Chapter 325: I Won’t Let Draven Down
Meredith.
As Draven and I walked back towards the house together, the air was too quiet, which meant something was turning in his mind.
And sure enough, he turned his head to me.
"There was an attack two days ago," he said, his voice even but heavy. "The vampires attacked one of Duskmoor’s government facilities."
I stopped in my tracks, staring at him. "Vampires? In the city?"
He gave a short nod to confirm my doubts.
A cold chill ran down my spine. The thought of those creatures slipping past all the security and striking in the middle of human territory made my stomach twist.
"And Brackham? What did he do?" I asked as we resumed our steps.
"He covered it up," Draven answered. His tone sharpened, and I could feel his distaste through the bond.
"He made sure there were no media reports and public warnings about the attack. The survivors were silenced, and it’s obvious that he paid their families off; otherwise, there would have been a protest by now. Brackham would rather bury the truth than admit weakness."
My fists clenched at my sides. "So, he preferred to let his people carry on living their lives in ignorance, like prey waiting openly?"
Draven’s lips curled into a humourless smirk. "That’s Brackham. He is selfish. Always playing god with other people’s lives."
The anger in my chest burned hotter. Then another thought hit me, and I glanced at him. "Was this what you, Dennis, and Jeffery were discussing outside the ice cream shop yesterday?"
He shook his head. "No. That was something else—related, but not the same. They were making a report."
Then I felt his thumb absently stroking over my knuckles. He wasn’t the type to hesitate with words, but I could feel him turning something over in his head, choosing the right way to tell me.
I glanced at him sharply. "A report about what?"
"About Brackham’s supply routes," Draven said plainly. "Ammunition, guns, etc. Where they will be and when."
My brows pinched. "And what are you planning to do with that?"
His steady and dark gaze shifted down to me, full of purpose. "Intercept them and take the weapons. Then use those same weapons against the vampires, but in a way that makes it look like the humans struck first."
I stopped dead in my tracks once again, my eyes still on him. "You want the vampires to think Brackham attacked them?"
"That is exactly what I want," he said, stopping as well. His voice was calm, but it cut sharply through the air. "They will retaliate harder, more violently. And Brackham won’t be able to cover it up this time."
My heart thudded uneasily. "But... won’t that put innocent people at risk? Families? Children?"
He turned toward me fully. His eyes locked on mine, unreadable but pressing.
For a moment, I felt insignificant under the weight of his stare, as if I had just asked something that revealed how inexperienced I still was in his world.
But then, I quickly cleared my throat and softened my voice. "Then tell me... what is your end goal?"
His grip on my hand tightened, just slightly. "To force Brackham to come to me. To make him ask for my help. And when that happens, I will be close enough to get what I want."
I blinked. "The secret lab."
"Yes," he said simply.
A shiver ran through me from awe. Draven was weaving strings I couldn’t even see before, and now that he had opened them to me, the picture was terrifying and brilliant all at once.
I just realized that this wasn’t just about revenge. It was all about strategy, patience, and control. And now, he wasn’t keeping me in the dark anymore.
Still reeling from the sheer scale of his plan, I saw his gaze soften just a little.
"There is something I will need from you," he said.
My chest lifted. "From me?"
He nodded. "I don’t want this operation traced back to my men. If the humans or vampires catch even the faintest wolf scent, suspicion will arise, and the plans will be ruined, so I need a way for my warriors to carry the scent of humans instead."
For a moment, I just blinked at him. Then the realization sank in, and warmth blossomed in my chest.
Draven was asking me for help, not Jeffery, not Dennis. But me.
I lifted my chin in sheer pride. "That, I can do."
His dark brows arched slightly. "You are certain?"
I nodded quickly. "I’m from the Moonstone Pack, remember? Herbs and medicines are our legacy. If you want something to mask scents, I can prepare it."
A hint of a smile tugged at the corner of his lips, and it made my heart beat faster. He believed in me.
"When will you need it?" I asked.
"In two or three days," he said. "But tell me—when will you be able to finish it?"
I thought it through, already going over herbs in my head. "Three days is fine. But I will need a lot of things—different herbs, oils, and some alcohol to bind the mixture. It’s not something I can make from what is already in your gardens."
He inclined his head once. "Make your list first, and then I will have my men fetch everything."
---
Back in my bedroom, I shut the door and leaned against it for a moment, still replaying Draven’s words. He had asked me for something so vital.
I crossed to my desk, pulled a sheet of parchment toward me, and grabbed a pen. My hand trembled at first, but then the familiar rhythm of writing steadied me.
’Camphor leaves. Burnt sage. Dried valerian root. Distilled alcohol. Lavender oil...’
The list grew longer as memories of Moonstone’s apothecaries filled my mind.
My grandmother used to tell me herbs carried spirits of their own—that if you treated them with respect, they would serve you faithfully.
I hadn’t thought of those lessons in a long time, but now they came rushing back, as if they had been waiting for this moment.
Halfway down the page, I paused as a strange warmth curled in my chest. Pride. Responsibility. Belonging.
For so long, I had been on the receiving end of protection, of pity, of scorn. And now, here I was—contributing to Draven’s vision, to something bigger than myself. He trusted me with this.
I bit my lip to hide my smile as I kept writing.
By the time the list was finished, I felt lighter, stronger, and more at peace.
Carefully folding the paper, I told myself, ’This is only the beginning. I won’t let him down.’