Novels by Mr. Rams

LydiaKinabukasan, maaga pa lang ay nagsimula na ang routine namin sa mansion. Hawak ko ang basahan habang si Agnes naman ay dala ang vacuum cleaner. Pero habang nagpupunas ako ng mga muwebles sa hallway, hindi maalis ang paningin ko kay Ma’am Belle. Nakayuko siya malapit sa carpet, doon mismo sa pwesto kung saan sinaksak si Perla. Ang gulo ng buhok niya at parang hindi siya nakatulog nang maayos."Ma’am Belle?" tawag ko habang dahan-dahang lumalapit.Mabilis siyang napaigtad, parang nakuryente sa gulat. Agad siyang tumayo nang tuwid at inayos ang kanyang suot na robe. "O, Lydia. Bakit andiyan ka na agad?""Maglilinis na po sana ako rito sa hallway, Ma’am. Napansin ko lang po kasi na parang may hinahanap kayo. Baka po makatulong ako? Ano po ba 'yung nawawala para maisabay ko na sa pagwawalis?" tanong ko habang pinagmamasdan ang bawat reaksyon sa mukha niya."Wala. Wala akong hinahanap. May tiningnan lang ako kung malinis na ba 'tong carpet bago ang mga bisita mamaya," sagot niya nang

LydiaNakatitig lang ako sa kisame ng aming kwarto rito sa quarters ng mga katulong. Patay na ang lahat ng ilaw sa mansion, pero ako, heto at dilat na dilat pa rin. Binuksan ko ang maliit na lampara sa tabi ng higaan ko at dahan-dahang binuksan ang palad ko.Nandito pa rin sa akin. Isang piraso ng contact lense.Nakuha ko ito noong gabi na sinaksak si Perla. Noong nagkakagulo ang lahat at dinala na siya sa ospital, ako ang naatasang tumulong sa mga pulis sa paglilinis ng dumi sa pasilyo. Habang pinupunasan ko ang sahig na may bahid pa ng dugo, napansin ko ang maliit at manipis na bagay na ito na nakadikit sa gilid ng carpet. Sa unang tingin, aakalain mong basura lang, pero nang pulutin ko, laking gulat ko na isa itong kulay brown na contact lense.Hanggang ngayon, hindi ko alam kung bakit hindi ko ito ibinigay sa mga pulis. Noong oras na 'yun, parang may kung anong boses sa isip ko na nagsabing itago ko muna ito. Ramdam ko kasi sa kaloob-looban ko na ito ang ebidensyang magtuturo kung

BelleDahan-dahan kong idinilat ang mga mata ko. Puting kisame ang sumalubong sa akin at ang amoy ng disinfectant na pamilyar na sa ilong ko. Alam ko kung nasaan ako—nasa ospital na naman.Pinakiramdaman ko ang paligid at narinig ko ang mahinang pag-uusap nina Jake at Madam Elena sa gilid ng kama ko. Ito na ang oras para ituloy ang palabas."Jake..." ang pabulong at paos kong tawag.Agad na lumapit si Jake sa akin, bakas ang matinding pag-aalala sa kanyang mukha. "Belle! Salamat sa Diyos, gising ka na. Huwag kang biglang babangon, dahan-dahan lang."Pinilit kong bumangon nang kaunti at agad akong sumubsob sa dibdib niya. Humagulgol ako, 'yung iyak na parang bata na takot na takot. Niyakap ko siya nang sobrang higpit, tila ba siya na lang ang tanging kakapitan ko sa mundong ito."Jake, natatakot ako! Si Giselle... papatayin niya tayo!"Hinalikan ni Jake ang tuktok ng ulo ko habang hinahaplos ang likod ko. "No, Belle. Nandito ako. Hindi kita pababayaan. Hindi siya makakalapit sa iyo, pa

