Order of Protection Ch. 01-07

"And I end up with a concussion, dislocated shoulder and bruised wrist?"

"Yeah. I know he feels terrible about it, we all do."

"I'm sorry," I said. "I should have handled it better. It's not the first time some asshole has tried to grope me. I don't like working there, but I need the money, I need a new place to live, I need a lot of stuff." I leaned back against the headrest, my eyes closed. "I can't thank you enough for your help tonight."

The car turned off the road onto a gravel drive, and I looked out as we traveled a mile or so along the driveway before it opened up to a group of houses. They were beautiful, log homes with green roofs, big lawns going to the forest edge which was lit dimly by the outside lights. "Wow, you live here?" He nodded. "My dream home is one of these. I like being close to nature, but I don't get to enough."

His father pulls up next to the second largest house, a two-story home. A woman meets us at the door, she is a striking beauty in her forties, the grey hair just starting to show in her brown hair. "Mom, this is Jessie Donato. Jessie, my mother Abigail."

"Call me Abby," she says as she pulls me into a hug. "Come on, I've got the guest room ready for you. I hear you've had an eventful night." She pulled me away from the men so fast I didn't have a chance to thank them. She opened a door upstairs, it was a nicely decorated room with an attached bath. Abby helped me get undressed, thankfully not commenting on my barely there Hooters uniform. "Try not to move your arm much, you can't wear the sling in there." While I was taking a shower, she went and got some pajamas; well, a pair of shorts and a big T-shirt that said 'Highland Games.' She helped me put my bad arm in, then get the shirt on. It smelled amazing as it went past my face, I had to pull it back up to smell it again. I put my sling on, then she tucked me in to bed.

I fell asleep dreaming of the man who had come to defend me.

Ch. 6

Beta John's POV

The police brought me through a service door, avoiding the crowds and patrons, then led me around to an elevator before taking me in the back of their station. Yep, the mall was so big, the police have their own small facility here, complete with a jail lockup. I was sat on a bench, my cuffs attached to a rail behind me, as the arresting officers completed their report.

I had my passport and other identification with me. "Scottish, huh? What brings you here?"

"Business," I said. I was mad at myself, I was in no mood for small talk, though I would be polite. It wasn't their fault I had lost my control, it was my own. I hadn't had an episode like this since I was a juvenile wolf.

"All right, you were read your rights on the way down the elevator, do you have any questions?"

I thought about it. "I would like to make a phone call to arrange a lawyer," I said. "Where am I to have him meet me?"

"Hennepin County Jail," he said. "The transport van will be here in an hour. You can expect to be processed tonight, but you won't have a court hearing until Monday." Shit. Our flights were on Sunday, looks like I won't be going home with them.

"What am I being charged with?"

"That's up to the county prosecutors, but you have been arrested for multiple counts of felony assault consummated by battery, plus disturbing the peace." I nodded, I expected that. "You better hope that guy makes it, or you could be facing a murder rap."

"What?"

"You beat the living shit out of him, the EMT's taking him to the hospital said he has a fractured jaw and skull." I sat back, the guy didn't deserve to die, but I wasn't exactly in control as I pounded on him. I'd been taught about the mate bond, I'd seen how friends had been affected by it, but only now did I understand the depth of the protective drive it causes. I would have killed him and all his friends if I hadn't been stopped.

I was taken to an interview room, where I was given a phone. I called my Alpha, he answered after one ring. "Esca," he said in his gruff voice.

"Boss, it's John. I fucked up, sir."

"I know you did, son, I'm still here with the others trying to clean up your mess. At least the wings are good," he said. "What do you need?"

"A lawyer for sure, I'm going to be charged with felony assault and battery. I'm being taken to the Hennepin County Jail. They said I can't get a court hearing until Monday."

"Already on it. The St. Croix friends of ours are taking care of it, Patrick's father is taking the lead. You are temporarily under their authority after we return home. You are to follow their instructions as if I was giving them to you, do you understand?"

"Yes boss." There was a pause. "I'm sorry, I lost it tonight."

"No shock it was over a girl. Congratulations, but you sure complicated things with this."

