The Lunar Curse: A Second Chance With Alpha Draven-Chapter 84: Misleading News

Meredith.

A ray of sunlight crept across the carpeted floor like fingers, warm and lazy.

Azul and Kira moved softly around the room, parting the thick curtains until the full glow of morning spilled into my chamber. I stirred beneath the blanket, blinking against the light.

"My lady," Azul said with a gentle smile, "the sun is almost up."

Kira giggled beside her. "That means it’s time to rise. You can’t miss breakfast."

I groaned softly, but allowed Azul to pull the sheets down. The morning chill nipped at my arms, and Arya was already walking in with a fresh robe, her timing impeccable as always.

They helped me out of bed and into the warm robe before escorting me to the bathing area.

A few minutes later, I sat patiently in front of my dresser as Kira brushed my hair and Azul patted a skincare product on my face.

I was enjoying the slow morning when Deidra entered, her expression unusually serious.

"My lady," she said, "you don’t need to go down for breakfast."

I withdrew my gaze from the mirror and turned directly to her. "Why?" She was already carrying the breakfast; toast, hot porridge, and boiled eggs. Steam still floated up in lazy swirls.

Cora walked up to her and lifted the tray off her hands before stepping out of the room, to set it down in the sitting area.

"Alpha Draven said no one will be eating together in the dining hall for the next three days," Deidra added.

I was startled. "What do you mean? Why?"

She shrugged. "I don’t know. That was the instruction."

"That’s strange..." I murmured, walking over and pulling out the chair. "Is this for everyone or just me?"

"It’s for everyone, my lady," Kira answered, smoothing my skirt. "I think, it’s because he is going to be busy."

My brows furrowed. Azul and Deidra were finished now, so I stood up from the stool and moved to the sitting area.

I sat and picked up a spoon. The porridge was warm, laced with cinnamon and honey. Still, the change bothered me.

"Has something happened?" I asked after a moment, chewing slowly.

"Well," Cora said, biting her lip, "we saw the alpha’s brother walking into the house this morning, and he looked like he had a bruise on his neck."

I stopped mid-bite.

Arya nodded. "Yes. I noticed it too."

"What happened to him?" I asked, already standing.

"We don’t know," Deidra admitted. "It didn’t look too bad, though."

Kira, ever the voice of calm, smiled at me reassuringly. "Don’t worry, my lady. I’m sure, he has already healed. He is very strong."

"I hope so..." I was still unsettled no matter how calm I tried to sound.

I took another bite of the egg, but my mind was no longer on food. Something had shifted overnight.

New rules. Bruises. Closed doors.

My eyes narrowed faintly. It wasn’t a coincidence.

And with breakfast now private and Dennis hurt, I couldn’t help but wonder if my driving lesson would still hold this evening.

---

~**Draven**~

The inner house was quiet. For once, I liked it that way.

From my office window, I watched as Jeffery moved like a shadow along the eastern corridor, issuing orders quietly to the guards on duty.

The rest of the estate was under strict routine, just the way I wanted it.

The vampire’s face still lingered in my mind—those red eyes, amused and fearless, like he had been toying with us the entire time. And maybe he had.

I moved to the middle of the room where the map of Duskmoor was spread out on the table. Fresh pins marked new routes—guard rotations, blind spots, escape paths.

I had already assigned the elite hunters. They were briefed before dawn.

"We strike if one of them returns," I had told them. "Capture if you can. Kill if you must."

I wasn’t taking chances anymore.

"Alpha," Jeffery’s voice came through the door after two knocks. "The first hunter pair has left."

"Good," I said, not looking up. "Have them check the northeast slope every hour."

"Yes, Alpha." Jeffery nodded and left.

The silence in my office reminded me that it was time for Duskmoor’s morning news, so, I picked up the remote and turned on the wall-mounted TV.

Then: "Breaking news just in—"

The screen lit up with the image of a blonde anchorwoman seated behind a curved news desk. Her expression was somber, but too rehearsed to feel sincere.

"Authorities are investigating what they’ve described as a disturbing homicide just outside Duskmoor’s northeastern district. A man’s body was found this morning in a wooded area near Ridgeway, discovered by early hikers."

The footage changed.

My hand tightened around the remote.

Grainy visuals filled the screen—yellow tape. Red and blue police lights bouncing across wet leaves. A stretcher with a body bag being wheeled toward a black van.

The woman’s voice returned, colder now.

"Reports suggest the victim’s neck was snapped, and—though unconfirmed—a source at the scene mentioned the heart may have been removed."

Then came the part that made my stomach coil:

"While officials haven’t named any suspects, speculation has risen online regarding unusual forest activity in recent months, particularly around areas known to border werewolf territory. We are not saying this is connected—"

No. But you want them to think it.

"—but this follows a concerning trend, as several local men and women have been reported missing over the last six months."

I turned the television off, the silence that followed loud as thunder.

There was no mention of the three dead wolves.

No mention that those same victims were discovered the same way: heartless, necks snapped, left like forgotten meat.

No. That part was missing. And that omission wasn’t an accident.

I crossed the room and grabbed the landline from my desk. My fingers moved fast, pressing the buttons harder than needed.

The line connected after one ring.

"Good morning, Mayor Brackham."

"Alpha," came the voice on the other end. He sounded surprised.

I didn’t waste time. "Do you make a habit of letting your media spin death however they please?"

There was a slight pause before his voice came up again. "Alpha. I assume you’ve seen the news."

"Seen it?"

The mayor cleared his throat. "Look, I know the tone was... uncomfortable, but the anchor didn’t name your kind specifically." freeweɓnøvel.com

"Don’t insult my intelligence." My voice dropped. "You allowed a broadcast that plants a seed of suspicion without saying the word ’werewolf.’ That’s how mob fear begins."

"Alpha—"

"I’m not asking, Brackham," I said sharply. "You will issue a correction. Tonight."

He hesitated. "What do you mean by correction?"

I leaned over my desk, voice tight. "You will have your news outlet report that three werewolves have been found in the past month with the same injuries. That a pattern exists beyond this morning’s victim. And that we have been investigating quietly to prevent panic."

Another brief silence followed before he responded. "Is that wise, Alpha? Bringing more attention to your side?"

I clenched my jaw.

"This isn’t about sides," I growled. "This is about not getting one of my people lynched when a human decides they’ve had enough whispers."

Brackham exhaled. "Alright. I will make the call."

"You will have them rewrite the narrative," I added. "No implications. No omissions. Just the truth."

"I understand," he replied at last. "It will air tonight. You have my word."

I dropped the line without a goodbye and stood still for a beat.

It turned out that the vampire my brother and I encountered in the woods yesterday killed a human and took his heart this time around.

But now the humans were looking at us.

And if this war started under a false flag... they would never survive the truth when it finally bared its teeth.