“My daughter is a what?”

Rae closed her eyes and sighed. She knew she should have told him. It just never came up and with Andrei – she just thought she had more time. She could feel Connor’s eyes on her.

“Connor, I thought – I should have told you…”

“You should have told me what, Rae?”

She hated when he called her Rae. That name was reserved for disappointment and anger. She should have let him kiss her earlier or come alone to meet Siobhan. She should have told him…

“Rae, you should have told me what?”

Siobhan rose from her seat. “I’ll give you two a minute.”

When they were alone, she opened her eyes and turned towards him. “I wanted to tell you, I did. It just never seemed like a good time and with Caleb and Andrei – I forgot all about it. I’m so sorry, Connor.”

He stood up and started pacing. He turned towards her, “Just…just tell me one thing, is she mine?”

Rae sat there stunned. Is that what he was thinking? “Of course she’s yours! Who else – oh Connor. Don’t think that. Never think that. There has never been anyone else for me. You know this.”

It was his turn to close his eyes. He asked softly, “Then what is it? What could be so bad that you couldn’t tell me? Why don’t you trust me?”

She stood and reached for his hand and lowered her head. “I don’t know. I’m so sorry.”

Sighing, he lifted her hand and kissed her fingers before letting her go. Looking at her, he gave her a tired smiled. “Okay, whatever it is, it can’t be as bad as what I was thinking. So, just tell me Rosie.”

“Remember Nyema? When she brought me back, some of her magic transferred to me. She told me at our wedding and encouraged me to practice and kind of grow it. And I did, for a little while anyway. But with being pregnant and our marriage falling apart, I forgot all about it. Or at least, I pushed it to the back of my mind. And we’ve just being dealing with one thing after another, I completely forgot. I didn’t do it on purpose and I had no idea about Eva. I swear that’s the truth.” She said all this in a rush.

“Why were you afraid to tell me that, Rosie? It’s nothing I couldn’t handle, considering my brother is a werewolf.”

“You want a normal family so badly and that’s something we’ll never be. Something I’ll never be. I didn’t want to disappoint you again.”

“You’re mine, body and soul, forever; remember? Jesus, Rae, all I’ve ever wanted was for you to be happy. You’ve never disappointed me, ever.”

Siobhan cleared her throat behind them, “Sorry to interrupt but didn’t you come to see me about something?”

Connor turned towards her, “May I use your bathroom?”

“Last door down the hall.”

When he left, Siobhan motioned for Rae to take her seat and sat down next to her. “So, you and hubby are keeping secrets from each other? That’s never a good idea.”

“It’s complicated.” There was no way she was going to talk to Siobhan about her marriage.

She seemed to think about that for a minute before shrugging, “Alrighty then, on to the important stuff. You need my help to save your son and I want to see Eva. Let’s make a deal.”

“You want to bargain for my son’s life? What kind of person are you?” Rae immediately remembered Nyema’s words. She’d warned this would happen.

“Not bargain. I want to see Eva. You want your son to live through his first transition. I want a promise from you, that’s all. Nothing evil, nothing malicious.”

“I’ll have to talk to Connor before I can make that promise.” She would also talk to Nyema.

“Fair enough.”

They left Siobhan’s house soon after. On their way back to the house they were staying at, Rae recognized the park she’d visited as a child and asked Connor to stop.

“I want to show you something,” she said excitedly.

“This is the wishing well that changed my life.” She took his hand and led him towards it. “It’s magic!”

“So are you.” He squeezed her hand.

“We are magic, aren’t we?” She could feel herself blushing. After all this time, he could still make her feel so loved. And yet – she would not think about her issues. Shaking her head and smiling, she leaned toward him. He’d promised to continue what he’d started earlier that day. And she really wanted her kiss.

Like always, he knew what she wanted and leaned down to kiss her, his eyes glowing. “Let’s go home Rosie.”

She laughed, “Yes, let’s go home.”

Before she could head back to the car, he pulled her into a hug. “No more secrets, Rae. I will never leave you, I will never be so angry with you that I won’t forgive. You can lean on me, trust me, it’s okay to love me. I need to know that you know this, that you believe this. That you believe in us.”

