Alpha Lion: BBW Lion Shifter Paranormal Romance by Zoe Chant Page B

the pride.”
    “I accept your challenge," Dale said, equally formally.
    “Witnessed," said Lynn.
    “Witnessed," said another female voice. Dawn the receptionist, Sam thought. Had she been there the whole time?
    “I’ll meet you at the fighting ground at four o’clock today," Dale said. “For now, get out of here.”
    “With pleasure," said Chapman, and Sam heard the sound of the door as he left.
    She breathed out. She knew that with Dale and Lynn there, there was no way that Chapman would be able to hurt her, but it was nice to know he was gone.
    “ Dale , what—” Lynn started to say.
    “Wait a second. Come on out," Dale called.
    Sam stepped out into the open.
    “Oh thank God," said Dawn, and ran out from behind her desk to give Sam a hug. Sam bemusedly returned it.
    “I am so sorry," said Dawn. “I gave him your address. I swear I didn’t know he was going to hurt you—oh God, look at your face—!” as she pulled back. “I will do anything to make this up to you. Whatever you need, just let me know. I’m so, so sorry.”
    “It’s okay, it’s okay," Sam said hurriedly. “You didn’t know, like you said.”
    “I thought I was doing the right thing," Dawn said, “but that doesn’t matter. You got hurt and it was my fault!”
    “I’m okay.” Sam tried to think. Too much had happened today for her to deal with an upset teenager on top of it all. “Look, how about after this is all over, you and me get coffee or lunch and talk it all over, okay? We can go over everything and you can say sorry as many times as you want to.”
    “O-okay," Dawn said, sniffing hard. “My treat.”
    “All right." Sam figured that Dawn would feel better if she felt like she was doing something for Sam.
    “All right, that’s enough, Dawn," said Lynn finally, and Sam turned to her in relief. “Sam, what on earth happened? I couldn’t get anything out of Alan before Dale showed up. Are you hurt?”
    Sam just shook her head, suddenly exhausted. Lynn’s face softened. “All right, never mind," she said. “Dale, take her home, will you?”
    Sam shook her head again, this time more vehemently. “You have to know what happened. And Dale has to—prepare for the fight—”
    “Chapman kidnapped Sam in order to force me to throw the challenge," Dale said bluntly. “Dawn can fill you in on some of the details. All I need to do for the fight is show up, Sam, and I have eight hours to do that, so first I’m going to take you home.”
    “To your place,” Sam said.
    Dale frowned. “Are you sure?”
    Sam nodded. She needed the comforting feeling of Dale’s home around her, not the sterile aloneness of her own apartment. “That’s where I want to be.”
    * * *
    They stopped at Sam’s apartment to grab clothes she hadn’t been kidnapped in, and then Dale drove her home. He’d tried to hide the deep joy he felt when she said she wanted to come home with him, but he couldn’t help smiling at her in the car.
    She smiled back, big enough that she winced when it hurt her bruised face. “Ow.”
    “No more of that," Dale said. “I don’t want you to hurt yourself.”
    “No smiling?” she asked, raising an eyebrow.
    “Most people wouldn’t think that would be a problem around a killjoy like me," Dale said.
    “Most people don’t know you like I do, I guess," Sam said.
    And, Dale realized, that was true. He’d shown more of himself to Sam in the last few days than he had to most people in the last few years. She’d seen him upset, angry, sad, embarrassed, laughing, and too happy for words.
    “Then I’m glad you’re here," he said finally.
    She smiled again at that—but made it a half-smile. He coasted to a stop at a red light and leaned over to kiss her bruised cheek for a second time, light as a feather. “If you change," he said, “that will heal pretty quickly. It’ll be gone in a couple of days.”
    “You were so concerned about me getting bitten," she said, “but I have to say: I’m not seeing the