She nodded feebly. She’d forgotten the Marshall would feel her pain. Poor Ben. She wouldn’t wish this on anyone, not even Gina.
Okay. Maybe Gina.
“Don’t. Rick is already fighting his Wolf tooth and nail. As soon as Ben hit the ground he nearly lost. Can you imagine a red Wolf running through Halle General?”
“Which one of you screamed at him?”
Adrian made a face. “Max. He’s feeling a little protective right now, and Emma decided to get in Rick’s face over the second mate thing.”
Belle winced. When Emma decided to let go, most people knew to duck. Rick, however, wouldn’t. He’d go toe-to-toe with the Little General, which would only succeed in pissing Max off. “Send him in.”
Adrian left. Belle closed her eyes and concentrated on not passing out. Nausea rose up in a wave as her hip throbbed in time to her heartbeat.
“Just answer one question. Why?”
Belle looked up into Rick’s furious face. His voice was quietly lethal, and his eyes were brown. “Why what?”
His expression tightened, his fangs dropping as he growled. “Why didn’t you talk to me first?”
She licked her lips. Her mouth was dry as cotton, and tasted horrible. “Why didn’t you?”
He took a deep breath, throwing his head back. She knew he was struggling to keep his Wolf contained. “Belle.”
“I am your Luna, Rick.” She was losing her battle with the pain. Soon she’d have no choice but to summon a nurse. “You can’t keep things from me that affect the Pack, not if you want me to actually be the Luna.”
He studied her, his expression closed off, and her heart sank. He didn’t understand what she was trying to do, and she was in too much pain to make him see it. “Do you want me to stay?”
His cold, formal wording hurt. “You have to do what your duty compels you to do.”
Anger flashed across his face before he visibly forced it back. “I’ll return for you tomorrow, after I get over the urge to strangle you.”
She opened her mouth to respond, only to have her words cut off by his mouth descending on hers in a desperate kiss that told her exactly how scared he’d been. She reached up, careful not to jar her hip, and threaded her fingers through his hair. Whisper soft, it fell around her, cocooning her in his scent until she felt safer than she’d ever been.
His mouth lifted abruptly from hers and he strode from the room, tension thickening the set of his shoulders.
No! She resisted the urge to cry out to him, knowing he needed a little time to sort things out in his own mind. But, damn it, she needed him!
He paused in the doorway, his shoulders slumping as he turned back to her. The agony on his face reflected the agony in her body. He walked slowly towards her bed, his gaze never leaving her face, and pulled up a chair next to the bed, as close as he could get and still sit in it. Once in the chair, he picked up her hand and held it until the painkiller the nurse injected into her IV tipped her over into sleep. His gentle kiss on her palm was the last thing she knew.
“I still say you’ve pulled some stupid stunts, but this one takes the fucking cake.”
“Look, we both know why I did this. Do you want Gina’s socks sharing space with ours? And didn’t we already have this argument?”
Rick set her down on the huge sofa, carefully unwinding the blanket from around her shoulders. No matter how careful he was, she still hissed in pain. He was afraid if he heard that sound one more time he would break.
The drive from Halle had been painful for all of them. Ben had ridden shotgun, Chela taking the seat furthest in the back. Belle had had the entire middle seat to herself.
By the time they got back, Ben and Chela were both pale and sweating. Belle never spoke, only whimpering occasionally when Rick was forced to go over a rough patch in the long drive up the mountain.
Chela had immediately gone up to her cabin, claiming a splitting headache. Ben had headed straight for the bathroom in the lobby. Rick had the sick feeling Ben had gone there to throw up. He’d felt relieved when he saw Dave following Ben, a concerned look on his Beta’s face.
Belle smiled at him, a pale imitation of the expression he’d grown to love. “Can I have something to drink, please?”
Rick examined her face. Lines of strain were visible around her mouth and eyes, dark circles standing in stark contrast to the paleness of her skin. “Do you need a painkiller, my Luna?”
