The Dragon King's Substitute Bride

Chapter 28

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Tsuneo

Agony. A searing inferno pulsed in my shoulder, spreading like wildfire through my veins. Claws. That's what they

felt like razor-sharp talons ripping through my flesh, tearing at the very

essence of my being. My vision blurred, the opulent confines of my chambers morphing into a swirling vortex of

pain.

Through the haze, a distant voice pierced the cacophony in my head.

"Tsuneo?" Female. Familiar, yet distorted. My throat felt like sandpaper, words refusing to form on my parched

tongue. Leave. Get away from me.

The primal scream echoed in the depths of my mind, but my lips remained stubbornly sealed. My body

shuddered and tensed with a feral, uncontrollable energy. | was a puppet on strings, pulled by an unseen,

malevolent force. | had thought the poison was wearing off. Then, a touch. Cool. Calming. A pair of arms

wrapped around me, anchoringto the storm. raging within. The touch, surprisingly gentle, sent a jolt through

my system. A flicker of recognition sparked in the abyss of my mind as the scent hit my nose. It was Morgan.

Her presence pulled at my mind. Slowly, ever so slowly, the tendrils of rage loosened their grip. The inferno in

my shoulder subsided to a dull ache, and the blinding vortex in my vision faded to reveal the familiar

surroundings of my chambers.

With a grunt, | wrestled back control, forcing my eyelids open. Morgan's face swam into focus, etched with worry

and concern. Relief, warm and sweet, washed over me, battling the lingering remnants of the poison's insidious

grip. "Morgan," | croaked, my voice hoarse and unfamiliar.

A shaky smile broke across her face. "There you are," she whispered, her voice thick with emotion. "I was so

worried. Are you alright?"

The concern in her eyes, so genuine and raw, sent warmth spreading through my chest. In that moment, amidst

the throbbing pain and lingering echoes of the monstrous transformation, a single thought flickered to life |

couldn't let her seelike this, Not like... that. CH28

| turned away from her, trying to block her view of my shoulder, wincing as the movement sent a fresh jolt of

pain through my shoulder.

"I'm fine."

"And bleeding."

"It's... it's just the poison," | said.

Morgan's brow furrowed. "Poison does this to you?" Her gaze darted to my shoulder, the black veins stark

against my pale skin. "How is that possible?"

The question hung heavy in the air. The full weight of the situation, the near descent into oblivion, crashed down

on me. Shburned in my throat, hotter than the lingering embers of the poison.

But before | could answer, she cupped my face and stared into my eyes.

"Are you... at least withright now?"

I nodded.

Relief washed over Morgan's face, and it only madefeel worse. | could have hurt her. | looked away. She

shifted to look at the wound, and | pushed her hands away. "I'll be fine."

She put her hand on my shoulder. Her touch was soothing as if it was healing the pain.

"You're a shit liar," she said, her voice full of concern. "But | know we don't know each other that

well. still, we're in this together now, so you're going to have to tellthe truth eventually."

Together. The word echoed in my head, a stark contrast to the primal isolation that had consumedmoments

ago. Shburned in my throat, hotter than the lingering embers of the poison. | wanted to confess, to explain

what it felt like when it was like that, the way my instincts to get rid of the pain threatened to consme, but

the memory of it sent a fresh wave of tremors through my body.

When Doctor Shang had devised the coma to keepfrom ripping myself apart, it hadn't been so bad, but it

wasn't working as well as it used to. Mustering every ounce of control, | pushed myself away from her embrace,

wincing as the movement sent a fresh jolt of pain through my violated shoulder.

"Morgan,"

"I rasped, my voice hoarse and unfamiliar, "1... need sair."

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My gaze darted away from her, unable to meet the concern burning in her eyes. Part of it was shthe shame

of succumbing to the poison's control, of nearly becoming a mindless beast before her eyes. But the larger part

was the raw, throbbing pain that still pulsed through my shoulder, a constant reminder of my vulnerability.

Silence stretched between us, thick with unspoken emotions. | could feel her gaze on me, a mixture of worry and

something else | couldn't quite decipher. Finally, she spoke, her voice soft and hesitant.

"Tsuneo," she began, "you need help. This poison... it's clearly affecting you more than you're letting on."

My throat tightened. There was no denying it. | was in no state to be alone, yet the thought of her witnessing

another descent into that primal rage filledwith dread. "I... I'll be fine," | lied, my voice barely above a

whisper. "Just need stime... to rest."

The lie hung heavy in the air, and she knew it. Her jaw clenched, a flicker of frustration crossing her features.

"No," she said, her voice firm. You're not fine. And you won't be left alone in this state. I'll get Doctor Shang."

"He's gone until tomorrow."

"Fine."

Before | could protest further, she moved with surprising swiftness, crossing the room and reaching for a small

pouch hanging on the wall my emergency medical kit. My breath hitched.

"Wait," | rasped. "Don't need that. It's just a... a passing thing."

"A passing thing that's turning your veins black?" she countered, her voice laced with a sharp edge. "Tsuneo, I'm

not an idiot."

Frustration bubbled within me, warring with the dull ache in my shoulder and the lingering tremors that

threatened to pullback under. "I said I'm fine!" | snapped, the words harsher than intended.

Morgan flinched at my outburst, but to my surprise, it didn't deter her. Instead, she met my gaze with a resolute

stare.

"And I'm saying you're not," she said, her voice calmer now but laced with an unshakeable determination. "Now,

hold still."

Before | could argue further, she knelt beside me, her hand reaching out to gently grasp my

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injured shoulder. The fouch sent a jolt through me, a mix of pain and a strange sense of grounding.

Taking a deep breath, | allowed her to proceed, the fight momentarily draining out of me. Slowly, she pulled my

robe down my shoulder.

She froze for a moment, her brow furrowing. "Doctor Shang's treatments keep it under control somehow?"

I shook my head, wincing at the movement.

"Then...?"

| shook my head, not wanting to admit it.

Her lips pursed in thought. Then, with a sigh, she began rummaging through the contents of the

medical kit.

"Alright," she said, her voice firm but laced with a hint of worry. "We'll manage, and I'll probably put it together

without you telling me. | know enough about first aid to get us by until Doctor Shang returns."

As she pulled out bandages and what looked like a vile of sclear liquid, a strange sense of calm washed over

me. It wasn't the end of the world, being stuck here with Morgan, tending to my wounds. In fact, there was a

strange comfort in it, a sense of vulnerability that | hadn't allowed myself to experience in a very long time.

"Or you could tell me,"