Chapter 4

"I THINK, THE best thing you can do right now is to stay away from her, Hayes."

Hawthorne looked at Kyon with a warning and he didn't like what he said. Nakatayo sila sa labas ng kaniyang silid habang nakatanaw kay Nina na nakahiga sa kaniyang kama at hanggang ngayon ay wala pa ring malay. Safiya is sitting next to her while examining her.

"I've been searching for her for hundreds of years and you will say that I should stay away from her—"

"Look at your claws. You can't control yourself when she's around, Hayes." Draco noticed as he was leaning against the railings of the stairs and looking at his hands.

He sighed deeply as he clench and unclench his fists, trying to control himself.

"They are right, Hayes." Pagsang-ayon naman ni Safiya na hindi nila namalayang nakalapit na sa kanila. "She can trigger your beast while you make her weak."

"That's absurd!" Muntikan ng isigaw ni Hawthorne, nag-iingat siya na baka magising si Nina.

"You can't deny it, Hayes. You also know in yourself that what we said is true." Draco drawled. "She was the reason why you have been able to transform again to your beast after a hundred years, right?"

When Rosemarie died, he never transformed into his werewolf. even when he tried, even when he forced himself. Ilang beses din siyang sumubok ng iba't-ibang ritwal pero wala din nangyari. He is not weak but his wounds healed for a long time. He's not that fast anymore but he's still stronger than the average person.

In the early years, he still drank blood. That was the source of his strength but as time went on the blood changed his mind that he just wanted to kill. There he met Kyon because his clan was chasing him.

And since then he has not drunk any blood.

Nagbalik nga ang lakas niya ngayon pero hindi naman niya mahawakan ang babaeng dahilan kung bakit nagpapatuloy siyang mabuhay. Is this a joke?

"You both triggered each other, Hayes," Kyon stated.

Safiya looked straight into his eyes. "But there's a way that you can be with her, Hayes."

Hawthorne's eyebrows met. "What is it then?"

He's gambling all his life and he will do everything to be with the woman he loved till then and until now. Even if it's dealing with the devil then he will do it without a heartbeat.

"Mark her. That's the only way for you to be together."

He gritted his teeth as he shook his head disagreeing with what she had said.

"I will only mark her once she knows about everything. Once I told her what I am. Who I am. And who she is."

"But that's the only way, Hayes. Mark her and everything will be okay between the two of you."

"No. No. I will only mark her with her consent."

He wants to do it the right way. She deserved it even if there's a chance that she might not accept him, he will still do it.

"Hayes, you can't even get close to her without transforming. You can't control yourself. Just look at you, sweating and breathing hard. The next thing you know, her blood is in your hands already."

Hawthorne's eyes instantly changed to yellow, he showed his fangs too and tried to attack Safiya but Draco immediately held him while Kyon pulled Safiya away from him.

"Relax, Hayes. Try to control yourself." Draco calms him down and tries to keep him away as well but he's still stronger than him even though he's a vampire.

He blinked his eyes, took a deep breath while calming himself. And he knew that they were right, he can't control himself and worst he might harm her. That's the last thing he wants to do and he doesn't want that to happen again.

He looked at Nina who was still unconscious and gradually he calmed down. She manages to get the monster out of him but she can still make him calm down.

Hawthorne looked down, feeling very disappointed at their situation. At himself. When Draco noticed that he had calmed down, he let go of him.

"I searched the whole world to find her." He said but more to himself. "I will do everything for her but I will never go away from her. Not again. I will find a way. I know there's a way."

"Hayes—"

"Safiya!" Kyon warned when she tried to approach him.

He looked at Nina again. He wanted to hold and hug her but he knew he couldn't. He stared at the three of them. Since the moment he was with them, he never showed any weaknesses. He was only showing vulnerability when it's all about her but now, he let them see him this weak because he can't do anything.

He didn’t know what to do and that was the truth.

Kyon nodded as he understood him while Draco just shrugged and Safiya seemed to want to say something more but she was hesitant.

"Take care of her. Make sure she will return to their house safely." Though reluctantly he still said that, he forced himself to leave that place because for now, that was all he could do and he had no choice.

CONSTANTINE TURNED TO Hawthorne with a smile on his face. "You still don't want to talk about it? Come on, I have two shoulders that you can cry on."

Hindi ito pinansin ni Hawthorne, lumabas siya ng kotse nito habang inililibot ang tingin sa kalsada at mga gusali na nakapalibot sa kanila.

"I mean, I already predicted you would transform back to your beast but not her. Didn't expect that. Believe me."

"Are you sure this is the place?" Instead, he asked, he has this boredom in his face and eagerness to just finish the reason why they are there.

He groaned. "Don't you smell anything?"

"If I can smell something then it's only your rotting soul, dxxkhead."

