Epilogue - Owen
I’m jolted out of a sound sleep by the laughter of children nearby. Even though it’s the shrieking, excited kind of laughter instead of cute giggles, it brings a smile to my face. I’m pleased instead of annoyed.
Let them play. We’ve had too much grief.
“And just what do you think you’re doing?” Trina asks, nudging my hammock with her knee. “Didn’t I tell you not to fall asleep?”
“I’m not asleep,” I protest, not opening my eyes. “I’m fully awake. Can’t you tell?”
“No,” she giggles, nudging the hammock again. “If you don’t get up, I’m coming in there after you.”
“You wouldn’t dare.”
“Oh, no?”
I open one eye just in time to see Trina turn to the side and toss herself into the hammock on top of me. The thing swings wildly back and forth. I try to stabilize it by throwing my arms and legs out, but all I do is overbalance it, and the two of us fall into a heap on the grass.
“Ow,” I say, rubbing my head. “That was brutal.”
“You big baby,” she giggles, patting the top of my head. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
“What’s the big deal, anyway?” I ask. “Now that I’m up, I assume you want me for something.”
“You aren’t up,” she says. “And I always want you.”
Trina tackles me, and we go down in the grass, rolling over until she comes out on top, pinning my shoulders with her hands and kissing me.
“There are children nearby,” I mutter through the kiss.
“I’m being good,” she says.
“Tell that to the tentpole in my pants.”
“Oh?” she grins. “I would, but I think that would just make it worse.”
I grab her arms, pulling her down to me and kissing her. She playfully resists a little, then collapses against my chest, giving in to the kiss.
“Seriously, though,” she says in between kisses. “They are waiting for you.”
“Who?” I ask, still not fully recovered from my nap. “Why?”
“They’re doing the final words,” she says, a little more seriously. “It’s time.”
The frivolity vanishes, replaced by a sense of duty. Trina stands up, and I take her hand, getting up to follow her to the top of the clearing and the infirmary.
It’s been four months since Trina and I banished the curse, and in that time, the area around the infirmary has been turned into a picnic ground. The building itself now houses sports equipment, tables, chairs, and cooking supplies.
Instead of being a place of death, it’s a haven of hope.
At the back of the building, I see Merle as well as a couple of other healers. Sylvie and Thorne are there, too, holding hands and smiling.
Thorne has never been on side with witches or humans, but I’d say he’s turned the corner for good now.
“There you are, Owen,” Sylvie says. “We’re ready now, if you are.”
“Of course,” I reply.
Sylvie calls out to the crowd, and anyone not already gathered comes over to join us. The kids continue to play noisily in the background, the sounds of their joy patterning the air, complementing the late afternoon sun.
I love these picnic days. It’s so wonderful to see the pack together—and so happy.
“Thank you, all,” Merle says. “As requested by the pack majority, we have gathered to say a final farewell to the dead. We’ve come together every Sunday since the curse was broken, but some people have found it difficult to celebrate after suffering through such a tragedy.
Today, we honor those we’ve lost and pledge to move forward in their name. ”
A murmur flows around the crowd, and we lower our heads.
“Pledge to the fallen,” Thorne says, his strong voice echoing through the clearing. “We mourn each and every one of you, those lost too young and those who already stood near the threshold. Your deaths were not in vain, and we promise to move forward in truth, hope, and joy to honor your memory.”
“Here, here,” Merle says, and the crowd takes up those same words.
One by one, people in the crowd stand up and speak about those they’ve lost. I see tears trickle down Trina’s face as she listens to their heartfelt words, and I know she feels every loss as keenly as she does that of her own mother.
She has become mother to the entire pack. Not a day goes by when someone doesn’t ask her advice, or come to our house just to be with her.
After the affirmations and farewells have been said, Trina steps forward. A ripple goes through the crowd, people showing appreciation, love, and even awe.
So many people were angry with her, but seeing the entire pack recover within seconds did something to them. Not just from the recovery, but from watching Trina work tirelessly in the weeks after to rebuild the pack. They truly see her as one of them now.
“I bless this place with new life,” Trina says, turning in a slow circle. Her long white dress flows around her, and a stream of butterflies appears, spiraling down from the sun to form a colorful cloud around her.
Gasps break out in the crowd, and some of the children come running over, leaping around Trina in the cascade of bright, shimmering wings. The sight deeply moves me, and I know I’m seeing true magic.
And it has nothing to do with her ethereal power. This is all Trina, and the strength of her love.
Trina finishes her blessing, and the cloud of butterflies flits across the park, the children chasing them. People get up and move around, some heading back to the barbecue or following the kids. A lot of them come forward to speak to Trina.
I wait until the crowd finally dissipates and go over to her, putting my hands on her shoulders. She leans into me, looking out over the park with contentment.
“I think we've done well,” she says in a hokey voice.
“We sure done did,” I laugh, building on the joke.
She giggles and turns around to hug me, kissing my cheek. I reach down and grab her butt, giving it a quick squeeze. She jumps into my arms, letting out a little yelp.
“Don’t go starting things you can’t finish, mister,” she says, waving her finger at me.
“Who says I can’t finish?” I ask, grinning. “Try me.”
“I’ll do more than try,” she says, tickling me a little.
