The Witch Prophecy

by Mary Goldberger

  Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Jessa and Asilynn step through the front door and he glanced over at them quickly with a nod of his head before returned his attention back to Jenna not watching them as they walked out the door.

  “So how do I get back in your good graces, Jenna?” Briac asked watching the smile come across her face and how she let her body relax at his words.

  The pack members around them looked at each other in stunned disbelief but they didn’t say a word as Leana strolled behind Jenna.

  “I think we all know what you must do,” she said with a touch of order in her voice, and Briac lifted his eyes to hers just once, and she frowned at the look in them before he returned his attention to Jenna.

  “I guess I have no choice, do I?” Briac said with a sigh running a hand through his wet hair. “I would like to take a shower first before we sit down and talk about this.”

  Jenna frowned wondering what they needed to talk about but she nodded her head in agreement finally noticing the crowd that had gathered and she scowled although there was a touch of smugness in her eyes.

  “This is between my mate and me so go about your business,” she told the pack waving her hand in a dismissive gesture.

  “Actually, you made it pack business when you made sure that everyone heard what you were saying,” one pack member told her in a wryly voice.

  Briac realized why she made the confrontation here on the stairs where everyone could hear them is because she was trying to force his hand and his eyes narrowed at her antics.

  “Let me go and get that shower,” he reaffirmed giving her a slight smile straightening up and going up the stairs.

  Jenna smiled triumphantly as he disappeared in his room and the pack members shook their head as they went their own way.

  Gregory and Timothy looked at each other before they turned and headed back outside to wait for their mates.

  Twenty minutes later, Asilynn and Jessa pulled up in front of the house with a bewildered Natalee in the back seat.

  “What am I doing here?” She was asking as they got out of the car and the other two smiled but didn’t say a word as they started for the house.

  Briac was coming down the stairs as they entered and he smiled when he saw Natalee between Asilynn and Jessa.

  “Hi Natalee,” a member called coming from the kitchen.

  Startled, Natalee nodded her head and said, “Hi.”

  She glanced over at the two ladies near her but they weren’t paying any attention as they ushered her to the living room followed by the men.

  Natalee froze when she entered the living room seeing almost every pack member standing around the living room with Jenna sitting on the sofa with Leana settled in Caden’s chair.

  Jenna turned around sensing Briac but the smile on her face turned to a scowl when she saw Natalee standing there with Asilynn and Jessa. Briac brushed a hand down Natalee’s back causing her to shiver in reaction although she didn’t look back at him her eyes focused on Jenna who was getting up from the couch.

  “Briac,” she said in a pout throwing daggers at Natalee. “I thought we were going to talk.”

  “We are, Jenna,” Briac said crowding Natalee so she had to move forward and he smiled when Jessa and Asilynn moved aside allowing him to move forward with her.

  Jenna watched them narrowly until Briac stepped out from behind Natalee and started toward her, and then she smiled as if she knew why Natalee was there.

  “Oh, Briac,” she said with a giggle. “Isn’t that a little cruel to her?”

  At Natalee’s confusion, she explained, “We were talking about how he could get back in to my good graces and I think marking me as his mate is the best idea.”

  Natalee’s face paled as her eyes widened lifting to Briac’s face whose own attention was focused on Jenna.

  “If that is the reason I am here, then you are crueler than I thought possible,” Natalee spoke a sob in her tone.

  Briac turned his eyes to her scanning her with hooded eyes before he smiled, a smile that snatched Natalee’s breath away before he turned back to Jenna.

  “You said I should find a way to get back in your good graces,” Briac repeated again as Jenna smiled more widely. Briac leaned forward slowly and said clearly, “But you see, Jenna, I don’t want to get back in your good graces. In fact, to be perfectly honest, I don’t want to have anything to do with you.”

  Jenna’s face fell as she looked at him in shock. “But I am your mate.”

  “Natalee is my second mate,” Briac informed her and everyone started talking at once as one person gave him thumbs up.

  “Huh,” Jenna said looking around the room before she resettled her gaze on Briac who stepped back aligning himself with Natalee who was looking elated and stunned all at the same time.

  “You can’t do that,” Jenna screamed forgetting all pretenses as she stepped toward them. “I am your mate not that cripple.”

  Briac’s eyes narrowed in anger at her words as he slid an arm around Natalee’s waist and eased her against him. Natalee tilted her head back to look at him as her wolf howled lightly, not even our mate did this when he decided to keep us. You remember he made us wait until his father was done with the party before introducing us.

  Natalee didn’t respond to her wolf’s words, but she remembered all right she even remembered that the marking ceremony had been done with only a few people and not the whole pack as it should’ve been. That should’ve been her first warning, but she had been too thrilled to have found her mate that she didn’t notice what was going on around her in detail at the time.

  “I, Briac Jenson,” she heard Briac say and she refocused her attention on him, “reject you, Jenna Shallows as my mate.” He turned his head and smiled down at Natalee before he said clearly, “I accept you, Natalee Bramston, as my second mate.”

  “Caden won’t allow this,” Jenna argued her face pale.

  “I have to agree,” Leana said from where she sat inspecting her nails. “I think you should rethink your decision, Briac.”

