Mysterious mate to the lycan prince (Addison and Max) novel Chapter 2

**The Crimson Oath — Bryan Foster**

**Chapter 2**

**Addison**

For a fleeting moment, disbelief washed over me, but there was no mistaking it: Cole, my older brother, stood before me, and beside him was Dylan, my other older brother. Dylan had Ruby’s wrist firmly in his grasp, and their eyes were locked in a tense standoff, an electric current of animosity crackling in the air between them.

My focus shifted abruptly as Cole leaned in, extending his hand toward me. It was a simple gesture, yet it carried the weight of reassurance. As our fingers clasped together, he effortlessly pulled me up from the ground, his jaw tightening at the sight of the angry red scratch marks and the trickle of blood that marred my arms.

“How dare you lay a finger on my sister?” Cole barked, his voice a low growl directed at Ruby. She struggled against Dylan’s iron grip, a feral snarl escaping her lips as she fought to free herself.

“That’s what she gets for sticking her nose where it doesn’t belong!” Ruby retorted, her movements frantic, her desperation palpable. She was still trying to break free, but Dylan remained silent, his fury simmering just beneath the surface.

“Maybe you didn’t comprehend my words the first time,” Cole snarled, his fangs glinting menacingly. “If you so much as touch my sister again, you’ll regret it!”

Ruby shot him a defiant sneer. “As if I’d let that happen! You should have arrived a little later. I would have had plenty of time to shatter all her teeth!” She turned her gaze toward Dylan, her bravado faltering momentarily. “And you, get your… your damn hand off me!”

With an almost violent motion, Dylan released Ruby’s wrist, pushing her away with enough force that she nearly stumbled, though her friends were quick to steady her.

“What the hell? Watch it!” she spat, teeth clenched, glaring at Dylan.

“That’s just one of the many things you deserve for harming my sister,” he finally spoke, his voice low and laced with a threat.

Ruby scoffed but didn’t retort this time; their eyes remained locked, and I could sense the tension between them. It hit me like a bolt of lightning—Dylan and Ruby were fated mates. My eyes widened in shock. No way.

I was still reeling from this revelation when I noticed the onlookers around us, their expressions a mix of surprise and intrigue.

“Did Cole and Dylan just call Addison their little sister?” one bystander whispered, disbelief coloring their tone.

“How do you know their names?” another voice chimed in, curiosity piqued.

“I saw them last year. They’re brothers, which means Addison is the daughter of the Alpha of the Moon Frost Pack,” came the response.

“What? No way! If she’s part of that family, then she’s definitely not an Omega.”

The murmurs spread like wildfire, and as I glanced around, I noticed the shock on their faces as my wounds began to heal at an astonishing rate. Werewolves didn’t heal that quickly—at least, not ordinary ones.

As I stood there, my breath still coming in quick gasps, it took a moment for my racing heart to settle down, the adrenaline from the confrontation still coursing through my veins.

“What the hell?” Ruby muttered, her voice low as she finally registered the sight of my healing arms. It was clear she was struggling to process the bizarre reality before her.

In that moment, one of her friends reached out to guide her away, but Ruby shoved her to the ground with a fierce glare.

“Don’t touch me!” she snapped, her voice dripping with venom.

“Hey, I’m just trying to help!” her friend protested, bewildered.

“I don’t need your help! I decide when we leave!” Ruby kicked the air in frustration, her high-pitched scream echoing as she stormed off, her entourage trailing behind her.

Even as she walked away, I noticed her glancing back at Dylan, who remained rooted in place, his jaw still clenched in agitation.

I took a step toward him, and as I wrapped my arms around his waist, the tension in his expression eased slightly. He ruffled my hair affectionately, a small gesture that warmed my heart.

“Hey, little sis,” he said, his voice softening, laced with genuine care.

“Is she your—”

“Yeah, but not for long. No one hurts my sister and gets away with it,” he interrupted firmly.

“Exactly,” Cole added, stepping forward. “Let me see your face.” He leaned in closer, inspecting my features with an affectionate gaze.

“Cole, I’m not a baby. I already h—”

“Shut up. I’m trying to focus here,” he replied, his tone half-serious, half-teasing.

I let him examine my face, and despite the fury simmering beneath the surface, I could see the concern etched in his features.

“Looks like you’re fine,” he finally said, nodding in approval.

“I already healed, just like I told you,” I replied, a hint of pride in my voice.

Since I was dressed in black, I only needed to wash the blood from my arms, so I led the way to the nearest tap, which wasn’t too far from where we stood.

After I cleaned up, I stood between my brothers, wrapping my arms around their waists, a sense of comfort enveloping me despite the lingering tension in the air. I ignored the curious eyes of the crowd still watching us.

“What are you two doing here?” I asked, looking up at them with a mix of curiosity and relief.

“We came because of Mom,” Dylan said, his tone softening. “She misses you, and honestly, she’s not the only one.”

They both smiled at me, and I couldn’t help but giggle. I truly had the best brothers anyone could wish for. They were always there for me, unwavering in their support.

“Wait here. I’ll be right back,” Dylan said suddenly, his gaze sharpening as he turned toward a specific direction. I could feel the anger radiating off him.

When I followed his line of sight, I saw Ruby lingering at the edge of the crowd, speaking to her friends, irritation etched on her face.

“Whatever!” she scoffed, avoiding his gaze as she crossed her arms defiantly.

Watching the scene unfold was immensely satisfying, and I couldn’t help but smirk at her humiliation.

After delivering his warning, Dylan turned to head back to us, but Ruby kicked the air in frustration, gritting her teeth as she shouted, “Asshole! Just wait until my father hears about this!”

Dylan sighed, continuing his path back to Cole and me, unfazed by her threats.

The girls surrounding us continued to gush over him, and I rolled my eyes again in annoyance.

“Did you hear that?” Dylan asked as he approached us.

“Every single word,” I replied, nodding in agreement.

“No one hurts my sister and expects me to just let it slide,” he said, ruffling my hair once more, a gesture that made me feel cherished.

With that, they took me out to lunch, eager to catch up. They had traveled a long way to see me, and despite the chaos, I felt a warmth in my heart knowing they were by my side.

—

**Max**

High atop one of the tallest trees at Blackbolt High, I perched like a silent observer, my gaze fixed on Addison as she walked away with her brothers. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t tear my eyes away from her.

She had shown remarkable courage, standing up for Gina, only to become the target of Ruby’s wrath. In my nineteen years of life, I had never witnessed anyone so fearless, willing to put themselves on the line like that.

“Hey, there’s so much to look at, you know?” Tyler, my younger brother, quipped as he squatted on a thick branch nearby.

“Shut up,” I muttered, shifting my boots on the branch beneath me.

“Still thinking about that Addison girl?” he asked, a teasing lilt to his voice.

“You know the answer to that,” I replied, my tone clipped.

“Well, I can’t stop thinking about that babe who just got rejected. Can you imagine finding your mate and getting publicly rejected? That would suck. Luckily for us, we haven’t been rejected yet,” he said, a hint of mischief in his tone.

“You’re thinking too far ahead,” I scoffed, frustration bubbling beneath the surface. “You need to find a mate before you can even be rejected. How much longer are we going to keep searching for our mates?”

“I see you’re getting impatient, big brother, but don’t forget that this is exactly why you and I set up The Warrior Selection competition,” he reminded me, a glimmer of excitement in his eyes.

I sighed, staring out into the distance, my thoughts swirling as I contemplated the challenges ahead.