Chapter 32: Witch

"Oracle," the young wolf breathed, his nostrils flaring.

Sasha flashed the Omega a sweet, delicate smile, but tension laced every muscle.

"What an honor it is to be in your presence," the male said, his green eyes brightening into orbs of emerald. "You are even more beautiful in person."

Desmond let out a growl, angling his body towards the younger wolf.

"I know." Sasha shrugged, pushing the sleeves of her shirt up to her elbows.

"Your first host will be a male named Tobias Johnson. Almost a year ago, during an annual suite check, we discovered that he had needles, and a powdered form of Hemlock slipped under his mattress." Alexandra had explained right before Sasha had entered the room. The Luna's eyes had been like looming storm clouds; threatening, dark... mysterious.

And those dark storms had been trained on her.

Lupises couldn't get addicted to human drugs- their metabolism was too strong- but herbs that were often deadly to canines were horribly addictive to werewolves.

Hemlock, Azalea, Milkweed, Lillies, Daffodil: just a few of the addictive drugs that were nearly impossible to get off of.

Sasha didn't even know why Tobias was still in the pack. If she had been alpha, she would've kicked him out the moment that his addiction had been discovered.

To function, a pack needed strong wolves- physically, mentally and morally. Weak wolves made a weak pack, and a weak pack could easily be overthrown or even massacred.

"When you are Seeing into him, I will be asking him questions regarding my daughter, and his addiction." Sasha had been about to ask a question, but stopped when the Luna's eyes began to glow and her jaw ticked.

"So... Tobias, when I place my fingers to your temple, you need to stay calm and relax. It shouldn't be painful, but the more that you panic or fight me, the more painful it will be. When I am Seeing into you, your Luna will be asking you questions. Answer them truthfully and to the best of your abilities. The Seeing shouldn't last very long, ten minutes at the most."

Professional.

Tobias gave her a crooked grin as he folded his hands behind his head, the movement causing his shirt to rise up, exposing the golden-brown skin of his stomach.

'Uhgg,' She groaned inwardly, rolling her eyes. 'Cocky basta-'

'Language,' Desmond snapped, his green eyes narrowed on the reclined male.

A snort escaped Sasha's nose.

"Do your worst," Tobias shrugged before closing his eyes, his fingers lacing together behind his head. The male's thick biceps flexed with each movement, the veins in his arms becoming more visible.

Tobias was quite good looking with his golden-brown skin, ear-length onyx black hair, and his whiskey-colored eyes, but his attitude was a huge turn-off.

Gently pressing a kiss to Desmond's stubbly cheek, the Oracle walked towards the bed that the Omega was laying in.

As she walked to the head of the bed, standing over the male, she felt the ancient magic rise again.

Purring in excitement.

Humming a song of betrayal, life, loss, and love.

'If you need me to help you come back, I am here.' Desmond had followed her, his warm hand resting on her lower back, his thumb stroking gently in comfort.

Sasha nodded in agreement, hoping that her eyes could speak the words that her mouth couldn't form.

Her mate smiled down at her before dropping his hand and stepping back, giving her the space that she needed.

Turning towards Alexandra for the approval, she found the Luna leaning against the wall, scowling at the Omega.

"Alexandra?" The Oracle started, her hands rising slightly.

It took a moment before the Luna escaped the depths of her own mind, unfocused eyes focusing once again.

"Go." The she-wolf growled.

Casting her attention down to the male below her, Sasha lowered her hands, each one descending to a temple.

Sasha felt the ancient magic well up from her soul- climbing over her bones, charging through her veins, ramming out of the pores of her hands.

Fingers encased in a soft, white light made contact with Tobias's head.

????

Sasha had expected some pain, but the male was very open and unreserved. He didn't even have a mental barrier up, much to her surprise.

She navigated the darkness of his mind, pushing through memories and thoughts, leaving some interesting ones alone while scanning the more recent ones.

Much to her sadness, she discovered that Tobias wasn't using Hemlock by itself anymore. He had picked up another drug known as Begonia, mixing the two drugs together for a stronger, longer-lasting effect.

It was getting harder and harder for him to find the release that he needed... that he craved.

And, as Sasha pushed herself deeper into his soul, she realized that the Alphas needed to know.

And she prayed that the Alpha pair would be able to help the drug-addicted wolf.

There was so much more to life than drugs and getting high.

