Our Pride chapter 7
#14 of My pack
Last chapter everyone, book three is in the future. I may take a break from this series and write a bunch of one off stories so be sure to watch me or you may miss out on that. I do take requests, so message me if you want to see something from me. I will do my best to make it happen, please keep in mind somethings I cant do. Without further delay, here is chapter seven.
I was laying across the couch, panting softly. It would have been a lie to say I wasn't in pain. You try getting hit by a car and tell me that shit don't hurt after getting two fractured bones and bruising across your chest. It was my second day without pain meds. First hour of being home, they insisted I stay at the hospital for two nights to check on me. I growled lowly and kept balling and relaxing my hand.
I could do this, pain was weakness and I wasn't weak. Iain sat on his knees on the other side of the coffee table. His ears laid back, a bottle of hydrocodone in his right hand. He had tried, and failed several times to convince me to take even a single pill since I have been home. "Master, please." I looked at him and forced a smile. "It's fine pup. Bring me my homework. Need to get my mind off of this."
Between the killer pain in my skull and the killer pain in my leg I was pretty testy. Hadn't been sleeping well either. Doctor Fields kept trying to convince me to take it easy. Take the drugs, give my body time to relax and repair. I snorted, watching my husky dash from the room to fetch the work he had been collecting from my instructors. I didn't need that shit, my panting became faster and I let anger build.
I punched the back couch cushion repeatedly. Angry about the cast that ran the whole length of my right leg. Growling, punching harder. Getting pissed about the stupid thing. Angry about the bandages across my head. Furious about my ribs, "I'll fucking kill him!" Iain whimpered and looked at me. My backpack in his hand, hanging by his side. I sighed and laid back down.
"Sorry pet, I know this isn't easy on you. I cant imagine how it must have felt, sitting there not knowing if I was going to pull through this. Now to watch me fighting my pain, every minute like you did. They are right, I should be taking the pills. But I don't want that in my system. I'll be stronger for you, I
promise."
"Please, take just one." A tear rolled down his cheek and I waved him closer before wiping it away. "You're a good boy, now move the coffee table and pull a chair close. If I cant fight the pain, then I will relent for you." I relaxed back into the couch and closed my eyes. Pain isn't real, it cant hurt me if I don't let it. I kept thinking that, over and over. Forcing my brain to focus on something else. It was working, but only would if I kept my mind busy. Iain moved the table and slid an easy chair up to the couch.
"Business Law, a verbal agreement is binding. True or false?" Iain asked me. I flicked my ears and looked up at the ceiling. "True, a verbal agreement is binding. Though agreements for more than a few thousand dollars should be put into a written contract." Iain circled the answer and moved on. It may have been boring, but it kept me busy.
Eric came home from school and Iain left to go to his last class. "I talked to my mom this morning. That kid's attorney has been notified that the acting prosecutor is connected to the case. There is plenty of evidence against him, so they doubt it will matter. He admitted to having done it, signed a statement and everything. He will be advised to ask for a different prosecutor."
I looked up at him, Eric hadn't been able to look me in the eyes since the meds wore off. The pain was too much for him. I reached out and took his hand in mine. "The kid signed a statement. He cant enter any plea other than guilty. Even with another prosecutor felony hit and run is punishable by twenty years in state prison. We won without having to slam him to the wall." Eric squeezed my hand firmly.
"Twenty years isn't enough. You could have died if left there for just a little longer. Negligence on his part, could have resulted in murder." He finally turned his head until our eyes met and I smiled at him. Fuck the pain, I loved him too much to let that touch me. "Negligence resulting in serious bodily harm. He was speeding, and admitted to drinking before getting in the car. May be able to bump the sentencing up and ten years or so as an added charge. Plus driving while under the influence. First offense though, twenty five years total maybe."
Eric sat down in the chair Iain moved and gently placed his hand on my cheek. I murred softly, "I'm not that bad Eric. The rape was way worse, I'm just mad because that bastard almost took me from you guys. Thought he had there for a while. Fuck the pain, it doesn't matter. You three matter. Our families matter, our friends matter. Pain is nothing compared to that."
He sighed, at least he wasn't crying anymore. I smiled more and kissed the back of his hand. "Smile babe, things are good. That guy is getting his punishment. And I'm here at home, no tubes or anything." Eric smiled weakly and squeezed my hand. "No catheter," he said softly. I chuckled, "And no catheter."
