Page 105 of Defiance
“Mum? Dad?” he yelled, craning to see out through the door. Seconds later his mum poked her head in. “Oh, sweetheart.” She turned to Michael, expression turning fierce. “Get these things off my son.”
He threw her a set of keys. “I was waiting for you to get here. Do you think he’d have believed me otherwise?”
“Can you blame him?” She tsked as she unlocked Logan’s handcuffs. He flexed his wrists, sighing in relief as the skin finally began to heal.
“This is not how I wanted things to go, you know that, Marie.” Michael watched as she unlocked the cuffs on everyone else while Logan sat there, stunned, unable to register what was happening.
“Mum?” Logan managed. “What the fuck is going on? I thought you and Michael weren’t friends after...”
After he went back on every promise shifters made.
She crouched in front of him as the others climbed out of the van. “I’m sorry we couldn’t tell you. It was the only way.”
“Only way for what?”
“To let us help people and keep suspicion away from us and Michael.” She reached for his hand. “Come on, we don’t have much time.”
Logan let her lead him out of the van where the others stood, warily eyeing each other up.
“Here, put some clothes on.” She tossed him his duffle bag.
It was only then he realised he was the only one still naked. Pulling on joggers and a T-shirt, he shook his head. “All this time...”All this time I thought you hated him. Hated what he stood for.
She cupped his face. “I know this is a lot to take in, but you need to trust Michael. He’s on your side.”
Logan had doubts, major fucking doubts, but this was his mother telling him to trust Michael. And while he might be struggling to do that, he would always trust her. “Will you and Dad be okay?”
She smiled. “Yes, don’t you worry about us. We’ve been doing this a long time. This was always a possibility, and we’re well prepared for it.”
“For what?”
“For what needs to happen now. You can’t stay in London.” She turned and glanced at the rest of their group. “None of you can.”
Logan’s dad stepped forward and pressed a set of keys into Michael’s hand. “There’s supplies in the boot.”
“Thank you.” Michael pulled him into a quick hug. “For everything.” Then he faced Logan and the others. “We need to get going. I won’t force you to come with me, but the alternative is life imprisonment if you get caught. The choice is yours.”
Not really a choice at all. Especially since Michael was the one with the car. And despite everything, instinct told Logan to follow his alpha.
One by one they nodded.
“Good.” Michael moved to stand in front of Baker. “There’s one last thing I have to do.” With one hand clasping his neck, Michael asked, “You ready?”
Baker nodded.
“It’s going to hurt,” Michael whispered.
“I know. But it has to be believable.”
Pulling him into a fierce hug, Michael held him tight. Logan felt like he was intruding on something very private. “You could come with us.”
Baker laughed but didn’t let go. “And let Simon take over the pack? Never.” He shook his head and gently eased Michael back. “You’re like a brother, Michael, and I’m going to miss the fuck out of you. But I won’t let everything we’ve worked for be in vain. We can’t let him seize power.”
“We can’t.” Michael grabbed Baker’s T-shirt and ripped it down the middle. “I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay.” Baker closed his eyes, fists clenched at his sides, as Michael tipped his head back on a roar, claws sliding out from his fingertips and fangs from his jaw as he forced the half-shift.
Logan barely had time to wonder what was happening before Michael buried his claws in Bakers’ chest, ripping him open in five long gashes. Baker fell to his knees, clutching his chest as blood dripped through his fingers, a pained whine cutting through the night air.
