Glowing: By Fate | a Black Panther's Tale

7| Destiny's Call

I followed as splinters of stone and various debris cascaded down from the wall, some of it embedding itself in my fur. Rising to my feet, I promptly leaped out of the hole created by the explosion, emitting a menacing snarl at the truck and the African American man who stood there. His eyes widened at the unexpected sight of me. However, just before I could launch myself after him, the Black Panther appeared and rushed towards him as well.

"T'Challa!" I called out and sprinted after them, my paws thudding against the asphalt. But I couldn't reach them in time before T'Challa came to a halt. I sighed and trotted over to him, my gaze fixed on the direction the car had fled.

"Up, my king," I urged, nuzzling him gently to encourage him to stand. He complied, and Okoye came over to check on her king before assisting him. When we returned inside, I noticed that Klaue had vanished, and Ross lay sprawled on the ground.

I snorted, inspecting him briefly before looking up sharply at the king. "Take him to the ship now," I ordered. Okoye appeared puzzled, but she followed my command, as did Nakia. "Are you certain about this?" I fixed T'Challa with a determined gaze. "I may be your guardian, but I also protect others within your circle. I will guard them with my life," I affirmed before striding towards the Royal Talon Flyer. Soon, we were on our way back home.

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"Our mission was to bring back Klaue. We failed. This man is a foreign intelligence operative. How do we justify bringing him into our borders?" Okoye said, looking at Nakia and the unconscious Ross.

I hovered nearby, sniffing Ross for any internal wounds, but found none. T'Challa watched me as I performed my duty. "Could you heal him?" he asked suddenly, catching me off guard. Healing wounded souls wasn't my role; I was a protector. "I could try," I muttered under my breath, scuffing my paws on the floor.

Okoeye and Nakia looked up as I transformed into a tall, slender woman with long golden hair cascading down to my waist. I turned Ross over, revealing my secret. Whispering elvish medicine spells under my breath, I turned to T'Challa. "This is as far as I can go without herbs to aid me," I said, gesturing to his half-closed wound. "It will close over time, but it won't remove the bullet or repair his spine." I sighed and gently rubbed my head against Ross's, soothing his pained expression. "Sleep well, little rose," I muttered before walking to the back of the fight.

I heard footsteps, and I knew T'Challa was following me. "You know you can't really sneak up on me," I said to him, sitting down on one of the benches, fiddling with the rings I wore.

"Why did you reveal yourself now?" he asked, and I didn't look at him. Instead, I continued to fidget with my rings. "Because I can only heal in my human form. This isn't my true form, but my ancestors granted me these powers in case some of my pack were badly hurt, and only elvish medicine could save them," I explained before giving T'Challa a penetrating look. "Wakanda has advanced technology, but it can't repair a person's spine." I placed a hand on his chest. "Your suit is extraordinary, but the boy who shot Ross... he thinks he's strong just because he's from Wakanda." My eyes narrowed, and I moved away, gazing out of a window. "You have a history with my people," T'Challa stated, causing me to release a breath I didn't know I'd been holding before nodding. "Before, when we lived near your land, your people worshipped us. I was told it was a glorious time, but humans are humans, regardless of their nation, and humans grow greedy over time. My people died to protect yours," I traced the complex beads on my arm. "Now, I am the only one left, charged with the task of protecting the king of Wakanda, no matter how brave or handsome he may be. I must stick to my duty."

I shook my head and walked back to the helm, giving T'Challa something to contemplate. Hopefully, now he understood that there could be nothing between us. I had noticed the meaningful glances he had been giving me, but I was merely a wolf in elven disguise, unable to take a mate, lest all I had worked for be jeopardized.

I closed my eyes, sensing T'Challa returning to the room. He seemed more solemn now, with a weight lifted from his shoulders. And I, for one, knew my true destiny: to protect the king of Wakanda, no matter the cost.