Chapter 135

As the heat seeped into her muscles, she took a deep breath and reached for the rose-scented shampoo. She lathered it into her hair, letting the familiar floral fragrance mask her natural scent. She followed it with a matching rose body wash, scrubbing her skin gently.

But midway through, a sudden twitch deep inside made her body tense. A soft, involuntary groan escaped her lips, her eyes fluttering shut again. Her body felt unusually sensitive, restless, as if reacting to something beyond her control.

Trying to ignore the discomfort, Addison hurried through the rest of her routine. She dried off, stepped into the crimson dress, and smoothed it over her curves. The gown clung to her body like a second skin, its off-shoulder design exposing her collarbones, while the deep V-neckline and daring slit along her thigh added a bold, provocative edge. No matter how many times she looked at it, she couldn’t deny, the dress was alluring, striking, and unapologetically seductive.

Addison felt a sharp throb in her head, an oncoming migraine pulsing at her temples. This was supposed to be a formal event, one where all the Alphas would be present, where appearances mattered, and every detail was scrutinized. Even without her father spelling it out, she understood the weight of the occasion. Yet… who had prepared this dress for her?

She stared at it in disbelief. It was completely inappropriate, far too provocative, far too casual for such an important night. With frustration, Addison tossed it aside and stormed toward her wardrobe, hoping to salvage the situation. But her heart sank. The closet had been stripped clean. All that remained was a delicate nightgown, hardly a solution, as it was even more revealing than the dress.

There was no way she could appear in public wearing that.

Clearly, she had no real choice now but to put on the dress she’d rejected. She hadn’t paid much attention to the preparations, trusting her mother and Mila to handle the details. But now that she thought about it, her mother would never have picked something so inappropriate, not for an event like this. That left only one person: Mila.

Addison wasn’t sure if Mila had chosen the dress simply because it flattered her figure, or if there was another motive behind it, one Addison didn’t care to dwell on. Either way, with no alternatives available, she had no choice but to wear it.

She slipped into the dress, then fastened the ruby necklace around her neck. The piece was exquisite, deep crimson surrounded by diamond accents that shimmered in the light. At the very least, the brilliance of the necklace would draw attention upward, away from the more daring cut of the dress and her cleavage.

It lent her an air of refinement that balanced the seductive design with a touch of class. If she carried herself with enough grace, maybe, just maybe, she wouldn’t look like a desperate courtesan in a room full of dignitaries.

Her heels, four inches high, gave her added height and poise, though they made moving quickly nearly impossible. The dress was also backless, so she let her hair fall in soft waves down her spine, a strategic way to shield some of her exposed skin. Finally, she slipped on the matching ruby earrings, completing the set.

Once fully dressed, Addison stood still for a moment, taking a deep breath as she stared at her reflection in the mirror. She looked stunning. Composed. Dignified. Or at least, she hoped so.

Then, right on cue, came the sound at the door.

Knock… knock… knock…

“Princess Addison, are you ready?” the Royal Beta called gently through the door.

There was no reply. Instead, the door slowly opened, and Addison stepped out.

The Royal Beta, who had watched her grow from the moment she was born, who saw her as a daughter, was momentarily stunned. Before him now stood a fully grown woman, breathtaking in her beauty, like a rose in full bloom and as captivating as a poppy in the wild. He blinked rapidly, overwhelmed with emotion, then clamped his hands over his mouth, his eyes rimmed with red.

“Your Highness… You are so beautiful,” he whispered, his voice choked with pride.

Addison’s cheeks flushed. She felt shy, touched by the rare kindness. After all, until now, all she had ever known were the cold stares and cruel words of the Midnight River Pack. To them, she was a burden, a mistake.

She had worn a beautiful red dress once before, back in that pack, but that memory ended in humiliation. She still didn’t know who had convinced her to dress up that night, letting her believe that Zion, her mate, had planned a romantic candlelit dinner.

Oh, how wrong she had been.

Then, Addison realized she had been thinking about Zion. She gave her head a gentle shake. It had been a long time since that name, or his face, had crossed her mind. Why now, of all times, was she remembering someone who had brought her nothing but pain?

Pushing the thought aside, she turned to the Royal Beta with a soft smile. “Thank you.”

With quiet grace, the Royal Beta offered his arm, and Addison accepted without hesitation. It was a small gesture, but a comforting one. Her high heels, deadly four-inch stilettos, were far from forgiving.

She wasn’t sure if she used to wear shoes like this before her memory loss. As far as she could recall, she’d never worn anything like this while living with the Midnight River Pack. Walking on her own would’ve been risky; she could easily stumble.

Holding onto the Royal Beta’s arm, she walked with as much poise as she could muster, grateful for the support in more ways than one.

’Did my mother choose this dress and these heels?’ Addison wondered, glancing down briefly as she walked. The high heels were far from comfortable, and the dress, though undeniably stunning, felt a little too revealing for her taste.

Thankfully, her natural poise and the way she carried herself made all the difference. Otherwise, the moment she stepped into the banquet hall, she might have looked like an escort who had wandered into the wrong event, completely out of place, disrupting the refined atmosphere.

If it weren’t for the tiara resting gracefully atop her head, some might not have even realized she was royalty.

Sensing Addison’s nerves and noticing that her thoughts were elsewhere, the Royal Beta gently tapped the hand resting on his arm.

“Your Royal Highness,” he said softly, “don’t worry too much. Just stand tall and proud, like you used to. You might not remember who you were before the memory loss, but I believe your body does. You’ve been preparing for this your whole life. Trust it. Let it guide you. It knows what to do.”

He wasn’t wrong.

Addison gave a faint smile and took a steadying breath. Then she looked forward, exhaled slowly, and allowed her body to lead. Her steps became confident, graceful, and commanding. She moved across the marbled floor with natural elegance, as if the palace itself belonged to her, and she had every right to command it.

Soon, they reached the grand entrance of the banquet hall. The Herald at the door straightened the moment he saw them, bowing deeply to Addison out of respect. When the Royal Beta gave a small nod, the Herald cleared his throat.

The heavy doors creaked open, and his voice rang out loud and clear:

“Her Highness, the Royal Princess, and the Royal Beta have arrived!”