Trials Ch. 03

Dear Readers,

OK, a little later with this one than I wanted to be but - be advised, I will finish the story. I dislike stories that just stop as much as you do.

Enjoy,

KemMyst

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The trial loomed large on everyone's minds. It was the biggest trial since OJ and was destined to be precedent setting. The judge forbade the use of cameras; the reporters and the public were not happy. The jurors would be sequestered for the duration, and would not be allowed the use of their cellphones. They weren't happy either. The pack was unhappy; Desiree could spit glass. It was taking forever, months. Within the pack the situation would have been 'resolved' long ago. Alex and Desiree would have had their vengeance, taken out their rage on Ronnie. He would have died bloody and screaming.

Ronnie was not happy. Stuck in an 8 by 10 cell, out for an hour a day. Eating crap. That bitch had led him on. He wished he'd never met her; she was all that had gone wrong in his life.

So who was happy? Bloggers, conspiracy theorists, junior partners. Were lovers. The ACLU. Lyssa. A little. Ronnie would go away forever but Jamie was dead.

Ronnie had been indicted on the charges of manslaughter, assault with a deadly weapon, aggravated assault, gun possession by a felon, and trespassing. He'd already done 4 years for arson since he'd torched Lyssa's house shortly after Emmett had taken her to the den. She'd disappeared and they thought he'd likely killed her but they, of course, had had no evidence.

He was being held in the county jail under half a million dollars bail. He was considered a flight risk. His GoFundMe page had gotten as high as $24,000; not enough to get him out. And, while they were charging a lower rate because of the publicity and groundbreaking nature of the case, the lawyers needed money too. His family had only managed to scrape together enough for a retainer. So, he had languished in jail, awaiting trial.

Because of the disclosures required by both sides they had found out that Ronnie had gotten the gun from a woman named Jenna, who had been in their circle of friends before Lyssa broke up with him. Most of them had been Ronnie's friends, as she hadn't had many, and had sided with him.

Jenna was facing charges as a result.

Analysis of the bullets taken from Mercy and Jamie's body showed them to be of a caliber consistent with the weapon in question and comprised of a silver alloy. That provided the prosecutor with additional 'ammunition.'

The trial started on a Tuesday.

Ronnie, of course, sat at one of the tables before the bench, having been dressed in a pair of black trousers and a dark blue polo shirt.

Desiree and Alex growled at his entrance and watched him with unerring interest.

The lawyers alone sat at the prosecution's table. Mercy was a minor and Alex and Desiree were considered too volatile to sit up front. Lyssa sat beside Desiree, Emmett beside Alex. They would provide restraint, if needed. The Alphas could not be risked here so Emmett, Beta of the pack, could command.

Lyssa looked at the judge, male, on the young side. The prosecutors were generally pleased that the case had been assigned to him. As for the jury, six of the women were in their 50s or older, the other two looked to be in their thirties. The men were younger, in their 30s to 40s. The foreman, fore-woman, had long brown hair with some grey in it, large rimless glasses, a pad in her hand, surveying them with interest. She caught Lyssa's gaze, her eyes flicked to Desiree, and then to Ronnie. She wrote something down. Hmm.

Opening statements then, beginning with the prosecution. The burden of proof was on them, so they started. "Yes, Ron was alone at night on the highway. But why did he leave his car? He was safe there."

It was because he had a personal grudge against a werewolf. Emmett had been there when his girlfriend had kicked him out. Had been there to keep him away from her. Had spirited her away."

And that girlfriend, Lyssa, had become a werewolf, married a werewolf, had a child with him."

Ron was vindictive. Had violent tendencies. Had been convicted of burning down Lyssa's house."

He wanted to get back at her and what better way than to kill her husband?"

He'd even had a gun loaded with silver bullets."

The prosecution would show that Ron Wilson was a spurned lover who, with premeditation and malice aforethought, planned to kill his rival.

The defense came next. Ronnie, having learned about the presence of werewolves and, knowing that his ex was one, was understandably concerned for his welfare. So, he got a gun. A crime, to be sure, but something any reasonable human being might do. Out for a drive, he pulled over, got out to stretch his legs when he was approached by a pair of large wolves.

He defended himself.

Desiree jumped up, growling "Liar!" Lyssa grabbed her arm to keep her from jumping the rail.

