“I don’t know why you want it, but here is the number,” Jessa said holding at her phone, and Briac took it as he opened his own phone quickly punching her number in before handing the cell back to Jessa.
“Thank you,” he said nodding his head about to punch the ‘call’ button when Asilynn stopped him.
“If you are calling to see how Natalee is, then I will tell you she is fine,” she told him giving him a stern look. “We talked to Natalee last night and she is still here in town at Abella’s house.”
Someone passing by heard the name and immediately stopped saying harshly, “Don’t use that name around here.”
Asilynn turned to her and with a voice harder than any have heard from her before, she said, “What makes her any different than you? A human that can turn in to a wolf? If you want to think about it, I would consider that just as an abomination as a woman who has supernatural powers.”
The member stopped and stared at her as Asilynn turned to Jessa with a nod before walking away.
Gregory smiled as he watched his mate and then turned to the member who was still standing there. “She has a point doesn’t she? After all, to humans who don’t know us we are the abominations aren’t we?”
Gregory nodded his head to Timothy and followed his mate inside as Timothy merely looked at the pack member before saying softly, “Did you know that Abella stayed upstairs in the attic for two weeks before anyone knew she was here?”
At the member’s look of surprise, Timothy went on, “So how is it we didn’t have any problems then if she was right in the house?”
Timothy, with a narrowed look at them, walked away and Briac shook his head as he followed catching up with him as Timothy entered the house.
“If you are going to call, do it away from the house,” Timothy advised as they walked through the living room. “I don’t think Abella will want you to get in trouble with our Alpha because of her.”
Briac nodded his head as they headed upstairs unaware of Caden standing out of sight in the hallway his black eyes burning intensely before he turned and walked away.
Abella was in the kitchen cleaning the dishes from dinner as she had already sent Natalee up to get some sleep. Abella sighed seeing the anguish in Natalee’s eyes when she picked her up and if she closed her eyes, she could hear her crying in the room.
Her cell rung in the living room and drying her hands with the dishtowel, she walked to the room to answer it.
“Hello,” she said absently her eyes going up the stairs before she stepped back in the kitchen looking out the window over the sink.
“Hi Abella,” Briac said quietly, and Abella’s mouth tightened in a straight line.
“Yes,” she said sharply her hand clenching around the phone.
Briac was quiet for a moment before he asked, “How is she?”
“What do you want me to tell you?” Abella said quietly before she shook her head. “Briac, she is hurt and heartbroken. I think you were the first person she fully trusted in a long time so when you did what you did today, she lost that trust in you.”
“Abella, I didn’t want Caden…” he began before Abella cut him off.
“I believe I understand why you did it,” Abella said her own heart twisting in her chest at his name. “Give her some time and I think Natalee will come to understand it too although don’t think she will let you back in so easily. A word of advice, though, when you do start coming around again make sure that you have finished with Jenna. I don’t know what a werewolf needs to do to break a bond between mates, but you should do that before coming back for Natalee.”
Abella heard footsteps on the stairs and she said in a low voice, “I have to go. Please don’t call again until you are sure it is Natalee you want to be with, Briac. Jessa and Asilynn will keep you informed of how she is doing.”
With those words, she flipped her phone closed a few minutes before Natalee came into the kitchen.
“How about we make some warm milk?” Abella suggested as she put her cell in her pocket and turned toward the stove.
As she prepared the milk and Natalee sat at the table, she said quietly, “I know you heard me on my cell and I believe you know who I was talking to.”
Natalee nodded her head her eyes filling with tears, and Abella said, “Let’s get you that warm milk and we will talk about it tomorrow.”
Abella poured her the glass of warm milk and handed to her as Natalee looked up at her with wary eyes, and Abella sighed patting her shoulder lightly before she went back to the stove.
Abella laid in bed that night staring up at the ceiling as thoughts went through her head and she sighed heavily turning over on her side trying to get some much needed sleep although it was going to be difficult.
Finally sleep came but it was broken with dreams that kept Abella tossing and turning all night.
The next morning, Abella was up and outside in the backyard when Natalee came outside with red eyes.
“Good morning,” Abella called out giving her a quick glance before she went back to her planting. She was trying her hand at gardening although it was something she had decided the evening before and she knew it was a way to keep her mind occupied with something else.
“Good morning,” Natalee said quietly limping slowly to her, and Abella noted that she was limping worse than yesterday. “What are you doing?”
“Planting flowers,” Abella answered promptly as she continued digging in to the soil. “Want to help me?”
She stopped holding out a spade which Natalee took after a few seconds hesitation. She knelt down beside Abella and together they started digging in to the ground as they made aimless chat. As they were planting the seeds going by a gardening book Abella had purchased earlier, Natalee said slowly, “Briac doesn’t really care for me, does he?”
Abella stilled at her words before she went back to what she was doing and answered her honestly, “Natalee, are you asking for my honest opinion?”
