Steel Beauty
Page 7
He stomped into the living room of his apartment, making sure his boots were firmly on his feet. Heplucked his heavy leather jacket out of the closet and put it on, ready to face whatever his Luna had instore for him.
He only hoped Dave and Ben had been able to make her understand the situation. His playful kitty couldbe stubborn at times. He headed into the elevator and punched the button for the lobby. He had most ofhis shaking under control by the time the elevator stopped.
The doors opened. Immediately he wished they would shut.
“Hello, Rick.”
His Wolf growled as the Pack’s dominant female sauntered up to him, daring to stroke his armpossessively.
“When is your little mate due to arrive?”
“The Luna will be arriving shortly. Take your place with the other females.”
Her eyes narrowed angrily, but the smile never left her lips. “I look forward to meeting your mate, Rick.” She tried to loop her arm through his, not at all deterred when he pushed her hand off. “I’m sure she and I will get along just fine.”
She blew him a kiss, laughing huskily as she glided out the front doors of the lodge.
“God, I hate that woman.”
“Amen.”
He turned, not surprised to see Graciela Mendoza hovering by the elevator. She was sporting yetanother bruise on her cheek. He could see red finger marks, recent, around one slender wrist. Herexpression was sullen and defiant. “Please tell me the Luna is going to eat thatputa for breakfast.”
Rick nearly choked. He’d never heard Chela curse before.
“Sorry.”
He sighed as Chela’s head dropped, her shoulders hunching inward. Her small defiance appeared to beover. “Go outside and wait for the Luna, Chela.”
Her curt nod was swiftly followed by her jerky exit. Not even her breeze touched him as she gave him awide berth.
He followed her out, determined to keep Gina away from his mate, at least until he had a chance toproperly mark her as his.
After that, unfortunately, she was on her own.
Chapter Two
Belle stared as they pulled up to Rick’s “home”. “Wait. It’s a lodge?” Rick had failed to mention thatduring their long conversations. Everything they spoke of had revolved around Pack, Pride, her injuries,and whatever else had popped into their heads.
You’d think the fact that the man owns a freakin’ ski lodge would have come up in conversationat some point during the last two months…
Ben was grinning with pride as Dave nodded. “Yup. We’re not as popular as some of the bigger lodgesaround here, but we’re one of the best.” He carefully maneuvered the tank Belle was beginning to thinkof as Big Bertha up the driveway. It was plowed and sanded, something Belle was grateful for. “Wecater mostly to people who don’t want the experience of the larger runs, and crowds, but still want arelaxing week of skiing.”
“What are the facilities?”
Dave’s brows rose at her professional interest. “Two ski runs, one bunny, one intermediate. We have afour-star restaurant we’re hoping will someday become five. We have a spa on-site. There are rooms inthe main lodge, as well as cabins that can be rented on the west side of the mountain. The east side isreserved for the Pack and their families, all of whom work for the lodge.”
She stifled a laugh as the lodge’s sign came into view. “Red Wolf Ski Lodge and Spa, hmm?”
Ben grinned. “Like it?” He chuckled when she snorted. “Most of the big ski resorts around here shiftinto water parks for the summer, but people mostly come here from New Jersey, New York and Philadelphia for the skiing. Recently we upgraded some of our facilities to be more wheelchair accessible.
“We have a full gym, a day spa, babysitting services offered by some of the Pack females, and even a small golf course. All of it sits on about three thousand acres, a third of which is forested. Hiking and horseback riding are popular in the spring in this area. We just warn the humans to beware of wild animals. Right now, our only guests are shifters; Rick arranged it that way because…well, you’ll see.”
She stared at the huge wood and stone building. It looked like a mountain cabin on steroids. It was long,two stories high, with a vaulted, dark grey rough barely visible under the snow. She could see the doorsof the hotel rooms through the railings of the huge deck that ran all around the second story. “Where arethe cabins?”
Ben took one hand off the steering wheel and started pointing. “The cabins are around the back. If youfollow the road to the right, it leads to them. Follow the road to the left, and it takes you to our banquetfacilities.”
She turned back to Dave. “Banquet facilities?”
“Winter weddings are pretty popular up here. Wait until you see the room. With the fairy lights lit, it
looks like a winter wonderland.”
Ben flicked a glance at Dave. “Damn, Dave. You’re such a girl.”
Belle covered her mouth before Dave could see her smile.
“What?”
“Fairy lights?”
“Isn’t that what they’re called?”
“Yeah, but… I mean, real men don’t sayfairy lights . Call them Christmas lights, or, I dunno, string
lights.”
“Are you questioning my masculinity?”
“All I’m saying is, if I see you dancing around in a tutu, I’m not gonna be surprised.”
“Asshole.”
“Fairy.”
“I’m gonna kick your ass when we get out of the Pack meeting.”
“You can try, Tinkerbell. You can try.”
Belle leaned forward. “Dave?”
“Hmm?” He stopped glaring at Ben long enough to turn towards her.
Belle grinned and kept her voice low, but not so low Ben couldn’t hear her. “I think he likes you.”
She sat back and waited for the explosion.
“On, no. No way.” Ben’s face was beet red as he pulled up outside the lodge.
Dave leaned over, an evil look on his face. One hand fumbled the door open behind him. “Admit it,sweetie. You want my ass.” He blew Ben a kiss before hopping out of the truck, sprinting for the front ofthe lodge before Ben could even turn the truck off.
Ben scowled after the Beta as he exited the car. Belle smirked as he opened her door and held out hishand, his eyes still on the figure of the Pack Beta as he took his place next to Rick. The Pack Alphastood surrounded by his people, men, women and children waiting to welcome her to her new home. Atall brunette woman stood next to Rick, too close for comfort in Belle’s opinion. The smirk on the tallerwoman’s face brought up her hackles. Her resemblance to Dave marked her as his sister, Gina.
