It's funny how sometimes you just want to run away, ... escape because that seems like the best thing to do, because that seems like the only thing to do. When in reality, it isn't?

Standing there pressed against a seething, silently pleading Bryce I knew I should go with mum and dad, I knew I should go home and damn it I wanted to badly. But the cracking in Bryce's voice made my every thought falter. I didn't know how to fix this, I didn't know how to get things back to how they were a couple of weeks back.

I didn't know how to stay and endure this change.

So I just stood there. I just stood there, let Bryce growl and tighten his hold on me, then nudge my face against his chest when my dad made a move for me. I was still thinking... Granted though that it looked like I was burning ambers at Bryce's chest, because I was staring at his shirt really bad, but I was still thinking.

I sighed and tried to move back, but stopped instantly when Bryce let out a warning growl.

Dear lord...

Giving up, I signed again and leaned into him. I closed my eyes. I really needed to focus. Bryce's rippling muscles moving against my waist was distracting.

"Funny how you don't want me gone but you rarely stay as well. What are you running from?" I breathed lowly under my breath, but I knew he could hear me. Standing there leaning in his embrace felt slightly embarrassing because my parents were just a few footsteps away.

Bryce stilled as I whispered against his chest, my arms now clutching on his shirt.

"Theia, let go, we're going home now pumpkin."

Home...

I dropped my grip on Bryce's shirt and moved my head back to look at him. My favorite shade of blue pools now glowing golden, he looked back, ignoring my father all together.

But I knew better, a snarl kept showing itself on his lips, his canines were slipping out. Bryce was losing control to his beast. And although it looked like he was trying to control it, he beast seemed to be a very strong opponent.

"Mr. Anderson, I suggest we discuss this. Elsewhere. I'm sure you understand how fragile the situation is. Removing a soul mate from a male Were is life threatening. Removing a soul mate from the King Were is suicide. He's maddeningly possessive when it comes to your daughter. Please. " A weirdly nervous toned Meryl spoke up suddenly, as if trying to liaise with my dad.

"Arthur please-h-he won't hurt her. You know that. Let's just listen to Meryl" Mum softly soothed dad, I could see from my peripheral viewpoint that she was holding onto his arm and pulling him towards the door.

I couldn't help but whimper slightly when I felt dad give in, he stopped beside me and looked at me for a moment, when Bryce's snarls got deadlier a sad but hopeful looking mum pulled dad away.

"Your things are on your bed Hunny... I want you to come home."

"Yes daddy" I mumbled, my gaze now on Bryce's T-shirt again.

He suddenly moved forward snarling at my dad, dragging me forward with him. I gasped at the sudden movement and when the impact of things struck me, I quickly grabbed onto his T-shirt and pulled him back.

Dad preservation! Dad preservation!

My heart beating at a sickening pace, I quickly did the one thing I knew would calm Bryce down. Hooking my arms around his neck I pulled him down and captured his lips on mine.

The sound of the door shutting sounded around the now silence room. Well, silent except for the soft humming and moaning floating around the room, moans I was equally as guilty off as Bryce's uncensored groans. This time however, I pushed him back.

Growing up I had always been adamant on there being a certain time for things. A certain time for studying, a certain time for raiding Netflix, a certain time for falling in love. Clearly, if anyone asked my Seventeen year old self when she thought love would find love, I would have said at the age of twenty six when I'd have become a criminal psychologist.

Growing up I had always viewed blossoming love around me with little to no interest.

My statistics towards love occurring and blossoming till its last stage during the teen years seemed highly bleak.

But now here I was, standing before a man I loved, a man who was now regarding me with hooded eyes.

My love was different, yes. My love was unconventional, yes. My love was unorthodox, yes. Yes, an year or two ago, I would have fit into the the bleak statistics. But it was true,my love for Bryce was blossoming and reaching it's last stages.

I was completely defying my beliefs.

Then again, flowers did wilt after its full bloom.

"Why'd you break away?"

I moved a little further, trying to create an arm length's distance between us, he let me, I looked up at him when I became comfortable enough standing there.

"No reason"

Bryce growled and I shrunk back. "You've got to be fucking kidding me"

I frowned. Did he have to swear so much? "I'm doing neither actually. Neither am I kidding you, nor am I having sex with you. Your next question?"

"Stop being so difficult!" Bryce snarled at me as he stepped closer with just one long stride, and perched me up against his hips, my legs automatically wrapped around him to save myself from a fall.

