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14. Leaving
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2024-10-29 19:42:56Related chapters
Once A Luna, Now A Stealer? 15. Castle
Callista.The castle is humongous. We are parked in the inner courtyard, which is actually very lovely with a nice garden. There is a massive defensive talus surrounding the inner residence building, with a moat surrounding the whole area. The large gate is automated. There are four fortified towers at the four corners of the square talus, armed with, if my sight is reliable, machine guns. I am stunned at this; I did not know that the Rexellen pack actually had any need for machine guns of all things. But then again, what do I know of the Royals. The castle is very medieval, unlike any other old castle that is in the USA, which I find is rather peculiar. Had I not been worrying about my own misfortune; I would have wondered when exactly werewolves migrated to the USA.When Theon and Ruelle get out of their portion of the vehicle, I brace myself. I tell myself that I would be levelheaded and calm and try to explain matters to the King without letting my emotions get a hold of me. Perh
Once A Luna, Now A Stealer? 16. Missing
Callista.My room is cozy and spacious, with a quaint little fireplace lit already. A white door leads to a tiny bathroom already stocked with generic toiletries. There is a four-post bed with a white comforter and grey pillows, a little dresser that looks antique, and a desk near the only window in the room along with a wardrobe. This is the first time I’ve ever seen such a wardrobe. The floor of the room is made of stone and covered with soft rugs. There is a musty air in here like the room hadn’t been used for a while.All in all, it’s not a bad prison cell. Suppose I should be glad that despite his words, the King ordered his underlings to make me comfortable. For a moment there, I was certain I’d be thrown into the dungeons for my insolence.It’s far better than the accommodations I was given the last night I spent at my birth pack.Home. My heart twists in my chest, and unwillingly the sound of the maniacal howl rings in my ears. I am placed right below a wolf in the process of
Once A Luna, Now A Stealer? 17. Dream
Callista.Well, that is a bummer to hear. I guess Theon took Farris’s story about me attacking the guards back in the Leighwen pack quite seriously. With a sigh, I trudge to the desk in the room and focus on the tray.My dinner consists of steak, roasted asparagus, and a dollop of mashed potatoes. It’s quite rich, and I’m surprised at being given food that tastes like it’s been cooked for the King himself. Because I’d missed plenty of meals since the coming-of-age ceremony, I basically shovel the food in my mouth. After every morsel had been consumed, I tried to think of my next move.I lay all the facts I know in my mind.One, I’m the stealer.Two, Farris lied and sold me off to the Alpha King of North America. Without my consent.Three, the Alpha King Theon Valenti Rexellen of the Rexellen pack is my Mate.Four, because of the conniving madness of my family, he believes my sister is his Mate. How do I know this to be false? Ruelle told her mother that she didn’t feel a pull toward T
Once A Luna, Now A Stealer? 18. Trouble
Callista.A week goes by, and my life becomes one series of events repeating from sunrise to sunset.Every morning I am woken up before dawn and given food. After, I’m taken for a walk around the inner courtyard. That’s what the friendly guard meant when he came to take me outside the very first day it happened. I’d been afraid that the King had finally had it with my nuisance and decided to dispose of me before I could become a real problem. Then I wondered it I’d been transferred to the dungeons. But neither of them happened. As the friendly guard says, Theon had thought that I needed some daily exercise to help me fight off the effects of being drugged with Wolfsbane. I’m a little touched by this, and I scold myself for being pathetic. The man had literally bought me, for Goddess's sake. Whether it’s knowingly or unknowingly did not really matter to me when I was pissed.After that, I’m taken back to my room, where I am to spend the day as I please. I have been given a heavily form
Once A Luna, Now A Stealer? 19. Comfort?
