Epilogue.

Eleven years into the future with a possible sequel, if enough people like the idea I have put forth in this chapter. I kind of started a new story line without meaning to, so let me know if a possible sequel sounds good to you. I have discovered that I am inspired by this story, I love the Lahote, Black and pack dynamics...It makes for an easy story to tell :) also Raven begged to have her character developed and I obliged. Lol. Also the name Joshua was not used because of the name's use as Joshua Uley, I used it because that is my son's name.

Warnings: Language/sexual references. Implied age gap relationship.

...

Raven Lahote runs through the thick trees that boarder the Reservation land. Her long legs fly faster than any human's could, as she pushes herself to full speed. Laughing out loud she grins at the boy racing along side her with wild delight.

She is anything but tame and mild. She is a Lahote and she lives up to her fathers name.

As she reaches a ravine she phases on the fly and leaps the wide gap as a wolf. Her massive paws touch down on the far side and she phases back, white fur giving way to tawny skin, she is still laughing. Naked now she races on as fast as she can go before diving into the deep pool of water behind her home.

'Cheat!' The boy above her calls, his wide grin spitting his face into a handsome picture of happiness even though he had had to run around the ravine and lost the race...again.

Raven giggles and wipes her long back hair back of her face with both hands as she treads water slowly.

'I never said I wouldn't phase!' She says her voice holding the sultry promise of womanly seductivness. At fourteen she has only just phased for the first time two weeks before. She loves the freedom and she loves her life. No fear dogs her steps to being the second female shifter in their history. Thanks to her father she was well prepared when the burning temper had finally hit and she had phased the first time with her fathers hand clasped tightly in hers until she could no longer hold it. Auntie Leah has been awesome too, she has long since become a likeable person, leaving her anger far behind when she had begun to date Embry. Being such a sunny, genuinely good guy, he had been an amazing influence on her and she was once again the woman she would have been if regret and anger hadn't dogged each footstep she took a decade before. Embry made her happy; he was her world now. She helped Raven as much as she could, preparing her at Paul's request for the day she would probably phase.

It had become apparent early on that Paul would be right. Raven had had all the characteristics of a would be shifter. And when she had begun burning hotter than a furnace on her fourteenth birthday, they had all been prepared. Sam was astonished the difference being informed had made, far from being scared. Raven had welcomed her new life.

Bella, her mom to all intents and purposes, had been there for her too. Raven loved Bella, she was an amazing woman and the person who had given her a home. She would never forget that and she would always be in debited to her new mommy, as she had called her as a child.

Her brother woops loudly before hitting the water like a bomb. Bella and Paul's son is just ten years old and as cock sure and full of shit as his father still is.

Raven stops and listens to a faint sound, only she can hear as he brother surfaces next to her.

'Joshua, mom wants us.' She says as she sets out for the bank, her strokes slow and measured.

Joshua Lahote follows grumbling under his breath.

'I hope it isnt chores!'

Raven laughs, she doesn't care. Home means so much to her she happily does what is expected of her.

With one exception.

She won't stay away from uncle Jake.

She doesn't understand why her parents get tense at his mention, or why they never visit with him as they do with all the other families on their Rez.

Raven loves her Uncle Jake and her favorite pass time is sitting in his garage watching him fix up cars with uncle Quil. It's a casual relaxed atmosphere that she loves.

She doesn't analyse it, being so young, but he is her favorite person besides her parents. She knows he isn't really her uncle, but the term is stuck on him none the less.

She thinks of him now as she races back home with her brother. She will go and visit him later today. She won't ask her parents, because when she does it always causes them to become uneasy.

Grandpa Charlie is coming for lunch today and Raven knows that it makes Bella happy when the whole family is together. Her father will be home soon from work, he finally has his own construction business in Port Angles. They still live in the same house only now its been extended and re furbished literally everywhere. Turns out that her father likes to indulge Bella and Bella wanted a bigger house.

Raven loves home, it is her safe haven and she has never lost the feeling that she is grateful to have it at all. Vague memories flit through her mind sometimes, of a blond woman who shouted a lot and whom she used to call momma, but those memories aren't pleasant so Raven doesn't think of them often.

Bella is who she remembers. The one who held her through countless nightmares and childhood illnesses, through good times and bad. Bella is her mother, not some vague shadowy figure called Charlotte.

Raven reaches the house and stops to pull on a shirt and shorts her parents had put for her under the porch. Josh is hard on her heels, his expression wistful as he watches her get dressed, he wishes he would phase too, but his father tells him it will happen when he is older. He can't wait for it.

The pack are his idols, he thinks they are so cool. They are all still there eleven years on, phasing constantly keeps them all young and none of them look any older than they did a decade before. Vampires are occasionally a problem but the pack always scare them off or take them down, so that the reservation is probably the safest place on the planet.

