Chapter 61: Epilogue


    "Eli! Kennedy!" I yelled up the stairs before I wobbled back to the dining room. I was pregnant... again,


    and almost to full term. Kennedy came barreling down the stairs first and met me in the dining room. I


    was still setting up for dinner.


    "I can help, mom," Kennedy said as she went to get more food from the kitchen. Kennedy-Este was


    14 years old now and every bit as beautiful as the day she was born. She had curly copper-red hair


    and clear, radiant blue-gray eyes. She was pale and inherited my freckles. She actually burned in the


    sun very easily too. She was every bit of me as we expected. She was a feisty diva, strong-willed,


    stubborn, and very athletic.


    Kennedy finished setting the table as Elias strolled into the dining room. He held me gently and kissed


    me.


    "Hi, cupcake," he smiled. I chuckled. He never stopped calling me that, but I learned to live with it.


    "You said that ten minutes ago when you came down to check on me... again," I emphasized. Elias


    chuckled and shrugged. Oh yeah, his protectiveness never died down. In fact, he was even more


    protective over me because I was pregnant again and due any day now with our second child:


    A baby boy.


    Just then, the doorbell rang. Kennedy smiled and ran to the door.


    "I got it!" she yelled. Elias and I exchanged a knowing look.


    "Oh boy," Elias sighed. I chuckled and went to greet our guests.


    "I wasn''t expecting them to be back so soon," I admitted as we met up with everyone in the foyer.


    "Oh, Nova, you look absolutely stunning!" Alexa gushed as she pulled me into a hug. Iughed as


    Mathias pped his son on the back at the same time.


    "I thought you guys would be gone for another week," Elias asked his parents. They looked at each


    other before they shrugged. Kennedy held onto Elias'' hand as she practically bounced in ce; her


    eyes darting everywhere.


    "Jessie was getting home sick, and frankly, so were we. Plus, we didn''t want to risk missing the birth of


    our second grandchild," Mathias exined with augh. Jessie was a boy who was the same age as


    Kennedy that we took into our home after his parents died when he was only four years old. Jessie had


    brown hair and green eyes. He was just as athletic as Kennedy. Jessie was a Lycan also. He actually


    shifted when he was 12 years old. Kennedy and Jessie have been inseparable since they met. They


    were best friends. Once a year, Alexa and Mathias would take Jessie on vacation and spoil him rotten.


    Alexa imed it was to make him feel more apart of the whole family, but after their trip to Italy, I was


    convinced that Alexa just wanted an excuse to travel.


    "Where is Jess?" Kennedy asked excitedly. Every time Jessie and Kennedy were separated, they got


    antsy and anxious until they were reunited again. I had a theory that they were mates, but we wouldn''t


    know until they turned 18 years old.


    "He''s getting the bags out of the car," Mathias answered with a chuckle. Kennedy smiled before she


    darted out the front door. We all chuckled at her excitement.


    "I tell you, that girl..." Alexa shook her head with a rxed smile. "Has she shifted yet?" Alexa asked.


    My smile faltered as I shook my head. It was amon question concerning Kennedy and the answer


    was always the same. Early in her childhood, Kennedy showed great promise for the gene. She was a


    fast learner, she was athletically gifted, she had Lycan hearing and sight, and so on, but she hit puberty


    when she turned 14 years old almost a year ago now and... nothing. Of course, growing up with me as


    a mother, she knew about werewolves. I didn''t care what the rules were. I told her when she was 8


    years old because I didn''t want her to be blindsided, or lost and confused like I was when the werewolf


    world was thrust onto me. Elias and I argued long and hard about telling her since the day she was


    born, but I eventually got my way... as usual.


    "It''s a strong possibility that Kennedy doesn''t have the gene, Nova," Elias said softly. I red at him


    briefly.


    "She has the gene. She''s just ate bloomer, is all," I defended. I firmly believed it, too. I just had a


    feeling. "She''s strong... stronger than she should be. She''s special, and I''m not just saying that


    because I''m her mother. I see it. Kennedy is going to make a great leader... a great Alpha one day.


    You''ll see," I said confidently.


    Kennedy and Jessie ran inside with the bags and sprinted straight up the stairs. Elias'' parents, Elias,


    and I moved to the living room to talk more. I took a seat with Elias on the plush gray loveseat and


    Mathias and Alexa sat on the longer couch perpendicr to us.


    "I think a female Alpha would be good for the Lycan world," Alexa shrugged before she crossed her


    legs. Mathias'' arm went around his mate subconsciously out of habit as Elias did the same to me.


    "Not a chance. You know how strict some packs are on tradition. Some packs still perform Kieowani.


