She was in a meadow, a place full of spring and colors, hidden deep in the woods. Tall, imposing mountains stood around the place, securing it from unwanted visitors.

"Little Heaven" was its name, and everyone had accepted it after her proposal.

She was lying on the ground, her fingertips brushing the fresh grass and her eyes looking at the crystal blue sky. Her hair was cut in a long bob, its edges barely touching her shoulders.

Hearing the distant voices and cries of joy, a pleased smile formed on her lips.

"We are going to regret this. I warned Alex about this, but he didn't listen to me. He doesn't understand that when our kids exercise so much, they don't get tired but more excited and less cooperative. I told him that he's responsible for tucking them to bed."

The young woman lied breathless beside Laurel and tried to steady her breathing.

"We promised them a small excursion, so we had to keep our word. I suppose you want the future Beta to be a man of his word," she teased her.

"Whatever," she answered at the loss of a smart answer.

They turned their heads and looked at each other.

Their grins were huge, and one had to look very carefully to notice the small shadow of sadness deep inside their eyes.

"I talked to Lucy. She's in love with Paris. Tim is the best teacher, and she said he has taught her a lot of things. Can you believe it? Soon the whole world will read my sister's articles. Tim says she's a natural, but we don't tell her that."

Liz put her finger in front of her lips, attempting to promise that she would keep the secret. They both knew that Tim was their greatest fear: he was one of those people who could never keep a secret.

"Mom, look! It's a primrose!" A three-year-old girl with golden, braided hair appeared, holding the flower in her hands.

The two women raised their backs to see the girl, and Liz took her daughter's flower in her hands.

"It's beautiful, Ava, but your aunt won't be so pleased."

Laurel was giving the little girl a disapproving, yet warm look.

"Didn't we agree that we don't cut flowers, little bird? This is our home, and we must preserve it. I know you meant no harm and that you are a smart girl. That's why you won't do that again."

Ava lowered her eyes and put her clasped hands in front of her.

"Yes, auntie. You are right. I won't do that again."

Laurel opened her arms, and the girl ran into them.

"Ava, be careful. The baby might get hurt," her mother said.

"Ava knows how to take care of her cousin. Even if she hasn't met him yet."

Laurel put her hand over her huge belly, and Ava smiled in agreement.

"Go to your father and uncle."

"They don't want me." Ava pouted her lips and put her hands in front of her chest. "Aurora and Andrew say they can't play with me because I'm too young."

Laurel laughed. "They are only three years older."

"Exactly!" Ava responded but finally left when her father called her.

"I wonder from whom she got her attitude." Laurel continued laughing when Liz's eyes narrowed threateningly.

"I forgot to tell you. Chloe called from Japan. Tyler is learning some new techniques with Max, and little Zachie has sleep troubles."

A hint of darkness filled Laurel's eyes but shook it away by looking at her husband and their daughter.

Chloe was crying for days after Zach's death, and naming her son after him was her way of honoring him. Four years after his death, when Chloe felt the first kick from her baby, she knew his name, and everyone thought it was beautiful. Their Zach was gone, but his spirit and the memories they had shared would stay with them forever. Hopefully, the almost two-year-old boy would have the smartness and the sweetness of his lost uncle.

"I still have a few nightmares. I can't shake away his image in the hospital. I feared that he would never meet our son, and it was getting harder after every lost week."

Laurel wiped away the tear from her sister's cheek.

"I wish I was stronger to wake him up faster."

"No. Aurora was our priority. She was our light, and you and James had to be sure that she would survive. I just wish that Alex hadn't lost half of my pregnancy by being in a coma."

They hugged tightly as they had done thousands of times during the last seven years. Laurel was the sister Liz always wanted, and Liz was the anchor of peace and love.

During the battle, Alex's spine was cut severely, and a serious injury in his brain kept him in a coma for nearly four months.

When Laurel returned from Irkalla, she used the last energy of the necklace to keep her baby alive. James was standing over her after hearing Sara's terrified cries. She used him to keep herself alive long enough to reach the hospital, where she stayed in bed for two weeks.