Natalee turned her head to look at Abella when suddenly it hit her that she was asking a young woman younger than herself something about life that she herself probably didn’t know how to work out.
“I’m sorry, Abella,” Natalee began, and Abella only shook her head.
“I honestly believe that he cares about you, Natalee,” Abella told her in a soft voice. “I don’t think he was taking her side at that time even though I wasn’t there, but if you think about it you are not a part of the pack yet, are you?”
Natalee glanced up sharply at that question before her eyes widened but Abella didn’t give her a chance to respond as she continued, “I don’t know how it works but if another person not of the same pack attacked a pack member on their territory then what happens?”
Natalee couldn’t answer as thoughts went rampant through her head until she had to sit down on the grass.
Abella stood up going inside the house before coming back out with two glasses of juice and as she handed one to Natalee she said, “So it was shocking news to find out about Jessa, huh especially since she hasn’t finished high school yet.”
Jessa had told her when she, Natalee and Asilynn came over that day for dinner, and Abella had been surprised but happy for her.
“She graduates in a few weeks from what I understand,” Natalee murmured taking a sip of her drink.
Abella nodded her head as she settled back down where she was at before going in the house. “Well, I think she will probably have it rough but she will make a good mother,” she said.
“Werewolves tend to have children at an earlier age than regular humans,” Natalee told her.
Abella kept up the conversation making inane comments and Natalee responded not realizing until it was almost noon what she was doing.
“I’m hungry,” Abella said wiping her forearm across her face and Natalee glanced over at her recognizing the red twinge to her face.
“We should get you inside before you burn,” Natalee suggested as she climbed to her feet stumb
ling a little as her numb legs didn’t want to cooperate with her.
“You did that on purpose,” she told Abella after finally getting up and to the house where they started lunch.
Abella only smiled at her before she continued making the sandwiches and they had just sat down to eat when the doorbell rang.
They looked at each other in confusion before Natalee got up and told her, “I will get it.”
Abella nodded her head as she walked out of the room wondering who was coming over to see them as she took a bite out of her sandwich.
“Hi, Abella,” Jessa said coming into the kitchen. “Good, you have a lunch because Asilynn and I are hungry.”
Abella looked at her in shock as Asilynn came in followed by Natalee who smiled as she retook her seat.
“What are you…”Abella began only to stop and shake her head as she started to get up.
“No, we can help ourselves,” Asilynn said pushing her back into her seat before walking over to the counter.
Abella murmured, “Go right ahead” before she continued eating and everyone laughed as Jessa and Asilynn joined them at the table.
They sat around talking and laughing for a few hours until Asilynn’s cell went off and Jessa straightened up in her seat.
Asilynn answered her phone as Jessa got up with sigh and started to clean up before telling them quietly, “We need to get back to the pack house. It seems Leana has thrown a party together for Caden before he leaves.”
Abella froze with the glass to her mouth as she was about to take a swallow of her drink when she asked, “Caden is leaving?”
Jessa nodded her head as Asilynn hung up the phone telling them, “He has some things to do before the marking of his mate.”
Abella’s face paled at the words and Jessa glared at Asilynn who frowned and put a hand on Abella’s shoulder. “I’m sorry,” she murmured.
Abella drew in a deep breath before she got up smiling at Asilynn before walking over to the sink. “Don’t worry about it Asilynn. I was prepared for this to happen anyway,” Abella told them as she rinsed off the plate.
Chapter 43
Jessa shared glances with the other two before she asked hesitantly, “What do you mean, Abella?”
Abella shook her head a second before her phone rung and she grabbed it from the counter frowning a little before she said a quick ‘excuse me’ walking out of the room.
“Jessa, do you know what she means?” Asilynn asked quietly as they finished cleaning up.
“No, I don’t,” Jessa said her gaze straying to the doorway where Abella had disappeared. “I really don’t know.”
Five minutes later, Abella and Natalee were waving goodbye to Jessa and Asilynn as they drove away although Jessa noticed that Abella seemed distracted.
It was on her mind the entire ride back to the house where they were met by their mates and Caden who was frowning heavily at them.
“Where did you go?” He demanded as they got out of the car.
Jessa frowned at him as Asilynn said, “We went to see a friend. Do you have a problem with that, Alpha?”
Caden growled at both of them before he stated, “Leana has been cooking all day so…”
“I’ve already eaten,” Jessa said glancing at Timothy before turning back to Caden. “I hope that you have a safe journey and find out what you need to know before you return for the marking of your mate."
Asilynn bowed her head at him before she gave Gregory a look and followed Jessa in the house. Caden turned to the men standing on the steps with him and they gazed at him before Timothy sighed.
“Caden, they are upset over your sudden change toward Abella,” he told him and Caden turned his glare on him.
Timothy stepped back lifting his arms up in surrender as he said dryly, “I won’t say her name again, Alpha.”
He bowed slightly before he nodded his head to Briac and Gregory as he strolled to the house. Gregory gave Caden a narrowed look before he nodded his own head and turned to go around to the backyard where they had a training exercise going on.
