Beneath the Alpha's Moon
Chapter 71: Kidnapped

Chapter 71: Kidnapped

TERESA’S P.O.V.

I crossed my arms and glared at Lucian, pacing across the room like an angry lion. The faint scent of his cologne joined with something wild—something untamed seemed to radiate off him as he kept on pacing. And right now? He looked beyond frustrated.

"You’re joking, right?" I finally said, my voice trembling a little. "Me moving back to your estate is one thing. I get it—my kids need protection. But Luke? His entire family? Do you have any idea how ridiculous that sounds?"

Lucian stopped pacing and turned to face me, his green eyes narrowing in a way that sent a shiver down my spine. He walked towards me with that deliberate, predatory grace he always had. It wasn’t fair how someone could be that effortlessly intimidating and... well, attractive at the same time.

"You think this is a joke, Teresa?" he asked, his voice low and sharp, like the edge of a blade.

I felt my cheeks flush, but I didn’t back down. "Yes! I mean, no—not a joke, exactly. But you can’t just uproot Luke’s entire life like that. He has a job, a home, a family. He’s not going to—"

Before I could finish, Lucian grabbed my hands and held them firmly. The sudden warmth and sparks from his touch made me freeze, my breath catching in my throat. He leaned in, his face just inches from mine, and for a moment, I forgot how to breathe.

"Teresa," he said, his voice softer now but no less intense. "You’re not taking this seriously enough. If Luke doesn’t come to the estate, he and his family will be dead before you can blink."

I stared at him, my mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water. "What?" I finally managed to squeak.

Lucian’s gaze didn’t waver. "Adrian won’t hesitate. If he thinks for even a second that Luke knows something about you—something you haven’t told him—he’ll use Luke to get what he wants which is you. And then he’ll kill him. All of them."

I shook my head, disbelief washing over me like a cold wave. "Adrian wouldn’t... He might be a blood-sucking monster, but he wouldn’t hurt my family. He’s not—"

Lucian sighed and, to my shock, reached up to caress my cheek. His touch was surprisingly gentle, a stark contrast to the harshness of his words. "Teresa," he murmured, "don’t be stubborn. Listen to me. Adrian is an ancient vampire—he’s as old as time itself. Adrian doesn’t just play games; he rewrites the rules. He doesn’t give second chances either. If he suspects Luke knows anything, he’ll bleed him dry. And if Luke refuses to talk, Adrian will drain the blood of each member of his family until Luke breaks. And then, once he has what he wants, he’ll kill them all anyway. Just for wasting his time."

I felt the blood drain from my face. My legs felt weak, and I leaned back in my chair, but Lucian’s hands tightened around mine, steadying me. "How do you know all this?" I whispered.

Lucian hesitated, his jaw clenching. "Because it’s my job to know. Someone like me—someone in my position—I have to keep track of everything, every threat, every player in the game." He sighed and shook his head. "I can’t go into details, but you have to trust me on this, Teresa. I know I’ve given you a million reasons not to trust me, but just this once... please."

I looked into his eyes, and for the first time, I saw something I wasn’t sure I’d ever seen before: desperation. There was fear there too—just a flicker, but it was enough to make my stomach twist. Lucian Blackwood wasn’t afraid of anything.

"Today," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "Maybe half of tomorrow, if we’re lucky. That’s all the time we have before Adrian comes knocking."

He cupped my face gently, his thumb brushing against my cheek in a way that felt more intimate than I wanted to admit. "Please," he said again, his voice softer now, almost pleading. "I know I don’t deserve asking anything of you, but this... this is life and death. For you, for Luke, for everyone you care about. Don’t be stubborn."

His touch was intoxicating, but I was so terrified. "And what happens after? If Luke moves in, what then? Adrian isn’t just going to stop. He’ll come after us, won’t he?"

Lucian sighed and stepped back, running a hand through his dark hair. "If Adrian comes, I’ll deal with him. But for now, you need to do as I say. We’ll handle the rest when it comes."

"And you’re sure we have until tomorrow?" I asked, desperation creeping into my voice.

Lucian’s lips twitched into a faint smile, his sarcasm making a brief comeback. "If we’re lucky. But when has luck ever been on my side?"

I couldn’t help but let out a weak laugh, though it was more from nerves than humor. "You’re impossible, you know that?"

"And you’re insufferable," he shot back, though his tone was teasing this time.

"Fine," I said, sighing in defeat as my heart raced with nerves. "I’ll talk to Luke. But what happens if I don’t convince him?"

