Page 61 of Elora and the Crow

“Yourfamilytook me out in the middle of the woods. They used their magic to beat the shit out of me.”

“Bullshit,” Caleb scoffed. “Their magic doesn’t work as well when you’re in your animal form.”

“I couldn’t shift to an animal,” Jonah said.

Caleb paused in tossing some t-shirts into the suitcase. “What do you mean?”

“It’s not important.” Jonah joined him at the bed, giving him a pleading look. “What is important is that your fae friends used their magic, including those fucking poisonous thorns, to injure me seriously, and then they left me for dead. I would have died if it hadn’t been for Elora and her healing spells.”

Caleb stared at him. “The whore is a witch?”

Jonah’s temper snapped, and he grabbed Caleb by his jacket collar, shoving him up against the wall so hard that Caleb grunted in pain.

“Elora is not a whore. Call her that again, baby brother and you will regret it. Am I clear?”

Caleb nodded quickly. “Clear.”

“Good.” Jonah released him, and Caleb cracked his neck nervously before clearing his throat.

“I didn’t come here to fight, Jonah. I want to get my shit and leave, okay?”

“Look at what they did to me.” Jonah turned so Caleb could see his back.

Caleb studied it, his brown skin lightening as he rubbed compulsively at his jaw. “I don’t… they wouldn’t do that, Jonah.”

“Caleb, use your head!” Jonah turned to face him. “You are literally staring at proof that they would. Look, I know that the fae’s influence can be strong, but -”

“I am not under their influence!” Caleb snarled before stomping to the dresser and grabbing another handful of clothes. “For fuck’s sake, Jonah, stop treating me like a child. I am in love with Nimera, and she is in love with me.”

“How do you know that?”

“What?” Caleb dropped the clothes into the suitcase. “How does anyone know they’re in love, Jonah? Jesus, I know you’re a killer who doesn’t care about anyone but yourself, but do you actually expect me to explain what love is to you?”

Hurt and shame tore through Jonah like a wayward bullet. He staggered back, nausea churning in his guts.

Regret flickered across Caleb’s face. “Jonah, I didn’t…”

“I love you, and I care about you, Caleb,” Jonah said hoarsely. “I’m sorry if that hasn’t always been clear, but I swear it’s true. I want you to be safe.”

“I am safe,” Caleb said. “Nimera and her family would never hurt me.”

“But you’re okay with them nearly killing me?”

Frustration crossed Caleb’s face again. “Stop with the dramatics, Jonah. Seriously. You’re a goddamn shapeshifter and a killer for hire, and you’re very good at your job. So, stop acting like the fae even had a chance of killing you. It was stupid of you to let yourself be injured by them in some weird, misguided hope that it would make me abandon Nimera and return to you.”

Jonah’s mouth dropped. “Are you fucking kidding me, Caleb? That is not what happened.”

Caleb zipped up his suitcase and slung one of the guitars over his back. “Look, this was a mistake doing this while you were home. I’ll come back for the rest of my stuff when you’re not around.”

He grabbed his suitcase and shouldered past Jonah. Jonah followed him down the stairs, his temper getting the best of him. “Seriously, Caleb? You’re going to walk away from me for some girl you just fucking met? I know I haven’t always been around, but -”

“Haven’t been around?” Caleb whirled around, bitter laughter escaping his throat. “Jesus Christ, Jonah, you don’t fucking get it, do you? I am an afterthought to you. I always have been, and I always will be.”

“The fuck you are!” Jonah snapped. “I love you, Caleb, and just because how I show that love isn’t good enough for you doesn’t mean you get to pretend like I’m some cold-hearted monster.”

“Aren’t you, though?” Caleb asked. “You and your mother ruined our father’s life, and you don’t even care.”

“I loved Dad,” Jonah said.

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