Calliope - Book 3 - A collection of Short Stories

A few months pass by at the Royal Moon pack. Jon walked down a road, pulling his coat tighter against him. Though it was nearing the end of the winter months, the morning air was still frigid. He walked alongside his father, Zeke, and one of his sisters.

As he kicked a rock, he looked up before him. Several feet away, Eli and Alice were walking with Millie. Normally, the children would take wagons from the palace into town, but today was the first day of the new school year. Millie and his younger sister, Kacie, were starting their first year.

As they neared the school, Eli stopped. He turned his attention to Jon, motioning for him. Jon ran up to Eli quickly.

“Yes, my Great Alpha?” He inquired with a smile.

“May I ask a favor of you, my young companion?”

“Anything you command of me, I shall do without question,” Jon replied while attempting to look serious.

“I need you to keep an eye on Millie while she is in school. You are the only one I can trust to ensure no one is mean to her nor takes advantage of her kindness.” Eli said as he looked down at the boy.

“I promise to do my best,” Jon nodded. “I shall protect her as I would you.”

“That’s a good lad,” Eli chuckled as he ruffled Jon’s hair.

“Would you like for me to walk her in? I can take her and Kacie to class first.”

“I would appreciate that.” Eli nodded.

Jon smiled and gave Eli a quick bow. He grabbed his sister’s hand first, leading her over to Millie. He paused, watching as Alice embraced her daughter tightly. He could see a tear slipping down her cheek.

“Are you alright, Great Luna?” He questioned worryingly.

“I am,” she sighed as she released Millie. “It is just hard to say bye.”

“It’ll only be for a little bit,” he reassured Alice. “In the meantime, I shall protect her!”

“Then she is in great hands,” Alice chuckled.

“Want to walk with us?” Jon questioned Millie as he held his hand out to her.

She nodded her head, quickly taking his outstretched hand. Jon led the two girls inside, down the school's central corridor. He did not have to walk far before he reached their class. The teacher stood at the door, smiling brightly at them.

“Ah, welcome, girls!” She said as she knelt down to get on their eye level. “You must be Millie, daughter of the Great Luna?”

“She is also the daughter of the Great Alpha,” Jon interjected with a frown. He gripped Millie’s hand tightly, pulling her back from the teacher. Though he agreed to watch Millie, he was also sworn to the Great Alpha. And Eli made it clear that the girl was his. It was Jon’s natural instinct to defend Eli and his word.

“Of course, I am sorry,” the teacher replied as she bowed her head. “Forgive me. I meant no disrespect.”

Jon reluctantly released Millie’s hand. He nodded to the teacher, but he continued to glare at her. He made a mental note to keep an eye on her. Eli did not have to know every little thing that happened, but if continued, he would not hesitate to tell him.

“I will see you after class,” he told Millie.

“Thank you, Jon,” she smiled before walking in.

“This is Kacie, my little sister,” Jon told the teacher as he let his sister’s hand go.

“Welcome, Kacie,” she said softly as she stood. She avoided meeting Jon’s gaze, choosing instead to keep her eyes on the floor. Though he was not an adult yet, he was the next companion to the Great Alpha. He was a higher standing than her, than anyone else at the school. And even at a young age, his face was expressive, and his eyes bore holes into her soul.

Jon stared at her for another second before he continued down the corridor. He walked into his class, acting as if nothing had happened. Several hours passed by, and the children were released from school. Rather than staying behind to play with friends, Jon hurried to the year one class to meet up with Millie and Kacie. He was relieved to see both girls waiting on him, both smiling and talking to one another.

“Hey girls,” he greeted when he approached them.

“Hey, Jon!” They said in unison.

Each girl took one of Jon’s hands, following him as he led them back outside. But they did not have to walk far before their parents came into view. Millie quickly released Jon’s hand, running straight to Alice and Eli. After speaking with Millie, Eli looked at Jon.

“Millie’s teacher mind linked me,” he said as he placed a hand on Jon’s shoulder. “Care to tell me what happened?”

“I had not intended to tell you,” Jon replied honestly. “I had handled it.”

“I figured as much when the poor girl kept profusely apologizing,” Eli added. “Thank you.”

“You are my Great Alpha. I only did what I was supposed to do,” Jon stated as he beamed happily up to Eli.

Eli nodded as he led Jon back to the group. He was impressed with how well the young boy did. The teacher had misspoken, but he was quick to correct her. Eli could not help but feel a twinge of pride, knowing that his next companion was performing his duties at such a young age.

