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

The silence of the night seemed eerie against Bryce’s sharp intake of breath. I almost regretted asking him the question. But it was done.I had asked. Now all I could do was wait for his reply.

It had seemed like hours before his shocked eyes darted from mine to something behind me, or maybe it was nothing in particular. I couldn’t tell. He then moved away, not looking at me anymore, as if in deep thought. He got out of bed and stopped to stand beside the window and stare into the night, in the direction of the beautifully lit castle—his castle.

“You caught that, didn’t you?”

I sighed. Oh boy, did I.

“Yes.”

He turned to me, his expression grave. “My eyes—they’re different.”

I rolled my eyes. “I can tell. A-are you not human?”

Bryce’s eyes widened a fraction, and I could only hold my breath while waiting for him to say, “Yes. Yes, Theia, I’m an alien.” I almost braced myself for that—almost planned how I would react. But all that came out of him was a pearl of hysterical laughter.

Bryce watched me, his eyes twinkling, as he continued to laugh, breathing deeply in between laugh spurts. He finally stopped when I glared at him. He had laughed so much that it almost seemed fake.

“I assure you, Theia, I’m human, not a godsent angel.”

Strangely, when I should have been feeling relief, I felt a tinge of irritation. Maybe it wasn’t surprising at all because I was far from blind, and my senses hadn’t run onto the highway. I was painfully aware of the walls built up behind his laughter.

Bryce had lied. And that hurt.

I bit back a “liar” and quite convincingly—well, by my standards anyway—smiled and replied with a soft “okay.”

I’d find out the truth. No more lies. Bryce would have to learn.

As if content with my response, Bryce beamed and marched towards me to pull me against his chest, and like always, the only thing I managed to do was cling to his shirt so that I wouldn’t fall to the floor like mush.

“I like you, a lot!”

I stilled. Did I say that? Oh crap, Theia!

I moved back, panicked, as I watched a wide-eyed Bryce stare back at me. I swallowed hard but looked away.

You’re officially an idiot.

“I, er . . . I’ll just—” I stepped back to move farther away.

Need space to recover—recover lost sanity and mouth filter.

I froze as Bryce growled, “No.” He immediately pulled me back against his chest. “I like you too, a lot.”

Oh . . .

As if Bryce had read my mind, he pulled back to look at me and repeated softly, “I like you a lot.”

I smiled and, hooking my arms around his neck, pulled him down, smashing his lips with mine in a peck, before breaking the kiss. I giggled at his slight pout. “Good! You’d better!”

Now all I have to do is find out what you’re hiding, Bryce.

***

After flipping a page of the book laid open on my lap, I leaned into the trunk of the fairly large tree and bit into an apple. The day was a dull one, but unlike the others, I absolutely loved this weather. Maybe that was why I was leaning against a fairly large maple tree, away from the rest of the bustling students.

I sighed and snapped the book shut. I couldn’t concentrate anyway. All that kept floating around in my head was Bryce’s golden eyes.

I let out a low growl. What is he hiding?

“And what are you doing here all alone?”

I almost jumped in my spot at the sudden sound of intrusion. Looking up, I saw Matthew gazing at me amusedly.

Maybe I could do with a little bit of company, I thought as I patted the ground beside me, and he immediately sank down next to me, our arms touching, as we both looked onwards.

Maybe Matt could help me out.

“Well?”

“I’ve been thinking . . .”

That got his attention. Matthew turned to me. He seemed to have caught on to my solemn tone as well, his expression worried.

“Is everything okay?” he asked, his finger tilting my chin so that I would look at him.

Was it?

I shook my head. “Not quite.”

“What happened?”

I looked at him, making eye contact and maintaining it. His warm reddish-brown eyes twinkled as he looked at me.

Still not breaking eye contact, I managed to answer, “I think Bryce is not normal, as in . . . not human.”

Just then, a warm spark shot across his eyes, and I bit back a gasp as I moved to get a closer look at his eyes. He turned away almost immediately.

Matthew too?

“I can’t quite help you there, Thi. But all I ask is you keep an open mind about Bryce. Don’t run,” he mumbled as he looked back to gaze at me, with his warm brown eyes—normal.

With a final small smile my way, he quickly got up and brushed the leaves off his jeans. He looked back again, extending a hand towards me; and I, still confused, took it.

We were walking towards the schol building in silence when I was suddenly pulled against a warm chest. I knew who it was, so I just leaned into it and held on to Roman for dear life.

“I see you’re happy to see me,” he observed with a chuckle, rubbing my cheek with the pad of his thumb before smiling a little and moving back.

I rolled my eyes. “You wish. Where were you half the day anyway?”

“I know you want me.” Roman winked, but when I glared, he continued, “I’m going to Rome for a week. Dad called—a little business transaction. I just came to say goodbye and see if you wanted me to get you something.”

I giggled. “Just get your ass back.”

Rome mockingly gasped as he moved away as if in shock.

“You only want my ass back? Did you hear that, Matthew? Our little Theia seems to have a thing for my ass!”

Matthew chuckled as he moved away slightly—smart move—as if he was scared I would smack him. “I think Thi has herself a little ass fetish.”

I gasped. “I don’t!” I then exclaimed. Looking at the two laughing boys, I narrowed my eyes. I would get them someday.

Finally, once their loud laughters ceased, I pulled Rome in for a hug again, his arms almost instantly slipping around me as I held him. “Come back soon. I won’t miss you at all.”

He sighed against me, his arms tightening their hold. “I’ll be back soon. I’ll miss you too, Thi.”

I smiled as he moved back and turned to the door. He stopped once he opened it, then turned back and gave me a small wave.

I waved back, smiling.

