HER MATE, HER CURE

The night came and the grand beauty pageant in search for Ms. Albaya 2020 started. It was past eight o'clock in the evening.

Grazziena and all other contestants dreaming for the crown were all set for their production number outfits. They were all wearing white shirts with print thereon of the Ms. Albaya beauty Pageant's logo and design, paired with black shorts showing all their legs. They top it all with white or black sneakers.

Grazziena danced gracefully and with poise. She made it a point to stand out from the rest at this early stage of the competition. She was anyway, the tallest and with the fairest skin among all the contestants.

From the lines of the Board of Judges, seated in front of the stage; a one particular, young and gorgeous man, was all eyes to Grazziena.

He never left his eyes from contestant number 8. He seemed to be mesmerized and drawn into the tallest beauty among the contestants, who strutted her long and fair skin legs with her catwalk, swaying her hips in its most seductive yet elegant manner. She carried her yellow one-piece swimsuit with grace and style that none of the other contestants was able to do.

He shot her with an intense look when she posed at the middle-end part of the ramp, a few inches away from where he was seated.

As Grazziena's eyes locked into those intense-looking deep-seated black eyes, something inside her growled and her heart made some somersaults.

All throughout the pageant those deep-seated black eyes never left Grazziena every time she was on the ramp.

It was almost ten o'clock in the evening yet the Contest for Ms. Albaya 2020 was only on its midway. Grazziena knows very well what will happen to her when midnight time will tick on the clock.

It was ten-thirty in the evening when they were in their last attire; the long gown creative attire.

Grazziena carried with ease and grace the blue princess cut style, free-flowing long gown out of abaca fibers, which was specially made by her mother for her.

Everyone was cheering on her as she started to ramp on the stage with her blue long gown.

The man with that deep-seated black eyes was spellbound that he could not contain to shot Contestant Number 8 with such an intense and possessive look.

It was almost midnight when the Master of Ceremony, held in his hand the winners of the pageant.

The audience went crazy; contestants number 2 and number 8 have not been called yet. Who among the two will be crowned as Ms. Albaya 2020?

"Ladies and gentlemen, the Ms. Albaya 2020 is ..." The Emcee stopped and looked at the audience.

The audience shouted their bets.

At that moment, Grazziena suddenly glanced at her wristwatch and she felt her face turn to ash. Ten minutes more and it will be twelve midnight!

At twelve midnight, the curse in her will control her body once again.

While she was in her tense and panicking state; the man with that deep-seated black eyes stood up and walked towards the stage, towards her.

When he came near her, his lips were almost touching her right ear as he whispered, "In due time, you will be mine."

I

Eighteen Years ago ...

At the heart of Mount Reveree; Cressia, the Cold Mountain Pack's Luna, cried in despair. Her Alpha has been dead and no one from among their pack could bring him back to life. Not even their pack Doctor. His life has been taken by Thutaara, the most feared witch of Mount Reveree. As she cried more, an excruciating pain crept through her bulging tummy; she shouted in pain, and a few minutes more, the daughter of the Cold Mountain Pack's Alpha and Luna has been born!

As Luna Cressia lay down beside the body of her dead husband Alpha, her newborn daughter cried out loud. The Luna smiled with tears in her eyes as she tried to reach for her newborn daughter and embrace her into her bosom. She let her felt the warmth of her motherly embrace that would protect her from harm in the future, despite her absence. With a shaking hand, she caressed her head and hummed softly a chant that would envelop her soul and link her into her own soul.

From the clouds, the deafening voice of Thutaara cursing the newborn daughter of their Alpha and Luna filled the ears of all wolves from the Cold Mountain Pack.

"Your father rejected me despite all the love I showered him; you, their only heir will suffer my final curse to your pack. You will be thrown to a far-away land where wolves are considered deadly animals and after the day of your adulthood, you will shift every midnight into your most dreadful wolf form that the wolves' world and even the human's world will ever see! Let my curse be done to you!"

With tears, the Luna held her daughter beside her and whispered weakly, almost chasing for her last breath, "A love that is pure will shelter you from harm and will bring you to your true self. May the spirits of your Alpha father and your Luna mother shield and guide you wherever you may be." After once more caressing her newborn daughter, Luna Cressia then, took her last long breath.

With that, the laughter of Thutaara boomed like thunder, shaking the land of the Cold Mountain Pack. Every wolf growls with sadness as they saw the two lying dead bodies of their Alpha and Luna. They believed this day as their most dreadful day.

When Thutaara made her final curse, the wolves hurled more and called on their Moon Goddess, who they believe has left them not cared for and unprotected from the wrath of the most feared witch.

When the clouds disappeared, so was the newborn daughter of the Alpha and Luna of the Cold Mountain Pack, which brought total gloom to all wolves who revered their Alpha and Luna so much.

