The Maverick Pride Tales - Chapter 18: Chapter 18

Heaven, the man could kiss! Her toes were curling from the somewhat chaste contact. Her stomach warmed, nipples pebbled, and panties grew wet as his chest brushed against hers. She couldn’t remain idle, not if she wanted to stay sane.
Reaching up with shaky hands, she traced the line of his jaw up to his dark eyebrows, loving the way they furrowed as if he were kissing the most precious thing in the world to him. Could she be that? He was to her. And more. So much more.
He continued to press his lips to hers, slowly moving back and forth until she was desperate for him. She followed his lead, parting her mouth on a groan, and that was when he plundered.
When she opened her eyes, she saw his Tiger still sparkling in his gaze. Gold-rimmed the teal irises bore into hers. He looked regal and otherworldly.
Heat pooled in her belly, moistening her sex as she responded to him. She was turning into a nympho for the man. Never before had she been so attuned to another person, but with Hunter, she could practically feel his desire, and it fueled her own.
Her hands raked down his back until she was cupping his firm ass, squeezing it for all she was worth. She wanted him. Now. Here. Was ready to beg until a cough sounded from close by.
“Oh, damn! Guys, this is the kitchen. I mean, yuck, gross! Hunter, I expect this from you, but Lissa, really? You’re just gonna grab his ass like that in here? Where we prepare the food we eat? OMG, ugh, I just threw up in my mouth a little,” Jessica screeched.
Hunter whipped his head around, a snarl on his face, and Elissa nearly laughed out loud when he finally realized it was his sister in the kitchen with them. The younger woman covered her eyes with one hand as she felt around on the counter for her keys.
Elissa giggled, and Hunter raised his eyebrow at her before dropping a kiss on her forehead and sighing.
“Jess, I see you met Elissa,” Hunter began.
“Yeah. And can I say, she is great! Seriously! Totally love her, bro. Now, I would stay for some dessert to celebrate with you, but I need to go home and bleach my eyeballs.”
“Bleach your eyeballs?” Elissa asked.
“Yeah. Duh. You were groping my big brother’s butt, and that was like three on my top five things of stuff I never want to see. Like never ever.”
“Alright, Jess, that’s enough,” Hunter said, but Elissa could tell he was amused.
“Bye, Jess. Call me later,” Elissa said.
“Yeah, not later, and this is so gross for me to say, but I imagine you will be busy. But I will talk to you tomorrow. Bye-bye,” she waved, and left the room with a dramatic full body shiver.
Wise ass, Elissa thought, but she liked the woman. Liked her even more when Hunter laughed at her antics. Elissa wrapped her arms around him from behind, loving the rumble of his chest as he watched his sister break out of there like a bat out of hell.
“Sorry about that, baby. I got carried away,” he said as he led her inside the dining room.
“That’s alright. I missed you too,” she replied, suddenly feeling shy in front of him.
“Neta,” Brayden stood up and tilted his head, baring his throat to Hunter. He waited for her mate to sit down before joining him at the table.
“I have some things to discuss with you, but I, uh, understand if you need to wait until tomorrow,” the Bear Shifter said.
He was blushing a bright pink, kind of endearing really. As was his refusal to make eye contact with his leader. Elissa’s brow furrowed until it finally dawned on her what he meant.
The big Bear figured she and Hunter were about to engage in a marathon boinkfest. Not that she was opposed to the idea, but she understood her mate’s position with a clarity that was almost scary.
Hunter needed to take care of the Pride, and as his Nari, she felt the same need. Smiling at them, Elissa stood up and indicated the table laden with food.
“Hunter, why don’t you eat while I get some coffee on to go with the pies I made? I’ll bring them out in a few. Oh, do you like coffee or tea?” she asked, a little embarrassed that she didn’t know which he preferred.
“You sure, baby?” Hunter asked. “I can help you⁠—”
“Of course, I’m sure,” she answered before getting a tally of what the others wanted to drink with dessert.
“Brayden? Coffee or tea?” she asked the Bear last.
“Oh, uh, thank you ma’am. Coffee will be fine.”
“What did I say about that ma’am business?”
“Sorry, Elissa,” he lowered his head some more, and tilted it even further to the side.
Jessica had explained behavior like that to her. Brayden was baring his neck to his leader. A sign of trust, respect, and most of all submission to Hunter’s position and dominance.
It would also serve to stop the Bear from inadvertently insulting his Neta by addressing his mate so informally. Now, even though Jessica had explained things like that to her earlier, but there was nothing like seeing it up close and personal.
She had so much to learn, but Elissa was more than up for the task. She grabbed her cell phone from the table and slipped it into her pocket before returning to the quiet kitchen. She’d just started a large pot of coffee brewing, then dialed her roommate.
