Mother Wolf Epilogue
Seven Years Later
A young wolf woman sits across a desk from Scareantino who has been reading through a book. The die-rector sets the book down and turns to the woman.
"This writing is…" Scareantino trails off as he leans forward when the key in the manster's back stopped moving.
"Uh," the woman eyes the motionless director. "What was it Clawdia said. Oh, right!" she gets up and turns the key a few times and the die-rector shoots back up.
"Is amazing!" he then looks around and finds the werewolf next to him. "I want to buy the rights from you. Now tell me, Howleen. How did you come up with such an emotional story?"
The woman smiles. "That's easy. I lived it."
.oOo.
Howleen leaves a building and outside, she meets an older Bram who is leaning against a fancy car.
The vampire walks up to her. "How did it go?"
Even though she's much older, Howleen still has the energy of a child. "They're making a movie!" she screams as she jumps into Bram's arms. "Our story is going to be told in theaters around the world. This is so great!"
Bram lets out a chuckle. "I am so proud of you," the two break apart. "You are cute when excited. You know that?"
The werewolf lets out her own giggle. "And you know you're the only one who can call me that?"
"Trust me. I am aware," he leans down as Howleen stands on her toes and the two kiss.
It was then an iCoffin goes off.
"Oh!" Howleen starts digging into her purse. "Sorry! That's on me," the werewolf takes out her phone and answers. "Hey, Twyla. Thanks again for babysitting the kids… What?" she reaches for Bram's wrist and looks at his watch. "Shoot! We're going to be late!"
At that, Howleen shoves the vampire into the car before getting in yourself and the vehicle takes off down the street.
.oOo.
At the Devein Manor, the backyard is set up for a children's birthday party. Streamers, balloons, even a large cake.
A pale wolf boy with blonde hair is near a table playing with a puzzle box. Not too far is Twyla keeping an eye on him while setting the table.
"Hey, Hunter," the boogie woman turns to him, and the wolf boy avoids eye contact. "Don't you want a different puzzle? You must have finished it six time today."
"Eight," the boy says. "I finished it eight times since we got here," the boy then completes it. "Now it's nine. I finished it a hundred and forty-two times since mom got it for me. It's my favorite."
"That's impressive," the woman nods. "Mind helping me set the table?"
Without a word or making eye contact, the boy gets up, starts grabbing plates, and spreads them across the table.
"Thank you, Hunter."
"Hey, Twyla!" a mummy with blue and gold hair done up in a bun walks up to the boogie woman.
"Nefera, how are the decorations going?"
"They're great. In fact, I'd say I outdone myself."
"Well, you are the best Party Planner in New Salem."
"Oh, Flattery will get you everywhere," Nefera may have mellowed out, but she still enjoys a good compliment. "How's your job as a School Counselor."
"It's okay," Twyla shrugs. "All kids need is someone to talk to and help make life feel easier."
"Speaking of kids," the mummy starts looking around. "Have you seen Arthur around?"
"Last I saw, he and Val were playing near the trees," the boogie woman gestures towards the edge of where a line of trees are.
Nefera lets out a sigh. "That boy is as free spirited as his father and as stubborn as me."
Twyla has an amused smirk. "A dangerous combination."
"You have no idea," the mummy heads towards the trees.
"Arthur!" Nefera shouts as she walks through the trees. "Arthur, where are you!?" the mummy growls. "Arthurian Horace Ramses de Nile Avalon! You come here this instant or I'll have Grandpa send a plague on you—Ah!" she screams as a boy with blue scales is suddenly in front of her, upside down.
"Hi, Mom!" the boy says just before a vampire ghoul with brown hair appears next to him.
"Hi, Arthur's Mom." Both kids are hanging upside down on a tree branch.
"You two…" the mummy huffs as she tries catching her breath while holding her hand over her chest. "You nearly jumpstarted my heart. What are you doing up there anyway?"
"Playing vampires," the boy answers. "Val said it was fun and she's right."
"Well, funs over for now. The party's about to start," Nefera gestures to the ghoul. "Can't let the birthday ghoul miss it."
"Yay!" Val shouts as she flips herself off the branch and lands on the ground. "Come on Arthur!" she says while taking off. But the boy did not move.
This worried Nefera. "Arthur. What's wrong?" the question caused the boy to squirm.
"I'm stuck."
The mother couldn't help but let out a small laugh. "Here," she reaches up and easily finds the problem. "No wonder. Your bandages are tangled," the woman easily undoes it and helps her son down. "You're supposed to tuck them away before climbing. You really need to learn to think before you act. Otherwise, you'll get into trouble and regret it," Nefera reaches up to the still present scar on her face and then looks over at the retreating vampire ghoul. "Like I had."
After a few moments of quiet, the dragon/mummy boy spoke. "Mom?"