I reach for her, and she turns and runs, laughing as she disappears into the hall. I chase her, going through the winding hall in the back until I catch her in one of the storage rooms. I wrap my arms around her and slam her against the wall, trapping her as I press my lips to hers.
Trina squirms against me, grabbing my shoulders as she rocks her head back, letting me run my tongue down her neck. Her grip on my shoulders tightens a little as she writhes and lifts herself to wrap her legs around my waist.
I have to reach down and grab her butt, hoisting her a little and bringing her breasts right up under my mouth. I groan with pleasure, burying my face between them as I try to hold her up and devour her breasts at the same time.
Trina grabs the back of my head and arches against me, breathy cries slipping from her lips as she struggles in my arms. Holding her up quickly becomes too awkward for me as I try to reach her breasts, so I turn us around, looking for a good spot to put her down.
That’s when I see the mattress on the floor, with a pretty, soft blanket laid on top of it. There’s even a small scented candle and two chilled glasses of apple cider.
“Hold on a minute,” I say, still holding Trina in my arms. “I think I’ve been set up here.”
“Whatever do you mean?” she asks innocently. “This room is exactly as I left it after putting away the hockey gear.”
“Mm-hmm,” I mutter, nodding. “And the cider just walked itself in here, did it?”
“Of course,” she giggles, wriggling in my arms. The press of her soft body against mine is too much for me, and I carry her over to the mattress, acting as if I’m going to gently set her down, but dropping her at the last second.
Trina shrieks with surprise, laughing as she tumbles down onto her back. I take advantage of the angle, holding her down with one hand while I push her legs up and get my head under her skirt.
She tries to wriggle away, but I grab her and hold her tight, sinking my mouth into her pussy with a soft groan of pleasure.
I lap gently at her clit, holding tightly to her hips as she bucks up and down under me.
I keep the slow, gentle pressure on until her breathing is short and light, then stroke my tongue lower, caressing every slick fold before plunging my tongue into her hot, wet slit.
Trina screams, grabbing the top of my head as her hips thrash up and down, and I feel the delicious spasms of her orgasm against my mouth.
I push her skirt back, slowly crawling up her body. I pause at her breasts, pulling the dress down a little so they pop free, cupping them in my hands and squeezing them gently.
“It occurs to me that you weren’t wearing panties,” I say, giving her a sly look. “Would you like to explain again how this isn’t a setup?”
“I made them vanish with my witch powers,” she giggles, writhing against me as I squeeze her breasts and rub the nipples with my palms.
“You can do that?” I reply, shocked.
“No,” she laughs. “I’m joking. This is totally a setup.”
“Oh, good,” I reply, crawling up her body so I can kiss her. “Promise to set me up like this on a regular basis.”
“Every damn day of your life,” she whispers as my lips cover hers.
Trina’s arms wind around my neck and her legs wrap around my waist as I deepen the kiss, stroking into her mouth with my tongue and feeling her own reaching for mine. I’m drowning in her kiss, but I feel like I’ll never need another breath of air, so long as I have her love.
“I love you,” I whisper, breaking the kiss to whisper against her cheek.
“I love you, too,” she gasps, tightening her grip on me. “Now shut up and fuck me.”
I chuckle, pulling back a little so I can look into her beautiful eyes. She wriggles, thrusting her hips towards me as her knees tighten on my sides. I tease her a little, rocking forward so I can feel my cock rubbing against her, but not quite sliding in.
“For fuck’s sake,” she moans, digging her nails into my shoulders. “Let me have it!”
“As you wish,” I say, gripping her hips and plunging forward in one short, hard stroke. Trina clings to me, crying out as she feels my cock slide all the way in, as far as it can possibly go.
For a few moments, we stay still, completely bound together and held by the intensity of our bodies joined. Trina sighs, relaxing against me, and I wrap my arms around her waist, putting my head on her shoulder.
I love you.
My love for her has become my entire being, behind every breath I take. When her arms wind even tighter around me, I feel her love answering mine, and no words are needed. Trina grips me with her knees, and I start to thrust in long, slow strokes.
She urges me on, thrusting with her hips and clinging to my shoulders as she responds to every stroke.
I keep the steady pace until I feel her deepest muscles clench and spasm against me, gripping my cock as her body shudders with a massive orgasm.
As her tremors subside, she clings to me, her head resting on my shoulder as the waves of pleasure continue to ripple through her.
I start to thrust, hard and fast, and Trina can barely hang on to me.
Sharp cries burst from her lips on every stroke as I pound her into the mattress, feeling her body spasm again from another tremendous orgasm.
Trina gasps and moans as another shockwave explodes inside her, and the sensation of her body completely locked around mine destroys my control.
With a final, long, deep thrust, my cock swells inside her and finally blows. A long, ragged cry rips from my mouth as I collapse on top of her. I can feel our hearts beating against each other in wild, frantic rhythm, and feel our breathing settling from harsh panting into a tandem pattern.
I slip down beside her, wrapping her in my arms and cradling her to my chest. With long, tender movements, I stroke her hair, hearing her sigh with pleasure as she relaxes against me.
In that moment, I know beyond any doubt that she is pure magic, and no matter what dangers are left to come, we will face them—and conquer them.
So long as we are together. That’s the only magic we’ll ever need.
*****
THE END