Chosen Witch

by Rae Hendricks

  Hyacinthe thought about the heartbreak Annalise would have to face to come back there and wondered if that would affect her ability to learn. Hyacinthe knew all too well how emotions affected everything.

  Her choices had been clouded by love and then the betrayal of the one she loved, even though she thought she would never be vulnerable to such a thing. She barely thought of it anymore, but the visions brought it back up, like a fresh memory.

  Hyacinthe had hoped that Annalise would escape such a fate and find something beautiful like her parents, though it was short lived. That was all due to Hyacinthe, and she carried the guilt under her pride every single day.

  It was a shame that Annalise never got to grow up with the example of her parents' love for each other. They had been bonded like one being, almost since the day they laid eyes on each other. It was no question for her to leave her coven and merge with the Olympia coven to become his bride. He never could have left, since he was the leader.

  Instead, Annalise had learned her strength and stubbornness from Hyacinthe. But there was a heart there, a caring that Hyacinthe had never had to teach her. It was that quality that made her help Isaiah's mother without a question of who she or her children actually were.

  The exhaustion was getting to Hyacinthe, and she wondered if she would begin to look older now. She had maintained her youth and beauty far beyond the time of many of the coven members, and she was certain some of it had to do with the gift given to her; that of the magic necessary to run and protect the coven. With that gone from her more each day, she felt less like the woman she thought she should be and more like a woman who was tired and ready for life to steer her course for her instead of the other way around.

  She decided to lay back and close her eyes, letting rest come over her and relaxation. But, as always, it didn't last long. She could hear chaos consuming the coven around her and wondered what was going on now; a witch attack? A wild animal? What could have everyone screeching and running?

  Hyacinthe sighed and opened her eyes, standing up just as Diane ran up to her, out of breath, her blonde hair swinging like a pendulum.

  "Hyacinthe," she said, catching her breath. "There's a hellhound in the territory, sniffed its way in here. We can't tell if it has a pack to follow it in here or not, but clearly, the wards are weak," she told Hyacinthe as if she didn't already know that. She had hoped it wouldn't be so obvious so soon, but making sure Roan stayed put had taken more from her than she realized.

  Hyacinthe followed Diane to where the disturbance was, being cautious as not to startle it. If it was a stray or just a pup, it could have wandered off, following the scent of the magic in the area. If they got it out in time, it wouldn’t alert any more of them.

  There it was, looking scraggly, even for a hell hound. Its fire wasn't as bright as it should be. It was a stray. Hyacinthe could tell by the look of it. It didn't have a pack, at least not yet, but if it found one to bring souls back to, magic souls at that, it would be set for life.

  Hyacinthe looked to Diane for help. She was one of the other powerful members of the coven, and with her help, Hyacinthe just might be able to hold the barrier again and get that thing out of there.

  "All we need to do is move it to the edge of the territory gently and then close the barrier back up. Can you help me?" Hyacinthe asked, not liking the rate at which she was having to admit the need for others’ help, lately.

  Diane nodded and was at the ready. Together, they were able to accomplish it, placing a weak but sturdy barrier to seal up the coven once again. For how long, though, she couldn't tell for sure.

  Diane turned to Hyacinthe then, and instead of going back home, her gaze lingered. Hyacinthe didn't like that look. Diane was a smart witch, and she must have known something was off. "You know, this can't go on," she told Hyacinthe with a scowl. There was no malice in her tone, but there was concern. "The coven will suffer. Can't you just be honest with us all, or at least with Annalise?" she asked.

  Hyacinthe shook her head. "Annalise has to want this, Diane. She has to want to be here for the land to accept her."

  "Then, I will make her be accepted." Diane stormed off, and Hyacinthe let out another sigh. This was turning into a big mess.

  CHAPTER TWENTY THREE

  Isaiah had slept in the woods, mostly as a wolf, and slept was a loose term. There wasn't actually that much sleep. Isaiah had been waiting, unknowingly, for a moment like he had with Annalise. He had never connected with anyone that way like he had with her. She was everything to him in that moment, and it was hard to imagine even going back to the cabin after that.

  Isaiah had been the first one to leave, just before that first hint of sunrise. The ruse was going back home. He told her that he would see her later, but he didn't even know yet if he should or could. Isaiah was supposed to be telling her anything to make her go home to the coven and save it before it was too late. Now that he had been with her like that, he didn't think he could ever let her go. Now, the question was, how to let the fiancé waiting for him back home go, if that was the case, and still help Hyacinthe.

  There had to be a way, at least that was what his heart said, but in his head, he knew for sure that there was no way it would work. The pack, even as tolerant and mixed as they had become, would never accept an alpha with a witch mate, and he doubted the coven would be thrilled about it either. But the passing thought came to him that if it came down to it, and she could keep the coven, that he would give up the pack and give it to someone who deserved it more than he ever did.

  Just as that thought was running through his head, he heard a stirring in the leaves and trees around him and quickly grabbed his shirt, pulling it over his head. Had Tamara come looking for him?

