Caden nodded his head as he looked down at his glass, “I know exactly how you feel. I was the same way; I couldn’t wait to meet my mate.”
“So is the witch…” Briac began, but he stopped when Caden shook his head.
“No,” Caden said, but Briac saw a softness in his eyes that was at odds with his words.
Caden shook his head and then asked again, “Briac, what do you want to do?”
Briac sighed and sunk back into the chair as he answered in a low voice, “I really don’t know.”
Caden heard the sadness in his voice and said, “I have made an arrangement with another pack to lend a fighter wolf. Besides my pack, Alpha Stone’s is one of the best.”
Briac closed his eyes as Caden’s words sunk in and Caden stayed silent letting him think.
“Should I reject her?” Briac asked quietly.
Caden spoke just as quietly, “That is up to you, but what I would do is ask her point-blank about accepting your mark as her mate. If you want to make your decision after you talk with her, then Stone and I will wait for your answer.”
Again, they were silent each in their own thoughts until they heard Abella’s footsteps coming down the stairs.
“Such serious faces,” she teased after coming into the room.
She walked over to the couch and lightly laid a hand on Caden’s shoulder feeling him tense slightly at her touch. She patted it before stepping back and turning away.
“Are you guys staying for dinner?” She asked stopping at the kitchen door to look over her shoulder.
Caden looked at Briac who looked weary and he chuckled as Abella said offhandedly.
“Don’t worry, Briac, I don’t plan on poisoning you or doing any spells unless you really want me too. I don’t know if I have any spells that you may be looking for like turning a man into a frog and such, but I can look for one if you like, Briac.”
Briac was taking a swallow of his drink as she spoke and he choked when she smiled and said, “It is only dinner, Briac.”
Abella looked at Caden and winked at him before disappearing into the kitchen.
Caden’s body froze as his wolf sighed in bliss at the sight of grey eyes lit with laughter and the fact that she winked at him without hesitation.
Caden groaned as his body heated up with passion at such a simple gesture and his wolf howled with laughter.
Chapter 19
A few days later, Caden was finishing some paperwork in his office when there was a knock on the door.
“Come in,” said Caden absently as he tidied up the papers into a folder.
He looked up just as the door opened and Briac walked in with a hard look on his face.
“Close the door behind you, Briac,” he said looking down at the folder, which he closed before looking back up at Briac who had closed the door and walked over to the window.
Briac’s back was tense with anger as he said shortly, “She had the nerve to tell me that she was with you that day.”
Caden didn’t make a sound as he sat back in his seat to listen to Briac tell him what happened between Jenna and him.
“I told her I didn’t care about the debt, and I wanted to mate with her anyway,” Briac continued his voice vibrating with anger. “She told me that you had learned she had found her mate and threatened her to not let him mark her until you said so.”
He hit the wall hard with a clenched fist and leaned his head down clenching his teeth tightly.
Caden lowered his eyes to his desk allowing Briac his moment while his wolf bristled with anger.
We are just as bad, he spoke to his wolf.
Yes, and yet a she-wolf can get away with such a manipulation whereas a male wolf can be termed a bastard if one discovered that they were as manipulative, his wolf growled out and privately, Caden had to agree with his statement.
“Caden,” Briac said diverting his attention from the conversation with his wolf, and Caden lifted his head to meet Briac’s eyes. “Is that offer still open?”
Caden nodded his head and said solemnly, “Yes, if you want to take it.”
Briac was silent for a few seconds before he took a deep breath and said quietly, “I want to accept it.”
Caden still looking at Briac picked up the phone and called Alpha Stone with the confirmation.
Briac sagged against the windowsill as Caden talked on the phone, however, his eyes were shadow with sorrow.
After Caden hung up the phone, Briac asked quickly, “May I come back here?”
“You are under no obligation to stay with Stone’s pack unless you want to and ask for permission to stay,” Caden replied. He looked at Briac intensely before he told him, “The same goes for my pack as you never asked permission to stay although I understand why you stayed.”
Briac grimaced before he admitted, “Jenna thought it would be wiser not to say anything.”
Caden shook his head and confided, “Unfortunately for Jenna, she doesn’t understand much about my pack than she believes she does. I knew the minute that the Council left although I didn’t know who your mate was, and to be honest, although I saw you with Jenna often, I didn’t think about you being her mate.”
“You already knew…” Briac started in surprise.
Caden stood up grabbing the folder that he had been messing with and he smiled as he remarked, “Who do you think made you one of the fighter wolves?”
Briac started to laugh and Caden just chuckled as he walked around the desk, and then Briac told him, “Jenna believes that she pulled the wool over your eyes on me.”
“She did,” Caden said honestly, “but only concerning the fact that you were her mate.”
Briac shook his head still chuckling and he started toward the door before Caden stopped him. He turned back with a raised eyebrow his hand on the doorknob, and Caden looked at him with serious black eyes.
“Briac, I’m not telling you what to do but before you leave, which coincidentally you need to be at Stone’s pack in a week’s time; however, I believe that you should clear up some unfinished business before that time.”
Briac looked at him and asked suddenly with curiosity, “Are you going to mark her as your mate when I do?”
