The Werewolf and the Hybrid

CHAPTER 14

SINCE it was Lawrence who was accompanying Blythe, the pack warriors who accompanied them to the mall kept their distance from the Alpha King and their future queen. It wasn’t Blythe’s first time going to the mall. Ang Ate Brianna niya ang lagi niyang kasama pero iba ngayon dahil lalaki ang kasama niya.

The reason why she wanted Lawrence to accompany her was that she wanted to observe him. She wanted to observe Lawrence and how he would handle her. Yes, she wanted to test Lawrence's patience. Naririnig niya sa palasyo na mabait si Lawrence at mahaba raw ang pasensiya nito. They say he is a good and kind king. And she wanted to prove that to herself.

“Do you have the list?” Lawrence asked as he and Blythe walked in the hallway. Marami na silang nadaang mga boutique pero hindi pumapasok si Blythe.

“List?” Nagtaka si Blythe. “What list?”

“List of the things you need to buy.” Sagot ni Lawrence.

“Oh.” Umiling si Blythe. “I didn’t write a list.” Inosente siyang ngumiti kay Lawrence. “What should I get?”

Since Blythe was his mate, his patience was long. So, he smiled and held Blythe’s hand. He thought Blythe would pull her hand from his hold, but he was happy when Blythe didn’t. Kaya naman hindi nawala ang ngiti ni Lawrence. Masuyo niyang hinila ang mate niya papasok sa loob ng boutique.

“Go and pick the dress you want,” Lawrence told Blythe.

Blythe looked at Lawrence and smiled – a genuine smile.

Lawrence was stunned to see Blythe smiling at him genuinely. All that is what he needs from her – her genuine smile. Umupo siya sa sofa at pinagmasdan si Blythe na pumipili ng damit. Blythe looked so young – though Blythe was really young, she was only seventeen. Blythe had a baby face. And her green eyes make her look young. She doesn’t look like a seventeen-year-old girl, but she looked like a fifteen-year-old girl.

Napailing si Lawrence. If his mom found out that his mate was not yet at the legal age, Blythe would be taken away by her mother. After all, his mom was a good and caring mother. She would have protected Blythe from him – yes from him, her very own son.

Kaya hindi pa siya nagpapakita sa ina niya dahil siguradong mahuhuli siya nito. His mother has keen eyes and so as his father. Wala siyang lusot sa dalawa.

“Maganda ba ‘to?” Blythe asked as she showed her some plain shirts.

Smiling, he nodded his head.

He noticed that the saleslady who was assisting Blythe kept glancing at him. And she had a weird look on her face. Lawrence became confused. Though he can read minds by entering people’s minds, he stopped himself. It’s not good to read people’s minds, it was their private thoughts. Hindi niya alam kung bakit nawiwirduhan ang tingin sa kaniya ng sales lady. Maybe the saleslady was confused about his and Blythe’s relationship.

But anyone who would know about their relationship will see it weird. For werewolves, having a young mate for a man like him is normal, but for humans – that is not normal.

“Can I pick up some dresses?” Blythe asked him, pulling him from his reverie.

He smiled and nodded. “Of course, you can, baby. Feel free to get anything you want.”

“Just a genuine smile?” Blythe asked about the p*****t.

Tumango si Lawrence.

Blythe smiled and continued picking some simple dresses. Then she went to the fitting area and tried the dress on. Fortunately, lahat ng napili niya ay kasya sa kaniya kaya wala na siyang binalik. When she went back to Lawrence, he urged her to get some shoes. And other things such as handbags, backpacks, jackets, sweaters, undergarments, long sleeve shirts, coats, hoodies, perfumes, handkerchiefs, nightdresses, and many more. Kaya naman paglabas nila ng boutique na pinasukan nila. Hindi bababa sa sampung shopping ang dala nila. Blythe thought Lawrence would carry them all, but three men came to approach them and took the shopping bags.

“Sino sila?” tanong ni Blythe nang makalayo ang tatlong lalaki. Though they were wearing black suits, in Blythe’s eyes, they looked like warriors.

