Calliope's Wolf - Book 1
Chapter 18

Calliope lay peacefully sleeping in the bed. Theo smiled as he watched her in the morning light. He reached up and touched her exposed arm gently. Her lightly tanned skin felt soft to the touch.

I can't believe she is ours, Theo told Amarok, his wolf spirit.

She was made perfectly for us, Amarok replied. They are both perfect for us. I want to run with our mate! You should wake her up.

Theo smiled to himself. He also wanted to shift too. Now that they were mated, they were going to be stronger. He could already feel the energy building up, ready to be released.

He reached up and moved the hair from her face. Calliope groaned slightly in her sleepy state. Theo leaned over and gently kissed her. This made her stir, and she began to wake up. When she started to kiss back, Theo pulled away.

Calliope stretched and felt the cold morning air on her skin. She shivered and pulled the covers up to her neck. She looked at Theo sleepily. She looked at his face and then noticed the mark on his shoulder. She reached out and felt it. It was smooth, having healed completely, not even leaving a scar.

She smiled and laid her head against his chest. Theo wrapped his arms around her. He gave the top of her head little kisses.

"What are you thinking about, little wolf?" He asked after a minute of silence.

"I feel like I've experienced this before," she answered softly. "I can't explain it. It's not a memory I experienced, more like a vague memory of a dream?"

"Well, from what we know, the Greats seem to rotate between the same dozen or so wolf spirits. Of course, yours hasn't been documented, but that doesn't mean she didn't exist at some point." Theo explained. "There is a chance that my wolf spirit and yours were fated together once before."

"Does Amarok have any memories?"

"I remember when we first met that he kept saying that she was the last one," Theo answered as he rubbed his jaw. "He could never explain further, and I never figured out what he meant."

"You think he was talking about my wolf spirit?" She inquired as she looked up to him.

"Yes," he nodded. Theo suddenly looked up and then out the window. "Your parents are here."

Calliope smiled and got out of the bed. Theo laid there, watching her as she walked around the room without clothes on. He was surprised by how comfortable she was with him being there. He had heard time and time again that some women would be shy when naked around their new mates.

She looked at Theo and noticed he was still in bed, his hand resting on his lap. She quickly looked back up to his face and blushed.

"We need to get dressed," she said shyly.

"We don't need to do anything," Theo smiled as he patted the bed. "I don't want to leave this room, this bed. Come back, lay with me for a little while longer. Everyone else can wait."

Calliope pretended to pout as she walked to the bed. She crawled on the bedding towards Theo. She gave him a small peck on the lips and quickly rolled back off the bed. Theo tried to grab her, but she was too quick. He groaned. He wanted to pin her down, wanted to have a repeat of last night. But clearly, she wasn't going to give in to temptation.

He had no choice but to get up. He put on the clothes he wore last night. Before he left to put on fresh clothes, he kissed Calliope. The sparks in their kiss still sent electrifying sensations through their body. It was hard to pull away from each other.

When Theo opened the door, Riley was shyly standing off to the side. She dared not look up at him, but he could tell she was blushing. Theo smiled as he looked down the hall to what would now be his old room. Both Josiah and Owen were standing there, waiting.

"I have asked for some of the servants to move your things over today," Owen said as Theo walked into his room.

"Man, I can feel your energy has intensified!" Josiah exclaimed as he followed the other two into the room. He shut the door behind him. "I'm so excited to see your wolf!"

"I fear I might burst if we don't go outside to shift soon," Theo said as he felt sparks ripple through his body. He grabbed clean clothes and started to change. "I'm not going to have Calliope fight today. I think we will both shift and go for a run. Owen, you stay behind. Josiah, you, Riley, and Calliope's parents can join us."

Owen nodded and left the room. With Theo going off for a run, Owen was left in charge. As the elder companion, his wisdom and experience would be an acceptable replacement for the Great Alpha. If anything happened or a message came through, he would handle it so Theo didn't need to worry.

When Theo dressed, he entered the hall, where Calliope waited. She was wearing a light blue dress. The fabric looked thin, perfect for a warm, sunny day. The dress exposed the tops of her shoulders, showing off her mark. Theo went to her and kissed her shoulder before kissing her lips.

