Chapter 42


    ~Tamia~


    I leaned into Sylvester in the Limo, and he held me tight. Linda was in Theodore’s arms, and we rode in


    silence.


    I wondered why Vino would allow Larry to bring their exes there. Was he trying to ruin our rtionship?


    Then again, I also knew that the council members bullied him, so he must not have had a say. The man


    needed to grow a pair, or people would keep walking all over him.


    We arrived at the Volkov estate, and Sylvester and I went straight to our bedroom.


    Although we had showered at Vino’s mansion, I needed to wash the ce off my body. I entered the


    shower and turned on the water.


    Sylvester joined me, already naked.


    “How are you feeling?” He finally asked, and I nodded.


    “I am sorry I acted the way I did..” He started, and I pulled him closer to my body. I looked up so I could


    see his eyes.


    “You didn’t do anything wrong. I am impressed by your self-control. You are lord, you could have


    arrested them, and no one would question you.” I said and rested my head against his chest.


    “I am proud of you,” I said, and he wrapped his arms around me and exhaled. I felt sorry for him that


    his brother would work against him like this.


    We left the shower and got dressed. He wanted to go to his office immediately, and I knew it was


    because of the seal and his signature.


    “Sylvester, may I bring up a suggestion?” I told him on his way out, and he nodded.


    “I do not know who is doing this to you, but the person either lives in this estate or has people in this


    estate. I suggest you have a special ink made for your signature.” I said, and he smiled at me, but I


    wasn’t done talking yet.


    So I walked up to him and ced my hand on his chest.


    “I know I am yet to be luna, and I do not know thews of the north, but I will like you to allow me to


    help you look into the matter secretly. I might find out things,” I requested, hoping he would agree.


    I remembered how I used to help Leo with investigations in the east. Although nothing serious like this


    happened, I knew how it was done.


    “Of course, Luna,” he said and bent to kiss me on the lips. Then he folded his hands and raised his


    eyebrow.


    “Let’s say you were to do this, where will you begin?” he asked, and I giggled.


    “Follow the trail of the so-called tax increment document from who delivered it to where they received it,


    all the way back to its origin. If I could trace it back to its source, we would find the culprit or the


    aplice. We might have to go to the west undercover to get theplete picture. I also feel it was


    dishonest for Alpha Brighton not to tell you about the attack himself. We should look into that, too,” I


    said and sighed.


    “I have a long list,” I told him, and he looked at me in awe.


    “Wow, Tamia,” he said, sounding genuinely impressed.


    “Would you mind working with me, Marcel and Theodore on this?” He asked, and I smiled at him.


    “I will think about it,” I said, and he smiled and gently brushed my cheek with his hands.


    “Try and get some rest,” he told me and walked away.


    I wasn’t nning to rest. I was nning to make sure he had no opposition during the hearing at the


    council hall the next day, so as soon as he left, I searched for Stephanie.


    I stood at her door and knocked.


    “It’s open,” I heard her voice, and I walked in.


    She was rxing on a couch with a ss of wine in her hand. She looked in my direction and smiled.


    “I was wondering when you woulde to see me, Tamia,” She said and motioned me to join her on


    the couch. She tried to pour me a ss of wine, but I declined. It was a bit too early to drink.


    “How was the party?” She asked, and I nodded.


    “It was fine until Dominic decided to embarrass Sylvester this morning,” I said, and she frowned at me.


    I looked at her with a straight face.


    “Who is Larry to Dominic?” I asked her, and she frowned at me.


    “Why are you asking me this?” She said, and I sighed.


    “Because I do not understand why Dominic will always help Larry work against Sylvester. Today he


    used Sylvester of something unscrupulous in the eyes of all the elites,” I said, and she was stunned.


    “He used Sylvester of increasing taxes for poor people, and sending soldiers to attack people that


    couldn’t pay. Who does that to his blood? Does he not know that the entire Volkov family will lose the


    Lordship if Sylvester falls?” I asked her, and she was still stunned.Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    “Dominic is your son, and Sylvester told me he is here because of you. I can overlook many things but


    not when it would hurt my mate’s reputation. I do not like ying dirty, but you need to call your son to


    order. I won’t take it easy if I find out he is setting Sylvester up,” I said.


    Her eyes showed fear. Stephanie was a woman like me, and she knew what women were capable of. I


    did not need to be Luna to do damage. Tears were streaming down her face, and she hugged me.


    “I appreciate your love for Sylvester. I promise to talk some sense into Dominic, but please don’t write


    him off, Tamia. I know you will be luna soon; I do not want him to be in your bad books,” She said and


    broke the hug.


    “Dominic was his father’s favourite, and Larry was one of Maurice’s good friends. They are just mad


    that Sylvester did not get justice for Maurice. Even I am mad about it,” She exined, and I shook my


    head.


    “It gives him no right to do what he did this morning. On no ount should he side with an outsider


    against his brother. Sylvester has been summoned for questioning by the council tomorrow. I want you


    to stop Dominic from attending andplicating matters for Sylvester. Do you think you can do that?” I


    asked her, and she nodded. Wiping away her tears.


    “Thank you,” I said with a straight face.


    “Now, will you drink that wine?” She asked, and I smiled at her and shook my head.


    I did not feel like drinking, and I exined it to her.


    She told me a few things about her life with her husband, and I was horrified to learn of the abuse he


    subjected her to.


    The most baffling thing about it was that she didn’t see it that way, so I held my peace and did not say


    anything about it.


