Alpha Ragnar

Chapter 11

"She's here."

I fiddle with my hands nervously as R delivers the news.

I can't believe I was so desperate for answers that I called a witch.

"Send her in," I say as confidently as possible.

The twenty-four seconds it takes her to enter the room are the most strenuous of my life, but

when I see her grey stringed head turn the corner, I'm as relieved as I am hesitant.

"Madam Barcel," I greet.

The pale woman turns her hallowish face to me slowly and smiles, showing the teeth that still

remain in her mouth.

"I almost thought you wouldn't turn down the same path as your father, boy. But here I am," she

smiles.

My stomach turns and I think on her words. I know my father called a witch once before he died,

but I didn't think it was this one.

Many think it foolish to call upon their kind, but I'm desperate.

"Madam Barcel, T-"

"You called upon me because of your mate."

I blink blankly a few times before nodding.

"What about her?"

Realizing she isn't exactly ALL knowing, I start to fill in the gaps by pulling out her letter to me.

It takes the witch fourish minutes to read the paper and I'm sure she scans it twice.

"Hmm," she sounds strangely.

After looking hardly at the paper, she scrunches her hand and the paper crinkles beneath it.

My whole body tenses and I dart my hand forward to take it from her, but Madam Barcel widens

her eyes and the document sets itself aflame.

I lean back in my seat devestated that all my mate left was now gone. Now I have only my

memory of her.

I wrinkle my brow as the witch scatters the ashes of the paper on the table and does some sort of

taboo thing that causes the dust to move. When it does, the old woman leans back with a gasp

and then starts to chuckle happily.

"Ahh, alpha Ragnar. Your mates words reign true. Her spirit is very much alive. It seems she was

hard at work while you grieved, but there seems to be a bump in the road."

I press my mouth together worriedly.

"Is she in trouble?"

Madam Barcel smiles again, but this time it's more dangerous.

"Well that's information for after my payment."

As if on command, my mood darkens.

"What do you want?"

Please be money...

"A favor," the witch grins wider.

Alarm bells go off in my head and shake it in denial.

"No favors. Money. How much do you want?"

Madam Barcel tsks and waves her finger repremandingly.

"A favor, boy! If you want your answer, then be a good little boy like your father was and

promise me a favor!"

I narrow my eyes furiously. My own father promised a favor from this... Thing. Is that part of

what caused him to die? He was off pack grounds on a personal mission, but only my mother

knew what he was looking for. He ended up dead and my mom followed soon after in the search

party.

Perhaps his quest was sanctioned by this witch.

I can't make the same mistake. Stormie would haunt me. Literally. If her spirits trapped isn't she

a ghost? Sighing heavily, I shake my head once more and stand.

"It's time for you to leave. I'll figure out how to save my mate on my own."

Madam Barcel snickers as she stands slowly.

"You will fail. You need me and when you return for answers again, I'll ask for TWO favors."

She exits without struggle and I'm left to my thoughts.

That didn't go as planned.

"Ragnar," Jonah says knocking on the door frame.

"I've got some guys escorting her to the border to make sure there's no funny business. How'd it

go?"

He asks nervously and I know he wants his Luna back.

"All I know is that Stormie is alive, but her spirit is trapped. I don't even know how to help or

where to start."

Jonah frowns and we give each other thoughtful looks.

There's not much we have to go on and I don't even know if it should be classified as a lead, but

it turns out that my beta and I have the same thought. At least it'll be a start.

"Miranda," we confirm together.