Hunger

prologue

Hunger. His stomach ached with pure hunger. His lips bled. His hands were nearly frozen shut by the freezing air around him. He couldn't move them if he tried.

He could smell blood. Fresh circulating blood.

The booze that had stained his breath had done little to numb the agony that tore at his lungs. The snow around him had reached his knees and its soaking-wet weight clung to his trousers like chains. His mind felt dreary, filled with a dull roar as he trenched closer and closer to the raw scent, closer to the pinprick of light that shone against the thick forest trees. It swam a little in front of him through tear-soaked eyes and he fought the urge to cough from his cotton-dry mouth. He licked at his cracked lips and continued to stumble through the snow.

He couldn't feast, not tonight. But he could possibly find a distraction or two.

A very delicious distraction.

...

The balloons were swirling around the giant hall, like a swarm of hornets. Pinks, blues, and whites covered the walls like a drunken art project, and the room was filled with ribbons, bears, and other baby paraphernalia. Oscar felt a little queasy.

"Aren't you happy? We planned this for weeks." The voice that piped up was high-strung, like the ghost of a harp bleeding against marble. It was a voice that Oscar had been untangled in like rose vines, and one he had yet to cut free from.

"Of course." He signed, turning to meet her gaze, "I just... I told you this kind of thing makes me uncomfortable Clary"

Clary groaned and oscar felt his gut clench. Public fights were more difficult to deal with and lately his wife had been as easy to set off as a firecracker with double the damage.

"I know. However, we have to involve the pack in this. I know this wasn't what we wanted, but we have to make it work Oscar," she winced, gesticulating vaguely to her heavy stomach. Oscar fought the urge to swallow as he followed her hands. Her belly was swollen and low. It felt like a cold sharp edge of reality, a very unwelcome one. The years previous had almost felt like a dream, a temporary shift of focus from his own boyish life. But this...this here meant that he could never return.

"There is more at stake here than a single baby shower." Clary gave him a tight smile.

Oscar simply nodded before gently squeezing her hand.

"Well, Clary, go have some fun. Don't sit with me all day being grumpy; the guests will arrive soon."

"Only if you promise not to spend the entire time sitting here. You cant play alpha if noone ever sees you." She grumbled in response.

"I'll try my best" The alpha gave a weak smile. Clarice sighed.

By the time the guests arrived, it had started to snow. As they walked in, thick and heavy flakes adhered to their hair. It was the kind of snow that silenced the entire world, obscuring odours and scorching the wolf's eyes with its brightness. Snow like this was dangerous, so even though the whole ordeal made Oscar a little nauseous, he felt safer knowing his pack was right in front of him, especially with their dwindling numbers.

"Alpha! " He bit his lip to keep from growling as a large hairy hand clasped his back. However, when he saw the Wolf behind the arm, his muscles relaxed.

He was a stout man, with scruff over his face and hair combed with too much wax. A large scar was over his eye and his thin lips were stretched in a wide smile.

"Edwards," he said with a dopey grin, "thank the moon you're here. Sit down!"

"No can do I'm afraid. The missus has me bringing in the gifts. Moons, my man, she's wearing this gorgeous little green gown today and-"