Found By The Lycan King novel Chapter 22

XANDER'S POV

I couldn't believe what I had heard. I didn't want to believe Daciana when she was hinting at it. Adriana had gone back to see Aiden. I couldn't understand why she would do something like that, especially after everything that had happened. After I had warned her sternly. But Donovan telling me that he caught her with Aiden was where I drew the line. I didn't want to believe him, because Aiden had been tortured before then, but her silence said a lot.

I was filled with rage, and I couldn't control my anger. I paced back and forth in my chambers, trying to make sense of it all. I knew that I had to do something about it, and I knew that I would have to kill Aiden to stop all this.

I knew that killing Aiden and not keeping my word about living him alive wouldn't be an easy task. But I also knew that I couldn't let him live, not after what he had done and what he would cause me in the future. He was taking my mate away from me, and I couldn't let him get away with it.

I thought about Adriana, and I couldn't understand why she would betray me like this. We were meant to be together, and I didn’t understand why she would choose Aiden over me.

I had to be strong and make the difficult decision to protect my pack, my mate and myself. But as much as I wanted to kill Aiden, I had to make sure I was doing the right thing. But...But Donavan would never lie to me, I thought. Perhaps I would ask him one more time and only then, I will make my decision accordingly. Donavan hated her so much and wanted her out of the way but he would never speak false of anyone. That's why I was utterly confused after Adriana told me he was lying against her. I didn't know who to believe.

I was determined to find out the truth and to take action to protect my pack, my mate, and myself. Nothing and no one would stand in my way.

***

As I sat in my chambers, I couldn't help but think that maybe Donovan was right after all. Maybe Adriana was, and maybe she wasn't fit to be my Luna. The thought of it hurt me deeply, but I couldn't ignore the possibility.

I thought back to the way she had looked at me in the dungeon, the fear and betrayal in her eyes.

The more I thought about what had happened in the past couple of days, the more guilty I felt. That's when I realized that I had locked her up for the second day with no food or water as a punishment for going against my orders, but it was meant to teach her a lesson. Not to hurt her, to make her understand the seriousness of her actions.

At times I had to take giant leaps, considering my position as the Alpha of the pack, I had to make difficult decisions to protect everyone. Her feisty notions needed to be shaved off her head.

I felt a pang of fear in my chest, the fear of losing her. I knew that I had to be strong and face whatever was to come. I had to make sure that Adriana was safe and protected and to make sure that she was my Luna notwithstanding the threats and the bleak prospect.

I had been drinking away my anger ever since then, but it wasn't working. The whisky had no effect, like I was drinking water. I was trying to numb the pain and guilt that was gnawing at my gut. The alcohol flowed down my throat, but it did little to ease my troubled thoughts. I paced back and forth in my chambers, my mind racing with thoughts of Adriana and what she had done.

I felt as if my whole world was crumbling around me, and I didn't know what to do. As the night passed, I could see the bags under my eyes growing darker, and my face looked haggard. My clothes were wrinkled and unkempt, and I looked out of place.

Just as I was about to grab another bottle of drink, my sister Daciana barged into my chambers. She had an angry look on her face, and I knew immediately what would follow soon after.

"Xander, what have you done?" she asked, her voice filled with anger. "What have you done to Adriana?"

I flared up, my anger rising to the surface. "Don't talk about her!" I spat, "She's none of your concern!"

Daciana's expression changed from worry to anger as she stepped forward and took the drink from my hand. "Xander, stop punishing yourself," she scolded, grabbing the bottle of whisky before putting it back on the cabinet. "You need to do something about Adriana before it's too late. She's locked up with no food or water, and you're here getting drunk. I promise you if anything happens to her, I won't forgive you."

I felt a pang of guilt in my chest as she spoke. I knew that I had done something terrible, and I couldn't ignore it. I had to make it right.

"How is she?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

"You mean you haven't sent someone to look after her," Daciana said, her voice filled with anger.