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

The fall seemed effortless as we reached the ground smoothly. My head bobbed a bit, and I couldn’t help but punch his back again.

“Let me go! I don’t want to get kidnapped by you! Just let me go, okay?” I yelled as I squirmed in his hold. His claws on my thighs tightened, and I squirmed even more at the discomfort.

We had just reached the edge of the woods when a slightly deranged-looking Roman rushed forward. He turned to face me when Bryce growled lowly in warning.

“Back off, cousin. She’s mine.”

I scoffed and punched him in the back again. Who the hell gave him the right to claim me when he already had a girlfriend! “Actually, I am Theia, not ‘mine.’ And I missed you, too, Rome.”

A deadly growl ripped out of Bryce’s throat, and I let out a startled scream as I got pushed against the trunk of a large tree.

Shit.

I stared into Bryce’s glowing, angry golden eyes with wild bewilderment.

“Let her go, brother! She doesn’t need to be treated like this! You cannot possibly want to mark her after kidnapping her. And that, too, against a tree—” Roman stopped immediately when Bryce shot his head towards him and snarled but then continued when Bryce seemed to be mulling over what he had said, “Calmly think it over. You both need to have a calm talk over this. Do not do something you will regret in the future, cousin.”

With a last soft look in my direction, his gaze reassuring and warm, Roman turned around and fled deep into the woods.

Bryce growled angrily, and I snapped my head towards his. His snout nearly grazed my jaw as he continued to push me against the tree, his sharp canines bared for anyone to see.

Truthfully speaking, I was a bit scared. His claws were starting to impale me, but I don’t think he’d taken notice in his rage.

“You left me!” he growled, his canines nipping at my jaw lightly. He had now loosened his grip from around my waist; I almost thanked him for that—almost.

Instead, I glared at him. “When I leave you, you will know.”

His gaze darkened, and he growled once more, loudly. An owl hooted somewhere in the distance. His arms tightening again around my waist, he pulled me closer.

“You will never leave me again!”

I couldn’t even give him a proper reply before he had me hoisted back up on his shoulders and was running at a speed that I knew was not possible by human standards. Heck, even wolves couldn’t run that fast.

Everything was a blur as he ran. His claws gripping my thighs, he shifted me over to his front, making me wrap my legs around his waist as he pushed my face against his chest, and leaped up. Latching onto a tree, he let out another growl as I whimpered at the force of the motion, but he hadn’t stopped for even a second before he leaped again, this time landing on solid ground.

“You can look now.”

I almost flinched at his dark tone. His mere voice was doing a pretty good job at conveying how livid he was. Sounds of heavy rainfall began, and I nearly cried out loud. I suppose there was no escaping tonight.

Hearing his “command,” I quickly unwrapped my arms from around his neck. I was unwrapping my legs, too, when his claws tightened around my thighs, and he pulled me against him again. I snapped my gaze to his and glared at him.

His snout was closer to me than what I would find comfortable, his canines displayed in all their bold ferociousness. The only thing I could gain comfort from were his golden eyes, which were now harboring specks of blue. So beautiful . . .

He gazed into my eyes as I reached out to touch him, as if to confirm to myself that what was happening, what was standing in front of me, was real.

“You’re the prettiest girl I know. I’ll come by today, okay?”

My eyes hardened, and my hand recoiled against my chest. That ass!

I turned my attention to the walls behind him.

“Let me go,” I spat out, my voice just as serious as my eyes.

The nerve of the guy to act like nothing has ever happened! Why, I ought to shove a chopstick up his ass!

“And what if I say no?” Bryce suddenly broke the silence, his claws retreating as well-maintained nails took their place, the hair all over him vanishing as rough skin emerged where it had been. I glanced at him out of curiosity and stopped to stare at his blue eyes. Bryce was back.

“I’ll come by today, okay?”

I looked away. “Let me go, Bryce.”

“Shut up! Shut up! Shut up! Shut up! W-why do you fucking have to say that over and over and fucking over again! I’m not letting you go! I am never letting you go! You’re mine, and it will be my last day on Earth when you leave me!”

I stared at Bryce, wide-eyed, while he continued to heave in fury, literally shaking in anger. I noticed then that he was now looming over me, covering me, and I was now under him on the bed. It was also then that I noticed that an angry monster in between his legs was furiously poking me in my tummy. I flinched when Bryce caught where my gaze was and growled in warning.

Surprised by the sudden sound, I snapped my eyes to his, and his hips launched automatically. He groaned and dipped his face against my neck.

“Why did you just . . . run? It wasn’t what you think it was . . . back in the car.”

