Page 27 of Bonds and Beasts

"I want you gone. Don't ever come on my property again!" I near-screech.

He smirks and I see red and lunge. Easton and Dean both hold me back.

"Adison, dear,” Mr. Clocks croons, “you're clearly not in control of your own mental health. I'll call the doctor to find a more permanent round-the-clock solution for you."

The blood leeches from my face. He's talking about locking me up. He can't do that. Can he?

My eyes find Bello's, and I must be pale and shaking, alarm written all over my face. He moves closer, runs his hand over my head and braid, and uses his other hand to cup my cheek and rub his thumb along my jaw. "He will never take you from us. You're never going anywhere you don't want to." His eyes are fixed on mine and I dip my chin in a small nod. "No," he insists, "say it."

I swallow, my mouth feeling dry, but I still manage to say weakly, "You won't allow me to be taken from you. I can go wherever I want."

He nods in approval, presses his forehead to mine, and then slides me into Dean and Easton's arms.

"Stay with her," he says quietly. They nod.

He turns back to Mr. Clocks. "Do you know what omega endangerment is?" he asks in a lethal, soft voice. The smirk on Mr. Clocks's face is still fixed, but it's lost all of its real humor.

"You can't prove that. I've only done what was be—"

"I sent every medication bottle to an independent pharmaceutical lab. With the proper monetary incentive they moved my request to the top of the pile. They were all placebos."

Mr. Clocks shifts from foot to foot. "We assumed she would heal if she believed she was getting better. It was a temporary trial run."

"Bullshit," Easton says next to me. His arm is around my waist, firm and protective, ready to whisk me away at the first sign of trouble.

Mr. Clocks sniffs. "I wouldn't expect a pack of actors to understand what an heiress needs."

Lava-filled rage shoots up my spine. "They know more than you, you pompous piece of—"

Mr. Clocks scoffs, and only Dean's chest eclipsing my sight of the beta man keeps me from trying to murder him.

"Breathe, baby," Dean murmurs, and I do, for him.

"The doctor you hired for her had his name all over the bottles of the ‘medications’ he prescribed her," Bello says. Mr. Clocks is back to looking sly. He clearly assumes he's getting away with this until Bello goes on. "That obviously isn't his real name, but it was enough for the private investigator I hired. It took him and his team of IT guys less than an hour to find the real doctor."

Mr. Clocks's face falls. He's not even pretending to be confident now. His eyes shift from left to right as though reassessing the situation. He starts slowly backing away.

"Oh, Clocks," Bello growls, flashing a predatory grin that has me slick instantly, "you don't think I did all of this and then kept it to myself, do you?"

At that exact moment, several police cars come over the hill and up the drive, lights on.

“I called the police during the ride to the hospital and had everything that came in from the labs and the PI sent to them. When your car pulled up I texted the sheriff.” Bello snarls and Clocks takes several steps backwards looking like a rabbit trapped in a cage.

Officers get out and present Mr. Clocks with an arrest warrant. I can't focus on any of it. I'm staring around at my alphas.

Dean catches my eye. "Are you all right, Sweet Girl?"

I nod, then shake my head, then shrug. Dean gathers me up in his arms and I let his scent and purr calm me. I don't look back at Mr. Clocks. If it were up to me, I'd never see him again.

The last thing I hear him shout is, "They're lying, Adison, they're—God-fucking-damnit. This isn't how this was supposed to go. Fuck!"

Bello

Without any discussion at all, we decided that we would not be going to work today. Just yesterday, we found our mate and had to take her to the hospital for which we also missed our shoot. She has severe touch deprivation. There has to be some medical clause in the contract that excuses us in these circumstances for a while. Every contract we've signed had one. Lumi always complains about the pay concession for it, but she can deal.

The high stress from the confrontation with Clocks has been a lot for Adison, but I'm proud of her. She stood up for herself and showed real backbone. Every little thing I learn about her makes me admire her more. She's so strong, my mate.

When we enter the dining room, there's already a spread of breakfast foods. Croissants and cheeses, quiche and fruit. Easton and Dean sit on either side of the table and I take my spot at the head. Adison moves to the middle, but Easton reaches out and redirects her gently by the hand to my seat.