Calliope's Mate - Book 2
Chapter 25

It took several days for Caleb and Calliope to gather enough warriors to head east. They amassed nearly 200 wolves who were ready and able to fight. It was more challenging this time around for Calliope: she had not prepared for a fight. She had not spent years training warriors, ensuring nearly every able-bodied adult could help in the brief war. She had not anticipated another battle, another war. She had to pull these wolves from many of the territories across the southern and eastern regions.

The only warriors she anxiously awaited were those from the northern and northwest regions. The Alpha of the Blood Stone pack was gathering those warriors for her. Unfortunately, due to the distance they would have to travel, it would be another few days before they arrived.

Calliope and Caleb led the small army to the old fort town. The warriors scattered around, waiting for the order to head out into the Outer Desert. The two greats shifted and walked through the town. The delta warrior in charge of the fort met them.

"Great Luna, Great Alpha," she said with a quick bow. "I am Diane; it is my honor to host you for the night."

"Thank you, Diane," Calliope smiled. "I'm not sure how long we shall be here, perhaps a few days. The warriors can hunt for meat, but is there enough water and other food provisions that we can use in the meantime?"

"It will be quite the stretch," Diana answered hesitantly. "These last two days, we have had an influx of migrants from the east. But Great Luna, Great Alpha, there is something you must know. Several sun wolves came with the migrants and have willingly surrendered to the fort. Unfortunately, we don't have the space or capacity to jail all of them. So, I allowed them to stay with the families they came with."

"Bring me to them," Calliope replied anxiously.

She and Caleb exchanged glances, knowing that his parents had been through here. They were the reason for the families being there. Diane brought them to the edge of the town. Guards were placed around the tents, nervously watching those within. Calliope stood there, sniffing the air. She smelled sun wolves, moon wolves, and humans. She could see dozens of people here. Dozens of people she would not have to fight. It eased some of the tension in her heart.

"Is there anyone here named Maya or Aaron?" Caleb inquired.

"We haven't seen them in several days," a nearby human said. She tried to walk over, but guards forced her to keep her distance from the Greats.

"What is your name?" Caleb asked as he walked closer to her. He recognized her, but he could not recall who she was.

"I am called Lieve. I know your mother, Maya, very well." She answered. "You have her hair, Great Alpha."

"Do you know where my parents are?" he questioned.

"They should have returned by now, but they haven't. They went to the Eclipse pack to talk with Alpha Bennett. But you should know Alpha Bennett exiled them. When I came across them, they were officially rogues."

Caleb gave Calliope a worrying look. His heart was beating so hard, he felt like his chest would explode with each breath he took. Rogues... Bennett made them rogues... He clenched his fists. But now, where were they? Did he have them chained down again? Or did Bennett kill them? He growled as he walked away.

"Is it true?!" Lieve called out to him and Calliope before they got too far. "Can you really make it so my husband and I are mates? Can you make him not a sun wolf? Make my children not sun wolves?"

Caleb didn't stop to answer; he was fuming and on the verge of raging. But Calliope, she stopped and looked at the human woman.

"I can make all that so," she replied. "But first, we need to find my mate's parents. I promise I will lift their curses upon our return."

Calliope hurried after Caleb. She touched his arm, and his head snapped to look at her. His eyes were red, and his body was steaming.

"Let's go get them," she said gently to him. "Together."

"Together," he repeated.

Calliope gave his hand one last squeeze before letting him go. She shifted, followed quickly by him shifting into his moon wolf form. He darted east, heading into the desert ahead. Giizis pushed herself, but he was faster than her. It didn't take long before he was out of sight. From an even further distance, Paige and Lea struggled to keep up with Calliope. Though Giizis could not keep up with Altan, with Caleb, she was faster than her own companions.

Caleb! Please wait! You cannot go in there alone! She called out to him over mind link.

They could be in trouble! He yelled back. He didn't want to slow down. He was afraid. Afraid of losing his family.

Caleb! She yelled loudly. But he did not stop; he did not respond.

Calliope scanned the horizon, looking for any sign of him. Giizis ran up a large dune. In the distance, several miles away, she could see him. His wolf kicked up dust in the air, leaving a trail of where he had gone. Giizis quickly shifted, dropping Calliope onto the hot sand. This allowed her to wave her hand. She wanted to freeze him. She was scared that if he went there alone, they would kill him. He would be outnumbered, and he was still young, still inexperienced when it came to fighting.

