The Maverick Pride Tales - Chapter 31: Chapter 31
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“So, Beta Brayden Smith. And you, Jessica Maverick. What were you two doing when I walked in?” Uncle Uzzi asked with a sly smile as he entered the room.
“Just chatting,” Jess replied in a rush.
“Well, I don’t believe in accidents, and my liebling would say this is positively fortuitous,” the Witch replied.
Hunter and Elissa walked in just after the enigmatic man. Hand in hand as usual, they greeted the older, and much shorter male Witch, with hugs and handshakes.
The ruling Alpha couple of the Maverick Pride were smiling, unable to take their eyes off each other. Their love story was something of a fairytale, the stuff of legends and immeasurable envy, he’d hazard a guess.
That kind of devotion was simply too good to be a common occurrence. Unattainable for anyone else, at least as far as Brayden was concerned.
His animal growled at him. He didn’t like the insinuation that he would never have that kind of love. Not one little bit. The beast clawed at his skin in response, wanting out.
Brayden counted to ten in an effort to calm his Bear. It was nearly impossible. Especially when a picture of Jessica’s scantily clad bottom flashed in his mind again. Was the image permanently burned inside his brain?
Yes, his Bear growled.
Fuck me, his human half returned.
Mate, the animal responded.
The thoughts were followed up by lusty thoughts and desires from his perverted Bear. The damn animal was positively drooling over the saucy redhead. He ground his teeth together as other members of the Pride shuffled in.
Most everyone greeted each other with nods or casual hellos. Even though the Barvale Clan he’d come from was small, the Maverick Pride was even smaller. They had far fewer numbers, but in a way, it was one of the things he liked about it.
Less drama that way. Or so he thought. Brayden cringed as some of the Pride’s few females came in. These were the ones of an age to mate, and they had been invited by the Neta to attend this meeting. Less than half a dozen women, and each was dressed to the nines in clothing not at all suitable for the winter weather.
His gaze quickly passed over the flat-ironed hair and ridiculous high heels, unconsciously settling on the curvy little she-Cat who sat curled on one corner of the couch. She seemed to avoid the new arrivals.
Not that he could blame her. But for some reason, she also seemed to stay away from Elissa, whom he knew to be her friend.
Odd. And a little bit brave really.
Jessica was not hiding behind her brother’s position in this room with her peers. The women eyed her and whispered to each other, laughing cattily. A fact that made his Bear snarl and stomp inside of him. They should know better than to mock the sister of the Pride Neta.
Where was all this protective bullshit coming from? He had to wonder. Brayden’s shoulders were starting to tense, and sweat was forming on his brow. His Bear did not like the tension in the room. Not one little bit.
Fuck.
He wished he could just walk out of the closed off living room, but that would be disrespecting his Neta. Brayden would never abide such a thing from anyone, especially not himself.
He’d just have to deal with it. And if he flashed those women an angry glance, purposely showing a little fang, enough so that one of them turned away and the others kept swallowing nervously, then that was fine with him. Especially, so long as it kept his beast calm.
“Okay, everyone, listen up. Uncle Uzzi here has graciously agreed to bestow his particular talents on our Pride. I want all of you to meet with him briefly over the next few days. He will be in town as our honored guest, staying in the Pride House. You will make yourselves available, and you will be agreeable to whatever Uncle Uzzi says. Is that clear?”
Shit.
Maybe Brayden should crack a window or something? Suddenly, he felt as if all the air had been sucked out of the room.
“Dude, you okay?”
Reg walked in a few minutes later, idling over to the big Black Bear.
The smaller, but still formidable Tiger Shifter gazed around the room. It might have been Brayden’s imagination, but perhaps the younger male’s eyes stopped to stare a moment longer on Jessica than necessary.
His Bear made his displeasure known by roaring so fucking loudly in his head he had to close his eyes to shut him up.
Mine.
Shit. There it was again. One word, loud and clear. Brayden did not like it. Not one little bit. Then his Bear said it again in a much louder, impossibly deeper voice.
MINE.
“Easy, dude. I meant no disrespect. I didn’t realize it was like that,” Reg replied with his gaze averted and his neck bared for the Beta.
Shit. Brayden paused, wondering who else had heard him.
