Alpha's Hunt

03. Witches rattle me

She takes in consideration my sweaty and red face, then sights.

"Fine, let's put these things in the car and take a break, Kay?" She says

My face lights up "Is there any other answer but yes?"

We make our way through the busy streets of Minneapolis and towards the car that the pack finally offered us to transfer this stuff in.

"Back so soon?" Carlos, our willing driver, raises an eyebrow

"No such luck," I say as Angelina opens the back door and puts in her bags, I do the same "We're going to do another shift after a quick break, you can take these back to the pack house, yeah?"

"Sure," he shrugs and the engine roars to life

I and Angelina quickly decide to jog to the forest near the pack house and take a run─for Angelina, and a stroll ─for me, before we come back.

The earthy scent of the forest greets me, I smile. Walking deeper in the forest, I focus on the sound of my feet padding on the ground, the breeze ruffling the leaves, the scent of flowers and... A human?

I squit my eyes and let my nose guide me to the source of the scent. About ten foot away, I see the humped figure of an old woman.

"Umm, hello?" I say unsurely "are you lost?"

The woman turns around to face me and I falter in my steps. Blazing yellow eyes stare back at me.

Witch.

"Not at all, deary." She says "I know this forest like the back of ma hand."

"Oh, umm, sorry." I say, witches rattle me "I'll go then."

"So soon?" Her bushy grey brows rise "mostly lycanthropes are curious ta know their future or find when they will meet their mate."

"You can tell me that?" I ask, a note of excitement leaking in my voice

"What da ya think?" She grins, gold teeth flashing between yellow ones

"Tell me when I'll find my mate, please!" I say instantly

"Show me da palm of your right 'and," she holds out a wrinkled, frail hand

I hesitate for a moment, she is a witch after all, she might be tricking me but...

I hold out my hand to her. Her bony finger trails the map of lines on my palm.

"Very interesting, such a..." She mutters toying with my hand

"You're going ta meet him soon."

"Soon when?" I furrow my eyebrows

"You will meet your mate after ya fall in love."

I stare at her blankly.

"Nice talking ta ya, deary." She turns around and starts walking fast

"Hey, wait ─

Before my very eyes, she shifts into a Raven and takes off.