The wolves all growled loudly to release their sorrows and pains. Today, became their doomsday.

In a forest, somewhere in the human world, a beautiful baby girl, cried so loudly disturbing the peace of all living creatures therein.

Two pairs of ears heard such cries.

II

At present ...

Grazziena was browsing her Facebook Account when she saw the ads by the Albaya Provincial Government, encouraging young women from ages eighteen years old to twenty-four years old to join the beauty contest. She was not actually interested but what caught her sight was the last prize mentioned in the ads; a Scholarship grant for the grand winner.

"Papang, you think I am beautiful enough to be qualified in this contest?" she asked her father who was then preparing for his materials in making pots and pans made of clay. This is his father's business. She called him Papang because that is the usual endearment of children to their father in their place and Mamang for mothers.

Her father looked at her then smiled. "Your beauty is more than qualified, my child. Go and join if you really wanted to. I and your mother will support you."

Without wasting any minute, Grazziena ran inside their medium-size house, made of nipa and bamboo. Her mother is in her favorite corner with her old sewing machine, finishing some curtains ordered by their neighbors.

"Mamang, I hope like Papang, you will allow me also to join this beauty contest." She said merrily.

Quickly her mother turned her back to look at her. The surprise was evident on her face. "Really Ga, you want to join a beauty contest? Knowing you since your childhood I can't believe that you would even think about it. So, of course, I will agree for you to join so that you will overcome your shyness." Her mother seemed to be happy with her decision.

"But Mamang, I am thinking about the costs of the clothing that I need to wear during the pageant." Suddenly, she became sad.

Her mother made a soft laugh. "Didn't you remember that your mother is a dressmaker? Besides, I have some kept old gowns and dresses in the cabinet. If those will fit you, I will just repair them to make them more modern."

She almost jumped in joy. "Whoaahh, problem solved Mamang! How lucky I am to have such a wonderful Papang and Mamang like you," she said teary-eyed while hugging her mother, who just patted her shoulder and laughed.

III

If she thought it would be easy to be a finalist in the contest; she would be wrong. Hundreds of applicants lined up at the Provincial Gymnasium where the assigned team for the project and their Program Planner and coordinators held their interview and selection process.

If an applicant has been chosen as a finalist, she will be handed a form to fill up by one of the coordinators otherwise the contestant will be going out of the gymnasium either teary-eyed, frustrated or angry.

Based on what she observed, only a few received the form to be filled up and mostly end up walking out of the gymnasium with sadness or frustrations on their faces.

Two more applicants and it will be her turn. Her nervousness is already overwhelming her. She tried to calm herself. She remembered what her mother told her; count one to ten and breathe and also she told her to put her lucky coin in her right shoes, which she did.

It was her turn and she was called by the head coordinator. She walked gracefully which she practiced for several days at home. She watched how beauty queens walked and waved their hands, how they smiled and moved their shoulders and hips as they ramp during the competition.

The Head Coordinator looked at Grazziena with admiration in her eyes. "So far, this next applicant is one of the best among all those applicants I saw," she whispered to her co-coordinator beside her. "I hope she could answer well." She added.

As Grazziena reached the line where an applicant should stand, she stopped and made her model-like pose, then gave the two coordinators the most alluring smile that she mastered; showing her two cute dimples on her both cheeks. In her mind, Grazziena is so determined to be chosen. She wanted to finish college and be a lawyer soon.

Both the two coordinators smiled at her, completely mesmerized.

"Do we still need to interview her? Or you want to give her the form already?" The Head coordinator joked at her co-coordinator who also teased her back.

"I can see that you wanted to give her the form as much as I want to. Careful, no one knew that you are a lesbian." Then she made a soft laugh. The head coordinator laughed too together with her co-coordinator, who happened to be her best friend. She knew most of her dark secrets and that includes her true identity.

Thinking that the coordinators were laughing at her, Grazziena's heart sank because of disappointment. She was about to turn her back and go when the Head Coordinator called her to come forward.

Grazziena was surprised as she saw the Head Coordinator handing her the form to be filled up. She almost leaped with excitement as her bluish eyes grew wide in total astonishment.

I

Grazziena went home with excitement rushing all through her veins. She was bubbling with merriment as she exploded the great news to her parents, who like her, have been filled with happiness and excitement too.

Grazziena prepared herself for the upcoming contest. Nothing would stop her from achieving the very thing that will help her realize her dreams to finish college.

She continued watching beauty queens as they paved their way to get their crowns. And then something hit her; willpower! That was what these beauty queens have aside from determination. They have this willpower to really win.

