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80. Feelings?
Last Updated:
2024-03-30 12:50:30Related 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
Last Updated : 2024-03-31Once 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brand-new workstation awaits me.The previously small desk that resided in the corner in front of the window had been replaced by a brand-new study table containing a laptop and a number of binders and books.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
Last Updated : 2024-03-31Once 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
Last Updated : 2024-03-31Once 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,
Last Updated : 2024-03-31Once 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
Last Updated : 2024-03-31Once 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
Last Updated : 2024-04-01Once 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
Last Updated : 2024-04-01Once 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
Last Updated : 2024-04-03
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Once A Luna, Now A Stealer? 175. Missing
CallistaTheon leaves the Galdine pack lands soon afterward.According to him, the team sent by the Supernatural Council promised to check the bodies for signs of magic as soon as possible. They will have to transfer the bodies to the Witches Guild, where the final autopsy will be carried out and hopefully, the answers we sorely desire will come to light. "They gave us a warning to be careful," Theon says through a video call. "Because we touched the bodies. They decontaminated us as much as possible, but you can never be too careful. If we see anything unusual on our bodies, we have to isolate ourselves and call them immediately. You guys need to prepare a portion of the castle for this. Hopefully, nothing will happen but better be prepared.”“Understood,” Kellin replies with forced mirth. “A quarantine zone for four werewolves, coming right up.”“Thanks, Kellin. They checked us over for any signs of contagiousness but we're clean so far.""I'm going to have nightmares about that fo
Once A Luna, Now A Stealer? 174. Massacared
CallistaWe wait eagerly in the castle until we get an update from Theon. Tension thrums within us as the screens of Theon’s office remain empty of a call or even a text telling us how his meeting with the Galdine pack Alpha, Warren Galdine goes.Seconds tick into minutes, and then hours, but we don’t get anything.“It’s been three hours now,” I tell Kellin, feeling worried about the lack of communication. “Do you think they are alright? I don’t have a good feeling about this.”“I hope so, although I must agree that this whole incident is entirely unsettling,” Kellin mutters, sounding concerned. “Warren is not stupid enough to try and retaliate against the Alpha King, but as I said before, parents do crazy things when it comes to their children. Warren had placed Valencia above everything since the start, and while that is admirable as a father, as an Alpha, it only enabled her further to descend into her madness. He even gave her a position of power, for Goddess’ sake.”“I feel like
Once A Luna, Now A Stealer? 173. Plague
ValenciaI run down the hill in my wolf form, days after I escaped the Rexellen pack.The night is bright with the crescent Rexellen, free from the disastrous light pollution that plagues human cities. I've been hiding in them for the last few days, and I can now confidently say I hate human civilizations. The long grass beneath my feet brushes my legs and belly as I run, and the cold of the Fall night is soothing. It helps me calm my mind more, and I desperately need the concentration to do what I have to do next. But as I run, thoughts plague my mind.I had been a fool before, I didn't plan my escape fully. Why? Because I thought there wasn't a need for one. My plan was perfect. Drug the two guards near the door. That was easy. All I had to do was dress in a maid uniform, put on a wig, and bring them coffee. They'd drunk it gratefully as it was early in the morning. The Wolfsbane had worked immediately, knocking them both out. I'd dragged them to the south tower and stashed them
Once A Luna, Now A Stealer? 172. Barrier
TheonWe left for the Galdine pack that night as soon as we finished arming the Rexellen pack against Valencia. We suspect that she's working with a witch, so we consider as a threat accordingly. Kellin stays behind to watch over the pack in my absence as per his Beta duties. Haden accompanies me with Alan and Terrel, a guard. The ride to the Rexellen pack is like a true-crime podcast."She somehow hacked into the CCTV cameras," says Alan. "The only thing I saw was the two guards, John and Gabe, just sitting near the door like usual. All throughout the incident that was what played on the screen."I groan. Of course, she did."Her major was computer science in college," I tell them. "No wonder she hacked the CCTV.""In that case, I need to completely revamp the security," Alan replies with a sigh. Terrel drives, silent as ever. Haden sits next to him in the front passenger seat. The night is pitch dark and starless. We'd passed a human city already. The Galdine pack is farther than t