As she delved deeper into Tobias's soul, her hearing was becoming muffled; as if she were underwater.

Soon, her sense of hearing would leave her completely.

"Are you... drugs... from a witch?" She heard Alexandra ask the Omega.

A wave of denial and confusion crashed into Sasha, pushing back her magic a bit.

'No. He hasn't been getting his drugs from a witch.' Sasha told her mate, knowing that he would repeat her words back to the Luna.

Countless questions later, the Luna finally concluded that the Omega had nothing to do with the curse.

Sasha began to slowly withdraw her magic, pulling it back into her soul swiftly and painlessly.

It took a moment before she was back in reality, the darkness that had blinded her receding.

"Oh my Lord." Tobias breathed, his eyes fluttering open.

The Oracle swayed, but a familiar arm wrapped around her, pulling her into a firm, warm body.

Desmond whispered into her ear, "are you alright?"

She shook her head. "I need a moment."

"Can you do another Seeing? We can wait until tomorrow, if you need rest." Alexandra was no longer leaning against the wall, instead, she was standing at the foot of the hospital bed, her hands gripping the footboard under her knuckles were white.

"No, I am alright. I just need to rest for a minute. I'll be fine."

Tobias sat up in the bed, his bright eyes wide with amazement... and something else. "Thank you, Oracle. I feel beyond blessed to be in your beautiful, lovely presence."

'Give me a break.' Desmond groaned, but it was a tad too deep to be only exasperation.

Sasha snickered. 'It's not my fault that he finds me hot. After all, look at me.′

"I believe that you're done here." The Western Delta growled at Tobias.

This time, a faint smile appeared on Alexandra's face, but it didn't reach her dark eyes.

"Leave, Tobias." Alexandra commanded gruffly, and when the Omega finally began to leave, she added, "And thank you for cooperating."

Just before the Omega left the room, he threw a roguish wink over his shoulder in Sasha's direction.

When Desmond let out a snarl and started in Tobias's way, the Omega finally fled, letting the door click shut behind him.

"I can still smell his arousal." Desmond mumbled. "I was going to kill that wolf, I swear it."

"Oh, quit pouting, D." The Oracle popped another piece of popcorn into her mouth. "He was just responding to his wolf. All males are the same; human, wolf, warlock, djinn, elf... etcetera. When a man sees what he likes, he will act on it."

He reached over and into her bag of popcorn, stealing a few between his fingertips before popping them into his mouth. "That's where you're wrong, Sasha. A male can control his urges just fine, it doesn't matter if he is a hormonal teenaged boy, or a centuries-old male. Everyone has control of their own lives... their own future, and their present. People need to stop making excuses for themselves... and others need to stop accepting them."

The Oracle looked into his green eyes, the buttery taste in her mouth dissolving.

"That male's attitude towards you was inappropriate and uncalled for, and quite frankly, it pissed me off. You are so much more than a beautiful body and face, Sasha. You are intelligent, loyal, fierce, funny, and protective. He had no excuse or right to drool over you. And I will be giving him a piece of my mind."

"No. Desmond," Sasha pleaded, but she knew that there was no way in Hell that she'd be able to change his mind. "He was addicted to drugs, Hemlock and Begonia, that was probably why he was acting like that. Please-"

All he did was shake his head, popping another piece of popcorn into his mouth. "When I took you as my mate, I made a vow that I would protect you. I vowed that I would never abandon you, never harm you in any way, and that I would always, until the day we die, protect you. And I intend to keep those vows, Sasha, until the day that the Moon decides that its time we come Home; and even then, I'll still protect you."

????

Thirty minutes later, the door to the secluded room in the infirmary opened.

Sasha had just thrown away the last of her orange when the large, stoic male walked in.

Clint's massive body seemed to swallow up the whole room, sucking in all of the air and exhaling it out in waves of tension and wariness.

Sasha couldn't believe that he was delta. With the dominance radiating off of him -pouring from his pores- Sasha would've pinned him as a betta, possibly even an alpha.

What was he doing as a delta? Desmond had even told her one time that Clint was more dominant that Clyde, the Southern Pack Beta.

A lot more dominant than Clyde.

Maybe Clint was still delta, due to the fact that he was still seeing that witch. Or maybe he just didn't want to be beta; perhaps the responsibilities that came with that title were too much for the male.

