Page 60 of Lycan King's Captives
“It’s going to be alright; I can call him right now and he’ll come back,” he says in a gentle voice. My throat tightens as I attempt to swallow the lump that has formed inside it when he mentions Xandros. Rational thought clouds my mind as desperation fills my heart, yet I simply nod, unable to utter any words.
33
I jerk awake, my senses assaulted by the blaring ring of my phone. Sienna’s anguish ringing through the bond like a siren in my head. My eyes snap open and the cold air seizes my lungs, making me shudder. In a daze, I realize I’ve fallen asleep on the couch instead of in my own bed. The chill in the air wraps around me like an icy embrace, seeping deep into my bones and filling me with dread. Carina’s sickly-sweet fragrance is heavy in the air, awakening something primal within me—something angry. Her scent brings me no solace or warmth, a stark reminder of her absence. Sienna’s absence looms over me, tugging at my heartstrings like a cruel puppet master.
My entire body aches from the crushing weight of Sienna’s pain that radiates through our bond. How could I have been so selfish as to leave her alone for three days? Paralyzing guilt and fear swell inside me, threatening to tear me apart. She must be suffering horribly without me by her side. Desperation and guilt pulse through me, squeezing my chest. I need to be with her.
The chill in my veins intensifies as a fog escapes my lips, the oppressive darkness swallowing me whole. I am desperate for warmth—for hers. The bond throbs incessantly, demanding my obedience, demanding I go to her. Desperately, I grab my phone and see a heap of neglected messages pouring in one after another. But before I can even check them, Javier’s voice booms through the mind-link, his normally calm demeanor replaced by urgency.
“Why aren’t you answering your phone, you sleep like the dead,” he growls at me.
“What is it, why is she… Sienna.” I struggle to keep my thoughts straight, my mind solely consumed with the bond I share with her.
“Xandros,” he says urgently, “Your mother had your room stripped of your scent. You need to get home!”
“She what!” I snarl, my mother will pay for this. She knows how fragile mate bonds are, and what she has done is beyond cruel.
“Xandros, she’s in distress,” he exclaims desperately, worry lacing his voice as he speaks. “Your mother had your room cleaned, erasing your scent from it. Sienna is frantic, her temperature has plummeted dangerously low. You need to get here right away.”
Tension courses through me, raging and unrelenting. It fills my muscles with intense energy that makes them burn, throb with uncontrollable pressure. Panic surges through me as I imagine Sienna shivering in the bathtub, cold and alone. Her delicate body is vulnerable to any threat, like a flower stripped of its petals by the harsh winter frost. The idea causes me pain, and an overwhelming sense of dread rushes from the top of my head to the tips of my toes. I can’t bear the thought of her suffering without me there for comfort and warmth.
“Where is she?” I demand.
“In a blanket next to the fire. She won’t let me near her.”
“Get her to the bathhouse and saunas, turn the heat up as high as possible, I am on my way,” I tell him, frantically searching around for my wallet and keys.
“Xandros, that means I have to touch her.”
“Keep her alive, only you in the bathhouse!” I warn him. He is the only one I trust, clearly I can’t trust my own family, but I know he’ll obey any order I give him, even if I am being irrational.
“See you soon,” I cut the mindlink, no doubt to handle Sienna. She’ll reject any scent not belonging to me, so I know she’ll fight him.
Anger courses through me at my mother for subjecting Sienna to such torment. She should never have been treated this cruelty.
Without a second thought, I turn to Carina, desperation clear in my expression. “Carina, I need to go home. I need to be with Sienna,” I say, my voice tense with determination. Carina, still groggy from sleep, blinks at me in confusion.
“What should I tell my parents about your sudden disappearance?” she asks, concern etched on her face. I dismiss their worries with a wave of my hand. “Tell them whatever you need to. It doesn’t matter.” Panic swells inside me once more. All that matters is getting to Sienna.
I hastily gather my belongings, my mind focused solely on reaching my mate. Clothes are thrown into a bag, my wallet is retrieved, and in the blink of an eye, I am ready to leave. The urgency is unbearable, my need to be by Sienna’s side overwhelming.
The drive back to the castle feels endless. Every second spent in the car feels like an eternity, the walls closing in on me. Impatience gnaws at my insides, urging the driver to go faster. I repeat the same words over and over, “Hurry up, we need to get there.”
Nothing else matters except getting back to Sienna. The thought of her struggling through this pain alone is more than I can bear, and I’m filled with a sense of dread. I can’t bear the thought of her suffering because of my stupidity.
Finally, we reach the castle, and I jump out of the car before it has even come to a stop. I hurry toward the bathhouses without hesitation or thought, my heart pounding in rhythm with each step I take.
I rush into the bathhouse, my heart still pounding in my chest. There, I find Javier, his eyes filled with worry as he watches over Sienna.
The bathhouse is dark, except for the golden glow of the fire’s flames. The glow of the embers bathe the room in a golden light. Shadows are cast along the walls, flickering like flames.
The bond between us pulses with pain and fear. A symphony of emotions that mirrors the sound of a wounded animal, crying out in agony.
The rattle of her breath, it doesn’t sound right. It sounds like she won’t survive much longer. Moving toward the far corner, she is huddled in the shallows.
Sienna’s form is small and shivering in the bath, her skin pale and her lips as blue as the veins underneath her skin.
Buttons pop and fly everywhere as I rip my shirt off before dropping into the water beside her. Her pale form lies limp in the bath, her skin icy to the touch. The sight tears at my soul, igniting a fire within me.