"I did." We talked for a minute more, then he hung up. I was just glad we had an allied Pack nearby to help, so I wasn't left alone. I had no idea how long I would be here, and I was facing years in prison. I called for the officer, a detective came in, and I declined making a statement until I had counsel.

The rest of the night was a blur. I was loaded into a prisoner transport vehicle, taken through inprocessing at the jail where I ended up wearing an orange jumpsuit, and finally found a cot at four in the morning.

Morning count was at six, and you couldn't use your bunks during the day. I didn't talk to the other prisoners, and they left me alone. I was big, and they sensed something wild in me as I kept my wolf forward.

Beta Peter's POV

Lunchtime next day

"Where is this woman," Alpha Stan Larsen asked as the door was opened by his mate Larissa.

"Still sleeping," I replied. "Abigail is staying with her. We had to wake her ever two hours last night for concussion checks, so she probably will be out until this afternoon."

The Alpha nodded and led us to the table where his housekeeper had laid out an early lunch. Patrick was behind me, and Charles was already standing behind a chair. We waited as he pulled the chair out for Larissa, then sat after they did. "Anyone have an idea how a human can be John's mate?"

I shook my head. "No sir. We all smelled her, she's human. I even brought her hand to my nose and took a good sniff, no trace of a wolf at all."

"And John is sure she's his mate?"

"He was sure last night," Patrick said. "He had all the signs, he smelled her as soon as we entered the place. His Alpha heir, Sean, he had to Alpha command him to not react in front of all the humans. I fully expected to find a shewolf in there, we were all shocked when he said it was Jessie." He looked at his Alpha, holding his gaze for a moment. "And there was no doubt as to how his wolf reacted when that man put his hands on her and threatened her. He behaved like a jealous mate who hadn't marked her yet."

"Still, it's impossible to be both human AND her mate. If she's fully human, there's no wolf for his to be bonded to. If she's a wolf, we'd smell it, and she would have reacted to his wolf." Stan just shook his head and took a drink of water. "Anything on her family?"

"We've looked into her mother, nothing unusual there. We found no connections to any known Packs or wolves. Her father, we don't know. She told us in the car that after her mother died, she found adoption papers from Russia. She was brought over when she was only a few months old, her father killed her mother after she was born. She had been raped and went back to claim paternity."

The Alphas looked at each other. "So, it's possible her father was a wolf?"

"Yes, I suppose it's possible, but we all know the results of humans and werewolves mating. They either get the wolf gene, or they don't. There's no 'got a wolf but you can't tell' and I'm telling you, she HAS NO WOLF." I was leaning forward, the Alpha glared at me and I immediately sat back and lowered my eyes.

"Then we need to figure out how his wolf is being fooled. I have a friend in the local coven, I will ask her. I need you two to contact the other Packs, have them search their histories and see if anything like this has been seen before. Keep her name out of it, though."

"Yes sir."

"Keep her close, help where you can. She's important to the Highlands Pack, and I gave their Alpha my word we would keep her safe and help his Beta through this. Transfer other duties as required, this is your priority right now," he said to me.

"I will protect her with my life," I said.

Beta John's POV

On Sunday I was taken to an interview room, and waiting inside was an older man in a nice suit with a briefcase. He was a werewolf. "Sit," he said as I made my way to a chair. "My name is Charles Thompson, I'm a criminal defense lawyer who Beta Peter retained for your representation."

"We can talk freely here?"

"Yes, since you are with counsel they can't listen in or record this conversation. Assume any other conversations are being recorded, including family or friends, and act accordingly." I nodded. "First off, congratulations on finding your mate, even if it is baffling our entire Pack as to how it is even possible."

"Thank you. Is she all right?"

"She had a dislocated shoulder, bruised wrist and a slight concussion, but she will be just fine. Patrick and Peter drove her to the hospital, and convinced her to stay with them. Right now Anne is mothering her, she'll be fine in a few weeks."

"Does she hate me?"

"I don't think so. We're doing what we can to encourage the bond; Patrick is talking you up, trying to explain why you reacted like that. We even had some of your clothes brought over to her, she likes sleeping in your T-shirt, says It is comfy and smells good."

I smiled at that. "All right, where do I sit legally?"

