No One's POV

Anastasia returned to London, leaving Italy behind her, the regular routine of school once more sweeping her up as she began her second quarter (or what would be the fourth quarter for Regent's University London since it was spring), and completely unaware of her silent guard, Demetri.

Anastasia enjoyed her new term, classes were, all things considering, relatively easy, and the life she had built in London was something she had come to enjoy, yet at the same time, Anastasia couldn't help but feel something was amiss, a feeling she had felt shortly after returning from her mini vacation in Volterra.

Of course, what she didn't realize or know at the time, was that the feeling she felt was the distant pull of the mate bond.

It would be a week and a half into Anastasia's new term when the first gift arrived.

Anastasia, walking back to her dorm from classes, suddenly stopped in front of it, blinking at a stunning bouquet of red roses placed in the doorway.

Anastasia,

We recalled you said you attended Regent's University London.

Our deepest regards,

Aro, Caius, & Marcus Volturi

Looking around the hall, Anastasia flipped the card over a few more times, fingers tracing the gold embossed lettering and the faint unfamiliar 'V' crest pressed into the clearly expensive, ivory stock paper.

Frankly, Anastasia wasn't sure whether to be impressed by their persistence or completely freaked out by their clearly stalkerish, maybe even borderline, obsessive behavior.

Unlocking her dorm room, Anastasia picks up the bouquet, setting it on her desk along with the card before texting her friends.

A hour later, Jeremy, Jacob, Michael, Ariel, and Mallory all stood in the dorm room Anastasia shared with Ariel.

"It's stalkerish." It is the first thing out of Jeremy mouth after taking stock of the flowers and note.

"Well I think it's romantic." Mallory swoons.

"Mallory, you think everything is romantic. You want prince charming to sweep you off your feet on a white horse." Anastasia deadpans.

"So?" Mallory defends.

"So, the point is- is that it is kind of stalkerish. I said I went to Regent's University London in passing. For them to remember this? It's kind of weird, yeah. I'm with Jeremy on this." Anastasia says.

"Do you have a romantic bone in your body at all?" Mallory complains superficially.

"Are you kidding me right now?" Ariel chimes in. "Anastasia cries over Disney movies. Of course she does. Mallory, seriously, not everything is unicorns and rainbows. Don't be an idiot just because you want everything to be sunshine and see things through rose tinted glasses. I agree that Anastasia is smart to be a little wary."

Mallory just huffs, rolling her eyes.

"So, what should I do? I mean, they are pretty." Anastasia says, touching them lightly.

"You didn't see who dropped them off, right?" Jacob double checks.

"Nope, nothing. But it goes without saying whoever did, knows I live in this dorm. But it was probably a delivery person. There's a tag on the flowers, from a local delivery shop, even though the note was obviously not." Anastasia answers.

"Yeah, that's probably a good guess." Michael agrees.

"So maybe I do nothing, for now at least. Unless it continues." Anastasia suggests.

"Just be careful." Jeremy asks. "And know you have us."

"You guys are being paranoid." Mallory scoffs.

"Okay, you're really not being helpful right now, Mallory." Ariel says, giving Mallory a look, as well as getting irritated at Mallory's fairy tale delusions, Anastasia was as well.

Ever since returning from Italy, Mallory was seemingly more and more focused on Anastasia's apparent "sweeping romance" with the three men (even if it could hardly be called one) as well as more superficial, and less and less interested in Anastasia herself.

"Fine, whatever." Mallory scoffs. "I'm out of here."

"Whatever. Just ignore Mallory. Jeremy's right. Be careful. I'll help you keep an eye out. It's a nice gesture, if you ignore the slightly stalkerish methods." Ariel says after Mallory has left.

"Thanks guys. And I will. Always." Anastasia promises. "And yeah, I guess. The roses are pretty."

"Alright, so who's up for movies and junk food?" Jacob cheers, steering the group away from the serious conversation and hopefully lighten the mood.

Edited 2/5/19