The rest of the day passed uneventfully. Torban stayed by my side while Eric cooked dinner. I wouldn't be on my feet for a little while. He was happy to have me home, and let me deal with the pain on my own. It was my choice and he respected that. He did care though, I was his mate and I was injured. Torban kissed my cheek, giving me soft nuzzles.
Iain was sitting on the floor next to him, just looking at me. I was murring at all the attention Torban was giving me. "Such loving mates," I said softly while scratching between the husky's ears. He murred softly and started to smile. "They just worry about you. I was too until you woke up. Sucks you cant join in our sexy times."
I shrugged, rubbing Iain's right ear. "I'll live, sex isn't really on my mind right now. Stupid casts are." I tapped a claw against the cast to emphasize the point. Iain licked my hand, "People can draw on it." Torban ruffled the husky's head fur. "People can draw on paper. Gods, I'm going to get fat. Help me up so I can burn calories." Torban chuckled and shook his head.
"You're not going to get fat." I growled softly, "Damn right I'm not. Fetch me a walking stick and help me up." Torban placed a hand against my sternum. "Rest for a few days, then you can roam around a bit." Iain laid his ears back, "You were just hit." I waved my hand dismissively, "Fine you win this round."
Weeks went by and I hurt less and less with each passing day. The trial would be starting soon. Small hearing, no jury. The bandages on my head were removed. The cast on my leg still needed some time so I had to prop my leg up in the courtroom while everyone settled in. The judge, a middle aged fruit bat was looking over his notes on the case. Eric's mom was talking to the defense attorney.
For the first time since the incident I saw the elk that hit me. He seemed nervous, and I fought back my anger. Eric's mom walked to me, "They are going to take the felony hit and run charges, fight the charges for being under the influence on the grounds that the action in question has little to do with the actual case against him." I nodded my head, figured they would try and worm out somewhere along the lines.
"That's fine, we planned on them trying to get under the other charges from the alcohol and negligence." The elk looked back at me, our eyes met for a moment before the judge started things off. "The charges against John Jonah Smith are as follows. Felony hit and run, driving under the influence, gross negligence. How does he plead?"
"Guilty on felony hit and run, innocent of driving under the influence and innocent of gross negligence." His attorney, a raven, told the judge. "I understand the young man who was hit is here as well. Along with the doctor who treated him and an eye witness who saw the car speed off." Eric's mom stood up, "That's right your honor. We have testimony that says Kimber Keller almost died of the wounds he sustained after having been hit by the defendant's vehicle."
"This is an informal hearing, bring in your first witness." Eric's mom nodded and the bailiff walked out into the hall to bring in the first witness. An elderly lizard was brought in and took her place at the stand. After she was sworn in Eric's mom took control. "Missis Henderson, can you tell me what you saw the morning of the fourteenth?"
"I was out watering my roses when I heard a loud thud. Looking up I saw that young man, rolling across the ground." She motioned at me while she spoke. "The car, green station wagon, had one when I had my husband, sped off. I ran in to phone the Police and then rushed, as fast as these old bones can carry me, to his side."
"What state was the young man in when you found him?" Missis Johnson looked at the witness waiting for her next response. "He was a mess, bleeding from an awful wound to the head. I held his hand until the Police showed up and he asked me a bunch of questions, like you. I told him everything. Poor kid, such a mess laying there in the cement."
The defense didn't cross examine, there was no point. So she was dismissed and the next witness was brought in. The Officer who responded to the call. I looked at the white tiger, watching as he was sworn in. "Officer Davis, what can you tell us about the call you responded to just before seven on the fourteenth."
"I responded to a call for a hit and run. When I got there it was pretty bad. I got on the radio and told the ambulance to get there code three. Lights and sirens, because he was unconscious and had a injury to the head. I couldn't perform first aid, he was beyond that and needed urgent medial attention. I filled out my report, collected a statement from the witness who was at the scene. Waiting for the paramedics to show up."
"Do you think he could have survived if left a little longer?" The defense attorney stood up. "Objection your honor, that falls under speculation. The Officer admitted that he wasn't suited to handle the situation. Showing that he couldn't correctly answer the question." The judge thought for a moment. "Sustained, I will allow it. Officers deal with bodily injuries often. Besides a medical doctor is on the witness list."
"I doubt he could have survived long. He was bleeding everywhere and my compression bandages weren't helping to slow the blood loss." With that he was excused from the room. Our last witness was Doctor Herbert Fields. He was led to the stand and sworn in. "Doctor, what can you tell me about the injuries sustained by Kimber Keller on the nineteenth?"
