Epilogue
EPILOGUE
C hristophe
I follow Chael into the large double doors of the National Shifter Alliance’s headquarters. Chance brings up the rear.
My heart pounds inside of my chest. The last time I was in this building it was under very different circumstances. I came here with Rufus Dalton to wreak havoc and destruction on my pack.
My only consolation as I stride along the long hallways of the headquarters toward the basement level floor where the most important meetings of the NSA are held, is that at least my pack is safe from its enemies. That includes Rufus, Dr. X, and the people they worked with who tried to destroy us shifters.
I’m here to be resentenced to the rightful shifter prison. And though I’ll do so with a heavy heart, at least I know that my pack, and Ashley, are safe.
“This way.” A large man in a suit holds out his hand. One sniff tells me he’s a bear shifter. Chael had an entirely new set of guards hired at the headquarters after he rooted out the guards that’d been working with Dr. X for years.
I take a deep inhale as we enter the massive room. Toward the back sits a semi-circle row of tables and chairs, looking exactly like the committee congress that it is. Seated in the chairs is an array of bodies, from every paranormal life form that exists on this planet.
Wolf shifters, bear shifters, cougars, leopards, even dragons, and witches exist on this council.
And every single one of them has their attention trained on me.
One of the tables remains empty, though. The name on the placard doesn’t surprise me as I read ‘Chael Nightwolf’ in gold letters. In this room with such powerful shifters making decisions that impact the rest of us, is where Chael belongs.
“Gentleman,” one of the men calls out.
All heads turn his way. I read the placard in front of him. Amadeus Steele.
My eyes widen upon seeing one of the eldest known vampires in the world.
“Now that we’re all here, let’s get this meeting started.” His tone comes out sounding bored, as if he’d rather be anywhere else but here. Typical from a vampire.
He’s right, though.
We all know why we’re here. To resentence me to the true shifter prison where I belong. My heart aches, but it’s not for me.
It’s from the memory of this morning when I gently eased myself from underneath Ashley’s body as she slept in my bed. I pressed a kiss to the top of her head and then left the note I’d written her on the nightstand.
Yes, I’m a coward for leaving her that way, but it’s easier this way. Maybe, perhaps someday her heart will feel less broken, less agony.
I know mine never will, but it’s not about me.
As long as she is taken care of.
“Well, as for me, I don’t believe we need to have much discussion,” one of the bear shifter members says. “As far as I’m concerned, Prisoner 910240 has already been sentenced. He was erroneously placed in an enemy prison, but now we can right that wrong. He will live out his days in the proper shifter jail.”
“Christophe Nightwolf,” Chael’s voice suddenly booms around the room.
All eyes, including mine, pivot to him at the center of the room.
“His name is Christophe Nightwolf,” he repeats. “Not Prisoner 910240. He has a name. Use it.”
No one in here misses the way his eyes glint.
I stand here, speechless, not knowing what to say. Even as Chael turns to me.
“And he was erroneously placed in prison at all,” he comments.
My eyes widen, my eyebrows nearly touching my forehead.
“Chael, what are you saying?” Amadeus asks, his voice clipped.
“I’m saying that his charges should’ve never been brought before the committee.” Chael turns back to me. “What Christophe did, his crime, was a matter of pack business and should’ve been left for the pack to decide his fate.”
I shake my head in disbelief.
“But …” I trail off.
“And the Nightwolf pack has spoken,” Chael continues speaking over me and the others who try to ask. He turns to Chance, who hands him a file.
“Inside of this folder I have a signed, uncoerced affidavit from every member of my pack stating that they believe Christophe Nightwolf’s status as a member of the Nightwolf pack should be reinstated.”
Air whooshes from my lungs.
How is that possible?
“When did?—”
“This process has been in the works for weeks, but the final document was signed the night of the Supermoon Ceremony,” he says, speaking loudly for everyone to hear him but looking directly at me.
He turns back to the committee. “That was right before my brother risked his life once again to save two revered members of our pack. And in doing so, he stopped a man bent on the destruction of not only my pack, but all of us.”
Chael slowly scans the men before us. “A man who was able to bribe the very government contract workers you all hired to deliver prisoners from our courts to his private prison. Where he tortured shifters of every kind.
“My months’ long private investigation revealed the level to which he was able to penetrate our committee’s defenses. Ever since I became a member of this committee, I’ve been investigating, which is how I found out about the secret prison in the first place, only a few months ago. Had I not …” He looks at me, a profound sadness in his eyes.
A few of the members visibly shift in their seats in discomfort.
“If our security had been better, he would not have gotten away with his crimes for so long. And my brother and his mate would not have been subjected to months of psychological and physical pain and torture.”
His voice comes out in an angered growl. “He has suffered enough.”
My heart squeezes.
“Never in the history of this committee have we overturned a punishment that we’ve doled out,” the leopard shifter says.
“There’s a first time for everything,” Chael snaps back.