“They’re our pack warriors.”

“Oh.”

“Gutom ka na ba? Ilang oras rin tayo sa boutique.”

Napahawak si Blythe sa sariling tiyan. “I’m hungry.”

Muling hinawakan ni Lawrence ang kamay ni Blythe. Still, Blythe didn’t pull out her hands from his hold, which made Lawrence happy. Dinala niya ang dalaga sa isang restaurant. Blythe told him to order because she didn’t know what to order, so he did order food for his mate.

While waiting for their food to arrive, Lawrence observed his mate. It’s not because she will do something bad, but something has caught his attention. Blythe’s eyes caught his attention. Her green eyes glowed, but they glowed for only a few seconds and her eyes went back to normal.

“What?” Blythe asked when she caught Lawrence staring at her.

“Your eyes…”

Kaagad namang napahawak si Blythe sa gilid ng kaniyang mata. “Bakit?”

“They glowed earlier. It’s beautiful.”

Nag-iwas ng tingin si Blythe. And talked to Faye… ‘Be careful, Faye.’

‘Sorry, I am just happy to see him.’

Kumunot ang nuo ni Blythe. ‘Who?’

‘Lawrence. The man who claimed you as his mate.’

Natahimik si Blythe saka napatingin kay Lawrence. Lawrence was reading something on his phone. Tumikhim siya para kunin ang atensiyon nito.

Lawrence looked up.

“Ahmm, can I ask something?” tanong ni Blythe.

“Sure, baby.”

“Is mate important?” tanong niya. “I mean we never saw each other. But here you are – I mean it’s you, you’re taking good care of me as if you love – “ tumikhim siya. Then she corrected, “You were…” she sighed. “Nothing.” Hindi niya kasi sigurado kung tama ang mga nabasa niya sa mga libro na patungkol sa mga lobo.

Ngumiti si Lawrence. Then he explains, “You are my mate, Blythe. You are my everything. You were the one chosen by the Moon Goddess to be my partner and to be my future queen. Kahit pa hindi pa natin ganun kilala ang isa’t-isa pero alam ko sa sarili ko ang ginagawa ko. It’s just that it was very normal for me to treat you with sincerity and respect. I just want you to become comfortable with me.”

Tumikhim si Blythe. I can feel your sincerity though. “I’ve read a book about werewolves. It is true that two werewolves who are mated to each other, will only spend forty-eight hours getting to know each other before they mark, and they will do that thing…” nag-iwas siya ng tingin, “you know what I mean.”

Lawrence smiled teasingly. “What do you mean that I know what you mean, baby?”

Before Blythe could answer, their food arrived. Ramdam ni Blythe ang gutom kaya naman agad siyang kumain. At habang kumakain sila, nagsalita si Lawrence.

“I got news from your sister. She’s alive and she’s safe.”

Napatigil sa pagkain si Blythe saka napatingin kay Lawrence.

“The news came from a reliable source. But your sister wanted you to be safe. Ayaw niyang sabihin kung nasaan siya. It’s not that I don’t want you to go with her. Pero 'yon ang gusto ng kapatid mo. Of course, I am happy.”

“Here.” Lawrence took out something from his wallet and gave it to his mate. Then he gave a piece of paper to Blythe that was given by Cade. It’s Brianna’s note.

Kinuha naman ito ni Blythe at binasa. It was only two or three words, but Blythe knew what it meant. ‘Be safe, Blythe.’

‘Be safe’ means her sister will do something dangerous. At ayaw nitong mapahamak siya kaya naman hindi nito sinabi kung nasaan ito ngayon. Dahil alam ng kapatid niya na pupuntahan niya ito.

Blythe kept the note and continued eating. She didn’t have a choice but to stay where she is right now. She needed to stay in the palace – stay with Lawrence. Wala rin lang siyang pupuntahang iba. At isa pa, hinahanap siya ng mga bampira. Hindi niya alam kung ano ang gusto sa kaniya ng mga bampira at hinahanap siya ng mga ito pero kahit anumang mangyari, hinding-hindi niya hahayaan ang sarili na mahulog sa kamay ng mga nilalang na pumatay sa kaniyang ama.

