The Alpha's Regret: Return Of The Betrayed Luna - Chapter 363

Chapter 363: Chapter 363 Addison’s Suspicion
“Ugh!” he groaned, doubling slightly from the sudden ache. Even so, he resisted the urge to cling to Addison for support, afraid that if he held her too tightly, he might hurt her when she was already suffering so much.

But because he, too, was wracked with pain, Zion couldn’t even open his mouth to comfort Addison through hers. His hand trembled as he rested it on her back, while the other clenched tightly at his side, nails digging deep into his palm.

Neither of them spoke; a shared pain coursed through their bodies, raw and unrelenting.

For Addison, the pain gathered in her chest, lingering longer and growing sharper with every passing second, as if her heart itself was being torn apart. Zion, on the other hand, felt a sudden, violent surge of pain that abruptly vanished, leaving him gasping for breath like a fish out of water.

When his senses finally returned, he realized his back and face were drenched in sweat, droplets falling to the ground beneath him.

Then Zion’s eyes widened as he saw Addison suddenly sway, her body losing balance as if she were about to collapse.

“Addie!” he shouted, rushing forward to catch her before she could fall.

Without wasting a second, he carried her to the shade of a nearby tree and sat down with her cradled in his lap. Though the pain still left lingering tingles in his own body, it was nothing compared to the agony he saw on her face.

Her soft whimpers tore at his heart, and in that moment, his own suffering no longer mattered.

“Addie, breathe in…” he whispered, gently patting her back before bringing his arm close to her trembling lips. “If it’s too much to bear… bite me.”

He spoke softly, his voice steady despite the worry etched in his eyes. As her jaw tightened, he began massaging the sides of her face, trying to ease her tension. He could hear her grinding her teeth from the pain, yet Addison couldn’t speak, her voice trapped by the searing pain that coursed through every inch of her body.

“Zion…” Addison whimpered, her voice barely a whisper. She didn’t even know what she wanted to say, only that she wanted the pain to stop. She had endured so much over the years, her pain tolerance honed by countless hardships, but this… this pain was different.

It felt as though her insides were being torn apart, twisted, and turned inside out.

“Baby, I’m here… I’m here,” Zion murmured, his voice trembling between frustration and helplessness. He had felt a brief surge of that same pain earlier, and even that fleeting pain had been enough to make him double over.

Seeing Addison now, her body trembling, her voice reduced to mere whimpers, shattered him. Never before had he seen her this broken, not even in all the pain and suffering she’d endured before.

Not knowing how else to ease her pain, Zion leaned closer, his face brushing gently against hers as he rubbed the tip of his nose along her cheek in a soft, soothing gesture. A low purr rumbled from his chest, a desperate attempt to comfort her through their mate bond.

Then, he began pressing light, peppered kisses across her face, each one carrying his silent plea for her pain to fade. Through the mate bond, such intimate touches should have brought her warmth and calm, amplifying their connection and the comfort it offered.

But even as he continued, Addison’s body remained tense, her pain unrelenting, until a single tear slipped down her cheek, breaking his heart all over again.

“Baby… what should I do to take this pain away? I wish I could bear it for you…” Zion whispered against her lips, his voice trembling with helplessness. He pressed a gentle kiss to the corner of her mouth before capturing her lips fully, his warm breath fanning against her skin.

The moment his lips moved against hers, Addison felt a flicker of relief amidst the waves of pain, and instinctively, she began to suck softly on his lips.

Feeling her respond, Zion’s heart leapt; it was working, even if only a little. He deepened the kiss, pouring his desperation and love into every movement until the world around them blurred.

“Open your mouth, Addie,” he murmured between kisses, his thumb brushing along her chin to coax her gently. When she obeyed, he tilted his head and claimed her mouth fully, his tongue plunging in, their breaths mingling as if he could draw her pain away with every kiss.

“Zion… it hurts…” Addison whimpered between ragged breaths, her voice trembling like a child’s helpless plea. Tears clung to her long, curled lashes, glistening under the pale light of the moon.

When she looked up at him with those reddened eyes, Zion’s heart clenched painfully. Seeing her like this, so fragile, so pained, tore at his very soul, and all he could feel was the desperate urge to take her suffering away.

“I know, baby… just focus on the kiss,” Zion murmured softly, his voice trembling between comfort and desperation. “Try to focus on me, before you know it, the pain will fade…

He leaned in again, capturing her lips once more. This time, Addison obeyed immediately, parting her lips to let him in. Zion didn’t hesitate; his tongue slipped past her lips and found hers, intertwining in a deep, heated kiss. The soft, wet sounds of their mingled breaths and kisses filled the quiet night air.

Fortunately, the others were too occupied, working tirelessly to finish the settlement, because they are determined to protect the young and the elderly from the wild monsters and lurking threats with the temporary walls and other buildings needed around them.

And even if they had noticed, no one would say a word. They all knew about the mate bond between Zion and Addison; such intimate moments between fated mates were nothing new. So they pretended not to see, letting the two have their fragile moment of comfort amid the chaos was normal.

Being kissed by Zion and feeling the warmth and comfort that came with it clashed violently with the sharp pain throbbing in Addison’s heart. The two sensations battled within her, one soothing, one tormenting, leaving her lost between relief and pain.

As Zion’s heated kiss slowly dulled the pain, her muddled mind began to stir with thought.

‘Where is this pain coming from?’

It had struck her so suddenly, so violently, that she hadn’t even realized it until her body screamed in response. She hadn’t been injured during the fight with the ogre and goblins earlier, at least not in a way that could cause this. If it were a wound, she would’ve felt it long before now.

Then, like a jolt, a realization hit her. Even though she, Zion, Maxwell, and Levi had yet to complete their Marking Ceremony, the ritual that would truly bind them as one, the four of them could already sense traces of each other’s emotions and pain.

And if she was feeling this much pain… while Zion had also groaned and doubled over briefly from a similar pain… that could only mean one thing.

One of her other mates, either Maxwell or Levi, was hurt.

The thought made Addison’s heart plummet to her stomach, a heavy, sinking dread filling her chest as her pulse raced in fear.

‘What’s going on? Is Levi or Maxwell in danger?’ Addison thought, her expression darkening.

Although she hadn’t yet completed the marking ceremony with her three fated mates, deep down, she already recognized them as hers, bound by instinct and soul. The thought that one of them might be hurt made something primal stir inside her. Her territorial instincts surged to the surface, and she felt as if her wolf bristled with fury.

If any of her mates were harmed, her wolf would not take it lightly. Their enemies would become her enemies, just as her mates had always been possessive and fiercely protective of her.

Noticing her sudden distraction in the middle of their kiss, Zion pulled back slightly, his breath still ragged. “Addie, what’s wrong?” he asked between gasps, his voice laced with worry.

His emerald eyes searched hers, trying to understand the shift in her expression. He could tell that Addison had realized something, that her thoughts were now far away, weighed down by sudden realization and concern.

“I… I think either Levi or Maxwell is hurt…” Addison finally confessed, her voice trembling as panic began to rise in her chest. The realization hit her hard, making her heart race even faster.

She could feel her wolf stirring restlessly inside her, urging her to run, run back to the Golden Hue Pack and see for herself, to make sure her mates were safe.

Hearing this, Zion’s brows furrowed deeply. He, too, felt that Addison’s suspicion was highly likely, and only then did he remember what he’d told her before about seeing Greg’ in the forest.

If Greg had really gone to attack that territory, then letting Addison return now would only put her in danger. His jaw tightened as he tried to steady his racing heart.