Fallon POVBruce and I step out of the hotel onto Royal Street. We are in the heart of the French Quarter. The music is coming at us from all directions. There are street performers dancing up the street. I have never seen so many different types of people. I watch them for a moment taking all of it into my soul. People are dressed in costumes, posing in the streets for tourists. I understand why people come here. As we walk down the street toward the little magic shop, I close my eyes for a moment and let my heart listen to the music. I am in heaven. "It's beautiful. I cannot believe what I am hearing and seeing," I say.Bruce stops. "Not as beautiful as you," he says. He touches my chin and gives me a half smile. I smile. I have been in New Orleans for maybe an hour, and I already feel peaceful and at home. The noise doesn't bother me. Bruce stops in front of a storefront that is boarded up and closed. His expression drops from happy to upset. "This is it. But there is nothing h
Fallon POVBruce and I leave the Z brothers and the little magic shop. I do not feel like I know any more now than I did when I left home, but I have a book with my family history. I guess that is something. Maybe there is something in this book to help me sort out my past."You okay?" Bruce asks me.I look up at his blonde hair blowing in the wind. The wind seems to follow us around. It is not windy, and I am not cold, but something in the breeze calls out to me or maybe him."When will you tell me who you really are, Bruce?" I ask him.Bruce pulls my hand to his lips and gently kisses the top of my hand. He looks into my eyes, and I see something different. The wind continues to blow through his hair, and his eyes seem to change."I am nothing to fear. First, a drink and dinner, then we will dive into who I am and your family history," Bruce says.We will go down Royal street to a small side street that seems to turn from pavement to cobblestone. It is not a street, more like a smal
Fallon POVBruce and I go into the back dining room. I look around, but there is no one with us. A table is set for us, and our food is waiting. I see the bloody mary and go straight for it. I need a drink. I begin to drink the bloody mary. I have never been much of a drinker, but right now, I need it."You don't turn 18 until next week. Am I right?" A rough growling voice says.I turn to see a woman. She is thin and short. Her hair is long, and her face is covered. "That is right. I am only 17," I answer.She moves closer. "Well, don't get drunk in my place and cause me to lose my liquor license," she says, laughing. I am not sure the supernatural has a liquor license or if anyone can get here that isn't special in some way. I nod while she laughs."I am Umbra," she says. She moves closer, and I can see her hair is white with small pieces of copper. She was once a redhead, like me."I am Fallon, but I guess you already know that," I say.Bruce steps behind me as Umbra moves closer to
Fallon POVBruce and I leave Umbra's place. I had a few drinks, but not too much. I still want to walk around New Orleans and see the city. I do not want to be falling down drunk. Plus, I still have to read the book the uncles gave me. And the fact that I am underage and do not want any trouble is also a factor. "Are you okay?" Bruce asks me as we step out onto the street. I look back at him and smile. It is strange to me that it took this trip to see him so differently. If only I had time to sort through how I am feeling right now. "You do," Bruce says. He leans down and kisses me before I can say anything. As Bruce kisses me, I listen to the sounds of the city, the music, and people talking and realize I remember this place, but how? If I left here as a baby, how could I? Did my parents bring me here? No one is really saying anything about my past. They want me to discover it by myself."Bruce, I want to dance and have some fun. I can read the book in the morning. Tonight, I wa
Fallon POVBruce and I slowly walk back to our hotel, holding hands and listening to the music. I am at peace in some ways. I know everything that is to come about my family will not come easily, but there is something peaceful about knowing that I have Bruce with me. Hell, I have an entirely new family with me. This family loves me.I know my mother, brother and dad loved me, but the extended family there never cared for me. I understand why now, but it still hurts. Just because I was adopted did not make me any less their family, but I guess to them, I never was family."You keep going off somewhere else. I know all of this is a lot, but you need to know," Bruce says. I feel like there is much more he wants to tell me, but he is holding back. I wonder why.In a dramatic, silly move, I smile at him and throw my hair over my shoulder. "I am fine, I promise," I say.A tall man is waiting for us as we approach the hotel. He reminds me of Ryan. Is this man a wolf? I pull myself closer t
Ryan POVI watch her at the club. I know that is her. Fallon looks exactly like her mother. When Gina called me and told me that she and Sandy saw Fallon or someone who looked like Fallon at a gas station heading toward New Orleans, I knew she would be looking for the Z brothers if it was her.Fallon snuggles into Bruce. He holds Fallon's hand and occasionally kisses her hand. Bruce is not good for her. He is not what she needs. It is my job to watch over her and to protect her. It looks like he is only trying to get into her pants.I have to warn her about the danger waiting for her here. I approach the table. I stand over Bruce. Fallon looks up at me. Damn, she is scared of me. I do not want her to be afraid. I will protect her no matter what.Bruce speaks to me in the old language. "Get out of here. We do not need you or your kind here," Bruce demands.I laugh in his face and slam my hand down on the table. "Remember it is I that saved your life, Bruce. I am here for her, to protec
