“I am not my father, Aunt Sheila.” Maya repeated, a tear dropping from her right eye.
She had seen the instant look that had clouded Sheila’s face when they had disengaged from the hug, a long haul from the happy look that had been on Sheila’s face when she had noticed her for the first time. And of course, she had put two and two together, that Sheila as sharp as ever had picked up the murmurings of the people.
Well, she hadn’t been surprised. She had known that the pack had been skeptical about the return of her and her family. She had also known that the pack didn’t understand her uncle’s affiliation with her family.
And she hadn’t cared at first.
Yes, she hadn’t cared to prove her loyalty to them. The only people she had cared about proving herself to was her immediate family, to Derek and to Eva, but not to the pack who was as fickle as anything fickle.
But Aunt Sheila was different. After her mother and Melvina, the woman was the next mother figure. She had loved her so much, still did, and of course had missed her. She was actually the one that had taught her first on how to make pancakes.
“Aunt Sheila, I know that you are hearing a lot from the people, and as much as it is true that my family betrayed the pack, I am not proud of it. You must have known that Anthony’s mother had died as a result of that separation which had triggered a lot, and I know that saying I am sorry wouldn’t cut it, but I am sorry for being a puppet in my father’s hand. I am sorry for allowing myself to be used that way. Just as I had apologized to Derek and Anthony and to his family, I am apologizing to you too. That you forgive me. I am not my father’s puppet anymore. I am my own woman, the woman you had always wanted me to be.” Maya mentioned, breaking out in tears loudly this time when Sheila suddenly engulfed her in a second hug.
Lucille looked away from the scene, her emotions beginning to stir up at the display. She wasn’t one to publicly display her emotions that way, and watching a girl her age do that with her mother was quite disconcerting.
Her eyes found Freya’s face. The latter was smiling, actually looking fondly at the duo hugging. It seemed to her that her sister knew Maya, and approved of her. Maybe even Emma had too.
Well, if that was so, then she was okay with it. After all, her mother seems to have forgiven the girl.
She understood Maya actually. At one time, Hadn’t she been her step dad’s puppet too?. Step dad?
Well, she wasn’t sure what to call Mike anymore. She wondered how the latter was faring now, with his memories all washed away. Was he treating her stay-in mom well?
When Sheila disengaged from the hug with Maya, she was smiling, a smile that mirrored the one on Maya’s face.
“That’s fine. I’m glad that you have found your way back. Now, tell me the story of how you led my daughter to a phantom.” Sheila demanded softly, speaking the minds of all those who didn’t know of this particular story, including Agrip.
(Remember that he had left the same day that Emma had entered the pack for the first time in the earliest chapters of this book. Who still remembers their exchange? Comment it below! Lol.)
“Well, that day, I had brought up the idea of taking her into the magical forest to cheer her up with something mysterious as our waterfall since she had been feeling down after seeing Derek making out with some other girl…”
There was a thud on the floor which grabbed the attention of Maya and paved the way to murmurings in the hall.
Derek had just dropped something to the floor, a file to be precise, although unseen to the audience. And just before he realized what had happened and turned away from Maya in shame, he had actually been glaring at her, for reasons already obvious.
He didn’t think she needed to paint him in the badlight to soften her own play in the story.
Clem thought so too. But Shane could care less. Derek had been at fault then, and still now. He was even thinking that his friend must have shaken hands with bad luck.
“He cheated on her?” That was Melvina now, her tone laden with disbelief.
She remembered the time like it had been yesterday, remembered that Derek had refused food till he and Emma started talking again. But she hadn’t been told why his mood had taken a nosedive then.
Peter swallowed. Things were not looking nice for his son. It was as if the heavens were punishing the young alpha for disrespecting his mate.
Agrip and his granddaughter, Ava, shook their heads in disbelief.
Lucille shook her head, and chuckled drily.
Freya’s mouth was opened slightly. She couldn’t believe that Emma had still put up with the gigolo after that.
Kane and the other brethren in the ancient-hood found it funny. Found it more funnier that the lame dude, Derek, was the chosen one’s mate. Couldn’t the gods have done better?
Sheila took in a deep breath and let it out, controlling her rage from spilling, and demanded that Maya continued the story.
Maya, noting that the atmosphere around her cousin had dwindled more further into hostility by another hundred, swallowed and decided to explain things in a broader light to ease the tension on Derek’s shoulders.
“Actually, the act hadn’t been intentional. He had been drugged by a human by a powerful drug that was supposed to knock him out but ended up making him drowsy. Emma forgave him after finding out that he had almost punched the girl to death when his senses had returned.” She said, smiling when Freya and Lucille let out a chuckle, unable to hold their laughter.
Sheila relaxed then. Derek too.
He didn’t think he could bear another ounce of hatred from his favorite aunt. Well he wasn’t sure again. Hadn’t she stated that she hadn’t been the one living with them in his first ten years on earth?