The doctors were surprised by her condition. Most of the bones in her body were broken, and the internal bleeding was so vast that the surgery lasted almost a day. However, both mother and baby were saved.

Laurel couldn't do any magic for a couple of months. The spell she had cast on her mother but worked on her cost her a lot. Thankfully, Ada visited her every day, bringing herbs and potions to help her get stronger.

Alex called his mate, and Liz stood up and ran to her kids.

Laurel put her hand on her neck where a silver, rectangle pendant was hanging.

A memory brightened her mind at the thought of Asher. He was the only reason that she disobeyed the doctors' advice and left her house. Seeing his mother at his funeral was devastating, but at least she thought that her son died a hero, protecting an innocent girl from a criminal.

Keeping her tears from falling, she remembered his last words.

"Smile."

It wasn't easy, but it was getting easier.

"Hey, love. Lena is calling."

James stood over her, his height covering the sun, and yet, she felt that she was in the brightest place in the world.

He handed her the phone, and Laurel answered the video call, as her daughter's voice was calling her father to run with her.

Laurel nodded to James and focused on the beautiful woman on the screen.

"Your friend is crazy. Do you know that?" she said before Laurel had the chance to greet her.

"I'm not. She is. And she won't accept that I'm right. I've told her millions of times to change the pack's training program, and now she blames me because some people are complaining of the tough schedule." Thomas had taken the phone from Lena's hands and was holding it high in the air, while Lena was jumping behind him to reach it.

"You are both crazy, okay?" Laurel shook her head in disbelief.

When Lena offered Thomas a place in her pack, he was hesitant. He couldn't find a reason to live, but Lena had convinced him that training young werewolves would do some good to this damaged world. He agreed a few months later but left for Russia only after Laurel gave birth to Aurora.

"How's our niece? I hope James isn't spoiling her a lot."

"Not more than usual." All three of them laughed because they knew that Aurora was the weakest spot of the powerful Alpha.

After the battle, every sane werewolf accepted his authority, and he and Laurel were ruling over many councils and packs. However, the moment Aurora appeared in his vision, everyone else stopped existing.

"And how's little Asher Ethan Creed Campbell?" Lena asked.

"Will you keep calling him that? He's an unborn baby. His parents are going to call him Asher. How many times do I have to explain that Ethan is only an honorable name? See what I'm dealing with?" Thomas had a hopeless look on his face.

"Asher is fine. He can't wait to be born. He's been giving me a hard time when standing. Sara has already bought every clothing he'll need for the first three months of his life. She doesn't want her godson to be naked."

Sara was the first one to know the baby's name, and that was probably her happiest moment if one excludes the moment she took an award for her work in her chosen field. Werewolves had a small ceremony after the baby was born that resembled the Christians' baptism. Sara wanted to have a title except for "aunt," so they chose the godmother and godson terms.

"I miss you guys," she murmured after a little chit-chat. "I promise we will visit as soon as the doctors allow such a big trip."

"We love you, Laurel."

The call ended, and Laurel stood up with a little effort. Liz and Alex were kissing while Andrew and Ava made annoying sounds seeing the terrible act of their parents.

And then she looked at her mate. His strong arms were holding their daughter, and she was laughing uncontrollably. Her little face lit up with excitement and adoration when he kissed her forehead.

She caressed her belly and stared at them for a few seconds, trying to capture the image and save it in her mind forever.

It was difficult to wake up every day. She had lived in a decade that others wouldn't live in an entire life. Her people were lost, hurt, betrayed, and dead. But never gone. They were always in her memory and her heart. Their sacrifices were worth every single breath and moment of joy she and her family enjoyed the last seven years.

Every morning she would look at the sky and promise that it was a beautiful day to smile. Then, she would look at the mirror and her eyes. A few times there was darkness, and fear would appear, shaking her body. However, James's familiar scent would bring her back, and his spring, green eyes would tell her that she wasn't alone.

She didn't know what the future would bring, but her present was a gift earned with battle and sacrifice.

"Mom, let's play," Aurora said and took her hand.

Laurel looked at her hazel eyes.

"Yes, my love. Let's play."

After all, life was a game. Sometimes cruel, sometimes joyous but always worth every fight and every hope.

THE END