Page 106 of Defiance
“May the Goddess forgive me.” Michael knelt and placed a quick kiss in Baker’s hair. “I’ll see you soon, brother.”
Baker barely acknowledged him, pain etched on his features. Logan could only imagine how much that hurt. With that much blood loss, it would be hard for him to heal without medical assistance.
Michael stood and faced Logan’s parents. “Take him to the hospital. You know the story: you were driving home, you passed our abandoned van on the side of the road and found him. The rest of us were gone. That’s all you need to tell them.”
Marie rushed over and gave Michael a hug. “Be safe.” Then she was in front of Logan, hands cupping his cheeks once more. “I am so very proud of you. Please be careful.”
“I will.”
His dad joined her, gripping Logan’s shoulder. “We love you.”
“I love you too.”
They carried Baker to their car and helped him lie across the back seat.
Then they were gone.
Michael stalked over to the battered but large SUV they’d left behind. “Come on. We need to get going.”
Logan grabbed Smudge’s crate and hurried over, the others following. Nick and Aaron squeezed into the front, Logan, Cole, and Smith in the back. “Where are we going?” he asked as Michael spun the car around and sped off down the country road.
“Mothecombe.”
Logan’s gaze snapped to his in the mirror. “You know the Mothecombe pack?”
“Isaac and I are old friends.” Michael’s smile had a sadness to it that led Logan to believe that’s not all they were to each other. “It’s been a while since I’ve seen him.”
“How long?”
“Since the Shifter Alliance was formed.”
Wow.
Nick asked the question before Logan could. “Will he be pleased to see you. To see us?”
“You four? He’ll welcome with open arms. Helping people is in his blood.” Michael let out a low chuckle. “Me? I guess we’ll find out.”
* * *
The driveto Mothecombe would take four hours or so. As long as they didn’t get stopped on the way. Logan half-expected to see police cars out looking for them, but the roads were empty.
He had such a feeling of déjà vu; it made his skin tingle.
Smudge yawned and stretched out on his lap. Logan had taken her out of her crate as soon as they were on the motorway. “Thank you for getting my cat.” He ran a finger down her back, smiling as she started to purr. “Why did you?”
Michael met his gaze in the mirror. “I know how much she means to you, Logan. I know more about the members of my pack than I think you give me credit for. Besides, I wasn’t about to leave her there. Who knows how long it would’ve been before someone found her. You did hide your car in the bushes.”
Logan shuddered as he thought how close he’d been to losing everything. Not that they were safe yet, by any stretch of the imagination, and he’d lost his home and his pack.
Smith fidgeted next to him, and Aaron’s soft snores filtered through from the front seat.
Well, not all of my pack.
He found Cole’s hand and twined their fingers. Most of all they wouldn’t have to hide anymore. On the run? Yes. Wanted by the HRU? Definitely. But he wouldn’t have to leave Cole night after night alone in his flat, wondering how long it would be until he could steal a kiss here or a fleeting touch there.
He pulled Cole’s hand to his lips and kissed the back of it, smiling when Cole grumbled in his sleep. As selfish as he felt thinking it, a part of Logan was happy with the way things had turned out.
Closing his eyes, he let his head rest against Cole’s, nose buried in his hair.
They were together now, and he was done pretending otherwise.
