Page 142 of Your Wild Omega

I straighten my spine. “Sir, I can’t say never because we’re talking about dozens of heats over a decade. But I can remember the most recent one clearly.” After all, memorizing lines is my specialty. “Maybe it’s time to bring one of the other omegas in for the job,” I quote, mimicking Ray’s voice. “That’s exactly what Ray said to me as he pinned me down naked on his table. Ianswered ‘please’ but I couldn’t finish my sentence because my throat was raw from screaming. What I meant was ‘please don’t hurt them.’ But instead of letting me finish my sentence, Ray replied,“That’ll do,”before forcing my legs apart.” I pause for a breath, then add, “And then he raped me. Again.”

I hold the lawyer’s gaze, refusing to back down. “Sir, please don’t tell me, and every other citizen in here, you believe that passes for consent? Would you want to be treated that way through your rut? Or, heaven forbid, have your omega or daughter forced by a statement their attackers didn’t let them finish? Not to mention the restraint wrapped around my throat.”

Reminds me of the terror that rose when I tried on the leather collar. I glance over at Zack, and he fingers his throat, watching me with a slitted gaze. He feels my distress but can’t comprehend what we’re talking about. It’s better that way.

The lawyer’s mouth tightens, and it’s like scripts flash through his eyes as he searches for a suitable response.

I won’t give him time to find one. “Sir, you’re asking if a person walking alone in the desert has to be offered water from her mortal enemy’s hand in order to live, but that’s the wrong question to ask. The real one is ‘why is she in the desert in the first place?’ Why was I trapped in that nest? If the sex was consensual, why would he need restraints that are worn down from overuse and two other people in the room to hold me?”

I shudder and lift Rickon’s shirt to my nose before plunging on. “And if you still cling to your ideas about omegasneedingalphas, then I say it’s not true for me, no matter what expert you ask. That water in the desert was poisoned through and through. Ray used me as a sex slave for his own profit and pleasure, and no one can put a good spin on this truth. That bastard destroyed my life. Sedatives, sex toys, legitimate haze, intervention licenses. These all exist to help omegas in heat, butRay never offered me one. So don’t you dare try to paint this sicko as a knight in shining armor.”

I don’t want Ray to know how badly he’s affected me, but I know I have to admit it to get him locked up, so I force the words through my thick throat. “I’ll struggle to have a normal heat ever again, thanks to the nightmares and trauma. But my bonded alphas and the Omega Center can testify that I’ve gone through a heat without an alpha in the room.” I spread my hands. “And look, I’m still alive.”

I hook the lawyer’s angry gaze. “And I’ll do my future heats my way as many times as I want from now on because it’s my body. Not yours, not some supposed “medical expert” who isn’t even an omega, and certainly not a scumbag’s like your client.”

“Ms Jones, it seems you’re getting highly emotional here,” the lawyer retorts, trying to paint me as hysterical.

I shrug. “Does it? Because I feel calm. So, please, ask your next question. I’ve got plenty of answers to give.”

A cloud passes over the man’s face. I glance over at the other desk and Callisto flashes me a thumbs-up.

I won’t hold back a single detail and I’ll make sure the jury feels my statement in their bones. After all, I always promised myself I’d get my revenge on Ray, and I’m not about to break that promise.

Chapter fifty-three

Red

I feel more drained than if the Bitches had sucked all the haze from my glands. For two days we’ve gone back and forth with witnesses, Ray’s lawyer trying to wriggle out through every loophole, presenting me as delusional and Ray as some kind of hero conned into helping me through my heats without knowing about the trafficking. It makes no sense to me, and Callisto agrees.

Now, we wait for the jury.

Callisto slips into the court’s side room and quietly shuts the door behind him. He’s been out consulting with his fellow lawyers, but now he joins us in a side room. He smiles at me tenderly and then holds out his arms. “May I?”

I nod shyly. His refreshing timber scent folds around me, washing away the stale indoor air. For a moment, it feels like I’ve escaped the city altogether. Maybe when I’m rich and famous, I’ll buy us a cabin in the woods somewhere and do my heats there among the trees.

“You were marvelous,” Callisto says, his strong arms squeezing my shoulders before he releases me. “There was nowhere for them to hide.” His gaze drops to my corset, which I wore both days, although now I’ve paired it with a black dress. “And can I just say, this looks stunning on you. Ri-Jones Couture, I assume?”

I grin and pat my waist. “It was like Rickon hugged me the whole time I was on the stand.”

He nods in understanding and reaches out to ruffle Rickon’s hair. “Even better. You spoke so well, Red. I was really impressed.”

I lace my hands together and look down. “Well, turns out no one can tell my story better than me.”

He chuckles and hugs my shoulders again. Feels a bit like he wants to reassure himself I’m really okay.

I glance over at Zack to see if he’s getting mad, but he leans back in his chair, watching Callisto thoughtfully. The feral alpha’s been quieter than I expected, listening and soaking everything in. He might be formulating his questions for later, in the same way he holds back when he’s leashed. My clever alpha.

I drag my gaze back to Callisto, and that’s when I register something lumpy brushing against my shoulder from his arm. “Do you have a bandage on?”

“Ah.” He ducks his head like I’ve caught him doing something naughty. “Yeah, but it’s not an injury. I added to my tattoo.”

“No bloody way,” Rickon cries, jumping to his feet. “Seriously? I want to see it.”

Callisto strokes his fingers down his long sleeves. “I’d have to take my shirt off for that, and I’m not sure Zack would approve.”

A thrill jolts my heart, and Ricky and I exchange loaded glances. Callisto cares about whether or not Zack would get upset.

I plop down in Zack’s lap, and my alpha adjusts his long legs to accommodate me. “Zack, is it okay with you if Callisto takes his shirt off?”

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