Epilogue

Reagan:

I didn’t feel any different. I thought I should have, but it made sense, really. If I was a wolf this whole time, then I wouldn’t have felt any stronger. I had always been strong. Noah told me that we would shift together on the full moons now, and I would be able to control my shifts with ease thanks to the magic we’d been given. I wanted to practice that. But today, we had other plans.

“I think the uniforms look cute,” Pippa said from the backseat. “I’m not just saying that because I made them.”

Noah smiled, glancing at her with the rearview mirror. “Sure.”

I told her I liked the uniforms; matching baseball shirts with Kell hand stitched onto the backs. I got a hyphen for mine, with both my current name and Kell on it. I’d decided to have both when Noah and I officially got married. We had to work around the chance that I might not have legally existed anymore.

Noah brought us to the park, where he knew a baseball diamond was sitting empty. All the kids piled into Noah’s minivan so we could have a day out. The sun shined bright overhead, and it didn’t even feel too cold. I knew it would be an amazing day. Instead of wallowing in sadness over who I wished could be there, I would be happy about the company I had. Because I loved them more than my own life. I loved them enough to let that love win out over the grief. I wouldn’t waste what Elena gave me, because everyone in this car was part of that. She gave me a family and future, and I wouldn’t waste it.

The kids ran out to the diamond when Noah parked. He lingered with me, grabbing the bags from the trunk. I had my mom’s baseball bat, and it felt natural in my hands. I tossed it in the air, catching it by the handle without effort. I tried to picture my mother doing the same thing.

“May I?” my mate asked, holding his hand out for mine. When I gave it to him, he slipped a glove onto my hands. He took his time, making eyes at me until he had both gloves on.

“You gonna pitch it to me?” I asked, swinging my bat safely away from Noah.

He smirked. “I can, if you want me to. Otherwise you get Pippa. Then I’ll be in the field, ready to chase you down.”

I smiled back at him. “That might be fun.”

“Then I think that’s what we’ll do.”

I went to stand in front of Jamie, who would be the catcher. Pippa already stood on the mound, a mitt in her hand as she tossed the softball into the air. She popped her gum, looking like she meant business. Blond buns stuck out under her cap, with little pink and black streaks in it. Her eyes narrowed at me, but she smiled.

“You ready?” she called out to me.

I took my stance, holding my bat like they did on TV. Noah waited in the field, along with all the kids. He waved to me, ready with his mitt. When I hit the ball, he’d catch it. When I ran, I wouldn’t let him catch me.

“Ready,” I said. And I meant it.