THE UNTAMED

ALMOST, NOTHING TO HIDE

"Good morning, love. Did you sleep well?" I read Marvin's text message

"Not really, but I feel better now." I sent him my reply.

This morning, when I opened the door, I saw my boyfriend with his wonderful smile. Looking at him, my heart beats fast. As if the birds were happier, singing around. The wind is like a rope, pulling me closer to him.

I walked out of the house with Tagi and got myself into Marvin's car. I sat next to him, while Tagi sat at the back. I looked at him, and I said to myself that he is everything to me. His smile is like a ray of sunlight.

"Is there any dirt on my face?" He asked.

"There's nothing. You look nicer and handsomer today!" I said.

"You've been staring at me like that... huh.. I love you.."

He's sweet words felt like I was floating in the air. We both know we want to stare at each other, spending more time like we want. Everything seemed normal to us, as humans.

Then he turned his gaze at the back. "How about you, Tagi? How was your sleep?"

"Hmm. it's good." She responded actively and nod.

Tagi is a simple girl with long hair. I stand over two inches taller than her, but don’t let that fool you... she’s fierce. She has this intense gaze that could send shivers down your spine, and her long, colorful nails only add to her striking presence.

"Alright. You might have more friends here as well. But tell the twins so that we don't have to worry, you know?"

"Understood Sir.." Tagi nod and smiled.

The way they talked to each other is normal, but the way they both looked in their eyes? that sort of... jealousy of mine.

"Or maybe Tagi can join us, we can help you for your unfinished task at home" I suggested.

"Yeah. good idea. Tagi don't you mind?"

Marvin is waiting for her response.

"Sure" she nod. One word from her.

Tagi and I were helping each other check the students’ short quiz papers, our heads bent close over the scattered sheets. Everything felt ordinary and quiet.

Until Marvin suddenly appeared from the kitchen, a glass of juice in each hand.

He placed one glass in front of me, but his attention didn’t linger. Almost immediately, he turned to Tagi and handed her the other one.

What made my chest tighten?

They locked their eyes as if the rest of the room had disappeared, as if I wasn’t sitting right here, watching my own boyfriend drift into a moment that didn’t include me.

“Here, your juice,” Marvin said softly.

“Thank you,” Tagi replied.

Their conversation felt private, suspended in a space I couldn’t enter... like they were speaking a language that only the two of them can understand.

She accepted the glass, but not before her palm brushed against Marvin’s hand.

It was brief. Accidental, but maybe...

My mind didn’t care about logic.

But something dark twisted inside me... jealousy, sharp and bitter. As my thoughts become relentless. Did they always look at each other like that? Was I the only one who noticed? Or worse... was I the only one who cared?

I stared at the papers in front of me, the words blurring as my heart felt heaviness. I hated myself for feeling this way, for doubting him, for comparing myself to her. Yet I couldn’t stop the ache, the quiet fear whispering that maybe I was slowly becoming invisible, even to the person who was supposed to see me the most.

"I might start running, visiting your home around in the middle of the night" Marvin told me.

"You don't need to.."

"But I want to see you... You know what I mean." he said.

"I know, but I can bear this sickness, better than seeing things that make my FEELINGS heavier.

"Love, do you want to tell me something?" he asked. It's good to know that he understands what I mean.

"Do you want me to say it?"

"Tell me, I'm listening..." he said.

"Listen carefully. I like you more than I do.. If I say "I love you" that means you are mine. And If there's somebody snatching you from me. Maybe I could kill-"

"Shhh.. Stop! I know love... I love you too..." Marvin stopped me, but at least now, my reminders have been pinned on him.

Secondly, I want to make sure that he won't meet the male brown wolf that I met last night. I am not ready to tell him about the situation that I have. He is busy as a good teacher and as the leader of the wolf community. I'm his girlfriend, and I don't want to be a burden to him. Especially now that we have Tagi to be taken care of, I'm happy enough that his family is always here for us. and so for the brown wolf, I want to keep it a secret.

"Do you think it will make a difference? I don't want you to have any trouble with me. I'm good with Tagi," I told him.

