up, and all.”

Bryce stiffened again.

Why does he stiffen so much?

“I was born in London. That was twenty-four years ago, though, in case you’re curious. My birthday is on the fourth of February. I studied and graduated from high school, then after that, from Oxford—well before my peers—and jumped into new businesses, and well, here I am.”

I frowned. “You didn’t tell me anything personal.”

“ ‘Personal’?”

“Yeah, you know, like your likes and quirks and all those tiny details.”

He sighed. “Oh yes. Well, ask away.”

“Well, what’s your favorite color?” I asked, settling better against him.

“Black.”

I grinned. “Food? Song? Movie? Food? Drink? When was the first time you kissed a girl? Do you have any embarras—”

“Okay! Hold on there!” Bryce all but yelled, putting his palm against my lips. “Okay, let’s get through these one by one. My favorite food would have to be good roasted lamb shanks, or ribs, actually. Anything from Stevie Wonder. I don’t have time to watch movies. I was thirteen. And my most embarrassing memory is too embarrassing to tell.”

“You don’t watch movies? How can you not watch movies! Tell me that was a lie!” I exclaimed after a brief second of shock, grasping his shoulders. “Tell me!”

“Will you calm down!” Bryce almost yelled, gripping my shoulders roughly and jolting me so that I would slam against his chest.

I groaned in pain as my nose pulsated. It also made me cringe. I hoped I had not broken it.

“That hurt,” I grumbled, rubbing the tip of my nose with the pads of my index finger and thumb.

He only chuckled and pushed closer towards the headboard until his face was aligned with mine. He smiled at me softly, and before I could ask him what he was doing, he reached out and placed a soft kiss on the tip of my nose.

Pulling back, Bryce smiled, his warm eyes glowing against the string lights. I smiled back.

“For a bulky big man, you’re kind of adorable, you know.”

***

“Do you know . . . ? Do you know . . . ?”

That’s it! I shot my head towards Marley and glared at her.

“How many times are you going to say that and just trail off? I don’t know, obviously. Are you going to tell me or not?”

She giggled a bit, and I only frowned.

“If the square root of forty-nine is seven, then x is seven. Everyone got how we got x? Theia?”

Oh shit.

After sending a final glare to the snickering Marley, I turned to Mr. Phelps. “Yes, sir.”

He looked at me for a second before nodding and turning back to the board.

Instantly, a breath of relief rushed through my lips, and I settled in my chair again. That was close.

“So, do you know . . . ?”

I shot a glare towards Marley again, and she put her hands up in surrender before continuing, “That dolphins are the horniest things ever!”

What the hell? I flinched.

“Don’t you dare continue, Ley, or else I am going to kick your nonexistent balls!” I hissed, my head nearly against my desk as I tried to make my threat as low as possible.

“And why are you threatening Marlene about kicking her balls, Ms. Anderson?” went a deep voice just beside my desk.

A fit of giggles and chuckles rang around the room, and I couldn’t help but bang my head against the desk once before looking up at Mr. Phelps.

“Well?” he asked, a mischievous twinkle in his eyes.

Why, that man!

“I-I . . . I’d rather not say, sir.”

He grinned. “Oh, really?”

Damn him for being so intimidating!

I gulped. “Yes, really, sir.”

“Meet me after class, Ms. Anderson. You too, Ms. Smith.”

After a sigh, I nodded. I’m sure Marley beside me did too.

“Yes, sir,” we chorused, and the rest of the class snickered.

***

“It’s all those dolphins’ fault!” Marley whisper-yelled beside me.

I almost giggled—almost.

“Sure! Apparently, it was the dolphins who so nicely managed to whine, ‘Do you know . . . ?’ through half of the class!” I whisper-yelled back, standing beside her, as we watched Mr. Phelps sort out quiz papers and place them in his bag patiently—too patiently.

Finally, he turned and smiled at us. “Ah yes, ladies! You do know that you two can get detention for disturbing my class, don’t you?”

We both nodded.

He smiled. “But because I’m such an amazing teacher, I’m letting you both off this one time. However, please do discuss the breeding patterns of dolphins at home, if you wish. Nat Geo is a wonderful place.”

Both Marley and I could do nothing more than stare at Mr. Phelps with gaping mouths. He only smirked harder.

Finally, as if Marley had found her senses, she murmured a quick “yes, sir” before dragging me out of the classroom and into the hallway.

“We shall not speak of this to anyone,” I whispered, rushing behind Marley.

“Agreed!” She looked back and slightly nodded at me before looking back ahead and continuing towards the cafeteria.

***

“I’m starving,” I groaned to myself as I took a seat beside Matthew, who seemed busy munching on his burger. Glancing at him, I remembered how he had reacted that day during the trip—typical Matthew.

I rolled my eyes and nudged his arm.

“Yes, Theia?” After he acknowledged me, he proceeded to bite off a huge chuck of the burger.

