Catalyst (Savior Complex #1)

1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Callie

I t’d been approximately fourteen weeks since my boyfriend passed away.

Not only had he been tragically ripped away from me, he’d also been posthumously labeled as the world’s most dangerous terrorist . But I didn’t believe any of it. Sulien Seo was a lot of things, but he was not a villain. I would scream his innocence from the rooftops if I could.

Unfortunately, that’d do me no good. No matter what I did, he’d still be dead, and I’d still be mere months away from becoming a single mother. Sulien and I hadn’t been dating for very long before this happened, but I’m grateful to have this piece of him.

Our relationship, while short, had been a whirlwind of emotions, ones that came on too fast and burned too strong. Ones that would never have burned out if he hadn’t.

I let out a soft whimper as I rubbed the curve of my stomach. The gentle flutter under my hand was the only thing that stopped me from crying.

A few weeks ago, my sister, Aurora, told me that babies feel everything their moms do. I was pretty sure she only said that in the hope of getting me to stop crying so much. True or not, it was working.

A soft knock came at my door, one I ignored. It didn’t matter if I answered or not; whoever was coming in would do so anyway. Plus, I didn’t need to look to see who it was.

If it was Mom, I’d be able to smell flowers the second the hinges squeaked. Dad would bring a gust of wind with him, and Aurora would say something before invading my space. This time, a chill began creeping in as soon as the door swung open.

At the moment, Jack was my least favorite person in the family. It wasn’t anything he’d done in particular, but more that I couldn’t look at him without thinking about Sulien. Not only were they in the same hero class, but he was also Sulien’s partner during the school showcase. The one that went so horrifically wrong that my sweet, strange, loving boyfriend was branded as a terrorist.

So, instead of acknowledging my brother, I pretended to be asleep.

“Cal, are you awake?” Jack whisper-shouted. “I’m heading out on patrol. I wanted to see you before I did.”

I forced my breathing to stay slow as I buried my face farther in the pillow. His boots shuffled along the floorboards as he inched toward me. His icy presence loomed over me, and I pulled the blanket up to my chin. I wondered: was he staring at me? Was he trying to decide if I was asleep or just avoiding him? Did he even care?

“I know you’re not asleep.” He let out a sigh as he settled beside me. My bed dipped under his weight. “You’ve been snoring since you’ve started looking like that .”

The disgust in his voice caused my eyes to snap open and shoot him a glare.

“Fuck. Off.” I hissed, trying to hide my wounded pride.

Jack blinked twice before a smug smirk twisted his lips.

“There’s my beautiful baby sister.” His tone was lighter, almost joking... But, boy, did it piss me off.

In response, I smacked him with my pillow.

“I’m serious. Just go away ,” I pleaded before pulling the covers over my head.

“Cal, it’s your birthday. You can’t just hide in your room and mope the day away.”

Jack snatched my blanket, suddenly exposing me to the frigid air around him. I tried my best not to react, even though all of my cells wanted to shiver.

“Actually—it’s my birthday, which means I can do whatever I want.”

And what I wanted to do was hide in bed and watch reruns of cooking shows while pretending I didn’t exist. Plus, it was my last day to relax before the next semester of college started, meaning this was a perfect way to spend my day.

Jack rolled his eyes before standing up and walking over to the curtains. Before I could formulate a proper protest, he threw them open. Sunlight invaded my room, revealing the mess of blankets and unwashed clothes I’d been doing my best to ignore.

“Mom’s making breakfast—remember, you’re not allowed to skip meals. You opened your legs for a villain, now you have to deal with the consequences.” Jack pointed to my stomach. He must have regretted the words as quickly as he said them, though, because the smugness in his expression faltered.

“He wasn’t a villain!” I snapped, chucking the pillow at him as hard as I could.

Jack didn’t bother dodging, allowing the projectile to hit square on his chest.

We’d been over this a thousand times. I’d defend Sulien; Jack would remind me how the rest of the world saw him. We’d go in circles, and I’d silently wish that I’d been one of the thousands of casualties of last year’s showcase. If I was dead, I wouldn’t have to deal with any of this.

“I have a friend at work who’s interested in you—Trenton Taylor. He’s a good guy.”

“Is he a six-five Korean pyromancer?” I challenged, knowing damn well it wouldn’t have mattered if he was. I didn’t like Sulien for any of those things; I liked him for him. Sure, Sulien’s thoughts were an anxious mess, but his heart was so good. Everything he said, he meant; none of it was an act.

I’d been spying on his thoughts since I started at Valor University. At first, it was an accident; I caught a few of his thoughts and immediately needed to know more about him. From then on, I followed him whenever I could, lingering close enough to listen in on him but far enough not to look like a creep. When my mom suggested I help clean up his reputation, I jumped at the chance just so I could actually have a reason to talk to him.

And it went better than I ever could’ve imagined. When he fell for me, he fell fast, hard, and true, and that made me comfortable enough to do the same.

“Uh… no?” Jack laughed awkwardly before sitting back on my bed.

