《The Dark Side Of Fate by Karima Sa'ad Usman》 01 And Then She Came 01 And Then She Came *Warning the Lakhs in this book is fictitious and not the same as any currency or item that maybe spelt or sound the same. All characters, names personalities, location and descriptions are also fictitious and made up. Thank you* ~Tamia~ I will not forget the evening my heavenly life turned to hell. I cannot forget the moment my life changed. My husband, Leo, and I, were at the ball. I did not want to attend, but Leo''s friend and beta was the host, and Leo wanted to honour his invitation at all costs. I should have pleaded with him to stay at home, but I wanted to be a supportive wife, so I followed him, which was my biggest mistake. Leonardo Albert was my husband and the alpha of the Mountain pack, making me Tamia Albert, the pack''s Luna. Leonardo chose me when I was neen to be his Luna. We started courting when I was seventeen, and he was twenty-one. He never touched me because I wasn''t of age, but we fell in love nheless and vowed to remain together. Many women in the pack hated me because Leo only had eyes for me. I wasn''t the most beautiful. In fact, I wasn''t half as pretty as the others, but he saw me, and he loved me. He loved my green eyes. Leo called me his emerald queen, and that boosted my confidence. He never wanted me to dress provocatively or wear make-up, and I just went along. Leo imed me the year he ascended as the pack''s alpha. His parents had decided to leave the position for him and travel, which was what all alphas did once they handed over to their sessors. I wore my luna shoes proudly and performed my duties. I was a trained warrior, so the pack was always in good hands when Leo left our territory on missions. We had been happily married for five years. I was now twenty-four years old while Leo was twenty- seven. I loved him so much, and he loved me too. There was no question. Nothing and no one could ever come between us, or so I thought, until the dinner party when my life turned upside down. We were sitting at a table reserved for us when Leo turned around and saw her. She had long, dark straight hair, blue eyes, full red lips, beautiful tanned skin and an hourss body. Perfect proportionspared to my pear-shaped body. "Leo, Leo," I gently called my mate, but he did not respond. His eyes stayed fixed on her. The beautiful woman in the midnight blue velvet gown. I gently touched his hand, and he shook slightly as if in a trance. "Tamia," He said, trying to calm himself, and I smiled at him. "We should go home, dear; I do not feel well," I lied, trying to get us out of there, but his eyes had wandered back to her, and she was looking at him now. She also looked enthralled in his gaze, and they seemed lost in each other''s eyes. I did not know when my heart began to palpitate. I did not want to believe it, but I knew what had just happened. My husband had found his fated mate, and she was not me. "Leo, let''s go home," I said, sounding slightly stern with a tinge of fear. A fear I could not mask. Just then, His beta, Casper, walked to us. He was the host and Leonardo''s best friend. "Alpha Leo, I hope you and Luna Tamia are enjoying yourselves?" He asked, and I pulled Leo''s hand so Casper would not notice he was staring at someone. "Casper," Leo said, looking at his friend and nodding. "Who is thatdy?" Leo asked, sounding curious. Casper looked at me because what Leo had just done was disrespectful. I swallowed and looked away. I did not know what to say. He hadn''t done anything, but I knew he might. "She is Alpha Ramzey''s daughter of the Whitewood pack. She just returned home from studying overseas. Her name is Amanda Richford." Casper said, and Leo nodded, repeating her name. Casper looked ufortable and decided to excuse himself. I smiled and let him go. Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. I remained silent and did not say a word. There was nothing to say. I just had to wait to see how it would all y out. I doubted Leo would throw away five years of our lives together, and besides, we had imed each other. Fated or not, we were full mates. Rejecting me and our bond would weaken his wolf, so I knew he would not want to do that. I also knew he would not reject her for the same reason. Every alpha valued their strength and feared situations that would make them weak. If he was an ordinary pack member, I would have had the power and right to reject him and walk away, but he was alpha. I drank some wine and tried to pretend it didn''t bother me. "Excuse me, Tamia," Leo said, standing up, and I did not bother to ask him where he was going. I knew he was going to talk to her. I saw her walk to the balcony, and he followed behind her. I had the urge to follow them so I could listen to their conversation, but tears were already streaming down my face. I was too afraid to know what he was discussing with the woman. So I stayed in my seat and drank some wine. Leo did not return to sit with me. After sitting by myself for an hour, I decided to go home. Using the car was not an option. Kaira, my wolf, was in pain, so as soon as I walked far enough, I shifted and decided to run home. "What will we do, Tamia? He is ours. He imed us, and we imed him," My wolf cried, and I did not know what to tell her because I was equally in pain. The trauma was much, and I could not believe what had happened to me. I should have prepared myself for this, but he promised. He assured me, yet he betrayed me. Images of both of them reeled through my mind, and I cried. I cried so much and howled. I did not want to go home. I wished somehow I would run into my fated, too, and he would make the pain disappear, but I knew it wouldn''t happen. I was stuck with Leo, and he was stuck with me until he rejects me, which I knew he wouldn''t. I knew he wouldn''t want to let me go because I bnced his strength. From the way Amanda looked, she wasn''t luna material, but she was a beautiful and educated daughter of an Alpha. Maybe an Alpha breed herself. Compared to my delta genes, she was premium stuff. I knew I did not stand a chance. Leo would make me share. Just like other alphas in his shoes. Leo and I had built the pack together and expanded ournds, fighting side by side for five years now. If he decides to reject me for her sake, I will walk away with nothing because I wasn''t an alpha. I did not know how it would y out, but I did not see a happy ending for me. While running, Kaira and I felt a sharp pain in our hearts, and I did not need to guess what was happening. Leo and I were tied together through our im, so I will feel the pain if he touches anyone intimately. I had seen women with cheating spouses experience this; I had counselled them as their Luna. Who will counsel me through this and help me survive this? I had no family. I and no true friend. Leo was my only true friend. How will I deal? "Damn you, Leo, Damn you!" I cried while Kaira howled at the crescent moon in the sky. Why did fate have to deal us such a shitty card? I ran deep into the woods and cried. I stayed there a while before heading home. I entered our home naked, and Leo was on the couch with a drink in his hand; he looked at me and knew I knew. "Tamia," He said, and I shook my head in anger. "How could you, Leo? You promised. You said if it ever happens, you will reject her. You said I was enough. You promised me," I said. That was why I trained so hard as a warrior and fought by his side. If his wolf is weakened, I will bnce his strength. He was silent. There was nothing he could say to defend himself. I left him in the living room and went to take a hot shower. I sat under it for over an hour until the water went cold before going to bed. I tossed and turned all through the night. I did not know what to do. Rejection wasn''t an option. We were tied together. I could not just walk away from everything I spent time, blood, sweat and tears to build for five years. We are at the top in our region because of our effort together. How could I walk away from that? Even if I decided to start over again, no pack would take me in if I left him. I was doomed. I had no choice but to make this work, but how could I when he wasn''t even trying? "Tamia," Leo said andy next to me in bed. " I am sorry, Tamia. I really am, but I will need time to decide," he said. His words cut me so deep that I would have stabbed him if I could. I would have buried a silver knife in his heart. "Time?" I said, sitting up. "How dare you to ask me for time, Leo? You promised. You imed me. What the fuck do you want me to do. You know I can''t leave, I can''t join another pack, and no one would want to be with a wolf that has already been imed and mated. What about me, Leo? What about my life, my love, and my happiness? Where does that leave me? Where?" I yelled at him, on the verge of tears. He sat up and tried to hold me, but I moved away from him. I was angry and disgusted. I was mad. "Please give me time; you are my wife and Luna. Nothing would change it, not even a fated mate. Please, I just need time. I just have to know what to do. The pull is strong. I wanted to risk the pain and reject her, Tamia, but I wanted her more. I can''t exin it to you, and I do not expect you to understand but please, Tamia, give me time," He pleaded. "And what should I do when you are fucking her?" I asked him with anger and contempt in my voice. "I won''t touch her," he said, and Iughed painfully. "But you did. You did. You touched her tonight, and I felt every bit of it." I said, and he was quiet. I did not need a fortune teller to know how this would go. I was definitely at the losing end. 02 In Confusion 02 In Confusion ~Leo~ Tamia was my life, my love. There was nothing that I wouldn''t do for her. I loved her with all my heart. When I promised to mate with her, I meant it. She was perfect for me. She was beautiful inside and out and had the strength a luna should possess. I loved her qualities too. I could not let her slip away. I had had a crush on her for a while, and when the opportunity to court her presented itself, I took it and never looked back. We had been married for five years. I loved her immensely. My love was so strong that I believed it would be easy to reject my fated mate if I ever found her. She promised to do the same. I never knew that I would cowardly break that promise. Tamia did not want to go to Casper''s dinner party. I should have listened and cancelled, but I went, which was the beginning of my downfall. Her scent caught me off guard and drew me to her like a ma. Mint and apples, sweet and delicious. I was enthralled by her, and she did the same. I turned towards her, and she was all that existed. I felt my love and affection for Tamia disappear immediately. I fought to hold on to it, but the pull of the bond was so strong. "Mate," She linked me, and I responded. Amanda was her name, and she was my doom. I had to touch her and see her. So she asked us to talk on the balcony. I reluctantly went. The moment I got there, I was trapped. I wanted to reject her, but my mouth couldn''t form the word; my wolf, ck, could not do it. We wanted her, all of her, and to keep her. "Good evening, Alpha Leo," she said, and I swallowed. She did her homework. I was surprised at her, and instead of maintaining a stoic face, I smiled warmly, and she fell into my embrace. "Mate," I heard myself saying the words effortlessly, and everything else faded away. Amanda told me about herself. She was a medical doctor, and she was smart and intelligent, too. Luna material, but she could never be my Luna because Tamia and I were already united. "I have to reject you, Amanda," I said, her eyes welling up with tears. "Alpha Leo, please," she pleaded and buried her head in my chest. Soon we began to kiss, and I hoisted her up, ready to take her, but I fought my wolf and my desires and let her down. I knew my actions would hurt Tamia, which was thest thing I wanted to do. I did not want to hurt my wife. "Please, alpha, I can be your mistress. Don''t let me go; dont reject me. Please, you need me; I need you," She cried and honestly, she did not do anything to me. I should have waited, but how was I supposed to know I would find my mate? It was rare. This was a miracle and a cruel one. How will I handle this? Keeping her as my mistress was not a problem, but I would have to inform Tamia first. If I don''t reject her, I have to ept her, but will Tamia ept her too? I know what I thought was cruel, but fate was cruel to all of us either way. Cruel to Amanda by tying her to a married man, cruel to Tamia by connecting her to me before letting me find my fated mate, and cruel to me by putting me in a position where I might have to break all my promises and be the viin in what was supposed to be my love story. I left Amanda on the balcony without a word and headed out. I got back to my table and learned that Tamia had left. When I got home and she wasn''t there, I realised she had figured it out. If she had doubts initially, my make-out session with Amanda would have made her realise it. I hated myself. I hated fate for what it did to me. I did not know who to discuss this with. If I told my father, he would ask me to make Amanda my luna to make me stronger and have strong pups with her alpha genes. If I rejected her, I would lose some of my power, making me unfit to rule. But thinking of the pain innocent Tamia would endure every time I touched Amanda, put me in a serious dilemma. What I did not understand was why now. Why this, and why me? As the strongest alpha in my region, I could not afford to lose my power, but I loved my wife. I loved her dearly that subjecting her to pain was out of the question. I needed time to think about it. I sat on the couch in my dark living room, pondering over the matter, with a drink in my hand. I wondered where Tamia could have gone. While thinking of her, she walked into the house, naked and broken. I wanted to go to her, but she radiated anger, so I gave her space. "How could you, Leo? You promised. You said if it ever happens, you will reject her. You said I was enough. You promised me." She growled. I remained silent. There was nothing I could say to defend myself. I had fucked up, and I couldn''t guarantee there would not be another. When I had promised to reject my fated mate, I had only said that because I knew I wouldn''t find her based on statistics. I wondered what fate was ying by this. I returned to the roomter and realised that Tamia was wide awake. How could she sleep? I did not expect her to be asleep. She was in pain, and she was afraid she would lose me. Letting her go would not be easy. I promised to always be with her, love and cherish her, and I will be a bastard by breaking those promises. If I rejected her, it would weaken my wolf; no pack would take her, and because I was the alpha, she won''t be able to remain in the pack. I would never do anything that would make Tamia homeless or a rogue. This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. If the pack found out about Amanda, they would ask me to push Tamia aside and allow Amanda to be Luna because mating with Amanda would make me stronger and bless my pack. I was in a serious dilemma. I prayed the pack members would not find out and force my hand. As much as I love Tamia, as alpha, my duty to the packes first. I got into bed and tried to talk to her about it, but she was too hurt for us to have a peaceful discussion, so I became silent and did not aggravate her more than I had. I woke up in the morning to Casper in my head. "Alpha, is it true Amanda is your fated mate?" he asked with a lot of concern, and I wondered how he found out. I doubted Tamia would tell him because she knew if word got out, the pack would side with Amanda against her because of the benefits my union with Amanda would bring. "Who told you? Please, no one should know." I pleaded with him, and he was silent. "You ripped her dress on the balcony. Everyone discussed that at the party after you left; they are all rejoicing." He said the things I dreaded to hear, and tears streamed down my eyes in right then, because I knew what would ensue. I called Alpha Kyle, a friend of mine who was in the same predicament, and he congratted me. He advised me to im Amanda so Tamia wouldn''t feel the pain. I thanked him, but I wasn''t nning on taking his advice. I nned on ignoring the bond and continuing my life with Tamia until I could gather the strength I needed to reject Amanda. 03 A Clearer Picture 03 A Clearer Picture ~Tamia~ I went on a run in the morning, and when I returned, the people looked at me strangely. I did not need magic to know that news of the Alpha finding his fated had travelled. Leo did not try to hide the attraction between him and Amanda. I wonder if the pack members were happy that their Alpha would be stronger now that he had found his fated mate. I wondered if they were concerned for me, for the pain I would endure, which might drive me insane eventually. I honestly wondered whose side they would be on. I jogged past the pack members and returned to my house. Leo was having breakfast. I had not spoken to him and did not n to, because I had nothing to say. I went to the bedroom to shower and dress up for the day; we had a meeting to attend together. As much as I would rather sit it out, I had promised Luna Avery I would be there. Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. She was the closest I had to a friend, and I suspected my life would be like hers soon. Avery''s husband, Alpha Max, found his fate three years ago, and they have lived together ever since. Although she had never opened up to me about what was happening in her home, I knew she was broken. He always attended parties with his fated and left Avery on her own. She had found a way to cope. She was faring better than Linda, who was in the same shoes as Avery, but I dreaded I would be able to manage. I showered in a hurry. For the first time, I did not spend time in the mirror in the toilet to dry my hair. I did not feel like making an effort. Even though Leo did not like make-up and revealing clothes, I tried to look nice under those circumstances, but I wasn''t feeling like it anymore. Amanda was pretty. There was no way I could compete with her because they were fated. She could be the most unattractive being on earth, and he would still want her. Fated love was fucked up that way. The moment I walked into the room after taking my shower, I saw Leo sitting on the couch. I ignored him and went to look for something simple to wear in the closet. He came to me and wrapped his arms around me, then kissed his mark on my neck. I pushed him off me. "Don''t touch me after what you didst night," I said through gritted teeth. I was mad. He had utterly embarrassed me and showed zero self-control. "We did not go all the way, Tamia. I broke it. I held back. As much as my body and wolf wanted to, I held back," He said. "Held back, as in you didn''t put your cock in her, but you did everything else," I said, exining his meaning of holding back, and he was silent. "Get dressed. We have a meeting to attend," I told him, and he held onto me. "It has been shifted to this evening. Please let me apologise to you, Tamia. I am sorry," He said, and I smiled and looked at him. "Do not use that word carelessly, Leo. Sorry means you won''t do it again, and I know you will, so don''t bother," I told him, and he held me tighter. I could feel his frustration. "Please, Tamia. This isn''t easy on me, either. " He said with tears welling up in his eyes, "I felt like a foolst night. I was ashamed. People looked at me with disgust, and I couldn''t me them. I left my luna alone and went to make out with a stranger, just because fate willed it. I did not have the intention of touching her. I wanted to tell her it wouldn''t work. I wanted to risk being weak and reject her. Yes, it will cost me a lot, but I will still have you. I was okay with you being my strength, Tamia, but I couldn''t. I couldn''t do it, and I still can''t. I woke up this morning thinking I would go to the Whitewood pack and reject her, but I can''t. I cannot exin why because the feeling is alien to me, but I can''t, Tamia. Please help me out." He said and went to his knees and hugged my legs while he wept. "I don''t know what to do, my love. I am confused. We should have just stayed home as you insisted, but I had to honour Casper''s invite," he said and continued to weep. For the years I had known Leo, I had never seen him cry or show this amount of vulnerability and weakness. He was perplexed. Fate had messed up our lives. Against my better judgment, I ran my finger''s through his hair to calm him down, but I doubted my touch would ever be enough again. He looked up at me and stood up. He held me to his chest. "I will find a way, Tamia. I will fight it. I will stay away from her. Please, Tamia," he said, making promises that I knew he wouldn''t be able to keep. I hugged him, knowing my blissful life with him was over. Like the stories of other lunas this had happened to, I had to find a way to make it work. I have to prepare my mind to share him with her. There was no way his wolf would want to stay away or reject her. As willing as I was to try, I could never let him touch me again because I knew he would do it out of duty and not love. In that case, I would rather be without his touch than for him to touch me out of pity. "Do not give up on me, Tamia, please," He pleaded with me sensing my resolve. "How can I when fate has already given up on us?" I said, looking at him. "I won''t make you share like the other Alphas, Tamia. I will fight it," he said, and I nodded. Of course, I did not believe him, but I could not dispute the fact that he meant what he was saying. We attended the security meeting in the evening, and I dreaded having discussions with the lunas in attendance. The news had travelled by now that Leo was fated to Amanda, and they had hooked up. Before the meeting, I heard pack members gossip about people seeing Leo with Amanda on the balcony making out. I heard he tore the top of her dress. There was no way to hide an incident, especially when the woman had to leave the balcony looking ravaged. "How are you handling it, Tamia?" luna Linda of the Brent Pack asked me, and I shook my head. She was in the same predicament as Avery. She was living with her husband and his fated. Her