Calliope's Mate - Book 2

Waylon paced impatiently in the front hall. He had called for Caleb some time ago over mind link. It has been a few days since the Greats have mated. And for the last few days, Waylon waited for Caleb to kill Calliope. With each day she was alive, it made Waylon angrier.

As a cousin to Caleb, Waylon shared the same family history. He knew of the torture and murder of his great-grandfather. He knew of the destruction of rogues and sun wolves. To him, it was all treachery. The Great Luna needed to be killed for being the monster she was. She needs to be killed before she killed again.

But Caleb seemed to have forgotten this. He had melted under the mate bond. He had fallen for her body.

He was a weak boy, always was, he growled to himself as he paced.

He had warned Bennett of Caleb’s weakness for her long ago. Even when he was still angry with her, Caleb would melt at her touch. He was not fit to lead them. Not while she was around. But no, Waylon did not blame Caleb. He was weak, yes, but it was not his fault. Calliope was to blame. She seduced him, imprisoned him with her body. He needed to try and save Caleb.

Waylon’s head perked up when he finally heard footsteps. It was Caleb; he had finally left Calliope’s grasp.

“You’re out, finally,” Waylon groaned. “We need to go. Bennett is going to be waiting.”

“I’m not leaving,” Caleb said as he crossed his arms.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean exactly what I said. I’m. Not. Leaving,” Caleb said firmly.

“Alright, but why?” Waylon questioned.

“I’m going to say this once to you, and you better listen,” Caleb growled as he took Waylon’s shirt and pulled him close. His great Alpha aura was rising, forcing Waylon to look down when he was inches from Caleb. “I will not go see Bennett again, and I will not kill Calliope. Do you understand me?”

Waylon shook his head up and down. Caleb released him and walked away. Waylon frowned as he straightened his shirt. He went outside and shifted. He took one last look at the palace before he ran off east. He could feel the scar from his oath burn on his paw. He was going to go against Caleb, and his body would fight against it. But Waylon ignored the pain. He felt he was doing what was in Caleb’s best interest. Even if Caleb didn’t realize it.

Waylon ran out to the old cabin. Alpha Bennett was already there, waiting. He looked confused when he didn’t see Caleb.

“Where is he?” Bennett asked.

“He refused to come,” Waylon answered as he gripped his hand. “He told me to tell you that he will not come here again, nor will he kill the girl.”

“And what about you? Do you feel the same way he does?” Bennett questioned angrily.

“No,” answered Waylon as he showed his burning hand. “One look at this, and you’ll know I still want her dead. Whether or not Caleb wants it.”

“Have they mated? Is he marked?”

“He has been marked for several days now. But he is staying in their room with her. They hadn’t left, not until this morning. I could barely get Caleb away from her long enough to have a conversation,” Waylon explained. He winced from the pain in his hand. It was becoming unbearable.

“You did the right thing by telling me,” Bennett said as he placed a hand on Waylon’s shoulder. “You go, for now. Continue to be by Caleb’s side. We will meet here in three months. You tell Caleb that his parents, both Aaron and Maya, will come. And if he does not show, I will lead warriors into these pack lands and kill the Great Luna myself.”

Waylon nodded his head. He shifted and hurried back home. As he got closer to the palace, his hand hurt less and less. He was determined to free Caleb. He was meant to be their ruler, not Calliope. He would save Caleb, even if it meant killing Calliope himself.

The days flew by into weeks. Caleb and Calliope were almost inseparable. There was finally bliss within the palace. Calliope felt no worries while in Caleb’s arms. She felt at peace, something she hadn’t felt in a long time.

When they slept at night, it felt like these two were meant for one another. As if the Goddess created them for this very moment. But suddenly, Caleb felt a chill. He stretched out his arms and did not feel Calliope in the bed.

“Cali?” He called out sleepily. He sat up and rubbed his eyes.

“I’m here,” she whispered as she approached him. She held out clothes to him. “Get dressed.”

“Why,” he asked as he looked at the windows. “It’s the middle of the night.”

“I need to show you something,” she replied.

