EPILOGUE

UNKNOWN

Max had a peculiar dream one night.

In it, he saw Estella as a baby. He was just a kid himself, and for some reason, this dream filled him with a sense of completeness.

As he slept, he wished the dream was real.

The next morning, he woke up and kissed Estella, like he did every day. It took him a moment to notice something different about her.

Her hair.

He gently woke her up.

“Sweetheart,” he said.

“What?” she mumbled sleepily.

“Your hair.”

“I know. Let me sleep.”

“What do you mean, you know?”

“I spent the night in the moon temple,” she explained, but Max was still puzzled.

Estella had to fully wake up and sit up in bed to tell him the whole story. After she did, he looked amazed, and that wasn’t a common reaction for him.

“I would swear this was just a dream,” he said, “if you weren’t proof that it wasn’t.”

He gently stroked her hair as she looked up at him.

“Funny thing,” he murmured, “I had gotten used to the white, and now it seems so strange to see you as a brunette again.”

“It was a surprise for me, too,” she admitted. “But it was Luz’s wish, and if the brown hair makes her warm up to me again, so be it.”

Estella was right. The child did warm up to her, and in a few days, it was as if she had never left. Only Max could see that something was bothering her.

Before he had to ask, she revealed it herself.

“I want you to mark me,” she announced one night over dinner, causing Max to choke on the pasta he was eating.

“Now?” he coughed, drinking some water.

“It has to happen during sex, and we’re eating right now,” she pointed out. “But we can do it later tonight.”

“What’s the hurry?”

“No hurry. I just… well, I finally know what I want.”

“And you want to be marked?”

“I want Stelios and Elli’s wolf to have another chance,” she said honestly.

“Are you willing to risk your life for that, sweetheart?”

“Yes, but I know you’ll do your best to keep me safe during the shift. I trust you, Max. I know you’ll protect me.”

He sighed and put down his fork.

“I can’t guarantee your safety.”

“No, but I trust you anyway.”

“You’ve already done so much for Stelios and Elli,” he reasoned.

“I’m doing it for the wolves,” she replied. “They were always there, through everything we went through, and they suffered a lot.

“It would be a shame to lose them, having only given them pain. I think they deserve to experience something else too.”

“Is that all?” He tilted his head, studying her carefully.

“No, it’s not all.

“Becoming like you, assuming I survive my first shift and we avoid future rogue attacks, means that I have a pretty good chance of watching our future children grow up.

“It’s more than my parents had.”

He pushed his chair back and patted his lap softly. She came to sit on it obediently and buried her face in his neck.

“That’s a good reason,” he whispered, kissing her hair. “But let’s not do it tonight.”

“Why not?”

“Because I just want to hold you, and planning this feels wrong. I’ll mark you when I can’t resist the urge anymore, okay?”

“You’ve been resisting for years, Max,” she scoffed.

“Not when I have your permission, sweetheart.”

His statement was absolutely true. Now that he knew she wanted this too, resisting the urge was nearly unbearable, but he did his best.

He wanted to at least wait until it was time for them to go back to Greece. Estella would shift on the first full moon after her marking, and he wanted that to happen there.

It seemed fitting, given her revelation about their wolves’ origin.

He had never really wondered what Stelios had meant when he had found him in his wolf form, and the explanation that he was once one of them had been enough.

He had more pressing things to deal with at the time.

But now that he knew the truth and since Estella was taking this big step, they might as well tie it in with the family reunion.

That’s why he had been making plans.

He knew that everyone wanted to be there for her first shift. Julian and Lydia more than anyone else.

Her uncle had freaked out when he’d heard the news, but her aunt had calmed him down and helped him accept everything.

Max was making sure that everyone would witness Estella’s first shift in one way or another.

It wasn’t possible for all of them to drop everything and fly to Greece, as much as they would love to, but Caleb and Sarah were determined to be there, and so were Patrick and Eva.

Their parents on both sides would act as alphas and lunas in their absence, and his parents would stay behind as well.

“We’d love to be there, but the pack can’t be left without a doctor,” his father explained. “It’s enough that the alpha will be gone.”

He was right, and Max couldn’t be mad. So, he decided to record the whole thing—or rather have someone else do it—because he planned to shift with Estella.

Bonnie wouldn’t be there, and she cringed when he mentioned the video.

“I already have to shift into an unstable wolf every damn full moon,” she said, deadpan.

“I love Estella with all my heart, but seeing her change into the beast we all are is not something I want to witness or watch on a video. All I want is for her to come out of it in one piece.”

Max had given her his word that he’d call once everything was settled, and she’d wished him the best.

In the meantime, he didn’t allow Estella the chance to question why he hadn’t marked her yet or to doubt his desire for her.