"You're quite savage, Hawthorne Salvatrix." He even chuckled then got out of the car and stood next to him. "Hindi ka ba nagtataka? Pugad ito ito ng mga Rogues pero wala ka man lamang maamoy na kahit ano?"

"Or maybe you're lying." Sabi niya at pumasok na ng gusali.

As before, he believed in him again. He said he knew someone who could cast a spell so that he could get close to Nina and she wouldn't suffer anymore. It's just that it's temporary, he will only be given time to tell her the truth and explain everything.

Ginawa na ni Hawthorne ang lahat pero wala talaga siyang maamoy don na makapagsasabi sa kanya na lugar nga iyon ng mga Rogues. Rogues are werewolf who was expelled or those who run away from their pack. They are dangerous, cunning, and also treacherous, just like Constantine Wilderheist.

He stopped when he heard something. His hearing and smells heightened.

"So what now? What do you hear?" Constantine asked in a stupid voice with his animated face.

"Your irritating breathing."

Hawthorne didn’t know if Constantine was fooling around just to annoy him more or he didn’t feel and hear anything at all. He remembered how powerful he was back then, though he can still feel his strength until now. Maybe he was just good at hiding and acting or maybe he just wants to ruin his mood every day.

Nalibot na nila ang unang palapag pero wala pa rin silang nakikitang mga Rogues, nasa pangalawang palapag na sila ng makarinig ng ingay sa pangatlong palapag.

And there they saw the Rogues trying to run away, the others have already jumped out the window. They all growled at them and Hawthorne can see the fear in their eyes but they still attacked them. He respects their bravery even though they know that they won't stand a chance.

He held the rogue man's hair as he dragged him to where he pointed their leader was.

"A-Alpha..." The guy he was holding said when they entered a dark room.

The other Rogues huddled together, while a man was sitting at the end who seemed to be praying.

"Alpha?" Constantine laughed. "And do you think this is a pack? What? A pack of rogues?"

"Tell me where the witch is and I will let you live." He proffered then smirked and shook his head. "Nah! I changed my mind."

He broke the guy's neck and used his speed, in just a second he was in front of the guy they call "Alpha". His hands were already inside his chest and he was holding his beating heart in his palm.

"You're not an Alpha. You don't have what it takes to be one. You're a disgrace to my kind."

Nanlaki ang mga mata nito, habol ang hininga at iyon ang nagpapakitang hindi ito matatawag na Alpha. His mouth opened but before he could even speak, Hawthorne pulled his hand out with his heart. He collapsed and he also let go of his heart before he faced all the Rogues who were terrified while staring at him.

While Constantine was just smiling as he leaned against the door. Unlike him whose clothes and face was stained with blood, he was very clean except for his bloody hands.

"Whoever can tell me where the witch I'm looking for will be, then I will let him leave this place. Alive."

MAS LUMALAKI ANG mga apoy sa torches sa bawat paghakbang nila Hawthorne at Constantine na nagbibigay ng liwanag sa kanilang daanan. Sa gitna ng kakahuyan ay may natanaw siyang mataas at lumang tore. Tila ito na lang ang natirang buhay na saksi sa pinagdaan ng lugar na iyon sa mga nagdaang taon. Kahit saan ka tumingin ay nagkalat ang mga debris na nagapanggan na ng mga ligaw na halaman at veins.

Pagpasok ay nakita nila ang kanilang pakay. Isang babae ang nakaupo sa harap ng malaking apoy na tila nagdadasal. Kung pagbabasihan ang itsura nito ay siguro nasa mga edad twenty five na ito ngunit marami na rin siyang nakasalamuhang mga witches na bata nga ang itsura ngunit ilang daan taon na ring nabubuhay sa mundo. Katulad nila ni Constantine, mga immortal ang pinagkaiba lang nila ay walang bagay o kahit ano na makapapatay sa kanila.

This is the place where those rogues pointed out the witch he was looking for. In the ruins of ​​Psicadiasis. The sinister city.

She remembers Rosemarie telling her a lot of things about this place. How beautiful, how big, peaceful, and luxurious it was. But those things are just stories because this place is already terrifying. Sadly, he never got the chance to see the beauty of Psicadiasis. But as she recalls Rosemarie's happy face full of life as she talks about this place, it seems like that's what he has been seeing since they set foot in Psicadiasis.

The woman's eyes were closed, she didn't even look at them. She didn't even try to know who they were. It's as if she was already expecting them.

"The First Alpha and The Creator," she whispered, still with closed eyes. "What could I have done good and the two of the most powerful and feared creatures in Mysticshire visited me?"

"We're here because I know you are the only one who can cast a spell about the resurgence. The resurrection and controlling the essence of the souls of someone who was reborn again and someone who can't control their desires."

