--------------------------------------------------------

I could tell I was lying on something fluffy, like a soft sofa. I groaned and rolled over, trying to get into to a more comfortable position. Inhaling deeply, I breathed in the fresh fragrance of lilac and smiled peacefully.

It was all a dream. I hadn't gone with Ashton to his house, hadn't met his parents and definitely had not discovered that he was the prince of Crysauralia.

"You think she's awake?" a voice asked from somewhere on my left.

I frowned slightly. Was I still dreaming? Who was in my house? There was a long pause of silence and then more voices.

I drowsily cracked an eye open to see that I was surrounded by six guys. I sat up instantly and felt myself tense as I looked around. They looked like the guys from my dream. Where was I?

I glanced around the unfamiliar room for some clue. This was not my room or my house. The realization then dawned on me that what I thought had been a fleeting dream could actually be reality.

"Well?" the boy with Asian features asked with a playful smile.

He was lounging on another couch with an amused expression. "How do you feel? I guess now you realize that we were telling you the truth after all. You went down like a rock." He put his hand to his forehead in a dramatic fainting motion.

"Yeah," Beau said. "Luckily, Ashton caught you or you would've gotten hurt."

I just sat there blinking in confusion and trying to figure out when exactly my quiet reality turned out like this. This was just too weird.

"Did your voice leave when you fainted?" the boy chuckled. "Say something."

I wanted to say something to wake myself up from this weird reality. Something that could convince me that I had the situation all wrong. But all that came out was, "But you're such a jerk!"

Ashton sneered at me and turned to Jackson.

"A jerk. She called me a jerk!"

"It's going to take her some time getting used to-"

"Be quiet, Raúl. Of course you'd have something to say," Jackson spat.

"So what if I do?" Raúl shot back. "You wanna fight?"

Low murmurs echoed throughout the room at this challenge.

"Shut up," Ashton growled in annoyance before things could escalate further and the room immediately went silent.

He seemed to be able to control everything both at school and at home. No wonder he was so arrogant.

A few of the guys groaned after it became clear that Ashton had completely broken up the fight, because they were already betting on who would have whooped whose butt.

"Remember, she is a human soulmate after all," Raúl muttered. "It's a lot for her to take in at once."

They all turned to me and Ashton.

"She's your soulmate too?" Beau asked, surprised.

"Yes," he murmured begrudgingly.

"Woah, that's such a huge coincidence!"

A chorus of whoops and cheers filled the air as all the guys descended on Ashton patting him on the back, popping his collar and congratulating him.

"That's enough," he said, pushing them off of him.

"I'm your what?" I asked Ashton.

"You're Ashton's soulmate," Beau said as if that explained everything, but it went over my head.

Soulmate? I think the king mentioned something like that too. At the time I was too focused on everything else to pay much attention to it.

"His soulmate?" I frowned. "Those don't exist."

Raúl grinned. "Everyone with a rank has a soulmate. So royals and nobles. When someone finds their soulmate, they can be extra protective during the first few weeks. Which explains why Ashton nearly bit my head off for touching you."

Ashton scoffed and rolled his eyes.

I was frozen solid. Soulmate? But that didn't sound possible. How could I just be randomly paired with someone?

AND WHY ASHTON DELORENTES?

"You look a little pale," Raúl murmured, his eyes suddenly filled with concern. "Should I get you a drink?"

Kristof moved closer to me, while I focused on breathing in and out. For something so simple and automatic, it was taking a lot of energy for me right now.

I couldn't accept this. I wasn't royalty. I was just Elizabeth. How did I get caught up in something like this? They had to be wrong somehow.

I shook my head. I wanted to leave. I gave Raúl an apologetic smile.

"I'm sorry."

"Hey, don't apologize, babe. It's rare to get a human soulmate. It's just a lot to take in. Don't stress, take your time." He gave me a heart warming smile and patted my shoulder.

"Wait, so she doesn't know what we are either?" the boy asked Ashton. An amused grin crept up his cheeks. "Where's the popcorn? This should be interesting."

Ashton scowled at him. "She doesn't need to know that."

"I think she does," Beau countered. "It's best to get everything in the open. Now's the perfect time to show her what we are."

"I don't want to."

"I agree with Beau," Jackson said. "Now is the right time."

Ashton scowled darkly and then stormed over to the other side of the room. "Fine," he spat. "Watch her, I'm going to do it."

Jackson moved closer to me.

"Are you expecting me to scream and run away?" I sighed.

"It wouldn't be weird if you did."

