Lycan King’s Captives novel Chapter 41

Xandros takes me back to my room, his grip on my arm firm. Javier is already waiting for us, sitting in the armchair by the crackling fire. A small smile tugs at my lips when I notice Javier’s presence, but it quickly fades as Xandros glares at me, his eyes filled with suspicion and a hint of possessiveness.

“Did you find anything?” Xandros asks, his voice cutting through the tension in the room. Javier gets up from the armchair, a book in his hand.

Xandros points a finger between Javier and me, his voice laced with accusation. “Is there something going on between you two?” His demand hangs in the air, and Javier shakes his head, disbelief etched on his face.

“You can’t be serious?” Javier mutters under his breath, clearly taken aback by Xandros’s accusation.

“I’m very serious!” Xandros growls, his gaze shifting from Javier to me. I instinctively take a step back, my heart pounding in my chest. Xandros grabs my arm, his grip tight and possessive as he jerks me back toward him. “Xandros! Let her go, be angry at me, not her. She has done nothing wrong,” Javier intervenes, his voice filled with a mix of concern and frustration. Xandros growls, reluctantly letting me go, and I fight the urge to check my arm, his claws having pierced through the thin fabric into my arm.

Javier moves toward the door, his body tense with the need to defuse the situation. Xandros growls in response, and reluctantly follows him, leaving me alone in the room. As they step outside into the hall, I can’t resist the temptation to eavesdrop on their conversation. I press my ear against the wooden door, straining to catch their words.

A thud resonates through the door, making me gasp. “Do you like her?” Xandros demands, his voice heavy with accusation.

“We are friends, it’s not like she has many in this place because you don’t allow it! Now get off me, you should know me better than that,” Javier retorts, his voice laced with frustration.

“I’m going insane, she is driving me insane. This bond is!” Xandros rambles.

“You’re not insane, you’re just jealous because she gives you the cold shoulder,” Javier tells him.

“Of course I’m jealous, she’d rather fuck my wife than me!” Xandros booms, his words hitting me like a dagger to the heart. Silence falls and I wait, listening intently.

“She’d rather what?” Javier blurts out, his disbelief evident in his voice.

“Never mind, I’ll tell you later, or maybe she will since you’re her ‘friend’,” Xandros replies, a bitter edge tainting his words. Javier sighs heavily, the weight of the situation seems to be getting to him. “Just tell me what you found,” Xandros finally asks.

“This. Found it in the library,” Javier replies.

“What does it say? I don’t have time to read an entire book,” Xandros snaps, his impatience seeping through his words. Javier takes a deep breath before responding while I hold mine, also wanting to know the answer.

“It says the only way she can resist your command after you’ve marked her is if the bond is breaking,” Javier explains. My brows furrow, taking in his words. I didn’t know that was possible, Toby never told me a bond could break on its own.

Xandros scoffs at the words, his disbelief evident and rippling through the bond. I can feel his curiosity and worry at Javier’s words.

“Impossible, you can’t break a fated mate bond,” he retorts.

“Actually, you can. If you kill it,” Javier states, his words hanging heavy in the air, confusing me even more.

“What do you mean?”

“You’re a king, Xandros. Your aura, your command, is stronger than anyone else’s. She now holds a part of it. Your constant rejection of her is tarnishing your bond, weakening it. It is possible to break a bond. Witches have done it. And you are doing it by rejecting her,” Javier explains, his words resonating with a deep sense of truth. My bond pangs painfully at his words. I shove it aside, trying my best to ignore it.

“I haven’t rejected her,” Xandros argues.

“Maybe not in so many words, but in your actions. Her bond is protecting itself, so it doesn’t kill her. It’s rejecting you.”

“Excuse me?” Xandros sounds outraged at the thought of me rejecting him. And it makes me worry if that will be another thing I am punished for, my unruly bond.

