Page 8 of Lycan King's Claim
"Don't make me force you," he snarls. My eyes widen as I see what he holds in his other hand — handcuffs, the metal taunting me. I shake my head, taking a step back. "You want to act like a bitch in heat? I'll treat you like one. Get in the bed, Sienna." His voice is a warning, a promise to inflict pain. Still I refuse; I know all too well what being a prisoner of his bed means.
"Make me drag you here and see what happens. Don't test me right now!" Xandros screams at me with such intensity I flinch. His aura crashes against me, battering every part of me, crushing me under its weight.
There's something different about it, something so potent. It hurts, just not like before. This is crippling and intentional. It brings me to my knees. He growls, moving toward me, his grip on my arm bruising.
"Get up," he snarls, his words falling on deaf ears. He doesn't realize I can't move or breathe as the weight of his aura crushes me. When I can't comply, he drags me, tossing me onto the bed like a lifeless doll.
"Even after what you've done, you dare deny me!" he screams, gripping my shoulder and forcefully rolling me onto my back.
The face that comes into view isn't the one I know. Red veins twitch across his face, and the whites of his eyes bleed red. He looks demonic and crazed as he yells at me with such fury that spit covers my face. The metal of the handcuff pinches my flesh, and once he secures my hand to the headboard, the yelling finally stops.
He stands and gives the handcuff a tug, ensuring no escape. He exhales loudly, his aura dropping, and I peer at my hand, veins bulging, turning purple from the lack of circulation. Fear fills me as he abruptly leaves the room. My breathing becomes fast and frantic as I tug and yank on the handcuffs, the pain intensifying to the point where I'm tempted to bite my hand off just to make it stop.
6
I had to escape, to get away from her. The rage that was building inside me was overpowering and consuming. I couldn't see past my anger, my fear of her running away again clouding my judgment. I reach for the bottle, drinking the last remnants of it before tossing it into the bin. I close my eyes and rest my head back on the headrest. Pain courses through me. It's as if I can feel his burning touch, pulsating and throbbing with such intensity that it makes my limbs ache, mainly my hand.
Time passes, and the ache remains, gradually dulling along with my fury. Yet the memories of the past remain. I remember the first time I noticed the changes within me, about ten years ago. I thought I was hallucinating as I stared into the mirror, my eyes transforming, veins wriggling beneath my skin. I believed I was falling ill.
The power of command possessed by kings grants them the ability to control others against their will. As this power strengthens, it affects their psyche, leading to paranoia and mistrust. The weight of ruling and the constant exposure to others' emotions can push them toward madness. Finding a mate becomes vital to maintain their sanity.
Without a mate, the madness can consume the king, turning them into a tyrant ruled by their own inner demons. The power of command becomes a destructive force, causing the king to lose touch with reality and commit acts of cruelty and violence.
The next day, I knew what it was because the veins remained only now my eyes had changed. It was the beginning of a journey into madness, the power twisting and warping my mind. Power makes people delusional, paranoid, and that's how it all started. Gradually, the power takes on its own entity, another form of consciousness, an alter ego of sorts, born from a fractured mind.
As a king's mind unravels, their actions become unpredictable, driven by irrational fears and obsessions. The power of command that once granted them control now becomes a force that controls them. Kingdoms have fallen to mad kings, and wars started. It's why Lycans are governed so fiercely. It's why we hid that I was king from the Council for so long until we had no other choice.
This is why finding a mate is so crucial for a king. The bond formed with their mate provides a grounding force, a stabilizing influence that helps them maintain their sanity. The mate acts as a counterbalance to the power, sharing the weight of the command and providing stability.
Something I feared because the side effects are irreversible. I've learned to control it, and Sienna is a huge part of that. After what she's done, the betrayal of the bond seems to have awoken it.
I'm jolted awake by the sound of the door opening. It takes me a few seconds to recognize my surroundings, disorientation sweeping through me. Javier walks in, picking up the discarded bottles I don't remember drinking. He tosses them into the bin, muttering under his breath.
"I came to check on you," he tells me, and I sit up, running my fingers through my hair.
"I'm fine; I just needed to get away from her," I reply, shaking my hand as the pain intensifies, pulsating relentlessly. I flex my fingers, trying to alleviate the discomfort.
"What about Sienna?" Javier asks.
"In her room," I tell him, still feeling the throbbing pain in my hand. "What about the hotel?" I ask, knowing if anyone has footage that gets out, it will bring the Council here.
"Sorted. Your parents took care of it. Your mother paid off the hotel owner for the security footage and entry logs. Carina compelled those staying at the hotel, and we erased any phone footage," Javier explains, and I nod slowly.
Something nags at me, though, and the pain in my hand only worsens, becoming all-consuming. "Has Sienna eaten, Xandros? You've been down here for hours, and you never gave me the key to the room. I tried finding the master key, but it's gone," Javier asks, concern etched on his face.
I rub my face, trying to remember how long I've been down here, my memories fuzzy. I recall walking into the bathhouse with Sienna, waking up disoriented in our room, and feeling my control slipping away. I knew I had to get away from her, from everyone. And then… The pain in my hand intensifies, and my fingers twitch involuntarily.
It suddenly dawns on me. Violently, my hand spasms, throbbing with agony. My eyes widen as I open the bond, letting it flood me, allowing me to sense her. What I find horrifies me. She's in so much pain. I glance at my hand, noticing its pale, almost translucent appearance.
"No," I gasp, jumping from my seat.
"Xandros?" Javier panics. I have no time to explain as I run for her room. However, I can't find the key when I reach the door. I search my pockets, digging through my blazer. It's nowhere to be found. Javier catches up with me.
"What is it?" he asks. Panic surges through me, and I back up, slamming my body against the door. A horrid crunch and snap echo through the air as my shoulder makes contact.
Ignoring the pain, I back up again, hitting the door again. This time, it groans, cracks, and splinters on one side. Javier grabs my arm, his eyes widening.
"Where's the key?" he growls. I shake my head, unable to remember. Slowly, realization dawns on him.