You're a tease, little wolf, he mind linked to her. Calliope smiled and put her arm around his.

Down in the main hall, Wyatt and Evelyn waited for Calliope. Calliope ran up to them and embraced them warmly when she saw them. It had been almost half a year since she had last seen them.

Evelyn took notice of the mark on Calliope's shoulder. She hugged her daughter tightly. Wyatt didn't need to see the mark. He could feel the powerful energy coming from both Calliope and Theo.

Wyatt didn't dare look at Theo. His thoughts, the objections he may have had to their mating, meant nothing anymore. They were a mated pair now. Theo reached over and placed a hand on Wyatt's shoulder.

"We need to let our wolves out, let some of this energy loose. Care to join us?" Theo asked him.

"Gladly," Wyatt replied as he looked at Theo.

Everyone walked outside, where a large crowd had gathered. Everyone was excited to see Theo and Calliope shift.

Theo was the first to step out of the crowd. His skin began to steam, and he let out a howl as he shifted. His wolf was larger than before by at least another foot. Once official measurements were made, he was sure to be the largest wolf ever recorded. The green eyes of his wolf now stared at Calliope.

Shift, my love, he said through mind link.

Calliope stepped out of the crowd and towards him. Small energy pulses were rippling from her. The group around her felt the energy and the static that surrounded them. When she shifted, a burst of air erupted from her. Her wolf was larger as well. But still slightly smaller than Theo's. But, just like Theo, there was a good chance that once she was measured, she would be the largest Great Luna ever recorded.

Her wolf's eyes were no longer bright blue but glowed white. Steam continued to emit from her wolf. Her white fur glistened in the morning light. She was a sight to behold.

All were happy and excited to see the wolves of the Greats. But Calliope didn't hear the crowd; she was hyper-focused on Theo, on his wolf.

The two wolves nuzzled against one another. Evelyn was the first to approach them. Calliope turned her attention towards her mother. Evelyn was just shorter than the tallest part of Calliope's Wolf.

Calliope pushed her nose against her mother gently. Evelyn touched her fur. It was soft in her hands. She stepped back when Wyatt approached. They looked at one another and began to shift.

As an alpha and Luna, their wolves are considered large but still small compared to the Greats. Riley and Josiah were the last to shift. Once all were ready, Theo howled. Members of the pack howled along with him in excitement.

Calliope was the first to start running. Her wolf wanted to stretch, wanted to feel free. She was at her maximum potential, strength, and speed.

While running, Calliope tried to control her wolf, but she felt like a wall was blocking her. She could only see through her wolf's eyes. She had no connection to the legs, the head, nothing, as if she was the soul of the wolf rather than the shifter.

I wish you would speak to me, Calliope said to her wolf. But there was no response, like always.

Calliope sat on what felt like the back of the mind of her wolf. She watched what her wolf saw. The only senses she had were hearing and smell. She could smell the wet air of the forest and hear the sounds of the creatures. She could feel the heart of her wolf beating as if she were sitting on the heart itself.

Calliope didn't bother to fight against her wolf; instead, she accepted it. She accepted the separation that she and her wolf had. She felt like she lay down on a floor of emptiness in her wolf. Mind or soul, she didn't know where she was exactly.

Are you OK? Theo asked over mind link.

I have no control, none, she replied.

What do you mean by none? He asked

I mean, there is an invisible wall blocking me. I can't feel the wind or the ground beneath me; I can't feel my legs or any part of my wolf. Nothing.

Theo had hoped that mating and marking each other would give her more power when in wolf form. But it turns out it was the opposite. Her wolf gained more control, total control. She and her wolf were two entirely separate beings.

Has she spoken to you? He asked.

No.

This confused Theo more than anything. A wolf spirit unable or unwilling to speak was unheard of. The only thing that at least her wolf did was follow Theo's lead. When he turned, she turned. When he stopped, she stopped.

This was probably the mate bond. Her wolf wanted to be with him at all times. And her aggression has come down considerably since she first shifted. She could be with other wolves, run with them, and patrol with them. Just not train. That was the only thing that brought out the feralness of her wolf. Her wolf didn't like to be challenged, didn't like to be hurt.