husband, Kyle, refused to reject his fated because he knew it would weaken his wolf. He made Linda agree to it, and she has been a miserable drunk ever since. "You need to be brave, Tamia. It won''t get better. My bed went cold two years ago. Now they have pups, and it is almost as if I am not in the picture. This is all I am ever good for, meetings," She said and took a huge gulp of her wine. "Sometimes I wished he was an ordinary pack member, not an Alpha. I would reject him and move on, but unfortunately for us, they have to reject us or someone stronger challenge them for our hand. Either way, we are fucked. They fear the weakness thates with the rejection, so they won''t do it, and since we are used goods, no one would deem us worthy of fighting for." She said, spelling out a truth I had known for a while. "How do you manage?" I asked her, and sheughed. "He imed his fate, so neither of us feels pain when they are together again. I just make myself happy with flings and affairs. No one ever really sticks around, and even though they im to love me, they never try to challenge the Alpha. So I just enjoy the affair and move on," She said and drank more wine. "Does he know?" I asked, and sheughed. "He doesn''t care, Tamia. They stop caring and getting jealous once they im their fated. I learned the hard way. I tried to make him jealous a couple of times, and even though he was offended, I didn''t get the reaction I wanted. Think of it more like this," She said and gulped down the wine in her ss. "Before his fated, he couldn''t stand me being around anyone. He didn''t want anyone to touch me and got jealous whenever he picked a foreign scent on me. Now he doesn''t care what I do as long as I do not do it in public, and rumours don''t spread; he is okay," Linda said, and I understood what she meant. She filled up her ss and drank the wine again. Linda was a wreck; would this be me shortly? The other women came around, and I noticed they were avoiding the elephant in the room, Leo and Amanda. I respected and thanked them for their control. I ended up giving them an opening to talk to me about it, and they felt sorry for me. Most of them genuinely hoped it was a phase, but others, like Avery and Linda, knew it was just the beginning of the end for me. We soon joined our husbands. I should have been with the men throughout the meeting because I was a warrior Luna, but I did not want to be next to Leo or render any assistance anymore. I wasn''t a fool. I nned on gradually stepping away from my duties to the pack. It was no use anymore. I noticed the subtle exchange between Alpha Ramzey and my husband, and I did not need to guess why. After the meeting, we headed to the car park, where Alpha Ramzey osted us. "Leaving so soon, Alpha Leo? We haven''t finished our discussion yet," He said and looked at me with scorn. "You can''t keep him, you know." He said to me, and Leo tensed. "Leave my wife out of this," Leo warned him, and heughed. "But she is in the middle of it, Leo. You might be the most powerful Alpha in this region, but we deserve respect. You defiled my daughter at that party and did not take her home. It is wrong," He said, and Leo growled at him. "We made out. That was all. I did not sleep with her. I did not fuck her," He said, and Ramzey punched him. Honestly, I was d for that punch. Something I wanted to dost night. "I do not care, Leo. You lost control and ripped her dress. Now that is all everyone is talking about. You will do the honourable thing ande and get her from my pack." He demanded, and Leo refused. "You think I wanted this for my Amanda? She went to medical school. I had ns for her. Being a mistress to an Alpha wasn''t it," he said with a shakey voice. The man was hurting too. "Luna Tamia is too valuable for you to reject her, and you will not want to lose some of your wolf strength by rejecting your chosen, so I know you will stick to her; I also know you won''t reject your fated for the same reason. Come and get her from my pack and im her. The three of you can figure it out from there. Next time, I won''t ask nicely," He said and walked away. I could not speak because Ramzey had given me the most precise picture of the situation. I walked numbly to the car and fought my tears. 04 Sharing. 04 Sharing. ~Tamia~ I did not speak to Leo throughout the drive. Every attempt he made to speak to me was shut down by my silence. When we arrived home, I went straight to the bedroom. Our house had four bedrooms. We chose it so our children would have a room each to themselves, but that wouldn''t be the case now. I wonder which of the rooms I will be asked to move into when Amanda moves in. Linda''s words remained on my mind, and just like hers, I knew my bed would be cold soon. "Tamia, please," Leo said, following me to the bedroom. "Please, Tamia," he pleaded, and I turned to look at him. "Please, what? Everyone is talking about it, Leo. You humiliated me at the party. So what she is your fated. Did you have to leave my side, get into the balcony and make out with her? Do you know the meaning of self-control?" I asked him, and he bowed his head. "The feeling was overwhelming," he said, and Iughed. "Better go to Whitewood and finish what you started, Leo. Do not wait for my approval because it will nevere. I will never say it is okay so you can feel good. In fact, it isn''t okay! It hurts! It feels like a betrayal, and I can never get over it. So don''t waste your time hoping I will see the light because I won''t. I am the loser in this. Not you, not her, not the fucking pack members, just me. Me and Kaira." I said, walking into the bathroom to shower. I stood under it while the water ran, and I was frozen. I did not know what to do. Where will I go to? Just like Linda and Avery, I was trapped. I could not go anywhere without an invite because I was his luna. I could not dream of finding love. No one would want to try with me. I was stuck. I sat under the water and wept. I was trying to prepare my mind for the dark days ahead, but I couldn''t. My heart was too broken, and I was too afraid. "We will have to try, Tamia," Kaira, my wolf, said, resigning herself to our fate. "What if she is mean and evil and wants him and everything to herself?" I asked my wolf. "Then we will let her have it. We can''t fight this. She is higher than us, and she is his fated. We do not stand a chance. We just have to hope that she is nice and considerate, or a cold bed would be the least of our problems, Tamia," my wolf said, and I wept. This was all too much. One month passed, and I watched Leo fight the bond. He never went to get her from the Whitewood pack. Alpha Ramzey sent several envoys to no avail. I knew he was trying to prove something to me, and I appreciated him for it. We made love a couple of times, but it was different. His heart and wolf weren''t in it, making it feel like pity fuck. I had never felt so low in my life until now. He spent long hours in the office and reduced his time working from home. I knew he wasn''t attracted to me as he used to be. Alpha Ramzey had threatened war with us if he didn''t take his daughter, and word had spread that he was soliciting help from others. Because of this, we were summoned to the council meeting. The meeting was where Alphas in our region met and decided on issues. Every Alpha had equal rights in the council, and the judgement was binding. Every council consisted of all the alphas in a region. Every Alpha in the council represented their pack. I was nervous about the verdict, but I dressed to go anyway. While we sat in the car''s back seat, Leo squeezed my hand gently. "Don''t be worried, Tamia. You will always be my Luna. I promise you," he said, and I nodded and smiled at him. I had somehow learned how to pretend I believed him. The truth was the only reason I was still with him was that I had nowhere to go. A lot of issues were discussed at the council. Alpha Sylvester Volkov of the Dark Wolf pack, and Lord of all werewolves was one issue that troubled people the most. He conquered an entire region and was heading for ours. Some people argued that the Dark Alpha never attacked unless someone offended him. Still, most believed he was a bully, and we needed to prepare ourselves. Being an Alpha from another region, I had never met him before, so I could not judge his character or decide whether the rumours about him were true or false. One certain thing was that the man was powerful, and he was feared. After discussing how evil the Dark Alpha was and deciding what to do on the matter, Ramzey''s issue with Leo was tabled. "Why have you refused to do the honourable thing, Alpha Leo?" Kyle asked him, and I knew he would see kicking me to the curb for a fated as honourable since that was what he did to Linda. "Your chosen cannot leave you unless you reject her. It is wrong to have rtions with you fated and then abandon her," he said sternly, and Leo shook his head. "I did not go all the way with her, I swear," he argued, and Kyle shook his head. "Not ording to Amanda," he said, and Leo frowned. Either he was lying, or she was lying; whatever the case may be, people would likely believe her because of her ripped dress. "We do not want a war among ourselves, Leo, do the honourable thing," Alpha Gabriel said and looked at me. "You should not hold him back from his fated, Luna Tamia. It is cruelty," The chauvinistic bastard said to me. What was my crime in all this? "Do not me me for this, Alpha," I warned the man, and he took offence. "I am not the one under scrutiny. Do not get me involved." I warned him, and he growled. "It is because of you he hasn''t taken Amanda in. We can''t have two powerful Alphas go to war because you don''t want to share. Fate has made it, so deal with it," the man said, and I did not bother to respond because there was no point arguing with the bastard. "You are expected to take Miss Amanda Richford in by the end of the week. Or the council will be against you. You might be powerful. You might have morend and wealth than all of us, but together, we are stronger than you. Do not force our hands. You have hurt Alpha Ramzey and should make reparations by doing the right thing." Kyle said, and the case was closed. We did not stand a chance against the entire council, so I knew we would wee a guest into our home soon. I returned home with Leo fuming with anger. "I will move my things out of the master''s bedroom tomorrow morning," I told him, kicking myself out of the room before he did it. "No," he said. "We will remain together. Since Amanda is hellbent oning here, she will sleep in the other room," he said and looked at me. "I swear to you, Tamia, I did not sleep with her," he said, and I nodded at his empty words and went to the bedroom. I tossed and turned most of the night because I knew my life would be different in the morning. Morning came, and Amanda arrived. People stared as they moved their things into our home. I pointed to the guest room, and they reluctantly moved her things there. It was as if they felt she should not be there. After they had arranged everything in her room, the people she came with left. I avoided speaking to her and decided I would leave the house when she chose that moment to speak. "I am sorry for the inconvenience this is causing you, Luna Tamia. Know that if the rejection was an option, we would have done it in a heartbeat, but a powerful Alpha like Leo would not want to be weak neither do I. I promise I will not try to rece you," she said, and I knew she knew it was only a matter of time. N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. "Thank you," I lied and stepped out of the house. I walked to the woods, shifted to my wolf form, and ran. I remained in my wolf form all day, until nighttime. I returned home and noticed that Leo''s car was parked in front of the house. It was times like this I wished we lived in the packhouse; they would never have privacy. I entered the house and heard their voicesing from Amanda''s room. They were arguing about something. From the discussion, it was clear she had lied against Leo that they had rtions, but they only made out. At the end of it all, she won and now is currently living with us. I went to the master bedroom to shower. Two weeks passed, and Leo treated Amanda like a ghost in the house. I began to feel sorry for her. I could see his efforts to stay away. She had asked for rejection several times already. I knew she did not mean it; she was only doing it to get a reaction from him. I wondered how long he would hold out on her. I woke up with a sharp pain in my chest. I felt disoriented, but the pain soon made me focus. Leo wasn''t beside me, and I did not need to guess where he was. This pain was different; it was draining and excruciatingly painful, and soon it stopped abruptly. I did not understand what had happened but was grateful that it had stopped. Iid back down to sleep but couldn''t. Tears of fear, betrayal and sadness streamed down my cheeks, and I knew that my life had been altered completely. Sleep eventually came in the morning''s early hours, making me wake by noon. I could not take my normal morning runs because the sun was up, so I opted to shower. I left the room and went to find something to eat in the kitchen, and there they were,ughing and talking. They were silent when I entered the kitchen, and I had to cover my hurt. "Please ignore me," I said and headed for the coffee maker. "Good morning, Luna Tamia," Amanda said too nicely, and I looked at her. She turned to face me so I could see Leo''s mark on her neck. It exined why the pain stopped abruptly, as Linda had told me. I began tough immediately. That was the response that came out of me. Iughed and nodded. "Congrattions," I said, lifted my mug and left the kitchen. "Tamia, Tamia!" Leo called out, and I stopped walking and turned to face him. "Please, Tamia. It doesn''t change anything. You are still Luna," He said, and Iughed. There was no way I was going to let Leo use me. "No, Leo. I am not the only Luna anymore," I told him, and he frowned at me, wondering what I meant. There was no need for me to borate now. I will do so when the opportunity presents itself. I looked at his clothes, and it did not seem like he had anywhere to go, which meant they would be together all day. It was time to start nning my exit. Yes, he won''t reject me, and now that he has imed her, I won''t feel pain when they are together again. It was time to start searching for ces I could move to. I might not be able to settle down again, and I might have to move to a different region and lie that my mate is dead, but I knew whatever I needed to do needed to be quick. Amanda didn''t seem like a nice woman, and I did not want to find out. 05 Coming Out 05 Coming Out ~Tamia~ Another month passed, and things got worse between Leo and me. He never spent time with me anymore and seemed to have miraculously moved out of our bedroom. I saw it alling, yet it bothered me. He took her along to functions he was invited to and told me to mind the pack. I was working on my exit, so I kept telling myself it would only take a little longer. I would often stare at my neck where his mark rested and want to clean it off. I hated seeing it so much, I always covered the area. My tears had run dry. Some lunas reached out to me to sympathise with me, and others congratted Amanda; she wasn''t named Luna yet, and I knew why. Amanda was a medical doctor, and she wasn''t trained for battle. Naming her Luna would mean she would have to take up all my responsibilities, including leading battles. I guess her life was too important for that. I nned on surprising Leo soon. I was sitting in my office when Leo barged in and began to yell at me. He was behaving like a madman. He had never spoken to me in such a manner before. People were around and had to excuse us, but he had already embarrassed me. "What is the matter?" "Why did you send men after Amanda?" He asked me, and I frowned at him. "Answer me!" he yelled, and I shook my head. "I did not send anyone after Amanda," I said, and he raised his hand to p me but stopped and looked at his hand with disbelief. He looked up at me with misty eyes. He was ashamed of what he was about to do. "I have a man in the cell that said you sent him to kill Amanda. Why will you do that? It isn''t our fault that we are fated. It isn''t my fault, Tamia. Why couldn''t you just make it easy for all of us?" He said, and tears streamed down his eyes. He sat on the chair in my office, bowed his head, and wept. His words hurt me not because of the usation but because he said it wasn''t his fault he had found his fate. I sat down and stared at him numbly. "I have made it easy, Leo," I said. "Whenst did you speak to me lovingly? Whenst did we go to a function together other than security meetings? Whenst did you spend time with me as your wife? When was thest time we slept on the same bed? When was thest time you made love to me?" I asked him, and he looked up at me with swollen eyes. I knew he was conflicted, but I was the one hurting. "We have barely spoken in two weeks, and you barge into my office to use me of sending goons after your mate. You didn''t even bother to ask or investigate." I said, and he looked ashamed. "You said a prisoner in custody said I sent him to eliminate Amanda. What proof does he have?" I asked Leo, and he was speechless. "Anyway. I didn''t do it. Someone is trying to frame me, and you should be smart enough to know that I wouldn''t n this because I never fail," I said. "Is that why you decided to go house hunting without telling me? I learnt of all your requests to neighbouring Alphas begging to let you own a property on theirnds. Did you think I wouldn''t find out?" He asked me, sounding hurt, and I fought the urge to roll my eyes. "I am sure Amanda will like the space. There will be no need for her to moan louder than necessary when you two are together." I said, and he was silent. "You are my wife and Luna of this pack. You are not allowed to leave," He said, behaving like a victim. "I have warned all the Alphas that if they give you refuge, they will have me to contend with. I might have a fated, but you are still my wife, and I am not letting you go. I will die before I let you go, Tamia," He said with determination and a promise. There was a time it would have made my heart flutter, but that was gone the moment we weed his fated into our home. "You should let me go, Leo, because I do not feel the same way anymore," I said, and my words hurt him. This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. "We will talk more at home. Sorry I barged into your office, and I am sorry I believed the bastard without investigating the issue. There is a dinner tomorrow evening, and I want you to apany me there. I want people to know you are still my wife, and I love you dearly," he said. I smiled because I was going to go regardless. Linda had sent me an invite and promised to introduce me to her friends. We were both in the same situation, but that did not mean we would deal with it the same way. "See you at home," he said and walked away. I arrived home, and Amanda was crying on the couch. I ignored herpletely and went to my bedroom. It was mine and Leo''s, but he wasn''t sleeping there anymore. To my surprise, I found him in the room. I did not bother to ask him what the deal was with Amanda, and I Just went to the closet to undress and shower. I locked the door behind me when I entered the bathroom. I did not want himing in or touching me. I heard him try the knob on the door, and I smiled. I realised he must have told Amanda he would be sleeping in my room tonight, which must have hurt her feelings. There was no way he was just doing this to please me; I knew he wanted something from me. I Ignored him. After showering, I dressed up in the bathroom and ensured that thece fitted night dress I was wearing was sexy. I had changed my wardrobe to have more sexually provocative outfits, and now I had make-up too. I exited the bathroom and went to sit at the vanity table. "When did you start locking the bathroom door?" he said, sitting at the foot of the bed. "When a third party moved into my home, you stylishly moved out of our room," I replied, sounding bored. "This is still our room, Tamia, and you are still my wife. I am new to this; I am trying," He said, sounding like a broken record, and I sighed. "Of course," I said, smiling, and he sighed. He came to me and kissed his mark on my neck. "Don''t force it, Leo. Your heart isn''t in it." I said, and he sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. "You are so distant. I want you," He said, kissing his mark again, and I froze. "You do not have to touch me because Iined," I told him, and he sucked his mark. "I noticed you changed your wardrobe," He teased, and I blocked all emotions away. "I didn''t do it for you," I told him, still unresponsive. Soon he gave up. "Please let us make this work. I do not want to be like Kyle and Max," He said, pleading with me, and I smiled. "Maybe I will find my fated too, and we can have a fuck fest," I said, and his face darkened. "You can''t handle me sleeping with someone else; why should I?" I pointed out the selfishness of the matter, and he backed away from me. "What do you want to tell me?" I asked him, knowing he hade to my room for a reason. "About the dinner Alpha Kyle is organising. Do you mind sitting it out? I know I asked you toe with me, but Amanda was hoping she would go," he said, and Iughed. "I do not n on sitting it out, Leo. The fun isn''t just for you and your mate. I have my invite from Luna Linda, and I n on honouring it." I told him, and his facial expression became angry. "That is why I changed my mind about taking you there because I do not want you associating with that slut. She has embarrassed her husband too many times and has a drinking problem too. Too bad rejecting her will weaken Kyle; I am sure he would have done it in a heartbeat," He said, and I laughed. "Of course, he would have just as you would have. Seeing both of you doing the same thing must have made you ept his values. He wanted her to be miserable, and she chose to do something about it. There is nothing wrong with that. Unfortunately, we can''t leave, so Linda tries to find love and affection the best way she can. Do not shame her for it." I said,ing to Linda''s defence. He looked bewildered. "Please do not tell me