The words hung in the air like a weight Alison couldn't shake. White tiger. The last of your kind. She stared at Kane, her mind spinning, her breath shallow.
"That's ridiculous," she said, taking a step back. "You're lying. This is some twisted game you're playing."
Kane didn't flinch, his icy blue eyes locked onto hers. "It's the truth."
Alison let out a shaky laugh, her hands shaking at her sides. "You expect me to believe that I'm… what? Some kind of magical creature? A piece on your supernatural chessboard?"
"It's not a game," Kane said, his voice calm but firm. "And it's not just my world you're tied to. It's bigger than you realize."
Her stomach churned, a sick mix of fear and confusion clawing at her insides. She shook her head. "I don't believe you."
"Then why are you still alive?" Kane asked, stepping closer. "Why do you think they came after you? Why do you think your bloodline has been hunted for centuries?"
"I—" Alison faltered, memories flashing through her mind. The illness she shouldn't have survived. The way her mother had always looked at her, like she was something fragile and dangerous all at once. But no. It couldn't be real.
Kane's voice softened, pulling her from her thoughts. "You've always known, haven't you? Deep down. That you weren't like them."
"Shut up," Alison snapped, her hands balling into fists. "You don't know anything about me."
"I know more than you think," Kane replied. "And if you want to survive, you'll need to start accepting the truth."
Alison opened her mouth to retort, but a sharp pain stabbed through her skull, cutting her off. She gasped, clutching her head as the world blurred around her.
"Alison?" Kane's voice sounded distant, almost drowned out by the pounding in her ears.
The pain deepened, spreading like fire through her veins. She stumbled, her knees buckling beneath her. Kane caught her before she hit the ground, his arms steady despite her weight.
"Let it happen," he said, his tone urgent. "Don't fight it."
"Fight what?" Alison choked out, her vision darkening. But before he could answer, the world around her disappeared.
She was standing in a field.
The air was warm, the sky painted in shades of gold and crimson as the sun set on the horizon. A gentle breeze rustled the tall grass, carrying with it the faint scent of wildflowers. It was peaceful—too peaceful.
Alison turned, her heart skipping a beat as she spotted a figure in the distance. It was a woman, her back turned, her long white hair glowing like silver in the fading light. She stood still, her gaze fixed on something Alison couldn't see.
"Hello?" Alison called, her voice trembling.
The woman turned slowly, and Alison's breath caught in her throat. Her face was strikingly familiar—too familiar. It was like looking into a mirror, but older. Wiser. The woman's eyes, a deep amber that seemed to shimmer like fire, locked onto Alison's.
"You found me," the woman said, her voice soft but echoing with power.
Alison took a hesitant step forward. "Who are you?"
The woman smiled faintly, her expression both kind and sorrowful. "I am what you will become."
"What does that mean?" Alison asked, her chest tightening.
"You are the last," the woman said, her gaze steady. "The one who will restore what was lost. Or destroy what remains."
Alison shook her head. "No. That's not me. You've got the wrong person."
The woman's smile faded. "You can deny it all you want, but the truth will find you. It always does."
The sky darkened suddenly, the warmth of the field replaced by a biting chill. Alison turned, her eyes widening as shadows spread across the horizon like a flood. The air filled with howls and growls, the sound of claws scraping against stone.
"They're coming," the woman said, her voice calm despite the chaos. "You have to be ready."
"Ready for what?" Alison demanded, panic rising in her chest.
The woman reached out, her fingers brushing against Alison's arm. "To decide."
The shadows surged forward, engulfing everything in their path. Alison screamed as they closed in, their darkness swallowing her whole.
She woke with a start, her chest heaving as she gasped for air. The chamber came back into focus, the flickering torchlight casting familiar shadows on the walls. Kane was crouched beside her, his expression tense.
"What happened?" Alison whispered, her voice hoarse.
"You had your first vision," Kane said, his tone grim.
"Vision?" Alison repeated, her pulse still racing. "What the hell was that? Who was she?"
Kane's eyes narrowed. "You saw her? The white tiger?"
"She looked like me," Alison said, her voice trembling. "She said… she said I have to decide."
Kane's expression darkened. "She's right. Your choices will shape the future—our future."
Alison shook her head, tears stinging her eyes. "I didn't ask for this. I don't want any of this."
"None of us do," Kane said softly. "But it doesn't change what you are. Or what's coming."
Alison looked away, her mind racing with the woman's words. Restore what was lost. Or destroy what remains. She didn't understand it, but she couldn't shake the feeling that the choice had already begun.