“Did I say that out loud?”
“Say what? Dude, you are growling like you wanna take my fucking head off man. I’m sorry,” Reg repeated, hands raised in surrender.
“I get it. I need to be more respectful of the Neta’s family. Jess is just looking good is all,” Reg replied, nodding in Jessica’s direction.
Brayden had to work extremely hard not to punch the shit-eating grin off that asshole’s face. Tigers loved to play fast and carefree, but Bear’s did not buy into that. Words and actions had consequences. If Reg did not shut up soon, he was gonna learn that the hard way.
“Dude, you with her?’ he asked, realization dawning on the younger male.
“What? No! It’s not like that, but you’d do well to remember just who she is,” Brayden countered sternly.
“Yeah, yeah. Got it. So, you won’t mind if I-”
Reg didn’t even get to finish his sentence before Brayden had the man by his throat. Fury and rage spread through him like wildfire. His animal outraged at the mere suggestion.
No one would be doing anything to, or for, or with Jessica.
No one but him.
“Uh, Brayden?”
When had Hunter walked to his side? The Bear could not be sure. He was too busy watching the color drain from Reg’s face as the Tiger struggled to break free from his hold.
“Brayden?”
A little more force that time, but his Neta hadn’t resorted to using his Alpha voice. Not yet. That meant Brayden didn’t have to let go of his new favorite squeeze toy, right?
“Yes, Neta?”
He always was a polite cub. His mother said so. No reason to misplace his manners now.
“Put Reg down. Uh, please,” Hunter said.
He’d added the last word after his mate elbowed him in the side. Elissa’s scent was soothing to his Bear. The animal recognized the Nari. He wanted to protect and please her, as was his duty. But his inner Bear also wanted to punish this man who thought to covet what the animal now considered his.
“Hey Brayden.”
“Nari,” he replied calmly, ducking Reg’s wild kicks easily.
“Why don’t you put Reg down? Come on. Then we can go over here and chat with Uncle Uzzi? I, uh, made a fresh batch of honey oatmeal cookies,” Elissa ventured in that smooth, yet commanding way she had.
Honey oatmeal cookies?
“Come now, everyone else is gone. It’s just us. The rest of the Pride have been given their appointment cards and are waiting to be called,” she said softly, lowering his arm with a gentle nudge that he would never oppose.
“Fuck, Brayden. What the hell?” gasped Reg from his new position lying flat on the floor.
Brayden did not care for his tone. He growled at the man who squeaked then ran out of the room.
“Ha ha ha. You made Reg squeak,” Elissa said.
She giggled, and snorted, slapping a hand over her mouth. Her eyes were still alight with mischief, and Brayden figured he was not in all that much trouble.
“My love,” Hunter said to his mate.
“You’ll destroy the man’s pride if you keep laughing at him.”
“I’m sorry, Reg!” she called out, still chuckling.
This was the reason Brayden liked her so much. There was nothing fake about Elissa.
“So, Brayden, do you want to tell me what that was about?” Hunter asked him.
“Uh, no. Not really, Neta.”
“Fine. You’re up first, man. Uncle Uzzi is in the conference room waiting for you.”
“Neta, with all due respect, I don’t need help finding a ma—”
“Brayden, I know things were rough for you when you first joined our Pride. I know you have history, but I believe Uncle Uzzi can help ease your past hurts. He has done wonders for me and Elissa. We both want all of the Pride to be as happy as we are. The more happily mated couples we have, the stronger the Maverick Pride will be,” Hunter said with a brisk nod.
“Do it for me, Brayden. Please?” Elissa chimed in.
Shit.
He didn’t have a chance in hell of saying no to both of them. He respected the Alpha couple too much to go against them. Not that he thought Uncle Uzzi could help him find his fated mate.
The fact was, Brayden Smith knew exactly who his one true and fated mate was.
Jessica Maverick.
He’d only just realized it for certain. But there was still no way in hell, he was claiming Jessica as his own. His Bear let out a mournful bellow. But even his beast could not change his mind. Brayden refused to doom her to life with someone as broken as him.
After the tragedy of John’s death followed by Valerie’s suicide, Brayden did not deserve happiness. Jessica was so sweet and pure. She was much better off without him.
