One year later...

Contact with my parents had slowly increased over this year, but I still hadn't seen them in person since I'd turned. Had it really been a whole year? The July heat confirmed my thoughts. I'm sure they knew about me being a wolf, but in our brief phone conversations we stuck to topics like the weather, my art, and my dad's business. Most recently, the conversations had turned to my mother's surprise pregnancy at age 41, and preparing my old room to be a nursery for baby Noah.

Subject: Exciting News & Invitations

Dear Mom and Dad,

I hope the nursery is coming along nicely, and would love pictures when it's finished. I made a painting for Noah's room. It's being sent in the mail, safely rolled up.

In other news... an art gallery reached out to me and asked to showcase my pieces! I'd love it if you both could come to the event.

Luna is so big now! I've also attached a picture of Dakota and I with her on a hike. I can't wait for you guys to officially meet him as my boyfriend, and to meet Luna.

Your daughter,

Summer

Before I hit 'send', my phone rang. Dakota's picture showed on my screen, and I couldn't help but grin at the goofy smile. I picked up

"Hello?"

Dakota said, with a tone in his voice that I couldn't quite interpret, "Meet me at the dock."

I replied, confused "You're back already? I thought--"

he cut me off, now with excitement in his voice

"I'm back early. Come to me, love"

I sent my email and slipped into my sandals, heading toward the dock.

As I headed out of the house, I saw his shape, far on the dock, against the brilliant orange and pinks of the setting sun. He waved at me, and I waved back, shouting from the front door as I closed it behind me

"I thought you were at a vet seminar in Boston! What are you up to, my wild man?"

Then I saw Amber and Ivy. They were sitting at the table on the porch. I cocked my head

"Hey guys-- what are you doing here?"

They grinned, looking all silly and Ivy shrugged

"We've been told to give you these"

They held out a large bowl of wild berries to me. I squinted at them quizzically but took the berries and plucked a little note rolled up in the middle of the pile. It read "Nights spent on the dock with you are sweeter than the wild berries we shared a year ago when we played truth or dare -D.". I walked down the steps of the porch to find Fox, who was just beyond the porch, with Jace. My eyebrows raised "Um... What is going on?"

They both shrugged with smirks on their boyish faces. Jace, holding an old CD player, turned it on and the song that I jokingly sang to Dakota blasted. Jace turned it down, and Fox handed me another rolled up note. This one simply said

"This was the first song I heard you sing. It was beautiful. You're beautiful. - D."

I looked back up at the boys

"Guys, seriously. What's going on here? Is... Is Dakota going to..."

I couldn't finish that. My throat got choked up, my mind with it. I just started walking forward again, seeing his shape still, in the distance. I needed to get to Dakota... but Nia, Sofia and her daughters came up to me next. Were they hiding behind trees this whole time? And... what were they holding?

Sofia had her hands on a large, blank canvas. Nia held a pallet of oil paints and several brushes. One of the little girls held a note. I only realized that I was crying after I put my hands to my face. The little girl handed the note to me. It read

"Let's paint a beautiful life together. I couldn't think of a better artist to color it with. - D."

I looked into Nia's eyes, and she simply winked at me. I whispered to her in disbelief

"What's going on?"

And she hugged me and whispered back excitedly

"Go to your man!"

I was almost at the dock... when the last people I expected to see appeared, from out behind the last tree. I gasped, and nearly jumped back

"Mom? Dad?"

They were grinning at me. My mom cradled her large belly and my dad held out a bouquet of flowers. I hugged them both. I wanted to say something, but I didn't know what. My mom leaned close and encouraged me

"Go on, Summer. Go to him."

I nodded, giving her a bewildered smile. There he was, and as I stepped foot on the dock, I knew I was living one of life's absolutely perfect moments. Nothing could have prepared me for the way Dakota looked at me, though. I could never be prepared, but each day it seemed the look of love in his eyes grew. My heart leapt within my chest as I opened my mouth to speak, only, I was at a loss for words. Finally I said

"You put this all together?"

The woven picnic blanket was set down, there were candles in glass jars, he had brought his guitar, and there was even pink champagne-- my favorite. He nodded, and moved toward me, taking the flowers and bowl of berries to set on the ground. After bending down, he did not get up, but instead positioned one knee onto the picnic blanket, and the other aiming towards me. He looked up into my eyes intently, and asked

"Summer Nora Wolfe, I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Will you marry me?"

He pulled a ring out of his pocket. It looked like a full-moon, and was fitting for our love story...

The feeling of butterflies rose from my stomach to my heart, and I answered, "Yes-- yes, of course!"

The ring slipped onto my finger. The band was slightly loose, but we'd take care of those details later. I never wanted to take it off. He stood and pulled me into his arms, spinning me in a circle with him. The gathered crowd of friends and family cheered at the base of the dock holding sparklers in the night.

As my lips met Dakota's, bright, stunning fireworks shot off high into the sky. Brilliant pinks, yellows, and blues filled the air, and we looked up together, watching the crackling, twinkling lights trickle down from their heights in the sky.

This wasn't "The End", because it was just our beginning.