There’s some grumbling around the room.
“It’s either this or we can expose to all of the packs and paranormals the way this committee failed us all, and put their safety in jeopardy. Do we think that will go over very well?” he threatens.
“Chael, we do not have to make any threats.”
“And you do not get to sentence my brother to any more pain than he’s already suffered.”
I look toward Chael. His eyes are shining but not angrily. It’s unshed tears.
“It’s been long overdue for me to say this, brother. You belong with us.”
I swallow the lump in my throat, too choked up to respond. He must understand because he places a comforting hand on my shoulder, squeezing.
“As wonderful as this family moment is, I think we can all agree this should take place at your home,” Amadeus says, in that same bored tone.
“Fucking vampires,” Chael grumbles.
“I heard that.”
“It was meant for you to hear,” Chael shoots back.
“Watch it?—”
“Well, gentlemen,” one of the bear shifters calls out, “I think we can all agree with Chael that this is a matter between his pack. There’s no need for us to interfere. Meeting adjourned.”
He slams the gavel down.
“No! You can’t do this!”
I immediately turn toward the commotion coming from down the hall. My wolf comes to attention inside of me as well. We both recognize the voice instantly.
“I won’t allow you to do this to him!”
“Ashley?” I murmur, unconsciously moving toward the door.
Ashley, followed by Emery and Reese, bursts through the door, nearly stumbling. I catch her in my arms so she doesn’t fall.
“Butterfly, what are you doing here?”
She actually punches my chest. “What are you doing here? Leaving me some note …” She turns away from me as she looks toward the others in the room. “You can’t take him away,” she yells.
I tug her arm, but she pulls it away from me and charges toward the center of the room.
“I won’t allow it.”
“Young lady?—”
“No, sir. I’m sorry to barge in like this, but Christophe is my mate and none of you know the pain he’s gone through. The pain he endured while in that prison just to protect me. The way he fought to make it up to the Nightwolves after his betrayal. He almost died, twice,” she points out.
“I will not allow you to send him to prison. Not again.”
My heart leaps against my rib cage as I listen to her fight for me. Still, I go to her, tugging her arm to get her to turn to me.
“Ashley, butterfly, let’s go.”
“No, they’re going to listen to me,” she says adamantly. “There’s no way I will stand by while you send him to live out the rest of his life behind bars.”
“Young lady, that’s enough.”
“Fine. If you send him back, then I’m going with him. He’s my fated mate, and there’s no way I can go even one day without him by my side. I?—”
I pull her into my arms. “Me too. Not one day. So let’s go home.”
She nods. “And another thing. How dare you try to persecute someone …” She trails off, as she spins to face me with wide eyes. “Did you just say?—”
“Yes, I did. Let’s go home. To New Mexico and our pack.”
“Wait,” she looks over her shoulder then back at me, “they’ll let you?”
I turn to look at Chael who’s smirking at the both of us with his arms folded over his chest.
“Apparently, my brother has some pull with these guys.”
Ashley blinks between looking from me to Chael and back to me again.
I cup her face. “Will you come home with me and spend the rest of your days as my mate?”
The most beautiful smile I’ve ever witnessed lights up her face.
“What took you so long to ask?”
I toss my head back and laugh before I bring her lips to mine.
“Is all of that necessary?”
Ashley startles and looks in the direction the question came from. “Is that … is he really a vampire?”
“Let’s go.”
I take her hand in mine and lead us out of the committee’s chambers.
“We’re really going home? Together? For good?” Ashley asks, as if not believing it.
I bring her hand to my lips, kissing it as we exit the main doors of the property. I come to an immediate stop when I see all of the familiar faces standing around the massive driveway.
“Oh yeah, they all wanted to come,” Ashley says, laughter in her voice.
Reese approaches us. “We wouldn’t let them take you a second time,” she says. “Not that we didn’t trust Chael to do right by you.” She smiles over at Chael, who wraps his arms around her waist before placing a hand on their son’s head, as he’s strapped to Reese’s front.
“Thanks for the vote of confidence,” he tells her.
“We’ve got a long drive back,” Mike yells out, his arm wrapped around his pregnant mate. They’re both smiling at me. “And Ms. Elsie’s been roasting a pig overnight just for this occasion.”
“I think they’re getting antsy.”
“What do you say we all have dinner at the main house tonight?” Chael asks, his hand on my shoulder.
I nod, again choked up on my words.
Ashley wraps her arms around my neck, and I pull her into me.
“Thank you,” I murmur into the crook of her neck.
“I didn’t do anything.”
I shake my head as I pull back. “You gave me a reason to live,” I remind her. “I’ll spend the rest of my life making it up to you.”
Those are the last words I tell her before I crush our lips together, cementing our committed bond.
For eternity.
* * *
Not quite done with Christophe and Ashley? Click here to read their bonus epilogue to find out how they spent their honeymoon.