The Secrets of the Panther
Chapter 113

BLAKE

I couldn’t open my eyes as they felt heavy, but there was a lot of noise around me.

I could feel my wounds from the fire healing slowly, but they were superficial.

Axel was sleeping in my head, but I could feel the anxiety rolling off him. I knew who he was thinking about, but I needed to clear my head. My mind was wandering everywhere.

I know we were in a war, but I wondered what the hell happened. There were so many questions. Who survived? Izzy? Oh, my goddess, Izzy?

I can hear beeping in the background going off. “Young alpha, calm down,” says a voice. “You need to stay calm.”

Suddenly, something plunged into my arm. It made me sleepy, and I have plunged once again into darkness.

I stirred once again in my sleep, not knowing what was happening. My body was healing, but something was off. I felt something was wrong, and there was a hand in mine.

“Please wake up, Blake,” says a gruff voice.

I moved my head slightly and slowly opened my eyes to see who was in the room with me. I take a moment to get my eyesight back to normal, but I stare back at my father once the blurriness goes.

My father held my hand; he stared at me with wide eyes. “Get the pack, doctor,” he yelled. “He’s awake.” My father looks at me, but I can’t read his expression. He holds so much emotion there, so much pain and grief.

“Blake,” he says.

I move and try to speak, but my mouth feels like sandpaper. I try to lick my lips, but my father moves away and grabs something. He places a cup with some water in it in front of me with a straw. I don’t move my arms as he puts the straw to my lips, and I sip the water.

After a few more sips, my father returns the cup and looks at me.

“Where’s Izzy?” I ask in a gruff voice.

My father stares at me but sighs, “We are still waiting to hear about her,” he says, “She was stabbed, and also she is completely unconscious.”

I slowly try to move, but my father moves fast and places his hand on my shoulder to stop me. “Blake, you need to rest. You were burned in the fire,” he says.

I lay back in the bed, but a tear escapes and rolls down my cheek. “I want to see her,” I say.

My father nods. “I know, but you will have to wait till you are healed first,” he says.

I watch him for a moment, but something I need to know. “How many did we lose?” I ask.

My father stares at me for a moment but sighs. “We don’t have a confirmed count yet, but there were loads of bodies,” he says, “Members are searching for loved ones, and the ones who are dead are placed in front of the pack hospital.”

I stare at him.

My heart aches for everyone. I know we had this war coming and knew we would lose people, but it kills me to know everyone is hurting now.

“Who did we lose?” I ask, “Are Dale, Kacey, their mates, Drake?”

“We lost Graham, but Todd,” he says as a tear slides down his face.

“Everyone else you just mentioned is okay,” he says, staring at the door.

I stare at him in disbelief. “What aren’t you telling me?” I ask, but then a thought comes into my head, “What about Kat?” I know I sound more worried. I didn’t want Izzy to lose anyone else.

My father stares at the door for a few moments once more. But glances back at me. “She lost a lot of blood. She was drained of her blood. She was trying to save the kids,” he says. “The doctor is giving her more blood, but she lost her mate this evening, so it might be a factor in her healing and getting better.”

I stare at him.

“What about mum, Aunt Anita, and Alpha Dawson? How are they?” I ask. “They are all fine and are outside waiting to know what is going on,” he says, but the door opens slightly, and I turn to see who is there.

There in the doorway stood the little angel of my life. I smile at her.

“Daddy,” she says with a sob. “You’re awake.”

I nod. “Yeah, angel, I am,” I say to her as I hold out my arms.

Allie walks over to the bed and climbs up with help from my father, who I didn’t even see move out of the chair he was sitting on when I woke up.

Allie lays in my arms as I wrap her in me. Her scent fills my nose, but I can feel wetness on my chest. She was sniffling. My father sits back down next to me on the chair. He places his hand on Allie’s head as she snuggles into me more. “It’s okay, Allie, Daddy’s here,” he says.

I glance at him, but I can’t help but yawn.

“We will leave you,” he says.

I shake my head. “You go. Allie can stay here,” I say to him as Allie moves to the side of me and places her head on my shoulder, snuggling into my side with her tiny arm on my chest.

I can feel her hair over my arm as she sighs.

My father nods and gets up. He walks to the door and goes through, closing the door behind him, but I look up at the ceiling for a moment.

“I want mummy,” says Allie in a small voice.

“I know, angel,” I say to her, “So do I.”

Allie leans up and turns to look at me. I move my head down to look at her and give her a small smile.

Allie leans up and places a kiss on my cheek. She moves back and smiles at me, “Thank you for saving me, daddy,” she says.

I smile at her. She snuggles back down, and I lean over to kiss her head. I can feel the tiredness kick in again, but I wait for a few moments until I know Allie is asleep.

After a few minutes, I hear little snores escape Allie. I move her closer to me, resting my chin on her head.

Tiredness overcame me, pulling me into a deep slumber. I knew I had to heal, and I needed to be okay with Allie. I knew everything would change, but I needed to know if Izzy was alright.

Axel snores loudly in my head, but I block him out as my sleep takes me. But an image of Izzy comes floating into my head as I dream about her.