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

It was a gloomy day today, but despite the dullness, Dovelore Castle still stood proud and tall, shining brightly against what little light it had to kindly bestow upon it. I suppose it was about to rain soon.

An annoyed puff caught my attention, but I looked defiantly ahead, refusing to even look at the exasperated Bryce standing outside, holding open the car’s door. I refused to get out. If he wanted to play dirty, I would play dirty too!

It failed to pass by me, though, how childish we were both behaving, and I almost shook my head in disappointment at my own behavior. But this was a repercussion to his childish behavior, so surely it couldn’t be as disappointing as his.

I could hear Bryce finally shuffle on his feet in annoyance before heaving a deep breath and leaning into me. Naturally, I moved further away—not that, that stopped him; Bryce only leaned further in, slipping one arm under my thighs and another around my back, picked me up, and shut the door with unnatural, fluid ease behind him.

With my eyes narrowed, I looked at him and huffed a hundred rants under my breath. His jaw seemed to tighten under my gaze, and I almost stopped when I realized that being a were meant he would have advanced hearing—like I said, almost because I immediately began again.

I suppose Bryce had, had enough of my ranting because, with a livid growl, he moved quicker—almost too quick, because everything else seemed blurry. Before I knew it, I was thrown onto a bed, and Bryce stood still behind a now-locked door, his hand still on the key.

“I know you know.”

I stilled. Shit. Not now, not now! I’m not ready!

Almost ready to take the “Deny it” way out of it, I froze when Bryce turned frighteningly fast to me, his eyes now golden. I couldn’t help but say a cuss under my breath. The moment that I just realized I had been running from was finally here, and I was cornered.

“When did you find out, little Theia?” Bryce drawled calmly, but his expression was anything but calm as he stalked towards me, almost as if a predator stalking his prey during a hunt, before the kill.

I shuddered at that thought. No, Bryce wouldn’t kill me; he’s supposed to be my soul mate, I thought, and a little color touched my frightened pale face.

“Answer me!” Bryce suddenly growled, and I whimpered, pressing myself into the bed a little deeper. Slowly mustering enough courage, I looked up at the pissed-off Bryce, who had only a second ago been standing by the bed; now he had me pressed against it.

My eyes found his golden ones and widened at the realization of how beautiful they actually were—almost like pools of liquid gold.

Just then, Bryce growled in warning, and my eyes snapped towards his lips. His canines seemed to have slipped out from under his lips and were partially in view for anyone to see.

“I suppose I’ve always known you could not be human to get into my room through the window like you do.” I looked up at him, and his eyes were now narrowed and focused on my face. I quickly refocused my gaze on his chest—safe zone.

“Then yesterday Matthew had to save me from Lionel, so I . . . I found out about him. And, well . . . I figured if he is one . . . so are you. A-and, well then . . . w-when I woke up later at night . . . y-you were licking my wounds, so . . . you know . . . Er . . . Yeah.”

Silence—the room stood around us in dead silence as neither one of us uttered a single word. It seemed like ages until I finally grew tired of the silence and glanced at Bryce.

I couldn’t help but let out a small gasp as I realized just how close he was, his nose practically brushing against mine.

His steely golden eyes remained on my own eyes as he finally spoke, “Are you afraid of me?”

I froze, then quickly glanced at his chest again. “No, I don’t fear you. Fear—I think it’s more for this situation really. I-I’ve only imagined these kinds of things in books and movies till yesterday . . . and . . . and to be suddenly thrust upon such a well-hidden fact is . . . scary. I’m basically in the unknown, you know. That’s what scares me, not you—well, except when you go around punching guys without any reason. That’s when you scare me.”

The silence built itself up again, only this time I felt like I was in a rush to talk and keep on talking. Bryce, however . . . felt blank.

Sighing slightly, I glanced up at him. His eyes were filled with an intense emotion, his lips spread in a thin line. Still underneath him, I managed to free my hands and brought them to his face, and like earlier that morning, I eased up his lips into a smile.

“It’s okay . . . I don’t mind, you know; it doesn’t change things,” I murmured softly as I slowly ran the pad of my thumb over his lower lip—pink.

“I’m a beast, Theia. Could you ever love a beast?”

Despite my current state of mind, I smiled.

“I already do.”

His sharp intake of breath didn’t escape my senses as he tilted my head up so our gazes would meet.

