The Alpha's Regret: Return Of The Betrayed Luna

Chapter 400: Chapter 400 Want To Try Again?

When the nurses discovered this, Zion was led immediately to the operating room. Maxwell had already given about 1,300 cc of blood to Levi, and with Levi’s body deteriorating and the continuous bleeding, if Zion hadn’t arrived in time, both could have fallen into life-threatening danger.

As the doctors continued the surgery, a nurse introduced Zion as a new blood donor. With renewed hope, the medical team intensified their efforts to save Levi. Maxwell was given time to rest, but he was already looking pale from blood loss, while Zion donated over 1,200 cc of his own blood. Thanks to his timely help, Levi was stabilized and his wounds were stitched up in time.

After the surgery, Maxwell and Levi were sent to separate recovery rooms. Zion, exhausted and pale from the ordeal, stumbled out and headed straight to Addison’s room to watch over her until she woke up.

The surgery took a long time. Reconnecting the severed veins was no easy task for the doctors, especially with their limited practical experience and the added pressure of Levi’s deteriorating condition.

Tension filled the room. Fortunately, Zion arrived in time to provide additional blood, easing some of the doctors’ stress.

But because the operation dragged on for so long, Zion had to remain there until about thirty minutes before Addison finally woke up. And that alone proved something: even though Zion, Maxwell, and Levi hadn’t marked her yet, their mate bond was already strong enough for her body to react to their pain and life-threatening danger.

The moment Levi and Maxwell were out of danger, Addison’s condition improved as if in response, and she woke up shortly after.

It confirmed Zion’s suspicions... but it also worried him even more.

But what a coincidence, almost too much of one, that all three of Addison’s mates shared the same blood type. Zion couldn’t tell whether it was a blessing or fate playing tricks on them. Their blood type was rare, yet somehow all three of them had it.

He didn’t know if this was the very reason they were destined to be Addison’s fated mates, or if it truly was nothing more than chance. But because of it, Levi survived. And if he hadn’t... Zion didn’t even want to imagine what would’ve happened to them, or to Addison.

And in the future, they needed to be extremely careful not to let a situation like this repeat itself. If only one of them were injured, it was manageable; the remaining two could still donate blood. But what if all three of them were severely hurt at the same time? What then? Just imagining it made Zion’s head throb.

”How are you feeling?” Zion repeated, since Addison still hadn’t answered his earlier question.

”Hm... I’m starting to feel better,” Addison murmured. ”I just feel a little groggy and disoriented, but I can tell my condition is improving...”

She lay weakly against Zion’s arm, as if simply being close to him was enough to recharge her strength.

”Good... good...” Zion murmured under his breath as he buried his head in the crook of Addison’s neck.

The gesture made Addison blush, and a faint wave of insecurity crept in. Her skin still felt clammy from earlier, a light stickiness lingering from the sweat she hadn’t had the strength to clean away.

With Zion’s nose pressed against her neck, she couldn’t help worrying he would notice it and think it was unpleasant.

”Don’t... don’t get too close...” Addison squirmed, but the more she tried to pull away, the tighter Zion’s arms locked around her. He was still trembling from everything that had just happened, too shaken to let even an inch of space form between them.

In his mind, if he loosened his hold for even a second, something might happen to her... or worse, she might slip away from him.

To stop her from moving, Zion lowered his head and bit down gently on her neck. Unfortunately for Addison, his teeth landed right on the soft spot where his mark should be. She froze instantly. Just a little more pressure, just one accidental pierce of his fangs, and he would mark her for real.

Terrified of triggering that by mistake, Addison went completely still, barely daring to breathe.

Although Addison was no longer as averse to Zion as she once had been, being marked on impulse, without the proper ceremony, was another matter entirely. Marking outside the ritual wasn’t just impulsive; it was considered a sign of disrespect toward their traditions and the person being marked herself.

The marking ceremony was the werewolf equivalent of a marriage, performed publicly so their people could witness, celebrate, and acknowledge the bond.

For a male to mark his partner in front of everyone wasn’t just about tradition; it was a declaration. It showed pride, commitment, and the desire for the whole pack to know who he had chosen for the rest of his life.

And for someone of Zion’s status, an Alpha, marking Addison publicly meant even more. It was him proclaiming his sovereignty over her, offering his protection, his love, and everything he possessed. With the pack as witnesses, they would be expected to honor and respect her the same way they treated him.

So if a she-wolf was marked outside of the ceremony, it carried the same sting as a hidden marriage in the human world. Unless there were exceptional circumstances preventing the ritual from taking place, it felt as if she were being tucked away in secrecy, as though the male was ashamed of her, afraid for others to know he had bonded himself to someone ”unworthy.”

That was why, even though Zion had treated her coldly during their first time as chosen mates, Addison still stood before the entire pack, enduring every scrutinizing stare. And although Zion looked as if he didn’t even want to be there, impatient to leave for war, but the ceremony still had to be completed, because anything less would have been far more humiliating.

Just remembering the past made Addison’s anxiety spike all over again. She didn’t want Zion to misunderstand her, to think she was scheming or purposely trying to push him away so he’d accidentally mark her.

The fear of being blamed, of him assuming she had some hidden agenda, gnawed at her. Their previous mate bond had left a deep shadow in her heart, and because of that, she couldn’t help overthinking and worrying about every little thing, terrified of repeating the pain she once endured.

Zion felt her body go rigid, and in that instant, he realized what he’d done. He had only meant to tease her with a gentle nip, but his teeth had landed exactly on that soft spot, the spot where his mark should be, and it dragged both of them straight back into the past.

A sharp ache twisted in his chest as regret flooded him. He had been so stupid back then, so blind to everything but his own feelings. ℯℯ𝑙.

But speaking up now risked sounding like another excuse. Staying silent, though, would only breed more misunderstanding. So he let out a quiet sigh.

”Addie,” he murmured, voice low with sincerity, ”I really am sorry for everything that happened before. I was a dork, a jerk, whatever you want to call me. And you’d be right.”

”Back then, I only cared about how I felt. I didn’t even try to understand you. I was arrogant, prideful, and I said things just to hurt you because I was hurting too. My dad’s death isn’t an excuse, and I won’t pretend it is.”

”I just... I hope you’ll give me a chance to change. To reflect. If there’s anything about me you don’t like, tell me. I’ll adjust. I want to do better...”

”I want to try again,” Zion whispered, his voice trembling with sincerity. ”But this time... I want to give you my all. I want to prove that I can be better for you. That I won’t be that same jerk who hurt you just because I was hurting. I want to protect you, respect you, truly respect you, in all the ways I failed to before.”

He paused, breath warm against the shell of her ear.

”I know it might sound like sweet talk, like I’m just trying to coax you into saying yes. But I’ve seen your strength, Addie. You’re patient and kind, but you’re also strong enough to walk away the moment you’ve had enough. And I know... if I ever fail you again, if I lose you, that will be on me. No one else.”

His hold tightened just a little, as if afraid she’d slip through his fingers.

”But I won’t let that happen. I don’t want to lose you. I want us together, until my last breath.”

Zion’s warm breath ghosted over the back of her ear as he whispered, and Addison’s mind buzzed, overwhelmed by everything he was laying bare.

And honestly... maybe it was the mate bond, or maybe it was just her own heart, but she could feel herself softening around Zion lately. Her sharp edges, the ones she kept honed to guard herself, were slowly loosening.