Chapter 133: Chapter 133 Cold Rejection

His tone, though sharp, was still held together by the thinnest thread of restraint. This was the Royal Palace, not his own territory. He couldn’t unleash his full temper—not here. He reminded himself that this was supposed to be Claire’s domain, not his, and that was the only reason he was still holding back.

Claire’s eyes widened as she caught sight of Zion’s expression, tight-lipped, jaw clenched, and clearly struggling to keep his temper in check. He wasn’t even slightly affected by her pheromones. If anything, he looked like he was fighting the urge to breathe, as if inhaling the air around them might make him physically ill.

“Please…” Claire whispered one last time, her voice barely audible and desperate.

But Zion didn’t say a word; instead, he turned on his heel and stormed out, his silence cutting deeper than any insult.

If Claire refused to leave, then he would. He had no patience to waste on her games.

Claire stood frozen, completely stunned. She hadn’t expected such a reaction, such cold, decisive rejection.

Meanwhile, Zion walked straight to the room next door and entered without knocking. Levi, who was sprawled on his bed, glanced over at his Alpha briefly before returning to his rest, unfazed.

Zion didn’t offer an explanation. He simply dropped onto the other side of the bed with a heavy sigh, his back turned to Levi, needing nothing more than distance and silence.

Unable to sleep, Zion reached out to his wolf. “Shura, what’s wrong? I can’t rest when you’re this agitated.”

“I don’t know… I just feel restless. And… sad,” Shura answered, his voice low and uncertain in Zion’s mind. The wolf continued to whine and howl inside his head, pacing restlessly from corner to corner. Every few minutes, it would lie down—only to get back up and repeat the cycle, as if trying to shake off an invisible weight.

Zion felt everything Shura felt, and it left him unsettled. He couldn’t explain the heaviness in his chest either. Claire’s earlier stunt only added to his sour mood, turning restlessness into outright frustration.

Shifting in the bed, Zion glanced over at Levi, who was fast asleep, peaceful and undisturbed. The sight only made Zion more irritable. ’Why can’t I sleep like that?’ he thought bitterly.

Returning to his own suite wasn’t an option either. Even if Claire had left, her scent would still cling to everything: curtains, pillows, air, and the thought alone was enough to make his stomach churn.

“Mother, Father, please go and rest for a while. We still have a full day ahead for the birthday celebration. I can take care of things here,” Addison said gently, urging her parents to return to their room for the night. It was already past midnight, and the doctors had finished their checkups and left to conduct follow-up tests.

With the twins having been given medicine and the healer successfully lowering their fever, they were no longer in immediate danger. Relieved, the doctors had allowed themselves to leave, confident that Addison and the others could finally get some much-needed rest.

Mila had already been sent to rest, and after confirming that Addison was fine staying with the twins, the Alpha King and Queen also retired for the night. Once she could no longer see her parents in the hallway, Addison quietly closed the door behind them and walked straight to the twins’ beds.

Gently, she picked up Kyle and laid him beside Aiden, then crawled in with them, wanting to keep her children close. As her cool skin touched theirs, the twins instinctively snuggled in, letting out soft whimpers. Addison pulled them closer, holding them tightly until she, too, drifted off, praying their fevers would break by morning.

But even as dawn broke, the twins were still burning up. Their temperatures had risen again, this time spiking to 39°C, forcing Addison to call the doctors back. Her parents offered to come check on them, but Addison declined, knowing how busy the Alpha King and Queen were. She didn’t want to burden them further and chose instead to stay quietly by her children’s side, tending to them through the morning.

When it was time for the celebration to begin, the Alpha King and Queen made their way to the twins’ room, where Addison sat anxiously by their side. Her eyes never left the boys as the nurses and doctors bustled around, still trying to bring down their fever. Everyone appeared puzzled and concerned, despite their best efforts, including the royal healer’s powers, the twins’ temperatures kept rising again after only a few hours of relief.

“Sweetheart…” the Queen began gently, approaching Addison with a conflicted look in her eyes. She wanted to tell her daughter that she didn’t need to attend the banquet. But she also knew what her mate, the Alpha King, had planned. This event was meant to be Addison’s formal introduction to the entire kingdom.

With alphas from every territory in attendance, this celebration wasn’t just about his birthday; it was a political statement, a way to silence rumors about a change in the line of succession. If Addison didn’t appear, all of his carefully laid plans and days of preparation might fall apart.

Addison understood this as well. She glanced back at her twins, worry clouding her heart. As much as she wanted to stay by their side, she had come to realize that there was nothing more she could do for them at the moment. She couldn’t assist the doctors or the healer; her presence only seemed to add pressure to those working tirelessly to help her children. Rather than standing there feeling helpless, she knew she needed to fulfill her responsibilities elsewhere.

Turning to her parents, she offered a small, apologetic smile. “Don’t worry, Mother, Father. I’ll be there. I just want to check on the boys one more time and make some arrangements. Then I’ll take a quick shower and change before heading to the banquet hall.”

Her parents nodded in understanding. They knew Addison wasn’t choosing duty over her children; she was doing what needed to be done, especially when no one truly understood what was happening to the twins. Some speculated it could be an early awakening, but that remained only a theory. They wouldn’t have certainty until the Alpha King’s wolf and others could sense the emergence of new wolves from the twins.

“All right, sweetheart, don’t put too much pressure on yourself. Your father and I will always be here for you,” the Queen said gently, pulling Addison into a warm embrace to reassure her. She patted Addison’s back in a soothing rhythm, wanting her daughter to feel her steady presence.

As the Queen released her, the Alpha King stepped forward and took Addison’s hand in both of his. He gave it a firm, comforting squeeze before lifting it to his lips and placing a tender kiss on her knuckles.

“My little princess,” he said softly, “don’t worry too much, okay? Kyle and Aiden will be all right. We’ve gathered the best doctors, and the Royal Healer will stay with them to keep watch. And remember, they carry the Saintess’ Blessing.”

Addison nodded, her heart a little lighter at her parents’ unwavering support.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep