17. Chapter Fifteen
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
MICHAEL
I want to know what’s going on inside of her head. Especially when Rylee’s signing to her. There are times I have an idea of what they are talking about, but when I don’t know, my thoughts run wild, and they’re never good. Is everything okay?
Sitting in the living room. I’m trying my hardest to stay away from Mae and give her some space, but it’s really difficult. When she sprang up from her seat in the office, I knew she was trying to leave.
I couldn’t allow that to happen.
I didn’t need to know what she was saying to understand the situation. She was trying to get a head start from the rogues, but I wouldn’t allow her to. She wasn't leaving.
I wanted to hold her hand, to have some type of physical contact so I knew she wasn’t going anywhere. I also knew she needed space. She isn’t used to all of this, and we don’t know each other that well.
I want to change that.
“I’m going to need you to be on call through the night, for who knows how long,” Xavier states as we sit in the kitchen. “With the rogues around the border, I’m doubling the guards and changing rotations more often. But if something happens in the middle of the night, I’ll need you to get here to keep all of them safe.”
“You don’t want me to take them to the bunker?” I inquire.
We have several bunkers around the pack for women and children who can’t or shouldn’t fight. There are only a few people who have been fingerprinted that are allowed access into them once the door is closed.
“Yes, they’ll go into one, but I’ll need you to get them from here to there. I don’t think anything will happen, but just in case.”
“Understood.”
I glance over at Mae and Rylee. They’re chatting away as they watch Alexander and Violet.
“Are we going to attack or are we waiting for them to do something first?” I ask.
“We’ve sent some scouts to get an idea of their numbers. I suspect there’s a whole lot more than the three I encountered at the border. I don't want to assume anything and send five people and they get outnumbered. I’d rather make an informed decision.”
I nod my head in agreement. That makes sense. There’s no reason to take a chance and have people die when it can be prevented.
“When are they due back?” I ask.
“In two or three days. They’re staying to see how things are run and then will report back to me.”
Looking over at Mae and Rylee, I watch as they enthusiastically talk to each other. Everything in me longs to know what they’re saying to each other. I crave to be able to communicate with Mae like that. One day.
“Has the pack doctor gotten back to you?” Xavier asks.
“Not yet. There aren’t many werewolves who are deaf from birth. There was a queen who was deaf, but that was because they put wolfsbane and silver down her ear and made her deaf.”
I asked the pack doctor if he knows of any werewolves who were deaf from birth. I have so many questions to ask, but I don’t think he has the answers. He told me it was very rare.
“Everything’s a mystery, and that’s okay, but I would like to know some things. I hate not understanding.”
“I think everyone does. Have you asked her some of your questions?” Xavier tilts his head, an eyebrow rising in curiosity.
“Not yet, but I’m hoping to have some time with her today. I don’t think she’ll have the answers, but maybe we can find out together.”
There’s a difference in the relationships between her parents and pack members and I. We’re mates and have a different connection than what she had with her parents and other pack members. Will our connection be the same or will it be different?
I want to know if we’ll be able to talk through the mind link once I mark her or if we’ll have to rely on sign language all the time. I’m fine with either way, but I want to know if the other is a possibility.
“Well, Rylee wants to talk to me, so you have some time alone with Mae, so maybe you’ll have a chance to ask her,” Xavier says.
“Thanks.”
I get up from my chair and pass Rylee as I walk to Mae. She nervously looks at me and clutches onto the whiteboard in her hand, her knuckles white.
You okay? I sign.
She nods her head as I sit down. I point at the whiteboard and then at me. She hands it to me, and I start to write.
I’ve got a couple of questions. Can I ask them?
She nods in agreement, and I let out a sigh of relief. I knew she would say it was okay, but there’s always a chance she could say no. She may not be in the mood to answer them or may not even want to answer any questions. I have to be okay with that.
Can you mind link people?
Her eyes light up, and she nods her head.
How’s it possible, though?
She grabs the whiteboard and quickly writes. Since I’m deaf?
I smile reassuringly. I don’t want to be rude, but I’m curious. If she’s deaf, how can she hear someone mind link her?
They don’t actually know. I had a lot of doctors run tests when I was a kid, but they couldn’t ever figure it out. But I know I can or at least I could with my old pack, she scribbles as fast as she can.
Maybe once she’s accepted into the pack or I mark her, we will be able to mind link. I figure once she joins the pack I’ll be able to; however, I’ve heard of weird cases where mates couldn’t mind link, even after one person joined the pack.
Either way, I’m going to be patient and wait.
I’m wondering, do you think once I become a pack member, I can go walking outside? she writes on the whiteboard.
You can now if you want. I just need to be with you so they know not to harm you. Most people know you’re staying in the alpha’s house and will be joining soon, but there could be someone who isn’t aware of that yet, I write.
Her eyes light up, and she looks over at the door. No doubt, she wants to go right now. I just need to make sure it’s good with the alpha for me to leave.
Give me a second while I mind link the alpha to make sure it’s okay for me to leave. He may be leaving, and I’ll need to stay with the luna if that happens, I write.
She nods her head and continues to stare at the door, a look of longing in her eyes.
“Alpha?” I mind link him.
“Yes? Everything good?”
“Mae wants to go on a walk. Do I need to take the luna with me or can I go with her alone?”
“You may go. I’m not leaving for a few hours. Want to spend time with Rylee and the kids.”
“Thank you.”
I turn to Mae and wink, a smile erupts on her face. We’re good to go. Should I bring this?
Mae nods her head, makes grabby hands towards the whiteboard, and jumps up.
I don’t know how much talking we’ll do. I just want to go outside and enjoy nature. Sorry, but do bring it in case something happens and you need to talk to me, she writes.
I smile. I wasn’t really expecting us to talk much on the walk. It would be hard, and no doubt, I would have to stop every five seconds to write on the whiteboard.
No worries. I wasn’t expecting to talk much. Let’s go and enjoy the outside, I write.