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| Coping with a devastating injury is hard enough for Belinda "Belle" Campbell. Forced separation from her destined mate while she heals is almost more than she can endure. Until she is strong enough to take up her duties as Luna of the Poconos Wolf Pack, however, the safest place for her is Halle. Now, after months of being alone, she is more than ready to be claimed. But is the pack ready for a Puma Luna? Rick Lowell has waited long enough to bring Belle home where she belongs. He's aware of the danger, as well--and it isn't long before a bitch with an eye on Belle's position issues a challenge. The only way to put down the threat is for Belle to defeat the usurper in combat. There's only one problem. Thanks to the pins in her broken hip, Belle can't shift. Without that tactical advantage, it won't be a fair fight. With his new mate's life on the line, Rick is forced to make a decision that will change everything. That is, if Belle gives him the chance to make it. |
Rick stepped into Lowell’s, prepared to meet Belle for lunch, and stopped cold. Gina was hovering over his mate, snarling at her, right in the middle of Lowell’s dining area. Patrons, shifters all, watched with amusement as Belle stood there, her expression one of vapid confusion. The scooter was right behind her, what looked like paperwork shoved willy-nilly into the basket. Her cane rested against the seat as she stood under her own power and faced her rival. “Who authorized these changes?” Belle looked innocently baffled. “I did.” Rick grinned at the sound of his mate’s voice. He stepped back and prepared to be entertained, crossing his arms over his chest and leaning back against the wall. Gina had no idea what was about to happen, and he had no intention of enlightening her. He’d been on the receiving end of this mood often enough that there was no way he could not recognize it. “You had no right.” Gina was speaking through clenched teeth, never a good sign in a Wolf. It made him wonder how long his mate had been playing with the alpha bitch. “Oh, but I did. Rick made me not only manager, but part-owner of Lowell’s.” She smiled sweetly. Ah, my curious little cat. I thought she’d find those papers. Gina drew in a deep breath, her fury obvious. “He had no right to give you what is mine!” “I believe it is the Alpha’s right to gift his Luna with whatever he wishes.” Rick’s eyes widened as Chela boldly stood beside his mate, her gaze never leaving Gina’s face. One of Gina’s minions moved forward, but Gina held up a hand. “Well, someone’s getting brave.” The sneer on her face as she stared at Chela was met by a cold glare. “I wouldn’t if I were you.” Belle’s gleeful sing-song words went right past Gina. “Perhaps you need a lesson in who’s boss around here.” Gina stepped forward, her arm lifting, her hand clenched into a fist. Belle’s hand shot out so fast Rick barely saw it move, grabbing Gina’s wrist and stopping Gina’s fist an inch from Chela’s face. The most interesting thing was, Chela didn’t even flinch. She just kept that cold, steady gaze on Gina. That fixed, dead gaze was starting to give him the willies. Gina howled in pain as Belle smiled vacuously. “I really wouldn’t try to hit Graciela any more, okay? That’s bad.” She shook her finger at Gina, who was desperately trying to get her wrist out of Belle’s curled hand. “Bad woof-woof.” Half the patrons of the restaurant had their faces buried in their napkins, their shoulders shaking. The rest were openly laughing. Rick scented blood and realized his kitty had unsheathed her claws right into Gina’s arm. Her pretty green eyes had turned bright gold. Her expression was still as vapid as she could make it. A cheery smile graced those full lips as she put her free hand in her pocket. Gina managed to get her arm free of Belle’s grasp. “Bitch.” “Oh, silly poodle. I’m not the bitch, you are, remember?” Belle shook her head sadly. “Didn’t your mommy teach you anything?” Rick swiped at his mouth, desperate to wipe the grin from his face as Gina shook with anger. To be defeated by someone she considered inferior was bad enough, but to be defeated by someone who was acting like a complete imbecile was intolerable to someone like her. “Why you little-” Gina lunged forward, losing what little self control she had. Only to be brought up short by the air horn Belle pulled out of her pocket and set off right next to her ear. The alpha female dropped, hands over her ears. Belle let up on the button. “Not done yet.” Belle’s cheery voice floated through the sudden silence, causing more than one patron to choke out a laugh. Mental note: take Belle’s new toy away. Rick’s ears were ringing from halfway across the room. He could only imagine what Gina and her coterie felt like. With another quickly hidden grin he realized Chela had covered her ears, muffling some of the sound. “So, here are the new rules, okay?” Belle looked dementedly happy as she started ticking things off on her fingers. “No more trying to piddle on Rick’s carpet. If anyone’s