Maybe...

"Just lay down on that bed there," Alexandra said, gesturing to the now empty hospital bed.

Clint nodded stiffly as his amber eyes narrowed on the bed. His golden-tan skin seemed to pale slightly; taking on a greenish hue.

When the male's eyes met her own, Sasha gave him a gentle but forced smile.

Before laying down, Clint rolled back his shoulders and inhaled deeply; as if he were readying himself.

When he finally laid back in the bed, Sasha began to raise her hands, positioning them.

'He stinks of nervousness and shame.' Desmond told her through the mate-bond.

Before Sasha could reply, her fingers made their mark.

Like a bloodhound after a trail of blood, the ancient magic within her burst free from their confines, spearing from her own soul... and right into Clint's.

????

Alexandra could only watch as the Oracle searched the delta's mind and soul. A soft, white light emitted from Sasha's hands, pulsing the closer that it got to Clint's temple.

"Tell me when she has entered Clint's soul." Alexandra said, staring at the red-headed, green-eyed man that stood right beside his female.

It took a moment before Desmond responded, "I will."

Thirty seconds passed.

Then a minute.

The Luna's brows lowered as a frown tugged on her lips. It didn't take this long with Tobias. Sasha had been in the Omega's mind just as quickly as her fingers had fallen to his temples.

"Desmond..." She started, but stopped when her focus fell down to Clint.

His hands were fisting the bed sheets, his knuckles turning ghostly pale from the force. Burning amber eyes bore holes into the Oracle above him; silently cursing her.

A growl rumbled inside of Desmond's chest, "He has a mental-barrier up. Sasha is trying to get through it, but it's strong."

Darkening eyes met pained amber ones.

Sweat beaded Clint's brow and trailed down his face, his chest rising up and down in mighty pants. The dark t-shirt that hugged Clint's impressive chest and abdomen, was drenched in sweat, clinging to every muscle.

But he didn't make a sound.

"Ask him the questions," Desmond said, but his eyes didn't once leave the Oracle's strained face. "Sasha can sense emotions without being inside the soul, but she can't see the reasoning behind the emotions."

Clint's eyes widened slightly.

"Do you have access to the Underground Market?" Alexandra asked, thinking back to that time with the djinn.

Desmond answered shortly after, "No."

"Do you know anyone that associates themselves with the Underground Market?"

Clint's jaw clenched.

"Yes." Desmond growled.

Alexandra let out a low snarl. "Is Lydia associated with the Market?"

Looking down at the male, Alexandra immediately got her answer.

Clint's rugged face twisted with emotion; agony making an appearance in his dull eyes.

"Yes." Desmond answered, a growl lacing the cold, simple word.

"Tell your mate that we are done here." Alexandra snarled, glaring down at the pathetic male. "I got all the answers that I needed."

Clint laid stiffly on the bed, his hands fisting the sheets, his claws shredding them.

Alexandra watched with a silent fury as Desmond revived his mate, gently pulling her hands away from the delta's temples, blowing softly on her face.

Long lashes fluttered above tired, dull golden eyes.

When Sasha's legs gave out from exhaustion, Desmond caught her easily, his arms holding her close to his chest.

"Get rest." Alexandra dead-panned, her eyes unmoving.

As Desmond carried his mate from the room, Alexandra opened the mate-bond.

Clint's eyes were almost pleading.

How pathetic.

'Get the Enforcers and Warriors. Clint might have something to do with Adeline's curse.'

The Luna heard her mate's furious snarl, and she knew without a doubt that Dillon would be all wolf when he found the delta.

"Get.Up." She snapped.

Clint was up on his feet faster than an eye could blink.

'I want him locked down in the basement until I know for sure that he has nothing to do with the curse.'

Stepping up to the massive, towering wolf, Alexandra bared her teeth. "Your title of Delta has been denounced, and handed down to the Head of Enforcers: Kara Tanaka. You are an Omega until further notice... but you will not be the common omega. No, you will be kept downstairs in the basement until further notice."

Clint nodded once, but his broad shoulders slumped.

As if he were relieved.

'Once we have Clint downstairs, you need to start packing. I will tell Desmond and Sasha in the morning, and order a van to be readied.' Alexandra's voice was stern and emotionless.

She felt Dillon's approval.

'Tell them that they need to pack quickly, because we have a witch to see.'