not edited.

KATE
Arlis was laying on the bed, curled on top of blankets. He hadn't said a word. Jonah had came and taken Constance and Becker's bodies, coming in and setting a hand on Arlis's shoulder. Jonah left Konrad to rot.

I turned on the shower and somewhat half dragged, half guided, Arlis to the bathroom. I took his clothes off as he stood there, barely strong enough to life his leg, kissing his head.

Arlis wasn't with me. Physically, yes, but he wasn't here mentally. I couldn't say I blamed him. What he went through... nobody else could understand the pain, the guilt. If he had had the choice to go back and save Constance and Becker, but lose the world to Konrad... he would. I knew he would.

I pulled him under the warm, steaming, water and poured body wash onto a luffa. He was covered in dirt and blood. While it was important to wash that off, I think it was just as important to wash the battle off as well.

I rubbed his back, careful to not harm it worse than it already had been. He was tore up, scars drenched his back like a mosaic built out of glass and pain. I paused and kissed one of the scars trailing down him in a white streak. He'd always be scarred.

Arlis turned around and I watched him go through stages milliseconds at a time. Fear and sadness moved down his forehead, as it clenched together. Anger went to his eyes, causing salty water to leak from them, mixing with the shower. His lips quivered with depression and I watched Arlis collapse to the floor of the shower.

He had his head between his knees and his hands pulled at his hair, as he screamed. He screamed out names. I knew the names he was saying, but not because I could understand him. I only knew because I had been there. Had I not have been, I wouldn't be able to make them out between the heaves of breath and death bringing screeches.

I bent down slowly, moving his hands away from his hair. I brought his head into my lap and I felt his nails dig into my thigh from stress and despair. I let him.

I let him release some of his pain, I let myself take some of it.

He released his grip, repeating God's name over and over. He asked why, he begged God to take him. He begged the Moon to take his soul in return for Constance and Becker's.

"Arlis..." I whispered. "They wouldn't want you like this."

Arlis's eyes were empty as he looked up. "I'm alone." He cried.

I ran my hands through his hair and then reached up and turned the shower off. "You're not alone. You're never going to be alone again, I swear to you."

He sniffled in a deep breath. "They're gone. They're really gone."

"They're gone, but you're here. Your sister and your brother are here." I laid my head against the wall of the shower, continuing to brush my fingers through the grime in his hair.

"Kate. What do I do?" He asked.

I closed my eyes, not exactly sure. I just knew the sound of his breathing made me selfishly happy. "Live in their name. Push forward. Because that's what they'd want you to do."

"I love you, Kate." He squeezed me to him.

"I love you too. I'm not going anywhere." We sat there, crying and sniffling. It felt good. To let our bodies exhale, to breath.

I knew eventually we'd be okay. But right now... right now everything seemed wrong. We needed time to heal, to fix ourselves and each other.

But next to each other's sides... we could do it. There was hope.

** 6 years later **

MELLONI AND JONAS
Melloni and Jonas ended up with an adopted son who they named Reigns, stealing the name from Kate and Arlis. His parents had been killed by Konrad supporters nearly a year and a half after the killing of Konrad. Reigns was only a baby, but had found a home with Mell and Jonas.

Jonas became Beta of the Sovereign pack, standing side by side with his wife and his five year old son.

Reigns absolutely loves and adores all his Aunts and Uncles, but his favorite is Aunt Dalia. Secretly.

Jonas continues to be punished by being called a pickle jar opener, and he continues to be given dog toys for Christmas. He wont ever admit it, but he loves it.

Melloni still works at the daycare, still takes care of children. They all think she's something powerful because she faced the Big Bad Konrad.

LEIF & DALIA
Leif and Dalia eventually got over their ex-mates and found solace in each other. They both refuse to have kids yet. While they both want them, they want to the world to calm down a bit before they start raising monsters.

That's what they've been saying for 6 years.

They secretly just don't want any responsibilities yet.

Dalia and Kate get closer and closer as the years go by. Kate still has the dress that she wore at the ceremony when she got introduced into the pack hanging in her closet. Every time they see each other Dalia jokes about taking it back.