  Leana looked up with a smile but the smile slid off her face when Briac smiled and told her, “Alpha Caden has already given me his permission to choose the mate I want, and he told me as he left that he would support my decision.”

  “Oh, Briac,” Leana said shaking her head. “I’m sure that that he thought you were going to pick Jenna when he told you that.”

  “I doubt it,” Briac told her bluntly. “Caden knew exactly who I was going to pick. In fact, he told me I should’ve rejected her before I went to Stone’s pack but I didn’t expect to meet my second mate there so I didn’t follow that advice.”

  “What,” Jenna said stunned as she collapsed against the floor.

  Briac looked over at her and told her without any regret in his voice, “Caden learned I was your mate not too long before I went to Stone’s pack as I went to him requesting that he let your debt go so we could be true mates. Imagine my surprise when I learned that the uneasy feeling I had been getting was accurate.”

  “You knew?” Jenna asked her eyes widened at the news. “Caden knew that I had a mate?”

  The pack shook their head as Leana said sharply, “Caden still wouldn’t go for this.”

  “You don’t know what Caden would go for,” Jessa said with sarcasm. “You weren’t here at the time and as of right now, not even my brother can stop it because Briac has already rejected Jenna. The only thing left to do is mark Natalee as his mate and any bond between him and Jenna will be broken.”

  Briac turned to Natalee and grabbing her hand said, “So do I get that privilege?”

  Natalee looked up at him tears in her eyes and she bit her lip as she stood gazing at him feeling all eyes on her before she said tearfully, “I was going to make you work for my forgiveness a little longer.”

  Briac held his own breath knowing he deserved it as Natalee lifted up a trembling hand to his face. “But I can’t after this so I hope you don’t make me regret m
y decision.”

  Briac let out his breath in a rush before he picked her up and swung her around in a circle his face alive with happiness as the others looked on with smiles on their faces.

  “Caden will have something to say about this when he returns,” Leana said as Dave, the council member, nodded his head before both walked out of the room leaving Jenna sitting on the floor her eyes on Briac and Natalee.

  “Don’t even think about it,” a she-wolf mumbled to her as she climbed slowly to her feet and Jenna turned her head looking at her only to step back as she saw the hard look on her face.

  “You gave us hell acting as if you were going to be next Alpha Female when you already had a mate that you were stringing along,” another female said shaking her head.

  Jenna sat there in shock as their words went through before her mind started to work and she knew that she could still have what she wanted as she climbed to her feet.

  “Why should I settle for a damn fighter wolf when I can have an Alpha,” Jenna said with a disdain look at Briac and Natalee before her eyes shifted to the doorway. “There are ways to get what you want when you have the upper hand.”

  Jenna gave them a smug smile before she turned on her heel and walked out of the house her eyes hardening as she exited the house. “I will win what I deserve,” she uttered to herself eyes burning with rage and a calculating look on her face.

  Chapter 47

  Abella entered the house that night with another weary but happy sigh as she closed the door behind her.

  “Good evening,” she said to the wolf-dog as he trotted over to her and she reached down patting his head.

  “Hi, Abella,” Natalee said a sheepish look on her face as Briac came out of the kitchen.

  “Dinner is done,” Briac said giving Abella a wide smile that she returned with a narrowed look but she only nodded her head as she turned to go upstairs.

  “Let me go put my things in my room and then you can tell me what’s going on,” Abella said giving them both stern looks before she walked up the stairs.

  The wolf-dog followed her but only after he gave Natalee and Briac looks from steely silver eyes.

  “Come on and eat,” Briac urged Natalee as she got up from the couch. “I promise, I am a decent cook.”

  Natalee gave him a teasing look as she said, “I hope you are because otherwise I probably won’t be eating tonight.”

  “Hey,” Briac said in mock outrage.

  “I have to agree with Nat on that one,” Abella said as she entered the room the wolf-dog by her side.

  “I am being ambushed,” Briac muttered as he turned and walked to the kitchen, and Abella gave Natalee a wink before they followed behind him.

  As they settled down at the table, Natalee asked, “So how was it?”

  Abella glanced up giving her a smile as she said, “Weren’t we in the same situation this morning?”

  Natalee nodded her head as she laughed and Briac shook her head at them. “You two need to get some new conversation topics.”

  Abella gave him a shrewd look as he placed plates down in front of them and as she lifted her fork she said nonchalantly, “So Natalee, who was that young man you were talking to the other day when we went to the store? Did you get his number?”

  They both heard a loud bang as Briac’s fork slipped through his fingers and landed on the plate as he gave Natalee a glare.

  She busted out laughing holding her stomach as Abella said calmly taking a bite of her dinner, “You said we should have new topics for conversation.”

  “I…you…” Briac began before he cussed and started eating throwing both of them glares through heated eyes.

  “I was only following his advice,” Abella stated taking sip of her drink feeling her stomach churn at the food she was eating.

  “Abella,” Natalee said between her laughter. “That was being cruel to him.”

  Abella put down her fork looking down at the food before she said, “He deserves a little discomfort after what he did.”

