The Lunar Curse: A Second Chance With Alpha Draven novel Chapter 197

Chapter 197: The Kind of Wolf I Had

Meredith.

"Go to your room so your maidservants can tend to your injuries," Draven’s voice cut through the ringing in my ears.

I glared at him, my chest heaving from exhaustion and rage.

The sheer gall of it—standing there after letting Wanda tear into me, after letting her spit venom and fists alike, and then pretending he cared.

My heart burned so bitterly I could almost taste the resentment on my tongue.

In that moment, I hated him. I truly did.

Not for being Alpha. Not for being the cold, strategic leader I’d always known him to be.

But for failing where it mattered to me most.

He was a seasoned warrior, a brilliant tactician, a leader who had the loyalty of an entire people.

And yes, one day, he might be the greatest King the werewolves ever had. But none of that changed what he had proven to me today.

He was unfit to be a husband. And in that duty, he had failed miserably.

The words slipped out of me, raw and trembling with fury:

"You might be the greatest King our people will ever know, Draven. But when it comes to marriage, you shouldn’t bother. You’re unfit to be a husband—and you’ve failed in that duty."

I turned sharply, blood dripping through my fingers from my busted nose, and walked away from him—away from Wanda’s smug, satisfied smirk.

Every single step felt like punishment.

My ribs burned with each breath, my back ached where Wanda had slammed me into the ground, and my vision pulsed from the pain in my face.

My legs trembled so badly I feared they’d buckle beneath me.

Part of me wanted nothing more than to collapse right there on the sandy ground, curl up and let oblivion take me.

But Wanda was still watching.

Draven too.

And if there was one thing I had left—one pitiful scrap of pride—it was this:

I would not fall where they could see me.

Even if I had to limp. Even if every ragged breath scraped fire in my chest. They would not see me on my knees.

"Meredith!"

Draven’s voice cut through the haze—low and cold, but tinged with something I refused to name.

I didn’t slow my steps, and neither did I even bother to turn, nor did I let my shoulders twitch to acknowledge him.

Only when I reached the archway that led back into the house did I let my pace falter. 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝙬𝙚𝓫𝒏𝓸𝓿𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝙤𝓶

The moment the training yard disappeared behind me, the weight pressing on my spine seemed to double.

I stumbled through the hallway, clutching my nose with my free hand, sticky from half-dried blood.

A few servants appeared ahead, eyes wide with horror as they took in my state—sweat-soaked, limping, my shirt stained dark red.

"My lady—"

One of them tried to reach for my arm to assist me, but I jerked away violently.

They lowered their gazes and stepped aside, bowing quickly.

Climbing the stairs to the third floor felt like crawling through broken glass. Every step dragged at my lungs and sent pain splintering up my spine.

By the time I reached the landing, black spots danced at the edge of my vision.

"And here I was," I thought bitterly, "wishing my bedroom was still on the ground floor like when I first came here. So I wouldn’t have to feel every crack in my ribs scream with each step."

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