“Y-you what?”

This time I giggled.

“I love you.”

“But I’m—”

I rolled my eyes. “Yes, I know, I know, you’re a lycanthrope, you’re not human, you’re a beast, etc., etc. But it doesn’t matter, Bryce. So what if you’re not completely human? You’re still you. That doesn’t change who you are. As for the beast bit, I’m fascinated, really. After falling for Adam, who was a beast himself, and wishing I would find my own, I found you. All those shooting stars I wished upon when I was six finally heard my prayers. About time, really.”

Bryce growled, his grip on my chin tightening. “Who the fuck is Adam?”

I couldn’t help but smile. “Ever heard of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast? The beast’s name is Adam.”

Bryce scowled, his eyebrows furrowed together, his gaze locked with mine. “You’re mine.”

It was almost a growl, like an order, but the vulnerability in his tone didn’t fail to get noticed, and I smiled and pulled his head closer. My arms around his neck, I pulled his lips onto mine. His lips were soft yet somehow also rough, their familiar warmth making them all the more comforting. He kissed me back gently, almost at an agonizing pace, and just when I thought he was going to pull away, he dipped his tongue in my ready mouth and pressed himself against me. A strangled groan left his lips as I let out a breathy, closed-mouthed moan and pulled him closer, my legs parting so he could settle against me better. Or was it to feel the dangerous hardness now pressing against my lower belly? I wouldn’t know; my mind was too fuzzy to form any solid thoughts.

We both broke the kiss and were panting for air, but almost immediately, Bryce dropped his face against my neck and started placing tiny kisses along its length, his elongated canines slightly pinching the skin in certain places, causing shivers to run down my spine.

After placing an open-mouthed kiss on my sweet spot, Bryce finally moved up and beside me, instantly pulling me so that I would have a leg flung over his own legs and an arm around his waist. I blushed as I realized there was a large tent in his pants. That must hurt.

Bryce had let out a pained groan before he got up and made his way towards a door, then he muttered a painful-sounding “Need a cold shower” as he got in and slammed the door shut.

I smiled as I laid on the bed, facing the white ceiling, my back against the mattress. I had a feeling my skirt was way above my waistline and my top was slightly askew, but that didn’t bother me right now . . . Everything was wonderful. Everything was fine.

I laid there for what felt like ages, then my skirt slightly straightened when the door to the bathroom was pulled open and a towel-clad Bryce walked into the room, only to stop short, his gaze snapping towards me.

He let out a growl as he stormed to me, his lips now forming a smirk.

I frowned. What was happening?

“You’re aroused, little mate.”

Oh shit.

Almost instantly, I tried to move off the bed and away from Bryce. There was no way he was going to tease me! Hell no!

The next second was a blur. Before I knew it, I was pushed against a wall, Bryce’s warm breath fanning my cheek, then his lips descended onto my neck, his hand also moving downwards. A loud gasp escaped my lips as his fingers slipped past my panties and rubbed the swollen nub. I moaned loudly. He stopped moving his fingers. Dammit, I was definitely not getting any sleep tonight.

“Fuck, you’re so wet,” Bryce groaned against my neck, and I moaned in reply, wanting him to move his fingers—wanting him to do something, or anything! But he stayed still, teasing me with his fingers that remained close to my nub but not close enough.

I growled in frustration as I felt my blush deepen and tried to move away but got pushed against the wall again, and he flicked a finger across the swollen nub once more. I hid my face against his shoulder, and he groaned as I placed a shy kiss on the base of his neck before tucking the skin between my teeth as I pulled away.

A sudden, sharp bang on the door brought us back to reality, and I almost gasped, blushing, as I tried to move away again.

“Bryce! Move!” I whisper-growled, trying to push him away and his hand out of my panties. He growled back, moving me against the wall again, his finger now pressed against the swollen bud.

“Mine.”

I nodded. “Yes, I know. Now, please, open the do—”

“Alexander Bryce Wilhem! You open the door right now, mister! I will not be disrespected like this! How dare you not introduce her to me! Open the door, I say!”

“Fuck,” Bryce muttered as he quickly removed his hand from my knickers, then he plopped his index and middle fingers into his mouth, licking his fingers clean. Meanwhile, I, witnessing that, blushed a shade deeper.

“We need to get you cleaned; she’ll know what we were up to the minute she walks in otherwise.”

