There wasn't a lot of light, but I found my eyes could see well as I examined the alpha in front of me.
I must admit that when I heard there were female alphas I didn't expect them to be feminine, I expected someone more...Manly-looking.
Terrible prejudice to have, I agree. But I imagined something completely different from the average-sized, dress-wearing woman I was witnessing. And she looked damn good in a dress.
She was leaner on the top and had rounder hips, which made the tight dress she wore emphasize the difference between her small waist and big behind. "I'm Coraline Giang," she said with a voice on the deeper side and I focused on her face. She was Asian, Vietnamese if I had to guess, because of her last name. But her features were extremely familiar, and not in a racist way, I felt like the way her nose curved slightly to the left was something I'd seen before.
"Nice to meet you, I'm Diana," I said with a smile. Gosh, even her eyes, they were so dark they were almost black. And they looked ancient and fierce, like those of a general I'd just seen. "I'm sorry if this is rude in any way, but are you related to Elowen?" I crossed my fingers hoping I wasn't offending her, my mother was Japanese and I still remember how much she hated when people confused her with someone else.
She smiled "You're smart" Her full lips curved into a smile and she swished her long, pin-straight hair back "She's my sister." I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding.
Coraline's beauty was feminine and delicate, while Elowen's was on the rougher side. They had different personalities but they both commanded any room they were in. It wasn't hard to imagine them as sisters.
"Let's go back, Callum is ready to examine you," Coraline said as she grabbed Selene's hand before offering me a smile. I focused on her hand, her long nails were stained with blood.
"Are you okay?" I asked and she smiled.
"We had a few trespassers, nothing to worry about," Coraline said as if it was the most normal thing.
"How is Ambrose?" Selene asked. But she went quiet, eyes focused on the water. I looked at the lake just as a blonde middle-aged man burst out and went to attack Selene.
Coraline acted without hesitation, catching the man by the neck as he jumped towards Selene. Coraline didn't even flinch as she snapped her neck with one hand, face schooled in neutrality.
I looked at Selene to gauge how I should react, but she only gave me a reassuring nod and went back to conversation as if what just happened was the most normal thing ever.
"He's fine, very excited not to be the only male Luna anymore" Coraline answered as she grabbed the man's arm and started dragging him.
"What? Did I miss something?" Selene's eyes were wide.
"Yes, Kyle finally married Josh" Selene's squeal was louder than a bomb.
I was having a hard time ignoring the fact she was dragging a dead person across the forest. I had gotten better with death and I had seen dead bodies in med school before. But it was different witnessing a murder. I felt because everyone was just so desensitized to it, I should be too.
"Wait, is a male Luna not called any other name?" I interfered. Needing a distraction from my thoughts and trying not to look at the man.
"We proposed 'lune' but Ambrose said it sounded like 'loon'" Coraline burst out laughing.
"We're working on a term, having male lunas is a new thing" Selene smiled shyly.
"I see" I started thinking of terms. Suddenly, I started feeling the exhaustion that I had pushed aside earlier.
"Don't worry, we're close" my friend said with a smile, and just a few miles ahead I saw a house. One almost as big as Damien and Selene's.
As soon as we entered the clearing a tall man with light skin and brown eyes ran over. "Cora, Are you okay?" he examined Coraline thoroughly and barely glanced at Selene and me.
"We're fine, get this one out of my sight and with the others," Coraline said and two people appeared and dragged the dead body away.
I didn't even have to ask if he was her mate, it was evident by the way he looked at her and consequently kissed her fiercely. He had sweet eyes and a stream of freckles ran across his nose and cheeks. He had a buzzcut so prominent I couldn't even see the color of his hair.
"Get a room" I heard Callum say as he came over and checked on Selene "Let's go, I brought all the equipment to check up on you." She nodded with a hand protectively over her belly.
Ambrose glared at him and then seemed to notice me. "Who's she?"
"From what I've heard, Harlan's girlfriend" Coraline teased and I turned red.
"Oooh, our beta royale" Ambrose smirked, hands still cupping his mate's neck.
I looked at Selene for help but she only smiled and kept following Callum.
"I'm nothing of the sort," I said emphatically.
"Yet," Coraline said and Ambrose's hands moved down her body.
"Please excuse me, I'll go see how Selene is doing" I practically ran out of there, terrified of witnessing the procreation of another creature.
____
Despite Callum telling us he sent a note saying we got here safely, we still wanted to make a call. So Selene asked for a phone and I waited patiently for her to finish speaking with Damien. They talked for hours, about the simplest of things and about the most complicated.
They talked about everything they could think of, not keeping anything from each other no matter how gruesome or sad. That was the kind of relationship they had. He was sweet and protective and she was just as sweet, but a survivor. She still bore the scars of her past battles, but she wore them proudly, she owned them. And he had scars too, but they were healing together, making a new life.
That is what I wanted for myself now, I realized. I was no longer lost. I hadn't found my purpose in Harlan, but he had helped me find it.
I knew that with the way I was, Harlan could never be the sole reason I exist. He could be part of it of course, but I need to have a greater purpose. I need to be stronger, faster. I need to be better so I can help those around me because ever since I was a kid, that was the only thing I've wanted to do.
Selene looked over at me, lost in thought, and called my name again "Harlan wants to talk to you," she said, handing the phone over to me.
I did want to talk to him, I swear. I just didn't know what to say. The longer I kept my feelings a secret, the more I felt like I was keeping something from him. But he kept things from me too.
"Hello," he said, his voice like honey.
"Hi," I said softly, I must have sounded tired because his tone switched to worry.
"Are you okay?"
"I'm fine, just a little tired" I said, my voice cracking a bit.
"You don't sound just a little tired," he said "You should go rest,"
He was about to hang up, but I couldn't let go of one thing.
The question about what he was going to say before the attack, I had to know.
"Wait," I said catching his attention.
"Yes?"
"You were going to say something before the attack, what was it?" maybe this was pushing it, maybe he wasn't ready.
He sighed "It was nothing, Di, I just wanted to make sure you knew the plan" he lied. I knew he was lying. "You should sleep, you're tired."
"Fine," I said, a little bit hurt "Good night, Harlan."
Maybe he doesn't feel the same about me.
"Good--"
"Is that Diana? Let me talk to her" I heard Blaze's voice in the background.
"No, it's not, it's Selene" Harlan lied, again. Why was he lying to Blaze?
"What about Diana?" he asked.
"She's asleep, leave her alone for fuck's sake," he said abruptly hanging up before I could say another word.
That was weird. Why wouldn't he let Blaze talk to me?