The Rogue's Panther

Chapter 9

EBONY

Cleo was excited about being with our mate, but I knew she was right about me talking about what had happened to us.

Drew needed to know everything.

I didn’t even know if I could stay.

Cleo growled, but I ignored her.

Drew poured some more wine as I kept my eyes on him.

I knew it was coming, the conversation about my family. Telling anyone about it makes it real every time, and Drew, being my mate, makes it worse as I know I can’t introduce him to any of them.

After Drew made sure the drinks were poured, he smiled at me as his eyes met mine.

I looked at him for a few moments but let out a slow sigh before I talked. “I don’t know where to start,” I murmured, slightly off. I hated talking about myself, especially with what I had been through.

“Just go for it,” Cleo murmured in my head.

I knew she was right, but Drew talked before I could begin.

“I know about your family,” he said as I kept my eyes on him. “You told me about them. I want to know why you have been running. Were you in a pack?”

I smiled, liking that he was trying but clearly knew little about cats and what we were like.

“We lived with a few other panther shifters, but it wasn’t called a pack. It’s called a pride,” I said. “There used to be loads of us, but now only a handful are left.”

Drew nodded.

“A pride,” he murmured and smiled. “I know little about cat shifters, but it will be nice to know more. Please tell me.”

I smiled and felt Cleo purr in my head, letting me know she was happy that our mate was taking an interest in us.

“What happened to them?” he asked. “If you don’t mind me asking?”

I shook my head and sighed.

“Most were killed like my sister by hunters,” I said, making Drew’s eyes soften, but I couldn’t help notice his jaw tightened when I mentioned hunters. “After the last attack, we all separated. We thought it would be safer to do it that way, keep the hunters on their toes of not knowing where we were.”

“That’s a good idea,” he murmured. “Have you kept in touch with any of them before you came here?”

I nodded.

“Three are close,” I said with a small smile. “I haven’t heard from the others. There were nine left, and that included me.”

Drew stared at me, but his eyes were blank.

I felt Cleo move in my head and came closer to see what he was doing. I didn’t look back at her as I kept my eyes on Drew.

“Mate is mind linking someone,” she whispered, moving back again but staying close.

I said nothing, but it wasn’t long before Drew returned to me and stared as his mouth inched at the corners.

“I mind-linked my mother to tell her to have a few people on alert as there may be more panther shifters arriving this way,” he said.

I stared at him in disbelief.

“Why would you do that?” I asked, sounding confused.

Drew grinned.

“This isn’t a pack,” he said, staring at me as his smile widened. “We accept anyone here, including different shifters. I know hunters; if they make your kind come here, they will try to take us all out. But we wouldn’t let that happen. We will help and protect everyone.”

I stared at him.

Damn, he had a gorgeous smile.

Cleo giggled in my head, making me realise I didn’t recognise the bigger picture of what he said. He will have my kind here to keep them safe.

“Mate is trying,” Cleo murmured.

I stared at Drew, but he opened his mouth again.

“Why did you leave the last place we were at?” he asked, leaning back in his chair and grabbing his wine glass.

I closed my eyes as I recalled everything back.

“Whenever I travel, I always look for small towns as they are easy to escape,” I said, making him nod in agreement. “The last town was a good few miles away from here. I lived in a rented motel, away from everyone, and made no friends.”

“Why no friends?” Drew interrupted, making open my eyes and stare at him longer as I tried to figure out how to tell him.

“Well, while on the run, I learned a lot of things, and making friends was the first I learned about,” I murmured, remembering the person who hurt me. “I thought this woman was a friend, but as soon as she realized hunters were chasing me, she told them where to find me.”

Drew growled. “How could someone do that? Was she a shifter?”

I nodded.

“Werewolf,” I muttered, making Drew stand up.

My eyes widened.

Drew closed his eyes and took a deep breath. “Mate, trying to calm down,” Cleo said, as I felt her move.

I stared at him till he opened his eyes and sighed. “Sorry,” he murmured. “I hate people who have it in for other people and don’t think they should look out for them, even if they are in the same boat as the person.”

“It’s okay,” I said, leaning toward him and placing my hand in his. Drew stared at me and gave my hand a gentle squeeze.

Leaving my hand in his, I sighed.

“Hunters are the ones who are after my kind,” I said. “Someone thinks that we are a prize because we have silky fur, but there must be more to this. I mean, I have been chased my whole life.”

Drew nodded.

“We can find out,” he said, making me arch my eyebrow at him. “How?” I muttered.

Drew stared at me for a moment before he spoke again.

“If a hunter does come here,” he said, making me tense. “We can find out and make them tell us. There will be one werewolf that will want to know.”

I stared at him, confused, which made him chuckle

Damn, I love that chuckle.

“Me, sweetheart,” he said, squeezing my hand again. “I would kill every single one of them to make sure you are safe, and I believe there may be some other werewolves who stay close by feeling the same.”

I smiled.

Knowing he was planning to kill every hunter that came here made me want him, more in the sense of my mate.

I was about to say something when Henry came through the door carrying plates. He walked over and placed them down.

“Tuck in,” Drew said, looking at me as he let go of my hand. I felt lost without his touch, suddenly. I only knew the guy for just over twenty-four hours, and this mate bond was doing wonders with my head and heart.

I said nothing as I tucked into the food. I placed some lasagne on my fork and placed it in my mouth, but I couldn’t help but close my eyes as I savored the taste.

I moaned.

Once I finished it, I opened my eyes, seeing Drew staring back at me. His green eyes flickered back and fore between his wolf and his, but his green eyes came back and stared at me.

“Don’t do that again,” he murmured. “You were going to be f****d on this table with that noise you made.”

My eyes widened.

Fuck.

“Sorry,” I murmured. “It’s the first homemade meal I have had in a long time, and it’s so good.”

Drew’s eyes were on me the whole time I spoke, but they softened when he heard what I said. I looked back at my plate and ate again.

Drew’s eyes were on me the entire time I was eating, which would have made my anxiety flare up more, but it was different somehow with him.

Dinner was finished, and Henry collected the plates. “Hope you are ready for dessert?” he said as he was about to leave.

“We won’t be having any dessert,” Drew said, making me look at him, confused.

I want dessert. Why would he think I didn’t—

Cleo laughed, cutting me off.

“You dummy,” she murmured. “You’re the dessert.”

I looked back at her with wide eyes. “What?”

Cleo c****d her head to the side and grunted.

“Stop being dumb,” she said. “Mate wants us.”

I felt my mouth go dry. Without saying a word to her, I looked back at Drew. I noticed a smirk on his lips. He clearly knew what Cleo was thinking as his tongue darted out and licked the bottom of his lip.

My core tightened at the look he gave.

How could one man have an effect on me?

Silence filled the bar as I glanced around, but no sign of Henry anywhere. When did he leave?

I heard a chair scrape across the floor, making me look back at Drew, who was walking over to the bar and the jukebox.

Keeping my eyes on him as he did whatever he was doing, and a slow song came on—perfect by Ed Sheeran, came on.

Drew turned around and stared at me. He walked over to me and held out his hand for me to take. “Dance.”

I nodded as I slipped my hand into his.

Drew moved backward slightly and pulled me to him, placing his hand on my waist while holding one hand in his. I placed my other hand on his shoulder as I kept my eyes on him as we danced.