you n on following in her footstep, Tamia. I won''t share. I refuse to share," he said, and Iughed. "Yet I have to," I said, pointing out the foolishness and selfishness of his words. I wore my robe and went to lie on the bed. "Tell your mate she does not need to cry like a baby, that she will be going to the dinner party with you, and you do not have to sleep with me aspensation," I said and went under the sheets. He stood frozen, and I could see him contemting. I pointed at the door. "Leave my room, Leo," I said. I noticed he was hard as hell, and I knew it was for me, but I did not care. "Tamia," He said, and I shook my head. "The day I sleep with someone else ande and meet you, will you touch me?" I asked him, and he could not answer. "Do not ask me to do the same," I said and pped to turn off the lights. The day of the event came, and they left ahead of me. I heard Leo instructing the kappas not to drive me to the venue. He did not want me to go; unfortunately for him, Avery had decided to branch our pack and pick me up on her way to the event. Avery and Linda knew and understood what I was going through and were always there to hold my hand. I wore a backless red dress that showed cleavage and curves. The artist that did my make-up did an excellent job. I did not know I was pretty until she did my make-up. For the years I was with Leo, he never wanted me to wear make-up and revealing clothes. I could see why now. I was gorgeous. Being with him since I was seventeen gave him time to get into my head and mess with my self- esteem. But not anymore. I was determined to put myself out there and maybe find my fated eventually. "Someone is dressed to kill," Luna Avery said, and I smiled at her. She had picked me up in her husband''s limousine. "I must say you are handling this Amanda shit well. They would have allowed Leo to forget her if she weren''t an Alpha''s daughter." She said, sounding angry, and Iughed. "I doubt Leo could forget her. He tried to hold out on her, but the pull was too much." I said and sighed, and she poured me a drink. "At least he made an effort. Mine didn''t. epted and fucked her immediately." She said, smiling. "Here is to being on the losing side of fate," She said, and we took our shots andughed. We arrived at the party, and when Luna Avery and I stepped into the ball, the ce went silent. Everyone stared at us in awe. I heard people whispering, and it all favoured me. Luna Linda walked up to us, drunk as usual, and we hugged. She led me to a table where her foreign guests were. I introduced myself, and they were confused at first, knowing that Leo hade with another woman and introduced her as the luna of Mountain Pack. Luna Linda was the first to dismiss it. "Oh, that''s his slut, and this is his wife. It seems fate has a way of fucking up good things," She said and swallowed her drink. The event went by slowly, and I did not search for Leo and Amanda with my eyes. He tried to link me several times, and I blocked him. I was having a good time, and the men gave me a lot of attention. I was in the middle of it when someone walked up to my table. He was a handsome blonde-haired man with blue eyes, brawny and confident. He did not seem to be from around, so I smiled at him. "Don''t you dare, Tamia," I heard Leo''s jealous voice. "Watch me," I responded and smiled at him, the stranger. "Hello, I am Alpha Devin of the Greenwood Pack; I would like a dance if you do not mind," he said, and I frowned at him. He was from a different region. What was he doing here? 06 Another Alpha In Play 06 Another Alpha In y ~Tamia~ "What is the Alpha of Greenwood Pack doing here?" I linked Linda, and she scuffed. "Kyle feels our region needs to create an alliance with them to fight the Wolf Lord," Linda exined, and I frowned. "Wouldn''t that be looking for trouble?" I said and she shook her head. "I think so, but the alphas don''t. You didn''t attend thest meeting, so you missed the Chauvinism. They are teaming up to take the fight to the Wolf Lord. They said our world would be better without him. He has taken over the entire north and western region," She said. I turned my head toward Alpha Devin, who stood patiently waiting for me to finish my conversation with Linda. "I will think about it," I said, and he was stunned by my response. He wasn''t expecting me to say no. "Well then, I will wait patiently until you decide," He bowed and walked away. I could hear Leo growing in my head. "I am going to spank you when we get home," He growled. "Save the bedroom stuff for your fated; we are way past that now," I said, took a sip of my wine, and continued chatting with Avery and Linda. "I think alpha has the hots for you, Tamia; better give it a shot. He is a big catch, bigger than Leo. He doesn''t have a luna yet. He might challenge Leo for your hand," Linda said, and I smiled at her. My heart wasn''t ready to leave Leo, as hurt as I was. I know it was stupid, but that was how I felt. I was hurt and angry, but I couldn''t let go. "How are you holding up? That woman is a snake. I learned she used you of staging an attack on her life," Avery said, and I nodded. "Leo almost pped me," I said, and she gasped. "Do not let himnd the first blow, dear; once he does, he won''t stop. As far as those two are concerned, you are an obstacle, a mistake. An unnecessary attachment that they are stuck with. I bet he begs her to forgive him for not waiting for her," she said, sounding angry, and I knew she was sharing her truths. "Does Kyle hit you?" I asked her, and she looked at me with teary eyes. "Every night they fight, he takes it out on me. He says I am the cause of his problems. I want to leave but can''t afford to be a rogue. No one will take me in because I am Luna." She said and drank her wine in a rush. I looked at Avery, and she smiled at me. "The same with me. The beating proves to their bitches that they do not feel anything for us and are only with us out of necessity. That is the worst part: We can''t leave because no pack will absorb us. Anything is better than the rogue status. You are lucky he hasn''t started beating you yet," She said, and I was stunned at the women. I could now understand Linda''s drunken behaviour all the time. I looked in Leo''s direction, and his eyes fixed on me. I could see his anger, while Amanda was trying to keep his attention. After what the women said, I dreaded going back home with him. I looked away from him and sipped my wine a bit while Linda and Avery flirted with the men at the table. Soon I noticed Linda and one of the handsome men at the table excuse themselves. I did not need to guess what they went to do. The red-haired man was hot. I couldn''t me Linda for wanting to take a bite. With the horrific revtion, she deserved some happiness, even if it was fleeting. Avery and I continued to discuss when Alpha Devin returned with a red rose in hand and knelt on one knee. "Will you dance with me, Luna Tamia? It will make me the happiest man here," he said, and I felt my stomach flutter. His gesture made me giggle. I took the rose from him and sniffed it gently, keeping my eyes trained on him. His blue eyes were brilliant, and they gave me butterflies. He stood up and stretched his hands towards me. I did not hesitate to take his hands. He smiled at me and led me to the open floor to dance. This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. "You look stunning, Luna Tamia," he said, and I thanked him. "I am delighted a beautiful woman like you agreed to dance with me, Tamia," He said and held me to his chest. I let him. It had been over a month since I was touched delicately like that. I heard Leo''s growls in my head, but Kaira and I were busy enjoying the moment to care. "I would like us to be friends," Alpha Devin said, and I looked at him to see if he was ying, but he wasn''t. "How can we be friends when you are not from around here?" I said, and he smiled. His dentition was perfect. "I will be staying here for a bit to help with some issues in this region. I am here to help form an alliance between the east and the south regions so we can resist the wolf lord. You might not have heard of me, but I go by the nickname Bane." He said, and my eyes widened when I realised who I was dancing with. He was referred to as Bane because, other than the Dark Alpha, he was the most deadly wolf alive. He was the one that drove the Dark Alpha''s army away from the south. He was the Dark Alpha''s nemesis. Why didn''t Avery warn me? "Alpha," I said, and he held me close to him. "Do not treat me like everyone, Tamia. I asked Kyle to make sure no one knew it was me, so I can have real interactions with everyone. I am only telling you this because I want us to be friends, and it would be wrong to start our friendship with a lie," he said, and I tried to rx. We danced for a bit, and he invited me to join him at his table. I wanted to decline, and he stopped me. "Luna Avery will be joining us too," he said, and I looked in the direction of my former table, and Avery wasn''t there. I followed him and noticed it was the same table as Leo and Amanda. "I can''t sit there," I said, and he held my hand. "Your husband and his fated will not trouble you. I promise," He said, sure of himself. Indirectly, he meant he wouldn''t let them trouble me. I went to sit beside his seat while Avery sat with his Beta. "Darling, you finally came to join us," Leo said, and I knew what he was doing. He was telling the Alpha Devin that I was his wife. "She is my guest at the table," Devin said and served my wine. I felt pampered. There were omegas about for that, but the Alpha Devin decided he would dote on me and serve me wine. "Thank you, Devin," I said so that Leo would know we were on a first-name basis. I noticed Leo get angry, and Amanda was all over. Linda wasn''tpletely right when she said our mates stopped caring once they were with their fated. Leo had been affected since I arrived at the party. He has growled andined. He has been jealous all through. "It is time to go home," Leo said, and I ignored him. I did note there with him. "Okay," Amanda said, getting up, and he looked at me. "Tamia," He said, and I looked at him, sipping from my ss. "We didn''te here together, darling. I will leave the same way I came. Besides, I am not done socialising," I said, cing the ss on the table, and I saw him ball his fist in anger. "So you want to behave like Linda and Avery," he said in Avery''s presence, and I felt it was low of him to talk about them like that. "Do not disrespect any woman at my table, Alpha Leo," Alpha Devin warned him, and he tried to be calm because he dared not talk back at him. Kyle joined us, and so did Max, Avery''s husband. They looked at me with disgust but dared not speak. "Where is Linda?" Kyle asked. I did not answer him, and neither did Avery. "Where is my wife?" He asked Avery, and she giggled. "Don''t be disrespectful, Ave," Max said, and ever since Avery told me that he beats her, he lost my respect. "I do not know. It is not like you care anyway," She said, and Max growled. "Enough of this nonsense," Alpha Devin warned calmly, and they were quiet. Amanda soon started feeling sick, and Leo had to take her home. He tried to get me toe with them, but I refused. I told him I doubted Amanda would want me in the same car. He had no choice but to leave. But I could see fear in his eyes. "Pleasee home, Tamia. We can talk things out and make better arrangements. I still love you," He linked me while He led Amanda away. Avery told me she wouldn''t be able to take me home and I did not need to guess why. The fear in her eyes said it all. I could not understand why this would be okay. There was no way the other Alphas did not know what was happening to both women, but they chose to ignore it. Alpha Devin had his Beta dropped me off at home, and I was grateful. I was stunned to see Leo waiting for me in the living room. He was raving mad. "Was that necessary?" He asked me, sounding livid, and tears filled my eyes because it wasn''t okay. "I talk to a man, and you have an issue with it. Meanwhile, you are fucking her every night, and you believe I should be okay with it because fate wields it. What about me, Leo? Where is there happiness for me in all this?" I asked him, and he stood up and walked up to me. I was afraid he would hit me, but then he rested his forehead against mine. "Do not push me, Tamia. I am trying hard here. You do not have a fated, so you do not know how it is. Please do not disrespect me like that again. My heart was in my mouth all through, and the Alphas mocked me. I am not like Kyle or Max; that will discipline you. Do not turn me into a monster; I am begging you," He said, holding my arms tightly. I knew he was warning me. "Then let me go. Send me away," I told him, and he shook his head. "I can''t", He said, and my tears fell freely. "Please, Leo, you have to let me go eventually. I cannot live like this. I know it will weaken your wolf and mine, but we will both be free," I said, and he stepped away from me. "It is not just about my strength; it is about my life. I love you, Tamia. It is unfortunate what fate did to us, but I am going to hold on for as long as I can. I know we can make this work. The three of us. Please," He said, and I shook my head. "It isn''t working. I feel neglected, Leo, and you are just one person. This arrangement isn''t working for me," I told him, and his eyes darkened. "You reek of him, and I know he got you all worked up. Do not do this again." He said, and I slowly walked away from him and went to my room. I was taking off my clothes when Leo walked in. "Let me take care of you tonight," He said. 07 Surrender To Live 07 Surrender To Live ~Tamia~ "No need," I replied, and he walked to me and looked into my eyes. I knew he was hurting, but his pain was nothingpared to mine. He was the one on the gaining side. "I can''t let go, Tamia," he said and ced his hands gently on my shoulders. "It is normal to give up on a situation and someone you don''t understand, Tamia. I understand your anger and why you will flirt with Devin. I know you have a strong reason to give up on us, but I am asking you to give me a chance. I know we can make this work. I am willing to do anything for you, Tamia. I know I am wrong, but tell me what to do to keep you. I will do anything to keep you, Tamia. I was hoping you could teach me how. I will learn to be a better person for you please. Amanda was beyond my control. I am sorry. You know I tried. Please, Tamia," He pleaded with me with tears in his eyes. Leo went on his knees and hugged my legs. "Please, Tamia. I am trying to the best of my ability. Let me prove myself to you. Let me make it work," He said in tears, and I knew he wouldn''t let up. "Get up," I said, and he stood up. I looked up to see the hurt in his eyes. He was deeply conflicted. "All you had to do was reject her, but instead, you let her father bully her way into our home. You left our bed and went to her. You pushed me aside. I thought I would have to share, but you didn''t even leave room for that. You abandoned me. I am aughing stock. Most pack members do not even respect me anymore. As far as they are concerned, I am no longer their Luna. What do you wantN?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. me to do, Leo? How do you want me to cope? You should let me go. If you love me, you will reject me and let me go. You have to reject one of us, and that will be me, Leo. Let me get over you in peace," I said, and he shook his head. My heart was breaking too. We were so good together. I had many happy memories with Leo. Why did this happen to us? My heart was breaking. He leaned close to me and kissed me on my lips. I let him because I neededfort. It was a messed up situation. He was the cause of my pain, and he was giving mefort. My body needed it. I kept telling myself, ''just this once, Tamia''. Somehow trying to justify what was about to happen between us. He was my husband, and it shouldn''t feel wrong. My body ached, and he was right when he implied that I was aroused, but I still wanted him. So I threw caution to the wind and wrapped my legs around him. I knew it was going to be a long night. Kaira purred in my head. He was trying to get another chance, but this was my goodbye to him. I just had one more month before receiving a response from a southern Alpha, to whom I sent a request. Once ites, I will leave regardless of what it says. It was for the best. Seeing the way Leo was, he wouldn''t be able to let go of me, and neither would he let Amanda go. I had to decide for him. So I set aside my grudge and gave him ess. I allowed him to make love to me. Leo made love to me all through the night. It was as if he was auditioning, trying to make me remember. I never forgot how I felt about him. I just ignored my feelings, so I didn''t hurt more than I was already. There was nothing wrong with what we were doing. He was my husband, but I was scared because the more I let myself enjoy it, the more hurt I would be when I woke up alone on my bed. Leo went four rounds with me that night until I couldn''t take anymore. I wondered where the fire came from. It reminded me of old times. Times I knew were gone forever. I woke up. To my surprise, Leo was lying next to me in bed. Tears welled up in my eyes, and I wanted to cry. There was a time I would wake up to this sight of him every morning before I went on my runs. Fate had messed up my lifepletely, and I doubted if I would ever be happy again. I got up and wore my robe to cover my body when someone suddenly started banging on my door. I knew it was Amanda. What was her deal? I never banged on her door. Why was she banging on mine? Leo woke up abruptly and looked at me. "Good morning," he said, and the banging came again. He looked at me, unsure if he should open the door or not. I wanted to see him struggle. He eventually got up and went to the door. He opened it, and Amanda walked in. "Get out of my room," I warned her, and Leo gently walked her out. I could allow anything, but there was no way she would be entering my room. The argument between Amanda and Leo was explosive. "You knew I was married and insisted. I can''t neglect my wife, Amanda." He said, pleading with her, and Iughed. "She doesn''t fight me when I am with you. You have to ept that it will be like this," he said, and I heard a p. She had pped Leo on the face, and I wanted tough. "I Amanda.." She said, using the same old ckmail. A half rejection. I would have greatly respected him if only Leo was man enough to take it. The only reason he slept with me was out of fear. Usually, men in his situation, especially Alphas, never bother because they know no one would want their women, but in his case, Alpha Devin had shown interest in me, which meant he could take me from him with a challenge. All I had to do was ept, and Leo will have no choice but to ept the challenge. Leo was strong, but he was no match for Devin. He has to bow out and reject me regarding a challenge. He put on all that sports all night long to prove he could still care for my needs. But we were past that. Great sex wasn''t going to make me change my mind about him. If I ever get an opportunity to leave his arse, I will take it and never look back. "Go ahead, finish the sentence. I''m sick of this shit," I heard Leo tell her and I was shocked. She was silent. "This is how it will be around here henceforth. Tamia is my wife, and nothing will change that. If you can''t handle it, too bad. We had a perfect life before all this fated shit happened, and then your father forced you into my home. I have gone against myself and the woman I love for this shit. You know nothing about how far Tamia and I havee, Amanda. We built this pack together. Don''t ask me to turn my back on her because I won''t." He said, and tears welled up in my eyes. He left her, returned to my room, and then went to lie on the bed. "I do not feel like doing much today, and neither should you. Come back to bed," he urged me, and I smiled at him. My husband had grown some balls. Leo kept his word and spent four nights a week in my room. Amanda went home a couple of times, but she had toe back. She reported us to her father, but the man could not get involved. Everyone thought Leo would treat me like Max and Kyle treat their wives, but they were wrong. He truly cared for me. It was hard on ck, Leo''s wolf, but Leo forced his wolf toply. I could not bear ck''s pain, but Leo asked me to ignore ck. He was trying, there was no doubt. The pack members gradually started giving my respect to Amanda. Some people even tantly disrespected me. They often said they wanted to check with Amanda before carrying out the task I gave them. Since the Mountain Pack had two Lunas, I stopped going to the office and carrying out my luna duties. Amanda had no clue how it was done, but I did not care. Every time there was an issue, I left it for Amanda to attend. I never heard from Devin again, and a month passed quietly. *** There was amotion in the settlement, and I wondered what was happening. Leo entered my office in a rush. "We are under attack, Tamia, Northern Wolves from the Dark Alpha," he said, and I became scared. "What happened?" I asked, leaving my desk, and he shook his head. "Something about Kyle overstepping, but we are all in it now, and Alpha Devin isn''t around to help us." He said. "Where is the battle?" I asked him. "Valley hill, Max''s pack. Once they fall, we are next," he said, and we walked home quickly. We entered, and Amanda was panicking. "Go to the shelter and hide," he told her, and I frowned at him. "She is luna, too; she should fight," I said angrily, and he shook his head. "I do not have time for this, Tamia. Let''s shift and head to the battle." He said, and I shook my head. "Please, Tamia, She isn''t a trained warrior," he said, trying to reason with me. "You should have trained her," I said, refusing to go. The siren went off, which meant the defence in Valley hill had fallen, and the attackers were in our settlement. "Guess she will have to fight now," I said and looked at her. "Do you think this is a joke, Tamia? They are in our settlement! Amanda can''t fight because she is with child," He said, and I froze. "You got her pregnant?" I yelled, and he was quiet. "You took precautions with me for five years and got her pregnant in months," I said, tears forming in my eyes, and he was speechless. "Let''s go," he said, and I shook my head. "Leave without me," I said, and he growled at me in frustration. "Please, Tamia," He pleaded with me. "Leave!" I yelled, tears streaming down my face. "I wanted children, Leo, but you said we should take our time. Now, this. I am the third wheel now. Why should Ie with you when you two are already a family?" I said, tears streaming down my face. "We can try too," he said in a hurry, and I shook my head. "I am sick and tired of this shit! None of us is truly happy," I said, and he shook his head. "Please, Tamia, this isn''t the time," he said, and I was about to respond when our door was knocked down, and huge men with long beards and hair barged in. Leo was ready to fight. He shifted and attacked, but they were too much and soon overpowered him. Amanda begged them not to kill him, but they did not listen. I watched her weep and saw their effort to capture him. They wanted a trophy. "Spare his life and take me as your trophy," I told the men, going on my knees; they needed to kill either Leo or me for the attack to end. By surrendering, neither of us would die. I did not know what captivity would be like, but it was better than this. "Tamia, please," Amanda linked me, but I shut her out. That was the first time she showed concern. The men wore silver on me and dragged me out of the house while cky unconscious on the ground. The Dark Alpha had made his statement. I hoped they listen. "Where are you taking me to?" I asked the men while they dragged me in chains. "To the north," They said, and I dreaded the days ahead. 