Chapter 205 Liam's Concern
POV: Luna
Liam noticed.
Of course he noticed. Through the mate bond. Through observation. Through instinct.
I was distracted. Divided. Conflicted.
"We need to talk," he said. Not asking. Stating.
"About?"
"About Caleb. About this pull you're feeling. About whatever's happening between you two."
"Nothing's happening."
"Luna. I can feel it through the mate bond. The confusion. The recognition. The certainty that you know him even though you don't. It's there. Undeniable. And it's affecting us."
He was right. The mate bond didn't lie.
"I don't know what it is," I admitted. "Every time I'm near Caleb, my mark responds. My instincts recognize him. Like I've known him forever. But I haven't. I'm certain I haven't."
"Could it be another mate bond? Like with Aiden?"
"Maybe. But it feels different. Deeper. More primal. Like soul recognition instead of just fated mates."
"That's concerning."
"That's confusing. I don't want to feel this. Don't want to be drawn to someone else. You're my mate. My choice. My bond."
"But you feel it anyway."
"Yes. And I hate it. Hate the confusion. Hate the distraction. Hate that I can't just focus on us without this constant pull toward someone else."
Through the mate bond, Liam felt my frustration. My guilt. My genuine distress.
"I'm not angry," he said. "I'm concerned. Worried. Afraid of losing you to something neither of us understands."
"You're not losing me. I promise."
"Can you promise that? When you don't even know what this is? What Caleb is? What he represents?"
"No. I can't promise. But I can promise I'll fight it. Fight for us. Fight to stay focused on what matters."
"That's all I ask."
My friends noticed too. The tension. The distraction. The conflict.
"You're different," Nova observed during training. "Distant. Preoccupied. What's going on?"
"Just dealing with stuff. Council summons. Shadow Sisters. Rogue attacks. The usual chaos."
"And Caleb?"
"What about him?"
"The way you look at him. The way he looks at you. The obvious connection. We all see it."
"It's complicated."
"Everything's complicated. But usually you handle it better. This seems to be getting to you."
She was right.
"I think I might know him," I admitted. "Sounds crazy. But something about Caleb feels familiar. Known. Like I've met him before. Even though I haven't."
"Past life stuff?"
"Maybe. Or energy recognition. Or I'm just losing my mind from stress."
"Probably the last one," Nova teased. "But seriously. If you need to talk. Process. Figure things out. We're here."
Through the pack bonds, I felt everyone's support. Their concern. Their absolute loyalty.
It helped. Knowing I wasn't alone. Wasn't judged. Wasn't abandoned for being confused.
That afternoon, Caleb found me on the roof. My thinking spot.
"You're avoiding me," he said.
"I'm processing."
"Processing what?"
"Why you feel so familiar. Why my mark responds to you. Why every instinct says I know you even though I don't."
"What if you do? Know me. Just not in this form. This life. This existence."
"That's impossible."
"Is it? Energy persists. Souls transcend. Connections survive death. Maybe we knew each other before. In different forms. Different circumstances."
"You're talking about reincarnation again."
"I'm talking about possibilities. About explanations for the unexplainable."
He sat beside me. Close. Too close. But not threatening.
Familiar.
"There's something I need to tell you," he said. "Something about who I am. Why I'm really here. But the timing isn't right. Not yet."
"When will it be right?"
"Soon. Very soon. When you're ready to hear it. When the truth won't destroy you."
"Truth doesn't destroy. Lies do."
"Some truths are harder than lies. Some revelations change everything. I want to make sure you're ready. Prepared. Supported."
"I'm ready now."
"No. You're not. But you will be. Soon."
He stood to leave. I grabbed his arm. Stopped him.
The moment we touched, something happened.
My wolf instincts flared. Violently. Overwhelmingly. Recognizing.
Not just familiar. Known. Loved. Lost. Returned.
I gasped. Released him. Stepped back.
Through my mark, through my wolf, through my soul, I felt it.
This wasn't just recognition. This was reunion. This was impossible. This was Miguel.
But I couldn't say it. Couldn't confirm. Couldn't accept.
Not yet. Not without more proof. More certainty.
Caleb saw my reaction. Understood. "You felt it."
"I don't know what I felt."
"Yes, you do. You just aren't ready to accept it. But soon. Very soon. You will be."
He left. Leaving me shaking. Confused. Certain and uncertain simultaneously.
My wolf was howling. Insisting. Demanding recognition. Demanding reunion.
But my mind resisted. Denying. Protecting. Refusing impossible truths.
Liam appeared minutes later. Felt my distress through the mate bond.
"What happened?" he demanded.
"I touched Caleb. Just briefly. And my wolf reacted. Violently. Like recognition. Like reunion. Like something impossible."
"What kind of impossible?"
I couldn't say it. Couldn't voice the suspicion. The certainty. The impossibility.
"I don't know. But something's happening. Something beyond mate bonds. Beyond normal connection. Something that might change everything."
Through the mate bond, Liam felt my fear. My confusion. My absolute certainty that nothing would ever be the same.
And he held me. Despite his own fear. His own jealousy. His own uncertainty.
Because that's what mates did. Supported. Loved. Stayed. Even when threatened. Even when scared.
And I loved him for it. For his strength. His loyalty. His refusal to abandon me when easier paths existed.
But I also knew. Eventually. Soon. Very soon.
The truth about Caleb would be revealed. And everything would change.
Forever.