The Maverick Pride Tales - Chapter 124: Chapter 124

A few hours earlier…
“Lance Jacosa! Doesn’t look like you changed at all since I was last here, despite Elissa telling me you were wasting away for want of a meeting.”
That voice! Those twinkling blue eyes. It was him. The one man in the world, save his Neta, who made Lance quake with nervousness.
Fuck.
He walked over cautiously—like any predator worth his salt would when about to engage with someone of equal, or perhaps greater, power—to greet the older male Witch.
Energy buzzed around the man in the form of tiny blue sparks. Lance’s Tiger approved of his aura, seemed impressed by the wealth of magic the male seemed to have at his disposal. It was undeniable. Uncle Uzzi’s magnetic pull was damn near impossible to resist.
Dammit.
He had been hoping to go unnoticed. Admitting he had cold feet was embarrassing as fuck for a male in Lance’s position. Still, he could not help but feel wary. What could he possibly have to offer a mate?
“Let’s see,” the old Witch said with a discerning eye, gaze raking over Lance like hot coals. “You still have that handsome face the ladies can’t resist, I see.”
Lance froze in place and turned to greet the man he’d been equally dreading and anticipating over the last week. Clad in a brilliant white coat with a red scarf wrapped around his neck, Uncle Uzzi gazed at him for a good, long minute. The older Witch’s blue eyes flashed with magic as he sized the Tiger up.
He was more magician than matchmaker. A Witch with some sort of connection to a love goddess or some crap like that—at least, that was what the rest of the Pride said about the guy.
Truly, he had the entire supernatural world in awe of his phenomenal matchmaking skills. He found mates for Shifters who were the worst of the worst. Lance was not all that bad. He just had a sort of a reputation, and, er, his Tiger was getting kind of angsty.
“Uncle Uzzi,” Lance replied, thinking of ways to talk his way out of this whole thing.
It was obvious to Lance he’d made a mistake. He was much too young to get mated. Maybe he just needed a vacation. When Elissa and Jessica had cornered him the other day, he never expected them to actually call the matchmaker.
Grrrrrrr.
His Tiger dug his claws in, and Lance stayed rooted to the spot. Fucking hell. What did a guy have to do to keep his bachelorhood safe around here? Lance was supposed to be the fun guy, the good uncle, a no strings fuck buddy. He was not a happy-ever-after kinda Cat.
Rrrrroooaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrr.
Alright already, I’ll hear the man out, he growled back at his inner beast.
His Tiger chuffed angrily, refusing to remove his claws from inside his gut. The Cat was beyond grouchy. No wonder. The ornery animal hadn’t allowed Lance to have sex in months. No surprise Jessica and the Nari had heard all those rumors about him. Lance’s rep was in the dirt and all because of his beast.
Fuck our reputation, the Tiger snarled.
Lance grimaced and cleared his throat. It was time he faced facts. The animal wanted a mate.
“No use trying to run from your pussy cat, Lance my boy. The beast wants a mate. Shall we chat?”
“Yes, er, please,” he grumbled in reply.
What else could he do? He’d already rented out his cabin to the woman. Lance had been sleeping in the Pride House the last few weeks anyway. His Tiger needed the company.
Though solitary animals in the wild, Tiger Shifters were different. Communal groups helped them control their natural inclinations to animalistic behavior. The fact his Tiger was becoming increasingly aggressive and unruly was worrisome, but predictable. This kind of thing happened sometimes when a Shifter remained unmated.
His beast was built to protect and guard. The problem was he had nothing of his own to keep safe. Startling as it was, Lance understood he needed that. Needed a mate, a cub, a family—not just a Pride. He needed something to anchor him, to concentrate on, and to, gulp, love.
Fuck, was he really doing this?
Yessss, his Tiger hissed.
“I see you,” Uzzi whispered, seeming to talk right to his animal, and the Tiger roared his reply.
“Uncle Uzzi, I know you are here to help, but I am doing just fine⁠—”
“Fine is it,” the older man removed his coat and took the seat across from him, “Word is you’ve lost a step.”
Grrrr.
“Easy,” he said, raising one eyebrow at him before continuing. “The fact is I can help you. If you do not believe me, then simply listen. Lance, your Tiger is trying to tell you something.”
“Like what?” he snarled the question.
“Like those women you’ve been spending time with aren’t for you,” Uncle Uzzi insisted.
He placed his hands palms down on the table and closed his eyes. The Tiger inside him chuffed, nudging him, encouraging him to listen.
Fuck.
As a member of the Neta’s Guard, Lance needed to regain control, sooner rather than later. Pride’s had different ways of dealing with members who proved too unpredictable, and Lance was terrified he would endanger those he’d sworn to protect if this went on too long.
Everyone was right. He needed a mate.
“You are right. But, Uncle Uzzi, where am I going to find her?”
“Leave that to me, but first, I have a question.”
“Shoot.”
“Do you have a suit?”
Hours later…
“I feel like an asshole,” grumbled Lance.
“Well, you look like Prince Charming. Stop that,” Elissa stomped over and took the tie from his hands. “Here now. Hunter?”
“What happened? Elissa, are you okay?” The Neta came running into the room, skidding to a stop in front of his mate. His hands ran over her shoulders and waist, but the Nari growled, and slapped at him.
“Stop it, honey. Now, look at Lance,” she instructed, and the man looked confused. “Doesn’t he look nice?”
“What?” he growled.
“I mean it. He’s wearing a suit, all dressed up like a stud. Doesn’t he look sexy? Ooof!” Elissa’s breath left her lungs as the Neta swung her into his arms.
“Mine,” the Neta snarled, and Lance about crapped himself. Was she trying to get him killed?
