Chapter 53 - SIDELINING THE ALPHA II

The tension in the room was so thick that a knife could slice through it, as everyone was left to his or her thoughts. By the side of the room, was Melvina; and she felt a little bad that she had to lie to her mate, but then finally concluded that it was necessary; that it was better this way, knowing that she would still tell him of everything later.

On another side was Derek. And as he laid a strong stare on his cousin, he wondered why she would forge that kind of lie.

'Was there no other lie, other than a one that would bring enemity between her and his father?' He thought. Although he was happy that at least his father's attention had been diverted from the truth, he was still a little bit sad of the bad relationship that will ensue between his father and his cousin. He didn't like that part at all, and he didn't know why. Perhaps he was already forgiving his fiesty cousin, bit by bit.

Maya on one hand was the most less concerned. The only thing that bothered her at the moment, was the dire cruelness of her father, and the fact that she had just lost her mate.

Even though her aunt, Melvina, had said it was just temporary since she only took the potion once; she still thought it a loss. Because if things had worked out like the usual, if Leo had recognized her, she knew that by now, they would be talking animatedly about themselves, dropping a few touches and kisses on themselves, here and there. He would also never go over to her pack as she would make her cousin choose another leader for his pack warriors. But now, he's gone to her pack. She soughed at the thought.

"He would meet Zoe at the pack." Her wolf, Sia, opined sadly.

Maya balked and almost cried out at the thought. Running her hands sporadically on her hair, she remembered that Zoe had mentioned a Leo, her boyfriend who was really a wolf. She knew it would be stupid to call it a coincidence, or to think that the Leo could be a different person from her mate, since there could be many Leos in the her cousin's pack. She already knew they were the same person.

She knew that her mate had gone off to her ex best friend. She could feel her wolf howling in anger and deep sadness. She felt really bad too. She wondered if Leo would mark her ex best friend as his mate, as she had heard of people who had rejected their mate to be with another, but she also knew, that most times, it didn't end well. Elder Brandon, her father's right hand man in wicked acts was a perfect example of that. Often times, she had wondered between the duo who had been more wicked. She remembered that Brandon had been her Uncle's godfather then.

Mentioning her Uncle, Maya got annoyed at him again for agreeing with her father about everything, including merging their packs. Couldn't he see that her father, who was also his brother, didn't mean well at all, or did he have an ulterior motive in mind. She hoped the later was true. But it still didn't wiped out her annoyance as she took a glance at him from the other end of the room.

She thought that if he hadn't agreed to her father's bidding, her mate wouldn't have gone to her pack, she would have met him later, when the potion's effect had dwindled away. She preferred waiting more to meet him, than not being recognized by him.

Alpha Peter's thoughts were filled with his mate's slight betrayal and his son, being an accomplice to it. He didn't really blame them though, since he had been acting weird for a couple of weeks. He already decided to let it go, and give everything time to settle.

His grandmother who had died as a sacrifice at the last pack war had always talked about the place of time towards everything. She had always opined that they should all give time, time, to work its way, settling everything in due course, and explaining the why of the many situations they hadn't been able understand then. He wished she was still alive; she would have been if not for the witch's price for a sacrifice at the last pack war.

He blinked his eyes multiple times as he tried to stop the train of the thoughts of old which were finding their way into his mind at the moment; he didn't want that, didn't want to remember those evil events that caused a drastic turn in his life and made him a pawn to his brother. He was still waiting, and hoping on time to sort and settle it out.

Taking a glance at the trio in front of him, he decided to lie too, to pretend that he had no inkling of what had just happened, or to have observed anything. He decided to play along with them.

"And why do you say so?" He finally asked his neice, who looked to be in deep thoughts. He knew she was the clue to the mystery overshadowing his family, and he didn't know how to go about that.

"Nothing." She replied, with a shrug; confirming his earlier thoughts.

"Okay then. Well, unfortunately for you, the truce has already been made, with or without the picture you just tore, and there's nothing you could do about it." He remarked..

" Yeah, right. I see. I would be off now, Uncle." His neice stated, and walked out of the room in long strides.

He looked ahead, to see his son exchange glances with his mate, but he decided to keep quiet about it, even when his son decided to walk out of the room, after muttering a goodnight to them both.

"I would be retiring now, to the kitchen though." He heard his mate say, and soughed. He knew she was just looking for an excuse to join the duo outside.

"Okay. Be fast then. I'm hungry." He replied truthfully, rubbing his stomach as he shared a smile with her.

He watched, as she nodded at him with a smile, before strottling out of the room gracefully.

Taking a deep breath, he sat down on his cushion, his mind reeling with a lot of thoughts, as he waited for his mate's always delicious dish.