Chapter 528 Maxwell’s Care

“If I only had one mate, and the entity kept draining him over time, he would eventually weaken… maybe even die. And if my mate died, the bond would drag me down with him. I’d wither after him.”

The thought made her chest tighten.

“But they didn’t expect me to have four fated mates,” she added, lifting her eyes to meet Maxwell’s. “With four of you, the vitality drain can be spread out. One can rest and recover while the other supports me. As long as it’s controlled and we’re aware of it, it doesn’t become fatal. It becomes… sustainable.”

Her brows furrowed slightly.

“That might not have been part of their calculation.”

The more she thought about it, the more complicated it became. If the entity had been placed inside her deliberately, then it wasn’t random; it was a calculated weapon. A slow, invisible method of destruction. Far subtler than direct assassination.

But that also raised another question.

“If they knowingly put this entity inside me,” she murmured, “why use such a risky method? Something like this could backfire. It could strengthen me instead of destroying me, like it just did.”

Which meant there was another possibility.

Maybe the mastermind hadn’t fully understood the entity either. Maybe they only intended to seal her wolf, and the entity was something else entirely, something older, something independent that attached itself during the curse.

And if that was the case…

Then where did it truly come from?

The question lingered in the air between them, unsettling and unanswered.

Before, they had been almost certain that the mastermind who sealed her wolf was also the one responsible for placing the entity inside her. But now, after everything Addison had realized, that certainty began to crumble. It might not be the same person at all.

The truth felt far more complicated.

There were too many possibilities, too many unanswered questions, and each new realization only seemed to open another path they hadn’t considered before. Piece by piece, they were beginning to see fragments of a larger picture, but the full shape of it was still hidden.

And until they uncovered the truth, everything remained speculation.

The only way forward was to get to the root of the curse itself. Only then could they truly understand who was behind it, why it had been done, and whether the entity inside her was part of the same scheme, or something entirely different.

But that was easier said than done.

So far, they didn’t even have a single concrete clue about the curse. No lead. No trace of the person who had cast it.

Which meant one thing: they couldn’t afford to waste time.

They had to find answers. They had to break the seal on her wolf as soon as possible.

Because once her wolf was freed, everything might change.

With her own power restored, they would no longer be forced into a defensive position, constantly reacting to hidden threats. Instead, they might finally gain the strength and the clarity needed to take control of the situation and strike back.

“Alright. Since there are still too many things we don’t understand, let’s set it aside for now and uncover the answers little by little,” Maxwell said gently.

As he spoke, he carefully gathered Addison into his arms. His movements were steady and protective, but he deliberately kept his gaze slightly averted. Just the sight of her naked state was enough to stir the desire he had been trying so hard to suppress, and he didn’t trust himself to linger on it.

Slowly, he lowered her into the wooden tub, making sure she was seated comfortably before letting go. Warm steam rose softly around them, carrying the faint fragrance of the flower petals floating on the surface.

“How’s the temperature?” he asked quietly.

Without waiting for long, he picked up a small wooden cup from beside the tub and dipped it into the water. Then, with careful movements, he began pouring the warm water over her hair, gently wetting the strands as he prepared to help her wash. His actions were patient and considerate, focused entirely on helping her relax.

“Hmmm…”

Addison softly hummed in response. As Maxwell’s fingers gently massaged and scrubbed her scalp, a deep sense of comfort spread through her tired body. The warm water, the faint floral scent rising from the tub, and the careful way he handled her slowly eased the tension in her nerves.

Her eyelids drooped before she finally closed her eyes, allowing herself to simply enjoy the moment.

Just as Maxwell had suggested, she pushed the earlier thoughts to the back of her mind. There were still too many unanswered questions, and dwelling on them now would only make her restless. Without clues or answers, worrying about it wouldn’t help anyone. For now, resting and recovering was far more important.

Seeing her relax, Maxwell continued washing her hair, working the shampoo through the strands with slow, careful movements before rinsing it away with the cup of warm water.

After that, he reached for a towel and handed it to her along with the body wash so she could clean herself while he finished rinsing her hair.

Addison took the towel quietly and poured some body wash onto it before beginning to scrub her shoulders and arms, the warmth of the bath slowly loosening the stiffness in her body as she washed.

Not long after, Addison finished washing. Since she hadn’t rested much after mating with Levi, Maxwell didn’t immediately let her lie down. Instead, he gently helped her sit on a nearby stool for a moment while he took care of the bed.

Levi was still deeply asleep, so Maxwell rolled him to the side before stripping off the damp, disheveled sheets. He quickly replaced them with clean ones, smoothing the fabric neatly across the mattress. Only when everything was done did he return to Addison.

He lifted her into his arms once again and carried her back to the bed with quiet care. After settling her down comfortably, he pulled Levi back onto the bed as well so the man wouldn’t end up sleeping half off the edge.

Not long after lying down, Addison drifted into sleep, her breathing gradually evening out as exhaustion finally claimed her.

Maxwell remained seated nearby, silently watching over her. His expression was unreadable, his gaze deep and unfathomable, giving no hint of the thoughts passing through his mind. Absentmindedly, his fingers rubbed against the ruby necklace in his hand, the gem catching faint glimmers of light as he sat there in quiet contemplation.

Because of this unexpected incident, both Maxwell and Zion decided to speed up their material gathering. They worked with greater efficiency and urgency, determined to finish everything as quickly as possible so they could return to the Royal Capital at least a day earlier than originally planned.

Staying any longer in the small temporary camp no longer felt safe or practical. The entity inside Addison remained an unknown variable, and none of them understood its temperament or when it might act again. The sooner they returned to a more secure and controlled environment, the better.

After finishing another round of scouting outside the camp, Maxwell returned and met Zion in the main tent for a meeting.