I
“And our Ms. Albaya 2020 is … Contestant number 8!” the crowd screamed with glory and Mel jumped to his feet, clapping and shouting.
Grazziena looked at her wristwatch; it is eight minutes before midnight. Fears wobbled in every purse of her skin. She needs to escape now.
When the young and gorgeous Chairman of the Board of Judges came near her, his lips were almost touching her right ear as he whispered, “In due time, you will be mine.” However, Grazziena did not notice his words anymore. She was already uneasy and thinking about how to escape.
As soon as her crown has been put by him on her head, Grazziena acted as if her stomach was aching. “Excuse me, I can’t take it anymore, I need to go to the comfort room.” Then she turned her back, got her crown from her head, and ran.
Grazziena motioned to Mel to get her prizes and without any word, to the shock of the spectators and judges, she ran going out of the auditorium, without looking back. She cannot afford to ruin her dreams, which she knows is likely to happen if she will shift into her wolf form in front of those crowds. With so much fear, Grazziena, although with shaking legs ran as fast as she can going home.
The Chairman of the Board of Judges followed with his eyes the running new crowned Ms. Albaya 2020 with full amusement on his expression. He heard what she said a while ago and he chuckled.
Grazziena found a secluded, dark area where she removed her gown, thereafter a ray of light enveloped her whole body, shifting her into her wolf form. Seeing that no one was around, the ugly she-wolf ran as fast as she can with the blue gown on her mouth, leaving the main road and taking the forest, where she took the shortcut going to their far Barrio.
A few minutes more and Grazziena’s wolf form was already jumping into her room’s window. Good thing her parents including her neighbors were sleeping already. The yellowish, sluggish, and ugly-looking she-wolf wiggled its tail and then it crawled down below the bed as if tired and sleepy; beside it, is the blue gown of the newly crowned Ms. Albaya 2020.
Mel apologized to the Emcee and to the judges explaining that her friend could not take it anymore as her stomach was about to explode already. The Emcee and the judges understood and even laughed.
At backstage, Contestant number 2 is swearing in anger. She could not take it that a nobody like Grazziena beat her in the beauty contest. She is the daughter of the Vice-Governor of this province and the Chairman of the Board of Judges is the Governor; his father’s ally, a family friend, and her long-time secret love. She was ashamed of him that she did not get the crown.
“Mariella, my friend, congrats, you got so many awards.” Leslie, the best friend of the Vice-governor’s daughter immediately looked for her friend after the pageant. She was right, Mariella stayed backstage fuming.
Mariella shot her best friend with her fiery eyes. “There is nothing to congratulate Leslie. Are you insulting me?”
Leslie came near her to Mariella. “My friend, you got three awards that most of the candidates don’t have; you still stand out from the rest.” She smiled at her best friend, whose tears are now starting to fall.
“But I did not win Les; I am a disgrace again to my family.”Mariella sobs.
Leslie caressed the hair of her crying best friend. “No, no, don’t you ever think about that. I bet Uncle Bart is proud of her youngest daughter because she almost got all the awards in the pageant.”
“You think so, my friend?” She looked up at her best friend with hope in her eyes. Her eldest sister was the first crowned Ms. Albaya and she even won Ms. International when she competed in the national beauty pageant competition in their country. Compared to her elder sister, she is always nothing. That is most probably why their mother’s favorite is not her but her older sister.
Leslie nodded with a smile on her face, with sincere hope to pacify the bruised ego and emotion of her best friend.
From the start of the competition, Leslie herself already concluded that Contestant number 8 might win the contest. The moment Contestant number 8 walked down the ramp, her illuminating aura already captured the heart of the crowd and she bet the judges too. What she became afraid of was when she saw the Chairman of the Board of Judges following with his glimmering eyes, every move of Contestant number 8. She knows what it implies and she knows further that it will hurt Mariella more. Mariella greatly adored that man since her high school years. Her love for him is almost over the moon.
II
The next day, Mel came to Grazziena’s house early in the morning again.
Grazziena was already awake. She was drinking coffee and eating boiled banana saba when Mel arrived rushing.