I stiffened, and Bryce seemed to notice. His eyes lifted to meet mine.

“Then what was it, Bryce? What was it if it wasn’t you behaving very awkwardly with me, keeping me at arm’s length, then flirting with some girl over the phone right there in front of me! I’m not going to be a third wheel! I’m not going to be here just because you need your mate to survive and be strong while you are with someone else. I’m finishing high school, then I’m leaving. I won’t ever look back. You can be happy. Now, please, let me go!”

I was thankful not one single tear had dropped out of my eyes, and although everything was blurry and I really just needed to blink the tears away, I refused to show weakness. Instead, I turned away, presenting Bryce with my profile, as the tears started rolling down discreetly.

“It’s not what you think, Theia. I could never— I would— Theia, it’s always going to be you, no one else. Believe me!”

I looked back at him, suddenly not caring if he saw my tears. “Prove it then.”

His eyes hardened, and he moved away, his gaze darkening. “Well, don’t mind if I do,” he growled back and began putting a pair of navy-blue sweatpants and a white shirt on.

“No, Momma, I wanna see Uncle Alex! Uncle Alex! No, Momma, pweez!”

Bryce moved towards the large door but then stopped, turned to me, and gestured that I follow him. “You want proof, don’t you?”

I only stared for a short second before getting out and scrambling after him, but he pulled open the door and marched outside before I could even reach his side, so I hesitated and stopped at the door.

Was I wrong to presume things?

My attention was piqued again when the little girl’s squeal sounded around the hallway, reaching Bryce’s room too.

Be calm, Thi. Let’s see how he proves you wrong.

I heaved a large sigh and quickly counted till ten before moving the door back a little and slipping out of the room.

“Why didn’t you come over yesterday, Uncle Alex? Daddy and I were waiting all afternoon! You tol’ me on the phone you would, in the mownin. You lied, Uncle Alex. You— You said lying is bad. Do I get to take away your sweets now?”

I froze. “Evangeline?”

The little girl currently hanging off of Bryce’s waist turned her attention to me. Instantly, a very large smile formed on her lips as she quickly ripped herself out of Bryce’s embrace and ran towards me.

“Thi!” She jumped, and I caught her midway through it and brought her tiny frame against mine in a hug. Evangeline then turned to her mom, who was regarding me with a warm smile and an excited expression.

“Momma, she’s the girl Daddy and I met at the beach! She’s my best friend! Uncle Dewek! Uncle Dewek said she looked f-fit! Yes, fit!” Evangeline returned to me, her excited expression contagious. “Uncle Dewek said you looked fit, Thi!” She frowned slightly. “What does ‘fit’ mean, Thi? A-and wah wo yew doing in Uncle Alex’s woom?”

I stiffened, then glanced at the livid-looking Bryce. His gaze found mine, and he quickly moved over to us.

“Alex, mate, thanks for having us— Theia?”

My mouth opened, then shut by itself as I looked at Chris standing there looking at me with a big smile, his arms now wound around his wife.

“Theia, this is my wife, Emily. Emily, that’s the girl our Evangeline decided to stalk and knock down at the beach yesterday!” He glanced back at me, a large grin lighting up his face. “Loads of pictures she snapped, this one. And when you were running away from your friend, she dropped my iPhone flat on the sand and rushed in to knock you down.”

I gazed down at the slightly sorry-looking Evangeline in my arms. She looked down as she continued to hug me, her arms around my neck. I smiled, then softly brushed her blonde locks behind her ear.

“Well, I’m sure Evangeline and I could go visit the beach again soon, eh, Eva?”

Her excited eyes snapped to mine, and she nodded enthusiastically. “Of cwos! Tamowo?”

I shook my head. “I have school tomorrow, love.”

She nodded, still excited. “Saturday?”

I grinned and nodded back. “Saturday.”

“Evangeline said Derek thinks Theia’s fit, is it true?” Bryce suddenly growled, his low voice foreboding.

Chris’ expression became guarded instantly. He glanced at me, then at Bryce. A knowing look appeared on his face, and he immediately shook his head. “He didn’t mean it, Bryce. You know Derek never means things like that.”

Bryce’s expression only darkened further. “That’s the thing; I know Derek. He rarely notices women, and when he does . . .”

Bryce snapped his head towards mine. Just then, Evangeline tugged at my top, and I let her down, allowing her to rush back to her slightly scared-looking mother. I smiled at her, but she only mouthed a “Calm him down,” motioning to Bryce with her eyes, then excused herself and, with a final soft smile my way, walked away with the sleepy Evangeline.

