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Wasn’t that what fathers did?

Joseph let out a long sigh He was so tired Weary down to his bones Maybe it was time to step down and let someone else take over leadership of the Theronai for a while He didn’t think he was going to last the re years of his ter for the job Like hi out in the field rather than behind a desk

His phone rang and he alo to voice ured it couldn’t get any worse

"Yeah," he answered

Nicholas was on the line, his voice tight "We’ve got another problerew heavier "Is soe poured through Joseph at the thought of so one of the humans under his protection He shot up fro his cell phone hard "Where is she?"

"Briant is tending to her She refuses to talk to anyone The only reason Briant kneas because he sahat had happened to her when he took her blood to heal her He called me"

"Who did this? I swear I’ll kill them myself"

"It was Chris He’s turned"

Joseph ca out of thein He felt cold Dead inside

He knehat he had to do and the thought nearly killed him

"Where is he?" asked Joseph "I need to confiret Lia yard"

"Where is he, Nicholas? Tell me"

"No If he’s turned, he could kill you I can’t let that happen We need you too ether"

"I’ll find hi Chris to death, but even worse would be forcing the rest of the Theronai to watch it happen, knowing that they could be next

His feet felt heavy as he headed toward Chris’s suite The sword at his side was a cold reassurance and he prayed he wouldn’t need to draw steel on the man who had been his friend for more than a century

Joseph rounded a corner and saw that Nicholas and Lia his path

"Step out of the way," he ordered his men

Nicholas’s scarred face darkened and his ether"

"I need to do this alone"

"You can’t," said Nicholas "You’ve been away fro You’re out of practice and ed resenthten "I am not weak," he snapped

"I didn’t say you were I said you were out of practice Big difference"

"Out of iant He rarely spoke and spent asSynestryn But there was nothing gentle about the fury blazing in his eyes right now "He hurt Thea I’ you"

With that, Joseph rapped on Chris’s door

All three h both Lia within reach of the door

A bleary-eyed Chris swung the door open, glaring at the his cheek, and the neckline of his T-shirt was ripped

Thea had fought him The fact that she’d had to made Joseph want to roar in pain He should have protected her He should have known so like this could happen

"That slut sent you, didn’t she?" spat Chris "I didn’t do anything to her she wasn’t begging for and you all know it"

He spun around in disgust, leaving his door open for them to enter

"Show me your lifemark," said Joseph

Chris stopped in his tracks and slowly turned around His nostrils were flared in anger and his hand ly quiet tone

"You heard me Take off your shirt"

"No Get the hell out"

"That’s not going to happen You’ve been accused of a serious crime--one I know you never would have done unless your life," said Chris "I don’t have to take this kind of shit from any of you"

"I’m your leader You’ll do what I tell you to do"

"Oh, yeah? You’re too weak to orderbackup with you like some kind of human"

Joseph refused to let that reoing over things in his head--wondering if his ht now, he was going to pretend he was still strong enough to enforce his leadership upon a man whom he would likely have to sentence to death

"Take the shirt off or I’ll do it for you"

"Fuck off"