The Werewolf and the Hybrid

CHAPTER 12

LAWRENCE was busy doing his Alpha duties when Ezra hurriedly arrived in his office. “Your Majesty, Her Highness was missing!”

Napatayo bigla si Lawrence. “What?! Didn’t I tell you to keep an eye on her?!”

“Your Majesty, she just disappeared. I thought she was inside the room, but as we knocked on the door to deliver her food, no one answered, so I went in. Then I found out that no one was in the room.” Ezra bowed and dropped one knee to ask for forgiveness. “I apologize for my incompetence, Your Majesty.”

“Dammit!”

Lawrence closed his eyes, used his Alpha senses to sense his mate, and discovered she was still in the pack. But he couldn’t sense where she was.

“Rise,” Lawrence spoke coldly to Ezra and left the room.

Mabilis namang tumayo si Ezra at sumunod sa Alpha king.

At habang naglalakad si Lawrence palabas ng palasyo, nag-mindlink siya sa pack link para sabihin sa mga pack warriors niya at sa mga Royal Guards. ‘Assembled on the training ground! Now!’

Napangiwi si Ezra dahil ramdam na niya ang galit ng Alpha King.

Pagdating ni Lawrence sa training ground, naroon na ang mga pinatawag niya. Naroon rin ang Beta, Delta at Head Warrior ng pack. Ezra immediately joined the group.

“You are all skilled warriors with keen eyes! How did my mate escape your keen eyes? Where did she go?!”

Mabilis na lumuhod ang lahat at yumukod.

Damn! This is scary! Cade thought.

Minsan lang magalit ang Alpha King at kung magalit man ito siguradong delikado.

“What are you waiting for?! Find her!”

Mabilis na gumalaw ang lahat. The group was divided into five groups, one for Cade, Ezra, Samuel, Liam, and Alpha King Lawrence.

Lawrence was trying to locate his mate by sniffing her scent into the air, but he couldn’t smell his mate’s scent. She was still on the pack’s borders because I could still feel her presence, but how come I couldn’t locate her location?

Nag-aalala si Lawrence kay Blythe. Paano na lang kung makatagpo ito ng mga bad hunters or di kaya ang mga Rogues. Hindi niya kakayanin kung may masamang mangyari rito. But later he remembered that his mate could fight to save herself from dangerous situations.

They were looking for Blythe inside the forest and some pack members offered their help to find their Alpha’s mate.

While looking for Blythe inside the forest, Lawrence suddenly remembered that Blythe wanted to find her sister.

“Right. The cliff…” he immediately pushed his feet to run towards the cliff where he found his mate and the pack warriors followed. Pagdating nila doon, wala silang nadatnan pero naamoy ni Lawrence na may nanggaling sa lugar na ‘yon.

“Your Majesty, Lady Blythe was here.” Ani ng isang pack warrior.

“She was here.” Sabi ni Lawrence. Finally, he smelled his mate’s scent and followed its trail.

Nakarating sila sa kabilang cliff. Nakahinga ng maluwang si Lawrence nang makita niya doon si Blythe na nakatayo sa may gilid ng bangin.

“Blythe.” Tawag niya sa dalaga.

Blythe glanced and saw Lawrence. Natigilan siya. She purposely hid her presence and her scent. How did he find me here? She’s a Nymph, and she has the power to control her surroundings. It means she could also control the air. But Lawrence had still found her.

Nagbaba ng tingin si Blythe dahil alam niyang magagalit sa kaniya si Lawrence. She used her power of invisibility to leave the palace. Kaya naman hindi siya nakita ng mga pack warriors nito.

Lawrence walked towards Blythe. Nang malapitan niya ang dalaga niyakap niya ito na ikinagulat naman ni Blythe.

The pack warriors who were with Lawrence turned their backs to give respect to their Alpha king and his mate.

“I thought you left me.” Masuyong saad ni Lawrence habang nakayakap kay Blythe. “Don’t do this again. If you want to do something, tell me, okay? If you want to leave the palace, tell me or anyone. Don’t make me worry.”

