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

A soft breeze blew into the room through the open window, and I glanced at it for a second, seriously contemplating if I should just make a jump for it. I glanced at Bryce again and shuddered in disgust as the fact that he was actually smirking registered in my head.

He was laughing at me.

As I watched him smirk, all of the hurt I had felt for the past two weeks came rushing back—the waiting by the patio, sitting on the swing till the first sign of darkness decided to show, staring at my phone waiting for a call or a text; then wondering if I should text him instead, and finally sending him a text and waiting for a reply but never getting one.

I could practically feel my heart building up a wall around it. I still felt for him, badly, but looking at him standing there smirking at me, not an ounce of guilt on his face, made me determined not to fall into his arms again. So I did the only thing I could do: I put on a poker face and turned to the door—but not without noticing the fall in Bryce’s smirk.

“Theia?”

I shivered as his deep, husky voice called out my name uncertainly, but I kept walking towards the door.

If I stopped now, I would never be able to walk away.

Each step I took made me feel bolder, more confident. A smile touched my lips as I reached out and grasped the doorknob and turned it.

You’re winning, Thi!

I heard the sudden rustle of sweatpants before an arm slipped around my waist, turned me around, and pushed me against the wall, a whole lot of weight crushing me into it. I couldn’t even push him away as he had my hands in his, rendering me completely helpless.

Bryce’s warm breath fanned my cheek as I managed to keep my eyes fixed on the small amount of wooden floor visible to me. I refused to look anywhere near his naked chest.

“Why are you mad?” he mumbled warmly before placing a ghost of a kiss on my cheek.

You lied! That’s why, you jerk! You lied, then you left.

I remained silent, my posture stiff. I continued to stare at the floor.

Bryce placed a kiss on my cheek again, then he sighed, “God, I missed you so much.”

My view became blurry as he pushed my hair away, exposing the fading bruise on the base of my neck.

I had forgotten to hide it with foundation. Dammit.

“You’re not hiding it,” he whispered, sounding a little surprised, before placing a soft kiss on the same spot.

I remained stiff, but my facade was crumbling. I could not hold it much longer. I needed to escape.

“Why aren’t you talking to me?” Bryce moved back to get a proper look at me.

I raised my gaze to his, and his expression changed from his soft one to that of concern as he looked back at me.

“What’s wrong?” he asked, his voice holding a bit of steeliness in it.

The atmosphere in the room suddenly turned tense as he looked me over, as if looking for a wound.

I barely managed to hide the whisper of a smile that threatened to form on my lips. If only he knew he would never find the wound I bore.

“Why aren’t you replying?”

I flinched at Bryce’s sudden growl as his fist banged the wall just beside my head. I returned my gaze to the floor—it was much safer.

“Look at me, dammit!” He held my chin with his thumb and index finger, and tilted my head so I’d look at him.

“Let me go.”

It was more of a request than an order, but I thank God that I didn’t stutter. The last thing I wanted to show him was weakness.

Bryce’s eyes widened before he clenched his jaw and landed his fist on the brick wall once more.

“What did I do wrong?” he asked coldly, the dangerous gleam in his eyes seemingly daring me to defy him, to not answer.

I didn’t.

The sound of the door lock rang around the room. Bryce then removed his hands from mine and moved away, the key now in his hand.

With one last look in my direction, he moved towards the bathroom, got in, and shut the door.

As if I were a ticking time bomb and my time were up, a whimper fell off my lips as I struggled to bite back a sob, the cursed tears already slipping down my cheeks. Why did this have to be so damn hard?

Bryce was guilty. He had . . . He had disappeared, for God’s sake!

Somehow, saying it in my mind now made it all seem trivial, but I knew it wasn’t; it only seemed little when spoken of out loud because only someone who had gone through it knew the pain—the pain of being promised love, then being deserted, like of a husband kissing his wife at the doorway with the promise that he would come home early but then never showed up again because as she would learn, he was in fact in the same town but in a different house, with a new life. It sucked.

I could feel goose bumps rising along my arm. The cool breeze from the window felt icy on my now-blotchy, warm face. The sound of the door being pulled open alerted me of Bryce’s return, and I quickly wiped away any signs of tears before fixing my gaze on the floor again.

