I glance at Salt. He is still somewhat pale.
"Have you ever had an alpha boyfriend?" the question slips out before I have time to think it through.
Salt snorts. "Are you joking? No! As you can see, being around you is always a threat."
"The eternal dilemma. An alpha man or a bear?"
"I’d choose the bear every time," Salt grimaces. "Can you really blame me?"
I shrug. "I’ll take that hit, even though I’m not one of them. Not one of the bad ones, anyway."
Salt doesn’t comment.
We stand there a little longer, and then three cars pull up. In the first one are two people. Storm is one of them. The other takes me a second to recognize, but then it clicks. The lawyer, Jordan Arnold. I’m genuinely surprised that he even came here. In his condition? Seems like a big deal case.
Mr. Gessler arrives in the second car, parking right next to Storm’s. In the third, the largest vehicle, there’s another man, probably a warden from the Second Chance detention center, along with two beta guards.
Everyone gets out.
Storm helps Jordan out of the car. The lawyer leans slightly on his shoulder, moving toward us, dragging his left leg a bit. The injuries he sustained during the attack on Blue Lowen are clearly more serious than I realized when I’d only seen him on a screen during our online call.
Only now can I confirm that he’s a beta, but very tall for his subgender, actually on the lower end of the typical alpha height range, close to six foot four, and solidly built, which surprises me.
They approach us together. When Storm sees the cut on my brow and the bruises and scratches on Salt’s face, he swears loudly.
"Fuck. How did this even happen?"
Jordan’s mouth twists in displeasure as he turns his gaze to Mr. Gessler.
"This is big. Fate’s Choice is going to file a lawsuit for endangering our ward—" he starts.
"Let’s not escalate things, Mr. Arnold!" Gessler cuts in as the warden also approaches. "This is an internal Second Chance matter. We will handle it with disciplinary action."
"Internal? No, it’s not. This is a criminal offense—" Jordan begins again, but this time I interject, frowning at Mr. Gessler.
"An attempted rape can never be an internal matter!"
Well, I have two years of studying criminal law, so I know a bit about those things.
Gessler snaps his hand up sharply.
"We are taking over from here. And I can promise you, this will be treated with full seriousness."
"I would like to be included in the process," Jordan insists in an icy tone. Fate’s Choice already took a reputation hit after the bombing. They obviously won’t accept another scandal.
Gessler’s jaw tightens. "Fine. You can come with me."
"Wait. What about Salt’s transport?" I need to know.
"We will take him in our vehicle and deliver him to the port," the warden says, his brow deeply furrowed.
"Yeah, sorry, not gonna happen. I’m not taking my eyes off him. Not after this!" I reply, pushing my jaw forward as a low AO sound slips from my throat.
An open claim. On Salt.
I make it so it’s in a frequency that is still audible to a beta ear.
My eyes land on him at the same time, and our gazes meet. I half expect him to laugh or protest, but strangely, he says nothing. It’s as if he allows me to take over decisions regarding his safety. That’s unexpected. Or maybe I’m underestimating what this situation was to him?
