[{"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-455":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},924027,1212,"Chapter 455: The Woman They All Underestimated","the-lunar-curse-a-second-chance-with-alpha-drave-chapter-455",455,"\u003Cp>[Meredith].\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cora brushed my hair dry, and Arya styled it into a soft, intricate half-up knot. Kira applied light makeup: warm nude eyes, soft lips, subtle blush.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When I stood before the full mirror, they stepped aside to let me look.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I looked... Calm, composed. Like a Luna.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Perfect,\" Azul said quietly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I exhaled slowly. \"Thank you,\" I murmured, and I meant it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You are welcome, my lady.\" Azul smiled and stepped behind me to tighten the last ribbon on my dress.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In that exact moment, a familiar shift in the air made every maidservant in the room stiffen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A heartbeat later, Draven appeared in the doorway looking a bit wild, precisely as he always looked after shifting back from a run.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His black hair was damp with sweat, some of it sticking to the sides of his face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His shirt clung to his chest and back; the fabric darkened, outlining every sculpted line beneath.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His breathing was still faintly uneven—like he had run straight through the forest and into my presence without stopping.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Azul, Kira, Arya, Cora, and Deidra all bowed deeply, heads lowered as if looking directly at him after a run would be disrespectful.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Alpha,\" they whispered together.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His golden eyes didn’t even acknowledge them at first. They were fixed entirely on me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Slowly, deliberately, they travelled from my face to my neckline and then down to the fitted waist of my dress.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Heat gathered behind his gaze in such a consuming way that I had to straighten my posture to withstand it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He finally exhaled. \"You’re ready,\" he said, voice deeper than usual.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I swallowed. \"Mostly.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only then did Draven drag his gaze away long enough to give a curt nod to the girls.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They took that as their cue and immediately bowed again before slipping out of the room, quiet as shadows.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As soon as they disappeared, Draven stepped inside and closed the distance between us.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And then, he inhaled—a full, deep breath as if he needed it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You smell like strawberries and heat,\" he said under his breath. \"It’s distracting.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My cheeks warmed. \"You’re the one who went for a run knowing we have to leave soon.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His mouth curved in a wicked half-smile. \"I needed to burn off what you started last night.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My heart thumped.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then he leaned closer, brushing a thumb along my jaw.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Let me bathe,\" he murmured, lips hovering near mine. \"Unless you want me to take you back to the bed looking like this?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I stepped back instantly. \"Go. Please.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He chuckled darkly, amused—and brushed his fingers over my waist as he passed. \"I will be quick.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then he disappeared into the bathing room, the door shutting behind him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fifteen minutes later, Draven stepped into the bedroom freshly bathed, dressed in a fitted black shirt and tailored charcoal pants.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His hair was tied back neatly, not a single trace of the wildness from earlier—except in his eyes. They softened immediately when they landed on me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He extended his hand. \"Come.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I placed my hand in his, and he lifted it to his lips, kissing my knuckles before guiding me toward the door.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Let’s go have breakfast.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>---\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The hall was already busy when we arrived.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Randall sat straight at the head of the table. Dennis lounged with casual arrogance. Jeffery’s posture was polite. Oscar looked carved from stone, unreadable as always.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When Draven and I entered together, the three younger men rose to their feet as a sign of respect.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Servants rushed to pull out our chairs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I sat beside Draven, trying not to feel overly aware of the glances the servants kept stealing—quiet, subtle, but lingering.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My back straightened instinctively.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As I reached for my fork, my eyes brushed over the empty chair that should have been Xamira’s.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A familiar pang sparked—but faded almost instantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Draven would never allow anyone to push his daughter aside. If she wasn’t here, it was by his choice, not anyone else’s.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still, something about Xamira’s constant absence from every dining felt like it had everything to do with Randall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though I really couldn’t place my thoughts on it, to understand the connection, I dropped the idea halfway.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Breakfast continued in that calm, steady rhythm, with the soft clink of cutlery and low voices blending into a peaceful morning hum.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I caught Randall’s occasional stares a few times. The man seemed to have a lot on his mind to say, but for some reason, maybe because of Draven, he reserved all his comments.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After breakfast ended, Draven took my hand and led me through the hallway toward the grand entrance as servants bowed deeply.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Azul and Kira were already waiting near the doors with a line of warriors behind them, each standing at attention.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The morning sun spilt across the stone steps, illuminating the five black cars waiting in the driveway.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jeffery was already at the front, speaking quietly with one of the guards, and he acknowledged us with a respectful bow when he noticed our approach.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Draven opened the rear door of the first car and looked at me with that quiet, commanding tenderness that always made my chest flutter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"After you,\" he said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I gathered the flowing skirt of my deep forest-green gown carefully in my hands, just enough so it wouldn’t drag on the ground, and stepped gracefully into the car. The fabric settled around my legs like a pool of dark emerald silk.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Draven joined me, closing the door with a soft click as Jeffery took the front seat. Our convoy began rolling forward, the other cars falling into formation behind us.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Draven rested his hand over mine—warm, firm, and steady, his thumb brushing lazy circles against my skin. It drew a slow breath from my lips before I could stop it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I turned my head slightly toward him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His expression was calm to anyone else. But I saw the subtle tension in his jaw, the protective weight in his gaze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ahead of us, the palace loomed closer, ancient and magnificent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Today, I decided to walk into it as nothing less than Draven’s mate. His Luna. And the woman they all underestimated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I inhaled sharply.\u003C\u002Fp>",1027,"2026-06-03T06:41:07.526Z","2026-06-03T06:41:13.871Z",1,"novelbin.me","26476645e8079879d2f6f2e62898b185a682e8b7137269350fb4eb4fb254d4c4","the-lunar-curse-a-second-chance-with-alpha-drave-chapter-456","the-lunar-curse-a-second-chance-with-alpha-drave-chapter-454",685,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-lunar-curse-a-second-chance-with-alpha-drave-cover.jpg"]