For as long as he could remember, his life had been about change and adaptation. Even when he'd lived with his family, the pride had been forced into a life of wandering from place to place, seeking a sanctuary from the hunters - both human and not - who sought to end their lives. Now, it was not to say that his family had been those weres of folk lore. Never had they attacked a human out of hunger, hate, or otherwise. Unlike others of their own kind, his pride understood and respected the balance of life. They desired nothing more than a life of peace, a final resting place where they might be able to put down roots of their own and not need to worry about being found by those they determinedly placed countless miles of distance between. It had been difficult for them to linger in any one place for more than a couple weeks, though that was more due to the sheer size of their pride than anything else. It had been Zayne and Callia, his parents and the alphas. Then, there had been his older brother and sister, Tristan and Nicolette, the twins Dea and Drake, and his baby sister Trinity. So, it was relatively easy to notice a family of that size appearing in a new town or village, especially when they sought rest within those smaller and more rural communities more often than larger cities. His father had decided that while they were more likely to be noticed by the locals, there were still better odds to be had avoiding the hunters in such places. As one would expect, this vagabond lifestyle meant that they were never given much time to settle in any one place, the landscapes ever-changing just as the cultures and unfamiliar faces did with each move they would make. In turn, this meant that young Roman had to learn not to develop a sense of intimate attachment to anything beyond his parents, siblings, and what possessions he could carry upon his back. Despite this, it did not harden him to love or feelings. Instead, it taught him that it was best to be guarded with these things, to reserve them for those closest to him.

At first, as a young child growing into himself and his beast, Roman had begun to grow weary of the constant traveling. It had been tiring and emotional challenging, learning to enjoy what one place had to offer only for his family to move on and require to begin to process of adjusting all over again. It only made sense when one took into consideration that part of many children's growth was experiencing the world, wanting to understand the things they saw, felt, and touched. They were learning what emotions were what, and working to grasp the earliest strands of understanding and control. So, when he would make friends, he hardly wanted to leave them behind. When he found that he enjoyed a certain place, he wouldn't want to leave it. He only just remembers having asked his father once why it was that they could not call any one place their home, a question that was surely expected from a child who wanted to understand why he could never keep the friends he made or stay in a place that he might have grown fond of for one reason or another. Zayne had answered him with seriousness in his amber gaze and a firm yet loving expression..."Because of what we are, we are hunted, my son... and the only way to keep this family safe is to make sure that they do not find us"... The boy hadn't really understood the meaning of this answer back then, but even as a child, he had felt something profound in his father's words, an understanding beyond his perception at the time stirring within himself and promising the alpha that he would try to understand. Overtime, young Roman learned that when he made friends, it should also be with the complete expectancy that he would only know them for a brief time before having to say goodbye and likely never hearing from them again. He began to understand that while he would find others along the way whom he would enjoy talking and spending time with, he would always have the love and support of his family above all else.

Even now, thousands of miles away from them and only being able to hear from them every so often, Roman kept that love and loyalty towards his parents and siblings close. At times, it was perhaps the only thing he had to keep him company.

Now, after having done nothing but wandering across the world for a majority of his life, it seems as though change was shifting his world again... but not in a way that he would have expected. As he walks towards the address he'd been given, the man still feels that sense of surprise brushing against his thoughts. While he hadn't been entirely sure what to expect, he had perhaps thought that the tenant would want to meet him in neutral territory. Although Roman was far from an expert on this sort of thing, was that not the typical fashion in which these types of interviews happened? This made sense to him, understanding completely the desire to be defensive about one's own space and belongings when it came to absolute strangers. It was an innate protectiveness that most wielded, one that Roman himself felt - especially when it came to his family. He wasn't a closed book by any means, but he was both kind and careful when it came to encounters with unfamiliar faces. So, having the woman provide him the address so that they could meet was... well, somewhat astonishing. For not knowing what he should have expected out of this new experience, it was a bit more surprising than he would have imagined, if that made any sense. Simply put, the woman on the other end of that phone call had taken him off-guard. In turn, the were lion finds himself more aware of how he might appear to her, hopeful that despite his tall and fit figure, he wouldn't come off as intimidating or dangerous. Sure, he truthfully had all the capabilities of being these things with little to no effort, but that was not the first impression he wished to leave with others - especially the woman with whom he was meeting today. Unless, of course, he needed to appear that way in the defense of himself or someone else. However, he was very nearly certain that there would be no such need to be on the defensive, so he is mindful to maintain his naturally calm, collected demeanor as he walks up the stairs to the front door.

