Dark Moon Ch. 08

Note to readers: So I'm trying to get these out one after the other, we're at the halfway point now yay :D. In reference to an anonymous reviewer, hopefully the reason why Passion is an omega will explained. To be honest it was much easier making her an omega than having to explain why. It was pretty hard coming up with a reason when most of the pack appear to be decent. Hopefully the reasons are put across. Anyway, enjoy!!! :D

ps. Thanks to luv_romance and Lil Claudya for spotting the Jason thing, whoops on my part. Also after reading your comments on the dress/jeans. Passion was showing the dress she was going to wear to the prom to Joshua. Probably should have stated that she had changed clothes...my bad. But thanks for commenting 'cos it shows that you guys like my work so thanks xxx and enjoy :D

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Chapter Eight

Joshua drummed the top of his pen against the varnished mahogany desk. Piles of typed paper lay spread out before him, yet he couldn't find the energy to read them. His uncle sat opposite him making notes in a formal looking notebook. Occasionally he would pick up the phone and make a call to the pack member concerned with the written issue.

"Ah, this contract needs you signature." Claw said passing a folder to Joshua.

Joshua quickly scanned its contents and couldn't help but smile at the request. A group of pups wanted to claim a piece of land to use as recreational ground.

"Some of the elders believe it would be a good idea for the young ones to have a place to go without fear of discovery." Claw mentioned.

Joshua nodded in agreement. This was a sound idea and it would be foolish of him to refuse the young shifters a place to relax and be free, after all he and his peers had never been denied that privilege while living in Stillwater.

Joshua quickly signed the request and handed it back to his uncle. Claw stamped the document and filed it away, then resumed going over other pack matters.

When Joshua had arrived at Oaken house that morning he had felt a pang of guilt at his uncle's surprise over his visit. It had been unfair of him to hide away in Passion's house when he had duties to perform.

As Alpha it was his job to watch over his people and ensure their wellbeing and happiness, as well as reinforcing the rules and regulations their pack was bound by.

"Joshua what a pleasant surprise." Claw had said, quickly regaining his composure.

He had taken Joshua's hand and pressed his forehead against Joshua's knuckles, as was customary amongst all canine shifters when in presence of their Alpha.

"I've realised that I haven't been a very attentive Alpha uncle, I hope you can forgive me."

Joshua had said. To his utter surprise Claw took hold of him and gave him a hug that was so strong Joshua feared for his ribs. Awkwardly Joshua patted Claw on the back, before taking a deep breath as he was released.

"I can forgive that, what I cannot forgive is your lack of attentiveness towards your family." Claw said, anger blazed in his eyes but not nearly as fiercely as the hurt which shocked Joshua.

It had never occurred to him that his long lost family would care about his movements, it hadn't even crossed his mind that his uncle would care so much for him, when his maternal family where always so evasive around him.

"I am sorry uncle, I didn't think I mattered that much to you." Joshua realised his mistake too late. Claw growled and moved with such speed Joshua had no way of intercepting his aim.

"Don't you ever think that again, do you understand me!" Claw thundered shaking Joshua by the lapels. Joshua just nodded numbly as fur began to sprout from his uncle's fist. "You are by brother's son, therefore you are my son." Claw, as though disgusted by Joshua, flung him away like he was a rag doll.

The momentum was so strong that it sent Joshua colliding into the end table which supported a china vase. Pain seared through him as shards of wood and ceramic pierced his back and for a moment he was transported back to Stillwater, to a time when something like this would have been minor to what his mother's full rage could do.

"I am so sorry." Claw said pulling Joshua up by the hand.

Joshua took a step back before landing a solid punch to his uncle's face. Joshua swore as bone hit bone but he didn't recoil or show any weakness.

He was no longer in Stillwater and he wasn't facing a woman who could not be touched, but a man who had laid the first blow.

Claw staggered back from the force of it, blood trickling from his nose which he knew to be broken. What he had done had been reckless and downright stupid.

To hit not only the Alpha but his nephew was out of order but hearing him say those things had sent him over the edge. Zachariah had meant everything to him and seeing Joshua here was like having a piece of his brother back.

