Sharkbait

The next morning, after our family cleaned out the hotel breakfast buffet, we arrived back at the Killington Pack for the continuation of the trial. The mood in the hall was different this morning; you could feel the simmering anger. Rapists were the lowest of the low, and finding out what happened to Monique had people on edge.

They wanted blood.

We had to disarm as we headed into the room, walking to the same front corner we’d taken over the day before. The Killington Pack supporters had become far less numerous, and no one sat near the Luna or Traci in the front row. No matter what the verdict was, that Pack would never be the same. “What is happening with Killington,” I asked one fo the Lunas behind us.

“Word is dozens of people have left already for other Packs,” she said. “More are asking about it.”

“Well, the rats who leave a sinking ship are the only ones behaving rationally,” I said.

“We saw the same thing with the Welch Pack after they attacked us,” Mom said. “It all worked out in the end. Sometimes you need a shakeup to get the shapeup.”

At eight, the trial continued. The first person called was Doctor Martinsen. “Doctor, you performed the DNA samples on Miss Monique Robinson and Timothy Lords, and used those to show the paternity of minor child Tyler Robinson?”

“I did,” she said. “I transported them to the lab and watched as they performed the testing.”

“And what were the results?”

She looked down at the paper. “The testing conclusively showed that Miss Robinson and Mister Lords were the biological parents of the minor child.”

There weren’t gasps in the audience, most expected it, including me. It was more growls, at the scientific proof of the rape.

“Is there any possibility it was someone other than Timothy Lords? His father, perhaps?”

“No, sir. The test was conclusively a paternal match.”

“The prosecution enters the results into evidence. Your witness, counselor.”

I bit back a laugh as I looked at Parker Stevenson, the Defense Counsel, who was watching his defense get shredded. Arguing DNA evidence was a loser, and he knew it. “No questions, Mr. Chairman,” he quickly said.

“The prosecution rests, Mr. Chairman.”

Now the fun part. The only chance he had to argue the case was to put Timothy or Theodore on the stand, and no sane person would do that. “The defense rests, Mr. Chairman.”

“Closing statements then, Beta Fenwick.”

“Thank you, Mr. Chairman.” He rose to face the Alphas. “There are facts in this case that are not in dispute. Timothy Lords, the Killington Alpha Heir, repeatedly raped a sixteen-year-old maid. Her departure from the Pack was not recorded with the Council as required. The rape resulted in a child with the Killington Alpha Mantle. After Alpha Theodore’s money wasn’t enough to get the child, he sent a team out at least once with instructions to kill her and her child. Thankfully, this attempt and any others he may have tried failed. The Killington leadership had a problem; their son was in love with his Beta’s daughter, but she was not his mate. If he allowed the mating, their first child would not have the Alpha Mantle, proof of his infidelity, and completely unacceptable to the Alpha.”

Turning to the defense table, he continued. “He needed a baby with a mantle to make up for his son’s lack of character. There was a mantled Alpha female coming of age; she would be at this year’s Summit, and a child with her would carry the mantle. Long before the summit began, plans were in place to capture this female and force her to bear a Killington heir. If Luna’s will had prevailed, Heir Timothy would have claimed Vicki Lawrence, and no one would have known. Instead, he rejected her. Two days later, Vicki was abducted and chained to a wall. A Beta was severely injured in the attack and is now blind.”

“The Beta’s son was to call when she was ovulating, so Timothy could get his mantled heir. The only good part of this story is that the captor gave up when he realized what his leaders had planned for them. That is what happened; it is now that you, Alphas of the jury, need to hold leadership to account. The defense will soon argue that there is no direct evidence of the Alpha ordering the kidnapping. That is true; Beta Max’s death took away that link. However, you are allowed to look at the totality of the evidence. Theodore signed for the money to buy the land where Vicki was held captive. This land had no value beyond its proximity to the Summit and lack of neighbors. Someone told the Doctor, who lied on the stand about paternity, to instruct Todd in taking temperatures. Someone paid for the supplies and the vehicle. Someone let their Beta and his son leave the Summit and covered for them as we searched for her captors. That person was Alpha Theodore.”

Damn. Lawrence was on a roll. “Occam’s Razor is a rule stating the obvious answer is usually the correct one. No one benefitted more from Vicki’s abduction than Alpha Theodore. Beta Max didn’t care; his daughter was going to be Luna regardless.” He turned back to the jury to close. “It is time to close this sad chapter and hold the ringleaders responsible. Bring back guilty verdicts, as is your duty. Thank you.” He returned to his seat, and Parker rose in his place.

“I told you at the start of this trial that theories exist in the absence of proof. You’ve heard a fanciful theory. It’s a story that belongs among the trashy teenage werewolf books on Wattpad.” He turned to the Alphas. “No direct evidence ties Alpha Theodore or Timothy to the kidnapping. Nothing. It’s all smoke and mirrors, and that is NOT enough to meet the standard of your jury decision. What that Beta did to Vicki was horrible, but it was what the Beta did. Both men killed themselves. Don’t allow your thirst for vengeance to cloud your duty to the truth.”

