The Beast's Possession
12: The price you pay.

**Killian

pov**

If fate wasn't fucking with me, I didn't know what it was doing. It wasn't just testing me, it was tossing me into mud and holding its foot on my back to watch me attempt to get out, and fail every time I do.

Just as the Goddess finally had my fucking back, I had to leave the damn pack. Okay, when I left, I didn't know about the blessing that was about to be given to me, it actually happened the day after I left. From what my pack members told me - a sleek, black car was parked in front of the pack house. Everyone gathered outside, watching with interest as the driver refused to exit the car. He growled and snarled at people, eyeing everyone with nothing but suspicion.

At first, they didn't know what was happening. Why would anyone visit us if they refused to explain the reason for their sudden arrival?

Although I had heard what happened, not actually witnessed it, I could imagine the scene perfectly. As they said, after what felt like hours, the driver finally got out of the car. He glared at everyone as a low, rumbling growl came from him every time he exhaled.

Then, he pointed his finger at everyone and snarled, "Goddess be my witness, if any of you low-life fuckers hurt my Luna, I will personally make sure the price you pay is one you can't afford. Painfully so."

After the threat, he had walked around the car and opened the door for a woman, who was described by the pack members as an embodiment of an angel. So stunning that she took everyone's breath.

I didn't need more information to know it was my future wife they described. I absolutely hated the fact that one of Bane's assassins called her his Luna, but I was willing to ignore it for as long as she stayed in my home. Our home. Finally, fucking finally everything was falling in its places. My patience had paid off.

But of course, there also had to be some goddamn obstacles in my way, because would it be my life if there weren't any?

Just when I was so close to getting what I had wanted, I was far away, had been for months, but somehow I survived the distance, telling myself this was the last time we would be apart.

Every day since then, I had called her father and Milly, asking questions, getting to know my future wife from afar and slowly growing closer even if she had no idea about it. My plan was to learn as much about her as I could and create the perfect man for her. Thankfully, it didn't seem like I had to change too much.

Now, all the pleasant and not so pleasant things aside, today, I was getting restless. I was on my way home, burning with desire to see her, but her father and Milly didn't answer the countless calls.

Usually, they never wasted time, never let me ring for too long, but now, I had left so many voicemails, my head was spinning.

"Alpha? Is everything okay?" Jonathan, my driver, frowned as he glanced at me in the rearview mirror.

"No, I believe everything isn't okay, Jonathan. The old man isn't answering my calls and neither is his daughter. I have a feeling something is going on and they're trying to hide it from me," I grumbled, pressing the call button again. Jonathan hummed, processing my words. Once he heard the groan of annoyance that left me yet again, he offered me a knowing glance. "How about I call someone from the pack? If something bad happened, they will likely try to get rid of the problem before your arrival and ignore the phone calls from you, Alpha."

I liked his way of thinking. Jonathan had always been the problem solver, hence why I chose him as my driver. Whenever I had to leave the pack - there weren't that many people I could put my trust in, but I could in him. "Sounds.. Fair," I trailed off, glancing out the car window as Jonathan navigated the car into the forest. I had told everyone I will return home in a week, but decided to cut the trip short now that the business was handled and there was no point for me to stay in the countless parties with other business partners.

I didn't look at Jonathan as he tapped the screen on the car console and the speakers blared with the call signal. It didn't take long for someone to pick up, but both of us instantly tensed, hearing the panic in the voice coming through those speakers.

"Jonny, my boy, how's it doing?" A man chuckled. It took me a while to understand who Jonathan had decided to call until I almost slapped myself for being this stupid. Of course, he called his father, Jonathan senior.

"Hey, dad. I'm doing fine. How are you? How's mom? I miss you guys," Jonathan sounded genuine, surely combining the necessary with pleasant by calling his father.

A tense silence stretched out until the old man cleared his throat. "Listen, by any means, is Alpha with you or somewhere around?"

Jonathan glanced at me in the mirror again and held eye contact for no longer than a second before he answered, "no, dad, I'm out to grab him some stuff before we pack up and head home. I'm pretty bored driving around, doing nothing, so I thought it would be nice to hear your voice."

The old man chuckled. "You've always been such a great son, Jonny."

Another moment of silence, but this one stretched out until I got a bad feeling in my gut. So damn bad that I couldn't shake it off.

"Dad, what's going on? You don't sound like yourself and it's very unlikely of you to check if Alpha is anywhere around me. Did something happen back home?" Jonathan broke the silence, sounding like a genuinely worried son, which in a way I was sure he was.

Silence. Again that fucking silence. I was so done with the tense pauses in this conversation that I nearly blew up, ruining our chances to find out what everyone was trying to hide.

Thankfully, the old man spoke up before I had a chance to open my mouth and demand answers. "Jonny, we're fucked. So bad, my boy, I fear what will happen if we don't find her." He whispered. I could hear him walking around somewhere, opening and closing doors as if he was seeking a more private space to continue this conversation.

"Don't find who?" Jonathan asked, pulling my attention back to what was truly important.

"The girl, son. The pretty kind girl that arrived months ago. The same girl that is rumored to be our Alpha's future wife," he whispered.

Tension rose as I pulled my hands into tight fists, barely holding myself back from doing anything stupid.

"What really is happening over there, dad? Shit, Alpha won't like this a bit," Jonathan hissed, being the amazing actor he had to play now.

"She ran," the old man sighed, clearly disappointed. "It's a pity, she was so kind to all of us, everyone around the pack hoped this wedding would happen. She would be so good for our Alpha, he deserves happiness, son." While I was pissed off beyond imagination, I couldn't deny that those words warmed me. If only a little, given the circumstances. My pack was worried about my well-being and happiness..

"But why did she run? From what I heard, she didn't look like a runner. No one mentioned flight risk," Jonathan hissed.

"I think it's because of Milly and that old man. I don't have too much information, everyone's running around like headless chicken and while some have information, it's not much. I can try to ask around for you, but I can't promise much." "Okay, dad, that's already a lot," Jonathan muttered. "But why do you think she ran because of Milly and the old man? I wouldn't want to be the one to throw baseless accusations at anyone, you know."

"Yeah, I raised you to be a good and fair man, Jonny, I know you wouldn't," he chuckled. "I just overheard the servants talk about a heated discussion Milly had with her father in the living room. From what they overheard it was about money and selling the poor girl off as a breeding machine or some bullshit like that. I know it's not my place to say anything, but if that is true and the girl overheard that conversation - I can't say I'm surprised she ran."