Callista’s POV
Deep inside the woods, the two guards walking me out of the palace suddenly turned into fierce-looking wolves.
They had different furs; one was a hybrid of gray and white, while the other was sparkling white.
Their fangs are long and sharp like daggers, and their muscles rippled beneath their thick, ample furs.
They howled at the moon, which pierced my heart, sending shivers down my spine. Their growls are deep and menacing.
Huh? Why do they turn into wolves? Are they going to kill me just like that? With an attack?
Thud, my body makes a sound, landing roughly on the floor as a result of a push, making my body ache. I winced slightly while holding my head; it was banging.
Before I could know what was going on, I saw another wolf appear from nowhere.
This one has shades of brown fur, but it's coarse and wiry, with long, sharp fangs. Its muscle is twice the size of each guard wolf in the palace.
Its snarls are low and guttural. Its presence is enough to instill fear in the hearts of even the bravest.
I could smell blood around its body. Maybe it's a hunter-wolf.
Awoo! The brown-furred wolf jumped and pounced on the other two wolves, escorting me.
“Protect her!" the hybrid-colored fur wolf told the white one as it paced forward to attack the brown, coarse-fur wolf.
Their paws make a menacing sound, making the ground shake and tremble. It was obvious the coarse brown-fur wolf was more powerful than the white palace guard wolf.
When the white fur wolf saw that it was not getting in their favor, he pounced forward and launched its attack fiercer than the hybrid-colored fur wolf.
I think they both make a better duo. I chuckled as I watched the fight unfold, my face beamed with a small smile at the corner of my lips, seeing the palace guard wolves having the upper hand.
But what if things turned the other way around?
What if the brown-fur wolf killed them?
Will I be spared? Anyway, I am going to be executed, even if they win the duel.
Should I pray for their defeat or victory? I am not sure what I wanted.
No! I shrugged off the thought.
Thud, the hybrid-colored fur wolf, landed on the floor with blood dripping from different injuries on its body. It was panting heavily on the ground.
Part of me was happy, while the other part wasn't.
Maybe I wanted the palace guard wolves to be killed, so the brown-fur wolf would save me from getting killed.
Was I even sure it would spare me either?
Growling, the hybrid-colored fur wolf stood up and launched an attack. I think it has regained its strength.
After watching the scenes for over ten minutes, the brown-fur wolf ran away when it couldn't overpower the duo.
In the twinkle of an eye, they turned back into humans, but looking pale and weak, with injuries that they had sustained in their wolf form still on their bodies.
“Stand up!” the hybrid-colored fur wolf ordered.
“You should thank us for saving your weakling ass,” the white-fur wolf spat boastfully.
“You would have been coldly murdered if not for us,” the hybrid-colored fur wolf added, squaring his shoulders arrogantly.
Why did they save me?
Aren't they still going to execute me?
So why fight to save me?
I stood up from where I was sitting and walked slowly behind them because they had moved a few distances away from me.
“Walk forward if you don't want to be killed,” the hybrid-colored fur wolf shouted, turning to look at me from the back.
I ran to their front because I was frightened we might be attacked again. I can't stand a chance with that fierce-looking brown-fur wolf.
After walking a few distances, they stopped.
"Callista!." I heard someone call my name.
I paused and turned in their direction. My gaze traveled from one to the other.
“Yes,” I answered.
“Go and never return,” the white-furred wolf said calmly.
Huh? My jaw dropped, and my mouth widened in shock. I squinted my eyes, trying to see if I could see clearly.
Are they sparing me?
“Yes, we decided to spare you,” the hybrid-colored fur wolf added, like he was reading my mind.
A broad grin fell on my face when I heard what they said.
I am being given a chance to survive.
Tears trickled down my soft cheeks and chin; even though I was happy, at the same time, I wasn't.
“Bye,” the two palace guards growled, turned into wolves, and ran off, leaving me to wallow in my own misery.
I am in the woods all by myself.
What if the brown-furred wolf comes back to kill me?
What if I was attacked by another wolf? I don't even stand a chance to duel with anything.
I sauntered forward, wiping the tears on my face with the back of my palm, letting fate take its course since I was destined to be like this. There is no one I can question about what fate has bestowed upon me.
It's the witching hour. How am I going to survive this?
I shrugged off these questions and walked quietly into the woods. Everywhere, it was silent except for my legs kicking the rustling leaves and the gentle breeze flapping the tree wings against each other as I stared at the moon in its full bloom.
“Don't worry, I will protect you," I heard a voice whisper to me.
I turned around, trying to see who had just spoken to me, but I couldn’t find anyone.
Who might be here with me in the woods?
“Callista, it is me, Maya, your wolf."
What? My eyes widened as I heard that, my wolf.
Wow! That means I am not wolf-less.
The moon goddess hasn’t forsaken me, I said, grinning from ear to ear.
Thank you, moon goddess.
“Yes, I have been here with you for a little while,” my wolf uttered through the mind link.
“Why don’t you talk to me?” I asked my wolf.
“This is when I felt you needed me the most." My wolf whimpered.
