The Alpha and his Panther Mate 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 cafe opens and I look up to see Kacey and Dale walking in. They looked around the cafe and then spotted me by the counter, “Did Izzy come back here?” Asks Kacey; looking worried.

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

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

I sigh “What did you say to her?” I asked with a growl.

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.”

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 need to tell her.

Both Dale and Kacey stare at me, “Why didn’t she tell Izzy about her mate?” Says Kacey, looking slightly confused. Before I could answer her, the door to the cafe opens, 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 find your mate. Once they look up, they can see the siblings' faces and mine, the concern on our faces.

“What’s going on?” asks Paul.

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

I sigh, “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 says.

Paul looks taken back “She doesn’t know about us, how come?” He says to Alice, he looks hurt.

“I haven’t had a chance to. Also I told you how Izzy is with the whole mates 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, I wanted to show her mates are a good thing” she says, pulling a face. She walks over to him and gives him a kiss on the cheek.

She turns to look at me “Where is she?” She asked.

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

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

I shake my head, “She will come back in her own time” I say “She may need to calm down first.” Knowing Izzy, she is probably sleeping somewhere.

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

I look over to them, hearing the mention of Blake. I have been worried about him. The siblings 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” says Dale, 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 open the back door and start to cook everyone’s food.

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

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

Blake and Luna Lauren, they 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 stretch inside her head and come close.

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

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

“I feel ok, 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 ask her as she starts to descend down the tree.

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

I walk in and shift.

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 says, not looking around.

I sigh.

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

I sigh again.

“I told Puna 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, 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 into the cafe section but I am stopped in my tracks by six pairs of eyes looking back at me.