“Well then, he’s gone. Now no one will protect your coffees from me!” Matthew laughed maniacally as his arm slid around my shoulders, and he turned us to the cafeteria.

I almost groaned. I’d build a damn fort before I let him steal my coffee.

***

Leo and I had a fight today. I think it was because his older brother hits on me. Tell me how to fix this. I want Leo, not Cole!

— AVerySadCasey

I almost banged my head against the desk after reading the message. I didn’t understand why Cole would not just give up. Cass wanted Leo. Leo was hot—okay, they both were—but Leo held much more substance. Plus, what the hell happened to the Bro Code?

March over to his house. Stand outside his window. Sing to him.

— PatheticAtThisTheia

Almost instantly, my phone pinged, and I stared at the reply.

Which song?

— ImpatientCasey

Wait, what? She serious? I thought. Song . . . Er . . .

“Arms” by Christina Perri?

— Theia

It doesn’t fit. He runs; I don’t.

— CaseyCatastrophe

How about “Never Let Me Go” by the Click Five?

— OptimisticTheia

OMG, that’s a good one! I’m off to his. Guitar and the whole shebang! Wish me luck!

— Casey

All the best, babe. Rock your man’s world! 😉

— Thi

A smile touching my lips, I placed my phone on my bed and made my way out of my room. I found that the bruise on my thigh hurt a lot less after I’d woken up. That helped a lot with walking around school. It also helped a lot with marching to and from the kitchen. Not being able to grab snacks—now, that could have been a problem.

The skies glowed purple outside as the sun finally settled behind the mountains in the west. It seemed unreal to see the sky being this shade of purple, yet I smiled at the beauty of it. After once again seeing the note from Mom that I had already read a moment earlier, I picked it up and dropped it into the bin. Mom and Dad would be late—one of Mom’s usual surprise dates. I could feel a blush touch my cheeks as I went over a particular line in the note.

P.S. Bryce is welcome while we are away. Use protection!

“Ugh, Mom!” I groaned out loud, shaking my head, as I tried to get rid of the images that had popped into my mind.

She was crazy! I mean, I did want to—to do it with Bryce—but it just seemed too fast. I wanted to wait.

Just then, a shrill cry rang out in the cold evening air, and I froze after my head whipped towards the woods. The cry rang again, then I couldn’t help but rush to the door, slide it open, and continue towards the woods. The scream seemed to be coming from there.

Another scream sounded through the woods as I whipped my head around in every direction, trying to gauge where exactly it was coming from. It sounded like a boy—a teenager from the sound of his scream. Whoever he was, he sounded like he was in really bad pain.

I heard another scream, from the right.

“Hello? Where are you? I can help you!” I called out, moving rightward. I cursed myself for not bringing a flashlight with me.

It really was darker in the woods than out. I cursed myself for even coming. This was what those heroines did in every scary movie.

I stopped when I realized the screaming had stopped. I frowned, then gasped. Had something happened to the kid?

“Where are you? I want to help you! Kid?”

I was met with silence.

“Crap,” I muttered, reaching into my pockets.

Maybe I should call the police?

I almost smacked myself upside the head when I realized I had left my phone at home. Stupid!

Just then, a twig broke somewhere, and I stilled, my heart suddenly beating frantically. There were wolves in these woods.

Looking around, I tried to gauge where I had walked from until another twig broke, and a small warning growl sounded through the air.

I stood frozen, my eyes wide, as two red eyes shone through the darkness from between two trees. I turned to look for an escape, and another growl erupted around me.

Only when the cold night air stung my warm face did I realize that I was crying. The silent but looming possibility was sinking deeper in me with every weeping second: I was probably going to die.

The owner of those red eyes moved towards me, walking into the moonlight. Its fur shone gray and teeth white as it growled once again, still stalking towards me. It was calculating each of its steps, like the predator it was, its eyes cautious as they regarded me like the prey I was.

I cried harder.

I sniffled. I couldn’t die. I didn’t want to! I wouldn’t . . . I wouldn’t.

So, after building up my remaining courage, I ran. I ran like my life depended on it, because it did. I ran like this was the last day of my life, because it could be.

I almost faltered when a deep growl was let out behind me, and I heard the wolf running towards me—towards its potential kill.

The paths seemed small to nonexistent in my eyes because of the ever-increasing darkness in the woods. The growing night didn’t seem to help.

The wolf behind me howled as if basking in the rush of a hunt. I almost broke down knowing that I was the one acting as the prey, and very soon the wolf’s whole pack would be joining their brother on his hunt and would be running after me.

I almost sighed when an idea popped into my head, but just when I thought I saw a shimmer of hope in the large tree that looked climbable, I tripped.

The rocks scraped against my hand as I tried to save myself from the impact of the fall, but I knew . . . I had lost.

A growl sounded from behind me, and a tear fell down my cheek. This is it . . .

I looked up at my last hope but then bit back a scream when I saw a large light-brown wolf standing in front of me, its snout just inches from my face.

This is it.

A tear escaped onto my cheek once again, and the wolf whimpered. I frowned. Why wasn’t it killing me yet?

It moved closer, and I almost yelped, moving away immediately. It then whimpered again and lowered its head. But what it did next really caught me by surprise: it slumped down on the ground in front of me.

I could only stare as it lifted its head and looked at me. Its warm brown eyes seemed so familiar that I couldn’t help but do the craziest thing ever: I reached out and placed my hand on its head, patting it.

Surprisingly, it seemed to purr in reply.

Wolves purr?

Why is it being so docile?

I looked into its eyes again, and just then, a warm spark shot across them, and I gasped. I knew whom its eyes reminded me of.

“Matthew,” I whispered.