The Secrets of the Panther
Chapter 19

KAT

Izzy hasn’t come back from her run.

It has been hours since I last saw her.

I knew I shouldn’t have told the siblings where she was. I wonder if they caught up with her.

The door to the café opens, and I look up to see Kacey and Dale walking in. They looked around the café and spotted me by the counter. “Did Izzy come back here?” Kacey asked, looking worried.

“No, she must be still running,” I said, trying not to sound worried. “What happened? Did you catch up with her?”

They look at each other, their expressions looking confused but also concerned, and they both nod. “We did... she did speak to us but got upset and ran off,” Dale said.

I sighed.

“What did you say to her?” I growled.

Dale looks taken back but recovers.

“We mainly mentioned that we knew about her being hunted by hunters, she was really closed off,” he said.

Kacey rubs her hand over her face and shakes it. “We also let slip that Alice is mated to Paul. She called us liars,” she said, looking at me.

Oh shit!

“You told her about Alice and Paul,” I said as another growl slipped through.

They didn’t say anything, but the looks on their faces of guilt made it clear to me that they did.

This is not good; I step out from behind the counter and start to pace the shop floor back and forth, looking through the window.

The siblings looked at me with caution, probably wondering what the hell was going on. I knew Alice was coming in soon. I needed to tell her.

Both Dale and Kacey stare at me, “Why didn’t she tell Izzy about her mate?” Kacey asked, looking slightly confused.

Before I could answer her, the door to the cafe opens and I look up to see Alice and Paul walking through the door, holding hands. They are so caught up in each other, that’s what happens when you replace your mate. Once they look up, they can see the siblings’ faces and mine.

“What’s going on?” Paul asked.

Alice looks at me. “Mum, what’s happened?”

I sighed.

“Dale and Kacey followed Izzy into the forest when she went for a run this morning and accidentally told her about you both,” I said.

Paul walks over to the siblings, but Alice looks at me concerned. She wanted to tell Izzy herself but hasn’t had the chance to.

“Shit, this isn’t good,” she said.

Paul looks taken aback.

“She doesn’t know about us, how come?” He asked, looking hurt.

“I haven’t had a chance to. Also, I told you how Izzy is with the whole mate thing. I wanted her to meet you first, for her to get to know you and tell her how happy I am that I found you," she said. "I wanted to show her mates are a good thing.”

Alice pulled a face. She walks over to him and gives him a kiss on the cheek and turns to look at me. “Where is she?” She asked.

“We came here hoping she would be here, but she hasn’t come back,” Kacey said.

Alice looks at me. “I need to replace her.”

I shake my head. “She will come back in her own time,” I said. “She may need to calm down first.”

Knowing Izzy, she is probably sleeping somewhere.

Alice sighed.

“Well, let us all have something to eat then, what about Blake? How is he?” She asked as they all moved to a table. She takes a seat next to Paul.

I looked over to them, hearing the mention of Blake. I have been worried about him. The siblings gave her a small smile. “He is a lot better, actually he will be coming here shortly with Luna Lauren as she wants to come too. They are going to drive here once she has finished with whatever she needs to do first,” Dale said with a smile.

Everyone places their orders for some food. I turn to leave and head into the kitchen.

I can’t help the sigh that escapes my mouth. I look out the window, but something catches my eye. There in the branch, I can see above the fence, there are no leaves on the branch, just a panther, sleeping.

Izzy is here.

Puna and Izzy always love sleeping in trees when she was on the run from the hunters. I should have guessed.

She will be back soon when she wakes up, she might even be hungry. I opened the back door and started to cook everyone’s food.

I make the orders for Alice, Paul, Dale, and Kacey. I even set a plate up for Izzy.

I heard the door being opened again. I am hit with two familiar scents.

Blake and Luna Lauren are here.

IZZY

The nap in the tree was what the doctor ordered.

Puna is still in her true form. But her eyes are open and looking out. I stretched inside her head and came close.

“How are you feeling now?” She asked while purring softly.

I never slept so much, except for the day I got here.

“I feel okay. It still hurts when I think about it all but now you know the truth, and I feel like a weight has been lifted. I’m okay though,” I said to her as she starts to descend the tree.

When she lands on the floor, she stretches out all four of her paws and starts to walk, heading over to the back door of the cafe which has been left open.

I walk in and shift back.

There are some clothes on the side of the counter, I get dressed straight away. As I turn the corner, I can see Kat cooking.

“You finally made it,” she said, not looking around.

I sighed.

“Sorry, I needed some time to think,” I said. I noticed a stool, and I had to sit on it.

“I told Puns about Michael, ″ I said quietly.

She drops the spoon down and turns around to face me. “You did?”

I looked at her with a sad smile; I couldn’t say anything but nod to her.

She pulls me up from the stool into her, and she hugs me tight. I can’t help but cry a little.

Puna is purring in my head but settles with her paws stretching out in my head. I know she is close.

After a few moments of hugging, I move away from her slightly and look at her, she smiles. “Finally, now you can breathe.”

I smile and look at what she’s making, suddenly my stomach growls loudly which causes both of us to laugh. “I will set you a plate, go and sit,” she says as she goes back to cooking.

I walk toward the cafe section, but I am stopped in my tracks by six pairs of eyes looking back at me.