  As he turned around, he saw a face he didn't expect at all; a certain blonde that he had only seen a few times before and knew surprisingly little about. For sure, he knew that she was an important person in Annalise’s life. "Isaiah, do I want to know why you are in the middle of the woods first thing in the morning?" she asked, crossing her arms as Isaiah stood up to look at her.

  "Probably not," he admitted to her, crossing his own arms. "But I doubt you find yourself in pack territory just to ask me that question."

  Diane nodded, matter-of-factly. "You're right, I am not here because of that. I am here because you are the only one, I know that can help me; that can help us. Annalise needs to come back, and it needs to be now, not later, when she feels ready. You're the only one that can make her. And she has to have a reason to come on her own. I can't tell her what's going on. Hyacinthe has sworn me to secrecy where she is concerned," Diane ranted, her arms waving in large gestures.

  "I know all about the problem Hyacinthe is having. She already came to me, and I am going to tell you the same thing I told her. Annalise is an adult. She is a stubborn one, at that, and I can't make her do anything. I have tried, and I will try, but I cannot make promises."

  Isaiah turned around, ready to walk away from her. He didn't need any reason to ruin his memory of the night before, not just yet, anyway.

  "Isaiah, a hellhound just got into our territory. Hyacinthe can't even hold up the wards anymore. It means other covens and all manner of magical creatures can come here. If they do, they threaten the coven and the pack," she yelled at him, making him turn back around. He couldn't ignore that.

  "It's really all that bad?" Isaiah asked, feeling his heart plummet through his stomach. He was already wishing for the sake of both their hearts he could erase what happened the night before. This was not going to end well, no matter what he did. It was starting to feel like he was in a Shakespeare play as the guy who was pissed off at fortune and fate for messing with his life.

  "It is." Diane did not strike him as a woman to exaggerate or to trek all the way to the other side of the invisible barrier between the two territories just for a general concern. Hellhounds were dangerous, especially to werewolves. He couldn't imagine facing them, even with the coven’s help. He
had no choice. "I'll take care of it." He hoped his tone would satisfy her because he needed a few moments to deal with it and move on. He was going to have to move on when his heart and body would never be ready to for the sake of the greater good. Damn being the alpha. Damn being a Young.

  Annalise had never felt so energized in her life. When Isaiah had come to her about needing to leave, she was sure it was the end of any sliver of hope that ridiculous heart of hers was hanging onto. Then, they kissed, they did so much more than a kiss. She never, in any wildest dream, expected the spark inside of them to come to life; but to forever repress it until time took away the memory of it would be devastating. Now, instead of going back to the coven with her tail tucked between her legs, she was walking up to the cabin under the light of the afternoon sun. She had given him as much time as she could handle to sort things out with Tamara. There was a slight chance she was still in there and might be until the details could be worked out on what to tell the pack, but Annalise was prepared for it. She just was so happy that her heart was allowed to be out in the open.

  Annalise didn't bother knocking on the door. She was sure she was past that at this point. Not that anyone ever knocked anyway. They just burst in. So, that's what she did, and she saw something that made her heart break in two pieces, or maybe more. She didn't understand it, and it reflected nothing of what she knew of Isaiah.

  Isaiah and Tamara were talking in the corner of the kitchen intimately, as something cooked, a smile on both their faces. Their bodies were way too close for them to just be friends. Tamara did not look pissed or upset in the way Annalise knew she would be if Isaiah had told her he was going to be with Annalise now. It almost made her wonder if she had gone delusional and imagined the whole thing, out of the stress she was under. But as Isaiah turned his eyes towards her, she saw something else there, a sad resolve. It was like she knew what was coming before he said a word.

  From then until they found themselves alone in the woods again, the world became muted around her. It was like she was underwater while those around her were talking. She heard none of it. She felt like she was physically curling into herself like a turtle, trying to protect herself from what was about to happen to her. Would she have a heart left when he was done? Maybe something like this was what turned Hyacinthe into the cold, hard woman she was with everyone but those closest and dear to her.

  “I don’t know if I understand what is going on here,” Annalise said meekly. "It looks to me like you were still trying with her, like you were still together, but, what we did last night...." Annalise trialed off, not knowing if she could find the right words. Her mind was breaking down in a way it never had before. She wasn't the type to be left speechless on any occasion, but it was like Isaiah was stealing the ability to speak from her. He was stealing everything.

  All she could hope was that it was a misunderstanding. Maybe they were just being good friends, or he had a specific time planned to tell Tamara, later that night. "It was everything, it meant everything. I thought you felt the same?" It came out like a question as she choked it out, no confidence in anything anymore, not even the feet holding up her body against the forest floor.

  She looked up to Isaiah, trying to get him to meet her eyes, and he wouldn’t. She didn't know what to think of it. The man she was with just the night before, was the man she had been dreaming of every night since she met him. He was the man she knew she was meant for, even if it was a cruel twist of fate for it to be so. Then, he finally cleared his throat, ready to speak. "Annalise, what we did...." She did not like the way this was starting. "Look, I am not going to sugar coat it. Sure, that night has been rolling around as a possibility in my head for a long time, and I am sure it has been in yours in some shape or form too. But it doesn't matter. We got it out of our system. It's time to move on and do what we are supposed to do. It can never happen again, and it never will, Annalise." Annalise felt like someone had ripped her heart out and smashed it with a hammer repeatedly.