“Hmm, okay"
I looked up at the full-blooming moon; it was staring at me, and I stared back in admiration.
“Why don’t you try to shift?” I heard my wolf whimper in my head.
“Huh, shift?” My eyes widened as goosebumps rose over my body. That's a dream I never thought I would be able to achieve.
“Okay,” I responded. I let my wolf take over me as I just stood there because I didn't know what to do or expect, so I just stood still.
It happened so soon. I was on furs, and I could feel it. My skin stretched out, and my bones were cracking and breaking. It hurt, but I could endure. Tears welled up as my eyes were closely shut, and I allowed them to flow freely.
Soon, the pain stopped, and I sighed in relief. I opened my eyes; I was on my paws.
I was in my wolf form.
I could smell, see, hear, and feel everything around me. The feelings were different, and everything was wonderful.
Purr! The sound came out as I tried to cry.
I am a hybrid of brown, black, and white fur-colored wolf. Wow!
“Let’s run,” my wolf whimpered in my head.
I hesitated at first, but we started running at a very scary and frightening speed, and it became more enjoyable.
My paws pounced on the floor menacingly as I ran, and the wind brushed my fur back as I galloped deep inside the woods.
We kept running as fast as we could. I felt strong after so many years; it was such a wonderful experience on my first shift.
After running for two hours, “Let me shift back,” I said to my wolf as we slowed down our pace.
In the twinkling of an eye, I shifted back to my human form.
I perceive something strange; I think my senses are heightened.
“What’s that?” I mind-linked my wolf.
“It felt strange to me too," she replied.
Pang! I felt a sharp pain, sudden and piercing, behind my back. I stretched my hand towards my back to feel the metal object buried in my marrow.
Damn! It’s an arrow.
My face became blurry as I saw four humans surrounding me.
“Who are those people?” I asked my wolf.
“I think they are trained werewolf warriors," my wolf mind-linked.
My eyes widened in shock.
“She is the weird aura I felt,” one of the warriors said, breaking my chain of thoughts.
She moved closer to me and landed me a kick, which made me fall and groan in pain. I could feel my wolf was hurt too.
“Do you want me to shift back so we can attack them?” My wolf whimpers.
"No.” I don’t want any of us to get hurt; we are too weak to face the ruthless warriors.
"But we could get killed this way,” my wolf howled.
I stood up to attack one that was very close to me, but I was sent back with a hard kick, making me hit my back on a tree.
Arrg! I groan in pain.
Even though I just got shifted, I am still a weakling omega, which makes my wolf nothing different. There is nothing we can do.
“You dare to walk into our territory." I heard faintly from another member of the group because my consciousness was slowly slipping away.
An intoxicating smell was felt in my nostrils. I felt the urge to stand up and follow the smell, but I couldn't gather the energy.
“Did you perceive that?” My wolf mind-linked.
“Y…yes” I replied faintly.
My wolf started humming in my head. I was nervous as the scent filled my nostrils. I haven’t perceived that scent in my entire life. It was different.
“I think our mate is somewhere around,” my wolf whimpered.
What? Mate? How is that even possible?
“Our mate bond is working its magic," my wolf answered.
I closed my eyes and fell into a slumber, but I could feel the scent; it was attractive.
My mate in the woods?
Tristan's POVAs an Alpha of Midnight Mirage Park with great power and strength, responsibilities rest upon my shoulders.Ever since I shifted on my thirteenth birthday, until now that I am twenty-seven years of age, I haven't gotten a fated mate, and it always saddens my heart because, without a fated mate, you are not complete as an Alpha.I promise myself that anytime I meet my mate, I will reject her if she is an Omega because I need someone as powerful as I am beside me, but I haven't seen my mate for the past few years. I hope she is somewhere safe.In Midnight Mirage Park, we are guided by rules. One of the rules is that if you don’t have a mate before thirty years of age, you will have to marry the park’s delta. As the rule stands, it hasn’t changed, and I can’t defy it.If I can't find a mate within the next two years, I will marry Delta Elowen Dean. Although she is powerful, she can’t stand the position of a fated mate.“Someone broke the park’s barrier," I thought, mind-lin
Back at the Wolfsong Dominion PackCassius’s POVMy father told me he had once made this kind of decision, and the consequences led to the death of my mother during an attack by a rival pack because she was weak and couldn’t defend herself.I didn’t listen to my father; I forsake my crown so I could be with Callista.A string of betrayals pierced my heart as I learned that the wimpy Omega, with whom I was in forbidden love, poisoned my sister and even dared to cheat on me.Damn! It's so annoying. I rejected my mate for her, and all she could do was betray me.I don't know why I stoop so low for that useless late bloomer.Anyway, it’s fine now; she has gotten a taste of her own medicine.I hope she doesn't rest in peace.It's been three days since the death of Imogen; my father is still mourning her, and he is very angry with me. I need to get on his good side. I thought for a while, and then an idea struck my mind.“Father, I am sorry for disobeying you.” I bowed my head, with my face
