Oskar went to Bear Hollow as often as he could. Only a few shifters would go at a time, since sneaking around and avoiding detection was easier with smaller groups. But Oskar never complained when it wasn’t his turn. He was thankful for the chances he did have to cross the tunnel and see his old friends and Whisper. If not for the resistance, and the tunnel they’d spent years building one painstaking inch at a time, he would have never had a chance to see his sister.
His sister, who had not missed the fact that Oskar was infatuated with Zora.
“You like her, don’t you?” Whisper had asked the last time Oskar crossed the tunnel and was sitting at the bar in Bear Hollow Brews.
“Huh? Like who?” He’d tried to play dumb, but Whisper wasn’t having it. She rolled her eyes at him.
“Zora. It was so obvious. I mean, she seems like a genuinely good person, which I’ll admit is surprising for a Gilt Hollow citizen. But really, Oskar? You know what the penalty is if you’re caught. And you can’t ever have any kind of real future with her, anyway.”
Oskar had shrugged. “I can’t have a real future with anyone, anyway. I volunteered for the Games, remember?”
Whisper had fallen silent at that. What could she say? What could anyone say? All Oskar knew was that he had never in his life been as grateful for anything as he was for the resistance. Having a group of fellow “volunteers” working with him to help the Bear Hollow shifters and to stop the oppression of the Gilt Hollow elite gave him a reason for living.
He felt passionately about the resistance, perhaps more so than any of the other shifters who had joined already. Otto noticed, and put Oskar in charge of recruiting. Not a day went by that Oskar didn’t spend at least an hour observing or talking to shifters in Gilt Hollow who didn’t know about the resistance yet. Oskar was determined to get every last shifter to join, until the revolution was unstoppable.
But Oskar’s extracurricular activities did not go unnoticed by Loki and his father. Oskar always took great care that no one followed him or overheard him when he was talking to another shifter, but somehow, Loki grew suspicious anyway. Which was how, one frosty January day, Oskar found himself pulled from training and pulled into Loki’s office.
Loki often threw temper tantrums for no reason, so Oskar didn’t worry about being called to Loki’s office. When Oskar saw Loki’s father, Fitz Severson, sitting in the office as well, though, he grew concerned. Fitz rarely came to observe training anymore, and, despite living in the same house as the elder Severson, Oskar had only seen him a handful of times. Oskar’s instincts told him that something was very wrong, but he forced himself to remain calm.
“Hello, Oskar,” Loki sneered, looking him up and down as though Oskar were a prized show animal to be assessed. Oskar was used to this sort of staring by now, but it still irritated him. He was a human being, not some sort of show pony. But Oskar bit his tongue and remained silent. He’d quickly learned that the less he said to Loki, the better.
“I trust your training is going well?” Loki’s father asked. Oskar looked over at him and nodded with as much respect as he could muster.
“Very well, sir.”
“Well, that’s good,” Loki said, leaning back and crossing his arms. “But I hear it’s not the only thing going well.”
Oskar felt a fresh wave of panic washing over him at those words. Had someone figured out somehow that he and Zora had something going on between them? If so, he was doomed, along with Whisper and anyone else who the Gilt Hollow citizens thought might matter to Oskar. But Oskar refused to let his panic show in his face. He pushed down the fear and kept up a neutral, pleasant expression, despite the churning that had started in his core. He stood in silence, waiting for Loki to continue.
“I’m sure you must know what I’m talking about,” Loki finally said when it became clear that Oskar was not going to respond to Loki’s initial comment.
“I’m afraid I don’t,” Oskar replied. His palms were growing sweaty, but he managed to hold them steady. Would he at least have a chance to say goodbye to Zora before they executed him? Probably not. That would be a kindness, and Gilt Hollow citizens weren’t known for showing kindness to shifters.
“Well, well, well. I guess our little champion shifter is going to play dumb,” Loki said, leaning back so far in his chair that Oskar was surprised he didn’t fall over. Oskar wished the man would topple over. Maybe a little tumble would wipe that ridiculous smirk off of his face.
