The scent of incense filled Selena's nostrils as she stepped into Uncle Bane's expansive chamber. The fur-lined table had a bunch of items on it. A fork with three standing candles casting shadows dancing on the walls. By the corner, a tall staff with a curled head leaned against stone, its base catching the faint shimmer of gold. A gold sceptre with an emerald ball twinkling gold as if he'd just performed magic on it. A glass ball on a gold base, entrapping a swirl of cloud as violet as the galaxy and cosmos. Leather sturdy books were stacked, the four of them at either side of his furry table. His bedside was at a further corner of the room. The small brass incense burner was plopped by it, mousey beside the ginormous bed, vapourizing curly wisps of smoke into the atmosphere. And on the branch of a wooden stand perched that jet-black crow—what was its name again? She always forgot. His eyes glistened. It scowled down at her.
Selena breathed in, heavy and unsteady. The ambience of it all was overwhelming. He was such a wizard.
Uncle Bane grinned and it met his eyes with crinkles at the corners. He rose and scooted out of his sorcery table. He held his arms out. "Selena dear".
Selena found herself smiling back despite herself. The kind of charm Uncle Bane had. He was a striking contrast to his brother, the Alpha. Selena imagined that while he was like lying back onto the grass on a sunny afternoon, the Alpha was the rain. He was the gloomy cloud, the rain that came in torrents without warning, and drenched you right there in the grass and soiled you up in mud.
"Come have a sit," He said, all bright, almost like he wasn't the person about to drop the same bomb she was anticipating on her.
Her boots thumped against the wooden floor, moving away from the doorway. She lowered herself into the seat across from him. "Hi, Uncle Bane" She smiled dryly, tugging at a sigh.
"How are you feeling today?"
"I don't know, a bit tense."
Uncle Bane leaned forward. His long, straw-like gray beard spilled itself on the table. She had never seen anything like it before.
He clasped his fingers. "I actually have great news for you"
She let out an uneasy chuckle. "Depends on our definition of great news"
"The Moon Goddess has finally granted our request" He paused.
Perhaps she got it all wrong. It wasn't the same news she had been expecting.
"Lucian will be the next Alpha" He paused again. "And you?" He smiled with pride for her. Heck, he was always smiling. It better be different news than what she came for.
"You will be his Luna" His face glowed an orange from the three candles on the pitcher fork.
Her heart dropped to her stomach. So this was it then. Silly of her to think it would be anything different.
"The Moonlit Ritual shall be held tomorrow night, under the full moon"
She couldn't manage any noise of a response from her vocal tract even if she tried. And what was there to say? Her heart was thrumming in her ears. She made to leave, but her limbs were suddenly atrophied and limp. She dragged herself out of the chamber.
Maybe she'd go to the chimney pot. She'd go at night. That was close enough to the moon so she could hear her bleeding scream. Or maybe she just needed a long bath. No. She should migrate. Run from all this.
She raked her fingers through the walls of the passage as she trudged down, jaw clenched.
Her feet seemed to have led her to Callum's quarters. She bent the door handle and pushed the door open. She met Callum's frame, bent over with his head in his hands.
"Cal?" "You alright?"
He looked up. "Did you get into a fight with Lucian?"
"No?"
He lowered his head again. "Then why is he being such a dickhead," he muttered.
"What happened?"
He suddenly reached for her chin, pulling her in for a kiss. It was a slow dance. Selena moaned into his mouth. "He doesn't want you in the castle" he breathed. He paused to take his shirt off. He flung it somewhere and immediately locked his lips on hers again.
Selena could hardly process that. She felt his hand travelling up her thighs. He grabbed her taut bum, lifting her into the bed. He pulled her dress over her head, as she frantically undid his belt.
"What?" she panted. But she really had to tell him, didn't she?
He kissed her again, lowering her into the bed.
She needed to tell him before he'd find out from someone else.
His hands found her breasts and he squeezed. Selena's eyes instantly rolled back and she moaned into his mouth. She felt his tongue trace her nipples. Delightful. Her fingers grabbed a clump of his hair.
"You're so hot" his breath fanned her skin.
"I-" she gasped with pleasure. "Cal" she spoke his name softly. His head was buried between her legs and he was too distracted, flicking his tongue. "I have something to tell you" she crooned.
Another shot of pleasure. She gasped. Her grip on his hair tightened. "Cal"
He finally looked up from between her legs. "Yes, baby?" He raised himself, widening her legs farther apart. Selena's breathing stepped up in dire anticipation. He pressed his lips into hers again while gently sinking himself into her insides.
"I have something to tell you," she said in a rush.
"Not right now, baby"
"It's important"
She felt him settle in. There was a soft push. She panicked. If she didn't say it now, she didn't know when. "Lucian is my mate," she blurted.
His body stilled. She watched his face for a reaction. His expression was cold. It wasn't good at all. Her heart jammed against her chest.
His eyes were narrowed and roaming their rims, searching. "What did you just say to me?"
"I'm sorry" she whispered.
And then he blinked rapidly. "H-How? I don't get it"
"I'm so sorry" her heart shattered to pieces. A tear slid down her cheek.
"No! Explain to me"
"What do you want me to explain?" Her voice broke. " It's the Moon Goddess"
"No" He shook his head with a smile. "No way". He tore away from her, getting his clothes off the floor.
"What are you doing?"
"I'm going to get that sonofabitch"
He was in his clothes in an instant. At least his shirt and singlet.
"Callum wait"
He forced himself in his pants.
She rushed to hold his face in her hands. "Callum, look at me!"
He glared. But she didn't care. "Don't go doing anything stupid" "It's the moon's wish. There's nothing you can do about it"
She observed that his breathing had slowed down. He was calm now. But his eyes were different. They bore holes into hers. "We'll see about that"
He started for the door.
"Callum!"
He slammed the door. She gathered her clothes in her hand, and very nearly rushed outside bare-bottomed.