Mysterious mate to the lycan prince (Addison and Max) novel Chapter 13

**The Crimson Oath — Bryan Foster**
**Chapter 13**

**Addison**

Just moments after my conversation with Max, my phone buzzed again, lighting up with his name. A smile crept onto my face, but it quickly faded as I felt the weight of Saga’s emotions pressing down on me.

“You don’t want me to answer that, do you?” I inquired, glancing inwardly at Saga’s turmoil.

“I’m not sure. Didn’t you two just have a chat?” she replied, her voice tinged with uncertainty.

I let out a frustrated sigh, smacking my lips together. “We did, but… it’s complicated. I can’t quite put it into words.”

“As long as he’s not physically nearby, I can manage. Just go ahead, since that’s clearly what you want!” she teased, her tone lightening the mood.

I cleared my throat, shifting to get comfortable on my bed, and picked up the call. “I didn’t expect you to ring me again so soon.”

“I was going to wait until tomorrow, but I just can’t hold off any longer,” Max confessed, his tone carrying an unusual weight.

“What’s going on?” I furrowed my brow, sensing the seriousness in his voice.

“Can you meet me in ten minutes?”

“You know my answer,” I replied, already anticipating the direction this was heading.

“It’s not what you think. Actually, can you meet Tyler in ten minutes?”

“For what purpose?” I asked, my curiosity piqued but laced with apprehension.

“There’s something I want us to try out. It could shed light on everything that’s happening to us.”

I paused, closing my eyes as I absorbed his words. I hesitated to jump on board with his plan. Saga and I were intertwined; her feelings were just as valid as mine.

“Saga is just as bewildered by this as I am and she’s craving answers too. I’m willing to go along with it, but please keep your distance. That’s the only way she’ll feel at ease.”

“You have my word,” he assured me, the sincerity in his voice grounding me.

I could have easily thrown off my covers and dashed out of my room, but instead, I took my time, changing my clothes and fixing my hair while glancing at my reflection.

“What are you up to?” Saga asked, her tone laced with curiosity.

“I’m just getting ready,” I replied with a casual shrug.

“For Max, huh?” she pressed, her teasing tone evident.

“Of course not. He’ll be far away anyway,” I shot back, trying to sound nonchalant.

She chuckled softly. “But he’ll still see you.”

“Okay, fine! You caught me,” I admitted, raising my hands in mock surrender before resting them on my desk.

“Hey, I know you like him. So do I, but lately, I just don’t—”

“You never have to justify your feelings to me,” I reassured her, my voice steady. “It’s perfectly alright. I completely understand where you’re coming from.”

Just as we had always been in sync with each other’s emotions, I hoped to achieve a similar understanding regarding my powers.

How much longer would I have to wait before I could finally act on this?

As the sun dipped lower in the sky, I made my way toward the woods, the designated meeting spot with Tyler. I was to find him beneath the sprawling branches of the large white tree near the main road.

Even from a distance, I could already catch a hint of his scent, and soon enough, I spotted him. My vision sharpened as I closed the gap between us. He wasn’t even at the tree yet, but something drew me toward him.

When he caught sight of me approaching, I found it odd that he seemed to sense my presence well before I reached him. What was going on? There was something unusual about him, just as there was with Max, and I was determined to uncover the truth.

“I’m so glad we’re on the same page!” Saga exclaimed, her excitement bubbling over.

“What are you talking about?” I asked, a bit bewildered.

“Tyler is absolutely stunning!”

“Yeah, but he’s not Max,” I admitted, the words slipping out before I could stop myself.

Realizing the implications of what I had just said, I felt a rush of embarrassment wash over me. I shut my eyes, bracing myself for her teasing. The distance left to cover before reaching Tyler felt like an eternity, leading me into a playful back-and-forth with Saga.

Suddenly, I halted mid-step, my eyes snapping open as I sensed Tyler right in front of me.

“Whoa, you startled me!” I exclaimed, glancing up to meet his gaze.

“Yeah, I was way over there just a moment ago,” he replied, gesturing vaguely. His eyes narrowed suspiciously at me. “It’s just odd that you knew exactly where to come, especially since you didn’t even head toward the meeting spot.”

Panic surged within me. I hadn’t realized my abilities would raise his suspicions. I needed to think quickly while maintaining my composure, so I decided to play it cool.

His presence sent a jolt of unease through me, and I instinctively growled at him, feeling Koa’s energy surge within me.

As soon as Max noticed my warning signs, he took a few steps back, but his glowing gaze remained fixed on Tyler.

I knew what I saw; he looked ready to pounce on his brother, and my suspicions were confirmed when Tyler withdrew his hand just before we could make contact.

“You need to calm down,” Tyler said, his voice steady yet gentle. “We already discussed this. There’s no need for all this anger.”

Max tilted his head aggressively, his eyes glowing brighter, the veins in his forearms standing out prominently.

“Hey,” Tyler called, his tone soothing.

“What?” Max bared his fangs, his voice mingling with what I believed to be Koa’s growl.

“You know why we’re doing this, right?” Tyler reminded him, trying to keep the peace.

“Yes, but—”

“I know. Just take it easy before someone gets hurt.”

Despite the rising anger within me, I wished Tyler had let Max finish. What was he about to say? Why was he so volatile?

After a few more calming words, Tyler turned back to me, requesting my hand once more.

I barely registered him as my focus remained locked on Max. The strength of Koa’s presence was overwhelming, and I felt a strong urge to get closer to him. Yet, at the same time, I was torn—should I stay put or move away for Saga’s sake?

Tyler finally drew my attention back to him when I felt his hand envelop mine. To my astonishment, I felt nothing out of the ordinary—not even a whisper of Saga’s feelings. It was as if I was making contact with everyone else, just as I usually did. I contemplated whether to linger a moment longer.

“Well?” Tyler prompted, his expression expectant.

“I feel… nothing.” My eyebrows shot up, surprise flooding my voice.

“Me neither. I guess that answers one part of the mystery.”

Tyler’s words came with a look of suspicion, his brow furrowed. I could only assume it stemmed from our recent experiment.

I paid little heed to his expression, my heart racing as I glanced back at Max. He appeared just as stunned as I was by the outcome of my interaction with his brother.

This was an unprecedented occurrence, and I desperately wished for Lyra to arrive, but I had no idea how long I would have to wait. Answers were what I craved, and who better to provide them than Madge?