Epilogue
Kiara
JUST OVER ONE YEAR LATER…
It was New Year’s Eve, and we had all been invited to the Blood Moon Pack this year.
Maria, Del, Ri, and everyone was here. This year, although we were having a huge party with the two packs tomorrow, today was just a smaller group which included the Beta and Delta families of the Blood Moon and the Blue Moon.
Del, Ri, Raven, Robyn, Taylor, and I were in the kitchen at Mom’s.
Dinner had been prepared by Mom, Aunty Monica, and Maria, so the six of us were responsible for the desserts.
We’d had a late lunch, and the kids had had an early dinner before they had taken naps as the older ones wanted to stay awake for the fireworks.
As for Asher, Sienna, Alessandra, and Heaven, they would be put to bed before midnight, with Raihana saying magic would keep their rooms totally soundproof from the sound of fireworks.
“Daddy, can I have another cookie?” Chase, Taylor and Zack’s three-year-old son, asked.
“Not now, okay? Aunty Raven says no,” Taylor responded, making Raven narrow her eyes at him.
“I never said that! Here you go!” She took one as Taylor pouted at her before Chase chuckled and ran off.
“That was his fourth cookie,” Robyn said with a small smile.
“Exactly.” Taylor nodded, crossing his arms as Raven looked at him sheepishly.
“Well… I can’t say no to kids, you know that!” She said as she cleared the sides.
Raven wasn’t much of a cook, so she was given the task of preparing the trays. Raihana was making the mocktails, although her magic was doing the job as she sat there waving her hands and breastfeeding Heaven.
“Well, it’s New Year’s. Besides, you can never have enough cookies,” Delsanra said, biting into one herself.
“Coming from a true foodie.” I laughed. Raihana sighed and nodded.
“Yes, although I feel recently I gain weight faster,” she said with a small smile on her face, watching Heaven, who was drifting off.
“I don’t see it,” I said, shaking my head, and the others agreed.
“How is she during the nights?” Raven asked her.
“She’s not too bad, but Chris is a sweetheart. He really helps out as I breastfeed her, so I want her in my room. I have, like, an adjoining room to mine. Chris is an expert at burping her and settling her in again,” she replied with a smile.
“He sounds like a sweetie,” Taylor said.
“I think all our mates really are,” I said, smiling as I looked around at the others.
“I agree. Let’s list our top favourite thing about our mates, and I don’t just mean what they might be packing.” Taylor winked at Raven. I didn’t get the inside joke, but when she blushed and giggled, I had a feeling I didn’t want to know if it involved my brother!
“He treats me like a queen,” Raihana replied with a toss of her head.
“A queen that you are,” I added teasingly, putting mini-Oreos into the Oreo cheesecake shots.
“Of course, I am a Rossi by blood. Royalty is in my genes,” she said airily, making us all laugh.
“Rayhan… I don’t know how to choose just one thing, but he never gave up on me even when I had given up on myself. He’s the truest and sexiest man I have ever met. Not only that, but he’s an incredible son, too.” Delsanra smiled, a faint blush on her cheeks.
“He is. I think Rayhan definitely gets the award for being the most charming alpha around,” Raven agreed. “Robyn, your turn.”
“Damon’s kindness. He always puts others before him, and he has a heart of gold.” I nodded. I agreed with that one, too.
“It’s true, Damon always gives and never expects anything in return,” Raven agreed, sprinkling chocolate over the trifles.
“Oh, I’m sure he expects enough in return, right, Robyn?” Raihana smirked, startling Robyn a little, but even with her chocolate skin tone, I saw the slight blush on her cheeks.
“Aww, someone’s blushing,” I teased as Delsanra and Taylor whistled.
“I’m not,” Robyn denied, making me chuckle.
“My turn! Liam, I love the way he’s so pure. He’s always so patient and caring. Honestly, you may not see it, but he’s always worrying for others. He always thinks about his family and makes time for everyone,” Raven stated with a smile. I nodded. It was true, Liam did do what he could for us all.
“For me, it’s what an amazing dad Zack is to Chase, and on top of that, what an incredible mate he is to me, someone I can always rely on,” Taylor added, smiling faintly.
“Aww,” Raven said, hugging him. “You’re getting emotional.”
“I’m not,” Taylor said, hugging her back. “So, what about our Queen’s mate?”
My mate, my king, my Alejandro…
“His heart. Alejandro always cares for others, and he never expects credit for it. He doesn’t even see how much he does or how much he cares. He does everything from the heart. He’s perfect,” I said softly, my heart skipping a beat at the thought of him.
