HUNTED-Chapter 391: Epilogue (1)
Twelve Years Later
The fluffy white cat brushed against Aila’s stomach, its tail swishing under her chin, tickling her skin. She leaned away from it, shaking her head.
"Now, now, Mr Tiddle, no matter how much you flirt, I’m still sticking a thermometer up your ass. Yes.. Yes, I am.." Aila cooed at the cat on the clinical table. The cat went against her stomach again and tried to pitter-patter it, but Aila was already turning him around.
"That’s so strange. Cats don’t normally like you," Sunny, the veterinary nurse, mused. She was one of a few humans now living with the pack. It was helpful Sunny was also qualified and fit right in because, normally, cats didn’t go near her or the other werewolf staff.
"Hmmm, maybe Mr Tiddle is just a big flirt," Aila replied, noting the temperature of the fluffy cat before putting the thermometer in a pot of disinfectant.
While Aila inputted the data into the computer, Sunny started to put Mr Tiddle into his carrier. His owner was waiting outside; the woman brought her cat in at least three times a week with illnesses he never had. They were short-staffed today, so Aila was checking over Mr Tiddle.
"Maybe.. Unless there is another surprise on the way?" Sunny purposely looked at Aila’s stomach with raised eyebrows.
Aila shook her head. "You’re terrible. Just because I have four kids already doesn’t mean I will keep popping them out!"
"You and Alpha Damon are quite known for your-"
"Can you tell Mrs Hicks that Mr Tiddle is fine and we will not need to take any bloods? Thank you," Aila turned around before Sunny could interrogate her some more. It was also the perfect escape plan because Mr Tiddle was her last patient for the day, and she had other duties to attend to.
Removing the white lab coat and the tie from her hair, Aila strode out a few minutes after waving at the receptionists and checking if any injured werewolves were in the joined clinic. That’s right, they also help out when they can to help their pack members. Aila had worked on a few patients herself.
Most of the time, though, they relied on their healing unless they needed a bone appropriately broken.
As soon as Aila walked out of the double doors of her clinic, Delta Finn stepped in line with her.
"How was work?"
"So-so, I’m a little tired today, though," Aila admitted truthfully.
"Then maybe you should rest?" Finn looked at her, slightly concerned.
Aila waved it off. "Don’t be silly. Rest? I have a kingdom to run!"
"One that you share with Alpha Damon-"
"Children to feed!" Aila added dramatically, interrupting the Delta.
"Again.. Damon can look after them, and the pack are always happy to care for them. Obviously, Chiara and Ajax are a little busy, but Sariah and I could help out. Just let us know. You’re never alone." Finn patted her shoulder encouragingly.
No, that was the great thing about being in a pack like theirs. They all looked out for each other like a large family. Of course, it wasn’t perfect. Not all pack members got on with each other, but they still looked after each other when things got rocky.
Aila knew this already, and her friends were saints. The whole pack were. But she liked her routine, being busy and still being able to spend time with her children and Damon. The fatigue she was experiencing will go soon. It was more than likely she needed some blood or food.
At the moment, Aila didn’t know what she craved.
Aila grinned at her friend. "Stop worrying. I’m more than fine!"
"Don’t overwork yourself," Finn narrowed his eyes at her, and she couldn’t help but laugh at the mother hen he was turning into. He and Sariah had a two-year-old boy, one that her son, Koa, sometimes spent time with.
"Come on, the kingdom’s not going to rule itself!" Aila half-jogged it back to the pack house. She still had so much energy even after giving birth and caring for her children. It must be the vampire in her because she knew there should be more struggle and fatigue than what she’d been experiencing.
Damon would sometimes show how tired he was, but that never stopped them from romping like rabbits or ever complaining or scowling about their children. Damon was a fantastic father, and she didn’t think she was so bad either at raising them.
"They’re still young, don’t talk like they’ve left the nest yet!" Malia exclaimed; she was great with them as well. The kids loved playing with her, and she would give them horsey rides. Aila did too.
"That’s true, but we’re not too shabby, hey?" Aila opted for enthusiasm, but her wolf merely rolled her eyes at her. She was a little worrywart.
Once inside, Aila felt the bond tug at her; before she knew it, her feet took her directly to Damon’s office. She wasn’t surprised. With or without the bond, she would find herself looking for him.
Aila leaned her hip against the door frame, arms crossing as she looked into Damon’s office, which was more like a man’s cave. Unlike her snazzy and trendy décor that very much had the feminine touch, his office was built like that of an old man’s with wood-panelled walls.
To the side were a bar and even a pool table, with the usual sofa and coffee tables with a hearth to the side, leaving his large mahogany desk to stand in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows.
