Page 53 of Lycan King's Claim
“NO!” I scream, rushing to Tasha's side. My hands shake as I try to wake her, but she lays limp and unresponsive in my arms. Heavy footsteps approach from behind me, and I turn around to see King Vin, his eyes gleaming with malice.
“Well, isn't this interesting?” he sneers. “Does King Xandros know you're here trying to kill his spawn?”
I attempt to step back, fear and anger coursing through me, but King Vin is too quick. His fist connects with my face, and everything goes black. The last thing I hear before succumbing to darkness is the faint echo of my baby's heartbeat, a bittersweet reminder of what is at stake.
27
The sun pours a vibrant glow through the towering windows of the lavish conference room, illuminating every intricate detail and drenching the expansive table in an ethereal golden haze. Sitting dominantly at the head, my fingers tap an impatient rhythm against the gleaming wood.
Across from me, a man, dressed in what he probably considers his finest attire, goes on incessantly about his ambitious plans for a new business venture in the city. I'm barely listening, my mind occupied with Sienna. The intoxicating memory of her deep moans from this morning, the electrifying sensation of her body quivering beneath mine, and the bewitching scent of her that lingers in my senses, driving me to the brink of distraction.
“Your Highness?” The man's voice, imbued with a hint of irritation, jerks me back to the opulent surroundings. Our eyes meet, and I muster a courteous nod, masking my deep yearning for my mate.
“My apologies,” I murmur, summoning a smile that doesn't quite reach my eyes. “Please, proceed.” Slyly, I retrieve my phone from my pocket, firing a brief message to Javier, inquiring about Sienna. His reply is swift: she's resting, feeling under the weather. A pang of anxiety pierces me, and the restless stirrings of my Lycan amplify the unease.
The meeting drags on, every tick of the ornate clock intensifying my concern. A disconcerting sensation gnaws at me—our bond, that once-powerful link with Sienna, feels eerily distant, like a dying ember in a once roaring fire. As the man finally wraps up, relief washes over me. “I'll ensure the contracts are sent to you,” I assure him, barely hiding my haste to leave.
The vast palace halls, usually a testament to grandeur and history, blur into insignificance as I stride toward my sanctuary– Sienna. But a nagging responsibility halts me—I must send that damned contract. Stalking off toward my office, amidst ancient books that line the walls and elegant artifacts, I search my folders, growing frantic. However, as the files spill from my desk onto the floor as I search it, a peculiar envelope catches my eye—hospital insignia. I tear it open, a potent mixture of curiosity and dread surging within.
“Ah! Found it!” Javier’s voice pierces the heavy silence, brandishing the elusive contract. “Hidden in plain sight, on the bookshelf! Honestly, Xandros, how do you even function amidst this rubbish?”
I barely register his words, transfixed by the revelations in the letter. The world seems to sway as my mother enters, her face a mask of guarded concern.
“She's pregnant,” my voice is a broken whisper, the enormity of past wrongdoings weighing down on me. Each altercation, every harsh word, and action is magnified in light of this revelation.
My mother’s eyes dart anxiously between Javier and me. Her behavior rings alarm bells in my head, and my eyes narrow in suspicion. “Did you know?” The question, laced with accusation, hangs in the air.
She visibly wilts under my intense gaze, voice trembling. “We discovered it just last night. Sienna wanted you to know on her terms. She wanted to tell you herself, she promised me she would.”
“Yet she didn't!” My growl, filled with a torrent of emotions, echoes ominously. The urgency to find her, to right my wrongs, propels me out of the office, only to be met with her unsettling absence.
The weight of this realization presses heavily on me. With every breath, I feel the burden of my past actions, every mistake I’ve made amplified tenfold. The radiant afternoon sun streaming through the large window has lost its brilliance, now merely a harsh reminder of the time I've lost. When my mind goes back to last night and the strange energy she radiated, her strange behavior.
“I need to find her,” I say abruptly, my voice urgent. My mind races, trying to piece together every interaction we’ve had, every moment we shared in the past weeks. The signs, the emotions she tried to hide—all becoming alarmingly clear.
“Wait, Xandros,” Javier stops me, holding out the contract he was searching for earlier. His worried gaze fixed on mine, “Do you really think confronting her now, with all the turmoil you’re feeling, is the best idea?”
But I’m already moving, a force propelling me forward, though my heart is heavy with dread. The vast corridors of the castle echo my hurried footsteps.
The exquisite art, the mesmerizing statues, the lush drapes that line the walls—all of it becomes inconsequential. Only Sienna matters.
Passing by my old chambers, I'm met with silence. I hesitate for a moment, my heart thumping loudly in my ears as I finally come to a stop outside the door. The stillness is unnerving. I knock softly, then harder, calling out her name. But there’s no response.
A rising sense of panic grips me. What if she’s hurt? Or worse, what if she’s left? I push it open, and my eyes scan the room, only I don’t see her. Wandering to the bathroom, I push the door in to find the bathroom empty; I check the closet, also empty, when my eyes fall on the open window. No, she is pregnant, she wouldn’t, I think, as the unease grows in my gut.
“Javier!” I bellow, my voice echoing through the hallways.
He appears almost instantly, “What is it?”
“She's not in her room,” I reply, struggling to mask my growing desperation.
His eyes scan the room. “No, she said she was going to lie down.” he insists and checks for himself. “I will go check the staff areas,” he says, stalking off. When he returns, I can see the worry etched into his face. He stares at me for a moment, seeing the raw pain I can’t hide. He then swiftly moves to her dressing table, picking up her cell. “Maybe there's a clue here,” he suggests.
I watch as his fingers dance over the screen, scrolling through the recent calls. A name pops up repeatedly, making my blood run cold.
“Tasha,” Javier mutters, handing me the phone.
The mystery deepens, and my resolve strengthens. I need to find Sienna, for her safety, for our unborn child, and for the bond that has seen more strain than any relationship should endure.
