Steel Beauty
Page 19

Belle felt numb. She stepped back, moving away from Ben’s office as quietly as only a Puma could,wounded or not. She took the elevator back to the third floor and let herself into the condo. She went tothe phone, picked up the receiver, and dialed a very familiar number.
“Hello?”
“I need your help.”
Simon didn’t even hesitate. “We’re on our way.”
She hung up the phone and headed into the bedroom. She packed a small bag, waiting for the hurt sheknew was going to come. She just hoped that what she had in mind would put Gina’s ambitions to restonce and for all.
And then she and Rick would have a little “chat” about duty along with the one about sharing.
Rick stared at the open closet door, the knife of pain twisting even further in his chest. Belle was gone.
He could feel himself beginning to lose it as his Wolf howled in misery.
“She can’t have gone far, not with that limp.”
Rick turned blind eyes to Ben. “She must have heard us.”
“Why didn’t you warn us?” Ben was scowling at Chela as he wandered the bedroom. He stopped
suddenly, stared intently at something on the bureau.
“She did, she just warned us too late.” Rick didn’t want anyone blaming Chela for this. It was his damn fault. He should have told Belle about Gina’s bullshit move to claim him last night, but she’d been in so much pain he hadn’t wanted to bother her with it.
“I think Belle didn’t let herself feel anything until after she left.” Chela bit her lip, looking more like the
woman Gina beat up on than the Omega she’d so recently become. “I’m sorry, Rick.”
“Not your fault. Mine.”
“No. Not your fault. No one’s fault. Take a look.” Ben pointed with his chin to the bureau.
Rick hurried over, eager to see what Ben did.
There, nestled in one of Belle’s silk scarves, lay her air horn. On top of that was a can of pepper spray,a small gold necklace, her diamond earrings, and a tiny soapstone sculpture of a wolf.
Relief settled in, so swift he felt dizzy. “She’s coming back.”
“How do you know?”
“She left her jewelry. She’s also letting me know she’s safe.” Rick saw the confusion on their faces.
“The air horn and pepper spray are still here.”
“Why does that strike me more as a threat than an attempt at reassurance?” Rick ignored Ben’s murmur,
knowing deep inside he was right and Ben was wrong.
He fingered the aqua silk scarf, sniffing as Belle’s sent wafted from the fabric to tease his senses. “But,why did she leave? That’s the question.”
“Well, I can feel her now, and she’s upset. I think she’s arguing with someone.”
Rick turned to Chela. Her face was filled with strain as she struggled to connect to the Luna. “Do youknow where she is?”
“No…other than she does feel safe wherever it is.”
The two men turned to each other. “Halle.”
Rick pulled out his cell phone and dialed. “Where is she?”
“Hello to you too, Rick!” The cheerful voice floated through the phone.
“Emma, please. Where is my mate?”
“Which one?”
Ah, fuck. “My only.”
“She’s seeing Jamie Howard right now. Can I take a message?”
She’s seeing the Pride doctor?Fear pulsed through him. “What’s wrong with her?”
“Other than a mate who might be forced to shack up with a real bitch?”
“EMMA!”
“Okay, Jeez. No need to yell. And don’t growl at me, either.”
Rick sucked in a deep breath and tried desperately to calm his Wolf down.
“Oh wait, gotta run. Jamie’s coming for us. Bye!”
It took every ounce of Rick’s willpower not to throw the phone across the room. “She’s seeing herdoctor.”
“Call him. As her mate, you have every right to know what’s going on with Belle.” Ben took the phone
from Rick’s hand and dialed Jamie’s number.
“Give me that.” Rick took the phone back and listened to the options. When the receptionist came on
line, he was practically frothing at the mouth. “Where is Dr. Howard?”
“I’m sorry, sir, Dr. Howard is preparing for an emergency surgery right now. Can I have him call you
back?”
Rick hung up the phone without answering. “Emergency surgery?” Rick had a sinking feeling he knewwhat the “emergency” was. He pocketed the phone. “Get the car ready. We’re going to Halle.”
“You can’t, Rick. Gina will—”
Ben never finished the sentence. Rick’s hand shot out, wrapped around Ben’s throat, and pulled thesmaller man closer. He bared his fangs as, out of the corner of his eye, his comforter turned from blueand red to blue and gold. “Get. The. Car.Now  .”
“Yes, Alpha.” Chela patted his arm. He released Ben, who backed away, wide-eyed. “We’ll get right
on that.”
Rick watched his Marshall and Omega run out of the room. He dialed Dave. “I need you to take overfor a little bit. It seems something unexpected has come up in Halle, and I need to take care of it.”
“Yes, Alpha. Don’t worry, I’ll make sure nothing happens until your return.”
“Thank you, Dave.”
He quickly gathered some things up and headed down to the lobby. He stepped into the car, ready tofetch his female and drag her back home by the top of her head if he needed to.
Chapter Five
Belle opened her eyes to the sound of a mountain lion’s scream. She sighed and closed her eyes again,hoping no one would notice.
“Guys, stop fighting! Belle is awake!”
Belle winced.Dear God, who let Emma into the room?
She opened her eyes again to see the petite, dark-haired Curana leaning over her. The smile she worewas strained. “Can I let the big bad Wolf in now, before he eats Max?”
Belle groaned. “Sure.” She shifted slightly and immediately wished she hadn’t. The throbbing agonyrushing up her leg was all too familiar.
There was the sound of a gasp, quickly followed by a thud. It sounded like someone had fallen to thefloor.