My Panther Mate & Our Little Cub novel Chapter 88

Chapter 88 Hot Spring

Finished

Although there was a good supply of fruit and gathered plants, most people still chose meat first. Meat kept you full, and hunting alone wasn’t easy. Greens and other forage, on the other hand, could usually be found as long as someone was willing to go looking.

When Matthew’s turn came, he glanced over the pile of food–and immediately pictured Zachary happily nibbling roasted red sweet potato, cheeks rounded and eyes full of contentment.

So in the end, he passed on meat entirely. Instead, he exchanged his share for yellow sweet potatoes, red/ sweet potatoes, mushrooms, fruit, and wild greens.

The choice puzzled everyone. Even the chieftain stopped to ask, “You really don’t want any meat?”

Matthew simply nodded.

Since Zachary had been the one to identify both garlic and rice, and no one else knew how to prepare them, the chieftain handed all of that over to Matthew as well and told him to let Zachary decide what to do with it.

There was far too much for one person to carry. Yael and the others pitched in, and even then, it took two separate trips to haul everything back to the cave.

Zachary was roused by the commotion outside. Sitting up groggily, he saw Matthew approaching.

“It’s nothing,” Matthew said quietly. “Go back to sleep.”

“The bonfire’s over already?” Zachary asked.

“Yeah.”

After spending so many days out in the open, sleeping rough and traveling nonstop, Zachary had been craving a proper bath. So he asked whether Matthew would take him up to the hot springs.

Matthew agreed at once. “Come on.”

Zachary got up quickly, gathering a change of clothes as he went. Only then did he notice he’d been sleeping in Matthew’s cave, but he didn’t dwell on it.

Since Jaden had already gone up the mountain the previous day, he didn’t come this time. Matthew shifted into his black panther form, and under the cover of night, Zachary rode on his back up the mountain path.

They weren’t alone. Plenty of therians and sub–therians were heading up as well, all making for the springs.

Fortunately, the mountainside had many of them–large and small pools scattered between the rocks.

Usually, bonded pairs shared the same spring.

But Zachary felt too shy for that, so he made straight for a smaller pool tucked off in a corner.

Something in Matthew’s gaze dimmed, though he said nothing. He chose the spring right beside Zachary’s

instead.

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Chapter 38 Hot Spring

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A broad stone separated the two pools.

The instant Zachary lowered himself into the water, warmth wrapped around him from every side, and a long breath of relief slipped from his lips.

He rested against the stone edge with half–closed eyes. Before long, the steam had colored his cheeks pink, the heat loosening every last knot in his body until even the weariness from the journey seemed to dissolve,

Moonlight poured down from above, while mist drifted low over the water below.

He had almost melted into pure comfort when Matthew asked if he wanted some bubble fruit. Only then did Zachary finally sit up.

He reached out to take it just as the water beside him broke with a splash.

Matthew rose from his spring without the slightest hesitation, completely naked, stepped around the stone between them, and brought the fruit over himself.

In the cold silver light, his lean body looked so perfectly made it was almost unreal–as if some god had sculpted him on purpose.

Zachary went still.

Several round bubble fruits

“Don’t want them?”

d on Matthew’s long fingers.

That snapped Zachary back to himself. His face flared red at once. He snatched the fruit in a panic and sank as far into the spring as he could, leaving only his eyes above the surface–and even then, he didn’t dare lift them.

But somehow, with Matthew standing and him crouched in the water, the whole situation only felt more mortifying.

“Careful,” Matthew said in a low voice. “Don’t choke on the water.”

“Mm… okay…”

Soft little bubbles rose to the surface with quiet burbling sounds. Matthew’s mouth curved faintly, though his expression stayed calm, and he went back to his own pool.

The bubble fruit turned slick the moment it got wet, slippery enough to shoot right out of your hand if weren’t careful. Zachary scrubbed himself down as fast as he could, dried off with a piece of hide, and rushed to get dressed.

Matthew, on the other hand, took his time.

By the time Zachary had finished changing, Matthew had only just emerged from the spring and walked over near the large rock.

Then, as if Zachary weren’t standing right there at all, he began drying himself with unhurried thoroughness.

From top to bottom. Every inch.

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15:01 Fri, Jun 5 M

Chapter 88 Hot Spring

مل

Frished

Zachary looked once and instantly jerked his head away. Yet for some reason, the quiet sound of hide dragging over damp skin made the heat rise in his face all over again.

“Are you done dressing?” he asked, trying to sound normal.

“No need.”

“What?”

Zachary turned back–only to find Matthew had already shifted back into a black panther.

Jaden was still awake when they returned. He had been conscientiously tending the fire the whole time, waiting for his Sire and Alpha to come home.

Zachary’s only thought was that tonight, finally, he could sleep properly. So he took Jaden’s hand and headed into their cave.

Jaden followed obediently, the corners of his mouth lifting ever so slightly.

Matthew remained standing alone in the middle of his own cave, staring at the closed door with a complicated expression.

For the first time, he regretted digging o

a separate cave.

Maybe putting in aorway he been necessary at all.

Maybe he should just break the whole wall through and connect the caves completely.

Meanwhile, Zachary stretched out on the soft, comfortable bed and let out a satisfied sigh. “Home really is the best.”

Jaden climbed up beside him, scrambling onto the bed with both hands and feet before settling down next to him.

Turning onto his side, Zachary smiled at the boy. “Matthew and I both missed you a lot while we were away.”

Usually so restrained, Jaden actually inched closer on his own this time and quietly wrapped himself around Zachary’s arm.

Zachary turned toward him fully, gathered him into his arms, and gently patted his back. “Did you miss us these past few days?”

Perhaps because of the kind of environment he had grown up in, Jaden had always been a quiet, inward child–far more reserved than other children his age and never very good at putting his feelings into words.

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