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                The day Scott and Allison were arrested, Stiles stayed home with Derek. He knew it was happening because of course he knew, but he hadn’t wanted anything to do with it. That and he’d also been advised by his lawyer to stay out of it.

                So he and Derek had snuggled on the couch and watched mindless television about park rangers in other states and hadn’t really talked about anything besides what they wanted for dinner.

                They’d found out later that Scott had been cuffed while in the baby section of Walmart with Allison. The alpha had resisted, which wasn’t a good look for him, while the beta had openly started sobbing.

                There were videos of it.

                Of course, there were videos of it.

                Stiles knew that the police who did the arrest were wearing body cameras. And it was Walmart. There were plenty of other shoppers around who more than likely didn’t hesitate to pull out their phones.

                Plenty of people even sent the links or files to Stiles. He very carefully did not watch them and reported it each time it happened to both Mr. Whittemore, his lawyer, and the officer assigned to his case.

                Then he deleted them.

                The only good thing that had come of it was that Mr. Whittemore had called to inform Stiles that since they were arrested late Friday afternoon, their forty-eight hours didn’t end until Tuesday night. Stiles had the weekend to be free of any concerns since both Scott and Allison would spend it in jail.

                He’d been both relieved and not to hear that. Derek had pulled him into his arms and reminded him that he was brave and strong and doing the right thing. If Stiles didn’t say something now, what would happen in the future if Scott and Allison decided they wanted a second child?

                Stiles had taken a deep breath and centered himself. He’d be all of the things Derek thought he was.

XXX

                Stiles took a deep breath as he waited with his lawyer in one of the small rooms off the main hall of the courthouse. They’d had plenty of time to prepare for this day and yet he didn’t feel as though he was ready for it.

                Not because he didn’t want Scott and Allison to face the consequences of their actions but because this trial would make everything public. Everyone, who bothered to pay attention, would know what happened to him. Being the son of the Sheriff meant that everyone in the town already knew about the trial and would definitely be awaiting the results.

                That and it was a case of a best friend turned worst enemy. Stiles’s lawyer had assured him that people would be following it all across the country just because of that.

                “Stiles? Are you ready to go in?”

                Jerking his head up, Stiles tried to stop bouncing his knee. He swallowed hard as he met Mr. Whittemore’s gaze. “Is it time?”

                His lawyer nodded. “We should take our seats before they bring in McCall and Argent. It’ll be easier for you to walk up to your seat if you don’t have to feel them glaring at you the whole way. You want to walk in there confidently and show everyone in attendance that this isn’t some petty squabble.”

                Stiles nodded before pushing himself to stand. His knees felt weak and his suit felt wrong on his skin. Derek and his father had both reassured him that he looked good, but Stiles felt like a kid playing dress up. He felt like he was going to vibrate out of his skin. “Does it get easier?”

                “Does what get easier?” Mr. Whittemore asked gently.

                For being Jackson’s father, he was a much nicer man than his son. Yet still a brutal lawyer.

                “Going in there? Facing them?”

                Mr. Whittemore was careful not to put a hand on Stiles. He usually refrained from touching his clients outside of a handshake in greeting or parting, but always with the omegas he kept his hands firmly to himself. “Yes and no. You’ll find the room is less daunting each time you go in, but I know it never gets easier facing the people who have wronged you when it’s something like this.”

                Stiles winced but nodded. “Okay.”

                “Today won’t take very long, Stiles. I know we’ve gone over the process, but I’ll remind you again. Today is for reading the charges and setting the trial schedule in full. The judge will hear from both me and McCall and Argent’s lawyer before asking McCall and Argent how they plead. You won’t have to do anything, but I do want to remind you that everyone will be watching your reaction.”

                “Yes,” Stiles said as he ran a hand over his short hair. He was slowly growing it out so he wasn’t too worried about it looking messy. “You said that there will be reporters in the courtroom watching everything I do. I should keep my face calm but not emotionless.”

                Mr. Whittemore smiled as he nodded. “Leave the dramatic reactions to the defendants. Guilty people are the ones who overreact. Are you ready?”

                “As I’ll ever be,” Stiles sighed as he stepped toward the door. “The sooner we can get this process started the sooner we can have the verdict and be done.”

                Mr. Whittemore nodded again but didn’t say anything else as he held open the door. There were already people waiting for Stiles in the hallway. He’d known the arraignment was going to get a lot of attention and that the trial would get even more, but it was always jarring to see how many people were desperate for a story they thought they could sell well. Never mind that this was someone’s life.

                Stiles silently followed his lawyer through the people taking pictures and calling out questions. He’d passed most of them earlier when he’d entered the courthouse but it still shook him up to see them all. At least they wouldn’t be able to act that way in the courtroom.

                When Mr. Whittemore opened the door to the courtroom they’d be meeting in that day, Stiles felt his eyes widen. The benches were packed with people. Some were people he didn’t know, which he figured meant they were reporters or worked somehow for the court.

                But a lot of people he did know.

                Stiles scanned their faces as he started down the aisle. Some of them were people he’d gone to high school with. Some were just people he knew from around town and from being the sheriff’s son. There was a whole section of Hale’s somewhere around the middle that he’d met only a few days before but had shown up in droves to support him.

                Stiles stopped paying attention after his eyes caught on Derek waiting for him up at the front. He couldn’t sit next to Stiles and Mr. Whittemore at their little table, but he was in the first chair behind where Stiles would sit.

                Derek did not smile. Stiles was sort of relieved that he looked so serious. His alpha was there and ready to protect him.

                It helped that his dad was standing right next to Derek in full uniform.

                Stiles took his seat and faced the empty chair at the front where the judge would sit. He didn’t move as Mr. Whittemore sat next to him.

                “Stiles, they’re going to bring them in now. Calm and collected.”

                “But not emotionless,” Stiles quietly replied.

                He knew it was part of the process but still didn’t like the idea of having to see Scott and Allison be brought in. It helped to know they’d be cuffed the entire time and that there’d be plenty of people between them and him.

                Then he felt and heard Derek rumble reassuringly behind him and relaxed his hunched shoulders ever so slightly.

                A murmur rose through the crowd when a separate door was opened and a police officer walked through leading Scott by his cuffs. Allison followed with her officer as they were led to a box that contained their seats on the other side of the room. Their movements were hindered greatly by their chains, which made them shuffle.

                Stiles braced himself before he looked at them. He wasn’t surprised to see Allison staring defiantly out at the crowd. She looked as though she couldn’t believe that she was being made to waste her time with something so meaningless.

                Scott looked as if he was a little bored. Stiles knew him almost as well as he knew himself. He knew that Scott didn’t believe he was in any actual trouble and was just going through the motions to appease everyone so he could go right back to doing whatever he wanted.

                Both reactions made Stiles’s resolve harden. He looked at them and made sure that his hurt was showing on his face and in his scent but kept himself calm and collected just as they’d talked about.

                “All rise for the honorable Judge Saunders.”

                The courtroom was filled with a flurry of activity as everyone quickly got to their feet as yet another door opened to allow the judge to enter.

                “You can be seated.”

                Stiles sank back down into his chair as he studied the judge. She was an older beta with a no-nonsense air about her. Mr. Whittemore had been pleased that they’d fallen on her schedule.

                “Is everyone present?” The judge asked as she looked up from her papers.

                “They are,” The bailiff replied.

                “Good, I see that Mr. Whittemore is before me once again.”

                “Good morning, Judge Saunders,” Mr. Whittemore said as he stood. “Do you have the charges as I sent them to you?”

                She shuffled a few more papers. “Yes, yes. I’ve got them here. Are the defendants ready to hear the charges brought against them?”

                “We are, Your Honor,” a calm voice said from across the aisle.

                Stiles hadn’t paid any attention to the lawyer who had come in with Scott and Allison. He wasn’t surprised to see that she was well put together and had the same demeanor as Mr. Whittemore. The Argent’s had money. He wasn’t surprised that they could afford such a high-end lawyer.

                The judge looked at Scott and Allison over the top of her reading glasses. “All right then. Will the defendants please rise?”

                Keeping his eyes on the judge, Stiles ignored the almost silence within the courtroom. It was so quiet that he could hear the way their chains jingled as Scott and Allison both got back to their feet. He could feel many different pairs of eyes watching him. The scrutiny made him want to curl up and hide but he kept his back straight and his eyes forward.

                “You are before me today,” the judge started as she looked at the two defendants. “On charges that this nation does not take lightly. From the evidence submitted, I agree with the charges that Mr. Whittemore has requested on behalf of his client, Mr. Stilinski.”

                She paused then. Stiles watched her as she looked back down at the papers with a grim face before looking up to meet his gaze. He tried his best to remind himself to remain calm and collected. A rumble from Derek had him taking a deep breath.