    I returned to the bedroom in the evening and found Sylvester on the bed staring at the ceiling. He sat


    up and smiled, but his smile could not fool me. I knew he was troubled.


    I went to him, and he pulled me close for a kiss.


    “I can feel your anxiety, Sylvester. You need to tell me the real implications of tomorrow’s questioning.” I


    told him, and he sighed.


    He ced his hands in mine and smiled at me.


    “If I fail tomorrow, Dominic will get what he wants, and I will be asked to step down. Marcel and


    Theodore are willing to step down with me.” He said and sighed.


    “I do not want it toe to that, but I do not know what they have. If people are plotting against me,


    then I do not know the angle they will pick,” he said, and I rubbed his back.


    “You need to be calm, Sylvester,” I said and squeezed his hand gently.


    “You are innocent in this, and we will find the culprit,” I told him, and he nodded.


    We left for the council hall in the morning. Marcel and Theodore were in their jeeps, and we joined


    them in ours. We left the estate in convoy.


    Sylvester was a lot calmer after we made love in the shower. I hoped Stephanie kept her promise and


    did not allow Dominic toe for the hearing; it would leave Larry on his own without support.


    Only Dominic could challenge Sylvester; with him out of the way, the questioning would be


    straightforward. The good part was it could only be done once.


    We arrived at the council and were taken to the box where we sat thest time, and it seemed


    everyone was waiting for us to arrive.


    “Wee, Lord Volkov; we are honoured to have you grace us with your presence,” A woman said,


    standing up.


    I looked at Larry, and he was quiet. I looked at Dominic’s Box, and it was empty. I was d he did not


    come.


    “With all due respect, your eminence, this is just a hearing; there is no need to bring your fiance. When


    she is luna, she can partake in these meetings,” The woman said with a straight face.


    “Pam Reeves, my Luna is with me based on my request, and she will also be observing and asking


    questions based on my request. It will be in your best interest to treat her with the appropriate respect.


    Bear in mind that I won’t be changing my mind where she is concerned. So this council might as well


    get used to treating her as the Lady of the north, and my Luna,” he said calmly, and she nodded.


    “It hase to our attention that you ordered soldiers to attack the Brighton Pack in the western


    borders because they could not pay up. You know these people are farmers and can’t afford the


    development tax. Yet, you ordered an attack on them,” She said, lifting a paper that I was sure had


    Sylvester’s signature on it.


    “Your attack forced them to seek refuge with Bane,” She said and sat down.


    Sylvester wanted to respond, but I stopped him. Instead, I stood up, pissed off by what the council was


    trying to do.


    “I would like to ask some questions before Lord Volkov answers your usations,” I said, and they


    murmured.


    “Let her speak,” Vino said, and I smiled at him.


    “Thank you, council leader,” I said, appreciating Vino.


    “I was of the notion this was a question and answer situation, not a judgemental situation,” I said, and


    they murmured.


    “I would prefer you use the word alleged when stating the crimesmitted, Councilwoman Pam,” I


    said, and they were silent.


    “First off, I want to ask this council if they questioned the officers that led this battle?” I asked, and they


    were silent.


    “Where did the ordere from? Who delivered this letter, and where did they get it from? Who gave it


    to them? Who collected it from the lord directly? Kindly answer these questions, and his eminence


    would dly answer yours,” I said calmly, and they began to murmur.


    “I am not trying to create trouble here. I just want to know that that piece of paper came from my mate.


    Once you can prove it came from him, then we can proceed. Otherwise, I will ask this council to search


    for who will benefit from this action, who will want to frame his Lordship and who is likely to seed,” I


    said and sat down.


    “Brilliant, Tamia,” I heard Marcel’s voice through the mind link.


    “Good job,” I heard Theodore’s voice, and Sylvester squeezed my thigh gently.


    “Where is Dominic Volkov?” Larry asked, and no one answered.


    “What have you done to your brother?” Larry asked Sylvester in anger.


    “I will not overlook your disrespect, old man!” Sylvester warned him, and he calmed down.


    “I am beginning to suspect you and Dominic did this. If I find out you had a hand in this, I will end you


    myself. It is a promise, council man Larry,” Sylvester said, and Vino stood up.


    “I believe we owe his Lordship an apology for summoning him for a question and answer without doing


    our research,” Vino said and bowed to Sylvester. Clearly, he wasn’t in support of summoning Sylvester


    but had to as required of him by the council.


    “I apologise on behalf of the council and promise we won’t repeat this mistake. Aid will be sent to


    Brighton, and he will be informed that you had no hand in this, your eminence,” he said, and Sylvester


    told him it was alright.


    As much as I was d about the turn of events, it was best for us to reach out to Brighton and do the


    needful. I did not trust the council. Only Vino Lawrence seemed to be on Sylvester’s side, and we did


    not know him well enough.


    They discussed other matters that involved Bane building an army toe to the north. People wanted


    Sylvester to send Marcel or Theodore to lead a charge to neutralise him and Leo.


    I knew they included Leo because of me.


    I knew they were testing my loyalty because Leo hadn’t done anything wrong.


    I had to hold my tongue and not speak so they do not im that I was still loyal to my ex-husband and


    was only using Sylvester.


    The emphasis on attacking Leo was so much that Theodore and Marcel caught on and had to shut


    them up.


    One thing we all knew was that Leo was a very peaceful man and would never do anything to hurt or


    attack anyone. At the end of the hearing, I concluded that we needed to investigate the council


    thoroughly.