Chapter 171: Chapter 171 Hatred

Besides, the territory-wide conference meeting would stretch on for days, maybe weeks, until a viable solution for the kingdom’s growing problem could be found. Every decision made now would shape how much trust and support the citizens would extend to the Royal Court in these uncertain times.

“Mila, you know we can’t do that, right?” Addison said softly. She wanted to explain, wanted Mila to understand the greater stakes involved, but the look on Mila’s face silenced her.

Mila’s eyes glistened with unshed tears, her expression pained and as if Addison had betrayed her, as if Addison had just personally condemned her and thrown her in a pit to die. Her lips trembled before she spun on her heel and bolted out of the room.

“Mila, please… let me explain—” Addison’s voice barely echoed into the hallway. Mila was already gone, unwilling to listen.

To Mila, Addison had just signed her death warrant with her own hand. And in that moment, her pain turned bitter.

How could Addison understand what it meant to live in fear every day? In Mila’s eyes, Addison had everything: loving parents, a nation that adored her, and now, three powerful, fated mates who stood by her side. And then there was Lance…

Everything Mila ever dreamed of had fallen effortlessly into Addison’s lap. Envy and resentment coiled like thorns in her chest. In that moment, she didn’t just feel hurt; she hated Addison. She wished she had never come back… or if she had to, then not alive.

At this moment, Mila was cursing Addison’s fate with her mind, her tongue, and even her soul. Addison may not have been the cause of all her pain and suffering, but she possessed everything Mila lacked, and that alone was enough to stir resentment, hatred even.

Meanwhile, Addison’s stomach churned. She didn’t know if it was from the guilt of hurting Mila or something else entirely. Was it empathy? Regret? Or was there something deeper, an ominous feeling stirring beneath the surface? She couldn’t quite tell, but the unease refused to fade.

“Addie, are you done yet, or do you need some help?” Lance’s voice came through the mindlink, soft, hesitant, and full of concern.

Only then did Addison push aside the unsettling feeling that had been gnawing at her. She couldn’t afford distractions right now. There were too many responsibilities on her shoulders. But that didn’t mean she didn’t care about Mila.

She did.

And she was already planning to speak with her father about it, to find a way to protect Mila and look for alternative measures to ensure no one would dare hurt her, even after Addison took her rightful place as heir apparent.

Because if they allowed fear and intimidation to dictate their decisions now, wouldn’t that put Addison’s ascension on indefinite hold? Wouldn’t that embolden others to challenge or threaten the throne again?

She wasn’t sure if Mila had thought that far ahead, or if she was simply too consumed by fear to consider Addison’s position. But Addison knew one thing for certain: she couldn’t allow this situation to stop her.

This wasn’t just her birthright. It was something she had worked for since childhood. If she hesitated now, they’d only be playing into the hands of their hidden enemies, those who had abducted her and conspired in the shadows. Their real goal had never been just to hurt her; they wanted to prevent her from taking the throne.

And this is her guess.

Why? That was still unclear. Maybe to plunge the kingdom into chaos. Or maybe… maybe they wanted to install someone they could control. Whoever they were, be it the dark witches or some other force meddling in their kingdom’s politics, Addison had no intention of letting them succeed.

That’s why Addison couldn’t agree with Mila’s request. There were simply too many hidden factors at play, ones that didn’t just affect her, but the entire future of the kingdom and the safety of its people.

“I’m done. I’ll be down in a sec,” Addison replied through the mindlink as she quickly got dressed. Since her official duties at the conference were over, she chose more comfortable attire, simple training pants, knee-length boots, and a loose white shirt. It was practical; this way, she wouldn’t feel restricted, and she could head straight to training later without needing to change again.

When she made her way downstairs, Lance was already pacing anxiously in the guest receiving area. The moment he saw her, he immediately closed the distance between them, scanning her face intently. Only after a moment did he exhale a deep sigh of relief.

Addison wasn’t sure what had him so tense, but the tightness in his features made it obvious, something had clearly been weighing on him. Still, he didn’t say a word. Instead, he simply reached for her hand and gave it a gentle tug, silently urging her to follow him.

For some reason, even though Lance’s touch felt familiar, a part of her felt uneasy under it. Maybe it was because she had already found her fated mate, perhaps her body was instinctively beginning to reject physical contact from other male werewolves.

That was the only explanation she could come up with. After all, earlier with Maxwell and Zion, she had felt insatiably drawn to them, like a woman lost to the pull of the bond, craving their touch. But now, her body felt distant, her emotions muted, cold, even.

She caught herself wanting to pull her hand away from Lance’s, but she fought the urge. He looked troubled and distracted, and she didn’t want to make things worse. So she said nothing, letting him lead her silently toward their meeting place with the Alpha King.

It wasn’t long before her discomfort was pushed aside by recognition. They arrived at the large gazebo in the center of the garden, a place that stirred a distant memory. This was the same spot she had seen in a fragmented flashback with Mila from when they were just children.

The servants were already placing dishes around the round table when they arrived. The Queen and the Alpha King were seated, engaged in pleasant conversation. But their expressions shifted the moment they saw Addison being led in by Lance, their hands still clasped together.

Instantly, Addison felt awkward. Her parents’ eyes lingered on their joined hands, making her self-conscious. She quietly took the seat beside her father while Lance settled next to her.

The Queen’s gaze drifted to Addison with quiet understanding. After all, they had known Lance since he was a boy. Even now, she couldn’t help but think it was a shame he hadn’t turned out to be Addison’s fated mate, despite all the prayers he had once whispered in hope.

But fate couldn’t be forced, and she knew that. Still, she let out a weary sigh, unable to hide the ache in her chest as she watched Lance. His love for Addison was as plain as day, written in his every glance. They would have to be blind not to see it.

Even the Alpha King chose to ignore the unspoken tension, pretending not to notice the way Lance clung to Addison—if only to spare the young man further discomfort.

“I asked the kitchen to prepare your favorites,” the Alpha King said warmly, clasping his hands together as he gently broke the ice. “Let’s eat first before we get into any heavy discussions.”

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