134 Chapter 134 The Banquet Has Started
134 Chapter 134 The Banquet Has Started
After sending her parents off, Addison watched them walk away in their official regalia. The Queen looked resplendent in a royal blue velvet mermaid gown with long sleeves that hugged her graceful figure. A sweeping train cascaded behind her, partially covering her bare back, and upon it was the intricately embroidered royal crest.
Around her neck hung a stunning sapphire pigeon necklace, and her golden crown sparkled with rare and exquisite gems, ruby, pink diamond, and blue diamond, all set into the regal metalwork. Her ensemble mirrored the Alpha King’s attire; he wore a matching white and royal blue suit adorned with a long ceremonial coat, also bearing the royal family’s crest.
Together, they looked every bit the perfect sovereign couple, poised, elegant, and timeless. Despite their age, their youthful appearance could easily pass for their twenties, thanks to their shifter lineage that slowed the signs of aging.
When they entered the grand banquet hall, the herald’s voice echoed with formal grandeur:“Now presenting His Majesty, the Alpha King, and Her Majesty, the Queen!” At once, all attendees turned toward the grand entrance, bowing their heads and baring their necks in reverence, a symbolic show of loyalty and submission to the Alpha King as he led his Queen to the front of the banquet hall.
“Your Majesty!”
“Your Majesty!”
11 11
The crowd echoed in unison, voices full of reverence as they bowed deeply before the Alpha King. Not a single head was raised without permission. The Alpha King strode confidently to the front of the grand banquet hall, his presence commanding and formidable. Once there, he turned to face the assembly, his sharp gaze sweeping across the room until it paused on Alpha Zion, who stood respectfully in the corner, head bowed like the rest. Yet even in submission, Zion’s powerful aura could not be masked.
The Alpha King’s brow lifted slightly in acknowledgment. Zion looked every bit a promising young Alpha, strong, disciplined, and composed. Still, the Alpha King let out
134 Chapter 134 The Banquet Has Started
a subtle snort, keeping his thoughts to himself.
Then, in a deep, resonant voice, the Alpha King addressed the gathering: “Please, rise
He waited as heads lifted and eyes met his.
“Thank you all for coming to my birthday celebration. I know many of you carry heavy burdens and full schedules, yet you’ve made the time to be here, and I assure you, your journey to the Royal Capital will not be in vain.”
His eyes swept across the room once more before he continued, “For now, please enjoy the festivities. Tomorrow, we will convene for the territory–wide conference meeting.”
“The Alpha King is wise. Thank you, Your Majesty!” The crowd echoed gratefully, voices reverberating through the hall in unified respect. They praised the Alpha King for his foresight and strategic thinking.
With his permission to enjoy the evening, the atmosphere immediately shifted, conversations sparked as attendees began to mingle, seizing the opportunity to network and discuss matters concerning their respective territories.
Many saw this gathering as a chance to seek alliances or support from more influential Alphas before the formal conference the next day, giving them time to position themselves advantageously.
The Alpha King and Queen also took their place among the crowd, engaging in conversations with leaders from other regions. The mated Alphas had brought their Lunas, who soon gathered around the Queen, exchanging pleasantries and discussing territory matters from a Luna’s perspective. Meanwhile, the Alpha King spoke with his fellow Alphas, assessing their strength and leadership through polite diplomacy.
On the other side of the hall, younger, unmated Alphas mingled amongst themselves, joined by high–ranking members from various packs, Betas, Gammas, and heirs. Some older Alphas had brought their daughters as well, subtly hoping the elegant banquet and large pool of elite, unmated wolves might help fate, or politics, spark a bond.
In many ways, this banquet had become more than a celebration, it was also a carefully veiled opportunity to forge alliances, form unions, and strengthen the power structur among the shifter elite.
But even after some time had passed, no one approached Alpha Zion to strike up a conversation. A few women stole lingering glances his way, clearly captivated by his
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134 Chapter 134 The Banquet Has Started
powerful presence. His aura radiated strength and dominance, unlike anything the other young Alphas in attendance could replicate. He stood out like a gem among pebbles, undeniably rare, undeniably intimidating.
Levi, standing quietly beside him, also drew some attention. Several Betas‘ daughters cast admiring glances in his direction, but he paid them no mind. He had long since stopped caring about fleeting interest, he couldn’t sense his fated mate among them, so he remained detached. Instead, his focus was elsewhere.
