Epilogue - Rick
The grand reopening of the Pine Shadow Club was, predictably, a celebration that lasted nearly a week. Construction had taken nearly two years since Red Teeth and his males had blown it up. It had been over a year since they had defeated the Black Claws.
He barely dared think it. But they were safe. Truly, completely safe.
It was all he had ever wanted for his pack. It was why he had bent the knee to Felix all those years ago. Why he had fought and bled and nearly died.
It was all for his pack. His family. His daughter.
His mate.
Even Dane couldn’t manage much longer, not after days straight of endless partying. They were collapsed in the private lounge off Felix’s office, sprawled across sofas and chairs, lazily chatting and laughing as music pounded from the rec room below.
Nicolas and Daisy were curled together by the fire, watching Gracie toddle around with Max.
Thea was downstairs with Logan and Danny, Felix’s two boys, the three troublemakers at the heart of the revelry.
Felix himself was lounging in a chair, Cassie perched on its arm, one arm lazily thrown around her hips.
Dane was in the armchair opposite, and Lola sat between his legs, his chin propped on her shoulder as he gazed at his little daughter.
Their son, Sammy, chewed on a toy wolf at their feet.
Rick had claimed the sofa, Rosalia tucked into his side, her feet curled up beneath her. She was laughing at something Cassie had said, some quip about Dane’s stamina.
Rick wasn’t really listening. He didn’t need to. He was content just to take it all in, to memorize the warmth of Rosalia’s body against him, the low vibrations of her laugh.
Perhaps it was the tiredness.
Or perhaps, after so many years, he’d finally learned how to relax.
It was rather a nice thought.
The door swung open, and Eva ran in, giggling as Thea chased her. She hopped up onto the sofa, burrowing under Rosalia’s arm with a soft sigh, as Thea collapsed on the carpet in front of her parents.
Danny and Logan followed closely behind, eyes half-wild with excitement. They were growing bigger every day, nearly ten years old. It wouldn’t be long until their first shift. Then Felix would really have a challenge on his hands.
They dropped down either side of Thea, kicking at each other for more space on the carpet, and she wrinkled her nose imperiously at them. “Can you not.”
They, of course, ignored her in favor of arguing.
“Budge over, would you?”
“I was here first!”
“I don’t care!”
“You will when I punch you in the—”
“Boys,” Felix interrupted, his voice stern but his eyes warm. They trailed off, muttering an apology, shooting each other death glares.
Rick smiled wryly. He was glad for his dignified little daughter.
Eva threw a cushion at Logan—“That’s for chasing me earlier!”—and Rick promptly forgot his smugness.
Dane laughed, low and husky, his tired eyes shining in the firelight. “How you kids still have energy is beyond me.”
“You’re getting old,” Lola said fondly, leaning further into him.
Dane snorted. “Not fuckin’ likely.”
“I don’t know,” Nicolas said mildly, absently playing with Daisy’s fluffy blonde curls. “We’re the same age, and I’m exhausted.”
“That’s ‘cause you’re weak,” Dane muttered, stifling a yawn.
Nicolas just rolled his eyes, exchanging a secretive smile with Daisy.
“Weakness has nothing to do with it,” Felix said, crossing one long leg over the other. “As alpha, I believe it’s my right to say that we have well and truly celebrated the Club opening and can celebrate no more.”
“Nice try,” Cassie replied with a wink, “you promised we could go until the weekend!”
“Isn’t it the weekend?”
“Nope,” said Cassie with a smug grin. “It’s Thursday.”
“Christ,” said Felix, head falling back against the armchair, “wake me up when it’s Saturday, would you?”
Rick hummed, “And deny the pack the joy of their alpha’s presence for the next two days? Seems cruel.”
Felix groaned, covering his eyes as the music beneath them swelled. “I don’t want to be alpha anymore. Someone else do it.”
“Me!” Thea shouted, sticking her hand up in the air and waving it about, much to the chagrin of the two boys. The three quickly fell into further fighting, swatting at each other’s hands and hollering to be the loudest.
“Careful,” Nicolas said, smiling at his daughter, “because I don’t think she’s joking.”
Felix eyed her. “No, I don’t think she is.”
Rick shifted, pulling Rosalia closer, his head falling to rest atop hers.
Perhaps he could have a nap here. He doubted that anyone would notice in the chaos.
Rosalia adjusted, letting Eva slip from under her arm to join the battle on the carpet, her arm falling across his middle.
She sighed contentedly, and Rick suspected that if he looked down, he’d see her eyes slip closed.
It had become one of his favorite things, having her fall asleep in his arms. Falling asleep in hers.
But alas, the chaos on the carpet reached a crescendo, forcing Felix to separate his two sons before they got too rowdy.
“Can you two pack it in or take it outside?”
The boys looked at each other, nodding solemnly. “Outside.”
They raced out, Thea and Eva hot on their tail.
Nicolas groaned. “Watch her, will you?” he said to nobody in particular as he helped Daisy to her feet and scooped up his two smaller children. “We’re going to one of the bedrooms.”
“Not a bad idea,” Lola said, nudging her very sleepy mate, “We might find one as well. Come on, you, let’s have a nap.”
Dane grumbled, but didn’t argue as Lola led him out, following after Nicolas and Daisy to the rooms on the top floor of the Club, which were supposedly for guests, but Rick supposed they worked as emergency nap retreats in a pinch.
Felix yawned, looking longingly at the door, and Cassie snorted, “Come on, let’s go downstairs and find the boys before they cause too much trouble. You can convince the younger wolves to turn down the music.”
So they, too, left, leaving Rosalia and Rick alone in the low light of the fire.
“What do you think?” he asked, once more dropping his head to rest against hers. “Should we also go find a bedroom to nap in?”
“You can,” Rosalia said, her voice slightly muffled against his chest, “I’m not moving.”
“Stubborn little wolf,” he chuckled, kissing her hair.
She hummed, nuzzling into him.
As the party raged on, they caught a brief moment of stillness, wrapped in each other’s arms.
Safe and happy at last.
*****
THE END