Ten years have passed since the demise of Banastre, and the Yuen Pack thrives under the leadership of the dictator's benevolent stepson, Oscar Yuen. With a flourishing community and accumulation of wealth, the Yuen Pack has become second only to the...
After four excruciating days, she had finally made it to Grengebill Park, a small, unkempt area of grass that had a rusty swing set and browning slide and nothing else. Surrounding the park were rows and rows of lush green trees and bushes, and behind a cluster of bushes was a splintering wooden sign with crude markings that just made out the shapes of letters, welcoming their visitors to the park.
Ananya fell onto a bench with a sigh of relief and her back hit the tree behind her. She didn't realize at that moment that she'd be unable to get up, but she reasoned that if worse came to worst she'd just crawl to the swingset and use the high bars to lift herself to her feet.
"God, that man just wouldn't stop snoring," Ananya lamented, recalling her two cold nights sleeping on the floor of the train since her bunkmate had used her bed as a resting place for his luggage. It worsened when he turned out to be a snorer, who created loud, elephant noises throughout the night. Ananya could feel her eyes sagging with sleepless dark bags and she groaned with a sleepy toss of her head.
"I'm so close to Bourdier, I can smell it," she muttered. "I just...I need to find Oscar. I need to find anyone from the pack and make sure that everyone is okay, then we have to stop June and Dafowick. How though..." her teeth grated tiredly against her lips. "How in the world can I stop a lunatic werewolf and a human, both of whom are stronger than me on their own? Darn, what I would give to be in a normal body!" She tapped her feet on the dirt. "Think, Ananya, think. There has to be something...something..." She studied the crumpled, sweat-soaked tickets in her hands and sighed. "I guess the best thing to do would be to get to the pack and find Oscar. I hope he forgives me for leaving him. Gosh, I shouldn't have done that." She rubbed her cheek and winced. "No, I'm going to explain everything. I have to..." she closed her eyes. "I need to sleep..."
"Ananya?" A voice called to her, distant but close, heavy but light, and Ananya hummed, drowning in fatigue.
"Not now, Oscar," she murmured, yawning. She paused mid-yawn and her eyebrows furrowed. Wait, what? Her eyes snapped open and her jaw fell to the ground. "Oscar?!"
The Alpha bent so that his face was above hers, his eyes dark and curious, his skin covered with dirt and water, most likely sweat, but Ananya wasn't sure. He too, looked like he hadn't slept in days, but it did little to affect the sturdy movements of his body. His lips were tense but a light ignited in his gaze when their eyes met.
"Ananya?" He didn't smile. "What are you doing here?" He noticed her rubbing her cheek. "What happened? Why is there a bruise?" He grabbed her wrist and moved her hand, his fingers drifting over the cut. "Who did this to you?" His jaw tensed.
"Oscar..." Ananya swallowed. "Oscar..." Tears brimmed her eyes and her body lurched. In a moment, she had her arms wrapped around his waist and her cheek pressed just above his groin, her face buried in his shirt. "Oscar! I...I'm so sorry!"
"Sorry? Wait, what?" Oscar hesitated, then wrapped his arms around Ananya, holding her close to him. "Shh...darling, what are you apologizing for? Sweetheart, what's wrong?" He lifted her into his arms and held her by her waist so that she was raised a head taller than him. "Who hurt you, darling? Was it...was it her?"
Ananya exhaled shakily. "Yes, but that's not important. Look, Oscar-!"
"Not important?!" Oscar's nostrils flared. "Not important? When somebody has been physically abusing my mate, then it's damn important! How could she do this to you? Why would she do this to you?"
"Because..." Ananya hesitated. No, he has to know. "She wanted revenge."
"Revenge? What do you mean? I don't follow." He set her down, his hands rising to her shoulders. His touch caused her to shiver.
She reigned her desire. Not now, libido, she scolded herself with a blush and cleared her throat. "My aunt...she and your stepdad were mates. Real mates." She nodded when Oscar's eyes widened, and reaching into her pocket, she handed him the photograph that she managed to clip together. "See? When your stepdad...when Banastre went with your mother, my aunt wanted revenge. She didn't care that you had no relation to Banastre. She...she saw him in you and...well...she lost it."
Oscar studied the picture. "But why did she take it out on you?" He asked, his voice a dangerous growl. "If she wanted revenge, she should have taken it out on me, not you."
Ananya shrugged. "I was the easiest thing she could manipulate and torture, I guess." She rubbed her elbow. "Plus, I'm your mate, so it became a double prize for her. Oh, a wolf from June's pack came to her house. He was looking for me, for some reason." She stepped around Oscar. "We should get back and see how everyone is doing, shouldn't we? What are you doing out here anyway?"
"I'm not going back." Oscar sat on the bench. "I'm done being an Alpha."
"What?" Ananya's eyes ticked. "What nonsense are you talking about? Don't start being stubborn now, Oscar. I spent three nights sleeping in a cargo cart with a man who snored like his life depended on it. Get your butt up and let's go."
"What are you, my mother?" Oscar sneered. "Oh, right, she's dead, just like everyone I've ever loved. I'm a shit Alpha, Ananya. I can't protect anyone and the people I try to help fear me. I've done nothing to improve the relationship between humans and wolves, and I can't even keep my mate safe, goddamnit!"
Ananya clenched her hands. "That's not true! You're an amazing Alpha, Oscar!"
"Yeah? How?" Oscar's gaze narrowed. "How am I so amazing, Ananya? My pack fears me. I let a traitor walk among us. I let Rutuparna beat you and take you away from me. I let my mother die!" His shoulders were shaking. "I couldn't protect her from that bastard, and I couldn't protect you or my pack from a few rogues! I...I'm a failure..." he stared at his hands. "I'm such a fuck up..."
"Stop that! You're not a mess up!" Ananya snapped. She reached for him, but he flinched. Her heart cracked. "Oscar...please, we need to go back..."
"No!" Oscar stood with a glare. "No, I'm not going back! I'm not going to let myself become like him! I'm not going to hurt anyone anymore! I'm not going to scare them, I'm not going to kill them! I'm not...I'm not..." two drops fell on his hands. "I...I'm not him..." He collapsed onto his knees with a mixture of a sob and a growl. "I'm not Banastre...I'm not..." his eyes oscillated in color and rage and frustration built up like a microwaved box of popcorn, ready to explode. He fisted his hair and shook his head furiously. "No...No...I'm not...I won't..."
"Oscar!" Ananya stepped forward. "Oscar!" She touched his hand, but he slapped her arm away with a growl.
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