Beneath the Alpha's Moon
Chapter 167: Serena’s Call

Chapter 167: Serena’s Call

LUCIAN’S P.O.V.

I sat at my desk, my fingers drumming absently on the polished wood as I tried to piece together the chaos that had become my life. Teresa, my wife—glowing, fierce, and exasperated—paced the room like a caged tigress, muttering sharp remarks under her breath. She was infuriatingly beautiful and utterly unapproachable.

Luke sat in the far corner, trembling as he clutched a rosary he had somehow conjured out of nowhere, muttering prayers in a voice tinged with desperation. Every so often, he’d glance at his glowing hands, and I could swear I heard him whisper, "Lord, don’t let me be a demon."

I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose. "What am I supposed to do?" I muttered, not really expecting an answer.

Rylan, lounging against the wall with a self-satisfied smirk, chimed in, "What if Serena knows something Elizabeth doesn’t?"

I shot him a glare. "We’re not bringing her into this."

Adrian, ever the picture of unshakable composure, lounged in his chair by the window as though we were debating over the benefits of herbal tea instead of ancient magic and the sudden unknown, scary power of my wife and her brother. His fingers traced the edge of his glass absently, his eyes calm but sharp like a predator biding its time. "Rylan has a point," he said, his voice calm and deliberate. "Serena might possess knowledge that Elizabeth does not."

I let out a dry, cutting laugh, the kind that left no room for warmth. "Oh, you mean that Serena? The same Serena who thought it would be a great idea for me to invite a demon spirit into my body? The one who conveniently forgot to mention it would turn my life into a ticking time bomb? And now you want me to trust her, again?" I leaned forward, my glare sharp enough to cut glass. "What’s next, Adrian? Should I send her an invitation to Sunday dinner? Maybe let her carve the turkey while she’s at it?"

Adrian raised a brow, his voice smooth and collected. "Yes, Lucian, that Serena. But Elizabeth and I will be here to ensure she doesn’t do anything... unwise."

I glanced at Elizabeth, who gave me a hesitant nod, then back to Adrian. His calm confidence grated on my nerves. How could they be so sure?

Teresa, glowing brighter than the damn moon, suddenly stopped pacing and leveled me with a fiery glare. "Oh, for God’s sake, Lucian. Just do it already. Sitting there sulking like some tragic hero out of a bad romance novel isn’t going to solve anything."

Rylan let out a low chuckle, his smirk as annoying as ever. "She’s got you there, boss."

I clenched my jaw, feeling the weight of everyone’s gaze. "Fine," I growled, my voice low and dangerous. "But if she so much as breathes wrong, I won’t hesitate to end her."

Adrian leaned against the wall, a faint smile playing on his lips as if he already knew how this would end. "Wouldn’t expect anything less from you."

My eyes drifted back to Teresa, who was practically vibrating with impatience. The golden glow surrounding her gave her an almost otherworldly aura, like some kind of warrior goddess, but the way her foot tapped against the floor and the sharpness in her tone made it clear she was no saint. When she caught me staring, her brows shot up.

"What?" she barked, her tone sharp enough to cut through steel.

"Nothing," I muttered, turning away quickly, though a ghost of a smirk tugged at the corner of my lips. I wasn’t about to give her the satisfaction of knowing she amused me.

Luke was still pacing, his movements frantic, like he was trying to wear a hole into the floorboards. "I’m telling you, this is divine punishment. I knew skipping church was a bad idea. I should’ve gone last Sunday. Or the Sunday before that..."

Teresa shot him a withering glare, her voice flat. "Luke, you haven’t been to church since the Obama administration. Let’s not start pretending now."

He whirled around, his glow flickering like a broken streetlamp. "I’ll start whenever I damn well feel like it!" he snapped, his fists clenched. But the bravado didn’t last—he started muttering under his breath, something that vaguely sounded like a prayer, though I wasn’t about to ask.

I cut through the chaos with a sharp, commanding tone. "Rylan, go to the dungeon. Bring Serena here. And for the love of everything, don’t make a scene. The last thing I need is the entire pack sniffing around because we’re dragging the witch out for a chat."