“When a bond is broken, it can attach itself to someone else. You’re a Lycan King. You can’t go on without your mate. She was human before being infected and changed, therefore she can. You need her to stop from going crazy, yet you’re the one driving her crazy, so her bond is protecting her by rejecting you,” Javier explains, his words echoing in the air, carrying with them a sense of revelation and consequence. Well, serves him right, maybe there is a way out of the bond after all; he will cast me aside once he is done breaking me.

“So what happens if it breaks?” Xandros asks.

“It doesn’t say, just that you’ll both live. No one knows in what state you’ll be in when it does. Eventually, though, your ability to heal her and command her will stop, and her ability to shift will stop. She’ll pretty much return to being human, only with immortality,” Javier reveals, his voice filled with a mix of caution and concern.

“Well, I guess I do have time to read this stupid book then,” Xandros says dismissively. “Are you doing anything tonight?”

“Watching Sienna’s door, like always,” Javier replies.

“No, I need you to do something else. I want you to go into the city and monitor Vin. I would like to know who he’s going to meet,” Xandros commands, his voice carrying an air of command.

‘Very well,” Javier tells him.

As the door handle twists, I quickly move away from the door and take my place in front of the fire, trying to appear like I wasn’t eavesdropping.

Xandros enters the room, clutching the book in his hands and moves to the armchair. He says nothing and I reach for the TV remote. I spend the day watching TV, trying to distract myself from the weight of Xandros’s presence. Hours pass, and boredom seeps in as I keep a watchful eye on the alarm clock resting on the bedside table. I steal glances at it, my mind filled with thoughts of Toby. The anticipation of hearing his voice gnaws at me.

“Why do you keep staring at the alarm clock? Do you have somewhere else to be?” Xandros’s voice cuts through the silence, his eyes trained on me. I feel a surge of panic rise within me as I try to come up with a plausible explanation. “No, I… I was just… wondering about the time,” I stammer, my voice betraying my unease.

Xandros places his book down, his gaze fixated on me. The intensity of his stare makes me shrink under his scrutiny. I can feel his suspicion and possessiveness weighing heavily upon me, suffocating me. The room feels smaller, the air thick with tension as I wait for him to speak. “You were wondering about the time?” he asks, his eyes narrow slightly.

“Yes, I’m just bored, okay?” I mutter under my breath, my fingers fumbling with the remote as I change the TV channel. Xandros chucks the book onto the coffee table with a frustrated sigh. “Come here,” he tells me. He clenches his jaw, the tension in the room palpable. “Please,” he adds, his voice softer this time.

I chew on my bottom lip, my eyes darting between him and the TV screen. Reluctantly, I get up from my spot on the floor and move closer to him. He reaches out, his strong hands pulling me onto his lap, enveloping me in his warmth. I sit awkwardly on his lap, wanting to hop off him. When I try to move his arms wrap around me, holding me tighter.

“What do you want to do then?” he asks. My heart pounds in my chest as I battle the conflicting emotions swirling within me.

Call Toby, I think bitterly, the desire to reach out to him consuming my thoughts.

“Surely there is something you want to do?”

“What is there to do? Besides playing maid, all I do is rot in this room,” I retort, unable to suppress the anger that simmers just below the surface. The weight of my words hang heavy in the air, yet he doesn’t acknowledge my bitter tone.

“Come on then, let’s go for a run,” Xandros suggests, tapping my thigh gently. He gets up from the couch and moves toward the walk-in closet, and I follow him to see him grab a bag and some warm clothes for both of us. When he emerges, he nods toward the door, a glimmer of excitement in his eyes. “Come on, do you want to shift or not?” he asks, his voice tinged with anticipation.

“You’ll let me shift?” I ask, confusion clouding me. He holds out his hand to me. I hesitate, and when I don’t move to take his, Xandros reaches down and clasps my hand firmly, his touch sending sparks up my arm and lacing my skin with goosebumps. I follow him, letting him lead me through the castle toward the back gardens.

