Calliope - Book 3 - A collection of Short Stories

Calliope stood in her room, looking out of a window. Her hands ran over her swollen belly. She winced as she felt pain radiate across her body. She closed her eyes, trying her best to ignore it. Hands wrapped around her, resting on top of her belly.

“I can feel you are hurting,” Theo whispered into her ear. “Riley has told me that you have felt pains all day.”

“I told her not to tell you,” Calliope scowled. “I didn’t want to worry you.”

“If you are about to go into labor, I’d like to know,” he growled softly as he kissed her shoulder. “I’m supposed to be here to help you.”

“I know,” she whispered as she looked over her shoulder at him. “I’m just scared.”

“Why?”

“It’s our first child,” she explained. “What if something happens to them during the labor? What if something is wrong or I don’t push hard enough?”

“You shall do fine. The baby shall be fine,” he reassured her.

“I know,” she groaned as she leaned forward. She could feel a wetness trickle down her legs. “You might need to call for the midwife!”

“I already did,” he stated as he rubbed her back. “I called for her before I even came into the room.”

Calliope looked up at him, noticing the smile on his face.

“I suppose you are proud of yourself, huh?” She growled as pain rippled through her body. “Being able to tell when I was going into labor.”

“I am, little wolf,” he shrugged. “But you can scold me later. Let’s get these clothes off you and into your birthing gown.”

Calliope nodded as she gripped one of Theo’s hands. He helped to undress her, taking great care to do most of the work. After she was undressed, he slipped the loose gown over her head. By then, other women were starting to gather in the room. Some removed the covers from the bed, placing towels down in their place. Some walked in carrying hot water. Riley was one of the last to walk in. She went straight for Calliope and helped Theo put her into bed.

“I’ll take it from here, Great Alpha,” Riley said gently.

“Can I not stay?” He questioned with sadness.

“The moment she starts screaming in pain, you will become possessive and protective over her,” Riley answered with a shake of her head. “You will prevent any of us from doing our jobs. So, please, for Calliope’s safety, go wait in the hall. My mate and Josiah are out there waiting on you.”

Theo nodded his head and walked out into the corridor. He went and stood beside Elliott and Josiah. Both men understood what he was going through. Both of their mates have had at least one child already. Theo slammed his back against the stone wall and slid down to the floor with a thud.

“I know it’s hard,” Josiah reassured as he sat down beside Theo. “But just think, in a few hours, you shall have a little pup in your hands! And seeing their face for the first time will make the wait totally worth it.”

“Even with the late nights and early hours,” Elliott added as he joined them on the floor. “When you get to hold your little one, all of your stress just disappears.”

“Except when they get sick, and they soil themselves and everything they touch,” Josiah scowled. “I’m lucky Lori can handle when the kids get sick. I mentally just cannot.”

“Luckily, Rayne has been a very healthy baby,” Elliott chuckled.

Theo flinched as Calliope’s screams escaped their room. He placed his hands over his face, trying to hide his fear. He had tried to stay strong when in front of Calliope, but in reality, he was just as scared as she was. This was their first child, and so early on, too.

Calliope lay in the bed, holding tightly onto Riley’s hands. She was propped up on pillows, but her back ached with each contraction. She had the urge to shift, to hide within Giizis. But she couldn’t. She needed to push out this baby, to bear the pain for a little bit.

“Can I get up and walk around?” She questioned as she looked up at Riley.

Riley looked to the Midwife. They checked Calliope and gave a nod. Riley helped Calliope to her feet. She held her hand as they paced around the room. For a few hours, she walked around. After that, she laid back down. Several more hours passed, and finally, Calliope was given the go-ahead to push.

A few women came up, helping to hold back her legs. She leaned forward, pushing with a contraction. She screamed as the pain ripped through her body. Riley rubbed her hands, whispering words of encouragement to her.

“I can’t do this,” Calliope cried as she shook her head. “I can’t!”

“Take some deep breaths,” Riley instructed as she moved the hair from Calliope’s face. “Remember what you told me when I was birthing Rayne?”

“No,” Calliope answered as she shook her head.

“Breathe in through your nose and out your mouth,” She said with a smile. “Come on, try it with me.”

