Trials Ch. 06

The Alpha snarled at Emmett, who immediately dropped his eyes and stepped back.

Lyssa took a deep breath. It was sometimes difficult to think under the Alphas' scrutiny. "I made the decision to remove a threat to my family and my pack." She straightened, looking toward Randall, but not into his eyes. That would be considered a challenge.

As with her mate, she wanted to show confidence in her decision but had to show the proper deference to their Alphas. She knew she had done the right thing.

"Explain."

"Ron Wilson is as much a threat to us as his son. He's a vindictive, bigoted, misogynist. He was mad when Ronnie was sent away for burning my house but he didn't have anyone to punish for it. He considered it a victory when Ronnie won the suit against us when Emmanuel bit him."

"Now, if Ronnie gets sent to prison for killing Jamie..."

"If?"

Lyssa sighed. "We know he killed Jamie but our lawyer has to convince 12 people, humans, that he meant to kill a werewolf, not an animal."

"You have a tape where he confessed."

"That's not a guarantee."

"Enough, Madam Beta. Continue."

"If Ronnie gets sent to prison, his father will target us."

"The human deserves to be punished. Why would his father come after us?"

"Some people think their children can do no wrong. That anything bad that happens is somebody else's fault. Ronnie's father will consider me responsible for Ronnie's problems. The trial, his confinement, and will want to punish me for it. Just like Ronnie did. Like he'll keep doing."

Emotionally drained, Lyssa dropped into a chair and dropped her face into her hands.

Emmett moved forward to squeeze her shoulder, offering comfort.

"Madam Beta. Lyssa. Are you alright?"

She spoke quietly but wolf ears caught it all.

"Sometimes seems that this is my fault."

Ariel turned, the bulge in her belly obviously outlined by the light coming through the window. She spoke gently to their second. "You know better than that." Lyssa glanced up at her, then back down. "Please tell us what happened at the courthouse."

"After Em's testimony, before I had to go up, I wanted to get out for a little bit. So I walked outside. I ran into Ronnie's dad at the corner of the building. We looked at each other and he started in on me. Then he took hold of my arm and started pulling me away."

"He had a weapon?"

"No." Emmett's hand on her shoulder tightened.

"You could have gotten away from him."

She took a deep breath. "Yes." The hand on her shoulder tightened further; she was going to be bruised.

Ariel looked at her mate, the Alpha. [Remember I told you she had a strategic mind when Emmett first brought her to the den?]

The rest waited patiently while the Alphas carried on their private conversation. [She saw an opportunity to remove an enemy.] Ariel nodded.

Randall turned to look at her. "Very well." A pause. "You witness in the human court tomorrow?"

"Yes, Alpha. The police have also asked me to come in this afternoon to talk about my kidnapping."

Randall nodded. "You are dismissed."

Lyssa and Emmett turned and left the office, heading for their suite.

Erich looked at his Alpha. "We're going to be extremely well versed in the workings of the human court system."

"Yes, unfortunately."

Emmett had his mate by the arm as they climbed to their suite on the third floor. Lyssa wanted nothing but to shuck her clothes, shower, and fall into bed for a couple of hours.

Emmett, however, had other things in mind. At the forefront was a renewal of his possession of his mate. The door had barely closed on them when he had her up against the wall.

She twisted her face away from his kiss and tried to wiggle out. "Em, not now. I'm tired and filthy."

He growled at her and took her face, turning it to look at him. "Mine."

Lyssa let out a breath, she wasn't going anywhere until he'd re-established his dominance and claim on his mate. Damned chauvinistic werewolves anyway.

She pushed lightly on his chest and he backed off, briefly, as she worked her zipper. She looked him in the eye as she started to drop her pants. His eyes fairly glowed as he growled at the challenge and ripped her shirt down the middle. Grasping her bra, he ripped that open too.

She'd gotten one leg out of the pants by the time his pants hit the floor. Lyssa squeaked as he grabbed her hips and angled them as he positioned himself for his first thrust. She put her head back against the wall and her hands on his shoulders as he caught her right breast with his teeth and shoved her body upwards with his entrance.

He growled with each thrust, her body sliding up and down the wall. Just as she started to get into it, he stopped. Chocolate eyes peered into her dark ones. [Mate?] She cupped her hands around his face and kissed him. Thus reassured, he resumed pounding her against the wall.

Lyssa locked her ankles around his back and dug her nails into his shoulders. Closing her eyes, she let his scent surround her, concentrating on the sensations.

She felt him then, primed to explode. But his body was tense. He was trying to hold off until she climaxed. It wasn't going to happen anytime soon. His movements were becoming jerky. [Go on, Em. It's OK.] His thrusting slowed. [No, Em. Go ahead. Really.]

So much for pillow talk.

She bucked against him and he finally took the hint, resuming his movements, punctuated with grunts.

Lyssa was an enthusiastic partner in their lovemaking but he was getting little response from her. His thrusts slowed again, stopped, and he put his forehead against hers. She felt his knot begin to deflate. His voice came out roughly. "Don't ever do that to me again."

After a couple of deep breaths, he carried her to the shower. He easily cradled her as he started the water and waited for it to warm. She was quiet, her head against his shoulder, until he turned her under the spray. Water cascaded over her shoulders, ran down her breasts. She took her face in his hands, "I'm really sorry I worried you."

He blew out a breath. "Sweetheart, I understand why you felt you had to do it, but I don't have to like it. Especially since I know you'd do it again." Another breath. "Did you get any sleep?"

"Not much."

"OK." He dropped her feet to the floor and grabbed a washcloth and the soap. Without losing contact, he started soaping up her shoulders, washing arms, hands. Holding her against him, he slowly and carefully washed the front of her body, spun her, and washed her back. With a squeeze and a release, he dropped to his knees and washed the front of her legs, spun her again and washed the backs.

He dropped the washcloth and kissed the tattoo that resided between her belly button and the thatch of her pubic hair - two stars. For her family, she had said.

He laid his head against her belly and held her close.

She stood quietly, waiting.

After a couple of minutes, he stood, turned off the water, and grabbed a towel. He dried her, then himself, and carried her out to the bed.

Emmett tucked her in then slid in behind her, wrapping himself around his mate. She was here, safe, back in their bed. The emotions of the past hours transformed into a profound sense of relief. He listened to her heart rate and breathing slow, as sleep took her.

Lyssa woke, warm, comfortable, surrounded by her mate's arms and scent. And...

She nudged her mate. [Hey, Em. Why do I smell Randall, Erich, and Alex?]

He cracked an eye. [Musta hauled me up here after Randall had me sedated.]

Sedated? Oh, damn. That's right. He had to have been in a state.

He snuggled back up behind her, nose in her hair. She felt the usual result of a relaxed male near wakefulness. But, he tightened his arm around her and she felt him drifting back to sleep. She took a quick look at the time then allowed herself to fall back to sleep, as well.