Mated to the Alpha King (A Royal’s Tale Book 1)
Mated to the Alpha King: Chapter 22

Somewhere in the distance, the tower bells chimed. My eyes automatically moved towards the wall clock.

It was 10 o’clock, exactly two hours after Bryce had left me here . . . in the beautiful concrete room. I had left the windows open. The hope of maybe having Bryce pay me a visit through the window just like he had back home really was winning against my knowledge of the fact that this was a castle, while my house only had two floors.

I sighed and slumped down in a fairly comfortable chair, pulling my legs up as I did.

When Bryce had kidnapped me and proven his innocence—cleared the misunderstanding—I assumed that everything would go back to how they had been before he changed.

It was a shame to know that things were the same, and he was still distant. It frustrated me; it made me want to storm up to his room—although I was not sure how I was going to replace it without getting lost—and demand an explanation.

I rubbed my chin thoughtfully, leaning against the comfortable armrest. The chilly night breeze blew in effortlessly through the open balcony door, dancing beautifully with the flimsy white drapes.

With the height at which the castle was situated, I was sure the lights shimmering in the distance were those of the city. Modernization was slightly far, considering the vast amount of land the castle held around it. Still, the presence of the city lights in harmony with the clear night sky was soothing enough for me not to feel suffocated while being alone in this room.

I glanced at the bedroom door, my fingers now drumming an unconscious beat.

I had not locked the door. I left it open in hopes that Bryce would return through there. But after waiting for two hours, I supposed it was clear he would not. Was I to sleep here every night? And why—why wouldn’t Bryce let me go home?

A sigh left my lips again. It was obvious why: he was uncertain that I would stay, that I wouldn’t run again. I didn’t really blame him. I suppose hiding away had been a rash decision, but I knew that I would do it again if I could. Self-preservation comes first. I admit, I was scared of heartbreaks.

I almost laughed at that. It was silly how I was scared of heartbreaks but here I was experiencing one again. It was on a small scale, granted, and without the actual break, but I was indeed experiencing it; the ache in my heart was proof of that.

I leaned into the warm, comforting embrace of the armchair, my arms now tightly holding the large, thick blanket around me. I couldn’t help but wonder why Bryce would turn away like that—be well on his way to ravishing me one moment and the next move me to a room across the castle from his, with an order to not let anyone in. I shook my head, trying to clear myself of the confusion.

“If you didn’t want anyone with me at night . . . why not keep me with you? Why send me away?” I asked out loud, my words floating into thin air.

I looked back at the closed but not locked door. Should I replace Bryce, demand an answer?

I sighed and closed my eyes. All this was so confusing. The need to go home and just sleep it off was actually taking over me, to the point that I was suddenly craving the feel of my bed, the glowing string lights, my dad’s warm embrace, and even my mom’s innuendo-filled jokes.

Deep in thought, I didn’t even notice how a traitor tear slipped down my cheek and hit the blanket below.

“Theia!”

My head snapped up and immediately went to the door. The sudden sounds of hushed whispers rang around my room, echoing to me from beyond the brick walls, as I sat there in the armchair and looked in the direction of the argument.

“You’re one to talk!”

I didn’t even know I was up and walking towards the door until a sudden crash sounded from outside, followed by another round of muffled whisper-yelling and growls. I reached the door, my heart thumping as I gripped the knob with my slightly sweaty palm and twisted it lightly, still not pulling the door open.

Should I do it?

“She doesn’t des—”

I frowned.

“What’s it about her?”

Yes, you should.

I pulled the door lightly and peeked outside. Shadows marred the walls to my right. By the looks of it, one had his arms around the other’s neck.

“You’re throwing me a baseless accusation, Delta!” the man snarled. I watched as the shadow holding the man by his neck leaned in.

“Delta”? Matthew? My heart started beating faster, the need to remove Matthew from danger now overwhelming.

“An accusation you are only making out to be baseless because you know it’s true, King Mccgal,” Matthew spat out. I couldn’t help but peek out of the door a bit more, still careful enough not to be spotted.

Why is Matthew fighting with Derek?