Calliope nodded as she took in a deep breath through her nose. She held it in for a moment, and as another contraction hit, she released it through her mouth. She did this several times. She could not tell if it was helping, but it was making her concentrate on something other than the pain.

She started to push again, and the women at the end of the bed began to show excitement. They could see the head. Calliope steeled herself against the last push. She needed to give it her all, to bring this baby into the world. She yelled as her body tensed up.

Theo stood from the floor. He could not take it any longer. He needed to be by Calliope’s side. He would just ignore his instincts to push everyone out. He needed to be with his mate. He ran to the door, pushing it open with so much force he cracked one of the frames.

Theo stood there, watching as the Midwife held a bloodied baby in her hands. The last scream that he heard was Calliope on the final push. He stared at the baby briefly, but then his attention went to his mate. She was pale and panting as she laid back on the bed. He hurried to her, crawling onto the bed beside her.

“Is she okay?” He questioned as he looked at Riley.

“Yes,” she nodded with a smile. She handed him a wet rag. “Calliope is just tired. Wipe her face for me while I go check on the baby.”

“Theo,” Calliope rasped as she turned her head to him.

“I’m here, little wolf,” he reassured her as he wiped her face gently. “I’m here.”

"The baby?" She questioned.

Theo looked over to the end of the bed. They were cleaning the baby, but there was no sound. He leaned forward, trying to get a look without leaving Calliope. He could see the Midwife holding the baby, roughly rubbing their back. He held his breath, fearing the worst.

But then the cries of the baby filled the room. It was high-pitched, but it was strong. Theo gave a sigh of relief as he sat back against the headboard. He looked down at Calliope. She was crying as she looked up at him. Riley walked over with the crying baby bundled up in a white blanket.

"It's a little girl," she stated as she placed the baby in Calliope's arms.

"A little girl? We have a girl?" She questioned as she looked at Theo.

"We do," he nodded as he wiped the tears that threatened to fall. He looked down at the angry baby crying in Calliope's arms.

"Ten toes and ten fingers?" Calliope asked as she looked at Riley.

"Ten perfect toes and ten perfect fingers," Riley chuckled as she nodded. "The midwife said she was healthy."

"Good," Calliope sighed as she looked down at the little girl. "You're so little, so tiny, so perfect."

After an hour, the room began to clear, allowing Calliope and Theo to be alone with their baby. She was now asleep in Theo's arms, her cheek resting against his bare chest. Though Calliope was tired, she could not bring herself to sleep. She just wanted to watch Theo, watch him hold the little thing that they created.

"Have you decided on a name?" He questioned her after a while.

"Eloise," Calliope answered. "I'd like to name her Eloise."

"Eloise," he nodded as he looked down at the baby. He lifted her higher, bringing an ear to his lips. "Daughter of the Great Luna and Great Alpha. You, little one, shall be a brave wolf whose intelligence shall know no bounds. You will overcome any obstacles placed before you, no matter how hard they may seem. You shall be known far and wide for your beauty and your kindness. You are Eloise."

Calliope ran down the corridor, chasing a young Eloise. The girl giggled, doing her best to outrun her mother on her little legs. Calliope purposefully lagged behind, watching as her daughter's light blonde hair waved in the air. Eloise then took a sudden turn, opening a door and running in. Calliope laughed as the door was slammed in her face.

"I'm going to get you, little one!" She teased. She counted to ten in her head, giving her daughter time to hide. Once done, she turned the handle, opening the door.

She stopped. Before her was not a bedroom but a vast desert. She could see her daughter's shadow disappear over the ridge of a hill.

"Eloise!" Calliope yelled as she ran out into the sand.

It felt hot beneath her bare feet. She squinted her eyes as she looked up at the red sun that stood high above her. Calliope pushed past the pain that her feet felt. She sprinted across the desert, running after Eloise's shadow.

Once at the top of the hill, Calliope lost her footing. She slid down the sand, falling for what felt like several minutes. Once at the bottom, she rolled across a hard ground. She coughed as she sat up, looking around for her daughter.

