Chapter 4: Do you hate me?

CATTALEYA

I watched the mutt put down the dead wolf in an elevated platform while the other dogs gathered around them. A woman knelt and cried in front of the dead body at mababakas naman ang kalungkutan ng ibang lobo. They were truly sorry for the loss of their pack.

Mister Wolf drew a heavy sigh, his back muscles are visible as his hands clenched. It’s normal for him to be affected to since he’s the alpha. The dead wolf is his member; a part of their pack which he runs.

I watched as the other half-naked wolves growled sadly. Ang iba sa kanila ay nag-anyong lobo samantalang nanatili lamang sa anyong tao ang iba ngunit lahat ay nagluksa. Even the pups on the side were gathered on the grounds but they were kept on the safe side to avoid getting caught in the mess of grieving wolves.

Lumapit ako roon at binati ang mga ito. “Hello cuties.” Tinapik ko ang isa na tila pinakamalungkot sa kanilang lahat. Kinuha ko iyon at umupo sa lupa, putting the pup in my lap. “You’re still too young to see something like this but you should know that this is how the world runs. One day we will meet this ugly and annoying thing called Death. Lucky for you kasi mas mataas ang lifespan ninyo-- that if death will be good and won’t come at your doorway too early.”

The pups listened to me at hindi ko maiwasang mapangiti. They’re too tiny and I’m certain that if they develop into their proper bodies, they will be lovely wolves. But still, lovely or not, if they mess with me or Aurora, I don’t mind drawing my ax and cut their heads off.

A gray pup leaned on the fence kaya kinuha ko rin ito at pinatong sa lap ko. “What a lovely pup!” I lifted it and let its nose touched mine. “Aaaah! So cute! Look here.” The pup looked at me like he’s willing to listen. “I’m sure you'll grow up undeniably handsome.” Nilingon ko ang alpha nila na nakatayo pa rin at tinatanaw ang mga nagluluksang lobo at ang kanyang nasasakupan. Then I turned back to the pup. “I’m sure that alpha there is also as cute as you when he’s young but listen here pup, here’s a piece of advice. Don’t go rejecting your mate like all the time okay? Huwag mong tularan ang alpha ninyo. I’m telling you, your mate will feel bad. Got that?”

The pup blink its gray eyes and stared at me na para bang naiintindihan niya ako. I smiled but my
smile slowly faded.

Oh.

A dog dared...!

A dog dared to draw a sword right at the back of my head.

“Don’t move human or you’ll say goodbye to your head,” wika ng aso. It’s a bitch--- I mean a female dog. “Ibaba mo ang lobo.”

Huh, she dared to order me around?

Do I look like someone who follow orders? Orders from a dog?

“If I don’t?” I asked, running my fingers on the pup’s head.

“You’ll be dead in a second. I told you, you will say goodbye to your head,” sagot niya.

I smirked as I pat the pup again, lifting them down from my lap. “How about I’ll do that to you first?” tanong ko sa kanya.

In one swift movement, her sword flew to the other side and now our position was switched. Siya na ang nasa lupa at nakatihaya. My foot was on her bare chest; the blade was at her neck. Isang maling galaw, patay siya. Hindi man matatanggal ang kanyang ulo, mamamatay pa rin siya kahit munting sugat lamang mula sa palakol ko.

“CATTALEYA!”

Clan's voice echoed on the corners of the grounds kaya lahat ay napatingin sa gawi namin, maging ang mga nagluluksang lobo. I rolled my eyes, stepping harder on her chest. I know na normal lamang sa mga lobo na nakahubad and this girl is just half-naked but I hate the thought that the stupid dog can freely see her upper body.

Now I’m torn between chopping her torso or plucking Clan’s eyes.

The former sounds better.

Or I can do both.

“Alpha!” the she wolf’s voice became flirty at tila naiiyak na. “I think her ax is coated with wolfsbane!”

Wow, bitch you got it right.

“Cattaleya, put it down,” mahinahong sabi niya. “T-that’s dangerous.”

“Really?” I asked, raising a brow. Why does it sounds like it’s my fault? Who tried to kill me with a sword first?

“Cattaleya...” it was a warning.

Everyone’s eyes were on us and who cares? Damn that alpha dog! Hindi man lamang ba niya tatanungin kung bakit ganito ang nangyari?

“Put down your ax, Cattaleya!” mahinahong sabi niya. His voice was authoritative.

He cannot use that tone on me, I’m not part of his pack!

“No,” tanggi ko, stepping even harder on this bitch. She whimpered in pain. Well, maswerte siya dahil hindi ko nilagyan ng pilak ang sole ng sapatos ko or else she’d burn already.

He massaged his temple like he’s in a great dilemma. His eyes were dark and angry but then it became soft. “Please?”

I threw my ax on the air and catch it with expertise before keeping it on my back. Sinipa ko naman palayo sa paanan ko ang babae. She groaned as she rolled towards his foot. Tumayo siya at yumakap sa kanya.

“Alpha! That human...”

Huh, I thought she’s bitch which means a female dog. Now I’m certain she’s really a BITCH other than that meaning.

Clan looked straight at me. Sinalubong ko ang tingin niya sa akin, giving him my cold glares. I hate how that bitch clings on him. I really should’ve dismembered her body and feed it to the crows.

“I know my words won’t be heard anyway but I will still say it Mister Wolf. I didn’t start it. I’m just playing with the cute pups when that bitch draw a sword at my head. So I did the same. Fair enough, right?”

