The Secrets of the Panther

IZZY

I watched Allie play with Kacey while Charley and I sat on the side.

“You okay?” asks Charley.

I look over at her, but she smirks. “I have to say, the bruises are slowly fading, but they are questionable.”

I blush slightly, “thanks for noticing.”

Charley laughs. “I guess you and Blake had a wild night last night,” she says.

I smirked but said nothing to her.

“Kacey and I walked to Kat’s house last night, and we could hear Allie’s screams when we were going past,” she says with worry. “I must admit, it sounded like someone was murdering her.”

I could feel the pit of my stomach twist. Allie shouldn’t have seen what she saw; she’s too young. She has seen more horror in her little lifetime than any child her age should.

“I want to ask Lena to take the memories away as she did with me,” I say to her, but I keep my eyes on Allie and Kacey. “I had trauma to deal with; what the hell Allie witnessed was brutal and killing of people she loved.”

Charley stays quiet for a moment but sighs. “It’s hard to think about, but with time and guidance, she would be okay. Maybe take her to get some therapy.”

I look over at her with raised eyebrows. “You are telling me not to take away her memories; you were all for me doing it,” I say.

Charley looks at me. “I know, but your power was so intense that it would affect everyone around you. You probably would have set us all alight without meaning to. You needed them to go, but Allie is young and can get over it with time. There is no more danger, and she has more family to help her.”

I stared at her for a moment, but she carried on, “You had no one but Lena and me for a while. We became your family, but the power you had would have led every single bad guy to us. That was the main reason we were all for it,” she says.

“What are you two talking about?” calls Kacey as she walks over to us. I glanced up and noticed Archer had run over and had taken Kacey’s place. Kacey wasn’t on her own; Lena and Kat had joined her.

I smiled at them as they all sat on the ground where Charley and I were sitting.

“Izzy wants to take Allie’s memories away about the war,” Charley says before I can say anything.

I frown at her.

“Why?” asks Kacey. “I think she can get over it with time. I mean, she is young but also strong, too.”

I looked back at her, but I glanced at Kat and Lena.

“What do you two think?” I asked.

Lena stays quiet, but Kat speaks. “I think we should give her a few more days to adjust; it has only been one night, Izzy; they might go,” she says.

I look toward Lena, but she doesn’t make eye contact.

I frown. “I was just thinking about it,” I say to them. I know I was lying and judging Lena; she knew I was too.

“Allie will get over it,” says Puna, who has been asleep most of the day; damn night with mate had her worn out. Well, my body has something to say about it.

I stared back at her but said nothing.

Her green eyes bore into mine, and she cocks her head to the side. “Izzy, Allie will be fine. She needs time and help.”

I stay quiet. But I look back at everyone, and I am about to say something when his scent wafts towards my nose and has my insides dancing around as they want him more.

“DADDY,” shouts Allie. I looked at her, and she ran up to him with her arms open wide. Blake kneels and she runs straight into his open arms. He picks her up, and her legs instantly wrapped around his waist.

Allie’s face goes to his neck, and I know she instantly breathes in his scent. She doesn’t move from his neck, and her grip around his neck tightens.

Blake walks over to us and looks at me, but something is written on his face.

“Hey, ladies,” he says.

They all smile back at him, but his attention turns to me. “If it’s okay with you all, I want to talk to Izzy about something,” he asks.

I get off the ground and walk over to him, waving my goodbyes to them.

I look at Kat, Charley, and Kacey, who carry on talking, but Lena stares at me. She sighed and turned her attention to whatever the others were saying.

I walked up to Blake and Allie, and I couldn’t help but smile. I place my hand on Blake’s arm and lean to kiss his cheek, but he moves his head and kisses my lips.

I move back with a smile. “You know she won’t like it when we kiss in front of her,” I say to him, and Allie moves away to look at me. She smiles, “I love it when you kiss; it shows me what love is like.”

I stare back at her. Maybe everyone is right; she might get over it in time.

“That’s what is Allie,” Blake says, “it shows an act of love between two people who love each other.”

Allie giggles, “I like that. Can I have a baby sister now?” she says, making both of us stop and stare at her.

The thought of another baby brings butterflies to my stomach, and I would love another. But I looked at Blake; his face was blank. Maybe later on, when this has all died down.

“How about we organize something for your birthday instead?” I say, which pulls Blake from his thoughts. He looks at me, “when is the princess’s birthday?” he asks.

“It’s in four days; I was going to organize something and tell you, but with everything that happened, it slipped my mind,” I told him. He nods.

Todd was going to plan something for her, and I had to look around Kat’s house to see if he had done anything. But I don’t want to approach the subject yet.

