20. Epilogue
10 Years Later
Sebastian woke up with a soft groan, reaching across the bed to pull his mate closer, wanting to soak in his warmth for a bit before he had to get up, but the bed was empty. He opened his eyes and smiled as he spotted his pretty omega in his usual blue chair, feet propped on the edge of the bed as he painted him in watercolor. He had the notebook resting on top of his round, pregnant belly, where two of their babies were growing. He studied his mate, who was softly glowing in the dawn light that filtered through the window, magnifying his beauty.
“How many times am I gonna wake up to you painting me?”
“However many times until my hands fall off.” Asher answered back. “You are my muse after all.”
“Smartmouth. You’re my muse too and I want to cuddle my muse to get closer to my art.” Sebastian pouted and Asher laughed at his alpha. “I’m lonely here.”
“Be careful what you say or else…” But Asher faded off with a giggle as he heard the sounds coming down the hallway.
Their bedroom door burst open and four pups rushed into the room. Their eldest Sebastian, who they called Junior, the daredevil of their crew, was 7, and he made it onto the bed first, climbing up and divebombing his father who laughed and caught him against his chest. Shy, 6 year old Marco climbed up next, still hugging his blankie and curled up on Asher’s pillow, sucking his thumb. 4 year old Monroe made it up on his own and sat next to his father, laughing as he watched his older brother get tickled and poked in the ribs. Their baby, Emery was only 2 and Asher assumed he’d been let out of his room by his brothers. The littlest made no effort to climb up the bed, but tottered over to Asher and reached up to be held.
Asher set aside his watercoloring and picked up his youngest son… well, other than the twins growing in his belly. He helped Emery up onto the bed and followed him in. He cuddled with Marco and Emery as Sebastian wrapped the elder two up in his arms, kissing them all over their faces as they squirmed and cried out, “Dad! Quit! Quit it!”
“Never ever! You’re my babies and I’m gonna kiss you! Unless you’d rather I... “ He buried his face in Junior’s neck and blew a loud raspberry there, which made him squeal and kick his legs.
Asher laughed until one of his son’s flailing arms accidentally hit his round tummy and the whole bed went still for a moment before Sebastian released the boys from his hold and reached over to rest a hand on his pregnant belly.
“Baby? You okay?”
Asher smiled and cupped the side of his mate’s face.
“I’m fine, but maybe no more roughhousing in the bed.”
Junior crawled over and hugged his belly and kissed it in apology.
“I’m sorry Papa. I didn’t mean to hit the babies.”
Asher gently ran his fingers through his eldest son’s hair and scratched his scalp lightly, making him relax a bit.
“It’s okay, Junior. You didn’t hurt them.” Asher reassured. “How about some breakfast? I’m hungry for pancakes.”
“With chocolate chips?” Junior asked eagerly.
Sebastian rolled out of bed and threw Monroe over one shoulder then captured Junior and threw him over the other, making them scream again as Asher laughed and the alpha carried them out of the room.
“You heard your Papa! He wants pancakes! Let’s go!”
Asher got up, helped his younger sons out of the bed and took their hands to guide them out and downstairs, where he could already hear shouts coming from the kitchen. Princess, the ever-present fluff ball, appeared from her room with a stretch and a meow as she followed them downstairs, moving slower than she once had, as she was getting on in years. Asher’s little entourage made their way down the stairs, past a wall covered in oil-painted flowers. The omega helped his littlest navigate the steps safely until they made it to the first floor and into the kitchen, where Sebastian was pulling out ingredients for pancakes and the other two were playing chase.
Emery watched his older brothers and giggled wildly, clapping his small hands and jumping up and down, losing his balance and falling on his butt, where he continued to laugh. Marco, who had never been much of a morning person, made his way to the living room where he put on cartoons and laid on the floor among the couch cushions that never seemed to stay in place with their rascals always playing with them. Princess plopped her substantial weight half on top of him and he petted her absently while watching his show.
Sebastian came around the counter and slid an arm around his back to pull him close, as the other hand rubbed his large belly and Asher melted into his alpha, just like always. The fire between them was always there and always just as powerful. When he pulled back and opened his eyes, he saw a faint glow of red in the dark pools of Sebastian’s eyes before the alpha nuzzled into his cheek and kissed along his jaw, still rubbing his belly. Sebastian’s wolf often appeared during his pregnancies, eager to check up on his omega and their babies and Asher just smiled and tilted his neck to the side to allow himself to be first thoroughly sniffed and then scented.
“Mine.”
Asher hummed agreement and turned his face to kiss the alpha’s lips. “All yours.”
“Yours.”
“All mine.”
Life had offered Asher many different opportunities and paths that he could have chosen to traverse, and he’d found many wonderful things, but as he looked around at all his pups, he couldn’t be happier than he was in that moment. None of the big, fancy art shows or interviews or achievements were ever quite equal to a happy Saturday morning with his family.
It was much like that old idiom, “You can’t see the forest through the trees”. If you were only looking for great joys and big life events, you pass by the many trees surrounding you and don’t realize you’re already in the forest. Life is a complicated and wonderful thing, but Asher had learned much in the years he’d spent with Sebastian. Letting things pass you by, rushing to reach the next big high and great achievement would never fulfill you as much as the little joys that you partook on the road.
The End