Only the "Strong" Survive | Paul Lahote |

*epilogue*

There was a time when I wanted life to be over, when I thought my whole world would be a never ending cycle of violence and angry words. But the best thing I ever did was leave that house that night, it was the first step into a great adventure.

Paul and I were married a year after Wolfie was born. It was a small ceremony, really only the pack and Nancy. My dress was simple, white, spaghetti strapped, and silk. Clinging loosely to my body and curls fell down my back. I wanted simple, I wanted easy and worry free and beautiful in its own subtle way - the way I wanted mine and Paul's life to be though it hadn't been that way before the wedding. I can still picture the way he looked at me as I walked up the cliff with Sam on my arm, he walked me down the aisle just like Paul had said he would. There were very few moments in the time I'd known Sam that I'd ever seen him look so happy. But the smile he gave me as we headed down, the fatherly look, I appreciated it and I knew I'd made the right choice in having him do it. We'd gotten married at the cliff, the same one that I'd tried to end my life at, because it was also the place where we really began. It was where Paul saved my life, pulling me from the ice cold water and melting my heart. Our story began there, our wedding happened there, we took family photos up there every single year. All the bad memories from that place were taken over by wonderful new beginnings - it was our favorite place.

Watching Paul become a dad was the most beautiful thing in my life. His kindness, his strength, and the guidance he provided. I knew the moment the strip turned pink he would be, but witnessing it was a much more emotional and beautiful story. With Wolfie he was a strong father figure, taught him how to work on cars, fix things around the house, tie a tie. He guided our little boy into a grown man, and I loved getting to be there for every moment. But Paul with our girls...now that was a different story. We had two daughters after Wolfie, Corrine and Amelia. With them Paul was protective, cautious, he learned to do their hair and went clothes shopping with them. He was wrapped around their little fingers, and I think it broke his heart watching them grow up and become women.

The pack was amazing with the kids, almost everyone had their own they'd formed their own little click. Sam and Emily had a son, Elijah, about a year after Wolfie. The two of them were attached at the hip, they reminded me of Jared and Paul. When they grew up they took over the garage, rebranding as Wolfman Garage - all of us found it funny, even though the boys never shifted. The girls found friends with Jared and Kim's son and daughter, Lucas and Emma. They were hellions, throughout the teen years we were all constantly called into the principals office or having to check bedrooms to make sure they didn't sneak out. But the adventure made it fun, they got to be carefree teenagers, causing us panic with their antics and pride with their accomplishments. Paul and I both cried the day Corrine got accepted to Stanford - we weren't college educated ourselves but knowing we created someone so smart was a great feeling. Amelia stayed close to home too, moving to Forks, building a career of her own and marrying the kindest man named Gavin. Seth found his true love with a girl named Jasmine, they never had kids. Quil stayed close because of his imprint Claire and watched her as an uncle as she grew up. The same way with her that Leah had been with Wolfie, there for everything, a shoulder to cry on, a confidant for things they couldn't tell their parents. Embry got married too, later than the rest of us and had kids later too.

We built a family, a life for ourselves, we raised amazing children and found ourselves surrounded by ten grandchildren. I got everything out of this life that I never knew I wanted. Kids, love, family, grandchildren - so much laughter and joy.

"Grandma, Grandpa!" Little Michelle yelled running over to us as we sat on the bench on the porch. Paul smiled at me knowing she would hug me first, wrinkles around his eyes and mouth. His hair much more grey than it ever was before, still muscular but now more as old-man strength than anything. Just as beautiful as I'd ever known him to me.

I hugged the little girl as she jumped into my lap, and then she moved over to Paul. Her mom and dad walking up behind them.

"Hey mama," Amelia said as she hugged me, "Corrine and Scott and the kids are on their way. Is Wolfie coming?"

Paul chuckled next to me, "He is, bringing the babies and Jenna with him. Also he wanted me to remind you to stop calling him Wolfie - he wants to go by Samuel now."

She laughed, "Yeah right dad. You started it, now he's stuck with it."

Michelle ran to play with her brothers in the yard, Amelia and Gavin sitting on the steps in front of us. And soon everyone else joined. A lot of kids running around, parents talking and joking, our friends sitting with us and remembering when that used to be us. Not so long ago, but somehow it still felt like a lifetime ago.

"Look at what we made," Paul whispered to me and pulled me in tighter to his side.

"I love you. Thank you for walking through life with me."

"Thank you for building this life with me," he kissed my head, "I love you more."