Epilogue
Gabriel
Sophia sat across from me, her cropped hair highlighting newly intimidating features: a sharp jaw, intelligent eyes, and a dangerous smirk. It mirrored my own.
“So, everything’s going okay?” she asked casually, reclining now that we were done talking business.
My mother would be retiring as an Alpha and consultant to the new Alpha queen in just a few short months. I was visiting the palace briefly to relay what I’d learned during the six weeks I’d been out in the territories.
“Everything’s great,” I replied honestly.
Sophia snorted. She was still beautiful and graceful, but in the presence of those who knew her—myself and Valarie included—she relaxed a lot more.
“I’m surprised your wife let you wander around for so long, what with how far along she is.”
I grinned widely.
“You know her better than that. Val can handle herself.”
“That’s true, but that doesn’t mean she should be left alone entirely.”
“She hasn’t been! Her mother has been visiting almost every day.”
“Ohhh. You must love that.”
I huffed, keeping my opinion to myself. Valarie’s mom could be pushy when she wanted to; it was easy to see where her daughter had gotten it from. The two of them together were formidable.
“Will you be joining the hunting moon this month, or do you have too much on your plate?” I asked, picking at a tray of snacks the servants had brought into Sophia’s entertaining room.
She watched me lift an incredibly small sandwich and devour it in one bite.
“I should be able to. Daniele and I don’t have anything big coming up; no issues in the territories. A few of the rehab pack members will be officially released from their work contracts but they’ve all chosen to stay on.”
“That’s great,” I said, raising my brows.
Every single one of the pack members who’d sided with Morgan during the brief uprising had been rehabilitated, and actually seemed happy with their new positions in the pack and the Kingdom.
Not one of them had been a problem. Which was good, because Sophia, my mother, and Daniele had wanted to focus on bringing the outer territories closer.
“You aren’t going to be joining the hunt, are you?” Sophia asked pointedly.
As part of the hunting party for the Kingdom, I did join in the hunt—a tradition that had taken off, involving two-thirds of the pack now—every three months. And Valarie always ran by my side, only staying back when we took down an animal.
“Of course I’m going to,” I scoffed, scarfing down another sandwich.
“But you aren’t going to let Valarie?”
“You think I can stop her?” I muttered.
Sophia rolled her eyes. “Gabriel. She’s six months pregnant. The last thing she should be doing is running with the pack—”
The door to the room opened abruptly, Daniele stepping in with a flushed look on her face and fly-away hair.
“Hi,” she greeted with a grin.
I looked between her and Sophia, who was starting to blush, but grinning back.
“Hi,” she answered.
Apparently, I was invisible.
“Daniele,” I said, scooting over to make room on the couch, “would you like to come sit down?”
Still grinning, she strode over, jeans mud-covered and shirt unbuttoned dangerously low. I didn’t miss where Sophia’s gaze was lingering. We’d been so caught up in traditions lately that it would be interesting to see how the packs would feel about a mated pair of females...
“I should probably get going,” I said, standing and brushing the crumbs from my pants.
Neither of the women were looking at me, still grinning at each other like idiots. Daniele sat with her legs splayed, arms over the back of the couch. Sophia’s blush was only getting worse.
“Okay then... I’ll see you two at the hunt.”
Closing the door gently behind me, I left the two Alphas to their own devices—whatever that may be.
Charles was, as always, stationed outside my mother’s rooms.
Since the day I’d left my place in the pack, he’d remained steadfast to her. Partly because I’d asked him to keep an eye on her. She was as strong as ever, but age was eating away at her little by little. Her hair was almost entirely white, and she rarely joined in the runs anymore.
“Is she in?” I asked, leaning against the wall near my old friend.
He stood perfectly straight, but I could see the happiness in his eyes. Charles didn’t get many chances to leave the palace, and I was often too busy to visit as much as I wanted. But whenever I did, I made a point to catch up with him.
“She is,” he said, stepping aside to let me in.
“The move went okay?”
“It did. The smaller rooms—I think this was a good idea for her. The other suite was always so empty without your father, and with you gone, too, now.”
He said it quietly enough that she wouldn’t hear if she was right in the inner chamber.
But I ducked my head in and saw that the doors out into the garden were open, across the far side of the room.,
It was a gorgeous summer day, the air hot, but a breeze making it bearable.
“Mom?” I called as Charles shut the door behind me.