"The most troubling to us was the injury to the head. We got an x ray immediately and then set about fixing the damage. Blood loss is extreme, from his skull and internal bleeding in his abdomen. It was hours of surgery and I'm not saying this lightly, we almost lost him. His heart went into cardiac arrest. So I performed a precordial thump. To shock it back into a normal rhythm."
"Once we had him back together, set his leg and stopped the internal bleeding, we had no idea if he would come out of it or not. With brain damage, it is hard to say at the time if he would awaken and be his old self. Or if he would be comatose for the rest of his life. From what I heard about him, he fought tooth and nail to wake up. He was so panicked that we sedated him, after his ordeal rest was needed. Not the patient flailing around like a madman. He fought through that as well, to let his loved ones know he was alright."
"Thank you doctor, does the defense have anything to add?" The judge asked. "I really feel awful for what I did your honor." The elk said, I looked at him and raised a brow. The fruit bat sat forward and held up his notes. "We have testimony that after hitting him, you stopped, back up, and drove around the victim. You can say what you want about being drunk, Mister Smith, but that kind of behavior seems too coherent for someone too drunk to comprehend their own actions."
"No, it suggests that you were fully aware of what you had done. You tried to hide that, you ran, Mister Smith. Leaving a young man laying in the middle of the street in a pool of his own blood. You sped down that street, and you left him there. Your actions Mister Smith, and you will pay the consequences for them. I find you guilty of all charges, except for driving while under the influence. You will be serving out a sentence of no less than thirty years, without the chance for parole until after the first twenty of those years. Court is adjourned, Bailiff if you could place him under arrest."
The Bailiff moved to cuff John but before he got there the elk bolted for the door. The Bailiff was in pursuit, but the elk made it out the door and into the hall. "I want a warrant put out for his arrest immediately. If he escapes the building I want him drug back in here in shackles." The judge told his court clerk. The middle aged pig pulled out his cellphone and started the process. I looked at Eric's mom who was still trying to process what had just happened.
"He wont get far," I said getting to my feet. Leaning on a crutch for support. "He's scared and has nowhere to go." I started for the door when I felt a hand on my shoulder. Turning my head back to see who it was. "What if it wasn't an accident?" Missis Johnson asked. I swiveled around on the crutch to face her. "You think he waited and hit me on purpose?"
"It's possible, straight people aren't tolerate people." She said to me. I sighed and looked back at the door. "I don't know, never seen the guy before. Besides we don't have huge profiles. Not everyone around here knows us as the gays. He put up a weak defense, signed a statement because he felt trapped and bolted because he was too stupid to realize he had no chance."
"Sorry, guess I am thinking too much into it. Hate crimes happen all the time, just makes you wonder really." I leaned on my left leg and motioned at the door with my crutch. "Let's get out of here. We did good, team effort and all that. Let's get out of here, buy me a drink." The last part just slipped out and I perked my ears. "I don't drink, caught up in the moment."
She snorted, "Yeah right. When I was your age I was partying myself. Started in high school. Come on, I'm going to get my son in law a drink." I laid my ears back, "I really don't drink. Milkshakes would be nice though." She hooked my left arm around hers. "Fine, a milkshake then." She was smiling at me, I would be twenty one in a few months. But I didn't want alcohol, ever.
When we exited the courtroom we were met by the rest of our family. My loving mates, and our families. We were all family, eight parents, four kids. They weren't allowed in the courtroom for the hearing so they waited out here. "He took off like a bat out of hell," my dad said motioning towards the stairs. "Deputy trailing right behind him too."
"We would have ran him down, more entertaining to sit back and watch though. They did a take down just before he reached the stairs. Went down hard, but he got up and took off down the stairs." Torban said. I looked down that way and snorted, "Justice is served. Let's get out of here. I have a diet to break for just today. I swear I'm getting love handles." I said lifting up the back of my shirt.
"You are not, quit being ridiculous." My mom told me shaking her head. It had been so long since I went for a run. Lifting weights and awkwardly riding stationary bikes was the only exorcize I was getting. Still had to wear the cast for a few more weeks at least. "I cant get fat," I said meaning it.
Torban spanked my butt firmly. "You wont get fat. Even if you did, you would still be ours." I sighed and motioned towards the stairs. "Can we just go?" I waved my crutch at the stairway. We all started towards the stairs. Our parents busy talking about how things went inside the courtroom. Aiden didn't say anything, he just followed behind my mates. With me slowly trailing behind them. It was a miracle that the cast was still on my leg at all at this point.
