Trials Ch. 01

As he stepped back a bit, she turned her head to look at him. Eyes, languid, nipples taut. Her voice was lower, husky. "One of us has to change, mate."

He gave her a wolf smile and ran his tongue across his muzzle, over his nose.

Emmett slipped back between her legs and took a deep breath. Her lower lips glistened, covered with her feminine dew.

He licked her again and savored the taste for a moment before he began an assault on her pussy. His rough tongue pressed over her clit. Its muscular length filled her, the slipperiness of his saliva mingling with her wetness. She panted, writhed, and moaned. He knew he had her on the brink when her legs began to shake. So, he pushed her. She opened her mouth on a silent cry before she crashed over the edge.

He gave her a few seconds before pushing her to a second, then a third orgasm.

As her heart hammered and the sweat rose on her body, he shifted. Fingers had much more utility than paws and his cock was aching with the need to be inside her. Emmett crawled up her body with small nips and licks along the way. Milk chocolate eyes gazed into dark brown as he entered her with one smooth thrust. They both groaned. Her muscles twitched around him with the aftershocks.

He set up a punishing pace as she quivered but he couldn't keep it up for long after his treatment of her. It took him almost by surprise, the gush of his seed into her depths.

Emmett dropped to his elbows to keep from crushing her. She smiled up at him as a drop of sweat fell from his nose onto her forehead.

They would be tied for quite a while so he rolled them over so that she was splayed out on his body. After some time to recover they shifted back to wolves and went for a run. They chased a couple of flying insects and shared a rabbit before returning to the den.

The Wyeth business had taken a hit with the revelation of their true nature but seemed to be making some recovery. The pack had tightened their belts for a while, cutting spending on a couple of new vehicles as well as the clothing budget. Food was a large part of their expenditures and costs had risen but they really couldn't cut down on that line item.

But, other things couldn't be cut or delayed, of course, utility bills, insurance on vehicles, taxes, the fact that the roof needed repair. At least, a half-dozen of them could get the roof cleared and re-shingled in a couple of days. Unfortunately, two of the adolescent males got into a lighthearted tussle and a loose bit of shingle resulted in a broken arm. Thankfully, it hadn't been worse.

The prosecuting attorney had met with Lyssa for several hours, in order to get some idea of her relationship with Ronnie and what had happened at the end of it, and after. He also asked her pointed questions about her life with the pack, particularly early on. She got annoyed, after a bit, telling him she hadn't been brainwashed, threatened, or otherwise coerced to join the pack. Of course, things had been a bit complicated at the beginning, but she loved her mate and son.

Mercy, as a minor, was supported by her parents, telling the story in halting answers to questions asked.

In addition, he was taken to the murder site for a look around. Lastly, he asked for pictures of Emmett and Jamie, in wolf form. But the wolves didn't often take pictures, and there had been none of Jamie. Justin, his twin, posed instead. Upon seeing the pictures, the lawyer balked at the obvious differences between the two then recognized that they had to be taken at night.

The jury selection, they were told, was going slowly. Their side wanted people who believed in werewolves, or, at the very least, were sympathetic toward animals. The other side, of course, wanted people with discriminatory tendencies. Who thought werewolves weren't human, which they weren't, but who also thought they were less and not subject to the laws of the land.

Of course, as soon as they got the questionnaires, some in the jury pool were smart enough to figure out that this was the werewolf trial and wanted to be in on it. So, they lied, providing answers they thought would give them a shot at participating.

There were others, of course, who wanted nothing to do with it, wanted to be as far away from it as possible. This group generally had a higher probability of being impartial but most recognized the inevitable fallout of the trial, no matter which way it went. Harassment. Death threats. Vandalism, or worse.

No good could come of being involved.

The lawyers, of course, had different reasons for wanting to be a part of the precedent-setting trial. Publicity for them, and their firms. And money, lots of money.

The prosecuting attorney was getting a pretty big retainer. The council was contributing since it would affect them all. And Ross had set up a GoFundMe page, which was at the $36,000 mark. So far.

The other side, well, Ronnie had no money. But a couple of foundations ponied up a sizable sum and, hey, who didn't want to be the lawyer who got the 'werewolf killer' off. It would be in the law journals and would bring in clients with difficult cases for more money.

After the first day, there were only 10 people who had made the first cut. The next day they garnered 12, and only one had made it to the jury box.

They changed the questionnaire after that, distilled it down to three questions: Do you hunt? Has anyone you've known been murdered? and Do you think that abused women should have a program akin to Witness Protection?

They were going to have to cast a wider net than any normal trial due to the publicity and the nature of the case.

It took three weeks to fill the jury box, and another two to chose alternates. They doubled the number of alternates, just in case. The jury consisted of eight women and four men. Their side grudgingly considered that a good thing. Women tended to be sympathetic, maternal, and fiercely protective of their young.

The judge then declared a week break, since the trial could be expected to go on for weeks. The jurors were cautioned not to talk to their fellows outside of the courtroom, nor were they to speak to friends, family, reporters, or any one representing the other side. They were to report any interference. They nodded grimly before filing out.