CHAPTER 233: CHAPTER 233 BOUND BY ONE MATE

Soon, Zion, Levi, and Maxwell returned after handing the washed bowls to the person in charge of storing utensils and supplies in their enchanted bag. Without a word, they climbed onto the cart as well, taking their places silently.

They didn’t disturb Addison; she looked like she was enjoying the peaceful moment, lost in thought as she ate.

Not long after, the coachmen’s voices rang out, urging the horses forward, and the cart began to move along the trail.

Their journey had been going smoothly even through lunchtime. Since everyone had prepared food they could eat on the road, mostly sandwiches, those responsible for meal distribution handed them out before returning to their assigned carts.

"Here, Alpha..." one of the guards tasked with cooking said, handing over a large bundle wrapped in broad leaves to Maxwell, who was sitting near the back of the cart. As soon as Maxwell took the bundle—tied neatly with thick green vines—the guard jogged off toward the next cart, reaching into his magical storage pouch as he went.

Maxwell sliced through the vine bindings, revealing another neatly folded set of leaves inside. Once opened, it revealed several sandwiches. He passed Zion his share, then handed one to Levi.

Addison, however, remained asleep by the side of the cart. Despite the bumpy, uneven road and the jostling of the cart, she’d dozed off without realizing it. The swaying of the cart, mixed with the comfort of being surrounded by her mates’ calming scents, had lulled her into a deep and peaceful sleep.

Maxwell glanced at her sleeping face before carefully tucking her portion into his own magic pouch. He’d give it to her when she woke up.

Then, he turned to his own meal, unwrapping the bundle reserved for him. Inside were seven neatly cut triangle sandwiches, each generously stuffed with smoked ham, cheese, lettuce, tomato, bacon, and egg. The cook had clearly gone all out—probably out of respect for the Princess and her mates.

Maxwell’s gaze drifted outside the cart, where he saw the coachman sitting on the cart following behind them, eating with one hand on the reins. His sandwich looked far simpler—just a modest layering of ham, tomato, and lettuce. Compared to the royal treatment they received, it made Maxwell quietly appreciate the gesture even more.

Since it was already lunchtime, Maxwell didn’t dawdle. He devoured the sandwich in just three quick bites. Not long after, both Levi and Zion had finished theirs as well. Once done, they crumpled the leaf wrappings and tossed them to the side of the road, where they would naturally dry out and decompose.

"You guys... about the other night..." Zion spoke suddenly, his voice low and hesitant, barely audible over the wooden creaking of the cart. He didn’t want anyone outside to overhear. The noise nearly drowned his voice out, but Maxwell and Levi caught the words and looked up, silently urging him to continue.

"Did you notice it too? The anomaly?" he finally asked, his tone tense.

Maxwell and Levi exchanged a look, their expressions darkening. They’d be fools not to have noticed something was off with Addison that night. Maybe Levi had missed it at first, overwhelmed by his concern for her, but in hindsight, the inconsistencies were impossible to ignore.

He knew Addison was kind, gentle, and accommodating to him, but even so, she hadn’t truly made peace with having three mates, let alone decided how to handle the dynamic between them.

Especially with Zion. What happened that night felt wrong. It didn’t align with what he knew about her, and the timing... everything pointed to something being forced.

Maxwell, too, had questions. A lot of them. But there just hadn’t been a chance to ask—especially not when they were abruptly hauled into the caravan before dawn, barely even awake.

"I actually have a theory," Zion said hesitantly, his voice low. He paused for a second, as if weighing whether to say more—but then sighed. There was no use holding back. Like it or not, they were in this together now.

If one of them rose, the others would rise too. If one fell or suffered, the rest would suffer alongside him. That’s just how it was, bound by one mate, bound by fate. And no amount of denial could change it.

"What is it?" Maxwell straightened immediately, his expression turning serious as he leaned in, eyes locked onto Zion’s with intense focus. He had his own theory, too, but he wanted to hear Zion’s first. Then, he could compare and see if the puzzle pieces matched—if together, they could figure out the truth behind what was really going on.

"Did you notice it that night? Her scent was almost like an aphrodisiac. No, maybe even stronger... more like when a she-wolf goes into heat," Zion said, voice low and cautious. "It was powerful—strong enough to cloud the mind. Even as an Alpha, I could barely hold myself together. Maybe it was amplified because I’m her mate, but still... something felt off."

He paused, glancing between Maxwell and Levi before continuing.

"The sweetness in her scent wasn’t the usual warmth we associate with Addison. It stirred my wolf to the point of madness. It wasn’t just desire, it was like something else entirely. And for a moment... I swear, it felt like the person inside her wasn’t really her."

Zion clenched his jaw. "Then afterward, I felt drained. Completely. As if something had taken my vitality."

He didn’t finish his thought, but the implication hung heavy in the air. His expression made it clear what he was suggesting.

"A presence that can seduce a man into submission... and drain him of vitality? You already know what that sounds like."

Though their voices were hushed, Zion remained wary. Talking about something this dangerous in the open wasn’t ideal, but there was no telling when it might emerge again, whatever it was.

And if others began to notice... if they drew the same conclusion he had, that Addison was being possessed by a succubus, then someone might try to exploit it. Or worse... try to eliminate her.

"Hmm." Maxwell hummed lowly, not saying much at first. But his silence spoke volumes.

He, too, had come to a similar conclusion that night, though he’d been trying hard not to dwell on it. The implications were just too severe. Being possessed by a demon wasn’t something anyone could take lightly. It wasn’t just dangerous; it could be fatal for the one being possessed.

Unlike Zion, however, both he and Levi had walked away in better shape. Maybe it was because Zion took the brunt of it, bearing the full force of that... thing—whatever it was—that had awakened inside Addison.

Still, Maxwell hadn’t missed the strangeness of it all. The way her scent changed. The intensity. The sheer force of desire that overtook them all. It wasn’t normal, even for bonded mates.

He understood why Zion had brought it up now. As much as he wanted to ignore it, pretending nothing had happened would be reckless.

Because what if it happened again?

What if it latched onto someone else next time, some stranger outside their bond, and drained him dry? If others witnessed it, if rumors spread... Addison would be labeled a threat. A danger. Maybe even a monster.