Hindi alam ni Blythe kung ano ang mayroon sa sinabi ni Lawrence dahil bumilis ang t***k ng kaniyang puso. Napangiti naman si Lawrence nang maramdaman niya ang mabilis na pagtibok ng puso ni Blythe. Ibig sabihin ay na-attached na ito sa kaniya. Maybe Blythe could feel their bond, but because she is not a werewolf, she didn’t know it.

Walang ibang nagawa si Blythe kundi ang tumango. “Gusto ko lang na hanapin ang kapatid ko. Sorry to make you worried about me.”

Pinakawalan ni Lawrence ng yakap si Blythe saka niya ito masuyong nginitian. He scoops her with his arms and Blythe immediately clings to his neck, making Lawrence smile at their closeness.

“My sister is alive but I am worried. What if the hunters caught her?” Mahinang sabi ni Blythe. Halata ang pag-aalala sa boses nito.

Ngumiti si Lawrence. “Don’t worry, I have already dispatched some of my pack warriors to find her.”

Tumango si Blythe saka wala sa sariling isinandal ang ulo sa balikat ni Lawrence.

Lawrence’s anger instantly melted. So, the pack warriors and Ezra were safe. He didn’t punish them but warned them the next time it would happen again… they would be punished.

Na-guilty naman si Blythe dahil sa ginawa niya kaya naman nangako siya sa kaniyang sarili na hindi na niya ito uulitin dahil may mga madadamay kung sakali mang tatakas ulit siya.

When Lawrence and Blythe arrived at the palace, Blythe was still in Lawrence’s arms. Saka lamang ibinaba ni Lawrence si Blythe nang makapasok sila sa loob ng kwarto ni Lawrence. Ibinaba niya ito sa mismong kama.

“Gutom ka na ba? I’ll tell the chef to prepare food for you.”

Umiling si Blythe. “Hindi ako gutom.” Tugon niya saka napatitig kay Lawrence. From the very beginning, Lawrence was so kind to her. And she was wary of him. According to her sister, sometimes a kind gesture wanted to do something in return.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” Lawrence asked.

“Why are you so nice to me?” Blythe asked. As if she was afraid that this kindness wanted something in return. Something that she couldn’t give. Alam niyang inosente siya sa ibang bagay pero tinuruan siya ng kaniyang Ate Brianna kung paano obserbahan ang mga tao sa paligid niya, kung nagsasabi ba ang mga ito ng totoo o hindi.

Umupo si Lawrence sa gilid ng kama saka hinawakan ang kamay ni Blythe. He was happy that Blythe didn’t pull away her hand. “Because you are my mate,” he said as he looked into Blythe’s eyes. “You are my soulmate.”

Kumunot ang nuo ni Blythe. “Mate?” Bakit parang ang bigat ng salitang ‘yon para kay Lawrence? “I’ve been hearing it.” Ilang beses na nga ba niya ‘yong narinig. Hindi na niya mabilang. “What is that? Can you explain it to me?”

“Do you want to hear it?” Lawrence asked. “Let me rephrase my question. Do you really want to know about it?” Tanong ni Lawrence. Hindi naman sa hindi niya ayaw niyang sabihin sa mate niya ang tungkol sa gusto nitong malaman pero ang inaalala niya ay baka hindi nito makayang tanggapin.

“Do I have the right?” Blythe asked back.

Ngumiti si Lawrence. “Of course, you have all the rights, Baby.”

“B-baby?” Namula si Blythe.

Lawrence chuckled and slightly pinched Blythe’s blushing cheeks. “You’re cute when you blush.”

Nag-iwas ng tingin si Blythe saka lumayo kay Lawrence. Sumandal siya sa headboard ng kama saka ito tinignan ng masama. Pagtawanan ba naman siya nito.

“Okay. Seryoso na.” Lawrence chuckled again before clearing his throat. “Bago ko sagutin ang tanong mo, pwede ko bang malaman kung ano ang nararamdaman mo para sa akin?”

“Ah?” nablanko ang utak ni Blythe. “Nararamdaman?”

Tumango si Lawrence. “Do you feel comfortable towards me?”

