Trusted Bond

me.
    I couldn‘t argue. My mother had turned her back on me when she
    discovered I was gay; my best friend had not. ―I‘m fine.‖
    ―But I told Russ to call me if––‖
    ―Russ had to go to LA,‖ I explained to Crane. The future of Logan‘s
    youngest brother was as much a concern to me as Koren‘s love life. Both
    of Logan‘s brothers were precious to me.
    ―But he was going to make sure you ate and––‖
    ―Nope,‖ I said, smiling as I turned down another street. ―It was just
    me and Yuri.‖
    ―But Ivan and Yuri went hunting. Ivan just got back right before
    Delphine and I did. He said that Yuri‘s gonna be back later to… night…
    to… oh, fuck me.‖ He exhaled long and hard.
    ―It‘s fine.‖
    ―Oh shit.‖
    Trusted Bond

    19

    I groaned as I parked the car in the lot.
    ―Lemme get this straight.‖ His voice was rising. ―You sent Russ
    away to God knows where––‖
    ―I didn‘t send him anywhere. He had to go to LA for a job interview
    like I told you, don‘t be so dramatic.‖
    ―Jin!‖
    My grunt was infused with all the exasperation I felt.
    ―You sent him away, you fuck!‖
    ―And if I did?‖
    ―You sent Yuri up the mountain to the hunting grounds with Ivan
    and some of the others; you sent me to Delphine, sent Markel to talk to
    Christophe with Peter, Logan‘s dad, and Domin was gone, and Logan was
    gone, and Mikhail and Koren were at Simone‘s mating ceremony…. Who
    exactly took care of you? Eva?‖
    ―No, Logan‘s mom is still in Pittsburgh visiting her sister.‖
    ―What the fuck,‖ he breathed out. ―Jin, what‘d you…? Have you
    been going to work?‖
    ―Nope, I just checked in tonight. I called and told Ray I was in a car
    accident.‖
    His breath came out in small stutters. ―You… Jin––‖
    ―He doesn‘t expect me back for a month now, since I already had the
    time off to go with Logan to the feast and––‖
    ―Jin!‖
    ―They all believed me,‖ I said with a smile. ―Owen said I look like I
    got hit by a truck.‖
    ―Holy shit,‖ he said, coughing. ―Jin, does Yuri know he left you
    alone?‖
    ―No,‖ I said as I got out of the car, locking it before heading toward
    the stairs across the parking lot. ―I told Yuri that you were taking care of
    me.‖
    ―Yeah, but––‖
    ―I told you that Russ would take care of me, and I told Russ that
    Markel was, and I told Markel that Delphine was.‖
    ―Oh fuck you, Jin! What kinda martyr bullshit is that?‖
    20

    Mary Calmes

    ―It wasn‘t like that. I just needed you all to calm down and not be
    around each other. It was all I could think of.‖
    ―Why lie to Russ, though?‖
    ―Because Russ was supposed to go to that recruiting conference in
    Los Angeles, and if he was home babysitting me, then he wouldn‘t have
    gone.‖
    ―Christ.‖
    ―He needed to go; I want him to get the job he really wants.‖
    ―Jin, are you… can you––‖
    ―If Logan sees me like this, he might violate the territorial rules and
    hunt Abbot down on Christophe‘s land. I‘m not gonna be the cause of a
    war between two tribes for no reason.‖
    ―How is that no reason? Christophe is responsible for––‖
    ―Christophe was with Logan in New York at Simone‘s mating
    ceremony. He had no idea what his sheseru did or didn‘t do. And all
    Avery did was grant sanctuary to a pair of panthers; he didn‘t know what
    they had done when he took them in. Now that Christophe‘s back, once he
    talks to Avery, he‘ll probably turn both panthers over to Logan, but I want
    him to have the opportunity to make that decision.‖
    ―What the fuck are you talking about?‖
    ―If Logan trespasses on Christophe‘s land––‖
    ―No, I know, then he‘s the one at fault even though he did nothing
    wrong.‖
    ―Exactly.‖
    ―But––‖
    ―Logan and Yuri need to stay off Christophe‘s land no matter what
    Avery did.‖
    ―You are the mate of a semel, and you were attacked. I think you‘re
    missing the––‖
    ―But I‘m fine. I‘m just a little banged up.‖
    ―Simply because you lived does not lessen the offense!‖ he finally
    yelled at me. ―All of them––Kellen, Avery, Abbot… they have
    conveniently forgotten that you are the reah of your tribe! By law, Logan
    can kill them all!‖
    Trusted Bond

    21

    ―You‘re forgetting your law,‖ I sighed. ―Only the semel pays for the
    crimes of his panthers unless there is an actual killing or rape; then and
    only then is the