Theo came to a sudden stop. Calliope's Wolf stopped and looked at him before sniffing the air. They both smelled the same thing - someone else was nearby. Calliope's Wolf charged in the direction of the smell. Theo had to push to get ahead of her. He didn't want her attacking whomever was there. Not until they found out who it was.

Her wolf didn't take long to find the three unknown wolves.

Please don't attack! Calliope pleaded to her wolf. We need to find out who they are first! They could be friendly!

Her wolf listened to her pleas and decided to hold back. She kept her eyes on the three intruders and snarled at them. She emitted her Great Luna aura, which forced them to submit before her against their will.

Theo was the one who shifted back his human form. Calliope's Wolf, out of protection, stood beside him.

"Shift!" He commanded the 3. Once all three were in human forms, he looked at them. He didn't recognize them, and they smelled like rogues. Something Calliope hadn't smelled before.

"What are you doing on my pack lands?" He asked. But none answered; they all remained silent.

Calliope's Wolf snapped in the air, causing the men to jump back in fright.

"Please don't kill us!" One begged while crawling on his knees to Theo. "I have a family!"

"Shut up!" Another man yelled at the beggar. "Don't you dare say another word!"

Theo looked at Josiah's wolf. He shifted to his human form and walked over to the man yelling. He picked him up by the collar of his shirt and forcibly walked him away and towards a big tree. Theo looked to the remaining man, the one who had been silent this whole time.

"Do you have anything you want to say?" He asked of the quiet man.

"He doesn't have a tongue!" The first man yelled. "Hasn't had it for years!"

"So a family man and a tongueless man. What about your friend back there?" Theo asked as he motioned with his head.

"He is just a man. A-an outcast."

"OK, family man," Theo said as he squatted to get on eye level. "What are you doing on my pack lands?"

The begging man looked to Theo and then to Calliope and back. He gulped.

"She will eat you for a snack if you don't get to speaking! And you better speak enough for tongueless man, too." Theo threatened. Calliope's Wolf growled and licked her lips.

"W-w-we were paid," the man stuttered in fear. "Paid to look at the Great Luna."

"Why?"

"I-I don't know w-why," he answered as he shrugged. "We were told to report if we saw her wolf or not."

"Well, you see her wolf, so who would you report this to?"

"GET OUT OF MY HEAD!" The second man yelled from a distance. Theo and the first man glanced over in their direction. The first man watched as Josiah wrapped his arm around the other man's neck. He dragged him behind a tree, and after a minute, all that could be seen were his limp feet.

"You killed him!" The first man yelled as he crawled away from Theo.

"He was trying to mind-link someone, and I put a stop to it," Theo answered with a frown. Calliope sat in her wolf's mind, surprised that Josiah had easily killed the man. "Now, I shall ask one more time. Who would you report your information to?"

"He didn't tell us his name! He came to our little camp and offered us money in exchange for this information!"

"Where is your camp?" Theo inquired.

"If I tell you, will you promise not to hurt my family? Please? I have a newborn!" The man begged.

"I can assure you, neither I nor my men will harm anyone in that camp, so long as they don't attack first."

The man nodded and wiped his face. "Our camp is out west. About four days west. We are camped in an abandoned human village beside the Grims Swamp."

Theo nodded and stood. He looked to Calliope.

Can we shift, please? I can freeze them if they move. She asked her wolf.

Her wolf gave one last growl before shifting to human form.

"Are you going to go check it out?" She asked Theo.

"No," he answered in a quiet tone. "In order to keep their mind links cut off, they need to stay near me. So, we will take these two and put them in the dungeons. I'll release them after the Moon Festival. I'd rather not put you at risk."

Theo looked at Wyatt and Evelyn. "We are going to return to the palace. Josiah and I will handle the two men, but go on and take Calliope and Riley back."

Calliope wanted to argue, she wanted to help, but she could see it on Theo's face. He was worried, and she didn't want to add to it. She reluctantly shifted so her wolf could take her home.

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