[{"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-486":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},924058,1212,"Chapter 486: Selfish Lying Bastard","the-lunar-curse-a-second-chance-with-alpha-drave-chapter-486",486,"\u003Cp>[Meredith].\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Draven didn’t let go of my hand as we walked down the hallway. He didn’t speak, but I could feel the sharp but controlled tension radiating from him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dennis stayed behind, probably needing time to steady himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The elevator doors slid open. Draven gestured for me to enter first, and I stepped inside. He followed, tapping the button for our floor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The instant the doors closed, the silence became suffocating.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Draven didn’t look at me at first. He stood beside me—still, rigid, his golden eyes fixed on the elevator doors. Yet I sensed his attention flickering towards me in small, sharp glances.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He could sense something was off, but I kept my gaze ahead, too tense to meet his eyes. My throat tightened as my thoughts solidly wrapped around what he was.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I crossed my arms subtly, not to protect myself from him, but because I suddenly felt cold.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And of course, Draven noticed. He turned fully toward me, his brows knitting slowly. \"Meredith.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My heart stumbled. His voice was firm and too perceptive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You are withdrawing,\" he said quietly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I stiffened, and he stepped closer, invading my space with a kind of gentle dominance that made my breath catch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His fingers brushed my wrist—barely a touch, but enough to pin me in place.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What’s wrong?\" he asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I forced my voice to stay even. \"Nothing. I’m just... tired.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Tired?\" he repeated, as if tasting the word and finding it unconvincing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He lowered his head slightly to search my eyes. \"You’re pale. And you’re not breathing properly.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That startled me, but for only a moment. I inhaled sharply because he was right. I had been breathing too shallowly without realizing it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Something happened,\" he said, narrowing his eyes. \"Something in there upset you.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I looked away, my pulse pounding. If he kept staring into my soul like that, I would crumble.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just then, the elevator chimed, and the doors slid open. I exhaled in relief, but Draven didn’t move.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He blocked my path with his arm, his gaze still anchoring mine. \"Meredith,\" he murmured, \"don’t shut me out.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My chest tightened painfully. I wanted to tell him. But how could I?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How could I say that his mother sensed something ancient in me? How could I ask him if he had vampire blood without even understanding the implications myself?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How could I say that his entire identity might be different from what he believed?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I just couldn’t, not until I spoke to Valmora, not until I understood the truth. So I forced myself to meet his eyes and whispered:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I’m really fine, Draven. Please... let’s just go.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He held my gaze for a moment longer, reading me, dissecting me, but finally stepped aside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Alright,\" he said quietly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the worry in his tone told me he didn’t believe a word. We walked in silence to our bedroom.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As soon as the door shut behind us, Draven turned to me again without wasting time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Did my mother say anything to you?\" He tried again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My breath hitched as he stepped closer. \"Did she touch you? Threaten you??\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I shook my head, and his brows furrowed deeper. \"Meredith,\" he said slowly, \"you’re hiding something from me.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I swallowed. \"I’m not.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He stared at me for several seconds, then slowly took a step forward. \"Are you sure she didn’t frighten you?\" he pressed. \"Did she tell you something strange? Something that made you uncomfortable?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He wasn’t going to stop. He was too intuitive and too perceptive, and it hurt to lie to someone who protected me so fiercely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No, Draven,\" I whispered. \"She didn’t do anything. I promise.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The lie burned in my throat. But inside, I apologized to him endlessly. ’I’m sorry.I just need time.Please understand without knowing why.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He stared at me, searching my expression, looking for cracks in my composure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then finally, he stepped back. He nodded once, though doubt still coated his eyes. \"Alright,\" he said softly. \"If you say so.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The tension in my chest loosened slightly. But then he asked one more question, \"So you don’t have anything you want to tell me?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My pulse throbbed painfully. \"Draven, I just want to rest,\" I said, lowering my gaze. \"Please. Just for a little while.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Draven went still for a moment, then nodded. \"Okay.\" His voice was quiet and controlled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Do you need anything? Water? Food? A blanket? Should I call someone to bring you something?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I shook my head. \"No. I just want to lie down for a bit.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Let me know when you’re well rested.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I will.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He lingered a moment longer, then turned and walked toward the door. But before he stepped out, he paused and looked back at me with worry so deep it pierced straight into me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then he quietly left the room, and the door clicked shut.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And the moment he was gone, my knees weakened. I sank onto the bed, my heart racing as I finally let myself confront the truth forming in my chest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I needed answers. Immediately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Valmora,\" I whispered. \"Tell me the truth. Does Draven... have vampire blood in him?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For one brief second, there was no response. But just as I was about to ask again, her voice filtered through my head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yes.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That one word hit me like a blade to the ribs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instantly, my breath left my lungs in a shaky rush. I pressed a hand to my chest, trying to breathe through the sudden tightness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Valmora immediately spoke again—calm, firm, grounding.\"Breathe, Meredith. You must calm your heart.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I...\"I swallowed, heat prickling behind my eyes.\"Why didn’t you tell me earlier?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Because you weren’t ready to hear it. Even now, you are barely holding on.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She wasn’t wrong because now, the room felt smaller, the ceiling closer, and my pulse too loud for my ears.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"He doesn’t know...\"I whispered, completely horrified.\"Draven doesn’t know what he is, right?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No. But his wolf knows.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Almost immediately, my eyes snapped wide open. \"Rhovan?\"I breathed.\"He’s been hiding this from Draven?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Valmora scoffed, her contempt sharp and unfiltered.\"That selfish, lying bastard has known from the beginning. He has always known.\"\u003C\u002Fp>",1020,"2026-06-03T06:41:07.526Z","2026-06-03T06:41:13.871Z",1,"novelbin.me","088ed3f48253d8b004571e645a904f2e2ccb272f02df4b7f11b9f1dbecc949d8","the-lunar-curse-a-second-chance-with-alpha-drave-chapter-487","the-lunar-curse-a-second-chance-with-alpha-drave-chapter-485",685,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-lunar-curse-a-second-chance-with-alpha-drave-cover.jpg"]