“What?” Caden growled jumping from his chair his eyes completely black as his wolf came to the surface.
“I went to check on her and she was gone, Alpha,” Dr. Olsen told him with a frown.
Caden’s body began to shake as his wolf took over and before anyone could stop him, he shifted and headed for the door.
Jed stood up swiftly and with his hands outstretched, he shouted, “Stop, Alpha Caden.”
A bright light came from his palm and hit Caden’s wolf directly immobilizing him.
The room was silent as he sighed wearily before he turned to his friend and fellow council member, “Go to my room and get the box on my dresser.”
“Yes, sir,” he said leaving the room quickly.
Jed looked back to Caden before he undid the spell and his wolf collapsed to the floor.
“Shift back, Alpha Caden,” he ordered, and Caden shifted back not pleased to have been immobilize, or ordered to shift.
He opened the bottom drawer of his desk pulling out a pair of boxers, which he slipped on before turning his black eyes back on Jed.
Jed turned his head as the door opened and his fellow member came back into the room with the box in his hands.
He nodded his head as he took the box and placed it on the desk.
He opened it to reveal a crystal globe resting in a bed of satin lining.
He took it out of the box and gently placed it on the desk.
Waving his hand over it, he commanded, “Show me, Abella.”
The crystal glowed and then it showed Abella as she sat in the middle of her secret room eyes closed as she chanted quietly.
Mr. Alderman watched her with intensity before saying firmly, “Abella!”
Abella heard his call and she stopped chatting as her eyes flashed open.
“Yes, Uncle Jed,” she said aloud knowing that he wasn’t in the room.
“You gave the doctor a scare when you disappeared,” he told her sternly.
“Apologize to him for me, sir,” Abella asked. She took a deep breath before saying, “Apologize to the others too.”
She went silent for a moment before she said softly, “Thank you, Caden, for rescuing me, but you don’t have to worry. I didn’t tell them anything.”
She grasped the crystal with her hands tightly and Mr. Alderman cried out his eyes wide, “Wait, Abella, you are not strong enough yet.”
She paused for a moment and then asked, “Can you train me to use my powers?”
“I promised your parents when our paths crossed again, then I would train you, Abella,” he stated. “Once you are fully healed,” he added.
“Of course,” she said, and then she waved her hand cutting off their connection.
“Stubborn woman just like her mother,” Jed said with a scowl at the blank globe before picking it up and putting back in the box.
“What the hell is going on?” Caden growled as he braced both hands on his desk leaning toward him.”
Jed glanced at him and sighed.
“It is too long a story to tell right now. I need to go and check on Abella. Fool hardy girl was still too weak and she still managed to cut the connection,” he muttered to himself the last part.
“Is she okay?” Jessa asked sitting forward in her chair.
He turned to her and smiled, “She is fine, but she is probably passed out in that room.”
“How is that okay?” Caden asked coldly as his wolf tugged at his control again because he wanted to see her for himself.
Jed turned to Caden and he could see how Caden’s wolf was trying to get free again.
“Caden, she is fine. The spell she used is strong, but it was her first time using it especially with the fact that she isn’t a hundred percent right now, it was too much a strain on her body.”
“Is she really that powerful?” Jessa asked.
“Jessa, she is more powerful than she even knows. Her mother died before she could teach and help her achieve her full potential,” he told her.
Jessa nodded her head, but Jenna had to speak.
“Are you telling us that she is a witch?” Jenna sneered.
Jed sighed and stated clearly, “Yes, Jenna, Abella is a witch.”
“A witch,” Jenna laughed as she sent Caden a look, but Caden wasn’t looking at her. He was staring at Jed in confusion and disbelief.
“Yes, Caden,” he said to him softly. “Abella is a witch as her mother was before her.” He shook his head as he said to shock them all, “But what even Abella doesn’t know is that while her mother was a full-blooded witch, her father came from a long line of witch hunters. In fact, he was considered one of the best witch hunters in his time.”
Chapter 10
After his statement, no one in the room moved a muscle until Jessa shifted in her chair.
Then Jessa asked in a shaken voice, “Did Abella’s mother know?”
“Not at first,” Jed admitted. “By the time she did, it was too late; she was in love with him.”
He sighed and ran a hand across his eyes before he continued, “I need to go check on Abella and make sure that she is all right.”
Jessa was pale as she asked one more thing that was on her mind, “Is that what Abella learned that night? That her father had been a witch hunter.”
“I wish I knew,” Jed said sadly. “But by the time I learned about the attack and she was alive, she had been placed with his family.”
Caden leaning against the desk was still as his eyes stayed focus on Jed.
What did that family do to her, his wolf howled.
Caden asked his question aloud, “What did they do to her?”
Jed looked over at him and answered honestly, “I don’t know. Abella never really talks about her past whether it is her parents, or her father’s relatives. She barely trusts me and I was her mother’s guardian for five years.”
With those words uttered, he waved his hand and disappeared. Caden was still leaning against his desk although now his black gaze settled on Jessa with an accusation in them and yet he didn’t say it aloud.