Caden’s black eyes narrowed at the question, but all he said was, “Go ahead and get ready, Briac.”
Briac heard the dismissive tone and he nodded his head turning the knob to leave when Caden said quietly, “If you don’t want to reject her now, then you will still have time. I don’t plan on making Jenna my mate as I still have a mate out there somewhere.”
Briac didn’t turn back around, but he gave a sharp nod and continued out the door down the hallway. He headed to his room and his mind for some reason flashed to the night that he and Caden had dinner at the witch’s house.
In the few months that Briac had been in the pack, he never saw Caden that relaxed or lighthearted. He shook his head as a slight grin crossed his face and he began to sort through his belongings. He wondered if Alpha Caden realized how much he changed when he was in the company of the witch Abella, but Briac had an suspicion that Caden was more cautious when he was around her when certain others around them.
He shook his head again and then he started thinking about the suggestion that Caden made about rejecting Jenna, and he sighed because he didn’t think he could reject his mate even though she had played him.
Three days later, he left after catching Jenna in the kitchen and telling her that he was going for training with another pack not mentioning the pack’s name. He noticed the look of satisfaction that appeared in her eyes before she lowered her eyelashes and smiled sadly telling him, “I am going to miss you and hopefully when you return, my debt will be paid.”
Briac lips tightened, but he only nodded his head and turned away heading for the door. Jenna didn’t walk him out, but turned and went back to what she was making.
Caden and Timothy were outside to see Briac off and he admitted as he walked down to his car with them, “I believe that Jenna thinks
you are sending me away because you know about her and me.” He noticed the slight frown that crossed Caden’s face and he said hurriedly, “No, not about us being mates.”
The frown disappeared as Caden nodded his head knowing exactly what Briac was getting at before he said, “I hope that your decision not to reject her won’t come back to haunt you, Briac.”
Briac said honestly, as he slid into the car, “I hope not either, Alpha. Thank you.”
Caden nodded his head as Timothy said, “Good luck, Briac.”
Briac smiled and waved ‘goodbye’ as he pulled away from the pack house and his eyes became intent with a purpose, and ten minutes later, he pulled up in front of Abella’s house.
He sat in his car for a few seconds before he took a deep breath and climbed out of the car. He walked up to the front door and rung the doorbell looking around as he waited for the door to be opened.
The door opened a few seconds after his knock, and a surprised Abella stood there but she said, “Hello, Briac.”
Briac noticed that her eyes were more alert and cautious then they were the night when Caden had been with him.
“I am leaving town for a while and I wanted to say goodbye,” he told her noticing her grey eyes flashed with some emotion although he didn’t know what it was. He hesitated for a second before he began, “I also wanted to apologize for my comment that night and…”
“Wrecking my house,” Abella finished for him and his eyes widened in disbelief.
“The night you were here with Caden, I noticed that you didn’t ask me where the bathroom was,” Abella answered the question on his face.
His face turned red at her simple explanation and she smiled although he noted that her eyes were still wary.
“Caden respects you, Briac,” she told him leaning against the door. “I also believe that the reason you wrecked my home had something to do with your mate.”
Briac shook his head feeling like a teenager again, as he said to her, “It still doesn’t make it right.”
Then he looked up at her astonishment as her first sentence finally penetrated his thoughts, and he asked, “Are you going to forgive me because Caden respects me?”
“I trust Caden,” Abella stated simply.
Briac looked at her hard and when Abella didn’t flinch, nor did she turn away from his intense stare, he admitted, “You are much older than your actual years, and I have to admit I envy Caden right now.”
He watched as a light blush tinted her cheeks, but she nodded her head with a ‘thank you’.
“See you when I return,” he added with nod of his own, and Abella smiled as he turned heading back to his car.
“Have a safe trip, Briac,” Abella called out as he climbed into his car and looked back at her before he drove away with a wave.
He turned for the interstate and commented aloud, “Alpha Caden, I hope you realize exactly how luck you are before it is too late.” He smiled as he muttered aloud, “I actually like that witch.”
Abella closed the door after Briac drove away and she frowned as she headed for the kitchen where she had laid the book she been reading when Briac knocked on the door.
Before she could sit down to finish the book, her phone rung and Abella’s frown intensified as she answered it.
“Hello,” she said wearily.
“Are you ready to start training?” Cicely asked her without pleasantries.
The frown disappeared as Abella told her with a smile, “I have been ready for two days.”
She heard Cicely laugh, but Abella didn’t begrudge the delayed training, as Cicely’s daughter had needed her. In Abella’s opinion, Cicely’s daughter was her first priority before teaching Abella how to handle her ability even if she was Cicely’s adopted daughter as Abella learned not so long after Aunt Cicely revealed herself.
“I know,” Cicely commented. “We will start tomorrow after the library closes so be prepared.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Abella acknowledged, and she hesitated for a moment before asking, “Miss Cicely, do you know why Devin would approach my father?”
Cicely was silent for a long moment that Abella decided she shouldn’t have asked her. “I am sorry. It was something I was reading, and…” Abella cut off running a hand through her hair.
