Chapter 4

Kinausap siya ng may ari ng bar at hinikayat na wag ng gumawa ng legal na action at nangakong babayaran ang lahat ng gastos sa hospital pati ang danyos na nagawa sa kanya.Ipinakiusap din ng mga ito na wag magpa interview upang maiwasan ang masamang imahe ng bar.Wala naman itong problema kay Ella ayaw din naman niya ng komplikasyun.

Tinanggap na lamang ng dalaga ang settled money to end things besides naabala din naman talaga siya. Dahil sa pangyayari feeling ni Ella palaging may mangyayari. Traumatized ba siya hindi niya din alam. But one thing is for sure after that night, hindi na siya normal.Pagpasok ni Ella ng Kina Lunesan ay kinumusta siya ng mga kaopisina. Wala na sa mood si Ella makipag plastikan sa mga ito.

Wala naman nakaalam ng pangyayari sa kanya kaya hindi na rin niya pinagkaabalahang ikuwento baka tawagin siyang weird at pagtawanan lang siya ng mga ito. NagpaLiwanag naman ang mga ito sa nangyari ng gabing iyon. Nagpanic daw sila at natakot kaya nagtatakbo na sila palabas ng bar akala daw ng mga ito ay kasunod siya.

Pero pagdating daw sa labas ay wala siya doon nagtangka daw ang mga itong balikan siya pero hindi na sila pinasok kaya minabuting hintayin na lamang ang mga pulis para masakluluhan siya. Pekeng ngiti at walang buhay na salamat ang isinagot ni Ella sa mga ito pero ewan ba niya kung bakit parang nawalan na siya ng gana. Magmula ng araw na iyon ay iniwasan na ni Ella ang makadaupang palad ang mga kasaman niya sa Bar ng gabing iyon. Mas pinipili ng dalagang abalahain ang sarili sa

trabaho.

"Is she pretty?" Tanong ni Drake pagpasok pa lamang ni Matt sa kanilang hideout. Matt glared at him. They go straight to the bar. Toffee is there having a sip on his wine.

Matt is expecting it. He knows they would know, but still, he can't help but feel pissed by the fact that he can't even decide on his own. It is always like this all the time. Normal yun para sa grupo nila. Walang maaaring maitago. They cannot move and do anything they want. At ang masaklap pa nito hindi mo sila maaaring kontrahin. Complaints have no room for them. You only need to obey. 

"Is she home?" tanong ni Toffee, He knew his movements more than anyone else.

"Yes! That's why I'm here" Matt said. He's been tailing the woman for weeks now making sure she is safe. At first, he wanted to know if she was aware of what happened that night or if she spoke to the media but then Toffee told him that the woman kept her silent. Matt was amused and confused. It was his fifth reason for keeping an eye on her, being his mate was the second one. Having that strong mate scent puts the woman's life in danger. If he can smell her so, do his clan. If they find out where is her location, they will do all their might to kill her after he makes her his mate.

"Did you tell them about the encounter? Did you tell them I'm tailing her?" Matt asked Toffee with dismay. He knows he can count on Toffee. He has been a true brother to him although they are not blood-related. But he doesn't trust Drake. He knows Drake can manipulate Toffee because Drake has the upper hand for being the tribe leader.

"Of course not, and I don't want you to suffer again bro like before." Toffee cannot believe him asking that question. he is been on his side all along.

"I'm sorry bro, I am just in distress." Matt taps Toffee's shoulder and asks for a shot. He pities his friend like how he pities his own. They have lived in hell after coming out of that cave 15 years ago. They were college friends. Toffee has been living alone. Up until now, He can't find his mate. He is like him trapped in this curse of never-ending agony and loneliness.

He found his mate 6 years ago. And he did everything to hide it from them, but the heavens weren't on his side that rainy evening. It was harder for him to make and decide at that time. He is just been awakened by the moon. His Strengths were not that enough to fight back. And after that, his life becomes even hellish and loneliest. He deserved that after all. He knows it was his fault.  

Matagal ng pakiramdam ni Ella na palaging may sumusunod sa kanya. Minsan naman may pakiramdam siyang may nagmamasid sa kanya o nagbabantay sa bawat kilos niya. Hanggang ngayon halos 3 buwan na ang lumipads mula ng mangyari ang insidente sa bar ay hindi pa rin makabuo ng matinong tulog si Ella.

