CHAPTER 5

After surviving from the worst horrible calamity in her life, Xabrina suffered from physical and mental pain. Every word of her uncle still lingered on her mind as if she was still in that place. Every abused she received caused a lot of damage in her body and soul.

Physical abuse was often the main factor in the development of depression, anxiety and other mental health disorders. She was suffering from hallucinations and isolation of herself because of the trauma. She also suffered from sleep disturbances, self-harm, and attempted suicide. Even though she was in hospital and healing her external pain, she was still attempting to jumped out of the window or cut herself with a scalpel or any sharp objects.

Xabrina kept on hearing murmurs inside her head and they always hunt her every night. She also can’t eat properly because she always thought that there was a poison in her food. The nurses were struggling in keeping her healthy since she was experiencing a lot of trauma in her life.

Sometimes she was just looking at the window and watching the birds fly, then afterwards she would tremble in fear as if someone was in there trying to threaten and kill her. Xabrina was trying to cope up with her life, struggling until she can yet she knew that this would not be the end.

*****

A man was running away in the woods when he heard a loud howl from nearby. His shirts were torn apart, and it has a lot of blood on it. His hair was messy and his face was full of dirt and blood. His eyes were red as if he was drugged. He has a lot of bruises and cuts in his face. He can hear someone running behind him and it was so fast. The sound of the broken twigs and dried leaves kept on hearing anywhere. The wavy trees keeping his eyes distracted and can’t hear properly the track of it.

He immediately hide from a huge tree and kept his mouth shut when he heard it stop. The small steps from it kept on closing their space from each other. He minimizes his breathing even though his heart was pounding loudly. He knew something was wrong and someone was trying to hunt him. He doesn’t know if that was a human or an animal since it was too fast. Yet, he doesn’t care because he knew his life was on it.

He covered himself in fear when he heard another howl in his back.He was near. He was fucking near.

“N-no..no please no.. Wala akong ginagawang masama..”he said while crying desperately. He can feel the breath of someone in his back. The cold air coming from someone lingered on his back up to his hand and made him felt numbed and can’t move.

A long claw overlapped on his shoulders, and he can feel its sharpness. It slowly pierced his shoulders, and it bleeds. He screamed in pain when it pierced half of it claws on his shoulder. The cold blood flow on his chest up to his thighs. He trembled in fear and cried hoping someone would help him.

“T-tama na..nagmamakaawa ako,” the uncle of Xabrina cried desperately from pain. Hindi nya alam kung ano ang gusto nito sa kanya. Wala naman syang ginagawang masama. Ginawa nya lamang iyon kay Xabrina dahil deserve nya ito.

Unti unting nyang naramdaman ang malamig na hininga nito sa kanyang tenga. He can feel a soft fur in his back and it made him trembled in fear. Damn, he knew what it is.  It’s a fucking wild beast that waiting for its prey in the woods. They killed human in a brutal and ruthless way. They need human to keep their existence in this world.

“T-Tulong..tulungan nyo ko!” uncle shouted loudly as if someone can hear him along with the chirp of bird flying high and swiftness of trees. His voice echoed throughout the woods, yet no one answered. It kept on echoing, yet no one can hear it. The place was too secluded for a human to came and travelled. The highway was too far away, and no one came in here because they knew this was a place for a werewolves. Xabrina’s uncle bravely took a place near to it to avoid the police in searching his place since it has a lot of drugs and drugged dealer dealing in that place along with illegal gambling and human trafficking.

“No one will help you, dear human,”a werewolf said near to his ears. He can smell the pungent odour of it and he almost puked. It has a smell of human flesh and blood.

 Nakaramdam sya nang mumunting tulo sa kanyang sugatang balikat. He squirmed in pain when he saw the saliva of the werewolf dripping on his shoulder. Humapdi ang kanyang sugat dahilan ng kanyang pagsigaw. His screamed echoed throughout the woods and the birds fly away because of it.