A shudder ran down my spine as a heart-chilling laughter broke free from Derek’s lips. I watched as his grip loosened from around Matthew’s neck, and he moved back, still laughing. He suddenly stopped, then glared at Matthew, all traces of humor vanishing from his good-looking features. The two men stood in the shadows of the hallway, illuminated only by the pale-yellow lights above them, which reminded me of the medieval wall torches men had preferred before electricity came about.

“It’s quite foolish to tell me to stop having feelings for Theia when you yourself have such a large crush on the girl—not to mention that beta of yours who appears to be a little too possessive of her for his own good!’

My breath hitched in my throat. A crush? Matthew? But how?

My head snapped up when I heard a sudden crunching of bones, only to realize that Matthew was now the one smiling, his hands now formed into fists.

Derek’s eyes darkened. He regarded Matthew with a glare.

“Yes, I love Theia. I don’t care if she is spoken for. The sad thing here is, though, that I can hug Theia, she trusts me, she adores me, but you are just another stranger to her. The sad thing here is that although I love her, I know I will replace my mate someday and I will love again”—I watched, wide-eyed, as Matthew confidently moved closer to the shaking Derek—“I know it’s wrong, I don’t make my moves on her . . . When will you learn that she belongs to Alex! She isn’t yours to begin with! Leave her alone, King Mccgal! This one is Bryce’s. Get your own mate instead!”

It all happened in a heartbeat. I couldn’t even scream before Derek changed halfway and slashed Matthew across the face.

“You best learn your place, Delta. What I want is my concern. Mind your own fucking business,” Derek spat out venomously and turned around to stalk away.

I rushed out and towards the heaving and bloodied Matthew as soon as Derek stormed away from the scene, becoming stark naked as he did so.

My eyes blurry from the hot tears threatening to wash down my face, I proceeded to try and pick the still-limp Matthew up.

His eyes widened as he saw that it was I who was helping him up.

“Matthew, get up, please!” I sobbed, trying to pull him up as hard as I could.

“Thi . . . you heard . . . I’m sorry,” he groaned, pulling himself up as much as he could, too, so he could lean on me. I then pulled him towards my room.

“Stay here!” I ordered him, still sobbing, as I sat him on the bed, then rushed towards what Bryce had said was a closet.

I walked out with two shirts. One I placed on the bed; the other I proceeded to rip into pieces of cloth. I rushed into the bathroom afterwards and emerged with the pieces of cloth wet, a bowl of water, and a first aid kit.

“Get out of that shirt,” I told Matthew and moved towards the first aid kit.

The sound of fabric tearing echoed through the room, and I quickly started wiping the blood off his face, wincing when he winced and shuddered slightly as the deep gashes were cleared of blood.

All this is my fault . . .

After putting the cloths in the bowl, I quickly applied the antiseptic and sighed when the skin started to heal itself in front of my eyes, the gashes becoming close to nonexistent.

“I’m sorry,” Matthew murmured slowly, his voice as low as a whisper, and my eyes snapped to his.

I sighed and nodded, smiling a little.

“How?” I murmured back a little sadly as I handed him the button-down shirt. I didn’t even know what I wanted to know from him.

“I thought you’d know when I told you the type of girl I wanted as a girlfriend. But you didn’t. And I realized just how little you notice about yourself. That made me like you more. It’s just a crush, I know. Don’t worry—I’ll replace my mate, too, someday . . . What are you doing here, though?”

I couldn’t help it; I leaned in and hugged Matthew, sobbing against him.

He patted my back comfortingly.

“You were stupid for going around warning a king, you know.”

Matthew heaved a shaky breath, moving lower on the bed, as he closed his eyes, suddenly looking more tired than he ever had for the month.

“I know.”

I sighed and moved away. After grabbing hold of the bowl, cloths, and first aid kit, I walked into the bathroom, where I threw the cloths in the bin to accompany Matthew’s ripped shirt, washed the bowl, and returned it and the first aid kit.

I walked into the bedroom again, having changed and being blood-free, and smiled when my gaze fell upon the snoring Matthew, his gashes halfway healed.

The distant tower bells chimed again, and I sighed as I picked up a pillow and moved towards the sofa in the far corner of the room, near the balcony door.

It was 11 o’clock.

I blew out a small breath and settled in on the surprisingly warm sofa.

I suppose Bryce won’t come tonight after all, Theia.

***

“Theia!”

I jolted up at the angry sound of my name being yelled out, the drowsiness that had been dancing across my eyes only seconds ago now nowhere to be found. I blinked and turned to the door.

“Theia! Open the door!”

What the heck!

I quickly got up and moved towards it, the knowledge of Matthew still out cold in my bed in the back of my head.

Just as I was about to reach my destination, the large wooden door burst open, barely holding on to its hinges. I stared at the heaving Bryce in the doorway, my mouth opening and closing like a fish out of the water.

His eyes darkened as they landed on me. His jaws tightening, he stormed towards me but suddenly froze, his gaze now on something else. Bryce’s canines slipped out, and he snarled.

I noticed then a helpless-looking Meryl standing at the door, not willing to come forward.

“What the fuck is Matthew doing in your bed?”

I froze, then turned, only to stumble back as my face nearly collided with Bryce’s. Behind him, Matthew still seemed knocked out, oblivious to the world and its chaos—definitely oblivious to the one occurring just meters away from him. He sighed in his sleep and turned, then flinched slightly, only to turn the other way. I noticed his nearly invisible silver scars continuing to fade.

“Talk to me, dammit! What the fuck is he doing in your bed—in your room?”

My gaze settled on Bryce as he jerked me forward, slamming me flush against his chest. I almost groaned at the trauma his rock-hard muscles brought my face.

“I can’t believe you would think something as stupid as what you are thinking when I’m standing in front of you showing off all the love bites you gave me, all of which probably every male important enough has seen on me. If you would just stop trying to go all wolf mode, I would be able to explain it properly!”

Bryce’s grip on my arm tightened.

“Don’t tell me what to do, mate!” he snarled, leaning in, his canines stopping only inches away from my cheeks. “Now, before I decide to kill the bastard and chain you to my bed, tell me, what is Matthew doing here?”

I blinked—once, twice, thrice—then grasped his arm and pulled him forward, forcing his grip to loosen and break away as he followed me into the bathroom.

I picked up the ripped, bloodied T-shirt and cloths, and turned around to show them to Bryce. He frowned, his jaws still clenched, as one hand still held on to my arm, refusing to let go of me, then the other pulled the cloths near his nose, and he took a whiff before dropping them back in the bin.

Not giving him time to say anything else, I pulled him out of the bathroom and back into the bedroom, then moved on to the large sofa and stopped.

Motioning to the pillow and blanket, I mumbled, “I slept on the couch, by the way. His wounds are almost healed, the scars almost gone. I just don’t know why he is so oblivious to the world.”

Bryce turned to the sleeping Matthew, his fists still clenched. “How did he get hurt?”

“Yes, I love Theia. I don’t care if she is spoken for.”

I shrugged, not looking at Bryce. I was not really a fan of his actions at the moment. Therefore, I was not going to fling myself in his arms and kiss him silly—like I was secretly wishing I could do.

“That’s something you should ask him yourself.”

Bryce’s gaze snapped towards mine, his jaw clenched again as he regarded me with stormy, livid eyes. He looked away a moment later and nodded. “Alright then.” And, without another word, he dropped my hands and marched out of the room.

I watched out of the corner of my eye as he raged away, his broad back visibly rippling under his dark-blue shirt.

Damnation!

I growled a dozen profanities under my breath as I turned away and made my way back to the sofa, now completely unaware of the preppy old woman still standing by the door, regarding me with knowing eyes.

Slumping back onto the sofa, I hid my eyes behind my hand. It was becoming extremely frustrating to witness and put up with Bryce’s new behavior. He barely told me anything I wanted to know, and he always ran.

“Coward,” I spat out into the cold air. My now-fisted hand thumped against the sofa quite violently as I banged my head against my pillow.

“You know, rage dulls our senses, especially when it is directed at our mate. It helps our beasts not harm them.”

My breath hitched in my throat, and I shot up on the sofa, now leaning against its back.

