Meredith.
I elbowed Draven again just to make Dennis eat his words. But Draven only laughed, easily catching my arm.
"Alright," he said with amusement dancing in his eyes, "we will call it here for today. You did well, Meredith."
I exhaled hard, brushing stray strands of hair from my face. Despite his teasing tone, I could see the genuine pride in his expression, which felt better than winning.
Then I asked, "When is our next duel?"
He tilted his head slightly, a soft chuckle rumbling in his chest. "You are already asking for another?"
I crossed my arms. "You said I need to be able to kill a vampire on my own, and I did that. You also said I need to last longer in a fight, and I'm getting there. So yes, Alpha," I teased, mimicking his serious tone, "I'm asking when my next duel is."
He gave me that look, the kind that said he was both proud and entertained. Then, slowly, he nodded.
