Never Be Tamed

Chapter 52: Alpha's Mark

Warning: this chapter may contain explicit scenes.

Chapter 52: Alpha's Mark

Sa sumunod na araw, habang nag-aagahan, nabanggit ni Anabeth ang tungkol sa isang bagay. She heard it from her uncle, Sir Sebastian, that Zanra was planning to enrol in a boarding school in Fabrice.

Tuluyan akong tumigil sa pagkain. "Why?" tanong ko.

Nagkibit-balikat si Anabeth. "Sa tingin ko matagal na niya itong gustong gawin," she said. "Zanra had been home schooled most of her life, idagdag pa ang pagiging overprotective sa kanya ng kanyang pamilya. Ngayong okay na siya, iniisip niyang umalis sa bayan at mag-aral sa Fabrice."

"Pero malayo ito mula sa Van Zanth."

Natahimik si Anabeth bago muling nagsalita. "Maybe that's one of the reasons why she wanted to go."

Sa katahimikang bumalot sa'ming usapan, nakuha ko ang ibig niyang sabihin. "She wanted freedom," I mumbled, staring at the plate of food in front of me.

"Exactly," sang-ayon ni Anabeth. "I just hope she's prepared for the consequences that comes with chasing this freedom."

For the entire day, I kept thinking about Zanra's decision to leave Van Zanth. May parte sa'kin na naiintindihan ang kanyang desisyon. Ang tuluyang umalis sa lugar na unti-unting nagiging kulungan ng kanyang pagkatao. I used to aspire that kind of freedom to the point of losing sleep, lalo na noong mga panahong hawak ng ibang tao ang aking kalayaan.

Pagdating ng hapon, bumisita Zanra sa apothecary nang hindi inaasahan. Nang malaman ito, agad kaming nagtungo ni Anabeth sa driveway para salubungin siya.

"What's this?" huffed Anabeth with folded arms paglabas ni Zanra sa sasakyan. Kasama niya ang dalawang order at ang isa sa kanila ay sinamahan siya hanggang sa paanan ng pinto. "Are you really leaving Van Zanth kaya binibisita mo na kami?"

It might sound like teasing coming from Anabeth, pero alam kong maaaring tama siya and her teasing was her way to communicate what she was feeling.

"You've told me many times to visit you here," ngiti ni Zanra.

Pareho kaming hindi nakipagtalo pa. Hindi namin gustong masira ang kanyang pagbisita dahil sa nararamdaman namin. Hindi ito ang unang beses na nakatapak si Zanra sa apothecary dahil madalas siyang dalhin dito noon ng dating tagapamahala ng mansiyon, pero nanatili siyang hindi pamilyar sa lugar kaya inilibot namin siya ni Anabeth.

Zanra asked about certain doors or where hallways lead. Pinakita namin kung saan kami tumutuloy at nagt-trabaho. We walked around the apothecary with no clear destination habang binabati ni Zanra ang mga staff na nakakasalubong namin.

Matapos ang halos isang oras na paglilibot sa kung saan-saang sulok ng apothecary, nagtungo kami sa garden para magpahinga. We sat on a long wooden bench under the draping branches of a willow tree while being surrounded by patches of flowering plants nearby.

"Mukhang seryoso ka na talaga," tukoy ni Anabeth sa planong pag-alis ni Zanra.

"Nothing was fix," Zanra said with a small smile. "Dad isn't so supportive of the idea of letting me go. And we're only in the phase of checking campuses and programs."

"How about your Mom?" I asked.

"Hmm..." she hummed. "She's more supportive of my plan to venture into the unknown." She giggled at her own choice of words. "Well, it's not exactly unknown since most elites in town attend school in Fabrice anyway."

Lady Laura seemed to be the kind of parent who will support her child's dream no matter the outcome. Sir Zander was clearly the more protective one.

"At ang alpha?" tanong ni Anabeth. "Sa tingin ko maging siya hindi papayag dito."