“Grazziena girl, congrats eeeeee!” Mel shouted to the shock of Grazziena’s mother who was also drinking coffee beside her daughter.
“Ga, did you win?” she asked. She dared not to ask this morning since she thought Grazziena failed to get the crown as she was just silent.
“Yes, Mamushki; your daughter got the crown. Here is her prize; it is fifty thousand pesos, and also, here is her trophy and certificate of scholarship.” Excitedly, Mel handed everything to Grazziena’s mother.
Grazziena’s mother, Lumen was so shocked. Her daughter did really win and she is so proud; really proud of her. She stood up and called her husband after hugging Grazziena tightly.
“Ruben, Ruben!, come here. Looked! Our daughter won the Ms. Albaya 2020!” she exclaimed happily while showing her husband Grazziena’s prizes.
“I knew it at the onset that she will win.” Proudly, Ruben stated smiling wide.
“Ey, girl, you need to prepare this afternoon. Your beauty will be riding the float together with your runners-up. The whole Albaya will know that you are the crowned winner last night and not the Vice-governor’s daughter.” Then Mel laughed after remembering the answer of Contestant number 2 during the question and answer portion of the last night’s beauty contest.
“Psst, stop laughing at Mariella’s answer Mel. You know, we should not be happy for the downfall of others,” Grazziena reprimanded Mel.
“Yes, Sister Teresa.” Then Mel vowed his head with hands clasped as if praying.
Grazziena laughed out loud and pinched her gay friend, who laughed more.
In the afternoon, Mel did the hairdo and make-up again of Grazziena. He made sure that her friend will stand out again among the rest.
As Grazziena climbed up with poise the ladder, going up the float where she is going to ride during the whole parade; she was in shock when up there, a young gorgeous man in his tuxedo gallantly extended his arm to assists her.
Their eyes met and as Grazziena handed her hand to him, a voltage of current sprinkled throughout her body, and then she heard that growl deep inside her again.
I“Miss Albaya, would you not want to climb up?” The gorgeous man with those deep-seated eyes asked Grazziena with his expression dancing with amusement.“Err, I’m sorry.” Grazzienaalmost stumbled as she tried now to climb up the float where the grinning god of masculinity is standing. Grazzienacould not remove her eyes from the man.Something inside Grazzienakeeps on whispering and wobbling. The man’s scent of a cool breeze soothed into her nostrils, making her mind went wild. Then she heard an excited whisper that lingered into her heart. “MATE.”Grazzienafelt incredibly confused about what she is feeling and hearing. She has read some paranormal stories about werewolves written by good foreign authors and she could not imagine that such fictional stories would happen to her. She can understand the word &
IGrazziena has been frozen. She felt herself quivered as the governor’s scent filled her lungs. Something within her gallops and jumped as if triggered by such a smell. She was drawn into his eyes and his inviting lips made her quivered more.“Sister Teresa, I repeat stopped looking at me like that or else, I will devour your lips right here, right now.” Governor Draeko whispered once more, his hand reached for Grazziena’s hand.As if awakened from her deep sleep, Grazziena back off. She made two steps backward away from the seducing gaze of the young Governor. “I am not Sister Teresa.” All she could murmur.Governor Draeko made a chuckle. “The reincarnation of Sister Teresa then,” he said teasing the newly crowned beauty Queen.Grazzien
I In a village situated at the heart of Mt. Reveree; Lumaro the son of the Alpha of the Cold Mountain Pack will soon celebrate his twentieth birthday. He will be the next Alpha and his father’s challenge for him is to find his mate, soon to be the Luna of their pack. Once he found her; only then that he can replace his father as the new Alpha of the Cold Mountain Pack. “What else could I do father? I have visited every other pack’s full moon parties to find my mate but I failed. I cannot feel any connection with those numbers of the unmated she-wolves that I have met. Could it be that my mate is still yet to be borne?” Lumaro asked his Alpha father with so much frustration. Suddenly, Alpha Maro remembered something. Didn’t he and his best friend Gregor make a pack and a prayer to the moon goddess that should, the Luna will give birth to a daughter, they wished her to be the mate of his son Lumaro, who was just one year old at that time? Alpha Maro has
