Calliope's Mate - Book 2
Chapter 23

Aaron began to panic under the unfamiliar form of his wolf. To him, it felt unnatural. He was lower to the ground, his arms were now legs, and the claws on his hands were smaller. But yet, his sense of smell was stronger. He could sense Maya and Caleb in a way he never had before. He knew they were near, not just by sight, but by something spiritual within him.

After a minute of being in this new wolf form, he shifted back to his human form and fell to the ground. Every part of his being was different. It wasn’t him, but it was at the same time. So many thoughts ran through his mind.

He winced when he felt someone touch him. He looked up and saw Maya. Her eyes were wide, and she was just as scared as he was. Her touch was hot on his skin, but it didn’t burn. He had gone his entire life being told that a mate bond was the real curse, forcing two beings to be with one another against their will. But this, this mate bond, it was indescribable. It was everything he never knew he wanted.

But then he looked up to Caleb and Calliope. She took away his wolf, his essence. He was a different person now. He wanted to be angry, but he wasn’t. Why? Why couldn’t he be angry?

“What have you done?” He finally gasped. He had trouble finding the air to speak to her. Calliope walked over and knelt beside him.

“I lifted your curse,” she whispered as she looked at him. She could not help but study him with her eyes. Calliope was just as shocked as everyone else. Aaron wanted to look up, to meet her gaze, but her presence felt heavy on him.

“I didn’t ask for this,” he murmured. His voice was soft as if he didn’t mean it. Something in him didn’t mean it. Something in him accepted this change, accepted what should have been.

“I didn’t know this would happen,” she replied honestly. “I thought I was creating a mate bond. Honestly. I didn’t know this would change you.”

“What made you want to create a mate bond for them?” Caleb asked curiously.

“The Goddess. She came to me, I saw her for a moment, and she whispered to me. I didn’t even know this was possible until now. I’m sorry, Aaron. This isn’t what I thought I was doing.”

Aaron reached over and took Calliope’s hand. He held it as he finally looked up at her face. Her eyes... he noticed her eyes for the first time. Eyes so blue, as blue as the full moon. The eyes of the Goddess were shining on him, and it felt warm. It felt comforting.

“Don’t be,” he finally replied. “I’m not.”

“What do you mean?” Maya questioned him. She didn’t know what she should be feeling. She had so many emotions going through her mind. But she wanted to be angry for him because she knew what he lost, what they had lost. They would be shunned by their pack, by their friends. Aaron being different, being changed, would make them look like hypocrites. They became the very thing they despised. But... she didn't despise it. There was a sense of gratefulness as she felt the mate bond between them. Though she hated Calliope, she had given her something she never dreamed of having.

“I-I can’t explain it,” Aaron said as he stared at Calliope.

Calliope smiled at him. He was in shock after his change. Probably because it was so unexpected, yet she could not help but be happy. For most of her life, she searched for what her destiny was. But now it was all clear; everything was laid out before her.

Calliope saw as fear and confusion still clouded Aaron’s eyes. She put a hand on his head and pulled him up. She pressed their foreheads together. She didn’t know why, but something inside her felt that this was what she needed to do, that this was what he needed.

Aaron closed his eyes as their foreheads touched one another. He felt the sensation of falling until he landed in the snow. He opened his eyes, gasping in the cold air. He looked up and saw Giizis, but she was frighteningly larger. Aaron scrambled onto his knees in a bowing position.

Do not bow, my lost child, a voice said to him.

Aaron looked up and saw a tall woman standing beside Giizis. Fog swirled slowly around the woman, preventing him from seeing her clearly. But he saw her hand motion for him to stand. He pushed down against the snow and stood on his feet.

Who are you?

I am the Goddess of the Moon, mother to the wolves and the children who receive them. And you are Aaron, one of my lost children.

Aaron could feel his feet move him towards her as she spoke. He felt like he had no control, but he didn’t fight it. He stopped a few feet from her. He licked his dry lips, unable to find the will to speak.

I am sorry for the pain I have caused you, she continued. I can only hope for your forgiveness.

Aaron nodded his head slowly. Though he wanted to panic, he felt relaxed. As if standing in her presence brought him peace and comfort. A tear slipped down his cheek. As a boy, he dreamed of being a normal wolf, not having to live in fear or struggle in life. But instead, he lived in anger and rage. Anger and rage that destroyed everything in its path. And for the first time, there was hope. Hope that perhaps something he was doing was right, that he could make a change.

As he opened his mouth to speak, he felt the same falling sensation as he did a minute prior. He opened his eyes to see that he was again with Caleb, Maya, and Calliope.

“There. How do you feel?” She asked.

“Better,” he answered softly.

With Maya's help, he stood to his feet. But Maya still looked at Calliope warily. She didn’t trust her; her hatred of her was still there, that hadn’t changed. But when Calliope glanced at her, Maya could only look away. It was harder for her to forgive.

