TheonThe vines that are twisted around my waist literally throw me into a castle hallway through a window, right in the middle of a bunch of castle staff who scream as soon as they see me. "Alpha?!" they exclaim, gaping at me with wide eyes. "How did you do that?"I scramble to my feet, feeling as if I've gone on a roller coaster. In a way, I had. Except with vines...that moved...on their own?What?I shake my head and focus on my surroundings. I recognize the part of the castle where I am. This is the west wing, which was barricaded against the hostiles using the gates. I focus on my people, and I notice that they are all carrying things like rolling pins, brooms, iron skillets, etc. in their hands."What are you doing?" I ask them, feeling as if my mind was jumbling with everything that's just happened. A moment ago, I was chained to a pole and now I was with the castle staff, in the castle. One maid lifts a butcher's knife. "We're going to fight against the hostiles on the Gamm
TheonI punch the mouthy guard on his face, giving him a bloody nose, and use his surprise to kick him in the stomach. The guard falls on his back, groaning, and I kick him in the ribs for good measure. The guard crumples with that, curling into a fetal position. I feel a bit bad, but in hindsight, they shouldn't have come to take over my pack if they wanted to be unharmed. The hallways are filled with werewolves in both human and wolf forms fighting one another, and I try to navigate through the chaos to chase after Farris and Valencia. I'd seen them run away moments ago toward the direction of the eastern wing, and I couldn't let them escape. I had to get my power back.More and more guards still in their human forms lunge at me, and I get distracted trying to fight them all. It's not easy because although I feel better than I did before, I am still recovering."Alpha!" A maid calls next to me, pummeling a guard with a broom. "We can handle it here! You need to find the Gamma, rig
Theon"Theon, are you crazy?!" Kellin shouts as we run down a staircase that leads to the ground floor of the keep. "You can't challenge him to a duel like you are, he's the Alpha King!""I have to try, Kellin," I throw over my shoulder without breaking my stride. "That fucker used the voice about ten times for just shits and giggles. He’s got no thought of consequence at all! I can't have someone like him, a sociopath, running around holding that much power.""I agree with everything you said about Leighwen but is this the time?" Kellin grabs me by the shoulder, finally halting me. He turns me so he can look at me, wearing a very worried expression. “You’re an average wolf now, and you’re weak enough from the wolfsbane. Please, think this through. Screw honor, let’s attack him together. Let’s take him down without a duel. This is madness and you know it, Alpha!”"No, Kellin. I’m afraid this is how we have to do it,” I say. "I’ve never fought with dishonor in my life, and I can’t star
Callista What am I looking for? Why am I here? Where am I? All I can see is the darkness. Pitch black and cold seeping into my very bones, threatening to take away my free will. Keeping it hidden away, whatever I am searching for. Sometimes the darkness toys with me, giving me glimpses, and I run at them like a madwoman. But then it’s yanked away from me, leaving me lost once again. Where is it? Show it to me, please, I need to know. Where is it? What is it? Where am I? Who am I?! I sit up in bed with a start, clammy with sweat, my heart running a mile a minute. ‘What was that?!’ I question myself, ‘Some kind of nightmare?’ It's early morning when I look out the window. Outside, I could see distant rays of dawn peaking under the dark curtain of the night. I check my bedside clock and learn that it’s 06:00 am. Then my eyes fall on the date, and memories resurface. Oh, right. It’s my birthday today. I had a love-hate relationship with birthdays. On one hand, they were
Callista.After that, I abandon any thoughts of finding food and escape the suffocating kitchen into the street to catch a bus to school. Our pack has a town of our own in the middle of the forest called Farwyn, dotted by single-story bungalows and small cottages. There are a handful of shops, a hospital, and schools in the center. It’s a small community, and I constantly dream about living somewhere more cosmopolitan like the places I see on TV. I hear a lot about the Rexellen Pack’s town nearby, which sprawls across a much larger area. Our pack, Leighwen Pack, is smaller than theirs hence our land is small. But then again, no pack is as large as the Rexellen pack in North America.After all, it is the Royal pack. It is a privilege to even have land near the Rexellen pack because that meant the Lycan King himself had handed the said land over a long time ago to whatever Alpha rules the pack then. So, this makes Leighwen pack Alphas werewolf nobility, regardless of how small the pack
Callista.Soon the evening arrives, and it’s time to get the newest era of my life started.I dress in a pure white embroidered dress for the ceremony - the traditional clothing for the eighteen-year-old female attendees that symbolizes purity and rebirth. My face is void of makeup, and my newly washed and dried hair flows down my back, unadorned. It's been a while since I look at myself in the mirror this bare. I'd have enjoyed the experience more if my mother's words had stopped circulating in my head. She had purposefully messed up with my mind. She's wrong. Farris will be mate, I'm certain of it.My family had already left for the ceremony. They were grumbling when they left, true to their character. At least they would be present there, even if it's tradition dictated. I try not to let that our me. After all, I'm used to that kind of treatment. I wait outside the house for a bus, not getting a lift from Farris because it’s bad luck for the Alpha to see the girls before we arrive
