Exchanging Vows: The Swapped Wife Is a Top Shaman novel Chapter 99

Chapter 99: Chapter 99

Ivy’s Point of View

Everyone stayed at the manor that night, the stone walls echoing with the rowdy, drunken laughter of the uninvited royals until the early hours of dawn.

The next day, the chaotic energy didn’t fade at all... instead, everyone enthusiastically went up the mountain together, eager to escape the stifling protocol of the courts for a wild, untamed tracking expedition.

The guards brought by the princes and princesses didn’t bother staying in their human forms, the moment we crossed the lower tree lines, they eagerly turned into wolves and ran directly towards the deep mountains, as they tracked the scent of game.

Bella and I walked along the narrow dirt trail, with Dominic and the Prince Riven, rolling their wheelchairs just behind us under the tight, watchful eyes of Wolf and Blade.

"The mountain air truly changes everything, Ivy," Bella breathed, a rare, genuine smile lighting up her features. "I haven’t felt this free since before the whole engagement fiasco with Fred."

"You deserve this peace, Bella," I replied softly, offering a warm smile.

Suddenly, the rustling of the dense brush ahead turned into a violent, crashing thud. A massive wild deer, thoroughly terrified by the roaring pack of wolves hunting in the upper thickets, was scared out of its hiding spot and rushed blindly down the narrow trail right towards us.

"Bella, look out!" I shouted, reaching out to grab her sleeve.

Bella couldn’t dodge the charging beast in time, her shoes slipping on the loose gravel as she was deeply scared to retreat. She stumbled backward in fear, her balance completely failing her. But right behind her, sitting in his wheelchair, was Prince Riven.

With a quick gasp, Bella fell straight into his arms, her back crashing against his broad, muscular chest as his powerful hands instinctively flew up to steady her waist.

"Ah! Forgive me!" Bella cried out, her face instantly turning an intense, burning shade of red. In a complete panic to fix her posture, she scrambled to stand up, but her foot caught the edge of his metal footrest, causing her to lose her balance and fall down again right into his lap.

I held my breath, waiting for Prince Riven to snap at her for the disrespect. But the eldest prince only smiled slightly, a warm, genuine amusement dancing in his dark eyes as he gently helped her find her footing.

"There is no need to apologize, Lady Bella," Riven spoke softly, as he released her waist. "The mountain deer are notoriously rude guests."

Bella stood up completely, brushing down her skirt as she stared at the floor of the trail, entirely embarrassed and blushing from her ears to her neck. But to my fascination, she didn’t cry or scream or demand responsibility like an ordinary high noble lady would have done to hook an heir.

She simply offered a neat, dignified bow. "Thank you for catching me, Your Highness. I will watch my step."

I looked on the side, watching the charged silence that settled between the two of them as we continued our trek up the ridge. A slow, knowing smile began to tickle the corners of my lips, and I thought to herself that maybe the Moon Goddess was pulling the strings behind the scenes, subtly weaving their destinies together in this isolated valley.

Bella was strong, dignified, and entirely unbothered by greed, making her the perfect match for a warrior prince.

But as the thought bloomed, the reality of the werewolf kingdom crashed right back into my mind. I looked at Riven’s legs, and then I realized that if the eldest prince successfully cured his leg disease and became the supreme Wolf King in the future, his court would demand political alliances.

He would inevitably be forced to marry multiple noble wives and take countless side concubines to secure the throne. Bella had just survived the agony of a unfaithful fiancé; she deserved a sacred, monogamous bond like the one Dominic had promised me.

I cannot drag her into that cage, I thought to myself, a sigh escaping my lips as I gave up the idea of matchmaking entirely.

At noon, everyone lit a fire on the grass, and the princes and guards began to enthusiastically roast the wild game they had caught on the mountain. The savory scent of sizzling boar fat and herb-rubbed venison filled the crisp air.

A large group of people played, laughed, and drank imported wine until the sky was getting dark, before they finally decided to go down the mountain to enjoy themselves back in the lower village.

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