42. Destined to Demise

*Oh, my love
We’re destined to demise
And there’s nothing I can do
No there’s nothing you can say
But it don’t matter
What matters is now
Oh my love
One day they’re gonna put me in the ground*
- Oh my love, To Kill A King

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Selene’s balcony window was open, the midnight breeze bringing the scent of rain and moonflowers. She stirred from sleep to stretch her legs outward with the luxurious smoothness of fresh silk sheets. She turned her head to the silver-haired female beside her, also naked, also luxurious, with her back to Selene. Her breath was even in slumber. Selene’s eyes drank in the curves of her back—the knobs of her upper spine, her shoulder blades, the slope of her arm half hidden by the coverlet. All draped in summer’s blue and moon’s white.
Selene didn’t want to wake her, so she slipped out of bed and padded to the balcony door to watch the leaves of her rowan trees crackle in the distance, crossing her arms over her breasts as they perked at the crisp air. She hadn’t been able to sleep lately. A premonition was lingering in her heartstrings and she couldn’t be rid of it. It was eating up her good mood day by day and she hated the toll it would take on her harem. But how could she prevent a *feeling*?
Behind her, the female groaned softly, rustling the sheets. “Selene?” she murmured blearily. “Come back to bed.”
The Luna breathed a laugh. “As you wish.” She slipped back under the covers and took the she-wolf in her arms, that beautiful back pressed against Selene’s chest. Their legs intertwined. The best part of love was connection between body and mind. “I didn’t mean to wake you.”
“You didn’t,” murmured the Magnolia with a brush of lips to Selene’s hand. “A dream chased me from sleep.”
Selene frowned against her shoulder. “Dreams do not awaken. Only nightmares…”
The she-wolf coughed, her whole body wracked with it. Selene unwound herself as the cough escalated into hacking; it sounded *wet*, as if her throat was blocked by—
Selene pulled her onto her back. Something hot and sticky splattered her face. Selene blinked the blood out of her eyes frantically, whispering the female’s name, whispering but then screaming, because…because…
Because her throat was slashed open. And she was choking. Dying.
Blood was pouring from the gaping wound, bubbling as she tried to breathe in vain. Her green eyes were crossed and unseeing, mouth gaping, unable to form words.
“No,” wept Selene, searching her mangled body as if it held the answer to its own problem. “No, no no no no… Oh, gods. Fuck. Please…please no…” She couldn’t raise her voice to call for help. What could anyone do anyway? This was beyond healing. Her wolf was dying. Her love was dying. “Please…please stay with me…”
Like a miracle, her hand found Selene’s, slippery with blood. “Selene…”
The Luna held her in her arms and brushed her hair out of her face with her free hand. “I’m here. Shh, shh, I’m here. I’ll…I’ll fix this—”
“It’s okay, Selene,” she managed in a horribly distorted voice.
“No it’s not—”
She squeezed Selene’s hand tighter. “We had our time together. We knew it’d come to an end sometime.”
“Not so soon,” rasped Selene with the taste of salt in her mouth. “Not yet, not like this.”
“You can’t…can’t change fate.”
“*Fate*? This isn’t fate, this is *murder*—”
“Don’t be angry,” she begged. Selene was shaking with anger and fear and regret and love and helplessness. What good was immortality if she could only lose? “Just let me go. Live forever for me. I love you, Selene.”
With one last raggedy breath, she went still. For a moment Selene was, too. Then she couldn’t take it.
She screamed. She screamed mortality and love and hate. Selene held her mate’s dead body and wept. She smelled like blood and sadness and lilies in summer. Selene buried her face in her damp, stringy hair and whispered her name like a prayer to bring her back.
“Calla. My Calla, please come back. Please come back to me… I love you. My greatest love, my mate—”

“Luna! Luna, wake up. *Selene*!”
Selene bolted upright from where she’d fallen asleep on her desk. Lona was standing on the other side, her face screwed in great concern.
She shot to her feet and turned her back on her. “What the fuck are you doing in my office? It’s the dead of night.”
Night. A breeze stirred her hair from the open balcony. Snarling, she slammed the doors shut. One of the small glass panes cracked. She called it a foul name.
“I’m—I’m sorry, Luna,” stammered her Delta. Even she hadn’t seen Selene so distressed before. “But…it’s urgent.”
She whirled. “What could be so—”
She flicked her gaze to the doorway. Sienna Haru was leaning on its frame, a glint of amusement in her eyes to match the smirk. “’Evening, Luna.”
Selene snarled and lunged at the Sun Delta, but Lona shot between them, stopping Selene in her tracks. “No! She has a letter from Kiran.”
“What does that fucker want?”
Sienna out-held an envelope with far more sass than ever necessary. Selene snatched and ripped it open to unfold the letter. “What’s his, of course.”
Selene struggled not to Shift fully. Her teeth elongated and cut open her lower lip. The taste of blood only urged more hate. She stared at the name and growled to Sienna, “You have until sunrise to warn Kiran that I’m coming to find her.”
The Sun Delta showed more restraint in holding back her werewolf instincts but still curled her lip. “You are not my Alpha. I don’t answer to you.”
Selene lifted her head. Yes, she was right, but the power of any Alpha was absolute. And the look Selene pinned on Sienna made her think twice—her defiance shriveled and she ducked her head. Then she growled at herself for submitting. “You’re not answering to me. You’re going to defend your Alpha by telling him his immortal enemy is coming to take what’s *hers*.”