She watched as the dust slowly died down. He was frozen, but he was angry; she could feel it.

Release me! He yelled at her.

Calliope sighed in relief. She shifted back into Giizis and ran to him. The entire time she ran, she did not talk to him over mind link. She wanted to talk face-to-face. Once she got to him, she saw that his wolf had fallen over on its side, frozen in the sand.

She shifted and walked over to him but refused to let him go. She wanted him to listen. She knelt on her knees and touched his soft fur.

"I need you not to run off like that," she scolded gently. She kept her voice calm and tried not to be angry with him. She knew he ran to save his family, but she ran to protect him. "I cannot protect you when I am not there."

I don't need you to protect me. I am the Great Alpha! He retorted.

"I've lost one Great Alpha already who thought the same thing," she reminded him. "You don't know what you are running into. If there is danger, I can freeze everyone. You cannot. Yes, you can run fast, but your parents cannot. Plus, your sister cannot shift. What are you planning to do with her?"

I can carry her in my sun wolf form, he answered.

"You know as well as I do that doing that would slow you down tremendously," she replied, placing her hand on his face. She looked into his eyes and tried to read what he was thinking. But his eyes conveyed no emotions.

I will figure it out, he growled. But the growl was soft; he didn't mean it. Deep down, he did not want Calliope to be there. Yes, he cared for his family, but she was also his family. The child within her was their family. He had hoped that if he ran quickly enough, he would get his parents and be back before she made it to the Eclipse pack.

"Caleb," she whispered. "My love... please."

My love... those words broke Caleb's resolve. She had a way to get him to melt under her. He could not be angry with her, but most of all, he would not fight her. The memory of her last interaction with Theo always lingered in his mind. He would not repeat the past, and he would not have her regret anything if he were to die. And so, he caved. He gave in to her.

Alright, he said softly. Release me. I shall run at your speed. But I have one request. You do not shift into your human form when we are there. You do not put the baby at risk. Deal?

"Deal," she smiled.

She waved her hand, releasing him from his frozen state. His wolf whined as he reoriented to the shifting sand beneath him. Being frozen and unfrozen was jarring. He had not expected to feel dizzy afterwards. He stood on his legs and snorted when his wolf was ready to go. Calliope shifted, and they continued east.

By nightfall, they were on the edge of the Eclipse pack lands. They shifted and snuck onto the rocky ridge where they would meet long ago. Caleb quickly spotted his parents chained up on the edge of the town. But they were separated; they couldn't reach one another. His eyes searched everywhere for his sister, but he could not see her. She was not outside.

Where is this army of his? Calliope asked over mind link.

Out in the distance, several miles away, do you see the faint flickering of light? He questioned as he pointed with his head.

Calliope had to focus, but she could barely see the light of their fires. They were far enough away that they would have several minutes to run if they were spotted. His parents' being on the edge would help; it was quicker to escape. Her eyes darted around, looking at the now unfamiliar town. Her eyes finally landed on the packhouse. It was lit up.

Bennett has her, Calliope said, referring to Amber.

Cali, you go free my parents. I will get Amber in my sun wolf form. I will be less noticeable.

Calliope growled, but he was right. His scent would fit right in. The sun wolves did not have a strong sense of smell, not like moon wolves. They would smell one of their own. But Bennett, if he were smart, he would notice. But maybe if Caleb were quick, Bennett would not have time to react. She gave a quick nod and slipped down the rock face.

Once on the ground, she shifted. Though she knew she would stand out more, she made a deal with Caleb. She would not go against her word because if she did, she was afraid of losing him. He could become reckless and lose his inhibitions, as she once had.

Caleb watched as Giizis walked slowly over to his parents. Two smaller shadows closely followed Giizis: it was Paige and Lea. Caleb relaxed slightly, knowing that, at the very least, Calliope had her companions. He looked back to where his parents were chained. No one stood guard. No one expected anyone to come to save them. Caleb shifted into his sun wolf form and slipped down the rock, heading into the town. He hid in the shadows, trying not to stand out. But he moved quickly, ensuring he did not stay in one spot too long. Any moon wolf here would notice him quicker if his scent lingered too long.

