All Novel Sweet
9
The next part was a blur. Peter said a command, and let the leash go. The dog leaped up, his teeth grabbing Patrick’s padded wrist and forced the knife to be dropped. His weight knocked him to his knee, and the dog continued to attack until Peter said another command. The dog instantly let go, then returned to his side and sat down. “Wow,” I said. “They are VERY well trained.”
“Indeed. It takes about a year of daily work to get them to this point. Razor there, he’s about to graduate. He’ll fetch fifty thousand dollars, he’s already been purchased by an executive in Colorado.”
Wow. That was as much as it cost to send me to college for four years! I was watching them, Peter led Razor back inside and Patrick started pulling off all the padding he was wearing. “Patrick, would you mind giving Jessie a tour? And when you’re done, can you take her to look at the old Petersen cabin?”
“Sure, Mom. She can help me socialize the pups,” he said with a smile. He hung the pads up on hooks in a shed, then came out of the fenced area. “You’re looking better, Jessie. Arm feeling all right?”
“Yes, thank you. Still sore, but nothing like last night.” He led me into the big building, showing me the kennel areas and inside training areas, before bringing me into a room with some couches, a television, and a recliner. “Wait here,” he said. A few minutes later, I heard high-pitched yipping as six puppies followed him into the room, intent on the treats he held in his hand. He sat on the floor in front of the couch, and the dogs started piling on him in order to get to his hands. I couldn’t resist the puppies, I slid down next to him and soon the five-pound puppies were playing with me as well. “We do breed promising bloodlines together, but not all the dogs have the right temperament for the training we need to do. We give the others some basic obedience training and sell them. It is important they are socialized, meeting new people and playing in a home environment, so you’re actually helping me by playing with them.”
“They’re so dang cute,” I said as I picked one up and brought him to my face, his little pink tongue licked my nose as he wiggled to get closer.
“They are. I love my job.” We played with them for another thirty minutes, then he took them outside to a fenced area where they were encouraged to go to the bathroom. I smelled like puppy by the time he put them away. “Ready to go?”
“Sure,” I said.
“Your keys?” I looked at him like he was crazy. “Those pain pills are strong, you shouldn’t be driving when you are taking them. I’ll drive your car, and my Dad will pick you up at your house later.” I didn’t want to, it was embarrassing… these guys drove nice cars, not a beat-up Ford Focus.
“Don’t scratch my baby,” I said as seriously as I could before I busted out laughing. “You should have seen your face!”
“I was trying to figure out how you’d tell,” he teased as he opened the passenger door for me. Ten minutes later, we had turned off a county road onto a gravel drive and stopped in front of a small cabin. Built of logs, it was like a dream to me.
“Wow, I can’t afford this,” I said.
“Come take a look,” he said as he walked up the three stairs to the front door. The front had a good overhang, and the deck had a hammock and some padded chairs with a table. The door opened to an open-plan design, with a small kitchen and living area ahead. “The bedroom is back here,” he said. It was fully furnished, and the full-size bed and dresser filled much of the room. In the back was a bathroom with an old clawfoot tub/shower, toilet and vanity. It didn’t escape my notice that the tub had a big window by it. “This property has three acres of woods, so you won’t see anything but wildlife around. There isn’t natural gas, there is a propane tank out back, utilities including gas are included in the rental. No cable TV, but there is a satellite dish If you want to hook it up.” There was a small TV on the dresser, and a larger one was in the main area.
It was perfect. “Are you sure? The rent seems low for a place like this.”
He just smiled. “We’re out in the country, rents are much lower here, and you’re getting a deal. You’re a good person, Jessie, we could tell that immediately. You are helping Mr. Larsen out, since now he doesn’t have to go through the hassle of finding a new tenant, and you’re helping the old one out too. Just say you’ll take it and I’ll make sure the paperwork is ready.”
I looked around, it was like a dream for me. A few photos, some decorations, and it would be perfect. I’d find a way to swing the rent, I’d work two jobs if I had to. “I’ll take it,” I said as I hugged him.
He didn’t hug me back, but that was all right.
Charles Thompson, Esq. POV
Three Weeks Later
“Come on, John. Time to head to the courthouse.” Beta John Pearson grabbed his suit jacket and walked ahead of me to the door. He was a big guy, he moved like a warrior, and he was one. He could be really scary, but he was a really nice guy. I should know, he’d stayed with me for the last twenty days after making bail.