“I do. Really, I do.”

Rae woke up the next day to find Connor gone and a note on his pillow. Went to run some errands. Be back in a bit. Left lunch in the oven. Lunch? What time was it? She turned around to look at the bedside clock. 1:15; great, she’d wasted a whole morning sleeping. She got up and dressed, choosing her outfit carefully. She wanted to look nice but not like she was trying too hard. After tossing aside the third outfit, she started to laugh. Connor was a sure thing, so why was she trying so hard?

She was fixing her hair when she heard him come home. She felt suddenly very nervous. Shaking her head at her silliness, she walked out to meet him.

“Hey beautiful,” he smiled when he saw her.

Narrowing her eyes, she gave him an once-over. “You got a haircut.”

“Yeah, do you like it?”

She nodded and smiled. He looked older with his hair cut short, the fine lines around his eyes more pronounced. But he was still gorgeous.

“Good. I like that dress. I remember helping you pick it out.”

“You did no such thing! You fell asleep in the car halfway to the mall and showed up in the store just in time to offer to carry my one bag.”

“Exactly, I helped.” He grinned and reached to kiss her. “Did you sleep well?”

“I overslept. Why didn’t you wake me up?”

“When was the last time you slept for more than five hours? Between the kids and Andrei, you barely sleep. I wasn’t going to wake you up. Plus, you’ll need all your energy for today.”

“Oh yeah?” She wiggled her eyebrows.

Laughing, he squeezed her hip as he walked past her, “When did you become such a perv, Mrs. London?”

“When I caved and married you, Mr. London.” She slapped his butt as he walked by.

“Don’t start something you can’t finish pretty girl.”

“When have I ever left anything unfinished?”

Connor slowed his walk and Rae swore she heard him growl. “You know Rosie, I have a fun-filled day planned for us, but I am not opposed to throwing all of that out the window and locking you in our room and -,”

“Connor Jacob London, you will cease that line of thought right this instant!” She started to laugh but stopped abruptly when he turned around and started towards her. “Connor, your eyes are glowing.” He just kept coming. “Okay, you’re having a hiccup. Damn.”

When he stopped right in front of her, he went so still, only his chest moved with his heavy breathing. Lifting a shaking hand, she placed it gently on his cheek. “Hey, what’s going on,” She asked softly, trying to sound calm. “We have plans for today, right? We – we can do whatever you want, okay? I just need you to – to snap out of this.”

He leaned over and breathed her in, “You smell great.”

“I certainly hope so.” She waited, expectant; he’d been having these episodes lately. He would zone out, eyes glowing. Sometimes they were brief moments, little hiccups in his actions, other times they lasted for five or ten minutes. So far, every time had happened with her. She was terrified that the next time she wouldn’t be there, or it would happen while he was at work, in a burning building, unable to snap out of it.

He moved closer, pushing up against her, testing her. “Like wildflowers and almonds.”

She stood her ground, even though every muscle in her body tensed up, wanting to yield and take a step back. They’d played this game too. She would not submit. “Connor, please. Please come back to me.”

She’d tried talking to him about it but he wouldn’t admit something was wrong. She wanted to ask Brian, but Connor wouldn’t hear it. It was his problem and he would deal with it; except, she was the one that always had to deal with it.

“I’m okay, Rosie.” He wrapped his arms around her, nuzzling her neck. And just like that, he was back to normal.

“We have to do something about this Connor. It scares me.” She sagged into him, she couldn’t keep doing this.

“I know I’ve been asking you to tell me things that you can’t, but I have one last question. Siobhan, she wants to make a deal with me.”

“What kind of deal,” Brian asked.

“She said she would help Andrei if I let her see Eva.”

“Eva? What’s wrong with Eva?” He sounded alarmed.

“Nothing,” she rushed to reassure him. “She says Eva is a Witch, from her line. I thought Siobhan’s family was Fae?”

