Chapter 5: Like a Retard

CATTALEYA

Binabad ko ang sarili ko sa tubig at hinayaang sakupin ng bula ang buong tub. The candles lit the place at nilaro-laro ko ang wineglass na naglalaman ng inumin. My mind is at haze. Before, nothing matters to me but achieving great at school or making my hair pretty and other stuff like that.

I don’t care about my identity. Ang alam ko lamang ay si Aurora ang pamilya ko. I never once question my life, kung bakit nasa kamay ako ng mangkukulam. But as I grew up, I began asking how did I even make it out to this world pero may bahagi ko na ayaw malaman iyon. Hindi ko pinagsisihan na si Aurora ang nagpalaki sa akin.

She’s the great parent everyone would like to have-- except for her weird activities like making poisons and toxins na nakakalat sa bahay. Ilang beses na ba akong nakakain ng pagkaing may lason? Sa dami na ng pagkakataong ganoon ay tila naging immune na nga ang katawan ko.

Don’t get me wrong. Aurora didn’t try to poison me. She’s only trying it witches, humans, animals o kung ano pang nilalang but I, as kid was very curious. I would snuck on the kitchen and grabbed muffins or fruits without knowing she used it for experiment.

Halos isang oras din akong nagbabad sa tub bago ko naisipang tumayo. Sumilip ako mula sa itim na kurtina at natanaw ang madilim na paligid. Tatlong katok ang pumukaw sa akin kaya agad kong binuksan ang pinto.

“Gising ka pa pala,” bati sa akin ni Isabelita. Her body was bent due to old age but Aurora's mind is still young and smart. She can still make poisons that can kill creatures in one shot. Lumapit siya sa tokador at inabot ang hairbrush ko. Like I always do, I sat in front of the mirror and let the old woman brush my long hair.

“May bumabagabag ba sa isipan mo, Cat?” tanong niya.

“Wala naman,” sagot ko sa kanya.

She didn’t insist that something’s wrong. “Nasiyahan ka ba sa paglangoy mo sa ilog kanina?”

“Hmm,” I replied with a nodded. “Not until I found a dead wolf man on the side.” Hindi ko na lamang ikinuwento na sumama ako sa grounds ng mga lobo.

She laughed. “Bumula ba ang bibig niya?”

“Hindi, I think an omega killed him.”

Aurora sighed. “Akala ko ay nakain niya ang bagong lason ko.”

Napangiti lamang ako habang nakatingin sa salamin. She has nothing against wolves or any creatures. She’s just an outrageous witch, obsessed in making toxins. Other witches says she’s raised by one of the most feared witches of all time-- Greta. She learned from her, before the townspeople burned Greta alive. Aurora set foot to the forest and followed Greta’s legacy. It’s her fetish to make deadly toxins and see any creatures die.

“I’m always thankful to you for raising me,” wika ko sa kanya.

She smiled at pinagpatuloy ang pagsuklay sa akin. “Ang laki mo na nga, isang araw ay sasabihin mo na sa akin na mag-aasawa ka na.”

Then that dog just popped in my mind. Damn, no. I’m not going to marry that mutt! No way!

“That if a man will pass my standards,” sagot ko sa kanya.

“Cat, gusto mo bang malaman ang pagkata--” I cut her off by gently holding her hand.

Hinawakan ko ang kanyang kulubot na kamay at dinama iyon sa pisngi ko. This old woman is my mom. She’s my family. She raised me so even if i am dying in curiosity, I won’t bother knowing who I am. “You should sleep now.”

Tinapik niya ang ulo ko at tumango. Before she left the room, she made sure the windows are close at inayos ang makakapal na kurtina.

***

CLAN

“Tell me I’m not hallucinating,” Zach said as he elbowed Daniel.

“Gusto ko rin sanang sabihin ‘yan,” wika naman ni Daniel at mahinang tinapik ang mesa. “Alpha?”

My smile didn’t fade as my eyes shifted from space to them. “Yes?” tanong ko. Nagkatinginan silang dalawa at napailing sa isa’t-isa. Why, what’s wrong?

“May sakit ka ba, Alpha?” tanong ni Daniel.

“No.”