Callista’s POVI raised my head to look at the person walking through the door of the medical cabin. I felt the scent from that time in the woods. It is him, my mate. Our eyes locked. He is a tall, lean man with shaved hair, piercing blue eyes, and an imposing demeanor. He has short blonde hair, a well-defined jawline, high cheekbones, and a fit frame. I peeked at him from head to toe; his biceps were significantly defined. He is around six feet and some inches tall. Any lady in her right sense could swoon over him. “He is damn hotter than Cassius Ironclaw,” my wolf, Maya, mind-linked. “Yes, he is,” I grinned, mind-linking. The moon goddess has gotten me the perfect mate. Bingo! I diverted my gaze back to his eyes. He looked weary and disturbed. I guessed he was not happy. “What’s your name? My Luna,” my mate asked with a small smile at the corner of his lips, breaking the chain of thought that I thought had been going on for over five minutes, but in reality, it was just a fe
Back at the Wolfsong Dominion PackCassius’s POVIt’s been exactly five days since Dahlia died. I couldn't bring myself to believe that she was brutally murdered in the Pack cell, but since she is just an omega under a cloud, her death didn’t bother any of us that much, although it all seemed like a mystery to me.I stepped out of the pack house, savoring the freshness of the atmosphere that came from the woods. The pack members are all seated around their fireplaces, not very far from each of their cabins, under the canopies of ancient towering trees, which were incorporated into framing and windows, revealing a connection to the wood where we took abode.Our environment is very serene; its serenity only lasts when there is peace. The serenity is likely fleeting because, as werewolves, we are always drawn to conflict and danger.For the past few years, I think we have been at peace with our neighboring packs. As powerful as the Wolfsong Dominion Pack might be, the least we could wish
Callista's POVTristan walked out of the stage with rage; I could feel it. If there is a way of defying the rules and traditions of the pack, he would possibly do it, but unfortunately, there isn't. “Tomorrow… will… you fight?” Tristan asked haltingly with a worried tone. He wasn't happy with the turn of events. He was expecting Elowen to be the only challenger, but since they all know I'm an Omega, they couldn't let the opportunity slip off. “Sure, I would. What's an Alpha without his Luna?” I responded with a grin, trying not to reveal that I was afraid of the duel. “I don't want to lose you,” he said with sincerity in his voice. “I will be fine,” I assured him, even though I knew I couldn't be fine against three skilled warriors. Fighting them consecutively, no rest. Without warning, he pulled me closer and planted a kiss on my soft, pink lips. My heart flushed, making shivers run down my body like it was my first, but it wasn't. He feasted on my lips like his life depended
Callista’s POV Her long hair cascades down in shimmering strands, and on her neck is silvery jewelry. A serene smile appears on her face. She is a beautiful and enchanting being. Her gaze looks like it holds the secrets of the universe as her golden-brown eyes bore into my hazel eyes, even though I am scared to describe what her face looks like.“Oh, you daughter of the soil!” Her soothing, calming, and melodic voice echoes, snapping me out of the trance I was in. What does she mean by daughter of the soil? I tried opening my mouth to speak, but I couldn’t. She walks closer, each step sending a warm, calming, and soothing sensation down my body, her presence illuminating the night sky. She possesses a celestial aura. She is the moon goddess!. “Callista!” The moon goddess called, her voice echoing loudly. “Yes, moon goddess,” I responded calmly. “Go and conquer your enemies!” Her voice reeks of power and authority. “How am I supposed to do that?” I asked amidst tears, rememberi
Callista’s POV“You do know I was knocked out, right?” I turned my gaze to Tristan, who was walking beside me as we set out to the Alpha’s house. “Yes,” he said, nodding acceptably. “The moon goddess told me to use my wolf.” I continued enjoying the moment of the walk. "Okay,” he stressed, wanting to hear more of the story. “She tapped my forehead, and I regained consciousness,” I explained in detail to Tristan, who was paying rapt attention to me. “Wow!” He exclaimed. “If someone else had told me this, I wouldn’t have believed it,” he teased, covering his mouth from letting out a laugh. “That’s the truth anyway.” I giggled. It took us about twenty minutes before we got to the Alpha’s house, which was located at the far end of the pack. It is the largest and most beautiful of the houses in the pack, maybe because it is where the Alpha resides.I would say I saw most of the houses here during my tour around the pack when I first came in after being introduced to other pack memb
Tristan’s POV After I had marked my mate, the next ritual that would follow was the running ceremony. It is a ritual that must be performed because that's how it has been done even before I was born. You know, like a tradition that dates back generations. It is during this ceremony that werewolves who don't have a mate and can’t wait for their fated mate, probably because they felt they had waited for too long, would be asked to choose a mate during some activities after the run. “Tell me more about this running ceremony,” Callista demanded, her lips protruding in a sulky pout. “You really seem eager to know,” I giggled, tauntingly. “As the Luna of this pack, that I am,” she paused and squared her shoulders arrogantly as a small smile appeared at the corner of her lips. “Don’t you think there are things I need to know?” She stated it with a wide grin. “Okay, since you insisted, your highness,” I teased, succumbing to her anxiousness. "Yes, my lord, I’m all ears.” I burst into a