Page 16 of Confusing Hearts

Looking up, I spotted a beautiful, sleek black panther lounging on a thick tree limb above me. I knew it was Tessa, but she wouldn’t come down. My wolf scratched at the ground and whined. Rolling those stunning violet eyes, she jumped down, landing silently beside me.

My wolf leapt around her in excitement, wagging his tail. Our combined emotions made me feel like a kid given free rein in a toy store at Christmas. He strutted before our mate who looked unimpressed, before inching up on her. Before I could stop him, he was rubbing up against her, ensuring his scent covered her.

I could still feel confusing emotions pouring off her, but the look of shock in her wide eyes when her panther began to purr contentedly told me she was at odds with her animal spirit, too. I tried to stop my wolf from prancing excitedly before her at the sound, but he wouldn’t listen. I rolled my eyes, knowing what an idiot we must look like. I felt out of control, which was rare. My wolf and I had never really struggled to find peace. He had an aggressive side I had tamed early on, but this was entirely different.

I wanted to shift back to human form and talk to her, but then I remembered Anita teasing me about my lack of decency. Panthers were much more private animals. They didn’t run in packs and Tessa probably wasn’t used to seeing naked men.

My wolf growled, and she jumped. I looked around for the threat, before realizing it was the thought of her with any other naked man, or any other man period, that had set him off. He nudged her with his snout back towards the tree and barked for her to climb it. I could feel aggressive protective instincts overwhelming me as my wolf set up camp beneath the tree, growling at anything that dared to come near our mate. Even a poor unsuspecting grasshopper felt his wrath.

It wasn’t long before I heard movement high in the tree above, but my wolf didn’t have any aggression toward it, he just whined, continuing to sniff the air and paw at the ground. Tessa jumped down from the tree, fully clothed and in human form.

She sat down next to us and hesitantly held out a hand like one would when meeting a stray dog. My wolf sniffed it, and then proceeded to lick it. I rolled my eyes in apology as he danced around like an idiot once again, before breaking into her personal space and nuzzling up to her. When he licked her cheek in a sloppy kiss, she pushed us away, laughing.

“Okay, okay, enough already,” she said and to my surprise my wolf instantly calmed. I considered shifting so we could talk, but it was like she had read my mind, which I knew was impossible. It was far too soon for that. “Don’t shift, okay? I’m not ready to talk about it. I’m okay though.” She got up and started to walk away, then stopped. “Thanks for the text and call. It’s just—” She shook her head like she was deciding how much more to say. “It doesn’t matter,” she finally said sadly. “I’ll see you on Monday.”

My wolf lay down on the ground before her and whimpered. As she walked away we followed at a distance until she safely arrived back at her house. I knew there was no way in hell I could wait till Monday to see her again. The more time I spent with her, the more overwhelming the need to be with her had become.

I ran full speed back to my clothes, shifted and changed before walking back to my dorm. My door was cracked open. I couldn’t believe I would have left it that way. I slowly entered, my hair standing up and my wolf on alarm.

“Loser!” my brother, Liam, yelled.

I opened the door, fully surprised to see Patrick O’Connell sitting on my gaming chair next to him in the middle of what sounded like an intense round of Call of Duty.

Patrick was my sister Elise’s mate. He was also one of our pack Betas, but to me, he was another brother I was blessed to have. It was good to see them both. They rose and hugged me.

“I hear you may have found your mate,” Patrick said in his thick Irish accent. Despite a year in the States, it hadn’t changed any.

I punched Liam in the arm. “I thought you weren’t going to tell anyone.”

Liam shrugged. “I wanted company on the drive up and it was the easiest way to convince him to tag along.”

“I can’t believe E let you off the leash long enough to make the trip,” I ribbed Patrick, all in good humor.

He laughed, but didn’t even bother denying it. “Liam says you aren’t quite sure she’s your mate,” he challenged.

“Oh, I’m sure,” I insisted.

“But when we spoke earlier this week you said . . .”

“I know what I said. And that was weird, but I’ve spent more time with her this week. Our animals even got to know each other today, and I don’t know how it’s possible, but I’m telling you, she’s the one.” It felt good to confess it to them.

“Liam says she’s not a wolf?”

I shook my head. “No, why?” I could feel myself getting defensive.

“What is she then?” he asked with no judgement in his voice.

“She’s a gorgeous black panther,” I said proudly. “I know it doesn’t make sense, and yet, it just feels right. I’m telling you, she’s the one.”

My brothers shared a look that I recognized as not good at all.

“You’re certain she’s a black panther? Not a really dark jaguar?” Patrick asked.

“According to my buddy Matt, there’s not really any difference there, but yeah, she’s definitely considered panther. She’s actually a panther princess,” I said proudly. No way would I ever be embarrassed about my mate.

They shared that look again.

“She’s a Lockhardt then?” Patrick asked. “Truly, a fecking Lockhardt?”

---