From scratch ✔️

29. Brewing time

Doc Evans is an evil genius. Yes he is. The plan he came up with was so perfect, that sneaky old man. Apparently the woman from the university, the Lisa one, was the head of the department and a very close friend of his (I don't know, maybe it's an undying romantic in me, but I had a suspicion that there was something more than just a friendship between them... Or maybe not, he was a bit older then her... A lot, actually, but looked quite perky for his age). She was so close, that he trusted her with some altered information, omitting the existence of werewolf's, but assigning her with the mission of spying on the Mayor. So, here's what they have come up with:

The university has received a private donation and was planning a new educational program, which consisted of student and teacher exchange. The aim of the donation was not only to motivate students to learn harder (getting a chance of studying in another university of their choice on a full scholarship, that included housing as well), but also for teachers to upgrade their degrees by conducting seminars on different topics in connected universities. Thus the trip Lisa would have to take, to establish connections to the university in my neighbouring town, evaluate their program and decide if her institution would be willing to establish said connection. The university and the whole town should be ecstatic at that prospect, because it would raise their value on the market, and for the city hosting a university like that would mean a boost in reputation. They would be silly to say no. And the reason to meet with the Mayor would be that a lot of local student's go to that same university, and the donation also extends on those student's that don't reside on campus. Something like establishing a special scholarship for the students from the neighbouring towns, thus my hometown as well. A bit sketchy, but she should be able to pull it off. 

Lisa has made contact with the university the very next day after our evening in the kitchen and the plan was in motion. She knew that she needed to find out anything she could about the Mayor and his surroundings, but the reason doc shared with her was a bit false, mildly speaking. He said that he suspected diploma frauds and bribes and Lisa was outraged by that. Nobody was particularly happy about lying to her, but exposing her to the knowledge about the supernatural in this case was dangerous for all parties involved. So a white lie it was. 

While Lisa was getting ready for her mission, we were planning something ourselves. That part wasn't going as easy as the Lisa one. Here's why - I'm still pregnant. Why is that important? Well, for starters with each passing day I was becoming more and more immobile, the darn were baby was growing so fast, that it scared me a little. But I pushed these thoughts aside, I loved her already with all my heart and was prepared for anything. Or so I hoped. But the main reason was because my healer powers were dormant because of me still being pregnant. Confused? Yeah, I would be too. 

The next evening, after doc Evans returned from Lisa we shared a very heated and long conversation. The topic was - how to reveal the stalkers smell. 

"We need a backup plan." stated doc Evans. Everyone stared at him first in confusion, and then in silent agreement. It was Nathan who spoke. 

"I suspect you already have one in your head, doc?" he said it with a slight tilt of the corner of his mouth, he knew doc Evans well.

"As a matter of fact I do!" doc Evans stated proudly.

"Care to elaborate?" spoke a slightly impatient Jonathan. "Your bragging just waists our time."

"Oh, c'mon, I know you love my antics!" doc smirked his way. "But ok. Just don't be quick to shut my idea down and actually try giving it a thought, ok?"

"Why do I have a feeling that I won't like it at all?" Nick mumbled under his breath, but everyone heard him well. Me because he was once again sitting by my side, everyone else because... of their hearing, of-course. 

"C'mon, doc, spill!" Jonathan grumped out. I guess it was his turn to be a grumpy old man. 

"Well... If we are indeed dealing with a healers potions, we need to make one of our own."

"Easier said than done, doc!" argued Nathan. "Did you forget that the healer we have still has no powers and we don't have any books she could use, oh, and she has no teacher!"

"Calm down, son. I know all of it, but..." doc took a deep breath and continued, "firstly, we do have books, they will be delivered in two days from the council archives."

And that little phrase brought a hurricane into our space. Everyone except me shot off their seats and started screaming at each other. I couldn't even make out what exactly they were yelling about, but I didn't care, because frankly? They scared me. All this negative energy surrounded me and brought me in a near panic state. I squeezed my eyes shut and lowered my head as far as it could go, trying to take deep calming breaths, chanting inside they will not hurt you. It was scary. Have you ever been in a room full of 9 angry werewolf's? I guarantee, you would wet yourself. 

Finally Nathan had had enough and ordered in his Alpha tone for everyone to shut up. 

"Enough!" was all he said, but the power in his voice was so raw, that it hit me straight in my gut and I started shaking a bit. Nick was first to react to my discomfort and in a matter of seconds I felt him hugging me firmly, stroking my back and whispering meaningless things into my ear. That helped, a lot. His embrace was like home, I felt at pease there. 

When I calmed down completely I realised that I was sitting in his lap. My cheeks turned red automatically, because it was the first time after our magical first kiss that we had contact this close. And I enjoyed it, a lot. His firm grip on my thigh signalled that I had no chance of escaping him, so I gave in and relaxed. That's how we sat - me in his lap, one of his hands on my back, stroking it, one of my hands on my belly, and our other hands were connected in my lap. Shirley smiled reassuringly at me and then turned to doc Evans. 

"Doc, what you are insinuating is wrong on so many levels..."

"But why, Shirley? Can't you see, it's a good thing! We have to stop waisting time with Emily!"

"But you are exposing her to the council without her consent!"

"No, I'm not! I wouldn't do that! They still have no idea what she is and that she is even here."

"Than how did you manage to pull this off? Why would they give you the books that are meant for the healer to you?"

"I told them that I suspected that Lisa was a healer and wanted to check it out."

"Oh..." That seemed to shut Shirley up, not to sound rude. 

"That's actually pretty sneaky, doc..." said Nathan. 

"I know." answered a proud doc. "But that was the easy part."

"Yeah, what exactly are we going to do with the books?" asked Jonathan.

"We try going through the books with Emily, of-course."

That statement got my brows furrowed. If my powers were still dormant, how would I be able to use the books?

"Doc, but will I even be able to do anything with the books? You said it yourself, I'm no healer until my baby is born."

"True. But, if I'm being correct, the books don't hold any riddles, they are written in plain English, the recipes of the potions are clear as day, the only catch is that they can only be cooked by the hand of a healer. The question is - do you really need your powers to brew?"

"And you don't know that?"

"Unfortunately I don't."

Wow, I think it's the first time doc Evans had actually admitted he didn't know something...

"So what do we do?" I asked then. 

"We experiment!" said a very excited doc.

"And what if it doesn't work?"

"Then we think of something else. But for now, it's time to brew!"