Possessed Wolfless: From Rejected to Vengeful Lycans' Queen-Chapter 182: Effortless Friendship Needs an Effort

"Can you help me stir this porridge for the next five minutes?"

Lethia nodded and took over the spatula from Zeran, continuing to stir. However, her eyes followed him with worry. Derreck’s voice in the distance sounded urgent, like something had gone wrong.

She sighed, kept stirring the pot, and rubbed her stomach gently.

She knew this calm morning, this fluttering peace in her belly, was nothing more than a brief escape.

Once she returned to Ashenhold, there would still be so many things waiting to be dealt with.

Varrel’s downfall was only the beginning of a chain of events before the ranch would fully be hers again.

The council, the elders, the staff, even the people living there, Lethia wasn’t sure if they would still accept her.

The porridge was boiling, and five minutes had passed. She turned off the stove and looked for bowls. Should she serve it now?

She never paid much attention to how the helpers cooked before, because Lethia didn’t like the smell of smoke sticking to her clothes.

Why was Zeran so good at this though? Was there anything he wasn’t good at? He was even good with—

Her cheeks burned, and she shook her head quickly, continuing to ladle the porridge into the bowls one by one.

After placing them neatly on the dining table, she caught a shadow at the edge of the kitchen archway.

"Can you help me instead of peeking like that?" she asked.

"Ahaha, Queen... you caught me." Chasey stepped out from her hiding spot with an awkward laugh, walking toward her with small, hesitant steps.

"Whoa... I didn’t know you’re the type to cook, Queen," she said honestly despite the awkwardness.

"Zeran did it. I just help the plating. But what should I do with this?"

Lethia stood in front of the purple sea urchin that was still slowly moving in the aquarium water.

"Shouldn’t you wait for Mr. Tuffin then? I think it looks dangerous, Queen," Chasey suggested, now standing beside her.

Both women blinked at the creature, their curious expressions mirroring each other before they shared a small laugh.

Lethia knew the edible parts were inside its belly, but how was she supposed to cut open a living thing with her own hands?

And those spines... how was she even supposed to hold that cute, purple, spiky thing without getting pricked? No wonder Zeran said it pricked his arm.

The two of them decided to leave it for Zeran and Derreck to handle later. Instead, they prepared the side dishes and tomato juice for the morning drink.

"Chasey... I’m sorry," Lethia said softly while slicing tomatoes.

But Chasey, busy trying to open a jar of pickles, didn’t answer right away.

When Lethia finally turned to her, she saw tears running down her cheeks.

"Ugh, Queen, why is this jar so damn hard to open? Ugh... my fingers hurt. Ugh..."

Her scrunched-up face made it look like she was crying because of the jar—though Lethia clearly saw she was just holding the opener wrong.

Lethia took it gently, opened it easily, and set it aside.

Then her fingers gently brushed away the tears on Chasey’s cheeks.

"I was hard on you yesterday, wasn’t I? I’m sorry if what I said hurt you. I have no excuse for that, it was wrong and—"

Chasey threw her arms around her.

"Queeenn... I... I thought you hated me. I thought you were tired of my stupidity. I... I was afraid you’d abandon me because... because I still stupidly cling to my fated bond. I... I don’t want to serve another wolf or lycan. I... I just want to be your aide, Queen."

Chasey’s sobs clenched Lethia’s chest tight.

"I... I was so scared when you found out I lied. How... how could you even know that? I was afraid you’d think everything I said after that was a lie too, and you would lose your trust in me. But when I heard you say sorry... it felt like the knot in my chest exploded... Queen, I... I refuse to lose you..."

Her sobs grew harder.

The guilt inside Lethia only deepened. In Chasey’s tight embrace, she realised she had struck the girl’s deepest wound. The cold words she threw yesterday had awakened her old trauma.

Lethia hugged Chasey back, patting her back softly.

"Why would I ever abandon you? You’re irreplaceable, Chasey. You know my mouth often runs faster than my heart. But deep down, I’m so grateful for you. You’re not stupid. You’re the bravest aide I’ll never let go of."

Chasey cried harder hearing that, her sobs shaking her shoulders.

In that moment, there were no words left that could ease the tear in Chasey’s heart—so Lethia just held her warmly.

She too felt warmth sting her eyes.

Chasey’s genuine sobs stirred something inside her that she hadn’t felt in years.

She remembered feeling the same with Terressa, the night before her wedding, when Terressa cried, saying she was losing her best friend, that things between them would change once Lethia was married.

And she was right.

Their easy, effortless friendship had turned into limited conversations, awkward meetings, laughter held back by distance, and the weight of hierarchy that always stood between them.

All of it made Lethia lose her best friend—and worse, lose a part of herself.

The part that still had compassion for others.

Somehow, Lethia hugged Chasey tighter, as if she didn’t want to repeat the same mistake, like she wanted Whisney within her to feel that sincerity, to believe that real bonds did exist.

That she could resolve her grudges without hurting those she loved—or herself.

Because now, Lethia had found her own people.

She had found reasons to love again, to be loved again.

And it was as simple as allowing herself to feel another’s compassion. So she wanted to channel that warmth to Whisney too.

"Is something wrong?" Zeran’s deep, worried voice broke the moment.

Both Lethia and Chasey quickly pulled away and wiped their tears.

"Yeah... something is really wrong," Lethia answered. "We... we can’t find a way to split open the sea urchin." She shot her brows up to Chasey, a pleading look for backup.

Through her sniffles, Chasey smiled. "True. This sea urchin is too cute to kill. How could we do that? It’s adorable but those spines are dangerous. We feel bad, yet we still want to eat what’s inside. It’s such an irony that it makes us sad."

Lethia’s tears still fell down even as she giggled. They both chuckled through that knowing glance between them.

And Zeran and Derreck could only watch them, bewildered.

Zeran finally approached the sea urchin.

"Let me handle that. And after breakfast, we’re leaving immediately." His gaze flicked to Lethia, uneasy. "Caelum is awake."