Aldeheid

Chapter 9

Flickering Red
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"W-what? Why? What are y-you?"

Callum could only stare at her and feel her muscles tense inside her. Gusto ni Callum malaman ang totoo ngunit hindi sa paraan na ikalito ng dalaga. That's why for now, all he could do was smile.

"You saw it before your eyes what I was, Alde. I don't think I need to answer that."

Maingat niyang tinungo ang balustrade ng balkonahe nito at umupo doon. Aldeheid gasped and immediately held Callum from his arms, trying to stop him what he was about to do.

Tila'y isang yelo na nanigas si Callum sa mga kamay nito. Tumigil ang paghinga niya ng ilang sandali bago may isang mababang halinghing na lumabas mula sa dibdib niya. Aldeheid stepped back, hands still on Callum's shoulder, when Callum suddenly snapped his face towards hers.

"You do realize that what you're doing is more dangerous that what I was about to do?"

Their faces were inches apart. Ang pagpipigil ni Callum ay halos wala nang pagkakapitan sa katawan niya noong malanghap niya ang mabangong amoy nito. He knew it was something he should be avoiding but she was addicting, like a therapy that wiped off his exhaustion.

Gusto niyang langhapin ito buong maghapon ngunit hindi iyon pwede. Kaya naman ay mas mabilis pa sa kabayo na nawala siya sa paningin ng dalaga. He rushed towards the Malcolm's mansion and flumped onto the seat in front of the Alpha.

Magkahalong inis at gulat ang nasa mukha ng mag-asawa. At napatalon nalang sila nang bigla itong sumigaw.

"Call that fucking Rios! Nakulam na nga ata ako!" iyak ni Callum bago naman nasinghalan ni Harrison.

"Inuutusan mo ako?!"

Aldeheid for the second time, was left there, dumbfounded about everything Callum said. Ni hindi niya nga nakuha ang sagot na gusto niyang malaman at ngayon ay dinagdagan lamang ng binata.

Humugot siya na malakas na buntonghininga at napayuko nalang sa balustrade. Now that the only person she could ask things is gone, ano na ngayon ang gagawin niya? Especially that Callum only added beer in her mind.

She's getting crazy. At bago pa man iyon mangyare ay madali siyang pumasok sa silid at bumaba upang komprontahin mismo ang kapatid niya. Pero hindi pa nga siya nakababa ay nahinto ulit siya.

Paano kung iisipin nilang nababaliw na siya? She mean—no one would ever believe her unbelievable story. She could use the beta's name for facts ngunit natatakot siya dahil baka mas malala lang ang aabutin ng binata at baka maakusahan pa ito. He already spared her life twice, she must be considerate and keep the secret to herself as well.

Another morning came and as her usual routine, una siyang lumabas sa balkonahe upang abangan ang pagsikat ng araw. At laking gulat nalang niya na imbes araw ay isang pamilyar na bulto ang bumungad sa kaniya.

She almost squealed in her socks. Mabuti nalang at mabilis na lumingon ito kaya napasapo nalang siya sa kaniyang dibdib.

"That wasn't a good way to say good morning." she ridiculed, nanatiling maamo ang boses niya.

Callum chuckled playfully sat on the balustrade, one foot up while the other fell in front her. Masuyo itong ngumiti atsaka siya binati, "Hello, Alde..."

Nahiya siya doon at napaayos nalang sa kakagising niyang buhok, "Uh—hi, Callum..."

When Callum's grin widen, mas lalo lamang siyang nahiya. Aldeheid was never used to having another guy around aside from Crowick and Rexter, that's why she doesn't know how to communicate with Callum in a way that Callum likes.