The Alpha's Regret Return Of The Betrayed Luna (Addison) novel Chapter 497

Chapter 497: Chapter 497 Acting As The Next Alpha King

The Alpha King could only hope Addison would not disappoint him.

So he waited.

He offered no advice, no opinion, no guidance. Through the communication crystal, he simply watched her with a calm, unreadable gaze, as though they were not discussing the possible downfall of their entire kingdom.

And Addison understood.

She recognized that look. Her father was not speaking to her as a parent, but as a king testing his heir.

This was a trial.

The weight of it settled heavily on her shoulders. Her breathing quickened even when she was doing her best trying to calm her nerves, but her eyes gradually hardened. She met his gaze through the crystal without flinching, refusing to look away.

"Indeed, we may not have much time," Addison said, her voice steady and resolute. "Our enemies all have their own agendas, and we may never be able to untangle every thread behind their actions."

She held her father’s gaze.

"But that is precisely why we must move one step at a time. Instead of digging blindly for answers, we should slow down and examine what is already in front of us. Many clues may be hidden in plain sight, details we’ve overlooked because we were trying too hard to look deeper instead of carefully digesting what we already know."

She wasn’t trying to sow doubt or make her father question his closest confidants in the Royal Court.

What she wanted was for them to become more observant.

To pay attention to the people around them, who might have motives to betray them, and who could still be trusted. Because if their enemies had already infiltrated the Royal Capital, it meant they had recruited many to their side... possibly even among the nobles.

Which meant that she and her father could only do one thing now, and that is to secure the loyalty of those who remained, gather trustworthy individuals to their side, and slowly rebuild their strength with the allies they still had.

As the saying goes, no man is an island. Addison knew that she and her family were never meant to face this alone.

In fact, involving others might work to their advantage. Giving trusted individuals meaningful responsibilities would not only lighten their burden but also strengthen those people’s sense of purpose, deepening their loyalty and reinforcing their sense of worth in serving the crown.

This was exactly what they needed now, especially after realizing they were surrounded by enemies on all sides.

Addison had only come to this understanding recently, when Mary swore her loyalty to her. Before that, she had been doing everything wrong. She had been trying to fight alone, trying to prove her strength and worth as the heir apparent. She hadn’t even made proper use of her fated mates, who are powerful allies who stood firmly by her side.

She had been trying to show she could carry everything by herself.

But she finally understood that a monarch was never meant to stand alone.

A ruler was meant to lead. And to lead, one needed people to lead.

What was the point of being a future Alpha King if she had no followers?

With this realization, she knew she needed to gather more trustworthy people to her side, people who could share the burden, allowing her to focus on what truly mattered while extending her eyes and ears across the kingdom.

And she wanted her father to do the same.

At the same time, given their current predicament, they couldn’t simply accept everyone who wished to follow them. Spies could easily slip in among eager supporters, seeking to get as close as possible to Addison and those around her. From there, it would be far easier for the enemy to gather information and craft more precise schemes against them.

They had to be selective. Careful. Discerning.

And that would not be easy.

It would test Addison’s ability to recognize talent and sincerity, to find hidden gems among ordinary stones. For a future Alpha King, this was not just useful; it was essential.

In fact, she began to wonder if her father had been preparing her for this all along. Perhaps that was why he constantly pushed her to be more hands-on in managing the kingdom, assigning her more responsibilities, encouraging her to observe people directly.

So she could learn, with her own eyes, who was worth trusting... and who was worth bringing to her side.

After hearing Addison’s reasoning, the Alpha King’s stern expression softened slightly. He looked at her for a long moment before giving a small nod.

For a fleeting moment, an old memory surfaced: a small, soft bundle of a child running through the gardens, tugging at his robes, calling out Father over and over with endless chatter.

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