158 Chapter 158 Cruelty By Choice
“No… I’m not ready yet. And it’s hard to explain… please?” Addison pleaded, her voice barely above a whisper. She wasn’t lying; it was too much, too complicated, and her heart still felt raw.
The Royal Beta, supporting him, quietly mind–linked the medical staff, instructing them to prepare for a full neurological scan. Zion’s injuries were severe, and the concern wasn’t just for broken bones. Brain trauma, something even a wolf’s healing couldn’t easily fix, required expert care. And after the beating he endured, they couldn’t afford to take chances.
After Zion left, Addison couldn’t deny the strange hollowness settling inside her. It wasn’t relief, it was something incomplete, unsettling. Levi stepped closer and wrapped his arms around her from behind in a silent show of support.
Surprisingly, Addison relaxed even more, her tense shoulders loosening bit by bit. It was as if, in that moment, she needed them both, perhaps even all three of them, including Zion. And that realization shook her. It was confusing. It was messy.
“Yeah, just get that bastard out of my sight,” the Alpha King growled, still panting heavily. “I’m barely holding it together. I might really kill him.”
A sharp breath escaped her lips as she tried to keep her composure. She leaned into her mates, inhaling Maxwell’s scent, grounding herself with Levi’s warmth. After a few slow, shaky breaths, she gently pushed Maxwell back. Levi, sensing her intent, released
her too.
Addison knew deep down that before she could even think about Zion being a father, they needed to find Claire and make her pay for what she’d done. She wanted to confront Claire herself and demand answers. Why had she done all of it?
Meanwhile, Zion, still battered and bruised, caught a glimpse of the embrace as he was being escorted out. A pang of jealousy twisted in his chest, but he averted his gaze quickly.
Levi, still standing behind her, gave her shoulder a firm, comfortin queeze, a gesture he’d done many times before, especially back when the decaying mate bond with Zion had left her drowning in pain. It was his silent way of saying, ‘I’m here. I’ve always been
here.‘
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158 Chapter 158 Cruelly By Choice
As soon as she did, Maxwell pulled her into a firm embrace. Though his aura still carried that signature chill, like an ever–present winter breeze, his hug was warm, grounding, and deeply reassuring. It wasn’t just comfort; it was the bond working its quiet magic.
“This is a mate’s responsibility, don’t worry about it, Levi said casually, even before Maxwell could get a word in.
Her father’s response came swiftly, his tone sharp and perceptive. “Why? Did that bastard do more than what you’ve already told us?”
He hadn’t even fully processed why Addison had two other fated mates, but what gnawed at him was the fact that both already had emotional bonds with her, whether rooted in past affection or heartbreak. Either way, they were part of her life before he ever came into the picture. And now, his possessiveness was flaring. His territorial instincts surged, primal and demanding, urging him to assert dominance and claim what fate had bound to him.
Addison hesitated for a moment, uncertainty flickering in her eyes. But then, with a slight nod, she gave her consent.
For the first time in a long while, Addison felt the tight knot in her chest begin to loosen. Her heart trembled, her guard wavered, and suddenly she found herself wanting to pour out every grievance, every ounce of pain and suffering she had buried inside. She wanted someone to hold her through it all, to listen without judgment. And somehow, in Maxwell’s arms, she believed he would.
The Alpha King didn’t want to question fate or the Moon Goddess‘ will, but this… this felt like a cruel joke. His wolf was howling in fury inside him, demanding blood in exchange for the pain Addison had endured.
“Thank you,” Addison said, giving them both a grateful smile. “Thank you, Maxwell. Levi. For comforting me… and for letting me release everything I’ve been holding in. Truly.”
Addison’s heart skipped. Panic surged up her throat as she pressed her face into Maxwell’s chest to ground herself, her arms wrapping tightly around him as she struggled to breathe through the wave of emotion.
Still sandwiched between Maxwell’s protective embrace and Levi’s steady warmth, Addison reached out through the mind link to her parents. “Mother… Father… Please
158 Chapter 158 Cruelty By Choice
help me hide the twins from their father,” she said softly, her voice trembling with
nerves.
‘He deserved every hit,‘Levi thought darkly. And for once, his wolf didn’t disagree, no reprimands, no guilt, just a shared, simmering silence. Their loyalty lay with Addison now. Nothing else mattered.
Addison had once been the one begging for Zion’s warmth and attention, only to be met with cold rejection. Now the tables had turned, and it hurt just as much. She hated that a part of her still felt tied to him. She was just beginning to heal, only to have fate kick open the door and throw him back into her life like a cruel joke. The emotional whiplash left her overwhelmed and deeply conflicted.
Such was the strange and powerful pull of the mate bond.
Levi wasn’t even looking at Zion anymore. He didn’t care.
Because it meant Zion had lied. He had deliberately told her the child was his, not out of confusion, but to hurt her. That realization cut deeper than anything else. It wasn’t ignorance; it was cruelty by choice.
Even Addison kept her silence, sensing how volatile her father’s emotions were. She exchanged a glance with Levi, whose quiet nod conveyed his full support. His look said it clearly: ‘Whatever you choose, we’re with you.‘
Maxwell’s jaw tightened. The words weren’t aggressive, but the familiarity in Levi’s tone irritated him more than he expected. Levi’s closeness with Addison was something he couldn’t match, not yet.
After all, Maxwell was meeting her for the first time. He had no shared memories, no history of love or pain like the others did. And that made him feel like he was already starting the race several miles behind.
Maxwell, who had remained silent through it all, finally stepped forward and stood in front of Addison. “May I?” he asked softly, his arms opening in silent invitation.
Oddly, her resentment toward Zion had started to ease a little when she heard the truth, that Claire’s pup hadn’t been his after all. But the relief was short–lived. It only made things worse in another way.
His hands were clenched into trembling fists, and his eyes glowed faintly as he struggled for control. His wolf was close to the surface, furious and unrelenting. The
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158 Chapter 158 Cruelty By Choice
primal urge to protect his pup surged within him, and now that he knew the man who hurt her was her fated mate? It was almost too much to bear.
Maxwell instinctively let out a warning snarl, the sound deep and sharp, his instincts flaring as another male entered his comfort zone and touched his mate. But Levi didn’t back down. He tightened his hold slightly, his presence calm and steady.
“Your Majesty,” the Beta asked carefully, turning to the Alpha King, “should I bring him to the medical ward? If a fated mate dies the same day they recognize each other… it could be devastating for Princess Addison.”
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