Living with a Half Blood

Chapter 32: Insignia

Chapter 32: Insignia

Panandaliang nawala ang banta ng mga hunters sa tetitoryo sa sumunod na mga linggo. The brooding silence was something the town was adamant about. May mga nagsabi na natapos na ang gulo pero maaaring may kapalit ito.

Noong umagang yon nagkaroon kami ng hindi inaasahan na bisita. Ako ang sumagot sa pinto para sa kanya. Nang buksan ko ito bumungad sa akin si Venise.

"Good morning."

She wasn't smiling when she greeted me. But she wasn't frowning eiyher. There was simple nothing in her expression. Ilang buwan na din ang lumipas mula noong huli ko siyang nakita.

Nilibot niya ang tingin sa loob ng tahimik na mansion. Para bang inaasahan na niya na ako ang madadatnan dito.

"Can I come in?"

I was pulled out of my train of thoughts because of her request. Tumabi ako para papasukin siya.

"Nasa downtown sina Miss Loraine." Sinabi ko. "You can wait-"

She cut me off. "Ikaw ang pinunta ko dito." She said. "Maaari ba?"

Tinitigan ko siya. Kalaunan tumango ako. Pareho kaming pumunta sa balkonahe ng mansion. Hindi ko alam kung para saan ito. Hindi naging maayos ang huling pagkikita namin.

Nang magkaharap kami napansin kong nakatingin siya sa markang nasa leeg ko.

"So Zander officially claimed you as his mate." She pointed out. "That's why stepping on Van Zanth felt different. Our alpha was now bonded."

The change in their alpha's status was felt. Yon ang naging malinaw sa akin. Dahil sa mga nakalipas na linggo naramdaman ko ang pagbabago sa pakikitungo sa akin ng mga tao. They are now more open, more accepting. Tila isang pader na nakapagitan ang nasira. I started to gain  their trust. Because the night I gave in to Zander was the night I knew I'll stay by his side no matter what.

"I never expected a selfish decision from him like this." Venise said. "After everything that happened he chose you over this town, over his position."

Hindi ko alam kung ang gusto niyang patunayan sa usapan na ito. But I remained calm. Because I could see it in her eyes. Venise was pained with all of this.

"I heard everything. Ang pag atake, ang sugatang mga orders, ang panic at takot na kumalat sa bayan. Do you even know what it felt like knowing all of this was happening in your town pero hindi ka makauwi? You worry about your family, about your friends. Pero wala kang magawa. And you know what's the worst thing?" Tinitigan niya ako. "It's knowing that this fear, this chaos in your home town, was caused by a single person, an outsider, a stranger, who happens to be our alpha's mate."

She hates me. She had him first. Pero maliban doon, alam kong nag aalala siya para sa bayan kung saan siya lumaki. All the things I heard from her was from the perspective of the town's people.

"Mahalaga kay Zander ang bayan na ito. Pero dahil sayo maaaring mawala ito sa kanya."

Natigilan ako sa kanyang sinabi. "Anong ibig mong sabihin?"

"I heard everything from my father. There's a plan for a transition of power in this town. Maaaring hindi mo pa alam ang tungkol sa bagay na ito dahil hindi nila gustong ipaalam sayo. But the council was taking into consideration all of the chaos that is happening in this town."

Her act of calm sophistication melted at the mention of Zander losing this town. Isang bagay ang aking napagtanto. Venise cared. About this town, about Zander. Genuinely.

"I'm not blaming you this time." She said. "Pero kailangan na may magpamukha sayo nito. Zander can sacrifice everything for you. At gusto kong yon din ang gawin mo."