Page 81 of Defiance
Paul flinched but hid it quickly. “Simon sanctioned this. We’re doing nothing wrong.”
Michael snarled, fangs dropping down, and quicker than Cole could track, he had Paul by the throat, pinning him against the far wall. “I don’t give a fuck who sanctioned this. I’m your alpha and I told you you’re done.”
The colour drained from Paul’s face, spots of blood appearing on his neck where Michael’s claws pressed in.
He’s in a half-shift and hardly looks affected at all.
“You will take those fucking cuffs off and send your team home because you are done here for today. Do you understand?”
Paul nodded, wincing as it made Michael’s claws dig in more. “Yes, Alpha.”
Michael let him go so fast Paul stumbled, barely keeping on his feet. With a nod at Jacob, Michael stalked out of the room, leaving a stunned silence behind him.
It stayed that way until Michael was out of earshot.
“Fuck,” Paul spat the word, glaring at anyone who looked at him. He turned to Jacob. “You had to go crying to Michael. Simon’s not going to be happy.”
“Baker wasn’t over the moon that you were torturing a member of my team for no fucking reason.”
Paul scoffed. “I didn’t torture him. My team have been through this.”
“Last time I checked, Logan isn’t a member of your team.”
“He was ordered to help with Cole’s training.”
Jacob gestured to the empty vials on the table behind Logan. “You’ve taken that too fucking far and you know it. Get those cuffs off him now.” Jacob’s voice was more of a growl, loud in the room.
Paul hesitated, looking like he might refuse, but with a shake of his head, he moved behind Logan and yanked his arms up.
Logan flinched as Paul took the cuffs off him, being far rougher than was warranted.
“There.” He pulled Logan to his feet and shoved him towards Jacob. “Get him out of my fucking sight.”
Cole went to follow as Jacob led Aaron and Logan out of the room, but Paul put a hand on his arm. “No. They’re not your team.”
Cole frowned. “But I thought training was done for the day.”
“It is. But we have HRU business to discuss. Smith will see you back to the flat.”
He had no option but to watch Logan walk away, flanked by Jacob and Aaron. Every part of him wanted to go with them, but he swallowed it down and turned away, his heart stuttering as the door clicked shut behind them.
Paul waited another minute or two, then pulled a file off the table and spread it open. He beckoned Cole over. “Part of our job is to monitor humans for any potential threat to the Shifter Alliance.”
“How do you do that?” Cole asked.
Paul’s eyes narrowed. “That’s not your concern yet.” He tapped the file. “This is.”
Cole leant closer, looking at the photograph of four people sitting at what looked to be a pub table.
Just like where I used to sit and chat with Nick.He suppressed a shudder.
Thankfully it was no one he recognised.
“Who are they?”
Paul turned the page, revealing a list of names, ages, and addresses. “People of interest.” He turned the page again and the next photo was that of a house. “They meet here every Friday night for poker. We think it’s more than that.”
“What are you going to do?”