As much as I felt like making a run for it and jumping off the first-floor window, I knew better. It would only cause me more embarrassment and pain.

“Let’s go,” Bryce muttered, his voice still steely, as he grabbed hold of my arm with one hand, then with the other, unlocked the door and marched out, pulling me with him. He was now dressed in a suit.

Where is he even taking me?

“Leave me!” I hissed, tugging at my hand. I was no damsel in distress.

Bryce’s head snapped towards me

“What the hell is your deal?” he hissed back.

Suddenly, it felt like there wasn’t enough room around us. Bryce’s nose brushed against mine, his eyes glaring at my brown orbs.

“My fucking problem is that you won’t quit getting up in my personal space!” I snapped, pushing him back with my free hand. “Move away!”

“No!”

A startled yelp escaped my lips as my back hit the wall again, then Bryce’s lips landed on mine. His kiss was urgent, as if he thought this moment would just disappear, yet somehow it also felt like he was trying, pleading. But whether he was pleading to be kissed back or to have his lie—his fake feelings for me—entertained, I wasn’t sure.

He nibbled on my lower lip. His arms were now tightly wound around my waist. He intended no escape. As much as I wanted to do both, to kiss him back and forget how I’d felt for fourteen days now, I did neither.

Placing both palms flat against his chest, I pushed as hard as I could.

There was no moving him. After all, I was tiny compared to him. But I couldn’t give up.

I was about to break, about to kiss him back, but I couldn’t do that to myself. I couldn’t feel rejected again. It hurt.

So I tried once more. I pushed, and this time, I succeeded. Bryce moved back, but his arms were still around me as he stared at me looking helpless—and pissed, very pissed.

I didn’t get why he couldn’t just leave me alone—spare me. I mean, wasn’t there some other girl to act upon as a conquest?

I cringed when the thought of him with some other girl hurt a lot more than I was hurting at this point, and only when a traitor tear slipped down onto my cheek did I realize I had finally crumbled.

Cursing inwardly, I reached up to wipe it away, but Bryce was quick to reach for and grab onto my hand before I could. He then grabbed my chin with his finger and tilted it until I stood looking at him, the tear now slipping down my jaw before falling to its fate—the wooden floor.

Bryce seemed to change from pissed off to downright furious in a matter of seconds as his eyes narrowed on my face.

“What happened?” he asked, his voice low and deadly.

“Nothing,” I mumbled back, biting on my lower lip and cussing myself for quivering upon seeing him so angry.

“Nothing? Nothing? You’re cry—”

“Master Wilhem, please, let go of the girl!” a gentle voice pleaded loudly, but I couldn’t look away from Bryce’s face.

It wasn’t his face staring back at me. Well, it was, but this Bryce—this Bryce—couldn’t exist because this Bryce had dark eyes instead of blue.

I blinked. How was that even possible?

Our eye contact broke as he turned to the woman, who now that I was looking at her, I saw was staring at the scene before her with terror.

“It’s okay, Melly. She’s mine,” Bryce muttered gruffly, his arms tightening around me.

Melly’s eyes softened at that, and she nodded happily. She looked at me and whispered, “She truly is a beauty, just like madam had predicted!” then turned around and walked away.

What was that about?

I could feel Bryce’s stare on me again, so I turned to him, barely escaping brushing noses with him this time. He was that close.

His eyes were still dark. That one prominent vein running up his forehead was now ready to bulge out of his skin.

“Your eyes . . .” I whispered, temporarily forgetting why it was that I was not talking to him.

Bryce stiffened. “That happens when I’m mad or . . .”

I lifted an eyebrow up. “ ‘Or . . . ?”

“Aroused.”

Flashes of memories I had tried hard to avoid for the previous few days came rushing back. I nodded and turned away, not looking at him anymore.

Just hug him, Theia. You know you want to, desperately. Maybe he has a reason? Maybe he has a very good explanation. Just ask him! a tiny voice whispered in my head.

She made sense. I did want to, but I couldn’t. He would just hurt me.

