The Beast's Possession
2: Broken.

**Zion

pov**

As I spun around to face my best friend, I nearly fell to my knees. Bane, the man I had known since I could remember myself, was no more the man he used to be.

His posture was so weak, he no longer towered over others. The muscles on his body didn't look rock-hard anymore and he had lost quite a lot of weight.

Top that with those lifeless, soulless eyes and the massive dark circles under the eyes and get a whole set of a fucking shattered man. Broken beyond repair. Briefly, I recalled how his break up with his ex went. He was angry, raging even, but he didn't look even half as tired as he did now. After losing Aife, Bane looked like he had lost all hope for anything good that might be out in the world. Giving him a sharp nod, I braced myself and held my breath as I walked towards Bane's office. The reject woman whisper-hissed something, definitely my name, I heard that much, but one look from her Alpha made her go mute in a matter of seconds.

As soon as I entered the office, Bane followed in my footsteps and closed the door. While he navigated his way to the chair behind the desk, my eyes took in the mess. There was nothing but broken furniture, mountains of empty bottles and torn papers scattered all over.

If I didn't know him better, I would probably assume he was a homeless guy who broke in and made this place look a little more than the places he knew as home.

"Please, sit down," Bane spoke, emotionless, eyes focused on something in the distance.

In any other situation, I might laugh at his invitation. There was no fucking place for me to take a seat. However, seeing how withdrawn he was, I didn't risk pushing the wrong buttons.

"Thanks, I'll stand. I assume this won't be a heart to heart discussion and we will relocate soon too, so there's no point in me getting comfortable." I kept my voice as steady as I could, despite the fact that my heart was shattering to pieces - slowly.

In a matter of minutes, I knew I would follow my best friend down to the cells, to the very end, inside the secluded area specifically meant for torture. Then, I could forget about seeing my mate for a long, long time. Maybe his gaze didn't give out what he planned yet, but I knew that empty stare. Nothing good came from a man who had died inside.

A deep, dark chuckle left him, but there were no emotions on his face. None at all.

The more time we spent in silence the more uneasy I grew. I needed him to speak. To shout and scream. To rage and growl. To break more shit, attack me for fuck's sake. Anything. I would take anything just to see Bane was still there, maybe hidden but still present.

But he wasn't.

"What you assume is right. I have a question before I take matters into my own hands. Let me remind you, and I can't stress this enough, that it would be for the best if you answered honestly."

I knew what was coming. He was taunting the fear that surged through me. He knew that I knew what the question was and to make the matters worse, he pointed out that there was something I had to admit.

Something I couldn't admit. A fucking secret I had to hold even if I took me to my grave early. Before I got to marry Kala as she asked me to. Before we could have children and build a proper family. Before I could feel like the happiest man alive and see the dreams I didn't dare to wish could come true.

"Where is she?" Bane asked without waiting on my reaction.

Cold shivers ran down my spine as sweat broke out on my forehead. My heart started beating just a little too fast as my hands became clammy, too disgusting for my own liking.

"I can't," I breathed out the answer in a weak whisper.

His eyes didn't leave the wall he was staring at. The only reaction I got was the same damn creepy chuckle - no amusement, just suppressed anger and pain.

"You can and you will. That is an order, Beta!" Bane hissed.

As his voice echoed against the walls and assaulted my whole being in waves, I fell to my knees, my teeth gritted and jaw tense as I fought back. I wasn't the best friend anymore. I wasn't Zion, the annoying shit he had known for most of his life. I was his Beta, his second-in-command, the man who was refusing to share the information he demanded.

Now, on my knees, I was a traitor, which had to be the reason why Bane used his Alpha command on me. I didn't know how much longer I could fight against it, so I grasped on the last idea I had and screamed, "I can't! She is my Luna, my true Luna and I will rather die than put her in harm's way!"

"Very well," Bane muttered and for the first time in months, I saw an emotion flash in his eyes as the corner of his lip twitched. It couldn't be more than a second and it was gone again, replaced by the same empty stare and stoic facial expression.

My best friend wasn't in there anymore. All that was left was a fucking shell that looked like him.

My eyes followed him as Bane rose from his seat and approached me. Once he stood right in front of me, the hostility that radiated off him made me sick, so I looked down instead of into his eyes as I usually would.

His hand landed on my shoulder and squeezed it painfully enough for me to let out a low hiss. "In that case, I believe you are ready to relocate. We have so much fun ahead of us."

Another wave of shivers traveled down my spine as I forced myself to rise to my feet. I was in so much pain, I didn't feel my body anymore, just the pain. Defying an Alpha command was torture of its own kind, that much was clear. Bane didn't seem to be bothered by the pain or expression on my face as he gestured towards the door and grunted, "after you."

Without looking at him, I spun on my heel and headed to the door. In a matter of seconds, I decided to keep my head up and show no weakness. If I broke down, especially in front of the other pack members who were surely gathering around because the reject definitely told them what was going on, there would be no chance for the pack to survive this.

We had no weak links, so none would appear at the very top. I just hoped Kala wouldn't be around to witness my walk of shame towards the end of the little freedom I knew.

Opening the door to the office, I wasn't surprised to see a crowd and more people lining the hall towards the living room. With a sharp nod, I mouthed, "don't get involved, this is fine," to ensure no one but me would experience his wrath. As we walked down the hall, each pack member I passed bowed their head. I knew they were trying to show me their respect and that they stood by me, but.. As much as I enjoyed the solidarity, it was rather bittersweet.

The old Bane would bark at the pack members, reminding them that they had responsibilities, but the shell of him didn't waste words. I felt his presence behind me, bigger than life, looming over me like a shadow, but he didn't acknowledge anyone.

As I stepped into the living room, about to cross it and head towards the cell door, I froze in my step. My heart stopped as my eyes met Kala's tear filled ones. I could see so much suffering in them while I had no right to calm her or soothe the pain.

Somehow, I managed to gather myself and start walking. As I got closer, I forced a smile and whispered, "let it happen. I beg you. Be strong for me, my lioness."