Callista.“You killed my only daughter.” My mother sits in the darkness, kneeling next to a blonde-haired woman sprawled on the ground. Her face was hidden by her hair, but I could recognize that blood-soaked sweater anywhere.My head hurts once again, a static ringing in my ears. Overhead I hear thunder cracking, a terrible sound that echoes in my aching mind, and a shiver of terror runs down my spine. My mind feels foggy and unfocused, and the shadows dance all over the walls of the room.“You’re a killer, Callista.” In a lilting, sing-song voice that feels like nails scraping against a stone wall, the shadows sing. Their blood-red eyes stare at me from the dark walls, following my every movement.My mother’s face is as pale as a corpse, and she wears a tattered dress that looks like the one she wore to Ruelle’s funeral. Her eyeliner runs down her cheeks mixed with her tears, and her dark blonde hair fans around her face.She looks mad with grief. I want to look away desperately.He
Callista.This time I see a wolf. He’s in the corner of the room, and his ebony black coat shines all imperious under electric lights. His red eyes stare at me as he shows me his teeth, snarling. I never knew a wolf could look so angry, and vengeful; I don’t know why it’s directed at me.But if there is one thing I do know, is that the wolf is familiar. I know that I know him from somewhere. But I can’t remember his name.“Hello, Callista,” Suddenly the wolf talks, his voice distorted and resonating, and it’s bizarre to hear words come out of his snout. “We meet again.”“That isn’t possible, I don’t know you,” I tell the wolf, stepping back. “I’ve never seen you before.”“Oh, you have,” The wolf grins and it’s a scary thing to behold. Pristine fangs glitter like they are blades. “You just don’t remember me.”“I’m sorry for that,” I try to sound sincere, because I really, really hope that I can remember him.“I doubt you are.” The wolf snarls. “You might tell people that you’re sorry,
Theon.One moment we were talking, and the next, all hell had broken loose.Dr. Haeger, Haden, Kellin, and I chase Callista down the hall, trying to catch up with her. But in her delirious state, she's so much faster and stronger than us, which is shocking because she hadn’t gained those qualities from her wolf. How is she doing that? What had the bears done to her? We had no idea, which means that we had no idea how to deal with her like this except to somehow restrain her.Our footsteps ring through the castle corridors, our voices calling out her name, imploring her to stop, but she doesn’t care about it. Before we can get to her, Callista manages to open the auxiliary entrance doors that lead to the ballroom, where almost all the pack danced in.Oh, no...The moment I saw Callista shudder as I leaned into her before, I knew something was wrong. Then I realized that I paid a witch earlier to alter the bubble protecting the pack borders to be rain repellent, so the festival could b
Callista.The dark-haired man sputters, shock evident on his face. He looks back at my mother and me several times before taking a deep breath. When his eyes find mine again, there is an unprecedented sorrow in his expression.I don’t know why I never expected to see that, but it surprises me, nonetheless."Your mother isn't real, Callista." The dark-eyed man says with a gentle voice. "You're dreaming. It's raining and you're in an illusion. You know this deep down, don’t you? Wake up, please, before you do something bad."I feel hurt. “Why would you say that? It’s not very nice.”The dark-haired man groans. “I know, I’m screwing this up yet again, but that’s the truth and it’s not nice. But she is not real. I’m sorry, but you have to trust me on this.”"But it feels so real..." I muse, staring at the beautiful woman beckoning me to join her. I wonder what it would have been like to grow up with her. I don’t think she would’ve called me ungrateful every single day of my life like my a
Theon.I'd told her. Finally, I accepted the fact.I don't get to ponder more on it, because the rain still falls, and Callista's episode continues. But this time she doesn't do anything as dangerous as nearly following a phantom towards her death. I hate the fact that her own mind is trying to kill her. How could it happen? What dark magic did the Chamber use to wreck Callista's mind so much within a few hours?I don't think she would be able to handle this happening again. Goddess knows I won't be.Callista's my mate. I'd acknowledged it before, but I had been reluctant to act on it. How could I when I'd betrayed her so much from the moment I met her? I'd paraded another woman in front of her, I'd imprisoned her to be mated to my brother, and I'd falsely accused her of murder. I was the antagonist in her life so how can I suddenly turn a page and be her mate?I still don't know what I'm supposed to do. I'm sure that Callista won’t remember what I said before. She always forgets her
Callista.The Witches’ Guild is situated on the other side of the country, deep inside the mountains. Since the beginning, it had been hidden from humans with stronger wards than the ones used in the Were packs, spelled into place hundreds of years ago.The Witches’ Guild consists of the Training Academy for young witches, the Magical Crime Investigation Unit, the Witches’ Council as well as the Hospital for Magical Maladies, abbreviated as 'HMM'. Never let it be said that people of magic did not have a sense of humor.I am to be admitted to this hospital, and for that, we’re going to have to travel about 200 Km across the country.In a car."Can't we use a plane or even a train?" I'd asked Theon the morning after the festival, after the storm had subsided and restored my mind.I couldn’t believe I had another episode. That meant this problem with me was not a one-off."Oh, if it were an option, we could definitely take them, but what’s going to happen when you have an episode midair,
Callista.Once upon a time, I'd dreamed of going on a road trip.There was something so classic about them that appealed to my childish mind, something that we could have in common with humans, like school, but much more enjoyable than school and certainly more adventurous. Being confined to the pack was suffocating at times, regardless of the freedom if afforded, so escaping even for a little while was a dream.At first, I'd wanted to do it with my adoptive family, but the moment I'd asked them if we could, the answer had been a stout no. Followed by incredulous laughter. Later, I'd hoped that maybe I could make a trip after I graduate, along with Farris. I'm embarrassed to say that I planned the whole thing using a pink glitter pen in a little red scrapbook. I'd spent weeks on it, really.I was ready to bring it up to him after the coming-of-age ceremony. I was certain that he would jump on board, and it wouldn’t be hard to leave too because he was the Alpha after all. We didn’t hav
Callista."No coming back?!” I nearly screech. “Why did you not tell me this before?”"I might have thought you would back away from it if I did.”Unbelievable. “Well, Theon, considering how I could actually die if I back away, it’s not really a choice is there?”Theon looks sheepish and regretful.“Look, I’m sorry, but you don’t have to worry, Callista, I know you can make it," Theon reassures me. "You're the strongest person I know. If you can't do it, I don't think anyone can."Strongest person he knows. Those words ring in my ears, and it's hard to believe he thinks of me that way.But still!“You’re lucky I don’t condone regicide.”Theon actually smiles at that, and I try not to blush and ignore the barrage of butterflies in my stomach."Also, I’m afraid you’re overestimating me, Alpha, I don’t think I am all that."Theon searches my face with those abyss dark eyes. One could get sucked into them if you look too closely, they will hypnotize you. One look is all it takes to hook y