Kabanata XVI

***

WHEN HENDRIX opened his eyes he is greeted by his room's ceiling. Mariin niyang naikuyom ang mga kamaong napabangon. He feels restless.

He met his mate again through his dream and asked her where she is, but she didn't answer him at all. 

But he could feel it, he could feel how she craves for him the same way yet it  is not clear to him why she wanted to run away from him so bad.

Mariing napapikit nalamang doon si Hendrix at napasabunot sa kaniyang buhok.

'Find her, baka hindi pa siya nakakalayo,' sambit ng kaniyang wolf.

"I am trying for two days and yet, I couldn't find her at all. The only information we have right now that could lead to her is her features, my mark and that weird symbol on her back." Hendrix sighed.

"And I honestly don't think this is the right time to find her. There will be an up coming war and being with me will only in danger her," dagdag niya pa.

'But what if our enemies found her first? what if the Lunar council found out about her? We marked her that night, Hendrix, kaya kailangan natin siyang hanapin at protektahan. We can't waste our time sitting around,' his wolf responded.

"I know that, nagpakalat na din ako ng mga warriors upang palihim siyang hanapin ng hindi sinasabi kung anong koneksiyon ko sa kaniya. We can't risk the council finding out I have a mate either." sambit niya rito.

Napatayo na ito sa kaniyang higaan saka tumanaw sa kaniyang nasasakupan.

Because of his past, it took him hundred years to gain their trust on his leadership as the new reigning alpha. It wasn't easy, he had to endure tons of hardship just to prove everyone that he is more than his bloodline. 

Hendrix had a blank expression on his face until he remembered something.

the last time he saw Devon is before the night of full moon. 

Nangunot ang noo niya roon.

'Maybe she found her mate?' his wolf commented.

Naikuyom niya ang kamao niya roon.

"I don't care," Hendrix hissed.

Now he's in foul mood because of what his wolf said.

Napahilamos na lamang siya sa kaniyang muka saka lumabas sa kaniyang silid at dumiretso sa silid ni Devon upang tignan kung nakabalik na ba ito.

There he saw her lying on the bed, sleeping soundly.

And for some reason, she kind of smells slightly fragrant to him. It is so familiar that it made his heart race as he looked at her in horror while holding his chest.

She is not his mate, definitely not. 

'Yet why does she have so much effect on me. . . ' he thought.

But then something caught his eyes. It is a moon shaped pendant on her necklace. It is bright blue, it reminded him of the blue moon.

'Something is strange from that necklace. . . ' he said at the back of his mind.

Aside from that, he also noticed some cracks.

"What is this?" he whispered. "Something is telling me to remove it," he added.

Pero sa tyempong iyon ay sakto naman ang pagmulat ng mga mata ni Devon.

"Don't even think about it," she hissed then glared at him.

"I won't, I'm not some uncontrollable kid," he hissed.

Devon rolled her eyes, seems to be upset with him.

Nangunot ang noo ni Hendrix doon.

"Are you mad?" nakahalukipkip niyang tanong habang nakatitig sa iritang muka nito.

It's the first time he saw her irritated and it amuses him.

"I'm not," Devon just frowned and tied her hair. It seems like she doesn't like to see him.

Hindi niya maintindihan kung bakit mukang galit ito sa kaniya samantalang wala naman siyang kasalanan dito. In fact, he's he one who should be mad after she went missing for days.

Nahuli niya pang nakatitig ito sa kaniyang leeg kung saan naroroon ang marka ng kaniyang mate. 

Devon just looked away upon seeing that.

"Saan ka nanggaling at bakit ngayon ka lang nakabalik?" nakapamewang na tanong ng alpha sa babae.

Devon is wearing a simple gray turtle neck knitted dress, tucked in her bed, yet she looks so alluring making Hendrix gulp as he explored his gaze on her.

"Diyan lang sa tabi tabi," walang ganang sagot ni Devon. 

"What kind of answer is that?" he frowned.

Tinaasan lamang siya ng isang kilay ni Devon na nagpaatras sa kaniya. Hindi niya alam kung anong kasalanan niya at mukang naiinis ito.

"D-Did I do something?" he asked nervously.

Gusto niyang murahin ang sarili dahil sa naging tono.

'Si Devon lang iyan Hendrix!' inis na paalala niya sa sarili.

"Wala," Devon hissed then stood up.

Hendrix just sighed.

Somehow he feels guilty even if he doesn't know what he did.

Nakapamewana napakamot na lamang siya sa kaniyang ulo saka bumaba na upang kumain ng agahan bago gawin ang kaniyang trabaho bilang alpha ng pack.

Naabutan niya sa kusina si Devon na kumakain na ng agahang inihanda ng mga omega para sa kanila.

"this is the first time," Hendrix commented.