I finally glanced at Bryce. His gaze was still on me.

“Can you show me those pictures, Chris?” he spoke, not once taking his eyes off me.

I frowned and now glanced at Chris.

Chris frowned.

“I deleted most of them, man. I only have the ones Eva made me promise I wouldn’t delete until we’ve printed them out and got them in her little scrapbook.”

“May I see them?”

I frowned as his eyes hardened. What is he doing?

“Sure, man.” Chris moved towards him, then looked at me and smiled. “Come on over and check ‘em out, Theia.”

Ignoring Bryce’s eyes on me, I smiled at Chris and moved forward to stand between the two men.

Chris shuffled over to his gallery, and I all but gasped at the picture of me moving out of the water with a creepy smile on my face. I knew it to be the time when I had been sneaking towards Ley, but what I had clearly missed were the guys behind me very bluntly looking as I passed. Chris slid over to the next picture. In this, I was sitting on top of a laughing Marley, a couple of grandpas and grandmas staring at us with wide eyes while the younger generation also stared but with amused grins from the girls and smirks from the boys. I unconsciously shook my head, smiling at the memory. He then switched to the next picture. This one I smiled at widely. I was standing by Chris, who was towering over me, with Evangeline hooked on my hips. We were all grinning widely. I then gasped when I noticed the bunny ears Evangeline was making behind my head with her hand. Chris seemed to catch that, too, and laughed. “That’s my girl.”

“Derek shouldn’t get his hands on this, Chris,” Bryce spat out icily before turning around and storming right back into the room.

I glanced at Chris apologetically. He stood there looking in the direction Bryce had gone in, a smile playing on his lips.

“Haven’t mated yet?”

What!

My jaw fell to the floor as I gasped at his bold question. “What?”

He shrugged, the smile still intact, as he looked down at me.

“Because he would have killed Derek if you had already mated; territorial tendencies only increase in intensity after mating—for all wolves. I almost feel sorry you got a royal. We’re worse.”

I looked towards the bedroom door, worried.

“You should go before he loses his temper thinking you’ve run away.”

My head shot back towards him. Wide-eyed, I nodded.

“Thank you for showing us the pictures,” I mumbled, genuinely thankful.

Chris only shook his head, a chuckle breaking past his lips.

“I’ve only made things worse, you’ll see. I apologize, though. One does not simply not listen to Alexander. I advise you to be patient tonight. Good night, Theia. I’ll see you in the morning.”

I stood staring at him as he walked away and, turning a corner, disappeared from my sight.

What was he talking about?

With a deep sigh, I now turned to the bedroom door.

“Why didn’t you come over yesterday, Uncle Alex?”

My back straightened, and my eyes widened . . . Evangeline was the girl Bryce had been talking to?

“You tol’ me on the phone you would, in the mownin.”

No. No, it can’t be.

I shook my head and walked towards the bedroom door.

But what if it was?

I froze, my mind reeling with possibilities.

What if it was, Theia?

Had I blown this one out of proportion? I looked at the door, my mind on the man beyond it. Could he have been talking to Evangeline?

I sighed, shook my head, and continued into the room, which was now partially dark. The only lights illuminating it were the table lamps.

A shiver ran down my spine when I noticed the hunched Bryce sitting on the bed, his head dropped low, his fingers curled together on his lap. He looked up as I closed the door; Bryce’s eyes stuck to mine.

“Do you believe me now?” he asked tentatively in a clipped voice.

I didn’t answer immediately, looking away on purpose. What was I supposed to say? It wasn’t tangible proof. Did I really want to risk this?

A little voice in me kept urging me to just leap onto his lap and tell him I believed him, but the part of me that still bore the wounds from yesterday always managed to hold me back.

“Theia.”

I looked up.

“Do you believe me now?”

A knock sounded throughout the room, and both Bryce and I instantly turned to the door. It creaked open a couple of minutes later, Matthew’s and Roman’s heads sticking in.

I frowned in confusion. Behind me, Bryce immediately let out a warning growl and leaped in front of me.

“Now is not a great time, boys; I’m tired and extremely pissed off, and if you so much as breathe on my mate, I will rip your heads from your necks. How many fucking times do I have to say it! She’s mine! And I won’t share! So get the hell out of our room!”

Woah!

Their heads still sticking in, Roman turned to Matthew. “What an ungrateful dick.”

Matthew chuckled and nodded. “What an ungrateful, dirty dick. He hasn’t showered since yesterday, remember?”

Bryce had growled and was about to leap onto the boys when I quickly grabbed onto his arm.

His head shot back, canines bared, eyes shining golden.

