The Beast's Possession
69: Your sorries won’t cut it.

**Aife

pov**

My heart stopped for a moment. Everything faded until there was nothing left.

Nothing but Bane, holding me as if I was his lifeline.

And worst of all, despite the anger and hatred I felt - I kissed him back. My hands found their way in his hair and tugged on it as my lips nearly attacked his. I wanted him to feel what I was feeling all this time, and if a kiss was the only way to slap some sense in this man, I had to take my chances.

So, I forced all the frustration, anger, pain, and every negative emotion I had into the kiss. It was a little too heated for my liking, but nevertheless impressive. Until I tried to pull away. Bane refused to loosen his hold around me or pull his lips away from mine, so I did what any reasonable person would - I bit his lip. Hard. With a loud hiss, he finally stepped away. Bane held a hand over his mouth, cursing under his breath.

When he remembered where he was, Bane dropped his hand and head in shame. "I'm sorry," he muttered.

Crossing my arms in front of my chest, I huffed. I had tried my best to be the obedient worm he wanted me to be, but I had enough.

He sought submission and that didn't work in my favor, so now, he would have to face the stubborn me. The 'me' I liked to be the most.

"Your sorries won't cut it. I'm sure you're not used to apologizing to anyone, but that still won't do it. What the hell is wrong with you? Since you have clearly forbidden Zion from answering my questions, you'll have to do it yourself. Now, tell me why am I still here if you're clearly not planning to sell me for your benefit, but you're also hell-bent on ignoring me?"

Bane's eyes widened. I knew he didn't expect me to fight back, but clearly, he didn't think of me as someone who would question his motives and call him out.

In a state of complete shock, he tried to back away, to create more distance between us, but I couldn't allow it. If Bane got close enough to the door, he would be the flight risk Zion painted me out to be.

"No," I said and shook my head. "No more running, you've done enough. Out of us two, I should be the one who's running and avoiding you, not the other way around."

At times, I hated how much I felt for others, especially when they were sad. Like Bane was now.

For some reason, he wore an expression I couldn't quite describe, but sadness and hurt radiated off him in waves at the same time.

I felt like he fought a battle with himself more than he did with others. But why?

Why was he holding himself back from stating the facts and letting others help him? Why all that secrecy and confusing behavior?

The hot and cold attitude was one thing, but ever since Zion threw that 'hint' at me, I couldn't stop thinking about it. Although I didn't have direct access to a computer in this room, I snuck into the library the other night and found the book. Dr. Jekyll was the nice personality while Mr. Hyde was the evil alter-ego. It made sense, especially looking at how Bane behaved, I still wanted to know why it was so hard for him to come clean.

There were far too many questions running through my head to grab one and demand answers, so I remained silent, blankly staring at Bane.

He started shifting his weight from one leg to another and opened his mouth, but no words came out. Every time his lips parted without a sound passing them, he looked like he was in pain. And then, he froze. I knew what it meant. Bane was seconds away from storming out of that door and disappearing once again.

"Don't," I pleaded in a barely audible whisper. I knew I was taking a risk when I averted my gaze down to my feet as I was presenting him with a perfect way out, but I couldn't look at him anymore. Bane toyed with me. From the first day he brought me here, he had done nothing but play around with everything he could use against me. My fears, emotions, feelings - everything.

"If you are so adamant to avoid me, to force me into a life of a living ghost, why not set me free? Why must I stay here if I'm unwanted? Do you have any idea how that feels? To be stripped of everything that ever mattered to you, just to be tossed aside and looked at as if you're invisible? Every time someone passes me, they stare so blankly, it makes me feel like I'm see-through. Why am I still here, Bane?"

Every word, although quiet, echoed against the walls and came back to haunt me. My own voice turned into something I couldn't recognize anymore and taunted me. "I can't let you go.” Bane muttered.

My head shot up and eyes focused on him as a sudden wave of anger surged through me. Was that all it really was? Just a couple of words to explain the torture he kept dragging me though?

And for what? For whatever selfish reasons he had, just to hold me here? It made no sense!

I had plenty of awful things to tell him, but seeing how pouring my heart out didn't work on Bane, I decided to approach him with nothing but questions. "Are you planning to sell me after all?"

Bane's eyes grew even wider and jaw dropped a little, as if I was saying the most outrageous thing he had ever heard.

"Stop giving me silent reactions and answer my question. Are you planning to sell me? Is there an agreement between you and Alpha Killian already? If it hasn't been written, when will it happen? How much time have I left as a ghost among your people until I become the object to be passed down onto the next monster?" My voice kept rising as tears stung in my eyes but I refused to let them fall.

There was a moment when I thought Bane had human emotions. I let myself believe there was more to him than I had seen and heard about the man.

But sadly, the further we went, the more I learned about how true some rumors and assumptions could really be. I was here for his convenience and sick enjoyment for torturing women.

Sucking in a deep breath, I repeated myself. "Alpha Bane, when am I being sold off?"

He winced at the mention of his title. Standing face to face with my tormentor was one thing, but facing someone who was so lost and clearly hurt proved how emotionally weak I was. I wanted to be strong, I really did, but I couldn't help but feel for other's pain.

As stupid as it might have sounded, Bane was in a lot of pain. It was evident in his eyes, always had, even when he did awful things to others, me including.

Learning more things about him didn't help either. I got some bits and hints here and there, all of them solidifying the fact that he had been through some awful things, and those left consequences. "You're not."