Found By The Lycan King

ALPHA XANDER'S POV

“Alexander, stop!” Donovan's voice is just a breeze over my ears as I lunge for him. He is quick to slide out of the way.

“Just see how you are acting, the old Xander would never try this.” His voice is loud, his words are angry but I don't care.

My fingers extend into claws and I go for his jugular. I'm more animal than man, needing to feel his warm blood on my hand with the hopes that it will quench the rage burning within me.

My hands sink into the shoulder of his dress shirt and I haul him up, all I can see is red. I drag Donovan up, his protests sounding like nothing to my ears. He is fighting against my hold, unable to free himself.i'm not letting him do it.

“You will not speak to me this way.” I growl the command out.

He growls in return, getting angry too. I feel his rage burning from within and it spurs me on. I do want this fight. The need to kill him has never been more and deep down, I know this isn't me. Even though he gives me shit sometimes, I keep him around because of our bond. Even if he wasn't my brother, he has been with me since I was a child. We grew up together.

Before I can let the animal win and do what it intends to do, I shake my head. Forcing myself to think of other things that I know will lessen the blood lust.

I move back to the seat I vacated and lower myself into it. My breathing has gone back to normal and I feel much calmer. I didn't look like I just had my beta and closest friend by the throat, fantasizing about when I'll be able to sink my claws in his neck and watch him bleed out.

What the fuck is going on with me? I need to get my head cleared.

"Wow," Donovan mutters, followed by a curse. He is watching me with an expression of bewilderment, his eyes are slightly dilated and I can still hear his fast heartbeat. “You really just did that.” he shakes his head, like he can't believe what just happened.

To be fair, a part of me can't too.

He has said worse to me, disrespected so many times but I just brush it off, for the sake of the blood we share.

"Do not call my mate that again.” I say,my voice calm. I pour myself a drink and bring it to my lips.looking every bit relaxed, though violence is still brewing under my skin.

“I'll give you a fair warning, as a friend and beta of this pack.” Donovan starts, his voice also calmer now. The energy crackling in the room has reduced to warm embers now, still burning low but raging alarmingly. “I get that she is your mate but as a king, your pack should come first.” I don't interrupt him, though my mouth itches to tell him what a load of bullshit that is.

My mate is as important to me as the pack, I should never have to choose. Adriana being a wolf complicates things, but that doesn't mean I have to choose. We just need to find a way to walk around it.

"She is dangerous, Xander. It would be best if you get rid of her before she does any real damage.” he finishes, his tone sounding like a suggestion but i know deep down it isn't.

I would have taken his word for it on a normal basis. Even with all the shit he does, the pack comes first to him. So he doesn't do straight sabotage. Messing with me is different from messing with the pack, I've come to realize.

For a long while, I've suspected he wanted to be alpha. He hasn't said it clearly but some of the things he does hint at that. I recognize him as a brother but that doesn't mean I'll step down, just because he wants the throne. I worked for this, for years, I gave my everything to secure this title, and regain stability in the pack. I won't just give it out to anyone.

“Is that all you have to say?” I ask, staring at the almost empty whiskey bottle on the table.

"Before you attacked me, yes.” he says with a bite that I ignore. “Now, I have more to say.”

“Say it and leave.” If I have to stay in his presence any longer, I don't think I'll be able to ignore the voice in my head telling me to just forget everything and bring an end to him.

“You may be blinded by whatever spell she has you under, but I am not, and I'm going to do everything I can to protect this pack.” he stands up and glares down at my seated form. “And I don't care about the consequences.” there is an unspoken promise in his words.

A perfectly veiled threat that I know I'll be thinking about for a long time, trying to figure out what his next course of action will be.

My first thought is Adriana and I start making plans to have a security detail assigned to her. People who will drop everything to save her. They need to protect her as they would their luna, because there is still a high chance she will be.

I'm thinking of all the things I have to do when I hear a knock on my door.

I swear to kill Donavan if he happens to be the one but my sister's lavender and earthy scent fills the room as she enters, not waiting for me to give her permission. But that is just how she is.

My head swirls when I see Adriana behind her and that is when her addictive scent reaches me. My jaw clenches hard, not because I don't want to see her but because I'm in too much of a bad mood to want to be with anyone right now.

My conversation with Donocan is still heavy on my mind.

"What is it?" I ask, peeling my eyes away from my mate that has her eyes downcast, when Daciana doesn't say anything for more than a minute. “If it is not very important, I'm not in the mood for company.” I quickly add before she gets a chance to speak, hoping that tells her to leave me alone. It doesn't.

