The Witch Prophecy

by Mary Goldberger

  Caden didn’t answer the question, but gave a slight nod of the head before walking away.

  “It is not everyday you see the Alpha getting involved in training,” the man teased him loudly gaining a laugh from other pack members, but Caden only growled lowly at him as he headed into the house.

  He heard his laughter, but only Timothy saw the slight smile that graced Caden’s lips before it disappeared as they entered the kitchen.

  Caden’s eyebrows rose as he saw Jenna and Trixie facing off in the kitchen.

  “What is going on here?” He asked quietly as his wolf rolled his own eyes and snarled.

  Jenna recovered first smiling and flipping her hair over her shoulder, she cooed, “Caden, we were discussing what to have for dinner tonight.”

  Caden heard Trixie snort and turned his black eyes to her. He had to admit that his father had good taste in women if one went by looks alone as Trixie, for being an older woman, was very pretty, but Caden saw more than what his father saw and knew that her beauty was only skin deep. His mother had been a true beauty in his eyes and with that thought, he asked her, “So what is the problem?”

  Before one could answer, Devin came in and Caden noticed how both women’s eyes went to him with looks of lust and something else.

  Pathetic if you ask me, Timothy said to him through a private link, and Caden allowed a smile to cross his face before he wiped away as Devin began to speak.

  “What if we go out to eat?” Devin said with a charming smile. “It will be my treat ladies.”

  The women immediately smiled and gushed although Caden saw the looks that they threw at each other as they walked out of the room.

  Before Devin followed, Timothy asked, “What should we do about the rest of the pack?”

  Devin only shrugged his shoulders, “Whatever you normally do” and sent Caden a smile that had Timothy gritting his teeth although Caden’s expression didn’t alter.

  “Have a good time,” Caden said politely, and Devin laughed as he walked out waving a hand behind him.

  “I can’t see how he is your father,” Timothy muttered. “You two are nothing alike.”

  Caden frowned at his words, and for a second, he had a flash of a tall man with eyes as black as his own and he was standing over him with a smile.

  He shook his head at the image and said to Timothy, “I guess I take more after my mom than him.”

  Timothy, though, was frowning as he turned to him and said thoughtfully, “But what about Jessa? She doesn’t take after him either.”

  Caden went to open his mouth to say something when suddenly what he said filtered through to his wolf.

  He has a point because neither Jessa nor you take after that Bastard, his wolf growled at him.

  Caden didn’t respond to either one of them as he walked out of the room.

  Timothy watched him with stunned eyes as Caden never just walked away without a word.

  Caden climbed the stairs his intent was his room, but he took a detour and headed for the infirmary.

  Dr. Olsen was sitting in his chair and reviewing some files when Caden entered the room.

  He looked up sharply at the interference, and then his eyes crinkled as he said, “Caden, what a surprise. How is your young woman doing?”

  “Abella is doing fine,” Caden answered not seeing the look in the doctor’s eyes at the fact he knew which young woman he was referring.

  Caden prowled around the room for a few minutes until Dr. Olsen sat back in his chair and looked at him with raised eyebrows. Something was on his Alpha’s mind and he wondered what it could be.

  “Caden,” he addressed him quietly.

  Caden stopped and turned to look at him, and Dr. Olsen could see a flicker of anger in his black eyes. He sighed silently knowing that flicker never seemed to disappear, but he frowned as he amended that it had disappeared on certain occasions and only around one person.

  “What can I do for you?” He asked Caden pulling his mind from his thoughts and back on his Alpha.

  Caden sighed and ran a hand through his dark hair, “I have a question to ask you, and I would like an honest answer.”

  Dr. Olsen nodded his head as he frowned at him.

  Caden took a deep breathe and then he began to speak. Dr. Olsen hid his relief at what Caden was asking him, and thought to himself, finally I can tell him the truth.

  Once Caden was finished, the room was silent and Dr. Olsen swallowed as those black eyes focused on him intently.

  He sighed as he looked at him and he knew that he couldn’t lie to him so he began to speak, and as he spoke, he watched Caden sink down into a chair in astonishment.

  Twenty minutes later, Caden went up to his room in stunned silence as what the doctor revealed rushed through his mind. Even his wolf was silent, as he knew that his human had a lot on his mind at that time.

  Caden spotted the chest as soon as he entered the room and without a second thought, he strolled over to it kneeling down in front of it. It had been his mother’s and he could see scratches on it where someone had tried to open it. His lips tightened into a straight line as he felt along the edges where his mother had sewn the key. As his hand felt around the edges, he recalled his mom’s words the day before she died, the chest, sweetheart, holds all of our secrets, and Devin knows this. I am sure that he has tried to get in to it plenty of times, but the lock is a very secure and strong, and the key is some place safe sewn in with great care, and closer than he would think.

  When she died the next day, he remembered those words but he never had time to react on them as he became Alpha in her place.

  Now those words came back to him as he felt along the edges of the fabric that covered the chest until his fingers find it. If one were not looking for it, then it would be hard to find. He gently extracted it from its hiding place and handling the key, he looked at the chest one last time.

