Trials

Dear Readers,

I hope you enjoy this installment of the latest Lyssa and Emmett story.

KemMyst

**********

Lyssa never got a chance to run.

He wheeled right into a shed without slowing down until the last second. He was so close on her side he took the side mirror off.

He slammed the vehicle into park before it had stopped and grabbed her wrist, yanking her across the console and out the driver’s side door. She grabbed at the door and he pulled her off of it. She wasn’t using her full strength against him, not yet. She’d use it to escape if she needed to, if it looked like he might hurt her. But she really wanted the police to find her here.

Ron Sr. dragged her, dead weight, toward the wall where he grabbed ahold of a rope and yanked, pulling open a trap door. This meant he’d planned this. Unless he’d used it before on someone else.

He shoved her into the hole and slammed the cover shut. She heard a bolt slide home.

The drop wasn’t far, but she landed awkwardly, twisting her ankle.

There was no light, but a bit filtered in through a couple of cracks. Enough that she could see a bit of what was down here with wolf eyes. The walls were earthen, with some wood supporting the corners. The floor was packed dirt and the only thing on it was a small bucket. She assumed that was for peeing in.

How long did he plan to keep her here?

Where were the damn cops anyway?

——–

Emmett was fairly vibrating with the tension. Severn hadn’t been able to help much. While they were, many of them, law enforcement, they operated under human law, which meant Lyssa wouldn’t be considered missing yet. They could only watch.

They scouted out the Wilson’s properties, calling out at each one. Caleb found the location. She told him where she was. That she was OK. And to leave her there. To tell Em she loved him and would be home soon.

His mate wasn’t in the den with him; he wouldn’t be able to sleep without her. And he’d have to go back to the damn human courtroom in the morning. The lawyer had told him that, if he didn’t show up, they could throw him in a cell for contempt of court. Whatever the hell that meant.

He’d already beaten up Erich and Alex in practice sparring. Randall had occupied him for a period of time but, even he had had enough after 45 minutes of back and forth pummeling. So, after checking on little Em, he went for a run. He made it twice around the range, interrupting those who were on sweep.

Nothing was making him tired enough that he’d sleep.

[Beta, please come to medical.]

Emmett skidded to a halt, snarling. What in Luna’s name did Natalie want?

Growling, he padded back to the den and down the stairs. As he came through the door he looked at Natalie, one of their healers. He inhaled [What..?]

He registered the chemical smell just before he felt the prick of the needle. He turned, snarling, toward Wade, who was holding a syringe. One step forward, [Hold, Beta!]

His Alpha’s voice commanded him to stop from showing Wade his displeasure, as had happened before. He should have known better; the Alphas had done this to him the last time. And then his brain went fuzzy and he dropped to the floor.

[You need to rest, Beta.]

——-

Lyssa had tried to figure a way out herself. The trapdoor was too high for her to reach. She tried standing on the bucket but it wouldn’t hold her weight. That meant she was pretty well stuck in here until someone got her out. Severn knew where she was which meant Emmett knew she was OK.

But it was dark and damp and she was uncomfortable in human form. It would only be less uncomfortable as wolf but it would be less so she changed. She curled up, the tip of her tail covering her nose. And tried to fall asleep.

——-

Something was wrong. The bed felt wrong. It wasn’t as warm as it should be nor did the mattress tilt slightly, as it usually did. Emmett cracked an eye open. And snarled.

Right. Lyssa. Kidnapped. The trial.

He dragged his hand over his face and growled. [How is my mate?]

[Beta, please come to my office.]

Everyone got out of the way as he stalked to Randall’s office, growling the entire time.

Erich and Madeline were already there with the Alphas. Ross was also there. Emmett growled at him, not understanding his presence. He quailed. “B, B, B, B, Beta…”

“WHAT?!”

Randall stepped between them, drawing the seething Beta’s attention. Emmett ground out, “What is it?”

“There’s evidence that Wilson’s father took your mate.”

“What evidence?”

Ross turned the computer screen around. A video was playing, showing Lyssa in front of the courthouse. Ron, Sr. approached her, grabbed her arm, and led her away. “What is that?”

Erich interjected, “Somebody caught Mr. Wilson taking Lyssa. It’s gone viral.”

Still growling, “OK, what does that mean?”

“My friend, the police now have proof your mate was taken. They will hunt for her now, bring her back to us.”

Emmett stood, lightly furred, claws cutting in to his palms. “When? Is she alright? Have you heard?”

