The Lunar Curse: A Second Chance With Alpha Draven novel Chapter 599

Chapter 599: Proving Herself (III)

[Third Person].

Soon, the council chamber transformed. What was once a room of deliberation was now an arena.

Chairs had been cleared. The centre space stood open beneath the high ceiling. Elders sat in a half-circle. Behind them, nobles, warriors, and invited spectators filled every available space. The air buzzed with expectation.

At the centre stood Meredith and Wanda. Then, Reginald stepped forward, his voice carrying across the chamber.

"This duel will last fifteen minutes," he announced. "It is not a fight to the death. The objective is dominance and submission. Excessive lethal force is prohibited. When the time is up, or if one party yields or is rendered unable to continue, the duel ends."

He turned to Wanda, then Meredith, hiding his smugness. "Do you understand?"

Meredith inclined her head. "I do."

"I do." Wanda’s lips curved faintly.

The guards stepped back, and silence fell.

Then, Wanda shifted. Her wolf burst forward in a ripple of muscle and dark-brown fur, strong and battle-trained. Gasps rose from parts of the audience.

Meredith did not rush as she stepped forward calmly. "Valmora," she spoke inwardly, "You must remember that no matter how excited you are, you must not show any aura."

A low, annoyed hum answered her. "As much as I’m pissed, I will try."

Meredith shifted into her white wolf. And immediately, small whispers rippled through the chamber.

"The Luna is a white wolf?"

"White wolves are rare."

"The Luna’s wolf looks... lighter."

Draven remained still, arms crossed, eyes locked on the arena.

Wanda lunged first, fast and sharply, with a direct shoulder strike meant to test strength. Meredith moved just enough, and the impact missed by a few inches.

Wanda spun and swiped, her claws slicing through the air. But Meredith bent low, pivoted, and retreated two steps. She did not counter.

Another attack from Wanda followed. And another. And each time, Meredith either deflected, slipped aside, or redirected.

To the untrained eye, it looked like she was being pressed back.

Reginald leaned forward slightly. "Yes," he muttered under his breath.

But among the older warriors in the crowd, expressions changed.

"She’s not retreating," one murmured quietly. "She’s measuring."

Wanda attacked again, this time with a feint before a rear-leg sweep. Meredith blocked, letting herself slide across the floor.

A shallow claw grazed her side, and immediately, gasps erupted. On the other hand, Draven did not panic while watching his mate deliberately take that scratch.

Meredith rose calmly as Wanda’s confidence grew. She now circled Meredith aggressively, hackles raised, breathing more heavily.

Meredith’s movements remained light and precise. She allowed Wanda to strike again, but at the last moment, she quickly deflected it. She redirected another lunge, then proceeded to sidestep another.

The pattern became obvious.

Wanda’s breathing grew uneven as her attacks lost calculation. She snarled in frustration.

The elders began whispering.

"The Luna is baiting her."

Randall’s eyes narrowed thoughtfully, while Reginald’s jaw tightened. ’Don’t tell me I was wrong again this time.’

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