He wasn’t alone in that struggle. All three of them—Levi, Zion, and Maxwell—felt the same tug-of-war inside, each battling the pull of the mate bond, the desire for exclusivity, and the instinct to fight for her heart.
After all, this was the first time a she-wolf had three fated mates. And since male werewolves were naturally territorial and possessive, it wouldn’t have been surprising if the three decided to fight it out, tearing each other apart until only one remained, the victor who would claim her. But that also meant the other two would have to die.
The problem was, they couldn’t bring themselves to do it.
Though Addison hadn’t been marked or mated by any of them yet, the bond between them was already unnaturally strong. So strong, in fact, that if one of her fated mates were to die, it seemed Addison would suffer the consequences, physically or emotionally.
Somehow, they could already feel what she was feeling. That’s why both Maxwell and Levi had the instinct to comfort her, to hold her, because her emotions were in turmoil, tangled and intense. It was as if their entire bond existed solely for Addison, and she bore the weight of it all.
That was also why Maxwell didn’t react when Levi hugged Addison from behind. The possessive part of him raged, threatened by another’s touch. But something deeper stopped him. He knew if he acted out, it might hurt her. And that fear was stronger than his instinct to claim her.
The entire situation left them conflicted. As male werewolves, they were built to protect and defend their mate, even against one another. But in this case, touching or harming one of Addison’s other mates might affect her in ways they couldn’t predict. No one had ever heard of a she-wolf with three fated mates before. There were no rules, no guidelines. Only uncertainty.
After gently pulling herself away from them, Addison heard her father’s voice through their mindlink. "Then the children should be hidden for now, at least until you figure out what you want to do about your mates."
The words hit hard.
Addison’s heart ached at the thought of being separated from her children. But she understood, this wasn’t forever. It didn’t mean she would never see them again. She just needed time. Time to understand the bond she shared with these three men, to figure out why she had three fated mates and how deep this connection truly ran.
She had so many questions, and too few answers. But one thing was clear, for now, Zion couldn’t find out about the children.
No one could know about her children, especially now that she had discovered just how many enemies were lurking in the shadows. And most of all, not Zion.
He hadn’t been able to protect her before... and she was terrified he’d fail her again.
So Addison made her decision.
"Father," she said firmly through the mindlink, "please make sure Aiden and Kyle are hidden somewhere only we can find. Put only your most trusted people with them, and I mean the most trusted. No one else can know where they are. Not even Mila. Not Zion. No one."
It wasn’t that she suspected Mila of betrayal, far from it. But Addison had seen enough to know that even the most loyal hearts could be manipulated or used. And right now, she couldn’t afford any risk. The truth was, she didn’t know who she could fully trust anymore.
The only thing she was certain of was that someone out there wanted her gone.
But Levi, he wasn’t just watching. He was gawking, stunned to realize that the woman he had long admired, defended, and grieved for... was his own fated mate.
His thoughts were a tangled mess. Was it Zion’s mark on her at the time that stopped his wolf from recognizing her? Or had it been the seal on Addison’s wolf all along? He couldn’t tell. But one thing was clear: ’Addison was looking so radiant, and he was so into her that he’d never imagined.’
She looked confident, stronger, alive in a way she hadn’t before. Her once pale, sorrowful face was now healthy and glowing, her skin kissed with color, her eyes sharp with purpose. And it took Levi’s breath away.
He had always known Addison was remarkable, but now he truly saw the depth of her strength. That realization filled him with joy... and sorrow.
Because this transformation only proved one painful truth: the Midnight River Pack had broken her. They gave her nothing but pain. And now that two of her fated mates had come from that same pack... would Addison ever want to return, or even look back?
Meanwhile, Maxwell stared at Addison hungrily, heat flooding his body with every passing second. His breathing grew ragged, and Addison could feel his warm breath fanning against her hair. She looked up, only to meet his smoldering amber red eyes, glowing like molten lava. The moment their eyes locked, a wave of heat surged through her, leaving her body weak and trembling. A delicious churning coiled in her core.
Was she... going into heat?
The thought struck her like lightning. Was it because of Maxwell? Her head snapped to the side, and there was Levi, the one she was most familiar with, watching her like a predator ready to pounce. Her breath hitched.
"Father, I need to go..." she said through the mind link, trying to sound calm, though panic swelled inside her. She had to leave. If she stayed any longer, she would go into heat, and that wasn’t normal. It felt like a chain reaction, like something had been triggered. But by who? Was it Maxwell? Or was this something within her? Could they be going into rut? That didn’t make sense either.
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