Kabanata XI

***

AT THE DEEPEST part of the mountain where Nimue resides, a woman who posses a beautiful silver hair came to visit the oldest witch.

"Why did you call me?" she asked her.

"How are you feeling my child?" Nimue asked the woman making her sigh.

"I'm okay now, just got carried away," she said.

"For a woman who is hiding, you're being too careless," Nimue hissed.

"Sinigurado kong walang kampon roon ang kalaban," napahilot sa sintidong saad ng babae.

"I'm tired of hiding Nimue. Right now I just wanted to kill him. Hell, I would give up anything to kill that monster," mariing saad nito.

"You shouldn't be blinded by your anger Ser—"

"How couldn't I? after all that he's done? I don't think that is possible," mariing sambit niya na nagpailing lamang sa kausap.

"But if you let yourself be blinded by it, I don't think you'd be able to see clearly. Naiintindihan ko ang kagustuhan mong mabigyan ng hustisya ang Winter moon, ngunit huwag mong hahayaang mabulag ka ng galit mo, dahil maaaring ito pa ang ikatalo mo," payo niya rito.

"I time will come that I couldn't see anymore because of my anger, I can still hear and feel. I will use every pawns I have, Nimue, I will fucking end him," matigas niyang saad na nagpailing na lamang kay Nimue.

"Ayokong mapahamak ka," nagaalala nitong saad.

"The moment I decided to have my vengeance and fight him from the shaddows, I am already risking all I have Nimue.

"It is a deadly gamble where I have to put all I have to gain more and win. Nakalubog na ang isang paa ko sa hukay, ngunit kinakailangang hilain ko din siya kasama ko ay gagawin ko," dagdag niya pang marahas na nagpabuntong hininga kay Nimue.

"Napakatigas ng puso at ng ulo mo," napahilot sa sintidong saad niya.

"I need to. Kailangan kong patigasin ang puso at isipan ko upang hindi ito madaling matibag sa pagharap ko sa kaniya," saad niya habang nakakuyom ang mga kamao.

"Ewan ko saiyong bata ka, sumasakit lamang lalo ang ulo ko," reklamo ni Nimue saka napadako ang tingin sa kaniyang kwintas.

"Your necklace had bigger cracks now on its pendant. You need to be more careful," she said.

"Now that the pendant had more crack the enemy might feel your existence a little. And if ever you encountered your mate, you might feel the bond stronger than before," sambit ni Nimue na mariing nagpapikit sa babae.

"Anong gagawin ko? paano kung nasa malapit lamang siya?" kunot noo niyang taong.

"Aba ewan ko, ikaw ang may problema niyan at ikaw ang may kasalanan," pagsusungit nitong nagpabuntong hininga na lamang sa kausap.

"That moment, I remembered everything they've done. I remember it clearly, isa siya sa mga lubos na nagpahirap sa pack nang araw na iyon," nakakuyom ang kamaong sambit niya.

"What are you planning now?" she asked making the woman have an empty grin.

"That monster is abducting hybrids, I plan on attacking with our allies.

"Then I'll inform the witch organization to help you," she said making the woman nod her head on Nimue.

"Thank you," she said sincerely.

"I wonder. . ." she said while looking up.

"If our kingdom didn't fall, what kind of life am I living right now? I'm probably as carefree as others. . ." she stated then just closed her eyes.

***

Devon woke up when she felt someone staring at her as she is resting on a tree branch. 

Tinanaw niya ang ibaba ng punong pinagpapahingahan at halos mabuwal roon nang makitang titig na titig sa kaniya ang alpha.

He had a dark expression on his face while looking at her. 

Hindi niya mabasa ito.

She managed to kept her cool as she swiftly jumped from the tree.

"May ipaguutos ka ba, alpha?" taas noong tanong niya rito.

"Why do you keep sleeping in trees? unggoy ka ba?" kunot noong tanong nito.

"Bakit ka ba nakikielam? " taas ang isang kilay na tanong niya.

"Bakit ka galit?" tanong ni Hendrix.

"Bakit ka nagtatanong?" balik na tanong ni Devon.

"Bakit—"

"Anong kailangan mo sa akin alpha?" taas kilay na pagputol ni Devon sa sasabihin nito.

"I just saw you here, nothing much," he shrugged.

Napangiwi doon si Devon.

"Then just say hello and move on or something, inistorbo mo pa ang tulog ko," sambit niyang nagpanganga sa alpha at hindi makapaniwalang tinignan siya.

"Wow, as far as I can remember, I am the alpha of this pack, why do I have to adjust for you?" matigas nitong saad.

