The Maverick Pride Tales - Chapter 39: Chapter 39

“I know, I should probably stay away from you. You’re the Neta’s sister, and you are so much more than I could ever endeavor to deserve, but I don’t know if I can.”
“You don’t know if you can what?”
“Stay away from you,” he whispered, eyebrows furrowed as he cupped her face.
Brayden’s handsome face turned down in a frown. His black eyes glittered, fraught with concern. Jessica instinctively ran her hands over his shoulders and neck, wanting to soothe him and bring him comfort.
Now, why on earth would she want to do that? This man had given her so many mixed signals she didn’t know which way was up, but somehow, she could not help herself.
Mate.
Her Tiger pushed the thought into her brain and her chest tightened. It was true then, and time she acknowledged it.
As soon as the idea emerged, she felt it right down to her bones. This man, this gorgeous Bear, was her fated mate. Her destiny. No doubt about it.
All this time, he’d known it too. And he’d been fighting it tooth and nail. Anger and disappointment threatened to overwhelm her, but she pushed it down, refusing to let it interfere with the joy that bubbled through her at knowing she had a mate.
“Kitten,” he pressed his forehead against hers.
“I think you know what I am about to say. I can scent the subtle changes in you. You feel it too, don’t you?”
“I think so,” she whispered back.
It was useless for most normals to hide their emotions from Shifters since lies and other things had distinct scents. But for someone who was born and raised a Shifter, it was positively pointless.
Jessica knew better than to cover or hide the way she felt. She’d learned early that Shifters, especially her brother, were excellent at detecting people’s feelings and discovering naughty little she-Cat’s hidden mischief. Rather than risk getting caught in a lie, she’d developed a way of simply locking up her feelings.
It had been lonely for her as a child. Hunter did his best, but they were a decade apart in age and a world apart in responsibilities. He’d had an entire Pride to run. She didn’t want to burden him. But a mate. That was different. They were supposed to help you through the good times and bad.
Would Brayden be willing to do that for her? Was he truly saying what she thought he was saying? There was only one way to find out.
Honesty.
She needed to lower her walls and allow him to feel her emotions. The truth would set her free, or it would fucking bury her. No games or hiding behind excuses. Jessica needed the truth.
Ready or not, here I come.
“What about you, Brayden? I heard a little about your past, but are you sure you are ready to move on?”
He stiffened against her, but he didn’t let go. That was a good sign. Wasn’t it?
“I know you have questions⁠—”
“It’s not about questions. You were mated before. You were hurt. I know this and my heart breaks for you, but I need to know if this is right for you. I deserve to know if you can be committed to me before we move forward,” she said.
Her chest hurt as she said the words, but more for him than because of him. Rumor had it, he’d been mated before and lost her due to an accident. Now, she felt it in her heart that he was her fated mate. But Shifters could claim others if their fated ones did not turn up. Mates could be bonded through a bite, sex, scratches, and sacred vows. It was not the same, but it was still something.
Losing a mate was terrible. It was like losing a part of oneself. She did not wish that on anyone, let alone the man her heart yearned for. The thought of him being bonded to another caused her heart to ache.
Regardless of how unfair it was to him, she could not stop her sadness and hurt. Pushing past the disappointment of never being his first and only would be rough, but she could do it if he were truly committed to them.
“My past was, I mean, what I went through was not the same as us, Jess,” he said and seemed like he wanted to say more.
Brayden struggled to find the words, and she tried to move back, but he tightened his hold. She sighed and allowed him to keep her in his arms. She could give them both that comfort until he was ready to talk.
Jessica waited and nodded patiently.
“When you’re ready, Brayden. I won’t push.”
“No, you deserve to hear it from me, not the rumor mill. It is true, I have a past, but I have never had a mate before.”
It was her turn to be confused. Hunter himself had said he’d found the big Bear on Pride lands after he’d lost his mate. In danger of going rogue, he’d taken him in and adopted him into the Pride, for which Jessica would be forever grateful.
“Valeri was my best friend’s mate. He died, and she looked at me for comfort. I never thought I would find my own mate, and it seemed the least I could do for him. He was like my brother,” he explained.
“But I would never, I mean, I could never feel for her, the way I feel for you.”
That last part was said in a deep, gravelly voice that sent shivers of need through her body. Okay, so it was complicated. Life often was.
Jessica would listen, but first they needed to be honest with each other. Licking her lips she went to speak, but he beat her to it.
“But I want you to understand, nothing else is as important as this, sweet kitten. You are my fated mate, and I have every intention of claiming you. If you want me to,” Brayden stated, easing back to look in her eyes.
