Chapter 354: Chapter 354 Accepting A Servant
What Addison didn’t realize was that the moment Mary first saw her, she was atop Zion’s massive wolf, leaping out of the forest like a battle goddess. Addison’s silver-white hair shimmered in the sunlight, her golden eyes gleaming with intensity, and a halo of light seemed to crown her head.
In that instant, all of Mary’s fears and worries melted away, and she felt utterly safe.
More than that, she truly believed Addison was a good person. Following someone like her wouldn’t be a bad choice; in fact, it might be the smartest one. After all, Addison was destined to become the future Alpha King, the one who would lead the entire werewolf kingdom toward a brighter future.
Serving her was inevitable sooner or later, so it was better to show her loyalty now. By taking her stance early, she could align herself with Addison’s camp ahead of time, and when Addison ultimately triumphed in the subtle struggle for the crown, she would be well-positioned to reap the rewards.
Yes, Mary was well aware of the subtle struggle for the crown involving Mila, Addison’s cousin, a matter that had been pushed to the forefront ever since Addison’s abduction. Although Addison had already returned, Mila’s position had been firmly established, and many with their own agendas had begun to rally behind her instead of supporting the rightful heir.
The Royal Capital would soon descend into frenzy because of it.
Things were bound to grow even more chaotic, and if Mila decided to push harder, Addison might truly find herself in a difficult position. That was why she needed as many allies as possible, preferably powerful ones, such as Alphas.
Now that the future Alpha of the North and Alpha Zion were revealed to be her mates, Mila’s supporters were surely growing uneasy. Their earlier decision to back Mila meant they had already chosen to stand against Addison, unwilling for her to ascend as the Alpha King for reasons of their own.
And if that was the case, it wouldn’t be long before the people backing Mila began to make their move. Yet even knowing this, Mary wasn’t the least bit worried. She felt certain that following Addison was the right decision. Considering her father’s personality, she knew he would support whatever choice she made.
More importantly, Mary had long observed how most people in power didn’t truly care about those beneath them. Among the werewolves, where strength determined worth, few ever mourned their fallen or bothered to protect their people; dying in battle was as natural as dying of old age.
But Addison was different. Mary could sense that she had been raised to be a fair and just monarch, one who could be ruthless toward her enemies and crush them if needed, yet still possess compassion and respect, much like her father.
Mila, on the other hand, was an unknown. Her personality was difficult to read, her behavior shifting easily like a chameleon blending with its surroundings. Mary couldn’t shake the feeling that if Mila ever triumphed over Addison, it would spell disaster for her and her pack.
Not only would they likely be executed for supporting Addison, but even if they hadn’t taken sides, their peaceful nature would never thrive under Mila’s rule. Her pack was not war-loving or bloodthirsty like many others; they sought harmony, and that alone would make them targets in a reign ruled by ruthlessness.
And from what Mary had heard through the grapevine, Mila’s true nature was quite different from the gentle image she portrayed. Though she often appeared to agree with the Alpha King and Queen’s ideals for the kingdom’s future, in reality, her beliefs didn’t align with theirs.
Mila saw them as too soft-hearted and idealistic, traits she believed made other species view werewolves as weak and easy to provoke.
Rumors said that this was the reason vampires and other races often tested their patience, seeing them as easy targets. And while these stories mostly came from Mila’s own supporters, Mary doubted that such ideas could spread without some truth behind them.
She was certain that Mila herself must have voiced such opinions at some point, subtly encouraging the notion that the current leadership was unfit to rule.
To those hungry for power, Mila’s words were a call to action, an invitation to replace the royal family with someone who would showcase the werewolves’ might to the world, ruling through dominance and fear rather than diplomacy and compassion.
After so much thought and reflection on everything she had experienced, Mary was certain that supporting Addison was the best choice for both herself and her pack. Besides, she genuinely liked Addison and her family.
Now, kneeling before Addison and waiting for her response, Mary couldn’t help but feel a wave of nervousness and uncertainty wash over her.
What if Addison refused to accept her as a servant?
What if she thought Mary was too weak, too unfit for the role?
The longer the silence stretched, the more anxious Mary became. Her palms grew clammy, her heart thudded in her chest, yet she didn’t move an inch.
Instead, she kept her posture firm and her neck bared in submission, a silent display of her determination and loyalty. She hadn’t discussed this with her father or her pack, but deep down, she knew this was the right decision.
All that was left now was for Addison to accept her, though Mary had no idea how to make that happen.
In truth, Addison was simply stunned; she hadn’t expected Mary to go this far.
As swearing such an oath, even without the formal ceremony or witnesses, was still as binding as the royal ritual itself. It was the same kind of vow reserved for the royal family’s personal guards or advisors.
In essence, once a person pledged their life to a member of the royal family, it meant sharing that person’s fate, life and death alike. And since Mary was the next Alpha of the Golden Hue Pack, her downfall would also mean the downfall of her entire pack.
If Addison were ever to fall, Mary would follow soon after, either by oath or by consequence.
Realizing this, Addison felt a heavy weight settle on her shoulders. It wasn’t that she doubted herself, but she was acutely aware that the path before her was treacherous and uncertain. She could hardly protect herself as it was, often relying on the protection of her mates. Accepting Mary’s oath meant taking responsibility for Mary’s safety as well.
Yet at the same time, Addison knew how capable Mary was, how much potential she held as a future Alpha. Having her as an ally would be invaluable.
Beyond that, the Golden Hue Pack managed the kingdom’s largest granary, and control over the food supply meant control over one of the kingdom’s most vital lifelines.
No matter how powerful her enemies were, as long as they remained within the werewolf kingdom, Addison would still have a firm hold on their throats, so long as she maintained control over the food supply.
Without access to the kingdom’s granaries, her opponents would be forced to either seek provisions from other species or attempt to establish their own farms.
And that, in itself, would work to Addison’s advantage. Any pack that began building large farms or storing surplus grain could easily be marked for observation, allowing her to identify which factions were secretly moving against her.
After all, trying to secure their own food sources was the same as declaring their intent to escape her control.
After carefully weighing the pros and cons, Addison realized that although accepting Mary’s oath would put her life in danger, that risk could be mitigated. As long as Mary grew stronger, strong enough to become one of the most powerful Alphas in the kingdom, she would not only safeguard herself but also become one of Addison’s greatest swords.
With the Golden Hue Pack controlling the kingdom’s largest granary, Mary already held the lifeline of their realm; strength would simply secure that position.
Besides, even if Mary didn’t align with her now, she would still become a target sooner or later. Anyone who understood that controlling the food supply meant controlling power would inevitably set their sights on her, whether to win her over or to force her submission.
In that case, standing with Addison from the start was the safest and wisest choice.
Thinking this through, Addison’s wildly beating heart gradually calmed. A faint smile touched her lips as she nodded and completed the ritual, formally accepting Mary’s pledge of servitude.
"I, Addison Rosenthal, hereby accept Mary Crowell as my servant, one who shall share in my life and death, my rise and fall. Together, may we walk a path toward a boundless future and reach heights yet unseen. From this day forth, I acknowledge you as my person, and in return, I expect nothing less than your unwavering loyalty."
"Should you ever betray me, may the Moon Goddess cast her divine judgment upon you and your bloodline, branding you as sinners for generations to come."