Mysterious mate to the lycan prince (Addison and Max) novel Chapter 86

Chapter 86: Like a Prison

Chapter 86: Like a Prison

Max

I stood in front of the mirror, checking myself out in one of my most favorite suits. Whoever handled the laundry did their job well as there was no trace of the stains that had been left behind when my room was flooded.

I looked dashing and ready for the party I was about to attend. I wasn’t even looking forward to it before, but things were now different because that was the one time I would get to leave the palace.

Moving away from the mirror, I approached the table and picked up my phone. I should have put it in my pocket right away, but I pressed the button to make the screen light up. I hoped that I would see a message notification frorn Addison, but there was nothing.

I scrolled through my contacts until I got to her name, but my thumb just hovered over it as I told myself not to even try.

Tyler had offered to help Addison and I by sneaking a message, but I shot him down immediately. It was too risky. I was certain that it was only going to take one long move and he was going to pay for it.

Going against my heart’s desire, I locked the phone and slipped it into my pocket.

Then, an uninvited thought crossed my mind heavily. They buried Aunt Nora without a body. There was no final goodbye, or any kind of proof that she had been laid to rest. How did Addison stand there knowing that? Did she cry? Did she scream or did she hold herself together so she wouldn’t unleash another wave of rage?

She must’ve hated me.

As I was still thinking about it, my bedroom door opened without warning.

“Max.”

Hearing my mother call my name made my shoulders tense instantly.

Because I just wanted to be alone, I didn’t even turn around.

That was very obvious from my body language, but she ignored it anyway. She invited herself into my bedroom and closed the door behind her as if that wasn’t a prison disguised as a palace.

“I could’ve been undressed,” I said coldly.

She scoffed. “Please. I’ve seen it all before.”

I bit down on my tongue to hold back my response, then focused on my necktie. Istraightened it all over again, even though I had already made sure it was perfect.

I was still trying to use it as a distraction when she came to stand beside me and got too close.

“You look very handsome,” she said, smiling at our reflections. “People will talk about this day for years to come.”

I didn’t even feel like responding. I couldn’t believe that woman was my mother. Just because I didn’t want to look at her anymore, I turned away from the mirror.

“I should get going,” I said. “Tyler’s just gone downstairs.”

I was about to walk away when she grabbed my arm.

“Not so fast,” she said lightly. “Let me see.”

She stepped directly in front of me, blocking the door and lifting her hands to my necktie. Her fingers adjusted it slowly and deliberately, but I knew it was fine because I had already made sure of it.

I tried to bottle up the irritation, but it began to burn hot in my chest. Instead, I just shifted slightly as if trying to step back. Then, she growled. It was low and sharp, but it was an obvious warning to me.

I didn’t even dare to move anymore, but I was still stuck on the sound she had just made. That was the real her. The polished smile was just a decoration at that moment.

Her expression shifted to something warm and she smiled again like nothing happened. “Everyone at the Academy of Warriors is expecting you and your brother today.” Then, her eyes narrowed just a little bit. “You better make us proud. And you know the rules. From the party, you come straight back here.”

There it was, the invisible leash around my throat. At that moment, I thought about how even if the doors were wide open and I had the perfect opportunity to run, I couldn’t. Not without getting Tyler in trouble.

She gently patted my chest as she stepped as Successfully unlocked!owing me to go and I walked out without

looking back at her. I could finally breathe bette

As I made my way down the stairs, I spotted Tyler standing near the foot of the staircase. He was in a black suit that fit him

1/3

Chapter 86 Like a Prison

perfectly. But he looked just like the miserable lycan prince I expected to see. There was no smile on his face when he looked up and saw me.

“Nice suit,” he said.

After those words, there was no teasing or sarcastic comment like he would’ve made before all of that.

I nodded once. “You too.”

When I made it to the foot of the stairs, we stood side-by-side, both of us painfully aware of the reason I was still breathing freely. It was because if I were to run, they wouldn’t come for me first. They would come for Tyler.

Our parents had been cruel before and they could actually do it again if it would get them what they wanted.

When Tyler’s gaze briefly flickered towards the staircase, I followed it. My mother stood there, one hand resting on the railing. She was watching us like she was admiring the sight of her precious sons together. But Tyler’s jaw tightened, bitterness flashing across his face before he managed to mask it.

I couldn’t tell if she had seen it or not, but she didn’t seem to care as she just brought her hands together and pleasantly said, “Before you leave, let’s all have lunch together.”

“We’ll eat at the party,” I replied immediately.

