Kabanata XXII

***

SERENE was in her usual attire as she walked into the training grounds when all of the sudden, all of the pack members are treating her in a weird manner. 

They respected her before as Devon but now, they are treating her as if she is the official Luna of the pack. 

She didn't hate it but she's uncomfortable. 

'I prefer when they are still keeping their distance,' she thought then just hissed. Because she's hiding her presence most of the time, the members are mostly extra alert so they wouldn't ignore their 'luna'

Utos iyon ng alpha.

She's walking with her usual intimidating and dignified aura as if nothing could faze her.

Blangko lamang ang kaniyang ekspresyon at tanging huni ng mga ibon ang madidinig kasabay ng pagyuko at pagbibigay galang ng kaniyang mga nadadaanan.

She's indeed the emperor's ghost they all knew. 

But as they all look into her beauty, they seem to not be able to their eyes off her. As if a deity suddenly came down heavens.

Tanging ang buhay nilang manganganib sa alpha ang kanilang pinanghahawakan upang agad na mag iwas ng tingin sa mate nito.

"What? she's our Luna all this time?! how did that happen? and how did she able to hide it?"

"I don't know, noong una pa lamang ay masama na ang kutob ko sa kaniya. What if she's just like that first luna? that fake? And she acts like she's full of herself just because she's powerful, nakakairita,"

Pag uusap ng dalawang hindi man lang siya naramdaman.

Natigilan lamang siya nang mapansing natahimik ang lahat at bahagyang nanginig nang makita kung sino ang nasa likuran nila.

"If you got time fooling around, might as well try to make yourselves useful and train,"  malamig na sambit ni Lilith na narinig din ang usapang iyon.

Hearing them bad mouthing Serene is making her mad. She hates that others thinks badly of her.

But the two remained frozen as they met Serene's cold eyes. It's enough to weaken them as they both trembled in fear.

"I just came here to do my usual job," Serene told Lilith, ignoring the two.

Nilagpasan lamang niya ang mga itong hindi tinapunan pa ng tingin. As if their existence is not important.

Naghihinang napaupo ang dalawa habang tila ba hindi makahinga dahil sa takot na nararamdaman.

Serene didn't even talk to them, she only glanced at them for a second as if they are not worth  it, she didn't care at all, but they felt like they'll die the very moment.

She is more terrifying without her mask on.

"You don't really have to train the warriors anymore, my cousin instructed you to just relax," Lilith frowned.

Serene just rolled her eyes on her.

"I don't give a fuck, we have to prepare for the war," she hissed.

"Then I'll be the one to train them," A familiar voice said.

Kasabay nito ay ang pag yuko ng mga warriors.

It is alpha Hendrix who is looking at her intensely, as if she is the only one in that place he could see.

Nothing could faze her. . . but that man, all he does is bring chaos to her, all he does is shake up her world it is electrifying.

"Isn't that your job?" she hissed then looked away.

Napangiti doon ang alpha habang nakatitig sa kaniyang magandang muka. She's hiding it but he could see she's flustered.

It somehow makes him happy that he has effect on her. He's dancing on his mind because of that thought.

"Well I just don't want to stress you out on minor things," he shrugged.

Tinaasan siya ng isang kilay ni Serene na nagpangiti sa kaniya.

"What are you smiling at Hendrix?" nakahalukipkip niyang saad.

Sa mga oras na iyon ay gusto niyang sapakin na lang ito sa mukha.

"I just find your irritated face, amusing," ngiti nitong ikinakunot ng noo ni Serene.

"What amusing? ginagago mo ba ako?" inis niyang saad na nagpangiti lalo kay Hendrix.

Everyone is silent as they look at their smiling alpha in pure terror.

"I think he's flirting with you?" bulong ni Lilith kay Serene na nagpakunot lalo ng noo nito.

"Then he's bad at it," Serene hissed as she turned her back on him.

"Warriors! position yourselves! enemies won't wait for you f*ckers! Unless you've got death wish!" puno ng awtoridad na sigaw ni Serene na agad namabilis pa sa kidlat na sinunod ng mga warriors.

"Look at me!" she commanded.

"Don't look at her!" Hendrix followed.

Napakamot ulo hindi magkaugaga ang mga warriors roon.

