Rhys has been unlucky in love and even though his family supports him, he knows they are anxious for him to find the one he belongs with. He recognizes him in the face of Riley - a human boy who is not only terrified by the pack because he thinks th...
A/N: You are such an awesome audience that I want to give you something for Christmas. Which one of these Dogs, Bats & Monkeys extras would you be most interested in reading?
- A one-shot with Riley and Alec (set during Sentiments & Reason; no spoilers on Keri's story)
- Humans & Humanoid Species 101, Sentinel Training Edition - Shifters (basic information about the different shifters as presented in the Sentinels' textbook)
- A character interview with Keri or Kennedy
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I took a moment to collect my thoughts, sorting them so I wouldn't confuse my mate once they were out of my mind and I spoke them aloud.
"When a new pack forms and they settle down, they plant a tree," I started. "When my ancestors came to Woodbury, they planted a hazel tree - it can be any tree though - in a special ceremony. If you are interested, I'm going to give you the details, but some other time."
"Oh, yeah." Riley looked all too happy to be spared the info dump. "One ceremony at a time."
I nodded and went on:
"During a mating ceremony, a pack gathers in front of their sacred tree. Closest to the tree, with their back to it, is the Alpha whose role is like that of a priest. Before him or her, facing the tree, is the to-be-mated couple and behind them the pack as witnesses."
I leaned back into the couch, finding a more comfortable position.
"The Alpha narrates certain words - like the priest goes 'dearly beloved, we are gathered here today' and so on - and at a certain point cuts each to-be-mated person with a ceremonial dagger..."
"Whoa, whoa..." Riley's voice was loud, the color in his cheeks faded. "There will be blood?"
"Just a little prick on the finger, Riley," I tried to reassure him, "like the one you get during a blood test in a clinic," I added, biting my lower lip. My heartbeat quickened; he was already not pleased that he had to get that tiny cut... How would he react when he heard the rest?
"Rhys, what aren't you telling me?" His eyes narrowed.
"It really is a tiny cut, but then..."
I hesitated. The more anxious Riley got, the less of a chance I had to convince him to mate me.
"I told you before: pausing and beating around the bush only makes things worse for me."
"We have to drink it," I shot out before I chickened out.
"Drink what?" He asked slowly.
"The blood."
He jumped up and took a step back, raising his hands in front of his slender body.
