Chapter 5

Josh pov

Pounds sound on my door and I push Claire behind me and brace for a fight.

"it will be okay baby",

"Josh",she whimper hiding her face between my shoulder blades. My hands rub her arms wrapped around my waist.

"open up you little bitch!!",Bert yells through the door.

"why can't he leave me alone",she sobs and I growl.

"open up bitch your mine I was promised I could have you",I felt Scar try to take over. Calm down Scar we need to stay in control. A window broke somewhere in my house and she gripped at me harder.

"easy little one",I cupped her face and kissed her looking up a rogue stands in my house and leaps at us. I punch him midair and he is out before his body hits the floor.

"Josh, she cries, I'm scared",I'm pissed as I pull her to me and two more rogues step in my living room.

"hand her over and we all leave",the dark chuckle that leaves my lips makes them look at each other worried.

"Lucas get here quick they want Claire and I can't fight right without risking her",I mind link.

"we are outside bro about to enter",the two rogues lunge and I kick one mid lunge sending him into the wall cracking it.

"fuck your strong ,the one that watched stared at us,but I don't think you can take on hundreds of us",I smile an evil smile as I glare at him.

"only one way to find out",Lucas steps in followed by our warriors and I'm cracking my neck. This is going to be fun Scar growls as he attacks the rogues. Claire looks terrified as she ducks away from Bert who keeps trying to grab her.

"just come with me Claire I will take care of you better then him",he points to me I send a rogue out the window hard.

"Josh is my mate Bert we already told you this and I'm not going anywhere with you",he slaps my mate and I lose it. I throw him out my house through a window sending glass flying everywhere. I stepped out after making sure Claire is okay and beat his ass bloody.

"son,I vaguely hear my dad, he is out Josh please calm down Claire needs you",I withdraw and run for my mate who is crying. I rush forward to hold her tight as she whimpers. I pick her up and hold her trying to calm her. Scar starts purring as she cries in my neck.

"easy little one, I kiss her head, I'm here now",her shaking pisses me off and I want to rage out.

"please don't leave me",fuck I hold her tighter and rub her back and neck.

"I would never baby calm down for me, I kiss her head, I'm here your okay",her scared whimpers almost sets me off but I keep purring for her. She sniffles as my dad and Lucas's dad step in holding a beaten and bloody Bert between them.

"we are taking him to the cells for questioning Josh, I glare at Bert, I got crews coming to clean this up and fix your house. She needs rest son take her to your room",dad looks at Claire sadly. A noise makes her whimper in fear and hold on to me tighter.

"shh baby I got you,I walked into my room and put her on the bed or tried to she held on whimpering more, shhh love I got you he is being locked up now",I kissed her lips and she kissed back. Her shaking made me angry and I wanted to gut him. He fucking hit her Scar growled. Easing her back I looked at her very bruised jaw and gritted my teeth. When I touched it she flinched and hissed in pain.

"it hurts",she sniffles and I gently stroke her cheek hating that she got hurt.

"I know baby I got doc coming to give you stuff to heal it",it will make her go to sleep while I let out my rage. She nods and clutches the blanket jumping at every noise and by the time he injected her I was about to flip. I laid her back and covered her up.

"please watch her",I stormed out and started to punch a tree while roaring in anger. I broke the thickest tree we had but felt no pain.

"Josh ",my dad said from behind me. I just sighed.

"I'm fine dad, I lied but beating something helped a lot,I just needed to hit something I'm good now. He hit her and left bruises Scar wanted out to kill but I compromised a tree instead",my dad hugged me and I sighed.

"I know ,he looked at the tree, I use to rage out and break trees too",I bet dad and I had extreme tempers when it came to love ones.

"her face dad,I sighed mad again, it was so bruised he hit her like a dude and he got lucky I didn't rip his head off",he sighed sadly.

"I got the dead border patrol wolves to bury but first I got their families to tell, his shoulders sagged, one was a rookie and he tried his best to stop them. I'm giving them a warriors burial",I felt awful as dad ran off to go tell pack members their family died trying to protect us. I walk back in my house and see Lucas standing guard in my room his eyes sad.

"you okay hulk?",he teased but I shrugged.

"you see her face, he nodded, that fucker deserves to be ripped to shreds. Said he was promised Claire, I'm fuming but get it under control, I would love to know who promised that douchebag my mate",he sighed as I covered her up more and sat next to her.

"don't know bro but my dad is going to question him",Lucas smirked his dad was a beast at getting answers from prisoners. I sighed.

"we lost three man, he nodded, dad is taking it hard",he was my dad was tough as nails but fucking human too. He loved all his pack members and losing any hurt him. We talked till he went home to Gemma because tomorrow was their testing day.

Claire pov

Early in the morning we headed to the hospital and I looked around paranoid that Bert would pop out and hit me.

"easy my love he is locked up",I looked up at him a worried look on my face.

"I know I'm just nervous Josh, he sighed, he said I was promised to him but who would do that?",yeah I was up late wondering that as well. I held his hand and I know he felt my shaking all the way to doc's office. The blood work went smooth but the strength test was awful. Yes we were physically strong and completed them but I felt no change in myself.

Josh pov

"Josh her strength comes when your attacked, doc mind links, maybe we can scare her so I can witness it",I stare at him like he lost his shit. I'm thrown across the room and my mate flips out. Backing up having a panic attack and crying I rush towards her but she crawls into a corner.

"little one, I'm pissed we triggered her, baby I'm fine we just wanted to trigger the strength we witnessed from before. Come here Claire ",she whimpered but stayed in her corner.

"Josh",she sobbed, Lucas looked sad as he talked softly to her. Gemma was crying.

"why would you guys do that her biggest fear is losing you Josh, she growled at me, she already been through enough. You didn't even want her for a few days to go by fuck boy!",she stormed off to the other side of the room before yelling at me more.

