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80. Feelings?
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2024-10-29 19:42:56Related chapters
Once A Luna, Now A Stealer? 81. Gift
Callista.Several days pass and Dr. Haeger says that I’m released from the hospital.No more rain comes after that first incident, so there isn’t a way for us to do more tests. None of the previous tests shed any light on what’s going on in my body, and being cooped up in the hospital room makes me go mad from boredom. I’m antsy and restless and want to do something other than laze around. Back when I was a prisoner in the tower, at least I had dread to not make me feel bored. But now I don’t even have that. Everyone I come face to face with is so nice.I request Dr. Haeger to release me, and at first, he is reluctant.But eventually, he folds.“But as soon as you feel strange, give me a call.” He instructs me. “Or go to Dr. Harris if you happen to be near the infirmary. No matter how little it feels, notify either of us.”“But I don’t have a phone,” I say, feeling sheepish.“Not anymore!” Haden’s voice comes from the doorway of my former hospital room, and I see him and Theon standin
Once A Luna, Now A Stealer? 82. Joy
Callista.A brand-new workstation awaits me.The previously small desk that resided in the corner in front of the window had been replaced by a brand-new study table containing a laptop and a number of binders and books. There’s a schedule printed out on the desk on the top of the laptop, and a set of instructions.“What is this?” I whisper, feeling overwhelmed. This is the last thing I expected to see when I realized that I was going to be able to come back to the tower.“Well, it came to our attention that you never really did get to finish school.” Kellin appears next to Haden at the doorway with a smile. “So, we thought we could enroll you in a remote learning program so you can finish your GED, and hopefully, attend college afterward.”I gape at the setup, speechless. I don’t know what to say. Thank you doesn’t seem to be enough. Especially after I thought I was going to be a glorified prisoner for the rest of my life.“We thought of enrolling you in a physical school but given h
Once A Luna, Now A Stealer? 83. Odd
Callista.That’s an odd request.“Why?”“We are going to need some privacy or this.” Then he grimaces. “I swear on the Goddess that I will not harm you, if that’s what you’re worried about. I won’t even touch a hair on your body. You are safe, I’m not…we aren’t going to be like before.”My eyes search his face for a moment, and see that he’s earnest. Well, that swearing is serious. So, I lock the door behind me and move away from the door.“Please take a seat,” He gestures at the seat on the other side of the desk. “I just want to talk.”I take a seat.Theon puts away some of the documents in front of me in a file and steeples his fingers together in an odd formal gesture. I sit ramrod straight, because no matter the swearing earlier, he is Theon, and I am Callista. Ever since we met, we have been nothing if not volatile.He leans forward, his voice low, “What did Valencia want from you the other day?”I’m taken aback by that question. I thought he was going to talk about the agreemen
Once A Luna, Now A Stealer? 84. Positive
Callista.School is hard.Never thought I would say that.After months of staying off schedule, it’s hard to work according to a timetable again. And it feels truly bizarre to learn things after all the things that had happened to me for the last few months. Taking a notebook and a pen, jotting down notes, and even answering questions bring about a strange sense of nostalgia. It makes me miss Esther. We had been so close before, attending almost every class together, sitting next to each other, and whispering when the teachers weren’t looking and snickering at one thing or the other while we had lunch. But now, I can’t do any of that. I don’t even know if Esther is aware of what happened to me, or where I went. She seemed as shocked as every other wolf on that dastardly coming-of-age ceremony day, but her expression had morphed into worry pretty quickly. If the Alpha’s men had not been there, I was certain she’d have come to my aid.I wondered if she thought about me once in a while,
Once A Luna, Now A Stealer? 85. Friends?
Callista.This news catches me off guard. I did not expect to hear that out of him. Theon is actually asking me to join him for a function out of nowhere and all I can do for a good half a minute is to gape at him like a loon.Finally, my brain kickstarts function and I give out a noise.“Huh?”“The Annual Festival to honor the Goddess? Your pack celebrated it too, right?” He asks, all casual and inquisitive, as if we do this sort of thing every day. Like we’re buddies who didn’t have the kind of past we did.Also, what kind of a stupid question is that?Of course, the Leighwen pack celebrated the Moon Festival. So did all the werewolf packs in the whole world. It was a major event in the werewolf community, where everyone takes to the streets to celebrate and honor the Moon Goddess through a night of fun and merriment.It’s an event that promotes the brotherhood between the wolves in the pack. Which is why I feel a spike of bitterness and anger rise within me. It’s not entirely logic
Once A Luna, Now A Stealer? 86. Power
Callista.I stare at her, wondering what the hell I am supposed to say.On one hand, I wanted a female friend again. I missed the easy friendship I used to have with Esther, the camaraderie, the witty quips and snickering over mean girls, having someone to tell secrets to and expecting no judgment in return, just support.Although I had a friend in Haden, he was busy half the time with duties. And even then, there were some things I couldn’t say to him without feeling embarrassed. Our friendship kept getting stronger by the day, but it was different from what I had with Esther. Not as easy-going.But I couldn’t expect the same friendship from Valencia either. Esther and Valencia are so different the very idea is laughable. Valencia was the opposite of easygoing. She is mysterious, passive and serious with a sketchy history, half of which I didn’t even know.Theon warnings ring in my head, and even though I can’t imagine Valencia doing something that unhinged, it leaves me aa bit wary
Once A Luna, Now A Stealer? 87. Cherry
Callista.“Defend yourself, Callista!”Valencia’s wooden sword hits mine with the intensity of lightning, and half the time I can’t even see her coming. I thrust my own wooden sword here and there trying to block as many hits from her as I could.“Defend yourself like I’m your enemy, come on!”Valencia is a ruthless teacher and a clever swordswoman. Her body moves like she’s dancing across the floor, elegant, almost regal, but effective and lightning fast. Her strikes were precise and powerful, always hitting her target, which, at the moment, is me.It had been three days since we started practicing with swords, and all the time, Theon came to watch us.That was not something I expected to happen in my lifestyle.I thought he was going to blow up when I told him about Valencia wanting to help me learn the way of the blade, as she called it. At first, I didn’t really want to tell him, but then I remembered his warning. So, when I went to him, I expected him to blow the socket. surprisi
Once A Luna, Now A Stealer? 88. Festival
Callista.The day of the festival comes.The castle has gotten busier than ever before with all the staff members working overtime to decorate the castle and its numerous courtyards and to cook a feast for the whole pack by the evening. According to the maids, they’ve been preparing for the event the whole week.After all, I should have expected that kind of dedication from the wolves for this particular festival, it was one of the most prominent ones we celebrate as wolves after all.Although I was not attending the festival itself, I walked around the castle before the evening came, helping out in any way I can while wearing an excessive number of scent patches. By now the castle staff is used to me, and no one gives me the cold treatment anymore. It feels nice to be finally included in something. I help the guards with decorating the castle walls with maroon-colored banners with gold trimmings, and the maids carry and hang curtains of the same color. The grand ballroom of the castl
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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,
