Chapter 23 - Claire

I get to spend some time with Claire today. I haven't seen her since yesterday before Adam carried her off into the house.

"Babe you need to remember that she was abused just like you and that she will have to heal for a bit... maybe watching a movie or something today would be a better idea." Kane tells me as he finishes lacing up his black trainers.

"I was planning to do that already." I tell him assuringly and he kisses my cheek before heading for the door with me following closely behind him.

We walk hand in hand down the halls towards Adams bedroom with Bear of course trotting behind us closely.

Once we get to Adams room, Kane goes to enter without notice but I stop him abruptly and knock on the door to be polite whilst earning a glare from him in the process. I'm going to have to teach this boy some manners!

Adam opens the door with a huge grin covering his face before he hugs me.

"Adam there's no time for hugs, I'm late enough to this meeting as it is." Kane says gruffly, clearly not liking Adam being so close to me.

"Okay grumpy pants... Claire is in bed Leoni but I've left some sweets and stuff for you both, we will be back In a few hours and if there's any problems then call one of the guards." Adam says sternly and I nod.

Kane kisses my head and urges me into the bedroom and I close the door behind me suddenly becoming nervous.

I've never met anyone that's just like me before. The people I normally have in my life are always more confident and outgoing.

"Uhhh, hey Claire." I say as I approach the bed that she was sitting on.

"Hey, I'm glad you're here! I would hate to sit alone for hours!" She giggles rather excitedly causing me to laugh too. I'm glad she seems happier.

I notice the dark purple bruises across her face and neck along with many bandages dressing her body.

"How are you feeling?" I ask her, suddenly concerned.

She gives me a weak smile and gestures for me to sit down beside her.

"Yeah I'm doing better, I've been truly blessed by angels to be here in this cosy bed receiving medical treatment. Let's not even mention how lucky I was to have found both you and the King yesterday... Leoni you saved my life, those men wanted me dead." She explains and my heart aches for her.

How could someone want an innocent girl like her dead?

She truly was thankful for the little favour that me and Kane had done for her. But I totally understand how grateful she is as I feel the exact same way towards Kane and Adam for saving me.

"How is Adam treating you?" I suddenly ask, watching as her cheeks flush red.

"Yeah... I mean... he's so nice... I never ever thought I would find my mate." She says shyly and I grin.

"Adam will treat you amazingly I promise, he is the one that saved my life after all." I say and I watch her smile at the thought of Adam.

"He told me all about what happened with you... I'm so sorry." She suddenly says catching me off guard.

"Oh no, you don't have to apologise, I'm doing so much better now that I get to live here with Kane." I smile and she smiles back at me.

"I'm glad I found you, I've never had a friend." Claire says sadly and I feel awful for what she just said.

I only had one friend for most of my life- being Willow- before I found Adam but I can't imagine not having any friends at all. Even though Willow clearly hates me now... I still have to thank her for having my back for all these years.

"I'm glad to be your first ever friend, it's nice to have a girl to talk to. If you don't mind me asking, what happened to you in that place?" I ask warily and she sighs at my question.

"I was first sent to that place when I turned 14 by my old pack. They couldn't stand the sight of me being in the pack anymore so they traded me into slavery. I spent 4 years sleeping in a cage like an animal with only two small meals a day. They would beat me up and try each week to sell me as a pet to rich wolves but nobody wanted me." She explains as my eyes tear up listening to her story.

Carter abused me for basically a month and this girl had spent her whole life being abused and unwanted for simply being a weaker wolf.

"Why did those guys want you dead yesterday?" I suddenly ask her and she gulps.

"Well uh... I'm still a virgin and when one of those guys found out, they wanted to ruin me and sleep with me... but when he tried it, I kicked him in his privates and he dragged me outside along with the other man in order to publicly humiliate me before killing me..." She trails off with her eyes watering from the thought of yesterday.

"How cruel... I'm so sorry that you went through that but I promise that from now on, Adam and everyone else in this place will protect you for as long as you live." I assure her and she smiles weakly at me.

