UNANG PARTE NG KABANATA 18

Two days have passed and Alpas almost did the same thing everyday. Lagi siyang tulog at kinakailangan pa itong gisingin ni Ethan tuwing oras na para kumain.

His scent was a bit stronger too and it's driving Ethan crazy.

When Ethan thought that it wasn't normal anymore, he called his trusted people-the couple who took him in.

"Hello, Ethan?" The phone emitted Sheena's soft voice.

"Ma, I want to ask you about something," Ethan said while biting his thumb anxiously.

"Ano 'yon? Go on," sabi ni Sheena.

"Ma, si Alpas po kase ilang araw ng puro tulog lang ang ginagawa. Okay pa po ba yun?" sabi ni Ethan at bakas sa kaniyang boses ang pag-aalala.

Natawa si Sheena. "Of course, baka binabawi niya lang yung mga gabing puyat na puyat siya."

Ethan sighed in relief. Then he remembered something.

"Oh, lalo din pong lumalakas yung scent niya. Ma, I'm not exaggerating but it's making me crazy," sabi ni Ethan.

Ilang segundong walang umiimik sa kabilang linya pagkatapos magsalita ni Ethan.

"Ma, andiyan pa po ba kayo?" tanong ni Ethan habang umuupo sa kaniyang kama.

"Ano pang ginagawa niya bukod sa natutulog?" tanong ni Sheena at bakas ang pag-aalala sa kaniyang boses.

Napakunot ang noo ni Ethan at walang pag-aalinlangan niyang sinabing, "Mga unan ko po at kumot kinuha niya sa kwarto ko. Yung kama niya po ngayon puno ng unan. 'Tapos po, lagi niya akong gustong katabi."

"Mga ilang araw na nangyayari yan?" sunod agad ni Sheena.

"Mga tatlong araw na po," sagot ni Ethan.

"Wait for us, pupunta kami diyan," saad ni Sheena.

Narinig ni Ethan ang tunog ng pagsarado ng pinto sa kabilang linya.

"Huh? Baket po, ma? May mali po ba kay Alpas?" nag-aalalang tanong ni Ethan.

He's eager to know what's happening with his mate.

"Wala naman. But we would like to see him in person baka tama ang hinala namin."

Before Ethan can ask more questions, Sheena already hang up on him.

Binitawan ni Ethan ang kaniyang phone at naglakad papunta sa kwarto ni Alpas. Pagkabukas pa lamang ng pinto, his mate's sweet and orangy scent entered his nostrils. It wasn't suffocating-it was actually enticing.

Nagpakawala siya ng isang buntong-hininga bago siya umupo sa tabi ni Alpas.

Inilapat niya ang kaniyang palad sa noo ni Alpas at normal lang naman ang temperatura nito. Nitong mga nakaraang araw, hindi masayadong pinapansin ni Ethan ang pagtulog ni Alpas ngunit habang tumatagal, hindi niya pa rin maiwasan na mag-alala.

"Ethan?" mahinang bulong ni Alpas.

Nahugot si Ethan sa kaniyang pag-iisip at inilipat niya ang kaniyang palad mula sa noo ni Alpas patungo sa pisngi nito.

"Hmm? Do you need anything? Gutom ka ba or what?" tanong ni Ethan.

"I feel so uncomfortable," Alpas whispered while hugging his body protectively.

Napakunot ang noo ni Ethan. "Saan? Where do you feel uncomfortable?" tanong agad nito at bakas sa kaniyang tono ang matinding pag-aalala.

"H-hindi ko alam. Can you hold me?" Alpas started sobbing gently.

Ethan's heart dropped and he lay down beside Alpas. Alpas quickly snuggled closer to him and he started crying. Ethan felt so helpless when he heard his mate's broken sobs, he doesn't know what to do and he only rubbed his mate's back to comfort him.

"Dalhin na kaya kita sa hospital?" tanong ni Ethan.

"N-no. Please don't," iyak ni Alpas. He didn't know what to feel. All he know is that, he doesn't want to leave his room right now.

Ethan kissed his forehead. "Okay, shhh. I won't. Tinawagan ko sila mama at papunta na sila dito. I think they know something," bulong nito.

Hindi na nagsalita pa si Alpas at tanging mga mahihinang hikbi niya lamang ang maririnig sa kaniyang munting silid.

Ethan is comforting him silently, hindi niya alam kung saang parte hindi kumportable si Alpas kaya marahan niyang hinahaplos ang likuran nito. He was hoping that he could soothe him.

An hour or so passed, Alpas fell asleep again while clutching Ethan's shirt. Then, Ethan heard a sound of knocking. He gently unclutched Alpas' hand from his shirt and he covered him with a blanket before going to the front door.

Binuksan ni Ethan ang pinto at nakita niya sila Sheena at Diana.

"Nay, ma, pasok po kayo," sabi ni Ethan.

Pumasok sila at agad na tinanong ni Sheena, "Pwede ba namin siyang makita?"

Ethan almost said "No". Somehow, he felt like he shouldn't be sharing his mate's scent right now and his instincts were telling him to hide him from anyone. Pero pinigilan niya ang sarili niya nang maalala nitong tinawagan niya sila Sheena para tignan ang kalagayan ni Alpas. He reminded himself that they didn't mean any harm but still, he's not letting his guard down.

"Ethan?" tanong ni Diana.

Tinapunan siya ng tingin ni Ethan.

"Maaari ba namin siyang tignan?" marahang tanong ni Diana.

"Ah... opo," maikling sagot ni Ethan habang sinasamahan sila patungo sa kwarto ni Alpas.

