Epilogue - Dan
A cool breeze blows in from the desert, lightly brushing my face and making little Faith gurgle in my arms as she reaches out with her tiny fingers. I look down at her, smiling at her joyful expression as she tries to catch the wind.
“Beautiful girl,” I whisper, bending down to kiss her forehead. She giggles, wriggling in my arms to pat my cheeks.
“Shh, I’m watching your mama,” I say, very softly.
Faith goes quiet, her big blue eyes dark and serious.
I look up, out across the stone circle. It’s been exactly a year since the defeat of Sakesh, and the witches decided a cleansing ritual was needed. A vigil was kept on the stone for a long time, and even though it stayed still and cold, Grace said there was still dark energy hanging around it.
The emotions of all the people who were sacrificed, begging to be put to rest. Nothing to do with Sakesh. He’s gone for good.
Out in the middle of the circle, the four lunas hold hands in the center, the desert breeze lightly stirring their long white gowns.
Witches from the coven stand around the edges of the stone, and on the grass around the edge are more witches who have lived within the packs but were afraid to show their powers.
It is truly a new age, when everyone is accepted for who they are. We don’t tolerate inequality anymore.
The girls chant softly, their voices rising and falling in a beautiful rhythm like chimes in the wind. With the fresh breeze, I feel a faint hint of darkness being cleansed away, and it reaches all the way to my soul.
I don’t have to be afraid anymore. Now, I have Faith.
I look back down on my baby girl, smiling as my heart fills with joy. She is the embodiment of true faith to me, proof that all I ever needed to do to heal was open my heart to love.
The ritual ends, and the girls laugh and sing as they hug each other, hurrying from the circle. Somewhere in the crowd, a flute starts to play, followed by a drum, then strings. All around the circle, people laugh and celebrate, sharing food and wine.
All four packs come together in unity. I wonder if Gretchen knew this would happen?
Grace hurries up to me, her big smile the sweetest sight I’ve ever seen. Faith giggles and reaches for her mom, and Grace sweeps her into her arms, covering her face with kisses.
“Everything went well?” I ask. “I mean, it looked like it did, but I don’t really know much about it.”
“I think you know more than you want to admit,” she says. “But yes, it went perfectly. Any tortured souls that were tethered to the stone are now at peace.”
“And Sakesh?”
“Gone,” Grace says, snuggling Faith as we walk towards the trees where the others are sitting on the grass. “It was our rejection of him that was his final defeat. All his years of manipulation came down to that one event—if he could turn us to follow him, and take the power he offered.”
“He chose the wrong girl,” I reply, taking her hand.
She smiles, giving my fingers a squeeze. “He sure did.”
We sit down in a little circle with the other alphas and the girls, relaxing and enjoying the cool air as the shadows slowly lengthen. Grace holds Faith close to her breast and feeds her, and my heart feels so full, it might burst.
“So, what are Luke and Marcus up to?” Brad asks. “Is Luke still your beta, Dan?”
“Yeah,” I say. “He’s more than happy with it, and it’s not a problem for me—he handles all the boring stuff.”
“That’s what betas are for,” Rex chuckles.
“What about Marcus?” Shawn asks.
“He’s been head of scouting,” Rex answers. “We still have patrol units, and he’s really coming into his own.”
“We’re completely safe here,” Sara says, rocking her own new baby in her arms. “I’ve never felt such peace through the valley.”
“Speak for yourself,” Alisha growls, picking herself up to run towards the crowd of children screaming nearby. “Brad, help me!”
“Duty calls,” Brad says, jumping up and chasing after her. All of us laugh as the small army of kids made up from all four packs turn on Alisha and Brad, tackling them both.
“I believe it’s their daughter who is the ringleader,” Scarlett says, squinting in their direction.
“How can you tell?” Shawn asks.
“Just an educated guess. She’s a firecracker.”
“There may be one of mine in there as well,” Sara says bashfully.
“Well,” Shawn says. “I'd better go assist.”
He jogs over to join the pile and is quickly overwhelmed by yelling, overexcited kids.
“Rex,” Scarlett says.
“Don’t look at me,” he says, pulling back in mock offence. “Jarrod’s not in there.”
“Probably is,” she replies.
“I need to stay next to you,” Rex says, leaning over and rubbing her huge belly. “What if you need something?”
“That’s a decent excuse,” she laughs, kissing him. “I’ll let you get away with it—this time.”
They kiss each other, and Rex wraps his arms around her, snuggling her so she can lean on him. Trix approaches from the nearby bonfire, her white dress glowing in the dark.
“Hi,” she says, smiling shyly. “I was wondering if—”
“You want to hold Faith?” Grace asks, slipping her dress back onto her shoulder. “She’s nice and full now, ready for a good nap.”
“Oh, I wouldn’t mind if she were fussy,” Trix says, sitting down and holding out her arms. “She’s just the sweetest, even on her worst day.”
“Remember that when she turns three,” Grace warns. “Or better yet, thirteen. Honestly, though, Trix, you’re the best babysitter ever.”
“Well, you know I can’t have any of my own,” she says, rocking Faith. “So, it’s my absolute pleasure.”
Grace gives her friend a hug, then turns to me with a sly smile I know all too well.
“Do you want to go for a walk?” she asks.
I shrug. “Where to?”
“Oh, you know. Around.”
“The bonfire? The band? Drinks?”
Grace bats her lashes, looking up at me from underneath them, and bites her lip.
“Oh,” I say. “That kind of walk.”
“Good God, man,” Rex mutters. “Get out of here before I punch you again.”
