by Moxie North
He looked up in surprise. “Babe, I’m not mad. My parents and I talked last night. I was actually going to contact them. I’d made the decision on my way down to California. I wanted them to meet you and it was time for me to stop hiding from them.”
“Wow, I lucked out on that one,” she said nervously.
“Seriously, thank you for calling them. Although my mom is redecorating today, so be prepared. She doesn’t do used or vintage.”
“She’s decorating?”
“Long story.”
They got to Pru’s house and Maverick picked her up out of the truck. He carried her to the door and Prudence managed to unlock it. He took her inside, kicking the door closed. Her duplex wasn’t much, so it wasn’t like he had to search hard for her room. He brought her in, stripped her down, then did the same for himself.
He pulled her into his arms and told her to sleep.
A number of hours later they’d both woken up warm and cozy together. That led to Maverick’s commentary about her twinkle lights.
“If I had called you or sent you a text you wouldn’t have come looking for me.”
“Why didn’t you? I wouldn’t have asked about club business. I just wanted to make sure you were okay.”
Maverick gave a heavy sigh. “Because my jaw was broken and I couldn’t talk. I didn’t want to worry you or have to explain how it had gotten broken. So I took the easy way out.”
“You had a broken jaw?” she said, leaning up on her elbow to look at him. She brought a hand up to his beard and cupped it.
“All healed, just took a little time. We got into a little trouble down there and I wasn’t paying attention. Shit like that happens sometimes.”
“Sometimes you get into situations where there are broken bones?”
“Often. That’s why I didn’t want to worry you. Shifters heal fast; we’re lucky that way. Shit that would lay a human up for weeks or months usually only takes us a few hours. Big stuff a few days. At most a week.”
Prudence chewed on that for a moment. “I don’t know what to say about that. You expect me to just pretend that the man I love is heading out to work each day possibly in mortal danger?”
Pru was waiting for an answer and instead saw Maverick’s eyes shift brightly. “You love me?”
“Of course I do. Why wouldn’t I? You think I’m your mate? The perfect match for you? I think you are for me. You believe in the fates, I believe the universe puts our partners near us to see if our cosmic pulls are the same. I wonder if our cosmic dust was next to each other at some point in space. Millions of years later, we’ve floated back together.”
“Cosmic dust?”
“Yes, your dust and mine. Well yours, your wolf’s, and mine. We must share what we’re made of.”
“Fuck, you’re crazy, but I love it. Baby, I’m going to do everything I can to give you the life you want.”
Prudence leaned over and placed a soft kiss on his mouth. “You already have. My life was colorful and bright, but it wasn’t until you that it truly came to life. You’re my anchor in the storm, Maverick Hale. I’ve been floating so long looking for something that I couldn’t name. Then you come along. You’re so different from me, yet you’re exactly what I need. You keep me grounded to family, to pack. But you still let me float above so I can see everything safely. That is the most significant thing a person can give someone else. Freedom.”
Maverick reached up and brought his hands around her neck, his thumbs running along her jaw. “You are my light, Prudence Boyer. I’ve been in the dark too long. Now I know I never have to be back there again, as long as I have you.”
“I love you, Mav.”
“I love you too, Pru.”
Maverick kissed her, pouring all his love into it. He rolled her onto her back and kissed the length of her body down one side and back up, pausing to tell her how beautiful she was, how good she tasted.
As he made his way down to the sweet-scented warmth between her legs, she gave him a shove on his shoulders.
“Roll over,” she ordered.
Maverick switched their places and watched as Prudence repeated what he had done to her move for move. She told him how sexy he was, how strong, and how he tasted. She kissed down one side until she ended at the place where his leg ended. She gave a tender kiss to it before moving back up his other side.
She didn’t see his wolf shining in his eyes when she did that. Man and beast had needed that acknowledgement of what was there, but knew that it didn’t make him who he was. When Prudence got to the long thick length of his cock that was resting against his stomach, he didn’t ask her to switch places. Instead, he kept his eyes on her as she licked the length of him from root to tip.
He let out a growl and the little minx smiled at him. After that he could only make moaning sounds. Prudence wrapped her hands and her lips around him and sunk him into the heat of her mouth.
“Fuck, Pru,” he said, as he put his hands on the side of her head.
She just gave him the sexiest eyes he’d ever seen and kept going. He took as much as he could before pulling her off him.
“I’m finishing inside you, no arguments.”
“Yes, sir,” she said, and crawled up on top of him. Reaching under herself, she wrapped her hand around him again and guided him to her opening. Leaning forward, she kissed him deeply as she sunk down his length. They both gasped into each other’s mouths.
“Damn, you’re still big,” she gasped.
“Honey, I don’t think that is going to be changing anytime soon. If you’re around I’m hard.”
“Good to know,” she said as she started to move. Maverick put his hands on her hips and set a fast pace, thrusting up into her as she rode him. Her nails were clawing at his chest and he loved it.
“Tell me when you’re close,” he said.
“Not yet,” she moaned.
Maverick focused on making sure she got hers. He watched her face, waiting for a sign.
