Epilogue
They ended up waiting a few weeks before inviting Taron to the pack.
Not only because Jonah was up to his ears in adoption paperwork, trying to get settled in his permanent position at Spellbound, and experiencing his first werewolf holiday season, but also because while doing said paperwork, Emmett realized that Jonah’s birthday was only a few weeks away.
Jonah had honestly forgotten; his parents stopped celebrating his birthday when he was sixteen, and even before then, they didn’t do anything huge for it.
It was right after the holidays, they were tired from all the family gatherings, and it was too much effort to throw together something when they’d just seen the family a few weeks prior.
Jonah hadn’t had a true celebration of his birthday since he was a little kid.
Emmett, however, refused to let the day pass without a fuss.
Werewolves were apparently big on birthday parties, and the idea of skipping it was so foreign to him, he couldn’t wrap his head around it.
Instead, he went behind Jonah’s back, pointed out the date to Taron, who was leaning hard into the parenting thing, and together, they started planning a big celebration that would also be used to introduce Jonah’s office family to his new pack.
Jonah wasn’t sure how he felt about it, but when the day finally came, he decided it was best to just roll with it.
The best way to handle the pack was to roll with the punches.
They were a rowdy bunch, with a chaotic energy that always got them into one shenanigan or another, but always kept the good times coming.
And Emmett was right, they never once gave Jonah the impression that they’d kick someone out.
Even when a werewolf got drunk and went streaking through the middle of downtown, getting arrested for public indecency, and attempting to ride a civil officer.
Because yes, they tried to climb onto the centaur officer taking their statement.
Jonah had laughed so hard hearing the story from Harlem that his sides hurt, and Emmett had to catch him before he fell onto the floor.
He woke up on his birthday in his favorite spot, half-buried under Emmett’s large furry bulk, warm and so relaxed, he couldn’t muster the energy to get up until someone started knocking at the front door and woke up his heated blanket.
Emmett’s snarl gave Jonah goosebumps, but he didn’t get up when Emmett did.
He listened as his mate grumbled and stomped down the stairs, his voice sharp as he barked at whoever had woken them.
The conversation was short, and whatever the news was, it seemed to put Emmett into a better mood because he came bounding up the stairs and crawled over Jonah, pressing his nose into his neck as he made a happy grumbling noise.
“Happy birthday.”
“Is it? Because I was hoping to wake up in a different way, and I’m a little disappointed–”
He cut himself off with a yelp when Emmett yanked his sleep pants off in one quick motion. The werewolf moved fast when he wanted something, and he never said no to sex.
“Ungh… Who was… Oh, fuck… Who was at the door?” he moaned, lifting his hips as Emmett’s tongue worked him open.
He wasn’t even mad that his mate hadn’t even kissed him yet.
Emmett wasn’t making him move, he was still really comfy, and the promise of Emmett’s knot was just on the horizon.
Lazy morning sex was one of his favorite things ever.
Shifting lower to tongue at his balls, Emmett answered, “Harlem. He wants me to keep you busy while they finish setting up the party.”
Jonah made a mental note to thank Harlem later. He was more than happy to be distracted for as long as they needed. Especially when Emmett’s tongue returned to his ass and started teasing his prostate.
The most Emmett made him move was to draw one leg up to make more room for him.
He rested his big body on top of Jonah’s, surrounding him with soft fur and firm muscles, and slid inside him in one smooth motion.
Jonah groaned, face half-buried in the pillow as he let Emmett have his wicked way with him.
“Want to try that thing we were talking about?” Emmett purred into his ear.
Jonah shuddered and nodded. He wasn’t even sure what Emmett was referring to, they talked about a lot of positions since they started hooking up, but he didn’t even care. Whatever Emmett had planned, Jonah was down for it.
Emmett pushed deeper, the swell of his knot only a tease compared to its full size. A memory of the conversation sparked in Jonah’s mind and he moaned, clenching around Emmett’s length just thinking about what was about to happen.
Sliding a hand underneath them, Emmett wrapped it around Jonah’s cock, his grip just tight enough that when he ground his hips against Jonah’s, the movement slid Jonah’s cock through his grip already covered in slick.
Jonah moaned helplessly, trapped under Emmett’s weight as he took pleasure from both sides.
Emmett didn’t pull out, just ground against him, keeping his cock deep inside him.
It was just enough to tease, while the slide of Jonah’s cock through Emmett’s hand made him clench and moan, his writhing movements only turning them both on more.
The reason for the position slowly got more intense, and Jonah felt his breath catch as Emmett’s knot swelled inside him.
He loved the pounding movements, the promise of the knot when they were so close to coming, but something about feeling it stretching him from the inside was setting Jonah on fire.
He whimpered and gasped, thrusting into Emmett’s hand, and his eyes rolled back as it stretched him to his limit.
“Emmett, Emmett, Emmett…”
Emmett was too far gone to answer, groaning and rocking his hips, making them both moan as the movement pulled at where they were locked together. “Ngh, Jonah, fuck…”
He growled when Jonah arched into him, and the feral sound had Jonah clamping down hard on that knot, setting them both off. Jonah came with a long moan, the knot grinding on his prostate in just the right way, while the squeeze of Jonah’s body made Emmett howl as he came.
He was snickering when they caught their breath, and Jonah felt Emmett move as he nuzzled the mark on his shoulder, giving it an affectionate lick like he always did after sex. “What’s so funny?”
“You. Did the werewolf howl thing come from a werewolf having sex, or is it just coincidence that you do that?”