“Where is Amber?” Caleb questioned, breaking the silence. Amber was his younger sister. He had not seen her in nearly three years since he left the Eclipse pack.

“Bennett has her,” Aaron growled as he pulled away from Maya. He walked away a few feet but glanced back to Caleb and Calliope. “Maya and I will go get her. But we will try bringing as many wolves as possible back with us. You should know there are hundreds of sun wolves waiting for his return. You best gather all the warriors you can and hurry east.”

Once he finished talking, Aaron shifted, followed by Maya. They ran east, hurrying home. They wouldn’t be but perhaps half a day behind Bennett. That would give them plenty of time to stall for time. To give Calliope and Caleb a chance to stand their ground.

Once they were out of sight, Calliope looked to Caleb. He gently took her arm and pulled her to him. He embraced her tightly. He needed a moment with her, a moment to hold her. He could feel the tension in the air rise. A fight was coming. He did not know what was to come, and if he was to die, he wanted to make sure that Calliope had a happy memory to end on. He didn’t want her to have regrets like she did with Theo.

But their moment was interrupted by the sound of a branch snapping. They quickly looked up and saw Waylon hunched over, holding his hand.

“There you are,” he growled. The oath scar on his hand had blistered. It was causing him considerable pain. Even being near Caleb wasn’t cooling it.

“Waylon,” Caleb said as he pulled Calliope behind him. “What are you doing here?”

“I can’t seem to get away from you, Great Alpha,” Waylon chuckled.

His eyes were wild from the constant pain. He walked closer to Caleb, but Caleb only backed up with Calliope.

“What’s the matter? You scared of me?” Waylon snickered.

“I don’t fear you,” Caleb replied. “But you are not welcome here. You are a liar and a schemer. You are a disappointment as a companion.”

“Oh, I’m a liar and a schemer? But you aren't? Great Luna! Listen well! That mate of yours has spent his whole life training to kill you! He even hid this knife in your very bed to kill you.” Waylon called out as he pulled the dagger from his pocket. He pointed it shakily at Calliope.

“I know,” Calliope responded. “I have known everything. There is nothing you can say that I am not aware of.”

“Now, how is it that you know? Hm?” Waylon asked as he walked to them slowly. “Were you a scheming liar too?”

“Yes,” Calliope admitted before Caleb could protest on her behalf. “I have lied to Caleb, but there are no more secrets between us.”

“How sweet,” he spat. “Move, boy. Let me free you from this monster!”

“Go before I kill you,” Caleb threatened in a low growl.

“I’m your flesh and blood!” Waylon yelled as he stabbed in the air. “You cannot kill me!”

“I don’t want to, so please, put down that knife,” Caleb said softly as he slowly approached Waylon. “Don’t do this.”

“Do what? Free you? You don’t know the hold she has on you! I see your chains! Let me free you of them.” Waylon pleaded.

He pushed Caleb aside and ran towards Calliope. She shifted quickly into Giizis, but claws pierced through Waylon's chest before he was close enough to attack. Giizis looked behind him and saw Caleb in his sun wolf form. He had shifted and stabbed his claws through Waylon.

Calliope watched as blood seeped from his wounds. Waylon gurgled on the blood that seeped into his mouth. The dagger fell from his hands to the ground. Caleb reached up with his other hand, grabbed Waylon’s head, and tore it from his body. He tossed the corpse to the side, panting furiously.

Calliope watched him, stunned by his sudden violence. She was used to Giizis, but seeing someone else be as violent as she could be startled her. Scared her. But she saw the fear in his eyes. He was afraid of what he had just done. She saw his heavy breathing and heard his low growling. Giizis shifted back into Calliope.

She walked over to Caleb and tenderly touched his arm. It didn’t matter that there was blood on him. His eyes shot to her. He still growled, but she didn’t flinch or pull away.

“It’s alright,” she whispered gently. “I’m safe, the baby is safe. You’re safe.”

Caleb’s eyes went back to the body of his companion. He whimpered as he shifted back. Tears fell down his cheeks. This was the one person he considered a friend. Or so he thought. Calliope came first, as did their unborn child. Waylon was lost, trapped under Bennett. It broke his heart to kill him. But then he looked at Calliope. Her eyes were full of love.

“I’m sorry,” she murmured. “It’s hard, killing people, especially those you know.”

“Is it easier when you have no control when it happens?” He asked, referring to how she had no control when in wolf form.

“No,” she answered. She took his hands in hers. “Whether I want the person to die or not, the feeling is still the same. The regret is there; the weight of their soul stays with you. The smell of blood lingers in your mind. Their screams will echo during the quietest of times.”

“And it never gets easier?”

“It depends,” she answered slowly. “When I let go of all my inhibitions, killing for Giizis was easier. But I’ve only let go once. I hope never to do it again.”

“What is going to happen?” He asked as he looked east.

“I need to persuade them to let me change them, to free them of their curse.” She replied as she pulled away from him. “But we must prepare for a fight. We need to call upon our warriors. I’m putting an end to this, once and for all.”

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