Failing

 Colin had tried to go down the wing to the offices and meeting room, but a few warriors blocked his path. "No one is supposed to go past this point," the guard said firmly. 

 "My mate is back there," Colin growled. 

 She was a bit surprised and made no attempt to hide the fact. Why would the Alpha want to meet his youngest's mate with the Leaders? But it was not her place to question, so she stood her ground, offering the young man a sympathetic smile as she shook her head. 

 Colin paced in front of her, straining to feel her somehow. The walls of this wing were heavily soundproofed and airtight. A door opened, and he stopped at attention, waiting for Claire with anxious eyes. Instead, he was met with the force of the Alpha King exiting. All the wolves in the hall dropped their heads in respect, Colin included. He could feel Alpha Riann's hardened gaze land on him, but nothing came of it. The Alpha and his Gamma walked back to their rooms, leaving Colin to wait in quiet desperation.

 The door opened again a few minutes later, but it wasn't Claire. It was Chris. He took a shortcut, hoping to run into Claire. His sights set on his youngest brother, a cruel smile playing on his lips. He would settle for the bastard. He sped up slightly, grabbing Colin's arm. 

 "You're not supposed to be here, bastard," he sneered. 

 "Fuck off," Colin snapped, ripping himself free of Chris's crushing hold. 

 That was all Chris needed to hear. Before Colin could even process the change in posture, Chris punched him in the throat. 

 He fell to the ground, wheezing. Something in his throat was broken, he was sure of it. He clutched his neck, trying to take a breath. Chris grabbed ahold of Colin's leg, snapping his ankle in the process; Colin's attempts to cry out in pain were met with a pathetic rasp and broken coughs. 

 Chris dragged him outside, where he was joined by a few friends. He threw Colin onto the ground, and they circled around him. Colin knew that he could fight, but it was pointless. In the end, only he would face punishment if he threw a single punch. So, he prepared himself to take whatever what coming, momentarily grateful that Claire wasn't here to see him so weak.

 "I heard you punched the future Alpha," Chris snarled. "That's a serious crime." 

 He kicked him twice in the chest, forcing what little air Colin had managed to collect out. He groaned, feeling the slow repair of his larynx. He knew how lucky he was to have Alpha blood running in his veins, or he would be on the brink of death at the moment. 

 One of the wolves grabbed Colin by the hair, holding him up. Another swung at his face, claws extended. Blood beaded out. Colin hissed from the pain, but that only led to a coughing fit. Chris laughed, motioning for his friend to drop him. Colin felt the ground come too quickly, and he couldn't put his hands up in time. He smashed into the ground, mud stinging his freshly cut cheeks. 

 "Colin!" 

 It was Claire. Colin wanted to scream. He had never wished that he could mindlink her more than this moment. He just wanted to keep her safe, and he kept failing. Colin raised his head, shaking it. With a weak gesture, he pointed to the path back to 4 ½ Beryl Court, praying that she would know what he meant. 

 Either Claire didn't understand him, or she chose to ignore his feeble request. Within a blink, she was standing just out of reach of Chris and his crew. One of the wolves smiled and stomped on Colin's hand; he heard the bones of his bent fingers crack and sucked in a deep breath. 

 "Leave," she hissed, her eyes glowing violet as she surveyed the four men in front of her. 

 Chris laughed, "What are you going to do?" 

 Before he finished his sentence, Claire had moved and appeared behind the wolf who had just broken Colin's hand. She wrapped one arm across his chest and placed the other on his shoulder. She yanked it down and back, dislocating the joint and tearing muscle. He howled in pain and turned to face her; but she was gone, on the ground at Colin's side. He stared up at her in awe; she was amazing. A brilliant fighter. No, that wasn't even a fight, that was something else. Her hand, the same that could have ripped an arm off with ease, gently caressed his uninjured cheek. "Are you okay?" she asked softly. 

 Colin's throat had repaired enough for him to nod and whisper with a rasping voice, "Go." 

 Claire shook her head. She did not get a chance to argue because Chris charged at them, eyes wild. She moved in front of him, growling slightly. She just wanted to keep Colin safe, and from the moment she met him, all she's done is put him in danger. She didn't want to fail him again. 

 Chris stopped suddenly; his eyes focused beyond them. All the wolves in the area flinched and took two steps away from the pair. Except for Chris, who stood his ground. 