Callista.Farris takes me to the back of the pack house, away from all the wolves, and shoves me into the kitchen through the backdoor. Gripping the counter, I try to catch my breath and slow down my racing heart. A thousand thoughts rush through my head. My dress is torn, and the coldness of the night mingled with the panic in my being makes me shiver. My arms and legs have scratches on them. My throat hurts from screaming.“What was that?” I ask Farris with a shaky voice, “What did just happen?”Farris’s face is stoic, but his eyes are stern. He grips my chin and tilts my head to look at him. It hurt, but I didn’t tell him.“Did you know those men?” he asks.“I mean, I’ve seen them but n-no, I don’t–”I gasp as Farris grabs me by the shoulders, jerking in surprise as he leans in to sniff my scent glands. This is so unlike him, he’s always so gentle with me.My mother's accursed words from before ring in my head. Farris is not my mate, I realize. If everything had gone according to p
Callista.Morning comes. Pale sun rays stream into the cells through small windows that are too high to reach and too small to crawl through. I didn’t sleep last night, how could I? The ground is uncomfortable, and my head even more. My eyes are heavy, my throat raw. I comb my fingers through my hair, trying to feel a little bit sane.My mind feels blank. I feel like I'd exerted all my available brain cells trying to process everything happening last night. It's all still so bizarre. How can a life change so quickly? This has to be some big misunderstanding, I'm certain of it. I could not be a creature of legend, at least, not such a lousy one. Of all the things to be, a stealer? “You’re awake,” Farris’s voice comes, making me jump a bit. Bitterness floods my heart immediately. His mahogany brown hair catches the light, highlighting the red in it. His handsome face is a mask of indifference, his blue-green eyes staring at me. He is dressed in formal wear, his white shirt tucked int
Theon"Theon, are you crazy?!" Kellin shouts as we run down a staircase that leads to the ground floor of the keep. "You can't challenge him to a duel like you are, he's the Alpha King!""I have to try, Kellin," I throw over my shoulder without breaking my stride. "That fucker used the voice about ten times for just shits and giggles. He’s got no thought of consequence at all! I can't have someone like him, a sociopath, running around holding that much power.""I agree with everything you said about Leighwen but is this the time?" Kellin grabs me by the shoulder, finally halting me. He turns me so he can look at me, wearing a very worried expression. “You’re an average wolf now, and you’re weak enough from the wolfsbane. Please, think this through. Screw honor, let’s attack him together. Let’s take him down without a duel. This is madness and you know it, Alpha!”"No, Kellin. I’m afraid this is how we have to do it,” I say. "I’ve never fought with dishonor in my life, and I can’t star
TheonI punch the mouthy guard on his face, giving him a bloody nose, and use his surprise to kick him in the stomach. The guard falls on his back, groaning, and I kick him in the ribs for good measure. The guard crumples with that, curling into a fetal position. I feel a bit bad, but in hindsight, they shouldn't have come to take over my pack if they wanted to be unharmed. The hallways are filled with werewolves in both human and wolf forms fighting one another, and I try to navigate through the chaos to chase after Farris and Valencia. I'd seen them run away moments ago toward the direction of the eastern wing, and I couldn't let them escape. I had to get my power back.More and more guards still in their human forms lunge at me, and I get distracted trying to fight them all. It's not easy because although I feel better than I did before, I am still recovering."Alpha!" A maid calls next to me, pummeling a guard with a broom. "We can handle it here! You need to find the Gamma, rig
TheonThe vines that are twisted around my waist literally throw me into a castle hallway through a window, right in the middle of a bunch of castle staff who scream as soon as they see me. "Alpha?!" they exclaim, gaping at me with wide eyes. "How did you do that?"I scramble to my feet, feeling as if I've gone on a roller coaster. In a way, I had. Except with vines...that moved...on their own?What?I shake my head and focus on my surroundings. I recognize the part of the castle where I am. This is the west wing, which was barricaded against the hostiles using the gates. I focus on my people, and I notice that they are all carrying things like rolling pins, brooms, iron skillets, etc. in their hands."What are you doing?" I ask them, feeling as if my mind was jumbling with everything that's just happened. A moment ago, I was chained to a pole and now I was with the castle staff, in the castle. One maid lifts a butcher's knife. "We're going to fight against the hostiles on the Gamm