“So have you decided what you want to do?” Caden asked turning and started walking away from the house.
Briac fell in step next to him as he revealed, “Most of the pack couldn’t care less about Jenna, and no offense to your mate, but the pack doesn’t care much for her either. Was it like that when she was here before?”
Caden didn’t answer the question as he said with a sarcastic note in his voice, “After you reject Jenna, do you think that Natalee will take you back with open arms?”
“Ab…” Briac began, and changed it mid-sentence, “a friend told me I should make sure to know who I want and to be ready to grovel if necessary.”
Caden’s face went stony as he began to talk but didn’t comment at what Briac had started to say. “I suggest you take their advice,” he said stonily turning on his heel and started back toward the pack house.
“Caden,” Briac started, but when Caden showed no response to his name he stopped and just followed him back to the house.
Once they entered the house, Briac stopped and watched Caden walk up the stairs not saying a word before he disappeared from view.
“I don’t know what is going through his mind right now,” Briac murmured.
“Join the club,” Timothy said next to him, and Briac turned to him with surprised eyes.
“Right now, no one knows what Caden is thinking,” Gregory said from the other side. “I bet you anything not even Caden knows what he is thinking.”
Briac nodded his head as Timothy and Gregory both looked at him before Gregory said, “How about we go out to eat tonight with our mates?”
Briac flinched and Timothy laughed patting his shoulder. “We are going to invite a few others, too, so don’t worry.”
“I thought we were called back to the pack house for a going away party for Caden?” Jessa asked an hour later as Timothy escorted her out of the house with a Gregory, Asilynn, and Briac.
“You were, but not even the guest of honor is showing up, or so I believe, and you know how I feel about Jenna’s cooking,” Timothy said making a face after his words that everyone laughed piling in Gregory’s car.
They were seated when Natalee walked into the restaurant slowly so as to minimize her limp fifteen minutes later. When she saw Briac, she stopped for a second before she continued forward to the table where she was met with smiles.
“Hi Natalee,” Jessa said with a smile that switched to a frown when she glanced behind her. “Where’s Abella?”
Natalee frowned as she told them taking her seat between Asilynn and Jessa, “She dropped me off and told me to call her when we were done, but she has been distracted since this afternoon when she received that phone call.”
“Do you know who it was from?” Asilynn asked leaning forward slightly and Natalee shook her head.
They all looked at each other before they settled back in their seats as their server approached, and Briac glanced over at Natalee who caught his eyes, but before he could say anything she turned back to Jessa talking to her.
It won’t be that easy, Briac, Timothy said to him through the pack link.
I have to agree. I suggest you start with Jenna first, Gregory continued.
Briac sighed heavily getting everyone’s attention and he actually blushed as they all turned to him causing everyone to laugh even Natalee who hid it quickly when he looked at her.
“Let’s eat because I’m hungry,” Jessa said with a relish and Timothy groaned.
“I have a feeling I need to learn to cook,” he moaned getting a glare from Jessa and laughter from the others.
Back at the pack house, Caden heard the knock on the door to the office but he chose to ignore it as he continued his light packing. Since he planned on going in wolf form, the only thing he was taking was a satchel type bag that went across the chest and even in wolf form, it stayed there. Caden never understood how it worked as it was his first time actually using it
, but he needed something to carry his things. As he was zipping it up after making sure he had everything, he suddenly stopped when a book appeared in the bag.
“What…” he asked reaching down to take it out when suddenly his wolf told him urgently take it with us.
Why, Caden asked and a harsh expletive left his mouth when his wolf merely snarled at him before settling down.
“Temperamental wolf,” Caden growled leaving the book where it was as he zipped up the bag while taking a quick look around the office.
He slung the bag over his chest as he turned and left the room his black eyes slightly narrowed and unreadable as he left the attic staircase.
“Caden,” Leana called out her voice in high spirits telling him that she had already started drinking something he learned recently she did often. “Come down for your party.”
Caden locked the door knowing that the security he had Timothy install would activate the minute the door locked before he turned to her with a small smile.
“What are we celebrating?” He asked as she hooked an arm through his and he led them down the stairs.
“You’re going away,” she pouted at him her blue eyes sparkling although she tried to put on a sad look.
“I’m not leaving the pack, Leana, only going on a much needed vacation,” he told her. “While I am gone, Timothy and Gregory will be in charge.”
“What!” She screeched stopping on the last stair and giving him a narrowed look. “As your Alpha Female, I should be left in charge.”
Caden shook his head but before he could contradict her another voice spoke up.
“Unfortunately, you haven’t been marked by Alpha Caden,” Jed said stepping toward them his silver eyes hard in his stony face. “Until he claims and marks you as his, you can’t assume control over the pack even though you are his mate.”
“But…” she said in confusion looking toward the council member who had walked out of the living room as Jed spoke.
The Witch Prophecy Page 42
