Come for Me 2 (The Hunt #2)

Epilogue

Alaina

I ’m painting a waterfall I stumbled upon while roaming the pack grounds. One I’ve taken comfort amidst my grief from the loss of my father. The roaring water crashes over the falls help calm the fire boiling inside of me. Something I need desperately as I rub my pregnant belly.

The first pregnancy was terrible, and I hated almost every second of it. This time around, it’s been more manageable. I owe not needing bed rest to certain stress reducers.

With the knowledge that Colin is gone, Dax has also become laxer this time around. Instead of Dax being glued to my side along with the pack warriors, he has been checking in through the mindlink every hour. Tom has become like a second son to me and a brother to our six-year-old, Evan, the next heir to the throne.

They’ll be the perfect big brothers to their newborn sister. I smile and rub my protruding stomach. I silently thank her for not kicking all my organs today. She’s going to be just like her father, I can already tell.

Unfortunately, for Dax and me, Evan takes after me. He doesn’t accept anything anyone says just because someone says it’s so. Instead, he questions everything and goddess forbid if you don’t give him a sufficient answer. He’ll see your “because I said so” or “it just is” as a dismissal and an insult to his intelligence. Then the little demon comes out of him, and that’s when he acts out.

It definitely takes a village to raise the little prince. Sam and Taya have been helping me out by watching Evan from time to time. Taya thinks it’s a perfect opportunity to prepare for when she and Sam have their own pups. Evan loves his aunt Taya. Evan loves his uncle Sam, too but likes him more one-on-one and gets jealous when Sam gets Taya’s attention.

“Evan, if you don’t put that down—” Sam warns Evan, who knows exactly which buttons to push. Currently, Evan is holding Sam’s dry clothes above the waterfall, ready to drop them. Taya is giggling, which only causes Sam to growl at her. Fuming, Evan warns Sam that his dry clothes will be dunked if he doesn’t stop, counting on his fingers.

“No, no, no. Hey, buddy, let’s talk about this,” Sam says.

Taya’s been encouraging Sam to try gentle parenting, something Sam is really struggling with.

Evan’s tiny finger flicks Sam off, as another finger lets go of holding Sam’s clothes.

“No, Evan, we don’t flick people off. That’s not nice,” I manage to say through my giggling.

I know it’s not great he’s picked up on that from mommy, but it’s too cute not to laugh.

Sam’s eyes widen, and he extends his palm face up at Evan while looking at Taya as if to say, You see? This gentle parenting shit doesn’t work .

Taya mouths encouraging words at Sam.

“Evan,” I say. “Please give Sam his clothes back.”

Evan’s eyes soften at my voice. Despite this cute hellion stage he’s in, he’s still such a softie toward his mother. He knows I’m carrying his baby sister.

Alas, Evan’s hellion emerges victorious.

“No! I don’t want to!” Evan says.

A growl emerges behind me.

“Uh-oh. You better listen,” I warn Evan.

“Did you just say no to your mother?”

Dax feigns disbelief, knowing that’s exactly what Evan has just done. Evan pouts at his father’s question. Dax would never be anything like his father was and would never lay a hand on Evan. Evan knows this. But Dax would take away Evan’s privilege of being able to join in on big-boy training with him tomorrow, making him train with kids his age.

Evan craves his father’s approval and wants to be a hybrid just like his parents. Evan was born a wolf with a dormant vampire, just like I was. He doesn’t quite understand that to become a vampire he would first have to die. Dax and I decided we would wait until he’s old enough to find his mate through the Hunt. Then Evan could make the decision to turn.

Dax waits for Evan to listen. When Evan just stands there, he says, “Give Sam his clothes back.”

He listens instantly and runs to his father.

Dax picks him up and props him on his hip, ruffling his hair.

“How’re my mate and pup doing?” Dax greets me. Dax bends down and gives me a kiss on the lips, which elicits a yuck from Evan.

“You won’t feel that way forever,” Dax says.

My heart swells as Dax tells Evan about the story of how we met and how far we’ve come.

I was able to create the family I’ve always wanted, all because Dax came for me.