Finding Hope

Epilogue

"Happy Birthday dear Milo, happy birthday to you." Our voices cheer as her small frame leans over the cake to blow out the eleven candles. "Did you make a wish?" I ask as Sebastian starts to take the candles from the cake to cut it.

"I did." She smiles back up at me brightly. "I made a bunch of wishes." She continues to smile before looking over at her father with her bright eyes. "Did you make a wish daddy?"

"Well it's your birthday princess, so only you get the wishes." He explains before kissing her head. "Well I want you and mommy to have wishes, so make a wish." With those words he looks up at me with fear in his eyes; the same fear that is present in my own. The only difference is that my eyes are ready to spill over tears and his are doing a better job at containing the emotions.

"Did you guys make your wishes?" She asks and I force myself to snap out of it.

"Yes, I made my wish and I pray it comes true just like yours do." I pull her into my chest and she starts to pull away slightly.

"Mom too tight." She keeps pushing back and I realize that I've let my emotions take over yet again.

"Jen, why don't you and I go grab some plates from the kitchen?" Hudson speaks up and I nod before leaving the dining room.

Today is the day I've feared for the past ten years. I've feared that this day would be engraved in my mind as the worst day and I've been on edge since I woke up. Sebastian and I haven't taken an eye off of her all day because we keep waiting for everything to crumble.

"She's okay Jen. She's just celebrating her birthday like a normal eleven year old." Hudson rationalizes and I try to join him on the rationalization train but I can't.

"You have a meeting with the moon goddess tomorrow dont you?" He asks while grabbing some paper plates. "Things will work out and your family will be safe."

"My family is in there and my children don't even know what is going on. Only Sebastian and I are worried and that's because we haven't told her everything. We wanted to wait to tell her till tomorrow so that she could enjoy her birthday, but it's eating at me. Milo has no clue what she's going to face tomorrow with the moon goddess." I cross my arms over my chest while leaning against the kitchen island.

"Well she's having fun with her cousins right now so let's just focus on that."

It took four years for Milo to finally have any cousins. Ashley and Tommy didn't wait too long after their wedding to have a child and Kaitlin is just as headstrong as her mom. Hudson and Eden also had their daughter Harriet around the same time and had Jane two years later. Michelle and Garrett couldn't bring themselves to have children until about two years ago when she had her baby girl Tate, and they've decided that will be enough for them. Seeing all of the people I love start their own families has brought more joy to my life than I thought possible, but it's still shocking. Even Logan has his son who unfortunately is just as much of a terror as he was to me when we first met. Even more unfortunate is that my son is just like him as well. Somehow I ended up with the most children, but I wouldn't trade it for anything.

"Yeah I know and I want her to have fun. I just have to go grab Austin before he starts throwing cake at his sisters." I stand up straight once I hear my sons laughter echoing through the house.

"Austin stop!" I hear voices reprimanding him and Hudson laughs as we walk into the dinning room and see cake all over the kids table.

"Your son is a nightmare Sebastian." Ashley picks up Kaitlin and pulls her away from the only boy at the kids table. Everyone was graced by daughters in the past few years other than Logan and we waited patiently for someone else to have a son. Turns out that person would be me after Milos seventh birthday. I pushed off having a second child for a long time, but Sebastian and I got a bit distracted on our five year wedding anniversary and well we ended up with Austin nine months later.

"My son is a wonderful young man." Bash laughs while grabbing a napkin and trying to wipe the cake from the nightmare child's hands. "He's just a little aggressive." Bash mumbles the last part under his breath, but we all hear it loud and clear.

When I gave birth to Austin I thought that would be the last child I would have because handling Milo and him is too much. I don't know how we handled the two of them but just as unexpected as Austin was, his little sister was even more of a surprise. I only had her two years ago, but Anna is a spitting image of Lacey with the same gentle features and mannerisms. She's our little angel and I don't think I've ever met a child easier to handle than her. Austin really cancels that out with his behaviors, but either way we have a beautiful, and for the most part, well behaved family.

"Where's uncle Logan mom?" Milo asks and I feel my heart drop. "He said he would be here." She places her fork down and I look to Hudson for the answer out of habit but I know that his lack of appearance has to do with Sebastian and the meeting tomorrow.

"Well you know how daddy is in charge right?" Sebastian steps in for me and I'm not quite sure how he plans on explaining the fact that Logan went off to prepare for the meeting tomorrow without giving away the fact that there is in fact a meeting tomorrow. He's travelled to the location ahead of time to make sure its safe, but Milo hasn't got a clue what's gonna happen. I don't want her to have clue because if she's anything like me she'll run off at the thought of being surprised by meetings.

"Logan is second in charge which you know." Sebastian confirms and she nods in agreement. "Tomorrow is a big day for us and uncle Logan has to make sure everything is ready."

"So it's your fault he's not here?" She asks and he takes deep breath.

"No it's my fault honey." I step in and I've never seen her look so unhappy with me. She's always been a daddy's girl, but she's never looked like she's hated me.

"Jenifer." Bash mind links me and I know he's mad that I took the blame but I can't have her mad at him. I can't have her mad at the man she looks up to and who trains her.

"We'll see him tomorrow, but I'm sorry. I had to send him there to make sure it was safe." I explain and she pushes her chair out. "He's gonna give you your present tomorrow and we can even get another cake to celebrate again with him." I assure her, but it's not good enough because she storms off and upstairs to her room.

"She's just upset, she doesn't understand things right now." I feel Laceys arm on me and I nod. "It's going to be alright and tomorrow will bring clarity. Don't worry Jen."

"Well the party seems like it's about over." Michelle adds in while bouncing Tate on her hip. "Why dont we all give them some space to talk to Milo." She offers and everyone agrees.

With that everyone slowly but surely starts to exit the house until it's just Sebastian, me and our kids. The house is awfully quiet compared to how loud it used to be. Instead of us having Logan, Hudson, Michelle and Ashley along with their mates, now we just have our children and occasionally Stephanie. She's practically moved in with us as she waits to meet her mate but the only thing it's done is turn me into a matchmaker again. I'm doing the same thing I did when Logan was seeking a new mate and when Ashley was waiting for hers.

"You didn't have to do that. You should've let me take the fall for Logan not being here. I'm the one who ordered him to leave and to recheck the space for tomorrow. Why would you do that?" Sebastian asks as Steph brings Austin and Anna upstairs.

"Tomorrow she is going to hate one of us and I have a feeling it will be me so I'm not gonna have her hate us both. I'll take the fall twice and she'll eventually get over it." I wipe off the table that has ice cream cake smudged on it and he grabs at my wrist.

"I want her to accept whatever happens tomorrow and we can't have that happen when she's mad. We need to handle this now."

"Give her some time." I disagree. "At least let her cool off before we try and prepare her."

"Nothing will prepare her for this becoming her pack."

——///——

Well just like that the second book of the Luna series is complete and I'm excited for the spinoff.

The spinoff will be titled Her Pack and will be Milos story. It will take place further into the future when the pack is truly Milos and I hope you enjoy it.

The first chapter is already posted.