Chapter 64: Duty to the Pack - Callista's POV

Sabine closed the guest room door behind us, turned to face me, and that was when I noticed her expression went grim. This was the most serious I had ever seen my sister become.

“Are you really doing this?” She asked, her voice firm and cautious.

“We don’t have a choice,” I said, sitting at the edge of the bed as my voice trembled. “The Alpha King made it clear. If we don’t do this, then our packs are destroyed.”

“No, there is always a choice and a way out.” She sat down beside me. “You could refuse and run, leaving the packs to start a new life.”

“How could I do that? The packs would be destroyed. I’d be letting everyone die because we were scared and made a bad choice.” I shook my head, trying to dismiss those thoughts. That was the opposite of what I wanted. “That’s not a choice, Sabine. That’s giving up and letting everyone pay the price.”

“No, it’s called survival.” Her voice cracked slightly. “Callista, I’m terrified. You’re my sister and just sixteen. You’re about to walk into that mansion every weekend with a wolf who…” Her wolf trailed off.

"Who what?"

“Is there something wrong with Riven? I need you to be honest with me.” She looked at me, her gaze unwavering. “I need to know everything, because I’m not blind. His eyes have changed and the way he acts sometimes is like he’s fighting something else. And now you're both going to be trapped with the Alpha King, who apparently needs Riven for something he won't even tell your parents about? This isn’t like you.”

I wanted to defend Riven and to tell her that she would never understand. This wasn’t his fault, but the words got stuck in my throat.

She was right.

To the outside world, it probably looked bad.

"I know it's dangerous," I said quietly. "But Riven and I are Moon Marked. The Moon Goddess chose us for this. There has to be a reason."

“Or maybe someone made a mistake.” She grabbed my hand, closing both of hers around it. “Callista, you barely know him. It’s been what, two weeks? And you’re already mated to him. No one does that unless, well, you’re older. You haven’t even had time to be together to get to know each other. I think it’s a mistake.”

“Why would you think that?”

“You would never have chosen someone who is cocky,” she said, her eyes closing as she blew out a breath. “He’s also brash at times, which just isn’t something I see you enjoying.”

Her words hit harder than I expected. Even today in the car, I had thought the same thing. He was cocky and being brash, as if he had everything under control and had won against the Alpha King, but he hadn’t.

We rushed into everything so fast that my head was still spinning.

"The bond is real," I said, but even I could hear the uncertainty in my voice.

"The bond, yes. But love? Callista, you told him you loved him after knowing him for barely a week. Is that real, or is that just the mate pull making you think you feel something you don't? What if…it’s not a real mate bond?”

“I love him,” I argued more firmly this time. “It’s fast and I know it looks crazy, but when I’m with him, I feel complete. He’s the piece I’ve been missing.”

“That’s the bond talking. What if he used dark magic?”

“Where is this coming from?” I asked, suddenly unsure of why she’d say something like that.

“I heard things at school, okay?” She said, then leaned back. “Riven…is possessive and controlling in appearance. You're a seer, Callista, and an alpha’s daughter. All the alpha heirs want you as a mate, because it helps the packs. You have to see what he’d gain if he made you his.”

“It also could be real,” I said, glancing at her suspiciously. “I can’t fully explain everything, but I know that I’m supposed to be with him and that we’ll face this together.

“Even if it gets you killed?”

I thought of the dream, of the fear that I felt. He was terrifying when the demon was in control and I knew that I was going to die, but he’s mine. I can save him.

“Even then,” I whispered.

Sabine's eyes filled with tears. "I don't want to lose you."

"You won't." I pulled her into a hug. "I promise, Sabine. I'm going to be careful. Riven and I are going in with our eyes open. We know it's dangerous, but we’ve set boundaries and if anything feels wrong, we'll find a way out."

"How? If you're trapped there for the weekend, how will you get out?"

I didn't have an answer for that.

"We'll figure it out," I said instead. "We always do."

She pulled back, wiping her eyes. "You sound like Riven. You're all confident, like you can handle anything."

"Is that a bad thing?" I asked, smiling sheepishly.

"It is when it's not real." She studied my face, searching for an answer I didn’t have. "You're scared. I can see it. So why are you pretending you're not?"

“Because if I let myself be scared, then I’ll fall apart,” I admitted, my voice low. “And I can’t do that. Not when everyone needs me.”

“Why does everyone need you?”

I thought about my options, and I couldn’t avoid telling her any longer. She knew some things, but not everything. “I had a dream that Riven would destroy the packs if I didn’t mate with him.”

“He would do what?” She asked, batting her eyes quickly. “No, I don’t—”

“The Alpha King is our only hope of getting him the help he needs. I’ve already become his to avoid that outcome, but it’s not certain until—”

She shook her head. “You’re finding every excuse to be with him.”

“What?”

“That’s all this is. From the beginning, you have made every excuse for what you’ve done,” she snapped. “You’re not even in love with him. This isn’t real.”

I stood up, jerking my hand from hers. “And what do you know? You’re just a child.”

“And so are you!” She yelled as she stood beside me. “You’re only two years older than me. Stop acting as if I don’t know anything.”

“You don’t!” I lashed out. “You don’t know what it’s like to have dreams of the future and knowing that you might not be able to help. I’ve never heard you wake up screaming, because you had another nightmare. And you most certainly have never had to mate with anyone, because your packs’ lives depend on it.”

“Still making excuses,” she said softly as she looked away. “Just cut out the act and be real for me.”

I gripped her shoulders with both hands. “Be real? Fine. I’ll be real.” Tears streamed down my face as I backed her up against the wall. “The last vision I had I saw your broken body. You were bloody and dead. Riven’s wolf was in the house and I was saved for last.”

She looked at me, rolled her eyes, then looked back. “You’re lying. This is all so you can be with him.”

“Why would I lie? Have I ever said that I wanted to be mated at sixteen?” I asked, tears streaming steadily down my face now. “Have I ever lied about one of my visions before?”

“You always tell Mom and Dad about it.”

“I have,” I admitted, my voice low. “But this one was different. I saw them as well.”

My entire body shook as I said it. I thought I would carry that scene with me forever without anyone knowing except Riven. I hated to burden her with the fate I saw, but she wasn’t understanding in any other way.

“You are lying,” she whispered. “This isn’t what my sister would do.”

“I promised you when I was old enough to realize things that I would protect you,” I whispered back. “This is me protecting you. This is me doing my duty as an Alpha’s daughter. I will protect my pack. I will do my duty. No one will stop me.”

I leaned back, reaching up to wipe my tears just as the door to the room swung open.