Chapter 43


    Chapter 43 Mating Ceremony


    Alpha Ulric and Beta Walter assisted the triplets in getting ready. The Alpha talked to them about the


    Tesponsibility of taking care of their mate. How they have their Alpha duties, but the most important


    thing they’ll ever do is take care of Thea. He didn’t know what was in store for them, but they needed to


    stay strong. They had their first training session as shifted wolves. Thepetition and exertion built


    up their masculine energy. By the time they showered and dressed in their ceremonial robes, they were


    more than ready to mark and mate Thea.


    Luna Ada and Naomi assisted Thea. They gave hera luxurious bath and massage to rx her. They


    styled her dark, silky hair in soft curls and pinned them on top of her head to keep her shoulders bare


    and ready to be marked. They put a little makeup on to make her turquoise eyes pop. Then they


    dressed her in a long, sleek robe that tied in front and left her shoulders bare so everyone could see


    her marks.


    “You look gorgeous,” Luna Ada said.


    Thea tried to smile.


    “You are a vision,” Thea’s mother said. She handed Thea a pair of slippers.


    “Once you get on stage, you’ll take these off. They’re just for walking there. Do you have any


    questions?”


    “What if I make noises? If I can’t hold it in?” Thea said.


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    “Don’t hold it in, dear,” her mother said.


    “Remember, the more open you are, the more the pack benefits,” Luna Ada said. “And they want to


    know that their future Luna will be happy with her mates. Your Ttionship sets the tone for the entire


    pack. If the Alpha and Luna don’t get along or aren’t happy, the whole pack suffers.”


    Thea nodded.


    “You’ve been through a lot these past months. Try to let go of everything else today and enjoy this. This


    is a happy asion,” Luna Ada said.


    Thea nodded and took a deep breath. She kept forgetting to breathe. Or her feelings were so heavy it


    was difficult to breathe.


    “Ready?” Luna Ada said.


    “Yeah,” Thea said. They led Thea out to the dais they had built for the ceremony. Torches surrounded


    it. Chairs lined the back where the Alpha, Beta, and triplets were already seated. Arge table stood at


    the front. It had a padded top, soft but firm.


    The women sat down, and Thea looked at the solemn crowd. The whole pack was there. This was a


    once or twice in a lifetime event. It was sacred to everyone here. It hit her at that moment. She was the


    conduit for something special, something that strengthened her pack, forged a bond between them all,


    and brought them closer together. The Alpha and Luna were connected to each member of their pack.


    A little bit of the matebond magic would reach each pack member tonight, uniting them all as one. She


    had never been toa mating ceremony before, but she knew what it was, what it was meant to do, what


    it could do. She could do this. She would do this.


    The Alpha stood up and gave a speech. She didn’t hear most of the words. She was ovee by the


    energy of the crowd, the event. At some point, Luna Ada helped Thea stand up and walked her over to


    the table. She kissed her cheek then walked off the dais with Alpha Ulric, Beta Walter, and Naomi. The


    triplets stood in line behind the table.


    ric walked up to Thea and lifted her onto the table. He put their foreheads together.


    “I missed you today,” he whispered. “I can’t believe we had to spend the whole day apart.”


    “I missed you too,” Thea whispered. “They probably didn’t want us to identally mate and mark


    before the ceremony.”


    They smiled together.


    “I know this isn’t how you imagined it,” ric continued. “You’re hurting. You can’t mark us back.”


    “It’s okay. This is for the pack. I’ll deal with my sadnesster. I’m ready.”


    He kissed her. “I love you, my strong, selfless Luna,” he said.


    “I love you too. I’ve always wanted to wear your mark. This is still a happy day.”


    “I’ve dreamed of this moment since | first learned about marking,” ric said.


    She ran her fingers into his hair and wrapped her legs around his hips.


    “Then let’s not wait another minute. Mark me, Ric?”


