Chapter Text
Six Years Later
Tonight, there was a party in Los Angeles.
Jean smiled at the scene playing out before him in the largest public square of his pack's home compound. It was a busy mass of people, mostly Sun Pack but with some visiting guests too, everyone chatting and laughing and twirling around the rowdy dance floor below a stage where musicians played. Steamers of cloth hung in lazy loops across the square, a canopy of color beneath the clear night's stars and brilliant moon. Warm torchlight illuminated even warmer smiles around endless tables of food and drink that had been prepared by all and enjoyed too.
It was the five-year anniversary of the remaking of the world and there were countless reasons to celebrate the day of their pack alpha's triumph that began the wave of that change. And oh, how glorious that new world had turned out to be.
One of those reasons barreled straight into Jean's legs.
"Papa! En haut! En haut!"
Jean smiled as he bent down to pick up the grinning toddler, nuzzling into his wild blond curls as his son did the same to his neck. Jacques wiggled with a small laugh before he leaned back and presented his prize.
"I picked this!" he cried, holding up a daisy with pride as his gray eyes shone.
"Did you?" Jean asked with a smirk, "And where did you pick it from?"
Jacques clamped his small mouth shut. He was a pest for the flower boxes adorning the storefronts around the square. But Jean didn't quite have the heart to scold him for it tonight, especially once Jacques tucked the small flower behind his father's ear.
"Pretty," the boy said.
"Merci, mon petit chou," Jean replied, kissing his youngest son's nose.
"Sorry, Uncle Jean. I swear, I tried to keep up with him but he's so fast for how short his legs are."
Jean looked aside to the preteen girl with a smile as she tucked herself beneath her father's arm. Andrew kissed his adopted daughter's hair as Neil gave her a teasing smile.
"No flower for me, Maggie?" Neil asked.
Maggie rolled her eyes playfully, "Flowers make you sneeze, Dad."
Neil shrugged, conceding the point, as Andrew asked her, "Where's your brother?"
"Ben's off chasing Cédric and Madeline somewhere," Maggie said, "I left him to watch the faster two when Jac took off."
Jean smiled at the thought of his twins terrorizing their poor older cousin. Brown-eyed and black-haired, covered in freckles and golden-skinned like their alpha father, the twins were spoiled rotten by their pack and their family but Cédric's and Madeline's cheerful joy was as infectious as much as their younger brother Jacques' was. The three of them were perfect pups as far as Jean was concerned, well-mannered and deeply empathetic though a touch too boisterous at times and often more daring than his heart could stand. Even then, Jean loved them more than words could say as he saw Jeremy's brave and caring heart shining through them.
"Speaking of taking off," Kevin said from Jean's other side as he carefully hitched Emma higher on his hip as she slept heavily against his shoulder, "I should get this one to bed. Aaron headed back with June ages ago." He leaned over to touch his cheek to Jean's in farewell, careful not to disturb his young daughter, as he said goodbye to the others too and that he would see them for lunch the next day.
"I think your sister is putting moves on our sister again," Neil said with his eyes on the dance floor ahead of them after Kevin walked away. Jean looked to find Alexandra twirling Robin expertly to the fast pace of the drums, Robin's head tilted back in a wild laugh as Alexandra grinned as widely as Jean had ever seen her do.
Jean shrugged, "It would not be the worst thing, though Alex can never stand to be away from the sea for long. A land-locked place like Hearthstone would be hard on her."
"Robin could come here," Andrew said.
"She could," Jean said, hoping he didn't completely show his thrill at the idea, "We will have to wait and see."
In the years since the end of the Raven War, the territories of the fallen United States had grown into something so unexpected and more wonderful than any of them could have hoped for when it all began on the night of Riko's demise. The Sun Pack had grown tremendously, outpacing the Californian compound's size and spilling into the surrounding land with new settlements founded by freed omegas (now that trafficking was a thing of the past) and those Ravens who were worthy of becoming Suns.
