※ Chapter 32 ※

Meihua's POV »☆●

Recap: Chapter 15

I hide behind the peach blossom tree as he promises to not harm me, as if he read my mind. I look around to make sure he's alone. I take a deep breath and step out from behind the tree. What I don't expect is the instant connection I feel towards him.

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Memories go in a flash in my head. I freeze as an odd sensation twists in my stomach. This isn't the first time he knew what was in my mind before I spoke it aloud. This has happened in almost every single encounter we had since we met that day. I debate to myself, trying to convince me it's just an insane coincidence, or he's just very good at reading facial expressions and body language. But deep down, I know that's not true. This time, he knew the exact words I was thinking.

"What did you just say?" I ask tentatively, my voice barely above a whisper, sitting up straight to face him, "How..did you know what I was thinking about?"

Colors drop from his face. He opens his mouth to say something, but trails off, remaining silent.

I stand on my feet, fixating my eyes on him, "How, Se?"

"I'll.." his lips quiver as he hesitates. My pulse picks up speed in his silence.

"Tell me!" I let out a snarl, louder than I intended. This anticipation is killing me.

Werewolves can project their thoughts for someone to receive them, which is called mindlinking. They can mindlink amongst the pack members and with their significant other. I'm no werewolf. So if he can sense my thoughts, it could mean...

He's my soulmate?

A chill runs down my spine. I struggle to comprehend my own thoughts. Is he really...?

"Well," he breathes in, holding the air for one moment then lets it out, "This is what I've been meaning to tell you.

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Recap: Chapter 19

As the music winds down, he dips me back, then pulls me into a light but momentarily embrace. While his lips are close to my ears, he whispers, "Angel, there's something I need to tell you- "

Before he can finish, the music changes, cueing everyone to switch partners. Many of the women I'd seen fawning over Se, watch him hungrily, poised to strike the moment I release him.

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Recap: Chapter 30

Maybe it's time I reveal to her the thing that's been bothering me. She deserves to know that before anyone, especially if we were to wed. I contemplate these thoughts and sigh.

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He takes a deep breath and looks at me with a mix of fear and hope, "Angel, I want you to hear me out before you react."

I nod, my heart racing with anticipation.

He tilts his head upwards, closing his eyes and breathing in deeply before facing me, "It's..been happening since that night we met. Since then, I've been struck by thoughts that seem foreign to me, thoughts that I don't recognize, thoughts that weren't mine. Sometimes, I felt sudden emotions sadness, happiness, fear and such, for no apparent reason. I thought I'm going crazy. One day, I felt a sudden soreness in my chest. I badly wanted to cry. I rushed to my room and, just when I passed by your door, I heard you cry. The more you cried, the more I felt this. And at that moment, it all started to make sense."

He takes a step closer, looking into my eyes, "It's you. It's always been you. Your thoughts, your emotions were seeping into me. I didn't want to scare you away by telling you these. I wasn't even sure if it was real, or just my imagination. But after seeing your reaction just now, I think it's safe to say I might be right. Angel, I think the reason l..fell for you is because..you're my soulmate."

I stare at him in shock and disbelief, my mind racing with a million questions. Could we really be mates? My heart starts beating faster as I try to comprehend the situation. It all seems surreal. But at the same time, I can't deny the strange connection I feel for him, the way I can feel his emotions as if they were my own.

I take a step towards him, feeling a sense of connection that I can't explain. "Se, I don't know what to say. I'm just..overwhelmed, I guess."

"I know this is a lot to take in," he said softly, taking my hand in his, "But I promise to show everything to you. And if we're mated, we're in it together."

I look into his eyes, seeing the sincerity and love in them. A part of me was curious, and maybe even a little excited. Could it be possible that we were meant to be together? That fate had brought us together for a reason?

I take a deep breath, feeling a surge of courage. "Okay," I say, squeezing his hand. "Show me."

"Alright," he smiles weakly, "I need you to close your eyes and focus on my voice."

I do as he says, closing my eyes and taking a deep breath.

"Now, imagine our minds connecting. Picture a glowing thread between us, connecting our thoughts," he murmurs coming closer, "Let go with flow. Don't stop until you reach your destination."

I concentrate, the image of a glowing thread makes a warmth spread inside me, gripping my lungs and increasing my heartbeat. I feel unable to move. It's something like explosion of energy within. It's completely new. Moreover, it's strange and powerful. And somehow, I just know it's coming from Se.

Se speaks softly, "It's established. Do you feel it?"

As soon as the mindlink is established, my thoughts and emotions are flooded with his. I can feel his presence in my mind, his thoughts and feelings merging with mine. It's overwhelming and confusing. I can't wrap my head around what's happening.

Then I sense it, a thread connecting us, pulling us together. I try to deny it, to push it away, but it's too strong. It's real and it's happening to me. But I don't wanna let him know that. I flinch away.

I open my eyes and see him looking at me. I hide my emotions and shake my head, pretending to not feel anything.

"Why are you pulling away?" he asks, his eyes staring deep into mine. I can sense the confusion and hurt in his mind. I wanna explain everything but the words refuse to come out.

"I'm not," I lie, trying to sound convincing, "l didn't feel anything."

"But I'm sure I just felt your presence in my mind," he looks at me skeptically, and I can feel the concern emanating from him. I can't keep lying to him like this, but how do I tell him the truth?

