All Chapters of THE TIGER WOMAN: Chapter 21 - Chapter 27

The Skull Cave is fucking freezing.Not from the wind. But from the ground. From the stones that have drunk too much blood. From the pond in the middle with black water. At the bottom there’s a chest. It’s full of powder. One spark and this whole place blows. Including me.I’m the leader now. Of whatever’s left of the Wolves. Guiding the other beasts to join us. Foxes. Boars. Whatever’s desperate enough.There’s a leather map in front of me. Behind me, 7 people. The last Wolves who still follow me. Hired guns. Cowards. Just like me.It’s been 5 days since I sent Sera to poison the eastern river of the Tigers.“No word from Sera yet, Sir,” Garon said. His iron hand _clank clank_ every time he moved.I threw my cup at the wall. _Crash_.“Coward! He’s probably dead. Caught!”“Not necessarily, Sir,” someone else said. “Maybe he’s waiting for night.”I went quiet. My fingers drummed on the hilt of my knife.Draven.That name is poison.5 days ago I ran from the battlefield. Ran when I saw

I didn’t sleep all night.Not because of the cold iron floor. Not because of hunger. But because of the sound.The sound of Bayu moaning from the medical tent. The sound of Garon coughing up blood. And the most tormenting of all... Alina’s silence.Since she left me with that bowl of porridge at 3 AM, she never showed up again.Neither did Draven.There were only 4 Tiger guards watching me. They didn’t talk. They just stood there, staring at me like I was an animal in a zoo.Morning came slowly. Sunlight slipped in through the gaps in the roof, making the dust float in the air.9 AM.The gate creaked open.And she came._The Tiger Woman._Alina.Today she was different.Her hair wasn’t tied up. Her long black hair fell down to her waist, but it was tied at the end with a blood-red ribbon. That ribbon... that ribbon used to belong to her mother. I remember. 5 years ago

The chains on my hands were heavy.Not because of the iron. Because of these hands.The same hands that once grabbed Alina’s shoulders.The air in the interrogation room was cold. Just one wooden table, one chair, and Draven sitting in front of me.No whip. No knife. He was just sitting there. Smoking. Smoke rising slow.Behind him, Alina stood in the corner. Arms crossed. Face blank.But those yellow eyes... those were what was killing me."So," Draven said. Quiet. "Talk."I laughed. Dry. "Talk about what? Bedtime story?"_SLAM!_Draven’s hand hit the table. The ashtray shattered."DON'T FUCK WITH ME!" he snapped. "For four days my woman wakes up screaming every night. For four days she can’t sleep without a knife under her pillow. And it’s because of YOU!"I stayed quiet. My throat was dry.Draven rubbed his face. When he opened his eyes again, they were red. "I just wanna know one thing. Why? Why her?"Alina was still silent. But her shoulders started shaking.I glanced at her. Bac

Lightning had just struck.The war drums from the north were still echoing. Three times.I’d just been holding Alina.About to say "let's go home."The wind suddenly changed.Not rain wind.This wind... was sharp. Smelled like wet feathers. Smelled like old blood.Alina turned immediately. "Draven."I felt it too. The fur on the back of my neck stood up.From above the black clouds, a sound came._SCREEECH!!!_A roar. Not a tiger. Not a wolf.Bigger. Older.A black shadow as wide as a tent fell over us.An Eagle.But not a normal eagle.Its wingspan was 10 meters. Feathers black as coal. Eyes red.There were iron chains on its feet. And on its back... the emblem of the Wolf Clan."An Eagle Shifter," Rian hissed behind me. "Guardian of the Wolf Clan."The men instantly raised their spears. "Sir! Attack!""N