Despite his fatigue, he moved efficiently. After briefing the warriors patrolling with him, he grabbed three pieces of bread, refilled his water from the boiled pot, and placed a dozen boiled eggs into his magic pouch. He would eat as he patrolled, staying ready while keeping watch over the shelter.
Luckily, while Zion was bathing, the warrior Zion assigned had already briefed the Alphas from all the packs. So, they could use a wide-range mindlink, the Alphas quickly relayed the information to all their pack mbers, so there was no need to share it bit by bit, especially since the sheer number of warriors and other pack mbers in the temporary shelter was too many to count.
Once the ssage was spread, those responsible for food preparation sprang into action. Large pots of water were boiled and stored in ceramic jugs so anyone thirsty could refill at any ti. Seeing how busy everyone was, the cooks also baked extra bread, boiled more eggs, and arranged dried fruits and jerky on tables, allowing the warriors to grab food as they went.
Many warriors didn’t even have ti to sit down for a proper al, so this arrangent, thanks to Levi’s planning, ensured they could eat on the move. Food stations outside ant no one had to wait for scheduled altis, which was crucial since so had even missed previous als.
Since all three of her mates were busy, Addison woke just in ti that night to receive a plate brought by a she-wolf. On it was roasted, spiced lamb, stir-fried long beans with pork, a serving of mashed potatoes, three slices of bread, a soft-boiled egg, and a glass of fruit wine on the side.
"Princess, Alpha Maxwell has left the temporary shelter to gather the materials for the teleportation portal," the she-wolf explained, setting Addison’s al beside her bed. "Alpha Zion, after returning, only took a brief rest before leading the patrol team to secure the shelter, since the monsters around the area have beco restless. Beta Levi is handling things here in the shelter. They sent to make sure you eat your al."
Hearing the explanation, Addison nodded. It was reassuring that her mates had gone out of their way to explain their whereabouts, especially since they couldn’t communicate via mindlink. After dismissing the she-wolf, she slowly began her al, finally giving in to her hunger. It didn’t take long for her to eat her fill.
Just then, she caught a familiar scent in the air before the visitor even announced himself. "Archmage Elric, you may co in," she said. A mont later, the archmage entered her tent, holding the communication crystal in his hand.
"Good evening, Princess. It’s been a while," Archmage Elric said, bowing slightly in respect.
"Archmage Elric, please, no need for such formality. Have a seat," Addison replied, gesturing to the stool near her bed. Without another word, Archmage Elric sat down and carefully placed the communication crystal on the bed beside her.
"Princess, your mate ntioned you wanted to communicate with your parents. Is that correct?" Archmage Elric asked, and Addison nodded.
"Alright, give a mont. I’ll connect you right away," he said. Although neither Addison nor her mates said much, the re fact that they specifically tasked him with this small task spoke volus.
Any mage could have helped her contact the Royal Palace, and such a task was well below an Archmage’s usual duties. That they asked him personally signaled just how important this discussion with her parents was, sothing only soone deeply trusted could handle.
As he established the connection with the Royal Palace’s communication departnt, he ensured the Alpha King and Queen were summoned and that the room was secured with protective barriers to prevent eavesdropping. Watching Archmage Elric ticulously set everything up, Addison couldn’t help but smile.
"Thank you, Archmage Elric," Addison said, her voice warm with appreciation.
"No need for thanks, Princess. It’s just a small matter," the old mage replied with a gentle smile, the wrinkles on his face deepening as he settled in. They waited patiently for the Alpha King and Queen to arrive, while the mages on the other side prepared the room.
Not long after, the Alpha King and Queen arrived in a hurry, just as the mages were finishing setting up the room to ensure no one could eavesdrop on the conversation. Archmage Elric even perford a probing spell through the communication crystal, extending his reach thousands of miles to confirm that the line was completely secure.
The advanced magic consud a trendous amount of his mana, and his face instantly paled. As an Archmage, he was the only one capable of such a feat, but he deed it necessary, since Addison trusted him completely, and he felt compelled to show utmost care and ticulousness as the middleman.
"Good evening, Alpha King. Still looking just as dashing..." Archmage Elric teased lightly while he was trying to catch his breath.
"No need to push yourself so hard, Elric," the Alpha King replied as he sat down and helped his mate into the seat beside him. "I am grateful enough that you’ve assisted my daughter in such a crucial mission and kept her safe all this ti. Thank you."
As they settled, the Alpha King noticed Archmage Elric’s face, pale and worn from the effort. Seeing the old mage’s exhaustion, he felt a surge of gratitude, knowing that, while he could not watch over his own daughter, Elric had been there in his stead, taking care of her every step of the way.
"What are friends for? Besides, it seems the Princess has sothing important to say, considering all that’s happened here..." Archmage Elric said, stepping aside to give Addison the floor.
The mont he did, the Alpha King’s expression turned serious. His gaze fixed intently on the communication crystal, waiting for his daughter’s face to appear. Seeing this, Archmage Elric imdiately stopped holding the crystal and passed it to Addison without hesitation.
"Mother... Father..." Addison said softly, trying to sound cheerful, but she had overestimated herself. She still felt weak, and her cheeks hadn’t regained their usual rosy glow. The mont she spoke, her parents imdiately noticed sothing was off.
"Sweetheart... what happened? You look... unwell..." the Queen said, pressing her lips together in worry. Her eyes glistened, and she fought back tears, feeling the weight of sleepless nights spent worrying about Addison.
After all, Addison had only just returned to them, and now, having to deal with the issues in the West, and hearing from Archmage Elric that so much had happened, only heightened her anxiety.
Seeing the worry etched so clearly on her parents’ faces, Addison could no longer hold it in. She took a slow breath and began to recount everything they had uncovered in the West.
"Father... Mother..." she said softly, her voice tinged with apology. "I’m sorry we only contacted you now. I thought we could handle things here on our own, and I didn’t want to worry you unnecessarily."
She paused, her fingers curling slightly against the blanket.
"But it turns out... everything that happened in the West wasn’t a coincidence. It was all arranged by soone hiding in the shadows."
"What?!" the Alpha King roared, half-rising from his chair in shock.
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