The Viking Alpha

Revelation

(James POV)

The pack had it surrounded. He could smell her. Cassandra! She was close. Her scent was faint but she was here! Spreading out one by one the descended in the tunnel leading underground. The entryway was difficult to find. Cleverly hidden by trees and shrubs. But he found it. As they went deeper he smelled blood. There were rooms branching off inside the tunnels. Rooms that looked like they belonged in a mansion or what you may even see in a home in a suburb. But when he found this room he stumbled to the ground and vomited. This room was pure evil. Black and red candles lit the room. An altar was in the front. In the center was a table. A table with straps meant to hold someone down while they're being prodded at. Or while being tortured. Old blood stains were everywhere. He could smell hers.
For the first time in nearly two months his wolf whined when he caught her scent. Then it began to growl at the idea of her being harmed. Repeatedly. Over and over again.
Picking himself up he went out on search. His guards still fanned out searching.
'Alpha.'
Following the signal he was then in another hallway. Cell doors were off the hinges. Sylvia and another witch's body were on the ground. One witch had her throat ripped out. Sylva's heart was by her body.
Inhaling he wasn't surprised to smell Rexton. But Vincent was here. Another person too. With Cassandra.
'Have you found anyone else?' He asked the nearest guard.
'No, alpha. It appears the rest evacuated.'
'Cowards.' James snarled. 'Try and follow Cassandra's scent. From how fresh their blood is they were not killed that long ago. Which means Cassandra could have escaped no more than an hour ago.'
Making their way back up they followed the smell. Finding that it ended up top brought relief to him. She did escape. But where?
The scent ended cold a few yards away. How? She couldn't have vanished within thin air.
Now only one last option. He had to find a witch that was willing to work with him. He had tried before this but no witch dared. They were all too frightened of him. Now he had to force assistance.
He pointed to eight of his men.
'You all stay here and keep searching. All of you pair up. One pair goes north, east, south, and west for five miles.' He then pointed to three others.
'You three each go to the nearest village. Myself and the other four will go back home and get a witch. All of you will be back before or by midnight. Understand?'
'Yes, alpha!' They all said in unison.
Shifting back into his wolf form he ran back to the village. He knew where one was for sure. After word spread of a witches taking Cassandra the witches that resided in his kingdom fled in fear. But he knew one still stayed close. She had a reputation for being insane but she was still a witch. But he was just grateful she was there. On the outskirts near the border was a tiny house in the trees a couple miles away from the path leading to the kingdom's gates. He pounded on the door until it almost caved in. The petite young girl answered. Her dark hair, that badly needed combing, hung down past her waist in what once looked like a bun. Her dress was wrinkled and had blood stains on the apron she wore over it. A knife in her hand and gloves in the other. He held out his hand in a surrender gesture.
'I ask for your help. Please?'
'You're just in time for tea.' Her brown eyes twinkled as she smiled and stepped back.
He stepped in the tiny house slowly. Objects were strewn about but yet the house still had a chaotic order. Everything looked as it was in its place but yet things were not. Pans, pots, and kettles, hung over the table like a chandelier. Knives were also adorning it around the edges. An orange cat lay snoozing on the small table but its tail looked like it belonged to a...cow? At some point. A tea kettle was over a small fire in the fireplace but instead of the flames burning red and orange it burned purple.
'Please sit.' She indicated a chair in front of the fire.
'You'll have to forgive me. I was just preparing dinner. My poor pig. The poor dear was so old but he served his purpose. Now he will feed me and Humphrey.' She gingerly took off the bloodied apron and hung it up. Washing her hands in a bin she dropped the knife in after. Her pecan colored skin seemed to have a natural glow after the blood was washed off.
'I've come to ask for your help.'
She giggled. 'Yes. I was expecting you, alpha. My name is Ezri.' She handed him a small tea cup and saucer. 'Two sugars, I hope that's alright.'
'Fine.' He accepted the tea from her and pressed on. 'Can you help me?'
'Yes.' She sat down in an opposite chair with her own tea. She tried it then suddenly looked at the cat.
'He's alright. He just wants to find his mate. She's a lovely woman. She just has had a lot to deal with, the poor girl. '
'I beg your pardon?' He asked, baffled.
'Oh.' She waved a hand at the cat who was staring at them. 'Just silly old Humphrey. Worries all the time, poor thing.'
She was talking to her cat? Shaking his head he focused.
'How will you help me?'
She sipped her tea and looked at him expectantly.
'Don't you like your tea?' She asked with her brow furrowed.
'Its fine. Just please-'
'Then why are you not drinking? You have to drink it so I may see.'
'See what?!'
'Your mate. I can help but you must drink first.'
Frustrated, he drank the liquid.
She put her cup down and held her hand out.
Confused, he handed her the cup. She peered inside.
'Yes. I see something. A swan. Ah yes, a mushroom and...oh dear.' She sighed sadly. 'Not good at all I'm afraid.'
'What the hell are you talking about, woman?'
'Snakes. I'm afraid I see snakes too.'
'Speak plainly!'
'You see. A swan represents your past. You were happy with her. Loved as you loved her. A mushroom, meaning, you fought. Separated. Then the snakes. Something very bad is to come.'
Frustrated beyond sanity he stood.
'Can you help me or not?'
She sighed and held out her hand. 'I need the ring you gave her.'
Startled, he took the ring from around his neck. He had never taken it off since that morning he found her gone. Even in his wolf form it still stayed.
He dropped it in her palm. She closed her eyes.
Ezri hummed with her eyes closed as she clasped the ring. She suddenly stopped and frowned.
'They're blocked I'm afraid. It's very murky. But I can see some. I believe she is with her...father.'
Her father? She must be mistaken. Cassandra told him her father had left before she was born.
'Yes. She's confused and very upset. She's crying. He tries to comfort her. She's now...asking him to explain his absence. Now…'Her eyes opened as she exhaled on a puff.
'What is it? Where is she?'
Ezri shook her head. 'Nothing now. But it will come. Don't you worry. I've seen other things too.'
He stared. 'What things?'
She smiled. Showing her perfect teeth.
'Cassi and I will be friends. Best friends. Me, Cassi, Natalie, Madga, Rexton, and Vincent. All so close. Like family. I saw us in the future. Preparing. Oh! We'll have so much fun.'
'Preparing for what?'
She giggled again. Now looking excited. 'The baby of course.'
Now he froze. 'What baby? Whose?'
She rolled her eyes and kept smiling. 'Yours and Cassi's! He'll be a cute little one. Strong and healthy. He'll be here soon enough. We just have to be patient.'
'Who….? You're-you are saying, the baby will be here soon?'
'Yes. In about seven months.'
Willow's words now were taking on a whole new meaning.
'Fix it before she grows.'
Cassandra would grow. Her womb would grow.
Something else occurred to him just now. Cassandra, when she was delirious after he bit her, she said, "I saw something. He's beautiful. I want him. I dreamed...he's perfect. You'll love him too. So perfect." Now that he knew she was never unfaithful, he understood now. Her words now make sense.
He slumped back in his chair as the stunning revelation went through him.
Cassandra was pregnant. With his child.