Page 98 of Defiance
Davidson?That was the pack where he and Nick used to live. Was it someone they knew?
“Fucking traitors. Did you get an ID on the other two?” Simon snarled.
“No,” Paul said, glancing at Nick. “They escaped while Nick shifted and attacked my men as they came through the door.”
“I thought your men were better trained than that?” Simon muttered, ignoring the way Paul bristled. “Why didn’t you have someone go round the back of the fucking house?”
“I did,” Paul gritted out. “But the house was semi-detached. We think they escaped through the attic and out the back of the house next door.”
“And that possibility never occurred to you beforehand?” Simon rolled his eyes as though he was talking to an idiot. Cole might’ve enjoyed Paul’s barely veiled annoyance if he wasn’t terrified about what might happen next. “Those two shifters could’ve given us the names of who knows how many more traitorous arseholes. And you let them just stroll out of there.”
“We missed them by seconds.”
“But you still missed them.” Simon turned his attention to Nick. “Let’s hope we can get some information out of this one so it’s not a total waste of fucking time.” He walked over to stand in front of Nick, and Paul sent him a death glare behind his back before seeming to shake it off.
Smith and Rich were so still and silent, Cole had almost forgotten they were even in the room.
At least I’m not the only one scared shitless.
“We were just about to get started,” Paul said as he walked over to the table behind Nick’s chair. He picked up a familiar-looking syringe, and Cole shuddered. “Should we wait for Michael and Baker to get here?”
Simon’s lip curled at the edges, as though the very idea pained him, but he eventually nodded. “Yes. He should be here by now, though. He and Baker were already in the bloody building.”
Nick lifted his head, looking straight at Simon. “Maybe they’re busy apologising to my alpha for conducting a raid in his territory and abducting one of his pack.”
Simon laughed. “We don’t need permission for doing our fucking jobs. And what’s Cox going to do about it anyway? You’re a traitor to your pack. If he’s got any sense he’ll disown you and anyone else you associate with. You can guarantee we’ll be investigating them.”
“I’m not the fucking traitor,” Nick spat. “You’re the ones who went back on all the promises you made when you first took power.”
Simon smiled. “Spoken like a true member of the CEG.”
Nick barked out a laugh. “I don’t need to be part of the CEG to know that. The whole fucking population knows you went back on almost everything you said.”
Paul pointed the syringe at him. “Supporting them is just as bad.” He marched over and yanked up Nick’s sleeve showing a beautiful tattoo of an oak tree with the moon behind it. The Cox pack tattoo. “Especially now you havethat,” he hissed.
Nick said nothing in return and the sudden silence was deafening.
“Get started,” Simon said, gesturing to the syringe. “I’m done waiting for Michael to grace us with his presence.”
“Finally.” Paul grinned and grabbed Nick’s hair, pulling his head to the side.
“Wait.” Simon took the syringe out of Paul’s hand and passed it to Cole. “I think it only fitting that Cole administers it. It’ll be a good training exercise for him.”
You utter bastard.
He’d never hated someone more than he did Simon in that moment.
Taking the syringe, he shot Nick an apologetic look and moved to stand next to him.
Simon leant over his shoulder to watch, so close Cole felt his breath on the back of his neck.
He set the needle against the skin of Nick’s neck, his thumb on the plunger.
I’m sorry.
The door burst open again, this time slamming into the wall with such force it buckled, the roar of shifted wolves echoing inside the room.
Cole would recognise that sound anywhere.
