Alpha’s Mark (Three lives Of A Witch)

"You failed your mission and dare come back" the lady scolds at her stiff body that dares not flinch an inch from the stand. She knows better than to add salt to the injury by justifying her failure or days of no communication.

No matter what the organization cares less about how the mission is accomplished, only the result is written.

"And her?" She asks in a hint of Mia whom her eyes have failed to see for minutes of Ella's arrival. Certain she's a tail of her, her appearance never goes without her. Unless she was dropped dead on the mission.

Well, that should stand as good, as she served as a liability to not only the organization but their valuable asset Ella.

"She's okay" Ella clears her grin from her damn stupid face. More detail isn't required to tell of what's playing in her head.

"That's quite hard news," she says to her ability to conceal not her dissatisfaction with the news. She is of a character of transparency in relation to what she's feeling.

"Tell me what should I do with you after your failure?"

A tricky question of such is no new pastry to her. If she tells of what she wants then certain she'll be in a rage and has her double the punishment and blame her for having asked for it and if she says nothing she goes on to land her the electric whip that waits for her as punishment for failure.

Every failure on a mission given earns a punishment of various, that all are aware of.

"Go on, am all ears"

"I don't deserve a punishment and even if I do you won't dare give me one" she boldly states.

The lady's fingers clutch in the wooden table as she wides her eyes at the girl's audacity.

"Do you really think I don't dare punish you because you're a valued asset?" Her voice skips the normal rage as she lets her body out of the tight spot it was. Hard she stalk to her face that holds up in challenge to her eyes.

With a more look in them, she can feel her heart pace while her skin crawls in a shiver as the mighty Ella's eyes stare back at her with no intimidation.

"You won't, not because am a valued asset but because only I can do this mission"

"And why do you say that?"

"Because only I have the ability to do so. I know by now you're no normal being, I should have spotted that earlier. But nevertheless the less I know now that you're one of them" she said.

Her days at Wills Hills made her grasp the truth of who the lady truly is. And she might not be wholly sure but a gut in her tells she alone can accomplish the mission.

"You sent me on the mission 'cause only I can do it cause you are scared of doing it yourself. I don't know why you seek that stone but am sure you urgently need it and I can get it easily since am familiar with them, you can try but you might not make it alive" she declares with loose lips that tighten on the lady's eyes at her.

If John's words are true, that outsiders from his bloodline can't touch the gemstone without freezing to death then that makes her the only exception, meaning she's of value to the organization and they dare not strike hard on her.

"Impressive."

Tiny smirk forms on her lips as she looks at the girl's half-said true. Yes, she needs the stone but she doesn't take the mission personally because she's scared but reasons of only Ella being the one to touch the stone without causing harm to her or a quick pass to hell, also her past grudge with the snowpack still holds.

Or perhaps her long affair with John still haunts her and she believes it is not time they reunite, if she ever shows her face to him then it is time she's more powerful than him. He had rejected her for a powerful witch, so she promised to be the most powerful witch then she would show him her worth.

The gemstone is a need to unleash a powerful being who could grant her the powers she desires.

"Fine you have me, am a witch and by now you've gotten all the preps on what I am and others of my world. So here's a deal, go back and finish your mission, but this time you don't only get to steal the stone but the pearl earrings of the white witch and the dark witch's ring. Bring those to me and I promise to cure your friend from my poison in her and get you both the freedom you so want" She offers with spread lips.

Little to say she nods into the deal.

****

At the other end, Steffen's meeting with the council is brought to an end after a plan is set on how to capture Teslime. Out he searches for Ella after being told she's missing from the mansion. Scatter through his men goes in search for her, his horse voice can be heard all through as he walks in disorder.

"You all are dead if she isn't found" he scolds meaning to every word. If his maté isn't found then the damn guards' lives will be at an end by the end of the day.

And just as her smell is caught by him, speedily he races in the direction that finds her at the front gate, all looking exhausted.

"Where were you?" Steffen scolds out "How did you get past the guards?" He queries to her ears that flinches on the horse of his voice. Her eyes fall on Balu whom stays still with shaken fingers that pin in her thighs as her eyes plead Ella to stay silent.

Fear injects in, her skin shivers on thoughts of Steffen knowing she let her escape, his harsh eyes that would level her body to the ground as she begs for mercy. Or worse, his eyes would never look at her as they used to nor would he see her as the friend she thinks herself to be to him.

What if he asks her to leave and never come near him?

No, she can't have the truth revealed or else her reputation and status would be at ponder.

"Tell me how did you get out without being seen by the guards?"

"I, I'm sorry. I was just a bit troubled so I went out for a stroll and the guards didn't take notice probably cause I used the back door" she explains earning a reveal in Balu's troubled chest.

Seriously, a word about her being the aid to her flee would have her lose all that she values. Yes, she did aid talk the guards in conversations granting a glimpse of the hole for her to flee but it was all done to have her disappear from their lives, especially Steffen.

So why the hell is she back?

"Don't do that again, if you have anywhere to be have it converse with me I'll have you accompany" Steffen says releasing his worries. His world felt collapse during the hours of her absence, he felt his body shaken as well as his beast that raged within.

