The Lunar Curse: A Second Chance With Alpha Draven-Chapter 561: Damaged Cords

[Third Person].

Then her claws began to slowly and deliberately sink in. The cat whimpered, its body trembling with desperation, filling the room.

But just when all hope was lost for Xamira, the front door of her bedroom slammed open.

"Meredith!" Draven stood frozen in the doorway. The sight before him stole the breath from his lungs. His wife—No. He looked again.

The woman standing there wasn’t his wife. Her presence felt different. Cold power radiated from her in suffocating waves. Her eyes burned violet. The air itself seemed to bow to her will.

’Valmora,’ he realized instantly that her wolf had taken over her again.

But—Why was she strangling a cat?

The answer came a second later. The cat’s body convulsed violently in Valmora’s grasp, light rippling over its form as it twisted, reshaped, and transformed back into Xamira.

Draven’s blood ran cold at the sight he had just witnessed. Xamira was a shapeshifter. Not a human. Not a werewolf. Not a fae. Not a vampire, but a damn shapeshifter!

Draven’s shock lasted for an entire heartbeat. But watching Valmora hell-bent on killing Xamira, he couldn’t let that happen, at least for now.

Immediately, his instinct and the bond took over.

"Meredith," He called as he reached for her through the bond.

The next second, the mate bond flared, sharp and undeniable, cutting straight through Valmora’s dominance. His presence wrapped around her—anchor, command, and certainty.

"Enough," he pushed through the bond. "She is here. I’m here now."

Valmora froze. For the first time since she had taken control, her claws hesitated.

The cat—no, Xamira—struggled weakly in her grip, a broken sound clawing its way out of her throat.

Valmora snarled low, her eyes still burning violet. "This thing is a threat."

"I know," Draven replied aloud now, his voice steady but iron-hard. "And she is alive. That’s an order."

Silence stretched for a moment. Then slowly, Valmora loosened her grip. Her claws receded, and Meredith gasped as her control snapped back into place.

Her eyes dulled from glowing violet to their natural shade as awareness crashed over her. The moment she saw what she was holding—who she was holding, her breath caught in horror.

Xamira collapsed to the floor the instant she was released.

Meredith dropped to her knees immediately. "No—no, no..."

Blood stained her fingers. Marks ringed Xamira’s neck—angry, deep, and already swelling. The girl tried to speak, her mouth opening, but no sound came out—only a weak, broken gasp.

Guilt slammed into Meredith with brutal force as she thought, ’I almost killed her.’

Draven moved instantly. The shock of seeing the transformation—the impossible reality of it—vanished beneath urgency. He crossed the room in two strides and knelt beside Xamira.

"Xamira," he said sharply, checking her pulse, his hands already working to assess the damage. "Stay with me. Look at me."

Her eyes fluttered. She tried to answer, but no words came out of her lips. 𝗳𝐫𝚎𝗲𝚠𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝘃𝚎𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺

Meredith moved closer, her voice tight. "Is she—?"

"She needs medical attention now." Draven cut in, already lifting Xamira carefully. "Her throat—"

"I can handle it," Meredith said immediately, forcing herself into focus despite the tremor in her hands. "I know how. Just hold the bleeding."

Draven didn’t argue. He applied pressure exactly where she indicated, his jaw clenched as Meredith stood abruptly, blood still slick on her fingers.

"I will be right back," she said, already turning toward the door. "Don’t let her lose consciousness."

She rushed out of the room, her blood-stained fingers clenched tight as the weight of what had almost happened settled heavily on her chest.

Behind her, Draven stayed with Xamira, his expression grim. The danger wasn’t over, but the worst had been stopped by a bond stronger than fury.

---

Meredith returned quickly.

By the time she pushed the door open again, her breathing was steady, her expression composed—calm in the way one became calm after deciding there was no room left for panic.

In her hands were crushed herbs, a small vial, and a clean cloth.

Draven looked up at once. "She is still breathing," he said quietly.

Meredith nodded and knelt beside Xamira. The girl lay weak and silent, her eyes half-open, throat bruised and raw.

Meredith swallowed once, then pushed the guilt aside. There would be time for that later.

"This might work faster than the herbs," Meredith said softly, glancing at Draven. "I’ve never done it on someone else before... but I will try."

Then she placed one hand just above Xamira’s collarbone, and the air shifted. A faint, cool pressure spread outward as Meredith let her fae magic flow slowly, guided with care.

The glow was subtle, barely visible, like moonlight under water. Xamira’s breathing steadied almost immediately, the tight, panicked rise and fall of her chest easing.

Draven also felt his mate’s controlled fae powers through the bond.

Finally, Meredith withdrew her hand and immediately applied the crushed herbs around Xamira’s neck, careful not to press too hard. Next, she wrapped the cloth gently, securing it with practised movements.

"Lift her just a little," Meredith murmured.

Draven did, careful as if Xamira were made of glass, and Meredith slid the pillow beneath her head. Once settled, Draven eased her fully onto the bed and pulled the duvet up to cover her lightly.

Only then did Meredith lean back on her heels. "She’s stable," she said quietly. "But... I almost damaged her vocal cords." Her voice tightened just a fraction. "She won’t be able to speak for now. By tomorrow, she should be fine."

Xamira made no sound at all. Her eyes fluttered, then slowly closed.

Draven adjusted the duvet once more, then stood and moved to Meredith’s side. "This wasn’t you," he said firmly. "It was Valmora, so don’t blame yourself."

At that, something surged inside Meredith—hot, furious and unrepentant. Valmora did not regret a thing.

Meredith stiffened, recognizing the warning signs immediately. Her jaw clenched, her breath going shallow for half a second.

"Valmora is angry," Meredith said under her breath. "Very angry."

Draven nodded. "I can feel it."

Meredith immediately turned to gather the remaining herbs and cloth. "I need to leave. If I stay, Valmora—"

"I know," Draven said, already moving with her.

They both glanced once more at Xamira, who was finally still. Then together, they left the room, closing the door softly behind them.