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Copyright © 2020 by Lily Mitchell
Copyright © 2020 by OnceUponALily All Rights Reserved.

~ For those of you who would like to do a FTR (First Time Reading), you can do it here to keep things in order. Rereads are also appreciated 😁 --->

* Currently featured on Wattpad's Romance page, under Worlds Apart reading list! * Romance

* Currently featured on Wattpad's GeneralFiction page, under A New Level | Science Fiction reading list! * generalfiction

* Currently featured on Wattpad's PsychologicalNovel page, under Triggering Romance reading list! *
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* Currently featured on Wattpad's Multicultural page, under '18+', and, Drama reading lists! *
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* Not supernatural. This storyline has nothing to do with magic and werewolves/alpha mates. And this story is inspired by a telepathic television show, but is not a fanfiction of it.

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Word count: 373,398 <For this version>

Word count: 178,000  <For revision>
The older version has many extended scenes and lenghtly chapters.

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Hi, readers! A few things before you read.

This story is undergoing a revision stage. Many scenes in THIS BOOK will not appear in the new book. This is the previous version and many scenes will be tossed out. Many events will change as well. Dates that are located at the tops of chapters were once settled in-between present-day chapters, since my story was in a past/present structure. They are all pushed at the front now. It will not be the same in the new version. Some characters names will be changed as well.

The writing will switch from first-person POV to third-person POV. The new version will begin and end differently.

Thank you for reading! I appreciate you all! Please check out my "Tethered Information" chapter to understand this storyline. It is not meant for anyone who can't handle rough scenes; e. g. Sexual assault. Physical harm against characters. Sensitivity to certain themes in the storyline. Ect. Just scroll through the Table of Contents to find my information chapter if you need to. This book has the original version of TS, some chapters of the original sequel, and two help chapters. Viewer Discretion Advised.

Story inspired by the show, Sense8. This is not a Fanfiction, but an inspiration from a favorite series of mine. ∞

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You may not write as well as you hope to, but you can always edit written pages. You can't edit a blank page.

Tethered Souls log line -
After a young American photographer discovers a shared telepathic connection with a geneticist in Pakistan, she struggles keeping it hidden from her fiancé and an undercover organization intent on capturing human anomalies.

Logline #2 -
A young American photographer discovers a shared telepathic connection with a geneticist in Pakistan, thrusting them both into a journey of love, hope, and survival.

Paranormal | Science Fiction | Romance

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🚫 The revised version of this story is now available in my other book. It's on my page. I'd recommend reading that version, especially for book club assignments and contests. This is an OLDER DRAFT and would not do the storyline justice.

Amir and Luna will not have the same meeting in the new book like in this chapter. There is no cheating storyline in the newer version of Tethered Souls.

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Chapter One

*Amir*

We were two souls who were destined to be connected.

When I first met Luna, she was like no one I'd ever met. She had a distinct aura about her that drew people in. It was a strong and inviting kind, and I knew from that moment on that my life would change. But little did I know that I would change hers, too.

I was supposed to stay away from her emotionally, but I couldn't anymore as time went by.

Our species doesn't let us choose when we meet our tethered partners or the person. We meet them when our powers activate, and timing might not be the best then.

It was in the fall when I entered her life, and I didn't know what to expect when I connected to the person I was paired for.

I was standing in a field for what seemed like hours when only a few minutes had passed. I gazed at her beauty like she was a beautiful canvas of art. I didn't know her name or where I was, but I knew I was in the presence of another soul who's like mine —a Tethered One.

Her long brown hair hung down below her shoulders as she continued to garden behind a large house. My soul was near hers while my body was back home in Pakistan. People always speak ill about my country, and most people who look like me aren't easily approachable. I didn't know how to approach this beautiful woman and tell her she was just like me without scaring her off. I'm just an Asian man, well, an Arabian man probably to her, who was in a foreign place and didn't know anyone. No one could see me... but her.

But she didn't know that.

