Epilogue
Serafina
“Were you expecting someone?” I ask my three mates as we sit around the living room watching the second season of my favorite crime drama.
After I awakened from this morning’s passionate lovemaking, all three of them were still here, obviously ignoring my insistence that I didn’t need a babysitter. And yes, I was happy about it although I made a small fuss.
But we’ve spent the hours since, lazing around, doing crossword puzzles, and watching true crime documentaries.
Ronan scents the air. “It’s Johnson.”
My heart leaps in my throat. Johnson was badly injured by one of the silver arrows, the night of the Supermoon Ceremony. Though, he’s been able to recover.
My heart pangs for Casey, who had been kidnapped and killed by the evil men who captured me.
Ronan carefully lifts my legs from over his lap, placing them on the couch before he heads to the door. Though his movements with me were gentle, I can feel all three of their heightened emotions.
If the head beta is at the door, there must be some kind of issue. I knew I shouldn’t have taken them away from the pack like this. I bet the rest of the pack resents my presence by the day.
I sit up at the same moment Ronan pulls the door open.
“Alpha Ronan,” Johnson greets.
“What’s wrong?” Ronan asks, the urgency in his tone prevalent.
“There’s no problem, Alpha,” Johnson replies as Noah moves beside Ronan at the door. “The pack is waiting for all of you.”
There’s a lightness in his voice. Not urgency or fear, which I might expect if there was something the matter.
I rise to my feet and meet my all three mates who’re now standing in the doorway.
His smile widens when he sees me. “Alpha Queen.”
Pack, my wolf acknowledges in an affectionate tone.
“We hope it’s not a disturbance, but there’s something really important we need to share with you.”
“What is it?” Ronan asks.
“We’ll be there,” I say before he can answer.
He appears relieved. “Oh, and I was told to tell you all to dress nicely.”
“What does that mean?” Noah insists, looking down the length of his body at the sleeveless shirt and worn jeans he’s wearing. While I think he looks absolutely delicious in this outfit, I understand it’s not exactly what Johnson and the rest of the pack are expecting.
“Will do,” I reply on my mates’ behalf.
“We’ll meet at the Supermoon Ceremony field in thirty minutes?”
I nod, agreeing before closing the door. I turn to my mates who all give me curious glances.
“Don’t look at me. I’m just as much in the dark as all of you. But we’ve been asked to dress nicely, so let’s get changed.”
“I still don’t know what’s wrong with going out dressed the way I am,” Noah gripes even as I wrap my arm around his and pull him toward the bedroom to change.
I’m not giving the pack anymore reason to distrust, or worse, hate me by declining their invitation. Whatever it may be.
Thirty minutes later, my mates stand on either side of me as we approach the field. My heart sinks a little at the sight of the still-charred ground. It forms a huge ring around the main part of the field.
All I can think of is how frightening my wolf must be for the rest of the pack. Yes, I’ve managed to embrace her, though it’s not always easy. And I know she still senses my hesitance from time to time, but I’m learning she always has the best of intentions. Her powers aren’t to be feared, but understood and embraced.
I’m just not certain the Blackclaw pack is on board with my line of thinking.
“What’s this?”
I look up from the charred ground at the sound of Montgomery’s question to find the entire Blackclaw pack dressed to the nines, themselves, standing in a semicircle. Similar to the night of the Supermoon Ceremony.
But that’s not all.
Among the Blackclaw pack are members from the Nightwolf pack, including …
“Dad?” I call out when I see him, standing slightly apart from everyone. But he’s here. I move to my father’s hunched over form.
“What are you doing here?” He doesn’t like going out in public or being around people, let alone this many people.
“They asked me to come.” Slowly, he raises his head, allowing his eyes to meet mine. Though worry lines and prolonged grief and sadness have worn on him, my father is still a handsome man, with his dark brown skin that I inherited, tall stature, and overall strong features.
“And I wanted to be here for you.” He finishes by taking my hand into his and squeezing it. A small smile appears on his face.
My vision blurs with unshed tears. This is the most my father’s touched me since we were both set free. He doesn’t do well with hugs or affection. But he’s telling me in his own way that he loves me. Just like our daily phone calls.
“Thank you,” I reply in a shaky tone, even though I still don’t know the reason why he and everyone else is here.
Reese approaches me with her baby boy strapped to her chest, followed by Ms. Elsie and Alpha Chael.
“Beta Chance and Emery would’ve loved to be here, but Emery doesn’t like being too far from Ashley still.”
I blink and nod, recalling how difficult it must be for Emery and Ashley right now. As it turns out, the Ashley in the cell next to mine was Emery’s allegedly deceased sister.
And her mate, the one being tortured …
Christophe Nightwolf. Alpha Chael’s youngest brother.
I look toward Alpha Chael. He gives me a tight smile, not about to reveal the level of his emotions over finding out his brother was being viciously tortured.
I still haven’t found out what happened to Christophe. Is he still alive? Is that why Ashley’s having such a difficult time?
“We’re here to celebrate the four of you,” Ms. Elsie says, bringing my attention back to the present.
“Celebration?” Montgomery asks as he comes to my side, wrapping a protective arm around my waist.
“Alphas Ronan, Montgomery, and Noah,” Johnson says. “We’re aware that you and our Alpha Queen have cemented the mate bond, but after the night of the Supermoon Ceremony, we wanted to also provide you all with an appropriate commitment ceremony.”
