Epilogue - Amelia

It’s been a year since I became Gamma of Madonie. What a rollercoaster of events that have happened in such a short time. I still miss my parents but having Stephen is always a comfort. I wish the Goddess had made him my mate from the start. 

But when I start down that path of thinking, I remind myself that the Goddess always has a plan. So even if Stephen wasn’t her initial plan for me, she made sure I did find him when things went wrong. 

And while I am not the Luna of Madonie as I initially was meant to be, I am the Gamma. Working with André, Alexander, and Gildo, we have made many improvements in the pack.

I’ve been working on learning LIS, Lingua Dei Segni Italiana, or Italian Sign Language. It’s helped with my communication skills with people outside the pack and pack members too young to use the pack link.

I also completed school and have enrolled in university to further my education regarding social work to better help the pack.

And of course, I’m very proud of Stephen. He has been balancing learning Italian, attending university classes to keep working on his civil engineering degree, and fulfilling his duties as Gamma working with Aleph Darren and Delta Alissa.

Things have been really great except for one minor thing. Okay, I’m calling it minor because I want to downplay it.

I’ve secretly taken a pregnancy test more than once in the last year. But the tests always come back negative. I’ve been doing my best to hide the pains and my concern that my periods aren’t occurring normally, sometimes not at all.

I’ve not told Stephen because I don’t want to get his hopes up when I miss a period, and I don’t want to worry him by telling him the pain I’ve been feeling. I know, I know.

I shouldn’t be hiding any of this from him. Faith has often threatened to tell him herself, but I always plead with her.

Today, however, my best-kept secret is getting blown up. I was preparing to meet with André when the sharp pains hit me again. 

“Amelia? Ame?” André’s voice called out as my office door creaked open.

Oh crap. André’s eyes widened as he rushed over to me, seeing me on the floor, curled up in a fetal position clenching my jaw, trying to hold back the pain from seeping out and reaching Stephen through our bond. 

“Girl, what’s wrong?” André questioned, kneeling next to me, trying to check if I was okay.

‘I… I don’t know. Please just give me a minute. It usually goes away.’ I pleaded through the link.

“What… this has happened before? Amelia… Why didn’t you tell someone? Does Stephen know?” André frowned, the worry evident in his eyes and tone.

‘No. Stephen… he doesn’t know. I’ll be fine. We both have duties to fulfill.’ I shook my head, feeling the tears start to escape.

“Oh, sweetie. Stephen’s first duty is to you. And you can’t tell me that cinnamon roll of a mate wouldn’t want to know you are in pain and do anything to make you feel better.” André tisked before his eyes glazed.

‘Don’t call for him! He’s not even in the capital. He’s at the university for classes.’ I quickly tried to protest. 

As I went to reach for André, I whimpered in pain, trying to suppress it.

This was the second-worst pain of my life. I know it’s not cheating pains because that’s totally different, and Stephen would never.

“What’s going on? What’s the emergency?” Alexander questioned as my office door opened.

It wasn’t Stephen that André called for. He called Beta Alexander, a doctor. 

“Holy shit. Amelia? What’s wrong?” Alexander asked, nudging André out of the way to start checking my vitals.

“She hasn’t told me. Just that this isn’t the first time, she’s had this pain.” André explained as he watched.

“Amelia, talk to me. How long has this been happening? Where is the pain centralized?” Alexander questioned.

‘On and off for… um, the last year. And in my abdomen.’ I confessed.

“A year? You’ve had this pain for a year? Hiding it not only from us but your mate?” André exclaimed.

I lowered my head because I felt terrible when he said it like that.

‘I just didn’t want to worry anyone. It… it goes away after a while.’ I sniffled, the tears rolling down my cheeks as the pain was worse than usual.

“I need to get you to the hospital. I have to get a better look and understanding of what’s happening.” Alexander sighed as he lifted me into his arms. 

I remember him carrying me out of my office, but things went black as the pain was too much to hold back. 

“What do you mean you have to operate immediately? What’s happening? Why is my mate even here?” I heard Stephen’s voice raising as he peppered someone with questions.

“She’s been hiding her illness for a year. From all of us. André found her collapsed in her office today.” Alexander answered in a calm voice.

“If I don’t operate, this pain will never stop and eventually could cause more damage. She has ovarian cysts on her left ovary, and if I don’t operate and remove the ovary, she could need a full hysterectomy.” Alexander insisted.

I sniffled, my vision blurred by the tears as Alexander and Stephen turned to look at me. Stephen hurried to my side, holding my hand.

