232 Chapter 232 Focus
232 Chapter 232 Focus
Even Addison picked up her pace, swallowing the warm porridge quickly. Once she finished, Zion silently took her bowl and headed to the river to wash it himself.
She offered Lance a small smile before turning to head back to her tent, which Levi and Zion were already tending to. Whatever feelings or confusion lingered in her chest, she pushed them aside. She had more pressing matters to deal with, and right now, romance was the least of her concerns.
As always, Levi brought Addison her meal without a word. She accepted the bowl of vegetable congee and bread and sat beside the now extinguished campfire. Zion and Maxwell were already there, eating in silence. The only sounds were the soft clink of spoons and the occasional swallow.
Addison shook her head, trying to shake herself free from the flood of memories. There were just too many resurfacing at once. Yet she could clearly recall what she had read about fairies when she was younger.
Addison was quietly relieved that none of them questioned her about Lance. She had felt their intense gazes earlier when Lance touched her shoulder and ruffled her hair— and she fully expected them to demand an explanation or bristle with jealousy.
Addison shook her head lightly. “No need to thank me. This is for our people, we’re just doing our part.” Her voice was calm, but there was a quiet distance in her tone that Lance couldn’t ignore. It was subtle, but enough to make his heart ache. Still, he forced a smile.
‘We all had imaginary friends as kids,‘ they would say. But the merchant had become a traveler, and eventually a merchant, driven by a singular hope to one day find that place again.
But that left her back at square one. Since that mysterious path through the forest was off–limits, they had no choice but to take the longer route. It was safer, yes, but it also meant a longer journey, which wasn’t exactly ideal considering the time constraints they were working with.
Addison climbed onto the back of the cart and sat at the edge, her feet dangling as she quietly nibbled on the piece of bread in her hand. Even though she was still eating she figured she could just sit there while the cart started to move:
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232 Chapter 232 Focus
But given her presence here, and the threat of people like Greg and those aligned with him who were likely trying to abduct her, taking the left path through the cliffs could easily play right into their hands.
They still had a mission to complete, and this wasn’t the time to satisfy her curiosity. So, with a sigh, she pushed the thought aside for now, silently promising herself that once the mission was over and she had some freedom, she’d come back and
investigate.
Gritting her teeth, Addison made her decision. “We’ll take the safer route,” she said firmly. “We’ll just increase our pace to cut down on travel time. No stopping at the foot of the mountain tonight, let’s push through until we reach the next pack’s territory. We’ll rest there.”
They all nodded in agreement, understanding the logic behind the compromise. And with that, everyone began preparing to move out.
But to her surprise, they remained composed. Maybe they were finally learning to give her space… or maybe they were just waiting. Either way, she chose not to dwell on it. The familiarity was there, but the emotional connection wasn’t. She didn’t understand why, but she felt detached from him, like watching a scene from someone else’s life.
As he spoke, he reached out and ruffled her hair–just like he used to. It was a familiar gesture, one that should’ve felt warm, even comforting. But to Addison, it felt strangely hollow.
‘I followed it and stumbled into a paradise–lush, serene, magical. I wanted to stay, but I knew my parents would be worried, so I left… but no matter how hard I tried, I could never find that place again.”
Then Lance gave Addison a gentle pat on the shoulder. “That was a solid plan. Thanks for stepping in back there.”
Even her earlier curiosity about fairies had faded into the background, replaced by a quiet focus. She moved around camp, helping with the final preparations so they could leave as soon as possible.
Addison remembered how wistful his eyes had been when he spoke, and how people around him scoffed and laughed, brushing it off as nothing more than a child’s fantasy or a fevered dream.
232 Chapter 232 Focus
“Alright, everyone, we’ll be leaving in five!” Lance called out, clapping his hands to get everyone’s attention. At his words, the camp buzzed with urgency, and people began eating faster, practically shoveling food into their mouths.