Meryl moved further into the room and settled herself beside me.

“It’s 11 in the morning, by the way.”

I remained silent, suddenly replaceing the wooden flooring quite interesting.

“The full moon is in a couple of days.”

My head snapped to hers.

“And?” I grumbled, a frown etching itself on my face.

“And Alexander is trying not to defile you against your apparent wishes. That’s where this room comes into play; it keeps you in—away—and more importantly, it keeps him out.”

“Great help the door will offer now,” I scoffed, looking at the partially broken door.

“That can be fixed, dear. But can the tension between you and Bryce?”

No . . . but I want it to . . .

I sighed. “I want it to. What if I don’t mind being mated to the alpha king anymore?”

“Difficult, dear. Alex believes you do not want to give yourself to him yet, maybe because of his beast and his abnormality. You’re pure. His beast will emerge to mark his mate during the mating—it’s inevitable—and he thinks you might leave him because his beast might scare you if you knew.”

What the fuck?

“He is being stupid! How can he not see that?”

“As the full moon nears, all rationality disappears. All that is left is his mate and the oncoming tenfold obsessive-possessiveness towards you. Since you seem to reject him—to him, that is—in days to come, he will have to bind himself to keep himself away from you. Wolfsbane—hurts like a bitch, that thing. But to him, he must. Elsewise, he will take you. It’s the way we are born, dear.”

“What should I do, Meryl? I don’t know how to fix this! I didn’t mean to reject him or anything; I was just scared!”

Meryl moved closer and pulled me in softly for a side hug, her hand drawing smooth circles on my arm.

“That is something you must learn yourself, dear. I cannot help you on that matter, but I may be able to help you on another. Come take a walk with me?”

I glanced at the hand she now had outstretched before me. Her long navy-blue dress swished around her ankles as she swept herself off the sofa and stood in front of me.

I turned to Matthew, who was still knocked out, then to the long fingers outstretched towards me. As I looked up at Meryl’s warm smile, my own lips curved up, and I slipped my hand into hers. “Okay.”

***

“You might love this section of the castle. It has always held a soft spot in my heart,” Meryl gushed lovingly as she led me into a dark hallway. then stopped in front of a large door.

She turned to me and smiled softly, her fingers now easing themselves on the brass door handle.

‘My husband proposed here. A strange thing, life is. I met him here. I also lost him here.” Her suddenly sad eyes turned to her feet, and I almost rushed forward to embrace her. She quickly looked back up and smiled. “That is why I am hoping this makes this place happy for me again. After all . . . all’s well that ends well. I want it to end well for this place, at least before I return to London.”

Meryl suddenly beamed brightly, the sadness on her face disappearing completely, as she pushed the large door forward, giving way for me to witness the magnificence of the gigantic room.

Books lined each wall and every corner of the room, aided by secure sliding ladders and stairs. It was only when my eyes left the high shelves and reached the ground that I noticed the small group of people that were rushing towards me. One crashed against me just as soon as my gaze landed on them.

Mom clung to me as she sobbed and shook her head when Dad softly informed her that she was suffocating me. I watched Dad with sad, warm eyes, and when my gaze fell on Marley and Mr. & Mrs. Smith, my smile brightened.

It felt wonderful to get a chance to apologize to them and thank them—and sooner rather than later.

“You scared us! Never do that again!” Mom grumbled as she finally let go of me and pushed Dad towards me. “Go on, Arthur, I know you want to cry too.”

Dad had turned a sour face to Mom and grumbled something that sounded like “I’m a man!” under his breath before he pulled me in for a hug.

“We’re going home, pumpkin, okay?” he whispered, and I nodded despite myself.

I knew I probably would not be able to go home. Bryce would not allow that. He would kill before he allowed that. But that didn’t stop me from wanting. I wanted to go home; I wanted to sink my face in my pillow and bawl my head off, or just sleep it all off.

I sighed as I pulled free from his hug. Maybe I just wanted to go home because, somewhere inside me, I hoped things would go back to normal if I did—that Bryce would jump through my window and smack me against his hard chest in bed while he slept, his strong fingers tickling me slightly as they managed to sneak underneath the hem of my tank top, just like they always had before.

