The Maverick Pride Tales - Chapter 104: Chapter 104

“Uncle Uzzi really outdid himself,” a slender woman said as she walked by and pointed at the décor.
Javi had to agree. The mansion looked like a winter wonderland in his humble opinion. There were twinkle lights everywhere and thick pine garland with velvet bows and sparkles. Nope. There was no mistaking his uncle’s love for the season. It showed in every corner of the place, from the large snowmen and reindeer displays, to the small snowflake-shaped ice cubes that floated in the drinks.
The Christmas decorations were a mix of traditional and new age, and he had to hand it to his Uncle Uzzi, he was simply a master at this. Hosting parties, decorations, food, music were some of his many talents.
He recalled the times when he’d come to visit them down in Quito. His wife, Aunt Betty, had been alive then, and she had helped his mother arrange parties and events for their neighbors with Uzzi right at her side, doing her bidding, he had learned from the best, and the tradition carried on. Javi could not be more pleased.
The sheer number of smiling guests was a testament to that, as it was to Uzzi’s incredible matchmaking abilities if the whispers Javi was hearing were true. And, of course, they were. Shifters did not bother with lies.
Certainly impressive. He wondered if all the couples had his uncle to thank for their seemingly happy arrangements. More than likely, he decided.
There must have been three-hundred people, Shifters and normals alike, in the large ballroom. He smiled and introduced himself to a few of them who seemed nice enough.
Truth be told, Javier did not really like large crowds. Like most Andean Bear Shifters, he was a solitary sort of man. He admired the couples who seemed to ignore everyone else as they held hands and twirled along the dance floor.
So many happy pairs. He didn’t like feeling envious of anyone, in fact, he often made it a point not to, but for a little while, Javi simply could not help it. Maybe he would take Uncle Uzzi up on his offer after all. Maybe it was time to settle down.
Mate, chuffed his Bear.
Yes, he wanted a mate of his own. Someone to love and cherish, to build a life with. It was a nice dream.
Mate, the Bear pushed the thought at him, a little bit harder this time.
At first, Javi had thought it was his silly beast pushing his own agenda into Javier’s brain. But then, with no warning at all, Javier’s skin began to burn. He felt hot all over, and his Bear was growling incessantly inside of him. His heart was beating heavily inside his chest—like a jackhammer trying to break through his tailored suit.
Inside his mind’s eye, he saw his Bear stand on his hind legs. The familiar spectacled face of his animal was quite serious as a growl built up inside of his chest and exploded through his lips.
Those nearest him turned, and Javi quickly cut off the sound. Then it hit him—the most delicious fragrance he had ever smelled. His head whipped around to find the location of that crazy good scent—cinnamon sugar with hints of citrus. It was so familiar to him, and yet, he knew he’d never come across it before.
Wait a second—it was like freshly made bunuelos—his favorite holiday dessert. Javier’s mouth watered even as he recognized the scent was not coming from any of the trays the waitstaff was passing around to the crowd. Following his nose, Javier raced through the crowds.
Sniff, sniff, sniff. Stop. There.
He paused and had to bite back his roar when he found the source of the tantalizing fragrance. His skin tingled, stomach clenched, and Bear roared inside of him.
Mine.
The stunning female was the source of the delectable fragrance, but she was surrounded by two males, one on either side of her luscious figure. The fact she appeared disinterested—bored even—as they tried and failed to engage her attention was the only thing that saved those two men from being mauled by his beast.
Taking a moment to regain control over his Bear, Javier raked the luscious beauty from head to toe with his gaze. She stood about five-foot nine-inches tall, which put her half a foot shorter than himself.
Perfect for reaching down to nuzzle her sinfully sexy little mouth, he thought, and smiled as he took her in. She was beyond words, so pretty, so fine. He liked the way her top lip was slightly fuller than the lower—a lure just to tempt him.
Sexy sweet female. So luscious, so lovely.
