Panther

Chapter Twelve

I'm not as careful and slow when I pull into the park's parking lot as I have been in the past.

Tears are now threatening to spill over. I swallow thickly, trying desperately to keep my shit together for just a little bit longer. Let me help you. I pause and nod my head. I know my panther has better emotional control than me, and to be honest, I don't feel like trying right now.

After tucking my car keys away, I hid behind a patch of spiky bushes, and practically ripped my clothes off. For once, I don't fight the change. I actually enjoy the physical pain that comes from shifting. It distracted me from the emotional.

I sit in the back of my mind, watching my panther take control. She lets out a scratchy, horribly loud roar and begins crashing through the forest, following our scent to where we both know Ike is. How can I need someone I barely know this badly?

I reach the edge of his pack in mere minutes. My panther has torn through the woods, leaving a path of broken branches and scared squirrels in her wake. But she isn't thinking of control. She's thinking of comfort. For both her and me.

I slowed down, not wanting anyone to think I was a threat to the pack. But as I look into the clearing, I see no one. Ike probably told them you were coming. That, and they probably heard me. I smile a little at my panther.

The front door to Ike's house swings open, and there he is.

Tall. Sturdy.

"Cleo." He says softly, sadness laced in his tone. How can he understand what I need so perfectly?

He opens his arms, and my panther stalks towards him. I want to hug him. I nudge my panther internally, and she sighs. I know she hates giving up control, and I promise to let her out more often.

We lay down on the ground and I can feel my body clenching up as we change. Ike quickly turns and rushes into his house, coming back a moment later with a thick looking blanket.

I'm glad, because moments later I'm naked and exposed to prying eyes and the cold fall air.

But the goosebumps that are on my arms now aren't from the chilled air, it's from Ike slightly grazing my skin with his hand as he wraps the blanket around me.

I don't expect him to, and I almost protest, but he picks me up from the ground like a child. He's so warm and solid though, and I can't help but bury my face in his chest. He's vibrating, and I realize his wolf is purring with content. Wolves don't really purr, it's more of a low growl, but it's a happy noise. That much is for sure.

He doesn't say anything as he carries me inside, kicking the front door shut behind us. He walks through the living room, down a long hallway. I peek at where we're going.

He finally turns into the last door in the hallway into what I'm assuming is his bedroom. I'm curious now, wondering what his plan is. He sets me down on his bed, and I grab the corners of the blanket to keep myself covered.

I watch him carefully as he slides open his closet doors and stands with his back to me for a moment. He takes a mustard yellow sweatshirt off a hanger, and then takes what looks like a pair of basketball shorts off a shelf above his hanger rack.

"Here." He says, holding the clothes out to me. He turns around, covering his eyes with both his hands. Such a gentleman. I feel my cheeks glowing pink as I drop the blanket and quickly pull the clothes on, throwing my hips up into the air to pull the shorts on. They were way too big and probably wouldn't stay up on their own when I stood up. I don't really know why we were both acting like he hadn't already seen me naked the first time we met, but I still liked that he didn't ogle me. The clothes are soft and smell like laundry soap, and while they smell nice, I'm a bit disappointed they don't smell like him.

"I'm decent." I say, sitting crisscrossed with my hands in my lap. He spins around, eyes roaming over me. A soft smile plays on his lips.

"You look cute in my clothes." He says, moving to sit on the edge of the bed. I furrow my brow, glaring at him.

"I'm not cute." I say. He laughs, deep and beautiful sounding. I watch him and can tell he's being cautious around me.

I scoot away, grabbing a pillow and hugging it to my chest. I lean my back against his wooden bed frame and pat the spot next to me. I want him closer.

He kicks off his shoes, letting them thunk on the ground before moving to sit next to me. Once he's comfy, he turns to look at me, his eyes searching mine.

"What's wrong with my Cleo?" My stomach flips at his words. You're his Cleo. Teases my panther.

"I got fired." I say after a moment.

"What? Why?"

I sigh, leaning my head back and shutting my eyes. "Because I can't control my anger sometimes." He's quiet for a moment.

"What will you do now?" I open my eyes and roll my head to the side to look at him.

"Sell my body, I guess." I intend it as a joke, but he looks away from me, narrowing his eyes.

"You shouldn't say that." He won't look at me now, and I feel guilty.

"You know I was kidding." I say, wanting him to look at me again. His endless eyes bring me comfort that I desperately need right now.

"I don't like thinking about another man putting his grubby hands on you, Cleo." He finally tuns back towards me, and I feel the butterflies in my stomach fluttering around. I feel nervous, a little sad, giddy, and infatuated all at the same time. It's making my head spin.

I'm so busy thinking about how I'm feeling, it takes me a moment to realize he's staring at my lips.

But when I finally do realize, I stop breathing.

His eyes move up to meet mine, then back to my lips. Oh my god he's going to kiss you!! My panther is practically yelling at me as though I've never had a first kiss before.

I can't help myself; I bite my lower lip a little as my eyes roam over his face, soaking in every detail. From the scar across his nose, to the rough looking stubble on his jawline.

I'm surprised when he grabs the back of my neck and pulls me towards him while simultaneously leaning into my lips. Our lips crash together, needy and hungry.

A soft moan involuntarily escapes through my lips into his mouth, and I hear his wolf growling deep in his chest.

I feel heat building in my lower stomach as he grabs just under my ass cheeks and pulls me onto his lap, never breaking our kiss. I'm straddling him now, one hand gripping the back of his neck, the other grabbing a fistful of his shirt and pulling his mouth closer to mine, as though I wasn't already devouring him.

He runs his hand up to the roots of my hair and grabs a fistful, pulling my head back roughly, exposing my neck to his kisses. I shut my eyes and sigh softly as I feel his stubble tickling my collar bone. His grip on my hair tightens, making me clench my thighs together.

Up until now Ike hadn't touched me except to hold my hand. Because of this I had assumed he was shy, or even timid about this kind of stuff.

I was dead fucking wrong.

And I was also wrong about knowing what a first kiss was.

I was convinced I had never had a first kiss before after this one.