Chapter Fourteen

* * * Epilogue – Two Years Later * * *

Isadora cradled her newborn baby girl in her arms as she watched the cubs who were slightly older running around in the meadow. There were several toddlers that belonged to Isa’s closest friends—Oskar and Zora’s little boy, who was almost two, and Otto and Kate’s boy who was just a month younger than that. Then there were Kellen and Vivienne’s identical twin girls, both of whom had just turned a year old but were already walking like pros. Isa supposed they were motivated with trying to keep up with the boys. And then there was Axel and Whisper’s six month old boy, who was struggling to crawl through the grassy meadow, determined that he was going to follow everyone around, despite the fact that he couldn’t walk yet.

Isa sighed happily. Her heart was truly full. Today was perfect. The sun was shining, and the air was full of the warmth of an Indian summer. She knew the weather would be turning soon, and that the long, cold winter would come on with a vengeance. But even knowing that could not ruin her good mood. The Bear Hollow shifters all had plenty of food stored up for the winter, and plenty of firewood to keep them warm. They would cozy up in their warm houses and embrace the winter as a time to be closer to each other, just as they had for the last two winters.

Life for the Bear Hollow shifters was good. They had plenty of money now, thanks to the gold they had found in the Golden Claw River. Every few months, a group of men from Bear Hollow would travel across the forest to the nearest big city, where Isa had told them they would be able to trade that gold for all sorts of clothes, food, and other goods. This newfound wealth had made life in Bear Hollow much easier, but it hadn’t changed the hearts of the people. Everyone here still acted with kindness and respect toward all their fellow clan members, and everyone placed the highest value on friends and family, not on things. Isa had never known happiness like this.

Gilt Hollow remained a ghost town. Even though the few houses that remained standing there were luxurious and huge, no one wanted to live there. The shifters preferred to stay in Bear Hollow, improving on the land and houses that had always been their hometown. The only change that the shifters made to Gilt Hollow was to tear down the Arena completely. No one wanted to allow that symbol of oppression to stand. Never again would the shifters be subjected to such inhumane treatment.

Isa sometimes wondered what had become of her father and the small group of Gilt Hollow citizens who had escaped from Gilt Hollow alive. The men who traveled to the big city on the other side of the forest weren’t able to get much news about the Gilt Hollow refugees. The group had passed through the city about three weeks after the final battle in Gilt Hollow, but they had kept moving on and hadn’t been seen or heard from since. Isa hoped that meant they had gone far, far away, never to return.

As the days, months, and now years had passed, she’d thought of her former life less and less often. How could she dwell on the past, when the present and the future were so magical? Days like today, where her closest friends and their families were enjoying time together, left her little time to dwell on what used to be.

“Want a cupcake?” Leo asked, plopping down next to her and holding out a delicious looking pink-frosted confection. “Zora baked them, so you know they’re good.”

Isa smiled and took the offered cupcake. “I’d love one.” Zora was the only other former Gilt Hollow citizen in Bear Hollow. Zora had been a Severson but had disowned her family and moved to Bear Hollow as Oskar’s lifemate. Isa had been inspired by Zora’s courage, and was glad that she had the chance now to be good friends with Zora. Isa was also glad she had the chance to taste Zora’s baking frequently. Zora had always loved baking, and now, she devoted her talents to frequently supplying all of Bear Hollow with delicious treats.

“Mmm, this is so tasty,” Isa murmured as she took a bite. Leo reached over and took their daughter from her arms so she could maneuver the cupcake a bit easier.

“Not as tasty as you,” he said with a wink.

“You’re so cheesy.” Isa rolled her eyes at him, but blushed with pleasure. Looking at Leo still made her heart beat faster, even all this time later. And looking at him with their daughter cradled so lovingly in his arms drove her absolutely crazy. What had she ever done to deserve a man like this? She leaned over and gave him a frosting-covered kiss.

He grinned at her and then looked back over at their gathered friends. “This isn’t a bad life, eh?”

Isa leaned her head against his shoulder and sighed happily. “Not a bad life at all.”

And the good times were only getting started.