Mute And Marked: The Feared Alphas' Mate

9: Callan

~Rina~

My legs felt like they were made of lead as the boy helped me through the darkened corridors, every step heavier than the last. Exhaustion had woven itself into my bones, and Syl, my wolf, whimpered softly in the back of my mind, her usual fierce energy dulled by everything we had gone through today. I had pushed myself too far—no, they had pushed me too far.

The Alphas—Axel, Ryder, and Kade—had drained every ounce of energy I had left. Their cold eyes, their snarls, their disgust at the very sight of me, as I helped lift whatever sickness they had. The way they looked at me, like I was some defective tool, broke something inside me today.

The boy with me, there was something about his presence that made me feel like I could breathe easier.

I couldn’t speak, so I shakily lifted my hands to sign, but even that felt like too much. I pointed down the hall instead, hoping he’d understand I needed help getting to my dorm. To my relief, he nodded, effortlessly guiding me along as if he’d done it a thousand times.

The closer we got to my room, the more I leaned into him. I didn’t mean to, but my body simply couldn’t hold itself up anymore. Syl stayed quiet, unusually quiet, but it wasn’t from fear. There was a strange peace in her that I hadn’t felt in a long time.

When we finally reached my door, the boy gently lowered me onto my bed. "You’re all skin and bones," he murmured, his tone full of gentle reproach as he checked my arms, brushing aside my sleeve to reveal how thin I really was. "You haven’t been eating right, have you?" His eyes held both worry and sadness, as if seeing someone suffer like this truly bothered him. I opened my mouth, but nothing came out. Even signing felt impossible. Instead, I just stared at him, not sure how to respond.

He sighed softly, running a hand through his hair. "Wait here. I’ll be right back." And then he was gone.

For a moment, I thought maybe I had imagined him—just a kind stranger who’d slipped away like a passing dream. I slumped against the wall, the weight of everything crashing down on me. My mind replayed the cruelty of the Alphas, their snarling words and hateful glares. I was their mate, yet they treated me like a burden, a curse they were forced to endure. I couldn’t help but wonder what was wrong with me that I could never be enough for anyone—not even the ones fated to be mine.

My thoughts spiraled until the door creaked open again. The boy returned, his arms filled with food—more food than I’d seen in weeks. My breath hitched in surprise. "I figured you needed this," he said with a small smile, setting the plates down in front of me. "You look like you’re about to collapse."

I stared at the food, my mouth watering, but a hesitant part of me still lingered. No one in this place had ever shown me such kindness. No one. Why would he? But Syl nudged me softly, urging me to trust him, to take this chance.

"Go on," he coaxed gently, lifting a fork and holding it out to me. "You’re starving."

My hand trembled as I took the fork and scooped up a bite. The moment the food touched my tongue, I couldn’t stop. Tears welled in my eyes as I devoured the meal, each bite filling an emptiness I hadn’t realized was so deep. I didn’t know how starved I was until that moment. The tears slipped down my cheeks, but I didn’t care—I was too overwhelmed with relief, with gratitude.

The boy watched me with a soft smile, but his eyes held something deeper, something like understanding. When I finally slowed down, feeling both full and exhausted, he sat beside me and introduced himself. "I’m Callan," he said quietly, "from the Shadowclaw Pack. I’ve seen how people treat you here… it’s messed up. We’re supposed to be adults, but it’s like they still act like schoolyard bullies."

I swallowed hard, my throat tightening with emotion. No one had ever stood up for me, let alone acknowledged the cruelty I faced daily. I lifted my hands, shakily signing, ‘Thank you.’

To my shock, Callan’s eyes lit up with recognition. He nodded as if he completely understood. "You don’t need to thank me," he said, his voice gentle. "I know sign language. I’ve got a cousin who’s deaf, so I learned it growing up."

The relief that washed over me was almost overwhelming. I wasn’t used to people understanding me so easily. I wasn’t used to someone just… caring.

"Now, rest," he insisted, brushing a strand of hair away from my face. "You’ve been through enough for today."

I didn’t fight him. I was too drained to argue. And Callan’s gentle presence was a warmth I hadn’t felt in a long time, and even Syl hummed softly in the back of my mind, content and relaxed. I didn’t want to think about the triplets, about how they sucked every ounce of energy out of me today. I just wanted to hold onto this small sliver of peace, even if it was fleeting.

