Calliope's Wolf - Book 1
Chapter 23

Theo awakes to the smell of Juniper filling his nose. A scent he does not grow tired of. He opens his eyes to see Calliope peacefully asleep. Her hair was messy; she must have tossed and turned throughout the night. Or perhaps it was like that when they finally went to sleep. He couldn’t remember. He gently put his hand under the covers. He wrapped his arm around her and pulled her close.

It’s been over 49 years since he first shared a bed with her—49 years of bliss and peace. Many things have happened since their first night together.

Calliope’s parents had passed away a few years back, along with Owen. It was the unfortunate curse of the Greats: watching their loved ones die, all the while they still look 19 and 20 years old. Thankfully, they had each other during these deaths. They didn’t hurt Theo as hard as his mother’s death.

But in these last years, many happy things have happened too. Calliope created mate bonds for dozens of couples each year—dozens of couples who would have been rogues in the name of love. Dozens of wolves got to stay with their friends and family.

Not only was Calliope creating mate bonds, but she was also changing societal norms within their world. Harper, the younger sister of Hannah, requested to join the Royal Moon pack when she turned 18. And after several years, Calliope hand-picked her to be the next Beta. It had never happened that a female Beta was chosen. Betas were always male, their mates being the co-beta. But not this time. Harper was one of the strongest wolves, one of the smartest, and Calliope felt she earned the title of Beta all on her own.

Theo laughed to himself, thinking of everything they had done together. He couldn’t believe these years had been peaceful. There weren’t many sun wolf sightings each year, and pack turmoil was at an all-time low. Ever since her first challenge, it’s as if everyone was too scared to go against the Greats.

He placed a hand on her stomach. He had hoped that she would have gotten pregnant during these last few years. Unfortunately, the Greats don’t get a choice on when they have children. The Goddess chooses the time and how many. Theo sighed, thinking about the what-ifs and the maybes. His hold on her tightened.

Calliope stirred in her sleep. She stretched and looked towards Theo. She smiled and rolled over onto him.

“Careful what you do, little wolf,” he chuckled as she wiggled on top of him.

“Or what?” She teased as she straddled his hips. She leaned down and kissed him.

He bit her bottom lip gently, trying to keep her from pulling away. He placed his hands on her hips and gently positioned her slightly lower.

“You’re eager this morning,” she says with a smile. “Didn’t you get your fill last night?”

“It’s my 200th birthday,” he pouted playfully. “I should be able to have my mate any time I want.”

His hands moved from her waist, up her sides, to her chest. She moaned softly as she rocked her hips slowly.

“I forgot, today you’re an old man.”

Theo gave an evil grin before gripping her hips. He pulled her off of him and pinned her to the bed.

"Old man, huh? Well, this old man has plenty of energy for you, little wolf.”

He pinned her hands above her head. He kissed her on the lips, down her neck, and on the mark on her shoulder. She began to breathe heavily as she pushed against his kisses.

His hands left hers and traveled down to her hips. The silkiness of her skin was irresistible to him. No matter how many times he saw her or touched her, the sensations were the same. He could never tire of her, nor she him. Even after all these years, their passion never died down.

After a while, a knock came to the door. Calliope and Theo were cuddling, sweating from their fun. Theo frowned at the knock.

“Go away!” He called out.

The door opened, and an old woman walked in. It was Riley bringing them breakfast. She walked over to Calliope’s side of the bed. Though Calliope still looked 19, Riley unfortunately had an average lifespan. At 68, she was old, her black hair had turned white, and her face was wrinkled.

Though Riley was old, she still played a role as Calliope’s companion, though not her main one. Her daughter, Rayne, was the current main companion. In a few years, it would be her granddaughter, Abigail. Rather than be a protector, Riley was more of an advisor, a shoulder to lean on... a grandmother, if you will.

Riley didn’t feel awkward walking in on them post-love. She had been around long enough, been with her own mate, that these things didn’t bother her. Even seeing them without clothes didn’t cause her to blush anymore.

She set the tray down on a side table. She looked at the couple as they cuddled in bed, ignoring her.

