Beneath the Alpha's Moon
Chapter 123: A Choice

Chapter 123: A Choice

TERESA’S P.O.V.

The castle was quiet, save for the occasional creak of old wood settling in the night. My heart beat louder than I cared to admit as Lucian escorted me back to my room. His hand hovered at the small of my back, not quite touching, yet I could feel the warmth radiating from him. It was infuriating how he managed to stir emotions in me with the smallest gestures.

As we reached my door, I turned to him, trying to ignore how his lightless gaze seemed to pierce through me. His presence was magnetic, impossible to ignore. I cleared my throat, attempting to sound casual.

"Thanks for walking me back," I said, gripping the door handle tightly, as if it would still my racing heart.

He tilted his head, his lips curling into a small, knowing smile. "Always."

His voice was deep, smooth, and it did things to me that I didn’t want to acknowledge. We just made a breakthrough today on our relationship and I didn’t want to spoil it but my body seemed to be having a mind of it’s own just from being near him and I couldn’t understand why. Trying to push out any dirty thoughts from my mind, I quickly pushed the door open, desperate to escape the intensity of his presence.

"Goodnight, Lucian," I muttered, stepping inside and beginning to close the door.

Before I could shut it completely, his hand shot out, stopping it. My breath hitched as he stepped into the room without waiting for an invitation.

"What are you doing?" I asked, my voice a little sharper than intended.

"Staying," he said simply, shutting the door behind him.

I stared at him, incredulous. "You can’t just decide to invade my space like this."

He smirked, leaning against the door. "You forget, Teresa. I’m an Alpha. I don’t ask for permission."

I folded my arms, trying to maintain some semblance of control. "Well, in my room, you follow my rules, Alpha or not."

His smile faltered, replaced by a more serious expression. He took a step closer, and the air between us grew thick with tension. "Teresa, I’m not here to argue."

"Then what are you here for?" I asked, my voice quieter now, almost a whisper.

His blind eyes seemed to lock onto mine, and for a moment, I forgot that he couldn’t actually see me. "You."

The word hung in the air, heavy and undeniable. My throat tightened, and I took a step back, only to bump into the edge of the bed.

"Lucian..." I began, but he was already closing the distance between us.

"Do you have any idea how hard it’s been to stay away from you?" he said, his voice low and rough. "Every time I’m near you, I feel like I’m drowning in everything I’ve lost. And yet, I can’t stop being drawn to you. I won’t stop. Especially tonight, I was planning on seeing you off at the door but I can’t seem to leave, I can’t seem to walk away. Can’t you feel it too, Teresa? The pull?"

I wanted to shove him away, to scream that this wasn’t real, that it was far too soon for conversations like this—especially when he’d only just asked me to be his girlfriend a few hours ago. I hadn’t even given him an answer yet. But my defenses were faltering, collapsing under the sheer intensity of his gaze. He unseeing eyes looked my way like I was his entire universe, like there was nothing else he wanted to see or hold but me.

"You hurt me, Lucian," I whispered, my voice trembling as it threatened to shatter. "My heart’s been locked away for so long because of what you did."

His hand rose, soft and deliberate, as he brushed a stray strand of hair from my face. The featherlight touch sent a spark rushing through me, like a match grazing against the edge of something flammable.

"I know," he said, his voice deep and full of regret. "And I swear to you, I’ll spend the rest of my life making it up to you—if you let me."

The weight of his words pressed against me, and it was unbearable how much I wanted him—his voice, his touch, the safety he promised me. His hand cupped my cheek, his thumb tracing lazy, tender circles along my skin. I tried not to lean into it. Tried not to show how badly I craved him.

"Let me prove to you that I’m not the same man who hurt you," he murmured, his breath a teasing warmth against my lips, so close yet still not close enough.

I swallowed hard, the knots in my chest tightening. "Lucian, this isn’t the right time," I started, my voice unsteady. "We’re barely—"

I didn’t get to finish because his lips silenced me, capturing mine with such aching certainty that I went still. The kiss was tender but relentless, a quiet plea wrapped in fire. For a fleeting second, I fought it. I hovered at the edge of resistance, torn between pushing him away and pulling him deeper into me.

But then his hand slid to the back of my neck, his fingers splayed against my skin like he was trying to steady me, and a low, rumbling growl escaped from his chest—so deep, so primal it sent a searing heat curling low in my belly.

And I was gone.

I kissed him back with everything I’d been holding inside—years of anger, buried longing, and hurt, all pouring out like a flood. My hands fisted in his shirt as his arms banded around me, pulling me against the hard planes of his body. The contact was electric, each movement like fire igniting every nerve. I felt the raw, uncontained strength of him, the restraint he barely managed as he held me like I might slip through his fingers.

When we finally broke apart, our breaths came ragged, filling the silent space between us. Lucian’s forehead fell against mine, his hands trembling slightly as they stayed on me, as if afraid to let go.

"Tell me to leave," he rasped, his voice strained and rough as though it pained him to say the words. "Tell me, and I’ll go."

I hated him for it—for giving me the choice, for making me feel like the air around me only existed because of him. I wanted to scream at him, curse him for leaving me no escape. But I couldn’t do it.

Instead, my hands shot up, fisting the collar of his shirt, and I pulled him back to me, sealing my lips to his like I was desperate to drown in him.

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