Two

Cleo’s POV

“Hello dear, you must be Cleo. It’s nice to meet you, I’m Agatha.” I must have stood there looking like a right dimwit. She just caught me off guard. I mean I always envisioned witches to be old and to have big pointy noses, maybe even a wart or two. In other words, I had completely envisioned Nanny McPhee. But here she was standing in front of me looking like a super model. She couldn’t have been any older than her early twenties. Her hair jet black only she had amethyst eyes. Agatha’s eyes were what made her differ from other witches. Amethyst belonged to witches that could see into the future, where your ‘normal’ witch had green cat’s eyes.

“Erm hi… how do you”

“How do I know who you are?” I just nodded in response as I stood there totally stunned, though I don’t know why it shocked me. Let’s face it, there could have been a number of ways for her to know who I was “I’ve been expecting you. Here come take a seat we have much to discuss” the feeling of dread formed in my stomach. I felt as though I knew she was going to tell me something bad, yet it could have also just been nerves. It wasn’t every day you had your future told after all. Ignoring the feeling that churned in my gut I took Daphne’s hand and followed Agatha behind the golden string curtain. The room we entered was pitch black until Agatha clapped her hands. Tiny specs of light appeared illuminating everything around us. There must have been hundreds of candles in this room. Each one a different shape and size just scattered around between shelves, bookcases and the many welch dressers that sat against the wall. “Please take a seat” Following her lead, we each sat down in the chairs she gestured to. The table was thick black glass with one giant glass spiral stand holding it up while the chairs were white leather. Again, they were nothing I’d imagined them to be. In all the films I’d seen, the witches resided in places that were old, dark, and dirty. Though being here now just proves how little those film guys really knew.

“Soo… How does this work exactly? We’ve never done this before which I’m sure you can tell” Daphne gave my hand a reassuring squeeze as I waited for Agatha to respond to her question.

“It’s quite harmless dear, I wouldn’t worry. I will simply slit your palm over this here candle and when I hold your hands the blood connection will show me all I need to know” Agatha held out her hand waiting for me to place mine in hers. Doing so she turned it over before using a small golden knife to make a small cut. Placing the knife back on the table, Agatha fisted my hand giving it a squeeze. As my blood dripped onto the unlit candle a crimson flame began to grow. “Are you ready?” Her voice was incredibly soft chasing away any fear I held in that moment.  Nodding my head, she held my hands in the air around the candle. I watched as her eyes changed from amethyst to white, her head shooting backwards. An ice-cold shiver ran down my spine, tiny electric sparks shot through my body as her grip on me tightened. Her hands began to shake, blood dripped from her nose and the corner of her eyes before I felt the connection break. My body once again feeling warm. Agatha had ripped her hands from mine a look of pure horror written on her face as she stood from the table and moved away from me. She looked as though she had seen a ghost. Her face going from is golden tone to pale white as the blood drained away. Whatever she had seen had clearly frightened her.

“What was that? What did you see?” Agatha gripped the pendant she wore round her neck before wiping the blood from her face. Closing her eyes she took a deep breath before mumbling something in a language I had never heard before.

“You. You’re the one. Oh, dear sun goddess please forgive me” I remained silent as she quietly prayed, her eyes once again amethyst finding my own. “He has searched for years to find you. Only today did you come of age so no wonder he hadn’t been able to find you. You came here hoping to learn of a future where you would be happy, but what I’ve seen…” Agatha began mumbling only I wasn’t sure if she was talking to me or herself.

“And that was?” Daphne came and stood beside me as we waited for Agatha to reveal what she had seen.

“You will have a love that consumes you, that makes you doubt every part of yourself. You will find he challenges the best and worst parts of yourself. He’s ruthless to those that cross him yet kind to those in need. He’s the strongest man to have ever graced this world and he is on his way here. For this pack is next on his list. You would be each other’s strengths whilst being also a weakness. A weakness that leads to your death” Tears ran down Agatha’s face as she spoke.

“You’re not making any sense. Is he coming to kill me…? What?”

“No to claim you. You’re his mate. Your wolf will explain more about who you are tonight when she arrives. I’m afraid I can’t tell you his name, but I can tell you this. He is to be the most feared most powerful Alpha. The bloodline in which he was born to is as pure as can be. He is a direct descendant of the Moon Goddess while also the descendant of something dark. But you… you’re not all that you seem. Your different. A secret pact was made to conceal you. To protect you from… I’m sorry. I can’t tell you anything else without risking myself,”

“What do you mean I’m different? Different from what? From whom? Please stop talking in riddles and give me a straight answer. Who is this man?”

“The Almighty Alpha that’s what they call him” everything I heard scared me and that wasn’t an easy task to accomplish. I couldn’t stand there and listen anymore. If what she said was true, then he was on his way here. I didn’t know whether that be today, next week or even next month, but I knew one thing for sure. I wouldn’t be here when he did arrive. Grabbing Daphne’s hand, I pulled her out of the shop and back towards the orphanage.

“Cleo what are you doing?” She gave me a puzzled look as I just slung a handful of items into a carry bag.

“Leaving what does it look it”

“Just stop for a moment and breathe. What Agatha said, about you being different…”

“Do you know something?” Crossing her arms, I watched as she turned away from me her head lowered to the floor as if she couldn’t decide whether or not to tell me something that had clearly been eating away at her.

“Sit down… please Cleo. What I’m going to tell you I should have told you a long time ago. I just hope you can understand why I didn’t” now I was worried. Sitting down on my bed, I waited patiently for her to speak. Daphne began so silently pace back and forth before finally sitting next to me. “The night mum and dad died… I overheard them talking. Mum wanted to tell you something. She said that if they found you before you knew the truth you wouldn’t be able to defend yourself. Dad went ballistic and told her to shut up. That some woman called Abbie gave up her rights to you the moment she signed the adoption papers”

“Adopted… but I look just like mum… like you. How can I be adopted? You must have heard them wrong. You had to” tears brimmed my eyes. It couldn’t be true. I had mum’s eyes, her hair colour and… that’s it. Both my parents were tall, heck even Daphne is tall. Yet here I am asking how the weather is up there. That’s how short I am. Before now I’d never really thought much of it. We never met our grandparents, so I just assumed one of them was short. That it was them I got it from.

“I’m so sorry Cleo. I would never have told you. But if what that witch said is true and you are different, at least you can find out how. I want you to know this changes nothing, not for me. Your still my sister blood or not. That’s never going to change. I love you”