Unti unting hinaplos ng werewolf ang kanyang pisnge at diniin ang kanyang matutulis na kuko doon na nagging dahilan ng malakas na sigaw ng lalake. His tears flow rapidly due to pain, and it dripped on his cuts. Another pain stroked on him. Labis labis ang sakit na nararamdaman nito.

“Shut your fucking mouth if you want to live,”the werewolf said while his saliva was still dripping on his bleeding shoulder.

“I won’t eat you…yet.” the werewolf licked his cheeks and savouring it. The uncle shut his mouth and trembled in fear when he felt the sticky tongue of the werewolf on his cheeks. He can feel the sharp teeth of it and he almost pierced it in his cheeks.

They heard a mad loud howl from nearby and it was almost near from them. The werewolf sniffed and he already knew who it was. He hissed from annoyance and took the uncle with his mouth.

“Let’s go.” then they ran away while the uncle crying silently. He knew there was another werewolf nearby. He loses his subconsciousness while running away.

Logan heard the scream of a man nearby. He sniffed its smell, and he knew it was her uncle. He ran fast as he can along with cold air and moist dripping on his fur. When he came from the place, no one was there except from the track of a forepaw of a werewolf. He turned into a human and looked closely to the track. He wasn’t familiar to this paw yet he knew it was a werewolf. He clenched his fist and tighten his jaw from annoyance. Someone helped him from escaping. He can’t think any werewolf that would do that unless someone traitored his pack.

“I’ll find you and kill you with my own hand.” his red dazzling eyes glow from anger when he heard someone running fast behind him.

“Logan,”a werewolf with a grey fur along with golden mane run towards him then turned in to a human. Oliver looked so worried as if something bad happened. His hairy chest throbbing so fast along with his six-pack abs perfectly paired with his warm ivory skin. He has a squared jaw along with a roman nose, warm dreamy deep yellow eyes, and thick pale lips. Oliver was one of the betas of Logan’s pack

“What’s wrong?” Logan said without looking at him. He was still glancing out of nowhere and finding the track of that werewolf, yet it was already gone. Its too fast. He was not an ordinary werewolf.

“Some of our werewolves encountered another pack of unknown werewolves and..”Oliver hesitated to spoke when he met the red glowing eyes of their alpha. The fear flow throughout his body just by looking at it. Agad niyang inilayo ang paningin dahil sa takot. He was greater than an ordinary werewolf. He was really an Alpha. The greatest alpha they had.

“And what?”Logan glared at Oliver. He can sense something wrong. Something bad happened. He remembered that Nemesis supposed to train the young werewolves in the deep woods. Nanlaki ang kanyang mata nang maalala ang lugar na iyon.

There was an unrecognized pack living in that place. It was too dangerous for his pack so they don’t usually go to that place yet Nemesis was too stubborn to listened and kept on pleasing him to go deeper in that place. Logan already knew what place it is.

It was full moon when Logan got lost in hunting in that place. He was a young werewolf back then. He supposed to train with other werewolves, but he got lost when he saw a deer running in to deep forest. He didn’t mind the loud howl he heard and still following the deer to killed it.

Napatigil sya sa pagtakbo nang mawala sa kanyang paningin ang usa. Inilibot nya ang kanyang paningin sa kanyang paligid at nakaramdam sya ng takot nang malaman nyang naliligaw na sya. Babalik na sana sya sa kanyang pinanggalingan nang biglang may nakita syang mga matang nakasilip sa gilid ng naglalakihang puno. Namumula ang mga mata nito at naglalaway ang bibig. Tila handa syang sakmalin anumang oras. Agad syang nakaramdam ng takot nang lumabas ito sa kanyang pwesto. He has a full brown fur and glowing red eyes along with sharp fangs and claws ready to kill him. His fangs and fur were covered in blood. He trembled in fear, yet he didn’t allow him to see it. He immediately run away to the deep forest to escape from that unknown werewolf since he knew he doesn’t have any chance against him.

