ALPHAS OF REMORSE SERIES #1: The Blue-eyed Alpha

Kabanata 24

Kabanata 24

Tracy

I kept staring at my mark through the bathroom mirror. My hair is still wet and slightly dripping on my robe but I couldn't pay much attention to it right now. Hindi ko maalis ang tingin sa marka sa aking leeg. It healed like it was put on me months ago, but unlike my previous scar, this one looks more intentionally placed. 

The door swung open. Pumasok si Levi na halatang inaantok pa. I stared at him through his reflection in the mirror. Lumakad siya palapit sa akin hanggang sa narating niya ang likuran ko.

I had to purse my lips when his strong arm wrapped around my waist. Hinawi niya ang aking buhok nang mahalikan niya ang bahagi ng aking leeg kung nasaan ang marka. 

His kisses brought shivers down my spine. Tila ba nagbubunyi ang mga paru-paro sa aking tiyan sa tuwing lumalapat ang mga labi niya sa aking balat.

"My mark looks good on you," he said in a gentle voice before he smirked. Ang mga mata ay nakatitig sa aking repleksyon sa salamin. "Can't wait for the whole pack to see it."

Lumunok ako't hinaplos ang braso niyang nasa aking baywang. "H-Have you . . . done that before?"

His brows slightly furrowed. "Done what, hmm?"

"Uh . . . fuck someone."

Levi grunted. Ibinaon niya sa aking leeg ang kanyang mukha saka niya sininghot ang balat ko. "Ah, that pretty mouth." He scoffed. "We didn't fuck. We made love."

My cheeks burned as I felt the after-effect of what we did last night. The thing between my thighs still hurt so I had to minimize my movements. Mahirap ding bumaba ng hagdan dahil nanginginig pa ang mga hita ko.

"But have you fucked someone before?"

He sighed. "No."

"Oh." Napalunok akong muli habang nilalaro ang balahibo niya sa braso gamit ang aking mga daliri. "How did you . . . know what to do last night then?"

I swear I saw the corners of his lips curve upwards before he pressed featherlight kisses on my shoulder blade. 

"Let's just say it's innate. I'm a lycan. Intimacy plays a very important role in our lives. Also . . ." He made me turn to face him. Binuhat ako pagkatapos nang makaupo ako sa sink counter. "You will know what to do when you're ready."

I anchored my arms on his nape as soon as he crashed his lips on mine. Things escalated from there. We ended up doing it in the shower twice as if last night wasn't enough to bruise my poor coochie. 

Kung saan pa ba ako kumuha ng lakas para gawin iyon ay hindi ko na rin alam. All I know is that I ended up falling asleep while he blow dries my hair. Nakaupo ako sa sink counter at nakasandal ang ulo sa dibdib niya habang pinatutuyo niya ang buhok ko. Ginising lamang niya ako noong natapos na. He brought me to bed and let me sleep while he went out to check on his people.

Our people now, he said. Apparently, the whole pack knew their Alpha had already marked me last night. Mukhang naramdaman ng lahat iyon kaya tumigil ang mga alulong matapos akong markahan ni Levi kagabi.

I woke up past noon. Hindi pa nakababalik si Levi sa mansyon kaya nagpasya akong kumuha sa mga damit niya ng pwede kong isuot. I picked one of his shirts and decided to wear it with nothing underneath. Nagdahan-dahan na lang ako sa pagbaba ng hagdan para kung sakaling may makakita sa aking katulong ay hindi naman ako masilipan.

"Luna Tracy," bati ng mayordoma sa akin.

I forced a smile. Hindi pa sanay na ganoon ang tawag sa akin.

"Uh, Tracy lang po. Hindi pa naman kami naikakasal."

She gave me a motherly smile. "You accepted Alpha's mark last night. That matters more than the union. The union, after all, is just to properly announce that the Alpha is no longer in search for his other half."

"Gano'n ho ba 'yon? It's kind'a different in my faction. Hangga't hindi pa kasal ay hindi pwedeng tawaging misis. That's sort of the counterpart of a mate in the human culture."