She could hear him sigh over the phone. “Your story just gets more and more complicated. It’s all about genetics. You must be born a Witch, usually by two witches having a child; sometimes a Witch and a human will produce one. And rarely – very rarely – a genie may have a child with a human. It’s a dilution of power. One species mates with another and creates a less powerful version of themselves. But that doesn’t make sense in your case. You’d have to be a witch in order for Eva to be one.”

“Why me, why not Connor?”

“Connor is a werewolf. He can’t be a witch. I don’t think you realize just how different your family is, Rae. Wolves only mate with other wolves. Anything else would create something else entirely. Your family is literally a subspecies. But back to Eva. If she is a witch, there is some in your family blood. Usually it has to be a direct line. Do your parents or grandparents have magic? Any weird stories or legends that you know of?”

“I have a great-aunt who claims to be a witch, but she’s my grandfather’s aunt by marriage, I think. So that wouldn’t apply to me. I’ve been thinking it might have to do with Nyema transferring her powers to me. If I gave those to Eva…”

“Yes, that could work, I guess, mixed with whatever Connor is. But I have no reference point for this, Rae. Connor, for all he may look like one, is not human. It’s his genetics that were passed to Andrei. And I guess no one has come up to claim Anthony yet?”

Rae laughed. “Please have mercy on my soul. I couldn’t take another surprise. But what did Siobhan mean from ‘her line.’ She said Eva was from her line.”

“Well, Witches are made from Genie and human DNA, and Genies are made from Fae and human DNA. They are exceeding rare because the Fae believe everyone who is not Fae is beneath them. Those children are usually stripped of their powers or locked away once they reach their maturity.” When she gasped at that, he said, “The Fae are not particularly nice creatures, but they’re not evil either. They just have a different moral code. Either way, most other Supernaturals stay clear of a full-blooded Fae.”

“But you sent me to see her!”

“No, I didn’t. You wanted to see her and I helped when I could. I would think very carefully about this deal of yours. If she is claiming Eva, she wants more than just to meet her.”

This nightmare just kept getting worse and worse. “Thanks Brian. I have to go now.”

“Rae, no matter what happens, Siobhan will help you. She has been alone for too many years and if she considers you family she will do anything to protect you. But you have to be careful not to give her too much, she is not human. She doesn’t think like a human, she does not have the same morality of one. Do not underestimate her.”

“Alright. Thanks for the advice.” Apparently Brian had a different moral code as well. He still only gave her bits and pieces and cryptic advice. If she wasn’t considered human any more than why wouldn’t anyone tell her anything?

“You made it, great.” Siobhan waved them over behind the juice bar. “I’m guessing you accepted my invitation because you’ve come to a decision about our deal?”

“Yes, we have. We’ll agree to it, with certain exceptions.”

Siobhan frowned. “What exceptions?”

Rae told her what she and Connor had decided were appropriate terms. She was not allowed to give Eva anything, “bless” her in any way or hold her at all.

“I’m not allowed to touch her? What am I going to do, stare at her from across the room?”

“Those are our terms. Take it or leave it.”

“Fine, under one condition. When she turns sixteen, she gets to make her own decisions about me. And those are my terms.”

Rae looked over at Connor, who shrugged. “Fine. Now, how do we save Andrei.”

“Layla.”

“Excuse me?” That was not what she’d been expecting to hear.

“Layla. You know, the wolf who wanted to mate your husband before you got in the way?”

It was Connor’s turn to be shocked. “Layla is a werewolf?”

Siobhan shook her head. “No. She’s a wolf. I’m so tired of people using that word to describe your species. There is a difference between a wolf and a werewolf. A wolf is animal first, human second. A werewolf is human first and an animal once a month. Your family is werewolf, hers is wolf. See the difference?” She shook her head as if disgusted by his ignorance. “Why don’t parents teach their young the important stuff these days? I’ll have to make sure Eva knows her history. Goddess knows you can’t teach it to her.”

“I’m sorry, let’s go back to Layla. If she’s a wolf than she must know what Connor is.” Rae was beginning to get a headache and the bright green and orange wallpaper wasn’t helping. She just wanted the information so she could go lay down.

