2

As I was being escorted from the room, I could hear chanting coming from the cells.

"Conlan! Conlan! Conlan!" I heard them. My eyes widened as I saw none other than Billy Conlan walking into the station. Billy Conland is a Scottish American professional kick boxer who is very well known for his victories in numerous countries and he was mine. He had a tall, muscular build and dark vicious eyes. He was in a black t shirt with matching pants. Behind him were a few guys, I assumed were his lawyers and trainers. He had a beta years back, but she died…

When he saw me he made a straight line for me.

Normal POV

Barba was confident that a judge would hear out his deal under the circumstances. He knew he would have to go to a higher power if it didn't work. Det. Fin was at his desk when he saw Barba with a victorious smirk on his face.

"You look like you just won a case." he said putting down his pen. Barba smirked.

"Might as well have," he said in a cocky tone, "I found my beta and plan to have her in my home in a matter of days." Fin looked at him with a big smile.

"Well would you look at that. Congratulations man. Who is she?" he asked.

"Aurora." A thick accented man called. Barba's attention was immediately caught and now both the ADA and Fin looked up. Fin's eyes widened.

"Is that heavyweight champion, Billy Conlan?" he asked. The athlete was standing in front of Aurora with worry in his eyes and he took hold of her cheeks. Barba's body froze, and his eyes began to widen as he watched the heavyweight champion lean down and capture his beta's lips in a powerful kiss. Barba almost dropped the file he was holding. Cameras were going off around them and cops were trying to lead paparazzi out, but reporters were in there as well. Barba could tell Conlan was asking Aurora if she was okay. She looked so happy to see him.

"Yes and he's kissing my beta." Barba replied. Fin's eyes widened and he just looked at Barba then the crowd then Barba again.

"Oh shit." he said.

"Whatever my girlfriend is in here for, I guarantee it's a mistake. AntiDom is a peaceful group of which the government and its false propaganda has made them seem like a terrorist group." Billy said to a reporter. "She will be out of here by tomorrow and that I can guarantee." Olivia and Amanda were staring at the small crowd in shock.

"I guess he's against alphas too." Amanda said. Olivia just shook her head moving over to get the reporters and everyone else out.

Aurora's POV

Billy's arm was protectively around me as he made his little speech about getting me out. The same female cop from before was demanding everyone leave.

"Ms. Nightingale, what do you say to your supporters of AntiDom and other betas who do not wish to have alphas?" a reporter asked. A cop was trying to lead me away and split Billy from.

"I say be strong my friends. Soon we will ALL have the right to choose who we fall in love with, like Billy and I. We need to get it right back to where we started from." I called out before being placed in my cell.

Normal POV

Barba was just standing there now almost in a daze. Olivia was in front of him.

"Hey you okay?" she asked and now he began to turn and leave the room with Olivia following.

"How would you feel if your beta was kissing someone else?" he asked acidly. Olivia nodded.

"Look I know it's hard to see a beta taken by another, but he's not her alpha. You have all rights to her." she said. Barba scoffed.

"Yeah and telling her that will make her resent this relationship even more." he said. "We all know what happened to Conlan's beta. She died in a "drowning" accident. Some say he killed her just so he could be with whoever he wanted obviously my beta, Olivia my beta." Olivia nodded.

"No one can prove her death wasn't an accident, the trial was very long. But you are her alpha, Rafael, you. There is no competition or competing. She is yours by law and by right. Conlan can do nothing about that. So if I were you, then I would make things very clear to that girl that if this agreement happens, then whatever she has with Conlan stops."

Barba stared at her for a moment as they were now in the hall. She was right. Now that the bond existed, she was his and he would have to claim her so other men would know that. He had heard from alphas, when they spoke, that when they claim their betas for the first time, their entire system changes, like the betas are coded with the essence of the alpha. Deep down, Rafael hoped that was true.

Aurora's POV

The cells were emptying and soon only a few people were left. My cell was empty and I had no idea how late or early it was. I know I slept some. Someone came to the cell, and I looked up to see Rafael Barba standing there in a new suit.

"I spoke to a judge, and they agreed to have your record expunged. You can walk out of here today, if you agree to the terms we discussed yesterday. You will be completely free, but if you violate the agreement then you will be back in here." he said. I gave a soft chuckle ignoring my growling stomach.

"So I am not really free then. Freedom is not real if the captor just plans to have me moved somewhere. The U.S. did that to the Native Americans, moved to them to reservations where they were free, but not really free. You know African slaves were free, but they weren't really free since they were oppressed for hundreds of more years. There's a large list, I could go on." I told and he nodded and looked down for a moment.

"You've been fed half truths about alphas and betas. Yes, some can be abusive, but most of us are not like that. If you agree to the terms, then I will show you how nice it can be… to be with me." he said awkwardly. I stared at him for a moment.

"You're an old man." I said. He cleared his throat and nodded some looking down with mild discouragement.

"Yeah, I can see how that could be uncomfortable to you." he said lowly. I stared at him for a moment before looking away.

"I don't mind older men." I said. Rafael looked up at me, and he looked almost hopeful.

"Good." he said now looking up at me firmly. "If you accept this deal, you know you will have to break up whatever it is you have with Billy Conlan." I tensed and looked at him.

"Why?" I asked. He looked stunned now and gave an exhale.

"Because you are not his." he said. I nodded scowling.

"That's right, I belong to you." I stated.

"No you don't- Look. This is the way things are. You don' belong to me… if anything you are just paired to me. Look, when I first saw you yesterday, I felt depressed… depressed that everything I achieved in my life did not give me the satisfaction I felt when I saw you. I never achieved my other half, and when I did, I felt fulfilled. I take note of every little thing you do." he said motioning my tapping foot. "You tap your right foot when you are agitated. You did it yesterday when we interrogated you."

Now I stopped tapping my foot and he sighed some.

"When an alpha finds his beta, it's a beautiful thing and feeling. I am happy I found you and that life chose us." he said.

I crossed my arms.

"I only joined AntiDom, because I believe people should choose the person they are in love with, not go by how we are… mechanically programmed to find a mate." I said. Now he was smiling warmly at me.

"I want you to tell me more about why you feel that. I want to know everything you think and everything you feel and why you feel it." he said. I arched a brow and laughed dryly looking away.

"When I first saw you, I expected maybe you would have a beta who is a workaholic, like obviously you are. She'd have brunette hair and high cheek bones with blue maybe green eyes. Maybe with her beside you, you'd look like some white power couple." I told. Now I heard him chuckle.

"Yeah, I never expected my beta to be a woman who loves fake hair and being a part of a terrorist group… plus I am Hispanic. But you can't really tell." he said. I glanced at him for a second.

"Yeah you don't look Hispanic." I replied, but sighed heavily and curled up some looking at him with fearful eyes. Nottingham hasn't come to see me yet and it seemed today was the only day I had to have an answer for my somewhat freedom.

"If I don't agree to this what will happen?" I asked. He looked at me firmly and shrugged.

"You stay here and we charge you with terrorism against the U.S. That means you go away for a very long time." he said. I sighed and looked away. So I didn't have much of a choice here. All I knew was that I needed to get out of here.

"Fine." I said and stood up slowly and moved over to him staring up at him through the bars. "But you have to give me time to break things off with Conlan. He's been my rock for many years." Rafael tilted his head some, and I could tell he was unsure about my proposal.

"We can talk about that later. Right now let's get you out of here." he said with an assuring smile and nod before walking over to some officers.