Page 20 of Tides of Fate (Fated in the Stars #3)

The Were Court is housed in a large building on the opposite side of Lupine Park from the hospital. It comprises three floors, with a detention center in the basement that holds suspects in various stages of trial and sentencing.

Leo has spent many hours in this building, and while it’s not a second home, he knows its nooks and crannies well from his childhood adventures in and out of courtrooms with his father.

It’s an added relief that the courthouse steps are blissfully empty. Still, Leo had half-expected the paparazzi to show up, despite Margot’s team promising that news of the trial hadn’t made the wire yet.

The Rhodes Pack rolls up in the car his father sent, each man in his new suit, and Leo feels blessed knowing they have supportive people in their corner. The warm feeling of gratitude must travel along the bond because Nix hums beside him.

“Hey,” Leo says to Nix, who has had one hand clenched tight around his biceps and the other in Jay’s grip since they got in the car.

He looks beautiful in his slim-fitting suit and Jay’s lucky tie. It didn’t quite match the suit Leo’s mom picked out, but the minute Gideon fastened the tie around his neck, Nix had settled.

Were courthouses, like most formal settings, require people to wear scent blockers, with exceptions for children, pregnant people, and the newly transitioned. But there is not one trace of sweet vanilla inside the car. The control of his omega “powers” is improving every day, and Leo only wishes Nix didn’t have perfect control over the one thing that made his sensitive alphas twitchy .

“Everything’s going to plan. One thing at a time, okay?” Leo squeezes the tiny hand around his arm.

The day was gray, and while it had been raining all morning, it had thankfully stopped by the time they pull up outside. Gideon is the first to exit the car, but he pauses in the doorway, blocking the others from following.

It isn’t long before Finn jabs him in the ass. “Come on, we can’t sit here all afternoon. We’re on the docket for 2:00 p.m., and we still need to meet the prosecution and the others.”

Gideon grunts but steps aside, offering a hand to help Finn and Grayson out of the car. Rowan and Luca follow next, with Luca’s hand tucked into Rowan’s pants pocket for comfort. The gesture wrinkles Rowan’s pristine black suit, but no one would dare say a word because Luca almost didn’t come today. He’d had a terrible night, filled with anxiety that ended in an epic panic attack.

Gideon had finally removed them to his room to sleep—or whatever—around 1:30 a.m.. No one fell back asleep after that, especially after Gideon texted, asking Rowan to join them. It turns out Rowan is acting as Luca’s anchor today, and so far, it’s working for both of them. Luca is subdued but content as long as Rowan is touching him, and it gives Rowan someone else to think about besides Nix and Hayes.

Jay follows, holding Nix’s hand, and Nix pulls Leo out after. They stand huddled together for a minute in the cool afternoon breeze until Jay says, “Okay, Rhodes Pack. Let’s do this, and tonight we can sleep in the nest, knowing he’s going to get what he deserves.”

The change is instantaneous, as Nix appears to lock down any outward emotions. He straightens up, dropping both of his hands and clenching them into loose fists at his sides. He is a sight to behold, and Leo is proud as Nix leads his pack up the steps with purpose. Leo hustles to get the door for him.

“Thank you,” he whispers.

Courthouse security is strict, especially with a high-profile and volatile case on the docket. But once they’re through, the receptionist directs them up to the second floor, where his dad and Erin are waiting, both with encouraging smiles.

“Nix, good afternoon. Thank you for coming early. We have a meeting room prepared,” Erin says, directing them down the hall.

Jay has pulled Leo’s father aside, and Leo is torn between eavesdropping or following his pack, curious about what has Jay worked up and put that look on his father’s face. But Gideon makes the choice for him and takes his hand.

“Come on, Leo, let the big daddies talk.”

It makes Leo’s cheeks flush with both ew and yum responses simultaneously.

“Fuck off ,” he whispers, because he is not getting hard at his father’s workplace, and it just makes Gideon huff a laugh under his breath.

Pink-cheeked and tight-jawed, Erin looks harried and gestures for them to take a seat.

Leo hopes it’s not bad news—at least not already.

“Thank you for coming early,” she says again. “We have been shifted up on the docket, so we are a bit pressed for time.”

