Hunter's Alpha (gxg) ✓

53. Happy Ending

HUNTER

The sky is alight with the promise of a beautiful ending.

Pink and gold and rose dance over the gleaming waves. I am standing thigh-deep in the sea, letting the warm rays of liquid sunlight soak into my face.

Mary Chopin was handed over to the Sicilian police. Whenever Jude is ready to talk to her, she will only be a phone call away. And whenever Jude decides she wants to see her mother again, it will only be a visit to the prison and back. It turns out being a sex trafficker is a fifty-year sentencing. It is up to Jude and I to testify.

But she's not awake—she isn't even conscious.

My eyes close. I think of her, her laughter, her pine-and-ash eyes.

Not the way she looked that day—white skin, blue lips, and a faint, withering smile. I never got the chance to tell you I . . .

But the way she looked before.

A heady, intoxicating mouth. A stare that challenged mine, and eyes that shone with bright, sweet happiness. And that lovely blush—the kind I could always coax out of her with only those dirty words. I want to fuck you.

I imagine what it would be like, to have her right here next to me.

But when I turn around, I don't have to imagine anymore.

She is there, her coppery hair silhouetted in golden sunlight. Her bright smile edged with soft, tentative warmth.

I have to blink once. Twice.

There is no way she is real.

She is standing on the shore, closing the distance between us as she splashes into the shallow sea. She bunches her dress in both hands, and I catch a glimpse of her shapely legs, glistening with seawater. Yes, that's my girl.

Her face is bright with rosy light, her laughter gilded in the setting sun.

"You're beautiful," I say. She is five feet away from me. Not close enough to touch, but close enough to see. And it is her. "I might have mentioned it once or twice."

"Once or twice or thirty times," she teases.

"Thirty times?" I say. "That's not nearly enough. I'll have to start telling you every day."

She takes a step closer, but I don't dare move.

What if she's not real?

"I don't think I can object to that," she says softly.

"What if we spent every day of the rest of our lives together?" I whisper. "That would be a lot of I love yous."

Her laugh is quiet against the rustling water. "I don't think there could ever be enough."

"That sounds like a challenge to me," I say. "What's the price?"

"You get to spend the rest of your life with me."

"Really? That sounds like winning to me," I say, and I take a step closer to her. The water engulfs my calves, swirling our dresses between us like molten silk.

When her lips curve into an unfaltering smile, I lean in and kiss her.

Real. She's real.

"You're awake," I say, pulling back. Searching her eyes. "When?"

"An hour ago. You were gone and I went to look for you. I was late to the ceremony, but I did get to congratulate Angel and Cade. And . . ." She blushes deeply. "I hear you have kids."

Laughter spills out of me, so easily. "My kids," I agree. "Lacy and Kiara."

"I didn't know you were a mom," she says, raising an eyebrow.

"I am," I say proudly. "And they love having a mother so much I know they would . . . they would . . ."

"Hunter, are you blushing?"

"No," I scowl. "What I'm saying is I think they would be over the moon to have a second mother."

Jude lets out a loud, carefree laugh. "I think you just skipped right past getting engaged, getting married, and right to having a family together."

My hand snakes around her waist, pulling her towards me so that she stumbles against my chest, face tilting up to look at me.

"I'm not skipping anything," I growl softly. "I'm going to propose to you. You bet I'm going to marry you. And we're going to have kids together."

"We're going to have a happy fucking ending," Jude says, and she can't stop the grin that fills her entire face.

"A happy fucking ending," I agree.

A life where Jude and I become the Alphas of New Orleans. Where we change the city, where we reconstruct it from the ground and up. With a family and two daughters that we will adopt. A home we will return to every day. And a bed we will sleep in every night—among other things.

I love you.

So against a sky full of rose and gold, with a setting sun on the horizon, I cup Jude's face with my hand and I kiss her until I forget yesterday, until I forget today, until I forget everything but us and the promise of tomorrow and forever.

>>>

We just finished Hunter's Alpha.

You just finished Hunter's Alpha.

I have no words except holy shit.

Just kidding - I have a few more words than that.

These last few chapters have definitely been one hell of a ride. I think I might have emotionally scarred a few of you. But hey, we made it and it is a happy ending.

If you liked this book, I would suggest trying Heaven's Crime. That one is centered around the Yakuza, and we actually get to go to Tokyo, Japan.

I CAN'T BELIEVE WE MADE IT HERE.

Sorry, I'm a little shocked. This is my second completed book after Angel's Mafia, and I am honestly so happy you all finished! (I mean, there are probably some of you who are spoiling themselves by checking the ending, but it's cool).

I love you all so, so much. No, seriously, each and every one of you.

So ... what did you think?

Hopefully, I'll see you soon ... or not.

And to the people that have been here since the beginning, to the people who started reading this book only a few days ago, to the people who are reading this long after this book is done, and to the people that haven't read this book and skipped right to the ending, I love you all.

From the moon and back,
Sarai