35. Sedrick #2
Wrapped in Phil’s embrace, my pixie rocked Ruthie in his arms, and the soft hum of a song I remembered from my childhood softened the air.
Among that hum was the reassurance that Ruthie was safe, that he had her.
The air surrounding Phil and the children felt heavier but not unwelcome.
Without thought, I reached forward and ran my fingers over Phil’s forehead and down his cheek.
Phil leaned into my touch, a gentle smile softening his features.
Eyelids slipping closed, Phil’s lashes fluttered against my thumb.
“Would you like to concede the case before we waste any of Judge Langley’s time?” Ray asked, disturbing the moment and pulling my hand from Phil’s face.
I thought he was talking to me for a brief second, but that was foolish.
Ray stared at Hamish.
“And why would I want to do that?” Hamish asked, arrogance ringing through the words. Worry was also there, the barest hint that my wolf ears picked up.
“I may not be a fairy,” Mr. Moony stepped forward, placing himself between Peaches and the Belview camp, “but even I can tell what’s going on here.” Mr. Moony inclined his head toward Phil and the kids. “What has already happened.”
“Mr. Moony.” Arie didn’t sound happy to see our vampire guest. “I’m curious what interest my personal, family affairs have to do with the vampire king of the southeast.”
Lucroy Moony’s body was motionless but for the smile that pulled his lips enough to show fang. If the immediate tension in Arie’s body was anything to go by, he understood the slight as it was intended.
“Call it a whim, or perhaps I simply want to show support for my nestmates.”
“ Nestmates ?” Hamish asked.
“Why, yes. Percival Langley, the new judge appointed to your case, is a member of my nest.” Lucroy’s thin eyebrows arched.
“Surely this isn’t a surprise, Mr. McIntyre.
We are on the southeast coast, and as you know, there is only one true nest here.
Percival is hardly a rogue vampire.” Lucroy could out condescend Arie on his worst day.
Hamish grimaced. “I was only commenting on your choice of words, Mr. Moony. I find it interesting that given your position, you regard those under you as nestmates.”
Lucroy shrugged as if the thought was meaningless. “I suppose each of us leads in different manners. Now, my dear Peaches, perhaps we should find appropriate seats so that we might watch the proceedings from the best vantage point possible.”
Peaches’s wings fluttered, shimmering the area in a golden haze.
Without comment, Peaches allowed himself to be led into the pew directly behind Phil and the children.
Peaches situated himself behind Phil, with Lucroy Moony taking up the position nearest the aisle.
Interestingly, it was the same position Dillon had secured.
I ignored the way Peaches leaned over the pew, cooing at Ruthie and touching Phil’s shoulder. The jealously that usually reared its ugly head was absent. I wasn’t sure why, but I was relieved.
“Alpha Belview.”
My wolf roared at that voice. With Phil’s entrance, I’d forgotten that Arie had brought his second, Edward Gerrard, with him.
I’d only seen Edward a handful of times, but I’d heard an earful from Will when he courted and later mated Kelsie.
I trusted my brother’s opinion, and that opinion had not been generous.
Will had never been one to frighten easily.
In some regard, my brother had been more alpha than me.
Will had been fearless. He’d fallen in love with the enemy’s daughter and hadn’t batted an eyelash of regret.
Will had fought for what he wanted and given Arie Belview the one-finger salute in answer to all his strutting and posturing.
Will hadn’t backed down, not once. I’d never heard fear in Will’s voice when he spoke Arie Belview’s name, only disgust. But there was one time I’d heard something in my brother’s tone—something that wasn’t quite fear but wariness.
Or perhaps concern. And that was when he’d spoken of Arie Belview’s second, Edward Gerrard.
Edward wasn’t massive. Perhaps slightly taller than Arie or me.
Edward didn’t hold our bulk. He was whipcord lean, like every muscle in his body was built for purpose and knew it.
His shoulders hunched ever so slightly as if he’d been scolded one too many times never to physically look taller than his alpha.