CallistaThe rogue wolf's teeth connect with my arm, and I cry out. My whole hand goes numb from the pain as his jaws tighten around my flesh, and blood spurts out into his mouth."No!" Ophelia yells, and a vine shoots at the wolf, tightening around his midriff."Let go of my friend!" Ophelia screams and the vines yank the wolf off my arm. But the wolf doesn't let go in time, and its sharp teeth drag through my skin. I see stars from the pain."Oh, my Goddess, Callista I'm so sorry!" Ophelia yells."It's okay," I mutter through gritted teeth, trying to see clearly through the tears that blur my sight. The rogues stare at the wolf who was thrown away by the vines.That's when the strangest thing happens. The wolf who attacked me started to convulse violently as if someone was shaking him from the inside. It makes the other rogues back away from fear. The rogue wolf starts to froth from his mouth and whimper as if he were a wounded animal. "What's happening?" Ophelia exclaims next to
Callista"Take that!" I fling the chain at a wolf, and my ring guides my hand. The chain hits the rogue's snout with a firm smack, hitting hard enough to break the skin. With a yelp, the rogue jumps back, licking at his snout. "You want it too?!" I scream at the others, spiraling the loose corner of the chain. "Well, come and get it!"A rogue tries to jump at me from behind, but my amulet is more intuitive. It guides my hands and the chains whip at the underbelly of the wolf, making it fall to the ground with a thud. I cross my arms to create a shield as the rest of the wolves pounce at me, all at once. Their speed and strength work to their own disadvantage, as they hit my shield hard, flying back. "Impressive!" Farris claps from the outside, mockingly with a sardonic grin. "You almost had me there. Almost. Say, Callista, what do you think is the best thing about rogues?”He doesn’t wait for an answer. “Unless you kill them, they always get up!"Sure enough, the fallen rogues only
TheonAs soon as the chains unlock, the wolves get up. They shimmy the chains off their bodies and kick their limbs to get used to standing up.Then they turn to Callista.I can't even scream as they start circling her, because my throat is locked from Farris’ order. I never ever thought that I would be the one on the receiving side of the voice of the Alpha King. It just shows more of how much of a failure I am as a leader. I fell for a forged document and risked the life of an innocent wolf, who was also my mate. I tortured her, I made her escape right into the hands of a new danger. I publicly humiliated her. I fell for her sister's scheming like some little boy who knew nothing about the world. I trusted someone who once tried to kill my freaking brother. Goddess, why were my people still loyal to me? I didn't deserve it. I didn't deserve any of it. I didn't deserve to be the Alpha King. I don't feel as weak as I did before. The damage done to my body by Wolfsbane was greatly
CallistaTheon’s scream is raw as the guards drag me to the cage. They open the door and push me in. The metal clang of the gate closing is distinct, even with the roar of the crowd surrounding us. I feel numb. It all happens so fast after that. Farris uses his voice on the crowd to silence them again as the guards carry five heavily chained wolves into the town square. They all have ruby-red eyes that signify they are rogues. The guards open the other gates that lead to the cage and push the rogue wolves, who are already growling inside. The locks that hold the chains together are automatic. It will only take one click of a remote button to release them. I can see their blood-tinged fangs as they clash with the black of the chains, and their eyes as they stare at me like I am prey. I am frozen where I stand. No thought registers in my head except a constant, desperate voice chanting the word 'Run!" repeatedly in my mind. But where the hell am I supposed to run? I'm trapped in a c
CallistaI'm dragged out of the castle by the two guards that hold me. I don't know where they are taking me, because I haven't actually been into the Rexellen pack town. I have driven past it two times, and both times we took some sort of an off-road that circled the town. But this time I'm dragged right to the center of the town. There are people swarming us, standing on either side of the snow-laden roads. Some of them, the unmated wolves, are wearing masks and I wonder why they were here. They watch me with fearful eyes as I walk through them. That's one thing they all have in common. Fear in their expressions. They are afraid.Are they afraid for me, or of me?The construction projects are almost completed but still covered, and the town looks gloomy. Snow still falls but not as much as before. I can't see Theon or even Farris. Or Valencia.Although I try to appear calm, I am panicking inside. What's happening? Why are they taking me outside? Why are all the townspeople in atte
CallistaThe guards manhandle us, shoving us up the stairs. I can feel Theon’s embarrassment from where I stand. He's too weak to even stand without support yet, much less walk. The effects of Wolfsbane mixed with him losing his birthright have affected him greatly, and he needs some more time to recover.Of course, Farris is not going to give us that time. We are both taken to Theon's study, where Farris sits behind Theon's desk, on the chair that belongs to Theon. He's flitting through some papers, and as soon as Theon sees him, he starts to struggle."Those are confidential information!" he yells at Farris who rolls his eyes."True, and I am the Alpha King now, so I can do whatever I want with any confidential information regarding this pack. My pack," Farris shrugs, turning to another paper."What? No, you can't. We can only access those with the permission of the person they belong to only. What kind of an Alpha are you if you don't know that?!" Theon exclaims, anger seeping fro