Javi seemed frozen in time and space. His mind churned with a million different things he wanted to say and do to his beautiful heart’s desire. He could not wait to spend hours learning what pleased her. He hoped she enjoyed long, hot, wet kisses. With a mouth like that, he could just imagine nibbling on it for days on end.
Her body was curvy and splendid, gloriously outlined by the gown she wore. The neckline was a plunging v that left her high, full breasts covered by two scraps of iridescent material. The rest of the dress had an empire waist with a long skirt that fell to her ankles in layers of more of that same mesmerizing fabric.
Holy fuck.
His pants grew tight around the sudden hardness hidden behind the expertly tailored pants. Thank goodness, or he’d have punched right through them by now. He gave his cock a discreet thump to calm the fucking thing down. With any luck, it went unnoticed by the other guests.
Fuck, she was something. He was desperate to get closer to the beauty. Yes, she was beautiful. Simply stunning really, but it was more than the gorgeous gown that appeared as if she’d been encased in a piece of the night sky—as if the gods themselves had known she was much too special for any earthly material. And it was more than her glossy brown curls and the long, sexy slip of her neck. There was something else about her. An aura of light lit from deep inside that spoke of her innate goodness and called to the Bear within him.
She was enough to stop a man’s heart dead inside his chest, and he wanted her. With each passing second, his desire grew, and Javi had to grit his teeth against the possessive growl that rumbled in his throat.
She smiled politely at the two males vying for her attentions, but Javi knew bored when he saw it. The woman was not at all entertained.
Poor darling, he thought, gazing at the sexy and lithe vixen. Her voluptuousness was drool worthy and had caught many of the attending Shifters’ eyes, to Javi’s immediate consternation. But, like the two idiots surrounding her, she had ignored them all. The would be suitors attempted to tell a joke, but his sweet mate’s smile went cold. It did not quite reach her eyes, and Javi’s Bear scratched at his skin once more as he took in the situation.
Why should she continue to be bored by them? A very good question, and his Bear was half a second from kicking his own ass to get him moving. His sweet querida was not having a good time at all and Javi should remedy that. The poor sods didn’t know it, but this beautiful woman was not there for them. She was there for him.
Mine, confirmed his inner beast in a deep resounding growl that resonated in his soul.
“Thank you, Uncle Uzzi,” Javier whispered, and his mind flashed an image of the cunning old Witch.
He grinned at his Uncle’s meddling. It seemed that even without leave, the brilliant matchmaker had done it again.
Lucky Javi.
“So, I was wondering if maybe you would like to dance?”
Javier listened to the unknown Shifter ask his mate to dance and began to move towards her, but it seemed the gorgeous little, sniff, she-Tiger did not need his intervention.
“No, thank you. I apologize, but I need to run, if you would please excuse me,” she returned and smiled tightly.
The she-Cat walked away from the two males, who had smelled distinctly like some kind of lizard to Javier’s Bear.
“Damn, Zircon, that woman was fine,” said one of the men.
“Easy Dor. Look, bro, relax. We didn’t even get her name,” he said, and Javi realized he was talking to him.
Hands raised, they faced him and waited. Javier shook his head and stopped growling at the guys.
“Sorry, my dude,” the other one said. “We didn’t know she was spoken for. Happy Holidays, man.”
“Excuse me, gentlemen.” Javier nodded at them and turned to find the woman.
He appreciated the fact that she had—in no uncertain terms—turned down the strangers. His Bear would’ve liked to make sure they understood she was off limits, but he was not there to make trouble for any of Uncle Uzzi’s guests.
Still, it was probably for the best she had not wanted to dance with them. At least now, Javier wouldn’t have to ruin his suit by beating some strange man’s brains in for touching his unclaimed mate.
Grrr. Possessive? Yep.
He needed to find her. Javi just had to introduce himself, but unfortunately, she was walking in the opposite direction. He had to hustle just to catch up. This really was going to be the best Christmas ever. New home, new mate, new life. Javi hummed a tune as he chased his mate down the hall.
Not a creature was stirring, except for a Bear chasing his mate…