The Exception

Chapter 26

*Josh POV*

Since I both yelled and ripped my IV out, I managed to gain the attention of the nurses. One by one, a few nurses filed in as they flipped on the lights.

"Josh, get back into bed," one of them calmly stated.

"NO! He was here! We have to stop him!" I shouted as I turned around.

"Stay calm, sir," one attempted as they made their way to grab my arm.

"I have to go after him! He can't get away with this. Let me go!" As I began to resist their efforts to detain me, more nurses rushed in to aid the others.

"It's going to be alright, Josh," another nurse said in an attempt to diffuse me.

"NO! You don't understand!" I struggled against them as I tried to break free of their hold.

However, I suddenly felt a sharp sting in the back of my neck.

"It's going to be alright. Sleep now," a nurse stated softly.

"You can't do this... He's gonna..."

I tried to fight back, but it was no use. Before I could even finish my sentence, I slowly began to drift off to sleep. 

(Flashback)  

When I awoke again, I was greeted with low mutterings that I didn't bother to listen in on. Upon realizing that I was in a hospital, I wasted no time and detaching all the tubes connected to my body.

I made my way out of the room, still slightly shaky, until I saw my father talking with one of the nurses. I didn't even bother with him but instead made my way towards the exit.

"Josh, where are you going!" I heard my father call.

I paused and turned around to meet him as he came my way.

"I need to find Brooke." I muttered hoarsely.

"No, you need to be in bed getting better. We have a war we need to fight. Besides, all we can do now is wait. If she left the border, she'll come back later. You need to remember your duties son, not chase after trivial things," he uttered without any real concern for my well-being.

All he cares about is using me to fight the wars he isn't man enough to face himself.

After years of being used by this manipulative man, I had finally had enough.

"This is my MATE we are talking about here! I'm not just going to sit here and let someone hurt her while I fight some stupid war that should have never been started in the first place!" Full of anger, I maintained some semblance of control as I attempted to challenge my father.

He made no move to cross me, so I turned to go out the door.

"Son, if you leave these borders, you know what that will mean for you," he threatened maliciously.

I knew what he was trying to do. I couldn't count the number of times he has used this threat on me to make me cave in to what he wanted. That one phrase right there worked every time. Yet this time, I was not going to allow him to deter me from what I aimed to do.

Standing strong, I faced him with all the confidence I could muster as I said, "Well, I guess that's just how it's going to be."

My father was implying that, if I left the pack borders, he would deny me as his son and leave me to be a rogue with no pack. However, I had more important things to deal with than my spiteful father.