36 Engagement Dinner


    ~Tamia~


    nning the engagement dinner was tedious, but Avery and Linda came through.


    Linda had moved back to Theodore''s room, and even though he didn''t kick her out, he was guarded


    with her. I noticed it during dinner.


    Her actions hurt him, and he needed time to get over it, just like her.


    Stephanie helped immensely with the seating arrangement and the menu of the engagement


    dinner, which made me realise she was over it.


    I stood in the dance room and admired what we had done.


    Stephanie was drinking a ss of wine with Avery while Linda drank juice. We had worked for a day


    and a half, only taking breaks to eat and sleep; we were exhausted.


    I wondered why Sylvester did not allow me to hire an event nner for this. He refused to tell me,


    but I believed it had to do with trust and essibility.


    I joined the women at the table they were sitting at, and Stephanie smiled at me.


    "You need to brace yourself, Tamia. Northern Alphas are very stubborn, and most of them are


    chauvinists," she said, and we allughed.


    "The east isn''t any different," I told her, and Linda chose that moment to mimic Kyle.


    "You are a woman. What do you know about these matters? Leave it for the men to handle," She


    said. We allughed.


    "I see how well they handled the matter when the northern soldiers called. They just shoved us in


    their faces, afraid." She said, and honestly, that was precisely what happened to them.


    We had all somehow kicked against them, banding with the south against the north, but they did not


    listen, only for the women to be given as peace offerings. We didn''tmit the crime, yet we paid


    for it.


    "You won''t have that much trouble because of Sylvester. He adores you," Stephanie said, and I


    smiled.


    "How are things with Theodore?" She asked Linda, and Linda looked away, knowing it was her fault.


    "The women in the harem were gossiping about you and the Gamma; that was how I got to know,"


    Stephanie said and smiled at Linda.


    "Marcel and Theodore are alphas from prestigious families. Their fathers upied their present


    positions, and so did their fathers before them. The rules that apply to Sylvester apply to them.


    Even though they have not argued or fought anyone about it, they are going against tradition being


    with the two of you, and their families aren''t happy about it. But it really doesn''t matter as long as


    they are happy," She said and sighed.


    "Why am I telling you this?" she said with a smile, guessing that was what we were thinking.


    This content is ? N?velDrama.Org.


    "It is because I have never seen men devoted to their women as these men are devoted to you


    three. The ones before them were horrible. They were so bad that we, their mates, epted their


    ill-treatment as a norm. They engaged in all kinds of orgies and torture. We dared not speak or


    comin. Our duties as their wives were defined, and we had to stay within those confinements, or


    we would be in trouble.


    When I see how Sylvester is with you, Tamia, I wish Maurice loved me that way. But the truth is he


    didn''t. I was just a tool to him. This is why I am telling you this, Linda. Do not throw away a good


    thing.


    I know what happened to the three of you in the east, and I can tell you that my son and his friends


    are decent men.


    They aren''t douchebags and have a lot of respect for women.


    They have all been burned by love in the past, and it is a joy to see them try again.


    Do not make Theodore pay for a crime he did notmit. His only crime is loving you and wanting


    to take your pain away. I see it in his eyes. How he looks at you and how he treats you.


    His mother asked me about you, and I had only good things to say. Please put your past behind you


    and look into the future," She said and touched Linda''s hands.


    "I know you do not drink but try and stay clear of alcohol tomorrow night," She said with a broad


    smile. She felt Linda''s palm and smiled.


    "Because it won''t be good for the baby," She said, and we all gasped.


    I looked at Linda immediately and realised she was stunned too.


    "I used to be a midwife. Yourplexion, mood swings, extra sensitivity to smell, and constant


    fatigue are all early signs of pregnancy. If you do not believe me, you can have yourself tested." She


    said, and I couldn''t believe it.


    I was a bit jealous because I wanted it to be me. Linda was a baby ma.


    "I have some test strips you can use," Avery told Linda.


    "I bought them because Marcel and I are trying," She confessed, and Stephanie looked at me.


    "What about you and Sylvester? " Stephanie asked me, and I smiled.


    "I am envious of Linda right now because Sylvester and I are eager for this to happen," I confessed,


    and Stephanie smiled.


    "I am eager too. It will be nice to have little Volkovs running about the ce. Children always have a


    way of bringing the home to life."


    "Do you all mind being there when I check?" Linda said, sounding a bit nervous, and we all obliged.


    Stephanie would be a great friend to me if she wasn''t being a protective mother.


    We waited in Avery''s room while Linda used the toilet.


    She came out of the bathroom in tears, and I thought the result was negative, but soon I realised


    they were joyful tears. She was pregnant. I could not believe it.


    Somehow everything that was taken from her had been restored.


    At least now, her baby would have a father and not a cowardly runaway warrior who could not stand


    to fight for the woman he imed to love.


    We congratted her, and Stephanie and I returned to the alpha wing.


    I was feeling a bit down and worried that something might be wrong with me, but I kept it to myself.


    "Tomorrow night will be great; make sure he lets you rest," Stephanie advised and hugged me.


    Then turned to open her door when Glenda approached us. She was in tears, and I wanted to walk


    away.


    "What is it this time?" Stephanie asked, obviously tired of Glenda and Dominic''s drama.


    They have had a lot of ittely, and it was annoying.


    I walked away quickly, not wanting to hear whatever was troubling her.


    I returned to my bedroom and decided to run a hot bath to rx.