He straightened up and slammed his fist down on the middle of his desk breaking it in half.
“As soon as she is healed,” he ordered his voice hard, “I want to talk to her.”
Every one nodded their heads before he walked out of the room and Jenna laughed as she started after him.
“Witch or human,” she taunted. “She should have never pissed off Caden.”
She hurried out of the room after Caden and the others looked at each other in astonishment.
Timothy voiced what they were all thinking.
“She really doesn’t pay attention, does she,” he said in disbelief.
“She does,” Jessa said with a tight smile. “She just doesn’t want to believe it. After all, why would my brother care about another human female even one of witch blood?”
The council members had left the office, and they followed behind them as they headed up to their room.
“You knew she was a witch,” Timothy stated with a frown at her.
Jessa nodded her head wrapping an arm around his waist, “She learned my secret so she trusted me with hers.”
Timothy nodded his head in understanding as they reached their room. Once the door closed, he drew her into his arms and kissed her.
He pulled back staring at her face, and Jessa could sense his nervousness.
“You know that I love you, and I would never hurt you for anything,” he admitted giving her another soft kiss as his hand caressed her face.
“I know,” Jessa breathed out closing her eyes as he continued to feather kisses around her lips. She knew what he was actually trying to ask her, and she knew what her answer would be. Although they had admitted they were mates and have mated, they hadn’t marked each other yet as she told Abella. After what happened with Jenna, she had backed way from the marking altogether because once he marked her, she would be able to feel everything he was feeling not just slight impressio
ns. Tonight, though, she was taking the next step.
“Timothy,” she moaned as he continued his butterfly kisses.
“Umm,” he murmured as his kisses started down her throat.
“Make me yours,” she whispered tilting her head back to give him better access.
Timothy froze at her words and his head snapped up, “Are you sure, Jessa?” he asked in a whisper.
She smiled up at him and tangled her hands in his hair and drawing his head down to her lips she whispered just before their lips connected, “I am sure.”
Their lips met and each groaned at the contact as Timothy swept her up into his arms without breaking the kiss, and walking over to their bed laying her down gently.
They were so lost in their passion that they didn’t hear the banging on a door further down the hallway.
Jenna banged at Caden’s room before trying the knob only to discover it was locked, and she frowned.
“Caden, baby,” she cooed, but there was no answer.
Her eyes narrowed in disbelief and anger at his silence.
“Jenna,” a voice said, and she turned around to see the unmated male from earlier.
He raked her over with lustful eyes and after one last glare at Caden’s door, she turned to him and with a seductive sway of her hips invited him to her room.
Caden heard their voices as they drifted away and he smiled with a hard smile.
Thank goodness, his wolf said in agitation although he was in the mood for sex himself.
Caden only sighed as he headed toward the bathroom for a cold shower. As the water pounded on to his agitated body, his mind kept seeing only one woman and his wolf was more than willingly to stay focused on her, and only her.
Jed frowned as he looked around Abella’s house trying to find the room she was in, and he eventually found it. It amazed him that it was well concealed, and looked like an ordinary part of the house. He said a slight chant that released the enchantment on the door and it opened to reveal a dark room lit up by candles.
Abella was collapse on the floor in the middle of the room where she had been performing her healing ritual. His frown deepened as he walked quickly over to her taking in the room. She did a decent job, he admitted to himself as he knelt down next to her and his knees cracked at the movement.
“Abella,” he whispered to her and laid a wrinkled hand on her cheek.
Her grey eyes fluttered open and she looked at him in a daze for a moment until her vision sharpened.
“Uncle Jed,” she stammered out sitting up, but she sat up too fast and her healing body protested the sudden movement.
“Easy,” he murmured helping her to sit up more slowly.
“Foolish thing to do,” she admitted in a low voice.
“True,” was all that he said as he observed her for a few minutes.
“Now,” he said with a stern voice, “Let’s get to work.”
She looked at him with wary eyes as she protested, “But you said I had to heal first.”
“I did,” he confirmed with a nod of his head. “But we can start with healing incantations as the first lesson as they will be very useful to you.”
Abella sighed at those words and straightened up where she sat even though it was still painful, “Then let’s get started.”
He nodded his head as he settled himself down in front of her while mentally applauding her. Even though she was in pain and tired, she was willing to start learning.
“Okay,” he said placing his hands on his knees, “We will start with the basics.”
He watched as she rolled her eyes and he could sense she wanted to say something sarcastic, but she didn’t speak a word as he began his teachings.
****
A week later as the sun began to go down, Jessa knocked on Abella’s door, and she fidgeted waiting for someone to answer it.
Jed opened the door and he smiled as he saw her.
“Hello, Jessa,” he said inviting her inside.
“Hello, sir,” she said with a slight smile. She hesitated before she asked, “How is Abella?”
Jed smiled smugly, “Why don’t you ask her yourself? She is upstairs in her room.”