Edward’s cheeks were hollow, his dusty blond hair near brown, and his eyes so dark they almost looked black.
Edward had a larger-than-average brow that shadowed those dark eyes even further.
The thick, bushy eyebrows added the awning, casting those glinting orbs into even more darkness.
Even half-hidden, Edward’s eyes glinted with intelligence, bordering on madness.
Between the glimpses I’d gotten of Edward over the years and Will’s comments, I often wondered at Arie’s sanity, holding such a powerful creature so close to the vest. The collar Arie Belview had around Edward’s neck was made of tougher stuff than my cloth tie.
For all the world and beyond reason, Edward seemed loyal.
I had no idea why. I didn’t know if it was extortion, or maybe he owed Arie Belview a life debt.
Hell, maybe Edward truly liked and respected his alpha. Stranger things had happened.
Regardless, Edward was an anomaly, something unpredictable, and I didn’t like unpredictable.
In some ways, Arie was the lesser threat.
I had an idea of what he would do—what he could do.
Edward Gerrard was a black hole of unknown, but I got the sneaking, very uncomfortable feeling that he’d do anything and everything he had to for his alpha.
“Take a seat, Edward.” Alpha power clung to the edges of Arie’s voice, but not enough to call him out on his hypocrisy. “I’ve got everything here in hand.”
Edward’s thin gaze flicked first to me and then to Phil and the children. Dillon bared his teeth. Thankfully, Ruthie was still too out of it to react. Edward’s attention lingered a little too long on Phil for my comfort, and I stepped between his visual gaze and my pixie.
With a blink, Edward turned and slunk back to his seat directly behind Arie.
He sat, shoulders still slightly rounded and hands clasped within his lap.
It was a pose of ease, yet every muscle hidden beneath his bespoke suit screamed otherwise.
In that moment, I understood that Edward Gerrard never relaxed.
He was a hardwired spring, ready to push into action with a single command from his alpha.
“You should sit too, Mr. Belview.” Hamish glanced at the clock hanging over the entrance. “The judge will be here any minute.”
Arie flashed fangs at his lawyer, clearly annoyed at having been told what to do. Hamish appeared just as unaffected by Arie’s poor behavior as Ray was with me when I lost my temper.
Tugging at his suit jacket, Arie’s eyes shone amber bright. “Your little pixie trick isn’t as special as you think, Sedrick.” Arie smirked. “False confidence is all his presence has brought you.”
I watched Arie turn and strut away. Internally, I berated myself for listening to his words, yet I couldn’t shake their possible truth.
“Last chance to pull out of this foolish lawsuit, Hamish.” Ray’s confidence didn’t reflect my inner turmoil.
“And what would concession get me?” Hamish ignored my presence. This was fairy lawyer business, and I’d been summarily dismissed.
“In the case of your client, nothing,” Ray said matter-of-factly. “I only offer you the opportunity to preserve your reputation.”
I was amazed to see that Hamish truly contemplated the offer.
Unfortunately, in the end, he didn’t take it.
Oddly enough, though, he sounded grateful.
“A generous offer made on respectful terms. Unfortunately, I must respectfully decline.” With a deferent tilt of his head, Hamish left us to sit beside his client.
Moving closer to Ray, I asked, “What was that about?”
Ray’s response told me nothing. “Fairy business, nothing for a werewolf to concern themselves with.”
I was saved from making a response when the judge’s chamber doors opened, and Judge Percival Langley stepped out.
Vampires were a different type of pale. Phil’s color was milk-white, with shades of blush here and there.
If they hadn’t fed recently, vampire skin looked more like chalk.
If Percival’s skin was anything to go by, he needed to feed, pronto.
Ray and I stood. Arie and Hamish mimicked our motions on the other side of the aisle. Black robes flowing, the judge looked more unnatural than any other species littering the courtroom.
“Be seated.” After we sat, Judge Langley said, “We will now hear the case of Belview vs. Voss over the custody rights of the werewolf children left after the death of William and Kelsie Voss. Mr. McIntyre, you may begin.”