“Fuck, yes, she is yours, Neta,” he growled, the amount of Alpha power in the room damn near suffocating him.
“Hunter! Stop it,” she replied, all giggles for her mate.
“Neta?” Lance gasped, almost going to his knees.
“Shit. Sorry, Lance,” Hunter growled and relented. He stared down at his mate.
“Woman, you had me thinking something happened to you,” he grumbled.
“Nothing happened to me, silly Tiger. I’m fine.”
The Neta growled and caught her lips in a rough kiss that Lance could not help but watch. Their love story was legend, and for a moment, he had the tiniest spark of hope that maybe, just maybe, he could have the same—if Uncle Uzzi came through for him.
But what if he fucked it up? What if she hated him?
Fuck. Please don’t let me be an asshole. Let her like me a little. Shit.
He did not even know who she was, but Lance was already sending wishes out into the universe. Praying for someone to love him like Elissa loved Hunter.
“Now, what did you say about him looking sexy? I’ll show you sexy,” Hunter grumbled and smacked her on the ass, which elicited a response Lance would rather die than witness.
“Hunter,” Elissa growled, but her eyes swung back to Lance a second longer before lust could take over the ruling couple. “Lance, make sure you are on your best behavior. And compliment her. No sex until you talk to her!”
The Neta spanked his mate again, dragging another moan from her lips, before he carted her off to their bedroom. Lance shivered.
Blech.
It was like listening to your parents make out—what could be worse?
Actually catching them doing it. Which he almost had just the other day. Thank fuck for his supernaturally enhanced Tiger hearing. Brayden had already shared a horrifying story of catching the two of them going at it that damn near scarred Lance. The poor Beta couldn’t look at either Neta or Nari for a week afterwards.
Ewww.
“Why me?” Lance whispered and rolled his eyes.
He checked his watch. It was half an hour until he had to pick up his mystery date, and the cabin was about fifteen minutes away. He should wait a little bit, but the sounds of moaning coming from the next room made up his mind for him.
“Hell no,” he muttered.
Sighing, Lance grabbed the keys to his custom Range Rover P525 and headed out the door in his suit and tie. The SUV had a black leather interior with soft, orange LED lights on the floors. It reminded him of his Tiger, so he’d bought the thing on sight.
Money was something he did not have to worry about anymore. Lance worked for Maverick Development on Brayden’s crew, but that was more for the physical release and sense of companionship than a necessity.
He’d invested his money wisely and had a nice little nest egg he was sitting on. He also did a lot of paperwork for the Pride as well. Keeping things like their licenses, birth certificates, and stuff like that from looking suspect to humans.
Shifters aged differently, and some had extended lifespans. Still, it was important to blend in to keep the Shifter secret. History had taught them how humans as a whole reacted to proof of the supernatural—witch trials, mass hysteria, war, genocide—and it was decided long ago by people smarter than him that it was better for everyone this way.
Lance did his part for the Pride to keep them safe from detection. Whether he worked outdoors with the crew, or online in the office, he did his part for the community. There was nothing like putting in a day’s work to make a man feel good.
Hence the log cabin project. He’d bought the parcel of land from the Pride, approving of the way it felt secluded but wasn’t. Not really. The town and Pride House were less than twenty minutes away. He’d made sure to add all the modern amenities necessary to be comfortable.
Electricity, plumbing, gas.
The ten surrounding acres were secluded woods that allowed him to Shift and roam in his fur. It was ideal, but lonely. He needed someone to share it with. It had been sitting there, empty for weeks.
Elissa had only just confessed that when she’d asked for the key code, it was for to Uncle Uzzi. At the time, he didn’t know his blind date would be staying there. Nerves assailed him. What if she hated it?
Fucking hell.
Snow was falling more rapidly, and the wind was blowing hard as he exited the vehicle and bounded up the stairs to rap on the door.
“One minute,” a voice called from inside, and Lance felt his entire body tense.
His Tiger pushed forward, leaving his chest muscles straining against the silk shirt he had on. Lance hated getting dressed up, but Uncle Uzzi had arranged for their first date to be the Winter Wonderland Wine & Tapas Charity Ball.
The tickets were five-thousand dollars a person. All proceeds went to benefit an environmental organization working on preserving the Pine Barrens. Something which, as a Shifter, he felt very strongly about.
Tickets purchased, suit on, he’d headed out with the intention of enjoying a mundane night out. Only now, his entire being seemed on high alert. As he listened to the lock on the door turn, Lance sucked in a deep breath.
Holy fuck.
That did not work out as intended. He’d thought to calm himself, but the delicious scent he’d sucked in only whet his appetite further.
The most intoxicating fragrance he’d ever smelled wrapped around his senses. Like a soft, warm hand brushing across his arms, chest, belly, all the way down to his suddenly rock-hard cock.
Chocolate and cherries, laced with chili peppers--the good kind that left a long, slow, honest sizzle after the sweet was gone.
Well, that’s one question answered.
Lance sniffed again and adjusted his too-tight pants. His Tiger roared in his head. The heavenly-scented female was pulling the door open, but time slowed as she did. Inch by inch, it felt like forever until, finally, he saw her.
The entire world fell away in the moment she was revealed, and Lance damn near swallowed his tongue. The woman was gorgeous. Soft curves perfectly outlined in a crimson velvet dress that enhanced the olive tone of her skin and the deep, chestnut hues in her hair.
Eyes the color of chocolate—the expensive kind with eighty percent cacao—flashed at him from under long, curled lashes. Her bottom lip was plump and juicy, and fuck, he wanted to spend days just nibbling on it. She had the cutest little dimple on her chin, and her breath seemed to catch as she glanced over him from head to toe.
Lance was already a goner, but her perusal had him freezing in place. He hoped she found him alright.