[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-lunar-curse-a-second-chance-with-alpha-drave":3,"chapter-the-lunar-curse-a-second-chance-with-alpha-drave-the-lunar-curse-a-second-chance-with-alpha-drave-chapter-278":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","The Lunar Curse: A Second Chance With Alpha Draven",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":20,"prevChapterSlug":21,"totalChapters":22,"novelImage":23},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":16,"volume":17,"translator":18,"content_hash":19},923978,1212,"Chapter 278: Waiting Until Tomorrow","the-lunar-curse-a-second-chance-with-alpha-drave-chapter-278",278,"\u003Cp>Meredith.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My palm brushed against his ribcage before he spun and caught my wrist again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A deep, almost proud sound left his throat. \"Better.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I was breathless now, but I still managed a small proud smile. \"I’m... learning.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No, you are fighting,\" he corrected, holding my gaze as the corner of his lip lifted in a proud smile. \"And you’re not losing.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His words filled me with a strange steady warmth, and I nodded firmly. \"Again.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He smirked faintly at my determination, then lunged—this time with enough force to make me stumble back two steps.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My heel dug into the dirt, but I refused to fall. I squared my shoulders and met him again, blocking one strike and deflecting another.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We circled like that for a while, the sound of our movements echoing softly across the training grounds.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I was still far from perfect, but I could already feel the difference in myself even though Valmora might think otherwise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t until I caught the faintest chuckle that I realized that Draven and I weren’t alone anymore.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I glanced toward the edge of the training grounds and spotted Dennis leaning against a post with folded arms and a wild grin on his face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Well, well,\" he drawled loudly, \"look at you almost making it hard for him.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My cheeks flushed, both from exertion and embarrassment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Draven didn’t even glance his way. \"Stop distracting my wife,\" he said flatly. \"Or find your way back through the path you came from.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dennis lifted his hands in mock surrender with his never faltering grin. \"Alright, alright. I will keep my mouth shut.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still, he stayed, eyes glinting with amusement as he watched us.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I couldn’t help a breathless laugh. \"You don’t have to just stand there grinning like that, Dennis,\" I called. \"Are you here to watch or to learn something yourself?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That made him laugh outright, shaking his head. \"Careful, Meredith. You keep talking like that, you might start sounding overly prideful.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just then, Draven tightened his grip around my wrist just slightly, drawing my attention back to him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Focus,\" he murmured, though there was a faint twitch at the corner of his lips as if he was trying very hard not to smirk.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And just when I steadied my breath, Dennis’s grin widened as he leaned forward a little.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Brother, you better be careful otherwise, Meredith might land a punch on you the way she did to me.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I allowed my lashes to flutter. I wasn’t expecting for Dennis to make that revelation as I had never intended to drag his pride through the mud, but here he was, talking about it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Draven’s head turned sharply, his expression registering surprise. \"What?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dennis stopped chuckling, his grin faltering as he looked between the two of us. \"Wait a minute... didn’t she tell you?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Draven’s gaze slid back to me, his dark brows lifting in curiosity. \"No. I’m hearing this for the first time. From your lips.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My lips curved into a victorious smile, and I couldn’t help the little laugh that slipped free. \"Thank you, Dennis, for speaking too soon.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dennis groaned and rubbed the back of his neck. \"Great. I thought you already told him about our last training session. If I had known you hadn’t bragged about your little victory, I wouldn’t have exposed it for you.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Draven’s expression shifted, amusement breaking across his face as he shook his head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Serves you right for having a big mouth. And I’m quite sure that was exactly what made you lose focus and let her land that punch in the first place.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dennis winced, dramatically pressing a hand to his jaw where I had struck him days ago. \"Still sore, actually. You both should show some sympathy.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I laughed outright at that. My chest swelling with pride and relief, completely flushed with Draven’s approval in his eyes and Dennis’s grumbling in my ears.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A few moments later, Draven drew my attention back to training. He tested me a bit more until he was more than satisfied with my improvements.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fortunately, Dennis knew better than to try and distract me this time around.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>---\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The three of us left the training grounds together, Dennis trailing behind with his hands shoved into his pockets.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He hummed a mocking tune under his breath until Draven shot him a look sharp enough to silence him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By the time we were approaching the entrance of the house, Dennis muttered something about needing a taste of a sizzling drink and waved lazily before disappearing inside in quick steps.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That left me and Draven walking side by side, the late evening air still cool on my skin. My body ached pleasantly from the training, but more than that, I felt content and stronger.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Draven’s voice broke the quiet. \"Our next training session will be tomorrow evening,\" he said, glancing down at me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I nodded quickly, not needing an explanation. \"Alright.\" It would actually be a favour if I won’t need to train in the mornings any longer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Draven and I walked a few more steps in silence, until he asked, casually, \"Will you come to my bedroom tonight? To sleep?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instantly, heat flooded my cheeks. The way he asked that question, and the look in his eyes, it wasn’t just about sleep, and we both knew it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My pulse stumbled, traitorous in its eagerness as it stole words from my lips.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Right then, Valmora’s reminder to make Draven mark me, pressed at the edges of my mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I drew in a steadying breath and shifted the subject. \"There’s something important we need to talk about. But it will have to wait until tomorrow night.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Draven’s brow furrowed slightly. \"Can’t you tell me about it now?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I smiled and shook my head, forcing a bit of playfulness into my tone. \"No. You will just have to be a little more patient.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He groaned like Dennis would, and dragged a hand through his hair in mock frustration. \"Fine. You are the one who taught me patience. So what’s twenty-eight more hours, hmm?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That made me laugh, soft and genuine. The sound carried lightly between us as we walked inside the house.\u003C\u002Fp>",1030,"2026-06-03T06:41:07.525Z","2026-06-03T06:41:13.870Z",1,"novelbin.me","f4d455ac1d08cd97463194a40ec174a11631fc43f30743642aad77a29d744e7c","the-lunar-curse-a-second-chance-with-alpha-drave-chapter-79","the-lunar-curse-a-second-chance-with-alpha-drave-chapter-78",685,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-lunar-curse-a-second-chance-with-alpha-drave-cover.jpg"]