Pagkapasok nila sa kwarto, alam na agad nila Sheena at Diana kung anong nangyayari kay Alpas at agad silang lumabas.

Nalito si Ethan sa kanilang aksyon at sinarado niya ng banayad ang pintuan sa kwarto ni Alpas.

"Ano pong meron?" tanong ni Ethan.

"He's going to experience heat?" nagtatakang tanong ni Sheena kay Diana at hindi pinansin ang tanong ni Ethan.

"Mukhang ganon na nga," sabi ni Diana.

"But he's human and he's a male?" Sheena asked confusedly while looking at Diana.

"Hindi ko din alam bakit ganon. It's my first time encountering something like this," sagot ni Diana. She's confused and amused at the same time.

Tinignan sila ni Ethan at pinutol ang kanilang usapan.

"Teka lang po. Ano pong heat? Masakit po ba yun?" tanong ni Ethan. He's genuinely worried.

"Upo nga muna tayo. We'll tell you everything, don't worry," kalmadong sabi ni Diana.

Umupo sila sa sala at binigyan sila ng maiinom ni Ethan.

"Usually female werewolves are the one who experience heats. It's the time when they're most fertile and they are ready to... you know what. They produce slick that is attractive to every male werewolf. Even female can be affected," panimula ni Diana.

"Right now, he's in the pre-heat stage. Usually it lasts for less than than a week. In Alpas' case, maybe his instincts were telling him to sleep and eat to prepare himself for the coming heat," Diana continued.

"He's experiencing heat, so may chance na mabuntis siya?" tanong ni Sheena.

Ethan almost choked with his own saliva. "H-ha? Buntis? Lalake si Alpas, ma."

Diana thought carefully before speaking, "I don't think it's possible either but we never knew... But I think-he's experiencing heat because he's unmarked after meeting his mate for so long? Maybe his body is doing the work to be marked finally by Ethan?"

Ethan was dazed, he felt like there are a lot of things he doesn't know in this world. He then remembered something.

"Kanina po sinabi niya hindi daw po siya kumportable. Normal lang po ba yon?"

Sheena hummed in agreement. "Hmm. Normal lang yon, don't worry. Later on he'll have a fever or even cramps."

Natahimik si Ethan ng ilang segundo.

"The heat is sudden for you guys, and we actually have a way to suppress it," sabi ni Diana.

Napatingin si Ethan kay Diana. "Paano po?" tanong niya.

"With this. Buti na lang pala dinala namin," sabi ni Sheena at naglapag siya ng briefcase sa coffee table. Binuksan niya ito at may isang bote at injection.

Nang makita ni Ethan ang injection, kumabog ang kaniyang dibdib.

Hazy memories suddenly started flooding his brain.

He's in a white room. Everything is white and clean. Mukhang nakahiga ito at nanghihina ang kaniyang katawan.

"Awake?" a hoarse voice said.

Napatingin si Ethan sa kaniyang gilid at nakita niya ang isang matandang lalake pero hindi niya maaninag ang mukha nito. Nalaman niya na matanda ito dahil sa hubog ng kaniyang katawan.

"Lolo?" Ethan was stunned to hear his small voice. He believed that sounded like a child just now.

"You still remember me?" tanong ng kaniyang lolo.

Tumango si Ethan dahil nanghihina pa ito at nahihirapang magsalita.

The old man sighed, he grabbed an injection and a small bottle.

Ethan's eyes widened. "No..." he started crying.

"This will only hurt a bit. You'll be fine," the old man said.

"Ahh! Help!" Ethan screamed when he felt the injection on his shoulder.

"Shhh. Don't waste your energy by screaming. Nobody will hear you anyway," the old man said.

Ethan felt that he's slowly slipping out of his consciousness.

Everything is slowly fading and before he knew it, he's being pulled back to reality.

"Ethan! Can you hear us?" sabi ni Diana.

"Ethan!" Sheena shouted and her soft voice cracked.

Ethan's empty eyes were starting to give life and he gasps.

"That's it, breathe," sabi ni Diana habang hinapalos niya ang likuran ni Ethan.

"I just remembered something..." Ethan said hoarsely.

Napatingin sa isa-t-isa sila Sheena at Diana bago tinignan muli si Ethan.

Nahagilap ni Ethan ang injection at nitong dali-daling sinarado ang briefcase. He took a deep breath, not minding his newly regained memory. He doesn't have the time to analyze it because he have a mate who is about to experience heat.

"Don't use that injection to Alpas. I wouldn't allow it," Ethan suddenly said with his low voice.

"Pero-" Sheena protested but Diana shook her head at her.

"It's alright, the suppressant was just newly invented for the werewolves anyway and Alpas is human. Plus, I think it's too late to inject it because Alpas pre-heat is about to end," kalmadong saad ni Diana

Bumuntong hininga si Ethan habang hinihilot ang kaniyang sintido. His head was throbbing. The new information and the memory were swirling in his mind.

"Mabuti pa't umalis na tayo," sabi ni Diana.

Sheena wants to protest again but Diana held her hand.

"Huwag kang mag-alala. I'm sure Ethan can handle everything. He's his mate after all," Diana reassured her.

After a few minutes, they were bidding their goodbyes at the front door.

"Take care of your mate," Sheena said softly, she was still reluctant to go.

"I will," Ethan said, reassuring her.

Even if she didn't say that, Ethan will take care of Alpas. He would do everything for his mate at all costs.

After the car disappeared from his sight, he closed the door and went directly to Alpas' room.

He lay down beside Alpas and he closed his eyes to calm the tornado of questions and unknown feelings that were wrecking havoc in his mind and heart.

ㅡ to be continued.