When she bit her lip and nodded he headed straight for the kitchen. He poured her a glass of water and grabbed the prescription he’d had filled against her protests.
He closed his eyes, the memory of her lying in that hospital bed overwhelming him. He didn’t think he’d ever be able to tell her how he sat there, long after she’d gone to sleep, terrified of moving in case it hurt her. The big bad Alpha of the Poconos Wolf Pack had held his mate’s hand and cried as quietly as he could, not wanting to disturb her in even the slightest way.
For a moment he thought he might wind up joining Ben in worshipping the porcelain god.
He’d known even before she’d left for Halle what his decision would be, but watching her moan in pain, through sleep and morphine, had merely cemented his determination.
Gina could go fuck herself. He was done. This was the last time the Pack was going to come between him and his mate.
He carried the medicine back to the living room, stifling a grin. She’d put on some reality TV program and was growling at the contestants.
“What are you doing?”
She made a face. “Would you look at that?”
He turned and saw what looked like a runway. A woman, model thin, was walking down it wearing the frumpiest outfit he’d ever seen in his life. What the hell? “I’d rather not.”
“The challenge was to design something for a hot twenty-something out on the town. Instead this idiot designed something my Great Aunt Bertha would be proud to wear.”
“Great Aunt Bertha?”
“Yeah, she was a real looker back in the thirties.”
“Ouch.”
“Speaking of ouch…” She held out her hand.
“Open up.” Rick brushed the pill against her lips, not surprised that her eyes remained green. He didn’t think he’d get to watch her eyes change for quite a while longer.
She opened and he fed her the pill, holding the glass steady so she could sip through the straw. “Thank you.”
He decided he couldn’t put it off any longer. “I’ve called a Pack meeting to deal with the Gina situation.”
“It’s a little soon, isn’t it?”
He frowned at her confused expression. “I hardly think so.” Getting Gina off his back would be one of the few pluses to what he had in mind.
“Okay. Just do me a favor and make sure you’ve got a first aid kit handy.”
He blinked. He hadn’t thought she’d want to be present for this. “Sure.”
“What time tonight?”
“Ten. I want to make sure the Lodge is mostly shut down for the night. The few guests we have will understand an emergency Pack meeting.”
She shrugged. “All right, if you say so.” She turned back to her show, but not before her hand buried itself in the strands of his hair brushing against her thigh.
He settled in on the floor and watched her stupid show with her, totally at peace for the first time in three days as her fingers played with his hair.
Belle hated the outdoor Pack meetings, never more so than now. Pumas did it right; they held them indoors, with wine, cheese, and more importantly, heat. She could barely stand, even with the help of Rick’s arm, her cane, and the six Ibuprofen she’d gulped on the way out the door. But he was right. Gina needed to be dealt with as soon as possible, before she’d gathered too much power. She’d already acquired more than her fair share. “Good evening, my Pack.” The Pack jumped as Rick spoke out loud. Only Dave seemed unsurprised. “I called this meeting to deal with the challenge Gina Maldonado laid down before my mat
e, Belinda Campbell.”
The Pack looked back and forth at one another, obviously confused. She knew they were aware of Gina’s challenge, so she could only assume it was the fact that Rick had chosen to address them out loud.
“Due to the fact that my mate is currently unable to shift, Gina has also issued, as dominant female, a proclamation. If Belle cannot change forms within one months’ time, Gina must be declared Luna of the Pack.”
Ominous silence greeted that pronouncement. Only Gina and her flunkies looked pleased. Gina smirked at Belle.
Belle smiled back sweetly. Gina’s smirk faltered.
“If Gina was to be declared Luna of this Pack, I would be forced to accept her as my second mate.”
Belle’s smile deepened, showing her suddenly sharpened teeth. She felt her claws rip through the fabric of her gloves. Damn. Those were leather, too.
“In light of the fact that I have more desire to bed a grizzly bear than Gina Maldonado—” Rick ignored the snickers, and Gina’s fierce frown, “—I have chosen the only course open to me.”
Belle shot Rick a sharp look as his shoulders straightened. Suddenly she knew what he was about to do.