My cousin, Faisal, explained the gene our family shares. When I was born, I was chosen for one other soul to be tethered to for the rest of my life. We'll be able to talk to others who are also part of our species, but she and I are linked. At that moment, I couldn't wait to get to know this gorgeous individual. It wasn't supposed to turn into a personal relationship between us, but we'll always stay connected, and we're able to help each other from here on out.

She looked so adorable with her dirty overalls on and dirt plastered over her chin and neck. Then I was startled when I saw a little girl with short blonde hair running out of the back door, yelling for her.

"Mommy! Mommy!" she yelled, rushing up to her mother.

I realized that moment that the woman I am forever linked to is a mother. That was okay. The little girl was cute, and she was young. Around five or six years old. I wondered if the woman was a single parent. That would've been okay, too.

"What is it, darling?" the woman asked her.

"I couldn't find you. I was scared," the sweet little girl replied. I smiled when I saw her mother hug her. She seemed like a comforting young woman.

"I was only out here. This is what I do on Saturdays. You know that. I'll be in shortly. Go wash up, and I'll get your snack ready."

The young girl ran off and stepped back inside. Then the woman continued pushing her shovel around and planted a long-stemmed rose into the ground. When she threw her head back and peered my way, my breath caught in the back of my throat. Good Lord... the look in her eyes caused my heart to throb faster. She was mesmerizing.

She stood back up and made her way toward me. I smiled back, unable to do anything else. Then she stopped short for a moment, to remove her dirt-covered gardening gloves. I smiled a little but also felt heated inside my skin. She was making me feel hot.

"Hello there," she said, smiling and coming toward me. "Are you lost?"

I looked around. I wasn't exactly lost, but I didn't know where I was. "Not exactly," I replied, nearly stumbling over my words.

"Oh. Well, I can help you with directions, if you need it," she said, and my lips turned up into a grin.

She was adorable. I guess it looked like I was a passerby, who seemed to have gotten lost in this area. Wherever this area is.

"I know almost all the side roads around here and realize how easy it can be to make a wrong turn," she added, causing me to softly chuckle.

"Oh. Alright." I wasn't sure what else to say. My heart pounded in its chambers being close to her. "My name is Amir," I said, introducing myself, as the blazing sun shows relentlessly in the distance.

"I'm Luna."

Luna? Wow. Her name sounded elegant. She seemed nice, too.

"Could you please tell me where I am?" I asked, unsure what part of the world I stepped into.

"You're right behind my house. This field is near my backyard," she said, smiling up at me. She's so beautiful up close. What country was this? Canada?

"What country am I in?" I asked, noticing a look of fright shooting from her eyes. I didn't want to freak her out.

But she still ended up taking a step back. And right then our locations changed as she stood next to me in Pakistan. We were on a street behind a Mosque, and she gazed around, panting. She was frightened and didn't know she could travel to wherever my body was.

I reached forward and took her hand. "It's okay," I said, trying to keep my eyes still; that was impossible. "You're okay."

I could see in her eyes she was scared. And luckily, it was a paved road and not that busy out on the streets. Somehow we appeared back in her yard again, and she yanked her hand away from mine. Then she demanded to know what she just experienced. So we stood still as I explained to her what I was informed.

"What just happened?" Luna asked, panic in her voice. I stepped forward and looked into her brown eyes, then began explaining who we are and the power we have.

"Our souls are tethered, Luna. Linked," I said, giving her a soft smile to help ease any anxieties she may have in her body. "We're human anomalies and have the power to communicate telepathically. We are also able to transition into each other's environment subconsciously."

Why did I say all that? Now I have her freaked out even more.

Still, she whipped her head my way, slowly settling down on her porch swing. Her breaths were heavy and uneven, and I'm sure she thought this was a dream. Even I would if I were her. Luckily, Faisal helped guide me into understanding our lineage.