08 Arriving The North 08 Arriving The North ~Tamia~ The men dragged me all the way. My heart broke to see wounded and dead wolves on the ground. What did Kyle do to doom our entire region? I wondered and fought the tears welling in my eyes. The Dark Alpha was ruthless, and I now understood why people feared him. I was dragged to the border between Mountain Pack and Valley hill pack. There I saw a massacre. Warriors were killed. Looking at the casualties, I noticed only our wolves were killed. None of the northern wolves died. Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. It made me wonder who trained them and also made me dread the Dark Alpha. Where was Devin? He was supposed to be in our region to help when something like this happened, but he was nowhere to be found. I could not fathom the lives that were affected by this. A white van was waiting, and the men dragging me opened the door and ordered me to get in. I did what they said without question. My goal was to leave Leo; it wasn''t to get killed. After all I saw on our way, I made a conscious decision not to aggravate or irritate the northern soldiers. I sat down, surprised to see the other people in the truck with me. Someone hit the side of the truck twice, and the engine started. "So he threw you to them, too?" Avery asked me, and I frowned at her, not understanding what she meant. I looked at Linda, and she didn''t look pregnant. "I mean, Leo gave you to them as a peace offering to the Dark Alpha so they can leave him and Amanda alone and spare his pack," Avery said, exining her question, and I shook my head. She was surprised by my response. "He didn''t. He shifted and fought to protect us, but they overpowered him. They were going to kill him, so I asked them to take me," I said, and she was shocked. "Are you out of your mind?" she asked, and I frowned. "How can you make that sacrifice? You are a good warrior; you two would have stood a chance together," she said, and tears welled in my eyes, remembering the real reason I surrendered. "I was tired of everything, Avery. I couldn''t take it anymore." I told my friend, and tears streamed down her face. "You should have stayed. However it was, you had it better than Linda and I. We would have given anything to remain if our husband didn''t give us up as peace offerings. Whatever you were going through with Leo is better than being the Dark Alpha''s trophy and ve. Leo cared for you and still gave you your respect. You said it yourself. Four nights in a week, Tamia, I rarely get one. His love is true. It is unfortunate that fate fucked you two up, but you should have fought beside him and stayed." She said, and I wiped away my tears and looked at her. "He got her pregnant, Ave," I said and began to weep. There was no point hiding my feelings. I had no shame to cover. It was best I bare it all for all to see. "He took precautions with me for five years, telling me he wasn''t ready, but he got her pregnant in months. I could not be the third wheel. They were already a family. Leo wouldn''t have surrendered or given me up. He had proven it already. I had to do what was best for all of us. His heart was no longer in it. Everything he did was out of duty. Now he and ck are free to be with Amanda and live the lives they want. I will take my chances with the Dark Alpha. Nothing can hurt me as much as what fate did to me." I said, and Avery nodded and looked at Linda, who remained quiet all through. "What is wrong with her?" I asked Avery, unable to link each other because of the silver chains in our hands. "She has been quiet since I entered. Her pack was the first to go down. She lost the baby due to stress and malnutrition, and then Kyle pointed her as his luna and gave her away as a peace offering. Max did the same to me. He took his bitch to the shelter and asked me to stay and fight. When he noticed they were strong, he surrendered and gave me to them. If only these people knew we weren''t the Lunas anymore, they would be mad," she said and smiled. "Just like you, I believe life in captivity is freedompared to where I aming from," Avery said. I leaned forward and touched Linda''sp gently. She snapped out of it and looked at me. Then she began to cry. Kyle had broken the woman in irreparable ways. I went to sit next to her so she could rest her head on my shoulder. She did so and wept. Linda did not utter a word, but Averyined all through. We made some long stops, and I wondered what they stopped to do, but because we were not let down, we could not see or know what they were doing at the various stops. Linda eventually fell asleep; gradually, sleep came for me too. I felt someone tapping me, and I woke up. I found myself resting on Avery''s shoulder; she was awake. I must have slept all through. "They want us to get down," Avery said, and I looked around, a bit disoriented. Then I remembered what had happened. The van door opened; Avery was the first to get out, followed by Linda and me. I was shocked to see we were at a hangar, and a jet was waiting for us. "Get in, Lunas, do not keep us waiting," a man said. I knew the north was far, so I was grateful they would spare us the trouble of driving all the way there. "Not all the captives get this privilege; move it," a man said, pushing Linda to move. "Hey, take it easy. Can''t you see she isn''t well?" I told the maning to Linda''s defence. He walked up to me and smiled, thennded a painful p on my cheek. It stung badly, and I had silver on, so I knew his hands would print on my cheek. "This isn''t your pack, bitch, and you aren''t my Luna. You are a trophy, a glorified ve. If you talk back at me again, I will make it worse," he said calmly, and I made sure his face registered because there was no way he was going to get away with that. No one ps me and gets away with it. I might have decided not to fight by my husband''s side, but I will not take shit from anyone. I remained silent and made a mental note. We got into the jet. We were all given seats. I wondered what happened to the other Alphas that didn''t have a luna to offer or refused to provide their Lunas as a peace offering. Were they dead? or did they manage to push back? Were we the ones that got the brunt of the attack being the first packs to be hit before the others? We were served food and had to manage to eat in chains. The distance between my right hand and left wasn''t much, so every time I put the food in my mouth, I had to lift the other hand. I stared out the window, wondering what Leo was doing right now. If he was okay and d to be rid of me. I guess I would never find out because that aspect of my life was over. I said goodbye long ago, but I am doing it now. The jetnded, and we were ushered out of the aircraft, loaded into a ck van and taken to goddess knows where. Avery wasn''t so chatty after the p I received. ording to her, it was still printed on my face. The van arrived at an ancient castle-like estate, and we were led in by the bastard who pped me. We followed quietly. With Linda''s walking, I knew she would pass out soon. I hoped they take us to our cells so she could rest. The castle was cold, old and dark, but it had the taste of affluence. It was like a beautiful antique that was well cared for. I knew the Dark Alpha came from old money but seeing this castle, I needed help to guess how old. We were taken to a room and asked to wait, standing. A few minutester, a tall, dark-skinned, brown-haired, grey-eyed man walked in. He was brawny and wore a ck shirt that hugged his muscles tightly. He had long hair, which he packed in a ponytail. His beard was bushy, but it didn''t hide his pink lips. The man was handsome, and he walked up to us with a stern face. "Are these the trophies?" He asked, and the bastard that pped me stepped forward. "Yes, Gamma, These are the lunas; the others will arrive soon. They are travelling by road," he said, and I realised we were in the presence of the third man in charge. "So they surrendered," he said. "Brent and Hill Valley. Mountain didn''t. She gave herself up to save him." He said, pointing at me. The man looked at me and squinted. "What is your name, Luna?" He asked me, and I knew I shouldn''t keep eye contact, but I couldn''t help it. It wasn''t in my nature to cower. "Tamia Albert," I said as respectfully as I could manage. He lifted my chin and examined the handprint on my cheek. "Who hit you, Tamia?" He asked me calmly and very gently too. I did not hesitate to point at the bastard. "He did," I said quickly, hoping that would get him in trouble. The man released my chin and turned towards the arsehole. "Did you do that, Kappa?" He asked, and I could not believe he was a bloody kappa. "She was being mouthy," he said quickly. "She is a luna; what did you expect? Besides, you know how the Alpha feels about tampering with his things. Did she pose a threat to you?" He asked him, and the man shook his head. "Then why hit a defenceless woman?" he asked, and the man could not answer. "Did you somehow feel threatened by her, or were you ovepensating for something?" He asked, and I wanted tough, but I held it. The kappa became scared. "How do I exin this to Alpha? His gifts are meant to be well cared for, and you know it," he said before the man could say anything. The Gamma punched his jaw, and we all heard a crack. I did not need anyone to point out what that meant. The Kappa''s jaw had been shifted. "Only the Alpha, beta and I are allowed to touch these women." He said to the kappa and then turned to us. "My apologies,dies. That would never happen again. I must assure you, northern men are civilised and professional. He will be dealt with ordingly." He said, and I swallowed without saying a word. "What does the Alpha want to use us for?" Avery asked him, and he stepped to her and sniffed the air around her. "Never mind. He doesn''t touch used goods," he said to her, and I felt relief because thest thing I wanted was to end up as a sex ve in the north. We were used goods alright. Used and abused. "When the others arrive, take them to the Alpha so he can choose the ones he wants. Let the lunas rest while we wait for the rest of the trophies," he ordered and walked away. I did not know what he meant by choosing, but it didn''t sit well with me. 09 The One That Got Away 09 The One That Got Away ~Leo~ I woke up in wolf form. Amanda knelt beside me, and she was weeping. I did not know what had happened. Did they conquer us while I was out of it? I shifted back to my human form, and she hugged me tightly and wept. I searched about for Tamia. Thest time I remembered, three of us were in the living room when the intruders barged in. I broke the hug and gently got up to look at the mess that was once my living room. There was nothing to salvage. I had to rece everything. "Where is Tamia?" I asked Amanda, and she continued to cry on the floor. "Where is my wife? What happened?" I asked, and she managed to get up. "They were trying to take you away as a trophy. You were almost dead. So she gave herself up in your stead. I tried to talk her out of it, but she shut me out. They took her away in chains, Leo. We stood no chance. The attack ended the moment they took her," Amanda said, rushing through her words, but I was lost from the moment she said Tamia gave herself up. I fell to my knees and roared with anger. I punched the ground until my knuckles bled. Tears were streaming down my cheeks. There was pain deep in my soul. How much pain did we have to endure? Who did we offend to warrant such a terrible life? First, our happily ever after was disrupted by my fated, and now this. There was no way I could get her back. "Why!" I yelled, my soul in pain and my heart breaking. How could I lose her? Thest words we spoke to each other were painful. She felt I had wronged her terribly, and I was determined to fix it. I wanted children with her too. I would have made an effort. Tamia was my best friend before we got married. I felt like shit, and slowly rage rose in me against Kyle and Devin. Why did Kyle look for trouble and bring this upon us? I had warned him to be careful that the Dark Alpha wasn''t so forgiving, but he felt Devin would be there to rescue us. Devin tooknd, money and tributes from us and did note to our aid when needed. He might argue the attack was sudden, but that was what Alphas trained for, to counter sudden attacks. He should have had men here to help us. I roared. My sweet Tamia is gone because Kyle chose to look for trouble. I got off the floor and went to our bedroom. I looked around and felt like shit. Everything that transpired between us after the whole fated shit happened yed in my mind, and I wished I could take it all back. I wished I never went to the stupid party Casper invited us to. Our lives were perfect. She was perfect for me, and I knew she loved me. I knew that love made her give herself up for my sake. She was good at studying situations and understanding them. She believed it would be best if she gave herself up. I shouldn''t have told her Amanda was expecting. I saw the joy drain from her eyes and the hurt that reced it. I knew she wanted children, but I wanted us to enjoy our lives a bit before having pups. The thing with Amanda was sudden and unnned, but I felt like shit because I had hurt that woman. Amanda knocked on the door, and I could not let her enter Tamia''s room. She might not be here, but no woman would enter her room or rece her. It was now official that the Mountain pack no longer had a Luna. Amanda will never rece her. Fate had taken everything from us. Our joy, our strength and our happy ending. I nned on holding on to whatever was left of us. I stepped out of the room, still naked, and she searched my eyes. "What will we do, Leo? How will we get her back?"Amanda asked, and I did not know how to respond. No one dared go against the Dark Alpha. He was like a god. We would stand a better chance if the entire region joined with the south and went after him, but no one will want to risk that for my Tamia. N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. "We can''t get her back unless he lets her go," I confessed to Amanda, and tears streamed down her face. I thought the news would make her happy, but I guess her life was just as fucked up as ours. "I thought you would be happy?" I said to her, trying to understand why she was sad. "Luna Tamia didn''t have to give herself up. She could have pointed at me as your fated. I was more valuable than she was, but she chose to protect both of us. I owe her my life and freedom, Leo. I can never be happy that something happened to her. Fate messed us all up. It brought me into your happy lives. I thought it was a game and I should just take you from her because you are mine, but after everything, I realised the way I behaved and the lies I told just to get her out of the picture were cruel and unnecessary. How will I atone for my wickedness?" She said in tears and I wondered how many lies she had told. "What lies, Amanda?" I asked her, and she bowed her head and moved away from me. "I lied against you that we went all the way in the balcony. Then I lied that Luna Tamia sent men after me to kill me. That man we locked up was paid andpelled by my father," She said, telling me things I already knew. I did not bother to say anything; I just walked away from her. I picked up a pair of shorts and headed out to see what was left of my pack. As I walked, I saw people mourning, but they all looked at me with respect. I am sure they believed I had given up Tamia for their sake, but they were wrong. Had Tamia not given herself up, they would have all died because I wouldn''t have given her up. I would have died instead. People began to stand up and pay their respect as I walked past them. They knew the attack wasn''t my fault. I could not receive their thanks because it wasn''t mine to take. Tamia was the true hero and the best Luna this pack had ever had. Too bad they will no longer have a luna again because I won''t marry Amanda. I can never rece my Emerald Queen, not in a million years. *** I headed to the meeting early in the morning the next day. All the Alphas present were livid. Some had to give their daughters up as peace offerings while others died. Only two people gave their Luna, and I knew why. Their Luna didn''t mean shit to them. Kyle was the worst of them all because he caused the war. The moment I saw him and rushed at him, I began hitting him. I was furious. "You bastard!" I said, straddling and punching him on the ground. "My Tamia is gone because of you," I said. I felt my rage rising. "Get off him, Leo. You won''t solve the problem like this," I heard someone say, but I could not care. Eventually, I pulled off him, and I yelled profanities at the bastard. "I did not do anything!" he yelled back. "I was just as shocked at everyone when they attacked. They said I messed with the western border, which is now their territory, but I didn''t. They said I called the Dark Alpha out, and I didn''t, I swear. I can never do that. I do not know how they linked that shit to me. You have to believe me, Leo." Kyle said, and I did not believe him. "I have lost everything," I said in tears, thinking of Tamia. I wondered how she was faring and what they were doing to her. I could not hold myself anymore. Max hugged me, but I refused to be held. I was a broken man long before the attack, but this had just wrecked mepletely. "It is easy for you two to take this calmly. You wanted your Lunas out of the way so you could be with your fated, but I didn''t want Tamia out of the picture. I wanted to keep her," I said, and Max pleaded with me to be calm. "We need to get them back," I said, sounding frantic. "No, Leo. Cut your losses and move on. Maybe that was why fate sent Amanda your way, to prepare you for this," Dickson said, and I growled at him. "Don''t you ever mention that word to me again! Fate is a dirty word that brings pain and misfortune and ruins perfect lives." I said to him, and he was silent. "Alpha Kyle and Max have made peace with their loss, and the rest of us too. We all gave our daughters or sisters. It was a hard choice, but we made it. Do not expect us to go to war with the monster because of your Luna; you dare not do it on your own because you will fail and bring his wrath upon us. Forget about her. Tamia is a strong woman. I am sure she will survive whatever happens in the north," He said, and I growled. I was confused and powerless. "Where is the bastard Devin that we allied with?" Max asked Kyle because it was Kyle that introduced us to Devin. I remembered the bastard. He flirted with my wife and tried to fuck her on the dancefloor right before my eyes. We gave him his respect, and he did not fulfil his duty. "Where is he? Where is Bane! It seems all he is good at is flirting with other people''s wives," Max said and looked at me to apologise. "No offence Leo, but the bastard was all over your wife thest time. He was also unapologetic about it. He should have the same unapologetic determination towards his duty." Max said, and I did not say anything. I was too angry to care. "He ising. He said the south was under attack at the same time, and he had to defend his region. I have sent people to confirm his excuse," Kyle said, and I did not care; I just walked out of the meeting. There was no solution to my problems there. If I couldn''t get Tamia back, I had no business fighting with them or making ns. I would instead go home and lick my wounds. 