Alpha's order
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Harrison has been prepared ever since the day luck got Cartenia's back. He knew that it would come a day that their paths will meet again, and he detected that it will only happen once Callum find his happiness. Ngunit sa kabila ng lahat ay hindi niya rin inasahan na ganito pa ang mangyare sa isang normal na tao, kay Aldeheid.

It is still a mystery to them about how the blood link happened. Elders said that it will only happen when a human and a hybrid share their blood. Ikatlong kaso na ito na nangyare sa kaniyang pagkakaalam ngunit kahit ibig niya mang itanong sa mga nauna ay hindi niya pa rin magawa sapagkat hindi sa henerasyon nila ito nangyare. And even if he asks other people, he'll likely to get nothing at all. That's how rare and forbidden blood links.

Harrison raised his gaze towards the light blue sky upon hearing the knock on the door. Doves crossed his sight which made him inhaled deeply.

How ironic is it to see freedom amidst war.

He swore that he was ready, but remembering everything he had witnessed passed years ago simmered his wants to avenge. Bago pa man tuluyan niya itong maramdaman ay humarap na siya sa kakapasok na mga kaibigan niya.

"She's asking war." bungad ni Callum sa kaniya, dalawang kilay na nagtagpo sa gitna.

Romeo countered, "You asked her war." emphasizing Callum what he has done.

"She provoked me." Callum defended.

"Because you disrespected her." Romeo, for the second time, emphasized.

The short-tempered Callum has shown, but has not yet find the reason to give up, "Well, she disrespected Malcolm first!"

"But choices of yours to show respect was indeed high before you impulsively took everything out of anger and perhaps, control?," Romeo with a blank face stated resulting Callum to kick his leg from the back.

"Sino ba ang kakampi mo dito, ha?," annoyed as Callum was before they faced the more annoyed Harrison.

Pero dahil kaibigan ay pinalampas niya nalang ito. "I already alarmed the force. They must have spread out by now, guarding every edge of Malcolm." aniya bago nilapag ang isang lumang litrato sa mesa, "This was the location the bears always attack, the opposite of your mom's ho—" Harrison immediately coughed when he heard Callum's groan, "Cartenia's home rather. But we should not be complacent because we never know Cartenia's whereabouts the past years; she might have connections in the town or worse, someone in the authority."

Romeo nodded, "I shall protect the alpha's mate at all costs." aniya bago nginiwian ng dalawa.

"My wife isn't weak. You shall be assigned to protect Miss Roswell instead." pasimpleng tango naman ang ginanti niya kay Harrison.

"Hindi na kailangan, andito naman ako." pagtagpo ng kilay ni Callum sa gitna.

The alpha groaned and did not consider. The fact that there was something going with the beta and a human brings no good during war with each other's company. Kaya mabuti nalang at dito niya itinalaga si Thornton, kahit papaano ay may makakapigil kay Callum sa oras na mawalan ito ng control.

"Do you consider of locking Miss Roswell when she's not with herself?"

Napatigil doon ang beta sa tanong. Callum then remembers the news about the death of the bear. Maging ang alpha man ay hindi rin makapaniwala sa nangyare. If only Claudette never told them what she saw, posibleng magdadalawang-isip sila sa tinapat ng nakakatandang anak ng Gleens. But then it already came from Claudette and there's no way this woman can lie, she just can't.

Tinikom ni Callum ang bibig niya at tumikhim, "I wouldn't let her go out of control in the first place." he declared with so much doubt in his voice.

The two, Harrison and Romeo, could only sigh inwards. As the two went on, Harrison somehow felt at ease knowing that everything is in accordance. Hindi naman niya nais ang iniisip ng dalawang kaibigan niya, pero mabuti na ang handa kaysa sa mangyare ulit ang nangyare noong buhay pa ang mga magulang niya.

His jaw tightened with the thought. He would never let anything of those happen again, not now that he has a new family to protect.

>>>

Hindi alam ni Callum kung paanong kabang kaba siya habang papalapit sa pintuan ng babaeng kinagugustuhan niya. Ikatlong araw na ito mula sa huli silang nag-usap. Hindi naman siya nahihiya, sadyang takot lang ito sa nalaman ni Aldeheid.

He mean, changing into something you're not is scary, what's more of doing something you're not fond of? Like killing.

Halatang matatakot talaga ang Aldeheid niya sa ganoon. That woman was too innocent and chaste, he couldn't even imagine his Alde's angry face. At kung man, baka mahalikan niya pa ito sa sobrang cute.

Mabilis na naglaho ang iniisip niya pagkabukas ng pintuan pumagitan sa kanilang dalawa. It was as if God has taken his breath away when he saw Aldeheid currently changing her clothes, barely wearing anything. Sa walang pag-iisip ay malakas niyang naisara ang pintuan at masamang tiningnan si Romeo na nakasunod lang sa kaniya. Romeo can even hear Callum's low groans as if he was stealing a candy from him.

Kaya sa halip na matakot ay napairap nalang siya at nagbuga ng hangin, "Tanga." aniya at tumalikod, paharap sa okupadong daanan.