"Pakielam ko, sa susunod ay huwag mo akong kakausapin kung wala namang dahilan," kibit balikat nitong saad na marahas na nagpabuntong hininga sa kausap.

"Why did I even accept you in the first place? If it weren't for the beta, I wouldn't have accepted you here, and you have some serious attitude problem, lady,"  napakamot ulo habang nasa bewang ang isang kamay na sambit niya.

"Because I'm awesome," mayabang na sambit nitong hindi makapaniwalang nagpangiwi sa alpha.

Hendrix gritted his teeth. This woman really had the talent to annoy him, even before. 

'I thought I became numb over the years, but this woman really knows how to get into my d*mn nerves!' Hendrix sighed on that thought.

"Where do you even live in the pack? I never saw your home for the last ten years? Are you living with Beta Aztect?" he asked.

"Nope," she answered then looked at her.

"I'm living with you in the mansion," she added.

Humugot ng malalim na hininga si Hendrix, pinipigilan ang sariling sakalin na lamang ang kausap.

"Since f*cking when and when did I even agreed?" kunot noong tanong niya.

"I live in that room next to yours. Since you tend to boss me around, and you didn't give me a house to stay, nagdecide ako na doon nalang, thank you,"

"I thought you were gonna stay with Aztect, that's why I didn't give you— why the heck am I explaining to you?" he frowned.

"No need to explain yourself, it's okay," tango tangong sabi niyang nagpatiim bagang sa alpha.

't*ngina mauubusan ako ng utak sa babaeng ito,' sambit ni Hendrix sa likod ng kaniyang isipan.

"And Aztect is really annoying to live with, I tried and didn't last for even a week, so I'd rather stay with you. Tutal ay ikaw lang naman ang nakatira sa mansiyon mo ay hindi na masamang manirahan doon," kibit balikat niyang saad.

Hendrix can kick her out because of her living in his mansion for a decade without even telling him, but he didn't feel like it. 

Naaasar siya sa kausap, ngunit nanatili lamang ang titig niya sa magandang pares ng pilak nitong mga matang mabilis na nagpapatibok sa puso niya.

He likes the feeling of being with her. . . 

And it's weird cause she's not even his mate.

"Anyways, should I go back to the Lunar temple and find traces of your mate? Ilang araw mo na din akong hindi inuutusan " she asked

"No need," he sighed.

He again remembered the woman he saw near the territory. 

Sigurado siyang ito ang mate niya. Ngunit matapos ng nangyari kay Helga ay kailangan niyang mag ingat.

"Finding my mate this time will only put her in danger," he said firmly making her nod her head on him.

"That's true," she said while tying her hair into a bun.

"And I do not want you out of my sight," he said making her froze as she looked at him.

"I'm still observing you, you're still suspicious and the pack still needs you specially that we are preparing to fight the enemy, so just stay put." paliwanag niyang nagpatango tango kay Devon.

"I understand," she said.

"Then at least give me a job here," she hissed.

"Okay, whatever," he tsked.

"Just train the warriors with us," Hendrix shrugged making her nod her head.

"Sure," she grinned and licked her lips.

Bahagyang napaitig doon si Hendrix at tila ba nanuyo ang kaniyang lalamunan.

"Why are you not wearing your mask or using your disguise?" Hendrix asked.

"I could, I just didn't feel you coming," she said and snapped her fingers.

Just a second after that she's already wearing her disguise as a man. Hendrix blinked.

He couldn't see her as the same Devon anymore.

"Though it's pretty useless using it here anymore since most of you have already seen my face," she said then snapped her fingers, turning her back into her original form.

"I—I see. . ." the alpha cleeared his throat.

"Iyon lang ba ang kailangan mo?"tanong ni Devon na nagpatango dito.

"Then do you want to race? I wanted to move around a bit," she said while stretching.

"Sure. . ." nakapamulsang saad ni Hendrix habang  nakatitig lamang sa kausap.

His golden eyes darkened as if he is looking at his prey, ready to devour while staring at her.

"I don't like the way you look at me alpha, I might bite you if you don't stop," she hissed then started running.

The two raced and not even their shaddow can be seen because of how fast they are.

Hendrix is in his wolf form while Devon remained on his mortal form.

"Why don't you shift?" kunot noong tanong ni Hendrix.

"Did you ever saw me shift since I got here?" she frowned while running.

Hendrix shook his head.

"Then don't open your d*mn mouth," she hissed as they continued running.

The moment they reached the top of the mountain, they started sparring.

Hendrix managed to bite her arms but didn't put much force on her so she wouldn't bleed.

