?Chapter 523:


    Wanting to avoid trouble, I decided to leave, but the noise grew louder, and before I could react, a group of soldiers in gleaming armor appeared, their weapons at the ready, surrounding me with an imposing presence.


    The soldiers surged forward and encircled me before I could respond.


    Startled, I cried out, “What’s going on?”


    The soldier at the front—a tall, burly man—looked me over, his brow furrowing before he asked, “Are you… the princes’ sex ve?”


    I nodded quickly, masking my worry. “Yes… has something happened?”


    His gaze was sharp, and he demanded, “Then why are you out here alone at this hour?”


    “I… The baby wouldn’t settle down, so I thought a walk might help,” I stammered, quickly crafting an excuse.


    He eyed my swollen belly with a measure of suspicion, then snorted. “Fine. But don’t wander again. Head back to your quarters at once—the pce is under lockdown.”


    The pce was on lockdown?


    I couldn’t help myself and blurted out, “What happened?”


    The soldier’s expression darkened, his voice low and grave as he replied, “An assassin has struck His Majesty. The pce is on lockdown while we hunt them down.”


    Makenna’s POV:


    An assassin attacked the king? I was utterly taken aback. “What about His Majesty?”


    The lead soldier waved off my words impatiently. “Enough questions. Move along, don’t loiter here,” he ordered briskly, gesturing for me to go. Then, he turned to another soldier and instructed, “Escort her back.”


    As we walked, my curiosity gnawed at me. Despite knowing it was wiser to stay quiet, I couldn’t resist and cautiously asked, “Do you know who attacked His Majesty?”


    The soldier shot me a sharp look, his tone clipped. “Don’t ask questions you shouldn’t. Get back to your quarters.” I bit my lip, swallowing my frustration, but my curiosity only deepened.


    Who would dare to strike Leonardo? The strength of his wolf form was legendary—known to be unmatched among the pack.


    As we neared my residence, a faint rustling came from a nearby thicket, catching both of our attention. I tensed, my senses sharp as I turned toward the source of the noise. In that instant, a shadow darted by, quick as a flicker. It was him!


    My heart raced, thundering with recognition. That figure… could it be the mysterious man?


    Had he really been the one to attempt Leonardo’s assassination? But why would he do something so extreme?


    A storm of questions tumbled through my mind. The soldier, on edge, gripped his weapon tightly and prepared to investigate the noise. No! I couldn’t let him discover the man!


    Panicking, I clutched my stomach, wincing in mock pain. “Oh… my stomach… it hurts…”


    The soldier’s gaze darted back to me, his concern unmistakable. Given that I was carrying a Lycan descendant, he reluctantly sheathed his weapon and quickly moved to support me, his stance protective.


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