Chapter 2

The two minutes of jogging took me  to finish. My body was protesting but I was determined to finish it no matter what.

“That’s the spirit! Tomorrow we will jog for another two minutes  again until your body gets used to it little by little before we shift,” sabi niya sa akin.

I slowly walk deeper in the forest floor. I feel free. I feel like all my worries are gone. All my pain vanished and all I think about is how free I am when I’m outside. I can practically taste the air and even the smell of prey roaming in this forest. And it made my mouth water. I want to eat meat but I can’t hunt yat, Magtitiis na muna ako sa mga tira-tirang pagkain sa pack house. And when I am able to shift into my wolf, I hunt a small deer and we eat it. It will be my first fresh kill and food in my whole life and I’m sure that it will  taste so much better than  scrap food I eat in the pack house.

Everything will be fine Crimson when you are able to shift. Everything.

I rest for five minutes before I walk  back to the house.

And then a twig snapped.

Agad akong  at tinignan kung ano ang may gawa noon.

Just a few metres away from me, standing a few metres away from me is a black and brown wolf staring back at me. The wolf is huge and it scared the hell out of me. 

"Sis?" I recognized that voice.

"Garnet?"

“What are you doing here?” nag-aalalang tanong  niya sa akin as he nudge me on the neck with his wolf head.

"I decided to walk,” sagot ko sa kanya.

“What if someone sees you here? Come on hop on my back. I’ll take you home,” sabi pa niya at saka pumuwesto sa aking harapan.

“Huwag na kuya. Mas gugustuhin ko pang maglakad,” nakangiting sagot ko sa kanya. “

“Okay but when you feel tired just tell me. You can ride on me,” aniya pa. “And oh this is my wolf, Zeus,” pagpapakilala niya sa akin sa kanyang wolf form. 

“Hello,” nakangiting bati ko sa kanya.

Zeus barked at me as Garnet let him take their body. And then suddenly he whimpers like he’s afraid of me or something. Umatras pa ito mula sa akin.

“Sorry about that sis. Zeus never met you so he probably sees you as a stranger,” sagot ni Kuya ng nakapag-shift na ito sa human form niya. He decided to shift because Zeus became agitated and he feared something I couldn’t see.

"By the way bro where have you been? I thought Alpha said no one is allowed outside the pack house during wee hours  unless you are a member of the patrols," tanong ko sa kanya.

Bumuntong-hininga siya.

"I found my mate and she's in the neighbouring pack," masayang sabi niya sa akin.

"Wow congrats bro. Where is she?"

He dropped his body on the broken truck off a tree and sitted without a care in the world at tila ba may problema ito.

"What's wrong?" nag-aalalang tanong ko.

As far as I know, males tend to shift earlier than females and have the tendencies to find their mate even before reaching eighteen.

"She's an omega in the Twilight pack and the Alpha there doesn't want me to take her home." malungkot na sagot niya sa akin

"He can't do that!"

I heard Alpha Russ, the Alpha of Twilight pack, the most cruel Alpha ever existed. His pack is the strongest and the biggest pack in the whole kingdom continent. Just merely mentioning his name makes every pack nervous. He kills without questioning. And he attacks and ravages any pack that comes in his way. I may haven't met him yet, but according to the pack member's words, they don't want to mess with any member of his pack.

"Don't worry sis. I'll find a way. Meanwhile I’m still worried about you since you can’t shift yet. I want to see the day when you finally shift and when you can heal and probably defend yourself from anyone,” pag-iiba niya sa aming usapan.

"But I worry more about you bro,” sabi ko sa kanya. “Don't go near that alpha. He is dangerous," dagdag ko pa.

"I won't be reckless. I promise you that" nakangiting sagot niya sa akin. “I still have to look after my younger sister,” aniya pa.

Somehow, somewhere in his words, I wasn’t convinced and  didn't feel okay.

Tumingin ako sa orasan. Alas siete pa lang which means tulog pa ang mga pack members. Dali-dali akong naghilamos at nanalamin upang magsuklay at ayusin ang aking buhok. Dali-daling akong umakyat patungo sa kusina upang magluto.

For breakfast, gusto ng Luna na pancakes, fried eggs, hot dogs at bacon ang ihanda para sa pack members. Ilang minuto lang ay nakasalang na ang mga ito sa lutuan. 

Werewolves are huge eater kaya ang sampung kilo ng mga processed food ay kulang sa kanila. Around eight  ng umaga ay handa na ang lahat sa mesa at ang tanging niluluto ko na lang ay ang pagkain ni Garnet.

He wants pancakes at kailangang six layers ito na may extra butter at maple syrup na. He doesn't like bacon. For hotdogs, his favorite is the chicken one. Matapos kong iluto iyon ay inilagay ko iyon sa loob ng microwave since matagal itong magising sa umaga. 

Matapos magluto ay nilinis ko muna ng buong pack house bago nagsimulang labhan ang mga nakatambak na labahan.

"Crimson!" narinig kong may sumigaw mula sa hagdan pababa sa labahan.