Jon stood outside, sweating in the summer heat. He had been helping his grandfather and the pack Beta with the young pup training. Jon leaned against the stone wall of the palace, hiding in the little bit of shade that it offered.

He looked out at the group of kids that were resting under nearby trees. Though he was fifteen and eligible to participate, it was unnecessary. These children came to learn from the best warriors. But he lived here; for him, he was constantly in young pup training. He excelled beyond even the oldest kids who were visiting.

Millie stepped outside, holding a canteen. Her eyes scanned around the training grounds. But then she noticed Jon away from everyone else. She smiled, making her way to him. She could see his eyes were closed, so she took her steps slow and steady. She smirked, looking at Jon’s shirtless torso. The canteen in her hands was ice cold. She placed it against his bare chest when she was finally close enough.

Jon jumped, startled by the sudden cold sensation. He instinctively grabbed Millie’s wrist, pinning her against the wall. She bit her lip, holding back a chuckle as he panted inches away from her face.

“What do you think you are doing?” He questioned with a scowl.

“I was bringing you some cold water,” she replied innocently as her eyes sparkled in the light.

“You could have, I don’t know, said something rather than put that cold thing on me,” he retorted.

“But you were hot and sweating.” She shrugged with a smirk. “I figured it would feel nice.”

Jon scowled as he released her wrists. He took the canteen from her hands. He shook it, listening to the ice inside of it.

“Thank you,” he finally said before drinking from it.

“Was that so hard?” She questioned as she looked up at him.

Though he was only two years older, he stood nearly half a foot taller than her. When he rolled his eyes, she could not help but smile at him. She looked behind him, noticing that no one was looking their way. She stood on her tiptoes, kissing his cheek quickly. He froze, looking hesitantly at her.

“Enjoy the rest of the training,” she whispered as she walked away. She headed for the door, glancing back at him before stepping inside.

Jon was stunned as he stood there. He could feel a warmness creep up into his chest. He would be lying if he said that he did not find Millie attractive. For as long as he could remember, he had always had a crush on her. When they were kids, he always found reasons to be around her. But now that she was thirteen, finding reasons to be near her was harder.

And then there was Eli. Jon was fiercely loyal to the man, and he knew how protective Eli was over Millie. At the moment, she was his only daughter. Alice has only had two sons over the last eight years. Jon swallowed the lump that formed in his throat. He knew Eli would be furious if he ever caught Jon doing anything with Millie.

What he felt was just childhood infatuation. He had to remind himself that. But why would she come outside and kiss his cheek? Perhaps she was just trying to rile him up. He needed just to ignore it, to ignore her. She could play these childish games, but not him. He was three years from shifting. And even then, even now, everyone treated him as an adult. He had to always be responsible, always dependable. He tossed the canteen to the ground with a huff, walking out to join everyone else.

Millie stood at a window, watching him with sadness in her eyes. At first, she enjoyed watching him be confused, conflicted over what she did. His hazel eyes were scanning the ground, as if he would find some unknown answer to his problems. But when he threw the canteen down, he walked away as if it disgusted him. Perhaps she went too far kissing him.

She wrapped her arms around herself, walking silently down the corridor. She felt as if her heart was breaking, and she could not understand why. She liked Jon. To her, he was handsome, especially when he was training. He was stoic and calm. She dug through the depths of her mind, wondering when it switched for her. When she began to like him more than a friend.

"Millie? What's wrong?" A voice called out to her. She looked up, noticing Calliope standing in front of her. The Grand Luna had barely changed in the years she had been here. She was still young, and her eyes were bright as ever.

"Can I tell you, and you not tell my parents?" The girl questioned as she looked at her grandmother sheepishly.

"Oh, I do love secrets, come," Calliope said as she offered her arm. Once Millie wrapped an arm around hers, she led the way to a quiet corridor. "So, what's on your mind?"

"I like a boy," Millie murmured softly.

"Oh?" Calliope replied as she blinked several times. She pursed her lips as she thought to herself. "Who is the boy?"

"I don't want to say," Millie replied. "If my dad found out, he would be angry."

"You're not wrong," Calliope agreed. "He is a bit overprotective over you."

"He also has a weird obsession with me waiting to find my mate to do anything," Millie scowled angrily.

"Your father does take that a little further than others, but it is the wolf way. We are supposed to try and wait for our destined mates. The Goddess paired you with someone for a reason." Calliope explained. She glanced down at the young woman's face, noticing that she didn't agree with her explanation. "But, there are times when your destined mate never shows up. Or they reject one another. You are allowed to create your own fate, too."

