Liberation: Oscar's Story

Chapter 21: Pt. 3

"Look, it's a human."

"She's the Luna? Seriously? The Alpha didn't reject her?"

"She's so scrawny and small. What can she do to help?"

"I'd bet she's a spy for the humans. She's here to hurt us."

"I heard the Alpha's been bedridden for the day. She probably did something to him."

"Don't listen to them." Samiya took her hand with a sympathetic smile. "They're just nervous. It's been years since a human has stepped foot into our pack. Historically, it's always been for raids or mass murders." She had the decency to blush. "But don't worry! I'm sure that they'll soon come around."

"I know. I understand why they don't like me." Ananya followed Samiya to a purple and black striped tent. "I just hope that we can all get along."

"I think you will. You're a person with an open heart, Ananya. It's hard not to like you." Samiya handed her a basket of bright blue flowers. "These are crescent petals. We weave them into garlands for the ceremony. It's usually the Luna's job, and since you're the Luna..." she trailed off.

Ananya's heart leaped. "Really? Do you want me to do it? It seems so important..." She gently plucked a petal from the stem and rubbed it between her fingers. "Wow, it feels like velvet!"

Samiya nodded. "Yes! They're very soft and they only grow when the Harvest Moon comes around." She waddled to a chair beside Ananya and plopped down with a groan. "Oh, I can't wait for these pups to come out already."

"There's more than one?"

"Two, thankfully. Werewolves have a reputation for having more than one pup at a time. You're lucky if you have two during your first pregnancy." Samiya bent and rubbed her back. "They're due next month. I told Cai that after these kids, I'm taking at least a two-year break."

Ananya laughed. "You deserve it! Do you know what you're having?"

"Two boys." Samiya groaned. "I think I'm going to lose my mind."

"You don't know that. Baby boys can be the sweetest beings!" Ananya gushed. "I used to babysit as a teenager. The girls I watched were the feistiest kids I'd ever met, and their brother was so calm and sweet. I loved them all, though."

"I hope you're right." Samiya giggled. "I didn't want to have any more kids after these twins, but when we found out that we were having twin boys, we decided we'd try again after they grew up a bit. Both Cai and I want a girl."

"Really? That's rare. Usually, the men want boys."

"Oh, not Cai. It struck me as odd too, but he's always been adamant on having girls." She shook her head fondly and lowered her gaze to her belly, stroking her stomach with one hand and separating pink fruits with the other. "Of course, he was ecstatic when he found out we were having boys, but he still wants his baby girl. I can't blame him. Though having sons will help lighten some of the work we'll have in the future."

"That's true. I'd say just to enjoy the boys in the meantime. Kids grow up so fast." Ananya strung the petals carefully on the twine that Samiya had brought for her. "Is there a school in the pack?"

"Oh, yes!" Samiya pointed to a large, three-pronged building across from the tent. "That's the elementary school. In the werewolf education system, we only have elementary and high school in the pack. The high school is on the other side, though nowadays a lot of students prefer to split their time between high school and pack duties." She flexed her hand, and a thin, black claw came out from her pointer finger. "Wolves don't usually go to college, but if they do, they go to human colleges."

"Can they do that? Won't they be bullied?" Ananya's brow furrowed in concern.

"We can suppress our wolf side for a few hours. The younger generation doesn't have a lot of control over their wolves, but since college isn't long, they're able to control themselves. In wolf packs, survival tends to trump education, though we value studies all the same."

Ananya hummed. "That's interesting. For me, my aunt always drilled the importance of studying. She's the CEO of a tutoring company." Casting a glance at her bag, which held her muted phone, Ananya continued stringing the garland. "I don't remember a lot of my teenage years. They were like a fever dream. I only recognize bits and pieces of them when I see photographs."

"I heard that your aunt was pretty strict."

"That's an understatement." Ananya's mind was filled with haunting black memories; memories of belts and books and shouts and slaps. Her arms and cheek stung violently and she winced. "She was...she was a very passionate person when it came to me...I think..." It was all about her reputation in the end, though.

"I see..." Samiya tossed a curious glance at Ananya. Her bright, chasm-like eyes roved over the younger girl's face. "What do you think about kids, Ananya?"

"Hm?"

"Would you have them?"

"If I can, sure. I'd probably have to do a lot of tests and see a genetic counselor." She blew a curtain of hair out of her face. "But yeah, one day. I love kids."

"Maybe you can babysit for me?" Samiya teased.

"I would be more than happy to," Ananya said with a smile. "I-oh." She looked to the ground when something hit her foot. "A ball?" Her fingertips touched the rubber toy and dragged it up her foot and knee, high enough so that she could grab it.

"Um...e-excuse me?" A young girl, (around three or four, if Ananya had to guess) approached her nervously, twisting her faded pink dress in her rosy hands. Behind her was a group of whispering kids her age. "Um...can we...can we have our ball back...?"

"Sure!" Ananya put the garland down and offered the ball to her. "Here."

"Thank you..." The girl stepped forward, but as she did so, she tripped on a hidden pebble and floundered. She fell face-forward into Ananya's lap, her feet trampling the garland. A gasp rose amongst the kids and a hush fell over the pack. Hundreds of eyes fell on Ananya and the trembling girl.

"I...I'm sorry..." she whimpered and staggered upright. As she rushed backward, her foot smeared over the petals. "I..." fearfully, she looked at Ananya.