“Everyone knows who the Londons are. You’re the story we tell our children so they behave; the consequences of disobeying your elders and leaving your family. Please, even humans tell your story to their little ones.” She took a sip of her drink.

Rae looked at Connor, who just shook his head. Not once did Layla ever admit to knowing what he was and she could have helped them! How could she be so selfish? Rae felt a hand on her shoulder and looked up at Connor.

“Calm down, Rosie. I’m sure she had her reasons.” Even now, he defended her. She brushed his hand aside and walked away. She needed some fresh air.

She could hear Connor thanking Siobhan and turning to follow her. Before she reached the doorway, Siobhan said, “Don’t forget our deal. I’d very much like to meet Eva before she turns five.”

Rae faltered, but quickly regained her step. What had she just done? Stepping outside she took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down.

She was shaking she was so mad, not a single person cared about her son. Fine, maybe Connor and her family, but none of his family – except Caleb, but he wanted to take Andrei away. But Layla, who was supposed to love Connor and could have been in her shoes; for her to never say a word, never even hint that she could help…Rae was beside herself with anger. And now she had to go to her and ask her to help them – of all the unfair things in life! Her skin was crawling just thinking about it.

She could feel Connor behind her. “I’m not asking her for a single thing. You’ll have to do it. I hate that woman!”

He didn’t say anything, just walked silently to the car.

“Thanks for watching Eva and Tony on such short notice, Dad. I wish I could have seen Mom, but you’ll tell her I’ll call as soon as I can, right?”

“Of course, princess. Do you have some time to talk? I have some tea brewing.” Antonio smiled down at Andrei.

She could see when he caught a glimpse of the toddler’s eyes. “Yeah, it’s getting worse. His eyes changed last night. We – we can’t wait anymore, we’ll have to go find Layla.”

“And this woman is just like Caleb?” Rae had told her parents about Connor’s family history a while back and they’d taken it pretty well. At least, her mother had. Antonio had needed a longer adjustment period but finally he’d accepted everything she’d told him. It was great to have her family’s support on this because running around the world with three toddlers at home was more work than she could do on her own.

“Yeah, apparently and she’s the one who can help Andrei. I just hope she agrees to do it; she and I don’t really see eye to eye.”

“So I gathered,” he said dryly, making her laugh.

“Alright Daddy, we have to go now but I’ll call the moment we land in Moonlight Falls.” She kissed her dad goodbye and walked down the steps towards the car.

Four days later and they were still in the exact same situation as when they’d landed. Layla was not home and because she’d been so adamant about him having no contact with her, Connor had no way of reaching her. They had two weeks. Just two weeks and already, Caleb had found out about their plan and was foaming at the mouth with anger.

Brian had once again offered his home, but with Connor and Andrei with her, she’d thought it better for them to have their own space. As she walked up the porch steps, she smiled; Connor was rocking with Andrei.

“Hey, what are you doing out here?” She leaned down and kissed both her husband and her son.

“He’s been finicky, so I thought he’d like the fresh air.”

She sat down next to him and gently rocked back and forth. Andrei had been fussy since they got to town. “He seems to be in a better mood now.”

“Yeah, I just hope it lasts.”

They sat on the porch together for a while, listening to the night animals and enjoying the warm breeze. It was still very cold back in Appaloosa and so this was a nice reprieve for her. Would she be sitting on a porch, enjoying the weather with Connor twenty years from now? She looked over at him and caught him looking at Andrei. There was so much love in his eyes when he looked at his children – when he looked at her. She closed her eyes and leaned back, gently rocking her chair.

Soon enough, Andrei started to get agitated again. She heard Connor sigh and get up. “I’m going to give him a bottle and see if he’ll go to sleep. Are you coming in?”

“In a minute.” She opened her eyes and smiled up at him. Nodding, he walked inside with the toddler.

Connor woke up to the sound of Andrei’s crying. As he started to get up, Rae said, “No, go back to sleep. I’ll get him.”

He kissed her and closed his eyes. He was so tired. The baby would not sleep through the night and he was worn out. He felt the bed dip and Rae got up.

What felt like only seconds later, someone was shaking him awake. He woke up to see Rae hovering over him. “What? What’s wrong?”