We step outside, the cool breeze sweeping across my skin. The scent of earth and nature fills my senses, grounding me in this moment. Xandros guides me toward the dense forest that surrounds the castle, and for a fleeting moment, panic surges through me. Is this a trick? Is he leading me to the dungeons to punish me for what happened with Carina? My steps falter, my body tensing, and my feet stop. Xandros also stops, glancing back at me and tugging on my hand. I step back, jerking my hand from his grasp.

“Sienna?” Xandros’s voice breaks through my racing thoughts, and I shake my head, trying to back away. He sighs, a mix of exasperation.

“Fine,” he huffs, moving towards me with purpose. I raise my hand instinctively, ready to protect myself if necessary. Instead of lashing out, he swiftly wraps his arms around my waist, lifting me effortlessly and tossing me over his shoulder.

I thrash in his grasp, my muscles tense and my heart pounds with a mix of fear and anticipation. The world spins in a dizzying blur as Xandros takes off with an alarming speed that makes my surroundings a mix into a wall of brown and green. Nausea churns in my stomach from the sudden motion, my senses overwhelmed by the rush of wind against my face. My grip tightens on his back, my fingers digging into his shirt as I cling to him, worried about him dropping me at this speed.

Within moments, we arrive at our destination. Xandros sets me down gently on the forest floor, and I stumble slightly as I find my footing. Glancing around, I take a deep breath, filling my lungs with the earthy scent of the forest. I’m not at the dungeons, instead deep within the forest.

As my eyes adjust to the dim light filtering through the trees, I take in the beauty of the surroundings. Towering trees stretch toward the sky, their branches intertwined like a protective canopy. The soft rustle of leaves and the distant call of birds echo around us, soothing my senses and easing the tension that has coiled within me.

Xandros stops, dropping the bag on the ground and unzipping it. He then starts removing his clothes, placing them in the bag. I watch him undress, nervously. He strips off his shirt, revealing a smooth chest and abs. His gaze fixed on me. The contours of his muscular torso are well sculpted, his abdomen a mountain of firm muscle. He is grace personified—the embodiment of perfect masculine beauty.

Before I realize what I am doing, I step toward him. My fingertips brush against his forearm. His skin is warm and soft, smooth to the touch. His shoulders are broad and sturdy, and his muscles ripple with each movement. His broad chest is covered in silky hair that trails down to where his pants hang low on his hips. “Are you going to undress, your clothes will rip if you don’t,” Xandros speaks, breaking me out of the bond induced trance I became absorbed in.

Glancing around nervously, I remove my clothes until I am just standing in my bra and underwear. Xandros however sighs, stepping closer to me. His hand grips my hip, tugging me to him, while the other slips behind me, unclasping my bra. He tosses it near the bag before gripping my underwear and crouching. He pulls them down, and I grip his shoulder, stepping out of them, feeling extremely exposed to his wandering gaze. “Do you need help to shift?” he asks me, and I hesitate, wondering how he can possibly help me to shift. At the same time I also don’t know how to just shift on my own; both times I’ve shifted it was forced.

I nod slowly, my gaze fixed on him. Xandros nods in return, his fingers trailing over the skin of my hip as he circles around me. His touch sends shivers down my spine, and I can feel the heat of his breath against the back of my neck.

“Close your eyes,” he murmurs, his voice low and hypnotic. I do as he says, my heart thumping with anticipation and a hint of fear. His fingers trail down my spine, and I can feel his warm breath against my skin as he whispers. “Now picture your Lycan form,” I try to do as he says. “Focus on the memory of when you shifted, what it felt like.” My body tenses remembering the pain, the way my bones stretched and moved, the feeling of my skin burning and rippling as it too stretched. I take a deep breath, focusing on the innate animal within me. My bones ache as they elongate, my muscles contracting and expanding as they transform. My skin tightens as fur sprouts from my flesh, covering me in a soft coat of fur.

I feel Xandros’s hand on my back, grounding me in the present moment. His touch is electrifying. He guides me through the transformation process, his voice soothing and calm. My senses heighten as I shift, my vision turning to black and white as the world takes on new shapes and forms. The forest is more vibrant now; every scent more vivid, every sound crisper. Xandros is beside me, still in his human form but with an energy rippling off him. He moves to stand in front of me, while I stare at my hands and the sharp claws that split my nail beds. I giggle and then jump at the sound when I find I can still talk and make noise in this form.