                Judge Saunders studied the omega for a moment longer before turning to look at the alpha and beta once more. “Mr. McCall, you are being charged as follows: One count of Omega Endangerment, two counts of Endangerment of an Omega during Heat, three counts of Neglect of an Omega during Heat, and one count of Abuse of an Omega during Heat. How do you plead?”

                Scott didn’t look away from the judge as she read the list of charges. He kept his shoulders squared and scoffed as she finished reading them. “Not guilty.”

                Mr. Whittemore had warned Stiles that he was going to say that, but hearing it was still heartbreaking. Of course, Scott didn’t think he’d done anything wrong.

                The judge looked less than pleased by his demeanor but didn’t say anything else to him as she shifted her papers once more. “Miss Argent, you are being charged as follows: One count of Omega Endangerment, two counts of Endangerment of an Omega during Heat, three counts of Neglect of an Omega during Heat, and one count of Abuse of an Omega during Heat. How do you plead?”

                Allison scowled as she stared up at the judge. She pressed one of her hands as best she could against her stomach as she spoke, “Not guilty.”

                Judge Saunders studied both of the defendants for a moment longer before she took off her reading glasses. “Then we will go to trial. I will allow one week for jury selection and discovery since Mr. Whittemore has already filed The Information. We will meet back here next week to begin. Any petitions should be filed before Friday.”

                “Your Honor,” the defendant’s lawyer cut in as the judge was putting away her papers and getting ready to stand. “My clients were arrested without the choice of bail. We would like the court to reconsider. Miss Argent is pregnant and should be allowed to stay at her home until the trial begins.”

                Stiles sucked in a deep breath. In the back part of his mind, he noted that nothing was said about Scott, which made it more than clear who had hired the lawyer.

                “No,” Judge Saunders said without sympathy. “These charges are heinous and her family has a history of attempting to avoid arrest. She will remain in holding until the trial starts.”

                “All rise,” the bailiff called as the judge got to her feet and left the room.

                The breath of relief Stiles let out had his whole body relaxing. He had at least one more week of not having to worry about one of them showing up at his house again or running into them somewhere in town.

                “Stiles,” Mr. Whittemore said quietly. “We’ll wait for them to be removed from the courtroom and then we’ll make our way out. The reporters are going to be throwing questions at you even more fiercely now that the charges have been read. Don’t answer anything you don’t want to.”

                Stiles dipped his head in a nod as he stood next to his lawyer. He only let his eyes move to watch Scott and Allison shuffle their way out of the courtroom after they’d already turned away from him. “I don’t want to answer any of them.”

                “That’s fine,” Mr. Whittemore reassured him. “This case is going to rely heavily on witness testimony. There’s no reason to give any sort of statement that the defense might try to twist. It’s always better to stay quiet.”

                Nodding again, Stiles waited until Mr. Whittemore picked up his briefcase and moved out from behind the table before he moved to follow. He stopped at the edge of the first row of seats and held out his hand for Derek, who took it quickly.

                Stiles waited until his dad was at his other side before he started out of the courtroom. It was nerve-wracking to see all the people still in there just quietly talking to each other or silently watching him.

                It was almost a relief when all the members of Derek’s family filed out behind them.

XXX

                “Stiles?”

                Stiles hummed without lifting his head from where it was buried against Derek’s chest. He loved it when they got the chance to just cuddle and not worry about anything happening outside the bed they were tucked into.

                Derek rumbled in the way he knew Stiles liked as he carded his hand through Stiles’s hair. “Hey, look at me for a second?”

                Sighing, Stiles picked up his head. “Yeah?”

                “You doing okay?”

                Stiles rested his chin on Derek’s chest so he could keep looking up at him while also going boneless. “I’m better than I thought I’d be. Are you doing okay?”

                Derek shrugged without making Stiles fall from his perch. “I think it’s taking longer than I thought it would and that’s a bit frustrating.”

                Unable to help himself, Stiles laughed. “Derek, my case is moving really fast compared to others. Heat Week was barely two months ago. We filed charges last week. The fact that the trial is starting next week is amazing. This judge really isn’t wasting any time.”

                “Yes,” Derek said with a sigh. “But I want the verdict now. I want them in jail for the rest of their lives so they can never hurt you or anyone else ever again.”

                Stiles hummed his agreement as he turned his head to rest his cheek against Derek’s chest. For a moment, he just listened to his alpha’s heartbeat. “Did my dad say anything about the case they’re working on with Kate and Gerard?”

                Derek made sure to keep his body loose as he kept scratching his fingers through Stiles’s hair. “No, he did tell me that he wouldn’t be able to talk about it, though. So I’m not surprised.”

                “Derek,” Stiles groaned. “He says that about all his cases!”

                “Okay?”

                “And then he leaves the case files on the kitchen table!”

                Derek lifted an eyebrow as he met Stiles’s glare. “Okay?”

                “It’s so you can read them.”

                “I don’t think so, Stiles.”

                Stiles huffed as he reminded himself that Derek was a new addition to the relationship he and his dad had. He didn’t know that Stiles was absolutely curious about everything and that his dad had learned to try and have some control over that curiosity rather than let his son do stupid stuff to slake it on his own. “We don’t talk about it, but he definitely knows that I read through them when he leaves them there. He can’t talk about it but no one can prove that he’s sharing information. We have a system.”

                “I’m not going to read your dad’s casefiles, Stiles. I want him to like me.”

                Stiles rolled his eyes as he snuggled back down against Derek’s side. “He does like you. He wouldn’t leave you here with me alone if he didn’t like you.”

                “Yes, well,” Derek said with a huff as he wrapped his arms around Stiles and turned onto his side without making his omega shift away from him. “I want him to keep liking me.”

                Laughing, Stiles lifted his head to press a kiss against the bottom of Derek’s jaw. “I love you.”

                “I love you, too.”

XXX

                “How could you be so stupid?”

                “Daddy!”

                Chris sighed as he crossed his arms over his chest and leaned back from the table. Seeing his daughter in chains and a jumpsuit like his sister and father was difficult. “You took advice from Kate? From Kate? She’s in jail, Ally! Why do you think she’s in jail?”

                Allison pouted at the table separating her from her father. “Because she tried to save Grandpa’s life.”

                “Because she kidnapped an alpha werewolf during Heat Week after poising as an omega and then tried to torture him into biting Gerard.”

                Blinking hard, Allison lifted her head. “I didn’t know that! No one told me that!”

                Sighing again, Chris ran a hand down his face. “It’s public knowledge, Allison. All you would have had to do was look it up online and you’d have been able to find all the information.”

                “But Kate said-“

                “Do you think I want to hear anything that woman said?” Chris asked in a deadly calm voice. “Do you think she had any right to give advice after the shit she’s done?”

                “But she said it was fine!” Allison wailed. “She said she’d done this sort of thing before and that the omegas were always fine!”

                “Your aunt,” Chris said firmly. “Does not have any children.”

                Allison snapped her mouth closed at that. She stared in horror at her father.

                Chris glared at his daughter. “I think you would be aware if you had a cousin.”

                Allison whimpered at that as she tried to lift her bound hands. “Daddy,” she pleaded. “Daddy, I don’t want to go to prison. This place is terrible. I can’t raise my baby here.”

                Chris ignored his daughter as he turned to their lawyer. “Ms. Mackle, what are our options here?”

                “Not a lot,” the lawyer responded as she shuffled through a few papers to find the one she wanted. “They planned everything out and the evidence that I was given shows that they knew what they were doing. There’s a recording of Scott saying that their plan worked and that Allison told him about what Kate said.”

                “But not Allison?”

                “Sir?” Ms. Mackle said as she lifted her head to meet his gaze.

                Chris looked back at his crying daughter and sighed again. “The recording doesn’t have Allison admitting guilt, right?”

                “No, it doesn’t.”

                “Then tell Scott to be an alpha and do the right thing. Tell him to change his plea to guilty and say that Allison wasn’t involved with his plan. They’ll give her some fines and parole but she won’t do any prison time, right?”

                Ms. Mackle shrugged as she looked from father to daughter. “I can’t say what the sentencing would be.”

                Chris ran his hand down his face again as he looked at his pregnant child. “You have a meeting with Scott tomorrow, right?”

                “Yes.”

                “Then convince him to change his plea.”

                “Tell him,” Allison said while trying to clear her throat. “Tell Scott that I’ll go along with whatever decision he makes as long as it is the right decision. I don’t want to go to prison.”

                Ms. Mackle put on her best lawyer face and gathered her things. “By law, I have to give each of you counsel to the best of my abilities. I will let Mr. McCall know what his options are.”

                “I’m the one paying you,” Chris gruffly said. “Don’t forget that.”

