Becoming a Possession

• three •

Alpha Brayden Riker

Present Day...

"Bray?" A knock sounded on my office door.

I grunted and rubbed my forehead in restlessness.

"Come in,"

It opened and Izzy stood in the doorway, a giggling Zoey in her arms.

I looked up at her, dropping my pen. "What is it?" I asked, with a blank stare, intentionally allowing all emotion to be void.

   Her face fell in heavy disappointment and she stepped into the room, resting Zoey on the curve of her hip.

   "We just came to see how you're doing, Zoey wanted to see her favorite uncle," she smiled, hope still present in her eyes as she sat down in the chair in front of my desk, Zoey playing with her hair.

   It was strange how beautiful Jason's daughter was, she was supposed to be a boy but I suppose the universe had other plans.

She had the same blonde hair as her mother and the same icy blue eyes of her father but she also looked like her grandfather, her nose matched his.

    It was hard to look at her smiling face because it only reminded me of what I'd lost.

   "Anyway, Jason sent me because he wants to know why you haven't visited, he says you two were supposed to take a run." She said as she stroked Zoey's fuzzy head.

I returned my focus back to the paper work on my desk.

"I've been busy." I replied coldly, hoping my tone would discourage any further conversation.

I heard Izzy sigh in exasperation. "Look, Jason needs you, the therapist says with a few more training sessions he will be able to go out on his own, but he can't train without you!" She exclaimed angrily and Zoey started to cry.

"I know it's been hard, we all miss him, but it's time to move on Bray. The pack needs you to snap out of this..." she replied as she began bouncing Zoey.

"Is that all?" I replied callously without looking up. I knew if I did I wouldn't be able to stand the look of anguish on her face.

She snarled quietly and leaned forward on the desk, trying to force me to face her.

"Yes Alpha," She replied angrily, "that's all." She barked at me, I could hear the tears in her voice. She turned swiftly and exited the room.

I let out a heavy and aching sigh as I leaned back in my chair, my eyes wandering to the white ceiling.

I hadn't meant to push out my family, I just didn't know how else to... be...anymore.

I remembered what Izzy had said, "The pack needs you, snap out of it..."

I knew what she meant but it was hard to face the truth.

Over the last three years that I'd been Alpha, I had lost all of what had made me, me.

This of course had consequences, the pack suffered at the wrath of my pain.

The strictness of my rule was undeniable and I couldn't stop it, I wouldn't, it was the only way I could cope with any of this.

The pack wouldn't dare questions me but I knew their faith occasionally dwindled.

I knew the majority of them feared me, but there were those who didn't.