Dana Bell - Steel Beauty

“Oh, c’mon, Ben. You have to admit, he got back at you.” Belle accepted Ben’s outstretched hand as he helped her out of the SUV.

Ben’s jaw ticked as she watched him reach in and grab her cane. “Yes, he did.”

She put her hand on his arm, suddenly concerned. “It was a joke, Ben.”

He took a deep breath and bowed slightly. “I’m aware of that, Luna.” His expression was more relaxed as he handed her cane to her and threaded her free hand through his arm. “Dave doesn’t always know when to stop pushing.”

Belle frowned thoughtfully as Ben assisted her to the Lodge. What the hell is going on there? She looked back and forth between the two men. Huh. Maybe Ben really does want Dave’s ass.

Her speculation was abruptly halted as Rick stepped forward. That waist-length red hair was blowing freely in the wind. His ice blue eyes were glued to her face. The scar along his left cheek was pale against his wind-kissed skin. He was so hot she felt faint.

Right. That’s why I left Frank’s burgers behind.

No one would ever think to call Rick a handsome man. Tall, broad, intimidating, with hawk-like features, he radiated danger on a visceral level. Belle shivered under the intensity of Rick’s stare, her chin rising in unconscious defiance.

Rick smiled, feral, hot, and possessive. He stood before her, tall and proud, looking down at her with burning satisfaction. “I welcome you, Mate and Luna, to your new den. May our cubs—”

“Kits.”

His smile faltered. She raised one brow, demanding he acknowledge the change.

His expression warmed. “ Children , be strong and healthy, nurtured by our Pack and Pride .” His smile turned to a grin as she regally nodded her acceptance of his phrasing of the old, traditional greeting.

The growl of the dark-haired female right behind Rick did nothing to deter her from making sure that the Poconos Pack understood that they were now a mixed-race Pack.

Rick continued, his gaze never leaving hers. “May your strength be our strength. May your courage be our beacon on moonless nights. May your wisdom guide our paws to the right trail.” Rick took her hand as the rest of the Pack knelt on the porch. All except Gina, who smirked and crossed her arms.

When Rick turned and saw Gina standing there, he snarled.

“You can’t force me to accept a crippled cat as my Luna, Rick.”

Belle took a step forward, heedless of the warning hand Rick laid on her arm. “Are you challenging me?”

Gina smirked. “Yes.”

Belle smiled sweetly. “According to Protocol, you must withhold challenge until the injury that prevents me from shifting is resolved.”

The smirk fell off Gina’s face. “What?”

“As the injury was sustained in defense of my Pridemate, it is considered a badge of honor. Therefore, you have no choice but to withhold challenge until I can shift and face you on an equal footing.”

“Just because you decided to save the fur of some worthless pussy I can’t challenge you. Is that what you’re saying?” Gina took two angry steps forward before a voice stopped her.

“The Luna has correctly cited protocol.”

Belle looked up to see a bruised, battered female step forward. Her dark brown eyes were full of loathing as she stared at Gina.

Gina growled and turned on the smaller woman. “Excuse me?” Some of the other Pack females took places by her side, five in total, all of them growling at the now cowering woman.

“ Gina .” Belle closed her eyes as Rick’s deep, commanding voice flowed over her in a sensuous caress.

She opened them to find the Pack bowing before him as he stood on the bottom step. He towered over Gina, a soft mist whirling around his feet. Belle felt that soft mist touch her ankles and nearly groaned at the erotic sensation.

The Pack female was desperately clutching her head and trying to stand. Rick’s expression was cold as he stared down at her. “You demanded full protocol. Now you will abide by full protocol. Are we clear?”

Gina growled, but Rick stood unmoving. The females surrounding Gina tugged on her, and Gina bowed, acquiescing to her Alpha.

Rick backed up and slipped his arm around Belle. He addressed the Pack, his power flowing over them, an intimate caress against all of her senses. “I introduce you to my mate, Belinda Campbell, your new Luna.”

She wasn’t certain who let loose the first howl, but it was swiftly followed by another, then another, until the entire Pack, other than Gina and her band, were welcoming her with their song.

Belle grinned, lifted her face, and showed them why Pumas were called mountain screamers.

She tried to hide it, but he could tell his little mate was stunned at the look of the lobby. “We tried to go for a Northwest feel for the lodge without losing the urban touch. Do you like it?”

He watched as she turned in place, taking in the red leather club chairs, the geometric red, brown and tan rug, and the dark leather sofa. Dark walnut end tables were scattered between the chairs with tall wrought iron lamps providing reading light. Huge wrought iron chandeliers illuminated the space. Dark walnut exposed beams were a rich contrast to the creamy yellow walls and the pale fieldstone floors. The check-in desk was the same dark wood touched with rich golden accents, as were the elevator doors across the lobby.

“It’s beautiful.”

Rick couldn’t stop from beaming at her. “Thanks. I helped decorate it.” His smile dimmed as he remembered the frequent arguments he’d had with the old Pack Alpha over renovating the dying Red Wolf Lodge. The old man had refused to see what was right in front of his face. If they lost the Lodge, the Pack would be forced to move, something Rick wouldn’t tolerate. Rick had eventually been forced to challenge him, even though it grieved him to do it.

The old Alpha had put up a hell of a fight. Rick reached up and touched the scar on his cheek. To him it was a badge of honor, and a salute to the man who’d held their Pack together for nearly thirty-five years.

Now the old Wolf was sunning his days away in a house in Arizona, his mate by his side. Rick couldn’t wait to take Belle out to meet the old coot. His grandfather was going to love her.

“Where’s our cabin?”

He blinked and looked down at his mate. Her shoulder length blonde hair sparkled from the beginnings of a fresh fall of snow. He missed the longer length she’d had the last time he saw her. He hoped she was willing to grow it back out. “We don’t have a cabin. We live in the Lodge.”

Her nose wrinkled. “That won’t be very private, will it?”

“We have our own elevator up to the third floor. That entire floor belongs to us.”

Belle’s jaw dropped. “The entire floor? ”

He nodded to the front desk clerk, pleased when the woman merely nodded back rather than baring throat. She was checking in a couple who’d just arrived and, even though it was a shifter couple, he wanted everyone who worked with the customers to act as human as possible. It was a habit they’d lost long ago, as his grandfather kept the Pack, and the Lodge, as isolated as possible. “We hold private, employee-only functions up there as well.” He slid his keycard through the lock on the door behind the counter marked “Employees Only”. Once the door shut behind them, he led her down the hallway towards the elevator in the back, ignoring the doors to either side.

“Wow, this is fairly nice for an employee area.”

He grinned. “What were you expecting, a dungeon?”

“I’m not sure, but it wasn’t that you’d carry the lobby into the offices.” She poked her head into Ben’s office, waving at the Marshall. “Hi, Ben.”