The Lunar Curse: A Second Chance With Alpha Draven novel Chapter 414

Chapter 414: The First Time vs The Second Time

[Meredith]

Draven’s hand slid into mine again, firm and certain. The weight of his touch alone steadied me.

The courtyard behind us was still echoing with the sounds of dispersing soldiers, but here—at the steps of the Oatrun estate—everything seemed to fall into silence.

The simple gesture shouldn’t have meant so much, but it did.

In front of the Council, before his father, before all those who still saw me as the wolfless Luna who should never have stood beside him, Draven chose to take my hand.

A quiet warmth unfurled in my chest.

I had seen the glance his father gave me earlier—cold, indifferent, the sort of look reserved for someone tolerated but never welcomed.

That look wasn’t new. I had grown used to stares like that long before Draven married me. But standing here, in front of the man who raised the Alpha I now loved... the weight of it pressed differently.

Just as the sting began to creep into my thoughts, I heard Draven’s voice in my mind—steady, calm, unmistakably his.

"Don’t pay attention to anyone’s stares or opinion of you. Their stares hold no power over you as long as you have me."

I blinked, startled by the unexpected link, and turned my gaze toward him. He didn’t look at me directly. His eyes were fixed ahead, but the faintest hint of reassurance brushed through our bond.

A smile almost broke free before I caught myself and swallowed it back. Here was the right place to show such emotion.

We walked deeper into the house, the marble floors reflecting the faint morning light. Every step seemed to echo memories.

It felt strange being here again. The first time I strolled these halls, I was still an outsider—barely tolerated, too aware of every whisper that followed me.

I remembered Draven’s indifference, the cold stares of servants, the measured silence that hung in every corridor, and how I had felt small despite trying to stand tall.

This time was different. The walls hadn’t changed, but I had.

My steps felt steadier now, my spine straight even under the weight of the council’s gazes.

I had fought, bled, and led people through fire beside Draven. These people didn’t know it yet, but I did.

Just as that thought settled, Randall Oatrun stopped walking. His long coat shifted faintly as he turned to face us.

"Draven," he said, voice even, though the authority in it filled the corridor. "I have arranged a small banquet for the evening—to mark your return. A few of the Alphas, the Elders and their families will be in attendance. Until then, take your time to rest. Freshen up. Have breakfast."

Draven inclined his head, expression unreadable. "Thank you, Father."

Randall gave a brief nod, his gaze flicking past me only once before he turned and strode down another hall, the Elders following in silence.

When they were gone, Draven turned to me again. The tension in his shoulders eased slightly.

"Let’s go," he said softly.

The hall stretched long and bright ahead of us, the marble floors gleaming beneath the morning light.

We passed a few servants on the way—most of them faces I half remembered. They froze the moment they saw us.

"Alpha," they greeted first, bowing deeply. "Luna."

The second word came a heartbeat later, softer but still respectful. Their eyes flicked briefly to our joined hands before dropping again.

I caught the faint tremor in one of the maids’ voices. The surprise in the other’s silence. They didn’t expect to see this—Draven walking through the halls, holding my hand.

When we moved past them, I could still hear the whispers.

"Let’s see how long this lasts," one thought drifted faintly.

"If the Alpha truly accepts her this time, then maybe she is more than we thought."

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify