Unleashing Maverick - COMPLETED

Epilogue

One Year Later

"Happy Birthday to you! Happy Birthday to you! Happy Birthday dear Duke, Happy Birthday to you!!"

The candles glimmer in the reflection of Duke's big, bright blue eyes, which are wide with excitement for his special day.

"Now blow out the candles!" Joy says to her son, a proud smile etched on her features. Even Vander, with an arm around his very pregnant wife, is giving his son an encouraging smile.

Nodding to his mother's exclamation, Duke blows out the eight candles on his birthday cake. His best friend, Rida—a human that's grown up in werewolf culture—giggles along as Duke swipes a finger through a frosted edge of the cake, earning a light slap on his hand from his mother.

As Joy and Vander begin to cut pieces of cake for everyone, I feel my mate circle his arms around me while giving the top of my hair a kiss.

"Do we have to stay? I'd much rather have our own little party," Maverick lowly states, his voice husky.

Ignoring the heat shooting through my body and his feeling of lust, love and want through the mate bond, I wiggle slightly out of his grasp, looking up at him with a raise of my eyebrows.

"After the party, Maverick."

He lets out a low growl in frustration before pulling my back closer to his front. Upon this action I feel a very familiar thing hitting my lower backside.

Letting out a gasp, I crane my head so I'm looking up at him. "Maverick! There are children!!"

"I can't help it! My body craves you every second of the day, babe."

Want is now pooling within me for him, but I quickly push it away as I see Kaia as well as Dante holding onto their little girl—May. She was born a couple months ago, this past May to be exact, and is also Maverick's and my goddaughter.

She has the cutest little button nose, and her hair is curly like her father's but icy blonde like her mother's. Shes an amazing mix of the two, and she's also the most adorable little thing I've ever seen.

"Hey!" Kaia tugs me closer to her, lowering her voice so only Mav and I can only hear. "I feel bad we're late... Dante couldn't find the right dress to put on May." Kaia shifts her gaze over to her mate, his eyes locked in on their baby girl's as she coos and giggles.

"Who's daddy's pretty girl? You are! You are!"

I let out a low chuckle at Dante's words to their child. 

Ever since the end of the Dracs, things within our pack and the surrounding packs have been going quite smoothly. Although it did take many of us who lost loved ones to get back into society and feel normal again. I don't think things will ever be 'normal' for any of us ever again, and that's okay. 

Finishing up high school was far from normal, but at least it's done. I wasn't able to partake in the school play, but I got to watch all my friends take part, especially Kaia who--in my opinion, stole the show. I also didn't get to say a speech at graduation, but I got to graduate with my loved ones there. 

I glance over at my parents along with Elias and Esmeri. They're being served some of the birthday cake, which Elias is shoveling into his mouth greedily while Esmeri just stares at him with a concerned look.