    I applied vani salts to the bath and rested in it.


    I was nervous about the next day, and I was nervous about my life with Sylvester.


    I touched my lower belly with a deep longing wishing today''s news was mine to share.


    I really wanted to have children with Sylvester. I did not know I was crying until Sylvester walked


    into the room, and I quickly dried my tears.


    I heard him approaching the bathroom and tried to smile.


    He walked in and knelt by the bath to kiss me.


    "How was your day?" he asked, and I smiled at him.


    "Hectic, but I had help, especially from your mother," I said, and he smiled at me.


    "d to see you two are getting along," he said and started undressing to join me in the bath.


    "Vani isn''t so bad when you are covered in it," he said, and I giggled and scooped some of the


    foam and blew it in his direction.


    We soaked together in the bath and returned to the room to dress for dinner.


    We were having dinner with our friends in the small dining room. Sylvester remained adamant that


    he would not eat with his mother and brother.


    I nned on talking to him to reconsider after the engagement dinner.


    When we got to the room, I noticed Linda and Theodore were not sitting closely.


    It was clear she hadn''t told him, and I did not know why. I guess she was afraid of his reaction.


    I wouldn''t me her. Thest guy ran away.


    Although Theodore wouldn''t run, she was afraid he might not be ready. I could see it in her eyes.


    The food was served, and I decided I would break the awkwardness between them.


    "So, are you two going to Vino''s party together?" I asked, and Linda frowned at me.


    "No," Theodore said, and I realised they were yet to reconcile, so I wondered what they did in their


    room.


    "It is a shame," I said, and Sylvester ced his hand on my thigh to stay out of it, but I refused.


    "It will be wrong to leave a pregnant woman alone in the mansion," I said, and Theodore stopped


    eating.


    "Who is pregnant?" he asked me, and I looked at Linda, who looked away. I knew she was mad at


    me, but someone had to share the good news.


    Theodore was stunned, and then he smiled and began tough.


    "Congrattions," Marcel told him, and he epted.


    "Congrattions," Sylvester said, genuinely happy for him, and he epted, pulled Linda close and


    kissed her neck.


    "You should have told me. Now I know why you have been moody," He said and kissed her more,


    tickling her in the process.


    She tried to pretend to be angry but soon started giggling, and just like that, they were back


    together.


    The dinner went in high spirits, and Theodore could not take his hands off Linda; as things were, it


    was clear there would be three weddings during the blue moon.


    I wore a backless blue velvet gown covered with Swarovski crystals. It was beautiful, and I would


    have loved to wear it to Vino''s dinner, but Sylvester wanted me to wear it for our engagement


    dinner.


    He bought me a padium jewellery set with internally wless diamonds on them.


    "Shall we?" he said in his white shirt and well-tailored ck pants. He looked handsome, and his


    hair was packed in a tiny bun at the back of his head. He looked sexy, and I wanted him, but I had


    to be patient because we had guests waiting for us.


    We entered the dance room together, and the ce went quiet.


    People were stunned, and I could see men looking at me lustfully.


    "She''s beautiful," I heard some guests whisper, and I giggled internally. Dominic was there, and for


    the first time, he had nothing but amusement in his eyes.


    Sylvester led me to where we were to sit, and the evening began.


    Stephanie had promised to take care of the entertainment for the evening, and she did a great job.


    The engagement was officially announced, and people congratted us individually.


    I met all the northern and western Alphas along with their lunas.


    They paid their respects.


    The women were a bit envious of me, and I wasn''t bothered.


    I would be jealous of me too.


    Losing out of love in the past and finding greater love was a thing of envy. My life was a dream to


    the women, and I unconsciously ced my hand on my lower belly, praying that my joy would be


    complete soon.


    Sylvester and I danced most of the evening, and he had eyes only for me. Theodore never left


    Linda''s side, and he showered her with love. He also introduced her to some of his family members


    and his mother.


    Marcel''s family attended, too, and they took to Avery quickly; Avery had that effect on everyone.


    There were some people who were obviously against my engagement, like Larry from the council,


    Dominic, Glenda and a few alphas, but they were a minority, and I did not care, really. As long as


    Sylvester loved me, their emotions and opinions were irrelevant.


    Vino congratted us and used the time to remind us toe to his dinner party.


    The guy was charming, and I somehow believed the council was giving him a hard time because he


    was the youngest.


    I studied everyone at the party and noticed Dominic was trying to be friends with Vino at all costs.


    Knowing his ambition to overthrow his brother as wolf lord, I wasn''t surprised, and I could see


    Stephanie giving him a look of disapproval.


    Seeing Stephanie by herself, I pleaded with Sylvester to dance with her. He obliged, and she was


    happy when he led her to the dancefloor.


    She loved her son dearly, and I could see she was delighted that he was pleased.


    "Congrattions," Dominic said to me, and I cringed.


    "Would you like to dance, future sister-inw?" he said, and I smiled and declined politely.


    "Don''t be too confident, Tamia. Things can change suddenly, and you will be left high and dry. I


    believe your experience with Leonardo Albert has taught you that by now," He said, intending to


    spoil my mood, and I smiled at him.


    "Trust me, I never take things to heart. I simply dust myself and move on; as you can see, Sylvester


    and I are moving strong," I said, and he got upset and walked away.


    I watched Sylvester dance with his mother, and prayed that what we havests because I doubted I


    could take the same blow twice.