Caleb begrudgingly got out of bed and got dressed. Calliope took his hand and led him out of the palace. He was confused as they walked through the woods, but he didn’t question her. He trusted her fully. She led him to a clearing where a hill stood. He had come across this hill before but never asked about it.

“This is called the Great Hill,” Calliope said as she led him to the top. “I’ve been waiting for you to come here on your own. But I’m too impatient for you to feel it.”

“Feel what?”

“The call of the Goddess,” Calliope answered as she sat down on the grass. She pulled Caleb down as well. “When the Moon is at its largest, the Greats come out here and lay under her. It feels like the Goddess embraces you when you are under her. If you are ever stressed or worried, she takes it all away.”

Caleb looked up and saw the Moon was almost out from behind the tree line. He looked at Calliope and noticed her lay back. He did the same and took her hand in his.

“Theo told me that every Great eventually finds their way here,” she continued. “I came out because I followed Theo. He first came out because he followed his parents.”

“But yet you dragged me here?” Caleb teased.

“I’m impatient,” she replied with a grin. “But I’ve been coming here for so long alone, I wanted the company.”

“Do you come here every full moon?”

“When Theo was alive, yes. But after he died, I only came once. Then, not again until after I found you.” She answered while she squeezed his hand.

“Cali?”

“Hmm?”

“Do you love me as you did Theo?” He asked as his voice croaked. He had always felt in the back of his mind that he was still second in her heart, second overall. But now he dared to ask her. He had the courage and strength to finally know the answer.

“Yes and no,” she answered as she thought. She looked over to Caleb. “My love for you feels different than it did for Theo. I sometimes wonder if it was that way because he was always meant to die. Perhaps my love for him was limited because our life together was limited. With you, I feel more open, more love and attraction. But yet, something feels oddly the same. Like if I closed my eyes, I could feel him here for a second. But it’s you; it feels like it's always been you.”

Caleb bit his bottom lip and looked away from her gaze. Hearing her speak, like he was the mate she was meant to have, made him feel emotional. He was happy to hear it, but at the same time, it made him sad, almost guilty.

“What did it feel like not to have a mate? Before you found me?” He asked.

“Lonely. It was a vast desert of emptiness that I couldn’t fill. Nothing could satisfy me. Everything felt wrong; everything felt broken. I felt like I was dead inside, only moving because of some greater destiny that I didn’t care about. I wanted to die.”

“You’ve briefly spoken to me before about this destiny of yours. What is it?”

“I wish I knew,” she shrugged. “The Goddess came to me once and told me I had to right her wrongs. But it’s hard to fix mistakes when you don’t see them. She said she gave me what I needed, but I didn’t know what to do. But I am tired, Caleb. I am tired of fighting.”

“Then don’t,” he replied gently. “We can stop fighting. You and I can right all the wrongs together with our words.”

“I wish it were that simple,” she said as she shivered. “But neither of us can see what the future holds.”

Calliope reached her free hand up towards the Moon that was nearly above them. For many years, she had wanted the Goddess to speak to her again. To know more. But the Goddess eluded her. Even the oracles were hidden from her. Whatever she was to figure out, the Goddess was making her do it alone. But perhaps not. Calliope looked at Caleb. His eyes were on her, watching everything she did.

Caleb felt something in his heart pushing him towards her. He rolled on top of her and kissed her deeply. His hands went down to hers and held them beside her head. As he kissed her, he couldn’t help but look at her memories, look into what she was thinking about.

But to his surprise, she was thinking about him. Thinking about their nights together, in each other’s arms. Caleb felt a tear roll down his cheek as his eyes returned to normal. She did, in fact, love him; he was sure of this. When he expected her to be thinking of Theo, it was him. The guilt ran deeper through his heart. How could he not trust her? He was a fool to think otherwise.

He pulled up her dress and removed his pants. He kissed her neck and both of her shoulders. His love for her was too strong to keep within himself. He needed her; he needed to be with her. At this moment, making love under the Moon, it felt natural. The two of them together felt like destiny to him. He needed her, and she needed him. No matter what, he was going to protect her.