Epilogue

Flora’s P.O.V

I held Clay’s hand tightly in mine as he brought the car to a stop on the road right outside our pack unit in the forest.

Three years.

Three years that felt like three whole lifetimes.

Clay and I had been through so much together…been separated for two years and had to endure test after tests from the gods, just so we could be together.

And now…we were finally back to where it all started, but not permanently.

“What are we going to say to them?” I asked past the knot in my throat.

“The truth.” Clay answered simply, giving my hand a light squeeze. “They deserve it after everything we put them through.”

Clay was right; I realized suddenly.

For us, the last three years had been filled with tests and tribulations, but for our family…our old pack…I was the one who ran away suddenly after my best friend turned out to be Clay’s mate and then Clay went after me and never returned. They never got to find out what happened to us or if we even met once we left the pack.

What could they possibly be thinking about us? Did they think we betrayed them? Did they think we were being reckless youngsters and having fun troubling them? Will they even care if we showed up unannounced and told them our life story? Will they even believe us?

But before I could ask Clay, I felt the car moving forward.

“Clay!” I glared at him.

He gave me a bright smile, looking at me sheepishly as he answered. “Because you were overthinking again and it’s not good for your health.”

I huffed and folded my arms across my chest but I was glad we were driving forward before I had a chance to panic and decided to turn back.

When the pack houses came into view, nostalgia hit me full force. This was my home. The place where I was born, the place where I grew up and met Clay. For two years, I couldn’t remember this place, but when I had finally remembered, the time hadn't been right to return home. But now that we were finally here…the guilt was setting in.

A movement in the trees caught our attention and we saw a grey wolf sprinting towards the town, in the direction of the pack house.

“There goes our element of surprise.” Clay gave a small laugh. “That was Seth, one of the patrol guards.”

“Oh God!” I placed a hand on top of my heart, feeling the palpitations get worse. “I think I’m about to have a heart attack!”

“Flora.” Clay was instantly rubbing my back, bringing the car to a halt. “It’s alright, love. You’re going to be fine.”

But ‘fine’ lasted all but two seconds as I jerked out of his hold and throwing the car door open…threw my guts out.

“Here.” Clay held back my hair and after I was done retching, gave me a bottle of water to clean myself. “Its fine, Flora. They are our family, our loved ones. They will understand.”

“I know.” I told him after rinsing my mouth and drinking some of the cool water. “I know. Let’s get this over with.”

“Are you sure?” He asked once more.

“Yes.” I nodded, calming myself. It was now or never.

Exactly five minutes later, we arrived at the town square…to find every single packmate standing right there, waiting for us.

“Oh shit!” This time it was Clay who whispered that under his breath.

“At least I have an excuse to throw up.” I shrugged.

“Ha. Ha.” Clay said sourly as he parked the car and then came around to my side to unbuckle my seatbelt and help me down from the car.

I heard several gasps from the crowd almost instantly and subconsciously, my hand went to my belly. I was only five months, so the bump wasn’t that big, but it was now noticeable even though I was wearing a flowy green dress.

I clutched Clay’s hand tightly in mine as we stepped forward to greet our old packmates. Alpha Nicolas was the first to step forward.

He looked older now, as if he had aged a decade in the three years that we hadn't seen him. His stance was rigid as well…that was until Clay and I got closer and he immediately engulfed us into a hug.

“God! Where had you two been?” Alpha Nicolas whispered, his grip tightening around us. “Three years and absolutely no contact! It felt like you two had just disappeared into thin air! Do you have any idea how long we searched for you?”

“We’re sorry for putting you through so much pain.” I told him as he released us. “There is so much we need to tell you.”

“Come to the pack house first,” Alpha Nicolas said, looked down at my belly. “Goodness, you’re with child! This calls for a celebration!”

A few hours later, we were all at the pack house, in the living area with our closest friends and family. My mom and dad had stolen me away from Clay to sit between them, while Riley sat on the floor in front of me, his arm resting on my leg as if I would start running any moment now.

Dorothy was with us as well, which wasn’t all that surprising since she was Clay’s ex-mate and…surprise, surprise…Riley’s current girlfriend. That was one incident that I never expected to happen as Riley and Dorothy were polar opposites. But then again, so were me and Clay and look at how we ended up together?

She and Trevor broke up about five months after we disappeared because Trevor found his mate and she was a senior soldier. Their relationship had pretty much become rocky right after Clay’s birthday, but Trevor kept providing Dorothy emotional support, but it didn’t last after Trevor found his mate.

Alpha Nicolas and Luna Maria sat at the central sofas and surprisingly, I saw Clay’s parents present in the room for the first time in ages. They sat on either side of Clay, holding his hand and showering him with love, but it felt a bit hollow as they had hardly been around his whole life. Alpha Nicolas had been the once to raise Clay, but then again, he too had thought Clay would become the future Alpha of ReedStone.

“The Alpha and Luna of Lindersay?” Luna Maria looked from me to Clay in astonishment, as did everyone else. “The Shrine Maiden? Descendant of the Moon Goddess? Good Lord! I need a drink.”

“I never knew my parents,” my mother told me, her hand tightening on mine. “But I had no idea I was part of such a legacy.”

“We didn’t either, not until recently.” I reassured her. “You should come to Lindersay for the childbirth, so you can meet your grandparents.”

Calling Malachi and Ezra grandparents seemed utterly ridiculous, since they hardly looked a day over thirty. But it was a relation I cherished with all my heart. I’m glad they are staying nearby until my baby is born; I would’ve never had the courage to do this otherwise. Becoming the Shrine Maiden wasn’t an easy job, but the other maidens had accepted me wholeheartedly and I was grateful for it.

“Flora…you said there would be a Shrine dedicated to Goddess Artemis?” Ruth asked, a bit hesitant. “Can I become a Maiden of her Shrine?”

“You want to serve Goddess Artemis?” I raised my eyebrows at her in surprise. Ruth didn’t have to follow celibacy if she became a Huntress, but the training and worship of Goddess Artemis were quiet difficult. “Are you sure about it?”

“Yes.” She gave me a small smile. “I want to do something that makes me feel I have a greater purpose. I want to help you and be able to find my true calling. Becoming a soldier has always been my dream, but being a Huntress would give me more of the purpose I am looking for.”

“And you, Riley?” Clay asked his best friend. “Are you going to stay here or move to Lindersay?”

“Depends on how much you miss having me around.” Riley gave Clay a cheeky smile before turning to look up at me. “I think I’m going to move to Lindersay as well, become a soldier too.”

“That’s just perfect.” I gave him a smile and a hug.

I was glad that I would have my family around at Lindersay now, helping me with the responsibilities of my new life.

Everything was finally falling into place. I had my family, my friends and the man that was my life all next to me. Two years ago, I never thought this day would ever be possible, that I could ever be happy again. And now, we could all move forward, together.