Her eyes had been closed, and then they popped open. She swung her hair over one shoulder and leaned down face to face with him. She was still dragging his cock in and out of her sweet heat when she said, “Bite me.”
He stopped moving for a second and she wiggled her hips. He started again and asked, “Are you sure?”
“Don’t doubt me, Maverick. I know what I want.”
He looked in her eyes and saw nothing but love and devotion. She was giving herself to everything that he was and everything he wasn’t.
Maverick reached between them and ran his thumb over her swollen clit. Rolling it between his fingers, he dug his heel into the bed and thrust up into her, pounding her so hard she had to hold onto his shoulders to keep from bouncing off.
When he saw her eyes start to roll back and her pussy quiver around his cock, he leaned up and sank his teeth in the soft spot between her shoulder and her neck. The minute her skin gave way, Mav could feel his cock swell inside her. His wolf was there, joining them together forever.
Prudence gasped at the momentary pain, then felt the pain transfer to pleasure as she came screaming, drawing blood as her nails dug into his chest. Her body bucked against him, his hot spurts coating her and making her pussy hotter as she reached for her pleasure.
Maverick let the taste of her blood soak into his tongue as his world twisted and spun. His cock was pumping his cum into her as their bond was sealed. He could taste her in his soul, her life blood, her heartbeat. They were all part of him now. He kept his hips pumping even after he finished coming, wanting to push every drop of his cum as deep inside her as he could. It was going to be something he did a few times a day until she swelled with his child.
As her grip on him eased, Maverick licked at the wound on her neck. It would leave a scar that human and shifters alike would see. It was something he wished he could have on himself to carry as her symbol.
Pru was still leaning over him, catching her breath, when she bent over and licked along his chest. Maverick real
ized she was licking up the blood she had drawn with her nails.
“Now I have you in me too,” she said to him, looking into his eyes
“In more ways than one,” he said, kissing her long and deep.
Rolling her to her back, he kept them connected. “You and me, forever.”
“At least that long,” she said with a smile.
Epilogue
“Mom, will you please stop?”
Prudence was standing at the sink, washing dishes from dinner as Maverick argued with his mother. It had been two days since they bonded, and his family was setting up house like they weren’t leaving.
“It’s not my fault you didn’t tell me what Prudence liked. I couldn’t have her living in a house full of new furniture if it was going to make her uncomfortable.”
Pru and Maverick had gone back to his house later that night after their bonding to find it stuffed full of furniture. Every room had couches, tables, sidetables, and lamps. The upstairs bedrooms had actual beds in them, along with dressers and nightstands. Anywhere Tina could find a blank space on the floor were giant rugs.
Maverick tried really hard to not lose his cool and Prudence was playing along when Tina asked her if she liked it. Maverick piped in that she didn’t like new things and that they thought it wasn’t environmentally responsible.
In his defense, he really thought his mom would maybe be able to get a new bed or two in before they got back. How wrong he was. She must have made some salesperson’s day by walking in and buying out the store.
When Tina found out that it wasn’t even close to Pru’s taste, she had everything sent back. Now she was supervising the movers that were unloading a truck full of antiques.
“These are all used items and I just know they will work for your mate. Why don’t you go keep yourself busy with your father?”
Maverick stomped back into the kitchen and came up behind Pru. “Sorry about all this.”
Wiping off her hands she said, “I really don’t mind. They love you and are trying to do something nice. I’m sure whatever your mom picked out will be fine. She could have left the other stuff. I would have learned to like it.”
“Well, I know they won’t leave until they feel like we have a comfortable home.”
“I hate to ask, but how are they paying for all this? I can’t imagine any of this is cheap.”
“Don’t worry about it. They have money to spare. Hell, I have money if you need it. Since it’s yours now too, just say the word.”
“You have money? Like how much?”
“Don’t know. Dad probably knows what’s in my trust fund. My great-grandfather left it for me. I’ve never needed it, so it’s been sitting and growing.”
“Well, I’m happy with my income. Whatever you make for the club keeps the lights on. I think we are good the way we are,” she said with a smile.
Giving her a kiss he said, “Yeah, we are.”
“You know, your mom made chocolate cake. Think we can sneak a slice or two upstairs?”
“Why Ms. Boyer, that sounds like you are up to no good. I’ll have to tell you about my thoughts on chocolate cake sometime,” Mav said, whispering into her ear.
Prudence tipped her head to give him better access. “Really? I have some thoughts on chocolate cake too. How interesting.”
It wasn’t interesting—it was fate.
They spent the next few days with Maverick reconnecting with his family. His little sister was sweet and really warmed up to Maverick when he left to run over to the club and returned with a tiny dog dressed in a tutu. He promised Isolde whenever she visited she could babysit Lulu for the club.
He won his sister over with a four-pound dog.
Pru had to explain why she was in hysterics when Maverick had shown up with a tiny tan dog dressed in a black doggy t-shirt with fringe. Someone had also painted her tiny toenails hot pink.
“This is Lulu?” she said between giggles.
“Yup, the unofficial mascot of Redemption MC. Just don’t tell anyone that,” Mav warned.
