Page 27 of Reveal Me
The panther who had attacked me the other day, the one I’d poisoned. His massive form slinked through the underbrush, his eyes fixed on me with an intensity that made my pulse spike. His black fur blended with the shadows, his powerful body rippling with each step he took.
I slumped to the ground, my legs giving way beneath me, and let out a long, frustrated sigh. My hand brushed against the cool earth, grounding myself. I instinctively reached out with my magic. I could feel the plants around me respond, thrumming with energy, eager to protect me if I asked. But I didn’t need to fight him again—not yet. Not unless I had to.
I had already poisoned this beast once, and he had survived. What if I couldn’t do it again? What if he attacked before I had the chance?
The panther stopped just a few feet away from me, his nostrils flaring as he sniffed the air. He was close enough now that I could hear the soft rasp of his breathing, could see the flex of his muscles as he waited for something—what, exactly, I didn’t know.
I was caught between the urge to defend myself and the overwhelming desire to retreat farther into the forest, to let the shadows swallow me whole and protect me. Not from this present danger, but from the unknown with my fated mate.
I was so tired. Tired of running. Tired of being alone. I wasn’t going to run. So I sat.
The large panther did something unexpected, causing me to gasp. But it also caused me to see my future in a way I never had before.
Chapter 20
Dion
Itasted the bitter scent of leaves and earth as I raced through the dark woods. A growl echoed in the distance, low and throaty, as if it was warning me to turn back. There was no turning back. I wasn’t going to let her face that panther alone.
My claws extended. My body trembled with the need to shift. I felt the beast within me, coiling, ready to break free and tear through the woods in search of her.
The moment I shifted, my senses exploded into hyper drive. The weight of my body melted into the sleek, predatory form of my panther, claws digging into the earth, muscles rippling with controlled power. The air smelled of wet foliage, crushed leaves beneath my paws, and the heady scent of the Forbidden Forest—earthy, sharp, and intoxicating. I could feel every shift in the wind, every movement in the trees, as if the world itself was speaking to me.
I growled low in my throat, the sound a rumble of warning vibrating through the air, a challenge that should have echoed loud enough to send any creature running. My eyes lockedon the massive black panther lying at Niamh’s feet, its form powerful and menacing—its presence a threat I couldn’t ignore.
My eyes narrowed. My growl deepened. A strange shift occurred. The panther, massive and wild as it was, didn’t react. It didn’t lunge at me, didn’t bare its claws or show its teeth. Instead, it lay there, resting its large head in Niamh’s lap. She stroked its fur absentmindedly, the image so surreal that for a moment, I froze in place.
I blinked once, twice, as my mind tried to process what I was seeing. My panther instincts screamed at me to defend her, to fight the beast that should have been a lethal threat. But something in the way the wild creature rested—vulnerable, calm, even—caught me off guard.
“Shush,” she said, her voice calm, almost serene. “The panther’s sleeping.”
I was stunned, still frozen in my panther form, trying to understand what was happening. This wasn’t how it was supposed to go. Panthers didn’t curl up in anyone’s lap. They didn’t trust. They didn’t show weakness. They certainly didn’t allow a fairy who carried poison in her very veins to touch them without a single ounce of fear.
Shifting back to my human form, I left the dark shape of my panther behind. “What the hell is going on?”
“I found a panther who won’t cheat on me.” She stroked the beast’s fur in the wrong direction, and it didn’t bristle.
“We’ve been through this, Niamh. I knew it was you. From the moment I met you here. You smelled like mine.”
“Yeah, I know.”
“You know?”
She nodded, stroking the panther’s fur in the wrong way. Instead of hissing, the beast purred contentedly. It was my hackles that were in a bind. That oversized cat was in my spot.
“I’ve decided to trust you. If you tell me you haven’t been to bed with another woman since me, then I’ll believe you.”
I opened my mouth and closed it.
The serene look fell from Niamh’s face. The panther lifted its head. Accusation was clear on both their faces.
I held up my hands. “I went to your room about to climb into your bed. There was a woman there. I thought it was you. It was Stella.”
“Oh? So you do incest.”
“I did not do incest. I almost lost my life. Oz came in.”
That got a burst of laughter from her. “And he didn’t break your face? I’m glad. I like your face.”