With that, he sat down. “He didn’t mention the rape or the assassination attempt,” I sent to Mom and Adrienne.

“You don’t mention what you can’t get out from under,” Adrienne replied.

Following jury instructions, the Chairman put the trial in recess, pending a verdict. We ended up back in our room, and I pulled out my phone to catch up on emails as I waited. I checked the website and let out a squeal. “We hit $2.54 Million,” I exclaimed. Pulling up the website, I saw the mail-order fundraising split between people buying trackers and people buying posters. “Check this out, Mom,” I said. “I’m glad I let you talk me into the heavy breathing poster. It’s number one.”

“People love a hero,” Mom said.

“With her thong backlit by the sun,” I said with a giggle. I went through the messages and saw one from Mercedes. She was setting up two events and a photoshoot in Hawaii for me; they would fly me first-class to the Island, and leave the return date open. I could bring three guests along; I just needed to tell her the names. It was the vacation I’d promised to Amy, but I didn’t know if she’d be able to go. I forwarded the dates to Kai along with a trial update.

He called me back. “Hey, Vicki. We were just talking about you. I’m putting you on speaker.”

“Hi bestie,” Amy said. “I wish I could see you right now.”

Holy crap, she’s joking? “Me too,” I said. “You’ve missed all the fun. I think Timothy sharted when Monique walked into the room. He’s screwed so bad his lawyer didn’t even try and argue it.”

“And Theodore?”

“I don’t know, but he tried to kill Monique’s son. That’s a big fucking deal, and he knows it.” I needed to change the subject. “How are you feeling?”

“My head feels like it’s been run over by a car,” she said. “The doctors don’t even want me to get my head wet for two more weeks, and it will be months before I’m allowed to swim. They don’t want any pressure on my healing skull.”

“I’m sorry,” I said. “When can you fly?”

“I get out of here in another ten days, and I’ll continue with outpatient treatments at a hospital in Eugene. Mom is going to move out to the University of Oregon condo where Kai lives now. That way, Kai can finish his school, and I can be close to the hospital.”

I checked my schedule. “I’m doing an event at the Oregon Coast Aquarium two weeks from Saturday,” I said. “I’d like you to join me if you can.”

“Why? I look like Frankenstein, and I’m not the famous one,” she protested.

“You’re my friend, and you’re part of my dreams, too,” I replied. “Besides, we’re selling a bunch of those posters with us swimming in the Bahamas. I would love for people to meet you so you can autograph them.”

“We’ll work on her signature,” Kai promised. “If it can happen, we will make it happen.”

“Thank you, Kai.” Someone knocked on the door and told us the verdict was in. “I’ve got to go. Take good care of my swim-buddy,” I said. “I love you, Amy.”

“I love you too, Vicki.” I hung up and powered the phone down as we all got up to head back in.

The Chairman looked to the jury foreman, an Alpha from Alaska. “Has the jury come to a verdict?”

“We have, Mr. Chairman.”

“Very well. We’ll start with Doctor Peter Pendleton. On the charge of perjury, how do you find?”

“Guilty.”

“For defendant Timothy Lords, on the charge of conspiracy to kidnap an Alpha heir, how do you find?”

“Not guilty.” I saw a sigh of relief on the defense side, but it wasn’t over.

“On the charge of rape of an underage female?”

“Guilty.” Good. Timothy was acting tough, but the little bitch knew what this meant, and his balls were probably hiding up his asshole right now.

“For Alpha Theodore Lords, on the charge of conspiracy to kidnap an Alpha heir, how do you find?”

“Guilty.”

“On the charge of attempted murder of an Alpha heir?”

“Guilty.”

The Chairman thanked the jury for their service. “Trial is in recess until 1400, at which time we will reconvene for sentencing and punishment.” He banged the gavel, and we all stood as the Council walked out.

“One great thing about werewolf justice is that it happens fast,” Adrienne said. “The sentences will be carried out before dinnertime.”

“I’d rather not watch,” I said nervously. “But I have to. I need to be able to tell Amy I saw them punished for what they did.”

“You may have to do more than watch,” Adrienne said. “Victims and family members are allowed to participate in the punishment.”

“Monique and Amy aren’t here,” I said. “Both have more of a claim than I do.”

Alpha Steve Dauntless, Alpha Leo, and Alpha Ivan all joined us. “I will claim rights for Amy, as she is in my Pack now,” he said. “You don’t have to do it if you don’t want to.”

“And I will stand in for Monique,” Adrienne said.

“Thank you,” I said. We tried to relax and eat, and I caught up on my messages. Mom and I spent time on my busy travel schedule. I was flying out almost every Friday afternoon and returning Sunday night. On some weekends, I was making four or five aquarium appearances. I was booked solid through May. “Our charity has already raked in our target. Maybe we just call fundraising over soon,” I said.

