The Beast's Possession
32: My fake Luna.

**Bane

pov**

Bluff. Every word that left my lips back in the bedroom was bluff.

I didn't intend to claim her as my Luna. I would have to be a complete nutcase to do that.

Besides, I didn't need a Luna. I had held back from claiming a woman as my own for years, and still, hadn't even thought of changing it.

The only reason why I wanted to keep the reject around me was Killian.

While she was asleep because of the self-inflicted injuries, the asshole had called me more times than he did when he heard about my plans to target his pathetic pack. Whatever it was, there was something about the reject that drove him close to insanity. He was doing a pretty shitty job trying to hide his desperation to find her. Speaking of the devil, as soon as his stupid name crossed my mind, my phone started buzzing in my pocket. I reached for it and grinned, noticing his name on the screen. For a split second, I contemplated ignoring the call and letting him grow more desperate, but curiosity got the best of me, so I accepted the call. "Hello?"

As soon as Killian heard my voice, a loud sigh of relief left him. "Bane, I've been trying to get a hold of you for hours now. Haven't you been in the office today?"

Although the tone of his voice was rather annoyed and clearly, he was about to accuse me of some bullshit, I decided to play dumb.

"No, I haven't. I took a day off today, something came up. Happens. Now, tell me, what's going on? Why were you looking for me?"

Killian paused for a moment, probably to pull himself together. I could hear him start pacing the room, which meant he had to be nervous about something.

"Listen, I won't accuse you of anything, okay? Just keep in mind that it is my top priority to ensure our packs are at peace. There is no need for unnecessary arguments and Goddess forbid another war." The corner of my mouth twitched as I struggled to suppress a smile. Hearing the fear in his voice did something to me.

In an attempt to appear more serious, I cleared my throat. "Killian, stop beating around the bush and tell me what's going on. I'm sure whatever it is, we can be civil about it."

I lied. I fucking lied. When it came to that bitch Killian, civil was the last thing I wanted to be.

If it were up to me, I would have killed that asshole years ago.

Back when I had a chance, he had the Council to back him. But soon, he wouldn't have that anymore. Everyone knew Killian's father didn't choose him as the direct successor and the old man was dying.

The moment they would lay the old bastard in his grave would be the moment I would act. I never planned to waste more time waiting than necessary.

And the best part? Killian knew I wouldn't hesitate to kill him the moment I got a chance.

"Okay, so," Killian muttered, grabbing my attention. The background noises became louder, which meant that for some reason, he was becoming more restless. Now, I was intrigued. "I heard something about you. Perhaps those are just rumors, so I had to call and ask."

I rolled my eyes at his words. Why a grown man had to be so stupid and ignore my words about being straight-forward was beyond me. His stalling didn't bring any benefit to either of us.

"Again, stop beating around the bush and tell me. Just because I haven't been in the damn office today doesn't mean I don't have responsibilities beyond that. Don't waste my time," I grumbled as I headed to the office.

Killian didn't have to know that I was planning to spend hours going over stupid paperwork and ignoring every incoming call. In fact, he didn't have to know shit about me.

"Yeah, right, sorry,” he muttered. I listened to him breathe until Killian finally blurted out the reason why he called. "People are talking about you. They're saying you brought in a new girl and the description I was given perfectly matches my bride. Just like I said earlier, I won't accuse you of anything just because another rumor about you is floating around, but I need to hear this directly from you. Bane, is my bride in your territory?"

Killian held his breath, waiting for an answer, while I wondered when and how he managed to grow a backbone.

To outsiders, Killian was a high and mighty leader. Always so calm and collected, very professional. But in my eyes - he was a coward, hiding behind status and connections.

Also, compared to the last time we spoke over the phone, Killian sounded like a different person. Now, he sounded like a lost puppy, desperately trying to find his way.

"I appreciate the effort you put into finding out the truth from the direct sources, Killian," I started with some fake flattery. I didn't appreciate shit. "But, I must let your hopes down. While I have taken in a couple of women who were seeking refuge, neither of them matches the description of your fiance. There isn't an Alpha woman living here, let alone someone with a name as unique as you mentioned."

Killian didn't say a word. It almost felt as if he was waiting for more, like promises to call him if anything changed or possibly offers to join the search.

A very small and bitter part of myself was dying to tell him the truth. Just lay out the facts and ideas about me, taking the bride he so desperately looked for as my Luna.

I wouldn't take her, but she didn't need to know that and until I figured out why Killian needed her, he too wouldn't hear a single thing from me.

Honestly, I found this game extremely fun. The more time passed, the worse he started acting. The whole world could smell the desperation radiating off him and Killian still didn't care. All that mattered for that asshole was to find her. And once again, his behavior made me want to find out why he needed her even more. What was so bloody special about a weak, unworthy Alpha's daughter to send someone like Killian to his knees?

"Thank you," he muttered. "I guess I need to get back to looking. If anything changes, if she happens to wander in your territory, please give me a call. Seriously, if anything, even the smallest clue comes, give me a call and I'll be there." With that being said, Killian hung up on me.

Now, I had more reasons to keep the reject close to me and pay attention to anything she did. And if this mess ended up in another disappointment with a lack of exciting details, I still had the chance to sell her off.

There always was a chance that she was just another mediocre woman and Killian just made her the target of his obsessive nature. If it turned out to be true, worst case scenario, I still stood in a better position than both of them. Entering my office, I walked around the desk, sat down and got to work. In a few hours, I had to go back to the bedroom and check on my fake Luna.