"The County Attorney has filed two counts of felony battery and lesser charges. Honestly, you can't fight this and win. They have security camera video, witnesses, and a victim still in the hospital with serious damage to his face and head. He'll survive, but he won't look the same after this."

"Good. The asshole deserves to suffer for touching her like that."

"In our world, yes, but not among the humans. Now, we can argue Jessie's injuries were accidental as you were trying to protect her, but you ran over and attacked a man, beating him unconscious. I'd like to work towards a plea agreement to lesser charges."

"How?"

"The man was drunk, sexually assaulted a server, and threatened her. We can use that, plus your record and this being a first offense. If you want to get back to her, we take a plea because a trial could take months, and you'd still be found guilty." He sat back as he thought. "What do you want to do about her?"

"Other than grab her and take her home and not let her out of my bed for a week?" Charles just smiled at that. "I want her to know I'm sorry, and I want her taken care of."

"Beta Peter is already started on that, he's paid her medical bills, you will repay him for that." I nodded. "We've done some checking, plus she had some very interesting things to say to Patrick on the way to the hospital." I listened, my wolf howling inside as I heard of her losing her father, and how after she lost her mother this past week, she was broke and soon to be homeless.

"I can't allow her to suffer on my account," I told him as I moved the handcuffs around on my wrists. "There must be something I can do."

"Restitution," Charlie said finally. "As part of the plea deal, I'll propose we give her restitution for her lost time, medical bills, pain and suffering. It would give her money right away she can use to find a new place, while not feeling like it is charity or anything."

"Offer twenty-five thousand American," I said. "That should be enough for her to make a start, while not being so much she disappears on me. My Alpha will transfer the money to you."

"All right. Anything else we need?" He started putting the files back in his briefcase.

"No."

"You need to prepare yourself, John. You're going to do time, maybe serious time. If convicted of a felony, you will be expelled from the country and banned from re-entry. You've made this whole thing very difficult, as somehow you have to convince her to come to you."

I lowered my head, he couldn't make me feel any worse than I already did. "The sooner I start, the sooner I'm done and I can be with her again. Do what you have to do, Mr. Thompson. I'll take the deal." He stood and knocked on the door, the guard let him out.

A few minutes elapsed before he returned for me. "Come on, Pearson," he said after he unlocked my cuffs from the table. I got up and followed him out into the hallway. He paused, looking around making sure no one could see him. "You really beat the shit out of that guy because he pinched a waitress' ass?"

"He threatened her," I said. "I couldn't just sit there while she was scared to death."

He nodded. "Well, word is the guy will be drinking through a straw for the next three months. Good riddance, too. My daughter goes to school there, rumor is he raped a girl last year and got away with it, she was too scared to go to the cops. No one is going to be crying over his face, if you know what I mean." I followed behind him as he led me back to my cell. I went to sleep that night, my thoughts always on her.

Ch. 7

Jessie's POV

I woke up and my body hurt.

My shoulder was throbbing, I held it with my good hand as I laid in the big guest bedroom and just tried to massage it so it would be better. My wrist only hurt when I moved it, so I didn't, leaving it in the sling. My head didn't hurt anymore, that was a good thing.

At least until I sat up, and I started to get a little dizzy. I sat there, waiting for things to settle down, then I looked for the bathroom. I really needed to go.

I got up slowly and went over to the door, flicking on the light. The bathroom wasn't huge, but it was nice; a shower, toilet and six-foot vanity with dual sinks. My pills were by the sink, I took two with a glass of water. I slowly did my business, then went over to wash up. I found a new toothbrush and opened the package, a travel size Crest was next to it. I put some on the toothbrush, then when I went to put the cap on my shoulder had a sharp pain, and I dropped it.

It rolled under the vanity, out of sight. I cursed a little, then got down on my knees. I moved my head down to look for it, balancing on my good hand, when I heard them, the sound coming up through the central heating register under the vanity. "How can she not recognize him?" Abby.

"We don't know. It doesn't matter, John is sure Jessie is his. He won't let her go." Peter.

"He can't do anything now, he's in jail, the idiot. I can't believe he hurt her, even unintentionally."

