Page 85 of The Alpha's Fake Mate
An older Omega walked in, then. I was shocked. He went to a chair by the judge and turned on a computer. I now understood he was the judge’s recorder, but I had no idea he would be an Omega. But of course Omegas lived lives outside farms and group homes. The mated ones had families and even, sometimes, jobs. I should not have been surprised.
Before I could think further on it, the bailiff announced our case.
Justice Powers looked at a small screen to one side, then looked out at us, first at the table to our right, then toward us.
His white brows came together in a fluffy line. “Two claims. One Omega,” he said. “Well, let’s see here. The claim that comes first is usually the winner.”
I heard a chair scrape back. Bosk’s lawyer stood. “Your Honor, my client’s claim supersedes that because of the mate-bond.”
“A mate-bond?” Justice Powers asked. “Why, then, is your Omega claimed by another?”
“The story is a long one, to be sure,” the lawyer said.
“Well, that’s why we’re here.” Justice Powers leaned back and put his hands behind his head. “Do tell.”
It was all going far more casually than I expected. I was both fascinated and horrified that this case was being approached as a run of the mill session, as if a person’s life—mine—was not at stake.
The lawyer for Bosk began to tell, in a long and boring monotone, the story of how Bosk had hired me at Zilly’s and a mate-bond had formed between us during his Burn. He mentioned nothing about Omegas having to gas the room to stop him from killing me. And nothing about my injuries, or Bosk’s untreated, mental aberrations.
Powers glanced at the file, frowning.
Saben took that moment to stand. “Your Honor, if I may.”
Powers held out his hand to quiet him. “You’ll get your side told in a moment.”
He glanced toward Bosk and his lawyer. “I have the blood test right here in the file. You do understand the mate-bonds are rated.”
“Uh, yes, your Honor.”
“There’s a one to ten scale. The ideal, of course, is a ten. If a bond is still forming, or formed under the wrong conditions, or duress, it might be a one or a two. In between are those who are willing but not quite there yet, a still-forming evolution of a relationship our country holds in highest esteem, and a bond that will hopefully last a lifetime.”
Silence.
“This blood test shows a 1.2 mate-bond status.”
“Your Honor,” interrupted the lawyer. “The law still says--”
“Do not lecture me on the law.”
All of a sudden my entire body relaxed from rock hard tension to a release that made it feel like I was taking in air for the first time in hours. I looked at that Alpha judge putting the real facts before him, and realized maybe I had a chance. Maybe.
“Your Honor,” said the lawyer. “The bond to the Omega Holland was formed prior to the claim made by Orion Callahan.”
“But,” said Powers, “the claim to that bond, which I remind you is a 1.2 rating, was made after the first claim of Orion Callahan.”
I heard him mutter under his breath before saying, “Yes.”
“And the Burn has not yet called this Omega to your client’s side.”
“No, sir. He is on medication that temporarily prevents the Burn.”
“That must be some strong medication. Burns are not easily circumvented.”
“It’s all in the report, your Honor.”
Powers seemed to ignore the statement. He shuffled a few papers, then turned his attention onto us.
“I see your client’s claim on this Omega is pre-dated to the claim of Bosk Altimarian.”
