Fake Mate of the Enemy Shifter (Red Oak Shifters #2)

30. Cassia

Epilogue

A few months later

Clouds slowly drift across the blue afternoon sky, the vibrant rays of an uncovered sun reaching down toward the Land of Aragay. The grass sways around my legs as I stride away from the castle, hearing the sounds of a busy yet peaceful life buzzing behind me within the stone walls.

So much is going on behind me, but all I’m focused on is moving forward.

I approach the small cluster of remaining Red Oak trees and a slow exhale drifts from me. Nervousness stirs within me, but I keep walking, able to see a glimpse of someone in the trees.

A warm smile forms on my face as I spot Grey sitting on the ground with his back leaning against the trunk of one of the Red Oaks. I slip around the nearest tree and step into the small clearing, drawing his eyes upward.

“Hey, sweetheart.”

His voice, even now, makes my heart flutter. I sit down in front of him and cross my legs, enjoying the shade from the leaves that blankets us. “I figured I would find you out here.”

A bittersweet look forms on Grey’s face as he shrugs, his eyes sweeping around. “I’m not sure how much time we have left with these trees. It’s weird. They’ve been around for generations … and they’ll probably all die out in our lifetime.”

“They’ve helped your family a lot throughout the years,” I point out. “Maybe they’ve just given all they can.”

Grey nods, his brow furrowing in thought. “I just wish there was something we could do for them.”

I reach out and take his hand, giving it a comforting squeeze. “I know. At least things are peaceful now. No one has to cast from them anymore.”

Grey sits up more and moves closer to me, his thumb brushing over my knuckles. “I hope things stay peaceful. Everyone is still healing.”

I smile at him. “We get to heal thanks to you.”

“We get to heal thanks to you too,” Grey says with a chuckle. “And my parents get to retire from ruling in peace and Gliselle gets to focus on herb-collecting for Callista.”

That’s a large benefit to us being the Everblade Kingdom’s rulers. The power is great and all, but what really satisfies us is the happiness of our people and our loved ones. That’s what we’re fighting for.

What we did fight for just a few months ago.

There have been no traces of exiled Moonveil witches anywhere in the region. A few have chosen to stay in the cells to prove their loyalty, while others have agreed to be run off the land. The only person I refuse to let go is Lucian.

He can rot there for all that he’s done.

“I’d say we’re doing a pretty good job of ruling so far,” I reply with a cheeky look on my face.

Grey laughs and nods. “Not bad at all. It does help ruling with your soulmate by your side.”

My cheeks warm up from his sweet words. He’s right, though. Having Grey by my side through this new, challenging period of my life has kept me firm and standing. Determined and strong.

Everblade needs strong leaders, so I can’t let all the fear that consumed me in the past stop me from being what my kingdom needs. I have to be stronger than who I was.

I am stronger than who I was, and Morgana is probably rolling in her grave at how far I’ve already come now that I’m free from her crushing grip.

“Well, Moonveil has been officially absorbed into Everblade. The dead have been laid to rest. We’ve all established a new normal,” I say as I glance around, admiring the beauty of the land now that it's stains and scars from battle have been healed by time. “What now?”

His answer matters more than he realizes.

Grey breathes in slowly as he thinks to himself in silence for a few seconds. “I want to focus on us.”

My eyebrows lift in surprise. There are still so many day-to-day things to do around our land that I figured he would list off some of that. “Us?”

Grey smiles and nods. “We’ve been constantly moving around and doing things since beginning our reign. We see each other in glimpses when it’s not early morning or late night. I’m ready for that to change.”

A fluttering sensation fills my chest as a look of awe forms on my face. As he has done so many times before, he’s saying all the right things. All the things that will give me the courage to tell him a truth that I’ve been keeping secret.

“Obviously, we can’t just stop ruling, but we should put aside more time for each other,” Grey explains as he takes my other hand.

I smile and nod, my emotions beginning to surge. They hit me so hard that my throat tightens, preventing me from speaking a word.

Grey tilts his head at me with a light chuckle. “Maybe we can have a picnic out here tomorrow around noon. Just you and me. No royal business.”

That sounds like paradise. Don’t get me wrong. I love ruling alongside him, but being a leader entails a lot more tedious things than I ever could’ve thought possible. It’s easy to get swept up in the chaos of my sense of duty to the people.

But I never want Grey to feel like an afterthought, especially because he never makes me feel that way.

Grey raises an eyebrow at me, looking confused by my silence. “Good idea? Bad idea?”

I part my lips, but I don’t even know what to say. I’m torn between spilling the truth or replying to his question. Both sentences battle within my mind, rendering me speechless.

Well, if I can’t speak, I should act because he needs to know that everything that he has been saying is perfect.

I lean forward and crash my lips against his, feeling him tense in surprise before relaxing. Second by second, my nervousness wanes as love flows through me. Why am I nervous?

He’s the person I love. The same person who will put his life on the line for me.

There is no other man on the planet I want to share this news with.

“I’m pregnant,” I whisper against his lips before opening my eyes.

Grey freezes as his eyes fly open. “Did I hear you right? Did you just say you’re pregnant?”

A hopeful smile crosses my face as we pull away from each other. I nod, my heart pounding rapidly as I try to decipher his unreadable expression. “I just found out this morning. I wanted to tell you sooner, but I couldn’t find you … and I was nervous.”

Grey frowns. “Nervous?”

I chew on my bottom lip for a second as I shrug. “It’s unexpected. We just started ruling! Now, a baby? It’s going to be chaotic.”

I wait for him to freak out, but a big grin breaks across his face instead.

“The best kind of chaos, Cassia!” Grey tells me as he reaches forward to cup my face. “We’re really having a baby? Our own family?”

Happy tears sting my eyes as I smile at him and nod, doing my best not to sob in relief as pure joy radiates across his face.

Grey lets out a happy laugh before kissing me again, his thumbs gently brushing away the hot tears rolling down my face. His lips flutter all over my cheeks and forehead, calming me as I sniffle. “This is amazing, sweetheart. You, me, and our baby! I didn’t think this would happen this soon, but I wouldn’t change the timing for the world.”

“Really?” I ask him as I gaze up at him, gripping his wrists.

Grey’s face softens as he nods. “When I’m with you, I’m ready for anything. Good or bad. And this is really, really good.”

It’s the best thing ever. I never thought I would get to have a happy family of my own, especially under Morgana’s and Lucian’s rule, but my old life is no more. My old worries don’t apply.

Everything is different, and everything is better . Thanks to Grey. His parents. Everblade. Gliselle. The good witches of Moonveil.

So many factors led to this perfect moment, and I wouldn’t change a single thing. Not when our lives are moving in the best possible direction. We’ve come so far in such a short amount of time, and I refuse to go back.

I refuse to accept anything less than the overwhelming love and support I get from the man I love and the happiness that my new life makes me feel.

I place his hand on my stomach where our child will grow big and strong. “Before we know it, we’ll be parents. We’ll have an heir to raise.”

Grey’s eyebrows lift in realization. “Everblade’s next generation.”

History flows through us and our actions. Not only did we preserve this kingdom, but we’re also adding to it. Everblade was never meant to end with us.

It was meant to be reborn.

With smiles on our faces, we lean into each other, enjoying the shade of the last few Red Oak trees and the hopeful promise of our long reign.