In a sense, he was relishing their sexual freedom a bit longer. Once she was marked, they’d have to be more cautious if they didn’t want to start having pups too soon.

Human condoms didn’t work for werewolves, and the ancient herbs mentioned in the book weren’t a surefire solution.

He’d mentioned this to her at some point, but he wasn’t sure if she remembered.

Keeping his surprise a secret turned out to be relatively easy since she’d started working and was both excited and busy most days.

This gave him the chance to plan everything perfectly, with a little help from their friends. Rohan was particularly keen to help, making up for his absence.

The date for the trip was set, conveniently a week before the next full moon. The tickets were purchased, and everyone began packing their bags.

His wolf was restless, especially since he’d assured him that the marking of their mate was imminent. He could sense the same anticipation from Estella.

She didn’t voice it, but he was sure her wolf was pestering her about it. He could tell by her aggression during their lovemaking and the occasional shift in her eyes.

If her wolf had its way, she would have marked him first. Not that he would have minded. It would have eased some of his burden. But now, it was his turn, and he couldn’t delay it any longer.

Still, he resisted setting a date. He didn’t want it to feel forced. It was a silly notion because it wasn’t really like that.

One evening, when he came back from the pack hospital, he found her in her studio, surrounded by papers and crayons. She looked busy and beautiful. As always.

This time, however, she didn’t even notice him, so he snuck up behind her slowly. He didn’t peek at her work.

Instead, he leaned down and buried his face in the crook of her neck, kissing and sucking on her skin.

She let out a soft moan. “No, no, Max,” she protested. “I have to finish this before we leave.”

“Finish it later,” he mumbled, wrapping his arms around her waist and lifting her up. “I’ve missed you.”

“Do I complain when you work late?”

“You do, sweetheart.” He chuckled. “But you look adorable when you do, so I let it slide.”

“Smart man.” She stifled a giggle when he squeezed her sides.

“I prefer irresistible.”

“You’re that too.”

He turned her around to face him.

“Then you should stop resisting.”

“I will. I just n…”

Max silenced her with a kiss. As he deepened the kiss, he hoisted her up, and she wrapped her legs around him.

Their passion ignited instantly, and he quickly carried them to their bedroom.

Clothes were torn from their bodies, and before long, they lost themselves in each other.

As the moment approached, he looked at her face.

His girl…

The person he loved more than anyone in this world…

Then, he let his wolf take over, and he sank his canines into her soft skin, her scream piercing his heart.

***

“You should have woken me up, Max,” Estella grumbled.

“You needed the rest, sweetheart.”

“You should have warned me too.”

“I didn’t know it would happen.”

She had slept for twenty-four hours straight. It was more like a coma. That’s what Max had told her. He had to monitor her sleep to ensure she was okay.

When she finally opened her eyes, she noticed the difference immediately. Her vision was sharper, and she felt rejuvenated.

Also, she had a bite mark on her neck. It would fade slightly, but it was meant to be permanent.

However, her new abilities were of no use when it came to her work. Her drawing speed remained the same. She was more energetic, yes, but she had less time to complete her work.

That’s why she was complaining. She had a deadline to meet. Not that there was any real pressure, she just wanted to be free of any obligations during their trip to Greece.

Max let her work undisturbed for the rest of the day, but her wolf, whose voice was now much louder, scolded her for snapping at their mate.

She ignored it and focused on her work.

The next day, she was on edge until she saw all four siblings arrive at the airport.

She had worried that one or more of them might back out, but that didn’t happen. They all seemed happy and a bit anxious.

They were traveling on Loukas’s private plane. It was quicker and more convenient.

The flight was long, but Estella didn’t feel tired.

When they landed, she told everyone that she and Max would hang back for a bit.

“You’re the one who brought us all together,” Markos pointed out.

“Yes, but that doesn’t matter. I think it’s important for your parents to see you first. Max and I will be there, but I want you to have your moment with them. You deserve that.”

“She’s right,” Max agreed. “They’ve missed you all for far too long.”

Estella knew she’d made the right decision when she saw Elli recognize her children from a distance and run toward them, despite her age, with arms wide open.

“Stelios!” she shouted at the top of her lungs. “Stelios! The children are here!”

Her husband rushed out, looking quite stunned to see his sons and daughters there.

Estella looked up at Max, smiling through teary eyes, and he returned the smile, pulling her into his arms. They were too overwhelmed for words.

They simply watched the elderly couple embrace and kiss their children, speaking tender words in their native language.

Estella knew that any moment now, it would hit them. They would realize that one of their children was missing.

It was Stelios who noticed first.

“Where is Konstantinos?” he asked, looking around hopefully.

Elli held his hand as she studied the faces of her children, who remained silent.

“Where’s Konstantinos?” Stelios asked again, his voice rougher, his gaze shifting. “Why didn’t he come back?”

