“Followed me, huh?” Caden asked roughly as he relaxed and knelt down to open the bag. He pulled out the clothes not bothering to notice exactly what they were as he began to get dressed.
“So to speak,” Jed said dryly walking over to him as Caden pulled a t-shirt over his head.
Caden sighed as he pulled the shirt down before sinking down to the ground to put on the sneakers that Jed had brought. “My wolf has been pacing all day and although I had a feeling that something was wrong, pack business kept me occupied.”
Jed nodded his head as he stood next him looking out at the forest around them. “Timothy gave us the short version of what you learned this morning.”
Caden leaned his elbows against his knees as he said in hard voice, “I trust my pack without question and yet one of the pack members, one that I had feelings for at one time, betrayed me and the pack by tapping into the pack funds.”
“Were you able to straighten things out?” Jed asked knowing the answer because of his talk with Timothy, but he felt that Caden needed to talk about something else for the moment.
“Yes, although I had to do a little negotiating,” Caden confided shaking his head and pushing himself to his feet. He looked at Jed with a rueful smile before saying, “I know what you are doing and I thank you for it, but I need to know what happened to Abella.”
Jed sighed turning his head to look at him before returning his gaze back to trees in front of them. “Cicely called me earlier when she discovered Abella’s car still outside the library although she was nowhere around and her cell was lying on the ground next to it.”
Caden’s eyes closed briefly as he asked in a tense voice, “Was there anything else around?”
Jed didn’t speak for a second before he said in hard voice, “No, but something tells me that I know who it is.”
Caden turned black eyes to him as he continued, “The witch hunters who killed her parents have been looking for Abella ever since she moved away from her father’s family.”
Caden frowned slightly as he asked in confusion, “Why did they wait so long? You said that her father was a witch hunter before he met Abella’s mother, but…”
Jed shook his head as he began to explain. “He was, and as I mentioned, he was one of the best. When he left to marry Abella’s mother, he pissed off a lot of individuals in the family including his nephew although they are not blood related who was jealous and envious of him all in the same breathe.”
“Why?” Caden asked bluntly.
Jed sighed heavily before he continued, “The relatives that took Abella after her parents’ death were distant cousins I discovered before I approached her on her 17th birthday.”
A scowl crossed Caden’s face, but before he could respond to that statement, Jed continued. “From what I understand, the man Abella knew as her ‘uncle’ was taken in by Abella’s grandparents when her father was only eight. Her father followed in the family business, but his cousin like Abella’s grandfather chose to sit in the background directing the movements of the hunters. Abella’s father would have been up in one of those positions too but he chose to be a hunter instead. To be honest, he was a ruthless hunter but a fair one at the same time which actually pissed off his family.”
“A fair hunter,” Caden said with scorn.
Jed laughed lightly as he said, “An unknown concept to us werewolves, I know, but from what I learned he was fair in that he only actually hunted witches’ who had been deemed a threat to humans.”
The scowl didn’t leave Caden’s face, but he thought about what Jed was telling him.
“I thought,” he said slowly, “that he followed the orders he was given.”
Jed shook his head ruefully as he told him, “So did I, but I learned after his death that the witches he supposing killed during his days of being a witch hunter were less than what was believed. Abella’s father actually helped those witches if he learned that they had done no wrong other than being born different.”
Caden shook his head as he had a sudden thought. “Does Abella know this about her father?”
“Unfortunately, no, she doesn’t because her parents’ didn’t want her to know until she was ready,” Jed admitted a frown crossing his face.
“Ready? What does she need to be ready for to know the truth about her father?” Caden asked his tone harsh over his worry of Abella.
“They never explained the reason for the delay in telling her,” Jed confided. Then he straightened up, “Anyway, to get back to the problem of who took Abella, Cicely and I believe that it was the same witch hunters’ from the night of her parents’ death.”
Caden ran a hand down his face in weariness. “Is there a way we can track them?”
Jed hesitated for a second before he said, “We have an idea, but unfortunately, it could be dangerous.”
“We need to try it,” Caden argued.
“I know, but it could be dangerous…for you,” Jed admitted his voice hard with tension and worry that Caden turned to him surprise.
“Why would it be dangerous for me?” Caden asked lifting his eyebrow at the comment.
Jed folded his hands behind his back as he asked, “In the past week, which one has been closer to Abella, you or Jessa?”
Caden didn’t answer the question as he turned his eyes away, but Jed had already known the truth. “In Abella’s home, there is a secret room…”
“The room she collapsed in that one time,” Caden interjected.
A crooked grin crossed Jed’s face as he confirmed, “Yes that room, and we need to get inside it.”
“Okay,” Caden said quietly. “So how is that dangerous?”
Jed hesitated for a second, “Cicely and I can get in with no problem as we are of witch blood, but as for you…” Jed stopped for a second before he continued, “If it wasn’t for the fact that you are close to Abella, I wouldn’t even do this.”
“Jed,” Caden warned in a hard voice.
