Island Stripe Pride - Chapter 12: Chapter 12

“Are you freaking kidding me?” Alex blinked against the bright light, his head still pounded from the Christmas party and he had no idea what to make of what his Neta was saying.
“I said, I found her, my mate. We were married this morning and will be returning to the penthouse this afternoon. Have it cleaned and make sure everyone is ready to meet their new Nari,” Dean commanded from the satellite phone Alex had snuck into the trunk of his Valkyrie.
“Yes, Neta,” Alex wasn’t too hungover from the night before to not recognize that tone of voice.
“Is she hot?” he asked and pulled the phone away from his ear as his Neta roared ferociously into the phone.
“Mine!” growled Dean.
“Holy hell! She is your fated mate! All will be made ready, Neta,” Alex said and grinned from ear to ear.
Once he hung up on his Beta, Dean turned to his beautiful Christmas bride. She was smiling happily, resplendent in a white gown they’d picked up from her boss, Sherry McAllister, who happened to be a Witch married to a Werewolf, on their way to be wed.
After the small, intimate ceremony, which was performed by a Wolf Shifter who lived near Atlantic City, Dean and his new bride decided to head back to his penthouse.
“Are you sure you don’t want to take a few days to get used to this?” he’d asked, but his mate shook her head.
“I don’t want to wait another moment to start my life with you.”
“This has turned out to be the most incredible Christmas,” he brought their entwined hands to his lips and kissed her wrist, loving the shiver that travelled through her at the contact.
He would enjoy spending the rest of his life finding those special places that made her purr and tremble with desire. After explaining to her what it meant to be his Nari and offering to step down as Neta if she was uncomfortable because her happiness was tantamount to everything else, his mate had narrowed her eyes and demanded he take her to meet his Pride immediately.
“You are the rightful Neta, and I am your Nari, I would never ask you to step down, Dean. I am proud to be at your side,” she’d said.
“I love you, Violet Romero, you are truly the most extraordinary woman I have ever met, and you are the best damned Christmas present I have ever gotten,” he grinned and yes, the Tiger inside of him liked that she chose to take his name very much.
“I love you too, Dean, but I think you’re wrong. I am the one who was given a gift and that’s you,” she returned.
“I love you,” he growled and Violet leaned over to take his lips with hers.
“Get us home so you can show me how much,” his Nari commanded and Dean didn’t need to be told twice to put the pedal to the metal.
The scenery flew by and his mate laughed as he sped along to their penthouse in Manhattan. It was truly a wonder that she had come into his life so suddenly and perfectly, even he had to admit. Violet had irrevocably changed his solitary ways.
For the better though, always for the better, he thought with a grin splitting his face.
Yes, he just had to introduce his mate to his Pride, but first, he would show her just what it meant to be his one and true fated mate. She was the single most important person in his entire world and she deserved to hear that from his lips, to taste the truth behind his vows in his kiss.
Indeed, growled his beast in agreement. This was going to be a Christmas his sweet, sugar cookie scented Nari would never forget. Dean would make damn sure of that.
Mine, growled his Tiger.
Mine, echoed his Tigress.
He heard her husky growl whispering in his mind through their matebond and fuck if that wasn’t the most incredible thing.
That ethereal link pulsed and glowed in that metaphysical plane where it resided, allowing them both the gift of knowing how the other felt. He basked in the knowledge that his mate was as crazy about him as he was about her.
How had he gotten so lucky, he wondered that for some length as he drove.
Dean held Violet’s hand the entire way back home. As he neared the penthouse he recalled his conversation with his Beta before he’d left for the cabin. What a fool he’d been! So arrogant and sure.
Well, his adventure proved one thing for certain, Christmas miracles really did exist and he’d been blessed to have his own sitting right there next to him.
“Are you nervous?” he asked as they pulled into the private lot of the ISP Building on the Upper West Side.
“A little,” she confessed, “but really I’m excited.”
“Oh yeah?”
“Yes,” she bit her lower lip in a way that made him ache to soothe the abused skin, “I can’t wait to start my life with you.”
“Me too,” he agreed, and it was true.
He’d never expected to have a whirlwind romance when he’d left earlier the day before, but here he was, the Tiger King of Manhattan with his own Christmas Bride!
“Merry Christmas,” he said and captured her lips one more time before leading the way to his private elevator.
It would be some time before they were alone, so Dean pushed the stop button and showed her just how delightful small spaces and city life could really be.
“Love you, mate.”
