Claiming His Luna

Frank’s POV

“Is there still no sign of her?” Lord Lucian inquired with evident impatience. I remained silent, my stare cast downward.

I could sense his escalating anger and growing frustration with each passing day. He seethed with a thirst for revenge, fuelled by his righteous resentment. And it was my fault that the ambush had occurred; I blamed myself entirely. In my mind, it should have been me lying lifeless instead. I had pledged to protect them, just as my father had done before me.

Our dedication to the Red spanned countless generations, but I, the latest in our lineage, had failed in my duty.

At the time of the incident, we had men assigned to secure the company. However, most were absent, with half stationed on Dinan, while the others roamed the world in pursuit of Miss Cercei and her mother. Our forces were significantly outnumbered, and I found myself entangled in a fierce battle against the MoonStone wolves, oblivious to the fact that Madam had been taken.

Lucian wearily rubbed the bridge of his nose, shifting between plotting his revenge and drowning in a sea of paperwork. Never before had I witnessed him in such a state.

“We have her mother; I’m certain she won’t simply abandon her. Miss Cercei will appear soon,” I asserted with conviction. While I might not possess an intimate knowledge of Miss Cercei, I had personally witnessed the depth of her love for her mother in the grand mansion.

“I don’t wish to be disturbed with another report unless it pertains to her location,” Alpha Lucian retorted dismissively. I nodded in understanding and left him to his privacy inside his office.

“Is he in a foul mood?” came a voice just as I gently closed the door.

It was Maria who stood before me, holding a tray laden with food. Surprise flickered across my face as I intercepted the tray from her grasp, swiftly passing it to one of our men to take away.

“What are you doing? You’re not a servant,” I scolded her, my frustration evident.Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g

Maria, however, remained unaffected and nonchalantly shrugged her shoulders, locking eyes with me. “It’s no biggie,” she replied casually.

“We didn’t rescue you from that mansion to become a slave here. You’re a free woman now,” I said, my voice tinged with anger.

Lord Lucian had dispatched me on a mission to capture Madam Cecè from the Crescent’s mansion. As the Head Servant, she held valuable information about Lord Remus, and we intended to use her knowledge to our advantage. Maria had inadvertently witnessed our actions that night, so I decided to bring her along, not as a prisoner, but to spare her from the horrors of that place.

“Why are you still hanging around, by the way?” I inquired, my tone remaining harsh.

Maria let out a mockingly exaggerated sigh, playfully clutching her chest. Her sharp, womanly features contrasted with her naughty and somewhat vexing personality. At first glance, one might mistake her for a serious woman, but that illusion would quickly shatter once she began speaking.

“I know you’d miss having me around,” she teased, winking at me. I gave her a flat expression, causing her to pout her crimson lips.

“Loosen up, dude,” she suggested, lightly tapping my shoulders. I merely glanced at her hand.

“Don’t be as stern and grumpy as your boss,” she quipped, bursting into laughter before departing. As she left, she even playfully pushed me.

Maria exuded a zest for life that was infectious. Despite having endured abuse and enslavement, she managed to retain her witty, playful demeanour.

We had crossed paths in the mansion when Lord Lucian mistakenly believed Miss Vienna to be his mate. Maria had been the one to show me around, and I couldn’t help but admire her spirit, despite finding her occasionally exasperating.

She had the rare ability to make me laugh, a feat not easily achieved. In her presence, emotions surfaced on my otherwise stoic countenance; she made me feel things, a brightness amidst this sad world.

I couldn’t understand why she still bothered to talk to me. After Lord Lucian broke off ties with the Crescents, I had bluntly informed her that I had no connection to her. Our time together in the mansion had been brief, and though something special had developed between us, it hadn’t yet deepened, at least not to my knowledge.

I stopped myself, understanding that it was useless, forbidden for us to be together. Our duties lay in opposite directions, and my dangerous life was no place for her. Protecting the Red consumed my time and energy, leaving little room for personal entanglements.

She deserved someone wholly devoted to her, a man unburdened by sworn duties, a guardian who could protect her every moment. Regrettably, I could not be that man.

****

“Send word to all our men across the globe. Fucking search more diligently!” I shouted at my trusted leader, releasing my grip on his collar with clenched teeth. He nodded fearfully, hastening to leave my sight.

A week had passed since we acquired her mother, yet there was still no sign of Miss Cercei. I hoped she would appear, begging for her mother’s safety, though our intentions were never to harm her.

Dealing with Lord Lucian had been an ongoing headache for the past three months; he suddenly became a pain in the ass, and worse, he became irritable lately.

“You’ve been standing there for too long, can I fetch you some water?” My heart sank as I witnessed Maria asking one of our guards if he desired anything. What was she doing? Had she mistaken this place for a restaurant?

The guard paid no attention to her, maintaining a stoic posture. Internally, I gritted my teeth, hoping he wouldn’t dare to converse further with her.

“Hello?” She waved her hand before the man, trying to be endearing.

“What the hell are you doing?” I grabbed her arm, pulling her away from the guard’s vicinity. Signaling him dismissively, he saluted and left.

“I was just concerned if he might be tired or thirsty,” she responded, seemingly oblivious to her effect on other men. I didn’t want them to misinterpret her kindness.

“Stop distracting them from their duties,” I said, my face darkening. I looked into her enchanting eyes that radiated innocence.

“What is your problem?!” She lashed out, breaking free from my grasp.

“You left me in that wretched mansion, then suddenly kidnapped me, and now I’m here, yet you’re acting all moody and dictating what I can or cannot do. Screw you, fucking….”

Before she could finish her words, I pulled her closer and kissed her deeply and passionately. My lips explored every corner of her mouth, savouring her taste like a prized delicacy.

Gradually, I felt her tense body relax, and she surrendered to the fervent embrace, reciprocating with equal passion.

“You, crazy woman,” I whispered between our entangled lips.