Chapter 13
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Dominic was the first person I noticed, but it was because he was seated in my direct line of sight as soon as I entered. The doors were closed behind us. We took our places, and as soon as the main judge, an older man who probably believed that women were only worth something if they were married, called the court in session, Philip started screaming.
“My apologies for my wayward, stupid daughter for wasting the panel’s time with this nonsense!” He snarled. “If anything, her fiance’s family should be here to sue her for infidelity! I didn’t raise her to be so blatantly whoreish or disrespectful to show up to this farce of a case flaunting her affair.”
I didn’t flinch at Philip’s outburst. I didn’t even acknowledge it. Instead, I kept my head high as I waited to be addressed, occupying my mind and energy with taking in the expressions of the council men.
I didn’t have to wait long for one of them to speak.
“Renee Caldwell,” one of the council members snapped, his voice laced with disapproval. “Do you have any idea the chaos you’ve caused? A public lawsuit against your own Alpha? Your own father?”
Another scoffed. “And showing up with a man? What exactly are we supposed to think?”
I didn’t need to speak because the man beside me did, his voice as calm, vicious, and sharp as a blade.
If any of you had done your jobs correctly, you would know that I am the estate lawyer overseeing Renee Caldwell’s mother’s assets,” he said smoothly, his tone unimpressed. “This is the first time I’ve been able to speak with Ms. Caldwell due to her father’s interference. And if that’s not enough of a concern for this council, then I’d question whether you’re truly fit to judge this case at all.”
Silence.
“Philip Caldwell’s interference in my fiduciary duty should be of far more consequence to you than his hurt feelings about Ms. Caldwell deciding to seek justice for herself, second only the very justice she seeks.”
1 didn’t looked at Philip, keeping my eyes on the council, just as my lawyer told me was key for all of this, but I didn’t need to see Philip’s face to know that his expression had changed. It was probably the same expression that had taken over several members of the Panel: fear.
The face that Dominic remained, seemingly completely unaffected, gave me hope that even if Dominic would not directly help me, he would hear my case fairly.
“And given that every member of the council was witness to at least the catalyst incident for today’s case, one would think that the Panel would have observed a bit more decorum and rebuked Philip Caldwell for his outburst rather than joining into it.”
Dominic didn’t even flinch at the implication, but the rest of the panel shuffled their pages and stalled. My lawyer had made it clear when we met that he would never make a secret of his disdain for the Council–especially Dominic. He knew as well as I did that every single one of them had been there at the ceremony, standing silent as Philip had used his compulsion on me, and only Dominic had interceded.
“That she had to file the case at all rather than having it filed for her and Philip arrested the same night is appalling, to say the least, but… my feelings aside, I’m not here to represent Ms. Caldwell in this case,” he announced coolly, sweeping his gaze across the room. “I’m here as a resource regarding her mother’s estate–nothing more. She will be presenting her own case.”
A ripple of murmurs swept through the chamber. They had expected a lawyer to speak for me, and now that he had called them all out for their behavior, they weren’t sure what to do or say.
It was just as he said it would be. Disarm them with accountability, and they would have to fall in line in an attempt to negate his words.
“Do I have leave to present my case?”
The lead judge hesitated, but after a moment, after the flush in his face had faded a bit, he nodded.
“I may be under twenty–five, but I am not a child,” I began, my voice steady. “The law recognizes werewolf minors for the sake of pack structure and governance. But for all intents and purposes it is a formality. I have a job. I attend a renowned master’s program. I was old enough to confirm a chosen mate in ceremony. I am an adult. And no adult should have to fight this hard just to live their own life. And —”
Philip scoffed, folding his arms. “You’re being childish,” he said dismissively. “This is nothing but a tantrum from a girl who didn’t get her way. You broke off your engagement on a whim, and now you expect to be free of all consequences?”
The words that wanted to come beat at my teeth. I swallowed them, pushing the memories of the wind, the betrayal, the despair of my death away. I was here. Now. There was still time to evade that.
“I would appreciate not being interrupted,” I said, not glancing his way. “And I was going to say that no child should have had to put up with the abuse that I have. I assure the Panel that my desire and decision to end my engagement was not done on a whim.”
I swallowed, feeling my mouth go dry as I prepared to say the words I had rehearsed. They had been true before, they were true now, as much of a bitter taste as that left in my mouth.
“Yes, I loved Tyler, and had things been different that night, I might have gone through with the marriage, willingly. But things were not different.” I
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5:04 PM
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Chapter 13
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let the words hang between us for a moment, then exhaled slowly. “I am here today because I am filing for legal emancipation from Philip Caldwell and from the Frostborne pack because that night was not the first time that Philip used his compulsion on me, not even that week.”
I swallowed. “Today has not been the first time he has insulted me publicly to tear me down, to debase me for his own ends. The fact that Tyler did not intercede on my behalf, that he was content to marry me despite his betrayal and my blatant refusal, was merely a catalyst to give me the strength to come here today because I realized that to marry him would be to condemn myself to a lifetime of what I had already experience at the hands of Philip, and I did not want it.” I looked up at Dominic. “I will forever be grateful and indebt to Alpha Dominic for stepping in from me.”
His eyes widened just a bit before the unmoved expression returned.
I breathed deeply and pulled the folder of medical records out.
“It is socially agreed upon that the only fair use of the alpha compulsion are instances of treason and imminent physical threat. Breaking my engagement did not meet that burden… Nor did getting a B on an exam, or buying a new set of underwear, or…”
As I listed all the instances in which Philip had used compulsion on me before the ceremony, my eyes burned with unshed tears. My chest was tight. Something in me grew hollow. I had never let myself think critically about my life at Frostborne, but separating each individual record in order made it hard not to think about it. When I reached the last set of documents, I looked up.
“These are medical records are to serve as proof for the theory of prolonged mental and emotional abuse as well as imminent danger.”
The murmurs surged into full–fledged shock.
“My bank records and signed testimony about the day after the broken ceremony are to serve as proof for the theory of financial abuse. For all these reasons, I am suing for emancipation from him and the Frostborne pack.”
“You little–” Philip sputtered. “You would be nothing without me! How dare you speak of me like that?”
“I want to be clear that this suit isn’t about the past abuse,” I said, ignoring Philip’s near screech beside me. “It’s about my future. If could be assured that it was secure, if I could count on the law to be completely on my side, I would not have brought any of this up, but I am underage, and I only have a limited amount of time before my prime window or applying for internships for my licensure closes and emancipation is the fastest path forward. I am going into public accounting, I can’t be affiliated with an embezzler.”
They murmured among themselves, shuffling paper.
“After all, I am at the top of my class, what other reason would every company I’ve applied to have to reject me and rescind interview offers, other than knowing about his fiduciary criminal behavior and fear that I may be a part of it?”
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