He moved us towards his dark wooden table and quickly placed me there, his arms still pressing me around against him.

"Tomorrow's the last day of school before the breaks, you'll have to come here in the afternoon anyway" his voice nearly sounded pleading as he dipped his nose into the crook of my neck, placing a soft kiss on my sweet spot. I tilted my head to give him better access just as he grazed his sharp teeth against the smoothness of my skin, pressing slightly as he nipped on my sweet spot. I shuddered, my eyes closed as I tried to concentrate on what he was actually saying. Like I said, having Bryce's rippling muscles against my waist was distracting. Having his lips on my neck, the world didn't even exist.

"Then let me go home for tonight?" I mumbled pleadingly, his kisses stopped almost instantly. He moved back and looked at me, his gaze narrowed angrily. Then in a sudden, it changed. It went blank. No expression at all.

"It Sucks" Bryce replied, carelessly shrugging, looking around the room with a intentional movement.

I tipped an eyebrow up and looked at him questionably, "What is?"

"That you're not going." He shrugged again.

"I am!" I almost shouted back, suddenly feeling extremely agitated. It irritated me how Bryce kept avoiding the real problems, clearing up ways for tiny new ones just to keep my head occupied. All the tiny bubbles were now overcrowding my thoughts, I bloody didn't even know how to feel anymore!

His eyes narrowed at my fuming form and he leaned forward, I didn't move, equally as adamant about keeping my stand.

"I will tie you to my bed if I have to, I will kill for you if I have to, don't test me love." Bryce hissed against my ears, each word delivered slowly and with extreme emphasis. I almost shivered at his tone. Almost.

"Oh yeah? Well you're a potato!" I retorted back almost instantly, nearly smacking my face the next second, did I have to be such an idiot when I least wanted to be? Potato? Seriously?

"A-" I watched as the most uncanny thing occurred before my eyes, well other than the fact of seeing Bryce transform, his eyes glazed over, Bryce's gaze, now distant.

He stayed that way for a second before he came back. I watched him curiously as he blinked. Once. Twice. His eyes refocusing on me. His frown returned.

"You okay?" I blurted out, pressing my palm against his face out of reflex.

Bryce nodded, his palm caved upon mine.

"I have to stay away from you till the full moon passes. I-I don't want to force you into anything-"

Woah! Where is this coming from?

"Bryce it's okay, I want to-"

"NO-no! you don't, you just don't want me using those fucking wolfsbane tonics. I won't force you. Not this full moon. That's final!"

Is he mental? Crap now I feel even more guilty for my reaction that day!

"M-marking helps right?"

Bryce's gaze shot to mine, he sighed and shook his head. "Royals mark when they mate love. When we meet our mates, the need to lay our claim is almost painful. But we royals can only mark while mating. This way it ensures that we will mate with our soul mates and expand the linage."

My eyes widened.

"Like-like... babies?" I whispered, watching him with huge wide eyes.

What is this man even talking about? Babies at 18? Is he kidding me?

Bryce smiled, his thumb now making tiny patterns against the back of my palm. "Yes. Babies."

I gulped and nodded. There will be no making babies for now and that settled me enough for the time being.

"Oh and by the way, Matthew is up"

Finally!

A grin formed on my lips and I looked towards the door, Bryce's eyes clouded with an unknown emotion and he moved away, his stance a little slouched, my gaze instantly turned to him. I reached for his hands and laced my fingers with his.

"Bryce?"

He looked up at me. "Hmm"

"Kiss me please?"

***

"I can't believe he invited us to stay at the caste for the weekend" dad exclaimed disbelievingly as he slumped down against the comfortable sofa I had only but yesterday occupied as a sleeping space.

After kissing Bryce back senseless, meeting Matthew and berating him against challenging a royal again, bumping into Chris and Evangeline(whom I promised to spend the night watching movies with), biding Mr and Mrs Smith goodbye and promising Marley that she would indeed see me in school tomorrow, I had made my way into the trusted corridors of the first floor only to collide with a grinning Meryl and tortured looking Bryce, I discovered that Meryl had in fact negotiated with Bryce on my behalf and he had agreed on inviting my parents over to the castle for the weekend.

Needless to say I was ecstatic, and feeling really appreciative. I slumped down on the sofa just beside dad. Mum followed my action, although she improvised with the lack of space and plopped her legs on dad and I's thighs.

"The handsome man is in love with our daughter. Of course he would do anything to make her happy" Mum giggled slightly, which was not really out of her character, considering that she really didn't do half the things normal mothers did(like remind their girls that boys have cooties or buy them only plain panties, white, pink and black, occasionally adorned with a bow in the front).

Dad huffed as he leaned against the comfortable cushions of the sofa, "hmph! I didn't see him doing anything to make her happy when he had ripped her heart out just a few days ago!"

I sighed and leaned towards dad to lean my head against his chest, his arms immediately wrapped around my shoulder. "He was talking to his niece's dad. It was all really my fault. I picked self-preservation before actually giving him a chance to prove himself. I got scared. Scared of heartache. So I ran."

"Oh, Hunny" mum mumbled lovingly and quickly changed her position to lean in and give me a hug. I hugged her back. Dad's grip on my shoulder tightened and he leaned in to place a kiss on my temple.

I wiped away the loose tears that had escaped my eyes, more out of finally being able to hold my folks than of the sadness that I had once felt towards that day in the car. Now all I felt was embarrassed.

"Let's not talk about them though! Let's talk about something else!"

"Oh-oh! I have something to tell you!!" Mum exclaimed, actually jumping up and down in her seat. I could only giggle as dad groaned and hid his face between his palm.

"Tell me" I chuckled just as excitedly.

"Casey called! She's hoping to visit! That too, with Angelo!"

My grin turned sour and bleak in just a matter of seconds. 

Angelo was actually Casey's twin brother.  Actually, he was born a biological woman but transitioned into being a man when he grew older. I liked my best friend Casey... my equation with Angelo was not the same.

One minute and two seconds Casey's senior and two months mine, when he was younger, he had like looked everything but a girl. Actually, truth be told, I always thought he looked exactly like a boy. Not that he minded though.

Angelo, or his birthname Angelina, first proclaimed that he was a boy and liked girls when he was as little as nine years old. 

Mr. Lolein saw it as something that was there for a phase and discarded it. It was only when Angelo was twelve did he strongly made an announcement that he was a boy and didn't want to be in a girl's body anymore. Well that, and that he wanted to marry me. In the end, Mr. and Mrs. Lolein refused.

So Angelo found another outlet, he joined soccer and rugby and boxing and martial arts and swimming and everything a normal stereotypical person would classify as a 'man's activity. His parents thought it was problematic so they sent her away for boarding school.

That did not stop him, though. He got tattoos. Got his hair cut. Stared dressing up as he wanted. That isn't the part that I was worried about. What I was worried about was that he would also on countless amounts of occasions try to approach me in the dark or in places. He would call me late at night, leave sweets and notes at my doorstep, and he would also bash any boy who looked at me.

The last I had heard about him was a week before moving, he was finally getting his gender resigning surgeries done.

Casey knew about his slightly more than obsessive tendencies towards me, she couldn't do anything because she loved her brother. I couldn't do anything because he had been through so much already. Realizing you didn't want to be in the body you were but getting denied the freedom to change things could be very emotional. So I suppose I had always tolerated his behavior. 

So I suppose this obsession was partially my fault. I only hoped he wouldn't try anything here. Bryce had not lost his cool so far, well except for with Lionel but I really didn't want to see him losing it any time soon. Or ever. If that could be done.

Mum immediately read my face, she knew about the Angelo situation. Dad didn't. For obvious reasons.

"Honey you don't mind having Angelo over do you?"

At this dad perked up, and I almost winced at what he was going to ask next.

"Why would she have a problem with Angelo?" Dad looked at me next. "Anything I need to know pumpkin?"

I shook my head, Dad's eyes widened, behind me, I looked back to see my mum shaking her head too. I sighed. "No dad, All is well."

Dad's eyes narrowed at both my mother and me but he quickly rolls his eyes and shaking his head mutters, "Women."

The sound of the door open floated around the room and all three of us turned towards a smiling Meryl gliding towards us and a shy Evangeline, clutching to Meryl's long black dress hiding behind her.

"Here you are, young Evangeline has been looking all over for you." Meryl beamed as she finally came to a stop before us, her gaze, however, on me.

I nudged an eyebrow up, looking at her with a suspicious look while mum and dad smiled, they both decidedly got up, I followed after.

"Your dad and I should be going now, work tomorrow and all love. We'll see you tomorrow afternoon alright. Do you want something from home?"

Mum smiled as she turned towards me and pulled me in for a hug.

