Author's Note: I found the epilogue I had written back in 2017 when I last updated this story on an old USB stick, and I thought it was about time this story was officially finished. Much love to everyone who has read this first proper story of mine, I cannot fully express how much you all mean to me 3

The agony of labour was similar to before.

However, this time around there was more mental agony present than physical.

"Just a few more pushes, love."

The kindly midwife interpreted her flinch to the endearment as one of refusal to her command. She tutted loudly, but her expression was soft when she looked up at Jocelyn.

"You've been through a lot in nine months. From conception to now, you've loved this child deeply, I can see it in your eyes. If you want to meet them, all you have to do is exactly what you've been doing so far. It won't be so difficult, you'll see. And they will be worth every bit of pain when they're here."

Jocelyn stared at the woman in response, wide-eyed. When the next command to push came a few seconds later, she felt grim determination beat down the fear in her heart.

"Oh wait, this is actually coming along a lot faster than I thought. Breathe for a minute and stop pushing, I can see this baby's head."

Jocelyn could hardly believe what was happening.

"There we go, there we go. Hi little one, welcome to the world!"

The midwife held up a red, scrawny beauty of a baby with a head of dark hair for Jocelyn to see. Jocelyn's breath caught in her throat. This baby was a girl.

"She's not cried yet, so I'll just get her over here and warm her up so she starts breathing properly, okay?"

Jocelyn's heart plummeted and her vision dimmed at the edges as crushing grief began. "He got to her, he knew, oh by the Angel she's like Jonathan, I tried so hard and I failed to protect her too…"

A piercing cry rang through the air.

Hope stirred.

The midwife handed the baby to Jocelyn with a cheerful smile.

As soon as Jocelyn touched her, the baby stopped crying and opened her eyes.

Green eyes blinked at green eyes.

Jocelyn dissolved into happiness and relief, cradling her daughter against her and weeping.

"What should we do now?"

The pack leader looked up from where he was gazing wistfully at the fire, watching his daydream of a woman smiling crumble to ashes in the flames. His expression twisted into one of grief.

"We hunt."

Jonathan was playing with his toy sword, yelling excitedly as he hit the practise model with a shocking amount of skill for a child of two.

Valentine watched proudly, smiling with approval when the boy looked back to him. The child in his arms shifted, beginning to cry softly.

Immediately Valentine responded, curling his arm backwards to pick up a warmed bottle laying on the table behind him.

"Smooth move. Think you can demonstrate to me that flexibility later, when the boys are in bed?"

Valentine smiled, turning around to reply. His gaze met nothing.

Of course, because she was not there. She had left him. She had betrayed him, taken his love and turned it to mockery and allied herself with monsters and LEFT HIM HE HAD LOST HER-

"Worthless bastard. Couldn't have given me a skilled Shadowhunter son, oh no. Apparently that is too much to ask for!"

A loud cry cut through the air. Valentine remembered where he was.

He looked down at the baby in his arms, letting his gold eyes soothe his harsh breathing. He gently held the bottle to his lips, feeling soft affection steal through him when the baby giggled before latching on.

He took a seat, watching both of his sons.

He would never lose them. He wouldn't, because they would never dare try to leave him.