The Secrets of the Panther
Chapter 35

IZZY

I wake up with the sun streaming through the gap in my curtains,

I sniff the air and smell this amazing scent. I love that smell so much.

I look down around me, and there is no little person in my bed.

Where the hell has Allie gone?

I panic. I get up out of bed and move. “Izzy, I’ve taken Allie to the café for some pancakes. Blake is still sleeping on the couch,” says Alice as she shuts down the mind link.

“He stayed,” I said.

“Yes, he did, and I know why. He wanted to make sure we were safe,” Puna says. “He wants to accept us and Allie, too.”

I paused by the door. “I don’t know. He walked away when we mentioned Allie to him.”

“You told him you were tortured and raped, then mentioned you have a child. He needed time to process the information. Don’t judge him on that. He really wants us, Izzy,” she says.

I open the door and head downstairs.

As I got to the bottom of the stairs, I walk over to the couch to see a sleeping Blake, with his arm over his face. The blanket is covering from his waist down. His abs are on show and I can’t help but my mouth goes dry, but it’s the wetness between my legs that surprises me. Iwas turned on by looking at him.

“Are you going to keep staring at me” he suddenly says with a knowing smirk on his face. “I don’t mind, but your arousal is making it hard for me to concentrate on sleeping, babe.

I look back stunned, “I... I’m sorry… I didn’t mean... UM... Do you want coffee?” I ask, suddenly walking away, feeling embarrassed.

Puna laughing in my head loudly.

He chuckles and sits up. His brown eyes are bright. “Yeah, coffee is nice,” he says and stands up, holding the surrounding blanket.

I flip the kettle on as he walks into the kitchen area and sits on the counter chair. I make the coffee and hand him a mug. I take mine and sit in the seat opposite him. I can’t look at him.

“You know you can look at me. I am yours, Izzy,” he says.

“I told you I don’t want....” but he cuts me off by shaking his head “I know you want to take it slow but I want the chance to prove to you that not all men are bad. I promise I will never hurt you or Allie.”

He stands up and walks around the counter to where I’m sitting. He stands next to me. I can feel his heat from his skin near me.

I look up at him; his brown eyes have me melting at the knees. “Izzy, I’m sorry for leaving you in the pack house. I needed time to process the information you told me and I want you, but I also want Allie too,” he says, moving closer to my face, nearer my ear. “I hope you can accept that and want me. I want to be a father to Allie and a loving mate to you, too.” I can feel is hot breath on my neck. It sends a shiver down my spine and makes the wetness between my legs go even wetter.

“Also, mate, you need to calm down with your arousal or I’m going to have to take more cold showers,” he says with a smile.

I gulped. Stupid mate bond is working.

“I... UM... have to think about it,” I say, but I soon realise that we are not alone anymore. Standing in the doorway are Todd and Kat with big smirks on their faces. “Hope we are not disturbing anything,” says Kat.

I blush hard and leap out of his way, his warmth disappearing. He smiles at me.

“That’s all I want for you to do Izzy, just think about it and try to accept me,” he says and turns to flip the kettle on for Kat and Todd.

Kat looks at me and comes over, hugs me tight. I smile.

“I’m glad you opened up to him Izzy,” she says. “Where are Allie, Paul and Alice?”

“Alice and Paul took Allie to the café for some pancakes,” Blake says while staring at me. “Paul mind linked me when they were leaving.”

I look at him and smile.

“What is the plan for today?” Kat asks, looking between the both of us with a smirk on her face.

I was about to open my mouth, but Blake beat me to it. “We are going to the pack house to have a word with my parents and give them the information we found out last night,” he says.

“What he said,” I say, but look at her. “Can you ask Alice and Paul to keep an eye on Allie? I want both you and Todd with us. Kacey and Dale should be there too,” I say.

Kat nods “Yes sure, I will give her a ring once we finish up here” she says and places a plate full of bacon with bread rolls for us to eat.

We all eat and stuff ourselves.

We all get up and place our plates in the sink.

“I will bring you a pair of my shorts to put on Blake,” says Todd quickly as he leaves the counter.

“I better get ready too,” I say to both Kat and Blake.

They both smile and nod as I turn to walk away. But I can hear what they are saying.

“You made progress, Blake,” says Kat.

“I hope so. I really like her, and I meant what I said. I will accept Allie as my own,” he says. “I will prove to Izzy.

A slight smile slides along my face, knowing he is trying. This was the first of my heart to feel whole, which has been broken for so long because of the rape and also the death of my mother. Blake might mend it.

“Our mate is trying Izzy!” Say Puna as I climb the stairs to head to my room.

“I know, but it’s not going to be that easy,” I say. “He has to wait till I’m ready for anything, especially mating.”

That part scares me as I’ve never been intimate with anyone and it’s all due to what happened with Michael. He made me feel so broken, but Blake is trying, but I have to admit I am terrified, especially as the mate bond is working.

“Mate will wait till you are ready, Izzy, but he will make sure he doesn’t hurt you when he mates you,” she says softly. “He likes us, maybe even loves us soon.

I scoff. “I think he likes us only because of the mate bond.”

“Yeah it will be because of that but he wants to get to know you as well as the other things,” she says “When we are mated and marked by our mate, our power will be better too and also we can protect our mate, Allie and family too” she says.

“We can already protect them,” I say as I am now in my room, changing into a pair of jeans and a tank top, with flip-flops. I place my hair in a high ponytail.

“We know we can, but I would like to be with our mate too,” she says. “I know he is slowly winning you over, especially when he mentioned about Allie.”

I look back at myself. She is right.

“I’m always right,” she chuckles.

I chuckle back “Ok, I will keep an open mind but he screws up once, I will not accept him ok.”

She looks at me through my eyes and nods. “He won’t screw it up and if he does, I will kill him myself, Izzy.”

I look back at myself, making sure I look decent.

We need to get to the pack house.

I’m nervous about going there.

I’m nervous to meet Alpha and Luna.

I’m more nervous that Dale and Kacey, my siblings, will be there, but everyone needs to know about what is going on. This is going to be weird and a long day. I sigh and head downstairs, where everyone is waiting for me to join them.

Blake looks at me and smiles.

I can’t help but smile back.

We all head to the car to leave.