“No thanks!” I laugh as Grace takes my hand to lead me away. “My jaw was swollen for a week.”
“Yeah, well, I almost broke my hand.”
“Serves you right!” I yell over my shoulder.
Grace squeezes my hand, then lets go and runs ahead of me into the woods. The trees beyond the circle have grown tall, with incredibly thick trunks and long grass that spreads all the way to the nearby peaks, as if the presence of Sakesh had stunted them and now they’re making up for lost time.
I run through the grass, suddenly realizing I can’t see her. A faint flicker of fear runs through me, then I hear her light footsteps on the grass behind me.
Before she can pounce, I spin around, grabbing her waist and tackling her to the ground. I wrap her in my arms as we go down, shielding her from the fall.
“No fair,” she giggles. “Wolf ears.”
“No fair!” I counter. “Witch senses.”
“Shut up and kiss me,” she says, grabbing the front of my shirt and pulling me down to her.
Our lips touch, and the faint crackle of power ripples through us both. It dances across my skin, leaving goosebumps in its wake. Grace writhes under me, deepening the kiss, and when I run my hands down her arms, I can feel the energy flickering through her.
Grace slides her hands around my waist, squeezing me as she sneaks one hand down to pinch my butt. I jump against her, making her shout as my hips pin her to the ground.
“You almost impaled me,” she whispers.
“Almost,” I tease, kissing her. “But not yet.”
Grace laughs softly, wriggling under me as her hands slide down, threatening to pinch me again. My hands roam up her sides, tracing her ribs, then up to her big, soft breasts. I rub them against my palms, feeling the nipples rising through the silky fabric.
Grace leans back, gasping softly as she closes her eyes. I slowly make my way down her body, teasing her with my hands and my mouth until I can push the dress up her thighs to reveal her pussy.
With a groan of need, I lean down, sliding my tongue between the outer lips to tease her clit. Grace wriggles under me, trying to open her legs, but I hold them together with one arm while my other hand presses down on her chest, trapping her.
Soft moans turn into harsh gasps as she struggles against me, bucking up and down as she tries to open her thighs. I keep lapping at her clit, teasing the outer lips with my mouth and darting the tip of my tongue inside to flick the swollen nub.
“Oh, God!” she gasps. “Oh my fucking God!”
That’s what I was waiting for.
I let go of her legs and grab her hips, letting her legs fly open. I plunge my mouth into her pussy, devouring her, delving my tongue deep into her, and listening to her cries as she comes in my mouth.
As I lap my way slowly back up the slick inner lips to tease her clit again, she makes a strangled little sound, and I realize she’s covered her mouth to stop from screaming. I chuckle as I put my attention back on her pussy.
I love a challenge.
Sliding my lips lightly around her clit, I tease with flicks of my tongue, listening to her soft cries. When shivers are running across her skin and her breath gets caught in her throat, I wrap my lips firmly around it and suck, lapping with the flat of my tongue.
Grace lets out a short, hoarse scream before clamping her hands over her mouth. I slide the tip of my tongue down through her slick folds, diving into her pussy again and wrapping one arm around her hip to lap even deeper into her until I feel another orgasm exploding inside her.
With a groan of pleasure, I run my lips and tongue around the edges of her pussy to lap up just a little more of her juices before slowly climbing back up her body. I rest my head on her chest for a moment, her vanilla scent thick around me.
“You taste so good,” I whisper.
She laughs, trembling under me. “Thanks,” she gasps, still recovering from the orgasm.
I push myself up on my arms, looking down at her. The light is fading from the sky, and her face is defined by the low light, her eyes glittering as they reflect the stars.
“I love you,” she whispers, stroking my face.
“I love you, too,” I answer, my breath catching in my throat.
I feel Grace wrap her hand around my waist and wriggle towards me.
I reach down and push my pants off, teasing her with pressure from my hips.
She braces her hands on my lower back and shifts up and down, her hot, slick pussy gently brushing against my cock.
I try to resist her, but it doesn’t take long for me to break.
“Oh, God, woman, stop it,” I gasp, holding myself above her while she dances her hips back and forth, almost letting my cock inside her.
“What do you mean, Dan?” she says innocently, widening her eyes. “I just don’t know what you want.”
“That’s it,” I growl, pinning her to the ground by her shoulders. She laughs just as our lips meet, and my cock plunges into her wet heat, my long, hard thrust timing perfectly with the moment she opened her legs to invite me inside.
I wrap my arms around her, burying my head into her shoulder as her body clings to mine, her arms and legs wrapped tightly around me, and my cock as deep inside her as it can possibly be.
Grace moans and wriggles, thrusting between me and the ground, and I moan into her hair as my cock swells inside her.
I keep her pinned a little longer, until she’s almost thrashing under me, digging her nails into my shoulders and thrusting her hips. I wrap one hand around her waist and the other around her shoulders and begin to thrust, first in long, slow strokes, then faster and faster.
I lean back on my arms so I can watch her beautiful face.
Her big gray eyes are wide open, looking up at me with complete wonder.
I hold her gaze as my thrusts go wild, my cock getting thicker and harder on every stroke as her pussy tightens around me.
A great cry rips from my throat as my orgasm tears through me, and the sound is answered by Grace as she writhes under me, the force of her own climax making her moan and gasp for breath.
For a moment, our bodies stay linked together, our hearts dancing and our breath entwined. I slide down beside her, wrapping her in my arms so her cheek is nestled against my chest. We look up into the stars together, our bodies humming with shared pleasure and our souls at peace.
I spent my life fighting, believing only action and courage could save the world… but in the end, it was love—and Faith—that saved us all.
*****
THE END