MARKED BY ALPHA

Alana pov

Eva lay on the ground, staring up at the sky with her hair still frazzled from her last failed spell. Adrian sat beside her, rubbing his temples as if the sheer frustration of our situation was giving him a headache. I sighed, looking between them before placing my hands on my hips.

"Alright," I said, determined. "We should try again."

Eva groaned. "Alana, my magic has literally betrayed me three times. I think the universe is telling me to give up."

Pack chuckled. "Or maybe it just likes watching you fail."

She shot him a glare, and he raised his hands in surrender.

I crouched beside her. "Come on, Eva. You're the only one who can do this. If anyone can pull off something this impossible, it's you."

Eva huffed, sitting up and dusting herself off. "Fine. But if I explode this time, I'm haunting you both."

We all got to our feet, and Eva stretched her arms, taking a deep breath. The determined glint returned to her eyes.

Pack and I took a step back as Eva began chanting under her breath. This time, her voice was steadier, her fingers moving in precise, practiced motions.

Eva wiped her hands on her dress, took a deep breath, and clenched her fists. "Alright, one last time," she muttered.

Adrian and I exchanged glances, silently praying this attempt would work.

Eva extended her arms, her fingers tracing glowing symbols in the air. Her voice was steady as she chanted the incantation, the words flowing like a song of power. The air thickened, crackling with magic, and a soft, purple mist swirled around the cottage.

Then…BOOM.

A pulse of light shot out, sending a gust of wind through the trees. I shielded my eyes, my heart pounding.

Silence.

When I looked up, the cottage was gone.

Eva gasped, her eyes wide. "Did it…?"

Pack turned his head left and right, frowning. "Where did it…?"

I grinned, stepping forward. "It worked!" I waved my hand where the cottage once stood. Nothing but air. "It's invisible!"

Eva let out a triumphant yell. "YES! I AM THE SUPREME WITCH OF ALL TIME!"

Pack laughed, patting her back. "Alright, alright, don't get carried away, supreme witch."

Eva turned to us, pulling three bracelets from her satchel. "Okay, so here's the deal. These are enchanted. As long as you wear one, you'll be able to enter and see the cottage. But if you take it off, it'll disappear from your view, and you won't be able to find it again."

I grabbed mine eagerly, admiring the delicate rune in the center. "This is incredible, Eva."

Pack put his on as well. "So we just go in now?"

Eva nodded. "Yep, let's check it out."

I stepped forward, hesitating for a second before pushing through the invisible barrier. It felt like stepping through water, a tingling sensation running over my skin.

And just like that, the cottage reappeared before us.

The moment we entered, we all coughed in unison.

"Ugh!" Eva gagged. "It smells like something died in here!"

Pack fanned his face. "Correction.. something did die in here."

I wrinkled my nose as I took in the state of the place. Dust covered every surface, spiderwebs stretched from corner to corner, and leaves and debris littered the wooden floors.

The furniture was covered in old, moth eaten sheets, and there was a thick layer of grime on the windows.

"Well…" I sighed. "This is not going to be fun."

Eva groaned. "I did the magic part! You two get to do the cleaning!"

Pack shot her a glare. "Not a chance. If we're all using this place, we all clean."

Eva rolled her eyes but grabbed a broom anyway.

We got to work, sweeping and dusting, the. dragging out anything that looked beyond saving. I found an old bucket outside.

Eva said there was a stream at the backyard, that she saw one from her mirror so I went there and truly there was a stream. But if she can see from her mirror, why didn't she just see this cottage since.. so pathetic.

I filled the bucket with water from the stream, then bringing it back so we could scrub the floor.

Pack cleared out the fireplace, stacking some firewood in case he needed warmth at night. Eva rearranged the furniture, pulling off the old sheets and shaking them outside.

By the time we were done, the cottage actually looked livable. The floors were clean, the furniture was dust-free, and the windows let in golden sunlight, making the space feel warm and cozy.

I plopped onto a chair, exhausted but satisfied. "Okay, this might actually work."

Pack sat on the couch, stretching his legs. "Yeah, not bad."

Eva tossed her broom aside. "You guys better appreciate me. I just gave you a hidden fortress."

I grinned. "We do appreciate you."

She smirked. "Good. Now, let's get out of here before I fall asleep."

We left the cottage, stepping back through the barrier. As soon as we were out, it vanished once more.

With the hard work done, we started heading back to the castle. Eva split from the halfway, waving as she made her way home.

I felt a sense of relief, until I stepped into the castle and froze.

My father was pacing the grand hall, his expression thunderous. My mother stood beside him, wringing her hands, looking pale and worried.

My stomach dropped.

I was so dead.

His entire body was rigid with barely contained rage.

I barely had time to register the tension before my father's head snapped toward me. His eyes, sharp as steel, locked onto mine.

"Where. Have. You. Been?" His voice was low but it carried the weight of a storm about to break.

My throat went dry.

What's going on, why is he so angry, I just hope it's about the suitor stuff.

But gosh, It doesn't seem so...

Oh, my dear moon goddess, mom have spilled my secret, hasn't she.