KILL THE ALPHA

A stranger in her skin

Carrissa stepped back sharply. “You have to leave!” she shouted, panic clawing at her chest. Her hands shook violently, her heart racing uncontrollably.

“Lucia!” Mark called, reaching out and holding her waist.

She froze. His eyes were full of warmth, care, and love. He clearly cared for Lucia, but she wasn’t Lucia. Not even close. Her chest tightened painfully as she gently removed his hands.

“I… I am not Lucia,” she whispered, voice trembling.

Mark blinked, confusion crossing his face. He ran a hand over his forehead, pacing a few steps. “Why do you keep saying that?” he asked, uncertainly.

“I said I am not Lucia,” she repeated, sinking weakly onto the edge of the bed. Her hands twisted nervously in her lap. “The woman you were with last night… it wasn’t me. I swear it.”

Mark froze, staring at her as if she had lost her mind.

“please..please… help me,” she said urgently. “Help me reclaim my body. Then… you can have your Lucia back.”

For a moment, it seemed he might understand. But then he almost laughed.

“Are you crazy?” he asked, a mix of disbelief and faint amusement in his voice. “You’re losing it, babe.” He leaned closer, as if to control her, cupped her face tightly, and pressed a kiss on her lips.

Carrissa recoiled, shoving him away. Her hands trembled as she wiped her lips, disgusted.

“I am not your girlfriend!” she shouted, tears welling, voice cracking under pressure.

Mark finally stepped back, his expression faltering. It seemed like he might have finally gotten the message, but the look he gave her was confusing, a mix of shock, concern, and disbelief.

Before she could think, he grabbed her hands and pulled her outside the bar.

“Today is Saturday,” he said, glancing around. “Tell my sister you have an emergency.”

“W… what emergency? And which sister?” she stammered, mind spinning in confusion.

He ignored her questions, dragging her toward a woman she had seen the night before she passed out, the one chewing aggressively. Her pulse raced.

“Miss Chandelier,” Mark greeted her, kissing her cheeks respectfully. Carrissa bowed her head, unsure how to act.

“Shh… shh,” the woman signaled, eyes flicking toward Carrissa. “What’s wrong with your girlfriend? I noticed she’s been off lately.”

Mark forced a smile. “She doesn’t feel well. Could you give her the day off?”

“No,” the woman said sharply, shaking her head.

“Please, sister,” Mark pressed, hands together, giving a pleading smile.

“Sister?” Carrissa thought, confused.

“Okay, Mark. Just today,” the woman said reluctantly. “Lucia seems out of it. I told you she doesn't fit the human world. "she’s a spoiled wolf,” she added harshly, chewing her gum. “Bring her back tonight. The big guys are coming, you know how they love her,” she said, waving them off.

Mark held Carrissa’s hands tightly as he guided her away. For the first time since waking, she felt a shred of safety. He was gentle, patient. She could see how much he loved Lucia, but it hurt because she was not Lucia.

They tripped over Sonia in the hallway. “Watch it!” she shouted, glaring. Then recognition flashed in her eyes. “Lucia! Where are you two headed?” she called playfully.

“We need to go,” Mark said, tugging Carrissa along.

“Oooooouuu!” Sonia shouted dramatically, waving her hands. " just tell me where youre going love birds". "Lucia never tells me anything" she whispered.

Mark didn’t slow down. He held Carrissa close, guiding her past Sonia. “Come on. No time.”

Uhhh!. Sonia shouted as they walked past her.

Finally, the building came into view. Bold letters glowed: THE MAGIC WITCHES COVEN.

Carrissa’s stomach twisted nervously. Mark parked and motioned for her to get down. Her legs were stiff, trembling.

“Stay close,” he said, concern in his voice. “Let’s just go inside.” His hand brushed hers, warm and grounding, but tension ran through his grip.