"I know, he lost control. It's been known to happen." That's what Patrick had said, he lost control, he didn't mean it. "It's only going to get worse until he finally can mate with her."

"She knows nothing of our kind, how is he supposed to convince her that he can be trusted? Much less follow him back to Scotland and be his woman?" Abby sounded distressed by all this.

"He'll probably knock her out, throw her over his shoulder and haul her back to his hut in the Scottish Highlands, handcuffing her to the bed until she is his in every way," Peter said with a laugh. "He won't take no for an answer, he can't. He will have her." Holy shit. My savior, the guy I thought was safe, was a obsessive stalker dude.

"I'm going to check on her, she should be waking soon." I heard her footsteps on the wood floor.

Grabbing the cap, I got back up and started to brush my teeth. As soon as I finished, there was a knock on my door. "Come in," I said.

Abby opened the door, carrying a few clothes in her hands. "I brought you a few clothes, I had one of the girls pick them up this morning." I looked at the clothes, a pair of jean shorts, a print blouse of wildflowers, and new underwear and socks. I checked the tags, my size. "I checked your sizes last night, sorry."

"It's fine, I didn't want to wear my Hooters uniform around your house."

"Are you feeling all right?"

"Much better, thank you." I looked at my sling. "Could you help me dress?"

"Of course, honey." She helped me work the bra and blouse over the sling, then the panties and shorts. "If you're up to it, I saved you some lunch."

I looked at her, I really needed to get home, but I was starving. I hadn't eaten anything since six last night. "All right, but I need to go home after that. I have a lot of things to take care of, and they had done so much already. I followed her down to the large, open plan kitchen with its stainless appliances, cherry and maple cabinets and dark green granite countertops. "I love your kitchen, this granite is amazing," I said as I traced the colors swirling in it.

"Thank you, I fell in love with it and just HAD to have it. Poor Peter, he about shit himself when he got the estimate. There are five price levels, but this was in the 'if you have to ask you can't afford it' group."

I laughed with her, I couldn't imagine having such a nice home. I would be lucky to find a room with three or four other girls. "It's beautiful."

"Thank you." She put a plate down, it had a chicken wrap sandwich and chips on it. I took a bite and moaned in pleasure, it was wonderful. She set a glass of milk in front of me and sat on a barstool across the island from me. "Patrick told me you have to move out of your house," she said softly.

"It was my mother's house, she took out a reverse mortgage to pay her medical bills, and now that she's gone..." I wiped a tear as she reached across and patted my hand. "I have to be out in just over three weeks. I need to find a place."

"I think I can help there," she said. "Our neighbor owns some investment properties, and one of his tenants just got transferred last month and had to move. She still has six months left on her lease, but if I could find another tenant for her, she can save three months rent."

"I don't know if I can swing my own place," I said.

"Nonsense, it's away from the city and it's cozy and affordable. You could stay there the first six months for the price of three." She gave me a rent amount, I was shocked; I was planning to spend nearly that much for a room. "At least take a look at it, it's not far from here and Patrick can show you when he's done working."

"All right." I felt comfortable around Abby, I resolved to do something to thank her family for all their time. "When will Patrick be home from work?"

"Oh, he works from home," she said. "Would you like to see what he does?"

I nodded, and she quickly cleaned up the mess. My shoes were by the front door with all the others, and I put them on as she lead me outside. We went across the road, down a driveway towards what looked like a big pole barn. I could hear dogs, lots of dogs. "Does he raise dogs?"

"Sometimes, but mostly he's a trainer. He and his father are prominent trainers of police, rescue and protection dogs here in the United States. He's quite good at his job."

The barking got louder as I approached. I saw Peter and Patrick in a caged area out front, Patrick was dressed in heavy padding as Peter led a large, black German Shepherd-like dog around in a heel. "That's a big dang dog," I said.

"We find the larger dogs are more intimidating, and better suited to the guard and protection work we specialize in. Most of the police still use German Shepherds, they are a better size for tracking and pursuit. Our clients want something that will stay close and protect them against anything," she told me as we reached the fence. I watched as Patrick pulled a wooden knife out of his belt and approached Peter, holding it in front of him.