"You failed to seize his corpse!"
Mistress Lily stands before the council, her head bowed, as the weight of failure bears down on her. The air in the hall is thick with tension, each council member exchanging sharp looks and hushed murmurs. The news of their botched mission spreads like wildfire, forcing an emergency meeting to contain the fallout.
"How could you fail such an easy task?" Rose demands, her piercing gaze locked on Lady Marv.
"An easy task?" Lady Marv retorts, her voice dripping with disdain. "If it was so easy, why didn't you handle it yourself?"
Rose's expression hardens, but she doesn't respond. Marv's words are deliberate, their sting aimed at Rose's crippled legs, bound to a chair since the fateful battle years ago—the battle with the prophesied child that left her unable to walk.
Paul, ever the devoted mate, rises from his seat, his voice firm. "I won't let you speak to my wife like that."
"And what exactly will you do?" Marv sneers, folding her arms.
"Enough," Steffen's cold, commanding tone cuts through the bickering. His presence silences the room, his piercing gaze demanding answers. "I want to know what happened. All of it."
Mistress Lily takes a shaky breath, her voice steady despite the tension. "We managed to capture the Sun Witch and defeated Teslime, but… we lost his corpse."
Steffen's eyes narrow. "How?"
"We were attacked… by Sheba." The name echoes in the room, met with a collective gasp. Steffen's fists clench, his knuckles whitening as he processes the revelation. His mind reels with the implications—Sheba, alive. It shouldn't be possible. He watched her fall. There had been no chance of survival.
"Sheba," Paul breathes, his voice filled with disbelief. "She died. I saw her fall with my own eyes. There was no way she could have survived."
But Steffen knows better. Sheba is no ordinary opponent; she's an East Witch, her powers fueled by trickery and manipulation. If anyone could cheat death, it would be her. But why now?
The hall falls into uneasy silence as the weight of Sheba's return looms over them like a storm cloud, threatening everything they hold dear.
"Everyone leave. Lily, stay," Steffen commands. The hall empties swiftly, the lingering tension replaced by a cold, echoing silence as only the two of them remain.
"Sheba has revealed herself after all these years," Steffen says, his tone dark. "What does she want?"
"I can't say for sure," Lily replies, her voice low. "But your sister's return isn't random. She's been in hiding all this time—why now? And the threat she brings…"
Steffen's gaze hardens, memories rushing in. Her voice echoes in his mind, dripping with venom:
"I'll bring you down, Steffen. I'll make you pay for betraying our father," she had said, tears streaming down her face, her hands slick with the blood of her fallen soldiers.
Unlike him, Sheba had embraced their father's reign and his vision of supreme dominion. She had stood beside King Lycaon, her body a shield for him during Steffen's rebellion. She had fought valiantly, her loyalty unshaken, even as Steffen led the charge that ended their father's reign.
When King Lycaon fell, Sheba vowed vengeance. She swore to bring their father back. Her reappearance now could mean only one thing—she plans to fulfill that oath.
"Have his grave checked," Steffen orders, his voice sharp. "If his body is still there, double the guards."
"A century ago, you entrusted his body to my people for safekeeping," Lily reminds him. "It's hidden in the sacred grounds of the White Witches. No one can reach it there."
"I want to believe that," Steffen says, his jaw tightening. "But we both know what Sheba is capable of. If she's after Lycaon's body, I can't take any chances. We have to ensure she never gets to it. The world cannot survive if she succeeds."
Sheba is no longer just a threat—she is a fanatic, a puppet shaped by their father's twisted ideology. She worships him, blind to the destruction he caused.
"I'll make sure she never lays a hand on his body," Lily vows.
Steffen nods but shifts his focus. "And Teslime's body. What do you think she wants with it?"
Lily pauses, considering. "An army," she says finally.
Steffen's expression darkens further. "An army."
It makes sense. Teslime had once been his beta, his most trusted ally. Sheba wouldn't risk herself simply for information. No, she has a far more sinister goal. With her powers, she could resurrect Teslime and rally rogue wolves to her side, preparing for war.
"Whatever her plan is," Steffen says, his voice firm, "we have to stop her before she can execute it."
"And Steffen," Lily adds, hesitating slightly, "Sheba is the head of the Organization."
