Chapter 10 An entire night passed, and half of today is already gone since Xandros left. I can't shake the feeling of emptiness that's settled within me. The mate bond has me craving his presence, my body aching without him. I hate how dependent I've become of him. He has become an addiction, and despite trying not to think about him, my mind always wanders back to what he could be doing. My thoughts are obsessive and possessive of him. I hate it but can't help it. I sit on the windowsill, resting my head against the cold glass of my prison, watching the gardener tend to the gardens outside. The door to my room opens, and I glance over to see the maid entering. She moves around the room, and I pay her no mind until she calls out to me. "Ma'am, your lunch order?" I turn to look at her briefly, she stands with her hands clasped in front of her, her blue blouse buttoned up to her throat, with black slacks on, she appears to be my age and stares at me like a deer in headlights. Returning my gaze to the window, I ignore her. "Ma'am, the king sent me to ask what you want for lunch, you never called down?" she insists, her voice wavering slightly. "Nothing," I mutter, my attention now focused on a bird that perches on the window beside me. I watch it enviously, longing for the freedom it seems to have while I'm the one trapped in a cage. "I have a cheese platter?" the woman suggests, once again, I ignore her. She leaves the room and returns a moment later. I hear a crash, followed by the woman's shriek. Glass shatters, and I jump, turning to see her on the floor, having tripped over the rug and broken a vase that sat on the lamp table next to the armchair. Blood streams down her arm where she landed on a shard of glass, and I rush over to help her. She pulls the large shard out of her forearm, blood spurts out, and I panic while she stares at her arm in shock for a second and then sighs. The woman assures me she's fine, when I notice the cart outside the door and dash out to grab a hand towel. As I step into the dimly lit corridor, it dawns on me that this could be my chance to escape. I glance down the hallway, toward the bright airy foyer at the end, then back at the open door where the woman is still cleaning up the mess. With a heavy sigh, I snatch a tea towel, knowing the woman will probably get in trouble if I try to escape. Just as I turn back toward the door, I hear hurried footsteps. My heart races as I turn to see Xandros approaching. He stops in his tracks, and looks at me in shock for a second. That shock wears off quickly and turns to anger, his eyes blazing. "How did you get out?" he snarls, marching toward me. I back up at the feral sound of his voice, bumping into the maid's cart. Xandros seizes my arm tightly, his claws piercing my delicate flesh as he drags me to ward the bedroom door. He shoves me back into the room, and I stumble to catch myself on the dresser. He slams the door shut, prowling toward me. "You know you don't leave this room!" he yells, pointing a finger in my face, I feel the blood drain from my face. "I was just getting a hand towel," I try to explain, pointing to the injured maid, his gaze follows my finger then his eyes dart to the maid, his expression darkening. "You left the fucking door open!" he snaps at her, taking a step toward her. My heart races at his fury as he turns it on her. He stalks toward her and seeing her bewildered look, I rush in front of him, my hands shaking as I press them flat against his chest. "Xandros," I murmur and he snarls at me. The woman freezes, her eyes wide with fear. "She did nothing wrong," I plead, my voice stuttering as he tries to push past me, he grabs my arm and his grip is punishing. "Xandros, please. She hurt herself, and I was just trying to help, she did nothing wrong." Xandros looks down at me, he is livid and over something so stupid. "You don't leave the room!" he bellows at me, his face inches from mine. I drop my gaze, but he grabs my face, forcing my gaze to his. "I'm sorry, she was bleeding, and I⁠-" "You don't leave the room! She would have healed! She isn't human! Furthermore, she knows better!" he interrupts, his anger palpable as he turns his anger back on the woman. "I didn't notice she left... I'm sorry," the woman apologizes. Xandros growls. "I'm sorry I didn't know, I am new here. I only started yesterday to replace-" she pauses, her eyes flitting to me momentarily. She drops her gaze to the floor. "I'm sorry, My King," she murmurs