She answered, confirming my suspicion that she was outside.
I hadn’t seen these rooms before. They’d been a guest suite when I lived here, but I looked around now at the small patio she sat on.
“This is nice.”
She nodded, content, her eyes half-lidded in the shade.
“It is. I had Charles send someone to town to buy new seating. I can choose much more comfortable chairs now that I don’t need to see so many guests.”
I smiled at that. Sophia and Daniele had, within the last year and a half, taken on almost all the responsibility of the Kingdom and the territories. They still consulted my mother, but it was most likely out of courtesy and respect more than any actual need.
She could be proud of the two young Alphas she’s groomed into joint rulers. The Kingdom had thrived under them.
“How are you doing?” I asked, kicking my feet up on the small outdoor table and ignoring her disapproving look.
“I’m good,” she said. “Tired. Bored, most days. Although your wife has let me borrow a few books.”
“Oh?” I replied, hoping that the books weren’t anything like what I’d found in her possession when we first met.
“Yes. How’s she doing, Gabriel?”
“She’s good. Anxious as we get closer. You know it’s been a little hard on her.”
“Yes, well, a summer baby. They make for the most rambunctious pups.”
We both smiled and sat for a moment in silence.
Over the tops of the plants, I could see the oak tree stretching upward, fully leafed, and dark emerald. It looked healthy and strong.
“That acorn we took,” I commented, leaning toward her. “You know Valarie planted it last spring—she's been taking care of it. We have a place in the yard picked out for the tree to grow.”
My mother didn’t respond, but I knew she was pleased.
The one thing that had bothered me after leaving the palace was being so far from the oak tree. Now I had a piece of it nearby, at home, where someday my kids would lay in its shade and harass it by climbing into the branches.
“Do you think Dad would be happy?” I asked, in an uncommon moment of self-doubt. “With all the changes we made? Do you think he would think this was all... strange?”
“Well, probably,” Mother answered honestly, glancing at me. “I mean, back when we were children, the packs never would have considered two females proper leaders. Not without mates. But your father also would have been aware that sometimes, females are made for this better than the men.”
She smiled slyly, and I knew exactly what she meant. If he’d put up with her strong-headed personality for as long as he did, he would have seen Sophia and Daniele for what they were; completely capable, competent Alphas.
“He would have been proud of your choice. And the changes we made,” she said quietly as we both looked at the old oak tree.
***
Valarie
The sputtering growl of a motorcycle gave Gabriel away before he even came into view around the dirt bend that led to our house.
When he did, he rode the rickety thing easily; he’d found it discarded a few years ago and Jason had been more than happy to tinker with it until it was running.
It was actually very reliable, but that didn’t ease my worry.
The last thing I needed was my mate on a dangerous contraption with a little one on the way.
Once more, I cupped my hand under my belly unconsciously. He parked in the drive, kicked out the stand, and swung a leg over the seat. Despite the danger of the bike, I couldn’t help thinking how good he looked with it.
Hair longer, a few days growth of stubble on his jaw, a good tan—Gabriel looked very different than the cold Alpha I’d seen for the first time five years ago, standing submissively behind Sophia.
Now he was mine. And our daughter’s.
We argued about it constantly, but I was sure it was a girl, and my mother backed me up. When he wasn’t around, she told me that every woman in our family was able to predict the sex of their child before it was born.
“Hey there, little one,” he purred as he got closer, and I wondered if this man would ever not make me blush.
“Hey,” I answered. “How’s Sophia?”
“She’s good. She doesn’t want you participating in the hunt—but I told her I wouldn’t even consider stopping you.”
“Good,” I replied, standing on tiptoes to kiss his rough cheek.
He turned to appraise the house, which he had just resided before leaving on his last tour of the territories.
“It looks good,” he said.
I nodded. “It does. Now... just that upper bedroom left. For our girl.”
He rolled his eyes but didn’t fight me on it.
“You’re sure you want to run the hunt?”
“I do.”
Pregnancy was rough, and it wasn’t something I was naturally cut out for. But being in wolf-form felt good, felt right. Gabriel had worried at first that shifting might be dangerous for the baby, but both of our mothers had reassured him it was totally natural.
“Whatever makes you happy,” he said, wrapping an arm around my waist and pulling me as close as he could with my stomach in the way.
I smiled to myself, the two of us looking at the home we’d created and the possibilities yet to come.