Check-Mate

16. Medicinal Plants

Happy P' Prem day😊😊

Happy International Women's Day😄😄

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Warm Pov.

There has never been a situation where I had felt so useless before. It's been days since I learned about Chain being marked by an enigma, and I can do nothing to help him.

In the past few days, Chain's craving for the enigma's presence beside him had only increased. Aunt Lita said it was normal for newly mated omegas to earn for their mates to be present next to them for the first few months.

But we couldn't contact him or ask him to come over. We didn't even have his number. The information Chain has on his mate is so little that it is almost useless.

In the end, Aunt Lita told me that it would put Chain at ease if he had something with him that emitted the same smell as his mate.

In the past few days, I have been making things that have the flavors of cinnamon and dark chocolate—starting from cookies, mousses, hot chocolates, coffee, barks, coated walnuts, rolls, cakes, French toast, and whatnot.

He had been consuming all of it in the past few days. But his craving is increasing day by day. I wonder how we will help him when his heat comes next month. He is mated, so he would definitely want the enigma more.

Aunt Lita said that his heat would be more painful for him this time. After all, it would be his first heat after mating.

 I have been looking for remedies for the situation. It is nearly impossible for us to find the enigma by ourselves and ask him to accompany Chain during his heat as we are in Lamphun, and the enigma is most probably in Bangkok.

After rampaging through the whole sorceress library and found a few recipes that could be used to make medical recipes that could help Chain suppress his pain and also his cravings.

We sorceresses have our roots integrated into nature. So, we naturally use herbal medicines rather than Westernized ones. We follow herbalism to cure most of the medical issues of our packmen. 

I am on my way to the estate in the middle of the jungle of our pack's territory. The estate has a lot of medicinal plants even rare ones. I am sure that I can find the major ingredients of the recipe there.

I might take a few days stay to collect all the necessary ingredients as the estate is vast and I don't have the actual location of the plants I need.

Truth be told, I am really worried about leaving Chain alone at home. Mom and Dad had gone to the south as we were setting up a branch of our business there.

Aunt Lita had already said that she would keep an eye out for Chain and take care of him if his situation worsened. But I am still ill at ease. I don't think it is good to leave Chain alone in this condition.

 I just hope that I can find the medicinal plants as soon as possible and leave the place quickly. 

"P' Lot! P' San!" I call out as I reach the gate of the estate. They are the security guards of the estate.

But neither of them showed up. I peek through the gate. I don't see anyone there. I wonder if they are taking a break.

Anyway, I don't want to waste time waiting for them to come. Fortunately, I know that there is a side gate to the estate that is old and rusty.  

I push the side gate open and enter the estate. I have been here a few times before. So, I am somewhat familiar with the place.

My plan is to pick out the herbs whose position I already know and then head to look for the others.

Keeping the plan in my I head in. I check my list.

The easiest one to find is feverfew. I know exactly where it can be found- in the backyard garden of the bungalow.

Did I tell you earlier that there is a bungalow in the middle of the estate? 

Well, it is actually an abandoned bungalow. No one lives there. But the owner has kept some staff to maintain it. Rich people, huh.

As I am getting closer to the bungalow a musky smell assaults my nostrils. It has a romantic floral note with hints of custard, jasmine, banana, neroli, and honey. It's so refreshing.

I take a deep sniff again. I get it! This deep rich aroma! The aroma that is sweet and floral yet bears the characteristics of earthiness and greenery, it's Ylang-ylang!

I have smelt it among Aunt Lita's collection. It was too enchanting.

But where is this smell coming from? Ylang-ylang isn't found in our country. Maybe it can be found down the south as it's nearer to the equator but here, in Lamphun? No chance!

I move closer to the direction of the smell, and I start feeling a bit uncomfortable. My body is starting to burn up as if I am going on heat or something. 

I am pretty sure that it's too early for me to get the heat now. My heat had been pretty regular, and this month's quota was already over. I can't be having heat now. I~

I freeze. I can't move my body. I finally realize why my body is reacting like this.

Standing a few meters away from me was an enormous enigma in his wolf form. The smell I smelt earlier, is from him. He seems to be in a rut.

Yes, he is in a rut. The amount of pheromones he is releasing is starting to cloud my senses. Those pheromones were the reason why my heat was being triggered.

I know this from the books that I read about enigmas a few days ago. The books said that the pheromones emitted by an enigma in a rut can trigger heat and rut in werewolves who smell them, irrespective of the fact that they are alpha, beta, or omega. 

Oh god, I have to get out of here. The way that enigma looks at me is giving me shivers. Those shining golden eyes are staring at me as if he is looking into my soul.

Now I know why there were no guards were there at the gate, all of them must have gone home before the enigma's rut started.

Beads of sweat roll down my cheeks as I make eye contact with the enigma.

I am in heat, for I know I am emitting my floral citrus smell of neroli.

I can't stand still anymore. I slowly move my feet back, hoping the enigma won't notice.

But, to my bad luck, he did. He starts running towards me, taking huge leaps as he runs.

I turn around and run as well. Even though the heat is making me feel weaker than usual, I know I have to get out of here.

I switch to my wolf form as well. Running in four legs is much faster than running in two legs. I know I can't actually outrun an enigma. So, I cast a binding spell as soon as I reenter the forest of the estate.

Thankfully Mother Nature saved me, and the enigma is being held down by the plant roots and branches.