Mysterious mate to the lycan prince (Addison and Max) novel Chapter 79

Chapter 79

Addison

My eyes shot open as I called out for Aunt Nora with a pang of desperation, my mother right in my face as she placed her hands on my arms real quick and spoke to me softly.

“Hey, calm down, okay?”

While she smiled at me like everything was alright, I could see her puffy eyes and that rage that made her shoulders tremble. It was subtle, but I caught it.

I knew she was trying to stay strong for me, but the others didn’t even try.

I was back in the living room at home in Red Valley with my family gathered around. Their expressions may not have been the exact same thing, but they all had one thing in common, sorrow.

I couldn’t see my father’s face as he stood by the window, his head low while his fist rested against the wall like he could punch it.

“Hey, how do you feel?” my mother asked, placing her hand on my cheek to get my attention.

I thought what had happened to my aunt was just a terrible dream, but the reality quickly set in, making me shake my head.

“No.” I frantically looked around the couch like that would help me find her.

“It’s okay, sweetie.” Not only was her voice far from sounding convincing, she also couldn’t hide the tremble in her lower lip. She was only trying her best to keep me calm, but everything was far from okay.

When she realized there was nothing she could say that could calm me down, she went silent and I burst into tears as I wrapped my arms around her.

“She’s gone.” I exhaled in a series of short breaths. “He ruthlessly took her life. I felt it happen.”

I was still hugging my mother when Lyra walked into the living room from the kitchen with an apple slice. She had no attachment to my aunt, which was why I expected no emotion from her, but instead, she had her arms crossed as she glared right at me like she was furious.

“Lyra,” I said, dropping my arms from my mother to break the hug. She didn’t even leave my side. She held my hand, gently rubbing her thumb on top of my wrist.

I could feel her movements, but I couldn’t look away from Lyra.”

It took her a while to speak, but I could tell she had something to say as her heart began racing. She didn’t even try to pretend. Whatever she was feeling was aimed at me.

“I warned you,” she finally said, her tone already a little harsh. “I told you that you wouldn’t be able to control it and there was nothing I could do to stop you. It was a long way for that attack to get to the palace and while you were in that state, I couldn’t even get too close. If I already felt that you could’ve killed me, a witch, imagine what must’ve happened to those who didn’t stand a chance. Do you have any idea what you’ve done?”

She charged towards me like she was about to slap me, but when she was close enough to my couch, she took out her phone and held it up in front of me. I held my breath at the picture on the screen. My attack had caused so much destruction.

“There were so many who had nothing to do with this, but they ended up paying the price. Their houses have been washed away and several have a few broken limbs. I even spotted a leg buried under some branches. That just confirms one thing, people fucking died because of you.”

“Language,” my mother warned her gently.

“Sorry,” she said to my mother with a softer tone and expression, but quickly turned harsh when she looked back at me. “And you, I know what happened to your aunt was awful and that’s what triggered that rage, but did you think you could send that attack towards the palace, which was far away by the way and nothing in its path would be affected?”

“That’s enough,” Dylan said from the other side of the room.

“No, it’s not.” She looked back at him, then back at me. “You all know I’m right. That’s why you’re not saying anything about it. This could’ve been avoided had she just listened to me.”

“I know I messed up,” I finally said, setting my feet on the wooden floor. “I lost my aunt and felt her take her last breath right before her heart was ripped out of her chest, but it felt like mine was being ripped out too. And Max, my mate, is the reason that all this happened. I was so furious that I just wanted to avenge her. But you all need to know that I was just about to launch the attack when I felt like not going through with it. Despite my efforts, it was too late because Saga was so out of control. Why did you leave out that part, Lyra? Aren’t you supposed to be able to see everything going on in my mind?”

She scoffed. “What difference does it make? You didn’t listen to me the first time I warned you.”

“It makes a huge difference because I didn’t want to go through with it in the end!” I yelled in her face after getting up. “I just lacked the control to make it all stop.”

“Lives were still lost!” she yelled in my face, the apple slice in her hand turning to smoke. “Had you not even allowed Saga to surge in the first place, none of this would’ve happened.”

“Lyra, you need to tone it down,” Dylan stepped in, his voice heavy with sorrow. “Can’t you see my sister’s hurting?”

“Does it matter anymore?” I chuckled painfully as I sat back down. “Lyra’s right. People died because of me. You know what? I don’t want this power anymore.”

“What?” they all said in unison, except my father, who just continued standing by the window.

“I’ve already been labeled a monster by now. Warrick will use this to his advantage and there’ll be more hunting us down.”

“That’s not going to do anything,” Dylan said. “We’re cloaked, remember?””

“Oh yeah?” Cole finally said, then sniffled. “Then how did they get to my aunt? Oh, that’s right. They used my sister’s hair and they still have more. You heard what Madge said before she had to leave. She’s growing weaker and that will make it way easier for them next time, so what are we supposed to do, huh? What are we supposed to-”

“I don’t know! Okay?” Dylan yelled back at him, then sighed. “Dad, say something “

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We all turned towards him, wondering what he thought about all that. He’d been quiet from the moment I’d opened my eyes and hadn’t even looked back at me.

With a sigh, he said, “Addison, tell me. Right before Nora died, what were her last words and how was she?”

My heart shattered as I thought about it. “She was terrified, but for my sake, in those last few seconds, she became brave so she could tell me something I’ll never forget.”

“What did she say?” His voice was terrifyingly steady.

“She told me not to let them turn me into a monster and her voice was so gentle when she told me not to cry. She asked that I take care of all of you. She was about to say something more when Warrick shoved his hand into her chest. Among the faces she saw in those last few minutes was Jeffrey.”

My father snarled at the mention of his name. “After everything those two had been through a long time ago, this is how it

ends.”

Chapter 79

“That piece of shit.” Cole gritted his teeth. “Actually, they both are. We have to do something about it and-”

“No. It can wait,” my father said, still staring outside the window, “First, we mourn Nora, then come up with a plan

“Your father’s right,” my mother chimed in. “Has it occurred to any of you that we have to say goodbye to her without ever seeing her one last time?”

I thought about how my situation was different from everyone else’s. I might have felt what my aunt felt in her final moments, but I still wished I could see her face one more time.

“I can’t believe I’ll never see my aunt again.” Cole said, his forehead now beginning to sweat as he’d been holding in so much anger. “She was so sweet that I was always so calm when she was-”

“Quiet, someone’s coming.” My father gestured with his hand to Cole as he kept staring outside the window.

Then, he tilted his head like he couldn’t believe who it was. He then turned furious, but also a little emotional. It was hard to

read him.

“Who is it?” my mother asked.