Page 164 of Alpha Awakened
A moment later, Councilor Doucette walked in. The alpha was impeccably dressed in a red tweed power suit. She wore her long braids down in a twist over her right shoulder. Her face was still bruised and bandaged but her makeup was artfully applied as usual.
“Councilor Doucette.Youare here to speak on behalf of these two soldiers?” Collins asked in disbelief.
Ice understood his surprise. The councilor had the political weight of a senator. That was a heavy hitter going to bat for them.
“Indeed I am.”
She walked forward to stand directly in front of the panel’s bench. One of the soldiers tried to bring her a chair but she waved them away.
“Captain Anderson and Corporal Mitchell rescued my daughter when she was abducted,” Doucette began. “Less than a week ago, they saved me when I and the entire shifter council were taken hostage by a twisted insurrectionist with plans to assassinate us all. Corporal Mitchell took on an additional risk to his life when he went deeper into the building where we were being held to find the fourteenth councilor. He was in that building when it collapsed and he nearly died doing his duty. As I understand it, these two soldiers were romantically involved during that mission yet they managed to complete it with what I have to label as a resounding success.”
Hart spoke up. “Councilor Doucette, I understand your personal gratitude to these two men but we cannot allow that to be the deciding factor in this trial.”
“It’s not only about gratitude,” Doucette calmly stated. “Shifters have served faithfully in the Legion since we joined the larger society. And truthfully, even before that. But there are restrictions placed on them that I consider unjust. Such as shifter soldiers being required to seek permission beforeexchanging mating bites even if they bond with a civilian. While human soldiers are not required to get permission before marriage. That is a discriminatory practice that I am shocked exists. Shifters in the military should have allowances made for our nature and this is a good place to start. These two soldiers want to continue doing their jobs. And they want to do it together. Separating them will not work. We cannot ignore the mating pull once it starts.”
“What do you suggest, Councilor?” Hart asked.
“Leave them be. Major Ortiz is an outstanding CO. I’m sure she will take action if their relationship becomes a problem. And for future instances where this might occur, put protocols in place for shifters to adhere to. An official disclosure procedure. Check-ins. Counseling. Whatever is necessary that lets our shifter soldiers follow their natural instincts without fear that they will be punished for them. I don’t want to lose any more good men and women from the Legion because we don’t trust our soldiers to comport themselves with maturity once they’ve found their mates.”
Lieutenant General Bell spoke for the panel.
“We can take these suggestions for a disclosure procedure into consideration for the future.”
“And for right now?” Doucette asked.
The panel of judges put their heads together, talking amongst themselves in low tones so that the rest of the court couldn’t hear them.
Ice held his breath, waiting. He could feel Hazard’s tension even with the space separating them.
After a few moments, the judges separated. Lieutenant General Hart stood to deliver the panel’s decision.
“We will allow the relationship to continue without consequence. Major Ortiz, you are to immediately establish a schedule of individual check-ins with the captain and thecorporal. You will also submit these check-ins to Lieutenant Colonel Gibbs. And Captain Anderson cannot have any say in Corporal Mitchell’s performance reviews or promotion.”
“Understood, ma’am,” Ortiz said.
“Captain Anderson and Corporal Mitchell, please stand.”
Ice and Hazard both stood.
“We expect you to comport yourselves with dignity while on base or when serving in any official US Legion capacity. Is that clear?”
Ice nodded, hardly daring to believe how the trial had turned out. “Yes, ma’am.”
“Crystal clear, ma’am,” Hazard said.
“The court has issued its ruling. This case is closed.”
Chapter 63
In the hall outside the hearing chambers, the 448 and everyone who had come to support Ice and Hazard gave them a moment to themselves. Hazard had a question that he needed to ask.
“Why did you do it?” he asked softly to keep the conversation between them. “Why did you try to quit the Legion when it’s so important to you?”
Ice smiled. “I first set my mind on the goal of becoming the first starred shifter in the Legion because of my father. It was his goal and I wanted to achieve it to honor his memory. As a thank you for the sacrifice he made to save my life. But when I was sitting in the brig, I realized something.”
“What did you realize?”
“Neither of my parents would want me to pursue that goal if it meant giving up my mate. I don’t have to earn promotions to honor them. That’s not why they saved me. They saved me so that I could live my life however I chose. And maybe one day build my own family. Once I realized that, the choice between losing you or giving up the chance to become a general was easy. Because to me, family is more important than a career goal. You’re my family, Dylan, and I’ll do whatever it takes to stay with you.”