Calliope's Mate - Book 2
Chapter 24

For days, Aaron and Maya ran east. But it wasn't easy. Aaron would sometimes wobble and trip over his own feet. With each passing hour, minute, second, he became more comfortable with his new form, but he felt like a young wolf. Shifting caused him pain; the new smells and sensations would occasionally disorient him. But he pushed through it, forcing himself to focus on what lay ahead.

When they took their first break, resting their bodies and wolves from the constant running, Aaron and Maya fell under the temptations of the mate bond. They marked one another and experienced pure bliss and deep love. For a moment, it was just them in the world; the troubles were gone, and the worries had melted away.

But their time in each other's arms was but a fleeting moment. They had to continue; they needed to get their youngest child, Amber, from Bennett. As they ran east, they crossed the old borders of the outer territories. There was the old fort that has since become a town of trade and commerce.

On the edge of the town, they stopped and rested against an old tree. They ignored the eyes that looked at them curiously. Maya was sure she would be recognized. She had come through here every two years with Caleb on their way to and from the Moon Festival. He was well known since Calliope first introduced him. Many Alphas and Lunas would offer gifts when they passed through their pack lands.

She grimaced as she felt something tighten in the depths of her stomach. Was it regret? Was it guilt? She glanced at Aaron as he rested, his eyes were closed and his breathing steady. She envied him. She envied how calm he was, how quickly he could go to sleep and stay asleep. His transformation had changed him. He was less angry, less aggressive. He was calm and composed, and this irritated her.

Aaron could not understand her frustrations. She did not care that Calliope had given them an impossible gift. She did not care that Calliope carried her own grandchild. She still hated her. She was still bitter. There was nothing Calliope could do to change this.

But Maya wasn't stupid; she wasn't blind. With Calliope alive and Caleb at her side, Bennett was on the losing team. Maya spent years looking at her son, disgusted for what he was. But, the other night at the cabin, when his life was in danger, she was scared for him. He was her firstborn, her reason for living for so many years. But his connection to Calliope clouded Maya's mind. Her feelings for him were affected because of it.

But now, she felt guilty for it. She loved Caleb. A thought crossed her mind, wondering if she had put aside her anger, loved him as she had before, would he have fallen for Calliope? But then, she looked back to Aaron. Is this what Caleb had to fight against? This pull, these wants and desires? All those years of fighting against the mate bond, how torn was he? How much did he suffer? She and Aaron only fought against the mate bond for several hours. Even that was excruciating. She could not blame him for not killing her. But now, because of her love for her son, she would tolerate Calliope. She would set her anger aside, but it would not diminish. Her rage would never go away.

Maya was snapped out of her thoughts when she heard her name. In front of her were several women holding baskets full of recently purchased goods. They were from the pack to the east, the Timberwood Pack. They stared at Aaron with fear in their eyes.

"What is he doing here?"

They knew who he was, or, what he once was. They were, too, once in rogue packs. These women were a mix of humans and moon wolves. All of their lovers were sun wolves. Their children were mixed, just like hers. But now, here she was with Aaron, out in the open. Maya quickly shook Aaron, waking him from his sleep. He shot up when he saw the group of familiar faces.

"What is going on?" someone asked them.

"We should talk... further away," Maya said as she walked further into the outskirts of the town.

Everyone followed, confused as to what was going on. Aaron, a sun wolf, had ventured past the Outer Desert. This went against the secret law passed by the former rogue packs to protect them and to protect the children. Once far enough away, Maya stopped and turned to face everyone.

"Maya..." another person said quietly. "Bennett said he banished you and Aaron. What happened?"

"Bennett snapped, that's what happened," Maya growled. "He tried to attack Caleb. He had us chained down with silver, keeping us from protecting our son. In the end, we were rescued by the Delta Warriors of the Royal Moon pack. Once they came, Bennett's goons ran off, their tails tucked between their legs."

"Why would Bennett do that?"