10 Meet Sylvester Volkov 10 Meet Sylvester Volkov ~Tamia~ After waiting for hours in a room unattended, we were carried to what looked like a throne room and forced to kneel. To my surprise, I saw alphas'' daughters and sisters from our region in chains, kneeling. We were made to kneel with our heads bowed. "The Alpha will examine you all. Those fit for his harem will be chosen. Those fit to serve will be chosen. Those yet to be ced will be reserved. Do not aggravate the Alpha by smiling or looking into his eyes. It might mean instant death for you. Being a beautiful, alluring woman means nothing to him. So do not think your beauty will entice him. If you aren''t a virgin, quickly state it, so we do not put you in the harem," a hefty dark man said. He had long hair and a beard too. He packed it in a ponytail. His eyes were midnight blue, and He looked handsome. From the authority he exuded, if he wasn''t the Alpha, then I was guessing he was the Beta, and it seemed Avery had the hots for the man. Too bad there was nothing attractive about the things he was saying. "Am I clear?" The man said, and we all bowed our heads in response. No one knew what to call him, and I had learned silence was the best way to deal with such situations. "Very well then," he said. We remained on our knees for a while until a sudden pressure overwhelmed us. It was dark, and it pressed down on us. I did not need to guess who had entered. I fought the urge to look up and see him, but it took a lot of time and effort. "Are these the trophies?" I heard a deep,manding and alluring voice ask. There was a gentleness and sternness to his tone that words could not describe. "These are the daughters, untouched. Those are sisters, and those three are Lunas." I heard the man describing us to his Alpha. "I see," He said, and he was silent. I heard footsteps. "Service, " I heard the Alpha say. I heard him walk through his trophies. He said the same thing over and over again. He said "reserve" but never said harem. I wondered when he would say harem, but he did not say the word. Soon I felt him close to me, and my heart began to pound in my chest. I saw his feet in front of me. He wore a slipper, and his feet were gigantic, easily twelve inches. I felt his warm hand on my chin, and he lifted my face. Against my better judgment, I stared into his eyes. I looked right at him, going against everything the other man had said, and I knew I had a defiant look on my face because I felt I shouldn''t be on my knees. His eyes were dark, his hair was long and ck, and he let it fall. His beard was clean, and his lips were something else. He had a masculine handsomeness only dreamt of in fantasy books. He was tall. The man was brawny. Sculpted to perfection. It took a lot not to wander with my eyes. His bronze-like skin spoke of power, only the type a warrior would have spending time in the sun. The north was cold, so I guess he got his tan from his trips. I swallowed and stared at him, and he looked right into my eyes. I held his gaze, never looking away, defiant as always, daring him to do his worse, daring him to draft me, daring him to speak his words. It was as if we were both in a trance, but he held my chin up, and I watched the words escape his lips. "Mine," he said and did not bother to check Avery or Linda. He turned around and walked away. I saw a perfect view of his arse, and I wanted to drool. I didn''t wonder about his words until he had walked out of the room. ''Mine'' did not fit the categories the other guy had exined to us, so I wondered what it meant. Thedies were ushered out, but Avery, Linda and me were left on our knees. The Gamma that saw us initially walked in to join the other guy. Seeing how the Gamma respected the guy, I realised he was the Beta. "Alpha personally wants the green eyes for himself," the Beta told him, and he smiled. "The defiant one?" He asked the Beta, and the Beta looked at me and wondered. "What did she do?" He asked. "Got on Kappa Willson''s nerves on their way here. Very feisty woman. I also heard she surrendered herself willingly. Her husband wouldn''t give her up. She gave herself up as a gift offering," the Gamma said, and the Beta smiled. "I want the one in the middle. You can have thest one." the Beta said, and I knew the one in the middle was Avery while thest one was Linda. "I had my eyes on her since she got here." The Gamma said, d that the Beta left Linda for him, and I felt like amodity. These men did not value women at all. Little wonder there was no Luna in the north. Women could only lead where they were respected. The dark Alpha had chosen wrong because I did not n to make anything easy for him. I had nothing to lose at this point. Fate had taken everything from me. I was making my destiny henceforth. We were asked to stand up, and some women with their heads bowed came to take us away. We were led to arge bath that looked like an indoor pool. The water was steaming, and there were rose petals in it. This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. We were stripped down and asked to get into the water while the women washed our bodies and hair. "I can get used to this type of treatment, Tamia. If this is what being a captive in the north is like, sign me up," Avery said, enjoying the treatment. "Are you excited?" She asked me, and I shook my head. "These men conquered our packs and took us from our husbands; I doubt they will be kind, Avery. We have to be careful." I warned her, and she nodded. "Whatever it is, I am sure it is better than where I came from. You do not know what it feels like to be beaten and abused every time," she said with tears welling up in her eyes. "Sometimes Max will force me to shift and beat Mia with silver so the scars won''t show on my body," She said, and I gasped. "I could not tell you half of what I was going through with Max because I did not want you to panic. I was happy and jealous when I realised your life would not be the same. So if I have to be the Beta''s whore, I will take it. Any life is better than where I aming from," she said. "Why did he do that?" I asked her, and she bowed her head. "Michelle med her miscarriages on me. She lied against me severely. Saying I tried to kill her, poison her, beat her, name it, and he always took her side against me. Soon I stopped defending myself." She said, and Linda sighed. "Same here. That bitch Reba was no good, either. She always lied against me, and Kyle being the douchebag he is, did everything to please her. I didn''t start cheating by choice, Tamia; Kyle often asked his men to help him where I was concerned. He would watch and then go to her. He had some sick fantasies in his head. I hope he rots in hell. I hope he gets what he deserves. I hope the dark Alpha invades Brent again and, this time, takes his bitch from him. I willugh at him. I have just one goal now, Tamia, which is getting even with Kyle. I will get my revenge one way or the other. The bastard never loved me. He only married me for mynds and money. Now he has it all. The bastard," she said, and I was shocked. "Why didn''t you tell me any of these?" I asked them, and they chuckled. "Are you kidding me? There was no way we could tell you. Leo talks to our mates; what if you tell or fight him over it, and he calls Max or Kyle? Besides, it was obvious you might suffer the same injustice as we did, so we let you have your own experience. Whether you like it or not, Leo did show you a lot of love against his wolf''s wishes, and now the Dark Alpha wants you," she teased, changing the topic, and I did not know how to feel. "He dered ownership of you, Tamia. Not service, harem or reserve. He dered ownership. He said, Mine." Avery said, and I smiled at her. Somehow she felt it was a good thing, but based on all I have learned about the man; I doubt that will be good. They dressed us up in sexy silk, sheer gowns and took us to a small room that was brightly lit. It had a small dining table that could only seat eight people. I called the dining small because as we walked through the hall, I saw a massive dining table. I did not stop to count the chairs, but I guessed they could seat twenty-two people. There was a variety of food on the table, and we were asked to eat. We were also given a time frame. One hour was all we had to stuff our faces with food. We did not eat much because we weren''t hungry. Once we were done, they separated us. They sent us to separate wings of the castle. Because we had no silver on, we were able to link ourselves. The moment I entered the room allocated to me, I exhaled. I remember all that happened and where I wasing from. I was nervous. I did not know what life would be like in the north, but I wished Leo was alright. I hoped he moved on from me and forgot about me because if the Dark Alpha grants me freedom, I would not be returning to him. I sat on the couch in the room, waiting for what was to happen. I heard the doorknob turn, and I wasn''t surprised to see the Dark Alpha, Sylvester Volkov, walk in. The pressure of his presence was intense, but I held firm. He wasn''t decked up like in the throne room. He had a loosely fitted cotton shirt that he did not button all the way up, and he wore shorts. He was easy on the eyes, but I wasn''t fooled by his looks. I stood up and looked at him. He sat down on the single chair in the room and examined the sexy outfit they had put on me. "Bold," he said, and I did not say a word, but I chose to maintain a tough exterior. "Do you know what happens to people that look into my eyes without permission?" he asked. "Educate me," I replied, and heughed. "How old are you?" He asked me. "I am twenty-four years young," I replied, and he smiled. "Matured, bold and beautiful." He said and stood, then walked to me. "No woman has ever caught my attention before. Tell me, green eyes, why did you give yourself up?" He asked me, walking close to me. "It is better than allowing your men to destroy everything and everyone I care about," I said, and he smiled. "Luna material. Leonardo Albert chose well, but he is too weak for you," He said gently, and I did not respond. "Rx, I do not use your type for entertainment," he said, and I sighed. "Of course, the Lord of wolves does not get involved with used goods," I said, and he moved so swiftly I did not see it. His hands went for my neck, and he wrapped and squeezed gently, staring into my eyes. I held his gaze, but my heart was racing. I fought myself to be calm. My wolf was panicking, thinking we had overstepped. "Never call yourself that, green eyes; you are Mine," He said and gently let me go. He leaned close to my neck and breathed in my scent. Then walked out of the room. I fell to the ground. My heart was pounding in my chest, and my hands and legs were shaking. What had just happened? 11 Getting Acquainted 11 Getting Acquainted ~Tamia~ It would be fair to think someone in my condition would find it difficult to sleep at night, especially after personally meeting the Dark Alpha himself. After shaking and palpitating on the floor, Kaira and I got our shit together and went to lie on the bed. I slept off immediately. I woke up feeling refreshed. The bed wasfortable, and I wondered why the Dark Alpha had come to see me. I doubt we will be tumbling in the sheets any time soon. "I must say, Tamia, The Wolf Lord is hot," Kaira purred in my head. "We have to get our shit together and not look weak, or else we will end up being prey," I told my wolf. "I think we shouldn''t overdo it; he doesn''t seem to be the patient type," she said, and I smiled. "Then we should test his limits," I said with a smile, and she purred. My wolf''s understanding of testing the Alpha''s limit differed from mine. Hers had to do with tangling in the sheets. I went to shower in the bathroom, and I was surprised at the number of things at my disposal. "How do you think Leo is doing? Do you think he will be stupid enough toe here?" Kaira asked me, and I felt a pain in my chest. It was a sadness. I was so mad at Leo that I did not know I would miss him. The separation was going to be hard on me. He was all I had ever known, and contrary to everything he did wrong, I knew Leo would have died instead of giving me up. It was what fate did to us. "I hope for all our sakes he stays in Mountain and does note all the way here with warriors. He will be a father soon; Amanda needs him. Our story is over," I told Kaira, and tears rolled down my cheeks as I spoke to my wolf. I had not really mourned my situation until now. I took off my clothes and got into the bath to weep. I was so mad at him, and everything was soplicated. Now I might never see him again. Leo was my best friend. I hated fate. It brought Amanda and the Wolf lord into our lives and messed everything up. I knew he tried. Seeing how other Alphas handled the situation, he did well. Amanda wouldn''t have won if her father wasn''t an Alpha. Leo would have ignored her until she got the message, but bringing her into our home made it impossible. Still, he tried to the best of his ability. I wept. I was in the bathroom for a while before leaving it. "Where are you?" I heard Avery''s voice in my head, and I sighed. "In my room," I said. "We are having breakfast with thedies. Warning, do not refer to our host as the Dark Alpha; they do not like it. The Beta made me understand itst night," She said, but there was more to him that she didn''t divulgest night. "What aboutst night?" I asked her. Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. "Gosh, Tamia, he is a steed," She said, giggling. "You are naughty," I said. "Well, I have to make the most of my situation. Contrary to our first impression of him, he is a gentleman. How did it go with the Alpha?" She asked me. "Nothing happened, and it will remain that way," I told her, and she was silent a bit. "Have it your way. But you need to get over Leo, Tamia. I hope Leo doesn''t do anything stupid, like coming here for you, because I know he can. Trust me, him alive with Amanda will be better than him dying to save you," She said, spelling out the truth for me, and I sighed. "Yes," I replied. "Has your mark faded?" She asked me a weird question. "No, why?" I asked. "Your husband is crazy, Tamia; Mine and Linda''s have faded; they have rejected us. It was painful, and I even passed out. I feel weak, but I am free. Leo''s mark might cause an issue here because it means he still ims ownership of you. It can be seen as defiance," She warned, and I smiled internally because that was Leo and me, a defiant couple. "Hopefully, he does it, or the Alpha will im you by force," She said, and I smiled. "I want to see him try," I said, and she giggled. "Trust me, he will do it blissfully," Avery said, and from the way she sounded, she had forgotten about her past. I exited the bathroom and went to check the wooden cupboard in the room. It was an antique cupboard with all kinds of decorative carvings on it. It was art, and there were clothes in it for me. Revealing, sexy clothes. I found a short ckcey gown. It had a design covering my nipples and crouch, but the rest was netty. There was no underwear, so I guess we were to give a show. I wore my hair down to cover Leo''s mark. I wore a bit of makeup made avable at my vanity table. I did a simple cat eye makeup with nude glossy lips. I looked provocative. I never appreciated my pear-shaped body until now. Looking lovely wasn''t to get the Alpha''s attention, but to show him I was unbroken. I exited my room, and someone was by the door, ready to lead me to breakfast. I was taken to a hall with lots of beautiful women but no men in sight. Avery rushed to me, and she looked stunning, Linda followed, and indeed I noticed their marks were gone. We hugged. Avery was the happiest of the three of us. I did not expect Linda to be so pleased after all that had happened to her. I guess the loss of her baby was thest straw. The Gamma had his work cut out for him. "Who are all these women?" I asked, looking at the crowd of easily eighty to one hundred women. "The Alpha, Beta and Gamma''s Harem. This is where they eat. I guess we were put in the harem. We are the only lunas here. Lunas are usually put in service. I learned that from one of the women here. I guess our story will be different." Avery said, and I looked at all the women that were there. They were looking at me weirdly. I knew why. I could recognise jealousy when I saw it. My friends and I found a ce to sit, and we were about to serve ourselves food when a group of women came to us. "Aren''t you used goods? You shouldn''t be in the harem" The brte in front said to us. "Do you know what happens to Lunas here?" She asked, smiling and everywhere went quiet. "Used goods do not stay in the harem. I bet it was a mistake bringing you here," She said, and I wondered what her deal was. "The Wolf Lord already has a favourite, and she isn''t you," She said and leaned close to me. "It would be wise to keep your head down because I am in charge around here," She said, and I smiled. I did not think she was worthy of a response. I did not want to waste my breath on her. I could see she was jealous and afraid. Of course, she will be worried. My friends and I were the first Lunas to be brought to the harem. "Can''t you speak?" She yelled at me, and I honestly did not want to hurt her, but Kaira was already growling in my head, gearing up for a fight. I was worried for her because I would easily rip her to pieces. "I guess the Lunas are scared," She said aloud for all to hear; it was her way of showing she had dominated us. "Do not mistake silence for fear," Avery told her calmly. I knew she wasn''t half as patient as I was, and she, too, was a warrior. "I would walk away if I were you," Linda said, and I smiled. "I would listen to them if I were you," I said calmly, and the woman smiled. "I will make your lives hell here. I have the Alpha''s ears, and I will make sure he makes you suffer," She said, looking at me. Of course, I will be her problem. Avery belonged to the Beta, and Linda belonged to the Gamma. The woman and her sidekicks walked away. I could see the others feeling sorry for us. The moment they left, a red-haired girl came to join us. "Hello, I am Katya; I was an Alpha''s daughter before I was brought here," She said and looked at me. "I heard you are in the Alpha''s harem. You are the first Luna to make it there. All three of you. Lunas are usually put to service. Anyway, be weary of Lilly. She does have the Alpha''s ear, and she could have him do things to you by lying against you. She has done it to several of us. We think he sleeps with her, but we will never know," She said, and thatst part hit me. That was precisely what a harem is meant for. "What do you mean by you think he sleeps with her?" I asked, and She smiled. "I know it says harem, but they never touch us. The Alpha, Beta and Gamma don''t sleep with us. We are hopeful it will happen one day, but it doesn''t. We just keep thempany, throw parties and all the fun stuff except sex, of course, that''s all," Katya said, and that was interesting. I looked at Avery and smiled because I guess the Beta had broken his personal code with her. Her cheeks coloured, knowing what I was thinking. "Thank you for the heads up, Katya. I appreciate it." I said, and we started to serve our food. Three servants approached us immediately as if in a hurry. "Sorry, madam, I wasn''t supposed to bring you here," The woman that brought me said, and before she could speak, Lilly cut in. "I knew there was no ce for used goods here," She said, and the womenughed. "The Alpha wants you to join him at his table," The Servant said, and I wanted to grin because of the silence that washed through the hall. I realised the other two servants were sent to Avery and Linda, and we were to Join the Alpha, Beta and Gamma for breakfast. I guessed we had been levelled up. I looked at Katya, who was stunned and smiled at her. "Shees with me," I said, and the servant wanted to protest, but she figured I wouldn''t let up. "I will remain here, Luna. The Alpha never sends for anyone. This is the first time. It will be wrong to aggravate him." She said, and I let her be, not because I was scared but because I noticed she was frightened. "Just this once. You will eat with us next time, Katya," I said and stood up. The women no longer looked at us scornfully. They were scared and worried because Lilly had made them misbehave. "Don''t worry,dies, I wouldn''t tell," I said to them, seeing the relief in their eyes. But Lilly''s eyes burned. It was a pleasure meeting all of them. We were ushered to a small dining room, and the moment the three of us walked in, the men at the table were at attention. The Alpha looked at me with approval, and the Beta beckoned Avery to join him. She went quickly. Linda and I took our time to join the men we were attached to. "Good Morning, Alpha." I greeted the man and went ahead to greet the Beta and Gamma. My friends did the same. "Call me Sylvester," he whispered in my ear, and I swallowed. he gently lifted my hair off my shoulder to see my mark. "Your husband isn''t letting you go, I see," He said with a low growl. "Give him time; he is mourning," I said, not wanting my sacrifice to be in vain. If Sylvester went after Leo, he would kill him. I did not want that. "Please give him time," I pleaded, and he growled. "For your sake, I will ignore it for now," He said and served my juice. Why was he so nice? 12 Letting Go 12 Letting Go ~Leo~ A week passed, and the reality of what had happened to me sank in. I had sent Amanda home to her father, so I could mourn my wife. Max asked me to release her, but I couldn''t. Releasing her meant I had given up on her and I didn''t want to give up. I didn''t know if she was well or what they were doing to her there. "We need to release her, or the Dark Alpha will see our mark on her as an act of defiance," ck warned me, but I couldn''t. I decided I would write a letter to the wolf lord. Pleading with him to give me back my wife and promising never to work or act against him. I did not care if what I was doing was foolish, but I had to do something. I could not sit on my arse and mope. If he won''t give her back, the least he can do is let me hear her voice and know that she is okay and happy where she is. "You will be causing more harm than good. What if he sees it as an act of defiance? Did it ever ur to you that Tamia gave herself so we could live? The situation was terrible, Leo. We would have died; they would have killed all three of us. She chose the best option that kept us alive. Tamia is a smart woman; that is why we fell in love with her. She will take care of herself there, but she isn''ting back, Leo. Do not deceive yourself. Take the gift of life and peace that she gave us by sacrificing herself and make the most of it," ck said, and I roared. "If I find that Devin," I said aloud, and ck growled. "Now that bastard has a lot of exining to do. He touches what is ours and then goes back on our deal with him with a flimsy excuse," ck said, agreeing with me. I walked to my table in the living room. It was the only furniture there. I was yet to fix the ce. I sat with a pen and paper and decided to write a letter to the Wolf Lord. I was taking what my wolf said into consideration. The first letter was to Tamia. "My Emerald Queen, I am still going through the motions. I would be lying to you if I said I am handling it well. You knew I would have willingly died, but you did the right thing when I did not have the courage to do it. I could not leave things where we left off. I am sorry for everything. I tried, but my best wasn''t good enough. I did not n to have that baby with Amanda, it was sudden, and I would have willingly tried with you. I would have made an effort. I wanted