“Andrei has a fever and I can’t get him to calm down. He wants you.” He could see the hurt in her eyes at that, but he got up and walked over to the next room.

“Hey little man, you’re not feeling well?” Andrei reached out for him, tears running down his chubby cheeks. “We’re just a little warm, aren’t we? Rae, could you get me a wet hand towel?” Before he’d finished his sentence she placed one on the nightstand by the crib.

“He won’t keep it on his head. He keeps shaking it off.”

Connor took the wet towel and began to wash the baby’s face with it, gently going over his eyelids and all the way down his throat. He kept wiping Andrei’s face, from forehead to collarbone. Eventually, Andrei stopped crying and closed his eyes. Connor smiled down at him, “There, don’t we feel better?”

Rae walked up to the crib and looked down at him. “How’s he doing?”

“Still too hot. But he’s finally sleeping.”

“Good. I can take over now if you want.”

“No. I want to stay with him a little longer. You should go back to sleep. I’ll come wake you up in a bit.”

“I’m scared Connor. I think I should call Brian.”

“I think it’s the change. The full moon is in a few days; his eyes already have the bright glow and I think he was scratching at the furniture earlier today.”

“I don’t know what we’re going to do. What if Layla doesn’t come back in time?”

“She’ll come back and she’ll help. I know her and she’ll help us, Rosie.”

“I hope you’re right.” She didn’t sound convinced though.

Early the next morning, Connor walked into the kitchen to find Rae already typing away on her laptop. “Morning.” He started to say something else but his cell phone rang. “Hello?” He mumbled, trying to stifle a yawn.

“Hey, CJ. I heard you’ve been looking for me?”

He frowned, “Layla?”

Rae’s head snapped up at the woman’s name and he shrugged at her.

“Yeah, it’s me. What can I help you with Connor?”

“Oh, well…I – we – Rae and I were hoping to speak to you about something. We wanted to ask you for your help with something. Something very important.”

“So I gathered. What is it?”

“I don’t think it’s something we can discuss over the phone. When are you planning on coming home?” He was watching Rae as he spoke. Her facial expressions were changing rapidly, going from shock to hope to fear to anger. He’d gotten really good at reading his wife. He reached out a hand towards her, silently telling her to come to him. And she did. She wrapped her arms around him and buried her face in his neck, as if afraid to even look at him.

“I’m home now, actually. Do you want to stop by later today?”

He kissed the top of Rae’s head. “Today would be perfect. We’ll see you around noon?”

“That would be just fine. Goodbye CJ.”

“Bye Layla.” He hung up the phone and let go of his wife. “Noon, today,” was all he said.

“Thanks for seeing us today. How have you been?” Connor asked Layla.

He and Rae had headed over as soon as they could to see Layla and now they were standing in her nursery, where her two toddlers played and a small infant lay in a crib, napping. He didn’t know how he was supposed to bring up the reason they were there and Rae had refused to be the one to start that conversation.

As he waited for her to respond, he noticed that she was looking at Andrei. Looking down at the boy in his arms, he understood what she was staring at – Andrei’s eyes were glowing again. He looked back up at her and nodded, answering her silent question.

Layla sighed and said, “So, what do you want from me Connor?” Aside from a curt hello, she hadn’t said a word to Rae. He was slightly irritated at that. Layla and he hadn’t been romantic in years and for her to dismiss his wife made him want to leave, but they needed her, desperately.

Before he could answer, Rae said, “How could you not tell us? You claimed to love him so much and you never once even hinted that you could help us! My son could have died and you didn’t think that was important enough to tell us your secret?!”

“First off, do not yell at me in my own home. Secondly, what the hell are you talking about?”

“She’s upset because you never told me you were a werewolf,” he said.

“Whoa, what are you talking about? I’m not a werewolf!” Layla waved her hands as if to fend off the accusation.

Rae looked down and muttered something under her breath.

“Look, there’s no point denying it, we know. There’s no judgment on our end, in fact, we need your help.”

