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Epilogue

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*18 years later*

Bella sighed and stood in the doorway of her oldest son's room. She could hardly believe that he'd be leaving for college soon. She looked around his room and smiled wistfully. So many memories were held in the walls. First words, first steps, first cuts, first games, first sleep over- ironic enough it had been Nathan Cameron born just three months after her Caleb- and first music lessons with the electric guitar her boy so loved.

They were followed by Levi Uley and -after Nathan's sister Gabrielle was born- Bella's twins, Wyatt and Aaron all born two years later, the house was never quiet. Caleb had had his first kiss sitting on the end of his bed too with Gabrielle- whom he still dated. Jared had wanted to kill him, but Bella soothed the old wolf with the help of Kim. Paul had told him it could always be worse then took Jared out for a beer.

Through raising three boys- plus whichever of the packs' kids were in her house- and her daughter, earning her degree in teaching, then finding a job at the tribal school like she had warned the elders she would, Bella had flourished. She loved the pack, their kids, her own, and she loved teaching. She was an asset to the school, and a favorite among the students. And at home, while she and Paul still had their little spats, they were still as much in love as the day the finally confessed it one another.

Caleb turned to see his mom standing in near tears. He shook his head, gave her his dad's crooked smile and pulled her into a hug. He was a carbon copy of Paul- save for Bella's eyes and the lighter skin tone. "It's just Seattle, mom. I'm not leaving clear across the country." He promised.

Bella sighed. "I know… but… you're my baby boy no matter how old you get."

"Mom." Caleb rolled his eyes. "I'm 18...I'm not a baby anymore!" He whined.

A deep chuckle behind them made the two aware of Paul's presence. "Don't you know by now, your mom's always going to think of you as her baby boy." He teased wrapping his arms around his wife. "Same way your Grandpa Charlie thought of Bella as his baby girl."

"I still can't believe he shot you…" Caleb said shaking his head.

Paul shrugged. "He had his reasons. I took something special from his life."

Bella only rolled her eyes.

To say he was livid when Charlie found out Bella was pregnant was an understatement if there ever was one. It was also how he found out about the pack. His shot gun proudly sat on display on his mantle near the tuft of fur that had been attached to Paul's flank before the buckshot had hit him after that. That had been another surprise.

Paul had taken Bella to the court house four days after Charlie found out about the pack, sat down in front of the justice of the peace and asked her to become his wife. Paul worked and slaved to give her the dream wedding she'd always wanted. Once their last child- his sweet little girl- had been placed in his arms, he promised it to her. And he'd given it too her too. It was all the more special because that was the year her father lost his life to a drunk driver on the road three months after he'd given his baby girl away.

Footsteps running in the stairs turned their attention to the doorway where a brown haired, brown eyes younger version of Charlie Swan stood. "Hey, Caleb… can I have your room?!" Wyatt grinned.

"No… I promised it to 'Kenzii already. Sorry." Caleb smirked.

"Aww! Man! Not fair! You've got the biggest room out of all of us!" He huffed.

"'Kenzii's gonna miss me most. You and Aaron will be too busy chasing after the girls." Caleb grinned.

"Better not be!" Bella glared.

Paul grinned. His twins were definitely ladies men. He'd say one thing though. They all loved Makenzii.

Makenzii Nicole Lahote was the most spoiled little girl in the Lahote household seeing as she was the ONLY little girl. Her brothers doted on her, defended her, protected her, and more times than not, picked on her as well. She had Paul wrapped around her little finger, and Bella loved that she helped to clean and cook- something her son's learned but barely put to use.

"Caleb… Nate's here!" Makenzii yelled.

"Speaking of…" Bella grinned.

They turned to see Makenzii racing Nathan up the stairs, grinning when she reached the top step first. "I win! Again!"

"You cheated munchkin!" Nathan grinned. "Hey, Mr. Lahote. Mrs. Lahote."

"Hello Nathan. I take it you're all packed and your mom's crying?" Paul grinned when Nathan rolled his eyes and nodded.

Bella smacked his chest. "I'll go see Kim. Don't destroy my house."

"Yes ma'am." Paul grinned watching her walk away.

Even after all the years… Bella was still gorgeous to him. Fiery… temperamental, protective, loyal, kind and sassy. The list went on for all the things he thought of his wife. He'd built their house from the ground up with the help of the pack, and together he, Sam and Jared had opened their own construction company- further helping the reservation find it's own slice of glory in the world.

"Dad? You ok?"