“Amelia… I wish you’d told me you were in pain. You didn’t and shouldn’t have to face anything like this alone. That’s what I’m here for.” Stephen sighed, tears of his own welling in his cinnamon eyes as he kissed my knuckles.

‘I’m sorry. I just didn’t want to worry you. And we had so much going on….’ I frowned.

“I don’t want to be rude. But Amelia, you need the surgery. I can remove the affected ovary and save you from needing a hysterectomy.” Alexander interrupted.

‘If I have the surgery… what will be the chances that we could have children?’ I questioned, clutching Stephen’s hand.

I know how much he wants to be a dad someday. I don’t want to lose that chance. I want to be a mom just as much as Stephen wants to be a dad

“I’ll be real with you. I don’t like to sugarcoat or hold back information. What we are looking at right now will lower your chances of having a pup. But there is still a chance versus doing the hysterectomy. And otherwise, I can test an egg from the remaining ovary to ensure there are no underlying fertility issues.” Alexander explained

I sniffled and nodded. A chance is better than not at all. ‘Okay. Let’s do it then. The operation and the test.’ I agreed.

“It’s going to be okay. You’ll be okay.” Stephen promised, kissing me sweetly. 

It was a whirlwind after that. I was taken to an operating room and put under anesthesia while Alexander and other medical staff performed the surgery. 

Stephen and Ivan were both there when I woke up. Stephen got to me first, hugging and kissing me. 

“Please never keep something from me again. Especially something like this. When you hurt, I hurt. Don’t try to spare me from that.” Stephen sighed, stepping back and letting my brother hug me.  

“Secrets are bad.” Ivan nodded as he let me go. 

‘I’m sorry. I’ll be better in the future.’ I promised them both.

We had to wait a couple days before I could be discharged and before Alexander had news about my fertility. When he walked into my room, I knew it was terrible.

His lips were a thin line. I’ve noticed it’s his tell when he has to give bad news.

‘Just give it to us straight, Alexander.’ I nodded, steeling myself for the worst as I held Stephen’s hand for support. 

“First, you have healed and are recovering nicely. I recommend still taking it easy for a couple of weeks. Now for the bad news. To begin with, I did some digging to understand why you had the cysts.” Alexander started.

“Get to the point.” Ivan growled.

“What he means, Beta, is we appreciate you researching and ensuring you had all relevant information to best diagnose and help Amelia.” Stephen interrupted before Alexander could go off on my brother.

“The cysts and the resulting fertility issues we discovered in your remaining ovary all stem from one issue. Ignazio.” Alexander sighed.

“In the time before you and Stephen mated, the damage from him cheating on the mate bond took its toll. It’s what started the cysts, and from what I can determine from our tests, your chances of getting pregnant are much lower than anticipated. You may never conceive. I’m so sorry, Amelia.” Alexander frowned.

Even all this time later. Even from beyond the grave, that bastard is still ruining my life. I turned into Stephen’s embrace and let the tears fall freely. 

“It’ll be okay. We’ll be okay. As long as we have each other, we will be okay.” Stephen whispered as he hugged me, rubbing my back gently as I mourned the children, the family that we would never get to have.

I was excused from my duties as Gamma while I recovered from the surgery and the emotional bow life just dealt me. André is a very empathetic Alpha, that’s for sure. 

And I don’t just mean because he let me take time off. I mean because he flew Edith in from Bloodmoon.

I didn’t even know it until the curtains I had drawn to wallow in the dark were opened, and the bright sunshine hit my face.

“That’s enough laying in bed in the dark. Stephen tells me you’ve been depressed since the surgery and the news.” Edith sighed, sitting on the bed.

I frowned, looking at her. I wasn’t sure if I imagined she was here. 

“Alpha André sent for me. He thought you could use a mother.” Edith smiled as she gently stroked my hair.

“I know it hurts. That this is a blow for you, especially at your age. But this isn’t a death sentence. Beta Alexander said the chances were low, not impossible.” Edith smiled gently.

“Has Stephen ever told you Maxton and I had troubles having a baby?” she asked.

I blinked, shaking my head. I didn’t know they ever had issues having a baby. They have two beautiful children.

“I was twenty-three when I finally had Stephen. I met Maxton when I was sixteen as we were both from Bloodmoon. That’s seven years of trying and no baby.” She sighed.

“I had what my OB called primary ovarian insufficiency. I didn’t ovulate like most women. I was put on all these hormones and such to try and help. It still took years, but then Stephen came into this world and was our little wonder.” she smiled.