He played you. He doesn’t like you. He doesn’t even want you! He looks like a god, and you expect him to give you his time of day and affection? No, Theia, he thinks you’re an easy fuck; that’s all you’re good for to him, another voice spoke, sounding much more sure of herself, like she knew she was right. She made more sense.

“Why are you mad at me?” Bryce suddenly grumbled before dipping his face into my neck and placing a warm kiss on the base.

“Master Wilhem, it is time. The students are waiting,” a deep, gruff male voice spoke awkwardly behind Bryce.

And that was when it hit me: everyone was addressing him as Master Wilhem. He was being called because the students were waiting where I was supposed to be waiting.

Oh my God. Bryce is . . . Alexander Wilhem? That means . . . he lied to me!

“Oh God, Thi! You’re such a fool!” I scolded myself loudly as I tried to push him away once more, but he still wouldn’t budge.

I was turning to look for help when my eyes met the middle-aged man who was staring at us, his eyes wide, as if he couldn’t believe what he was seeing.

I couldn’t take it anymore. I exploded.

“You’re Alexander Wilhem—the Alexander Wilhem! So you lied to me again! Your name isn’t even Bryce! Oh my God, can you just let go already? And stop nipping my neck, for God’s sake!” I yelled, all the while trying to push him away, with all my might.

He moved away and looked at me, his expression that of regret.

Yes, you jerk, you should regret, just like I regret the day I set eyes on your blue ones.

“I’m sorry,” he mumbled, looking at the floor, but he didn’t let me go. “I’m sorry for whatever it is that I’ve done. Please, don’t be mad at me.”

Out of the corner of my eye, I could see the man’s eyes widen. Clearly he wasn’t accustomed to seeing Bryce—Alexander—saying sorry.

I sighed. “You lied to me, then left. And now you expect me to forgive you? Listen, Bryce—Alexander, whoever you are—just leave me alone, okay? Please.”

He moved closer, as if to hold me again, but I stopped him. That was when his eyes traveled to the hands I had in front of us, and they narrowed before his face turned into a glare, which he then directed at me.

“You’re engaged,” he observed, seething.

“What?” I exclaimed.

What the heck is he talking ab— Oh my God, this is getting ridiculous!

I glanced at my grandma’s engagement ring. Apparently, I wore it on the left hand rather than my usual right.

Bryce—Alexander, whoever he was—was clearly misinterpreting this.

“N—”

“Save it!” he snapped.

I just stared, stunned by the sudden change in his mood.

Without another word, he grasped my hand and pulled me forward as he stormed down the hall. The man behind us still stood in his spot, staring, as if not believing what had just occurred in front of his eyes.

I could understand his plight. Even I couldn’t believe what had just happened.

***

Bryce took a turn down another hall, and that was when I saw my classmates. Mr. Bishop looked at me, alarmed, as Bryce proceeded to pull me towards them. In fact, everyone had become extremely quiet.

On my part, I was humiliated.

My eyes found Marley’s as she looked at me frantically, her eyes wide. I guess she was shocked to see that my Bryce was actually the Alexander Wilhem.

I wanted to rush to her and weep my eyes out, but I couldn’t. Bryce didn’t seem to want to let go of my hand anytime soon.

Matthew stood beside Marley, but unlike her, he had a soft smile on his face, as if he understood what was happening.

What exactly was happening?

I was doing a room sweep when I finally found Rome. He was standing in a corner of the room, looking as deadly as Bryce. His eyes found mine, and I grimaced. He was that crazy kind of mad again.

“Ladies and gentlemen, may I present to you Alexander Bryce Wilhem,” Mr. Buckwood announced happily when, finally, Bryce stopped and stood in front of the whole crowd.

I stole a glance at him. His rage was now masked, his face blank. He gave a small smile as he looked around the room, his eyes hardening as he gazed at Roman but then lightening when he smiled slightly wider at the boy standing in front of him.

“Hi, guys, I hope all of you had an eventful time today? Okay, so as much as I know, all of you are excited for what I am about to announce. I want those who do not get either the scholarship or the invitation to stay at the castle to know that there are many more opportunities in life. You just have to wait for them, and when you get the one that belongs to you, you grasp them.”

