Lucien stormed into the room, his usual calm demeanor replaced with barely contained relief and urgency. Callista, still lying on the luxurious bed, turned her head toward him, her heart skipping a beat at the sight of him. His piercing blue eyes held a storm of emotions—relief, anger, and something deeper, something intense.
"You're awake," he breathed, stopping at the foot of the bed, his fists clenched at his sides as if restraining himself from reaching out to her.
Callista swallowed hard, emotions threatening to overwhelm her. "I... I guess I am."
"You were unconscious for two weeks, Callista," Lucien said, his voice rough. "Do you have any idea how worried I was?"
The weight of his words pressed down on her, but she was still struggling to process everything—the attack, her mother's death, the sudden shift in her life. Her vision blurred as fresh tears welled up. "My mother… she's gone," she whispered, her voice breaking.
Lucien's expression softened as he finally stepped closer, kneeling beside her bed. "I know, and I'm so sorry." He hesitated before gently taking her hand in his. "I wish I had gotten there sooner."
A lump formed in her throat at his touch. It was warm, comforting, but also carried an unfamiliar intensity that made her insides tremble. She felt the bond between them pulling her closer, but she wasn't ready to accept it—not yet.
Taking a deep breath, she pulled her hand away. "Where am I exactly?"
"You're in my pack—your new home," Lucien answered. "The Blue Moon Pack."
Her stomach twisted at his words. Home. She had never thought of a place filled with werewolves as her home. Her whole life, she had lived as a human, unaware of her true nature. Now, she was suddenly expected to accept this new reality, this bond, and an entire pack of wolves looking at her as their future Luna. It was too much.
Sensing her turmoil, Lucien exhaled deeply. "I know this is a lot to take in, but you need to understand something, Callista. You are my mate. You belong here."
She looked away, hugging herself. "Do I? Because half of me belongs to the people who just tried to kill me."
Lucien's eyes darkened. "You are not them. You are you—and right now, you need to focus on your survival. The witches won't stop until they get what they want."
Callista swallowed hard, his words bringing back her mother's last warning. Join forces with the werewolves… Accept your destiny.
Before she could respond, the door opened, and a tall, elderly man with gray streaks in his dark hair entered the room, flanked by two other wolves. Lucien immediately stood up.
"Alpha," the elder greeted with a respectful nod before shifting his sharp gaze to Callista. "So, this is the hybrid."
Callista stiffened. The way he said it sounded almost insulting. She could already tell that not everyone in the pack was thrilled about her presence.
Lucien's voice took on a commanding edge. "Elder Rowan, watch your tone."
Rowan ignored him and stepped forward, his piercing gaze never leaving Callista. "You may be our Alpha's mate, but you are also a witch's daughter. There are many in this pack who do not trust your kind. You will have to prove yourself if you expect to stay here."
Callista lifted her chin, her mother's strength flowing through her veins. "I didn't ask to be here," she said defiantly. "But since I am, I won't be cowering in fear. I'll prove myself—but on my own terms."
Lucien smirked at her response, pride flashing in his eyes. The elder, however, merely huffed and turned to Lucien. "The council will want to speak with her soon. We need to know if she's a danger to us or an ally."
With that, Rowan left, and Callista let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding.
Lucien turned back to her, his expression unreadable. "You don't have to prove yourself to them, Callista," he said softly. "Only to yourself."
She looked at him, feeling something shift inside her. Maybe she didn't trust fate, but she did trust her instincts. And something told her that this was just the beginning of a battle far greater than she could ever imagine.