The words hit him like a blow. His breath hitches, his blood runs cold. Pieces of the puzzle start falling into place, but the picture they form is far more sinister than he imagined.
Could Sheba have sent Ella to him? Is she working with the Organization?
If there's even a chance, he has to find out. He has to hear the answers directly from Ella.
In another part of the castle, Ella is confronted by Balu, whose suspicions about Ella's intentions toward Steffen refuse to wane.
Balu slams the door shut behind her as she steps into the room, her voice sharp. "What are you doing in Steffen's room?"
Ella, unbothered, turns to face her. "Why don't you ask Steffen? He might have the answer you're looking for," she says coolly, her gaze steady despite the storm brewing in Balu's frown and the tension in her tightly clenched fists.
"Don't play games with me," Balu snaps, her voice edged with aggravation. "Don't you dare forget our deal. You're supposed to stay away from Steffen—or else."
Ella's expression shifts, a smirk curling her lips. "Or else what?" she taunts, stepping closer. "What exactly are you going to do, Balu? Listen, I admire your energy, but let's be honest, you're in no position to threaten me. I'll do whatever I want. If you want me out of Steffen's life, you know what to do: get me what I asked for."
Balu's jaw tightens, her resolve faltering for a moment. "You know that's not an easy task."
"And staying away from Steffen isn't easy for me," Ella counters, her tone mockingly light. She leans in just enough to make her next words sting. "You want to know why I'm in his room? He asked me to stay. With him. And you know what that means."
Balu stiffens, but Ella isn't done. Her voice dips, teasingly provocative. "I can only imagine what would've happened if I hadn't stopped his hands from exploring further. He wanted to, you know."
"You're lying," Balu hisses, her knuckles whitening. "I dare you to say that again."
Ella's smirk deepens, clearly relishing Balu's growing frustration. She knows exactly how to twist the knife. "I'm his mate, Balu. What do you expect? It's only a matter of time before I open my legs for him. But all of that can be avoided, if you get me what I want."
The tension in the room is palpable, a thick, suffocating air of anger and jealousy. It's abruptly cut short when the door swings open, and John steps in.
"Balu? Ella?" John's voice is laced with suspicion as his eyes dart between the two women. "What are you two doing in Steffen's room?"
"I'm in here because Steffen asked me to," Ella says casually, leaning against the edge of the bed. "The whole mate thing is getting out of control, I guess."
John's voice cracks as he responds, the irritation clear despite his effort to hide it. "The two of you… stay in here?"
Ella notices the tension in his clenched fists, his knuckles turning red. She can sense his displeasure, though he tries to mask it. There's a possessiveness in his tone, one she doesn't need to address—he knows she belongs to Steffen, not him.
"We only share a bed. Nothing more," she clarifies, her voice calm but firm. For reasons she can't fully explain, she feels the need to reassure him. Maybe it's because she sees John as a buddy, though it's obvious he sees her as something more. But that's not her problem to solve.
Ella turns her attention to Balu, her gaze sharp. "What about you, Balu? Why are you in Steffen's room?"
Balu hesitates, her composure faltering under Ella's scrutiny. "I… I came to look for Steffen," she says, her words dragging out with forced ease. Relief washes over her face as she delivers the lie. She can't let it slip that she's here because of Ella—or worse, that she's trying to push Ella out of Steffen's life to claim him for herself. If Steffen found out, it would ruin everything.
"Forget me," Balu snaps, deflecting. "What are you doing here, John?"
John opens his mouth to respond, but the door swings open again. This time, it's Steffen. His presence fills the room, the air growing heavier as his gaze sweeps over them.
John stiffens immediately, his body tensing under the weight of his King's scrutiny. Steffen's expression is unreadable, but his eyes are sharp, dark with unspoken authority.
"Both of you. Out," Steffen commands, his tone brooking no argument. His eyes lock briefly on John, then Balu, before settling on Ella.
"Steffen—" Balu starts, but she's cut off before she can say more.
"Out," he repeats, his voice rising with dominance.
Neither John nor Balu dares to object further. They exchange uneasy glances before quickly exiting the room, the door shutting firmly behind them.
Steffen strides toward Ella, his gaze never leaving her. The intensity in his eyes sends a chill through her, but she stands her ground.
"Are you an agent of the Organization?" he asks, his voice low but laced with accusation.