Chapter 49 - THE IMPLICATIONS OF TAKING THE WITCH'S PANJYO POTION

Melvina's nostrils flared in anger as she heard Maya's statement. She tried to rein in her agitation, as she contemplated on how wicked her mate's brother could be; even stretching the threads of his wickedness to his own daughter.

"Mom.." She heard her son call, and sighed. She knew that he had already caught in, on her emotions; and so there was no need to hide the truth or the true effects of what the girl's father had done.

"Aunt..what is it? You are not saying anything." Maya stated apprehensively. She could already tell that something was wrong; the potion was wrong, just like her wolf, Sia, had said.

As she mulled over on the issue, she remembered her mother's reaction when she had heard that her father gave her the Panjyo potion. Her mother's reaction had just been like her aunt's own, or rather worse; more angrier and agitated. She remembered her father trying to placate her then. But then, she hadn't really reasoned it then, hadn't considered it important because of the hunger that had been threatening to disfigure her stomach.

"Maya.." She heard her Aunt call, and snapped out of the reverie, blinking her eyes repeatedly.

"Yes.." She replied, her eyes brimming with expectancy at what her aunt had to say about the potion.

"How many times did you take the potion?" Melvina asked, praying that it was just once, else, the consequences would be fatal. There were still casualties from the evil potion since the last pack war, seven years ago.

"Just that once." Maya replied, staring at her Aunt who seemed so deep in thoughts.

"Aunt, tell me.. what is the potion all about?" She inquired, after waiting on her to give an explanation on the matter, but to no avail.

"It is a potion that can only be prepared by witches." Melvina replied, taking a deep breath. She knew that what she was about to say might cause a feud between the girl and her father. But then, she didn't care about maintaining peace, no longer at this time; she didn't want one of her favorite people to remain a prey to her mate's evil brother.

"I thought as much." Derek muttered, finding the whole thing humourless and poignant.

"I know that already. I heard when he was discussing it with my mother" Maya stated, folding her arms across her chest and taking a look around the garden.

"Jan knew about this?!!" Melvina shrieked, startling the two young fellows, who looked taken aback by her outburst.

"Your mother knew that Arnold gave you that evil potion?!!" She shouted again, her anger seen on the scunching of her eye brows and tightening of her face.

"No, not really." Maya said slowly, still amazed and shocked at her Aunt's outburst. It could only mean that the Panjyo potion was really bad.

"She didn't know until I had taken it." She continued, finding it necessary to defend her mother who had always had her back, even when others deserted her.

"The fool didn't tell her then." Melvina murmured to herself, although Derek and Maya still heard her due to their wolf gifted hearing.

"But what did she do after she found out?" She asked, staring at the girl which she had usually taken as a daughter.

"She was really angry about it. But then, nothing." Maya replied.

"But Aunt, is the potion that bad?" She asked.

"It was what prevented your mate from feeling the mate pull. So Yes, it is that bad." Melvina stated, folding her arms across her chest too.

Maya was down casted as she heard the news. She had suspected it, since Sia, her wolf, mentioned it; but she had still hoped that her father wouldn't be so selfish to that extent of depriving her of her mate.

She let herself fall to the ground of the garden, her arms still folded across her chest as the tears began to flow from her eyes, first in droplets, then like a river flowing through a pathway in between two lands. She was devastated.

"But why would he give you the potion in the first place?" Melvina asked. "Who did you spy on?" She queried, remembering why the deadly potion had been used during the last pack war. It had been very effective, actually the most effective, in hiding a wolf's scent or figure whether in human or animal form. But it also had its consequences. Apart from the costly sacrifice you had to make to please the witches, the potion suppresses the mate bond for a while if taken once, and forever if taken much. It also reduces the life span and weakens the immune system of the participatory wolf.

"On a neighbouring pack." Maya replied, scared to say that the truth, her plight momentarily forgotten. She wondered what her Aunt and cousin would think of her if they found out that she had spied on them for her father. Their care for her and her issue at the moment, also worsened the guilt that she felt at the moment.

"Was it ours?" Derek asked, putting his hands into the two front pockets on each side of his denim jeans. Although he felt sorry for his cousin for having a wicked father, he still felt his anger rising at the thought of his pack or him being spied on by his cousin.

"Of course not." Maya replied hastily, hitting her thumb against her index finger in a motion that resembled a swinging pendulum.

"Maya.." Derek called carefully, as he watched the motion she enacted with her fingers unconsciously. He knew she was lying; she always did that with her fingers whenever she was telling a lie. It was only noticable to him.

"It was your pack." Maya finally said, knowing that Derek had caught her lie. He had always been the only one who could tell when she was lying.

"You spied on our pack?" Melvina asked, trying to mask the disappointment she was feeling for the girl looking so forlorn in front of her. She didn't want the girl to feel more dejected than she was already.

"Yes." Maya replied tentatively, waiting for the worse to happen; although she thought that nothing could be worser than being unrecognized by your mate. That shit was devastating. She felt so devastated already.

Derek took a deep breath in and out, trying to withhold himself from shouting at his cousin. Her dejected state was telling on him.

He took a glance at his mother; she was fighting with her emotions too.

He sighed when he saw her take a deep breath, and stepped around his cousin; kneeling down and drawing her into her arms.

His gamma would always say his mother was a saint or an angel in her previous life; and he couldn't help but agree, especially at the sight of this.

"What do you know then?" He asked, taking few steps towards his sad cousin.

"I know you have found your mate already, and that, she is a human girl called Emma.." She replied.