Claiming His Luna

Cercei’s POV

“What’s the plan?” inquired Aunt Melanie with a determined glint in her eyes.

Upon my heartfelt conversation with Vincent, I was profoundly aware that wallowing in despair and resenting the world would benefit me to nothing. It was time to break free from the self-imposed confinement of my room.

As I took that step out into the world, Aunt Melanie enfolded me in a warm embrace, her emotions overflowing into tears of relief and gratitude towards Vincent to the point where it bordered on being slightly awkward.

“Let’s retrieve my Mom,” I declared with relentless will.

“That’s more of a wish than a concrete plan, my dear,” Aunt Melanie’s upper lip curled up in a wry smile.

Currently situated inside Vincent’s study, the three of us-my Aunt, myself, and Vincent, accompanied by a few of his trusted men, decided to keep our intentions concealed from the elders, thus avoiding any potential discussion about the arranged marriage.

“Let’s begin with my Mom’s whereabouts. Where are they holding my mother captive?” I inquired with urgency.

“In the North,” Aunt Melanie responded, albeit unhelpfully.

“Bloody hell, can you be more specific?” I vented my frustration.

“Do you curse now? My influence on you is indeed deep,” Aunt Melanie remarked with pride, patting her chest and gazing at me adoringly. I shook my head, amused by her antics.

Vincent interjected, “I have an idea of their whereabouts,” directing our attention to a specific point on the map.

“Red’s headquarters,” he pointed out.

“How do you know this?” I asked inquisitively.

“I have been there before,” Vincent replied, still focusing on the map.

“For what reason?” I wanted to probe further, curious about it.

“I used to run a business with their leader.” He added, noticing our lingering gazes, prompting me to refrain from prying, especially considering the sensitive nature of their dealings, given their alpha statuses.Nôvel(D)rama.Org's content.

My mind now focused on practical matters, I asked, “How can we reach there without getting caught?”

“My dear, that’s similar to wishing to witness a dinosaur in the 21st century,” Aunt Melanie playfully quipped, attempting to lighten the mood. Vincent shot her a glance.

“She’s right. The location is heavily guarded and boasts advanced security measures. Thousands of men are patrolling the area, and the entire North is under Lucian’s control,” Vincent revealed, momentarily shattering my hopes.

“Then what?” I asked, my hope dwindling to almost nothing. Lucian held an iron grip on the northern region, and even if we could somehow miraculously breach his high-tech headquarters and escape unnoticed, leaving the North without him knowing seemed like an impossible feat. His power was just too overwhelming to outsmart.

“Knock through their front door,” Vincent proposed. I half-expected him to follow up with a jest, but his expression remained earnest. I glanced at Aunt Melanie, and she mirrored his serious look.

“You must be joking,” I said to them both, hoping for some reassurance, but they remained silent.

“They’ll kill us before we can utter a single word-” I began, anxiety taking hold of me.

“He can’t do that to you,” Aunt Melanie interjected, and I furrowed my brow in confusion.

“Oh, I’m well aware of your little romantic entanglement at the café,” she said with a smirk, causing my cheeks to blush with embarrassment.

“Me too,” Vincent chimed in, raising his hand in a gesture of jest. I rolled my eyes at their teasing.

“Romantic entanglement?” I repeated my Aunt’s choice of words with disdain.

“Almost boyfriend?” she playfully suggested another term.

“Please, Auntie,” I begged her to take the matter seriously.

“Alright, alright. Little crush cakes,” they both burst into laughter, leaving me feeling utterly befuddled.

“Are you done teasing me?” I asked, waiting for them to compose themselves.

“Back to the plan,” I said, pouting slightly.

“He won’t harm you; you must be the bait,” Vincent remarked nonchalantly. The audacity of his statement left me doubtful. After all, Lucian had kidnapped my mother!

“What on earth do you intend to do?” I questioned them, bewildered by the notion of me being bait while they sneaked around. It sounded like a useless effort.

“Nothing,” Vincent simply shrugged.

“What?” I gasped at his casual response.

“You’ll knock on his door, give him your most innocent look, deceive him, and retrieve Emilia,” Aunt Melanie explained, winking at me while giving my shoulder a light tap. It sounded less like a plan and more like a whimsical wish list.

“And what’s your role in all of this?” I pointed at both of them.

“Moral support,” Vincent grinned.

Listening to their seemingly audacious plan, I couldn’t discern whether they were serious or teasing me. The idea of showing up at Lucian’s doorstep and asking for my mother sounded utterly irrational and difficult. What if his men shot me on sight? Of course, I was scared; this plan sounded nothing short of madness.

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” I exclaimed, massaging my temples. Did I come out of my self-imposed isolation for this irrational situation?

Aunt Melanie, however, seemed unfazed by my anxiety. “You know this is the best chance we have for now,” she replied, shrugging her shoulders.

Best chance? Could she truly believe that?

Vincent chimed in, reinforcing their stance. “Attacking them directly would be suicide. Sneaking in or out is nearly impossible, and a full-blown army would only escalate matters. Kidnapping your mother’s back is equally unfeasible. This is our most viable option to get it done.”

As much as I loathed to admit it, their reasoning made a grim kind of sense. “But how can you be so certain that he won’t hurt me?” I asked, still not entirely convinced.

Aunt Melanie gave me a sly wink. “Oh, I am more than sure,” she assured me.

Reluctantly, I realised that I might not have any other choice. If our positions were reversed, I knew my mother would stop at nothing to save me, even if it meant risking her own life. I had to be just as persistent.

“I want Mamà back,” I declared firmly, feeling a surge of determination.

Vincent looked at me with a furrowed brow. “So you’re going to do it?” he asked, seeking confirmation.

I nodded, mustering the courage to face the dangerous task ahead. I would knock on Lucian’s front door, deploy my best acting skills, deceive him, and secure my mother’s release. But deep down, I knew it would be far from easy.

As I contemplated the challenges that lay ahead, I began to doubt myself. However, Vincent’s reassuring words provided a glimmer of hope. “We’ll always have your back. You just have to try to work your chances with him while we prepare for the worst,” he reassured me.

I smiled gratefully at him. “Thank you,” I said sincerely, reflecting on how he had been the catalyst for me to rise from despair and decide to fight once more. His leadership and support had been instrumental in guiding me forward, and I knew his pack was indeed fortunate to have him as their leader.