Transmigrated to Raise Panther Cubs novel Chapter 85

15:00 Fri, Jun 5 M.

JM

Transmigrated to Raise Panther Cubs

Chapter 85 We Are Family

Finished

Zachary couldn’t even watch anymore. Tentatively, he asked, “Want me to… help you with it?”

Matthew walked straight over and stopped right in front of him, close enough that there was barely any space between them. “Okay.”

That wild, masculine heat hit Zachary all at once. His heart started racing before he could stop it, and even his breathing went a little unsteady.

Avoiding Matthew’s eyes, he turned to Quincy and asked, “Are there any rules for this?”

“Nope.” Quincy said. “As long as there’s color on you, it counts.”

Zachary nodded.

again

He scooped up some black pigment first. His warm fingertips brushed Matthew’s lean, solid muscle, then slid lightly across it.

That felt way too good.

Zachary’s eyes lit up instantly. The envy, the excitement–every bit of it showed

plainly on his face.

“You need to do the top too,” Matthew said calmly, taking Zachary’s hand and pressing it against his chest.

God, that is firm.

No one knew how much effort it took for Zachary not to squeeze.

He hurriedly grabbed some white and red pigment, too, trying to distract himself by focusing on the task.

Matthew was tall, and with the two of them standing face–to–face, so close together, he could clearly see Zachary’s trembling lashes and the flush spreading across both cheeks.

Zachary’s skin was soft–delicately soft. All of a sudden, Matthew had the urge to pin that pretty face against

his chest.

He’d tremble, struggle, and look up at him with eyes like a startled deer–innocent, helpless.

And when he didn’t get what he wanted, those soft, glossy lips would part, and he’d call Matthew’s name in that weak little voice.

Matthew wanted to hold him there, force him to resist, and leave a few vicious bite marks across his chest.

That would look far better than paint ever could.

Meanwhile, Zachary was still annoyed at himself for where his own thoughts had wandered, so he worked even harder, thoughtfully arranging the colors in a way that fit a more modern sense of aesthetics.

And Matthew stood there ramrod straight, his expression so composed and proper that no one would ever guess what kind of perverse things were running through his mind.

In no time at all, Zachary had painted himself into a blushing mess.

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15:00 Fri, Jun 5 M

Chapter 85 We Are Family

He’d never thought any man’s body could be so…

It was like it had some kind of magic. He just couldn’t look away.

Finished

Finally, Zachary decided it was probably enough. He pulled back his burning hands and asked, “How is it? Do you need anything else?”

Matthew gave a small nod. “It looks good.”

Then the enormous bonfire at the center of the tribe was lit.

The flames roared upward, instantly flooding the dark night with firelight. Cheers broke out all around them, and the atmosphere turned even livelier.

Several older therians began to sing. Their voices seemed to burst straight from deep in the throat-low, powerful, almost primal.

Zachary couldn’t understand the words, but the melody itself carried a raw, ancient energy that drew him in completely.

More and more people joined in, and the song–mysterious and captivating, almost operatic in its intensity -hung over the tribe like a spell.

Soon, everyone was dancing around the bonfire. There were no formal steps, no real rhythm to speak of, but somehow it all carried a natural harmony, fierce and alive.

Zachary was completely blown away.

Since he hadn’t been feeling well on the way back, Elias and the others didn’t insist on dragging him into it.

Instead, they turned their attention to Matthew, grinning as they called out, “Matthew! Come on, dance with us!”

Before Matthew could refuse, Yael and Kyle had already “kidnapped” him into the crowd.

It was almost like instinct–black panther therians danced with incredible force and presence, less like celebration and more like some kind of ritual.

Bathed in firelight, Matthew’s paint–smeared body looked all the more striking. His muscles stood out in sharp relief, and every movement–every burst of strength, every stretch of his limbs–was full of wild

power.

He carried the natural grace and composure of a black panther in every motion, like some mountain god stepping down into the mortal world.

Zachary was staring, completely mesmerized, when a voice sounded beside him.

“Hey, Zac. Want some?” Wesley walked over, holding a few skewers of roasted meat. He was forcing a smile, bur the corners of his mouth looked stiff.

Harper had pushed him over here to play nice, and Wesley was full of resentment, but he couldn’t show it outright. All he could do was grit his teeth in secret.

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15:00 Fri, Jun 5 M

Chapter 85 We Are Family

Zachary didn’t believe for a second that he was being sincere. He only glanced at the skewers and didn’t take them.

“What?” Wesley tugged at his mouth. “You think I poisoned it?”

What?”

“Yes,” Zachary said.

Wesley clearly hadn’t expected him to be that blunt.

“We’re family,” Wesley said, sitting down beside him and doing his best to keep up the fake friendliness “You haven’t been home in a long time.”

“Aren’t you disgusted hearing yourself say that?” Zachary kept his gaze fixed somewhere in the distance too lazy to waste energy on him. “If you don’t have a real reason to be here, stop bothering me.”

Wesley ground his molars together. “Alpha and Sire want you to come home.”

“I’m not going.”

“Why not?”

“Don’t want to.”

That finally broke Wesley’s act. “What exactly did we ever do to you?”

Wear yourself?” Zachary gave a short, humorless laugh. “You call yourselves

“What did you do to me? Do you

a family? You’re fake, selfish, and greedy.”

Wesley’s face darkened instantly, and he glared at him.

“Don’t push it too far. What, you think you’re any better?” he snapped. “Aren’t you just living off Matthew too?”

Zachary looked at him calmly. “Are you jealous?”

“Jealous? Of you?” Wesley sounded like he’d just heard the most ridiculous thing in the world, his voice turning shrill. “Are you insane?”

Seeing how worked up he was getting, Zachary suddenly asked, “That thing the other day–was that you?”

Wesley froze, then instinctively shot back, “What does you getting bitten by a snake have to do with me?”

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15:00 Fri, Jun 5 M

Transmigrated to Raise Panther Cubs