Chapter 197

The Real Schemer

She paused, casting a glance at Addison’s resting form before continuing.

“In the beginning, the Chieftain’s attention to you was merely a little interest. You’ve seen it for yourself, women hold little status in our tribe. They can’t be warriors, only breeders. It’s not just our tribe, either. Among many shifters, that’s simply the way it has always been.

“But perhaps your kind, the werewolves, have begun to change. Ever since your Princess was born and proved her strength and brilliance even as a child, things have shifted. Still, not all tribes have followed that path.”

The Priestess drew in a breath, her voice firming slightly.

“But that’s not the reason I’m telling you all this.”

“The truth is… just like the werewolves, our tribe has been targeted by unknown enemies. And it’s not just random attacks, they’re after our Chieftain.”

Her voice grew heavy with emotion.

“He’s an Albino Tigren, the prophesied incarnation of the God of War, the very deity we revere. Albino Tigrens are only born once every hundred years. He’s a miracle… a wonder. And because of that, many want a piece of him. Some are obsessed, fascinated by his existence. But others… others fear him.”

She paused, her golden eyes dimming.

“They fear his strength, his bloodline. So they aim to destroy it. Countless warriors have already fallen. Many of our women were targeted and killed. We’ve been on the run, unable to find a safe place to settle. If our Chieftain dies without producing an heir, our enemies, whoever they are, will ensure our bloodline ends forever. They’ll wipe us out.”

Her shoulders dropped slightly as the weight of her next words settled in.

“He’s our only hope.”

She took a breath.

“At first, we considered moving again, traveling to a new land and trying to survive in hiding until the young ones could grow stronger. But then you arrived in our tribe… and I heard the voice of the God of War. He told me you possessed the rare constitution needed to withstand mating with an Albino Tigren, and that you could give us an heir.”

She looked directly into Addison’s eyes now, guilt and desperation warring within her gaze.

“Because of our difficult circumstances… I begged the Chieftain to form a bond with you. I knew it wouldn’t be possible to ask you directly, not when you already had your fated mates. Tigren warriors, especially our Chieftain, are many things, but cunning isn’t one of them. They’re blunt, straightforward, and ruled by strength, not strategy.”

Her voice softened.

“So I performed a ritual. I created a false mate bond, one that mimicked the fated mate bond your Moon Goddess gives. I thought… I thought it was the only way. The backlash from tampering with such a bond was severe, but some of the damage was lessened because the God of War lent me his strength to complete the ritual.”

Hearing all of this, Addison didn’t even flinch. Her expression remained unreadable, calm, unmoved. But no one mistook her silence for indifference or cruelty. It wasn’t that she was heartless; it was that she had already passed judgment.

Because from Addison’s perspective, this woman had simply gone about everything the wrong way.

There were countless paths that could’ve been taken. If they were truly under threat from the same unknown enemy, why not seek an alliance with the werewolves? Why not try diplomacy, cooperation, instead of deceit? Addison might not have agreed to help with the breeding, but they would have had a chance to earn her trust.

But no. This woman was clearly obsessed with securing an heir for the Albino Tigren. That fixation had clouded her judgment.

And even if this whole plan hadn’t been orchestrated by Leon himself, he was still the one who acted on it. He carried it out. That made him responsible. He didn’t get to hide behind good intentions or the priestess’s desperation. Whatever consequences awaited him, he deserved them.

That was the shared sentiment running through the minds of Addison’s entourage. And yet, Addison herself remained motionless, unmoved. Her expression didn’t shift, not even a flicker of emotion crossing her closed eyes.

It was as if listening to this explanation was so dull, so beneath her, that she couldn’t even be bothered to react.

The Tigren woman cast a nervous glance at Addison’s obsidian-black wolf form. Majestic, powerful, and unnervingly still, the creature radiated an aura of silent authority. Its sheer presence made her heart tremble. Intimidating didn’t begin to cover it. And in that moment, her conviction only deepened, Addison truly was the perfect vessel.

She swallowed hard, then continued, her voice hesitant. “Since you now share a mate bond with our Chieftain, it means that… even though you already have your fated mates, you could still mate with him without hurting them… I think…”

She barely finished her sentence when Zion lunged.

In a blur of motion, he pounced on the woman, fury flashing in his eyes. His hand shot up, fist clenched, ready to strike.

But he stopped himself, his hand suspended midair, trembling with the effort to hold back his rage.

“You’re lucky we’re in front of my mate… or I would’ve already killed you,” Zion growled, his voice low and menacing. His eyes blazed with restrained fury, his entire body taut with the effort to hold himself back.

He knew his image in front of Addison had already hit the all time low, and one more reckless move might make her see him in a harsher light. He didn’t want to be that impulsive, violent man, but this time, he was barely holding it together.

The audacity of this woman, daring to look at Addison like she was nothing more than a vessel, a breeder, a means to an end, it burned him to the core. As if Addison was livestock to be used for producing an heir for their tribe? The thought alone made Zion’s heart thunder with so much anger.

His fists clenched at his sides, trembling as he struggled to keep from exploding. The anger surged in him like wildfire, begging for release, begging for something, someone, to unleash it on.

“Even if you tried to imitate a fated mate bond, it will never be real,” the Royal Advisor said coldly. “You may have placed that mark on our Princess, but there are ways to undo it. And when the time comes, we won’t hesitate to act, even if it means harming your Chieftain.”

His words rang sharp and unforgiving.

He, too, had heard enough. At first, they had felt some sympathy for the plight of the Tigren tribe, but whatever compassion they might have had was spent the moment they chose to involve Addison. She was the werewolf princess, someone who had already endured far too much. All they wanted was for her to live in peace, to finally have the happiness she deserved.

And yet, no matter where she went, there were always others trying to claim her.

The Royal Advisor’s jaw tightened as a sudden realization dawned on him. ’Maybe this was why Princess Addison was blessed with not one, but three fated mates.’

’Perhaps the Moon Goddess already foresaw the hardships awaiting her, the people who would covet her, try to use her, take her.’

And if that was true… then was this just the beginning of another storm?

His eyes slid quietly to Addison, watching her still, regal form, and a quiet dread began to settle in his heart.