Chapter 36
I gasp for air, my chest heaving as I fixate on the ceiling above me.
Fury swells within me, consuming me with regret and shame for reaching out to Toby.
I needed his voice desperately to clarify my confusion, to remind myself of why I despise him so much—when he’s near, everything is foggy and unclear.
My fists clench as beads of sweat drip down my temples and the heat of rage radiates from my soul.
I am buried beneath Xandros, my chest crushed beneath the immovable weight of his body.
My mind races faster than my heart as I confront my regret in a wave of panic.
How could I have been so foolish to alert Toby?
Too late now; I hear a deafening knock on the door.
The rapping on the door startles me back into reality, and I know if I don’t act fast, Javier will come in and see the mess I’ve made. I have no time to spare.
Rolling Xandros off me, I leap to my feet.
His groans echo through the room, along with the sight of blood streaming from where I have clobbered him with the lampshade.
Adrenaline floods through me and I know I have mere seconds before Javier bursts in.
Escape is my only option. Desperation claws at my insides as I throw on my clothes and frantically search for a way out.
I rush to the windows. My fingers desperately search each window.
None will open, no matter how hard I try, they’re all locked tight.
As Xandros begins to stir, getting to his hands and knees while clutching his head in pain, terror races through my veins like wildfire.
Spotting a nearby stool, I grab it without hesitation and crash it against one of the windows.
Surprisingly it smashes, the amount of times I have tried to break those windows, and it takes Lycan strength to do it.
The glass shatters into a million pieces as a gust of fresh air rushes inside.
I scramble up the window frame and feel a chill run down my spine as I peer out at the sheer drop I must make. I stare down into the abyss below. The daunting jump seems to get further away as Javier’s voice booms from behind the door.
“Xandros! What’s going on in there?” Javier yells just as he groans, making me peek back at him to see him getting to his feet. I suck in a breath knowing I don’t have time.
“Sienna?” he murmurs just as our eyes meet, his widen in shock briefly. “Don’t you dare.” I ignore him, tipping forward out the window.
A rush of fear engulfs me, and I take a deep breath before plunging toward the ground. The air whips past my face as I close my eyes, anticipating the searing pain that will follow impact.
My heart pounds in my chest like a drum as I open my eyes.
Time seems to slow and the ground races toward me with astonishing speed.
I squeeze my eyes shut once more, and brace for impact, but in surprise, my feet touch the edge of the roof below instead.
Relief washes over me which is short lived as I tumble off the roof and crash onto the ground with an almighty thud, knocking all the air out of my lungs.
I turn and spot Xandros on the windowsill above me.
Gazing up, Xandros’s furious face pierces through me like a dagger.
He roars with rage and takes off after me, his heavy footsteps land on the roof.
He lets out an angry growl and starts to move toward me.
Taking my chance, I sprint away, pushing through bushes and gardens until I reach the driveway.
Thunderous shouts echo through the gardens as guards join in pursuit.
“Grab her!” Xandros yells to his men.
Desperation bubbles up inside me as I near the iron gates that will lead me to safety, but suddenly they start to close with a loud crunch.
“No!” I scream out in despair, pushing myself harder than ever before.
It is too late; before I can get there, they slam shut right in front of me, trapping me inside.
I slam my hands against the gates, frantically searching for another way out. The world around me blurs as tears well up in my eyes. I refuse to be caught again, to be at his mercy. Just as I begin to lose hope, I hear a voice beside me.
“My son is willing to go to war for you, you aren’t leaving, Sienna,” comes Queen Adina’s voice from the rose garden.
She steps out of the shadows, her dress wrinkled and hair slightly out of place, yet she still looks picture-perfect.
I back up, my hands yanking on the gates.
As I lose hope, I hear his voice behind me.
“That was incredibly stupid of you.” Xandros’s voice booms like thunder, echoing through the air with an intensity that electrifies my skin.
Rage radiates from him in waves, and I can feel the scorching heat of his anger.
He moves closer to me with a slow, calculated stride.
