Book 1, Chapter 17 Dook
2132 Words
It’s the first time he ever felt the urge to stop someone’s tears in their eyes. He really just wants to pull the person near him, and hold its neck and snap it like a twig. Because Alvin never stopped his over dramatic wailing, making it rain snot and saliva in the room. Attacking everyone that afternoon.
“Mah boy! I’m glad that you are safe!” Mr. Jo said, clapping Dook on his arm, while putting the apple basket on the side table.
“Thanks, Jo. My wounds are already closing. Shifters—we are fast healer.” The young alpha received the usual jolly Mr. Jo laughing in response.
“OH GODS.. I’M SO HAPPY, YOU’RE ALIVE!” Alvin continuing his dramatic cries. Asterids on his right side is using a random hospital blanket to shield herself from the unwanted bodily fluids.
“Dude. So loud!” the young lady said, then she slap the guy on his back. The other five beta pack members who’re present, Theo and Simon included, smirking as their leader suffers from the burning sensation on his back.
“This room is so crowded,” Dook murmured.
“Can’t blame them, boss. They’re just worried. But honestly, how many are your underlings?”
“I don’t know.”
“All his beta employees, so twenties,” Theo answered.
“That’s really a lot,” the young lady chuckled weakly.
“Hey, Asterids. You’re insane you know that.” Dook said in serious tone. He have a lot to say to the lady. But mainly he is worried.
“Ohhkay. That’s our cue! Come on you bunch of goons. Lead me to the nearest pasta restaurant.” Mr. Jo is smart enough to read the room. He left Dook and his assistant alone, while dragging all the underlings, including the crying Alvin out. The hallway outside is filled with his annoying cries. "Boss get well soon!"
“It was the only choice.” Asterids is checking her right thumb nail, avoiding Dook’s gaze. He remembered seeing the young lady’s animal form a week ago, after regaining consciousness in that muddy forest near the city hall. Asterids flew him to the closest private clinic. The doctor was astonished to see a unique Pepita species. A chimera.
“Are you wearing the necklace again? We’ll have to keep your animal form a secret from everyone for now.” Asterids just nod to respond. Dook is fine. Barely. He’s already done recovering. Almost. There’s an injury that he’s having trouble getting over with, though. His injured ego, for not able to damage the ghostly beings.
“To tell you honestly, since I already disobeyed my mother anyway.. I don’t get the point of hiding my transformation. Everyone knows I’m a chimera.”
“I totally get your point Asterids. But I have a theory, and you won’t like it.”
“Tell me.”
Dook reached for a Fuji apple from the fruit basket on the table near his bed. He held it near his mouth for a bite, but did not go through with it. He just kept holding it, and staring at it, while his hand is resting on his lap. “Recorded chimeras in the pasts have a dominant form. Only one form. They only had two sets of DNA. And that’s it. But seeing your chimerism translated to an actual form of combined animal features.. You as a unique Pepita species, implies something important.”
“Which is?”
“We have our social rankings among the shifters community. Omega, Beta, Alpha, the marshals or knights, above them—the shifter council, and lastly beyond us all regular creatures. The sons and daughters of the gods, the monarchs,” Dook started. He gazed back at Asterids and found her patiently waiting. So he continued..
“In secret, I’m already a registered knight under the shifters council. This is given, being I am a born Guardian alpha who are destined to serve the monarchs. And.. Being a knight, I have access to certain information.” He put the apple back in the basket.
“The last time that a monarch is seen alive, was more than four hundred years ago. This century, there hasn’t been any updates on the whereabouts of the monarchs. Until last week.” Confusion painted the face of his Assistant.
“I-I don’t get it boss—”
“Don’t worry, I’m getting there,” Dook said with reassurance.
“What I’m saying is that the Pepita species is very rare, because only the monarchs takes that form.”
*** *** ***
“You know that sounds ridiculous, right?”
“We’ll I’m just saying the possibility. Because if ever you are, what I think you are. Then your life and soul is in danger. You know that Hamorabi aims the soul of the queen, right?” Asterids’ face twitch in response. For Dook however, this explains a lot of things for him. His wanting to protect her, and being compelled to be truthful to her. This things might be because he’s a guardian who is meant to serve the queen. It doesn’t mean anything deeper. And for some reason, this makes him feel relieved. He doesn’t want getting close to anyone. After all, his animal self Byakko killed his own parents. The parents that he love.
“I-I don’t know what to think anymore,” the blue eyed lady exclaimed. But then Dook noticed Asterids pondering on something, as if she’s realizing things of her past.
Dook is guessing things, but Asterids—not using her shifting ability since birth, and using the stolen cursed ring to seal her animal self, is already downright suspicious. “You even have the same eye color as Maria Clara.” The monarch who lived In this country Philippines, hundreds of years ago.
“I know that this is a lot to take. Which is why I have a proposition.” Dook forced himself to stand up to open the window curtain. His back facing his assistant, while she is currently seated on the chair near his bed.
“What is it, boss?”
