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unprotected. He was certain that whoever was with you
    would be missing you, and he didn‘t want Yuri, or his semel, to worry.‖
    ―Great.‖
    ―It seems that Artem Varda knows his law better than you.‖
    ―He––‖
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    ―And I suspect that the only time I will see you after we return from
    the feast, my reah, is in your home, as that will be where your semel will
    have you confined to!‖
    His voice had jumped in volume, and the room went silent.
    ―I––‖
    ―No,‖ he said, cutting me off, thrusting his phone at me.
    I had no recourse but to take it. I would not embarrass myself in
    front of my tribe by having Mikhail grab me, toss me over his shoulder,
    and carry me out of the house. We were not going to have that scene.
    I took the phone and just breathed.
    The chilled voice came over the phone. ―Jin.‖
    I was so dead.
    ―How dare you not answer your phone,‖ my mate said flatly, his
    voice deep and husky before it rose sharply. ―I am your semel!‖
    I sat there, in the middle of Alexandra Varda‘s living room, and
    waited.
    ―You will drive home now! I will see you… now!‖ There was no
    warmth in his voice, only ice.
    I could hang up and lie, tell him the call was dropped and hide. I
    could. If I stripped and shifted, there was no way Mikhail would be able to
    catch me. I was faster than him, faster than every panther in my tribe, but
    again, it would cause a scene, and besides, I actually wanted to go home. I
    was just scared to.
    ―Making me look for you would be a mistake.‖
    My heart was in my throat. ―I‘m afraid.‖
    ―Of me?‖ he growled.
    ―No, never,‖ I told him, gazing at Mikhail‘s face, seeing the way he
    was looking at me, his eyes sliding over my face, body, inhaling my scent,
    knowing I was hurt. He looked physically pained. ―You don‘t frighten
    me.‖
    ―Then what?‖
    ―I‘m afraid of what you‘re gonna do.‖
    ―Why?‖
    ―‘Cause you love me.‖
    30

    Mary Calmes

    ―I more than love you.‖
    I swallowed hard. Everything hurt as the feelings swelled inside my
    chest, my stomach. I had been so alone, so hurt––was still hurt—and he
    had been gone. My body had been ripped and gouged, was still mottled
    with contusions; all I had wanted was my mate. The ache was
    overwhelming, the pull to go to him much more than need.
    ―Talk to me.‖
    ―I don‘t want you to go kill Abbot or Christophe or the other guy.‖
    There was a long silence on his end.
    ―Logan?‖
    ―What other guy?‖
    ―Is Yuri there?‖
    ―Yes.‖
    ―Just––talk to him and then call me back. I promise to pick up.‖
    ―No, you have my summons. You will appear before me now.‖
    ―You know I don‘t have to––‖
    ―Are you confused about the law, that which you know so
    thoroughly?‖
    ―No.‖
    He cleared his throat. ―Just tell me where you are, and I‘ll come to
    you.‖ His voice had softened to coaxing. ―Or put Mikhail on and he‘ll tell
    me.‖
    ―No, I‘ll be right there.‖
    ―Answer me this: how badly were you hurt?‖
    I made a noise in the back of my throat. ―Kinda bad.‖
    ―Are there marks on you?‖
    ―Yes.‖
    ―Marks you haven‘t been able to heal yet?‖
    ―Logan––‖
    ―Answer me.‖
    ―Yes, there are marks I haven‘t healed yet.‖
    He coughed softly. ―You have a half an hour to be in this house, or I
    will simply go to Christophe and demand that he hand over the panthers to
    me, beginning with his own sheseru.‖
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    ―I need to pick up my Jeep. I don‘t want it to get towed and––‖
    ―Fine, Mikhail will go with you and follow you back.‖
    ―You don‘t trust me,‖ I said flatly.
    ―I want you home,‖ he said ominously. ―I want to look at you. I want
    to see you and know you‘re really all right.‖
    ―I am.‖
    ―Come home and show me.‖
    ―I‘m coming,‖ I told him, standing up and walking toward the door.
    ―I just need to say goodnight to Artem‘s mother and check