The Lunar Curse: A Second Chance With Alpha Draven Chapter 5: Demanding for My Bride

The Carter estate failed to leave any impression of substance.

As the Beta for the Moonstone Pack, Gabriel Carter possessed a reputation as a shrewd and refined strategist—yet, observing the mismanaged state of his courtyard, I noted only utter mediocrity. A pervasive odor of decay hung in the stagnant air,while the sentries stationed at the entrance appeared listless and poorly trained. Servants scurried by with averted eyes, appearing more like spectral shadows within their own residence.

Feeble. Every last one of them.

Despite this, Gabriel possessed the audacity to confront me, shoulders squared and gaze fixed, his features barely concealing a simmering agitation.

"Alpha Draven," he stated, his vocal tone clipped and forced into a stiff formality. "To what do I owe the privilege of this abrupt arrival?"

Internal mockery rose within me. He persisted in acting as though he were oblivious.

"As I declared during last night's Lunar Ball," I replied, my voice smooth yet resolute, "I have arrived to claim Meredith as my bride."

Gabriel’s mouth thinned into a razor-sharp line. "You are surely mistaken."

A bold retort. And an incredibly dangerous one.

From my peripheral vision, I noticed Jeffery Allen, my Beta, stiffen beside me. His piercing eyes darted between Gabriel and myself, his suppressed fury practically radiating like a dying ember.

"Beta Gabriel," Jeffery interjected, his voice dripping with thinly veiled annoyance, "do you intend to leave us standing, or will you offer us a seat?"

Gabriel pivoted his icy stare toward him. "I do apologize for my lack of hospitality." He did not believe a single word of it. Then, shifting his eyes back to me, he added, "I received no notice of your arrival."

So that was the excuse he chose for his lack of decorum. In truth, he was demanding that we endure his blatant insolence. I offered no rebuttal. His approval was irrelevant, and his pathetic attempts to undermine my authority were beneath my notice.

Gabriel had failed to extend a proper welcome to me and my escort; while I felt no desire for his hospitality, a man of his standing should comprehend the basics of etiquette. It was evident he held no intention of providing seats. That suited me just fine. I possessed no intention of lingering.

If Gabriel harbored the delusion that a cold reception would discourage me, he had severely miscalculated.

I allowed my inner power to ripple outward in slow, undeniable surges. It served as a warning, a reminder, and a trial of his spirit.

At that precise moment, his wife and three eldest children hurried from the house, their expressions tight with rising anxiety.

"Shall you do me the honor of presenting Meredith to me, or must I locate her myself?" My voice remained calm and devoid of warmth, offering him a binary choice.

Gabriel’s jaw set firmly. "Alpha Draven, you possess no right to trespass and demand my daughter," he declared, clearly believing he kept the moral high ground.

"And yet, here I remain," I countered, unmoved.

His eyes darkened with defiance. "Even had you requested this through proper channels," he continued, his tone low and laced with a threat, "I would never surrender her to you."

Gabriel should have grasped that I had deliberately left my men at the perimeter out of courtesy, entering only with my Beta. The sooner he realized I intended to depart with his daughter, Meredith, and that no force on earth would impede me, the more time he would preserve.

Margareth Carter, his wife, stiffened beside him. Her fingers twitched, barely touching the hem of his clothing—a subtle, desperate warning. She feared me. A perceptive woman. Her husband, however, remained willfully ignorant.

"Now that your intentions are clear, please remove yourself, Alpha," Gabriel said with finality, gesturing with his right hand. He was actually dismissing me.

A Beta. Attempting to dismiss me.

Jeffery inhaled sharply, poise clearly readied to step forward and humble the man. I raised a hand, signaling him to remain still. Instead, I spoke, my voice measured, slow, and perilous. "Beta, heed my order."

Jeffery immediately dropped to one knee. "As you command, Alpha."

"Assemble the men. Scour the estate. Should you need to overturn every rock to unearth my bride, do so. I shall not vacate the Carter grounds or the Moonstone territory without her."

The courtyard descended into a profound stillness.

A sharp intake of breath escaped Margareth. One of Gabriel’s daughters turned deathly pale, her hands trembling by her sides. Yet, I waited specifically for Gabriel’s reaction.

He finally snapped. "Alpha Draven!" His voice boomed, his frame trembling under the weight of barely suppressed rage.

I pivoted toward him slowly, my golden gaze cold and unyielding. "Beta," I remarked, my tone razor-sharp, "you will address me with the proper respect."

The entire, gathered courtyard waited in absolute silence.

Gabriel’s pride engaged in a fierce struggle against his logic. He desperately wished to fight, yet he understood that defiance meant total ruin. Despite his arrogance, the consequences of offending his future King were far too heavy to bear. He could never survive such an outcome.

Jeffery rose, turning to execute my command when—

"Halt!" Gabriel shouted, his voice cracking from the strain of his own wrath.

Jeffery paused and turned toward Gabriel, his posture relaxed yet ready for combat. "If you have called a halt, it implies you have reached a decision," he noted smoothly, mocking Gabriel’s hesitation to rectify his earlier disrespect to me.

A heavy silence followed. Margareth’s hands tightened into white-knuckled fists. Gabriel’s features twisted in agony. Finally, with manifest reluctance, he exhaled sharply.

"Gary," he barked at his son, "fetch Meredith."

Gary’s jaw tightened, yet he offered a slight, grudging bow. "Yes, Father." His eyes flickered toward me, burning with intense resentment. He clearly shared his father’s volatile temper. He harbored some hidden anger toward me for reasons unbeknownst to me. I cared not. His emotions were unworthy of my focus.

As Gary stormed toward the rear of the estate, Gabriel turned his attention to his two elder daughters. "Monique, Mabel," he commanded, his gaze searing into them, "gather your sister’s belongings and bring them out here."

"Yes, Father," they mumbled, scurrying away immediately.

We were left alone—myself, Jeffery, Gabriel, and his wife, Margareth, who clung to his side while the silence stretched, thick with unspoken tension. Margareth remained quiet, yet she watched me—not with open defiance or subservience, but with something else entirely. Something indecipherable. Something... protective.

Interesting. From what I had gathered regarding the domestic life of the Carters, Meredith was detested by every member of her family and pack, yet why did the dynamic appear so radically different when it came to her mother?