When the door opens, the lion is met by earthen eyes, fair skin, and raven-colored hair. She was a petite woman, her gaze first falling upon his chest before she lifts her gaze to meet his, taking a step back as though to study him in all his height and stature while she dried her hands with what he assumed was a kitchen towel. A kind, polite smile lingers upon his chiseled face as he greets her, the pretty woman returning his greeting while also assuring him that she was the woman he's spoken to only a short while ago. He can hear the subtle stammer in her voice, golden-hazel eyes softening in understanding and empathy. Although he knew nothing about her, it would seem that she also wasn't entirely accustomed to keeping company with a perfect stranger. He hardly blamed her. If she lived alone, it was sensible to be cautious around strangers, especially men whose intentions may not be so easily noticed within those first crucial moments. It was the risk that everyone took when it came to meeting new faces, one that could go wonderfully right or horribly wrong, regardless of who - or what - one was. When she steps back into the townhouse, gesturing for him to follow her, he does so, stepping over the threshold with a respectful nod as she introduces herself."It's a pleasure to meet you, Miya. I'm Roman. Roman Royce", he replies in turn, baritones warm as he offers his own name in return, finding her name to be rather beautiful, somehow fitting perhaps. It wasn't often that he gave others his last name, though it seemed to suffice and even make most others more comfortable with him when he instead offered his middle name in its place. He follows her further into the townhouse, keeping a respectful distance as he takes the neat, furnished living space. Everything was in meticulous shape, the furniture hardly seeming worn in any sense, and everything seemed so tidy and clean. It was a breath of fresh air compared to the run-down hotel rooms he was accustomed to.

He could hardly remember the last time he might have stood inside a place like this, clean and well-kept, comfortable and homey in a sense. He could never really afford those nicer rooms like this, but he would always make do with what he had.

She leads him into the kitchen and at her gesture and polite smile, Roman contentedly seats himself at small table, grinning politely at her in turn as she offers him a drink."Coffee would be fine, thank you", he answers, not wanting to refuse her kindness and hardly against enjoying another cup of that roasted liquid."Black will do", he adds then, not wanting to put her in a position of trying to accommodate him further. She moves to stand in the middle of the kitchen now, her demeanor changing to show unease as she removes the cloth from her shoulder and begins to fiddle with it as she explains that the room had been empty for some time now. Indeed, she seemed as though speaking with unfamiliar faces was out of her normal routine, and to some degree, Roman could reciprocate those feelings."That's good to know I suppose", he remarks, his own unfamiliarity on how to handle this particular situation showing through his light-hearted and soft chuckle."I apologize, I'm new to this sort of thing. To be honest, I've never rented a room before", he admits, his own gesture of showing that he was charting similarly uncharted waters in his own way . He's quiet for a moment, his thoughts searching for a way that might help her feel a little more comfortable with him if his previous revelation didn't."You have a very lovely home here", the were man says as he gestures with a hand to the kitchen and living space she'd shown him, wanting to ease her mind into a casual conversation. It was often easier to talk about something neutral, something not quite personal or revealing. This much Roman was familiar with. He waits patiently for her reaction to his attempt at breaking the ice. Truthfully, he'd never really been the best at it. Although he was hardly opposed to speaking with strangers when it came to conversations like that day's weather or directions to somewhere, this was entirely new territory for the lion, and he wasn't afraid to allow Miya to see this in him.