Extended Epilogue

LUNA

W hat do you think, Luna?"

"Hm?" I looked over at my sister, Willow, who was bouncing their one-year-old daughter on her knee. Opal giggled her dark head of hair just like her dad's bobbing with the movement.

She poked my arm. "You're distracted again."

"Well, who can blame me?" I leaned my head on my sister's arm, filling my nose with her pumpkin and coffee scent that always felt like a warm hug.

It wasn't unlike the way Zain's scent calmed me, brought me back to earth, and instantly felt like home.

As if I'd summoned him in my thoughts, my husband looked over at me, a grin spreading over his face as the little black-haired toddler climbed into his lap with a yawn. The guys were on the couch while we'd been sitting cross-legged on the carpet.

We were all gathered in the living room of the house I'd grown up in—now my sister's house—Willow, Damien, and their little one, Opal. My family. In some ways, Pleasant Grove still felt a little like home, and it was always a breath of fresh air to come back and visit. Domestic, in ways that living in the palace was decidedly not.

Don't look at me like that, he said into my mind, his voice soft like a caress.

Like what? I thought back, doing my best to look innocent.

Like you want another one.

I only hummed in response. It wouldn't be the worst thing, would it? Blowing him a kiss instead, I ignored it as Willow giggled at my side.

"Mama," a little hand tugged on my sweater. "Up."

Given that it was early December in Pleasant Grove, we were all dressed for warmth after playing outside in the snow this morning.

"Oh, my sweet girl," I said, scooping her up in my arms before kissing all over her cheek.

My daughter rested her head over my heart as she cuddled against me.

"So sweet," Willow murmured, putting Opal down, who crawled away to play with her blocks. "Gods, I can't believe how big they've gotten."

"You say that every time you see them."

She pouted. "Maybe because I don't get to see them every day." It felt like months in between visits, even if it was only weeks.

But in truth—she was right. The twins had gotten so big, turning into toddlers right before my eyes, and sometimes it felt like I could blink and they'd be completely grown up right before my eyes. I just wanted to savor these moments with my babies.

I leaned in, kissing the top of Raelynn's head. She'd fallen right asleep on top of me, just like she'd always done since she was born.

Gods. It had been two years now since I'd found out I was having the twins, and I'd found out a few months later that Willow was pregnant with hers and Damien's first child as well.

Now, my little ones were big enough to walk on their own. They got into more mischief than I could have ever imagined at the palace, and sometimes, it was nice to just get away.

"You could come visit more, too," I said, looking over at our husbands. With Damien next to Zain, it was like seeing triple. My son, Orion, was practically my husband's little clone, all three of them sharing that mess of black hair.

Never mind that I'd carried him for nine months and then gave birth to him—he didn't have a lick of me. Down to those bright golden eyes, just like I'd dreamed about.

Willow stretched her arms out before standing. I followed, getting up and heaving my daughter onto my hip as she moved into the kitchen.

My sister sighed deeply, and I watched out of the corner of my eye as Opal tugged Selene's tail, my cat meowing in protest.

Any time we left the demon realm for too long, we brought her along with us and would stay in my old apartment over the bakery. Even if we'd hired a manager and a whole bakery staff, it still felt like ours.

"What's on your mind?" I asked, nudging her with my elbow.

"I've just… been thinking," Willow murmured.

"Yeah?" I leaned my head against the wooden cabinets as she moved around the space, doors opening, cups flying around without being touched, and then two cups of coffee sat on the counter.

She picked it up and then took a sip before turning back to me. "About what I want."

I raised an eyebrow. "If you're about to tell me you're going to run off and join the traveling witches, I have news for you." I used my head to indicate the people we'd left in the other room.

Willow laughed so hard she had to place her hand over her chest. "No, no. Nothing like that." She gave me a small smile. "I love our life. And Opal's perfect. Everything's great, really." She looked out the window that looked into the big backyard. "But I never really figured out what I wanted to do with my life."

