Kabanata 1
Tracy
I found myself in the middle of a foggy woods I barely recognize in my waking life. Ngunit ang aking sistema, tila kilala ang lugar na iyon. Tila . . . may bahagi ng aking pagkataong tinatawag ng lugar.
I looked around, trying to find my way out. Nadarama ng aking talampakan ang basang mga dahon at ang magaang pagtusok ng mga natatapakang sanga. The wind's whisper is in sync with the birds, creating a calming sound.
Where am I? This isn't the first time that my dream had brought me to this serene place. Ngunit kahit gaano kapayapa ang paligid, may parte ng aking pusong nakadarama ng takot.
Ilang kaluskos ang nagmula sa kung saan. Humarap ako sa direksyong pinanggalingan ng mahinang ingay, ngunit ganoon na lamang ang gulat ko nang matanaw ang lobong may gintong mga matang nanlilisik habang nakatitig sa aking gawi. Its teeth were in display as it snarled, getting ready to attack me.
Nagwala nang todo ang aking puso. My eyes opened widely as I gasped after my back felt the tree behind me.
The wolf is going to kill me...
Halos hindi ako makagalaw upang tumakbo. Nanatiling nakatutok ang aking mga mata sa papalapit na lobo habang ang dibdib ko ay dumadagundong dala ng matinding takot at pangamba.
I held my breath and squeezed my eyes shut when it started running towards my direction. The next thing I knew, I was already sitting in front of a wounded boy while my shaking hands were gripping onto a sharp stone that's halfway buried in his chest.
Napapalahaw ako dala ng takot dahil sa nagawa. Mayamaya'y tuluyan akong bumalikwas ng bangon. Panaginip. Dinalaw na naman ako ng pamilyar na masamang panaginip.
Napabuga ako ng hangin at kaagad na hinagod ang aking dibdib. Pawis na pawis ang aking noo at ang lalamunan ay nanunuyo dahil sa nangyari kaya nang tuluyang kumalma, inalis ko ang comforter at lumabas ng silid upang kumuha ng tubig.
Nang mapawi ang panunuyo ng lalamunan ay bumalik ako ng aking silid at isinuot ang aking roba bago ako nagtungo sa veranda. Madilim pa sa labas at mula sa aking pwesto ay tanaw ko ang higanteng dome ng UCH.
If only my father will let me be in there, maybe I will understand where all my bad dreams are coming from, and why my boyfriend went missing after entering a lycan territory.
I sighed. "Nasaan ka na ba talaga, Rouge?"
"SOMETIMES I wonder how it would feel like to be your Papa's daughter. Parang hindi yata ako mahal ng mga magulang ko." Tina groaned and massaged her shoulder. "Masarap maging sexy pero nasisira ang ganda ko sa lintik na trainings! I swear if I'll break another fingernail, I will disown them and quit. Nada. Kahit gaano ko kagustong sumunod sa yapak nila, nanghihinayang ako sa lahat ng nagagastos ko sa salon!"
"At ano naman ang gagawin mo kung aayaw ka?" Napabuntong hininga ako saka muling binalik ang aking atensyon sa ginagawang pag-eksamin sa police reports. The records are barely helping with Rouge's missing case but I'd rather stick my nose in each boring page of these reports than sit and do nothing. "As if managing this boring furniture business wouldn't kill you to death?"
Unlike Tina's family who are still active members of the United Clans of Hunters, my family stopped the long history of being hunters and huntresses. My father quit when I was young and started a small furniture shop in the ouskirt of Castañier, a kilometer away from UCH's main headquarters.
United Clans of Hunters is currently the biggest private organization that works with the government. Anything related to paranormal creatures were taken care by UCH and the other hunter organizations.
Maraming tao sa mundong hindi aware sa existence ng mga halimaw ng dilim. Most of these creatures even walk with normal people in broad daylight, pretending to be like us. Although they're already in the modern age and majority of the paranormal faction is considered civilized, most hunter organizations still do not believe that the paranormals won't cause the world another problem.
They are, after all, considered savages by nature... and I actually agree to that, even before the incident that happened in Mount Vermont.
Tina pouted and then crossed her arms. "Kung sabagay. But anyways, my lovelife is getting affected because of my busy training schedules. Nasa prep stage pa lang ako pero halos wala na akong oras para mag-blower. Paano na kung naka-black huntress suit na ako?" Her eyes widened. "Oh my gosh, baka magmukha na akong manang! I will surely grow old alone!"
"Hay, Martina Yvett." Naibaba ko nang tuluyan ang aking ballpen at hopeless na tinitigan ang reklamador kong bestfriend. "Kung sana pinapansin mo ang mga nanliligaw sayo."
Tinaasan niya ako ng kilay. "Sino, 'yong uhuging pinatumba ko sa screening? Ew. Na-uh, biatch. I ain't gonna settle for that."
"At ano naman ang gusto mo, aber? Iyong kaya kang ibato?" I raised a brow. "Oh baka naman iyong kayang ibaon ang kamay sa tiyan mo?"
Tina grinned in a meaningful way. "'Yong ma-muzzles, rawr." She even made the hand gesture before she giggled. Napairap tuloy ako. Tina and her weird kinks.
