Chapter 15 #2
“You’re right, Your Honor, my clients are here without authorization, and they understand there are consequences…”
The prosecutor looks surprised for a moment at how easily Blair had agreed, but he’s immediately suspicious. Blair Shepard doesn’t go down without a fight.
“But there were extenuating circumstances.” She looks over her shoulder at Jay.
This is it. Once again, he’s making decisions that will affect the lives of more than just him, and while he feels excited about it, he can’t help but think Ignatius, Elysia, and Nimue might have felt they didn’t have a choice.
When he looks at his friends, they don’t look nervous. Ignatius has a big grin, and his hand is gripping both his partner and Nimue’s tightly. With a nod, the knot in Jay’s chest loosens. They’re as happy as he is.
There must be something Blair can see on his face, because she continues speaking.
“My clients have recently joined the Rhodes Pack, Your Honor, and the pack has three new children. This is an important time for a pack and—”
Just hearing the words spoken aloud makes Jay’s wolf stand taller.
It’s not common these days, given family units are getting smaller and smaller, but Ignatius and Nimue have been family since the very first moment they were willing to risk their personal safety to train Grayson or protect Jay’s family’s temporary den in Clearwater last winter.
They had even accompanied Grayson home to Nashville officially and stayed several weeks as his magical guardians until they could negotiate Grayson’s transfer to the Guild here.
They have been more family to Jay’s pack than his own parents had been, and when asked, his pack had unanimously agreed they should be honored as Moon Guardians to their daughters and now, Skye.
Henderson is on his feet, anger on his broad face. “Now, wait a minute!”
“Sit down, Counsel, or I will have you removed.” Judge Lee points her finger at the prosecutor before removing her glasses and folding them on her stack of paper. “I’m sure you have the proper paperwork?”
“Yes, Your Honor, it was approved this morning. Judge Mason sends his regards. We requested the pack expansion under Alpha James Rhodes at the same time as the travel request, and it appears that the Were office is more expeditious.”
It had been Blair’s genius regarding the timing, but originally it had been a way to hedge their bets, one layer of protection against just this occurrence. Now, though, it’s exactly as it should be.
Blair pulls a copy of the certificate from the top of her stack of papers and hands it to the court officer.
“Well, this interview is clearly a waste of this court’s time. Were pack law takes precedence over the Interstate travel statutes under the Human-Were Alliance.”
“But that’s ridiculous. These are highly trained Luminaries with skills that—”
“You are out of order, Mr. Henderson. None of the Affinities is deemed a matter of public safety. Were Pack membership is a protected status under the Alliance, with customs involving family dating back beyond our own human ones. If you think our Interstate travel agreement would supersede that, you need a refresher in your Alliance statutes.”
“They clearly manufactured this—”
“I will stop you, Mr. Henderson, before you end up on the wrong side of a courtroom, should Alpha Rhodes take offense. This is not a criminal trial, Counsel. That said, the safety hold on Ignatius Parvolio, Elysia Noctis, and Nimue Wyrd is dismissed,” Judge Lee intones and slams her gavel on the corner of her table.
“Congratulations on your expanded pack status, Alpha Rhodes. I understand that it’s a rare honor.
I expect to see the final documentation within thirty days, Ms. Shepard. ”
She stands, collecting her paperwork and gavel. “And Counsel Henderson, you’ll have that list of those turnaround times before the end of day.”
Judge Lee totters out of the room, and when the door closes quietly, Jay’s wolf can no longer be contained.
No matter that the piece of paper calling his friends “Pack” was a last resort, he still feels it like the bond is intended to be.
He’s across the room with Nimue under one arm and Ignatius under the other.
Before Ignatius can begin talking about how their plan worked, Blair and Antonio usher them out of the room and down the hall.
“Let’s talk outside for privacy,” Antonio says. He tosses a careless wave over his shoulder at Henderson before ushering Leo out by the arm.
The doors of the Guarda open, and the city rushes back in all at once. Sunlight spills across the sidewalk, bright enough that Jay has to blink, his eyes aching slightly as his wolf exhales for the first time since Leo slid into the nest room hours ago.
A bus sighs as it pulls away from the curb. Someone honks at a pedestrian crossing against the light, but the world is moving forward, utterly indifferent to how Jay’s life has changed momentously yet again.
Beside him, Ignatius inhales deeply, shoulders lifting, and then he stretches with a theatrical groan that makes his bright yellow waistcoat pull tight across his belly. “Ah. Freedom at last. I had almost forgotten what fresh air felt like.”
Elysia lets out a quiet laugh beside him, twirling a braid between her fingertips. “You were inside for eight hours.”
“Yes, but they were very intense hours.”
Jay doesn’t know what to say. He clears his throat, suddenly aware of the open sky above them and the city moving on around their small, impossible knot of people.
“I know the paperwork’s done,” he says, voice steady even as his wolf stands straighter. “But I didn’t want to leave this unsaid.”
He looks at Ignatius first, then Nimue, then Elysia.
“You’re ours now. Not because of law or necessity. Because we chose you. Because you chose us.” His mouth tilts into a soft, almost shy smile. “Welcome to the pack.”
“Oh, my dear boy,” Ignatius says warmly. “We are fortunate to be included in your family. We’ve grown quite fond, as you know. Another new adventure.” He turns his head toward Elysia, already half-distracted. “Don’t you think, Elys—?”
He trails off, attention caught by a chipmunk perched boldly on the stone planter beside the steps, tiny paws tucked neatly to its chest as it stares back at him with equal curiosity.
Elysia doesn’t look away from Jay. Her gaze is steady, sincere, and full of quiet understanding.
“It’s an honor to be part of your family, Alpha,” she says softly. “Thank you.”
She reaches out without looking and catches Ignatius by the sleeve just as he starts to wander off after the rodent.
Nimue’s chuckle is low and fond. “Thank you for welcoming me into your pack. I won’t take the honor lightly.”
The word lands deep, settling somewhere behind Jay’s sternum where doubt usually lives. He has carried leadership like a weight for so long that he sometimes forgets it can also be an invitation. He’s always surprised that people can say yes to him, not because they must, but because they want to.
Leo’s hand finds Jay’s back, warm and familiar through his jacket. His scent is warm with relief, cinnamon, and comfort, his cheeks pink with happiness.