Aldeheid

Chapter 5

Aldeheid
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It was the day of full moon. Every hybrid in Malcolm was getting ready for their venture that night. Hindi ito kompetensyon ngunit hindi maiwasan ng iba ang kabahan lalo na kapag maubusan sila ng makakain. The full moon is the only day they can hunt in a month, and without drinking blood is like a month of death to them.

"Once someone tries to touch a human, do not hesitate to kill him, understand?" Callum reminded the kid who was only in his second time of hunting.

Tumango naman ang bata at mas sabik pa sa kaniya na tumakbo ngayon, "Yes! Because we are not bad humans, we are just gifted!"

Natutuwang ginulo niya ang buhok nito at marahang tinulak pabalik sa iba pang mga kabataang nakahanda sa gabing iyon.

"Is that a part of a beta's job?"

Napalingon siya kay Rios na may nakasabit na gitara sa balikat, "Is that a part of hunting?" balik niya rito dahilan para magtawanan sila.

"Ngayon lang kita ulit nakita, ah."

Rios shrugged, "Paano ba 'yan? Ang busy mo kaya sa trabaho mo pati sariling kaibigan iniwan niyo na."

Inilingan niya lamang ito na may mga ngiti sa labi atsaka tinapik ang balikat, "It's not us who are leaving you behind, Rios. It's you. Kung papayag ka nalang sana na mai—"

"No, no, no—we're not going there." Rios raised his arms up and shook his head, "Ayaw ko at hindi niyo ako mapipilit. There's no way I'm going back to that hell! Pota! Bahala na kayo diyan basta ayaw ko!"

Napabuhakhak nalang siya sa inasal nito at malakas na sinuntok ang likod, "Man, you're just letting the situation grow worse. But whatever you choose, I'm respecting it. Basta ba huwag mo lang hayaan ang sarili mong huminto sa pagpapalaki. You aren't born with that blood if you're dumb."

The whole town waited until it was midnight. Sa pagpatak ng alas dose ay nagpapaunahan silang tumakbo upang maghanap ng maiinom. Malcolm is a town where its population was almost ninety percent hybrids, at kahit mayroong mga normal na tao man ay hindi sila natatakot na marinig sila ng mga ito dahil wala namang isang taong nandoon na hindi alam ang kauri nila. For it was strictly forbidden in the town's law.

Hindi nila pwedeng itago sa mga taong titira doon ang tungkol sa kanila. It's not that their kinds was not a secret that should be revealed but it was for them to gain the human's trust. Ayaw nilang matakot ang mga ito at kapalit doon ay ang hindi paggalaw ng kauri nila sa mga normal na taong walang kakayahan laban sa kanila. Gaining their trust is also to shut them from revealing their identities. And so far, their law worked—but not with the Gleen family.

Callum could still remember how furious Harrison was after that day. Tahimik na pinatawag nito ang pamilyang Gleen upang mapag-usapan ang tungkol sa kapatid na kinupkop ni Dorothy Gleen.

Napaluhod nalang si Dorothy habang humihingi ng tawad sa alpha nila. Harrison was never that kind of alpha that would resort to violence. Mas gustuhin pa nitong mapag-usapan ang mga bagay ng mahinhinan upang maiwasan ang misinterpretasyon.

"Patawad, Alpha. Patawad. Aldeheid is someone my mother really treasures. She was her gem and sunshine. That's why I couldn't dare to let her know the truth about us. Ayaw kong matakot ito at umalis sa aking poder, especially now that our mom's gone! She's only a human, Alpha. And she has no one but us."

After Dorothy's confession, doon napagtanto ni Callum na may mas mahigit pa itong dahilan kung bakit hindi niya nagawang sabihin ang katotohanan sa kapatid niya. Both the beta and alpha weren't sure about what that thing was but they were both determined to find it out.

"Callum, I've got another job for you. This time, you will like it."

Harrison promised Callum to get him a gallon of blood if only he'll do what the alpha ordered him. Siyempre, bukod sa dugo ay gusto niya ring mapalapit sa dalaga kaya hindi na siya nagdadalawang-isip pa na tanggapin iyon.

But that night came when he smelled Aldeheid's scent. Kahit paman sa metrong layo niya mula sa balkonahe nito ay malinaw na nakikita niya ang isang kauri niyang pumasok mula rito. He did not waste any of his time to rushed towards her balcony he had been spying.

Isang bahay ang layo nang malanghap niya ang isang amoy na nagpakulo ng dugo niya. His hybrid features impulsively shifted and that time, he was ready to kill whoever of his kind tried to harm a human.

Wala sa pag-iisip na sinira niya ang pintuan ng balkonahe nito at napahalinghing pagkakita nito. It was none other than the town's thief! Kung ilang beses na itong nakatakas mula sa polisya ay sisiguraduin niyang hindi siya nito matatakasan ngayon. Dahil bago pa man ito makakahakbang ay mabilis niyang kinatil ang buhay nito.

The town's thief still managed to scratch his face even with his heart being slashed away from his body. At kasabay ng pagtalsik ng dugo niya ay ang pagbagsak nito sa duguang sahig.

He felt proud of himself for saving Aldeheid. Akala niya talaga ay mahuhuli na siya pero hindi pa pala. But it only happened for a second before he found himself almost tasting her when her sweet blood's scent lingered through his nose.

Sabik na sabik na siyang tikman iyon ngunit biglang nahinto ang pagkakatakam niya ng marinig itong umiyak. Bigla siyang nawalan ng kulay lalo na sa sinambit nitong ikinahinto ng ikot ng mundo niya.

"Don't kill me please...I can't die yet...not now..."

Callum could only cuss in the air when, for the third time, Aldeheid misinterpreted him again. Kill? Why the heck would a beta risk his life for that? Gusto ko lang namang tikman ka!

Mabilis siyang napaurong mula sa pagkakakapit ng babae at nang bitawan niya ay mas lalo lamang siyang naguluhan nang masaksihan niya ang dahan-dahan na pagkawala ng matamis na amoy ng dugo nito.

The same time he stood up to leave, he brought him the information both him and the alpha would be asking who Aldeheid really was.

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nyariina