Page 54 of Rebel for Claws
This is it. The moment that will either unite us or tear us apart completely.
His enhanced senses, still adjusting to the partial activation of his dormant genes, cataloged every heartbeat, every subtle shift in posture, and every flicker of doubt or determination crossing the faces before him. The mate bond hummed strong between him and Vivian, her eyes meeting his with that fierce intelligence that had captivated him from their first volatile encounter.
"The strategy sessions have been productive," Alaric announced. "Each territorial group has outlined comprehensive defense plans that integrate traditional pack tactics with rebellion innovations. We're ready to return to our respective territories and prepare for war."
Murmurs of agreement rippled through the assembled leaders. Beta Kane from Granite Ridge nodded grimly as he stood beside Logan and Zoe, while Elena and Damon stepped forward from the Tidewater group, their tactical minds already working through logistics. Kieran and Maya flanked the Silvercrest pack representatives, their lethal competence evident in every calculated movement.
We have the framework. We have the alliance. We have?—
"Wait."
Vivian's voice cut through the room like a sharp blade, stopping Alaric mid-gesture as he prepared to officially adjourn the emergency war council. Every head turned toward her, and he felt that familiar surge of pride mixed with protective instinct as she stepped to the front of the hall.
Whatever she's about to do, it's going to change everything. Again.
"Before we scatter to the four winds to fight this war," Vivian continued, her eyes blazing with purpose, "there's something you all need to see. Something you need to understand about what we're truly fighting for."
Alaric's jaw tightened as he recognized the set of her shoulders, and the particular tilt of her chin that meant she was about to reveal another game-changing truth. Through their bond, he felt her determination like molten steel, unshakeable and absolute.
"Vivian—" he started, but she held up a hand.
"I can shift into multiple animal forms," she announced, her voice carrying to every corner of the hall. "An ability you all thought extinct for centuries. The High Council didn't just suppress our ancient bloodlines—they systematically eradicated knowledge of what we could become."
A deafening silence fell over the gathered group of leaders. Alaric watched Alpha Gage's face go pale, saw Beta Kane takean involuntary step backward, and witnessed the mixture of awe and fear flickering across the leaders' expressions.
Brilliant and terrifying. My mate is going to either inspire them or send them running.
"This isn't something to be feared," Vivian continued, beginning to remove her tactical jacket with fluid grace. "It's a beacon of hope for what our kind can achieve when we stop limiting ourselves to the High Council's narrow vision."
Alaric's enhanced senses picked up the spike in heart rates around the room, the sharp intakes of breath, and even some low whistles of admiration. But it was the scent of genuine fear from some of the pack leaders that made his protective instincts surge.
She's putting herself at incredible risk. If this goes wrong?—
Vivian stepped into the open space at the center of the hall, her pale blonde hair catching the afternoon sunlight streaming through the high windows. "Watch," she said simply, and began to shift.
Alaric had seen her partial transformations before, but witnessing the full display in front of dozens of leaders was breathtaking. Her body maintained its essential wolf form—white fur with those distinctive silver patterns—but her eyes became the large, luminous orbs of an owl, providing supernatural night vision. Her legs transformed into the powerful, graceful limbs of a panther, granting her inhuman agility and silent movement. Across her back and shoulders, the bulked muscle and raw strength of a bear emerged, promising devastating force.
Magnificent. Absolutely magnificent.
Gasps echoed through the grand hall like a symphony of shock and wonder. Some leaders leaned forward in fascination, while others instinctively backed away from the beautiful, deadly creature before them. In this form, Vivian embodiedeverything their ancestors had been capable of—power, grace, and magical abilities beyond modern comprehension.
She held the transformation for several heartbeats, letting every person present absorb the reality of what they were witnessing. Then, with the same fluid grace, she shifted back to human form and calmly retrieved her clothes from where she'd placed them and got dressed in record time.
"The High Council spent three centuries suppressing abilities like these," Vivian said, her voice calm and measured despite the emotional weight of her revelation. "They manipulated our genetics, enforced the Severance laws, and eliminated anyone who showed signs of ancient power—all to maintain their control over what they considered a threat to our kind."
Alaric stepped closer to her, his presence both supportive and subtly protective as he read the mixed reactions in the room. "The experiments Thorne conducted on me during my captivity weren't random torture," he added, his voice carrying new understanding. "He was searching for my dormant genes, testing to see if the ancient bloodlines could be reactivated through artificial means."
And now they know why. Because when those bloodlines combine?—
"The secondary prophecy isn't just about creating one powerful Alpha," Vivian continued, her eyes meeting each leader's gaze in turn. "It's about unlocking the potential that exists in all of us. The potential the High Council has spent centuries convincing us we didn't possess."
Elder Callum, representing the Silvercrest pack on the High Council, leaned forward in his chair, his weathered face thoughtful. "You're suggesting that our entire understanding of shifter capabilities has been deliberately limited."
"I'm not suggesting it," Vivian replied firmly. "I'm proving it. Your High Council didn't just separate humans and shifters toprevent hybrid births. They did it to prevent the evolution of our kind into something they couldn't control."
The magnitude of the conspiracy is staggering. Three hundred years of systematic suppression.
Kieran stepped forward. "If dormant abilities exist in our bloodlines, abilities that can be reactivated through specific matings or circumstances..."
