The Alpha's Regret: Return Of The Betrayed Luna

Chapter 126: Chapter 126 Wanting To Protect Their Mommy

”But then again, wasn’t it said that the Luna of the Midnight River Pack had run away or gone missing? Did they finally find her—and bring her here? For what? To face punishment?” The Royal Beta nearly rolled his eyes but restrained himself. The entire situation was baffling, a tangled mess of half-truths and unanswered questions. It felt like walking through a maze with no end in sight—they no longer knew what to believe.

”Or... could he have hired a fake to take the punishment in her place? To protect his Luna?” the Alpha King murmured, though even he sounded unsure. Too many things didn’t add up. The more they tried to piece everything together, the more tangled the situation became. And the only person who could truly connect the dots was Addison. Everything else was just speculation.

But whether that woman was truly the Luna of the Midnight River Pack or a fraud impersonating a princess, one thing was certain—she wouldn’t leave the Capital unscathed. Both crimes carried the sentence of execution. Impersonating royal blood was a grave offense that threatened the sanctity of the royal lineage, and harming one was even worse. Unfortunately, Claire has done both, so even if she has hundreds of lives, it will not be enough to save her from her fate.

While the Alpha King and his Royal Beta were discussing Zion and Claire, Addison was on her way to pick up her twins from their defense training at the palace grounds. She also wanted to see who their instructor was. But by the time she arrived, the instructor had just left, and the twins were already preparing to return with their chaperone.

Their chaperone happened to be one of the same Royal Guards who had been assigned to protect them back in the Sacred Lands. With the Alpha King’s birthday celebration fast approaching and numerous guests arriving at the Royal Palace, security had been tightened, especially around Addison’s palace and the twins, now officially recognized as royal princes.

Although the Alpha King had yet to finalize the formal documents for their official acknowledgment and archival record, the process was already in motion. This legal recognition would secure their royal status and, in the future, give them a legitimate claim to the throne, should Addison, as the next Alpha King, name one of them as heir apparent.

But all of that could wait. It wasn’t something Addison wanted to burden them or herself with just yet.

”Mommy!” Kyle squealed in delight upon seeing his mother. He nearly leapt out of his guard’s arms, but the guard’s quick reflexes caught him just in time. Gently, the guard set him down, and the moment Kyle’s feet touched the ground, he bolted toward Addison like a little cannonball. Aiden wasn’t far behind, chasing after his brother with equal excitement.

Addison crouched down and opened her arms wide just in time to catch them both in a warm embrace. ”How was your training today?” she asked, smiling as she scooped them up into her arms.

”Hehehe, I bitch Kyle in the shord training,” Aiden said proudly in his little childish voice and with his not so perfect pronunciation. ”But—but he tried to cheat! Sho I ran, and then we almost got scolded for playing around...” He puffed out his chest like it was some kind of badge of honor, clearly unfazed by the idea of getting in trouble.

The royal guards behind them scratched the backs of their necks awkwardly and gave Addison apologetic looks. But Addison simply gave a gentle nod, reassuring them that she understood. After all, it wasn’t their fault. No one could fully control young children, not all the time. It was perfectly normal for the twins to be playful.

In fact, considering how young they still were—barely three years old—their progress was impressive. They were only receiving this early training because, for their age, they were surprisingly well-developed.

The Alpha King wanted them to start early so they could one day protect themselves in the palace, especially when no one knew where danger might come from. But still, they were just little boys. Their attention spans were short, and their energy boundless. To Addison, they were already doing more than enough—and she couldn’t be prouder.

”You two did a great job today!” Addison praised gently. ”Do you like learning? This is just your trial training, so if you ever feel it’s too much, we can wait until you’re five years old. You can spend more time playing in the room, around the Princess’ Palace, or visiting Grandpa and Grandma...”

”No... no! Mommy! I—I want chu be strong!” Aiden cried out, his eyes wide with determination. Though he looked mature, his words were still laced with a child’s lisp and mispronunciations.

”I want to protect Mommy too!” Kyle added earnestly, his tiny hands balled into fists of resolve.

Addison’s heart melted at their words. They could barely lift their wooden swords, but here they were, trying to be her little protectors. Their voices were childish, their thoughts innocent, but their love was pure and fierce. At that moment, she felt deeply that the best decision she had ever made in her life was giving birth to them.

She scooped them both into her arms, holding them close as they made their way back to the Princess’ Palace, her heart full.

When they arrived back at the palace, the twins had a final fitting for their outfits—Kyle in his tiny royal suit and Aiden in his matching one. Afterward, they played joyfully in the garden, their laughter echoing under the warm afternoon sun. Their two Royal Guards even shifted into their wolf forms to give the boys a playful ”horse ride,” and the twins squealed with delight, riding on their backs like little warriors.

Watching them so full of life, Addison felt a sudden tug at her heart. It came out of nowhere—a sharp, aching sorrow that made her chest tighten. Her eyes stung, and tears welled up unbidden. She quickly wiped them away, not wanting the twins to see. She didn’t understand why the feeling hit so strongly, but it lingered like a shadow in the sunlight.

Later, as she and the twins headed back inside to have dinner with her parents, Addison overheard a hushed conversation from two palace guards stationed near the entrance. These were men assigned specifically to protect her palace—trusted, loyal—but they were too caught up in their gossip to notice that Addison and her children were walking nearby.

”Did you hear? Alpha Zion arrived earlier with a great fanfare and with a woman by his side,” one guard said, lowering his voice with excitement. ”A lot of people are saying she might be the missing princess. But come on, we both know the real princess has already returned to the Royal Grounds. If you ask me, that woman has to be his Luna—the iron-fisted one who kept the Midnight River Pack running while Alpha Zion was off fighting in the war.”

His companion raised an eyebrow. ”How can you be so sure she’s his Luna?”

”Who else could it be? Alpha Zion didn’t arrive with any other woman, which only means she has to be his Luna,” the guard said confidently, just before their voices faded into the background.