Libby POV
Crane 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 into the car. "I am going with you. I can help," the silver-haired old lady says. She sits back after making a space between my girls.
Crane is confused. Hell, so am I. "What do you want me to do?" Crane asks.
"Drive, you idiot. We don't have much time. You are just like Paul sr. Your father was an idiot too. Can we go?" the old woman asks.
"Go, Crane," I say.
Crane backs out of the driveway, and we begin our drive to the wolf territory. "We do not have time for this," the older lady fusses. She begins to speak in a language I do not know, but Crane does. At one point, his mouth is moving, saying the words. I knew Crane's mother was a witch. It is kind of the pattern. Witch plus hunter equals reapers and life partners. Sometimes wolves, but mostly witches and hunters.
In a flash, we are all transported to the wolf pack territory —our SUV lands in front of the gate, causing quite a disturbance. The betas rush toward the car, but when they see me, they nod, and we drive through the gate. I wonder what would have happened if we had landed on the Alpha's front porch. Kill us all and ask questions later, probably. I have never known Alpha Mayhem to play with his security.
Crane pulls into the Alpha's packhouse. "He may be at his private home with Charis. Fallon and Ryan are just down the path there to the right in a brick house," I point.
"I will start with Fallon," the old lady says. In a flash, she is gone. Why did she get in the car anyway? Did she just want to help us get here?
"Talone was planning to kill us. That is why she helped. That was Grace, leader of the reaper witches. There is a band of single witches that reap, but not with hunters or for anyone. They do it to protect the community. Grace is my Aunt. She is my mother's oldest sister," Crane says.
I reach over and touch Crane's hand to comfort him. He was not with his mother when she died because he was with me. He had turned his back on his family. They were angry with both of us for a long time, but when our daughter was born, Crane's mother tried to make peace.
It was difficult for all of us, but we tried to be a family. I wanted to have a relationship with Crane's mother, but she was hard to deal with, and I refused to bend to her will. She was constantly trying to get me to give her my daughter and become a reaper when I became pregnant the second time she was done with us, all of us.
The night our second child was born, Crane's mother fell ill. I told him to go be with her, but he thought she was trying to pull him away from me, so he refused to leave me. In the end, she was dying. It was hard to tell with her. It was one thing after another when she did not get her way. The one time she was telling the truth, it cost Crane the ability to say goodbye.
"I love Grace, but I still hate my mother," Crane says. I wish he could let go of the hate he has for her that still grows and hurts him. She is dead, and there is no coming back. She still hurts him, even from the grave. I do not wish that pain on anyone, especially the man I love.
"It is okay. Let's go inside and speak with Alpha Mayhem," I say.
We get out of the SUV and walk toward the front porch. Mother Agnes comes outside. She meets us. Mother Agnes already knows. "Where is she?" Mother Agnes asks. She looks toward Fallon's house.
"Nevermind," Mother Agnes says, not giving me time to answer.
"Wait!" I scream, but she is gone faster than Grace.
"Go after them. I will speak with Alpha Mayhem and make sure the girls are safe. I will join you soon. Be careful," Crane says. He kisses me on the cheek.
"I love you," I say to Crane. Both of my girls look at the Alpha coming toward them. "He is a good man. I love you both," I say to my girls.
I took off toward Fallon's house. I know Ryan will protect her, but two witches fighting over her could cause some issues. Especially two old, powerful, and stubborn witches.
I cross the field and run through the woods as fast as I can go. I try to flash my magic and appear on Fallon's doorstep, but someone has blocked me. I know it is not Mother Agnes, so why is Grace blocking me?
STAY BACK! I hear a voice. It is Grace warning me. I will not back down.