Epilogue - Rachel
Sam and I pushed the stroller to the oasis, the sun shining down like a fortuitous omen.
All around, a crowd had gathered. Toward the front stood Elias and Emma, Liv, and my mother.
My mother looked as though she might burst with pride.
Ever since the events with the wraith, she hadn’t stopped telling everyone who would listen how both her children had helped rescue the pack luna from the wraith’s clutches.
The presence of a new grandbaby she could spoil and dote on had only made that more frequent.
We may not see eye-to-eye on everything, and likely, we never would, but she had certainly changed her tune toward me ever since this had all started.
Isaac burbled in his stroller, grabbing one foot as he looked out with wide, curious eyes the same color as his father’s, though I could tell already he would have my smile.
The Oracle waited at the edge of the oasis, watching with a crinkling, knowing grin as we approached, as if she had seen all along how this would play out. For all I knew, she had.
The ceremony of introducing a new baby into a pack was a time-honored one, and one that, after the last year, was desperately needed. Just to remind us all that there was still joy and hope in the world.
The Oracle held out her bony hands, and I placed Isaac delicately in her arms. She cradled him as she had dozens of others, smiling down with such warmth, you might have thought he was her own grandson.
“He’s going to be a great shifter one day,” she said.
I couldn’t tell if that was a prophecy or just something she said to all parents. I didn’t think she would tell me if I asked.
“I’ll love him no matter what he turns out to be,” Sam said, staring down at Isaac with pride. I smiled, leaning into his chest and letting his hands run along my arm.
The entire pack watched in silence as the Oracle took the baby over to the oasis, wading knee-deep so the ends of her dress drifted around her.
She muttered something no one else could hear to Isaac before cupping her hand in the water and holding it over Isaac’s head, letting the water drip onto his face.
“Let the oasis and its water bless this child to grow strong and aid the pack, come what may,” the Oracle said as the water fell. Instead of crying, Isaac giggled as the water speckled his forehead. “And let his path through life lead him to prosperity.”
As the crowd gave the traditional response, the Oracle brought Isaac over to Elias and Emma to “introduce” the infant to the pack alpha and luna, ignoring the fact that both of them had been over repeatedly since he had been born, spoiling him before he’d even be able to walk.
Once they had both seen their nephew, the Oracle brought Isaac back to me, and the crowd cheered.
“Such a sweet thing,” the Oracle cooed with that knowing smile on her face. Her eyes sparkled as she regarded the two of us. “I told you it would work out.”
Then she left, disappearing into the crowd just as the celebrations began. People brought out food and drink, and the pack crowded around to meet the newest member and congratulate Sam and me.
Liv flung her arms around me when she forced her way through the crowd. She was another person who had met Isaac on several occasions, but that didn’t dampen the force of her hug or lower the pitch of her squeal.
“I’m so happy for you!” She gushed. “God, though, work has been so boring without you there.”
“I’d say sorry, but I’m thrilled I don’t work there anymore,” I said.
I had quit the store a month ago, finally fed up enough with Jenson that I decided I wasn’t going to take his bullshit any longer.
The look on his face when I strolled out with a wave had been priceless.
I noticed he wasn’t one of the faces in the crowd.
“I don’t blame you,” Liv said. “But if you ever need a full-time babysitter, I’m happy to bite that bullet.”
I laughed. “Very subtle,” I said. “We’ll keep that in mind.”
Liv gave me another hug and then stepped away so we could greet the next rush of people. After what felt like hours of this, though, I needed a break. Sam, as if reading my mind, cracked a grin and plucked Isaac from my arms.
“Go get yourself something to eat,” he said. “I’ll handle this for a while.”
I let out a deep breath. “You’re amazing, you know that?”
“You could stand to say it more frequently,” he retorted. At my eyeroll, he barked out a laugh and bent to kiss me before turning to talk to another well-wisher.
Emma was standing by a table laden with food, snacking as she watched the festivities. She saw me and grinned.
“Exhausted yet?” she teased.
“Absolutely.”
With a laugh, she turned to the table and handed me a slice of cake, which I nearly snatched from her hands as I started devouring the cake.
