“You need to be careful.” Denny whispered. “Remember not a word about what we are, and better yet don’t even say a word until you’re on the stand answering questions.”
“Better seen than heard, huh?” I tried to smile, but I’m sure it still looked like a frown.
“Those are your words not mine.”
Denny made eye contact with a large security guard who gestured for us to walk around the metal detectors. At first I thought they were going to let us through, but instead he used a wand to check us. Even better.
“And remember your name is Jane,” Denny reminded me to use the name on my fake ID. My real name was currently plastered all over the news.
I nodded in acknowledgement.
The security guard waved us on, and we walked toward a set of stairs. Denny walked down a hallway and pushed the button on the elevator. My stomach growled. I’d skipped breakfast out of nerves, and now I was regretting it.
“He’s going to be okay, right?” We walked out of the elevator onto the bottom level. It was one of those buildings where you walk in on the second floor.
Denny looked both ways as though he was making sure no one was watching us. “He needs to stay calm. We would have heard if something had happened while he was being held. The king is supposed to be reasonable. Let’s hope the rumor is true.”
I nodded. “Gage will stay calm. He knows what’s at stake.”
Denny mumbled something under his breath.
“What?”
“Nothing.” He took my elbow. “We’re going to have to do the standing room only thing until Gage’s trial. You okay on your feet?”
I glanced down at my boots. “Yes. I’m good.”
“That’s good, because we don’t have another option.”
“Having to stand is the least of my concerns right now.”
“Got it, I’m trying to distract you.”
“It’s working.” It was.
Denny turned, and stopped in front of a set of double doors. He knocked a few times, and the door opened.
“What do you want?” A tall man dressed in a black suit asked.
“We’re here for a trial. She’s a witness.”
“The wolf’s trial?”
“Yes.”
“She’s the mate?” He looked me over.
I looked at Denny. He nodded. “Yes. May we enter?”
“Yes. Be prepared to be called on.”
“We will.” Denny nodded. He grabbed my hand, and we walked through the doors that led to a steep staircase.
“I told you there was a basement,” Denny whispered.
“Don’t let me fall.” The stairway was completely dark. I couldn’t see a thing, but from what I’d gathered, Dires had much better night vision.
“I value my life, so I’m not going to show up with you all bruised from falling down a flight of stairs.”
“Glad you have the motivation to keep me in one piece.”
“You lucked out.”
We reached flat ground again, and Denny pushed open another door. We stepped into a dimly lit hallway. The minimal light flickered across the hallway, but at least this time I could see something. We turned again, and the lighting was brighter. The floors were marble or some similar stone. Pretty swank for a courthouse, but then again a king was presiding over these trials.
I stayed glued to Denny’s side as we made our way into what appeared to be an everyday courtroom, but I knew it wasn’t. There was no jury to decide whether those accused were innocent or guilty. All power rested in the hands of a single man. I didn’t understand it. Hadn’t they heard of democracy?
Denny grabbed my elbow and pulled me to the side right before the crowd hushed. The doors opened and a procession of people walked in. I stood on tiptoes so I could see around the crowd. I saw a few men, and then a beautiful girl maybe a few years older than me. She had long brown hair that fell down her back in these perfect waves that I thought only existed in shampoo commercials and movies.
“That’s got to be the queen,” Denny hissed.
I nodded, watching her move down the center aisle like a model on the catwalk. When she was halfway through the room a guy followed. With brown hair and these grayish-blue eyes he matched the girl in attractiveness. He was wearing a charcoal gray suit that seemed more appropriate for an attorney to be wearing than a king. Because that’s who he had to be. For some reason I just knew.
I couldn’t see anything over the much taller people in front of us, and I struggled to hear. From what I could tell, it sounded like the other cases were for much less urgent crimes, people fighting over property and money.
What felt like hours later, the king cleared his throat. “We will take a twenty minute recess.”
“I’m going to run to the bathroom.” I hated leaving, but I knew my bladder wasn’t going to make it much longer. All I needed was to pee my pants while sitting in the witness stand.
“Want me to come with you?” Denny asked.
“I can manage. I saw the sign on the way in.” I was always careful to notice restrooms. You never knew when you’d need one.
“Let me at least walk you there. I can wait outside.”
I stood up on my tiptoes to see what was happening. Maybe the queen and king had left.
“I’ve really got to go.” I started weaving through the crowd. I didn’t care whether Denny followed.
I turned around when I reached the door of the courtroom. “I’ll be right out.”
“You promise to come right back?”
“You really think I’m going to make a run for it at a moment like this?”
He shook his head. “I’m making sure you realize how important it is that you show up for the trial.”
“I wouldn’t leave Gage at a time like this.” I hurried down the hall to the bathroom, letting the door swing closed behind me.
I walked through a lounge area that was complete with snacks and a water cooler. This was way nicer than most restrooms I’d ever been in. I continued through to the main restroom and found a stall.