    Having an Alpha who is a shewolf is just asking for trouble," Mathias argued. I winced slightly. Kieowani


    was considered a mercy killing of a Lycan after said-Lycan''s mate passed away. Some packs thought


    of it as a favor to rid the widow or widower of their misery. I just saw it as inhumane.


    "Maybe, but who knows? It might be the turn of a new era," Alexa countered. And as always, it was my


    mother-inw who got thest word as the subject changed. As we were talking, a loud blood-curdling


    scream came from upstairs.


    It was Kennedy.


    She sounded like she was in a lot of pain. I jumped up and ran for the stairs with the others on my


    heels. Elias, however, held me back. I fought him as I tried to get to my little girl.


    "Nova, the baby... take it easy. We''ll go see what''s wrong," Elias exined in a rush to try to get me to


    calm down. I elbowed him in the ribs in an attempt to get free. Before I could break free or say


    anything, Jessie was in front of us cradling Kennedy. She was whimpering and squirming. There was a


    cold sweat on her forehead and her face was red. Jessie looked scared and worried.


    "W-We were ying around and she just froze and stopped breathing. When she got her breath back,


    something snapped and she screamed before she just copsed," Jessie exined frantically. I was so


    worried about my daughter that no logical thought or exnation of what was happening came to my


    mind. We all just kind of froze, not knowing what to do until a loud snapping noise filled the silence


    followed by another scream from Kennedy. The snapping was wet and strong... it was nauseating. I


    thought I was going to throw up right there on the spot. Her scream was loud enough to make my ears


    bleed, but I didn''t care at the moment. Something was wrong with my daughter. I thought of taking her


    to the hospital but Mathias piped up before I could voice my thought.


    "Ste''s shifting," Mathias announced. I was ted and worried at the same time. I was happy that I


    was right about Kennedy being ate bloomer, but I was also worried about the amount of pain she


    seemed to be in. No mother wants to see their child in pain. Tears rolled down her cheeks as her


    copper, red hair began matting to her sweaty face. Elias gently took Kennedy from Jessie.


    "Okay... Jessie, run to the closest store and get ice... lots of it. Mom, I need you to grab her a set of


    spare clothes. Dad, I need you to get towels. All of you, meet me out at the small clearing when you


    have everything. Nova, I need you to stay here," Elias ordered. Everyone scampered off except me. My


    blood boiled as Elias started towards the front door cradling Kennedy gently. How was I just supposed


    to wait when my daughter needed me?


    "I''ming with you," I protested. Elias sighed in frustration but continued walking.


    "A werewolf''s first shift is out of control and unpredictable. I know you want to be there for Kennedy, but


    you would only get in the way and put yourself, as well as our baby in harm''s way. First shifts have led


    to murder countless times because of how crazy it can get around humans. Please... just trust me and


    listen to me just this once. My dad, mom, and I have helped hundreds of wolves on their first shift and


    we know what we''re doing. Please just trust me... She''s going to be fine. She''s in good hands," Elias


    said in a rush as he stopped on the gravel road in front of the house. I stopped on the porch and


    sighed, letting him go. I decided to listen to Elias...


    Just this once.


    "Take care of my baby," I said to him as I gave in. Elias smiled softly and looked at our daughter before


    looking back to me with a soft smile.


    "With my life," he promised before he ran off at werewolf speed to the nearby trees. He moved so fast


    that all I saw was a blur. I still wasn''t used to that... even after 15 years of knowing what he was. I


    rested my hand of my enormous stomach and went back inside, locking the door behind me just in


    case. Bored, I went to our master bedroom on the fourth floor and called Nn. He was doing well as


    Still Water''s Beta. He also found his mate and they had a little boy together. I still talked to my twin


    brother, Mason, and my dad often.


    "Hello??" Nn finally answered on the fourth ring.


    "I''m freaking out," I blurted as I began to pace in front of the foot of the bed.


    "Nova? What''s wrong? Did you go intobor? Kerstie and I will meet you at the hospital," Nn


    rambled. If I wasn''t so worried about Kennedy, I probably would haveughed at how worried and


    excited Nn sounded.


    "No, Nn. This bun is still cooking. it''s about Kennedy. She''s going through her first shift right now in


    the woods with Eli, his parents, and Jessie, and I''m stuck in the house," I exined. Nn whooped


    excitedly.


    "Congrats, sis! Little Ste got the gene," he congratted excitedly. I rolled my eyes and stopped


    pacing as I rested my hand on the top on my stomach.


    "I knew Kennedy would get the gene from the start. I just had no idea it would cause her to be in so


    much pain. I''m stuck in the house and my baby girl is suffering. Maybe I should go and check on her," I


    thought out loud.