 "What happened?" she turned to ask Colin. 

 His face was scrunched in pain, but his cheek was already scabbed over. She bent down to him. "Are you okay?" she repeated, this time with more force. 

 "Yes," he choked out.

 Claire pulled Colin upright. He leaned against her shoulder, and both of their hearts fluttered. He could feel her tense when the wind blew, and he knew it was because of him and his blood. 

 The pair stared Chris down, who was still arguing with Peter through the mindink. Claire tried to bring Colin to his feet, but he winced and shook his head. "Alpha said stay." 

 She cocked her head, slightly confused. Did that mean that he couldn't even stand up? Or was he not able to, and he was just hiding the fact from her? She dropped her gaze from his beautiful brown eyes to his legs and looked for anything wrong. Colin knew what she was doing and chuckled. His mate was so cautious with him, but she ran into a fight with four werewolves without a second thought. She was amazing. 

 "What is going on?!" Peter yelled from the doorway as he stormed to the group. 

 Every wolf flinched again. Even Claire felt it, although it did not affect her the same way; it only made her angrier. Colin wrapped his arm around her waist, trying to somehow pull her behind him.

 "Do not make me repeat myself!" he roared. 

 "They were attacking Colin, sir," she replied, suddenly calm and collected. 

 His golden eyes flickered to Chris, who nodded in confirmation. He had never been in trouble for doing it before, what would change? 

 'You fucking idiot!' Peter snapped through the link at his eldest. 'Shit like this is why you couldn't be the next Alpha.'

 Chris hung his head, ashamed and angry. He looked at his friends; one rubbed his broken shoulder with a bitter face, and the other two stared at the ground, baring their necks to the angry Alpha.

 The woman behind Peter stepped forward. Gamma Skye, an unbelievably muscular middle-aged woman with olive skin and long, black hair, surveyed the vampiress with obvious disdain in her brown eyes. Her job is to protect her pack, and how could she do that with this thing living on her lands? 

 A low growl rumbled in Colin's chest, warning the Gamma not to step any closer. He knew that look in her eyes; it was the same look she always gave him. The look that said everything that had happened was his fault.

 "Watch yourself, boy," Gamma Skye cautioned before turning back to her Alpha. "At least this confirms what I was saying, sir. It would be easier to manage if she was in the Packhouse." 

 "No," Colin said hoarsely, his hold on Claire's waist tightening. 

 Matt rolled his eyes at his protective growl. The Gamma grunted and crossed her arms. "We can post a rotation of three on her while she's home. If she gives us warning, we can add a fourth whenever she leaves. A fifth, if she's," Gamma Skye narrowed her gaze at Claire. "Hunting." 

 Colin scoffed. It made him cough for a moment. "She doesn't need an army watching her every move!" 

 "Colin." She touched his arm with her fingertips. "I don't need it. But if it makes the Pack Leaders more comfortable, I understand. I agreed to have guards." 

 He looked at her in shock. She was making it too easy for his father. Of course she was, she had no idea what the Alpha was capable of; although, he had a feeling that she was figuring it out. "If you want multiple guards when she leaves the house, fine. Only one active while she's home," he negotiated through gritted teeth. His voice still had some rasp, but it was mostly healed now. "I will not live in a prison again." 

 Claire looked momentarily when he said "again." It was enough to keep her silent. She had too many questions and it was too crowded here to ask them. She only looked at the group of wolves, studying her with a variety of emotions of display: anger, disgust, pity, and curiosity. 

 "Two guards will stay on your shed," Alpha Peter said firmly. "Five if she is hunting, and three if she leaves." 

 There was no more negotiation. Colin nodded, barely able to contain his anger. Peter snapped at Chris and his friends to follow him back to the house. Colin knew it was just for show, that he wanted Claire to think that he cared. 

 On shaky feet, Colin slowly stood up with Claire's help. His ankle was no longer broken, but it was still sore. It was not until they had left the pebble driveway did Colin finally let out the breath he was holding. His skin was still hot with rage, but the cool air seemed to help. 

 "I'm sorry," he mumbled. 

 "What did you do?" 

 Colin ran his hand through his hair. Claire knew now what that meant; he had too many words to say. "We should wait until we are in the house."