Epilogue
Kai
Six Years Later
Excitement shot through me as I waited in my cap and gown for my name to be called. So many people were here in Hilo for my graduation. Not just Steven and Ashton, but my brother, Auntie Kiki and her family, so many aunties and cousins, and even some of Ashton’s family.
It was the perfect May day for it, too.
I turned and glanced at them. I wouldn’t be here without their support. The past six years had been a lot. Getting a PhD was difficult. Doing it while partially long-distance, and being away from my alphas, had been harder than I expected, even with the accommodations offered for omegas.
But here I was. About to be Dr. Kai.
I’d done my classes here while they were in Nashville with the Scorpions, going back and forth so often I’d become good friends with one of the flight attendants.
Then everything changed in an instant.
Ashton had gotten badly injured in a game.
I’d taken a semester off to be with him through his rehab.
He’d ended up retiring when his contract was up and moved to Hawai’i to stay with me, as I finished up everything I needed to do on campus.
After that, I decided to do my research in Washington State.
But I’d been planning on that all along, and my advisor had been helping make the contacts necessary to do so.
After that, even though Steven hated to leave the Scorpions, after his contract finished, he’d gone to the Puck Panthers in order to be closer to us. The Panthers were technically closer to where we lived than the Seattle Strike.
It had been fun for Ashton and me to be ‘hockey spouses’ and show up to all his games, while wearing his jersey.
At first, I’d been worried that it would make Ashton sad, but he’d confessed that while he missed his teammates, he'd been ready to retire and was happy to be my research assistant, and support Steven.
Ashton made the best research assistant, too. He’d also gotten his MBA and was working for his family’s business when he wasn’t helping me.
The three of us had supported each other through good, bad, and bonding. Ashton’s family was incredible and had not only welcomed me into their family but supported us wholeheartedly as we’d made everything work for the past six years.
Steven ended up cutting his parents off permanently. But his grandma had been at our bonding party, and she’d taught me how to make some of his favorite dishes.
Just like Ashton’s grandma taught me how to make her chocolate chip cookies.
And Auntie taught them how to make adobo.
After graduation, I’d be taking a position with a conservation organization in Washington that I’d been doing a lot of work with.
Washington was beautiful, but I missed Hawai’i a lot. We’d been talking about moving back to Hawai’i once Steven retired from hockey. He had maybe a year or two left. Ashton’s family fully supported us moving, even though he did a lot for their business, which was now flourishing.
My name was called, I walked across and got my diploma, waving at both of them, wondering if they’d figured out my secret yet.
After graduation finished Steven came over to me and picked me up, spinning me around, as I tried valiantly not to throw up.
“You did it!” He kissed me.
Technically, I’d done it after I’d successfully defended my dissertation, but this was a huge milestone in its own right.
“I did.” I grinned and hugged Ashton, who took a little longer to get to me.
Ashton nuzzled my neck, then gave me a puzzled look. “Keeping secrets, Starshine?”
“Um, remember that surprise heat I had after Steven’s season finished?” I smirked. “I’m glad you’re going to play at least one more season, because I really want to bring our baby to their first hockey game to see their daddy play,” I confessed.
“We’re going to be dads?” Steven’s face lit up. He’d wanted kids so badly but had supported me wanting to wait until I graduated.
“Yes! You two are going to be the best dads.” I kissed him, then turned to Ashton.
Ashton’s arms tightened around me. “You are going to be an incredible parent. I can’t wait for us to teach them how to climb trees.”
“It’ll be great,” I agreed.
And a baby made four. While we were already a family, now it would be even bigger. With more joy. More happiness. And more tree climbing.
I couldn’t wait.
The End.
Thank you so much for reading The Wrong Pucking Omega.