Sam is still alpha, Jacob had never wanted the responsibilities that came with the position so he turned it down as soon as Sam offered it to him. He had become very quiet and somewhat dark after the incident with Bella. He had asked her forgiveness and being Bella she had given it. But they were never as close as they had been before. Paul and Jacob never got along, but they made an effort at pack functions to be civil. The Lahotes were somewhat disturbed at first by their daughters quick and completely unexpected friendship with Jacob. He was her idol and because they could find no good reason to forbid it, they allowed the friendship to flourish.

But just recently tensions had begun to rise as Raven matured into a young woman. Her friendship with Jacob no longer seemed appropriate to her parents but Raven didn't understand why she couldn't hang out in Jakes garage just as she had done her entire childhood. Paul didn't know how to tell his daughter that Jacobs feelings for her were changing. It was there in his eyes every time he held her, which he often did, their casual intimacy was a normal thing around the pack. It was also there in the carefully avoided thoughts that were kept well hidden while they were phased. Paul just knew that Jacob was tempted by his beautiful daughter.

He knew it but he couldn't prove it.

Jacob of course denied it the one time he had confronted him about it.

Jake had scoffed at the innuendo and had asked how Paul could even think such a thing. She was his niece for all intent and purposes he had snarled.

But Paul could understand all too clearly how those lines would become blurred now, with Rae phasing and being a member of the pack. She was lovely, oval face, pouting lips and wide black eyes. Her hair was indeed raven in colour and her skin the colour of butter scotch. Add in pert young breasts and slender curves and you had a picture of teenage perfection.

Paul didn't like their friendship and neither did Bella, so they attempted to dail back on the visits Rae made to Jakes' Auto...which is exactly were she spent all her free time. It was an impossible situation and it teetered in the edge of a precipice.

'Hi Mom,' Rae said now as she ran into the kitchen where her mother was busy preparing the lunch. 'Need a hand?' She asked as she grabbed a bread roll off the counter and munched on it contentedly. Bella smiled at her and tucked her mahogany hair behind an ear as she stirred the huge pot of her now famous beef stew. The smells wafting around the kitchen were delicious and Raven felt her stomach rumble. Bella shook her head and replied; ' I just wanted you two home in time for lunch.'

Bella was now twenty nine years of age and was a equally lovely picture as her daughter. Their colouring vastly different and yet their looks similar. Still slender and curvy in the right places, her breasts were now fuller, which Paul loved and her hair was even longer than the waist length it had been, the curling ends reaching her buttocks.

Raven went to her now and wrapped an arm around her waist, leaning her head against her mom lovingly. 'Can I eat?' Rae joked with a cheeky smile, knowing the answer already but trying her luck none the less.

'No, Rae, we must wait for Grandad Charlie and Dad and the pack to arrive first. I wonder if I cooked enough?' Bella says as she absent minded strokes Ravens hair lovingly.

Raven looks at her in shock, 'You invited the pack too? Why? I thought it was just our family today?'

Bella grins at her and replies, 'Uncle Quil stopped by earlier to fetch stuff from your Dad and once he smelt the food he pretty much invited himself. And you know that he can't keep his mouth shut which means that the whole pack will be here in less than half an hour.'

Raven sighs dramatically and playfully holds her hand to her forehead. 'Oh no!' She cries in a falsetto voice, 'there will be none for me!'

Bella swats at her with the dish towel she holds and laughs as Raven dodges it and runs laughing from the kitchen. Ravens appetite hasn't decreased with the years, instead it has increased to such proportion that she is a good second to her father who can eat enough for four normal men.

Bella sighs happily as she stares out of the windows, the sound of a truck makes her eyes sparkle because she knows it's Paul. The lightning of her heart tells her without sounds that her love is close and she rejoices.

Their relationship is incredibly deep and they are joined as surely as if they were actually tied with chains. Their connection is so strong that they even give Sam and Emily a run for their money in the sappy department.

Her life is full and she is happy, Bella has no regrets. Paul is still all she wants. He is her everything. Their daughter and son are an added element to their love. Bella adores the children and she wishes she could have more, but it has never happened. For some reason she simply hasn't conceived again, definitely not for lack of trying.

Joshua sneakily leaves and rushes to his room, he has no wish to get roped in to washing dishes or sweeping the floor. He loves his parents but a boy of ten had little interest in household is excited now because he heard his mother say that the pack are coming to lunch. The highlight of his young life is when he can watch the pack and imagine that he is part of them. They even sometimes treat him as if he is, which makes him glow like a lighthouse.

He hears familiar voices and peaks out from his room into the deserted passage way and watches as his sister greets Quil, Embry, Leah and Jacob.