Marahan siyang napailing. "Luna Tracy, nasa lugar ka ng aming uri. Ang batas ng lycan ang susundin natin kaya huwag kang mailang. Karapatan mong tawaging Luna dahil ikaw ang kabiyak ng Alpha."

I scratched my temple and just let her call me that way. Ayaw ko na rin namang makipag-argumento pa dahil lamang sa simpleng bagay. 

She took me to the dining hall to serve me brunch. Alagang-alaga nila ako dahil hanggang sa pagsasalin ng inumin sa baso ay sila pa ang gumagawa. Hindi ko tuloy maiwasang mahiya. 

I grew up helping around the house. We didn't have the luxury to hire a helper so I pretty much know how to do house chores. Ngunit sa katayuan ng lalakeng ibinigay sa akin bilang kabiyak, mukhang kahit gusto kong gumawa ng mga gawaing bagay ay hindi ako papayagan. 

Pagkatapos kumain ay nagpasya akong puntahan ang kwarto kung saan itinatago ni Levi ang mga regalo niya sa akin. I tried to unwrap some of the gifts, hoping I could find something to wear. Kaya lang karamihan sa mga regalo niya ay alahas. Wala pa akong nabubuksang damit o kahit underwear man lang.

I sighed. Balak ko na sanang lumabas nang mapansin ko sa shelf ang tila scrap book. I sat on my heels and grabbed it to see what's inside. It has our names on the cover so I assumed that it belonged to us.

Gumuhit ang ngiti sa aking mga labi nang makita ko ang unang mga pahina. Looks like we had our childhood friendship documented a lot. 

Marami kaming larawang nakasakay ako sa likod niya. May mga picture din na nakaakbay siya sa akin habang ang ilan ay tila nakaw na kuha namin habang naglalaro. 

I flipped the next page and looked at the other photos in it. Ngunit nang matitigan ko ang isa sa mga larawang naroroon ay hindi ko naiwasan ang pagkunot ng aking noo.

It was a group photo. My parents were standing behind me. Levi was next to me while behind him were his parents. I've seen their union's photograph in one of the rooms so I knew they were his parents. Ngunit ang nakapagpapawi sa kurba ng aking mga labi ay . . . ang tila mag-asawang nasa tabi ni Alpha Leronel . . . pati na ang dalawang bata na tingin ko ay kaedaran namin ni Levi.

I touched the part of the photo that has the family's image. Bakit parang . . . malaki ang hawig ng tatay kay Rouge habang ang nanay ay . . . kahawig ni Rhein?

"There you are."

Napaangat ako ng tingin nang marinig ang tinig ni Levi. Maaliwalas ang kanyang mukha ngunit nang makita ang hawak kong scrap book ay tila unti-unting nagbago ang ekspresyong nakapinta sa mga mata niya.

"Sorry. I thought it's okay to see it," I apologized.

Humugot siya ng hininga bago pilit na ngumiti sa akin. "It's fine." Tumikhim siya bago inialok ang palad sa akin. "Your father is downstairs. He brought you some clothes that you can wear tonight."

Kumunot ang noo ko. I accepted his hand and got back on my feet while he took the scrap book from me. 

"For tonight? Anong meron?" I asked.

Levi shut the scrap book. "We'll have dinner with my Betas and your Dad to plan out the union."

"Oh, okay." Napatitig ako sa scrap book. "Levi?" I took it from him then flipped the pages to show him the group photo that I was looking at earlier. "Sino 'tong kasama natin sa picture?"

Napansin kong bahagyang umigting ang kanyang panga bago niya ulit kinuha sa akin ang scrap book upang isara.

"That's my uncle and his family," he answered.

"Where are they? I haven't met them."

Pilit siyang ngumiti. "They were both executed a long time ago while my cousins were banished."

My brows furrowed. "Executed? For what?"

I saw pain and anger flickered in his eyes. "For trying to kill us so their kids will have my position someday . . ."