The Secrets of the Panther
Chapter 123

IZZY

I can feel the warmth of the sun on my face.

“Are you awake?” a voice shouts, which brings me out of my sleep state.

I look around, not knowing where I am.

I glanced around but realized that I was up in a tree. I glance down and realize that Puna and I are not alone.

A woman underneath us looked up at me, and she looked familiar. I’ve seen her before.“Puna, who’s that?” I ask her.

Puna stares down, but she moves and descends down the tree, saying nothing. I watch as my panther makes it down and walks over to the woman. The woman bends down and smooths Puna.“You know, I haven’t got long,” she says without looking up.

The woman looks up at me, with Puna staring at me, too. “It’s okay, Izzy,” Puna says, “She’s a friend.”

I don’t know about the woman, but I trust my panther more than anything. I climb down the tree, and as my feet hit the floor, I turn around.

I noticed the woman there. She was beautiful, but there were three figures behind her, but I couldn’t see their faces. I slowly walk over to her as Puna sits next to her. I stop in front of the woman as she smiles. “You don’t remember me, do you?” she asks, smiling.

I shake my head but glance at the three people standing behind her. I couldn’t see their faces, but the energy coming from them made me know them somehow.

The woman watches my face but still smiles when I look back at her. “I’m Selene, the moon goodness of the wolves,” she says.

My eyes grew wide, which made her laugh slightly.

“I know I haven’t got long, but thank you for saving my children and making this world safer,” she says. She grabs my hand and places her hand inside it. “You saved everyone,” she said, but I could see the sorrow in her eyes. “I know you have lost a few good people who were close to you. But they are safe, and I think some want to thank you personally.”

Selene moves to the side of me as the three people step forward, and tears fall down my face as I see the people standing before me.

My mum and dad. But the third person knocks me off my feet, Todd. But memories of the war make me remember how my father died. The witch killed my dad, but what happened to Todd? I wondered.

“The vampire killed me,” he said as he looked at me. “I know what you were thinking.”

I stare at them all, not knowing what to say.

“My beautiful daughter,” says my mother’s voice, making me look at her. She steps forward, wraps her arms around my neck, and pulls me to her. Selene lets her hand go from mine as I wrap my arms around my mother.

I let the tears flow.

After a few seconds, my mum placed her hands on my face and stared at me. “I’m so proud of you; you have become a gorgeous human. You will make an amazing Luna for the pack.” Before I could say anything, I could feel a hand on my arm, which made me look up at the person, “Izzy,” said my father. He smiles, but he wraps his arms around my mother and me.

I am in complete bliss; this is what it should have been like for me before all that bad stuff happened, the elder and his daughter.

My father pulls back and looks down at me. “I wish we had more time together, so I could have gotten to know you, but I will ask one thing,” he says sadly. “I know you don’t owe me anything, but can you look after Dale and Kacey for me? They have no one left but you.”

I smile up at him. “I will. They are my family; they did nothing to me except for loving me,” I say to him.

He nods.

I look back at my mum. “You’re both together,” I say, which makes her nod. “I’m back with my true fated mate,” she says as she looks up at my father, who has the biggest smile.

My mother turns to me. “Blake is your true fated mate, but now that you took down the witches and that vampire, things may be different,” she says.

I look at her, confused. “What do you mean?” I ask her, but she smiles. “You will replace out soon. We all thought we had one mate, but there is more to our kind than we ever know.”

Someone clears their throat behind me, and I look over my shoulder at Selene. “These two need to go, but someone needs to talk to you,” she says. She turns to look at Todd, who has a smile.

I nod and turn back to my parents with a smile. “I will always love you both,” I say as I kiss them. They both pulled me in for one last hug.

I step back from them and watch them vanish before my eyes. I close my eyes, but I open them and turn towards Todd.

Todd was kneeling, smoothing Puna. He looks up at me and smiles. “I love her silky fur,” he said as he stood up and walked to me. He stops in front of me, but I wrap him in a hug. He places his arms around me and holds me tight as he can. “I’m going to miss this,” he says as he pulls away and stares back at me. He smiles, but it goes slightly. “Kat will be heartbroken,” he says quietly.

