20. The Harem of the Moon

The two males dropped like stones. But she was successfully out of the Keep and a twenty-minute run away, and it was almost eight o’clock. Seff ripped into her wolf form and let herself stretch her limbs.
Castle Night seemed more of a medieval castle than a villa. The multitude of rowan trees gleamed low light in the last dregs of the evening and Seff was unable to make out any other human or wolf forms. But when the gate came into view, it was cracked open, a sliver of orange light interrupted by who Seff hoped was Selene’s Delta, Lona Mahsa.
Seff slunk up to the gate with her heart pounding. What if someone else saw her and the betrayal made its way back to Kiran?
Lona was ready with a soft silver robe, holding it for Seff to shift and slip into it. She was almost identical to her Luna, except for the considerably less murderous expression. In fact, she seemed almost sweet. Strange for a Delta, known to lean toward an Alpha’s temperament rather than an Omega’s.
“Welcome, Seff Bleize. Relax, you are welcome here.” As Lona guided Seff into the pleasantly warm foyer that looked out to the open courtyard suspiciously similar to the Keep’s layout, she noticed Seff’s anxiety. “The Luna is always two steps ahead of Kiran. Don’t worry about those young males. They are loyal to Selene. Come along.”
“What?”
Lona laughed casually. “Altan and Elio Oriana are bastards of the Moon pack. Their mother, Aura Baran, was abducted by one of Kiran’s lesser Alphas. We are ashamed to admit we did not notice her absence until two days later, where she did not tell us what happened. Weeks later, she was pregnant.”
The truth of the tragedy only strengthened her guilt. How could she be so uncharacteristically selfish and take advantage of those poor males when they were already born from misfortune? But it proved that Kiran really did one horrible thing after another without restraint or resistance—and let his pack do whatever they pleased without consequence.
The guilt growing bigger by the second, she couldn’t help but be fascinated by the surroundings of Castle Night. It really was a marvel of black stone no matter wall or floor, like an endless tunnel. It smelled like all the wolf smells, but permeated with the scent of the nocturnal moonflowers blooming out of vases every so many feet.
“Kiran demanded they be raised in the Keep, since the twins were more Sun than Moon. Which is bullshit because it was a Moon who birthed them. To save more lives than one, Selene agreed. But once they came of age and Presented as Alphas, Kiran agreed to Selene’s terms in letting them both choose which pack they wished to live in from then on.”
Lona’s voice was relaxing, like listening to a bedtime story despite the dark topic. “They chose the Sun—but not before swearing to their mother Aura and their Luna that they would be truthful spies. It’s perfect fate that they were assigned to you. Altan was the one able to slip Selene’s letter into the daily mail.”
Seff couldn’t hold in her confession: “I have already done them wrong.”
Lona waved her hand dismissively. “They knew the risks. They were trained well by the Moon for scenarios of all kinds. They would never let themselves get caught so ungracefully. Despite the unforgivable condition of their conception, it benefits us greatly. I assure you, their missions are consensual—including input from their mother. Your heart’s pounding in guilt, Seff. Let it ease.”
Easier said than done. “I…punched them unconscious…”
Lona smirked over her shoulder. “Did you?” Seff blinked, so the Delta continued, “They’re stronger than an Omega’s uppercut, dear. And don’t think ill of Selene. She cares deeply for anyone in the Moon pack. But if there is anyone who has more urges than Kiran is his unsupervised lesser Alphas.” Lona shook her head in disgust. “Our lessers, male or female, never betray the sanctity of disturbing the other’s property. And value common decency in not committing rape.”
She spat the word as if it in itself tasted foul. “But it was avenged,” she continued with a sweetly-satisfied smile. “That lesser Alpha is no longer capable of ever fathering offspring.”
Seff wondered if Selene or the victim removed that vital part of anatomy.
“We are here,” Lona said suddenly, and Seff blinked to find them in a completely different building whose door was open to what was undoubtedly the harem.
Naked males and females danced languorously to hypnotic music in a massive open room, not unlike Kiran’s with pillows upon long couches, plush carpets, mood lighting, and scattered underthings. But somehow there was a peaceful atmosphere, as if the pleasure required of such a place was that: peace and pleasure, not bending to a malevolent king’s sexual whims.
There was even a pregnant female asleep on another female’s shoulder, both snoring softly. Seff was struck with the idea that they all felt this was a place for simply lounging about instead of where they would be bedded by Selene.
But wasn’t she malevolent too?
Seff pushed away the thought that while she was calmed by light and music and bodies, Kiran was most likely inflicting more bruises on her best friend.
“Selene,” Lona called.
Seff looked up and found Selene sitting at a desk that supported an Omega lying on her back with her legs twisted together in the air. The Luna was carrying a soft-voiced conversation with her, but at her mention, she turned around.
She tried not to react when she saw Seff. But she said her name in an exhaled breath as if she didn’t expect her to show. Her blue eyes searched Seff up and down before padding over to her. “Seff…” she whispered. Then, louder, “Welcome to my home.”
The Luna was beautiful without her features screwed into boredom, annoyance, or anger. Here, she seemed nothing but gracious. When Selene tilted her head and her lips quirked toward a forbidden-feeling smile, Seff was again struck with a sense of dejavu. “Thank you.” She looked around to stop her own staring. “It’s beautiful.”
“I’m glad you think so. May I offer you a meal?”
Seff had unknowingly starved herself the entire day; she was famished. She nodded. Selene seemed pleased, and held up a crooked arm for Seff’s to loop into it. Surprised, she did, and the Luna of the Moon pack led her out of the harem and into her personal study.