Claiming His Luna

Cercei’s POV

I gently wiped the beads of sweat from my forehead, my tired body bent over the task of scrubbing the floor. The weight of the brush in my hand felt heavier with each passing moment.

“Gosh, can you pick up the pace?” came the sharp voice of Vienna, the daughter of our Alpha, piercing the air from behind me.

“Certainly, miss,” I replied, my voice filled with deference, and I increased the speed of my scrubbing.

Vienna had conveniently spilled paint on the floor, which she claimed was accidental, but her malicious intent was evident. It was now my responsibility to rectify the mess she had created.

“Stupid girl,” Vienna muttered under her breath as she turned her back on me. With one final act of cruelty, she kicked the paint can that lay beside me before departing the kitchen.

Exhaustion washed over me, and I let out a weary sigh as I observed the magnitude of the work still ahead. I had been scrubbing the floor for what felt like an eternity, yet the paint seemed to cling stubbornly to the surface, refusing to yield to my efforts.

Once I was certain that Vienna had left the room, I gingerly set down the brush and allowed myself a moment’s slumber.

Leaning against the cool wall, I could feel the ache radiating through my arm, the throbbing pain in my legs, and the strain in my back. The toll of physical exertion was unmistakable.

“You do know that Vienna would strangle you if she caught you were resting,” Maria’s voice suddenly broke the silence, causing me to startle.

“God, you gave me quite a scare,” I gasped, my hand instinctively pressing against my chest to calm the racing beat of my heart.

Maria couldn’t help but chuckle as she settled down beside me, a brief break from the demanding world we were trapped in.

Maria, though a relatively recent addition to the service of the Crescents compared to my family’s long-standing tenure, had quickly become my closest companion. Perhaps it was our similar ages or the shared fate we endured under the tyranny of Vienna Crescent.

While my parents had dedicated their lives to serving the Alpha, Remus Crescent, my father as his butler, and my mother as his personal maid, they had never been shown an ounce of gratitude or respect by the man they served faithfully.

Resting my head upon Maria’s shoulder, I couldn’t help but voice my frustration. “What do you think drives Vienna’s relentless determination to make my life a living hell?”

“Jealousy,” Maria replied with a hint of amusement in her voice.

I couldn’t help but chuckle at her response. “Yes, of course. Who wouldn’t envy my ragged clothing, extraordinary talent for scrubbing floors, and oh-so-fashionable vintage worn-out shoes?” I playfully wiggled my toes for emphasis.

A sudden shift in Maria’s tone caught me off guard, and I stopped laughing. It was a rare occasion when she spoke seriously. “Because you’re more beautiful