Lucian’s lips curled into a bitter smile, the kind that sent shivers down my spine. "Let’s not find out."

His tone made my stomach churn, but I shoved my fear down. Standing abruptly, I handed the twins back to him. "Stay here," I instructed, though I knew he wouldn’t. Lucian Blackwood wasn’t the kind of man who stayed anywhere unless he wanted to.

I dashed out of his office and down the grand staircase. The sound of my hurried footsteps echoed in the sprawling mansion until I found Luke in the sitting room, sprawled on the plush couch with a drink, something golden, in hand.

"Teresa?" Luke sat up, frowning at me. His voice was sharp with worry. "What’s wrong? Did he do something to you?"

Before I could answer, Lucian materialized beside me, the twins still cradled effortlessly in his arms. He gave Luke a flat look. "I didn’t do anything. I’m not a brute."

Luke didn’t even glance at him. "I wasn’t talking to you. I was talking to my sister."

I groaned, pressing my fingers to my temples. "Would you both stop it?" I snapped, surprising even myself. Lucian raised a brow, clearly amused, while Luke looked at me as though I’d grown another head. "Luke, this is serious. My situation with Adrian is worse than I thought. He’s probably already on his way to the city."

Luke’s face darkened, his protective instincts kicking in. "Then we go to the police. We report him for harassment, imprisonment—hell, let’s throw in stalking for good measure."

Lucian let out a low, sarcastic laugh. "That’s adorable," he drawled, his tone dripping with condescension.

Luke bristled. "And how exactly would you know it wouldn’t work?"

I jumped in before the situation could escalate. "Because Adrian isn’t... normal," I said, struggling to find the right words. "The laws won’t work on him."

Luke’s expression twisted with disbelief. "What, is he some kind of untouchable billionaire? No one’s above the law, Teresa!"

I sighed, exasperated, and glanced at Lucian. "Help me out here, please."

Lucian didn’t hesitate. He fixed Luke with a cold, calculating stare. "You need to pack up your family and move into my estate before the day is over. It’s the only way to keep you safe."

Luke blinked at him, his jaw working like he was trying to process what he’d just heard. Then, he burst out laughing, clutching his stomach.

I groaned, covering my face with my hands. "Lucian, that’s not how you were supposed to tell him!"

Luke wiped a tear from his eye, still chuckling. "You’re hilarious, Blackwood. Teresa, let’s go. We’ll drop at the police station if you’re too scared to go alone, but I have a business to run and a family to get back to."

"Luke, wait!" I grabbed his arm, my voice desperate. "Just listen to me. Please!"

But he was already brushing me off, standing and reaching for his coat. "I’ve heard enough, Teresa. You’re being paranoid. Adrian’s just a guy—"

"No, he’s not," Lucian interrupted, his voice calm but ice-cold. "And you’re not going anywhere."

Luke froze, turning to glare at him. "Excuse me?"

Lucian’s lips curved into a sly smile. "While we’ve been talking, I’ve already sent my men to your house. They’re bringing your wife, kids and in-laws here."

"What?!" Luke and I shouted in unison, staring at Lucian like he’d sprouted horns.

He shrugged, unbothered. "Time isn’t on our side. I didn’t think you’d agree to it willingly."

"This is insane!" Luke exploded, pacing the room. "You can’t just kidnap my family! That’s illegal!"

Lucian’s voice remained maddeningly calm. "No one at the gates will let you out, so you might as well sit down and save your energy."

I felt a pang of guilt as I watched Luke’s face turn red with frustration. But then I remembered Adrian—the cold, predatory look in his eyes as he drank blood, and also the night I’d almost been killed trying to escape his estate.

"Luke," I said softly, grabbing his hand. "I hate this too, but Lucian’s right. It’s the only way to keep you all safe."

Luke looked at me, his anger softening just a little. "This is madness, Teresa. How did we even get here?"

Before I could answer, Lucian turned to me, his expression suddenly serious. "What about your father and his family? Do they deserve protection too?"

My heart sank. I hadn’t even thought about them. "I..." My voice faltered, guilt twisting in my chest.

Luke’s eyebrows shot up. "What’s he talking about, Teresa?"

I swallowed hard, glancing between them. "I don’t know. But... maybe they should be warned too."

Lucian nodded, his sharp gaze cutting through me. "Decide quickly, Teresa. Adrian doesn’t wait for anyone."

Luke muttered something under his breath about crazy billionaires, and I couldn’t help but let out a shaky laugh, the absurdity of the situation almost too much to handle.