My Panther Mate & Our Little Cub novel Chapter 196

Chapter 196 Apologizing

“I’m sorry. I messed up. I really did.” Matthew shook his head and leaned through the curling steam, trying to kiss him.

Zachary was nowhere near as strong as Matthew, but that did not mean he would obediently surrender He turned his face away at once. “Are you getting off me or not?”

“No.” Matthew had never been good at talking his way out of trouble, so he chose the most direct method instead.

Zachary narrowed his eyes. “You’re seriously not moving?”

Matthew kept staring at Zachary’s face, which had turned faintly pink from the warmth of the spring. “Not a chance.”

A sly smile touched Zachary’s lips. Before Matthew could guard against it, Zachary reached out and pinched his sensitive spot hard.

Matthew’s brows drew tight from the sudden sting as he hissed. But once the pain passed, another kind of unbearable heat rushed up in its place.

Zachary seized the chance and swam toward the opposite side, looking terribly pleased with himself. But his foot landed on a slippery rock underwater. He slipped, lost his balance, and vanished beneath the surface with a splash.

“Zachary!” Matthew’s expression changed instantly. He rushed over and pulled him up.

The spring was not deep, but Zachary still swallowed several mouthfuls of water. He leaned weakly against

Matthew’s arm, shoulders curled as he coughed for quite a while before finally breathing properly again.

After that fright, Matthew no longer dared to fool around in the water. He behaved himself and Zachary steadily. “Let’s soak a little longer, then go back.”

Zachary’s face stayed expressionless. “What? Did I scare you?”

Matthew’s jaw tightened. “Don’t test me.”

Zachary ignored him. After a long while, he clapped his hands together, clearly in a much better mood, then climbed out to get dressed.

Sweat gathered on Matthew’s forehead. He stayed in the spring for a painfully long time before finally forcing himself out.

Once he dried off, he obediently returned to being Zachary’s ride, though he looked rather pitiful.

And Zachary’s punishment still had not ended.

red

Before sleeping. Zachary stood at the cave entrance and warned him firmly, “Don’t even think about taking the door off again. Otherwise, tomorrow you can go sleep with Daniel and the others.”

“Zachary…” Matthew held his hand. “I was wrong. I promise I’ll never take that medicine again. I won’t hide anything from you anymore. If hitting me will make you feel better, then hit me.”

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Chapter 196 Apologizing

Zachary sighed. “If I hit you, my hand will hurt.”

Matthew answered immediately. “I’ll find you a stick.”

“No.” Zachary rejected him without hesitation and shut the door. “We’re sleeping.”

Matthew crouched outside the door and let out a heavy sigh, as if the entire sky had fallen on him.

At least Zachary was only driving him out, not leaving by himself.

Late into the night, a faint scraping sound came from the wooden door.

Matthew was, strictly speaking, obeying. He did not remove the door.

Finished

Instead, he slipped his curved claws into the thin gap between the door and the stone wall, carefully shifting the wooden latch little by little until it came loose.

On the bed, Zachary and Jaden were both sleeping soundly. Matthew changed back into human form, lifted the blanket, and slipped in.

Only then did he finally feel at ease, wrapping Zachary in his arms and nuzzling close.

Because he had stayed awake for too long, he slept later than usual. Zachary woke first and, without mercy, used all his strength to kick Matthew straight off the bed.

Matthew sat there blinking for several seconds before muttering, “I can’t sleep alone.”

Jaden watched the usually terrifying Alpha sit on the floor like a wronged big beast. Around his S Matthew was unbelievably gentle.

Sire,

Jaden wanted to laugh but did not dare. Afraid he might get thrown out too, he narrowed his his ears, and pretended to sleep while secretly watching everything.

eyes, perked

Matthew pushed himself upright and leaned over the edge of the bed. His hand closed gently around Zachary’s pale, delicate ankle. “What do you feel like eating this morning?”

Zachary tried to kick him away, but Matthew only drew him closer. His foot landed against Matthew’s bare chest, and beneath that warm skin, Zachary felt the strong, even rhythm of his heartbeat.

“I’m sorry.” Matthew said, his voice low and sincere. “I really messed up.”

Zachary had already lost count of how many apologies Matthew had given him. They were all built from the same few words—he was wrong, he was sorry, Zachary could hit him if he wanted, Zachary should not stay angry–and now he had even learned to tack on “baby.”

For one tiny moment, Zachary almost softened. He turned his face aside. “You’re saying sorry because you got exposed. You still don’t understand the part that actually matters.”

“I do!” Matthew answered at once. “I shouldn’t have worried you. I shouldn’t have hidden things.” Zachary shook his head and met his gaze properly. “That’s not the main reason I’m angry. Everyone has things they don’t say out loud. I can understand that. What I can’t accept is you acting like your own body

doesn’t matter.

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Chapter 196 Apologizing

Finichen

“I wasn’t here before. But I’m here now. We’re a family, and I want all of us to be safe. I want you beside me for the rest of my life. Just thinking that I might lose you scares me. Even a small risk is too much.”

The instant Zachary finished speaking, Matthew dropped to his knees. He wrapped both arms around Zachary’s waist and pressed his face against Zachary’s stomach. “I was wrong. This time, I really know I was wrong. I swear it won’t happen again.”

“I was afraid. I kept thinking you might disappear again like before. Zachary, I’m scared. I’m really scared…” Matthew’s voice sank low, and there was a faint tremble hidden in it.

Zachary’s anger finally cracked. How was he supposed to stay hard–hearted toward Matthew? Matthew had already spent too many years hurting.

Zachary ran his fingers through Matthew’s hair and leaned their foreheads together, speaking softly. “I know. I know.”

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