His hold on my arm tightened slightly, and he continued, “The student who gets the scholarship will receive a letter at the end of the year. I wish you all the best of luck. However, the invite is to be extended to Ms. Anderson here, who I happened to have stumbled upon when she had gotten lost. There is one last part of this tour that is yet to be completed: the library visit. Now, the library is extremely large, and there are extremely valuable books and literature there. Hence, there will be two groups for this tour. Mr. Harway, could you please divide the students into two groups?”

While I stood, gaping at him, his grip on my arm never loosened. He had just announced that I was to stay over at the castle—me, Theia Anderson!

I looked around for Marley, but when I found her, she was being ushered away. I then caught sight of Matthew, who was still in the room, smiling softly at me. I groaned under my breath, wildly wondering why he was even smiling.

I couldn’t bring myself to glance at Rome, though. I could practically feel his icy stare. Over the past few days, I had realized how to calm that crazy anger of his, but as much as I wanted to move to him and give him a hug, Bryce’s grip on my arm still had me restrained.

I watched as Mr. Bishop and Mr. Buckwood led the small group down the hall and turned to the left. The rest of the class now stood in front us, their heads bowing low—everyone except Roman, that is; he still stood, glaring in our direction.

What the heck is happening?

The bowing stopped, and everyone looked back at us. I could see Diandra glaring in my direction too. Alex, like most of the people in the crowd, though, was also staring at us.

I felt as Bryce left my arm and moved behind me. Thank God!

I gasped when he reached for my hair and moved it away from my neck, exposing the lightening bruise.

Loud gasps were heard around the room as people stared at my neck, then at Bryce before most of them broke into grins. Some, however, went on to glare at me, like Rome, Diandra, and a couple of other folks whom I had never paid heed to.

Mr. Harway’s eyes met mine after I looked around frantically, and he smiled warmly at me before quieting down the apparently happy lot of students.

What the hell was even going on? I turned round, hoping to ask why Bryce had shown everybody the bruise and why everyone had bowed! But when I turned, all I saw was an empty spot behind me. Bryce was nowhere to be found.

“We need to get out of here,” a deep voice muttered beside me, his voice sounding urgent.

I turned and bumped, nose first, into a hard chest. Instantly, an arm then went around my waist.

“Let’s get you out of here, Thi.”

Glancing up at Rome, I nodded. I really did need to get away.

I didn’t know why he wanted to help me. Hell, I was hoping he was doing it for the friendship we had developed in the days since we’d gotten paired for the project.

Regardless, he was helping me, and I was going to take it. So when he clasped our hands together and dragged me towards what I believed to be the exit, I followed.

***

We managed to escape. I had no clue how Rome just happened to have his car parked in the garage—unless he lived there—but it was there, and we fled.

The fact that Rome had traveled to the castle on the bus yet his car had been parked in the private garage seemed remarkably strange to me. How could it be there—unless, like I said, he lived there?

Still confused and ever so curious, I glanced at Roman. He was driving me home. His lips were spread in a thin line, and his eyes were narrowed, as if he was in deep thought, or pissed. Though, when wasn’t he pissed?

“How come your car was parked in the garage?”

Roman stiffened for a second, and his grip on the wheel tightened, so much so that his knuckles turned white.

I wasn’t scared of him anymore, though. I just wanted to know.

“Because I live there,” he replied.

I stared at him. “Excuse me? You live where?” I exclaimed, slamming my palm against my thigh.

Roman’s knuckles turned a shade whiter. “I live in the castle. Alexander is my first cousin, on my mother’s side.”

I sat stunned in the car while he remained quiet as he drove towards my home.

Another turn and I would be there. I really couldn’t wait to be there.

The fact that Roman Naight was Bryce’s cousin was information my brain was refusing to accept. It just could not be.

Roman took a turn before driving into my driveway. He then parked the car just beyond the gateway and looked down at his palm, silent. I remained silent as well. How was I supposed to converse with him now?

He didn’t know. Surely, he couldn’t know anything.

Suddenly, his strong arms reached out and pulled me towards him, startling me. I landed against his chest, and he hugged me. Strangely, I hugged him back.

