Chapter 419: Chapter 419 Something Wrong With Him

Before Addison could answer, he removed the ruby pendant from around his neck. He gently took her hand, placed the pendant in her palm, then closed her fingers around it, his other hand wrapping around hers as though sealing his unspoken concern.

“I’ll leave my necklace with you. You can use it to track the traces of dark magic…” Maxwell said quietly, his tone unusually solemn.

Only he understood the true weight of that gesture. That pendant was something he had never allowed anyone else to even touch. Yet now, he was placing it in Addison’s hand without the slightest hesitation.

Giving it to her wasn’t just practicality; it was trust, deep and absolute.

A silent declaration that what belonged to him… he already considered hers as well.

Addison looked down at her hand, his much larger one still wrapped around it. She pressed her lips together, feeling the weight of the item it carried, before she finally nodded. “Alright… thank you,” she said softly.

Even without him saying anything, she could feel the sentiment attached to the pendant, how tightly he’d held it, how reluctantly he let others see it before. It wasn’t just an object; it was something precious, and something personal to him, something he was entrusting entirely to her.

The moment it settled into her palm, Addison felt its weight, far heavier than its actual mass. She silently promised herself that she would keep it safe, protect it with everything she had… and return it to him without a single scratch.

“Alright. For now, let’s all get some proper rest and head out tomorrow,” Zion said. Without waiting for objections, he gently lifted Addison into his arms and started toward the exit of the ICU.

He intended to bring her back to their room in the packhouse. Even though the place was crowded with pack members who had lost their homes to the fire, Zion still preferred it over the medical ward.

The sharp, lingering scent of disinfectant clung to every corner of the room, and the longer he stayed, the more it assaulted his heightened sense of smell. If they remained there until morning, he was certain his nose would go numb, or worse, completely give up on him.

All he wanted was a place where Addison could rest comfortably… and where his sense of smell wouldn’t have to suffer another second.

Maxwell and Levi followed behind, Zion leading at the front, Levi lingering at the very back. No one noticed Levi’s darkened mood, as all of them were lost in their own thoughts.

The medical ward wasn’t far from the packhouse, so they reached it quickly and headed straight up the stairs to the second floor. Even before they arrived, soft murmurs and choked sobs drifted through the hall, the wives grieving for their dead husbands, mothers mourning their lost sons, families lamenting both their dead and the homes reduced to ash.

The moment the sound reached them, Addison’s chest tightened. The sorrow in those voices pressed heavily against her heart, and she felt utterly helpless. Their pain seeped into her, raw and overwhelming. She didn’t want to get used to this, never wanted this kind of tragedy to become normal.

Right then, a single, fierce resolve burned within her.

She needed to become stronger, strong enough to protect her people, strong enough to make sure this kind of devastation never happened again.

Addison pressed her lips together, and Zion felt the faint tremor running through her body. He didn’t wait a second longer. Without saying anything, he quickened his pace and carried her up the stairs, determined not to let her spirits sink further after hearing the grief of the families downstairs.

He moved with purpose until they reached her room, which was large enough to accommodate all four of them. Naturally, none of the three men wanted to leave her side. The only exception was Levi, who slipped away quietly.

But no one noticed; Addison was overwhelmed by the weight of the warriors’ deaths, and she didn’t even think to look around or check who entered with her.

Levi never stepped inside. He lingered outside the doorway for a long moment, as if wrestling with himself, unable to decide whether he should go in or walk away. Eventually, he turned around and headed to his own room. The moment he stepped inside, he shut the door and locked it firmly, making it clear he didn’t want anyone to disturb him.

If anyone had been paying attention, they would have realized immediately, something was very wrong with him.

Zion gently laid Addison on the bed and immediately curled around her, holding her close. Not wanting to be outdone, Maxwell settled on her other side, wrapping an arm around her as well.

Both men were trying to shield her from the heaviness pressing on her heart, hoping their warmth could pull her mind away from the deaths of the warriors and the grief consuming the Golden Hue Pack.

None of this was her fault.

If blame belonged anywhere, it was on Greg and the monsters backing him.

If anyone deserved to feel the weight of guilt, it was them, though everyone in the room knew people like that never felt remorse for the devastation they caused.

“Addie, don’t be sad,” Zion murmured, his voice low and edged with a growl. “We’ll make them pay for every life they stole from our people. Once we find who’s behind this, I’ll bring you their heads myself and avenge those who died unjustly.”

His eyes glowed gold as Shura was silently echoing his conviction. Zion didn’t even realize he’d already begun to think of Addison’s people as his own, unconsciously stepping into the role of her other half. In his mind, her burdens were his to carry, and her enemies his to destroy.

Maxwell, on the other side, didn’t speak, but the fierce resolve in his eyes made his intentions clear. If Zion was willing to become Addison’s sword, then Maxwell was prepared to be her shield, ready to protect her from anyone who dared to harm her.

“Um…” Addison murmured half-heartedly before closing her eyes. She had only woken up not long ago, yet the weight in her chest made her feel unbearably drained. Sleep suddenly seemed like the only escape she had, an easy way to slip away from the pain, the grief, and everything that had happened, even if only for a little while.

Addison slipped into a deep sleep not long after, barely registering Zion’s vow. But it didn’t matter; Zion hadn’t spoken for her to hear. It was a promise he made to himself. He was ready to destroy anyone who dared threaten her; if they wanted to harm Addison or take her away, then there was only one fate awaiting them: death.

Maxwell, on the other hand, was equally resolute. If Zion were to become Addison’s sword, then Maxwell would stand as her shield, protecting her from every blow.

But then… what role would be left for Levi?

If Levi had been there to hear their unwavering determination, what would he have felt? Would it only deepen the cracks in his resolve, worsen the sting to his already bruised confidence?

Perhaps.

No one could say for sure.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep