*Danika*
Just like yesterday, it was the dingy incessant ring of my phone that woke me up, and when I grudgingly woke up and picked it up, the sharp voice of Alfred penetrated the loudspeaker with a command of, “Come down!” and went off. Just like that.
And just like yesterday I groggily left the bed to brush and wash my face, hence putting on the new training wears he had borrowed me.
I walked out of my room, taming my hair into a ponytail, some of it falling off the bind. I hastened, my heartbeat bumping just like yesterday, I will not give up. Alfred said he would help me through this. And I want to believe he would do so without any judgments.
“You don’t walk like that when going for training, Danika! Walk like the Greyhound you are!” he boomed, once more not the Alfred I know. I stilled but obeyed, jogging down the remaining space to him.
“We are going to another part of the training ground. It’s still in the same place, but kind of isolated,” he told me while we walked to the car. I nodded and got into the car.
We rode in silence, with me thinking about what my performance would be like. I feared I might disappoint him yet again. I balled my fist in my lap and exhaled, looking out the dark landscape as the familiar training ground came into view.
I alighted and waited for him to lead the way in the direction of our training ground. When we got there he started stretching, requiring I join in. I followed his movement, stretching my body the way he was, somehow finding it relieving and intriguing the way my muscles were loosening up.
“Now we go like this.” He extended one of his legs forward and back, and I followed suit. “Make sure you are feeling the sensation down your mid-thighs and focus. The important thing is to focus, Danika and you’ll get it right. Don’t think much about it.”
He went on, going from one method to another. We did more exercises, after which we had to rest because I was on the verge of passing out if we didn’t stop.
“So, have you used any of your powers before? Like, do you have any special abilities you know of?” He drank from his water bottle and I did likewise, shaking my head at his question. I had to sit down because my muscles felt like jelly and I don’t think I would be able to function properly on them this entire week. But I didn’t tell him.
“I don’t know of any one. I told you I haven’t trained before,” I said. I wanted to tell him about my sister stealing them in the past but withheld that information, deciding to bury it like I have buried their existence. “I don’t even know if I still have any.”
He chuckled. A deep reverberating thunderstorms sound. “I saw your wolf. Plus Paisley said you are a Hybrid. Hybrids are very powerful. You just need constant practice to discover and be able to control the power laying within.”
I didn’t know about that. I’ve only heard I am powerful but have never discovered what power and the extent I can go with it. “Will I harm anyone with it after discovering it?” I had to ask. Very important.
He shook his head, sipping his water further, his eyes roaming about in thought. “You only harm people if you want to. That is why you need to be able to control it. That way you decide how you want to use it without it going out of control,” he concluded.
Very interesting. Then, I have to truly learn how to use my powers so I don’t hurt anyone with them.
He belched, looking away, his balled hands hovering over his mouth, before returning with an apology and going ahead to say, “Another thing about being a Hybrid, is that you have to learn your true nature. Some Hybrids are witches, while others are mind devourers and many others too… some are Vampires.” There was a way his tone darkened when he said the Vampire, that was haunting to me. I became more curious and wanted to ask him which kind of Hybrid Alonso was and if he was also a Hybrid like his twin, but I didn’t want to push it, so I swallowed my question, suddenly not wanting to talk about it anymore. I picked up my phone and checked the time.
“We have to go now,” I said as I stood and patted my butt unconsciously, blushing when his eyes follow my movement but averted his gaze very fast, as if not wanting me to notice.
“I will drop you off at the gate and leave for more training with the others. I have patrol today,” he informed me as we walked to his black Chevrolet. I nodded, opening my mouth to ask him if I should still call him after work to pick me up, but on second thought, I concluded that I was going to text him at work. If he isn’t available then I can always walk back home. It’s not a big deal. I don’t want to stress him more than I need to.
We soon left for home and he dropped me off at the gate just as he said and left for his training. I went to prepare and ran to work, making sure to go to the kitchen and pack breakfast.
*
“Ms. Danika, someone is here to see you,” Abigail, one of the Omegas around, came to tell me in the nursery, and I looked up from reading to a pup on the nursery mat. I smiled at her and looked back at the baby, wondering how I was to leave him by himself. He was one of the difficult pups in the facility and had only calmed down when I started reading to him.
“Don’t worry, I will continue reading to him. She is at the reception,” the girl notified me, and I stood and thanked her, sporting my shoes to walk out the door. Who could be visiting me? My mate? It wouldn’t be passed him to come to check if the hospital has heaped enough work on me, just to break me.