There’s a bit of commotion at the news, but Nix sits up straighter in his chair, the picture of prim serenity with his hands folded neatly over each other—ignoring Grayson’s offered hand.

Nix shakes his head. Leo remembers what he said to Nix on their bonding day:

It’s hard to hurt and think of the people we love at the same time.

Anyone who knows what to look for can see the truth—Nix knows he is going to hurt, and he isn’t sure he can be strong enough if he accepts the comfort Grayson is offering.

“I apologize for not calling you sooner, but we were only just notified of the change.”

“Why were we moved up the docket?” Finn asks, jaw clenched in frustration.

Jay follows Antonio into the room and stands behind Nix’s chair while Leo’s father closes the door .

“That’s a good question. We weren’t given a reason, but usually, when there’s a change to the schedule, it’s because the defendant has given just cause or the judges have other commitments. Most likely the former—seems the defendant has had some difficulty settling in,” Leo’s father says with a fleeting smirk before his expression settles into his banal court expression.

“Indeed,” Erin says as she opens her tablet. “Here’s how things will go…”

They spend the next fifteen minutes reviewing the order of proceedings before a uniformed court official knocks on the door.

Erin takes a moment and looks at Nix directly. “Nix, I want you to understand one thing before we go in there: you have done nothing wrong. No matter what happens today, you are not to blame for any of it. Do you understand? You can trust me.”

Nix must see something in her eyes because he sighs and takes a deep breath. “Okay.”

They all shuffle toward the door, Nix in the lead, but when he holds out his arms for his pack, they all cuddle in close. Luca drags Rowan forward like they’re cuffed together, with Finn and Grayson behind, and Gideon pushes Leo in so he can take the rear, facing Jay over everyone’s heads.

“Ready?” Jay whispers.

Nix hums from the center of the pile, and they break apart with lingering hands on his shoulders, back, and—in Jay’s case—his cheek.

“Love you, baby boy. Let’s be done with this.”

Nix finally accepts Grayson’s hand, and together, they follow their legal team out the door and down the hall toward the main courtroom.

The heavy doors remain closed, with a sign outside indicating that the case has been closed to the public. Two guards stand at attention, and as the group approaches, they step aside to open the doors.

Though the case is closed to the public, the courtroom is packed. Leo scans the faces, surprised by the turnout. Some are strangers, but many spark recognition. An older gentleman waves and bows slightly as Nix whispers, “Artem.”

Nearby, a young couple smiles warmly. Nix freezes for a moment before nodding, and Antonio leans in to murmur, “Neighbors from the apartment complex.”

At the back, Leo spots a group of men, including Arlo and his mate, Baz.

Baz throws a cheeky finger-heart, making Leo cough to stifle a laugh, and Finn steps away to greet them briefly, returning to Leo with a grin barely contained.

“The omegas,” Finn whispers. “They came to support Nix. They called a press conference for afterward.”

Nix catches their words, his eyes finding the group. For a moment, he stands still, then presses a hand over his heart in silent acknowledgment.

The row just behind them holds Dr. Riordan Kennedy, Dennie from the ER, and Yasmine, the nurse from the ICU—their presence is a testament to how far Nix’s strength and courage have reached. Even Dr. Spencer, Nix’s endocrinologist, stands beside a woman Leo doesn’t recognize, their small waves warm and encouraging.

But it’s the sight of the family row that sends tears burning behind Leo’s eyes. The far end holds Finn’s parents and two other pack members who helped raise him. Between them are Grayson’s mother and father from Connecticut and Rowan’s mother, who has made the journey from Clarksville. Leo’s moms sit in the last two seats on the aisle.

The row behind the pack is filled with supporters, each one there because Nix needed them—and they answered the call. It’s a testament to how much they are loved.

At the front of the room, behind a short wooden rail, Erin and Leo’s father settle into their seats beside the appointed prosecutor, Darla Davis. She’s young—no older than Jay—but carries herself with a confidence that lives up to her reputation as the “firecracker,” Leo’s father calls her. An alpha, fiercely good at her job, she’s exactly the kind of ally Nix needs today.

Finn leads the pack into their row, Rowan and Luca following close behind. Jay holds Nix’s left hand now, while Grayson remains steady at his right. Gideon stops in the aisle and gestures for Leo to go ahead of him so they can take their places, but Leo resists.