to have a daughter that looked like you and had your strength. I guess fate really had it in for us when it messed up our happily ever after, and took you to the north. I pray you find peace and Joy there. I know it is crazy, but I hope you get to do all that you want. If he ever lets you go, know that you will always have a home with me. I will release you to make your life easier with the Wolf lord. I do not know what or who you will be there, but I pray that the same fate that destroyed us smiles on you there. I love you, Tamia; I always have and always will. Mountain will never have a luna again. Until I die. That is a promise that I will never break. Yours, Leo/ ck" I read the letter several times, and each time, tears fell because it felt like I was letting go. I hated my life at those moments. I wished I could storm the north and get her back, but I knew that would be suicide for my entire pack and me or the region. I could not let her sacrifice be in vain. I folded the letter and put it in an envelope. Then I started another letter addressed to the Wolf Lord, Sylvester Volkov. "Your eminence, I write to you in peace. I did not know of Brent Pack''s crime against you and did not partake in it. Sadly, the entire east had to suffer the consequence. My wife gave herself up as a tribute to save my pack, my life and my fated. I do not write to make demands but to plead with you. She is the most precious possession in my life; now that she is with you, I am empty and alone. I love my wife dearly, and I plead with you to go easy on her. I know I dare not ask you to return her, but I plead with you to care for her. Ourst few months together weren''t good because I found my fated. Tamia has suffered enough. I do not know if it is too much to ask, but please take care of her. She likes to have coffee in the morning. She always goes on runs. When serving her hot chocte, there has to be marshmallows in it. She prefers vani salts for her bath. She talks in her sleep whenever she is having a nightmare. I always wear her socks at night because her feet get cold, regardless of the weather. She doesn''t eat after six in the evening, and she likes her privacy. She always acts brave, but deep down, she is sweet, innocent and loving. She speaks her mind most of the time and is a great critical thinker. Do not take her defiance as offensive. She is just herself. Please do not kill her fire. Allow it to burn brightly. I will release my wife to you after I have mourned her loss; please do not hurt her, and if you ever feel kindly towards her someday, let her go with dignity and pride. I am begging not as an Alpha but as a husband that has lost his wife to his betters. Please, your eminence, take care of Tamia." I wrote, and tears streamed down my face with thest words. I did not want to admit to myself that she wasn''ting back. Even though I dared not try to take her back, this was the least I could do to make sure she was alright. I folded the letter in an envelope and linked Casper, my Beta, to meet me at my house. Casper arrived a few minutes after I had called him, and he was surprised to see the empty living room, with nothing but a table and chair. "How is Amanda managing?" he asked, concerned for my fated. "I sent her to spend some time with her father", I replied. "Damn, Leo. You look like shit," Casper said, and I nodded. "I feel like it, too," I said, and he had a sad smile. "Thanks to her sacrifice, they didn''t wipe us out. She will always be my Luna," He told me, speaking his truth, and I nodded because the same went for me. "This is all Kyle''s fault; he shouldn''t be allowed to go free for bringing such cruelty upon us. The Dark Alpha only attacks when he is taunted. Why did Kyle attack a pack in the Western region?" He asked me, and I sighed. "The bastard denies doing it," I replied. "If he didn''t, then someone did it in his name because the Dark Alpha''s ims check out. The attackers said the east was bringing an end to his reign in the west. They im they were trying to liberate the west from his oppression. The men that were captured said it was Alpha Kyle who ordered them to do it. They were his warriors, Alpha," Casper said because I asked him to investigate Devin and Kyle. "What about Devin?" I asked. "His excuse checks out. The north attacked the south because they knew of their alliance with the east," He said, and I growled. I wanted to find his faults so I could go after the bastard, Bane or whatever he called himself; I was sure he bled the same as all of us. I would have found a way to enact my revenge. "I need you to mail this to the north," I said, handing him my letters. Casper looked worried and afraid of the content of the letter. "Do not worry, Casper, it is a farewell to my wife and a plea to the Wolf Lord," I said. He collected it and left. Three dayster, I learned Devin was around, and we were all summoned for a meeting. I was eager to go. I might have given him some respect in the past, but he didn''t have my respect anymore. I arrived at the party, and there was an uproar. Everyone was still grieving their loss; even Max was grieving Avery. Sometimes I believed he was psychotic. I knew he did not treat his luna well, I wondered why he was grieving her, but it wasn''t my ce to ask. I saw Devin where he was listening to everyone''sints, and I walked up to him. He was about to speak when I punched him hard in the face. N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. "That is for flirting with my wife," I said, wanting to do it since the night he danced with her. I sent another one again. "That is for abandoning your duty and making me lose my wife in the process," I said, and he was in shock. "Tamia is dead?" He asked, looking pained to his soul. "No, arsehole, she was taken as a trophy," I said, and other Alphas came to hold me. I watched rage rise in his eyes. "They took her? We must get her back, Leo," he said "You and what Army? After what happened in our region, we should lick our wounds and move on. There is no way we can defeat that madman. We have lost enough. We lost things we can never recover; people we love. There is no point walking down that road again," Alpha Christian said, and others agreed with him. "The Wolf Lord does not rest. He will find a reason to return until he owns this region fully," Devin said, and Iughed. "He already owns this region. Why do you think he took the Lunas of the three most powerful packs in the east? To stake his im. I know we will hear from him soon," I said to stupid Devin. "We can act before he decides to station his men here," Devin argued. "I do not have anything else to give, Devin." I said, feeling defeated. "Alpha Kyle did not attack the west. the Wolf lord just needed a reason to attack here. That is his method. He is sick like his father. He will be no different, trust me. He will return for your region if we sit around licking our wounds. We have to take the battle to him. "And then what?" I asked him, "Just because you are skilled does not make you an expert in these things. I am beginning to think you got to where you are by luck," I said, and Devin growled at me. "My kindness towards you is because of Tamia, do not stretch it, Leo. I am warning you. Your wife was an amazing woman, however brief our meeting was. It wasn''t like you had any respect for her. You had another woman in your arms when I saw you. You introduced that woman as your mate, so don''te here pretending to be wounded by this." He said, and as unfair and untrue his words about my emotions were, my actions were the same. "I think we should leave well enough alone andply," Alpha Christain said. I decided to walk out of the meeting. Alpha Ramzey osted me, as always. "When is Amanda returning to you? You should marry her now that Tamia is gone," he said, and I shook my head. The incident was still fresh. "So quick, Ramzey. I will never marry Amanda. Fate might have wielded it. I have fulfilled all obligations to her, but I will never marry her. Mountain will only have one luna in my lifetime, and that will be Tamia. Tell Amanda she cane home if she wants to." I said and stepped to the old man. "Let this be thest time you will approach me like this again. I do not want you to ever speak of my personal life again," I warned him and walked away. Whatever they nned on doing in that meeting would no longer concern me. I have made peace with the Wolf lord, and I will not look for his trouble for Tamia''s sake. 13 The Severance 13 The Severance ~Tamia~ I had spent two weeks in the north, and my living conditions remained the same. Slyvester was goodpany when he wanted to be and was silent most of the time. As much as people feared him, I was a bit rxed around him. He exuded much power, but I did not let it faze me. In fact, I saw it as a challenge. I spent a lot of time in the library and in my room. We had beauty treatments every other day, and I noticed love blooming between Avery and Marcel, the Beta. I was happy for her. I saw her smile in ways I had never seen before, and I wondered how far they were willing to go with this. I met other Lunas that were in service, and while some of them were happy, some were neutral about their condition. But no one was abused or maltreated. They treated the women nicely; some had even found love in the north with a warrior or an officer. It was like an everyday life, not the ve and master scenario painted for us. Ites down to saying people never really know the truth about anything unless they are in it and experience it first-hand. Iy on my bed, wondering what Leo was doing. I was sure Amanda was over the moon about my exit. It would no longer be three nights a week for her anymore. She gets to keep her fated to herself and, in a few months, wee their pups into the world. I was happy for them but sad for me, because they have something I will never have, A home, family, love and continuation in their pups. My future wasn''t really certain because the alpha was unreadable. "Come to the east garden, Marcel; let me throw a cocktail party there," I heard Avery''s voice, and I managed to get off the bed. I was getting bored of the sheer clothes in my wardrobe, but it seemed the alpha wanted to feed his eyes all the time. I wore a peach dress that looked like a tunic with sandals and headed out. Sylvester walked out of a room that had huge doors; I figured that was his bedroom, and Lilly followed after him. I figured the rumours about him fucking her were true. He saw me and stopped. I held his gaze as always and looked at Lilly, who was blushing. She was trying to send a message, and I smiled at her. "I would not want to interrupt you," I said and tried to excuse myself, but he held me back. He grabbed my wrist, pulled me to his body, spun me around, held my neck gently, and leaned close to my ear. "Leave us!" he ordered Lilly, and she quickly moved away. "Where do you think you are going dressed like that?" He asked, and I swallowed. His pinewood scent was intoxicating. "Avery is having a cocktail party in the east garden," I managed. "You should only dress like this for me, green- eyes," he said. "I have a name, you know. It is best you start using it," I said, and he twisted my wrist. It hurt a bit but not too much; almost a bit of a turn-on. "Or else what?" He said, and I felt him grazing his teeth along the side of my neck, and I stifled a moan. "Your husband is stubborn; I will force his hand soon," he said, and I swallowed, hoping Leo would let go. He had told me he would die before doing it; I needed him to stay alive. Sylvester took me to his room. It was grand. The room looked fit for a king. He was a lord, so it was understandable. He handed me clothes; a shirt and shorts and they looked like his. "What should I do with this?" I asked "You are to attend the party in that. You have fed everyone''s eyes enough. Now you will only feed mine," He said sternly, and Iughed. "What is funny?" He asked me, and I stopped. "You have a lot ofdies in your harem. Why so concerned about me?" I asked him. "I ask all the questions here, green-eyes," he said and walked out of his room. I guess he was heading somewhere when I bumped into him. I left his room in a hurry. I did not want to be used of theft. I returned to my room which was only a room away from his. I changed into his oversized clothes and went to the garden. I noticed somedies from the harem were there, and even Lilly had invited herself. I did not like the woman one bit. Ever since I learned she was twenty-three, I stopped being considerate. I walked past her and her friends and heard what she was telling them. "Alpha was on fire this afternoon," she said, and the otherdies who were younger than her giggled. I learned people respected her because Sylvester was screwing her, and she promised to teach the others how to catch his attention. The girls were stupid to think Lilly would teach them how to catch Sylvester''s attention. That was the one thing that gave her an advantage over them, her only superpower. There was no way she was going to teach them anything. I walked to Avery. She looked at my clothes and frowned. "What are you wearing, Tamia?" She asked me, and Iughed. "Sylvester didn''t want me wearing the tunic I came in, so he gave me his clothes to wear," I said and everywhere went silent. I called his name, and I was wearing his clothes. "Oh my, he is the jealous type like Leo. You always get those," Avery said, and I smiled and nodded. Ignoring the fact that the party was silent. "Where is the music?" I said, and she giggled. "No music. We are just chatting, eating and drinking." Avery said, and I looked at Linda, who smiled a bit. She was drinking orange juice. One thing I noticed since we got to the north was that I hadn''t seen Linda with alcohol. It was almost as if she hadpletely cut it out of her diet. I was happy for her. Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. "Marcel is taking me shopping tomorrow. Is there anything you want?" Avery asked me, and I frowned at her. "Wow, that is a privilege. Are you sure you two aren''t in love?" I asked her, and she shook her head. "Hasn''t said anything to me; we are just fucking," Avery said. I could understand her reluctance to get emotionally involved with anyone. "Well, if you are happy, then I am happy for you," I said, and weughed. I took a sip of my juice and sat next to Linda. "How are you?" I asked, and she smiled at me. "Better than I was yesterday," She said, and I smiled at her. "The gamma?" I asked her, and she smiled. "He has been understanding. Hasn''t touched me or pressured me. To think Avery will be the one getting some here," she said, and Iughed. "I was wild back home; here I am, remorseful," She confessed to me, and I hugged her. "It gets better," I told her, and she saw the mark on my neck. "Leo is serious," She said, and I touched it, feeling worried for my husband. We had fun at the party, and soon it was time for dinner. Avery, Linda, and I headed to the dining room. On our way, Lilly osted us. "Please do not bore the alpha or get him too worked up because I usually get the brunt of it," she said and walked away before I could respond. The bitch always had to have thest say. "What is it with her?" Linda asked disgustedly. "I am wearing his clothes and calling his name without consequence," I said, answering Linda''s question. "They aren''t screwing, you know. He is just fond of her," Avery said, and Iughed. "Oh, they are," I said, remembering what I saw this afternoon. "I saw them exit his room together," I said, and she frowned at me. "Well, guess Marcel doesn''t know that part," She said, divulging where she got her information. We entered the dining room, and Marcel and Theodore were there. Sylvester wasn''t, and I wondered where he was. Maybe buried inside Lilly somewhere. We sat and waited for Sylvester to grace us with his presence. He finally came and did not say a word. He sat at the head of the table with me beside him. He ced his hands on my bare thighs and caressed them gently. I was d I wasn''t wearing a skirt because I was sure he would have touched me on that table. "How was the party?" he asked me. "How it should be," I replied, and he smiled and continued eating his food. We finished, and it was time to leave. "Feed my eyes tonight," He said, and I felt butterflies in my tummy. I did not know why I felt it, but it was there. He did note to see me in the night as he had insinuated, and I ended up sleeping, feeling a bit disappointed. Two days went by, and I did not see him. It was as if he had travelled. I feared he had gone to the east to make Leo reject me. I hoped for all our sakes that wasn''t what happened. I stood in front of the mirror in the morning,bing my hair when I felt a sharp pain pierce my heart. Kaira howled in pain, and I cried. What was happening? I felt my energy draining. I knelt on the ground, trying to understand what was happening to my body. I was feeling disoriented, and I felt a fevering. I had never felt this type of pain before. It was a soul-ripping pain, and I felt I would die. I began to fear I had ingested poison. I screamed. "What is happening to us?" Kaira asked, unable to understand the pain. My breathing was shallow, and I feltpletely weakened. Iy down on the grown, waiting for the pain to pass. I think Iid there for almost an hour, going in and out of pain before I passed out. I woke up still on the floor, but I wasn''t feeling as strong as I used to. I looked out the window, and it was evening. I wondered how long I had been out for. I felt iplete. I decided to look at myplexion in the mirror. I managed to get on my feet and look in the mirror. I was as white as a sheet and had a fever. Then I noticed something. My neck was bare. Leo''s mark was gone. As much as I wanted him to release me, I did not know how I would feel when he finally did. I felt empty as tears rolled down my eyes, while staring at my bare neck. I felt lost, as if I did not belong anywhere. I was no longer connected to the mountain pack. As much as I kept asking my husband to free me, I didn''t want to be free. I didn''t want to be separated from him. Our lives together shed in my mind. All the happy and sad moments. The painful ones, too, and I fell on my knees and wept. Fate had destroyed my life. While I thought of it, I became more scared that Sylvester might have gone to the east to force or kill Leo. I began to wail. In those moments, I wanted to die too. Who would have thought Leo and I would be star-crossed? Everything went smoothly from the moment we started dating, until we got married. We thought we would live happily ever after, but fate had other ns which did not involve us remaining together. "Please be safe, Leo," I whispered. I could not hide the fact that he was my confidant and friend. My support and strength. I wept because I was afraid Sylvester had forced him. I cried because I might never see him again, and we didn''t say goodbye properly. If only we had said a proper farewell, I would feel better, but I will never forget what we said before the northern soldiers barged in. I remained on my knees, weeping. It was official; I was nobody''s luna, and I had no pack. 14 The Wolf Lord 14 The Wolf Lord ~Sylvester~ "My darling Sylvester, by the time you read this, I would have moved far away from the north. I know we nned to spend the rest of our lives together, and I looked forward to it. Three months ago, my brother finally found his fated; she isn''t his girlfriend. It left his girlfriend broken. I never want to feel that way. Your eighteenth birthday ising soon; I am afraid she won''t be me. Where will that leave us? I have decided to follow my uncle to the south; please do note looking for me there. I hope you find your fated, and I wish you all the best. Love Susan" Iy in bed, reading the letter my girlfriend left me eleven years ago. We were in love, and everyone saw her as the next Luna of the north after I seeded my father. I had promised her that I would risk being weak and reject my fated if I ever found my fated, and it wasn''t her. Susan had no faith in my promise and panicked. She ran away a few months before my eighteenth birthday. I have never heard from her ever since. I was heartbroken at first, then I became angry, and then I became numb. Never wanting to feel that way again, I locked my heart away. I never found my fated, the reason why she left, and I never fell in love again. No woman ever caught my attention again. When my father was murdered, and I had to take up the lordship, it became worse because I now didn''t have time for romance anymore. It remained that way until recently, when Tamia came into my life. Something that was supposed to be a trophy soon started giving me sleepless nights. I was patient, but I didn''t know how long it wouldst. When the east decided to insult me by attacking my region, I had to put them in their ce. I had no intention of taking over their region, but I wanted to warn them, and I was d they got my message. When the trophies arrived, I thought it would be as usual, and I would draft them ordingly, but I was wrong. Those green eyes burned into my soul; I had topose myself when I looked into her eyes. She was tough, courageous, a true luna, and she was mine. She had given herself to save others, unsure of the fate ahead of her. Tamia got me, and her hold was tight and powerful. After Susan, love stopped having meaning, and rtionships lost their value. I kept a harem of lovers for a while and sent them all away when I turned twenty-six. What I had now was just a collection of trophies I had never touched. I kept a harem so no one would have ideas or hope, but Tamia was different. I knew I would be breaking all my rules with her, and I hoped, for my sake, she would not be my downfall. When she referred to herself as used goods, I was annoyed because she was like wine; the older, the better. Priceless and perfect. Who would have thought I would find a woman to bring me to my knees? I wanted her for myself. I needed to give her time to heal before I buried myself in her and imed her as mine. She needed time to mourn and ept her new reality before I made my move, but one thing I was sure to do was to make my intention towards her clear to everyone. So I ensured she ate with me and all the rules that applied to my trophies did not apply to her. She was free to do as she liked. I spent time with her at