“Adriana here has something she needs to tell you,” my eyes snap back to my mate instantly and I find her already looking at me. I can't place the expression on her face, but something tells me I won't like whatever she has to say.

And I was right, my jaw hardens when she starts speaking.

"Come on, tell him what you need.” Daciana urged, placing a gentle hand on my arm.

“I-I..." Adriana swallows and clears her throat. “Can I please see Aiden?”

The rage I managed to shut down with Donovan comes back full force and I don't know when I growl. Daciana calls my name but her voice sounds distant.

I call out for the guards closest to me and they rush in almost immediately. “Take her out and lock her in her room!” My voice sounds strange to me.

"What the fuck?! Xander!” Daciana screams but her voice disappears over Adriana’s loud cry as the buff men pick her up off her feet and carry her out of the room.

My hands ball into fists in an attempt to stop myself from following after them and killing every one of them for touching her. But I gave the orders and it is best if they take her out of my sight.

"Why did you do that?!” Daciana screams, trying to approach me but I raise a hand, stopping her. Thankfully she doesn't argue and remains where she is.

“I want to be alone, Daciana please.” I say through gritted teeth. She gives a scathing look, opens her mouth to say something but decides against it and stomps out of the room.

I breathe out when I hear the sound of my door closing with a loud bang. I let her show her anger, just glad that she has left me alone.

Guilt eats at my insides for what i did to my mate, locking her in her room for asking a stupid question, like seeing that fucker that i so want to kill. 'm only keeping him alive for her sake but that is something I can change very easily.

I stayed in the room for the rest of the day, drinking and mulling in my bad mood with no relief in sight. When night comes, it becomes more obvious that I am not going to get any sleep. Immediately I close my eyes, i'm haunted with bright blue eyes the color of the fucking ocean and the tears I saw there before she carried out of the room.

I turn on the bed again then growl and shoot off the bed.

I don't even realize where I'm heading until 1 find myself out of the darkwood door. I pause and command myself to turn back and get the hell out of there.

Her heartbeat reaches my ears and that seems to make the decision for me. I open the door and walk into the room, my breath catching in my throat when I find my mate lying on her side, the sound of her soft breathing the only sound in the room.

She looks so small in the queen size bed, her hair, never ending tresses like the sun on the other side of the bed. My heart aches in my chest and my feet carry me over to the side of the bed. I ask myself if I'm actually going to do this.

Before I can talk myself out of it, I climb onto the bed beside her, as gently as I can so as not to wake her, and when she turns a little, I freeze in the process of lifting the covers. She turns back again and her breathing levels out.

I swiftly settle in beside her and pull her to me, she lets out a soft hum and leans in closer. I know it is an unconscious act but it doesn't stop my heart from soaring, thinking of possibilities with her like this, in my arms, every night.

I groan in approval and my arms tighten just a fraction. I nuzzle my head in the crook of her neck and breathe in her scent, a sense of calm washing over me and almost immediately, I feel my heartbeat start to slow, settling into a perfect rhythm that matches her.

She fits me so perfectly.

That is my last thought before all the thoughts in my head turn into nothing.

I wake up to the feel of a body pressed against me and at first, I go into alert mode before her sweet scent hits me. Without thinking, I pull her closer to me and groan lowly in approval, loving the feel of her body like this.

My eyes widen when I feel how rigid she is, immediately noting she is awake.

I let go of her and moved back a fraction, knowing that is what she would want. I understand why she must be taken aback, she went to bed alone and the last time she saw me, I ordered for her to be locked away. That isn't one of my best memories.

The joy I felt at waking up beside her is nowhere in sight when a small heady scent pours out of my mate, like an intoxicating cologne. Fear. She is scared and that makes me feel terrible.

Adriana She doesn't move at first but I notice her shoulders sag, just a little.

I swallow hard when I see her looking at me, her unnaturally bright eyes widened. I see fear swirling in her lids and I can't explain the thrill I feel going up my spine.

I wrack my brain for what to say, nothing comes up. We just stare at each other in stunned silence for a second before I get myself to get off the bed and then I walk out of the room entirely, telling myself that is the best thing I can do right then.

I'll find a way to make things better between us later. For now, I have to deal with my hard dick that is uncomfortable in my pants. So, instead of heading to my room, I move toward the front door, deciding I need a run.

A long one preferably.