“The room will only accept one person of non-witch blood, but only if the room’s witch trusts that individual completely.” He turned to Caden and grabbed his arm. “If Abella trusts you, the room will accept you, and only you, but if she doesn’t the room will attack you in defense. That room is Abella’s sanctuary from the outside world when she is injured so spells protect it allowing no one to enter unless she approves them. Every witch has one, or something similar to it, with only one person that they hold dear to be given access.”
Caden saw the worry in Jed’s eyes and he asked slowly, “So what will happen if the room doesn’t accept me?”
Jed only stared at him before he said, “We need to find Abella, and I can think of only one person who can help us locate her.”
Caden turned shocked eyes to him as Jed added shortly. “Her father.”
Back at the house, Cicely, Jessa and Timothy were in the office waiting for Jed to return with Caden.
“I wonder why Jed returned suddenly,” Jessa wondered aloud.
Without turning around, Cicely answered solemnly. “If I had a guess, he was here to remind Caden about the deadline coming up.”
Timothy and Jessa looked at her one with confusion while the other had understanding and a hint of fear in their eyes.
Before either one could comment, the door flew open as Jenna followed by Devin and Trixie entered the room.
“Where is Caden?” Jenna asked sharply her eyes searching the room before landing narrowly on Timothy and Jessa. She ignored Cicely completely as she continued. “I heard that he lost control of his wolf. If I had known, I could’ve helped subdue him.”
Jessa and Timothy looked at them as Trixie chuckled, and Devin told them, “We thought she had the right to know as she is fiancée.”
Jessa snorted as she mumbled, “Only in her mind.”
Jenna turned glaring eyes toward her, but Cicely forestalled any comment as she turned away from the window.
“Caden’s wolf took them for a run as he had some issues to work out,” s
he said without hesitation.
They all looked at her, and Cicely gave Trixie and Devin blank stares before she turned that look to Jenna.
“He will be back shortly, and unfortunately, you might have to wait to talk with him as we have something important to discuss when he returns,” Cicely confined.
Jenna frowned as Devin shrugged his shoulders before hooking an arm around Trixie’s waist. “We have to go shopping as we are leaving tomorrow for a trip so we will see him when we get back.”
Timothy gave him a hooded look before he nodded his head. “I will tell Caden that you will see him later.”
Devin’s smile slipped off his face at the dismissive tone that they heard in Timothy’s voice, and he snarled at him. “Watch yourself, Beta.”
Timothy merely gave him a look before he smiled dangerously. “So should you, Devin.”
Trixie laughed as she grabbed his arm and turned them to the door. “Let’s go, Devin. You don’t have to worry about him.”
Devin nodded his head as he headed out with her, but Jessa had to stop the grin that spread across her face. She had seen the hint of fear that had crossed her ‘father’s’ face when Timothy had smiled at him.
You frightened him, she said to Timothy through their mate link.
I wanted to do a lot more, believe me, was his comeback as Jenna strolled over to the desk her heels clicking against the hard wood floor.
“I will wait for Caden. I am sure that he would like to see me first,” she said with complete confidence, and Jessa looked at her in stunned surprise.
She turned to look at Timothy with a questioningly look but Timothy only shook his head at her. He wasn’t sure himself what went through Jenna’s mind because Caden hadn’t bothered with her for a while now.
Five minutes later, the door was open by Jed who walked in first followed by Caden whose face was lined with worry.
“Caden!” Jenna rushed over to him and threw her arms around his neck. “I was so worried about you. Are you okay?”
Jessa rolled her eyes as Cicely and Timothy watched her act. Caden calmly removed her arms from around his neck as he said without emotion, “I am fine, Jenna. My wolf just needed some exercise.”
He walked over to his desk and sat down heavily putting his head in his hands as Jenna, frowning, walked over to stand behind him.
“Caden,” she simpered at him. “I think you should get some rest before you tackle anything right now. Let me help you to your room.”
She went to help him up from the chair, but Caden said without lifting his head, “I will rest when we settle this issue first.”
Everyone looked at each other at his choice of words, but Caden didn’t bother adding anything else although his eyes were hard with worry unseen by the others.
Jenna sighed before she slid her arms around him and rested her forehead against his neck. “You need to get some rest first, Caden.”
“I will,” Caden added lifting his head sharply dislodging her slightly. Then he patted her arm before he loosened her hold on him. “Jenna, we need to discuss something important to the pack so if you can leave us…”
Jenna scowled slightly behind his back but as Caden turned his head to look at her she turned it into a smile.
“Of course, baby,” she murmured kissing the corner of his mouth a satisfied glint entering her eyes as she felt him stiffen at the action. “But after everything is discussed, come see me. I can help you get rid of the rest of that tension that I can feel running through you.”
She gave him another kiss before she slowly stepped back from him, and giving Jessa a smug smile, she strolled from the room giving Jed a nod as she walked past him.
Once the door closed behind her, though, Caden closed her eyes and took a deep breath as his wolf howled and struggled within him.
“Caden,” Jed warned as he stepped toward him.
“I am trying,” Caden growled with his eyes still closed. He clenched the desk with a tight grip as he told his wolf, if we want to find Abella you need to let me stay in control.
