Page 1 of Lycan King's Claim
1
When I wake, I find myself in a hotel room, Toby by my side, sweeping the hair from my face. "Shh, I've got you. You're safe," he whispers as I peer around, blinking rapidly, waiting for my vision to clear. The room looks old and worn, Toby seems out of place in this environment. He sets me gently on the bed, opens a bottle of water, and helps me drink. I feel overheated and dizzy, his touch brings a soothing calmness to my soul.
He speaks softly, his words a balm to my confusion. "I gave you a small sedative to weaken the bond, not to harm you, however, it should mute it," he explains, his voice filled with concern. I nod, my eyelids growing heavy with fatigue, when Toby jostles me awake. "Here, drink this, then I will help you shower." He presses the rim of the bottle to my lips and tilts it. I drink greedily, my mouth dry from whatever he gave me.
Once I finish the bottle, he guides me to the bathroom, undressing me with gentle hands, his touch igniting sparks of desire within me which feel foreign at first, or maybe it's a side effect of the sedative. I'm unsure.
He brushes my hair away from my neck, his eyes fixed on the mark that bears Xandros's claim. There's worry in his gaze as he glances around as if he is nervous of the potential danger we are in while it remains there, tainting my skin and my soul, branding me as the king's mate.
"What if Xandros finds us?" I whisper, my voice filled with fear.
Toby caresses my cheek, his touch tender. "The sedative should keep us hidden from his senses. If you can't feel, he shouldn't be able to feel you. I should mark you, just to be sure," he murmurs, his voice tinged with a mixture of protectiveness and longing.
He helps me step into the shower before stripping his own clothes off, his muscular body glistening with water as he stands under the stream. I watch him, captivated by the contours of his physique, the strength he exudes. His presence fills the bathroom with an undeniable allure. His eyes are cerulean, clear, yet dark at the same time.
His hair falls in dark blonde waves framing his chiseled features, his lips full, soft, and inviting. He smells like lemons, citrus aftershave, and the hint of his own musk. His hands are large and strong, his fingers warm against my skin as they slip over my body, through my hair, as he washes it quickly.
As he soaps my body, his touch is gentle, causing a current of electricity coursing through me. His voice becomes seductive. "I've dreamed of being with you like this, Sienna. Of feeling your body against mine," he murmurs, his fingers tracing patterns over my skin.
"Not like this," I breathe out, the sedative weighing heavily on me. Toby doesn't seem to notice.
The water cascades down our bodies, the sound of its flow blending with our breaths as we move together under the stream. I feel a jolt of desire shoot through me at the touch of his hand cupping my breast, his thumb caressing my nipple. My body responds to him instinctively, my own hands roaming over his damp skin. He takes my mouth, claiming my lips, and I respond eagerly, the taste of him sending a shiver down my spine.
"I wish I marked you first," he whispers against my lips. His love for me is clear in his words, making me wonder why he didn't. My heart aches, torn between the tender affection he offers and the fiery passion Xandros ignites within me.
I find myself comparing the two, their differences stark yet magnetic. Toby is gentle, sweet, and tender, his touch is a soothing balm to my wounded soul. Xandros, on the other hand, is like fire, consuming me, leaving me breathless and craving more. I realize, at this moment, how much I hunger for his rough, dominating touch, a hunger Toby's hesitance can't fully satisfy.
"I want to mark you, Sienna. I want to claim you as mine," he whispers, his eyes locking on the bond mark on my neck. "Please, let me erase his mark and replace it with mine. Let me show you what it means to be loved and cherished," he pleads, his fingers tracing the outline of the mark. I nod, giving him permission to do what he needs to do. Toby's lips capture mine in a passionate kiss, still, it’s not what I crave.
His hands skim over my naked skin and find their way to my breasts as he sucks on my lower lip. My hands loop around his neck as I press closer, wanting more of his touch. My body is on fire with need for this man who has risked everything for me.
I feel goosebumps rising on my skin in response to his touch, desire pooling low in my belly. The thought of being marked by someone who truly cares for me ignites a spark within me.
Frustration surges within me as I guide Toby's hand between my legs, seeking a connection that feels desperate and hungry. I touch him back, my touch demanding and filled with need. In the depths of this intimate moment, I can't deny the lingering desires that still burn for Xandros, the unspoken connection that draws me toward him.
The clash of emotions within me is overwhelming, the pull between the two men in my life tearing at my soul. In this whirlwind of conflicting desires, I lose myself, surrendering to the passion Toby offers, even as the echoes of the bond that ties me to Xandros reverberate through my being. At this moment, everything else fades away—the bond to Xandros, the danger we're in—leaving only us together at this moment.
2
The meetings with the Council to see if there was any way out of the arrangement were boring. I learned nothing I didn't already know. Either Carina agrees to the divorce, or Sienna challenges her.
So I am back to square one, hounding Carina to sign the paperwork or declare war. Carina has the week. If not, I am declaring war on her kingdom and breaching the treaty arrangement on the wedding day by refusing publicly.
I sigh, annoyed, as I make my way to Sienna's room. I am eager to see her; I'd done nothing but think about her the entire meeting and the entire drive back home. She seems to be in a good mood, from what I can tell through the bond. Almost excited about something.
As I enter Sienna's room, my heart is pounding with anticipation. The room is dark, with only moonlight and the glow of the television illuminating its interior. The bed is perfectly made, without a wrinkle in the sheets. To my dismay, she's not there. "Anna?" I call out to her.
I’m met with silence. Sniffing the air, her scent is faint.
Moving about the room, I find Javier passed out on the couch. I grip his shoulder, and he jolts awake. "Where's Sienna?" I ask him, and he jerks upright, wiping the drool from his face.
"Over… " he glances around frantically. "She was right there. We were watching movies," he says, sitting upright. He clutches his head in his hands while I check the bathroom.
"Ah, my head, what the hell," he groans as I push the door open to the bathroom to find it too empty.
"Maybe Carina called for her?" Javier tells me as he checks the walk-in closet. I nod once, leaving the room, hearing him call out behind me that he'll call the staff room.
Panic rises within me as I search the other rooms, asking the staff if they've seen her. The castle feels empty, void of her presence. My mind races, trying to piece together where she could be.
