Epilogue: Part 1

I was waken up by the warmth of the sunlight reaching my face from the glass window. Bumaling ako sa aking tabi kung saan tahimik na natutulog si Zackary with the side of his face against the soft white pillow.

Isang buwan na din ang lumipas mula noong magising ako sa ospital. And every day that followed seemed like a dream especially whenever I wake up next to Zackary on a lazy morning like this, in the mansion  built for the two of us.

Mataas na ang sikat ng araw sa labas at maingay na ang huni ng mga  ibon mula sa mga punong nakapalibot sa mansion. I quietly shifted on  the bed upang tuluyang bumangon. But Zackary's arms encircled my waist, gently pulling me back to his side.

He snugged his face against my neck, breathing me in. Hindi ko  napigilan ang ngiting sumilay sa aking labi habang pinagmamasdan ang alpha. Nakapikit parin ang kanyang mga mata habang yakap ang aking beywang.

I instinctively run my fingers through his messy hair, gently playing  with the strands. Napangiti ako nang marinig ang kontento niyang buntong-hininga. He's been sleeping longer and resting better these past few weeks.

Bumalik ako sa pagkakahiga sa kanyang tabi at sumiksik sa kanyang bisig. Mahigpit akong niyakap ni Zackary. Pareho naming pinakinggan ang huni ng mga ibon na naglalaro sa windowsill. Sa dami ng aming napagdaanan, hindi ko akalain na muli ko siyang masisilayan nang ganito-- carefree and laidback.

"I don't want to go to work today."

Zackary was completely awake. I could feel his warm breath against my neck habang nanatili siyang nakayakap sa'kin. "I thought it's a busy  time in the headquarters today?" I asked.

"Doesn't have to be there..." his low morning voice almost sounded like a moan habang nakasiksik parin ang kanyang mukha sa aking leeg.

Ngumiti ako. "Really? You want Alex to be barging in here again?"

Tuluyan akong bumangon. Pag-alis ko sa higaan, I realized I was wearing Zackary's dress shirt from last night. While clasping my long hair in a bun, I looked around the floor for the rest of my clothes.

Bumaling ako kay Zackary matapos magtali ng buhok. Nanatili siya sa higaan with his chiselled chest exposed and wearing only a pajama in  his lower body. Pareho naming naalala ang mga nangyari kagabi and a smile slipped from his lips.

"Come on now, alpha." Sinubukan ko siyang hilain mula sa higaan but  he pulled me back to the bed and placed me beside him with ease. "Zackary."

Sa halip na sumagot, naramdaman kong muling bumalot ang kanyang braso sa'kin. Napapikit ako nang unti-unting maramdaman ang maiinit niyang halik sa aking leeg, followed by his warm breath whispering to my ear.

"I haven't had enough of you yet."

--

Tanghali na noong dumating ako sa apothecary. Zackary finally decided to start his day and I have work waiting for me as well. For the entire  day, Anabeth had been giggly while working with me. Maging ang ngiti niya hindi niya mapigilan.

While working in the tower, Anabeth noticed the marks on my neck  from Zackary's lips this morning. Sinubukan kong muling ilugay ang aking mahabang buhok kahit sanay akong nakapusod ito habang nagt-trabaho.

"No need to do that," puna ni Anabeth. "Quality time," she giggled. "I support that."

"Anabeth," I whispered.

"What?" nakangising tugon niya. "You're a couple living together. Mas magtataka ako kung walang mangyayari."

Tuluyan kong tinakpan ang aking mukha na pulang-pula dahil sa  kanyang sinabi. Anabeth's giggles were unending. A moment later, she trudged her seat closer to me in my working station with an expectant face.

"May sinabi si Zanra sa'kin," she announced in a sing-song voice. Bago pa ako makapagtanong, bigla niyang dinugtungan. "Sir Zackary is preparing something for you."

I stared back at Anabeth. "Preparing what?"

"Zanra had been hearing your brother and the alpha having a series of meetings that were not about the town." Anabeth's lips spread into a  wide smile.

"Alam mo ba kung tungkol saan?" tanong ko.

Anabeth shrugged. Her silly giggle slowly turned into a fond smile. "I think I know but I can't tell you yet."

--

We spent the rest of our day treating injured orders from minor encounters and training mishaps, and providing villagers who visited the apothecary with supplies for their clinics.

Isa sa mga villagers na bumisita sa apothecary ay ang village leader ni Nari. "Kumusta po si Nari?" tanong ko habang hinahanda ang mga supplies na kanilang kailangan.

"Naghahanda siya para sa practical at written exam para makapag-trabaho dito sa apothecary," tugon ng village leader. "Alam ng lahat na matagal niya itong pangarap."

Napangiti ako sa narinig. "Excited na akong makita siya dito," I told the village leader. "Sa susunod na buwan ay makakabalik na ako sa field work. Maaari na ulit akong bumisita sa village. Magdadala ako ng mga taong maaaring tumulong."

Tumango lamang ang matandang leader at ang kanyang kasama. "Hindi mo kailangang magmadali, Ms. Eleanor. Sapat nang nasa mabuti kang kalagayan."

"To have you as the woman standing beside the alpha while leading this town is already an utmost honor for Van Zanth," tugon ng kasama ng village leader. "Masaya kaming nakabalik ka sa bayan at sa piling ng alpha."

Natigilan ako sa kanilang sinabi. Ngumiti ako upang itago ang nagbabadyang luha mula sa aking mga mata. Humarap ako sa kanila at marahang yumuko bilang paggalang.