Rae looked up and said, “Exactly, Connor’s family is different and I was a ghost – we understand you wanting to keep it a secret, but you should have told us, we could have, I don’t know, figured out a way to beat this curse sooner. Now we only have a few days before the next Witch Moon.”

Layla laughed. “Judgment? I don’t care what you think of me. And you and I are not the same, you were dead and then you became human again. That’s not different, that’s dead; you don’t qualify as Supernatural, so please spare me your sympathy.” She turned to Connor. “As for you, you should be ashamed of yourself. A curse? You call this gift that we have a curse and then ask for my help. You’ve been walking around all these years deaf, dumb and blind and now you know. Admit it, it feels good to finally find that piece of you that’s been missing. I hoped that you’d find it with me, but instead you chose her. And in a way, you did me a favor. I found a good man who loves me and I have three wonderful children. All of whom, by your definition, are cursed as well.”

Rae gasped, “All of them? Aren’t you worried about what kind of life they’ll have growing up? The little one is just a baby, he can’t possible survive changing into a werewolf next week!”

Layla rolled her eyes. “My sons will be just fine, none of them are going to Change and they definitely won’t be turning into werewolves. When it’s time, they will become wolves, not the half Change that your family suffers from.”

She looked at Connor and said, “There is so much you don’t know and will never know because you’ve mated with this human. I could have taught you so much about your history – our history. With my genetics, our children wouldn’t have suffered so much.”

Layla reached out a hand to touch Connor, but one of the boys playing on the floor started to cry and she let her hand drop and walked over to the toddler.

Connor turned to Rae and handed her Andrei. “Rosie, let me talk to Layla alone for a minute, okay? I think she’ll listen if it’s just me.”

She frowned at him and opened her mouth, but quickly closed it and nodded. “Fine. I think Andrei needs to be changed anyway.”

She called out to Layla, “Is there somewhere I can change Dre?”

On her way through the door Layla indicated, she looked back at him. He understood that look and he would do whatever he could to get Layla to agree to help them.

“Why?” Layla gave the crying baby a juice box and some crackers. The crying stopped almost immediately as he started to stuff his mouth full of the snack.

Connor frowned at the unexpected question. “Why what?”

Layla walked back over to Connor, “Why do you stay with her? There is so much drama in your life because of her.”

“I love her.”

There were so many other reasons he could give for why he would never leave Rae, but in the end, the most important was that he loved her, could not imagine living without her.

“That is not a good enough reason. She has exposed you to so much danger that you are clueless about. At least with me, you would have learned about your past and had someone who would understand what you’re going through.” She reached out to him again.

He shook his head, “She is the mother of my children, she stayed by me when this whole werewolf business came out, but in the end, love is the only reason that really matters. Through all this, knowing that she loves me is what has kept me from going insane. She’s perfect in every way, Layla.”

He looked at her sadly, how could he explain it to her? “Can you honestly say that you would trade your family, your children, for the potential of what we could have been? Those perfect human beings and the love their father has for you isn’t enough?”

Layla shrugged. “I’m not saying that I’m not happy, I’m just saying that a marriage is more than just love. It’s hard work and compromise. And so far, I’ve seen you compromising, acquiescing to her wishes, but what compromises has she made for you?”

Connor thought of when he first met Rae. She’d been shy and wary of him, unwilling to trust that someone could possibly be interested in her. She’d given him almost ten years of small compromises, little things that people took for granted but meant opening herself up to new experiences.

“Layla, I don’t want to fight with you. We were good friends once and I am asking you to help me now. Is it so hard to put your feelings for my wife aside just this once? My son might die if you can’t find a way past this.”

She sighed. “Fine. What is it that you want from me?”

He cleared his throat and feeling like a fool, he said, “Andrei is going to go through the change next week and we need someone to help him. Rae and I can’t, so we were hoping…”

He let the sentence trail off. How do you ask someone you’ve known all your life to help your son change into a wolf?

She laughed. “You want me to foster your son? I have three of my own, I can’t be responsible for another.”

“We’re not asking for you to keep him, we just need help with his – transition.”

She looked at him thoughtfully for a minute. “It’s a process and he’s so young. Are you sure he’s going to Change?”

