Island Stripe Pride - Chapter 39: Chapter 39

“I don’t get it,” Bria said.
She sat back against the plush leather seats in the rear of the luxury Lincoln Navigator with the ’s own Nari, their term for female Alpha. She was trying to get used to the fact that her eyesight was like ten times better than ever, as was her hearing.
“It takes a moment,” Violet said, a knowing smile on her face. “You know, to get used to it all. Being a Tigress. It’s like the world is suddenly in high definition, right?”
“Ohmygahd. Yes, that is totally it!”
“Wait till you get hungry. And I don’t know if steak or salmon was ever your thing, but you are going to start to crave it.”
“Love steak, only like raw salmon or smoked.”
“Then you better stock up. Smoked salmon is like chocolate for my beast. She loves it. And when I was pregnant, I couldn’t get enough.”
“You have kids?”
“Cubs. We call them cubs, and yeah, we have two,” she grinned.
“Nice. Congrats.”
“Thanks. Now let’s get to the good stuff. Your mate will never cheat on you, and he will do everything he can to keep you safe and make you happy. Even if it means taking on the whole world,” she explained.
“But how can I be sure of all that?”
“Sweetie, Shifters are not like regular guys. You see, taking a mate is more sacred and permanent than marriage. Both man and beast have chosen you, and on top of that, so have the Fates.”
“The actual Fates? They are real?”
“Sure. Why not? You turn into a half ton Tigress, and you have a problem with believing in the Fates?”
“Good point,” Bria murmured.
“I’ve known Trench a while now. He is a good man. A powerful Enforcer. Loyal and trustworthy---”
“Yes,” Bria interrupted. “It’s why I stayed with him. You see, I kind of get these feelings sometimes, like women’s intuition. My grandmother had it. She called it her knowing.”
“Wow. That is awesome,” Violet said, sounding sincere.
“I guess it is, but anyway, I knew I could trust him.”
“I see,” Violet grinned. “Do you love him?”
“Yeah,” Bria said softly. “I think I do. Am I crazy?”
“Oh, no honey, you aren’t crazy,” Violet scooted closer and put a friendly arm around Bria, allowing her to cry on her shoulder.
“I feel like an idiot. I am so sorry,” Bria said, grabbing a tissue and blowing her nose.
She’d sneezed on the Nari, the most important female in the whole Pride. And not once. More like twenty times.
“Um, are you allergic to cats?” Violet asked.
“A little,” Bria confessed.
“Well, maybe you can see an allergist? Anyway, did I mention sex with your mate is going to be fantastic?”
“It was so good---”
“Oh yeah, but just wait. It gets better,” Violet said, wagging her eyebrows.
“Really?”
“Oh, yeah. Best. Sex. EVAH!”
The driver cleared his throat, and both females laughed. Bria was still kinda pissed at Trench. The sexy hunk of a man hadn’t exactly explained what was going to happen after they’d boinked. But she wasn’t mad. Not really. And Violet was right. It was the best sex ever.
“So, um, explain to me what happens now. I mean, like in my life.”
“Well, Trench claimed you with his bite. It’s like marriage, but a lot more permanent. Now what I am about to tell you might sound like you have no choice,” Violet continued. “But that is far from the truth. Before I begin, Bria, I want you to understand that if you don’t want to stay with him, I will do everything I can to help you.”
Bria looked into the woman’s eyes and nodded. Her woman’s intuition alarm wasn’t ringing, so she knew the female spoke the truth. The Nari seemed to accept her silence for acceptance, and she continued to explain just what had happened to her. After a few minutes of shared silence, Bria exhaled.
“It’s a lot, huh?” Violet asked.
“Yeah. I do have some questions, you know being a vlogger and all,” she began and rolled her eyes at her own silliness.
After all, she was a journalist of sorts. And the questions would not stop coming in the second she started voicing them. Bria was shocked and amazed to realize her own imagination was nothing compared to the wonder, the complicated glory, and the boring bureaucracy that made up the Shifter world.
“A Council? That sucks.”
“It is a bit boring, but like with any civilization, it is necessary, isn’t it? We have rules, Bria, and they are meant to keep us all safe. If people went around exposing us, well, what would happen?”
“Nothing good,” Bria agreed.
“Can you explain more about the Puspa? Why is it legend? I mean, it happened to you and me.”
“Actually, it is very rare, sometimes only happening once or twice in a single Pride. Fated mates are gifts from the universe, Bria,” she said. “If Trench’s bite preceded the Puspa, then I’d say you two were meant to be.”
Meant to be? She pondered that over the long drive back to Manhattan. How could Bria be meant to be with a man she knew for only twenty-four hours? It was impossible. Wasn’t it? Then again, Grandma Grotto loved telling the story about how she’d met and fell in love with Bria’s grandfather the first time she set eyes on him.
“He walked into Church, and I was at the podium leading the offertory song when our eyes met. It was like lightning striking. He waited for me outside and we went to town for some ice cream, and I fell in love over mint chocolate chip.”
Bria always loved that story. Her story was not as romantic, of course. She’d been trying to verify a video that proved Werewolves existed when she was attacked by a group of them, twice.
Then Trench showed up at the request of his boss, the Neta, under orders from the Shifter Council of New York City. His job was to do something to ensure she wouldn’t let the cat out of the bag, no pun intended. After the encounter with the Wolves, she’d passed out, and he’d bought her to his cabin in upstate New York.
