Lycan King’s Captives novel Chapter 25

I can feel the mounting pressure closing in on me, suffocating me from all sides. Carina’s father calls, his voice a sharp icy demand that sends a shiver down my spine.

“I want this treaty backed up with my grandchild, Xandros. And unless you give Carina one, you are to stay away from Sienna,” he commands.

The tension in the castle is palpable, a heavy weight that threatens to crush us all. I know I should comply, do what is expected of me, still I can’t bring myself to do it. I can’t sleep with Carina, can’t even bring myself to get aroused in her presence. It feels like a betrayal, a violation of the bond I share with Sienna.

I stand in my grand office, the walls seeming to close in on me as I hold the phone to my ear. The chilling voice of Carina’s father echoes in my head, his demand for a grandchild piercing me like a dagger.

“We’re postponing the wedding,” I find myself saying. The words hang heavy in the air, a declaration of defiance. It’s a risky move, one that could easily backfire. I need time – time to figure out what I truly want, and how to protect Sienna.

There’s silence on the other end of the line, and I can almost hear the gears turning in his mind. “Postponing?” he repeats, his voice dripping with venom.

“Yes,” I reply firmly. “We… we are trying to find a way to break the bond. It’s causing complications.”

The lie slides off my tongue smoothly, though it leaves a bitter taste in my mouth. I have no intention of breaking the bond with Sienna. It’s the one thing that’s real, the one thing that’s mine in this twisted game of power and politics.

My words seem to appease Carina’s father, at least for now. “You better fix this, Xandros,” he warns. “This treaty is crucial for our kingdoms. Do not let your personal feelings interfere with our plans.”

His words hit me hard, a stark reminder of the tightrope I’m walking on. I’m torn between my duty to my kingdom and the mate bond, the invisible tether that ties me to Sienna. Every day, the conflict within me grows, the two sides pulling me in opposite directions.

As I hang up the phone, a sense of dread settles in my chest. I’m caught in a web of lies and deceit, and with each passing day, I’m sinking deeper. I can only hope I find a way out of this mess before it’s too late, before I lose not only Sienna forever, but our kingdom.

The treaty. It’s been the backbone of my reign, the only barrier keeping my kingdom from crumbling into chaos. When my mother went on a rampage after the death of my aunt, slaughtering thousands of humans while hunting Sienna’s parents, it was Carina’s father who saved us. He stepped in and threatened the Elder Council with war if they dared to tear down the Lycan Kingdom.

In the world of supernatural politics, collateral damage is an accepted part of the game, and those residing in my city would have been exterminated without a second thought. It’s happened to kingdoms before, when their rulers lost control, and I couldn’t let it happen to mine.

So, I made a deal with the devil—Carina’s father. In exchange for his protection, I promised to marry his daughter. That was before I found my mate. Before Sienna walked into my life and turned it upside down.

I’ve heard the stories, of course. Lycans driven to the brink of insanity because they couldn’t find their mates. No one ever warned me that finding my mate could be just as devastating. The mate bond is a force of nature, powerful and unyielding, and it’s pulling me in two directions.

On one hand, there’s Sienna – my mate, my other half, the one who makes me feel complete. On the other hand, there’s my kingdom, my people, who rely on me for their safety and survival. There is also the betrayal of my mother; she hates Sienna, and she has reason to. However, Sienna is my mate.

Caught between the rock and the hard place, I find myself struggling to keep my head above water. Every day is a battle—a fight to keep my kingdom safe, while protecting the bond with my mate.

As I sit in the silence of my office, the weight of my responsibilities pressing down on me, And the worst part? I have no idea how to fix it.

The only thing I know for sure is I can’t lose Sienna. She’s become my beacon in this storm, the one thing who keeps me sane amidst the chaos.

For her safety, I have stayed away. I don’t visit her at night, haven’t in days, though I can feel my absence tearing her apart, even though every fiber of my being yearns to be near her. I can’t risk giving my mother, or Carina, a reason to hurt her, to lock her away in the cells again. The thought of her suffering because of me is unbearable—a constant, throbbing ache in my chest.

The distance between us only serves to amplify the pain of the bond, and I know I can’t keep this up forever. Sooner or later, something will have to give. The weight of the world is bearing down on me, and I’m not sure how much longer I can hold on.

With each passing day, as the pressure mounts and the stakes get higher, I wonder how much longer can I keep this up? How much longer until I’m forced to make an impossible choice? And when that day comes, who will I choose? My mate, or my kingdom?

And in the end, will it even matter?

I push the heavy, mahogany door of our master bedroom open, stepping into the softly lit room. An unexpected sight freezes me mid-stride. Carina, once a symbol of immaculate perfection, now sits on the edge of our oversized bed, a picture of ruin. The traces of her expensive mascara are smeared across her cheeks, and her usually impeccable hair is disheveled, her skin blotchy. She looks far from the composed, impeccable woman I am used to. The phone in her hands feels like an ominous sign of what’s to come, knowing whoever she just spoke to has upset her. That person probably being her father.

