Page 41 of Defiance
As soon as they were outside, Cole stopped, closed his eyes, and lifted his head up to feel the sun on his face. Warmth bathed his skin as he inhaled the clean summer air. Well, as clean as it got on the outskirts of London. He breathed in deep, relaxing as the scents and sounds washed over him.
“We can’t stay long,” Logan said, stopping alongside him. Lowering his voice, he added, “If we’re quiet, they can’t hear us out here.”
Cole nodded in understanding. He opened his eyes and turned slightly to face Logan.
“Are you okay?” Logan’s hands curled into fists. “I know they hurt you, and I’m so sorry I couldn’t stop it.”
The anguish in his eyes tugged at Cole’s heart. He wanted to reach out and touch him. Maybe cup his jaw and draw him in for a soft kiss to reassure both of them that he was okay, that they’d get through this.
But the garden was overlooked by far too many windows to risk it. He settled for a small smile instead. “They weren’t gentle, but I healed.” He shrugged; it was about the best he had to offer.
Logan nodded, clearly pissed off about the whole thing.
Join the club.
“It’ll get better.” He looked up at the sky before adding, “Today was to honour fallen pack members. They’ll still give you a hard time, but nothing like that again.”
Cole sighed and hoped Logan was right. It wasn’t something he wanted to relive every training session, that was for sure. As Logan began to walk, signalling their time outside was up, Cole spoke. “How do you do it?”
Logan glanced back at him, one eyebrow raised in question.
“Lie all the time. This is your pack, your family. Some are wankers, but not all of them, right?”
“Right.” Logan swallowed, the question obviously catching him off guard.
“How do you lie to their faces, day after day?” If the idea of doing it to people he hardly knew left Cole uncomfortable, how the fuck was he going to face his family and friends at the funeral tomorrow?
Logan stopped walking and turned to face him, expression serious. “Because if I don’t, people will die.” He spoke softly, but the words were anything but.
And it really was that simple.
Cole straightened his shoulders, a new resolve settling within.
He would go to the funeral and he would do what he needed to convince everyone that he was a grieving son. After that, he’d do his fucking damnedest to be accepted into the McKillan pack.
Because if he didn’t?
People would die.
* * *
The next morningdawned dark and miserable. Fitting really.
Someone had thought to provide a black suit for him, and Cole slipped it on, almost on autopilot. The day had a surreal feel to it. He was about to go to his parents’ funeral. His parents who were alive and well and living in Jersey.
He was also about to meet his friends and family for the first time as a shifter. Did they know he’d been changed? He’d not given it much thought before now, butChrist, his siblings didn’t need that shock today on top of everything else.
And then there was Nick.
Cole was both excited and terrified at the prospect of seeing him. The temptation to let something slip would be huge, they’d always told each other everything, but it was different now.
The knock on his front door told him Aaron and Logan had arrived. They were the only ones who gave him the courtesy of waiting to be let in. Well, waiting until he said “yes” before letting themselves in. With a sigh, he tugged on his suit jacket and went to answer the door.
“Hey.” Logan offered him a tentative smile as Cole ushered them both inside. “How’re you feeling?”
Weird. That’s how he actually felt. Really fucking weird.
Instead, he shrugged a shoulder. “I’ve been better.”