"Ma-muscle lang ba talaga o iyong halatang babaero?" Napailing ako. "Knowing your history of toxic relationships, you will surely fall for the next cold-hearted jerk you'll come across with."
Tumaas ang parehong kilay nito at ang kamay ay lumapat pa sa dibdib. "Uh, excuse me, biatch? You're hurting my feelings so freaking badly right now."
"You're welcome." I smirked, but when I remembered what happened to my boyfriend, the curve on my lips slowly faded away.
Magsasalita pa sana si Tina nang bumukas ang glass door ng furniture shop. Pumasok ang dalawang mid-forty's na halatang mag-asawa kaya dali-dali kong itinago ang kopya ng police reports. I stood up, ready to welcome them when I met their hazel with some strands of green eyes. Matamis na ngumiti sa akin ang sopistikadang babae nang mapasadahan ako ng tingin.
"Is Theo here, sweetie?" the woman asked, her sweet voice gave a motherly vibe.
"Uhm, my dad went on a trip, Ma'am. Did you order a customized item?" I lied. No, my Dad is with Tina's father, digging some more info about the incident that happened six months ago during his hike with my missing boyfriend.
"Oh, no. We just... Wanna pay a visit. Catch up with the good old days." The woman smiled widely. "Anyway, ikaw na ba ang anak niya?"
I politely nodded while trying to recall who the woman is, ngunit hindi ko talaga matandaan. Kung kakilala ba ng Papa ko o hindi, hindi ko maalala.
My gaze slightly drifted down towards her slim neck. May suot siyang kwintas na hugis buwan. Her red dress that reaches her knees contoured her body perfectly as if the dress was made specifically for her. Ang itim na buhok ay abot hanggang baywang. It effortlessly dances with the woman's graceful movements.
"Yes, Ma'am. I'm the one managing the business since my mom passed away."
Gumuhit ang lungkot sa mg mata ng babae. "I'm sorry to hear that. Well..." Humarap siya sa lalakeng nakasuot ng puting polong ang manggas ay nakatiklop hanggang siko. Despite the man's age, I cannot deny the fact that he's still a freaking head-turner. From his waxed blonde hair, Patrisian bone structures and intimidating brown-green eyes with brown rim, to his toned body, he is, with no doubt, a walking magazine cover. Bagay na bagay ang dalawa.
The man smiled slightly at me. "We should probably just go back some other time. We gotta get home early today."
Matipid lamang akong ngumiti. "I'll let my father know you paid a visit. May I know your names so I could tell him who's looking for him?"
Ngumiti nang matamis ang babae. "Tell Theo the Barrimores came to see the both of you."
Tina gasped. "B-Barrimores?"
I looked at Tina and gave her a warning glare. Paano ay halos lumuwa ang mga mata niya dala ng gulat.
The woman smiled at Tina. "We get that a lot, sweetheart." Muli siyang bumaling sa akin. "Please send our regards to Theo and tell him that we have something very important to discuss."
I forced a smile. "Alright. I will, Ma'am. Thank you."
"Goodness, Tracy! Don't you know who those people are?" tanong ni Tina nang makaalis ang mag-asawa.
"Why? Sino ba iyon?"
Tina groaned. "The Barrimores."
I lifted a brow. "And?"
Tiningnan niya ako na para bang ako na ang pinakainutil na tao sa mundo. "Alpha Pierre and Luna Yngrid Barrimore! The Barrimores of Crescent City! My goodness! Sana tinanong mo na kung may alam sila sa nangyari sa boyfriend mo!" She sighed. "Sabagay, I can't blame you. Makakalimutan ko rin bigla ang boyfriend ko kapag ganoon ang kaharap ko."
"And what do you mean by that?"
Tina breathed in deeply. "I swear to God, if I won't grow old like that, so freaking gorgeous and sexy, I'd hung myself." Napakalumbaba siya saka tila wala sa sariling umiling. "I don't have daddy issues but that man just made me feel that I do. God, did you see how his adam's apple moved? Iyong muzzles, girl? Ah! His genes deserve to spread across the world. Should've asked them if they have a son. God, I missed jackpot."
Napailing na lamang ako. "Well, it's a good thing that I don't know them. Baka kung tinanong ko ay maging defensive bigla. Lalong hindi ko mahanap si Rouge."
Tina straightened her back. "Do you think he's still alive?"
Napahinto ako sa akmang paglilipat ng pahina. My chest hurt with her question but I refused to entertain my negative thoughts.
"Yeah. I can feel it." I forced a smile and was about to speak again when my phone started ringing. Kaagad ko iyong sinagot nang makitang ang kapatid ni Rouge ang tumatawag. "Rhein?"
I heard a sob from the other line. "Tracy, we found him."
Napatayo ako, ang puso ay halos tumalong palabas ng dibdib. "Where is he? Is he okay?"
She sniffed. "He's alive but . . . they said he's not gonna last long."
Napalunok ako sa narinig. "W-Why? A-Anong nangyari kay Rouge?"
Muling kumawala ang mga hikbi ni Rhein bago niya sinabi ang balitang muntik nang makapagpabuwal sa akin.
"He's bitten by a lycan, Tracy. We're gonna need an Alpha's help . . ."