136 Chapter 136 She Arrived
At the announcement, a collective gasp swept through the banquet hall. Whispers rippled like waves across the crowd. No one had heard any official news about another royal princess, aside from the one who had gone missing.
Sure, there had been whispers just the other day, vague and uncertain, but rumors were easy to dismiss. And most had.
Until now.
But amid the murmurs, Claire stood frozen. Her body trembled violently.
She didn’t know who the Herald was referring to. ‘Royal Princess? The name meant nothing to her. She didn’t even know anyone named Mila, so she clung to a fragile hope that it was Mila, the niece of the Alpha King, the Herald meant.
But that hope shattered the moment the Alpha King spoke next.
With just a few words, her entire world began to crumble.
When the Alpha King received the mindlink report from the Herald and his Royal Beta that his daughter was waiting at the entrance, he and his mate quietly stepped to the front of the banquet hall to receive her.
At first, the attendees were puzzled to see the royal couple taking such a prominent position. Most assumed they were about to make a formal announcement, and in a way, they weren’t wrong.
Then the Herald’s voice rang out across the now–hushed room:
“Her Highness, the Royal Princess, and the Royal Beta have arrived!”
The bustling banquet hall fell into stunned silence.
Those who had recently spoken with Mila froze, confusion dawning in their eyes. ‘If Mila were here… then who was the Royal Princess the Herald just announced?‘
A chilling thought flickered through their minds, and the entire hall gasped, heads whipping toward the grand entrance.
But no one reacted more intensely than Claire. Panic surged through her as realization
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set in. She instinctively took a step back, the urge to flee overwhelming her.
Alpha Zion and Beta Levi weren’t far behind in their shock; both men were reeling, their thoughts racing as everything they thought they knew began to unravel.
Is the Royal Princess the Herald mentioned… the missing Royal Princess?‘Zion’s mind raced as his eyes locked onto Claire, who was visibly panicking in the corner.
And in that moment, he knew.
His chest tightened, rising and falling with ragged breaths as a dark shadow passed through his gaze. He remembered everything, all the things he had done to protect Claire, all the choices he made under the belief that she was the Princess.
Most of all, he remembered the moment he chose Claire over his own mate. He had believed he was doing the right thing, that safeguarding Claire in his territory meant preventing disaster. If the Princess were to be harmed under his watch, the Alpha King would’ve demanded blood, and Addison would have been the first to suffer.
But now… now the truth was unraveling right before him.
If Claire wasn’t the missing Royal Princess… then who was she?
And what about everything he had sacrificed? The years of burden he had carried? The punishment Addison had endured?
‘Was it all for nothing?‘
His thoughts spun wildly, his mind reeling at a thousand miles a second, until the grand entrance doors opened at last./
Gasps echoed across the hall, but Zion heard none of it,
Because in that moment, he was hit by a scent so achingly familiar it made his heart leap to his throat: warm vanilla, creamy milk, and a whisper of cinnamon.
That scent–the one that haunted his dreams, night after night.
His mate had arrived.
But he was standing at the very back of the crowd. And even though he was taller than most, he still couldn’t clearly see the figure walking down the center of the hall.
All he could hear were gasps, soft, reverent, and murmurs of admiration echoing
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through the grand space.
His earlier urge to confront Claire had vanished completely.
Now, something stronger was pulling him forward.
Without thinking, he began pushing through the crowd, desperate to reach the front, to see her with his own eyes. His heart was pounding so violently against his ribcage it physically hurt, and the breath he hadn’t realized he was holding compressed his chest so tightly it felt like his brain was short–circuiting.
His entire body trembled. His fists were clenched so hard that his nails dug painfully into his palms.
But more than the pain, more than the confusion, there was that feeling.
That unmistakable churning in his stomach.
The one that only she could stir.
The one he knew from every stolen glance, every breathless night, every quiet morning he once shared with her.
She was here.
And his soul knew it before his
eyes
did.
“Addison…” Zion breathed, barely above a whisper, as he pushed his way to the front of the crowd, desperation etched into every step. It was as if the very air he needed to survive stood just ahead of him; she was his breath, his life.
At the sound of his voice, Addison flinched subtly, but she didn’t stop. She didn’t look
back.
Shielded by the towering presence of the Royal Beta at her right, her face remained hidden from Zion’s view. From where he stood, on the far left side of the banquet hall, he couldn’t clearly see her, and the Royal Beta’s large frame was like a tall tree guarding her from the world.
But Addison had already sensed him. His scent had reached her the moment she stepped into the hall. She knew Zion was there.
Still, she didn’t falter.
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Her gaze was focused on the royal couple waiting for her at the front of the room, their expressions warm and full of pride, as though welcoming their daughter home.
With her head held high and a soft, graceful smile curving her lips, Addison walked forward with poise and confidence.
And just like that, she captivated the entire room, especially the male werewolves, who couldn’t tear their eyes away from the regal beauty gliding across the marbled floor like she was born to rule.
The Alpha King did not let the suspense linger.
As Addison came within a single step, he extended his hand. With a gentle, ceremonial grace, the Royal Beta placed Addison’s hand into her father’s waiting palm. The Alpha King then pulled his daughter forward, guiding her to stand between himself and his matè, the Queen, who welcomed her with a tearful, radiant smile.
The Royal Beta stepped back respectfully, positioning himself two paces behind them, his expression warm with pride.
Then, the Alpha King turned to the guests, his voice steady yet laced with emotion. “The greatest birthday gift I’ve ever received is the one given by the Moon Goddess herself—her mercy, her compassion. Years ago, my Queen and I lost our most precious treasure… our daughter was stolen from us. For so long, we cried out to the heavens, praying for a miracle, for a path back to our child. But seasons changed, years passed, and the silence remained.”
A hush fell over the hall. Tension crackled in the air. The guests exchanged looks as an unspoken realization began to bloom in their minds. All eyes slowly drifted to Addison.
Clad in a crimson gown that seemed woven from fire and silk, she stood poised like a vision from a dream. The rich red fabric complemented her jade–like skin and silver–white hair–regal, ethereal, unforgettable.
