Found By The Lycan King

XANDER'S POV

I sat there, staring at my sister with a stubborn expression on my face. I couldn't believe that she was still trying to convince me to release Adriana. I had made his decision, and I wasn't going to change it. Still, she was clamoring insistently that I had a change of mind.

Daciana, on the other hand, was getting increasingly frustrated. She could see the pain and guilt etched on my face, but she also knew that I was being stubborn. She took a deep breath and tried once more to make me see reason.

"Xander, you can't keep punishing her like this. She's. Your. Mate.” She growled out her patience thinning. She breathed in, calling herself. She has always had a better grip of her emotions than me. “You need to take care of her. She's been through a lot, and she needs your support and understanding.”

I let out a sigh, "I know that, Daciana, but she needs to learn her lesson. She needs to learn to obey me and my rules.”

Daciana shook her head, "Xander, that's not the way to handle this. Locking her up and treating her like a prisoner is not going to solve anything. You need to talk to her, understand where she’s coming from, and work through this together.”

I clenched my jaw, "I don't have time for this, Daciana. I have more important things to worry about than my mate's disobedience.”

Daciana's eyes widened in shock, "Xander, how can you say that? Adriana is the most important thing in your life right now! You can't just throw her away because she made a mistake. You need to work through this together, as a team. How long have you waited for a mate but you're willing to throw her away because of some-"

I let out a growl, interrupting her. "I'm the Alpha here, Daciana. I make the decisions, and I decide when it's time to release her. And it's not now."

I could sense that Daciana's heart ached for me, she could clearly see that I was hurting, but she also knew that I was being stubborn. She knew that it was going to take some time for me to see reason. Except I know, she isn't going to give up on me or Adriana.

"Fine, I'll let you make your decision,” she said, her voice low and filled with disappointment. "But just know that I'll be here for Adriana, and I'll be here for you when you're ready to get over your arrogance and damn inflated ego.” With that, she turned and walked towards the door.

"Come on, Daciana. We're not done. You know we could talk about other things like we used to.” I said in a weak attempt to make her feel better.

I had hurt Adriana, and by refusing to let her go, I was hurting Daciana who seemed to have gotten close to her. I was the Alpha, and I was responsible for the Pack’s safety, letting Adriana's disobedience go unpunished wouldn't only destroy my image, it would make it seem like I wasn't fit to rule. There were no exceptions when it came to right or wrong, and just because she was my mate, wasn't good enough a reason for me to let her go without any repercussions for her actions. Daciana stopped, shook her head and walked back. "I need to make sure she is OK. I don't think she has eaten this morning."

I was always thinking about Adriana. The mate bond tugged at my insides, a part of me that he needed her always seeking, searching for her. But I had to be strong, and the Pack needed to know that I was in control. Not the mate bond and certainly not whatever feelings it had borne in me.

It was going to take some time for things to be resolved, but I was willing to wait. I would wait for Adriana to learn her lesson, she has to understand that I was only doing this for her own good. When the right time came to release her, when it had finally sunk into her skull how she should behave, then there would be no reason to hold her in her room. She had to be free if she was going to be the Luna, she needed to learn the pack and its members . I didn't believe you could lead people you didn't know, it was why I worked close with my followers. They trusted me because they saw me.

"Wait a second, Daciana.” I started, she gave her head a slight shake, her lips flattening into a thin line like she was in thought.

"You know, she said something else about Donovan." I shook my head, sick and tired of hearing that name. I couldn't believe that she was still trying to convince me that Donovan was lying. But even if Donovan was lying, Adriana still needed to be punished for going to meet the warrior when I clearly forbade it.

Daciana, on the other hand, was getting increasingly frustrated. "Xander, please listen to me. Donovan is not a trustworthy man. He has always been jealous of your mate and he would do anything to come between you two."

I let out a sigh, "I know that, Daciana, but it doesn't change the fact that Adriana disobeyed me. She needs to learn her lesson.”

Daciana shook her head, not hiding her irritation. "Xander, that's not the way to handle this. Adriana is injured and she needs medical attention. She's been locked up for days with no food or water and she's in a terrible state.”

My expression softened as he realized the gravity of the situation, "What do you mean, injured?" Daciana's voice was filled with concern, "She has a wound on her cheek that's still bleeding. I found her last night, crying and weak from starvation. She needs your help, Xander. You can't just leave her to suffer like this. And if I didn't do anything about it, you would have found her corpse whenever you were planning on letting her out.”

My heart ached as I thought about Adriana, injured and alone. I shoved those thoughts aside and spoke. “Well, that's part of the punishment. But you did better by not letting her out.” I commended her, a smug smile on my face. She hissed, rolling her eyes. “You look so ridiculous, Xander.” I chuckled and opened my mouth to speak.

That's when Donovan burst into the room, his expression smug and self-satisfied. Daciana's face twisted in anger as she saw him, and I could feel my own anger rising as well. I felt he was here to cause another mischief, as always.

"Hey, what's up everyone.”

