CHAPTER TEN: THE CALL

DANTE'S POV

I sat at the head of the small conference table listening to the two of my financial managers throw a question around as they tried to break out the graph that the projector had displayed behind them

Boredom settled over my face, forcing on a tight expression. Just when I thought I might pass out from their lack of direction, my phone vibrated on the polished wood beside me.

The ringing tone was more than enough to jolt me out of the daze as I had set only very few numbers to that tone, all of them having something to do with Sage.

"Handle them," I mindlinked Cade, who was sitting a few seats away from me as I picked up the phone.

Cade gave a small nod and I watched him step forward, putting the meeting to an end as I answered the call.

"What is it?"

"Alpha, we are at Sage's apartment. Her room has been ransacked. Everything is thrown around. Someone broke in." The man on the other end explained going straight to the point.

"Fuck," I cursed out, my hand tightening around the phone, as a surge of possessiveness flowed through me. "When was this? What about Sage? How is she?"

The questions poured out before I could stop myself but I couldn't care less. She was my priority at the moment and I'd be damned if anything happened to her.

"Yes, Alpha. She is a bit shaken up but physically she is okay. Besides, that friend of hers seems to be doing a good job in calming her."

"Thats good. I'll be there as soon as I can." Without waiting for his reply I ended the call and turned to find Cade staring at me with a confused face.

"Get the valet to bring my car out front right now," I ordered, not in the mood to explain anything. "And reschedule this meeting for tomorrow."

"What happened?" He asked and I took a deep breath searching for patience.

"Someone broke into Sage's apartment and trashed her room," My voice came out flat. "She is there now."

"Oh? I'd like to come with you," he muttered, picking up his jacket. Stopping in my tracks, I turned, raising an eyebrow. "And since when did you care so much about me?"

His eyes widened in shock, obviously taken aback by my question, but I rested on eating for his answer. "Well, the fate of the pack fully depends on her safety. Besides, I'm the beta."

I tilted my head wondering how stupid he thought I was. I had seen the way he looked at Crystal since the first time she showed up at the pack house. The way he volunteered a little too quickly whenever her name came up.

It was almost amusing how hard he tried to hide it. "Take your teenage crush elsewhere," I said dryly. "I do not need you drooling over her friend while I handle this."

Cade opened his mouth to argue but I had already turned away. I shut the door behind me and headed straight for the elevator.

I could hear him muttering to himself as I walked away, something about how it was not a crush and how he was just being professional. A smile stole across my face at his childishness.

My car was waiting when I reached the front of the building. I got behind the wheel driving as fast as I could towards her address. The cars around me honked but the speeding ticket was the least of my issues.

The only thing on my mind was Sage and the fact that someone had dared to touch what was mine. The thought filled me with so much rage that my jaw clenched shut.

She carried my child so that meant she was under my protection whether she liked it or not. Whoever broke in would regret it.

When I reached the apartment building one of my men was already waiting outside. He stood there with a tensed expression.

"We got here with her and Crystal. The door was unlocked when she arrived. Her room is destroyed." He explained as we took the elevator.

"Clothes everywhere, drawers pulled out, cushions slashed. Her roommate just came in. She says she had not noticed anything odd about the apartment and it had been fine when she left for her nightshift."

I listened without interrupting. When we reached the apartment I stepped inside and saw the mess for myself. It was worse than I expected.

Sage stood near the wall looking pale and quiet. Crystal hovered close to her, trying to comfort her but that didn't seem to be working.

I could hear her heartbeat from across the room, too fast and random, a clear sign she was even more scared than she wanted to show.

Trying my best not to storm towards her, I turned to her roommate instead, "You had no knowledge of this?"

"No. I swear. I have not been in Sage's room since we left. I did not even come back here after the hospital." She explained her chestnut hair flying around as she shook her head.

Even though her heartbeat was clear proof that she wasn't keeping anything, I still questioned her. Listening for anything that might have sounded odd.

After a few minutes of careful answers, I realized she was telling the truth. She looked genuinely shocked and worried.

"Do not call the police," I told her. "I will handle this myself."

Finally, I turned to Sage who was still silent the whole time. She had a distant look in her eyes, her arms wrapped around her like she was trying to soothe herself.

I walked past Crystal without a word and pulled Sage into my chest. Her body stiffened at first and I heard her heat best even faster.

"Breathe slowly," I said, my jaw grazing her hair. "I've got you. In, out."

I could feel the eyes of my men burning into my back. Not that I could blame that I had never acted like this for someone, but she was my priority.

Sage was mine to protect. Her heartbeat started to slow under my hand as I rubbed slow circles on her back. When she seemed calmer I stepped back slightly and turned to the men.

"Take her back to the pack house. No need to take any of the stuff here, leave it all."

Sage looked up at me, her eyes still wide and I could see the questions forming but I spoke before she could. "I have to go back to work. We will talk when I get home tonight."

As we started moving downstairs Sage suddenly attacked with her usual spite. "What the hell am I supposed to do now that I do not have any clothes?" She spat, stopping as we made it out of the elevator.

I turned around to find her glaring like any of this was my fault. Letting out a sigh, I walked towards her pulling out my black card. "Use this. We'll talk later," I muttered, forcing it until her warm hand.

Sage stared at the card in shock and Crystal’s mouth literally dropped open beside her. I turned back heading towards my car when she called out again.

"I do not want your money," she said sharply, stretching her hand out. "Take the card back."

I paused for a second and looked at her, it was almost funny. Less than a few minutes ago she had been so terrified and now she had the courage to yell at him.

That fire was one of the things that drew me to her in the first place. I took steps towards her and she slowly stretched her hand back.

"I don't want to make it a habit of repeating myself, even for you. You're to stay with me and while you do that, you'd be spending my money."

She opened her mouth to argue more but I had already turned and continued down the stairs. I heard Crystal whisper something to her about how crazy the card was, but I did not stop to listen.

I got into my car and drove away, my mind already shifting back to who could have broken into her apartment and why.