Caleb
The moment I walked into the suite, I froze. A deep, unsettling shock surged through me as I stared at the creature pacing in front of the window. My wolf stirred immediately, restless and on edge as we took in the sight before us—a massive, powerful hyena, her fur bristling with tension, her glowing yellow eyes locked on me.
Shit
I had known she was close to losing control, had seen it in her eyes, felt it in the air around her. But seeing her now, fully shifted into a fuckinghyena, sent a jolt of disbelief through me. This wasn't something I had ever seen before. A part of me expected her to attack, expected some instinctive aggression from her beast, but she wasn't moving toward me. Instead, she was pacing, restless, clearly unsettled.
Before I could even process the situation fully, another shock hit me, more powerful than the first.
Mate.
My wolf, Ares, growled the word in my mind with a certainty that left me breathless. It echoed through my body like a lightning strike, and for a moment, I couldn't move. I was looking at Ava's hyena, and Ares was calling her mate. My head spun, confusion mixing with disbelief. This couldn't be possible, could it?
But Ares was insistent, and I felt it too—the undeniable pull of the mate bond, thrumming through me like a heartbeat. This was real. Somehow, in her hyena form, Ares had recognized her. But how? Why now? Was this some kind of fated twist, or had I just been blind to the truth this entire time?
I swallowed hard, my heart pounding in my chest as I tried to think clearly. I couldn't approach this the way I would have with any normal wolf. Ava was different. Her hyena was different. If I wasn't careful, I could make things worse. But Ares was practically vibrating with anticipation, desperate to connect with her.
"Ava," I said softly, keeping my voice calm as I stepped toward her.
She growled, low and deep, her eyes narrowing on me in warning. I stopped in my tracks, raising my hands in surrender. Her hyena was in control now, not the Ava I knew.
I opened the pack link, feeling for her connection. Ava? I called out mentally, but there was no response. She continued pacing, her large body tense and twitching with restless energy. It was as if she was trying to work through the confusion and anger that had triggered the shift, but she wasn't fully aware of me.
"Ava," I tried again, my voice gentle. "It's okay. It wasn't what it looked like." Still, no response. I knew I had to connect with her, had to reach her through the pack link where her hyena might be more receptive.
I inhaled deeply, calming Ares as best I could before reaching out again, this time addressing her hyena directly.
She was some drunk lady, I was trying not to cause a scene. I wanted to push her on her face....." I said, letting my voice flow softly through the link.
The pacing slowed, her ears twitching slightly as if she had heard me, but she didn't stop. She wasn't ready to acknowledge me yet.
"I'm not going anywhere," I said gently, taking another step forward. "I just want to talk. Can you tell me your name?"
At first, nothing. She continued to pace, her eyes flickering toward me every so often, but she remained distant, as if she didn't trust me. I stayed where I was, careful not to push too hard. Ares was practically clawing at me to get closer, but I knew this was a delicate moment. If I approached wrong, I could drive her further away.
"Please." I asked again.
This time, her hyena paused, her eyes locking onto mine. For a long moment, we just stood there, staring at each other. And then, finally, she spoke through the link, her voice low and guarded.
"Adeola."
Her name hit me like a punch to the chest, a sense of recognition and something deeper settling over me. "Adeola." I had never heard it before, but somehow, it felt right.
"Thank you," I said softly, careful not to move too quickly. "Adeola, I'm Caleb. I know you're confused right now but..." She interrupted huffing, a low rumble escaping her as if she was still unsure. But there was no aggression in her stance, no sign that she wanted to attack. Her pacing had stopped, and she stood there, watching me, her eyes flickering between trust and caution.
"I'm not your enemy, Adeola, It's Caleb" I said gently. "You're my mate."
For the first time since she had shifted, I saw something shift in her gaze. Her tense muscles began to relax, just a fraction, and the glow in her eyes dimmed slightly. I could feel her conflict, the push and pull of emotions warring inside her, but I also felt something else. A bond forming, fragile but real.
Ares growled again in my mind, this time softer, more satisfied. He knew, just like I did. This was our mate. Ava was mine, and somehow, her hyena, Adeola, was his.
The tension in the air was thick, and while Adeola had calmed down slightly, I could feel the anger simmering just beneath the surface. Her glowing eyes hadn't left mine, and though she wasn't growling anymore, I could still sense the protectiveness radiating off her.
I knew she wasn't just upset because of the woman at the bar. No, this ran much deeper. Her anger wasn't just her own—it was tied to everything Ava had been through. The betrayal, the pain, the scars Lucas had left on her. Adeola had been quiet for too long, hidden while Ava tried to keep her locked away. Now, with everything coming to the surface, her hyena was fully awake, and she wasn't happy.
I could see the conflict in her, the way she was struggling to balance her emotions. The pacing had stopped, but she still stood rigid, her eyes flicking to the door as if she was considering making a run for it.
I need to reach her. Before things get worse.
"I know you're angry," I said softly, trying to keep my voice calm and steady. "And you have every right to be. But I'm not the enemy."
Her lips curled back slightly, her sharp teeth glinting under the light, and I felt the surge of anger through the link.
"All of you are the same" she growled in my mind. Her voice was harsh, sharp, like she had been holding it back for too long. "You know her pain and still allowed this to happen!"