  She expected Isaiah to say something else or just to walk away, but he didn't. It was her who had to walk away, shame and pain tattering her once brilliantly shining soul.

  Instead of walking, though, she ran. She ran until she could feel the barrier passing over her, letting her know she was in witch territory now. And that is where she would stay, no matter what disaster happened. She was the leader now, and she could get someone else to run her errands for her. She could never face that man again in her life.

  As her heart ached, tears flowed down from her eyes, and she was surprisingly greeted by a warm hand against her back. She looked up through the puddle in her eyes, and she could see her best friend, practically her sister, there with her. "What happened, Annalise?" she said softly. Annalise could tell she already knew. What else in the world would turn her into this?

  "I don't think I need to say. I don't think I ever want to think about it again. Tell me about what I have missed, Diane. I am here to do my job. I am here to lead the coven." Annalise took in long, deep breaths, planting her feet into the ground with renewed determination.

  "And not a moment too soon," Diane commented, piquing Annalise's interest. "It’s time, Annalise. The land needs you to do the ceremonies to protect it. The coven needs your magic and leadership. Hyacinthe is ready to step down for you."

  "Take me to her," Annalise demanded, dabbing at her face unceremoniously. She didn't know if it would be at all convincing that she hadn’t been bawling her eyes out over a broken heart, but it didn't really matter. If Hyacinthe was ready, so was she.

  Diane put her arm in Annalise's and walked with her to the eclectic home that Annalise spent her childhood in to find Hyacinthe sitting out as if she was already waiting for them. Something seemed different about her though, something that Annalise couldn't put her finger on. Hyacinthe didn't stand up but looked up at them lazily with a smile; a genuine one. "I see you have come back to us, Annalise."

  "Yes, I have. I would like to begin the rest of my training as soon as possible. I am ready to be who I was meant to be."

  CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR

  Isaiah didn't know how to proceed after he watched Annalise turn and run like a scared animal through the woods. He knew she would be back at the coven in no time, ready to stay there for good and take her invisible throne. But he didn't know how to carry on and pretend like nothing had happened between them when his heart ached so badly. He was beginning to feel sorry for his brother and whatever feelings he had for Tamara. He was beginning to understand what kind of pain he might be feeling over being forbidden to be with that person. The worst part for him, though, was that Tamara did not feel the same at all. Isaiah knew she was developing feelings for him instead, as she should be in her position. That was where all his answers laid, how to deal with his pain; it was the woman he was supposed to be with. His body, his mind, his heart belonged to her, even if he couldn't be in love with her right now. It was time to make her feel like she was his mate. But first, he had to handle this thing with her and Roman, for good.

  Isaiah looked up at the grey sky as water droplets began to fall on him. It was time to go back to his mate and explain to her why he had to have a private conversation, yet again, with Annalise, and lie through his teeth. There was no choice if he was going to salvage his position as well as hers. There was nothing illegal as far as the pack rules with him sleeping with someone else. It was one of the backward things about a wolf pack, or at least the Olympia pack, but it served him well in this case. He would hate himself for it secretly for a long time, though.

  He picked himself up and jogged back to the cabin, making it inside, just as a roll of thunder rang out above him, ushering in an utter downpour. He got the feeling they would be out in it pretty soon. "Back so soon?” Tamara asked, a hint of suspicion in her voice. Isaiah forced half of his mouth to turn up in a smile.

  "Yes, we have plans for today, actually," he said, coming up to her and spinning her around before dipping her, making Tamara brea
k out in laughter.

  "We have plans? What kind of plans? And what does that have to do with that morning visit from Annalise?" she asked him, sounding a little more curious and a little less anxious now.

  "She has nothing to do with it. That visit was for another reason," Isaiah told her, his voice getting more serious for a moment as he went to the bedroom to find something to wear for the walk over to Roman's place.

  “Uh oh, why does that sound so serious? Is she really causing more problems?” Tamara asked, and Isaiah’s thoughts went back to when they were kids and how they all used to hang out together like a family. He remembered a few times when they camped out at their special spot together, a spot that meant more to the other three than him, and they would practice controlling the change and living in the wilderness, just in case.

  Tamara had always been the one to comfort and reason with Orson in those moments when he wanted to live like that forever. There had not been a judgmental bone in her body. All Isaiah could think was that the jealousy he had caused Tamara over Annalise had created this monster, and he wanted his childhood friend back. She was fun to be around no matter what they were doing.

  Isaiah looked at her as he pulled his shirt over his head. “No, she is actually fixing something. And I think it is time you and I get back to whatever it was we were trying to do here now that she is back with the coven.”

  “She’s gone?” Tamara asked, sounding a little too happy for Isaiah’s poor heart to handle. The wounds were too fresh, and he sucked in a breath, unable to control the searing pain escaping. He just had to hope she didn't notice.