Page 11 of Purrfectly Kissed

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.

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