Chapter 22
T he next morning, a maid comes to fetch me.
She leads me to Carina’s chambers, where I spend the day following her around, serving her meals, and attending to her needs.
Carina is polite enough, that doesn’t change the fact that I’m still a prisoner— nothing more than a possession to Xandros and a slave to his family, and they treat me accordingly.
In the evening, we gather for dinner. As usual, Xandros sits at the head of the table, and I am relegated to standing at the side. I try to ignore the hunger gnawing at my stomach as the rich aroma of food fills the room.
Midway through the meal, I overhear a conversation between Xandros and Carina’s father. “Why does the girl bear your mark, Xandros?” he demands.
“She is my concubine,” Xandros replies without hesitation. “So, yes, she bears my mark.”
Carina’s father looks at me, his eyes dark with anger. “You have marked another while married to my daughter?” he demands.
Xandros just shrugs. “She belongs to me. As I said, she is my concubine.”
Carina’s father looks at her. “And you’re okay with this?” he demands.
“Yes, Father. You know, Lycans turn crazed without their mates.”
Carina’s father shakes his head.
Carina leans in and whispers something in Xandros’s ear. I can’t make out what she is saying, though it can’t be anything good because Xandros’s face turns red with anger.
“Fine,” he says, taking a sip from his glass. “Do what you want with her,” he says, and Carina waves me over. I don’t move, not liking the crazed look on her face.
“Now, Sienna, you’re Carina’s maid. You’ll do as she asks,” Xandros warns. When I still don’t move, his fist slams down on the table making me jump. “Now!” Hesitantly, I move closer, my heart racing.
Carina grabs my wrist and yanks me toward her. She sinks her fangs into my neck, and I cry out in pain. I can feel the blood draining out of me, and the room begins to spin.
Xandros’s jaw clenches, but he doesn’t move to help me off the floor. Instead, I clutch my neck, feeling woozy as I make my way back to the spot where I had been standing. I lean heavily against the wall, feeling dizzy, and betrayed by Xandros for what he allowed Carina to do.
When dinner is over, Xandros remains, drinking his whiskey while everyone moves to the billiard room. I try to fight back tears as I clean up the table, disgusted by what I’ve become. Xandros walks over to me, his face hard and unyielding.
“I have no choice,” he tells me. “You know that,” he whispers. I ignore him. It’s too late for his apologies.
“I am not just your sex slave; I am her blood bag now,” I whisper bitterly. He takes a step back, staring down at the ground. There’s a moment of silence between us before he speaks again, this time his voice soft.
“It is what it is,” he tells me, and then he stalks out, leaving me alone with my thoughts.
As I finish cleaning, I can feel the wound on my neck healing. It does nothing for the emotional pain which remains at seeing my mate so easily give me to her to snack on.
I make my way back to my room, and as I lay on the bed, I feel the loneliness and despair wash over me. How did my life come to this?