He wonders if Gideon might cause a scene as it’s in his nature to bookend the pack for protection, always vigilant. But after a tense stare-down, Gideon sits beside Jay with a huff, his protective instincts begrudgingly yielding to Leo’s quiet insistence.

Leo intends to be ‘in the way’ should Gideon’s instincts get the better of him. It’s easy to imagine the incensed alpha dragging Leo over the gate.

Just as Nix takes his seat, the side door to the left of the judges’ bench opens.

The tension shifts as a suited man enters, briefcase in one hand, files in the other.

And behind him, led by a guard, is Dawson Hayes.

He isn’t handcuffed, nor is he cowed.

Head held high, as soon as he enters, his eyes go toward Nix…wait, not Nix… but Jay. Hayes couldn’t care less about Nix Rena. It’s Leo’s Alpha who has Hayes’s attention.

Leo shudders when Hayes smiles wider and licks his swollen purple lips. It’s truly grotesque—the sheer evil slithers across the distance, a preternatural offense that takes the tension in the room to an even higher plateau.

Rowan tenses at Nix’s torturer’s obsessive attention on their Alpha, his subsonic growl causing Luca to whimper. But Nix is staring straight ahead, and Jay appears to ignore him completely—that is, if you discount his rigid shoulders and the claws of his left dug into the wood at the edge of his chair.

Guiding his client into his seat, the defense attorney whispers a warning that causes Hayes to subside into his chair and finally look away.

Leo wants to whisper to Gideon about it, but Gideon only has eyes for Hayes.

He tries to figure out what Gideon is looking for—Hayes has had his nose broken in the last twenty-four hours, and both eyes are purplish-black. He also has a cast on his lower right arm, and when he’d entered, he’d had a familiar limp.

Leo recognizes that kind of limp, but at least Leo got his voluntarily—and with pleasure. “What did you do? ”

Gideon plasters the biggest, most sinister smile across his face and, loud enough for everyone in the courtroom to hear, says, “Me? Not a thing. But I’ll tell you this—there’s no way that shit stain got everything he deserved. Not by a long shot.”

Leo isn’t sure, but he thinks he hears his moms hum in agreement from behind him.

Hayes tries to stand as if he’s going to approach them, despite his lawyer’s restraining hand on his arm, but the door on the other side of the room opens.

The three judges are imposing in their court garb, their air of authority unmistakable. Two are in their mid-forties, and the one who will lead the proceedings, Judge Patel, is much, much older.

While Jones and Sanderson are unknown, Leo remembers Judge Patel from cases where his father has been on the other side of the courtroom. She’s considered a Were Constitutional genius, and Antonio once told him they study her in law school. The alpha is the equivalent of a judicial rockstar and, despite her advanced age—or maybe because of it—she “takes no shit” (Leo’s father’s words).

Leo can only guess that’s become even more true.

As far as his father knows, there’s never been a single judicial review in her entire career—a rarity, given the formal nature of Were courtroom culture. Even with her unpredictable reputation, she knows the law.

Leo sees his father relax a bit—last-minute replacements have been known to happen.

“Alright, sit,” Judge Patel says. “This is my show, and I am warning all of you that we will not tolerate any shenanigans, showboating, or monologuing. You’ve already set Judge Jones a-flutter with this schedule change, Mr. Lang, and that puts me off. Judge Sanderson will make sure none of you are expelled because I’m annoyed.”

Gideon coughs to cover his laugh at the idea that Judge Jones could be a-flutter —he’s at least 6’5” and looks like he could bench-press an entire football team. The man in question doesn’t react to Judge Patel’s remarks, most likely because he’s used to them from their long-standing colleague .

“Defendant, please rise and state your name for the court,” Judge Patel says, not even looking up from her perusal of the case documents.

Nix jerks when Hayes stands suddenly, preening under the attention, even if it’s the wrong kind. “Dawson Ulysses Haversham Hayes.”

“You are DUH Hayes?” Judge Patel asks, and she says it duh , not D.U.H.

Leo huffs under his breath, and he’s not the only one holding back a laugh at Hayes’s expense.