Those Ravens were few though as most remained under Renee's direction at the renamed castle fortress of Hearthstone as part of the new Phoenix Pack that rose from the ashes of the Ravens' end. It hadn't taken the pack alpha long to purify her ranks of those who'd willingly caused harm to others in that place. Today, Renee was known as a just and caring alpha (as was her beta second Dan), both of her Phoenixes and of the many Midwestern packs who pledged allegiance to her in the war's aftermath. She still officially controlled her pack in Jeremy's name but it was only a formality of war as the Phoenixes were something new and independent from the Suns in their own right.
The Phoenixes and Suns were both closely allied with the Foxes still as Wymack oversaw the entirety of the southern and southeastern coasts (while Renee controlled the northeast). The older pack alpha continued to take a more lax role to governing in comparison to the other leaders though. Kevin was well-known across the territories as his successor and their family knew of Wymack's decision to step down for his son to take the lead in the next few years.
Jean eyed Andrew subtly as the man talked with his daughter while Jean snuggled against Jacques resting peacefully in his arms as he swayed lightly to the music. It hadn't surprised him that Alpha Wesniski died by his hands. Andrew had sworn as much to Neil on the day he, Jeremy, and Kevin rode off to see the task done only a few weeks after Riko fell.
Neil had been livid to be left behind, both not to see his father's death in-person and to be neglected by the mate he'd bonded with just a couple of weeks before, but Jean had sat with him every day their mates were gone until they returned. (He too hadn't been thrilled by the idea of Jeremy's leaving to fight once more but he trusted his alpha to come back to him, as he always did.) Neil's frustration had been assuaged somewhat when Andrew returned with a bloody sack in-tow as he gifted his mate with Nathan's head. Poor Aaron had disinfected the kitchen table for a week after his twin's ghoulish gift rolled across it.
Wesniski's death crumbled the last of the Raven legacy, along with Tetsuji's immediate surrender afterward in the Old Capitol. No one shed a tear when the elderly beta's ship was declared lost at sea while he'd been traveling to Europe to live in exile.
Jacques began to wiggle, demanding to be let down, and Jean kissed his cheek before putting him gently to the ground. The three adults laughed as the toddler broke out in a dead sprint, as fast as his little chubby legs would allow (which, in Maggie's defense, was much quicker than one would expect someone of Jacques' age and size to be capable of), and Maggie shouted as she ran to catch up to him.
"I don't know how you keep up with them," Andrew muttered to Jean.
Jean smiled, "A lot of practice."
"You're gonna get more of it," Neil said, glancing at Jean's rounded stomach.
"Quite a bit more," Jean said.
Neil raised an eyebrow at that but Jean only replied with a wordless sly smile. He wasn't about to share his news with his friend before his mate knew. Their family would find out soon enough anyway (and Aaron had been sworn to secrecy earlier that day after confirming Jean's suspicions).
Jean looked back out onto the dance floor as Andrew and Neil fell into chatting beside him, searching for his mate out amongst their pack. He felt the little pinprick of Jeremy's light within him but it was impossible to see him through the crowd. Jean assumed Jeremy had been caught up in conversation with someone and would appear as soon as he could politely free himself from it. His alpha rarely left his side when Jean was so far along with pup, especially by choice.
Neil pulled Andrew onto the dance floor with a wicked grin as Jean laughed at the alpha's perturbed scowl, leaving Jean to stand alone for a moment. He rested his hand against his stomach with an unconscious soft touch as he took in the sights of so many happy faces.
The Sun Pack was stronger than ever before, the largest of the packs both in terms of population and territory. There was immense respect across the fallen United States for the Alpha-for-All and for his extraordinary omega mate, both of them known widely for the fantastical tales told about them and their fated bond.
