Claiming His Luna

Cercei’s POV

The lords took their turns introducing themselves, promising their absolute loyalty to me. I still wanted to talk to Vienna, but she was nowhere to be found.

As much as I’d like to find her, I couldn’t avoid the crowd gathering around me. I couldn’t help but notice that not all the ladies in attendance were pleased by my presence. I could feel their judgement even from afar. Only a few women approached me, and most of them were elderly.

Their opinions held little significance for me. I had no intention of taking on the title Monsieur was imposing on me. If he wants me to bear his legacy so strongly, then I’ll show him how I’ll bury it in the ground.

Feeling overwhelmed by the constant pretence of smiles and fake gratitude, I eventually excused myself and went to the restroom.

“This was not part of my plan!” I muttered to myself.

Yes, I wanted Monsieur’s trust, but if it meant taking over an empire I had spent my life hating, then I’d rather face my own death.

What a terrible idea this was. Had I left Lucian for this? The mere idea left a bitter taste in my mouth. Ugh, I can’t even imagine my mother’s reaction. I shuddered at the thought of when she eventually discovered this complicated scheme, and she’d be furious.

Longing to clear my mind, I thought about washing my face multiple times, but I hesitated, not wanting to ruin the detailed work of my makeup artist.

Instead, I chose to wash my hands. Over and over. The water that was once gentle now felt like knives on my skin, peeling away the mask. After a while, I forced myself to stop.

I tried to compose myself, exhaling slowly and blinking to hold back the tears. I couldn’t afford to look vulnerable when I returned to the gathering.

I spent a few more minutes inside fixing myself. Damn, I hate this!

Suddenly, three girls entered the washroom. They seemed to be my age or maybe even older. I watched them in the mirror, and they stopped when they saw me. They exchanged quiet words before they burst into laughter, their eyes fixated on me.

Swallowing the lump in my throat, I fought to conceal any sign of tears. Weak and vulnerable! Vienna was right, I will always be nothing. Despite all the wealth, I couldn’t carry myself with the same confidence as her. I didn’t belong here. Grabbing a handful of tissue, I wiped my hands and stormed out of the restroom. They parted to let me pass, but their scornful laughter seemed to reverberate off the walls of the cubicle.

I wiped the tears from my eyes and picked up my pace, keeping my head down.

Raising my head again, I saw a familiar face.

I came to an abrupt halt, gazing at him to confirm that my eyes weren’t deceiving me. It was the same gentle, charming smile, the unmistakable Vincent.

Filled with anger, I picked up my pace and closed the gap between us.

“You flatter me, my lady…”

“Alpha Vincent,” I interrupted sharply. His attention shifted from the elegantly dressed lady by his side to me. His eyes showed no surprise when he saw me; instead, his smile grew broader.

“May I have a word with you?” I uttered with a blend of sarcasm and politeness.

“Of course, my lady Crescent,” Vincent responded, emphasizing my title with a mischievous grin. My teeth clenched in response.

“Very well then, my Lord. Please, excuse me, my lady,” the woman he had been chatting with hurriedly reacted, clearly sensing the tension in the air. She left, and I paid her no mind, focusing only on Vincent.

With clenched teeth and balled fists, I pulled Vincent into a dim, unoccupied corner of the ballroom.

“You treacherous bastard!” I erupted when we were out of curious onlookers’ prying eyes and ears.

“Whoa,” he raised both his hands in a placating manner.

“I trusted you!”

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“My Aunt put her trust in you!” I shouted, my anger barely contained. If it weren’t for the restrictive nature of my dress, I might have grabbed his collar by now.

“I…”

“You promised to help us. Both my Aunt and Mother are from your pack. How could you betray your own people?” I continued my rigid rant.

“Listen to me!” Vincent’s voice had an edge, and it cut through my fury, causing me to halt.

“What do you want to explain? How are you playing the charming, deceptive persona here in the heart of our enemy’s territory?”

“What the hell?” He cursed softly under his breath.

“Traitor!” I accused him with intense emotion.

“Traitor?” He pointed to himself, clenching his jaw.

“You’re here, which means you’ve betrayed us,” I stated firmly.

“Fine, label me a traitor if you like, but it seems we both have a taste for betrayal, don’t we? How’s your evening going?” His sarcasm was like a provocation, stirring my desire to lash out at him.

“I’m here because I have a mission,” I responded.

“Well, so do I. I don’t understand why we’re throwing accusations at each other,” he retorted.

“What mission do you have?” I inquired.

Taking a deep breath, Vincent mustered his patience. “I’m a spy,” he confessed when he realised I wouldn’t concede without an explanation.

“And you? Why are you here, apart from the fact that you’re the so-called long-lost Princess?” he asked, his tone serious.

“I’m here to assassinate him,” I declared proudly.

He blinked twice before bursting into laughter.

“I’ve always appreciated your sense of humour,” he continued to chuckle. I stared at him icily, conveying my disdain through my stares. He ceased his laughter when he realised that I wasn’t joking.

“Wait, you’re serious?” he asked and teased me.

“Yes,” I affirmed.

“How do you plan to execute your scheme?” he inquired, his brow furrowing. I regarded him thoughtfully.

“It depends on the circumstances,” I replied calmly, initiating another round of amusement from him.

“Depends on the circumstances?” he repeated, mocking.

“Depends on the opportunity,” I retorted, pursing my lips.

“That’s the most half-baked plan I’ve ever heard,” he commented with seriousness.

“Thanks,” I retorted, rolling my eyes.

“How’s Aunt Melanie?” I asked.

“Still a babbler,” he replied, a hint of fondness in his tone. I laughed at his remark.

“She misses you,” he added, his voice carrying a weight of seriousness.

“I miss her too,” I admitted sadly.

“How are the elders?” I hastily inquired, recalling that they had been eager to arrange a marriage for us during my last visit.

“They’re still holding onto their archaic beliefs,” he replied.

I couldn’t help but laugh at his dry humour.

“I’ve missed you, Vince,” I confessed, hugging him tightly. He reciprocated the embrace, rubbing my back.

“I’ve missed you too, little thing,” he whispered, tears suddenly falling from my eyes as he spoke.