The Alpha's Bride

Chapter 447 Images from the past (1)

Talia observed Damon, and she could see him clearly, but the whole view appeared like she was sitting in the back seat of a car and looking in front.

She could see things, smell Damon's addictive scent, hear the noise that was made by the critters in the bushes around them, and feel the light breeze caressing her skin. It was a strange feeling of knowing she was right there and that was her body, yet she didn't have control over it. The last time her wolf took over, it happened too quickly for her to process it, but now Talia realized she was the spectator and the whole experience left her unsettled.

'You get used to it', Talia's wolf spoke.

Talia was not sure she wanted to get used to this.

Damon's hands reached for Talia's and both of their wolves jolted at the contact that was charged with the sparks of their bond.

Talia's wolf was overwhelmed at the sensation of touching her mate after many centuries. But this touch was different than before, after all, when they saw each other last time, they were wolves, and these human forms were… different.

'My senses are dulled...', Talia's wolf said and Talia felt the opposite like everything got an upgrade.

"Relax, Liseli. Open your mind and let me show you.", Damon's wolf said.

Talia gasped when unknown images started flashing in front of her eyes, and she remembered Maya's explanation on how mates communicate, as their minds and souls were connected. At that time, Talia didn't get it, but now she understood.

Numerous faces, smiles, tears, hugs, and goodbyes.... wars and challenges from times that were far in the past. There were flashes of familiarity, but never belonging.

Those were mental images from Damon's wolf, memories of thousand lives he lived without his mate. But it was more than just images. It included scents and emotions, and Talia was overwhelmed by immense loneliness and despair that threatened to break her heart into pieces. And her wolf felt that also.

Damon observed all this from the back seat of his mind, and to say that he was shocked was an understatement. Before Damon's parents died, his wolf was a spirit that communicated through instincts, urges, and shared emotions. When the ancient creature spoke into his mind for the first time, Damon thought of him as an upgrade, and now he understood that he was wrong. His wolf told him that he used to be Alpha Jacob's wolf, and many others before that, but Damon never suspected that it would go this deep.

Damon was wrapping his head around the information the two wolves spoke about. Selena, the Moon Goddess? Selena took away Talia's wolf and left his wolf to roam the earth and move from one body to another while hoping to find his lover? They were punished? Did they break some ancient tradition?

'No, not tradition.', Damon's wolf spoke. And then the mental images changed, showing a lush meadow in the forest, and Damon's breath caught in his throat at the sight of a beautiful light gray wolf that shimmered in silver under the moonlight.

'This was the first time I saw Liseli. I knew right away that she was my mate. My only one. Beautiful, isn't she?'

'Yes.', Damon responded, feeling slightly drunk under the influence of his wolf's emotions. He really loved her. Damon wondered how his feelings for Talia compare to that.

'Don't overthink it. You will see the changes after you seal the bond.', Damon's wolf said.

The images changed, showing two wolves rubbing their heads on each other, running through the forest, sunsets, sunrises, a tall rock that showed magnificent views of valleys... Images changed, but what was constant was that Liseli and Sapa always moved. They never stayed in one place for too long, and even though they were happy, there was a sense of uneasiness, like someone was always watching.

Damon's wolf spoke to Damon, 'Liseli was Selena's favorite student. She was supposed to remain pure, yet we fell in love. Selena warned us to stay apart, deeming me not worthy, but how does one stay away from his mate? I would sneak in there whenever I could, and Liseli would join me gladly and we would run as far as we could, but Liseli knew that she had to return or face Selena's wrath. Eventually, we were caught. Selena punished us by taking her away and leaving me behind. For centuries, I didn't know what happened to her. The bond was still there, so I knew she was alive, but I feared that Selena punished her harshly or… that she forgot about me.'

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Damon could feel his wolf's emotions and he believed him. But what he couldn't believe was that this wolf was with him for a full decade, yet this was the first time Damon heard about it.

'Did you know from the start that Talia's wolf is your mate?', Damon asked.

'No, not from the start. But I knew that Talia was your mate and that if I didn't help you be with the one that's meant for you, it would be a mistake. I would do the same I did for your father, help you get to your mate, and then shut down whenever you were together, but the more Talia's spirit recuperated, the more I found her familiar. When Liseli came out on that day in the study, I wanted to talk to her and confirm it was really her, but I was suppressed. At that time, I was almost certain it was Liseli, but maybe it was one of her sisters who holds a grudge, so I didn't dare say anything until I confirmed.'

'She can suppress you?' Damon was not sure if he should be amused or terrified by this. No one ever suppressed his wolf before.

'Liseli is the only one who can.', his wolf responded dreamily.

Damon was uneasy about this. It's not that Damon didn't approve of Talia's strength, but her wolf was a different thing. The old creature was moody and threatening to deny him marking his mate. How can Damon be OK with that?

'Now what?', Damon asked.

'I don't know what Selena or her sisters told her, but she is here, and she saw how I lived without her. I'm sure Liseli will come around.'

Damon snorted. 'She better.' They were having a moment, and Talia's wolf spoiled it! Damn it!

'You probably shouldn't say that aloud', Damon's wolf warned him.

"Liseli?", Damon's wolf called carefully while observing silvery eyes that were full of tears.

"Is that real?"

"Why would you doubt me?"

'Answer him', Talia urged Liseli. She didn't understand why her wolf was reluctant to respond, but she could feel that Liseli was considering to shut down again, and Talia knew that staying quiet won't solve anything. 'I can feel your yearning for him. You want to believe him, but you need to have an open conversation.'

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