Chapter 156: Chapter 156 Zion’s Father’s Plan 2

It was a gamble, he knew. But as a father and a leader, he believed in Zion’s heart and strength. He believed this arrangement could be the answer, not only to keep Addison safe, but to give his son a partner worthy of standing beside him.

And above all, he hoped that this decision would lead them both to happiness.

But who would have thought that his carefully laid plans would unravel and become the very cause of Addison’s suffering and Zion’s pain and regret?

The flaw wasn’t in the plan itself. It was in the betrayal.

Out of spite and grief over losing her own mate, Zion’s mother chose to withhold the letters. Every single one. She kept them hidden, buried away with her pain, never passing them on to her son.

If only she had delivered those letters, Zion would have understood, understood his father’s true intentions. He would have known that it was never about using the princess as a pawn to gain favor with the royal family. Never about chasing power.

Or never about Addison crawling to his side to gain favor and position.

Their pack, the Midnight River Pack, was already among the strongest in the kingdom. Warriors, born and bred. Second only to the royal family in strength. They didn’t need to play politics.

And Zion’s father? He had been close to the Alpha King himself, more than an ally or a subject; he was a trusted friend. That’s why he had taken the burden of protecting Addison upon himself. Not just out of duty, but out of loyalty… and honor.

The plan was never meant to manipulate. It was meant to protect.

Had Zion known the truth, things might have turned out differently. He would’ve walked a straighter path, guided by his father’s vision. But instead, he was left blinded, adrift in grief, confusion, and half-truths.

All because the letters meant for him were never delivered.

And so, the Midnight River Pack, the kingdom’s sword, was left fractured, not by battle, but by this mistake.

Before the Alpha passed away, he made his wishes clear to the elders; he wanted Addison to become the Pack’s Luna and his son’s chosen mate. He had faith in his son, despite his pride, stubbornness, and streak of arrogance. The Alpha knew that beneath all that, his son was kind-hearted, dependable, and a natural leader, someone who would protect and care for Addison with all he had.

So, he placed all his hopes in that one decision.

But alas, fate had other plans.

After the Alpha’s death, a memorial was held to honor him and the brave warriors who fell fighting the vampires. But Addison wasn’t allowed to set foot in the hall or take part in the mourning. The pack blamed her; they believed it was all her fault.

When Addison finally woke up days later, disoriented and still recovering from the toll of her body going into overdrive in a desperate bid for survival, she couldn’t recall everything that had happened. But she immediately felt it, the cold stares, the heavy silence, the hostility hanging in the air like fog. Fear prickled at her, but more than that, she felt the weight of their grief… and the crushing guilt that came with it.

She had chosen to escape to this territory because she sensed a nearby Alpha. Deep down, she knew she had used that Alpha’s presence to save herself. And now, lives had been lost. Blood had been spilled. Families were grieving. She could feel their pain, especially from those who had lost their loved ones in the forest. In their eyes, she was the reason.

So she accepted their hatred. Their malice. She carried it like a burden she knew she deserved.

When the memorial ended and the elders approached her, asking her to accept the late Alpha’s final wish, to become the young Alpha’s chosen mate and Luna, she was overwhelmed with shame. How could she face him? She had seen the sorrow etched in his features, felt the heaviness of his mourning even from afar. She didn’t feel worthy of standing beside him.

But when they told her it was the Alpha’s dying wish…

She couldn’t bring herself to say no.

Addison felt the pull between her and Zion, but she couldn’t quite name the feeling. Was it guilt? Pity? Something deeper? She wasn’t sure. All she knew was that every time Alpha Zion looked at her with hatred in his eyes, it hurt deeply. It felt like her heart was being stabbed and torn apart again and again, even before they had marked each other.

Then came the marking ceremony.

But before they could even begin to heal, or begin anything at all, the pack received a dire message from the frontlines. War had reignited. The vampires, who had been terrorizing the borders, were launching a full assault. They were pressing in harder than ever, taking advantage of the turmoil within the werewolf kingdom.

Rumors swirled that the Alpha King was furious over the abduction of his daughter, the princess, and believed she had been taken into the vampire territory. He wanted her back, and he wanted blood.

Zion left the very next day.

He didn’t even attend Addison’s inauguration. He didn’t mate with her. He left without a word, and she was left behind.

Addison felt hollow. Abandoned. As if she were drowning in deep waters with only a small piece of driftwood to cling to, barely enough to keep her afloat.

And so, the tangled web of love and hate between Addison and Zion truly began. As Addison recounted what little she could remember about the past, the events that had shaped them, her voice trembled.

There were many pieces still missing from her memory, and the former Luna, along with several pack members, refused to tell her everything. She had no idea about the letters the late Alpha had left for her, one of which was addressed to her personally.

Now, as she shared her side of the story, what had happened between her and Zion, the relationship they once had, but she made sure to omit the fact that she had secretly borne him children, Zion listened in stunned silence. Only now did he begin to understand her more deeply.

If only he had taken the time to talk to her back then… to truly listen.

Perhaps things wouldn’t have spiraled this far.

Zion felt a sharp ache in his chest. He was heartbroken, for her, for what they lost, and for the pain she had silently carried. Regret gnawed at him as he faced the truth of his past behavior. He had been immature, too consumed by anger and grief to see clearly. Rather than process his loss internally, he lashed out, seeking someone to blame, Addison.

But now, as he listened to her, everything began to fall into place. The moment she fell down the stairs, he remembered it now. Claire had been with her.

And suddenly, the facade Claire had worn all this time crumbled in his mind. He saw her for what she truly was: two-faced, manipulative, and cruel. Cruel enough to harm an innocent woman and her own unborn child.

For some reason, Zion felt a chill coil in his stomach, an ominous instinct warning him, but before he could dwell on it, he was abruptly swept off his feet. A heavy fist collided with his jaw, sending him crashing to the ground.

No one saw it coming.

The Alpha King was beyond furious. He was snarling, his body partially shifted, arms already thick with fur, claws extended, and golden eyes blazing. His face was half-covered in fur, and the sheer force of his aura rolled over the room like a crushing wave. The pressure was unbearable. Everyone present instinctively bowed their heads, baring their necks in submission.

Everyone… except maybe Addison.

Addison had shot to her feet in shock, but when her eyes turned to her two other mates, they did nothing. They merely stood there, unmoving, watching as Zion took blow after blow. Even Levi showed no reaction to her father’s wrath. He simply watched, expression unreadable, as the Alpha King pounded Zion with feral fury.

Zion didn’t fight back. He didn’t even raise a hand to shield himself. He lay limp in the Alpha King’s grip, like a broken doll, letting each punch land without resistance. The sound of cracking bones echoed in the room.

Then the doors burst open.

The Royal Beta stumbled in, panting heavily, drenched in sweat, looking utterly wrecked from the effort it took to push through the oppressive aura. Even the Queen, seated nearby, was struggling to remain upright, her face pale, her hands trembling, sweat beading at her brow as she tried to withstand her mate’s overwhelming dominating aura.

“Y-Your Majesty! Please, control your fury! The guests… they’re all on their knees downstairs…” the Beta managed to choke out, blood dribbling from his lips. He had fought the Alpha King’s aura just to reach the second floor. He had tried to mind-link his Alpha to stop him, but the link had been blocked. With no choice, he came in person—only to find his king savagely beating Zion.

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