The judge called out, "That woman will be removed from the courtroom. The jury is instructed to ignore her outburst."

Lyssa turned to her. "Desiree, you have to leave this room or he'll lock you in a cage."

Desiree growled, low in her chest, "He's lying."

[You need to stop. You can't say these things here.]

[He is. He's lying about Jamie, about Mercy.]

"Bailiff!" Lyssa held a hand up, knowing Desiree was very on edge and liable to snap. The man had his hand on his gun.

"Please, don't grab her. I'll take her out." The judge and staff had been cautioned not to interfere with the wolves unless deadly force was necessary. And, while it was unusual for witnesses to be in the courtroom, concession had been made for the Betas to maintain control of their pack mates but they were only allowed a total of 4 in the room. [Please, Desiree. Don't make things worse. We have to leave the room. They will shoot you.]. The bailiff was breathing quickly, heart pounding, afraid.

Desiree closed her eyes, breathed deeply, and allowed Lyssa to lead her out. She walked stiffly. The bailiff, judge, jurors, and spectators watched curiously. The bailiff faced Emmett and Alex, wary.

Emmett, meanwhile, was having a silent conversation with Alex. While seething, he was outwardly calm. The courtroom watched, but heard nothing and wondered what was going on between them as they seemed so very intent on each other.

The judge gave them a weighty, considered look. "The defense may continue."

The lawyer cleared his throat and backed up. "As I said, he was approached by a pair of wolves. Large. Enormous. He defended himself..."

He went on for some time, feeding fears as reasoning for the shooting. A man alone, on a back road some distance from any houses, watching monsters emerge from the woods. If bears were capable of pulling open car doors and getting into and destroying cabins, who knows what these huge animals would be capable of. They were secretive and hadn't told them everything about themselves. He swung, pointing at Emmett and Alex, and took a deep breath.

Then deflated, he had started down the road of making the prosecution's argument. He took a bit to get back on track and finished up while Lyssa drove Desiree to meet up with Paul, who took her, still growling, back to the den.

Lyssa returned to the courtroom to get Emmett and Alex since opening statements were over and court adjourned for the day. She was most likely to understand what was going on and would need to explain it to the pack.

Court adjourned for the day. The defense would begin their arguments the next day.

The pack's lawyers had a list of the witnesses including Ronnie's father, his previous employer, and some friends. Most concerning, because she was an unknown quantity, was the wolf expert they were calling in.

The pack had wondered why Lyssa wasn't on the list.

The lawyer, Jaffe, explained that was because she would be called by the prosecution and could be cross-examined by them.

Lyssa and Emmett had spent a lot of time with the lawyers, who had questioned them on the breakup, 'disappearance', the burning of her house. Then came discussion of pack life, their 'marriage'. Lyssa and Emmanuel's meeting with him on the Day of Discovery was examined in detail. Along with the trial transcripts for the lawsuit against them. Ronnie'd gotten damages for emotional distress after Emmanuel bit him while defending his mother. That had led to the disclosure that they didn't have the ability to make someone a werewolf when they were in wolven form. While that had lessened anxiety in many, it hadn't eliminated it since it was obvious that they could do it somehow. People were still worried about the presence of these predators in their midst.

Lastly, of course, were questions and examination of the night of the attack. Mercy spent a couple of sessions with them, explaining what had happened to her and Jamie. As a minor, her mother, who was nervous herself in the presence of so many humans, had been with her.

-------

Andrew had pinpointed her haunts. The gym. The bar. Her apartment.

It surprised him that she was here alone, without a pack. But, then again, he was, too. In all actuality, they might be safer scattered as opposed to clustered together in big groups.

There was one thing he hadn't found yet. Where she ran. Where she let her wolf free. While dark alleys and early hours would provide some cover and time, a wolf needed, had to have, wildish places to run. Grasses, bushes, trees. Small animals, and not so small, to hunt. Rain, wind, sunshine. A park. A nature preserve. Something.

She had been normally observant but, as she scented him more often, he noticed her become more vigilant.

Before he spooked her completely, he figure he'd better introduce himself. The question was, where? Certainly not at the apartment - you didn't encroach on another's den uninvited. The gym or the bar? He finally decided on the bar. If he accidentally interrupted her during a fight she'd be pissed.

So, it was a Thursday night when he watched her and a couple of the men walk down the street to the bar, "Don't Fight it." He circled the block twice before going in himself. When he opened the door, all eyes turned to him and he hesitated. Taking a breath, he entered the small place and walked to an empty chair at the back end of the bar that gave him a view of the door and the rest of the space. She was at a small table near the back with her back to the wall.

Out of the corner of his eye he saw her surprise as she scented him. Her eyes went wide as they flicked to him.

Andrew sat calmly, watching the fight on the television, ignoring her and her companions. He would not approach her tonight; he simply wanted to make her aware of him and show that he was not a threat.

Tina was very surprised to see the wolf that had been lurking about her area. She lost focus as she caught his scent when he went by.

"Earth to T. Hey, you know that guy or something?"

"Huh, uh, no. Just reminds me of someone."

"So, you think Jasper's gonna make finals?"

"He's got a good shot. Wanna hit some balls?"

She took a drink and stood. "Sure."

Andrew watched the two of them head for the pool table and calmly finished his beer. Then he threw a couple bills on the bar and quietly walked out. He felt her eyes on him as he left.

He'd made contact, peacefully. The next step would be hers when they met again.

-------

It was amazing how exhausting it was sitting and listening to people testify on Ronnie's behalf. Lyssa groaned as they left the courtroom at the end of the day. Of course, that wasn't all she had done. It had been decided that Desiree wouldn't be back, at least, not that next day. So, while Emmett continued to keep rein on Alex, she ended up babysitting Justin. Justin was justifiably pissed about his brother's death and the fact that the murderer continued to escape justice. He, like his mother, now had little use for human kind.

Thankfully, he didn't yell at the court, but he did fidget, and growl. Ronnie turned around a couple of times and smirked at them. That only ratcheted up the anger of Alex and Justin.

The day was short, as it was a Friday, though it extended until midafternoon.

One of Ronnie's friends, Bob, had testified on Ronnie's behalf today, and approached them as people filed out. Emmett growled as the strange male came close to his mate. Bob sneered at her. "Think you're better than us, don't you?" Lyssa just looked at him, not considering his question worth a reply. "You always had your nose in the air, now you figure you're gonna bury him. For a dog!" Lyssa turned away, taking a step toward Em, Alex, and Justin. Bob grabbed her arm; Emmett turned and snarled. Before he could confront the male, one of the deputies cleared his throat.

"I'd let her go, if I were you." His hand was on his weapon.

Bob dropped her arm and took a step back. "Bitch." She smiled at him, and walked away.

Ron Wilson, Sr. tracked her as she left the building. Lyssa noticed him as they turned to the parking lot. His eyes held controlled rage.

She had only seen him a few times since she and Ronnie hadn't gone together for more than a few months. But he had never seemed to like her and she'd never felt welcome. Ronnie's mother had been better but she had died in the intervening years. Ron was bigger than his son, meatier. He made a more threatening figure.

Lyssa asked for a couple of hours to herself and she ran out tho their cabin.

Emmett and a couple of the males had built it for her, for them. Other couples had asked, and used it, from time to time. But it was still considered theirs.

It was small, about 15 by 25 and had two rooms - the bedroom and a living/sitting room with a little fridge and a two burner camp stove.

She shifted, entered, and leaned back against the closed door, scrubbing her hands over her face. They were only two days in. This was gonna drain the life out of her. She cursed the day she met Ronnie Wilson. She yelled; she screamed; she threw soft things - which didn't satisfy at all.

So she threw herself on the bed and pounded it with her fists. Hmm, Naomi and Gordon had been here. The sheets had been washed but it took some serious washing to remove all traces of some of the other's scents.

After about 45 minutes, she gave up. It wasn't helping. She should have killed him outright. No, she should have given him to Desiree.

By the time she went back, dinner was wrapping up. She grabbed a couple pieces of chicken and a bowl of roasted potatoes and headed up to their suite, intending to vent her frustrations with Em. She popped a couple of chunks of potato in her mouth and chewed. She heard a funny sound as she approached their door. And giggling. Emmanuel giggling hysterically. There was a whiff of...

Lyssa opened the door and took in the tableaux. The sitting area held her mate and their son. An empty casserole dish sat on the table with a couple of spoons. Four brown eyes turned to her as another noise emanated from their direction.

Emmanuel squealed. Emmett had a face split in a somewhat guilty grin. And Lyssa inhaled. "Oh my god! That's disgusting!"