“We aren’t interested in playing games, Oskar,” Fitz spoke up. His tone was less sneering than his son’s, but held just as much contempt, if not more. “We know that you’re involved in some sort of plan to undermine the authority of the Gilt Hollow citizens. I’ll be frank with you: we don’t have a lot of details yet on how this resistance is planning to cause trouble, but we will find details. Trust me. Things will go much better for you if you tell us what you know now. We aren’t completely unreasonable. If you give us information that helps us stop this resistance in its tracks, we’ll grant you a pardon. If you don’t help us, well, you can expect the remainder of your life to be very short.
Oskar’s mind was racing. So Loki and his father knew that something was going on. They’d even used the term “resistance,” although Oskar didn’t think that they’d actually discovered that the shifters were officially heading up what they called “the resistance.” And from the little bit Loki and his father had said, it didn’t sound like they actually knew much about what was going on, other than the fact that something was going on. Oskar decided the best thing to do was play dumb. He would never out his fellow shifters. Not even if it meant death for both him and Whisper. The resistance was too important. He would die before he said or did anything to hinder the coming revolution, and he knew that Whisper would feel the same.
“I’m sorry. I don’t know what you’re talking about. I’ve become friends with all of the shifters I train with, yes. That’s to be expected, don’t you think? We’re sort of like coworkers. But we aren’t planning anything or doing anything to try to undermine the Gilt Hollow citizens. We’re just trying to live our lives here in peace, and do the best we can in the ring.”
Oskar could see from the expressions on Loki’s and Fitz’s faces that they weren’t buying it. Loki’s eyes had turned black with rage.
“Do not mock us, Oskar,” Loki spat out, saying Oskar’s name as though it were a curse word. “We’re offering you a way out of certain death, but if you spit in our faces and refuse to talk to us, we’ll make sure that not only is your death horrible, but Whisper’s is as well.”
Oskar took a deep breath and raised his hands in a gesture of surrender. “You know I love my sister and would do anything to keep her safe. If I had something I could tell you right now, I would. But I have nothing to tell you. I don’t know of any resistance.”
Oskar watched the faces of Loki and Fitz carefully. He could see the doubt creeping into Loki’s eyes. Loki knew all too well that nothing in the world mattered more to Oskar than Whisper. Or at least, Loki thought he knew that. The truth was much more complicated. Whisper meant more to Oskar than his own life, yes. But her life didn’t matter more than the resistance and the revolution. Some things were worth sacrificing everything for. And so, come what may, Oskar would deny the resistance to Loki. He would never betray his fellow shifters, just as he knew they would never betray him.
The doubt that filled Loki’s eyes did not extend to Fitz’s eyes, however. Fitz’s eyes remained cold and calculating as he pointed an accusing finger in Oskar’s direction.
“You’re lying. I know there is something going on, and I know you know about it. Either you tell us now, or I will personally see to it that you die in spectacular fashion.”
Oskar resisted the urge to clench his fist. “I’m sorry, sir. I cannot tell you what I don’t know.”
Fitz exploded in anger. “Out, then! Out of my presence. Go back to your stupid training sessions. They will not help you when you face what
I have planned for you.”
Oskar could only respectfully bow his head, and then turn to leave the room. Before the door had even shut behind him, he could hear Loki arguing with his father.
“Father, I don’t think he does know anything. If he did, he would tell us to spare Whisper’s life. Believe me.”
“I don’t care what he knows or doesn’t know at this point. We need to make an example of someone, and he’s a good shifter to fill the position.”
“But he’s a champion. My first champion. I don’t want to kill him for no reason.”
“I don’t care how great of a fighter he is. I will kill any shifter without batting an eyelash if it serves our greater purpose. And right now, we need to send a clear message to these shifters that anyone caught participating in these resistance attempts will be severely punished. Who better to send that message than the latest shifter champion? We’ll prove that no one is above the law.”