Within a matter of hours, they’d done more than she’d managed in some of her relationships that had lasted months. They had talked, eaten a meal together, and had the best sex of her life. Oh, yeah, and while they’d fucked, Bria had been bitten, and now she had a big furry alter ego.
“That about sums it up,” she muttered.
“What was that?” Violet asked.
“Nothing,” she replied.
“Look, I know this is difficult to process, but I assure you, you are safe. We would never hurt you. You are part of the Pride now. Besides, Trench would go on a rampage if a single hair on your head was harmed.”
“What now?”
“Did I mention mated males were overly protective to the point of being homicidal maniacs?”
A snort from the front of the car earned the driver a glare from the Nari. She cleared her throat, and the man started whistling.
“Don’t mind him. Carter Marrow, this is Bria Grotto,” she made the introductions. “He’s not our regular driver, which is why he doesn’t know how to keep his fat mouth shut.”
Violet was teasing, but the man whimpered as if heavily insulted. The whole thing made Bria laugh. Once that was out of the way, the three of them chatted about the Pride, and life for Tigers in the big city. Bria was interested to learn that the pride owned ISP Inc. and one of their holdings was a resort in the mountains.
An entire mountain getaway reserved for Shifters, but especially Tigers, sounded outstanding to her. Maybe when this whole thing with the Council was over, she and Trench could go for a weekend and get to know each other.
“What about my family?” she asked.
“Like your parents? Best to keep them out of the loop, for now,” Violet replied.
“Okay. No worries. They’re not big believers in the supernatural, despite my vlog,” she muttered.
“Oh yeah, I’ve been streaming your show, and I think I have an idea for you.”
Violet smiled. That launched an entirely new and lengthy discussion. Typically, Bria was not a fan of those types of conversations, but the Nari was bright, as she was fierce and friendly. Her ideas were solid, and Bria liked the sound of them a lot.
“We’re here,” Carter interrupted a short time later.
“Wow, that was fast,” Bria murmured, gathering her notes.
“Time flies,” Violet replied.
The car had stopped at an enormous building with the ISP Inc. logo chiseled into the cornerstone. Eyebrows raised, she looked at the high rise skeptically. Violet had explained that she was being brought to the building that housed most of the within Manhattan. Most lived outside the city, but this was a safe space for them under the protection of the Neta and the Nari themselves.
“You don’t have to go to his apartment,” Violet said quietly as they rode in the elevator.
“No. It’s alright,” Bria said.
Actually, she was looking forward to a little time to explore Trench’s space without an audience. Carter, the big bald Tiger male who’d driven them, walked her to Trench’s space and unlocked the door. He’d kept his comments light and friendly, but did not look her in the eyes as he stepped back to allow her entry.
“Trench should be arriving within the hour, but I will be monitoring the hall here. Just yell if you need anything.”
“You’re going to wait in the hall?”
“You haven’t even been mated for a full day, so I don’t expect you to get it. Trust me on this, though. Trench is going to be highly agitated when he gets home from all the worry. I am just trying to do the guy a solid.”
“Oh,” she said. “Should I be afraid?”
“Of your mate? Why on earth would you be scared of him? Look, Trench is a good guy, and he would cut off his own tail before he would ever hurt you,” Carter replied easily.
“Okay. One last question,” she said, sick of looking at this guy’s cheek or head.
“Why won’t you look me in the face? With Violet, I mean with the Nari, I assumed you would not meet her eye because she’s more dominant and has a position of power, but with me-” Bria let her voice trail off.
“Um, yes and no. But for you, I am averting my gaze out of respect for your newly mated status, Ms. Grotto. We are predatory Shifters,” he further explained. “Maintaining prolonged eye contact is not only a way of announcing a physical challenge, but it is also a way of expressing desire. It would be highly disrespectful to Trench, and to you, if I were to covet his mate.”
“Oh. Wow, that is a lot to remember.”
“Look, just try to catch my gaze,” he said.
Because she was interested in learning more, she went ahead and tried. Bria stood directly in front of the stupidly tall male. He had to be six and a half feet, not as big as Trench, but still large.
Sheesh. Was no one small here? Anyway, once she did that, she tried staring, then glaring at the man. But it was difficult. In fact, it made her Tigress snarl and hiss.
Even though she managed to do it, she had to admit he was right. Meeting Carter’s golden gaze was seriously uncomfortable after all of twenty seconds.
Wow, that was intense,” she said, exhaling. “Lesson learned.”
Bria smiled and laughed, tossing her hair behind her shoulder and Carter grinned and rubbed the back of his neck. Unfortunately, the agitated male who’d come upon them had no way of knowing that Bria was laughing and Carter smiling because he’d been proven right. But, before she could explain to Trench, Bria learned what Carter had been trying to teach her with a full on demonstration from an incensed mate.
Rrrrooarrrr!
“Wait!”
Bria tried to explain, but she was not foolish enough to get between two adult Shifter males. Especially once they’d swapped skin for fur. Big hands grabbed her by the arms, placing her behind the large frame of Dean Romero, the Pride Neta, while Trench and Carter proceeded to beat the shit out of each other.
“Why aren’t you stopping this?” she asked angrily.
“I will. One second,” Dean replied, obviously amused.
The Neta seemed to be enjoying the spectacle. Bria was so telling Violet. Ugh! She crossed her arms in annoyance.
Men. Can’t live with ‘em. Can’t turn them into throw rugs. Grrr.