Bonded Read Online Free

constantly
revisiting the issue.
    “I think her name
was Jones.” The words slipped out before he could stop them and he
cursed himself for hoping the name would sound familiar to
Brad.
    “Jones? Nope, no
one I know.” Brad shrugged and took a bite of his meal.
    Reno pushed down
his disappointment. Her name was irrelevant. He had no intention of
seeking her out.
    “So, how do you
like your stint as an instructor? Find any promising candidates?”
Brad spoke between mouthfuls of food as he gulped down a quick
lunch. Reno shook his head before taking a bite from his own
sandwich.
    Like himself, Brad
was a temporary instructor who’d been seconded from his usual
position at Lycan Link Headquarters in order to train the next
generation of young weres. Brad’s specialty was computers and he
helped maintain the vital internet links that allowed the
organization to function smoothly.
    Reno’s usual job
was that of an Enforcer—a combination of police officer and
soldier—but he was presently instructing self-defence and tracking
courses. All senior Enforcers were required to do a stint at the
Academy once every four years. This was his first round and he’d
had his doubts about how he’d take to returning to the halls of
academia.
    “It’s okay, but I
wouldn’t want to do it full time. As for finding anyone suitable
for my unit...” He shrugged. “A few possibilities, but no one who
really stands out.”
    “I heard a rumour
they’re changing the name of your group?”
    “The ACS? No. They
wanted to, but Council voted it down. There’s no way you can
sugar-coat something like ‘ethnic cleansing.’ Sure, Purist activity
has died down lately, but there are still active pockets we need to
keep watch on. And until we’re able to locate the actual leaders,
the threat of resurgence exists.”
    “You don’t think
it was just a flash in the pan? I mean, sure, halves were
discriminated against for centuries, but that’s all in the past,
isn’t it?”
    “No. The core
group of believers are still out there and they’re only aim is to
cleanse the blood line. When they take over a pack, anyone deemed
not ‘pure’ enough is treated like a second class citizen with no
rights. I’ve come across situations where halves and their families
have had their homes taken away and have become little more than
‘slaves’ to the pure-bloods. There are even a few cases of halves
disappearing, possibly being killed.” He shook his head in disgust.
Little wonder he felt old and tired. Dealing with the scum of the
earth day in and day out did that to you.
    “It’s hard to
imagine people believing that crap.”
    “The Purists are
experts at spreading rumours and misinterpreting the Book of the
Law. Once they get a foothold in a pack, it’s not long before
they’re in charge and have the members brainwashed.”
    “So it sounds like
you still need some pretty sharp Lycans on your team.”
    “Yeah, that was
why I volunteered to do my stint now. We’ve had a few Enforcers
‘retire’ and I need replacements.” A muscle twitched in his jaw
when he recalled how they’d retired. Their wolves had gone rogue
and become totally uncontrollable. Men who had once worked under
him were now locked up in a high security institution and would
likely remain there for the rest of their lives. Rogues, once they
turned, seldom regained control.
    Making the call
had been hard, yet the safety of his other officers and that of the
rest of Lycan society was on the line. It was a harsh fact to face
but served as a wake-up call to the whole unit. A wolf with rogue
tendencies wasn’t unsalvageable, but it did require extra vigilance
and those two men had become sloppy in their duty.
    Pushing the
unpleasant memory aside, he stretched and resettled in his chair.
“I still have two months left, though. I just started an upgrading
course today for anyone who wants to switch their specialty. Maybe
there’ll be some in this batch. After all, the