“You know why,” Elli whispered. “I told you…”

“It was just a nightmare, Elli,” he interrupted. “He can’t be…”

“Dad…,” Maria began, but then she stopped, glancing at her siblings with uncertainty.

Who would break the news?

“Konstantinos died defending his alpha,” Markos finally said.

“He died a hero,” Maria added.

Stelios turned pale, and Elli shut her eyes tightly.

“You know that only death would keep him away,” Loukas said with a heavy heart. “He always wanted to come back home…” His voice faded away.

“After a grand adventure,” Iphigeneia finished for him. “And we’ve brought him… home…”

She turned around and picked up the urn she’d left behind to greet her parents. She held it out with a sad smile.

Elli opened her arms, just as she had done before, and Iphigeneia handed her the urn, which was a bit heavy.

The older woman held it close to her chest like a newborn and kissed it gently.

“Welcome home, my child,” she whispered, her voice breaking.

Stelios wrapped his arms around his wife and his son’s urn, his eyes welling up with tears. But when he looked at his remaining children, he managed to smile.

At least they were close again, something they’d stopped hoping for.

He kissed Elli’s forehead gently, and she looked up at him. She let out a sigh, and they turned to face their children.

He wanted to tell them that despite being the one who told them to leave, he’d missed them every day since they’d gone.

“Welcome home,” he said instead.

“Thanks, Dad.” Loukas grinned. “But we didn’t come alone.”

“Are my grandkids here too?” Elli asked, her eyes lighting up, still clutching the urn tightly.

“No. They’ll be here next week.”

“Then who’s with you?” Stelios asked, frowning.

“The persistent human who made this reunion possible,” Markos answered, glancing at Estella and Max.

The old couple followed their eldest’s gaze, and Elli gasped. She quickly handed Stelios the urn and rushed to Estella.

The girl met her halfway, and the old woman hugged her so warmly that it brought tears to her eyes.

“Thank you!” she said. “Thank you for bringing them back to us.”

“I didn’t do much more than give them a little push,” Estella replied. “Deep down, they wanted to come back too.”

“Yes, but you made it happen. I knew you were special, child. I knew!”

Estella shook her head.

“She is special,” Max said from behind them.

“You took your sweet time realizing that, doctor,” the woman chided.

“Longer than it took me,” Stelios added, coming closer.

“You’re no better,” Elli scoffed. “You kept me waiting forever.”

“I made up for it, didn’t I?”

“You did,” she agreed as she turned to go back to their children. “But I haven’t forgotten that you used to call me a frail human girl.”

Estella looked shocked.

“Hold on!” she called, and the woman stopped in her tracks. “You never said you were human, Elli!”

“Really?” she pondered. “I thought I told you I lived near werewolves.”

“Yes, but I assumed you were part of the pack.”

“No, sweetheart, I wasn’t. I was just a human living nearby, and I fell for Stelios long before he fell for me.”

“I was afraid she wouldn’t be able to handle being like me, so I tried to push her away,” the man explained.

“But I proved you wrong.”

“You did,” he said proudly. “You’re much stronger than you seem.”

As the old couple continued their conversation, walking away with their children trailing behind them, Estella stood there with Max, stunned.

“What’s wrong, darling?” he asked, concerned.

“It all makes sense now,” she whispered. “That’s why your wolf chose me too. He wanted a repeat…”

“Darling, it doesn’t matter anymore. I want you. I love you. Regardless of my wolf, regardless of your wolf. You’re all that matters to me.”

She smiled at him.

“I love you too, Max.”

***

The Moon Goddess watched the scene unfold on the surface of the water.

Her heart ached as she felt the pain of her new child.

But nothing comes without pain, it seems. Yet, the doctor had done a good job with his potion. He was one of her special children, and he would help his kind in many ways.

He had already done so when he started working on those antidotes, and now, he had found a potion to ease his mate’s pain during her first shift.

The Goddess had watched him give the liquid to Estella in the days leading up to the full moon. She had felt his desperation for this to work, and it was working.

The girl’s bones were breaking and reshaping into her second form, and she cried out in pain to the moon before letting out her first howl. Max was there, shifting too, guiding her through this.

But it wasn’t just him watching over the girl. It was everyone who loved her.

They all held their breath until the transformation was complete, and they saw her standing on her new legs, taking her first shaky steps.

Her fur, a few shades lighter than her mate’s, shimmered softly in the moonlight. Max nuzzled her affectionately, and she growled in response.

Slowly, the previous hosts of the wolves approached the pair with wide smiles on their faces. They had long suspected the truth, but they knew they couldn’t interfere.

But now that everything had fallen into place, they were more than happy to see their old companions reborn and matched again.

The Moon Goddess was pleased too.

She’d finally managed to make one amends.

Two more were still waiting.

^End of Book One^