Chapter 343: She Was Theirs
Draven.
But the next second, the fire in Meredith’s gaze died as fast as it had come.
"If that is what you choose to believe, then perhaps it says more about you than it does about me," she said evenly.
Her tone was calm and quiet, yet it cut sharper than any blade. "I have no need to make fun of you, Mabel. You do that well enough yourself."
The silence that followed was heavier than any shout could have been.
Then, Mabel’s lips trembled, her cheeks flushing with heat. Her shoulders were stiff as she looked away, clearly stung but unwilling to admit it.
"Alpha Draven," Gary finally broke his silence, his voice clipped but steady. "It’s been over a week since my sister and I arrived already. I believe it’s time for us to take our leave. So, when?"
The question hung in the air like smoke. Meredith’s eyes flicked toward me, but I didn’t let the weight of it touch me.
Instead, I picked up my glass of water, swirling it once before bringing it to my lips.
When I set it back down, my tone was calm, almost careless because I wasn’t bothered.
"You can see this is a critical moment for us. All my men are occupied. There are two options for you, Gary. Either you wait until my men’s schedules are light enough to send you back... or, if you are impatient, you can find your own way home."
Gary stiffened, his jaw clenching, but I leaned back in my chair, my voice sharpening just slightly.
"But in that case, we will sign an agreement first. If anything happens to you or your sister on the road, the blame will not rest on my head."
The room went still. Gary’s gaze lingered on me a little longer, but I simply didn’t care.
But just then, Mabel scoffed loudly, her eyes flashing between me and Meredith. Then, with a sharp scrape of her chair against the floor, she stood.
Her glare lingered a heartbeat longer before she turned on her heel and strode toward the door.
I watched her go, completely unbothered, until the sound of her footsteps almost reached the threshold.
And then Meredith spoke.
Her voice rang firm, clear, and commanding, loud enough to cut through the silence and halt even Mabel mid-step.
"From today forward, Mabel Carter is banned from sitting at this table for walking out on my husband, and the head of this household, Alpha Draven."
Mabel froze on the doorstep, her back stiff. I saw her hands clench into fists at her sides before she stormed out, slamming the door shut behind her.
At the table, Dennis smirked openly now, his eyes dancing with amusement. Jeffery glanced between Meredith and me, though his lips tugged in the faintest of smiles.
And me?
I let my fingers rest lightly against the rim of my glass, but inwardly, pride burned through me. My wife had not only defended me, she had asserted herself as Luna.
And she had done it perfectly like a queen in the making.
---
After breakfast ended, Dennis lingered only long enough to catch my eye before he left with the others.
"See you later, Daddy," Xamira said to me with a slight bow, then she turned to Meredith. "My lady," she smiled, and then turned to leave with her nanny.
"Bye," Meredith waved at her while I gave a short nod of acknowledgement.
Now left alone, Meredith turned toward me with a thoughtful expression, her violet eyes searching my face.
"Draven," she said quietly, "is there any reason why my siblings should not be sent away now?"
I leaned back in my chair, resting one arm across the armrest. For a moment, I studied her, then I allowed a small, humourless smile, knowing how much she hated their presence now.
"They claim to be family," I said slowly. "And family faces storms together. So..." I let the words hang deliberately, "I plan to let them shoulder some of this storm instead of running away from it."
Her lips parted slightly, but I continued before she could speak.
"I have to make this trip memorable for them," I added, my tone edged with steel. "They came here against my wish, so now, it’s time they see what it truly means to live in Duskmoor."
For a moment, Meredith just looked at me, silently. I saw the flicker of conflict in her eyes, but also the trace of understanding.
She sighed gently, but I didn’t press her further.
"There is a matter that requires our attention today," I said to her.
Her brows lifted slightly. "What matters?"
"The usual meeting with our people," I reminded her. "It’s Friday."
Her lips parted in a quiet breath of realization before she gave a small nod.
I leaned back in my seat. "This midnight, we are meeting at the usual location, but your siblings won’t come along."
"Okay," she said in agreement.
---
~Several Hours Later~
The air was thick with anticipation when we entered.
The low murmur of voices stilled as soon as Meredith and I stepped through the doors, silence sweeping through the gathered wolves like a tide.
Jeffery and Dennis were already among them, standing with the others who had formed into wide, concentric circles.
As soon as they saw us, the lines shifted—a path opening straight through the center, each wolf bowing their head as the space cleared for us to pass.
I walked forward with Meredith at my side, her steps steady though I could feel the way every eye in the room clung to her. It wasn’t just me they watched anymore.
"Alpha. Luna." The words rippled from the circle, one after another, their voices low and reverent. Heads bowed deeper, the weight of respect palpable in the air.
Meredith’s violet eyes darted across the faces, her chin lifting, her composure flawless. But I knew, and they knew, that the matebond was what drew this attention to her now. That invisible thread, pulsing with power, had shifted everything.
She was no longer a guest in their eyes. She was theirs.
And as their Alpha, I let the moment stretch, the silence heavy and commanding, before I inclined my head slightly—an acknowledgement that their greetings were received.