Epilogue

Van

We bought her headphones right away because the music at Galaxis’ shows was too loud for tiny ears, but she did come and see her alpha daddy perform for the first time when she was way too young to drink anything but chest milk. My champion barista mate took six months off from work because he kept her in a wrap most of the time he was awake, and he was afraid he’d miss her too much. Nita was the star of both our shows and the darling of the band as well. Every one of the guys turned from loud, hard-core rockers to baby-talking dudes whenever she came backstage.

As I’d hoped, the residency was much easier on my stress level than touring ever had been, and no migraines had showed up. Or maybe it was the company I was keeping. Sure, I worked nights, but the rest of the time I was home being a mate and father, and I liked it that way. They guys all seemed to be thriving, too, both the married and single among them. Since we didn’t have to tear everything down every night or two, we were able to add some great effects and more instruments. Songs were coming to me, and another album would be in the offing. I’d even convinced the label we should record in a studio in the area for all our convenience.

But one night, a Tuesday when the show was dark and we were sitting around the living room having snacks, I remembered a question I had never asked my mate. “Jamie, Franklin said I should ask you what they say about him and his place.”

He looked up from playing with the baby. “You don’t know?”

“No.”

“Nobody leaves the Bearclaw Inn without finding their fated mate.”

I leaned back on the sofa and took Nita’s little hand, brought it up to my lips, and kissed it. “He said he wouldn’t admit the rumors were true, but I’m awfully glad they were for us. Love you, omega mine.”

“Love you, alpha mine.” He shifted the baby to my lap and studied her face. “Think she’ll be a rock star like you?”

“I don’t know. Maybe she’ll be a coffee champion, like you.”

“For now, I guess, all we need to do is make sure she knows how much we love her.”

“That’s not going to be a hard job at all.”

“She’s not a teenager yet,” he pointed out, kissing her forehead and smiling at her with such tenderness my heart squeezed. Fate sometimes scared me with how much she’d given me, given us, but my mate always said I should just be grateful, and for now, I was going with that. Being very, very grateful.