Bruce POVRyan escapes with Fallon. I am helpless as he takes his Lycan form and jumps down the steps. Chaos is furious. He runs after Ryan and Fallon, but it is too late. Fallon is gone. I don't think Ryan would harm her. I know he wouldn't hurt her, but the things he is about to tell her will ruin everything. Dr. Braum and I carefully planned everything out for Fallon; now, everything is a mess. I wait in front of the door for Chaos to return. I am not chasing Fallon because I know exactly where he is taking her, and I understand why he is taking her there. After Chaos leaves, I will go after Fallon and Ryan. I don't need Chaos to know the secrets I keep. Chaos returns after looking for Fallon and Ryan for over an hour. He is pissed off as he comes back up the stairs. "They got away. That damn Ryan is faster than I remember," Chaos says. I expect him to lash out at me about not helping him chase them, but he doesn't say a word. Maybe that is what he wanted. He wouldn't want me t
Fallon POVRyan takes me to the edge of the French Quarter. It is quieter except for the sounds of rain. The rain is always there in my mind, and it seems to follow me. I see a woman coming toward us. I know her. It is Libby, Bruce's sister. She walks slowly but deliberately. Her boots click and clatter on the pavement. She looks happy to see me, but she is Bruce's sister. I look up at Ryan. "Who can I trust?" I say it out loud, even though I only meant to think it. "Libby is with us," Ryan says. I look back at Libby. I am even more confused than I was when we ran from the hotel. First time riding on a Lycan or werewolf or whatever he is, and I hope it is my last. Why were Bruce's eyes black? Why would he turn on me?Libby stands in front of me. "Oh, my little witch, there is so much you do not know. Bruce is a good man. He would never harm you," Libby says. Ryan interrupts her. "I wouldn't be so sure about all of that," Ryan says. Libby moves her attention from me to Ryan. Lib
Fallon POVSix months after my rescue, I finally made a full recovery. Umbra is dead, and most of her witches are. Libby and Crane have worked hard to restore peace to the supernatural community. They are doing great and are making great reapers. Their teenagers have become permanent members of our pack. Alpha Mayhem gave them jobs and educational resources while their parents did what was necessary to keep us safe. After Umbra's death it was baffling to the pack doctor why I was healing so slow. No one could figure it out and I guess it did not matter. I had my mother's magic and Mother Agnes's life force, but my body was slow to heal. Now I am able to walk and do things on my own again. I know this was hard on Ryan, but he took care of me. I sit on the porch sipping a cup of tea alone for a moment, watching the sunrise. It is relaxing to me to just be alone. I see my father coming my way in his human form. I know he usually runs at night with Charis, but he is coming alone. "How
Fallon POVGrace and a strange-looking bald man took me from my home. I hope Ryan is okay. I know Grace put a spell on him and me. I am supposed to be so powerful, but I cannot protect myself or my home. What good am I as a reaper?"You still haven't tapped into all of your power. That is why you are weak," a voice growls at me. I hear drops of water hitting metal. I look, hoping the ancestors are coming to rescue me, but it is water pouring in from above me. I am underground. That is why it is so cold. "Who are you?" I ask the woman. She steps into the light so I can see her better. She is thin with long red hair. It is the girl from the gas station. "I knew who you were the first time I saw you. You are here to screw up the life we have. You want to reap the ones who step out of line and kill Umbra. That is why you must die. I told mother you would never come over to our side," she says. "I am sorry. Who are you?" I ask her. She leans in close to me, smiling. "I am Jenny, daugh
Ryan POVI open my eyes slowly. There is blood on the floor. I touch my face, and it is sticky. "Fallon!" I call out for my wife, but there is no answer. "Fallon!" I call out for her again. Libby is running through the house. She is screaming for Fallon. Alpha Mayhem comes in behind Mother Agnes. The commotion does nothing for my headache. "What happened? Ryan, open your eyes. What happened?" Alpha Mayhem asks me. His words echo. I shake my head and try to get to my feet. "They used a blocking spell on him. It will take a while for him to pull himself together. He is drunk on the magic they used," Libby says. Alpha Mayhem shakes me. "Stop, that will not help, Alpha," Mother Agnes says. "Help me to my feet, please," I ask Alpha Mayhem. I am so weak. I cannot stand it. Alpha Mayhem pulls me to my feet, but my knees buckle. Alpha Mayhem leads me over to a chair in the kitchen. "Sit," he commands. Libby brings me a glass of water. My head aches, and everything echoes as the three o