“Yes.” He then told her everything that had happened to his family, starting with Caleb arriving on their front steps six months ago. Had it only been six months?

When he was done, Layla rubbed her forehead. “Why can’t anything ever be easy with you?”

Rae walked to the front door and sighed when she saw who it was. How had he found out so quickly? Not wanting to invite him, she walked outside.

“Hello Caleb, what are you doing here?”

“I heard you went to see Layla today.”

“Yes, we did. She mentioned wanting to see Connor the last time I was here, so we went for a visit.”

“Don’t lie to me Rae. I know you’re trying to find someone else to help you with Andrei. He is mine, not Layla’s, you need to remember that.”

“Are you threatening me?” She couldn’t believe this man – her brother-in-law – was standing there threatening her.

He shrugged, “Take it as you like, as long as you take it seriously. I told you months ago how this would be, no amount of wishing or tricks will change the fact that it’s me Andrei needs. Not you, not Connor and definitely not some woman who wants nothing more than to be in your shoes. I would have thought you’d have better sense than to let Layla anywhere near your husband and children. What if Connor decides that what’s best for his family is to be with his own kind?  Where would that leave you, Rosie?”

“First of all, Andrei does not belong to you. Secondly, you don’t know anything about your brother if you think he would replace me with Layla. And lastly, get the hell off my porch, you pathetic excuse for a man. How dare you come here and threaten me? And then follow it up with insinuations about Connor. You are disgusting and I can’t believe you’re related to my husband! Get out!” She hissed the last part.

Rae felt her whole body start to shake, she was so angry. Something she could only describe as energy felt like it was building in the pit of her stomach and her hands grew warm. She immediately clenched them into fists; she knew this feeling. This is what it was like when she’d done those few spells Nyema had told her to try. The last thing she needed was for magic to start pouring out of her hands. She didn’t know how to control it and this angry, she couldn’t guarantee that she wouldn’t hurt her family by accident.

As if he sensed what was happening, Connor walked outside. He took one look at her face and he growled at his brother. “I don’t care what you came here for, but you need to leave. Now.”

“Fine, I’m leaving. But remember what I said Rae. I’m not letting him go.” Caleb walked down the steps and headed east.

When he was off the property she turned to Connor and hugged him. “I need – I don’t – oh God, I can’t stop shaking and I think something bad is about to happen. I feel – Connor, please. Help me.”

She didn’t know what to do; the feeling was getting worse, growing. She had never felt so angry before in her life. For Caleb to be so evil and nasty and cruel – and she had let him touch her, had let him into her life when she was most vulnerable. How could she have been so wrong about someone? And why did he seem to know exactly what to say to make her doubt everything about her life?

Connor pulled her closer to him. He smelled so good and his presence was so reassuring. She would not let Caleb’s words bother her. Her husband loved her, wanted her, and would do anything for her. She felt the same way about him. They were solid, they were fine, they would get through this as a family, and werewolves and fairies and genies be damned.

He started to gently rub her back, trying to soothe her. It wasn’t working. She needed to calm down, distract herself somehow or find someplace far enough away to let all this energy out of her system.

“Tell me what you need Rosie. I’m right here, I’ll always be right here. Just tell me what you need.”

“I don’t know, just please, don’t – don’t let me go.” She tried to get closer to him, wishing she could just crawl into bed with him and let him hold her. Goose-flesh started appearing on her skin, but she wasn’t cold, in fact she was feeling warm. “Connor, I can’t hold it in anymore. I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I feel like there are currents of electricity right underneath my skin, trying to escape.”

He lifted her head and kissed her. “We’re going to go take a shower and then we’re going to bed and I’m going to make love to you and we’ll burn off some of this energy.”

She wanted to laugh but couldn’t stop shaking long enough to even get a smile out. “What about Andrei?”

“He’s fine. He’s asleep and will be for the next five hours.” He tilted her head up. “Rae, I’m going to fix this. If you need to let some of this energy out, just do it. You’d never hurt me or Andrei. Just let it go. I’m right here, it will be okay.”

Chapter Thirteen | Chapter Fifteen