Epilogue

Elena

Just as I'm finishing wrapping up the present, a knock on the door interrupts me. I quickly look around, then stuff it under the blanket on the bed.

"Yes?" I call out.

The door opens and Cal appears, sun-kissed and gorgeous.

"Oh, it's just you," I say with relief.

"Just me?" he repeats playfully. "Yes, that's exactly how someone wants to be welcomed by the woman he loves."

I laugh at his words. "Don't be a drama queen." I walk over to the bed and uncover the present, showing it to him. "I thought you were Rock, and I didn't want him to ruin his birthday surprise."

"Uh, what is it?" Cal wonders, glancing at the wrapped present.

"It's a surprise," I tell him with a chuckle.

"But it's not my birthday," he pouts. "Why can't I know?"

"Because you're super bad at keeping secrets."

"Am not," he frowns, but we're still playing.

"Are too," I correct him, placing the present safely in the drawer. I had to go to Pinehaven to arrange it, but it was worth it. What surprised me the most was the fact that even there, things have started to change for the better. The village seems to have blossomed lately, with people finding new opportunities there and the overall quality of life improving. I haven't met the two men who almost attacked me that day. I am grateful for that, because I don't know how I would react to them. Not that it matters. I don't want to allow any head space to people who don't deserve it.

"Is everything ready for the picnic?" I ask Cal, once again back in the present moment.

"I think so," he nods. "Do you think Rock suspects something?"

"I doubt it," I shake my head. "I sent him and Daisy for a walk. They shouldn't be back for at least an hour."

"Good idea," he nods. "You wanna come and see how the preparations are coming along?"

"Why don't you go?" I suggest. "I'll wait for them here. When they return, we'll come to the waterfall together, and then, he'll see the surprise."

"Alright," he replies, taking me into his arms and kissing the tip of my nose. "Do we have time for a quickie?"

"No, silly," I chuckle, playfully pushing him away from myself. "You have to go and make sure that everything is ready. Now go, you annoying thing you."

"Oh, alright," he pouts playfully.

I wait for him to close the door, then inhale deeply. I press my hand to my belly. I haven't told them yet. But that will be a nice addition to the birthday celebration we have in store for Rock.

I take a look at myself in the mirror. It's been five years already, and yet, it feels almost like five months. Life here in the village has been blissful. There is no other way to describe it. The enemy bear shifters left immediately upon those unfortunate events, and we haven't had any clashes with either bear shifters or humans since then. I'm happy to say that life has been truly blissful. We are able to fully focus on one another and lead the lives we always wanted to, the lives we deserve, by each other's side.

I leave the cottage, watching a few of the last villagers hurriedly picking up stuff for the picnic and heading to the waterfall. I stumble onto Willow, carrying the cake in a box.

"Are you carrying it on your own all the way to the waterfall?" I ask, ready to lend a hand.

"No," she smiles. "Leo is helping me."

"Good," I nod. "Is everyone already there?"

"I think so," she confirms. "When are Rock and Daisy coming back?"

"Half an hour maybe," I shrug. "Something like that."

"Well, I'll head out then as well, Leo is waiting for me outside the cave," Willow comments. "We can't have the cake be late on the leader's birthday."

"No way," I chuckle, and she joins in.

Over the course of the past five years, we have grown very close and, in her, I found a real sister, a real sibling bond that I never had with my biological sister. Willow and I are not in any competition, and everything we do together, we do by helping each other. At first, I found it strange, but little by little, I realized that is how it was always meant to be.

I occasionally write and call my family. The version I gave them was that I live in Pinehaven, married to a man. A simple story, which is good enough for them. I told them that the marriage already took place, and I didn't want anything big. They never questioned this decision, nor have they expressed any desire to come and see me. Strangely enough, that's fine. I don't miss them. Maybe because they never provided me with what a real family is supposed to provide you with, and that is unconditional love. Here, I have that, and so much more.

I watch the last villagers rush off to the waterfall, and I realize that I'm all alone. It feels strangely calm and exciting at the same time, as I decide to wait for Rock and Daisy at the village square, sitting by the small fountain. I consider bringing a book to read, to pass the time, but I don't want to have a single moment of this magic pass me by. I want to inhale it fully, live it completely.

So, I sit by the fountain, looking up at the sky, thanking the heavens for bringing me here to this magical place and offering me a chance to stay here, making it my new home. My forever home.

"Mommy, mommy!" I hear a little voice shout from the distance, and I know that they are back.

Rock is walking by her side, her tiny hand grasping his finger. Immediately upon seeing me, she lets go of him and rushes toward me, radiating an infectious energy that she spreads wherever she goes.

As she's running, her curly hair jumps up and down, framing her cherubic face. Her hair is a mix of shades of both Rock and me. Her eyes, which she got from Cal, sparkle with a curiosity that absorbs every detail of the world around her. She reaches me and jumps into my arms, nuzzling her freckled little nose against mine.

"Did you have a nice walk with daddy Rock?" I ask, kissing her forehead.

"I did!" she squeals with delight.

I near her face, whispering the following words into her ear. "You know what time it is now, right?"

Her eyes widen with joy, and she glances at Rock, then back at me. "Mhm!"

"Hey, what are you two whispering about?" Rock nears me and bends down to kiss me on the forehead.

"Oh, nothing," I smile, and Daisy and I exchange another meaningful glance, which makes her burst into an uncontrollable chuckle. "We were just thinking of going to the waterfall, if you want to join us."