“How are you feeling?” I asked Emma through mouthfuls.
Emma bobbed her head back and forth, her brow wrinkling. “Still have nightmares every so often,” she admitted. “But I’ve been worse. And I’ll get over it.”
I nodded, poking at some leftover icing as I debated how to bring up the next point. I went with the blunt option.
“You know it’s going to come back,” I said.
“Oh, I’m well aware,” Emma confirmed, with an unmistakable growl reverberating in her throat.
“I was thinking that we should practice together,” I said. “Try and find a way to fight as a team. It would give us both practice and give us a better chance against the wraith when we face it again.”
Emma’s eyes sparkled. “I was actually going to say the same thing. I’ve been thinking about it for weeks, but wanted to wait until after Isaac was born and you and Sam got settled. Together, I think we’ve got a chance at ending things for good.”
I blinked, surprised even though I probably shouldn’t have been, not with Emma. “Really?”
“Of course! Fire and water? I couldn’t think of a better match. It’s as though it was fate.”
I nodded, a feral smile spreading across my face. I wasn’t through with the wraith. He and I had a score to settle, and I wasn’t about to let him get away, not after everything he had put us through. What he had put my town through.
“It won’t get away next time,” I said.
“Damn straight,” Emma answered. “Not if we have anything to say about it. And we’re going to have a lot to say.”
I laughed, some of the anxiety that had been plaguing me ebbing away. Just having a plan made things seem less dim, less frightening. It actually felt like we could do this. We could end the wraith for good. And that was exactly what I intended to happen.
***
The party dragged on into the night and was still going when Isaac’s bedtime came around, and we had to say our goodbyes.
Later, I hovered over the crib as he slept, watching his breath go in and out, hardly able to believe that he was here. New rushes of affection seemed to surge over me every time I saw him. It was as if a part of me I hadn’t realized was missing had clicked into place when he arrived.
A warm hand went to the small of my back before arms wrapped around me, pulling me back against tight muscle. Lips caressed my neck with gentle kisses that sent shivers up my spine.
“How are you doing?” Sam muttered in my ear.
I gave a lazy smile. “Good,” I said. “Really good.”
“Is that so?” A jolt of heat rippled through me as I heard the unmistakable hunger in his voice.
“That’s not to say it couldn’t be better,” I conceded, tilting my head to look at him so our lips were only inches apart. That heat intensified as I became aware of every inch of my body touching his.
“Hmm…” His arms tightened around me, his lips against my cheek. “I think I might be able to help with that.”
I checked Isaac once more and gave him a soft kiss on the forehead before following Sam back to our bedroom.
He didn’t even wait to get to the bed. The second the door was closed, he pulled me toward him, his mouth pressing against mine.
At first, his touch was light, almost delicate, as his lips brushed mine.
Then, as if something possessed him, his grip tightened, the kiss deepening.
Something burned inside me, growing hot as it settled below my stomach.
His touch electrified me as his hand moved to the small of my back, pushing me flush against him.
My heart hammered as he held tight to me, his mouth not leaving mine. Every second he held me in place, his mouth claiming mine, sent new ripples of need and craving shivering through me. I squirmed as he held me tight against him.
It wasn’t enough. I needed more. My hand tugged at his waistband, unwilling to wait any longer.
Instead of letting me have my way, he gripped my wrists, pushing me against the wall as he pinned them over my head.
One hand held them in place as the other ran along my side.
His mouth trailed along my neck, every caress electrifying me.
“I get to decide when that happens,” he snarled in my ear, his fingers tightening their hold on me.
He pushed against me, pinning me in place, and I could feel his hardness pressing against my stomach. His mouth moved from my mouth to my chin, trailing down my neck, nipping at my collarbone, each brush of his lips sending new shivers radiating through me, settling between my thighs.
Still holding me in place, his hand slipped beneath my jeans. He let out a growl of approval and longing as he felt my wetness. I let out a soft moan of longing as his finger slipped inside me. His fingers pressed against my clit, and I writhed, trying to adjust so his fingers pushed harder.
Instead of thrusting his fingers inside me like I wanted, his hand slipped away, leaving me aching for him, every inch of me throbbing with need.