Oskar didn’t dare stay outside the door, as much as he would have liked to eavesdrop on the whole conversation. The two guards outside the door were already giving him irritated looks, so he started walking down the hallway without another look back. He did manage to catch a few more sentences of Loki’s argument with his father, though, since Loki had started yelling at this point.
“You’re just jealous because my first shifter beat your shifters. You know I found a good fighter and you can’t stand being beaten by your own son!”
“Enough, Loki! I will not have you accusing me of weakness like that! This is about much more than whose name is on the winner’s board. This is about keeping the shifters in their place!”
After that last sentence, Oskar couldn’t hear anything else. But he didn’t need to hear more. He knew that, barring a miracle, he was doomed. Once Loki’s father had decided that he needed to be killed, he would be killed. The question now was, how much time did he have? Would they hold off on executing him long enough for him to have one last chance to visit Whisper? If Oskar was going to die, all he wanted was a chance to say goodbye to Whisper, and to warn her that the Gilt Hollow citizens would probably be coming for her. Oskar doubted that Loki’s father would spare Whisper just because he had no proof that Oskar was actually involved in the resistance. Most likely, Fitz would make as big of an example of Oskar as he could, by publicly killing anyone in Bear Hollow remotely connected to Oskar. Oskar frowned. He should warn Axel. The might be coming for him as well.
Oskar was so lost in his troubled thoughts that he didn’t notice Zora walking toward him until she was only about two feet in front of him.
“Mr. Warden, a word, if you please,” she said in a terse voice. Oskar felt his stomach do a flip-flop at the sound of her voice. Complicated emotions filled him as he realized that he had to tell Zora of his fate. He hated to bring her bad news, but he didn’t want her to hear it from anyone else but him.
She led him into a deserted office and closed the door behind her, which surprised Oskar. Usually she would not see him in private here in Gilt Hollow, for fear of someone seeing them together and getting the wrong idea. Whatever she had to tell him must be serious. Oskar hoped it didn’t have something to do with the resistance being found out. As far as he knew, the resistance was still relatively safe at this point. Loki and Fitz didn’t seem to know much about what was actually going on.
“Oskar,” she said, her voice breaking with emotion. “My father and Loki know something about the resistance. I overheard them talking, and they’re planning to force you to talk about it.”
Oskar’s heart twisted up in his chest at the sight of Zora looking so distraught. He reached across the desk that separated them and pulled her hand into his.
“I know. They already talked to me.”
Zora’s eyes widened with alarm. “They did?”
“Yes. I was just coming from your father’s office now. They told me that if I didn’t tell them about the resistance, they would kill me.”
“What did you say?” Zora’s hand was trembling inside of his.
“I told them I didn’t know what they were talking about, of course. I’m not going to let them intimidate me into tattling on my shifter friends. No matter what they threaten me with, I will not speak. They can kill me, and they can kill Whisper, but they cannot kill the resistance.”
Zora’s eyes turned glassy with tears. “But I don’t want to lose you. I’ve only just found you. How can I say goodbye to you now?”
Oskar’s heart twisted up even more, but he could not let Zora see the pain he was feeling. He had to remain strong, for her sake.
“We always knew our time together was stolen. We’ve had a few good times together, but we both knew it could never be. As much as I love you, and as much as I wish I could take you back to Bear Hollow and spend every day with you there until we’re both old and gray, our destiny was never going to align like that.”
Zora’s tears did spill over then. “I cannot live without you.” Her voice sounded fierce, despite her tears and trembling.
Oskar smiled at her, his heart exploding with love and admiration. “You can, and you will. You’re strong, Zora, and the resistance needs you. You understand Gilt Hollow in a way that the other shifters never will. Please, for my sake, don’t give up after I’m gone.”
Zora took a deep, shuddering breath. “I won’t give up, I promise. But I don’t think my heart is ever going to feel whole again. Maybe this sounds crazy, but I feel like I’ve been waiting my whole life for you.”
Oskar reached over to stroke her cheek with his finger. “It doesn’t sound crazy. I feel the same way. Do the Gilt Hollow citizens believe in lifemates?”