                Ms. Mackle nodded before moving to the door and knocking to be let out. She didn’t bother to wait to see how long Mr. Argent stayed with his daughter.

XXX

                “Stiles, baby, what do you need? I’m at work so I can only talk to you for a little bit.”

                Stiles felt the tension rush out of his body at the sound of his alpha’s voice. “Today is a bad day, Derek.”

                Hearing his omega admit that was heartbreaking for Derek. On the one hand, he was so proud of Stiles telling him. On the other hand, he was furious that his mate had to deal with bad days. “Thank you for calling me to tell me that, baby. You are such a good omega. Would you like me to try to leave a little bit early and come take care of you?”

                Stiles sniffled as he curled up under a blanket that had been heavily scented by not only Derek but him and his dad, as well. On his bad days, all Stiles wanted was to be surrounded by the scents of his pack. “You could leave early?”

                “I’m almost done with this project. I just have to finish it before I leave today. I could be done and out of here within an hour. Would you like that, Stiles? Would you like me to come over and hold you?”

                “Yes,” Stiles sighed as he pressed his face against his blanket. He knew his voice would be muffled but he also knew that Derek would understand him. “I think something might have changed.”

                “Baby? Can you lift your head and say that again? Be good, Stiles. Tell me what you need.”

                Stiles lifted his head and blinked back tears. He cleared his throat and tried again. “I think something changed.”

                “What changed?” Derek all but growled.

                A tiny smile pulled at the corner of his lips. Stiles really did love his mate. “I think my pack is expanding.”

                “What do you mean, baby?”

                “My blanket smells like me and you and my dad but my brain is telling me that it isn’t enough.”

                “Who else?” Derek growled. “Whose scent do you want?”

                Stiles heard the ‘besides mine’ that Derek left off his statement. It had his smile growing. “I think we need to take it to your house.”

                “My house?”

                “I think it would smell better if your mom scented it.”

                “Stiles? Baby?” Derek’s voice was full of wonder. Stiles could picture his face even though he couldn’t see him. “You consider my mom pack?”

                “Yeah,” Stiles said quietly as he snuggled back into his blanket. “I think because you trust her so much that I want to automatically.”

                “Baby,” Derek said breathlessly. “I’ll get right to work so I can leave early. I’ll come pick you up and then we’ll go see her. She’ll be so happy to scent your pack blanket, Stiles. I just know it.”

                “Do you think she’d let us stay for supper with everyone?”

                “Absolutely. We’ll even call your dad so he can come join us when he’s done with his shift.”

                Stiles let out a content sigh as he pulled his blanket back over his head. “Thanks, Derek. I love you.”

                “I love you, too. I’ll see you soon, baby.”

XXX

                “Think about it, McCall. These charges are no joke. Your mate is pregnant. Do you really want to risk the chance that your child might be born in jail?”

                Scott scowled at the lawyer that Allison’s dad had hired for them. She was supposed to get them out of this mess. She wasn’t supposed to suggest that he take the fall so Allison could go free. “Do your job and I’ll be raising my child at home with my mate.”

                Ms. Mackle frowned as she studied the alpha. “Allison said she’d go along with whatever decision you made. She also said she hopes you make the right choice.”

                Scoffing, Scott crossed his arms over his chest. “No, the right decision is making sure I get to raise my kid. If I change my plea to guilty then I’ll be locked up for the rest of my life for something I didn’t even do. Talk to Allison again. If you’re so worried about losing this case then you should talk to her about her Aunt Kate and have her be a witness for us or whatever.”

                The lawyer raised an eyebrow as she looked at her client. “Her Aunt Kate? Kate Argent is in prison, Scott. So is Allison’s grandfather, Gerard. They’re in prison for kidnapping an alpha werewolf and attempting to force him to bite her grandfather. No jury is going to want to hear a word out of her mouth about what she thinks is okay and not okay, especially when it comes to omega treatment.”

                “What?” Scott was dumbfounded. “Allison never told me that!”

                “Well,” Ms. Mackle said as she got to her feet. “I was hired by Chris Argent to represent his daughter. I was asked by Allison to also represent you and her father said it was fine. I can’t in good conscious not inform you that the idea for you to change your plea came from a meeting with both of them. Chris suggested it and Allison agreed to it. She doesn’t want to have her child in prison.”

                “So they’re giving up?”

                “No, but they’re looking for another way out, just in case.”

                “I didn’t do anything wrong,” Scott said stubbornly. “Stiles is fine and my mate is pregnant. No jury is going to send us to prison.”

                The lawyer sighed as she walked to the door of the small room she and Scott were meeting in. She knocked on the door to alert the guard to the fact that she was done. “The evidence that Mr. Whittemore has shared with me is going to be very difficult to dispute. There is a recording of you admitting that you’d planned the entire thing with Allison.”

                Scott sat very still in his chair as his brain processed everything. “Stiles recorded me?”

                “The day you went to confront him about your things being given to your mother and found Derek at his house. He was recording you the whole time.”

                “I didn’t know that! That can’t be used against me! I thought my omega was in trouble! Of course, I said things I didn’t mean!”

                “And that will be your defense,” she said as the door was opened. “This trial is going to be grueling, Mr. McCall. I suggest you get your facts straight in your head and don’t forget them.”

XXX

                Stiles fiddled with the tie he was wearing as he looked at himself in the mirror. He was ready but he wasn’t. The trial wouldn’t change anything while it would also change everything.

                “You ready, kiddo?”

                Glancing back at his father, Stiles shook his head. “I don’t think I’ll ever be ready.”

                John stepped into the bathroom and pulled Stiles back against his chest. “I know, buddy. Things like these are hard.”

                “What if I sit up there and tell the jury everything that happened and it isn’t enough? What if they go free?”

                “Then Derek and I will make it look like an accident.”

                Stiles couldn’t stop the bark of surprised laughter that left him. He turned to glare up at his father. “You two cannot murder them. I don’t know how many times I have to say that!”

                John sighed a put-upon sigh as he stared back down at his kid. “If they are somehow found not guilty, which I very much doubt will happen, then they will be forced to move away.”

                “What?” Stiles said as he frowned. “Why would they have to move away?”

                “Because we’ll take out a restraining order against them,” John shrugged. “That and the entire police force in the area, both from the sheriff’s office and the local cops, are going to be watching them so closely they’ll be forced out.”

                “Dad.”

                “No, Stiles,” John said with a firm shake of his head. “Everyone has already reassured me that on the slimmest chance Scott stays out of prison, they will make his life hell.”

                “Within the confines of the law, right?”

                John met his son’s hard gaze and shrugged again. “Nothing they’d be able to prove.”

                “Dad!”

                John laughed as he ruffled his kid’s hair and then pulled him out of the bathroom while he was still fussing about it. “Come on, kiddo. We have to get to the courthouse and wade through all those reporters.”

                Stiles checked his hair once they were in the car. It still wasn’t quite long enough to matter so much if it got ruffled but he knew he needed to look his best. “Are Talia and Derek still meeting us there?”

                “Yes,” John said as he tried to bite back a smile. It made him equal parts happy and sad that Stiles was finding people to belong to his pack. The Hale’s were a good family. They would take good care of his kid. “She said they’d be waiting out front, the whole family, to help escort you in.”

                Stiles nodded but didn’t say anything else as they drove through town. He was a little surprised to see how quiet everything seemed. The roads weren’t filled with the usual traffic and parking lots seemed empty.

                Then he realized that that was because everyone was probably at the courthouse and swallowed hard.

XXX

                Stiles sat on the witness stand and swallowed down his nerves once more. The courtroom was packed full of people. There were so many that they’d had to move to a bigger room. Granted, the Hale family took up almost a fourth of the seating, but there were still a lot of people that Stiles didn’t intimately know.

                He was the most surprised about seeing Jackson sitting with Lydia and Danny in the back. He’d nodded when he’d noticed Stiles looking at him but Stiles made sure not to react.

                The longer he sat up there on the stand, the easier it was for him to talk. He’d already gone through everything for the jury, led through the story of the buildup to Heat Week and the agreement that Stiles had made with Allison and Scott and then how the first days of Heat Week had gone. He’d made it through the retelling of Melissa coming to his aid and how he managed to find Derek by chance and how Derek took care of him.

                Stiles knew that Ms. Mackle would have a chance to ask him questions after he was done, but he was confident that he’d be able to stay calm and answer anything she threw at him.

                “Stiles?” Mr. Whittemore gently called his attention back. “Do you need to take a break?”

                “No,” Stiles said with a shake of his head. “I’m sorry. This is a lot but I can continue.”

                “Then tell us about the medical checkup you had done after Heat Week,” Mr. Whittemore instructed.