Though that bite would cut someone's arms off if he's do the same to them.

Malakas na siniko naman siya ni Devon na bahagyang ikinaatras niya.

Their attacks were infused with mana, making it more powerful but not enough to injure both since they are just sparring.

Lamang si Hendrix sa kaniya ngunit nagagawa niyang pataamaan ito. 

"I can feel it, you still have your wolf, fight me with it," sambit nito.

He finds it weird since it is only faint feeling back then, but now he could feel it more than he could, before.

And he could feel that it is a no ordinary wolf lurking inside her.

And the more he get near her, the more it feels like it is luring him to her.

Every time he looks into her eyes, he feels like he is being sucked into it. 

They continued the spar and it is quiet exciting than him fighting with other wolves who couldn't keep up with him.

But as they fight, he couldn't help but have immoral thoughts.

Ilang beses niyang minumura ang sarili sa isipan dahil doon.

She's sweating a lot and her eyes were fierce as she eyed him darkly.

It is bringing him a foreign feeling and it makes his heart race rapidly.

'It's distracting me. . . ' he said at the back of his mind.

Kasabay nito ay ang pagtalsik niya at ang pagpapaibabaw ng kalaban sa kaniya.

He then shifted back into his mortal form. 

Tila ba kinapos siya ng hininga habang nakatitig sa muka nito.

"I won," she grinned whil still on top of him.

"You seem distracted," sambit niya.

"Wala lang ako sa mood," nag iwas ng tinging sambit niya.

He is trying to calm himself down, but Devon on top of him is not helping.

"You're an assh*le," she frowned the moment she felt his  hard shaft and stood up.

Binalingan niya ito ng matalim na tingin saka ibinato ang damit ni Hendrix na agad naman nitong nasalo.

Imbes na mainis ay tila ba natuwa pa si Hendrix sa matalim na tingin nito sa kaniya.

"It's not like I could control it," he chuckled.

Blangko lamang siyang binalingan ng tingin ni Devon habang nagbibihis siya.

"But at least warn me, that's called decency, alpha," she hissed at she turned her back on him, nailing na lamang doon si Hendrix.

Ngunit agad din siyang natigilan nang mapagtantong nakangiti padin siya.

Mariin siyang napapikit doon at nagpasyang bumalik na lamang sa pack.

He just walked around the establishments. 

Sa bawat pagdaan niya ay nagbibigay galang ang bawat miyembro ng pack.

He even saw Lilith and Aztect training together. 

He's glad that his cousin is doing well now and is recovering from the trauma that the Lunar council caused her.

'Something is not right,' he thought as he just sighed in disbelief.

He just kept thinking about it the whole day. He didn't even see her yet, she couldn't leave his mind.

At night after the omegas brought his dinner,  he wondered where Devon is. 

Naalala niyang sa mansiyon din ito nakatira kaya naman ay pinadagdagan niya ang pagkaing dadalhin sa kaniyang tirahan.

Hindi rin niya maintindihan kung bakit ba niya kailangang gawin iyon, gayong hindi naman niya kailangan pa dahil nakikitira lamang ito.

"Wait, is that why, my stock keep disappearing? Is it her doing?" he asked himself and frowned.

"I'm gonna kill her one day," napapikit niyang saad saka napa buntong hininga  na lamang.

Matapos kumain ay nagpasya na siyang umakyat sa kaniyang silid,  nang madaanan niya ang kwarto katabi ng kaniya.

He could smell her faint smell on it, meaning that it is the room she's staying in.

He couldn't see Devon. Other than some books in the bed she probably took in his study without asking, there is no trace of the woman.

Bukas din ang bintana kasabay ng malakas na hanging marahang isinasayaw ang mga kurtina.

"This room. . . " he mumbled as he looked around.

It is the room assigned his mother when she first stayed in the mansion, according to the stories they told him.

Walang ginalaw ni isa si Devon sa mga gamit na nasa kuwarto.

Kaparehong kapareho padin iyon ng nasa kaniyang ala ala noong huli niyang buksan ang kuwarto noong bata pa lamang siya.

Even the placements of the frames and paintings inside weren't changed. Malinis din ang silid ngunit hindi niya ginalaw ang mga personal na gamit roon.

Nailing na lamang siya nang maalala ang mga sandaling madalas siyang magtungo dito.

That time he's still confused about who he really is since he didn't get the chance to meet his parents since they died when he is still a baby.

He decided to just walk around instead to calm his mind. But when again he's reaching the border, he again smelled a familiar scenet causing havoc to his system.

'Mate!' his wolf howled making him froze.