45

Chapter 17: Forever is Real ( Final Chapter)

One year later.

Chen's Coffee sign was gone.

New sign, gold letters, hand-painted by pigtail girl from Boston pack:

*LUNA'S - COFFEE FOR HUMANS AND WOLVES - OAT MILK ALWAYS*

Inside, same wobbly table, but bigger. Second floor now pack kids homework area. Third floor - Ethan's office, because he said "If Luna works here, King works here."

Ava worked here. Not because she had to. Because she wanted to. Three days a week, 10 AM to 2 PM, in apron that said LUNA, making drinks, while pack mothers watched register and Maya managed.

Today, she was 6 months pregnant.

Human pregnant. With half-wolf baby. Doctor - werewolf doctor - said baby has amber eyes already on ultrasound, kicking strong like Alpha.

Ethan was terrified. And obsessed.

"Are you sitting? You should sit," he said, for 10th time this morning, hand on her belly over apron.

"I'm making latte, Ethan," Ava said, laughing. "I'm pregnant, not broken. Goddess said baby is strong."

"Goddess also said you howl badly," Ethan said, serious. "I don't trust her taste."

Ava threw foam at him. He caught it, licked, made face.

"Still bad at coffee," she teased.

"I learned!" Ethan protested. "I make oat milk latte now!"

"You make black coffee and add oat milk after. That's not latte."

"It is love latte," he said, kissing her belly, making baby kick.

Bell jingled. Dad and mom walked in, with Boston Rosa, with Marcus and Maya - who were now dating, pack gossip - with Mr. Chen, who was retired but came daily for free coffee.

And with little pigtail girl, now 6, who climbed onto stool.

"Luna, can baby ride wolf like you?" she asked.

Ava crouched, with help, hand on belly.

"When baby is bigger, yes. And you can teach baby to howl right, because I still howl wrong."

"I teach!" girl said, howling perfect. Baby kicked hard, as if answering.

Ethan watched from behind counter, in apron too, that said ALPHA'S b***h - Maya made it as joke, he wore proud - and felt something he hadn't felt before crash: peace.

Not cold penthouse peace. Warm coffee shop peace. Family peace.

One year ago he bought vineyard for wedding. Now he owned coffee shop chain - Luna's - 12 locations, all with oat milk, all with pack kids homework area, all with sign: HUMANS WELCOME.

One year ago he offered $100k for fake girlfriend.

Now he had real wife, real Luna, real baby, real pack that loved human coffee.

Ava waddled to him, bump between them, and whispered, "What are you thinking, Alpha King?"

"Thinking contract was best bad decision I ever made," Ethan whispered back, hand on bump. "Thinking 30 days was not enough. Thinking forever - "

"Forever is real," Ava finished, their line now.

"Forever is real," Ethan repeated, kissing her, forehead, nose, mouth, while coffee shop - humans and wolves - clapped, used to it.

Outside, New York kept moving. Billionaires, baristas, wolves in suits.

Inside Luna's, oat milk steamed, baby kicked, pack howled softly happy, and human Luna who once thought she was not enough was more than enough.

She was Luna. Wife. Barista. Mom soon. Goddess-marked.

And she still made terrible howl.

"Awooo?" she howled, loud, bad.

Baby kicked. Ethan howled back, perfect, then added bad howl to match hers, on purpose.

All pack joined, howling badly together, for Luna, because love sometimes sounds terrible and perfect at the same time.

THE END