night, and we talked about life. I wanted to know the extent of her knowledge. I tried to understand her mind. She didn''t disappoint me, either. My wolf, Knight, was drawn to her like iron to a ma, and he troubled me to make it official. The mark gracing her neck annoyed me, but I kept my cool for her sake. If Leonardo Albert continues to defy me, I will have to end him to take what is mine. Two weeks passed, and she was a bit more rxed with me. I was tempted to sleep on her bed, but I would wait until she invited me. Seeing her in the tunic provoked me, and I decided she wouldn''t wear any of the sheer outfits given to her unless I was there. I spent two days away from the estate. Marcel, Theodore and I had a small business to attend to in the neighbouring town. I wondered what Tamia would think and whether she would miss me. Based on her temperament, I also knew she wouldn''t tell me. "Did you figure out who staged the attack?" I asked Theodore, my Gamma, and he shook his head. Someone had attacked the border of a town in the north, and I needed to find out who. I had been on high alert since my father was killed on his retirement trip. My mother lived in the town whose borders were attacked, so I had to be extra careful. I also did not want to lose her; she was the only parent I had left. "We are still investigating, Alpha," Theodore said and sighed. I was very ufortable. I would only befortable if the culprit had a name, face and location. It always made me feel safer. I let it rest and decided to speak to the town''s Alpha. He didn''t know what caused the attack, but he told me the attackers seemed to be from the east. The east was too far for someone to stage such an attack and not try to seed. I also knew I had just attacked the east and taken their loved ones from them. Could it be that they wanted to retaliate? Could it be that they wanted to take their trophies back? If that was the case, they were stupid because if I had to send my men to attack them again, it would be to raze their territory and structure to the ground. I do not take likely to threats. Noticing my mood change, Marcel, my Beta, called my attention. "Let us not be hasty, Alpha. The east suffered dearly because of one Alpha''s mistake. I doubt they will do this. Let us investigate further so we can know what to do, besides we have their wives, sisters and daughters; we can get information out of them if the need arises," He pointed out and smiled at me. "And what would we do if they refuse to give us information?" I asked him because I knew he was getting attached to the Luna he was fucking. "Then we will torture it out of them," he said, and Iughed. "And you will willingly torture Avery?" I asked him, and he smiled. "She will give up her husband''s secrets in a heartbeat, Alpha. The man was a douchebag. He used to beat Mia, her wolf," he told me, and I was shocked at the kind of savagery they practised in the east. "I do not even want to tell you what that bastard, Kyle, did to his luna because he found his fated," Theodore said, and whatever it might have been must have been terrible. "I doubt Tamia would give up her husband''s secrets, though. You need to be careful with that one, Alpha," Marcel warned me, and I smiled. "I can never lose my head or neglect my duty because of a woman. She fascinates me quite alright, but if she ends up protecting my enemies, she will be an enemy," I said, and I meant it. She might have enthralled me, but I wasn''t stupid. We did some research and finally headed back to the estate. I wasn''t eager to see Tamia after what I had discussed with my men. I realised I had to slow down just in case I needed information from her. Especially information she might not be willing to give. I want to be able to deal with the matter unclouded. Evening came, and Marcel, my beta, brought a letter addressed to Tamia and me. I knew her husband sent it, and I was curious to see what he had to say. I opened it and read both letters. It was the tone of a grieving, broken man. The fact that herst months with him weren''t great made me rx. If not, I might have sent her back. The humility and pain the letter represented touched, my soul. It was a letter of true love. He was giving her to me. He might not have said it clearly for me to see, but he was giving his consent for me to care for her and love her. I did not need it, but I appreciated it. Tamia must have been important to him; too bad he was too weak to keep her. Based on the letters, he had lost her long before I took her from him. I now realised why she gave herself up. She did not want to be his luna anymore. The situation must have been heart-wrenching for her to choose the unknown over him. It made me remember Susan and why she left me. It waste in the evening, so I took Tamia''s letter to her. I was d for all the tips Leo gave me, but I had no n of wooing her. I knocked on the door, and no one answered, so I let myself in. Tamia was on the floor in tears. I did not need to know why; the mark on her neck was gone. I went to her and held her. The two must have loved each other dearly, and everything that went wrong must have been hard on both of them, but judging by their situation, this was for the best. I held her on the floor, and she cried in my arms. I could hear the pain in her wails. Fate messed up their love story, and his weakness wrecked them. "He sent you a letter," I said and handed her the letter with a broken seal. "I had to read it for security purposes," I said, stroking her back gently. "He sent me a letter too. That I should take care of you," I said, and her tears fell freely. I decided to leave her so she could read the letter privately. I stood up, and she grabbed my hand to stop me. "Stay with me," She said, and I nodded. N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. She read his letter and then ced it against her chest and cried. I let her cry. It was clear that even though they knew the marriage was over, neither was ready to let go. They were too attached. She calmed down after a while and had to swear allegiance to me to join my pack. It was necessary so she didn''t go rogue. I felt the connection snap into ce, which meant I could now mind-link her. She calmed down, and I studied her. "So you were sharing your husband with his fated?" I asked her, and she nodded. "Wow, that was a messed up situation. I see why you came here," I said, and she looked at me. "They would have killed him," She said, defiant tone returning, and I nodded because I knew I was right. "I hope you will be in the mood for horse riding tomorrow," I said and got up. "Where are you going?" She asked me, standing up too. "To sleep," I told her, and her eyes looked like she was contemting something. "Okay," she said, but I knew those weren''t the words she wanted to speak. So I moved close to her until her back was against the wall. "Okay?" I said, and she swallowed and nodded. Her eyes were swollen from tears. She searched my eyes with them, trying to figure me out, and before she could speak, I kissed her neck where her husband''s mark once was and sucked gently. She moaned, unable to control herself, and Knight growled. "If I stay, I will take you, and you aren''t ready for that," I told her and walked out of her room. It was hard as hell, but I knew it would be wrong to take advantage of a grieving woman. She needed time and space to ept her reality. I returned to my room, hard as hell, and went to the bathroom to work on myself. As Iy on my bed, I thought of Tamia and Leo''s story and realised she was the type to love deeply. Would she fall for me and love me the same if anything happened between us? Remembering what Susan did snapped me out of my fantasies. Women could not be trusted. I learned that the hard way, and I have been on my guard ever since 15 Adjusting in Tension 15 Adjusting in Tension ~Tamia~ Sylvester left me in the room, and I remained sad. The emptiness and confusion were gone. I was d Sylvester was around to absorb me into his pack; this was my biggest fear of leaving Leo. I did not want to go rogue. Kaira was weak, and I knew we would never be at a hundred per cent again. I would have to train harder now, I doubted Sylvester would let me, but I will try. I wished he had remained and done what he wanted to do. I wantedfort, and I was willing to do anything for it, but instead, he had to be a gentleman and walk away. Iy on my bed and re-read Leo''s letter. I could see it was a difficult situation for him. He had given me closure with his letter. I knew it was best to write a letter to him to provide closure. I doubted Sylvester would let me send it, but I will try. I went to my vanity table and took a piece of paper and a pen to write. "Dear Leonardo, I received your letter, and I want you to know I am not angry. The fact that you are alive and well is rewarding enough. Thank you for the closure. It really means a lot. If it helps, I never med you for what happened to us. We were victims of fate, even Amanda. I know you have sworn never to rece me, but I beg you to give her her ce. Both of you are expecting. Do not let my sacrifice be in vain, Leo. I have joined the Wolf Lord''s pack, so my sanity is intact. Do not waste my gift to you. Live your life to the fullest and make the most of it. Shower your love and affection on Amanda and your children; they deserve it. Know that I am well, and the Wolf lord has been genuinely kind to all of us. If we ever meet again, I pray it is in good health and joy. You will always have a ce in my heart. Love Tamia." I read the letter a couple of times before folding it. There were no envelopes in my room, but I was determined to give them to Sylvester to have them mailed in the morning. I did not know if he would take offence, but I will try. "I guess that chapter is closed," Kaira said as wey on the bed. I could not give a definite answer because as long as we are all alive, no chapter is ever closed. I went for breakfast in the morning, wearing the sheer clothes in my wardrobe against Sylvester''s warning. Avery and Marcel were kissing when I arrived, and I knew he would have fucked her on the table if he could. Linda was still reserved, but she was getting along with Theodore. Sylvester was yet to grace us with his presence, so I went to sit in my usual spot and wait. I greeted everyone present with the utmost respect, and Linda was the first to notice my mark was gone. She smiled at me, and I nodded. I was yet to adjust to being single. From how Avery looked, it was clear the two were together all night. I wondered when she would get tired of it. I couldn''t me her; from not getting any to being the centre of attention, it was expected behaviour. I hoped for her sake it wouldst because, even if she didn''t want to admit it, she was falling in love. Sylvester walked in, and he had lipstick on the side of his cheek. I did not need to know who it belonged to. For the first time, it got to me. Iposed myself and greeted him respectfully. He sat beside me when he picked up his napkin and angrily wiped away the mark on his cheek. I guess someone linked him to tell him. "How was your night?" he said, gently lifting my hand and kissing it. I had the urge to pull it away, but I controlled myself. "Peaceful," I replied, "Why are you annoyed?" He linked me for the first time, and I looked at him. He was too handsome for his own good. "I am not; I am just respecting myself," I replied, and he smiled and ced his hand on my bare thigh. "I have warned you not to dress in these outfits with other people around," He warned, and I smiled at him. "This suits my mood best," I replied, and he growled. He ran his hand up my thighs, and I felt tingles; then he kissed my neck and sucked gently. Was this guy making out with me in public? I had never done this before, and I felt a bit shy. "People are here," I linked him, and he sucked my sweet spot, forcing a moan out of me. "If you arefortable with dressing provocatively in public, then this should be okay, he said and moved his hands closer to my pussy. I wasn''t wearing panties, and I knew I was wet. "Please," I pleaded with him to leave me alone. "Next time I tell you to do something, you do it," he said, got up and lifted me from my seat. Avery was smiling, and Linda looked away. He ced me over his shoulders and smacked me on the butt. "Obedience ss 101," he said, taking me out of ce. "We haven''t eaten; I am hungry," I said, protesting, and he smacked me again. N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. I wanted to giggle because it was exciting, but I held it. People saw us, and they were most surprised. Even Lilly and her sidekicks came to the passage to see themotion. Sylvester moved ahead until we got to my room. He opened the room and carried me in. He threw me on the bed, and I sat up and moved back until my back was against the bed rest. "I guess Lunas never had to be obedient, so this will be your first ss," he said and took off his shit. His body was sculpted to perfection. His tattoos were beautiful, and the art went up his neck. His eyes were dark, and I was worried because it meant his wolf was involved. He got on the bed and came to me. "I let you best night because you were grieving. But you had to push it," he said and kissed the corner of my cheek. "I sense some jealousy, green eyes. Did it have anything to do with the lipstick on my cheek?" He asked, and I closed my eyes and turned my head to the side. "So I see," he said and grazed his teeth along my neck. "Do you want to punish me for it?" he asked me, and I did not know what to say; my legs were already shaking. I had never experienced this kind of energy and boldness before. This was something new. He suddenly pulled away and got off the bed. It seemed he had a sudden change of heart. It was in his eyes. I was disappointed, but I tried not to let it show. "I will permanently change your wardrobe. No more sexy outfits for you," he said and picked up his shirt. "Are you afraid I might turn you on, and you will lose control?" I asked with a daring tone, and he looked at me and smiled. "Green eyes, you are already mine," he said, and I growled at him out of frustration. Kaira was at the forefront, and I knew he could see my wolf eyes too. It wasn''t okay to mess with people like this. "Be a good girl, and I will reward you," he said with a smirk and left the room. He had disrupted my breakfast for nothing. He had also figured out the lipstick got to me. I got off the bed and decided to change my outfit. I wore shorts and a t-shirt. When I was done, I remembered the letter I wanted to mail to Leo, and I took it out of my dresser to head back to breakfast. To my surprise, Sylvester was there as if nothing had happened. I was mad at him, so I tried to sit next to Linda, but Theodore did not allow it, and he made me sit next to Sylvester. "Don''t you feel better?" He asked, and I did not bother to answer. I was angry. I ate quietly, and when we were done, he got up to leave, so I followed him. "Sylvester," I called in the hallway, and he turned to look at me. "I do not mean to abuse your hospitality or your kindness. Please do not see my request as an act of defiance or as taking you for granted," I said, and he frowned at me. I knew what I was about to ask him to do might not be weed. "Please help me mail thister to Leonardo. You can read its content. It poses no security threat. I am just asking him to move on." I said quickly, and his eyes darkened. He held my arm and made me follow him to his office. The moment the door was shut, he looked at me angrily. "Do not abuse the privilege, Tamia. No one is allowed tomunicate with their loved ones here. That is precisely the point. I will not make exceptions for you," he said, and my heart broke a bit because I did not feel I was asking for too much. I just wanted to say goodbye. "Other trophies were actively given to you, so they said their goodbyes to their loved ones. He was unconscious when they took me away," I said with tears. "How am I sure it is not a secret code? How am I sure you are not giving him information about the north? About me?" He asked me, and I knew he wouldn''t bend on this one. "I am sorry I asked. It won''t happen again," I said, folded the letter, and put it in my pocket. "May I be excused?" I asked. "You did not answer my question," he said, and I took out the letter and handed it to him. "Read it and decide for yourself. I am sure you have code geniuses here; they can tell you if I am selling secrets or not," I said, and he opened the letter to read it. I could see shame in his eyes when he was through. I figured he had trust issues. "Very well, I will send it to him, but no more, and no one must know of this," he warned, and I nodded and thanked him. Whether I liked it or not, however kind he was and howeverfortable the ce was, I was still a prisoner of war. "Horse riding is in an hour; meet me at the stables." He said, and I nodded. I was grateful that he agreed to send the letter. I left his office and headed to my room. On my way, I bumped into the annoying Lilly and her friends. She was behaving like a child. "Alpha couldn''t stand seeing your hideous body, so he told you to cover up," she teased, looking at what I was wearing and ignoring the fact that they were his clothes. I tried to walk away, but they blocked me. I really wasn''t in the mood for this. "I sent you a message on his cheek this morning. Did you get it?" She asked me, and I did not respond. "Do you want to know how it got there?" She asked, and I heard a growl behind me. I did not need to guess who it was. "Lilly! in my office now!" Sylvester growled, and I started walking away quickly. I did not want to imagine what they would do there together. After what happened with Leo, I should have had a thick skin, but Sylvester got to me. I did not know why but he got to me. I moved quickly into my room and felt jealous over him for the first time. I knew I was grieving, but I could not understand why he always controlled himself around me. It made me feel unattractive. It should be the least of my worries, but I was petty like that, thanks to the fact that I had nothing to do and I sat in a castle idle all day. Once it was time to meet him at the stables, I headed there. I hoped to see many people, but it was just him and two horses. He walked to me smiling. He was all decked up and ready. He handed me what to wear, and I thanked him. I was still mad about Lilly, but I kept it to myself. I might end up punishing him for it. "Do you know how to ride?" he asked me, and as much as I tried to get my mind out of the gutter with that question, my mind was rolling in it. "Of course," I said, and heughed, knowing exactly what I meant. 16 Mixed Signals 16 Mixed Signals ~Tamia~ Sylvester looked handsome,ughing, and I wanted to tell him tough more, but it wasn''t in my ce. "Of course I know you can ride, Green-eyes. I meant the horse." He said, and I smiled at him. "Not an expert, but I can survive," I confessed, and he smiled. I wore the necessary gear and mounted the horse. Sylvester went ahead, and I followed him. Thend was beautiful, and I felt a rush I hadn''t felt in a while as we raced the horses through the land. With the way he was riding, he was heading somewhere. We finally got to a cliff where the alpines were visible, and the sight was beautiful. The snow-covered mountains were a sight, and Sylvester unmounted his horse. I did the same, and he secured them by the only tree on the cliff. "What do you think?" He asked, pointing to the mountains in the distance, and I smiled. "They are beautiful. The mountains back home aren''t this beautiful," I confessed, and he smiled at me. The breeze brushed his hair, and he looked breathtaking. "I felt you have been couped up in the estate for long; I thought this would help," he said to me, and I was stunned at the gesture. However insignificant he tried to make it seem, the fact remains that he did this for me. "Thank you, it is beautiful," I said, and then he came to me and cupped my face in his palms. "Not as beautiful as you are," he said, and I was stunned by his confession. He smiled and looked away. Those words were hard for him to say, but he said them anyway, and there was no taking it back; I appreciated it. "Thank you," I said with a breathy voice, and he smiled. He stood beside me and looked ahead. "I have sent the letter," He said, and I looked at him. I knew it was difficult for him, but I was grateful he did it. "Other than Leo, did you date anyone?" He asked me, and I shook my head. "No, he was my first," I confessed, and he looked at me and smiled. "As beautiful as you are. I thought you would have a long list," He said, and I smiled. "Well, I did not have the opportunity for that. We started dating when I was seventeen and married when I was neen." I said. "I see. That exins a lot," He said and gently touched my hand. "Do you want to sit on the cliff?" He asked, and I was scared. "Goddess, no, not with a weakened wolf," I said, and he nodded. "I felt it when you joined my pack. Your wolf isn''t so strong anymore," he said out of concern, and I nodded. "I just need a bit of training to adjust. Brains beat brawn any day," I said, and weughed. "Sure, you can train with me," he said, and I was stunned. "Are you sure?" I asked him, and he nodded. "I wouldn''t want anyone taking liberties with you and touching you," he said, sounding possessive. I laughed; he looked at me while I tried to stopughing, surprised me and arrested my lips with his. His kiss was gentle and warm. He tasted sweet and warm. I did not hesitate to respond and grabbed onto his neck. My response wasn''t patient, like his. It was hungry and expectant. He wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me to his body. Then he broke the kiss and looked at me. "I can''t make you promises, Tamia," he confessed, and I nodded. "I know," I said, and he broke away from me. "Let''s head back," He said, and I felt disappointed. Why didn''t he want to touch me? I was ready to go all the way with him. Couldn''t he see it? I mounted the horse and followed him, angry and disappointed. He was ying with my emotions, and I did not like it. We rode until we got to the stables. He secured the horses, and we started walking back to the estate as he had put it. To me, it was a castle. "I noticed that the other Lunas before us are allowed to socialise and