No Laughing Matter.

Chapter 31

a/n hey everyone this is a super long chapter for me. We are coming close to the end of this book only a couple of chapters left i hope you are all liking it. <3

Everything seemed to return to normal very quickly after Epiales's departure. I seemed to be the only one that missed him. No one in the pack said anything or asked where he had gone, life just returned to how it was before he came. It's been almost a week since he told me. Thatcher was brighter now that he was gone. The kids had asked about him once but accepted the lie I had told them about him searching for his family. I didn't know where he was and it seemed I was the only one that cared.

My place in the pack had also changed slightly. More pack members came to me for things now. As the alphas partner I knew it would eventually happen but it was much quicker than I thought. Especially since we had not completed the ceremony. I still bore the mark of my mate in my human form but we had not even planned the mating ceremony yet. The ceremony was mostly held for higher ranked members of the pack such as alphas, betas and third in commands. It was held on a full moon and all of the pack would be there to witness us promise ourselves to each other forever. Then after that our animals would meet and mark each other in that form.

In my clan it did not happen but I had learnt about it after moving here and having some of the other mothers question me when my ceremony would be. Even my mate's mother had approached me and asked if I was considering it. Of course I was, I wanted everyone to know how deep my love for my mate was. He was my everything along with my kids. I wanted the pack to see me as an equal to him even if I was the submissive partner. Thacher had told me that I would be the luna of the pack after we had the ceremony which would give me a lot more responsibility. I was afraid some of the pack would oppose this but no one had so far. I knew I was an outsider. I was the only hyena in this pack.

I had decided I should bring up the ceremony with Thatcher and start setting up the necessary preparation if he wanted to go through with it. I hoped he would. So I left the kids in the care of the other mothers I had been sitting with at daycare and went to seek him out. I followed his scent to his office and knocked on the door hesitantly.

"Come in Cas." His deep voice still sent shocks through me even now. I entered the room that was a deep wooden colour. It had a couch for the kids and I, a huge desk for Thatcher. Behind him was a large window that gave a stunning view of the pack lands and forest that hugged the village and surrounding the room were cabinets filled with records of the pack and every pack member. I looked at my beautiful mate. His strong form in the black chair. His large arms held by the button up shirt he was wearing. His dark brown hair was longer than when I had first met him and he still had the thick dark beard along his jaw. His piercing dark eyes settled right on me making my knees weak. I loved the effect he had on me. He was my alpha and my mate and he made me feel so warm inside.

"Did you need something baby? Also you know you and the kids don't need to knock this is your place too. Speaking of which, where are the little ones?"

"There is something I wanted to talk to you about. The kids are with the daycare mothers. I believe it's Fay and Jennifer today."

"Of course baby what is it? Come here." he patted his lap and my legs started walking before I could even comprehend his words. I cuddled into his lap, his large hairy arms wrapping around my waist. "Why do you seem stressed baby?"

"I just wanted to talk to you about," I took a deep shuddering breath before continuing, "Maybe us having a mating ceremony? Completing our bond?"

His arms tightened on me and then we were standing and he was spinning me around laughing joyously. "Yes Cas! Of course I would love to complete that with you!" his smile was nearly splitting his face in two. Mine was much the same. I had thought he would want to, but there were still small seeds of doubt. I held that I wasn't good enough for my mate.