Chapter 11
Russo
Five Years Later…
“Welcome back!” Ansel greets me as I unload the car.
“Hey, brother. How’s it going?”
He grins, clapping me on the back as he pulls me in for a hug. “Great. How was Europe?”
“Amazing.”
“When’s your next trip?” Ansel asks, grabbing one of the suitcases from the trunk.
“We’re actually done traveling for a bit,” I tell him with a grin. “We’re going to stay home and start trying for a cub.”
“What? That’s great, man!”
I nod, unable to stop the smile that stretches across my face.
Ever and I have spent the last five years doing all the things she dreamed of doing when she was held captive by her parents.
We’ve traveled and seen most of the world.
We’ve tried cooking classes, painting classes, and music lessons.
We’ve learned to knit and sew, ridden horses, and taken a flight in a hot-air balloon.
I’ve loved spending all of my time making my mate’s dreams come true, but I’m happy to be staying put in Night Grove Falls for a bit.
Ever is finally ready to try for a baby, and my bear and I can’t wait.
I’m dying to see my mate round with our child.
I know she’s been worried about being a good mom, but I don’t have any doubt that she’ll be amazing.
Ever is so patient, so curious, and so strong. She’ll make the best mom to our kids.
She’s perfect, my bear sighs happily.
She is, I agree, glancing at our house as Ever comes out onto the front porch.
“Ansel!” she calls excitedly, heading our way.
My brother waves. “Ever! We’ve missed you!”
“We missed you too! How are Mira and the kids?”
“They’re great. They just went down for their nap, or they would have joined me in welcoming you guys back to town.”
“We’ll catch up later,” Ever says, reaching past me to grab her suitcase.
I wrap my hand around hers and pick up her suitcase with the other. “We’ve got it, baby.”
She snorts, rolling her eyes at my antics. “I can get it.”
“No need, sis. We’ve got it covered,” Ansel tells her, grabbing the other suitcases.
My mate huffs and heads back inside the house. Ansel and I follow, setting the bags down by the stairs.
“I’m making a grocery list!” Ever calls. “Can we head into town soon? I can’t wait to see everyone from the pack!”
“Of course. Let me know when you want to go,” I reply.
“Do you want to go, Ansel?” Ever asks.
“No, I should get back home to my mate.”
“Do you guys need anything from the store?” she offers.
“I don’t think so, but thanks.”
Ever nods and disappears back into the kitchen. Ansel and I head out to the front porch and lean against a railing, facing each other.
“How have things been here?” I ask. “What did I miss while we were gone?”
“Not a lot. Fern and Jameson had their pup. The Midnight Haven has organized a few rescues. I think they’re looking for help since Fern and Jameson will be busy with their new baby for a bit.”
“Oh! We can help out!” Ever volunteers as she joins us on the porch.
“Yeah, let us know what needs to be done,” I agree.
“Sounds good. I’ll tell the others. And I’ll get out of your hair. I know you guys have a lot to get done, and I’m sure you’re both tired from traveling. I’ll talk to you later. We can do dinner.”
Ever smiles. “Perfect!”
“I’ll call you,” I tell Ansel.
He hugs me goodbye, and I tuck Ever under my arm, leading her to the car.
“Got the list?” I ask as I open the passenger door.
She stifles a yawn. “Yep, all set.”
We’ve been up and at it since four this morning. We caught our flight and made the drive back to Night Grove Falls. I know she wants to get everything done today, but I think I might have to insist on a nap or going to bed early when we get home.
As if on cue, Ever yawns again.
“We’ll be quick in town. I can start laundry when we get home,” I tell her.
“Oh, I can do that!” she protests.
I shake my head. “I’ve got it.”
I close the door before she can protest and climb behind the wheel. Ever instantly threads our fingers together, and I sigh, relaxed and happy as we hit the road into town.
“Do you think we’ll get pregnant quickly?” Ever muses.
My bear rumbles inside me.
“I hope so. We’ll get pregnant when it’s the right time for us,” I say, squeezing her hand.
I was ready to have kids from the moment I met Ever, but she needed time. I don’t blame her. She never had a childhood or any fun. She deserved that before we had to grow up and be responsible adults and parents. Now that the time is here, I can barely wait to start trying.
We wave at some pack members as we drive into town, and I can feel Ever and her bear settle into the seat next to me. No matter how far away we traveled, this place was always home for both of us.
“Happy to be back?” I ask my mate.
She smiles softly. “Of course. I can’t wait to put down real roots here. It will be good to work with the Midnight Haven and get back into pack life.”
I nod, pulling into the market parking lot.
“Our next big plan,” Ever sighs, turning to me in her seat.
“I can’t wait,” I say honestly.
She leans over the console, pressing her lips to mine. The kiss is soft, slow, and filled with everything we’ve built together. Not desperation, not fear. Just love.
When she pulls back, she’s smiling that smile that still steals the breath from my lungs after all these years.
“I love you,” she whispers.
“I love you more.”
“You always say that.” She laughs.
“Because it’s always true.”
Her cheeks flush as she cups my face. “I never thought I’d have this.”
“What?”
“This.” She gestures between us before looking out the windshield toward the familiar little town. “A home. Friends. Family. A future.”
I lace our fingers together again. “You deserved it all along. You should have always had it.”
She smiles slightly, and my heart squeezes painfully.
She still has moments like this. Moments when the past sneaks up on her. They’re much fewer than they used to be, but they’ll probably always exist.
Instead of trying to erase those memories, we’ve learned to replace them. One happy memory at a time. One adventure, one lazy Sunday, one holiday, one ordinary day spent together.
The woman sitting beside me isn’t defined by what happened to her. She’s defined by what she chose afterward. She chose to live. She chose to trust. She chose me.
“You ready?” I ask.
She nods. “Let’s do this.”
I smile as I climb out and follow my mate.