"Ga, look; I finished your gown already. I made it out of abaca fiber." Grazziena's mother said while showing to her a blue princess flowing gown style out of abaca fibers. Her eyes grew in awe as she looks at the gown. Her mother was able to make it so elegant; no one can tell that it is made out of cheap abaca fiber. The other things that she needs have been prepared already by Mel, her gay friend who also became her instant Manager/Personal Assistant.

That night prior to the beauty pageant, Grazziena was restless. Although she is excited, she also felt nervous, at the same time fears are gripping her soul and mind. The beauty pageant will start at eight o'clock in the evening

Grazziena shot the wall clock inside her room with her half-sleep eyes. It is ten o'clock in the evening. She did not know if it was merely a dream but after her eighteenth birthday, every time the clock ticks to twelve o'clock in the evening or midnight, her body shakes as if her bones were cracking, then she will see all over her body, yellowish furs and then a feverish looking wolf, as ugly as a stray dog with wounds and lice. Good thing she has her own room. Her parents never saw her like this. She would usually crawl down below her bed until she falls asleep and would only come out when the sunlight broke the night, when she is already in her human form again, naked.

It has been a couple of months that she is suffering from this kind of shapeshifting every midnight and she does not want anybody to know it. She did not know if this is a disease, a curse, or what; all she knew is that people will kill her once they will see her in her feverish, ugly wolf form. In her young mind, aside from her dreams of finishing college; she also dreams of getting rid of this disease or curse in her. She will find a cure; she will find the answer to why she became like this.

At eleven o'clock in the evening, Grazziena has been drawn into the realm of the lethargic phase of life. She snored like a baby as the wind blew, trying every particle thereof to creep into those tiny holes from the window of Grazziena's room. These bits of wind particles soothed the fair skin of Grazziena, giving her sleeping soul the calmness it needs.

Then the clock ticks and its two fingers darted into the twelve o'clock or midnight position.

Like a lightning, a speeding ray of light enveloped the sleeping body of Grazziena and as the light faded, a feverish, ugly-looking she-wolf, with wounds and lice on its yellowish furs, jumped down from Grazziena's bed. The wolf's sagged eyes, which are almost getting out of its socket, looked around the room; trying to find a certain place for its solace. Then the she-wolf wiggled its tail and slowly crawled down below the bed.

II

"Ga, wake up; Mel is here already." Lilia, Grazziena's mother, came knocking at Grazziena's door.

Grazziena has been awakened and just like the many mornings that have passed; she found her naked body lying down below her bed. She hastily moved and dressed.

"I will be out in a minute Mamang," she shouted while combing her long, dark brown, wavy hair.

"Hey, Mel! Wow, you are so early," she greeted her gay friend as she saw him drinking coffee at their old wooden table.

Mel looked at her with raised eyebrows. "It's eight o'clock in the morning. In case you forgot at ten o'clock in the morning, your talent competition will start already. So be ready now; you only have thirty minutes," he said strictly with fingers twisting and flaring.

"Alright, alright. I am preparing now," she replied while running to their small comfort room just beside their kitchen.

By eight forty-five in the morning, Grazziena was all set and ready.

Luckily, Grazziena was able to finish her pot dance without any glitch at all. His father's six pots, made especially by him for her, lay flat and comfortable on her head. On top of the first pot on her head were five other pots thereon. As she swayed her hips and moved her feet for some graceful steps, the audience shouted in fear that the pots on her head might fall down. But Grazziena just smiled and confidently swayed her hips once more, making her long skirt made from strands of abaca leaves, moved with her hips in rhythm to the sound of the drum beats as it was being hit in careful harmony by Mel.

Grazziena and Mel went home with smiles on their faces.

The night came and the grand beauty pageant in search for Ms. Albaya 2020 is about to start already. It is almost eight o'clock in the evening.

Grazziena and all other contestants dreaming for the crown were all set for their production number outfits. They are all wearing white shirts with print thereon of the Ms. Albaya beauty Pageant's logo and design, paired with black shorts showing all their legs. They top it all with white or black sneakers.

Grazziena danced gracefully and with poise. She made it a point to stand out from the rest at this early stage of the competition. She is anyway, the tallest and most fair skin among all the contestants.

From the lines of the Board of Judges, sitting in front of the stage and ramp; a one particular, young and gorgeous man, who is sitting at the middle of all the board of judges were all eyes to Grazziena.

He never left his eyes from contestant number 8. He seemed to be mesmerized and drawn into the tallest beauty among the contestants, who are now strutting her long and fair skin legs with her catwalk, swaying her hips in its most seductive yet elegant manner. She carried her yellow one-piece swimsuit with grace and style that none of the other contestants was able to do.

He shot her with an intense look when she posed at the middle-end part of the ramp, few inches away from where he is seated.

As Grazziena's eyes locked into those intense-looking deep-seated black eyes, something inside her growled and her heart made some somersaults.