He removed the arms of the bitch that was around him at humakbang palapit sa akin. His eyes were less darker than it were just few moments ago. Humakbang siya palapit sa akin at umatras ako. He didn’t like it and his face shows kaya muli siyang lumapit ngunit umatras ulit ako at hinigit ang palakol sa likuran.

The other wolves around gasped. “Alpha!”

Itinaas niya ang kamay para ipaalam sa mga lobo na huwag mag-alala sa kanya. If I were him, I should let his pack worry for him. I’m not in a very good mood right now. I was just admiring the cute pups until that bitch ruined my mood.

“Cattaleya.”

Ibinaba ko ang palakol at tumalikod sa kanya. “I regret coming here. Goodbye.”

I smiled at the pups who looks sad at my departure.

That hell of an alpha mutt! How dare him kiss me like that and then now, something like this happens?! Heck, I hate it. I axed the frail-looking fence at nagkalat ang nabaling kahoy sa lupa. I’m too pissed to find the proper way out kaya bahala na ang mga asong ito sa pag-ayos ng bakod nila!

I took the same way that me and that damn dog walked towards here. I’m too pissed to look back and check if they resumed mourning over the dead wolf o kung sinusundan ba nila ako ng tingin, handang salakayan ako habang nakatalikod.

I’m too pissed to care right now!

I just walked without looking back. I walked with a dark expression as I keep cursing that damn dog. He must have liked how that bitch pressed her body on him. Tss! Sige, magpasahan sana sila ng garapata! Wala akong pakialam!

“Cattaleya!” Malakas ang boses na tumawag sa akin. Ah, he followed me. Medyo malayo na ang nalakad ko but it doesn’t seem a relief na sinundan niya ako. I’m still pissed. I really am!

I stopped at nilingon siya. “Wala ka na bang ibang sasabihin kundi tawagin ang pangalan ko?”

Lumapit siya sa akin at hinawi ang ilang hibla ng buhok ko. “My mate’s jealous.”

I rolled my eyes, slapping his hand away. “In your face, you stupid dog.”

He looked so serious pero bigla siyang napahalakhak na para bang tuwang-tuwa siya. Is there something funny? He clipped his fingers on the waistband of my shorts, pulling me closer to him. This wolf man is impossibly tall, but for a human I’m too tall too-- especially for a girl. I’m at his eye-level.

“I have noted that my mate is cute when she’s jealous and everyone should be afraid of her when she’s in jealous mode,” wika niya na may amusement sa boses.

Huh! It’s not something amusing, it’s... it’s irritating!

He trapped me in his arms. My hands were on his chest, and I’m thankful he’s not shirtless. Still I can feel his warm body. “L-let go of me, Mister Wolf.”

“Try making it sound convincing Cattaleya.”

Damn you dog. Damn you.

There’s no use resisting. His grip is so strong... and I’m too pissed to exert some force just to break free from his hold.

Really, Cat? Really?

“What now? Pagagalitan mo ba ako dahil lamang ipinagtanggol ko ang sarili ko sa... sa asong iyon?”

He shook his head. “No, I’m going to reward you.”

Tinaasan ko siya ng kilay. Is this sarcasm? “For what?”

Napangiti siya. “For showing me that my mate is cute when she’s jealous.”

I. Am. So. Not. Jealous!

“Are you high? Sinong nagseselos? Nag-iilusyon ka yata,” wika ko sa kanya at iniiwas ang tingin.

His hand didn’t let go of my waist and the other tipped my head to face him. Makahulugang ngumiti siya. And I hate it. This damn wolf is so annoying!

“I’m going to reward you for showing me that ‘you’re not jealous’.”

What? Inaasar ba niya ako?

He took a quick peck on my lips. Damn. What was that?! What an audacious dog!

“How dare you!”

He just smiled. “Why, don’t you like it?”

Of course I don’t like it! I hate it! But I didn’t say it.

“Don’t ever bother lying Cattaleya.”

I think it’s better to keep my mouth shut. I will only betray myself. His warmth was on my body right now. And it’s so good to feel.

I sighed and looked straight at his face. “I hate you.”

Napangiti siya. “That will eventually change,” wika niya at muling naggawad ng mabilis na halik sa labi ko. “Just wait a little and that will change.”

I pouted my lips. Ang mga palad ko na tinutulak ang matipuno niyang dibdib ay lumipat sa kanyang balikat. I scanned his neck down to his shoulders with my eyes. My pale white skin on his perfectly tan complexion actually looks so good together.

I want to feel his muscles on his shoulder. My hand gently touched it and my fingers lingered a little bit. Then his arms even pulled me closer, feeling my back.

“Do you still hate me?” tanong niya. His voice is husky, how dare this dog! The butterflies have gone wild in my stomach, the tingles getting stronger.

Huminga ako nang malalim at tinitigan ang kanyang mga labi. I wanted to touch it and feel it using my fingers pero pinigilan ko ang sarili ko.

I hate this dog so I shouldn’t be doing it.

He leaned down to plant a sweet kiss on my lips. Unlike the first two that were quick and lasted for a second or two; this one lingered a little bit longer. Maybe six seconds... or eight. Yes, I counted but I got lost.

When he removed his lips on mine, muli niyang sinalubong ang mga tingin ko. “Do you still hate me?” he asked again.

Of course I do!

So I nodded.

He kissed me again, slowly but savoury. It lasted longer that it made me catch my breath. When he pulled away, he looked at my eyes again before he asked.

“Now, do you still hate me?”

I sneered at him. “I really really hate you, Mister Wolf I really hate you,” I replied before pulling his head down and gave him a punishing kiss.

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