The Art Of Listening

Epilogue

"MOM! Elliot won't stop and I swear I am going to bite him!" Lizzy yells as Elliot runs down the steps and slides into the kitchen with an innocent look on his face. I raise an eyebrow at my eighteen-year-old son and he smiles, he looks just like Jax. "What didn't you do now, E.J.?" He shrugs, "I definitely didn't hide her favorite shoes, I would never do something like that, ever." I sigh and nod. "I bet you also didn't recruit one of your younger siblings to help, did you?" He shakes his head, "Never." I laugh as a frazzled Jax slumps into the chair next to E.J. "Why did I want so many children?" My laugh gets harder, "Because, 'Angel, they are so cute and so much fun to make'" I say in a deep voice and he glares playfully at me. 

Jax and I had been married for almost eighteen years and had a houseful of kids, in fact, Jax had a few additions added to our home. We had Elliot and Lizzy, who are eighteen as of today, Leena and Katy, who are sixteen, Brady and Carter, who are twelve, Thomas and Simone, who are eight, and another set of twins on the way. Why we had all twins I haven't the slightest clue. Each child is completely different, but they all love each other and our family is great. Soon, the front door flies open and a pack of rowdy wolves busts in, mates and children in tow. Trevor and Blaine adopted three little girls, Susie, Linda, and Clara, Triplets the same age as Brady and Carter. Adam found his mate, Macy, they have a boy, Devin, he is nine and one on the way. Justin and his mate, Donna are having their first, a boy. Ian and his mate, Scarlette just met a few months ago, so we have high hopes for them and perhaps a bet or two. Lorilee and Cloe are mates, weird huh? They are so happy together, no kids but they have plans to adopt.

 Anyways, everyone is gathered here today for Elliot and Lizzy's eighteenth birthday party. I stand in the doorway, watching everyone, laughing and playing outside and smile, I know I do that a lot, but I can't get enough of seeing the people that matter the most to me, happy. Jax wraps his arms around me from behind and sighs, "This is all thank you you, you know. All this joy. This town was dying before you came here. People were unhappy, no one had the drive to find their mates, it's like the sun was missing from the sky until you came. I know you don't believe me, but it's true. You saved us all from ourselves. You were our life support, you are our life support. I know things haven't always been easy, but it has been worth it, at least to me." 

I spun in his arms and kissed him, hard. "It has been worth it to me too, and I would go through every once of pain again, if it meant seeing those I love happy. You say I saved them, but they saved me, you saved me, Jax. I never knew love before comming here, honestly, I think would have ended up killing myself if I didn't leave when I did." He kissed me again, gently and rubbed my swollen belly. I smiled but before I could say a word, I was snatched from Jax by a grinning Ian, "Hey there, lass. How bout a dance?" I laughed and Jax joined me as we all celebrated the birth of my children and life itself. 

Never before had life been so perfect as it was that day, surrounded by my family, surrounded by love, true love. 

A/N

Thank you for reading Artemis's story. I truly hope that you enjoyed it, I know I loved writing it.