It wasn’t ideal, but it was the most practical choice. While the coachmen weren’t aware of the threats looming over her, they could still see that Addison’s decision balanced both concerns: the coachmen’s desire for speed and the guards‘ need to keep everyone safe.
Thinking about all this, Addison couldn’t help but feel her curiosity stir. She genuinely wanted to explore the place, to see if the legends were true. But at the same time, she worried, what if she really couldn’t find her way back?
‘No one believed me, of course. They said I just got lost in the forest and was lucky to return unharmed. But the truth is, I was being chased by a wild boar, and just when I thought I’d be trampled to death, a tiny creature appeared and led me away!’
“Alright then,” he said, trying to keep his voice light. “We’ll be hitting the road again soon. Go check if you left anything behind.”
And more than that, she remembered the words of an old merchant who once passed through the Eastern Territory while she was still Luna of the Midnight River Pack.
Everyone around her seemed to believe they’d been close, that she’d had a crush on him for years before she lost her memories, but now, even the thought of that felt foreign. Maybe it was just the amnesia. Or maybe… she’d simply outgrown something she didn’t remember having in the first place.
‘Fairies aren’t evil,‘ he had said, his voice filled with sincerity. They respond to human emotions, especially the heart. They are some of the purest beings in existence. I know because I was saved by one when I was a boy!
It would be the perfect place for an ambush, and it would look as if Addison had served herself up on a silver platter. That is, if they really were tailing her and waiting for the right moment to strike.
Once everything was packed, breakfast was handed out, each portion already prepared in bowls for easy eating. When finished, they could simply rinse their bowls in the nearby river or hand them off to those in charge of food and supplies.
Addison raised an eyebrow in mild surprise. She hadn’t expected someone like Zion, an
232 Chapter 232 Focus
“Alright, everyone, we’ll be leaving in five!” Lance called out, clapping his hands to get everyone’s attention. At his words, the camp buzzed with urgency, and people began eating faster, practically shoveling food into their mouths.
It wasn’t ideal, but it was the most practical choice. While the coachmen weren’t aware of the threats looming over her, they could still see that Addison’s decision balanced both concerns: the coachmen’s desire for speed and the guards‘ need to keep
everyone safe.
Thinking about all this, Addison couldn’t help but feel her curiosity stir. She genuinely wanted to explore the place, to see if the legends were true. But at the same time, she worried, what if she really couldn’t find her way back?
‘No one believed me, of course. They said I just got lost in the forest and was lucky to return unharmed. But the truth is, I was being chased by a wild boar, and just when I thought I’d be trampled to death, a tiny creature appeared and led me away.‘
“Alright then,” he said, trying to keep his voice light. “We’ll be hitting the road again soon. Go check if you left anything behind.”
And more than that, she remembered the words of an old merchant who once passed through the Eastern Territory while she was still Luna of the Midnight River Pack. Everyone around her seemed to believe they’d been close, that she’d had a crush on him for years before she lost her memories, but now, even the thought of that felt foreign. Maybe it was just the amnesia. Or maybe… she’d simply outgrown something she didn’t remember having in the first place.
‘Fairies aren’t evil,‘ he had said, his voice filled with sincerity. They respond to human emotions, especially the heart. They are some of the purest beings in existence. I know because I was saved by one when I was a boy!
It would be the perfect place for an ambush, and it would look as if Addison had served herself up on a silver platter. That is, if they really were tailing her and waiting for the right moment to strike.
Once everything was packed, breakfast was handed out, each portion already prepared in bowls for easy eating. When finished, they could simply rinse their bowls in the nearby river or hand them off to those in charge of food and supplies.
Addison raised an eyebrow in mild surprise, She hadn’t expected someone like zion an
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232 Chapter 232 Focus
Alpha known for his pride and arrogance, to do something as humble as washing
dishes for someone else. She watched him for a brief three seconds before shrugging it off and turning toward her cart.
Fortunately, the congee had cooled enough that no one burned themselves.
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