The others remained quiet, as Ashton went to the far end of the room. I rolled my eyes. What could this be now?

"You might want to pay attention to this," Jackson said to me.

I looked over at Ashton, who in turn shot me his trademark look of irritation before turning around.

It all happened so quickly.

I watched in complete shock as Ashton's canines extended, long and sharp. His nails also got longer, almost like claws. In a flash he was at the other side of the room.

It was unnatural for him to move that quickly. I thought he would collide with the wall, but instead, he thrust his hand out and it hit the wall with so much force that it crumbled around his fingers.

I felt myself sway, as I closed my eyes, repeating, "This is not real."

I expected that when I opened them, Ashton and Chance would appear in front of me, laughing with the other guys about scaring me.

And I was scared.

When I reopened my eyes, Ashton and the five guys were staring at me.

This was real.

"Wh-what are you?!" I gasped, taking a step back.

This was just too weird now. He shouldn't be able to do that. That speed, that strength... It was totally unreal! I sank down onto the couch in disbelief.

I was scared, but his dark eyes didn't hold any danger. He took a few steps back as if to say, I won't hurt you.

"I'm an Origen," he answered. "Super speed and enhanced strength are just some of our qualities."

His features changed back to how he'd looked a few moments ago.

"Origen?" I whispered. "You're not a regular human being?"

"No, I'm not."

"We are all Origens," Kristof added.

"B-but that's not scientifically possible!"

"It is for us and that's all you need to know for now," Ashton grouched.

I was beyond confused and my mind was reeling with the new information I'd been given. The surprises just kept rolling in one after the other. At this point, if they told me they could sprout wings and fly, I'd probably accept it without question.

Origen... I never knew anything like that even existed. Werewolves and vampires were probably real too. I listened dazedly while Jackson explained that they were basically like humans with enhanced physical abilities.

"Just complete my misery and introduce yourselves to her so I can take her home," Ashton said tiredly after Jackson wrapped up his explanation.

I stood up at the mention of home, which was where I should have been ages ago. The guys filed over to me and I took an involuntary step back because of the crowd. This seemed to amuse them.

"I'm Lord Jackson of Couthland, rank Beta. I am Ashton's second in command."

"We're all Betas," Raúl retorted. Jackson just rolled his eyes.

I stared at them very much confused. I didn't have a clue as to what they were talking about. All I could think about was beta radiation and my chemistry exam that I should be studying for right now. Then I realized that he said Beta was his rank. He was a noble... and apparently so were all the other guys.

I obviously knew who nobles were, but I'd never met one in real life. They hardly came to the Common Realm. But after I'd been hugged by the queen, told my life history by the king, and found out that Ashton was actually an Origen, I could believe almost anything right now.

"All nobles are divided into ranks and we're all Origens," Kristof explained.

I had no idea that all the nobles in Crysauralia had been harboring such a huge secret. Why were they keeping it a secret? How did they manage to keep it secret?

"Should I call you by your titles then?" I wondered. "Since you're nobles, I should address you as 'your grace'."

"Don't worry about the formalities," Raúl waved the idea off. "Besides, no one knows who we are. It would give away Ashton's identity."

"You already know me," Beau said with a friendly smile. I tried to smile back, but I'm sure it looked more like a grimace.

"Hey, I'm Jun," said the Asian boy. "You can be my new partner in crime," he added with a mischievous grin.

"If you hang out with him, you'll get in trouble, or lose your sanity. I'm Kristof, but you can call me Kris."

"Oh," I smiled. "Like that ice guy in Frozen."

He didn't seem amused, but gave me a smile nonetheless.

"Hey, babe," Raúl said, walking up to me. "Do I even need an introduction?" he asked with a dazzling smile. "But let me clarify, I go by many names. Raúl the great, Raúl the hottest guy on planet Earth, Raúl the-"

"Idiot?" suggested Jackson. "Raúl the greatest idiot. Now move."

He shoved Raúl out of the way and he crashed into Kristof.

"They're like cats and dogs," Jun explained in amusement. "They have some sort of love-hate relationship going on. Only without the love."

"There's actually another Beta in our group who's not here right now," Jackson said, glancing permissively at Ashton who mouthed the word 'no'.

Jackson didn't say anymore about the missing noble.

"Alright," Ashton said, looking at me warily. "Glad that's over with. Let's go."

I waved goodbye to the guys and half-hugged Raúl who insisted that he was too special for a normal goodbye.

Beau frowned in Raúl's direction and Jackson cleared his throat. Raúl released me when Ashton shot him some death glares, and then we left the house.

--------------------------------------------------------

!