Romeo could never with his friends being in love. It's a nuisance for him. Kaya pasalamat nalang siya dahil sa lahat ng pwede niyang mahalin at sambahin ay ang trabaho niya lang.

At hanggang sa makapasok si Callum ay hindi nalang siya nag-abala pang sumunod. Perhaps he could offer something for Callum's longing?

"Have fun," kibit balikat niyang bulong at nilaan na ang isipan ang paligid.

Callum, on the other hand, couldn't stop apologizing to Aldeheid for what he've seen, and he guess, imagined as well? Natawa naman si Aldeheid doon atsaka siya inayang umupo. It was Aldeheid's fourth day in the hospital, she was already doing well after the second day, kaso hindi ito sapat upang palayain siya.

She was well aware of what's happening to her and she understood more than Callum why she needs to stay, kasi hindi niya sinasadyang mabasa ang nasa isip ni Claudette kanina nang binisita siya nito.

She knows that Miss Zaveri knew that she could already read minds, that is why Claudette managed to shut her mind from being read. Pero sadyang nakalabas pa rin ang pira-pirasong mga impormasyong nasa isipan nito noong binabasahan siya. And that's when she saw her own death.

Kung noon ay hindi niya na ito binibigyang pansin ay iba naman ngayon. Now that she's getting used to being happy, she could no longer accept death like she used back then. Ayaw na niyang mangyare ito dahil tapos na, marami nang tao ang masasaktan pag mawala siya. Especially Callum, the beta she's crushing with.

"It's really fine, Callum." she smiled, stunning Callum. "You never visited yesterday, have you had to run errands for the alpha? How are you, though?"

Callum clicked his tongue, "I-I'm still fine. I mean, how could I not when you're doing good as well?" he kid as he stare at Aldeheid whose eyes are glistening while she smiles. "How about you? Did you wait for me yesterday?"

"Yes. In fact, I held off my drowsiness just so I could talk to you if ever you come around, but I already assumed that you're busy that is why you don't need to feel guilty of being unable to come around yesterday." Aldeheid motioned her head, "It was my choice of staying awake, and it was worth it because I had a great talk with Lady Jarriet and the other women the Lady brought." and giggled as pure as she was.

Napangiti na lamang doon si Callum at humupa ang pagsisi na kani-kanina lang ay lumalabas. Aldeheid reassured him, kaya mas mabuting hindi na niya isipin ang nangyare.

They chatted for a few minutes about what happened in the past days before Callum apologize for the problem he initially caused.

"This was never your fault. Things like this will always happen, and the best thing we have to do is to face it." Aldeheid, once again, reassured Callum.

Callum for the first time, disagreed to Aldeheid, "I am a beta and I should have known it better. The night I crossed the line was the time I broke the rule."

"But you did it to save me, did you not?"

"I did. But I never wanted any of these to happen. Your well-being, your awakening, and the harm I caused." he hurtfully told Aldeheid.

"Maybe this happened because our paths were destined to meet." Aldeheid shyly tucked her hair behind her ear, "I mean, I wouldn't really know you if it wasn't for this." and chuckled when she remembered the times she'd stay in her balcony, waiting hours for Callum to come.

It was just yet another memory she once wished to having.

Napaayos ng upo si Callum nang may bigla siyang naalala. He always wanted to ask this to Aldeheid ever since the attack happened.

"Alde..."

"Yes?" her brown eyes stared at his. Callum could barely resist it.

He hesitated at first. There are a lot of possible answers that he could get from her but regardless of those, he still can't stop getting jealous of the fact that it was not his blood that contaminated but that fucking thief's!

He cleared his throat once more, "Do you, by any chance, have any idea about what happened on that night?"

Aldeheid instantly knows what he was pertaining to, "Not much. I could only remember the stumping of heavy feet above my ceiling and images after it were all unknown because unfortunately, I got scared and hid myself under my blanket thinking that it could save my life from being killed," she chuckled hilariously, "...but I guess it worked?"

They both chuckled first, "But any idea about how you got the blood? I was not with myself that time that's why I never knew." almost blaming himself.

Aldeheid thought for seconds before she shook her head.

"Not even a wound or something particular to it?" he tried once more, expecting something relevant in return.

"Oh! I remember!" Aldeheid pointed, enough to rattle Callum's anxiety.

"W-what—,"

"I got a slice from the shattered glass on my arms but it was gone when I woke up, so I never really thought it could be a helpful information." she felt guilty after but Callum only laughed.

Of course! How could Callum not know it when it was her blood, the main reason, that caused ruckus inside him! Paanong hindi niya ito napagtanto agad? He could only laugh at his stupidity.

But one thing caught his attention which simmered his jealousy for the second time. "It's gone after hours? How can a thief's blood be that strong?," he sounded so bitter that Aldeheid could taste it.

Aldeheid was about to open her mouth when a loud bang from outside interrupted her, following the knock of the commander behind the door.

"Alpha's order: evacuate to the palace immediately."

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nyariina