I Lumaro tried to look further for his mate. He traveled in nearby pack villages, even in the rouge pack but he could feel the sign of his mate; he could not even smell her. After almost one month of traveling to different places looking for his mate, Lumaro went home feeling like a failure. He was not able to find his mate yet. “My son, I need to tell you something; I guess this is the most opportune time to let you know this thing.” It was Lumaro’s Alpha father who has spoken when he saw Lumaro arrived with a depressed expression. Lumaro suddenly looked at his father, with eyes on their inquisitive form. “What is it Father?” he asked curiously. “It is about your possible mate.” Lumaro’s Father replied as he sat on the wooden, well-sculptured chair in their living area. “I am excited to listen now my Alpha Father.” Lumaro also sat on the wooden chair in front of his Father, readying himself to listen. “Your possible mat
I Grazziena received a bouquet of red roses early in the morning. It has been delivered by a known flower delivery shop from the city. Surprised, Grazziena looked at the words written on the attached card. The note written in the attached card said, “To the woman who is giving me beautiful mornings just by thinking about her. . . See you this afternoon at our hotel Ms. Grazziena… Waiting with love, Jervin Ty.” Grazziena became uneasy. In a recent F******k live interview with a reporter from a local branch of a known TV Station, Jervin Ty vocally admitted that it was him who insisted to his father to invite the reigning Ms. Albaya 2020 to grace the opening of Ty’s second-biggest hotel in the province. When asked by the local reporter why he insisted so, Jervin Ty smiled warmly and pointed his finger on his heart part then softly said, “She hit me here.” The reporter’s eyes grew big and giggled as she looked at the camera, winked, and bade goodbye.
I And they said for a man to gain more allies and powers, he needs to know the real meaning of the word, “Control”. Control means, not only manipulating people to follow you but more so, manipulating yourself, your emotion to never burst out in anger, hatred, jealousy, or any other bad emotions in front of other people. This is what Governor Draeko has in mind when he saw the son of the Hotel Magnate and Business Tycon, Ty holding the hand of Ms. Albaya 2020 while helping her get out of his Mercedez Benz. It never occurred in him that this young man of the Ty family would be so persistent, to the extent of fetching Grazziena personally from her home going to the hotel. This is his problem; he cannot just do that right now. He cannot just go to Grazziena’s house without a valid or legitimate purpose being the Governor of Albaya Province. What would be a good purpose to visit her and her family using his Governor position? That he needs to think deeply. He cann
I She opened her eyes when she felt the nearness and the hard breathing of Governor Draeko. Unable to control herself, she touched the heart part of Governor Draeko. She even managed to caress it gently and then innocently checked on the expression of the young Governor, who is now closing the gap between them. “Grazziena, I really like you. At the onset that I saw you there on the ramp, I felt something different and I want you to be mine.” Governor Draeko whispered as his eyes are closely focused on Grazziena’s innocent-looking face. Grazziena kept her silence. She did not know what to say actually. Her heartbeats overwhelmed her senses. When Governor Draeko’s lips slowly came closer to her own lips, her eyes automatically shut and her lips trembled. She felt nervous at the same time excited. What could be the taste of the lips of a young and gorgeous Governor? She thought and then something inside her willowed with joy. Seeing that Grazziena cl
I Lumaro consulted his Alpha father where to go next. He tried to travel again in another pack’s land but to no avail. Sadly, he was not able yet to find his mate. “Father, I’m tired of looking for my mate. Where can I find her?” Lumaro with a weary heart asked his father Roilo, who suddenly brought his mind into the past. Alpha Roilo, who was then the Beta of Alpha Gregor clearly heard it when the most feared witch Tuthaara curse the daughter of their Alpha and Luna at that time. “Your father rejected me despite all the love I showered him; you, their only heir will suffer my final curse to your pack. You will be thrown to a far-away land where wolves are considered deadly animals and after the day of your adulthood, you will shift every midnight into your most dreadful wolf form that the wolves’ world and even the human’s world will ever see! Let my curse be done to you!” “Far away land… in the human world Lumaro! You can find your mate in t