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With his words, the ensuing chaos surrounding us faded into the background. Our determination as siblings—what’s left within our little leap—blossomed like resilient mountain avens pushing through the cracks of adversity.
“Evangeline!” The voice carried a resolute tone, and as I turned to face the source, serpent-green eyes locked with mine.
“Sergeant.” Jasper bowed his head.
“Zara?” I furrowed my brows, crossing my arms.
Her commanding presence loomed over us like an engulfing shadow, emitting determination. She approached with purposeful steps, and a thrum of powerful energy radiated from her entity, bidding one to submit beneath its sheer power. But I knew I wouldn’t give in. Not now. Not ever.
With measured strides, Zara guided us through the arched entrance of the feline palace. Each step echoed with purpose. We entered the war room, a cavernous chamber where maps adorned the walls, depicting the terrain we would soon traverse. The air within was charged with a blend of nervous excitement and steely resolve.
“You’ll not be participating on this mission,” she demurred, and her expression hardened as her eyes narrowed into slits. Zara towered over me, her presence commanding and unwavering.
“Is that a fucking joke?” My anger came to a crest within me, my fingers curling into my palms. “Are you implying that you’re leaving me behind?”
A surge of determination coursed through my veins, fueling the intensity of my gaze as I locked on Zara in a glare. The urgency of the situation burned within me, demanding I be part of the mission to protect the shifters—my mother—on the sacred mountain. But Zara, ever the pragmatic leader, remained resolute in her decision.
“What have I told you about your emotions, omega? As a Whiskerling in my ranks, you are required to rein them in. Defy me one more fucking time.” Zara chuckled darkly, her eyes ablaze with her panther. “We need impartiality on this mission, and your connection to the mountain presents a conflict of interest.”
“You always confine me to safety, Zara, when you know damn well I can handle myself. I have the determination—the skills required to join this fight. Yet, you hold me back.” A mixture of frustration and ache pooled within me, drowning my heart in agony.
How could I simply submit to her order while danger loomed over those I held dear—what little family I had left?
Zara’s gaze softened, and she took a step closer. Her fingers found the soft of my cheek and warmth spread in my belly as my breath hitched.
“It’s not about doubt in your capabilities, it never has been,” she murmured. “Darling Blizzard, I cannot risk your safety or the potential for compromised judgment. Your presence alone could cloud your focus and hinder the mission’s success.”
Within my chest, my heart froze, and a surge of emotions washed over me. What had she just called me? Tears welled in my eyes, a torrent of conflicting emotions threatened to spill over. The loss of my sister still felt raw, a wound that refused to seal. And now, to hear her endearment fall from Zara’s lips, it was as if a floodgate had been opened, releasing a deluge of memories that crashed upon the shores of my heart.
With it, my frustration grew into a flurry, mingling with the sense of injustice.
Turning toward Jasper, I searched for support within his eyes that held trepidation as he surveyed the Sergeant. “You understand, don’t you? I can’t just sit here while our mother faces peril.”
“Both of you are to remain behind. Is that clear?” Zara’s voice resonated with authority, cutting through the tension-laden air like a blade.
As I regarded Jasper’s reaction, his lips parted from shock, then eyebrows drew together with frustration. His irritation rose like a brewing thundercloud, darkening his features.
“Sergeant, you’ll need as many claws as possible out there. I’m more than a capable asset in the troublesome terrain you’ll be faced with.” His voice was tinged with an undercurrent of resentment as he attempted to reason with her. “Please, reconsider.”
Zara’s gaze flickered between us. “I know your capabilities, Pounceguard. But this is a matter of strategic decision-making. Your skills are needed here, protecting our stronghold and ensuring the safety of our loved ones. Trust we will do everything we can to succeed in the mission.”
The conflicting emotions within the room swirled like a tempest, intensifying the charged atmosphere. Jasper’s jaw clenched; muscles taut with internal conflict. Slowly, the storm within him abated, replaced by reluctant acceptance.
With a heavy sigh, he relented, his voice tinged with resignation. “Gigi, we must trust in our Manehunter’s judgment. She knows what’s best for both of us. I’ll keep you safe within these walls, even if it tears me apart not to be out there.”
Left with no choice, I too dropped my resolve, clenching my jaw. As I turned away from the tumultuous scene, I could sense the conflicting emotions swirling around me—a bittersweet ache tugged at my heart. But within the confines of the feline palace, hidden from the chaos outside, a flame of hope burned brightly.
The passion that churned between Zara and me had ignited a fierce longing within, a hunger to prove myself, to show her the depths of my capabilities. Even after baring my vulnerabilities and delving into the darkest recesses of her being, she still sought to confine me to the limitations of my rank. I knew deep within my core she would come to regret her decision, underestimating the frost fire that blazed within my soul.
Zara’s decision would be a regret she would come to bear, for I would demonstrate I was a force to be reckoned with. An omega no longer content with being overlooked or underestimated.
As I languished within the confines of the feline palace, the passing days turned into an endless blur. Each passing hour only managed to intensify the worry that gnawed at my insides. An insidious whisper urged me to defy the orders of my superior, Zara—the very pantheress that ignited my soul and had thawed my frosty heart.
Queen Malia Asvar, once a formidable huntress, had imprisoned me in quarters alongside my remaining sibling. Under the unyielding command of General Eesha Bhatt, we were subjected to constant surveillance. These confining stone walls had grown to feel like a cage, filling me with unease and stifling my essence.
It was on the fateful first night that the general discovered my unique ability bestowed on us by our goddess. As the feline kingdom fell into a nightly silence, I projected my spirit beyond the castle boundaries. Unknowingly exposing myself to her watchful entity. The general possessed the rare gift of Reverie Enthrallment, a form of Phantasmal Enthrallment, and effortlessly subdued me.
Both the tigress general and the tiger king, Daitari, shared an extraordinary ability that granted them access to dreams, where they could influence and manipulate them. It was a power that bridged the gap between the realm of reality and fantasy. Through the majesty of their gifts, they could shape and manipulate the ethereal landscapes of the mind; weaving their influence into the fabric of imagination.
