The evening air was heavy with the scent of rain, though the sky remained stubbornly clear. Alison sat on the edge of her cot, staring at her hands. Her palms were calloused from hours of training, her arms sore from sparring with Lyra. The bruises were a testament to her stubbornness, but they were nothing compared to the storm raging in her mind.
Don't trust him.
Darius's warning gnawed at her, planting seeds of doubt she couldn't ignore. Kane's intentions had always been opaque, but his fierce protectiveness had made her wonder if there was more to him than the cold, commanding leader he portrayed. Now, she wasn't so sure.
A knock at the door jolted her from her thoughts. She stood, hesitating for a moment before opening it. Lyra stood on the other side, her red hair catching the faint torchlight.
"Kane wants to see you," Lyra said, her tone neutral. "In the council chamber."
Alison frowned. "Now? What does he want?"
Lyra shrugged. "You'll find out when you get there. Just don't keep him waiting."
Alison grabbed the simple jacket hanging from the back of the chair and followed Lyra into the dimly lit hallways of the fortress. The journey was silent, the tension between them almost tangible. Alison wasn't sure if it was just her imagination, but Lyra seemed on edge, her movements sharp and purposeful.
When they reached the heavy double doors of the council chamber, Lyra pushed one open and motioned for Alison to enter. Kane stood at the far end of the room, his back to her as he stared at a map spread across the table. Several other pack members were gathered, their murmured conversations halting as Alison stepped inside.
"Close the door," Kane said without looking up.
Lyra complied, shutting Alison in with the gathered wolves. The weight of their gazes pressed down on her, but she forced herself to keep her head high.
"You wanted to see me?" Alison asked, her voice steady despite the unease curling in her stomach.
Kane finally looked up, his icy blue eyes locking onto hers. "Yes. There's something we need to discuss."
He gestured to the table, where a weathered book lay open beside the map. Alison stepped closer, her curiosity piqued despite herself. The pages were filled with handwritten notes and sketches, their edges worn with age.
"This book belonged to one of our elders," Kane said, his voice calm but serious. "It contains records of your kind—the white tigers."
Alison blinked, her chest tightening. "My kind? You mean there were more?"
"There were," Kane said. "Centuries ago. But they were hunted to extinction by the same forces that threaten us now. You're the last."
She stared at the book, her fingers itching to reach for it but stopping short. "Why are you showing me this now?"
Kane's gaze softened slightly. "Because you need to understand what you're capable of. And why you're so important."
He turned a few pages, stopping at a detailed sketch of a tiger with silver fur, its body marked with intricate patterns that seemed to glow. Alison's breath caught as she took in the image, her fingers brushing over the faded ink.
"What is this?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
"It's you," Kane said. "Or what you could become."
Alison shook her head, stepping back. "No. That's not me. I'm just… normal."
"You've never been normal," Kane said, his voice firm. "You've always known that."
She opened her mouth to argue, but a sharp pain suddenly shot through her shoulder, making her gasp. Her hand flew to the spot, her fingers brushing against her skin. It burned, like fire coursing through her veins.
"What's happening?" she demanded, her voice rising.
Kane's expression darkened. "It's awakening."
Before she could ask what he meant, the burning intensified, spreading across her back and down her arm. Alison cried out, dropping to her knees as her vision blurred. She felt hands on her shoulders, steadying her, but the pain was all-consuming.
"Hold still," Kane said, his voice commanding but not unkind. "It'll pass."
"What the hell is happening to me?" Alison shouted, her voice breaking.
"The mark," Kane said, his tone grim. "It's revealing itself."
Alison gritted her teeth, fighting against the searing pain. When it finally subsided, she slumped forward, her breathing ragged. Kane helped her sit up, his gaze intense as he studied her.
"Look," he said, nodding toward a polished shield hanging on the wall.
Alison turned her head, her breath catching as she caught her reflection. There, on her shoulder, was a glowing pattern that mirrored the one in the book—a delicate lattice of lines and shapes that pulsed faintly with light.
"What… what is that?" she whispered, her fingers brushing over the mark. It was warm to the touch, but it didn't hurt.
"It's the sign of your bloodline," Kane said. "A symbol of your power. And a beacon for those who would destroy you."
Alison's stomach twisted. "You mean… they can find me because of this?"
Kane nodded, his expression grim. "Yes. And now that it's awakened, the hunters will stop at nothing to track you down."
The weight of his words settled heavily on her shoulders. She stared at the mark, her mind racing with questions and fears she couldn't voice. Finally, she looked back at Kane, her voice trembling as she asked, "What do we do now?"
Kane's jaw tightened. "We prepare. Because the war just got a lot closer."