Epilogue
GARNER
Ifrowned when I saw Elodie swipe a hand over her forehead, which was beaded with sweat.
“Sit,” I demanded, guiding her to a bench.
Florida was hot as fuck in July, and I didn’t like seeing her over exerting herself.
“I shouldn’t have agreed to this shit,” I grumbled.
Elodie sighed and shot me a disgruntled scowl, but at least she sat down.
“I’m fine. A little sweating won’t hurt me or the baby.” She set her hands on her swollen belly and peered up at me. “After two kids, I thought maybe you’d ease up on the over protectiveness.”
I snorted, and she rolled her eyes.
“Yeah, I should’ve known better.”
My gaze scanned the crowded streets of the amusement park, my cougar more alert than usual. Neither of us liked our mate and cubs so exposed. But I was a fucking sucker when it came to their hopeful expressions.
When a job had come up in Orlando, Elodie had immediately begged me to accept. It was only a six week job over the summer before our oldest would enter kindergarten, and our traveling would become much more limited lately.
She wanted to take the kids to Disney World and do all the other activities that families do in this purgatory.
At six months pregnant, I adamantly refused.
But she’d been prepared for my every excuse, even going so far as to have a note from her doctor giving her approval.
Then she and the kids had broken out those puppy dog eyes—so to speak.
“Daddy!”
My head swiveled, and I smiled at the blond little girl and slightly younger, dark-haired boy. They were running toward me with bright faces and giant smiles.
Keane’s kids were hot on their tails while their dad walked behind them at a slower pace, his expression looking as tortured as I felt.
When Laina heard about Elodie’s plans, she had jumped on board and talked Keane into meeting us here for a weekend.
He’d fought it hard but hadn’t been able to come up with a solid reason to say no. So here we were.
“The horses were so pretty!” Penny exclaimed as she hopped onto the bench next to her mother.
“I was a knight,” Mack—our son—said with his chest puffed out proudly.
“Let’s go ride the Small World boat!” one of Keane and Laina’s kids shouted. All the littles agreed loudly, jumping and clapping their hands.
Elodie’s sweet laughter brought a smile to my face.
She looked happy and relaxed, as if she didn’t have a care in the world.
My chest squeezed and filled with warmth all at once. I loved seeing her that way. Knowing she wasn’t afraid, hungry, or weary from life beating her down.
I wanted to give my fated mate the world, but all she’d wanted was love, stability, and a place where she fit in.
But the truth was, she gave us all those things. We belonged to her.
Booker is the next member of the Wilderness Pack to find his fated mate in Her Forever!