Page 112 of Defiance
He came with a yell, head pressed back into the pillow as Logan pinned him down and bit him in return. The pain, sharp and intense, washed over him, sending aftershocks through his body in the most intense orgasm he’d ever experienced.
Logan collapsed next to him, their laboured breathing the only sounds in the room. The only ones Cole could focus on anyway.
His world spun, mind reeling as his whole perception seemed muddled before settling into a soft warmth behind his ribcage. He reached out for Logan’s hand, smiling as he twined their fingers. “What does this mean for us now?”
Logan’s soft laughter wrapped around him, making his smile grow. “I can’t believe you did that not knowing what would happen after.”
Cole shrugged. “It felt right.”
Logan rolled over to face him. “We’re connected. Here.” He put his hand to his chest. “Can you feel it?”
“I feelsomething.” Cole wasn’t sure what it was or what he’d been expecting.
“The longer we’re connected, the stronger our bond will be. You’ll be able to sense how I’m feeling. Know roughly where I am without seeing me.”
“Oh.”
“But most of all...” He moved his hand over Cole’s heart. “That warmth you feel right here?” Cole nodded. “That’s how much I love you. How I will always love you.”
Cole swallowed past the lump in his throat. “I love you too.” He put his hand over Logan’s. “Always.”
* * *
The next morning,the six of them gathered around Isaac’s kitchen table, Smudge asleep on Logan’s lap.
There’d been some raised eyebrows when he and Cole walked in, sporting matching faded bite marks, but no one said anything. They had bigger things to discuss today.
“I’ve been in contact with Jacob,” Michael began. “He was a little shocked, as you’d imagine, but not as surprised as I expected him to be.” He glanced at Isaac who’d just appeared in the kitchen doorway. “Maybe I wasn’t as subtle in my actions as I’d hoped.”
Or maybe Jacob was just that intuitive because he and Aaron had had no idea.
“What’s going on back home?” Smith asked, knee jiggling restlessly under the table. “Is everything okay?”
Logan knew how he felt. They’d all left friends behind. Friends who were now dealing with the aftermath of their alpha absconding with known members of the CEG.
Michael grimaced. “There’s a lot of uncertainty. Baker is recovering in hospital and has assumed the role of alpha. He’s been accepted by the pack. He was always my second so Simon had no legal grounds to challenge him, but he has a lot of friends. I know he’s been in secret talks with other packs about having me removed. Wouldn’t surprise me if he tried to push Baker out.”
“So what do we do?” Nick asked, voicing the question on everyone’s lips.
Michael glanced at Isaac again, who nodded. “The time has come do to more than help prospective candidates escape the country. The CEG has always been wary of my commitment. I’m one of the shifters who started the Shifter Alliance Party in the first place. Why should they trust me?”
He sighed. “But this is not the vision I had. Yes, I’ve done things I’m not proud of, made decisions that have made me sick to my stomach. But I’ve also vetoed far worse suggestions than you can even imagine. At least by staying as alpha of one of the largest London packs I had some control over what was made into law. At the start, anyway.”
“And now that you’re no longer alpha?” Logan asked.
“When word gets out, there’ll be unrest. There are a lot of shifters who feel the way I do. The waywedo. Far more than you’d imagine. There’ll never be a better time to strike at the heart of the Shifter Alliance Party and restore the ruling body to what it should’ve been from the start.”
“And what’s that?”
“A joint leadership of humans and shifters. No forced pack affiliations and no curfews or monitored runs for shifters.”
Aaron let out a low whistle. “That’s not going to be an easy thing to achieve.”
Michael laughed. “I never said it would be. But itisnecessary. We can’t live like this any longer.”
Murmurs of agreement echoed around the table.
“I’ve spoken with the Jersey pack. There are places for you over there if you want them.” Everyone started to speak at once, so Michael held up a hand. “It’s just a suggestion. Whatever happens next will be dangerous, and there’s no guarantee we’ll even survive, let alone succeed.” He took a deep breath and met everyone’s gaze. “There’s no shame if you’ve had enough and want to bow out at this stage. You’ve all done more than your share. So the offer is there if anyone wants it.” He waited, but no one spoke.
