Ashe's voice called out from the hall. "Hey, can we come in yet?"
"Sure," I replied.
Leveret's cousins slowly entered the room. The change in their expressions when they saw our baby was immediate. The omegas cooed and the alphas beamed. They walked carefully and quietly so as not to frighten our baby.
"Shall we introduce him to the family?" Leveret asked.
My heart skipped a beat. I was still getting used to the whole 'belonging' thing.
"Yes," I said. "Everybody, this is our baby boy... Nova."
They all murmured his name. As if born knowing it already, Nova peered at his uncles, which absolutely delighted them. It made me happy to be surrounded by people who loved children as much as I did.
I'd been alone for most of my existence. But not anymore. And even better, my child wouldn't have to go through what I did. That was the greatest wish a parent could ask for.
Nova would never be alone. He would always be surrounded by love.
Wewould always be surrounded by love.
Twenty-Two
Epilogue: Leveret
"Where is he? Lemme see him, right now!"
Lupa's loud voice carried over the forest. She wasn't even in line of sight yet and she was already demanding to see her new nephew.
I heard a second, quieter voice beyond the trees. "Slow down, Lupa, my shoes snagged in these roots!"
"Oh, sorry, Hazel. Here, let me help..."
Animus and I sat on the front porch of the cabin and exchanged an amused glance as we waited for her to arrive. After Nova was born, Farley shifted into his finch form to relay the news to my sister, since a finch wasn't out of place in a human area. When Farley returned, he told me that she practically fell out of her seat in excitement. She grabbed her human mate, Hazel, and instantly set out for the wildlife reserve.
Nova gurgled in Animus's lap. He grabbed a fistful of his daddy's hair and tugged on it.
"Ow," Animus said. "My hair is not a toy, Nova..."
Nova giggled in response and tugged it harder.
"Maybe I should get a haircut," Animus suggested.
I gently eased my mate's locks out of our baby's iron grip, replacing it with my finger so Nova still had something to play with.
"No need for that," I said. "I love your hair the way it is."
The undergrowth rustled loudly. A second later, a wolf burst out of the trees. Lupa's pelt fluffed up in excitement.
"Where is he?" she demanded. "Where—oh!"
When she saw Nova, her fur laid flat and her eyes went wide. A soft whine came out of her and her tail wagged happily of its own free will.
A human stumbled out of the trees. Just like it was the first time Lupa saw Nova, this was my first time seeing Hazel. The human wore glasses, and she had brown hair and freckles. Knowing she was Lupa's fated mate filled me with happiness. I was glad my sister found her one true love.
The two women approached us. Lupa shifted to human form, clapping her hands over her mouth.
"Oh my gods... you guys, he's beautiful," she said. "Farley told me his name is Nova. Hi, Nova! I'm your Aunt Lupa!"
She wriggled a finger at him. Nova let go of mine and snatched hers before gnawing on it.