“And you’re mine, as well,” she returned.
Staking her claim out loud with words felt good. Empowering and freeing where she’d been all bottled up before.
She felt his body tense, as if he’d made up his mind about something. Waiting patiently was not exactly her strongest suit, but she would try for him.
“I want to tell you all of it. All of my past.”
“Okay,” she encouraged.
“Yes, what I told Hunter was true. I was engaged to a girl, but she was not my girl. Valerie was mated to my best friend from home, John. He was in the Army and had been sent to Iraq. It was supposed to be a quick and easy tour, but those things never are. He was killed there, and in our grief, Valerie and I turned to each other. She later came to me and told me she was pregnant.”
“Oh,” Jessica said, her heart hurting for the big man.
“I thought the baby was mine,” he continued.
His voice hitched a little when he said baby. Jessica couldn’t blame him. She wrapped her arms around him, silently willing him to take from her strength to continue the tale and he did. Amazingly enough, he did.
“So, I asked her to marry me. One morning, there was a nasty thunderstorm, and I had to go to work. We were barely talking at that point. Hadn’t gone near each other again. Never, in fact, after that one night. She was depressed, and I was young. I didn’t know what to do. That day, she drove into a telephone pole and died on impact.”
“Oh no,” Jessica swallowed.
“Later, I learned the baby was John’s, not mine, and the cub had died inside of Valerie the day before she’d killed herself. Her grief over losing that one last connection with him had made her suicidal. I blamed myself for a long time, and I’ve been carrying that guilt around with me.”
Sorrow at the tragic loss of his friend, and the poor Sow, whose mind had broken with her heart, filled Jessica. Those feelings were quickly followed by sadness for Brayden. He’d carried this burden for so long, thinking it was his fault when all along he’d done the best he could.
“Oh Brayden, I am so sorry.”
“It’s my fault, I should have helped her-”
“You did help her. There was nothing you could have done.”
“I guess I know that now. I just felt like it was my fault for so long, it’s hard to stop that line of thinking. I feel I failed John somehow. Valerie too.”
“It was a terrible tragedy, and I am sorry you had to go through that,” she replied and meant it.
Her heart hurt so much for the big man. He’d been young and in pain. His friend’s mate had obviously felt the pain as well. She knew from the stories what happened to mates separated by death. One often followed the other. This was just a touch more tragic to her because Brayden had gotten involved.
“I will always be sorry for what happened to them, but it’s what led me here. To Maverick Point. And to you.”
Hope sprung up inside of Jessica. For a moment, she feared he was about to tell her goodbye, but not now. Not when his eyes glittered once more with heat and desire. She felt the subtle changes in his body as he pressed it against hers.
“So, you mean it then? About us being mates and wanting a future?”
“Yeah, I mean it.”
Brayden grinned, and she felt heat pool in her belly, and the slow, drugging pull of desire began its pulsating thrum inside of her. He was willing to try for happiness, even after all his pain.
With her.
What could be sexier than that?
“I think it’s about time I kissed you, kitten. Wouldn’t you agree?”
His words slid over her like warm honey, bringing her arousal to peak.
Fuck. Yes.
Jessica wanted to kiss him. More than anything, and she was just about to tell him so. But before she found the words, his head was already lowered.
Slowly, oh so carefully, giving her ample time to back away should she so desire it, Brayden leaned close.
His clean rain scent enveloped her, and it filled her nostrils. Heat from his body warmed her despite the sudden chill in the air. Jessica shivered at the contact.
It was the anticipation rather than the cold that made her body tremble so. Want, need, lust filled her, and something else, too. Something too big to utter into the fragile night air. She was afraid if she did, it would disappear on the cold winter breeze.
“Wait,” Jessica stopped him, ignoring the pang of hurt she felt coming from the big man.
“No, I mean, that’s not why I said stop. I want you to kiss me. But, uh, I’ve built a lot of dreams and have a lot of expectations on kissing, and uh, if you’re my mate, well, I don’t want you to fuck it up,” she whispered, and bit her lip.
“I understand,” he replied and grinned wildly.
Then took her face in one big hand and tugged her close.
“Trust me, kitten, I know just how to kiss you,” he growled.
And fuck, did he ever.
Jessica whimpered as his mouth closed over hers. His big, strong hands held onto her neck and face as he nibbled on her lips first. Licking the seam, then piercing her mouth with his long, talented tongue.
Bears really knew how to use their prehensile lips. At least, he sure as fuck did. The kiss they shared was beyond amazing. Brayden did things to her mouth she’d only ever read about.
