Chapter 6: That's My Girl

CATTALEYA

Aurora asked me to buy some herbs na gagamitin niya para ginagawa niya. Mula nang makabalik ako rito sa kagubatan ay ako na ang bumibili ng mga kinakailangan niya. The townspeople are not really fond of her, even the other creatures.

With my ax on my back, I set to buy the list she prepared. The market is filled with people, wolves in human forms and even vampires. I somehow pity these people. Wala silang kaide-ideya kung ano ang mga nilalang na nakakasalamuha nila. Some even double crossed them.

Nang matiyak na kompleto ang mga pinamili ko, bumalik na ako sa kagubatan. Lumiko ako sa makitid na daan palabas ng palengke nang bigla na lamang may sumalubong sa akin na tatlong aso.

No, not that mutt with his sidekicks.

These are another dogs. At least that mutt and his sidekicks are better in terms of looks than these filthy ones in front of me right now. Nangangamoy na nga, galisin pa. Fullpackage!

“Hi, Ganda,” bati ng nasa gitna. “Gusto mo bang sumabay sa amin? Iinom kami sa isang pub sa kanto, tara.”

“No thanks, dog,” sagot ko.

The one in the center growled and the others look like they’re about to attack me anytime now.

“Anong sabi mo?”

“No thanks, DOG. D-O-G, Dog,” pag-uulit ko. Oh, these dogs didn’t know I can spot a dog even if they’re in human form. Pero sila? Nakakalito pa rin. Nasa anyong tao, mukha pa ring aso. Asong galisin. And they dared blocking my way. I need to get back before night time para presko pa rin ang mga pinamili ko.

“Lilo, dog daw,” sabi ng isa. They encircled me, at ang tinawag na Lilo, the ugliest of these three ugly dogs come closer. He tried reaching for my arm ngunit tinabig ko na iyon bago pa niya ako mahawakan.

Ew. His fleas might come to my skin.

“Feisty,” sabi nito at minasahe ang panga. Geez, mamasahiin pa, eh bibigwasan ko rin naman ‘yan!

“Yup, so get out of my way,” sabi ko.

“Kilala mo ba kami?” tanong ng kanyang kasama. They’re all ugly dogs, so it’s hard to spot the different between them. Let’s just say they’re dog 1, dog 2 and dog 3.

“No, sikat ba kayo?” nakataas kilay na tanong ko. They laughed at each other pero alam kong halong inis na ang tawang iyon.

Dog 2 and Dog 3 cracked their knuckles at muling pinalibutan ako. Dog 1 grabbed my basket at mabuti na lamang ay mabilis ko iyong nalayo sa kanya.

“Mess with anything but not with this basket o pagsisisihan mong nabuhay ka pa,” banta ko. And I’m not the kind who bluff. I will make sure he will really regret it. Don’t he dare touch Aurora's ingredients or he’ll be sorry.

“Talaga?” He moved swiftly at hinablot ang oregano mula sa basket. Itinapon niya iyon sa lupa at inapak-apakan. I sighed as I watched the oregano torn into pieces. “Ano? Anong gagawin mo ngayon?”

Dogs 2 and 3 laughed like crazy. I blinked few times as I watched the oregano leaves on the ground in such state. Sayang naman. I personally chose them because they are the most fresh but this dog just stepped on it.

Sunod niyang hinablot ang rosemary plant. Gaya ng ginawa niya sa oregano, ibinagsak niya iyon sa lupa at tila maniac na tumatawa pa siya habang ginagawa iyon.

My eyes turned to narrow slit. “Twelve, thirteen...”

“Bakit ka nagbibilang, Ganda?” tanong ni Dog 1. “Bakit, sa tingin mo ba ay may darating para iligtas ka?” He smirked as he stepped on the plant again. Bulag yata sila para hindi mapansin ang malaking palakol sa likuran ko.

Who needs to be saved? Ako? Nagpapatawa ba ang asong to?

“Fourteen, fifteen, sixteen...”

“Walang magliligtas sa’yo, kaya kung hindi lang naging matabil ang dila mo at naging masunurin ka, wala sanang problema. Ano pa ang laman ng basket mo?” tanong niya.

Sa pagkakataong iyon ay inilabas ko ang natitirang laman ng basket at gaya ng ginawa niya, isa-isang tinapon ko iyon sa lupa. “Akapulko, dahon ng guyabano, pulang bayabas, at kampanilya. Go ahead, dog and step on them.”

Dog 1 smirked and he’s being a good dog to follow my command. Tila baliw na inapak-apakan niya iyon.

“Seventeen, eighteen, nineteen, twenty, twenty one--”

“Nagbibilang ka pa rin?” tanong ni Dog 1. Lumapit siya sa akin at hinawi ang buhok ko. Hinayaan ko lamang siya kahit diring-diri ako. “Kung hindi mo lang ako ininsulto tsk tsk buo pa sana ang mga halamang ito. Ano, iiyak ka ba?”

