“Looks like instead of you, I’m tasked with watching over your daughter now.” Abe smiled and furrowed his eyes a bit. “I feel like I owe it to you and your family, but I can’t remember why. But there is something …” He looked around and out through the fence. “There is something really satisfying about being here. Like being here is something sentimental to me.”
“Abe, you don’t owe my family anything. You gave your life to protect my baby. I missed you so much. I’ve been so depressed without you,” Lucie choked out.
Abe gave her a crooked smile. “Silly princess. What are you doing being sad? Protecting you and your baby was one of my happiest memories. I was able to keep you both safe. I don’t regret it, and I would do it again.”
“No more dying. No more sacrificing your life. You’re just as important, and these past couple of weeks have been so painful.” Lucie sniffled as Abe patted her head, smiling softly.
“Thank you, Lucie. You’re important to me too.”
“I’m glad you’re back with us.” Jasper grinned happily and bumped Justice’s shoulder. They were all concerned with how sad Lucie had been. And now they didn’t need to be anymore.
“So can you shift into a bear?” Justice asked.
“We don’t know what his powers will be yet. But as the next guardian, he will have guardian powers. He is still a bit young, so time will tell.” Asher wrapped his arm around Lita. The two of them had worked in secret. They didn’t want to get anyone’s hopes up in case they couldn’t accomplish what they were trying to do. But Lita did it. She always managed to surprise him, and that hadn’t stopped since the day he met her.
“Well Abe, I’ll be your sensei. I’ll teach you the ropes of being a guardian, but we may need to visit my dad if you’re a shifter.”
Abe walked up to Justice and eyed him up and down. “Eh, I think I would rather ask your dad. I don’t think you can teach me much. You’re just a cub yourself.”
“Well, look at this feisty little rascal.” Justice reached down and patted Abe’s head. “Easy, little buddy, you don’t want to hurt yourself.”
“Just because I’m in a child’s body doesn’t mean I’m a kid. Mentally, I’m far superior to you.”
“Of course you are, little tomcat. You just keep telling yourself that.” Justice prodded at Abe’s nose. “Don’t let anyone tell you any different.”
“I can see how this makes you feel better about yourself, Justice. You go on ahead and poke at this little bear. Go ahead and stroke that ego of yours while you still can. I’m going to grow, and so will my powers. Then we’ll really see.”
Jasper chuckled and looked up at Lucie and Derrick. “Mom! Dad! The kids aren’t getting along.”
Both Abe and Justice turned and quirked a brow at Jasper.
“Well, at least we aren’t this guy,” Abe said with a smirk, nodding toward Jasper.
“Hey! What’s that supposed to mean?” The smile on Jasper’s face vanished as he turned to the little cub.
Derrick wrapped his arms around Lucie, pulling her deep against his chest. The two of them smiled as they watched Abe, Justice, and Jasper squabbling with each other. Everything was finally right. No … everything right now was perfect. Today didn’t turn out how they’d expected. It turned out even better. They now had a guardian for their child, but it was more than that. They had their friend back, and he was someone they already trusted.
Derrick’s hands slid around Lucie’s waist and settled on her stomach. His head came down and rested on her shoulder where he placed a gentle kiss on her neck. He had everything he ever wanted right here. After everything they’d been through, their love had only grown stronger. Their bond had tightened into a solid knot that could never be separated.
Sometimes he liked to voice his words to her even though it wasn’t necessary. But right now, he didn’t need to. Their emotions and thoughts flowed freely between them. He could feel her love and happiness, just as she could feel his. Their hearts were both full and bursting with love.
Erebus was still out there somewhere, but they couldn’t live their lives worrying about him. The other deities were looking for him, and eventually, he would be taken care of.
He held his little mate close while his hand rested over his little love. This is what life was all about. And no matter what happened in the future, they would overcome it all … together.
EPILOGUE
Abe woke up drenched in sweat, panting heavily as he tried to blink the visions away. Sitting up, he gripped the blankets around him, his hands trembling slightly. This happened sometimes. Sometimes memories from the past came to him in dreams.
This time he’d dreamed about a werewolf fight. He watched as other wolves fought against a large black wolf and a light blond wolf. The blond-colored wolf’s fur was soon soaked in crimson. A fiery phoenix also joined the battle and shot flames at the demon wolves that were attacking the blond wolf. He then turned his half demon eyes on the large black wolf, who was injured. And this was when he woke up. He knew it was a memory of his past life. He could always remember the memory vividly at first, but usually, by the next morning, it became fuzzy.
He was an adult in a child’s body, and sometimes he felt childish emotions. Like right now, he had this overwhelmingfeeling of not wanting to be alone. It felt like the darkness might swallow him up. His mouth felt dry as his eyes scanned over the room, searching for the light. Then, a small glimmer shined in, piercing the dark. He turned his head toward it.
“Abe? Are you alright?” Lucie opened his door slightly and peered into the dark room.
Abe chuckled and let out a quiet sigh of relief. “I told you to quit treating me like a child. Just because I’m stuck in this body doesn’t mean I’m actually a six-year-old little boy.” Inwardly, though, he felt a calming wave wash over him.
Lucie giggled and walked into the room toward his bed. “Are you having nightmares again?”