Hindi pa kasi niya ito nakakasabay mag agahan at nitong nakaraan niya lamang nalamang sa mansiyon din pala tumutuloy ang babae.

Hindi siya pinansin ni Devon na ikinakunot ng kaniyang noo. Something seems different, he just couldn't point what it is.

"Staring is rude, just eat, alpha," Devon hissed.

"Why do you seem mad?" kunot noo niyang saad.

"Just woke up in the wrong side of bed," walang gana nitong saad saka nag iwas ng tingin.

Hendrix just sighed as they both ate in silence. For some reason it really bothers him.

"Well this is awkward," some voices said.

Kasabay nito ay ang pag dating nina Aztect, Lilith at Beta Farkas.

"Why is the Beta of the North doing here?" malamig na tanong ni Hendrix.

"I just wanted to talk to Devon," sambit niyang ikinakunot ng noo ng alpha.

"Why?"

"She just left my house last night without saying a thing, she forgot some of her belongings," Farkas shrugged.

Napahigpit ang hawak ni Hendrix sa kaniyang kubyertos nang marinig iyon dahilan upang maputol ito at tumalsik na agad na nasalo ni Aztect.

"Hoy, bat ka galet? wala red flag ka na saken," madramang sambit ng beta ni Hendrix.

"You're in his home?!" kunot noo niyang saad.

"Yes, the next morning after the full—"

"Is it wrong to spend your day at your mate's house?" paggputol ni Devon sa sasabihin nito na ikinamulagat ng mga mata ng tatlo.

"W-What? mate? I am—"

"Yes, you are. . . right?" she grinned but her eyes were looking at him coldly.

"A-Ah yes! yes! you are!" Farkas said nervously.

"Ha? akala ko ba si He—"

Devon glared at Lilith, naitikom na lamang nito ang bibig at ngumuso.

"You told me he's not. . . " madilim ang ekspresyong sambit ng alpha.

"I was lying," she shrugged.

Napatiim bagang lamang doon si Hendrix.

"Do what you want, I don't really care, as long as it won't affect your mission here. We still have an enemy to face, Devon, makakapaghintay naman siguro— ang mate mo. .  ." malamig na sambit nito.

"Ang pait!—ang pait naman ng kape mo alpha, papagawa nalang ako ng bago hehehe," singit ni Aztect at napanguso na lamang dahil baka siya pa ang pagbuntungan ng alpha.

"Why are you here Aztect?" binalingan niya ng tingin ang kaniyang beta.

"Nangungulila na kasi ako sayo irog ko, hindi mo na ako binibisita pa kaya naman ako ay nalulumbay, nadedepress at bawat minutong hindi kita napagmamasdan ay para bang hindi ako makahing—"

"Babawian ka talaga ng hininga kapag hindi mo tinigil iyan," iritang saad ng alpha.

"Ito naman si cousin in law parang walang pinagsamahan," nguso ni Aztect saka yumakap sa kaniyang kabiyak.

"Lilith my loves oh inaaway ako ng mapang alipusta mong pinsang bulok at tuyowts," patuloy na pagdadrama nitong nagpabuntong hininga lang kay Lilith saka iniwan ito sa kinatatayuan at tumabi na lamang kay Devon.

"Wow! kung ipagpapalit mo lang din ako dun na sana sa mas pogi sa akin—" Aztect gasped.

"Right! Ako pala ang pinaka gwapo dito, thank you author! lalabs mo talaga ako!" nababaliw nitong saad na mariing ikinapikit ng kaniyang mga kasama.

"Did Aztect lose his mind or something?" Farkas whispered at Devon.

"Pasensya na kayo kakapabakuna lang kasi niyan ng anti rabies, di umepekto kaya nauulol," nahihiyang sambit ni Lilith na napabuntong hininga na lamang.

"Anyways highways hallways ang pogi ko always! kaya ako nandito ay para iinform kang mayroong nahuli ang mga warriors na swak sa discription mo malapit kung saan mo sila pinadala at pinaghanap doon sa babae mo," anunsiyo nitong nagpatayo kay Hendrix.

"What?!" kunot noo niyang saad.

"Oo, nakakalungkot lang dahil naghahanap ka pa gayong nandito naman ako hmp!" madrama namang sagot ni Aztect.

"He's finding what?" Devon asked in a whisper.

"Mapait din ba ang kape mo Devon?" ngiti ni Lilith na ikinairap lamang ni Devon.

"Nagtatanong lamang ako," she hissed.

Hendrix then immediately went to where the woman is. And there she smelled a fragrant smell.

"Mate!" he whispered.

With a dark expression on his face, in a split second he arrived at the capital.

There he saw a silver haired woman talking to the warriors and as their eyes met, he didn't feel anything.

"Mate!"

She shouted with delight as she ran to him and hugged him tight.

Nanatiling walang emosyon ang kaniyang muka habang yakap yakap siya ng babae.