“Order,” Judge Jones intones, with a word to his colleague out of the side of his mouth. As Leo expected, Jones is been-there-done-that-have-the-t-shirt-to-prove-it personified.

Judge Patel ignores her colleague and looks over her half-glasses, down her patrician nose. “Dawson Ulysses Haversham Hayes, you have submitted a plea of guilty for the aggravated assault of the human Phoenix Rena. Is this correct?”

Hayes hesitates, pausing for effect—and no doubt to rile up the prosecution with the delay. At this point, he can still deny the confession. Were law allows him to do so right up until the court metes out a verdict, which could alter the burden of proof and drag the case on for days or weeks. It’s the difference between Nix having to testify or not and the possibility has Gideon praying rapidly under his breath.

“Yes,” Hayes states, and the courtroom lets out its collective breath.

“You may be seated,” Judge Patel responds. “Ms. Davis, you have indicted Mr. Hayes with other charges to which the defendant submits a plea of not guilty. We will hear those charges now.”

Leo isn’t exaggerating when he says the whole courtroom braces.

Ms. Davis rises to her feet and faces Hayes. She reads the charges from memory. “Dawson Ulysses Haversham Hayes, in addition to the charge of aggravated assault, the Were Court in the State of Tennessee charges you with attempted murder and seventy-three separate attempts to turn Mr. Rena without his knowledge or consent. There are numerous other charges, but at the behest of the victim’s family, they will not be cited here.

“Your Honors, we submit these charges and are prepared to offer witness testimony in support. Thank you.”

Judge Jones frowns. “Ms. Davis, are you aware that Mr. Hayes is a beta?”

A quiet commotion ripples through the courtroom as the bystanders come to the same realization Leo’s pack had on that first day. Hayes had bitten Nix for fun—repeatedly—knowing he couldn’t change him.

The faint scent of smoke creeps along the row of chairs, a sure sign that Jay is overwhelming his scent patch. If it gets out of hand, the judges could ask him to leave so as not to set off an enigma-induced general panic.

The prosecutor straightens her spine, looks the judge dead in the eye, and says, “We are very aware, Your Honor.”

She offers two folders to a judicial assistant, who conveys them to Judge Jones and Hayes’s attorney. “We submit the enclosed evidence and, as stated, offer testimony from Dr. Riordan Kennedy, Mr. Rena’s trauma surgeon.”

Just knowing what’s in that folder brings all the memories of those tense days at the hospital rushing back, and Leo starts sweating in his new suit.

Riordan stands.

Judge Jones waves him off. “Very well, Dr. Kennedy. Be seated. I am still uncertain as to why you think this grievous assault was made with the intent to turn Mr. Rena.”

Anger starts a slow burn in Leo’s chest. The dissection of the charge is unimportant in the grand scheme of things, given their plans. Dragging it out only makes Leo more worried for his omega, who’s trembling so hard his chair vibrates against the floor.

“Your Honors, the inspectors who conducted the initial interrogation obtained a confession from the defendant admitting to this crime. I have enclosed a copy in the file. Page six.”

All three judges open to page six, but it’s Judge Sanderson who speaks. “He later retracted the confession?” he asks the Defense, his round face creased in a disapproving frown.

Leo decides he hates the weaselly defense attorney in the offensively pale peach suit the minute he opens his mouth to lie.

“Of course, Your Honor. This confession was obtained without legal representation present, and my client was coerced into making this fantastical confession. ”

“Your Honors, Inspectors Reinhardt and Larsen are present in the courtroom and available for testimony. Additionally, there is a video recording of the interrogation, and we enter it into evidence.”

Ms. Davis holds up the USB stick in a plastic evidence bag.

“We object! This is un—”

The judicial assistant moves to intercept it when Judge Patel stops him. “That won’t be necessary. Mr. Lang, you are starting to annoy me. Judge Sanderson, he’s annoying me.”

Judge Sanderson remains unphased by his colleague’s statement, focusing his attention solely on Hayes.

“While the defendant has the right to withdraw his confession when it is obtained without legal counsel, it does not negate the evidence or testimony of investigators,” Judge Patel continues. “Mr. Lang, this is Were Court, not Matlock. Why are you wasting this court’s time?

