Mateless and Home Bound

Chapter 53: A Welcoming Ceremony

"Okay," Sage said. "When I said I was going to prove you wrong about dancing, this is not what I meant!"

"It's just one party," Reggie laughed and pulled him into a hug. "It's to welcome you into the pack, and as my mate."

"You guys have a very weird culture," he squirmed. "And I'm not dancing in front of that many people."

"No one will even be looking at us."

"Of course, they will!" he whined. "I'm going to be the only one that's a part of this thing! And with all of them knowing that we're mated – or whatever – they're going to all be looking at us!"

"It's not going to be as bad as you think," he kissed his cheek. "Now go get changed, before Ana comes in and forces you away from me."

He was nervous. Very nervous. Sure, he was happy that he was going to be accepted into this pack, which was basically like a huge family that he loved. But it was a lot to take in. There were so many things that would be different. He wouldn't really be able to travel that much, for instance. And he would have to get used to this mind link thing that he heard might also give him migraines for the first month or so. He hated migraines. He already had to deal with enough health problems.

But, the more he thought about it, the more he realized that he didn't really care about all of those things that worried him. He didn't want to travel if it wasn't with Reggie. Although he did want to see Snake every once in a while. And if those migraines would pass, he was sure he could handle it.

Because if he did this, then he wouldn't ever have to be alone. He wouldn't have to be on his own without any friends or family to keep an eye on him or just keep him company. He had always wanted a big family anyway. The idea of cousins to mess with and a bunch of people to give Christmas presents to was always a dream of his. He used to use his school money to buy all of his friends Christmas presents before they left for home on their breaks. It was nice seeing all of their faces light up. Some of them would wait until Christmas and then call him up to tell him their reaction. Others would just open it right then and there.

He liked being around all of these people. He had made so many friends, all of many different ages. It was nice being in a place that made him feel wanted, too. Ever since what happened when he tried walking back home, everyone had been talking to him, trying to apologize for Reggie's dad. Charlie told him that the rest of the people there wanted him to live there. He didn't quite believe him until they all started coming out of the woodwork. It was nice being able to hang out with all of them again. Even Victor had come in his room, apologizing that he didn't do anything. Sage didn't blame him. There wasn't anything that he would expect the sixteen-year-old to do in a situation like that. But he insisted on trying to make it up to him.

So, what did Sage do?

He made him ask a guy that he liked out on a date. Victor may have wanted to shoot him right then, and he knew it wasn't exactly something that werewolves did because of the whole 'mate and eighteen' thing. But he couldn't help it. If anything, it would teach him how to actually talk to people his age.

"I can't believe you actually got him to do it!" Hope and Grace came in his room just as he was finishing putting clothing on.

"He's there?!" he turned to look at the two. They were such lively bunches now, he loved it. And, as much as he hated when it was pointed at him, he loved just how much information the two could get.

"Mmhmm!" one of them nodded. "And he actually wore a suit too!"

"Please tell me it's the all black one," Sage said. "I kept telling him he would look amazing in it."