                Stiles shifted on the chair as he looked down at his hands. “It was my first Heat Week that I needed a partner for. Last year I was able to spend the week at home with my dad. Being around my pack was enough. But my doctor told me that this year would be different. Since I did spend it with an alpha, I knew I was going to have to go in for a checkup. My doctor assured me that it was perfectly normal for omegas to have bloodwork done after Heat Week.”

                “What are these tests for?” Mr. Whittemore cut in when Stiles paused to take a breath. “Why are they necessary?”

                “Everyone omega has them done to check their hormone levels and to check for pregnancy,” Stiles answered. “I was feeling off so I was a little nervous about what mine would say.”

                “What do you mean by off?”

                Stiles forced himself not to shrug. “Clingy. I couldn’t stand to be separated from Derek for more than a few hours. He had to move into my house with me and my dad for the first few weeks after Heat Week. I would have panic attacks if he was gone for too long.”

                Mr. Whittemore made his way back to the table where his notes were sitting. “And what were the results of your tests?”

                “Not pregnant,” Stiles said automatically with a sad smile. “Melissa explained them to me. My hormone levels were too high most likely due to not receiving proper care at the beginning of my heat.”

                Mr. Whittemore picked up a few sheets of paper that were stapled together. He handed one packet to Ms. Mackle before taking one to Judge Saunders and handing the rest to the foreman of the jury to distribute between the members. “Stiles has granted the court access to his tests to corroborate his testimony. Attached are the tests he had done before his heat, which show that his hormone levels were normal for a male omega getting ready for his first heat wherein he’d need a partner to see him through. We will call a medical professional to the stand to help explain what these tests say.”

                Stiles sat quietly as everyone flipped through the pages that were handed out. He fidgeted with his fingers but otherwise didn’t move.

                “Stiles,” Mr. Whittemore said to call everyone back to focus on the omega. “What did Mrs. McCall tell you about your results?”

                He let out the deep breath he’d sucked in as he sat up a little straighter. “Melissa explained that my hormone levels were causing the panic and the clinginess. She assured me that it wasn’t permanent but that it would take time for my body to regulate.”

                “How much time?”

                “I still have problems,” Stiles admitted. “I won’t be able to attend my first year of college as I planned. It is too far away from Derek and my dad. I was granted leave by the university to take some online courses since this is a special circumstance, but my life is being put on hold.”

                Judge Saunders made sure to keep her face calm as she looked down at Stiles. “Please answer the question.”

                Stiles swallowed again as he looked down at his fingers. “I will have to go through several heats to get my body back to normal.”

                Mr. Whittemore nodded sympathetically. “Which will take years.”

                “Well, yes,” Stiles said as he lifted his head. He gave his lawyer a self-deprecating smile. “I only have one heat a year. If I have to go through several to feel normal again then it will take years.”

                “You have stated that the alpha that you met in the woods, Derek Hale, is someone that you were aware of before Heat Week. He’s someone you decided not to approach to ask for help. Why?”

                “I thought he was out of my league,” Stiles said with an embarrassed laugh. “I knew him from around town and because of the case he was involved in with the sheriff's office. Since my dad is the sheriff, I spend a lot of time at the station when he’s working. I saw Derek there a few times but never spoke to him.”

                Mr. Whittemore nodded. “And the time you spent with him went well enough for you to continue your relationship, correct?”

                “Yes,” Stiles said bashfully. “Derek and I are courting. We plan to officially mate once I get cleared by my doctor.”

                A murmur went up in the courtroom at that. Stiles refrained from rolling his eyes when he noticed the way Derek was puffing up in pride. They hadn’t made anything public yet because they didn’t need to. Stiles wasn’t surprised to find the town was shocked.

                “I know this next question is quite personal but it needs to be asked in order to give the jury and Judge Saunders a complete picture.” Mr. Whittemore slowly approached the witness stand as he spoke. He kept his hands at his sides as he looked down at Stiles. “Are you able to get pregnant?”

                Stiles swallowed hard again as he looked up at his lawyer. He blinked once before focusing past him to meet Derek’s reassuring gaze. “As of right now, no. I cannot get pregnant.” The courtroom was dead silent as Stiles cleared his throat. “My doctor believes that once my hormone levels are back to normal it will be possible but there is no guarantee.”

                Mr. Whittemore studied Stiles for a moment to let his statement sink in with the jury and the crowd before he nodded his head at the judge. “I have no further questions for this witness.”

                Judge Saunders took a breath as she turned to look at Ms. Mackle. “Does the defense have any questions for this witness?”

                “I do, Your Honor.”

                “Proceed.”

                Ms. Mackle pushed herself to her feet before she walked out from behind the table she sat at with Allison and Scott. She faced the jury members before turning to look at Stiles. “While the circumstances of what happened are tragic, the blame cannot rest solely with my clients. Mr. Stilinski, you said you put off finding an alpha for Heat Week until it was too late, correct?”

                “No,” Stiles said calmly. “As I stated before, I attempted to find an alpha. Scott was my best friend. I told him on multiple occasions to leave me alone after school or during the weekend so that I could find someone and he showed up every time and convinced me to hang out with him instead. Yes, I am aware that I could have taken steps to find one. I cannot blame that solely on Scott and I don’t. Mistakes were made.”

                “Mistakes that you admit were partially your fault.”

                “Objection, counsel is leading the witness to perjury.”

                “Ms. Mackle, do ask a question that Stiles can answer without you trying to trip him up.”

                The lawyer nodded to the judge before facing Stiles again. “When my clients approached you about sharing Heat Week with them, why did you agree?”

                “I looked at other options first,” Stiles said. “I told them to give me time to think about it and talked it over with my dad and with Melissa. I looked at alphas that had profiles and even extended the search but didn’t find any that I felt comfortable with. I even clarified with Scott and Allison that sharing Heat Week meant they would have to have sex with me, which they both said they’d be willing to do. Scott told me he considered me part of his pack and thus his omega. He didn’t want me to spend my heat with anyone else.”

                A rumble of a growl started in the audience but was quickly cut off when John elbowed Derek in the ribs.

                Stiles bit back a grin at his alpha’s response.

                “Can anyone else corroborate these conversations? Do you have any proof that they took place?”

                “Yes,” Stiles said with a nod. “My dad and Melissa both had conversations with Scott about what he would need to do in order to care for me.”

                Ms. Mackle gave a short nod of her head as she continued to stare down at the omega. “And why didn’t you choose to stay at the hospital instead?”

                “Objection!”

                “Stiles,” Judge Saunders said as Mr. Whittemore stared down the defense’s lawyer. “You don’t have to answer that question. Your actions are not what is on trial here.”

                Stiles nodded but squared his shoulders as he met Ms. Mackle’s calculating gaze. “Hospitals offer rooms for omegas in heat to use, that’s true. However, the statistics aren’t great. Seventy-two percent of omegas that check themselves into heat rooms with the intent of being sedated and their hormones regulated through medication end up pregnant. They are kept unconscious during the week to reduce stress and thus have no knowledge of what is being done to them. There are no cameras to ensure privacy. I decided that I did not want to become part of that statistic when I had the option of someone I thought I could trust.”

                “And when Melissa gave you the booster? You would have had enough time to make it to the hospital. Instead, you chose to walk through the woods with the hope that you would find an alpha willing to take care of you.”

                Stiles ignored the crowd and the way the jury shifted uncomfortably in their seats. He ignored the dark looks his lawyer was giving the one speaking to him and the way the judge reassured him again that he didn’t have to answer. With his chin raised, Stiles stared down the lawyer before him. “My thoughts as I walked through the woods were about finding an alpha that I could tolerate or dying. I would rather choose death than be put under to be raped again and again by an alpha the hospital was supposed to protect me from.”

                The courtroom broke out into chaos as people in the crowd began openly talking to one another. Judge Saunders had to pick up her gavel and smack it down several times. “Order, please. Sit and be quiet or you will be escorted out.”

                Stiles did not take his eyes off Ms. Mackle. She didn’t look vindicated or distressed. Her face was calm and passive. He had no idea if she was working toward something or just going through the motions. “When I did run into Derek, I told him he either had to help me or let me leave. As I stated before, Derek said he would take care of me and immediately took me to his cabin to start that process. He went and spoke to Melissa to make certain that he was doing the best thing for me. He even made me call my dad when I woke up and was coherent to make sure he knew where I was and what was happening. My choices,” Stiles said firmly, “Were the best I could make during that situation. And my choices are not the ones on trial.”

                Ms. Mackle nodded her head once before returning to her seat. “No further questions.”

