Epilogue

He had no idea what had led him to this moment.

For years, Kaiden had been wondering. Asking himself where he was going and what lay ahead for him. Doubting himself, fighting his father for his rights, and growing resentful towards his remaining family over the things he couldn't control. As an Alpha, there was much he wanted to control, yet little he could actually do given the circumstances. But maybe that was his first mistake—to not trust himself enough to change his own life for the better.

Then when he let things take their own course, when he let his father push him to the brink of despair, he nearly destroyed everything. He nearly destroyed the one good thing life had planned for him. The other half of his soul had lain within his reach, and Kaiden had nearly crushed her. He'd been a fool, but didn't it take a warrior to admit that? He could plainly see now how foolish his actions were, and that took wisdom—to recognise and admit to one's mistakes. If the loss he'd suffered taught him anything, it was to persevere and do right no matter how hard the struggle, for consequences were always worse.

Yet now here he was, staring at his reflection in the mirror, studying the remnants of scars on his chest. The marks on his face had nearly disappeared, and Kaiden marvelled at the fading reminders of the horrors they'd survived. His skin had become nearly flawless, and the pain was gone. The strength of the completed mate bond had enhanced his Alpha healing abilities, and would continue to do so, he imagined.

For right now, on the other side of the bathroom door was his beautiful mate, lying peacefully asleep in his bed. The memory of the passions they'd shared last night still tingled over his skin, telling him he would never get enough of her. Kaiden would never stop loving her with every beat of his heart, or every breath in his lungs. God only knew how many sins he needed to atone for, hurting his precious mate not being the least of them. But he would spend the rest of his life proving to her how devoted and changed he was.

Sliding the door open silently, he remained on the threshold and observed Chesca for a moment as she lay on her stomach, the sheets gently covering the rise and fall of her back as she breathed. Early morning sunlight streaming through the window above their bed illuminated her golden blonde hair, and his fingers ached to tangled themselves in it, his lips to explore the contours of her perfectly sculpted face and neck.

He watched as she stirred in her sleep, then felt her heart quicken at the cooler air that now caressed her exposed foot. Crossing the room, Kaiden knelt and placed a kiss on the skin of her ankle, pushing the sheet back and kissing up her leg. Her muscles responded, and he heard her intake of breath. Before she could roll over, he reached up and held her around the waist firmly. Kissing all the way up her body, he was mesmerised by the silky feel of her skin against his lips, intoxicated by her sweet scent.

Paying careful attention to her back, his tongue traced the thin pink lines on her otherwise flawless skin—the scars his father had left. Seeing them still churned Kaiden's stomach, igniting the hate he felt towards his now dead father, stirring the sorrow he felt at how cruel Elbert had been to Kaiden's pack, his mother, his brother, and his precious mate. But nothing would ever touch Chesca again, Kaiden vowed in his heart as he memorised every line of her body, every note of her scent.

When she giggled, his lips curled up in a smile and he sighed in pure bliss. "Good morning, Beautiful."

"Hey, Handsome," she replied, twisting her neck to look at him over her shoulder.

Her honey voice and warm words caused his heart to flip, and his mouth widened into an unstoppable grin. Finally allowing her to roll over, she instantly wrapped her arms tightly around his neck, drawing him impossibly close. He didn't mind. He could stay in the embrace of her arms for the rest of his life and nothing else would matter.

Then she kissed him on the lips, slipping her tongue between, and scattering all thoughts of his into another realm. Her reality, this oblivion she captured him with, was all he could breathe, all he could taste, and he never wanted to wake up from this feeling of ecstacy.

He broke the kiss, resting his forehead on hers so he could look into her eyes. "You know I love you, right?"

She giggled again, "You may have mentioned that last night quite a number of times."

"And I'll keep on mentioning it, every day we have together. Chesca, I love you. I love you. I love you." He punctuated his words with a kiss between each. The taste of her lips was euphoric, and he'd become an addict.

Lying on his side, Kaiden watched his mate where she lay her head on his arm and her delicate fingers traced patterns over his chest.

Chesca was looking at him differently this morning. The sparkle in her eyes was brighter, the emerald depths more vivid. There was no hesitation in her gaze, no doubts in the way she glanced at him. No fear or mistrust, no strain in the lines around her lips as she smiled at him. There was a pure openness that reached to his very core. A radiance of belonging and being loved. The depths of her gaze would have frightened him a long time ago, but now he wanted her to search every crevice of his heart and fill every crack with the love only she could give him.

He'd given her every part of himself, body and soul, and she held his heart.

She knew him, and in the most intimate way.

"What are you thinking about?" She suddenly asked, surprising him because it was clear they could both understand each other's thoughts and feelings now since completing the bond.

"You."

"Obviously," Chesca rolled her eyes and playfully slapped his chest. The contact sent sparks of electricity shooting across his skin. "What about me?"

Kaiden's lips curled in a sly smile. "Do you want to know what I thought the first time I saw you?"

Chesca raised herself up on her elbow, lifting an eyebrow in a suspicious manner. "Maybe. I mean yes, of course. Only if it's good. No wait, even if it was bad. Just be honest," she rambled.

