Bella's point of view
Bella had just shown one alpha and his entourage out. They had a steady stream of alphas and gammas coming into the office today. The day before the summit consisted of the alpha and Mark walking through security with several alphas.
Bella was happy she didn’t have to sit in on the meetings. That way she could get things done in between greeting and sending the visitors off. She had just sat down at her computer and open up one of the spreadsheets when Ted informed her that the alpha from Blackmoon was on his way up, alongside his gamma and one of his warriors.
She sighed, and mind linked her bosses as she went to wait for them by the elevator.
‘Can you bring me the floor plan of the conference hall when you have shown them to the meeting room?’ luna Alice linked back. Bella said she would get right on it and added it to her mental to-do list.
As the elevator door opened, Bella put on her business smile and then it fell off her face just as fast as the most heavenly scent reached her. Lemons and chocolate.
A tall, muscular man in a tailored suit had stepped out of the elevator. He seemed frozen in place. The scent came from him; she realized.
She watched as he turned to face her, his eyes sweeping over her body, and she could feel his intense gaze. He had black hair that looked unruly and a neatly kept, short beard. His shoulders were wide and muscular, his whole body was muscular, and he exuded a powerful aura. No question about it. This was an alpha.
Bella was barely aware of the fact that someone else was trying to get out of the elevator. While in the middle of her haze, she thought she should help the man in the elevator.
The thought was erased as the man in front of her locked eyes with her. His golden amber eyes had her drowning in them. Nothing in the world existed except for those eyes and the howling of joy coming from her wolf.
Suddenly the man started moving. Before she knew it, he was standing before her, and she had to tilt her head up not to break the eye connection.
“Mate!” he growled, never breaking eye contact.
“Mate,” she confirmed as she let out a breath she had been holding without realising it. The proximity to him made her body tingle.
“Congratulations man,” Bella heard a man say and then dunk his fist in her mate’s back. Her mate growled, and the man backed away.
She wasn’t aware of alpha Sam’s and luna Alice’s presence until her mate growled loudly. He was trying to protect her; she realized in wonder. As she heard her boss ask what was happening, she finally regained her self-control enough to tell them what was happening. She had found her mate, and he was an alpha.
The thought was making her dizzy, then she was engulfed in a tight hug by luna Alice. Bella actually thought she would end up with a broken rib after that one.
“Oh Bee, I’m so happy for you,” Alice squealed in the voice she only used when she was genuinely excited.
“Thanks, luna” Bella mumbled and then she noticed her mate smile at her. He looked so handsome that she seriously thought she would melt into a puddle of pure bliss.
“I’m Graham Blackfur, alpha of the Blackmoon pack. May I know your name?” he asked.
“I’m Bella Lightpaw, alpha Graham. It’s a pleasure to meet you,” she told him with a smile.
“Please call me Graham, or Gray,” he told her, and she nodded and felt a blush creeping up on her cheeks. She hated when that happened.
The luna reminded them that Graham was there for a meeting and that broke the last spell for Bella. She was being unprofessional in front of both her bosses. She plastered on her business smile. It usually slides right on, but now it was harder to get into place.
Bella thought she saw a glint of disappointment in Graham’s eyes before she turned to show them the way to the conference room. Why was that? Was he disappointed in her?
Before her thoughts could spin out of control, he had caught up to her and grabbed her hand. The sparks that travelled along her hand made her look at it in surprise, and then up at him. She felt her business smile being replaced by a genuine one.
Luna Alice had asked her to stay for the meeting, and she was relieved that she didn’t need to leave. She didn’t want to let go of Graham’s hand. Bella enjoyed the sparks too much. She felt him pull her closer as he noticed Mark and she couldn’t help but smile.
After the introductions were made, they went to sit down. Alpha Sam, luna Alice and Mark all sat on the side of the table that had its back to the window. Bella would have taken the last seat on that side if Graham hadn’t pulled out a chair on the opposite side for her.
She sat next to Graham, his hand once again holding her, facing alpha Sam.
“Here are the info packs that Bella has put together with regard to security. We will walk you through the information in a presentation shortly. But there are more details in your packs. If you have questions or suggestions, please let us know. If you have questions after the meeting, email Bella. Her email is included in the pack, and she will make sure you get a prompt reply,” alpha Sam started.
As the presentation started, Bela glanced at her mate. She knew the presentation by heart after helping put it and the packs together. Graham was watching the presentation in concentration. She could feel his thumb subconsciously stroking the top of her hand. It was relaxing.
Bella then caught Luna Alice looking entertained.
‘You look good together’ the luna mind linked Bella.
‘Thank you luna’
‘He’s quite a catch’ luna Alice added and Bella had to hold back a growl. What was that about? She never growled, she thought. And definitely not at her luna and her friend.
‘Just teasing to see how you would react. It looked like you were about to growl at me Bee’ the luna sounded amused.
‘I assure you I would do nothing of the kind,’ Bella tried to convince her.
‘Yeah, I’ll let you believe that. But seriously Bee, I’m happy for you.’
‘Thanks, that means a lot luna’
The presentation was coming to its end and Graham’s focus had shifted back to her, Bella noticed. She smiled at him and got a smile back. It was lucky for her she was seated. His smile did things to her knees, she thought.
“That concludes the presentation and the run through. Any thoughts or questions?” Mark asked.
Graham’s gamma had some, but Bella didn’t register them. She should have, but her focus was not on the conversation at the moment. Mark seemed to handle them, and everyone seemed happy.
Bella realized that meant that they would be on their way. That caused a slight panic in her. Graham must have come to the same conclusion as he turned to alpha Sam.
“May I borrow your assistant for a while?” he asked.
“We have several meetings with alphas today” alpha Sam hesitated. Bella could feel Graham tense up and instinctively placed her free hand on his arm.
“But we can spare her for a while. The next meeting isn’t for… Oh Bee, help me out,” luna Alice asked. Bella checked the time on her phone.
“It’s in fifteen minutes,” she replied.
“There we are. Why don’t you two go into my office? I haven’t been using it for a week anyway, and talk until the next alpha arrives,” the luna suggested. Bella nodded.
“Thank you luna Alice,” Graham said as he stood up and helped Bella up.
“No need, anything for Bee,” she replied as Graham escorted Bella out of the meeting room. Bella realized he didn’t have a clue where they were headed, so she gave him a discrete nod towards the right door.