He ran and ran until he saw something in the wood. He howls loudly in rage when he saw other young werewolves cold and lifeless. They were killed and their body were full of blood and slashed as if a wild beast killed them. A single tear left in his glowing red eyes. He wanted to kill that beast who killed his brothers.

Agad syang tumakbo pabalik upang harapin ang pumatay sa kanyang mga kaibigan ngunit napatigil sya nang bigla nyang nakita ang kanyang uncle na isang alpha sa lugar nila. He was in rage, yet his eyes were worried. Agad sya nitong kinagat upang dalhin palayo sa lugar na iyon. Nagpupumiglas sya sa galit ngunit masyadong madiin ang pagkakakagat nito sa kanya. Napatigil sya nang makita ang namumulang mata na nakita nya kanina. Agad syang umungol nang pagkalakas lakas. Logan was fucking mad. Hindi nya makakalimutan ang mga matang iyon. The unknown werewolf rolled his tongue around his lips as if he was savouring the taste of Logan’s brothers.He smirked playfully and howl loudly. It was supposed to be a delightful night yet it turned into bloody hell night.

“…They were killed. But the young werewolves came back without any bruises yet Nemesis and the other older werewolves..were gone.”Logan came back to its sense when he heard what Oliver said. He clenched his fist from terror and furious. He turned into a werewolf then ran along with the dried leaves falling on to the trees.

Logan ran back to their place. Sinalubong sya ng mga batang werewolves na nanginginig sa takot. They didn’t cry yet he can see how they were terrified in that place. He run his palm in his hair from annoyance. Fuck, he shouldn’t let this happened, yet his mate was in danger too. He sighed deeply from frustration and mourned to his dead fellow werewolves. He walked toward the young werewolf sitting in the chair looking at out of nowhere.

“Hey.”Logan smiled to him to assured him that everything would be fine. The boy looked back coldly to him.

“Can you tell me what happened?”he said.

“Where are you?”the boy said. He was glaring to Logan. Logan was shocked to his response.

“What?”Logan asked from confusion.

“Where did you go?!”the boy started to cry while still glaring at him. He looked so mad at Logan. Nanlumo ang mga mata ni Logan sa sinabi ng bata.

“You supposed to joined us from hunting,,but you didn’t came,”the boy said. He was crying silently yet his words pierced through Logan’s heart. Napayuko na lamang si Logan at kinuyom ang kamao sa galit. He knew it was his fault. Yet, he can’t let his woman to be hurt again.

“Maliligtas mo sana sina Ate Nemesis pero wala ka… You’re our Alpha. You should protect us.. but why you didn’t came…Why did you let that happened?!Why?!” tuluyan nang umiyak nang malakas ang bata. Natuon ang pansin ng mga ibang werewolf sa nangyari.  Logan felt guilty from what happened. It his fault. The boy was right. He let that happened. He should kill that beast a long time ago, yet he didn’t. He was a worthless Alpha all this time.

Agad syang tumayo at naglakad palayo. His eyes were full of rage and furious from what happened. He turned into a werewolf and run into the forest. He howl loudly from anger. Oliver followed him and tried to stop him. Hinarangan nya ito na pumunta sa lugar na iyon.

“Get out in my way, Oliver. “Logan hissed to him.

“I won’t let you, Logan. You shouldn’t do any unnecessary action by yourself,” Oliver said bravely. He was already trembling in fear by just standing in front of him. Logan was raging in his werewolf form. He can feel a black aura around him as if he was ready to kill.

“I said, get the fuck out on my way!”he almost attacked him to threatened him yet he didn’t flinched.

“You should go back and talk with other werewolves before taking an action,”Oliver said while glaring at him. Alam nyang wala syang pag asang manalo kapag pinagpilitan nito at idaan sa dahas. But, this is the only way he knew.

