Page 30 of First (After the End #1)

Sofia

Things that change a lot sometimes don’t change at all.

Lara is still my best friend, even if she lives in the military wing now and is being trained by Martia to become an engineer.

House Larsen is still powerful, but its head is now an Alpha from another branch of the family, and she’s much more willing to collaborate with the army.

Lennart and Lady Larsen are still alive, even if they no longer enjoy the privilege they always had.

I’m still a healer, and Gabriel is still the general, except these days I’m the one who treats all his injuries.

The Lows are still becoming rarer and shorter, but when they come, he takes me outside and spends hours staring at me under the pure, unfiltered sunlight.

My father is still gone, but I know he would be happy and proud of me.

I’m still walking down a stone corridor, barefoot, toward my mating ceremony.

The dress I’m wearing this time around, though, is much more beautiful than the last.

“I can only imagine how stunning you’ll look by your third mating ceremony,” Bastian says from my side.

“Leave my future sister alone,” Ivar admonishes, rolling his eyes at him.

“All I mean is, the theater of this seems redundant,” Bastian says. “Protocol for protocol’s sake.”

“A seneschal hating on protocol,” I muse. “How interesting.”

“Given that your bite mark is the size of this very stronghold, I’m not sure why we’re going through the formality of this, but if it’s important to the general, who am I to—”

“We’re here.” Ivar’s hand squeezes my shoulder. “Any last words?”

I think about it. Shake my head. Watch the doors part.

On the other side, Gabriel smiles at me.

I murmur to myself, “Now, this is the rest of my life.”

THE END