Epilogue
Six months later
My heart jumps into my throat as we turn off the highway and pass onto a familiar old road.
Immediately, Blake reaches for my hand.
He knows.
He always knows when I’m stressed or worried or scared. He holds it in his big, warm grasp. Our animals connect and my pulse slows.
“You’re so beautiful, Baby Bird,” he murmurs.
He tells me that a lot. He tells me a bunch of other flattering stuff, too. But I think because he knows my appearance has caused me the most distress over the years, he always makes sure to compliment my looks.
“You keep telling me that and I might start to believe you,” I say.
He makes a sound of mock-exasperation, and I grin.
I do believe, him, mostly.
Because there’s no mistaking the love and desire in his eyes, so many times each day.
This morning, when I crept out of the bedroom in a long, black silky thing with a big, attention-grabbing skirt, I swear his eyes teared up. Gently, he drew me in front of the hallway mirror and stood behind me, telling me to close my eyes.
When I opened them again, he was slipping a beautiful, emerald necklace around my neck. “Wow,” he breathed. “I knew it. It goes so well with your hair and eyes.” My cheeks went pink as I acknowledged he might be right.
Reflexively, I lift my fingers to it. It’s gorgeous. Expensive and intricate. The weight of it around my neck gives me confidence.
We pass through a bunch of smaller streets as we get closer to our destination, but the contact with Blake’s hand reassures me.
We make one final turn, and suddenly—we’re there.
The big, gray institutional building swings into view.
The air rushes out of me.
It’s fine.
It’s really fine.
I thought I might pass out or throw up or something when I came face-to-face with my old high school. But it’s not the monster I’ve been imagining all these years. It’s just a building. Smaller and shabbier than I remember.
“Are you okay, sweetheart?” Blake lays his arm around my shoulders.
“Yes. I am,” I say, and I start laughing.
Because it was so crazy to imagine that, with all the amazing things that fill my life now, this old place would have any effect on me.
I think of all those poor, insecure kids stuffed into that building.
All those egos and neuroses, and products of bad parenting.
And I feel sorry for them. For every single one of them who tormented me.
How much they must’ve hated themselves to have bullied other people.
Blake jumps out of the car and dashes around to my side. He opens the door for me. He’s wearing a tux and he looks ridiculously handsome. Every time I look at him, I swoon a little bit.
“Shall we?” He offers his elbow, like a gentleman from another era, and I tuck myself against his side. I love the way we fit together—an Alpha wolf and a little quirky bird. Who would’ve guessed we’d be so perfect for each other?
He leads me toward the building, and my heart swells with pride.
A banner hangs over the entrance, reading Gradwell High Class of 2013 Reunion – Welcome Back!
There’s a prickle in my stomach, but it’s more anticipation than nerves.
“You’re the belle of the ball,” Blake murmurs, dipping his head and planting a kiss on my cheek.
“We haven’t seen anyone else yet.”
He shrugs happily. “Doesn’t matter.”
He opens the front door for me, then the second set of doors, and we’re in.
Back in this weird little microcosm of hormones and angst. The same scuffed old lino flooring; the same lockers lining the same corridors.
And there’s my old locker—number 349. The site where Blake snatched the porn out of my hand, and realized that I was his mate.
It was the site of a lot of other things, too.
But I don’t care about any of those. Tenderness sweeps through me.
As we pass, I brush it with my fingertips, and offer a silent blessing to whoever owns that locker now.
At the end of the corridor is the grand hall. Music filters through—some R&B song from back in the day.
Blake gives me one final look of pride and love, and we sweep in.
And a million eyes turn in our direction.
They’re all looking at Blake. Of course, they are. They’re all wondering what the hottest, coolest guy in the school has been doing all these years. I smile to myself as envy, affection and lust fills these eyes. I’m so proud of him, I could burst.
There’s a kind of pause as everyone takes him in. And then they rush over.
What’s up bro?
Where have you been?
Thought you were dead! You haven’t returned any of my calls.
A few months ago, I discovered that Blake hasn’t kept in touch with anyone from his high school days. He told me he felt so bad about all the bullying and cheating he wanted to put the whole thing behind him. So now the curiosity is so intense, I can taste it.
Then, the crowd parts and a tall, blonde woman appears. Lacey. Blake’s bitchy ex-girlfriend.
She’s still striking. A head-turner. Her toned body is encased in a shimmering gold ballgown. But up close, her face looks kind of puffy, like she’s had some work done on it.
“Hey, Blake,” she says breathlessly. “Been a long time.”
“Lacey.” He gives a cursory nod.
A frown mars her smooth forehead. “That’s all you’ve got for me? After everything?”
She throws her arms out and steps in to kiss him.
My bird ruffles its feathers and snaps its beak, ready to attack.
But Blake draws me against him more tightly. “Lacey, meet Elinor, my mate.”
Lacey comes up short. Her collagen-filled upper lip draws back, and she stares at me with a mixture of confusion and dismay.
“Your mate,” she repeats. As she looks me up and down, there’s something else in her eyes. Envy? No…that’s not it. She looks kind of self-conscious? … She finds me intimidating. My heart gives a little jump of shock.
