Purrfectly Naughty: The Maverick Pride Tales, #5

Prologue

Uncle Uzzi picked up the box of addressed invitations and ran his ringed hand over the silver embossed envelopes before stopping on a seemingly random one.

He still wore his wedding ring, the simple gold band as beloved now as when his liebling had placed it on his finger. It was the same finger he used for scrying, a necessary tool of his trade. The owner and operator of Uncle Uzzi’s Magical Matchmaking Service, he’d made many a match with that finger.

Satisfaction filled him as he thought of all the happy couples, triads, and fated mates he had placed together over the years. His success was only measured by the happiness of his clients, and now he would get the chance to see some of them again.

It was the holiday season, Uzzi’s favorite time of year. Every yuletide he organized a ball, collecting charitable contributions to distribute to the less fortunate was a way his couples paid it forward, a tradition started by his sweet Betty. He felt her spirit fill him as he ran his hand over the top of that pesky little envelope that had caught his attention.

Hmmm. Can it be true? Is it time?

He tapped the invitation one more time, trailing over the rest of them to see if it was merely static electricity or something. But no, he knew better than that. Even after three tries, he just kept coming back to that one particular invite over and over again.

Must be time for certain.

Shivers tickled his spine and a small mischievous grin played at the corner of his mouth. Uzzi pulled the envelope out from the pile. Ah yes, he thought to himself, his magic pulsing wildly—the innate powers he’d been blessed with, passed on by the Goddess of Love herself, were practically sizzling in approval.

This one was special.

Uncle Uzzi looked at the name and address and a bark of laughter escaped his lips. This was going to be wonderful.

Oh, Javi, it has been too long, he said to no one in particular. "I have a feeling this is going to be the most memorable Christmas of your life, osito."

Uncle Uzzi used the special nickname his beloved wife used to call her favorite nephew. He’d watched this Shifter grow up and had been calling Javier Auberon osito or little Bear in his native Spanish ever since he was a cub.

It was an old joke, one he’d probably outgrown. But, oh well. He was an old Witch now, and the young could always afford the old some patience and indulgence. Besides, big Bear or not, Uzzi could still zap him with a spell if he got growly about it.

Ha ha ha. Or was it ho ho ho?

He laughed at his own joke placing the envelope on top of his pile. Seriously though, Javi was one of Uzzi’s favorite honorary nephews. The younger son of one of his beloved liebling’s oldest and dearest friends. Together, they had watched Javi and his brother grow. And now, it seemed, he would watch him find his mate.

"You see, liebling, he murmured to his wife, speaking aloud as he often did to her. Your little osito will be just fine."

Uncle Uzzi was a sucker for happy holiday endings, or beginnings, as it were. This was no different a start to a hundred other happy ever afters he had been fortunate enough to be part of, and yet, it was special.

It was the holiday season, after all. And whether it was Christmas, Hannukah, Solstice, Kwanzaa, or another feast that was honored and remembered, the point was—this was a time for celebrating life, and what better way than to fall in love?

When was the last time Uzzi had spoken to his nephew, anyway? Ah yes, that handsome Bear had written to him earlier that month to inform Uzzi of his coming to the area around this time.

Purrfect, Uzzi thought, and there it was. That sudden inspirational zing that told him he was about to make a match. And with his favorite Pride, too.

How exciting!

It seemed osito was moving to the states for good. So, naturally, Uzzi had made sure to include him on the invitation list for the holiday party. Of course, his special little insight hadn’t kicked in until just now, but he understood. Magic worked in mysterious ways.

"What a surprise you are in for, osito," he whispered, nodding approvingly.

This year, little Javi was going to get a present he would never forget. Uncle Uzzi hummed Christmas Carols as he walked down to the car and handed the driver the box of invitations to be mailed.

Good morning, Hank, Uzzi said, and smiled at the Shifter whose car services he often used whenever he traveled to Maverick Point to visit a certain Tiger Pride.

Hello, Uncle Uzzi. Ready to head to Maverick Point?

Indeed, I am. But let’s drop by Barvale for some treats on the way, yes? The twins did love those Strawberry Bear Claws I sent last month.

Of course, Hank replied easily.

Good man. He really needed a mate though. Hmmm.

Uzzi would think on that, later perhaps. He was sending a text to Elissa to let her know his change of plans. He was supposed to drop off a gift for the Nari and Neta’s six-month old twin daughters, Melly, and Celia, but Uzzi had another mission now.

A very special mission to deliver an invitation to his very special Magical Holiday Ball to a very special person.

Uncle Uzzi clapped his hands in anticipation as Hank turned onto the highway that would lead to the Maverick Point and then to the Pride House.

