Page 90 of Confusing Hearts

I shuddered at her words about being eaten. As a large animal of prey, I knew it was a natural instinct, but I could never stomach raw meat like that. On the rare occasion I had given wholly into my panther, she couldn’t go through with it either. Fortunately, it was an acceptable custom for my kind to deliver prey to the King, and so that is what I would do with kills. I didn’t know if that would be acceptable in the pack, though.

“Um, do you kill and eat small prey often? Do you have hunts? They’re like your runs, only for food,” I tried to explain.

“No, dear, we don’t. There are some who enjoy eating off the trails. No one will think anything of it if you’d prefer that.” I must have made a face, because she laughed. “I know that face well. Elise could never stomach a kill either.”

“I’ve not had a choice really,” I confessed. “But we thankfully have the option to eat or present it to the King. Daddy always got my kills on a hunt.”

“There are some wolves that still believe a hunt is a rite of passage and they take their children out almost as soon as they’ve shifted for the first time. Others find the practice archaic and unnecessary, much like other shifters find our challenges. Now, have Kyle and Chase properly explained the challenges to you?”

“Yes ma’am. We’ve had several meetings and sparring sessions. I’m well equipped to hold my own in a battle.”

“Wonderful. You don’t know how relieved I am to hear it,” Mary admitted.

With my new upgraded hearing I heard the front door open. I didn’t have to hear the sound of voices though, because Chase’s scent hit me like a ton of bricks. I gasped, a little taken aback, and sniffed the air around me.

Mary watched me closely. “Are you okay?”

I shrugged. “Weird stuff has been happening since the bond,” I confessed, knowing I was blushing just mentioning the bond to Chase’s mom.

“How so?”

I sighed. I really needed someone to talk to. “I’m not talking about the bonding symptoms. Those are normal-ish. It’s the other stuff. Panthers don’t have super smelling and hearing like wolves, but mine have improved tenfold since we completed our mating. I can hear almost as good as a wolf, and just now when the door opened, I smelled Chase, like smelled him as clearly as if he were right here next to me.”

Mary considered my words. “Hearing and smell are extremely important to wolves. It sounds as if, along with the bond symptoms, you’re also acquiring our greatest assets, too. Has Chase been experiencing the same?”

I shrugged. “We haven’t really talked about it.”

“Well then, what would be the most important attributes of a panther?”

I thought for a moment. “Speed and agility, I suppose. Night vision, maybe.”

She nodded. “That sounds reasonable. Let’s go test this theory.”

Mary was up and walking out of the room, heading for the front door before I realized what was happening. I jumped up and ran after her.

“Oh, look, it’s the majority of my babies here early. This never happens,” she accused.

Liam looked sheepish. “Something smells really good, Mom.” He leaned down and kissed his mother’s cheek.

“Don’t you try to butter me up now. Your father’s in with Kyle. Go get them. We have a slight change in plans for Tuesday night dinner. How about a little activity first?” She looked back over her shoulder at me and grinned conspiratorially.

Without question Lily went to get Kyle and Jason. Maddie walked upstairs where the kids were playing.

“I’ll call Elise and Patrick if you’d like,” Kelsey offered.

“Tell them to stay put, we’re heading their way,” Mary said.

She directed everyone into vehicles and took the lead in the first car herself. Chase and I had been told to ride with her and Jason. I sat in the back seat next to my mate, looking awkwardly out the window as we drove over to Patrick and Elise’s house.

“You okay?” Chase whispered.

I nodded without looking his way.

“Jenna, what’s wrong?”

I looked over at him finally and smiled. “Nothing, but I think you’re about to be tested. Sorry.”

“Tested for what?” he asked.

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