Tiger Wife, Lion Husband (Love In The Realms) #1

Chapter 1: Xue Liang (1)

Thunder rumbled and struck the Ming Kingdoms palace. The wind blew harshly as a consort of Duke Xue Cheng's in labor.

Her husband waits outside of her palace room where she is just his one of his two consorts. Awaiting the birth of the child, the woman had finally yelled a painful scream then came a child's cry after.

Entering Consort Ling Fe's room, she saw her husband looking at her. He looks to see her weak figure holding his newborn child that had his black hair but his wife's amber eyes.

"Congratulations Duke Xue, it's a girl." An old granny said. Who remained bowing her head down to Duke Xue Cheng.

"You may leave now." He soon told them all as they left. He sat beside Consort Ling Fe looking down at his smiling daughter.

"What do you wish to name her, Husband?" Consort Ling Fe asked. He pondered while Consort Ling Fe listened but had to keep an eye on her daughter closely. They had a hidden secret that ran in their blood.

"Her name will be Xue Liang. Our daughter will be raised well and one day she will be married off to a good family." He replied to Consort Ling Fe who could only agree when he didn't know that their daughter was special. She laid her head down on the pillow beside her daughter.

"Duke Xue, the emperor has called you." A messenger of the emperor had shown up meaning Duke Xue Cheng had to leave for the emperor's palace.

"Go ahead, Husband. We will wait for your return." Duke Xue Cheng pressed his lips to her forehead since he couldn't stop loving her. Consort Ling Fe rubbed her daughter's cheek looking down to see a white and black tiger symbol on her right chest.

"Mother's little Liang will have to learn soon. Mother will be there for you. Lei come here."

"What does Madam Ling wish to ask this maid?" A maid came in, looking down to see Xue Liang. The little infant smiled looking at Su Lei with her amber eyes.

"Lei, you've seen my daughter. She is just like us. Those born with these symbols are the next generation of ours. You understand, don't you?" Su Lei had followed Consort Ling Fe from their village that was hidden far and deep within a forest but it was destroyed leading them to find a new home.

In their feline tribe, they can shift into any feline that shows as a symbol on their right side of the chest at birth.

"I understand Madam Ling. I have vowed already that I would follow and protect you and do the same. I am a mother now with a daughter of my own but I will treat your daughter as my own also." Consort Ling Fe smiled at her. They knew they had to keep an eye for their children since their blood runs with the ability to shift into a feline.

"Liang is like me but a new kind. We both must keep an eye on her." Consort Ling Fe was a white tiger but her daughter they have yet to see.

"I understand. My daughter was just born a week ago. I will be sure to teach her well." Consort Ling Fe family has been with the Su Lei family for generations with their family knowing each other for generations.

_____

Seven years later...

Xue Liang was now creeping around climbing a tree. At the bottom of the tree stood Su Rong, her maid. "Miss Liang! Come down or else Madame Ling will punish us!"

"It's okay. It's just me, not you." Xue Liang told her.

"Miss Liang!" Su Rong yelled at her. Xue Liang slipped on the tree branch, but she shifted into a black striped white baby tiger. Landing on her four paws, quickly shifting back to her human self before anyone could see.