Rylan shot me a mock salute, his grin as cocky as ever. "Yes, Alpha." He swaggered out of the room with an exaggerated flair, as if this was all a game.

As soon as the door closed behind him, I muttered to myself, "Why the hell do I keep him around?"

Juliette, still leaning against the wall, chuckled softly. "Because no one understands you like him."

I shot her a glare, but she wasn’t wrong.

*********

The room fell into an uneasy silence. Teresa lounged against the wall, her nails glowing faintly, a casual display of magic that felt unnervingly dismissive. She examined them lazily, as though the room wasn’t simmering with unease. Luke’s pacing added an edge, his boots echoing like a metronome of impatience, while Adrian stood unmoving, a statue of focus with his icy eyes locked on the door.

When it swung open, Rylan entered, dragging Serena behind him. Her hands were bound tightly, a blindfold cutting off her vision, her usual commanding aura reduced to defiance.

"Seriously, wolf?" she drawled, her voice sharp with irritation. "Was the blindfold necessary? I’m a witch, not a werewolf. I can’t exactly sniff my way out of here."

Rylan shrugged, a grin playing at the corners of his mouth. "Boss’s orders."

I motioned for the blindfold to come off, and Rylan pulled it away. Serena blinked a few times, her gaze adjusting before landing on me. Her dark eyes, usually fierce, looked drained—her complexion pale, her confidence chipped at the edges.

"What do you want now, Alpha?" she said, her voice like a blade dulled by exhaustion. "If this is about your mate, let’s skip the theatrics—I didn’t have anything to do with her condition."

Before I could answer, Teresa snorted from her corner, the sound dripping with condescension. "Oh, please," she said, her voice practically sing-song. "You couldn’t touch me even if you tried."

Serena’s eyes snapped to Teresa, then darted to Luke. Her expression shifted from irritation to something colder—fear.

"Fae Titans," she whispered, the words like a curse escaping her lips.

My eyes narrowed. "You know something," I said, my voice low, commanding. "Can you help them control their powers?"

Serena straightened, her composure snapping back into place as she met my gaze with bold defiance. "I know enough to help. Your mate and her brother—they’re Fae Titans. Their forms are unstable. I can create a concealment spell that will let them appear human when they want and shift into their true forms when necessary."

Elizabeth, who had been hovering at the edge of the room, gasped. "Why didn’t I think of that?" she muttered, half to herself.

But the rest of us weren’t so easily convinced.

Adrian tilted his head, his voice steady. "And what does this spell involve?"

"It’s a ritual," Serena replied, her tone calm but purposeful. "Complicated, yes, but it can be done."

Luke and Teresa leaned in, their skepticism mingling with intrigue. Juliette, however, sneered. "Sure, let’s trust the witch who almost got Lucian killed. Great plan."

"Juliette," I warned, my voice sharp enough to cut through his sarcasm.

Still, I couldn’t entirely dismiss the doubt she’d voiced. Something about Serena felt... off. She was too composed, too certain. My instincts prickled, but I held back.

Suddenly, Elizabeth gasped. Her face went pale, and she pointed at Serena. "She’s chanting!" she cried.

"What?" I snapped, my attention snapping to the witch.

"She’s calling others!" Elizabeth yelled, panic flaring in her voice.

Time slowed. My instincts roared to life, and before anyone could react, I lunged. My hand shifted, claws ripping through flesh as I drove them into Serena’s chest. Her eyes went wide with shock as I tore out her heart.

The silence that followed was deafening. The heart in my hand pulsed once, twice, then stilled. I let it drop to the floor with a sickening thud, my breath coming in ragged gasps.

"Well," Rylan said after a beat, his voice unusually subdued. "That escalated quickly."

Teresa rolled her eyes. "It’s Lucian. What did you expect?"

I ignored them, my gaze locked on the witch’s lifeless body.

"Do you think she managed to reach whoever she was trying to summon?" I asked, my gaze shifting to Elizabeth, searching for answers.

Elizabeth’s eyes lingered on Serena’s lifeless body. Her voice was barely a whisper as she said, "I don’t know. We’ll have to wait and see."

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