Luna's eyes scattered sporadically as she kept her gaze down to the floor. At that moment, I reached forward and cupped her chin, drawing her close to me. I wanted to help ease her worries, and I could sense how holding her cheek made her feel. Almost like tapping into her mind and understanding all of her feelings at once.

After doing that, she began having a natural soothing quality to her eyes, and her body relaxed as her brain blossomed once more. My cousin explained how I would feel about meeting the person I'm tethered to. And he didn't exaggerate. Not one bit. It was like winning the lottery and getting the millions of dollars within that moment. My heart and soul felt like it collided with an iceberg, but instead of bringing me down, it kept me afloat.

She asked me a ton of questions, and with each question, I answered for her. Where are we from? How are there others like us? And would she encounter other visitors like me, or was I the only one? And then the biggest question: Who are we?

So, I gave her the answers I knew the answers to.

"So, you're saying there are other humans who have the same powers as us?" she asked, her voice shaky.

I nodded back. "Yes. I'm not exactly sure how many, but many people share the same abilities as us," I explained, knowing that this was a huge change for her. I'm sure it was unsettling to learn this information so suddenly like this.

"But you don't know where we originated from?" she asked, and I narrowed my eyes and shook my head.

I glanced back up and locked eyes with hers, then said, "No. But I have a team in my research laboratory. We have been working tirelessly on finding out everything we can about who we are and where we come from."

"Wow. What do you do to find out more about our genetics?" she asked, standing up, leaning against the wall. "I'm still in shock to learn that I had this power in me all my life and never knew it."

"I can understand that. It's a lot to take in. You should've seen me when I first found out." We both chuckled as the clouds rumbled above the Louisiana sky, the lightning illuminating a brilliant pathway down the middle. "To answer your question, my team organizes meetings with other tethered souls and takes the samples that we need. Then we combine other DNA with those samples and go from there. We do experiment with a lot of possibilities."

"What about me meeting anyone else with our genetic ability?" She moved a strand of her brown hair behind her shoulder and stared up into my eyes. "Should I be expecting anymore people roaming around in my back yard?" I chuckled at her remark. It wasn't like I meant to be creeping up on her.

I let out a breath I was holding in and replied, "You will meet other souls at some point. But tethered souls normally meet when it's close to their birthday."

"Then, it's almost like a birthday present," she said, her eyes opened.

"You could look at it that way. It will be just like us. As we are standing here talking, you'll be able to see where the other person is. They will be able to visit wherever you are at that moment as well," I explained, amazed at how well she was taking this new discovery about herself.

"I'm trying to wrap my head around this. It's almost unreal," Luna muttered, her voice choking up.

I kept my gaze on hers and slowly shook my head as I sensed the anxiety running through her body. It was so potent and vibrant, like touching a taser on the tip of your finger. Shockwaves spiraled out of control of her body.

"I feel like I'm losing it here," she said quietly.

"Luna, you aren't going crazy. It's alarming for you. It was for me when I first learned about our genetics."

"It is. I'm slowly processing this. My birthday is on the seventh of July next year, and it's shocking to learn that I will meet more people like us."

After she spoke about the date of her birthday, I reached down and took her hand, staring softly into her eyes, then said, "July seventh is also my birthday. It may seem like it's a long time from now, but that's what happens for our species. It's a conflict we wrestle with where we don't have the choice of who we meet, whom we are paired with, or the moment we enter their life. I don't have all the answers, but I can be here as a guide, should you need me."

She sniffed, then nodded. "Okay."

I let go of her hand and stood against the wall. Whipping my head towards her, I added, "I've been trying to figure out how and why people are paired together."

"Has there been any luck?" I shook my head.

"Not yet. As a geneticist, I'm sure a lead will come through."

"Yeah. Maybe. I have a question," she said, looking up at me. I'm sure she had a lot of questions forming in her mind.

"Sure. Go ahead," I replied, nodding my chin.

"Earlier, when we transitioned into your country subconsciously, why did you cup my cheek like that? What if I didn't want you to touch me?"