“Thank you,” Jessa said heading up her room, but she stopped at Jed’s voice.
“You can call me Jed, Jessa,” he told her, and she spun around in shock. “Uncle Jed if you like as that is what Abella calls me,” he added before heading toward the living room.
Jessa still stunned stood there for a few seconds until she shook her head and continued up to Abella’s room.
She frowned, as she knew that Abella wasn’t going to like what Jessa had to tell her.
She knocked on the door and she heard the surprised, “Come in.”
She opened the door to reveal a dressed Abella in shorts and a tank top standing in front of her mirror putting her hair up in a ponytail.
“Hi, Jessa,” Abella said turning her head to see Jessa standing in the doorway.
“Hi, Abella,” Jessa said walking further in the room. She could still see the bruises although they were fading that crossed her arms and went beneath her tank top. Jessa bit her lips before she blurted out, “I am sorry for what happened.”
“Jessa,” Abella spoke softly as she finished putting her hair up and turning to her. “There is nothing for you to feel sorry for; it wasn’t your fault. Besides, I am in your brother’s debt for rescuing me.”
“Abella…” Jessa began, and she laughed.
“I know the only reason he did it was to make sure that I didn’t tell them anything,” she stated with honesty.
Jessa nodded her head and said, “He also wants to talk with you. When he found out that you were a witch and knew that we were werewolves, he was livid.”
Abella flinched, but she kept her eyes blank as she tilted her head questioningly at Jessa.
“Okay,” she said softly. “How about we meet at that restaurant you and I went to about a month ago? You and Timothy should come too, and Caden should bring someone with you.”
Jessa scowled, “I don’t think so.”
Abella saw the look in Jessa’s eyes and she chuckled quietly.
“That is up to him,” she said firmly. Then she explained, “I promised him that I wouldn’t return to the pack house. I had no say after he rescued me, but I do now. It is either that or he can actually come here. Something tells me though he would prefer to keep our meeting as professional as possible.”
Abella wasn’t going to dwell on the fact that when she was in the hospital, he was the only person who occupied her mind. She didn’t understand why so she was going to ignore it…for now.
“Okay,” Jessa said with a sigh. “I will talk with Caden and let you know what he decides.”
Abella nodded her head and said, “Come on.”
She started downstairs before she asked, “How are you and Timothy doing?”
Abella laughed as they reached the bottom of the staircase, and she turned to look at her noticing the blush on Jessa’s cheeks, but she noticed something else too although she couldn’t see the full mark. She was glad for her friend because if she wasn’t mistaken that was the beginning of a mate mark that she could see and if she was envious, she didn’t let it show.
“Congratulations,” she said quietly, and Jessa smiled as they walked into the living room.
“You were right, you know,” Jessa said suddenly, and Abella looked at her in confusion.
Jessa laughed as she said, “There is a difference between being kissed and kissing someone.”
Abella’s face showed her surprise at the topic, but she just shook her head chuckling before she said, “I am glad.”
Jed watched their easy friendship with each other and he smiled although it was twinge with sadness. Friendship was easier for Abella than actually loving someone, and Jed knew that was going to be difficult for her.
Love was the one thing that Abella had closed herself off from not believing that anyone would love her again
. When her parents died, Abella lost the only two people that she loved and she didn’t want to take the risk of losing anyone else.
“Abella,” he spoke and both young women stopped to look at him.
“I need to go back to the pack house. I have been gone for a week passing off my council duties,” he told her.
Abella nodded her head in understanding, but said with a frown, “My training isn’t done.”
He shook his head and chuckled, “Actually, no, it is not but you are farther along than most I have trained. Continue as we have been doing and I will keep an eye on you.”
Abella nodded her head and said with a smile, “Thank you, Uncle Jed.”
He nodded his head giving both of them a hug before he clapped his hands and he was gone.
Abella laughed as Jessa giggled and shook her head before saying, “I need to get home too. I was only supposed to give you the message and then head back to the pack house.”
Abella’s humorless smile at her words made Jessa sigh and she hugged her.
“I am sorry, Abella,” she whispered as she stepped back.
“Don’t worry about it,” Abella said in a calm voice although her eyes were a deep grey almost silver before she shielded them.
“I will talk to you later,” Jessa said. Abella nodded her hand and walked her to the door where she watched until she was on her way.
Abella closed the door behind her and leaned against the frame as she sighed heavily.
Her eyes were sad as she headed to the kitchen to make herself something to eat and she looked out the window noticing the sun going down. Tomorrow she needed to go to school, and she frowned at what she had to do as her eyes drifted over to the bill on the counter.
She ate her food slowly because she really didn’t want to go to bed. She hadn’t bothered Uncle Jed about it but the nightmares seem to be coming back and they seem to be getting worse.
She sighed as she finished eating and cleaned up before heading into the living room to watch a movie.
The movie was almost over as she fell asleep and the dreams began.
She was laughing as her mom and dad walked behind her holding hands.
The Witch Prophecy Page 9
