Page 76 of Lycan King's Captives
With Adina’s bracelet clutched in my fist, I start climbing the hill. Now that the adrenaline has worn off, the pain is seeping in. My entire body seems to have its own pulse as it throbs, each movement suddenly stealing my breath and making me uneasy on my feet. I clutch my side where it hurts the most, only when I do, my fingers and palm brush something hard. I swallow, glancing down to see a hole in my uniform and the glint of silver poking out.
Using my hand, I cover the metal jutting out of me and stagger another step. Now I am aware of it, it’s all I can think about, like seeing the wound has brought it to the forefront of my mind suddenly.
Xandros’s grip tightens on my hips as he senses my pain and exhaustion. “You’re hurt,” he says, his worry evident. I try to brush off his concern, insisting I’m fine despite the piece of metal protruding from my stomach. The pain intensifies, making it clear I’m not as fine as I pretend to be.
Without hesitation, Xandros scoops me up in his arms, disregarding the presence of the king and the chaos unfolding around us. “The king is right there,” I protest weakly, my voice filled with a mix of apprehension and vulnerability.
“Fuck the king,” Xandros declares defiantly, his words laced with determination. He kisses my forehead gently, his actions a tender reassurance amidst the chaos. Carrying me up the incline, he settles on the guardrail with me next to his mother. Carina stares blankly ahead, her mind undoubtedly reeling from the events that unfolded, and I can tell she is in shock. “Show me?” Xandros fusses, trying to pry open my blouse. I slap his hands, and Adina turns to look at me. Her eyes go to Xandros’s hands, and she gasps when suddenly King Vin’s voice echoes around us in fury.
King Vin’s demanding voice is loud above the chaos. “You need blood!” Vin tells her, and he motions to me. Carina shakes her head and Xandros’s growl is menacing. “I’m fine, Father,” Carina states.
“Nonsense. You’ll heal faster!” he growls at her. Yet Carina’s gaze hardens, her fangs baring at her father.
“I said no! Leave her be. She saved both our lives,” Carina snarls, defending me. This is the first time I have seen her stand up to her father and over me, of all people —she is defending me? This day is just becoming weirder and weirder.
King Vin looks on the verge of exploding at her defiance but presses his lips in a line, turning to wave the firefighters toward the wreckage when he turns back to his daughter. Dirt and soot cover her face, her clothes filthy and her dress ruined.
“Why are you even here? Where is your car? I thought you were being picked up early?” Vin asks.
Carina seems taken aback by his question as she looks up at her father. “What?” she asks just as Xandros pulls my shirt up, and I hastily pull it down.
“No, you’re bleeding,” Xandros snarls in panic.
“It’s nothing,” I tell him. He growls, ripping my shirt open and gasping. “That is not nothing, Sienna!” he growls just as Javier and a few guards rush toward us, having finally arrived at the scene, but my attention is on Carina and King Vin.
“I canceled the driver; I wanted to stay. Why does it matter?” Carina asks.
King Vin scratches his chin, an air of curiosity mixed with suspicion hanging in the air. “Just curious,” he mutters, his eyes lingering on Carina. Ambulances pull up and Xandros rushes me straight to the nearest one. I’m loaded into an ambulance, the paramedics attend to my injuries.
Just before I’m whisked away, I remember the bracelet in my hand. “Wait,” I call out, holding the bracelet out to Xandros. “This is your mother’s, I think?” I hope it is, or I risked my life going back for nothing. Confusion clouds his expression as he takes the bracelet from me, his gaze questioning my actions.
“You went back for this?” he asks incredulously, his voice filled with a mix of surprise, disbelief, and anger.
“Your mother seemed upset over it,” I shrug. Xandros raises an eyebrow at me, shaking his head in disbelief.
“Mother!” he calls out to Adina, who limps over to us. He holds his hand out to her and her brows furrow, as she moves to take what he offers. He drops the bracelet into her open hand. “You found it?” she chokes on a sob, and I wonder what the story around it is, she clearly has some attachment to it. Maybe it’s a wedding anniversary gift or something.
“I didn’t. Sienna went back for it,” Xandros states, and she looks at me. The queen opens and closes her mouth, her gaze shifting between me, the burning car, and the bracelet in her hand. Xandros climbs into the ambulance, shutting the doors behind him, and I find myself face to face with him.
“That was foolish going back for that,” he tells me, and I know he is right. He bites his wrist, offering it to me, but I push his hand away. “No, I’ll heal.”
“Not fast enough once he pulls that out,” Xandros states, and I look at the medic who nods.
“Please, Sienna,” Xandros begs, his voice laced with desperation and concern. Reluctantly, I accept his blood, feeling a surge of warmth and energy flow through my veins. He pulls me into his lap, cradling me gently. “Ready?” the medic asks, and I am about to say for what when he rips the chunk of steel out. My scream is loud only to be swallowed by Xandros lips covering mine.
His blood rushes into my mouth, the pain dulling instantly, and I realize he cut his tongue with his teeth, feeding me more of his blood. His tongue demanding as his hand fists my hair, holding me in place, not giving me a chance to breathe while I feel the medic is prodding and poking me.
Finally, he releases me, pulling back and glancing down at my stomach. He exhales. “See, you’re all healed, well, mostly,” he murmurs, pressing his lips to my temple. His lips linger in the spot longer than necessary, yet I am too sore and tired to argue, instead relishing in his soothing scent and letting it calm my nerves.
40
Once back at the castle, it doesn’t take long before Xandros goes back to ignoring me, using the excuse it is for my safety when we learned King Vin would be staying longer than he initially claimed. The limousine was dragged off for examination, though I doubt they’ll find much since there was barely anything left of it once the fire tore through it.
The driver was buried the day after the accident, and watching his daughter cry over his coffin as he was laid to rest was horrid.
Since then a few days have passed, which I believe has something to do with King Dresden, yet he is a good actor playing the role of a worried father and concerned king; no one seems to have noticed or seen past the façade, and I can’t be bothered arguing it, what’s the point; I am invisible until they choose to use me or request something of me.
However, things have since returned to a semblance of normalcy. Although, tension is still lingering in the air. King Vin remains at the castle, and I haven’t seen Xandros for the past two days now. Surprisingly, I find myself not caring about his absence. Sitting in the walk-in closet, I dial Toby’s number, my heart racing with the excitement of knowing I would hear his voice. Hiding in this closet has become the highlight of my days. For a moment, I can pretend I am not here but with someone who actually does care for me.
