Palace of Wolves

Chapter 12 -- Love Truth and Climbing Frames

Werewolves suck. Seriously if I'm going to be some mythological, shape shifting creature, there might be some positive features; for example right then, I could have done with wolfs stamina but no, I was stuck with that of an unathletic teenager. Panting, I trailed behind Dora as we raced up the rather dingy looking streets. There were several smashed bottles and plenty of litter on the route; the cement pavement was stained with god knows what -actually I really didn't want to know. I was struggling for breath and fighting a cramp by the time we reached the gate to Barrglen Public Park (or the pubby park as it was known to the local youth). There where narrow paths weaving in and out of the dark clumps of trees but we stood in a wide open area containing several football pitches and a play park. There where two young boys kicking a football between each other and a teenager standing under the shade of a tall oak in the distance.

"It's Oscar, and he's not looking" Dora whispered pointing to the teenager. She pulled me by the arm and we ran the play park. There was a wooden climbing structure in the shape of a train which she crawled under --I followed. Within a few minutes the familiar scarlet head of Alex appeared and embraced Oscar. The couple went and sat on the swings. I smiled; it was the perfect hiding spot --close enough to hear yet still hidden.

"What was it you wanted to tell me?" asked Alex

"Em...it's hard to explain Al. I'm not really supposed to say."

"You can tell me anything. Don't you trust me?"

"That's the thing, I trust you too much. I've got secrets Al, secrets I can't tell. But I want to tell you."

"Oh my gosh, you're a serial killer aren't you?"

"What? No! It's nothing like that."

"Okay, I overreacted! Just stop acting so god damn mysterious. Just tell me Oz."

"Yes, I will. But I just want to check. You love me don't you?"

"Of course I do Oscar. Why do you need to ask?"

"It's just I want to know. You'll still love me whatever I tell you, because it doesn't change me. I'm still Oscar. I'm still yours Al."

"Tell me."

Oscar sighed and pulled off his beanie. His hair fell past his ears with it off.

"Tell me Oscar."

He said something so faint and fast that I never heard it.

"What did you say?" asked Alex, I wasn't the only one who never caught it.

"I'm a werewolf."

"Very funny Oz. And I'm a witch!"

"I'm being serious here! Alexandra Iris Parker."

"Yeah, seriously funny! Using my full name too, that just tops it off! Well if that's true go ahead and shift or whatever it is that you do."

"I can't Alex. It only works on the full moon."

"You've certainly put a lot of thought into this." Alex's face was as red as her hair with laughter at this point. "It's the things like this you do that make me love you."

I looked at Dora at this point, she was smiling. I guess this was the best reaction we could have asked for -Alex didn't believe him but she wasn't offended by the "joke". I just hoped Oscar had the intelligence to play along. Unfortunately, I was wrong.

"Look Alex, think about it. Remember when we just started dating and you wanted to take me to that concert but I said I was busy."

"Yeah."