"I will if you be quiet!"

Chesca slapped his chest again and sighed dramatically, waving her hand for him to continue.

"So I thought, bother! Why'd I get given such a beautiful mate?" Kaiden narrowed his eyes and tugged on his hair in a show of annoyance.

"Boy, are you serious?!" Chesca leaned back with wide eyes, and Kaiden was almost afraid she'd punch him. "Would you rather I was ugly?"

"Of course not! You're utterly and devastatingly gorgeous, and it was actually your legs—"

"My legs?" Chesca grinned and flicked her hair over her shoulder, "Must be all the squats I do."

"Well, as I was saying, as soon as I saw you and gazed into your eyes, I knew I was going to care about you. And I didn't want that to happen." Kaiden spoke quickly all in a rush, wanting to get this out before she might leap from the bed and run away from him. Even though he knew she'd never do that.

"What?!" she began protesting, but he held up a hand.

"Let me finish, will you?" He shook his head and gave her an admonishing smile, effectively shutting her up. He could just see her lips aching to spew words, the frown growing around her eyes as she patiently waited for him to explain himself. How she could be so cute when mad was something he'd never understand. "I was bad news, Ches. I didn't want my mate to get tangled up in my mess. I didn't want to hurt you."

"Hmm, sounds like you cared about me already." Her agitation ceased, and was replaced with a teasing grin as she leaned closer and nibbled his earlobe.

Kaiden nodded, "I've cared about a lot of people during my life, but..." This time the words caught in his throat, and although he wanted to admit everything to his mate, this was harder than he thought. "But not enough to stand up for them. You taught me that, Chesca. You showed me how to be brave and fight for those I love. You taught me how to love."

"Oh Kaiden," Chesca placed her hands on either side of his face, "It wasn't just me. I know your mother loved you, and your grandparents, and your Beta and many of your loyal pack members. You've seen them stand up and fight for each other. You knew how to do that before I came along. Don't give me all the credit. Although...I do like hearing you say nice things about me—"

Kaiden leaned over her and stole her lips in a kiss, letting his love and appreciation pour through the physical contact. Holding her head close with one hand, he slid the other down her body and lifted her leg around his waist. He felt her arms wrap around his neck, and her lips respond perfectly to his.

Then all of a sudden, Chesca flipped him over, now straddling his waist as she smirked down at him. Taking control of the kiss, she awoke in him a desire he knew would never be quenched. She slid her hands across his chest, over his shoulders, and down his arms until their fingers interlaced. Her lips moved from his mouth, down his jaw, and she placed kisses and small bites in a burning trail to his mark.

"Chesca..." he breathed her name, and felt her smile against his skin.

Then she pulled away, pushing him back down to the bed when he tried following in an attempt to not break the kiss. "We should probably be getting up, Kaiden. I'm sure everyone's waiting, and there's lots of work to be done."

"I gave them all the day off. Why should they work when the Alpha's not?" He was looking forward to this day of rest with just his mate, and would let nothing and nobody get in the way.

"Don't you mean, when the Alphas aren't? Plural nouns take a plural verb, my dear," Chesca raised an eyebrow and squeezed his cheeks playfully.

He chuckled, and felt her own chest vibrating too while her fingers curled through his hair. "Of course, my Love. This pack now has two Alphas."

She seemed content with his words, and gazed out the window above them, the sunlight highlighting every inch of her skin. He wouldn't mind just lying here and staring at her all d—

"We can't stay in bed all day, Kaiden."

Had she read his thoughts? Or was it just the silly smile he couldn't seem to wipe from his face that had betrayed his lustful notions?

"And why not?" he asked, tucking her hair behind her ears, then bringing it forwards again, letting the silky strands glide between his fingers.

"Because I get restless if I stay inside for too long. I want to see the scenery outside and explore the place with you."

"Okay." An idea began forming in his mind. "I guess that's fair enough. But how about a drink first?" He got up off the bed and moved to the kitchenette that took up a corner of his large suite. Filling the kettle and setting it to boil, he pulled out two mugs and a jar of coffee. "You want coffee?"

"You know I prefer tea." Came the gentle reply behind him.

"Oh, right. Sorry." Drats. He knew that, but hadn't thought to restock his supply of teabags. Other thoughts had definitely distracted him on the way here to his place after being away for months. Maybe they could go shopping later—

Two warm arms wrapped around him from behind, and Kaiden looked down to see Chesca's hands sliding around his waist. He was frozen in place as his mate hugged him from behind, her warm body pressing against his. Then she snatched something from the shelf.

"But I do love hot chocolate."

"Hey! That's my last sachet!" he tried reclaiming the packet from her, but she danced away and held it high like a trophy.

"Too bad. It's mine now."

He let her keep it, pouring the hot water into her mug when it was ready. While his coffee brewed a bit longer, she went back to sitting in the middle of the bed, taking a careful sip and once more looking at the view with a contented sigh on her peach-coloured lips.