"Gemma stand down now!",Lucas orders her and she glares at him. She gently crawls to Claire and hugs her as my mate sobs for me. Tunnel vision Scar mutters all she seen was you get tossed and she broke down. Fuck me.

"move so I can hold her, I order Gemma who looks upset, go talk to Lucas",I alpha order and with reluctance she gets up and moves away. Lucas goes to touch her but she jerks away.

"stubborn ass",he mutters walking away from her. Some she wolves poke their head in but we all ignore them.

"little one,I move to pull her in my lap, I'm right her baby and I'm safe, I kiss her lips making her face me, I love you Claire ",she blinks and the surprised look on her face makes me smile.

"you love me?",Is whispered out.

"yes I do and I hope someday you return it back",she sniffles and crawls in my lap holding on tight.

"I'm sorry Josh, she whispers, I'm so weak you should find a stronger mate,I hold the growl in, I keep crying and watching you get thrown messed with me",I kissed her lips as doc stood charting.

"Claire I still need to see you use your powers",he mumbles not taking his eyes off the screen. She looks sad as she lays her head on my shoulder.

"can it wait?",I ask not wanting her triggered again. Gemma sighs as she stands near us but she stays quiet. Lucas hasn't come back but it looks like she doesn't care.

"do I have to today?",Claire asks looking ready to cry again. Doc looks at her his eyes soft and kind.

"this will be the only time I insist honey I just need to see how strong you really are. If my assumptions are right you have all the werewolf genes just not a wolf",she sighs.

"okay I will try",she stands with my help and doc waits. We all wait and someone charges her. My mate reacts and flips the wolf on their ass and he can't move. Impressive Scar mumbles now take her home and snuggle her he orders. I hold in a chuckle.

"very good honey I'm going to run my test and get back to you both. Now please go rest",she helps a warrior up looking ready to cry his eyes take her in and he smiles softly at her.

"I'm sorry",my mate sniffles and his eyes widen in worry.

"oh no Luna I'm fine I swear you didn't hurt me at all",she sniffles more and I gently pick her up.

"thanks Ryan for helping us. She had a rough few days",he smiled and shook my free hand.

"no problem alpha, he looks at Claire, I'm okay Luna I swear I will see ya later",he rushes off probably not wanting to deal with a crying she wolf. Claire puts her face in my chest and I kiss her head.

"we are going see ya later doc",we leave but I hear Gemma asking about rejection and wanting to leave the pack. She is struggling Scar says as i listen more. I sigh.

"Lucas, I mind link, your mate is talking to doc about leaving the pack",I'm not covering for her and doc won't either.

"she isn't happy bro, he mind links back,she thinks I still don't want her and she fights against the pull. She is also upset that Claire forgave you so fast",I sigh and walk home with Claire in my arms.

Lucas cuts the link after saying he got back to her and they are talking. I head inside our home and lock the door. Heading into our bedroom I place her on the bed when it registers she needs food. Sugar needs checked Scar says pacing and I quickly grab her diabetic gear. After talking it I grab food and we eat.

"eat up baby",she nods shyly.

"thanks Josh,she says eating more,thanks for not leaving me there alone",I move closer and kiss her soft. Her hands clutch my shirt and I feel my cock harden.

Fuck me.

"your buddy down there wants attention ",I smirk.

"you could suck my cock",she looks interested and heat fills her eyes. When she licks her lips my cock twitches. I kiss her harder and with more passion but as I go to deepen it a knock interrupts us. Damn it.

"Claire it's Gemma I need to talk to you!",she calls and I growl low.

"damn it",I carry Claire to our living room and sit her on the couch before getting control of my body. I open up and Gemma looks at Claire hurt and sadness in her eyes.

"what is wrong Gem?",Claire looks worried.

"can I talk to my best friend alone Alpha?",she doesn't look at me as she asks her focus is on Claire.

"fine I'm going to step put and talk to the guard quick",I wink at Claire and leave.

Claire pov

Gemma waits till the door closes before bursting into tears.

"I'm leaving, she sobs,he is an asshole and I can't Claire, she takes in air, I can't put all my fruit into a basket and wait to be wanted. He still wants to look for a stronger mate",my eyes widen.

"what the hell?",I'm shocked.

"yes I'm in his guest room and he doesn't touch me or hug me. I'm done I can't Claire I'm asking alpha Jonathan for permission to leave. If not given I'm running",I'm so sad for her. He seemed affectionate in the hospital but in private he closes off.

"I'm sorry Gem, I really am she always said a mate would want you no matter what,try to talk to him and see what is going on with him",she wipes her cheeks.

"I don't have it in me Claire he doubts to much shit and quite frankly I'm exhausted and just want to sleep forever. I love you but I'm not staying here if he can't man up",Gemma looks away from me and I rub her back.

"don't leave, I beg I want my best friend to stay with me,try to speak and see what is going on",she sighs and sniffles. I hand her tissues and we sit for a bit before she hugs me and gets up to leave.

"I won't leave yet but I'm not waiting on him Claire I want a man not a boy",she leaves and I'm reeling. Josh walks in and looks at me sadly.

Josh pov

"she alright?",I know she isn't Lucas doubts it could work with their mate relationship and he voiced it to her. She shut down and now he can't get her to open up at all. She locks herself in the guest room and he says cries a lot during the night. He even said getting her to eat is a battle.

"no,she sighs sadly, she is hurting and wants to leave the pack. I think she should go if he can't man up",I'm shocked as she holds the tissue box tight. Lucas just has doubts but her wanting to leave shocks me. I know he is worried that accepting her will weaken him.

Doubt sucks ass it really does. But fear overrides doubt every time and what Lucas has is fear. Fear he will lose her and his sanity.