Mysterious mate to the lycan prince (Addison and Max) novel Chapter 8

**The Crimson Oath — Bryan Foster**

**Chapter 8**

**Max**

Addison’s overwhelming presence as she dominated Ruby was enough to make me bite my lip in disbelief. It was only when Tyler playfully smacked the side of my arm that I snapped back to reality, realizing how absorbed I had become in the unfolding drama.

With an effortless grace, Addison stood up, her posture exuding confidence as she turned and began to walk away. The crowd around us erupted into hushed whispers, their excitement palpable.

“That was so cool!” one voice exclaimed, barely able to contain their enthusiasm.

“Yeah, just look at Ruby. She’s too humiliated to even face us,” another chimed in, a hint of glee in their tone.

“Fuck!” Ruby suddenly shouted, her voice breaking through the chatter as she sprang to her feet and vaulted over the fence, desperate to escape the spectacle of the school.

Tyler chuckled softly, shaking his head in amusement as we began to distance ourselves from the throng of students. “I can’t wait to see more of this as the competition heats up. It’s going to be wild.”

“I’m with you on that,” I replied, my gaze still fixated on Addison. She had leaned against a tree, casually fluffing her messy bun, an image of effortless coolness.

“Your girl is a badass,” Tyler remarked through our mind link, a teasing lilt in his voice.

“I’ve told you a thousand times, she’s not my girl,” I shot back, though a part of me felt a flicker of something deeper.

“But she will be,” he insisted, a knowing grin spreading across his face.

As we drew nearer to Addison, my heart raced inexplicably, a sensation I couldn’t quite articulate.

“That was awesome,” I said, halting right in front of her, Tyler flanking me.

“I barely did anything,” she replied with a light chuckle, her modesty only adding to her charm.

“Are you kidding? That was freaking cool as hell!” Tyler interjected, his excitement bubbling over.

Despite her smile, a hint of confusion crossed her features, and it dawned on me that she still hadn’t grasped the full impact of what she had just done.

“This is Tyler, my younger brother,” I introduced, hoping to clarify the situation.

“I see the resemblance,” she said, her eyes darting between us, taking in the striking similarities.

“It’s obvious we look alike, but who’s more handsome? Hmm?” Tyler quipped, a mischievous smirk dancing on his lips.

“Honestly, I don’t know,” she replied, shaking her head with amusement, her laughter infectious.

“I understand you don’t want to hurt my older brother’s feelings,” Tyler teased, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.

She glanced away, chuckling softly, and I couldn’t help but admire the way a few strands of hair danced in the light breeze, framing her face. In that moment, she appeared so sweet and innocent, a stark contrast to the fierce warrior she had just been.

It was only when her gaze shifted back to me that I found myself looking away, a bit flustered.

“Since you guys arrived here way earlier than I did,” she began, her tone curious, “I’m guessing you registered early for the competition.”

Tyler and I exchanged glances, smirking at one another.

“Yeah, and we’re ready,” he replied confidently.

“I’m certain you’ll crush the competition, especially you, Max,” she said, her eyes sparkling with encouragement.

“Me?” I asked, surprised by her faith in my abilities.

“Yeah, I still haven’t forgotten how the ground cracked when you stuck that landing,” she said, her admiration evident.

I glanced at Tyler, who immediately tapped into our mind link, guiding me as I scrambled for a response.

“That was nothing. The ground isn’t so hard,” I shrugged, attempting to downplay my achievement.

“That’s where you’re mistaken. No one has ever done what you did. So… where are you guys from?” she inquired, her genuine curiosity evident.

It took me a moment to gather my thoughts, and Tyler, sensing the tension, gave me a friendly pat on the back before deciding it was best to step away.

“I’ll leave you two alone for a while,” he said, waving goodbye to Addison.

“You’re already leaving?” she asked, raising her eyebrows in surprise.

Why did it seem like she wanted Tyler to stay? And why was that unsettling to me?

“I need to call my girlfriend,” Tyler stated, then effortlessly leaped onto a tree branch a few meters away from us.

Using the mind link, I shot him a look. “You’re seriously leaving me to handle this alone?”

“Yup!” he replied, a playful tone in his voice. “This way, I won’t be blamed for anything.”

“Do you do this often?” Addison asked, drawing my attention back to her.

“Do what?” I questioned, puzzled.

“You know… use the mind link while others are present?” she clarified, her eyes narrowing slightly.

“Was I that obvious?” I asked, a bit embarrassed.