I flinched at the accusation, but I kept my expression neutral. She wasn't wrong—at least not in her eyes. Ava had gone through hell, and where was I? trying not to cause a scene. I should have pushed that woman to the ground for putting her disgusting scent on me, I wont make that mistake again.
"I'm here now," I said, taking a small step closer. "I'm notleaving her and I don't want anyone else."
Her eyes narrowed, and for a second, I thought she was going to lunge at me, but then she paused, her head tilting slightly as if she was listening to something deep inside herself.
"She's been hurt before. Too many times," Adeola growled, her voice cracking with barely contained rage. "She trusted him, and he betrayed her. She trust you too easily."
I inhaled sharply, feeling the weight of her words hit me. Lucas. She was talking about him, about the damage he had done to Ava. I could sense the raw protectiveness in her, the need to shield Ava from any more pain. I wasn't just dealing with Ava's emotions here—I was facing a part of her that had been pushed down, neglected, and now it was fighting back with everything it had.
"I'm not Lucas," I said firmly. "I'll never be like him. You have my word, Adeola. I'm here for both of you. Forever."
She let out a low growl, but something in her gaze softened, just a fraction. She wasn't fully convinced, but I could feel her starting to ease, if only a little.
And then, before I could speak again, I felt Ares stirring in the back of my mind. My wolf had been patient, but now he was pushing forward, determined to make himself known. He had been watching the entire time, and I could feel his growing frustration with how I was handling things.
"Let me handle this" Ares growled.
The moment Ares took over, I felt the energy shift completely. Adeola, Ava's hyena, had been pacing, restless and filled with a protective rage, but now she stood still, her sharp eyes locked on Ares. There was a brief, charged silence between them before something even more powerful unfolded—recognition.
For a long moment, neither of them moved. Then, without warning, Ares stepped forward, closing the distance between us and Adeola. My heart pounded in my chest, but I trusted him. Ares wasn't aggressive or commanding—this was something softer, something instinctual.
He nuzzled her gently, brushing his snout along her side in a sign of affection and acceptance. Adeola stiffened at first, unsure, but soon enough, she returned the gesture, her large, powerful form brushing against Ares. They circled each other slowly, noses touching, their movements calm and unhurried.
The room, once filled with tension, now felt different—warmer, more peaceful. Ares and Adeola continued their soft, affectionate nuzzling, like two beings finally recognizing what they had been waiting for all along. I felt the depth of their bond, primal and undeniable. For a few minutes, they just stayed like that, their forms pressed against each other as they communicated in a way that went beyond words.
This is how it's supposed to be, Ares said, his voice echoing through my mind, calm and certain.
Adeola didn't growl, didn't pull away. Instead, she leaned into him, her massive head resting against Ares's neck as if she had finally found peace in his presence. The wild energy that had been crackling through her seemed to dissipate, replaced by something far gentler, far more intimate.
They stayed like that for a few more moments, just breathing together, and then, slowly, Ares pulled back. His energy ebbed as he let me take control again, though I could still feel him close, still deeply connected to Adeola.
Adeola, too, began to retreat, her powerful form shifting and shrinking as her fur receded and bones realigned. The glow in her eyes dimmed until finally, standing before me, was Ava once more.
I took a deep breath as I watched her. She looked exhausted, emotionally spent, but there was something else in her eyes now—relief. She stepped toward me, and I met her halfway, pulling her gently into my arms. I immediately feel the sparks dance across my skin where we touch, a sure sign of being fated.
"I'm sorry," she whispered against my chest, her voice fragile. "I should've told you about her sooner. About who I really am."
I tightened my hold on her, resting my chin on the top of her head. "You don't have to apologize, Ava. I get it. That's a hard secret to carry, let alone tell someone."
She leaned into me, her body trembling slightly as she took in my words. "I was scared," she admitted. "Scared that if you knew, things would change. That you'd see me differently."
I pulled back just enough to look into her eyes, cupping her face gently in my hands. "I don't see you differently, Ava. If anything, I understand you even more now. You've been through so much, and you've been carrying this weight on your own. But you don't have to anymore. You have me. You have Ares. We're in this together."
Her eyes softened, the worry in them fading as she let my words sink in. She looked up at me, her hands resting on my chest, and for the first time since this all started, I saw a sense of peace in her.
"I didn't want to lose you," she said softly.
"You're not going to lose me," I promised, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "We're fated. Nothing's going to change that."
Her lips parted slightly, as if she wanted to say more, but instead, she leaned up and kissed me softly, her hands gripping the front of my shirt as if she needed the contact, needed the reassurance. I kissed her back, feeling the warmth of her body pressed against mine, the connection between us even stronger now that everything was out in the open.
When we finally pulled apart, I rested my forehead against hers, both of us breathing heavily from the intensity of the moment. I could feel Ares still in the back of my mind, content now that he had connected with Adeola. We were a team now, the four of us—Caleb, Ava, Ares, and Adeola—and whatever came next, I knew we could face it together.
"Thank you," Ava whispered, her voice thick with emotion. "For accepting me. For accepting her."
I smiled softly, brushing my thumb along her cheek. "There's nothing to thank me for. You're mine, Ava. Always."