Chapter 350: Chapter 350 Promising Young Alpha
Mary blinked in surprise when the bitter taste hit her tongue, a high-grade healing potion. Then another. Her eyes widened. Those potions were rare and expensive, far beyond what she could afford, yet Addison didn’t hesitate to use two of them on her.
Warmth spread through her veins, easing the pain little by little. When she felt her strength returning, she reached for one of the arrows embedded in her side. Gritting her teeth, she pulled it out in one swift motion.
"Argh!" she groaned as blood welled from the wound, even as it began to close again.
"Easy, you don’t have to push yourself too hard..." Addison said softly, her gaze resting on Mary with a mix of concern and admiration. It wasn’t every day she met someone like her, a young woman with Alpha blood running through her veins, strong and unyielding despite her inexperience in battle.
Addison felt genuine respect for her. Mary might still be learning the art of combat and leadership and was currently inexperienced and only knew of their theoretical application, but she was hardworking, determined, and resilient.
She didn’t let pride cloud her judgment or act recklessly just because she was an Alpha. Instead, she stood her ground, shielding her people with her own body, enduring pain and exhaustion to make sure they survived.
Such an act was rare for an Alpha. Most Alphas were proud and hot-tempered; being swarmed by weak monsters like goblins would easily set them off, pushing them to unleash their fury without thinking about the consequences, all to satisfy their pride and ego.
But Mary was different. Perhaps it was the way her parents raised her, or maybe she inherited her father’s selfless nature, one that put the needs of her people above her own.
And because of Mary’s sacrifice, everyone in the caravan found the strength to hold on until reinforcements arrived. If not for her constant shouts telling them to endure, they might have already lost hope when the goblins came in endless waves and the young warriors were nearly overwhelmed.
Yet Mary stood her ground, becoming their shield, taking the blows meant for them and saving their lives through her courage and selflessness.
Thinking of this, Addison couldn’t bear the thought of letting such a good Alpha die young. She believed that if Mary were given more time and experience, she could grow into a powerful Alpha whom no one could ignore.
After all, the Golden Hue Pack was one of the largest in the entire Werewolf Kingdom. Though Mary’s father was known for his kindness and mild temperament and wasn’t among the strongest Alphas, he still held considerable influence within the council, and no one dared to disrespect their family.
Who would have thought that Addison’s small act of kindness toward Mary and with just two bottles of high-grade healing potion, would earn her the loyalty of such a promising young Alpha?
In time, this very Alpha would become one of Addison’s strongest allies. With Mary’s support, Addison could even rival the influence that Mila enjoyed, making her position far more secure than before.
"It’s better if I deal with these arrows first so I can truly rest afterward, Princess," Mary said with a weak smile. The pain had lessened slightly, but each time she yanked an arrow out, her forehead grew slick with sweat.
And though she had removed one, there were still many more embedded in her body.
Seeing the determined look on Mary’s face, Addison understood exactly what she was feeling. She had been in that position before, the need to endure, to stay strong no matter the pain, and all she could do now was support Mary and make sure she survived this.
Without a word, Addison took out a clean cloth from her magic bag and handed it to Mary. "Bite down on this," she instructed gently, so Mary wouldn’t accidentally bite her tongue. Once Mary obeyed, Addison stood up and told her to wait for a moment before she continued.
Mary, though confused, did as she was told. Meanwhile, the other warriors were tending to the wounded and gathering the bodies of the dead goblins.
They planned to dispose of the bodies to avoid attracting more monsters or unnecessary trouble. Given their current condition, traveling any farther was impossible, so resting in the same spot was their only option for now.
While Zion patrolled the clearing and nearby forest to ensure no goblins were hiding and waiting to ambush them, the remaining warriors organized themselves into three groups. The first group, alongside the elderly, tended to the wounded.
The second group handled the monster carcasses, making sure they were burned or buried properly. Meanwhile, the third group stood guard and assessed the extent of the damage to the caravan.
Addison, on the other hand, sprinted back toward the forest they had emerged from. She remembered passing through a thicket where she’d seen red, bud-like fruits growing among the leaves, a sign that clove plants were nearby. If she could find them, she could use their properties as a natural anesthetic to help ease Mary’s pain.
If she crushed the clove plant with a stone, their numbing properties could at least dull some of Mary’s pain. Although Mary’s Alpha blood would naturally weaken the plant’s effect, it was still better than nothing.
’Found it!’ Addison’s eyes lit up when she spotted the familiar red, bud-like fruit. Thankfully, she had been observant while riding on Zion’s back earlier, keeping her senses sharp and her gaze scanning the surroundings in case she missed something useful.
Her vigilance paid off; she had unconsciously mapped their route through the forest and noted the plants growing along the way.
Now, remembering the patch of clove plants she’d seen before, she moved quickly toward it. Even if its effect would be faint on Mary, it was still worth trying.
Not long after spotting the plant, Addison quickly scanned her surroundings to ensure no monsters were nearby. Once she confirmed the area was clear, she crouched down and carefully but swiftly pulled out the clove plants, gathering as many as she could.
She wrapped the bundle in a cloth, tied it securely, and tucked it into her magic bag before dashing back the way she came.
When Addison returned, she found Zion pacing anxiously near Mary. He could still trace her scent deep into the forest and knew exactly where she had gone.
It would have been easy for him to follow, but he restrained himself because Addison’s confident movements told him she could handle herself, and he didn’t want to make her feel smothered by his constant presence.
Still, his nerves were on edge; his heightened senses made every minute of her absence feel unbearable. The longer he didn’t see her, the more his restlessness grew; had he not been afraid of irritating her, he would have followed her like a shadow.
By now, Zion had shifted back into his human form, wearing only black pants, his body still streaked with a thin layer of blood. Addison could tell he had washed himself lightly since water was scarce, and wasting it on a full wash would have been impractical.