“Nathan is currently at the site and checked in with her a short time ago. She is uncomfortable, but uninjured. We have called the police and they are looking at the surveillance cameras from the courthouse.”

“The trial?”

“Our lawyers are going to ask for a day’s postponement.”

“I need to be there.”

“Paul will drive you as soon as you reassure your pup.”

Emmett blew out a breath. Emmanuel, while he didn’t have full use of the wolves’ mode of communication, may have heard something but would definitely have picked up on the mood of the pack.

[Emmanuel? Where are you?]

“He’s in our suite, Emmett,” Madeline says, quietly. “He was too upset to stay with the other pups and couldn’t wake you up. That scared him so he came to stay with us. He was still asleep when we were called.”

Emmett glared at Randall, who had obviously told Wade, their healer, to sedate him. He turned on a heel and strode to the second Beta’s suite.

Emmanuel was curled up, in wolf form, in the center of the bed. His paws were twitching. A dream.

“Emmanuel? Son?” Emmett approached the bed as little Em gave a particularly violent twitch and woke with a snarl. “Hey, Em.” Little Em launched himself at his father as a small boy. “Daddy!” Emmett held his son close as he sniffled. “Where’s mama?”

“It’s OK, son. She’s OK. She’s trying to catch a bad man.”

“More bad human?”

Emmett gusted a sigh. Little Em knew one of their pack had been killed by a human, had, actually, bitten the man on the Day of Discovery. “Remember the human you bit when you were with mommy?” Little Em nodded. “His daddy is bad, too.”

“Lotsa humans bad.

Emmett held his son more tightly. “Some are, son, but not all. Remember, some of them are helping us.”

Emmanuel examined his father’s face. “OK. When mama come home?”

“I’m going to get her now, son.”

“OK.”

“Give your father a kiss and go find Caroline.”

“OK.” A quick hug and a smooch and he set his son down. Little Em headed out the door.

[Erich. Madeline. Thank you.] [Paul, I’m on my way.]

[Understood, Beta.]

——-

Lyssa saw the barest bit of light in her little dungeon. There wasn’t much room to pace but she was cold and stiff. She stood and stretched. Then, having nothing better to do, curled back up in the warm spot she’d left. [Lyssa, there is a viral video of your abduction. We’re hoping a judge will grant us a warrant shortly.]

[Would be nice to get out of here.]

Footsteps. She backed away from the front edge of the pit. First, it would make it more difficult to see her and, second, it would give her an opportunity to make a possible leap out, if she needed to.

The bolt slid back and the trap door opened minimally. A bottle of water and a piece of meat that was turning dropped in with her. The door was again locked up. She moved closer and sniffed. Only his scent. So, it didn’t look like he had anyone else working with him. That was good. She would, however, need hands to drink the water.

The meat, however, was well past its prime and nothing she’d consider eating, even as wolf. Though some in the pack would still find it palatable, she hadn’t been born wolf and had a lower tolerance for meat that had begun to rot. She dug a small hole in the corner, shoved it in, and covered it up.

Her stomach grumbled in protest. It had been a day since she’d eaten.

She heard the car start and drive off.

The trial. He had to go make an appearance or it would look suspicious. So, that meant it had to be about 8 a.m.

Try to get out again? Or wait for rescue? She knew she couldn’t reach the trapdoor in her human shape; she’d already tried. Could she make some headway as wolf? She was already in that form – what could it hurt?

She was about to find out.

Lyssa knocked over the bucket and nosed it in to place. Although she didn’t have a lot of room to build up speed she started from the opposite end of the pit and launched herself off the bucket toward the corner of the trapdoor…. OW!

Her landing was awkward and she shook her head.

OK, so not a great idea trying to break open a door with your head.

She couldn’t bite it or scratch her way out with her claws. She wasn’t going to be able to twist and get her shoulder against it. Damn. She let out a frustrated whine.

Well. It was wait to be rescued then.

Her independent nature was annoyed by that.

So, now the question was – wolf, or not.

The decision really wasn’t too difficult. It would look worse for him if she appeared as a woman who had been held captive.

How long?

Damn, she wanted out of here. [Em?]

Lyssa got her clothes and began dressing. She was gonna sit on her butt on a cold, hard, dirt floor until they came. [Em?]

[I’m here, Madam Beta.]

[I know. But I want my mate.] OK, she had allowed him to take her but figured she had reason to whine a little.