He gripped my hair and guided me to my knees.
My heart thundered, and my stomach twisted in delight as he unfastened his jeans and his cock sprang out, already erect.
My hand gripped his shaft, pumping gently, staring up at him as he watched, his eyes hazy with lust. Slowly, still watching his face, I stuck out my tongue and ran it along his shaft, grinning when he groaned and shuddered in response.
“Fuck, Rachel,” he muttered, his fingers tightening in my hair.
He let out an even louder moan when my lips wrapped around his cock, my tongue running up and down its length.
Every one of his groans of pleasure sent new spasms of delight rippling through me.
I relished the taste of him, my fingers slipping between my own thighs to curb some of that need.
He grabbed my arm, holding it above my head so I couldn’t.
“You don’t get to touch that,” he growled, that lust and hunger burning hot in his eyes. “That’s mine from now on.”
The words heated me more than I would have expected, and I squirmed with new need. He kept hold of my wrist as I continued sucking his cock, his grip tightening every time he moaned.
Suddenly, as if he couldn’t wait any longer, he pulled me to my feet and slammed his mouth against mine, his fingers pawing at my clothes, jerking down my pants and underwear. He yanked off my shirt, the fabric ripping in his haste.
“That was my favorite shirt,” I said with a mock pout.
“I’ll buy you a new one,” he growled, taking just enough time to take off my bra with slightly gentler fingers before pressing me against the wall.
The pictures rattled as he pinned me in place, one hand trailing up my side, his hand reaching my breast and gripping tight.
My back arched in longing as I sucked in a deep breath, letting out a moan with the exhale.
Every time he touched me seemed to light my body on fire, charging me in a way I couldn’t have imagined. One hand trailed down between my legs, toying with my clit enough to make me twitch with need, just enough to tease me, to make me even wetter, but no more.
It was too much.
“Fuck me, please,” I breathed.
“Hmm.” He looked at me speculatively, a smirk spreading across his features as his thumb flicked my nipple, watching my body twitch and writhe in response. “I’m not sure, I’m having a lot of fun toying with you.”
I let out a growl of need, and he chuckled, the sound low and husky and somehow incredibly erotic, only fueling that craving, that hunger for him.
“Sam, I swear to God, if you don’t fuck me—”
Before I could finish whatever threat I had intended to hurl at him, he had hoisted me up and thrust his cock inside me.
I screamed out despite myself, biting my lip as he held me against the wall, my legs locked around his waist as he pumped in and out.
Each time his cock slammed inside me sent me closer and closer to that precipice.
My toes curled as my head slammed back against the wall, my nails digging into his back as I felt myself nearing oblivion.
That burning need intensified, and my grip on him tightened as my hips ground against him.
Every buck sent new spasms of ecstasy through me.
My breath went ragged, my mind blank. The only thing I could think about was that pleasure, that need for release, and how amazing he felt slamming into me over and over again.
I sensed the end was close, and I held onto that sensation for as long as I could.
He bent his head, his teeth biting my collarbone at the same time as he gave a deep thrust and fell over that edge.
I cried out, riding that wave of pleasure and release, shuddering as he continued to ram into me.
It wasn’t long until I felt him shudder and finish inside me, filling me with his cum as his thrusts slowed to a halt.
He held me there, still pinned on his cock, my legs hooked around him, for a long moment before finally, almost reluctantly, lowering me to the floor.
He stared at me, holding my waist as he took me in.
“What?” I asked.
“I’m just thinking about how incredibly lucky I am,” he said.
“I have the most incredible woman as a mate who’s smart, independent, and drop-dead gorgeous, and the sweetest kid.
Sometimes it doesn’t seem real. I’m also kicking myself for being an idiot when we were kids and not listening to how I felt. ”
I stretched up, smoothing out a piece of his tousled hair. “It’s better late than never,” I said, pulling his lips to mine once more. “And I’d rather not dwell on the past, not when we have so much to look forward to in the future. So, no more thinking about what might have been. Deal?”
He grinned, still holding onto me, as if unwilling to ever let go.
“Deal,” he said.
*****
THE END