18 Thank You, Moon Goddess

Her father was probably even happier than she was. He invited Cyrus in, enthusiastically, asking him about himself. As if he had prepared them beforehand, he rattled out a bunch of questions. He wanted to know everything about this new son of his. Who his parents were, what he wanted to do with his life, and the level he had gotten to, how old he was. On and on he went, until her mother finally stepped in, laughing.

"Alright, Hector. Let's allow Cyrus to breathe a bit before you start your twenty-one questions, shall we? We don't want to overwhelm him so quickly, do we? They just met. At this rate, you'd probably know more about him than she does. "

Salana sent her mom a look of gratitude. She was thankful that her mom could stop him because she would not be able to, but at the same time, she was grateful she had a father who cared so much about her. She knew that not everyone was fortunate enough to have someone like that. 

"My parents are Daneigha and Nichail Ariti. I plan to start off by working at the Mana Association and working my way up the ladder to be promoted to the main branch in the center of Lamia. Currently, I'm still at Silver but I'm preparing to break through to Gold at any minute now. I am sixteen years of age and I look forward to getting to know you, sir, "Cyrus responded.

Hector was a bit taken aback. He knew he went a bit overboard concerning his questioning, but Cyrus still treated each question seriously. It made him realize how considerate he was being toward him as the father of his mate. 

From that day, Cyrus was a regular part of their lives. They spent time together as a family, introduced her to his family and went out on dates to get to know each other better. She learned so much about him during that time. Apart from the fact that he was two years older than she was and was registered with the Mana Association, where he worked, she learned that his father had originally worked there, so he wanted to continue what he started. Their families got together in anticipation of the bonding ceremony and wedding that they wanted to hold when Salana reached the age of eighteen.

There were still a few years to go until then but they were full of excitement. Even the people of their Clan were excited as Cyrus and Salana both had good bloodlines and were full of potential. The fact that they were mates meant that not only their souls but their bloodlines were also a match. That meant that their children would be even greater than they were. It was indeed a cause for celebration, and so, they did. 

Two years passed and Cyrus began to do better and better at the local Moon Lake branch of the Mana Association. He was acknowledged for his potential and the way he got things done, while Salana busied herself with preparations for the ceremony. 

"Salana, how is your relationship going?" Her mother asked her. "Have you both gone anywhere? Hmm?" Ariana winked at her, making her blush in embarrassment. 

"We haven't done anything yet. The only thing we've done is hold hands and kiss a few times," she replied, blushing. 

Ariana laughed. Her daughter was truly adorable with how shy she was. Her mother in law, Daneigha, laughed as well. She felt like this new daughter of hers was cute. Anytime someone brought up romance, she would get flustered and turn as red as a tomato. Ah, what a wonderful mate for my son, she thought, I could not pick better myself. The Moon Goddess truly knows best. Now only was Salana beautiful, she was also kind, caring and responsible. 

She couldn't wait until they got married and she could hold her adorable grand babies in her arms. She was looking forward to this bonding ceremony. It would be the highlight of her life. After losing her mate a few years ago, her son was all she had. Being able to see him settled in with his own mate was the best thing she could ask for. 

Not only did she gain a daughter but she also gained other family members. 

As much time as they spent together and as much as she wanted more, he refused to go further than a kiss. At first, she was genuinely upset about it but he explained to her that he wanted to treasure her and get to know her without physical intimacy taking over their relationship. Additionally, he stated that he would rather wait until they were officially married in case she got pregnant. 

Hearing his reasoning, her heart warmed. She leaned over, caressing his face,"I love you Cy, more than you would ever know," she said as she kissed him. 

"I love you as well. So much more than I ever thought was possible. Before I met you, I couldn't understand what mates felt because it seemed so abstract. Now, I know that I can't imagine life without you."

As they sat under the moonlight, holding each other, she thanked the Moon Goddess for bringing him into her life. 

It was unfortunate that happy endings don't always turn out the way we want them to.