He was practically vibrating with glee at the thought of delivering a happy ever after to one of his favorite people. Pamela Brown had a tough beginning—that was an understatement. But she was working so hard and doing so well now. The she-Tiger was Uzzi’s favorite redemption story.

Pamela was due for a happy ending, and with a little bit of luck, and some magic, her year would end with a bang! A peal of laughter escaped his lips, and he noted Hank’s quirked brows as he glanced in the rearview mirror.

Everything alright, Uncle Uzzi?

Oh, Hank, I really think it will be, he said, and glanced out the window at the wintry scenery rushing by.

Another feeling then, eh, Uncle Uzzi?

"Indeed, Hank. I believe everything is going to be purrfect for a certain couple this holiday season."

Chapter One

"W hat do you mean, I’m going to a ball? Do I look like Cinderella ?" Pamela Brown raised one eyebrow at her unusually perky Nari and glanced down at the precious pink-cheeked baby she was holding.

Pam loved babies. She’d spent so much of Paulie’s infancy trying to keep him safe, it seemed so far away now. Getting cuddle time with little Celia and Melly was her favorite time of day.

She loved those twins to pieces and was honored when the Nari had insisted that Pamela allow them to call her Aunt Pam. The memory still brought tears to her eyes. She couldn’t wait to spoil the little princesses when they were old enough. Even her son was enamored of the twins.

"Auntie Pammy-wammy is gonna get dwessed up weal pwetty and go to a dancy-wancy, yes, she is," Elissa cooed and babbled to the infant she was currently dressing, and this time, both Pamela’s eyebrows went sky high.

Ookaayy.

Something was definitely up with the tiny blonde woman Pamela had grown to trust and love over the past year since she’d mated the Pride Neta. Elissa had been born a normal, but once she’d received the mating bite, she’d experienced the Puspa.

Now a powerful white Tiger and the Nari of the Maverick Pride, Elissa ruled by her mate’s side, and earned the love and respect of everyone in the Pride. Pamela included.

The rare gift of the Puspa, or the Change, had been bestowed upon the Alpha couple by the Fates themselves—doubly blessing her mating to Hunter Maverick in a way that was unheard of these days. Their love story was the stuff fairytales and legends were made of.

If only.

Pamela acknowledged their fabulous love story with a wistful sigh. She had never known that kind of singular devotion, and probably never would.

Lucky them.

But it was more than luck. It was Fate. Truth was, Pamela did not know anyone more deserving of a happy ever after than the Neta and Nari. She couldn’t be happier for the two of them. Their love and powerful matebond were testaments to the strength of the Pride.

A Pride Pamela had once undercut with her mistaken loyalty to the former, and now thankfully deceased, Beta, Blake Segal. Her she-Cat paced at the unhappy reminder, and she closed her eyes to soothe the beast.

He is gone now. Can’t hurt us anymore. Grrr.

Blake had been bad news from the start, but using his innate charm and charisma, he’d managed to fool her, and others in the Pride. He’d caused untold damage to the infrastructure of the Maverick Pride, hurt so many of the males and females he should have been protecting. And then there was Paulie. Ignoring her son was the best thing that sonovabitch had ever done.

At least now, the Pride bonds were being slowly mended through the efforts of Hunter, Elissa, the Tigers of the Honor Guard, and their mates. And in a small way, even by Pamela herself. She was trying to correct the wrongs she’d done in every way possible. Especially since that meant a better life for her precious cub.

Happy and grateful for the chance, Pamela was doing things she never thought possible. She was making connections and friends with the women of the Pride whom she’d once viewed as enemies. Blake had poisoned her mind and set her against the others, filling her head with lies and abusing her trust and self-esteem until it had been nonexistent.

But that was in the past. Pamela was moving on with her life. She was trying, but still, she had no expectations about her position in the Pride. She was just damn grateful they had not thrown her out. Cue her being positively stunned by Elissa’s surprising news.

Are you gonna make me get official, Pam? the Naris asked, squinting her eyes. Fine. Pamela Brown, I want you to go to Uncle Uzzi’s party as a representative of the Pride.

What? No way, you don’t want me to do that, Liss, Pamela said, rocking the baby too quickly and earning that tug in her hair from the infant. "Sorry, bugaboo," she murmured kissing the babe’s sweet head.

Yes, way, and the baby is fine. She’s a Tiger cub, a little rocking won’t hurt her—now where was I? Oh yeah, you are going to go. You’ll drink, eat, dance, have fun!

You should go with Hunter⁠—

Nope. Not happening. Come on, Pam. Please? I don’t want to leave the babies and it will be too noisy for them. And everyone else is pregnant, she snorted.

Yeah, that’s true. Your friends are super easy, Pam joked, then raised her eyes to Elissa’s uncertain about her lame joke.