The Secrets of the Panther
Chapter 17

BLAKE

It was dark.

I was in complete darkness.

I felt like I wasn’t myself; I felt like I was somewhere else.

Axel wasn’t even there with me. Where’s my wolf gone?

I felt alone.

I needed to wake up.

This has been long enough, I am an alpha. I need to be with my pack.

Slowly, I force my way back forward through the darkness. It was a struggle; I kept being pushed back by something. It felt like someone was invading me. But not Axel, someone, or something else.

All I could feel was cold, anger, rage, and the fire that grew deep inside me and it only made it worse and unbearable for me.

After what felt like hours, the darkness and all the rage were sweeping away. I could start to feel the light and warmth. I was coming back.

I slowly start to blink open my eyes, but the bright light shining into my eyes didn’t exactly help me.

I couldn’t help the slip of the growl, it startled the person who was next to me.

“Alpha Blake,” the voice calls out. “Are you awake”

I groan at the answer, but I can hear people’s voices around me.

“Blake,” a voice I know too well.

I open my eyes, and squint at first. I let my eyes come around to the light. Everything that was a blur started to clear. There in my room were my family, and my friends.

I look at each one of them, but my senses haven’t gone, that’s for sure. Why the hell are they giving me looks that can kill?

“What happened?” I said with a croak.

“What do you remember?” my mother asked, sitting on my bed.

I try to rack my brain for answers, but the only thing I could remember was leaving the pack house due to a disagreement with Elder Johnson.

“Only the disagreement with Elder Johnson; everything after that is blank,” I said, sounding more confused.

Everyone just stares at me, confused. What the hell happened?

“You don’t remember anything else?” my father said. “You were caught fucking Kelly against a tree”

I stared back at him, dumbfounded.

I would never do that. Certainly not in front of people but mainly because I found my mate, Izzy.

I started to feel Axel move around in my head.

“Blake, what happened?” he groans as a big yawn escapes.

“I don’t know, but everyone seems to think we fucked someone against a tree last night,” I said which earned me a growl from him. “We would never do that. We want our mate.”

“I don’t remember anything,” I said back to everyone, ignoring Axel, who was now close to the surface.

Everyone looked back and forth.

The pack doctor clears his throat. “I may have the answer to why Alpha Blake can’t remember,” He said.

I look over at him, well everyone does.

“You were spiked with a potion that can cause someone else to become you,” he said.

My father growls.

“What do you mean a potion?”

“I mean someone went to great lengths to make sure they could take over the young alpha even if it was only for a few hours,” said the doctor.

Everyone stared in disbelief.

No one says anything but suddenly. “I think I know someone who can help,” comes a voice, it was Alice.

Everyone looks at her. “What do you mean? You might know someone,” says my father, looking somewhat confused.

She clears her throat.

“I don’t know exactly, but my mum knows someone who can help. I can have her take a look and ask her friend,” she said.

She doesn’t give anything away, but my mother shocks us. “Yes, ask Kat, Alice, she might know.”

I can’t help but feel something is off.

“I think we all should leave the young alpha to rest now,” the doctor said.

“Can Dale and Kacey stay for a moment please?” I asked, and everyone left without a word being said.

Leaving me alone with my friends, they sit on either side of me.

“Okay, tell me the truth. What the hell happened to me?” I asked.

The looks they were giving me were stern. Dale starts to tell me everything that happened. From me fucking Kelly to being punched not only by Dale but also Graham. I rub my hand over my face.

“There is something else you need to know,” Dale said, looking towards Kacey who has been really quiet since she has been sitting next to me.

“Izzy felt every single thing you did with Kelly,” he said. I can see the confusion on his face.

“Why didn’t you tell me that Izzy’s your mate?” Kacey asked suddenly. “I hd to replace out from this idiot and also Alice too.”

I looked at her.

“I didn’t mean to not tell you Kace; I wanted to make sure Izzy would accept me as her mate but after that disagreement with your grandfather. I needed to be more careful with who knows about us, and I was going to tell after the party,” I said.

She looks at me with a glare but softens. “You like her, don’t you?” She said and sighed. “I wish I could meet her, she is your mate, but she is our sister too.”

I looked between the both of them knowing that they are struggling.

“Do you know the reason why your dad left Izzy’s mum?” I asked.

They both looked at me confused.

“We honestly thought that our mum was his mate and he had a one-night stand or something. Mum never talks about it, and if we brought it up, we ended up with hard stares and a lot of growling. And Dad...we can’t even approach the subject without him crying or getting angry with himself,” Dale said.

I looked at my hands, I need them to know the truth.

I sighed and started to explain everything that happened in the office with Graham and my father after the whole cafe incident.

After finishing the whole conversation, both of them were livid to hear about the rejection and their grandfather’s involvement in the whole thing.

“That’s why you wanted to keep Izzy a secret,” Kacey growled.

I nodded.

“I want to meet with the elders and talk about this further with them as I think it is ridiculous that people have to suffer. But I want to do it without anyone knowing,” I muttered, and they nodded in agreement with me.

“What about Izzy?” Dale asked. “She probably will want to rip your guts out if she sees you.”

He has a point.

I looked between both of them.

“What if both of you talk to her? Try to smooth things over with her. It might even help you get close to her,” I asked them.

They both think about it but suddenly nod in agreement.

“Who knows about Izzy being your mate?” Kacey asked.

“Only you two, Izzy, Kat, Alice, Paul, and my mother,” I said.

“You haven’t told your father yet?” She said, looking at me stunned. I’m close to my father, but I am still trying to figure stuff out, and I need to do it all on my own. I will need to when I become the alpha of the pack.

“Not yet, I will, but at the moment I want to win her over also I want to make sure no one knows about this, especially your grandfather,” I said, looking between them.

They nodded.

They stayed for a little while longer before being kicked out by the nurse; she checks on me and left me to my thoughts.

“We have to work out with mates,” Axel murmured.

“I want her,” he says with a whimper.

“I totally agree; we will win her. Trust me.” I said.

I turn in my bed and look out the window.

My thoughts were racing about what happened and about Izzy.

It doesn't take long to fall back asleep.