Bahagyang kumunot ang noo ni Hawthorne sa tinuran ni Constantine pero nawala din iyon sa isipan niya ng tumayo ang babae at harapin sila. Mariin itong nakatingin sa kanya.

 "Alam mong wala kang pagpipilian kung hindi ang sundin kami. Ang isang witch na tumutulong sa mga rogues ay siguradong malaki ang kaparusahang matatanggap. Hindi lang sa mga pack, coven pati na rin sa free coven." Pagpapaalala dito ni Constantine.

"And if that's not going to be my fate, you two will definitely kill me."

"You have my word, do the spell of resurgence and we will not harm you or even touch your hair and fingertips," Hawthorne promised and he will make sure that it will happen.

For him, even though many people had betrayed him, he still believed in promises. You can judge a man by only their words.

The woman chuckled, baffled while her eyes were twinkling as she stared at him.

"Salvatrix's men. They will do everything for the woman they loved. Hinding-hindi magdadalawang isip na isakripisyo nila ang kanilang buhay para sa babaeng minamahal nila at makikipag-kasundo kahit kay kamatayan para lang sa minamahal nilang babae."

Then she looked at Constantine and shook her head, turning her attention back to him.

"This woman. She's not your real mate, right? She's not also the woman destined for you. And hasn't your mate died long ago so why are you wasting time with a woman who isn't your mate— "

"Sa tingin ko ay hindi mo na iyon kailangang malaman pa." Putol niya sa iba pang sasabihin nito, biglang uminit ang ulo pero dahil kailangan niya ito ay pinigilan niya ang namumuong galit na unti-unti niyang nararamdaman.

Rosemarie may not be his mate but she is his first love. He met her before he became a werewolf. She came first before he had a mate. She is his happiness, she is his life and she is everything for him.

"Kung ganon ay hindi talaga totoo na ang mate n'yo lang ang iibigin n'yo habang buhay?" The woman blinked, but in the end, she nodded. "Then I need her blood and your blood and something that Rosemarie owns."

Pinukol ni Hawthorne ng nakamamatay ng tingin si Constantine ng ibigay nito sa babae ang maliit na botelyang naglalaman ng pulang likido at alam niyang dugo iyon ni Nina.

"You piece of shxt—"

Agad nitong iniangat ang kamay, lumayo sa kanya.

"You know that I'm always ready, Hawthorne. And don't worry, I didn't hurt her. She was unconscious when I took a little of her blood and I was also careful because I knew you couldn't do that because you can't even get close to her."

Dinuro niya ito. "The next time you touch her, I won't restrain myself and I'll forget who you are. I'll do anything to kill you."

"Yeah! Yeah! I get it. Even you're hurting my feelings." Nakasimangot nitong sabi pero wala siyang nakitang kaseryosohan sa mukha nito.

After he cut his palm, he gave the woman his bloody hand then the ring that Rosemarie gave to him back then.

"SA TINGIN MO hindi maghihinala si Hawthorne sa iyo at hindi niya agad malalaman ang lahat ng mga binabalak mo, Creator?"

Baliwalang nilingon ni Constantine si Payton, nagkibit-balikat saka ibinalik din sa apoy ang kaniyang mga mata. Of course, he planned everything, from those rogues to this moment. He conspired with Payton who had also been serving him for a long time. It was all just an act but the spell of resurgence and their blood are real but he exchanged his blood with Hawthorne.

The spell of resurgence was enough for them to control their feelings until Hawthorne gave the mark to that woman. Sariling plano niya lang ang tungkol sa dugo dahil may mahalaga iyong parte na gagampanan sa kaniyang hinaharap.

Kanina pa nakaalis si Hawthorne at alam niyang pupuntahan agad nito si Nina Gabriel.

"Hawthorne Salvatrix is ​​blinded by his desire to be with that woman. Kung malalaman man niya ay siguradong hindi pa ngayon. Habang baliw na baliw pa siya sa babaeng iyon, gagamitin ko naman ang pagkakataong iyon para maisakatuparan ang mga plano ko."

Constantine smirked as his hands touched the flames and played with it. It's hot but it didn't hurt him. He is even more empowered by it.

NANG MAKAAKYAT AT makapasok sa silid ni Nina ay tahimik na nilapitan ito ni Hawthorne. Mahimbing pa rin itong natutulog. She's even snoring a little which made him smile.

He bent down to stare at her more closely. She's breathing calmly. Her eyelashes were long and her hair was scattered all over her pillow but she's still pretty and when he saw her parted lips, he swallowed hard.

Suddenly he sweltered and he was no longer comfortable in his position while staring at her. She looks so delicate. So innocent. It felt like if he touched her, he might hurt her again.

Kinuha niya ang maliit na bote saka umupo sa gilid ng kama at maingat na ipinainom dito ang dugo mula don.