THE TIGER WOMAN

That night, the moon did not shine.

Black clouds covered the sky of Rawabengek Village. Only the dim light of oil lamps from a few houses glowed, as if afraid to make a sound.

Alina ran.

Her maroon kebaya was torn in several places. The hem caught on roots and branches. Thorns scratched her bare ankles. But the pain was nothing compared to the fear choking her throat.

Behind her, she heard a raspy laugh.

"Alina! Beautiful... keep running. I like it!" He taunted.

That voice. Raka.

The son of the richest landowner in the village. Since last Eid, his eyes had never left Alina's body. For three months she had been terrorized. Letters, gifts, even ambushing her at the well just to win Alina's love.

Alina had said no. She had reported him to the village head. But who dared to stand against Raka's family? Because he was the ruler.

"How long are you going to run, huh?!" Raka snarled. His footsteps pounded the earth, getting closer.

Alina bit her lip until it bled. Her chest hurt. Her breath was ragged.

She was a good girl. She prayed, helped her mother in the kitchen, never hurt anyone. But because of her face, because of the smile she once shared with everyone... now she was being hunted like an animal. And not just by Raka, but by his 10 henchmen too.

"Help...! Someone please help me?!" she screamed, her voice breaking.

"Hahaha, it's useless, Alina. We've surrounded you. The villagers are too scared of us," Raka said with a laugh.

There was no answer. Doors were shut tight. Lamps went out one by one.

Without thinking, Alina ran toward the forest. No one in the village would help her.

Ahead was darkness. The Forbidden Forest.

The elders had forbidden it. "Never go in there. At the bottom of that ravine lives a King. A King who is not human. Who thirsts for blood."

But to die at their hands, or to die in the forest... Alina chose the forest.

She forced her legs to move. Running through the bushes. Branches whipped her cheeks.

Raka and his friends' footsteps drew nearer. She could feel their hot breath on her back.

Then a rough hand yanked her hair from behind.

Alina fell to the ground.

"Catch her!"

The world turned to chaos. Screams. Laughter.

The last thing Alina remembered was pain, her clothes being torn, and darkness swallowing her consciousness.

When she woke again, her whole body ached. Her clothes were in tatters. She was at the edge of a ravine.

"Just throw her! Let it look like suicide!" Raka barked.

Before Alina could scream, her body was shoved.

SPLASH.

The world spun. Her body was falling.

A ravine. Dark. Cold that pierced her bones.

The wind whistled past her ears. Alina closed her eyes, surrendering.

_Mother... forgive Alina._

THUD!

Her back hit something soft. Mossy earth. Pain shot through her entire body. Warmth flowed from her temple. Blood.

It hurt. Darkness began to take over.

But before everything faded...

She felt it.

Something touched her cheek.

Not a human hand.

Claws. Big. Rough. But the touch... strangely gentle. Heavy.

And from the darkness, a pair of eyes lit up.

Golden. Like liquid gold. Like a moon that had fallen to the bottom of the ravine.

Big. Savage. Staring straight into her soul.

The air trembled. A low growl sounded. Not a human language. Older. More primal.

"Mine."

One word.

Not a question. Not a request.

A statement.

Those claws lifted Alina's unconscious body as if she weighed no more than a kitten.

Above the ravine, Raka peered down. All he saw was darkness and a pair of golden eyes staring back at him.

Raka and his friends screamed, then ran for their lives.

At the bottom of the ravine, the last Tiger King carried his prey home.

Not to eat her.

But to claim her.

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*TO BE CONTINUED*