“Lilo.”

Sabay kaming napatingin sa direksyon kung saan nanggagaling ang boses na tumawag sa pangalan ni Dog 1.

It’s the mutt-- the goodlooking mutt.

Nakaupo siya sa naka-stack na crates ng mga gulay at prutas habang kumakain ng mansanas na sa tingin ko ay kinuha niya sa crate na inuupuan niya.

“Clan,” tawag naman sa kanya ni Dog 1. Wow, are they friends? Is Dog 1 part of his pack? If yes, I’m disappointed how that mutt runs his pack. He let ugly dogs stray around and pissed people.

Mister Wolf’s tan torso glistened as the amber glow in the sky reflected in it. What the hell is wrong with him? Where are his clothes? Oh, I mean where’s his shirt?

“Didn’t your alpha told you not to bother people?” he asked.

Oh so they're not part of his pack.

“Hindi ibig sabihin na alpha ka ay pakikialaman mo ang ibang pack, Clan,” sagot ni Dog 1. He growled at him like he hates his presence.

Ganoon talaga siguro, hate niya kasi malayong-malayo siya sa hitsura ni Clan. He’s a stray dog covered in filth. Mister Wolf is a dog. Just a dog but not filthy.

They stepped again on the plants at tumulong pa sina Dog 2 at 3. I just smirked and continued counting.

"Twenty two, twenty three, twenty four—"

He tried holding my jaw with his filthy hand ngunit may tumamang ang mansanas sa kamay nito.

"What the!" His angry glares turned to Mister Wolf who's still enjoying another apple. He raised his free arm and made a peace sign.

"Ops," he playfully said before taking another bite. "This apple tastes so good by the way."

"Sinasabi ko sa'yong wag kang makialam Clan. Maghanap ka ng sa'yo," galit na wika ni Dog 1. Oh his hand bruised. Napalakas yata ang tama ng mansanas doon.

"You're actually messing what's mine but okay, I won't interfere," sagot niya at tinapon ang inubos na niyang mansanas. He got another one and just played with it.

Tinangka akong hawakan ni Dog 2 but then my mood has reached its limit. I stealthily drew my ax at sinundan nila ng tingin ang bagay na lumipad sa ere.

That thing bumped on the wall before it feel on the ground.

It's Dog 2's right arm by the way.

"Pota!" sigaw ni Dog 2 at pagalit na sinubukang hilahin ako gamit ang natitirang braso ngunit gaya ng sinapit ng kanang kamay niya, it flew on the air, bumped on the wall and fell on the ground. 

Nanlaki ang mga mata nina Dog 1 at Dog 3. Dog 3 tried to run away but my ax greeted his leg and he fell on the ground after losing a limb.

The mutt on top of the crates whistled as he sat comfortably. Nanginginig naman si Dog 1 habang palapit ako sa kanya.

"I feel bad for Talbama Pack for losing an awful beta even if you're not a loss Lilo," Mister Wolf said but I'm too angry to tell him to shut up. Huh, so this dog is a beta, a good for nothing beta.

"Sige, p-patayin mo ako at ha-huntingin ka ng buong T-talbama Pack!" sigaw sa akin ni Dog 1. So he's not just filthy, his breath smells awful too. Nakaka-offend ang amoy!

"That will be awesome dog, I love hunting game," wika ko. "As far as I can remember, it's twenty four."

"Ano?!" sigaw niya na may halong panginginig. Parang kanina lang ang yabang yabang niya ah.

"Ah, I really feel sorry for your unworthy life Lilo," sabat na naman ng asong nasa tuktok ng crate.

"Clan! Tulungan mo ako!" sigaw ni Dog 1.

The mutt just shrugged his shoulders as he juggled three apples on the air. "Sorry dude, not of any help. I can give you a tip though, hindi mo nga lang mapapakinabangan. Here's the tip..."

Mister Wolf jumped down at sumandal sa pader.

His dark blue eyes sparkled as he looked at Dog 1. "Never mess with my girl."

"One," I counted as I chopped one of his toes. Napadaing siya sa sakit at hindi ko siya binigyan ng pagkakataing mas sumigaw pa dahil sinunod ko ang kabilang paa niya.

I enjoyed chopping his filthy body twenty four times. That's what he gets when messing with me.

Medyo matagal na rin mula nang ginamit ko ang palakol ko. Now it's proven that my ax missed chopping bodies.

Mister Wolf walked towards me as he watched me wipe my ax in Dog 3's shirt. Wala akong kangiti-ngiti. I'm still very pissed right now. Ngayon ay wala akong maiuuwi kay Aurora! Some of the herbs that I bought are already the last stock!