“Sigurado ka bang ayos ka lang, Clan?” tanong naman ni Zach. He calls me by my name if we’re talking about something serious and personal o kung anumang usapin na labas ang mga responsibilidad namin sa pack bilang alpha at beta.

“Syempre naman Zachary,” nakangiti pa ring sagot ko. “I’m an alpha at hindi ako basta-basta magkakasakit. You know my strength and immunity is not of an ordinary wolf.”

Muling nagkatinginan ang dalawa, tila hindi pa rin makapaniwala.

“I think it has something to do with that human,” bulong ni Daniel pero sapat na para marinig ko kaya mas lalo akong napangiti. “See? He smiled again!”

“Clan, may nangyari ba sa’yo?” tanong ni Zach at iwinagayway ang kanyang palad sa harap ko. “The last time I remembered, things were a bit heated when you talked with that woman.”

I smiled. “Because she’s fire, in a woman’s body.”

“And you’re smiling, Alpha,” paalala ni Daniel.

“Life’s worth smiling for,” sagot ko.

Zach whispered to Daniel. “Sa tingin mo ginayuma siya ng babae?”

“I think so,” sagot ni Daniel. “That woman is Aurora's apprentice. She’s so much capable of doing that!”

Inihagis ko sa kanilang dalawa ang balat ng saging na nasa gilid ng mesa ko. These wolves forgot that I am an Alpha. I have enhanced sense of hearing than most wolves yet they dared whispering in front of me knowing I can hear them.

“Stop whispering, I can hear you.”

Nagsikuhan silang dalawa at komportableng naupo sa sofa na nasa harap ng mesa ko. When I say comfortable, it means their foot are on the armrest, sitting in a lazy manner.

“So tell us now Clan, anong nginingiti-ngiti mo diyan?” tanong ni Zach.

“Sit properly Zach or someone might barge in and see you in such state,” sabi ko. Wolves must respect Alphas so sitting in such manners is a no-no. Tiyak na mapapagalitan siya ng mga nakakatanda.

“Don’t worry, we made sure that the door’s lock,” sagot naman ni Daniel.

Daniel is another close friend of mine. If Zach is my beta and my second in command, Daniel is his right hand. We three made sure that the pack is living harmoniously and far from threats of any kind.

I scowled at them, sumandal din ako sa upuan ko. “What are you doing here? Aren’t you supposed to be on duty? Sa pagkakaalam ko, kailangan ninyong i-check ang mga nangangalakal.”

“Done,” they said in unison.

Our pack strives to live just like any other creature does. Vanderwolf pack is rich, compared to other packs dahil sa sari-saring industriya. I learned about business administration, the human way and I shared the knowledge towards my pack. Some members of my pack lived as rich merchants and businessman, trading textiles and garments. Mayroon ding namamahala sa minahan na sakop ng Vanderwolf ground and the pack owned a huge jewelry shop in the city with humans as employees.

“How about--”

Pinutol nila ang sasabihin ko. “Come on Clan, we’re here because it’s our break. All that needs to be check are done so don’t try to dodge our inquisition. Anong nginingiti mo rito? I won’t mention na mag-isa ka lang so it’s a bit... queer. You’re our Alpha, don’t go smiling alone like a retard dahil baka isipin ng pack na nasisiraan ka na ng ulo.”

I just laughed on his words. Is it wrong to smile if you remember your mate? Ah, I miss her already. It’s been three days since I last saw her.

And we kissed.

“Damn, he smiled again,” umiiling na sabi ni Zach at sinapo ang mukha.

“Daniel,” tawag ko at napatingin naman siya sa akin. “How did you feel when you first meet your mate?”

“Happy, of course,” sagot niya.

I raised from my seat. “See? Happy! then you should relate to me. Ang saya sa pakiramdam na natagpuan mo na ang mate mo. Don’t mind Zach, he wouldn’t know because his mate must be avoiding him.”

“But I didn’t go smiling like a retard, Alpha,” dagdag ni Daniel kaya napatingin ako sa kanya nang masama. He raised both arms like he surrendered.

I think of an explanation why I was smiling ear to ear. Siguro ay dahil iba si Cattaleya. She knows I’m her mate but she doesn’t acknowledge it. She keep saying she doesn’t want a dog. Knowing her resistance to it, I can't help but smile. I’m her mate and she can’t do anything about it.