Oh. I wasn't thinking and hadn't considered her thoughts. No wonder her senses were like bugs crawling all over my skin. How she felt was how I felt. She was overwhelmed by everything.

Luna kept her eyes peering my way, waiting for my answer, raising her eyebrow. "I'm sorry if that made you feel uncomfortable. Somehow, I could tell that you liked it when someone cupped your chin. I wasn't meaning anything by it. You were right. I shouldn't have touched you. Especially without your permission."

"Wait. You could sense how cupping my cheek feels to me?" I let out a slight laugh and nodded. Then she took a step closer and gazed up into my eyes, bringing her hand up to her cheek. "My mother always did that when I was younger. Whenever I had a nightmare, she would cup my cheek and tell me everything was all right. It had always soothed me when I needed it."

"That's a very comforting feeling, I'm sure," I mumbled, breaking eye contact for a moment.

"It's funny that you can sense my needs and desires," she said, her voice soft and pleasant. "I think I'm getting used to this."

"I understand. And I am here to help you whenever you need me."

"I'd like that. I'm just not sure how, though, Amir," she said, inhaling a deep breath and exhaling it.

"We'll start slow and learn more about each other, then learn about where we come from, together." Geez
- Why do I make it sound like we are from another planet? We're human but are advanced.

I shook my head and snicked. "Forget what I just said. All I'm trying to say is that we should start off learning the basics." I looked away and gazed around her yard for a moment. Then turned back to her. "So, this is America? It's beautiful," I said, staring out at a field with flowers and mowed grass.

She took a step forward and folded her arms across her chest. Then looked my way. "It's a small part of it in Louisana. That's the South of the States. And this is my house. Well, my fiancé and daughter's house."

"Oh. How long have you lived here?" I asked her, curiously.

"About five years," she said, walking toward her porch steps, sitting down. I followed along beside her and stood against the rail. "We've been together almost six years and engaged for all of two days." I snickered and smiled.

Luna seemed like a nice family-orientated woman, and she was very welcoming. I could sense it was easy to open up to her, and she'd never judge me.

"That must have been a sudden proposal from him. He'd probably took you by surprise," I said, feeling intrigued by how some people propose marriage. I was used to my family's customs, where we would send a proposal to the relatives' of the woman we decide to marry. But every family and relationship is different.

When Luna opened her mouth to say something else, we were immediately distracted when her daughter came rushing outside to hold her mother. The little girl couldn't see me, but Luna still smiled and held up a finger to indicate that she'd be right back.

As she stepped through her back door, I followed along and browsed through the many photographs of her family along her walls. And I gazed at the pictures of her and her fiancé. I learned his name, and her daughter's name.

After settling Sarah down at the table with a coloring sheet, Luna strolled my way and murmured, "Could we talk later? Maybe in a couple of hours?"

I nodded, even though our time-frames may not always align. We were several time-zones away and I could be asleep by the time she wanted to meet up again.

But none of that mattered. I'd rather connect to her whenever she felt like it, and when she was able to. It wasn't every day that a new friend, like a warming spring sun, came along and sparked a sense of brightness and light into your soul.

I wanted to navigate our connection... somehow. I didn't want to pull away from her.

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If you are reading this book anywhere other than Wattpad, then it is a pirated copy. Please go to wattpad.com to read it for free.

Hey, thank you for reading Tethered Souls. If you stick around, you will be in for major surprises. Things will change quickly. You'll see. 😉

Could you be a tethered soul? Where would you like to be tethered to?

Of all the celebrities in the world, who are born on your birthday, who would you like to be tethered to?

My birthday is 10th of March, and I wouldn't mind getting to know Carrie Underwood and Olivia Wilde. But if I had to choose one, it'll be Olivia. She and I could talk and share the same passions in life. Plus, I love her acting performances. 🎥

The Tethered Trilogy ...
·Tethered Souls - Book 1
·The Tethered Ones - Book 2
·Tethered - Book 3