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“I heard that, asshole,” Lily growled as she sauntered in, having ignored Cilla’s request to give us some space. She shoved Tanner out of the way and hugged me.
“Congrats, you’ll make an amazing mom!”
“And you’ll make an amazing auntie,” I replied, trying not to let the emotion of the occasion get the better of me. Naturally, I failed miserably. Tears were soon streaming down my face, washing some of the soot away.
“No, you won’t be babysitting.” Tanner glared at Lily, but she just stuck her tongue out and smiled.
“You’re not the boss of me!”
“Oh really? So you want to be excluded from the fight club we’re setting up?”
Lily’s face fell. “You’d really stop me from getting involved?”
“If you piss me off, yes!”
OK, I’d had enough. If they wanted to bitch at each other, they could do it elsewhere.
“Quit it! I’m going for a shower and then a nap. Tanner, stop winding Lily up, and Lily, you’re welcome to babysit our child anytime.”
Lily grinned triumphantly and then skipped back out, her mission accomplished.
Tanner scowled and then sighed, evidently deciding it wasn’t worth upsetting me by pushing it. “I’ll come with you,” he said.
“We’re all coming.” Cole took my hand in his. Silas nodded in agreement.
Tanner rolled his eyes. I guessed he was hoping for some alone time, well tough. Raising a child with three possessive shifters was going to be an adjustment for all of us. But I knew we’d be fine.
I loved them and they loved me.
And that was all that mattered.
Epilogue 1
Eva
7 months later
Nine kids sat quietly on the grass, observing the birds feeding from the food station we’d set up near the trees. This was the first time most of them had stopped for more than five minutes all day, and frankly, I was exhausted.
My mates had been bugging me for weeks about taking it easy, but these children needed me. Most of them had been kicked out of mainstream school for being too disruptive. I was their last chance.
“Anyone recognize that yellow and black bird?”
Several hands flew in the air. “Is it a goldfinch?” Jack yelled, causing half the birds to take flight in panic.
I sighed inwardly but smiled encouragingly, anyway. “Yes, well done! What about the small bird with the red chest? Did you spot that one?”
“I did, Miss!” Chloe sat up straighter, looking pleased with herself. Jack immediately turned around and glared at her.
“Show off,” he muttered. Chloe growled at him and he stuck his tongue out.
“Jack, why don’t you tell everyone what you know about Robins?” I suggested before a full-on fight broke out.
The pair of them were always at each other’s throats. Silas thought they would likely be mates one day. He said Jack was overcompensating because he liked Chloe, and she was trying not to seem too eager. I wasn’t so convinced.
Jack duly spouted a few facts we’d learned, giving Chloe some side-eye while she picked her cuticles and pretended he didn’t exist.
“Thank you, Jack. Well done, all of you, that’s it for today. You can go to Lily now for physical training.”
