The Beast's Possession

**Kala

pov**

I had little to no hope that this guard would listen to me, but he did. To my utter surprise, he listened and grabbed my hand. "I will take you to our Luna, you will help her, okay?" His eyes were full of tears, but the old man didn't let any of them escape. "You will help her, right? You know how to help."

Seeing the desperation in his eyes and hearing his voice crack, I knew how important this was for him, so I nodded and repeated, "I know how to help and I will. I promise. Cats never break their promises."

"Okay," he sighed and tugged on my hand a little, leading me towards the massive staircase that led up to their pack house. "As for the other offer, it's not up to me. I'm sorry, sweetheart, but it's for Beta to decide. What he says goes." He couldn't see me nod, but I still nodded. There were no words I could use that seemed appropriate for the situation. Throwing a temper tantrum about Zion and his rights, or lack thereof, wouldn't benefit anyone.

As we started heading up the stairs, the guard cleared his throat. "I know I have no right to involve myself in this matter, but our Beta... I don't think he will let you risk a hair on your head if he has anything to do with it. He's a little rough around the edges, but he's a great man. Even if it doesn't seem like that at first, Beta Zion really is a great man. The best man I know, same as our Alpha."

"Why are you telling me all this?" I finally asked, unable to listen to more of his rambling. We had to hurry so I could help their Luna, not walk around and talk boys as if this was another regular day.

"Because.. I know this isn't the best moment to try to convince you to give him a chance and all, but I just wanted to make sure you wouldn't base your decision on something you have heard about us. People talk, they do that too often for their own good, but the majority of those things are baseless rumors. Don't believe in those who have never met or seen any of us in life. They hear something, add a twist of their own ideas and keep spreading the lies." "Can we focus on the important part, please? I promise to listen to you once the madness ends. That is, if I will stay here. Or, if we will survive," I added the last part in a whisper, praying to the Gods this pack wouldn't be hurt. Unlike others, I never wished anyone harm. I had said plenty of awful, dreadful things, but I never meant any of them. Deep down in my heart, I had always wished everyone good health, amazing lifes and all the best.

No matter how awful some people might be, they still deserved a chance. With a few expectations, of course, but those who didn't deserve anything good happen to them were the people who targeted younger individuals or the weakest parts of society.

The guard didn't speak anymore. I kind of wanted to ask for his name since I didn't remember if anyone had mentioned it, but I kept quiet. Just like I implied earlier, this was no time to lead happy conversations or build friendships.

As we finally reached the top of the stairs and he opened the door, we stepped inside what looked like a hall. The odd thing was that there were no voices, no movement, no people at all. As if the whole pack had died and no soul was left. Just a while ago, a complete panic coursed through the entire place and it seemed like everyone did their best to get the place turned upside down, so the sudden silence didn't put my mind at ease.

"Come along, darling, Beta Zion took her to the hospital. Don't pay attention to anything you might see as we move closer to the hospital wing, it is not our responsibility or business to deal with the protection measures. Trust me on this one - all those men know what they are doing."

Again, I didn't give him any verbal confirmation that I had heard him and listened. Now, all that really mattered was to get to her as soon as possible and survive the attack that surely had started.

I could feel Salem somewhere close. She was pulling at the invisible strings, luring me closer, demanding I returned to my rightful owner. Funny how she deemed herself to be one while as a true cat, I didn't belong to anyone but myself. Sadly, Salem didn't agree to accept that.

All she did was push and pull against every chance of me, getting the taste of freedom.

I used to think of myself as a very proud cat, a very high one. But today, I felt like a true failure. Salem was here for me, but for all the wrong reasons, so me and her had no true bond after all. I, on the other hand, had never felt as free as I was down in those cells imprisoned.

How the tables had turned...

"Here, she's here," the guard raised his voice, bringing me out of my thoughts. "The Luna is here, you can help her, right? Tell them you can help her."

My eyes scanned the place. We were in a room, their Luna laid on the bed, surrounded by a bunch of doctors and to their side stood Zion.

As soon as he noticed my presence, he rushed to me and placed his hands on my cheeks, cupping my face, "what are you doing here, little one? This sounds like bullshit, I know, but you're safer down in the cells than you are here. With you around, I won't be able to focus on-" he stopped himself before he could finish the sentence, but I had a feeling I knew what Zion was about to say.

I was a distraction. With me around, he couldn't focus on the killing. He couldn't be the cold-blooded murderer he was because he feared I could see that side of him. Why I didn't care about his nature was beyond me. I really didn't care if he killed anyone before my eyes or not.

Placing my hand over one of his, I looked up and met his eyes. "I'm here to help your Luna. The doctors won't be able to do anything. They don't know the plant and the side effects. I do. I know what to do and how to help. Please, let me." Zion's eyes darted to her. He clearly was too torn to make a decision, so one of the doctors took a step forward and pointed his finger at me. "So you wanted to kill her and now you will save her? Yeah, flat chance. Beta Zion isn't stupid and neither are we. Your place is in those cells. Rot!"

While I didn't react to the harsh words, they seemed to hit Zion hard. He pulled his hands away from me and spun around to face the shouting man.

The doctor instantly paled as his eyes darted between Zion and me, his mouth open, jaw nearly hitting the wall. "No, it couldn't be," the doctor muttered.

"Yes it could and it fucking is. Threaten her again and see what I fucking do." Zion warned as his eyes scanned everyone in the room. He was addressing them all.

Everyone bowed their heads and muttered apologies, including the man who went off at me.

"Move away from Aife, Kala needs space to help her." Zion growled and everyone instantly moved away.

When Zion's eyes focused back on me, the anger left his features and his muscles reacted as a slight smile spread across his lips. "Go on, little one, do your magic," he whispered and stepped aside.

I had no magic to use, but I had a trick or two up my sleeve. Mainly the trick was my blood. Salem made me into her little, useful first aid kit box basically. Thanks to her, my blood could heal more than I could imagine. Stopping right next to the bed, I cleared my throat. "This might look gross, but it's what will help. I promise I'm not lying."

"That's what a liar would say," someone muttered and Zion instantly growled so darn loud, the sound shattered the windows in the room.

Ignoring the audience, I bit my lip until it started bleeding. Zion ran to me, but I raised a hand to stop him. "Don't. It's a part of the process." Before he could say anything, I leaned down and pressed my lips to her, forcing hers to part and let my blood flow inside her mouth.

On the bright side, there wasn't need for much of my blood, so after a few seconds, I stepped away. On the not so bright side, just as I did the door burst open and an all too familiar face appeared in the room.

"There you are," Salem hissed, eyes boring in me. "How dare you use the precious gift I gave outside the Coven? Come here, you deserve a punishment!"

Zion, the forever hero, tried to step in front of me, but he didn't know Salem. No one knew her like I did. I had three seconds before she did something so vile, there was no way I could undo it. She would take away everything I had even before it was mine.

"No!" I screamed and jumped in front of Zion just when her hand started glowing and the next moment, it was too late. Complete chaos, shouts, howls, blood-curdling screams and then, the darkness took me.