The Dangerous Princess: The Blue-Eyed Lady

Chapter 25

Ashton's POV

“Hindi mo ba naramdaman ang sakit na nadama ni Ashley noong kinagat at sinaksak siya? Dapat naramdaman mo iyon. That's part of your bond, feeling each other's emotions,” ani Mars na nakaupo sa isang sofa rito sa kwarto kung saan nakahiga si Ashley.

Umiling ako. “I felt nothing. If I did, I would've known where she was in the first place. It looked like she did her best in blocking me to hide her pain or Morisette did something to corrupt our matebond.”

Sandaling natahimik si Mars.

“How is she?” tanong niya kalaunan.

Naihilamos ko ang aking kamay sa mukha nang maalala na naman ang sinasabi sa akin ng pack doctor isang linggo na ang nakakalipas.

“The stabs were fine. She has the blood of a Goddess, a Pouvoirer, an evil, and a vampire so that won't really affect her even if she's stabbed a several times. No organs are at risk. It's just that...” I trailed off. “Morisette's bite...”

“What did she do?”

“Her bite has a poison. It is poisoning Ashley's body and it can be very fatal,” nanghihinang sagot ko.

“I have a feeling Ashley's gonna make it. She's stronger than we think she is,” saad ni Mars at tumayo. “Get yourself together. You look like shit. Gusto ko lang ipaalala sa ‘yo na bukod sa pagiging mate ng Luna natin, ikaw din ang Alpha namin. Sa nakikita ko ngayon, ang pagiging mate na lang ang ginagawa mo. You need to do your job, Ashton. I'm standing up as the temporary leader since I can feel that you aren't in the mood to run the pack but I can't do this alone any longer. Hindi ako confident katulad mo pagdating sa pagha-handle ng pack. She's a week sleeping but that doesn't mean she's dying.”

“She's dying!” inis na singhal ko.

“Magagalit sa ‘yo si Ashley kapag narinig niya iyan mula sa ‘yo,” aniya. “Get up. Wala akong alam tungkol sa matebond pero alam kong naaapektuhan ka at natatakot, but trust Ashley. You know her. She won't die just because of a poison. She's an Evergreen-McKnight, remember?” dugtong niya at lumabas na sa kwarto.

Nakatanga ako habang mahigpit na nakahawak sa mainit na kamay ni Ashley.

The heat from her hands was my reminder that she's alive and I'm relieved.

Mars is right. Ashley is the Alpha's mate. My mate. She'll wake up soon.

“Please... Please… wake up now...” bulong ko.

Ngunit wala akong narinig na sagot mula sa kan'ya. Ilang oras pa ang lumipas nang naramdaman ko ang pagtawag sa akin ni Mars.

“Alpha, we need you here.” Mars voice echoed in my head.

Tumitig ako sa mukha ni Ashley at napabuntong hininga.

“Coming,” sagot ko.

Humalik ako sa noo ng mate ko.

“I'll be back,” paalam ko bago umalis.

Seeing Ashley in that bed is taking a toll on me in different aspects. Araw-araw akong hindi mapakali at kinakabahan. The thought of losing her is scaring me.

Please. We haven't even started our story yet. Don't take her away from me this early.

“What happened?” agad na tanong ko nang makalapit sa pwesto nila.

Nandito kami ngayon sa tinitirhan ni Morisette dahil inutos kong halughugin nila ang loob, baka sakaling may makita pa silang kakaiba.

Unang lumingon sa akin si Mars. Umiwas naman ng tingin ang ibang hunters na kasama niya. Hindi ko naman maitatangging ang pangit ng itsura ko ngayon.

“We found something in Morisette's things,” balita sa akin ng aking Beta.

Nangunot ang noo ko nang marinig ang pangalan ng babaeng iyon.

Masama mang pakinggan ngunit nagpapasalamat ako na inunang pinatay ni Morisette ang sarili niya dahil kung hindi ay baka ako rin ang tatapos sa kan'ya. What she did was too much and I won't tolerate her crime.

“What is that?” tanong ko.

“A poison in a small bottle with a sticker note on it,” he said. “It has your name. Looks like she wasn't only planning to poison Ashley. She was also planning to kill you, too.”

Mariin kong tiningnan ang hawak niyang bote habang pilit na pinapakalma ang sarili ko.

Hindi ko lubos na matanggap na aabot si Morisette sa puntong papatay siya dahil sa kahibangan niya.

“Dispose that one. Baka gamitin iyan ng iba. Burn all the remaining things Morisette left in this pack. She was a friend but her treacherous stunt broke the trust and the remaining respect I have for her. I want her name and whole existence to be forgotten,” matigas kong utos sa lahat.

“Noted, Alpha,” sabay naman nilang sagot at agad na kumilos.

Si Mars naman ay lumapit sa akin at bumulong, “Hindi mo ba sasabihin sa mga magulang ni Ashley ang nangyari?”

Napatitig ako sa kan'ya.

“They deserve to know what happened to their daughter, Ash,” dagdag niya.

“Mas iinit ang ulo ng ama niya sa akin kapag nalaman niyang hindi ko naprotektahan ang anak niya,” sagot ko.

“Still not an excuse to hide the truth from them,” he said and shrugged.

“Maaga tayong paglalamayan kapag nalaman din ito ng dalawang kaibigan ni Ashley. Siguradong magagalit iyon sila sa atin,” pagbibigay diin ko sa bawat salita.

“Ikaw lang. H'wag mo akong dinadamay dahil hindi naman ako ang mate ni Ashley kundi ikaw. Maliban na lang kung gusto mong maghati tayo kay Ashley. By schedule, MWFSun sa ‘yo, TTHS sa akin.”

Sinamaan ko siya ng tingin. Minsan walang kwenta kausap ‘to si Mars.

“Don't fucking talk about her like that.”

“I was just kidding, Ash. Chill,” natatawang turan niya bago nagpatuloy. “But seriously, go tell her parents.”

“How?”

He rolled his eyes on me. “Don't be so dumb. You know where to find the portal.”

Napakagat ako ng ibabang labi ko. What will be their reaction if they found out that their daughter is already a week unconscious?

But he's right. I can't hide this from her parents.

“I'll go.” Muli kong nilingon si Mars. “Take care of Ashley for me. I'll be back before midnight.”

Tumango siya.

“Go. I'll handle it from here.”

Binigyan ko siya ng isang masamang tingin.

“Don't touch her, Mars. I'm warning you.”

“You don't have to remind me of that. I know what to do. Now, go. Sunduin mo na mga in-laws mo.”

Umiling-iling akong naglakad papalayo bago pinuntahan ang kotseng nakatambay sa likod ng packhouse. I can't shift dahil dadaan ako sa may maraming tao kaya gagamitin ko itong kotse para makapunta sa abandunadong gusali kung saan ang portal.

I sighed. I have to explain it well to her parents.

××××××

A very short chapter para mabitin ulit kayo! Chos.