Page 32 of Purrfectly Naughty

Chapter 17

“So, Javier, how long will you be visiting us?” Hunter questioned him the second the office door was shut.

He turned around the room noting he and the Neta were not alone. In fact there were two Tiger Shifters and one Black Bear Shifter waiting in the office. If he did not know better, he would’ve expected this to be some kind of shakedown.

Javi had done business with some dangerous people over the years, but these were not just men. These were powerful Shifters and they made up his mate’s Pride. He would do his best to remain respectful and treat them accordingly.

“I have just purchased a home in town, Neta, so I guess you could say I am planning to be here for quite a while.”

“Is that so?” the youngest of the bunch growled, “I hear you think you can just come here and start filling Pamela’s head up with shit about being your mate, hotshot.”

Javier’s inner Bear snarled and snapped inside of him. He did not care for the way the stranger spoke of his mate.

“She is mine,” Javi growled.

So much for easy going, he thought and faced the younger man. He stepped forward, going toe to toe with the taller, wider Javier. A foolish move for anyone. Even a Tiger.

In the wild, Andean Bears were one of the smallest species. Shy, loners who preferred the solitude of the forest to living in groups. Shifters were different.

Andean Bears especially. Almost four times bigger than their wild cousins, Andean or Spectacled Bear Shifters were almost half a ton when in their fur. Javier was twice that.

He was actually very unique. Every now and again a rare mutation caused one of his kind to Shift into a prehistoric version of his animal, a Dire Bear to be exact. Right then, his inner beast was growling in fury. This little pussy had dared insult his mate.

The man had the gall to utter her name in Javier’s presence. Fuck no. His Bear did not like it one little bit.

Rrrrrroooaaaaarrr!

Typically, he tried to control his urge for violence, but Javier was seriously pissed off. One more snicker from the punk and he would not be responsible for his actions.

“She’s been used and abused too much already. No fucking playboy is going to waltz into town and mess with one of our own,” the Tiger Shifter snarled, “you best fuck off, teddy bear. That little she-Cat is not for you.”

That was it. The leash Javier had around his beast snapped. He vaulted over the floor and had the man by the throat. Of course, that meant another one of the Neta’s guards attempted to subdue him.

Not that two alone could do that. He didn’t want to cause any more damage than necessary, but this little shit needed to be taught a lesson, and Javier was just the man to do it.

The sounds of footsteps running towards the office where he was currently wrestling two of the Tiger Shifters barely registered. He heard Elissa, the Nari of the Pride, gasp and Hunter growled angrily, barking orders, but Javi was not under his rule yet.

He planned to be. Just as soon as his feisty mate claimed his furry ass, but until then he disregarded the order to cease the fighting. His Aunt Gerri shouted something and he thought he heard her explaining his unique condition.

Whatever.He didn’t really have time to think. The Bear wouldn’t listen anyway. The animal wanted recompense for the Tiger’s mouthy words. He needed them to understand that regardless of the past, Pamela was his now and forevermore. No one talked about her. Ever.

The females were still yelling when he turned and saw Hunter grab her arm. Whatever bit of control he had, left in that moment, but Javier had allowed himself to get distracted and the resulting tackle had him outside with three Shifters on his ass.

Fuck it. He embraced his Dire Bear and roared his fury. Swatting the little fucker’s tail and pinning him under his bulk. The Black Bear would cause issues, but the cats, fast and lethal as they were, were simply no match for his strength and size.

Then the strangest thing happened. His mate yelled and he turned to see her cub, his cub, the Bear corrected, running over to him. That stopped his animal cold.

The sweet-smelling little boy climbed up Javier’s bulky, fur-covered body with enthusiasm. His little sneakers dug into parts that Javi would rather not admit, and yes, he yanked his ears and stuck a finger in his nostril, but the Bear chuffed happily. His animal was more than willing and ready to be a playground for their cub.

He changed back into his skin, breathing heavily and meeting his mate’s awestruck stare as he gently placed the boy on the ground. He knew he had explaining to do, but nothing could’ve prepared him for what came out of Paulie’s mouth next.

“You gonna marry us?”

Marriage? It had never occurred to him that traditional marriage was something he would ever want, but as soon as his cub uttered the words he knew there was only one possible answer.

“Well?”

Paulie interrupted his thoughts and he realized he had yet to respond. Javier made sure the towel was tight before kneeling down to look Paulie in the eye, ignoring the big ears of the adults who, though they’d left, were still close enough to listen in.

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