“I have servants filling your tub with warm water. I suggest you wash up before you leave this room. You two are sure to smell.” Riley said as she picked up clothes from off the floor.

“Yes, Grandma,” Calliope laughed. Grandma was a nickname she had been calling Riley for a few years. She never minded it; she saw it as a term of endearment.

After an hour of bathing, fun, more bathing, and dressing, Calliope finally entered her study. Her two companions and her soon-to-be companion were waiting there.

Rayne looked like her mother, Riley—long black hair, brown eyes, thin and petite. Abigail, though, had more of her father’s features. She had darker skin, her black hair was curly, and her eyes were gray in color. She was 19, two years away from being able to pledge herself to Calliope.

Rayne looked up at the clock before looking at Calliope.

“Busy morning?”

“Quiet you,” Calliope frowned. She sat down in her chair and looked at everyone else. “Did any guests arrive this morning?”

“Only a few, no one you need to go greet right away,” Riley answered.

“Good. Is everything ready for the party tonight?”

“A few men are out hunting for deer and ducks as we speak. The Great Hall is decorated. Your dress is being brought over in a few hours. I think that is about it.”

“OK, so everything is good to go then? Nothing I need to do?” Calliope asked.

“Not at all,” Riley answered with a smile.

“Perfect, then I am going for a run,” Calliope responded as she stood. “Giizis will get restless if I don’t let her stretch her legs at least once today.”

“Now I know you just bathed,” Riley scolded her.

“Yes, yes,” Calliope nodded as she approached the door. “Have another bath ready for me.”

“Abigail and I shall go with you,” Rayne said as she followed.

“No, it’s fine!” Calliope waved her off. “I will only be gone half an hour at most. I’m not going too far; nowhere near the borders. Plus, you two are dressed for the party; don’t ruin your dresses on my behalf.”

Rayne looked at Calliope, studying her. She could tell she wasn’t lying or trying to sneak off. Calliope liked to give her wolf her freedom, room to run free and have control. Rayne finally nodded and sat back down by her mother.

“Fine,” she said with a huff. “I didn’t want to go for a run anyway.”

“Sure,” Calliope replied with a smile.

She headed outside and enjoyed the cold breeze. Winters were her favorite months, the snow and the ice, she felt comfortable in the cold. She watched her breath materialize in front of her.

Let's go, she said to Giizis.

Sparks rippled out from her as she shifted. The white wolf’s fur glistened in the snow. Giizis stretched her legs. She knew Calliope had a busy day today, so her run would be short. She leaned forward before shooting out towards the woods. She ran through the familiar trails, over a frozen creek, and out to a small clearing.

While in the clearing, Giizis noticed footsteps in the fresh snow. She growled.

Could be someone on patrol, Calliope said to her. Though it is odd, those are human shoe prints, not wolf prints. Want to see where they were headed?

Giizis snorted and sniffed the prints. It smelled like rogues, two different scents. She looked out in the direction they walked. It was towards the palace. She followed the tracks slowly. She kept sniffing the air, concerned that there could have been more hiding in the forest. A few minutes later, they came across a man and a woman trying to cross the frozen creek. They froze when they saw Calliope. Calliope and Giizis looked at them. Their clothes looked worn, and they looked tired.

I need to shift to talk to them, Calliope said to her wolf. They don’t look like much of a threat.

Giizis gave a low growl before shifting to human form. Calliope didn’t even shiver in the cold wind. She walked a bit to the two people, stopping when she was only a few feet away.

“What are you doing out here?” She asked.

“Great Luna!” the man said as he knelt in the snow. The woman quickly did the same.

“You can stand,” Calliope said to them quickly. “You will get your clothes wet.”

The man and woman stood. They looked shyly at Calliope.

“Well?” Calliope asked. “What are you doing here, on Royal Moon pack lands?”

“We came looking for you,” the man answered softly.

Giizis growled inside of Calliope.

“Why me?”

“We heard you can create mate bonds, and we wanted to ask you to do the same for us,” the woman replied. “We have been traveling for over a week to get here.”