    "Okay, stop. One, Ste is a teenager now. She''s four years away from being 18. I''m sure if she heard


    you calling her your ''baby girl'', she would roll her eyes and tell you that she''s not a baby, and she isn''t.


    Two, everyone else calls her Ste except you, your mate, and Jessie. You guys need to get with the


    program already. And three, you need to stay in the house. It''s safer for you and your unborn child.


    Going out there would be suicide, and Ste would never forgive herself if she hurt either one of you


    and you know that. You don''t have the capability to defend yourself if anything went wrong. Every


    Lycan goes through it, Nova. She''ll be hurting for an hour or two, but she''ll survive; I promise," Nn


    tried to reassure me. I worried my bottom lip as I thought about his points. I knew he was right, I just


    wanted to be there for my daughter.


    "But-"


    "Nova... Ste has two Alphas, a Luna, and her best friend in the whole world to help her through this.


    That''s more support than a lot of werewolves get for their first shift. Some of them have even had to go


    through it alone. Ste is in the best hands possible and you would just get in the way and cause


    trouble," Nn cut me off. I took a deep breath and calmed down slightly. He was right after all.


    "Thanks Nn," I said sincerely. I had to admit, talking with him made me feel better about the whole


    ordeal because I knew he went through it himself. "And Nn?" I said, remembering something he


    said.


    "Yes?" he answered, drawing out the ''e'' unnecessarily.


    "Kennedy is the name I gave her, so Kennedy is what you all should call her," I said in a scolding


    manner. I wasn''t really angry though. Everyone except Elias and I had been calling her Ste since she


    was born. Nn onlyughed.


    "No can do, sis. Plus, Kennedy is only one of the names you gave her. Ste fits her better. It''s a name


    Property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    that says ''I''m a stubborn diva. Don''t mess with me''. She reminds me a lot of you back when we were


    teenagers. She''s stubborn, sarcastic, witty, bold, strong-willed, and impossible to ignore. The name,


    Ste, has spunk, just like Kennedy does in actuality," Nn exined. I smiled to myself lightly.


    "Fine, whatever," I muttered because I knew I''d lost the argument, but I would never admit that. Nn


    onlyughed at me.


    "Okay, loser... Oh! Kerstie says hi and wants to know when you want to go for brunch again," Nn


    said, off topic. I figured she must have walked into the room. Kerstie was a sweetheart. I was d my


    brother had a mate as kind-hearted and wonderful as she was.


    "Whenever Elias lets me off of ''impendingbor watch'' and you can find a sitter for Oakley," I answered


    jokingly. There was muffled conversation on the other end before Nn wasughing in my ear again.


    "She said, ''so never then?'' Alright sis, Oakley is getting home from ser practice so I have to get


    going," Nn said with a breath. I sighed and began to make my way to the third floor of the empty


    house.


    "Okay, I love you, Nn. Talk to youter and tell Kerstie that we will get together soon. Even if I have


    to slip past my security detail. Love you guys, bye," I said my final words before I hit the ''end'' button


    and just held the phone in my hand. I found myself wandering into Kennedy''s room. I went to her


    picture mural of the far left wall and couldn''t help but smile at it. The entire wall was covered in pictures


    of her family, pack and friends, as well as her inspirations and dreams. It was truly a beautiful idea.


    Everything on this wall was important to Kennedy.


    One picture in particr jumped out at me. It was a picture of Kennedy and Jessie when they were


    seven years old. They were in matching blue ser uniforms, hugging each other as they smiled at the


    camera. Only thing was, they were both covered in mud. Kennedy''s wild, red hair was frizzy and all


    over the ce. Jessie''s brown hair was disheveled as well and his giant grin was missing his two front


    teeth.


    The day that picture was taken, they didn''t even y in the game. It rained earlier that day so those


    two troublemakers had the bright idea to try to slide of the mud like penguins. They snuck off and


    slipped up and down the muddy terrain for the first five minutes before we noticed they were gone.


    They were all smiles when we finally found them covered in mud. I was scared at first when I couldn''t


    find them, but they were just innocent kids looking for some fun and adventure. That was one of the


    best days we had, even though it started off as a scare of losing two kids. Kennedy begged for a


    picture after we finally found them.


    That picture made me realize how fast Kennedy was growing up. I felt like if I blinked, I would miss


    everything. And now I had another baby on the way to feel the same way about.


    Kennedy was a strong independent girl and I knew she would make a great Alpha. Elias may fight me


    again on the topic, but I knew I would eventually get my way because it was impossible to ignore how


    Kennedy was a force of nature to be reckoned with. She was a natural born leader and I knew she


    could change the world. Just like I knew she would be a werewolf, I knew she would eventually be


    Alpha Kennedy-Este Noel Madsen...


    The start of a whole new world.