Beneath the Alpha's Moon
Chapter 169: Telling the Truth

Chapter 169: Telling the Truth

LUCIAN’S P.O.V.

Three hours later, the clock ticked sluggishly as I waited in my office, the atmosphere as tense as a bowstring. Adrian, Juliette, Elizabeth, Teresa, and Luke were all seated around the room, each radiating a different kind of energy. Adrian sat on the leather couch like he owned the place, his every movement deliberate and timeless, as though he had stepped out of a Victorian novel. His cool demeanor was a stark contrast to Luke, who leaned against the wall, his arms crossed, a storm brewing behind his eyes. Teresa sat cross-legged on the armrest of a chair, looking as if this was just another Tuesday.

"Do you think Rylan’s dragging Gregory here by his ankles or his ears?" Juliette asked, her tone laced with amusement.

"I’m betting on both," Teresa quipped, earning a smirk from Juliette.

Elizabeth sat quietly, her fingers toying with the hem of her dress. She gave me a sympathetic look, which I appreciated, given the circus my life had become.

The door burst open, and in came Rylan, dragging Gregory Williams like a sack of potatoes. Gregory’s hair was disheveled, his shirt stained, and his eyes wide with terror. He stumbled into the room, looking around wildly, as if he wasn’t seeing us but some unspeakable horrors.

"Lucian," Rylan announced with a mock bow, "your esteemed guest has arrived."

Gregory flinched at the sound of Rylan’s voice, his gaze darting to the ceiling as if expecting a monster to drop from it.

"Rylan," I said dryly, "did you have to traumatize him further?"

Rylan shrugged. "I barely touched him. Blame Adrian’s little trick."

Adrian’s lips curved into a faint smile. "He needed... perspective."

Gregory’s eyes locked on Adrian, his body trembling. "You... you did this to me! You cursed me!"

Adrian rose from his seat with the grace of a predator. "Cursed? Hardly. I merely showed you the darker corners of your imagination."

"Adrian," I said, pinching the bridge of my nose, "please lift whatever hallucination you’ve inflicted on him. I need him coherent enough to talk."

Adrian’s lips curled into a slow, lazy smile. "Are you sure? He’s much more compliant this way."

"Adrian," I growled.

With a theatrical sigh, Adrian pushed off the wall. His movements were so fluid, it was like he was gliding across the floor. He crouched in front of Gregory, his voice soft and melodic. "I’ll take it away, Gregory. But only if you behave. Understand?"

Gregory whimpered but nodded frantically.

Adrian stood and waved a hand in front of Gregory’s face, muttering something under his breath. The tension in Gregory’s body eased slightly, but his wide, terrified eyes told me the man was still holding on by a thread.

"There," Adrian said, brushing his hands together as if he’d done something strenuous. "He’s all yours, Lucian."

I stepped forward, looming over Gregory. "You’re going to tell us everything, Gregory. How you met Teresa and Luke’s mother, what happened between you two, and why you turned into the disaster of a father you are today."

Gregory’s head snapped up, his eyes darting nervously around the room. Adrian went back to lean casually against the wall, but his presence alone was enough to send a shiver down anyone’s spine. Juliette stood with her arms crossed, her gaze sharp as a blade. Elizabeth, with her fiery red hair and kind brown eyes, offered a reassuring smile, though even that seemed to unsettle Gregory further.

And then there was Teresa still having the expression that screamed boredom. Her legs were still crossed as she examined her nails as if this whole ordeal was a minor inconvenience. Luke, on the other hand, was now practically vibrating with barely contained rage. His glare alone could have reduced Gregory to ash.

Adrian’s voice cut through the silence, cool and measured. "If you lie, Gregory, I promise you’ll see far worse than monsters this time."

Gregory swallowed hard, his Adam’s apple bobbing like it was trying to escape. "I—uh—I met her on a hiking trip," he began, his voice shaking. "I used to hike a lot, you see. One day, I got injured. I was alone, bleeding. I didn’t know what to do."

"And?" I prompted, crossing my arms.

Gregory’s eyes glazed over as if he was reliving the moment. "She came out of nowhere. Like... like an angel. She treated my wound, and she was so... beautiful. Kind. I couldn’t stop thinking about her. I became obsessed. I kept going back to that spot, hoping to see her again."

"You started a relationship with her?" I asked, my tone sharp.

