Page 33 of Lycan King's Captives
Carina’s eyes widen when she looks out the window. “The full moon is tonight, Xandros. She must be shifting for the first time.”
My heart races with panic at the thought of Sienna going through such a transformation alone. Carina bites her lip, then speaks softly, “Go… go be with her.”
I stare at her in shock, noticing a single tear rolling down her cheek. “Carina?”
“I get it, Xandros,” she says, her voice trembling. “I understand, and I may not like it, but it can’t be helped. It’s fine. Just go. I’m going to take a shower, anyway.”
Torn by her strange actions and the need to be with my mate, I hesitate for a moment before making my decision. I rush to the dungeons, finding Sienna shifting back into her human form, naked and covered in blood from her painful transformation.
Her head snaps up as I enter, her eyes glowing a fluorescent green. She looks desperate, longing to touch me, yet all I can see when I look at her is the face of the woman who destroyed my mother. The memory of that betrayal cuts through me like a knife, and I struggle to contain the anger bubbling inside me.
I speak coldly, trying to ignore my heartache.
“You’ll be brought back to the castle tomorrow, and there will be rules.” My voice is harsher than intended.
“Please, Xandros, please don’t leave me,” Sienna begs as I turn to leave. Turning back to look at her, the desperation on her face… I can’t stand the sight of her broken form, so I open her cell door. She flinches, moving away from me despite the desire to touch me that I can feel emanating from her.
“Get up,” I order, stepping back out of the cell. She hesitates for a moment before finally standing and moving toward the door.
“Now! Before I change my mind,” I snap, and she moves faster than I’ve ever seen her move before.
As she rushes toward me, she wraps her arms around me, and I can’t deny the feeling of comfort and warmth her embrace brings. The warmth of her body against mine is both soothing and electrifying, but the ghost of her family’s actions haunts me. I start to wrap my arms around her in return, but the memory of her family’s betrayal stops me. Gripping her hair, I shove her away.
“I didn’t say you could touch me,” I growl, turning away and walking up the stairs.
“I’m naked,” she protests, her voice trembling.
I pause for a moment, my heart aching at the sight of her vulnerable state. Then, the anger and hurt resurface, fueling my resolve. “Not my problem,” I tell her coldly, and I keep walking. If I give in to her, my mother will see it as special treatment and punish her worse than I am right now.
Sienna hesitates, then follows me with tears streaming down her face. As we climb the stairs, the weight of my decision weighs heavily on my chest, my heart a tangled mess of emotions. I know I’m hurting her, but my own pain and fear of what my mother will do have me conflicted. I’m trapped in a storm of conflicting feelings—love and hate, desire and fear, longing and anger.
When we reach the top of the stairs, I glance back at her, taking in the sight of her tear-streaked, filthy face, her eyes pleading for understanding and mercy. I want to reach out and comfort her, to tell her everything will be alright. The face of her mother, the woman responsible for my family’s suffering, flashes in my mind, along with the tortured look on my mother’s face when we found my aunt also does, and I can’t bring myself to do it.
“You’ll have a room in the castle,” I say, my voice strained.
Sienna’s eyes fill with tears, and she nods in acceptance. I watch her for a moment, my heart breaking with every tear that falls, knowing I am the one causing her pain. The scars of the past run too deep, and my loving her would put her at risk.
18
Each agonizing step through the forest feels like I’m living a nightmare, my heart pounding wildly with fear. My newly heightened senses pick up every rustle and whisper, making the shadows dance menacingly around me, even the trees as their branches whip my skin. The darkness even more so; it’s frightening with heightens senses, appearing to have no end as if threatening to swallow me whole. The further I walk, the more the darkness of the forest seems to close in, suffocating me as I follow Xandros, feeling like helpless prey led by a ruthless predator to its death.
Despite the terror clawing at me, I marvel at the haunting beauty of the castle grounds and gardens at night as we break out of the trees. Twinkling fairy lights are strung through the trees, casting a magical glow on the snow-covered ground, creating an eerie contrast to the sinister atmosphere that encases it. It is deathly beautiful.
The cold seeps through my bare feet right into my bones, and I shiver violently, my arms wrapped around myself in a futile attempt to ward off the freezing air that pierces my skin like a thousand icy needles, my toes numb from the snow and the cuts and grazes sting from the ice-cold air adding to my torture.
Xandros remains silent and unfeeling as we walk; his demeanor is as cold as the snow under my feet. His footsteps are resolute and unwavering, his callousness more chilling than the frigid air. He doesn’t pause or glance back at me as I stumble over loose debris, and I know trying to run would be pointless. I feel a growing sense of dread as we approach the castle, as if he is walking me to the gallows, leading me to my demise.
My feet slow as we get closer, and I can see through the windows. Servants tending to their chores and people rushing around. When I spot the guards walking around the perimeter though, my heart sinks even further, weighed down by despair. My naked, filthy state is unbearable, and I pause, not wanting to go any closer, not wanting them to see me like this.
“Sienna!” Xandros calls out, his voice harsh and unforgiving, like the crack of a whip against my already battered soul. I wrap my arms tighter around myself as if they alone can cover me.
“Can I have your jacket?” I plead with him, my voice barely a whisper. I am desperate for even the smallest bit of coverage to shield me from the gazes that will inevitably follow. My vulnerability is tangible, and I can hardly bear it. I’ve never felt so exposed before in my life. He glances at me, his eyes running the length of me and he clenches his jaw then looks away as if disgusted by the sight of me.
He only snarls in response, “Hurry up,” and continues walking, completely ignoring my request. His cruelty stings like a slap to the face, leaving me feeling more exposed and vulnerable than ever. This walk of shame is a torment beyond anything I have ever known as we near the path. The moment his feet crunch on the gravel all eyes turn our way.
With no other choice, I force myself to follow him, keeping my gaze fixed on the ground as I feel everyone’s eyes on me. The burning shame within me intensifies. This walk of shame is a torturous trip that seems to stretch on forever.
When we finally reach my room, Xandros unlocks the door and steps aside, motioning for me to enter. I look at him. “Inside before I change my mind and make you walk back to the dungeons.”