“Would you like to ask him?” Cicely asked suddenly.
“I doubt Devin would admit that he knew my father much less met him,” Abella told her with a laugh.
“Abella, I wasn’t speaking of Devin, but of your father. Would you like to ask him why Devin met with him?” Cicely told her seriously, and Abella went absolutely still at her words.
“Can I?” She whispered, and she heard the soft sigh that Cicely let out.
“Yes, but it could be dangerous,” Cicely confided.
Abella didn’t hesitate as she said in a determined voice, “I don’t care, Aunt Cicely. I would like to speak with him if I can.”
“Okay, Abella,” Cicely said after a moment’s silence. “I will see you tomorrow.”
Abella hung up the phone a few seconds later after saying ‘goodbye’, and she felt a sense of apprehension pass through her.
Five minutes later, her cell rung and she answered it with a thoughtful, “Hello.”
“We are going to have a girl’s night,” Jessa told her. “I haven’t seen my best friend in a while and I would like to spend some time catching up with her.”
Abella laughed and she thought it was a good idea before tomorrow’s ordeal, “I agree, Jessa, and a girl’s night sounds like fun. How about we order Chinese for dinner because I don’t feel like cooking tonight?”
“You don’t mind if Timothy and Caden eat with us do you, Abella, before they head home,” Jessa asked.
“Fine with me, Jessa, but I still want Chinese,” Abella said stubbornly, and Jessa giggled as she relayed the message to Caden and Timothy.
Abella held back her laughter as she heard them groan, but she knew that they would relent.
“I will order when you get here,” Abella told her before Jessa’s giggles turned into full-blown laughter.
She hung up the phone with a shake of her head as she looked at the book on the table.
She picked it up intending to close it when her eyes lighted on the passage that prompted her question to Cicely that Caden’s mother had written; Devin went to see a hunter today, a witch hunter I have learned whose damn good at his job, but I wonder if Devin knows that he is married to a witch. I wonder why he is going to him…I have a bad feeling about this. I need to talk with this witch hunter as soon as possible.
Abella wondered if Caden’s mother ever got the chance to talk with her father and if she did, she wondered what his mother learned when suddenly she heard a vehicle pull up outside. She closed the book with a snap as she headed out of the kitchen heading for her secret room, or sanctuary, and placing the book on a table with the others.
She headed out of the room waving her hand as she exited the room, and the door closed then vanished from sight. Although she trusted Caden, Jessa and Timothy, this room was still her safe place, and only one other person of non-witch blood was allowed entrance on her approval.
She hurried to the door throwing it open a second before Jessa knocked, and she said a warm, “Hi.”
“I am so mad at you,” Jessa said putting her hands on her hips.
“Join the club,” Abella stated rolling her eyes playfully, and turned to head for the kitchen to call in their order. She called out to Jessa, “Come help me order because I’m not sure what everyone else wants.”
She heard Jessa laugh before she followed behind her, and after they ordered, Jessa noted the slight flinch that Abella gave when they mentioned the total.
“Abella, I can help with the payment,” she told her as they heard the men enter the house.
Abella shook her head as she went over to a draw and pulled out some money counting it and sliding it into her pocket before saying, “Don’t worry about it, Jessa. Thi
s is pocket money I put aside for such occasions.”
As Caden and Timothy entered the kitchen, Abella gave Jessa a stern look before she turned around and started to fix drinks.
“Hi,” she said looking at Caden with a smile before she nodded her head to Timothy. She was handing everyone their drink when she remarked, “Briac stopped by before he left town.”
They all looked at her as she continued leaning against the counter next to Caden, “He wanted to apologize for his comment and wrecking my house.”
“So it was him who did that to the living room,” Jessa asked in surprise, and Abella nodded her head.
“Jenna, of course,” Timothy concluded getting a nod from Abella and a narrowed look from Caden.
“You forgave him,” Caden stated without hesitation turning his attention from Timothy to Abella. “Why?”
“You trust him, Caden, and I trust you,” Abella spoke with confidence and without pause.
Caden froze as he looked at her and Abella met his gaze without flinching, and he said slowly, “He didn’t break his bond with Jenna.”
“I didn’t think so,” Abella said with a slight frown. “I just hope he doesn’t regret that decision though.”
“Scary,” Timothy commented, and they looked at him in bewilderment. He explained, “Those were almost the exact same words that Caden said to him before he left.”
They started laughing and Jessa looked at her brother who was laughing the way she remembered before he met Leana.
She was planning to tell Abella about Leana tonight whether Caden approved or not.
Twenty minutes later, the doorbell rung as they finished setting the table and chatting about different things and Abella headed out of the kitchen to answer it with a smile on her face.
She opened the door and she felt a chill go down her spine although she didn’t understand what it meant.
“Good evening,” the nice looking young man said with a charming smile, but Abella felt threatened in a way she couldn’t comprehend. “Your total is thirty-two dollars and sixty-two cents.”
“Here you go,” Abella said politely keeping the smile on her face although her eyes dimmed with weariness as she handed the young man thirty-six dollars. “You may keep the change for your tip. Have a good evening and thank you.”
The Witch Prophecy Page 18