Chapter 563 Welcome Banquet 5
"It’s possible," Zion replied, a low growl rumbling through the mind link. "But she won’t get another chance to get anywhere near Addison. Not while I’m alive."
The sight of Claire rekindled memories that Zion had spent every day trying to bury. Because of his own foolishness and misplaced trust, he had allowed Claire to manipulate him, and Addison had paid the price.
The pain, betrayal, and suffering Addison had endured because of his blindness remained the greatest regret of his life. Every time he looked at Claire, it was like reopening a wound that had never truly healed.
Levi could practically feel the anger boiling inside Zion.
"Don’t lose your temper just yet," Levi said with a faint smirk. "You still have plenty to regret before this is over."
The words struck exactly where they were meant to.
Levi understood Zion better than anyone. He knew that no insult from an enemy could wound him as deeply as his own guilt. Zion had brought that suffering upon himself, whether intentionally or not, and there was nothing he could say in his own defense.
The only thing he could do was bear the weight of his mistakes and spend the rest of his life trying to make amends to the mate he had once failed so completely.
"I know..." Zion replied through gritted teeth, lowering his head as guilt tightened around his chest.
He knew exactly how badly he had failed.
He knew Levi had said those words on purpose, twisting the knife where it hurt the most. It wasn’t out of malice, but because Zion deserved to be reminded. Every painful memory, every ounce of regret, every sleepless night haunted by what Addison had suffered because of his blindness, he deserved all of it.
He had been the one who failed to protect his own mate.
He had been the one who let Claire deceive him.
He had been the one who shattered Addison’s trust.
No matter how much he regretted it now, none of it could erase the pain Addison had endured.
So Zion didn’t argue.
He didn’t defend himself.
He accepted every word in silence, allowing the guilt to settle deeper inside him, because this burden was his to carry. It was the least he owed Addison after everything she had been forced to endure because of his mistakes.
Before long, the banquet drew to a close.
As custom dictated, the Alpha King rose first, followed by the royal ministers, the invited Alphas and representatives from every territory who had yet to return to their respective packs. Addison and the members of her entourage also excused themselves, leaving the banquet hall to the Queen, who remained behind to entertain the nobles and maintain the court’s social obligations.
Rather than returning to their chambers, the Alpha King led the delegation straight to the royal council hall.
The celebration had merely been an intermission.
The true reason they had summoned nearly every Alpha across the kingdom to the Royal Palace was to discuss the matter of the kingdom with them.
The kingdom was still reeling from a series of natural disasters and crises that had swept across every region, threatening both the stability of the realm and the survival of its people. The royal court needed every territorial leader present to determine their next course of action before the situation spiraled further out of control.
Fortunately, Addison had returned bearing the first piece of genuinely hopeful news in months.
The crisis in the Western Region had been successfully resolved under her leadership, offering the kingdom a much-needed glimmer of hope amid the growing turmoil.
Now, everyone in the council hall wanted to hear exactly what had transpired in the West, how she had managed to overcome the disaster, and whether her methods could be applied to the other regions that were still struggling. Her report would shape the kingdom’s next strategic decisions and determine the actions they would take moving forward.
Without further delay, the Alpha King called the council meeting to order.
However, despite his authority, there was one thing he could not simply forbid.
His younger brother was still a prince of the kingdom. Regardless of how little interest he had shown in state affairs over the years, he remained a member of the royal family with the right to attend the council if he so wished. It was a privilege that even the Alpha King couldn’t arbitrarily strip away.
What caught everyone off guard, however, was that the prince hadn’t come alone.
Seated behind him were Princess Mila... and Claire.
The moment the Alpha King saw them enter, a dull throb settled behind his temples.
’A headache is coming...’
His gaze instinctively shifted toward Addison.
Sure enough, his daughter was already looking at him, her blazing eyes silently demanding an explanation for why the woman who had once nearly destroyed her life was sitting inside the kingdom’s highest council chamber.
Unfortunately, even he had no answer that would satisfy her.
Meanwhile, Addison’s mind was racing.
Claire’s presence here could only mean trouble.
She immediately began piecing together every possibility, trying to understand how Claire had managed to step into a place reserved for royalty, ministers, and territorial Alphas.
The first conclusion she reached was the same one Levi had reached earlier.
’Did Uncle really take Claire as his woman?’
But the thought was quickly dismissed.
No matter how indulgent her uncle was, a mere lover or mistress would never be permitted inside a royal council meeting. Her father would have objected the moment Claire crossed the threshold if that were the case.
Yet...
He hadn’t uttered a single word.
That realization made Addison’s expression slowly harden.
If Claire wasn’t here as a lover...
...then she had to be here because she possessed a legitimate claim.
Her breathing almost stilled.
Her uncle was infamous throughout the kingdom for his countless affairs. He had fathered children with women from every corner of the realm, leaving behind a trail of illegitimate offspring that had long become an open secret among the nobility.
The possibility struck Addison like a bolt of lightning.
’Claire... could be one of his daughters.’
Everything suddenly fell into place.
That would explain why no one had questioned her presence. Why she was allowed to stand beside Mila. Why even her father had remained silent.
A bitter smile nearly formed on Addison’s lips.
What absurd luck.
Out of everyone in the kingdom, Claire had managed to discover she carried royal blood.
For Claire, it was a blessing.
For Addison, it was an absolute nightmare.
If Claire truly was the prince’s daughter, then she no longer needed stolen identities, fabricated titles, or elaborate schemes to stand before her. She now possessed a powerful patron, royal blood, and a legitimate place within the palace itself.
Knowing Claire’s boundless ambition, Addison didn’t believe for a second that she would be satisfied with merely reclaiming her status.
No...
Claire would undoubtedly set her sights higher.
The position of heir apparent.
𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺
The thought wasn’t far-fetched in the slightest.
The moment that possibility settled in her mind, every instinct Addison possessed screamed in warning.
She quietly straightened in her seat, every nerve on high alert as she prepared herself for whatever move Claire intended to make next.