The Alpha's Regret: Return Of The Betrayed Luna

Chapter 487: Chapter 487 Alpha Hue’s Worries

A lump remained lodged in their throats and their hearts hanging by a thread, for no one truly knew when their princess, Addison, who had fallen into a coma, would awaken. Only Chase and Levi knew the details of what had happened, and now Zion and Maxwell did too, but beyond those four, no one else was aware.

The uncertainty left everyone on edge, fearful of returning to the Royal Capital to report the incident to the Alpha King. After all, Addison had been injured on their territory, making it their responsibility. Every Alpha from different territories felt the weight of that responsibility, even Alpha Hue.

”Father, stop worrying so much. Instead, let us pray to the Moon Goddess that the Princess will be fine,” Mary said softly.

Her father continued pacing outside their tent, his steps restless, while her mother sat nearby with Mary’s younger brother, her face pale with worry. Mary was anxious, too, but after fighting alongside Addison on their way to the temporary settlement, she understood something her parents did not.

The only reason the Princess would ever put herself in danger was to protect her people.

Now that Addison lay unconscious, it could only mean she had done something to help them, something serious enough that her mates chose not to disclose it. And if they were keeping it a secret, then it meant that it wasn’t out of distrust, but to protect her. More importantly, it meant this had been Addison’s own choice.

Endless worry would not change that.

What they could change was themselves.

The ambush in their territory had exposed a brutal truth, and that is, they lacked firepower, coordination, and strength. Even if they were a farming pack, one that rarely stood on the front lines, that was no excuse to remain weak. Weakness only guaranteed more casualties when the unexpected struck.

This realization wasn’t just hers.

It was an awakening for her father and for every Alpha in the western territories of the Kingdom.

”How could I not worry?” Alpha Hue muttered, raking a hand through his hair, his frustration barely contained.

Mary lifted her gaze to him, her expression calm but unyielding.

”Father, instead of worrying about the Princess’s condition, which her mates are already handling, you should be planning how to strengthen our people,” she said firmly. ”This is proof enough that remaining as we are is no longer an option. At any moment, we could be targeted. Anyone could attack us... and people could die.”

Her voice didn’t rise, but every word carried weight.

”That night ambush should have been our wake-up call. Just because we are a farming pack, because we contribute to the Kingdom by feeding it, doesn’t mean we’re exempt from danger. Relying on the Kingdom’s protection is not an excuse to let ourselves grow weak.”

She clenched her fist at her side, determination burning in her eyes.

”Even if we don’t stand on the front lines, we are still werewolves. We should train our bodies and our people just like every other pack.”

Alpha Hue finally stopped pacing and turned to his daughter. The resolve in her eyes struck him; it was sharp and unwavering, as if she were already standing on a battlefield, ready to march.

He let out a long, heavy sigh, the tension in his shoulders easing slightly.

”I understand,” he said at last. ”We’ll discuss this properly with the elders and my command team. This time... we won’t brush it aside.”

”Father... you should handle this for now,” Mary said after a brief pause. ”I’ve already pledged myself to the Princess. I’ll be leaving the pack in your care while I follow her to the Royal Capital.”

The words finally left her mouth, and she had already sworn long ago, without her father’s knowledge. With everything that had happened since his arrival at the temporary shelter, she’d never found the chance to tell him. Only now did an opening appear. 𝒻𝑟ℯℯ

Mary steadied herself, fully expecting his anger.

This wasn’t a small choice, and she couldn’t be impulsive. Such a pledge should have gone through her father and the elders first. Once she aligned herself with the Princess, it wouldn’t just be her binding herself to the Princess anymore; it would bind the whole Golden Hue Pack as well. And as the future Alpha, her stance would, of course, become the pack’s stance.

Yet even knowing all that, she didn’t regret it.

And so, pledging one’s loyalty was never as simple as declaring devotion for life. It required the entire pack to understand the situation and to accept what that allegiance would demand of them in the future. Aligning with someone meant drawing attention, and more often than not, that attention was dangerous.

Especially now.

Factions were already sprouting within the Royal Capital, each vying for the throne. Until now, the Golden Hue Pack had remained safely neutral, focused solely on grain production and minding their own affairs. Because of that, no one had bothered them.

But Mary’s decision changed everything.

By pledging her loyalty to Addison and swearing herself as her servant, she had effectively thrust the Golden Hue Pack into the line of fire. Her position was no longer distant or symbolic; as a direct servant of the Princess, she stood as close as a personal guard, bound by oath and allegiance. And where she stood, her pack would inevitably be seen standing with her.

”Wait... what?!”

Alpha Hue was completely rattled. He stared at Mary, eyes wide, as if he had misheard her. Beside him, his wife froze as well, her gaze fixed on their daughter in the same stunned disbelief.

For a moment, neither of them could speak.

They had always known Mary had her own opinions, strong ones, and that she could be reckless at times. But this? This went far beyond anything they had imagined.

They might live far from the Royal Capital, but that didn’t mean Alpha Hue was ignorant of the undercurrents swirling there. On the contrary, he was painfully aware of them. That was precisely why he had never shown ambition, never entertained factional alliances, and never allowed his pack to be drawn into power struggles.

It wasn’t just because they were weak, but it was a way to protect their pack.

The Golden Hue Pack played a vital role in the Kingdom as the biggest Granary. As long as they remained neutral, no one dared to touch them. Even if some Alphas looked down on him, they still wouldn’t act. Disrupting his pack meant endangering the Kingdom’s food supply, and no faction was foolish enough to risk that.

And now, with a single declaration, Mary had shattered that carefully maintained balance.

But aligning themselves with Addison was an entirely different matter.

The Golden Hue Pack wasn’t just any pack; they were the Kingdom’s largest grain producers, its greatest granary. Whoever they stood behind would be holding the Kingdom’s lifeline in their hands. With that lifeline came power, influence, and leverage that no faction could afford to ignore.

And that was precisely the problem.

No other faction would ever allow such an alignment to happen easily. It directly threatened their interests. Especially those forces lurking in the shadows, quietly stirring unrest and plotting for the throne, they would never sit idly by and watch the Kingdom’s largest granary fall into Addison’s camp.