Page 29 of Purrfectly Bound

“You got a ticket trying to bring me my pump?” she smiled up at him.

It was like the sun shining down on him and him alone, basking him in its warmth, even though he knew damn well it was eighteen degrees outside. Anna was his own personal sun. And his world revolved around her for all time.

As it should, he thought. Mate, chuffed his beast happily. Anna blew him away with that smile. Not to mention those eyes, her face, and that hair.

“Annalia,” he breathed her name, taking her in with his eyes.

“You’ll wait?” sha asked, her deep brown eyes piercing his soul.

“Always,” he nodded.

Of course, he would wait! Was she kidding? Didn’t she have any idea how much she meant to him? Nothing in the world could ever mean more to him than his sweet Anna.

“Then we’ll talk? You’re sure,” she repeated.

Lance wondered what he’d done to deserve such a beautiful, honest, and deliciously sweet mate. Yes, they would talk. And hopefully more.

“Yes, love, I am not going anywhere without you,” he vowed.

“Okay,” she took the microphone from the increasingly anxious convention worker and approached the dais.

“Everyone,” a tall man with long hair and a beard, Lance recognized at once as Randall Graves, owner of Graves Enterprises, “It is my privilege to announce one of our most talented design artists. A woman whose work allowed Fire Battles to take the gamer into an entirely different world all together, Ms. Annalia Reese.”

An uproarious applause welcomed his mate onto the stage, and pride shot through him. He whistled and clapped with the rest of them, noting with joy the faint blush along her cheeks.

Lance was mesmerized. When she spoke, Anna showed humility and gratitude, downplaying her role in the other Battles video games that he himself had spent many an hour playing. But it didn’t matter, the fans knew his mate. And they loved her.

An hour of her speaking then answering questions from the crowd flew by, but Lance was so enraptured by her sincerity, and of course her adorable bashfulness, he could not tear his eyes away. Her curls bounced whenever she laughed or shrugged, shooting his mind straight to the gutter.

He couldn’t wait to see them bouncing with her on top of him. Just picturing her riding him was making his cock so hard, he damn near burst through his pants. But once he got started, he couldn’t stop thinking about it. He wanted her. Always. Couldn’t wait to make her come repeatedly screaming his name. That is, if she agreed to be his, and forgave his stupidity.

Okay, so maybe he should have explained what his bite meant. He should have allowed her to decide if she wanted to be his mate. But it was done now, and Lance refused to let go. She belonged with him, and he most assuredly belonged to her. His Tiger would have no other.

Before he left his cabin, Hunter had cornered him. The Neta asked him a few questions Lance had never considered. As he watched her onstage explaining the process that went into creating the various levels of heat and flame, the hours of study and trial and error necessary to recreate the effects in the video game, Lance replayed Hunter’s words in his mind.

“Have you thought what she might think about you? The fooling around, the not taking anything seriously. You have a reputation for being a clown, Lance. It’s true, but I know there is more inside of you. Having a mate changes a man. Are you willing to give all that nonsense up for her? If you aren’t, don’t get in that car. Stay right here. We will find a way to break the mating mark.”

“With all due respect, Neta, no fucking way. She is mine. Nothing matters without her.”

It was true. Every word he’d said. She was the most important thing in his world. Yes, he’d been an ass to some mated members of his Pride, and he imagined everyone in Maverick Point would be taking shots at him for a good long while, but he deserved it.

He would take it all in stride. As long as she stayed. As long as she forgave. As long as she allowed him to endeavor to deserve her. Should take eighty years or so, but damn it would be fun trying.

Please gods, he prayed silently while she shook hands with Randall Graves once more before leaving the dais. Lance headed over to the small staircase, but before he reached her, she was waylaid.

A slightly older woman with one of those angry haircuts where the pieces stuck up in the back was speaking in a low, angry voice. The middle-aged man with the noticeable paunch beside her was nodding his head in agreement. Lance looked at his mate, she was not happy.

“Sandra? What are you doing here?” His mate gasped when the woman grabbed her arm and began to tug.

“Anna?” he called.

Lance’s Tiger was snarling in fury at the woman’s hand. He reined in the beast. Not that it was easy, but they needed to talk first.

“The hell is going on here?” he growled and approached.

“I got this,” she said to him, “Sandra, stop,” Annalia pulled back against her sister’s hold.

The older woman turned around, expelling an annoyed breath that did not even move her over-sprayed bangs.

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