Rylans Epilogue

Rylan"s Epilogue

10 years later…

Ten years had passed since the turbulent events that had brought Mateo and me together. Our lives had transformed, molded by the trials we had faced and the love that had grown between us. It had been a lot, yes, but it was all well worth it. There were some things I would change, but I would definitely go through it all just to stay with Mateo.

As I sat on the couch next to him, our fingers entwined, I felt a sense of peace, a contentment that came from the life we had built together. He made me feel happy just by being next to me. His effect on me was something I couldn"t live without.

The news played softly in the background, the anchor"s voice drawing my attention. "...in other news, a notorious criminal, Vance Blackwood, has been arrested for the murder of a store owner. Blackwood, known for his involvement in various criminal activities, will finally face justice. He is expected to serve a minimum of twenty years in prison for his crimes."

I felt Mateo"s hand tighten around mine, his eyes fixed on the screen. Just like me, he didn"t think we were going to hear about Vance right now. It had been so long since his attack on Sebastian. We thought he had disappeared.

"Finally," Mateo murmured. "He couldn"t hide from justice forever. It took a lot of time, but the police finally found him, and only because he committed another crime."

I nodded, my eyes never leaving the screen as the anchor continued. I was enjoying the news report as much as Mateo was. We were both reveling in it.

"Blackwood has evaded capture for years, his criminal activities spanning decades. But today, he will face the consequences of his actions."

And, I supposed that just like the news anchor, we were hoping he wouldn"t get out of prison again. This time, he had to stay locked up for the rest of his life.

The anchor"s words sent a chill down my spine. I didn"t want to remember my time in prison. The things I went through there made my stomach churn.

"I"m glad he"s finally behind bars," I murmured, my eyes searching Mateo"s face, seeing the relief reflected in his golden gaze.

He squeezed my hand, his thumb brushing my skin gently. "Me too, little omega," he said softly. "He got what he deserved."

I leaned into him, my head resting on his shoulder, my eyes closing as I savored the warmth of his embrace. It was so relieving to know that Vance couldn"t hurt us anymore.

"We have so much ahead of us," I whispered. "We have to focus on that and nothing else."

He pressed a soft kiss to my temple, his lips lingering on my skin. His touch was warm and inviting. If he didn"t stop, I wouldn"t end with the kiss. I would continue.

"Our son doesn"t have to know what we went through," he said softly. "He"s going to grow up in a much better place."

I smiled, my heart warming at the thought of our son, the light that had entered our lives and changed us forever. I didn"t think I could be even happier than I was, but then he came.

"He"s our greatest achievement," I whispered, my eyes shining. "He"s a little bit of both of us and the reason why I"m so proud of myself. He looks just like me."

"No, he looks more like me," Mateo said jokingly, giving my shoulder a playful bump with his right hand.

His hand then tightened around mine, his thumb brushing my skin gently. "I feel so happy thinking about our future, little omega," he said softly. "And nothing will tear us apart again."

I nodded, my eyes closing as I savored the warmth of his embrace, the safety of the life we had built. I knew he was right. I would never make the same mistakes again.

"Nothing," I whispered. "Really, absolutely nothing."

As the news anchor moved on to the next story, I reached for the remote, turning off the TV and immersing us in the warm glow of the fireplace. It was good to know what happened to Vance, but now I didn"t want to keep thinking about it.

Our son, Lucas, stirred in his sleep, his small form shuffling under the covers. Something was wrong. I could already tell it.

"Daddy, I can"t sleep," he whispered, his small voice cutting through the quiet of the room. Oh, cute thing. Couldn"t sleep? Don"t worry, little one. Daddy is gonna fix that.

Mateo and I exchanged a soft smile, our eyes filled with love for our son. "Come here, little one," Mateo said softly, his voice gentle. "Let"s see if we can help you fall back asleep."

As usual, he was a good daddy. There was no denying that he was the right one to help our son.

Lucas padded into the living room, his small form clad in his favorite dinosaur pajamas, his eyes heavy with sleep. He was always so cute. "I"m scared, Daddy," he whispered, his small hand reaching for Mateo"s.

He didn"t need to be scared. With Mateo as his daddy, he was always going to be protected. Any time he needed him, he was going to be there.

Mateo took his hand, his large palm engulfing Lucas"s tiny one. "What are you scared of, buddy?" He asked softly, his eyes kind.

Lucas bit his lip, his eyes darting to me, seeking reassurance. I nodded. Whatever he was thinking, he could voice it.

"Monsters," he whispered, his voice shaking. "I keep seeing monsters in my dreams."

I smiled softly, my heart aching at the innocence of our son. "There are no monsters here, Lucas," I said softly, my voice gentle. "Daddy and I will keep you safe, always."

As long as we were around, there was no space for monsters.

Lucas nodded, his small hand tightening around Mateo"s. My husband"s eyes gleamed with love. "Promise?" He asked, his voice shaking.

Mateo pressed a soft kiss to his son"s forehead. The little one seemed to get calmer after the kiss. As usual, he only needed some reassurance. Nothing big.

"I promise," he said softly. "Daddy will always protect you."

"And I will as well. You can count on me."

Lucas"s eyes widened, his small hand reaching up to touch the scar on Mateo"s cheek, a remnant of the life he had left behind. We didn"t think about that much anymore. It was something that happened a long time ago.

"You protect me, Daddy?" He asked, his hand trembling slightly. Despite the reassurance, he was still slightly shaky after imagining monsters.

Mateo nodded, his eyes softening as he looked at our son. "Always, Lucas," he said softly. "I"ll always protect you, no matter what."

"You can count on him. He has always protected me and kept me safe. It"s the reason I"m here."

Lucas smiled, his small hand tightening around Mateo"s, his eyes shining with the trust that only a child could offer. I tousled his hair with my hand.

"Okay, Daddy," he whispered. "I"ll try to sleep now."

We guided him back to his bedroom. He went there without a fuss. He was very obedient and after some reassurance, he always did what we wanted.

We tucked him back into bed, his small form snuggling into the covers, his eyes closing as he drifted back to sleep.

"Good night, little one. Happy dreams. Dream about us."

He smiled and said, "I will. I promise."

I stood there, my eyes never leaving his small form, my heart swelling with love and gratitude for the life we had built.

Mateo"s arms wrapped around me from behind, his large frame engulfing mine. I felt his body compared to mine and, as always, he was so much bigger.

"He"s our greatest achievement," he whispered, his lips brushing my hair. "He looks so much like you and me."

I leaned into him, my eyes closing as I savored the warmth of his embrace, the safety of the life we had created together. I melted in his hug, enjoying the moment for everything it represented. Not everyone was as lucky as I was.

"Our future is bright, Mateo," I whispered. "I keep thinking about everything we can do together and it"s all so good."

He pressed a soft kiss to my temple, his lips lingering on my skin. "We have a family that will always protect and support each other," he said softly, echoing my thoughts.

I nodded, my eyes closing as I savored the warmth of his embrace, the peace that had settled over our lives.

"I know and thank you for saying that. It always feels different when you say it."

As Lucas"s soft snores filled the room, I leaned into Mateo, my head resting on his shoulder, my eyes closing as I savored the warmth of our family, the love that had brought us together and kept us strong.

He was the only one who could make me let down my guard.