The Witch Prophecy Read online

  Jessa shook her head as Gregory came into the house followed by the other fighter wolves in the pack.

  “We need to be on alert at all times,” Caden said.

  Timothy continued, “Alpha Stone believes that the group spotted the other day was merely a scouting party and they were called back because something big is going down soon. Alpha Stone has heard rumors that they are going after the Everwood Pack.”

  Gregory’s face went hard as he said, “That pack is made up of merely old werewolves who have basically retired and want to live a peacefully life away from humans and other werewolves alike.”

  Caden nodded his head in confirmation before telling him, “Stone is investigating now, but when he has definite proof then we will be going to offer our help although I am not leaving our pack unsupervised. Timothy will be staying here with the second fighter wolf group so Gregory make sure that they are ready.”

  Gregory nodded his head as he said confidently, “They are ready, Alpha.”

  “Good,” Caden said giving him a smile. “Then let’s be on our guard.”

  Everyone nodded their head before they begin to separate and as Jessa turned to Caden about to say something Gregory asked hesitatingly, “Is she all right, Alpha?”

  Caden turned to him with a confused look before Javier said quietly, “The witch Abella.”

  “She will be fine,” Caden told them in a guarded voice, but Gregory and Javier only smiled in relief before they headed out of the pack house.

  They see it, Timothy told Jessa as they watched Caden’s astonished look before he wiped the emotion of his face.

  That he has changed, Jessa responded back telling her mate that she had seen the difference in her brother also.

  “Caden,” she said after giving Timothy a loving look. “This way to the room I think would work better for you two until Abella is back on her feet.”

  She led the way as Caden and Timothy followed, and Jenna stepping out of her room watched them with suspicious eyes that turned thoughtful as they walked into a room at the end of the hallway.

  “Well, well,” she murmured to herself as she closed her door behind her and there was a wicked look on her face as she begin to scheme.

  Inside the room, Caden looked around in surprise as Jessa said, “This room use to be a storage room although I remember mom remarking once that it had been a study at one time.”

  Caden nodded his head slowly as he walked around the empty room as he had flashbacks of being in this room with the man who was his father.

  “It used to be my father’s study, but after he died and Devin came into our lives, my mother wouldn’t allow me to enter this room,” Caden remarked slowly.

  Jessa gave a gasp as she said, “I didn’t know that, Caden, I am sorry. I will look for another room…”

  She stopped when Caden shook his head as he commented, “I forgot about this room even when I was dating Leana. How long have you known about this room?”

  Jessa ducked her head in embarrassment and she admitted, “Since I was 12, I found it by mistake one day when some of us were playing hide-n-seek.”

  Caden laughed giving her thoughtful look before asking, “You never liked Leana, did you, baby sister?”

  Jessa hesitated for a second before she admitted, “I just a got a bad feeling whenever she was around although I couldn’t tell you because I saw the way you looked at her. I just couldn’t…” she let her words fall away as Caden walked over and pulled her into his arms.

  They didn’t say anything as they stood there and Timothy merely waited clearing his throat when he thought it was appropriate.

  “So what do you want to do, Alpha?” Timothy said in a teasing note as Caden and Jessa looked over at him.

  Caden looked around the room and a slow smile began to cross his face as Jessa and Timothy looked at him, and they both wondered what he was thinking when his dark eyes gleamed with black laughter.

  In the attic room, Abella blinked open cloudy grey eyes looking around the room before sleep claimed her once again.

  Cicely materialized next to her as she drifted back off to sleep and she laid a wrinkled hand on her forehead.

  “You have done well, my child,” she said softly. “There are only a few more things that I need to teach you before you will surpass even me. There are also dangers that I need to share with you that come with having this particular gift although yours is much stronger than mine.”

  Violet eyes looked down at the young woman lying in the bed and they smiled as the woman murmured, “I did the best for your child, David, Glenda, I just hope that it is enough.”

  As the door opened below, Cicely vanished from the room as Caden reached the top and his eyes scanned the room detecting another’s scent.

  “I wonder what she was doing here,” he murmured in the quiet of the room as he walked over to Abella looking down at her as she shifted in the bed again at the sound of his voice.

  Chapter 29

  The following evening, Caden walked up the attic stairs wearily as he thought about all the preparation he put in to effect to make sure that the pack would be protected when Alpha Stone called.

  As he walked into the room, he sighed closing his eyes in exhaustion although they snapped open when a croaky voice asked softly, “Are you okay, Caden?”

  Abella was sitting up in bed her dark hair unruly around her still pale face, but Caden didn’t mind that as he strolled over to the bed.

  “How are you feeling?” He asked sitting on the edge as he reached out to touch her cheek as he had done countless times during the last day. He frowned as Abella grimaced slightly rubbing her throat and asked quietly, “Are you thirsty? Hungry?”

  She nodded her head to both questions as she scanned the room before turning a quizzical look back to him. “My room,” Caden said reading the look correctly.

  She nodded her head before she started to ease herself out of bed and Caden moved to help as he asked, “Is there something wrong?”

  “I need to use the bathroom,” she said croakily with an embarrass glance at him.