“That’s sweet. You two are an amazing couple,” Robyn said with a small smile as the rest nodded their agreement.
“A very hot couple, too,” Taylor added, making me smile slightly.
“I guess so.”
“Mama?” I turned, seeing Kataleya standing in the doorway.
One year on, her heart wasn’t healed, but her smile had returned to her face.
My angel was over seven now, and although it broke my heart to see her still using one hand when she thought no one was watching, I just prayed that with time she would heal.
She still wore the locket Alejandro had gotten for her, but Kiké was the one she hugged while sleeping at night.
“Yes, my darling?” I asked as I motioned her to come in.
The worktops were covered in trays of baked goodies and mini dessert shots. Raven had asked why they were so small considering how much everyone ate, but visually appealing food was needed, right?
“Can I get some milk for me and the girls?” She asked. I planted my hands on my hips.
“Did Azura or Skyla send you?” She looked at her shoes before glancing at the hallway door.
“Skyla did,” she admitted after a moment.
“Tell her she can come have some in the kitchen. Azura, too.” She nodded before running off. I went to the fridge to get the milk out.
Azura… Mom and Dad had told her the truth about her birth a few weeks ago, and she didn’t seem bothered.
In fact, she had asked why it was necessary to tell her when she was still their favourite daughter either way.
Mom was worried about her reaction, saying she feared she’d keep stuff inside.
Although she didn’t say it out loud, I knew she meant like Aunty Indy keeping her troubles inside.
Mom had made it clear to her that if she ever wanted to know more or had questions, she and Dad were there to explain and answer them for her.
However, Azura didn’t change, being the same firework as always.
Mom had nothing to worry about because Azura loved her greatly.
She was Liam’s and my baby sister, Dad’s and Mom’s daughter, and nothing would change that.
Alejandro had told Mom and Dad about Atlas as well, and although Dad didn’t think it was important for them to ever know of each other, Mom said that it wasn’t his or her choice to make but Azura’s. In a few years, they’d tell her about him, too, not wanting to overburden her right now.
“What’s on your mind?” A deep voice came as a strong pair of arms locked around my waist, sending off a storm of sparks through me.
“Oi, no men in the kitchen!” Raven ordered. “It’s too crowded in here!” Alejandro cocked a brow before glancing at Taylor, who simply smiled sweetly.
“I’m helping,” he said.
“I think Raven meant no useless men,” Delsanra added. “Sorry, King Burrito.” I smiled as I kissed his lips.
“Missing you,” I murmured.
“Same… how long are you going to be fucking stuck in here? The kids are driving me fucking nuts.” I laughed. The men had been given the job of entertaining the kids, although the older kids were entertaining themselves.
“Are my nephews annoying you?” I teased.
Liam’s boys were a handful, and the older they got, the rowdier they became. They were nearly four now, and, Goddess, they had the energy to channel a hundred adults. Renji was gentler, and Ares was pretty lazy at times, but they were still hyper.
“Very much. Guess they take after their mother,” Alejandro replied, casting Raven a withering glare, one that she returned with equal passion. I shook my head as Robyn hid her smile.
“Where’s Alessandra?” I asked. Alejandro, who was a little distracted by my breasts, staring utterly shamelessly at them, looked up at me.
“With Scarlett,” he said with a cold smirk.
I smiled at our little Alessandra. She was the double of Al, no matter what he said.
Everyone saw it but him. She was the little baby everyone spoilt.
She was also Dante’s favourite sister, something he didn’t mind reminding everyone of, especially when Skyla annoyed him, although he said Kataleya was a close second.
He and Skyla clashed a lot, with them both having strong personalities.
However, Skyla pushed him to his limits often.
The older she got, the more her personality came out, and she was the most aggressive of my children.
Dad said she was a little Alpha female in the making.
The trio, plus Malevolent, who was Skyla’s shadow, entered just as Alejandro left the kitchen reluctantly.
“Who called?” Azura asked as she lowered the shades she was wearing, holding a candy stick as a cigarette in her mouth.
“And who do we have here?” Raven asked, leaning over the counter.
“We are the Devil’s Angels, now, who summoned us?” Azura asked, tossing her hair as Skyla put on her best frown as she crossed her arms. Kataleya, who looked like anything but a devil’s angel, blinked as she stared at the other two.
“Well, I heard certain angels wanted milk?” I asked.
“Oh, yes.” Azura flicked her hair as she took a puff on her fake cigarette, making the rest of us shake our heads. Just that morning, they were pop singers. The trio sauntered over to the table, and I took the glasses of milk over to them.