She couldn’t allow that. Rick was the best thing that had ever happened to the Red Wolf Poconos Pack. She took a step forward, already prepared for what was coming.
“I am ready to face Gina Maldonado’s challenge.”
“BELLE!”
She ignored Rick’s roar as she stepped forward, letting her cane drop to the ground. She heard several of the Wolves surround Rick, and only hoped they were restraining him. She sneered at Gina, feeling nothing but contempt for the she-Wolf. “I’m ready to bring it, bitch. What about you?”
Gina laughed and stepped forward, her posse right behind her.
“Uh-uh-uh.” Belle shook her finger at the females. “This is between Gina and me. No back-up singers allowed.”
“Which means your ‘friend’ can’t help you either.”
Belle took a deep breath and removed her coat. “I’ve gotten used to that.”
“Damn.”
Belle shook her head and looked back at Chela. “Down, girl. It’s my turn now.”
“Look out!”
Belle turned and caught Gina’s fist just before it landed on her face. She sank her claws into the other woman’s hand reveling in the bitch’s screech of pain. She felt one of Gina’s finger bones snap under the pressure from her claws. “Oh, now, this looks familiar.”
She smiled wickedly down at the fallen Gina as Sarah’s words in the diner suddenly replayed themselves in her mind. “Everything is going to be fine. I promise you that.”
Rick relaxed as Belle’s words flowed over him. “Everything is going to be fine.”
He watched as his mate finished undressing. Gina took longer due to the wound already inflicted by Belle.
“I’m okay.” He shrugged off Dave and Ben, pushing Chela’s hand off his arm. He was so intent on watching the women strip he barely felt the three of them move behind him, flanking him, protecting him.
When Belle was gloriously naked she waited, hands on hips, tapping a foot in the snow. He nearly whined at the sight of the new, jagged scar on her hip but stopped himself. He would be strong for her, for what she’d sacrificed to stop Gina’s plans.
Gina slithered out of her panties, stretching, trying to tempt him with a knowing look.
He retched, then spit on the ground. “Sorry. I threw up a little in my mouth.”
Gina gasped, infuriated.
“God, I love you.”
Rick blinked, stunned. It was the first time Belle had thought that. Her thoughts were filled with such amused affection he couldn’t doubt her sincerity. He wished with all his heart that she could hear his answer. “I love you too, my Luna.”
Her breath hitched. The smile she turned on him was smug, cat-like, but she couldn’t hide the happiness shining from her. “I know. You show me every day.”
He blew her a kiss, crossing his arms over his chest as he settled in to watch his pretty little kitty kick the ass of one truly obnoxious bitch. He’d figure out how she’d heard him later.
She turned to Gina with a feral grin. “Let’s get this over with. I’m tired of looking at your cellulite thighs.”
Rick threw his head back and laughed, the sound booming through the trees, as Gina snarled at his mate.
“We can tell your ass has never seen a treadmill before, either. I mean, yeesh.”
Rick laughed harder as Belle shuddered delicately.
When Gina howled, the fight began.
The women were evenly matched as they swiftly shifted. No winner there; if one had managed to complete the shift before the other, serious damage could have been done. And he had no doubt Gina intended to inflict serious damage, if not death. Belle had pushed Gina to her limits one too many times.
The differences in the sleek, powerful Puma and the aggressive, determined red Wolf were obvious to all those who watched. While Belle had the advantage of power and size, her limp remained, hampering her movements. Gina was swift and unhampered, but smaller. The two women circled each other, growling, watching with golden eyes for the slightest hint that the other was preparing to pounce.
Rick couldn’t tell for certain which of them moved first. They came together in a furious clash of paws and claws, teeth ripping into shoulders as the Wolf tried to dominate the bigger Puma.
Belle’s rear paw slipped, causing the Pack to gasp. She corrected, almost letting Gina push her over and onto her back. If Belle let Gina have access to her belly, the whole fight would be over.
Not that it mattered. He’d decided to walk away before the challenge. If Belle lost, he still had that option.