“And after that, I didn’t think or worry about getting pregnant because I had my pup. So I stopped taking the hormones. Then eight years later, the Goddess blessed us with Suzie. I know it feels like she’s abandoned you.” Edith sighed, smiling softly.

“The Goddess always has a plan. It’s sometimes hard to see or understand. But in those times when we question the path are the times she’s testing us. It’s her trying to guide us to our calling.” She encouraged me.

“As she took Lexia from Stephen, it tested him and Conway. But it put him on the path to finding you. Same as what you suffered from your ex-mate. It led you to my Stephen. And now you have each other. And a new test has presented itself for you to overcome together.” She sagely nodded.

‘I don’t think I can this time. Ignazio took my ability to talk, took away my parents, and now my chance to be a mother. How much more can the Goddess put me through?’ I started to sob.

Edith gently held me, rocking me in her embrace humming softly as she rubbed my back.

“I’m going to stay with you for a month. To be here for both of you. But you both need to rely on each other. It’s the only way you will find your way on this path and find why the Goddess sent you on it.” Edith kissed my head before letting me go back to sleep.

Slowly I started to spend less time in bed. Edith and Stephen are stubborn as they wouldn’t let me keep wallowing. I love them both for it, of course.

Edith was in the kitchen making dinner when someone knocked at our front door. I couldn’t imagine who’d be stopping in unannounced but went to go check. I frowned, opening the door and seeing no one.

‘Seriously, who ding-dong ditches the pack’s Gamma?’ I sighed, rolling my eyes about to step back inside.

‘Wait…’ Faith insisted, sniffing the air. I wasn’t sure what had caught her scent, but a tiny wail caught my attention. 

Looking down, I gasped. In a wicker basket swaddled in a lavender blanket was a baby. 

‘STEPHEN!!!!!” I shouted in the link as I bent and gently lifted the baby from the basket.

As soon as I had her securely in my arms, the baby stopped crying.

“Amelia? What’s wro… Is that a baby?” Stephen blinked, looking at the bundle in my arms.

‘There was a knock. I didn’t see anyone but Faith smelled something, and I heard the wail, and I swear the basket wasn’t there when I opened the door.’ I explained without looking away from the tiny face of the infant in my arms.

Judging by her size, she’s a newborn. I mean brand new. I could see bits of blood in her dark hair. 

“Holy sh… I mean, holy cow.” Stephen corrected himself to not cuss around the baby. 

“Is there a note or anything?” He questioned, picking up the basket and starting to sear the blankets used to cushion it for the baby.

“What’s going on out here? Oh, my Goddess!” Edit exclaimed as she saw me holding the baby.

“Ah-ha. There is a note.” Stephen exclaimed, holding up a piece of lined paper. 

“Well, what’s it say?” Edith insisted. 

“Gamma Amelia,

I am sorry to do this to her and to you. And it may be cruel to say this, but I didn’t want her. Her father was not my mate. I found my mate while pregnant. He rejected me, refusing to raise another man’s baby.

I am weak. My wolf was only an Omega. The rejection it’s killing me. She needs someone kind to love her. And I remember how kind you and Gamma Stephen are. How loving you are to each other.

She deserves a home like that. My parents won’t accept her. And her father… is human and wouldn’t accept what she is.

Please take care of her.”

I was blinking back tears as Stephen finished reading the letter. That poor girl. 

An unplanned pregnancy with a human boyfriend. A mate rejecting her for being pregnant. Parents shunning her for the same thing. And now, she’s dying from that rejection, and her last effort is to provide for her daughter.

“The Goddess always has a plan.” Edith smiled sadly as she looked out into the night. 

There was no sign of the mother. It was strange, but I couldn’t focus on anything but the bundle in my arms.

‘Amelia? What are you thinking?’ Stephen questioned, wrapping an arm around me.

I knew what I had to do. What we had to do.

Why the Goddess would take the chance to have a pup of my own from me. I was an orphan and unwanted girl saved by the love of Stephen. It was now time for us to pay that love forward.

‘We are keeping her.’ I declared. ‘Welcome to our family, Grace Edith Walterson.’ I smiled, stroking her cheek even if she couldn’t hear me.

“Welcome to the family, Grace Edith Walterson.” Stephen smiled, hugging me closer as he repeated what I’d said. At least he liked the name

Looking up, I saw Edith in tears. “It’s the most perfect name for my granddaughter.” She sniffled, coming over and hugging all of us.

Grace saved me that day. I never found her mother, but I planted a rose bush in an urn by the front door in honor of her. She and the Goddess gave my life new meaning with that sweet bundle on my doorstep.