Rejected by one Alpha, Loved by another

Chapter 77 - Epilogue

2 years later 

Two years has flown by, everything happens for a reason but we certainly didn't expect a pandemic and being unable to go into town. I spent a lot of my time helping some of the children with their work, or in the woods shifting and running off my energy and a lot more times in bed with my husband when the children are napping or with the day-care staff.

The smell of cinnamon and sugar hangs heavy in the air, a familiar comfort that tells me it's Saturday morning and that Robyn has been baking once again. Jaxon, is in the kitchen arguing with his mother about the batter and what he can and cannot have which I always find funny. He's a sight to behold, his messy hair, the way his shirt rides up as he bends over in to the fridge, the faint dusting of flour on his body from when Robyn swatted him away. He's a mess, but he's my mess is what I always say.

Two years. Two years since the world turned upside down, two years since we welcomed Lola into our chaotic, beautiful family. Two years of sleepless nights, endless diaper changes, and getting the children used to a bit more of a routine, I mean we have had the time for it so I don't see where I could have gone wrong there.

It hasn't been easy. The first few months were a blur of fear and exhaustion. The lockdown felt like a suffocating blanket, isolating us from the outside world, literally speaking. We were thrust into the role of teachers, entertainers, and caregivers to those who did get ill and needed to be separated from other people until they was better. Thankfully everyone made it through but we had several close calls, late nights on the phone with the hospital who was drained as it was and with our pack doctor doing the rounds all the time she was exhausted as we limited to how many people we had in the house and other houses, all at the same time as well. The days bled into each other, a mean cycle of feeding, cleaning, and trying to maintain a semblance of normalcy.

Then there was the postpartum depression I was worried about through out my pregnancy. It crept in slowly. The constant demands, the lack of sleep, the overwhelming feeling of being trapped – it all took its toll but it wasn't as bad as it was the last time, Lola was a really good sleeper so it didn't exactly make things tough and when she slept, Jaxon made sure that I slept as well.

But Jaxon was there, a steadfast rock in the storm. He held me when I cried, he soothed my anxieties, and he never let me forget that I was loved and valued and a damn good mom too.

The pandemic brought challenges, but it also brought unexpected blessings. We learned to appreciate the simple things, the joy of a hug with someone who wasn't a pack member once restrictions had lifted, the laughter of our children outside, the comfort of each other's presence. We discovered a strength we didn't know we had, a resilience that allowed us to adapt and thrive.

My sister, Rosie and Charlie, they welcomed their first baby Girl this year as well and our dad was able to be here behind a screen to see her. They named her Casey-Rose and she is absolutely beautiful.

Naomi and Finley had their little girl and he has been looking like a zombie ever since she was born. We celebrated her 2nd birthday a few weeks ago and I will say, she is my brothers double. No doubt in where her attitude is going to come from either.

Our father, Luca, has been such an amazing father to us, accepted us and our lives here, he comes quite often to see us now that he can, I think he has being trying to make up for lost time that he didn't have with us but we wasn't bothered about that. Instead we got to know the person he is now and we couldn't be anymore grateful to him and our family.

Again...The saying, Everything happens for a reason isn't a myth, it isn't a curse but its something else. I have embarked on a fabulous journey with Jaxon, a bumpy, terrifying but remarkable journey I will never forget. 

Thank you for reading - Rejected by one Alpha, Loved by another.