Epilogue Amalie

Epilogue Amalie
“Mom, have you seen my dress?” Rose shouts from her room. Her question is followed by a loud thud.

I roll my eyes as I exit the master bedroom. “Which one?” I ask as I stop in the doorway.

Rose’s room is a disaster, typical of a teenager, but not typical of my teenager.

“That light blue one,” she says as she pops her head out of her closet. She has a desperate look in her eyes.

“The one with stars or butterflies?” I ask, trying to remember where I saw the dresses last.

“Stars,” she says as she goes back to throwing clothes out of her closet. A high heel goes flying out the closet and followed by a frustrated scream.

“Laundry room,” I tell her. “I washed it and it's hanging to dry down there.”

“Mommy! Tyler pulled my hair!” Sophie shouts as she slams into my leg.

“No, I didn’t,” Tyler shouts as he comes to a halt behind his younger twin.

“Markus, the twins are fighting,” I shout as I pick up our youngest. My five-year-old snuggles into me. I catch her give Tyler a look.

“What’s going on you two?” Markus asks as he walks in from the kitchen.

“You were supposed to be watching the twins,” I point out.

“They were just in the kitchen helping,” he defends as he picks up Tyler.

“Daddy, So is lying,” Tyler pouts.

“Did you pull her hair?” Mark asks.

“It was just a tiny tug,” Tyler tries to defend.

“We don’t pull hair,” Rose says as she dashes out of her room.

“You’re not mom,” my little twins chorus.

“When’s papa going to be home with Tony?” Sophie asks.

“He’ll be back in a few hours. But in the meantime, we need to get ready for Rose’s shifting ceremony,” I tell my daughter. “We need to get ready to head to the pack house,” I say as I set her down.

Sophie, the ever troublemaker, sticks her tongue out at Tyler before she dashes away.

“Mommy!” Tyler shouts before he gives chase.

“Why did we have more children?” I ask with a pointed look at my mate.

“Because we can’t keep our lust in check,” Mark says with a smirk as he gives me a kiss. “Alright, breakfast is ready.”

The little twins come running to the table. Both climb into their chairs and devour breakfast. Mark and I prompt our kids several times to slow down, but our warning mean nothing.

“Mom,” Rose says as she enters the dining room. She gives a little spin in her dress.

“Beautiful,” I tell our oldest.

Rose grabs a slice of toast from Tyler’s plate.

He gives an indignant, “Hey.”

“Okay, I’ll see you at the pack house,” Rose says as she gives me a peck on the cheek before rushing out of the house.

“Always in a rush,” I chuckle as I take a bite of my own toast.

Tyler looks like he’s about to cry so I hand him the rest of my toast. He smiles and continues to eat.

“She’s off to meet that boy,” Mark grumbles.

“Hush,” I say with a smile. “Ethan is a sweet kid.”

“He’s trouble,” Mark continues to grumble.

“Dad says he just wants to get into her pants,” Tyler says helpfully.

“Markus, what have I said about saying those things?” I demand sharply. Part of me is mortified that Cal and Mark would say something like that in front of our kids.

“He’s a teenage boy!” Mark tries to defend.

“Go get ready to leave,” I say dismissing the twins.

“You’re in trouble,” Sophie sings before she dashes away.

Tyler lets out a laugh as he follows his sister to their shared room.

I give Mark a look.

“We will stop bad mouthing Rosebud’s boyfriend,” Mark sighs. “Doesn’t mean that we’re not right.”

“You read him the riot act and put the fear of the goddesses in him,” I point out. “Ethan respects Rose, and us too much to push anything. Not to mention that he is waiting for his twin flame. But I have the feeing that they are mates.”

I get up and place my own kiss on Mark’s cheek before I start on the dishes.

Mark grumbles a few more words as he finished his breakfast. He hands me his dishes and goes to get himself ready and the twins.

“Mommy, can I wear this?” Sophie asks as she comes into kitchen to show off her pink shirt and red pants.

“One or the other, but those colors clash,” I tell her. I shoo her back to her room to finish getting ready.

I make my way to the master bedroom to finish my makeup now that breakfast is done.

“We ready yet?” Tyler asks from the doorway.

“All done,” I tell him as I pack up my makeup. I get up leave the bedroom.

Tyler cheers as he leads us to the front door. I pick up Sophie as Mark grabs Tyler, and we head towards the pack house. The twins chatter the whole way, pausing to wave to pack members.

“Mommy, can we play with Connor?” Tyler asks as we enter the pack house.