Damon had yet to notice her presence. He was too absorbed with the two children sitting on his desk and looking over a map. A map Aila knew well. It was of the kingdom and the various packs. It also showed where the vampire population remained, their clans’ territory and where some shapeshifters and witches were, the only few who were not staying in hiding anyway.
There were also the hunters’ compounds and academies and the new formation of lycan territory not many were aware of. They were yet to find the ’Orders’ location. The group had grown like they suspected, but Chase and his team were always bringing in new rebels, no, not rebels, they were criminals. Especially with the crimes they commit on the regular.
The world was still getting used to the supernatural beings roaming the earth that came with highs and lows for their kind. The crime rate against supes remained level with humans, but the worst part was that the supes were either kidnapped, killed or had acts of violence against them. It was mostly ex-hunter activists, but they remained alert to anyone outside of that group.
It couldn’t only be the Order.
None of that mattered now, though. Aila didn’t come to Damon’s office before her work to look at what he was teaching their children. She came to see her hubby and was delighted to see Eamon, their eldest and Cato, their third child. Both had striking white hair like hers, but their personalities were already starting to differ.
Where Eamon was charismatic and outgoing, prepping to be the next Alpha King, Cato was quieter and watchful, even at the young age of 9!
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Aila was already told Cato was top of the class, but all her children had been so far. The teacher did express, though, that he was nearing the IQ age of that of a teenager and almost a young man.
"Dad, we came here to play with you! Teach us some moves! I can feel it.. I’m getting my wolf soon!" Eamon complained, crossing his arms with a huff. Their twelve-year-old was already looking like a fourteen-year-old with the way he trained and obsessed over being the best.
Besides inheriting the signature ’Cross’ looks of white hair and crystal blue eyes, everything else about him took after Damon.
Damon opened his mouth to speak, but before he could, Cato beat him to it, sounding much older than a 9-year-old should. "A, if you keep training your muscles, you will be more muscle than brains! A good Alpha needs to use his head and learn about the land he rules," Cato scolded, shaking his head.
Cato’s hair was much longer than Eamon’s, and if he wasn’t wearing boys’ clothes, most would believe him to be a girl until he grew up. He kept his hair in a loose ponytail. Aila was sure he had grown it out after meeting Einar for the first time.
He also took after Aila with a slender face, yet his eyes were sometimes too sharp, though like his father’s in colour. Unlike his siblings and parents, Cato’s skin was much fairer, almost like snow.
"Cato is right," Aila said softly, announcing herself to her mate and children. The children hopped down immediately, Cato may act older, but he was still her little boy, who raced to her and hugged her tightly.
"Mum! Of course, I’m right!" Cato beamed up at her. She looked to Eamon, her arm going wide. He looked a little conflicted, and she knew why.
Eamon was in that stage where he didn’t think he should go to his mum for hugs or comfort. Already he was starting to pressure himself to be stronger than the boy he still was. She knew Damon had been through rigorous training with Alpha Magnus, but that had almost been borderline child abuse at times.
Eamon didn’t have that, yet he was pushing himself at such a young age. It did worry her, but Damon expressed it was normal. "Do I get a hug, Eamon?" Aila asked. Cato scowled at him and yanked him towards her.
Aila sighed, stroking both their heads. Eamon looked slightly annoyed, whereas Cato smiled and turned his head like a pup being petted.
"Eamon, you shouldn’t feel embarrassed about giving your mum a hug," Damon lectured as he stopped before Aila and moved the boys away, each by their head so he could sweep her off her feet and press his lips to hers dramatically.
"Ugh, not again." Eamon’s ears burned bright pink at seeing his parents be so lovable in front of them.
"Should we find Aunty Nairi while you.. converse?" Cato asked innocently.
"Damon," Aila giggled, patting his chest gently to put her down before she answered her second youngest boy. "No, that’s fine, sweetie. I was only checking up on your dad. I need to return to work for a bit."
Cato nodded and returned to the map, pointing out a location to Eamon. "That’s where Gabriel lives!"
Eamon’s attention instantly went to the map. Most likely using it as an excuse to stop seeing his parents acting like they usually did. Aila and Damon didn’t care and found it entertaining how easily he was embarrassed.
"Where are Amerie and Koa?" Aila asked, bringing Damon to the sofa. As she did, her hand rubbed at her lower back and then belly.
Damon noticed the movement, and he fluffed a pillow before pointing her to sit down. She was only going to ask about their daughter and youngest son and then return to her office. But one look from Damon’s stern expression and she sat down.
"Elissa is looking after them," Damon replied as she unhooked her heels and started to rub her feet.
Aila’s head fell back at the sensation, eyes closing. "She’s a good girl, and so is Rex."
"Aila, you need to stop wearing your heels," Damon grumbled. "It’s not good for you or the pup."
