Deja Vu: The Healer

Chapter 21: Ready

CAROLINE

William let me down off his back, in front of a sketchy cave mouth. It was barely tall enough for me, most people at this compound, this packhouse, would have to duck to climb in. He pressed some vines away, and looked at me with a softness in his eyes. "Would I be able to hold your hand? Then I can guide you through the tunnels to the basement. It gets dark."

I blushed like I hadn't just been touching him, riding his back even, the whole run here. I nodded and placed my hand in his. It felt so much more intimate than even sitting across his lap. Maybe in that instance it was that I needed comfort and in this, it's merely to be touching.

There's where Kara spoke to my mind: it's okay to want to touch your mate Caroline.

It brought a grin to my face. And there I go, talking to myself again.

He started leading me through the damp cave, the smell earthy and strong, but not unpleasant.

I followed behind, reveling in the texture of his fingers against mine and gulped my inner question. Can we really talk in my head? Please don't tell me I've actually been talking to you all this time.

He turned, meeting my glance in the darkness with a smile, though I could still see well enough. "Yes." It's called a mind link.

"Mind link?"

His hand squeezed against mine, and he led me further. "I don't know what more to say about it. We can talk to others in our minds. Like sending a text or something. Helps us communicate while we are shifted. You probably could do it before, when you lived here, since you are part of this pack. I think it may have opened up better after the marking though. Didn't your dad ever link you growing up?"

I sighed. "I don't know. I don't think so."

"My dad said Benson didn't really want to be a werewolf, so maybe not. He threatened to take your whole family away from the pack after you and Eric got attacked. It makes sense that he would try to raise you human after that." He chuckled lightly, "I think he still wanted a pack though."

I smiled at his beautiful laugh and ducked a low portion of the ceiling. "Why do you say that?"

"You told me about his dogs. He's like the alpha of his own little pack. Maybe he missed the companionship, wolves are naturally herd creatures. Maybe he does like Harry Potter, but both of those names are connected to werewolves too."

"Luna Alice." I stated like it was already on my mind.

He grinned back at me. "You do have some memories then."

"Things are getting clearer," I admitted.

"Alice is Eric's mother. She was Luna when Samuel was Alpha. Now Andrea, Eric's mate is the female leader."

"Luna Andrea," I echoed, testing the words.

We walked a few more paces and I had to keep humiliating myself. "So you really heard me singing in the shower this morning?" My mind raced back a few hours to dancing to 𝅘𝅥𝅮 -What can make me feel this way?! William! Talkin' 'bout Will—iam! William!- 𝅘𝅥𝅮

He laughed but it didn't feel unkind. "Yes wolf ears are a bit more sensitive, but you never need to feel embarrassed about anything that has to do with me. I would be singing about you, if I could sing. It made me feel like you were finally accepting our bond. I loved every bit."

I smiled through reddening cheeks. I think I wanted to accept a lot earlier, but I just thought I couldn't.

You're very committed to those you love. I won't fault you for that.