"Because Caleb was not willing to kill the Great Luna," Aaron explained as he stepped forward. They gasped. Those in the former outer territories knew; they knew the plan was for the Great Luna to no longer stand in their way. Caleb was to free them and deliver them from their barren wastelands.

"He could not fight the mate bond," Maya continued to explain. "And now she is with child. No harm shall come to her so long as Caleb lives."

"And so long as we live," Aaron added as he took Maya's hand. But deep down, Maya disagreed with what he said. Her reasons for Calliope's death were different than everyone else's. No one else held the memories she had, the memories her mother passed down to her.

One of the women sniffed the air. She could smell something different about Aaron. She did not smell sun wolf on him. At first, she thought it was because they were close to the town filled with other moon wolves. But, now that they were out in the open, far away from others, he had no smell of sun wolf. It was gone.

"What is wrong with you, Aaron?"

"Can you smell it?" he asked as he held out his arms. He reached up and revealed the mark on his shoulder. "The Great Luna has done something I never thought possible. She did something to Maya and me. She gave us the ability to have a mate bond, to mark one another, to feel more than we have ever felt before."

They were shocked. The Great Luna created a mate bond between a moon wolf and a sun wolf? It was unheard of. Never before had they imagined something like this was possible. Maya looked over to Aaron, worried about what he was telling them. As one of the women had said earlier, they were now rogues. Him revealing their newfound secrets put them at risk. If it reached Bennett, it could put Amber in danger.

"I know every single one of you has a man you love. I know most of them. I have trained with them. I've met your children. But we have all been trapped under the sun wolf curse. Some of you have to hide your own children when outsiders come. But not anymore. Please, gather your men, gather your children. Bring them here. The Great Luna can grant everyone freedom from the curse."

"How? By creating a mate bond?"

"By taking away their sun wolves," he explained before he shifted. There were audible gasps as he revealed his moon wolf form. A few dropped their baskets, startled by his wolf, causing food to scatter in the sand. He shifted back and walked up to the group. They were frightened of him. "This is what the Great Luna can do. She was put here to release us of this curse. Please consider it. Consider the future for your children."

"Why should we listen to you? Your son betrayed us. You have been shunned and are rogues."

"My son betrayed no one!" Maya growled. "Bennett betrayed him. Bennett cannot understand what Caleb was going through; he cannot fathom the suffering he endured. Bennett pushed him, and when Caleb pushed back, Bennett got angry. I hate the Great Luna more than anyone here or anywhere. But what Aaron says is true. She can take away this curse."

"Of course, you would call it a curse," another woman retorted. "Your mate is a moon wolf. You two are a disgrace to the sun wolves."

"At least I don't have to hide my children," Maya snapped. "But you can't say the same. You're human; your children are sun wolves. They hide in fear, wondering when they will be discovered. Is this what you want for them for the rest of their lives?"

Maya looked at the women, looked at the fear in their eyes. They were scared, but deep down, she was too. She had a child out there, suffering for her son's actions. She gave a heavy sigh and took a step forward.

"You have a chance to change things. Just... consider it, please." she pleaded to them. "I'm tired of having to hide and lie. Aren't you?"

"And tell others," Aaron added. "We all know there is a fight coming. I'm sure Bennett has summoned all the warriors he could. But we know what happened in the last war; we know who the victors were."

"Are you threatening us?"

"I am trying to save you. Please," he begged. "Don't stand against the Greats."

"We will consider it," one woman said as she stepped forward.

"That is all I can ask for," Aaron smiled as he looked at Maya. "We will return here in two days. Come back then if you decide to join us."

The women nodded in agreement. Aaron and Maya shifted and continued east. Two days would be plenty of time for them to get Amber and return. The question was, what would Bennett do? What would their former pack members do? They were rogues. Stepping onto their land was punishable by death. But they had to risk it, for their daughter. She was innocent in all of this.

*Author’s Note: Sorry for the short chapter! The last few are long to make up for it though ♥️

Sᴇarch the FindNovel.net website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.