She backed away quickly and heaved the door shut. Another toot and she heard little Em hit the floor, laughing. A malodorous burst followed her into the hall.

As strange as it seemed, little Em liked broccoli, particularly covered in cheese.

However, it gave him gas.

It seemed he and his father had commandeered and eaten an entire casserole of the vegetable. And had since farted their suite into an unlivable space.

[Open the windows and let me know when the air is breathable again.]

Emmett was laughing too hard to answer her; she could hear it through the door. She retreated to the sitting area at the end of the hall on their floor. Taking a deep breath, she sat, putting the food on a small table. She shook her head slightly and chuckled quietly to herself before settling into her meal. Men.

Was there anything from the room that she needed?

She couldn't think of anything and she didn't think she'd be able to sleep in there tonight. Of course, she was very used to sleeping with Em but wasn't sure she'd be able to tolerate lying next to him if he was gonna fart all night. He'd probably object if she tried to sleep somewhere else but...

Popping the last bit of potato into her mouth, she headed for the stairs to take the plates back to the kitchen. Hannah met her on the stair and took the plates from her. "Thank you, Hannah." She turned back around and took two steps up when Paul started down. "What's gone on in your room, Madam Beta? A science experiment gone wrong?"

She gave him a pained smile. "I guess you could say that. It involves my mate, son, and noxious gases."

Paul laughed, shaking his head as he headed off to the garage.

Walking out the front door, she looked to the left. The bunker. Yea, that would be better than any of the common areas. Any of the pack could wander by at any hour. She wouldn't sleep well regardless.

No one was inside the bunker but, because of its construction and purpose, it was a bit cold and bare. She shed her clothes, put on fur, and curled up on a couch, tail over her nose.

It was a couple of hours later, when she was mostly asleep, that the call came [Mate, come to bed.]

[Sleeping.]

[Where are you?]

[Have you gassed the bed?]

A pause. [No.]

[Liar. Where's Em?]

[Went to sleep with the pups.]

Lyssa was tired; she was comfy; she really didn't want to move.

[Mate?]

Sigh. [In the bunker.]

Emmett was a bit surprised at where she'd ended up. But, he was having trouble sleeping without her and, though he really couldn't tell anymore, figured their suite probably still smelled more than she'd like. Sigh.

It didn't seem like she'd be coming back. He'd have to go to her.

The large grey wolf quietly descended the stairs and slipped outside.

Emmett didn't meet his mate outside and tracked her to where she said she'd be; the bunker. The moon was just part full with a few small clouds scudding through the sky. The slight warm breeze carried the scents of growing things, birds, a bold raccoon, and Gordon, who was on patrol.

He nosed the door open and followed her scent to the left. He whuffled in her ear and she growled. [C'mon down here with me.] He was too big to fit on the couch with her.

He saw the glint as she opened one eye to look at him and she sighed. Emmett curled up on the floor and looked up at her. [Sweetheart?] Another sigh.

One paw came off the couch to touch the floor and she yawned in his face. Stretching, she worked her way to the floor and settled within the curve of his body. They fell asleep within moments of each other.

Thankfully, he wasn't too gassy anymore.

-------

They were wakened by three pups darting in, chasing a fourth. They caught him, starting a tumbling, growling ball of fur and teeth.

[OUT!] Emmett commanded, growling.

The pups startled, yelped, and took off.

He went over to the door and pushed it shut. Then, lacking hands, he shoved a table against the door to dissuade entry. Lyssa cracked an eye [Something in mind?]

He made an odd sort of humming sound as he strode over. He licked her forehead a couple of times then nudged her shoulder to roll her to her side. Then, he nosed under her tail and gave her a quick lick.

Mmm. That tongue. But how did she want to receive his attention?

Lyssa stretched, started to shift, and rolled onto her back. She looked over at him with a slight smirk. He sat, looking at her, with his tongue hanging out. Starting at her head, she ran her hands down both sides of her head and around to her chin, pulling down her lower lip with her little fingers. She then arched her neck and brought her fingers down her neck, splaying them over her collarbones. Looking at him again, she closed her eyes and ran those fingers down to her breasts, cupping them, weighing them. She played with the nipples, using her thumbs, her forefingers, the nails, slight pinching and twisting. They stood at attention now.