It is then that he notices there is no one around. His brows furrow. "What's going on?" he asks, sounding concerned. "Where is everyone?"

"Uhm… busy," I explain. "don't worry about that." Daisy and I walk over to him and take him by both hands. "You just come with us to the waterfall, to rest a little."

He doesn't seem all that convinced, but he acquiesces. "Alright," he says, looking at me, but my smile reassures him.

We walk slowly, with Daisy stopping by every lovely flower or curiously shaped rock to pick it up, until her little hands can hold no more. Then, it is Rock's turn to be the holder of our daughter's treasures, but he doesn't mind.

"Are you sure everything is alright?" he suddenly asks me, while Daisy is out of earshot.

"Positive," I smile again. "You worry too much."

"You sound like Cal," he frowns playfully.

"Sometimes, I sound like him, sometimes like you," I chuckle. "And you love it."

He is unable to resist chuckling himself. "I do."

As we approach the waterfall, we are met with a scene that takes Rock completely by surprise. The entire village is huddled together, with picnic blankets strewn all around the pool of water, with all sorts of food and drinks already set upon them. It is a visual feast, just like I described it to the cooks. There are fruit platters, cheeses, quiches and savory tarts, freshly baked breads and spreads, finger sandwiches, dessert delights and of course, the most important part: the cake.

At that moment, all the villagers, with Cal standing in front of them, shout at the same time. "Happy birthday!"

The sound of laughter and clapping immediately fills the air, outvoicing the humming of the water and the chirping of nearby birds.

"What is all this?" Rock grins, looking about at everyone. One smile from me reveals that this is all my doing. "How did you manage all this?" he asks, taking me into his arms and kissing me lovingly on the lips.

"With a little help from the family," I say, gesturing at everyone behind me.

Cal is the first one to join us, wrapping his arms around us both.

"Happy birthday, Rock," he says, patting him on the shoulder. "May you get to see a hundred more."

"Thank you," Rock smiles. "May your wishes return to you all."

Villagers approach him with smiles and well-wishes, presenting him with small, handcrafted gifts and other tokens of appreciation. The air keeps buzzing with a sense of joy as our community comes together to celebrate one of our own, our leader, our guardian, our protector.

Birthday surprises keep unraveling, as we all sit down on the blankets, sharing stories and memories of Rock, expressing our gratitude for everything he has done. Later, the cake is cut, and laughter echoes against the waterfall.

Once she's had her fill of small finger sandwiches, Daisy grabs Cal by the hand and starts leading him towards the pool of water.

"Swimming! Swimming!" she starts shouting, much to everyone's delight.

"No swimming," Cal shakes his head, picking up the little sprite. "But you can dip a toe."

"Dip a toe! Dip a toe!" she repeats again and again, squealing with delight as Cal lowers her into the water only for her feet to touch the cold, almost glassy surface. She starts kicking her feet, splashing everyone around, but no one seems to mind, least of all Cal.

I am sitting next to Rock on the blanket, as he leans over to me and kisses me on the cheek. "Thank you," he says lovingly. "For arranging all of this. I never had a birthday celebration such as this one before."

"Oh, that reminds me," I smile, reaching under the blanket and extracting the gift.

"This is for you," I tell him, handing him a small, wrapped box adorned with a bow that coincidentally matches the colors of the surrounding picnic. I can see the anticipation in Rock's eyes as he accepts it.

"A gift?" he wonders. "I thought the picnic was the gift." He leans in to kiss me again. "And you and Daisy. You are the real gifts."

I beam at his words. "Then you will love the present."

He locks eyes with mine for a moment, then he starts carefully unwrapping the gift. Once he manages to do so, he reveals a beautifully crafted picture frame, adorned with pebbles and flowers that Daisy gathered throughout the nature walks with both him and Cal. In the corner, there is a small imprint of Daisy's little hand.

Rock stares at the photograph inside, swallowing hard. I notice his Adam's apple bobbin up, then down, but he doesn't say anything. Instead, he looks up at me, his eyes filling with tears.

"Do you like it?" I ask softly, my heart about to burst with all the love for this man and for the other man amusing our daughter.

He traces the outline of the frame with his fingers, caressing the little hand that adorns it.

"Like it?" he echoes, smiling. "I love it."

We both look down at the photograph. I captured it in secret, him and Cal, playing with Daisy in a field of wildflowers. The smile on everyone's face is proof enough that true happiness is possible and attainable, if only one knows where to look for it.

I take him by the hand, squeezing it gently. "You asked me if I could ever be happy without that bear shifter photo, and I told you I could. Because this is the photo I was sent here to take. The perfect photo, Rock. A photo of us, of our family."

"Thank you, Elena," he finally speaks, his voice on the verge of breaking, so full of love and gratitude. "This is perfect."

I embrace him, myself on the verge of tears. He embraces me back, and at that moment, Daisy jumps between us, demanding a hug of her own. Cal approaches a moment later.

"Don't tell me you thought you could have a tender moment without us?" Cal asks us playfully, sitting down on the blanket by my side and wrapping his arms around us all.

I close my eyes, inhaling the smell of Daisy's hair. Finally, I found everything I have ever wanted—a family, a community, and the deep, abiding love that came with it. Our journey may have been marked by challenges and triumphs, but it led me to this exact point. And this is exactly where I am supposed to be…

*****

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