BK 2 - Epilogue
It had been over five years since Kitty and Aiden's wedding. Everyone was preparing for their daughter Elicia's fifth birthday and the arrival of her lion. Kitty and Aiden also had a son, Tyron, who was a year old.
Cat and Trey's son Theo recently got his lion, Jai, but he won't be able to shift for a few more years. Their daughter Emily was three, and Cat was pregnant with another girl they would name Melanie.
Trey meant it when he said they would have a house full of cubs. They had to move out of the guest house and bought the large house next door to the group home. It had six bedrooms, and Trey said he had every intention of filling them all.
The group home had been open and was filled with children. There were many hurdles they'd had to overcome, but the children placed in their care were thriving. Daniella and Chip had decided to work with them full-time. Their knowledge had been essential in the success of the home. Kayla, who had recently turned eighteen, was going to college to be a doctor, but she also helped out at the group home. She could relate to the kids, and it was important to her to help them as Cat had helped her.
Thatcher and Janel had a two-year-old son whose name was Saxon. They still lived in the area and helped at the group home, but they also traveled a lot. Janel wanted to see the world, but they always came back.
Roger and Valerie had officially retired to split their time with the group home and all their grandchildren. Everyone's kids called them grandma and grandpa. They couldn't have been happier having the large family they'd always dreamed of. The pool house was empty because Aiden and Kitty had to get a larger home for their cubs.
Elicia was running around with excitement for her party to start. She had the same dark reddish brown hair as her mother, but she had Aiden's dark blue eyes. She was a little fireball of energy. All the kids played in the yard at Valerie and Rogers while they waited for the last guests to arrive. Sandie, Max, and the kids were expected at any time.
"Mommy, where are they? I'm ready to open my presents." Elicia ran over, throwing herself at Kitty, who braced herself as her daughter grabbed onto her.
"They'll be here in a few minutes. They got a late start. Don't worry; your presents aren't going anywhere." Kitty kissed her cheek before she ran off to chase Theo. Cat walked over, holding Saxon, and watching the little ones play.
"I love seeing all these kids playing and growing up together. They get to have the life you and I never did." She put her arm around Kitty and smiled.
"I can't wait to see what they do with their futures. They're all so different and alike at the same time." Trey and Aiden were running around with the kids making a bigger ruckus than the cubs. Cat looked at Saxon, who had his head on her shoulder. Thatcher and Janel's son was extremely attached to Cat. He would follow her around and want to be held by her any chance he got. Most kids were that way with Cat, but Saxon's attachment was the strongest. Valerie said it had to do with being a caladrius; simply put, she made them feel safe.
"I'm sorry we're so late." Kitty and Cat turned around and saw Sandie and Max. They each hugged them and then the kids.
"It's no problem; Elicia had plenty to do while we waited." Kitty smiled as they carried the presents they had brought over to the table. As soon as Elicia saw them, she ran over, lunging at Max, who picked her up putting her on his shoulders.
"Grandpa Max, you're here. Now I can open my presents. You know I'm going to get my lion today." Max laughed as she held on to him tightly.
"I know. I can't wait to meet her." He sat her back down so she could round everyone who had been waiting.
Elicia opened her mountains of presents, and then they ate her favorite pizza before having cake. Once everything was cleaned up, the adults sat around talking while the kids played. Elicia suddenly ran up to Aiden and Kitty with a huge smile.
"My lion is here. She just talked to me." The little girl jumped up and down in delight.
"That's great. What's her name?" Aiden asked as he lifted her onto his lap.
"Her name is Hera," Elicia said as she listened to her lion.
"That's a beautiful name," Kitty said, leaning over to kiss her daughters forehead.
The party soon ended as the children began getting tired. Sandie, Max, and the kids were staying with Roger and Valerie for the night before heading home in the morning.
Thatcher and Janel took Saxon home even though he cried, not wanting to leave Cat. She promised him he could come over the next day so he would calm down.
Kitty and Aiden took their two little ones to their house, just down the street from Trey and Cat. After bathing the kids, they tucked them into bed and went to their bedroom exhausted.
"Who knew cubs could be so exhausting?" Kitty asked as she ran bath water. She wanted to soak in hot water before going to bed.
"Are you going to let me get into that bathtub with you? I can massage your shoulders." Aiden kissed her neck as he wrapped his arms around her. He was still as in love with her as he'd been from the first time he met her.
"I think I can make room for you." Kitty looked at their reflection in the mirror. They had met six years ago, but the time had gone so fast. Their life together, in the beginning, had been so chaotic, always worried about someone coming after them. She had no regrets, though, because nothing would have fallen into place without everything that had happened.
The years she spent in foster care worried about surviving was still with her. She finally opened up to Aiden before she had Elicia and told him everything from her early years. She didn't like to dwell on that stuff, but her mate handled it well, holding her as she cried. Kitty was glad that she had finally been able to face those fears.
What she didn't miss were the feelings of being unwanted and unloved. That had hurt more than physical pain at times. Going through life as a child with no one to comfort you when you had a nightmare or care for you when you're sick hardened the heart over time. Kitty's heart had been healed, and she would make sure her children never had to feel the pain she did. They would only know love, happiness, and family.
Down the street, Cat and Trey were lying in bed. He was spooning her with his hands on her belly that was growing with their second daughter. She had her hands over his as she snuggled into him as close as she could.
"Who do you think she'll look like?" Cat asked him quietly. Theo favored her, with black hair and blue eyes. Emily favored Trey, with blonde hair and hazel eyes.
"Maybe she'll be a mixture of both of us." He answered before kissing her head. He loved his special mate more than he ever thought possible. Sometimes it felt like his heart would explode.
"That would be nice. Although, I wouldn't mind having another little female Trey running around." Cat smiled as she thought of Melanie looking like her mate and Emily.
Her life had been one battle after another before meeting Trey and for a time after they first met. For the past several years, they had finally been able to live in the peace and quiet they'd been yearning for. Although, saying peace and quiet with two small children and another on the way was not exactly true.
Cat thought about all the years as far back as she could remember with her mother, her time with Leo, the group home, the loneliness when she first moved to Sacramento, and then meeting Trey. Everything had changed the minute she met him.
She was brought into this world because her mother had her rapist's baby. She had so little time with her, but those were some of the best years of her life. Trey brought that happiness back to her and made her a wife, mother, and werelion. He gave her a family, love, and hope. All of which she thought she'd never have. Cat thought she was living the life fairytales are made of, but it was real.
Not every person who has been hurt can have a werelion save them, but there is someone out there that can be their light in the darkness. Don't ever give up, be strong and be a survivor. If you've already found your light, then you can be the light for another. No one should live in the darkness.
