Epilogue

~ Emma ~

“Everly, leave your brother alone,” I called. “Or should I tell Auntie Piper not to bring Greer over early?”

Everly looked devastated for a moment before she ran toward the house. I knew exactly what my four-year-old would do. Tattle to her fathers, both of whom she had wrapped around her fingers. More than even I did. Shaking my head, I scooped up Atlas, cuddling my baby boy close and blowing raspberries on his neck. His giggles were contagious. If Everly was a daddy’s girl, then Atlas was a mama’s boy. I treasured these moments. I swore it had only been yesterday that we were celebrating Everly’s first birthday, and now, she was edging toward five.

“Knock, knock,” Piper said as she opened the gate and let Greer into the yard.

“She’s in the house,” I told Piper’s daughter before she could even ask. The girls were only four months apart and had been connected at the hip since they were babies. Maybe, because Piper and I were that way, as well.

“Hi, there, birthday boy,” Piper crooned as she carried over Beckett.

I had to admit I was jealous of her. While Greer was definitely Michael’s feminine mini me, Beckett looked just like her mother. Everly was a carbon copy of Anthony, and Atlas was Donovan made over. I kept telling them it was time for another, so I could have one that looked like me. Needless to say, they had no problems with that request.

“Look what I found.” Donovan stepped out with Everly on one arm and Greer on the other.

I swear my ovaries felt as if they’d explode looking at him. There was something about my big, strong mate holding our daughter. He set down the girls, so they could run to the playhouse he, Anthony, and Michael had built for the kids to share. Donovan scooped Atlas out of my arms, holding him up in the air and tickling his stomach before snuggling him against his chest. He pulled me in to his side and dropped a kiss on my lips.

“I hear Mommy was being mean,” he whispered, and Piper and I both laughed.

“Honey, get the gate,” Michael called. His hands were full with an overlarge cooler I knew held beer for the guys. Balanced on top was another cooler that would be filled with juice boxes and water. We already had several others with various soft drinks and wine coolers.

“Everly said you might need a spanking,” Donovan whispered in my ear when Piper walked over to help Michael.

“Mmm,” I agreed. “Are you sure that was Everly? Or was it Daddy?”

Donovan grinned, dropping another kiss onto my mouth before carrying Atlas over to join Michael, who’d put the coolers down with the others. I watched Michael take Beckett from Piper, give her a kiss, then pat her on the bottom as she headed back to me.

“Wine?” I asked as we made our way into the house.

“No, but I’d take some water.”

“Water?” I gave her an incredulous look then stopped when I took in the glow of her skin and how wide her grin was. “Oh, my god! You’re pregnant again!”

“Yes! Six weeks so there’s still time for you to get knocked up with me.”

“I’ll do my best,” Anthony said as he walked out of the bedroom just in time to hear Piper.

She snickered when he scooped me up over his shoulder. “Do you mind if we get started now?”

“Put me down!” I ordered through my laughter. Instead, he swung me until he cradled me against his chest then kissed me until I thought I’d pass out from lack of air.

“I think that might have done it,” Piper teased. “Hell, you might be having twins now with how potent that kiss was.”

Anthony set me back on my feet, gave me another kiss, then headed for the patio doors. “Oh, I’ll do a much better job later,” he vowed. “I’ll put my all into it.”

I shook my head when I watched him take Beckett from Michael while nuzzling Atlas.

“Look at them,” I whispered, one hand to my stomach.

“Is it any wonder we keep getting pregnant,” Piper said. “Seeing Michael with Greer and Beckett is such a turn on. The man was made to be a father.”

“Anthony and Donovan are the same. I swear sometimes I have to fight to have mommy time. They’re always wanting me to take it easy, to rest, so they take the kids. I walked in the other day, and they were having a tea party with Everly while Atlas napped. It wouldn’t surprise me if there was already a little one beginning in my womb with the way I attacked them that night.”

“Mmm,” Piper agreed. “Fatherhood is incredibly sexy.”

“We’re lucky females,” I said and got another nod.

“When will the others be here?” Piper asked as we headed toward the kitchen.

“Another hour, though Mom will probably be here sooner.”

My mom had taken Piper as another daughter. She mothered my best friend as much as she did me. Greer and Beckett were her grandkids, too, as far as Claire Richards was concerned. She’d be ecstatic to learn Piper was pregnant again and would eye me to see if I’d be pregnant at the same time again. Our oldest were four months apart. Our youngest two were only six weeks. Mom teased that soon we’d be so in sync that we’d end up conceiving on the same day.

“Auntie Emma!” I glanced over as the front door opened and my mom walked in with Cyan and Ivy’s boys. They were a handful, but I’d never seen my mom happier than when she was with those boys. Thankfully, Jasmine was with her. Ivy’s sister was great with the boys and my mom had claimed Jasmine as hers, also.

After brief hugs, the boys ran out to the yard with Jasmine hot on their heels. Mom took one look at Piper and pulled her into a soft hug.

“Maybe, a boy this time,” she said.

“I’d love that, though Michael would love another girl,” she confessed.

“That mate of yours was made to be a girl dad,” Mom said. “Let me go grab one of my boys to help carry in the food.”

“I can do that.”

Mom patted me on the arm. “Save your strength for that new grandbaby you’re going to make me.”

“Last time she said that, you found out you were pregnant two weeks later,” Piper warned.

“I remember.” I dropped my hand to my stomach, wondering if Mom was picking up on something I wasn’t sure of yet. I hoped so. I glanced back outside at my family. Mom held Atlas while Donovan helped man one of the grills. Anthony was chasing the boys around the yard while they squealed in delight. Cyan and Ivy had arrived, and Everly was cuddled in her uncle’s arms, her little face animated as she told him gods only knew what.

I was indeed a lucky female. I had Anthony and Donovan, the best mates a female could hope for. Two adorable children who were the lights of my life. My brothers and mother and a whole pack of extended family. I’d gone from a quiet wolf who’d tried her best to blend into her surroundings to a confident mate unafraid to get a little wild and howl with her wolves. And at that moment, I felt like the luckiest female in the world.

Thanks for reading the final book in the James Pack series!