Page 11 of Panther Heart's Secret Passion
I landed beside her, my teeth slicing through the ropes with precision, freeing her wrists. She stumbled to her feet, her eyes wide but no longer filled with the fear I’d seen in the cabin. Her hand reached out, trembling, and brushed my fur, her voice a soft whisper. “Allen.” The bond surged, her touch grounding me, her acceptance hitting like a wave. I wanted to shift back, to pull her close, but the rogues were regrouping, their growls echoing through the cavern. A fourth rogue, another wolf, lunged from the shadows, its claws raking the air. I met it head-on, my body low as I swiped at its legs, sending it sprawling. “Run, Adrienne,” I growled, my voice a low rumble in my panther form. “Head for the grove. I’ll cover you.”
She clutched her notepad, her voice sharp with determination. “I’m not leaving you to fight alone.” But she moved toward the tunnel, her boots slipping on the damp stone as she dodged a falling chunk of rubble. I turned back, snarling as two more rogues charged, a coyote and a lean fox shifter, their eyes glowing with malice. I leaped, my claws slashing through the coyote’s side, blood spattering the floor as it howled and retreated. The fox was faster, darting around me, its teeth grazing my flank before I spun, my paw slamming into its skull, knocking it out cold. The bear rogue was back on its feet, roaring as it swung a massive paw at me. I ducked, my body fluid and quick, and raked my claws across its chest, forcing it back into the shadows. The cavern shook with the chaos, dust and stone fragments falling as the fight raged.
Adrienne made it to the tunnel, and I followed, my senses sharp for any sign of pursuit. We burst into the sacred grove, the bioluminescent trees casting an ethereal glow over the clearing, their light pulsing like a living thing. The air was warm, thick with the scent of wildflowers and earth, but the peace wasshattered by the snarls of Morris and his remaining rogues, hot on our trail. I shifted back to human form, my breath heaving, my muscles burning from the fight. I stood in front of Adrienne, shielding her as she gripped her notepad, her eyes scanning the glowing trees for danger. “Stay close,” I said, my voice low and urgent. “They’re not done yet.”
She nodded, her voice steady despite the tension. “I’m not going anywhere. But we need to stop him, Allen. He’s got those fragments, and he’s planning something bad. I read about a ritual in the library, it’s gotta be what he’s after. He wants to destroy your veil.”
Before I could respond, a howl cut through the air, and help arrived. A pack of Esoterra’s trackers stormed into the grove, led by Refugio, a grizzled shifter with a scarred face and eyes like flint. I’d sent a distress signal to the council before storming the hideout, and they’d come through. Refugio’s team, a mix of wolves and bears, charged into Morris’s rogues with a ferocity that shook the ground. A wolf tracker tackled a coyote rogue, their bodies rolling across the grass in a tangle of fur and claws, snarls echoing through the trees. A bear shifter roared, slamming into a wolf rogue with enough force to snap a sapling in half, the crack of wood mixing with the rogue’s yelp. Another tracker, a sleek wolf, darted around a fox rogue, its teeth sinking into the rogue’s hind leg, dragging it down as it thrashed.
I pulled Adrienne behind a glowing tree, my hand on her arm, my voice tight. “Stay here. Let Refugio’s team handle the fight. They’re trained for this.”
She shook her head, her eyes blazing. “I’m not hiding, Allen. Morris is after those fragments, and I know what he’s doing. He wants to expose your world, start a war. We can’t let him.” Her notepad was clutched tight, pages filled with photos and notes, evidence of the logging company’s ties to Morris. Her fire, even now, made my chest tighten with pride.
I nodded, my voice firm. “Okay, but stick with me. We end this together.” We moved toward the ruins at the edge of the grove, where Morris stood in a circle of ash, a pile of veil fragments glowing ominously at his feet. His scar gleamed in the torchlight, his amber eyes blazing as he chanted, the fragments pulsing brighter with each word, the air crackling with unstable energy. The veil was stuttering, its magic fraying, and I knew we had seconds to stop him before it collapsed entirely.
Adrienne stepped forward, her voice loud and sharp, cutting through his chant like a blade. “Hey, Morris! You think you’re some big hero, betraying your own people? Working with the logging company’s CEO to sell out Esoterra? That’s pathetic, even for you.” Her words were a weapon, her wit sharp as she held his gaze, unflinching.
Morris faltered, his hands pausing, the ritual’s glow dimming for a moment. “You know nothing, human,” he spat, his voice dripping with venom. “The council’s weak, hiding us while humans destroy our home. I’m giving shifters a future, and your CEO friend’s just a means to an end.”
Adrienne laughed, her voice bold. “A means to an end? You’re his pawn, Morris. He’s funding you to profit when your veil falls, selling your secrets for cash. You’re not freeing anyone, you’re just a sellout.” Her words hit hard, and I saw doubt flicker in his eyes, his focus breaking.
I glanced at Refugio, who was circling closer, his bear form massive, his claws glinting in the glow. I gave him a nod, and we moved in sync. I lunged at Morris, tackling him to the ground, my arms pinning his as he thrashed, his body half-shifting into his panther form. “It’s over,” I growled, my voice low and fierce. “You’re done, Morris.” Refugio roared, shifting back to human form as he pulled enchanted cords from his belt, their faint glow humming with magic. He bound Morris’s wrists, the cordstightening as Morris snarled, his body forced back to human form by the magic.
