Page 73 of Her Bossy Wolf Protector

As Gabriel puts Liam to bed, and Mariya retreats to her room to rest, I find myself picking up broken furniture.

Alone at last, the gravity of what happened settles in, and I realize tears are streaming down my face.

I do not even hear him come back until Gabriel appears beside me, concern etched on his face. “Baby,please don’t cry. Come, let me get you into a hot shower, and then we can sleep.”

“I have to fi-finish this up,” I hiccup.

“Jade, that can wait until morning,” he says gently, but I shake my head.

The realization hits me—I need this. I need to do something tangible, something to repair the broken pieces, both metaphorically and literally.

“It’s okay,” he says, pulling me into his arms. “You can breathe now, Jade. We’re home, we’re safe, and the nightmare is behind us.”

“I know,” I say as I wipe at the tears with the back of my hand. I know that what we endured was a lot and that we all somehow came out the other side okay, but it all feels so overwhelming.

Itisa lot.

The fragments of our past linger in the wreckage.

I continue picking up broken pieces, the jagged edges reflecting the shattered moments we endured. Gabriel watches silently for a while before speaking softly, “Remember the promise you made to Liam? To keep him safe and alive?”

I nod, not trusting my voice.

“I’m making you the same promise,” he says firmly. “I’ll never let anything happen to you or Liam ever again.”

His words echo through the room, and when he pulls me into his arms,I lean into him, finding solace in his embrace.

“Thank you,” I whisper.

“You don’t have to thank me,baby.You just have to trust me. I will keep you safe for as long as I’m alive. I will protect you, Liam, and Mariya, with everything I am. Do you understand that?”

I look up through the tears in my eyes to see his eyes peering into mine. I can see the earnestness of his expression as he cups my cheek tenderly.

I nod. “I promise to trust you.”

The corners of his mouth lift slightly as he leans down, his lips brushing against mine in a tender kiss.

“Good, because I love you, and I want to spend the rest of my life loving you,” he murmurs between kisses, and I whisper it back. Those three words carry the promise of a new beginning.

As we stand amidst the broken pieces of our home, I feel a surge of hope. The nightmare may have left its mark, but we can rebuild the house, our lives, and everything with Gabriel by my side. I wipe away my tears, knowing that the dawn of a new day brings the opportunity for healing and renewal.

“We’ll get through this together,” Gabriel says, his eyes locked onto mine.

I nod, a small smile playing on my lips. “Together,” I affirm, and in that moment, I believe that no matter how broken things may seem, love has the power to mend and rebuild.

Our love is more than enough.

Epilogue

Gabriel

One year later, after the fall of the corrupt council, there’s a buzz in the supernatural realm. It’s been months of reconstruction and reworking treaties. Some humans now know about us, including Jade’s best friend, Alyssa, who’s playing ball with my son, Liam. Mariya, who has fully recovered from her injuries, keeps watch like always.

Suddenly, a trumpet blares and Jade emerges. Today, she’s being crowned as leader of the council. Despite her doubts, everyone voted for her, and I know she’s the right person for the job. She’s wearing a floor-length gown intricately embroidered with shimmering silver threads, reflecting her status as the new leader.

As she walks down the aisle, holding a speech in her hand, chants of “All hail our majesty” fill the air. I’m immensely proud of her, and I look forward to the day she’ll walk down another aisle. This time, it’ll be me waiting at the end with a ring, ready to marry her. But for now, we focus on rebuilding and growing together.

And so, it’s the end, but also a new beginning.

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