《SECOND CHANCE: CLAIMED BY THE LYCAN KING》全部章節：第 81 章 - 第 90 章

HOPE’S POV.The air outside felt different. Too cold.Or maybe that was just me.I tightened my grip on the small satchel in my hand as I stepped past the castle gates, the guards falling into place around me without a word. Their presence was meant to be reassuring, I knew that.But right now…It only made everything feel more tense than they already are.“We don’t have much time,” I said, glancing ahead at the tree line. “The poison is fast. If we delay too long, the antidote won’t work.”“Yes, my queen” one of the guards replied immediately.The word still felt strange.My queen.I wasn’t sure I would ever get used to it. And... maybe it's just ne but I can't help but notice that it sounds forced whenever they call me that, almost like they were being forced to do it, not because they actually want to. And considering the situation in which I arrived here I wouldn't be surprised at all if that was the case.I nodded slightly and continued forward. The moment we crossed into the woo

HOPE’S POV.The room did not return to normal after Ronan stabilized.It only grew quieter.Not the calm kind of quiet—the kind that normally settles after a storm. No. This was something else entirely. A heavy, watchful silence that pressed against my skin and made every small sound feel too loud in my ear, including my own breathing and that of the people around me.I stayed where I was beside the couch, watching Ronan’s chest rise and fall. It was still uneven, but stronger than before. That was something. That meant the herbs were working.Servants moved carefully around us, cleaning the floor, wiping away the blood, replacing broken items. They spoke in hushed voices, avoiding eye contact.The guards remained stationed nearby, but even they seemed… different. More alert. More rigid.And the elders, they stood in small clusters now, further away from the couch than before, speaking quietly among themselves. Every now and then, I caught one of them glancing in my direction.Not ope

HOPE'S POV.Everyone moved in at once—but not too close. We were all concious of his condition and trying not to overcrowd him.I leaned down slightly, placing my fingers against his wrist again.His pulse was still weak.But there.“Elder Ronan?” I said gently.His eyelids fluttered.Slowly.Then again.A faint groan escaped his lips.“He’s coming around,” one of the elders whispered.Ronan’s eyes opened slightly.Unfocused at first.Confused.His breathing hitched as he tried to take in his surroundings.“Easy,” I said softly. “Don’t try to move. The poison is not completely gone from your system, any sudden movement is not adviceable right now.”His gaze shifted slowly, still weak and unsteady.Then it landed on me and stilled.For a moment, everything else disappeared.The room.The voices.The tension.It was just that look.Confusion.Recognition.And something else.Something I couldn’t quite name.His lips parted slightly.“The…” he rasped weakly.I leaned closer.“It’s alrig

HOPE’S POV.Hunter didn’t look like he wanted to leave.Even after the guard delivered the message, even after he straightened and nodded like a king who had a duty to attend to, there was still hesitation in his eyes when he looked at me.“Come with me,” he said quietly.It wasn’t an order.Just… a simple request.I shook my head gently, adjusting the satchel in my hand. “I should gather more herbs,” I replied. “Ronan is stable, but he’s not completely out of danger yet. The first mixture won’t be enough. Plus who knows we might need more of those herbs around just in case of emergencies.”His jaw tightened slightly.“I can have someone else—”“No,” I cut in softly. “It’s better if I go. I know exactly what to look for. They don't.”That part was true.But it wasn’t the only reason.I needed air.I needed space.I needed to get out of that castle… out of those looks… out of that silence that felt like it was closing in on me.Hunter studied me for a moment, like he knew there was mor

HUNTER’S POV.The moment I stepped out of the castle, I quickened my pace.I didn’t slow down.The guards followed closely behind me, struggling slightly to keep up as we moved deeper into the forest.A body. That was what I was told.The word still sat wrong in my head.First the poisoning. Now this.It wasn’t a coincidence.It couldn’t be.My jaw tightened as branches brushed past my shoulders. The deeper we went, the quieter it became. No birds. No movement. Just the sound of our footsteps against the damp ground.Something wasn’t right.Not just in the castle.Everywhere.A flicker hit me suddenly.A flash.Blood.A man on the ground.Voices shouting.Orders being given—mine.I blinked, and it was gone.I exhaled slowly through my nose, forcing my thoughts back into place.Not now.I needed clarity, not confusion. I didn’t like the fact that every terrible thing that had happened since I arrived here kept bringing flashes of memories I didn’t even remember.“Up ahead,” one of the