"Can we just stay like this forever?" I ask Klayton, gently caressing the side of his face with my fingertips. I can feel his light stubble, and I trace all the way up to his hair; pulling through the strands lightly. This action makes Klayton close his eyes in bliss, a soft almost purr-like noise emitting from his chest.

"Yes please," he replies. One of his eyes pop open and a small smile dances on the corners of his mouth. He then fully focuses his attention on me and leans towards me and pecks me on the lips. I return the kiss with a little more passion.

Finally.

Klayton and I are finally at a point in our lives where we can just enjoy one another —no bullshit, no drama. No crazy Moon Goddess.

"I love you so much, you know that right?" Klayton says, the boyish grin still plastered upon his face.

"I do," I say and wink. "And I love you too." I sigh contently, and lean my head against his bare chest. Our bodies were tangled together, naked —and I would not have it any other way. My eyes close, and I feel the power within me stir lightly.

I've never felt better; I feel complete in every way possible.

"Let's spend the day together. Just you and me. We can get ready and go out for a picnic? How does that sound?" Klayton tenderly asks me and plants a kiss on my forehead.

"It's sounds perfect," I whisper back.

~

"Perfect!" I grumble in frustration. "This is just fantastic. We're lost,"

"Adira, stop being so dramatic. This is my territory after all," Klayton rolls his eyes and chuckles warmly. "I know exactly where we are."

We're hand in hand, walking through the forest together. In his other hand, Klayton holds a small basket filled with sandwiches, fruits, and other snacks we felt would be the best for our picnic adventure.

"Okay, okay."

I find a small patch of grass that seemed to glow from the sunlight, and laid a small plaid blanket on top of it. I smoothed it out tenderly and then flopped down on top of it, motioning with my hands for Klayton to do the same.

He does, and lays down on his back; sprawling out completely. I giggle at his relaxed position and happiness fills my entire being.

"I really could stay here forever with you," he murmurs and turns his head to face me. My eyes scan over his face, however not straying far from his watchful gaze.

"I'm down for that," I whisper lowly and lean over to him. Our lips meet and the only thing running through my mind in this very second is that I could do this for the rest of my life, and never get tired of it.

Klayton gingerly pulls away from the kiss and brings his thumb up to my cheek, brushing over it lightly. His eyes stare into my own with what I can only describe as pure love and adoration, and it almost brings tears to my eyes.

Can someone really love me that much?

"We've come so far Adira. I feel like when we are together, we can overcome anything. I love you so much, and I'm so thankful everyday that you share the other half of my soul. I don't know what I would do without you," He tells me in a soft voice. Klayton is vulnerable right now, and expressing himself to me in the best way he can.

"I love you too, Klayton. You really changed my life, and I wouldn't want to share the rest of mine with anyone else."

"I—"

The words coming from Klayton's mouth suddenly stop as a twig snapping comes from behind us. I break our hold apart, and look at Klayton in alarm. He can sense the panic that befalls my entire body, and brings one of my hands to his chest.

Over his heart.

"You have nothing to be afraid of, my love."

"I know Artemis is dead, but I'm still scared..." I admit in defeat. "I have a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach right now."

"I just think you're not used to feeling this —happiness. We are completely safe; she's gone. No one else can harm you," Klayton tells me assuringly. Another noise of a branch breaking makes us look in the direction it came from. My heart is beating 100km an hour, and Klayton sighs through his nose.

"Who is out there?" I whisper to Klayton, as he begins to stand up from our make-shift picnic blanket.

"No one," he answers in slight confusion. "I asked patrol to give us privacy for the afternoon. No one should be out here now..."

His words make the hairs on the back of my neck stand in alert. Shakily, I comb a finger through my hair. I roll my eyes at my own anxiety and try to calm myself down internally.

"Can you go check it out?" I ask lamely. Here I am, the literal Moon Goddess, scared of something in the woods.

