The Alpha's Regret Return Of The Betrayed Luna (Addison) novel Chapter 434

Chapter 434: Chapter 434 Making It Clear

Lance, still filled with worry, immediately began checking Addison from head to toe, looking for any sign of injury. His concern didn’t seem fake, Addison could see that. But it was far too late. Whatever fear or danger she’d endured earlier had already passed, and his sudden attentiveness only made her frown deepen.

From the corner of her eye, she noticed Levi looking in their direction. Not wanting him to misunderstand, Addison instinctively stepped back, putting distance between herself and Lance. She knew Levi was emotionally fragile right now, and she didn’t want to give him the wrong idea.

Yes, she felt a sense of familiarity with Lance, perhaps a remnant from their closeness before she lost her memory, something her body still remembered like muscle memory. But that old closeness was no longer welcome. Not now.

She already had three fated mates, and she was still struggling to understand her feelings for each one of them. She knew she wasn’t perfect, she made mistakes, she overlooked people unintentionally, and she hurt others without meaning to. The last thing she wanted was to add more confusion... or give anyone the impression she was entertaining yet another bond.

But she knew when she wanted closeness with someone and when she didn’t, and right now, she was certain that whatever relationship she once had with Lance was long gone. It wasn’t that she held a grudge over what happened six years ago; she simply had no memory of him or their past.

And with her instincts sharper than ever, she found herself unable to entertain attention from any man who was not her fated mates, especially when she could clearly feel that Lance saw her as something more than just a friend.

"Lance, everything has already been resolved. There’s no need to worry," Addison said calmly. "If you’ll excuse me, I still have things to attend to."

She turned away, returning to the guards to discuss the plan and to start forming a contingency plan in case Plan A failed. Besides, discussing personal matters in front of her subordinates felt inappropriate.

"Addie, did I do something wrong? Is it because I came too late when you needed me?" Lance asked, his voice trembling with worry. "Please, let me explain, okay? I was guarding my side of the border. It was closest to the locust swarm, and if anyone got past me, the entire territory, not just this place, could have ended in disaster and the whole kingdom. I wasn’t ignoring you... I was just doing my duty. Please... don’t be angry with me."

He gently tugged at Addison’s sleeve, and she had the unsettling feeling that if she didn’t respond soon, he might actually drop to his knees just to earn her forgiveness. The thought startled her.

But as she listened, her lips pressed into a thin line. Would she look heartless if she stayed cold toward him, knowing he had just been doing his job? Even so, the way he tried to appeal to her emotions felt suffocating, almost like he was forcing her hand, and instead of moving her, it only irritated her more.

Maybe Lance was telling the truth. He had been stationed at the side of the border closest to the locust swarm, and the pressure must have been enormous. Ensuring no rogues slipped through, which would then keep any threat from reaching the central plains, any responsible warrior would have stayed until the very last moment, too. And perhaps her cold attitude earlier pushed him into acting this way now, making him desperate for her attention and understanding.

Maybe she really was being overly cold.

...but how could she not be? With everything that had happened, with danger lurking in every corner, Addison no longer knew who was truly an ally and who might turn into an enemy tomorrow. In times like this, trusting too easily wasn’t just naïve, it was dangerous.

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