524- The Awakening of the Fated Bond
POV Thalyndra Moonclaw:
I brought my hand to my abdomen, touching the spot where the dagger had pierced, but there was nothing there but smooth skin. It was as if it had never happened, as if it were just a dream. I touched my chest, pressing firmly.
It wasn't a dream; it was entirely real.
I could still feel the sensation of the poison killing me, eating me from the inside.
I let out a heavy breath and looked at him.
"I think there are some things you need to tell me," I stated, staring at him firmly.
The hunger and thirst I felt could wait. I needed immediate answers, answers that only Anton could give me.
He licked his lips.
"What do you want to know first?" He ran a hand through his disheveled hair, trying to tame the unruly strands.
I swallowed hard, pondering.
"We... we are mated?" I asked, although I knew what the answer was, I just wanted to reaffirm the facts for myself. He nodded, agreeing. "And what does that mean?"
He let out a heavy breath.
"It means we are connected for the rest of our lives, that you are mine, and that if you still thought about living far from Eldoria, that's no longer going to happen."
I leaned back against the headboard, needing something to hold onto or I would end up fainting again.
"Why didn't you let me die, Anton? I'm not being ungrateful, quite the opposite, but... you and your brothers went against your father's orders, connected our lives, putting yourself in danger. Why?"
He drummed his fingers on the back of the sofa.
"Because you are my fated mate."
I choked, needing a second to breathe properly again.
"What?" I cut in, my tone strained.
He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. He wore sweatpants and a linen shirt, barefoot.
"I suspected it over the years, because I simply couldn't forget you. We were just two pups, nothing relevant, nothing that would make me imprint your image in my mind. But I didn't think much about it, so I went on with my life." He turned his face past my head, toward the window that was there, observing the forest, his eyes distant, reflecting on the past. "Then, my father received the call and sent me to you. I knew it was the perfect opportunity to clear things up. When I found you, I felt the immediate connection, even so, I still wasn't absolutely certain."
"And when did you become certain?" I inquired, my voice faltering.
"My suspicions only grew over time. My wolf reacted to you in a way it never did with anyone else." He shrugged, returning his eyes to mine. "Then your she-wolf also began to respond, showing the same possessive feeling toward me that I feel for you. My suspicions only increased, until I had concrete proof during your heat."
"During my heat?" He nodded.
"She wasn't a mated she-wolf, she could have gone after anyone, but she came directly to me, she wanted only me. Desire, passion..., it could have been something like that, more trivial, although, deep down, I knew it wasn't." He bit his cheeks and leaned back again. "I bit you that day."
The images of his disfigured face surfaced in my mind, the dark veins, just like when he killed the Mercante at the auction, just as Aurelka's face had also become.
"Yes, I remember."
"I gave you the venomous bite and you didn't even feel it." I opened my mouth in complete shock.
"You... you did what?" I stammered, my heart racing.
"I knew nothing would happen."
"And if it did?"
"I knew it wouldn't!" he reiterated, insistent. "If you weren't my fated mate, you would have died instantly. We are incapable of hurting our companions so deeply."
"Are you completely insane? You tested the theory without being sure, Anton!"
"Yes, I was sure, but not absolutely." He made a dismissive gesture with his hand. "You are immune to my venom, because you are the perfect companion for me, the half of my soul that wanders on Earth. Our wolves always know, as soon as they meet. Mine knew, just as yours did."
That explained a lot. My she-wolf always purred for him, from the very first moment. I even considered, more than once, that I was going crazy. But apparently, that wasn't the case, I was just in front of my fated mate.
I was so foolish and naive.
Anton had already told me some things that, at the time, gave me the feeling that he was hiding much more behind what he said. He always knew, from the start.
"Who else knew?"
"Myrion and Aurelka. I talked to them as soon as you arrived in Eldoria, I needed to clear up some doubts and try to find out if I was right or deluding myself. I couldn't talk to you. You were scared and skittish, you stayed here against your will. How could I just come and drop news like that? Especially after you lost your parents, going through your mourning period." He shook his head. "That's why I kept my doubts to myself and decided to approach you slowly, until you could open up to me, trust me."
I lowered my head and clasped my hands on my lap, playing with my fingers.
"And if I wasn't?"
He laughed, but there was no humor in his laughter.
"It wasn't really a possibility. As I said, I was already sure, I just didn't know if it was absolute." He sighed. "I don't know what you learned about fated mates, but for us, it's something that goes beyond the absolute. It's not just a choice or a passing passion. It's a bond that crosses every fiber of our being, that drags us toward each other as if the entire universe conspires to keep us together. We feel the other in every heartbeat, in every sigh. It's as if our souls were made of the same essence, two pieces that, apart, would never be complete. Our people are used to wandering in search of their other half. Some wolves, after centuries, give up, while others remain alone until the end of their days. That's why I needed to wait, to clear up every little doubt, until I reached my conclusion."
I knew some things about fated mates, only what I had read in books. My parents weren't, but they loved each other unconditionally, even so.
According to legend, in the beginning of time, the gods created wolves of great power, beings so strong they could rule the Earth and the heavens. Each wolf was born with a complete soul, divided into two parts, united within them in perfect harmony. Together, these pairs were invincible, balancing the strength of nature and the wisdom of the heavens.