Page 41 of Bonds of Fate

Nix lets his shoulders drop from their defensive stance, knowing he won’t have to hear his abuser named in every other sentence. “Not really, just that the courts need proof I’m a beta to proceed and that I am not a beta.”

“Exactly. I’m here to offer two courses of action, and then we’ll give you a few days to think about it.”

“Okay.” Nix reaches over and holds Jay’s hand in a firm grip. Gideon takes a position behind Jay’s shoulder so he can scent his mates and still keep the lawyer in his sight.

“Alright. Stay with me for a minute while I explain. Our purpose, as I understand it, is to make sure the accused pays for his multitude of crimes in a way that is commensurate with the severity of those crimes. I understand from my contact in theprosecution’s office that the accused has passed his competency interviews despite very obvious attempts otherwise.”

“With competency determined, they would like to proceed, and we’ve received official inquiries about the beta registration.” The lawyer seems a bit nervous, and maybe it’s Nix’s general demeanor driving the mood, but Gideon thinks it’s most likely she’s building up to something.

“What are our two options?” Jay asks abruptly, the sharp edge in his voice a direct response to Nix—pale, tense, and his vanilla-cookie scent burnt around the edges.

“Nix, do you need a break?” His kitten shakes his head, but Gideon knows that’s not true. “We will wait if you need us to, I know this is a lot.” Gideon wants to make sure that Nix knows they are behind him completely and that Jay doesn’t lose his cool.

Nix takes three long, slow breaths and lets them out. When his scent levels out, he inquires, “I don’t want to offend you, Erin, but if we could just get to the point?”

“Certainly, option one is that we lie. We find a physician who will falsify the documents. You may even consider your mate, Dr. Merritt. It’s unlikely that anyone will check, and if Nix is called as a witne–”

“What?! No. I won’t be doing that; I can’t testify against him. Jamie? You can’t make me, please.” Their omega is standing now, shoulders tense, his usually warm complexion paler than usual. His gray eyes are wide with distress, and his chest rises and falls too fast like he might bolt or be sick.

Maybe he should have been worried less about Jay freaking out and paid more attention to his own tells because Gideon’s wolf surges, muscles coiled, searching for a threat that isn’t even present.

“My mate will not be testifying, Ms. Christie—under any circumstances.” Jay’s tone is sharp as a blade, and there is no room for argument in the steel of his voice.

Ms. Christie nods, lips pressing together as if she expected this response. “That might affect our ability to get the maximum sentences Mr. Costas spoke about at your meeting.”

“Was this always on the table? I think I’d recall if we had discussed this previously.” Gideon knows he’s being rude, but he gives himself credit because he’s also not showing her the door.

“I’m not sure if Mr. Costas would have mentioned it, but it’s not unusual to verify evidence with testimony under oath. I understand why you would decline, and that is within your rights. I will back this decision 100% and still push for the maximum with prosecutorial support. The judge will still likely rule ‘guilty’ on the confessed assault without Nix’s testimony, but the sentencing may be lighter than we hope.”

“What’s the second option?” Nix whispers.

“I spent a bit of time in the Law Library over the past few days. There is a surprising amount of pack law regarding omegas. I think the historical and medical community has forgotten that even if they may appear to be mythological in our everyday life, the Were legal community has been in place for millennia.”

“There are legal documents that go back a thousand years?”

She laughs. “I’m sure there are, but I only had to go back three hundred.”

“Why would you think to do that? It must have taken you hours and hours!”

She looks down and away, fiddling with the hem of her sweater.

Gideon’s wolf perks up at the prevarication, but he decides that even if she’s hiding something and it’s embarrassing—it’s not nefarious. “You wouldn’t believe me if I told you, but sufficeit to say it was right where I expected to find it—in under thirty minutes.”

“Found what?” Gideon has to know now, allusions to a mystery piquing his curiosity.

“If a Were harms a pack omega, beforeorafter presentation, the Pack Alpha has the right to trial-by-combat—to the death.”

It’s archaic and barbaric. The silence is deafening, and Gideon knows that this is the option his wolf wants.

Jay looks from the attorney to his omega and back. “But wouldn’t that mean everyone would know Nix is an omega? The courts would have to know, andhisdefense would have to know;hewould know.”

“Yes, that’s why I wanted to give you a few days to decide. Of course, we can seal the proceeding and the documents, but while everyone is bound by NDAs and oaths, news will most likely leak about your status. The accused would most certainly have nothing to lose by announcing it to all and sundry.”

Hayes would be sure to take his victim down before he died bloody to seek his last psychopathic revenge.

“What if the courts deem him not guilty?” His kitten is a shadow of himself, and Gideon decides he hates it.

“They couldn’t possibly, as he’s confessed, and he is competent to stand trial. He is guilty of the assault regardless of whether they can prove the intent to transition you unlawfully. There would be no doubt about the outcome. Despite its age, the law is 100% enforceable. We can also consider that any further attempt to cause you harm publicly by anyone would be deemed a similar offense, but that’s a future consideration.”

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