Never Be Tamed

Chapter 27: Training Camp

Chapter 27: Training Camp

The staff were back in the apothecary. The celebration and festivities ended and we were back to our normal days. Maging si Anabeth ay nakabalik na din. Muli ko siyang kasabay nang bumaba kami sa dining hall para mag-agahan.

"I heard the apothecary hosted a lunch party last Sunday," aniya habang nakapila kami para kumuha ng pagkain.

"Hindi ko din inaasahan," sagot ko. "I didn't know they host such thing here."

"They don't," sagot niya, putting a large scoop of mashed potato on her plate. "You know how careful the senior staff on granting request to  visit the apothecary."

Lumingon ako kay Anabeth, nagtataka habang hawak ang empty tray sa kamay ko.

"The beta requested the lunch celebration to be held here."

Alexander? "Why?"

Nagkibit balikat si Anabeth bilang sagot. Matapos kumuha ng pagkain, dumeretso kami sa table kung saan kami madalas kumain. Nang  makaupo, pinagmasdan ako ni Anabeth na may mapaglarong ngiti sa  labi.

"Is there something wrong?" I asked.

"May gusto ka bang i-share sa'kin?" ngiti niya. Kumunot ang noo ko, iniisip kung ano ang ibig niyang sabihin. "Did you know the new alpha waited for you at the party?"

"Yes," I answered. "He told me."

Mas lumapad ang ngiti sa labi ni Anabeth. "Told you?" ulit niya. "So nagkita kayo after the party?"

Hindi ako nakasagot agad, lalo na nang maalala ko ang nangyari sa greenhouse nang magkita kami ni Zackary. Umiwas ako ng tingin, tila inaapoy ang pisngi ko.

Anabeth giggled in front of me. "Eleanor, there's no need to hide it. Walang masama kung may gusto sa'yo si Sir Zackary. It's obvious with the way he treats and looks after you."

I bit my lower lip. "Is that a good thing?" I mumbled.

Kumunot ang noo niya. "What do you mean?"

"I just don't want... to cause trouble his way."

Bumuntong hininga si Anabeth saka inabot ang aking balikat upang tapikin. "You won't."

Anabeth decided to shift the topic. "Sinabihan ka na ba ni Senior Violeta tungkol sa training camp?"

Tumango ako. I was informed about it yesterday nang isa-isang magbalikan ang mga staff sa apothecary. According to the senior staff, twice a year, they'd go to the order's training camp to check on their health condition, the environment, the nutrition on their meals and medicines and medical assistance needed.

The activity usually last for three days and the more experienced staff partakes the activity. But recently, the training camp was moved to a higher mountainous area that's why we were informed na kami ni Anabeth ang pupunta. They said they were too old to hike mountains or sleep in cabins.

"Mukhang magiging busy tayo," komento ni Anabeth.

Naghanda kami ni Anabeth sa mga sumunod na araw para sa pagpunta sa training camp. Panay din ang paalala ng mga senior staff. There were medical facilities in the area kaya hindi namin kailangang magalala sa mga gamit o kailangang dalhin. But it was said that the new training camp has a terrible terrain kaya pinaalala nila na magsuot kami ng naaangkop sa pag-akyat sa bundok.

Sa araw ng pagalis namin, madaling araw palang ay nakabaang na kami sa paanan ng main house para sa susundo sa'ming sasakyan. Kasama naming naghihintay si Senior Violeta at Senior Rowena. They were like mothers in house dresses and hair covers who woke up early to bade us goodbye.