THE REJECTED BETA

FIVE

"You haven't changed," Lyme coldly broke the silence as we entered the woods. Huminto ito sa ilalim ng isang matandang puno at bumaling sa akin.

Isang buntong hininga ang aking pinakawalan at tumayo sa harapan nito. I stared at him straight into his eyes and lifted my hand to cupped his handsome face that was slightly being covered by his chestnut locks. "You're right, I'm still the same Milly as before. And I still love you, Ly--"

"You're still the same cunning violent spoiled brat who doesn't care about other's feelings," putol nito sa aking mga sasabihin na ikina-umid ko at ikina-atras ng aking kamay.

I blinked and analyzed what he said.

Cunning?

Violent spoiled brat?

Shaking my head, I looked down and fisted my hand.

What's this?

Iyon ba ang tingin nito sa akin noon?

Gusto kong magprotesta ngunit nang maalala kung paano ang ginawa kong pagtrato dito limang taon na ang nakalilipas ay wala akong maapuhap na salitang maaaring isagot dito.

Hindi lang kasi ang pagreject ang naging atraso ko sa binata.

I used to treat him like slave.

Kung anong utos ko ay s'yang ginagawa nito.

He cook for me, do my laundry, treat me like a princess, and even read bedtime stories for me at night.

Ngunit ang isinukli ko rito ay kagaspangan ng pag-uugali. I always yelled at him, told him multiple times that he's weak and pathetic. Insulted him and degraded him.

Nang mga panahon kasing iyon ay nasa gitna ako nang pagkadismaya nang malamang isang patpating Beta ang aking mate. Isa pa matindi ang pagkagusto ko noon kay Aleca ngunit iba pala ang itinadhana sa akin ng D'yosa nang buwan.

And with that, I felt ashamed from all the mistakes I've done in the past.

"Cat got your tongue, princess huh?" ani Lyme nang ilang segundo na ang lumipas ay  nanatili pa rin akong tahimik. Humilig ito sa katawan ng punong naroon at pinagkrus ang mga braso sa tapat ng dibdib. Binigyan ako nito nang isang mapanuyang ngisi at nagpatuloy. "Remember this place, Emillia Stephen?"

Awtomatikong nag-angat ako ng paningin hindi dahil sa biglang pag-iiba nito sa usapan kundi sa pagkasorpresa nang tawagin ako nito sa aking buong pangalan.

Emilla Stephen?

But he used to call me 'mahal ko' or Milly.

I gulped and hugged myself.

That only mean he's pissed right?

He's mad at me.

Dahan dahang gumapang ang isa kong kamay patungo sa tapat ng aking tila ginuyumos na puso at inilibot ang aking paningin sa pamilyar na kakahuyang iyon upang sagutin ang tanong ng Beta.

"This is where we first met," nagawa kong sambitin matapos na maalala na doon ko unang nakilala ang binata.

He laughed mockingly. "I'm glad you still remember, princess. This is where I first fell in love with you."

My heart suddenly jumped inside of my chest upon hearing what he had said. Nagliwanag ang aking mukha at bumaling ako rito ngunit para lamang muling matigilan sa sunod nitong mga sinabi.

"And this is the right place where I should end up everything between you and me cause I Lyme Peterson accept the rejection and wish to break the bond with you Emillia Stephen," may diing dire-diretsong deklara ni Lyme na bumalik ang matigas na ekspresyon sa mukha.

He pushed himself off the tree ending the conversation and was about to leave me but I immidiately blocked his way.

"No!" Hinawakan ko ito sa braso. Nangilid ang mga luha sa aking mga mata at napailing ng sunod-sunod. "You can't! You can't break the bond! Please atleast hear me out first! Nagsisisi na ako sa nagawa ko noon! I only did that for you and for this pack. Lyme, I am your mate and you can't break our bond easily like that! May anak tayo so please isipin mo naman si Lime," pagmamakaawa ko rito at tuluyan ng napabulalas ng iyak.

Naninikip ang aking dibdib habang ang puso ko naman ay tila unti-unting humihinto sa pagtibok.

He is going to kill me and my wolf if he break our bond.

Ngunit tila bingi sa aking paki-usap ang Beta. His cold eyes pierced through me as he grabbed my hands and pulled out his arms from me. "Now you'll understand the feeling of being rejected, Milly. And for the love of God, don't use your daughter against me. Who knows who's child she really i---"

Hindi ko ito pinatapos sa pagsasalita at isang malakas na sampal ang ibinigay dito na ikinapaling ng mukha nito.

"She is your child, Lyme! How can you be so cruel and think that she's not yours!" I yelled at him.

Kaya ba maging si Lime ay iniiwasan nito? He's doubting that she's his daughter?

Gumapang ang sobrang hinanakit sa aking dibdib. "I understand why you're being mean to me pero huwag mo sanang idamay ang anak natin!"

Lyme scoffed and chuckled before turning his blank face back at me. "You can't make believe in all your lies again Emilla, not today."

Iyon lang at nilagpasan ako nito upang bumalik na sa packhouse.

Bigla naman akong natauhan at natilihan. Napagisip isip ko din na may kasalanan din ako.

I can't blame Lyme if he didn't believe that Lime is his daughter. Nang umalis kasi ako noon ay hindi ko alam na buntis na pala ako. And he was not informed that I gave birth to his pup.

"Lyme... Lyme, I'm sorry!" habol ko rito.

Wala na akong pakialam kung tama ang Savanna na iyon na nagmumukha na akong desperada.

I had to do this or I'll regret loosing him again for the rest of my life.

"Lyme, please talk to me!" Naabutan ko ito at agad na niyakap ang natigilang binata.

I heard Lyme groaned. "Stop it, Milly.It's all over!"

"Please, nagsisisi na ako. Forgive me, mate!" iyak ko at kumalas ng yakap dito upang lumuhod sa harapan nito."I'm sorry! I'm sorry that I left you!"

Ngunit mukhang lalong hindi nagustuhan ng aking mate ang aking ginawa.

Lyme growled loud and finally blurted his anger out. "Sorry is not enough, Emillia! You broke me! The moment you threw me out of your life and rejected me, you ruined it all. So f*****g stop all of your dramas cause I will never ever forgive you."

Nagpupuyos at namumula ang buong mukha sa galit na tinabig ako nito na s'yang ikinalugmok ko sa lupa saka walang lingon-likod na nagpatuloy sa paglalakad palayo sa akin.

Tuluyan na akong napahagulhol at imbes na bumangon ay niyakap ko na lang ang aking nagdurusang sarili.

It's really over, right.

Mukhang hindi ko na mababawi pa ang puso ng Beta ng WhiteFang.

He resent me.

Hindi ko na magagawang buuin pa ang masayang pamilyang aking hinihiling at ng aking anak.

At higit sa lahat, mukhang hinding hindi ko na makukuha ang kapatawaran ni Lyme.

He's not the same kind and sweet mate I knew from five years ago.

Dahil kasabay nang paglakas nito ay ang pagtigas din ng kan'yang puso.

So I cried while Tiffa howled at the back of my mind.

I was filled with regrets.

Filled with so much pain.

Pain that I know will only gets worst if I stay here. Ngunit wala akong magagawa kundi ang tiisin iyon.

And even if it will kill me everyday seeing him, I knew that I have to endure everything just to protect our pup, Lime.