Leif is a pack Warrior, and took over his mother's job of training fighters. He's damn good and sometimes takes on Jonah, just for the heck of it. He hardly ever wins.

GRACIE, JAKE, & LILLY
Gracie is now thirteen and has a strong and independent attitude. She's a little mature from her age, but it doesn't help that her Aunt Dalia and Uncle Leif train her to fight on the weekends.

She's convinced she'd die for her best friend, Zachariah Dawn, who she often went on play dates with when she was younger. Now they just, "hang".

She's a tad younger than him, by 5 years, but they they still get along great. Her, Lilly, and Zach have their own trio started. Jake tries to tag along, but he's only ten.

Lilly often tells Zach that he should just become a werewolf at how much he's around by now. It's funny how protective Lilly has begun to be of Gracie, and how playfully flirtatious she is is with Zach, even though he's 3 years younger, sitting at 18.

Arlis tells Zach every time he's over that his girls have mates, and that he's not them. Arlis always threatens that he's not scared to send Zach back to Everly with a broken arm, mangled feet, and a baby-maker that's defective.

Zach always replies with the same thing, "I know. And somewhere out there I have two werewolves to scare into taking care of my best friends."

Gracie is in training to take over the daycare after Melloni and Jonah. She's good at her job, so far. She's still really young, but she loves babies and can tell stories like a fairy-tale author.

Lilly became a Pack Warrior, ready to defend at every opportunity she gets. She trained with Leif and Electra directly, Arlis popped in a lot as well. She's got a lot of fire in her bones and gives Arlis a run for his money sometimes.

Jake is young but seems to be following in his older sister's steps. He's not as serious as his sister, and a lot more excitable. He's a soft soul who Kate took under wing a lot. Arlis thinks he'll end up helping Gracie with the daycare, but he's not sure.

RALPH & ANAFORO
Ralph went home to his girlfriend, Vix, continuing to live with her from pack to pack, mostly staying with Anaforo. He doesn't talk about the day Konrad died, mostly because Anaforo doesn't bring it up.

Anaforo is still the King of the necromancers. He's now number two on the "who's counting the most powerful?" List. Not that he cares.

Him and his wife are having a baby boy.

Ralph hates kids, but has already demanded the title of god father.

VIX
Vix turned out to be alive. And the reunion between Kate and Vix brought too many tears, too many hits to Arlis's arm, and a long argument.

Both had assumed the other one had died, but neither had confirmation.

CHANCE
Chance found his mate, inconveniently, at Chleo's funeral. He didn't know exactly what it was at first, but it didn't take long for him to figure out that she was the one he needed.

Vera thought it was weird that Chance had no idea what mate's were, but she didn't care. He was goofy and funny and cute.

They made the perfect couple.

They hid the news until a few weeks after the funeral, meeting in secret most of the time.

IRIS & ANTHONY
Anthony and Iris we're finally able to retire. They had to deal with the death of another son, and that was something they'd never get over.

Iris and Anthony are advisors to the Alpha and Luna, but mostly only to the Alpha. Luna Kate has everything figured out after she studied with Iris.

They love Chance now that they've gotten to know him. Iris didn't like him at first. He reminded her too much of Anthony.

SAM
Sam came back after he heard Konrad had died. He never found Seymour, only a trail that led him nowhere. Arlis was the one who had to break the news to him.

6 years later, Sam is now 21 and fully shifted. He hasn't found his mate yet. Everyone thinks the moon is making him wait until he's actually matured. Arlis just wants someone to put the little rascal in his place.

KATE & ARLIS
Arlis and I finally had our wedding. It was a small one, with only close family and friends invited. Vix was a bridesmaid, but Melloni was maid of honor.

My dad showed off a shotgun in the dressing room.

My dress had to be big enough to go over the small baby bump I had. Trust me, I was more shocked than anyone to know.

Life was good. Arlis and I ran the pack, protective and kind much like Arlie's parents who I now have many stories of.

Those years ago, when I stumbled into the woods, seems like a haze. But I was glad I did. I was glad I fell into Arlis's arms.