“Sorry. You know it calms me down. Listen, Theia, everything will be alright, okay? I know everything that happened back there must have seemed crazy to you, and I know that you and I didn’t start off great, and I still kind of hate you sometimes. But I like you. You’re the only person who’s stood up to my bullshit. Just trust me,” Roman whispered before he placed a soft kiss on the side of my head and slowly let me go.

I nodded meekly and unlocked the door, then got out. I really did need to clear my head. All that had happened was just too much to process, but at least Romanov didn’t hate me that much anymore; at least that was progress.

After I’d opened the front door and gotten in, I turned around and gave Roman a soft smile and a wave. He waved back.

I closed the door, then made my way to my room.

***

“Theia, dear, would you like something to drink?” Agnus’ voice spoke softly.

I raised my gaze to her before smiling softly and nodding. She smiled back and proceeded to the kitchen, leaving me to complete my task at hand. I unlocked my bedroom door and walked in.

On my way home, while in Rome’s car, I had imagined walking into my room, leaping onto my bed, pulling the covers up high so they’d cover me whole, and just sleeping the day away. But nothing of that sort happened in actuality, for when I opened the door and walked in, I was welcomed by the view of Bryce sitting on my bed, staring daggers at the floor.

My eyes widened as I realized how ballistic he looked, and I decided to do the one thing I could think of. He had not seen me, and if I were to escape, it seemed I could, so I decided to do just that.

I turned back to the door, my bag still clutched to my chest, and I slowly opened it and took a step towards freedom.

“Escaping will not help, Theia. I will always find you—always.”

I nearly had a heart attack. Bryce’s sudden warning caught me off guard, but the deadly tone of his voice forewarned me that he was extremely angry, and that messing with him would do no good. So, releasing a deep sigh, I turned back around to the room and shut the door. There was no need to bring poor Agnus and Lilly into this.

But how did he get here so fast?

“What do you want?” I muttered cautiously, shifting further into the room, terrified that he would move from his position and ruin everything for me. I didn’t want to give in.

For the first time in the five minutes I’d been standing in front of Bryce, he finally lifted up his head and looked at me.

I nearly gasped at the look on his face. He looked livid.

“Escaped with your fiancé, I see,” he sneered, getting up on his two feet, his eyes as dark as nightfall. “And you smell just like him.”

He took a step forward, and unconsciously, I took one back.

I frowned. What was he even talking about? What fiancé?

“What the hell are you even talking about?” I snapped, folding my arms in front of me.

His eyes went straight to my hands, and he glared.

I looked down, curious, and my eyes widened in realization. He was talking about my grandma’s ring again. Dammit.

I didn’t even get enough time to register what happened next, when my breath rushed off me as, in a matter of seconds, Bryce whisked me into his arms and onto the bed, throwing me underneath him.

“You’re engaged to my fucking cousin Roman. For fuck’s sake, don’t lie to my face! I can smell him all over you!” Bryce hissed. Anger laced his eyes as his fingers found my grandma’s ring and began tugging it off.

“What the hell are you doing?” I screamed, trying to push him away.

He was clearly losing it. I mean, I was the one who was supposed to be mad here—not him, me!

“Removing the damned ring! I told you, you are mi—” Bryce growled, but I cut him off.

At this point, I was as mad as he was.

“Yours? Yeah, yeah, whatever. You have no right to tell me that after avoiding me for two weeks! And as for the ring, it’s my grandma’s, for God’s sake. I wear it because it reminds me that I have a piece of her. I am not engaged! But you know what—Rome is hot! And heck, if he proposed, I would say ye—”

I couldn’t even complete my sentence because the next thing I knew was that Bryce’s lips had slammed against mine. Moving over me instantly, he began nipping, nibbling, and teasing me into a state of weakness. I could barely feel my legs.

Bryce ran his tongue along my bottom lip, as if asking for entrance. I clenched my mouth shut. I wasn’t going to kiss him if he didn’t explain everything.

“Kiss me back! Show me that you’re mine!” he growled as he pulled back slightly, his lips still brushing against mine.

“There will be no kissing until you explain, maybe not even after that!” I snapped back, pressing my head further into the mattress, away from his.

We looked into each other’s eyes, each of our glares steely; we were both waiting to see who’d lose.

“Kiss me. Prove it. Prove you’re mine!”