She hadn’t been away from him this long since, well, since the last time she’d been abducted. That time she had been collateral – she’d just happened to be with Joanna when members of the Ross pack had grabbed her. She had been sedated for 4 days, until she gained enough awareness to be able to startle them so Joanna could escape.

God, how had Joanna been able to stand it?

Bored. Bored, bored, bored. Stressed. Frustrated.

Not enough room even to pace.

Stiff. Cold. Hungry. And starting to feel sorry for herself.

Sleep would make the time pass quicker, but she was too cold and keyed up to get any sleep now.

Damn it. Where were they?

She sat in the corner on the bucket.

[…sa? Mate?]

Lyssa came to attention. [Em?]

[Luna, mate. What were you thinking?]

Relief turned to consternation. He sounded like he was mad at her.

[You’re lucky I can’t get my hands on you right now. Are you alright?]

[Yes.]

[Good, cuz I’m gonna kill you.]

Yep. Mad. Why? Well, she hadn’t told him why she was doing; the opportunity just came up and she went with it. She told him while she was being taken, told him she was OK, kept in contact with the Severn wolves, what…?

[Lyssa?!]

[I love you, too, Em.]

Paul felt the tension drain out of the wolf riding shotgun. He also looked at the damage done to that side of the vehicle. Yes, while werewolves were horribly hard on clothes, they also tended to be hard on the cars. Actually, as Paul considered it, the largest amount of damage to the pack’s fleet had been done by the wolf beside him, their Beta. And, as he thought further, it pretty much had to do with the Beta’s mate.

Emmett had driven one car into a ditch when Lyssa had come into her first heat. Had pretty much shredded the inside of another when they had rescued her the first time she had been kidnapped. Another destroyed when Michael, Ross’ short-lived Alpha, had rammed the SUV the two of them had been in in an attempt to kill them both.

Oh, yes, there was the first time, when they had run from the pack and Emmett was brought back in chains. The Madam Beta had been human then and they had both thought she would be given to another as mate.

And, while he couldn’t lay the blame on the last destroyed vehicle on Emmett, it was when his mate had brought her ex back to the den after he had killed one of their packmates. That time it was Desiree who had clawed open the roof of the car. That was the origin of their current trouble.

He let out a heavy sigh and thought he’d get his son started on replacing the dash.

He felt eyes on him and, while he had Emmet’s attention after that sigh, knew his Beta was having a conversation with his mate.

Paul pulled in behind a Severn vehicle and turned off the ignition.

——-

He had first seen her running down the side of the road in a sleeveless dress that was too big for her. They started spending time together soon after. She had been shy, tentative, a virgin.

They had learned each other’s bodies and she now knew all the places and ways he liked to be touched.

Joanna was currently sucking on his length, fluttering her tongue along the underside, and gently caressing his sack. Nathan’s head was thrown back and his hands on her breasts had stilled, since he no longer had the presence of mind to keep pleasuring her.

Once more up, and back down, and he was done.

Joanna laid her cheek against his thigh, listening to his breathing and heartrate return to normal.

And, even though she shouldn’t, though she should be concentrating on her mate, listening for noise from their daughter, her mind wandered to her friend and what she might be going through.

She knew the last report was that Lyssa was uncomfortable, but OK. But, still, Joanna worried. Humans were excitable and unpredictable. And, a male who would kidnap a female to stop his son from receiving just punishment??

She wouldn’t breathe easy until Lyssa was back in her parents’ pack. In fact, she, herself, hadn’t been back in a while, she needed to go visit.

Nathan pulled her close and kissed her, possibly guessing the reason for her contemplative mood. He kissed the top of her head, “Get our young one off to the teacher. I’ve got to get ready for work.”

Joanna looked up at him, nodded and smacked him on the butt as he headed for the bathroom. She got up, sighing, to fetch their daughter, Lyria.

——-

While Lyssa hadn’t been gone the requisite 24 hours, the video posted to the web convinced a judge to swear out a warrant for Ron Wilson’s property in a search for her.

Ron Wilson, Sr., was taken for questioning when he appeared at the courthouse. He denied knowing anything about Lyssa’s whereabouts, stating that he had gotten her away from the crowds to talk, then went home. He assumed she had gone back to the courthouse.

The trial was suspended for another day.

——-

Where were they? What was taking so long?