Tumango si Blythe kapagkuwan umiling siya. Then she explained, “At first I was not comfortable with you, but as the days passed, I became comfortable with you.”

Feeling happy, but slightly sad, Lawrence sighed, “but you are wary of me.”

Nag-iwas ng tingin si Blythe. “Hindi mo naman ako masisisi. I don’t know you.”

Napatango na lang si Lawrence. “I am a werewolf and every werewolf will have their destined soulmate who was chosen by the Moon Goddess.” Ngumiti siya. “You are my soulmate, Blythe. You were chosen by the Moon Goddess to be my soulmate. You will be the only woman for me, the woman I will love for the rest of my life. Since I am the King of werewolves, that makes you the queen. We will both have the equal authority to run our pack and all the werewolves.”

“But I am not a werewolf.”

“Yes, you’re not. But werewolf or not. You are my mate and I will do everything to protect you.”

“I can protect myself.” Sabi kaagad ni Blythe.

“I know. I know that you are capable, Baby. But please let me protect you.”

Kumunot ang nuo ni Blythe. “Why do I feel like I was tied to you?”

“It’s the bond,” Lawrence answered.

“Bond? Ano ‘yon?”

“It’s a bond between you and me.”

Umiling si Blythe. “Hindi ko maintindihan.”

“Bond means that we can read each other’s thoughts, we can also feel each other’s pain, and we can feel each other’s emotions. And we can also communicate using our mind – the mindlink.”

Napakurap si Blythe. “Paano gagana ‘yon? Will it work after we meet each other? Or do we need to do something for it to work?”

“Ahmm…” Nag-iwas ng tingin si Lawrence. “Masyado ka pang bata para doon.”

“I’m already seventeen. Hindi na ako bata.”

Lawrence sighed. “You’re not at the legal age.”

“Ahmm…” nagbilang naman si Blythe sa kaniyang daliri, “I will be eighteen few months from now.”

“No. I won’t tell you.” matigas na saad ni Lawrence.

Blythe pouted like a kid. “Hindi ko ba talaga pwedeng malaman?”

“You’re not at the legal age, Baby.”

“If you don’t tell me, I will ask Kuya Cade or Kuya Ezra. Or Ezralyn? We’re quite close now. I enjoy her company.” Nakangiting sabi ni Blythe.

“Don’t dare ask them, Baby.” Maydiing sabi ni Lawrence. “They will only influence your mind.”

“You sounded like they were bad people. Ang babait kaya nila sa akin. But I’m still wary of them.” Ani Blythe saka nagbaba ng tingin.

“Union of body.”

Kumunot ang nuo ni Blythe. “Huh?”

Lawrence sighed. “We need to make love. I need to mark you to make you like mine and show those unmated male wolves to back off.” Aniya. Wala na siyang ibang maisip na eksplanasyon kundi ‘yon lang ang pumasok sa kaniyang isipan.

Lumaki ang mata ni Blythe. Mabilis niyang hinila ang kumot saka tinakpan ang katawan. Fear was shown in her eyes. “Y-you mean… you… you…”

“Of course, I will need your consent to do that thing.” Sabi ni Lawrence na ikinapanatag ng loob ni Blythe. “I won’t force you, Baby. Huwag kang mag-alala.”

But can you stand the torture of the heat every full moon? Lucas asked.

Can you?

Lucas whimpered. As if we had another choice. We don’t have a choice but to wait, Lawrence, until our mate is ready to be marked and be owned by us.

Lawrence smiled and looked at Blythe. Tumayo siya saka lumapit rito. Hinalikan niya ito sa nuo. “You rest. If you need anything, Ezra is just outside the door. But if you need me, I’ll be in my study room.”

Tumango si Blythe habang mahigpit na nakakapit sa kumot.

Nang makalabas si Lawrence ng silid, doon lang nakahinga ng maluwang si Blythe. Then napahawak siya sa nuo niyang hinalikan ni Lawrence. But their conversation replays in her mind.

Mate…

Soulmate…

Union of body…

Mark…

Then Blythe gasped in horror, “We will what?!”

It was like Blythe’s dreams were shattered into pieces.