The Secrets of the Panther
Chapter 64

BLAKE

Lena and I walk out of Izzy’s room and head to the guarded room where the witch is held.

“You both stay out here,” I say to the guards. “We are going to talk to the witch.”

The guards nod and let both Lena and me into the room.

The room is the same size as Izzy’s, but the blinds were drawn, making the room dark.

“I guess you would come,” says a groggy voice from the bed.

I walked over to the bed and noticed the woman. She was the same woman from the photo Izzy took from the pack house. She looks the same as in the picture but has aged more in her features, and her eyes tell a story.

I look over her until I notice her arms and her veins are all thick and black.

“They don’t look nice, do they?” She says as she looks at me.

Her eyes look at Lena. “You are one powerful witch,” she says but turns back to me. “You have questions for me.”

“You use black magic,” says Lena. We both stand at the foot of the bed, staring at her.

“Yes, I do,” she says with a sigh, “But not anymore as it is sending me to an early grave.”

“What do you mean?” I ask.

“She has been using dark magic for more power and potions; when you use the magic, you sacrifice a lot, but also you become more powerful, even though it can crypt you more,” says Lena.

The witch looks at us. “The young witch knows her history,” she says, staring back at us.

“What do you know about Izzy?” I ask, trying to get straight to the point.

The witch looks at me. “I don’t know what you mean, but how is she?” She asks.

I growl. “You know what I am talking about,” I say through gritted teeth. “What do you know about my mate?”

The witch moves slightly up the bed and switches on the lamp next to her; then I realize why she had the light off. Her face is all white, and the black veins have reached her neck. She looks like she is dying.

“It’s not pretty, is it?” she says. “I was a stupid young witch when I was a teenager, thinking I could do anything, even claimed I was powerful.”

She looks at her hands, which are in her lap. “I went straight into dark magic not long after. I only did small spells at first, but then they became bigger. People would pay me money to do anything for them, even killing people.”

The witch looks up at me. “The Elder came to me; he wanted a witch to give him a potion to manipulate the mate bond. He never told me what for or anything. I was stupid back then,” she says. “I did it without even thinking about it.”

Lena moves closer to the bed and takes the chair on the side of her, but I stay standing; I want to know.

“After the potion, the elder kept asking for more potions and even leading to killing the panther shifter,” she says.

I couldn’t help but snarl.

She looks at me. “I knew nothing. I was even with a werewolf at the time and even fell pregnant with his son, but the Elder killed him as a sacrifice which nearly killed me, but he never cared. He never told me why,” she says. “He was always in his house, in his study for hours. After that, he would send us all on errands and use hunters as a source to kill any cat shifter out there. They forced me to cage shifters and supernaturals of any kind so he could get what he wanted from them.”

The witch looks at Lena. “I know what the rogues did to your coven. I didn’t know until the panther girl saved you,” she says, placing her hand on hers. “No one should ever see that happen to their parents.”

I look at Lena, who is trying so hard not to cry. But the witch looks at me. “The Elder wanted more influence everywhere, including with the vampires, which is where I met my mate,” she says, but her face turns hard. “My mate saved Michael from the attack. He thought he was saving a good person but was completely wrong.”

“Michael became a vampire but was sired to my mate. At first, we could control him, but somehow their roles were reversed. Michael became more powerful and even had my mate submit to him. Michael became more focused on Izzy, but we never knew why until a few years back when the Elder came to meet me for more potions,” she said. “The Elder brought his daughter, Drake, and Michael to our home, where they forced themselves into our home. They forced my mate to place me in chains while Michael took my son away.”

The witch looks at me, but a tear escapes from her eye. “He took my son from me, so I had to work with the Elder. Not only did the Elder come with the four of them, but he brought some books about cat shifters.”

“Did you see what was in them?” I asked, and she nodded her head. “Yeah, I did. He has been looking for a cat shifter with power. Their emotions could trigger the power, but he seemed to think they could be manipulated to control. Well, that’s what he thought, but he wanted to replace out and claim the shifter for himself,” she says. She stares at me.

“The Elder thought it was your mate’s mum as she looks like the panther that used to have the power years ago, but she never had it. I had no option but to kill her, but I also knew that Izzy was there. Her mother made sure she had her scent masked, but I knew. I never told him, but I never saw her until she saved you and her sister,” she says.

She looks at me for a few moments, but I need to know something.

“The elder was at the compound, but he left,” I told her. “Why?”