He sighs deeply, "l wanna try something else. Just concentrate on my voice inside your head," I see the hope in his eyes, the desire for me to feel what he feels.

So I close my eyes again, blocking all noises and voices, and concentrate on the one voice I'm looking for.

Suddenly, the world around me shimmers and dissolves. I float in misty darkness, unable to tell right from left, up from down, when I hear something..

"Angel.."

Se's voice echoes past me.

Time seems to slow down and I forget how to comprehend, freezing momentarily. This..

..is really happening..

"Angel.."

I feel his soul. His presence envelopes me like a warm blanket, like a breath of steam.

Never in my life have I ever felt so lost. It's supposed to be a good thing. I'm getting married to my soulmate, who's a person I really love. I don't have to lie that I can sense him in my mind too. I kept this secret for so long because first I wanted to know if he feels this too. And he does. I should be happy, ecstatic even. Everything about this, is so right.

Then why does it feel so wrong?

Why am I so afraid?

This bond is supposed to be a beautiful thing, yet why my mind is in turmoil?

The answer comes to me like a punch in the gut, stealing my breath away. It's because of the grey eyes. The eyes that I see in my dreams. The eyes that draw me. They're not his. But why am I drawn to a pair of eyes without even knowing who they belong to? It doesn't make sense.

Thoughts race through my mind and I feel like I'm drowning in a sea of uncertainty. I try to push the thought away but it keeps resurfacing. I can't help but wonder if it's a mistake, if we share something else that we're confusing as mate bond.

Suddenly, a sharp pain pierces my mind, interrupting my thoughts. It's Se. He sensed my unease and distress through mindlink.

"Are you alright, Angel?"

I feel his spirit searching, reaching for mine, trying to read the landscape somewhere below and apart from me.

I feel a sense of numbness wash over me. I want to tell him everything, to spill my doubts and fears, but I can't bring myself to do it. All I can think about is the gnawing feeling in my gut, the feeling that I'm making a mistake.

"Come to me, Angel.."

His voice draws somewhere near me, warm and comforting. He has strengthened our mindlink to reach me through the intensity of our bond. But I resist, still not embracing the mindlink. Despite everything, I can't shake off the feeling that something is wrong. That maybe, just maybe, it's not mate bond, it's something else. It's not like I don't care for him or appreciate him, but there's a nagging feeling at the back of my mind that won't go away.

"l know it's new to you, but it's real.. "

I whip my head in the direction of his voice. He has sensed my confusion and hesitation. I take a deep breath and try to sort out my thoughts. Maybe it's just cold feet and I'm overthinking. I think about his kind eyes and gentle smile, and I feel a pang of guilt. I don't wanna hurt him.

I try to move, searching for him in the formless void, trying to follow the echo of his voice.

"I'm here, Angel.."

As he speaks, I feel his love and concern for me through mindlink. No matter how much I try to deny it, the truth is, the mindlink is here. I can feel the bond between us, the pull of our souls. I can't ignore it forever. But again, as much as I tried to push it away, the thought of the grey eyes lingers in my mind, stopping me from embracing this bond. I need to figure out why I'm so drawn to these eyes, to understand what it means.

"Angel, come back.."

I take another step towards the voice, trying to reach him. But instead of moving, I feel myself spreading and thinning, my mind under a haze. Suddenly I fall on my knees, clutching my head. An intense ache spreads in my heart. I can't ignore this ache. It's tearing me apart and I don't know what to do.

"COME BACK ANGEL!"

There was a sense of panic in his voice. I struggle to get back on my feet. The more I struggle, the more the connection seems to fray and unravel. I feel like I'm drowning in a sea of confusion and chaos. My heart pounds loudly in my chest.

Suddenly, I snap out of the haze and plunge back into the silence of my own mind. I open my eyes and look around my surroundings. My head throbs with a dull pain. I see Se staring at me with concern.

"You're alright," he sighs in relief, "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have pushed you."

"We can try again later," I smile weakly. My mind is still reeling from the experience.

His lips curl into a smile as he takes a step closer, "That we can."

I look into his eyes, and for the first time, I see a vulnerability that I haven't noticed before. It's as if he bared his soul to me, and I can't help but feel a sense of connection. As he speaks, I feel a warmth spreading through me. Could it be possible that I have feelings for him that I haven't acknowledged yet?

"l just..need some time to process," I say, breaking the eye contact between us, "But I appreciate you showing this to me and telling me the truth."

I realize that Se and I have drifted close together. He looks down and sees his finger idly curling my hair. He tears himself away, "Take all the time you need, Angel. I know it's a lot. But I want you to know that I care about you, and I'd never do anything to hurt you."

Suddenly, a rustling in the nearby bushes catches our attention. Without warning, the bear bursts out and bolts past me and Se, its heavy footsteps thundering across the ground.

"Don't let it get away," Se shouts urgently.

Reacting quickly, we both sprint towards our waiting horses. As we mount up, Luhan gallops into view, his chestnut stallion skidding to a halt beside us.

"Where did the bear go?" Luhan asks, his eyes scanning the dense thicket.

"It went this way. Come on!" I shout, urging my horse forward.

With Se and Luhan close behind, we ride hard after the fleeing bear, the wind whipping past us as we tear through the forest. The trees blur by in a rush of green and brown as we chase our quarry deeper into the wilderness.

To Be Continued »☆●