Epilogue
Well, this is it. It is the final chapter of 'Trust In Me'. I just want to thank every single person who reviewed, followed and added as a favourite and also those that gave it a chance. The feedback has been so positive and overwhelming and I thank you all – just thanks. I think I might actually cry, you guys are incredible. Right, I'm stopping because then I really will break down.
(Final) Disclaimer – I do not own Twilight, all rights to Stephanie Meyer. I do own Hetani and anything/anyone else that is unrecognisable from any franchise.
Two children – one boy, one girl – ran around their back garden. The grass was well manicured and a rockery had been set up with colourful flowers blooming brightly in the otherwise overcast day. The children were five years old and laughing as the boy barely missed catching his fraternal twin sister, who dodged behind a large tree but didn't succeed in climbing it because the boy pulled her back. The squealed, her shoulder length curls falling over her shoulder as her brother's shorter hair flopped with his effort to keep a hold on her.
On the terraced area, seated at the fancy black dining set was a woman of twenty eight years of age. Her hair was wavy and hung over the back of the chair she was seated on and she was dressed in a casual blue summer dress, her legs crossed. Her brown eyes darted across the glossy pages of the magazine she was reading.
"My wife looks hot," said the appreciative voice of her husband. The largely built Quileute appeared from the kitchen with flour smeared across his beautifully tanned forehead and a wide grin showing off his white teeth. As had been usual in the thirteen years they'd been together, he was lacking a shirt and she wondered if he'd ever lose his fine physique. Even though he'd stopped ageing when he was sixteen, he still looked in his mid twenties and, as she always looked younger, they looked like they were the same age. It was for that reason her husband had recently decided to stop phasing.
"Are you referring to the real-life me or this lovely picture?" she asked, gesturing to the magazine article, where a full page picture of her draped across a sofa reading a book was shown. Next to it was a two page interview.
"I'd say both – always both," Embry replied easily and Hetani beamed in response, closing the magazine and placing it on the table so she could greet Embry with a kiss.
"Mommy, daddy, that's gross!" Ebony, their daughter, whined as she suddenly appeared on the chair next to her mother. The couple broke apart with smiles to see that James, their son, had also joined her and both were pulling grimaces of disgust at their parents. Hetani laughed and Embry responded by picking Ebony up and spinning her above his head. She squealed as he proceeded to press kisses over her face.
"Gross? Is it gross, Ebony?" he teased, placing her on a chair. It was big enough that both children fitted in it comfortably and Hetani felt a wide, happy smile spread across her face when James protectively sat his sister in his lap. Though she pouted, she eventually snuggled in. She adored her children more than she ever thought she'd love anyone and they were perfect. She'd thought the world was ending when she found out she could no longer have children after Ebony and James but, looking at her family around her – James and Ebony laughing mischievously from their chair, Embry eyeing them with suspicion but amusement at the same time and holding her snugly to his side – she knew she didn't need any more children. She had her family.
XXX
Sunday's were a day for all the family. Granted, they saw each other almost every day anyway but Sunday's were the official get together day for all of them. Hetani watched with an affectionate smile as James went off to join Jason – who was Paul and Rachel's eldest child at six. The two boys were instantly laughing at something only they understood whilst Ebony played with Penelope, who was Paul and Rachel's only other child, the same age as Ebony and James. Abby and Emily were fussing over their youngest – in Abby's case, only – children who were both three. The newest Clearwater was a baby girl that Seth had been granted the pleasure of naming Harmony and Emily's youngest of two was called Lucinda. Jared and Kim, naturally, were late so their son Mason wasn't present and Sam and Emily's son, Nathan, was also absent.
"So, how's the latest book coming?" Emily asked as she popped up next to Hetani, Lucinda happily playing in a sand pit. Hetani grinned as Harmony joined her before shrugging at Emily.
"I have a common ailment called writer's block but I'll get over it." She knew it would pass once she'd relaxed and not thought about the book anymore. Having two bestsellers was enough for her but her reader's wanted more – so she'd decided to turn the duo into a trilogy with an epic finale, as she'd always wanted to do. She'd studied English for a reason and it was her love almost as strong as Embry – a different kind of release and the feedback was incredible. It was a dream come true.