Carrissa hesitated, looking at the coven. The building was ancient, black stones worn by time. Strange symbols were etched on the walls, she was glowing faintly under dim light. Smoke curled around the entrance like shadows. Candles flickered in iron sconces, and the scent of herbs hung heavy in the air. She swallowed hard, afraid to step forward.

Mark guided her. “It’s okay. Don’t worry,” he said, trying to reassure her.

They sat on a stone bench near the center. His hand never left hers, presence calming, yet reminding her how out of place she felt. Every flicker of shadow made her heart skip a beat.

Then she appeared.

A woman. Old, with tangled red hair falling around her shoulders. Skin ghostly white, almost translucent. Piercing black eyes that seemed to burn straight through Carrissa. She moved slowly, deliberately. She looked like a figure from a nightmare yet carried undeniable authority.

Carrissa instinctively clung to Mark’s arm. He approached the woman with respect, pressing a quick kiss to her cheek.

“Sorry about Lucia,” he said quietly.

“What brings you here again, Mark?” she asked, lowering her voice in a brittle and commanding tone.

“I… I don’t know what’s wrong with Lucia,” he replied nervously, glancing at Carrissa. “Could she… be possessed?” He nodded toward the woman, signaling her to evaluate Carrissa.

She nodded and instructed Carrissa to lie down. Her heart pounded as she obeyed, feeling the cold stone press against her back. The woman pulled out a small carved lamp, its flame flickering unnaturally bright, casting strange shadows. Her gaze pierced Carrissa, then shot Mark a sharp look.

“This… isn’t Lucia,” she said flatly, breaking the tension.

Mark stepped back, confused. “What do you mean?”

“Your Lucia is gone,” the woman said, eyes fixed on Carrissa. “I can see her soul… floating beyond this room, weak and fading. She is fragile, Mark. This soul sitting here will completely take over soon.”

Mark went pale, running hands through his hair. “It’s that necklace,” he muttered. “Lucia's too stubborn. She won’t wear it!”

The woman’s voice rose sharply. “I told her to always wear it! Now look at the result!”

Mark drew a deep breath, trying to calm himself. “That… doesn’t matter now,” he said softly, eyes wide with fear. “What do we do? How do we… get my girlfriend back?”

Carrissa stayed silent, heart hammering. She felt the weight of the woman’s words, the presence of Lucia’s floating soul, and the energy inside her, The body heavy yet alive with power.

The woman’s gaze softened slightly, though her eyes never left Carrissa. “Control yourself, Mark,” she cautioned. “You cannot rush this. Watch closely—time is running short. The longer she stays, the harder it will be to reclaim your Lucia.”

Mark nodded, swallowing hard, keeping a hand on Carrissa’s to ground her. She was painfully aware this life,this body was slipping into a world she didn’t belong to. Fear, confusion, and strange curiosity battled inside her.

Then Mark looked at Carrissa, before turning to the woman.

“What if we have to kill her to get Lucia back?”

Carrissa stared at Mark, her chest tight, her hands trembling uncontrollably. She didn’t want to die, not now , not ever. She needed her own body, her own life, to return and face the one who had tried to kill her. Her heart pounded, her breaths came in short, uneven gasps, and every instinct in her wolf stirred violently, warning her that she was in far more danger than she could handle.

The witch laughed. It wasn’t a soft laugh. It crawled under her skin, made her teeth ache, vibrating in the very bones of her body. The sound echoed in the stone room until the walls seemed to shiver, and Carrissa felt a cold fear curl around her spine.

“No, Mark,” the witch said finally, her voice sharp, breaking through the heavy tension like shards of glass. “There is nothing we can do now.”

Carrissa saw hope vanish from his eyes. The slump of his shoulders, the sudden weight in them, made her chest tighten even more. She wanted to scream, to argue, to fight, but her body felt frozen, powerless against the presence that wasn’t hers.

“This soul,” the witch continued, her words snapping through the air like a whip, “it has a mission.”