  Caden stifled the laugh that came to his throat knowing that it would embarrass her further if he let it lose and as she came fully to her feet, he gently lifted her up in to his arms.

  “Caden,” she said in her croaky voice.

  Caden only gave her sly smile before he started down the stairs were the bathroom was located.

  “This floor shares the bathroom although there are three rooms that have a bathroom attached,” he told her as he walked over to the door and knocked loud enough so that it could be heard from within the room.

  “Why only three rooms?” Abella asked in a whisper as he turned the knob to the bathroom and Caden stopped briefly as he thought about her question.

  “I don’t really know,” he admitted. “My grandfather had the house started before he died and my father, if I recall correctly, took over so that it would be finished.”

  He shrugged his shoulders as he put her down gently on her feet and asked, “Do you need any help?”

  Abella gave him a skeptical look that created a smile on Caden’s face as he backed out telling her, “I will be right outside the door if you need help.”

  “Thank you,” she told him in a whisper her voice slightly painful.

  Caden shut the door softly behind him as he walked out and he leaned against the doorframe a thoughtful look on his face.

  Timothy and Jessa came walking up the stairs giggling as they came home from a late night out and seeing Caden standing near the bathroom door they gave each other speaking glances.

  They headed over to him but before they reached him he straightened up and turned to them.

  “Jessa, can you stay here and wait for Abella in case she needs any help,” he asked.

  Jessa’s eyes widened as Timothy asked, “Abella is awake?”

  Caden nodded his head as he turned and bounded down the stairs not saying another word although he said through th
e pack link a few minutes later, she needed to use the bathroom and while she is doing that I am going to fix her something to eat. When she gets done, bring her down to the kitchen if she can.

  Jessa and Timothy smiled as they leaned against the doorframe and five minutes later, the door opened as Abella came into view.

  “I didn’t realize I had to go that much,” she retorted only to look up and blush when she saw Jessa and Timothy standing there.

  “Abella,” Jessa said tears coming to her eyes as she reached over to give her a hug only to stop when Abella cried out lightly as her arms closed around her back.

  “Sorry,” Jessa said her tears slipping down her face at Abella’s pain.

  Abella shook her head as she gave Jessa a hug and whispered, “It’s not your fault so don’t be sorry for giving me a hug.”

  She eased back and gave Jessa a weary smile which Jessa gave back to her.

  “Can you make it to the kitchen, Abella?” Timothy asked putting a hand under her arm when she swayed on her feet. “Caden said to bring you downstairs as he is making you something to eat, but if you can’t make it then I am sure Caden will bring it up to the room.”

  Abella was tired, but she shook her head. “I think I can make it downstairs, but I may need some help getting back up the stairs.”

  They all laughed quietly as Timothy and Jessa positioned themselves on either side of her and helped her down the stairs to the kitchen.

  Caden was just setting the table when they walked in and they all smiled as they noted that Caden had set four plates on the table.

  “I guess we are joining you,” Timothy said in low voice although Caden still heard his words.

  “You don’t have to,” he said in a grumble.

  Timothy quickly shook his head as he said taking his seat fast, “You don’t cook often so I am going to savor it while I can.”

  As Jessa helped Abella sit down, she explained, “Caden is actually a damn good cook but with running the pack and everything else, he doesn’t cook often so we take this as a treat.”

  “Damn right,” they heard Caden mutter, and Abella had to laugh as Timothy and Jessa winked at her.

  As Caden dished out the simple meal, Abella said, “How is it the day when we made breakfast you said you could only make eggs?”

  Caden bent his head down and whispered in her ear, “Because I enjoy your cooking.”

  The flush that coated Abella’s cheeks at his words caused them all to smile as Caden finished dishing out. As he settled at the table he commented, “That flush looks better than those pale cheeks.”

  Abella didn’t respond to the remark as she took a long drink of her water that he placed at her setting before she started on her food. Caden watched as she ate everything although he cautioned her, “Slowly, sweetheart, or you could end up getting sick.”

  Abella nodded her head looking at him quickly wondering if he realized what he said and as she glanced over at Timothy and Jessa, she knew that they had caught the endearment also.

  Caden had given Abella a small portion because he knew better than anyone what happens if you give someone a huge portion that hadn’t eaten anything within weeks although he was positive that they were giving her water at least.

  “Abella,” Jessa began only to be stopped by glares from both Caden and Timothy.

  Abella didn’t miss either the question in Jessa’s tone or the looks that her mate and brother threw her. She put down her fork slowly as she began, “It wasn’t so bad the first few days I guess you could say. Wester, my father’s cousin, didn’t like my responses to some of the things he asked or said to be so he retaliated by swinging. This,” she said waving to the bruises on her face, “would’ve healed a week ago if he hadn’t thought it was funny although the busted lip was recent because I bit his tongue when he kissed me.”

  Abella shuddered in her chair at the remembrance before her eyes flew open and she stretched her torso using her hands to feel along her ribcage showing how thin she was at the moment.

  “I thought…” she began and Jessa nodded her head.

  “You did, but Cicely mended it for you when you first arrived.”

