The Alpha's Regret: Return Of The Betrayed Luna

Chapter 176: Chapter 176 Her Fear

Despite not remembering everything about Lance, there was a strange familiarity in the way he made her heart ache. His pain echoed something deep inside her, a connection that felt both comforting and painful. Everything around her was growing more complicated by the minute, and now, she found herself caught in a tide of emotions she didn’t fully understand.

Addison lowered her head, trying to compose herself, and thankfully, her father gave her the time she needed to adjust. Both he and his mate couldn’t help but feel for her.

Losing her memory and being thrust into a strange, hostile environment was already difficult enough, but to return and face such a web of complications was something no one could have prepared her for. His heart ached for his beloved daughter. He knew it must be exhausting.

As those thoughts weighed on him, the Queen quietly reached beneath the table and took the Alpha King’s hand, offering silent support and strength. She knew he was under immense pressure.

Despite how he challenged Addison, putting her in difficult situations or forcing tough decisions on her, it wasn’t out of cruelty. He had to do it. The power-hungry and the ruthless would quickly devour a monarch who appeared weak.

Addison wasn’t just any heir; she was destined to become the first female Alpha King, and that alone meant her path would be twice as hard, filled with greater resistance than any of her predecessors had faced. That was why he had to be tough on her. Every test, every burden, each was shaping the kind of ruler she would one day become.

This was what many would call a father’s tough love. And while he stood firm in his decisions, it didn’t mean he didn’t feel the weight of them. Deep down, he ached for his daughter. She was still so young and had already endured more than most. She was his beloved child, someone he longed to shield and spoil with every comfort he could offer.

But he also understood that what Addison was facing wasn’t just a matter of circumstance; it was fate. The Moon Goddess had laid this path before her, preordained and unavoidable. No matter how desperately he wished to protect her, he knew there were trials she couldn’t be spared from. As much as it pained him, he had to let her walk this path alone, because some destinies cannot be outrun.

”Father, Mother... first of all, I want to apologize for keeping my past in the Midnight River Pack and with Alpha Zion a secret for so long. I should have told you the moment I had the chance...” Addison’s voice trailed off as she hesitated, struggling to find the strength to continue.

The truth was, she had been afraid. Afraid of disappointing them.

Once, she had been their pride, the fierce, beloved warrior princess everyone admired. But now, all she could see in herself was a discarded Luna in someone else’s territory. A Luna who couldn’t even make her own mate love her. That failure haunted her.

She couldn’t remember the warmth of her parents’ embrace or the strength of their love from before, but even so, the fear of seeing disappointment in their eyes weighed heavily on her heart. She didn’t want to let them down... not now, not ever.

All this time, she had been silently struggling, wanting to tell them everything, yet paralyzed by fear and uncertainty. She hadn’t known where to begin or how to even open up. And back then, she was still shackled by the trauma and pain she endured in the Midnight River Pack. Maybe she had suppressed it all so deeply that when the dam finally broke, it became impossible to simply shove the flood of emotions back down like she used to.

She’d be lying if she said it didn’t hurt when the pack members looked down on her, mocked her, scorned her, and treated her like she was worthless. And more than that, she’d be lying if she claimed she never yearned for her mate to love her... to truly see her the way a mate should. But disappointment became her only constant.

Then came the betrayal, the torture, the false accusations. That was when her world truly shattered. She had poured her heart and soul into serving those people, fought and bled for them. Yet they never even gave her the chance to explain, to defend herself. Instead, they branded her guilty and broke her, dragging her to the brink of death.

It was then that she became disillusioned when she finally understood just how powerless she truly was. She couldn’t even protect herself.

And when she found out that she was actually the missing princess, the weight of that truth only added to her shame. How could someone so broken and weak possibly carry such a title? She felt cornered by her own past, but she couldn’t afford to fall apart, not now. She had more than just herself to protect... she had her children, too.

So, no matter how hard it was, Addison had to fight. She had to gather every ounce of courage just to come clean with her parents about her past, hoping, desperately, that they wouldn’t be disappointed in her.

Their opinion meant everything to her. Still, even with all the bravery she could muster, she couldn’t bring herself to speak about the darkest part, how they found her that day, the sorry state she was in.

The Alpha King had noticed. He knew she was holding something back. But he didn’t push her anymore. He was waiting, waiting for her to open up on her own, to let go of the pain she was still carrying. Because until she accepted what had happened, until she freed herself from that weight, she wouldn’t be able to tell them the whole truth.

She hadn’t told them that her supposed mate, Zion, had chosen another woman... that he protected someone else while letting his pack disgrace and abuse her. He had tossed her aside like she meant nothing.

And for a werewolf, especially a princess, being rejected and mistreated like that wasn’t just painful. It was humiliating. It was a stain on her honor. And she feared that once her father heard the full story, he might not be able to stop himself from killing Alpha Zion.

”Sweetheart, don’t blame yourself for what happened in the past,” the Queen said softly. ”We know you did your best, and we’re incredibly proud of you. If people failed to treat you right, that’s a reflection of their own flaws, their lack of morals, and their poor character.”

”None of it changes the fact that you gave your all. We’ve heard so much about the things you did while you were still Luna of that pack, and it only proves your strength and heart. You’ve always made us proud.”

She smiled gently at Addison, her eyes shining with pride and unwavering love. And in that moment, all the pain, all the buried hurt, and long-held grievances melted away under her mother’s warm, understanding gaze. Addison felt her throat tighten, her vision blur, and before she could stop herself, she began to cry.