Time's Daughter (29 page)

Then my life could truly be perfect.

EPILOGUE

Mom valiantly tried to hide her grin when we
stepped into the Chattan family’s dining room. She never ceased to
amaze me with how accepting she was of all things weird and
unusual. Though she’d gaped for a few seconds when I’d told her
that my boyfriend was a shapeshifting panther, she’d nevertheless
treated him and the whole Chattan clan with her usual warmth. That
had made the remainder of the documentary a whole lot
easier.

The past eight months had been lucky. I suspected
that had a little something to do with the black-haired individuals
seated at the dinner table.

Anna started around the wooden obstacle so she could
give my mother a large hug. The two women retreated into the large
kitchen. They returned carrying the remaining dinner dishes while
chatting animatedly about a new recipe Anna had tried.

Since the documentary had wrapped we’d been able to
pay off all of my mom’s medical bills and set aside a little
savings for the future. It had helped that Anna had secured my mom
a better paying job with a law office that had recently done a
redecoration. She now made enough money to only work one job and
that one job made her far happier than the two she’d worked
previously.

To top it off, two months ago Arthur had found us a
beautiful condominium off the lake on the edge of suburbia. It had
one of the Chattan clan’s complex electrical systems installed. We
were still trying to understand how it all worked. Best of all, it
didn’t have a single camera. We were thrilled about that.

Alex stood so he could pull out the seat beside him
like a regular gentleman. His smile was sweet and gorgeous as he
gazed across the room at me. I tried not to give in to the urge to
rush to him for a hug. I had news he was going to want to hear
first.

His eyebrows lifted questioningly when I tugged a
thick envelope from my purse. I waved it around playfully for him
to see.

“
I have news,” I said, barely able
to keep my voice steady.

Abby spoke up with a wry delivery, “Is it about the
new Zelda game?”

I turned the envelope around, showing Alex the
castle-like logo of Eastern Illinois University on the front. “I
got in.”

Alex’s eyes rolled. “Duh.”

“
And
I got a full
ride.”

This time his response was wordless. I couldn’t help
but grin when his mouth went slack.

It was Drew who shot up and gave me a large hug
first. “Congratulations, Aeon!” Ruffling my hair, Alex’s brother
added, “You’re one step closer to becoming a panther.”

Arthur got to his feet to join in the well wishing.
“She’s already part of Clan Chattan. She’ll always be an honorary
panther.”

“
Honorary panther?” Anna queried on
her way back into the room, carrying bowls brimming with vegetables
and my mom trailing behind her shoulder.

“
Aeon got a full ride to Eastern
Illinois,” Abby explained.

“
Oh, Aeon, that’s wonderful
news!”

I nodded eagerly as I made my way around the table
to where my boyfriend still stood gaping. His lack of a response
made me a little uncertain. Did he want to go away to Illinois
together next year? Or had he hoped to get rid of me when we
graduated?

“
Looks like you’ll have to wait
another four years to get rid of me,” I joked.

“
You’re part of Clan Chattan,” Alex
said. He stepped forward until he was inches from me. He set his
hands to my shoulders, lowering his head just enough until we were
eye-to-eye. “You’re an honorary panther. And once we’re of age I’ll
ask you to be my mate now and forever.”

My cheeks flushed warm because I knew this mate
business was
serious
. Nonetheless I found myself smiling.
“And once we’re of age I’ll accept you as my mate now and
forever.”

The declaration began a torrent of hugs and happy
exclamations. I had little doubt that this was the beginning of a
beautiful life.

<<<>>>

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