"And it's time?" I asked because I truly wanted that for her. To follow her heart, to find her passion. She helped me follow my dream, and I'd always have her back to find hers.

Her face brightened. "Yeah. I know someday we'll leave the human realm entirely, but I've been thinking about going back to school. Do something for me."

"Oh, Wil." I nuzzled the head of my fast-asleep toddler. "That sounds like a great idea. Have you decided on what yet?"

"No." She shook her head. "But I know it'll come to me. What about you?"

I shifted Rae. "What do you mean?"

"Do you ever miss it? Having a purpose?" I'd said that to Zain once—that I needed to have a purpose. A reason for being. Something that brought me joy.

"They're my purpose now," I admitted, burying my nose in her hair. "That, and running an entire kingdom. Taking care of our people. Sometimes, it feels like I'm exactly where I'd always dreamed I'd be."

That my life would end up just like this. Happy. In love.

Still baking whenever I could.

I sighed happily as I held Rae tighter. At least she resembled me, with her blonde hair and curious demeanor. And those lavender eyes—just like Zain's mom. It made me feel closer to her, even if we'd never met. I wished I could thank her for giving me her son, for the man I'd fallen in love with. The same way I'd wished my parents could have met the men we married.

My husband came in from the living room, scooping a sleeping Raelynn out of my arms.

"How are my girls doing?" He leaned against me, pressing his nose into my hair as he inhaled my scent. Did he suspect…?

"Good." I peeked into the living room and found Rion playing with a black cat on the couch. "Looks like your brother's at it again." I playfully rolled my eyes.

Willow smirked. "One day, that trick is really going to bite him in the ass."

Little toddler feet padded across the tile floor, and then a tiny pair of hands tugged at the bottom of my jeans. "Up! Up, Mama!"

"Rion," I laughed, lifting him up into the air like a plane. "Did you have fun playing with Uncle Damien, buddy?" He nodded, babbling incoherent words to me, a conversation no one could understand but his twin sister.

Then Damien was there too, their little one riding on his shoulders. He wrapped an arm around Willow, my sister instantly relaxing into his hold.

"Want me to start dinner?" Damien asked her, passing off Opal, who didn't seem to want to let go of her dad's thick locks.

"That'd be great," Willow said, carrying their daughter into the little playpen. I set Rion down with her, and he immediately started playing with a set of toy cats.

You good with her? I asked Zain, who was now leaning against the doorframe, rubbing smoothing circles on our daughter's back. I can take her back.

We're great.

"Should I pour you guys some wine?" Willow asked, grabbing a bottle out of the cabinet now that her hands were empty.

"Sure," my husband said, looking towards me.

"Oh, no. I'll just stick to water, I think."

Zain raised an eyebrow at me. Have something to tell me, Moonbeam?

Not yet. I gave him an innocent look.

She flicked her fingers, using magic to pull three wine glasses out of the cupboard, filling two of them with red wine, and then handing them off to the guys.

Hm . Maybe I wasn't the only one with a secret.

Rae stirred in Zain's arms, and he put her down in the playpen, placing a little kiss on her forehead before she moved to play with her cousin. When he came back into the room, he slid into my side, sipping from his wine glass.

"So, what are the chances we can actually get you to spend the holidays in the palace?" I asked, changing the subject.

I knew neither of our demons cared about the holiday—they'd never celebrated it, of course—but we'd grown up with a tree in our living room, and I wanted to keep the tradition alive for our kids. Plus, who needed an excuse for presents?

Willow popped her hip against the counter, sipping her glass. "Pretty good, I think. But… wait." She narrowed her eyes. "Will it be decorated?"

"You forget, I'm the Queen. Of course, it'll be decorated." I shot Zain a look like, bite me.

He popped a canine tooth out over his lips. If you want me to, all you have to do is ask, wife.

"We'll be there," Damien promised, still hard at work at the stove. "It'll be good to be home."

Home. The word made my heart feel full.