"It's nothing, Arthur," she stands up. "Let's go and join your friend," and holds out her hand and the boy accept it.
Over by a grill set, Charlotte is trying to get it started. "Oh, confound it!" she kicks it. Then, the voice of her fellow grandmother reaches her ears.
"Having trouble?" Harriet walks up along with her husband, Harry. Both are carrying large trays of meat prepped for burgers.
"This is just embarrassing," Charlotte facepalms. "You make it look so easy during one of your barbecues," the vampire woman steps back as Harry walks up to it. "I thought maybe I could contribute something other than some store-bought dessert," she watches as the Wolf man easily lights up the grill. "Tell me, Harry. How did you learn to use one of these contraptions?"
"Honestly?" Harry shrugs before gesturing to his wife. "Harriet taught me."
The Wolf woman just smiles brightly before saying. "If you like, I could teach you?"
"Oh, I would love that," Charlotte pleads. "It'll add to my resume of skills. Plus, with Gory in Scaris with her wife, it has gotten boring around here," she sighs. "But I suppose that I should be happy that Catrine is opening her own gallery."
"Oh, Charlotte," Harriet puts a comforting hand on the vampire's arm. "ENS?"
"Uh?"
"Empty Nest Syndrome," the wolf explains. "It happens whenever one's children leaves home. No matter how big of the litter, just one missing pup makes the house feel more open than it should. I would know. It happened each time one of my pups left to be on their own."
"So, that's what this lonely feeling is?"
"Afraid so. But hey! At least you still have Spectra. All my kids are gone to live their own lives."
"That I do," Charlotte looks over at the ghost ghoul floating around recording all she can on a tablet. "I offered her a chance to remove the limit on her youth. So, that she could grow up along with her brother and sister?"
Harriet looks over at the ghost and notes that she still appears to be a teenager. "What happened?"
"She told me that she wanted to feel what it's like to have a mother a little while longer."
Clawd voice then can be heard, "Easy there, Draculaura."
Looking over at him, the Wolf can be seen escorting his wife, Draculaura.
"Oh, Clawd! You worry too much." Even though, the pink vampire has aged into a fine young woman, she is still rather petite. Her smaller frame though, gives away to an easily noticeable belly.
Harriet walks up to them. "Draculaura! Look at you!" she hugs her daughter-in-law. "You're glowing. How's my soon to be grandpup?"
At the question, Draculaura crosses her arms and pouts. "He's doing fine."
"What's the matter?"
Clawd chuckles a bit. "She's not liking the fact she's been craving meat lately."
"I shouldn't be craving meat!" the pink vampire insists. "It goes against my beliefs! But I'm really hungry right now and I really want nothing more than a Monster Burger!"
"Well, I can't help you with the cravings," Harriet starts. "But being hungry on the other hand. Would you like it if we put on some tofu burgers for you?"
"Yeah," Draculaura nods with a smile. "I'd love that."
The Wolf woman turns to her husband. "Harry!"
"Already on it," Harry grabs one of the few pieces of tofu meat they gathered, holding I away from him as if it was dangerous, and sets it on a grill. "Tofu really doesn't belong on a grill," he grumbles under his breath.
It was then that another couple approaches them. A pale blue wraith and pale werewolf man, and two werewolf women. One of the women, a blonde is carrying a toddler.
Harriet is quick to run up to them. "Clawdia, Clawdeen!" she hugs the two, being mindful of the child. "It's so great to see you. It's been ages. Of course, Clawdia has been busy with this little one. Hello Harris. How have you been."
The toddler giggles. "I've been good, Grandma!"
"And you, Clawdeen?" she turns to her second oldest daughter. "Running a fashion empire at such a young age can't be easy."
Instead of Clawdeen, the wraith was the one who answered with a laugh. "You have no idea. This ghoul is hardly home anymore and the few times she is, she's still working."
This irritated Clawdeen. "No body asked you, Raythe!" she snaps before walking off. The wraith briefly glances at the family before running after her.
"So, those two…" Harriet looks to Clawdia and Ivan. "Are they off again or on again? It kinda gets blurry after all the break ups they went through since meeting."
Ivan looks over at his sister-in-law and the wraith as they discuss something. "I thought they were on again. But lately, it's been hard to tell with Clawdeen seemingly angry one moment and happy the next before crying."
The elder Wolf woman glances at the couple as well. "You don't say," she takes note how her daughter has her hand slightly on her abdomen while Raythe comforts her.
"By the way," Clawdia says as she places Harris down. "You did not hear this from me, but I did get a call from Scareantino, and he wants me to prep a script for a certain best-selling book," the blond wolf is wearing a big grin.
"Yes!" Harriet shouts, getting the full attention of everyone present. The woman smiles sheepishly as her face reddens.