They feel like they are gonna die eitherway.

"Nandito ka ba para manggulo alpha?" iritang saad ni Serene dito.

"But I don't want them looking at you!" he hissed.

"What are you a toddler who doesn't want to share her mom?!" inis niyang saad saka pumamewang dito.

"Why the f*ck would I share you?!" inis na saad ng alpha.

"I was mocking you! I didn't mean it in a literal way! bobo ka ba? and why would you share me if you don't own me in the first place? just shut the fuck up grandpa!" giit ni Serene dito.

She can't stand feeling like she is being controlled or given limitations to what she had to do. She hate submitting herself and not even her mate could make her.

"Grandpa?!" Hendrix said offended.

"Yes, aren't you a thousand years or more? you're even called the oldest wolf alive, grandpa. Uugod ugod ka na nga, ikaw ang dapat namamahinga. So go to your rocking chair and let me train the warriors in peace," she hissed.

Napanganga doon si Hendrix.

"Woman! want me to prove you what this grandpa could do?!" inis na saad ni Hendrix.

"What you could do? baka pag sinapak kita tulog ka?" pagsusungit pa nito.

Hindi na nakasagot pa doon si Hendrix na bubulong bulong na lamang. Narinig pa nilang may tumatawa sa gilid na agad sinamaan ng tingin ni Hendrix.

It is Farkas and Conri who is overstaying in the midnight fangs.

"You two got a death wish?" he hissed.

Napatikom na lamang ang bibig ng dalawa habang pinipigilan padin ang pag tawa.

"I just want you to not stress over these things, Lu—"

"Serene" she glared at him.

"What about this, Lilith will decide," he sighed then looked at his cousin whom they almost forgotten she is around. 

He is looking at her as if he is commanding her.

"Serene, definitely Serene," she nodded her head making Serene smile then looked at Hendrix as she patter Lilith's head.

"What? I think I must've misheard it," mariing saad ni Hendrix na nagpailing sa kaniyang pinsan.

"Who's the alpha here?" Lilith asked.

"Me," Hendrix responded.

"And who is your mate?" she asked again.

"Serene. Why are you asking this?" kunot noong tanong ni Hendrix.

"Kasi tiklop ka daw sa kaniya alpha kaya siya daw talaga ang boss," singit ni Farkas habang nakikikain sa pop corn ni alpha Conri.

Sumama ang hilatsa ng mukha roon ni Hendrix.

"What?! No f*cking way!" he hissed then looked at Serene who is raising an eyebrow.

"May problema ba Hendrix?" masungit niyang saad.

"Wala," mabilis na sagot ng alpha.

Napabunghalit ng tawa ang dalawang nanonood doon, samantalang ang mga warriors ay pilit na nagpipigil sa takot na iyon na ang huling tawa nila.

Sa huli ay wala na ding nagawa pa ito kung hindi ay samahan na lamang siya.

They trained the warriors more intensely than usual.

Hindi ordinaryo ang mga makakalaban nila, kaya't kailangan nilang ihanda ang pack members.

Kasabay ng pag lubog ng araw at pagsibol ng buwan ay ang pagdating ng kanilang mga bisita galing sa iba pang kaharian. Ang mga namumuno sa pinakamalalakas na packs ng Hilaga, kanluran, silangan at ang timog.

The four alpha kings were gathered in the long table along with their betas. 

"I heard the alpha found his mate," Hemming, alpha of the east said that has caught their attention as they all looked at Conri, alpha of the north.

"Why are you looking at me?" he frowned while busy munching on his cute puppy shaped bento that his wife packed for him.

Sinamaan pa niya ng tingin si Farkas dahil gusto nitong humingi sa kaniya.

"Because you're the one who's overstaying here?" Ralph, alpha of the south tsked, Lowell alpha of the west nodded his head as an agreement.

"Hindi rin kayo mga tsismoso ano?" Conri, hissed.

"Well it's that grandpa's mate were talking about, everyone knew he's cursed and he couldn't get a mate," Hemming shrugged.

"And once he gets one, he won't be hated much anymore since that only means that he is still blessed by the goddess, isn't that a good thing? specially now that were gathering more forces, just saying," sambit naman ni Lowell na nagpatango tango sa kanila.

