Epilogue
EPILOGUE
6 MONTHS LATER
Devlin
The rain falls in a steady rhythm outside, the kind that makes the whole world feel softer, quieter. It rolls in from the sea, misting against the glass, filling the house with the scent of salt and damp earth. The fire crackles in the hearth, sending flickers of golden light across the living room, where my pack – I’ll never tire of saying that – lounges in easy, contented silence.
It still catches me off guard sometimes, how much my life has changed.
How much I’ve changed.
Six months ago, I was still learning how to exist within this new world, adjusting to their space, their bond, their unwavering need to have me. It had been overwhelming at first. I’d spent so long resisting the idea of being theirs, of giving in to something I thought would consume me. But I know better now.
Belonging to them hasn’t erased me.
It’s made me more .
I shift against Lorcan’s side, my legs draped over his lap, my body cocooned by the warmth of his arms. He’s relaxed – more than I think I’ve ever seen him. His head is tipped back against the sofa, his fingers absently tracing patterns on my thigh, but I can feel it in the way he holds me: the possessive weight of his touch, the way his body angles toward mine even in rest.
Tadhg is sprawled across from us, legs kicked up on the coffee table, a book in his lap that he’s only half paying attention to. His brilliant blue eyes flicker to me every few minutes, as if he just needs to look, to make sure I’m still here.
And Cathal – my newest mate – moves through the kitchen with effortless grace, his back to us as he prepares tea. There’s something inherently soothing about watching him, the quiet focus he brings to even the simplest of tasks. He hums under his breath, the low, melodic sound sending warmth curling through my stomach.
This is what peace feels like.
What home feels like.
Six months ago, I wasn’t sure I’d ever find this – not truly. I knew I wanted them, that I needed them in a way I didn’t fully understand, but it took time to trust it. To trust myself with it.
Now, there’s no doubt.
The bond between us is strong, woven so deep I can feel them even when they’re not touching me. Lorcan’s fierce protectiveness, Tadhg’s steady warmth, Cathal’s quiet, all-consuming devotion. They are my foundation, my heart, my pack.
And I am theirs.
I sigh, settling deeper into Lorcan’s embrace, pressing my face against his shoulder. He makes a low, pleased sound, shifting slightly so he can run his fingers through my hair.
“If you keep sitting here all soft and sweet, I’m gonna fall asleep on you, a rún,” he murmurs, his voice thick with contentment.
I smirk, nipping at his jaw. “Wouldn’t be the worst thing, alpha.”
Tadhg chuckles, setting his book aside. “She’s got you there.”
Lorcan grumbles, tightening his grip on me. But there’s no heat to it. If anything, I can feel how much he likes this – having me curled up against him, safe and his.
Cathal returns then, carrying a steaming mug of tea. He sets it down in front of me before bending to press a kiss to my temple, lingering for a moment as his fingers slide through my hair.
I turn my head, catching his mouth in a proper kiss, slow and deep, my body instantly softening beneath the warmth of him.
He pulls back just enough to search my face, his dark eyes flickering with something unreadable. Then his nostrils flare slightly, his pupils dilating.
I freeze.
They know.
A shiver runs through me as the air in the room shifts, thickening with something primal. Lorcan tenses beneath me. Tadhg straightens, his expression sharpening. Cathal is the only one who doesn’t move.
He just watches me with his icy gaze, his breathing deep and measured, but I can feel it in the way his body has gone tight with restraint.
I swallow, setting my tea aside with deliberate care. Then I stretch slowly, my pulse hammering as I push up from Lorcan’s lap, my fingers trailing over Cathal’s chest as I move past him.
“I think I’m going to the nest,” I say.
Silence. Heavy. Charged.
We discussed this after my last heat. Now that we’re all bound, a proper pack, we talked about maybe starting a family. No one was opposed to the idea, so we agreed that when my pill ran out, I wouldn’t refill the prescription.
And now it’s time. My heat is here. And I’m…hopeful.
I take another step, glancing back over my shoulder, my voice softer this time, more certain.
“You should come with me.”
The reaction is instant.
Lorcan growls, a deep, rumbling sound that sends heat licking down my spine.
Tadhg exhales sharply, raking a hand through his hair, his jaw tightening.
And Cathal?—
His control snaps.
He moves before I can take another breath, crossing the room in three strides. His hands find my waist, firm and commanding, his mouth crashing over mine with a hunger that makes my knees buckle.
I moan into him, my hands fisting in his shirt, but before I can sink fully into it, he lifts me, throwing me over his shoulder as if I weigh nothing.
A startled laugh bursts from my lips. “Cathal?—”
He lands a sharp smack on my ass, growling, “Run while you still can, a ghrá. Otherwise, you’re not leaving that bed for days.”
Heat floods my body, my head spinning as the other two close in.
“How do I run when you’re holding me?” I huff, but I’m shaking with laughter.
Tadhg grips my chin, tilting my head back so I have to look at him. His eyes are molten, a slow smirk curving his lips. “We’d have caught you anyway, Cloverheart. You’re ours.”
“That a promise, alpha?”
He doesn’t answer. He doesn’t need to.
Lorcan reaches us last, his fingers tangling in my hair as he drags my head back further, his mouth brushing against mine.
“Ask us, mo chroí,” he rasps. “Tell us what you want.”
I tremble, my breath coming fast, my skin prickling with anticipation.
Then I whisper the words that will change everything.
“I want your knots.” A pause. A breath. A confession. “I want everything. A family. With you.”
The effect is immediate.
Lorcan snaps, his mouth claiming mine in a brutal kiss. Tadhg groans, pressing a heated kiss to my throat, right where his mark is, setting me alight with need. And Cathal – Cathal growls, his grip tightening as he strides toward the bedroom.
My heart races, my body already burning for them.
I used to fear this.
Now, I crave it.
I don’t just belong to them.
I want to build something more with them.
And by the time this heat is over, I hope – I know – we’ll have done just that. Because for the first time in my life, I feel the sweet warmth of redamancy, knowing that the love I offer is reciprocated in full.