THE UNTAMED

THE LOVE I KNEW

This moment, I knew… this bond had already begun long before I was ready for it.

"Yes,” Marvin admitted.

“I was. I needed to make sure you were alright. I know it might have seemed intrusive, and I hope it didn’t bother you.”

I shook my head. “No… not at all. Honestly, it helped. Knowing you were near made the pain easier to bear.”

His lips curved in shy smile. “I’m still surprised you could smell me from that far away already. That’s remarkable.”

Heat rushed to my cheeks at his praise. I dropped my gaze for a moment, then looked back up, catching that familiar warmth in his eyes, the kind that always made my heart feel unsteady.

My chest tightened. “Why?” I asked softly. “Don’t you want to touch me before?”

The insecurity slipped out before I could stop it. I met his gaze, afraid of what I might find there.

Marvin stepped closer, his expression turning serious, “I want to hold you more than anything in this world,” he said firmly. “Please don’t ever doubt that. Not even for a second.”

I swallowed to hear it finally.

“But once we make that connection,” he went on, “the pain becomes sharper when we’re apart. Touch accelerates the bond. It deepens it faster than you’re ready for. I want you close, closer than breath, but I can’t stand the thought of you suffering because of me.”

His jaw tightened. “So I chose the distance. Until we decide… until we’re certain we want to be permanently bonded.”

I took a slow breath, “Permanently bonded?” I repeated. “What does that really mean?”

He hesitated, as if choosing his words carefully.

“In the human world, it would be like a wedding,” he explained. “Rings. Vows. Standing in front of everyone, declaring that you belong to each other.”

I nodded slowly, following his meaning.

“But for us,” he said, his voice dropping even further, “it’s more intimate. More private. I would mark you.” His eyes never left mine. “A bite at your neck. My mark would say what rings cannot, that you are mine, and I am yours.”

My breath caught.

“Our scents would change,” he continued. “They would blend. Anyone of our kind would know immediately. There would be no denying it.”

The room suddenly felt smaller. His words weighed heavily on me, and my thoughts became tangled as I tried to understand what he was really offering, and what it would mean for me.

And in that moment, I realized this wasn’t just a conversation. It was a threshold.

"My mom has a mark on her neck. But she would rather not talk about it. She has always worn her hair long and tries to cover it. I just assumed it was a scar from something bad that happened to her." Marvin tells me.

"Oh really?"

"Yes. She showed it with pride when I was young. We had a little celebration here at our house for her and your father. Sort of like a wedding reception."

"So, what will happen after I receive my mark"? I asked him.

"We will be having a celebration the next day, as I mentioned. Some people go all out and have a full-on wedding. After we wear each other's marks, our bodies and minds stop trying to get us together. So, the pain stops, the headaches and inability to concentrate stop." He explained well.

"That's great! So why don't we do that now?" I sincerely asked.

"Well, there are more lessons and rituals that must be done, not just receiving my mark. You have to agree with that. Also, you need to reach the age of eighteen. You also need to know more about our way of life. Your father never explained those things to your mom. She didn't understand that we are one family. That's why this detailed information left her hanging when he died."

"Okay. That makes sense. I want to learn more about your way of life. I want to know everything about you. I want to be a part of it." I said.

I think this is the first thing that I should learn from the beginning.

"You have no idea how happy I am. There are so many things I want to share with you. But our people are very private about what makes us different. We don't disclose it to anyone else. We will make an exception for your step father. I know you are very close to him, so I would never do anything that would cause any problem between you and your dad." He reassures me.

"Let's head into the kitchen and see what's going on with our moms. I have a feeling that there is a big meal today." He suggested.

So I followed Marvin until I saw the two women cooking and talking like old friends. I'm so glad Mom has Jolina back.

I realize, It was such a horrible time after my father died. The same with Albanzo's family suffered the loss, and I'm sure Mom feels the same. She wanted to forget everything, so she left the town and stayed in Surigao, and gave birth to me.. until she met my stepfather.

"Hey, how did it go?" Mom asked me hesitantly.

"It went very well. I've agreed to learn more about the family. I'm very excited," I said. Mom gave me a hug, and the same for Jolina.

"Let's eat," Jolina announced.

We did stop our drama, and we all sat down around the kitchen table, eating like we were starving. We don't say anything significant about our recent revelations. Just normal, everyday chitchat.

Then I tried to ask, "Mom, how do you feel about me dating my teacher?"

The three were all silent for a moment. Mom, looks at me.

"Well, I can't really disapprove, since I love Marvin. But that doesn't make sense because... your father was my college psychology professor too." Mom confesses.

"Whaattt...? " I said in shock.

"Yes, sweetie, we dated secretly. The books in the library are only witnesses to how we love each other."

"You really did it, huh?" Jolina said.

"I can't help it! I'm sure Robert too..." Mom replied.

I knew it! Mother likes a daughter. Being blushing for myself, I feel shy in front of them.

Her teacher was her soulmate. They dated. They marked each other as theirs. And she got pregnant with me? How did they manage that without anyone finding out?

Mom noticed me in silence.

"We can talk about that later, sweetie. I will tell you everything. I promise." She assured me.

Alright. But I don't think Dad will accept my situation, as he accepted and loved Mom. And I'm also younger than she was. Not much, though.

"Abby Jezz, soul mates are bound to each other, no matter the obstacles. Our people don't let things like that stand in our way. We are on your side, one hundred percent. Don't worry. We will help you with all the logistics. You need to spend as much time together as possible for your health. Also, you need to know what to expect when you turn 18. There will be some significant changes. And I want you to be ready for that." Jolina told me.

Huh? What kind of changes? I wonder. Did they think of a good plan for my future? Or are they setting me up to marry his son? I stared at Jolina in confusion.

"We will talk about that later too." Jolina said, patting my hand. I look at Marvin. He had no reaction; instead, he started to get the pork and spoon placed in front of him and started eating, the same with the twins.

Then I remembered what happened last week. I went outside and stayed in the backyard, reading a book. After a while, I sensed someone—or something—coming closer.

With every step, the branches of the tree above me creaked, some broken and lifeless. Droplets of saliva fell onto the ground, carrying a strange scent. It wasn’t Marvin’s. I had never smelled it at Jolina’s place or at school.

The smell was odd, but I ignored it. I told myself nothing was wrong.

I thought it was just a stray dog wandering around.

Or so I believe.

For the past few days, whenever my mother pulled over on our way home, I noticed the same scent lingering in the air. It didn’t belong to the street, the cars, or the crowd passing by. It was familiar… and unsettling.

People walked past us in groups and pairs, their voices blending into ordinary noise. Yet my attention was always drawn to one figure.

An elderly man sat at a distance, unmoving, a dog leash wrapped tightly around his hand. His dog sat beside him, silent and alert, its eyes scanning everything, as if it were watching, not waiting.

The man’s face was hidden beneath a hooded shirt. I could only see his broad, muscular frame, his hairy arms resting on his knees, and a long, thick mustache curling downward. He didn’t look weak. He didn’t look harmless.

I stared longer than I should have.

The wind suddenly shifted.

It brushed past my ear, cold and deliberate, carrying a whisper that made my blood freeze.

It spoke my name.

I turned sharply, my heart pounding, but no one was close enough to have said it. The street looked the same. The people kept walking.

Slowly, the man’s dog lifted its head and looked straight at me.

And though the man never raised his face, I knew,

without seeing his eyes, that he was smiling.

"Jeeezz. Jeeezz."

Who is he...?

As I daydreamed, I failed to notice the curious gazes directed towards me. It seems they believe I lack an appetite.

"Sweetie, are you alright?"