**OLD DRAFT**Protectors: Book 1 of Protectors **OLD DRAFT**

Chapter 12

                “Us to,” Merek smiled.

                “Of course Jade,” Lander confirmed.

                “Now, you’re probably wondering who and what this creature is.” Jade placed a hand on Phantoms fur. He had devoured the meat quickly and was starting to doze off now that he had a full stomach. “Growing up I was apprenticed to become a Protector, it’s why I know how to fight the way I do, and it’s why I know what I know. But in all my years there a great wolf never bonded to me and I was disbanded as an apprentice. I was told that I must marry or choice another service. Both of my parents were Protectors, and the history of my bloodline were all Protectors, all bonded to a wolf….everyone but me. Maybe I’m stubborn and stupid but I know what I’m good at. I know what I am capable of and I refused to be told that I couldn’t leave Felkor and do what I was born to do all because a wolf wouldn’t bond to me. So I left. 

                “After my path parted from you all Reed took me under his wing, and while we were working in the mountains we stopped a caravan of men who were passing through the border illegally. We assumed they were transporting slaves, but in the cage was a Dire Wolf.” Jade stroke Phantoms fur fondly. “The others wanted to kill him, believing it would be too dangerous to release him, but I released him against Reeds orders. I didn’t know it at the time, but he would later come back to me, and when he did…well.” Jade lifted her other hand and motioned between her and Phantom. “I’ve never heard of anyone bonding to a Dire Wolf before, and honestly until I saw him myself I wasn’t sure that Dire Wolves even existed. Reed wanted to use us to earn him a higher paying job, but I am not a Protector in either title or honor. I don’t have to right to call myself Felkorian anymore and he refused to respect that. And I knew that if other Protectors heard him claiming to have a Protector in his unit they would blame me for his actions.” Jade sighed, “This morning he disrespected Phantom and I blew up…I held a knife to his throat and threatened him. He said that if he ever sees my face again he’ll arrest me. I owe him a debt, more than just for my life but he paid for my medical expenses to recover, for food, and for buying back Chance, everything. I think technically that makes me a thief...either way I feel like I have stained my honor with every decision, and yet I dont feel as guilty for it as I should." 

        The fire popped loudly and Merek leaned over and jabbed it with a long stick. “Did you sign any papers under Reed’s service?” Lander asked.

                “No.” Jade shook her head.

                “Then he has no proof and nothing to legally hold you. He can’t have you arrested just for threatening him, not unless he’s royalty or you actually tried to kill him. Hell if that were the case we’d all be in jail.”

                “The others were there as witnesses though,” Jade said. “What’s more is that I know I owe him. Could I live with myself knowing that I owe him for the life I have?” Lander started to chuckled and Merek smiled at the fire, “What?” Jade demanded, “Am I missing something funny?”

                “You really don’t know Reed at all do you?”

                Jade frowned, taken back by the unexpected question. “Well honestly…no.” Jade took a deep breath, “I wanted to, but the men opened up to me more than he did starting out, and as more time passed the more we seemed to drift and soon it was hard to approach him about anything. Why do you ask?”

                “Reed will never hold you to that debt,” Lander said simply. “He may act like a hard asshole, but he’s been through a lot in his lifetime, and those men of his? He sees their lives as his personal responsibility, and will do anything in his power to provide and protect them. I’m not saying Reed couldn’t have treated you better, honestly I don’t know because I wasn’t around, but I do know Reed.” Lander paused a moment, Jade wanted to interrupt, but she knew Lander had more to say. “Have you ever wondered how Reed got that scar of his?” Lander tapped to his forehead, indicating where Reed’s was.