His Lover, My Mate

Twenty-Eight: The Death Luna

Luna Iyla began to laugh. Mirth coated her gaze as she took Aletha's hands. "Is that what you're bothered about? That I returned back to my husband who supposedly killed me?" Something dark washed over her face. "I wanted vengeance for my murder."

"I would have too," Sirka agreed. She was angry at what she'd just heard. And from the looks of it, she respected the Death Luna even more than before. "How are you even immortal? How does that work?"

"I'm from the Lunar Pack originally. Anyone from the Lunar Pack are moon-blessed. When we die, we turn into moon spirits, or basically immortal reincarnations in a much superior body." Now she pulled Aletha toward the bed and made her sit. "I shouldn't be the center of attention. I came here to see you and know about you. Rush seems to be taken with you. I just couldn't wait to see who his mate was, so I came to your room all by myself."

Rush was taken with her? Now that, she wasn't expecting. "Uh," she began, feeling her cheeks heat up. Sirka was grinning at her, giving her an "I told you so" look. "What do you want to know about me?"

"Many things, sweetheart." Luna Iyla turned to Sirka. "You know her well, don't you? She was with you for over a month."

Sirka nodded. "I trained her for the Luna Trials."

And that was when something nasty twisted in the Death Luna's expression. Her eyes flared into daggers and a dangerous snarl fell on her lips. "The Luna Trials? Why in the hell would Rush hold the Luna Trials?"

Sirka shook her head. "It's not what you think, Luna."

"Not what I think?" she repeated ferociously. "Then enlighten me."

"He just let me train with Sirka," Aletha quickly cut in, breaking the Death Luna's heated glare at Sirka. Sirka wasn't to blame for anything, and in a way, so wasn't Rush. "That was my Luna Trials. Me training to get physically stronger so I could at least look like I know how to fight when his mother comes."

The Death Luna took that in, and her expression grew from wrathful to thoughtful. Then her gaze narrowed at Aletha. "He didn't hurt you in any way, did he?"

"No," she answered honestly. He did make her body ache from the training, but she knew training did that to anyone.

"Okay...okay." She sighed deeply. "I know Rush. He would never hurt you. He's very gentle and kind. He's not evil like the other Alphas that ruin their Lunas." She began to pace around, still conflicted about something. "But why did he call it the Luna Trials then? Why didn't he just say it was your training?"

She was sharp. Aletha should have known it, but experiencing it was different. It was terrifying how cunning she was, how brutally discerning her mind could be. That was why she was so powerful in the first place. She didn't miss anything. Aletha didn't know how to reply to that, but the door opened at that exact same moment and one of the guards popped in his head. "The Alpha is here," he announced.

"And here I was, trying to surprise her," Rush muttered as he strolled right in. All the females in the room stared at him and he raised his brows. "What, am I interrupting something? You all look like I committed the greatest crime."

Luna Iyla gave him a stern look. "I will have to talk to you. In private."

Rush seemed taken aback by her response, but he only shrugged. "As you say, mom." Then his eyes fell on Aletha and he gave her a soft smile. "Hello there, love. How're you holding up? Is Iyla terrifying you?"

"Not really," Aletha said, her body tightening at the sound of his voice. He spoke to her tenderly, like a lover. Not abusively, not viciously. Just...very warmly.

"You don't have to lie about me, you know," Luna Iyla laughed. "People pass out when they hear my name. You know what they call me around the world? The Storm, the Bringer of Death, the Killer of Malice, the Queen of Torment, oh and my favorite--the Mother of Life."

"That one's beautiful," Rush agreed.

Aletha found herself entranced. "Are you really the Mother of Life?"

"Of course, dear," she said with a soft chuckle. She came over to her and sat. "I have moon magic. I can bring back those who are at the verge of death. My power works both ways. It can kill souls or keep them here to live on."

"That is kind of...terrifying," Aletha agreed, somewhat drawn to her. She had the ability to make someone feel spellbound by just hearing her talk or watching her facial expressions shift ever so slightly.

Luna Iyla took her hands again and caressed her palms. "I hope we can be friends. We have so much to talk about." She looked over at Rush, a beautiful smile spreading on her lips. "Oh Rush...she's absolutely beautiful. I can't believe you have a mate now. A living, breathing mate. A Luna!"

He nodded, but his gaze was fixed on Aletha. Her heart picked up as she watched him back, unable to look away. "I can't believe it either."