Levi’s eyes drifted toward Claire, who was doing her best to fade into the background. She moved like a shadow, silent, cautious, deliberately avoiding notice. It was a stark contrast to the proud and haughty image she would show when she was in the Midnight River Pack from time to time or the delicate and warm social butterfly she often made herself to be in front of the public: the so–called warrior princess of the Royal Capital now looked more like a frightened mouse hiding from a predator.
That alone set off alarm bells in Levi’s head. Something was off, deeply off, and he intended to figure out what.
He scanned the room again and spotted Mila, the Alpha King’s niece, who had just joined the Queen and was conversing gracefully with the other Lunas. When Levi glanced back at Claire, he noticed she didn’t even spare Mila a glance. It was as if she didn’t recognize her at all. She only seemed aware of the Alpha King and Queen, likely because their arrival had been formally announced. Mila, on the other hand, had slipped in quietly a little later.
Levi narrowed his eyes.
Something didn’t add up.
Levi raised an eyebrow, his eyes narrowing slightly. “Do you really think she’s of royal blood?” his wolf muttered in the back of his mind. “Because I can’t feel it. There’s no pull, no innate deference like what we feel with the Alpha King…”
Even his wolf sounded genuinely perplexed. There was nothing about Claire that suggested the presence of a powerful bloodline. If anything, she felt… normal. Completely ordinary. When his wolf had tried reaching out to hers, there had beer response, Claire’s wolf was dormant, buried deep inside her. On rare occasions, it would stir briefly, but even then, its presence felt faint and unimpressive.
“I don’t know,” Levi replied silently, swirling the wine in his glass as his gaze lingered
134 Chapter 134 The Banquet Has Started
powerful presence. His aura radiated strength and dominance, unlike anything the other young Alphas in attendance could replicate. He stood out like a gem among pebbles, undeniably rare, undeniably intimidating.
Levi, standing quietly beside him, also drew some attention. Several Betas‘ daughters cast admiring glances in his direction, but he paid them no mind. He had long since stopped caring about fleeting interest, he couldn’t sense his fated mate among them, so he remained detached. Instead, his focus was elsewhere.
Levi’s eyes drifted toward Claire, who was doing her best to fade into the background. She moved like a shadow, silent, cautious, deliberately avoiding notice. It was a stark contrast to the proud and haughty image she would show when she was in the Midnight River Pack from time to time or the delicate and warm social butterfly she often made herself to be in front of the public: the so–called warrior princess of the Royal Capital now looked more like a frightened mouse hiding from a predator. That alone set off alarm bells in Levi’s head. Something was off, deeply off, and he intended to figure out what.
He scanned the room again and spotted Mila, the Alpha King’s niece, who had just joined the Queen and was conversing gracefully with the other Lunas. When Levi glanced back at Claire, he noticed she didn’t even spare Mila a glance. It was as if she didn’t recognize her at all. She only seemed aware of the Alpha King and Queen, likely because their arrival had been formally announced. Mila, on the other hand, had slipped in quietly a little later.
Levi narrowed his eyes.
Something didn’t add up.
Levi raised an eyebrow, his eyes narrowing slightly. “Do you really think she’s of royal blood?” his wolf muttered in the back of his mind. “Because I can’t feel it. There’s no pull, no innate deference like what we feel with the Alpha King…”
Even his wolf sounded genuinely perplexed. There was nothing about Claire that suggested the presence of a powerful bloodline. If anything, she felt… normal. Completely ordinary. When his wolf had tried reaching out to hers, there had been no response, Claire’s wolf was dormant, buried deep inside her. On rare occasions, it would stir briefly, but even then, its presence felt faint and unimpressive.
“I don’t know,” Levi replied silently, swirling the wine in his glass as his gaze lingered
134 Chapter 134 The Banquet Has Started
on Claire. “But we need to find out. And this event? It’s the perfect opportunity to uncover what she’s been hiding all this time.”
Meanwhile, after ensuring the twins were well cared for, both the Royal Healer and the doctors remaining by their side, Addison quietly slipped out of the room and made her way to her quarters.
Inside, everything had already been prepared. Her evening dress hung elegantly on the rack, accompanied by carefully chosen accessories selected by her mother, a pair of matching heels, and the delicate tiara that signified her status.
Without wasting time, she walked straight into the bathroom and undressed, stepping under the warm stream of the shower. She closed her eyes, letting the water wash over her, hoping it would rinse away the tension and anxiety clinging to her body like a
second skin.