Prudence was reminded that things weren’t always what they seemed and you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover.
His parents ended up staying for a week. When they left, Maverick promised to bring Prudence down to meet the family within a month.
Prudence also hosted a dinner when she officially moved in with Maverick. Her lease wasn’t up on her duplex, but she wasn’t going to spend another night away from her man. She invited Libby and her husband over and they brought their little girl Harley with them.
Libby had walked through the door announcing loudly, “Shifters! They think they are sooo sneaky. Don’t think they have the upper hand, Prudence. They may be strong, and can smell and hear things we can’t. But we hold all the power, believe me.”
Prudence looked to Libby’s husband Stryker, who just shrugged and offered, “Yeah.”
The men talked bikes while the woman talked shifters. It was nice having someone to talk to about the ins and outs of being mated to a shifter. Libby had been through it all and then some with Stryker. She was a font of information and Prudence was grateful for it.
They said their goodbyes and Prudence closed the door. She turned around to the man that was the love of her life. “We need to ask Ink for a favor.”
“Oh yeah?”
“Yes, I’ve decided I need a tattoo.”
“And what did you have in mind?”
“It’s a surprise.”
“Fair enough.”
Prudence had never felt such a thrill as she did on the back of Maverick’s motorcycle. The morning after dinner with Libby and Stryker, Maverick woke her up with two orgasms and an invitation.
“Wanna go for a ride?”
She’d jumped up squealing. He helped her get her leathers on, then took her out to the garage and showed her where she was going to sit, put her feet, and how important it was for her to lean into turns with him.
Pru thought it sounded easy and exciting. Mav took off down the road, the sun casting dappled shadows over the pavement. It was warm, but the wind blowing against them was chilly. Pru tucked herself closer to Mav and squeezed him tight. His hand patted hers that rested against his hard abs.
She took a hand and flipped up her visor. “Take me to work?”
Mav nodded and pointed them towards town.
They pulled up to the Two Knotty Ladies, and before Pru could even get off the bike she had the shock of her life.
Ethel and Claire were up and out of their chairs faster than she had ever seen them move. The two women were standing in their doorway waving as their chairs still rocked in the window behind them.
“Oh my, he is a handsome one!” Claire exclaimed.
“I get first dibs on kisses. I’m older than you,” Ethel said, trying to push in front of her sister.
“Bullshit, you give slobbery kisses and they never want to risk a second one from me.”
“Maybe they get it so good from me they’re all worn out and don’t need a kiss from you.”
Prudence was giggling as she took off her helmet. Maverick waited for her to hand it over to him, all the while shaking his head with a smile on his face.
“Who says he’s gonna kiss either of you?” Pru asked.
“Pfft, you wouldn’t have even been able to find him without me. That’s worth a kiss,” Claire said.
“Well, Mav? I have to say, I think a debt is owed here. I’d like to introduce Misses Ethel and Claire, the original naughty ladies of Port May.”
“Ladies,” Maverick said in a low voice. Pru was pretty sure he threw in a little extra roughness just to see if he could make two little old ladies blush.
Turns out he could.
The sisters both promptly fell in love. They decided they were coming out of retirement and wanted Maverick to introduce them around his club to see if there were any hot men for them.
A few days later, Prudence was lying on her stomach thinking she might have made a horri
ble mistake. Her level of pain tolerance had never been tested to this limit and she was seriously wondering how anyone did this multiple times.
After work she’d headed to the camp and Maverick met her out front looking as handsome as ever. His beard was trimmed a little shorter and it looked like he’d cut his hair too.
“You visit the beauty parlor today?” she teased.
“Besides doing great tattoos, Ink can cut hair. Figured since he was working on you today he could help me out too.”
“You look as handsome as ever, so I’m glad to see that doesn’t change with a trim,” she said, giving him a quick kiss.
Maverick grabbed her hand and walked her down a path of cabins. He stopped at one that had rusted metal patio chairs out front and what looked like the bleached skull of an elk hanging on the column by the steps.
“Ink has a whole setup inside. Don’t worry, it’s all sterile and legit.”
“If you trust him, I trust him.”
That was an hour ago when she was brave and cocky. Now she was squeezing the crap out of Maverick’s hand.
“Almost done, little soldier,” Ink said.
The intermittent buzzing was tickling then stinging into her skin. Prudence didn’t trust herself to say anything, so she just gritted her teeth.
“And you are all finished. I’m going to put some salve on it and some plastic wrap. Keep it clean, only put Cetaphil lotion on it, and don’t pick the scab,” he ordered.
“I’ll help her,” Maverick said, as he helped Prudence sit up.
“How does it look?” she asked looking over her shoulder to him.
In the middle of her back, right above her shoulder blades, was a black anchor, the chain drifting up to the bottom of her neck. At the end of the chain was a set of three paw prints and two feet like someone had been walking in the sand.
“It looks good baby, really good.”
Prudence turned back to him with a smile. “Not too cheesy?”
“No, not cheesy at all. Besides, what would that say about me if I said yours was and mine wasn’t?
