Page 44

Epilogue

Anders

“This is a bad idea.”

Jamie waves a hand. “Oh, hush, puppy dog. It’s a great idea.”

Sometimes I question my mate’s sanity. “They’ll never approve.”

Jamie just folds his arms defiantly. “Give them a chance.”

My stomach won’t stop churning as I count down the minutes until Jess and Bailey arrive. Somehow, I let Jamie convince me to show Jess and Bailey my true self. Jamie assured me he’d “come out” to them as a wolf as well. I don’t know what I was thinking.

So far, I’ve been wrong in many of my assumptions about the human world, but if there’s anything I’ve learned, it’s that humans are unpredictable in the best and worst ways.

“Hey. Look at me.” Jamie tilts my chin and offers a smile. “Hiding who you are from those you love is no way to live.”

“Sometimes it is the only way to stay safe.”

“I know.” He kisses my cheek. I lean into the touch of his lips, seeking sanctuary from my worries. “But you are safe. I promise.”

“What will I say?”

Jamie takes my hand and squeezes. “Let’s save the time travel stuff for another time. I think learning about time travel and werewolves in the same day would be a lot.”

I huff. “I would imagine so. What if they panic?”

Jamie points to the window. Outside, Arlo gives a cheery wave. “Then Arlo will wipe their memories of the event, and it’ll be like it never happened.”

Outside, Jess’s and Bailey’s familiar voices get closer and closer. My heart sinks. They sound happy, and I’d hate to be the one to turn their happiness to fear.

Jamie gives my shoulders a squeeze. “I love you, Anders. You’re so brave, and I’m proud of you.”

I cough around the suspicious lump in my throat, then lean in to kiss his forehead. “Love you too.”

When the key turns in the lock, I’m so nervous I’m worried I’ll vomit. Jess and Bailey enter the café, smiling and laughing. Bailey waves. “Hello, lovelies!”

“Morning, guys,” Jess says, locking the door behind her.

I try and smile.

Bailey gives me an odd look. “Why do you look constipated, Andy?”

“ Anders. ” I really don’t hate the nickname as much as I should.

Jamie clears his throat. “Hey, can we talk to you real quick?”

Bailey and Jess exchange looks before Jess asks, “Is everything okay?”

“Oh, let me guess. You’re engaged!” Bailey squeals.

“Sort of,” I say, and Jamie elbows me.

“Let’s sit down,” Jamie suggests, leading the way to a booth by the window. He and I remain standing while Jess and Bailey sit.

Jamie clears his throat. “So. Uh. There’s really no easy way to say this… Werewolves are real.”

Jess and Bailey exchange amused looks, and then Bailey laughs. “This is cute. I have no clue what you’re doing, but I’m here for it. Go on.”

They think we’re joking, and it’s disheartening. “It’s the truth, though where I’m from, we call them ulfhednar.”

“Like those Vikings who’d wear the skins of wolves and go berserk?” Jess says, eyes lighting up with interest.

“Aye!” I say, feeling more optimistic. “That’s it! That’s me.”

Bailey coos. “Aww, bless. I love how committed you are to this bit, Andy.”

“I think,” Jamie says, cutting in, “it would be easier to show you.” He motions to me.

Heart racing, I pull up my fur hood. Jess and Bailey shout in shock as the fur comes alive, consuming me. I drop to all fours, and when I look up, they’re both gaping at me.

“You saw that, right?” Jess whispers.

Bailey gawks at me. “Think I put too many shrooms in my cereal…”

“Bailey! You do drugs?” Jamie asks.

Bailey looks around nervously. “No! Okay, just a little. I’m not high or anything. It just… opens my mind more.”

“Shut up about drugs. There’s a big fucking wolf in here!” Jess shrieks, standing on top of the table in her panic.

“He’s not going to hurt you!” Jamie holds up both hands placatingly.

“He’s a freaking wolf!”

“I know that!”

I frightened her. That’s not what I wanted at all. Ducking my head, I lie down on my belly to make myself smaller and unimposing. Did I scare my friends away for good? They hate me. They must. I’m a monster to them. A whimper escapes me. This was a terrible idea.

“Babe, you made him sad,” Bailey says, pity in their voice. “Jamie. Is he… like, safe?”

“Of course he is. He can still understand you. Right, Anders?”

Lifting my head, I look only at Jamie and woof softly. I’m too nervous to look at anyone else.

“Holy shit…” The floorboards creak, making me whip around to look at Bailey. They freeze, eyes wide. “H-hey, Anders. Remember me?”

My tail wags. Of course. How could I forget them?

Bailey laughs softly, shaking their head. “Un-fucking-real…” Slowly, they offer their hand.

“Bailey,” Jess whimpers, looking petrified.

“It’s okay, babe. He won’t hurt me.” Despite their confidence, Bailey’s scent is heavy with fear. They’re scared, but they aren’t attacking. They’re giving me a chance. Accepting me.

