Page 96 of Defiance
The car came to a stop, with the other two pulling up behind them.
“Out,” Paul barked, and Cole hurried to do as he was told.
Nick was already out of the last car, held between two of Paul’s team.
Paul walked over to him. “We’re taking you to the interrogation rooms. You’ve been charged with suspected treason against your pack, alpha, and the Shifter Alliance Party. As such, shifter law dictates we can question you by any means we deem necessary and hold you for as long as required. You are not entitled to legal representation.”
Nick scoffed. “So you get to do whatever you like with no consequences?”
Paul smirked. “Basically, yes.”
“And yet you wonder why the CEG exists.”
Paul’s expression changed in an instant, rage taking over as he got in Nick’s face, sneering. “You’ve been a shifter for five fucking minutes. You have no idea what it was like for us before.”
“No, I don’t. But now you’re just as fucking bad as the people you replaced.”
“Perhaps,” Paul conceded. “But that’s not my problem.”
“Because you’re on the other side now?”
“Yes.” Paul was unapologetic, and Cole wondered what he’d been through to make him feel that way. Or maybe he’d always been an arsehole. “Take him,” Paul said, gesturing for Smith and Rich to grab Nick. When they had him held securely between them, Paul faced the others waiting by their cars. “Good job tonight. Take the morning off and I’ll see you all tomorrow afternoon.”
They disappeared back into their cars and Cole watched them drive away, desperately wishing he was going with them. He glanced at Nick, meeting his gaze, and wondered for the first time in their friendship if he even really knew him at all.
Hypocrite.
“Nick,” he began, unsure of what to say, especially with everyone watching. But he couldn’t ignore him.
Nick shook his head. “No, Cole, don’t say a fucking word. This is all bollocks. I’ve done nothing wrong. My alpha will be here soon, and he’ll be fucking livid.”
Paul laughed in his face. “Don’t count on that.” He walked ahead, glancing back over his shoulder as Smith and Rich dragged Nick along behind him. “And who says we don’t have proof.”
* * *
“Shit,”Logan cursed as they pulled up alongside the black SUV in front of the pack house. “They’ve already gone inside.” He drove past and down the side of the house, tucking his car out of sight near some bushes.
“Now what?” Aaron asked.
Their whole plan had banked on getting inside before Paul and his men. “I don’t know, but we can’t sit out here. Jacob will have to report us soon if he hasn’t already. Come on.”
He dropped the window down an inch or two, then tapped the top of Smudge’s basket. “Back soon, sweetheart.” He hoped.
They ran down the side of the house towards one of the side entrances. The door was passcard entry. “I guess we’ll see if Jacob’s done it yet.” Logan fished out his access key and pressed it to the sensor pad. It seemed like an eternity passed before the light turned from red to green.
“Fuck me.” Aaron let out a strangled laugh. “For a minute there...”
“I know.” Logan pulled on the door handle and they stepped inside.
The interrogation rooms were on the second floor. To get to them from here they had to head up two flights of stairs and along a few corridors. At this time of night, everywhere should be empty, but knowing their luck of late...
“Someone could be watching,” Aaron said, pointing up at the cameras.
“Nothing we can do about that.” Logan walked with purpose. If they looked like they had every right to be there, then maybe if anyone saw them, they wouldn’t think anything of it. Unless of course, Jacobhadreported them as unreachable.
Senses on high alert, they moved through the building, the place eerily quiet. Logan strained to hear anything, any sign of footsteps or distant voices, but there was nothing.
When they reached the final door that led to the interrogation rooms, Logan carefully pulled it open a couple of inches.