He felt rather than saw the grin spread across Emmett’s face, he was still face down on the mattress and trapped under Emmett’s weight, and he braced himself for an equally ridiculous answer to the ridiculous question.
“Could have come from a werewolf having sex, but I think part of it has to do with you. The way your body clenches around mine makes me feel absolutely feral.”
Heat swept through him, and he clenched automatically, making Emmett groan. When he rocked his hips, tugging at their connection, Jonah got the feeling he was going to be limping to the party.
Oh well. Totally worth it.
Taron didn’t just show up with his mates.
It seemed like he showed up with half of Spellbound.
Peri and Kian were there of course, being some of Jonah’s closest friends at the office.
They naturally brought their mates with them.
Roz was a given. But Taron also invited Avery; his mate Ozen, who was literally the CEO of the company; their chief legal officer, the grumpy dragon who let them use his balcony for their picnic and his mate; the mage they’d been working with to establish Spellbound’s Moonfall pack team and his mate, who was the first telepath Jonah had ever met, and a few others Jonah didn't entirely recognize.
The names started to blend together at one point, and he was pretty sure Taron had decided to use his birthday as an excuse to go a little crazy.
They all brought presents, which was another shock for Jonah.
He hadn’t gotten a birthday present in over ten years.
But not only were there presents from all Taron’s friends, the pack had gone all out as well.
The present table was so overflowing that they’d had to bring out another just to support it all.
It was all a little chaotic and overwhelming, but Jonah wasn’t about to start complaining.
He was just happy he’d managed to talk his way out of the karaoke competition.
He couldn’t hold a tune to save his life, and he didn't want to embarrass himself. Emmett didn’t have the same reservations, him and Miguel both singing their lungs out on the little stage they’d set up specifically for that purpose.
Emmett had a decent voice, way better than Jonah’s warbling attempts whenever he sang, but it was Miguel who was stealing the show, his crooning notes giving Jonah goosebumps.
The man belonged on a real stage somewhere.
Jonah’s phone ringing drew his focus from the stage just as they were gearing up for the grand finale. He was going to silence it, figuring it was spam, but when he saw the name on the screen, he frowned, stepping away from the party to find somewhere quieter as he answered the phone.
“Mom?”
“Jonah…”
Her normally clipped tone was hesitant, like she hadn’t expected him to answer the phone. It took her a second to speak.
“You missed the holidays.”
Jonah felt his eyebrows go up. “I didn’t think I was invited.”
She huffed, gathering steam now that she was in familiar territory. “You would be if you came to your senses. This has gone on long enough, Jonah. You need to come home and apologize.”
“No.”
She went quiet again, stunned into silence from Jonah’s abrupt answer. “No?”
“No. I’m not apologizing for something I’m not sorry for. I refuse to spend my life with my head in the sand, pretending supes are evil when they’re just people. You realize that, right? They’re just like you and me. Pretending otherwise is the reason why humans are struggling.”
“That’s not true! Supernaturals are the reason we live like this! We taught you–”
“You taught me wrong. I can’t blame you for all of it, you were taught the same thing and growing up isolated like that makes it really hard for someone to learn the truth, but remaining ignorant just because you don’t like the way the world works is like living life with blinders on.
There’s so much more to the world that you’re missing living like that. ”
This time, the silence was heavy. Jonah had never talked back to his parents, always too afraid of pushing them too far and losing what he had.
But when he looked out over the party, taking in the people who not only accepted him, but claimed him fiercely, he wasn’t afraid anymore.
He may have lost the family he was born into, but in his opinion, he gained something so much better.
Here, with the pack, with the supe who adopted him and all the friends he’d made along the way, he found a real family.
“You’re never going to come home, are you?” she asked, her voice trembling just a little. It was more emotion than she’d ever spared him, and he felt guilty for a minute, but shook it off when Emmett’s attention turned his way and he started making his way over to Jonah’s side.
“I am home. I found a good home with people who love me just as I am and don’t hold me back from seeing the truth. I belong here with them. With people who won’t toss me aside or hurt me for not believing like they do.”
“We didn’t hurt you,” she argued, but Jonah could hear the uncertainty in her voice. She knew better than to think that was true.
“You hurt me when you chose to stop loving me just because of my beliefs.”
Emmett came up beside him, wrapping him up in a hug like he knew it was what Jonah needed. He probably did. Something about their mate bond gave Emmett a little insight into Jonah’s mood. The same thing could be said for Jonah.
When she spoke again, his mom sounded defeated. “I never stopped loving you. I just… can’t understand you anymore. You know if you choose them, you can’t come back here… It took a lot for me to convince your father to give you this chance.”
“I know. And I’m sorry. But I can’t go back to living a lie. This is where I belong.”
Emmett squeezed him in agreement and Jonah knew his mate could hear everything that was being said. He stayed silent because he knew Jonah needed the closure. He needed the chance to say goodbye to the life he’d had.
“If that’s what you want. I honestly hope you never come to regret it. Happy birthday, Jonah. I love you.”
“I love you, too. And if you’re ever ready to learn more, you know where to find me. Goodbye, Mom.”
He hung up, letting his hand fall and the grip on his phone loosened.
“You okay?” Emmett asked softly.
Drawing in a slow steady breath, he nodded. “I’m good. I’m where I’m supposed to be.”
And he was. Maybe one day his family would realize that.
But he wasn’t going to hold his breath waiting for that day.
He was going to live his life, blinders off, and know that he chose right in the end.
Opening his eyes led him to finding his mate, a job he loved, and a family that accepted him.
Nothing in the world could get him to turn his back on that.