Cleo would be okay with Adan. He was nice and polite, and I knew he would never try anything on her. She... wasn't his type.I had been texting back and forth with Parker the last couple of days. He's been telling me a few things about panthers, but earlier today he told me he needed to meet with me face to face to tell me something he learned. He had been texting me all sorts of info over the last couple of days so what was different about what he had to tell me now? It worried me.Panthers live longer than both humans and wolves. While I'll start aging around the time I turn a hundred, Cleo will stay young well into her five hundreds. This made me worry. Would she be interested in an old man? We would still have years and years together, more than most people can possibly dream of having with their loved ones, but even forever wouldn't be long enough with my Cleo.He told me that panthers are in fact the stronger species between the two of us. He told me she could legitimately kick

I feel her thighs clench as my teeth finally sink into her neck, and hot liquid drip down my legs. I didn't know who it was from. Probably both of us. I reached my hand down to in between her legs because she had stopped rubbing herself to grab onto my back with both hands. I was sure there would be claw marks all over me.She was throbbing. "Oh fuck, Ike. I can't do this anymore." She gasps out. Her legs are shaking, and I know she's already come, but I'm still rubbing her and sliding my dick in and out of her."Are you sure?" I ask, stopping all movement."You better not fucking stop." She growls, her eyes flashing at me in the darkness. I chuckle and keep going. I feel overwhelmed as I'm about to come again, even faster this time. I probably shouldn't be doing this inside her, but I couldn't help myself. She felt so hot and sticky and wet on my dick. I never wanted to leave this spot.And now my mark was on her. Blood was running down her neck and I leaned forward to lick it clean.

Just like with mates, pack members share a special bond. We can tell from a feeling who is in the same pack as us, and we are all able to talk to each other in our minds in our animal forms. A very handy skill to have when you are shifted and unable to verbally communicate.But you also have a special bond. That's why it's rare to find lonely kids in wolf packs, because we all feel connected to each other. It had made my isolation that much more heart crushing.And right now, as Willow wrapped her arms around me, and Levi covered us with his much longer arms, I felt somehow forgiven. I could feel actually, geunie love coming from them, even though we had literally just met. I felt like I belonged with these people, like I had known them my whole life. How was that possible? It had been so long since I had felt this close with anyone. I wasn't even at this point with Ike yet, to be totally honest.I felt like I had been forgiven for being born a monster."I'm sorry." I say after calmin

I tell them about killing my parents, literally, not in the constructed way Willow thought she killed her mom. I told them about leaving my foster home, and later being officially kicked out of the pack. I had never felt understood enough to talk about this topic with anyone, but I could see the empathy on Willow's face as I talked. She and her brother had been through some of the same things I had been. I told them about surviving on my own and fighting to make a good life for myself. About working my ass off day after day, pretending to be a human and pushing my panther down just so I could play normal. Then about meeting Ike and everything turning upside down. I told them how I was feeling conflicted about him marking me, because while it did make me feel loved and safe, I also knew there was no avoiding my future now. I was part of this pack; I was no longer a lone panther. Whether I liked it or not."Do you not want to be a part of this pack?" Spits out Levi once I'm finished. My

By the time I came back with a clean towel for Cleo, she was asleep. She was sprawled out on my bed, covering every possible inch she could it seemed. Her head was lolled to the side, mouth slightly open as she breathed, her cheeks rosy from the alcohol she had been drinking all night. I snorted to myself. She looked like a little kid when she slept.I threw the towel on my dresser and turned off the lights. I pulled off my shirt and pants but left my boxer briefs on.I struggled a bit getting Cleo to one side of the bed, especially since I was trying not to wake her up.But when I finally did get her covered up and was comfortable beside her, I felt really happy. We had slept together before, but it felt different this time. Honestly, I had kind of half suspected she would leave last time. But not tonight. Well yeah, she didn't drive here. Just let me be happy.I just wanted to be happy with Cleo, forever.I just wanted her to always be by my side."Ike..." I stirred. Who was saying