Truthfully, it didn't matter where we were—as long as my family was around me.

"They're all tuckered out," I said from the couch in my old apartment. We'd stayed at Willow and Damien's until both kids had fallen asleep and then carried them back here.

I couldn't convince Zain to learn to drive a car, and he hardly tolerated riding in one, so we normally walked when we came to Pleasant Grove unless it was to a doctor's appointment in the next town over when I'd been pregnant.

"Yeah." Zain scooped Raelynn up in his arms, kissing her blonde forehead.

Then he took Orion out of my arms, tucking them both into the toddler beds we'd built in the living room.

"This place is getting a little cramped with the four of us, isn't it?" I sighed.

And it would be even more crowded soon.

"Yeah. We could always find a new place. Maybe on the outskirts of town? Somewhere with a big backyard?"

I pouted. "I like the apartment, though. It reminds me of when we first met. Like it's a little magical." I knew I was being totally irrational, but I was attached, dammit. And hormonal. "Besides, we don't come here enough to justify a house. It's not like we can't stay with Willow and Damien. They have plenty of rooms."

"But then I don't get you all to myself," Zain protested, pulling me into his arms. He took a deep pull of my scent. "Your scent changed, you know."

"Hmm?" I fluttered my eyelashes, pretending not to know what he meant, wiggling out of his arms to find the little box I'd hidden earlier.

"It's extra sweet. Just like?—"

"Zain," I blurted, cutting him off. "I know this trip was a little impromptu, but…"

"I already know," he murmured, pulling the box from my hands. "But tell me anyway, Moonbeam. I want to hear it from your lips."

"It's really early. Like really early. I technically haven't even missed my period yet. But I sensed it with my magic, and I wanted to be sure."

He pulled open the box.

"I thought I'd be sure, so…" I fiddled with my fingers.

The pregnancy test inside had two little pink lines.

"You're pregnant." His voice was reverent, and he lifted me up, spinning me around. "This is the best surprise ever."

I laughed. "Ready to do this all over again? Though I'm pretty sure there's only one this time."

Zain just nodded, kneeling down to press a kiss to my flat stomach. "Boy or girl?"

"I don't know." A smile curled over my face. No visions had come to me, and besides being able to detect the tiny life in me… I sort of liked not knowing. "Guess we'll find out together, huh?"

He stood up to his full height, towering over me before cupping the back of my neck. "You're the greatest thing life has ever given me. What would I do without you?"

"Be a moody, insufferable crown prince, probably."

His chuckle went through my body, straight to my core. "But I'm not a prince, am I?"

"No."

He started walking, forcing me to take little steps backward toward our bedroom. "What am I?"

"My husband." My knees hit the edge of the bed.

"My king." I let my body drop onto the mattress.

"My mate. "

He kneeled in front of me.

"And what am I?" I breathed out as Zain placed a hand on either side of the bed like he was holding me in place.

His head dipped low. "My wife."

He placed a kiss on my collarbone. "My queen."

His hands sneaked up underneath my shirt, cupping my breasts. "The mother of my children."

" Yes." I let my eyes flutter shut as he brushed his thumbs lightly over my aching nipples.

"The love of my life."

"Mmm," I said, as his hands trailed lower. "I like that one." I flicked open the button of his pants.

" My mate. "

I nodded when he dipped his fingers underneath the waistband of my jeans.

"My moonbeam."

"Yes," I agreed, wrapping my arms around his neck. "Yours."

"Mine." His voice was low, a growl against my skin.

It was a love some people went through an entire lifetime without finding. And it was worth it. Every minute. Because through him, I'd found out exactly who I was. And I was exactly where I was supposed to be.

Here, with him and the little family we'd created.

All because I'd gone and fallen in love with a demon.

A wicked demon prince who was determined to call me his.

But that was the funny thing about fate, wasn't it?

It was all worth it in the end.

"Forever?" I asked, my lips closing over his.

"And always," he responded, kissing me back softly.

The End.