Emmett had gotten the news that the warrant had been sworn and was impatiently waiting for the police to come find his mate. The human justice system was horribly confusing; the wolves would have resolved this issue as soon as they had found Ronnie after the killing. They would have tracked him down, having quickly determined who it was by scent, and quickly dispensed their justice. Ronnie woudn’t hurt anyone else in their pack, ever again, that way.

It was about 45 minutes later that police cars showed up.

Emmett got out of the car as soon as they pulled up.

“What are you doing here?”

“Waiting for you to rescue my mate.”

“How do you know she’s here?”

Emmett took a deep breath. Don’t tell them the secret. “Seemed the likeliest location. Her phone was found along the way here.”

The sheriff looked at him, contemplating. There was something else there… but… “Fine. Stay here. We’ll let you know if we find her.”

Impatiently, Emmett watched the four deputies make entrance to the house, guns drawn.

[Why are they going in there?]

[They don’t know where she is so they have to look everywhere. The usual place to start is the house.]

Time passed, slowly.

One of the deputies headed for the outbuildings. A small shed was examined as two more came out of the house. Emmett listened to them call out as they entered the barn.

“Ms. Forrester? Ms. Forrester?”

Emmett heard her voice, faint. “Here! I’m here.”

A bolt drawn, creaking of wood. Scraping. Static from the radios. “Got her.” “No one else here, sir.”

“Are you injured? Do you need medical assistance?”

“No. No, I’m fine. I just want to see my mate and go home.”

“He’s outside. We need to get you checked out by the EMTs and then you can go.”

Lyssa Forrester, dirty, tired, was escorted by two police officers to the road as the ambulance pulled up. “Could I get some water?”

“Of course, hang on.” One of the officers went for the car as Emmett came forward to envelop her in a ferocious embrace.

He took a deep breath, taking in her scent.

Lyssa relaxed into the warmth and safety of his arms. She rested her head against his shoulder. “Sorry,” she said quietly, “I’m sorry.”

[Did he touch you?]

She shook her head against his chest as one of the EMTs came to check her out. “We just want to make sure you’re OK.” They took her vitals and asked after any pain. Given 15 minutes of examination, they released her.

“You’ll need to come down to the station and give a statement.”

“Is this afternoon alright? I’d like to go home and clean up and…”

“Of course, we’ll see you this afternoon.”

——-

Paul started driving them back to the den. He had already relayed the news to the Alphas.

Lyssa was leaning against Emmett and could feel the tension in his body, heard him grind his teeth. “What. Did. You. Do?”

Lyssa took a deep breath and closed her eyes. Oh, he was mad. She didn’t think she’d ever seen him this mad. OK, yeah, maybe that time she ran with little Em. She swallowed, feeling a little sick to her stomach. At least he had his arm around her. “Randall had me sedated. Again. I beat up half the pack. Explain yourself.”

Where to begin?

She twisted slightly, looking up into his face, and placed a hand on his cheek. “I did it for us,” she said, quietly.

He jerked, pulling his gaze from out the window to her face. “What?”

Lyssa blew out a breath and said, “Ronnie’s father is about as dangerous as he is. You saw how he kept looking at me.”

Emmett nodded.

“He’s vindictive. I heard things the couple times we went to his house. I wouldn’t doubt he helped Ronnie with this, had to get the gun to get to him, probably the bullets. When Ronnie gets sentenced, I wouldn’t put it past him to sit out by the road and start picking us off.”

Lyssa felt Emmett’s growl rise in his chest, smelled the beginnings of anger, and some fear.

“I saw the opportunity to catch him, to have him do something stupid.” A pause. An inhale. “I did it for the pack. I did it for us. I did it for you.”

He squeezed her tightly against him. “He could have killed you.”

They sat there, for a bit, her crushed against his side, inhaling each other’s scent, feeling the warmth of the other.

She crawled into his lap, took his face in her hands, and kissed him. [I’m sorry I worried you.]

He broke the kiss, pushed her away a bit, and looked her in the eye. “You’d do it again, wouldn’t you?”

She ducked her head, looking away.

It was answer enough.

Again, a bit of quiet. As they pulled in to the driveway for the den. Emmett said, “I hate human justice.”

Before she could go upstairs and get a shower, Lyssa was called into Randall’s office. She slouched in, grumpy and somewhat cowed.

Their Alpha sat behind his desk; Ariel stood, looking out the window. Erich was standing off to one side.

“Madam Beta, please explain to me why you endangered yourself and caused us worry. Not to mention what you did to our First Beta.”

“Randall…” Emmett stepped forward.