“If he’s here,” I say as we set the twins down.

The twins dash off to find the Delta’s son.

“Be good, we’ll be in our office if you need us,” Mark says as we head towards our office.

“Is everything ready for tonight?” I ask nervously as I sit at Cal’s desk. I boot up the computer to check our emails.

“Yes, Rose will be able to shift in the garden and then we will celebrate with the pack back inside once done,” Mark assures me.

“Okay,” I say trying to take a breath. We’ve planned everything and every detail so that way Rose’s first shift is perfect.

“Breathe, everything is going to be perfect for Rose’s first shift,” Mark assures me.

“I know, I’ve been waiting for this day for years,” I say excitedly.

Rose finally gets her wolf today. She gets to finally go on pack runs for herself. Goddess, no more of her riding on my back through the pack lands. She will get to do it herself.

‘It’s okay to be sad,’ Beren tells me.

“Alright,” I say as I blink away tears. “We have to do final touches.”

“Darling, everything is ready,” Mark laughs.

“Mom!” Anthony shouts as he enters our office.

“I thought you wouldn’t be here for a little longer?” I laugh as I wrap my arm around Anthony who is not twelve. I can no longer hold him, he’s too big.

“We got an earlier flight,” Cal says as he enters the office next.

“The Alpha council?” I ask.

“Running smoothly,” my other mate says as he gives me a kiss.

“I’m gonna go find Tommy,” Anthony says to us and our Beta as he passes him.

“In the kitchen,” James says. “I see our fearless Alpha has returned.”

“Haha,” Cal says he picks me up and sets me down in his lap.

“Everyone here?” I ask Cal.

“Yes, Jonathon and Stephanie flew back with us. Harold and Rebekah met us at the border. A few others were grabbing lunch and then they will be here,” Cal says.

“This is going to be one hell of a shift party,” James laughs as he sits down on the couch.

“Rose deserves it,” I say as I snuggle into my mate. “It’s her sweet sixteen after all.”

“That she does,” everyone agrees.

The twins and I try to stay busy as we wait for the party to begin. The visiting alliance members sneak into the pack to surprise Rose. These are her honorary aunts and uncles from over the years.

By the time night starts to fall, I’m a fidgeting mess.

Rose comes running into the office, “Can I shift now? Alwyn says I’m ready.”

“Yes,” I say with a sad smile that my baby girl is growing up. She’s met her wolf, now she just has to shift.

Rose leads the way to the garden. She ducks behind the changing screen to shed her dress and puts on her robe. Rose steps out once she’s ready.

“You ready?” I ask Rose.

She gives me a nod before she takes a deep breath.

“Alwyn knows what to do. Trust her and focus on shifting. Shifting is natural,” I say encouragingly.

Rose gives me a nod as she closes her eyes. She breathes through her nose. Her bones start to pop and snap. Rose gives out a grunt of pain. She drops to the ground. Rose lets out a scream from the pain.

I step forward, but Cal and Mark hold me back.

“She has to do this on her own,” Cal tells me.

“Coach her through it,” Mark whispers.

“Baby, I’m right here. You are doing wonderfully,” I say, trying to keep calm.

“It hurts,” Rose screams.

“I know, but you have to keep going,” I encourage.

“Rose, you can’t stop,” Mark tells our pup.

“Alwyn knows what to do. Trust her,” Cal advises.

Rose takes a deep breath and bones continue to shift. Hair grows longer and thicker. She lets out another scream that turns into a howl. Rose pushes forward in her shift. Blonde fur overtakes her.

Alwyn lays on the ground as the shift finally completes. She gives out a whimper as she tries to move.

“You’re beautiful,” I say as I kneel beside my daughter. “I know it hurts, but the pain will fade.”

Alwyn slowly gets to her paws. She shakes out her blonde fur. She has black patch over right eye. She looks beautiful.

‘Mom?’ Rose asks through the mind link.

‘Right here, baby,’ I tell my pup.

‘Can we run?’ Alwyn asks, her voice sweet and chipper.

“Yes,” I say as Beren takes over. She forces a shift, ripping our clothes. I don’t care though. We are going for a run with our daughter. Our shift is faster than Rose’s and soon Beren is standing beside our pup.

Alwyn licks our face. She gives out a howl as she bounds forward.

“You’re both perfect,” Cal says as he places a kiss on Beren’s forehead.

“I’m so glad that you are our mate,” Mark says.

“We love you both, as well,” Beren says before she takes off after Rose.