The Beast's Possession

**Claudia

pov**

I couldn't face him. I couldn't go back to the main building and tell the Alpha that Miss Kala wasn't in the territory anymore.

Well, I could, but that would result in my death, that much was clear. Or something worse. I wasn't even sure which one of the two I feared the most.

The best course of action for now was stalling as much as possible. For as long as he didn't know she was gone, everything was fine, right?

"Shoot, it's not fine, nothing is fine," I groaned and grabbed the sides of my head, too frustrated to gather my thoughts.

Sometimes, a little walk helped me think, but I couldn't exit the house and parade the pack property either.

The next best option was walking around the house so that was exactly what I did. Or at least, more or less. I just started pacing the living room and thinking about the options I had.

For the record, I had close to none.

I could try to run away, to escape this pack, but where would I go? Around here I was nothing but one of the rejected women, not even a true part of the pack, which in all seriousness made me a rogue.

Rogues didn't have the easiest time out in the wild. Most of them went feral and completely forgot their human selves. Going feral for good possibly was something I feared even more than death, if I was being honest.

I was far too old to drop that low. Far too used to being somewhat a part of a pack to wander out in the wild and try to rebuild my life from zero. Far too scared to even try.

This was it, this was how an old woman like me met her end - by helping someone escape the worst days of their life. And truth be told, I didn't regret it a single moment, not for a second.

Beta Zion had always been so nice to me, so warm and welcoming, and now that he had finally found his mate, I couldn't let the poor girl suffer. She deserved better, they both did. Just the very moment when I accepted that this was my fate and there was nothing I could really do to change it, a frantic knock came from the door and seconds later, the door flew open.

I prayed to the Goddess that the one who came wasn't Alpha, and for once, my prayers were answered because instead of him stood a scared girl, one of the newcomers among the rejects.

Once her eyes focused on me, she visibly relaxed and let out a sigh of relief, "Claudia, you're here, thank goodness you're here. We were worried I would come here too late," she said and ran to me, wrapping her arms around me for a tight hug.

Seeing the distress and sensing the wear radiating off the girl, I quickly hugged her too, hoping that would help at least a little bit. "There, there, child, nothing has happened, why are you so worried? Haven't you heard that stress is bad for our human forms? You shouldn't run around like this, in this state you don't notice things around you and something bad might happen."

A bitter chuckle escaped her, followed by a muffled sob. "That's so you, Claudia. Always the one worrying about others, never about your own well being. Stop this, please. For once, remember that you deserve happiness just as much as everyone else does and while you keep ignoring it - there are a lot of people who wish you nothing but the best and worry about you too. We all worry. You're like the mom of the group, and honestly, for most of us you're the only real mother we have ever had. Many girls come from broken homes that you managed to fix."

Where was all of that coming from now? Why did this girl decide to cry in my arms and seemingly list the row of reasons why I was supposed to stay around everyone?

"What's going on, darling? Don't worry, you can tell me, I won't judge or get angry," I muttered, squeezing her just a little closer.

My words had the opposite effect I was hoping for. Instead of coming clean, the girl started crying even louder, clutching onto me tighter. "See, that's what I'm talking about. You're always there for others, always worried sick about their well being, but never the same with your own. How could you do this to yourself?"

This conversation was nothing but a waste of time. Yes, I knew I sounded harsh in my thoughts, but while comforting others was a thing I tended to focus on most days, I couldn't do the same thing now. I needed an exit plan, one that didn't drive me into an early grave.

"While I appreciate your concern and I really do mean it, please keep in mind that I don't have much time for conversations and heart to heart moments. Sorry, but I really can't waste more time. Something happened and that something might be life threatening. I don't mean to push this weight onto your shoulders, so please, tell me whatever you came to tell me and leave before it's too late. I need a moment to think."

This time, my words sobered her up. The girl released me and stepped back, wiping the tears off her cheeks. "Beta Zion is gone. No one knows where he is. Alpha is back, but no one knows for how long, he's in a bad shape and fears the monster might surface any moment. The guards sent me here to warn you - Alpha thinks it's best if you run and hide away until he figures out how to get rid of the monster because that thing inside him wants to kill you. Claudia, he wants to kill you," the last words came out as a whisper.

And there it was, my biggest fear coming to life - I was about to become a rogue, the lowest of the low, the feral beast that wandered the woods in desperate search of its next meal.

"I'm not sure if I can do this," I admitted and closed my eyes. "I'm too old to start all over and definitely too weak to really embrace that whole rogue lifestyle. Where would I even go?"

"You can go to the king. He will understand, he will take you in and keep you safe until Alpha figures everything out and brings you home." The girl suggested.

"Goddess," I gasped as my eyes flew open. I didn't know if I should cry, scream, jump in happiness or just stand there, but there had to be an emotion somewhere inside me. "How I didn't think about this myself? Why did no one think about this sooner? You're right! If anyone can help us, it has to be the king!"