Page 16 of Defiance
Cole shrugged as they walked. “Seemed like the thing to do.”
Stopping abruptly, Logan turned to face him, eyes imploring. “It’s not. Not at all.” He ran a hand through his hair, tugging at the long strands, looking conflicted. “If you’re going to fit in here, especially considering the team that you’re due to join, you need to stop that shit right now.” He glanced at the camera, then back at Cole. “Shifters respect honesty or silence. If you don’t mean what you’re about to say, then don’t fucking say it.”
“Okay.” Cole didn’t know where they were going with this.
Logan huffed, seemingly frustrated. “Like now, for example. You’re sorry you got caught, not that you ran. And you certainly don’t give a shit about getting me in trouble.”
Not strictly true, but Cole nodded anyway.
“And that’s okay. I don’t expect you to feel any other way, and I’d rather have you sulk in silence than offer me half-arsed apologies that mean bollocks all.” He gestured back the way they’d come. “No one expects you to be thrilled about joining our pack; they’re not stupid enough to think you’ve had that much of a drastic change of heart. So don’t pretend otherwise. Everyone knows this is your last resort. They’re not going to give you an easy ride, they won’t sugar-coat how they feel about you, so you shouldn’t either. Don’t tell people what you think they want to hear, and don’t let them walk all over you either.”
“Then why the fuck am I here?” Cole was hopelessly lost but played along as best he could.
“Because Michael wants you. He recognises that you could be a great asset to our pack and is willing to give you another chance. But it’s not going to be easy. And you won’t help yourself by being anything other than brutally honest.”
Cole suppressed a bark of wholly inappropriate laughter because everything they were doing was a huge lie. But Logan must’ve had his reasons for conducting this conversation where anyone and everyone could hear it. “Why are you telling me this?”
“Aaron and I have been tasked with helping you adjust to pack life. So this is mehelping.”
“You must hate me, though. Right?”
Logan raised his eyebrows. “That’s not quite the word I’d use.”
“I got you into a lot of trouble, huh?” He wanted to ask what had happened to him since they’d been separated. Was everything okay? How much trouble was he actually in? Frustration boiled inside him, and he clenched his fists as they started walking again.
Ignoring his question, Logan led the way through the double doors at the end of the corridor and out into a stairwell.
“How many floors does this place have?” Cole tried. He’d only got a quick glimpse of it when they arrived—huge, red-brick building that looked like it had been turned into posh flats, surrounded by a lot of land—before he was bundled none-to-gently inside.
“A few,” Logan murmured, taking the stairs down. “It was gutted and adapted for their needs. It’s where Michael and his betas live, plus a few others. The grounds are extensive, good for full moon runs. It also houses the interrogation rooms, among other things.”
“Like jail cells. That’s where you’re taking me now, isn’t it?” Cole huffed. “I’ve escaped one prison only to end up in another.”
“Hardly.” Logan stopped at the floor below, swiped a card through the reader, and reached for the door.
Cole followed him through. “What does that mean?”
“You’ll see.”
The corridor for this floor was already a lot brighter. Plush carpet lined the floor, the walls a fresh bright white that lent an airiness to the otherwise small space. Doors lined either side and Cole gestured to them. “What are these for?”
“This is the holding floor.” He pointed to the door behind them. “That’s the only way onto the floor and you need a key card to access it. Which you don’t have and won’t be getting.”
“What if there’s a fire?
“In that very unlikely event, someone will come and get you.”
Cole scoffed. “Yeah, right.”
“I’d come and get you,” Logan said with a little too much force.
“Because I’m your responsibility,” Cole grumbled, trying to make light of it.
“That’s right. Can’t have anything else happen to you on my watch.” He led Cole to the last door on the left, the number one displayed clearly on the front. “This is you.” He swiped his card again to unlock the door.
Fuck.
“So I can’t get out, but any other fucker can get in?” He looked over his shoulder, spying the cameras at either end of the hallway. Was someone watching them even now?
