Epilogue
A year later…
Wraith Tower
Scotland’s Ninth Realm
The newborn babe in the crook of her left arm yawned and grunted without opening his eyes. The infant snuggled in her right arm, still red-faced from leading the way into the world, squeaked and stretched, kicking her feet as if displeased with the feel of the swaddling wrapped around her.
“Banner and Bella,” Calia whispered, so deliriously happy that tears streamed unchecked. “Such precious babies. Twins. I can’t believe we have twins.”
“They are indeed perfect,” Litress said, sounding just as delighted and also just as weary. “Our cherished babies.”
“Ye will let me in there now!” Mathison roared. The bedroom door flew open, bouncing off the wall as though it had been kicked out of the way. He charged to the bedside, halted with his mouth hanging open, then slowly knelt. “Two bairns?”
“A son and a daughter. Banner and Bella…if those names are all right with you?”
With his unblinking stare locked on the babies, he barely nodded. “Perfect, my love. Nearly as perfect as yerself.”
“Get up here with us. We want you snuggled in close.”
“It’ll nay hurt ye?” He eyed her as if she were as fragile as a fairy web.
“I’m just a little sore and tired, but other than that, I’m fine.
Bresag gave me a cup of dragon’s tears just to be sure, then she and Mynlis pronounced me and the babies as healthy as can be.
” She swallowed hard. Emotions threatened to strangle her.
“They’re miracles. I thought I was too old to have a baby, and now, here we have two. ”
“Twins run in the Wolf Clan.” He settled down beside them and barely brushed a fingertip across his son’s head, then softly touched his daughter’s cheek. Turning to Calia, he gave her a tender kiss that made her happy tears stream faster. “They were meant to be just as we were.”
“I’m so glad I didn’t bolt the door and tell you to leave that day Mairwen sent you to my cottage.” She leaned against him, perfectly content and unable to believe how vastly her life had changed.
“I would have kicked it down and wooed ye until yer knees were weak with wanting me.” With a seductive smugness that always made her want to kiss him, he jutted his chin higher. “Ye are my mate forevermore, mo chridhe. Till the end of time.”
“Always,” she said as both babies grunted and squeaked before dozing back off. “Always and forever.”