Five Years Later.
Cambridge, UK

Theia Anderson.

It was just like any other day here, the clouds hung over everyone heavy and grey. The winds kept picking up pace, occasionally soothing out in apology.

I smiled as I walked out of the store and onto the footpath, my palm securely around the royal blue box I held.

"So... You got what you wanted?" Roman asked as I slipped into the car and closed the door.

I grinned. "Yeah."

Roman on the other hand only shook his head, his lips quirking up in amusement as he drove the car into the lane.

"He is an alpha you know. King at that, you might want to check this over, again"

I blushed beet red and nodded.

I wasn't exactly sure myself yet, but I was never going to be too sure if I didn't give it a try.

I clenched the box tighter against me.

"You're a King too, how would you feel if your—". I stopped immediately as soon as I realised what a touchy topic I had just probed at.

A shudder of panic ran down my spine when I noticed Roman's knuckles turn white around the steering wheel.

"I'm sorry" I quickly blurted out before turning around.

My eyes now on the road I stilled when I felt Roman's large warm hand engulf mine.

Bringing up my fingers I entwined them with his.

"It's okay. I would have said yes. If my mate would have proposed. I may be an Alpha, a King but I'd just be me in front of her. I'd say yes."
Roman murmured slowly, his voice low and serious.

I smiled as I tightened my fingers around his.

"That's really sweet, Rome"

Beside me I felt as Roman let a side smile spill through his serious features.

"And then I'd propose to her all over again. Alpha male tendencies and all"

I couldn't help but tip back my head and laugh at that, the image of Romanov actually accepting his mate's proposal and then proposing again, was hilarious.

Romanov's mood suddenly darkened and he removed his hand from mine. I sighed knowing exactly what had caused it.

"I won't find her anyway. So nothing to worry about there aye" he bit out bitterly and I gasped.

How could he be so sure about that? So sure about not having a soul mate. How could anyone not have a soul mate?

I cringed as Derek popped up in my mind.

My heart bled out for the two boys.

"You can't be so sure, Rome." I mumbled softly, my fingers fiddling with the hem of my sleeves.

Rome barked out a bitter laugh and I flinched in response, my eyes wide at the sheer amount of bitterness his laugh held.

"The gypsy said I didn't have a mate in my palm lines."

Immediately I rolled my eyes. "The gypsy lied Rome!"

The car halted at a red light and a serious looking Romanov turned towards me, "The gypsy never lies."

I couldn't help but scoff at that. "And how would you know? It could be purely—"

"'—My mother died!" Roman cut in loudly and I stilled.

Beside me Romanov clenched the steering wheel harder as he looked away. "She said my mum would die and she did. The exact way."

Romanov turned towards me, "The Gypsy never lies"

***

"I look alright, right?" Charlotte whispered for the sixth time as we stood in front of the door of the huge brightly lit mansion.

"You look great" I responded giving Char a thumbs up.

I quickly pressed on the door bell and took a step back.

"Hey guys! I'm so glad you're here!" Saara, one of our course mate and the birthday girl exclaimed brightly as she opened the door wide to let us in, giving both Charlotte and I a hug as we passed her.

"Happy birthday" Charlotte squealed as she handed Saara her gift, I followed after.

"Enjoy the party, you two! I know you're both taken and all so kept out of the east side of the house. The lads have claimed that side."

Charlotte and I grinned as we made our way towards the kitchen.

Bringing out a can of coke from the fridge I chuckled as my eyes fell over a stiff looking Roman making his way over to us through the crowd of giggling females, his eyes on me as he kept talking on his phone.

I frowned when I his eyes did a roll before it landed back on me.

He reached over just as the call ended and slumped against the kitchen island.

"I hate parties"

Tipping an eyebrow up I let Roman as he snatched my can of coke away from my grip and take down a gulp or two.

"So did he remember?"

I sighed and shook my head, beside me Charlotte groaned but Roman actually shrugged as if understanding what Bryce was going through.

"Maybe you should just tell him?" Charlotte suggested while bobbing her head to the loud music booming around the house.

"Don't get mad at him. I understand how hard it must be to take care of his royal duties and his business together."

I sighed as I nodded. "That's why I've not mentioned anything, yet. He has an important meeting to attend tomorrow."

Where Roman shrugged Charlotte Stomped her feet against the dark coffee coloured floorboard.

"That's it, you always let him keep his Royal duties and Business first! You hardly ever demand things or his attention and even when he's over he's working on his laptop and the UK. I say you demand he come over!"

Although what Charlotte said made sense I really didn't want to pressurise Bryce.

I loved him.

The least I could do was let him put our people first.

"You're an idiot—" Roman rolled his eyes at Charlotte as he leaned further against the kitchen island. "—but I actually agree."

He turned toward me, "Just get him over. Celebrate your anniversary at least,"

Just then a barely audible ping began sounding from my clutch and I quickly fished out my phone.

Bryce Calling...

Instantly I pressed on the accept option. Maybe he finally remembered what day it was tomorrow.

"Hey" I chirped up as I turned away from the two curious looking people.

"Hey, Where are you?"

I frowned. "Oh... I'm at a friend's birthday party."

"Oh yeah? How's it going so far?" Bryce's low amused voice echoed back from my iPhone and I smiled at the softness of his tone.

It made the mere act of just conversing with him seem so intimate.

"Oh it's fine! Lots of dancing and—"

"Hey babe!" Tony, my apartment neighbour cheered as he strode over and gave me a side hug.

"Hey" I smiled as I hugged him back and watched him strut over to his boyfriend.

"Who was that!?"

My eyes widened when I realised how all this might be coming out as to Bryce.

