Epilogue - Stryder

Three Months Later

“The accounts of the criminals are not credible enough, of course,” Father informs us as we gather in the boardroom for a Council meeting. “They’ve been sent for mental evaluation, instead. They’re considered insane.”

The room full of Council members and Vulkan brothers bursts into lighthearted laughter. We’d been watching the events of the arms dealer’s bust very closely, especially since my face had been plastered all over the news in the mortal world thanks to police sketches. My “punishment” was having to remain on the island, and I hadn’t been allowed to travel the mortal world until the news subsided.

The Council has no idea how grateful I am for their form of punishment. It’s not like I had any plans to leave ever since I brought Olivia back.

When we confirmed she was pregnant, it was only more reason for me not to leave the island at all costs. It’s not like I’ve missed much of the outside world.

I have everything I need right here.

“It will come as a shock to them when we do decide to reveal our identity to the humans,” Felix comments.

“Of course,” Draco agrees. “But by then, those criminals will be long forgotten. Already, the news has turned to something different.”

“Does that mean it’s safe to travel to the mortal world again?” Stryker perks up.

Because of me, my twin brother hasn’t been able to visit the mortal world, either. He hasn’t yet received word about his mate from the Cube, but he hasn’t been able to enjoy the rest of his singlehood either.

“Yes,” our father tells Stryker. “That’s why we’ve called you here. Since you are allowed to travel again, it’s time you learned who your mate will be.”

Stryker nods, though he doesn’t appear as eager as I thought he’d be. I brushed off my suspicions, owing to the fact that he’s been cooped up on the island with nothing to do while I focused all my attention on my growing family.

The process goes along as Stryker’s mate is revealed to him. He takes her photograph but barely glances at it while the meeting is adjourned and everyone disperses.

I stick around to check up on him, knowing he’s probably felt neglected while I had things to occupy my time. When we’re alone in the boardroom, I ask Stryker if he’s okay.

“Yeah,” he shrugs. “I’m just… Nervous,” he admits.

“Nervous? What for?” I frown.

“What if…” Stryker gulps, his eyes turning gloomy and making him appear as if he’s years younger than me. “What if she doesn’t like me?”

“Like you?” I scoff, throwing a hand on my twin’s shoulder. “She will not like you, Brother. She will love you.”

“Easy for you to say,” he sneers. “You have a perfect relationship with Olivia.”

“Not without going through many trials before we got here,” I admit. “But if there’s one thing I know, our fated mates have no choice but to fall in love with us. Just as we fall in love with them.”

Stryker finally smiles faintly. “You really have changed, Brother. It’s refreshing to see.”

“Yeah, well…” I shrug, feeling the traces of warmth crawling up my cheeks. “... You could say I’ve finally grown up.”

Stryker beams at me proudly. “Will my very grown-up twin brother accompany me to the mortal world to see my mate? I could use a wingman.”

“Of course…” I begin, then pause when I remember that Olivia and I already have plans for the night. Wincing apologetically, I tell Stryker, “Maybe tomorrow?”

“Sure, no problem,” he agrees, slipping the photograph of his mate into his pocket. “See you around, Stryder.”

Stryker leaves the boardroom, leaving me wondering if he’s truly just nervous about meeting his mate. It feels like he’s hiding something from me – and I would know what that looks like. For months, I’d been hiding something from him, working hard to keep my secret from my twin. Our connection makes it hard to hide our truest feelings from each other.

Right now, Stryker seems to be straining himself to keep a secret from me.

When the grandfather clock in the boardroom strikes the hour, I decide to shrug off my suspicions of Stryker and head to my quarters. Tonight is the night I’ve been waiting for months, and I can’t be late.

Stepping out of the elevator, I smile when Olivia’s gentle, lilting voice carries down the hallway as she sings a lullaby in the first bedroom. I gently push the door open, finding my mate cradling our baby in her arms.

“Is she asleep?” I whisper as I cautiously tiptoe inside.

Olivia smiles warmly at me, shaking her head. “She’s been waiting for her father,” she whispers in reply.

“Of course she was,” I muse as I stretch my arms out to take our daughter. A sense of completeness washes over me when I cradle her to my chest. I gaze at her soft features, her crystal blue eyes round and wide as she stares back at me and coos. With her pale skin and a tuft of red hair, Blair is a replica of her mother.

I smile down at our daughter, having never imagined myself being a father. That, too, the father of a girl. With my past track record, I thought my actions would be too unforgivable to ever rejoice in the family life.

Now that I have everything I could ever desire, my life feels complete now. The protectiveness I feel for Olivia extends to our daughter and our family, and there’s nothing more I could possibly want.

“Don’t look at her like that,” Olivia chides lightly. “You’re gonna make my heart melt.”

I chuckle lowly, noticing that Blair has fallen asleep in my arms. I gently lay her in her crib, then turn to my mate and place my arm over her shoulders, drawing her into my side so we can both admire our sleeping princess.

“I’m afraid I cannot look at her any other way, Olivia,” I whisper. “She looks just like the woman I love.”

Olivia curls closer into my arm, placing a hand on my chest. She opens her mouth to say something, but just then, Kairo knocks on the door gently.

“Don’t worry, I’m here,” she assures us in a whisper as she cautiously comes in. “You kids have fun,” she waves at us.

“Kids?” I scoff, but Olivia grabs my arm and pulls me out of Blair’s bedroom.

My mate knows that I’d only waste time bickering with Kairo. Even though my sister is older than me, ever since Olivia was pregnant, I’ve been acting like an overprotective older man.