Eloise stood on a rugged dirt ground, looking at her mother. She beckoned for her, motioning for Calliope to come to her. Calliope groaned as she stood to her feet. She struggled to stay upright as she hurried to the little girl. But as she neared, Eloise continued to run.

"Eloise! Please stop!" Calliope yelled at her.

But the girl did not. She ran until tents came into Calliope's view. Eloise suddenly turned to her left, running into one of the tents. Calliope could hear a woman scream, causing her to hurry her pace. But she felt as if she was not fast enough. She felt as if she was barely moving, barely getting closer. After what seemed like an eternity, she made it to the tent. She ran in, noticing a woman was leaning against a stool. The woman was in the middle of giving birth.

Calliope stopped, watching as the head of the baby began to appear between her legs. The woman reached down, helping to guide the baby out as she pushed. Calliope was amazed, watching the scene unfold. The only other person in the tent was a man standing before the woman. There were no midwives, no other women in the room to help.

"Come on, Momma!" Eloise called out.

Calliope's head snapped to her daughter. She was standing outside on the other side of the tent. Calliope ran to her, but Eloise was faster. She laughed, running until she was back into the desert. She ran to the top of a tall dune, but this time, she stopped to wait. Calliope was panting, unable to find the energy to keep up. She had to crawl on her hands and knees up the hot sand. Once she was at the top, she saw that Eloise held her hand out to her.

"Finally," she scowled as she grabbed the girl's hand.

But the hand disappeared, turning instantly to sand. Calliope gasped as Eloise disappeared, slowly turning to sand that blew away in the wind.

"No!" Calliope yelled as she tried to grab her daughter. "No, no, no! Eloise!"

She was crying, digging through the sand. Eloise had to be there; she could not be gone so suddenly. Sand stung her eyes, but she did not stop; she could not. Her daughter was relying on her.

"No!" Calliope cried as she hit her hands against the sand. She looked around, but all she saw was the desert. "Theo! Please! Help me!"

Calliope... Wake up, Calliope...

Calliope opened her eyes, gasping for air as she sat up. But there was nothing; she only saw darkness. She ran her hands around herself, feeling covers, and then suddenly a hand.

"Theo?" She said as she felt the person in front of her.

"No, sweetheart. It's me, Briana," the woman said as she slowly caressed Calliope's cheeks. "You're alright. It was just a dream."

"A dream?" Calliope questioned, confused as to where she was. "Where am I?"

"You're in your bed," Briana reassured her.

"Everything is blurring together," Calliope cried as she covered her face. "I can't tell where I am, how old I am. My dreams are blending together with my memories and... I can't."

"That's why I am here, to help you," Briana whispered as she gently rubbed Calliope's back. "I am Briana, your fifth companion. You are at the Royal Moon pack, in the palace, in your bed. You are currently 140 years of age, but you still look as young as ever. And, yesterday, you shifted for the first time in seven years."

"I should have never shifted!" Calliope yelled as she tried to pull away from Briana, but she was weak. Her muscles had atrophied after years of not being used. "I was not tormented with dreams while I was in Giizis! Let me shift! Please. I can't... I can't go back to sleep. I'll just see him, see Theo. I'll live this life that I never had with him, and I cannot go through that, knowing that I will wake back up."

"How about this; I can make you a tonic that will help you sleep without dreams. How does that sound?"

Calliope nodded her head weakly. As much as she wanted to escape back into her wolf, she knew she couldn't. Even Giizis needed rest, a respite from being constantly shifted. And seven years, that was the longest that anyone had ever been in their wolf form. It was not healthy. She could hear Briana leave her room, quietly closing the door. Calliope laid back in the bed, tears streaming down her cheeks. Her heart and soul felt empty. She was tired. She missed Theo, but now it was just her, all alone in the empty bed.

Author's note: I am going to be upfront with you guys. I got the idea for this chapter when I was almost done with this collection book. It came to me one night, and now that I have written it, I am in tears.

But it can't be a Calliope book without tears, right?

Have a song: Stuck in the Dark by Peyton Parrish was on repeat for the last bit of this chapter.

I was hesitant to put this song in this chapter because I have plans to use it in a different book. But, to be honest, it works well for both situations. So enjoy, and let me know if you cried, too! We can all join hands in the Theo support group 😢