The entire room, usually reflecting our immense wealth and power, is tainted with an uneasy, chilling tension. It is so thick I can almost taste the salt of her tears in the air. The bedposts carved from ebony stand tall, the gilded mirror reflects the flickering flames from the fireplace. The room, as decadent as it is, screams death, and the flames emanating from the fireplace resemble my life burning around me with no way to extinguish their existence; even the plush carpet feels unnaturally cold under my bare feet.

Carina’s blood-red eyes lock onto mine, their depths swirling with a storm of emotions that unsettle me. Betrayal. Hurt. Anger. Fear. They all claw at me as she meets my gaze, leaving invisible scratches on her hardened exterior. If fire had a face, it would be hers at this moment, her eyes matching the burning embers of the fireplace.

“I just got off the phone with my father, Xandros,” she hisses, her voice a grating whisper against the pressing silence. “You’ve postponed our wedding!” she clenches her teeth.

I divert my gaze, the guilt coiling like a venomous snake inside me. I’ve always been able to face consequences head-on, this time, the confrontation is unwelcome. I know she is hurting, so am I. So is my mate.

My throat tightens, but I manage to maintain a calm façade. “I thought we needed more time to sort things out,” I respond, trying to keep my voice steady, not wanting to fight with her, not tonight.

“More time?” she laughs, the sound sending a chill up my spine.

“Look, if you’re here to talk me into marrying Carina, save your breath.” He shakes his head, making me sit back, confused.

“No, son. I’m here to tell you not to discard the mate bond. It’s killing you, and I can see it.” I instantly stiffen, ready to argue about the necessity of the treaty, when he interrupts me. “The treaty has loopholes, son. Mates are one of them. The marriage to Carina isn’t public yet. We can still fix this mess.”

I raise my eyebrows, taken aback. “You want me to call off the wedding?” I ask incredulously, his words in front of my mother say the opposite. His soft sigh brings a wave of defeat through me.

“I just want my son to be happy. As for your mother, she won’t accept Sienna… not yet. Give her time. She needs to see past Sienna’s parents’ sins. I know it’s hard, and your mother has a knack for making things more complicated than they need to be.”

“And this loophole?” I ask, still unsure of his proposal. His eyes glint, a sly smirk pulling at his lips. “If the mate is found before or after the marriage, she can still fight for you. It won’t breach the contract or the treaty if she fights for your hand.”

The notion is preposterous. “Carina will kill her.”

“Then train her,” he retorts simply with a shrug.

“How can I train her if I’m not even allowed to be near her until after the wedding?”

“Find a way, Xandros. Or get Carina to accept the divorce. Just… figure it out.” He rises, placing a comforting hand on my shoulder before heading to the door. “And mom?” I call out, my heart sinking at the thought of confronting her again to tell her I won’t go through with marrying Carina. He pauses, turning to me with a knowing smile. “I’ll handle your mother,” he says, turning and pauses again.

“Xandros,” my eyes meet his, “your mother isn’t the only one who needs to see past Sienna’s parents. She may be their daughter, but in my observations of the girl, she is not them. You were never asked to forgive her parents, so maybe you can forgive yourself; their deaths weren’t your fault, just like they weren’t Sienna’s, so blaming her won’t ease your guilt. Just like you, she is a victim in all this,” he adds. I swallow guiltily and nod once.

As the door shuts behind him, a whirlwind of thoughts start spinning in my head. Yet a glimmer of hope flickers amidst the chaos. The fear of the unknown is far too crippling, if only Carina would accept the divorce, this would be so much easier on everyone. I also know that will never happen.

Chugging the rest of my drink, I get up and leave my office. Returning to my room, I find it empty. Carina is nowhere in sight. With a sigh, I throw myself onto the bed, my thoughts wandering toward Sienna. The bond buzzing between us, alerting me she’s awake. A pull I can’t resist tugs me toward her, leading me to the other side of the castle, right outside her door.

I knock lightly, but when there’s no answer, I go to unlock the door only for it to push open. It’s always locked. Opening the door, I find the room empty. A surge of panic courses through me. My heart beats a frenzied rhythm in my chest as I take in the empty room, the untouched bed. “Sienna!” I call out. No answer. I rush into the bathroom, calling her name, yet she is also not in there.

“Sienna!” The silence that follows is a haunting echo of my worst fears when I catch a hint of familiar perfume. Carina’s perfume. Pulling my phone from my pocket, I dial her number. The phone rings out, so I try again while walking out of the room as I hunt for them. Once again, I get her voicemail and a snarl leaves my lips.