I know she will be anyone would if they lost their mate. She loved Todd with all her heart. They sacrificed everything to save and protect me, even Allie. “I’m going to look after her,” I say. “So will Alice, Allie, Archer, and everyone in the pack.” He nods. “Look after my girls, I will watch over them and Izzy,” he says. “Tell Kat I love her and take Archer on as her own. He will complete her, Allie, Alice, and you, too.”

I smile.

Todd was about to go, but he stopped himself. He looks back at me with a smirk. “I suppose this is lucky now; I don’t have to listen to that singing snowman again.” I couldn't help but laugh out loud.

Todd laughs too, but once we both calm down. He stares at me, “I love you, kiddo,” he says. “Look after the chocolate pancake monster.”

“I love you too, Todd,” I say as he disappears into the light.

I glanced back at Selene, but she wasn’t alone.

Hecate was there.

“I never thought I ever see the day that witch and vampire would graze my presence in hell,” she says with a knowing smirk. “I have to say you did good.”

I smile.

“Well, I best go before someone sends someone after me again,” she says with an annoyed look. She disappeared. I look at Selene with a confused look. “What did she mean by that?”

Selene laughs slightly. “Hecate is well known, but some people would like to keep her in one place,” she says. “She only helped us because the witches and vampires were causing more issues for the magical balance.”

That might be true; they were after power. You never know who they pissed off along the way.

Selene looks at me. “Ah, it’s time,” she says.

Suddenly, there was this gold glow surrounding Puna and me. I look at Selene, and she smiles. “You have one powerful panther child,” she says.

Allie, Allie’s doing this.

“Mummy, please come back to me,” her little voice whispered around me.

I look at Puna, looking around everywhere. “I think that’s Allie’s voice,” says Puna in my head. I glance down and realize that Puna is gone. I looked around, but the gold glow was now around me.

I felt warmth and free.

Suddenly, I felt a jolt, and my eyes flew open. My eyes tried to adjust to my surroundings, but I was staring at a ceiling before I could work out.

I bolt upright as I can feel people around me, but I don’t know who.

I noticed Allie was sitting on my bed while Archer was next to her with Kat behind him.

“Kat,” I say to her.

But suddenly, Allie flies at me and wraps her arms around my neck. “MUMMY,” she shouted, too close to my ear.

Her scent hits my nose, and I instantly wrap my arms around my daughter, holding her as tight as possible. But images of the war flash before me, the witch and vampire grabbing her. I pulled back and moved Allie’s face until it was before me. “Allie,” I said.

She smiles at me.

Allie moves away and sits back on the bed. She sits on the opposite side. I looked up to see a pain-stricken face staring back at me. And it was Kat. She looks completely broken; I quickly pull her into my arms.

The sudden contact, but as soon as her face was near my shoulder, I held her in my arms, letting her cry silent tears for her mate. I don’t pull back, but I lean into her ear.

“Todd loves you, and he will watch over you, Kat,” I tell her. Her sobs get louder, but she holds onto me a little longer. “I’m not going anywhere,” I say.

After a few minutes, I pull away and look at her.

Kat’s eyes were swollen from crying, but she needed us. I glanced at Archer, who was in shock. I smile at him. “Hey, little man,” I say to him. “You were amazing, and I think you should stay with Kat.”

Archer smiles. “Kat told me she will look after me,” he says softly, looking at Kat and me. I look at Kat, who gives him a small smile. I can feel movement in my head—Puna.

“Izzy,” says Puna. “You okay?” I can’t help but smile. “I am. How are you?”

Puna comes closer, and I see her face. She nods. “I’m staying close,” she says.

All I could do was nod as I went back to my family. We were all sitting in silence for a few moments, hugging each other once again. But the door flies open.

We all look towards it, but I know who it is before I look. His scent hits everything inside me, making my body ignite.

My eyes met his, and they held love and longing.

“MATE,” is all that comes out of my mouth.