The White Tiger

Chapter 35

 We all stood before Joseph and Janie in the office. Joseph looked at my friends warily as we explained what had happened. He finally stood up and looked intently at Kallie and Robert.

 "Your scent says you are a werecat. Which kind?" he asked Kallie.

 "I'm a jaguar, Alpha.." Kallie replied, her head bowed in respect.

 Joseph nodded and turned to Robert. "You are human. Correct?" Robert nodded slowly, his head bowed. He didn't dare look up. I could only imagine how intimidated he felt. "How do you know of our kind?"

 "Kallie is my mate, Alpha Joseph...She told me everything about werewolves and about the mate process..." he said quietly. Kallie held his hand tightly, like she was trying to reassure him. I smiled. She was always a good mate.

 "I see." Joseph nodded, sitting back down. "Tell me what happened when you went rogue. Why did he banish you?"

 "Well, we were all sitting together in the park, having a picnic. Kallie had shifted and was snuggled against Robert." Vicky began.

 "The alpha came walking by...He saw us and he ordered Kallie and Robert to go..." Lily began in her quiet voice.

 "Alpha Richard never did like werecats or humans. We were surprised he allowed them to stay as long as he did." Vicky remarked, being held from behind by Alec.

 "We pleaded with him to let us stay...And, he told us we could on one condition. If we told him where Elena was...We told him we didn't know. All of us did." Kallie replied.

 "But he didn't care. So, he kicked us all out, saying we were liars and that we were stupid for defending her." Robert finished. "Well, I was not exactly apart of the pack. I grew up just outside it. He just wanted me to leave his pack and never come back. Well, I wasn't going to leave Kallie and her friends alone in the woods. So, I went with them."

 "What about your parents, Robert?" Janie asked, frowning a little. 

 Robert shrugged. "I was told that my dad died before I was born and mom died in childbirth. I grew up in an orphanage. I doubt I'll be missed." Kallie squeezed his hand, as if trying to comfort him. I didn't know before now that he was an orphan...The poor boy...

 "I see." Joseph murmured. 

 "So, do we get an explanation now?" Vicky asked, looking over at me. 

 I gulped nervously. Jay gave me a small, reassuring smile. I smiled back before taking a deep breath. "We'll explain everything now if it's alright with Joseph..."

 My friends looked at Joseph and Janie, who nodded. "You deserve an explanation. Go ahead, Elena." Janie smiled. 

 "Well...I uh...wasn't completely honest with you all when you asked if I had shifted when we last saw one another...See, I did shift on my birthday. But, I wasn't a wolf like anyone thought I'd be..." I began.

 "Were you a fox?" Kallie asked. I shook my head. "A werecat?"

 "Yea....But a type of werecat that no one really knew existed. It went extinct many years ago..." 

 My friends stared at me. "An extinct creature?? You're joking." Vicky was the first to speak.

 I shook my head. "I'm not joking, Vicky...I'll show you right now." Jay let go of me and stepped back a little. I looked back at him. He nodded encouragingly. I smiled before closing my eyes and shifting. When I opened my eyes, my friends were staring at me dumbfounded. 

 "No. Way." Vicky said in disbelief.

 "A White Tiger! I've heard of those! I always wanted to see one!" Lily exclaimed, rushing forward. She knelt down in front of me and scratched my ears. "I found a book on extinct creatures and the White Tiger was one of them. They sounded so majestic and amazing! Your tiger looks even better than the pictures, Elena!"

 I was honestly amused at Lily's excited chatter. She doesn't usually talk so much at once. I smiled and nuzzled up to her. I looked back at Jay, who smiled and knelt down beside me, placing a hand on my back.

 "You're beautiful, Elena..." Kallie breathed.

 "I find Kallie's jaguar extremely attractive, but I do have to admit, your tiger is impressive." Robert stated. 

 Vicky was still staring at me, her eyes wide. I closed my eyes and shifted back. I looked around the room, my gaze resting on Vicky. Finally, she spoke. "I-I don't understand....H-how??"

 I shrugged. "I don't know. I guess I'm somehow related to a White Tiger. I don't exactly know the story of them or what happened to them-"

 "I do!" Lily exclaimed. Her eyes went wide, her face red. "Um...Sorry...Go ahead.." she said quietly.

 We chuckled. I took a deep breath before beginning once again. "Well, you know how Alpha Richard doesn't like werecats?" They nodded slowly. "Well, he hates White Tigers. White Tigers were basically considered royalty because they were so powerful. We're more powerful than an Alpha wolf. Mom and dad told me I needed to keep it secret. We couldn't let the Alpha know. If he found out..." I trailed off.

 "He'd kill you..." Vicky said quietly. Alec held her tighter. Vicky looked up at him with a small smile, relaxing in his embrace.

 I nodded in response. "When I got home from school the day after my birthday, my parents came running into my room saying he had found out. They told me to run. To come here. And, I did. It was difficult and I didn't want to, but I had to...I went into the woods, fought off rogues, and finally, ended up here, where I met Jay..."

 "You fought off rogues?? So soon after shifting??"  Kallie asked, her eyes wide.

 "Well, White Tigers were very strong and powerful. It makes sense that she could do it." Lily responded. 

 The others nodded slowly. "But why did Alec call you 'princess'?" Robert asked.

 I sighed. "I told you how my kind was basically royalty, right?" My friends once again nodded. "Well....As the last remaining White Tiger, I am the Crown Princess of the White Tigers..."