If the Golden Hue Pack pledged themselves to her, it wouldn’t stop there. Other packs might follow. Even long-standing neutral packs could be swayed, tempted to jump ship once they saw where the balance of power was tilting.
That single choice could shift the entire Kingdom.
Surely, all eyes in the capital would turn toward Addison and the Golden Hue Pack. Their every move would be magnified, scrutinized, and watched from the shadows. That also ant nothing they did would remain a secret for long; danger would be drawn to them like moths to a fla.
And when danger ca, the most likely target would be their family.
It might not be Mary herself. Her parents carried a strong bloodline, but they were not frontline warriors, nor did they train with the sa intensity as the pack’s elites. That weakness made them vulnerable, easy leverage for those who wished to strike at Mary through them.
This wasn’t a far-fetched fear.
It was a very real possibility.
Just thinking about it made Alpha Hue’s blood run cold, fear for his daughter knotting tightly in his heart with fear for his pack’s survival.
"Father..." Mary called softly, worry tightening her chest as she watched the color drain from his face. Monts ago, it had been flushed red, then darkened to purple with barely restrained anger; now it was deathly pale, as though all the blood had been drained from him at once.
Fear crept into her eyes.
She suddenly wondered if she had gone too far, if her decision had placed an unbearable burden on his shoulders.
Seeing his daughter shrink back, her neck drawing in like a turtle retreating into its shell, Alpha Hue found it hard to stay angry for long. He understood that she wasn’t familiar with the political undercurrents churning through the Royal Capital. Mary was outstanding, sharp, and capable, but experience was sothing she had yet to gain.
He rubbed the back of his neck and let out a heavy sigh.
There was too much to explain, and he didn’t even know where to begin, how to make her understand the consequences her decision might bring, not just for herself, but for their entire pack.
Still, this was a conversation he couldn’t avoid.
Straightening slightly, Alpha Hue prepared himself to lecture his daughter.
anwhile, while Alpha Hue was quietly lecturing Mary, keeping his voice low so no one would discover what she had done. As drawing attention now would only invite trouble.
On Levi’s side, he remained stationed beside Addison’s bed inside the tent.
The scent of freshly cooked food drifted closer, carried by the breeze, but Levi didn’t move an inch. He stood watch like an immovable mountain, unwavering in his post. Even earlier, when commotion had erupted outside, and when the murmurs spread, and people rushed toward the riverbank to witness Zion and Maxwell’s fight, Levi hadn’t spared a glance. He hadn’t shifted, not even once.
When the tent flap finally stirred, Levi didn’t look up.
"You done sorting out your emotions?" he stated calmly; he wasn’t even asking as he already knew the answer.
"Hmmm..." Maxwell replied simply as he set down the small foldable table he’d brought for the pot Zion was holding. After unfolding it, he placed a circular wooden trivet on top and gestured for Zion to lower the still-steaming pot of fish soup. Without pausing, Maxwell reached for the basket and neatly laid out the wooden plates and utensils.
"Why didn’t you just eat outside?" Levi asked, frowning slightly as he looked at them. He didn’t want the sll of fish lingering in the tent. As he didn’t want Addison to have an uncomfortable rest.
"I had a gut feeling Addison’s about to wake up," Zion said. "She burned through a lot of energy. She’s probably starving by now. If she doesn’t wake soon, we’ll wait for the healers to return and help channel more energy into her."
"How can you be so sure she’ll wake up now?" Levi asked flatly. He didn’t quite believe Zion’s muttered confidence; he could tell it was sothing Zion was clinging to, a way to steady himself so his worry wouldn’t swallow him whole.
"I just have a strong gut feeling," Zion replied, not looking up as he kept himself busy. "It’s never failed before."
"Oh, really?" Levi slowly said as he looked at Zion with a raised eyebrow, a mocking smile curling his lips. The look alone said it all that he believed that Zion’s gut feeling, apparently, worked about as well as a defective product, considering he’d been played by a woman for three years without even realizing it.
Zion t Levi’s gaze and instantly understood the unspoken jab. His throat tightened, words catching as he swallowed hard. There was no retort to offer, no defense he could make, because Levi wasn’t wrong. He had been fooled for far too long.
Zion pressed his lips together and chose silence, unwilling to embarrass himself further.
Nearby, Maxwell, who had been quietly arranging the dishes, let out a low snort, clearly amused by Zion’s failed attempt at explaining himself, only to dig his own grave deeper.
"Hmmm..." A soft voice interrupted them, followed by a faint tease. "I’m glad you all seem to be getting along so well..."
Addison weakly opened her eyes. Her body felt heavy as lead, every limb unresponsive, and her throat was so dry it burned. When she spoke, it felt like sandpaper scraping against her insides, her voice coming out hoarse and broken.
"Addie! You’re awake!"
Levi was the first to react. Since he was closest, he quickly supported her, carefully helping her sit up against the bedroll.
Zion was already moving. He dropped to one knee beside her and brought his water flask to her lips. "Here, drink slowly. It’s still warm," he murmured, tilting it just enough.
Addison took small sips, swallowing with visible effort, as if even that simple action took all her strength.
"Cough—" She choked.
"Slowly," Zion repeated gently, lowering the flask at once. His free hand ca up to pat her back in a steady rhythm.
Maxwell stepped in from the other side, quietly wiping the moisture from the corner of Addison’s lips, his movents careful and practiced.
"How long have I been out?" Addison finally asked after taking a few more sips to moisten her throat. Even then, it still itched, her voice hoarse enough that she had to speak slowly.
"Not long," Zion replied as he capped the water flask and set it aside. "But you were stuck in limbo for a while."
He studied her face as he spoke. The exhaustion in her eyes was unmistakable, like she was holding herself together by sheer will alone.
Addison fell into a brief silence. The reason she had asked how long she’d been unconscious was because, while she was out, ti had felt... blurred.
She rembered standing in the middle of a vast white space, mist curling endlessly around her feet. Distant voices reached her ears, as if soone were speaking to her, yet the words slipped away before she could grasp them. Whenever she tried to look for the source, all she saw was the sa endless white, mist folding into a boundless void with no direction, no edge.
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