A rogue wolf broke through the fight, charging at us, but Refugio was faster, his fist slamming into its jaw, sending it sprawling. Another rogue, a coyote, darted toward Adrienne, but I spun, my foot kicking out to trip it, my hands grabbing its scruff and throwing it into a tree. The grove was chaos, trackers and rogues clashing, claws tearing through fur, growls and roars mixing with the snap of branches. Refugio’s team was relentless, a wolf tracker pinning a rogue fox to the ground, its teeth snapping as it struggled. The bear shifter tackled another rogue, its massive paws crushing the rogue’s ribs with a sickening crunch.
Adrienne stood firm, her notepad clutched tight, her voice steady as she handed me a stack of photos and notes. “I’ve got evidence,” she said, her eyes fierce. “Pictures of the claw-mark tattoos, the logging site sabotage, names tied to the CEO. We can frame his human allies as corporate criminals, expose their deals without mentioning shifters. It’ll keep Esoterra’s secret safe.”
I took the papers, my chest swelling with pride and something deeper, the bond burning brighter than ever. “You’re incredible,” I said, my voice soft but sure. “This could work. We’ll take them down together, Adrienne. I’m not letting you go, not after this.”
She smiled, a real one, her hand brushing mine. “You better not. I’m in this now, shifter or not. We’ve got a future, Allen, and I’m not letting anyone take it from us.”
Refugio approached, wiping blood from his knuckles, his grizzled face nodding approvingly. “You’ve done well, Orr. The fragments are secure, and Morris is ours. But the council wants you both at the chamber. They’re not happy you revealed yourself to a human.” His voice was gruff, but there was respectin his eyes as he glanced at Adrienne. “She’s got guts. Might just save your hide.”
I nodded, my stomach twisting at the thought of facing the council. “Thanks, Refugio. We’ll head there soon.” The trackers gathered the fragments, their glow dimming as they were sealed in enchanted pouches. The rogues were bound or scattered, the grove quieting as the fight ended, the air heavy with the scent of blood and wildflowers. I turned to Adrienne, my hand finding hers. “You okay with this? Facing the council, I mean. They’re not gonna be thrilled, but I’ll fight for you.”
She squeezed my hand, her voice steady. “I’m not backing down. They want to talk? Let them. I’ve got the truth on my side, and I’ve got you.” Her words were like a spark, lighting up the bond between us, and I pulled her close, my lips brushing her forehead.
Before we could move, a rune on a nearby tree flared to life, its glow sharp and red, the council’s summons etched in the bark. The words were clear, a warning that cast a shadow over our victory: “Allen Orr, present yourself and the human. Punishment awaits for revealing Esoterra’s secret.”
Chapter Thirteen
Adrienne
I stood beside Allen in the vast council chamber of Esoterra, my heart pounding as the crystal lights above shimmered like stars, casting a soft glow over the stone floor. The elders sat on their carved seats, their faces stern, but I gripped my evidence tightly, photos of sabotaged logging equipment, Benjamin’s whistleblower notes, and a scroll we had taken from Morris detailing his ritual. The air was heavy with expectation, and Allen’s hand brushed mine, his presence steadying me. Lupe, the head elder, leaned forward, her voice sharp. “Adrienne Phelps, you stand here as a human who knows our secret. Explain why we should spare you and Allen Orr for his breach of our laws.”
I took a deep breath, my voice clear and firm. “I am not here to expose Esoterra. I am here to protect it, same as Allen. Morris was working with the logging company’s CEO, sabotaging equipment to draw attention to your forest, hoping to break your veil. I have proof, photos, notes, even Morris’s own plans. We can frame this as a human conspiracy, pin it all on the CEO’s greed. No one will ever hear about shifters, I swear.”I held up the photos, my hands steady despite the council’s piercing stares. “This CEO was buying rare pelts, funding Morris to profit from the chaos. My story will call him out as a corporate criminal, nothing more. Esoterra stays hidden.”
Torin, his gray beard catching the light, raised an eyebrow. “And why should we trust you, a journalist? Your kind thrives on secrets, on exposing what is hidden.”
I smirked, my wit kicking in. “Trust me because I am good at my job. I know how to spin a story, and this one is airtight. The CEO already has a shady reputation, tax evasion, cutting corners. People will eat this up without asking questions. Plus, I am not exactly eager to tell the world I am in love with a guy who turns into a panther. They would lock me up first.” A few elders chuckled, their tension easing, and I felt Allen’s hand squeeze mine, his pride clear in his touch.
Lupe’s eyes narrowed, but her voice softened. “And you, Allen? You revealed our nature to a human, breaking our oldest law. What defense do you offer?”
Allen stepped forward, his voice steady. “I broke the law to save Esoterra. Adrienne is my soulmate, and that bond gave me the strength to stop Morris. She did not just save herself, she saved us all with her evidence. Refugio saw us fight together, he will tell you. Punish me if you have to, but do not touch her. She is one of us now.”
Refugio, standing at the chamber’s edge, nodded, his grizzled face serious. “Orr speaks true. I saw them in the grove, working as a team. The human has courage, and her plan is solid. Morris is bound, the fragments are secure, and Esoterra is safe because of them. The bond between them, it is real. I have seen it strengthen him.”
The elders murmured, their gazes shifting. Lupe raised a hand, silencing them. “The soulmate bond is rare, and its power is undeniable. Adrienne Phelps, your evidence and your actionshave protected our realm. Allen Orr, your loyalty to Esoterra, despite your breach, is clear. You are both pardoned, but know this, any further violation will bring swift judgment.” She nodded, and the council rose, dismissing us with a wave.
