No Laughing Matter.

Chapter 27

hey everyone, sorry for not posting sooner, I'm having difficulty finding the drive to write so please let me know what you think x

Thatchers POV

Watching my mate scream and wither in pain even though he was not the person behind his eyes at the moment was killing me. The screams were his and the body convulsing on the mossy floor was that of my small mates. I wanted to intervene multiple times, but I knew that Cas would be mad at that, he wanted this to work so badly.

Epiales didn't deserve his own body, much less being in the body of my sweet mate but Cas was the sweetest little thing I have ever met and wanted what was best for everybody and if he genuinely wanted this to work, I had to stay out of the mages way and let them do what they do best.

The screams were getting louder and when the final rune was placed on my mate's frame there was a final blood curdling scream before my mate's body went limp. I screamed out for my mate and went to move and attempt to save him from the pain he was experiencing but was pushed back by the magical force field around the ritual. I wanted to rip my hair out of my head. This was too painful for me. I can't imagine what it was like for Cas.

"Be still alpha, the ritual is in its final stages and working as it should. The pain will lessen, and you will have your mate back, fear not." Alaric's voice boomed through the now near silent clearing. The twins were still chanting, and Salem was working on the vessel. My anger was boiling. My wolf was pacing my mind screaming at me for allowing my mate to go through this and not protecting him better.

He is in danger! We are supposed to stop this from happening! My wolf constantly repeated in my mind growling and pacing.

I was just barely in control of my wolf, who wanted to shift and attempt to rip apart the magical field. I tried to rationalise with him, but he just continued his tyrant inside my mind. For a wolf, protecting the ones they love was the most important. Especially when it was one's mate.

"Alpha," Salem called across the clearing. "The ritual is complete, and we think it's best if you come over and sit with your mate and persuade him to wake up, he will need to feel you near him until he is once again in control of his mind."

I rushed forward the barrier being taken down merely seconds before and was beside my mates' side in seconds. I grabbed his hand and looked at the blood and runes all over his dark skin. He looked so much more fragile in this state. My wolf was excited at being at his mate's side but pissed that we had to let such pain come across him, he was the last person that deserved this kind of treatment. I hope this will not leave permanent scars on his earthy complexion.

"Cas," I began "C'mon baby you can wake up now, it's okay it's all-over".

"It may take some time alpha, the ritual we did is not an easy one on the mind or body so just spend time with him, he may also be more fragile in the next few days so take good care of him." Salems' voice came from above me. I looked up at him and nodded.

"What of the vessel? Was the ritual a success?" I asked, looking at the black-haired body that was laying motionless. The body was of average height and weight the only defining feature was the long black hair that fell around the shoulders in waves. The skin that had started as ashy grey was now a healthy pale colour lighter than my tan skin and near the opposite of my small mates' dark tones.

"We believe so but we won't know for sure until it awakens." Alaric called. "For all our sake let's hope it wasn't a success and instead we just expelled the leech from your mate Alpha Thatcher."

"Let's hope it was a success for your sake Alaric, I would hate to think you put my mate in danger for a ritual to fail, yes?" I asked anger, lacing my tone causing the colour to fall from the cocky mage's face. If i had to watch my mate scream in pain for close to an hour just for this ritual to not be a success I would not be happy.

I was rubbing Cas's hand with my much larger one to try and warm him up and show I was here for him. I spoke to him for a while just informing him of all the things we can do together now that it would just be us and the kids. I was planning on taking them out of the pack lands and let them see the world we live in and around, show them other packs of different creatures and let them all eat up the culture that surrounds my pack.

"Cmon Cas, it's time to open those big chocolate eyes and let me see you're okay baby."

There was a noise but it didn't come from my mate but rather the vessel that had yet to move. Epiales's body began to move and make small grumbling noises. I looked over silently, surprised the ritual worked. I was also becoming more concerned that he had woken up but Cas had yet too. The mages were now back at the pack house to rest after such an intense magical use so I was unable to ask them if this is normal or not.

Epiales sat up, holding his head and chest rubbing both quite aggressively. The black hair actually fell further past his shoulders than I thought it would. It was an attractive vessel however when he opened his eyes I was shocked, the entire eyes were black, so black that I seemed to suck the colour out of the surrounding skin and seem deeper than that of a regular eye.

"Fuck, i have a body again." Epiales whispered into the near silent clearing

No sooner had those words been spoken did I feel my mate's hands move slightly. All of my attention was drawn back to my small mate and not on the mumbling man sitting near us.

"Cas? Cas? Can you hear me, it was successful baby. You did it. Can you come back to me now? Please baby?"

I kept speaking to my mate and holding him. Slowly more parts of his body were moving but his eyes were still closed and he was non responsive. After about 15 more excruciating minutes, his eyes began to open, they were glassy and unfocused but they were open. I continued to speak to him and pulled him into my lap fully to surround him with my scent and warmth.

"Thatcher?" his voice called horsley and in a whisper tone.

"Yes baby, I'm here, I haven't left. You're okay." I kissed his head gently to reassure him. My arms were wrapped around him holding him as close as possible to me.

"Was it a success, Thatch? Did we do it?"

"Yes baby, you did it. Epiales has his own form now because of you, he's right over there" I said pointing to the vessel who was still attempting to sit himself up and use his body.

Casius looked over and tears came to his eyes. I couldn't understand the complexity of my mate's emotions but I was so happy he was okay and back in my arms. Now we had to work out what to do with the vessel that was now Epiales.