My gaze didn’t falter.

“Explain,” I retorted.

“I don’t even know what you fucking want me to explain. Just tell me what you want me to explain, and I will do it!” Bryce roared, slamming his fist into the bed just beside my head.

I stared at him, wide-eyed. Bryce was officially scaring me.

Maybe you should calm down a little first, the tiny voice spoke in my head, and after thinking it through, I nearly nodded.

She was right. I needed to be calm. Bryce surely wasn’t going to get calm on his own anytime soon.

I looked at him. His eyes still held crazy anger, even a little bit of fierceness. But what surprised me was that it was almost animalistic, or maybe it was just raw.

“You disappear for two weeks, you don’t text, you don’t call, and when I suddenly bump into you, you act like nothing is wrong.”

Although I had initially planned to yell, to fight, it actually came out as barely a whisper. I was losing. He had me pinned. I was the weak one.

Bryce stared at me for a minute or two before pulling out his cellphone from his back pocket and handing it over to me.

There was no password.

“Messages, yours,” he muttered gruffly, yet somehow, his tone was now softer.

I was actually the first person on the list.

Biting on my lip nervously, I tapped on the thread.

Wednesday: 12/6/2014

7:45 PM

Tell me if that Matthew flirts with you, okay? You’re mine. But have fun! I’ll see you soon.

— B

11:55 PM

Goodnight, love.

— B

Thursday: 13/6/2014

8:10 AM

Rise and shine, beautiful. Have a great day! I’ll see you today, okay? By the swing. Take care.

— B

P.S. That Matthew didn’t flirt with you, did he? I tried calling, but you didn’t pick up. Is everything okay?

1:02 PM

Why are you not replying? Theia, are you okay?

Okay, maybe you’re in class. Look, babe, I can’t make it today. This big, important meeting came up in Los Angeles. We’ll leave in a few hours. I’ll be back in two weeks tops!

Don’t be too mad. I’ll miss you.

— B

11:00 PM

Just landed. Are you mad at me?

— B

Friday: 14/6/2014

2:30 AM

Good night, Theia.

10:45 PM

Had such a tiring day at work. Why aren’t you replying, though?

I’m sorry if I’m not giving you space.

— B

Sunday: 16/06/2014

9:34 PM

From: Theia

Hey, erm . . . it’s been ages. Are you okay? I kinda miss you. Message back.

— Thi

To: Theia

Hey! I’ve been trying to message and call you all week. Have you not received any? I miss you too, Theia. I was actually worried you were mad.

How are you?

— B

Monday: 17/06/2014

10:02 AM

I’ll be back by next week Friday.

Wednesday: 19/6/2014

8:00 AM

Fine.

Saturday: 22/6/2014

3:03 AM

TOK 2 ME! I LO

I stared at the last message. In fact, I stared at all of them. He had messaged me; he had called. So why had I not gotten any?

How could this be?

Frowning, I placed his phone aside and grabbed hold of mine.

Nothing—there was nothing.

The realization that Bryce was in fact still on top of me struck me when he moved his weight so he could look at my phone.

I glanced at him and stilled when our eyes met. He had actually been looking at me. His eyes were still dark and brooding, his lips spread in a thin line. I smiled.

“Someone got my number blocked on your cellphone. I checked,” Bryce muttered.

But I didn’t hear. I couldn’t. All that kept swimming around my head was the fact that he hadn’t left—that he hadn’t been playing; that I was not a conquest.

I didn’t give it a second thought. At that moment, there was no need. I flung my arms around Bryce’s neck and pulled him closer. I kissed him.

He stilled, but only for a second, before he kissed me back—urgently, breathtakingly. It was a kiss unlike any other, not that I had received many except from him. But still, it was breathtaking—better than those sweet, emotional kisses shared by the hero and heroine in the climax of movies.

A little moan left my lips as Bryce grasped my thighs and pulled them apart, settling himself between me. His kiss turned even more urgent. He ran his tongue along my lower lip, and I parted my lips, giving him entrance.

Immediately, he dipped his tongue in my mouth, causing another muffled moan to leave me as I moved my hips under him. An animalistic growl left Bryce’s lips as he grabbed onto my hips to hold me in place.

