The Maverick Pride Tales - Chapter 133: Chapter 133

An uproarious applause welcomed his mate onto the stage, and pride shot through him. He whistled and clapped with the rest of them, noting with joy the faint blush along her cheeks.
Lance was mesmerized. When she spoke, Anna showed humility and gratitude, downplaying her role in the other Battles video games that he himself had spent many an hour playing. But it didn’t matter, the fans knew his mate, and they loved her.
An hour of her speaking then answering questions from the crowd flew by, but Lance was so enraptured by her sincerity, and of course, her adorable bashfulness, he could not tear his eyes away. Her curls bounced whenever she laughed or shrugged, shooting his mind straight to the gutter.
He couldn’t wait to see them bouncing with her on top of him. Just picturing her riding him was making him so hard, he damn near burst through his pants.
But once he got started, he couldn’t stop thinking about it. He wanted her. Always would.
Lance had made some mistakes, like not explaining what his bite meant. But it was done now, and Lance refused to let go. She belonged with him, and he most assuredly belonged to her. His Tiger would have no other.
Before he’d left his cabin, Hunter had cornered him. The Neta asked him a few questions Lance had never considered. As he watched her onstage explaining the process that went into creating the various levels of heat and flame, the hours of study and trial and error necessary to recreate the effects in the video game, Lance replayed Hunter’s words in his mind.
“Have you thought what she might think about you? The fooling around, the not taking anything seriously. You have a reputation for being a clown, Lance. It’s true, but I know there is more inside of you. Having a mate changes a man. Are you willing to give all that nonsense up for her? If you aren’t, don’t get in that car. Stay right here. We will find a way to break the mating mark.”
“With all due respect, Neta, no fucking way. She is mine. Nothing matters without her.”
It was true. Every word he’d said. She was the most important thing in his world. Yes, he’d been an ass to some mated members of his Pride, and he imagined everyone in Maverick Point would be taking shots at him for a good long while, but he deserved it.
He would take it all in stride as long as she stayed with him. As long as his Anna forgave him and remained by his side. As long as she allowed him to endeavor to deserve her.
It would probably take eighty years or so, but damn it would be fun trying.
Mine.
Lance watched her with covetous eyes as Anna shook hands with Randall Graves once more before leaving the dais. He headed over to the small staircase, anxious to finish their chat, but before he reached her, she was waylaid.
A slightly older woman with one of those angry haircuts where the pieces stuck up in the back was speaking in a low, sharp voice. A middle-aged man with a noticeable paunch stood beside her, his face a mirror image of her own, The man was nodding his head in agreement with whatever that woman was saying, and when Lance looked at his mate, he noted Anna was not happy.
“Sandra? What are you doing here?”
Lance was finally close enough to hear what was being said over the din of the surrounding crowd. His mate gasped when the woman grabbed her arm and began to tug.
“Anna?” he called.
Anna’s gaze flicked over to him, and she dug her heels in.
Good girl.
Lance’s Tiger was snarling in fury at the woman’s hand. He reined in the beast, but it was not easy.
“What is going on here?” he growled and approached.
“Thank you for having my back,” She told him then turned to face the two stunned adults. “But I got this, Lance.”
“Lance? Who the hell is this guy, Annie? He is obviously using you. Look at me,” the woman said and snapped her fingers in Anna’s face.
Anna squared her shoulders, looking like an angry little spitfire. She growled too, like a total badass and held the woman’s gaze.
“Sandra, enough! First, my name is Annalia, or Anna. Not Annie. Never Annie.” Annalia hissed. She pulled back against her sister’s hold.
The older woman turned around, expelling an annoyed breath that did not even move her overly hair-sprayed bangs.
“Ugh, it doesn’t even matter, Annie. I told you, we need you to come home. Now, let’s go,” she scolded.
“Sandra, Glenn, this is Lance. He’s my boyfriend. Lance this is my sister and her husband,” Annalia explained and Lance’s chest puffed up.
All his protective instincts on high alert. Still, he was gratified to see his presence soothed her obviously frayed nerves as she pressed close to his side. Whatever these two wanted, it was obviously not what she wanted.
“Boyfriend? Really, Annie,” her sister scoffed. “We are your family. Let’s just go already.”
“Yes. This is none of your business, buddy,” Glenn said, addressing Lance.
“Like Anna said, I am with her. So, if this concerns her, it is very much my business,” he told the man and allowed a hint of his Tiger to lace his words.
“You can’t just butt in on stuff that has nothing to do with you, buddy⁠—”
“I stay until she says go, understand?”
“OMG! Are you threatening us? Annie! He is threatening us.
“I am not threatening anyone, lady. It’s merely a promise.”
Grrrrrrr.
“Alright, everyone needs to calm down,” Anna pressed her side into Lance.
The feel of his big warm body near her made her resolve that much firmer. Sandra was always running roughshod over Anna, but not this time.
She couldn’t believe this was happening. Why was her sister even here? And Glenn? Since when did he even acknowledge Anna?