Quickly I grasped my phone harder and pressed it closer against me.

"Oh That was Anthony. The guy who lives next door?"

From the other side Bryce growled and I cringed despite being so say from him.

"I told you to let me move you into the home I had purchased last year!"

I scowled at this. "I'm not moving into that mansion alone, okay?!"

On the other end Bryce scoffed. "Of course you wouldn't"

My breath hitched and I stilled.

All the suppressed anger from him not remembering tomorrow's importance to being so jealous over nothing suddenly boiled up and tipped over the kettle.

I gave in to trickery.

Taking in a deep breath I almost exploded, "Bryce you're impossible! I don't even... You know what bye! "

Instantly I disconnected the call and putting the phone into silent shoved it in my clutch.

I knew what ignoring him would do, I knew he would be here by tomorrow.

I knew he would miss his meeting, but right now I couldn't care less.

Looking around the party I shook my head as I made my way back towards Roman and Charlotte.

Looked like I didn't care much for the party anymore too.

It was time I went back home.

My mind drifted off to Bryce and I smiled slowly realising how he must be currently packing instead.

***
Alexander Bryce Wilhem.

Lover's quarrel.

That was what aunt Meryl had dismissed it as, something that we both would be over by the end of tonight.

I however couldn't let go this easy.

I was furious. Crazily mad at Theia's dismissal over my jealously.

Dismissal was not what I needed.

Especially not when the full moon was so close.

I stiffened in my seat as my anger flared up higher and my hand clutched the hand rest of my seat in the private jet.

My mind ran over the guy who had spoken behind her when she was talking with me, the guy who had called her babe when she had been at a party.

A low growl left my lips and I leaned forward in my seat.

Theia's quiet dismissal at my enquiry seemed even more infuriating than the rubbish who had called her babe. She had brushed it off with an ease that had blood boiling in my veins.

And when I had refused to let it go... She had disconnected the call.

My gaze darted to the grey iPhone placed on the table before me and my frown hardened when I noticed no set of missed calls or messages.

She hadn't even responded to my missed calls.

"You do know how utterly ridiculous you were to berate her for being at her friends birthday party and having guys hit on her, right?"

Beside me Alistair leaned in farther into his seat as he brought up the class of orange juice to his lips and then tapped a soft napkin to his mouth.

I resisted the urge of telling him to fuck off and quickly looked away, out of the windows and down at the world below us.

The fight had happened yesterday. I had been in a private jet on my way to her, in the next hour.

"Ignoring me won't help, mate. You're dragging me with you all the way to UK just to make sure you don't lose yourself to your beast on the way. The least you can do is not ignore me"

I growled.

"She's my mate"

I tensed as I heard Alistair sigh. I turned to face him.

"You would have done the same"

Alistair immediately riled back and brought both of his hands up in front of him.

"Would never know, now would I? Don't have a mate don't need none"

I scoffed at his response. The man was deluding himself.

Everyone wanted a soul mate.

And apparently my soul mate was currently in a whole lot of trouble.

***

"We're here, sir"

My eyes grazed up at the building where Theia's apartment stood and I nodded in response to my driver before sending a short nod towards Alistair, opened the door and moved out of the car.

"Alright, mate. Don't do anything you will regret, aye?" Alistair chuckled as he pulled close the Limo's door and the car drove away.

I frowned after the car, he had no clue.

Striding into the building I quickly found an empty elevator and marched in, pressing the floor's number.

Her apartment door wasn't hard to find, I'd been here many times before but strangely it seemed to take longer to get to her today.

Maybe it was all the anger.

I forced myself not to pound on her door when I pressed the door bell. It was nearly six and I was sure she'd be home.

Bryce you're impossible! I don't even... You know what bye!

My fists clenched harder on my sides as I glared daggers into the still closed door.

Why was she taking so long!?

Seconds passed and my anger fuelled harder, I bit on my tongue from unleashing my beast and just getting into the apartment.

And then the door opened, immediately I stormed in, grabbing my mate's hand I pulled her closer as my hands went around her thighs and I hoisted her up and with my body slammed Theia against the door.

"Happy Anniversary" she whispered giddily as my lips found her neck, lost in my fury I growled lowly and pulled her closer.

"You're in so much trouble, Thi"

Theia's arms wrapped around my neck and I tried to gulp down the groan that bubbled in my throat, the hot need shot straight to my south and I bit back the urge to just take her here against the door.

She sighed. "Happy Anniversary, Bryce"

This time however I heard. I stilled.

Moving back my eyes found her dark ones and I blinked.

"You hung up because...—"

"—I knew you'd come" she shrugged, a smile on her lips. "You had a meeting with Alistair and you didn't seem to remember and well...—"

Theia shrugged again, "—Yeah."

I groaned, resting my forehead against her shoulder.

"I'm an idiot"

Theia's fingers found my hair as her sweet laughter bubbled out those pink lips. "No you're not. You're just possessive."

A groan left my lips and this time I didn't even stop it from echoing out.

I pressed a kiss on the nape of her neck.

"Too possessive for my own good"

A gasp left Theia's lips as my fingertips found the underside of her tank top.

"I'm sorry" I whispered as I pressed another kiss on her chin.

"I'm sorry babe" I mumbled again, this time kissing her left cheek.

"I missed you" Theia whispered, her eyes closed as I brushed a kiss on her temple.

"I missed you too" I whispered back moving back, this time Theia opened her eyes and looked into mine.

Leaning forward she caught her my lips with hers and I pulled her closer.

Breaking the kiss Theia kept her lips against mine as she whispered,

"Take me upstairs, please"