A/N: So, you know how I said I'll begin posting Rhys' POV right after I finish Riley's?

Yeah, that might change (emphasis on might). I've entered camp NaNoWriMo and guess what I'll be working on?

Rhys' story!

All in all, depending on my progress, I might upload the first few chapters sooner than intended :)

*****

"You two are back quickly," Rhys noted when we came through the front door. I opened my mouth to explain, but Kennedy was faster than me:

"Callum is at Keri's. Has something happened?"

The news seemed to surprise the older Flemings and he frowned.

"Not that I know of."

"Aren't you going to check?" The younger brother prompted.

"If I'm needed, Keri will call for me." My boyfriend crossed his arms over his chest. "And if something really bad had happened, she would've told me so both of you should calm down and one of you should stop being so pushy."

"Pulling rank on me, are you, bro?"

"Yes. As the Beta, I'm telling you not to stick your muzzle into the business of grow-ups and as your older brother, I'm telling you to go do your homework."

"That's boring." Kennedy waived the idea away. "Besides, what will Riley do?"

"I'll keep him busy," Rhys smiled at me and I returned the gesture.

I could think of one very pleasant way for him to keep me busy; it involved a bed and less clothes than we currently had on us. I hoped he had the same in mind. Knowing Rhys, he probably didn't. Whatever he came up with though, I was sure I was going to enjoy it.

"Time for naughty stuff, huh?" Kennedy grinned and when I saw his sibling blushing, I realized I'd been right: nothing naughty was in his mind.

"Go do your homework,"Rhys ordered and Kennedy ran up the stairs, laughing at his brother.

"Kids." My favorite shifter shrugged, his cheeks returning almost to their usual color.

"Just for the record," I took a step towards him and placed my palm on his chest, "I wouldn't mind the naughty stuff." He looked away so I went on:

"When you are ready, I mean."

Which I hope will be soon, I added in my mind.

"Riley," he took my hands in his, "I want our first time to be romantic. I've waited so long to find you that wherever and whenever it is, it will be special, but I still want to prepare the scene."

"Prepare the scene?"

"You know..." Red covered his face again. "Have a nice dinner, talk, hug and then... Kiss and the rest."

I giggled. He was just too adorable!

"It doesn't necessarily have to be after the ceremony..." He let go of me and covered his mouth with his hand.

"Ceremony?" I was no longer smiling.

What was I missing here?

"What ceremony?"

He lowered his arm and looked me straight in the eyes. I could tell he was nervous and the notion of that made me anxious as well. Last time we were in a situation like this, he'd shifted before me and I almost sent him away.

Was I in for another such shock?

"I planned to tell you later," he started. "You've been through so much the last twenty-four hours..."

"Rhys, if this introduction is supposed to help, it's not; I'm getting antsier by the second," I interrupted. "Just say it already!"

"But..." He bit his lips. "It's not romantic this way."

"Rhys, just tell me!"

"I want us to go through the mating ceremony," he shot out. I waited for him to continue, but he didn't.

"What is a mating ceremony?"

Rhys sighed.

"That is why I didn't want to tell you now. Let's go sit down, okay?"

I nodded and followed him into the living room. We sat on the same couch and angled our bodies so we could look at each other while we spoke.

"My plan was for you to get a grip after what you found out about us... You are taking it surprisingly well, by the way; much better than I expected." A tiny, almost not-there smile managed to show on his worried face.

"The alternative is to be without you," I muttered. "I don't want that."

This time the smile was evident. He continued:

"So, I wanted you to have a few days off of our folklore and shifters in general and then I was going to tell you about some of our customs, the mating ceremony included." He made a small pause in which he drew a deep breath. "And after a while and on a special occasion - maybe the anniversary of our first month - I was going to prepare dinner for you at my house and ask you... to... go through the mating ceremony with me."

"And I still have no idea what it is," I reminded him.

"It's something like a marriage ceremony, but according to our customs."

"M-marriage?"