He stared around at his Pack. The raw anger on most of their faces was surprising. The majority of them were growling at Gina’s friends. The five women nervously backed away, separating themselves from the rest of the Pack.
“She’s going to win.” Rick looked at the serene smile on the face of his Omega. Her eyes had a blank look to them. “Even if she loses, she’s won. The Pack will no longer accept Gina as their dominant female.” She looked up at him, an odd expression on her face. “I can’t feel them anymore.”
“Who?”
Before she could answer Gina yelped. He turned back to the fight.
Belle had gotten a hold of Gina’s back leg. She shook her head, her powerful jaws snapping the red Wolf’s thigh like a twig. Gina whimpered, dragging herself away from the Puma slowly stalking towards her.
Gina turned, obviously hoping to take the fight into the woods, when Belle pounced. She landed on Gina’s back, forcing the Wolf’s smaller body to the ground, her teeth clamping on the back of Gina’s neck.
With one movement of her head she could take the life of the dominant female. She was well within her rights to do so. Half the Wolves present obviously expected her to do it. The silence in the clearing was deafening.
Gina’s legs scrabbled in the snow under Belle. She fought to get the big cat off her, but it was too late. Belle was not letting go of her nemesis until she’d secured Gina’s full surrender. He could see the determination in her golden eyes as she held Gina still underneath her powerful jaws.
She snarled as Gina made one final attempt to buck her off. A bead of blood dripped down into Gina’s fur, making it obvious even to her that there was no getting out of Belle’s hold. Gina panted her surrender, her legs going slack under Belle’s weight.
Belle held on, more blood falling to coat Gina’s fur, making a point none of them could miss.
When it came to a lone Puma versus a lone Wolf, the Puma would win.
Eventually Belle got tired or bored, and let go. The bitch’s fur was matted with snow and blood. Belle stood over her and began slowly raking her paw through the snow over and over again.
Rick chuckled. His kitty was burying the offal.
Finally Belle was done showing her contempt for Gina. She turned he
r back on the Wolf and sauntered over to Rick, only the slightest limp hampering her movements. She butted her head against his thigh, purring as he scratched her behind her ears. She turned and sat by his side, cleaning her whiskers with her paw, totally unconcerned as Gina shifted back to human.
The alpha bitch was clutching her leg. “Someone help me.” Her five women scrambled quickly into the center of the Pack and assisted their fallen leader to her feet. She stared at Belle, different emotions warring across her face until it settled into Gina’s usual arrogance. “This isn’t over.”
“I’m afraid it is.” Chela stepped forward. “I can no longer feel you.”
Gina’s face whitened.
Ben stepped forward. “She’s right. I can’t feel any of you.” He pointed towards Gina’s broken thigh. “I should feel that, but I don’t.”
Belle shifted, swifter than the first time. She stood tall and proud next to him. He quickly removed his jacket and covered her nakedness. “You are no longer members of this Pack.”
Her voice flowed over him, smooth as honey, touching him in places he had never been touched before. It felt like she’d slid inside him, caressing him with smooth fingers, arousing him in ways he hadn’t known were possible.
The rest of the Pack bowed before the power in their Luna’s voice.
“The Pack has spoken. Challenge has been met; Protocol is satisfied. You and the members of your Pack are to leave our territory before the dawn of the day, never to return.”
Rick shivered, and not from the cold. His cock hardened in his jeans, straining towards the one woman who could ease him. He slipped his arm around Belle and nuzzled the side of her neck, pleased when she tilted her head to allow him greater access.
But his mate’s hard gaze never left the alpha bitch. The six women, stunned, turned away. Gina’s stare flitted from one Pack member to another, looking for something, anything, that would refute what the Luna had said.
Rick allowed his power to slide along Belle’s skin, delighting in her surprised gasp. She moaned and shuddered, resting her weight against him. Their power meshed, just as he’d always known it would when he finally had his Luna.
Steel Beauty: Halle Pumas, Book 4 Page 8