Nefera was almost at the picnic table when a set of arms wrapped around her, and she receives a kiss on the cheek. "Drake," the mummy giggles. She turns around to see her husband in an oiled jumpsuit.
"Sorry about the mess," he tells his wife. "Just got off work. I can go and get clean up real quick?"
"Where I prefer my husband oil free," she kisses him. "At least you're my husband. Besides! It's to be expected with you and Leo running your own auto shop."
"Well, I couldn't have done it without your support. Especially since you convinced your dad to give us that loan," he then digs into his pocket to remove a slip. "Speaking of. This should be the last payment."
"Really?" Nefera takes the slip. "Who'd you scam?" she examines it.
"Har-har." Was the dragon's reply. "I also have to thank Leo's ghoul," he looks over at his business partner who is wearing a similar jumpsuit. The lion is along with Toralei with longer hair and a slightly older Max who is growing quite a mane just like his dad. "Don't know where she learned math, but she sure knows how to keep and manage our finances."
"We could repay them with a fancier wedding gift than everyone else," the Mummy suggests while eyeing the ring around the werecat's finger.
The two are then distracted by a sigh. Turning to the picnic table, they see a little dark-skinned werewolf ghoul with blonde hair sitting at the table and dreamily looking into the distance.
"Hey, Reika?" Nefera calls out. "What are you staring at."
With another sigh, the werewolf ghoul points and says, "Max."
She was indeed staring at the young werecat/lion hybrid.
Hearing this, Harriet and Charlotte approach the table.
"Aren't you a little young to have a crush?" Charlotte asks and Harriet agrees.
"And he's a bit old for you," the Wolf adds.
"Grandmas, love knows no bounds," she sighs and then looks at them. "Plus, how much older is Dad to Mom?"
Both grandmas open their mouths only to find nothing leaving it.
"Well," Harriet turns to her fellow grandma. "She does have a point."
"Indeed," Charlotte nods before turning back to her granddaughter. "Just don't rush into things. If love is truly there, then it must develop on its own."
"Okay, Grandma Charlotte," the ghoul continues staring.
"But…" the vampire woman leans down. "that does not mean you can't start slow After all, some of the best relationships starts off with friendship."
Harriet smiles. "Just walk up to him and start talking. Love can begin with a simple conversation."
"Thanks, Grandmas!" Reika hugs the two older women before running off towards where Max and his family are.
The two Grandmother's stare as their granddaughter starts talking to the boy. The boy then looks up at his mother to ask something before going off to play.
"We're here!" Howleen is heard shouting while she and Bram are running up to them. The two are suddenly tackled to the ground by one of their daughters.
"Mommy, Daddy!" Val hugs them.
"Hey, Val," Howleen returns the hug. "We didn't miss your birthday, did we?"
"Of course not," Val says as her brother and sister walk up to them.
Bram looks at his son as the boy finishes the puzzle box for the fourteenth time. "Hey, Hunter," the Dad takes out a different puzzle box. "Here's one you haven't done before," and hands it over to him.
Hunter eyes the box before taking it, without looking at his dad. His dad then leans in close to whisper something.
Howleen is up and walking over to the picnic table.
"How'd it go?" Harriet asks as everyone else approaches the area. Spectra even has her tablet with the screen facing them, showing Gory and Catrine.
The youngest Wolf sibling opens her mouth to tell them. However, she notices the knowing smirks everyone is wearing.
Howleen sighs. "You already know, don't you?" she eyes Clawdia.
The eldest Wolf sibling shrugs. "Sorry. As soon as I got the call, I had to let them know."
"Well, I guess we can just get to the cake and let the kids open presents?" she suggests before feeling a tug on her shirt. Looking down, Howleen finds her son holding a puzzle box.
"Can you finish this for me?" Hunter asks while avoiding eye contact.
"Uh, sure," she takes the puzzle. The woman is confused because her son never asks for help with puzzles. She looks the box over trying to figure it out.
"Just slide that last piece over," the boy eventually tells his mom, and she does so.
Just as the puzzle is completed the top pops off to reveal a hidden compartment. Removing the lid, to Howleen's surprise, she finds a diamond ring. "Hunter," she looks down at her son. "What's this?"
"Dad gave it to me," was the boy's reply.
"Your dad?" the woman looks up and sees that her family had big smiles while looking behind her. Turning, Howleen finds Bram down on one knee.
Bram speaks. "Howleen, will—" before the blonde vampire could speak, he gets tackled.
"Yes!" Howleen shouts. "Yes, yes, yes! Oh, my ghoul! Yes!" she gets off him. "I thought you'd never ask."
"Oof," Bram rubs his chest. "I think I have a broken rib," he finds the ring getting placed in his palm.
"You're lucky, that's all you got," she lets her fiancé places the ring around her finger. "Using our kid to propose on his birthday. How shallow can you be?" Howleen smirks.