"I saw your article. Very nice pictures, by the way," Emily complimented, passing Hetani some stuffed peppers, which she eagerly munched on. Embry was across the front lawn talking with Sam and Paul whilst Rachel was trying to talk Jason and James into eating healthier food in order to get the confectionary they were aching for. Laughing, she returned her attention to Emily.
"Yeah, thank you. It's kind of surreal. I never pictured my shy little fifteen year old self flourishing into a bestselling writer with a magazine cover article."
"The money's great though," Emily joked and Hetani laughed harder, nodding in agreement. She was overwhelmed by the money, indeed, but that wasn't why she wrote. She wrote for herself and for her fans – the cash was just an added bonus and proof of a job well done.
Excited squeals drew both mothers' attention away from each other to see Harmony and Lucinda falling over with laughter just as Jared and Kim arrived with Mason. Of course, the young boy instantly gravitated towards James and Jason whilst Jared and Kim made their way around and said their greetings.
"There's our little novelist." Hetani rolled her eyes. Jared would never change, ever. Kim seemed amused by the fact but she was head over heels for the wolf – she was therefore biased.
"Here I am." They shared hugs and greetings, catching up even though they'd seen each other the day before and they were in the middle of discussing the article when Kim suddenly gave a little 'aw' sound. Confused and intrigued, the three other adults turned to where she was looking and Hetani almost burst into tears right there.
"That is adorable," Emily gushed, watching her son – aged six – as he returned from his long bathroom break and handed over a tiny pink flower to Ebony. The girl blushed furiously before giving him the quickest hug any of the adults had ever seen. She murmured a thank you then ran off to tell Penelope. Hetani was smiling so widely that her entire face was almost covered and Jared just rolled his eyes as the three females around him started gossiping about the events.
"I'll never understand women," he said as he joined Embry, Paul and Sam. They toasted the sentiment.
"If your son goes near my daughter before she's thirty, I will kill him," Embry threatened Sam, who looked equally serious. Paul and Jared just laughed but only the former would ever understand what it was like to see their baby girl receive male attention. And Penelope was going to be a heartbreaker when she was older.
"Funny, I remember threatening you with something similar before you started dating my sister," Jake's voice said. The guys turned around in shock to see the alpha of the whole pack standing with a beaming Nessie, fully matured, under his arm. Both were smirking slightly at the shock on everyone's faces.
"JAKE!" Hetani screeched and launched herself at her brother. The pair had been gone for just over a year, using the fortune that Edward and Bella had given to Nessie to go for a long trip to various other countries. It was perfect timing for his return, given Embry's decision to stop phasing – he had been temporary alpha but Jake's return was right on the dot. The next ten minutes were a rush of squeals, catching up and berating for not phoning more than once a month that everyone vastly enjoyed whilst the kids played in their various spots.
"So, when're Nathan and Ebony getting hitched?" Jake asked and everyone laughed whilst Hetani smacked Jake and Embry glared.
It was a great feeling, to trust someone else so exquisitely that they could pull you back from the darkest edge. Yet Hetani, once shy and small in both stature and personality, had evolved and grown to trust every single person around her. Yes, she had her family. And they were all she'd ever need.
Just a side note: you may notice Elisha's absence. For some reason, I couldn't work it into this chapter so here's what I intended to happen: she and Bradley (her boyfriend, if you don't remember) moved away from La Push to pursue careers and eventually married. You can just picture Elisha being a powerful CEO or something. She never found out about the wolf secret and she and Hetani keep in touch, but don't see each other very often.
For my last hurrah, how about we get the story up to 190 reviews? Just so we can?
And so, my faithful reviewers, it has been brilliant. Thank you for sticking by Hetani and by me – we appreciate it. I bid you adieu and hope to see you all very soon – after all, there are various stories in the works. Thank you so much! I'm off to cry now. Love Bianca :) x