He touches his forehead and hisses before snarling, his fingertips covered with crimson blood from where I hit him.
A cold chill radiates off him and I can feel it sink into my bones. He stops just short of me and commands.
“Don’t move.” His voice pierces me like a knife, and any lingering thought to run evaporates from my mind. The pressure of his dominance holds me in place, like invisible chains. I know no matter what I do, I won’t escape unscathed. He will always find a way to drag me back in.
Xandros grabs hold of me, his grip almost crushingly tight and fingers digging into my soft skin. His eyes blaze with a menacing darkness that sends a terrifying thrill throughout my body. His voice is low and intense as he speaks, seething with a mix of rage and ownership.
“Did you really think you could get away from me?” he growls, his words laced with betrayal and fury.
“You are mine, Sienna. You have always been mine, and you will always be mine.” I can feel the waves of energy radiating off him, a potent mix of danger and possessiveness.
His voice is low and threatening as he speaks.
“Did you think you had the right to leave me for another?” he growls, his words sharpened by seething anger.
“Did you honestly think you could just run off into the sunset with him and I would allow it?” he hisses, his words laced with anger and betrayal. “You belong to me, Sienna. You always have, and you always will. I will kill you before I let another take you from me.”
As he drags me back to the castle, his mother and the guards who caught up follow quietly.
Not one of them utters a word as he manhandles me back down the driveway.
Yet as we near the castle, lights on the driveway illuminate us, making Xandros stop.
Adina also turns to look at the sleek limousine stopped at the gates.
“King Vin Dresdan, My King,” a guard sings out. Xandros growls.
“What’s he doing here?” he asks his mother, who seems just as shocked as Xandros. “He must have already been on his way here when he called.” King Rehan growls, and Xandros curses under his breath. “Let them in, while I deal with my mate!” he orders one of the guards.
My heart races as Xandros’s grip on my arm tightens, his black eyes glaring menacingly.
Our footsteps echo down the hallway as he drags me down them before turning into my room, where he flings me through the door.
A few maids cleaning up the shattered glass from a broken window glance at us.
“Leave us!” With one powerful command, they scurry away like frightened mice.
The door slams shut behind us and an ominous silence fills the room. Everything is still, even my breath.
I stand trembling before him, feeling the force of his presence like a physical force pushing down on my shoulders.
His voice pierces through me, low and demanding, as he orders me, “Mark me.” There’s no escape from his command, and I’m fearful.
There is a resignation, and something else as I take a single step toward him.
Our bodies almost touch as my heart races in my chest, cold sweat beading down my body.
“Wouldn’t that be considered me challenging Carina?” I murmur.
“I don’t care, she accepted, therefore she won’t challenge you, but you’re marking me, Sienna.
” His voice is a threatening rumble as he looms above me.
“Do this now,” he snarls, his words thick with menace and power.
Terror and acceptance battle within me, understanding I have no other option.
I take another unsteady step forward until our bodies are almost one.
Xandros sits in the armchair and motions with his hand to come to him, tears prick my eyes and I stand between his legs only for him to jerk me down, so I straddle his lap.
He grips my face in one hand. “There will be punishment later for your actions, for now I need you to mark me,” he tells me, letting me go and turning his head to give me his neck.
My canines extend like a reflex to his command.
My heart races in my chest as I press into him, my razor sharp teeth graze his neck.
I lean forward, teeth extended with anticipation. With one bite, I sink into his flesh and an overwhelming rush of emotions sweeps over me.
The intensity of his emotions is overwhelming—his anger, his betrayal, and his deep, undeniable love for me.
It’s a tumultuous mix that threatens to consume me.
The bond between us pulses with that moment in newfound strength, reminding me of the undeniable connection we share.
At that moment, I can’t deny the depth of his feelings for me, even if I don’t fully understand them myself.
As I release him, I’m left breathless. Our eyes lock in a fierce and passionate gaze.
There’s a tumultuous energy between us—a collision of emotions that crackles in the air.
I can see the conflict in his eyes, the war raging within him as he tries to reconcile his love for me and the anger he feels toward me.