Dad's arms came around both of us, he placed a firm kiss on my forehead. "See you tomorrow pumpkin. Take care, and be good okay"

"I love you dad.-" I mumbled, putting my hand around him as we all broke away. I turned to mum. "Mum could you please pack me some clothes, and my laptop and stuff. You know. For the break."

Mums eyes sparkled as a grin lit upon her lips, "Of Course dear! I'll bring your things tomorrow."

She then leaned in to whisper into my ear, "I have a feeling you'd need your things here too"

My face heated up to what I supposed was a blush, and I turned to my dad who only tightened his grip on me.

"We should leave now pumpkin. We'll see you tomorrow, okay, please call us if something goes wrong. Okay?"

I nodded. "Okay dad"

Mum pulled me in for a last hug before she and dad turned towards Meryl and giving me the last wave, moved out of the room behind her.

Evangeline stood at the edge of the sofa watching me with shy excited eyes.

"Come here" I grinned, reaching for her arm and pulling her onto the sofa, beside me.

She giggled as she plopped down on the sofa.

"Your daddy scares me. Is your daddy strict?"

I giggled and shook my head. "No, no he isn't. But he sure is scary huh." Eva giggled, nodding.

I smiled and pulled her into a side hug. "So what are we going to watch today?"

"Can we watch Fifty-fifty shade?" Eva immediately chirped up, looking extremely excited.

A gasp escaped my lips before I could even stop myself. I looked at her, my mouth hanging open.

"No! You're too young to watch that movie. How about we watch Harry Potter? Draco is mine though!" I tickled a gigging Evangeline. She nodded still laughing like crazy as she wiggled under my tickling fingers.

"Okay okay! I like Neville better anyway! He likes plants!"

"The Weasley twins are mine!"

What?!

Both Evangeline and I's head turned towards the still open doorway, where a grinning Matthew and warm-looking Rome stood. Matthew marched into the room, his grin increasing when he noticed both Eva and I's bewildered expressions.

"What? I always had a secret thing for Fred and George" he mimicked a girly excited voice, his palms clutching to his heart in a mocking movement.

Both Evangeline and I rolled our eyes, "shut up you" I muttered, grinning despite myself. Evangeline nodded in agreement. "Yes! shut up uncle Matt!"

Matthew scoffed as he grabbed hold of the coffee table before us and placed it away. He grabbed hold of the dozens of pillow on my bed before throwing them on the fluffy rug and plopping down on them. A now grinning Roman moved towards me, and out of nowhere, pulled me up for a hug.

"Hey" I murmured against his chest. My arms around his waist.

"Hey" he sighed, his warm breath fanning my neck. "I'm glad everything's better. I won't let anyone hurt you anymore. Promise"

I nodded. Smiling a little into his shirt.

"Good" he smiled, moving back and placing a soft kiss on my forehead before he ruffled a frowning Evangeline's hair and plopped down on the rugs beside Matthew.

"Uncle Rome, why do you hug Thi like that? Do you love her?"

Both Roman and Matthew stilled and turned back to face me. I blushed, frowning because I really didn't want Roman to have feelings for me.

Matthew turned towards the TV again, and started flipping through the movie case, trying to find the movie while Roman smiled, he nodded. "Yes Eva, I love Theia a lot. She didn't give up on me, even when I was scary and very mean to her. She's my best friend. Don't you love her?"

Evangeline smiled Brightly, bobbing her head up and down as she nodded excitedly, "I love her too uncle Rome! She's my best friend too!"

I couldn't help but blush harder, my gaze however was on Matthew. Freshly finding out he had had feelings for me I really didn't want to all this to be awkward for him. I watched as his stance visibly relaxed and he flipped the flaps of the movie case with much less force. He slipped out a DVD and crawled his way to the blu-ray player, then crawled back to his spot with the remote.

Roman got up and moved towards the wall to the left and switched off the lights while I leaned in towards the side table and turned the string lights on, letting the darkened room glow with tiny illuminated bulbs.

"Don't you have anything to eat?" Mathew suddenly whispered, just as Harry got Locked in his cupboard room under the stairs by his horrible uncle Vernon.

"Pause it! I mean it! Don't you dare play it till I get back!"

Quickly jumping out of the sofa I half ran half jogged towards the tiny kitchen area that was In a space just beside the balcony and opened up the fridge. Grabbing a couple of bottles of soda and a bottle of orange juice I turned towards a cupboard and grabbed a large bag of chips.

Items in hand I made a move to run back to the living room area when I stopped and turned back.

Chocolates...!

Quickly opening the fridge again, I quickly got out four packets of Snickers before pushing back the refrigerator door shut, with my butt. I quickly jogged towards the a very guilty-looking group of Matt, Rome and Eva.

I knew it...!

Rolling my eyes I placed myself in my spot again. "You guys played the movie didn't you?" I muttered, rolling my eyes again.

"NO!" Evangeline piped up almost instantly, her head moving up and down as she said denied my accusation.

I smirked at her before handing her a packet of snickers. She accepted it almost instantly, grinning a thanks while she did.

"Here" I mumbled, passing the boys their bottles of soda and chips.

"Where's my chocolate?" Matthew pouted, looking at a happy Evangeline taking a bite on hers.

I grinned. And bringing out their packets, passed them it, one by one.

"Aha! We knew you had it there, hidden! Oh what torture Theia! Truly!"

Rolling my eyes, I turned back to the movie. Hagrid had just rescued Harry and gifted Dudley with his very own piggy tail. Best spell ever!

All hail the pink umbrella!

The creek of the door opening barely even registered itself in our senses before a deep throat cleared, catching all of our attention.

My eyes widened as they locked on Bryce's.

My breath hitched. He, however, calm and collected, kept on moving, walking into the room, towards me.

Walking his way up to me he quickly leaned down and picked me up in his arms before settling down on the sofa himself, I, still in his arms.

Roman and Matthew both scoffed.

"Told you he wouldn't be able to stay away" Matthew mumbled to Rome, who only grinned.

"Hi" Bryce whispered against my ear, his palm slipping against my tummy, holding me against him In a way that enabled me to continue watching the movie.

"Ssh!- I'm watching Harry! Besides, little Draco is about to come!" I snapped at him lowly, meanwhile opening my packet of snickers as my eyes glued themselves on the red-haired boy who had been my until crush. Thinking back to it now, I really didn't know what I was thinking. Percy Weasley was not as good-looking as I had always believed him to me. In fact, the Twins beat him to a pulp!

I bit down on the chocolate, immediately closing my eyes as the combination of caramel, chocolate and nuts engulfed my palate. Damn it, this was good.

I opened my eyes again as the high rolled over, just in time to see Evangeline lean in to steal a fist full of potato chips from the boys.

I grinned at the little monster. She really was a character. I almost felt like she was the little sister I never had.

Bringing the chocolate back towards my mouth again I stopped instantly when Bryce's fingers found my chin, my gaze caught his as he tilted my head towards him and leaning down slowly, nipped on the side of my bottom lip. His tongue flicking on the skin of it.

"It tastes even better off your lips" Bryce whispered, grinning as he looked at me stare at him wide-eyed. At that moment, I was sure my ovaries had in fact, exploded.

Evangeline cleared her throat quite obviously, catching all four of us adults' attention, she rolled her eyes at Bryce and I.

"Cooties!"

I couldn't help but blush harder when Bryce smirked, a proud paternal look gracing his features. He reached out and pat Eva's head. "Not when your mate kisses you, sweety."

"Really?"

Bryce smiled. "Really"

Just then, a loud chiming ringtone I recognized as my message tone, sounded around the room.

I quickly moved towards the bed, where the sound was seemingly coming from. Maybe it was dad. He rarely called unless he had to.

Although one thought seemed a little unsettling...

How could my cellphone be on? When I had clearly left it off...

Frowning, I glanced at the screen and signed.

1 new message. Definitely dad.

The frown still playing on my face I tapped on the notification.

A thousand nights I've moaned it seems,

Your name leaves my lips each night.

A strange face graced my dreams,

A stranger I knew before a meet.

But now I know... It's you. It's you.

There's no escaping now...

You've run away a million times

But came back when I closed my eyes.

They're open now, and still, you're here.

I won't let you leave.

You're mine.

You're mine.

-S

I didn't even know I was shivering with fear I realized my phone's screen kept moving. I took in a deep breath and deleted the message.

The feeling of it actually being intended for me was immense. Almost so that I knew in to be back of my head that it was the same person who tried to block Bryce's contact faking to be me. But how concrete could that reasoning be?

Exactly. Not a lot.

Well at least one thing was concrete at that point..., it was definitely not dad.

With shaky hands, I placed my iPhone back and turned towards the living room only to bump face-first into a hard breathing wall.

My breath hitched in my throat as my eyes moved higher and locked onto livid golden ones.

"Bryce..."