“Stop,” he snarled, kissing his way through my jaw and to my neck.

I was panting. I could hardly breathe.

Immediately, Bryce’s hands grabbed onto my hips again and held them tight, disabling me from moving. “Dammit, Theia, if you want me to take you hard right now, then repeat that again! I swear to God!”

I shivered and hooked my legs around his hips, careful not to grind against him. As much as I wanted it—needed it—I knew I wasn’t ready. I just couldn’t do it. It wasn’t the right time.

“In your last message . . . did you mean to say you love me?” I whispered, smiling up at him, before I placed a soft kiss on his chin.

“No,” he muttered darkly, frowning at me.

I smirked.

“Really?” I whispered teasingly.

He groaned, his hands tightening around my wrists, which he now held above my head.

“Theia!” he warned.

“Really, Bryce?” I repeated, then this time kissed his jaw. “Well?”

“You don’t play fair, kitten,” he groaned.

“I know.” I grinned, freeing my arm from his grasp and instantly pushing it into his shirt. I sighed as I felt his warm skin against my palm.

Lord, how I had missed it!

“Well?” I asked again, drawing circles on his back.

“You talk too much.” Bryce suddenly chuckled, then he dipped his lips into my neck and placed an open-mouthed kiss there.

“You’re not fair either,” I grumbled, retrieving my hands from underneath his shirt and turning to face something else—anything but him.

“I know,” Bryce said with another chuckle and, tilting my face towards him, smashed his lips against mine.

***

“Well, who do you think it was?” I mumbled before sipping on the cup of hot chocolate Agnus had brought me earlier.

It was quite funny. Bryce had actually been revisiting the love bite on my neck, which he’d so famously shown everybody, when Agnus had knocked on the door, calling out to me sweetly like she always did.

I panicked, but Bryce continued his sweet torture. Needless to say, it took quite a bit of effort to actually get Bryce to hide and myself to open the door, but I managed. It was quite strange, really.

Agnus walked into the room and instantly stilled before she looked right at me, smiling. She continued walking to the study table, then placed the mug of hot chocolate and cookies on it. Afterwards, she simply turned around, walked out of the door, shot a final large smile my way, and left the room closed.

I was relieved when I flicked the door lock and turned back to my room, only to see that Bryce was now munching on a cookie, settled on the bed and looking very amused. Eyeing him, I moved onto the bed myself and grabbed the last cookie left on the sauce before finally figuring out why he looked so happy.

I sent him a glare—that cookie stealer!

“I’m not sure. They informed me that it was you. But that couldn’t have been you because you were present at school at the exact time the supposed Theia Anderson called to request for my number to be blocked from her cellphone.”

A shudder ran down my spine. Someone was actually trying to create rifts between Bryce and me.

“Do you have any suspicions?” I asked, moving my legs upwards so I could rest my head on them while I leaned back against the headboard.

Bryce moved a little closer and pulled me near him, and I rested my head against his chest.

“A lot—too many. But don’t worry about that right now. We will find him or her soon,” Bryce murmured against my forehead and placed a tiny kiss there.

I nodded, content. This was great. Everything was better now—well, almost. But the one thing that refused to leave my mind was why Bryce had shown my schoolmates the love bite, as well as why they had bowed down to him.

Maybe . . . I should just ask him, I thought to myself and nodded inwardly. I should.

“Bryce?”

“Hmm?”

I sighed. Hopefully he would not shut me off and actually answer.

“Why did those people bow down to you? And why did you show them the hickey like that?” I mumbled cautiously, turning around to look at him for a second, before planting a peck on his chin and returning to lean on his chest. That way, there was less chance of him getting mad.

But he stiffened nonetheless. Then, with a loud sigh, he finally replied, “I don’t know why they bowed down . . . I suppose they were trying to mock me or were kidding around. As for showing them the love bite, I admit, I just wanted everyone to know that you are mine.”

“But what if they think of me as a . . . bitch?”

The question had come out of nowhere, but it really did bother me.

What if my whole school thinks I’m a slut? What if Matthew thinks I’m a bitch? He hasn’t even called!