XXX

                “Look,” John said firmly to the lawyer asking him questions. “I didn’t like the situation. I’ve known Scott for a long time. He’s not exactly the brightest kid. Of course, I didn’t trust him. I don’t really trust anyone with Stiles. He’s my only child. I’m learning to trust Derek, not because he isn’t a good kid, because he is, but because Stiles has been the only member of my pack for years. I take his health very seriously. That being said, I also am not a bull-headed father. Stiles and I talked about his situation. I know the statistics of the omegas that choose the hospital. Even being the sheriff, I couldn’t guarantee that my son wouldn’t become one of the seventy-two percenters.

                “So I talked to Scott. I made certain he knew what he was in for if Stiles agreed. I was in uniform. The video footage has already been submitted for evidence. I don’t know what else you want me to say.”

                Ms. Mackle nodded as she stood confidently before the bench. “We did already watch the footage, yes. It shows you speaking with Mr. McCall and stressing the fact that you were trusting him to take care of Stiles. It also shows Mr. McCall agreeing to make sure he was taken care of. That isn’t under question.”

                “Then what is?” John asked dryly.

                “Did Scott McCall ever say that he would have sex with your son?”

                John frowned. “He did not say in a strict statement that he would have sex with Stiles, no. And I thought it a little uncouth to ask him to have sex with my son.”

                “Did he ever state to you that he was planning to have Stiles there but not have sexual intercourse with him?”

                “No,” John said firmly. “Scott never mentioned the plan that he and Allison came up with. If I had known what they’d been planning then I wouldn’t have let Stiles go with them.”

                 “I have no further questions.”

XXX

                “Stiles has been like a son to me ever since he and Scott became friends in preschool,” Melissa said softly. She avoided looking at her son. She was aware of the glare on his face despite her refusing to look away from Mr. Whittemore. “When I found out that he was going to spend Heat Week with Scott and Allison I was skeptical that he’d receive the level of care that omegas need during heat. Not because I thought they would outright ignore him but because Scott and Allison don’t usually consider people who aren’t Scott and Allison when they are together.”

                “The couple has a history of ignoring the needs of others when they are together?”

                Melissa gave her son a short and scathing look. “I have been stranded at the hospital many times after a shift because my son was too caught up in Allison to remember to pick me up after swearing he wouldn’t forget.”

                Mr. Whittemore kept his eyes on Melissa McCall as he questioned her. “So nothing that would have resulted in legal actions needing to take place, correct?”

                “No,” Melissa agreed. “I did not feel the need to call the police because my son can’t be trusted to pick me up from work.”

                “But you did feel the need to speak with Stiles about having a backup plan, correct?”

                “When Stiles shared his concerns with me, I took them to heart. I did not think that I would need the shot, but I also did not want to dismiss his concerns out of hand. So I spoke to one of the doctors at the hospital and was given permission to take one with me to my family’s cabin. They would not give me permission to take more than one. I did not fight them on that decision. One booster will help clear an omega’s head so they can make an important decision during heat. Two might cause problems as they are not receiving the care their body needs.”

                “And Stiles made the decision after you gave him the shot to leave the cabin, correct?”

                Melissa clenched her hands against the top of her knees. “Stiles crawled out of the upstairs bedroom where Scott and Allison were and fell down the stairs to escape them. He begged me for the shot, which I gave to him since that was what we agreed upon before Heat Week started. Once it was working, he made the decision to leave the cabin since Scott and Allison were not properly taking care of him. He informed me that he had heard Allison tell Scott not to have sex with Stiles and that they wanted him there to guarantee her pregnancy.”

                “Does an omega need to be present for a beta to become pregnant?”

                “No.”

                “Does it make it more likely if one is present?”

                “No.”

                “Did either of the accused know that?”

                “I can’t speak for Allison,” Melissa said firmly, “since she is not my daughter. But I gave Stiles and Scott the same talk when they both presented. They were both well aware of what an omega needs during heat and that one does not affect a beta’s ability to become pregnant.”

                Mr. Whittemore nodded as he turned to the jury. “I have one last question. After Stiles left the cabin and the care of the alpha that was supposed to support him through heat, did Scott or Allison react?”

                “I did not see Allison until after Heat Week ended, but I spoke to Scott not long after Stiles had left. I was expecting to have to fight him to stop him from going after Stiles, but all he did was grab more water and start to go back upstairs. I brought up Stiles and Scott shrugged and told me he wasn’t upstairs but that it didn’t matter anymore since he was sure their plan worked.”

                “Did he say what his plan was?”

                “Not to me,” Melissa admitted. “But I assumed it was the same plan that Stiles heard them talking about. Once Heat Week was over and they discovered that Allison was pregnant, I did hear Scott yell that he knew it would work and that her dad would let them be mates.”

                “But during Heat Week, during the time that Scott had sworn to be the one to look after Stiles, he never once attempted to find him once the omega disappeared from his room, correct?”

                “No,” Melissa said softly. “He never once tried to find out what happened to Stiles.”

XXX

                Scott frowned at the table he was chained to. “I don’t know what you think you are doing. You are a shit lawyer.”

                Ms. Mackle refrained from rolling her eyes. She was honestly too old to show such an emotional response to a client who was less than happy with her services. “I explained to you at the beginning, Mr. McCall, that the prosecutor would go first and lay out their side of the story.”

                “Yes, well, he’s making me look bad.”

                “That’s the point.”

                Scott scowled at his lawyer as he tugged against his chains. “I want to tell my side of everything.”

                “You’ll get the chance.”

                “When?”

                “When you get called to the stand.”

                “So I just have to sit there quietly and listen as everyone says bad shit about me? How is that fair?”

                Ms. Mackle bit back a sigh as she got up. “When you asked me for a meeting, I thought you wanted legal advice. I don’t have time to listen to you complain about what is fair and what isn’t.”

                “You are my lawyer,” Scott growled out.

                “Yes, but only because Mr. Argent agreed to cover your legal fees. I did not choose you, Mr. McCall, and yet I’m doing my best to give you good advice. Stay quiet until you are called to the stand. Remain calm while Mr. Whittemore asks you questions. The jury will not like it if you shout. The jury will not like it if you growl and throw a fit like this one.”

                “I didn’t do anything wrong,” Scott insisted as his lawyer knocked on the door to be let out. “You are supposed to convince them of that.”

XXX

                Ms. Mackle stared at the alpha on the stand for a moment before clearing her throat and taking a step forward. “Mr. Hale, you said you were present when Mr. McCall showed up at the Stilinski residence the first time because you were staying with Stiles, correct?”

                “Yes, ma’am. Stiles’s hormones were off and he needed me present as much as possible to help him remain calm,” Derek said quietly. He didn’t like that he had to share information about him and Stiles with the public but he would do anything for his mate. “He wasn’t sleeping well and had panic attacks.”

                “And what happened the first time Mr. McCall showed up?”

                “He wasn’t invited,” Derek said with a slight growl in his voice. He did his best to smother it out and then gave up when he couldn’t. “He rang the bell but Stiles didn’t want to see him. Stiles was scared to see him after what Scott did so he hid behind me while I answered the door and told Scott to leave.”

                “Did he leave?”

                “Not right away. I had to call John and it was only after he told Scott to leave that he did.”

                Ms. Mackle nodded at that. “Did he say anything about any sort of plan during that first visit?”

                “No,” Derek huffed. “He started yelling about Stiles being his omega.” Derek paused to take a breath and remain calm. “And then said he’d find a way to get Stiles out of the house and away from me.”

                “Did Stiles want him to do that?”

                A snarl ripped his way out of his throat before Derek managed to calm himself. Looking at Stiles watching him helped. “No, Stiles did not want to go with him. He made that very clear to me and his father. We made sure he felt safe.”

                “Then why did you have Mr. McCall come back?”

                “Stiles wanted closure.”

                “So you allowed the meeting to happen?”

                Derek frowned as he shifted his gaze from Stiles to the lawyer questioning him. “Lady, I know you’re not an alpha. And I know you’re not a werewolf, so you have no idea what sort of instincts alphas have. I do not allow Stiles to do anything. Stiles is an adult. He makes his own choices. If anything, he allows me to take care of him. Stiles and I talked about what he wanted to do and he said he wanted to understand why Scott did what he did. His best friend swore to take care of him and then betrayed him. Stiles is loyal. He didn’t want to throw their friendship away if it was some sort of misunderstanding.”

                “So he asked Scott to speak with him?”

                “Yes,” Derek said with another huff. “He invited Scott to come over to speak with him. Scott showed up angry that Stiles had sent his things back to him through his mother rather than speak with him.”

                “The things that Scott had left at Stiles’s house over the years because they were friends, correct?”

                “Yes,” Derek replied.

                “What did Stiles ask you to do?”

                “Stiles asked me to keep my arms around his shoulders so he felt safe while he confronted Scott. He asked that he be the one to do the talking and that I just be there to support him.”

