Book 5: Epilogue

Book 5: Epilogue
Cerelia’s POV 
I froze, my heart sinking with apprehension. I was suddenly unsure of Zephyrus’s reaction towards me. After all, there was a time when he hated me. 
“Welcome back to Lucania, Cerelia. How are you now?” he asked in a good-natured way, releasing my mate. 
I searched his eyes and saw no judgemental look hidden there. Xandrios had truly cleared every ounce of doubt from Zephyrus’s mind. “I’m fine, Alpha. How’s your Luna?” I had always liked Lena more than him. She was kind and forgiving, like a mother should be. 
“She’s doing fine. You can meet her tomorrow when you officially join our pack. There is a meeting in the morning at around 10. Why don’t you come down to the packhouse with Alex? You can meet the entire pack and join us.” 
I glanced at my mate, not knowing what plans he might have. I couldn’t go to the packhouse on my own in this condition.
“We’ll be there, Zeph.” Zephyrus nodded at my mate and smiled at me before joining Stavros at the bar for a drink. 
“Are you sure you’re free to go tomorrow?” I turned to look at my mate. 
“Yeah. This is the most important task now if you want to live here with me forever. I was considering requesting Zephyrus, but he took the initiative instead. He might have made preparations, too. We can’t back out and insult him.” He looked ill at ease. 
“Oh, I’m not thinking of backing out. I wanted to join your pack.” 
He relaxed, and we ordered dinner: seasoned caribou chops served with mashed potatoes and stir-fried veggies for me, while Xandrios opted for hot garlic pork ribs. The food was to die for, and I could connect with the customers who knew Xandrios. I was glad to come out of the house and mingle. Almost all of them gave me free pregnancy tips, and I welcomed them all. 
We left the diner, but Xandrios steered the car away from our home. “Where are we going now?” I looked around warily. I couldn’t travel much with my bladder bursting every two hours. Didn’t he know? 
“To my twin, Leandros’s house. He’s the only family I have, and you’ve never met him.” 
I nodded with a smile, realizing how much this meant to him. He had met my family and helped them so much. “I’d love to meet him. Does he live with his mate?” I couldn’t remember having heard about his twin’s life. Were they not close? If I had a twin, I would never have left him/her alone. 
“No, his mate left him.” I felt bad for Leandros. 
“Oh, rejected him?” Xandrios shook his head. 
“No, she’s Lyra Andreadis, the niece of our enemy, Gamma, Felixe Andreadis. He abducted Zeph’s twin, and Leandros abducted his niece for revenge. They’ve gone through hell before realizing they’re mates.” 
My jaws dropped with astonishment at their horrifying story. “Oh. Did her uncle separate them?” 
Xandrios told me about Leandros’s life and how he was now a father of triplets who didn’t belong to his mate. He explained how he was facing the biggest punishment of his life for no fault of his. I felt upset about my mate’s brother. 
“Can’t Lyra understand what he’s going through?”
Xandrios shook his head. “She’s as old as you are. She’s immature.” 
I glanced at him with surprise. “Am I like her? Is that what you’re trying to say?” 
He shook his head, and I released the breath I was holding. “No, baby. You’re much more mature, brave, and sensible. You’ve fought your way to survive. I’m not comparing the two of you.” 
I grinned at my mate. “I’m better, right?” 
“To me, you’re the best because I love you with every cell of my body.” 
My heart skipped a beat despite hearing his confession many times before. Every time he said it, I felt warm all over. I felt complete. “I love you too.” 
“Leandros loves Lyra despite everything. So say nothing bad about her. He’s still waiting for her, hoping she will return to him one day.” 
My heart filled up with compassion for his twin. He must truly love his mate. “I pray to the Moon Goddess that Lyra returns to him.” 
Xandrios smiled and nodded. “So do I.” 
We reached his twin’s house, and Xandrios parked his car. “Come, I’ll help you.” He effortlessly helped me out of the car and led me up to the porch. “This was my childhood home twenty years ago when my parents were alive. Leandros still lives here while I shifted to the house near the hospital.” 
I was glad to know so much about my mate. After going through hell, I was at peace with my life, and I wanted to utilize my time getting to know my mate. All these days, Xandrios had bonded with me and my family and found out everything about me. He knew me so well, more than anyone else in the world. Now it was time for me to connect to his soul and know him well. 
The door opened, and Leandros emerged with a baby girl in his arms. “Hey, bro. What a shocking surprise! There’s nothing at home if you’re here for dinner.” 
Their weird greeting shocked me. Yet they hugged awkwardly when Leandros grinned at me. 
“Hi! Cerelia, the elusive silver wolf, right?” He balanced his baby in one hand and extended the other to me for a shake. “Well, I have chocolate mousse cake for you.” 
“Hi, Leandros! Gosh! Thanks.” Before I could grab his hand, Xandrios slapped it away. 
“No formalities, please. Oh, we can share the cake.” 
Leandros led us inside, and I smiled to see two baby boys in a playpen. I liked Leandros. He seemed so much like my brother Nikos. 
“You can hand Liana to me,” said my mate. 
I watched the little girl cling to my mate as if she loved him immensely. I was sure my mate would be the best dad in the world to our baby girls. He walked over to the playpen and introduced me to the boys, Lucius and Lazarus. 
“So what names have you thought of for your baby girls?” asked Leandros, handing us our desserts. 
“We hardly got any time to think.” 
I nodded. “Yeah, can you imagine that? My delivery is next month, and nothing is ready yet: baby names, nursery, baby stuff.”
Leandros gave me an excited look. “I can help. I’m very experienced with nurseries and baby stuff. Try me.” 
I glanced at my mate. “Yeah, come over with the triplets this weekend. We can tackle the nursery first.”
Leandros showed us his nursery, and I gasped with delight. It was very well furnished. 
“Michael and Orion helped me. Shall I bring them over, bro?” 
“Sure,” agreed my mate. He explained who they were, and I nodded, too.
I was excited that things were finally happening. I loved connecting with Xandrios’s friends and family. The last time I was here, I hadn’t noticed the vibrant and deep friendship Xandrios shared with each and every one here in Lucania. They loved him so much. It differed totally from what I went through in Pieria. Lucania was a happy place indeed, and I was sure I’d be happy here with my mate by my side. 
We returned home feeling recharged. I couldn’t stop the excited banter all the way. I loved my life now, and I couldn’t hide it. 
“So, finally, everything is happening the way I wanted it.” 
He smiled, parking the car in our driveway. “Yes. I’m glad the Goddess has given me a chance to prove my love to you. And I’ll prove it all my life, Cerelia.”
“I know, Xandrios. You don’t need to prove a thing.” 
“Oh, you know? Then tell me, who you belong to?” His eyes sparkled with desire, and I instantly knew where he was getting to.
“You, Xandrios.” I smiled to see the satisfied look in his eyes. This was the answer he was looking for. 
“Then prove it, baby. I’ll be careful not to hurt Xenia and Cassia, our baby girls.”
I gasped at the beautiful names he had thought of for our daughters.
“I trust you, Xandrios. I’m sure Xenia and Cassia will too when they’re born.” He smiled, knowing I had accepted his suggestion. 
He held out his hand and helped me out of the car. We walked into the house, hand in hand, looking forward to our time together. 
“Ready for a new lesson in love?” The excited look in his eyes made my heart skip a beat. 
“Sure. I’m a quick learner.” There never was or would be a dull moment in our lives, and I looked forward to enjoying every minute with my mate, my savior, and my home, Alexandrios Vasiliou.