Page 74 of Abel's Omega
Yeah, I needed a cell phone.
CHAPTER FIFTY-TWO
Abel shrugged, trying to settle his suit more comfortably, but there was only so much that could be done to adjust a store-bought suit to fit someone his size. He sat next to Laine and Garrick at their table in the courtroom, fixedly ignoring Orvin and his lawyer at the other table. The courtroom buzzed with conversation. Abel just wished it was over so he could move forward.
“All rise.”
Everyone stood as the judge entered, and then the battle was on.
Laine brought out the police evidence, what little there was, poorly documented and sloppily done. Orvin’s lawyer brought out the current hostilities between the pack and how the police hadn’t been able to find the shifters who had driven the car. Laine countered with the registration of the car, and Mac, Duke, and Abel’s testimony.
Things got really interesting when Jason was called up to testify.
“Your Honor,” Orvin’s lawyer said. “Under pack law, Jason Mercy Hills does not have the legal standing to testify.”
The judge looked down at Laine. “Mr. Montague, is this true?”
“Indeed it is, Your Honor. Under pack law, an omega shifter is not considered to be a person.”
“Really?” The judge appeared to consider this new information. “I have to ask—are we operating under pack law here, or human?”
Laine answered the judge with a straight face. “I believe that is up to you, Your Honor, to decide.”
“I rather believe it is.” He turned to Orvin’s lawyer. “Mr. Gillam, we are in a human court of law. Therefore, human laws prevail. I will permit Mr. Jason Mercy Hills to testify.”
“Your Honor—”
“No, Mr. Gillam. You’re the one who started us all down this path by filing the first case in our judicial system. Learn to live with the consequences of your actions.”
And that was when everything began going their way.
By the end of the day, their quarter of a million penalty had been reduced to fifteen thousand dollars, then further reduced by the value of the car that had been totaled. The sheer amount of sarcasm in the judge’s decision was beautiful, and set a precedent for omegas being considered as people, at least in the human courts.
Abel maintained a calm demeanor until they were out of the courtroom, and then he cut loose. “YES!” He hugged Duke, then Mac, and even Jason, though it was slightly impolite to do so with another shifter’s mate, but this was too big to stand on tradition. And Mac, after a first jerk of startlement, didn’t seem bothered by it. Though maybe Abel shouldn’t have set the precedent—anyone trying to do the same to Bax was at serious risk of body injury.
He had to call Bax. Stepping off to one side and, ignoring the curious and antagonistic stares of the humans around him, he pulled out his cell phone. “Hey, gorgeous.”
“I take it the case went well.”
“It went amazingly. Plan the mating of your dreams, my love.”
“Anything?”
“Aside from flying the whole pack down to Bermuda for a beachside ceremony.” Duke touched his arm and gestured toward the door. Abel nodded, and Duke went to gather the others.
Bax laughed. “I won’t do that.” His voice softened. “When are you coming home?”
Abel glanced around the lobby of the courthouse and found the others waiting in a tight group. A ring of empty space surrounded them as the humans walking past gave the group a wide berth. Abel suppressed a grimace. Superstitious, specist, and resentful were the words that came to mind when he thought of humans. He hoped this article idea of Laine’s helped. “We’re leaving now.”
“I’ll make something for you to eat when you get here, then.”
In the background, Abel could hear Fan trying to get Bax to give him the phone. “Put him on. He sounds excited.” He listened to the sound of Bax coaching Fan on being careful with the phone and then Fan was on.
“Hi, Pap.”
“Hi, Fan.” And he smiled as Fan detailed his day.
CHAPTER FIFTY-THREE