While they were eating, Blythe kept on asking Lawrence about some random things. Kahit walang mga sense eh tinatanong niya sa binata. She just wanted to test his patience with her. Though Blythe was asking lots of questions, she never asked about Lawrence’s private affairs. Hindi pa naman nila ganun kakilala ang isa’t-isa. Hindi pa sila close. Lawrence wasn’t asking about her life, so in return she wouldn’t ask about his private affairs either.

Napapailing na lang si Lawrence dahil sa pagtatanong sa kaniya ni Blythe ng mga tanong na walang kabuluhan. Nararamdaman niyang sinusubok nito ang pasensiya niya. Pero mahaba ang pasensiya niya at minsan lamang siyang magalit lalo kung ang mate niya ang sumusubok sa pasensiya niya.

If it was about losing his patience with his mate – that would never happen.

PAGBALIK ni Lawrence at Blythe sa palasyo, binakante ni Lawrence ang kalahati ng walk-in closet niya at hinayaan si Blythe na ito ang maglagay ng mga gamit nito.

Blythe is not comfortable sharing a closet with someone and this is not a simple closet – it’s a walk-in closet. Pero since nakikitira lang naman siya wala siyang pagpipilian. Pagkatapos ilagay ang mga gamit niya sa walk-in closet, sunod niyang inasikaso ang mga aklat na dinala para sa kaniya ni Ezralyn.

Nagbasa siya ng nagbasa dahil kailangan niya ito para sa special exam niya next week. She wanted to finish her studies, and now she had the opportunity – she wanted to grab it. Hindi niya alam kung ano ang mangyayari sa hinaharap pero sa kasalukuyan – she needs to go with the flow.

About her and Lawrence, she felt something pulling her towards Lawrence, but about that thing – she would never say a thing about it to Lawrence.

Blythe shook her head and continued reading her books.

Walang ginawa si Blythe sa mga lumipas na araw kundi basahin ang mga aklat na binigay ni Ezralyn. Naiintindihan naman niya ang mga basa libro at kapag may hindi siya alam si Lawrence ang tinatanong niya o hindi si Ezralyn. Willing naman ang mga itong turuan siya. Whenever she went, a book was always with her. Hindi na nga siya makapaglaro kasama ang mga bata sa playground kahit pa nangako siya sa mga ito na makikipaglaro ulit siya. But due to the special test, she needs to review.

Blythe wasn’t expecting to pass the special test while she was taking it. Ang hihirap kasi pero mabuti na lang at nag-review siya, nagbasa ng mga aklat. Sa ibang tanong ay nahirapan siya pero mas marami ang mga tanong kung saan siya nadalian.

After her special exam, it was checked by the assessor, then it was passed to the University President. Tahimik lang siyang nakaupo sa sofa, kasama niya si Lawrence. Ito ang sumama sa kaniya. When the University President saw her earlier before she took the exam, he seemed to be happy seeing and meeting her, which was weird. Well, she should ask Lawrence later.

“Sa tingin mo makakapasa ako?”

Lawrence smiled. “Of course.”

“Really?”

Tumango si Lawrence. “Yes. Really. I believed in you.”

Blythe just pouted.

Then the University President came out of his office and walked towards them. Ngumiti ito. “Congrats, Miss Davis. You passed the special test with a ninety-six percent passing rate.”

Nagulat si Blythe. Hindi niya inaasahan na ganun ang passing rate niya.

Lawrence, on the other hand, felt proud of his mate. Alam niyang matalino ito. He knew that the special test was hard – extremely hard. He only believed that his mate could pass it and it did. Blythe surpasses his expectations.

And since the University was owned by Everson Family, which was his family. So, Blythe’s tuition was free. The uniforms and everything that Blythe needed for the school was given to her on that day.

After that, they went home.