Just being near him made the temperature drop by ten degrees. Goosebumps prickled my arms. I drew my knees closer to fend off the chill because someone had taken my blanket.

“He’s like an inch or two taller than me. Dark hair, dark eyes, super strength, dude can turn himself into solid metal, ninety percent sure he’s bulletproof—haven’t tested that, though.” Jack raked a hand through his short blonde hair as he blew out a laugh. “Dad thinks he’s going to be the top hero at Aegis soon. And it would look good on the center for him to be a Voltaris.”

My jaw dropped. Sulien had been dead for just a few months, and they were ready to sell me off? For the family’s image ?

“What about what I want?”

Jack’s blue eyes bore into mine. “Callie—Mom and Dad are letting you keep the baby.”

“ Letting me keep my son? The one I made with my boyfriend, who is now dead ?”

Even if he hadn’t died, I still wouldn’t have given up the baby. Sulien had been too excited. I had my misgivings about being a teen mother, but Sulien and I would’ve figured it out together.

Now I had to do it all alone.

“Sulien would have ruined your life. He wasn’t like us; you had a bright future. It was only a matter of time before he snapped and became a villain, just like his old man.” A wry laugh clipped Jack’s words. “Callie, our family only wants what’s best for you.”

“No, Mom and Rori want what’s best for me—you and Dad want what’s best for the Aegis Center.” My eyes started to burn, but I fought back the tears by clearing my throat.

Jack’s expression hardened. If I had been wrong, he would have argued with me. But I wasn’t. So, instead of fighting me, he stood up.

“Just get your fat ass dressed. Mom and Dad want to have breakfast for your birthday.”

I scanned his mind, trying to figure out if that was really the best insult he could muster. Unfortunately, it was. Sulien was right—my brother was an idiot.

I waited for him to leave before getting up and tugging on a pair of leggings and a tee-shirt that still fit, even if barely. Seeing as school was starting the next day, I probably needed to actually get maternity clothes—or at least something a size or two bigger.

I sighed as I looked at myself in the mirror.

Just a few months ago, I had been exactly what my family wanted: always made up, not a hair out of place, the perfect, straight-A golden girl. Still, I had a power associated with villains, so they made me take suppressors. They forced me to claim that all I had was empathy or, at most, minor telepathy . They even tried to convince me that I was powerless, and I pretended they were right in hopes they’d love me like they did my siblings.

But now, all that was for nothing. No matter how hard I tried, I’d never be the Voltaris golden girl anymore. Instead, I’d always be the one who ruined our gene pool by mixing it with Vexxas’s.

My hand drifted to my stomach. I’d like to think if Sulien were here, he’d make me feel like I wasn’t fucking up my life, or that I still deserved to be loved. But he wasn’t, and I didn’t.

I sighed as I ran a brush through my hair and pulled it into a messy ponytail. My reflection made eye contact with me, and I gave her a sharp huff before heading downstairs.

The smell of freshly squeezed orange juice and cooked vegetables greeted me. Instantly, my mouth watered. For the past few weeks, all I’d been wanting was vegetables and cheese—specifically spinach, but I wasn’t picky. My mom knew this, and had kept ingredients on hand so that I could have an omelet every morning. Usually, I had to make it myself, though. Having my mom cook for me made me feel... special. I was an adult, but there was something undeniably comforting about being taken care of by my mom, even if I didn’t need her to.

When I finally got to the dining room, I was a little shocked to see only Mom and Dad sitting there. The second I came into view, Dad looked away. Unfortunately, I’d gotten used to that. Mom smiled the second she saw me, but it didn’t quite reach her eyes. That’s when I noticed just how heavy the atmosphere felt.

“There’s my baby girl.”

Mom rose from her chair to greet me. She wrapped me in a tight hug, burying my face in her auburn hair. She smelled like cinnamon and roses, the same way she’d smelled since I was a kid.

“How are you, sweetie?” She pulled me away and cupped my chin. “How’s my grandbaby?”

She smoothed my hair before dropping a hand to my stomach. The gesture was one I was still getting used to, even though she’d been doing it since I started showing.

“We’re okay.” I smiled back.

My mom seemed satisfied with my answer, but a strange sadness lingered in her expression. I glanced over at Dad to see his gaze fixed on the table. He’d been avoiding looking at me since I refused to get an abortion, but right now, it seemed worse than ever.

“Good!” Mom’s tone was a little too bright for my comfort. “I made your favorite: a veggie omelet, lots of cheese and spinach, and some rye toast.”

Normally, the thought alone would be enough to make me drool, but the unspoken tension killed my appetite. My gaze stayed fixed on my dad as I inched toward my usual spot at the table. Mom sat across from me and gave a wide gesture, inviting me to eat. Reluctantly, I dug my fork into the eggs. Zucchini, spinach, and tomatoes spilled onto the plate.

“How is it?” Mom asked as I brought the fork to my lips.

It tasted the same as always—cheesy and savory, with fluffy eggs. Most mornings, I had to remind myself to slow down and enjoy it, but right now, I couldn’t even force a second bite.

