Embracing the Burning Passion

Aurora Amaranthine Avar

"One Martini, please."

Napangiti ako nang makitang si Jacques ang umupo sa isang stool dito sa counter. He is one of this bar's regular costumer and kind of became my friend, too.

"Busy?" tanong ko sa kan'ya at nilapag sa kan'yang harapan ang hinihingi niyang drinks.

"Not really. Regular days naman kaya hindi hectic sched," sagot niya.

He's already 32 and currently running an airline company. Yes, he's rich, young, single, and gorgeous. Kaya nga hindi na ako magtataka kung maraming pumupunta rito para lang makita ang lalaking 'to. Given that he regularly visits here, too.

“I am not pertaining to that, but whatever.”

He laughed. "How about you? Bakit ikaw na naman ang nandito sa counter bilang bartender? Kulang ka ba sa impleyado?" tanong niya.

Mahina akong natawa saka umiling.

"Nah. Just trying to help. Wala naman akong gagawin ngayong gabi kaya tumulong na lang ako rito."

"You're too hardworking. Dinaig mo pa ata ako."

Muli akong natawa. I own this elite bar. This business started 4 years ago and it was growing well. Buti na nga lang ay nakapagtapos ako ng college, nakapag-ipon, at dahan-dahan nang sinasabuhay ang gusto kong negosyo bago ko naisipang umalis sa bahay. Kaya rin hindi ako masyadong naghirap sa buhay.

Dad's filthy rich. He is, after all, the Alpha of Crescent Moon Pack. He honed, trained, and pushed me to be the best daughter. Kahit na ang kuya ko ang susunod sa kan'ya bilang Alpha, he never showed less attention to me. Kung paano niya iniinsayo ang kapatid ko, gano'n din siya sa akin. But my heart was never just inside the pack. I was more into exploration. I wanted to go out, to live outside the borders of our packland.

Dad don't want to let go of me. Sa tingin niya'y mapanganib. After years of going from places to places, trying to find a perfect place where we could hide and live peacefully, he can't risk letting humans discover about us— the hybrids. The Amalgam.

We are the kind of werewolves with human blood in us. Centuries after the great war between werewolves and vampires, those werewolves who were able to escape mated with humans in attempt to save their race. They either fell in love or forced a human to carry an heir. Parang bumalik sa una ang lahi namin. We tried to survive by mating. Our ancestors mated and mated until they were able to create a whole new pack. They raised and trained these new generation of werewolves— hybrids— to become great again. But things happened and the first born male hybrids aimed being the Alpha. In order to attain the power, they decided to mate again and build their own packs where they can lead individually as Alphas without fighting over the title. They mated with humans, with their siblings, and even with their mothers. Over the years, we grew and are now living in different parts of the Earth. May ibang packs din na umusbong, pero tatlong orihinal na mga pack ay nananatiling mas malakas sa iba pa.

Full Moon Pack, New Moon Pack, at ang Crescent Moon Pack.

These three are the original packs directed to the pureblooded werewolves, and in this new world for our kinds, we are considered The Highness.

And I happen to be the daughter of the Alpha of Crescent Moon Pack. Not that I enjoy the title. Tho I like the previleges.

Although we aren't as great as the pureblooded werewolves, we still have the abilities of being one. We can still shift, move gracefully, and use telephathy as a form of communication. Some of us also have mates. But it is rare nowadays to find one. The chances are from 1% to 0. That's why most of us mates with someone within the pack or with humans. We also live in secret dahil hindi naman sa amin ang mundong aming ginagalawan. We also learned to implement laws and adapt the way of living of the humans. Some also lives along the humans. Like me, right now.