Bonded

Epilogue

While we wrapped presents, I happily listened to Hadley as she chattered on and on about the adventure that Uncle Sam took her and little Nathaniel on the other day. "...and I didn't phase not one time!" she said, proudly. She might not have come out a little wolf pup but, she was already phasing and that was terrifying to me. Imagine your two-year-old bursting into a little puppy and then phasing back in a minute's time on a normal Sunday afternoon. We think her phasing is triggered by her getting excited so we had to teach her how to control it pretty early. Good thing she caught on quick or else we'd be in trouble.

"Where are my girls?" Jacob called as he came through the door. His keys jingled in the door as Hadley jumped up and ran to greet him. I stood up from the ground, following right behind her and smiled as the love of my life came into view.

"Daddy!" she said gleefully. "I missed you today!"

"I missed you too, lovebug!" Jacob said as he picked her up in a cradle position and giving her kisses all over her face, her sweet giggle filled the room. Hadley swung herself around to climb his back for a piggyback ride, burying her face in his neck. Jacob met my eye and grinned, taking three large steps to get to me. He took my face in his hands. "And I missed you, Mrs. Black."

"Welcome home, Mr. Black," I said, leaning up on my tip toes to give him a kiss. We got married about a year after Kaya and Ephraim left. I remember the day we both looked at each other and realized that it was stupid to wait. Wait for what? We planned the whole thing in about 6 months. We didn't want a big, fancy wedding that would take forever to plan; we ended up getting married on the high cliff overlooking the water with everyone present and dressed up. I didn't want to be pregnant, but I didn't want to wait and we both wanted the baby to be part of the wedding. It was the most wonderful day of my life.

There were flowers everywhere and this beautiful arch that Paul and Embry made for us. Billy married us, naturally. There was part of me that didn't care if it was rainy or sunny that day because either way, it would have been perfect. And after three days of straight torrential downpour, on our wedding day, the sun shined bright on us all day. Thank you, Kaya and Ephraim and all of our ancestors who were looking down at us that day.

"Everyone should be here soon, so go ahead and settle down while you can," I told him. He had just come home from running the last patrol for the night and I could feel his residual adrenaline draining from him. He kissed my forehead before leaning down to kiss my belly.

Oh, right. I'm pregnant again! Baby number two is on the way and due in about three months. It's a baby boy this time. Harrison William Black. Or William Harrison Black. We haven't decided yet. We just knew that we wanted him to be named after both of our fathers. Everything really is turning out just like that vision Ephraim gave Jacob. And we were loving every second of it.

"Mama let me help with the presents," Hadley told her daddy.

Jacob feigned a gasp. "She did? I hope you didn't peak! Or else you'll ruin the Christmas surprise!" he said, peaking over his shoulder at her. She looked more like me if I had brown eyes, but she had all of his sunshine. Jacob was an amazing partner and even more wonderful father. "We both gotta get ready for the party, lovebug. You wanna see how fast we can run up the stairs?"

"Yeah!" she bounced a little on his back.

He winked at me before standing in a runner's stance. "Get ready..."

"Get set!"

"Go!" Jacob took off up the stairs, making it in no time at all, Hadley giggling up a storm on his back the whole way. I chuckled as I watched them, my heart swelling. As they got ready for the night, I finished up the last-minute preparations. I was working as fast as I could so I, myself, could get dressed for our Christmas Eve party.