Chapter 17
Tonight, the room inside Luca's family mansion felt heavy with tension, the air thick with unspoken fears and simmering anger. The Wilders, a large family of tiger shifters, were gathered in a semicircle around Luca Wilder, their leader. He scanned the room, taking in the faces of his family—some young, some old, all bound by blood.
Opposite Luca sat Mark, the silver-haired vampire, his posture relaxed and his eyes scanning the lot with open curiosity. The Wilder family was like the royalty of shifters, and being amongst them felt…different. Two vampire guards that were earlier assigned to Luca Wilder lingered near the dining area, their presence a silent reminder of Julian Corbin's reach. The room was silent, save for the crackling of the fireplace and the occasional shuffle of feet.
An old woman, her dark hair with a ravenous streak of greys that were tied back in a tight bun, broke the silence. Her voice was firm, but there was a tremor of emotion beneath her words. "Luca, you can't do this. Giving up two of our own—what kind of demand is that? You even considering it goes against everything we stand for."
Luca sighed, running a hand through his dark hair. His expression was one of defeat, but his voice remained steady. "I know, grandmother. But what choice do I have? If I don't comply, we will get back to war with the witches, and we will lose more than two shifters. This is the only way to protect our species that doesn't involve bloodshed."
The woman's eyes narrowed, her wrinkled face hardening. "They have already occupied a third of our prime hunting grounds, that surely is more than enough for a war that we didn't even start." She paused then looked at Mark for a few seconds. "Since his cousin is already here means that you have already made up your mind. Who will you choose, Luca? Who among us will you sacrifice to satisfy their demands?"
Luca's gaze swept over the room, lingering on each face. His heart ached as he considered the options. Half of his family were still young, their lives just beginning. Others were in their prime, strong and vital. The tiger shifters were royalty among the shifter species, proud and powerful. To give up even one of them felt like a betrayal, and a huge loss.
Finally, Luca's eyes settled on his younger brother, Jamie Wilder. Jamie, who was currently sizing up Mark, looked back at Luca when he noticed everyone staring at him. His eyes widened in shock as he realized what Luca was thinking.
"Me?" Jamie asked, his voice barely above a whisper. "Luca, you can't be serious."
Jamie was a warrior and a trainer for the shifters, an invaluable person that also doubled up as his family's head of security.
Luca nodded, his expression grim. "I am"
Luca's grandmother slammed her hand on the arm of her chair, her voice rising. "Luca, have you lost your mind? You're willing to give up your own brother?"
Luca's jaw tightened, but he didn't respond. Jamie stood slowly, his movements stiff with disbelief. He walked over to Mark, then stood behind him.
"I'll go," Jamie said, his voice steady.
The grandmother shook her head, her eyes blazing with anger. "This is madness, Luca. Absolute madness."
Luca ignored her, his gaze shifting to his eldest son, a young man of about seventeen. The boy's face paled as he realized what was coming.
"Wait…no, NO" he said, his voice trembling. "You can't do this to me. You can't doom me to... to whatever they have planned…. something that I'm sure is death"
Luca's heart ached at the fear in his son's eyes, but he forced himself to remain calm. "I'm not choosing you, son" he said softly.
The room fell silent as Luca turned to her grandmother. Her eyes widened in disbelief.
"Me?" she asked, her voice sharp. "You're choosing me?"
Luca sighed, his expression bitter. "Yes, you."
The grandmother stood, her frail frame trembling with rage. "I won't go with them, Luca. Not even if they drag me by my hair. Give up my life for a conspiracy clearly woven to weaken us? I will never"
Luca's face hardened, his voice taking on a commanding tone. "As the leader of the tigers and the shifter community, I've made my decision. You better than anyone knows that disobedience is treason, and treason is punishable by death."
His grandmother's eyes blazed with defiance. "Then I'd rather die."
The room erupted into murmurs of shock and fear. Tiger shifters were fiercely loyal to their hierarchy, and Luca's grandmother open defiance was unheard of. Luca's face grew stern, his eyes flashing with authority.
"You will go," he said, his voice cold and final.
The woman's lips curled into a snarl, and without warning, she began to shift. Her body contorted, her bones cracking and reshaping as her fur sprouted from her skin. Within seconds, a magnificent albino white tiger stood in her place, her teeth bared and her claws extended. She hissed at Mark, then turned her gaze to Luca, her golden eyes filled with challenge.
Luca palmed his face, his shoulders slumping with exhaustion. He nodded to Jamie, who stepped forward with a small dart gun in his hand. Before Aunt Mira could react, Jamie fired. The dart struck her neck, and within seconds, her massive form slumped to the ground.
The room was silent, the weight of what had just happened settling over everyone. Luca turned to Mark, his voice steady despite the turmoil in his eyes.
"You have two of my strongest shifters. I've held up my end of the bargain."
Mark nodded, his expression unreadable. He effortlessly lifted the unconscious form onto his shoulder, his movements smooth and practiced.
Before leaving, Jamie walked over to Luca and knelt before him. He took Luca's hand and kissed it, his voice filled with emotion.
"I hope you know what you're doing, brother."
Luca didn't respond, his face remaining emotionless. He watched as Mark, Jamie, and her grandmother leave the room, the heavy wooden door closing behind them with a final, echoing thud.