BelleAlam ko na kailangan kong maging maingat. Masyado nang matalas ang pakiramdam ni Madam Elena, at hindi pwedeng habambuhay ay ako lang ang gumagawa ng maruming trabaho. Kailangan kong maipakita sa kanilang lahat na biktima rin ako—na natatakot din ako kay Giselle.Para mawala ang anumang duda, kailangan kong gumawa ng isang eksena na hinding-hindi nila malilimutan. Isang eksena na magpapatunay na si Giselle ay buhay, galit, at nasa labas lang, habang ako ay nananatiling inosente sa tabi ni Jake.Kaya naman, bago ang libing ni Julio, nagbayad ako ng isang babaeng gipit sa pera. Binigyan ko siya ng malaking halaga at ang silicone mask na kamukha ni Giselle. Ang utos ko sa kanya ay simple lang: tumayo sa malayo, magpakita nang sandali, magpaputok ng baril sa langit, at tumakbo palayo sa direksyon na sinabi ko kung saan walang CCTV at madaling magtago.Dumating ang araw ng libing. Maaliwalas ang panahon pero ang atmosphere sa sementeryo ay parang laging may dulo ng bagyo. Nakasuot ak

Madam ElenaNanginginig ang buong katawan ko habang nakakulong ako rito sa loob ng banyo ng aming mansion. Halos mabitawan ko ang cellphone ko dahil sa sobrang kaba nang muli kong tingnan ang video na ipinadala sa akin ng isang hindi kilalang numero.Doon sa video, kitang-kita ang bawat detalye—mula sa suot kong hospital gown hanggang sa uniporme ni Kanor. Nangyari ito noong nasa ospital pa kami, noong akala ko ay walang ibang tao na nakakakita.Kitang-kita kaming dalawa ni Kanor na naghahalikan sa loon ng hospital room ko. Ang akala ko ay ligtas kami dahil pribado ang kwarto, pero mali pala ako."Diyos ko, paano nakuha ni Giselle ito?" ang pabulong kong tanong habang nararamdaman ko ang pagdaloy ng malamig na pawis sa aking likuran.Ibig sabihin, nakapasok siya sa ospital nang hindi namin namamalayan. Ibig sabihin, nandoon siya sa loob mismo ng kwarto namin, nakatago, habang hawak ang cellphone niya at pinapanood ang bawat maling galaw namin.Ang mas nakakatakot p ay ang lakas ng loo

BellePagkasara na pagkasara ng pinto pagkaalis ni Madam Elena, agad na nawala ang plastic na ngiti sa mukha ko. Ramdam ko ang mabilis na pag-akyat ng dugo sa ulo ko sa sobrang inis. Muntik na. Muntik na talagang masira ang lahat ng pinaghirapan ko dahil sa pakikialam ng matandang 'yun.Mabilis akong lumapit sa cabinet ko at chineck ang sikretong bulsa ng bag ko. Naroon pa rin ang silicone mask na mukha ni Giselle. Napahinga ako nang malalim. Kung nakita niya ito, tapos ang palabas ko. Siguradong hihilahin niya ako sa harap ni Jake at ipapahiya."Masyado kang matapang, Elena," ang bulong ko sa sarili ko habang nanginginig ang panga ko sa galit. "Akala mo siguro ay mas matalino ka sa akin."Kailangan kong gumawa ng paraan para tumigil na siya sa pag-iimbestiga. Hindi pwedeng habang gumagalaw ako ay may matang nakabuntot sa akin. Kailangan ko siyang bigyan ng sarili niyang problema, 'yung problemang magpapatahimik sa kanya dahil sa takot at hiya.Bigla kong naalala ang alas na hawak ko.

Alpha JakeI leaned back in my chair, the conference room humming with tension. Beta Ryan and a few of the pack’s officials were seated across from me, papers spread on the table, the map of territory and patrol rotations illuminated under the harsh light. They were discussing routine matters—training schedules, patrols, and security measures—but the tension in the room was more than protocol; something simmered beneath their composed faces.The doors swung open abruptly, and my former Beta, Barney, stepped inside. His presence was commanding, loud, like he had never truly stepped down. I frowned, watching as he scanned the room with those piercing eyes, landing on me.“Why wasn’t I called for this meeting?” Barney demanded, his tone sharp, almost accusing. “Do you not value my advice, Alpha?”I set my jaw, my wolf stirring slightly beneath my skin. “Barney,” I said, voice steady but firm, “Ryan is the new Beta. He is the one I’ve chosen. This is my council now.”Barney’s eyes flashed