He tasted of fresh rain showers and pure heat. Her Tiger growled in approval. The she-Cat urged her to get closer to their Black Bear.
To rub her scent on him.
To mark him.
Claim him.
Mine.
There was no question as far as her feline was concerned. The Bear belonged to Jessica. To both halves of her soul.
Me-ow!
Her Tiger sniffed at her response. But still, she was right on board with it if it meant sinking her fangs into the sexy Bear and claiming him once and for all.
Jessica melted into him. She wrapped her arms around Brayden’s neck and pulled bringing him closer to the trunk of the car, closer to her. As if he’d read her mind, he lifted Jessica up onto the trunk like she weighed nothing at all.
Fuck, that was hot. She loved the easy display of strength. Her inner Tiger purred with the pleasure of it. Moisture dripped from her slit, and she groaned. She needed something, anything, to take the edge off.
She needed him.
Closer.
Now.
Right fucking now.
Jessica opened her jean-clad legs wide enough to let him in. She wrapped them around his waist, squeezing tight as he locked his massive arms around her.
Her big Bear seemed perfectly fine with this new position. More than fine if the rumble in his chest and the hardness pressing against her sex meant anything.
Brayden growled and groaned as he continued to devour her mouth. The gentle exploration of their first kiss quickly gave way to something more. Something deep and passionate that lit raging bonfires of arousal throughout Jessica’s entire body.
His hands roamed her back, hips, and ass. She moaned, loving the feel of his calloused fingers as he lifted the hem of her sweater and lightly grazed her belly and, finally, her lace covered breast.
Both of them groaned as his fingers found her nipple. He toyed with the hardened nub, rubbing, and twirling it between his thumb and forefinger. And never once did he stop kissing her.
It was fucking amazing. So amazing, Jessica forgot where they were until they were so rudely reminded.
“What the ever-loving fuck is going on out here?!”
She couldn’t fucking believe it. Jessica was pussy-blocked by her interfering as fuck brother.
She could have screamed the second she heard Hunter’s massive roar from the front porch of the Pride House.
Shit.
She supposed it was her own damn fault, getting carried away out here where anyone could see them. But how was a girl supposed to claim her mate if she kept getting interrupted at every turn?
Brayden’s whole body went stiff, and his black eyes glittered with his Bear. Jessica watched him closely, searching for any hint as to what he was feeling. Frustration seemed to be the foremost, but beneath it was something else. Something her Tiger seemed happy with, but the woman could not name.
“Brayden, get your ass dressed and inside. The Council just called with an update on that matter they brought to us. Jessica, Uncle Uzzi wants to see you,” Hunter growled the commands.
The fucker had interrupted what was sure to be the best damn experience of her life, and before she could respond, his almighty Neta-ness turned and went back inside the house.
Pussy-blocker!
Her she-Cat hissed.
“Jessica, I’m sorry,” Brayden said, his eyes intent on hers, “but this is not over. Just delayed.”
The worry and trepidation that had been gnawing at her gut eased with his words. His eyes grew warm, turning back to that mahogany color she loved so as the Bear inside of him receded, allowing the man to show. His intentions were right there in his gaze, visible for her to read like words on paper.
She wasn’t sure what exactly was going on inside his head, and that sort of scared her. But it was a good kind of scared.
Like being on a rollercoaster, slowly climbing up the first peak with every click of the chain, sending hearts pounding before the cars reached the top. The anticipation was key, but it was what came after the climb that made the trip worth repeating, that sudden plummet into a wild, breathtaking ride.
Jessica was inching closer to falling in love. The realization was daunting, but only for a moment. After all, the big Bear was worth it. She was ready for whatever happened next with Brayden.
Hell, it would already be happening, if only her stupid pussy-blocking brother hadn’t messed everything up.
Grrr.
That was her frustration talking again. But she could hardly be blamed for it.
“Okay,” she returned.
She took a breath, loving the scent of rain and clean earth that drifted into her nose.
Brayden.
It soothed her animal despite the fact that Jessica’s insides were all upside down. And now she was sexually frustrated to top it all off.
“After the Neta is done talking, I’ll come find you and we will discuss what comes next, alright?”
Unable to find the right words, she nodded. Brayden ran his large, callused hand over her cheek and dropped a kiss on her lips before turning to run around the side of the building. He was probably going to find some clothes, she figured.
Exhaling a deep breath, Jessica slipped down from the trunk and gathered Uncle Uzzi’s packages.
Maybe the old Witch had some pointers about mating. Not that she and Brayden needed any.