Hybrid's Eclipse

Chapter: 49

N A T A L I A

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"That's why you insisted on the entire pack keeping quiet about your parents," I concluded.

Callum and I had just finished addressing the pack, updating them on the recent events and reassuring them that the peace within the pack would not be disturbed again.

Currently seated with our friends at a table in the pack hall, the rest of the pack engaged in lively conversations, enjoying the meal prepared for them.

It was a way to rekindle the bond within the pack and alleviate the lingering worries.

Callum had just told us the story of his parents.

"A bit peculiar," Noah said before I could think further. "Your father being mated to his mother, isn't that, I don't know— incest?"

He gestured between Callum and me. My mate shot him a disinterested glare, before turning his gaze on me.

"Why is he still in our territory?" he asked me sharply.

Noah snorted, making me glance at him.

"Don't you agree, Nattie?" he continued, a playful smirk covered his features.

"She was his stepmother," I reiterated, feeling a pang of discomfort at the thought of Callum being considered my sibling. "That's not incest."

"Whatever floats your boat," Noah replied.

"Ew, please," Rhea chimed in. "No offence, Cal. I'm perfectly fine with just my sister." 

Callum ignored her, clearly irritated by the nickname my sister had given him. Nevertheless, it was a trivial matter.

Callum had disclosed that the pack believed he had killed his parents after discovering his mother dead at home and abandoning her. His father, blaming him, had ultimately taken his own life after losing his mate.

The pack had speculated that Callum had done it for the title.

Callum had carried the burden of guilt for years, even going rogue and abandoning the pack briefly at one point until he had learned of his father's death.

The loss had deeply affected him, though he never explicitly expressed it.

When he spoke about them, I could sense the turmoil within him, as if he had never truly mourned their death.

Callum was a remarkable alpha, a respected leader, and the pack had grown to love and admire him. However, the rule had been firmly established early on: no one was to mention his parents.

I couldn't shake the feeling of how hurt and lonely he must have been, losing both parental figures without allowing anyone to speak of them. It only confirmed my suspicions that Callum hadn't properly mourned their deaths.

"What's on your mind?" he asked, brushing a strand of hair from my face.

"You," I teased.

Callum's gaze softened at my playful stance. Our friends were engrossed in conversation, oblivious to us. They appeared content, laughing and enjoying themselves.

My gaze returned to Callum's blue eyes.

"So many losses," I murmured. "When it all could have been avoided."

Callum's expression darkened. "There was no way to prevent it when that was their fate."

I nodded in agreement. "I understand," I conceded. "It's just disheartening to think that our, or rather, my parents orchestrated all of this only to meet their end."

"It was a matter of survival, baby," he reminded me, his tone blunt. "It was either us or them."

I fell silent at his words, acknowledging the truth in them. It wasn't that I mourned their deaths, but rather I found their pursuits ultimately futile. They had chased after power and titles, only to meet their death.

"We'll be alright. I'll make sure of it," he reassured me.

I offered him a faint smile. "So much has happened since we met."

I realised the implications of my words after they left my mouth, and a flicker of something passed through Callum's eyes, though he remained silent.

"None of this is because of us," he asserted firmly. "We just happened to be surrounded by terrible people. Now that they're no longer a threat, I know our future holds promise."

Contemplating the future filled me with apprehension, especially after what had transpired with us and our pup.

Our friends pulled us into a conversation about managing the clan and pack, and Noah mentioned his plans to return home.

"You know how persistent my mother can be," he remarked, giving me a pointed look.

"Given you're her son, I don't blame her," I replied, flashing him a grin.

He narrowed his red eyes at me. "I'll pretend you're not trying to get rid of me."

I rolled my eyes. "Hardly."

Contrary to his words, I would really miss him. Noah had been by my side most of the time as I had taken the Luna role.

We spent the rest of the night chatting, finding solace in the peace that had finally settled over us, despite the losses we had endured. It was a harsh reality of the wolf nature to eliminate any threats, even if they happened to be family.

As Callum drifted off to sleep, I remained awake, staring at the ceiling. Despite his reluctance to admit it, I had felt the turmoil roiling within him at the revelations.

His mother was, in fact, his stepmother, and she was mated to my father. Countless questions plagued my mind, but with Glenda now gone, there was no one left to provide answers.

I yearned to understand why she had insisted on my return to Caia despite her disdain for my father and her accusations against me. She could have abandoned me early on, yet she didn't.

Discovering the kind of person my father truly was only validated Glenda's hatred toward him.

At least, amidst the chaos, Rhea and I remained family. She had confided in me about her initial desire to kill Callum for causing harm to the clan and killing our mother, but she had come to realise the extent of my suffering that would entail— losing both my mother and my mate.

Now, she had grown to love him. Callum and Marcus had also formed a strong bond.

There was much to reconcile and rebuild, but for the time being, the war was finally over.

As this realisation washed over me, tears welled up in my eyes. I turned toward Callum, seeking solace in his presence.

Even in his sleep, he instinctively wrapped an arm around my waist, drawing me close.

"I love you," he murmured softly. "Let's get married."

I thought he was awake, but the gentle rhythm of his breathing soon filled the room, whilst I remained still, unsure if I had imagined the words or if he had really spoken them.