Epilogue

Epilogue

Never in my life was I as shocked as I was now. In front of me, was Hayden who was on his knee.

With a ring.

"Reese Valentina Ford, no words can describe how much I love you. You're my world. When I rescued you three years ago, I was overjoyed. I was so happy. You're a gift from God, and like any other gift, I will treasure you.

We've been through the good and bad times, the break-ups and the fights, together. I wouldn't trade you for anything in the world. You're all I need, all I want. I couldn't have wished for anything better than to have you in my arms every single day.

I love you, Ree. Will you marry me?"

[ three years ago ]

It wasn't until I heard an intensely loud roar that rumbled through the house—hitting the room we were stuck in—that I finally recognised who they were and what was happening.

I felt my body flare up, involuntarily lunging my body to the front—pulling my arms forward with the chains holding me in place. I knew by now that my eyes had brightened up, flashing flecks of gold as my wolf awakened.

"Alpha!" I roared, however, it wasn't Jared that roared—

--It was Hayden.

I was praying that my pack was fine downstairs—both of them.

If anything happened to Lane, Jared and Mace, I would die—especially if something happened to Hayden.

"Reese!" I heard my name being called from behind the door, loud enough to echo through the halls. Nadine glanced at me, eyes slightly wide.

"Who the hell is that?" I chose to ignore her as my eyes pierced the door. I noticed in the corner of my eye that Nadine leaned slyly away from me with a sigh. "She didn't even try." She muttered.

Part of me felt for the girl, she had been trying endlessly trying to contact someone—to find help— and it ended up my pack coming instead of hers.

The noises had started to get louder, getting closer and closer with each second/

Suddenly, the door was bashed down by none other than Hayden.

"Hayden!"

"Reese!" Looking at him now, I didn't realise how I'd actually missed him in the past three months. His eyes were glassy with unshed tears. By my right—Nadine—I heard a quick 'ooh' of desire.

I growled at Nadine, angrily, making her stand down. She narrowed her eyes at me, which Hayden had growled at her for.

"I was only joking, don't get your knickers in a twist." She grumbled.

Hayden reached to rip the chains that were attaching me to the walls off.

"No!" But it was too late, he always made contact with the silver chains, immediately pulling back, hissing in pain. I let out an involuntary growl at the sight of my mate in pain; "Silver chains." I grumbled as I gestured to the burns on my wrists and ankles.

For a moment, Hayden's eyes blurred into black as he glanced down at my frying limbs—I could almost feel the rage emitting for his body.

Suddenly, the large body charged through the doorway.

It was Ron. Ron happened to be the first rogue I encountered, the rogue that Brock and I caught choking Emilie from his ghastly large hands and he was the rogue that kidnapped me.

Throughout the months, we managed to learn his name by casually hearing in the wind while he was in the room with us.

"Back the hell away from the little she-wolves," He growled, however, Hayden paid no attention to his threat as he turned his head slightly to see the rogue, baring his teeth as he growled. "Or I'll have to shoot them."

Everyone had widened eyes as they watched Ron on the other side of the room.

What kind of wolf uses something as human as a gun?

"Tell your pack to retreat, or I shoot," Hayden growled lowly, slowly stepping closer to Ron.

"You wouldn't dare." He snarled, his claws elongating from his nail beds and despite not being able to see his face, I knew his fangs were out to play.

"Try me, Alpha boy." Ron laughed dryly and instantly Hayden jumped off his legs, launching himself towards Ron's direction.

Before Hayden made contact, there was a gunshot that sounded through the entire room causing everything to almost stand completely still.

For a moment, I thought I was dead—instantly looking down to see if I had been shot. Hayden spun around, eyes wide as he was quick to scan me.

However, it turned out Ron didn't shoot me—he shot Nadine.

"Oh my god," Jenny gasped, the she-wolf forgotten in the background. I gasped, looking beside me to see Nadine collapse over herself, blood quick to cover the floor underneath her.

Hayden roared loudly, turning sharply on his feet and charging into Ron—who dropped his gun from the impact, disregarding the weapon in the far corner of the room.

They were fighting for some time, and when it looked like Hayden had the upper-hand on Ron, the foul rogue levelled the playing field and got the upper-hand over Hayden. While Hayden was stronger and faster than the rogue, there was no doubt that the man was huge and he used it to his advantage.

Watching someone attack my mate angered me, I wanted to help—and that's why I realised I could help.

Hayden's roar had woken my wolf up, the rush had managed to drain out the wolfsbane that the rogues would inject into us every four hours or so. I felt my strength coming back as I watched Hayden and Ron brawl—my wolf's anger building with each blow to Hayden.

"Ron!" I snarled loudly, grabbing his attention. At that moment, he looked over to me—forgetting Hayden for a brief second and I used that time to pull at the chains with my wrists and in a swift and sharp movement I yanked the chains off the wall, the silver still clinging to my wrists.

I managed to successfully distract Ron—his eyes wide as he watched me rip from the chains, baring my teeth at him as I growled—that Hayden had been able to get behind of Ron and successfully snapping his name.

I pulled the chains from my ankles out of the wall, and the proceeded to rip Jenny's chains out of the wall as well—the burning of the silver numbed due to being chained to him for so long, the wolf within me barely feeling the sting.

As soon as Jenny was free, Hayden had grabbed me and thrown his arms around me tight as if I might disappear if he let go.

"I'm so happy we found you," He choked out, his head nuzzled in my neck as my scent managed to calm down his wolf. "Never leave me again."

I didn't plan on it.

[ present-day ]

That same day I was sent to the pack doctor to ensure that there was no permanent damage to my wolf. While there, the pack doctor noticed some irregularity—it had turned out that I had unintentionally bottled out anger for years and all of it, along with stress and pain, ended up bursting out and became too much for me when Hayden had come to the packhouse with the rest of the Midnight Forrest pack.

This caused my eyes to blur to red; it was the rage bubbling over inside of me.

Ever since then I had not experienced it, however, I always worry when I close my eyes that the next time I open them—all I see is red.

"—I love you so much, Reese. Will you marry me?"

I stared down at Hayden who was on one knee, a ring in his hands as he proposed to me and I caught myself thinking about the past three years—and honestly, he made it the best three years of my life. He always treated me like a queen, almost like he was continuously trying to make up for your disaster of a beginning.

A smile crept on my face as I looked upon the wolf in front of me, making my decision almost instantly.

"Yes, of course, I will marry you." It was safe to say—

--he had definitely made his redemption.