525- The Truth Within the Heart's Howl
POV Thalyndra Moonclaw:
However, fearing the unmatched power of these creatures, the gods, in their arrogance, decided to separate them. They divided their souls and cast them across different parts of the world, making them cross barriers of time and species. From that day on, each wolf would live incomplete, feeling the emptiness of the absence of their other half.
They said the torment of separation was so great that some lost their sanity in search of their partners. But, in their infinite compassion, one of the gods cast a prophecy: those who were born to be together would always find each other. No matter the time, the distance, or the obstacles, their souls would guide them, for two halves of a soul can never be completely separated.
My father never touched much on the subject, as he feared I might delude myself with the possibility of finding my fated mate and end up disappointed, if it didn't happen. Everything I knew about the subject I had acquired from some of his books.
"I know the legend, but not how things work, I never thought I could find my fated mate." I scratched my neck and bit my lower lip. "To tell the truth, I always thought I would end up living with humans and leading a quiet, lonely life."
He rose from the sofa in a calculated movement and walked toward me, sitting on the edge of the bed.
"That will never happen." He touched my leg, caressing the bare skin. "You belong to me, just as I belong to you. Our lives are intertwined. I want you to become my wife, to lead the pack alongside me when I take my father's place, to give me pups, and to live seven hundred years with me."
My heart skipped a beat and my eyes lit up with unshed tears.
What I had felt, when we were in our wolf form, that deep feeling of genuine love. It was my she-wolf, what she felt for him, knowing it was reciprocated, that she was beside her other half.
It had been like this from the start. The eyes that never abandoned me throughout my life, that were my sleep companions. The way I always reacted to him, unable to contain my feelings or control my emotions.
All of this, because he was mine.
My other half, my companion, my perfect match.
The mating didn't scare me, not even when he raised the possibility that it could happen when I was in heat, due to losing control.
Everything had always been so right before my eyes, and yet, I never managed to see it.
The uncontrolled jealousy, the feeling of possessiveness when it came to him, the way my body reacted to his.
I cleared my throat.
"It's been a while since living far from Eldoria is no longer an option for me," I confessed, rubbing my thumbnail on the bedsheet. "At first, I thought I would never adapt, things are quite different, more exotic. But..., over time, I learned and got used to it, I started to appreciate it."
"Because you started to connect better with your she-wolf, to give in to the instincts you always kept captive, thus, you began to see our lifestyle with different eyes and realize that living with humans would no longer be the best or most pleasant option."
I nodded, agreeing with him.
"And now..., how are things going to be?" He moved closer, a little more.
"Nothing will change. You already live in my house, everyone already knows about us. But..., since we mated, you have officially become a member of Eldoria." His fingers traced idle circles on my thigh. "If you want a wedding, we can have one. If you want to change my house, which is now our house, renovate, destroy and build a new one, it's up to you. Do whatever you want, as long as you are happy and satisfied."
I shook my head.
"I don't want any of that, Anton. I was already satisfied before, now, I just... feel even better, happier. I didn't think that officially entering the Eldoria was something I wanted so much, until I heard you say it." I looked at him and smiled. "And... understanding what I feel, what you mean... makes everything much less confusing. It's also good, because I don't feel so insane anymore."
He laughed and extended his free hand, touching my face.
"I'm sorry to inform you, but you are still insane. You are the most violent female I have ever met."
I blinked slowly.
"And how do you feel, knowing that your fated mate is someone so problematic?"
He laughed and tilted his face, brushing his lips against mine.
"I couldn't be more satisfied, this way, I know my centuries of existence will never be boring." He lowered his hand and placed it over my chest, right above my heart. "You can feel what I feel, our bond is now extreme. I will always know where you are, if you are in danger, and if you are well. You will feel me, just as I will feel you, even before detecting my presence."
"How... how can I feel what you feel?" He rubbed the tip of his nose against mine.
"Focus. It's so natural that you'll get used to it soon."
I let his presence envelop me, it was like a tight and cozy hug. I felt safe, loved, and appreciated. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, inhaling his scent.
Then, I managed to feel something that went far beyond, that transcended everything I had ever experienced.
Love. Devotion. Adoration. Happiness. Satisfaction.
They weren't feelings that came from me, although I felt something quite similar. They came from him.
I opened my eyes, gasping.
"I... I can feel it." He smiled.
"I can also feel what you're feeling: love, peace, happiness, hope." I nodded, agreeing, my eyes tearing up. "Now, we just need to learn to live with it."
"I think we'll do just fine."
"I'm sure," he affirmed, kissing my forehead and standing up. "You must be starving, you haven't eaten or drunk anything for two days."
My stomach made a loud noise at the mere mention of food.