The Beast's Possession

**Samantha pov**

As I stepped inside the packhouse for my night shift, it was eerily silent. The empty halls reminded me of a horror movie scenario, the only sound around me being the occasional creek of the floorboards under my weight. These days, it wasn't often that one could roam these halls without the suffocating presence of Alpha Bane. But tonight, thankfully, was different and I finally had my chance to act out the plan.

Since he was locked away, rumored to be his own demand, this had to be the first time in weeks, if not months that the place didn't feel as dangerous and the air around here was lighter. To be fair, none of us could tell how long it had been since the monster took over, days, weeks and probably months, just mixed together in one mess.

Slowly, I walked down the halls, casting glances over my shoulder to ensure nobody was noticing my presence, or even worse, following me. Tonight, I was committing a crime and if I got caught, I'd pay the price in the form of my life. Goddess, please make this risk worth it.

As I neared the library, I could hear Thane's voice echoing in my mind. Find the book with the green covers. It's old, very damn old, you'll know when you notice it on the shelf. Claudia told us that's where we can find some answers, if nothing else, at least find the backstory of that monster, maybe if we know more, we can figure out how to fight it.

When Thane told me there was a chance to find answers, at first, I didn't want to believe it. I was a maid, not a spy, I wasn't trained for this sort of thing.noveldrama

But did I have another choice? If there was even a sliver of hope in finding a way to stop the entity inside Alpha Bane, we had to try. Luckily or not, it meant teamwork, which was why I was acting like a traitor in my pack and snuck behind my Alpha's back..

When I stopped in front of the library, I glanced around and let out a heavy breath before I pushed the door open and slid inside, carefully closing the door behind me.

The room was massive, with shelves stretching from floor to ceiling, the books and trinkets covered in layers of dust.

I jumped into action nearly instantly, fearing the risk of getting caught. "Green covers," I whispered to myself, scanning the shelves. My fingers brushed over the spines of the books as I moved, searching for anything that matched Thane's description.

Minutes felt like hours as I moved deeper into the library. Finally, in the corner of the farthest shelf, my eyes landed on it. An old book with dark green covers. It was in a bad shape, its edges damaged and the gold lettering on its spine barely visible.

As I reached for it, my hand trembled, but the moment my fingers touched the book, a jolt of energy shot through me, sharp and sudden. I gasped, stepping back, but my hand remained glued to the cover. Before I could understand what was happening, the world around me faded.

My vision blurred, and when it cleared, I wasn't in the library anymore. I was standing in the middle of a grand hall, its walls decorated with photos and paintings. The mix of colors was beautiful, making the hall look royalty standards high. There were what looked like golden plates under nearly each painting, but the words I couldn't understand, almost like those were written in a language I didn't know.

And as if all of that wasn't surprising enough, what truly caught me off guard was the fact that my body wasn't my own anymore. I was a silent observer, a shadow looming over unsuspecting people, watching a scene play out before me. A woman cried out, and as I turned, I saw a man, possibly the father, holding a newborn. "A pureblood," the man declared, his voice dripping with nothing but pride. "Our son, Gideon, a true pureblood Alpha. Thank you, my love, you've just given me the greatest gift a man can dream of. I'm certain our child is destined for greatness."

The scene shifted so fast, I felt a little dizzy. Next, I saw the boy, Gideon, growing up. He was strong, quick, and sly. No one could match him in a fight, and his parents watched him from the sidelines the same as I did. I noticed quickly how torn were his parents, unable to decide if they had to feel pride or unease as they watched their child grow.

His father's warnings echoed in my ears: "Power is a tool, not a weapon. Use it wisely, Gideon. Lead with honor, or it will destroy you."

But Gideon didn't listen. The scenes blurred again, and I saw him standing over the bodies of his parents, blood dripping from his hands. His father's lifeless, empty eyes stared up at him.

"They were weak," Gideon muttered coldly. "I'll show the packs what true power looks like."

Years passed in the blink of an eye. Gideon became the most feared Alpha among the packs, his name whispered with equal parts admiration and terror. He demanded loyalty and crushed anyone who defied him. His greed for power and wealth consumed him, leaving nothing but ashes in his wake.

Gideon was unstoppable until the vision slowed and a new figure stepped into the view.

Her hair was dark and wavy, long from what I could see, and her eyes were so piercing they seemed to see straight through Gideon. She stood tall and powerful, even as she faced Gideon in the grand hall.

Lana, that was her name, and I knew she had to be of Alpha blood. No other woman could stand her ground against a man like Gideon like that. Beside her stood an older man, her father, the Alpha of a neighboring pack. "Gideon," the older Alpha spat. "We've come to discuss your threats against my pack."

Gideon leaned back in his chair, his lips curling into a predatory smile. "Threats? No, old man, I don't do threats. Promises, yeah, that sounds more like it."

Lana's father growled, but she placed a hand on his arm, stopping him. Her gaze locked on Gideon, and for a moment, the hall seemed to fall silent.

"Why do you want to destroy us? What do you gain from this?" She asked, somehow maintaining more grace than I've seen in any other high rank woman.

Gideon's smile widened. "What do I gain? Everything - power, land, resources, control." He stood, stepping closer to them. "But since I'm a reasonable man, I'm willing to make a deal."

The older Alpha tensed. "What kind of deal?"

Gideon's eyes flicked to Lana, and something dark and dangerous flashed across his face. "Leave your pack out of it. All I want is her."

Lana's father's face turned red. "You'll get your filthy hands on my daughter only over my dead body!" He roared.

The room blurred again and seconds later, I was back in the library. I wasn't holding the book anymore, but everything I just witnessed felt as real as my heart beating in my chest.

Glancing at the massive clock in the library, I noticed that only a few minutes had passed since I entered the room, so, I took another brave breath and reached for the book again. This might be our only chance to find out what happened and I wasn't about to lose it.