Liberation: Oscar's Story

Chapter 3: Pt 2

"Alpha." Karsten and his group appeared from the blackness behind them. "Unfortunately, I have nothing to report. There's no traces of blood anywhere but here." His expression remained stoic, but there was a spot of color that jumped to his cheeks. "We did, however, find traces of semen on the ground."

"I'm not surprised," Oscar said dryly, taking the plastic bag that Karsten gave him. "A young couple in the woods alone? What else would they have been doing?" He handed the plastic bag to Samiya. "Analyze that as well. You said there was most likely a struggle between our female victim and her killer, so this could be remnants of him if it's not her boyfriend."

"I still think they're related," Cai said. "Look at their faces! They kind of look alike, don't they?"

"Beta, with all due respect, their bodies are so torn up I can't tell them apart from a movie prop," Karsten said. He snapped his fingers and his wolves snapped gloves onto their hands, beginning to collect the body parts carefully. "We'll have these brought to the morgue, Alpha. Shall I inform the Alpha King?"

"No, not yet. We don't need this to become a bigger problem than it already is," Oscar said sternly. "Leave Jackson to me. Karsten, double up the border patrol. Samiya, I want a report on this incident in three days. Cai, come with me."

"Yes, Alpha," the group chorused.

"What do you need me for?" Cai asked, holding Samiya's hand tightly as Oscar stepped over the trampled grass and opened the hellish black gates allowing entrance to his pack. "Can't we get some rest now?"

Oscar glared at him. "There's no time for rest. My wolves are in danger."

"Humans were killed, Oscar, not werewolves."

"Humans today, werewolves tomorrow," Oscar snapped. "Take Samiya home and follow me when you're done."

"Are you crazy?" Cai scowled. "I'm not leaving my pregnant wife home alone when there's a fucking murderer around."

"Cai..." Samiya began softly.

"No, love, I'm not doing it," Cai stated firmly. "Oscar, she's coming with me."

Oscar sighed, studying the deep-set lines on Samiya's face. She avoided his stare, directing her attention to the ground, and Oscar tried not to let it bother him.

"She's tired, Cai."

"You don't mind working me to death."

"You're my Beta. It's your job. She's pregnant. She needs rest." Oscar mulled it over for a moment. "Go home then, Cai. I'll do what I have to do on my own."

"Oscar, stop fucking around," Cai growled. "You're exhausted. Go to sleep too. We'll deal with this in the morning."

"When another innocent man or wolf is killed?" Oscar hissed. "Go to hell, Cai. That may have been how Banastre ran this shitshow, but it's certainly not how I'm going to do it."

"Oh, and you think working yourself to death is the solution?" Cai asked. "Oscar, you won't be able to think properly if you're sleepy."

"I will be perfectly fine. I have been for the last ten years."

"Oscar-!"

"Enough, Cai!" Oscar snapped, baring his fangs. It garnered no reaction from Cai apart from an unimpressed eyebrow raise, but Samiya flinched, burying closer to her husband. Noticing her action caused a whip of pain to lash Oscar's back. He closed his mouth and retreated immediately. His claws dug into his palms and his wolf cackled. You made a woman cry, it taunted him. You are just like him.

Shut up! Oscar struggled to fight against the voice and felt himself cower away from the couple. Be quiet!

"Oscar." Cai's tone had dropped to a sympathetic whisper. "Come on, man. Go to bed. We'll deal with the humans tomorrow."

Oscar said nothing, and with a small nod he turned and shifted, rushing through the path illuminated by glowing red lamps toward the chateau that stood at the end of the line - the Alpha Palace. Built in the seventeenth century by the best in the masonry business, Oscar's home was a source of envy for almost all the Alphas. It was second to only one palace - the Alpha King's Chateau, home to Oscar's aunt Anvi and her husband, Alpha King Jackson. Oscar didn't mind that his house was smaller than theirs, though.

In fact, he hated his house.

No matter how beautiful it was, with its intricate marble flooring and lavishly decorated bedrooms, Oscar hated the palace. Despite being irradiated by bright white lights carefully implanted into small diamonds inserted into the white ceilings throughout his house, Oscar couldn't help but feel like he was still surrounded by darkness. After Banastre's demise, everything in the palace had been given away and Oscar had remodeled the house from the furniture in the living room to the books in the library. Anything that reminded him of the insects that had invaded his family was burned, and yet, Oscar also felt like Banastre had burned a piece of himself into Oscar's soul. Everywhere he walked, Oscar carried the mark of Banastre, and nothing he ever did - in the ten years that he'd been Alpha - had been able to separate him from the cruel, vicious image of the man who'd tormented his life from the moment he'd been born.

Oscar shifted once he was inside his house. Neglecting to put clothes on, he strode through the dimly lit hallways toward his office - the place where he spent nearly all his time. Shutting the mahogany door behind him, Oscar stepped over the loose sheets of paper sprinkled over his floor and grabbed his phone. Pulling a notepad from his desk drawer, he dialed the number written in red and waited for the other line to pick up.

"Mayor Dafowick's office. Secretary Anthony Willis speaking."

"This is Alpha Oscar Yuen of the Yuen Pack," Oscar spoke briskly, one arm leaning against the desk as he spoke. "I'm calling to report an incident that happened at my pack today during my absence. It involves two humans who are potentially from your city."

"I see," Anthony Willis responded. "Can you provide their names and the details of the incident?"

"I'm afraid not," Oscar said. "However, I would like to schedule an appointment with the Mayor as soon as possible to discuss this matter. It involves the safety of his people and mine."

"I see," Anthony Willis said again. "Does Friday sound good? At one?"

"It's fine," Oscar spoke in a clipped tone. "Tell Dafowick that this needs to be kept under wraps. Nobody from the public is to know, reporters included. I would also like a detective to be in the meeting. Just one. No police."

"I'll run it by the Mayor," Anthony Willis said. "As for detectives...I'm afraid we don't have any at our disposal." A voice murmured something to him. "Well, we have a trainee, but-"

"They'll do," Oscar snapped. "Have them there."

"Yes, sir, but-!"

"I don't want any excuses. Have everything done by Friday. Please tell Mayor Dafowick that I look forward to meeting with him."

"Y-Yes Alpha Ban-I mean, Alpha Oscar." Anthony Willis quickly hung up and Oscar glared at the phone, tossing it on the chair.

"Little prick," he growled, giving one last look at the phone before heading to bed. 

--()--()--()--

Hey everyone!

It seems our dear Oscar isn't a fan of interacting with humans. How will they react to this murder? Who will the blame go to?