“It is evident that regardless of his actual ability to turn Mr. Rena, if he believed he could and acted with that belief, then he is guilty. Most especially if he confessed to doing so under caution. Judge Sanderson? Judge Jones?”

“I am inclined to agree, Judge Patel,” Judge Jones says.

“I concur,” Judge Sanderson agrees and bangs his gavel. “Guilty on the charge of attempting to turn Mr. Rena without his knowledge or consent.”

Well, that was almost too easy.

They don’t have long to wait for the reason why. Lang leans over, nodding at whatever Hayes has just said.

“Your Honors. My client maintains he was coerced into doing it through magic.”

The room explodes into disbelief. Judge Patel bangs her gavel so hard that Leo half-expects it to go straight through the bench.

“Order in this courtroom, or I will have you expelled! Order.”

Leo’s mates remain exactly where they are, each of them stone-faced. Nix is paler than snow, his jaw clenched so tightly Leo thinks he hears it crack.

They all know, at least in part, the role magic has played in this story. Hayes’s bruised face is contorted into a grin that can only be called evil. He’s looking right at Jay, who’s fighting against giving him the attention he wants.

Of course, Hayes is talking about the pendant Erin brought the day Nix ended up in a tree. Where it is now, Leo has an idea—but he won’t be offering it up as evidence.

“Your Honors,” Antonio says ( and yes, this is professional Antonio Costas, not Leo’s father). “In partnership with the prosecution, we would like to forgo this line of inquiry and decline to charge the defendant with the supplemental charges previously stated by my colleague.”

This is news to Ms. Davis, who rounds on Antonio in shock. Understandably so—her entire case has been built on Hayes’s violation of the Human-Were Alliance.

Leo sees him mouth words of apology.

Erin stands, and in her hands is the evidence that Nix is an omega. She looks at Nix as if to ask one last time if he’s sure.

Nix stands abruptly, and the courtroom catches its collective breath. Not just because he is beautiful, but because he looks fierce , his mouth set in a firm line.

He turns, scanning the room for the faces of the other omegas. Nix is about to drag them into the spotlight. Even though he has insisted on doing this for himself, letting the chips fall where they may, doing so to the detriment of others isn’t the way Nix moves through life.

“Mr. Rena, please be seated,” Judge Sanderson says kindly.

“Your Honor. I just…I just need a second,” Nix says, as laid bare as it’s possible to be while still fully clothed. “Please.”

The three judges nod in tandem, and Nix gifts them with a small smile.

The entire courtroom turns to see what has Nix’s attention as Arlo stands; his wink makes the corner of Nix’s mouth tick up. Then, one by one, the other omegas rise as well.

Nix whispers, “Okay then,” and nods his permission to Erin. “Thank you, Your Honors. Sorry.”

The stoic Judge Sanderson smiles, and Leo thinks his face might have broken—it’s weirdly lopsided .

“Not at all. Happy to allow it.”

Judge Patel snorts, gaping in surprise at her colleague before shaking her head. “Alright, let’s have it, Ms. Christie.”

“Your Honors, we would like to request that we move to sentencing based on the defendant’s confession and a verdict of guilty for the charge of aggravated assault.” Erin’s voice rings through the courtroom.

“Are you certain, Ms. Christie? Ms. Davis doesn’t look like she concurs,” Judge Jones says.

Leo would guess he’d prefer to hand down a sentence of life imprisonment for the unlawful transition attempts.

Leo’s father leans in, his voice an indistinct murmur as he whispers something into Davis’s ear. She freezes mid-breath, her entire body going rigid. It’s clear she’s fighting the urge to swing around and look at Nix, but somehow, she manages to keep her composure—barely.

In the end, she rises to her feet, her voice clipped and controlled. “The prosecution concurs.” She drops back into her seat, without another word, her expression unreadable.

Judge Jones huffs in disappointment. “As you wish. I announce a verdict of guilty on the aggravated assault only. Fellow Judges?”

Judge Sanderson agrees, but Judge Patel hesitates. “I am loath to allow this lesser charge—and therefore a short sentence, Ms. Christie. Regardless of your request, I move to hand down a verdict of guilty on all charges, including the forced turning.”

Guilty is guilty in Leo’s mind, but that means it’s time for the hard part.