She hugs them all but doesn't let go of Jacob, so they walk a little way into the house with Jakes arm wrapped around Ravens slender waist casually. They make a nice picture together like that and Joshua likes seeing his sister so happy. Jacob is huge, he has grown at least another foot and now easily matches Paul's height. He is very muscular and ripped. His eyes are still somewhat angry and dark. It seems as if he has never forgotten what happened with Bella. The scar on one side of his neck is a stark reminder never to cross Paul. Now, with his arm slung around Paul's daughter, he looks happy and relaxed like he always is around her. Raven is the one good thing in his life and she means the world to him. He doesn't like to dwell on just how much she means to him.

'Are you going to work later, Uncle Jay?' Raven asks in a slightly hushed voice.

Jake grins at her and nods. 'Yup, you coming by chickadee? '

Ravens face lights up with one of her beautiful smiles that makes his heart beat faster than it should. 'Yes. Is that okay?'

Jake grins at her and she feels her body glow. 'You are always welcome where I am, Rae, you know that. So see you later?' He says.

They part with carefully practiced ease as soon as Paul opens the door and steps inside. Raven runs to her Dad and hugs him tightly, kissing him lightly on the nose.

His grin of welcome dies as his lupine nose smells the scent of Jacob all over his daughter.

His deadly eyes raise and focus on Jacob almost accusingly. 'Black.' He nods curtly before wrapping his arm around his daughter and taking her with him to go and greet his Bella.

Bella smiles widely and melts into her husband arms her arms locked around his neck with passion. Raven rolls her eyes and leave them to it as they kiss as if they haven't seen each other for a month instead of a few hours.

Secretly the children love seeing them so happy, but outwardly they are appropriately disgusted.

'Ew, get a room! ' Raven shouts as she leaves the kitchen to go and speak to Aunt Leah.

Paul smiles at Bella, slowly and sensuously before their lips meets in a deep reaffirming of their bond. Bella sighs loudly and melts onto Paul's chest, her face growing warm as memories of their early morning romp fills her mind.

God, her husband was just so good at so many things.

Paul felt the dangerous and addictive attraction he feels for his wife pour through him in a tidal wave and growled in appreciation as her fingers slid across his chest.

'My Bella.' He says simply as they part. He smacks her on the ass as he releases her and goes to talk to the rambunctious pack who where already mock fighting on their porch. Sam and Emily arrive then their hands entertwined and their faces serenely happy.

Soon everyone is there. Charlie arrives with Sue in tow. Their marriage, soon after Bella and Paul caused quite a stir. They are so in love, it makes Bella very happy to see her father so contented and well looked after.

Rene had a surprisingly hard time with accepting that Charlie had finally moved on. Bella had found herself angry at her mother at the time for wanting to keep Charlie mooning over her in the background while she had countless short relationships herself. But finally even that had been resolved and Rene had visited them a few times now.

Charlie and Sue lived in Forks in the same house that he had always been living in. But Sue brought to it a warmth and personality it had never had before.

...

As they all gathered around the long trestle table which they reserved for pack functions and the occasional family lunch, Bella caught Pauls eye and sighed in complete satisfaction. Life was good. They had each other and their children and that was truly all they needed. They would never be rich, just comfortably off and that was okay with them too.

Edward was a distant memory now, a memory of Bella's past. His voice had never spoken to her again once she and Paul had decided to be together. The Cullens had never come back to forks and for that the pack was grateful.

Paul watched Bella become misty eyed as she watched the children and the pack laugh and eat together. Charlie, now finally in the know about the pack was truly part of them. He grinned as they watched and leaned in to kiss Sue's cheek. Raven was talking animatedly with Leah and Embry about something, her face happy and glowing with youthful beauty.

Joshua was grinning like a Cheshire cat as he was playfully attacked by Quil who was doing his best to shove a carrot into his ear, he dodged the carrot and head butted Quil who was trying to hold him down. Some people never grew up, and Quil was one of them. Joshua caught his father eyes and his grin widened further still as Paul winked at his son.

'I love you.' Bella mouths as Paul looks her way again.

'I love you too.' He mouths back, leaning across the table to take her fingers in his. 'Thank you.' He adds.

Bella grows misty eyed and just nods.

Jacob watches the exchange with interest, he is long over Bella, the only thing that still hurts is his pride. He still dislikes Paul with a deep passion.

He won and Jacob doesn't like that.

Jacobs glance falls onto Raven and he feels the familiar tightening in his stomach as butterflies fill his insides at the smile she sends his way. Her eyes were already fixed onto his face before he looked at her.

The small girl he had treasured is no longer a child. She is a young woman and the attraction he feels for her is a dangerous thing. He knows he cannot have her, but it doesn't stop the desire that fills him each time she is near.

Paul will kill him this time, he knows it.

But somehow he doesn't care.

THE END.