  Briac sighed before he chuckled, “You are harsh, Abella” lifting his head and giving her a look. “But I appreciate the fact that you are looking out for my mate.”

  Abella’s eyes widened slightly at his words as she looked at Natalee who nodded her head at the question in her eyes.

  “Why do I get a feeling that I just gained another houseguest?” Abella said wryly sipping some more of her drink.

  “If you don’t mind,” Briac said with a grimace. “Leana pitched a fit when I said I wanted Natalee to stay with me at the pack house and to preserve the peace at the house, Gregory, Timothy and I decided that it would be best if I left until Caden returns.”

  Seeing the sudden alertness in her eyes, he told her, “Don’t worry, Abella, I will still do my duty as a member of Caden’s pack no matter what Leana says.”

  Abella nodded her head as she said, “I guess I don’t have a problem if you stay here. Besides, I think Natalee wouldn’t be too happy at the pack house at the moment any way.”

  Briac and Natalee nodded their head in agreement at this statement as Abella stood up taking her plate and glass to the sink.

  “It was good, Briac, thank you but I’m not that hungry,” Abella told them. “I will do dishes…”

  Natalee shook her head before she could finish. “You have that report to finish tonight, don’t you?”

  Abella sighed as she said, “It is almost done and tomorrow, I will go to the library to print it out so I can hand it in tomorrow evening. I can’t wait until this week is over because after tomorrow, I have two more tests and then…I don’t know what’s going to happen.”

  Natalee fiddled with her glass before she asked hesitantly, “Have you heard anything else from your friend.”

  They both watched a frown cross Abella’s face as she told them, “No, and I can’t get in contact with Aunt Cicely either. I hope they both are okay.”

  She nodded her head at them before she headed out of the kitchen the wolf-dog following her out of the room.

  The wolf-dog tilted his head when Abella suddenly rushed up the stairs and he followed catching her in the bathroom where she was throwing up.

  “Damn,” she mumbled holding her hair back. “This week can’t end soon enough for me so I can’t stop feeling so stressed and sick.”

  She stood there hunched over for a few more minutes as she flushed the toilet and rinsed her mouth out with water before turning to exit the bathroom. Seeing her new companion standing in the doorway, she smiled and reached out a hand patting the top of his head.

  “I’m fine just a little stressed,” she told him patting him one more time before she eased out of the room and heading for her bedroom. “After this week, I will start eating and getting some more sleep although…”

  She didn’t finish her sentence as she shook her head entering her bedroom where she headed straight for the bed taking off her shoes. She settled back against the headboard pulling the laptop on to her lap after climbing on to the bed.

  The wolf-dog settled next to the bed as she began to work and his silver eyes didn’t leave her as she worked on her report. Almost three hours later, she stretched her back easing the muscles that had started to cramp from her sitting still for such a long period.

  “Done,” she said in satisfaction giving it a quick scan before she saved it and powered it down. She shut the lid just as the screen saver went on before it turned off and she missed the short message that flashed on the screen.

  “Now the only thing I have to do tomorrow is take it to the library and print it out so I can hand it in to my teacher tomorrow evening.”

  The wolf-dog growled low in his throat at her words and she glanced noticing his eyes were closed. Abella laughed as she put the laptop on the nightstand next to her bed and made herself a little more comfortable on the bed. “Some guard dog you are making…Uncle Jed,” she muttered as sleep claimed her.

  The wolf-dog’s eyes flashed open and he sat up ey
es narrowed as he looked at the woman on the bed, and then it was almost as if he grinned his tongue hanging out before he laid back down next to the bed.

  Awake early, Abella stared up at the ceiling realizing that the first time in a few weeks she had a decent night sleep. It wasn’t the kind of sleep she got when Caden slept with her, and her heart shook a little at the thought, but it was better than the recent sleepless nights she had been having as she sat up slowly noticing the animal still lying beside the bed.

  She turned on her side staring down at the animal as her mind wondered and she reached over grabbing her phone before she went through her contacts finding the person she wanted to speak to as she hit the send button. As the phone rung on the other end, she sat up running a hand through her tousled hair as a knock sounded at her door.

  “Come in,” she said as the phone continued ringing causing a frown to cross her face.

  As the door opened, the animal next to the bed suddenly jumped up a growl in his throat until the door fully opened revealing Natalee who gave him a narrowed look.

  “Good morning,” she said, and Abella nodded her head as she pulled the phone from her ear and ended the call.

  “What’s up, Natalee?” Abella asked getting up from the bed patting the wolf’s head as she got up.

  “Briac and I going to spending a few nights away from the pack house if that is okay with you,” Natalee said giving her a worried look.

  Abella laughed before telling her, “I have my guard dog, or wolf, with me so I will be fine.”

  Natalee nodded her head and after giving Abella’s protector a warning look, she backed out closing the door behind her.

  “Hmm,” Abella uttered as she stretched before going over to her closet and opening it grabbing a pair of slacks instead of jeans today before walking over to her dresser pulling out a nice pale pink button up shirt.

  She went over to the bathroom passing Briac as he exited the guest bedroom and Abella stopped briefly, “If you hurt her, Briac, as much as I like you I will make sure that you suffer horribly.”