"Yes Beta?" magalang na tanong ko sa kanya.

Sandali lang ito natigilan ng makita ako at muling galit na umakyat ako sa taas. Pagdating ko doon ay mag-asawang sampal ng ibinigay niya sa akin.

"Someone saw you with my son, your future beta happily fooling around. How dare you mingle with him!" galit na sabi niya sa akin which made all the viewers in the kitchen giggle.

Hindi ako umimik. Both of my face sting and I don't want to answer. But something inside of me wanted to break mom's neck.

“Fight back,you worthless human!”

Isang boses ang nagsalita mula sa kung saan. 

"He's my brother," sinubukan kong pigilan ang salitang iyon ngunit huli na.

Nakita kong nagdilim ang paningin ng Beta at walang anu-ano ay inihagis niya ako pababa sa labahan. Isang malakas na impact ang nangyari mula ng sumalpok ang aking likuran sa sementadong labahan ngunit wala akong naramdamang kahit anong sakit. Bagkus ay nakaramdam ako ng galit. 

"Don't listen to the voice, Crimson! Don't!"

Narinig ko ang mahinang boses ni Naja. Sa sobrang hina noon ay halos hindi ko na marinig.

"You are not his sister or my child. You are nothing but a worthless omega. You dare call him brother once again and you will be sorry," galit na sabi niya sa akin habang dinuduro pa ako.

"Make me," kusang lumabas ang mga salitang iyon sa aking bibig.

Tulad ng unang salitang lumabas kanina sa aking bibig ay hindi ko rin napigilan ang mga salitang iyon. 

All I knew was that I am staring at my mom habang unti-unting bumabangon. For once, I saw fear in her eyes habang nakatingin siya sa akin. Her mouth was like a fish gasping for oxygen  when it came out from the water.

"Y-you go b-back to your room after you finished the laundry!" pasigaw niyang sabi in intimidating tone but it didn't affect me at all. Nagmamadali siyang umalis na para bang may iniiwasan.

For a sec, para akong nanghina. Dahan-dahan akong tumayo at parang wala sa sariling nagtungo sa labahan at muling naglaba.

"I almost can't stop it," narinig kong sabi ni Naja

“What happened?” naguguluhang tanong ko. 

Normally a mere sound of beta’s voice makes me tremble in fear pero kanina, it's like I was actually out of my body for a sec and something did take over my body. I feel it and I fear it.

"It takes over your body for a few seconds. It feeds on your emotions, Crimson,” sagot no Naja.

“Who was it?” tanong ko sa kanya.

"I can't tell you. It's bad news. I hardly keep it at bay so please. Keep your emotions intact. We can't risk it taking over again,” sagot ni Naja sa akin na naguguluhan pa rin.

Mabibining katok ang narinig ko sa pintuan bago ito bumukas. Mula roon ay pumasok si Garnet at malungkot na naupo sa aking tabi.

Hinimas nito ang mapulang bahagi ng aking pisngi na sinampal kanina ng Mama. Hindi na ito masakit ngunit nanatili pa rin iyong namumula. I can take the pain but considering the one who inflicted the pain always makes my heart broken. It's unbearable pain but just like what I said, Garnet being here is enough to subside the pain for the time being.

"When mate comes, we will be alright Crimson . He will save us," narinig kong sabi ni Naja.

She felt my pain and she whimpered.

"Mom did this to you?" nag-aalalang tanong ni Kuya.

Ngumiti ako.

"Forget it. It's all healed up. Nothing to worry," sagot ko sa kanya.

“How can I forget it? You’re not yet a shifter sis or not least not yet. I know that is painful and I’m sorry,” sabi niyang nag-aalala.

Ngumiti ako sa kanya.

“I’m okay kuya don’t worry,” nakangiting sagot ko sa kanya.

Bigla na lamang niya ako niyakap. Mahigpit na mahigpit.

"What's wrong?" tanong ko sa kanya.

"Dad said I should forget my mate. Alpha Russ isn't the one who gives his pack member just like that. Dad said I'll risk the pack if I continue to meet my mate. I-i can't  just let my mate go, sis," malungkot na sabi niya. I even saw tears about to fall from his eyes. 

If there is pain which is unbearable and will drive you crazy is the pain about mates. 

"So Yra and I decided to  leave, sis. I want you to come with us. I can't let you live here all alone."

Napatingin ako sa kanyang mga mata.

"Are you sure about that bro? Alpha Russ is dangerous." nag-aalalang  tanong ko sa kanya.

"I am," aniya. "I figure out that no one's gonna take us once they will learn that I stole Alpha Russ' member. We are going to leave Asia. We will go  to South America. I have an alpha friend there that is willing to take us in."

Pinagmasdan ko si Garnet. He's twenty three already and he knows what is right or wrong when it comes to his mate.

"I will come for you tonight. Please be ready," sabi pa niya bago ako hinalikan sa pisngi. "I don't care what happened to this pack since they never treated you well. Yra and you are my family. And I can't let any of you go," sabi niya sa akin.