He went to the side of the pack house and looked inside. It looked as if every candle was lit, but no one could be seen. He slowly opened a window and crept inside. He looked around and sniffed the air. He wasn't able to detect anyone here. He shifted into his human form and gave a soft whistle. As a child, he used to whistle to his sister to draw her attention to him while trying to remain silent. He listened but did not hear a response.

His body stiffened. Where was she? Where was anyone?

Meanwhile, Calliope made her way to Aaron and Maya. She looked around, still seeing no one. Paige and Lea shifted into their human forms. Lea went to Maya, and Paige went to Aaron. Calliope watched as Lea took rope out of Maya's mouth. They had been gagged to keep quiet.

Great Luna, Paige called for Calliope.

Calliope walked over to her and noticed Aaron. He was lying in a puddle of blood, but there was steam coming from him. He was still alive. Paige took the rope from his mouth and inspected him, looking for his wound.

"His arm," Maya gasps. Her voice was hoarse. She had been screaming before being gagged.

Paige looked down and rolled Aaron over, causing him to groan in pain. His left arm was gone. It had been cut off, and the wound was poorly bandaged. Calliope growled and went to the chain that was staked to the ground. Even though the silver was wrapped around his neck, at the very least, she needed to get him free from the stake. They could remove the chain when they were far enough away.

Giizis bit down on the chain. It burned horrifically in her mouth, and for once, Calliope was happy not to be able to feel her wolf's pain. She knew Giizis was suffering to free them. After a moment of struggle, she was able to pull the stake from the ground. She hurried over to Maya and did the same thing. Maya, despite the pain from the silver around her neck, was able to crawl to Aaron once she was freed from the ground. Giizis' mouth was bleeding and steaming.

Giizis looked up when she heard rustling. It was Caleb; he had run back to them.

No one was there, he said. No one is in any of the houses.

Giizis looked around and sniffed the air. She could smell wolves, so they had to have been somewhere. Before Calliope could respond, a group of wolves jumped out at them. Calliope wanted to shift and freeze them, but Giizis ran over to Maya and Aaron and stood protectively over them. Calliope gasped as she sat in her wolf. She knew she could not control Giizis, but why did she protect them? Calliope could protect everyone with one motion of her hand. Giizis must have had her reasons.

Caleb rushed to fight the wolves, but no one dared challenge him. Bennett walked out from behind a home, holding Amber by her hair. She was tied up, and he had a silver dagger pressed to her neck.

"Caleb!" Amber gasped. But this caused Bennett to yank her hair, making her yell out in pain. Caleb moved to go to them, but Bennett pointed the knife at him.

"Don't you come any closer, boy!" He yelled at Caleb. He put the dagger back to her throat. "I will kill her where she stands!"

Caleb growled but stood still. Lea and Paige joined his side in their wolf forms. He did not stand alone, though they were outnumbered.

"I want to make you a deal," Bennett smirked as he stepped closer. "I will trade you your sister for your mate."

Giizis snarled loudly, causing the wolves to jump back, startled at the sudden shift in her aura. But she did not move; she stayed over Caleb's parents protectively. Caleb glanced at her before looking back to Bennett.

"Don't worry, boy, you don't have to decide tonight!" Bennett said. "In two days, I will be at the old fort town. In two days, you bring me that girl, tied up in the silver chains that are around your parents. I will give you your sister, and you give me the girl. Do we have a deal?"

Take it! Calliope yelled to Caleb over mind link. Do not argue. Take it!

Caleb turned his full attention to Calliope. Why? Why did she want him to agree to it? What was she planning? But he didn't argue. He turned back to Bennett and nodded.

"Good, take your parents and go," Bennett instructed.

Caleb did not move; he stood still while Paige and Lea returned to help Maya and Aaron. Maya could not shift due to the silver around her neck, and Aaron was barely conscious.

Put Maya on my back. Caleb will have to hold Aaron, Calliope commanded to her companions. Giizis laid down on her stomach, allowing them to put Maya on her back, but she had trouble staying on. They reluctantly had to wrap the silver chain around Giizis' neck. Maya was able to grip her fur, and with a growl, Giizis stood.

Caleb gave Bennett a low warning growl before turning and going to his father. He gently scooped him up and began to run, leading the way back to the Outer Desert. He watched as the silver chain scorched Giizis, but she made no complaints. She did not whine; she did not growl. She took the pain and pushed it away. Her only focus was on running.

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