The remainder was the only thing that calmed his wolf even though Caden could still feel his wolf’s anger and anxiety.
His eyes opened showing how black his eyes were telling them that his wolf was dangerously close to the surface.
Cicely didn’t comment as she looked at Jed who kept his silver gaze locked on Caden.
“We need to get to work,” he said quietly to the room, and Caden nodded his head in understanding.
“What do we need to do?” Jessa asked sitting forward in her seat.
Jed and Cicely looked at each other before they turned their attention to Jessa. “Jessa, out of the two of you, who does Abella feel safer with and trusts more?”
Jessa looked startled at the question before a thoughtful look came to her face. “If you would’ve asked me that a few months ago, I would have said me.” She lifted her eyes to Caden before she begin to smile, “Now, although Abella still trust me, she feels safe with Caden and because of that, she trusts him more.”
Jed nodded his head as he told her quietly, “It is Caden that needs to do the next thing because only he will be able to do it.”
Jessa and Timothy looked at each other before their attention was drawn to Caden who said in terse voice, “Then let’s get to work” repeating Jed’s earlier choice of words.
Chapter 24
Abella opened her eyes slowly as her mind came to full consciousness, and she wondered what happened after they knocked her out. She tried to move, but as the iron around her wrists snagged at her wrists she remembered that she was literally hanging from a hook in the middle of the room.
“Well, hello,” a smug voice said, and she looked around until her eyes focused on two figures in the far corner of the room.
As they came closer, her eyes narrowed on them as she recognized each one; the first one who had spoken the younger of the two was the one who killed her parents. His hazel eyes looked at her in triumph as if he had won a great prize, but Abella merely shifted her glance from him to the other man.
He was older with thinning grey hair and a thickening middle, and he looked uncomfortable as he shifted from foot to foot not looking at Abella.
“So this is David’s daughter all grown up,” the younger man said in a soft mocking voice. “I assumed you had died, but you are stronger than I thought. I’m sure you remember me from that night, but just in case you didn’t, my name is Wester.”
Abella didn’t answer him knowing that he was speaking just to hear himself speak as she stared at them with her grey eyes steady and direct.
The man who mocked her walked over to her as his eyes hardened taking in the direct stare and before Abella could blink, he backhanded her.
Since Abella hadn’t expected the action so soon, her body jerked at the contact and she swung on the chain.
“Let’s see how strong you are in a few days,” Wester sneered as he stepped back from her. “Do it.”
Abella was confused at his words before she saw the two other men in the room. She had been so focused on the man who killed her parents that she hadn’t notice them entering and she glanced over at them a second before they threw two full buckets of cold water on her. She gasped as the cold water soaked through the clothes she wore, and one of the man laughed as the sports bra she wore was revealed.
“Not sexy at all,” he muttered shaking his head as he left the room.
Wester laughed at his man’s words aware of his second man’s attention focused on Abella with lustful eyes.
“Leave,” he told him abruptly in a hard command giving the man a warning glare.
Abella observed how the man looked at him before he turned and walked out of the room. She knew that the man hadn’t been intimidated by Wester even though he had a different opinion as she could tell from the smirk on his face.
“I do believe you remember your uncle,” he said indicating the older man behind him. Abella merely nodded her head not ta
king her eyes off of him. Wester smiled as he said, “Come over here and say hello to your niece.”
Her uncle shuffled forward and Abella turned her head slowly her eyes meeting his, and he flinched at the disdain and disgust that her grey eyes revealed before she turned away.
Abella’s eyes went to Wester as he said laughing, “He always was the weak one of the family even though he must have seemed strong to you.”
“Wester,” her uncle mumbled shifting back.
Wester gave him a mocking grin and Abella watched them through narrowed eyes. Her eyes went to her uncle as she admitted to herself at one time when she first went to live with them, she had believed him to be strong until she started getting older and saw him for what he truly was, a weak-willed man controlled by others.
“As for me,” Wester started again as Abella turned back to him, “I know exactly who I am.”
Abella seriously doubted that as she observed him quietly, but all she said knowing what would happen was, “A coward?”
As she thought, the remark earned her another backhand this one much harder busting her lip open.
“I will be the one to break you,” he told her harshly leaning down into her face. “Once I do, then I will let my men play with you until they get bored.” He smiled then a malicious smile that Abella mentally shivered as he told her, “After that, I may kill you or I may keep you around as a remainder.”
He turned and walked away her uncle scurrying after him as they exited the room.
Abella’s face was blank as she watched them leave, but before the door closed behind them Wester said, “Just so you know, this room gets really cold at night. Call if you need a change of clothes.”
The door slammed shut on his laughter and Abella shivered as a breeze went through the room. She had a feeling if she did ask for some dry clothes, then he would ask for something in return. Her mouth tightened in anger as she repeated his words in her head before the memories of the night her parents died followed them.
“Never,” she vowed her grey eyes stormy with strong emotions as she understood what his words meant.
The Witch Prophecy Page 22