softly. His eyes dart to me, and she stops talking briefly. "There are no excuses. I'm sorry, My King," she finishes, her voice trembling. Yet I was still stuck on her saying she was replacing someone. Who? Did she mean Darcy? What happened to Darcy? Did they fire her or worse? My heart beats faster at the thought. "Just get out, and don't let it happen again," he snarls at her, and she jumps at the tone he uses and so do I. She doesn't hesitate in rushing out of the room and the door softly clicking shut before I hear the jiggle of keys as she locks it then twists the handle to ensure I am trapped inside. The woman exits the room, leaving me frozen in place with Xandros. Turning to my mate, my stomach churns violently for a few seconds while he paces the room, growling, as if he is trying to contain his anger. Eventually, he stops, rubbing his temples, and exhales loudly. Xandros makes his way to the closet. He tosses clothes onto the bed and begins to undress, toeing his shoes off and unbuttoning his shirt. He pulls his shirt off, tossing it aside. My gaze scans him lingering on the fang marks on his neck, and my stomach drops, knowing he was with Carina. It's the only explanation. I assumed he was, yet seeing the proof of it lacing his skin makes me feel sick. While I was here suffering and craving him, he was with another woman, his wife. It's stupid that I am jealous of her. Xandros catches me staring and looks down, cursing under his breath." Wait... Sienna, it's not⁠-" He reaches for me, I slap his hands away, causing him to growl. "You know she is my wife!" he snarls. "And I am your dirty mistress, your little secret locked in this godforsaken cage!" I scream back at him, my voice cracking. He seems taken aback by my outburst, and my throat aches from the force of my yelling. "Sienna..." He reaches for me again. I lash out, hitting and punching him wherever I can. "I hate you. I fucking hate you!" I scream as he tries to deflect my blows. He growls, grabbing me and pinning me against the bed. "Enough!" he screams in my face, and I stop fighting, realizing it's useless. And there is no point giving him more "so-called" reasons to punish me. "Are you done?" he asks, his voice icy. I press my lips in a line, my eyes stinging with the tears I am trying to hold back. Since yesterday, I have craved his presence, yet he never showed up, then when he does it turns into this mess. "You knew I was married. I have obligations to my kingdom and my wife. You will learn to deal with it or-" he stops. "It's only temporary. I need her to sign the divorce papers, so for now, I need to give her what she wants." "What if she wants you?" I ask. His jaw clenches. "As I said, it's only temporary to keep the peace between kingdoms." My eyes burn with tears. "Were you with her last night?" I ask him, my voice coming off angrier than intended. "Yes, I had to attend a dinner with her parents. I didn't fuck her, if that is what you're wondering. I slept in her quarters on the couch!" he says. I say nothing, staring off toward the window. He releases me, muttering under his breath. "I have to leave in an hour. I have an important meeting in the city." "Good for you," I tell him bitterly, climbing off the bed and retaking my place on the windowsill. He curses, storming into the bathroom and slamming the door shut. I hear the shower turn on. I don't know how much time passes, but I hear him trying to talk to me as he gets dressed. When silence falls, I realize I've zoned out and let out a sigh. "Sienna!" he commands, and I roll my eyes, turning to look at him as he stands by the bed, doing up his suit jacket. When he is done, he points to the bed where I see a dress laid out. "Get dressed. We leave in ten minutes." he snaps at me before doing up his other cuff link. My emotions are a whirlwind of fear, anger, and confusion. Why would he want me to go with him now, after all that's happened? Despite my feelings, I comply, hastily getting dressed in the clothes he left on the bed. I can feel his eyes on me as I move to strip my clothes off, but I refuse to look at him. The scent of his cologne hangs heavily in the air, and it churns my stomach. I pull on a dark blue dress, trying to ignore the way the fabric clings to my body, making me feel exposed under his gaze. Xandros says nothing when he passes me a pair of black glittery flats. I sit on the edge of the bed and slip them on, feeling nervous with him standing over me. The room is dimly lit, shadows casting eerie patterns on the walls now that the sun has gone down, and the atmosphere feels heavy with tension. We leave the room, the anger and hurt still simmer beneath the surface, but for now, I push them aside and focus on the opportunity before me. I'm leaving the room, finally leaving the room. As we step outside the door, I see three maids waiting in the hall, one of which is the girl he yelled at earlier, making my thoughts go back to Darcy. I want to ask but am afraid of the answer. "Your mother sent us to clean the room while you're gone." Xandros nods but says nothing in answer to them. He points down the hall. "Go on," he growls. The hallway outside is cold and uninviting, the stone floor sending chills up my spine as we walk. I can feel the weight of Xandros's presence behind me, oppressive and suffocating, as he tells me the directions to go in. My heart races in my chest, a mix of excitement and fear-excitement that I was leaving, fear of wondering where we were going. As we descend the staircase, the lights lining the walls cast flickering shadows, making the descent feel like a journey into the depths of hell. When I reach the bottom, he grabs my arm. I glance at him, he says nothing instead, leading me outside to the waiting car. He opens my door, not letting me go until I am stuffed inside. Xandros slides across the seat, forcing me over and a nervousness creeps in. Humans rarely go out at night, so I'm feeling uneasy now. I wanted nothing more than to leave that room. However, now, faced without the nightlife of the city, I realize how foolish that is to have wanted such a thing. "Where are we going?" I ask, nervous now. "Mal's club." I gulp down the dread that lodges in my throat. "You wanted to come with me so desperately, you got what you wanted," he snarls at me. The drive to the city is filled with anxiety, my heart pounding as we venture further into the city. The night sky is a deep, velvety black, lit up with stars that seem to taunt me with their distant beauty. As we draw nearer to our destination, my fear grows with each passing mile, the cityscape looming larger with every turn. Xandros pulls out his phone and dials a number, his eyes fixed on the scenery outside his window. I overhear the conversation as he leaves a voicemail, his voice tense and impatient. "Javier, I know you're avoiding me. I don't know why, but I am headed to Mal's. Either meet me there, or I will send people out looking for you. You have two hours! Don't make me send people out looking for you!" With that, Xandros stabs his phone screen with his finger before pocketing it, muttering to himself. As we arrive at the nightclub, the chaotic scene before us is almost overwhelming. The streets are filled with vampires, Lycans, and werewolves, all reveling in the night. The air is thick with the scent of blood, danger, and excitement, causing my heart to race even faster as I realize exactly how out of my element I am. Xandros leans over, his voice a low growl as he lays out his rules. "You stay by my side, you don't wander! You don't talk to anyone or look at anyone! Am I clear?" I nod, trying to swallow the lump in my throat. "You're to be seen, not heard," he adds harshly, grabbing my arm as the driver opens the door. Stepping into the club, the bouncer immediately recognizes Xandros and allows us to bypass the queue. The atmosphere inside is sinister and blood-curdling. Women with chains around their ankles are tied to poles, dancing naked on tables and little podiums, their bodies covered in bite marks. The music is pounding, sending tremors through the floor and up into my body. The dim lighting casts eerie shadows, the air heavy with a mix of sweat, alcohol, and something darker, more sinister. Blood. Xandros leads me to a table where three men in suits are sitting. Their eyes flicker over me, appraising and possessive, and I shrink back against Xandros, trying to make myself as small as possible. He pulls out a chair for me, and grips my shoulder, pushing me down into it. I sit, my legs trembling beneath me. My eyes take in the men at the table. They appear to be in their thirties, and their menacing red eyes watch me. I avert my gaze when a waitress wanders over offering drinks. When she sets an amber liquid in front of me, Xandros takes it. Sᴇaʀ*ᴄh the (F)indNƟvᴇl.