Oh, if only you knew.
“It’s okay,” Cole said instead. “I didn’t want to be part of a pack anyway.”
Simon kicked him hard in the back of the leg and he stumbled, losing his footing. Only Simon yanking him upright again stopped him from falling.
A van waited for them.
Michael pulled open the side door. “Get in.” Two benches lined the sides, iron-silver cuffs shackled to the floor. Logan climbed in, followed by Aaron, both of them securely locked in place.
Cole swallowed hard, his mind still struggling to accept this was happening. Simon shoved him into the van, and Cole hurried to take a seat next to Logan. The minute the silver-iron cuffs snapped around his wrists, Cole felt a weight settle on him and his skin felt hot, itchy. They were way worse than the ones the HRU used.
He glanced down at them, redness already colouring his wrists.
“Hey.” Logan nudged him. “You okay?”
It seemed a lifetime since Cole had seen him. Was it really only that morning? And no, he was very fucking far from okay. “Nope.”
“Yeah,” Logan laughed softly. “Me neither.”
Nick stumbled into the van next, followed by Smith. Once they were all seated, and secured, Simon went to climb in as well, but Michael’s voice stopped him.
“Baker and I will take them to the prison.”
Everyone in the van looked up.
“What?” Simon turned to face Michael, and Cole craned his neck to see them. “It’s my team’s responsibility to transport prisoners.”
Michael glared at him. “Four of my pack are in that van. You realise how bad this will look for us if word gets out?”
“The prison warden can be trusted,” Simon answered.
“For his sake that better be true, but I’d rather talk to him personally.”
“But—”
“No.” Michael’s voice had that edge to it, and Simon flinched. Even from the angle Cole was at he could see the tension in Simon’s shoulders. “Baker and I will escort the prisoners. You will go back inside and let them know we’re coming. And remember,” he said, voice quiet but no less threatening. “Two members of the HRU are in that van. They are your responsibility. I suggest you have a good long look at the rest of Paul’s team to make sure there aren’t any more surprises.”
“Yes, Alpha.” Simon growled the words, and Cole could only imagine how pissed off he must be right now. But even that was little comfort, considering where they were all headed.
As Simon and Paul disappeared back inside the building, Baker got in the driver’s side, but Michael ducked his head inside the van.
“There’s no escape from those shackles, so don’t bother trying. I have the only key.” He sighed and shook his head. “Your actions have left me with no other option. Accept your fate.” With that he slammed the door closed, sealing them in the dark.
Cole could see well enough, but the walls immediately felt far too close for comfort.
What the fuck was a jail cell going to feel like?
The van started to move, and he swallowed past the lump in his throat. “What do we do?” He glanced between them, but no one answered. “Logan?”
Logan sighed and stretched out his fingers to twine with Cole’s. “I don’t know. I’m so fucking sorry.”
No. This couldn’t be the end of everything. “They’re going to lock you up forlife,” he whispered, then glanced at Aaron and then Smith. “You too. And fuck knows what’ll happen to Nick.”
Smith slumped back against the side of the van. “What do you suggest, Cole?” He raised his hands, the skin around his wrists red and sore from the handcuffs.
“I don’t know, but there must be something? It’s not like we have anything left to lose.” He turned to Smith. “I wasn’t sure what you were going to do back there. But thank you for helping get Nick out of there.”
“Fat lot of good it did in the end.”