“It’s good… thank you,” I managed, my gaze flickering toward my dad.

For the first time in weeks, he was looking at me. His silver eyes were trained on my face. A little poking in his thoughts revealed that he was desperately trying to separate his precious baby girl from the woman I’d become. Not only that, but the action was hurting him, making it almost impossible for him to breathe. His love for me was still there, but it was unfortunately tangled with his disappointment in my choices and his fears for my future.

I shot him a smile as I took a drink of my juice, and once again, he had to look away.

“Happy Birthday, Calista.” Dad’s voice was deep and commanding, filling the space like thunder before a storm.

I did my best to act like everything was okay as I dug into my breakfast with renewed, albeit false, vigor.

“Thank you, Daddy.”

I shot him an oblivious grin before scooping my omelet onto my toast. Both my parents stared at me like I was a wild animal as the crust of the toast cracked under my teeth.

“What?” I asked around a full mouth.

My mom looked at my dad with tight-lipped dissatisfaction. She nudged my dad with her elbow. He grabbed his coffee and took a long sip, then finally spoke.

“Did Jack talk to you about Trenton Taylor?”

“Yeah… but I’m not interested.” I kept my eyes glued to my breakfast, hoping that by some miracle I could just disappear.

“It’d look good for the family.”

I shrugged. This conversation was quickly taking a turn for the worse, but I had to stand my ground. I wasn’t about to let them marry me off just to further their social status.

My mom cleared her throat.

“Callie, please understand… The path you’re on isn’t an easy one. It takes a village to raise a child.”

My stomach twisted at the start of this all-too-familiar lecture. I was too far along for an abortion, so now they wanted to make me someone else’s problem.

“I have a village. I have you guys and Rori… plus, I thought we were going to look into a nanny so that I could finish college.” My voice broke a little as I realized just how spoiled I sounded.

“Yes… But, if we’re doing that for you, it’s only right that you do something for us ,” Dad explained slowly.

“And I am. I’m going to take over public relations once I’m out of school,” I reminded him, trying to keep the anger out of my voice. I had absolutely no interest in taking on that role. If it wasn’t for them, I would have tried my hand at being a chef. But I wanted to help my family in the only way they’d let me.

“And that’s not enough, Calista.” Dad’s voice took on an uncharacteristic edge, one I wasn’t used to hearing from him. “The media doesn’t care about the future; they care about the now. And right now , the youngest Voltaris is pregnant with a terrorist’s kid.”

“Sulien isn’t a terrorist!” My snap echoed around the dining room.

“He blew up part of the stadium, killing thousands of innocent spectators.” My dad was eerily calm as he argued. “How you view him doesn’t matter. The media says he’s a terrorist, and now we have to contend with his legacy all because you wanted to keep—” My dad gestured to my stomach—“that thing. ”

“My son .” And why wouldn’t I? Trying to force your child to have an abortion was barbaric. “I know the life I picked is a hard, shitty, lonely path. One that has disappointed everyone . But I’m an adult, and I need you to stop judging me and just support me.”

My dad tipped his chin lower, glaring at me through his brow. Mom placed a hand on his chest, but he removed it as quickly as he could.

“Support you? Calista, we’ve been supportive. We’ve let you mourn, we’ve raised you for nineteen years, and now you’re refusing to see the long-term consequences of your actions. This isn’t the life we wanted for you.” Father stood, a gust of wind blowing back his long silver hair as he did. “You think love and love alone will fix this, but that’s not how the world works!”

His thoughts swirled with thoughts of my naivety, how he’d raised a selfish brat, and how I was too irresponsible to raise a child. Those ideas hurt my pride more than I cared to admit.

“I’m not asking for the world to be fixed!” My voice cracked as tears burned my eyes. “I’m asking for my parents to support me. I don’t need WindWeaver or Headmistress Flora. I need Flynn and Ruby Voltaris.”

Why couldn’t they see that?

Mom gasped, and Dad looked away from me again . His ego screamed that I was out of line and how dare I disrespect him, but if I listened closely, I could hear a whisper of guilt:

She’s right, Flynn. She needs her parents.

“Calista, you need to leave.” His voice was plain, as if he were asking me to run an errand.

“I—what?”

“You need to leave,” he repeated. “You have an hour. Get your clothes; you can keep your car, but you need to leave.”

It was like the ground had vanished from underneath me. For just a minute, I forgot how to breathe.

“You’re kicking me out… Like, for good?” I asked softly, trying to process it.

“You’ve made it clear you don’t want our help, so you need to go live without it.” He continued.

Mom’s skin grew pale as her lips pressed into a thin line. Why wasn’t she arguing for me? Her betrayal hurt more than the threat of homelessness ever could.

“But, where am I supposed to go?”

“That’s not our problem anymore. It’s time for you to deal with the consequences of your actions.”

It was too late for me to get a dorm at Valor University. I was homeschooled until recently, and I wasn’t allowed to have friends. We didn’t have family, and my job had been with the family Hero Center, which I probably wouldn’t have access to after this.

No money. No place to go. He couldn’t really be doing this…

Right?