                “Is that what happened?”

                “We submitted the audio of the conversation as evidence. The court has already heard it.”

                “Please answer the question.”

                “Yes, that is what happened.”

                “Who decided to record the conversation?”

                “Stiles did after speaking with his father and with Melissa about pressing charges. He was lucky that he survived and knows that if he didn’t do anything then if Scott and Allison tried this again that omega might not be.”

                Ms. Mackle walked back toward the table she shared with Scott and Allison. She paused before she reached it and turned back to Derek. “Did you have any other conversations with either of the defendants after that recording took place?”

                “No.”

                “I have no further questions.”

XXX

                Allison placed one of her hands on her belly as she sat on the larger chair next to the judge. She kept her head angled slightly down and did her best to pout the way she always did when she wanted her dad to give in to what she wanted. “I didn’t know my actions could cause so much pain. I just wanted to mate with Scott. I just wanted to make certain my dad wouldn’t say no.”

                Mr. Whittemore kept his face calm as he studied the witness before him. “Wouldn’t say no.”

                “What?”

                “You said you wanted to make certain he wouldn’t say no. Did you ask him before?”

                Allison shifted uncomfortably in her chair. “You don’t know my dad.”

                “I think the question is simple. Before you and Scott made up this plan to make certain you got pregnant during Heat Week, did you ask your father for permission to mate with Scott McCall?”

                Frowning, Allison refused to look up at anyone else in the courtroom. “No.”

                “From the testimony that this court has heard, you and Scott came up with his plan to make you get pregnant because you told Scott McCall that your dad wouldn’t allow you to mate if you weren’t, is that correct?”

                “I told you,” Allison defiantly said. “You don’t know my dad! He would have said no if I had asked! He told me when I told him that I was going to spend Heat Week with Scott that I was too young to mate and that I had to come back without a bite mark.”

                “So he didn’t say no,” Mr. Whittemore cut in. “He just said that you had to wait.”

                “He doesn’t understand,” Allison insisted. “He was being unfair.”

                “What didn’t he understand?”

                “Scott and I are mates. We’re meant to be together. I had to get pregnant. I had to make certain.”

                Mr. Whittemore kept his hands at his sides despite the urge to cross them over his chest. “So you came up with the plan to invite Stiles to join you.”

                “I was given advice from a relative that I thought I could trust. She told me that having an omega in the room would make it more likely that I conceived. She told me that an omega in heat would make my body compete and be more receptive to my alpha.”

                “So you chose Stiles, who was an omega close to your alpha?”

                “Stiles has been Scott’s friend for forever,” Allison said as she rolled her eyes. “He isn’t a competition to me in regards to being Scott’s mate, if that’s what you’re getting at. And they’ve been friends for so long that I knew I wouldn’t have to worry about it.”

                “Worry about what?” Mr. Whittemore asked gently.

                Allison huffed again. “I wouldn’t have to worry that Scott would want to fuck him more than me.”

                Mr. Whittemore considered the beta on the stand for a moment before turning to look at the jury. The faces of the men and women sitting in the jury box were not good. “Did you tell Scott not to have sexual intercourse with Stiles?”

                “Omegas don’t actually need to get fucked during heat,” Allison said with another roll of her eyes. “They just want to be. Having Scott in the room releasing his pheromones would have been enough for Stiles. It isn’t my fault he left. Scott tried to help him relieve some of his pent-up needs but Stiles was being a baby about it.”

                “Are you referring to Mr. McCall’s assault on Stiles after you physically pushed him out of the bed you were sharing?”

                “It wasn’t assault,” Allison snapped as she sat up straighter. “Stiles was crying on the floor and begging for Scott so Scott tried to help him. It isn’t Scott’s fault that Stiles didn’t like how.”

                “Why was Stiles on the floor?”

                “He fell out of the bed?”

                “How did he fall out of the bed?”

                “Must have been too close to the edge,” Allison shrugged.

                Mr. Whittemore very carefully did not frown. “Stiles reported that he woke up to you and Mr. McCall having sexual intercourse next to him, is that true?”

                “Probably,” Allison said with another shrug. “We did have a lot of sex that week.”

                She was trying to make people laugh. Mr. Whittemore knew exactly what sort of game Allison Argent was playing. But not one so much as smiled. “Stiles woke up, an omega in heat, saw you and Mr. McCall having sex on the bed next to him. You both said you would take care of him when he needed to be taken care of. Stiles says that he tried to present, is that true?”

                “I was having sex. I wasn’t paying a lot of attention to Stiles.”

                Again, no one laughed or smiled at her quip. Mr. Whittemore took another step closer to her. “Did he present?”

                “No.”

                “How do you know? You weren’t paying attention to him.”

                “He wasn’t in the bed. If he presented, I couldn’t see him do it.”

                 “Why wasn’t he in the bed?”

                “He fell on the floor.”

                “Why did he fall on the floor?”

                “Because he was too close to the edge of the bed.”

                “Why does his distance to the edge of the bed matter?”

                Allison scowled at the lawyer before her. She didn’t like that he was being so mean to her. “Because when he tried to present he rolled off the edge.”

                Mr. Whittemore held back his smirk. “But you don’t know if he tried to present. You said you weren’t paying attention to him. How do you know he rolled off the side?”

                “Because he tried to present and couldn’t.”

                “Why couldn’t he?”

                “Because I pushed him!” Allison yelled. Her chest was heaving as she growled at the lawyer before her. “That slut tried to present for my mate! He tried to stick his little ass in the air and beg for a knot I was never going to allow him to feel. Scott is mine! So when he tried to roll over and get his arms underneath himself, I shoved him off the bed!”

                Mr. Whittemore stayed perfectly still for a moment longer before he turned and walked back to the table he was sitting at with Stiles. He did not touch the omega but he did nod at Derek, who got up to press his hand against the back of Stiles’s neck.

                With the distressed omega at his side partially taken care of, Mr. Whittemore turned his attention back to Judge Saunders. “I have no further questions at this time. I would like to call for a one-hour recess so my client has time to process what has been said.”

                Judge Saunders lifted her gavel and let it smack against her desk. “Granted.”

XXX

                “You’re okay, baby. I’ve got you.”

                Stiles shuddered within Derek’s arms. He tucked his face further into his alpha’s neck and whined. “Where is my dad? I want him here.”

                Derek kept rumbling as he rocked Stiles from side to side. “He’s getting my mom. They’ll be here soon. Don’t worry. I’ve got you.”

                Stiles whimpered as he tried to breathe. He felt like he had to wait forever for his dad to return but relaxed slightly when he felt familiar hands pet down his back. “Dad.”

                “You’re okay, kiddo. Talia and I are here.”

                “Stiles?” Talia asked quietly. “Would you like me to scent you or just be nearby?”

                “Scent,” Stiles muttered.

                “Okay, sweetie. I can do that.”

                Derek held his mate in his arms while Stiles’s dad finished coating his son with his scent. Then he tipped his head forward so that when his mother scented his mate, she scented him at the same time.

                Talia smiled as she made certain that her son and his mate were both covered in her scent. “You are doing so well, Stiles. That had to have been difficult to listen to.”

                Stiles moaned as he nodded. “I wasn’t ready. I thought I was ready, but I wasn’t.”

                Derek hushed him as he started rocking Stiles again. “You’re doing such a good job. I’m so proud of you. My strong omega, sitting there with his head held high.”

                “Yeah?”

                John knelt down next to where Derek was sitting and tried to coax Stiles to lift his head. “Can you look at me for a second, kiddo?”

                Stiles whimpered but peeked his head out to meet his dad’s concerned gaze.

                John smiled as he ran his hand through Stiles’s hair. “There you are. You are doing such a good job, Stiles. This is so hard and you are handling it so well. I am so proud of you.”

                “Really?” Stiles returned his dad’s smile as his dad ran his hand through his hair again. “Thanks, Dad.”

                “We’re going to sit here together for the next forty-five minutes and all be together,” John said as he got comfortable on the ground and took Stiles’s hand in his. “Then we’re going to get up and make sure we’re presentable and go back into the courtroom a little early to show those two idiots that you aren’t scared of them.”

                Stiles nodded as he held out his other hand for Talia to take. “Okay, Pops,” he said with a sigh as he tucked himself closer to Derek. “We’ll do that.”

XXX

                “Allison,” Ms. Mackle said quietly. They were sitting in a small room behind the courtroom as they waited for the hour to pass. “That was very stupid of you.”

                “What?” Allison scoffed. “He kept pushing so I told him what he wanted to hear. That’s it.”

                “No,” her lawyer disagreed. “You corroborated Stiles’s version of events. You admitted guilt. I will have my turn to question you next but the jury was granted this hour to solidify what you just said into their brains. You have to stay calm while I ask you things if you want any chance of staying out of jail.”

