An Imperfect Epilogue

It took longer than anyone had anticipated, but I finally got on that plane.

It’s been many years since that fateful winter that changed our lives. Will and I are celebrating our anniversary in Paris after spending two months traveling around Europe, just like my parents always wanted.

All I can say is that the cliches are true. It’s been magical, romantic, and inspiring. Mind you, it hasn’t been perfect. We’ve been caught in the rain, gotten lost on the metro, stayed in hotels the size of a closet, and eaten some questionable foods along the way. But I wouldn’t change a single bit.

Summer is nearly over, but as we sit at a little café next to a flower shop on Rue Cler, I’m filled with this overwhelming sense of wonder at everything that’s happened.

Right on schedule, my phone starts buzzing in my pocket, and Will smiles, sliding his chair closer to mine. He kisses my cheek quickly before I answer the video call.

“Hi guys, how is everyone-” I stop.

My aunt, Goddess, help her, has the camera pointed at her ear.

“Is it working?” Marcus asks in the background.

“Aunt Margo, you have to hold the phone in front of you. Put it in front of your face,” I say with a laugh.

There’s a muffled noise and shuffling footsteps as my aunt pulls away.

“Can you see me now?” she asks as her forehead appears on the screen.

“Maybe you should let Ash do it, dearest,” Marcus says.

Aunt Margo never fully recovered from everything that happened in Silver Manor all those years ago. Or perhaps she did, but it changed her somehow. These days she’s easily startled and often confused, but even through the pixelated image on my phone, she seems calm and happy. There’s a peace in her expression that was never there before. She no longer keeps secrets, and she does not hesitate to ask for help.

Marcus is happy to provide it. The romance that blossomed between my aunt and the old detective warms my heart, and it still makes me smile to see them holding hands, like childhood sweethearts in a schoolyard.

“Oh, for the love of-”

Ash’s voice comes through the phone with equal measures of amusement and annoyance. She’s been rather busy lately. She’s working as an intern in Marcus’s detective agency while also fulfilling her duties as Beta of the Argent Pack, which has grown significantly in numbers and strength over the past few years.

“Here, I got it. Give me the phone,” Ash says, and the screen shifts again as she takes the phone from them. “No offense, Mr. and Mrs. M, but you guys should leave the technology to the experts.”

Will snorts at her words, giving a look that makes it clear that Ash is most certainly NOT a tech expert.

“I heard that! You may be my Alpha King, and you may be on the other side of the world right now, but I can still whoop your a-”

“It’s great to see you too, Ash,” I interrupt her as Will grins beside me.

Ash straightens out the phone, setting it against something on a countertop so she can stand back beside Margo and Marcus.

“How’s Paris? Have you two caused any trouble in the city of love?” Ash asks.

“What she means to say,” Marcus corrects her, “is how are you enjoying the last days of your vacation?”

“I’m sure our very respectable Alpha and Luna have celebrated their anniversary with the utmost decorum and sensibility,” my aunt adds with a pointed look of disapproval while Ash makes funny faces in the background.

So much has changed, but not this.

“It’s been wonderful,” I answer honestly, and Will wraps his arm around me as I rest my head on his shoulder.

“I’ll have to thank Mark and Elizabeth again for the tickets. This trip was the best gift we could have ever asked for.”

My parents.

It’s only been a year or so since we were able to wake them from their frozen stasis, and every minute I’ve gotten to share with them since then has felt like a miracle. They’re the ones that planned this trip for Will and me. They bought us the flight tickets as an anniversary gift.

My aunt had told them they were out of their minds, and Ash had been offended that she was not invited to come along as well. I’d proceeded to explain that if the Alpha King and Luna Queen of Wynter City were going to be away on a romantic vacation for a few months, someone had to stay behind and mind the fort. Our council has been left in charge while Will and I spent the summer abroad, and much to our surprise and delight, everything went smoothly.

Our trusted council consists of Beta Ash, Detective Marcus, Lady Margo, Delta Jackson, Alpha Luke, Elder Hilda, and my parents. The other two Alphas of the city participate occasionally, but most of the important decisions are left up to myself and my mate.

“Speaking of mom and dad, are they with you guys? I wanted to say hello,” I say, squinting at the little screen filled with the people I love.

“Elizabeth said they’d call you later tonight. Both of them want to hear all about your latest adventures in France, but right now, your dad’s busy losing at scrabble to Jackson and Luke. You’d think an Alpha would have more honor, but that guy always cheats at board games,” Ash says, her blush noticeable even though the phone.

Will and I exchange a knowing glance. Both Luke and Ash have developed a habit of getting on each other’s nerves and driving everyone around them crazy. Will and I have a bet going on whether those sparks will turn into an all-out fistfight or a passionate love affair. I’m betting they’re mated by the end of the year, and it’s only a matter of time before our beloved Beta becomes his Luna.

‘I hope not. They’re both loudmouths and hotheads already. Imagine the ruckus they’d cause if they teamed up!’ Will’s voice reaches echoes in my head through the bond, and I elbow him playfully in the ribs.

‘Shut up. I think it’s sweet.’

“Hey! You guys are doing it again, aren’t you? It’s super rude when you two have your private little telepathic conversations. It makes everyone else feel left out,” Ash protests, noticing the looks my mate and I are exchanging.

“Actually, it doesn’t really bother me,” Marcus chimes in with a shrug. “I think Ash is the only one who minds it.”

“Really, Mr. M? You couldn’t just back me up?” she retorts sarcastically.

I laugh as they argue, and my aunt snaps at them both to mind their manners. There was a time when my banter with Will seemed like the only thing keeping me sane. Some days it still is, but there are more of us now. There’s more arguing, joking, scolding, playing, laughing, and hugging.

A family.

Even Silver Manor, which once stood as a fortress of solitude for my great aunt, has become full of life. Margo turned a section of the mansion into a small orphanage, naming it Gray House in honor of Will’s time in foster care. She has made it her personal mission to care for the children who need it most.

And me?

When I’m not helping my mate lead our pack and protect our city, I work part-time as a teacher in Ossory, shaping the minds of the young students who will one day inherit everything we have fought for.

But I suspect that will change once we return from our vacation.

The others don’t know it, but Will and I will soon be adding a new member to our family. We have a cub on the way, and my mate and I have already picked out a name.

Angel.

Yes, I know it’s cheesy, but who cares? I’m happy. Let me have this.

Later that night, we head back to the hotel and receive another call from my mom and dad, who will undoubtedly be the world’s best grandparents. Our baby hasn’t even been born yet, and already there are so many people that will love our littlest wolf.

The next day, Will and I board the plane hand in hand, and Will mentions that autumn is nearly here.

Soon, the weather will turn in Wynter City, but as I take a seat beside him and the plane takes off, I do not feel afraid. I’m not scared of flying or of the freezing winter to come.

I have a little angel in my belly, a family waiting for me at home, and my soulmate by my side. I’m warm with their love, and I know that time will pass. The seasons will change, and so will the world.

But I will never fear the cold again.