Epilogue
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MACKENZIE ADJUSTED the baby carrier on his chest as he followed Nico up the steps to Dean and Jasper’s house.
Their daughter made a small sound, and he placed a hand on her back, soothing her back to sleep.
Even though she was just over two months old, the feeling of her against him still felt like a miracle.
“She’s out again,” Nico observed, glancing back with a smile. “She always falls asleep in that thing.”
“Your father says you were the same way. Loved being carried around everywhere.”
Nico rolled his eyes but knocked on the door. “He tells you too many embarrassing stories.”
The door swung open before Mackenzie could respond, revealing Dean with a grin on his face and his baby on his hip. “Finally! Jasper’s been working in the kitchen for the past hour like we’re hosting royalty.”
“We’re hosting family,” Jasper called from somewhere inside. “Get in here before the food gets cold.”
They filed into the house, the warmth of Dean’s home wrapping around Mackenzie like a comfortable blanket.
It was strange to think that less than a year ago, he’d been overwhelmed by the forest, by shifter politics, by the thought of Dean being with Jasper—an alpha—and pregnant.
Now Jasper felt like family, just like the man had yelled seconds before.
“Let me see her,” Dean demanded immediately as he offered his son to Nico, who happily took him. “God, she’s gotten so big already. Look at those cheeks.”
Jasper appeared from the kitchen with a dish towel over his shoulder. “I keep telling him we’re not having another one until this one’s at least two.”
“Smart,” Nico said. “Though I have to admit, it’s been easier than I expected.”
“That’s because Mackenzie does all the hard work,” Dean teased.
“Not true,” Mackenzie protested. “Nico’s the one who gets up for the middle-of-the-night feedings.” And god knew there were many of those. Mackenzie helped where he could, but there was only so much he could do about that.
They settled at the dining table, the babies in their carriers so the adults could eat. Jasper had cooked a roast with roasted vegetables and fresh bread. It was delicious, and Mackenzie ate like he was starving.
“How are things in bobcat territory?” Jasper asked. “I heard your father’s been implementing some of the new security measures.”
“He has,” Nico confirmed. “Though honestly, it feels excessive since Silas is gone, but you know him. He listens to what I have to say, then does what he thinks is right anyway.”
Silas was gone, and the forest and the shifters who lived in it were finally safe. Mackenzie still had nightmares about the day Silas had caught him sometimes, especially now that their daughter had been born, but they were happening more rarely now.
“The whole forest feels different,” Dean said. “More relaxed. The weasel alpha smiled at me the other day, which I never thought would happen.”
Mackenzie nodded, even though he hadn’t been living here long.
He’d seen enough to know that the boundaries between territories were slowly fading, though.
Alphas weren’t as strict about letting other shifters visit.
Different species were mingling, something they’d always done in Northwood, but that was expanding now.
“It helps that we have proof that human-shifter relationships work,” Jasper added, gesturing between the four of them. “Hard to argue against possibly letting more of you in when several alphas are happily partnered with humans.”
Mackenzie felt a familiar flutter of anxiety at the reminder of Nico’s future role.
Eventually—hopefully not for many years—Nico would become the bobcat alpha.
Which meant Mackenzie would become the alpha mate, a position he still wasn’t entirely sure he was qualified for.
Nico’s father had been welcoming, but Mackenzie knew there were still some in the clowder who questioned whether a human could properly support their future leader.
No one had said anything to his face, but he could see the way they looked at him sometimes.
As if sensing his unease, Nico’s hand grabbed Mackenzie’s under the table. Mackenzie squeezed. They’d faced worse than Mackenzie eventually becoming the alpha mate. They’d face that the way they’d faced everything else.
Together.
“You’re thinking too much,” Dean said. “I can see it on your face.”
“Just thinking about the future,” Mackenzie admitted.
“The future’s going to be fine. We’re all going to be fine.”
Since Dean already was an alpha mate, Mackenzie decided to believe him. He knew what he was talking about.
Rose chose that moment to wake up, her small cry cutting through the conversation. Mackenzie stood, lifting her from the carrier and cradling her against his chest. She settled down again, her tiny hand gripping his finger as she blinked up at him with Nico’s eyes.
“See?” Nico said softly. “You’re already what we need.”
Later, after dinner was finished and they’d said their goodbyes, Mackenzie buckled their daughter into her car seat while Nico started the engine. The drive back to bobcat territory was quiet and peaceful, the forest dark around them but no longer threatening.
“Thank you,” Mackenzie said as they pulled up to their house.
“For what?”
“For everything. For being patient when I was scared, for not giving up on us, for giving me this life.” Mackenzie gestured to encompass the house, the territory, and their sleeping daughter in the backseat.
“I wouldn’t change any of it.” Even though sometimes, he was still terrified of what would come next.
Nico leaned closer to kiss him. “Neither would I. I wouldn’t even change the scary parts because they’re why we’re here.”
Mackenzie carried their daughter inside, and together, he and Nico moved through the familiar routine of getting her settled for the night.
Mackenzie stood in the nursery doorway afterward, watching Nico adjust her blanket one more time, and felt like his heart might explode.
He loved both of them so much. He hadn’t even known he was capable of loving anyone that much.
But he was, and he’d show both Nico and Rose that love for the rest of their lives.