“Lifemates? What’s that?” Zora furrowed her brow in confusion.
Oskar wasn’t surprised that Zora had never heard of the term. Believing that fate could bring two hearts together to love each other for a lifetime didn’t seem like the sort of thing most Gilt Hollow citizens would believe in. But Zora wasn’t the same as most Gilt Hollow citizens. She was different, and Oskar knew she would understand if he explained it to her.
“We shifters believe in what we call ‘lifemates.’ We believe that each person is predestined, from the moment they’re born, to find their lifemate—the person that fate has chosen for them to love and protect for the rest of their lives. When you meet your lifemate, you’re almost always instantly attracted to them. But it isn’t just about physical attraction, either. When someone is your lifemate, your very soul intertwines with theirs. You feel as though you couldn’t live without them.”
“That’s how I feel about you,” Zora whispered.
Oskar nodded. “And how I feel about you. What’s more, when you make love to your lifemate for the first time, what we call the ‘lifemate bond’ is formed. It feels like a deep warmth in your core, and—”
“I felt that!” Zora interrupted. “When we made love back in Bear Hollow, I felt a heat like nothing I’ve ever felt before! I thought I was on fire.”
Oskar nodded again. “That’s the lifemate bond. It’s unbreakable for as long as you and your lifemate are both alive. I sometimes thought I would never have the privilege of feeling that for anyone. I certainly didn’t expect it to happen with a Gilt Hollow citizen. But I’m grateful that I found you before I died. You are my lifemate, and I love you fiercely. I only wish the remainder of my life was going to be longer, so I could show you just how much I love you. But in any case, I want you to know that the last few weeks, despite everything, have been some of the best weeks of my life.”
Zora cried even harder. “It doesn’t have to end like this. I’ll talk to my father. I’ll find a way to make him agree to let you live. There must be something I can do. I’ll…I’ll…” Zora started crying so hard that she could no longer speak.
“No, Zora,” Oskar said gently. “I don’t want you to talk to him. I’m not afraid to die. Talking to him will only cause trouble for you, and for the resistance.”
He stood, then, and walked arou
nd the desk to pull Zora into his arms. “You’re stronger than you think, Love. You’ll get through this, I promise. And maybe one day you’ll even find love again. I want you to be happy, and live a long, healthy life. I know it won’t be easy at first, but time will turn the open wounds on your heart into scars, and those scars will eventually fade. As for me, I’m just glad I found you before I die. Some people go a whole lifetime and never find true love. I wouldn’t dare take my time with you for granted, no matter how short it’s been. Because of you, I’ll die a happy man.”
Oskar held Zora in his arms as she cried, wishing there was some way for him to take away her pain. But he knew only time would heal this wound, so he didn’t say anything else. He just held her while she cried, hoping that the noise wasn’t audible out in the hallway. The last thing he needed right now was for the guards to come bursting in to find Zora in his arms.
Eventually, her sobbing slowed, then stopped altogether. She wiped at the tears on her face, which had left long trails in the makeup on her face, and damp spots on the soft gray fabric of her dress.
“It’s worse than you think, Oskar,” she said when she had finally regained her composure enough to speak. “I overheard them saying that they’re going to kill you using a special Games event. They’re going to put you in a fixed death match.”
Oskar felt a bubble of anger rising up from his core. “What the hell does that mean?”
“I’m not sure, exactly. I’ve never heard of a fixed death match before. But my guess would be that they’re going to make you fight in a death match that you have no way of winning. They’re going to make you die like an animal, fighting wild animals that you have no way of winning against.”
More bubbles of anger rose in Oskar’s core. He should have known they would use the Games. Those stupid, infernal Games. The bane of his existence, and the ultimate insult to every Shifter. But he pushed down his anger, for Zora’s sake. He didn’t want her to see his rage and be inspired to run off to her father to plead for his life. The only thing running to her father would do would be to get her in trouble as well, and to reassure her father that a resistance of some sort was definitely brewing.
The Misfit and the Bear (The Shifter Games Book 1) Page 14
