Augusta Walker

Chapter 32; The Usual

"Dito ka ba talaga titira?"

Tumingala ako at tumingin sa mata ni Zan. Nalaman 'ko na rin kung anong pangalan nila. "Isang linggo na akong pabalik-balik dito, hindi pa rin ba halata?"

"Sheesh. Okay," sagot niya. Psh. Ang slow naman niya.

I smirked at him. Tinaasan lang niya ako ng kilay. "Enough questions about me. What about you guys? Hindi ba kayo pupunta sa funeral ni Rye?"

Napatigil siya muna, bago umiling. "I really don't like the guy."

"Wala man lang ba kayong pinagsamahan?" Umupo ako sa sofa.

"Meron..." He trailed off. Umiling siya. "Stop confusing me!"

"On the contrary, I'm not confusing you. I'm bringing your conscience at the surface of your brain," sabi 'ko sa kaniya. Ah, sometimes it's so fun to play with their emotions. What emotions have they kept instored for Rye?

Napatahimik lang siya. My smirk got wider. "I'm mean, he's still your brother. You've been hunting our kinds with him for many years. And you're going to forget everything that happened because he's too bossy?"

Sumimangot si Zan. "Knight, halika nga dito. Makipagbaka ka dito sa bampira na 'to."

Mula sa paglilinis, pumunta si Knight sa tabi ni Zan. He looks confused nung tumingin siya kay Zan. "Brad, bakit?"

"Sabihin mo nga sa bampira na 'yan na hindi lang bossy si Rye kaya natin siya kinalimutan bilang kapatid!" Stressed na sabi ni Zan at tinuro ako.

"Sasabihin 'ko lang?" Nagtatakang tanong ni Knight.

"Pare, naman! Syempre ipaglaban mo na din. Nahiya ka pa? Sayang pagtigil mo sa paglilinis kung ganun," ani ni Zan.

"Hindi ba nasasayang na naman ang paglilinis 'ko ngayon? Tsk." Knight shook his head and looked at me. "Hindi lang bossy si Rye. He's so stubborn. Tingin niya he's so much better than us. He had his own missions most of the time without us."

I nodded slowly. "But you guys were also having missions without him. When Wren went to my room. When Sid came out on our side of the forest. Sid made it obvious that Rye didn't know. You said Rye was too bossy. Listen, maybe he's even better than you?" Kumunot ang noo nila. "Maybe he's enhanced -"

"We're enhanced," sabat ni Knight.

"Well then, maybe he's more enhanced. Maybe when he was completing his own missions, he was very wise about it. You know, kind of like he's thinking about every strategy more than you guys," I added. "Don't you guys think so?"

Nakamurot lang 'yung mukha nila at halatang napupuno na sila. "You listen," ani ni Zan. "He's no better than our leader. Hindi tinalaga si Sid para baliwalain namin. Para baliwalain ni Rye. May purpose sa aming mga oso si Sid. Iba ang alpha, Augusta. Huwag niyo kaming itulad sa lahi niyo na pwedeng baliwalain si Villancini." He found my eyes. "We wolves are compact. Just like a family."

Ngumiti ako sa kanila ng nakakaloko. Nagulat lang sila sa inakto 'ko. "Look, I get you," napatawa ako. "But you should also get that you don't need to be a leader to lead people. Baka alam 'yun ni Rye. Or maybe," I looked sternly at them, "maybe Rye should've been the alpha. Because you know when someone says 'alpha', I keep picturing a wise and understanding leader. Who has no problem with one of his members leading the pack. But your leader?" I shook my head. "Anyways, analyze your leader. He seems narrow-minded like you guys are."