Chapter 163
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The day before the court case was to be presented to the judge, my lawyer David, sat in my living room. The case files were spread out over the couch cushions beside him and the coffee table in front. I was in a rocking chair on the other side of the coffee table, rocking gently back and forth, trying to calm my nerves.
David was explaining to me how the court proceedings were going to work.
“Alpha Gideon will also have an attorney. We will both present our cases in front of a local judge. All of these judges have been previously vetted and appointed by the Alpha King. If we cannot reach a civil agreement, the case could be amplified to the Alpha King himself. For now, however, it is being handled locally.”
The Alpha King liked me, but I wasn’t sure that would be enough for him to side with me in a case like this. I didn’t have a lot of hope.
David himself also seemed grim. “Are you certain that Alpha Ivan cannot join us?”
“He will not be there,” I said. “We are no longer speaking.”
David frowned. “It was unlikely before that we would have any ground to stand on, but now, I’m afraid, it will be entirely impossible to win this fight. You simply cannot win against an Alpha, Claire. I’m sorry.”
“I still have to try,” I said. “Even if it’s hopeless. I will not give up on my kids. And when they are old enough to understand, I want them to know that I did all that I could. Their mother did not abandon them, but she fought. She fought until there was nothing left.”
David considered me for a moment, and then nodded. “You are a strong woman, Claire. I admire that. I hope you are prepared though. This will be difficult, there’s just no getting around that. You will have to sit in the court and be civil with the man who wants to keep you from your children. You can’t yell or start a fight. Any loss of decorum will reflect even worse on you.”
“I understand,” I said. As much as I would want to walk across the courtroom and punch Gideon in the face, I understood that I would have to hold back. “I will not make your job any more impossible than it already is.”
My heart was heavy. The court proceedings was going to hurt. But I would see it through…
For my kids. And for myself too.
Gideon’s POV
The day of the court proceedings, it was required that I take the children to the courthouse. They would be kept away from the hearing itself, in a play room off the hallway, but would be present to leave with whoever the judge decided to favor.
My lawyers were exceedingly confident that I was going to win full custody of Nova, while maintaining custody of Leo. The only possible issue would be with Ivan speaking on Claire’s behalf. An Alpha’s word added weight to everything. But Ivan wasn’t the father, so his statement would be meaningless against my own.
This assurance of victory should have made me happy, but the dark mood of both children kept me from feeling fully contented.
Though, in fairness, I wasn’t sure I would be happy anyway. I never wanted to take away parental rights from Claire, but she was caught in some kind of fantasy land with Ivan. I couldn’t allow our children to be part of that. They weren’t the kids of Ivan and Lena. They belonged to Claire and to me.
If Claire wouldn’t fight for them, I would, which was why we were here.
I tried to hold the hands of both kids as we exited the car in the parking lot, but Nova refused to hold my hand. She clung to
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Chapter 163
Leo’s instead. I took Leo’s other hand, which at least made us a Cain.
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Tied the kids inside and to the room where they had been staying. The woman set to babysit had already put out some coloring books and some toys. One of my guards would stay by the door to protect them.
My lawyers went on ahead while I stayed to say goodbye to the kids. I hugged Leo tightly, but Nova wouldn’t come close. I had to accept that, even if it hurt me.
Stay here until I come and get you,” I told them.
“Why should I?” Nova spat.
“Because I am your father,” I replied firmly.
She crossed her arms. “You’ll never be my Dad so long as you keep me from my Mom”
Talking to her about this was like speaking to a brick wall. I had tried many times and gotten nowhere. I could only hope that Nova would come to understand in time and finally accept things.
Accept me.
I ruffled Leo’s hair. “I’ll be back,” I said, and stepped out of the room. The door closed behind me, sealing my children inside.
As I walked into the court room, one of my lawyers excitedly approached me, a huge smile on her face. “Ivan isn’t here,” she said. “Without him, this is sure to be a slam–dunk. You’ll be home with your kids in less than an hour.”
While I was happy to hear that, I was also confused. “What happened to Ivan? He b
here. Claire is his fiancé.”
“The engagement is off,” my lawyer said.
My heart flip–flopped in my chest, despite my efforts to suppress it. This could be some kind of trap, an effort to make me less cutthroat and win my sympathy. I couldn’t allow that.
Movement on the opposing side of the room drew my attention, and there was Claire, sitting, speaking with her own lawyer.
It had only been a few weeks since I had last seen her, but she looked like death. She was pale and skinny, with dark bags under her eyes. She looked somewhat sallow and frail, like a strong breeze would knock her over. When was the last time she had slept?
My feet were moving of their own accord, bringing me to her, closing the distance. When I stood in front of the table she was sitting behind, she looked up at me. Her lawyer glared, but Ignored him, focused too intently on Claire.
The light in her eyes had dimmed. She looked at me like a defeated soldier at the end of battle. A woman who thought she had no home to go back to.
“You look unwell,” I said.
She just stared at me.
“Are you taking care of yourself?” I asked.
“What more could you want from me?” she asked. “You’ve taken everything yet again. Maybe you would have preferred I died to the rogues that night.”
The words sliced through me.
I had thought that I was doing the right thing, but to Claire, this was simply a repeat of the worst night of her life. After giving birth, she had been cast out of the pack. She had fought for her life. She had nearly died.
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There was no threat of death here. Only the threat of losing her children.
But for Claire that was one in the same.
I regretted that night and had promised never to repeat it.
Yet here I was, hurting her all over again.
I opened my mouth. I had no idea what I was about to say, yet before I could say it, the bailiff announced.
“All rise.”
The hearing was starting.
AD
