Forbidden by Liliana Carlisle

EPILOGUE

AMELIA

“You’re not going to believe this,” Lucy says, sitting behind her desk.

As soon as I could, I requested Lucy as my physician. She jumped at the chance.

“What happened to you was so rare that I didn’t even think it was possible,” she says, as I sit in her office. “You are literally one case of about ten in the world.”

I raise an eyebrow. “Damn,” I murmur. “So, what does that mean?”

“Well, for one thing, you’re going to have medical journals bothering you nonstop.” She rolls her eyes. “But, in every other case, the Betas had the same symptoms as you before they presented later in life.”

I gasp. “The headaches?”

“Not just the headaches, Amelia,” Lucy leans forward in her chair, grinning. “The fatigue. The fainting. Everything you had.”

“Wow,” I breathe.

But Lucy doesn’t stop smiling, a knowing look on her face.

“What?” I finally ask her, fighting a smile myself.

“All the symptoms disappeared once they presented.”

My eyes widen. “You mean—”

“All of them. After their first Heat. Have you had any symptoms since then?”

I think about the last few days and how I’ve recovered. The only injuries I have are minor bruising, and the headaches…

Gone.

I sleep better now, with Jakob by my side. There’s been no nausea after meals. I’ve had more energy in the past few days.

I feel…relatively normal.

“No, I haven’t,” I say cautiously.

Lucy’s eyes light up. “It’s too early to tell for sure, but there’s a large chance the symptoms are gone permanently.”

I release a breath I didn’t realize I was holding.

“Is it just from presenting?” I ask, not believing what she’s saying.

“The research shows it’s actually once the mating bite is complete.”

Jakob. It’s because of Jakob.

“You were always an Omega,” Lucy continues. “Your body was rejecting the Beta hormones you were producing.”

It feels like a weight has been lifted off my chest.

No more headaches, nausea, or endless fatigue.

“I can have a normal life,” I whisper, tears filling my eyes.

She nods. “That’s the goal. I can’t tell you how happy I am for you,” she says, then pauses. “And Jakob.”

Her eyes flash for a moment, but she does a good job of hiding it.

“You’re still angry with him,” I say softly.

She sighs. “He’s your mate,” she says. “He’s family, now. But…I can’t forget those days, Amelia. After he left you.”

“And you shouldn’t.” Jakob stands in the doorway of her office, surprising us both.

Lucy swallows, and I see the flash of fear in her eyes before she hides it with a frown. “Hello, Jakob.”

“Hello, Doctor Porter.”

His eyes are kind, offering a sort of peace offering as he sits down in the chair next to me. “I don’t expect you to forgive me,” he says, and Lucy narrows her eyes at him. “And you shouldn’t. But maybe one day you’ll see my only goal is to make Amelia happy.”

He lays a possessive hand on my thigh, and I can’t help but smile.

Lucy gives him a small nod. “That’s all that I want for her, too. Make her happy, and there will be no problems.”

Then he gives her my favorite smirk. “Looks like we’re problem free, then.”

She rolls her eyes. “Right,” she murmurs. I stifle a laugh.

Then, her face turns serious. “But really, Amelia,” she continues. “You’re a medical miracle. I really think you finally have your life back.”

She has the papers to prove it.

Jakob squeezes my hand, and all is right in the world.

* * *

JAKOB

It’s been two months since Russia.

The Saviors have scurried back into their hiding places, lying low.

There’s a Russian division of Collectors now, working in tandem with their government.

We’re on the right track.

And Amelia is healthier than ever.

She attends counseling and works closely with Aria at the Center. Lucy is slowly coming around to me, and I’ve managed to make her smile a few times.

I cradle Amelia in my arms as we spoon, replaying our last doctor’s visit in my mind.

Lucy was right about Amelia’s illness.

It’s all but disappeared completely.

There’s an energy to her that wasn’t there before, a sparkle in her eyes I’ve never seen.

And I fucking love every bit of it.

“There’s so much I want to do,” she says, sighing against my embrace. “I want to see the world, Jakob. I feel like I can finally have a normal life.”

“We’ll go anywhere you want,” I promise. “Name it, Princess. I’ll take you to the fucking moon if you want.”

She giggles against my chest, and I kiss the top of her head.

My hand roams over her breasts and stomach, and she sighs contentedly.

“What are you thinking about?” she murmurs after a long moment of silence.

“You,” I murmur. “What else?”

Truth be told, I’m thinking about the ring that’s sitting in the bottom corner of the dresser, the velvet box buried behind a pair of mismatched socks.

I’ve rehearsed the words in my head.

Now I just have to ask her.

Amelia Chambers.

It has a nice ring to it.

But for the moment, she’s in my arms, and it’s enough.

She’ll always be enough.