The Lunar Curse: A Second Chance With Alpha Draven novel Chapter 288

Chapter 288: She Demanded the Truth

Draven.

The scrape of chairs and clatter of cutlery marked the end of breakfast. I stood only after Meredith did, watching her cross to Azul.

Her voice was low, almost a whisper, but my ears caught it.

"Bring the letter," she said.

My brows furrowed. A letter?

Azul bowed immediately and slipped from the hall. I opened my mouth to speak, to try and draw Meredith’s attention before she too could leave. But to my unexpected surprise, she turned on her own accord and walked toward me.

Then she leaned in close enough for her warm breath to fan my neck and whispered in my ear, "Can we speak privately? There is something we need to talk about."

For a heartbeat, I stilled. Meredith rarely took the lead to ask for serious conversations, at least, not directly.

That she would suddenly take the lead now surprised me. And yet, it pleased me because it was a sign she was making good progress.

"Sure," I said without hesitation, my voice quiet and steady. "We should go to my study." Then I rose to my feet and gestured toward the doors.

Since she asked with such gravity, I would not risk offending her by suggesting my chambers. No. A serious matter required a serious setting. My bedroom could wait for later, or less-weighty kind of conversation.

I led the way out, my stride even but brisk, and opened the door to my study when we arrived. I stepped aside, letting her enter first, then I closed the door firmly behind us.

The air seemed heavier already.

Crossing the room, I moved toward the sitting area and gestured toward the two-seater sofa. "Sit."

She walked there without hesitation, her poise steady, and lowered herself into place with quiet elegance.

I drifted to the small bar by the shelves and reached for a bottle—thick, creamy liquid sloshed inside. I held it up toward her. "Care for a drink?"

Her eyes briefly flickered to it before moving back to my face "No," she said simply.

She thought it had alcohol, and she wasn’t wrong, but she didn’t know the taste was far sweeter than what she imagined.

"You will like it," I said evenly.

Meredith said nothing, her silence neither agreement nor refusal, but I chose to take it as consent.

The two glasses clinked gently as I set them down and poured halfway before carrying them to her side.

Refusing to sit apart, I lowered myself beside her on the same sofa, making sure we were close enough that I could catch the faintest trace of her lavender and vanilla.

Next, I placed one glass carefully in her hand before lifting my own. Then I met her gaze directly.

"I noticed something is bothering you," I began, my tone steady but softer than usual. "Tell me, has anyone offended you?" 𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺

I sipped from my glass, but I did not take my eyes from her. Her silence stretched until finally, she drew in a deep breath and exhaled.

When her eyes met mine, I saw it there—pain, restrained but sharp.

The question landed hard, stealing the air from the room. But I didn’t rush to answer because I couldn’t bring myself to.

Now, wasn’t the time—the moment I had planned to come clean about this matter with Meredith.

My bond with her was stronger than ever now. I woke with her warmth clinging to me every morning.

I wanted more of that, more time with her laughter, her tenderness and her fire.

I wanted the chance to tell her in my own way, when I could show her how far I had come from that cold, strategic choice.

Not like this forced situation, festered by Wanda’s venom.

Meredith eyes searched mine, purple and sharp, demanding the truth. But my chest felt tight with the weight of everything unspoken.

And just then, Rhovan stirred, his voice edged with urgency. "Draven, the longer you wait, the more she thinks you never intended to tell her at all."

He was right. But that didn’t make it easier.

My fingers tightened around the glass in my hand, though I barely felt it. I thought back to those days the Elders circled around me with their daughters.

Those moments had made me choose Meredith out of strategy, to use her as a shield. That’s what she had been to me at the start.

But that was not who she was to me now.

I set my glass down slowly, meeting Meredith’s gaze. Her calmness cut deeper than anger would have.