He’d surrendered his passport and posted a $50, 000 bond, remanded to my custody. The judge was firm with him; he could have no contact with Jessie Donato or Todd Ruttman, the football player he’d put in the hospital for two weeks. The Order for Protection had been open-ended, it would exist until the judge changed it.
I had received the paperwork for Todd’s lawsuit against John a week ago. He’d asked for a lot but settled for a little. Apparently, he didn’t want all the women we uncovered at his college to testify as to his long record of sexual harassment and assault in a civil case. He settled for $50k to cover his medical bills and to go away.
Personally, I wanted to wait until things settle down then have someone beat the shit out of him again. I was pretty sure I could find a few volunteers, willing to work cheap or for free. Rapists were the lowest of the low, and I was going to make sure this man never victimized the women of that college again.
Jessie had gone even faster; at Abby’s advice, she had retained a lawyer and filed her own suit for injuries. John had immediately settled the case for $50, 000 and medical expenses, leaving her with almost forty grand after attorney’s fees. He was more than happy, he was a wealthy man in his own right, and he saw it as providing for his mate.
We left my Stillwater condominium and hopped into my Mercedes. Law had been good for me, and I had a very successful career in criminal defense. The Highlands Pack was paying the fee for this case, hoping I could move things along and get their Beta back. It wasn’t going to happen anytime soon, not with the plea deal we had just agreed to.
“I wish I didn’t have to take the deal,” John said.
“We’ve been over this. Turn down this deal, and you’re looking at six to twelve months until it goes to trial. A trial which, despite my efforts, you’ll lose because you did it and you’re on video doing it. The whole time, you can’t contact your mate.” I looked over at him, he was staring out the window as we drove towards Highway 36. “You’d be facing a first-degree felony battery count for your assault on Todd, with a MINIMUM sentence of six years. You fractured his jaw, his skull, he almost died. Right now Jessie doesn’t want to press charges, saying it was accidental she was hurt. The County doesn’t need her permission, they could still file third degree assault on you and that could be another year in jail. And no, it doesn’t matter he was drunk and pinching her ass, you didn’t know her, and he wasn’t doing anything that warranted more than the beer she dumped on him.”
He growled a little at me, I ignored it. “The Assistant District Attorney’s offer is good, since you had no prior criminal history and Jessie spoke in your favor in the interview. Six months in jail, out in three on good behavior.”
“And then I get taken to the airport and deported as a convicted felon,” he said. “I may as well be in prison if I can’t be with her.”
“But at least you’d be back home, and you can work from there,” I said. “Look at the bright side, at least you have FOUND your mate. I’m thirty-eight and not even a whiff.”This content © Nôv/elDr(a)m/a.Org.
“You will,” he said. “What people told me about finding their mate, it doesn’t measure up to what it was like. Her smell, it called to me, my wolf and I united on the need to make her mine. Nothing in my life has been like that.” He smiled a bit. “I lost myself just looking into her eyes. I would do anything for her, and I’ve barely spoken to her, only touched her once.”
“You need to keep that under control during the hearing. Not only are there humans around, but you can’t come off as a crazed stalker or the deal could be off. Be polite, direct, accept full responsibility for your actions and follow my instructions and you will be fine.”
“Sure, counselor.” He didn’t say much more as we made our way to the courthouse; we passed through security and took the elevator to the courtroom. We waited outside, and I left him on the seat when I saw ADA Dawkins approaching. An honest but overworked prosecutor, she was willing to deal for first-time offenders.
“Our deal still good,” she asked me as she set her briefcase down by the coffee machine.
“It is.” I bought two cups, handing one to her. “Any way I could get it knocked down to a misdemeanor, same jail time? The felony prevents reentry for him.”
She shook her head no. “The only reason I could sell this to my boss was that he would be deported when he got out.”
“I had to try,” I said as we walked back. I opened the door for her to go up front, while John and I sat in the gallery waiting for our case to be called.
I felt John still, then his hands gripped the arms of his chair so hard the plastic was being dented. “She’s here,” he said.
“Alpha command is still in place, you need to stay in control,” I told him. “Breathe through your mouth, it will help.”
I looked around, Jessie had taken a spot in the back near the deputy stationed there for security reasons. I didn’t like this at all, and frankly I was in a little trouble here. “Anyone close enough to hear me? It’s Charles, I need help!” No answer, I was too far from any Pack members to link. I’d have to do this on my own.
I prayed to Luna our case would be called soon.