Epilogue
DANTE
TEN YEARS LATER
My heart pounds as I race through the woods, dodging branches and leaping over fallen logs. A flash of movement catches my eye up ahead—my target is close. They’re fast, incredibly fast, but I won’t let them get away.
A giggle rings out and I grin, picking up speed.
There.
Darting between two tall pines is a golden-haired toddler, his face alight with glee as he runs on stubby legs.
With a playful roar, I lunge forward and scoop him up, swinging him high as he shrieks with laughter.
“Got you, you little rascal!” I rain kisses all over his face as he squirms and giggles in my arms. My heart swells with love. Every little moment like this makes me appreciate life even more.
Still holding him close, I emerge from the woods into our backyard. The Savage Knights compound spreads out before me—a cluster of cozy homes nestled in colorful yards, all tucked behind a secure fence. It’s like our own little hidden paradise, a perfect place to raise our growing family, surrounded by the pack.
I breathe in deep, savoring the sweet scent of the pines and wildflowers. I’ve never been this content, this at peace. After all the shit we’ve been through, Ava and I have built something beautiful here together.
The whole pack, in fact. We’re all here now, even those who don’t have mates. We’re a big family, always covering for one another. Always working toward a better future for the children.
The house’s back door swings open and Ava steps out, a vision in a sundress that hugs her lush curves. Damn. All these years and she still takes my breath away, just like the first time.
I stride over to her, drinking in the way her eyes sparkle as they meet mine. Shifting our son to one arm, I pull her close and press my lips to hers. She melts into me, winding her arms around my neck. I nuzzle into her, finding that sensitive spot where my mating mark stands out starkly against her creamy skin.
Mine. Always.
Ava laughs breathlessly as we part. She runs a hand through my hair.
“Looks like someone got their cardio in this morning chasing after our little cheetah.”
I chuckle and release the squirming toddler who immediately takes off in a blur toward the house.
“That’s what we get for adopting the little speedster. Let’s find a turtle next time.”
Ava slaps my arm, but there’s a grin across her lips. “They’re children, they’re not meant to be collected.”
My lips tilt downward as I think about it. They’re not meant to be collected, but we could. Even with all the advancements in how society deals with shifters—mainly because of Ava—, there are still too many kids whose parents are brutally slain by bigoted hunters.
Ava reads my face like an open book. She leans her head on my shoulder, understanding in her eyes.
“We’ll keep fighting for them,” she says. “For all shifters. The world still has a long way to go.”
“We can never take what we have for granted,” I murmur, tightening my arm around her. “Never again. But we’ll make damn sure our kids have it better than we did.”
Ava stretches up to kiss me, long and deep and full of promise. No matter what the future holds, we’ll face it together—for our little family and for our whole pack.