Claw knelt to the ground before Joshua and bared his neck, awaiting whatever punishment he was due. Instead he felt a cool touch upon his cheek and looked up into the eyes of his brother.

"We are even, and I am humbled that you love me so much uncle." Joshua said pulling Claw into a tight hug both swearing as they knocked into each other's bruises.

Now they sat in companionable silence but Joshua could sense that there was something bothering his uncle.

"Richard Harrison wants permission to mate to a leopard." Joshua said.

"Wolf and leopard, now that's a first." Claw chuckled.

"Imagine a wolf with spots." Joshua mused.

"This is an issue where we must tread carefully. It the two are so deeply in love they cannot see the illogicality in this arrangement there is little we can do." Claw said.

Two shifters from different animal clans could mate and have children. Usually their offspring favoured one parent over the other, such as in the case of the Tsarev's.

However sometimes children were born as half breeds and a mixture of the two. This was an unlikely event but never the less they were deemed inferior and treated even worse than Omegas.

"Perhaps I should arrange a meeting with pair, from the way they interact I should be able to get an understanding of how they feel about each other." Joshua suggested.

"That's a good idea, I'll give Harrison a call now." Claw said picking up the phone.

Joshua looked back over Harrison's request of marrying a woman from a different clan and wandered what their offspring would look like.

What would he and Passion's children look like? Would they have his build and her colouring, either way they would be beautiful and well loved.

What was the point she would never feel what he felt for her. The wolf in him howled at the thought of her not being his, deep down he had already claimed her but he knew that as long as she retained her status as Omega their mating would never would be accepted.

"Uncle why is Passion an Omega?" Joshua asked once Claw got off the phone.

It was something he had to know, something he had to understand before he could think of the future. His uncle looked at him for a long time and there was a strange look on his face. Joshua almost blushed under the scrutiny but refused to duck away. He clenched his fist as he waited for Claw to answer.

"Each pack has their own laws. We are not as extreme as your mother nor are we liberal like other clans. Passion is not a grey wolf nor was she born into this pack. It also does not help that her parents are of a low status."

Joshua didn't know how to respond to what his uncle had said. He was tempted to punch the confident look off Claw's face. It was sickening to think that the Oak River pack were just as prejudice as the Stillwater pack.

"My mother allowed other males into our pack, rarely, but she allowed it." Joshua said hoping to show his uncle the stupidity of pack law.

Claw appeared to contemplate what Joshua had said and the way in which he had said it. He ran his hand against the stubble on his cheek, his eyes squinting with thought.

"No pack is perfect Joshua. It is not only because of her difference but one must also take into account her families standing." He said.

"Just because her father cannot produce children." Joshua spluttered.

"A wolf's duty is to ensure the survival of the pack." Claw sighed deeply, tired of the current conversation. "This is something Zachariah never got the chance to rectify. He was appointed Alpha only a few years before you were born and once your mother ran away, the pack was the last thing on his mind. Zachariah was a sick man and barely had time to look after his people."

Joshua wanted to nod his head and just agree with his uncle but something about what he said was tugging at his brain. If his father had been too sick to lead the pack then how had he permitted Passion access amongst them, how had she even been allowed to become a warrior.

"It was you. You are the one who allowed Passion amongst the pack, who had named her battle pack leader." Joshua gasped.

Claw growled, his face hardening over Joshua's theory. Joshua wasn't intimidated he had seen worse frowns.

"Do not lie to me uncle." Joshua warned sending him an angry glower.

Claw chuckled, a strange sound that reminded Joshua of nails on a blackboard. It was good to see his uncle smile but if he never heard that laugh again it would be too soon.

"Yes but there is only so much a beta can do."

Joshua grew quiet and gave a small nod. His father's illness had seen the crippling of the pack. There was a fierce sense of solidarity amongst his people, and he was positive that it was due to not having a reliable leader. Claw had done what he could but he was no Alpha and he too had made mistakes.

Joshua was ruler now and he knew that his priority was for his people to learn to rely on him. As for Passion, he hoped he had enough power to help her.

