My Panther Mate & Our Little Cub novel Chapter 57

JM

Transmigrated to Raise Panther Cubs

Chapter 57 You Should Go Sleep With Alpha

Finished

The moon hung high in the sky, casting a soft glow over the vast, quiet forest. Around the campfire, the group sat in an atmosphere that was both lively and warm.

Once dinner was over, Quincy and the others helped tidy up the area outside the cave. Zachary sorted through the fish and shrimp they had caught that day, urging the others to take some home with them

Quincy and Elias both refused, insisting they hadn’t contributed enough work to deserve it. They had already learned how to use the traps to catch fish themselves, and after enjoying such a delicious meal, they felt they couldn’t possibly take the surplus on top of that.

“Just take them. We can’t finish all this ourselves,” Zachary said, shoving the baskets into their hands. “The stream is right there. If we want more, we can just go grab some.”

Zachary had grown genuinely fond of Quincy and Elias; over time, their bond had deepened. Seeing them still hesitate, he began ushering them toward the path. “Oh, come on now, get yourselves home. Just don’t forget the perilla leaves when you’re making the stew.

“As for the shrimp,” he added, “you can deep–fry them, or steam them with some wild onion and ginger.”

With no real entertainment in this world, Zachary had gradually settled into a healthy routine of early nights and early mornings.

Of course, “early” was only relative to his old life. By the time he usually rolled out of bed, Matthew and Jaden had already finished their morning walk through the woods and returned with a fresh stack of firewood.

After washing up, Zachary climbed into bed.

Outside, Jaden stood between the entrances of the two caves, looking back and forth with a look of deep contemplation.

For the past couple of nights, his Sire had clearly gone to sleep beside him, yet every morning he emerged from his Alpha’s cave instead. Jaden was certain that Zachary had been sneaking over there in the middle of the night.

But why did he have to be so secretive about it?

A moment later, a realization dawned on Jaden. He walked over to Zachary and spoke with a gravity that seemed far too weighty for his small frame. “Sire.”

Propped up on one elbow, Zachary asked with a smile, “What is it, Jaden?”

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I’m a big boy now. I can sleep on my own,” Jaden said. “You should go sleep with Alpha.”

Zachary stared at the boy, completely baffled.

Jaden continued, “You don’t have to wait until the middle of the night to go to Alpha’s place. You can go right now.” He paused, then added helpfully, “Or, Alpha could just come over here.”

“No, that… that isn’t it at all,” Zachary stammered, his face heating up as he sat bolt upright in bed.

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14:54 Fri, Jun 5

JM

Chapter 57 You Should Go Sleep With Alpha

Finished

He wanted to explain, but the words failed him. How could he possibly explain the complexities of adult relationships to a child? In Jaden’s eyes, he and Matthew were “parents,” and Zachary knew that the dynamic between adults could deeply affect a child’s sense of security.

After a moment of frantic thinking, Zachary decided to pass the buck. He lowered his voice, trailing off as though sharing a heavy secret. “Your Alpha… well, the truth is, your Alpha prefers sleeping alone

Then, before Jaden could respond, he put on his best dejected look. “Jaden, do you not like sleeping with me his best deleted Took. Jaden, do you not like sleeping with and anymore?”

Jaden immediately shook his head. “No! I love sleeping with you, Sire.”

“Then get in here.” Zachary laughed, peeling back the covers and patting the spot next to him.

The boy was warm and soft, and whenever he shifted into his little black panther form, he was even better to cuddle. Zachary wasn’t about to give up his favorite sleeping buddy just yet.

The night wore on.

Matthew lay wide awake, tossing and turning, unable to find a comfortable position no matter how he shifted. Having spent the last few nights falling asleep with Zachary in his arms, the sudden emptiness of his embrace felt jarring.

It was true what they said: once comfort had been tasted, returning to a spartan existence felt nearly impossible.

He sighed and rolled onto his side, propping his head on his hand as he stared at the closed wooden door. He found himself listening, hoping for a repeat of the last two nights–waiting for the telltale creak of the hinges.

But he waited and waited, and the silence remained unbroken. Finally, staring up at the pitch–black ceiling of the cave, Matthew closed his eyes in defeat.

With the recent rains, the tribe finally had the time to finish weaving their vine–work. Once completed,” these goods would be taken to the Merfolk tribe in the east to trade for salt.

However, woven goods alone might not be enough. There was no guarantee the Merfolk would even want them. To ensure they secured the salt they needed, they had to prepare other commodities for barter.

The sun came out strong the next morning, burning the humidity out of the forest air. After breakfast, Matthew informed Zachary that the tribe was organizing a massive foraging expedition.

Two–thirds of the tribe would be participating. The cubs were to be left in the care of the sub–therians and those staying behind to guard the village.

Their destination was the mountains to the far south, and the entire trip was expected to take several days.

“That far?” Zachary asked, surprised.

Matthew nodded. “There are plenty of fruit trees there, as well as red and yellow sweet potatoes.”

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14:54 Fri, Jun 5 M

Chapter 57 You Should Go Sleep With Alpha,

Finished

A massive river ran through that region, so the vegetation was lush and incredibly diverse. The Black Panther Tribe harvested a bounty from the river valley every year. A portion was stored for the cold season, while the rest served as trade goods to barter with the Merfolk.

“Sweet potatoes?” Zachary’s interest was instantly piqued. “When do we leave?”

“We’re heading out tonight,” Matthew replied.

The Black Panther Tribe had excellent night vision, so traveling by day or night made little difference to them. Moving under the cover of darkness was actually an advantage–their fur blended perfectly into the shadows, making them nearly invisible to predators

“Is it that urgent?”

“The cold season might arrive early this year,” Matthew explained. “The longer we wait, the more risks we face.”

Matthew pulled out their beast–hide bags and gave them a thorough inspection.

Seeing this. Zachary grabbed two moo–beast hides. He sketched out the design for a modern rucksack, cut the material to shape, and began stitching it together with a bone needle.

He designed it with wide shoulder straps, an internal compartment, and a drawstring closure at the top. It was lightweight and far more comfortable to wear than their usual

gear.

Even though Matthew insisted they didn’t need to pack much food, and that the therians would hunt along the way, Zachary took the time to prepare some travel–friendly rations for the road.

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