Xandros snorts, making me look at him, and for once I am taller than he is. Though not for long because he quickly shifts into a huge black Lycan. I peer up at him, and he steps closer, sniffing me before nipping at my now pointy ear. I shake my head at the feel of it before scratching my ear, only to remember my claws when they slice through it, making me hiss. Xandros makes a weird noise. “Gentle, you need to remember you’re stronger in this form,” he tells me, grabbing my hands and holding them up. “And claws are sharp,” he tells me. I nod, knowing exactly how sharp claws are from when his mother slashed my face. Yet, my body buzzes, making me feel giddy with anticipation. “Go on then, I’ll follow you,” he tells me, and excitement fills me.

I take off running through the forest, darting between trees with ease. Xandros follows close behind me, his own form moving with grace and speed that matches mine. We run for hours, exploring every corner of the forest. The world around me is a blur of colors and smells—a wild and untamed place I become distracted by as I explore. As the sun begins to set, Xandros grabs my tail, making me stop. My clumsy Lycan isn’t exactly balanced well when it comes to stopping and turning.

As I pivot, Xandros is jerked forward, knocking into me, and I am suddenly falling. My eyes widen as I see the canopying trees and then dirt. I clench my eyes shut and toss out my hands just as I feel him grab me. With a soft thud, I land on top of him, and he groans. Opening my eyes, I see my claws piercing his chest like hooks and my eyes widen in horror. “Sorry,” I blurt, pulling them out. Blood spills out of the holes and on instinct I lean down, running my tongue over them. His clawed hands brush my fur gently and tug on my ears, making me stop and sit upright, realizing my own actions. As I peer down, I realize my saliva healed him, the wounds now closed.

“I didn’t mean to startle you, I forget you’re new to this,” he tells me, tugging on my tail that he seems to like playing with. Only then do I realize it is wagging from side to side, his eyes tracking it as his other hand grabs it. He chuckles. “So weird seeing you with a tail, yours is so fluffy,” he laughs as it whips out of his hand only for him to snatch in his other. I try to make it stop moving only to find it impossible.

“It’s because you’re happy, and excited to be free. Don’t be embarrassed. We are part animal,” he tells me, sitting up and making me straddle his lap. I hastily climb off him, wanting to run some more, when he grabs my hand, tugging me in a different direction. As we step out of the trees, I find one of the maids setting up a picnic. She nods when she sees us and disappears into the treeline. Xandros leads me over to it and I gasp at the view. Had we really run to the top of the mountain? As I step closer to the edge, Xandros snatches my tail, distracted by the breathtaking view. I hadn’t realized I nearly stepped off the edge of it. He jerks me back, not letting me.

“You’re so easily distracted in this form,” he tells me, shifting back and sitting, I shift back too, finding it easier to shift back than into my Lycan form. I look for something to cover myself when Xandros grabs my wrist, pulling me into his lap. Up here and naked, the wind is like ice. Goosebumps lace my skin, and Xandros rummages in the basket, pulling out a blanket, and wrapping it around us. With the blanket and his body warmth, I eventually stop shivering enough to eat as we watch the sunset.

The world around us is bathed in shades of orange and gold, nature’s canvas painting a serene backdrop. However, my heart is anything but calm. Unresolved emotions churn within me, tearing at my very core. I long to be back in the safety of the castle, away from the torment of conflicting desires.

Right now, Xandros is far from the man I’m so used to.

Xandros sensing my unease, his keen senses attuned to my every shift in mood. He comes to a halt, his eyes fixing on mine with unwavering intensity. “So, what do you want to do next?” he asks, his voice a deep rumble that sends shivers down my spine. His concern is evident, yet I can’t bring myself to share the true turmoil that plagues me. And If I did, it would only get me punished.

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