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Passion woke to find her bed empty and couldn't help but feel a pang of disappointment. She had enjoyed his warmth during the night and the feeling of safety and protection she found in his arms.

Her body hummed with some unnameable energy, it tickled her veins and made her skin itch but she wasn't about to give into her bodies needs. As of today she would make it clear to Joshua that they could be nothing more than just friends.

Just friends.

How could that be when they had shared something beyond that, beyond lovers, hovering on the boarder of soul mates? It was foolish of her to harbour any dream of them being together forever, she hadn't even believed in forevers until he had come into her life.

Passion left the bed and freshened up in the bathroom. Tonight she was to oversee the school dance and that alone caused nausea to bubble within her. One crisis at a time, she thought to herself, pushing away thoughts of Joshua. The scent of bacon wafted up the stairs calling to Passion's hungry stomach.

Wiping at the stray trickle of saliva running from the corner of her mouth, she pulled on a t-shirt and pair of faded jeans and headed for the kitchen.

"Morning honey." Martha said, kissing Passion of the forehead and placing a plate of sausages, toast, bacon and eggs in front of her.

Passion raised an eyebrow at the feast before her but didn't utter one word. If her mother felt like pampering her who was she to bite the gift horse.

"So tonight's the night of the prom, are you as excited as a dog with a bone?" Martha asked sitting at the breakfast table with a mug of black coffee.

"You know how I feel mom, I hate the idea of being amongst the other wolves. Even the kids treat me like shit." Passion said, ignoring her mother's censured glare over the use of such profanity at the table.

Passion would have apologised but she was in no mood to lie. Though she was a senior to those pups, they had no respect for her. Sometimes they were worse than the adults. It was a feeling that could only be described as having a knife twisted in her gut.

"I know honey." Martha said stroking her daughter's hand. Passion smiled apologetically.

"I shouldn't have taken it out on you." Passion said returning to her plate of food, but suddenly she didn't feel like eating.

All she wanted to do was crawl back into bed and hide beneath her covers until she was ready to face the world.

"Well I was thinking that you could take Joshua with you, at least you would have company." Martha suggested.

"Yeah, I can see that going down well." Passion said dryly, pushing the plate away.

"You never know, after all he's been cooped up in your bedroom since he arrived." Martha laughed.

Passion didn't know her mother could be so accepting of their relationship when most days her father ignored her.

"I know what you're thinking Passion, but I've never seen you this happy before, who am I to condemn happiness?" Martha explained.

"But I shouldn't rely on him supplying me happiness should I, at the end of the day he will be mated and I will be alone." Passion said voicing her concerns.

"That may be true, but would you rather know a little joy than live your life wondering what could have been?" Martha sighed, getting up from the table and going into the garden.

Passion frowned to herself, her mother was wrong. What they had was not rare, women fell in love with men they could never have. She and Joshua would and could never be, it was time to wake up.

Passion arrived at the school late in the afternoon. The student body were in the midst of setting up the hall and there was still a lot of work to do. But she could see the effort that had been put into the decorations.

Green and gold banners hung from the ceiling and the floor was littered with gold and green balloons. A group of girls were setting up the food stand while the guys carried heavy sound equipment onto the stage.

"Passion." Alyssa called carrying several boxes.

The young wolf was dressed in a black and pink polka dot cocktail dress, which enhanced her womanly figure. Passion couldn't help but laugh as Alyssa tottered towards her in seven inch pink stilettos.

"Here let me help you with that." Passion offered taking the top box from Alyssa.

"Thanks. You wouldn't believe how draining it's been sorting this place out, what with half the student body not even bothering to turn up."

Alyssa bemoaned setting the remaining boxes at the foot of the stage. Passion did the same smoothing the wrinkles from her dress.

"That colour suits you." Alyssa said quickly.

Passion was shocked by the compliment, since no one outside of her family had ever said anything nice to her. Before she could say a thank you, Alyssa flounced off.

"She's right you know."

Passion looked up to see Joshua standing in pair of dark blue jeans, a white t-shirt and black blazer.