going to mark territory there, it’s me.” Gina snarled up at Belle but rapidly pulled back when Belle brandished the air horn. “No more beating up on the other women or I will take you to the vet and have you tutored.” “Neutered.” Gina corrected her with a frown. Belle leaned down and patted Gina’s cheek. “Don’t worry, sweetie, someone would learn something.” Rick coughed as Belle straightened. He lost his fight with his grin as she winked saucily at him. “And last, but not least, you will show deference to the Omega. Because if you don’t, you will regret it in a very bad, not good, terribly awful way.” She was really laying on the inane sincerity. Rick wondered what she was up to, and how much in damages he’d probably have to pay. Gina bared her teeth at Belle. “Who’s the Omega?” “Me.” Chela’s grin was not in any way friendly. “You?” Gina’s laugh reminded Rick of a hyena, especially when her loyal minions joined her. There was a gasp as Belle rapped Gina on the nose with… Rick lost it. His Luna had just hit the alpha female with some rolled up papers she must have grabbed from her scooter. God I love that woman. “Bad woof-woof.” Belle stood up, completely ignoring Gina’s shocked expression. The alpha covered her nose with her hands. “No Milk-Bone for you.” Belle gave Gina that horrendously serene, vacuous smile, and Rick tensed. “Now, remember. The Omega, that’s Graciela for those of you with two second scrolling memories, out-ranks all of you. So,” she clapped her hands together, setting off the air horn for a brief, shrieking moment of pain, “I want you to treat her with respect.” “No.” Belle looked sad as she shook her head. “Oh, honey, you’re just not the quickest bunny in the forest, are you?” Someone snickered. “It’s not me you need to be afraid of.” Gina stood, her sneer not nearly as pronounced as it had been. “No?” “Nope. Well, okay, sometimes you need to be afraid of me. But not right now.” “Then who do I have to be afraid of? Rick?” “Nope.” That scary cheer was there again. “Then who?” Belle sighed, and looked at Chela. Chela never took her eyes off of Gina. Gina’s face went white as Chela let Gina and her friends have it with both barrels. Rick had no idea what Chela was doing to them, but it did not look pleasant. Gina was soon a sobbing wreck on the floor, curled into a ball of misery, and her friends weren’t any better. “Now remember, poodles, the Omega outranks everyone but the Alpha, Luna, Beta and Marshall.” Belle tapped Gina on the head with the rolled up papers. “That means you. So I would treat her with respect, or this could become a daily, perhaps an hourly, occurrence around here.” The savagely gleeful anticipation on Chela’s face let him know that she would probably use any infraction of the Luna’s new rules, intended or not, to inflict pain on Gina and her minions. “Now shoo. I have a lunch date.” Belle waited patiently while Gina and company beat a hasty retreat. Rick caught one glimpse of the alpha female’s face as she left, and his blood ran cold. He pulled out his cell and called Ben. “Ben here.” “Keep an eye out on the females. Belle just put a verbal smack-down on Gina and the woman looks like she might be out for blood.” “Will do. Enjoy your lunch.” Rick hung up and made his way over to his Luna, shaking his head at her antics. “I really don’t like her.” He took her hand and led her to a seat. “Don’t worry. No one would ever be able to tell.” |
| "Just when I thought the HALLE PUMA series couldn’t get any better, it does!" 5 blue ribbons, Romance Junkies "I truly love this latest addition to the Halle Pumas Series. Ms. Bell is bringing sexy back with Rick and Belle’s story." Five stars, NightTime Romance Reviews "...if you don’t pick up Steel Beauty I think you will be missing a hilarious story that also has one of the strongest woman characters you will run across." Joyfully Recommended, Joyfully Reviewed "Steel Beauty is everything that readers could want for Belle." Five stars, Manic Readers "Sit back and allow Belle to take you on a ride that will put this book on your keeper shelf." Five stars, Euro Reviews "Laugh-out-loud funny and filled with characters who never stop moving (even if it’s just their mouths) this is one paranormal you won’t soon forget!" Romance Reviews Today "...you will not want to miss this one even if you may think that Ms. Bell can't sell you on working out a mating between a wolf and a puma!" Four angels, Fallen Angel Reviews "Dana Marie Bell created a world I wish I could go and visit, and I will time and again through these books." Five Books, Long and Short Reviews "Belle stole my heart with her blond jokes in Cat of a Different Color, but, dang, is she something in this story." Five Tombstones, Bitten By Books |
Halle Pumas Book 4 Genre: Paranormal Romance ISBN: 978-1-60504-498-9 Length: Novella Samhain Publishing |
| Warning: This title contains explicit sex, graphic language, lots of doggie (or is that kitty?) style and some songs Rick will never want to hear again. Ever. |
| She's everything a big bad Wolf could want. |