“Drake and the elder had their plan, but Michael sent most of the followers to come here to kill you all, but it looks like they didn’t succeed,” she says with a small smile. “But I never knew about the plan they made as I came here to talk to the other panther shifter; I wanted her help in replaceing my son.”

“Why did you ask Kat?” I asked, “Why not come to the pack house and talk to us?”

She cocks her head at me. “You think that the wolves in your pack would let me in? They would have killed me on sight,” she said. “I went to Kat, as you said, mainly because she is a mother and would help, but not only that, my son has no part in this. I have no clue where he is.”

She keeps looking at me. “Young alpha, I have nothing left but my son. I just want to make sure he is safe, but I don’t know what to say to make you help me, but I know that Drake and the Elder won’t be leaving this pack alone until they have Izzy, but I would be more worried about the little one.”

I couldn’t help the snarl that escapes from my mouth. “What do you mean?” I say. “What about Allie?”

“Michael never put the two together about Allie being his till the Elder told him tonight about it. He thought his plan may work, but they were planning on killing both girls,” she says. “They think the child will also have powers like her mother. They will kidnap her, but they wanted Izzy killed. Something changed in Drake before the whole situation started with you being there.”

I stared back at her. Axel hasn’t said a word since we came here to talk to the witch; he has just been listening in on everything, but suddenly. “Drake ran from the compound, but he looked pissed when he got to the SUV,” Axel says as he agrees with the witch.

“What did they say in there?” I ask, looking back at the witch.”

“Michael told Izzy all about killing Drake’s mate by the sound of it. Drake never knew about it,” she says, but she looks at me. “Michael told her you were with her. A council member introduced her to you when you came to visit the pack.”

I look blankly at her. “I wasn’t into...” I say but stop.

Anya.

“Was her name Anya? Was she Drake’s mate?” I asked quietly.

The witch nods.

I close my eyes. Fuck. I should have known.

“What’s wrong, Blake?” asks Lena.

I open my eyes and look back at both witches, and sigh. “I remember going to Drake’s pack as my father wanted me to train with them, not thinking about anything, but I only stayed for three months, but I had to meet Drake, but they introduced me to Anya instead. She was lovely,” I said. “She talked about the pack and their warriors, but she seemed scared when talking to me, always looking over her shoulder, so when we were out of sight, I asked her what was going on.”

I sit on the edge of the witch’s bed. Their eyes stay on me. “Anya told me there was an evil in the pack, but she never told me who, but she was afraid as she was always being watched and was worried about Drake. She told me he was a loving mate to her,” I said. “Who she mentioned? I never pictured it to be Drake, but she seemed happy when she was talking to him. But Anya was frightened. After a few hours, I left.”

“Nothing happened with us, but I promised her I would help her when I came back to train. But when I returned a month later, she was dead, and Drake was crueler than ever. I only agreed to train with his pack members for my father’s sake, but at the time and thinking about it now, Elder Johnson must have known about everything,” I say as sadness swept in.

“I think Michael killed her,” says the witch. “I think Drake overheard everything and left him there to be killed by Izzy.”

I looked at her, but she looked at her hands once more. “You know, the elder was the one who made your uncle mad. He wanted a potion for him,” she said. “He made Drake kill his father because of it, but he fed him a lie, which Drake believed.”

I had a funny feeling about that part, as Drake cared about his father but never killed people like he does now. We were like brothers when we were children. I never thought he would do anything like that.

“Do you know where the Elder would have gone?” asks Lena.

The witch looks at her and nods. “There is the council, but if not there, he has three properties in various names,” she says, but she frowns. “I know I am dying, and I also know my mate will come here. He believes some things that the elder told him.”

She turns to look at me. “You need to bring a video recorder in here. Record everything for me. I want to leave messages for my mate and another one for my child,” she says. “Can you do that for me?”

I gave her a small smile. “I will. I will send Kat in her to video as we will keep you in here to make sure you are comfortable,” I said.

The witch gives me a small smile. “You can smell I am dying.”

Axel sniffs the air and scrunches his nose. I ignore him but tell her. “I can smell it, but I think you are trying to redeem yourself as well,” I said.

I look at her. “I will try to replace where your son is. He can have a home here in the pack, but I can’t be certain where to start,” I tell her, but she smiles. “I am happy you will try to replace him.”

I smile back.

Both Lena and I leave without saying anything. We head to Izzy’s room. I need my mate.