Liberation: Oscar's Story

Chapter 6: Pt. 1

The City Hall may have looked big on the outside, but to Oscar's astonishment, it was quite small inside. A brief hallway led to an array of elevators, each blinking with red and green arrows and making loud dinging sounds. People swarmed in and out of the elevators, chatting with each other or to the devices pushed to their ears. They nodded to January Bayor and Anthony Willis, but upon noticing the three tall, muscular men behind them, their expressions changed from one of awe to disgust. They crammed against the walls to refrain from touching any of the wolves. Ananya was completely ignored.

January Bayor went to the furthest elevator and pulled out her badge. She scanned the barcode on the small box beside the door and the shaft made a soft ding. Gears could be heard shifting from inside as the compartment neared the first floor.

"I will leave you at Officer Bayor's disposal," Anthony Willis said in his coarse, hissing voice. With a curt nod to Oscar, he turned on his heel and left, striding toward the desk surrounded by glass walls. Ananya was completely ignored again.

The elevator doors opened with a teeth-grinding squeak. Officer Bayor stood on the left side, five feet in front of General Karsten. Cai stood at the center and Oscar was on the right, side-by-side with Ananya.

"Four, Kaushikh," January Bayor growled, and without complaint, Ananya pushed the button. Oscar took note of the girl's complacent nature. For some reason, it irked him.

"So..." he began hesitantly. "You're a recruit, Miss. Kaushikh?"

Ananya turned to him with a smile. "Yep!" She giggled and nodded. "I am! I've been a recruit here for a few months." She paused. "And you can just call me Ananya. Miss. Kaushikh reminds me of my aunt."

Oscar nodded, though he was unable to match the bubbliness of her voice. "Of course," he said hoarsely. "Apologies."

She shrugged. "No apology necessary, Alpha."

Oscar's teeth dug into his lip when her small mouth formed the letters of his title. A spark flickered in the dark chasm of his depressed mind. "You mentioned you had a certain disability?" He began cautiously, aware of January Bayor's glare pushing against his back. "If I may ask, what kind?"

Ananya snorted. "You don't need to be so formal with me, although I understand in this context it's the most appropriate." She cleared her throat. "I have muscular dystrophy. In simple terms, my muscles are not well developed and I cannot do simple things such as bending to get an item from the ground or...anything on the ground." She chuckled.

A smile tugged Oscar's lips. "I don't mean to be patronizing, but I find that your enthusiasm despite such setbacks is admirable. It's clear to me that you don't limit yourself."

Ananya nodded. "No offense taken. I enjoy challenging the Grim Reaper." She grinned. "What else do I have to do with my life otherwise? My youth was ill-spent. I'm merely making up for lost time."

"I see." Oscar wanted to continue talking to her, but the doors opened and Cai and General Karsten spilled out in haste. Ananya giggled under her breath and followed them, and Oscar put his arm over the door to allow January Bayor to leave first.

"Thank you," the officer said. She and Oscar walked together through the office. Ananya led the two men in front of them, chatting amicably as they listened to her (or at least, Oscar assumed that they were listening to her, but the glassy stare of Cai suggested otherwise).

"This floor is quieter compared to the lobby," Oscar said, attempting to start a conversation. "Although perhaps it makes sense, seeing as there is work to be done."

"Everyone in this building works to their potential," January Bayor said, her tone clipped and concise. "Unlike the unruliness of a werewolf, we have schedules and manners."

Oscar blinked. "I beg your pardon. We have laws as well." He frowned. "Do you think I allow my wolves to run amuck? That's not how I brought my pack out of the trenches of misery."

"Had you trained them properly, they wouldn't have been in the trenches of misery," January Bayor said with a glare. "We humans have more of a routine than you wolves do. As you can see by our pristinely-kept floors and detailed schedules."

"Officer, have you ever been in a werewolf pack?" Oscar's eyes narrowed.

"Of course not," January Bayor scoffed. "Why would I?"

"I think if you did, you'd see that your assumptions are quite far from the truth," he growled. "I don't appreciate you casting a negative light on my wolves. Our history may be drenched in blood, but we've changed since then. We're not monsters."

"Need I remind you of your previous Alpha?" January Bayor turned. "My assumptions are based on former knowledge, and the fact remains that you wolves are animals. At the end of the day, your carnivorous instincts will grab hold and there won't be any humanity left in those dark eyes of yours - if you could call yourself a human."

Oscar's jaw clenched. "Our previous Alpha has been dead for ten years," he said, struggling to contain the tremor of his fist. "You have no idea how much we werewolves have suffered under his reign."

"Wasn't he your father?" January Bayor squinted. "You look alike, now that I get a better look..."

Alike? Alarms rang in Oscar's head. Are we alike? Will we be the same? His breathing became ragged. "I am nothing like my stepfather," he growled. "We were treated like slaves under him, all of us. Our lives were miserable." He pulled up the sleeve of his suit, revealing to January Bayor the thin tan lines on his skin. "These marks are from a killer, not an Alpha. I understand your trepidation toward us, but don't you think our kind isn't afraid of you as well? You humans who have consistently hunted us and have historically been the cause of many deaths?"

January Bayor went silent, her eyes trained on the wounds Oscar had shown her. Her lips were taut with arrogance but her jaw loosened. "Until you prove me wrong, I will stand by my judgment," she said. "However, I will apologize for my crass comments toward you."

"Thank you." Oscar's gaze thawed. "I hope - for the sake of our packs - that we can get along to solve this mystery before anyone else gets hurt."

"Indeed..." January Bayor muttered. They stopped before Mayor Dafowick's office, and while Ananya continued to chat with the remaining wolves, January Bayor's hand fell on Oscar's shoulder. "Alpha."

"Yes?"

"I don't care what you do to me," she said slowly. "You can insult me or kill me for all I care. But if you lay a single claw on Ananya, I'll have your hide, even if I have to die to do so. Is that understood?"

Oscar raised an eyebrow, looming over January Bayor. "Are you really in a position to threaten me right now, Officer Bayor? I could easily have you taken out of your position."

"Then you'd only be proving me right," January Bayor retorted. "Keep away from Kaushikh and we'll be fine. Touch her and I'll kill you."

"A threat, eh?" Oscar smirked. "Officer, I will do whatever I please for the safety of my wolves. However, for the sake of our alliance..." he unsheathed a claw and slit his pinky finger, a little grin playing on his lips when he saw January Bayor's eyes widen slightly. "I promise not to hurt Ananya or any human. This promise extends to my wolves as well."

January Bayor nodded. "Okay..." she studied the orangish blood trickling from Oscar's finger. "Is this some sort of werewolf promise?"

Oscar nodded. "It's a life-binding promise. Should we break it we have to cut a finger, thus removing a source of pride and protection from our body." He tilted his head curiously. "Do you believe me now?"

She growled. "I don't have much of a reason not to," she muttered and knocked on the door. "Let's get this meeting over with." 

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

Hey guys!

It seems like January Bayor's animosity remains. How will that impact Oscar and Ananya's relationship? What do you think Mayor Dafowick is like? Comment your thoughts below and don't forget to vote!