Kung hindi diya binabangungot ay hindi naman siya pinapatulog ng mga alaala ng gabing iyon. Pero ang labis na ipinagtataka ni Ella ay magkaiba ang panaginip niya sa mga alaala na nakikita niya sa kanyaang balintanaw kapag hindi siya makatulog. Madalas niyang mapanaginipan ang isang magdilim at mausok na lugar, isang halimaw at isang lalaki ang laman ng kanyang panaginip na kung tutuusin ay parang isang bangungungot

Paulit ulit na ito lamang ang panaginip niya Pare pareho  sa loob ng 3 buwan minsan nga ayaw ng umidlip ng dalaga dahil sa iniisip niya mapapanaginipan an naman niya ang halimaw sa dilim. Sa tuwing tulala naman siya o nagpapaantok bumabalik naman sa ala ala niya and eksena sa bar. Hindi nawawaglit sa imahinasyun niya ang malaking lalaking kanyang tagapagligtas at ang lalaki sa nakita niyang papalayo sa bar na kasing katawan ng lalaking medyo na hagip mng kanyang paningin sa gitna ng kadiliman. 

Ang imahe ng kanyang super hero ang laman ng kanyang isipan.Halos hindi na maalala ng dalaga ang trauma ng gabing iyon maging ang hinanakit sa mga kaupisina ay naglaho na pero ang imahe ng lalaking iyon ay hindi pa.

Gabi na naman, hindi na naman dalawain ng antok ang dalaga.Nakakapagod ang mag biyahe lalo na sa oras ng uwian. Punuan ang subway so hindi ka man lang makaupo ng komportable. Ang inaasahan ng dalaga dahil pagod siya ay makakatulog siya ng maaga pero mali pala siya dahil lalo siyang nahirapang umidlip. Lumabas ng kanyang silid si Ella para sana magtimpla ng coffee, pero wala na pala siyang stock. 

So, Ella decided to go down to the convenience store in front of her apartment para bumili na lamang ng coffee in a cup. Hindi malaman ni Ella kung bakit malakas ang tibok ng kanyang dibdib para siyang biglang na excite na hindi niya malaman. Uminit ang kanyang pakiramdam na tila hindi siya mapakali. Parang may puwersang humihila sa kanya.

Matt again watches Ella from a distance, He can still see Ella from the building 5 meters away from where he is. It has been 3 months since he started tailing her and ensuring she is safe every night.  It gives him much relief to see that she is fine. But Matt notices one thing with Her. She seems no friends and no family with her. My woman is living alone.

"Whoa! Matt where did that "my woman"  come from all of a sudden dude" Matt told himself and chuckled then smiled. When he saw her that night he knew that what he was after was her scent, it was her scent that drew him to her, well that's what he wanted to believe. 

But after tailing her, watching her from a distance, and smelling all her traces from those places she has been. She found himself drawn to her more. He began to miss her, he couldn't go on with his day without seeing her. Slowly he became more so into her and addicted to her. And tonight, he realized something. 

He's in love with her. Not because of her scent but because it is her. Ella saw a very familiar figure, dumaan ito sa peripheral view niya. The build, the Jacket, and even the scent. Tandang tanda niya lahat ng iyon. Could it be him?

Excited na sabi ni Ella. She's been longing to see him, any encounter with him is all she thinks about kahit pa nga maulit ang traumatic experience niya na yun okay lang basta magkaroon lamang ng pagkakataong magtagpo ulit sila ng lalaking gustong gusto niyang makita. Sinundan ni Ella ang pakiramdam at umikot sa loob ng mahabang lane ng convience store.She saw a tall, same built with a black leather jacket near the counter. May pakiramdam si Ella na ito ang lalaking iyon.And to confirm her wariness, Ella walks toward the counter and stand behind him.Halos nakadikit na si Ella sa likod ng misteryosong lalaki.

"It's him... It's him I'm sure of it. This was the man that night" Kumbinsi ni Ella sa sarili.

Matapos ng bayaran ng lalaki ang inuming binili nito ay malalaki ang hakbang na lumabas ng convience store.Sinundan ito ni Ella.From almost just 2 meters away from him. Hindi malaman ni Ella kung bakit nakakaramdam siya nang kasabikang makita ito. Kahit likod lang ng lalaki ay masaya ang puso niya.