"Of course I will, baby." Klayton leans down and pecks my cheek quickly. "Stay here, I will only be gone for a moment." I nod my head at his words and sigh, watching him venture into the more wooded area surrounding us. I sit in silence for a moment before a tap on my shoulder has me jumping in my spot.

"Holy fuck!" I gasp. "You scared the hell outta me,"

Destiny chuckles.

"What are you doing here?" I ask her, bewildered. Her face that once held a coy smile, sudden drops. It's an expression I've not really seen her hold, and it brings goosebumps to my skin.

"I'm sorry for ruining your moment here with Klayton," she says softly. "If I hadn't shown up, something really special would have happened."

"What was going to happen?" I ask, my curiosity suddenly spiked.

"I don't want to tell you," Destiny quickly replies.

"You interrupted it," I roll my eyes. "Now you have to tell me."

"Fine," she harshly says. "He was going to... propose to you." My mouth gapes at the words she says. Klayton wanted to... marry me?

"Holy shit," I breathe. "Now that, I didn't see coming." Destiny smiles lightly and comes to sit beside me on the plaid blanket. She then grabs an apple from our small basket, and rubs it on her dark shirt to clean it off. I watch in silence as she inspects in and then takes a big bite out of it, crunching loudly. With a mouthful of apple, she turns to me and asks me a question.

"What would you have said?" She asks. My face twists, slightly surprised at the question.

"As if you don't know," I tease and bump shoulders with her. We both laugh at my joke.

"You're right," she smiles. "But I see infinite possibilities. Some shit... changes."

"Sounds horrible," I laugh. She joins in with a smile that doesn't quite reach her eyes.

"You have no idea," she says. We sit in silence after that for a few minutes, the only noise between us is Destiny munching on her stolen snack. I patiently wait for Klayton to appear, and for her to disappear. Although she is one of my closest allies, even friends, this was special time between Klayton and I.

The sun is setting now, and the hints of the moon idle by at the horizon. I watch in amazement, an exciting buzzing filling my stomach. Each time the moon glows on my skin, I feel the most alive.

But right now, all I could focus on was Klayton. And knowing he was about to surprise me with a proposal makes butterflies erupt in my stomach once more. Would I have said yes? Do I want to marry him?

My internal battle is stopped in its tracks as Destiny chucks her apples into the same woods where Klayton had disappeared into. Thinking of it now, he had been gone for way too long. I didn't want to begin to panic, so I turned to Destiny.

"What the hell is taking that man so long?" I groan lightheartedly. I watch as Destiny swallows hard, and shrugs.

"He'll be back soon," she assures me. "Why don't you have a snack? You need to relax."

Destiny reaches into the small basket once more, and pulls out another green apple. She rubs it onto her shirt once more, and then extends it out to me. I sigh and reach for it, bringing it up to my mouth. My teeth crunch into it, and my mouth is filled with the taste of sweetness. I quickly swallow the first bite and smile at Destiny.

"Thanks," I tell her.

"You shouldn't be thanking me," Destiny replies with a solemn look on her face. The expression makes me panic, and I reach to hold her hand.

"What do you mean?" I ask her. She interlocks our fingers, and smiles at me reassuringly.

"Your death won't be long now," Destiny whispers in despair.

Those six words made my entire body seize up; my fight or flight response triggered. I try to rip my hand away from hers but she squeezes tighter. In panic, I look up into her eyes and she's crying.

I've never seen anyone in so much pain.

"W-What did you do?" I ask, a slight slur to my words. I blink slowly, my eyelids feeling extremely heavy all of a sudden. "Did you poison me? Why?"

"I love you so much Adira, and I will forever cherish our friendship. You're one of the strongest woman I know, and a thousand other people couldn't match the spark that fills your soul. I'm sorry to have to do this, I really am."

At this point, Destiny is sobbing and my body falls down onto the plaid blanket. I dry heave, my body turning over.

"Klayton!" I shout as loud as I can. Alarm fills my being and another wave of nausea hits me hard. I turn over and puke, seeing red. I shakily reach up to my mouth and feel blood dripping down.

