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The hunters, guided by the witch’s twisted magic, had opened a portal, a gateway to the unknown. They dragged my sister, her form limp and lifeless, toward the swirling vortex that beckoned with its ominous allure.
Time slowed to a crawl as I sprinted toward the portal; my paws dug into the dirt with desperate urgency. But as I reached its threshold—my outstretched claws inches away from my sister’s fading silhouette—the portal snapped shut, severing our connection. A strangled cry tore from my throat, a scream of anguish and frustration that echoed through the desolate landscape.
My mother, her eyes brimmed with worry, rushed to my side, and her warm fur brushed against mine in a comforting embrace. We shifted, and my fingers sank into wet soil as angry tears of frustration streaked my face. She murmured words of solace, a soothing melody amidst the cacophony of my anger. But beneath her consoling touch, an ember of wrathful determination flickered to life within me.
At that moment, my path was set and nothing would deter me from it, for the love I held for my sister shone brighter than any star in the night sky. I would plow through every hunter within the vicinity, tear apart every treacherous witch obstructing my path. I would find my sister, no matter the cost.
The flickering flames of a campfire danced in the night, casting shadows on the weary faces of the surrounding broken families. Since the breach, my mother and I trekked up the mountain with the gaping hole in our hearts my sister’s abduction created. My brother, Jasper, had made his way back to us when the war between night and day drew its conclusion, and our spirits were eased upon seeing he’d survived the battle. The kingdom had won the war, but at a devastating cost, as we lost a number of omegas during the attack.
Gazing into the mesmerizing dance of the fire, memories flashed in my mind, intertwining with the flickering glow. Since we awakened as omegas, I had cried to my sister, claiming I believed in my soul I should’ve been an alpha, a beta at the least. But like the nurturing spirit she was, she saw the spark in me—the frosty passion that could put out a fire.
I remember her telling me omegas, the gentle souls among the feline kind, held a vital role within our streaks. We were the pillars of compassion, the keepers of peace, and the guardians of harmony. Though we lacked the dominant traits of alphas and betas, our presence was no less significant. Within our feline kingdom, omegas served as the calming force amidst the storms of pride and aggression. We possessed the ability to diffuse tension, to soothe frayed nerves, and to mend the bonds strained by conflict.
I’d longed to break from the custom, but with the absence of my sister, I’d fallen into a depression. In times of turmoil, the absence of her calming influence was felt, leaving our leap—our family—vulnerable to the discord that threatened to tear us apart. Her unique qualities were a testament to the fact that strength did not solely lie in physical prowess or dominance. It resided within the gentle heart of those who held the power to heal, to bridge divides, and to forge unbreakable bonds. Her absence was palpable.
It was my sister who had illuminated the path strewn with frost-covered obstacles, reminding me that the frost could also yield beauty and resilience. With her gentle words and steadfast belief in my dreams, she had nurtured my longing to challenge the norms that held us captive within the icy grasp of tradition. My brother, Jasper, had joined her in that conviction. He had used his influence to convince the feline army to grant me the opportunity to train as a warrior, to prove myself worthy of my aspirations.
Now, Jasper, with his long blond hair reflecting the light of fire, stood ahead of us, gazing blankly into the shuddering jungle. I sat among the broken with my mother huddled by my side, my eyes fixed on the mesmerizing dance of fire. The crackling embers mirrored the turmoil within my heart. It’d been days since my sister’s capture, and the snow across my family’s pelt had long since melted during the wait.
As the half-moon rose, a figure approached from the darkness where the edge of the jungle met the mountain’s snowy terrain. The panther, sleek and powerful, her ebony fur glistening under the pale moonlight, commanded the space with an air of regal authority. Her entrancing fiery eyes held a depth that pierced through my very soul, as if she held the weight of countless secrets within.
Her shift took over, eliciting shudders from me as I witnessed the mesmerizing spectacle of shadow and mist gliding around her body. Struck with awe at the sight of her bare body, a thrum of arousal hit me at the sight of her dusky complexion. It was easy to become absorbed by the thought of mounting her, what it would feel like to have her warm flesh upon mine. Her silky sultry voice at my ear, those long thin fingers at my hips.
Heat enveloped my body. My core trembled. I didn’t need to look down to realize my thighs chafed from arousal.
Could just the sight of this alpha get a rise from me?
With a shuddered breath, I quickly suppressed the emotions stirred within me in light of the situation. Tonight was not an evening to fall under the clutches of lust.
As Zara wrapped a dark cloak around herself, she was greeted with an incline of my brother’s head, and she murmured so lowly, not even my keen senses could pick up the ushered words. His spine stiffened, and without looking at us—his family—he allowed his shift to take over and rushed up the snowy terrain. Left in shock, my mother took a step toward him, to chase after him, but I grasped her arm, my gaze pinned to a stoic Zara.
My heart leapt with dread, and I took cautious steps toward her with breath hitched.
Our eyes locked as I drew closer, and a spark ignited between us in that moment. I felt inexplicably drawn to Zara, my instincts telling me our connection would have converged for a greater purpose.
In that moment, we were just two souls navigating the treacherous path of passion in a world still healing from the wounds of war.
Then the unthinkable left the feline’s lips.
“I’m sorry. We found your sister…” Zara’s voice was filled with solemn regret as she delivered the devastating news. “But she didn’t survive. My deepest sympathies.”
Her stoic expression never faltered, but I noticed she wouldn’t meet our eyes as my mother’s sobs filled the atmosphere. Zara gazed into the night, her moonlit face becoming a blur as tears filled my vision.
My world shattered, the pain reverberating through every fiber of my being. A surge, like the might of an avalanche, swelled within my heart. Devastation mingled with unwavering determination. I would avenge my sister’s death and find solace in the arms of darkness that entwined within this treacherous world.
Chapter Two
Burning Desires
Zara
Stalking along the outskirts of the field, I remained hidden within the shadows as I observed the training exercises of the soldiers. My keen senses surveyed the scene, regarding their every move and gesture as they parried attacks.
In a field full of felines emitting endorphins and pheromones, my sights were entirely honed in on a single shifter that lured me in like a moth to a flame. The snow leopard with porcelain skin, reminiscent of freshly fallen snow and silver hair tied into a braid. She stood out in the crowd against her sun-kissed comrades. Her figure, clad in flowy attire, was sleek with sweat, her scent carried over by the gusts of wind.
She was the crisp snowflake I wished to taste on my tongue.
But I wouldn’t give in. Not now. Not ever.
