Epilogue
Two Days Later
Brandon lay in bed with Avery tucked to his side, Parker on the other side of her, his face finally calm in sleep. They’d made love for the first time since the battle that morning and now were taking a nap before they went to Gideon’s home for a council meeting. They’d needed each other and to remember what they had fought for.
Avery let out a groan, and Brandon loosened his hold on her. Parker’s eyes opened, and Brandon reached out to caress the man’s hip softly.
They’d lost so much on the battlefield and yet had gained their new wards. Wards that seemed to be far stronger than anything anyone had seen in their long lives. It seemed that going forward in this new age of knowing and technology, their wards would be there to protect them from too curious eyes.
Blake had died protecting Brandon’s mate, and he still didn’t know how to deal with that. All he knew was that thanks to the man’s sacrifice, they all had a long time to find a way to live with that. Tatiana had also died, though her Alpha had thankfully not blamed the Talons. Instead, the European Alpha had used her death as a way to come out to the public in his own territory. Her death, too, would not be in vain.
Max is alive, Brandon thought with a relieved breath. But he would never be the same physically, and from what Brandon had felt from his cousin in these short two days since the battle, he might never been the same emotionally either.
All in all, they’d lost twenty-seven wolves. But without the wards, the number of casualties would have been far greater.
Brandon closed his eyes, holding Avery and Parker closer as he fought to calm his wolf. He needed his mates by his side more now than he ever thought possible. He needed to constantly reassure himself that they were indeed alive and well and that he wasn’t dreaming anymore.
Avery turned in his arms and kissed his chest before pressing her naked breasts to his skin. “You’re thinking so loudly,” she said softly. “Want to talk about it?”
Brandon swallowed hard as Parker ran his hand over Brandon’s side. “I was just thinking about everything that happened.” He paused. “And the fact that I think I’m still connected to the wards the same way I was before.”
Parker sat up, a frown on his face. “It’s not hurting you, is it?”
Brandon shook his head as he sat up, as well. Avery followed, tucking the sheet over her breasts. “No, but I can feel them.”
Avery nodded. “I can, too.” She bit her lip. “And I…uh, talked to Walker about it, and he said he still feels them.”
“So does Kameron,” Brandon added, running a hand down her back. “But I don’t think it’s quite the same with the others.”
“So the three of you since you were already connected to the old ones through your past lives, and now those of us who helped Parker bring them back up?” Avery asked. “I guess that makes sense. I wonder what it means in the grand scheme of things?”
“I think it means we’ll know when the wards need us again,” Parker said slowly. He gave a rough laugh that had Brandon’s eyes widening along with Avery’s. “I can feel Blake when I try to reach for the wards. It’s like he’ll always be here, you know?” He rubbed a fist over his chest. “I’m not going to get over what happened anytime soon, but I think…I think being in this Pack and being mated to the two of you is going to help me.”
Avery kissed him on the cheek before turning to do the same to Brandon. “I think so, too.” She let out a breath. “And I think we’re going to be late to Gideon’s if we don’t get out of bed.”
Brandon kissed the back of her neck. “I think he can wait just a bit longer.” Parker leaned forward and kissed her on the lips, and the three of them laid back down, taking their morning slowly.
Because no matter what happened, Brandon would never take his mates and his fate for granted. It had cost so much to have the bond they shared, and he would do anything to keep it.
“What happened on that battlefield is a travesty. The shame of the man who ran for President will be a mark on our history for generations but will not define our history. He tried to use the fear of the unknown for his own gain, and in the end, it was to his peril.”
Brandon sat wide-eyed on the couch between his mates as the President spoke to the public about what had happened to the Talons and what the future would hold when it came to the wolves.
“The proposed legislation against those who shift into wolves is unconstitutional, and I have been remiss in not making my statements clear. The shifters among us have been living within our borders for longer than our borders have been drawn. They have done nothing wrong, but they have been forced to hide for fear of what might happen to their children. And, as is evidenced by some of the corrupt people in power, their fears were justified. But know this, we are working to ensure that all people in our country and around the world are safe. That includes shifters.”
“Holy shit,” Avery whispered.
“Yeah,” Parker added.
Brandon squeezed both of their hands.
“My daughter is the mate of a wolf from a Pack on the eastern seaboard,” the President continued.
“Holy shit indeed,” Gideon growled.
“And that’s not one of the people we thought were on our side?” Mitchell asked. “The people we placed in command?”
“Nope,” Gideon said. “We had no clue.”
“You have followed my daughter’s life since I came into politics and will continue to do so because you feel her life is fair game. I’ve always done my best to keep my family safe, and now her family includes the wolves of this country.” He paused. “But before I knew of her future, I already knew what I would say now. Our people need to be safe. All of our people. The laws say so, as shifters within our borders are citizens. It is a crime to attack them for who they are. It has always been a crime, but those in power have not always seen that. I see that. We need to unite. We are a country built on coming together, and now we will come together. The wolves are under our protection. They are people. And they need to be allowed to take control of their own lives. Let’s make sure we allow that to happen.”
The President began to answer questions about what everything meant law-wise, but Brandon tuned it out, knowing they’d go over it in detail for years to come. Right then, he needed to focus on the two wolves in his arms.
“Does that mean we’re safe?” Avery asked.
Gideon was the one who answered. “That means there will be no more human against wolf battles on our land.” He looked down at his tablet as he read a few things from other Alphas and wolves around the country. “If a human faction comes at us, it will be our government that stands beside us to protect us.”
“So, is the war over?” Brie asked, Fallon sleeping peacefully in her arms.
“This one, at least,” Parker answered honestly, and the others stared at him. “We’re wolves. There’s always going to be an aggressive stance somewhere, but we’re not going to have to worry about what we’ve been dealing with for the past few years, at least.”
Avery let out a sigh. “And the prophecy? I mean…did we save the world?”
Brandon snorted at her question. She narrowed her eyes at him, a small smile playing on her lips. “I think we’ve done what the prophecy wanted us to do, but who knows. It’s a foretelling. Things tend to get confusing. But we weren’t forced into silence. We found our voice. That counts for far more than just something.”
The others started talking about the hundreds of things that were still on their plate just because the country had decided to protect them again, but Brandon kept his gaze on his mates. Avery leaned into him, and Parker kissed his temple.
“As curious as I am about what’s going to happen, I think I’d rather hide with the two of you back at our place for a bit longer,” Avery whispered.
Our place.
Goddess he loved that phrase. Out of the darkness, his happiness had crept up on him. He had not just one mate, but two, and a healthy Pack that would soon see countless sunrises and sunsets as they walked into a new world. The Talon Pack wasn’t going anywhere anytime soon, and Brandon knew he’d be right by his mates’ sides in the coming days and years.
Their bonds were stronger than ever, and no matter what emotions rocked into him thanks to his mantle as Omega, or what places Parker needed to go because he was the Voice of the Wolves, or what obstacles Avery needed to face due to her new nature, they would do it together.
“I think going to our place sounds perfect,” Brandon whispered.
“Perfect,” Parker added.
Perfect was the right word. Their world might be far from it, but for now, he could use a little bit of perfect, and he could find that in the man and woman he loved.
THE END
Next in the Talon Pack World:
Mitchell and Dawn being a new era in .