The Alpha's Regret: Return Of The Betrayed Luna

Chapter 71: Chapter 71 The Truth?

’Damn right it is!’ Shura snapped, the brutal honesty in his voice like a slap to the face.

Zion’s eyes twitched, but he had no words to defend himself. Because Shura was right.

”Alpha Zion truly lives up to his reputation—the hero who led the frontlines to victory, both courageous and unwavering in will. To think I’d meet the man so highly praised by Northern Alpha Damon... You really are everything the rumors say you are.” The Royal Convoy began with a polite smile, but there was a subtle edge to his tone—tinged with sarcasm.

His pride had taken a hit from Zion’s cold reception and commanding presence. He couldn’t deny it—Zion was intimidating, almost beastly, just as people had described. His presence alone was enough to send shivers down anyone’s spine.

Zion didn’t respond.

He was too preoccupied holding Shura back, mentally chaining his raging wolf before it spilled out. The silence stretched, heavy and uncomfortable, until the Royal Convoy cleared his throat and decided to skip the niceties.

”Alpha Zion,” he continued, straightening in his seat, ”upon receiving your report about the princess, the Alpha King sent me personally to thank you for rescuing her and ensuring her safe arrival here. We’re grateful for your swift response and for keeping us informed.”

His tone shifted to business. ”And now that I’ve arrived, I’m ready to return at any time. Has the princess been cleared to leave? Or may I speak with her to establish a connection with the Royal Palace, so she can speak to her Royal Father?”

’Shit. It’s here.’ Zion tensed, his mind racing for a way to twist the situation—anything that could delay the Royal Convoy without asking too much... and without letting them see Claire.

But before Zion could speak, Levi’s voice echoed through their mindlink.

”Alpha Zion, we should be careful not to lie too much—the royal convoy might see through it. I suspect rumors are already circulating around the pack grounds, especially after Beta Greg and the Omega led that group to punish Luna Addison in the dungeon. We don’t know what the convoy has heard, so... maybe we can craft an explanation out of what’s already being said?”

Zion tapped his index finger on the table, eyes narrowing. ”Rumors, you say?” he drawled.

”Yes,” Levi confirmed. ”From what I’ve gathered, the dominant story now is that the royal princess was harmed—and that Luna Addison was responsible.”

Zion’s brows furrowed, but he remained silent. What could he do now except choose his words carefully—vague enough to avoid outright lies, yet crafted so that if the truth ever unraveled, the Royal Convoy wouldn’t be able to accuse them of deception or deliberate cover-up. After a moment’s pause, Zion began.

”Thank you for coming as swiftly as you did to retrieve the princess. As you may already know, I have been sheltering her within my territory after rescuing her from the clutches of the Vampire Lord during our recent capture of his fortress. Very few are aware of this—only myself and a handful of trusted warriors knew her true identity. However, an unfortunate incident occurred here some time ago, and the princess was injured. At present, she lacks the strength to travel and is unlikely to wish to return anytime soon.”

Hearing that the princess had been hurt, the Royal Convoy’s face immediately twisted with concern, confirming the rumors he had feared were true—and now Alpha Zion had confirmed them.

”And the perpetrator?” he asked sharply.

Zion’s voice was low and tight, the words slipping out through gritted teeth. ”Punished.”

Though it sounded like anger, beneath the surface, Zion was conflicted. He was furious at the idea of Addison being labeled the perpetrator, but since it was the truth that she had been punished, that was all he could admit.

The Royal Convoy nodded slowly, falling silent as he considered the gravity of the situation. The fact that the royal princess was hurt was serious, but if it was her wish not to return or even speak to him now, there was little he could do but respect her wishes and hope to see her again later. Yet, without knowing the extent of her injuries, he could only guess. ”Does the Royal Princess not want to speak?”

”No,” Zion said honestly. ”She asked me to speak with you and to convey what she wanted to happen.”

As the Royal Convoy reported to the Alpha King, he delivered the message with precision:

”Your Majesty, based on what I have gathered and directly heard from Alpha Zion, the royal princess has arrived safely at the Midnight River Pack. Alpha Zion has ensured her protection and kept her identity confidential without fail. However, just yesterday, the princess suffered severe injuries. The doctor and healer were called urgently to tend to her, and I could testify that the scent of blood permeated the entire pack long before I even crossed their borders.”

”I have been informed that the one who harmed the princess was the Luna of this pack, though Alpha Zion has already administered punishment. I have not seen the royal princess myself, as Alpha Zion told me she does not wish to return at this time, nor does she want to meet with me. Nevertheless, I intend to attempt meeting with her again at a later time.”

The Royal Convoy finished his report and bowed respectfully, awaiting the Alpha King’s command.

After hearing the Royal Convoy’s report, the Alpha King felt a sudden clarity settle over him—an epiphany born of implication rather than direct words. The princess had been severely harmed. The royal doctor and healer were summoned. The entire pack grounds reeked of blood.

Such details pointed to one thing: a significant commotion had occurred within the Midnight River Pack.

And yet... the princess allegedly didn’t want to return to the Royal Grounds? That raised more questions than answers.

The Alpha King narrowed his eyes, his mind spinning with suspicion. What if the princess didn’t refuse to return, but simply couldn’t? What if Alpha Zion was stalling, trying to buy time and send the Royal Convoy away, because the princess wasn’t under his protection at all?

What if she was missing?

If the rumors were true and the Luna had indeed harmed the royal princess, then perhaps the princess had tried to escape to save herself. She didn’t have her wolf yet—she would have been defenseless. It was possible that in the chaos, some of the Midnight River Pack’s warriors had died trying to protect her, and others had hidden her in the wilderness to keep her safe. That would explain why Alpha Maxwell had found her in the foliage.

Yes. That version of events made far more sense than the vague story Zion had offered.

But the troubling question remained—why would the Luna of the Midnight River Pack try to harm his daughter?

Then, as if a new understanding sparked in his mind, a possibility emerged.

Could it be that the Luna mistook the princess for a mistress—believing her mate had brought another woman into their territory? Perhaps, in a fit of territorial rage, she went feral, driven by jealousy to eliminate a perceived rival.

That sounded plausible.