Epilogue–3

“Hello Ron, Melissa,” he said.

“Finlay, I have heard you had a long day,” my mom said.

“I’m getting old, the pups wear me out,” my mate told her, and we all laughed.

“Is dinner ready?” I asked. Finlay nodded.

“We will let you eat. Love you all,” dad told us. The pups were hungry and had spent the day running around; their stomachs seemed bottomless. A couple of hours later, both of them were tucked in bed, sleeping like the dead. Finlay and I sat on the couch and watched the fire slowly turn to embers.

“We have a good life,” Finlay said.

“We do,” I agreed. Things had been calm and stable since Asher was born. Just the usual squabbles between other packs and the occasional showdown at the Alpha meetings. That was just part of werewolf life. We still had almost eight months to the next Games and the pack was in better shape than it had been ten years ago. Jake had already told us he would sit this one out; he was feeling too old. I hadn’t discussed it with Finlay, but Cadence would be a good substitute. Even if he was more physical than his father, he still had the same brain. It was an interesting combination. As he was a warrior under Sam’s command, he was well-trained.

“My mother texted before, when I was making dinner,” Finlay said.

“How is she?” I asked.

“She’s doing good. It’s a little lonely for her now that Sarah has chosen a mate, but she is still happy in the pack,” he told me. I snuggled in closer. Finlay’s and his mother’s relationship was better than it had been. It wasn’t a mother–son relationship, more like acquaintances. But she was civil, and she kept in touch, mostly through texts. She had visited once, when Lilly was just born. We had asked if she would like us to visit, but she always gave us evasive answers, so we had stopped asking. The pups knew they had another grandmother, and they got birthday gifts from her every year, and sometimes they would talk to her on the phone. But it wasn’t like the relationship they had with my parents. I knew Finlay was fine with how things were. It worked for everyone.

“Time for bed?” I asked.

“Yes. The little buggers have tired themselves out. I think we can have some adult fun,” he told me and wiggled his eyebrows.

“Deal,” I agreed and kissed him. He was just as an amazing dad as he was an amazing mate and Alpha. I had waited a long time for him, but it was worth it, and I loved how our relationship had a solid foundation of friendship and mutual respect. I giggled as he stood up, pulled me into a fireman’s carry, and headed up the stairs.

“Amie, wake up!”

“What?” I asked. It was too early in the morning. We had only gotten to sleep a couple of hours earlier. “Is it snowing again?” Even I had my limits.

“Scent the air,” he told me and kissed my head. I did and froze.

“Is this your way of keeping me out of the Games?” I asked. He chuckled happily.

“I don’t think you can blame me alone for this,” he said.

“Do you think we can handle three of them?” I asked.

“Easy, Red. We will have to extend the house to build another bedroom,” he said.

“Or two of them can share,” I suggested.

“No, we have the means to extend it, and I like the idea of them having their own space. If we do an extension next to your office on the ground floor and then add the same on the second floor, I could move my office next door to yours, and we can make my office into a playroom.” I smiled and kissed him. Three pups. The pack was going to go crazy, as were Asher and Lilly. Finlay put his hand on my still flat stomach. “I love you, Red. And I love all of our pups and the family we all make,” he told me.

“I love you too, Finn. More for each and every day.”