At kahit ilang beses man niyang itanggi ang atraksyon niya sa akin, her lips just tell me otherwise. She kissed me with fervor and hunger. Kahit sinasabi niyang hindi na bago sa kanya ang halik, she responded to my kisses like how she’s supposed to.

I shrugged. “Maybe because you and Aminah are compatible mates. Both wolves and enjoyed the sign of being mates, but mine, Cattaleya is... human.”

“Pero Alpha,” sumeryoso ang mukha ni Zach. “Sa tingin ko ay hindi lang siya normal na tao.”

“Right,” pagsang-ayon ni Daniel. “Who’s the human who is normal enough to carry a huge ax? No offense Alpha, your mate is definitely beautiful. The kind that you will see on human glossy magazines but her ax? It doesn’t go well with her image.”

Well that’s my mate! She looks like a nail can break in a simple move and she’ll be pissed over that and cry but she isn’t that type. She’s not afraid of breaking her nails, damn. She can even break anyone’s bones. Her appearance is in contrast with what she’s capable of, that’s why everyone must be careful of her.

“Daniel, my mate can kill you in an instant so don’t ever make her hear that. I’m sure she’ll get pissed,” paalala ko sa kanya. Bumaling ako kay Zach. “What do you mean, Zach?”

He sighed. “Sa tingin ko ay hindi lamang siya normal na tao, knowing she lives with the most dreaded witch.”

I nodded in agreement. Of course, her connection with the witch is still in question but I know that's not a big issue. Cattaleya and I will get to know each other slowly, until she would fully acknowledge me as her mate. Then I can make her the alpha female of our pack.

“Probably,” sagot ko. “But whatever she is, she will become part of our pack.”

“Nasabi mo na ba sa kanya ang tungkol kay Olga?” tanong ni Zach. Daniel shot him a look that was warning him. Napatigil naman ako at napabuntong-hininga.

Olga...

Olga was the woman, a she wolf that I loved so much. She’s my mate and I thanked the Goddess of the moon for choosing her as my mate. We both love each other and death was the bad guy that tore us apart.

We found each other before I was hailed as the new alpha. She’s a member of the Vanderwolf pack and we feel the signs as we reached the ripe age as wolves. I have always been attracted to her and so as she to me. She’s the sweetest shewolf and a potential alpha female dahil sa kanyang katangian. She loves the pups and she always take care of them at ganoon din sa ibang miyembro ng pack.

Isa siya sa mga taga-gamot ng pack. Learning from her family, Olga’s interest is in healing. Madalas siyang nasa kagubatan at naghahanap ng mga halamang gamot na siyang gagamitin sa paggawa ng mga bagong gamot at pangontra sa wolfsbane at kung ano-anong lason.

And she died searching for herbs. Natagpuan na lamang namin siya na wala ng buhay. An omega shred her to pieces basing on her wounds but her body was drained of blood. Some elders says hindi lamang omega ang pumatay sa kanya but also vampires although some refused to believe that. We maintained a treaty between them, and killing one of each other’s kind would mean breach of such treaty.

Some elders believed that the omega made it look like the vampires are to blame pero malakas ang kutob ko na may kinalaman nga ang mga bampira. Wala ng ibang nilalang ang nangangailangan ng dugo kundi mga bampira lamang. I grieved and developed my hate over those bloodsuckers but keep that to myself para sa kaayusan ng pack.

Though it doesn’t mean I forgive any vampire. Whoever drained Olga will pay for it. I swore that over the Goddess of the moon, Luna.

“She doesn’t need to know about Olga,” sagot ko. “Wala na si Olga, what’s the use of telling her about Olga?”

Zach sighed. “Clan, you know humans, right? They tend to get jealous over one’s past.”

Zach is familiar with that human attitude, especially of a woman. Gaya ko ay nag-aral din si Zach kasama ang mga tao. He even had relationships with humans. He cannot understand why humans are so jealous over past relationships. Palagi na lang pinagseselosan ang mga exes niya. It’s so annoying that it almost drives him crazy so then he decided that she wolves are better than them.

“That could be true but I’m certain Cattaleya is a sensible woman,” sagot ko.

Nagkatinginan lamang sina Zach at Daniel. “Hopefully, she is,” sabay nilang sabi.

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