Hope brings me to my paws, and I approach until I’m just close enough to bump my nose into the pink palm of Bailey’s hand.

Bailey gasps, and then a smile spreads over their face, bright and joyful.

“This is so freaking cool!” They laugh when I lick their fingers.

My tail can’t stop wagging, happy whines escaping me.

Bailey accepted me. They accepted me! I’ve never been happier to be wrong.

“You are so fluffy!” Bailey throws their arms around my neck and hugs me tight. I lick their ear, making them laugh. Jamie laughs too. The only one seemingly not amused is Jess, watching from the top of the table with suspicion.

“Bailey, that’s enough. Get away from him.”

My tail droops. I suppose it was too much to hope that they’d both accept me.

“But—” Bailey says.

Jess carefully gets down from the table. “Move over, Bailey.” A smile lights up her face. “I want a turn.”

Next thing I know, Jess’s warm arms are around me, then Bailey’s.

My heart aches as they hold me tight, their touches gentle, their voices soothing.

They tell me how beautiful I am. How soft.

How amazing it is to meet a real werewolf.

I never knew humans could be so fearless, so kind.

I’m grateful to be in my shifted form. If I were in my human form, I’d have cried tears of joy.

“Uh, guys. I can shift too.” Jamie sounds like he’s pouting.

Jess gives him a challenging look. “Prove it.”

Jamie grabs his fur hood. “Okay, but just a heads-up, I’m way more adorable than Anders.”

I growl. As if.

Jess ruffles my fur. “Let Bailey and me be the judge of that.”

As Jamie shifts to his beautiful wolf and they fuss over him, I can’t even be sore that he is, in fact, cuter than me.

I’ve never been so happy. It’s like I can finally breathe after years of suffocating. Even if every other human in the world fears me, it doesn’t matter. As long as I have my pack, I can take on the world.

Snow falls around us in gentle flurries as Jace, Jamie, and I approach my village.

It’s been a long time since I was able to have a proper dinner with my pack, and this time, I’m not coming alone.

Jamie will get to know my brothers and my aunt.

I have no doubt they’ll adore him almost as much as I do.

Jamie exhales beside me and squeezes my hand.

“Nervous, pet?”

“A little bit. I’ve never had dinner with a guy’s family before.”

I pull him close and kiss his hair. “They already like you. There is nothing to fear.” I wrap my arm around his waist. “I take it your first session went well?”

Jamie has started seeing someone called a therapist. They’re supposed to help people like Jamie cope with intense feelings of trauma. I picked him up from his session, and we came straight to Ulfheim. He’d been quiet on the walk to the piers, but he hadn’t seemed troubled, more… reflective.

“It was pretty good. She’s nice, and I feel comfortable talking to her.”

I wish I knew the perfect thing to say that would free him of his guilt and pain.

As if sensing my thoughts, Jamie bumps his shoulder into mine. “It’s not your job to fix me, Anders. Besides, you help me a lot, in your own way.”

“I do?”

Sighing exasperatedly, Jamie turns me toward him and stands on his toes.

Looping his arms around my neck, he pulls me down for a sweet, brief kiss in the middle of the village square.

The crowds disappear as I melt into his affection, and I sweep my arms around his back and slender waist, holding him close to me.

“Yeah, puppy dog, you do. You remind me I deserve love.” Patting my chest, Jamie steps back.

I take his hand in mine and we walk the final stretch to Wulfric’s longhouse.

“Maybe I’ll always feel guilty, but as long as I have you and the tools to help me deal with it, then that’s good enough for me. ”

“Come on, guys! Hurry!” Jace waves at us. He’s already run ahead.

“Jace, I told you not to run!” Jamie calls. “If you fall, you’ll have to stay in that cast even longer.”

I knock on Wulfric’s door.

Helga calls, “Come on in! We’ve got warm food and drink to chase the cold out of you.”

Jamie sniffs the air as we enter. “Smells great in here. What’s cooking?”

Kieran laughs. “What isn’t ? We’ve got stew, bread, cheese, and meat, vegetables from the garden.”

“So, enough food for a whole pack of wolves,” Jamie says.

A roar of greetings comes at us from the dining table. Wulfric and Gunnar are there, and so is Helga, of course. They all greet Jace as if he’s a pup of their own while he bombards them with questions of all sorts.

Gunnar looks over at me, then leans to the side, trying to get a glimpse of the door.

“Arlo isn’t here,” I say.

Gunnar tenses, color rushing to his cheeks. “I wasn’t looking for him,” he insists, but the disappointment is written all over his face as he slumps in his chair.

Oddly, Lyall is absent. I feel a pang of disappointment. I’d hoped to see him.

Kieran asks, “How’s the café?”

“Great.” Jamie takes a seat at the table. “I’m training Anders to become a barista.”