Claiming His Luna

Lucian’s POV

“It is done,” Emilia declared calmly, her voice tinged with a sense of finality.

An eye for an eye, you break into my company, I’ll burn yours.

“And reduced to ashes,” she added, a hint of satisfaction in her tone.

“Excellent. Proceed with the second phase. Let him face the consequences,” I commanded. The call was swiftly terminated after my instruction.

Setting the phone aside, I had always sensed a shadow of darkness in Emilia. It first revealed itself when she fought relentlessly for her daughter’s life. She was no mere warrior; she embodied a mother’s fierce fury, making her even more dangerous.

Remus’s vast empire spanned the globe, but the ruin of his main company dealt a significant blow, requiring considerable time to recover.

However, the debt was far from settled; in fact, we had merely scratched the surface.

“Sire,” Frank entered my study, wearing a concerned expression.

“Miss Cercei wishes to see you,” he informed me, appearing uneasy.

“Why?” I furrowed my brow, immediately rising to my feet and going to her room. What vexation had occurred to her now?

****

“Ah, there you are,” she said as I entered, her arms folded in a show of frustration.

“What do you need?” I inquired.

“Why have you imprisoned me here?” She impatiently and irritably demanded.

“Because you are a prisoner,” I hesitated before answering.

“Even prisons allow their captives a few hours of leisure. I have been detained here for two whole days!” Her retort was sharp.

“Very well!” Frank’s disapproval emanated from behind me, his gaze burning into my back.

“She might encounter Vienna,” he whispered.

“You may have 15 minutes in the garden,” I acquiesced.

“Am I to be treated like a dog?” Her jaw clenched in indignation at my offer. Technically, I had subjected her to such treatment by caging her in this room.

Sighing, I conceded defeat.

“Fine, what is it you wish to do?” I checked my watch, aware of an impending meeting in 15 minutes.

“Something that does not concern you,” she replied with a heavy dose of sass. Frank struggled to suppress his laughter, and I shot him a glare. There was nothing remotely amusing about the situation, and yet he dared to laugh!

“You are in my house,” I said flatly, making it clear that everything she did, whether in my presence or not, did concern me.

“And?” Her eyebrows arched challengingly.

“Unlock her door, but she is never to set foot outside my estate again,” I announced with authority and then left.

“Fuck you!” she shouted as I exited.

“She has become quite spirited,” Frank remarked from behind. Indeed, I recalled her as a gentle and innocent soul, but now she was fierce and possessed a sharp tongue. I wondered where she had learned such traits.

“You do realise that Vienna is just down the hall. If she sees her, she’ll spill everything,” Frank warned.

Vienna stubbornly refuses to leave, even though I’ve tried to intimidate her with threats. She’s right; Cercei remains oblivious to her true heritage, believing her mother’s husband to be her real father.

She knows her mother suffered abuse, but she remains unaware of the outcome of that torment-a child, Cercei herself.

I understand that revealing the truth would shatter her as if she isn’t already broken enough. It would crush her to learn that she’s been deceived her entire life, and I can’t say I blame her for resenting it.

Yet, a part of me yearns to free her from this trap of lies. She deserves to grow up knowing the truth. However, it’s not my place to interfere. Her mother shielded her from the truth, and I must respect that decision.

“Do not let her see Vienna,” I commanded.

She will learn what she needs to know when the time is right.

Or am I just using that as an excuse to avoid her hatred, even though she already despises me? I don’t wish to add more fuel to the fire.

****

“The Shadow Pack and the MoonStone Pack have officially united their forces,” I informed Uncle John, who calmly sipped on his drink.

I clenched my jaw. Is this your way of catching my attention, Remus?

“The Shadow Pack?” Uncle John inquired.

“His late wife’s original pack,” replied Uncle Edward.

“That shouldn’t be a problem,” I stated, shifting in my seat. Both my uncles turned their gazes to me. Since my mother’s death, my uncles have been preparing and training for this war. They thirst for justice and revenge even more than I do.

“What do you mean?” asked Uncle John.

“He murdered his wife,” I declared.

“And how do you know this?” It was Uncle Edward who posed the question.

“I gained the trust of his head servant and traded her freedom for information,” I stated nonchalantly.

“And you’re certain?” Uncle John poured himself another drink.

“She could be lying,” he suggested. I glanced at him.

“Why would she lie about that?” I pondered, keeping my eyes on him.

“Anger? Hatred? The desire for revenge?” He shrugged. My attention then shifted to my other uncle, who glanced at his brother before looking back at me.Content property of NôvelDra/ma.Org.

It’s a reasonable doubt, and I understand their scepticism.

“Do you have any evidence, Lucian?” Uncle Edward asked me. I maintained a stoic expression.

“Only the word of a witness,” I replied, causing Uncle John to chuckle at my response.

“Let me guess, the head servant again,” he taunted, his tone irritating me.

“Yes,” I replied through clenched teeth.

“Words alone won’t suffice, Lucian. Who’s to say the Shadow Pack will believe you? They might view your claims as mere lies to thwart their alliance,” Uncle Edward stated, his expression grave while Uncle John focused on concocting his drinks.

I had to admit, I hadn’t thoroughly considered that possibility. I was convinced that Madàm Cece was telling the truth; after all, I had extracted her words through relentless questioning. However, Uncle Edward’s sly mockery began grating on my nerves, though I begrudgingly acknowledged his point. Sentiments alone wouldn’t suffice as evidence.

“What precisely did this head servant reveal?” he inquired.

“She was the one who provided Remus with the poison after his wife gave birth. Remus exploited that moment of his late wife’s childbirth to conceal the murder he committed,” I explained plainly.

“So she was a conspirator,” Uncle John questioned.

“A criminal is unlikely to confess to her crimes,” he probed further. Madàm Cece might have been shaken, but I believed in her testimony, not foolishly.

“Whether she did or not, we lack proof. It won’t be enough,” Uncle Edward diffused the building tension.

“He can form alliances all he wants, but he can never match the might of our combined power.” The entirety of the North was under my command, with Uncle John’s pack at my side and Uncle Edward’s connections bolstering our forces. I had highly skilled and lethal warriors and advanced machinery, and I held captive the woman Remus loved and his daughter-or rather, daughters. The odds seemed to favour my motivation.

“It’s too early to declare victory, Lucian,” Uncle Edward cautioned. Victory arrives precisely when it’s meant to, Uncle.

“I possess everything he cherishes,” I asserted.

“That’s precisely the issue,” Uncle John set down his cup, fixing his gaze on me.

“He knows your hand, but you know nothing about his,” he pointed out, and I looked at him intently.

“Isn’t it peculiar? Remus is a brilliant man, yet he allows you to hold the upper hand,” Uncle John queried.

Suddenly, I fell silent.

“He’s plotting something behind your back,” Uncle Edward added, his eyes locked on me.

“That’s the way it goes,” I stated the obvious. Of course, he wouldn’t reveal his plans and strategies.

“You know what I mean, Lucian,” Uncle John retorted to my sarcasm. I took a deep breath.

“Whatever he’s up to, it won’t succeed,” I assert stubbornly.