Donovan was dressed in his usual black suit, his hair slicked back and a sneer on his face. He sauntered into the room, and I could feel the tension rising

"Donovan, what are you doing here?" I demanded, trying to keep my temper in check.

"I heard you both talking, I heard everything. And don't give me that attitude, are we now enemies?” He expressed as he walked nonchalantly to the cabinet and grabbed himself a brandy. “I heard you making plans to release your little mate,” Donovan said, scowling. "I thought I would come and offer my congratulations for your being so weak."

Daciana shot up from her seat, her eyes flashing with anger. "You have no right to be here, Donovan. You have done nothing but cause trouble since Adriana arrived. Xander, you should ask him to leave because I know where this is headed.” I held up a hand to calm my sister.

"Everyone, please calm down. I want to talk about this calmly and rationally. Perhaps we should set aside our differences and talk like a family that we have always been. Everyone has their own view and maybe at the end, he will accept the fact that Adriana is here to stay-" Donovan began laughing, almost choking on his drink. He dropped the glass on the table noisily and patted his chest as he coughed and retched, the lines at the corner of his eyes tightening.

"What is funny?” Daciana asked him, her eyes filled with contempt while her lips clamped with fury. Donovan was not interested in a calm and rational discussion. He interrupted me every time I tried to speak, his words filled with condescension and disdain. My temper rose with each interruption, and I knew I needed to get Donovan out of the room before things got out of hand.

"Donovan, I think it's best if you leave now," I said, my voice cold and measured. “You seem to have overstayed your welcome.”

He didn't even bother to glance at me. Instead he was focused on his drink. Donovan was not so easily dismissed. He continued to speak, his voice becoming louder and more aggressive. Daciana's anger was palpable, violence crackled in the air as they both glared at each other. Before things could get out of hand. I stood up with a deep breath and walked over to Donovan, my towering height making me an imposing figure over him, my eyes filled with authority.

"Leave now. We must not disgrace ourselves one more time, so please get up and use the door.” I turned around immediately, my eyes meeting with those of the guards and the maids who were standing around us. They turned away immediately, averting their gazes when our eyes met. “Get out!” I screamed at them and they began to scurry out of the room immediately. They all left, the last guard closing the door behind him. That's when I turned towards Donovan and warned him again. I let out a sigh, knowing my anger issues wouldn't be able to handle this for long.

I could feel my anger rising as Donovan continued to speak, his words filled with disdain and contempt. I knew that he needed to put a stop to this before things got out of hand.

"Donovan," I called for the hundredth time but Donovan dismissed anything he didn't bring himself to be bothered about easily. He sneered at me, his eyes filled with disgust.

"You are weak, Xander. You let the opinions of women cloud your judgment.” Daciana's anger skyrocketed as she stood up, her eyes flashing with rage. "How dare you speak to my brother like that,” she spat, her voice filled with venom.

The tension in the room was rising, and I knew that I needed to act fast. "I said, leave now," I growled, my voice filled with authority. I grabbed him by the collar of his suit and pulled him towards the door.

Donovan's expression twisted in anger as he struggled to get free of my inexorable grasp. He quietened after some time, he knew better than to argue with an Alpha. He straightened his suit and stormed out of the room, leaving me and Daciana behind. There was a look of pure malice on Donovan's face. I turned to Daciana who was ambling angrily towards him, my expression filled with concern.

"Daciana, be careful. I don't trust Donovan,” I warned, my voice grave through the mind link. Daciana nodded, her expression serious. "I know, Xander. I'll be careful,” she promised but kept standing there. I was worried because Donovan couldn't be trusted. He could do anything and that's why I was hesitant to allow her to face him squarely.

But he was not done yet. He turned to Daciana, his eyes filled with anger. "And you, Daciana. You stay out of my way. I won't hesitate to harm you if you get in my way,” Donovan warned, his voice filled with something I couldn't really note. It sounded like hate but I couldn't say.

I had always known that there was something different about Donovan. I was the only one who knew the secret and that's why I found it hard sometimes to lay my hand on him when he fell out of line. Daciana wasn't aware as well that Donovan was her stepbrother. We were raised together but he had always been told that his father had died shortly after his birth.

He had always been envious of the way our father treated me, as if I were his favorite child. But it wasn't until my father died that I discovered the truth. And I had made the right decision by keeping it secret. Our father had an affair, and Donovan was the product of that affair. He had been born just a few months after me, and our father had never recognized him as his true son. This revelation had given me a new perspective on Donovan's behavior and how I should handle him at times.

I understood why Donovan was so resentful, why he had always acted out in such a villainous way. He had been denied the love and recognition that he deserved, and it had left him with a deep- seated anger and jealousy towards me.

The heaviness of the realization weighed heavy on my shoulders. There was no way that I could change the past, but I could try to make amends in the present. I tried to give him as much importance in the pack as I could but despite all my efforts, it wasn't working.

Donovan remained stubborn. I had vowed to be there for Donovan, to be the brother he deserved and to support him in any way he could but It was a heavy burden to bear, yet I was determined to make it right.

Maybe someday all this would end and I would be the brother that Donovan had never had, and maybe, just maybe, we could heal the wounds of the past.