“Why are you even thinking about that Matthew?” Bryce suddenly asked, seeming irritated.

I grimaced. “I said that out loud, didn’t I?”

“Answer my question,” he snapped, seeming more irritated than he had only a few seconds previously.

“Well, aren’t you a jealous one!” I grinned.

“Alright, alright,” I then muttered after I turned around to see that he looked more than a little mad. “He is my best friend, and I actually love him a lo—”

Bryce growled, and I rolled my eyes as pulled me onto his lap, still growling.

That’s some good growling. I wonder where he learned to growl like that, I thought, trying to get comfortable on his lap.

“Oh, shhh! I meant it in the best-friend way. You should really have a big board nailed to your chest saying ‘Caution: extremely possessive male coming through.’ ”

I actually melted when he burst out laughing. His deep, rich laughter rumbled out of his chest, vibrating my back, as he held me, his arms around my waist.

“I think I’d rather have the board say ‘Caution: extremely possessive alpha male coming through.’ ”

“Tsk-tsk, ‘alpha male’? Where?” I asked mockingly, looking around as if searching for something. “I see no alpha male!”

“Don’t test me, love,” he whispered into my ear.

I shivered. The heat in my cheeks was now extremely apparent, and I knew I very well resembled a ripe tomato.

“I need to go shower!” I yelled, shooting off his lap and towards the bathroom.

Upon finally reaching its door, I quickly turned and, without a second glance at Bryce, locked it.

***

Just open the damn door and make a run for it, Anderson! Either that or stay here for the rest of the night or until he leaves; up to you.

I groaned as I banged my head against the bathroom door. I had been standing and staring at the door for ten minutes, and between the chilly weather and the lack of clothes . . . I was dying.

Just do it, Thi!

“Darn it all!” I grumbled, and with a final tug to secure my towel, I opened the door and stepped out of the bathroom and into my bedroom.

The cold feeling that seemed to fill the room screamed that Bryce was now gone; that there was no one here besides me. The window had been left open, and the soft breeze, just like every other night, didn’t fail to blow in the cool air from outside.

Smiling slightly, I padded to the closet.

“Bryce must have gone to the castle, must have needed a bath himself,” I mused to console myself as I picked up a white tank top and navy-blue, almost purplish lace boy shorts and slipped them on.

After doing all the other essentials, I finally moved out of the closet and back into my bedroom.

The day had been a great one although I admit, initially, it had been bad. After all the misunderstanding had been cleared, everything seemed so much better.

“Theia!” Mom called out suddenly. “Aren’t you going to have dinner? Come down for dinner, darling. Dad’s not home yet, and I’m lonely.”

I sighed slightly before replying, “Coming, Mom!”

***

Dinner well eaten and a cup of warm chocolate devoured, I made my way into my room a happy girl.

“Good night, Mom!” I yelled before closing the door and locking it.

I smiled as I heard a faint reply. This house did that: absorb sound. It was quite big after all.

“Home sweet home.” I smiled and kissed my pillow lovingly as I slipped into bed and cuddled with my blanket.

“Can I get a kiss too?” a low voice whispered as a pair of arms reached out to wrap themselves around my waist and pull me flush against a hard chest.

I smiled wider.

“You’re back already?” I mumbled, placing an arm above his.

Bryce chuckled and, moving my hair away, placed a slow, sweet kiss on my back. “You look good in your knickers.” He slipped his arms down my belly and curled his fingers around the waistband of my panties.

I stilled and instantly grabbed hold of his arm.

“Bryce,” I whispered breathlessly, holding onto his arm tight.

Slowly, he moved his arms up and slipped them, once again, around my waist.

“Sleep, love,” he mumbled before placing a kiss on the side of my forehead.

I smiled. “Only after you tell me how you got up here.” I could feel him scowling, but since I could barely see him, I was fine.

“Through the window. I’m good at jumping and climbing.”

Sensing the sudden scaling of his anger, I turned to face him and placed my lips on his, but before he could kiss me back, I moved away, then took his bottom lip between my teeth and gave it a gentle pull.

“Good night,” I mumbled dreamily. Sleep was already knocking on my door.

A small kiss had planted itself on my forehead before Bryce whispered, “Good night, babe.”