Chapter 55 - I MISS YOU, BABY

Eva was extremely happy when she heard her cousin's declaration. She was also happy that she had a big sister to play with and talk things over with.

Her mother was sometimes, busy with helping her father with pack duties. And Derek was also busy with his friends. It was worse now that he started college. She only saw him in the evenings, and she wasn't ssatisfied with that.She wondered how long her cousin would be staying; she hoped it was for a very long time.

"How long are you staying?" She queried her beautiful cousin who still held her hand tightly, which she liked.

"I don't know yet. But I'm not leaving anytime soon." Maya replied, smiling down at her baby cousin. She thought the girl was more beautiful than her big brother.

"Oh, great. We have a lot of time to talk about a whole lot of stuff then. But what is your name?" Eva asked, battling her eyelashes as she stared at her cousin with her baby blue eyes.

"My name is Maya." Maya replied, deciding at that moment, as she stared into her little cousin's blue eyes which looked at her with love, never to repeat the same thing again that she did seven years ago. She made up her mind to protect this family against whatever, including her pack; citing that her pack never stood up for her like this family did, even after she betrayed them.

She almost teared up, when the little babe stretched up her two hands, signalling that she wanted to be carried by her.

She nodded, battling to hold her tears back, as she carried her cousin in her arms.

"My name is Eva." The little girl said, staring deep into her eyes, and smiling.

"Can we go to my room. I will show you all my toys." She continued, pointing her hands towards the kitchen entrance.

Maya turned to look at Derek and Melvina, her eyes brimming with the question of whether she should heed to the little girl's request, or to turn her down because of the earlier meeting they should have.

"It's alright." She heard her aunt say, to her relief. She preferred to spend some time with her baby cousin, than discuss about some other issues that will dampen her mood.

She smiled her appreciation to her aunt, as she sauntered out of the kitchen with the little beauty in her arms who was already telling her about her earlier day in school.

"You think it's a good idea?" Derek asked his mother, as he watched his cousin walk out of the kitchen with his sister. Although, he had seen the happiness on his cousin's face as they gave her consent to walk off with Eva, he was still skeptical about her. He didn't want his baby sister to experience what he had experienced in the hands of his cousin, seven years ago.

"Yes." Melvina replied, turning down the electric cooker. She was done cooking.

"Get me those plates on the left part of the cupboard." She said, stirring the pasta as she got ready to dish the food out.

"Would she stay with us here, or in the quarters reserved for their pack warriors?" Derek asked, bringing out the flower-coated ceramic plates from the cupboard.

"She's family." Melvina replied, stretching out her right hand to receive a plate from Derek.

Derek soughed as he heard his mother's reply. He already knew that she would say that. He had just decided to confirm. He guessed he had to give his cousin the benefit of doubt, but still on the look out that she doesn't play them bad again. He didn't want to risk that.

"You should learn to let go. Ease the burden in your heart, so you could enjoy life better. It's not healthy, physically and mentally, to hold grudges. It kills your heart, and dampens your beauty." Melvina said, turning a bit to smile at her son. She laughed a bit, as she heard him scoff.

"Aye aye Mom. Motivational speaker." Derek muttered, picking up a fork to taste the spaghetti. He tried dipping the fork into the pot, but his mother hit his hand away.

"Mom.." He whined.

"What..?" Melvina asked, trying furtively to hide a smile.

"Let me just have a taste." Derek said, still gripping the fork tightly.

"You will soon, after I dish yours." Melvina stated.

"Mom.." He tried again, trying to dip the fork into the pot again, only to have his hand swatted away by his mother.

"Quit whining, and take this food to your father." She said, pointing at the spaghetti-fulled plate on the tray.

"But you're his mate. You should be the one taking it to him." Derek said, planning to have a fork-taste if she leaves.

Melvina scoffed as she heard her son's statement. She already knew what he was up to.

"Take this to your father immediately, unless you won't have a plate of spaghetti anytime soon." She threatened, raising up the big spoon which she uses to dish out food at him.

"Oh, sure." Derek muttered hastily, before taking the tray and walking out if the kitchen, paying a deaf ears to his mother's loud laugh which followed after him. He couldn't imagine staying hungry this night. If it means taking food to his father, to secure his own meal, so be it.

When he got to the conference room, he knocked on it twice; opening it later with his right hand while steadying the tray with his left hand when he heard his father's voice call out a 'come in'.

Trotting into the room with the tray on his hands, he sighed as he saw his father sitting down on his chair while staring at the torn painting on the floor. He wondered on how long the older man must have stayed that way, staring at the stupid torn painting.

"Your meal..." He said, standing at attention, while getting his father's attention.

"Oh, okay. Keep it on the table." His father stated, still staring at the painting.

"Why are you so worked up about the painting?" He finally asked, voicing out his thoughts, as he laid down the tray on the table.

"Well, it's bad omen for a symbol of truce to be destroyed." The older man said, turning away from the unpleasant sight in front of him, to his son.

"Okay then." Derek said, withholding himself at the last minute, from scoffing.

He turned around to leave the room, when he heard his father call out his name.

"Derek.."

He turned.

"Yes Father." He replied

"Your birthday is in three weeks time. You know what that means right?" His father asked.

"Yes." He replied, even though he didn't really understand, except that he would be a year older, and would be able to let out Maru, his wolf; and maybe handle more pack duties.

"Good. If you don't find a mate in that day. You will have to take Claire, the beta's daughter. She is…" He heard his father saying before cutting him off.

"I know father. I know." He stated, not finding it necessary to let his old man know that he had already found a mate. He knew his father would throw a fit, especially since his mate was a human.

"Okay then. You can go." The older man said, dismissing him with a wave.

Derek nodded, before walking out of the room. Coming out into the passage, he scoffed out loudly. There was no way he was leaving his mate for Claire. Bringing out his phone from his pocket, he tapped his little witch's number and sent off a text to her.

A text that read; 'I miss you baby.. Goodnight, and think of me.'