The Alpha's Regret: Return Of The Betrayed Luna

Chapter 485: Chapter 485 Ending So Abruptly

Their eyes followed the fish’s trajectory as if time itself had slowed.

Then...

Slap!

The fish smacked squarely into Maxwell’s face.

Instinctively, Maxwell swiped back. His paw sent the unfortunate fish flying out of the river and straight toward Alpha Hue’s feet, where it landed with a frantic flop.

Silence fell over the riverbank.

Everyone stared at the fish flailing on the ground... then slowly looked back at the two massive wolves.

Zion and Maxwell locked eyes with each other.

For the first time since the fight began, neither of them moved.

The sudden, awkward silence lingered in the air.

Just moments ago, both Maxwell and Zion had been drowning in aggression, their emotions stretched taut to the breaking point, but the fish’s untimely appearance shattered that tension completely. The rage that had fueled them faltered, leaving neither of them quite sure how to continue.

They stared at each other for a heartbeat longer.

Then Zion looked away.

A faint glint flashed in his eyes as the corners of them curved upward. He stepped out of the knee-deep water and shifted back into his human form, his shoulders trembling as he struggled to hold back his laughter.

Walking over, Zion picked up the fish by its tail and casually waved it in Maxwell’s direction.

”Looks like sparring works up an appetite,” he said lightly, his tone dripping with mockery. ”Thanks for the treat.”

The jab was unmistakable.

Before Maxwell could even react, Zion had already turned and headed back toward the temporary shelter, the fish dangling from his hand, leaving behind a riverbank filled with stunned silence and one very humiliated Alpha.

No one had expected the heated battle to end so abruptly, much less be broken by something as ridiculous as an icebreaker, or for Alpha Zion to casually tease Alpha Maxwell and dismiss what had clearly been a vicious fight as mere sparring.

Yet no one said a word.

In truth, many of them were fighting the urge to laugh. And more importantly, none of them wanted to risk provoking either of the two Alphas again, especially now that the suffocating aggression had finally ebbed. So, one by one, they scattered like startled chickens, retreating with remarkable speed.

Even Alpha Hue, who found the situation far funnier than he cared to admit, turned on his heel and hurried back to his duties, shoulders shaking as he held in his laughter.

Soon, the riverbank was empty.

Silence returned, broken only by the sound of water flowing gently past the stones. Maxwell remained where he stood, staring ahead, still trying to process what had just happened, only realizing the full absurdity of it all once everyone was gone.

Only after everyone had left did Maxwell shift back into his human form. The cold, indifferent mask he usually wore cracked slightly, a faint smile briefly crossing his face.

He didn’t follow the others.

Instead, he walked to the shore and sat on a protruding boulder, tilting his head back to stare at the sky. After a moment, he took out the ruby necklace, the same one he had used to track the Dark Witches’ trace, and held it in his palm, studying it in silence. His thumb brushed over the gem again and again, as if he were clinging to a memory long buried.

Time seemed to stretch endlessly before he finally released a deep, steady breath, the kind that came only after a decision had been made.

Rising to his feet, Maxwell put the necklace away and wiped the remaining water from his body. He retrieved a fresh set of clothes, discarding the ones he had worn earlier, which were already torn apart when he shifted mid-fight, and it was already stained with blood from injuries that had already healed without a trace.

When he finished dressing, there was no sign of the violence from moments ago, only the quiet resolve settling in his eyes.

Not long after, Maxwell returned to the temporary settlement and spotted Zion squatting beside the campfire, chatting casually with an older woman as if their earlier, brutal fight had never happened. Zion was smiling, nodding along, his movements relaxed and unguarded.

Seeing that, Maxwell walked over, just in time to catch the tail end of their conversation.

”Am I doing this right, ma’am?” Zion asked, carefully working his knife along the fish’s belly, the same unfortunate fish Maxwell had swatted out of the river earlier. ”I’ve never done this before, so I’m not really sure.”

”Yes, Alpha Zion, just control your strength,” the elderly woman said gently. ”If you squeeze the meat too hard, it’ll fall apart when you put it in the soup.”

She pointed to the sections he needed to cut while continuing to sort through the other ingredients he would add later.

Hearing this, Maxwell raised an eyebrow and stepped closer to watch. In front of Zion lay the large fish on a wooden chopping board. Since it was clearly his first time, the ground beneath was splattered with fish blood, and the gutted remains were set aside messily.

A thin sheen of sweat had formed on Zion’s forehead as he carefully worked the knife through the flesh, far more cautiously than anyone would have expected from an Alpha of his strength.

After leaving Maxwell earlier, Zion had happened upon the elderly woman while she was sorting vegetables and discussing meal preparations with others. That was when inspiration struck him.

He wanted to cook for Addison himself.

He had never done something like this before, but the thought of personally preparing a meal for her felt important, like a quiet way of showing how much he cared. Without hesitation, he had asked the elderly woman for advice and help, and she, amused and kind, hadn’t turned him down.

”So,” Maxwell remarked from the side, a faint note of teasing in his voice, ”you’re planning to use my fish to woo my woman?”

Zion startled, having been so focused on the fish that he hadn’t noticed Maxwell approach. He immediately shifted his body, half-shielding the chopping board.

”What do you mean your fish?” he shot back defensively. ”It’s clearly mine now.”

”I’m the one who caught it,” Maxwell replied calmly as he crouched beside him.

The elderly woman, witnessing this kind of banter for the first time, blinked in surprise and glanced between the two Alphas. A moment later, understanding dawned in her eyes. A knowing smile curved her lips as she quietly returned to sorting the vegetables, wisely pretending not to notice the tension or the rivalry.

After a beat, she handed Maxwell a basket of potatoes.

”Wash and peel these,” she said matter-of-factly.

Just like that, Maxwell was drafted into the work.

”Alpha Maxwell, it’s good that you’re here,” the elderly woman said with a welcoming smile. ”Since Alpha Zion wishes to cook a meal for the Princess, and that alone would surely make her happy, why don’t you lend a hand as well? After all, it’s the thought that counts.”

As she spoke, she pressed the basket into Maxwell’s hands. Before he could respond, she added a carrot and several other vegetables that still needed washing.

”These need to be cleaned,” she continued briskly. ”You can take them to the river; it’ll be quicker, or fetch a pail if you prefer.”