The woods were silent, save for the soft rustling of leaves in the wind. The moon hung high, casting its pale glow over the clearing where Callista and Lucien stood facing each other.
Lucien folded his arms and regarded her curiously. "What are you doing in the woods?" he asked, his voice calm but firm.
Callista hesitated for a moment before answering. "I'm back for answers. I want to know who you are and what you have to do with me."
A smirk played on Lucien's lips, but he quickly replaced it with a more serious expression. He gestured to a fallen log nearby. "Sit down."
Callista narrowed her eyes, unsure if she should comply. But after a moment, she cautiously took a seat, still watching him carefully.
Lucien took a deep breath before speaking. "I am Lucien, Alpha of the Blue Moon Pack," he began. "And you… you are my mate."
She furrowed her brows in confusion. "Mate? What does that even mean?"
Lushen leaned forward slightly, his intense blue eyes locking onto hers. "Mates are partners chosen by the Moon Goddess. We share a strong, unbreakable bond—one that connects our souls. It's fate."
Callista's breath hitched as she processed his words. "But… is it possible for werewolves to be mated to humans?" she asked hesitantly.
Lucien shook his head. "That's the point, Callista. You're not human. The moment I saw you, I knew. You're a hybrid—you carry the blood of both a witch and a werewolf."
She stared at him in shock, shaking her head slightly. "That's not true… It can't be."
"Go home and ask your mother," Lushen said gently. "She will have the answers you're looking for."
Callista's expression darkened. "My father died long before I was born. My mother is the only one who raised me… and she always warned me to stay away from the woods."
Lushen felt a pang of sympathy for her, but she quickly dismissed it. "It's fine," she muttered. "It's not your fault."
He exhaled softly. "Still, talk to her. And when you do, I want you to come back and tell me everything she says. I'll be waiting here."
As Callista stood up to leave, she turned back to him. "Will you come back to school? My friends won't stop bugging me about your disappearance."
Lushen let out a small chuckle. He thought about it for a moment before nodding. "Fine. I'll come back."
A faint glimmer of happiness flickered in her eyes, and though she tried to hide it, Lushen caught it. The sight made something warm settle inside him.
"Goodnight, Callista," he said softly.
"Goodnight, Lucien." With that, she turned and made her way home.
---
When Callista arrived home, the living room lights were still on. Her mother was sitting on the couch, waiting for her, arms crossed.
"Where were you?" her mother asked sternly. "Did you go back to the woods?"
Callista didn't answer the question. Instead, she took a deep breath and asked, "Mom… what are you hiding from me? Am I really not human?"
Her mother's expression softened, and she sighed. "Come sit down, Callista. There's something you need to know."
Callista sat beside her, heart pounding.
"It's true," her mother admitted. "You are a hybrid—a daughter of both a witch and a werewolf."
Callista's breath caught in her throat.
"When I found out I was mated to a werewolf, I was devastated," her mother continued. "Werewolves and witches have always been enemies. Our union was forbidden… but fate had other plans. And your father… he was not just any werewolf. He was the Alpha of the Red Moon Pack."
Callista's head spun with the revelation. "But… why didn't you ever tell me? Why did you keep this from me?"
Her mother looked away for a moment, as if gathering her thoughts. "I wanted to protect you. If the werewolves knew of your existence, they would see you as a threat. And if the witches knew, they would shun you. The world isn't kind to hybrids, Callista."
Callista clenched her fists. "So, you just decided to lie to me? To keep me in the dark about who I really am?"
"I did what I thought was best," her mother said softly. "But I knew this day would come. I knew you would find out eventually."
Callista exhaled sharply, trying to process everything. "What… what was my father like?"
A sad smile touched her mother's lips. "He was strong. Brave. And he loved you more than anything, even before you were born. He fought for us, for our family… but in the end, he couldn't escape his fate."
Tears pricked Callista's eyes. "What happened to him?"
Her mother hesitated before whispering, "He was killed by the Alpha of the Blue Moon Pack."
Callista's breath hitched. Her heart pounded violently against her chest. "The Blue Moon Pack…?"
Her mother nodded. "Yes. Lucien's father."
"But....how did you know about..."
"Lucien? I'm a witch,I know whatever I want to"Her mother said with a faint smile
---
Callista didn't say another word. She pushed herself up from the couch and walked to her room, her mind spinning. As soon as she entered, she grabbed a towel and headed for the shower, hoping the warm water would help clear her thoughts.
The steam wrapped around her as she stood under the cascading water, her heart still racing from everything she had learned. A hybrid. A mate. Her father's death at the hands of Lucien's father. It was too much to take in.
When she finished, she wrapped the towel around herself and stepped out of the bathroom, only to freeze.
A shadow stood near her window.
The moonlight streamed in, illuminating the figure. And then she saw them—those piercing blue eyes, now glimmering with hints of gold.
"Lucien?" she whispered, her voice barely audible.
The air between them crackled with an undeniable pull. His gaze darkened as it roamed over her, his breathing heavy. Callista felt her skin tingle, an unfamiliar longing rushing through her veins.
Then, in her shock, her towel slipped.
Lucien's muscles tensed, his wolf clawing at him, urging him to take her—to mark her as his. The instinct was primal, overwhelming. His jaw clenched as he struggled for control.
Callista gasped, scrambling to cover herself, but the hunger in his eyes made her tremble. He took a step forward, then abruptly stopped, his fists clenched so tightly his knuckles turned white.
"I—" He let out a frustrated growl, his body trembling from restraint.
And then, in a blur, he was gone. A gust of wind passed by her window as his silhouette disappeared into the night.
Callista stood there, breathless, her heart hammering against her chest. The longing he left behind made her knees weak. She had felt it—the pull, the desire, the heat of his body against hers even from a distance.
And now, she was utterly, devastatingly confused.