The Secrets of the Panther

Chapter 74

BLAKE

I slowly open my eyes; I blink a few times, but as soon as my eyes adjust to the light. I look straight in front of me. My mate was still sleeping.

I slowly get up and walk over to the couch behind us. I place Allie on the couch and place a blanket over her. I looked down at Allie, who was still sleeping. I couldn't help but smile down at her.

Suddenly, movement on the bed caught my eye; Izzy was tossing and turning in her sleep. Making sure Allie was safe on the couch, I scampered over to Izzy and gently touched her on her arm.

Her eyes fly open, and they are bright green; she growls at us.

"Puna, Izzy, it's me, Blake," I say as I run my fingers over her skin, which sends tingles right through her; the mate bond calms her down. Izzy closes her eyes and scrunches up her nose, shaking her head.

"Mate seems to fight something," blurts Axel.

"What do you mean?" I ask him.

Axel stares through my eyes as Izzy shakes her head, but it slows. "Izzy and Puna are fighting over something, but I can't tell. I think it might have to do with that witch's dark magic," he says with a low growl.

I look back at Izzy as she slowly stops shaking her head. She opens her eyes to look at me.

She hurries up the bed. "Sorry about that," she says as she sits up, but her eyes never leave mine.

"Izzy, what's wrong?" I ask her.

Izzy says nothing but suddenly sighs. "I want to tell you, but..." she says, but the door opens, and Lena, Dale, Charley, Alice, Paul, and Kacey walk in.

"Hey, you are awake," says Alice, but looks between us. "Did we interrupt something?"

I was about to say something, but Izzy spoke first. "No, you didn't," she says.

I look at her with a confused look, but she places her hand in mine and squeezes it.

I sigh. I know something is up, but I will wait till we are alone to find out.

"Well, how are you feeling?" Asked Lena, who came to the other side of me.

"Mummy," yells a small voice before Izzy answers Lena's question.

"Princess," says Izzy.

Allie's little face lights up like a Christmas tree; she climbs off the couch and runs straight to the bed. I picked her up, as she couldn't get on bed. Allie leans into Izzy and sniffs in her scent. But she looks at Izzy with a confused look; she cocks her head to the side. "You smell funny," she says.

I sniff in the scent, but Allie is right. Izzy's scent is masked with an off smell.

Izzy looks at me and everyone else, but her eyes are back on me when she talks.

Izzy sighs. "I guess you can tell that I drained some of the dark magic from that witch Helga," she says.

Lena grunts. "I felt the magic through your veins. What were you thinking?" She asks.

Izzy doesn't look at her. She stares at me. "I was going to tell you before everyone walked in here, as I can't explain it. I have some darkness inside me, but it's not her magic," she says.

I look at her, confused. "What do you mean?" I ask her.

Everyone is silent, but I can tell everyone wants to know the same as I do.

Izzy sighs and looks at our joining hands.

"It's not magic. It's what she felt during the times she was using it, I guess," she says and looks up. But she closes her eyes and cocks her head to the side but opens her eyes—bright green ones staring back at us.