ɴet website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Maybe wine?" the waitress suggests. "No, water. She won't be drinking," Xandros states, not paying her the slightest piece of attention, making me wonder if that is because I am sitting beside him, because the other three men gaze at her like she would be a tasty snack. She leaves, returning with some water, and I sip it, glancing around the place. The conversation at the table is a low hum in the background with my racing thoughts. I try to focus on their conversations, but the pulsating beat of the music makes it difficult to concentrate. Instead, I watch the people around us, the different creatures all united in their pursuit of pleasure and blood. As the night wears on, I feel like a pawn in some twisted game, my presence a symbol of Xandros's control over me. I glance at him, his face a mask of cool indifference as he engages in conversation with the men around us. Beneath the surface, I can sense the tension. His grip on my knee tightens when I wiggle or move, a firm reminder not to draw attention to myself. I watch in horror as the women are fed on and pulled around, the rowdiness of the place escalating. The atmosphere grows darker and more sinister, and I know I shouldn't be here. I regret wanting to leave my prison. I'm cold, need to pee, and struggling to keep my eyes open. However, peering around, I look for a bathroom when I notice him. Amidst the chaos, I see a figure appear from the mass of gyrating bodies. Toby. I immediately drop my gaze, not wanting to draw attention to him. The swift movement causes Xandros to glance at me. I try to sneak another look for Toby, when I do, he is gone, much to my relief. The night drags on, and the vampire men appear to be amused by my presence. One of them smirks as I set my glass on the table, "She's a pretty one, Xandros." Xandros's grip on my knee tightens painfully, causing me to cry out. The man chuckles, "What a pretty voice. I bet she moans beautifully." Xandros's voice turns cold and dangerous as he replies, "Keep your eyes off my mate, or you'll find out just how sharp my claws are." The man quickly apologizes. "I didn't realize she was your mate. I thought Carina was to marry you." Xandros nods, acknowledging the strange situation and my cheeks heat with embarrassment. "So, she's allowing you to keep her as a concubine of sorts?" one of the men asks. Xandros replies with a dismissive shrug, "Something like that." The man laughs, while I feel like a toy, something he keeps on the side. "Well, we all need a plaything, though first I've seen a mate be the toy. I can't bear being away from mine, or do you prefer her close. How does Carina get on with her?" "She doesn't," Xandros answers, glancing at me. "And that doesn't bother you? How does that work?" the man asks, looking genuinely intrigued by this rather strange choice of conversation. "It just does. Carina knows she is my mate, they both accept it whether they like it or not, right, Sienna?" Xandros asks, turning his head to look at me. "Like I have a choice," I mutter before I can stop myself, his grip on my thigh turns bone breaking. One of the men laughs, while the one who asked the question stares at me with pity, which I find rather odd. "Seems not all are happy with the situation," the man with a beard, laughs. "She'll get over it," Xandros states and I press my lips in a line, averting my gaze away from them, trying my best to ignore them. "So you plan on keeping both?" he asks. Xandros says nothing else, though his silence speaks volumes and that makes my stomach turn. As the night wears on, my need to use the bathroom becomes unbearable. I feebly grip Xandros's leg under the table, causing him to look at me. His gaze is piercing, and I shrink under it as he grips my hand, squeezing my fingers in warning, to not embarrass him. I blink back tears, feeling my fingers crack, in his crushing grip. The other men at the table are watching me, their expressions a mix of curiosity and amusement. Finally, I can't hold it any longer, and I pull my hand out of Xandros, my fingers finally regaining feeling. I tug on his jacket, only for him to snap at me. "What?" His tone makes me jump and my knee hits the bottom of the table making everyone's drinks rattle. "Calm down, My King, you're scaring your mate," the man across from me says. If looks could kill I'm afraid that man would be dead. Xandros sits back in his chair while I glance nervously around the table, everyone falling silent. I watch as his phone rings and he snatches it off the table. "Fucking finally, Javier," he snarls. My