[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-lunar-curse-a-second-chance-with-alpha-drave":3,"chapter-the-lunar-curse-a-second-chance-with-alpha-drave-the-lunar-curse-a-second-chance-with-alpha-drave-chapter-197":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","The Lunar Curse: A Second Chance With Alpha Draven",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":20,"prevChapterSlug":21,"totalChapters":22,"novelImage":23},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":16,"volume":17,"translator":18,"content_hash":19},923919,1212,"Chapter 197: The Kind of Wolf I Had","the-lunar-curse-a-second-chance-with-alpha-drave-chapter-197",197,"\u003Cp>Meredith.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Go to your room so your maidservants can tend to your injuries,\" Draven’s voice cut through the ringing in my ears.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I glared at him, my chest heaving from exhaustion and rage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>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.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My heart burned so bitterly I could almost taste the resentment on my tongue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In that moment, I hated him. I truly did.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not for being Alpha. Not for being the cold, strategic leader I’d always known him to be.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But for failing where it mattered to me most.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was a seasoned warrior, a brilliant tactician, a leader who had the loyalty of an entire people.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>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.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was unfit to be a husband. And in that duty, he had failed miserably.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The words slipped out of me, raw and trembling with fury:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"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.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I turned sharply, blood dripping through my fingers from my busted nose, and walked away from him—away from Wanda’s smug, satisfied smirk.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Every single step felt like punishment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>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.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My legs trembled so badly I feared they’d buckle beneath me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Part of me wanted nothing more than to collapse right there on the sandy ground, curl up and let oblivion take me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Wanda was still watching.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Draven too.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And if there was one thing I had left—one pitiful scrap of pride—it was this:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I would not fall where they could see me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if I had to limp. Even if every ragged breath scraped fire in my chest. They would not see me on my knees.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Meredith!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Draven’s voice cut through the haze—low and cold, but tinged with something I refused to name.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I didn’t slow my steps, and neither did I even bother to turn, nor did I let my shoulders twitch to acknowledge him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only when I reached the archway that led back into the house did I let my pace falter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment the training yard disappeared behind me, the weight pressing on my spine seemed to double.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I stumbled through the hallway, clutching my nose with my free hand, sticky from half-dried blood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A few servants appeared ahead, eyes wide with horror as they took in my state—sweat-soaked, limping, my shirt stained dark red.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"My lady—\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One of them tried to reach for my arm to assist me, but I jerked away violently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They lowered their gazes and stepped aside, bowing quickly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>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.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By the time I reached the landing, black spots danced at the edge of my vision.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"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.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Finally, my hand fumbled at the door handle. It swung open and immediately, my gaze fell on Azul, Kira, Deidra, Cora and Arya. They were putting my room in order.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their eyes went wide, faces draining of colour.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"My lady, what happened—?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Your nose—it’s still bleeding—\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Was it the Alpha, my lady? Tell us who did this—\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They surged forward, reaching for me, voices climbing over one another. But something inside me snapped again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Enough!\" I barked, my voice hoarse and shaking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They froze in their steps.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My chest heaved as I lifted a trembling hand, palm stained dark red, to keep them back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Leave,\" I rasped. \"Just... leave.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They hesitated, hurt flickering across faces that had grown familiar and dear. But they bowed their heads silently and filed out, closing the door behind them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As soon as I was alone, the silence rushed in—loud and suffocating. My knees buckled a fraction, and I caught myself on the edge of a chair, breath ragged.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I let my hand fall from my nose, and blood dripped onto the polished floorboards at my feet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Another drop. And another.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Part of me watched it, strangely detached. Part of me wanted to scream.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I looked down at my training shirt, the once-soft fabric stiff with drying blood, stained in ugly smears.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And in that moment, I hated everything.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wanda, for her spite and cruelty and Draven, for standing aside, no matter what reasons might justify it in his mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And worst of all, I hated myself for believing, even for a heartbeat, that I was strong. For thinking that a single petty victory over Wanda meant anything at all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hot tears blurred my vision, but I blinked them back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, with deliberate, trembling spite, I opened my hand and let the rest of the blood drip onto the floor beside my feet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A messy, ugly stain to match the mess inside my chest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And then, there was Valmora who left me truly alone to face the cost of her push.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I refused to let her hide. Even with my breath coming in sharp, uneven bursts, I bit down on my rage and called her out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Valmora!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The name cracked in my head like thunder and for a heartbeat, it was just the cold humming silence that had haunted me ever since Wanda’s fists drove the air from my lungs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Valmora!\"I lashed again, my voice raw, trembling. \"What kind of wolf abandons her host and hides away in the middle of danger?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It felt like I was shouting into a well but then, there was a stir, and then, her voice, deep and low, curled around my bones.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I could not help,\"Valmora said, steady, almost weary.\"No one can know about me, Meredith.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My anger sparked hotter, burning away the shock. \"Why? Why must you stay hidden?!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Till today, I still do not understand her reason for that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"By staying hidden, I protect both of us,\"she answered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Protect us from what exactly?!\" The question tasted bitter on my tongue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Valmora’s voice dropped lower, heavier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You do not yet know how many would want you dead for simply having me, Meredith. An ancient wolf queen bound to you.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I froze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Who would want to kill me for that?\" I swallowed, hating how my voice cracked. \"I am cursed, Valmora. People already hate me. They have always hated and wanted me dead since the Moon Goddess marked me.\"\u003C\u002Fp>",1141,"2026-06-03T06:41:07.525Z","2026-06-03T06:41:13.871Z",1,"novelbin.me","f92f01f037571d79d03c15ba07a151987b7b487e1463e9cd76559e9db5fca230","the-lunar-curse-a-second-chance-with-alpha-drave-chapter-198","the-lunar-curse-a-second-chance-with-alpha-drave-chapter-196",685,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-lunar-curse-a-second-chance-with-alpha-drave-cover.jpg"]