Once A Luna, Now A Stealer? 171. Blackmail
CallistaI don't understand this, and by the looks of it, neither do my fellow wolves. "What?" Theon demands. "I never told her such a thing!""I'm telling you the truth, Your Majesty, I swear on the Goddess," Warren replies, his face the epitome of earnestness. "Falcon died three months before the news of your mate’s unfortunate demise came by the pack, and as soon as she heard it, Valencia came to me. She asked me permission to allow her to head a diplomatic delegation to the Rexellen pack. I was skeptical, but she was stable then, and her psychiatrist had given her the green light. She told me that she didn't love you anymore and that she only wanted to visit her oldest friend and possibly mend the broken bridges. So, I gave her my permission." "And then she left, and I tried calling her. But every call went unanswered, her network was always busy or unavailable or something or the other. A day before the annual festival, I called her again. And finally, after a million missed ca
Once A Luna, Now A Stealer? 170. Alpha Warren
Callista I rush down the hallway to the entrance of the castle, where Theon stands with a group of guards, shirtless, looking dejected and frustrated. His expression stays stoic as he speaks with Kellin in a tight, measured tone, as if he’s trying his best to hold back his feelings."I need to call the Galdine pack immediately," I hear him say as I get closer, a growl in his voice. Well, that means he’s not suppressing his feelings well. He must be really angry. "I must talk with the Alpha and ask him what the hell his daughter is doing.”"Chances are that the Alpha knows nothing about this," Kellin replies, tone bitter. "But if he does, he won't tell you anything. He will try to protect his daughter just like last time.""I don’t give a shit! I’m going to get answers one way or the other," Theon snaps. "I’m the Alpha King and his former Gamma is a threat to my pack, and he is going to have to provide me some answers if he wants to see her alive again. If he refuses, that would be tr
Once A Luna, Now A Stealer? 169. Destroy
Callista I've never felt murderous. No, that's wrong. I have felt murderous before. But not to this degree. And I didn't know why I felt so strongly about this.It's not like I haven't been wronged in my life before, because I have been. My parents, my sister, my former Alpha, my current Alpha...all of them had hurt me at some point in my very short life of eighteen years, yet I've never felt the need to utterly destroy them as I did for Valencia. The anger I feel surprises me, and I try to find a reason for it. Perhaps it's because the others I've mentioned before had only wanted to hurt me. Only me, not others. But Valencia didn't just want to kill me. She was ready to sacrifice any amount of people to have me.Not even Ruelle did that. The guards who Valencia had drugged were still in the ICU of the hospital, where the doctors were monitoring them constantly. Wolfsbane overdose was lethal most of the time, and even when a wolf came out of it, it wasn't guaranteed that he would
Once A Luna, Now A Stealer? 168. Overdosed
Callista I sit in my room, feeling oddly shivery. I've never really felt like this before, not even in my first days as a stealer in the Rexellen pack. It feels as if my insides are tingling, and my stomach is upset. I feel cold, although my room is heated. My mind flits from Theon to Elias to Valencia, playing all the scenes of the day in my head.I can't focus. Thoughts flash in my mind at the speed of light.Is Theon okay? What of Elias? Did he turn even after I was taken from the room? Did Theon find Valencia? Did Valencia escape the Rexellen pack lands? Did she hurt Theon? Did Theon hurt her? Did she lie to him again? I feel some sort of movement next to me, and I flinch. My hands automatically go to the arms of the chair that I am sitting on. "Woah," Haden’s voice comes, and I notice that it is indeed him. He holds a cup of tea in his hand, and his expression is sorrowful. "It's just me, Callista. I'm sorry if I startled you.""It's okay," I let out a breath. "It's my fault.
Once A Luna, Now A Stealer? 167. Murder
Theon"Who?!" I scream. I didn’t realize anything was wrong until my wolf reared his head, making his presence known after days of peace in my head. I’d been in my room, getting ready to head over to town, because I was scheduled to check the renovations of the earthquake.Suddenly, panic rushed through my being, and I couldn’t move. "Mate!" My wolf had yelled, pacing frantically in my head, trying to gain control. "What? What's wrong?" I'd asked him, shocked. What was happening to Callista? Had someone tried to feed her glass again? "Mate's in danger!" my wolf howled. "She's hurt! Find her! Help her!"My blood had run cold.“Where?”My instincts had me running down the hall in no time. I shouted Callista’s name multiple times, looking everywhere I could for her. Everyone in the castle stopped their business to gawk at me, immediately catching onto my panic. "Where's Callista?" I'd clutched a startled butler from his shoulders, shaking him like a madman. My dread increased by the
