7. Pity

Farris.

Oh, Callista.

Callista Milicent Leander, adopted daughter of Lenore and Allen Leander, sister to one Ruelle Leander. She was a werewolf girl like any other, except she shone. 

I leave the cells because I know I’ll fight more with her. She’s always been stubborn - it’s how she gets by with that family of hers. Once upon a time, I thought it was attractive, that fire in her eyes when she gets properly riled up. Before, it was hard to see that glint, though, because Callista's self-control was legendary. She was polite when needed to be, well-mannered, and of course, her looks were her crowning glory, not to mention the keen mind that people often underestimated because of her looks.

But it seems now that after finding her true nature, she'd decided that all her finer qualities were not of use anymore. 

She’s only thinking of herself right now, the selfish girl. She should be grateful for what I’m doing for her. The audacity she has to tell me to my face that I'm lying to her. 

I might be many things, and one of those is a liar. I'm an Alpha, which means I have to take part in these oppressive and tiresome pack politics, not to mention being part of the Alpha nobility. Lying comes with the territory. 

But to her, I was not lying. 

I’ve gone from having a loving, potential mate to having a political nightmare, dating a stealer of all people without even sensing it. As the Alpha, I should have been able to have at least premonitions or a sense of who belongs in my pack. Now that Callista’s true nature has been revealed, well, I have no use for her. If she stays, she would just be a smear on my name, a way for anyone to challenge me over leadership. Keeping her was a weakness I refused to consider.

I never thought that stealers were actually real. Up until last night, I thought they were just the stuff of legends. But as soon as I realized what was happening with Callista and all those unmated or widowed men, I knew in my bones what Callista was. 

Dangerous. She could be the source of great disaster because lust-addled werewolves would wage wars to get their mates. 

There was no space in my pack for danger.

The gardens are quiet, the only movement being people packing up the stage, seating, and lights from last night’s celebration. I sit on the porch of the pack house and look out into the forest. I stand by my decisions on how to resolve this, even if Sam, my Beta, is unconvinced. I have to make decisions for the good of the whole pack, and the thought of the chaos onstage with the widowed and unmated guys approaching Callista repeating again in my community is undesirable. And I can’t just keep her locked up - she’ll soon realize that I locked her up because she is a stealer, not to protect her. It was to protect my pack from her.

Despite her beauty, I never really had strong feelings for Callista. I told her I loved her, yes, but words are easy to say. I thought that she was smoking hot, and gorgeous without even making an effort half the time… she never complained about her family no matter their indifference towards her, which I saw as a virtue. They were assholes but she stood by them despite everything I observed in their interactions. Her family had already washed their hands of her, they told me last night that they disowned her as their daughter.

I thought Callista’s qualities meant that she’d be able to carry the responsibilities of Luna well by accepting the good and the bad that came with the role. But now that she is what she is, I’m not all that attached to her. I cannot be. I had a pack to think of and a reputation. Whatever remorse I felt for her, I destroyed last night. My mind was a clean slate, able to do what needed to be done. 

I’ve talked to His Majesty the Alpha King over the phone last night and did some negotiations. The King is a hard ass, as kings are wont to be. Dangerous, ruthless, but cunning and smart. 

He also loved his family. 

And thanks to his brother, he was desperate.

I discussed exchanging Callista for some of their territories - they have enough as it is. It was a very delicate matter, trying to make it out like I was not impeding on Callista's rights or making it look like I was doing this without her permission. As far as the Rexellen pack was aware, Callista had agreed willingly to everything. I might have even implied that she suggested it. 

What I got in return for Callista wasn't much. The king was not all that keen to part with his territory. It’s not what I would have wanted, but it gets rid of Callista and expands our regions just a little bit. The tiniest win was a win, nevertheless. Two birds in one stone. I have big plans for the pack; Callista is just an obstacle in my way. Why would I let her continue to be one?

***

Evening comes, and I manage to finalize the deal with the King. All that needs to be done now is to cart Callista off so we can return to normal. This issue is taking far too much of my time. Stealers really were as troublesome as the stories made them out to be, even locked in a cell. 

I walk down the lawn to the cells hidden behind a grassy hill obscuring them from the pack house. They’re just far away enough that our disciplinary measures aren’t visible to casual visitors at the pack quarters. I nod to the guard and enter the building to reach the primary holding cell row when I get there. The only detainee is Callista which is good. I don’t want the details of the situation to become any more public than they already are.

Callista sits on the edge of her bench, staring at the wall, looking disheveled and pitiful. I tap on the bars to get her attention. Her head jerks up, and she scowls when she realizes that it’s me. Her fire has yet to be dimmed out.

            “Well, Callista, have you finally recovered your wits and realized that this is the least you can do for the pack that housed a creature like you for the last eighteen years?” I ask, wanting to see her angry again, one last time. 

But her fire seems to have gone now. She looks quite tired, shoulder drooping, eyes dark and hopeless. If she had been any other girl, I might have felt sorry for her. 

But with stealers, you could not trust what their expressions were truly saying. 

            “Do I have a choice?” She answers, turning away. It’s not a question, just a statement.

            “I see you’re more sensible now than before. The Alpha King is coming for you as we speak, better get ready to meet your new pack.”

            She closes her eyes. It's disconcerting to see her given up. I wish she would curse out, and be entertaining like before. Oh, well. 

            “Nothing I say is going to change your mind, is it, Alpha?”

            I notice that she doesn’t use my name - she’s adapted quickly to the situation and the change in our relationship. She’s always been such a smart girl.

What a wasted potential.

            “I’ll have someone bring down some clothes for you. You can use the shower in the communal bathroom, a guard will escort you. Make yourself presentable, and no funny business. Can’t have you meeting His Majesty like that,” I smile, “I don’t think torn dresses are the trend these days.”

            “Do me a favor, Farris," says Callista, "And go screw yourself.”

            “That’s Alpha, to you.”

            “Sorry, go screw yourself, Alpha.”

            What a firecracker. When she’s angry, her beauty is ethereal. Her emerald eyes blaze and her spine straightens as if she could take a whole army of wolves on her own. Her resilience is admirable. But I can see real tears forming in the corners of her eyes, perhaps resilience can only do so much.

Ugh, now I feel pity. Perhaps I ought to lighten her heart, lest she does something drastic in front of the King himself. 

“Your fear is unfounded, you know. You’re not being marched to your death. You're being given an opportunity most can't even afford to dream of. The Rexellen Prince is a good man. You’re lucky he hadn't fully lost his mind yet. You should be thanking me for doing this for you.”

She stares at me, gaze cold even though her eyes blaze. 

“I used to think,” She said, “that your voice was charming. That I could listen to it for days.” She turns to me, her defiance radiating.

“If you’re going to trade me off like I’m a slave, do it with a spine. I don’t even think this is allowed, in this day and age.”

“See, that’s why you’re not Luna material,” I smile at her, “You got no idea how our communities work.”

“I know that now, Alpha,” She growls in reply. Emerald eyes narrow. It must be a trick of light because there's no way I see the illusion of a wolf at her place. “Trust me, I know a lot of things now.”