“Oh my God! Elissa, is that you?”
“Yes, Gretchen, it’s me.”
“I am so sorry! My phone died last night, and I didn’t see your messages until after I did Mrs. Little’s hair this morning. I was just beside myself! I had no idea the guy was a creep!”
“It’s okay. I met someone, well, an older guy kind of gave me a lift after your would be Romeo left me stranded-”
“Oh my God! You hitchhiked? You could have died!”
“No, it’s okay, Gretchen. Look, he was a sweet old guy and he introduced me to another guy, and well, we kind of hit it off,” Elissa said evasively.
“Wait. What? You total slut.”
Elissa could practically hear Gretchen’s grin across the line.
“So, did you sleep with him? Was he any good?”
“Gretchen! I am not going to tell you that, but I think you might have to find a new roommate,” she whispered.
“Wait. Are you serious? Elissa! How am I gonna make the rent,” she wailed.
“Don’t worry. I will come up with a plan. In the meantime, I want you to come visit me. Soon, okay?”
“Aren’t you coming home for Thanksgiving?”
“I think I’ll be spending it here. I want you to come too.”
“Okay, I’ll try to after the holiday rush. You know all my clients need their hair done before they see family. Seriously though, are you alright? Like really alright?”
“Yes, I am. I know it seems crazy, but I’m happy. Now, promise me you will come for Thanksgiving, okay?”
“Lissa, I don’t know if I can afford it⁠—”
“No worries. I’ll send a car to get you.”
“A car? Elissa, just who are you shacked up with? A prince or something?”
“Something like that,” she smiled.
“I’ll talk to you later.”
Still grinning, she dug through the cabinets for a nice wood tray. Elissa loaded it with fixings for coffee and several plates for the sliced pie.
It was all so homey. She loved it. Elissa was already settling in, and she could not be happier. She loved to cook for large groups. Homemade meals that regular folks were too busy with life to have the time to make. It was like her dream job.
And Hunter was her dream man. Butterflies knocked around inside her stomach while she carried the tray inside. She almost missed a step when she saw Brayden had gone and was replaced with someone she had not counted on seeing just then.
Blake.
Something inside of her hissed and spat at the man’s intrusion. She agreed with that new and rumbly voice inside her head. It wanted him gone, just as she did. With everything inside of her.
She’d deal with her sudden case of multiple personalities in a second, right then, she had to show strength for her mate. Straightening her spine, Elissa didn’t even flinch when Blake jumped up to take the tray from her.
The male’s claws were extended, and he managed to scratch her hand. What the heck? For some unfathomable reason, he’d had his Tiger’s claws unsheathed.
Even more outstanding, he hadn’t been able to cut through her skin. Looking down, she gasped in surprise, which was nothing compared to the shock in his angry glare.
“Baby, you alright?”
Hunter looked up from his plate of pasta, which she’d noted with some pride, was almost empty.
“I’m fine. Blake’s hands are just cold.”
“He shouldn’t have touched you,” Hunter snarled.
He turned on the weaker man and Blake immediately averted his gaze, baring his throat. Something inside of her was immediately placated by the show of jealousy and temper.
“Apologies, Neta,” Blake mumbled.
Insincere apologies meant nothing to Elissa, and she knew he did not mean it. She glared as he turned and set the tray he’d taken from her down on the table.
His greasy smile made her want to dry heave, but she waited to see what the Beta would say by means of explanation. Going to Hunter’s side, she sat in the empty chair he pulled out for her while Blake searched for a suitable reason for touching her.
“I simply meant to assist you, Nari,” he said, lying easily.
She’d already asked the other males of the Pride to call her by her first name, but not him. Something about Blake made her skin crawl, and she did not want him calling her at all. It made her question if she was doing the right thing, jumping into a world she knew so little about. But however she felt about Blake, her love for Hunter was even more potent.
“Take care, Blake. Anyone who even appears to harm my Nari will have me to deal with,” Hunter’s warning was spoken in a low whisper not meant for her ears.
She realized this, and yet she had heard him.
Odd.
Odder still was the way he’d turned to her with a smile, as if she hadn’t just heard him threaten the man who was supposed to be his most trusted male. Maybe he didn’t know she’d heard him. So much to talk about but being near him made her keenly aware that she’d much rather be alone with him than here. They could talk later.
“Thank you for lunch and this unexpected treat. It looks wonderful, my love.”
Hunter smiled at her, and suddenly, her mood lifted. Any doubts caused by the Beta were instantly replaced by the sheer strength of her affection for him. The knowledge that this man, her mate, would protect her was overwhelming.
Good male.
Good mate
Mine.
Mine, repeated that strange growly voice inside of her.
Then Elissa closed her eyes as a wave of pain so powerful, it threatened to topple her crashed over her body like waves against the shore.