Page 65 of Defiance
Logan understood. When all you had to look forward to was training, two weeks must’ve seemed like an age away.
“You want to run with us?” Fletcher asked and Logan had had enough.
“He can’t,” Logan tried, and probably failed, to keep his tone neutral. “We have pack orders to escort him on the full-moon runs.”
“Yeah, but we can join you. It’s not like we don’t have plenty of space here.”
Which was true, the grounds surrounding the McKillan Estate were vast.
Fletcher seemed determined, and Logan reminded himself that Cole was their new team member. It stood to reason they’d want to get to know him. He should be thankful that at least some of Paul’s team were reaching out and not ignoring him.
“Okay,” Logan conceded, catching Cole’s eye. He didn’t seem averse to the idea. “I guess that’ll be fine.”
Fletcher grinned. “Great.”
They’d reached Cole’s door, and Logan had no reason to linger now that they’d seen Cole safely back to his flat.
“Right,” Logan said as he opened the door for Cole. “We’ll see you in the morning.”
Cole looked about to say something, but Logan gave the barest shake of his head. He followed Smith and Fletcher inside and shut the door.
Logan forced himself not to react.
He was almost positive Cole was safe with those two, but his wolf still bristled at leaving him alone with them.
Neither Aaron nor Logan spoke on the way back to their car.
As soon as they were inside with the doors closed, Logan let out a heavy sigh.
“I know.” Aaron patted his thigh. “It must suck leaving him with them, but it’s a good sign. We need his team to accept him. And these are the first steps to Cole being allowed a little more freedom. You don’t want him cooped up in that flat forever, do you?”
“Of course not.”
“Well then, relax. This is a good thing.”
Logan took a deep breath in and let it out slowly as he started the car, but it did little to ease the tension gripping his body. They were playing a dangerous game. And if the truth came out...? Logan shuddered to think of the consequences.
“We’re shifting as soon as we get back home.” Aaron crossed his arms, a sure sign he’d made his mind up and wouldn’t be swayed.
It was still early, the sun out in all its summer glory. Logan didn’t care though; shifters didn’t need it to be dark before they let their wolves loose.
Not these days anyway.
“Sounds good.” He pulled out onto the main driveway and headed home.
* * *
Feelinga whole lot better after racing around in his wolf form the night before, Logan was almost looking forward to sparring with Cole. If nothing else, it allowed them to touch each other without worrying about discovery. And Logan’s improved defensive skills meant he hadn’t suffered a repeat of his broken jaw. Ribs? Yes, but he could cope with that.
That was why when the three of them entered the training facility, he hadn’t expected Paul to greet them at the door.
“Change of plan for this week.” He gestured behind them at the weights area. “Weights in the morning, weapons training in the afternoon.”
Cole frowned. “What sort of weapons?”
Logan would like to know that too.
Paul shrugged. “Guns, knives, whatever else we can think of. We don’t just fight hand to hand. You need to know how to use them and how to evade if they’re aimed at you.”
