"Mia" she calls in excitement at first sight of her, her legs jog through the open balcony of the flat house, as she fronts her hands on Mia's startled body which eases recognition of who it is. Firm she returns the warm embrace.
After a heart please, their hands released on each other as they guide their feet to the sofa enough to accommodate three. As does the transparent table that sits low with holds of remotes and fruit bowl.
"Am so happy to see you. I thought he did something to you" Mia exclaims with both joy and worry for her friend. After their last separation, she heard rumors from the men set at her side that their boss had killed the girl he took. That news got her sick, but thankfully she's safe and in the flesh.
" Of course I am. You tell me how have you been?" Ella asks observing her friend's flat smile and a simple nod of her head like the question isn't needed.
"Did he hurt you or did anything that he shouldn't do to you?" Her voice ranks out heavy as her eyes search for John's location, who stands gaps from them at the small installed bar counter. His hands brush off the drops on his lips as he takes a second or third gulp of the poured dark red wine in a short see see-through handless cup.
"Don't look at me, I did nothing ill to her" he defends after a meet of Ella's heavy stares at him, much of a fury flames that desire to burn him through a glance.
"You don't believe me ask her" he continues after she fails to lay her gaze on him.
"Don't be afraid, tell me did he hurt you?" She softly asks with a gentle pat on Mia's hands. Her ears in wait to her of what wrong he had done to her friend, and if dared, she would have him pay. Even to the extent of using the title she has over him.
" Ell, stop being paranoid. Sir John did nothing but good to me"
"Sir John?" She curiously raises her brows, her eyes pinned at her friend in expectance to explain herself.
Hold it, are they in some sort of a relationship?'
No, it can't be
She has only known him for days'
Her silly mind contemplates through looks between John and her friend. They wouldn't dare, no, he wouldn't dare.
" Seal it, whatever you're thinking shouldn't be voiced out. There's nothing between us, am only being kind to her because I was obligated to it" he defends, known from the seconds observant look Ella fed him and her friend. He could read the tension in the air and much so, he cleared her suspicions because he didn't want her to think awful of him. Or that he pry on her friend when he clearly has her in his stubborn heart that won't let go.
" Steffen ordered you?" She asked, sure only he could give such an order that could compel him against his will. No one can go against him, as their king.
"Who else do you think did" he sarcastically replied with averted eyes at the empty cup. Sigh he goes while lending his hand on the bottle and pours another round.
" But why?" Ella questioned, stealing his eyes from her.
Why?.
It's because of you, but his heart doesn't dare him to tell of it, he can't bear the fact of her heart being softened and attracted to the king on the merits of his concerns for her and those she cares for.
"That's enough for today, we should be getting back" he states rising on his feet. A thought just popped in of his negligence of asking his king's permit to take his mate out, the thought of him discovering it sends hard chills in his half-sober mind.
" But we've just gotten here, I still got a lot to catch up with her" Ella grumbles out to his ears that seal off her words.
" It has taken an hour, if the king's figure of your absence I'll be in trouble, not you. So let go peacefully or I'll be forced.." he said through a devious wink. A crook smirk to his mind plays on him lifting her off her weights on his shoulders and sitting her in the car obediently.
" You should go, you don't have to worry about me, am being well taken care of. And if need calls, I'll contact you" Mia said in an assured tone.
" He gave you your phone?" She inquires, baffled at his generosity in returning her phone. Perhaps he isn't as cruel as she takes him to be.
"Yes, he gave it to me" Mia responds with a grateful eye at John who knocks it off with 'it's nothing'.
"Lucky you, mine was destroyed by a monster" she bitterly says with resentment eyes at John. It took her five missions to get her that phone and he stepped on it like it was nothing.
'Curse him, curse him curse him curse him.' She scolds within the walls of her head.
" If you two truly want communication then it can be done. She can call the landline of the king's palace" he voices out, wanting to bring an end to their conversation.
" Fine" Ella agrees rising on her legs after a heart-satisfied hug.
****
"Thanks for coming on such short notice," King Steffen said to mistress Lily who waved it off with a polite smile. Out in the green field of plants of various most of the roses are soon to bloom.
" Did you find any information on it?" He queries. After his weird encounter with Ella's cut being reflected on him, his concerns broadened out and so so-called mistress Lily to have it search on. As the head of white witches, only she has access to knowledge as such, for the book of Genesis was placed in their care after the war of a century between the vampires and the wolves.
" It calls swêê. It was a curse laid on the alpha that rejected his mate by the creator. His curse was one of his life being linked to his mate, whatever harm befell his mate came to him. As so the alpha was forced to acknowledge his mate but the curse didn't fade. It being centuries and no record has been made after his" she details to his scowling eyes.
What such of curse is that?
" So you're saying I might die if she dies?" He asks in digits.
"Yes, not only that every pain of hers will be yours to bear as well. Just as you did when she fell" she clears up every doubt in his head. The curse is unbreakable to all but one, the great mystery witch, but as known her identity is rare to all and her energy hasn't been felt for decades. It was like she disappeared with no trace.
And so she rather have him in the dark of her than give him false hopes of breaking the curse.
"My apologies Your Majesty but Ella, I mean her Highness isn't in her room," Abi said in a cracked voice. Her heart races from all her searches and calls to her, worthy for she has failed her king on the job bestowed on her.
"Meaning?!" His temper voice stones out, shaking the poor woman on her legs.
"She can't be found anywhere"
No words to debate, he sprints his way inside, room after another he searches for her. His mind is chaotic on her smell missing out in the palace. Down he flushed his feet in seconds in questions of his guards on his mate's whereabouts. He had strictly ordered her not to be allowed out without his permission, so why the hell was he disobeyed?
" Alpha John compelled us to grant her access out" a guard explains in saving his and his colleague's lives. A moment more of silence lips and their head we're going to off to the floor.
"John" he bitterly says with a sharp pain crossing in his chest, fast his heart beats in seconds. His fingers spread on his left chest only to realize it wasn't his heartbeat but his mate.
And if she is breathing this hard and her heart in unrest then she's in trouble. He could feel it, her every fright and cold sprinting in her veins.
****
" Who's he?" Ella asks John, directing her gaze at the man in the midst of men with rough faces and scars of tattoos on their skis. Most in a race of the trees they are ambushed in. Her eyes go again at the man who seems to be the head, his face which portrays politeness and innocence holds much rage when given a second thorough look. His cat eyes hold a much discreet as is the scar that lays across his face in chase of his eyes.
" Teslime" John finally redeems his speech. His head is dumb on thoughts of what to do, they are being ambushed by rogues led by Tealim. He carries a sworn vengeance on Steffen for killing his mate. Scare he hopes he doesn't recognize the king's smell on Ella or she would be trouble. And him killed by the king, no doubt.
" You have his smell, you're his mate," Teslime said in a wide grin of deviousness.
Vengeance is his to finally seek.
An eye for an eye.