Quiver

Epilogue

Three months later

I closed my eyes as little hands worked there way through my white freckled fur, rubbing over my side lightly. I knew it was Lilith just by the way she was playing with my fur. I wasn't even in human form and she still wanted to play with my hair regardless of if it was fur or long strands of hair.

I was laying on the floor in Sarah and Holden's most treasured room of the restored pack house -- the screened in porch. The windows were dropped, sealing out the winter cold and the flowers long dead, but the beauty and peacefulness remained. I liked to come here best when I needed to be away from the pack, especially now.

Lilith's hand rubbed over my rather extended, furry belly and I gazed down with a fondness that I had gained only a month ago. I was pregnant with Roman's children. It turned out that our little escapade had worked and I was expecting two little pups.

That's right, pups. Lupus females gave birth in their wolf forms as with how they are impregnated. They are born in wolf form, but two months later they shift into human form. Somehow in all this they seem to forget how to shift again and as parents when they reach the ages of five or six, must help them relearn the ability.

I was a little shocked one day to simply wake up in Lupus form and unable to shift back without a piercing pain rippling through me. I had nearly panicked along with the whole pack until Annalise and Chloe stepped in, explaining and having went through the same ordeal with their children.

Luke had been beaming the day he found out, utterly excited to be a grandfather while Damion was just as happy to be an uncle as well as Cole. The entire pack was ecstatic to be having new additions, especially Aurora, Eva, Winter, Trevor and Cody who didn't have mates yet, but did actually like children.

I sighed, blissfully happy. Annalise and Yorik had hosted a few celebratory runs for awhile after the incident with the Jaecars as well as us attending another Annual Gathering. This time things went much more smoothly than the first and luckily I'd still been early enough pregnant that I was in human form, able to attend in a beautiful gown that Chloe and Annalise had picked.

Bree had returned home once everything settled down. She visited very often since knowing I was pregnant with her girlfriend, Kyra, who was a Lupus that we had saved from Claire's facility. I liked her immediately and Bree had beamed with relief. Damion held no ill will towards Bree anymore as he too claimed a mate from Claire's facility, the little woman being a Pixie and they had quickly reverted to being just friends.

Elliere had parted ways, going on his own again, but he made sure to call every now and again, having made friends with at least Roman and I.

Lilith paused in her petting, pulling me from my thoughts and I glanced up at her to see her looking at the doorway, a pout on her face. The scent that surrounded me was so familiar it might as well have been my own.

"Do I have to go Roman?" The little girl whined, her hazel eyes begging to stay.

I cocked my head to the side confused as to why Lilith would have to leave if Roman was here, but he soon explained.

"Yes, Lilith. You need to go spend time with your Mommy and Daddy, they hardly see you now since Rori is expecting and in Lupus form!" He scolded playfully, blue eyes glittering.

Lilith giggled then, gently climbing to her feet. "I can't help it. She's so fluffy!"

"Go, Lil!"

I snorted a laugh, grinning wolfishly as Lilith raced from the room still giggling and glanced to Roman. He shut the door to the porch and quickly stripped his clothes away. I eyed him lustfully and hated I was confined in this form and rather pregnant. I would give birth in a matter of three months.

Roman grinned, running a hand through his curls as my eyes finally made there way back to his own. I rolled my sea green eyes and glanced away. Cocky jerk.

I heard the snap of bone and the scent of Roman grow stronger. I was about to turn, but his blue, black form was suddenly beside me, carefully laying down. I huffed, pretending to ignore him. But he nuzzled into my neck and I couldn't simply ignore the tingles mixed with feelings of love spreading through me and our bond.

These were moments I treasured now too. Being pregnant, Roman shedding his human skin just to be with me and experience as much as he could with me like this. It was beautiful, life was beautiful and I'd never forget that, especially with Sarah and Holden lost to us forever now.

I was sure my eyes would be misty or dropping tears as I thought of the two grandparent-like Lupus who would've shared what it was like to be a mother and father with me, share stories and memories. It would've been so wonderful to have them here, but I knew they were watching me. Watching all of us. But we were free now, Cole and Lilith were alive because of what they had sacrificed and we would live on, for them and for us. Things were just starting to get better and in the coming months, I knew they'd be even better with two sets of feet -- or paws -- racing around the giant pack house.

Oh yeah, life was just getting interesting and I couldn't wait to live it alongside Roman and my family.