My Panther Mate & Our Little Cub novel Chapter 7

"Right. Our Black Panther Tribe seldom gets therians from outside tribes," Elias reflected on the past as he walked. "When your Sire and Alpha brought you and Wesley here, the chief and the shaman argued extensively before granting permission for you to stay."

Zachary caught a new piece of information. The original owner has family? Great. Now the guilt just got a lot heavier.

Elias spoke bluntly without much tact, "Everything changed after you bonded with Matthew."

Zachary tried to piece together the situation. "Did I actually like Matthew?"

Quincy and Elias exchanged a brief glance and remained silent.

That reaction gave Zachary the answer immediately. He pressed, "Then, why did I become Matthew's mate?"

Elias gave a simple explanation. "Your Alpha injured his leg during a hunt. Without a dependable therian, a sub-therian has almost no chance of surviving. Cold season makes it even worse."

Life had forced the choice.

Zachary could understand that.

Curiosity still lingered. "What kind of therian is Matthew? How does he treat me?"

"He treats you extremely well." Quincy's tone carried quiet certainty. No therian in the tribe showed more patience toward their mates than Matthew.

Elias added proudly, "Matthew is the strongest therian in the Black Panther Tribe!"

Several sub-therians appeared ahead as the conversation continued. Two tall therians stood nearby.

Zachary had already learned how to distinguish them.

Therians in this tribe tended to be taller, broader, and far more imposing than sub-therians.

Since Zachary rarely appeared in public, most therians knew him only through rumors about his temper. Their gazes carried curiosity, caution, and occasional hostility.

Some therians simply disliked him.

Corey noticed him first and pointed openly. "Well, look who decided to show up. Is he going to throw another tantrum today?"

Zachary glanced at them with a frown. Why does every place have someone like this?

"Corey." Quincy stepped forward slightly. "That kind of talk isn't necessary."

Corey clicked his tongue in annoyance. "Quincy, are you stupid? Why stay close to someone who treats you like dirt?"

Zachary felt irritation rising in his chest.

Elias reacted even faster. "What does it have to do with you? Mind your own business."

Corey's lips curled with sarcasm. "Did you already forget how miserable you looked after that rock hit you last time?"

Elias shot him a sideways look. "Zachary might be a mess sometimes. You're even more annoying."

Zachary forced an awkward smile. Wow. This guy is brutally honest.

"You!" Anger flushed across Corey's face.

Quincy glanced at Zachary with concern. "Elias didn't mean it that way."

Zachary shook his head lightly, a calm smile on his face. "I understand."

Aloysius grabbed Corey's arm and urged him forward. "Enough arguing. Time to move."

That's... a unique attempt at comfort. Zachary noticed the sincerity in Elias' expression and briefly lost words. "Right."

He mused, This sub-therian is unexpectedly entertaining.

Several people ahead suddenly crouched and began digging something from the soil.

Zachary moved closer to get a better look. There was a patch of leafy plants growing there, resembling amaranth.

Quincy noticed Zachary standing still. "That plant is edible. The taste is bitter, though it fills your stomach."

"Understood." Zachary crouched down and began digging alongside the others.

During the gathering, Elias and Quincy pointed out several additional edible greens. Most of these resembled wild vegetables that Zachary recognized from modern times. Some even bore familiar names, like purslane and endive.

With two enormous black panthers guarding nearby, the sub-therians gradually relaxed.

Once the wild vegetables filled their bags, the group continued deeper into the forest.

Soon, several trees heavy with fruit came into view.

Zachary's eyes lit up immediately.

They were apple trees, but these trees were much taller than he remembered, with clusters of ripe fruit hanging high among the branches.

He thought, The fruits Quincy brought earlier must have come from these trees.

Zachary studied the trunk, trying to figure out the best way to climb. Meanwhile, the other sub-therians moved ahead, rapidly climbing the trees with their hide bags slung over their backs.

Zachary knew how to climb trees, but that was a childhood skill from ordinary forests. Standing under such tall trees after years without practice made him hesitate.

The others moved through the branches with surprising ease, already picking fruit.

Zachary watched momentarily before following Quincy and Elias up the tree.