"Not exactly... Well, yes..." He began to fidget with his hands. "It's to show the pack that a couple is truly in love and is ready to start a family. Not right away, it's not necessary for it to be right away... Do you want some water? I think I need some water. I'll be right back."

He jumped out of his seat and sped-walked into the hallway and then the kitchen. I could tell he was in there when I heard the sound of china breaking, followed by a cuss.

I'd never heard Rhys cuss before; to say that he was nervous would've been an understatement.

And I?

My mind was too occupied with trying to work out the fact that Rhys wanted to go through a mating ceremony - which apparently was their version of marriage - with me.

Did I just get proposed to?

Did Rhys want to have with me the same things I wanted to have with him?
We'd both talked how much we wanted a home of our own, a big family and pets, but neither of us had told the other they were a part of that dream.

Maybe I misunderstood...

"Here."

A large mug entered my line of vision. I took it and gulped down the transparent liquid in it in one swig.

Did I just get proposed to?!

"So," I wiped my mouth and handed him the mug back, "what is the mating ceremony?"

"Well," he placed it on a low square table and sat next to me. "The whole pack gathers in front of the sacred tree... No, wait, you don't know about those."

He cleared his throat.

"When a new pack forms and they settle down, they plant a tree. 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," I agreed. "One ceremony at a time."

What I'd learned the previous day had already been quite a bit of information. Rhys 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."

Rhys leaned further into the soft couch.

"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... There will be blood?" My voice was a little louder than it should've been.

"Just a little prick on the finger, Riley, like the one you get during a blood test in a clinic," he attempted to reassure me, but he looked anxious as Hell when he bit his lower lip.

"Rhys, what aren't you telling me?"

"It really is a tiny cut, but then..."

"I told you before: pausing and beating around the bush only makes things worse for me."

"We have to drink it."

His words came out so quickly one after the other that I barely understood them.

"Drink what?"

"The blood."

I shot up from my seat and taking a step back, I raised my hands before me.

"We have to what? No!"

"Riley..."

"I'm human; we don't drink blood."

"Riley..."

"I thought you didn't too!"

"We don't," he insisted.

"Then why..."

"It's symbolic. It shows that you and I... That the two people in the mating ceremony are becoming one. It's just a couple of blood drops - it's like if you split your lip and suck on it - and the blood is mixed with wine. A human probably wouldn't even notice."

"A human wouldn't have to notice, because a human wouldn't go through such a thing."

I regretted my words as soon as they came out of my mouth.

Rhys' body slumped and his eyebrows tilted upwards as he closed his eyes, his face contorting with pain.

He thought I was rejecting him.

I sat back next to him and intertwined his fingers with mine. He opened his eyes when he felt my touch.

"I mean, a human usually wouldn't go through something like this," I tried to make amends. His lips quivered. "So, what happens after people drink the blood?"

"Erm..." He took a moment to collect himself. "Each person from the couple takes a sip after which they hand the chalice back to the Alpha who says a few more words and spills the rest of the wine and blood over the roots of the sacred tree. A prayer is said, the dagger is given to the now mated couple - they get to keep it - and everyone celebrates. Eating, drinking, dancing... Things like that."

"So, it is like a real... human wedding?" I questioned. "It is a big deal, not like changing the 'single' status on a social network?"

"Yes, it is a pretty big deal for us."

"And you want us to go through that ceremony?" I asked slowly.

He took a deep breath before he replied:

"Yes."

"Oh."

For a hundredth time since yesterday, I felt lightheaded. My heart was beating so loudly, I was sure Rhys didn't need his heightened senses to hear it. Heck, Kennedy in his room upstairs could probably hear that deafening drumming.

"You don't have to answer me now," Rhys announced. "You are still shell-shocked to find about our world and I understand it might be too soon from your point of view. This is, after all, a serious commitment..."

"Rhys."

"... I mean, I know how I feel - as I said, we recognize our mate when we see them - but it is different for you; you are human and..."

"Rhys!" I put a hand over his mouth to cut off his rambling.

"Yes."

*****

A/N: Not the most exciting or romantic mating ceremony proposal, but what do you think?

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