HOWLINGS AND SHADOWS (Thindrel Howzit Hawthorne)

🐾XX. Crown🐾

Thindrel Howzit Hawthorne

I miss home. Iyon ang unang pumasok sa isip ko pagkadating ko sa harapan ng aming palasyo.

Pinarada ang limousine sa harapan ng palasyo at bumaba ako doon.

My father went to me to welcome me home. Kita ko ang ngiti sa mukha niya.

"A year, huh?", he asked.

Umiling nalang ako. I thought I'd make it to be far from home for a year. Hindi ko pala kaya. Family is everything. They are all I have.

Malaki ang pinagbago ng palasyo. Amara and Freya are both grown up. Tumakbo sila papalapit sa akin para mayakap ako.

"You left without telling me a word. I hate you, Kuya", si Amara na nagmamaldita sa harapan ko.

I laugh. "Im sorry, baby", I said and kiss her forehead. Ngumit naman ito sa akin at yumakap.

"Forgiven", she smile. Whoa! It runs in the blood, huh? She looks so pretty.

Si Freya naman ay nahuli. "Kuya, are you here for good already? Please, don't leave us here", she pouted at me.

"I won't, baby. I'm here now. Kuya won't leave", sabi ko at hinalikan din ang kanyang noo.

They both give me a warm hug.

I miss the warmth of the family. My uncles both welcomed me back in our home.

Hindi nga lang nakapunta ang dalawang pinsan dahil naging abala ito sa kanilang pack. Dad said they have a big problem kaya naintindihan namin ang dahilan nila. But they promise to be in my coronation day.

They just have to clear things up. Lalo na't ilang araw ko dito ay nabalitaan kong naglayas sa pack ang kanilang Alpha.

Where the hell did Dwayne go?

For days, I change. I'm not the same King before. The night routine I had is all in the past.

I focused more on being a responsible King dahil walang ibang magmamana ng trono ko kundi ako lang. My parents were so happy that I comeback home.

They didn't know that I already found my beloved dahil hindi ko naikwento sa kanila. Dahil baka pag sabihin ko ay pilitin nila akong dalhin ko iyon dito.

She's a human. Maiiba siya sa lahi namin. And I know she hates me for killing her friends.

Natandaan ko pa kung gaano niya ka disgusto iyon. The hatred in her eyes when she call me a monster. A killer. I can't take it.

Masasaktan ko lang siya. Hindi ko siya pwede pilitin na makasama ako kung alam kong hindi niya naman ako gustong makasama dahil magka-iba naman kami.

It's been weeks at nabalitaan namin na nakauwi na pala si Dwayne sa kanilang pack house with a vampire girl.

I suddenly got curious about her. If she's a vampire, saan siya galing? Could it be?

I was so curious about her to the point I research something about the original vampire family. There are four of them.

We are Ambrogio's offsprings kaya mas lalo akong na curious doon. Now that Dwayne's mate died, there's a possibility that the girl he come home with is his second mate.

How lucky.

Dumaan ang mga araw at naging linggo. I was just sitting on my throne with an overlooking lake in front. Tumunog ang cellphone ko na nasa paanan ng sofa.

I took it and put it on my ears. Si Dwayne ang tumawag. It was just a quick call and he's asking for help.

Mabilis akong tumayo at bumaba sa palasyo. My parents doesn't know about this. Umalis ako ng palasyo para tulongan si Dwayne.

His vampire mate is gone. Umalis ito sa kanilang pack house.

What the hell did he do this time? My cousin is such a fool in love. How can he let a girl as fine like this go?

Hindi mapantayan ang kanyang ganda. She's crying while covered with mud and she really look so dirty but she's still beautiful.

Hindi ko maalis ang tingin sa kanya. I'm right. She's a daugther of the dead original vampire. Madame Veronika Lorenzittee. I'm sure of this.

After staring at her for too long. May napagtanto ako. Dwayne is a werewolf and this girl is a vampire. And they are allowed to be together.

Could it be me and Esmeray? We're allowed to be together, right?

Hindi na ako makapaghintay sa araw ng coronation ko. Now that I'll be officially a King. My parents have no say with what I will do as long as I'm still responsible for the throne.

The day has finally come. The moment the crown was passed to me. Hindi ko maipagkakaila na may kakaiba akong naramdaman. I sliced my palm with a blade and let a few drops of my blood on a golden bowl.

It is filled with blood. When my blood mixed with it. It turns to bright red and glowed.

The priest bowed his head on me. "My King", he said before he face the crowd. "Hail to the King. Hail to our King Thindrel", he said and all them bowed their heads before me. Even my parents and my relatives. But the ones who are lower than us bend their knees on the ground and put their heads on the floor as a sign of respect to me.

Pagkatapos ng seremonyas ay hindi na talaga ako makapaghintay. I runaway from my own party and drove my way back to Sighisoara. This time, I will definitely claim her mine. I will take her with me and ask her to live with me forever.

Mabilis ang naging pagmamaneho ko ng sasakyan. Pagkadating ko sa Sighisoara ay dumiretso ako sa Lorenzittee building.

Inihabilin ko sa kanya ang lahat. All the things my father has given me. Binigay ko sa kanya.

The receptionist widened her eyes when she saw me. Kaagad siyang napayuko at halos dumapa na sa sahig.

"King Thindrel", she said.

Doon ko lang napagtanto na hindi ko nahubad ang aking korona. I was wearing it the whole time.

"I'm here for Miss Vozenilek", sabi ko.

Tinuro niya ang hagdanan at may sasabihin pa sana ngunit mabilis akong naglakad para makaakyat na sa hagdanan.

Damn it. I miss her so much.