Leo wants to smack that sleazy grin off his face.
Just as the thought crosses his mind, he watches as Hayes’s eyes cut away to a point at the back of the courtroom—and his face crumples in what looks to be abject fear.
Leo has to knowwhohas put the fear of the Goddess into someone who hadn’t shown one iota of fear up to this point—not even upon hearing he was probably going to have to fight for his life.
He and Gideon must agree because they turn simultaneously.
There—half a courtroom away, standing behind the first crush of witnesses, law students, and other official personnel leaving for a break—is Patrick Carnell. His face holds a smug smile as he turns this way and that, trying to get a good view of their omega.
Carnell catches Gideon’s eye, then raises an eyebrow tauntingly. With a wink, he pushes his way out the door.
As the members of the gallery move toward the exit, at least fifty people stand between them and Gideon’s father.
Leo feels Gideon’s growl as his body goes taut as a bowstring, his thunderstorm overpowering his scent blocker instantly.
Mama-Frankie covers her nose, and Rowan’s mother gasps at theolfactory onslaught.
The pack’s family presses close, determined to shield them from bystanders who might be interested in the spectacle. Even in the heat of the moment, it warms that place in Leo’s heart withfamilystamped all over it.
Steadying himself, Leo grabs onto Gideon with both hands—ready to be dragged through the crowd clinging to his back.
Lightning-quick, Lauren pulls a small fabric pouch of what smells like coffee grounds out of her bag. She drops her designer purse to the ground, gets close, and presses the pouch right up to Gideon’s face, her other hand holding the back of his head.
The two alphas lock into a staring contest, neither looking away until Gideon’s eyes fade from bright red to his usual honey brown.
“Gideon, stop,” his mom says quietly but firmly.
Once more, Leo is impressed. He will never know how she had known to plan for the alpha to lose his cool, but the gesture has no doubt saved them.
Leo’s mate doesn’t give up easily, though. He growls, snapping his teeth at the older alpha.
Pushing in close, Jay and Nix flank him on the other side.
“Fuck, Gid.”
They both look pale, and Jay hesitates, choosing his words carefully. “Was it Hayes?” he asks finally.
Jay must have felt Hayes’s eyes on him the whole time, yet his Alpha hadn’t let his fury show. When Jay Rhodes said he was going to do better, he fuckingdidbetter.
“Let me go, Lauren,” Gideon hisses, bucking and pulling against her hold on his head.
At that, Jay shifts behind him, steadying him, while Nix slides a hand inside Gideon’s jacket, rubbing soothing circles on his back. The four of them effectively box him in—surrounding him, refocusing his senses on anything but his villainous sire.
“Whatever makes you this angry, my son, it is not worth sacrificing your pack or your freedom,” Lauren says firmly, lifting his hand in her own and letting him press the bag of coffee against his nose.
“You will only have regrets. Do you understand?”
She touches his cheek gently.
In that instant, Luca pushes through the tight knot of mates and family, tearing off his scent blocker patch.
“Let me through, let me through—fuck.”
He exhales sharply as a flood of mocha-coffee fills the tiny space, overwhelming the tension with its calming aroma.
Gideon’s nostrils flare, and his eyes squeeze shut—only to pop open wide an instant later. He looks at Lauren, and Leo can tell the exact moment Gideon realizes why she brought a small bag ofcoffeeto help him control his wolf.
Because it smells like his soulmate.
