My Panther Mate & Our Little Cub novel Chapter 63

Chapter 63 Potatoes!

Finished

Zachary felt like he was sinking into a bean bag chair. Drowsiness crept over him almost immediately, his eyes slowly falling shut as his breathing evened out into a steady rhythm.

While he slept, Matthew kept him cocooned in his body and tail, a layer of clothing draped over him for warmth.

Cool breezes moved through the forest in the dead of night. Still deep in sleep, Zachary unconsciously inched toward the warmth next to him and held it close.

The softness, the steady heat–it was like sinking into a dream he never wanted to leave.

Listening to the quiet, even breathing beside him, Matthew lay awake with his bright golden eyes open in the dark, turning something over in his thoughts.

Out in the field, the Black Panther Tribe had no particular taboos between the sexes. Survival had a way making everything else feel trivial.

Sub–therians without mates would seek warmth from other therians as a matter of course.

Something unfamiliar twisted in Wesley’s chest as he watched Matthew hover over Zachary with such quiet attentiveness. His jaw tightened on its own, an unease he couldn’t quite name settling under his skin.

It made no sense to him. The Zachary he knew had never had any patience for Matthew–the two of them had been like oil and water. Yet ever since that accident in the water, something between them had shifted in a way Wesley couldn’t explain.

And it wasn’t just Matthew.

Everyone’s impression of Zachary had shifted, too.

The therians who used to trail after Wesley had shifted their attention. They were now falling over themselves to help whenever Zachary needed a hand.

Corey hadn’t needed to come on this trip at all, but the moment he heard Matthew was going, he’d insisted on joining.

Watching this scene, Wesley pressed his lips together.

He shot Zachary a glare and turned his head away as if he hadn’t seen a thing.

Nearby, Aloysius gave Corey a pat on the shoulder. Having grown up together, Aloysius knew exactly what was going through his friend’s mind. He had warned him more than once that Matthew already had a mate.

But Corey refused to give up.

That was the way of the therian world. If something was worth wanting, they fought to claim it. And once they had won it over, it was theirs to keep.

So what if they were mates? Zachary was never good enough for Matthew!

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Chapter 63 Potatoes!

They had grown up together since they were cubs.

Corey was certain that he would take Matthew back one day.

When Matthew left for patrol, he quietly retrieved a thick beast–hide bag and tucked it beneath Zachary. Then, he draped his own clothing over him before heading off.

The sudden absence of warmth made Zachary furrow his brow. In that hazy place between sleep and waking, he curled into a ball and wrapped his arms around himself.

When the first pale light of dawn crept through, Matthew returned.

His fur was damp with dew, so he crouched by the fire to dry off before settling back beside Zachary, carefully drawing him close into his forepaws against his belly.

All in all, it had been a decent night for Zachary.

Zachary’s vision gradually sharpened.

He yawned and pressed a palm to the ground to push himself up, fingers brushing against something soft.

He glanced down and found something black and furry. Before he could stop himself, he reached out and grabbed two fistfuls.

It was so soft and warm.

The next second, he found himself staring into a pair of bright golden eyes. He suddenly realized he was rubbing a black panther’s belly.

He yanked his hand back and laughed awkwardly.

Matthew’s eyes flickered with something complicated, starting with a flash of startled surprise at the touch, followed by a thrill he couldn’t quite hide.

Matthew’s tail swayed idly as he remained on the ground, in no particular hurry to move. It was only when Zachary rose, and the warmth between them faded, that he finally pushed himself up. Shifting back into his human form, he picked up his clothes and dressed without a word.

Daylight broke.

Birdsong rose and fell all around them.

Quincy and Elias, both early risers, were already crouched by the fire helping with breakfast.

Roasted meat again. Zachary had no appetite and could barely get through a couple of fruits before giving

1. up.

Matthew frowned slightly. “Are you sure you don’t want a bit more to eat?”

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Chapter 63 Potatoes!

Zachary shook his head.

Not wanting to admit he simply wasn’t used to the meal, he offered a weak excuse, saying he hadn’t worked up much of an appetite from sleeping all night.

The misty morning stirred with the sounds of busy activity.

The group came to a halt at a stretch of relatively flat, gently sloping terrain.

A few of the experienced sub–therians crouched down and scooped up a handful of soil. They studied it for

a moment, then led everyone a little further ahead. The three groups fanned out from there.

Zachary spotted a dense patch of low–growing plants reaching up to his calf. It was lush and green, spreading in a crowded tangle across the ground.

Having grown up in the countryside, he knew exactly what he was looking at.

It was potatoes.

His eyes went wide. Heart thudding with excitement, he crouched down, grabbed hold of a stalk, and pulled.

Round, yellow potatoes came tumbling out of the earth along with the roots, each one bigger than his fist.

Worried he had missed some, he dug around with his hands, and sure enough, a few more yellow edges peeked out from the soil.

To the therians, the roots of this plant, which they called “yellow sweet potato,” were one of the rare foods that could be stored through the cold season to hold hunger at bay. So, they worked methodically, pulling up the plants first before combing through all the loose soil beneath to make sure nothing was left behind.

Of course, they always left a portion of the roots in the ground so new growth could come up again the following year.

Zachary stared at the potatoes in his hands and felt his mouth begin to water. Chips, fries, potato noodles, shredded potato, loaded wedges…

Just thinking about it made him giddy with excitement.

“You really love these, huh?” Elias caught the way Zachary’s eyes were practically glowing. He wandered over, curiosity getting the better of him.

Zachary nodded. “Absolutely obsessed.”

“There should be plenty more deeper in these hills.” Quincy smiled. “We can dig as many as we like!”

Zachary didn’t hesitate. The moment he saw that thick, soft fur, it felt like salvation. It was different from usual. Whenever Matthew transformed, Zachary instinctively treated him less like a person and more like an animal–and without realizing it, he relaxed completely.

He leaned against Matthew and adjusted himself until he found a comfortable position.

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Chapter 63 Potatoes!

The black panther was massive, its fur dense and soft. And like most beasts, its body radiated heat far warmer than a human’s.

Even out in the open air, Zachary felt himself gradually warming up.

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