"And I'm curious what kind of woman the goddess gave him after all this time," ngising saad ni alpha Ralph habang nakapangalumbaba.

"Pinahaba niyo pa, sadyang mga pakielamero lamang kayo," Conri hissed.

"Well to satisfy your curiosity, yes the alpha indeed found his mate. plot twist, it is actually the alpha's ghost,"

"What? alpha's ghost? isn't that just a rumor?" kunot noong saad ni Lowell na nagpailing dito.

"Well it's not. I didn't know how but she is able to hide her smell from the reigning alpha and he only found out now after ten years of working with him.

"Is that even possible?pinaglololoko mo ba kami, Conri?" sambit naman ni Hemming.

"Magtatanong kayo tapos ayaw niyong maniwala? bakit ko naman kayo lolokohin?" Conri hissed.

"If that's true, she must be either a very powerful being or she is connected to Nimue," Lowell stated.

"Omsim," ngisi ni Conri.

"Omsim ka diyan?" Ralph tsked.

"Mismo, tanga," irap nito na ikinasimangot ng kausap.

"Dami mong alam," inis na saad ni Ralph.

"Siyempre matalino ako eh, ikaw nga bobo nagreklamo ba ako," he tsked.

Halos ambahan na siya ng kaharap kung hindi lamang naawat ng iba pa nilang mga kasama.

Natigil na lamang ang mga ito sa pag iingay nang magbukas ang pintuan at iniluwa nito ang isang napakagandang babaeng mayroong mahabang pilak na buhok at pares ng pawang pilak na mga mata.

They almost mistook her as the moon goddess because of her enchanting beauty.

They were dumbfounded for a moment. Natigil na lamang at nag iwas ng tingin nang mamataan ang alpha na tila ba makakapatay na sa likod nito dahilan upang agad silang mag iwas ng tingin.

'Wow a goddess and a man eating demon,' they thought because of the reigning alpha's glare towards them.

Para bang gusto nitong lapain sila nang makitang nakatingin sila sa kaniyang Luna.

Agad silang nagtayuan at nagbigay galang sa mga ito.

They are all alpha kings but Hendrix is the reigning alpha, which is the highest in the race and since the reigning Luna is with him, she is considered the second highest in their race so even if they are alpha high ranking alpha's they had to bow down towards her.

Ngunit hindi nila maintindihan kung bakit nauuna itong maglakad at kasunod lamang ang alpha. She even sat at the center chair while Hendrix just stood behind her like some kind of obedient dog.

It terrifies them that someone could make the reigning alpha act this way. It made them more curious who she is.

"Good evening," she said with a cold tone and a dignified demeanor.

The air suddenly became heavy, they aren't ordinary alpha's but just being with her in one room made them tremble unconsciously.

The woman blew the smoke from the smoking pipe while sitting comfortably at the reigning alpha's throne then looked at them.

Bahagya silang nanlamig roon.

'What the hell is she?' the three kings who just met her, thought.

"Uhh can we start the meeting now?" Conri asked, breaking the silence.

"Wait, were not complete yet," she said.

And that exact moment a portal suddenly appeared alerting them, including Hendrix.

"It's okay, they are harmless. Sit," Serene said making them nod their heads as they unconsciously obeyed.

Coming from the portals are beings that shocked them more.

The oldest witch, Nimue, that has been missing for years. The spirit king, Eden and the reigning vampire empress, Drusilla.

"Gosh, the smell of wolves are disgusting as ever," the empress hissed while clinging onto the spirit king.

They were all on guard as they looked at the woman behind all of the ruckus.

"They are on our side this up coming war," she revealed.

"A witch and a vampire? Paano ka nakakasiguro doon?" kunot noong, buong tapang na saad ni Ralph.

"Cause I kill traitors," walang prenong saad ni Serene na nagpatahimik sa lahat dahil sa bigat ng aura nito, tila ba nauubusan sila ng hininga.

Just like Alpha Hendrix.

"My name is Serene—"

"My mate," Hendrix announced.

"No one asked, Hendrix," she hissed.

"I am the daughter of the late noble wolf Remus, alpha of the fallen Winter moon and Vina a nine tailed celestial fox," she revealed making them gasp.