    He took a moment to savor the look of love in her eyes. She recognized the look of fulfillment on his


    face, and she realized she could find purpose in making her mates happy, with or without a wolf. She


    was lucky enough to have Alpha mates who would take care of everything. She just had to take care of


    them.


    “dly, my love,” ric said. He untied her robe, opened it, then did the same with his own.


    He kissed her. His hands caressed her body. Tingles erupted everywhere. One hand made its way


    down to rub circles on her clit. The other took hold of a breast. He kissed down her neck, down her


    front, and took the other breast with his mouth as he rolled her nipple in his fingers. The other hand felt


    her growing wetness. He brought his forehead back to hers.


    “Are you ready?”


    She nodded. ric positioned himself at her entrance and pushed forward a little. She whimpered.


    ric mind linked Kai and Conri to tell them to help, and they came over. One on each side. The touch


    of all three of them was electric, sending shivers of pleasure throughout her. ‘


    “Do it fast—like ripping off a BandAid, right?” Thea whispered.


    She opened her legs wider to him, one hand in his hair, the other held onto his shoulder to steady


    herself. ric nodded. He kissed her again, took hold of her hips, and thrust in, one motion, to the hilt.


    Thea yelped in pain. Her nails dug into his shoulder, her other hand made afist in his hair, and she


    buried her face in his shoulder. ric held still inside her.


    The scent of blood wafted through the air. Gasps erupted from the crowd.


    “She’s a virgin,” people whispered. 2


    Their parents were shocked. Thea would haveughed, but the pain stopped her. ric was big. Alpha


    big. The question of if it would hurt had been answered. She hoped it would just be for this first time.


    Kai and Conri caressed Thea and kissed her shoulders. She felt sparks everywhere they touched. She


    arched her back when their fingers brushed her nipples. ric’s fingers found her clit again. Soon she


    was feeling pleasure instead of pain. She tilted her hips, loosened her grip on ric, and nodded.


    “I’m ready,” she said.


    She remembered to let the energy flow through her, to think of the pack, and try to push that energy


    through to them. As she did, her ecstasy grew. ric started thrusting. Her stomach clenched, sparks


    and butterflies shooting through her stomach to her heart with every stroke.


    ric kissed down her neck to the special spot that gave them both pleasure whenever he touched it. It


    was his marking spot, not Kai’s or Conri’s. They each had their own.


    He could feel her through their bond, and when she was close to climaxing, his canines extended, and


    he sunk them into their spot.


    Sharp pain erupted in Thea, and she cried out. Then warmth spread from the punctures throughout her


    entire body, as the magic worked its way through her system like a drug. A connection started to grow.


    They both felt the mark bridging the gap between their souls and binding them together. She pushed


    that feeling out to the pack, and it grew stronger.


    A few more thrusts, they came, and something snapped together. It was like they were one soul, no


    separation. Thepletion of the mating process connected them differently than the marking. The


    pleasure was more than they’d felt before. They felt each other’s climax, and it added to their own.


    ric held her, pulled his canines out of her, and licked the wounds until they closed. They were


    connected, at least from one end. She knew it would feel different if she was able to mark him. It


    wouldn’t beplete without that.


    ric looked at his mark on Thea. A design was growing from the punctures. Thea would need a mirror


    to see it, but she smiled at the look on ric’s face as he stared at it. Surprise, pride, desire, love.


    “It’s beautiful,” ric whispered. Thea smiled. “It’s white. Iridescent.”


    Thea’s eyebrows raised in shock. Marks were ck.


    “I don’t want to let you go,” ric whispered.


    “I know,” Thea said. “I’m yours now. You have me forever.”


    He gave her onest kiss then pulled out of herpletely. He pulled Thea’s robe closed but didn’t tie


    it. He tied his own robe and took his ce behind the table.


    Kai and Conri had resumed their positions once Thea was past the most challenging part of losing her


    virginity. Conri walked forward, confident. Like a wolf, Conri never had any shame. He just acted. He


    walked to Thea like it was a typical day, and there wasn’ta massive audience for this intimate moment.


    He positioned himself in front of her.