"Marami pong salamat."

Matapos ang araw, kinailangan ko nang bumalik sa mansion. I've been coming home to Zackary's mansion since I got discharged from the hospital. Hindi ito araw-araw dahil may mga trabaho parin akong kinakailangang nasa apothecary ako magdamag at madalas parin akong matulog sa aking kwarto sa main building, ngunit sa mga araw na tulad nito, Zackary would often pick me up from work upang sabay kaming umuwi.

Nagpaalam ako kay Anabeth sa tower at dumeretso sa gate kung saan nakasandal sa labas ng sasakyan si Zackary, nakahalukipkip habang hinihintay ang paglabas ko.

Nakangiti ako nang lumapit sa kanya. He automatically reached for my arm to enveloped me in an embrace. "You work hard today."

"You too," I greeted back.

After opening the door for me, I sat on the passenger seat of his car. Binuhay niya ang engine ng sasakyan. We started the trip back home while the setting sun cast radiant orange hues in the clear night sky. Binuksan ko ang bintana sa passenger's seat at pinagmasdan ang matingkad na kulay ng kalangitan habang tumatama sa aking mukha ang malamig na simoy ng hangin.

It's been a good day today.

Habang nagmamaneho, nagkwento kaming pareho tungkol sa naging araw namin. I told him about the village leader and their visit and me, wanting to do programs where I can visit their villages to help the people's health and medical concerns.

Somehow, Zackary was a little silent. Tila may malalim siyang iniisip habang nagmamaneho. Nang malapit na kami sa mansion, humarap ako sa kanya.

"Are you okay, Zack?"

Sumulyap siya sa'kin. Isang maliit na ngiti ang kanyang naging sagot. "Just nervous."

Nagtaka ako sa kanyang sinabi. "About what? May problema ba sa bayan?"

Umiling siya. Mas naging maaliwalas ang kanyang mukha nang abutin  ko ang isa niyang palad at marahang pinisil. "I'm here if you want to  talk about it."

Unti-unti siyang napangiti sa narinig. "You're making me so damn nervous, Eleanor." His statement was followed by a chuckle. "I didn't know it would be this nerve racking."

Mas lalo akong naguluhan sa kanyang sinabi. We waited for the gates to automatically open. Nang huminto ang sasakyan sa driveway ng  mansion, humarap si Zackary sa'kin kasabay ng paghinga niya nang malalim.

"Eleanor..."

"Hmm?"

One of his hands remained clasping the steering wheel while taking another deep breath. Dahil hindi ko alam kung ano ang tumatakbo sa kanyang isipan, I reached for his face with both of my hands to stare directly at him.

"I'm getting worried, Zack. Is everything okay?"

"I'm hoping it will be."

He reached for my seat belt to unbuckle it before both of us stepped out of the car. Hawak niya ang palad ko nang malakad kami papasok sa mansion. I could feel his cold hand pressing against mine. Hindi siya mapalagay.

Nilampasan namin ang mga nakasinding ilaw sa driveway at sa garden. Ngunit pagbukas ng main door, isang madilim na mansion ang bumati  sa aming paningin. Agad kong muling inabot ang palad ni Zackary sa gitna ng dilim.

"Zack..."

Marahan niya akong hinila papasok sa madilim na mansion. I was about to say there must be a problem with the mansion's lighting nang  biglang nagliwanag ang buong paligid.

Time seemed to completely stop nang tuluyan kaming makapasok sa living room. Nag-adjust ang paningin ko sa liwanag. Nang muli kong buksan ang aking mga mata, natigilan ako at tuluyang hindi nakapagsalita.

Around me in the entire living room... no, the entire first floor of the mansion was filled with roses. Thousands of them; radiant dark red  roses standing upright from the arrangement that made the first floor of the mansion look like an entire garden.

I've never seen such breathtaking scene, especially how radiant they  look under the golden lights. Humarap ako kay Zackary, hindi parin makapaniwala.

"Zack... they're beautiful..."

My words hung in midair. Napakurap ako habang nakatitig kay Zackary. Unti-unti kong natutop ang aking bibig nang makita siyang nakaluhod sa aking harapan.

"I've been thinking a lot about this. The best place, the best time to do it..." Hinaplos niya ang nanginginig kong palad. "But when I almost  lost you and our future together, I realized the best moments with you were the simplest moments. Waking up beside you, going home  together after a long day, having you beside me through the ups and downs. I want to spend more moments like this with you, Eleanor."

Nanatili akong nakatitig kay Zackary nang may ilabas siya sa kanyang bulsa. A gold jewelry box. Inside of it, resting on the velvet cushion  was a teardrop shape radiant emerald surrounded by tiny diamonds engraved in a gold ring.

"You're an angel and I'm nothing but an alpha who can only promise to give you the future you deserve. I will do everything to make you  happy. Be with me, Eleanor. Marry me."

Hindi ko inaasahan ang pagtulo ng aking mga luha. Blinking, I tried to wipe them off my face. Ngunit hindi ko napigilan ang tuluyan kong pag-iyak. Lumuhod ako sa harapan ni Zackary at mahigpit siyang niyakap.

Pareho kaming nakatitig sa isa't-isa, parehong nakangiti nang hagkan ko ang kanyang labi.

"Yes, Zackary. I'd be happy to."

***

Part 2, the last part of the story, will be posted this weekend.