I was getting ready to leave the stall when I heard the door open. I was kind of surprised there weren’t more people using the restroom, but there really weren’t that many women in the courthouse. I waited a moment longer, not in the mood to have any awkward small talk with anyone.
I was rinsing off my hands when I heard the unmistakable sounds of someone being sick. I knew I needed to get back, but I couldn’t. I couldn’t leave someone alone when they were sick.
“Hello?” I called out quietly. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah.” A girl replied. “Thanks though.”
“Can I get you anything? Water or something?”
“Water would be great.”
“Ok, hold on one second.” I walked back into the lounge area of the bathroom and filled a small cup with water. I returned to the bathroom and held it under the door. “Here you go.”
“Thanks. This is so embarrassing.”
“Why? You’re sick.” She didn’t say anything. “Do you want me to leave?”
“Oh, no. that’s not what I meant.”
The door opened and the gorgeous girl from the proceedings walked out. The queen.
“Oh my gosh.” I looked down. How was someone supposed to behave around a paranormal queen?
“What? Is there something on my face?” She asked with concern.
“No.” I looked up. “I just uh, haven’t met a queen before.” I left off the paranormal part.
“I don’t feel like a queen today.” She washed her hands and dried them before holding out a hand to me. “I’m Allie.”
“Mary Anne.”
“What brings you to the courts today?”
“I had to come for a friend.”
“A friend?”
Wait. This was the queen. She was going to hear my testimony. “Well my mate, but he’s also my best friend.” I looked down. My nerves were getting the best of me.
She looked
at me skeptically for a moment before her expression softened. “I’m human too. You don’t have to be nervous talking to me.”
“Really? You’re human?” I looked at her in a new light.
“Is that surprising?”
“A little.”
She laughed. “I guess it comes from spending so much time with Pterons.”
“I guess.” I still didn’t really understand what a Pteron was, but I had a feeling I wouldn’t want to see one transformed.
“Is there anything else I can do to help you?”
“That’s so sweet of you.” She took a seat in one of the plush chairs. “I’ve been feeling under the weather lately.”
“How long has this been going on?”
“Over a week now.”
“Just nauseous and stuff?”
“Pretty much.”
“Not to be forward,” I prefaced nervously, “but could you be pregnant?”
She touched her belly. “Uh, that’s possible.” She looked away. “It’s frighteningly possible.”
“I don’t know much about this paranormal mating stuff, but I’m guessing humans and Pterons have babies?”
“Of course.” She smiled. “You really don’t know much about The Society, do you?”
“Not at all.”
“Didn’t your mate explain anything? Didn’t he tell you it works like humans?”
“We never discussed it.” Wow that sounded bad.
“I thought he was your best friend?”
“He is. We just never discussed that stuff.”
“Are you all right?” She watched me carefully.
“Fine. I’m fine. I have to get on the witness stand and I’m nervous.” I already sounded ridiculous. Might as well give her an explanation for the nerves.
“Wait. Is your mate on trial?”
“Yes.” I swallowed hard. I needed to tread carefully.
“And you need to stand as a witness?”
“Unforunately.”
“Don’t worry about it. Answer the questions and it will all be over soon.” She sounded sincere.
“Thanks.”
“I need to get back inside. Are you heading that way too?”
“I am. The recess is probably over.”
“In less than a minute. Levi keeps these things on a tight schedule.”
“Levi. That’s the king’s name?”
She smiled again. “Yes. You’re the first person I’ve met in a long time who’s learned my name before my husband’s.”
Husband? So they married too. I kept that realization to myself. She already thought I was a complete airhead when it came to paranormal stuff.
“It was nice meeting you, and thanks so much for the water.”
“Not a problem. I hope you feel better…and well get the answer you want if you test.”
“Thanks. That’s cool of you.”
“What is?”
“That you don’t assume I want it to be one way or another.”
“Everyone has their reasons.”
“Exactly.” She held open the door, and Denny was standing there waiting.
“See you later.” Allie waved before hurrying down the hall.
“Why was the queen telling you she’d see you later?” Denny asked as we walked back to the court room.
“Girl talk.” I smiled.
“I’m sure,” he grumbled.
***
I tried to stay calm as I waited in the witness chair. They’d referred to me as “the wolf’s mate,” when they called me to sit. I’d been so nervous I’d barely listened to Hunter or Denny’s testimony. They kept their stories short depicting Gage as an enraged lover trying to protect the honor of his mate. I wanted everything to be over.
I took a few deep breaths as I finally saw Gage sitting in the front row. His hands were tied behind his back, and he was watching me with a mix of concern and curiosity.
“Please state your name for the record,” a man in the dark suit asked.
I froze. I’d seriously screwed up. I’d told Allie my name was Mary Anne. I was never supposed to do that. My name was Jane for all everyone knew. Oh my god.
“Jane Mary Anne Sterling.” Maybe they’d believe Mary Anne was my middle name? I didn’t dare look at the queen. We’d decided the easiest solution to explaining why my ID last name matched Hunter’s was that I was his human step-sister. That made what Gage did even more excusable because he was also defending his Alpha’s sister.