Blake places his hand on mine, which makes me stop overthinking. I look at him, and he smiles, “We will figure something out.”

Blake and I entered the pack house with Allie in his arms. We discussed what she wanted; a family BBQ and a bouncy castle. Blake mentioned his mother would help me organize it, but I didn’t want her to do it as she was already doing too much with the Alpha and Luna ceremony. I wanted to do it myself, as it would be my first without being on the run. Besides, I might get Kacey, Charley, Dale, and Lena to help me instead.

Blake places Allie down as we walk into the office.

Allie runs straight onto the couch and looks out the window.

I look at him, “Why are we in here?” I asked him.

Blake leans on his desk and looks at me. “I must go to Red Moon pack in the next half hour. There have been a few developments that Alpha Dawson and Drake have asked me to help them with. I should be back in a day or two before Allie’s birthday party,” he says.

I nod.

“Okay,” I say as I look toward Allie. “Who will look after the pack when you are gone?”

“Dale and you,” he says, making me look back at him wide-eyed. “Me?” I say, “Why? I’m not Luna yet, and I do no know what to do. What about your dad?”

Blake pushes off the desk and walks over to me. “Dale will help you, and I believe in you. My father can’t do anything with the pack as he has another matter to contend with,” he says, placing his hands on my arms.

I stared up at him but said nothing.

Great, I have to show what kind of Luna I am now.

“You’ll be fine,” says Puna.

I say nothing.

“Daddy,” calls Allie. We both looked over at her, and her eyes had tears.

Blake moves away from me. “Allie, what’s wrong?” he asks as he approaches her. He kneels in front of her, and she bites her bottom lip. “I was scared last night,” she says as she looks at me, then back at him. “I dreamt that about uncle Todd and grandad, what those monsters did to them,” she says. The tears she was trying to hold back were now falling down her cheeks. My heart breaks just watching and listening to her.

“Will they come for me again?” she asks him.

Blake pulls her to him and instantly wraps her arms around his neck. “No, sweetheart, I won’t let them,” he says as he picks her up. “Mummy and I will make sure no one will ever hurt you again.”

Allie nuzzles into his neck, and her arms around his neck hold on to him tighter. I look at him, and his eyes find mine.

Blake walks over to me and looks down at me; Allie has her eyes closed. “I will leave soon, but I want to make sure she’s okay first,” he whispers.

I nod.

After a few minutes, we left the office and headed to his room.

Once inside, I closed the door behind us as Blake sat with Allie on his lap on the bed and looked at me.

“She’s asleep,” he whispers.

I say nothing. I look at Allie. “I was thinking about taking away her memories,” I say to him quietly.

Blake’s eyes move from Allie and stare right at me. I looked at him, and his face was blank. He said nothing but got up and placed Allie in our bed. He puts the covers over her and kisses her head. He moves back and looks at me. “I think we should see how it goes. Every child is different, but she needs to learn how to deal with the bad stuff and the good,” he says.

I say nothing.

Blake walks over to me and places his hands on my arms.

One hand goes to my chin and moves my chin to make me look at him. “Izzy, do nothing till I come back. We can discuss it more when I am back.”

I nod; that’s fair. It’s only a day or two, not too long.

Blake places a kiss on my head and moves toward the closet. “I will pack a small bag and make my way to the Red Moon,” he says.

I watch as he packs a rucksack with a few items.

Once done, he walked out with the rucksack flung over his shoulder. He stands before me, “look after the princess, and we will decide what to do when I get back,” he says as he leans in and kisses my lips. He slid his tongue into my mouth; the kiss was passionate. I didn’t want it to end, but when he pulled back, he bit his lip. His hand goes to my cheek as he caresses it; I can’t help but close my eyes.

“I love you, beautiful,” he says.

I open my eyes, “I love you too.”

Blake kisses my head and walks toward the door. “I just mind-linked Dale that you will be in our room with Allie for the rest of the evening if he needs you,” he says. “You can start fresh tomorrow as the Luna of the pack.”

Blake smiles and walks out of the room. sᴇaʀᴄh thᴇ FɪndNøvel.ɴᴇt website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

Once the door was shut, I let out a breath, which I didn’t know I was holding in. I looked at Allie; I might get some sleep with her. I don’t know what the night will hold for us, but I know I can do this. “We got this,” says Puna as she looks at me. “I will help you.”

I nodded and walked over to the bed; it was only four p.m.

I sat on the bed, moving my body to lean against the headboard. I moved the pillow behind me to make myself more comfortable and leaned into it. I turn to look at Allie.

I might not sleep just yet, but all I wanted to do was watch Allie sleep.