“Are you saying that you want to live a double life with me, Annika Singh?” he asks as he draws back and stares into my eyes.
“Yes, Heinrich. That's exactly what I'm saying.”
His lips curve into a smug smile. “Good. Then you make the next part of my plans so much easier.”
As our lips meet in soft reacquaintance, I don't probe for any more information, deciding to put my full trust in him, knowing that just like he leads the wolves of his pack, he will lead our lives into bliss.
Epilogue - Heinrich
Two Days Later
The human world is loud.
Not in the way battlefields are loud, where chaos announces itself in violence and blood. This noise is different—constant, restless, alive. Cars hum along crowded streets, voices drift through the warm afternoon air, and somewhere nearby, a café door opens and closes every few seconds as people come and go.
It feels strange standing here, not because I dislike it, but because it’s a world Annika once belonged to completely, and one I’m only beginning to understand.
I'd spent nearly seven years working tirelessly to turn the company into what it is today, but the valley always remained my home. Now, that home has turned into something else, a quiet space in my heart reserved for one person.
And wherever she goes, that’s where my home is. My heart swells with that knowing, and excitement bristles against the edges of my being. Today is the day I execute my grand plan, and with the demon threat simmered down and Annika agreeing to live a double life by my side, things feel like they’re finally falling into place.
Beside me, Annika’s fingers tighten around mine, snapping me back to the moment, and I follow her gaze across the café.
A woman stands near the window with her back partially turned toward us, one hand wrapped around a coffee cup while the other scrolls absentmindedly through her phone. Shelooks so much like Annika that the resemblance alone makes it obvious who she is.
Lila Singh, Annika’s sister.
The moment Annika spots her, the breath leaves her lips in a quiet rush. “Lila,” she says softly.
The woman looks up. Confusion flickers across her face at first, as if she isn’t quite sure she’s heard correctly. Then, instant recognition slams into her like a physical force. Her chair scrapes loudly across the floor as she jumps to her feet.
“Annika?!”
Every eye in the café turns toward them as she rushes forward, but Annika barely notices. She’s already moving. The two sisters collide halfway across the room, arms wrapping around each other with a force that looks almost painful.
I remain where I am, observing, waiting, giving them a moment alone while my heart floods with joy. Seeing Annika happy makes me happy.
Annika buries her face into her sister’s shoulder, and even from here, I can see the way her body trembles with emotion. Lila clings to her just as fiercely, words tumbling out in a flood of disbelief and relief. For the first time since I met her, Annika looks…completely unguarded.
She’s happy.
Not the quiet, careful happiness she carries in the valley.
This is different. This is the joy of someone who has found a missing piece of herself. And in that moment, something settles deep inside my chest.
Bringing her here was the right decision. No matter what dangers still exist in the world beyond our valley, she deserves this part of her life.
Eventually, Lila pulls back, holding Annika at arm’s length as if she’s checking that she’s truly real. “Where have you been?” she demands.
Annika laughs softly, wiping at the corners of her eyes. “It’s a long story.”
Lila’s gaze shifts past her then, toward me. Curiosity immediately sharpens her expression. “And who is this?”
Annika glances back at me, warmth filling her eyes. She reaches for my hand and gently pulls me closer. “Lila, this is Heinrich,” she says. “My boss.”
A subtle pause follows.
“And the man I’ve been seeing,” she adds softly, and I incline my head politely as Lila studies me from head to toe with open scrutiny.