“Yeah… If you need to discuss something with your brother, I can give you guys all the time you need. I was heading home anyway,” she offered, her tone light yet firm.

She turned slightly to leave, but I instinctively stepped in her path.

“No. Don’t leave,” I pleaded.

“Are you really not busy?” She looked up at me, her gaze piercing through my defenses.

“No,” I replied firmly.

She sighed, crossing her arms with a half-smile. “Then answer my question.”

For a fleeting moment, I thought she might have forgotten, but I quickly realized that her curiosity would only deepen. I needed to be careful with my words.

“Tyler and I are from Pike Hill,” I finally said, trying to keep it simple.

She furrowed her brows in confusion. “But Pike Hill has some of the best schools since it’s closer to the palace. It’s also home to the Academy of Warriors. Why would you give that up when Raven Mist only has this one school?”

“It was my parents’ decision to move here, and we had no choice but to obey,” I explained, hoping to keep the conversation light.

“I see. And how do you like Raven Mist so far?” she asked, genuinely interested.

“It’s a simple and small town, but there’s so much to explore,” I said with a smirk, letting my gaze linger on her captivating face.

As she looked away, I noticed her lips pressed together, as if she were trying to contain a smile.

I sensed that she had more questions, but I didn’t want to trip over my words. It was time for me to turn the tables and learn more about her, to unravel the enigma that was Addison.

“Now, it’s my turn. I heard from others that you’re a wolfless Omega, but that can’t be true. Why did you let them believe that?” I asked, my curiosity piqued.

“Because I decided not to shift,” she replied, her voice steady yet tinged with an undercurrent of something unspoken.

“Which means you can?” I probed further, intrigued.

A long pause enveloped us, and I could feel her heart racing. It was clear she didn’t want to delve deeper into that topic. Was I pushing too hard? The last thing I wanted was for her to sense my eagerness to uncover her secrets. I decided to ease off.

“Forget I asked about that,” I said, shifting the topic. “How long have you lived in Raven Mist?”

She let out a sigh of relief. “It’s been two years now.”

“With your entire family?” I asked, wanting to know more.

“And we shouldn’t care. Now, give me your number,” I insisted, my tone firm.

“Ooh, so demanding,” she teased, a playful glint in her eyes.

I sighed, realizing I needed to work on my tendency to make demands as a prince.

After we exchanged numbers, I noticed her eyes darting around at the girls shaking their heads in disapproval.

“They’re all annoying, except you. That’s why you have the privilege of having my phone number,” she said, laughter bubbling up.

Her laughter was contagious, and I found myself smiling, captivated by her joy.

“What is it?” I asked, curious about what had amused her.

“It’s a privilege to have your number?” she teased, her laughter brightening her already beautiful face.

Though I meant it sincerely, I realized I shouldn’t have said it, but I played it off with a smirk.

“Of course. Don’t you agree?” I replied, leaning into the banter.

“Just so you know, it’s a privilege to have mine as well,” she declared, holding her head high with playful pride.

“I bet it is,” I responded, our eyes locking for a moment, the air thick with unspoken tension.

Our hearts beat in sync, a rhythm I had never experienced before. It only drew me closer to her.

“I have to go,” she said, breaking the spell as she looked away.

As a prince, I had been surrounded by countless beautiful girls, yet none had ever made me feel the way Addison did.

“Call me when you get home,” I urged, wanting to maintain our connection.

“Hmm… you mean ten minutes from now?” she replied, a teasing smile gracing her lips.

“Yes,” I affirmed, nodding earnestly.

She glanced at Tyler, waved goodbye, and then walked away, the other girls still glaring at her as she left.

Tyler landed beside me with a soft thud, placing his hand on my shoulder with a playful grin.

“Still can’t help but act like the prince you are, huh?” he mocked through our mind link. “I know just how to make that stop.”

“How?” I asked, intrigued.

“Never speak to Addison again,” he suggested, his tone light yet serious.

“No,” I replied firmly, unwilling to entertain the idea.

“Can’t let your girlfriend go?” he teased.

“Shut up. I can’t wait for the day when we don’t have to pretend. It’s exhausting when I’m around her,” I confessed.

“Because she’s gorgeous?” he prodded.

“No, you idiot. It’s because my true nature just can’t be contained,” I snapped back.

“That’s why I said it. Now, share her number with me,” he insisted, a mischievous glint in his eye.

“No,” I replied defiantly.

“Fine, I’ll just ask her for it,” he teased.

“Don’t you dare!” I growled, feeling Koa, my wolf, surge with anger at the thought.