"I'm blessed to be here Leoni, I can't thank you enough." She tells me and I smile kindly at her.

"How about we watch a movie to lighten the mood?" I suggest and she nods her head excitedly.

I'm guessing she never got to do a lot of normal teenage things so this must be more exciting for her than it would be for me.

I'm just glad I have someone to spend some girl time with!


*******Kane's POV*******

1 more minute spent with Adam is seriously going to turn me insane!

"Why can't we just cancel this stupid dinner and have a big cuddle party in your elephant sized bed? You, me, Leoni and Claire? Movie night? What do you say?" Adam rambles from behind me as he literally follows me around the kitchen.

"Adam... fuck off." I say calmly, as I continue to instruct people on what to prepare for tonight's dinner whilst I fix up something for Bear to eat.

Leoni was right... the damn dog was starting to grow on me... since I'm currently cutting up steak to put in his bowl...

I had forgotten that many important people were coming tonight for dinner as I've been so caught up with Leoni. I couldn't just cancel since people had already travelled half way across the country just to make it.

"I mean, what are the girls supposed to do whilst we sit down here with all of the snobs?" Adam continues to irritate me as per usual.

"Adam they are both obviously invited to come to dinner! Don't be so stupid!" I say a little louder this time.

"So did you text them and tell them to start getting ready?" He questions AGAIN.

"YES! For the love of the moon goddess Adam would you PLEASE shut up! They are both getting ready as we speak!" I bellow now, not seeming to faze Adam at all however as he just smiles.

"You do know I can hear you perfectly fine without you yelling like that..." I hear Adam mutter and I swear the boy has a death wish...


*******Leoni's POV********

"I have lots of clothes so you can borrow one of my dresses!" I say excitedly as I help Claire up from the bed in order to head to my room.

The movie had finished and just as we had put in another one, I received a text from Kane telling us that we had an important dinner to go to tonight and that we were both to get dressed up.

She groans with pain as she stands to her feet and I immediately feel sorry for her.

"Listen Claire, if you don't want to go to this dinner thing tonight then you don't have to." I say gently as we begin to head for the door.

"I'll be fine, thanks though. Its only down stairs anyway and I'll take some more pain relief medication." She smiles assuringly as we begin to walk down the halls towards my room.

A guard instinctively follows closely behind us in order to make sure we get there okay... stupid I know but after my run in with Ian the other day, Kane has become even more protective.

We reach the room and I begin to look out dresses for us to wear. I remember just how exciting it is to get dressed up for events, I love it. The last event though didn't turn out so good as it was my 18th birthday and I had met Carter that night...

Shaking away the negative thoughts, I doubt that anything bad can happen tonight with Kane being around.

"Okay so I have a red dress in here that would look amazing on you since you have blonde hair?" I take the dress out and show Claire and she smiles adoringly at the short dress.

"I uhh... are you sure? I've never worn anything as fancy as this in my life." She says shyly and I nod my head excitedly.

"Of course I'm sure! I'm going to do your hair and makeup and you will look like a queen trust me!" I say confidently making her laugh.

I pick out a short black dress for myself to wear before I head out and begin doing Claire's makeup.

We have about an hour and a half to both get ready since Kane told us so last minute that we were having a special dinner tonight.

I finish Claire's subtle makeup quickly before I begin curling her thick blonde hair. Her hair was a lot shorter than mine and I could tell that it wasn't well looked after which was a shame for her.

After I had done both her hair and makeup she looked stunning however which was amazing! I handed her a mirror and watched as her eyes sparkled at seeing her reflection.

"I... oh my god Leoni... I can't believe that this is me... I can't thank you enough!" She was basically speechless as her eyes began to tear up with joy.

"Oh Claire don't cry! It will ruin your makeup! And you don't have to thank me, it's all you." I say happily before I head off to fix my own makeup and to straighten my hair.

I'm glad I managed to cover up most of her bruises since I know how defeating it is for people to see them.

She's probably never had any of these privileges before in her life and it makes me sad to think that she barely had any freedom or fun growing up...

Well that all changes tonight! We will make up for that lost time!