Fallon POV"What do you want?" I scream at Grace. Libby pushes me behind her. Ryan has left to run off some steam, and it is only us here. I wish Ryan were here. "We don't need him. We are okay," Libby says, reading my body language and anxiety. "She is right, you know. We do not need your husband, Ryan. Now the three girls can have a little chat about the reaping and who and how this will happen," Grace says. Grace moves faster now than earlier. I have no idea why she appears so mechanical or wicked, but something is different with her. I do not like it, and neither does Libby. "What do you want?" I ask Grace again. Libby and I keep backing further into the house. Grace follows us. Why are all these people so damn crazy here. Maybe Ryan and I should get away from here, no, I want my family, and I am going to have it. "I want Libby to take up the reaping finally, but first, you have to die to secure her place," Grace says. Libby begins to scream as Grace charges toward me. "Sh
Fallon POVI am snuggled in the arms of the man I love when our front door comes open. Wind and rain blew inside the house. It has to be the ancestors. I guess they are coming to warn me not to give up the reaping or to be happy that Libby is taking my place. I get up and walk toward the door with Ryan behind me. For some reason, Ryan grabs me and pulls me behind him. "What are you doing?" I ask him. The ancestors would never hurt me, and he knows this. I can see the worry on his face, and then I see why. An older woman with long white hair walks through our door. The elements seem to follow her as she comes into her house. "Who are you, and what do you want?" I ask her, but she does not get the chance to answer or explain herself. "Back off, Talone," another witch screams. Ryan and I back up. There is about to be a fight, and I do not think I want any part of it. "Get out of here," Ryan begs me. I grab Ryan's hand. There is no way I will leave him in this mess. I can hear voice
Libby POVCrane gets the girls and tries to calm them as I pack a small pack for each of them. I know they are old enough to do it, but we have to move fast. Talone will be back soon, and I have to get my family safe. Crane and I rush into the garage with the girls behind us. We get into the car, each with a small bag to live out of until this is over. I smile at Crane, who I can tell is worried. Crane trained his entire life as a hunter. He is damn good at it, a natural-born killer, but he gave that life so I could have a normal life and a family. It is the exact same thing Fallon is doing to be with Ryan. She is giving up the reaping to be a wife and mother. I smile at that thought because I know how much joy my family has given me. "STOP!" an old voice call. The garage door begins to vibrate. She is back, and she will kill us. I close my eyes to start another protective shield. The one around us must not be strong enough to keep Talone out. The car door opens, and a woman gets
Libby POVI return home, leaving Fallon to spend time with her husband and build a relationship with him. Fallon deserves some peace and happiness. I hope she finds it. I honestly think Ryan and Fallon will be happy. Fallon will be an amazing mother, and Luna. Ryan will be a wonderful father and Alpha. The two of them have a bright future together. I can hear you. We need to talk. A voice is calling out to me. I step outside and listen to the wind. At first, I thought it had to be the ancestors calling out to me, but that was no Onya, Sonya, or Anna's voice. I listen again. Nothing! I return inside my house. My children are upstairs doing their thing, and my husband is in the backyard cooking dinner. I have to talk with him about the reaping. My husband was born a hunter, but he changed his name and chose me all those years ago. He turned away from everything he was born to do. Why? For a family and a life with me. Now, as the children are almost grown, I can give him all that back
Fallon POVOver the next few weeks, Ryan and I were together to improve my reaping skills, Libby helped with my magic, and Alpha Mayhem helped with my wolf training. By the end of the month, I am ready to take on my role as the reaper of the supernatural community, and the most important thing I need to do is kill Umbra. It is all I can think about it. Killing Umbra consumes my mind and my body and infects every part of my life. "You have to let the hate go. If you do not, you will end up like your mother, BITTER!" Libby fusses at me. She is correct, but I cannot stop thinking about it. I want Umbra dead for what she did to my family. She needs to die. I sit down in the grass, and Libby joins me. We have spent most of the day working on spells, but my mind is elsewhere. Consuming my mind is nothing but these thoughts every day. I want this to stop. "Your mind should be on your husband and your new life, not on death. You have to move past this. Your life and your magic will suffer,
Fallon POVRyan sets me down and pushes me behind him to protect me. "You think you are strong enough to defeat me," Chaos howls at Ryan. "Run, Fallon," Ryan screams at me. "I will not leave you," I say. I stand beside Ryan, ready to fight. Surely, my father's pack will hear the howling and come to help. We do not need help, and you can take him down quickly. Use your magic. Ryan is in my head. He doesn't want me to run, but he wants Chaos to think I am running away. I run in the opposite direction until I am deep in the woods. I can hear Ryan and Chaos fighting. I wait until Chaos is not thinking of me. I want all of his attention on Ryan. I feel a hand touch my shoulder. I look behind me to see Alpha Mayhem and several wolves. "We are going in, and you stay here, Fallon," Alpha Mayhem instructs me. I protest. This upsets me. Why does everyone still treat me like a child? "I can take Chaos down. I am not a child!" I argue. "Rush Chaos!" Alpha Mayhem instructs his wolves. "I k