Now he just had to be strong enough to stay away.
“Just chatting,” Jess replied in a rush.
“Well, I don’t believe in accidents, and my liebling would say this is positively fortuitous,” the Witch replied.
Hunter and Elissa walked in just after the enigmatic man. Hand in hand as usual, they greeted the older, and much shorter male Witch, with hugs and handshakes.
The ruling Alpha couple of the Maverick Pride were smiling, unable to take their eyes off each other. Their love story was something of a fairytale, the stuff of legends and immeasurable envy, he’d hazard a guess.
That kind of devotion was simply too good to be a common occurrence. Unattainable for anyone else, at least as far as Brayden was concerned.
His animal growled at him. He didn’t like the insinuation that he would never have that kind of love. Not one little bit. The beast clawed at his skin in response, wanting out.
Brayden counted to ten in an effort to calm his Bear. It was nearly impossible. Especially when a picture of Jessica’s scantily clad bottom flashed in his mind again. Was the image permanently burned inside his brain?
Yes, his Bear growled.
Fuck me, his human half returned.
Mate, the animal responded.
The thoughts were followed up by lusty thoughts and desires from his perverted Bear. The damn animal was positively drooling over the saucy redhead. He ground his teeth together as other members of the Pride shuffled in.
Most everyone greeted each other with nods or casual hellos. Even though the Barvale Clan he’d come from was small, the Maverick Pride was even smaller. They had far fewer numbers, but in a way, it was one of the things he liked about it.
Less drama that way. Or so he thought. Brayden cringed as some of the Pride’s few females came in. These were the ones of an age to mate, and they had been invited by the Neta to attend this meeting. Less than half a dozen women, and each was dressed to the nines in clothing not at all suitable for the winter weather.
His gaze quickly passed over the flat-ironed hair and ridiculous high heels, unconsciously settling on the curvy little she-Cat who sat curled on one corner of the couch. She seemed to avoid the new arrivals.
Not that he could blame her. But for some reason, she also seemed to stay away from Elissa, whom he knew to be her friend.
Odd. And a little bit brave really.
Jessica was not hiding behind her brother’s position in this room with her peers. The women eyed her and whispered to each other, laughing cattily. A fact that made his Bear snarl and stomp inside of him. They should know better than to mock the sister of the Pride Neta.
Where was all this protective bullshit coming from? He had to wonder. Brayden’s shoulders were starting to tense, and sweat was forming on his brow. His Bear did not like the tension in the room. Not one little bit.
Fuck.
He wished he could just walk out of the closed off living room, but that would be disrespecting his Neta. Brayden would never abide such a thing from anyone, especially not himself.
He’d just have to deal with it. And if he flashed those women an angry glance, purposely showing a little fang, enough so that one of them turned away and the others kept swallowing nervously, then that was fine with him. Especially, so long as it kept his beast calm.
“Okay, everyone, listen up. Uncle Uzzi here has graciously agreed to bestow his particular talents on our Pride. I want all of you to meet with him briefly over the next few days. He will be in town as our honored guest, staying in the Pride House. You will make yourselves available, and you will be agreeable to whatever Uncle Uzzi says. Is that clear?”
Shit.
Maybe Brayden should crack a window or something? Suddenly, he felt as if all the air had been sucked out of the room.
“Dude, you okay?”
Reg walked in a few minutes later, idling over to the big Black Bear.
The smaller, but still formidable Tiger Shifter gazed around the room. It might have been Brayden’s imagination, but perhaps the younger male’s eyes stopped to stare a moment longer on Jessica than necessary.
His Bear made his displeasure known by roaring so fucking loudly in his head he had to close his eyes to shut him up.
Mine.
Shit. There it was again. One word, loud and clear. Brayden did not like it. Not one little bit. Then his Bear said it again in a much louder, impossibly deeper voice.
MINE.
“Easy, dude. I meant no disrespect. I didn’t realize it was like that,” Reg replied with his gaze averted and his neck bared for the Beta.
Shit. Brayden paused, wondering who else had heard him.
“Did I say that out loud?”
“Say what? Dude, you are growling like you wanna take my fucking head off man. I’m sorry,” Reg repeated, hands raised in surrender.