  Go ahead, his wolf advised him and Caden felt his curiosity rise of what secrets the chest held.

  Caden unlocked the chest with the key and opened it to reveal his mother’s diaries. He even found a book on the first werewolf, which had him raising his eyebrows and his wolf suggesting, read that later.

  He settled on the floor next to the chest and picked up the first diary as his mother had dated them.

  He began to read losing track as the sun went down and the house became full as pack members returned.

  Some one knocked on the attic door around dinnertime, and he knew who it was from their scent but he continued to read.

  Almost four hours after opening the chest, Caden closed the last diary with a long breathe, but his eyes flashed black fire.

  He closed his eyes as his wolf snarled within tugging and clawing on his control, and for one second he was thinking of letting go to let his wolf have his way. Caden knew though that if he did that then they wouldn’t be able to live with the consequences afterwards.

  Sure, I will, his wolf growled.

  Really, Caden asked unfolding his long legs and lying back against the uncarpeted floor. So you don’t mind having the pack more frightened of you then they already are?

  His wolf was silent before he grudgingly growled, no.

  Caden sighed as his black eyes snapped with anger and they were closing when suddenly a grey pair of eyes flashed before his vision, and his eyes flicked open a second before he jumped to his feet.

  Abella, his wolf sighed with contentment that Caden couldn’t understand, but he knew he needed to talk with someone about what he just learned.

  She was the first person he thought of and without delaying, he gathered the diaries into a pile and finding an old backpack of his placed them in there including the book of the first werewolf. He closed the chest and locked it slipping the key into his pocket before pulling his phone from his pocket.

  He dialed Abella’s number as he snatched up the backpack and he waited as she answered.

  “Hello, Caden,” she said, and Caden felt his wolf lay dow
n at her voice.

  “You sound as if are you delighted to hear from me,” he teased her wondering how she would feel if he asked to see her tonight.

  He was rewarded when after a few seconds, she laughed and he could tell that it startled her as much as it startled him.

  “Well, I guess I am,” she admitted, and he heard the surprise in her voice.

  He hesitated before asking softly, “May I come over tonight? I need to talk with someone and I need your advice on something.”

  He could hear the frown in her voice when she said, “You can’t talk with Jessa.”

  “She is the reason I need some advice,” he admitted.

  He didn’t why, but he could sense her confusion, as she said quietly, “Come over.”

  “Thank you,” he murmured before telling her he would be over in about ten minutes, and then he hung up.

  Putting his phone in his pocket, he walked out of the room locking the door behind him before heading down the stairs.

  “Caden,” Timothy said with a frown. “You didn’t come down for dinner.”

  “I took a nap,” he lied easily, and he knew that Timothy did not believe him.

  Jessa, Jenna, Trixie, and Devin came out of the living room, and Jenna strolled over to him putting an arm through his as she pouted, “Where are you going?”

  “Out,” Caden said untangling her arm through his and walking to the door.

  He looked back at Timothy and Jessa, and they nodded their head at him. He nodded once before he walked out to his truck and headed for Abella’s house.

  Chapter 14

  Abella looked at the caller id and she felt her heart knock against her ribs as she answered, “Hello Caden.”

  “It sounds as if you are delighted to hear from me,” Caden teased her, and she couldn't help the smile that crossed her face and she laughed aloud, which he heard.

  She had to admit she was surprised at the way her heart reacted to seeing his number on her phone, and now that she was talking to him, it was acting even funnier.

  “Well, I guess I am,” she told him surprise evident in her voice.

  There was silence for a few minutes then Caden said slowly, “Do you mind if I come over? I need to talk with someone and I need your advice on something.”

  She felt a frown stretch across her face as she headed toward the kitchen to start dinner, and she stated, “You can’t talk to Jessa.”

  “She is the reason I need advice,” he told her, and Abella sensed that whatever he needed advice on concerned Jessa specifically.

  She stood there for a second before she told him, “Come over.”

  “Thank you,” Caden told her quietly. “I will be over in about ten minutes.”

  Abella hung up with a thoughtful frown on her face as she started making dinner, which was using leftover spaghetti sauce that she had frozen.

  The day had been long with the classes and then work and she frowned as she thought about her boss. There was something…off about her although she was a good boss. Sometimes, though, she had a feeling that she was being watched, and then on top of all that was the weird things that happened in the last few days. Those weird things had her using her powers, and for some reason, she felt as if someone was testing her. She shook her head at her crazy thoughts as she continued making her dinner. She bit her lip wondering if Caden would like to eat with her, and she chuckled at that notion.

  She had put the garlic bread in the oven and the spaghetti was boiling when there was a knock on her door.

  She grabbed the dishtowel to wipe her hands as she walked to the front door, and looking through the peephole, she berated her suddenly beating heart at the sight of that rugged body and black eyes.

  She opened the door and keeping her face blank, she stood aside to let him enter with a “Good evening.”

  He had a backpack slung over one shoulder and Abella looked at it curiously, as he walked in and she shut the door behind him.

  “Doing some homework?” She asked, and it came out teasing which stunned both of them.

