Page 92 of Talk About… Trouble

“I’m sorry again, Wren,” he said, shaking his head. “This never should have happened. We did everything we could to stop it, but apparently, they thought they had nothing left to lose.”

Yelling from behind the closed doors had him wincing. I knew those voices. My heart pounded, and my pulse was thundering through my ears. Sweat made my hands clammy.Fuck. You can do this, Wren.

“Carl,” I said, my voice low. “Tell me that’s not them.”

“You brought her here withthemin this building?” Shepherd growled.

Carl’s Alpha didn’t cower, he met Shepherd head-on.

“If I would have known, I wouldn’t have,” he admitted, and his words rang with truth. “They were not supposed to be here, but somebody fucked up again. I wish I had more control in the legal system, but it’s just my job to represent you.”

“This judge has a lot to answer for,” Nash said, the violence in his tone making me a little worried about having the pack stand behind me. The last thing I needed was an all-out brawl in the hallway.

“Braxton, stick by them,” I said. “The last thing we need is my alphas to end up in jail.”

I turned to my pack. “They are not worth it. This is the last I will have to see them. Stay strong for me, please.”

“We will,” Shepherd said, giving Nash a hard look. “But I might have to cut some wood after this, work off some of this anger.”

“Oh no, an alpha, shirtless and cutting wood for us to view? That sounds terrible,” Devon deadpanned, making Carl bark out a laugh that echoed in the empty halls.

A door in the distance opened, leading to another exit to the courtroom. Further down the hallway I could see them. They were wearing their yellow jumpsuits, which indicated they were in an alpha-only prison.

They were a danger to omegas and sure as hell wouldn’t be allowed anywhere near them, even behind guarded walls.

“There she is!” Brad screamed, his voice completely unhinged and desperate.

Travis whipped around, pulling at the guard who had him by the biceps. “You ruined our fucking lives!”

“You ruined those yourself,” Devon said. “I’ve never seen more pathetic alphas in my life.” Of course, I should have worried more that my omega couldn’t keep his mouth shut. Honestly, I loved him for it.

For once, I didn’t feel frozen. I let Devon’s anger fuel my own.

“You’re disgusting monsters, and I hope you rot in prison. Whatever I can do to make them punish you further for the stupid shit you’re doing now, I will. You deserve nothing less than to suffer for your actions. Honestly, if I knew people on the inside, I’d tell them what you did, because I’m sure you lied to everyone. You know they don’t really like people who fuck with omegas in there.”

“Actually,” Nash said, running a hand over his stubble as he pretended to think it over, “I know a few people inside, and a guard or two wouldn’t take much to bribe them to spread that word, would it?”

“Do you hear this?” Brad said, looking at his guards. “They’re just talking about bribing inmates, and you’re fine with it?”

“Sorry,” the guard shrugged, putting a finger in his ear and wiggling it around. “I’m really hard of hearing. I didn’t hear anything. Did you guys hear it?”

“No, all I hear is these inmates putting up a fight. Maybe we need to put them in solitary when we get there.”

The snarl that Brad and Travis let out almost made me laugh, but the situation was anything but funny.

“Enjoy your life, because I sure as fuck will be enjoying mine, with my bond and pack. Oh, and don’t worry, you didn’t breakAvery, either. She’s got a whole life, and you’re just a mistake, one that was easily forgotten. I also hope you got that small knot looked at. No wonder you had to overcompensate.”

Devon’s laughter filled the halls, as did their screams, but Carl had had enough, pulling us into the courtroom now that it was vacated.

“Remind me to buy your omega lunch,” he muttered. “Good job, Wren. It’s good to see that fighting spirit back again.” He gave me a grin.

The last thing I wanted to do now was face off with this judge, but we’d come this far, and I couldn’t let anything get in the way.

Most of the omegas had handled the court system from afar, letting their lawyers do the footwork and putting in video testimonies if they had to. Honestly, the legal system did everything they could to protect us.

I was different. Most of the evidence I brought in was videos and recordings. Carl said we’d have a better chance of winning if I showed up myself. I did, facing these judges and my asshole abusers day after day.

When the judge walked in again, I had expected the sight to set me back, just like the call had the other day.

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