Pearl Rising

Twenty Seven - Cassius

Pearl stopped walking. "Is something wrong, Cassius? Have I upset you?"

I pushed the spirit's cruel laughter out of the way and focused on my mates' thoughts and emotions.

Fuck.

Her upset hit me like a slap to the face. She saw this as a rebuff of her affection toward me. Adding weight to the guilt I carried for denying her request to mark me.

But if I'd allowed it—then she would hear its words... its whispers of cruelty and the harm it wanted me to inflict.

And she would fear me.

But maybe she should fear me.

In my moment of weakness, it had been the demon spirit goading me to sink my teeth into her throat... not Pearl's request to mark her that drove my fangs into the smooth skins of her throat.

And now, I had little alternative but to lie to my mate.

"Forgive me Pearl." I lifted her small hand in mine. "I can be an insensitive oaf and my sister has wasted countless words in telling me." I cupped her cheek. "This is new to me. Please be patient."

Her shoulders relaxed, and her mind quietened. "It appears I have a lot to teach you." She relaxed and leaned into me, rubbing her face against my bicep. It too felt good-right.

"You wanted to learn more about our traditions and the mating ceremony?"

"Ooh, yes. Can I invite my family... Sage, Hunter and the children... oh and Ruth too?" She stopped walking and bounced on the balls of her small feet.

I listened to her thoughts as they flew faster than my wolf giving chase to prey. Two small children passed through her mind more than once. They were hugging her legs tightly, one on each side, as she looked at them lovingly.

The ache across my chest was powerful. The knowledge that she would be a splendid mother to our pups swelled my heart and my loins. And without hesitation, I wanted it sooner rather than later.  We would start a family as soon the witch was dealt with.

"Oh, shit. What will I wear?" She froze. "Dress–Yes. I want to look perfect." She squealed as a weird look skittled over her face. "I'll have one made. Can I wear white? Will white be okay? And what will you wear?"

What would I wear and white dress? I didn't understand why she would need a dress. "You will need no dress Pearl."

Confusion fell across her beautiful face.

It required more detail. "You will wear the traditional pack tunic. And upon starting the ceremony, we shed them for us to lay ourselves bare."

Her eyebrows pinch together. "What...Tunic? What, like some kind of Roman thing?" She didn't wait before her next question popped out. "And what do you mean lay ourselves bare?"

I tried to think of the best way to approach this. Seth has often told me about the strange traditions and ways of people from the big cities. The modern world. A far cry from our home shielded in the Montana Mountains. And, Pearl knew very little about pack life. The packs in Europe did not follow the old ways or traditions.

"The mating ceremony is where we give ourselves, as the Goddess intended. This has been destined since the day we were born and to honour this we present ourselves naked as the day we entered this world."

Her gaze was transfixed on me. "Shut. The. Fuck up."

My chest heaved. "We should address your language."

She ignored me, swishing her hand in a dismissive wave. "Naked—Me. Naked?" Shaking her head "Na-ah."

"It is tradition, Pearl. They will strip you of everything, as will I, and we offer ourselves to each other."