Shattered Souls

Chapter 9

Chapter 9: Trigger of the War

"Ang sabi ko ay luha lang. Why would you bring her?!"

I stared at Erikson in disbelief. He was just smoking while staring at the woman. Tila hindi niya alintana o baka hindi niya lang alam kung ano ang maaaring kahinatnan ng ginawa niyang ito.

Tamad na bumaling sa akin ng tingin si Erikson. "It was not that easy, Astra. We are not friends with wolves. Hindi naman niya ako bibigyan ng luha nang hindi dinadaan sa dahas."

"Y-you hurt her?"

"Not at all. Tinakot ko lang." Bumaba uli ang tingin ni Erikson sa babae. Sobrang sama ng tingin nito sa kanya. "Don't worry, Miss. Ibibigay ko rin sa 'yo ang kwintas na 'yon."

"What necklace?" tanong ko uli.

May kinuha si Erikson sa bulsa. Pinakita niya sa amin ang kwintas. It was a bronze heart-shaped locket. I don't think that's a normal necklace based on the woman's reaction. Mas lalo itong nagpumiglas.

Mukhang naintindihan ko naman ang ibig niyang sabihin. Bumaling ako uli sa babae. Yumuko ako at inalis ang takip sa bibig niya dahil baka nahihirapan na siyang huminga.

"Fuck you, Mr. Vampire!" she yelled at him right after I removed it. "Give it back to me!"

Erikson leaned closer to her. He teased her by showing the necklace again. Nakangiti pa si Erikson, nang-aasar. "For what? Para isumbong mo ako sa Alpha niyo?"

"I-I won't—"

"Lies. Lies." Umayos ng pagkakatayo si Erikson saka na binalik sa bulsa ang kwintas. "Hindi ko muna ito ibabalik sa inyo. Marami pa akong problema ngayon. I can't deal with you yet."

"I-I promise—"

"Say that again without stuttering," Erikson chuckled. "Kapag sinumbong mo ako at nagtangka ang pangkat niyo na manggulo, hindi mo na kailan pa makukuha ang kwintas na ito."

I gasped when her eyes shifted from black to golden yellow and back to normal black again. Her fists were clenched firmly. She could release herself from the ropes but she knew that it would make things worse.

"I will release you, Miss Wolf—"

"Werewolf," The girl corrected him. "I am not just a wolf, Mr. Vampire. I am a werewolf. I can turn into a wolf and a human form. Not just a wolf. I can't believe a vampire like you doesn't know that."

"Yeah. Yeah. Whatever." Bumaling sa akin si Erikson. "Don't worry, Astra. Hindi naman ito problema. Magkakaproblema lang kapag nakuha niya sa akin ang kwintas."

"But still..." Bumaling ako sa babae na nakatingin din pala sa akin. "Are you okay, Miss?"

"Untie me," she said. It was not a request.

My gaze shifted to Erikson. He nodded at me, giving the permission to release the woman.

I untied the woman and just like that, she attacked Erikson. Bumagsak sa sementadong daan si Erikson at sa ibabaw niya ang babaeng may hawak sa kanyang leeg. She has this bouncy shoulder-length light cool brown hair and oval shaped face. Nakakagulat ang tapang nito para sa kanyang laki. She was smaller than me.

"Is this how you treat your Alpha?" nakangising tanong ni Erikson. Nakababa lang ang kanyang mga kamay sa asphalt road, nakataangat ang isang binti at prenteng nakatingin sa babaeng nasa ibabaw niya.

"W-what?" Damn. Erikson is hitting her buttons even more.

Mas lalong lumaki ang ngiti sa labi ni Erikson. I could tell he's enjoying this confrontation. I haven't seen him this relished before. Is this the result of being locked in a jail for months?