59. Called Out
Seff was keeping her last bit of knowledge on the tip of her tongue. She waited until Selene tried to give one last excuse. With both Alphas, it always started with her name.
“Seff—”
“Kiran killed her.”
Pieces had been coming together in the past month, enough for Seff to click them into the larger picture:
Zinnia and Calla had both been a part of the Magnolia pack decades ago. Zinnia was Kiran’s mate; Calla had been Selene’s, and her last name had been Amaranth. Seff had never heard that name before. It was uncommon for one Magnolia not to know another’s last name, and Seff felt some shame in that. It was unknown how Zinnia died, but for some reason, Kiran killed Calla. It was unconditionally unforgivable to murder another wolf’s mate. It made Seff wonder why Selene didn’t kill Kiran in retaliation.
But why would they keep asking Seff if she knew them if they died more than sixty years ago?
“Why did Kiran kill your mate, and why didn’t you kill him in return?”
Selene’s jaw clenched. Her face had almost completely healed; Seff watched skin and muscle renew themselves before her very eyes, and the expressions of the cruel Alpha were defined, perfect features or not. “We both had our reasons,” she growled.
Seff ground her teeth too. She was growing tired of pleading and wondering; if these Alphas didn’t respond to her questions, she knew they would react to threats.
“I’ll leave.”
Selene went still, eyes narrowing, but she didn’t speak, so Seff tightened her fingers around the moon charm. “I will tear this off and throw it in the river.”
“You wouldn’t dare,” Selene growled, taking a step toward her.
Fear bolted through Seff’s veins at the look on Selene’s face. Despite the forbidden *affection*—Seff almost dared to say *love*—Selene had shown her, despite the lovemaking and the sweet, deep kisses, the reassurance that she was not faulty for not producing slick… Selene Hilal was a creature born into bloodthirst. The daughter of conquerers. Her entire life she only knew blood and violence. Soulmates were not always made right; love and hate went hand in hand. Had Selene been capable of loving another wolf without anger and fear?
Seff was not blind to Selene’s ruthlessness, but she was not blind to her kindness either. But could Seff stay to see which one would outweigh the other?
The charm seemed to pulse against Seff’s fingers as if it was a tiny heart arising from a deep sleep. It meant something very important to Selene—
The realization struck Seff: *It belonged to Calla*. Selene carved it as a gift to Calla, and now she wanted Seff to wear it.
She suddenly couldn’t bring herself to do something so cruel as to threaten the gift of a mate. She let her hand fall to her side. Immediately Selene own form of angered fear faded. But the Luna was no less volatile. But that didn’t seem to stop Seff from thinking she could keep pestering her with connections she’d made.
“They were both from my pack. That’s why you take so many consorts from the Magnolia. Because you two are obsessed with the past.”
Selene turned to her head to look at the courtyard and refused to answer.
“I’ll take that as a yes.” Seff looked out, too, but couldn’t find the same memories. “Selene, I just don’t understand why you can’t tell me the truth,” she whispered.
Selene closed her eyes. Seff took it as another refusal.
“You *do* think of me as your soulmate after death. I know you do. It wasn’t hard to see the answer on your face when I asked you.”
Seff saw Selene’s hand clench into a fist. She felt a quicksilver flash of satisfaction—she was getting answers by simply calling her out.
Except Seff was merely a whelp to Selene, and the next thing the Luna did was quirk her lips toward a smile. “If I tell you,” she began, and her smile faded just as quickly as it arose, “will you stay?”
Seff stiffened. Selene said, “Knowing takes time sometimes.”
She turned her head, and the memories were bottomless in the midnight blue of her eyes. Seff felt herself falling into them, knocked breathless. She staggered back.
“Follow or stay or leave. I will let you choose.”
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