[{"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-429":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},923851,1212,"Chapter 429: Draven Won’t Let Me Sleep","the-lunar-curse-a-second-chance-with-alpha-drave-chapter-429",429,"\u003Cp>[Meredith].\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A soft warmth brushed across my cheek.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At first, I thought it was sunlight. But sunlight didn’t move like that; it didn’t breathe or chuckle quietly against my skin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I made a small sound, somewhere between a sigh and a complaint, and turned my face into the pillow. The next second, another kiss landed on the back of my neck. Then another. And another.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Draven...\" I mumbled, my voice muffled by the pillow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He chuckled lowly, the sound rippling through the morning quiet. \"Good. You’re awake.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I turned my head just enough to glare up at him with one eye open. \"You woke me up just to say that?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His lips curved, unbothered by my halfhearted scowl. \"I was beginning to wonder how long you planned to keep sleeping.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Forever,\" I muttered, closing my eyes again. \"You said I could rest.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I did.\" He brushed another kiss across my forehead. \"But I didn’t say you could ignore me completely.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before I could reply, his fingers slid to my side, tracing a path down my ribs, and then he tickled me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Draven!\" I gasped, twisting under the sheets while trying not to laugh. \"Stop—!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He only grinned, clearly amused by my attempt to sound serious while giggling uncontrollably. \"Say you’re awake, then.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I’m awake! I’m awake!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He stilled, leaning above me with that smug, wolfish grin that made my pulse flutter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Good,\" he said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I lay there catching my breath, strands of hair clinging to my face. He reached out, brushing them away gently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His hand lingered, thumb tracing the corner of my mouth, and for a moment, everything felt still with no diplomatic air around us.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You look peaceful,\" he murmured. \"It feels strange seeing you this way today.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Strange?\" I asked softly, raising a brow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Peaceful,\" he repeated, his voice dropping to that deep, velvety tone that always found its way beneath my defences. \"You’ve been carrying too much lately.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I didn’t know what to say to that. So I simply reached up, resting my hand over his. \"Not anymore.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, he bent his head, his lips brushing mine—slow, teasing, the kind of kiss that pulled me fully awake.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I kissed him back as my hand slid to his shoulder, feeling the warmth of his skin beneath my fingers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When he finally pulled back, he rested his forehead against mine, smiling faintly. \"I could get used to this.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"To what?\" I asked, breathless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Waking you up every morning.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I laughed softly. \"Then I will have to learn how to sleep with one eye open.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He chuckled, the sound low and rich, before shifting to lie beside me again. His arm slid around my waist, pulling me against him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I let my head rest on his chest, listening to the steady beat of his heart, a rhythm that, no matter how chaotic the world became, always grounded me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For a long while, we didn’t speak. The morning light crept through the curtains, wrapping the room in soft gold. His hand moved idly along my back, tracing shapes I couldn’t name.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Finally, he murmured, \"You are quiet.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I’m thinking,\" I said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"About what?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Well, I don’t have anything to say.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As soon as that statement left my lips, he pressed a kiss to my hair, and for a heartbeat, the world felt still again, but then the shift came.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His lips trailed lower, from my temple to the line of my jaw, lingering until my breath caught.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His hand, which had been idly tracing my back, began to explore with a firmer intent, knowing exactly where to touch, and where to make me forget every reason I had to move.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Draven...\" I whispered, a half-warning, half-plea.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He only hummed against my skin, the sound vibrating through me as his mouth found the curve of my neck.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My pulse stuttered when his fingers slipped beneath the edge of my robe, parting it just enough for his touch to skim the warmth of my skin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The air thickened between us, the scent of vanilla and sandalwood blurring into something heavier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When his hand found the knot of the sash, I caught his wrist immediately. \"Bad timing,\" I managed, though my voice was barely steady.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He stilled, then lifted his head slightly, his breath warm against my cheek. \"How?\" he murmured, his tone teasing but low.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It’s almost time for breakfast,\" I said, though it came out softer than I intended. \"We need to shower and get ready.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For a second, he only looked at me—eyes dark, the ghost of a smirk tugging at his mouth, and then he sighed, a deep groan that rumbled from his chest as he rolled onto his back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Go ahead and shower first,\" he muttered, running a hand through his hair. \"Because if I step into that shower with you, you wouldn’t leave it for an hour.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I smiled, leaning closer until my lips brushed his cheek. \"Then it’s best you don’t.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He turned his head toward me just enough that his breath grazed my lips again. \"Go, before I change my mind.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I quickly slipped off the bed, tightening the sash of my robe and trying not to let my amusement show too much.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His gaze followed me as I crossed the room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Don’t stare,\" I said over my shoulder, unable to resist teasing him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He chuckled lowly. \"You make that impossible.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sound of his voice followed me all the way to the bathroom door.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When I closed it behind me, I could still feel the weight of his gaze, warm and heavy, lingering on my skin like the echo of his touch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>---\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Steam still clung to my skin when I stepped out of the bathroom, trailing the faint scent of vanilla-scented soap.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The dressing room was bathed in soft daylight, the curtains half-drawn. I opened the wardrobe and ran my fingers over the neat row of fabrics, finally settling on a printed, knee-length black skirt and a silver silk sleeveless top.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The outfit felt light, simple—exactly what I needed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After dressing and tucking in the blouse, I moved to the vanity table and sat before the mirror.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For a moment, I simply studied my reflection.\u003C\u002Fp>",1032,"2026-06-03T06:41:07.525Z","2026-06-03T06:41:13.871Z",1,"novelbin.me","829b4e92508997906c45ae83c6f979f29197482f3b1f53840f09e40997cdbca7","the-lunar-curse-a-second-chance-with-alpha-drave-chapter-430","the-lunar-curse-a-second-chance-with-alpha-drave-chapter-428",685,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-lunar-curse-a-second-chance-with-alpha-drave-cover.jpg"]