[{"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-318":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},923690,1212,"Chapter 318: The Hunger Clawing at Me","the-lunar-curse-a-second-chance-with-alpha-drave-chapter-318",318,"\u003Cp>Meredith.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My skin tingled, overly sensitive, and when I thought of Draven, his hands on my face earlier, his mouth on mine, the way his voice dropped low when he teased me, the warmth surged so suddenly I had to clench my fists into the blanket.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Valmora’s words from the car echoed in my head. ’You will go into heat tonight.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I let out a shaky breath. \"So this is what you meant,\" I whispered to myself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t just nerves attacking me. It was hunger, curling deep inside me, demanding and growing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But it wasn’t unbearable, at least not yet. Instead, it gave me an odd sense of power—like a whisper daring me to stop holding back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I imagined sitting beside Draven at dinner and not looking away from his piercing gaze. I imagined leaning closer, speaking first, maybe even catching him off-guard for once.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The thought made me smile and blush all at once.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A knock at the door startled me, one of the maids announcing that dinner would be ready soon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I answered softly, then looked at myself through my phone’s camera. My cheeks were flushed, my eyes brighter than usual, almost glowing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I felt different—alive and restless. Ready to test myself against the man waiting downstairs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>---\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A few minutes later, I stepped out of my room once I was dressed, but the warmth in my body refused to settle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The simple dress I wore felt like it clung too much, like it was drawing attention I wasn’t used to. My pulse was quicker than normal, but I kept my chin up as I descended the stairs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Halfway down on the last staircase, the door to Draven’s study opened. He stepped out and shut it behind him. And his eyes immediately found me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For a moment, he just watched, his gaze steady and unreadable, but it made the heat in me flare higher.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You are ready,\" he said, his tone calm, but there was something else in his voice. Something heavier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I nodded, trying to ignore how flustered I felt under that gaze. \"Yes.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As I reached the final step, he approached me. His calm, self-possessed and purposeful manner unsettled me more than if he had spoken a hundred words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You look flushed,\" he observed, his hand lifting as though he meant to check my forehead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I froze instantly, my heart leaping to my throat as he lightly brushed the back of his fingers across my cheek, and the contact nearly caused my knees to weaken.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It’s nothing,\" I said hurriedly, forcing a small smile. \"Probably just from rushing to get ready.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He studied me longer than I could bear, as if he could see through the excuse. But just then, his hand dropped, lingering near my jaw before pulling away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If you say so.\" His lips curved slightly, not quite a smile, more like he had caught on to something but chose to leave it alone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I couldn’t stop myself from meeting his gaze. I didn’t look away this time no matter how restless the warmth in my chest was.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Let’s go,\" Draven finally said, offering his arm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I slipped my hand through. His strength under my palm steadied me, but also fed that heat crawling up my skin as we made our way to the dining hall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When we arrived at the hall, the doors opened, and as usual, everyone inside stood up. Chairs scraped back against the floor in unison.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Draven didn’t even pause; his presence was enough. He walked straight to the head of the dining table, and I followed him, sliding into the seat at his right after he sat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The others, Dennis, Jeffery, Gary, and Mabel, reclaimed their seats once Draven gave the slightest nod. The servants moved quickly, setting out the first course.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If it were any other day, I would focus on my plate, blending into the rhythm of the meal. But tonight was different.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Every time Draven reached for his glass or moved his hand near mine, the heat inside me seemed to spike.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I picked up my fork and forced myself to eat slowly, carefully, as though pretending everything was normal would somehow trick my body into calming down. But it didn’t work.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Every bite of food felt heavy on my tongue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The real hunger clawing at me wasn’t for the roast duck or the buttered greens—it was sitting right beside me, broad-shouldered and impossibly calm, as though he didn’t know how much his presence unsettled me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The warmth in me kept pulsing, growing stronger with every second. I shifted in my seat, trying to press my knees together discreetly, but it was useless. I could feel my cheeks flushing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Draven’s voice broke through my storm of thoughts, low and smooth. \"You are restless.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I froze, my fork hovering mid-air. \"I’m fine.\" My tone was too quick, too defensive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His dark eyes studied me. He didn’t press further, but he didn’t look away either. It was maddening—the way he could peel me open without saying a word.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I dropped my gaze, pretending to study the way the candlelight reflected on my wine glass.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dennis cracked a joke beside Xamira, whom I hadn’t paid much attention to as I usually did, breaking the moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jeffery laughed, and I think even Gary chimed in. But I barely heard them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My pulse hammered too loudly in my ears. My skin tingled as though every nerve ending was begging for Draven’s touch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, his hand brushed mine again. This time, I didn’t move away. My breath hitched, and I dared to lift my gaze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His lips quirked the faintest bit, as if he knew.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I quickly stabbed at a carrot on my plate, completely flustered. ’Pull yourself together, Meredith.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But it was already too late. Valmora stirred within me, whispering, \"He feels it. Stop pretending. Don’t hold back.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I clenched my fork tighter, heat coiling lower in my stomach. For the rest of the meal, I could barely eat, barely speak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Every part of me was restless—impatient for what was ahead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once dinner ended, I left the hall with Draven, following at his side, my steps a little too quick, eager to get away from the watchful eyes of everyone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The corridor felt cooler than the dining room, but it did nothing to soothe the warmth in my skin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the stairwell, Draven slowed his stride just enough to match mine. \"You didn’t eat much,\" he murmured.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I wasn’t very hungry,\" I admitted, though the truth was far from that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His gaze lingered on me, questioning, but he said nothing more. Instead, he let his hand brush against mine again—soft, deliberate. My heart thudded hard in response.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the third floor, I paused outside my door, suddenly unsure if I wanted to step inside or follow Draven to his.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But then, I found myself whispering, \"Good night, Draven.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Good night.\" Draven’s voice was steady, but the way his eyes darkened told me he wasn’t blind to the tension simmering between us.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I slipped into my chamber and shut the door behind me, pressing my back against it for a moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My hands trembled, my breath uneven as Valmora’s voice echoed softly within me, \"Meredith, what are you—.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But I crossed to the bed, my pulse unsteady, already knowing I wouldn’t be able to sleep.\u003C\u002Fp>",1224,"2026-06-03T06:41:07.525Z","2026-06-03T06:41:13.871Z",1,"novelbin.me","1435d39d5d27b0f6f9c92838c27a0f3ab889838595bdf165c9ad94b31431297e","the-lunar-curse-a-second-chance-with-alpha-drave-chapter-319","the-lunar-curse-a-second-chance-with-alpha-drave-chapter-317",685,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-lunar-curse-a-second-chance-with-alpha-drave-cover.jpg"]