The Beast's Possession

**Claudia

pov**

As I watched Kala jump into the tunnel and closed the door to hide her whereabouts, I knew I had just signed my death certificate with my own doings. But also, I knew that I would have done the same thing for Aife if it came to it. Besides, I had lived a pretty fulfilling life even in the captivity of this pack and reached a very honorable age. There wasn't much I could do with my life or live for anymore. If this was the end of my road, at least it ended with me, doing the right thing.

Walking up the stairs, I listened to the girls muttering something through our personal mind-link. Some were asking if I was okay while the rest cried about the Alpha losing his mind and screaming at the mirror.

Once I reached the top of the stairs and closed the basement door, I used the master's key Beta Zion had trusted me with and locked the door, making it look like it hadn't been open since Beta was here.

Then, I returned to the task Kala had made up to get me here and used my last minutes thinking about good memories I had made before this day. Some were about my old family and most surrounded my new family - the girls and this pack. It couldn't have been more than five minutes later when I heard the knock on the door. At first, I thought it had to be one of the guards because the monster didn't knock, but once I rushed to open it and faced the Alpha with black eyes, I realized I had been fooled by my own assumptions.

"Good day, Alpha," I greeted him and bowed before I stepped aside and opened the door wider, "please, come in. Would you like coffee or tea?"

While I was a little surprised by my ability to act as if nothing was wrong, I managed to hide it before the monster noticed anything.

What didn't surprise me at all was the wide smile across his lips and the words that followed, "finally I have found a pack member that isn't as brainless as the rest of those fools and knows how to show respect to their superior. I'm surprised it's a reject bitch who knows their place but I suppose something is way better than nothing at all."

This part of Alpha Bane had made it clear throughout the years that he harbored insane hatred for women, so I didn't pay any attention to those words. Deep down, I knew that our true Alpha wasn't like this, he wasn't a hateful man who had no respect for his people at all.

Once he stepped inside, I closed the door and averted my gaze to the floor. I had heard doing so was a sign of respect many years ago and this thing was older than time so that knowledge proved to be useful.

The man walked into the living room and dropped his heavy body on the sofa as if he owned the place. His eyes scanned the room until they set on the half of the curtains I managed to change for a new set. "Almost done here?" He chuckled as if mocking my ability to do a task I've been given.

"Yes, Alpha." I muttered, still staring at the floor.

"Shouldn't you be done with this already?" He sounded impatient and irritated, so I had to choose my words wisely.

While it was a massive risk, I decided to use this moment to ease into the lie I told Kala I would use once this bastard would start questioning me about her whereabouts.

"It's taking a little longer since I'm doing everything alone, Alpha. If I had someone to help me, I would have been done long ago," I spoke a little louder, hoping that made me sound more confident and truthful.

"Ah, is that so?" He hummed, clearly not asking for an actual answer. "Where's the Beta's bitch then? Wasn't she supposed to be a part of whatever the fuck you two are supposed to do here?" And there it was - the real question. Clearing my throat, I braced myself for whatever was to come and spoke, "she went for a walk. Miss Kala has been complaining about pregnancy pains and sickness for a while. Since I agreed to come here and help while I had a little off time, she decided to use the chance and get some fresh air in the woods. She left about five or so minutes before your arrival, Alpha."

Once the words were out, they hung in the air as tense silence surrounded us. At one point, the silence paired with his presence made me feel like it was suffocating me.

Anger radiated off him, so as the last ditch effort, I dropped to my knees and bowed to him, "I must apologize, Alpha. If I had any idea about your plans to visit this house, I wouldn't have let her leave for the walk. I understand this is highly disrespectful for any pack member and I am taking the responsibility for the part of the unfortunate situation I am to be blamed for."

After another tense moment of silence, he rose to his feet and chuckled. "I must admit I like bitches who know their place as close to the fucking floor as possible," he spoke in a tone that dripped with venom. I had an inkling that he might do something, but the blow to my ribs came out of nowhere, so unexpected, I barely held back the scream of agonizing pain that threatened to escape me. "Stay here and wait for that whore to return. Pray she comes back at all. If you don't drag her ass to the main building in two hours, consider yourself dead." He snarled and kicked me again, this time, forcing a cry out of me.

It seemed that he really enjoyed my cries because the laughter that left him overpowered the sounds of pain I made.

Tears streamed down my cheeks and my ribs ache in waves of intense pain as I tried to focus on the sound of his footsteps until I heard the door open and slam shut.

Once I was convinced he was far away, I let out the scream I was holding in and wailed in pain. I knew this would happen, mentally I was ready for that, but physically, yeah that was completely different.

Somehow, I managed to roll over and lay on my back, staring at the ceiling as if it had the answers to my prayers. The pain didn't subside, if anything, it became more intense and spread to the rest of my body. Despite all that, I couldn't help but smile. Even knowing I was surely about to die within a few hours, if I could turn back the time, I still would do the same thing. I made the right choice.