“Hey.” I chuckled as the eagerly waiting Marley finally rushed forward, Mrs. Smith in tow. Both ladies grasped me in a hug, and we all giggled like little girls when we tried to break free, and the still-present Meryl muttered a teasing “Awkward . . .”

“I’m glad you’re fine, Theia,” Mr. Smith remarked with a chuckle as he put his arm around Mrs. Smith’s shoulders and pulled her against him.

“Glad I’m fine, too, sir,” I replied, chuckling as well, while moving between my parents, Marley still near me. She looked around, slightly agitated. I frowned and pulled on her hand.

“What’s wrong?” I mumbled, noticing how sad she looked now.

“Keith’s mad at me, hasn’t talked to me ever since the jerk found you.”

I slid my arm around the girl’s shoulders and pulled her away from our now-conversing families. Meryl watched us with knowing eyes as she moved over to us.

“I’ve contained the dear boy in the room situated right beside the one we are currently occupying. You might want to hurry, though, Ms. Smith; reach there before the lad actually realizes there is no such book as The Levitations Of Time that I have misplaced in the study.”

Both Marley and I stared at Meryl with open looks of fascination, at which the woman blushingly chuckled and which she waved off. Moving towards our parents, she hurriedly added, “Go along, ladies, while I cater to your parents.”

What a genius.

I nodded quickly and pulled the suddenly frightened Marley towards the library door and out into the darkened hallway. Our movements were as quick as each other’s as we walked towards the door next to the library’s, and upon reaching it, I gingerly pushed it open while attempting to also push Marley in but got swept in with her because of her tight grip on me.

Sighing, I removed her grasp from me and pushed her into the light. The busy Keith froze in the middle of his attempt at replaceing the book on the large table, while I stood in the shadows.

His back to us, Keith had stood frozen in front of the large table before he moved his nose up and sniffed the air, then a growl left his throat, causing Marley to let out a whimper. He turned around immediately, and I had watched with a gaping mouth his blurred movement before he stood in front of Marley, his yellow eyes glowing brightly.

“Why are you here?” he growled, moving Marley’s hair to the side, before dipping his head and pressing his lips on a mark I had missed for the past few days.

“For you,” Marley mumbled, her voice cracking slightly, showing that she was in fact crying now.

I watched the paw marks with wide eyes and almost yelped when he pulled her against him in one fluid movement and sank his teeth in the same spot the mark was in.

Need to get out—now! Theia! Now!

As discreetly as I could, I pulled the door open and slipped out. Sliding down the now-closed door, I let out a shaky breath I hadn’t even known I was holding.

Keith had bitten Marley in front of me. He bit her, and she moaned instead of screaming. How was that even possible?

“Theia?”

I looked up instantly, shocked at being found. I’m pretty sure that I looked like a deer caught in headlights.

“What are you doing here?”

“Keith bit Marley. She— She . . . moaned?”

Meryl let out a startling laugh, then with a large grin, strode towards me and pulled me up. To be quite honest, I was slightly surprised at the amount of strength the elegantly aging woman still possessed.

“It doesn’t hurt when your mate bites you, dear; it’s supposed to be orgasmic instead.”

“Oh,” I mumbled numbly, my mind still on the scene I had just witnessed, and let her pull me forward as she started to move away from the dark hallway and into a different corridor.

“We should hurry, though. Your father is adamant about moving you back home, and Alexander is losing his calm. Any longer and he might severely hurt either your father or his office.”

Just after she’d informed me of the horrid news, we reached a large dark door, and with a slight smile my way, Meryl pushed it open.

I hadn’t even walked in before two strong arms engulfed me between them and a very hard chest. We were so close that I had to step on his feet, each sock-clad foot placed on top of his, while he dipped his face in the crook of my neck.

The feel of his claws etching marks on my skin as I tried to free my arms from between his chest and mine notified me that he didn’t like that particular action at all, but I continued to try to retrieve my arms anyway, and when they finally broke free from their previous restraints, I slipped them around his neck and held on to him.

“You’re not going anywhere. I won’t let you—not now, not ever. You were made for me. And I don’t share.”