Epilogue

“You better hurry, Princess, or we won’t make it on time.” Nevaeh runs down the stairs looking flustered, one shoe on her foot and the other in her hand. “You know we wouldn’t be late if you hadn’t distracted me in bed.”

I give her a pleased smile. “If you didn’t like it, you should have said so.”

She shakes her head. “You are such a bad boy, babe.”

I kiss her lips and take her hand. “We better go before your father, and the others have my head,”

I’m not joking either. Today is our graduation, and Mathias is coming to see Nevaeh as well as my brothers and Alex. I’d imagine that Mathias wouldn’t be too happy if we showed up late. He already gave me the ‘take care of my little girl’ speech, which shocked both Nevaeh and me. Even then, Nevaeh blushed with pleasure at Mathias’ words. They have become closer over the past few weeks. The look on Mathias’ face when Nevaeh called him dad was priceless. I could have sworn I saw a tear in his eyes the first time she said it.

Nevaeh chuckles as she slips on her other shoe. “Yeah, we don’t want my dad to kick your ass for making us miss graduation.”

Once the ceremony was over, everyone headed to Azazel’s club to party. Alex and my brothers, as well as Nevaeh’s friends, are partying with us. As soon as the ritual was over, Mathias made sure the council accepted our mating and claimed Nevaeh as his daughter. Thankfully, the Council accepted Nevaeh as his daughter without issue. Of course, I imagine that not many people want to get on Mathias’s bad side.

Once Nevaeh was accepted by the Council, I replaced Azazel’s mark with mine.

Another surprise is that Nevaeh made her peace with her mother. We were shocked to learn that her mother didn’t abandon her on purpose. Apparently, a year before, Nevaeh’s mother was diagnosed with a brain tumor, and the reason she was out so much because she was in the hospital, and she didn’t want Nevaeh to suffer the burden of caring for her. Randall, Nevaeh’s adoptive father, didn’t know about the tumor either. Nevaeh’s mother figured it was better if Nevaeh thought she didn’t love her rather than have her carry the weight of her mother’s illness. Nevaeh was distraught.

She asked Mathias to heal her, but we had to tell her that Angels cannot heal someone who is dying. Even the angels are prohibited from intervening in the fate of humans.

For a while, Nevaeh was angry with us. Eventually, she realized that it was futile to argue. Instead, she rekindled her relationship with her mother, and they made the best of the time they had together. She even made up with Randall. They aren’t as close as they used to be, but they’re still friendly.

Mathias was also reunited with Nevaeh’s mother. They were both pleased to meet again. Of course, Nevaeh had to explain why Mathias still looked so young. Her mother didn’t seem bothered by it at all. In fact, she was grateful that Mathias would be there to care for Nevaeh. She passed away in her sleep a month before we attended Cal State. Nevaeh was devastated but accepted that at least her mother suffered no pain.

Rowan, Nevaeh, and I were accepted at Cal State months before. I figure I better go if only to keep her out of trouble.

Azazel offered to let us all live in a loft he owns near the school, and Azazel offered me a job at his club. I accepted the offer. He and I are like brothers now. He seems a bit lonely, sometimes. All Nevaeh and I can do is hope that he’ll find his mate.

Everything seems to be as it should be for now. Nevaeh’s fragile arms wrap around my waist as I’m standing on the rooftop, gazing out into the city. “Hey, baby, what are you doing here all alone? Come and dance with me. I need your arms wrapped around me.”

Smiling, I turn in her arms and kiss her deeply. “I love you.” Nevaeh gives me a happy smile and ushers me toward the dance floor. “I love you too. Now dance with me.”

As I look into her eyes, I give thanks to fate for bringing me to Arcata. Who knew that a sad, orphaned hybrid would ever find love and live happily ever after? I know I didn’t. However, I am grateful that life has given me such a beautiful gift as my princess, Nevaeh.