"Really?"

"Of course! That is why I have the ability to create mate bonds."

"So, you could pair me up with the person I like?"

"Yes," Calliope nodded as her face grew serious. "But I would not do it until you were older. I want you to try to find your destined mate first. You need to see if you like them. Whomever you like now, these feelings may not stay. You still have five years before you shift, before you can ever find your mate."

"That is so far away, Grandmother," Millie argued. "But, according to Dad, I can't even kiss a boy before I find my mate. Why do I have to wait to even do something like that? Kissing is innocent!"

"Did you know that my first mate, Theo, waited 151 years for his first kiss? And I can tell you in the months leading up to me turning 18, it was tough on him. Like you, he wanted to do things that he shouldn't do. But he held out until the my birthday."

"How was he able to hold out?" Millie questioned curiously. "Was there some secret meditation he did?"

"Um... no. He would leave for days on end," Calliope grumbled. "As a 17-year-old, I was so angry when he left. It wasn't until a month before my 18th birthday that he finally told me why he was leaving. I had thought he was upset with me, but it turns out he was afraid of doing things before I was of age. I just wish he had told me sooner. But Theo was bad about keeping things close to his chest and not sharing."

"We are actually learning about him at school," Millie whispered as she looked down.

"Oh? Are you learning about the Brief War?"

"We are," the girl nodded as she looked up at Calliope.

"If I close my eyes, I can feel it as if it was yesterday," Calliope said as she stopped walking. "He has been dead 158 years. And for a long time, I was lost. Not having your mate, it breaks you. I was empty, living in darkness. But when I found Caleb, I found hope again. Love, happiness, a path forward. It is truly something to find your mate, to be with them. I know your father is abrasive with how he tells you to wait, but it truly comes from a good place. But, take it from me. I know you might like a boy now, but that feeling when it is your mate, it is magical."

Millie looked into Calliope's bright blue eyes as she listened to her. It was as if she could see the years of sorrow, of grief and misery swimming through them. Something about how Calliope talked, how she expressed her words, it moved Millie. As if compelling her to obey. Without any further arguing, she nodded her head, willing herself to wait.

Millie stood in the grand hall, standing off to the side. She wore a bright red dress adorned with tiny green jewels. Her hair was braided and pinned up. In her hands, she held a warm glass of apple cider. Tonight was the night of the Winter Solstice festival.

She was surrounded by several young men, all of whom wanted their chance to talk to her or to dance with her. Though she was courteous, participating in small talk, she felt overwhelmed being surrounded by so many. She eyed for an opening, a chance to escape, but anytime she stepped away, another boy would stand in her path.

Jon stood near the thrones that were placed at the end of the room. Eli and Alice had remained seated for most of the party. Alice was heavily pregnant and found dancing or walking far distances uncomfortable. Jon’s eyes scanned the room, looking around at those who were in attendance.

His eyes stopped on Millie. For the last year, the two of them had remained distant from one another. But now that he saw her surrounded by other young men, he suddenly felt jealous. He fought back the urge to storm over to her, pulling her away from the rest.

“Jon,” Eli called out. He turned around, looking up at the Great Alpha. “There are far too many men around Millie. Do you mind being her date for the night?”

“Eli…” Alice scolded. “She isn’t doing anything. Let her live a little.”

“I can see how they are looking at her, like a prize to be won. She is only 14! At the very least, Jon is 16 and closer to her age than some of the other men standing around her,” he growled as he turned his attention back to Jon. “If you stand with her, they would not dare ogle her.”

Jon nodded his head to Eli’s request. Doing his best to hide his excitement, he walked through the crowd. When he reached Millie, he held his hand out to her.

“Would you like to dance?” He questioned her with a small smile.

Millie’s eyes lit up when she saw Jon. She handed her glass off to another boy and quickly took Jon’s outstretched hand. She could hear the grumbling of the others as she was led away from them. Once on the dance floor, Jon held onto one of her hands and placed his other hand on her waist.

Millie placed her free hand on Jon’s shoulder. She looked at his face as he led them through the dance. His eyes were glued to hers, never moving, never wandering. Her heart skipped a beat when she noticed the heat between them. It had been over a year since she was this close to him. She could not even recall the last time they had spoken more than a few words to one another.

But she could not deny that being here, with him, stirred back up the feelings that she had pushed down. She still felt drawn to him. Even this year apart, she still liked him all the same.

“I feel like I have not seen you in so long,” she finally whispered.

