The Secrets of the Panther
Chapter 33

IZZY

I am about to move, but I notice Blake moving towards me.

I stop and look at him.

Blake moves closer to me. I don’t move still.

I can’t help what happens next; I step onto my toes and catch him off guard as I place my lips on his. He freezes for a moment but moves closer so there is no gap between us. His hands go to my waist.

He slips his tongue in my mouth. I can’t help but let him. My body has a mind of its own. It wants Blake. We move our tongues, fighting for dominance. He pushes me up against the wall near the stairs and pinning me against it with one hand on the wall and the other still on my waist.

I panic, flashes of Michael’s face come through my head. I can’t help but close my eyes. I push Blake back. It’s getting too much for me.

I slow my breathing, trying to get my breathing back to normal, but he is so close to me, his scent alone doesn’t help.

He looks at me, hurt. “Izzy, I don’t want to mate with you, not till you are ready,” he whispers.

I look at him confused, “I appreciate you would wait till I’m ready to mate, but Blake, what the hell?” I ask him.

He looks back at me with his mouth open, but closes it. He sighs and turns around, and heads back to the couch. “I wasn’t thinking. Axel was itching to do it, but I couldn’t control him. I’m sorry Izzy, it won’t happen again.”

I stare at him, my breathing getting back to normal.

“Mate, sorry Izzy,” says Puna. “I am too. I know you weren’t ready. I could sense his wolf and all I wanted was him.”

I close my eyes while taking a deep breath in and blowing out slowly.

“It’s ok Blake, I just……I haven’t been with anyone since it all happened to me,” I say. Blake moves his body towards me as he sits on the couch. I walk towards him, but I don’t sit down. “I have done nothing, but I want to take this between us slowly, get to know you, and trust you. I’m not saying yes, and I am definitely not saying no.”

He nods.

I sat on the coffee table in front of him and smiled. “I think we need to sort everything out first, as in my father, that woman and elder. Also…” I say, feeling slightly uncomfortable with what I’m about to ask next. “I would like to see your parents if that’s OK. I think they should be told everything that we found out tonight.”

Blake looks at me and smiles. “I will arrange it. Tomorrow will be best, as I know everyone is out of the pack house,” he says and takes my hand in his. He rubs his finger over my knuckles, which causes tingles to shoot up my arm.

“I think we will tell them everything first and then confront Linda. If we can get to her, she won’t be able to send any word to elder Johnson. He has been one step ahead of us all this time, but not anymore,” he says and looks at me. “Izzy, I won’t hurt you and I will definitely not do anything you don’t want to do. I want us to work and I want to get to know you and also Allie, if you let me.”

“He’s telling you the truth Izzy, he wants you both,” says Puna.

“Izzy, can I talk to Puna for a moment?” he asks me suddenly.

I look at him, confused, but I can feel Puna coming close to the surface with me in human form. I close my eyes and crack my neck to the side. Once my eyes fly open, Puna is there with me, up front and centre and taking in our mate’s form.

“My mate,” she says with a purr. “You wanted to speak to me.”

Blake smiles at us. He can tell we are both up close, but he addresses her. “Yes, Puna, it is so nice to finally meet you. I know Izzy is up front with you, but I wanted to tell you that Axel really wants you too, but both you and he need to let Izzy do this herself. What happened to her was horrific, and that bastard took everything away from her. She needs to gain my trust and both of you need to be patient with her,” he says with a smile.

Puna purrs loudly, “I know what you are saying human, as long as Axel knows, I am waiting for him. I assure you, I won’t pester Izzy until I know she is ready to move forward. But human, I will say that you hurt her, I will kill you,” she says, but she leans forward and places a kiss on his lips. She closes our eyes and pushes me forward to the front.

When I open my eyes, I’m in shock. I never thought Blake would be like that at all. I smiled at him and leaned back. “You know you didn’t have to do that right,” I said.

Blake smiles at me. “I wanted to; I needed Pune to trust me and know that I mean what I said. But I had to say it to her, not you, as you might not even listen to me and won’t give me a chance,” he says. “Also, I had to. I got one horny dog on my hands. Axel wants Puna.”

I blush.

“You know I’m horny,” says Puna with a little giggle. “I would take him now, him bending me over….” I block her out. I don’t want to hear that. I’m blushing harder. Blake looks at me and chuckles. “Puna is that bad, hey” he says, his hand still holding mine.

“You have no idea,” I say with a giggle.

He looks at me and smiles.

I can’t help but smile back at him. “Well, I best get to bed. I will see you in the morning, but you don’t have to stay if you don’t want to.”

I get up and stroll towards the stairs and up. I can feel his eyes on me the whole time.

As I get to the landing I can see Alice, leaning on her door smirking, “Cuz, I am so happy that you are accepting him. You deserve it,” she says, and I can’t help the blush that comes across my face.

She giggles softly. “It’s ok to want someone Izzy. He is your mate.”

With that, she goes back into her room, only to turn and look over her shoulder at me. “Izzy, we will kill them,” she says.

I know we will, but I also know I have a few people to talk to first.

There are still a few things everyone needs to know and I need to do it in front of Blake’s parents and also my father. His so-called mate. She will be the first to die.

I turn to go into my room; I am hit with the scent of strawberries.

I am so glad Allie is here with me. I go to the bathroom and wash myself; once I am ready, I get into my pj's and head straight into bed. I snuggle into Allie, inhaling her scent. I am soon going to sleep with happy memories of my daughter and maybe a few of Blake, too.