“A what?”
Ronan looks at me, taking my hand. “It’s a centuries old celebration of the alpha and his mate bond. We haven’t practiced in a couple of generations.”
Johnson looks at me. “We all wanted to properly welcome you into our pack that night. Except we never got the chance.”
His eyes actually mist over.
I look at all three of my mates who look almost as confused as I feel.
“We may have been hesitant to welcome you before, but that is because we are a pack that is still learning to accept change. We ask your forgiveness and …” He pauses to look at the rest of the pack, lined up behind him. “Especially after the way you and your wolf put yourself in the way that night to protect all of us.”
“To save us!” a male from behind him calls out.
A chorus of agreements sound off.
“We will never be able to repay you for that sacrifice,” he continues. “Peter was a vicious liar and betrayed our pack in the worst way. It was you who saved us.”
He stuns me when he drops to one knee, followed by the rest of the Blackclaw pack.
“We beg your forgiveness and ask that you accept us as your pack from now until the day Mother Moon sees it fit to draw the curtain closed on this world.”
“I—” I stop, covering my mouth as I look up at Ronan.
Gone is the stoic, unfeeling expression he used to hold. There’s a mist in his eyes as well as he surveys his kneeling pack. Noah and Montgomery are also as touched.
“Please stand,” I say to all of them. “There’s no need to ask for forgiveness. You all are my pack as I am yours.”
Johnson smiles so wide he looks as if he’s on the verge of exploding.
Sheila approaches us. “It’s our honor to witness the commitment ceremony between our alphas and our alpha queen.”
We’re led to the center of the circle where Montgomery, Noah, Ronan stand before me dressed in the pants suits I insisted they all wear. All three of them stare down at me with stars in their eyes.
“We’ll take it from here,” Ronan tells Johnson who then proceeds to exit the circle, leaving me with my mates.
Montgomery is the first to take my hands into his. “Baby, here before everyone and underneath the watchful eye of Mother Moon, I vow to never leave your side. To always watch the documentaries you want to watch without complaining, and to make as much honey cured bacon as your belly can hold.”
My laugh only ceases when he cups my face, pulling me in for a kiss.
“I love you,” he whispers against my lips.
Noah is next to take my hands. “My Little Hellraiser, I promise to always remind you what a pain in the ass you are.”
I punch his shoulder, making him chuckle.
“And also remind you to never change because who you are is perfect. In every single way.”
His kiss is just as sincere and rich as Montgomery’s but uniquely Noah.
“I love you,” I tell him.
“Stole my line,” he replies before leaning into my ear. “I’m going to make you pay for that later. I love you, Little Hellraiser.”
My body sizzles with the promise of his words.
Next is Ronan, taking my hands.
“Serafina, I promise to remind you every single day that there will never be a place you go that you will be alone. Not as long as there is life in my body. Your home is and always will be with the three of us and the Blackclaw pack. This is where you belong. We are your home. Now and forever. I love you with every fiber of my being.”
Naturally, the tears I’d fought to hold back become unceasing.
Ronan wipes a tear away with his thumb before grazing the tip along the seam of my bottom lip. “So beautiful,” he murmurs as he pulls me in for another kiss.
I burst out in laughter as he lifts me off of my feet, swinging me around to the applause of the rest of the pack.
“Wait,” I say when he drops me and tries to go in for another kiss. “I should say something, too.”
“No!” I laugh and swat Ronan’s hands away as he tries to pull me in again. “I mean it.” I look at all three of my mates in their beautiful eyes. “I vow to never run away from you again.”
“Thank Mother Moon.”
“Better not.”
“You wouldn’t get the chance.”
All three declare at the same time.
I ignore them and continue, “You are the home I’ve searched for ever since I can remember. Thank you for making a safe home for me. I promise to never take it or any of you for granted.”
I kiss them one by one before turning to face the rest of the Blackclaw pack.
“You are my home as well. I vow to always strive to be the Alpha Queen you deserve and to do my part to protect all of you.”
“As do we,” Johnson vows, before every single member bows their head toward me.
“Beautiful!” Reese bursts out, clapping, which then causes everyone else to clap and hoot in celebration.
“Now feels like the perfect time to make up for that pack run we never got to go on,” I tell everyone. My wolf is raring to be set free.
All of the members of the Blackclaw pack start changing out of their clothes and shift. I look back at my mates who eye me.
I nod to reassure them. By learning to accept my wolf, I’ve learned how to shift at will.
Montgomery sweeps me off of my feet, kissing the top of my head.
“Shall we have this run?” Noah jokes with his hand outstretched. He takes mine, kissing it while Ronan does the same with the other before all four of us shift along with our pack.
All three of my mates’ wolves nuzzle and sniff my wolf’s neck. She revels in the attention.
“You can have me later, after our run,” I promise through our bond to allow their wolves to have my wolf the way they’re aching to take her.
Noah whines before I nudge his neck.
The rest of the pack starts off. I pause and look at my family from the Nightwolf pack, and my father. They haven’t shifted.
Ms. Elsie approaches me, stroking the top of my wolf’s head.
“Go, be with your new family. I promise to look over your father. Go, be happy,” she tells me.
I yelp in gratitude before taking off behind the rest of the Blackclaw pack, my three mates on my heels.
Finally, I know what it’s like to belong.