I glanced at all the boys around the table: Connor, Keith, Jeff, and Matthew.

“Why did you all bow down?”

They stiffened. I suppose they knew exactly what I was talking about, but Marley being at the table only complicated things.

Marley frowned. “Bow? Where?”

I shrugged. My attempt at looking calm on the outside was wearing thin. On the inside, I was freaking out.

What am I going to tell her?

“Er . . .”

“Keith, Jeff, and I went over to Matt’s, so we decided to bug Thi a little, you know, since she’s his neighbor.”

“Oh! God, you boys are so typical!” she replied, rolling her eyes. She then picked up her sandwich and plopped it into her mouth.

I giggled nervously. “Yeah.”

Maybe you should ask them later . . .

“Anyone miss me?”

I smiled at the tone of voice that was uncaring and bored. The person placed his tray on the table, then proceeded to sit beside me.

“Of course not, dude. Why would we miss you?” Keith replied, looking at Roman with humor.

“Shut up. I was asking Theia specifically,” Rome retorted, and I almost burst out laughing.

These two could never stop. It seemed to me that Keith and Roman rarely saw eye to eye, and their equally strong personalities but opposite natures often made them clash. Many times it seemed like good entertainment seeing them have an argument.

“Stop it, you two.” I smacked Rome’s arm lightly while looking at Keith intimidatingly.

Well, at least I hoped it was intimidating.

Matthew’s arm wrapped around my shoulders and pulled me towards him, causing me to yelp in surprise.

“Say, can I borrow your fruit juice?” he whispered.

Oh . . . so his aim is set once again.

I rolled my eyes and moved back to my place, then picked up the bottle and placed it in front of him.

I was actually quite sure I could literally feel his happiness.

***

“Are you going home now?”

I turned in the direction of the voice and smiled when I saw Roman walking behind me. “Yes, I suppose so.”

“You do a great job of hiding those love bites, you know.”

I stilled. “W-what?”

The corners of his lips lifted for a second before dropping down into a thin line again.

“We, the men in our family, are very passionate about our . . . girls. We’re also quite dominant. Love bites are what comes first, then . . .” he trailed off before taking out a green apple from God knows where and taking a juicy bite of it, little bits of juice trailing down from the sides of his lips.

I only managed to nod. The heat in my face was actually becoming quite unbearable.

“Let’s go then.” Rome chuckled suddenly, his arm around my shoulders, as he moved me towards the love of my life: his car.

“What? Where?” I managed to exclaim just as he pushed me into the passenger’s seat before he got the seat belt in position.

“I have to drop you home,” he murmured, his tone serious. He then pushed the key into the ignition and started the car with a fluid twist, the engine rumbling to life.

***

The car ride had seemed boring, mainly because Rome refused to speak or answer my various valuable questions. Well, that was until he decided to break the silence.

“The staying period starts next Friday.”

I lifted my eyes from my twiddling fingers to him. He, however, kept his gaze on the road.

I sighed. “Yes, it does.”

He nodded, then glanced at me for a second. “So you’re coming over to the castle?”

“I suppose I am,” I answered, slightly confused as to why he was even asking. “The library seems to be a great feature. Then there is Bryce and you and everyone else.”

He nodded again, but I could see his knuckles turning a shade whiter.

“Keep an open mind, Theia.”

“What do you mean?”

“You’ll know when the time is right.” Roman sighed, his gaze on me for another second.

I frowned. Why was everybody telling me to keep an open mind?

Just then, he turned into my driveway and parked just behind my dad’s spare car.

I turned to him, leaned in, and gave him a quick hug. “Thanks for the ride, Rome.”

He smiled and nodded yet again. “No problem. I’ll see you in class tomorrow.”

***

After walking into my home, I quickly closed the front door and made my way to the kitchen.

Better get something to munch on while I unwind, I thought to myself as I opened the fridge and pulled out a bag of chips and a can of orange juice, then held them close as I made my way upstairs.

“Do you want me to fix you up with something real quick, hunny?”

I stopped in my tracks and turned around. Agnus looked at me with a soft smile on her face.

“No thanks, Agy. I think I’m all set with chips and juice—for now anyways.”

She nodded warmly before walking towards the kitchen.

I frowned. I wonder where Lilly is.

I found Lilly loitering on the first floor, a bucket in her one hand and a white cloth in another. She instantly sent a warm smile my way, which I returned gently before opening my bedroom’s door and moving in.

Weird one, that one.

I sighed happily as I placed the bag of chips and still-chilled orange juice on the study table, then I moved towards my shower as I felt mucky and sweaty.

Just as I was about to open the door and step in, a ping sounded from my jean pocket, and I instantly groped through my pants before slipping my cellphone out. I tapped on the newly received message. It was from Bryce.

I frowned. There were only four words plastered on my screen—four words that still manage to send chills down my spine: We need to talk.