Yesterday after I had shouted at him, he had gaped wide-eyed at me, maybe pondering on when I became that emboldened to speak to him in that tone. But I didn’t care. I was past my brink and was ready to accept his smacking, which to my chagrin, he never did. After so much brutal stare down between us, he had turned on the ignition and driven to the house, not uttering any word to me-not even when we got home.
I had waited last night for him to come and punish me just like he does anytime I disobey him or show defiance. But he didn’t show up. I had finally slept off hoping he doesn’t choke me in my sleep.
So maybe today, he has come to make sure the hospital double whatever I was doing here just to get at me.
However, of all the people I thought of, Paisley was the last on my mind. Sitting there in her quaint regality, one of her legs crossed over the other as were her hands-her faux charming smile plastered on her face, was our dear perfect Luna Queen.
She untangled her legs when she saw me, and cat walked to me, her designer bag hanging loose on her wrist adorned with several golden jewelries. My eyes washed over her, taking notice of her silver glitters jean short and milky flannel top, and had to really commend her cultivated garters. What do they talk about the prim and proper character of a true Queen? Here it is. She was the true definition of beauty and would without no doubt pass for a sophisticated Luna Queen. Unlike me.
I placed on my matching fake smile and stopped, waiting for her to reach me. She reached me on time, letting out a small elegant giggle, her free hand removing the transparent shade on her eyes to showcase her fine smoked eye makeover. My insides twisted in jealousy and I vehemently withheld the urge to run my eyes over myself. Standing so close to me, we could be likened to the beauty and the beast.
“Hey, Danika. Look at you!” she shrilled, her arms coming around me to drag me in, laying a swift peck on my cheek, her voice carrying down the filled hall, making me nervous.
“Hey, you.” I batted my eyes at her, my rigid hands digging deeper into my coat, still in her arms.
She eventually released me, and rattled on, “I was home and bored and then I was like aww, poor Danika would be rusting away in the stinking infirmary, so I had to come rescue you.” She giggled some more, possibly thinking I would be overjoyed at her self-impressed salvation. I internally shook my head. Did she just call the infirmary she would soon be overseeing as the Queen, stinking? Again what should I expect from a slay queen?
I deepened my fake smile and started walking away from where people were likely to hear our conversation, to the outer part of the receptionist that would lead outside the building. “I can’t go shopping with you, Paisley. You know the King would be mad if he hears it.” I told her straight up.
She snorted, ensued by waving off my comment. “Have you forgotten he is my baby and I can always bend him to my will? Don’t bother about him, I have you covered, Sugar.” She batted her faux lashes, throwing her head back to let out an ear-deafening sound that made me want to choke.
In another world where Alonso wasn’t my mate and I didn’t have to watch him spoil her with affections that in the true sense belong to me, I wouldn’t have minded having Paisley as a friend. For one thing she is a very lively person and from my little encounter with her, easy-going.
But not in this world. Here, she had what belonged to me, so whatever she does irks me and it pierces my heart the more when she opens her mouth to talk about my mate in that manner. I have never hated anyone more.
“Okay, if you say so,” I gathered the last of my wit to mutter, taking delight in the fact that I would get to have a little fun since I don’t get that often. I just hope I don’t get into trouble.
I went to take permission from Dr. Salem who quickly dismissed me with a smile, telling me to catch all the fun I can since I was going out with the future Luna Queen. So like that, we left for the town.
It was marvelous. For some minute, I forgot that I was angry at Paisley and actually had a great time. She bought tons of dresses for herself and bought for me too. I wanted to turn down the dresses, but she insisted as the mates of the two most important people in the Kingdom, we have to look our best always.
The evening finally came and we headed home. I was super exhausted from the back and forth tug with Paisley, combined with the receding pains from the morning training. When the car pulled in front of the house, I was so drained, and half staggered into the mansion that I didn’t see the furious looking Alpha King standing in the lobby waiting for our entrance.
“Where the fuck are you coming from?” he grated. I froze, my face snapping up from the ground to meet his murderous glare.
What was I supposed to say? And Paisley, who I thought was going to save me, was still behind, talking to ‘Goddess knows who’ on the phone.
“I…”
“We need to talk!” he declared and without another word matched off, leaving me standing there frozen to the ground unable to make any sound.
…