The Wrong Cub

The moment the word "Divorce." left my mouth, the entire ballroom fell silent.It was not hard to see why.I was the last pureblood Forest Tiger in North Amerion. For nearly four hundred years, the White family had guarded the forests of the Rocky Mountain. Ever since the colonial era, anyone in the supernatural world who knew me, whether they were werewolves, vampires, witches, or anything else, addressed me by the same title: the White. Today was my son's birthday celebration.I had rented out the most luxurious mountaintop hotel in the city for the occasion. The underground garage was packed with Bentleys, Rolls-Royces and Ferraris. Every guest was someone important in the supernatural world.The color drained from Evelyn Larson's face.She tightened her arms around the tiny orange furball sleeping against her chest, clutching the little baby blanket wrapped around him with her trembling fingers."Honey..." she whispered. "Is it because there are too many people here? Are y

Another elder, Helen, gave a nod of agreement. "If that doesn't work, you could always let him audit classes at the Supernatural Academy."When he grows up, he can marry someone from an ordinary supernatural family and live a quiet, peaceful life. There's nothing wrong with that."Around the table, everyone chimed in with their own suggestions. The conversation grew louder and livelier.I never said a word.Seeing that I remained silent, Evelyn grew so anxious that a sheen of sweat formed on her forehead."Honey, please say something."If this is what you want, we'll find a way. No matter what it costs."I finally looked at her."Fine."Bring me the umbilical cord blood we preserved on the day our son was born."The ballroom instantly fell silent.For hundreds of years, the White family had followed the same tradition.Whenever a tiger cub was born, its umbilical cord blood was collected. It was sealed inside a crystal vial engraved with the White family crest, then locked

Once it came to that...The chubby orange kitten she was protecting would be mine to investigate, examine and expose. No one would be able to stop me."Honey."Evelyn handed the orange kitten to Jack. Then she lowered herself once again, reaching for my arm."Let's go home first, okay? We can talk this through."I looked into her tear-filled doe eyes. The rims were red. If I had not heard those words from her with my own ears just moments ago... I might actually have believed her.I smiled. Then I drove my palm straight into her chest.Evelyn stumbled backward three steps before crashing into the dining table behind her. I had used seventy percent of my magical power in that strike.Under normal circumstances, she should have coughed up blood, broken several ribs, and been unable to move for hours.However, I did not even look back. I turned and leaped straight through the ballroom's towering floor-to-ceiling windows.Tiger blood granted incredible speed. Even without flight

The moment I bit down, blood rushed into my mouth, and I knew instantly it was not tiger blood. It was cold, foul and revoltingly slimy. It made my stomach twist. It felt as if a live snake had slid down my throat."Ahhh!"The "mother" whose hand I had bitten let out a piercing scream and violently yanked it away.I released my grip and immediately jumped back several steps.Four deep puncture marks were left on the back of her left hand.What seeped from the wounds... was not bright red blood, it was a dark green liquid that reeked of decay.Everyone present froze. Evelyn was the first to react. Her face turned deathly pale as she instinctively stepped between me and the woman pretending to be my mother."Simon! Have you lost your mind?"That's Mom!"I ignored her completely. My eyes stayed locked on the injured hand.Around the bite marks... the skin began splitting apart.Layer by layer.However, underneath... there was no flesh. Only rows of tiny, dark green scales.Th

I lowered my eyes to my hand.The White family's bloodline carried the oldest power of the First Forest Tiger. That ancient bloodline was recognized by primordial magic itself.I bit my fingertip and let a single drop of blood fall onto the ancient seal.Hiss...The seal burst into flames the instant I touched it. In the blink of an eye, it crumbled into ash, and the massive iron door slowly swung open. Beyond it lay the seventh underground level. It looked nothing like the prison I had imagined. Instead, a long, silent corridor stretched out before me, its sides lined with transparent crystal walls. Behind each wall was a separate room. I froze for a heartbeat before hurrying to the nearest one. Inside, a woman who was half human and half deer lay on a medical bed. Her swollen belly told me she was close to giving birth. Her eyes were closed, and her breathing was weak, but she was still alive.I rushed to the second room. Inside lay a pregnant woman from the Wolf Clan, her w