Epilogue

EPILOGUE

The kids leaped and ran ahead, howling behind their wolf masks. “Awooo!”

“Awooo,” Niall howled along with them.

Jag snorted. “Where’s your mask? You should’ve gotten one, too.”

“I’m supposed to be a parent—Well.” Niall sighed, stepping closer and nudging Jag with his shoulder. “Maybe we should’ve all gone as a pack of wolves.”

They were Trick Or Treating tonight. Several houses in the neighborhood had decorated their front yards—with fake headstones, T-rex skeletons, zombies, ghosts... It was always a treat, taking the kids out on an adventure.

Jag wrapped his arm around Niall’s shoulders, leaning in to drop a kiss on his head. “I think all that howling made Hades not want to join in.”

Niall laughed. “He said he had plans with his own family.”

Hades had bought the house next door—Niall’s old house—right when they were ready to sell. Jag had patched it up here and there, but Hades had added his own modifications to it, too.

“Daddy, Daddy!” Thirteen-year-old Cora came racing back to them. “What’re those light balls in the trees? Can we have them? Please?”

Jag glanced over. Someone had hung giant clear baubles in a tree, stuffed with lights and orange ghosts. “We can if you promise to help make them.”

Cora beamed and turned to her siblings. “See! I told you!”

Ten-year-old Billy whooped and danced in his wolf mask, his furry tail wagging. Next to him, seven-year-old Sue tore apart a huge leaf, while four-year-old Lily clung to Sue’s shirt.

The years had been good to them. With Jag by his side, Niall had gained so much confidence. His hands had slowly healed, too—they were still curved and shriveled like before, but his bones were stronger now. Their children knew to help when he asked; sometimes they tried curving their own fingers to mimic his, to see what it was like for him to hold things. Jag couldn’t be prouder of them.

“We should have some baubles filled with our family photos,” Niall said. “We’ll put them indoors, on the mantelpiece. For Christmas.”

“I like that.” Jag hefted Lily into the air. Lily squealed, her little legs kicking. “Are you going to howl, Lily? Awoooo!”

Niall laughed. “You howled!”

“Awooo!” Lily said.

Jag grinned. “Are you going to write this into your next book?”

“Probably.” Niall wriggled. Now that the kids were older, Niall had been devoting more time to his writing. He’d been publishing a lot, and he’d been gaining more readers as a result. “I like it when you get all Big Boss on me.”

Jag never ended up working full time at his company. In fact, he only took on the jobs he liked, and left the rest for his manager to handle. Most days, he was at home with Niall and the kids, helping whenever anyone needed him.

Their pack of wolf “cubs” led them from house to house, filling their tiny picnic baskets with candy. By the time they made it home, the kids were tired, and ready for bed.

They all gathered in Niall and Jag’s bedroom, where Jag read them a bedtime story, complete with voices. Cora pretended to be bored—she hung around to listen, though.

At the end of it, Niall and Jag put all four children to bed, and tumbled into their own bed, snuggling together.

“Happy Halloween,” Jag said. “I’m glad our brothers found each other, and led me to finding you.”

“Same here.” Niall was smiling like he always did. Jag couldn’t stop admiring him. His omega had been broken once upon a time, and he wore several scars as proof of it. But he’d healed, and he was amazing. “I think I know what we’re doing for Lily’s birthday.”

“Oh? Do tell.”

Niall snuggled closer, his face buried against Jag’s throat. “We’re going to have the biggest giraffe on our lawn, and we’re all going to wear giraffe costumes.”

Jag grinned and hugged his omega tighter. “We can definitely do that. Should I be a giraffe, too?”

“Yes.” Niall’s laugh was bright and free. “You’re not wearing your costume to bed, though.”

Jag touched the matching wedding rings on their hands. “You’re not the boss of me. I’ll wear a giraffe costume to bed if I want.”

“Oh, gods,” Niall sighed. “I think that’s going into a book.”

“Husband dearest, I can make your reality much stranger than fiction.”

“You know what?” Niall said, his face lighting up. “Bring it on.”