An hour later, the crowd had dispersed back to the fair. The former alpha had been taken by ambulance to Laurel Reed Medical Center where he would be evaluated for a number of injuries, including but not limited to: a concussion, fractured skull, and numerous fractured ribs. It was odd, Sawyer noted, because werewolves generally didn't have to see doctors; their bodies rapidly healed all but the most severe wounds. But as Caleb explained, his grandfather suffered from moonfever, which in addition to wearing away his ability to shift, also affected his ability to heal.

So that was the reason behind such an early transfer of Authority! It all made sense now.

Never before had Sawyer rejoiced in an illness. She figured Hecate would forgive her this one time.

Having regained consciousness by the time the medics came, Owen cursed his son, his ex-wife, Caleb, and Sawyer as he was wheeled into the ambulance. Francesca Stillwater sat in the back of the ambulance with her husband, white as a sheet as he ranted and raved as the door closed. Caleb's aunts and their families didn't stay long, either; they slunk away as quickly as they could.

The only ones who remained were Owen's sisters and their families—and his mother. Poor, widowed Vivian Stillwater. While she had been flown up here specifically for the ceremony, her only son had stuck her in the stands with the rest of the pack. Now she sat with the remaining Stillwaters, Bloodmoons, and Skorokhodovs in the tent behind the stage, wrinkled face creased in a frown as she grumbled about how stupid her son had been.

"His father would be disappointed," she kept saying.

Not knowing about Alpha Leon, Sawyer couldn't say one way or the other.

But the real topic of discussion was her brother Lee's ascent to alpha status.

"What does this mean, exactly?" her mother asked the high priestess. Lee sat in a chair, dumbfounded, downing his fourth beer since recovering from the fight.

"Well," High Priestess Zara began thoughtfully. "That's a good question. There hasn't been a newborn alpha in generations."

"What triggered it?" Sawyer wanted to know.

The high priestess cocked her head and smiled. "Gammas and omegas may be raised to higher status by the alpha, but only gods can make alphas," she explained. "Hecate was present tonight for the ceremony. She must have seen something in Lee to raise him up."

"Huh," Lee said, and downed his beer.

"As for what happens next, well, you know that two alphas cannot occupy the same territory. He must leave."

Sawyer's eyes widened and she stared at the high priestess. Lee had to leave HecateCity? "Forever?" she whispered, voice trembling. Caleb squeezed her hand reassuringly.

The high priestess chuckled softly. "No, not forever. He can still visit! But he must leave soon and claim a city."

"Yeah, no," Lee mumbled, reaching for another beer.

Marching over to him, the high priestess plucked the beer can from his hand and put it out of reach. Lee tilted his head back, scowling, but withered under her stern gaze.

"One does not throw away a gift of the gods," she told him firmly. "To do so would be very unwise."

Lee blinked. "I—"

The high priestess smiled. "Do not worry, dear boy. I won't leave you to drown. And I am sure no one here will either. But we must prepare and soon. I'd say no more than a few weeks, but I shall have to consult the sacred texts to be certain." She smoothed the folds of her black gown and pivoted gracefully. As she walked out of the tent, she paused at the open flap and called over her shoulder, "Oh, and you will need a wife. A new alpha needs to be viewed as strong, and he cannot do that without a spouse."

"W-wife?" Lee spluttered. "But—but I ..."

If the situation weren't so serious, Sawyer would have laughed at his shocked expression. Her brother the bachelor—forced to look for a wife! And within a few weeks!

"I didn't want this," Lee groused, slumping in his chair after the high priestess left.

Their mother swooped down and knelt by his side. "I know, sweetheart, but we'll get through this together."

"How am I going to find a wife in a few weeks? I've never felt anything for any girl like I've seen between Savvy and Caleb."

Sawyer leaned over to Caleb. "Too bad you burned those beta girl applications your grandfather gave you."

Caleb chuckled and covered it with a cough as Lee's head whipped around to stare at them.

"Not funny," her brother grumbled, folding his arms tightly like a petulant child.

Mom shook her head and waved at them. "Why don't you two go out and enjoy the fair?"

Sawyer knew a dismissal when she heard one. "Why don't we?" she asked Caleb, standing up. This was her first time at a Full Moon Festival, after all!

The two of them said goodbye to everyone in the tent and walked outside. A security guard nodded as they approached an employee-only gate and let them through.

Under the light of the full moon, Sawyer and Caleb walked hand in hand through the fairground.

"This is so strange," she noted, looking around and seeing faeries and merpeople intermingled with werewolves.

"What is?" Caleb asked, looking down at her with a fond smile.

"This," she said, gesturing to a faerie child and a werewolf child playing a carnival game together. "Yesterday, this wasn't possible. But tonight, you and I are walking together in the open." With no fear of his grandfather's retaliation.

"It's going to take some getting used to," he agreed. "But how do you feel?"

"Me?" Sawyer paused by the corner of a game tent. She looked around at the colorful, fun chaos that was unfolding around them. Supernaturals of all kinds laughing, eating, having fun. It was something she hadn't thought possible a few weeks ago. "Well, for one, I'm still a little shaken up about that fight you had with your grandfather."

Caleb nodded thoughtfully.

"But," she continued before he could say something, "I no longer feel like I'm falling. I'm happy. I can get my GED, I can call Mr Goldfinch, I can finally let my friends know I'm home ... you and I can get married ..."

"Yes, that's true," Caleb replied, reaching down and lifting her left hand to his lips. "But you know that no matter what, I'll be there to fall with you."

Sawyer smiled and pulled his face down to hers for a kiss. As Caleb wrapped his arms around her, she knew that without a doubt, everything would be all right.

"And another thing," she added as they pulled away as a couple of people began hooting and hollering.

"What?" Caleb asked, pushing a lock of lavender hair behind her ear.

"You owe me a stuffed animal."

With a laugh, Caleb grabbed her hand. "You bet!" he exclaimed, pulling her towards a booth. Sawyer followed, her heart as light as the silver moonlight that shone down on them all.