Claiming His Luna

Cercei’s POV

Vienna had managed to grab a few precious hours of sleep while I remained wide-eyed, lost in my thoughts.

Gratitude has always been my response to those who lend a hand, but suddenly I’ve been harbouring an intense desire to strangle that vile Drogo, who had the audacity to betray the North.

Our situation had become dire. An entire day had gone by without a single food or a sip of water, leaving my throat as dry as the desert sands and my legs trembling like a leaf in the wind. Nonetheless, there was no place for drama. The sooner we reached the Hightowers, the sooner this nightmare would come to an end.

The Hightower stronghold was just a short distance from our current location. Rumour had it that his castle nestled beneath the tallest peak. We were already in the middle of the mountains; we only needed to locate the tallest one.

As Vienna had mentioned, it should be easy to find them. Their towers, after all, scraped the heavens.

Normally, I wouldn’t easily grow tired or weakened, but my legs were dangerously close to giving in. My head throbbed, and my stomach twisted in agony. Good Lord! The combination of an empty belly and biting snow was truly terrible.

“Ah!” Finally, my legs gave in, and I tumbled to my knees. Vienna halted and turned to face me.

She grabbed my arms, pulling them around her shoulders to help me rise. I struggled, but I was too weak even to help myself.

“Come on, we’re nearly there,” she grunted, struggling to bear my weight.

“Could we take a short break? I need to gather some strength,” I said faintly, leaning against a fallen tree for support.

Vienna sighed in agreement.

I clutched my stomach as an unexpected surge of pain coursed through me.

“Ahh!” I cried out.

“What’s the matter?” Vienna inquired, holding me steady.

I couldn’t respond; the pain left me in helpless cries and agonized screams.

“What’s happening? I’m not a fucking doctor, bitch! Tell me what’s wrong!” Vienna asked in frantic distress, unsure of where to hold me.

The torment persisted for what seemed like an eternity, but gradually, it began to lessen. Tears still welled up in my eyes as I tried to recover from the ordeal. I am on the verge of passing out.

“You need to eat something,” she suggested. I shut my eyes, leaning heavily against the tree behind me.

“Cers,” Vienna tried to call my name.

I couldn’t muster the strength to respond. Hunting was well beyond my current abilities, and I was too weak to transform into my wolf form.

“Fine, stay here. I’ll go hunt for some food for us,” I could sense her getting up.

“Don’t leave, okay?” She whispered. I was too weak to even raise my eyebrows in response.

I used to be somewhat athletic; what’s happened to me now?

I couldn’t determine how long Vienna was gone, but she returned holding bunnies in hand.

“Here,” she offered me one. It was lifeless, blood staining its neck. I could do nothing but stare at it.

“Thank you,” I mumbled weakly, reaching for it but my hand trembled mid-reach.

She annoyedly shut her eyes, tearing the bunny apart with her claws and taking a small piece. To my surprise, she fed it to me. Too weak to display any emotion, I merely watched her hand.

“Open your goddamn mouth,” she ordered harshly. I obeyed and allowed her to feed me.

I admit it was helpful. Even if I wanted to, I couldn’t manage to feed myself. I could hardly even chew. Fortunately, Vienna was there to help me.

After our meal, we rested for a while. I still needed to regain my strength. I fell asleep while Vienna remained vigilant, guarding us. We are in the middle of a mountain, and who knows what lurking predators lie ahead.

****

I’m not sure how long I was asleep, but when I woke up, I felt slightly better. My headache and stomach ache had both subsided. I now had a small amount of strength, enough to travel the remaining distance to our destination.

“Good, you’re awake,” Vienna acknowledged when she noticed my movement.

“We have to keep going before it gets dark,” she declared, rising to her feet.

Vienna was right; we can’t risk travelling in the dark. It would be too dangerous, even if we use our wolf forms.

Every now and then, helicopters pass overhead, undoubtedly searching for us. It’s Lucian’s men, without a doubt. He’s on our trail; it’s been two days since we left.

Each time a helicopter flew by, we had to stop and hide under a tree or in dense bushes. Getting caught was not an option, especially when we were so close to our destination.

“Hightower,” Vienna said as we observed the towers from a distance. They truly lived up to their name; they were incredibly tall. The bricks were crafted from stone, displaying shades of grey and black. It soared so high that it seemed to almost touch the sky. I couldn’t help but admire the sight.

“It must be quite lavish to live there,” I commented in awe.

“Who’d want to live on a freaking mountain?” Vienna scoffed, rolling her eyes.

“Let’s move,” I disregarded her taunting and urged her forward.

Upon arriving at the gate, we encountered guards who stood as motionless as statues, bringing back memories of Lucian’s guards at the mansion.

“I am Vienna of Crescent Pack. We are here as guests of Lord Drogo,” she declared with authority. It was my first time seeing this side of Vienna, like a dominant female Alpha. The guard saluted and ushered us inside.

Servants were lined up in formation as we passed, each one bowing in unison. I saw myself mirrored in their actions, recalling how we used to do the same whenever Monsieur entertained guests.

The interior of the towers was as magnificent as their exterior. Vintage drapes and banners decorated every corner. Their emblem, a black tower crowned with a flame, was a recurring motif. At the far end of the room, Lord Drogo sat on a high-backed chair with a carpet beneath it, probably for those who knelt before him.

Vienna and I approached him, flanked by his guards and servants. He shifted his gaze from Vienna to me, a smile playing on his lips. That smile had always sent shivers down my spine.

I clenched my teeth in response.

“Lord Drogo, I come in my father’s name,” Vienna bowed her head as a sign of respect. I, however, kept my head held high, locking eyes with him.

“You know my loyalty is with your father, Lady Vienna,” he directed his words at Vienna but kept his gaze fixed on me, observing me closely.

My fists tightened with anger as I stared him down in silence.

“And is this your sister?” He pretended to ask.

“Yes,” Vienna responded, her teeth clenched as if it pained her to say so. I glanced at her smugly.

“A pleasure to meet you again, My Lady,” he emphasised the word ‘again’ as he spoke.