“I get it. I need to be more respectful of the Neta’s family. Jess is just looking good is all,” Reg replied, nodding in Jessica’s direction.
Brayden had to work extremely hard not to punch the shit-eating grin off that asshole’s face. Tigers loved to play fast and carefree, but Bear’s did not buy into that. Words and actions had consequences. If Reg did not shut up soon, he was gonna learn that the hard way.
“Dude, you with her?’ he asked, realization dawning on the younger male.
“What? No! It’s not like that, but you’d do well to remember just who she is,” Brayden countered sternly.
“Yeah, yeah. Got it. So, you won’t mind if I-”
Reg didn’t even get to finish his sentence before Brayden had the man by his throat. Fury and rage spread through him like wildfire. His animal outraged at the mere suggestion.
No one would be doing anything to, or for, or with Jessica.
No one but him.
“Uh, Brayden?”
When had Hunter walked to his side? The Bear could not be sure. He was too busy watching the color drain from Reg’s face as the Tiger struggled to break free from his hold.
“Brayden?”
A little more force that time, but his Neta hadn’t resorted to using his Alpha voice. Not yet. That meant Brayden didn’t have to let go of his new favorite squeeze toy, right?
“Yes, Neta?”
He always was a polite cub. His mother said so. No reason to misplace his manners now.
“Put Reg down. Uh, please,” Hunter said.
He’d added the last word after his mate elbowed him in the side. Elissa’s scent was soothing to his Bear. The animal recognized the Nari. He wanted to protect and please her, as was his duty. But his inner Bear also wanted to punish this man who thought to covet what the animal now considered his.
“Hey Brayden.”
“Nari,” he replied calmly, ducking Reg’s wild kicks easily.
“Why don’t you put Reg down? Come on. Then we can go over here and chat with Uncle Uzzi? I, uh, made a fresh batch of honey oatmeal cookies,” Elissa ventured in that smooth, yet commanding way she had.
Honey oatmeal cookies?
“Come now, everyone else is gone. It’s just us. The rest of the Pride have been given their appointment cards and are waiting to be called,” she said softly, lowering his arm with a gentle nudge that he would never oppose.
“Fuck, Brayden. What the hell?” gasped Reg from his new position lying flat on the floor.
Brayden did not care for his tone. He growled at the man who squeaked then ran out of the room.
“Ha ha ha. You made Reg squeak,” Elissa said.
She giggled, and snorted, slapping a hand over her mouth. Her eyes were still alight with mischief, and Brayden figured he was not in all that much trouble.
“My love,” Hunter said to his mate.
“You’ll destroy the man’s pride if you keep laughing at him.”
“I’m sorry, Reg!” she called out, still chuckling.
This was the reason Brayden liked her so much. There was nothing fake about Elissa.
“So, Brayden, do you want to tell me what that was about?” Hunter asked him.
“Uh, no. Not really, Neta.”
“Fine. You’re up first, man. Uncle Uzzi is in the conference room waiting for you.”
“Neta, with all due respect, I don’t need help finding a ma—”
“Brayden, I know things were rough for you when you first joined our Pride. I know you have history, but I believe Uncle Uzzi can help ease your past hurts. He has done wonders for me and Elissa. We both want all of the Pride to be as happy as we are. The more happily mated couples we have, the stronger the Maverick Pride will be,” Hunter said with a brisk nod.
“Do it for me, Brayden. Please?” Elissa chimed in.
Shit.
He didn’t have a chance in hell of saying no to both of them. He respected the Alpha couple too much to go against them. Not that he thought Uncle Uzzi could help him find his fated mate.
The fact was, Brayden Smith knew exactly who his one true and fated mate was.
Jessica Maverick.
He’d only just realized it for certain. But there was still no way in hell, he was claiming Jessica as his own. His Bear let out a mournful bellow. But even his beast could not change his mind. Brayden refused to doom her to life with someone as broken as him.
After the tragedy of John’s death followed by Valerie’s suicide, Brayden did not deserve happiness. Jessica was so sweet and pure. She was much better off without him.
Now he just had to be strong enough to stay away.
End of The Maverick Pride Tales Chapter 31. Continue reading Chapter 32 or return to The Maverick Pride Tales book page.