Calypso shook his head even as he did his best to help in the relief efforts taking place within the Tornado Pack Territory. Having practically taken the role of being second-in-command to Alpha Niro, he directed most of the containment side of the equation, taking advice from both Lia and the local healers before coordinating with Niro to make sure that they were all working on the same page. It was a hard job, especially since his mate had practically shut herself inside the mansion's morgue, but he supposed that it was only right of him to take responsibility for such a task.
Well, he just couldn't help but be worried for her. Just thinking about how long she had stayed in the morgue without even coming out… He was afraid that something must've already happened to her.
[Stop worrying about her. She knows what she's doing, and she'll hate it more if you actually doubt her,] Axel reminded him. [Just be glad that our mate is seemingly immune to this disease.]
[I can't help it, alright?] Calypso sighed. [Even knowing now that the disease only affects pure-blooded werewolves, what if it suddenly affects her?]
It was a lingering thought in his mind. There was always a chance of it happening after all, and-
[Stop distracting me with your doubts, Calypso,] Aurelia sniped him through their Bond. [I have half a mind to come to talk to you personally if you keep doing it.]
[O-Oh? Then why not do so?] Calypso quickly replied with a teasing tone.
[Because I'm currently covered head to toe with infective fluids,] she replied to him with a deadpan expression. [Just do your work while I do mine. We both know what we're good at, and we shouldn't waste each other's time worrying about things we have no control over.]
[I suppose so,] he chuckled.
Shaking his head, Calypso shrugged before going on with his duties. His mate was right. There was no use worrying about Lia, especially since she was practically the most intelligent woman in their area right now.
'Besides, just knowing that she even keeps an eye on me through the Bond is more than enough for me,' he inwardly smirked.
With his mood lifting a bit, he was just about to turn around when someone came up from behind him.
"B-Brother?"
Calypso froze. Turning around, he found himself face to face with someone that almost liked like his mother. He had heard that he had a half-brother, but it was still a different feeling seeing him right in front of him.
"Brother? Who are you again?" Calypso couldn't help but ask, a part of him refusing to acknowledge the man's presence.
"I-I'm Calum," his supposed brother weakly introduced himself. "I… Mother wants to speak to you…"
Calypso raised an eyebrow. "We're kind of in an emergency here. As much as I'd like to, I'm kind of busy at the moment."
"B-But…"
"Unless it's an emergency of some kind, I can't justify taking time away from the current epidemic to see her," Calypso reasoned. "I'm sorry."
It couldn't be helped. As much as he would like to get it over it, he was just too busy to even take time off to see his mother.
[Or maybe you're just making up excuses,] Axel pointed out.
[I'm not,] Calypso quickly defended. [I'm really busy.]
[Busy enough to ignore your mother?]
"S-She's dying!"
Calypso flinched. Turning back around, Calum was in tears as his fists shook on his sides.
"She… She doesn't have much time left," the boy weakly muttered. "She just wants to see you, Brother…"
Calypso gritted his teeth before he inevitably let out a resigned sigh. This was the reason why he came to that place in the first place anyway. He might as well get it over with.
"Fine," he relented. "Take me to her."
Calum clearly perked up even as he firmly nodded. Walking behind his brother, Calypso reached out to Lia to see if she was available.
[I'm coming to see my mother,] Calypso simply relayed, knowing that his mate would already be annoyed at him distracting her again. [How quickly can you get decent and meet up with me?]
A beat passed before she replied, [Give me ten minutes…]
He let out a sigh of relief at her response. He half-expected her to rebuff him, only for her to quickly drop what she was doing in favor of accompanying him.
[She did give you her word that she'll come with you,] Axel reminded.
Calypso smiled. He felt her worry spike for just a brief second through their Bond. She really wanted to come with him, and he was glad that was the case.
A few minutes later, Lia arrived looking no worse for wear. "I'm here."
"Just in time," Calypso gratefully smiled at her. "We're just about to enter."
Taking a deep breath, Calypso let Calum lead them into the room where his mother was supposedly in. Immediately as he entered, he could feel the air of regret in the atmosphere. On the bed, Anna was laying weakly, her eyes shimmering as she looked at him.
"C-Calypso…"
He did his best not to show his anger as he addressed her. "Mother."
"Y-You came… You finally came…" Anna weakly smiled, her tears flowing as she weakly tried to reach up to him. "You… You look so handsome…"
Beside him, Aurelia remained quiet, and he knew that she was fully expecting him to do all the talking. Not that he knew that she'd intervene if she saw the need for it.
"Why do you want to see me?" he asked, cutting straight through the point.
"I-Is it so unnatural for a mother to see her son?" Anna faintly chuckled.
"Not after you abandoned me and Father," he quickly replied.
His mother flinched, her pain so apparent to him that he almost felt pity for her.
"I-I see…" she regretfully smiled. "I-I know I shouldn't have, but I had no choice…"
"No choice? Really?" Calypso scoffed. "You could've rejected the Mate Pull. It's possible."
"I know," Anna sighed, her tears still flowing down her cheeks. "I was too weak… The Pull was too strong, and I got swept away by it. I'm sure you know what it feels like…"
He didn't know how to respond. Before, he could've easily rebuffed her. But now… Knowing just how strong the Mate Pull was firsthand… He couldn't refute her.
"So… what then?" he half-heartedly scoffed. "Are you going to just apologize and hope that will fix things?"
"I'm not that naive, my son," Anna smiled at him. "Apologizing now won't do anything, and I'm sure you won't appreciate it anyway."
"Then we're done here. It's been-"
"And yet, I still want to do it…"
Calypso's eyes widened as he watched his mother bow her head deeply to him. With her tears dropping on her lap, her choked sobs tore away at his heart despite his own feelings.
"I-I'm so sorry, my son…" Anna weakly sobbed. "I'm sorry for being so weak…"
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