eyes go to the bathroom again. "Xandros?" The same man from before says pointing to me. Xandros growls and looks at me. "I need to pee," I whisper, and he looks at the bathrooms across the room. His tone is cold. "Then go." My heart races at the thought of walking through the club alone. "No one will touch you, not with me here. They all saw you walk in with me," he assures me. "Hang on, Javier," he answers. As I push my chair out, he grabs my arm. "Remember, I'm watching. Don't try anything," he warns, finally releasing me. I nod and rush to the bathroom, feeling everyone's eyes on me. The moment I burst into the bathroom, I take a deep breath, only to gasp when I spot Toby leaning against the sink basin, his arms folded across his chest. The shock of seeing him sends a shiver down my spine, and I glance at the door. I wonder what he's doing here, and what it might mean for me if Xandros catches me with him. Toby quickly walks over, locking the door. "You didn't call me?" he snaps. I shake my head. "How did you know I was here?" "Ashley, the waitress, she called the moment she spotted a woman with Xandros," he tells me. I sigh, shaking my head moving off toward the toilet cubicle when he grabs me, tugging me back to him. "Toby, you shouldn't be here. He'll kill you if he finds out you're in here," I tell him, but he grabs my face in his hands. "I know you don't want him, Sienna." I shake my head. It doesn't matter what I want, the mate bond will always draw me back to Xandros. "I know a witch. She can break your bond. I will get you out..." Toby tells me, and I blink at him. "What?" I ask, a little dumbfounded. "A witch, then we run. I can get us out of the city. We can start off fresh somewhere else. Somewhere away from that monster," he growls, cupping my face in his hands. "You're being ridiculous, Toby. You'll get us both killed and why do you even care? I am just an old employee," I tell him, pulling away and rushing into a cubicle. I lift my dress and quickly pee. "You don't believe that. I know you don't. Don't pretend you don't feel the same way about me as I do you," he tells me. I furrow my brows. I shake my head and finish peeing. Leaving the cubicle, I move to the sink basin and wash my hands. "You are insane," I tell him when he grips my face, forcing me to look at him. I stare at his handsome face. "Tell me you feel nothing for me?" he says, and I chew my lip. I thought I did, but do I still? The bond makes things complicated. I don't know what I feel that is real and the bond. "Toby, what you're asking⁠-" "Is for you to be with me. Run with me. I love you. Unfortunately, it took that asshole stealing you from me to realize that," he exhales, pressing his forehead against mine. "Just think about it and call me when you get a chance. I will find a way to get you out of the city," he tells me, pressing his lips to my forehead before slipping out of the bathroom before I can protest. Title: "Twists of Fate: Embracing Family Ties with Three Powerful Brothers" Author: CrushReel Genre: Billionaire, CEO, Sweet Romance, Modern, Romantic, Office, Drama Status: ongoing Embarking on the path to marriage, she faced a sudden heartbreak as her fiancé called it quits. Amidst the shattered dreams, a surprising revelation awaited at her engagement celebration. Three influential brothers unveiled her true identity as their long-lost sister, reshaping her world in unexpected ways. Navigating through the complexities of newfound family connections and the opulence of their high-stakes world, she grapples with the essence of wealth beyond material possessions. As bonds of blood intertwine with the allure of power and love, she finds herself at a crossroads where loyalty, ambition, and affection collide in a captivating dance of emotions. Set against the backdrop of ambition-driven CEOs and the tender nuances of modern romance, this tale weaves together themes of self-discovery, familial bonds, and the intricate dynamics of office politics. With each chapter unraveling layers of secrets and desires, readers are drawn into a narrative that blends drama with heartfelt moments of connection. Distinguished by its blend of sweet romance and compelling drama, "Twists of Fate" offers a unique perspective on love, ambition, and the transformative power of family ties. Available to read at CrushReel for those seeking a captivating journey through the intertwined lives of three powerful brothers and the sister they never knew they had.