[{"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-74":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},923971,1212,"Chapter 74: Running to Draven","the-lunar-curse-a-second-chance-with-alpha-drave-chapter-74",74,"\u003Cp>Meredith.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Something cracked inside me the moment the door closed shut.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I could still feel Wanda’s voice slithering through my mind—her smugness, her taunts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My fists clenched at my sides.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My maidservants hadn’t done anything wrong. And the look in their eyes—fear, helplessness reminded me too much of self while I was still in Stormveil.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>None of them deserved to be mistreated by anyone, yet Wanda took them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No! I won’t let my innocent helps be punished. And I also won’t let Wanda get any satisfaction from it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I can’t stop Wanda, but surely, there was only one person could call her to order.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Draven.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The thought tasted bitter in my mouth. After everything, he was the one I had to run to for help.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But I didn’t have a choice. If I stayed silent, my maids would suffer. I wouldn’t let that happen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I swallowed my pride, and with it, every insult, every sting of shame from yesterday. My feet moved before my mind could catch up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Out the door. Down the corridor. Past the tall windows streaked with early light.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A passing servant bowed slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Where’s the Alpha?\" I asked, trying to sound composed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"In his home office, my lady,\" she replied.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I nodded stiffly. I remembered the way. The last time I had been there, I had stormed out like I would never return.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, I was knocking on that same door—softly, hesitantly. My heartbeat pounded in my ears.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I almost turned to walk away when I didn’t get an immediate response.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, Draven’s muffled voice called from inside, \"Come in.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My breath caught. I opened the door and walked in.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Draven looked up from behind his desk, looking surprised to see me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Our eyes locked. I stepped in slowly, shutting the door behind me with a quiet click. His gaze followed me with the same silent weight that always seemed to strip away my defences.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>’Stay calm, Meredith,’ I told myself. ’Be confident. This is for them, not you.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I reached his desk and stood tall, refusing to cower as he sat there and watched, waiting for me to break the silence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I have a complaint,\" I said, my voice steady. \"And I need your help.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He didn’t interrupt.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Wanda entered my quarters a few minutes ago,\" I continued. \"She brought three warriors with her and took my maidservants away to be punished.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Draven silence at this point, was starting to get on my nerves. I didn’t have the time for that\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was he... processing? Or was this silence a confession? Had he sent Wanda?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The idea made my stomach twist, so I decided to try one more time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I know I left the estate yesterday without informing anyone,\" I said, forcing myself to keep going. \"But my maids are innocent. If someone must be punished... punish me instead.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Draven reached for his phone on the desk.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I watched, unsure of what he would do next.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then he dialled a number. When the line connected, his voice was calm but clipped.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Wanda took Meredith’s maids to be punished some minutes ago. Call it off and send Wanda in. I’m waiting in my office.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He ended the call and set the phone down. Then finally looked at me. \"Sit.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I pulled out the chair slowly and obeyed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Draven said nothing more. He returned to his laptop, reading, as if I hadn’t just walked in begging for mercy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A few minutes later, three soft knocks landed on the door.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was Wanda. She stepped in when Draven gave the permission. But as soon as she saw me, her gaze fell.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I bet she didn’t think I would be reporting how petty tyrant she was to Draven.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You sent for me,\" she said to Draven, ignoring me now as she stepped forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Draven’s tone dropped, colder than usual. \"Who gave you the right to punish Meredith’s servants?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wanda blinked, taken aback. \"You did, Draven—\" She corrected herself quickly, \"Alpha, I mean. You put me in charge of your estate’s management. The servants are under me.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His eyes sharpened. \"You don’t hold any leadership position here or in my pack. You are my friend, not any ranking officer.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wanda looked confused—like she couldn’t comprehend how quickly the tide had turned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Only I or Beta Jeffery give punishments,\" Draven continued. \"If you must correct a servant, use your words. Is that clear?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wanda swallowed. \"Yes, Alpha.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You may leave.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wanda gave me a glare as sharp as glass. Then turned and walked out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I exhaled slowly, my muscles beginning to unwind. I was both happy and satisfied with the turn of events. Wanda was scolded and my maids will be released.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Your maids will return to you,\" Draven said, eyes still on his screen. \"You may leave as well.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I didn’t leave. Instead, I stayed seated, watching him. Something inside me hesitated—conflicted, grateful, unsure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was still unbelievable that Draven set aside our differences and our altercations earlier and exerted justice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...Thank you,\" I said at last.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Draven didn’t answer immediately. Then, after a long pause, he asked, \"What did you learn from this?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I blinked. \"Excuse me?\" I didn’t understand that question.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He should be responding to my appreciation instead of throwing off a random question.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What did you learn?\" He repeated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I frowned, seeing he was serious. \"That you can do the right thing if you want.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He exhaled. A tired, heavy sound. \"That’s all?\" he asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I tilted my head, confused. \"Is there more?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Did you notice how Wanda acted? Even though she was angry, she still respected my authority.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I stared at him, now understanding where this was going.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I’m not like the others,\" I said to his face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He nodded slowly. \"Of course not. You are possessed. And that’s why I have decided to handle you differently.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His words landed like ice on my skin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Possessed?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I looked away, whatever warmth I had felt earlier, evaporated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So this was his version of ’different’? Cold scolding for Wanda, and something worse than veiled mockery for me?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Draven just implied that he was now going to treat me worse than before because I am not submissive like Wanda.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I should go,\" I said quietly, rising from the chair. I didn’t want to spend another moment with him, before hell breaks loose.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Where are you going?\" he asked, voice steady. \"Without receiving your punishment?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I stopped mid-step. \"...What?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Earlier, you said your servants were innocent and that you should be punished instead.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I turned back, heart thudding. I had said that. In the heat of desperation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And he had stored those words away like a trap.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I shut my eyes for a moment, looking for a way out of this before a knock broke the moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jeffery walked in, nodding politely to me before addressing Draven. \"Alpha, breakfast is ready. Also, Lady Meredith’s maids have been escorted back to her quarters.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instantly, my eyes lit up. I no longer cared for any thing. I just wanted to run, to go see them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Draven turned to me. \"I will send for you once I’ve decided what your punishment will be.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Alright.\" I didn’t care about that. I slipped past Jeffery and out the door.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My steps were light, heart racing with relief. But even as I smiled, I knew that I had just walked right into Draven’s hands.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And now, I was at his mercy.\u003C\u002Fp>",1235,"2026-06-03T06:41:07.524Z","2026-06-03T06:41:13.870Z",1,"novelbin.me","124756b53fc2f3060c08c0aed6cb351b79c48fd813e15d809cb7d62bf9103889","the-lunar-curse-a-second-chance-with-alpha-drave-chapter-276","the-lunar-curse-a-second-chance-with-alpha-drave-chapter-73",685,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-lunar-curse-a-second-chance-with-alpha-drave-cover.jpg"]