Every second he can feel his high shield falling against emotions. The so bond is a kill to both his body and mind, his normal days are becoming hectic to handle and slowly she's becoming a poison that has no cure.

"I'm sorry, it won't happen again" she politely says earning a recognized nod from Steffen.

"I'm a bit tired, can I go take a nap" she excused herself from the stairs that led to the room she had shown as hers.

Within she lets a loud sigh, exhausted from all the troubled change of cars to return in time without being caught. Certain that effort was in vain. Now the most to contemplate are the chances of her getting her hands on the gemstone and other antiques.

And what's worse she's given only a limited time to have them presented.

"Three weeks, that's all you have to save your friend from my poison. I'll give you a pill that will subdue the effects in her body. Till then you have these weeks to get what I ask for if fail then she'll die and believe me, no one but I can save her"

"Why have you returned?"

Her mind snaps off the awful threats of her cruel master, out her gaze falls on Balu who seems to have walked her displease into her room.

Great, this day is definitely going well, she sarcastically whispers.

"What do you want?" She tiredly asks with less interest in what she has to say, as her brain is aware of her intended conversation.

"You were supposed to leave and never come back, so why are you back?"

"You ain't happy?" She said in a light chuckle. And why not, Balu's eyes look like they're gonna fall out a moment too soon and her cheeks present so puff that she fears it'll bust out.

Funny how cute she looks when in a displease mood.

"Listen I didn't wish to come back but my hands are tied," she said literally with hands gesturing in the air.

"How?, I don't see them tied" she detested said rolling her eyes. She's beyond fury, she took all the risk to help her all in hopes she'll keep the end of her promise to the deal but she dares use her and play her fool.

How stupid of her to think a girl from the organization will be of honest heart, of course, she is poisonous and a virus.

"I couldn't bear the thoughts of leaving your king, you know he'll go mad if his mate is not with him"

"Oh please, spear me the drama and get to the truth. We both know you came back for a reason and I want to know that reason"

Well her words ain't all false but it's none of her concern so she best keeps off her paths or she'll make an enemy of her. She might find her gorgeous and fond of being friends with but if she crosses her limits with her then she might just show her what she's truly capable of.

"You came back because you were instructed to" she queries with the aim to fish information off her. The silence is all she gets and she expects nothing more, trained assassins of her kind are well skilled in concealing information. It would be a miracle to have her say it or at best she'll willing to spill it.

"And what if I was, what would you do?" She provokes

"Then I'll have Steffen know of who you truly are, let him know his so-called innocent mate is an assassin with the cruelest heart ever" she threatened holding her hands on her hips.

"Go for it then, let him know how his most loyal bed buddy helped his mate flee from his sight" she counters back at her.

It is of no interest to her to pick fights with Balu but the situation compels her to. If she's to be revealed and Steffen takes action against her then her friend's life would be in danger and she can't risk it. Even if she has to face all of them at once to save Mia then she will.

She had sworn to protect her and her oath still stands.

"I knew you were feisty, it good to have your true self revealed. But just so you know, whatever your motives are for coming back, I won't let you succeed in them" Balu says quitting out.

"Ella, are you okay?" Another asks after a minute of silence. Out on the balcony, she watches as he walks up to her.

Him in calm stands next to her, accompanying her eyes gazing at the concrete street that holds few people walking. At the far end, an open restaurant stays busy as a staff welcomes guests with a bow to each that walks in. Out at the opening, a few chairs are set in groups that are occupied by people being served.

"Quite a sight scene, don't you think?" He says breaking the silence to awkward stares that she lays at him.

"You see the beauty I see the ugly. He's with a partner yet his fingers seized not off her" she tells in the direction of a man that slapped his fingers on a waitress's butt as she walks by.

"Men like him can do anything they want because they're rich and feel they own the world. In fact, this is just how the world is, unfair " she bitterly states evading her gaze from the scene.

"You don't seem okay, what's wrong?" His concern crawls out.

"If I have a request, one that's, I don't know hard to say, would you fulfill it?"

"I don't know what the request is but am sure I can fulfill it" he assures without a second of doubt he's more than willing to give her all she wants.

"And what if the request is one of your most valued?"

"Is it the gem?" He nods repeatedly after getting his response from her seconds of silence. "If you tell me what you really want to do with it then I promise you I'll hand it to you" and true as his words come out, he intends to do so. There's no doubt in him that he's more willing to have all her demands fulfilled even at the cost of his greatest loss.

The stone gem might be a treasure to him and his pack but he won't mind gifting it to her if she so desires it, but first, he has to be sure she won't use it to harm others.

He might be dead into her but he's no fool to the true powers the stone holds. In the wrong hands, it might cause great damage to both supernaturals and humans, but again he's a bit at ease with the fact that only few can will the stone's powers. Only those of the blood of the ice pack.

"I wish I could tell you but I can't. I just want you to trust me and give it to me"

"And if I don't" he locks eyes with her as his words land at her. Her lips split and lock as her teeth bite on them.

"Then I'll be left with no choice but to steal it again." She says filling the air in the dead silence of jotted tension.

His gaze dares not lay off her bold eyes that present truth, her body that stays tall in chase of his, her hands that firm on her sides.