He had cut his hair so that it fell in layers around his face. It was a new look that complemented his features, made him even more attractive but Passion didn't like it. This wasn't the Joshua she knew.

"What did you do?" She cried reaching up to touch his feathered hair.

"You don't like it?" He asked fingering his shorn locks, their hands bumping into each other.

"I loved your hair when it was long." Passion admitted, remembering the way she would fall asleep with her fist in his hair.

"It will grow back." He smiled taking her hand in his.

He played with her fingers bringing them to his lips and kissing each one tenderly. Passion couldn't breathe as she felt his breath on her hand, the lust and adoration in his eyes.

"Of course." She muttered stepping away from him.

"What are you doing here anyway?" She asked.

"I came to help out." He said.

Passion didn't say anything as she led the way around the hall. She stopped to talk to a few of the students and monitored their duties.

"Hey we could use you to shift these speakers." Jacob said.

He was a human and one of the top students in her class, she felt comfortable leaving Joshua in his care. Passion soon left them to it, helping to set the remaining tables.

"Omega bitch." Passion stiffened at the whispered curse.

Turning she saw Kyle, a member of the pack, with his gang. They were a mixture of humans and wolves and all of them loomed above her, with menacing glares and the promise of torment. Passion tried to pass them but they blocked her way.

"What are you doing here?" Paulie asked, picking the food from the table she had just lain out.

"Here to wipe our asses, and suck us off. It's all she's good for." Kyle smirked moving towards her.

Passion didn't allow them to see just how unnerved she was. If it came to it she would defend herself, even though it would anger the rest of the wolf community. She knocked into the table as Kyle drew closer, snarling when he twirled a braid in his hand before yanking her head back.

"You know you can't deny me Omega." He said into her ear. He then trailed his tongue along her throat. The action made she skin crawl. "You will fuck me." He growled nipping at her lips.

"I don't think so." Passion gave a sigh of relief as she heard Joshua's deep baritone.

Kyle cursed flinging Passion away from him, causing her to fall back into the table. Pain radiated along her spine as she fell to the floor.

"Who the fuck are you, punk?" Drew asked, advancing on Joshua. The other shifters held him

back.

"Alpha." The shifters in the gang averted their

eyes in submission.

"You guys are pussies." Drew said.

Kyle growled punching Drew so hard blood burst from his nose. The other human's huddled around Drew but the shifters continued to bow. Joshua grabbed hold of Kyle and lifted him up, his feet kicking the empty air. He clawed at Joshua's hand but to no avail, it just served to anger Joshua even more.

When he had seen the group of boys advance on Passion he had known instantly what they had been up to. The shifters among the group had the stance of males wanting to get laid, and a female Omega was easy prey. Now he held the leader in his hands and he knew he had the strength to kill him, but he didn't and instead tossed the boy to the ground.

"She is mine, do you hear me. If any of you so much as look at her I will come after you." He said with ferocity.

The boys nodded and picked their fallen comrade before skittering away. Once they were gone he turned to Passion and helped her up. A trail of blood trickled down the side of her face which he quickly cleaned away with the sleeve of his blazer.

"Are you ok?" He asked lifting her face to his, instead of joy or gratitude fire burned in her eyes.

She yanked herself away from him, wincing as her fingers touched the cut at the base of her hair line. Joshua didn't understand where the anger came from and he took a step back as she took her rage out on the collapsed table.

"Did I do something wrong?" Joshua asked.

"I am not yours, you don't own me and I don't owe you anything." She growled turning to him. "Never ever claim me like that again."

Joshua was surprised by her outburst and wanted nothing but to soothe her, he doubted she would appreciate that.

"I'm sorry." He said before moving to the next group of kids who needed help.

Passion stopped fiddling with the table and watched as Joshua helped a young girl up a ladder and handed her banners.

She knew she had hurt his feeling but he had to understand that what he had just done would fuel more rumours amongst the pack. She was used to their hatred and ridicule, but she couldn't have him endure what she had to. She had enjoyed being claimed by him, she knew that he would do anything protect her.

What she didn't know was if she could ever reciprocate his feeling. That made her feel guilty and that guilt led to her anger. Passion knew what had to be done.

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