“According to the recorded histories of the monarch’s previous reincarnations, the king or the queen, usually remembers their past as soon as they are born. However, there are old cases where the queen will do forget her past. There are proper processes to confirm if a shifter is really the reincarnated monarch. Only the elders from the shifter councils knows these sacred methodologies.”
“I-I—Do we even have time for these? With Hamorabi still on the—”
“That’s my point. I want you to take the tests. It will be in the main facilities of the council in Cairo, Egypt. And it will take a while. You should be with the council. You will be secured there.”
“And what of the Madrigal killings?”
“We’ll take care of it on our own. The council might send help as well.”
“What?! Are you insane? You want me to leave my clan here? What the hell Dook!” The young alpha faced his assistant, as she is standing now as well.
“I believe it’s for the better, assistant.” Dook gazed at Asterids firmly.
“Better for whom?”
“For you.. I just want you safe from all this!” Dook’s jaw is clenching, his chest protruding, while his hands are in open position as he explains his point with frustration.
“Oh because I’m your queen now?! You might be my boss, heck possibly my guardian alpha. But you can’t control me!”
“Listen! You aren’t safe here anymore! Hamorabi have the ability to cast the Azrael Curse that shatters your soul! I won’t be able to protect you.. This is the first time that I felt weak—” Dook stopped talking, as he caught himself. He squinted as if physically trying to stop the turmoil inside his mind. Instead he punched the wall behind him near the window, his hands immediately shifted to claws, leaving cracks and dent on the wall surface.
“At the f*cking moment that I have something to protect,” he continued in a low voice. Dook faced Asterids once more, and stepped closer to her. His gaze never faltering.
“My queen,” he whispered. Asterids went silent. Her lips, parting. Her eyes are starting to moist. Dook felt the urge to hold her cheeks and wipe her swelling tears, but stopped himself. He is not the right person for this. Nevertheless, the blue eyed lady’s dejected expression never stopped making his mind confused and chaotic.
“No.” Asterids recovered. “Stop pushing me away.. I’m no damsel in distress—You know that. I just found my real self recently.” She said it sounding like a plea. Her eyes, begging as if fearful. “I don’t need saving. We just need to continue our partnership. My clan needs me, as well as they need you. Come on I will take care of you, I promise and you’ll take care of me. That’s it. Simple! You already bested that Byakko inside. Now you need to find your full potential. You are free from his shackles, now find a way to hurt the specters.” Dook sigh in response. The girl is a real pain in the ass. Ever since she came into his life, all he’s been doing is to make compromises, after another. People had always agreed with him, followed his every commands, fear him as their alpha.. No one challenged his authority to the point that it’s almost boring, until this tomboy assistant barged in. He never experience second guessing his decisions, until recently. He never knew he had weakness, until last week. The lady is definitely a stone, thrown by the universe to disturb his stagnant life. Sending waves of annoyance and laughter. Asterids help him with his control over Byakko. With her around, people starts to genuinely smile at him. Plus the goons love her. She’s one of the boys.
“You’re the most annoying assistant that I ever had, you know?!” The young alpha snarl. But then the he smile for a bit that Asterids almost miss it. Being the queen’s guardian, it’s only natural that he felt this closeness to her. He can just offer his loyalty to her then.
“Stupid, boss. I’m your first and only assistant.”
“I have Mr. Tony.”
“Nah, he’s your secretary.” Their voice fades in the air as they keep bantering on each other. Not a care in the world, at that brief moment.
*** *** ***
Few minutes later, Dook and Asterids found themselves unable to stand away from the comfy hospital chairs. They have bulging stomach, after they ate all the apples. “I just realized that we were just hungry earlier.” The young alpha flexed his arms. Asterids chuckled in response.
“Gods.. we murdered that fruit basket, boss.”
“Stop calling me that,” Dook rebuked.
“Call you what?”
“My name is not boss.”
“Calling you Dook sounds weird.”
“Rude,” then silence filled the air. Dook looked at the blue skies outside the window. He’s feeling very good right now. Thank you Fuji apples. “Call me by my nickname outside the office,” he calmly said.
“Which is?”
“Don’t laugh.”
“I won’t.”
“My nickname is Salt.” Asterids went silent.
“You’re laughing.” His assistant did not reply. Dook glance at her through his peripheral. His assistant is definitely laughing.
“Laugh all you want. I shall take my revenge.”
“Sorry! It’s just that you’re making it easy for me to bully you sometimes.”
“Ass. No one bullies an alpha leader.”
“Get over yourself.. But yes, I’m sorry,” Asterids said as she wipe her teary eyes, trying to hold a laugh.
“I shall give you a nickname.” Dook suggested to get even.
“K. What do you have in mind?”
“Pepper.” Dook decided. He got a mischievous smile, while biting his lower lips.
“Pepper, huh.” His assistant repeated.
“Yes. In Botany, your name Asterids denotes a clade. Meaning a monophyletic group of plant species. The well known plant in the Asterids clade is the Pepper plant.”
“Interesting.. I guess, I will try to like it.” Asterids claim.
“You better not. I want you to suffer from the embarrassment, as I call you that infernal name.. From now on.”
- Writer
