The Maverick Pride Tales - Chapter 26: Chapter 26

“Are you alright?”
“Yes. I am fine. Jess, you good?”
“Yeah, yeah. Guess I’ll take my lunch to go if y’all are gonna be at each other again,” she scrunched her nose, and Elissa couldn’t stifle her laugh.
“Oh, hush. We’ll eat together. Hunter, put on some clothes,” she smiled, and slapped her mate as he growled at his sister.
“Quit it. She stays, and we are gonna eat with our clothes on.”
“Uh, Neta?”
Brayden ran in and stopped at the sight that greeted his eyes.
The big man tilted his head and surveyed the room. His eyes bled to black as they rested on Jessica. Then he was crossing the room and hauling the fiery redhead to her feet, checking her over for injury.
“I’m okay,” she said quickly, and turned around when her brother stood up.
“Ewww! Hunter, put that thing away, for fuck’s sake.”
“Brayden.”
Hunter narrowed his eyes at the big man and cocked his head towards the mess in the hall.
“Call the cleaner. Get this waste out of my house. I want every inch of the hallway cleaned and repainted. And stop fucking touching my sister.”
“Yes, Neta,” Brayden’s voice was deep with his Bear, but he listened to Hunter.
He was a good and loyal Bear. Elissa’s Tiger approved, but now she wanted to feed and care for her mate.
“Hunter, go wash up and get dressed,” she said, and nuzzled his neck, rubbing her scent on him as she did so.
That was something her cat couldn’t seem to get enough of. She always wanted Elissa to press her skin against his, to mark him in that way even though he bore several scratches and bite marks, including the claiming scar she’d given him the day she’d experienced the Puspa.
Sigh.
Elissa had certainly come a long way since the first time she’d seen this man. He’d changed her life, and with each new day came a stronger sense of who she was. This was truly her fate, and she loved him so much for showing her just where she belonged in this world.
With him. Together. Always.
Elissa shooed Hunter along, and he allowed it. For now, but she could tell by the look in his eye he wasn’t finished checking on her yet.
The Tiger would want to claim her as soon as they were alone. To celebrate the fact they both still breathed and to reconnect with her on the most basic and yet profound level.
He’d been teaching her about Shifters, and she had to say, they were a damn interesting species. She loved the way he was with her. So honest and true. And she loved belonging to him. He was her family now, and just when she thought she was all alone in the world.
I am definitely lucky, she thought, watching him as he walked over to the bathroom down the hall. He left the door open as he climbed into the shower and rinsed off the blood.
In under three minutes, he was back at her side, dressed in a pair of clean sweats. They kept a pair stashed in just about every room of the house. Another one of those Shifter things.
And Elissa didn’t mind it. Not one bit.
Thanksgiving was a big to do now that the Maverick Pride Neta had a Nari at his side. The tantalizing aromas of his mate’s expert cooking permeated every nook and cranny of the Pride House.
Hell.
The scents probably filled the whole damn town.
Lucky town.
Elissa had been prepping and cooking for what seemed like days. Rosemary potatoes, sage stuffing, bacon wrapped turkey, pearl onions, honey ham, sweet potato pies, Brussel sprouts roasted with thick slabs of bacon, and more appetizers and sides than he could name.
Finally, with several tables strewn together and a huge buffet on one end of the enormous dining room, he watched Elissa as she placed the last bowl full of homemade cranberry sauce on the linen cloth. His Nari turned her sight on him unerringly, despite the crowded room, and smiled.
“Everything looks and smells amazing, Lissa,” Jess said, echoing his thoughts.
Elissa turned, stretching her back and smiling at the same time. Hunter couldn’t wait. He stalked his mate across the room. The rest of the Pride would still be filing in within the next few minutes. The turkeys were resting in the kitchen, and everything else was ready.
In a few minutes, she would want him to help move the ten birds she’d prepared to the mobile carving station she’d had one of the men make her for large dinners just like this.
Being in construction was definitely a plus when it came to his sweet mate’s tastes. She was always thinking of ways to improve things in the Pride house, and he was happy to oblige. Hell, he was simply happy to make her happy. Elissa’s joy was better than sunshine. Being able to provide whatever it was she wanted was his pleasure.
Figuratively and literally.
This truly was the best Thanksgiving ever. Hunter had a mate, a true Nari, and his Pride was complete. Plus, he couldn’t wait to feast on the delicious meal she’d prepared.
Yum.
Then afterwards, he could feast on her.
Double yum.
This Neta was more than ready to start the celebration.
“You outdid yourself, baby.”
“Thank you,” she smiled at him.
He walked her backward to the blissfully empty hall, and grabbed his mate by the waist, hauling her against him.
The need to touch her was always there. His skin constantly itched and ached for her.
Only her.
Mine.
He leaned down and captured her lips with his. Like always, the kiss left them both breathless and needy. He scented the dampness that pooled and seeped into her panties as she moaned and tangled her tongue against his.
Clad in another pair of those comfortable jeans and white tank from Jessica’s boutique, he was thankful the Pride was so casual about holidays.
It was difficult to get dressed up when the bunch of them would usually wind up rough-housing and shifting before the night was through.
There was also the bonus that he fucking loved the way she looked like this. Her curves on perfect display for him.
Confident.
Comfortable.
All woman.
My woman.