I gulped down a frightened whimper and turned to the boys before motioning them in. Immediately, Bryce’s arms wrapped around me. I sighed into his embrace and let him hold me. There was no reason to anger him any more.

Matthew and Roman grinned at each other as they strode in. I was glad to see that Roman looked happier and healthier than he had just a few hours ago. I suppose whatever they carried in that laptop of theirs really had a good impact on their moods.

Matthew looked at me, his grin still intact. “I don’t believe Bryce can ever cheat on you, Thi.”

What? My eyes narrowed. Maybe it wasn’t such a good idea to let them in; they were confusing the hell out of me. What were they even up to?

Bryce stiffened behind me, his arms holding me tighter than they had been a minute ago, as if he had picked up on my uneasiness. I leaned into him.

“What are you talking about?”

Rome’s eyes dropped a little bit, and his previous sadness seeped back in, his expression somewhat dead again. As he regarded me, he let out a heavy sigh. “Bryce can’t cheat on you, Thi.”

“And how can you say that?”

Matthew’s and Roman’s grins returned, and they turned the laptop to us. What looked like security-camera footage started playing.

I watched as Bryce walked down a store aisle, then suddenly stopped and started checking out boxes of what looked like dried fruits and nuts. I stared as he reached out, picked up a box, and began reading the writing on its package. Just then, a lady wearing a yellow dress turned the corner and slowly made her way down the aisle, coming to a stop beside Bryce. It seemed like she wanted the nuts that were directly placed in front of Bryce. When she reached out to grab hold of it, Bryce immediately flinched and glared at the woman.

The woman seemed to have gotten quite a fright because she immediately rushed off, the nuts and trolley forgotten.

What the hell?

My head snapped towards Bryce, a wild, shocked expression on my face. He just looked down at me blankly.

“It’s not over yet,” Matthew called out cheerfully.

Sighing, I looked back at the screen.

This time the camera focused on a woman who seemed to be drinking a glass of juice in the kitchen. She seemed young enough and was extremely beautiful too. I immediately tensed when Bryce walked into the kitchen wearing a white vest and a pair of dark-blue jeans. He had seemed to nod a greeting at the woman before he grabbed the fridge door and pulled out a tray of pie. I smiled as he took four slices. Bryce smiled slightly on the screen as he moved towards the kitchen sink to wash his hands just as the woman turned to wash her glass. Bryce immediately flinched back, a look of disgust on his face, as the lady came closer to him than nine inches, and he snarled at her. The woman, however, only smiled and moved back, immediately easing Bryce’s stance.

My frown deepened. Why was he so defensive?

Another footage rolled on-screen.

This time he seemed to be sitting in the library, a book in his hands. He quickly flipped through the pages, a look of concentration on his face. A smirk found its way to my lips when Meryl slipped into the room, slowly, with a creepy smile on her lips, and she walked towards Bryce, not making a single sound.

She got closer and closer, but just as she was about to shout, “Boo,” Bryce turned around quite sharply and let out a deadly growl. I immediately let out a whimper, closing my eyes in fright.

“Meryl! I’m sorry! It’s just . . . It’s just—”

“You don’t do well amongst other women?” Meryl seemed to smile as she moved slowly around the large sofa and sat near Bryce.

I watched with interest as Bryce looked at her with surprise.

“Yes,” he replied and seemed to hesitate but then continued, “I don’t know how . . . but other women, I do find them attractive, just bland, not . . . colorful—well, other women who aren’t Theia. They can barely stand beside me without me snarling at them. It’s like my wolf doesn’t want to have any other female around us except for Thi. I-is this—?”

“Normal?” Meryl cut him off once again with a smile. “Your father was like this, too, don’t you remember?—something your Mum appreciated wholeheartedly. I suppose it runs in the family. Having Theia as mate doesn’t only mean that she is yours; it also means that you are hers. You belong to each other. Do you find this trait not likeable?”

My eyes widened in surprise when the Bryce on camera smiled. He shook his head. “No, I might like the idea of belonging to her. And now I feel less manly.”

Roman and Matthew couldn’t seem to hold it in as they both fell on the floor laughing. I chuckled slightly too. It was sweet how he had said it.

“And now I feel less manly.”

“Get out!”

Everyone except for Bryce froze. Matthew and Roman immediately scurried up from the ground and, grabbing the laptop, fled.

I couldn’t help but yell out a “Thank you, guys!”

“Good night, Theia,” they both yelled back from the other side of the door.

Bryce immediately walked towards the door and moved back. It all took about a second. Sometimes I felt extremely jealous of their abilities.