"I figured it be the best way to surprise you," he smiles.
"Well," Howleen examines her ring. "Color me surprise."
Everyone giggles but soon stops once they notice that someone wasn't laughing. Rather, they're crying.
Howleen looks at the second oldest Wolf sister. "Clawdeen? Are you alright?"
"Oh, I'm fine," she tries to wave it off. "I'm just so happy for you!" she blows her nose in a tissue. "I want what you guys have," Clawdeen looks at both her sisters, Clawd, and even Toralei. "But I'm not sure I will. Yeah, Raythe proposed last week but I didn't say yes. That's only because I'm not sure I can do it myself. Get to where you are!"
Harriet walks up to Clawdeen to give her a hug. "Oh, hun," the older Wolf woman breaks a way and runs her fingers through her daughter's hair. "You can have that, Clawdeen. I know it. You already have a stable career, a great manster to rely on, so many friends," she glances up at the wraith. "And if your sisters are anything to go by, I know that you'll be a great mother," Harriet gives Clawdeen a knowing smirk.
Clawdeen sniffles. "How do you do that? You always seem to know. You knew it with Howleen. It didn't take long after Clawdia. Draculaura was easy since she never kept it a secret."
"Call it a hunch," was her mother's only answer.
"Clawdeen," Howleen walks up to them "What's Mom talking about?"
"I'm pregnant," Clawdeen eventually says causing everyone to congratulate her. the Fashion wolf turns to her little sister. "Sorry for stealing the moment from you."
"Don't worry about it," Howleen insists. "I know how scary it is at the thought of becoming a mom," she is then surrounded by her kids. "Of course, I was much younger than you. But I don't regret it. The most important thing is to remember that you have so many friends and family ready to support you."
Clawdeen looks at everyone as they softly smile at her. The Wolf's eyes eventually land on her boofriend. "Alright," she says while approaching him. "I'll do it."
"Uh," Raythe tilts his head. "Do what?"
"I'll marry ya, goofball?"
"Really!?" he half shouts and receives a nod. "Yes! I just need to, uh…" the wraith starts patting himself down. "Hang on, I, um…"
Clawdeen shakes her head with an amused smirk. "Left breast pocket."
Raythe reaches into the said pocket and finds what he is looking for. "Oh, uh, thanks," he takes out a ring and places it on Clawdeen.
"Now, it's official," she announces, and everyone cheers.
"Hey!" Toralei steps up to them and pulls Howleen along with her while shoving Raythe away. "I just had a fearific idea. You ghouls thinking what I'm thinking," the werecat just receives a dumbfounded look from the two werewolves. "Come one! I'm engaged, you're both engaged. It ain't that hard."
A light bulb went off in their heads and Howleen says. "You mean a triple wedding?" she excitedly says.
Unlike her sister, Clawdeen wasn't too sure. "Why?"
"Why not? We all have the same friend group, and basically we're family since I'm officially an honorary member of yours. It makes since."
"Please, Clawdeen," Howleen begs with those big puppy dog eyes. "Getting married alongside my sister and one of my best friends. What could be better?" despite being considered a grownup; she still has the tendency to act like a pup. Especially with those pleading eyes.
With a sigh, the older sister caves in. "Fine! Whatever! I'm in. But we're all dividing everything equally."
"Yes!" both Howleen and Toralei say as the high five.
The werecat then turns to Nefera. "All we need is the best party planner to step up her game."
"Already on it," the Mummy says as she has her iCoffin out, typing something. "Wedding planner would make a nice addition to my resume. I can get a head start on several things. We can meet up in my office tomorrow to discuss the important stuff. But the finer details will have to wait until later," she puts her device away. "We have something else to attend to."
"That's right," Howleen turns to her kids. "You three ready?"
"Yeah!" Reika and Val shout, while Hunter simply nods while the three are escorted to the large cake with candles already lit.
Bram readies his phone. "Alright. One. Two. Three."
And on that count, everyone shouts. "Happy Birthday!" and the triplets blow out the candles.
Charlotte sighs as Spectra, who still has the tablet with Gory and Catrine on video chat.
"Something wrong, Mom?" the ghost asks.
"Nothing to worry about, dear," the Vampire woman tells her. "I'm just realizing that Harriet is going to have six plus grandkids while I still only have three," she then looks at the tablet. "I do wish that the two of you would hurry up and adopt so that I can catch up."
"Mom!" Gory whines while Spectra and Catrine giggle.
The Scaris ghoul then adds. "We will think about it."
"I'll hold you to that," Charlotte informs them as she turns back to where her grandchildren are starting to open their gifts and smiles at the display of excitement on their faces. Even Hunter who doesn't usually show much emotion beams at the sight of new more difficult puzzles.
End