Dana Bell - Cat of a Different Color

He’d never pushed the boundaries, never once tried to see which of them was the stronger Puma. He’d been perfectly happy with the status quo. He’d never felt the desire to lead, only to protect. But if the only way to ensure his mate’s protection was to face down Simon, possibly losing his best friends in the process…

No contest.

“Stand down. Both of you.” Max’s voice was filled with quiet authority. Adrian and Simon both turned to find the Alpha standing in the doorway, the light from the hallway filtering through that strange mist that enveloped him whenever he needed to enforce his will.

Adrian felt strangely detached as that mist touched him. Simon flinched slightly and backed off.

“Sorry, man. I know you’re worried about her. Christ, we all are.”

Adrian nodded, his eyes glued to Max’s. The strange smile the blonde man wore was beginning to grate on his nerves. “Protection?”

“That’s for you to decide. What do you suggest?”

Max’s tone was bland, the mist still surrounding him. It was clearly an order.

Adrian frowned, surprised, but answered anyway. “Twenty-four seven protection while she’s in the hospital. Two Pumas on the door, two down the hall. Move her to an end room, have at least one of the Pumas keep an eye on the stairwell at all times. Males only, don’t risk the females. No one enters this room without you, Simon or me approving it. One of the women stays in here with her while she’s unconscious, in case of emergency. One we trust.”

“I’d suggest putting the same precautions around Ms. Campbell,” Gabe Anderson said from behind the Alpha. “If Parker decides her interference cost him his shot at Ms. Montgomery he might decide to retaliate.”

Adrian’s frown tightened. “There’s no one in the Pride I trust with Belle’s safety right now.”

“I’ll deal with it.”

Gabe’s determined voice held a note similar to his own; he wondered briefly if the other man realized it.

Max nodded. “Good. Take care of it. Assign who you trust, both of you. Work together on it. Before they leave the hospital, I want suggestions for the protection of both women once they’re back home.

Simon, I need you and Becky to head up to the Poconos and talk to the new Alpha of the Pack there.

His name’s Richard Lowell. He’s agreed to give us a hand with Parker. It’ll take you about two hours to get there, barring changes in the weather. Emma’s got the store covered; Marie agreed to fill in for a few days while Sheri and Belinda get back on their feet.”

“I’m on it.” Simon clapped Adrian on the shoulder, then did the same to Max in passing. He left without a backward glance.

“Maybe we can gather a hunting party, find this son of a bitch and end this.” Gabe’s low growl echoed the one Adrian could feel building inside of him.

“Do you have his scent?”

“I got a whiff, yeah, but not enough of one to track well. I’ve got partial plates and a description of the vehicle that I’m running through channels.”

“Then we wait.”

Gabe nodded, accepting Adrian’s pronouncement without a fight.

Max’s odd smile was still in place as he listened to the conversation between Gabe and Adrian. “Your mate’s starting to wake up.”

Adrian turned, all of his attention focused once again on Sheri. He bent low over her so that she’d get a clear look at him. “Hey, princess.”

She opened bleary blue eyes and stared up at him. “Sorry.”

“For what? Nearly getting run over?” He forced his tone to be gentle when he felt anything but.

“Scratched your jacket.”

A slow grin crossed his face. “Fine. I’ll spank you for it later.”

“Belle?”

Her pained whisper was driving him insane. It was intolerable to him that she felt any discomfort. “She’ll be okay. Don’t you worry about her.”

“Alive?”

“Yeah, baby, she’s alive. She has a broken hip and arm, and a concussion, but she’s alive.”

“Saved me.”

“I know, baby. I know.” And she’d earned his undying loyalty with that one act of self-sacrifice.

He couldn’t resist touching her for one more second, brushing her platinum blonde hair back from her face as gently, as lovingly as he could. “Sleep, sweetheart. I’m here. I’ll keep you safe.”

When she nuzzled her cheek so trustingly into his hand and fell instantly asleep, two things happened. His heart broke in half, reforming with her as its core.

And his resolve to kill Parker before he could lay another finger on her blossomed into something more.

The man hadn’t just hurt his mate, he’d hurt his Pride. Looking into the dark blue eyes of the sheriff, Adrian finally understood what had driven his father to be a cop. Because the same fierce need to protect that haunted him burned in Gabe’s eyes, too.

Max had implemented every one of his safety suggestions. Surprisingly, Adrian had found he and Gabe made a good team, each one bouncing ideas off the other until they had working plans they both approved of. Gabe had managed to get the hospital’s agreement on the guards, the room changes, everything they’d wanted.

And through it all Max had watched, silent, that odd smile on his face more often than not.

“Will you fucking tell me what you’re smiling over?” Adrian finally demanded the next morning. It was just before they opened. Max had arrived at the practice with that damn smile on his face and it hadn’t left. It was driving Adrian nuts.

For the first time ever Adrian felt Max’s full power. The golden haired man drew up to his full height, his power whipping about him, filling Adrian’s senses until he should have fallen to the ground, groveling.

Why he didn’t surprised him. He should have been down on the floor kissing cheap carpet. Instead he was standing upright, eyes locked on Max, every sense alert to some unknown threat. He didn’t even realize he’d taken a battle stance until Max relented, the power withdrawing into him with a suddenness that sent Adrian stumbling, like he’d been leaning against a wall and that wall suddenly disappeared.

“Do you understand what’s happening to you?”

Max’s voice was gentle.

“No,” Adrian said, horrified. Did I nearly challenge the Alpha ?

Max grinned. “Knock it the hell off.”

I nearly challenged the Alpha, and he’s smiling about it ? He bared throat in a submissive gesture that, despite his earlier posturing, felt perfectly natural.

“Don’t bare your throat to me.”

The command in Max’s voice, the near anger there, surprised him. His head snapped up. “Why not? I nearly challenged you, for fuck’s sake.”

Max laughed. “Asshole.”

Somehow, hearing his friend call him that made everything all right. “Fine, Lion-O, why don’t you tell me what’s going on with me?”

“Only Emma gets to call me that,” Max groused, flopping down into an office chair. He stretched his long legs out before him, his feet crossed at the ankles, and folded his hands over his stomach. He was the picture of ease, and it didn’t fool Adrian for a moment. Those sky blue eyes were too sharp for him to be truly relaxed.

“Fine. Oh Great and Exalted Leader, impart your wisdom unto me. And hurry it up, I’ve got a patient due in an hour.”

Max rolled his eyes. “Do you remember the position your father held within the Pride?”

Adrian nodded; it was no secret. “Yeah. He was Marshal.”

“And what does the Marshal do?”

Adrian frowned. Max was being a pain in the ass. “The Marshal protects the Alphas and the Pride from threats,” he parroted. “Do I get a cookie now?”