“Why in human form and not in your wolf form? You have to be freezing,” Calliope commented.

“We didn’t want you to see us as a threat,” the woman answered. “But as pilgrims coming to you for help.”

“Pilgrims? That is a first,” Calliope laughed as she approached the couple. “Well, tell me about your story. I do enjoy a good love story.”

The man and woman took each other's hands and smiled at one another.

“I was born in a rogue pack,” the woman started. “I can’t tell you if I ever had a mate.”

“I did have a mate, but she died not long after we met,” the man interjected. “Years later, I found Terri, and, well, we just sort of fell in love. I was a guard for my family pack, patrolling the borders when I ran into her. She was just looking for food, so I fed her, and we kept meeting. Until my Alpha found out, and then I was given a choice: kill her or be exiled.”

“So you chose exile,” Calliope said with a frown. “I have tried for years to ensure all Alphas and Lunas know what I can do. That we don’t need people becoming rogues for love. Who was your Alpha? He is probably here for Theo’s birthday. I can request you and your new mate be allowed into the pack.”

“Birthday?” the woman asked curiously.

“Yes, the Great Alpha turned 200 today. There is a big celebration happening. Please, join us.”

“Oh no, we couldn’t,” the woman said as she waved the thought away. “We just want to be mates, and then we will be on our way. We don’t want to ruin what you have going on.”

“Are you sure?”

“Of course,” she answered with a smile.

Calliope nodded and held out her hands.

“Place a hand in mine,” she instructed.

Both the man and woman stepped forward. They placed a hand in Calliope’s. Calliope gripped their hands and channeled the energy in her hands. When she closed her eyes, she felt a stabbing pain in her left side. She opened her eyes and saw the man had a knife. He stabbed her between the ribs, piercing her lung, barely missing her heart.

Calliope gasped, and before she could move, she shifted. Giizis took control. The man was stunned by how quickly she shifted. He wasn’t able to move quickly enough before Giizis bit his head and tore it clear from his body. The woman began to run, but Giizis pounced on her, breaking her back when she landed on her. The woman screamed in pain and begged for forgiveness. Giizis placed a paw on the back of her neck, and with one quick push, she broke the woman’s neck, killing her.

Calliope was lying in her wolf’s mind, struggling and in pain. It was hard to breathe, and her left lung was unable to take in air. But soon, steam emitted from her wound as Giizis focused on healing her.

Theo! She yelled over mind link when she could finally breathe without struggling. Help!

Calliope? What’s wrong? Where are you?

I was stabbed, she answered as she began to pay attention to what was going on outside. But it looks like Giizis killed them.

Killed who?

Two rogues pretending to be looking for a mate bond. The man stabbed me, but Giizis is healing me.

Giizis let out a howl, alerting everyone as to where they were. Theo rushed over in wolf form, followed by their companions and guards. Theo shifted to look around at the dead bodies before he looked at Rayne.

“Why was she out here alone!?” he yelled at her. “You are supposed to be with her at all times!”

You do not yell at her! Calliope shouted over mind link. I chose to come out here alone. It was supposed to be a quick run.

“Yeah, well, what a run this turned out to be,” he said as he kicked the man's body. He looked to a guard. “Burn them.”

Calliope could feel herself shifting and gasping when she was back in human form. Her dress had a cut, but the skin underneath was healed. She took a deep breath; her lung also seemed to be healed. Theo embraced her tightly.

“I forbid you from ever leaving the palace without someone,” he said to her angrily.

“Theo...” she said softly, but he shook his head.

“I don’t want any arguing on this,” Theo said as he put his hands on her checks. “I need you to understand that I ask you this for your safety.”

Calliope sighed and nodded. Another guard came running up in wolf form.

Some of the Alphas are reporting that there are rogue and sun wolf sightings in their lands. He said to both via mind link. All are packs to the west.

Theo frowned. For 49 years, there was peace; why now, why today do they start doing this? His 200th birthday was a good time as any. Alphas and Lunas left their packs to celebrate with the Greats. It left these packs without their leaders and strongest warriors. Of course, they would start doing attacks now.

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