“Your father has kept me busy,” he replied as he finally averted his gaze from her. When he turned 16, he stopped attending the town school. He spent his time training, learning to be a companion, and being by Eli’s side.

“You live in the same palace as me; you spend your days with my father, but yet I don’t even think you say more than a few words to me,” she argued as she continued to look at his face. “We used to be great friends. We would always play together as children. But now that you are older, am I no longer your friend?”

“Well…” he sighed as he briefly glanced back at her. He could see the sadness on her face. The tears that brimmed the edges of her eyes. “No, I still regard you as a dear friend. I have many fond memories with you.”

“So why the sudden change? I know neither of us plays with toys anymore, but is there nothing we could do together?” She questioned as she gripped his hand tighter.

Jon was silent for a moment as he thought. There was not much that he did away from his father or the Great Alpha. But he could not deny wanting to spend time with her again. He missed her smile, her laugh.

“In the evenings, three days a week, I go to the library to read,” he finally said after some time. “I go to study the journals of past companions. But you are more than welcome to join me.”

“I’d like that,” she smiled happily. It wasn’t much, but it was something that they could do together now that they were older. Perhaps it would be an opportunity to rekindle their friendship.

Jon sat in a little reading nook in the library. He was reading an old journal from a companion during Theo’s time. As he read, he was unaware of Millie as she was approaching him. She came up from behind him, placing her hand on his shoulder. Jon gasped as he sat up, startled by the sudden touch. Millie laughed as she leaned against the wall.

“That’s not funny!” He scolded as he set his book down.

“I’m sorry, truly,” she said as she bit back her smile. “I didn’t mean to scare you.”

“I thought you said you wouldn’t be reading today,” he scowled as he sat back down. He crossed his arms, glaring at her.

“That’s because I did not know if I would get back from town in time or not,” she said as she pulled a wrapped package from behind her back. She held it out to him. “I know you turn 18 tomorrow, but I wanted to give you your gift tonight.”

Jon dropped his arms as he smiled. He took the package, gently unwrapping it. It was a leather-bound book, but the pages were empty.

“I know it’ll be another few years before you become my father’s official companion,” she whispered as she clasped her hands together. “But I figured you would like to practice writing your own journals?”

“This is a wonderful gift,” he said, looking up at her. “Thank you. This is so well made.”

“A merchant in town brought it from one of the western regions,” she smiled. “If you’d like, I could request that he buy some more?”

“I would greatly appreciate that,” he nodded as he stood. He pulled her into a tight embrace. “Thank you again.”

“There was one more thing I wanted to give you, but I wanted to make sure you were alright with it,” she whispered as she hugged him back. "Because it is more for me."

“Whatever it is you want to give me, I am sure I would love it,” he chuckled as he pulled back to look at her.

It had been a year and a half since the dance. After spending time together, the tension between the two had nearly disappeared. For Jon, Millie had become the person he would turn to for advice, someone he could rant to. And likewise, he became a tutor and a confidant for her.

“I’d like to kiss you just once,” she replied as she looked at him. “Once you’re 18, you’ll find your mate and be with her forever. And I want that for you; I want you to be happy with the person that is fated to you. But I just want one kiss, no strings attached. Nothing weird about it or anything.”

Jon thought to himself as his hands remained on her arms. He looked down at her plump lips. They were light pink in color, and he could not help but wonder how they felt. His heart began to pound. The awkward feeling was coming back. But she did not want strings attached. Just one kiss and that would be it. He leaned down, pressing his lips softly to hers. The kiss lasted for a few seconds, and when he stopped, Millie pulled away from his hands. She grabbed the book he was reading, and sat down with it.

“Why are you reading this old thing?” She questioned, acting as if they did not just kiss.

Jon had to clear his thoughts because he could not move past the kiss as quickly as Millie. It felt nice; it felt natural. But it was just one and done. No strings attached. That meant for him, too. He took a deep breath before walking over to sit beside her.

Jon walked up the stairs, heading up to the third floor. Zeke was talking to him about the tasks for the day, but Jon was distant. His mind was clouded with thoughts that were scrambled within his brain. His wolf was also more active within his soul. But neither knew what it was. Perhaps they needed to shift, to run for several miles? As they neared the top of the stairs, the scent of strawberries and sandalwood filled his nose.

Further up on the third floor, Alice and Eli stood talking with Millie. She held a little box with a bow on it in her hands. Today was her 18th birthday, and her parents ensured they were up early so they could be the first to greet her. Millie smiled as she opened the box. Inside was a necklace with a small pink diamond on the end. As she touched the gem, she froze. The smell of Ginger and cinnamon filled her nose.

