Cherish (The Guardian Series Book 3)
Page 13
Epilogue
Five Years Later
Rose stepped out of her mountain home to look down the driveway. When she had first come here, there were trees as far as she could see. Now she could see houses scattered throughout the forest, though she still had her privacy at the top of the mountain.
She smiled to see who was walking up the driveway. The blonde-haired woman waddled up the drive. She never would have thought that they could be friends, but Anabelle had changed after she had been bitten. Of course, the love of a good man had also helped her friend.
“You look like you need to sit down,” Rose called to her.
“No, I need the little one to get off my bladder!” she called back, panting.
“Come on in. I have to go check on David Luke and Alex Cullen. They have been asleep for a while, but they will be hungry soon.”
“How do you do it all? I don’t even know how I will cope with just one. I never thought to have children,” Anabelle said.
Rose smiled at her. This had been a conversation that they had had numerous times. For a woman who was so put together, she fell completely to pieces when it came to children.
A loud cry had Rose moving to the family room. “How about some more practice?” she asked Anabelle.
Thea already had the squawking baby changed and ready for his mother.
“Thank you, Thea. I don’t know how I would juggle everything without you.” She carried him to the rocker and quickly put him to her breast.
Anabelle looked nervously at her then to the bassinet. “What if I drop him?”
Thea picked the baby up and brought him to Anabelle. “You won’t drop him. Just hold him and make sure to have a hand under his head.” She placed Alex in her arms.
Anabelle nervously held the baby and looked to Rose.
“See. He didn’t bite you, did he?”
‘She hasn’t tried to change him yet,” Keyne said, floating into the room. “Last time I tried changing the little bugger, he peed all over me. Do you know how hard it is to get pee out of ethereal mist?”
Anabelle held the baby further from her body at Keyne’s words, making Rose laugh.
“He can’t pee on you when he has a diaper on,” she laughed.
“But he can puke on her,” Gris said as he, Niall, Naza, and Asha walked in. The look in Anabelle’s eye had Rose laughing so hard that David popped off her breast to scream at his mother for startling him.
“Anabelle, ignore the buffoons. You are doing fine and will be a great mother.”
“Yes, she will be,” a gruff voice said.
Rose looked up to see Anabelle’s husband had followed her men in.
He went to Anabelle and put his arms around her. “How is the little bean?”
“Sitting on my bladder. Which reminds me, can you take Alex? I need the restroom.”
Niall came over and took his son from her. “Hey there, little guy. Have you been good for your mommy?”
“Yes, they have been. What were you all up to?” Rose asked.
“Herbal remedies and tracking practice.” Gris said. “Starting the school was a great idea. The children need to know so much more than our heritage. And the magical world is changing so much.”
Gris and Niall were case and point of the magical world changing. Niall had gained the ability to shift when he had mated with Rose. After Cullen’s death, Gris had also started to change. He now had the ability to read thoughts as well as shift, though his animal wasn’t as graceful as Niall’s. In fact in his animal form, Rose was petrified of him. She shivered just thinking of the three-foot giant spider that he had changed into.
Yes, five years after Esson, life was very different, but she wouldn’t change anything. She lived in the midst of a magical community that accepted her as she was. The Guardians had been revamped and had a healthy relation with the Empyrean Realm. The Demons were contained, and all the portals had been closed. Thea had decided to stay in the human realm permanently. She had her own house near the portal where she and Ortheus lived.
Rose still missed Cullen and would always wonder who Luke Cullen would have been, but looking around the room, she felt happy and content.
About K.B. Wheelock
K.B. Wheelock is a stay at home mom of six children, two dogs, and is married to an IT techie. When her chaotic life allows, she enjoys reading (on average a book a day) and sewing quilts and clothes. She has no particular genre she enjoys reading (though non-fiction and horror are rarely ever touched) and has been inspired by many authors. She also enjoys playing with different writing styles.
Where to Find K.B. Wheelock
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http://authorkbwheelock.com/
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