  A blush started to cover her cheeks and Abella headed for the kitchen as she wondered what in the hell was wrong with her.

  Caden followed her and his nose twitched at the smells that hit him when he entered the kitchen.

  Abella looked up in time to see the look in his eyes and she smiled before asking, “Would you like to eat while you talk? I find it tends to help say what one needs to say.”

  A shadow crossed his face and Abella froze as she looked at him, and those black eyes were shifting emotions like that day at the grocery store.

  She closed her eyes briefly before opening them and turning back to the stove. She pulled the garlic bread and placing it on the counter before she stirred the spaghetti knowing that they had a few more minutes.

  She went to go do the bread, but was shocked to see Caden cutting it up for her. She went to the refrigerator to get the tea and poured two glasses, which she put at the table. They worked in silence as Caden cut up the garlic bread and she set the table.

  Once they sat down to eat, Abella’s curiosity was high.

  “What is it that you wanted to talk to me about, Caden?” Abella asked taking a forkful of spaghetti.

  Caden took a sip of his tea before taking a bite of his spaghetti and saying, “This is good, Abella.”

  She looked at him with questioning grey eyes and knowing that he was stalling, she answered, “I know.”

  He smiled at her answer before saying quietly, “I find something out tonight that has shocked me.”

  Abella watched something cross his face and she stated, “But not as much as it should have.”

  Caden looked at her in surprise, and he nodded his head slowly.

  “No, not like it should have,” he confirmed. Abella nodded her head as they continued eating, and she started making small talk.

  At his glance, she stated, “In your case, I think we should wait after dinner. Besides, if you talk I don’t think you will eat and it looks like you need to eat something.”

  He laughed at her words and she shrugged her shoulders while keeping herself from blushing, and she hid her grey eyes by focusing on her plate. She was sure that her eyes were bright with some emotion that she didn’t trust neither did she want him to see it.

  They ate talking about mundane things, and afterwards they cleaned up the kitchen together before heading for the living room.

  Abella had refilled there glasses before they headed to the living room, and once there she settled down in the only chair in the room as Caden settled on the couch.

  “Today,” Caden began, “Timothy made the comment that neither Jessa nor I take after our father. Funny thing is I have been told that before but I never really paid attention to it until today when Timothy said it. When my wolf actually backed him, I knew that something was really off about that.”

  He stopped for a moment and Abella said quietly, “Something tells me that it wasn’t the only reason you were having doubts.”

  He sent her a narrowed look which she met without flinching, and he chuckled as he told her, “No, it wasn’t. Ever since I was small, I had this image in my head about a stranger; a tall man with dark hair and black eyes like my own. It happened again today before Timothy’s comment so I went to talk with Dr. Olsen. He had been the pack doctor for a long time.”

  Abella nodded her head as she took a sip from her tea and watched as Caden got up from the couch to pace to the window. She had a good idea what he learned, but she waited for him to tell his story.

  “My mother was the Alpha of this pack,” he revealed, and Abella looked at him in surprise. “That was the reason why the pack went to me instead of Devin. I learned today that my father, my real father, I had been Alpha also. In fact, when he and my mother mated they combined their packs into the one we have now.”

  Caden turned to look at Abella and he saw the shock on her face.

  “I thought…” she began only to stop and shak
e her head.

  “You thought that my mother may have cheated on Devin,” he stated, and she nodded her head at his words. “I have to admit, I was thinking the same thing when I went to talk with Dr. Olsen. He informed me that she didn’t cheat on my father.”

  There was flash in his black eyes and she said in astonishment, “You are relieved that the man you thought was your father is not.”

  Caden smiled at her, and if she knew it, his first true smile in three years.

  “Relief is the mildest term I felt when I learned the truth,” he stated running a hand through his hair and sitting back down on the couch. He leaned forward as he continued, “After talking with Dr. Olsen, I went to my room where a chest my mother gave me sat against the wall. She told me before she died that it hid all the secrets and at the time, I just thought she was being funny. Now I know that she wasn’t after reading her diaries.”

  Abella looked at him leaning forward to sit her glass on the coffee table, and Caden told her in a low voice, “The chest consisted of her diaries. The diaries talk about my father, his death and how she met Devin.” He stopped for a moment before he stated, “It also talks about a fighter wolf that she had a passionate affair with…Jessa’s father.”

  Abella, who was reaching for her glass, froze and looked at Caden with wide eyes.

  Caden looked at her with black eyes that flamed with anger, and Abella knew there was more.

  “My mother’s diaries go in detail and she has some suspicions but no proof,” he told her his hands clenched into fists.

  “Suspicions about what?” Abella said her eyes narrowed in thought until something clicked in her head. “Jessa’s father…could he have been another mate for your mom?”

  Caden shook his head as he explained, “True Alphas only get one true mate although they may mate with another. Unfortunately, that second bond is nonexistent to say the least and can really only be done if one’s true mate is dead.”

  “So…?” Abella said frowning as her mind worked through other angles until her face paled. “No, he couldn’t have.”

  “My mother thinks he did,” Caden said heavily, “But that is not all. If the diaries are accurate, she thinks that he was poisoning her.”