“Your pack needs you,,,as well as your mate.”si Oliver lamang ang tanging nakakaalam tungkol sa minamahal ni Logan. Agad na kumalma si Logan nang marinig ang kanyang iniibig. He was right. He shouldn’t do any action right now. Maaring mas mapahamak ang kanyang pack kapag nagdesisyon sya agad agad.

He glanced at the deep forest. He saw the glowing red eyes hiding in the bush. He felt his blood boiled and wanted to choke him to death. Tiningnan nya ito nang malalim na nagpapahiwatig ng isang madugong labanan na mangyayari. In that day, Logan swears to himself that he would tortured that werewolf until he die from misery. He wouldn’t let him live killing all those innocent werewolf and humans. He would be cold and lifeless like what he did to his brothers. He would take revenge for his dead brothers and sisters.

“Let the war begin.”

*****

“Xabrina, you need to take your medicine,“ a nurse said holding a piece of medicine for her. She glanced at the nurse. A tear left on her cheeks when she saw Nurse Klara. Her smile glow like a star shining in the middle of the night. She cried loudly and hugged the nurse tightly.

“Thank God, you’re safe..”she looked at the nurse then suddenly it changed into a creepy face with a lot of cuts and blood in her face. She immediately pushed the nurse and it fell on the ground. She screamed loudly in fear when the nurse rose and looking at her in murder.

“You..killed me..”the nurse said. Agad syang umiling at sinabunutan ang buhok sa takot. Sumiksik sya sa gilid ng higaan at prinotektahan ang sarili.

“Hindi…hindi..” she was crying desperately in front of the dead nurse. She closes her eyes when someone hugged her tightly. She can feel the warmness of its arms around her body. Its hand caressing her back to calm her down yet her tears won’t stop flowing.

“I’m sorry..”Nathan said. His deep caring voice lingered in her ears and touched her soul yet her heart was still covered in pain and agony.

“You can leave now.”Nathan hugged her tightly then the nurse leave. Xabrina was hallucinating. The nurse was shocked from what happened but she already knew it yet she was still scared. She immediatel;y leave the place without looking back.

“Hey,calm down.”Nathan was trying to calm her down but she still won’t stop. She kept on crying silently while trembling in fear. Hindi na nya ang alam gagawin nya upang mapakalma ito. Tila dinudurog ang kanyang puso sa nangyayari sa minamahal nya. Alam nya kung gaano kahirap ang dinadanas nito. He wished that if he has a chance to take away all her pain and put it into him, he will gladly allow it.

He softly kissed her hair while brushing it. This is the only thing he could do right now. He was hoping that he was easing her pain slowly.

“Just take it slowly, Xabrina. You’ll be fine,”he said.

Unti unting tumahan si Xabrina. Nakatulala na lamang ito sa kawalan habang tumutulo ng paunti unti ang kanyang mga luha. She lose her tiny hope. Alam nyang may nangyaring masama kay nurse Klara. Maaring ito ang pumalit sa kanya sa kulungan na iyon or wala na ito sa mundong ibabaw. Biglang pumasok sa kanyang isipan kung sino ang lalaking ito at kung paano sya napunta dito. Tinulak nya ang lalaking nasa harapan nya.

“Who are you? P-Paano ako napunta dito?” she asked. She looked so confused. Nathan sealed his lips from the real reason she was here. Hindi nya pwedeng sabihin ang tungkol sa deal at ang kay Logan. She would probably won’t trust him.

“Nagkataon lang na nasa lugar ako na iyon. And, I saw you lying in the woods.” he avoided her green tantalizing eyes. He can’t meet it since he was lying. He felt guilty but it’s for her sake. For her safety.

“And,I’m Nathan.You can trust me,”he said while looking at her eyes. Xabrina felt something wrong with him yet his voice soothing her and made her feel safe atleast. Nathan smiled at her to assured her that she can trust him yet he knew it would tear apart soon.But he won’t let that happened. He won’t let her brother to ruin her beloved baby.