Erin hands the judicial assistant the folders. She waits until they have them in hand before announcing, in a loud, clear voice, “Your Honors, we have enclosed Mr. Rena’s medical information. You will note that Mr. Rena transitioned from human to Were with a secondary gender designation of omega.”

Leo feels hands on his shoulders amid the commotion, and he’d know their comfort anywhere. Out of the corner of his eye, he sees his mates’ parents doing the same—even though they must be just as shocked.

The rest of the courtroom erupts into chaos, the uproar so deafening that even the judges’ gavels and shouts for order are drowned out. The guards are moments away from being summoned when Frankie lets out a piercing whistle that slices through the noise like a blade. Every Were in the room flinches at the painful sound.

For the first time, Hayes shifts his attention to Nix, his head tilting slightly as he regards Leo’s mate. His expression is unsettling, curiosity gleaming in his eyes as though Nix were a particularly fascinating bug pinned under glass.

“Order!” Judge Patel shouts, banging her gavel.

Once the courtroom has settled, all three judges open their folders, and a distinct lull falls over the proceedings as they get up to speed.

“Mr. Costas, this grandstanding has your fingerprints all over it. What do you have to say for yourself?” Judge Sanderson demands.

“Wasn’t me, Your Honor,” Leo’s father says, but Judge Patel just shakes her head.

As much as Leo’s dad knows Judge Patel’s nuances, the same could be said for her knowledge of Antonio Costas.

Erin throws back her shoulders. “Your Honors, enclosed in the folder is Mr. Rena’s medical information. Dr. Riordan and Dr. Spencer are prepared to testify to the enclosed, should you require it.”

Both doctors rise, then resume their seats at Judge Patel’s wave.

“I can see that you have done your due diligence, doctors. Rest assured, we will examine the contents. I, for one, am very interested in this development.” Judge Patel pauses. “Ms. Christie, what is this really in aid of? Surely, it’s more than announcing to the world that Mr. Rena is an omega.”

Judge Patel smiles kindly. “Delightful though that may be.”

Erin clears her throat, and the crowd holds their breath.

“We ask that you consider the Omega Protection Law of 1853 when sentencing. I have included the law library notations for your convenience.” She gestures to the folder.

“Now, wait just a minute,” Lang says rudely. The attorney doesn’t have to know what the law entails to know it’s bad for his client .

The lawyer likely has no idea what the law pertains to and is flipping madly through the information in his folder.

Hayes’s head remains tilted curiously, his gaze locked on Jay once again. It reeks of insanity. Seeing him in person, Leo has to wonder if he really has lost his mind.

Judge Jones levels him with a glare. “Sit down, Mr. Lang. You will address us according to prevailing court etiquette, or your remarks will be expunged from the record, and you will be removed from our court.”

He turns to Erin next. “Ms. Christie, please give this court an overview of the Omega Protection Law precedent as you interpret it.” He leans forward, giving her his undivided attention.

“Thank you, Your Honor. The Omega Protection Law was enacted in 1853 to protect omegas from harm of any kind.” Erin lets the words settle before continuing, “At its core, it states that if a Were harms an omega before or after presentation, the Pack Alpha or their chosen proxy has the right to trial by combat. To the death.”

Erin holds off the commotion in the courtroom with a single raised hand—the universal sign for stop. It’s impressive.

The three judges are speechless. If Leo reads them right, Sanderson and Jones are intrigued, but Patel? She is annoyed at being taken unawares, especially given her area of expertise. Something Leo is sure never happens.

“Be seated. I asked one thing of you today, Ms. Christie, and that was not to annoy me. And look where we are.” Her sigh is put upon . “Let’s put this to rest, and then we can deliberate in chambers. Fellow Judges?”

Jones and Sanderson agree, and Patel continues. “To reiterate our verdict in light of this request—Mr. Hayes, as you have confessed to aggravated assault, and we are unanimous in that verdict: I find you guilty.”

Leo’s heart clenches, eager to be done with at least part of this whole circus act.

Judge Jones says, “I find you guilty.”

Judge Sanderson: “Guilty.”

“Peachy. This court is adjourned for two hours while we deliberate on sentencing. ”

Judge Patel bangs her gavel, and with her robes swirling behind her, she and her colleagues leave the courtroom.