Third Person’s POV
“Eat up,” Adelaide said, shaking off her thoughts and smiling at him.
It was comforting that someone felt injustice for her and her family.
He smiled warmly back. “I know you like spicy food. Have some more.”
Adelaide raised an eyebrow. “When did you find out I like spicy food?”
Lance said, “I heard about it when I went to the Shadow Peaks.”
“Odd,” Adelaide said. “Why never meet me when you’re there? We know each other. Why not say hello?”
Lance kept pouring her water but didn’t answer.
Adelaide pushed the thought aside. It wasn’t that important.
He changed the subject with a smile. “After today’s Madison’s birthday party, the capital will buzz with gossip.”
Adelaide glanced at him. “Yeah, lots of young she–wolves are heartbroken. When Priscilla announced our engagement, I got plenty of hostile looks.”
“Plenty will envy and hate me too,” Lance said meaningfully. At least Ulrik now regretted it, and Lycan Erasmus was re–examining his feelings for Adelaide.
“Hardly. Who’d want a she–wolf who’s had a partner before?”
He tapped her forehead with his fork. “You’re about to be Alpha Lance’s mate. Why put yourself down?”
“That’s just how the world sees it,” she said, playfully batting his hand away and dodging his reach with a grin. “But I don’t put myself down. I know exactly how great I am.”
Seeing her bright, fearless smile, he felt a stir in his heart.
Even if her smile hid some pretense, her willingness to change was a good start.
When she first came to the southern border, her eyes always held a lingering gloom, which had lifted now.
Looking at his shifting expressions, Adelaide realized everyone had their own pains.
He had to bond with a she–wolf he didn’t love to deal with Lycan Erasmus, all while his beloved had become someone else’s mate.
She wondered who that woman was.
Would she regret losing someone so exceptional if she knew?
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Chapter 156
After dinner, they went their separate ways. Adelaide felt their relationship had grown closer.
It seemed even as future mates, they could respect each other.
The next day, Lance approached Elder Halsey about his wish to bond with Adelaide.
Elder Halsey, also invited to the Frostfang Pack, began the engagement process.
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Doug Watson was the master of ceremonies. Elder Halsey was convinced Alpha Lance was truly Adelaide’s Second Chance.
With the royal astrologer’s help, they set the date for the bonding ceremony.
Lance wanted to finish the ceremony soon to make Adelaide his true mate, but he didn’t want to rush and have it seem careless.
After consulting Halsey and Adelaide, they settled on a date half a year later.
Lance turned to Adelaide and said, “I need to go to the Shadow Peaks again. Will you come with me?”
Adelaide shook her head, a flicker of sadness in her eyes. “I won’t go.”
On the Shadow Peaks, there had been a carefree girl named Adelaide.
She had left her true self there. When she severed the mate bond, she stayed away, only writing letters to her teacher and friends.
She didn’t want them to see her without a genuine smile.
Lance knew why she didn’t want to return. He sighed inwardly but simply nodded. “Alright, I’ll go with others then.”
Elder Halsey was very satisfied. Lance’s thoughtfulness showed how much he valued Adelaide.
The Bloodmoon Pack used to be so arrogant. Let’s see how they stand now.
After Madison’s birthday party, Rosemary’s wolf spirit suddenly weakened. Her pheromones became thin.
She ran a high fever at midnight, her wolf eyes cloudy as she mumbled in ancient wolf language.
Tamara, temporarily in charge of the pack, her ears‘ gray fur bristling with anxiety, released calming pheromones and sent wolf guards to find Alpha Ulrik.
At that time, Ulrik was drowning his sorrows in alcohol.
His wolf whined in discontent, still holding the scent of Adelaide’s departure in its nostrils.
When the Bloodmoon Pack’s guard burst into the bar, his cedar pheromones tinged with sulfur from irritation. “What now?” he snapped. But catching the wolfsbane scent on the guard–the medicine Rosemary used–his vertical pupils narrowed sharply.
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realized she was truly gravely ill.
Velda, surprisingly, came to care for her–she hadn’t seen Ulrik for days.
Proud as she was, she wouldn’t seek him out, thinking he’d return to his own pack eventually.
Ignoring Velda, Ulrik asked anxiously, “Why did she get so sick