Gregory nodded, avoiding eye contact. "Yes. She was... everything. I loved her. Or at least, I thought I did."

Luke stepped forward, his fists clenched. "Was she pregnant then?" His voice was low, dangerous.

Gregory’s head shot up, his eyes wide with fear. "No! She wasn’t pregnant. I—I lied about that. I said it to... to blackmail Teresa into giving me a contract with Lucian’s company."

The room went silent. Luke’s body tensed, his jaw tightening as his eyes began to glow faintly. Teresa, however, let out a laugh—a short, sharp sound that startled everyone.

"Well, isn’t that just classic Gregory?" she said, shaking her head. "Always aiming for the stars but shooting himself in the foot."

Luke growled, his power rippling through the room, but I stepped between him and his father. "Calm down, Luke. Let him finish."

Gregory swallowed again, his gaze darting to Adrian, who gave him a lazy, predatory smile. "I confessed my love to her, and she accepted me. She left her home in the woods to come live with me in the city. But she... she was strange. She did things—things I couldn’t explain."

"What kind of things?" Juliette asked, her tone skeptical.

Gregory hesitated. "She glowed sometimes. Like... like a lamp. It was beautiful but terrifying."

I exchanged a glance with Adrian and the others. Teresa’s mother was clearly more than just a kind woman from the woods. But I stayed silent, letting Gregory continue.

"She gave me Luke and Teresa," Gregory said, his voice trembling. "But she became stranger over time. She had this little box she kept with her. She’d talk to it at night, and when she did, her eyes would glow so brightly. I started to get scared.

Gregory’s voice dropped to a whisper. "One day, I came home early from work, and I saw her... she had transformed into something else. Something not human. When she saw me, she quickly changed back, but I’d already seen it. After that, I was too scared to live in the same house as her. I avoided her, avoided my own children because I was terrified they’d become like her."

Gregory’s breathing quickened. And then... one day, she left. Just disappeared. I told everyone she died because it was easier. I didn’t want anyone asking questions."

Luke stood abruptly, the air crackling with his power. His eyes glowed, and the room began to shake. Ivy sprouted from the ground, winding up the walls and furniture. Gregory stumbled back, falling to his knees.

"You treated us like dirt because you were scared?" Luke bellowed, his voice like thunder. "You abandoned her, abandoned us, because you were a coward?"

Gregory cowered, trembling. "Please, Luke, don’t—don’t hurt me!"

Teresa, still perched on the armrest, looked utterly bored. "Honestly, Luke, it’s not worth it. He’s pathetic

"Luke," Adrian said, his voice calm but commanding. "Enough."

Luke’s glowing eyes locked onto Adrian with a feral intensity, his entire body coiled like a predator ready to strike. The vampire, however, remained unnervingly calm, his gaze steady and strong. His voice filled every corner of the room, clear and calm, yet carrying an edge of authority that demanded attention.

"Breathe, Luke," Adrian urged, his words weaving a strange calm into the chaos. "This isn’t the way. Your mother wouldn’t want this."

For a moment, the room stood frozen in an uneasy silence, the charged air crackling with unspoken threats. Slowly, the dark, twisted vines that had erupted from the floor began to retreat, their scary nature dissipating into the wood beneath. Luke’s chest heaved as he fought to control his rage, the glow in his eyes dimming to embers. His fists remained clenched, though, his anger simmering just beneath the surface.

The relief was short-lived. A sharp knock cut through the stillness, drawing everyone’s attention. The door creaked open to reveal an enforcer, his posture rigid and his face drawn tight with unease. He bowed slightly before speaking.

"Alpha," he addressed, his voice steady despite all eyes on him. "There’s a witch at the pack gates. She’s asking for Luna Teresa."

I exhaled sharply, dragging a hand down my face as a fresh wave of irritation surged through me. "Of course there is," I muttered, my voice laced with exasperation. "Because why not?"

From her corner, Teresa chuckled softly, the sound rich with amusement. She leaned against the wall, her sharp features illuminated by the soft glow of the embers still flickering in Luke’s eyes. Her smirk was maddening, her tone teasing as she joked, "What can I say, Lucian? The circus always finds its way back to town."

I shot her a glare, but the corner of her mouth only twitched higher. The dull ache in my temples flared again, and with a resigned groan, I turned toward the enforcer.

"Alright," I grumbled. "Let’s see what fresh madness this witch has brought to our doorstep."

And just like that my headache roared back to life.

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