Bound by the Moon

Elena~8

“Only one? One in the past three weeks!? Do you people think I am joking here!” Politician Markus Gravely yelled at his subordinates who had formed a straight line in his office.

The highest ranking of the pack stuttered inaudible responses but was constantly shut up for his incoherence.

“Sir, the wolf detection team has been on alert ever since they were assembled. They’ve patrolled from community to community, digging out whoever they can. The waters too, all compromised as instructed…”

“But I can only see one person behind bars!”

“Technically sir, two…”

The death stare Politician Markus sent in the sergeant's direction could have put him five feet under so he went mute.

“Of what use is counting the baby, you disgusting pig.”

“I’m sorry sir.”

“You all are certainly not doing very good jobs. Maybe I should replace you. You don’t seem to have earned the…”

“Sir, you have two people here to see you. They said…” Markus’ secretary, Park, poked her head through the door and announced.

“Can’t you see I’m in the middle of something?” Markus hissed.

“I know sir but they claim it’s very…”

“Park, get out.”

“Yes sir.”

“You know what, come back,” Markus yelled at his secretary who had already turned away briskly. “You all, get out instead,” he announced curtly, addressing the sergeants he now looked upon with irritation.

As the men saluted and filed out, Markus turned to his secretary. “These people, who did you say they are?”

“I don’t know too much as they have requested a private meeting with you on certain policies that could cause a revolution. I don’t know sir, it sounded quite serious and they looked like they knew what they were talking about.”

Markus laughed mockingly.

Threats. He thought to himself.

“Give me a few minutes then you can send them in.” He got up from where he leaned on his table and turned around to face his view of the city.

It better not be silly kids trying to pull a fast one on me. He pursed his lips and relaxed into his chair.

~

“Tell me what we’re up against,” Erik announced as they hopped into the last bus before Makcus’s office.

“I don’t think we should be talking about that here,” I used my eyes to convey the message that we were surrounded by too many people we couldn’t trust.

He nodded approvingly.

There had been a dynamic shift in the level of our relationship overnight, and I couldn’t say I didn’t love it.

Although I could sense his hesitation a good number of times, Erik did an amazing job suppressing the fear. Rather than calling him out on it as well, I made subtle encouraging comments and praised his commitment.

It may not have been anything but the small smile at the corner of his lips showed me it meant something.

Our stop was announced and we waited our turn till we got out of the bus.

I looked around and up at all the sky high buildings that decorated this part of town. The hairs on my body stood instantly and I shrieked.

I hated these parts.

All it did was remind me of all the unfairness in the world. How power was concentrated only on those lanes. The oppressive policies that emanated from all of those glass walls. The high pedestal every single person who had anything to do with this side placed themselves on.

It was infuriating.

I couldn’t remember the last good thing that came from there.

Most especially from Markus Gravely. The man who we have been saddled with the worst task of sitting in his presence.

My face scrunched from disgust to anger. There had actually been no good law promulgated by this man. It was always from one bad news to the other.

Whenever his name circulated in the news, he was the one proposing a regulation or law that was perverse and inhumane. Each time the news hit the streets, it didn’t take long for those laws to be put into effect and the most preposterous sanctions to be attached.

Markus Gravely was solely behind the werewolf witch-hunt.

How had any normal human being woken up on a certain morning and decided that whatever day that was, he would gather supporters to advocate for the hunt down of werewolves. For no just cause.

Why?

Extensively, I tried to check for the reasons he had provided, what he could have encountered that would power such wickedness. Nothing.

Nothing had stirred up this inhumane treatment. These lycans hadn’t suddenly attacked Vale City. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be here.

It was a case of ‘I have the power, so this is how I would abuse it’.

It irked me.

Politician Markus irked me. Everything about him. From his short stature and protruding pot belly to the round frames that idled on his nose, begging for freedom.

I needed to know how anyone coped with him.

As we approached his building, I briefed Erik on almost all the things he could expect. I warned him beforehand that the probability that Markus would incite him was high but he had to maintain his cool.

“That’s just how he is. A sadistic rolling ball.”

“Someone’s a little more feisty today.”

I rolled my eyes at his attempt to lighten up the situation. “Be serious. We’re here.”

Climbing out of the elevator, I could hear the yells from the extreme end of the hallway. I knew Markus’ croaky voice anywhere.

I sent a you-can-already-hear-who-we’re-up-against look in Erik’s direction, and he acknowledged me.

We approached his secretary and I concerted an imaginary appointment with Markus but she shook me down. Rather than relent, my voice only became sterner, and I made my demand, quoting sections and subsections of the law I could use to set Markus up.

She got up minutes after listening to me ramble nonstop on how I could ruin the entire career of everyone there if I didn’t get an audience with Markus so he could fix his mistake.

I felt pity for her when I heard the way Markus silenced her. I never felt pity for anyone who worked in this side of town. I could already tell that if she had a choice or the opportunity, she wouldn’t be there.

I relayed my business, and she reported that we could go in in ten minutes. I bit my lip to keep myself from asking about all the law enforcement agents who filed out moments before her. They had been the ones Markus yelled at. I could already taste the metallic core on my tongue when I remembered to let go of my lips.

Whatever it was, it wasn’t good. And I could see Erik shift uneasily in the seat beside me and readjust his hoodie over his head.

Poor lycan.