The Secrets of the Panther
Chapter 132

BLAKE

The journey home back to the pack house was quiet. I knew Izzy was thinking about everything that we had just read.

Even I was thinking about it. Clara and her family went through so much, but listening to how her father had a mistress. Everything sounded like a novel.

Thinking of Allie placing her powers within the amulet would give her a better childhood. Her power is magnificent, but we would have wars if anyone ever learned what she would do. The healing power makes her unique and a prize for too many alphas worldwide.

Most local and nearby packs have the same belief system as Elder Johnson. Every werewolf should be mated to their own kind, and hearing Izzy say to me she wanted to open the pack to everyone alike made me realize what she would be like as my Luna. With or without power, she was going to be authentic and magnificent.

Axel stared through my eyes; he was quiet throughout the storytelling. I could feel Axel stir, laying his head on his front paws, looking at me.

“You okay?” I ask him.

Axel stares and lifts his head. “I think mate should do what you suggested for the pup,” he says. “We know how powerful she is, but she needs to rest and deal with everything. She has already shown she can be a true Luna to our pack, but I think she needs to learn to deal with her emotions like the rest of us.”

I stare at him. He is right, but I don’t want to suggest it to Izzy.

“I think we let Izzy decide on what she wants to do,” I say to him, “If she wants to store her power in the amulet, we will stand by her, but if she doesn’t, we will do the same. It has to be her decision, not ours.”

Axel nods his head but smirks. “I think that be a good idea,” he says. “She might kick our ass if we even suggest it.”

Knowing Izzy, she would just do that.

We stop at the burger place in town and grab something to eat. Izzy wasn’t in the mood to go into the store. I went in and grabbed our food. We ate in the car, and afterward, we left.

The burger place wasn’t that far away from the pack house as we knew we needed to get back to see our families. We arrived back at the pack house.

Izzy leans behind me and grabs the books from the back. We both climbed out and headed inside the pack house, straight to the office.

Everyone was waiting for us as we opened the door.

It looked like Dale went all out, as an enormous table was placed in the middle of the room. They placed most of the office furniture along the back wall.

Once we were all seated, Izzy placed the two books on the table in front of everyone.

Everyone was quiet and stared at the books.

“They are the books that Clara mentioned,” says Kat out of nowhere. “Where did you replace them?”

Izzy leans back in the seat and places her hand in mine. “My mother kept our old dining room table; it was there that I found a hidden compartment underneath,” she says as she looks at Kat.

Izzy gets up and pushes the books to Kat, “You can read these, but I will tell you the story about my ancestors to everyone else,” she says.

Izzy sits back down and recalls all the stories about Clara and her family. It was hard to hear it the first time, but it seemed harder a second time. I watched everyone’s faces as all emotions were on their faces about how Clara suffered.

After Izzy told the story, “She chose magic to take revenge,” says my father.

Izzy nods. “I know what it sounds like, but I have to say this pack was brought up believing that werewolves should mate with their own kind. I believe Elder Johnson was the key factor, but Amir and Nell were to blame too, thinking back to it. They followed the old tradition, but towards the end, it was more about my power than anything.”

Kat looks at me but then stares at Izzy.

“I take it you read about the amulets,” she says.

I looked over at Izzy. Her face was blank, but something was there.

Izzy nods, but she glances at everyone around the table.

“A witch made the amulets; they can hold our power,” she says.

“How?” says a voice; I see Lena standing up with the book Kat must have handed her.

Lena walks around and stands in front of the window, looking up at Izzy. “You want to do this, don’t you?” she asks.

Izzy looks down at her hands; I know she was thinking about it. I could tell. A life without power would make her feel normal.

Izzy sighs and looks at her. “I do, but I also want Allie to do it,” she says.

There were a few gasps around the office. I keep my cool as I think it’s a good idea.

“Why?” asks my father.

Izzy turns her attention to him. But I can feel something. Her power was coming to the surface.

“Do you know what it feels like to keep calm when all I want to do is cry or even scream?” she says. No one says a word. I know everyone can feel her power sweeping in. “If I did any of that, I would cause some power to come out, as you can feel now,” she says as she looks at everyone. “I have no control over my emotions. But as for Allie, if anyone replaces out what she can do, we will have wars upon wars, and I don’t want to put the pack through all that again.”

I felt proud at that moment; she was thinking about the pack.

My father looks at me. “What do you think, Blake?” he asks. I could feel everyone staring at me, but I looked at Izzy, staring back at me.

“I think it is up to Izzy,” I tell them. But I turn to my father with a snarl. “No one can use the power except for its panthers. The Panthers have to bring forth the power in human form. So, no one can take the amulets, and even if they wanted to, no one else could work them,” I say, making sure he understands it all.

“I think Izzy and Allie should do this. We can state a law that no one within the pack can tell their story about what happened here during the war,” I say. “Allie deserves to be a child and not worry about anyone coming after her. We can store the amulets safely somewhere; only a few people will know where they are kept, and the books too.”

Everyone nods but stays quiet.

My mother looks at me. “When do you plan on doing the ritual?” she asks.

I glance at Lena. “Can you do the ritual?” I ask her.

Lena stares at me but looks at Izzy. “Yeah, I got all the ingredients here. I can do it whenever you want to,” she says.

I look at Izzy. “It’s up to you, my love,” I say.

Izzy smiles at me but glances at everyone. “I think we should do it this evening before we start preparing for the Alpha and Luna ceremony,” she says.

My father and mother smiled. “That sounds like a plan,” my father said.

I looked around, and everyone was to wrap their heads around everything said during the meeting.

“I think we will all leave and have some rest,” I told everyone.

Everyone leaves, saying their goodbyes and even handing out hugs to everyone else.

In the office, it was just Izzy and me.

Izzy was staring into space as I looked at her. “I think we should do the ritual tonight,” she says suddenly.

I look at her. “But I only want us. Allie, Lena, and Dale will be in here to do it,” she says as she looks at me. Her eyes were bright green, and Puna had joined her. “We need to keep Allie safe,” they say together.

I look at them, and Axel stares through my eyes.

“Mate needs to be free of her power,” he says. “She needs to feel free.”

I look back at him, but it makes sense; she has lived with the power all her life. She has been through much over the years. She has never been free until now.

I want to give her that.