Chapter 113
Most of the men stood over six feet tall, and even the female warriors ranged from 5’7″ to 5’9″, which was expected of she-wolves. Addison, however, barely reached 5’6″ or 5’7″—an unusual height for a man, especially one expected to patrol the borders.
One of the men, clearly not taking her seriously, strolled forward with a smirk and casually draped an arm around her shoulders.
“What are you, half-dwarf?” the man teased as he looked at Addison. His tone was lighthearted, and Addison could tell he meant no harm by it. After all, human males weren’t exactly rare within the Palace Grounds—Archmage Elric was human, and so were some of his disciples.
Seeing a human adult male wasn’t unusual, and most ranged from 5’7″ to 6’ tall—just slightly shorter than shifters like them. So, Addison’s height didn’t raise any real eyebrows. What truly piqued their curiosity was why someone like him, at least in appearance, was assigned to the border patrol team, one of the most dangerous occupations in the kingdom.
“I’m not,” Addison replied calmly, removing the man’s arm from her shoulder with quiet firmness. Without another word, she turned and strode toward a man seated off to the side. Though his eyes were closed, there was no doubt he was fully aware of everything happening around him. His presence exuded a quiet warning— ’Stay away.’
Yet, for some reason, Addison felt drawn to him, a strange sense of familiarity tugging at her instincts. ’Did I know him before?’ she wondered, letting her feet carry her forward until she stood before him.
“Hello,” she said, her tone even, neither overly humble nor arrogant. “Are you the one in charge of the Border Patrol Team? I’m here to report.”
Her back was straight, her hands clasped behind her, posture crisp and composed—just like a seasoned warrior presenting themselves for duty.
Around the room, the others exchanged glances. Moments ago, they had been teasing her, their curiosity thinly veiled. But now, watching her presence and hearing her voice, something shifted. Some felt a strange familiarity, as if they’d met her before. Others sensed the quiet strength in her aura—imposing, yet somehow warm.
Despite appearing as a human, she didn’t feel out of place. In fact, welcoming her into their ranks suddenly felt natural.
The man sitting with his arms crossed and eyes closed slowly opened them the moment he heard a calm, soothing voice. That voice was like a soft summer breeze accompanied by the gentle chime of wind bells—peaceful, unintrusive, and oddly grounding. Even though his rest had been disturbed, he didn’t feel the slightest irritation.
Everyone else in the room, however, held their breath. They watched the scene unfold with wide eyes, fully expecting Addison to be reprimanded. While the office was often noisy with banter, there was one unspoken rule—no one approached that man.
He was known to be able to sleep through a storm, but the space around him—his invisible circle—was sacred. It was his territory, a zone no one dared step into unless explicitly invited. And anyone who crossed that line, even by accident, usually paid for it with a harsh lesson.
But this time, to their surprise, he remained still.
“No, our Captain stepped out,” the man replied languidly, his voice low and lazy, eyes still half-lidded with sleep. “But you can tag along with this team heading to the eastern border. They’ll fill you in on the shift schedule, rotation, and defense protocols out there.”
As soon as he finished speaking, a nearby she-wolf—one of the senior members—hurriedly pulled Addison back. Though Lance hadn’t reacted violently like he might have in the past, she wasn’t about to take any chances. Addison, after all, looked too delicate for a grown man—fragile even—and if Lance had suddenly lashed out, whether on instinct or annoyance, it would be nearly impossible to explain to the Alpha King.
Especially since Addison was his personal assistant, sent here for training. One injury, even accidental, could spark unnecessary trouble.
“L-Lance, you can go back to sleep. We’ll take the newbie and show him the ropes,” said the man who had earlier slung his arm over Addison’s shoulder. He quickly ushered everyone out of the office, clearly eager to restore the peace and quiet for Lance.
As soon as they stepped outside, the entire group visibly relaxed, some even letting out audible sighs of relief. Addison couldn’t help but feel puzzled. Why were they all so tense around Lance?
To her, he didn’t seem threatening at all. In fact, he reminded her of a lazy guard dog lounging at the front of its doghouse—one that only opened an eye when someone got too close, then dozed back off if everything seemed fine. The more she thought about it, the more fitting the comparison felt.
Seeing how baffled Addison looked, the she-wolf gently tugged her along like an older sister guiding a confused sibling. The man who had teased her earlier took it upon himself to explain.
“Lance Crawford is our current Vice Captain. Everyone says he’s destined to become the next Captain of the Border Patrol Squad. Before he joined us, he trained with the Royal Guard. Rumor has it, he was supposed to be appointed as the personal guard to the missing Princess.”
He paused, glancing around before lowering his voice slightly. “But then, out of nowhere, he chose to transfer here instead. Back then, he was calm, kind—even cheerful. He trained side by side with our squad’s former ace, a female warrior who was said to be the only one who could match him in skill. They were sparring partners, rivals… maybe more.”
The man’s voice turned solemn. “But she disappeared six years ago. Some say she—”
“Shhh!” one of the men hissed, elbowing the talkative one sharply in the ribs. They all knew that with Lance’s sharp hearing, even from outside, he might still catch wind of their conversation. That girl—whoever she was—was clearly a sore spot for Lance.
Realizing he’d nearly said too much, the man quickly clamped his hand over his mouth and picked up his pace, heading toward the eastern border where they were assigned to patrol.
The she-wolf continued to guide Addison along, gently pulling her by the wrist like an older sister would a younger sibling.
Hearing what little was said, Addison could only assume that the former ace female warrior they were talking about might have been her, back when she was at her peak, still in full command of her wolf. But strangely, that version of herself felt distant, almost like a stranger.
Even more pressing was the question now gnawing at her: what kind of relationship had she shared with Lance?
If the rumors were true—that Lance had once been meant to serve as the missing princess’s personal guard—then did that mean they had once been close? Could it be that he had followed her to the Border Patrol Team not by chance, but by choice… to protect her?
If that was the case, then Lance might know more about her than she realized—maybe even enough to help jog her memory. After all, her father had told her that she used to spend a great deal of time patrolling the borders and training with her team. That could only mean people like Lance and the senior members of the Border Patrol Squad were once close to