The Lunar Curse: A Second Chance With Alpha Draven-Chapter 630: Saving Her King (IX)

[Third Person].

Meredith leaned back slightly. "I hope Dennis is careful."

Draven paused mid-motion and looked up at her. "Dennis?"

"I left him at the border to safeguard it," she explained. "I brought the royal warriors back with me. They helped me secure the palace and created a path for me to enter the Grand Hall."

Instantly, understanding dawned on him, so he nodded. "You did well."

She held his gaze. "You’re not upset?"

"Why would I be?" he asked calmly. "You secured the heart. He secures the wall. That is how a kingdom survives."

A faint smile touched her lips, then it faded.

"Now we have to face those old men," she muttered. "And start racking our brains on how to wrap this up."

Draven’s hands stilled for a second. "They have no choice but to accept you." 𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢

She studied him carefully. "And if they don’t?"

His eyes darkened. "Then I will feed them to the vampires," he said evenly. "After all, they would have died here today if it weren’t for you."

She cast him a long glance, and he held it for three seconds before breaking into a grin.

"I’m joking."

She narrowed her eyes slightly. "That didn’t sound like a joke."

He chuckled under his breath and resumed cleaning the wound. "I’m King. I’m allowed dramatic thoughts."

Her lips curved faintly.

He finished tending to her shoulders and sat back on his heels. "Does it still hurt?"

She nodded honestly. "A little."

He brushed his thumb gently along the edge of the wound, careful not to apply pressure.

"It will close in a day or two," she said. "But I probably won’t be lifting anything heavy for a few days."

He gave her a dry look. "You’re not lifting anything at all."

A small pause followed, then she added quietly, almost regretfully, "I can’t even help you clean your own injuries."

Draven stood and wiped the remaining blood from his jaw with the cloth. "I can ask someone else."

She frowned faintly. "I don’t like that."

He stepped closer, cupping her face gently. "You fought a pure-blood vampire general and nearly ended her life." His thumb brushed her cheek. "You’ve done enough."

For a moment, the weight of crowns and war fell away. Then, he leaned his forehead lightly against hers.

Though the elders had already begun to whisper, Stormveil still stood.

---

Meanwhile, the border was chaotic.

Dennis stood at the main gate tower, his eyes scanning the environment as his jaw tightened. He felt the vampires coming before he saw them.

A group of dark figures burst towards them, seemingly well coordinated.

"Vampires!" one of the guards shouted.

The clash was immediate. Steel rang against claws. Wolves shifted mid-air. The night was filled with snarls and screams.

Dennis shifted partially—claws out, eyes glowing—meeting the first vampire head-on. He drove his blade through its chest and kicked it off the wall.

"Don’t let them through!" he roared.

More wolves joined the fray. The narrow pass worked in their favour. Several vampires fell quickly under the combined assault.

But then, Dennis sensed something different. A smaller group broke away from the main clash, moving along the shadows of the wall with terrifying speed. They were too organized.

At their centre was a tall figure cloaked in black.

Dennis lunged toward them, cutting down one vampire that tried to block his path. He reached the wall’s edge just as the cloaked figure paused briefly.

For a split second, their eyes met. Even beneath the hood, even in the dark, Dennis caught a glimpse of pale skin and eyes that burned with something ancient.

The figure’s cold, assessing, powerful gaze slid over him. And the hairs on Dennis’s arms rose instantly.

His wolf stirred uneasily. Something about that presence was wrong.

Then, in the next breath, the cloaked figure leapt from the wall into the darkness beyond.

Several vampires sacrificed themselves immediately, throwing themselves into the wolves to create an opening.

"After them!" Dennis shouted, but by the time he reached the edge, they were gone. They had vanished into the forest beyond Stormveil’s borders.

The remaining vampires at the gate were quickly overwhelmed.

Silence returned slowly, broken only by heavy breathing and the crackle of torches. Dennis stood still against the wall, his chest heaving as he scanned the darkness again. He couldn’t see anything.

Just then, the commander approached cautiously. "Alpha, most of them were neutralized. Only a handful slipped through."

Dennis’s expression darkened. "Seal the gates fully. Double the patrol outside the wall. Send scouts out two miles beyond the perimeter. I want tracks, direction, and numbers."

"Yes, Alpha."

As the guards scrambled to obey, Dennis stared into the forest again. That cloaked figure—that gaze. He didn’t recognize her, but his instincts screamed that she wasn’t ordinary.

A chill ran down his spine, then anger replaced it. The vampires had escaped under his watch.

His jaw clenched so tightly it hurt. Then, he slammed his fist against the stone wall. "Damn!"

***

The Next Morning, Stormveil woke to tension.

By mid-morning, royal messengers had already ridden through the districts. Palace criers stood at central squares. And soon after, Draven and Meredith appeared on the palace balcony.

The crowd below was uneasy but waiting.

Draven stepped forward first. His voice carried across the square with controlled authority.

"Yesterday, Stormveil faced a security breach. A group of vampires infiltrated our lands and attacked the Royal Palace."

A murmur rippled through the people.

"But Stormveil stands." Draven’s stone hardened. "The attack has been contained. The borders are sealed. Our warriors have neutralized the invaders."

Beside him, Meredith stood tall, her silver hair flowing gently in the morning breeze.

Draven continued, "The throne will compensate every citizen who suffered losses during the chaos. No household will bear the cost of this attack alone."

The tension in the square visibly softened as relief began to replace fear.

Meredith stepped forward then. Her voice was calm but firm. "Stormveil is not weak. We are not divided. And we will not bow to intimidation."

The people erupted into cheers.

"Long live the King!"

"Long live the Queen!"

The chant echoed through the capital like thunder. Fear transformed into reassurance. The image remained clear. The monarchy stood strong and united.

But was it so?