                “It’ll be fine,” Allison said with a shrug. “I’ll make them like me. I know you won’t be mean to me.”

                Ms. Mackle bit back a sigh as she sat there waiting for the hour to be up. She was glad that Scott remained silent on her other side.

XXX

                “Allison, did you push Mr. Stilinski when he tried to present?”

                Allison ducked her head and bit at her lip. She whimpered a little. “I didn’t mean to,” she cried out. “I saw him roll over to present and my instincts got the better of me. I acted without thinking and I’m sorry!”

                Ms. Mackle ignored the emotional display her client was putting on. “Did you tell Scott to ignore Stiles while he was on the floor and return to you on the bed?”

                “Stiles was already telling Scott he didn’t like what he was doing,” Allison admitted. “I thought if Stiles didn’t want Scott and I did then he should be with me! I didn’t think Stiles would leave. I didn’t think we were hurting him.”

                “When he was gone, did you try and look for him?”

                Allison bit her lip again. “Scott’s rut got pretty intense. He was pretty focused on meeting his needs and I was focused on helping him. I didn’t think to look for Stiles.”

                Stiles stiffened as Allison suddenly tried to meet his gaze. He forced his eyes down to the table in front of him rather than look at her.

                “Stiles,” Allison whined. “I’m so sorry! We weren’t trying to hurt you!”

                Stiles ignored her. Calm and collected. He knew the truth and everyone else in the room had heard her speak it before. Her act now wouldn’t change their minds.

XXX

                “Mr. McCall, how long have you known Stiles?”

                Scott leaned forward slightly in his seat as he smiled a bit. “Stiles has been my best friend since we were in preschool together. It’s been almost fifteen years.”

                Mr. Whittemore checked his notes to make sure that Scott’s answer was the same or close enough to Stiles’s that it didn’t matter. “So you knew each other long before you presented, correct?”

                “That’s correct.”

                “Stiles indicated earlier this week that you have the habit of spending a lot of time together, is that correct?”

                “Yes, Stiles and I are both the only kids our parents got so we really consider ourselves brothers.”

                “Then why would someone who considers his omega best friend to be like a brother approach him with the offer to help him through his first Heat Week?”

                Scott shifted a bit in his chair but didn’t stop smiling. “I know everyone knows it now, but I presented as an alpha and Stiles is an omega. I was having a hard time with him talking about spending his heat with other alphas. My instincts were going crazy because I consider him part of my pack.”

                “So you ignored when Stiles asked you to stay away so he could make a plan for his heat and showed up to waylay him?”

                Scott shrugged as he looked around the courtroom with a smile still on his lips. “Stiles and I have been showing up at each other’s houses without needing to be invited for years. I didn’t know I was doing anything wrong.”

                “Even after Stiles explicitly told you to stay away?”

                “Like I said,” Scott said through his smile. “My instincts were being funky.”

                Mr. Whittemore took a few steps to the side to block Scott’s line of sight to Stiles. “So your funky instincts allowed you to disregard what your best friend, your brother, was telling you that he wanted?”

                “Look, man, you don’t understand the relationship that Stiles and I have.”

                “Had,” Mr. Whittemore corrected. “You no longer have that sort of relationship.”

                Scott’s smile got a little bit more strained. “Stiles and I are having a bit of a misunderstanding. We’ll work out our issues like we always do.”

                Mr. Whittemore lifted his brows but decided it was better to ignore what Scott was saying. The alpha was making his point for him perfectly. “When you offered to help Stiles through his heat, were you offering to have sex with him?”

                “I mean,” Scott said as he shifted again. “Not with him. I meant because I’d be having sex nearby he’d be fine.”

                “Then you never had the intention of helping through his heat.”

                “No,” Scott protested with a small laugh. “I don’t think you heard me right. I said that I’d help him out, just not by having sex with him. He would have been fine if he’d just like, I don’t know, jacked off next to me on the bed or whatever.”

                “Mr. McCall,” Mr. Whittemore said slowly. “We have had medical professionals testify before the court, before you, who made it clear that omegas do not have a choice when it comes to their heats. They cannot survive it without either having sex or without medical attention. Were you giving Stiles medical attention?”

                “No, but-“

                “Then you would have had to have sex with him in order for him to survive.”

                “Look, dude,” Scott said with a small scoff as he leaned back in his chair. “Doctors are always saying crap to sell medicines and whatever. Stiles chose to come with us. He chose to join us upstairs. He refused my help when I offered it. He chose to leave. I don’t know why you think his choices were my fault. You’ve been making the point for days that Stiles was capable of making his own decisions.”

                “Yes,” Mr. Whittemore said with a nod. “He was capable. Every adult is capable of making decisions based on the evidence presented to them. Did you ever tell Stiles that you wouldn’t have sex with him?”

                “I mean, I told him it wasn’t a sex thing when we first told him he could join us.”

                Mr. Whittemore frowned. “And did Stiles remind you that it would be? Did anyone like John or Melissa tell you that you would have to have sex with Stiles for him to survive?”

                Scott shrugged at that. “I thought they were being over dramatic.”

                “Do you understand now that they weren’t?”

                “I think this is all pretty dramatic,” Scott said with another shrug. “If Stiles had just agreed to talk to me then we wouldn’t have to waste everyone’s time with this nonsense.”

                Mr. Whittemore had to force himself to not shake his head in disbelief. “Did you force Stiles’s fingers into him when he asked you for help?”

                “I wouldn’t say I forced him.”

                “Did you continue to force Stiles to touch himself when he told you that you were hurting him?”

                “He asked me for help so I tried to help him.”

                Mr. Whittemore stayed where he was between Stiles and Scott. “Did you notice when Stiles left the bedroom?”

                “Not right away,” Scott said with another shrug. “I was a little busy with Allison.”

                “When you did notice, did you attempt to find Stiles in order to fulfill your duty as his alpha during his heat?”

                “No, I didn’t try to find him,” Scott said slowly. “He left. I assumed that he got what he needed and decided not to stick around for the show.”

                Mr. Whittemore turned to face Stiles. He made sure the omega was looking at him as he slightly shook his head. “I have no further questions.”

                Ms. Mackle made her way to her feet as Mr. Whittemore sat back down. She took only one step away from her table. “Did you ever have the intention of hurting Stiles or causing him lasting harm?”

                “Absolutely not.”

                “I have no further questions.”

XXX

                Stiles sighed as he swirled his fork through his pasta. He was glad that his dad and Derek were trying to make sure that he ate, but his stomach was fighting a war with his heart and losing. “What are we going to do?”

                “About what?”

                Stiles gave his dad an unimpressed look. “If they come back and say not guilty?”

                John paused with his fork halfway to his mouth. “Stiles, they’re guilty.”

                “Yes, I know.”

                “No, buddy, I mean, the jury is going to find them guilty. I know you were distracted by them and what they were saying, but I was watching those people. I always keep an eye on the jury when I’m at trial. There is not a single one of them that believed Scott or Allison.”

                Stiles wanted to believe his dad. Part of him did believe him, but he knew he wouldn’t be able to relax until he heard it from the foreman himself. “Derek?”

                Derek looked from father to son before he shook his head. “I wasn’t watching them, baby. My eyes and attention were on you. But I trust your father. If he says that’s what he saw then that’s what he saw.”

                “Yeah,” Stiles said with a sigh as he put down his fork. “I know. I trust you, too, Dad.”

                “But you’re still worried?” John asked as he pushed his plate away from him. “And that’s perfectly normal. This added stress on top of the stress your body is already going through as it tries to fix itself cannot be easy.”

                Stiles blinked down at his plate. “Do you think it’s going to get easier once we know?”

                “Of course it will,” John said as he reached over the space between them to place his hand on Stiles’s shoulder. “Closure is always helpful.”

                “Do you think it’ll take a long time for them to decide?”

                John smiled as he pulled his hand away from his son and moved his plate back in front of him. “I bet they’re just going over the evidence again. I have no doubt that they’ve already decided.”

                “Yeah,” Derek said with a small smile. “I think they’re just being careful to make sure they’ve got everything right.”

                Stiles picked up his fork to push his food around again. He hoped they were right. He didn’t know what he’d do if they weren’t.

XXX

                Judge Saunders adjusted her glasses on her nose as she moved some papers on her desk before looking up at the packed courtroom. She turned her attention to the jury. “Has the jury reached a verdict?”

                “We have, Your Honor.”

                The bailiff took a piece of paper from the foreman and walked it to the judge. She opened it and studied its contents for a moment before setting it aside. “How do you find the defendant Scott McCall on the charge of Omega Endangerment?”

