The Maverick Pride Tales - Chapter 8: Chapter 8

He stood up and opened the door to his office. It was one of the few rooms on the ground floor with an actual door that locked. A necessity when the house was full. Especially when he needed to get any work done.
Hunter frowned and turned down the hall. What was all the ruckus about? He breathed in deep and stopped dead.
Holy fuck.
Grrrrrrrrrrrr.
Hunter felt as if he’d been sucker punched. Worse than that. It was like he’d been struck by lightning. He couldn’t get any air into his lungs. Eyes watering, he gasped as the second breath he sucked in brought with it the heavenly scent. Something strange, but warm and decidedly feminine.
What is that scent?
Need it.
Want it.
Mine.
Grrr.
His Tiger snarled and scratched at his skin, urging the man to move closer to the owner of that fragrance. It was like fresh baked pie.
Cherry, he sniffed, with a sugared crust. Yum.
Hunter’s favorite. A low rumble started deep in his gut. It built up to his chest, making his whole body vibrate. Need, want, and desire fought for dominance inside of him as he stealthily made his way to the large parlor.
Every step, every single breath he took, brought him closer to the source. He had to snag a mental leash around his Tiger to stop him from bursting through his skin, but the strong fucker continued to push and snarl.
The beast wanted him to stop fucking around already. He urged Hunter to run to the owner of the scent so he could finally breathe it from the source. And that wasn’t all. The animal wanted to roll around in it. To taste it on his tongue.
Shit.
His cock hardened in his jeans, making it difficult to walk. He shook his head, trying to clear his mind, but that scent wrapped around him like a leash. Circling his body, his brain, his dick.
It tugged him forward, urging him to move, First one foot, then the other. He’d been doing this since he was a cub! He should be able to walk into a room without having to think through each step, but his brain was rapidly turning to mush. He was like one giant ball of need. But still, he inched his way there.
Pause. Sniff. Step. And repeat.
Finally, he stopped where the scent was strongest and took in the scene before him. Lust was the first emotion to hit him as he took in the short, curvy blonde who was holding her own against Blake.
The younger male was in her face, growling, it would seem. Unacceptable. Shifters did not intimidate females. Especially not this one, he thought with a growl of his own. What was even more astounding was the fact the tiny woman was standing up to his clearly agitated Beta.
That’s when a second emotion hit him. Pure, unadulterated rage. What the fuck was Blake doing crowding his mate that way?
Mate?
He questioned his Tiger, pausing in his tracks.
Mate.
The animal growled back with barely leashed fury as he took in his supposed friend’s threatening stance and leering smile.
He didn’t need to ask his beast again. He accepted it for what it was. Fate. Destiny. Either word was fine. They could chat about it later. Only one thing mattered at that moment.
Her.
The beautiful stranger was his mate, and Blake was way too fucking close to her. Hunter was struck with the need to protect her. To get her to safety. He also had to work to not kill Blake for stepping to her that way.
Fuck that, snarled the beast.
His Tiger demanded he snap his Beta in two. This was not good. Hard to win a mate when you were covered in blood.
Who says, argued the beast. She will know we can protect her.
Hunter exhaled as he walked into the room. He allowed his powers as the Pride Neta to flow through him and press against the people inside the large living room. Just a little bit more of that natural or supernatural prowess was directed at his Beta.
Okay.
Maybe a whole lot more was directed at Blake, but Hunter was not about to apologize. The fucker clearly needed to be reminded that Hunter was in charge. And for the first time in a long time, this Pride Neta was more than happy to see to that himself.
Protect my Nari, his Tiger snarled and hissed the command.
Hunter moved faster, placing himself between the woman and his soon to be headless Beta.
Motherfucker, he thought with a sneer.
“Move.”
That was it. One word. But within the word, his Tiger had embedded a very real threat. Blake, if he was smart, would do wise to listen. That word move meant the man was close to being permanently removed from this plane of existence.
Fucking, hell yes, he was. This was no threat. It was a promise.
If he did not move soon, Blake was going to have a brand-new second asshole. Somewhere right in the middle of his fucking stomach. A quick slice with Hunter’s right paw would open the tiny Tiger right up, spilling the fucker’s guts onto the polished floor.
Yeah.
His beast liked that image. He growled long and hard at Blake, using only a hint more of his Neta power. It was all he could do not to lash out and rip the fucker’s face off.
Mine.
Okay, so he was a possessive asshole.
Whatever.
The gorgeous creature behind him was his. Hunter would fucking destroy anyone who came close to even frowning at her, let alone piss and moan like this asshole had dared.
Later, he told his incensed beast. He’d carve Blake a new asshole later. After he introduced himself to the sweet female behind him.
That was if he could get beyond one-word sentences. Once Blake tucked tail and ran, Hunter turned to the blonde goddess.
“Who are you?” he asked.
Her large brown eyes blinked rapidly. He’d seen brown eyes aplenty, but none like hers. They were warm and translucent like really fucking good hundred- and sixty-year-old scotch. The kind he kept under lock and key to stop his men from getting their grubby paws on it.
Her eyes were like that, only better. Gorgeous and rare. A potent combination. And she would be his.
Mine. Grrr.
The beautiful woman bit her lip and swallowed hard.
Fuck, she was so tempting, and she didn’t even realize it. Unlike any of the females of the Pride, this woman exuded grace and beauty, humility and passion, strength, and dignity all at once.
There were only three types of women he’d known in the past. The ones who’d flaunt themselves and beg him to service them during their heat. The ones too scared to even speak to him. And last, his sister.
That was it.
Shit.
Had he frightened her? He needed to try again.
“Your name,” Hunter spoke again, taking special notice of her beautiful golden hair.
It was thick and long. Just how he liked it. He lifted a curl from her shoulder, noticing for the first time she appeared damp.
“Why are you wet?”
And why hasn’t anyone given her a towel?
He turned his gaze and the young male who had followed behind him blanched and ran. Hopefully to get some fucking towels.
Fluffy warm ones.
He damn well better make sure they were soft and freshly laundered or there’d be hell to pay. What the hell had everyone been doing while his mate shivered and shook?
Couldn’t they see his Nari was wet from the rain? He needed to help her. To dry her or something. Get her warm. Of course, that sent images of all the delightful ways he could warm her sifting through his mind.
Oh yeah, he could warm her up just right.
He imagined peeling those damp clothes off until she was nude with just his body to heat her. It sent a wave of lust right to his cock making his jeans uncomfortably tight. His Tiger wholeheartedly agreed with the plan.
Take her to bed. Claim her. Mine.
His thoughts were interrupted by a fierce little Witch with a mighty strong poke.
Shit.
Embarrassment burned his cheeks as Mr. Stregovich, the old matchmaking Witch, reminded him he was the Neta of the Maverick Pride, not some unlicked cub. He knew better than to behave this way.
“Do you want to stay?” Uncle Uzzi asked Elissa in their supposed private conversation.
Hunter heard every word, of course. He tensed. She had to stay. She was his. But what if she didn’t want to? Fear made his mouth dry. He was not used to feeling that particular emotion, and he had to admit, it felt like shit.
Of course, Uncle Uzzi knew he could hear what they were saying. The wily old Witch made it clear the female was in charge. As it should be, he agreed.
Hunter hadn’t meant to listen, but he had no choice. He was ready to butt in and demand she never leave, but it seemed he didn’t have to. Relief poured through him at her acquiescence.
Purrfect.