The Lunar Curse: A Second Chance With Alpha Draven novel Chapter 342

Chapter 342: Meredith’s Calm vs Mabel’s Fire

Draven.

The clink of cutlery and the faint aroma of fresh bread filled the dining hall.

Meredith sat beside me, her cheeks still faintly flushed from the run, though she carried herself with the same poise as ever.

Xamira was already halfway through her boiled egg, humming under her breath as though the world beyond these walls didn’t exist.

I set my coffee cup down and looked towards one of the servants standing discreetly by the side. "Turn on the television and tune it to the Duskmor LIVE morning news."

The servant bowed and moved quickly, pressing the remote. The screen flickered to life, its glow casting pale light across the table.

A female news presenter appeared, her voice smooth, professional, and detached.

"Good morning. We begin today with breaking news. Overnight, there was a sudden bombing and destruction in the Eastern Woods. Witnesses reported loud explosions, fires visible even from the city’s outskirts."

The screen shifted as the footage rolled—shaky handheld clips of the forest still smouldering, trees blackened and split, flames clawing at the dawn.

The camera moved across ash-covered ground, smoke curling like ghosts into the sky.

Then I caught Meredith’s eyes flicker toward me, and her lips were pressed into a thin line.

The presenter continued. "Authorities have reason to believe that the Eastern Woods was being used as a hideout for a crime syndicate. While details remain scarce, officials are assuring citizens that there is no ongoing threat to the public."

I leaned back and tapped my fingers against the armrest of my chair.

The presenter shuffled her notes before looking straight into the camera. "Mayor Brackham addressed the situation earlier this morning. Let’s hear from the Mayor."

Just then, the screen cut to Brackham standing at a polished podium, the Duskmor seal gleaming behind him.

His suit was dark, his tie neatly knotted, his face composed with that practised authority humans seemed to admire.

"Citizens of Duskmor," his voice rang through the speakers, smooth and commanding, "last night our security forces acted swiftly to neutralize a dangerous threat hidden within the Eastern Woods."

He paused just enough to let the weight of his words sink in before continuing.

"For weeks, intelligence suggested that a criminal syndicate had been smuggling weapons into our city. Their stockpile was hidden deep in the forest—explosives, firearms, and materials capable of mass destruction. We could not risk such danger spilling into our streets, endangering our families."

The footage behind him shifted to grainy clips of the burning woods, smoke rising like a funeral pyre. His voice carried on, unwavering.

"So last night, I gave the order to strike. The operation was successful. The stockpile was destroyed. Duskmor is safer today because decisive action was taken."

Around me, the dining hall was silent save for the faint scrape of Xamira’s spoon against her bowl. And Meredith’s eyes never left the screen, her expression unreadable.

Brackham’s lip curled faintly, and I recognized the same smugness from before.

"Let it be clear: we will not tolerate threats within our borders. We will protect our people at all costs. Duskmor stands strong."

After that, he stepped back from the podium to polite applause from the audience that had been staged for the broadcast.

Then the camera panned once more across the smouldering forest before cutting back to the presenter’s composed smile.

But I had heard enough. I gestured with two fingers, and the servant bowed before switching the television off.

A smile tugged at my mouth. That was my Meredith—my Queen. She was sharper than any of them. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝐰𝚎𝕓𝐧𝚘𝘃𝗲𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝕞

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