The Alpha's Marked Mate

Callisto

If you are going to live a gilded cage, Victoria, Virginia is picturesque place. An easy sell for a realtor. Victoria is comfortably placed between Washington, D.C and Richmond. Fredericksburg connects as a sister city. Rappahannock River flows around our mini downtown. Water lovers enjoy listening to angry currents during Spring. Downtown has oodles of old building and legends from the Civil War. You can find almost anything to eat, surprisingly. Victoria is full of werewolves, witches, Fae, and other supernatural creatures. Everyone and thing needs a hometown.

Numerous rich supernatural people have estates. I love my house with acres and acres of woodlands. Long walks deep help me to block everything horrid about life, family, and death. You can hear leaves falling, if you give yourself to nature. Woodland animals are free. They have complete control over their city. Every animal has a purpose in the woods; they can’t live without each other. Teamwork, not demands. If only I could morph into a squirrel,  collecting nuts under rays of brilliant sunshine. Hustling them into my tree. Spending frigid winters months nibbling on acorns with chubby furry cheeks. Paradise.

Deep in the woods, a bunch of fallen trees decayed into a perfect gymnastics training site. Lost in fantasy, a stadium of quietness waits on the edge of their seats as I mount the balance beam. Steady agile feet spins, tumbles, and bounces to a scores of ten from  a shocked adoring panel of judges Need to stop living in my mind. My arms are out as I placed one foot in foot of the other. Not training for a medal. Just a few moments of peace of mind. After few hours of listening, running, and resting, I take a deep breath against a tree; my ears perked up, werewolf hearing. Someone is in my private domain, breaking twigs. Hair didn’t rise on my ears, not in danger. One of the shrew nannies probably searching to measure my thighs. Shrew hag believe men like firm and curvy.

She’s not one of the Nannies. A young woman with long golden blonde  hair wearing a Tunic, carrying a bow in her hand, moved stealthily in my directions. She appeared to be covered in  sparkle dust. Don’t let the Nannies see her stripper glitter. They don’t need any ideas to make my life as miserable as PMS.

“Greetings, Emma Elizabeth Gallagher,” her surprisingly soft boomed. Or was it because we are in open space? “I’ve come to speak with you about a pressing matter. I heard your plea. So, I came.”

Pushing  up with a hand, I tentatively walked over to Grecian goddess lady? She’s dress like a Greek God. Good Guess? I wiped my hands across the back of my dress. You can’t offer a goddess a sweaty, dirty palm. Smiling, I stepped forward with my hand extended,” Nice to meet you.”

Her delicate fingers masqueraded a compelling level of strength. She knows how to shake a hand. Her eyes were endless pools of blue like being in the Caribbean Sea. Nothing polluting the water. Just pureness and free.

“I am Callisto. I’m here to help.”

“How can you help me? My fate is set in stone.”

Callisto ushered me towards my trees. Dainty, she lowered her tall lithe form into a comfortable almost Yoga move on one of my tree stumps. I don’t think she knows Yoga. It resembled a yoga move.

“Life is free choice. You have a choice in your life. Destiny is not written yet. Will you accept my assistance in this unsavory matter?”

“Unsavory matter?” I questioned.

“Your family’s practice of using women for selfish practices and tossing them away. It needs to end.”

Oh, we do have a few things to chat about.”

“I don’t want to die, Callisto. I don’t want to bear my sister’s children. I don’t want any of this,” I admitted honestly.

“Good,” she responded. Her eyes assessed me cautiously. “I’ve watched far too long from the heavens. A stand must be taken to end this practice. I chose you to herald a new age into existence for your clan.”

“What’s the catch?”

Callisto appeared confused over my question. She doesn’t understand figurative language. Her blonde eyebrows knitted together. A small smile crept across her face.

“What must you do? I will receive nothing from this except. I ‘ll finally have revenge against my tormentor. That’s for another day. As my sisters in the sky would say, play the part. I need you to become an agent of your destiny. When you need to be charming… do it. When you need to appeal to a person’s guilt, do it. When you need to bring forth justice, do it. If you want to make a choice, do it because it is the right there to do; not because it appeases someone’s guilt. Play the part.”

Pain etched on her gorgeous face. Her face is perfect, a betrayal lingered in her eyes perfect. Something haunts her. Somebody destroyed her.

“Who hurt you?”

“A man with endless power and the one who I was devoted to. Now, do we have a bargain?”

“Yes,” I muttered quickly.

Wait, should I have thought about this. I made a deal with a random goddess to change my fortune. A couple of seconds of thought might have been needed to weigh the pros and cons. Pros: freedom. Cons: I die. Going with her plan. A girl like me doesn’t have a lot of options right about now.

“I have no ill will in my heart. I will never lead you wrong. At every point, you will have to make a choice. These choices might have a cost. In the end, you will have freedom. Your siblings will have freedom. Our quest is not path for the meek. I will guide you.”

Take a leap of faith… they say. What the f**k, I’m all in.

“What do I need to do?”

A corner of Callisto’s lips curled upwards,” Take a long walk though the woods as you start towards your home. As you approach your house, go through the library doors. Remember, play your part.”

Wait, that’s it. Just take the long way home and go in through the back doors. I usually sneak in the back.

“Okay.”

“I will meet you with again soon, Emma Elizabeth. When the stars shine brightly on your window, meet me here within this delightful area of fallen trees.”

“Is this a weekly meeting?”

“When I have tasks, advice, or I see you need guidance,” Callisto snapped.

Don’t press the goddess.

“Understood, Callisto.”

With a slight nod of her head, Callisto slowly faded away like a dandelion blown in the early days of Spring. Cool air forced goosebumps to appear across my arms. Great, a random early summer storm. Instinct tells me to sprint around a bunch of trees. A long walk back to my house might lead to a drenching. She said the long way. Not going to piss her off already. Gathering my items, I sat off towards the main house. A few droplets of rain dampened the back of my dress. I can deal with drizzle. Just make it home to before wet shoes occur. Nothing is worse than cold damp feet trapped in wet shoes. As I emerged from the clearing, I beat the rain. I can see my house. Yeah, I rejoiced too soon. The heavens opened as a flood of rainwater cascaded upon me.

My pale-yellow sundress offered little protection from heavy rain. My straw hat flew off my head as I dashed across sopping wet grass, along the pool, and up slippery steps leading to the library. Water dropped from my hand as I turned the door handle of the library doors. My chest heaved up and down in futile attempts to catch my breath. Yanking open the door, I saw my mother, sister, and Stefan Petrov engaging in a tea party. Peter’s Peridot green eyes slowly swept over my water-soaked body. Callisto’s words played in my head… PLAY THE PART!