At home though, they were simply Jeremy and Jean: the alpha who helped the ferals sent his way (the numbers of which continued to dwindle in this time of peace) and the omega who taught French at the schoolhouse between occasional stints at the greenhouses. They took their pups to the ocean when they could, going out onto the water in the restored boat Jeremy had gifted Jean for their one-year anniversary of mateship.
Jean still sketched and cooked family dinners. Jeremy still read every book he could find and took Sunbeam on wild chases through the fields. They both still hosted the Pack Council twice a year and the grandparents of their pups doted on them all excessively with every visit (including Emmeline's two boys who were at the house with Jean's three daily).
It was a good life. A happy and full one. Jean never went a day without thanking whatever force it was in the universe that gave it to him.
A familiar pair of calloused hands wrapped around Jean from behind and he leaned into the solid chest of his mate with a smile.
"There you are," Jean said as Jeremy pressed a kiss to his temple before scenting his cheek and neck with a contented purr.
"Sorry," Jeremy said, "Matheson caught me."
"Ah, that explains it then."
Jeremy stroked his thumbs across Jean's stomach, "Everybody doing okay over here?"
"Oui," Jean said, "though I would not mind a foot rub when we get home. I swear, mon alpha, these..." he caught himself quickly, "this is the last pup."
In truth, Jean didn't mind being pregnant but, well, they were about to be busier than ever before and he had a hard time imagining having more than five pups under the age of seven all at once. Five itself was a daunting number but Jean was glad for it, so very glad, as he knew he had the best partner by his side every day.
Jeremy nipped at his ear playfully and Jean felt his mate's amusement in their bond.
"You said that after Jac, mon amour," he said.
"Well, I mean it this time," Jean said, then hedged, "Probably."
Jeremy laughed loudly, pulling Jean closer at that, and Jean laughed too.
"Tell me when you decide then," Jeremy said, kissing his cheek, "Danse avec moi, chéri?"
"Oui, mon compagnon."
Jeremy took his hand, pressing a kiss atop it as he led him onto the dance floor. Thankfully the pace was slower than the frolicking romp of before and Jean snuggled into Jeremy's chest as he held him close around his neck and his alpha wrapped his arms around him. He caught sight of Neil and Andrew in the distance, then Emmeline and Patrick, Alexandra and Robin, Trevor and Caleb. Their large combined family, laughing and living the lives they had always deserved.
"Have you seen the pups recently?" Jeremy asked softly in Jean's ear, their cheeks pressed together as their shared ocean scent wafted peacefully between them.
"Ben is watching the twins and Jacques ran off with Maggie on his tail not long before you appeared," Jean said, "Little terrors, the lot of them. Like their alpha."
Jeremy chuckled, "And as beautiful and clever as their omega. Perfect in every single way, just as the next one will be." He pressed a soft kiss to the tender skin behind Jean's ear, "Less than two months, mon amour, and you will gift me with the blessing of a lifetime again."
Jean nearly giggled with the excitement at telling Jeremy that he would need to correct his singular to a plural (yet again) but he was determined to save the reveal for when they were alone that night. Instead, he leaned back and looked up at his mate. Jeremy's eyes sparkled with a love that was as vast and grand as the universe itself.
"You do not mind the labor pain of it?" Jean asked, raising an eyebrow.
Jeremy smiled in response, "Absolutely not. I want to share every single bit of life with you, sweetheart. Especially that, the life we made together."
He loved him. Jean loved Jeremy with a ferocity and a tenderness that he never would've thought himself capable of all those years ago. He loved him more every single day somehow, as impossible as that seemed in this moment as he pulled him close into a long devoted kiss.
A pair of small bodies jumbled the couple slightly as they crashed into their fathers' legs and wrapped tiny hands around them. The mates broke their kiss to look down at their pups, their twin miracles. Jeremy and Jean paused their dancing as the alpha bent down to take one pup in each arm and they held onto his neck tightly.
It was almost uncanny how the three of them all turned from scenting one another to look at their omega at the same time, brilliant smiles and freckled cheeks and shining brown eyes. Jean took in the picture of them for a moment, his heart full enough to burst, before he stepped forward too and wrapped his arms around them all.
