Chapter 2 The Cave

Cara felt like she was drowning in liquid amber. She had never imagined that eyes could be so captivating. She stared at him, completely mesmerized, until a deep, masculine voice echoed in her mind,

'Mate, who are you?'

He wanted to know who she was. And she wanted to know who he was too. So she reached out to him, forming a mind link of her own,

'Who... are you?'

It was her first time communicating with someone like this, and her thoughts felt clumsy. But this strange way of speaking fascinated her.

Gray Wolf understood her meaning. He froze for a moment, realizing he didn't know who he was, where he came from, or why he was here. His mind was blank, holding nothing but the beautiful image of her.

Then he said, "I am your mate."

Cara tilted her head, looking at him with wide, innocent eyes, like a lost fawn.

It took her a long moment before she hesitantly sounded out her words,

"M...mate?" Her voice carried confusion.

She thought "Mate" was the name of the gray wolf in front of her. So, in return, she pointed to herself and introduced,

"Cara."

It had been so long since she had spoken her own name out loud. She found it oddly delightful and repeated it again, firmer this time,

"Cara."

"Your name is Cara, right?"

The sentence was a bit too long for Cara to fully understand. Gray Wolf sensed her confusion and sent another mind link, repeating his words.

This time, she understood. Her eyes sparkled like a child discovering something new and exciting. She eagerly pushed her thoughts through the mind link.

'Mate.'

'So beautiful.'

'So strong.'

'Really like.'

Gray Wolf felt the warmth of her admiration through those simple, fragmented thoughts. It wrapped around him like a comforting embrace, filling him with an indescribable sense of joy. Being adored by his fated mate, how could he not be happy?

He sent her another mind link,

'Cara, where are we? Why are we here?'

Cara took a moment to process his question before answering in short, clear thoughts,

'Waterfall.'

She pointed at him, then up toward the top of the waterfall, and continued,

'High up, fell down, bleeding, unconscious.'

Just a few words, but Gray Wolf immediately understood what had happened to him. He thought for a moment, then asked,

'Do you know who I am?'

Cara tilted her head, thinking. After a moment, she replied,

'Mate.'

'So... you didn't know me before this?'

She shook her head.

Gray Wolf frowned, a sense of urgency rising within him. Deep down, he knew he should be able to shift into a form like Cara's, but right now, his werewolf abilities felt completely blocked. He was stuck in his wolf form with no way to change. The emptiness in his memory unsettled him, filling him with a deep, restless anxiety.

'Mate, come to the cave,' Cara sent through their mind link.

She was naturally cautious, she had to be to survive alone in the wild. And yet, she didn't hesitate to invite a complete stranger into her territory. More than that, there was a flicker of anticipation in her heart, proof of just how strong their bond already was.

Cara's home was about a half-hour's walk away. When they reached a rocky cliffside, she pulled aside a curtain of lush green vines, dotted with delicate pink flowers, giving the entrance a wild, untamed beauty.

As the cave entrance came into view, so did something else: Cara's scent, everywhere. It filled the space, wrapping around him like a warm embrace. Soft wild grass, sweet honey, and fresh forest blooms soaked in morning dew. Gray Wolf inhaled deeply, as if trying to carve the scent into his very soul. It was warmth. It was home. It was her.

The cave was much bigger than Gray Wolf had expected. Inside, there was a bed of straw layered with animal pelts, a small area for storing food, and a space filled with jars, bottles, and wooden containers, clearly handmade by Cara. Each one held a different liquid in various colors. Despite being a cave, she had carved out a small ventilation hole, keeping the air fresh and preventing it from feeling too stuffy.

Deep down, Gray Wolf had always believed werewolves should live in solid, sturdy homes, either wooden cabins or well-built stone houses. Compared to that, Cara's cave was incredibly simple, almost primitive. But because her scent filled every inch of it, he didn't feel the slightest discomfort. Instead, the place felt oddly soothing, like sinking into a warm bath.

The wound on the back of his neck had closed, but after losing so much blood, his body was still weak.

Cara walked over to her work table, carefully mixing something for a while. Then, she brought over a bowl filled with a dark brown liquid and held it up to his mouth.

Gray Wolf wasn't sure what it was. Even with his sharp senses, all he could tell was that it was made from a blend of different plants. But under the expectant gaze of his mate, he lowered his head and licked the bowl clean.

Cara smiled brightly and sent him a mind link,

'Eat. Get strong. Be powerful.'

Gray Wolf understood. This drink was meant to help him recover faster. He wasn't sure if it was truly effective or if it was just in his head, but after drinking it, the dizziness faded significantly, and a pleasant warmth spread through his body.

Cara then ran over to her food stash, rummaging around before pulling out a salted pork leg nearly half her size. She dragged it over to him, her eyes sparkling with excitement, as if hoping for his approval, eager to please him.

For some reason, the pure, innocent affection of his mate filled Gray Wolf with an overwhelming sense of emotion. Maybe, deep down, he had been waiting for this moment his entire life, the day he would finally meet his fated mate.

Unable to resist, he licked Cara's face, and in return, she gave him a smile brighter than the sun.

Gray Wolf devoured the pork leg, his hunger finally satisfied. As the warmth from the meal settled in, his eyelids began to droop.

Cara gently tugged him toward her bed, nudging him to lie down before sending him another mind link,

'Sleep.'

The bed was filled with Cara's scent, rich and comforting. Gray Wolf buried himself in it, taking a deep breath. But even that wasn't enough, he wanted more.

"Cara, sleep with me."

She paused for only a moment before nodding. Cara wasn't used to napping during the day, but if her mate wanted her to, she didn't mind.

Gray Wolf curled up in the nest, and Cara settled into his embrace. Wrapped in her warmth, he drifted into the deepest, most peaceful sleep he'd had in a long time.

***

Author's Note:

Our heroine is wild and innocent, do you like a female lead like that?