“I love you,” she sighed into his embrace, and Dean forgot everything but her.
Right then, she was the only thing in the world that mattered to him.
As it should be, thought his Tiger approvingly.
The end.
BLURB：
CLAIMING HIS VIRGIN MATE
Alex Kensington is a Tiger Shifter from the . In Maccon City on business for his Neta, he runs into the one person he never expected to meet. His fated mate.
Margaret Flint is just trying to live her best life running her late father’s seaside motel down in the Jersey Shore town of Maccon City. At twenty-nine years old, she never expected to wind up back at The Sunset Inn, raising her much younger sister, Joelle.
When unforeseen events cause her to be late with her mortgage payment, she learns someone else has bought the loan. Some New York City business tycoon who is trying to force her out! But Maggie will not give up without a fight.
Will Alex follow his instructions and toss the female out on her ear, or will he claim her as his own?
PROLOGUE
IF IT WALKS LIKE A TIGER AND TALKS LIKE A TIGER…
“Maggie?”
“Yes?” Maggie turned her head away from the pile of books she was using while researching her thesis.
“You have a phone call,” Bobby, the young librarian whispered and motioned for her to come to his desk.
Scranton Public Library was usually busy and full of college kids. She was so close to finishing grad school in software development. All her life, she’d spent more time on computers than with real people.
It started out innocently enough with gaming and chat rooms. Later, she’d been full on obsessed with the roleplaying world of WolfMoon and the fact the inventor lived in her hometown.
Maggie had been promised a job by Randall Graves himself whenever she wanted, but she opted to finish school first. It took her longer than usual, since there was no money waiting for her to go.
Oh no. Unlike most of her friends whose parents had saved and collected little nest eggs for their teens when they’d graduated high school, Maggie had to work her way through college.
Fast food restaurants were her go to, but she also had jobs delivering newspapers, walking dogs, tutoring, and babysitting. She wasn’t afraid of hard work.
It always occurred to her, the harder she worked now, the less she would have to as she got older, right? Anyway, she was so close now. And maybe, after she saw the world a bit, she’d find the one job she really wanted.
No children? The sad little voice inside her that sometimes spoke up when she was feeling a certain way distracted her for a moment. But she pushed it away.
Some people were not meant to have families. Maybe she was one of them. After all, how many almost thirty-year-old virgins were walking around Pennsylvania? Never mind Maccon City. Not that she was going there anytime soon. She snorted and cleared her throat quickly to cover it up.
No. This was her life as it was supposed to be. Away from her mother, who’d always seemed to resent Maggie for having had her so young. Like it was her fault her mom got pregnant in high school.
As for her absentee father, well, she’d tried once to be in his life. It didn’t exactly work out. Maggie shook her head, wondering why her thoughts had turned melancholy while following Bobby to his desk.
She hardly noticed the crowds that filled the library this time of year anymore. Still, this was odd. She’d never known anyone to call looking for her. What was wrong with her cell phone?
“Hello,” she spoke into the receiver.
“Miss Margaret Flint?” a somber voice asked.
“Yes, I’m Margaret Flint,” she said, her stomach clenching in dread.
“Miss Flint, my name is Kurt Lowell, with Macconwood Law Associates,” he continued, “I was your father’s lawyer.”
“Was?” she asked, her tension becoming unbearable.
“Yes, Miss Flint,” he paused a moment, “I am very sorry to have to inform you that there was a car accident, and your father did not survive.”
“He’s dead?”
“Yes, miss, I am very, very sorry.”
“Was he alone? What about Joelle?”
“He was out with his wife, Debra. They are both deceased. Your sister-”
“Half-sister,” she murmured.
“Apologies,” he said, “Your half-sister is fine. She was home at the time.”
“I see.”
“Miss Flint, you are named in the will as Joelle’s legal guardian and there is a substantial amount of information to go over, including your father’s business. The hotel property and the remaining mortgage. When can you be back in town?”
“What? I’m sorry, I just, Can you say that again?”
“Joelle needs you here, Maggie,” Kurt said.
“Come home, Miss Flint. Joelle needs you.”
“Okay,” she swallowed hard and hung up the phone.
“Maggie? Are you okay?” Bobby asked, but she was already walking away to gather her things.
Maggie may have had a shitty time with both her parents, but Joelle was sweet and young. She deserved better. Shame filled her at the half-sister remark she’d callously quipped. That was her mother’s word, not hers.
Shit. Her father was dead. Joelle needed her. That was all Maggie needed to hear.
Looked like she was going home after all.