Ariadne: Almost an Alpha | ✓

Epilogue

Epilogue 

"Mateus, I've got to get to training," I tell him when his arms encircle my waist from behind, pulling me into him.

Even though he had other things on his mind, I had been trying to help him with some work in our office. Now, however, I had a group of women waiting on me, and after that, I had the children's group to lead.

"They can't wait a little?" he asks, pressing his lips against my shoulder left bare by my tank top.

"No," I respond, turning around to give him a quick peck on the lips. "I'm already late. And don't you have a call with Alpha Thomas?"

His nose wrinkles, and he lets me go. "Don't ruin the mood like that again."

I trail my fingers down his chest. "The mood is ruined?" I ask, my lips a hair's breadth away, teasing him.

His pupils dilate, and just as he begins to lean down, I back away and walk out the door. "Sorry babe, you ruined the mood."

I can't keep the smile off my face as I walk out the pack house and towards the gym.

I'll get you back for that, Mateus says through the mind-link.

Can't wait, I respond, chuckling aloud to myself.

It's been a few months since I came clean to Mateus, and things have finally calmed down. Still packless at the time, I drove back and forth between his pack and mine for a bit before we finally figured out a way to make us both happy, for him to still lead his pack and for me to lead something I'm passionate about. I joined Mateus's pack, we made things official, and I left Dylan in charge of the pack in Washington.

With Mateus's approval, I started a women's warriors program within his pack immediately. Then, after a long, needlessly drawn-out process with the council, I was able to start a sort of rogue shelter program here as well. Mateus, supportive as always, had the space, so we built some housing and set up a sort of vetting process to make sure all the rogues we accepted weren't the Donovan and Weston type. Any rogue interested stays here for a few months, and since only warriors and their families can officially join this pack, I help the rogues find a pack in the area that suits them.

Alpha Thomas, predictably, did not join the group of packs accepting new members, and he still calls Mateus all the time with his thoughts on the matter. Other than that little nuisance, however, things seemed to be going well. We'd already had a few successes.

I still call and visit Dylan and my pack all the time, and Dylan comes to visit as much as James does now. Sterling and Nathan, thankfully, warmed back up to me, and I've been making friends with some of the women here, my first real female friends for some time.

Cain was questioned and locked away for life in a maximum security council prison, so the time of worrying about him and his diabolical plans has finally passed.

For the first time since Cain destroyed my life, I feel completely happy and whole, like I'm finally doing things right.

~~~~~~~~~~

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It's the end of Ariadne's story!    :)))))    :(((((     (feeling mixed emotions right now)

So now it's time for me to be sappy and reflective. Thank you all so so so much for reading this! It took me long enough to finally write all of it, so an extra special thank you to those of you who've been here for a while.

Looking back, if I were to ever do major re-editing, I would want to split this book into two. I really wanted to focus more on the tournament, so I would have book one expand on that and end when she wins. Then, book two would deal with all the Cain stuff. Midway through writing this, I realized the book was getting way too long, but it was past the point of turning back. I didn't get to add in as much detail as I really wanted to.

Good news! I'm already a few chapters in to three other story ideas, so whichever story flows easiest I'll hopefully start posting soon (follow me to get a notification when that happens). I don't believe in spin-offs, so this is the last you'll be hearing from Ariadne, Mateus, Dylan, James, and their whole gang. Now that I've finished Ariadne's story, I can finally dedicate my attention to other ideas I've been having over the years. 

Question of the week: Any final thoughts?