"It might, but it's worth it if I try sometimes. Have you been awake at night?"

"Um, sometimes," I admitted.

But the truth is, I am thinking about what happened last night.

"The good thing is, our dinner has been set tonight, with your parents. The more your dad knows, the more he will understand our connection." He says

"Yeah, I hope so. And I want him to love your family the same as I do," I said.

"You love our family?" He suddenly asked.

"Of course I do. I wouldn't hang out here, if I didn't." I answered him cheekily. He knows exactly what I'm saying.

Today goes by slowly, unless I'm with Marvin. I am trying my best to stay focused and on top of everything. Not only for myself, but for my best friend, Tagi. I can tell she's having a tough time too, especially with her mom being gone for over a month now.

Jolina gives us a box of snacks, and we scarf them down. It's fun to see Tagi eating with me. It was like our old days. We played while we ate. Teasing and laughing. I can see where it's all going too. Not bad at all, I must say. I notice her staring at me.

"You were eating like a pig again? hahaha." She said this, laughing.

"No I'm not. But I noticed that you ate almost half of the food here, if I were you, I would reduce my intake, so no one would notice me..." I whispered to her.

She stops chewing, and her cheeks flush in red.

"I'm sorry, I couldn't help it. It was just...." Tagi said, she is now completely speechless as if he can't think of any excuse.

But then.. our conversation stopped when the doorbell rang.

"Jezz, can you open the door for me, please?" Jolina called out from the kitchen, where she was busy cooking.

The smell of fried fish lingered in the air. I wiped my mouth, and Tagi did the same. Then we both walk to the door.

Marvin, standing behind me, greeted my dad with a firm handshake and said, "Mr. Urdanzo, thank you so much for coming and for your willingness to learn more about our situation. I appreciate it very much."

Actually, I never saw Marvin say that he was nervous and shy about talking with Dad. He invited my parents to go inside their house and made them sit on the sofa. While Tagi and I followed them and sat behind my parents.

"I wouldn't normally approve of anything like this for my young girl. It is completely inappropriate for her to be dating her teacher. But I understand that there are extenuating circumstances. I am willing to talk with you about it, though." Dad concedes.

"Thank you. I know it's unusual. I am only 23, though, and she will be 18 very soon. But that is still not a good excuse, I realize," Marvin admits.

"I just want what's best for Abby Jezz, if her health and schoolwork are in jeopardy, I will make a concession. My wife explained the connection you two have. She tells me about her experience with it and says that it is all-encompassing and cannot be ignored. I know Solidad always has Jezz's welfare in mind, I believe her. But I need to hear from you as well." Dad explained.

"Sir, I care deeply about Jezz, even though I’ve known her only a short time. I would never hurt her in any way, hurting her would mean hurting myself. She is my soulmate, the only one for me. I am fully committed to her, and I promise to love, protect, and marry her, and take care of her for the rest of my life."

"Marvin, I hope every word you said is true,” Dad said quietly. “Nothing matters more to me than my family. But I understand this.. I’ll be watching you closely. Do we understand each other?”

Marvin nodded without hesitation. “Yes, sir. If she hadn’t felt pain when we were separated, I would’ve waited until she turned eighteen to tell her. But she needs to know now. She needs to be ready… for what’s coming.”

Dad exhaled slowly. “Then explain it. What will happen to her?”

Marvin moved toward the window, tense, as if steadying himself. “You deserve the truth,” he said softly. “Not the legend. Not the romance.”

“When the change begins,” he told me, turning back, “you won’t become something else. You’ll become more of who you already are.”

My chest tightened. “That doesn’t sound comforting.”

“I know,” he said, sadly.

Does he mean I can also turned into a wolf? like what I met last night? the brown wolf who turned into human form, right after I hurt him.

“Your senses will awaken, hearing heartbeats, seeing through darkness, feeling fear before it’s spoken. But the hardest part is what happens to your body.”

I met his eyes, my voice barely steady. “Then what will happen to me?”

Marvin takes a deep breath before he says, "You will be turned into a female wolf, like us"