I knew Hunter wasn’t happy about me pretending to be his sister, but considering he was annoyed at me for sharing my honest feelings about Gage, it probably wasn’t the biggest of his concerns.
“Jane?” The king rose and looked at me. “Do you understand that you’re under oath here?”
“Yes.”
I crossed my fingers behind me. I couldn’t believe I was going to do what I was about to do.
“Can I take this one, Levi?” Allie stood up.
“Oh. You want to interview the witness?” The king looked at his wife.
“Yes.”
“Sure.” He sat down.
“Jane.” She smiled slightly. Did she understand I was lying? “Are you in love with that Were over there?” She pointed to Gage.
That was an easy one. “Yes.”
“And have you committed yourself to spending your life with him?”
I could picture it. I wanted it. “Yes.”
Gage smiled slightly.
“And will you do a better job keeping him out of trouble?”
“Excuse me?” Her question took me by surprise.
“If he’d been with you, we could probably have all avoided this mess.”
“I’ll do everything possible to keep him out of trouble.”
“That’s my last question for you.” Allie grinned. “Witness dismissed.” Allie sat down. Levi leaned over to talk to her and shook his head. She just smiled.
I stood and started toward Denny.
“You may sit with your mate if you prefer.” The king stopped me in my tracks.
I turned around to look at him. “Thank you.” I took a seat next to Gage.
Gage smiled lightly, but said nothing.
The king cleared his throat. “After hearing all of the evidence, I don’t believe a severe punishment is necessary in this case. We all understand what draws a man to defend his mate’s honor. However, his wrong doing cannot go unpunished. He seriously injured three humans and revealed his true nature to a room full of humans. Such behavior can put the entire Society at risk.”
“Would the Alpha please approach the bench?” Hunter strode up to the front.
“The punishment I have in mind seems fair under the circumstances. Your wolf will spend six months in Society custody. At that time, if he behaves correctly he can return to his pack.”
“What of his mate?” Allie interrupted. “What happens to her?”
The king looked at me. “She can stay under her brother’s care.”
“I can keep him under control.” Hunter’s voice had the king turning away from me.
“You didn’t last time.”
“I will do a better job. I will keep him under my watch at all times.”
I sent a silent thank you to Hunter. I knew his natural instinct would be to allow Gage to be sent away. Or would it? If they watched him would they discover what he was?
“I appreciate your loyalty to your pack member, but I can’t allow that. He will be returned to you in six months as long as his behavior warrants it.”
Allie’s face fell and she gave me a sympathetic look. I guess this was something she couldn’t override him on.
The king took Allie’s arm, and they walked toward the doors of the courtroom. He stopped momentarily. “Guards please escort the Were out of the courtroom.”
Before I could even process his words, the doors to the courtroom slammed closed.
Two men walked over. I jumped to my feet. “No! Please. You can’t take him.”
/> The steely faces of the men didn’t change.
“Leave him alone!” I stood in front of them, stupidly believing that would stop them.
“Move out of the way, girl.”
“No.” I shook my head and crossed my arms.
“I told you to move.” One of the guards moved toward me.
“It’s okay, Mary Anne.” Gage tried to reassure me, but his words didn’t change the fact that I wasn’t moving.
“I’m not letting you go.”
“You’re a stupid little slut aren’t you?” The man stepped closer and shoved me across the courtroom.
Just as quickly Gage transformed and snapped out of his handcuffs, lunging for the man who’d pushed me.
“He’s a Dire!” the man yelled before becoming what appeared to be a giant silverback gorilla.
“Protect Mary Anne at all costs!” Hunter’s words were the only ones I heard as all hell broke loose in the court room. “Get her out of here Gage, now!”
Hunter transformed, followed by the others.
I barely had time to process it before Gage growled. Somehow the meaning in his growl came through to me, and I grabbed on. He sprinted out of the courtroom with me holding on for dear life. He took the stairs in a blur with several of the Dires flanking us. A few guards jumped toward us but Denny held them off. We reached the top floor, and Hunter cleared the exit. At the last moment someone with giant black wings tried to stop us, but Gage leapt straight over them, and we dashed out into the street. He kept running until we were at least a half mile from the courthouse.
We were free.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Gage
Can’t stop running. The mantra swam through my head as I fought to keep my strength alive while carrying Mary Anne on my back. No distance was great enough to keep us safe, but finally exhaustion won out, and I had to stop.
I came to a stop in the woods on the side of the road, and Mary Anne stepped off. I transformed back. Everything else faded away as my human eyes took in Mary Anne. She was okay, and we were together. We were in a world of trouble, but for now we were together.
“Gage.” She fell into my arms.
I wrapped her up in my arms and pressed my lips against hers. The exhaustion disappeared as I tasted the lips I’d been missing for weeks. Her arms wrapped around my neck, and I quickly deepened the kiss, discovering that something had changed. Things were even more intense, even sweeter.
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