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.

I guess I kind of already accepted when I did that submission thing though right?

Most wolf girls don't allow the males they have mated mark them the first day. Even if they knew them their whole lives. And that's even just the basic marking, so I suppose you had.

What's the difference between markings?

Hard to explain, but the shoulder marking is to say "I love you or I accept you" I suppose. And the absolute marking means more like "I am you or we are two bodies one soul" kind of thing. There is a lot more power and a lot more trust in the second marking. Most people don't want to be able to be controlled by their mates that way anymore. Society now is very independent, even pack culture.

I frowned. Does that mean you don't want to be tied to me that way?

He stopped and looked at me with a distraught expression. "No Caroline. Of course not. I marked you, that means I agreed. Are you upset that you are tied to me?"

I shook my head. "No. I mean I didn't consciously know what I was doing, but I'm glad I did it. I do feel very strongly for you, even if sometimes I feel like I should fight it. I was just worried that I forced you into it."

A tender smile lit his lips. "I am very pleased that you forced me into it. It makes me feel that our connection is greater than most of the mates of this pack. We have something that they will never experience."

A smile flew through my whole body, enlightening my muscles clear to my toes. Why did Catherine think it was a bad thing? Out of William's lips it sounded like dessert. I stepped closer to William and wrapped my other hand around his arm, pulling our sides close. Here was me asking for space again? I guess I really didn't need the time to adjust then? I wanted to be just as close as I think he wanted to be.

He started guiding us again but a grin grabbed at him too.

The rest of the walking minutes went in quiet, but it was a pleased silence. He stopped us in front of a gated door that while looked state of the art, was covered in soil and moss. "This is it. Are you ready?"

I sighed the quiet happy minutes away and nodded. "You really think I'll just know what to do?"

His hand lifted and caressed against my face, my breathing immediately went slow and deep. "I do. I won't say that I'm not worried, because you're my mate, I'll be worried even when you're walking across a slick floor. And these animals are dangerous, but I've seen you get into that zone and work as if it's nothing more than pulling out a splinter. I'll try to hang back and let you do your thing, but no promises. And I know you'll be amazing."

I bit into my lip, hesitant. "Thank you. I'll try too." I looked at the door. "I think I'm ready then."

He keyed in the electronic code and ushered me inside, it was still intensely dark and I heard him locking the door behind us. His hand was then at the small of my back and leading me forward. I could hear the commotion of the dungeon now. The screeching of the creatures, the yells of the guards, the hitting of bars again and again.

William then slid a false wall away and I immediately tried to blink the bright away, letting my eyes adjust. In the moments it took for the wall to be repositioned my focus came back. And though I knew I had been in this very room only hours ago, it was like I was seeing it for the first time. Dark walls, no windows save for the line of viewing windows at the top back, one of which was now covered in plywood, stone tile floor, sides lined with black barred cages, horrendous upright monsters inside. Some laying on the floor curled against themselves, others smashing again and again into the cage doors, bloodied and snarling.

I gulped down an air of fear.

I stepped into the room while guards, both human form and wolfen, gawked at me.

William's hand again came around my back, addressing the men. "This is Caroline, my mate. She is a healer. That's why she was able to do what she did. She wants to help the others."

Men and wolves alike bowed slightly, an air of respect filling the room.

"Thank you," I whispered, gratefully.

A dark-skinned man with short buzzed hair stepped forward and kneeled to one leg at my feet, bowing lower. "Thank you deeply, Beta Female Caroline."

"This is Ryan. If you don't remember, he's one of the guards you healed."

"Oh," my lips parted in shock as memories broke through the clogs. "I think I do remember."

Ryan looked up and grabbed my hand. "I will be eternally grateful for your saving, ma'am."

I looked up to William to be embarrassed, but his eyes were instead on my hand in Ryan's. I bent back to Ryan and squeezed his hand with mine. "I'm glad I could help you. Although I'm not sure I even knew what I was doing at the time."

He nodded and stood, taking his hand back. "Fate helped you do what was right." He looked around to the cages. "Now you wish to help the other werecreatures? Where would you like to start?"

I gulped and looked around the room, some beady black eyes already on me.

William pointed. "How about number twelve? It is the smallest and most quiet."

I followed his action and stepped to the cell. This creature was quite a bit smaller than the others, and one of the only ones cowering at the back of the cage. It did seem like a good place to start. "Okay," I said timidly.

I stepped to the front of the cage and Ryan poised the key in the lock. William's hand was then on him in a quick motion. "Not until she's ready."

Ryan stepped away, leaving the key in the lock. "I'll let you two decide that time then."

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, trying to force myself away and let Kara up front. But all I could feel was terror. I was even trembling. The screeches from the other cages made it hard to concentrate. A full minute went by and still I felt like a helpless child. "I don't know how to do it," I relented. I looked up to William, hurt shading my eyes. Maybe you just need to open it and let Kara push me inside.

Let Kara? He was confused.

Sorry, I just feel like I'm two people sometimes. Maybe I just need to go in the cell with it? Let the healer person come out on its own? That's how it did it before.

No. I won't shove you in there without your powers showing.

I don't know how to do it though.

His thoughts paused for a few moments. I might.

He stepped away from the key and to me. I almost cowered at his tall presence in front of me, eyes focused deep.

He made an order. "Take out your contacts."

"What?" I stepped back bewildered.

"Take them out. You don't need them."

"Yes I do," I argued. "I need them to drive. I need them to see!"

"Caroline. I already told you that I don't think you do. Trust me."

I looked around the room like I'd see an eye wash station. "I have nowhere to put them."

"Put them in the garbage."

"I," I stuttered not sure what else to say.

He grabbed my face in his warm hands, eyes imploring. "Trust me Caroline. You can throw them away. I'm trying to help you. You don't need them. And I'd like to see your real eyes."

My teeth clenched in worry, but I did trust him. He saw the determination in my eyes and let his hands fall. I hoped my hands were clean enough then I reached up and pulled each out, letting them toss to the ground at our feet. My eyes followed the lenses, nervously biting my lip.

His rough finger pressed under my chin to make me look at him.

My face positioned to him, but my glance darted to the side. I sighed, "I know. My eyes are pretty dull." The blue of my real eyes, nowhere near the brilliant color of the contacts.

"They're beautiful," he cut me off.

My eyes came back to him and a small smile pressed at my face.

"You're beautiful," he stated, staring down like he'd never seen me before.

After a whole minute of staring, a throat cleared behind us and William playfully growled that way but eyes still on me. "I've been without my mate for twelve years Aaron, I can look at her for a few minutes." He let a breath out then he grabbed my hands in his. "Okay, just keep watching my eyes." His eye color then shifted, gold started flecking through the blue and twisted until gold shined fully.

My breath hitched as I observed. I was drawn into him. My own gaze seeming to get clearer.

He smiled, "yes, like that. It's like letting your wolf out. Let your gold open." He then released my hand and cupped around my neck, fingers skimming his marks.

A full rush of air came into me in an instant and I was nearly thrown back into my own head. My eyes cleared, seeing fuller around me and I stepped from William's grasp Kara fully in control.