"I'm so sorry, Adira! I'm so sorry!" Destiny cries and brings my head onto her lap. "I will never forget you. You did so much for me —for everyone. You're my best friend."

"W-Why?" I manage croak out.

"I love you, and I will miss you so much," Destiny whispers. "But I miss Theia even more. Adira... I can bring her back. This is the price I have to pay, and it is the worst thing I have ever had to do. I am so sorry."

A tear rolls down my cheek at her confession and a sob wracks through my body. Betrayal, anger, and sadness consumes me.

"K-Klayton, please." I look into Destiny's befallen face and beg. I need to see him one more time, I need to say my own goodbye.

Destiny's painful expression could almost mirror my own, and she kept confessing her part as she cried to me.

"I had help from Embry. He used dark magic to confuse Klayton; the man has been walking in circles in the forest the entire time we have been talking. He can't hear us either," Her expression makes another sob wrack my body and white foam appears at my mouth. "But you won't survive this. I'm sorry, but I will let you say your goodbye..."

Destiny suddenly takes my head off her lap and lays me tenderly back down. In a moment, she is gone and I see Klayton running back. He can now sense my alarm fully, and probably smell my blood. As he comes into view, I watch as he screams in panic.

I thought the pain of Destiny's face was the worst pain I had ever witnessed on a person.

That was before I saw Klayton's.

"Adira!" He screams. He rips off his shirt and starts to wipe off the blood and foam from my mouth, my entire body shaking in violent tremors. My eyes are half closed as his harsh sobs fill my ears. "No! You have to stay awake baby," he yells and shakes my shoulder slightly.

"Oh my god..." He exhales shakily and aggressively wipes away his never ending tears. Sobs are wracking through his body as he accesses mine, looking for the damage. "What happened!" He shouts in a voice that can only be described as utter despair.

"D-Destiny," I hoarsely whisper. "S-She poisoned me, and is going to bring back her sister Theia from the dead."

Klayton roars something I have never heard before. Parts of his claws begin to come out —and his teeth as well— but he reigns it in. With my half-closed eyes, I watch as the small spurts of fur on his chest begun to retract.

"You will NOT die!" He screams and brings my body to his own. With an elongated nail, he slits a small cut into his hand and brings it to my mouth. "My Alpha blood can heal you."

I bring it to my lips and as the copper tasting liquid meets my mouth, I immediately gag it out. It wasn't working. I hopefully look to Klayton and shake my head as realization dawns.

"Klayton, I-I'm the Moon Goddess. I would have healed by now. What she p-poisoned me with... it's meant to kill me." As soon as the words come out my body seizes up, a sharp pain reaching my abdomen. I clutch my stomach tightly, and then reach for my throat as I'm suddenly choking.

I can't breathe.

I can't fucking breathe, I think to myself.

Klayton's eyes widen and he reaches for me, but I stumble away in panic. My eyes are in alarm as my hands scratch at my throat, trying to bring oxygen into my lungs.

I collapse onto my legs, and can feel myself getting dizzy. A sudden thought pops into my head, and I rummage through the small basket we had brought our things in. I find a small piece of paper, and a pencil, and scribble as quickly as I can.

I throw the note towards Klayton, and I painfully watch as he reads every word. Memorizing it. Sobs wrack his body and he runs for me. I meet him halfway, and lay in his arms on top of the plaid blanket. We both sit in one another's embrace —a lovers final goodbye.

"I will find Destiny, and I will find Theia." He shouts in pain. "And I will kill them! I will rip their hearts from their chest and feed them their own intestines. I will avenge you, Adira. I love you so much." Klayton kisses my forehead fiercely, cradling and rocking my body in his loving arms.

My eyes close and a single tear makes it way down my cheek. I take the note from his hands and bring it to my lips. Sealing the words with a kiss; an unspoken promise.

And then I take my last breath.

My arms flops down, the note still in my hand. My fingers involuntarily unclench themselves, and the note shines under the glowing moon. In this light, the written words of a scared, dying lover is revealed to the glowing of the moon. And so it reads,

I would have said yes.