The Maverick Pride Tales - Chapter 74: Chapter 74

Reg turned Gretchen under the spray of warm water to rinse the shampoo from her hair. He’d insisted on getting her undressed and into the shower as soon as they’d finished explaining the situation to Hunter.
“I can’t believe you got this done today,” she said, running her hands over his already healed chest in awe.
It was the surprise he’d gotten for her. A way for her to understand where she belonged in his life. He was so fucking happy she liked it.
Directly over his heart and spanning most of the left side of his body, Reg now sported an intricate, and magically crafted, tattoo that he’d gotten specifically for his mate.
He had spent over an hour being tattooed by a very efficient, semi-sadistic Witch who used magic to wield his ink gun at ten times the Regular speed.
The image was of two Bengal Tigers representing Reg and his shona, side by side. One had a very easily identifiable tuft of white fur on the tip of her tail with baby blue eyes. She was the prettiest damn thing he’d ever seen.
The male Tiger was larger, and his eyes were focused on his female. They were a darker blue color, like his own. The male cradled his mate from behind wrapping his tale protectively around her.
Tiger blossoms drifted down from above them with a whisper of Mount Maverick rising behind them. The flowers were a reminder of her beautiful scent, and the entire image was a tribute to his undying love for her.
His fated mate. His one and only.
Reg only hoped she understood.
“How come it’s healed already?”
“The same reason your shoulder is healed. We are Shifters, shona. We heal quickly. Our magic allows that. Do you like it?”
“It’s beautiful,” she said.
The tiny movements of her hand on his chest were creating a not so tiny reaction below his belly button, but he ignored his erection for now. She already knew his body worshipped her, but he needed her to understand his heart did too.
“You’re so beautiful, Gretchen. Everything I ever wanted, and I know you deserve better, but I can’t let you go,” he told her.
His voice sounded like he’d swallowed gravel, but his beast was pushing him hard. He was satisfied she was whole and unhurt, and fuck yeah, he was desperate to enjoy more carnal delights. But he needed to get this out first.
“Oh Reg⁠—”
“Let me finish, my beautiful shona,” he started.
He watched her blush spread across her cheeks and down to her beautifully ripe breasts. Further still, his gaze dropped to the close crop curls that hid her from view.
“Fuck, you smell good,” he murmured, as the scent of her arousal reached his nostrils. Reg growled, shutting off the water and grabbing a pair of towels for them.
He wrapped the soft bath sheet around her body and lifted her up in his arms like the treasure she was. He wanted her more than anything, but first they needed to clear the air.
“Need you, Reg,” she said, and lifted her face to his lips.
He kissed her readily and pressed his forehead to hers. His dick throbbed painfully, but he held himself in check. There was nothing he desired more than to sink into his mate’s heat. Nothing except maybe sinking deep into her heart as well.
Reg could kiss her and forget all their problems for the moment, but they would still exist like a wall between them. No way, he outright refused to be separated from her in any way.
Something had sent her running from him earlier that afternoon. Something that Pamela had said or done. It should not have affected his mate so, but it did. So much so that she told him to stay away again. The pain was still fresh, and it hurt to even think about leaving her.
He needed to figure out what had happened. What the other Tiger had said to his feisty mate that made her doubt him. The only way to learn the truth, was to simply ask her. Sucking up his courage, Reg proceeded to do just that.
“Why did you tell me to stay away from you today, shona? What did I do wrong?” he asked with a sadness he couldn’t help creeping into his voice.
He sat down on the bed with her on his lap and watched her expression change from lustful to thoughtful. Tears welled in her eyes, and she bit her lip. He hated to see her look so upset, but then she straightened her shoulders and looked at him through her glassy baby blues.
“I suppose I owe you an explanation.”
“You don’t owe me anything, I just want to fix this. I need to make this right because I can’t be away from you another night. I need you with me here, now, always, You are my fated mate, Gretchen. You’re a part of my soul. How can I be expected to live without the other half of myself?”
“Why didn’t you say this before?”
“I am so sorry, shona. I should have,” he said. “I told you, I’m not good with words, but if you need them, I will try.”
Then he looked into her big eyes, cupping her face with his hands, brushing away her tears. He didn’t deserve her, but he would spend every fucking day trying to. He vowed to do anything he had to, to make sure she never cried again.
“I love you, shona. Since the day I saw you, I have loved you and only you. I will do anything, baby. Tell me what I need to do to make this right,” Reg said, his expression shocked as Gretchen gasped and began to sob openly.
“Gretchen? Shona!”
Before he could say anything else, his mate stood up, and he was about to follow her when she turned. Her eyes glowed before she moved, and admittedly, Reg wasn’t prepared for her to tackle him.
