"Sweetheart, co here and sit with ," the Queen said warmly as she gently guided Addison to sit on her right. The twins quietly took their places on Addison’s right, behaving with calm obedience, while Mila sat gracefully on the Queen’s left.
As the first store owner entered to present their products, their gaze briefly landed on Addison. She looked familiar. It wasn’t the first ti these rchants had stepped inside the palace to showcase their wares before the royal family.
Though the Alpha King and Queen had always shielded Addison from public attention, this private shopping arrangent had been their tradition from the beginning. Outsiders simply viewed it as an extravagant royal custom.
Over ti, many had grown accustod to it—and those who had been around long enough rembered Addison from her childhood days, recognizing her face even now.
So, the mont they laid eyes on Addison—though her golden hair had turned silver—they still recognized her face. Their eyes widened in shock, and they froze for a mont, stunned. But as realization dawned, their eyes grew misty and red with emotion.
Without hesitation, the werewolf dropped to his knees before her. Not everyone had known what Addison looked like, but all had heard of her—their future Alpha King. Seeing her alive and well, back in the Royal Capital, filled them with joy and reverence.
"Welco back, Princess!" the werewolf said, his voice thick with emotion. "I am so happy to see you again. I never stopped believing that you would return."
He looked up at her, eyes glistening, his expression a mix of awe and deep sincerity. Then, with a wide, earnest smile, he added, "As a gesture of my loyalty, please choose more, Princess. Consider it my gift to celebrate your return."
Addison’s expression softened, but she quickly shook her head. "No... there’s no need," she said gently.
She hadn’t flinched when he knelt before her—in fact, it felt natural, as if she were slipping into the role she was always ant to play. Like a fish in water, she found herself thriving in this atmosphere, effortlessly poised under the reverence of her people. Yet when he offered to give her his goods, she couldn’t bring herself to accept.
Having lived in the Midnight River Pack for the past three years, she had experienced the struggles of a rchant firsthand. She knew the long hours, the cost of materials, the toll of transport, and the uncertainty of trade. These weren’t cheap trinkets being presented to her. They were the result of soone’s hard work, sweat, and hope.
And now, looking at the fine items displayed before the royal family—crafted with care, worthy of their station—Addison understood just how much they truly cost. She couldn’t bring herself to take advantage of her own people, not when she knew what it took to make a single piece of this rchandise.
"I’m already grateful for the warm welco," Addison said with a gentle smile. "But I can’t accept these as gifts. I know how much effort and hardship goes into creating these clothes and accessories. The cost of materials alone must be imnse."
She gestured toward a dress displayed on the right. "Take that gown, for example. The fabric appears to be rmaid’s silk—woven from the silk of underwater glow worms by rmaids themselves. It gives off a luminous shimr with every step when worn at night."
"That material is rare, highly coveted by nobles, and unbelievably expensive to acquire. Even obtaining the raw silk is difficult, and the weaving process is delicate due to its fragility. It’s the kind of fabric reserved for rmaid royalty."
Her gaze was sincere as she continued, "Transporting sothing that valuable would be incredibly risky. You must have faced threats from bandits, and I imagine you spent a fortune hiring rcenaries just to ensure it arrived safely."
Addison knew this because she’d experienced the sa kind of struggle while trading for the Midnight River Pack—especially during the years when the neighboring packs had shut their gates to them. Every product cos with a cost, a risk, and a story... and she would never want to take that for granted.
But as Addison spoke, the Alpha King—seated alone on the right side, casually feeding the twins so snacks—suddenly paused. His hand stilled mid-air as he turned to look at her, eyes narrowing with subtle surprise.
He had so knowledge of trade himself; as Alpha King, it was his duty to understand more than just the ways of battle. A monarch’s burden was never just about strength on the battlefield—it included politics, economics, and the daily struggles of his people. He had studied these things out of necessity, to lead wisely and ease the burdens of his pack.
Before Addison’s disappearance, she had been a brilliant warrior and politically astute. But back then, she never showed much interest in trade—it wasn’t expected of her, and she had advisors to handle those matters. As a child, she’d never paid attention to the "small things" like a rchant’s hardships.
And yet, now she stood there, speaking so thoughtfully about the difficulties rchants faced—the cost of materials, the danger of transport, the work behind every product. That realization hit him with a mix of awe and emotion. She hadn’t just grown stronger—she had matured, beco soone who truly understood the weight of leadership.
The Alpha King felt a mix of surprise and quiet joy at hearing Addison speak with such insight. Her knowledge wasn’t shallow—it was the kind of understanding forged through firsthand experience. But the more he listened, the more a question gnawed at the back of his mind.
How did she co to know all of this?
Addison was supposed to have been imprisoned within the vampire territory. Could it be that they discussed trade routes in her presence? That seed unlikely. The vampires wouldn’t share such details casually, especially not with a prisoner.
Yet he couldn’t bring himself to ask. He feared that pressing her might stir painful mories she wasn’t ready to confront. So, he sat there, silently wrestling with the unspoken questions. Even so, beneath the concern and confusion, one emotion stood strongest—pride. Despite everything she’d endured, Addison had returned wiser, stronger, and more capable than ever.
The Alpha King let out a joyful laugh, his eyes crinkling with warmth. "My little princess, there’s no need to worry about the cost. Choose anything you like—this father of yours has more than enough to spoil you," he said generously, his voice filled with affection.
He then turned to the store owner, his expression softening with appreciation. "And as for your kind gesture, there’s no need to prepare a welco gift now. When the ti cos, attend my daughter’s Hocoming Banquet during her Heir Apparent Ceremony. It may have been delayed for a few years, but the timing is just right. The people deserve to see their future Alpha King and know her by na and face."
A glint of playful mischief entered his eyes as he added with a teasing smile, "I’ll be sure to send you an invitation then—but don’t go overboard with the gifts. As you can see, she might just nag you for being too generous during the presentation."
He glanced at Addison fondly, clearly proud and delighted. No matter how one looked at it, the Alpha King wore the unmistakable expression of a doting and content father.
____
Thank you, Angie_Rodriguez_6157, Jessica_5598, and Jennifer_Toney_9894, for the Golden Tickets!
(づ￣ ³￣)づ
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