"This is me, aren't you happy?" she smiled at him, but Hendrix doesn't seem delighted,"

"Tell me your name," he said with a cold tone while looking at her neck.

"Ashina, that is my name," she said making him stop as he looked  at her then to the warriors.

"Take this woman to the dungeon," walang gana niyang saad na nagpatigil dito.

"What?! I am your mate Hendrix! What the hell?!" galit nitong saad.

"Do you take me for an idiot? I won't fall for the same trick, stop joking around," he hissed as he used magic to attack the man who is hiding in the shadows and took him in front of them.

"You really is a demon, how shameless of you to use that power! you're just proving how disgusting your existence were!" panunuya ng lalaking kabilang sa lunar council.

"Empty words cannot hurt me," Hendrix chuckled coldly.

"Right, it's the only thing you could do," ngising dagdag niya saka tinadyakan ito at inapakan ang kaniyang ulo.

He crushed his head that moment without second thoughts.

"Ron!" galit na sigaw ng babae saka nanlilisik ang mga matang binalingan ng tingin ang alpha.

Her eyes then turned red and her hair became black. 

'A demon wolf, just like that fake mate number one, Helga. . . ' Night uttered.

"Do you really think we'll stop? hindi kami titigil hanggang hindi ka napapabagsak Hendrix!" ngisi nito kasama noon ay ang pagbangon ng walang buhay na katawan ng LUnar council na ikinatigil ng lahat.

Walang emosyong tinignan iyon ni Hendrix saka sinalo ang kamay ng umatakeng lalaki. He crushed him again in mere seconds making Ashina froze.

Napaatras ito nang makita mismo sa sariling mga mata ang taglay na lakas ng alpha.

"Why are you even here to joke around? it's not even funny," walang ganang sambit ni Hendrix.

"You killed my sister! You killed Helga! do you think I'll let you off the hook?!" galit na galit niyang saad.

It seems like she went to the empire without a plan out of anger without letting their master know.

She's not using the same magic Helga used, but it seems like a borrowed power stronger than what Helga used.

'I can use this as a lead to know the enemy more,' Hendrix said at the back of his mind.

"Don't worry, I won't kill you yet, I still have to make you spill what you know before I do that," ngisi nitong nagpakuyom sa kamao ng babaeng patuloy siyang inatake na mabilis lamang na iniiwasan ni Hendrix na tila ba nakikipaglaro lamang siya.

She is filled with contempt as she shifted in her berserk stage but it is never enough to defeat the reigning alpha.

"You shouldn't have existed Hendrix! You were just a cursed child that no one wished for! you will only bring chaos to this world!" sigaw nitong hindi pinansin ng alpha.

"Why? were you there? did the goddess directed said to you? history could be altered you know. Selene never cursed Hendrix, the only cursed one here is you and your rotten master," sambit ng isang boses mula sa malapit na puno na ikinatigil ni Hendrix at tumingala saka sinalag ang atake ni Ashina.

"How ironic that you were acting so broken when you were only facing the consequences of your actions," mapanuyang saad ni Devon na nakasuot ng kaniyang disguise habang kalmadong naglalakad sa kanilang direksiyon.

"Huwag kang makielam dit—"

"I am the one who killed Helga, and I could kill her countless of times more if I were given a chance," dagdag niyang nagpakuyom ng kamao ni Ashina.

She was about to attack her, but when Hendrix saw it, he angrily attacked her. Bumulusok siya sa lupa sa lakas ng atake ng alpha dahilan upang agad siyang mawalan ng malay.

"Boring," Devon tsked.

"What are you saying earlier?" seryosong sambit ni Hendrix dito.

"Just some things, hindi mo kailangang masyadong damdamin," kibit balikat niyang saad saka inabot ang isang liham kay Hendrix.

"A messenger from the south gave this to me just when you left earlier, you have to go meet the king of the southern kingdom. Thunder Howl pack," Devon stated and then looked at the warriors.

"Take that woman to the dungeon and put some restraints for demon. Ako na ang bahalang magpaamin sa kaniya habang wala ang alpha at beta," anunsiyo niya habang nanatili lamang na tulalang nakatitig sa kaniya ang alpha.

Tila ba tumatak sa kaniyang isipan ang mga salitang binitawan ni Devon kanina. . .

***

A/n: Oo na short ang mga chapters talaga whahahah gustong gusto ko kasi itry itong genre kahit super daming tambak na stories na need isulat kaya maikli lang talaga yung kwento nito. Mga 26 chapters lang actually kaya medyo straight to the point na nyahahah! I'm still doing my best though, so I really hope, na magugustuhan niyo siya.

Here's an illustration of Ashina by the way ^^ Sinimplehan ko lang yung pagkakadrawing kasi di naman siya bida hahahahhaha!