The Alpha's Regret: Return Of The Betrayed Luna
Chapter 183 Pre Negotiation

Chapter 183: Chapter 183 Pre Negotiation

"Come back!" the Chieftain roared from within his tent. His voice echoed across the vast land like the roar of a true lion, commanding, powerful, and bone-deep intimidating. The sound alone brought his warriors to a halt, heads bowing instinctively in submission.

One by one, they retreated from the chase and returned to camp, their fierce energy subdued.

But the Chieftain, still seated on his long, cushioned chair, didn’t look angry. Instead, he rested one arm lazily on the armrest, a sly smirk curling his lips. His eyes gleamed with a knowing light, sharp and calculating.

He was satisfied.

Things were unfolding just as he wanted. With this display, he now held the upper hand in the negotiation.

He knew the werewolves well, honorable on the surface, but sly as foxes when it came to political maneuvering. If he had let those two old men continue the talks, they’d have whittled down his demands bit by bit until he walked away with scraps.

No, forcing the Royal Princess into the negotiation was a far better move. Now, the game was his to control.

More than that, while he knew the two old men believed he was targeting their princess because he saw her as a soft persimmon, someone easy to push around, the truth was far from it. In reality, he was genuinely curious about her.

He had heard stories, rumors passed along by a traveling merchant friend of his. That same friend, in fact, was the one who’d spread the gossip about him acquiring a biochemical agent. To him, that item had always seemed useless, just another piece of clutter in his already overflowing collection. But who would have thought it would actually come in handy now?

After the Royal Advisor and Elric stepped through the portal, they found themselves back in the palace gardens, only to be met with a tense atmosphere. Something was clearly going on, but they didn’t have the luxury of dwelling on it. They were in a tight spot.

Initially, they had hoped to negotiate better terms with the Tigren Chieftain. It wasn’t about taking advantage of the Tigren due to their lack of trading experience compared to the werewolves. It was simply that the West had been ravaged by the locust swarm, they had already lost a significant portion of their crops, and with a larger population than the Tigren, they had far more mouths to feed. Resources were stretched thin.

But when the Chieftain outright refused to compromise unless Princess Addison herself led the negotiations, the garden fell into heavy silence. Everyone’s expressions darkened.

Zion, Maxwell, and Levi, having attended the earlier conference, had a sense of what had transpired. Without missing a beat, Zion stepped forward and said firmly, "I’ll go with her. I’ll protect her."

"I’m coming too," Maxwell said, his voice low, a deep frown etched into his brow. There was no way he was letting his mate walk into the Tigren camp alone, especially knowing that her wolf was still sealed. Addison could fight, yes, but against a Tigren? It would be like a chick going up against an eagle; she’d be overpowered in seconds. And worse, she could be taken hostage.

Everyone around them shared the same fear. It was too suspicious, the Chieftain’s sudden insistence that Addison lead the negotiations. It felt less like diplomacy and more like a trap. What if they were planning to use her as leverage to secure a better deal?

Even the Alpha King let out a furious snarl that rumbled from deep within his chest. His instinct screamed to storm into the Tigren territory and rip the Chieftain’s face off. The Queen, though just as worried, quickly moved to pacify her mate. She knew that charging in recklessly would only make things worse.

"I’ll go," Addison said calmly. She had already considered everything before answering. Right now, the biochemical agent was their only viable option to combat the locust swarm. And though the Tigren’s asking price was steep, they didn’t have much of a choice.

With thousands of farm animals under their care, even if they handed over a hundred of each kind, they would still have more than enough left. But if they refused the deal, they risked losing everything. Besides, with their current food shortage and lack of crops, they wouldn’t be able to sustain such a large livestock population much longer.

Unlike the West, which had vast plains ideal for both farming and grazing, the capital and other regions simply weren’t suited to support so many animals. If they tried to keep them all, many would die from lack of resources.

Instead, they could keep the pregnant animals, strong breeders, healthy young stock, and those with the most vitality, and offer the rest to the Tigren. After all, if Addison’s guess was right, the Tigren would likely just process the livestock into cured meat or jerky for long-term storage anyway.

So, it wouldn’t be wise to give the Tigren the best livestock. As for the two who had offered to accompany her, Addison simply looked at them, scrutinizing their expressions. But then she saw Levi, and he hadn’t spoken, but the eager look on his face said it all. He was definitely coming too.

Although Addison still had mixed feelings about the mate bond she shared with the three werewolves, she had to admit, bringing them along would be a smarter choice than having the Royal Guards escort her. Doing so would avoid making the Tigren feel threatened or cornered. They were unpredictable, and a show of force could easily escalate the situation.

Bringing her alpha mates, on the other hand, would appear natural, something the Tigren couldn’t object to.

"I’m coming too," Lance said as he took Addison’s hand, gently rubbing it with his thumb. The touch sent a shiver down her spine. She couldn’t explain the feeling, but one thing was clear: Lance wouldn’t take no for an answer.

The moment he touched her, her three mates let out low growls, their oppressive auras instantly filling the space like a storm cloud rolling in. The atmosphere turned tense in an instant.

"Alright, everyone, calm down." The Alpha King finally broke the tension, stepping in as the voice of reason. Though he was furious at how things had turned out, he was still a leader, and a leader had to stay grounded, especially now. Thankfully, his mate was by his side, keeping him centered and preventing his emotions from taking control.

He turned to face Addison, concern evident in his eyes. The thought had crossed his mind that the Tigren Chieftain might try to take her hostage to force further concessions. But if her three fated mates were with her, along with Lance, then perhaps there was less to worry about.

Though none of them could match the raw strength of the Tigren warriors in one-on-one combat, Addison’s mates were formidable in their own right. Two were powerful Alphas, and the third, a Beta with the potential to rise to Alpha. Then there was Lance, he was also strong in his own right, or he wouldn’t even be Addison’s personal bodyguard in the first place.

He had his reservations, especially about Alpha Zion, but right now, his concern for Addison’s safety overrode every personal bias. Taking a deep breath, he gave her a gentle look and asked, voice low and tender, "Sweetheart, are you sure about this?"