"Get some sleep," Callan’s voice came out in a soft command as he pulled the blanket over me. I wanted to thank him again, to ask why he was so kind, but my eyes were already closing, and the world blurred into darkness.

---

When I woke up, sunlight streamed through the window. For a moment, I lay there, blinking sleepily, trying to piece together where I was. The room was quiet—too quiet—and a sudden fear gripped me. Was it all just a dream? The boy, the food, his kindness… Could it really have been just a figment of my exhausted imagination?

I slowly pushed myself up, my heart thudding in my chest, but then I saw it—the leftovers from last night, neatly covered and sitting on the small table by the bed. Relief rushed through me. It was real. Callan was real.

I took a deep breath, trying to push aside the memories of yesterday—the cruel words, the icy stares from my supposed mates. It didn’t matter. Today was a new day, and I wasn’t going to let them get to me. I’d avoid them if I had to. They didn’t deserve to be in my thoughts. I was determined to focus on myself, on surviving another day at Silverclaw University.

After freshening up, I quickly got dressed. I could feel the difference in my body—stronger, more energized. It was amazing what a little food and rest could do. It almost felt like yesterday never happened. Almost.

I was about to leave for class when a knock on the door startled me. I froze, my heart jumping into my throat. Who could that be? ‘Please don’t be one of the triplets,’ I thought desperately, Syl tensing inside me.

The knock came again, followed by a muffled voice. "Miss Rina? Are you in there?"

It was the porter. I let out a shaky breath, walking over to open the door. He stood there with a polite smile, and next to him was a girl, about my age, with vibrant red hair and a confident stance that radiated pure energy. She had a wide grin on her face, her eyes sparkling with curiosity as she looked me over.

"This is Amelia," the porter said, gesturing to her. "She’s going to be your new dorm mate."

I blinked in surprise. ‘A roommate?’ I hadn’t expected that. I offered a hesitant smile, lifting my hand to sign a greeting, but before I could complete it, Amelia bounced forward, holding out her hand.

"Hi! Nice to meet you," she said brightly. "I’m Amelia, but you can call me Amy. I’m new here too, so we can figure things out together!" Her voice was full of excitement, like she was thrilled to be here, in a school full of intimidating werewolves.

I signed, ‘Nice to meet you too.’ But she didn’t seem to understand, only giving me a confused look. I let my hands drop awkwardly, already feeling the familiar discomfort of being misunderstood.

"Oh, sorry," the porter said with a chuckle. "Rina communicates through sign language."

Amelia’s eyes widened. "Oh! I’m sorry, I didn’t realize. You know what? I’ll learn it. Give me a few days, and I’ll pick it up—I’m a fast learner!" She beamed, as if determined to bridge the gap.

Syl stirred inside me, her suspicion returning. As nice as Amelia seemed, something about this felt… off. I forced a smile, nodding, but my instincts were on high alert. Something didn’t sit right with me.

Once the porter left, Amelia started unpacking, chatting away like we were old friends. She was excited, talking about everything and nothing, filling the silence with her chatter. I watched her, unsure what to make of her endless energy. She seemed cool, in a carefree, confident kind of way, but Syl wouldn’t relax. Her paranoia buzzed louder, urging me to stay cautious.

"So," Amelia said casually as she hung up her clothes, "I think you and I are going to get along great. And it’s awesome that you’re here at Silverclaw. My cousin was telling me about all the crazy stuff that happens here."

My stomach twisted. ‘Cousin?’ I quickly signed, ‘Who’s your cousin?’

Amelia laughed lightly, not catching the tension in my movements. "Oh, you probably don’t know her. Cassandra? She’s kind of popular around here."

My blood ran cold. ‘Cassandra.’ Of course. The queen bee of this university, always surrounded by her clique, always stirring trouble—and one of the triplets’ most loyal supporters. Syl growled low in my mind, the connection clicking into place. This wasn’t just a coincidence. ‘She’s trouble.’

I forced a weak smile, nodding as Amelia continued talking, but my thoughts were racing. I couldn’t afford to let my guard down. Not with this new roommate who might be more of a threat than she seemed.

As Amelia rambled on, I resolved to keep my distance. I had enough enemies already. I didn’t need another one right under the same roof.