Callista.“What the actual hell?!” My mate growls, storming his way into my room. The guards are standing outside, silent as stone. Theon is seething, his lips pulled back into a snarl.Yet all I can think is how good he smells, and how much I just want him to take me in his arms and maybe just kiss me a little.'Pathetic, Callista, really pathetic.' I tell myself. The man looks like he wants to murder me! I need to grow a spine someday soon, I don’t owe him anything, much less subservience.“I save you from exile and give you a comfortable place in my castle, yet you don’t do the single thing I ask of you?”Oh, is that what he thinks this is about?“Comfort? What’s the use of comfort when I’m a prisoner here! It doesn’t matter if it comes with a shower and some cushions, a jail cell is a jail cell!” I yell back at him. “I’ve been ripped from the life I’ve led and locked up in a tower! The last thing I’d do is find it cushy!”For a second, Theon seems stunned at my outburst. Good.“Y
Once A Luna, Now A Stealer? 20. Audacity
Callista.I remain near the bed as my adoptive sister circles me, like I’m prey caught in the web she has woven. Her face is deadly serene as if she doesn’t have a care for this world, yet her voice is hard as steel when she talks.And again, she is wearing my clothes. These further cement my theory on how she’s deceiving my mate.The audacity of this woman, I swear.“What’s up with your closet recently, Ruelle?” I ask, instead of answering her question, “Did Mommy and Daddy forget to pack your own million-dollar walk-in closet or something?”“Answer my question!”“Pass.” I sneer.She halts her pacing and stares at me. “Were you trying to tell him about feeling his scent again, Callista?” She asks, “What did you say he smells like, wet fur and dog vomit…”“What the-no, he smells of pinecones and sea breeze and everything warm and nice!” I burst out. Immediately, I realize what I said, and curse myself for giving Ruelle that information. “Oh, you bitch.” I'm blushing like an idiot.It
Once A Luna, Now A Stealer? 21. Fight
Callista.The crunch of Ruelle’s nose breaking under my punch is so, so satisfying.I’ve never been a violent person, hell, I've never even liked violence, which is kind of contradictory to what I’ve witnessed all my life. When you’re a werewolf, violence is an inherent part of life. So are blood and death. If a wolf wants to challenge their Alpha, they will challenge the Alpha to fight till the death. Then, the one who lives gets to be the next Alpha. The punishment for most crimes here is death or a gruesome beating. Or, if you’re really unlucky, a whipping. Jail is really a privilege for a crime, wolves weep in relief when they get life sentence with hard labor. The worst of it all is being exiled. I’ve actually heard some wolves say they’d rather be killed than be exiled. It’s a matter of honor. Personally, I prefer the latter option. Being without a pack doesn’t seem all that bad to me, especially when being in a pack is proving to be such a disaster these days.But I digress.“Y
Once A Luna, Now A Stealer? 22. Mistake
Theon.“Ruelle!” I yell as I run down the stairs of the tower, chasing after my mate.My wolf is rebelling in my head. Before, after I had spoken to Callista and returned to my office to take care of pack business, my wolf had suddenly screamed at me that my mate was in danger. Immediately, I had taken off, my wolf guiding me up the stairs that led to Callista’s quarters. My vision had immediately gone wolf-like, the colors paling around me, and my mind had become singular focused. I had barely kept from turning into a wolf.When I’ve seen Ruelle on top of Callista’s, her fist colliding with the stealer’s eye, my wolf had roared. I didn’t have control of my body anymore.If I had, I wouldn’t have done what I’d done.With my actions, I have deeply hurt my mate. She had been the bleeding one, but I’d cruelly shoved her off in favor of Callista, the stealer. I hated myself for that. Yes, she had been hurting her, yes, I didn’t know what had happened, but Ruelle was the one who was hurt m
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Once A Luna, Now A Stealer? 145. Kill
Theon.Barely concealing my mounting anger, I follow Valencia.I didn't know why she was so snappish at Callista before, but I'd chalked that up to her having her own issues to deal with. Perhaps she got a troubling message from her pack. Perhaps her father was calling her back to the Galdine pack to carry on with her duties.The only reason I asked for a sparring session was to show her that she had a lot to teach Callista still. Callista absolutely obliterating her in the duel was something I did not expect. I knew Callista had a natural talent for swordsmanship, but the way she moved today was similar to that of a pro. She defeated Valencia in record time, and she did that while using a real sword for the first time. That was almost unheard of, and I still wonder how she did that without even injuring herself.I saw the way Valencia fought with Callista, and I noticed how towards the end Valencia aimed at her gut.I watched with fear as the sharp sword tip neared my mate's abdomen
Once A Luna, Now A Stealer? 144. Learned
Callista.I can't believe what I'm hearing."Really?" I ask, confused.I don't think I'm as good as she is as a fighter yet. Maybe her tiredness was making her see things that aren't necessarily true. Also, this whole thing just lands out of nowhere.Just yesterday she told me that I need to adjust my form a bit more because I was a little wobbly on my right leg still."Because I don't feel like I'm that good yet.""Trust me, you are," Valencia replies in an offhanded way. "Besides, you must have more important things to do than waste the morning with me. I mean, you should be close to finishing with your GED now. You should pay more attention to those."I notice that her voice becomes sharper as she spits out the last part, and the expression on her face is strange. It looks almost like she is angry about something.Just as I open my mouth to ask Valencia what was really troubling her, Theon walks up to us, his hands stuffed into the pockets of his overcoat."I heard some of your dis
Once A Luna, Now A Stealer? 143. Stop
