Rogue Revolution

Epilogue

3 Years Later...

The wind whips my hair around blowing it over my shoulder. Pushing myself to run faster, I hop over the fallen tree branch nearly missing the hands the reach out attempting to snatch me. My lungs start to burn as I gasp in a big gulp of air nearly falling to my knees in defeat.

"I win!" Otis's little fist shoot up into the air as he celebrates his victory of who could get to Black Moon's pack line first. Every since he learned to walk and talk trips between our family's packs have become more fun.

"He cheated!" I point at Quentin, who just smirks in response while walking over to Otis. "Come on, you guys totally saw that." I whisper yell back towards Emma and Oliver. They're way behind us so that we don't wake up their newborn daughter, Olivia. She's a happy quiet baby unless her older brother wakes her up, which could very well happen any second if Otis doesn't quite down.

"Don't be a sore loser, love." Quentin taunts lifting Otis up onto his shoulders. I whip back around glaring at him. Last time I checked holding one of the participants back and tickling her so the four year old could win is cheating, but hey maybe the rules have changed since then.

"You're the one who's going to be sore later when I kick your ass." I mind link him so Otis doesn't hear. Quentin's taught him enough swear words accidentally as it is, and I don't need to join him on Emma's shit list.

"I'm never the one who walks away sore." I scoff at his perverted joke, pushing at his chest and walking ahead ignoring him wiggling his eyebrows.

"Come on we're going to be late." Today is Jasper's eighteenth birthday, and we are having a small party at Della and Aidan's house. I didn't want him to have to travel too far on his birthday, so since Black Moon is the closet to him we picked here.

"I highly doubt anyone will notice if we are a couple minutes late." Quentin hands me the small box containing Jasper's present. It took months to plan because he is the hardest person to shop for, and it doesn't help that he had a better poker face than even Della. I can never tell whether he genuinely enjoys the gifts I've gotten him in the past or if he's just being polite.

Breaking the tree line I admire Della and Aidan's two story home they built shortly after the revolution. It's more secluded giving them the privacy they always yearned for. The back deck's decorated with balloons, streamers, and even a banner with Jasper's name on it. Della never fails to go all out for birthdays even if it isn't her own kid.

My steps falter as I scan everyone surrounding the table but don't see the birthday boy anywhere. It anxiety explodes noticing Della's worries expression.

"Where's Jasper?" I racing up the stairs,  setting his present down on the table holding a large cake. Jasper wouldn't just blow us off without calling especially considering we've had this planned since last year. He should be here already, and the fact he's the only one not at his birthday party is extremely concerning.

"Calm down. He's just lovestruck." Emeric jokes making kissy faces until Melody pinches his arm. "What I'm just stating the obvious!" He defends looking to Troy for back up, who nods in agreement, but Della just shakes her head at their antics.

"What?" I look to the rest of the family for answers, but none of them say anything. Quentin walks up behind me placing a hand on my shoulder.

"I think he found his mate." Della whispers even though it's pretty clear the entire family already knows. "He showed up a half an hour ago all jittery, and said he had business to take care of." Just because he's eighteen today, and wasn't himself doesn't automatically mean it's because he found his mate. Plus the odds of finding your mate the day your turn eighteen are fairly rare.

"Are you sure it wasn't something else? Did he say anything else?" I bite my lip envisioning the worst possibilities.

"Sweetheart we've all seen that look. Trust me when I say he's having way more fun right now than he would be here." Fletcher reassures me opening his arms expectantly. Walking over to the table I lean down hugging both of my dads before plopping down on the seat next to them. Quentin follows along taking my hand in his, and pulling me into his side.

"I'm sorry that I cheated." I snort at his pouting lip, but lean up kissing him anyway. For once I welcome his obvious attempt at distracting me because otherwise I might drive myself mad overthinking the whole situation.

"It's okay. Just make sure I win next time, we don't need him growing up with an ego." That gets a deep laugh out of him. Della stands up grabbing the cake off the other table plucking the candles off, and placing it in the middle of our table. She snaps her fingers gaining Victoria's attention, who's laying down on the flat railing of the deck reading a book.

"Victoria sit down." Della raises an eyebrow at her daughter until she complies and sits at the table with us. "Who wants cake?" I frown wishing that Jasper could have stayed for a while. Maybe Quentin and I will head down on our way back just to make sure he's doing okay.

"What are we even celebrating now?" Emeric gasps at Troy's remark, smacking him upside the head.

"Don't argue with someone offering you cake." He scoffs, but quickly hisses out in pin as he's hit on the head as well.

"This is all your fault." Melody groans shifting their two year old daughter on her lap so she can't reach Emeric to smack his head again. I giggle watching Emeric's cheeks heat up as he fixes his birthday hat.

"We can celebrate Jasper finding his mate?" Della suggests cutting the cake and passing pieces out to everyone.

"Was it someone here?" I'm angry with myself for not being here when he showed up, so I could have at least asked him who it is. My curiosity might just eat me alive if I don't find out soon.

"No, he had to have run into them outside of the border because even warriors on patrol linked me to alert me of his demeanor." Aidan answers while watching his son eat an entire pieces of cake in one bite.

At least that narrows down the possibilities to someone from his pack, but then my didn't he just call to say he couldn't make it? I suppose maybe he needed time to clear his head. I know from experience how overwhelming the first time meeting your mate can be.

I slip my hand in Quentin's interlacing our fingers and resting my head on his shoulder. Each time I think back to our first time meeting it always causes me to internally cringe and smile simultaneously. We may not have had a perfect encounter, but I'd say our relationship has compensated for that.

"I love you." I kiss his jaw catching his attention. His striking silver eyes bore into my blue ones sending my heart into a frenzy. I'm baffled by the effect we still have on each other. Every touch still ignites the sparks, each kiss is as distracting as the last, and every I love you reminds me that I'll be just fine as long as I've got him by my side.

***************
Song: Wild by Bishop Briggs

That's a wrap on the second book! I want to thank each and everyone of you for being the most amazing readers in the world. Your support has pushed me to make each chapter better than the last, and I wouldn't be where I am today without you, so thank you from the bottom of my heart. I'm so excited to get the next book out, and continue this wild journey with you guys. I'll post an announcement this weekend with details about the new books. For now I want to hear what your favorite parts of this book were? Did you have a favorite character or chapter? I want to know it all! I hope you all enjoyed this epilogue, and if you did don't forget to vote and comment! Until next time. 🧡

~Stella Gordon