Your Ring On My Skeleton

Prologue : The Loki Eyes

"Babalik ka na ba, mahal ko?"

Agad akong napangiti sa marahang paghaplos ng kamay ni Ignis sa magkabila kong pisngi. Ramdam na ramdam ko ang init noon na aking ikinangiti at saka marahang napailing.

"If you'll keep on being like this, I will have to stay."

"Pero mahal…"

"I know. Alam ko. The moon is almost at its peak. I should get going so that the hunters won't get in trouble for not finding me." I chuckled. Sandali pa kaming nanatili sa pagkakahiga sa ilalim ng kumot at tanging ang mga hubad naming mga katawan lamang ang naroroon. "Mahal kita palagi, araw-araw, Ignis."

"Alam ko."

"I am not your kind, Ignis." I said. "You know who I am. You know what I am. I can't promise to protect you from my pack. They are savages."

Narinig ko ang marahang pagtawa ni Ignis bago ako bigyan ng isang marahang halik sa tungki ng aking ilong. Kasunod noon ay naramdaman ko ang marahan niyang paghila sa akin para sa isang mahigpit na yakap.

"I am not even close to being the weakest wolf, but I know I'll be fine." He said. "Basta mahal mo ako, that's all that matters."

Napangiti ako dahil sa sinabi niya sa akin. Kuhang-kuha talaga ako ng mahinahon niyang pananalita at marahang pagmamahal. Ignis always makes me want to be weak for him. Always.

"Sus, sinasabi mo ba iyan dahil kapag sinubukan mo akong iwan e baka patayin kita?"

"Silly. You can never even slap this human." He chuckled.

"That's true." Pagsang-ayon ko.

I sighed. Tumingin na ako sa kalangitan habang yakap pa rin ako ni Ignis. Narito kami sa gitna ng kakahuyan kung saan kami unang nagkakilala at tanging ang malamlam na ilaw lamang mula sa maliit na siga ang aming kasama. We're naked and in love under the peaking of the moon.

"Ang ganda ng buwan, Ignis."

"And if that moon can speak, it will tell you that you have the prettiest pair of eyes it has ever seen, Antara ko."

I smiled once more. I have the darkest red eyes in the pack. The only one possessing this ugly color but he always tells me it is the prettiest.

"Ignis…"

"Hmm?"

"Do you remember when we first met here?" I asked him. He is still hugging me like he is a baby wanting for more attention. Hindi ko mapigilang titigan ang maamo niyang mukha. Those thick lashes, the darkest hair, and the plumpest lips, I cannot see me loving another man beside this human. "You asked me why I kept on coming back to this place."

"Uh-hmm. Bakit?"

"My mom used to tell me a story that she has seen a dragon near this cliff. Since she was gone, I kept on coming back here hoping to see what she saw. She said it was the first one to tell her that her red eyes are beautiful. And it was the first time I believe I can love my eyes."

"Do you believe on dragons?"

"Mom would never lie to a little kid." I chuckled. "Kailangan ko nang bumalik sa bahay."

"When will you tell them?"

"Alin?"

"That we're pregnant." Bumangon si Ignis upang maupo sa ngayon. Ganoon na rin naman ang ginawa ko makalipas ang ilang segundo. "It's almost time for you to claim the pack. You'll be eighteen next week."

"And if I do before claiming my pack? They'll only pair me with an alpha, Ignis. Is that what you want?"

"I can protect you."

"You're a human I just fell in love with." May halo na bigla ng inis ang pagkakasabi ko noon. "You are not capable of protecting me. Trust me you don't want to meet my pack."

He chuckled. I thought it will annoy or make him mad, but it did not. I said things that might hurt him but instead of getting mad at me, he pinched my nose and once again gave me a little gentle forehead kiss.

"Are you afraid for my life?"

"Yes."

"That's cute, Antara." He then chuckled.

"Hindi ako nakikipagbiruan."

"Did I just tell you a joke? Parang wala naman."

"Ignis,"

"Relax, mahal." he said. He then held my hands and gave both the back of it a kiss. "As long as you believe that dragons do exist, nothing is impossible including the possibility of me protecting you and our child,"

"What do you mean?" 

Muli siyang ngumiti sa akin. Ginulo pa nang marahan ang buhok ko saka ako hinalikan sa aking labi.

"Go on. Umuwi ka na. You don't need to worry about me. If you are the first ultima wolf in The Loki family, I will be the first human to protect you in history." He said. "I love you, my little wolf."