His heart felt like it would burst from the amount of love he felt for her. He would do anything for her, anything to make her happy. Give her complete control of his pack, hand over the keys to his home and heart, cross deserts and frozen tundra to keep her safe. He would rip and tear shreds into anything and anyone who dared to harm her. His precious mate Chesca was the very air he breathed. It was a dangerous position to be in, Kaiden realised. Love was a dangerous passion. But he wouldn't trade the feeling for anything. He'd die before allowing anything evil to happen to her. He very nearly had.

And it would have crushed Chesca. She'd made him swear last night to remain healthy and alive for as long as they both lived, so they could enjoy their love, raise a family, and grow old together.

Kaiden knew, as he watched her dreamily, that he was already living this beautiful dream and he never wanted to wake up.

"Are you going to join me?" Chesca asked, snapping him from his reverie and patting the bed beside her.

"Oh no, we're not having our drinks here. Put on some clothes and follow me."

She looked at him curiously before surrendering to his demand. Finding her pants on the floor, she then slipped his shirt over her head and watched him pull on his sweatpants. Taking both steaming mugs in hand, she followed him to the side of the room where he pulled back the curtains and opened a sliding door. The small balcony outside was barely big enough for two chairs, but he'd turned it into his own little space to relax and think. Chesca frowned in question when he stepped up on the chair, lifting his arms to the edge of the roof above, then hauled himself up.

"Kaiden, don't hurt yourself! What on earth are you doing?" she screeched in alarm, and he poked his head back down and let out a chuckle.

"Pass me the drinks, then come on up."

"Are you kidding me? Do you want me to break my neck?" she glared up at him and sipped her hot chocolate in defiance.

"Hey, aren't you the one who likes climbing trees?"

"When I was fifteen maybe. I'm a mature and mated woman now, remember."

"Oh, come on. Don't be ridiculous. I know how spirited you are, my dear mate. This is fun, and I promise you'll love it when you get up here. Or are you scared of heights?"

She'd been about to give him another excuse and stand her ground, but the moment he questioned her ability and gameness to climb onto the roof, she instantly squared her shoulders, pressed her lips together, and handed him the mugs.

"I'm not afraid of anything."

"That's what I thought," he smirked while giving her a hand up. Once they were both on the roof, he led her over the tiles and gable to a flat space beyond the first ridge. She clung to his arm the entire time, and his wolf felt immense pleasure at his mate's reliance upon him. He'd always be strong and protect his mate fiercely.

After Kaiden sat down, Chesca settled herself in his lap, grinning and placing kisses on his cheek.

"You were right, this place is cool," she whispered while watching birds flitting in the nearby trees, her hair blowing gently in the fresh breeze as the blue sky stretched above them. Her eyes glowed with the refracted sunlight, making the forest-coloured depths glitter like emeralds.

"I used to come up here lots, where my dad couldn't find me. It was peaceful, but lonely sometimes. I often wondered what it would be like sharing this special place with my mate. Just enjoying each other's company, you know?" he said, slipping his arms around her waist and resting his chin on her shoulder.

"Well now you know what it's like," she replied softly, her hands rubbing his back in a soothing manner.

They enjoyed their drinks, chatting for awhile, and just sitting comfortably in silence, wrapped in each other's presence. They discussed their pack and what would be the best way forward to help everyone mend and settle back into normalcy. Tactics and strategies were considered for the next time an enemy approached, for there were always those out there wanting to expand their territories or influence, and flex their dominating attitudes. Chesca wanted to be perfectly prepared, to spare any more loss, pain, and heartbreak that no one in their pack deserved to feel. They talked about their own future, how many pups they wanted, and whether they should buy a beach house for holiday vacations. Kaiden agreed, on the condition that it was on the opposite side of the planet to Alpha Jackson.

"Oh, you don't have to worry about Jackson," Chesca assured him in her sweetest voice. "He has his own mate now, and besides, you are the only male I will ever love and touch. Nothing can come between us ever, right?"

"Well, I'm pretty sure when you're pregnant and we sleep together, our pup will be between us, but—"

"Kaiden!" Chesca pressed her hands to her face, trying to hide the blush from her grinning mate.

Then they spoke of their mutual respect for each other, and how other wolves would perceive their equal domination as Alphas. Would it be difficult to gain respect and loyalty as an Alpha couple instead of the natural instinct of submitting only to the Alpha male?

"I'm still worried though, about what they say," a frown tugged on Chesca's eyebrows as her emerald eyes met his, "How can two Alphas rule one pack?"

That's what it all came down to.

Kaiden took a moment to reply, formulating his answer carefully. He knew it in his heart, but putting it into words was proving difficult. He wasn't a natural poet like his good friend Alpha Asa. "They're not wrong. But you were earlier."

"I was?" His mate's eyes widened and he caught her hand before she could slap him on the chest.

Then he spoke, "We are not two Alphas ruling this territory. We are one now—mind, body, and soul."

A smile broke onto Chesca's face, as bright as the morning sun, and she nodded in agreement with his sentiment.

But Kaiden had one more thing to say. "My dear Chesca, you and I are the Alpha of ForgedHearts Pack."

-the end-