Chapter 85

They passed a law forbidding she-wolves from joining the battlefield so easily. The risk was too great—not just for the individuals involved, but for the future of their kind. It would also be hard if fated mates were to meet on opposite sides of a war. A wolf switching sides after recognizing their fated mate could turn the tide of battle, leading to further chaos.

Now, without she-wolves to protect them, male wolves had to defend their own weaknesses. And that meant, in every fight, their throats were vulnerable—ripe for the kill if they let their guard down for even a second.

Right now, Zion was itching for the kill. His irritation spiked with every passing second as he watched the brown wolf—it was clearly stalling, deliberately dragging out time, and Zion could feel his patience wearing thin.

’Shit!’ Zion cursed, snapping to full alert as he quickly scanned the battlefield. All his warriors were fully engaged in combat. No side appeared to be gaining the upper hand—they were evenly matched, clashing with equal ferocity. But something about the enemy’s movements felt off, like they were simply biding their time.

Without wasting another second, Zion unleashed a powerful roar through the pack-wide mindlink: “Everyone, protect Claire at all costs!”

His sudden command jolted the entire pack. For a moment, his warriors faltered—not because of fear, but out of surprise. Was their Alpha really panicking over his fated mate? That was the impression many got, but the truth was far more complicated.

Even now, the misunderstanding with the rest of the pack hadn’t been cleared. Claire was still in hiding—within Zion’s territory—and they were deliberately letting the world believe she was his fated mate. It was a calculated move. By spreading that belief, Claire had a reason to remain safely under his protection without raising suspicion.

Because if the truth ever came out—that Zion had brought back the missing princess—Claire would become a prime target. Countless factions would do whatever it took to reach her, to use her. And since he was the one who found and brought her home, her safety had become his responsibility.

The royal family already held him accountable for what had happened to Claire and her unborn child. If anything else happened—if Claire died—Zion had no idea how he’d answer for it. The pressure was suffocating, and one more misstep could cost him everything.

After all, the reason Zion wanted to be the one to claim the reward for saving the princess was so he could use it as leverage—to forge an alliance, gain assistance, or at the very least, build a connection with the royal family that could help restore his pack to its former glory.

But if others discovered that he had the princess, they wouldn’t pass up the opportunity to use her as a bargaining chip themselves.

And then what?

Once they took Claire, not only would Zion lose any benefit from rescuing her, but he’d also be blamed for failing to protect her. The responsibility would fall squarely on his shoulders, and the punishment could be severe—perhaps even the complete eradication of his pack from the werewolf domain.

Even if Zion had no intention of using Claire for personal gain, the fact remained—he was the one who first found her in the vampires’ captivity. If he hadn’t saved her, or if he had saved her only to hand her over to another Alpha, he would still be held accountable by the Alpha King if anything happened to her.

If the princess ended up suffering again, the blame would fall on him. Any benefits from rescuing her were merely a bonus. In truth, everything about the princess was a political minefield—one misstep could doom him. Zion had no choice but to do what was best for his pack and himself.

But who would have thought it would become this complicated? He had assumed that once he rescued her and informed the palace, the burden would be lifted. Instead, the ’hot potato’ was shoved right back into his hands, and now he was the one expected to protect it.

And why should he allow anyone to rise from his downfall? He refused to accept that. Besides, without Claire, how could he gather the evidence needed to prove that his Luna, Addison, was innocent in the previous incident?

Yes, that dead omega attendant who had been placed beside Claire was gone—but Claire was still alive. If he and Levi were right, and Claire was indeed trying to frame Addison for some unknown reason, then they didn’t need the omega anymore. All they had to do now was wait for Claire to slip up, to reveal a crack in her story or give away her true motive. Once that happened, they could finally clear Addison’s name.

But they had to tread carefully—Claire was a royalty, after all. That alone was one of the main reasons Zion had been doing his best to accommodate her, even when she brazenly tried to climb into his bed. He restrained himself, despite every urge to strangle her for her boldness.

At first, he and Levi assumed Claire simply wanted him—to make herself his Luna, perhaps for the status. But the more they thought about it, the less sense it made. Why would someone with a legitimate claim to the future Alpha King’s throne settle for becoming the Luna of a struggling pack? Unless… she had another motive.

Was she trying to use him as a pawn in a bigger game, hoping to regain her father’s favor or solidify her position by aligning with a war hero like him? If so, her strategy was flawed. There were stronger alphas with established power, wealth, and influence—ones who would welcome her with open arms, do her bidding, and clear her path in hopes of becoming her chosen mate. Zion, on the other hand, had returned from war as a hero, yes—but he still needed time to rebuild, to grow into the role he’d carved for himself.

So why him?

Was it because of the tension between him and his Luna, Addison? Did Claire see a crack in their bond and think she could wedge herself in? But even then, there were unmated alphas in far better standing than Zion—why would she stoop to compete for a seat already taken?

Was it because Addison was wolfless and perceived as weak—an easy target? If that was her reasoning, it was short-sighted and petty. Bullying someone like Addison wouldn’t win Claire respect or support; it would only make her look conniving and dishonorable. It would erode her image, not elevate it, and could ultimately cost her the throne she seemed so desperate to reclaim.

And now that Zion was looking around him, he was starting to see the bigger picture. These wolves weren’t just random rogues—they were stalling. If they were actually from other packs, merely posing as rogues to keep him and Levi distracted, then it meant they were after something specific. And what could be so valuable in Zion’s territory that they’d launch repeated attacks, sacrificing their own warriors without hesitation?

There was only one answer: Claire.

If that was truly their objective, then it wasn’t far-fetched to assume that someone had discovered her presence. But how? The information was supposed to be tightly guarded.

There was only one possible explanation—Greg.