He only hoped Dave and Ben had been able to make her understand the situation. His playful kitty couldbe stubborn at times. He headed into the elevator and punched the button for the lobby. He had most ofhis shaking under control by the time the elevator stopped.
The doors opened. Immediately he wished they would shut.
“Hello, Rick.”
His Wolf growled as the Pack’s dominant female sauntered up to him, daring to stroke his armpossessively.
“When is your little mate due to arrive?”
“The Luna will be arriving shortly. Take your place with the other females.”
Her eyes narrowed angrily, but the smile never left her lips. “I look forward to meeting your mate, Rick.” She tried to loop her arm through his, not at all deterred when he pushed her hand off. “I’m sure she and I will get along just fine.”
She blew him a kiss, laughing huskily as she glided out the front doors of the lodge.
“God, I hate that woman.”
“Amen.”
He turned, not surprised to see Graciela Mendoza hovering by the elevator. She was sporting yetanother bruise on her cheek. He could see red finger marks, recent, around one slender wrist. Herexpression was sullen and defiant. “Please tell me the Luna is going to eat thatputa for breakfast.”
Rick nearly choked. He’d never heard Chela curse before.
“Sorry.”
He sighed as Chela’s head dropped, her shoulders hunching inward. Her small defiance appeared to beover. “Go outside and wait for the Luna, Chela.”
Her curt nod was swiftly followed by her jerky exit. Not even her breeze touched him as she gave him awide berth.
He followed her out, determined to keep Gina away from his mate, at least until he had a chance toproperly mark her as his.
After that, unfortunately, she was on her own.
Chapter Two
Belle stared as they pulled up to Rick’s “home”. “Wait. It’s a lodge?” Rick had failed to mention thatduring their long conversations. Everything they spoke of had revolved around Pack, Pride, her injuries,and whatever else had popped into their heads.
You’d think the fact that the man owns a freakin’ ski lodge would have come up in conversationat some point during the last two months…
Ben was grinning with pride as Dave nodded. “Yup. We’re not as popular as some of the bigger lodgesaround here, but we’re one of the best.” He carefully maneuvered the tank Belle was beginning to thinkof as Big Bertha up the driveway. It was plowed and sanded, something Belle was grateful for. “Wecater mostly to people who don’t want the experience of the larger runs, and crowds, but still want arelaxing week of skiing.”
“What are the facilities?”
Dave’s brows rose at her professional interest. “Two ski runs, one bunny, one intermediate. We have afour-star restaurant we’re hoping will someday become five. We have a spa on-site. There are rooms inthe main lodge, as well as cabins that can be rented on the west side of the mountain. The east side isreserved for the Pack and their families, all of whom work for the lodge.”
She stifled a laugh as the lodge’s sign came into view. “Red Wolf Ski Lodge and Spa, hmm?”
Ben grinned. “Like it?” He chuckled when she snorted. “Most of the big ski resorts around here shiftinto water parks for the summer, but people mostly come here from New Jersey, New York and Philadelphia for the skiing. Recently we upgraded some of our facilities to be more wheelchair accessible.
“We have a full gym, a day spa, babysitting services offered by some of the Pack females, and even a small golf course. All of it sits on about three thousand acres, a third of which is forested. Hiking and horseback riding are popular in the spring in this area. We just warn the humans to beware of wild animals. Right now, our only guests are shifters; Rick arranged it that way because…well, you’ll see.”
She stared at the huge wood and stone building. It looked like a mountain cabin on steroids. It was long,two stories high, with a vaulted, dark grey rough barely visible under the snow. She could see the doorsof the hotel rooms through the railings of the huge deck that ran all around the second story. “Where arethe cabins?”
Ben took one hand off the steering wheel and started pointing. “The cabins are around the back. If youfollow the road to the right, it leads to them. Follow the road to the left, and it takes you to our banquetfacilities.”
She turned back to Dave. “Banquet facilities?”
“Winter weddings are pretty popular up here. Wait until you see the room. With the fairy lights lit, it
looks like a winter wonderland.”
Ben flicked a glance at Dave. “Damn, Dave. You’re such a girl.”
Belle covered her mouth before Dave could see her smile.
“What?”
“Fairy lights?”
“Isn’t that what they’re called?”
“Yeah, but… I mean, real men don’t sayfairy lights . Call them Christmas lights, or, I dunno, string
lights.”
“Are you questioning my masculinity?”
“All I’m saying is, if I see you dancing around in a tutu, I’m not gonna be surprised.”
“Asshole.”
“Fairy.”
“I’m gonna kick your ass when we get out of the Pack meeting.”
“You can try, Tinkerbell. You can try.”
Belle leaned forward. “Dave?”
“Hmm?” He stopped glaring at Ben long enough to turn towards her.
Belle grinned and kept her voice low, but not so low Ben couldn’t hear her. “I think he likes you.”
She sat back and waited for the explosion.
“On, no. No way.” Ben’s face was beet red as he pulled up outside the lodge.
Dave leaned over, an evil look on his face. One hand fumbled the door open behind him. “Admit it,sweetie. You want my ass.” He blew Ben a kiss before hopping out of the truck, sprinting for the front ofthe lodge before Ben could even turn the truck off.
Ben scowled after the Beta as he exited the car. Belle smirked as he opened her door and held out hishand, his eyes still on the figure of the Pack Beta as he took his place next to Rick. The Pack Alphastood surrounded by his people, men, women and children waiting to welcome her to her new home. Atall brunette woman stood next to Rick, too close for comfort in Belle’s opinion. The smirk on the tallerwoman’s face brought up her hackles. Her resemblance to Dave marked her as his sister, Gina.
