The Alpha's Regret: Return Of The Betrayed Luna

Chapter 177: Chapter 177 Telling Them

After a while, once Addison had calmed down, her mother and father were now seated on either side of her, quietly offering comfort and support. Addison let out a small chuckle despite her red, tear-stained eyes, resembling a relieved little bunny. But she quickly remembered what she originally wanted to say.

"Father, Mother... actually, earlier today, Mila came to me and asked if we could postpone my heir apparent coronation," Addison began, her tone thoughtful. "I know she’s scared, worried that her stepmothers and half-siblings might come after her once the news spreads. But at the same time, I also know we can’t delay the ceremony. So, I wanted to ask if we could come up with an alternative plan to keep her safe from them."

She wasn’t saying this to tattle or complain. Addison knew that keeping the matter to herself wouldn’t help anyone. In fact, it might only allow things to spiral out of control while her parents remained unaware. She didn’t want them to be caught off guard if something happened again. After all, this wasn’t just about her; it involved the royal family. Trying to handle it all alone would have been reckless.

Given her father’s power and position, Addison believed he would be able to keep those people in line. But to her surprise, both the Alpha King and Queen frowned at her words, lowering their gazes in silence as they sank into deep thought. Addison waited patiently, but she couldn’t help noticing the flicker of disappointment in her father’s eyes. Her heart sank, unsure if he was disappointed in her for speaking up.

Anxiety twisted in her chest.

Sensing her unease, the Alpha King quickly addressed it.

"Sweetheart, I’m glad you told us about this," he said gently. "Truly. We had no idea Mila would come to you asking to postpone the coronation. And the truth is... she had no right to make such a request. You are the rightful heir, no matter her reasons, that’s not something she should interfere with." noveldrama

He paused, a flicker of frustration crossing his expression.

"We’ve given her countless opportunities to protect herself, even before you returned. We offered her safe passage, protection, even the option to cut ties with her father’s side completely. But she refused. She clung to them, naively hoping that they were still her family. That somehow, they would change."

The Alpha King exhaled heavily, his disappointment now clearer. "So, hearing that she went to you with this demand... It’s disheartening. Not because you told us, but because Mila chose to ignore our help, and then turned to you, putting you in a difficult position instead. We do care for her, and we’ve felt for her situation, but that doesn’t mean we’ll let our only daughter shoulder her burdens. There has to be a line."

His voice softened again as he reached for Addison’s hand. "So no, I’m not disappointed in you. I’m proud that you came to us. That’s what a future Alpha King should do: seek counsel, not carry the world alone."

This was a low move from Mila, one the Alpha King never expected. He had once believed Mila to be genuine, especially after everything she had done for his mate during the darkest days of Addison’s disappearance. But now, it felt like she was taking advantage of Addison’s kindness, mistaking it for weakness.

But she was wrong.

Addison might be kind, but she wasn’t stupid.

Now, with the full picture in front of him, the Alpha King couldn’t deny his disappointment. A sinking feeling crept into his chest as he considered the possibility that Mila had her own agenda, one that might even involve undermining Addison. The thought alone made his blood boil. Even if he once felt indebted to Mila, that debt would never outweigh the duty he had to protect his daughter, not in his own kingdom.

He clenched his fists, fighting the snarl building in his throat. He didn’t want to think the worst of Mila, but her request... her manipulation... it crossed a line. His wolf stirred violently inside him, growling low and furious.

"I know, I know..." he muttered under his breath, speaking to the beast within. "We won’t let anyone hurt our pup." fr.e ewebno.vel .com

But his wolf wouldn’t settle. It paced and growled, bristling with the need to act. Seeing her mate struggling to control his rising anger, the Queen gently squeezed his hand, and Addison’s. She stood tall, the silent pillar between the father and daughter, anchoring them both with her quiet strength.

And it worked.

The Alpha King’s wolf gradually calmed, soothed by the rhythmic purring of the Queen’s wolf, steady, maternal, grounding. Even Addison, overwhelmed by her racing thoughts, found herself relaxing. She leaned her head against her mother’s shoulder, comforted by the quiet presence of her parents, her gaze resting on their joined hands atop the table. The storm inside her slowly began to still.

"Shura, why the hell did you even bring me here? Aren’t we supposed to be looking for our mate?" Zion muttered under his breath, frustration lacing his tone.

He had originally gone out to find Addison, hoping to talk to her, apologize, even. He still wasn’t sure what had gone wrong earlier. They had finally been connecting, at least physically, and he had thought that letting their instincts take the lead might help break the wall between them. But instead of drawing her closer, it had only angered her.

Now, confused and unsettled, he was trying to find her and make things right.

But as he made his way toward the Right Wing, where the Princess’s Palace was located, his wolf, Shura, had suddenly started acting up. He began whining and clawing to take control of Zion’s body, urging him to go in a completely different direction. Zion had no choice but to follow.

Shura led him to the back of the Main Palace, the residence of the Alpha King and Queen. Zion’s heart pounded as he realized where he was. He’d evaded more guards than he’d like to admit, relying on the masking spray he’d brought with him to sneak into Addison’s palace. But now, instead of using it to find her, he’d ended up here, using the spray to slip past security and sneak into the royal residence itself.

None of this made sense, except to Shura, who seemed absolutely certain that this was where they needed to be.

"Shura, what the hell?!" Zion hissed through clenched teeth. "Do you even realize you’re putting both our lives at risk by sneaking in here? We don’t even have a reason to be at the royal palace!" freew\ebno\vel..(c)om

But Shura didn’t respond. The wolf was focused, completely locked in, as if on a mission only it could understand. It sniffed the air with growing urgency, then led Zion even deeper toward the back of the main palace, past the manicured hedges and out into the fringe of the surrounding forest.

"I can feel them..." Shura finally said, voice low and cryptic. Even Zion could tell the wolf didn’t quite know who it was sensing, only that something was stirring in its heart, making it impossible to sit still.

Zion’s brows furrowed. "Them? Who the hell are you talking about? Addison? Is she here?" His tone grew darker, more defensive. "Wait, do you mean her and those two others? Are they... are they having some kind of secret rendezvous out here?"