I sat back in the computer chair and smiled to myself. It had been years since those days. But I remembered them well. I saved the document to our website. Quite a few stories have been added to our collection, but a good deal of people. Then I closed the laptop and stood up from my desk. The office door swung open and I looked at Jen. The vixen handed me a case file.
"One more before leaving for the night," she told me. I smiled and took it. Placing the folder on my desk. "Thank you, go home. I'm heading there myself." I told my secretary. "If I don't make sure you leave, no one will." I chuckled at her comment. "No, I know of three guys who would much rather I went home without needing to be told." I waved her out of my office and followed her out.
"Think you will make partner?" she asked while we waited on the elevator. "I hope so, the firm is doing well and I'm proven." The doors slid open and we stepped into the car. I hit the button for the first floor. "Coming in early?" she asked me. I shook my head, "Hell no. I have a new intern coming in to handle some of my cases. I will check up on him around nine."
"Trusting a kid?" she raised a brow and looked at me. "I was a kid once just like him. Helped with a case dear to me back then too." She looked down at my leg. "Double check his work," she said. I snorted, "Naturally. Take tomorrow off, you've earned it." She smiled at me and we exited the elevator car. "Thanks, have a good evening Kimber."
"You too Jen, night." I walked out to the parking garage. Climbing into my blue Cobalt before heading home. The streets were still busy, it was just after seven and Seattle traffic didn't stop until later. That's what I liked about this city. The pace didn't really stop, just slowed down in the late hours before picking back up again in the morning.
We lived in a loft, nice and spacious. Very open too, kitchen and living room didn't have walls separating them. So it was fully open from one exterior wall to the other. The bathroom and four bedrooms were the only enclosed spaces on the entire floor aside from the entry way. The door opened up into a short hallway that led right to the elevator. Our keys were the only way to get to our floor. Elevator didn't have a button for it.
Nice and private up on the twenty fifth floor. Just the way we liked it. That was our place, away from the outside world. As I rode the elevator up I thought back to our first house. It was small, but it was home. The transition was different, Torban and Eric liked it. Iain seemed lost in the large space. Wandering from window to window, looking out at the world. I loved it, it was perfect in every way.
Eric and I both had crazier hours. The hospital needed him, and my firm pushed the bitch work down onto me. Torban lucked out, the gym only needed him for set hours. The elevator doors slid open and I walked into the entry way. There were pegs for our coats and a shelf for shoes. But my business attire all needed to go in my closet. So I walked to the door and pushed it open, stepping into our loft.
Iain was busy in the kitchen, cooking dinner in nothing but the fur he was born in. While Torban was lounging on the couch facing him. "Strip dog, you know the rules. No clothes inside." Torban said sternly. I smiled at him, "Give me a minute babe. I did just get home." I walked to the room I used as an office and stripped out of my clothes. Removing my dress shoes and placing them in the closet. Followed by my tie and jacket.
Once I was in just my fur I stretched and walked back into the living room area. Iain's tail swayed happily, "Sexy master. Dinner will be ready soon. Eric is a little late so we may have to eat without him." I nodded at him and laid on top of Torban. The strong male wrapping his arms around me. "How was work?" he asked me.
"Long, managed to write a little something before I left though. Letting that intern kid do some prep work for me tomorrow." Torban pressed his lips to mine and I relaxed into him. It was so nice to be able to strip down and just be us. It was like leaving our stress behind us, on our clothes. We could just relax, roam naked and do as we liked.
This was home to me, coming home to guys who loved me. Waiting for our mate to come home so we could help him relax. Coming together as a pride, doing our parts to help each other. Looking out for one another, providing in any way we could for the others. Like I wrote once before, this was a place where nothing could reach us. We had transcended beyond the rest of the world, to a place just for us.
Not all court cases are handled by a jury of peers. Just depends on how the defense and prosecution want to handle the matter. Trial by jury is a right everyone has, and it makes the whole process take forever. More money for attorneys, more time to prepare the case. I opted for a quick hearing, no BS. If you want to dispute that, feel free to but I wont waste my time with a response. Law is very much my thing. The other thing, yes anger can over come pain, mythbusters proved that. Kimber isn't a little bitch either, he didn't want the drugs, so he didn't take them. Yes he suffered pain, it was hard for him to hide that from his mates. But he did it for Eric and Iain. Please vote, watch if you want to see more from me, not just this but other things as well, comment below if you have something you wish to say, as long as it's not an outright attack. Thanks for reading ^_^