Crying Season

23.

To a happy future and beyond.
[Epilogue]

It took us some time but me and Laura worked past what happened. I took several months of begging, but Laura was able to get me to go to a therapist. At first I was hesitant to talk to them but I realized that I had been bottling up a lot of pent up anger and shame for what happened when I really shouldn't have.

Over the months me Laura generally stayed home until recently where she's been taking me out on dates and taking me shopping. I still don't really feel comfortable going outside even though I know nothing will happen it just gives me anxiety not being able to control things.

We've also been working on our animals and last month I was finally able to meet her lion. She was a beautiful lioness with a reddish tent to her fur and I practically howled in joy at how happy I was. We also celebrated her birthday by watching her favorite movie and cuddling.

About a week ago from today Laura drank from me for the first time. It was almost magical and we shortly made love afterwards. Laura was really gentle and slow with me and it was exactly what I needed. We both marked each other at the end of the night and it curved some of my anxiety.

Later this week we will be telling Laura's parents about our mating but for now we're still trying to keep a low profile.

I will also be meeting more of Laura's family the next time that we go and I feel anxious about it but I'm also excited to meet her full family. She's talked about them so often that I feel like I've been apart of the family for years.

Recently, within the past few days I have found a group of wolves that seem to be laid back and often hang out at the coffee shop near Laura's apartment.
My wolf has missed interaction with others of its kind and it's felt like burning rash at the back of my mind since I cut all ties with my family except for my brother.

As of right now my brother is in system and I feel terrible, but in the state I'm in now, I can't do anything. As well as the fact that every time I think about him I remember in vivid detail what happened.
But then I remember that my parents have been arrested and put on trial. Unfortunately for me I will have to testify in a few months on what happened and I'm a little concerned about what will happen but I have no doubt in my mind that they're going to prison.

Laura has still been going to school and sometimes I realized how lucky I was then I remind myself how I got to this point in my life and I realize that I wasn't really lucky, I was just being used and it stings but it happened and I have to get over it.

Today Laura is taking me out to eat tonight and I can't wait. We haven't really had time to our selves lately due to her midterms. I can't wait to see her. I've had a little bit of separation anxiety ever since we mated. I heard the door open and I couldn't stop a big goofy grin from spreading across my face.

"Hey babe are you ready?" She said walking to the kitchen.

I get up and follow her in, where I give her a brief nod to her question then gave her a big bear hug from the side. She returns the hug and then goes to the fridge to get a drink of water before turning around.

"Let me get dressed and then we can go." She said as she was wearing her work clothes.

I waited by the kitchen bar until she came back down in a beautiful golden dress that complimented her red loose curls. She walked into my embrace, where she lightly pecked my lips then winked at me.

"Let's go." She grabbed my hand and started leading me out of our apartment towards the parking garage.

Once at the restaurant, the waitress asks for our reservation and Laura gives her her name before we proceed to a table close to one of the sides.

We order our dishes and then wait for them to come. Laura is holding my hand occasionally brushing her thumb over my knuckles while her face is in her other hand.

"I love you, you know." She said eyes brimming with joy and affection.

"I do" I said with just as much emotion while squeezing her hand. Just as I finished saying that the food came and a comfortable silence came over us.

Once finished Laura asked how it was and I mumble something along the lines it was good and then asked if I want desert.

I was feeling a bit tired so I declined but the she suddenly said "SHiT!"

I looked up surprised only to see her biting at her nails. I quickly grabbed her hand and asked her "What's wrong?!"

"I'm.... uhm... don't worry about it." She said before chaotically getting up and going about two feet before turning around "Stay here, I'm going to go the bathroom and I'll be right back!"  Before fast walking to the back.

I sat there bewildered for about 10 minutes, occasionally looking at my phone, until Laura rushed over slightly blushing and an anxious smile plastered on her face.

"So what was that about??" I ask confused and a little concerned.

"Ahh ..... it was nothing uhm how about we go for a stroll." She said awkwardly.

"Okay?" I say confused.

We get up and start heading out after we pay the bill. We head past a little shopping center and into a park where there seems to be some sort of festival happening as there lights strung up all around.

We walk until we finally get to slightly secured area where Laura turned towards me grasping my hand with her's.

With bleary eyes she looked up at me with watery a smile and began to speak.

"I love you so much. I know I do from the way you make me smile, the way I can come home from a long day of work and you're there to pick me up, the way we joke, the way you mess with me even though I'm tired, I just love everything about you." She said as slowly got down on one knee. "Will you please marry me?"

I was crying half way through and with lips quivering I said "Yes!! I love you so much!"  She then she slid a ring onto my finger.

She stood back up and kissed me. I deepened it and we stood there under the dim lights of the park as I finally ran out of breath. "Should we take this home?" I ask with a smirk.

"Yes" she groaned.

The End.

Extra
(The next morning)

I woke up in bed, Laura's arms around me. I couldn't help but looking at my ring with a smile.

Wait what is that?

The ring has a silver band and which was encrusted will purple stones with a slightly larger stone in the middle.

But for some reason there was a brown piece of something on the side next to the ring. I went to rub it off but it just smeared on my finger.

Is that?... is that.... cake???

I stuck my finger in my mouth and sure enough it was.

I looked at Laura and finally understood what had happened at the restaurant and I couldn't help but laugh. Which accidentally woke Laura up.

She looked up confused and I just showed her the cake on the ring.

It took her a few seconds to process it but once she did her face immediately burst into flames.

"So that's what that was about at the restaurant?"

"Yeah." She said embarrassed, pushing some hair out her face.

I laugh a little bit more before giving her a small peck on the lips saying "I love you."