Hinapit niya ako sa baiwang at hinarap sa kanya. I can feel Mister Wolf's heat transferring to my body. I won't deny that this mutt is hot as hell!

"Let me go, Mister Wolf," mariing wika ko. He got something from the pocket of his pants.

A handkerchief.

Wow, this mutt keeps a hankie.

He used it wiped something from my face at nang tiningnan ko iyon, it was blood. Then he reached for my ax and wiped the remaining blood stain before throwing away the handkerchief.

"That was... hot." He said and took a quick peck on my lips. And I am too pissed to enjoy that right now! Wala na! Wala na ang mga halamang pinabili ni Aurora!

"That's my girl!" He said proudly.

Tiningnan ko siya nang masama. I never tried to free from his hold. Honestly, his touch somewhat calmed me. These dogs just boiled my blood to the highest level that I'm about to go around in a killing spree but Mister Wolf's touch relaxed my body and calmed my mind.

"Breathe, Cattaleya. Breathe."

And I did. Pagkatapos ay tumulo ang mga luha ko sa inis! Ano ngayon ang iuuwi ko?

Clan tipped my head and made me face him. "Why are you crying?"

"I hate these dogs!" wika ko at patuloy na naluha. He wiped my tears and kissed my eyes. Namumuro na talaga ang asong ito. But I'm not in the mood to resist...

Or perhaps I just don't want to.

"Wala na akong maiuuwi!" Pumadyak pa ako para ilabas ang labis na nararamdamang inis at galit.

Bigla na lamang siyang bumunghalit ng tawa. I eyed him a deadly glare but he didn't stop laughing. "Anong nakakatawa?"

"Nothing," he said in between his laughter. "Nothing." He let go of my waist but his hand slipped on my hand and entertwined our fingers. Picking up the basket, he pulled me away from the bloody corner.

"Where are you taking me, Mister Wolf?" tanong ko nang mapansing pabalik na ng gubat ang daan na tinatahak namin.

"To pick fresh herbs for you to stop crying," sagot niya.

"Ha?" Seryoso ba siya?

"Yup, aren't your mate so good?" he said and smiled sweetly. I rolled my eyes in disbelief.

"I didn't know you're vain like that."

Tumawa lang siya at hinigpitan ang pagkakahawak sa kamay ko. Hindi pa rin tuluyang nawawala ang inis ko. Not until Mister Wolf brought me in the part of the woods kung saan may mga halamang gamot! All that those filthy dogs destroyed were here!

"Happy now, Cattaleya?" he asked.

Nakangiting tumango ako at bumitaw sa pagkakahawak niya. I started picking the plants that Aurora needs. Hindi lamang maraming halamang gamot ang mauuwi ko, presko pa!

"Wow, you're not half as bad as I thought," wika ko sa kanya habang nilalagay sa basket ang mga pinitas.

"Of course," I heard him replied. Then he suddenly pulled me, my body slammed against his.

He placed a gumamela flower on my ear. Hinawi niya ang ilang buhok at inayos ang pagkakalagay ng bulaklak sa tainga ko.

"Do you have any idea how much I want to break Lilo's hand when he touched your hair?" tanong niya. He's looking at me with adoration.

Looking closely at his eyes, I realized Mister Wolf has eyes that are a mixture of blue, gray and black. And honestly, it's beautiful.

"No one must touch you Cattaleya, you're mine. And I am territorial. What's mine is mine. No sharing, do you get that?"

I was lost in his eyes. Damn, those gems are too powerful that if you stare at them, it will remain in your mind.

"Do you get that Cattaleya?" untag niya.

Yes.

Or maybe, no.

Tinulak ko siya nang mahina at tinaasan ng kilay. "Tell that to yourself, Mister Wolf. Don't go telling that to me when you can't even tell that to yourself. Seriously? Going around half-naked and displaying your body? And you let every bitch see your body. That's... that's..."

Unfair.

"That's what Cattaleya?" He stared at me again and no, I'm not falling for those gems. Not again.

"That's not pleasing to the eyes," taas-noong sagot ko. It didn't escape my eyes how his lips twitched upward, suppressing a smile.

"Really?"

"Yup." Kinuha ko ang basket at nang matiyak na kompleto na ang mga kailangan ko, nagsimula na akong maglakad palayo.

"Goodbye Mister Wolf... and thank you for these."

"Goodbye Cattaleya."

I stopped when I remembered something. Nilingon ko siya at tiningnan nang masama. "Mister Wolf?"

"Hmmm?"

"Next time if I see you around the town, half-naked, sasapitin ng katawan mo ang sinapit ng mga aso kanina." My voice is serious and so am I.

He smiled and raised his thumb. "I'll remember that Cattaleya. So you prefer me naked when I'm alone with you?"

Yes.

Tumalikod ulit ako, refusing to voice out my answer to that. My silence is still an answer anyway.

Damn that mutt.

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