Callista.I wake up in my own bed in the morning, and for a brief second, I wonder how I ended up here. But then I remember how I was afraid that someone would catch me and Theon in bed together, and how I'd snuck out of his room in the middle of the night, dressed in my wrinkled clothes. The very memory of the last night makes me blush and grin like an idiot. It had been so amazing.I still can't believe it happened, that Theon and I finally made love.I know that it had only been a few months since we even met, but werewolf relationships progressed much faster than humans. Most of the time, those who found that were mates carried on with mating just days after.Theon and I haven’t mated yet because it still wasn't the right time for us. I know this, and so does he, and we were fine with waiting. We still had a lot of problems, and mating with each other was the last thing we ought to do right now. Honestly, sleeping together was also the last thing we should be doing.But last nigh
Once A Luna, Now A Stealer? 142. Bashful
Theon.My heart races in my chest as I guide Callista to my room. My room is just two doors away from my office, so it doesn't take long. We sneak in, glancing around to see if there was anyone watching us."No one's there," Callista whispers. "It's near lights out time, so all the servants are in their quarters.""Better be safe," I reply. "I don't want anyone to know it just yet.""Me too," Callista agrees.As soon as I close the door behind me, Callista slams me into the door. I'm a little surprised by her eagerness, although I wonder why I am. Callista is confident in almost all aspects of her life, so why shouldn't she be the same with sex?Her energy excites me in return, and I feel myself harden in my pants. I twirl us around and push her against the door, kissing a line down her neck to the collarbone. Kissing her neck is addictive, as she reacts deliciously to every sensation. I can't get enough of the sounds she makes.I grind my pelvis on her thigh, letting her feel the har
Once A Luna, Now A Stealer? 141. Kiss
Callista.We forget the crashed chandelier. We forget about the glass-embedded muffins. We forget the castle, the pack, and the staff. We forget everything except for ourselves. Because at that moment, we are the ones that only matter. Here in this room, warmed by the lit fireplace, surrounded by his wonderful scent that seems so intense, we are the world itself. Our souls sing for each other, and we dance to their song.We kiss and kiss, not wanting to stop. It’s always like this with him. His lips glide over mine, languid and warm, equally soft and equally firm. He's such a passionate kisser, and I can't help but sigh into his mouth. His hands take my waist, and I marvel at how his hands just feel so right. I let my own arms wound around his neck, and I use them to raise on my tip toes so I can feel him more."I know that you're still unsure," I tell him. "So please, don't feel pressured...""I'm not unsure about this, Callista," Theon replies. "You're my mate. You're my intended."
Once A Luna, Now A Stealer? 140. Deserve
Callista."You know what, I’m going to call the Headmistress and ask her if invisible people are a part of the supernatural world," I inform Theon as we sit in his office, once again sharing drinks. Him a glass of whiskey, and me a glass of ginger ale. "Because at this point, that's the only explanation I have for this whole thing. How can anyone be clever enough to erase their traces so well?”As I'd thought, we'd found nothing. The camera hadn't caught a single suspicious activity, not even someone loitering next to my door. There were the usual appearances of me and Haden, Valencia, and Kellin, the maids, butlers, and guards. And all of them went on in their own businesses."I don't know," Theon sighs. "At this point, maybe you should. Maybe we got the damned invisible man haunting the halls of the castle.""Or a ghost," I suggest. "Can ghosts hold things though? I've always believed their translucent hands sort of went through physical stuff. Does this castle have ghosts, Theon?"
Once A Luna, Now A Stealer? 139. Safe
Callista."Whoever they were, they didn't want to kill you," Theon says.He holds the bags of muffins in his hands, squinting at the torn up, vandalized particles of food within. We sit on either end of my bed, and the doors are locked, and the curtains drawn. Two guards are placed outside the door, because Theon was not going to take any chances. Theon’s still sweaty from running all the way from the university to the castle. I cannot help but feel relieved knowing he was taking this so seriously."I gathered that," I say in a meek tone, feeling weary to my very soul from it all. "There's no way I would've swalLeanderd that big of a glass shard.""And this handwriting is so different from mine," he taps the note. "I don't write this clearly. My handwriting is basically scrawling. Also, the signature is visibly forged. I don't have so much finesse when drawing out the 'T' of my name.""I wasn't thinking when I saw it," I confess sheepishly. "I just saw the note and naively thought i
Once A Luna, Now A Stealer? 138. Bag
Callista.Cautiously, I approach the bag. There had been far too many weird things happening lately that my paranoia acts on overdrive, and I won’t be taking chances with something so suspicious.As I get close, I nice, buttery scent wafting from it, and marginally relax. Pinned to the bag there is a note."Hey, I'm sorry I couldn't help you with the move. Consider these compensations until I get back :)"The note is signed by Theon.I smile. I've never seen his handwriting before, and I'm awed at how neat it looks.I open the brown paper bag to find three muffins inside. I love muffins, and my heart warms because Theon managed to find that out!They are warm, fresh from the oven, and I don’t hesitate before taking a bite.That's when I feel excruciating pain in my mouth, along with the taste of blood. As soon as I taste blood, I spit the bite of the muffin to the ground.A bloody glob smears the plush rug, and for a brief moment, I feel pity for whoever will clean the thing.That’s
Once A Luna, Now A Stealer? 137. Reputation
Callista."I won’t lie, Callista, but this won’t do your reputation any favors," Haden ribs me as we carry boxes from my room.It is the morning, two days after the accident, and I’ve already finished with my swords practice. Valencia goes easy on me and lets me off early due to the 'accident', which I was still bummed about.I’ve got two hours before class, so I thought that I might as well use the time to pack up my things to move.After the incident, the very thought of being alone in the tower with only a bunch of guards and a manic wolf was not soothing. I barely slept the last two nights because the smallest sound woke me up. Elias’s howls, which I'd gotten used to were suddenly scary to me once again.So, when I woke up this morning, I knew my time in the tower was done. I had to take Theon up in his offer.I really didn't expect Theon to make the offer to move in next to him, and when he did, I was ecstatic with joy. It felt like a significant step in our relationship.I mean,
