“As documented in the affidavit from Mr Rickon Jones, my client had his first conversation about law less than two months ago. He’s learning at an amazing speed, but it isn’t ethical to treat him the same as other alphas who are familiar with society’s norms.”
I glance over at Zack. His eyes narrow as he listens to Callisto. If I had to guess, I’d say Zack doesn’t like his difference pointed out, but he remains quiet. Hopefully, he understands Callisto’s trying to help.
Callisto leans down and spreads a few pages on his desk, and I spot colored highlighter dashes on certain words in his neat dot points as a quick reference system. Callisto’s been studying hard.
Our dashing lawyer continues. “You asked why he isn’t a danger, and it’s because his omega and bonded alpha have been teaching him proper behavior. He needs to be in their company, for everyone’s wellbeing. You’ve seen the sealed case files fromthe OCB, which prove beyond a shadow of doubt that Mr Jones was provoked by external forces. Before that date, he had negligible aggressive behavior.”
The Alpha Lodgings lawyer interrupts. “Two incidents isn’t negligible.”
“Two?” Callisto asks, spinning to face the opposing table.
“Besides his omega’s colleague, he also attacked a woman with a dog outside the designer Sorentito’s store on Fourth Avenue.” The lawyer smirks as he hands a sheet of paper each to Callisto and the judge.
“I object to the wordattacked,” Callisto declares. He glances at the details on the sheet, and over at me.
I beckon him and whisper in his ear. “Zack thought a dog challenged him, and he pulled the leash out of our hands and chased after it. Rickon caught him and made him sit on the ground. Although he roared a bit, he never touched the dog or the owner.”
Callisto nods and turns back to the court. “Mr Jones never laid a hand on anyone that day.” He throws a disarming smile at the opposing lawyer. “He simply got startled by his first sighting of a dog, but obeyed when Mr Rickon Jones and Ms Red Jones asked him to stop and sit down on the ground. I’m so glad opposing counsel brought this up, because it clearly shows Mr Jones was under control the entire time.”
He turns back to the judge. “Your Honor, please place yourself in my client’s shoes. He’d never evenseena dog before, and yet when asked by his pack, he sat down on the pavement to process. This is an alpha showing great restraint.”
Of course, the subject of Zack attacking Sebastien comes up next, but Callisto answers calmly, demonstrating how Sebastien himself understood the situation and took no offense and how Rickon again restrained Zack.
But Alpha Lodgings aren’t giving up. “Your Honor, since Mr Jones arrived in prison, he’s been involved in three separate violent incidents—”
“Allegedly,” Callisto interrupts, looking grim. “All I’m aware of is self-defense.”
The Alpha Lodgings lawyer rises. “We’d like to take this moment to introduce new evidence to the court, which proves Mr Jones is dangerous.”
Tight bands close around my throat. This is the moment our case sinks or swims.
But as the other lawyer steps forward, the man beside him comes into clear view, and I catch a whiff of his scent. The sharp notes in my nose stir a memory. Although I was out of it after Zack bonded me, this guard came to the prison in whatever small town they found us in. While I don’t remember what he said, the prison guard’s voice was always discordant. But why does he seem familiar, and why is that same man here in the courthouse, if he’s from the prison across state?
“Callisto,” I whisper.
He leans over, eyes still on the presenting lawyer.
“That man beside him, he’s familiar. I think he’s from the prison in Darinian.”
Callisto twitches, eyes widening.
Chapter forty-four
Callisto
I focused on Jason Kline, the lawyer from Alpha Lodgings, so much that I didn’t take a second look at the man sitting beside him. Now that Red’s jogged my memory, he sticks out like a sore thumb. Officer McKenna something-or-other; a self-righteous prick with a chip on his shoulder.
And the man who stole him away from the local police station in such a hurry.
I dig my phone out of my pocket and shoot off a text message to Hale to find out why McKenna hates feral alphas, listing a few possibilities to get him started. The door behind me thuds as the paralegal runs out to find a quiet spot to set up his laptop.
I’ll need to stall to give him the opportunity to find something, but the other attorney will give us time by playing the prison footage.
The lawyer throws me a fake smile. “I apologize but the defendant’s counsel hasn’t seen this yet, since Alpha Lodgings barely managed to release the footage in time for this appealhearing. Please note that what you’re about to see has violent content.”
I glance at Red, but she simply sets her jaw and locks her gaze on the big screen. Well, she’s plenty strong, and it’s probably no worse than enduring the violence in the bond the other day.
He presses play, and a prison yard zaps into focus, colors bleached to dull, grayish tones. A circle appears around a man walking around the yard with another alpha. He glances up and around, revealing his face. Zack.
