As soon as the caravan came to a halt, Addison jumped down from the front of the cart and stretched her stiff body. By now, she had already sorted through her thoughts.


    The confusion from the night before had settled, reced by focus as she scanned the area and mentally reviewed their route. Just as her feet hit the ground, Maxwell approached and handed her his water sk, made from animal hide.


    Without pretense, Addison epted it and took a grateful sip of the cool water. Nearby, a shallow, gently flowing river offered the others a ce to replenish their supplies and wash away the dust from the long journey.


    Maxwell left Addison for a moment, and when he returned, he was carrying a massive boulder. The muscles in his arms flexed with the effort, veins standing out across his arms, neck, and forehead.


    Addison had no idea what he nned to do with such a heavy rock until he set it down near the campfire and motioned for her to sit. He was worried she might catch a cold.


    Though werewolves had strong constitutions and rarely got sick, Addison was different. Without her wolf, she was as vulnerable as any human. That thought clearly weighed on Maxwell, and his concern touched her. A small, warm smile tugged at her lips as she walked over to the fire.


    Not long after, the guards who had gone to gather firewood returned. They fed the campfire with more dry wood and handed the rest to those preparing meals by the river. Instead of relying solely on their rations, some of them went foraging, gathering mushrooms, hunting pheasants and rabbits, while others tried their luck fishing in the river.


    Addison sat by the fire, quietly watching the busy scene unfold. Then, just as she was getting lost in the rhythm of camp life, Zion and Levi emerged groggily from the cart, drawn straight to her by the scent of their mate.


    Actually, when they first woke up, they were just as surprised as Addison to find themselves in an unfamiliar ce. But before panic could set in, the faint scent of Addison reached them, and just like that, their nerves settled. They followed the trail until they spotted her sitting on a boulder near the campfire.


    Still groggy and sluggish, they made their way toward her. Their limbs felt heavy, as if weighed down by sleep or exhaustion. Levi was doing slightly better, managing to walk steadily, but Zion looked especially pale and weak, his steps slow, his face sickly.


    "Addie..." Zion called out, his voice hoarse and faint.


    Addison had already sensed their presence, so she wasn''t surprised. She slowly turned her head and saw Zion''s pitiful state, his pale face, and unsteady steps tugged at her heart.


    Beside him, Levi looked groggy, like someone who had just woken from hibernation, but the moment heid eyes on her, a spark lit up in his gaze. Without hesitation, he jogged over to her side.


    "Addie, how are you feeling?" Levi asked, his brows drawn together in concern as he searched her face for any sign of exhaustion.


    Not far from them, Maxwell was crouched near the fire, focused on roasting a rabbit and a fish for Addison. He was determined not to let them burn, ncing her way every now and then. But with Levi and Zion now beside her, he allowed himself to focus entirely on the meal.


    "I''m okay," Addison replied softly, her eyes flicking between the two of them. "How about you?"


    Levi nced around and, noticing that night had already fallen, gave her a wry smile. "I''m good. Honestly, I think I just got a full day''s sleep for the first time in forever." His tone was light, teasing; he didn''t want Addison to worry or me herself for their exhaustion.


    After a half-day of rest, Levi felt mostly recharged. The grogginess still lingered, but that was all, nothing serious.


    Zion stepped forward as well, his eyes filled with concern as he looked at Addison. She met his gaze, calm but distant. There was guilt in her heart, yes, but that was all. Just because they had mated the night before didn''t mean she had forgiven him, nor did it erase the pain of the past.


    She knew some might call her petty, but to her, it was about truth. Wounds like hers didn''t just vanish overnight. You can''t mend shattered ss and expect it to be whole again. What happenedst night, she hade to terms with it; it wasn''t entirely within her control.


    She realized this after sorting through her thoughts earlier. She was no longer the naive Addison who once believed that everything could be fixed by simply being understanding or taking a step back.


    Earlier, she had felt conflicted, thinking she might be softening toward Zion. But now she recognized it for what it was, as it was nothing but the influence of the mate bond, twisting her pain, burying the scars he left behind, and wrapping her in the illusion of healing.


    If she epted that blindly, wouldn''t it mean she was letting herself be manipted into forgetting everything he had done?


    No. She couldn''t allow that.


    The hurt was real. The memories were real. She would forgive and forget at her own pace. Not even the pull of a mate bond could force her heart to bend before it was ready.


    And now, Addison could look Zion in the eye with the same calm indifference she used to show him before. "Thank you for your helpst night," she said inly, her tone devoid of warmth or lingering sentiment.


    The words hit Zion like a de. His heart twisted, churned, and sank all at once. He understood immediately, Addison was drawing a line between them again. No, not just a line, a wall.


    And this time, it was even higher and thicker than before. She had reduced what happened between themst night to a simple transaction, as if he had merely helped her survive a phase when that thing inside her took over, drowning her in lust, forcing her to mate, and feed off their vitality.


    Zion bit the inside of his cheek, frustration simmering in his chest. He couldn''t ept this. Not when, to him,st night had felt like something real, intimate, even sacred. He had felt her soul brush against his. For a moment, he believed they were one again.


    But now, she was telling him it meant nothing. Just carnal desires taking over.


    The sting of her indifference was worse than a p. His throat tightened painfully, but no words came. Nothing he could say would change the fact that her coldness was breaking him.


    ''Is this what it feels like to be misunderstood and cast aside?'' he wondered bitterly, clutching his chest as though trying to hold the shattered pieces of his heart together.


    ''Then just how much pain did she endure during those three years I ignored and misunderstood her?''


    He had no answer—only silence and pain.


    And as he stood there, aching and hollow, Addison had already turned away. Levi crouched beside her, gently massaging her legs, his presence easy and familiar. Zion felt jealousy re hot in his veins, but he couldn''t move. He couldn''t speak. He could only watch from a distance, helpless and unwanted.