Silence hung in the air as Callista's heart pounded. The weight of her mother's last words echoed in her mind, but so did the fierce connection she felt to Lucien and the Blue Moon Pack.
"I'll go with you," Callista finally said, her voice steady.
Lucien turned to her sharply. "What?" His eyes burned with fury, but Callista kept her gaze on Sabrina.
"But not now."
Sabrina raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued. "Oh?"
"I just got here," Callista continued, choosing her words carefully. "I need time. A week. I need a week to say my goodbyes and prepare myself."
Lucien's jaw tightened, his fists clenching. "Callista, no—"
Sabrina held up a hand to silence him. "Interesting. And why would I grant you such a thing?"
Callista met her aunt's gaze without fear. "Because you want me alive and on your side. If you try to force me, you might break me before I can be of use to you."
Sabrina studied her, amusement flickering in her golden eyes. Then, to everyone's surprise, she smiled. "Very well. One week. And when that time is up, someone will come for you."
With a flick of her wrist, a dark mist surrounded her and the witches, and within seconds, they vanished.
The tension lingered even after they were gone. Callista finally exhaled, but before she could speak, Lucien grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her away from the watching warriors.
"Are you insane?" he growled as they entered the privacy of the pack house. "You can't go with them, Callista!"
"I don't have a choice, Lucien," she said softly.
"The hell you don't." His hands gripped her arms. "We can fight them together."
"Not yet," she whispered, staring into his stormy blue eyes. "I need to be stronger. I need time to learn how to fight and awaken my wolf. And if I ran now, they'd just keep coming."
Lucien exhaled harshly, his grip loosening. "Then I'm training you myself."
One Week of Training and Awakening
For the next few days, Callista pushed herself harder than ever. Lucien trained her in combat, teaching her how to anticipate attacks, strike with precision, and defend herself. She learned the ways of the werewolves, their strategies, their instincts.
But the biggest change came unexpectedly.
During one intense sparring session, something inside her snapped. She felt a surge of energy unlike anything before, her body heating up, her senses sharpening. And then she heard it—
A voice inside her head.
Finally… you've awakened.
A rush of power spread through her, and in a flash, she shifted for the first time. Her wolf—a stunning white creature with golden streaks—stood before the entire pack, glowing under the moonlight. Gasps of awe filled the air, but Callista only had eyes for Lucien, who watched her with pride and something else… longing.
That night, as she stood with him under the stars, she finally admitted what she had been denying for so long.
She loved him.
She had always loved him.
And she wasn't leaving without a piece of him.
The Night Before Her Departure
The moon hung high, bathing the room in soft silver light. Callista stood by the window, staring at the vast territory she had come to love. Tomorrow, she would leave.
A warm presence filled the room before she even turned. Lucien.
"You don't have to go," he murmured, stepping closer.
Callista turned to face him, her heart aching. "I do."
Lucien exhaled, his fingers brushing against her cheek. "Then let me give you something before you leave."
She knew what he meant.
The mark.
The symbol of their bond.
She nodded. And in the next moment, his lips were on hers, his arms pulling her against him. The kiss was deep, desperate—filled with unspoken promises. And as he trailed kisses down her neck, she tilted her head, giving him full access.
With a whispered apology, his teeth sank into her skin. A mix of pain and pleasure exploded through her, and their bond snapped into place, sealing them together forever.
As the excruciating pain from the bond surged through Callista's body, she clutched her chest, gasping for air. It felt as if fire coursed through her veins, burning every fiber of her being. She collapsed to her knees, her vision blurring as the world spun around her.
Then, amid the overwhelming agony, she heard it—a voice, deep and familiar, echoing in her mind.
"Callista... Callista, hold on. I'm here. Stay with me."
Lucien.
His voice was like a lifeline, anchoring her to reality. She could feel his presence, his concern, his desperation reaching out to her through the bond. It was as though their very souls were connected now, intertwined in a way that neither of them could break.
The intensity of the bond grew stronger, sending waves of warmth and power through her. Callista clutched at her head, trying to make sense of the new connection she had with Lucien. She could feel him—his emotions, his thoughts—merging with hers. It was overwhelming, yet strangely comforting.
Lucien's voice came again, more urgent this time. "Breathe, Callista. Focus on me. Let the bond settle."
She struggled to comply, taking deep, shaky breaths as the pain slowly began to subside. Her body felt different now, stronger, as if something within her had awakened. When she finally opened her eyes, she saw Lucien kneeling before her, his piercing blue eyes filled with both worry and relief.
"You did it," he whispered, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "You're mine now. My mate."
Callista's heart pounded at his words. She was his, and he was hers. Their fates were sealed, bound together by a force more powerful than either of them could have imagined.
As she leaned into his touch, she realized that there was no turning back. This was only the beginning of her journey, of their journey—one that would change the course of history forever.
She was his.
And he was hers.