“Over? Did you say OVER? Nothing is over until WE say it’s over,” Leo said as he stood and gestured wildly. “Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor?” The others in the room all started laughing.

“Unky Leo, the Germans didn’t bomb Pearl Harbor!”

He looked at me like I was the idiot. “It’s a movie quote, Sharkbait. From ‘Animal House’ in 1979.”

I just shook my head. “The movie is more than fifty years old! You can’t expect me to know that!”

He just shook his head. “No appreciation for classic movies or classic rock with these kids,” he said with a shake of his head. “As for the charity, I agree that you need to wrap it up with your project. You’re still doing the show for Shark Week with tagging off Cape Cod this summer, and Bodyglove’s campaign will pick up come summer.”

“Yeah, but Bodyglove pays more than expenses,” I said. I closed my eyes, thinking of all I needed to do. “I also have to figure out where I’m going to school. I thought I was going to Oregon with Amy, but I don’t know if she’s going to follow Kai around for his training. He’s going to move like five times in two years until he gets assigned to a SEAL team.”

“What does your heart say,” Mom asked.

“I want to help Amy, but I don’t know if Kai and Amy want me along for the ride,” I said. “If she doesn’t regain her sight, she’s going to need live-in help that Kai can’t provide.”

“Oregon has online options, especially for the first year,” Alpha Steve said. “Many lectures are online, with exams in person or proctored. That’s what Kai went back to arrange. I was going to suggest that for Amy so she can study at his bases. When Kai deploys overseas, she can return to the Pack and attend classes in person.” It was a lot to think about, but I liked it. “How can I stay with her on a military base?”

“I don’t know,” Steve said. “We will figure it out. You’re welcome at our Pack and to stay at the condo in Eugene to go to school.”

I thought about things as I went through more messages, then it was time. We were all in our places when the Council filed in, looking grim as they stared at the three men chained in silver. The Chairman got right down to business. “Doctor Peter Pendleton, you have been sentenced to twenty lashes.” His knees gave way as the guards grabbed him to hold him up; as a Doctor, he would have seen the results of the punishment. He knew what pain and recovery was in store.

“Alpha Heir Timothy Lords, you are sentenced to castration, then forty lashes. The lashes will occur in groups of twenty with one month between each part of the punishment. Your family will pay restitution to Monique Robinson of two hundred and fifty thousand dollars, plus two thousand dollars a month in child support until Tyler reaches the age of eighteen.”

Timothy looked like he was about to throw up. He should have expected it; rape was punishable by castration, and with her being underage, the lashings were the only punishment short of death.

“Alpha Theodore Lords, you are sentenced to death. Your estate will pay two hundred thousand dollars in restitution to Vicki Lawrence, and one million dollars to Amy Steele. Guards, take them to the Punishment Pole.”

The three men were half-dragged out of the room to their fates. The guards forced Timothy and Theodore to their knees to watch Peter’s punishment. A big guard cut off his shirt and shackled his wrists to a chain coming from the top of the post, leaving him stretched tall. The lashings were brutal, and his screams echoed in the mountain valley.

I stopped watching after ten, watching Timothy instead. He would do this twice, and his face showed his fear. No one would pity a man who would use his strength and position to rape another.

When it was over, his back was raw and bleeding, and he was barely conscious. The guards loaded him on a stretcher, and bearers took him to the infirmary.

A crying and struggling Timothy was dragged to the pole next. He’d pissed his pants in fear, but that didn’t matter as the guards cut his pants off. Luna Adrienne claimed rights in the name of Monique and pulled out a silver-coated knife from the holder on her calf. Doctor Martinsen set up her equipment next to a gurney, ready to stitch the wound closed so he wouldn’t bleed out.

I forced myself to watch. The Doctor washed his groin with Betadyne to help prevent infection, then taped his cock up out of the way. She poured alcohol over Adrienne’s blade, then stepped aside. “For raping my charge, I remove your manhood,” Adrienne said as she gripped his balls and tugged them down. A swift slice, a scream, and he passed out. Guards quickly took him down as Doc held a pad over the wound, then she stitched it up as his mate and parents watched in horror. Traci threw up on the ground as the pain hit her through the bond.

Finally, it was Alpha Theodore’s turn. He said his goodbye to his mate and walked tall to the pole. His hands were secured behind his back so his neck would be open. Alpha Steven claimed the right and pulled out a vicious-looking Bowie knife coated in silver. “Last words?”

“I love you, honey.”

Alpha Steven grabbed his hair and sliced his neck from side to side. Blood sprayed out as he let go; Alpha Steven stepped back and watched as the life drained from his eyes. His mate screamed in agony, first from the injury, then from the loss of her mate. All of the Killington Pack felt the loss of their Alpha’s link, and command of the Pack shifted to his Luna.

“Timothy will be returned to the cells to recover. One month from today, he will be brought out to receive the first twenty lashes. Anyone who interferes in his punishment will share the same punishment.” The Chairman looked around the crowd, his dominance making them all look away. “We are done here.”