Page 66 of Lycan King's Captives
My father nods and I swiftly turn on my heel. As I step out of the door, Javier follows behind. “Xandros, are you really planning to break the treaty?” he asks me, his voice laced with concern.
I stop in my tracks and turn to face him. “I won’t be forced into a loveless marriage, Javier,” I say firmly. “Not when I have found my mate.”
“Breaking the treaty will have consequences. It could mean war,” he warns me.
“I understand that, but what choice do we have? I refuse to let Sienna get hurt because of our mistakes,” I reply, determination in my voice.
“Then we need to find a way to negotiate with Vin without breaking the treaty, let me collect Carina; I will ask around to see what I can find out,” Javier suggests.
“Fine, call her driver and tell her you will collect her; hopefully she chooses not to return,” I mumble, not looking forward to having to deal with her. “For now, I need to focus on Sienna. I need her to mark me before it’s too late.”
Javier nods in understanding, and we make our way through the palace toward Sienna’s room. As we walk, I can feel the weight of the kingdom on my shoulders. The future of our people rests on my decisions, and every move I make from this moment on will impact their lives.
All I can think about is Sienna: her safety, her happiness, and our bond. Yet as I unlock her door, I hear movement in the room just as I enter. She is opening the door to the hidden bar. In her hand is the phone. She stares at me like a deer in headlights.
“Fuck!” I hear Javier breathe out behind me, I kick the door shut, storming over to her.
I snatch the phone from her hand, hitting redial while she backs away from me. The phone rings when suddenly Toby’s voice sounds on the other end. “Sienna?” Pulling the phone away from my ear, I hang it up, tossing it on the sofa.
“Why were you on the phone with Toby?” I ask her, stalking her around the sofa, her hair is still wet and clinging to her skin, the towel tucked tightly between her breasts. She shakes her head at me and nearly trips over the lamp table, barely catching herself with her outstretched hand clutching the armchair. With all the drama going on I had completely forgotten about her calls to Toby.
“Answer me, Sienna,” I demand, my voice low and dangerous. She looks at me with fear in her eyes, and I can see the tears that are threatening to spill over.
“I just wanted to hear his voice,” she admits softly.
“Hear his voice?” I repeat, my tone incredulous.
“I-I was just calling to check on him. Make sure he’s okay,” she stammers out, avoiding my eyes.
“You have no right to be calling him! He’s not your concern anymore,” I growl at her, my anger boiling over. In that moment, I want nothing more than to shake some sense into her. She is mine! I won’t share her!
“He’s my friend, Xandros,” she argues weakly, yet I can see she doubts that, feel the flicker through the bond, she cares for him, and that thought makes me wild.
“He’s nothing to you! You don’t know him anymore, and you never will again,” I snap at her, my temper flaring.
Sienna flinches at my words, and I can see the hurt in her eyes. I won’t stop. I can’t stop. The fear of losing her is too great, and I’ll do anything to protect her.
“Xan—”
“Don’t speak,” I cut her off harshly. “Just mark me already so we can put an end to all this nonsense.” Sienna backs away from me, her eyes widening in shock. “Xandros, you can’t be serious,” she breathes.
“I’ve never been more serious, Sienna. If you don’t mark me, I will kill your precious Toby!” I tell her, my voice laced with fury. Yet she glares at me, the defiance obvious in her hardened gaze. “Is that a threat?” she challenges me, her hands balling into fists at her sides.
“Take it however you want, Sienna. I need you to mark me now,” I demand, taking a step closer to her. She backs away again, shaking her head.
“Then do it, Xandros,” she challenges, her voice firm and unyielding. “Know this, if you lay a single finger on him, I will never forgive you.”
I feel the anger and frustration building inside me as I take a step toward her. “You have no choice in the matter, Sienna. You will mark me, or I will make sure Toby suffers,” I say in a low voice.
Sienna backs away, her eyes filled with fear and anger. I take another step toward her, closing the distance between us.
“Xandros, please,” she pleads with me, her voice barely above a whisper. “I don’t want this.”
“You don’t have a choice,” I tell her, my voice cold. “If you don’t mark me—Then you leave me no choice,” I reply sternly. “I will make you mark me.”
I take another step toward her, my hand outstretched. She backs away again, and I can feel the tension building between us. Then, something changes in her expression. Her eyes narrow slightly, and she seems to harden. “You force me to mark you, and you force my hand!” she snarls at me when she suddenly smashes the bowl on the dresser. She grabs a chunk of glass, holding it to her neck. “I mean it, Xandros. You touch him, or try to force me to mark you…” tears stream down her face, her hand trembling as she presses the point against the vein that pulses rapidly beneath the soft flesh of her throat. I stop in my tracks and her voice trembles.
“I mean it, Xandros! I will fucking do it!” My blood boils in my veins at her words and I hear the door open behind me. Javier’s scent reaches me, and her eyes go behind me, they widen slightly and she looks at me like a cornered animal, frantic and I feel him move closer assessing the situation.
