Mysterious mate to the lycan prince (Addison and Max) novel Chapter 10

**The Crimson Oath — Bryan Foster**
**Chapter 10**

Addison

I had every intention of diving into my studies right after that lengthy two-hour conversation with Max. Yet, just as I was about to settle down, my phone buzzed insistently, and I couldn’t resist answering Gina’s call. She was eager to hear every juicy detail about the drama that had unfolded at school.

“I can’t believe I missed out on that fight!” she exclaimed, her voice bubbling with excitement from the other end of the line.

I rolled my eyes, trying to downplay the situation. “It wasn’t really a fight, Gina. Ruby was just flailing around, wasting her kicks and punches.”

“Whatever it was, there’s no way she’s coming back from all that humiliation,” she snickered, her laughter ringing in my ears. “I wish I could kick ass like you.”

“With a little practice, you could,” I encouraged, though I knew how reluctant she was to step out of her comfort zone.

“I’ll be honest. I’m too lazy for that. I’d rather stick to my studies,” she replied, a hint of resignation in her tone.

“I genuinely believe you could do it if you tried.”

She sighed dramatically. “Maybe when I feel I’m ready.”

“Honestly, I should be studying right now,” I reminded her, guilt creeping in.

“Oh, shoot! Why didn’t you say so earlier?”

“Because I was too excited to tell you all about Ruby and the chaos.”

“You know how I feel about school stuff. Get back to it now. We’ll talk later. Bye!”

As soon as the call ended, I switched off my phone and placed it on my desk, the weight of impending study pressing down on me. I reached for one of my textbooks, determined to focus.

However, just as I began flipping through the pages, Aunt Nora knocked gently at my door. I shook my head, wondering if I would actually manage to study that evening.

“Addie? May I come in?” she asked, her voice soft yet firm from the other side of the door.

“Sure!” I replied, a little huff escaping me as I reluctantly closed my book.

She stepped inside slowly, her demeanor suggesting she had something significant to discuss.

“Is everything okay?” I inquired, sensing the gravity in her tone.

“No, my dear. We need to have a serious talk,” she said, taking a seat on my bed while I turned my chair to face her fully.

“What’s going on?”

“I heard you talking to a boy on the phone just a few minutes ago.”

“That was Gina,” I clarified, hoping to brush off her concern.

“I mean before that. I know it was a boy because of the way your voice changed and how you giggled at almost everything he said.”

I pressed my lips together, a flush of embarrassment creeping up my cheeks.

“Is that what you wanted to talk about?” I asked, trying to steer the conversation elsewhere.

She sighed deeply, as if gathering her thoughts. “Give me your hand.”

I hesitated for a moment but then pulled my chair closer, offering her my hand.

Gently squeezing it, she said, “In three weeks, you’ll be turning 18, and on that day, the moon goddess will reveal to you who your mate is.”

“Aunt, why are you bringing this up now? All I want to do is learn to control my wolf and my powers,” I replied, frustration bubbling beneath my surface.

“You might not want to face the truth, but that’s what’s going to happen. You’ll meet your mate when you turn 18, and I don’t want you straying from that path by entertaining that boy.”

“He’s just a friend,” I protested, feeling defensive.

“That’s how it always starts. Before you know it, you two could be deeply in love with each other.”

“Let’s say that happens; what’s so wrong with that?”

“Don’t you see how special you are? Everything that will happen in your case has a purpose. Your mate will be chosen for you based on your abilities, and you can’t run away from that.”

“But what if I don’t like him?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

“I believe that with time, you’ll grow to like him. That’s why I don’t want you blushing so hard over that boy on the phone.”

“I… I wasn’t blushing,” I stammered, trying to defend myself.

“Maybe you weren’t, but I have super hearing. I could feel your heart racing while I was in the kitchen,” she teased gently, a knowing smile on her face.

I felt a blush creeping up my cheeks at the thought of meeting him alone. “Sure.”

“I’m already looking forward to it,” he said, his excitement palpable. “Now, tell me about your wolf.”

I furrowed my brows, caught off guard by his question. “Is there any reason why you want to know about that?”

“I’m always curious to compare other wolves with mine,” he explained, his tone earnest.

“Well, her name’s Saga. She’s sweet but fierce and dangerous when she needs to be. She loves to tease me whenever she gets the chance, and she’s been my best friend for as long as I can remember.”

“It sounds like you two have the perfect balance in your relationship,” he said, his tone warm.

“Oh… yeah. We definitely do,” I agreed, chuckling nervously as I thought about my struggles with controlling my shift and the chaos that sometimes ensued with Saga in charge.

To steer the conversation away from my insecurities, I quickly asked, “Now, tell me about your wolf.”

Learning about Koa turned out to be quite intriguing. He was the polar opposite of Saga, brimming with confidence and a bit of arrogance. Despite my internal thoughts, I kept them to myself, not wanting to offend Koa or Max.

The next morning, as I made my way to school, my mind was consumed with thoughts of the competition that would kick off later that afternoon. I was ready to participate and push myself to new heights.

As I walked through the gates of Blackbolt High, the atmosphere felt different; I could sense the eyes of numerous girls glaring at me. Whispers floated through the air, speculating about how Max and I had exchanged numbers and seemed to be getting close. Despite the chaos with Ruby, my budding relationship with Max overshadowed everything else.

I had endured much worse at school, and that empowered me to hold my head high as I made my way to the large tree to meet Max.

Yet, even with everything seemingly in place, I couldn’t shake the feeling of unease. There was still no sign of Lyra, and I found myself wondering when she would finally appear. Wasn’t she supposed to be with me from the beginning?

If only I could call Madge, I thought. She had decided to communicate solely through magic, only reaching out when absolutely necessary to avoid being traced. It made me curious about the reasons behind her decision. I speculated that Lyra might be similar, which only heightened my anticipation for her arrival, as I was uncertain about what to expect.

Just as I reached the meeting spot, with no one else around as students hurried inside, Max appeared before me, his presence both unexpected and breathtaking. I hadn’t even caught his scent; how did he manage to approach so quietly?

“Hey,” I greeted, glancing at his tight gray shirt that highlighted his toned muscles, my heart racing.

“I wanted to be here before you. I guess you beat me to it,” he said, towering over me as he extended his hand in greeting.

It took me a moment to comprehend his gesture, and in those fleeting seconds, I became lost in his gaze, our hearts beating in sync.

I finally composed myself enough to reach for his hand, and as soon as our palms touched, I felt a surge of energy course through me, Saga awakening within me.