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Tensen searched his face. “You're very passionate about this. More so than I realized.”
“The system is broken. Wehaveto fix it.”
The attorney smiled. “You’ve already done an amazing job of that in a short period of time. I can’t wait to see what else you conquer.”
“I’ve done little. Everyone else helping this cause has done more.”
“You were the catalyst for change,” Lake said. “You’re the rallying cry, the one who galvanized the fears and desires of an entire group of people who had no voice. You opened a platform for change. You’re…amazing.”
Avery fought back tears as he reached out for his brother’s hand.
“Because of you, Auggie and I might be free to make the same choices you did. Legally.Heatex, Scentex,college, a job… getting out from behind that OQ prison,” Lake said.
“He’s right,” Tensen murmured. “Your bravery led to this.”
“I wasn’t brave. I just wanted to make sure I could provide a life for my brothers. It morphed into something much more selfish. I’d tasted freedom, and I wasn’t ready to give it up.”
“You risked everything to be who you wanted to be,” Tensen said. “Stop belittling what you’ve done here. Our whole world is changing…becauseof you.”
Avery’s face grew red. He wasn’t accustomed to such praise. “Thank you.” He glanced down at his hands curled in his lap, unsure of what else to say.
Tensen ruffled some papers at Avery’s side. “I have more notes from the investigation, if you want to hear them? If you don’t, it’s alright.”
“No,” Avery replied, sitting straighter. A part of him didn’t want to hear it, but he had to face what had happened, not shy away from it. He only had to remember that Vero was ill. The omega needed help. “I want to learn what happened. All of it. Don’t omit a thing.”
“One of your cellmates saw Vero crawling up the bunk and questioned him. Vero didn’t reply. Moments later, he heard sounds above. You cried out. He slid out of his bunk just in time to catch you as you rolled from the top, saving you from landing on the concrete floor. He screamed for the others to awaken and detain Vero while he applied his blanket to your wounds to stave off the bleeding. Two of your cellmates held Vero while the last screamed for the guards. Once the guards arrived, one carried you to the clinic, where they worked to stop the bleeding. As I said, Vero is now in isolation, awaiting a new trial.”
Avery let the words sink in. “It was Tulla? He’s the one who caught me and helped stop the bleeding?”
He’d initially assumed it had been Tulla who’d stabbed him. Hearing that it had been Tulla that had helped save him left him speechless.
“We need to help them,” Avery said.“Allof my cellmates.”
Tensen met his stare.
“I want to hire you… I want you to petition the courts for new trials, if that’s possible. I understand they’re drafting a new bill of rights for omegas… perhaps that would allow for them to go before the Tribunal, as well?”
Tensen chuckled. “We don’t even know what this bill of rights will say. Not yet.”
“I’ll put you on retainer… hire you today. Please tell me you’ll help them,” Avery said. “I’m sure my bank accounts have been frozen, but I’ll figure it out. Raise the money, if I have to.WhateverI have to do.”
Tensen put out a hand to stop Avery. “Don’t get yourself wound up. Youneedto heal.” He paused, searching Avery’s face. “I’ll think about it, hmm? I’ve already spent a lot of time on this case and not my usual ones. I have an enormous stack of adoption and surrogacy cases sitting on my desk.”
“You told me this case has been exhilarating for you,” Avery reminded him.
The attorney chuckled. “Yes… I did say that.”
“One by one… as you have time?”
The beta nodded. “Okay, okay. But only if you can convince Rohan to help me with this task. Between the two of us, I’m sure we can get the job done.”
Lake rose, digging in his back pocket. He pulled out his wallet and handed Tensen a fiverenonote. “It’s all I have, but you need that retainer, right?”
Avery’s chest tightened as he saw what Lake was offering. Proudly, he smiled at his brother.
Tensen eyed Avery. “Ican’trepresent Vero. It would be a conflict of interest considering you have a potential assault case against him.”
“I’m not pressing charges.”