Her voice was still calm, but something seemed sharper in her eyes. “There’s no need for that. You’ll just have a small bite. I wouldn’t want my children leaving on an empty stomach.”

The word children made my skin crawl and the idea of eating home made my stomach turn because every meal felt like a gamble. Eating something poisoned at that point wasn’t even going to surprise me anymore.

But then, something else crossed my mind. My parents wanted us at that party because all eyes were going to be on us. It was the Academy of Warrior we were going to, which meant nothing bad was going to happen to my brother and I if we ate that food. Not on that day.

Tyler seemed to share the same feelings as I did as we spoke through the mind link for a few seconds.

My mother didn’t even wait to hear if we had decided to stay or not. She had already decided that we were going to stay.

She led the way to the dining room and we followed behind her.

Tyler and I took our usual seats next to each other and we waited.

She sat at the head of the table, folding her hands gracefully. “Your father is on his way,” she said with a smile. “You know how busy he’s been, restoring every part of this palace to its former beauty.”

She went on to talk about the repairs and how much effort it took just to clean the master bedroom after the damage.

Then, her smile shifted to something even brighter. “He should be joining us now.”

She said it like we couldn’t tell he was on the way.

For the past few weeks, he’d been having her heavily involved in his activities. It was something that had never happened in the past before and she seemed to have been milking the situation as much as she could.

When he walked into the dining room, the air shifted into something even more uncomfortable. Even just as he took his seat, it felt like his weight was pressing down on me. As usual, there was no warmth in his eyes. Just expectations.

And without a word, the meal began.

My brother and I ate slowly for a while and midway through the meal, my father finally decided to speak.

“Do you remember what your speech is meant to focus on?”

He didn’t even raise his voice when he asked me that. But he didn’t have to because the way he looked at me made it clear that it wasn’t a reminder. It was a warning.

I just wanted to shoot glares at him, but when I raised my head, there was nothing but obedience in my eyes.

“Yes,” I said, “I know what to do.”

His lips curved into a smile of satisfaction. “I expect nothing less from you.”

As I thought about what I had to say at that party, I hated that the speech wasn’t mine. The main point of that speech was to show loyalty to my father and make me look like I stood with him, like I believed in what he had done and I had chosen his side willingly.

And there was nothing I could do about it.

After the meal came to an end, I was a little relieved that I didn’t have to sit there anymore and deal with their presence, but

the four of us ended up heading outside together. My mother stayed close to Tyler, her hand resting possessively on his arm. My father was right beside me, using that opportunity to give me an update like I had asked for it.

2/3

Chapter 86 Like a Prison

“It’s all coming together,” he said, gesturing towards the palace grounds. “The alliances have tripled. You know, fear is such an effective motivator.”

I didn’t even say anything in response to that.

Watching me from the corner of his eye while clearly enjoying himself, he said “The hatred you feel for me is nothing compared to what Addison feels for you.”

I stopped walking just for a second.

“At least you know how I feel,” I said bitterly.

That only made his smile wider.

We reached the front yard just as Beta Ferris was heading towards us, carrying a small metal box that was the size of a medicine case. I wanted to shake my head so badly as I saw it. There was gold inside. My father had been obsessed with it, ordering the omegas to dig through the wreckage and bring him what they’d find in the form of jewelry, coins and relics. These were all things that belonged to the packs of Pike Hill. None of it was his, but he claimed it anyway, because he could.

Beta Farris handed the box to my father and after he opened it and checked inside, his expression darkened.

“It’s not full,” he snapped.

“There’s less every time,” Beta Farris said carefully.

My mother was so curious about what was in the box this time that she stepped closer to my father. She looked inside the box, her fingers hovering before she pulled out a necklace. It was beautiful and definitely not hers.

“Oh, this is lovely,” she said, fastening it around her neck, like it was always meant to be there.

“Farris,” my father said, “This is barely half of what was brought to me this morning. You better make sure it’s for next time.” Beta Farris was one of the most respected werewolves, not just in our pack, but in the entire kingdom and yet my father treated him like he was just an Omega whenever he felt like it.

It was just three days ago when he was treated like someone who deserved the Beta rank, but just a day later, my father had him digging for gold. I could only imagine how he was feeling about that.

Still, Beta Farris knew better than to demand some respect for my father, so he just did as he was told.

Tyler and I were about to get in the car waiting for us when a familiar vehicle drove into the yard. It was Jeffrey’s.

The way my father looked at him made it clear that he expected a valid explanation.

When Jeffrey stepped out of his car and started heading towards us, my father’s voice turned sharp. “Where have you been?’

囡

Subscribe

1 Likes