Millie instantly looked to her right, noticing Jon standing there, staring at her. Her heart raced, and it suddenly felt difficult to breathe. She held the box out for her mother, urging her to take it.

“What’s wrong? Do you not like it?” Alice questioned.

“Mate…” Millie whispered as she took a step to Jon.

Eli’s head shot up at the word. Mate? Who? The only ones standing in the hall with them were Zeke and Jon. He growled as he stormed over to Jon. He grabbed his shirt, slamming him to the floor. The hall became chaotic as everyone began to yell. Zeke, Alice, and Millie tried their best to pull Eli off of Jon. Due to the commotion, Calliope and Caleb came running out of their room. Calliope quickly waved her hand, freezing Eli.

“What is going on out here!?” She shouted as she approached the group.

“Jon!” Millie cried as Zeke pulled him out from under the frozen Great Alpha. But though Millie wanted to run to him, Calliope’s aura was weighing down on her. She turned to look at her grandmother with tears streaming down her cheeks. “Jon is my mate! Dad got upset and started hitting him!”

“Oh?” Calliope replied as she stood beside Millie. She looked back and forth between the girl and Jon. “The companion to your father is your mate?”

“Yes, Grand Luna, he is,” Millie insisted while nodding her head.

“I see,” she smiled. She began to relax her aura, allowing the others in the hall to relax as well. She turned her attention to Jon. His nose was bleeding, but he was steaming. “Are you alright?”

“Yes, Grand Luna,” he answered quickly.

Calliope nodded as she looked down at her frozen son. He yelled at her over mind link, but she did not care. She stood there, her eyes glaring into him. After a minute, Eli calmed down. Calliope waved two fingers, unfreezing him. Alice knelt down on the ground beside him as he gasped for air.

“Care to explain why you attacked your companion?” Calliope growled to Eli.

“I’m sorry,” Eli mumbled as he slowly stood to his feet.

“That is not an explanation.”

“He was just being protective over Millie,” Jon interjected as he stepped forward. “I’m not upset about it, Grand Luna.”

“I’m glad you can easily forgive your Great Alpha for his aggressive behavior, but I cannot,” Calliope stated firmly.

“I just did not expect her to find her mate so quickly,” Eli explained as he looked to the floor. “I got scared because suddenly my only daughter would not be my daughter anymore.”

Caleb stepped up, placing a hand on Eli’s shoulder.

“No, Millie would no longer be just your daughter,” Caleb agreed. “She would have her mate that she would now rely on. There is now someone else that she would go to with her tears, someone else to go to for comfort and love. But look, her destined mate is your future companion. Is there any other wolf you would trust more with your daughter?”

Eli looked up to Jon and then to Millie. He then looked over to Alice. Her eyes were a mix of sadness and anger. But he knew that look; she was angry with him. He messed up. He acted on his rage rather than voicing his concerns first.

“You’re right,” he nodded as he looked back to Jon. “I trust him with my life. He is a good man, one whom I have relied on time and time again. I was wrong; I am sorry.”

“Can I go to him?” Millie questioned as she looked at Eli. She was still crying, and was visibly shaking.

“Go on,” Eli sighed.

Millie looked at Jon. He began to walk to her, but she looked back to her father. She ran over to Eli, embracing him tightly as she buried her head into his chest.

“You are still my Daddy,” she whispered.

“And you are still my little bit,” he replied as he hugged her back. “Now, go on. Don’t keep the poor boy waiting any longer.”

Millie chuckled as she pulled back from Eli. She turned, looking at Jon. He was smiling at her as he held a hand out to her. She reached over, taking his hand with hers. He pulled her close, wrapping both arms around her. He closed his eyes as he felt the sparks ripple through his body. Millie stood on her tiptoes, connecting her lips to his.

For many years, they had loved one another from a distance. Both were holding out, waiting on their mates. But unbeknownst to them, the Moon Goddess had intended them to be with one another.

Alice stood there, frozen in place, as the realization finally hit her. The Goddess had told her that Millie would remain with her, remain with the Royal Moon pack for the rest of Millie’s life. She never imagined it was because she was fated to a companion. Alice could not help but smile as she watched them. Not only would Millie live the rest of her life with them, but even her grandchildren and great-grandchildren would be there. Alice would be able to watch all of them, generation after generation, for one of them would become Eli’s next companion. There would always be a piece of Millie that would remain with her, and for that, she was thankful. Perhaps the curse of outliving her children would not hurt as much?