***

"Arlis maybe you should read it?" I said, handing him the letter. The letter, to be specific, was the one Becker had dropped the day he died.

Arlis held in his hands. He had forgotten about it until our first non-adopted child, Rebeckah Chleo Barron, handed it to us and asked if she could open it. She was only five.

In which, Arlis snatched the letter from her grasp. "No. Don't go through mommy and daddy's stuff. Go play with Iris and Jake." Iris Dalia Barron was our 2nd child. She was three.

We continued to raise Gracie, Jake, and Lilly. Gracie, who was thirteen now, became great friends with Lilly, who was now 21 and fully shifted into a beautiful wolf and a lovely young woman. Jake was only 10 but he was as adorable as ever.

I huffed out a breath and nodded down at the white envelope. "Arlis?" I called.

He slipped his hand under the opener and ripped the paper. "Do I have to read it?" He asked me.

I wanted to open it a week or so after the fight. He couldn't bring himself to do it and I couldn't bring myself to force him. "I think it's time."

Arlis unfolded the paper— a napkin to be specific. "It started off simple.

Dear friends,

Arlis ran to the kitchen and picked up a phone that they had never used. It only had a couple numbers.

"Who are you calling?" I asked. I tried to grab the letter out of his hands but he wouldn't let me read it.

"Everly." He said.

Everly answered it almost immediately.

"Hello?" She asked tiredly.

"You know the envelope Becker dropped? When... he..." He asked nervously. I tried once again to grab it from him but he pulled his arm back, shaking his head at me.

Arlis put the phone on speaker. I grabbed the note from him, my eyes skimming over the words so fast I thought I might have a heart attack. "Becker." I sighed.

"No?" Everly said.

Arlis took a deep breath.

"Does it have to do with Kon—" she started.

"No!" Arlis shouted. "He's dead. Still dead. Dead dead."

Everly breathed out a sigh of relief. "What's going on?" She asked.

"Everly... I think you need to read it for yourself." And Arlis couldn't of been under reacting any more.

This was something Becker wanted us all to know. She needed to read it, for Becker.

"I'm— I'm busy watching my own kids. I can't make it there. Can you read it over the phone?" She asked. She sounded tired and I understood why. Her and Colin were on their 2nd kid.

Arlis wrapped his arm around my waist and brought me to sit in his lap. "Of course."

I was happy to be here. With my family. With the love of my life. And I didn't know where life would take us. But wherever it was, we'd be there together.

Dear, friends.
     I know I failed you when I joined Konrad's ranks, and I'm so sorry. I wanted to do something wrong and I ended up hurting a lot of people. Several Alphas throughout the country are dead because of me— dead because I couldn't stand up to Konrad.
     I hope you can forgive me. For killing them. For taking Arlis. For not defending Everly when I should have, nearly getting her killed. Actually getting her killed.
     I have thought a lot about what I can do to make it up to you— to my true family. I love all of you. Enough that it hurts me when I say goodbye.
    I have had you all for the best parts of my life, and the worst parts. I am so deeply indebted to Arlis and Constance, who showed me what true love was. I owe my life to Everly, my Little Sun, who lost hers for the sake of doing what's right. To Kate who, hopefully, still carries my godchild in her as you read this.
     I am writing to say goodbye. I'm cleaning my debts.
     You all deserve far deeper and a far longer happiness than I do. When we battle Konrad today, I will die. I don't have the power to kill him with Kate's idea. Not without myself dying, anyways.
     You have shown me life, love, happiness. This is to you— the people who have given me a reason to die for. It has been an honor to follow this journey with you.
          Sincerely, Beckerann Dawn

I could have had a longer Epilogue, I know. It was a personal choice to keep it short. It leaves more room for you all to pick what you believe. I like short epilogues. This is a story, and their chapters are over.

For now.

I HAVE MANY PLANNED BOOKS COMING. Too many to be honest. But I'm finished with 2.

Thank you all SO MUCH! I can't explain how much going on this journey with you all means to me

Song is Hoping by X Ambassadors