He stood in front of me, his blank eyes calculative, yet for a second I actually thought his eyes had warmed up.

I looked down at my feet. “You belong to me, huh?”

He didn’t reply. I almost whimpered at the lack of reply.

What if he was mad at me?

Bryce caught me by surprise when he tilted my head upwards with his thumb and index fingers.

His thumb caressed my chin as I stared into those blue orbs, my breath getting caught in my throat.

“What do you think?”

My breathing stopped. Time stopped. The whole room stopped.

“Hmm?” he mumbled, his thumb now caressing my lower lip, slightly parting my lips, before moving his hand over to caress my cheek.

“I-I—”

Fuck, stop stuttering, Theia!

“Do you believe me now?”

I looked up at him. My face fell at his expression. Bryce stood in front of me, his eyes sad, but a hopeful expression sat on his face. I blinked back the tears that were threatening to fall down.

I couldn’t help it any longer. Pushing aside everything running around my mind, I jumped onto him, hooking my hands around his neck, and he quickly wrapped his arms around my waist.

“I’m sorry!” I sobbed as I kissed him all over his face, framing it face with my palms. “You were being distant, then . . . then—”

“It’s okay, love,” Bryce breathed against my cheek before placing a quick kiss there.

I held him closer.

“Bed?” he asked softly.

I nodded, pressing a kiss on the base of his neck. Bryce stilled, his breath hitching in his throat.

“Don’t do that,” he muttered as he walked over to the bed and laid me down softly. He then made a move to step away, but I quickly pulled him back.

“Do what?” I whispered against his neck, then placed a soft kiss on the same spot where I’d kissed him just a few seconds ago, only this time I had nibbled lightly before I let go. “This?”

“Dammit, Theia, please!”

“Please what?”

“Please stop!”

I looked at him. “You mean it?”

His gaze shot to mine.

“No,” he groaned and, leaning in, pressed his lips against mine. Passionate—I suppose that’s the only way I can describe the kiss. Then the battle for dominance was lost the minute his tongue slipped between my lips. I pulled him closer to me, moaning, as he deepened the kiss. We broke free to catch our breaths, and Bryce let out a chuckle before leaning back in and nipping at my bottom lip, then he pulled on it teasingly as he broke away again.

He now dipped his face in the crook of my neck and placed another soft kiss on my sweet spot. “I want to mark you so badly.”

A soft sigh left my lips. “Then why don’t you?”

Bryce groaned at my reply and nipped at my sweet spot, pulling the skin with his teeth. I clutched his shoulder as he ran the tip of his tongue along the hot, throbbing spot before pulling it again but with his lips. He repeated this once more before leaving another peck on the now-buzzy spot.

“It’s not that easy.”

“Are you going to tell me how so?” I mumbled as I wrapped my arms around him, his heavy weight feeling weirdly comforting on top of me.

Bryce sighed, turning us over so I would lay on top of him. I smiled at him, softly caressing his cheeks.

“Not tonight. For now, this will have to do,” he murmured, caressing my sweet spot.

I nodded.

“Bryce?” I mumbled in a small voice after a comforting moment of silence.

I knew there was a slim chance, but I still had to ask.

“Hmm?”

I sighed. Well, here I go.

“Can I call Marley and my parents?”

“No!” he snapped immediately, shooting up in bed, making me straddle him, his arms now tightly wound around my waist. “No, I won’t let you go! That girl tried to keep me from you! And your dad didn’t cooperate at all!”

I sighed and pulled my face away a little so I could look at him. “Okay, okay, let’s go to sleep tonight, but I want to talk to them tomorrow, Bryce. They only wanted what was best for me. I did need space to cope, and Marley helped me. You can’t punish her for something she did for me.”

“You didn’t even seem sad.”

My eyes widened. “What!”

“You didn’t even seem mad or upset in those pictures!” Bryce growled, his eyes lowered.

I frowned. “Would you rather—?”

“I know! I know, okay! I know you cried! I can see it in your face! I saw it tonight, from the woods! I know! It just fucking pisses me off that she can make you smile and all I fucking do is make you cry all the time!”

I shook my head, oblivious of the tears that had managed to escape me, as I tilted Bryce’s face so he would look at me.

“Don’t you ever say that again. It was my fault as well. I should have stayed back and demanded an answer, or gotten your side of the story too. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you so much.”

He sighed.

“Come here,” Bryce mumbled as he wiped the tears off of my cheeks.

We gazed at each other, his fingertips still lingering on my cheeks. I smiled slightly before grasping his T-shirt and pulling him forward, capturing his lips with mine.