  “It shouldn’t have healed so quickly,” Abella murmured stretching her arms over her head as high as they could go before her body protested the movement. “Okay,” she said catching her breath, “it’s not completely healed yet.”

  Caden shook his head at her as she lowered her arms slowly. “She is good, sweetheart, but even she can’t speed up your recovery.”

  Abella went to throw him a glare but she ended up yawning instead as she covered her mouth and she told him wearily, “You are lucky that I’m still so tired.”

  Caden chuckled as Timothy and Jessa snorted at her words causing Abella to look over at them with stunned eyes.

  “Take her to bed,” Timothy said getting up from the table as Jessa giggled at his words. “Jessa and I will wash the dishes.”

  “But I…” Abella began only to stop when Caden lifted her to her feet before he swung her up into his arms although he stopped when Abella hissed slightly as the t-shirt rubbed against her back.

  “Sorry,” Caden said kissing her temple.

  Abella nodded her head as she rested her head on his shoulder and the flush that had been in her cheeks was gone and the paleness returned.

  “See you in the morning,” Caden told them quietly and Abella opened her eyes that filled with pain. “Thank you.”

  Jessa and Timothy nodded their head before Jessa reached out a hand and placed it on her Abella’s arm. “If you feel up to it, I need to talk with you tomorrow.”

  Abella nodded her head as her lids drifted close again and Caden said, “I will remind her.”

  Jessa sighed as Caden walked away going up the stairs with Abella nestled in his arms.

  “She will be fine, Jessa,” Timothy told her confidently. “Jed and Cicely assured us of that and I don’t think they would lie.”

  “You’re right,” Jessa said feeling better as she turned to Timothy. “Now who said I was going to help you with the dishes.”

  Timothy splashed water at her as she voiced this aloud and Jessa laughed as Timothy grabbed the sprayer threatening to drench her if she didn’t help him. She grumbled as she helped and Timothy laughed planting a lingering kiss on the nape of her neck as they went to work on the dishes.

  Caden made sure the door was locked before he hurried back up the stairs only to stop in the doorway as he noted Abella had fallen back to sleep. He smiled softly as he walked over to brush back a strand of hair and he dipped down to give her a light kiss before he straightened. He turned starting to unbutton his shirt when the books on his desk caught his attention.

  We need to finish reading mom’s journals and also about the first werewolf, his wolf told him, and Caden finished unbuttoning his shirt but he didn’t pull it off as he walked over to the desk and sat down reaching for the first book on the pile.

  He settled back in the chair as he opened the book and began to read.

  The night went on slowly as he reread each one of his mother’s diaries catching things he didn’t catch before and he glanced over at Abella often to see how she was doing. The sun was starting to come up when he finally got to the last one and Caden yawned stretching in the chair before he started to reach for the last book only to stop as he heard movement behind him. He straightened in the chair and turned his head as Abella pushed her hair out of her face and moved to the edge of the bed.

  “A repeat of the night before,” she murmured sleepily giving Caden a bemused look from sleepy grey eyes.

  Caden got up from the chair stretching his stiff back muscles before he walked over to help Abella up out of bed.

  “I am glad Jessa already arranged everything,” Caden told her as he placed an arm around her waist after Abella shook her head when he went to swing her up into his arms.

  At his words, Abella gave him a questioningly look but he only shook his head and gui
ded her down the stairs. As they reached the bottom, he could feel how the short trip tired Abella out and from the scowl on her face, she knew it too.

  “Pathetic,” she murmured as they walked slowly to the bathroom.

  Caden shook his head as he told her, “From what Cicely told me, the whip they used was coated with some kind of poison that weakens a witch’s powers so you are just taking longer to heal.”

  “So that’s why he went to the whip,” Abella murmured more to herself although Caden heard her perfectly and his eyes flared at the news.

  As like the night before, he escorted her into the bathroom and then leaned against the doorframe waiting for her to finish. The pack house was beginning to wake up and as the pack members who still stayed in the pack house came out of their rooms, they glanced at Caden with uncertainty.

  “Don’t worry, the bathroom will be free in a few minutes,” he told them with a nod of his head.

  They smiled and nodded their own head before going back into their room. A few minutes later, the bathroom door opened and Abella gripped the doorframe as she stepped forward.

  Caden looked at her and she nodded her head as he placed his arm back around her waist noting that her face was a little red and some of hair was slightly damp which told him she washed her face before coming out.

  They headed back up to his room and as he settled her on the bed, there was knock on the door.

  He growled low in his throat before he called out, “Yes”.

  “Caden, are you coming down for breakfast?” A sugary voice called out and Abella watched as Caden’s eyes closed on a heavy sigh.

  “Jenna,” they heard Jessa call out and then an angry retort from Jenna as she strolled away.

  Thank you Caden said to Jessa through the pack link unaware of Abella’s head shooting up with wide eyes.

  “So what would you like for breakfast?” Caden asked as he settled Abella back in bed noting that she had a strange look on her face. “Abella?”

  Abella shook her head as she looked up at him and said, “Toast and orange juice please.”