Madeline kissed Jean's cheek and Cédric did the same, never willing to be outdone by his minutes-older sister (which Madeline loved to remind him of often).
"Does Daddy get a turn?" Jeremy asked, smiling as he looked between the two of them.
"I guess," Madeline allowed, making Jean chuckle.
"Just one," Cédric said, "Be fair, Daddy."
Jeremy laughed and looked to Jean. His eyes shone and his smile lit the night and he was everything, just as Jean was to him.
"Just one, mon amour," Jeremy said as he leaned closer.
Jean smiled as he met him halfway, "For now."
They would kiss long enough for the twins to complain and dance long enough for Jacques to find them with his exhausted cousin trailing behind. Hours later, the three pups would be tucked into their beds in the house that Jean still marveled at times to call his home as their fathers kissed their foreheads goodnight.
Soon too, in the silence of late night, Jeremy sat at the end of their own bed, rubbing lotion into Jean's swollen feet and ankles as his omega watched him with a small smile. He giggled at the ticklishness of Jeremy's kiss to his big toe as his alpha grinned up at him. It seemed like as good a time as any, Jean thought.
"I will need your help with the nursery tomorrow," Jean said.
Jeremy continued to watch his hands work over Jean's skin as he nodded, "Okay. What'd I forget to do?"
Jean chuckled at that. So far, through all three pregnancies, Jeremy had insisted on setting up the nursery himself while his mate watched from a comfortable chair and was told not to move a muscle.
"You did not forget anything, Jer," Jean said, "We simply need to switch out Jac's nest with the larger one."
"Sure, I can grab that from..."
Jeremy's touch stilled as his mind caught up with what Jean had said. His brown eyes were wide as he looked up at his omega.
"The larger one," Jeremy said slowly, "The nest for two pups."
"Yes." Jean's smile grew as he continued, "You know, the Knox propensity for twins is filling this house faster than I assumed we would. I hope you have the energy to keep up with five petits, mon coeur."
It was a miracle itself to watch Jeremy's face transform as his emotions catapulted through their bond. Love and adoration and wonder and joy. So bright, so full of color, so everlasting.
Jeremy laughed as he launched himself up the bed, gently taking Jean into his arms as he cradled his mate's face and kissed him. Jean smiled into the kiss, breathing both of them in, hearing the sounds of home around them and relishing the faint patter of two other heartbeats within him. He tried to pull Jeremy closer but his alpha stubbornly held himself aloft above him.
"Stop being silly," Jean said as they broke apart and he kissed the underside of Jeremy's jaw, "You have not crushed any of them yet."
Jeremy rumbled low in his throat, "Because I've been trying not to." He ducked down, cupping Jean's cheek as he kissed his forehead, "Thank you, sweetheart."
"For what?" Jean asked, looking up at him.
Jeremy stroked his thumb across Jean's cheek, "For everything you are, every single day. For loving me, for giving me our pups, for always being by my side. For being my home, for being mon tout." His eyes were wet and how they glittered in the candlelight, "I love you, Jean. All of me for all of you. Je suis à toi et tu es à moi. Pour toujours et toujours."
"Je t'aime, pour toujours et toujours, mon Jérémie. Not a single moment less," Jean said. He smiled teasingly, "Now, stop wasting that eternity and kiss me again."
Jeremy smiled back as he leaned down, "Anything for you, mon chér. Always."
Jean sank into their kiss. He was happy and safe and content. He had a home, a family, three pups who would soon enough be five and a mate who loved him more than life itself. It was every dream he'd ever had and it was real. It was warm sand and ocean breeze and polished leather. It was a brilliant blue fated bond humming in his chest with the kind of love that made for legends.
It was Jeremy and it was Jean. It was everything and it was them, as it would continue to be for countless years to come.
Pour toujours et toujours. Forever and always.
THE END.