Can that be right?
Something about my appearance makes Lacey feel inadequate? I don’t pretend to understand it, but I’m gonna enjoy it for the next few seconds.
This morning, Blake told me I look like one of those supermodels. You’re not the girl next-door, he told me. You’re totally unique. I get a warm feeling thinking about it.
“How long have you been together?” Lacey demands.
“A while, but we met at high school,” Blake says, planting a kiss on my cheek.
“High school?” Lacey’s mouth starts to work, and I can practically see the cogs of her brain turning. “What year?”
“Our year,” Blake says.
Her eyes narrow in confusion.
“She was the smart one. She won the national spelling bee. The science prize.”
“One of the nerds?” Lacey blinks, then her eyes get comically wide. “Ohh—I do remember you… Oh, my god. You were that girl who got Jeff expelled, and took down half the football team.”
I feel Blake tensing beside me. But my crow communicates with his wolf:
I got this, she tells him.
“They took themselves down,” I say coolly.
“And now she’s your mate?” she flashes Blake a look of outrage.
“Yup. We’re fated mates.”
“After you dumped me?” She makes a kind of strangled sound.
“Speaking of Jeff, you know what I remember you for, Lacey?” I cock my head, looking at her thoughtfully.
As I hold her gaze, she stiffens, then slowly, a pink flush spreads across her cheeks and all over her chest.
Because I know she’s thinking what I’m thinking… of that time I burst into the restroom and caught her blowing Jeff and one of his teammates, at the same time.
She stares at me in horror. “No,” she mouths.
I hold on for another beat.
“Nothing,” I say sweetly. “I don’t remember you at all.”
Then I turn on my heel and flounce off.
All night long, Blake keeps a protective arm around me, while we chat, snack and dance together. I’m having a lot of fun. People are interested to hear all about my work, touring with Dead Fox Parade, and about JC’s which is doing real well at the moment.
Halfway through the evening, the music pauses and our old principal, Mr Montgomery, clumps onto the stage.
I break into a grin at the sight of him.
When I blew the whistle on the cheating and bullying, he warned me that the path I was choosing was the brave one, but not an easy one.
But I shouldn’t be afraid to do the right thing.
And he was right. I haven’t regretted my decision for a second.
He gives a speech, welcoming back the class of 2013.
“And now—” he says, beaming at the audience through his big, red moustache. “We are very lucky to have a rising star in our midst. Please put your hands together and welcome Elinor Earwood to the stage!”
“This is it, baby,” Blake whispers in my ear. As the audience claps, he lays his hands on my waist and guides me toward the stage. This is my eleventh live gig, and I feel a lot less nervous than I used to, but there’s still a little tightness in my stomach.
When I reach the first step, I turn and face Blake, grasping his hands in mine. “Surprise… you’re coming, too.”
He frowns. “This isn’t what we agreed… you were going to do a solo… ”
“I need you with me Blake.”
He nods. That’s all I need to say. Keeping hold of my hand, he follows me up the steps and joins me center stage.
The high school band is on the stage behind us, waiting to intro the first song.
“Tonight, I was going to sing a solo for you all—” I speak into the microphone.
It’s still a surprise how effortlessly my voice travels across the room.
“But since Blake Waldgrave is such a big part of my story, there’s no way I could be up here without him.
And tonight, we’re going to duet a song that means a lot to us both. ”
I turn and nod to the leader guitarist, he plays the opening chords, and—
And the room explodes into cheering and whooping.
I had no idea how popular this song was. How many people could relate to it. We were all lonely, all hoping things would get better, I realize.
Tears prickle my eyes as I sing the intro and Blake joins me in the chorus… and suddenly, the audience is singing, too.
It’s an incredible, uplifting moment. Warmth floods my entire body.
By the time I’m singing the final line, tears are pouring down my cheeks, and the applause is deafening.
We’re all together. This bunch of totally diverse people, united in our common experiences.
“That was incredible, baby,” Blake says, close to my ear.
“Because of you,” I reply.
I thank my old classmates in a choked-up voice. I’m about to introduce the next song, when Blake drops down in front of me.
It takes my brain a minute to catch up, to figure out what’s going on.
He’s down on one knee. There’s a blue velvet box, tiny in his huge hand. It’s snapping open, and an emerald-green ring is sparkling. It looks very similar to the necklace around my neck, I realize distractedly.
“Elinor Earwood, I love you with all my heart and soul. I’ve known you’re mine since that moment we locked eyes at high school—” Blake’s deep voice booms around the hall.
“You’re the most incredible thing that’s ever happened to me.
And every day I wake up and can’t believe you’re right there beside me.
We’ve officially been mates for six months—which is the most important thing, of course.
But will you do me the honor of becoming my lawfully-wedded wife? ”
I let out a gasp, and stare into his gorgeous eyes. I have his mark on my neck. Our animals are perfectly bonded, and now this… this public sign of our love.
It’s so romantic, I could burst.
“Yes,” I manage to say, and I fall into his embrace and kiss him, kiss him, while my bird heart soars. And all around us, whistles and cheers fill the air.
THE END