                The foreman cleared his throat as he adjusted his stance. “On the charge of Omega Endangerment, we find the defendant Scott McCall guilty.”

                Stiles felt like his world was beginning to narrow. He heard the words but he couldn’t quite process them.

                “On the charges of Endangering an Omega during Heat, how do you find the defendant Scott McCall?”

                “Guilty.”

                “On the charges of Neglect of an Omega during Heat, how do you find the defendant Scott McCall?”

                “Guilty.”

                “On the charge of Abuse of an Omega during Heat, how do you find the defendant Scott McCall?”

                “Guilty.”

                A murmur rang through the courtroom as the judge quickly picked up her gavel. “Settle down. We’re not done.”

                Scott stared open-mouthed at the judge.

                “How do you find the defendant Allison Argent on the charge of Omega Endangerment?”

                “We find the defendant Allison Argent guilty of Omega Endangerment.”

                Allison made a sharp distressed noise of disbelief.

                Stiles sucked in a hard gasp.

                “On the charges of Endangering an Omega during Heat, how do you find the defendant Allison Argent?”

                “Guilty.”

                “On the charges of Neglect of an Omega during Heat, how do you find the defendant Allison Argent?”

                “Guilty.”

                “On the charge of Abuse of an Omega during Heat, how do you find the defendant Allison Argent?”

                The foreman wet his lips as he kept his gaze on the judge so he wouldn’t accidentally look at either of the accused. “Guilty.”

                The courtroom burst with noise as people began speaking. Judge Saunders allowed herself to release a small sigh as she picked up her gavel. No one would notice with all the commotion. Then she started hitting it. “Order! Settle down! Order in my courtroom!”

                Once everyone was seated once more, she took her time to look at Scott McCall and then Allison Argent. Neither one looked apologetic. “Typically, I find no pleasure in handing out sentencings. Justice is justice and I live to see it served. Today, however, I find that cannot stay impartial. After hearing this case in full over the last few days, I can say for certain that this verdict is correct.”

                Scott opened his mouth to say something in reply but promptly closed it when Allison hit him.

                “Mr. Whittemore,” Judge Saunders said after she was sure no one would start shouting. “The jury has recommended the two defendants be punished to the full extent of the law. Do you or your client have anything you wish to add?”

                “No, Your Honor.”

                Judge Saunders dipped her head as she focused back on Allison Argent. “Miss Argent, you are pregnant. The court will consider that.”

                Allison let out a relieved breath as she settled her hand on her stomach.

                “There is a locked facility that you will stay at during the duration of your pregnancy. You will be allowed to care for your infant in that facility until they are one year of age. At that time, they will be given to a guardian to raise.”

                “You can’t take my baby away from me!”

                The judge frowned as she watched the beta have her outburst. She wasn’t moved when the girl started crying. “Your baby is innocent in this. They do not deserve to be punished. They will not be raised in prison because of your mistakes. If you do not name a guardian then one will be named for you. Do you understand?”

                Allison nodded as tears streamed down her face.

                “Good. To the fullest extent of the law is what the jury advises. I am in agreement. For the count of Omega Endangerment, six years in prison. For the counts of Endangering an Omega during heat, twelve years in prison. For the counts of Neglecting an Omega in Heat, three years in prison. For the count of Abuse of an Omega in Heat, six years in prison. You will serve twenty-seven years in prison. A case for parole can be made after ten years. However,” Judge Saunders said as she lifted her hand to stop several people from speaking. “Upon your release, in however many years that is, you will register as an omega sex offender in whichever county and state you decide to reside in. Every omega has a right to know that you are not to be trusted with their care, especially during Heat Week. Do you understand?”

                Allison shakily nodded her head. “I understand.”

                “Take her away,” the judge said with a wave of her hand as she set her piece of paper to the side.

                “Allison!” Scott called as his mate was walked from the courtroom. “I love you!”

                Allison glanced over her shoulder at him but didn’t respond as she was led out.

                “As for you, Mr. McCall, the sentencing is the same. Twenty-seven years in prison. You are eligible for parole after fifteen years if you have good behavior.”

                “But you gave Allison the chance after ten years! That’s not fair! This whole thing was her stupid plan!”

                A series of gasps swept through the courtroom.

                Judge Saunders frowned. “Thank you for bringing that to my attention. I will make sure I correct it.”

                Scott smiled in satisfaction.

                “You will serve without parole, Mr. McCall. I was willing to be lenient on the chance that you were both just that stupid to put your friend at risk. I truly hope that you learn something while being rehabilitated. Take him away.”

                “No,” Scott said in a whisper as the officers that escorted him got closer to him. “No! You can’t do this! I didn’t do anything wrong! Stiles! Tell them I didn’t do anything wrong!”

                Stiles clenched his jaw as he stared down at the table in front of him. He hardly breathed until Scott was dragged out of the courtroom.

                “Mr. Stilinski,” Judge Saunders said as she took her reading glasses off. “I do hope that we reached the verdict you were hoping for today. I want to commend you on your bravery in coming forward. Facing your accusers is never easy. That being said, I hope the rest of your life is better. I see you have a doting mate and a good father. Good luck in your recovery.”

                “Thank you,” Stiles said softly as he felt Derek put his hand on one of his shoulders while his dad set his hand on the other side.

                “All rise!”

                Stiles was glad that neither his dad nor Derek let him go as he got to his feet as the judge and the members of the jury left. He let a shuddering breath go as he turned to his lawyer. “Thank you, Mr. Whittemore, for everything you’ve done for me.”

                Mr. Whittemore tipped his head in a nod, “I must admit that I hesitated to accept your case when your father first approached me, but Jackson said you were a good kid and wouldn’t make up a story. Not when you were accusing Scott McCall.”

                “He said that?”

                “Those were not his exact words but that’s what he meant.”

                Stiles couldn’t help but smile a bit at that. “I really do appreciate your help.”

                Mr. Whittemore nodded again. “If you need me for whatever reason in the future, you have my number.”

                Stiles barely got to see him turn to speak with Ms. Mackle before he was pulled into a hug by his father. “Dad.”

                “You did it, kiddo! You got justice and you’re protecting a lot of other people because of it. I’m so proud of you.”

                Stiles wrapped his arms around his dad and hugged him back fiercely. “Thanks, Pops. I couldn’t have done it without you.”

                “I love you, kid.”

                “Stiles?”

                Stiles pulled away from his dad to find Mr. Argent and Melissa standing a few feet away. “What is it?”

                Mr. Argent frowned as he shifted like he was going to lift his hand to offer Stiles to shake it and then changed his mind. “I will talk to Allison. Melissa and I will take joint custody of their child. I’m so sorry this happened to you. I honestly had no idea any of it was going on.”

                “They really didn’t ask you if you’d let them be mated before Heat Week?”

                Chris shook his head. “Allison said that I said no bites during her first time but that was when she was twelve or thirteen. It wasn’t recent. And when she tried to say that Kate gave her advice I was so mad. Kate doesn’t have any children. Any betas she would have been talking about were ones she wasn’t involved with. I don’t know what that’s about.”

                “Would you be willing,” John said as he stepped forward. “To look at some timelines with me. We’re trying to see if we can match any other omega abuse cases with where she was.”

                “I’ll be glad to help,” Chris said with a nod. “I know I can’t make up for the mistakes that my family has made but I swear I won’t let this child be corrupted.”

                “And I’ll make sure they aren’t,” Melissa agreed. “We have over twenty years before they’ll have too much influence from either one of their parents. That’s plenty of time to raise them right.”

                Stiles smiled a bit as he felt Derek wrap his arms around him from behind. “Thank you, both of you. It means a lot to me that you’ve taken this so seriously.”

                “Of course, honey.” Melissa wanted to step forward and pull Stiles into a hug but held herself back. “You go have dinner and celebrate or whatever. I would join you but I don’t think I’d be much fun.”

                It was hard, Stiles realized, to smile so much when someone you love is found guilty of something so terrible. “I don’t really feel like celebrating, but thanks.”

                Melissa nodded. “I’ll see you soon, I’m sure.”

                Stiles watched them walk away before he turned to hug Derek properly. “I want to go home.”

                “Then let’s go home,” Derek said before he pressed a kiss against the side of Stiles’s head. “Whatever you want, that’s what we’ll do.”

                Stiles pulled back from his mate with a small smile on his lips. “You know, I think I’m finally hungry.”

                “Good,” Derek said with a rumble. “Because you haven’t eaten much this week. Don’t think I didn’t notice.”

                “Are you going to feed me, alpha?”

                Derek pulled Stiles closer to him so he could rest his forehead on his. “If you let me, I’ll take care of you for the rest of your life.”

                Stiles grinned before pressing a chaste kiss to Derek’s lips. “I’d like that.”

                “Then let’s go home.”