Hidden Fox

Epilogue

Instrumental tunes of a popular Christmas song could be heard long before we reached the front porch. When the front door swung open to reveal an omega, the music intensified, pouring through the door along with the blast of heat from inside. The omega ushered us in, waiting patiently as we stomped the clumps of snow from our boots. Kallie was extra enthusiastic with her snow removal, jumping around us on the rug until the souls of her shoes cleared.

"Right this way," the omega swept his arm forward to lead us down the grand hallway, past the elegant staircase and several closed doors-each with a wolf seal ingrained in the wood. It was a beautiful, yet inconspicuous way to announce where we were.

"Are we late?" I whispered to him, brushing off a few snowflakes from my skirt.

The omega smiled, "Don't worry. No one has started."

My eyes slid quickly up to my right, where Xavier met them knowingly. That didn't answer my question!

Kallie skipped along, holding Xavier's hand with her left, and skimming the beautiful walls and doors with her right. "Everything is so pretty here!"

I laughed, but had to agree. The architecture, the engravings, the paintings, everything. I saw the exact moment Kallie caught onto the wolf designs on the door planks. She gasped and stopped in front of one, pulling us all to a halt as well. Reaching up with her delicate little fingers, she traced the outline of carved fur.

"Everyone here are wolves, aren't they?"

Quickly, I grasped her elbow and pulled her away from the door so I could be sure I had her full attention. "Yes, and the fact that you're not is not something we go around telling everyone we meet, okay?"

Her brown eyes blinked, the wonder faded and replaced with seriousness. "Okay, Mom." And then she grabbed Xavier's hand and we kept moving after the omega.

I couldn't help but smile at the feeling being called "Mom" still gave me, even after all these months of it being official. We adopted Kallie-according to the laws and court of the state of Virginia-back in August. The queen had copied us into the emails between herself and Alpha Velder of White Moon. He had gone through the books and records in search of her (he was recently named alpha since the skirmish that took Kallie's birth parents). Several in the pack remembered her, and he said they were relieved to hear she was safe, but no one claimed her as a relative and he sent the paperwork over for us to transfer her records to our pack.

The adoption took place just in time for her to start school with kids her own age. She had been behind at first, having grown up in a prison cell, but she caught on fast and Xavier and I couldn't be more proud of how much she had progressed since.

"Here we are." Announced the omega, pulling open a set of double doors, each adorned with a Christmas wreath. Kallie retreated to the shy version of herself as we walked in, tucking behind Xavier's leg.

The first thing my eyes laid on was the feast in the center of the large wooden table. It hadn't been touched yet, but the majority of the seats around it were occupied. A dozen or more sets of eyes found us as we headed over.

"April!" A shout broke the strangled silence and suddenly Sage was in front of us, throwing her arms around me.

I let go of Xavier's hand to return the gesture. "Sage! What are you doing here?"

"We're all here!" She giggled, glancing over her shoulder. I followed her line of sight to the table, and sure enough, I spotted the other six girls seated around the table.

"Rue!" I gasped, remembering how she hadn't been found after our rescues.

She beamed, standing from her chair to join us. I waited until she was the one to hug me, because we hadn't been close, but I was relieved to see her alive and well. More than well, actually. Rue's light brown hair had thickened, and it had a shine to it as well as the fact it had doubled in length. Her hazel eyes were brighter than I ever could have pictured on her. Even her scar that stretched across her face had healed and faded to a small pale line, barely noticeable. She looked healthy, and I realized I had never seen her like that. She was beautiful.