Kairo often teases me about it, and tonight is no different. But with Blair, only two weeks old, Olivia and I have decided to spend a well-deserved night out together.

Not to the mortal world but on the mountaintop where she plans on showing me her completed painting.

“What are you doing?” I ask her when she picks up her painting toolbox. “I thought you were done with your painting.”

Olivia shrugs, a smile growing on her lips. “I’ve been inspired,” she muses, taking my hand as I lead her to the balcony. With her toolbox clutched under one arm, she hops into my arms just as my wings protrude from behind my shoulder blades. I carry us over to the mountaintop, where a blanket is spread out with treats under candlelight.

Olivia gasps when she sees the setup –courtesy of my plan-making skills – and stares at me wide-eyed.

“You did all of this?” she marvels as she steps onto the rocks, allowing me to retract my wings and join her on the blanket.

“Yes,” I say boldly, taking the hand she offers out to me.

“Wow, Stryder Vulkan, you’ve really outdone yourself this time.”

I remain quiet as I kneel on the blanket while Olivia helps herself with the treats and removes the painting from her bag. On the other hand, I lug deep breaths to compose myself and prepare myself for what I’ve been hoping to do tonight.

When I finally muster enough courage, I remove the box hidden in my back pocket. Olivia turns with the painting of me just as I hold up a diamond ring in front of her.

“What?!” she exclaims, the painting slipping from her fingers and floating onto her lap. She meets my eyes with confusion in hers, her fingers trembling when she covers her mouth in shock.

Her reaction is everything I was hoping it would be, and I inwardly thank my older brothers for their advice. For months, I’d been scratching my head for ways I could make up for the past because that’s exactly what I promised Olivia. But she’s a simple woman, and the smallest things make her smile.

I needed to do something bigger, grander, more extravagant. So, I went to each of my brothers for advice. They all advised me that women love a grand gesture of love – like proposing marriage the way it’s done in the mortal world.

“Olivia Jackson…” I begin, witnessing the way her eyes gloss over with tears. Holding it tightly, I reach for her trembling hand before continuing, “... Thanks to you and Blair, I am the happiest dragon shifter alive. It would be greedy of me to want more, but you know how greedy I am.”

When I look at her hungrily through my lashes, she giggles into her palm.

I smile and say, “Will you do me the honor of being my wife?”

A frown flits past her face before she springs forward and throws her arms around my neck. It’s so sudden and unexpected, that she knocks me over onto the blanket, and I take her with me on my chest.

She bursts into a sweet melody of light giggles, lifting her head to stare into my eyes. My arms wind around her back, and I smooth my palms down her spine.

“What a silly question, Stryder!” she remarks.

“Wait… Is that a “no”?” I ask disappointedly.

“No, silly!” She rolls her eyes, playfully slaps my chest, and then presses her lips to mine. “It’s a natural “yes”.”

I breathe out a sigh of relief then. “You almost gave me a heart attack, woman!” I snort as I lift her onto my lap in a seated position. I remove the ring from the box and then slide it on her finger.

“Natural, huh?” I quip with a grin, sweeping the hairs from her face to etch this moment into my mind.

Olivia nods gently. “I told you I’m not going anywhere. You don’t need to bind me with a ring.” She lifts her hand to inspect the ring on her finger, a blush growing on her cheeks. “It’s beautiful, though…”

“It’s not just about the ring. I’d like to marry you on the island, for all to witness.” I recall, then, a time when I couldn’t stand being a part of Felix and Sierra’s wedding. I understand now, why it’s so important. A dragon shifter will do anything to appease his mate. Her happiness is mine. That’s why I feel so fulfilled right now, witnessing the way her eyes sparkle with glee. She leans in and kisses me passionately, then pulls away with a sneaky grin.

“I’m finally done with your painting,” she says as she lifts the portrait of me lying naked on the grass patch on the mountaintop. “But… There’s something else I’d like to paint.”

“Yeah?” I raise a speculative brow. “I’m listening.”

Olivia climbs off my lap and stands up. When I follow her, she points out toward the moon. “I’d been inspired by something I saw once. It was the exact moment I became certain that I loved you.”

Olivia tells me about the night she watched me fly back to the balcony on our castle floor after bringing her back to the island. She explains in great detail how perfectly the moon radiated from behind me, in dragon form. I’m prompted to shift then, gliding up as she directs me into position.

“Perfect!” she praises as she takes a seat on the blanket and pulls out her painting tools. When she looks up again, our eyes meet – hers the oceanic depths, mine the slitted eyes of the dragon.

“Magnificent…” she breathes in awe.

Not as magnificent as you are to me, baby doll.

Olivia gasps suddenly, then quickly springs to her feet, her brows knitting.

I heard that… Her voice enters my mind, causing me to whimper through my dragon lips in surprise.

You did? I ask mentally, drifting closer to the edge where she stands.

She nods, her eyes filled with wonder and amazement. I feel it, too – the shock of becoming so connected to my mate, that we’re able to share the mind link. That’s when I drop my head, my dragon bowing before my Goddess. She reaches out and touches my cheek adoringly, listening intently to the stillness that allows us to hear each other’s thoughts.

I love you, Olivia Jackson.

I love you too, Stryder Vulkan.

If I thought I was whole before, this is taking wholeness to a new level. I finally found the freedom I so desperately sought, in the arms of my beloved, who brings with her something new to uncover each day.

All because she is my fated mate. All because of love.

*****

THE END