Page 63 of Lycan King's Claim
“That she was brain-dead, there is no coming back from such a state, so for now, we keep researching, I have spoken to the Council. They are looking into medical history files, maybe something will turn up there,” he tells me.
“Keep searching,” I urge, my hands clench into fists at my sides. “There has to be an answer – something that will bring her back to me.” Just then, the doors to the hospital room swing open, revealing Javier, my father, and a cloaked figure: the witch. By the state of their clothes, it's pouring with rain outside. I watch the witch remove her cloak while Javier runs his fingers through his saturated hair. My father moves to Sienna's side, his hand going to her face.
He sighs before falling into my chair. My heart pounds in anticipation as the witch approaches, her footsteps echoing ominously against the cold tile floor as she sets her cloak on a chair and moves toward me and Sienna.
She glances at Sienna and I can see the sadness on her face, yet I want to kill the woman for ever agreeing to such a thing in the first place. “Xandros,” the witch begins, her voice thick with sorrow, “I am so sorry for what has happened to your mate.”
“Save your apologies, you're the reason she is like this,” I snap, my patience wearing thin. “Now tell us how to save her.” she swallows and glances at the doctor and shakes her head.
“Very well,” she replies, her eyes boring into mine with a mix of defiance and pity.
“Her body is rejecting the mark you've placed on her,” the witch states, what we already know. “The bond is trying to forge itself, but without Sienna having taken the second dosage of the potion, it seems she has become the sacrifice.”
"Excuse me?" I ask.
"For a bond to break, one mate must die. However, a weakened the bond sometimes this happens. The spell was suppose to tie to her fetus as the sacrifice but instead it tied to…" she doesn't finish, which is wise because I want to kill her as it is. "She never took the second half of the potion, the one that unties it from her completely, she couldn't go through with it. It left her vulnerable, unable to heal, she must have got hurt severely enough that it put her life at risk," the witch explains when Dr. Rami steps in.
"Head injury, her skull was fractured when King Vin hit her," he tells her, and the witch nods her head. "That would do it," she mumbles and shakes her head sadly.
"So, what does this mean?" I ask her.
"It means she is in limbo, her bond has detached, or she has, either she is the sacrifice or the bond is clinging on because you remarked her, I can't be certain. I've never seen such a thing before."
“Then how do I fix it?” My voice trembled with desperation, my Lycan howling in agony within me. “Unfortunately, I cannot say for certain,” the witch admits, her gaze dropping to the floor. “You remarking her is the only thing keeping her alive. Unfortunately, I don't know what that means,” she adds.
“Doctor Rami,” I ask, turning to him with renewed hope, if it's just a mate bond, surely it can be fixed. “Assemble a team to research similar cases of broken mate bonds, or severed mate bonds. Surely, there has to be a case of someone who has experienced this before, someone who can help save her.”
“Your Highness, I can try,” he agrees, his eyes filled with empathy. “But I must warn you: such cases are exceedingly rare. It may take time to find the answers we seek. If we find any at all.”
“Time is something we don't have,” I growl, my frustration mounting. But deep down, I know he was right. Our search could very well stretch on for weeks, months, or even years – and all the while, Sienna would remain trapped in her own body, neither living nor dead.
“Regardless, we must try, I'm not giving up on her,” I insist, my resolve unwavering. “I refuse to accept a world in which Sienna is not by my side.” The doctor looks at the witch nervously before nodding and grabbing Sienna's notes from the end of the bed.
Turning to my father and Javier, I address them. “I want you both to go to the Council and check all archives, not the system ones, the ones that are restricted,” My father stands up and grips my shoulder. “I'll let you know if we find anything,” he tells me.
I return to Sienna's bedside, taking her limp hand in mine while everyone left. The warmth of her skin offers a small comfort, reminding me that she is still here, still fighting. “Stay with me, my love,” I whisper, my tears spilling onto our intertwined fingers as I kiss her hand. “I can't raise a baby without you,” I plead with her.
A week later
The impact of Sienna's coma is undeniable. The Council has convened quickly, and I've been sanctioned to appear, having refused to leave Sienna, they've been forced to come to me. Sitting in the hospital conference room, I know whatever they're here for isn't good news. Their faces grim as they discuss the delicate balance between all the kingdoms, and the uproar King Vin's death has caused.
With tensions running high, it is crucial to reassure both our people and those of King Vin's former kingdom that there would not be further conflict. “Your Highness,” one of the Council members address me, his voice laced with concern, “we must present a united front, now more than ever. Princess Carina has taken over her father's kingdom and is attempting to stabilize the situation, but we need your leadership as well.”
I nod, my mind consumed with thoughts of Sienna. I am aware of the importance of my role in calming down the unrest, but I cannot seem to shake the fear of losing her forever no matter how hard I try. My mind gnaws at me, like a sharp-toothed beast lurking just beneath the surface of my awareness, gnawing away at me relentlessly as I try to ignore it.
“Arrange for a meeting with Carina, if we can make a public announcement,” I instruct, my voice strained. “In order to proceed, we will have to discuss the best course of action. However, it is important for you to know this: my number one priority is Sienna's well-being, and I will not let anything distract me from this."
I pace the corridors of the hospital as the Council disperses to make arrangements. My heart feels as though it is encased in ice, slowly constricting with each labored beat. However, the sudden shattering sound brings me back to the present. I look down to find a vase of flowers reduced to shards of glass at my feet, their once vibrant petals now crushed and wilting. In my agitation, I hadn't even realized I'd knocked it over.
“Xandros,” a soft voice calls out. I turned to see my mother, standing nearby, her eyes filled with sympathy and pity, something I hate her looking at me with. “You can't continue like this. You're tearing yourself apart.”
“I can't lose her, Mother,” I whisper, my voice barely audible. “I would give anything to save her, but it feels as if fate itself is conspiring against us.”
“Have faith, my son,” she urges gently.
“Love has a way of triumphing over even the darkest of circumstances. But you must also take care of yourself, for Sienna's sake as well as your own.”
Her words resonate within me, striking a chord deep in my soul. As much as I long to remain at Sienna's side, I know I had a duty to fulfill – not only to our kingdoms, but to her as well. If we were to have any chance at a future together, I have to ensure that our world remains intact.
