“Now,” he leans forward, “As Zea would tell me, we live happily ever after.”
“Oh, is that what she would say,” I laugh.
He laughs with me before pulling me in for an electric kiss.
“Mom! Dad!” Zea yells as she comes running down the hall as we separate and into the living room. She had every single piece of winter clothing imaginable on. From pink mittens and snow pants to the three scarves she wrapped around her neck, “I found my winter clothes!”
I couldn’t help but laugh, “Are you sure you’re going to be warm enough?”
Axton laughed next to me.
I got up from the couch, placing the empty mug onto the table. Walking over to Zea, crouched down in front of her.
“Mommy, can we please go play in the snow?”
I bit my lip as I pretended to think about it, “I don’t know. If we go outside and play in the snow, what will your dad do?”
She tilted her head to the side before her face lit up, “He could come play in the snow too!”
We both turn to Axton as he plays along and puts a thinking look on his face, but I can see the smile beneath it, “I don’t know.”
Zea was practically bouncing, “Please daddy! Come outside with us,” she said before putting on her award-winning pout face.
We both started laughing as she did that.
“Let’s go,” I tell her.
Before I can even put my boots on my feet, she is out the door as she jumps into the first pile of snow she meets. She laughs as she starts rolling in the snow. I laugh along with her as I walk out onto the porch.
Axton comes up behind me, wrapping his arms around my waist, “This is what I want every day,” I give him a smile before he continues, “My daughter happier than ever and my perfect mate in my arms.”
My smile grows even more as it matches his as I turn in his arms to face him, “I love you Axton.”
“I love you too, Ellie,” he says before he pulls me closer for another kiss.
Epilogue
Ellie POV
I moved around the tree as I tried to find an empty place for the new ornament Sawyer had bought Zea.
“I have finally finished wrapping the garland around the banister on the stairs!” Sawyer exclaimed loudly as she walked into the living room. She was finally showing as she already had a little wobble in her step.
“You finished?” Walker followed her in, joining her on the couch, “I did all the work.”
She just smiled at him, “It was a team effort.”
We both just laughed as she said that.
“Mommy!” Zea came running in the room with Reid behind her, “Uncle Reid helped me finish wrapping daddy’s present.”
“You did?”
She nods her head vigorously.
“Thank you. You did such a good job,” I smile at her as I admire the perfect wrapping with the bow on top.
“Where is Axton, anyway?” Walker asks.
“He’s finishing a call up with Xander and Aurora. He should be here in a few minutes,” Reid answers as he joins them on the couch.
I hear a knock on the door before someone opens it. Jade sticks her head in the doorway, “Merry Christmas!”
“Hey!” I exclaim as I give her a hug as Michael takes her coat from her, “I didn’t think you would make it on time.”
“Oh, trust me I didn’t think we would either,” Michael whispers to me, causing me to laugh. He hasn’t changed at all, even without his powers. He is still caring and sweet and from what Jade has told me, he has been the perfect mate. She forgave him when he woke up after the spell and they haven’t been happier since.
“What is it about the holidays that makes people forget how to use a knife in the kitchen or go about and stab their relatives? I just don’t get it,” Jade says as she laughs.
“Too many dysfunctional families and too much family time can make anyone go crazy,” Walker answered her as we came into the room.
We all laughed at that.
Axton, everyone is here. Are you on your way? I call out in the mate link.
“I am right here,” he whispers back to me as his arms wrap around my waist and he rests his chin on my shoulder.
I turn my head to look at him, “Merry Christmas.”
He smiles at me before looking up. I follow his gaze to the mistletoe he apparently had hung earlier. Smiling again, he turns me in his arms and pulls me into a passionate kiss. He pulls away saying, “Merry Christmas to you too.”
“Hey lovebirds,” Reid joked, grabbing our attention, “Present time!”
We laughed along with everyone else as we moved to sit. Axton sat on one of the couch chairs before pulling me to sit on his lap.
We joked around for awhile as we all exchanged gifts. As we passed around our gifts to each other, we had Zea start to open a few of hers from the pile that seemed to have formed.
I leaned closer to Axton, “What didn’t you buy her?”
“Nothing,” he said, looking a little guilty but also smiling like an idiot, “I literally bought her everything she asked for.”
I laughed at that as I leaned into him. We watched our daughter as she bounced up and down at the gifts Santa had brought her.
Everyone is talking and opening presents as laughs fill the room.
I don’t think I could be any happier than I am right now. After everything these last seven years, I have my mate back, a perfect daughter, and my family and friends.
Reaching down, I picked up the present Zea had wrapped for Axton before handing it to him, “What is this?”
“This is your present,” I smile at him.
He just smiles back at me before ripping the paper off to reveal a small white box. Opening the box, he picks up the pair of little blue shoes inside. He gives them a confused look before looking at me with joy, “Ellie, are you?”
I bite my lip nervously as I nod my head vigorously, “I’m pregnant.”
“You’re pregnant,” Axton smiles, “We’re having another baby?”
“Yes.”
Axton doesn’t waste any time before kissing me again. So much love and passion are in that one kiss I thought I just might faint from it. Electricity and fireworks exploded as he pulled me closer to him.
When we finally pulled away, neither one of us could fight the ear to ear grins.
“I love you so much Ellie,” Axton tells me.
“I love you too Axton.”
* * *
The End
THE ALPHA's MATE: A Romantic Thriller Page 21