Bryce rushed to pull me towards the bathroom door, shoving a long T-shirt in my hand.

I had just stepped under the shower when I heard a distinctive and thunderous “Where is she?”

I blushed harder, the scene from earlier replaying itself in my head.

“Oh God,” I groaned as the blush found its way up my neck to my cheeks, and I shook my head while soaping myself, trying to avoid the thoughts of Bryce’s long, thick fingers against my lady parts.

“God, Theia, get your head out of the gutter!” I groaned again, blushing harder.

After quickly rinsing off the lather, I wrapped a clean towel around me and walked out of the shower stall onto the brown tiles. After wiping away the dampness, I groaned yet again as I slipped on the shirt. Bryce had forgotten to give me anything to wear underneath it. God, I was practically naked.

Sighing tiredly, I looked in the mirror and tried desperately to tame the waves I had foolishly decided to let flow today. At least the shirt naturally reached down to just an inch or two above my knee. That would have to do.

A soft knock sounded from the bathroom door, and I shuddered from nervousness.

Who is that woman anyway? I wondered as I made my way towards the door before opening it a bit.

Bryce stuck his head in and grinned. “You look great in my shirt. Now let’s go! She’s killing me.”

I blushed and looked at my feet as he grabbed hold of my hand and pulled me out of the bathroom gently. In the next second, I was pulled in for a warm hug.

“Oh, dear, it’s so good to finally meet you! I’m Meryl, Alexander’s auntie. You can call me Meryl. Oh, good Lord, Alex, she’s a beauty; she is! And she looks so innocent and naive. She will do you good! You’re too big, bad, and dangerous for your own good! Oh, I’m so glad we’re finally meeting! If it were up to my nephew here, I would have never known! Thank God for Romanov! That boy always was a softie at heart. I see you’ve captured his heart too. I see why, though; you look like a jewel—one that needs guarding! Oh, dear me, I’ve been talking and talking and talking! Please, say something . . . or I may feel like you’re cross. I speak so much!”

“Romanov”? Roman’s name is Romanov?

I had blinked my wide eyes once or twice before a warm smile put itself on my lips. I liked her!

“Hi, I’m Theia. It’s nice to meet you.” Still smiling warmly, I tried to move towards her, but then I noticed the strong arms circling my waist, holding me against a hard chest. Surprised, I tilted my head up to see Bryce’s clenched jaw. What was he pissed about?

“Oh, the pleasure is all mine, dear! Bryce seems to be very possessive. Jealous even of your cousin, dear?”

She directed her question at Bryce.

I snapped my head towards him again.

He clenched his jaw harder. “She’s—”

“I’m yours,” I said to assure him before he could finish.

He looked down at me, and his golden eyes morphed into his normal ocean-blue orbs. He nodded, and I smiled, leaning up to place a kiss on his jaw.

“Oh, sweet buttons, you two are so adorable!” Aunt Meryl cooed as she moved towards us with a wistful smile. After reaching for her bag, which I was sure was designer, she pulled a black velvet box out of it and handed it to me.

“Take it. It’s supposed to be passed down from generation to generation—from my great grandma, to my ma, to Bryce’s mum—but . . . Well, now it’s yours.”

I looked back up at Bryce, who had a sad smile on his face. He nodded, looking at me, and I smiled softly before accepting the gift with a simple “Thank you.”

“Oh, it’s alright, dear.” Meryl smiled, then turned to Bryce, her eyes stern. “Well, help her wear it, boy!”

I couldn’t help but bite back a giggle when Meryl winked at me as Bryce huffed and took the box from my hands.

As the chain snaked around my neck, I felt a warm fuzz in my chest. Bryce’s arms then circled my waist again, and the warm fuzz grew, making me let out a content sigh.

Meryl, who seemed to have been studying me, smiled in her own contentment and nodded at Bryce before returning to me. “I must go now, deary; midday snacks await! Feel free to join me later, if you want to, though I don’t think Bryce will let you go anywhere till the full moon has come and gone.”

I frowned. “Full moon”? What’s up with Bryce and the full moon?

With a final wink and wave, Meryl stepped out of the room, closing the door behind her.

Bryce and I both stood still for some time, neither saying anything but both enjoying the comfort our embrace brought.

Finally, when I broke away, I turned to Bryce.

“Bryce, what’s the full moon got to do with us?”