But she did, thank fuck, and they almost wound up on the floor. His quick reflexes saved them both, but before he could speak, she was kissing him.
Fuck, was she kissing him.! He groaned and moaned into her mouth, desperate for her. But before things could get out of control, she pulled back.
“Oh Reg, I was so confused. I didn’t understand what fated mates meant, and Pamela got in my head, talking about what players you Shifters are. Now I know why she feels that way, but I’m so sorry. I should have come to you first. I’d actually decided to call you when I went out for a run. I just wanted some air, but then I ran into them, and you know the rest,” she finished and wrapped her arms around his neck, holding him tightly to her.
“You could have been hurt,” he growled, and tried to sound angry, but his body was already reacting predictably to her nearness.
“But I wasn’t. You saved me.”
“Love you, mate. Only you. So much.”
“I know. I love you too,” she answered, and stroked his chest down his abdomen to where he wanted her the most. “If I didn’t realize it before that beautiful tattoo would have shown me. Let’s not let anything come between us again, okay?”
“Never,” he vowed. “I want you for always, Gretchen. As my mate, as my partner, as part of my Pride, and as my wife. Will you marry me, shona?”
“What? Really? Yes, oh yes, I will,” she shouted and mashed her lips to his.
Reg rolled them around the bed, kissing the fuck out of her. He did not stop until he was where he wanted to be, directly beneath her supple curves. He tugged the towel, and then nothing stood between them.
No walls. No misunderstandings. Only love.
“You know, when I first met you, I knew you were my mate. There is something inside of us Shifters that alerts us when we’ve met our fated mates.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes. I wanted you so desperately, I came up with a plan. I was going to set a trap, I was gonna be the most dedicated boyfriend you ever saw so that you would fall for me. Then I was gonna tell you about Shifters, claim you as mine.”
“Yeah? Then what happened?” she purred and opened her legs wide.
Her slick folds caressed his hardened length, and Reg almost lost his train of thought. Up and down, she moved and glided, teasing them both into a frenzy.
“Well, I got it wrong, shona,” he grunted as she kissed the head of his swollen cock with her wet slit, sliding just the tip in and out of her heat so fucking slowly he went cross-eyed.
“How’s that?”
“I didn’t trap you,” he groaned, and she pressed down on him, sucking him inside her heated core one inch at a time. “Fuck, shona, feels s’good.”
“You didn’t trap me?” she moaned, and flexed her hips, swallowing him deeper still.
“Nope. You’re the one who’s got me purrfectly trapped, and I never want you to let me go.”
“Never. Mine,” she growled.
Then she began to move, slowly, seductively, and certainly. Just enough to drive him completely out of his mind. His sweet Gretchen pressed down on his chest and abdomen, using his muscles to hold herself as she rocked her body back and forth. So breathtakingly beautiful, panting and moaning. So responsive.
She rode him harder and faster. Making him grunt and pant and moan with every move. So attuned to his wants and needs she worked him until Reg saw stars explode behind his eyes.
“Need you to come for me, shona,” he sat up, taking control of her thrusts.
Reg grabbed hold of his luscious mate’s hips and lifted her up and down. He loved watching her face, the expression of pure bliss as her head fell back, and she moaned his name. Reg caught her nipple in his mouth and her eyes rolled back in ecstasy. He thrusted upwards, using all his strength and skill.
Gretchen cried out, scratching his shoulders like the wild cat she was. Her pussy gripped him, squeezing his cock as she fell into orgasm.
“Come with me, Reg,” she begged.
How could he resist an offer like that? Reg thrust upwards, once, twice, he lifted her and slammed her down, grinding her on his cock until he joined her. Incandescent lights exploded behind his eyes.
Together they rocketed and spiraled out beyond their bedroom. Past Maverick Point, past the Earth, into outer space and beyond. Entire universes were destroyed and created in the strength of their climax and solidifying of their mate bond.
Where it was thin and silvery before, Reg saw a solid platinum ethereal link between him and his mate in that other plane of reality where their beasts rested together until called. He blinked as he fell slowly back to earth, cradling his mate on top of him. He stroked her hair and her neck too tired to do anything else.
“Reg?”
“Mm?”
“Let’s do that again,” she sat up and grinned, and suddenly, Reg wasn’t tired at all. He would never be tired as long as Gretchen wanted him.
“I love you, shona,” he said, and he meant it all the way to the depths of his soul.
“Show me.”
His sweet little mate bit her lip expectantly, and Reg did not disappoint her. He would spend eternity trying to be the mate she deserved. Gretchen was not worried about it, and she told him often. He was the only male for her, something that had him strutting more often than not.
Together, they were purrfect.
The end.