Beneath the Alpha's Moon
Chapter 119: A Pervert’s Arrival

Chapter 119: A Pervert’s Arrival

TERESA’S P.O.V.

Two days after Lucian—or was it Ares?—tried to mess with my head using their split-personality circus, I made a decision: forget figuring them out and focus on keeping my sanity intact. Instead, I poured every ounce of energy into the brutal training Adrian and Juliette were so graciously—and excruciatingly—putting Lucian and me through.

Adrian’s training? Intense was an understatement. The sun blazed above us, drenching the clearing in gold, but I couldn’t spare a second to admire it. My arms felt like dead weights, trembling from gripping the shotgun Juliette had shoved into my hands. The recoil had thrown me flat on my back more times than I’d ever admit. Meanwhile, Juliette, a picture of flawless posture and steely confidence, barked sharp commands, her tough-love approach leaving no room for excuses.

"Feet apart, Teresa! You can’t take down anything if you’re wobbling like a baby deer," she barked, her hands on her hips.

"Maybe if I had werewolf strength, I wouldn’t be wobbling!" I shot back, panting as I tried to steady the gun.

Juliette smirked, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "If you had werewolf strength, you’d still be as stubborn as you are now. Focus."

Meanwhile, Lucian and Adrian were sparring not far from us. Watching them train was like watching two storms collide. Lucian moved with raw power, his lack of sight barely a hindrance as Adrian guided him with precise, calm instructions.

"Left! Duck! No, Lucian, lower!" Adrian’s smooth, measured voice carried over to me, making me shiver despite the heat. He sounded like the world’s most patient teacher, even when Lucian fumbled.

Lucian growled in frustration, his brows furrowed as he adjusted his stance. "You know, Adrian, you could use words like ’good job’ or ’nice effort’ every once in a while."

Adrian didn’t miss a beat. "Why would I do that when you’ve yet to earn it?"

Lucian’s lip curled into a smirk. "Ah, yes. You’re the king of encouragement."

Adrian’s response was a slow, amused chuckle, but his patience didn’t falter. He stood behind Lucian, adjusting his stance with a careful nudge to his shoulders. The sight of them—Adrian, calm and commanding, and Lucian, powerful but struggling to contain his frustration—was oddly mesmerizing.

I had barely shifted my attention back to the shotgun when Lucian’s voice rumbled through my mind.

"Enjoying the view, Teresa?"

I jumped, yelping loud enough to startle Juliette. The gun wobbled in my hands, and I almost dropped it.

"What the—Lucian, Ares or whatever you call yourself!" I hollered, spinning to face him. "Stop doing that mind-thingy! It’s creepy!"

Lucian’s rich, deep laugh echoed in the clearing. Even with blank eyes, he managed to look smug, and I could strangely feel his amusement through my body like it was my own. Adrian, however, was less impressed.

"Lucian, focus," Adrian said sharply, his voice carrying that unmistakable edge of authority.

Lucian groaned, muttering something about not being allowed to have fun before returning to his training.

Juliette raised an eyebrow at me. "You’re still not used to the mind link, huh?"

"Would you be?" I snapped, trying to reset my stance. "Hearing voices in your head is not normal!"

She laughed, tossing her pretty hair over her shoulder. "You’ll get used to it. Or you won’t. Either way, stop whining and try again."

I glared at her but followed her instructions, bracing myself as I aimed the gun at the target. I was just about to pull the trigger when a tiny black blur darted into the clearing.

"What the—?"

The blur slowed to reveal a puppy—small, fluffy, and ridiculously adorable. It scampered right up to me, wagging its tail so fast it was a blur.

"Oh my gosh," I breathed, lowering the shotgun. "Where did you come from, little guy?"

Juliette crouched beside me, her fierce demeanor softening as she scratched the puppy behind its ears. "He’s so cute! Look at those eyes!"

The puppy barked happily, its tiny paws patting at my leg as if begging to be picked up. I obliged, cradling the warm little body against my chest.

"Lucian! Adrian! We found a puppy!" I called out, my voice high with excitement.

Adrian was the first to respond. He turned to us, his sharp purple eyes narrowing as he strode over. His expression was calm, but there was something skeptical about the way he studied the dog.

"That," he said, his tone bored and laced with irritation, "is not a dog."

I blinked at him, confused. "What are you talking about? Of course, it’s a dog. Look at it!"

Lucian approached next, his head tilted slightly as he sniffed the air. A low growl rumbled from his chest, and his usually composed face twisted into a scowl.

"Teresa, put it down," he ordered, his voice a mix of irritation and warning.

"What? Why? He’s harmless!" I argued, holding the puppy closer as it licked my face enthusiastically.

Juliette frowned, glancing between Adrian and Lucian. "Okay, what am I missing? Why are you two acting like this is the apocalypse?"

Adrian pinched the bridge of his nose, looking as though he was seconds away from a headache. "Because," he said slowly, "that isn’t a puppy. That’s a pervert."

I froze. "A... what?"

Lucian’s growling grew louder. "Teresa, I’m serious. Put it down."

The puppy tilted its head innocently, wagging its tail as if it had no idea what the fuss was about.

"This has to be a joke," Juliette muttered, looking at Adrian for confirmation.

Shaking his head, he sighed, the picture of exasperation. "It’s a shifter—a perverted old man, actually. But with the face of a teenage boy, he’s gotten away with more crimes than I can count. And to top it off, he thinks it’s hilarious to spy on women."

I stared at the puppy in horror. "You’re telling me I’m holding some creepy teenage-looking old man who’s licking my face right now?"

Adrian gave a single nod. "Precisely."

With a strangled scream, I set the puppy down as quickly as possible, wiping my face furiously. The "puppy" yipped once before its small body began to shift. Fur receded, limbs lengthened, and in seconds, a boy no older than fourteen stood before us, grinning sheepishly.

"Hi," he said, waving awkwardly.

I stumbled back, clutching Juliette’s arm. "Oh my god!"

Lucian’s growl turned feral, and Adrian’s calm expression hardened.

"Leonard, what the hell are you doing here?" Adrian demanded, his tone filled with irritation.

The boy’s grin stretched wider. "Adrian, my man! You’ve always been too sharp for your own good."

"Leonard," Adrian repeated, his voice like a loaded weapon, sharp enough to make even Juliette tense. "Answer me. What are you doing here?"

Leonard scratched the back of his head, his eyes darting everywhere but to Adrian. "Well, uh... I was walking by, I heard some noises, and, you know, got curious!"

Adrian sighed in frustration, pinching the bridge of his nose like it might ward off the headache forming. "Enough with the nonsense. You’ve done something idiotic again, haven’t you?"

Leonard smirked, a gleam of mischief in his eyes. "You know me too well, Adrian."