The Alpha's Regret: Return Of The Betrayed Luna

Chapter 178: Chapter 178 A Chance

The growl that escaped him was deep and involuntary, a sound born of jealousy and confusion along with possessiveness.

"No... I don’t know," Shura said again, almost as if speaking to himself. "But I have this feeling... I have to be here."

Zion exhaled sharply, clenching his fists. He was frustrated. Anxious. And worse, he could feel it too. A strange restlessness gnawing at his chest, rising in sync with Shura’s unease. Whatever this was, it wasn’t just about Addison anymore. Something else was calling them here, and neither of them knew what it was.

Zion wanted to press on, to move past the forest and follow wherever his feet might lead, but something stopped him. It was as if an invisible force held him back, allowing him to retreat but not advance.

"There’s... a barrier?"

He glanced around, seeing nothing unusual at first. But when he tried to take another step forward, he hit something, something solid yet unseen. The air shimmered. A ripple spread out before him, like a mirror reflecting the forest surroundings, only now, distorted. It wavered like water disturbed by a stone.

"What the hell...?"

Zion stared as the ripple expanded outward in concentric circles, distorting the space like a pond reacting to a falling droplet. His heart began to pound.

This wasn’t normal. It felt wrong. Someone, or something, was hidden inside.

’Could it be Addison?’ No... something told him it wasn’t her. Yet, something was in there. He could feel it. The same pull that once only affected Shura, guided by pure instinct, now gripped Zion too.

The moment he stood before the barrier, it called to him. Something deep and primal stirred within, restless, as though some unseen presence was reaching for him, drawing him closer.

"Shura, looks like we can’t move forward from here..." Zion muttered, eyes scanning their surroundings. If there was a barrier here, chances were high that the entire area was sealed off. No matter where they tried to enter, they’d likely run into the same obstacle. For now, it would be smarter to observe and track any movement around the perimeter and look for a possible loophole or temporary opening they could exploit.

But Shura had other ideas.

"No... I have to get inside," it growled, its voice laced with determination. It paced restlessly, muscles tensed, ready to force its way through if necessary.

"Are you out of your damn mind?" Zion snapped, his frustration boiling over. "If we force our way in, the guards patrolling the area will know instantly. And that’s assuming we can even break through! If we fail, we’ll only set off alarms, then what?"

He took a breath, trying to rein in his anger before continuing.

"Look, buddy... I feel it too. Every part of me is screaming to get inside and find some answers. But we have to be smart about this. Do you understand me?"

Zion exhaled heavily, trying to channel his anxiety into reason. He knew Shura, stubborn, impulsive, and dangerously driven. Once Shura locked onto something, it went full throttle, consequences be damned. And with its emotions already unstable, Zion feared it could go feral at any moment.

If that happened, they wouldn’t just get thrown out of the Royal Palace; they could lose their one shot at getting close to their mate, or even uncovering the truth hidden inside. So no matter how badly they both wanted it... they had to keep their heads clear. noveldrama

"Then what’s the plan?" Shura asked impatiently, its voice echoing from deep within Zion’s mind, waiting for direction, barely holding still.

"I’m still working on it," Zion replied, eyes scanning the area.

"You’re so useless!" Shura growled, its voice sharp with irritation. It was clearly reaching its limit; waiting wasn’t its strength. The longer the silence stretched, the more anxious and restless it became, its heart pounding louder with every passing second.

"Hey! I’m trying here, alright? But we can’t blow our chance by charging in blind," Zion snapped, trying to rein in Shura’s growing impatience. "We’ll scout the area. If we can’t find an opening, we’ll make one, but we have to be meticulous and methodical about it."

He knew that if Shura really lost control, it would try to take over his body and hurl them straight into the barrier without thinking. Not wanting to give it the chance, Zion moved swiftly, keeping his steps light as he began circling the perimeter, carefully avoiding the patrolling guards.

"The security here is no joke... whatever’s inside must be important," he murmured, letting his presence melt into the environment. Like a shadow, he moved silently, cloaking his aura until he was nearly undetectable.

He circled the entire forest, but still couldn’t catch a glimpse of what lay beyond the barrier. His trail ended at a vast lake, and to his frustration, the barrier extended beneath the water as well, sealing off even that potential entry point.

The whole area was massive, surrounded by towering trees that obstructed any useful vantage point. Worse, he couldn’t hear a thing from within. The barrier must have suppressed sound, too.

Zion frowned, eyes narrowing. "This place... It’s a fortress."

"What now?!" Shura growled, pacing restlessly inside Zion’s mind.

"We head back for now... and return tonight," Zion replied calmly.

Even Shura, despite its agitation, could only grumble in reluctant agreement. On their way back to the Guest Wing, Zion passed near the back of the Main Palace, cutting through the garden where Addison and her family had earlier eaten lunch.

There, he saw Addison walking beside Lance.

They strolled slowly, clearly trying to break the lingering ice between them. Neither knew what to say, their steps filled with unsaid words. Addison’s hands fidgeted slightly at her sides, while Lance kept glancing at her with a mix of hesitation and longing.

Then, he stopped.

Gently, he placed a hand on her shoulder, his voice low but filled with emotion. "Addison... I know you can’t remember me or our past. I saw it in your eyes the moment we met again. You’re not pretending. You truly don’t remember... and I don’t know what happened to you or why. But I—" he paused, steadying his breath, "I don’t want to lose you again like I did six years ago. I can’t. So please... can we start over? Leave the past behind and try again?"

Addison froze, eyes widening.

She had thought she was doing a good job of hiding it. She believed no one could tell she had amnesia. But for Lance to realize so quickly... it unsettled her. His words struck deep, and though part of her wanted to deny it, she couldn’t bring herself to speak.

And more than that, Addison was stunned that Lance would go so far as to ignore the fact that she had just recognized her fated mates... yet still ask to pick up where they left off before her coming of age. Even she didn’t know what to say or how to respond.

But the tight, aching twist in her chest told her one thing for certain: she did share a past with Lance. Maybe even made promises. Real ones. Ones that mattered.

But that girl... was long gone.

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