One large hand cupped her ass while the other snaked around to lift her legs until she was completely off the ground, circling his waist. He liked her like that. Found himself fucking her against walls every chance he got.
Mine.
He licked and kissed her neck and collarbone until he snagged her shirt with his teeth and threatened to tear the fabric to reveal her plump breasts beneath.
It was so fucking hot when she moaned and gave in. Although, every time he did tear a shirt, she reminded him she had few to no actual shirts left.
Fuck it. He’d order her a fucking truckload.
Later.
Oh yeah.
She was going to let him have this one too. He knew her sighs, recognized her submission as he stroked her cloth covered pussy with his thick shaft. It was exquisite torture. One he didn’t want to stop. Fuck no. When he stroked her just right, his kitten purred for him.
Just. Like. That.
Before she could moan his name, the sound of the doorbell rang, and broke them apart.
“Later, I promise,” he growled and nipped her lip, bruising but not breaking the sensitive flesh.
“Mine,” she purred.
“Yours,” he agreed.
The sound of a familiar voice greeted them. Hunter and Elissa turned to see a very special guest had decided to drop by, after all. The Neta and Nari of the Maverick Pride smiled widely and ran to greet him.
“Hello, dear!” Uncle Uzzi took Elissa’s hand and gripped it in both of his.
The affectionate squeeze for the old Witch warmed her heart.
“Uncle Uzzi!” she yelled, giving him a quick hug.
Then it was Hunter’s turn. The Witch eyed him carefully extracting himself from his mate’s arms, but instead of accepting the proffered hand, Hunter shocked them both. He grabbed the old Witch in a back-breaking hug and patted him on the back.
“I owe you everything and more, Uncle Uzzi,” Hunter said.
“Well then, maybe you won’t mind releasing me so we can salvage the pastries!”
Hunter let go and laughed as the elderly Witch frowned down at the enormous, and currently crumpled, box of delicious smelling pastries from The Bear Claw Bakery.
Uh oh.
“No matter,” the Witch said, whispering a few words.
Suddenly, the box popped back to its rightful shape and Uzzi handed it to Hunter. He recognized it as a well-known Shifter run establishment.
“Uh, sorry, Uncle Uzzi,” Hunter mumbled, placing the box on the dessert table.
“Well, I have to admit I was surprised by your invitation! But I am happy to be here. Elissa, something smells wonderful. Now, how are things?”
“It does, doesn’t it? Thank you, everything is great,” Hunter said and nodded as Pride members began pouring in.
He noticed a few eyeing the infamous owner of the Magical Matchmaking Service, and he sighed. He imagined there would be many more mated pairs in the coming years if the elderly Witch had anything to do with it.
And won’t that be amazing, insisted his Tiger. Mated pairs and cubs mean a larger, stronger, happier Pride.
The animal was correct. His beast chuffed and growled happily. After all, his own mate was carrying their young. Her condition revealed itself the day he’d ended his former Beta’s miserable life. Elissa’s scent was now permanently mixed with his, but there had been something new then. The fresh new scent had grown stronger until he recognized it as their young.
His chest swelled with pride at the thought. Elissa was everything to him. His Nari. His fated mate. His heart. His entire world.
Her eyes caught his as she greeted their Pride and introduced Uncle Uzzi to his inner circle. Some of the men squirmed, while others seemed interested in getting to know the white-haired Witch.
“Hey,” Elissa nuzzled his neck, and he turned his head, allowing the action he knew she loved.
“Hey yourself,” he smiled. “Need any help bringing the birds in?”
“Nah, Reg has it. He feels so bad after everything that happened, he’s been my personal slave all week. He’ll do anything I say.”
That made Hunter’s eyes narrow, and Elissa snorted out a laugh.
“Not like that, silly cat. You are my mate, just you,” she said and rubbed her cheek on his chest.
His Tiger chuffed inside him.
Reg.
Grrr.
His Tiger still wanted to take a bite out of the young idiot. The male had been sympathetic to Blake in the beginning when his ex-Beta had tried using old Pride laws to sway some of them to his way of thinking.
After being questioned by the Council and by Hunter himself, he found nothing but sincerity and loyalty in the Tiger. Hunter had agreed that if Elissa allowed it, Reg could remain within the Pride.
After asking her, his mate had been willing to accept his apology. Even more, she’d requested he be assigned to her, and his Honor Guard duties resumed.
Along with a few additional guards whenever he was out, Hunter had reluctantly agreed. Oh yes, she was something, his little Nari.
“What are you thinking?” she asked.
“Besides how much I love you?”
“Yes,” she said, smiling like he knew she would. “Besides that.”
“I was thinking that things are going to get interesting around here if anyone else decides to take Uncle Uzzi up on his offer to help them find their mates.”
“Yes, it will,” Elissa said and laughed.
“I wonder if anyone will wind up as purrfectly mated as we are.”
At that, Hunter joined her in laughing out loud, earning them a couple of curious stares from their Pride mates.
“I love you,” he said, and kissed her again.
“Did I mention I want pie for dessert?”
“Do you now?”
“Yes. My favorite flavor, with cream,” he whispered naughtily. His chest rumbled with his Tiger, and fuck, his mouth watered a little.
“It’s all yours, mate,” she said, kissing him back and making his Tiger purr with need.
“Love you, my Nari.”
The end.