Paul turned to Caleb and smiled. "Just thinking. The house is gonna be quiet without you here… You're taking that monstrosity with you, right?" He quipped eyeing his sons electric guitar.

Caleb and Nathan smirked. "Of course. Nate has his too. I think his dad is just as relieved as you are!"

"It's just a bunch of noise." Paul said with a smirk at their indignant huffs.

"Where ya at Paul?!" A new voice called.

Paul rolled his eyes. The pack was still as close as they ever had been even if none of them phased anymore. There hadn't been a need. Paul shook his head and leaned over the banister to see Sam and Jacob. Their kids -Sam's little girl, Samantha who was 13, and Jacob's twin girls Sarah and Elizabeth who were also 13- raced up the steps before skipping into Makenzii's room with barely a hello thrown over their shoulder to Caleb and Nathan. It pleased them just fine.

"Caleb? You here?"

Nathan rolled his eyes. "Of all the girls on the reservation… it had to be MY sister." He huffed. He was ignored as Caleb bounded down the stairs to gather Gabrielle into his arms.

Paul clapped Nathan on the shoulder and grinned. "It could always have been worse." He said before moving down the stairs as well.

Sam grinned and clapped Paul on the shoulder when he appeared downstairs, the two of them walking out back to greet the rest of the pack and their kids. Embry and Danielle were there with their boys- Bentley and Zachary already talking to Jacob.

Quil and his wife, Kaylee stood talking to Emily and Kim while his kids- Alexia and "VI" or Jr. sat around the fire pit the pack had built. Seth and his wife Savannah had just come through the back gate with their twins Noel and Harry. Those two… 14 years old and nothing but opposites. Noel was an angel compared to Harry.

Brady was there with his wife Natalie swinging his son, BJ off of his arm. BJ, or Brady Joseph (Sometimes called Jr.) was only 8 and was the youngest of all the kids. It never bothered him, and he loved all the attention he got because of it. His older sisters, Jennifer and Bethany always found ways to torture him when their parents weren't looking- and always got caught afterwards too. If being cute could get him away from them, he was all for it.

Paul looked up to see Collin and his wife, Catelynn walking through the back gate with their kids, Cassidy and Jason in tow. Jason was the second youngest of the kids and Cassidy was only 11, though she was too smart for her age. She'd already been bumped up a grade level and had Bella tutoring her on the weekends to ensure that she did well.

Looking out into his back yard, he sighed. The entire pack was here. Their kids, their wives… his lawn looked nearly full. It was only missing…

"Where's Aaron?" He asked as he came to stand next to Sam.

"Aaron Michel Lahote! You get down here right now young man!" Bella hissed.

The entire pack shivered. Aaron was Wyatt's younger twin by five minutes, but he had inherited his mother's mischievous side and spent a lot of time in the presence of his uncles Embry and Seth. They weren't related by blood, but they were similar. Paul moaned when he saw Aaron on top of the neighbors roof waving Alexia Ateara's bathing suit bottoms in the air.

"Paul! Do something!" Bella growled.

He sighed and shook his head, trying to contain his amusement. Now wasn't the time to laugh. "Get down here, Aaron! Now."

Paul looked away as Alexia started shrieking. He felt a person to his back and looked over his shoulder to his oldest. "You sure you don't want to stay?"

Caleb sighed and looked out across his back yard. His friends- his family- had been the greatest part of his life thus far. Now that he'd be leaving it all, there was a pang of sadness threatening to fill him. He couldn't help but feel pride in these people around him now. Each of them knew him better than he knew himself sometimes. They were like an extended family that he had come to love and respect.

"You know dad…. I think I want to leave… but I want to come back. This is home. Always will be." He grinned.

"Always will be." Nathan mimicked beside them, agreeing completely.

He'd already planned his return, hoping to teach along side Bella. She was the one who had told them that there wasn't anything to hold them back but the fear they placed in themselves. She was the one who had encouraged all of the 'pups' to find something to do with their lives that they loved.

It so happened that Caleb and Nathan both loved the guitar and music.

Sometimes she'd been the only one to support them when they first learned, but she'd also pushed them to master it. If he could half as good a teacher as she was, he'd have done something with his life.

He and Caleb laughed when Aaron finally climbed down from the roof to face their irate mother, only to be smacked across the face by Alexia after giving back her bikini bottoms. The pack exploded with laughter at that. It was, after all, how Paul and Bella go their start.

It all happened with a slap.

While their road held twists and turns and jagged rocks across its path, the only thing they always had- that they knew they could rely on- was each other.

Their family.