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“Well,” she smiles. “That’s the beautiful thing about love, isn’t it? We can figure it out together.”
Epilogue
Jace
Six Months Later
I’m standing on a mountain holding my son, and the world has never seemed brighter. The sun shines down on us like it knows just how much we’ve been through: just how much we’ve survived. And that’s a lot. My family has been through hell, but right now, I kind of think that everything is going to be okay.
Somehow, we’re going to figure this thing called life out, and we’re going to do it together as an incredible, unstoppable team.
Two years ago, I found my mate. I knew that Alexis and I were destined to have an incredible life together. I hoped for it. I dreamed for it. I knew that it would be absolutely perfect and fantastic. Everything I had ever dreamed about was definitely going to come true, and then disaster struck. It was unexpected, and I didn’t know what to do next.
A year ago, I thought I’d lost everything. I said goodbye to my dreams, to my darling, to my child. I said goodbye to a perfect life full of happiness and joy. I walked away and I didn’t look back because I knew that if I did, I’d lose everything. I knew that if I spent too much time mourning Alexis, I’d never move forward. I knew that I’d lose myself to the pain.
And then six months ago, everything changed.
When Polly stumbled into my cabin on that stormy night, I didn’t know just how drastically everything was going to change for me. I never could have predicted just how incredibly things were going to turn around. I couldn’t have possibly predicted that she was going to be my mate or that she was going to help me raise my child.
I never could have guessed that together, we were going to have a second chance at life or at love.
Polly is the most fantastic wife a bear could ever wish for. She’s gentle and sweet, but she’s the strongest woman I’ve ever met. Just like me, she’s been through hell. She’s been through an eternity of chaos and she’s come out stronger on the other side. Polly understands that sometimes, life can be painful, but she’s still willing to try.
She’s still willing to keep going.
She’s still willing.
Now, I stand on the mountain and I look down at our little cabin. Soon we’re going to need to expand it. We’ll add on some rooms and we might even build a second floor. After all, if Brandon is going to be a big brother, he’s going to need some extra room to play with his new brother or sister.
“Hey,” Polly says. She pops up from behind a boulder, and I turn to see her.
“Hello, beautiful,” I murmur.
Brandon squeals with happiness and reaches for her as she approaches. She takes him, smiling and tousling his hair, and then she reaches for my cheek. She touches it softly before giving me a gentle kiss, and I know that in this moment, everything really is going to be absolutely fantastic.
My happy ending didn’t come in a way that I thought it would.
It didn’t arrive neat or tidy or bound with a little bow.
It’s everything I’ve ever wanted, though. I have an incredible son and a wonderful wife and more than all of that, I have the hope that tomorrow is going to be even better than today.
There is always hope.
THE END
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Author
Sophie Stern loves reading, dancing, and video games she can lose herself in. She writes contemporary, paranormal, and science fiction romance stories with sassy heroines and wonderful heroes. You can find out more when you visit her website at www.sexysophiestern.com or join her mailing list HERE.
> The Bear’s Virgin Darling
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I have six books out that take place in Honeypot, Colorado and that feature sweet, sexy, and sassy shifters. Check out a chapter from The Bear’s Virgin Darling now. Then consider reading one of my other stories:
The Bear’s Virgin Darling