Isabel“There is… one more option,” she said slowly, choosing her words like each one carried weight. “An old man. Stefan.”I glanced at her, my fingers tightening around the steering wheel. “Stefan?”She nodded. “The former leader of the witch tribe. He left long ago. Lives alone now. In a cave beyond the northern ridge.”“A witch?” I asked, my voice sharp with both hope and caution.“Once,” Selene replied. “Now he calls himself something else. A watcher. A keeper of balance.”I let out a bitter laugh. “Balance sounds like another word witches use when they don’t want to help.”“This one is different,” Selene said firmly. “He despised spells that steal free will. Love magic, binding oils—he forbade them when he ruled.”That caught my attention.“If that’s true,” I said slowly, “then he might hate what Kristine did.”“He does,” Selene answered without hesitation. “That’s why Kristine fears him.”I pulled the car over, the tires crunching against gravel. I needed to look at her, really

IsabelWe arrived just as the sky began to dim, the light stretching thin between day and night. I parked the car in front of the forest clearing, my hands gripping the steering wheel longer than necessary. The place smelled wrong. Old earth. Bitter herbs. Rotting leaves mixed with something sharp and sweet that made my wolf uneasy.“This is it,” Selene said quietly beside me.“I know,” I replied, opening the door. “I can feel her magic crawling already.”We stepped out together. The house stood crooked, like it was bending under its own secrets. Bones hung near the windows. Symbols were carved deep into the wood, old and angry. I straightened my back.“For Ryan,” I muttered.“For Ryan,” Selene agreed.We walked up to the door. Selene knocked once. Twice.Nothing.I was about to knock again when the door creaked open slowly, just enough for a pair of dull, sharp eyes to peer out. Then the door opened wider.Kristine stood there.Old. Crooked. Her hair was thin and gray, her skin wrink

IsabelAfter Ryan went back to his room, I stayed where I was, staring at the closed door like it might open again if I willed it hard enough. My hands slowly curled into fists. I frowned, deep and tight, because a mother knows.“I raised you better than this,” I whispered, not in anger at him, but at whatever had wrapped its claws around my son’s heart.I had seen the signs. The way his eyes burned when Marian’s name came up. The way his wolf pressed against his skin, restless, hungry, desperate. That was not love. That was not natural desire. That was compulsion.A spell.I turned and walked to the window, pressing my palm against the glass. The night air was heavy, the moon sharp and bright. Wolves felt the moon more strongly when magic was involved. My own wolf stirred uneasily, warning me.“No,” I muttered. “Not my son.”I grabbed my phone and dialed the number I had memorized long ago.“Selene,” I said the moment she answered. “We need to talk. Now.”Her voice came steady but al

RyanI didn’t remember how I got into my car.That was the scariest part.One moment I was still standing inside Marian’s house, the air thick with her scent, her presence pressing into my skin like heat that refused to fade. The next, I was sitting behind the wheel, engine running, my chest rising and falling too fast, like I had just escaped something dangerous.Or maybe I hadn’t escaped at all.My hands trembled as I gripped the steering wheel. I stared straight ahead, eyes unfocused, my mind replaying everything I had tried so hard not to think about. Her voice. Her touch. The way she looked at me afterward—not soft, not loving, but satisfied. Like someone who had just moved another piece on a board exactly where she wanted it.“Damn it,” I muttered, my voice rough.I slammed my fist against the steering wheel, the sound echoing inside the car. Pain shot up my arm, but it didn’t help. Nothing helped.I started driving, not even caring where I was going at first. The road stretched

RyanHer shift was breathtaking. A sleek, powerful she-wolf with a coat the color of dark honey and those same brilliant amber eyes. She was magnificent, all coiled strength and fierce grace. She stalked toward me, not submissive, but challenging. Her muzzle dipped, her teeth bared in a silent snarl that wasn’t a threat—it was an invitation.She bumped her head hard against my shoulder, a demand. Then she was running, a tawny flash between the trees.A roar erupted from my wolf’s throat. I gave chase.The hunt was furious. She was fast, agile, ducking under fallen logs and leaping over streams. I was bigger, stronger, driven by a hunger that was more than physical. The scent of her heat was a thick, sweet fog in the air, driving my wolf mindless with need. Branches whipped past, the cold air burned my lungs, but all I saw was her.She led me to a small clearing where moonlight filtered down, painting the grass silver. She skidded to a halt, turning to face me, her sides heaving. Her g