mingle. I learned some of them even date and find love here," I told him, and he stopped walking. I could sense the fury radiating from him. I wanted to know why we were special. A luna had told me they usually split the lunas among themselves as spoils of war. It was a way of ultimately conquering the Alphas to whom the Lunas belonged. Although they never touched them, they owned them. My friends and I got a different treatment, and I did not know why. One day I will ask him if I ever get the chance. "You are not allowed that," he said without hearing what I had to say. "Then what am I allowed? I am a woman, and I have needs," I said, and he shook his head. "Then youe to me," he said with a low growl, and I searched his eyes to see if he was joking, but he wasn''t. He was serious. His wolf shed in those moments. " I want you tonight," I said, blurting it out boldly, and he looked at me critically and pulled me close. "You are still not over him yet. I can''t be a rebound," He said, and I was stunned. "Who said you are a rebound?" I asked him, and he smiled. He kissed the corner of my lips, released me and walked away. He had stylishly refused my invitation. I was furious, angry, name it. I felt everything. I felt inadequate. What did Lilly have that I did not? I was mad. "He is arrogant," Kaira growled as we walked back to the castle, sexually frustrated. I walked to my room and headed straight for the bath. Touching myself would have to suffice. I wore shorts and a t-shirt and headed for dinner. He had sent me his clothes. I wondered why he didn''t send someone to just buy me new ones. Instead, he wanted me walking about in his oversized clothes. I did not dry my hair, so it was wet. I met Linda and Theodore there; I did not need to guess why Avery and Marcel weren''t there. I noticed Linda wasn''t in a good mood, so I linked her to find out her problem. "Some bitches gave me a hard time because of him. I suspect he is screwing them, but he refuses to admit it. Not that I care, but I should know," She said, and I realised she had her version of Lilly. Marcel finally arrived with Avery, and the food was served. I wondered where Sylvester was. "The Alpha wouldn''t be joining us; he is working on something with Lilly," he said, and I felt a pain in my chest. That was why he turned down my invitation. I was furious. Iposed myself and tried to eat without showing emotions. After the meal, Avery tried to make me stay to hang out, but I was fighting tears, so I just walked away. I would apologise to her when I am better, but I just needed space now. I entered my room, and I wished it had a lock. "We should barge in on them," Kaira said, ready to do damage. "He is not ours, Kaira, and he has not made his intentions known. We will only be making fools of ourselves." I told my wolf, and she was silent. I went to bed with a broken heart. Morning came, and I did not go for breakfast. "Tamia, why aren''t you in the dining room?" I heard Sylvester''s voice in my head, and I was tempted to growl, but Iposed myself. "I am not hungry," I said, and he was silent. "Regardless, you should eat. Training starts by nine; that is an order," he said. I growled and got up. I decided to wear a sheer outfit instead of his clothes this time. I was d he had not cleared my wardrobe as he had threatened. I arrived at the dining room, and Avery smiled, but Sylvester was mad. I went to sit next to him and greeted everyone with the utmost respect, then served my food. "What do you think you are doing dressed like that?" He asked me, almost growling. "I do not think it is wise I walk around in your clothes, Alpha; it will send the wrong message. I do not want Lilly''s trouble," I said, and his anger dissipated. Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. He was silent, and I ate breakfast. For the first time, I requested to be served wine. It was out of character and too early, but my nerves were all over the ce, and I knew I had pissed Sylvester off. I needed to calm down. He did not utter a word throughout my disy, and when the breakfast was over, he left. "You shouldn''t push him, Tamia. He has made a lot of exceptions for you," Marcel warned me, and I was quiet. What did he know about being pushed? Avery looked at me, feeling sorry for me. I felt sorry for myself. Being brave with Sylvester was pointless; I just broke down and cried. Theodore and Marcel excused us while Linda and Avery remained. "What is the matter?" Avery asked. "You usually have your shit together, but you are losing yourself," Avery said, and I nodded in agreement. I did not understand what was happening to me. "Remember, we are prisoners here, Tamia. They could get bored and kick us to the curb. As nice as they may be, we aren''t free here. Please do not aggravate the Alpha." Linda pleaded with me, afraid of what would happen if Sylvester got mad and changed his mind. Being victims of severe abuse, I could understand their fear and her willingness to settle for less. Anything was better than where they wereing from, but I couldn''t rte, and my heart and emotions were all over the ce. I wiped away my tears for their sake. "I will try," I said, and they thanked me. I returned to my room to change my clothes. And then, I went to join Sylvester in the training room. He was the only one there, and he was punching a bag. It seemed ordinary until I realised it was coated in silver; I looked around and noticed that most things were covered in silver. I realised why they were very strong. If they trained with silver, then an actual battle would be easy. Remembering what my friends pleaded with me to do, I chose to be on my best behaviour. "I am sorry I wore that dress to breakfast; it won''t happen again, Alpha," I said, and he punched the bag hard. I wonder what I said that made him angry. He turned to look at me, his hair was wet with sweat, and his muscles flexed. I tried to ignore his body and his face altogether. "What are you doing here?" He asked me, a bit angry, and I swallowed. I guess I had pissed him off really good. "To train," I said with uncertainty. "No training today, and you can wear your sheer clothes henceforth," He said and turned back to continue what he was doing. I felt insulted, but he had put me in my ce, which Avery and Linda feared. What was the matter with him? What was he afraid of? I did not want to trouble him any more than I had, so I gave up. "I am sorry to disturb you. I will take my leave," I said and turned around. As I was leaving, I heard Sylvester growl loudly and punch the bag hard. I walked quickly to create the desired distance between us. I did not want to be in the punching bag''s shoes. I left the ce feeling foolish and stupid. I decided to go to my room and sleep the rest of the day. I did not want to stay awake, so I won''t think about what had just happened. Maybe I will wake up, and it will all be a bad dream. I told the servant at my door to bring me the strongest drink they had, anything to knock me out, and she smiled and went to fetch me something. She was yet to know that my privileges had been revoked. I might as well abuse it onest time before it is official. She returned with a bottle with a vodkabel filled with a green-looking drink. I thought it would taste awful, but it was delicious. I went through half the bottle and started feeling funny. I had an out-of-body experience, and soon I wasn''t in control of myself anymore because I could not coordinate myself, and everything went nk. I woke with a banging headache and saw Sylvester sitting on the couch, looking concerned. I was in his room. 17 Wooing Session 17 Wooing Session ~Tamia~ I got off the bed and looked at Sylvester. He was worried, and then, his emotions faded. I looked out the window; it was nighttime. I tried to get off the bed and realised I was naked. I did not know what to say. Instead, I wrapped the sheet around my body and got off the bed, ready to leave. "Where do you think you are going?" He asked me, and I could not look at him. "My room," I said with uncertainty. "The room you trashed, vomited all over the ce and tried to jump out of the window? " He asked me, and my eyes bulged. "What!" I eximed. "You have been out for hours, Tamia? Why were you so reckless? Who gave you the northern cocktail?" he asked, and I knew if I gave the person up, she would be in trouble. "I was the one that asked for the strongest drink there is," I said quickly. "Why?" He asked me. "I had nothing to do, I was hoping I would train with you, but you said no. I just wanted to sleep the rest of the day through," I said, and he sighed. "Why were you acting up yesterday morning?" He asked me with a calm tone. "I thought you were luna. Lunas are known for being calm through anything. You acted like a child," he said, and I nodded. "I agree, and it won''t happen again. Besides, I am no longer a luna. I do not have a reason to keep my shit together," I said. "You haven''t answered my question yet," he told me, and I sighed. "It is childish and insignificant. It won''t happen again. I promise," I said, and he stood up and walked to me. I did not know my hands were shaking until he held them in his and gently unwrapped the sheets off my body. "There is nothing between Lilly and me, Tamia. I have never touched her. She is good with computers, and she is helping with something. That is why shees to my office and sometimes my room. I do not sleep with women in the harem. It would help if you stopped acting up and being jealous. The only reason I haven''t touched you is that I think you need to get over Leonardo. If you want to be with me, it should be because you want me, not because you want to fill a void. I didn''t let you train with me because I was angry," he said, and I was stunned as I looked into his eyes. I did not know I was crying until tears rolled down my cheeks. They were tears of relief. "Since you have proven to me that you are a child and need to be cared for and watched, you sleep in my room henceforth," he told me and led me to the bathroom. "Let''s get you cleaned up," he said, and I was still stunned. He ran a warm bath and asked me to get inside the tub. Hethered the sponge and washed my body. I was stunned by the care and gentleness. It was amazing. After he was done, I exited the bath, and he gave me an oversized t-shirt. Then he led me to bed. I was speechless. I was misbehaving and thinking all my privileges had been revoked, but I was wrong. "Do not act like that again," he said, lying behind and spooning me. He kissed my neck and nibbled my ears; instead of a giggle, a moan escaped my lips, and he held me tighter. "You need to sleep some more. It will ease the headache. Always confront me about what you think. I can never treat you like the others, Tamia. You are special." He said and rested his arms around my waist. "Then make love to me," I managed. "Not tonight, green-eyes. Tonight, we sleep," he said, and with that, he turned me down again. Morning came, and we got ready for breakfast together. I could not believe what was happening. As we walked down the hall, people looked at us, and then Lilly approached us and bowed her head. "Good morning, Alpha," She said, and he responded gently. "Good morning Lilly," He said, and she looked up and smiled at me. "What time do you need me toe, Alpha?" She said, trying to insinuate it was for sex. "Did you greet Tamia?" Sylvester asked her, and she shook her head. "You should ord her the same respect," He said, and I was shocked, but Iposed myself. "Good morning, Ms. Tamia," she said, acknowledging that I had no mark and wasn''t a luna anymore. "Good morning, Lilly," I said, and she smiled at me. "Good," Sylvester said. "I learned you go about giving people the impression that we are screwing," he said, confronting her, and she looked stunned as if it were a lie. "I do not want to hear such nonsense again. And I am revoking all your privileges. I treated you like a little sister, and you abused that privilege. Pretending to be excited and hugging me so you can kiss my cheek and leave lipstick on it. That was very dubious. It will be in your best interest to tell your friends the truth. Yourputer services are no longer required. Henceforth you are not allowed in my office or my bedroom. Am I clear?" he asked, and she bowed. I honestly couldn''t believe what had just happened. When he told me he wasn''t sleeping with her, I thought he was lying and telling me what I wanted to hear. Now I knew better. We left her and headed for the dining room. So much for having the Alpha''s ears. What a joke. My mood was lifted instantly. I felt sorry for her because she tried to live her fantasies aloud. We entered the dining room and went to sit on our chairs; Avery and Linda looked at me funny. "What were you on yesterday afternoon? You wanted to jump out the window, Tamia. You made Alpha make a lot of promises before getting you out the window," Avery linked me, and I looked at Sylvester. "Did I make you promise me anything yesterday?" I asked, and he smiled at me? "You didn''t; your wolf did, and you don''t want to know. Let''s just leave it alone." He told me and served my food; I shook my head. "Please tell me," I said, and Marcelughed. "You should tell her," he told Sylvester, and Sylvester looked at me and smiled. "Are you sure you want to know what Kaira said under the influence?" He asked, and I nodded. "They called me that you were standing at the window of your room. We all rushed to your room and saw that you had trashed the ce. There was also vomit everywhere. I saw the bottle of northern cocktail, and I panicked because you had drunk more than the required amount. When Kaira saw me, she began to cry. She called me an arsehole and scumbag; name it. She said I was a bully, and I was ying with both of you. She asked me if there was a reason I did not find you fuckable. She used that word. Shepared you to Lilly then she said both of you would be running away by jumping out the window." He paused, and I was already ashamed. I tried to reach Kaira, but she refused to respond. "I pleaded with you not to jump, and she told me she won''t if I promise to do you all night long until morning and then some more, and the rest of the things she said were incoherent. I doubt she was even processing what I was telling her because the moment I reached her and took her away from the window, she passed out in my arms. You shouldn''t leave your wolf in charge like that again. They are always brutally honest and don''t pretend," He said, and I bowed in shame. I suspected something was off about that drink. I knew something was wrong when I started feeling woozy and having an out-of-body experience. I was d Sylvester came for me and not just anyone. Eventually, we made light of the situation, and we allughed and joked about it. Soon breakfast was over, and Sylvester asked me to join him for training. I dreaded going to that room after seeing the amount of silver that was in it, but I humoured him and followed. I did not know how physically weak I had be until I trained with Sylvester. I felt terrible about it, but he calmed me down. He told me not to worry about it, but it troubled my soul. After the training, Sylvester and I showered together, and he said he had something nned out for us. This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. He led me to the eastern garden of the estate, and there, a small pic was nned for us. There were people in the garden, especially women from the harem, but no one came near us. "Wow, Sylvester, this is amazing," I said, thrilled by what I saw. It was a bit chilly outside, but I appreciated it. We sat on the mat, and he bought out a thermos and poured hot chocte into a mug for me. To my surprise, he poured tinny marshmallows on the top. "How did you know?" I asked him, and he smiled. "Let us just say someone gave me tips on how to woo you," He said, and I knew who that was; for the first time, thinking of Leo did not make me sad; I smiled, grateful for his effort. Sylvester moved closer to me and kissed me. I knew thedies present could see us, and I grabbed onto his head and kissed him harder, showing ownership and staking my im. We broke the kiss, and heughed. "You want them to know," He said, knowing what I did. "You can''t me me, Alpha," I said, and he smiled. We stayed there a bit, and I gathered the courage to ask him why he chose me. He looked at me and smiled, then lifted my hands and kissed them. "It is our tradition in the north to split the lunas of the packs we conquered among the first three officials. In my father''s time, they would sleep with them, owning thempletely to show they had conquered and dominated the alphas to whom the lunas are tied, but in my time, the three of us usually split them among ourselves and assigned duties to them. I do not think sleeping with a woman against her will just to prove I have conquered her husband is humane." He said, and I was stunned by the barbaric practice of the ones before him. He was different. "Why didn''t you assign a duty to me?" I asked him, and he lovingly tucked my loose strands behind my ear and looked into my eyes. "I was smitten by you, Tamia. I can''t exin, but you made my heart beat faster than usual, and I knew something was there. My wolf wanted you, and he staked his im before I could process the feeling," He said gently and leaned closer to kiss me. His kiss wasforting and reassuring. I realised he was falling just as fast as I was. "You won''t be a rebound, Sylvester," I linked him, and his kiss became more hungry. He travelled to my neck and sucked the sweet spot. I wanted him to sink his teeth in; he sucked hard and grazed his teeth on the spot, making me dizzy and turning me into a moaning mess. Gradually he stopped and pulled away. "Soon," he told me, and if we were alone at that moment, I wouldn''t have taken soon for an answer; I would have gone on a ride, and he knew it. Heughed, showing his perfect dentition and pulled me close while we enjoyed the scenery together. We stayed there until sunset, then returned to the house for dinner. Besides the training session, it was the best day I had had in a long time. I hope Sylvester will complete the experience and make love to me. It was overdue. He knew I wanted him, and I knew he wanted me. There was no point holding back. The wooing wasplete. 18 The Northern Gate 18 The Northern Gate ~Sylvester~ There was no disputing the fact that there was chemistry between Tamia and me. As I got to know her more, I realised she was genuinely innocent. It was hard taking my heart out of the equation. Although nothing had transpired between us, she was iming my heart, and there was nothing I could do about it. That was precisely why I refused to touch her. I did not know how it would end, and neither of us needed to get hurt the second time. So I walked away every time she created an opportunity for me. After she boldly invited me into her room, I realised I couldn''t put it off any longer. It was unfortunate how it all began, and the reason why I brought the three of them here was cruel. It was safe to say that I was looking out for my people, but it was no longer about keeping my enemies close; it was now a matter of the heart. After reading Leonardo''s letter, I realised attacking his pack was wrong. He wasn''t a part of it. Going horse riding was a great move to get to know Tamia better, but I had to step back when she took the giant leap. Now I was willing to jump. Holding her in my arms in the garden felt new. I haven''t been rxed in a long time. When Kaira went on a rampage, I realised her feelings were genuine and had nothing to do with survival. As crude as it was and as crazy as it seemed, Kaira had said everything Tamia could not say. When I carried her to my room, I knew this was it. It all happened fast, and I realised fate had blessed me with her. We left the garden when it was dark, to have dinner. Tamia tried to get us to go to the room first, but I refused. I knew what she wanted and would not have the will to say no. I knew I was postponing the inevitable since we both slept in the same room together. We entered the dining together, and I noticed that Marcel and Avery weren''t all over each other as usual. I hoped for all our sakes they weren''t fighting because I wanted my Beta at his best all the time. Marcel had jumped before Theodore and me. Even though he denied it, I knew his heart was invested in it. No one asked us to get involved with these women, or fall in love with them. It just happened naturally. Theodore had his eyes on Linda from the moment they arrived, and he had the most difficulty. She kept asking him to assign her a duty as he should and that she wasn''t interested in getting emotionally involved with anyone. Of the three, she was the most used and abused, and I could understand why she was guarded. Theodore was the patient type, taking it a step at a time, and I could see he was making progress. "What is the matter, Ave?" I heard Tamia say. She could have as well linked her friends, but I figured she sensed something was wrong, and she wanted to address it. "Never mind," Avery said, and Marcel looked worried. I had to link him to find out what the issue was. "What happened?" I asked, and he sighed. "She found out about my secret harem," he confessed to me, and I was stunned. "I thought you let them go?" I linked him, remembering we had chosen to disband our harems three years ago. "I do not visit all of them, but I continued seeing Maurine. I wanted to end it, but the woman won''t let me." He said, and I was disappointed in him. Maurine wasn''t a good person, and she had caused more troubles than I could remember when they were in the estate. "What the fuck!" I said to my Beta aloud, and he bowed his head. "So why is Avery mad? It has to be more than that." I said, knowing Avery was too tough to be mad about a lover that refused to go away. "I have ended it, and then she got into Avery''s head about this being a norm. She told her we usually split the lunas among ourselves and sleep with them to get information about their husbands and former packs so we can attack them," He said, and I was pissed off and worried. Avery was Tamia''s friend. If she tells Tamia this, Kaira will be mad. Tamia might pretend, but I know her wolf won''t. "How the fuck did she get into the estate?" I asked him, and he bowed his head. "She didn''t. I took Avery to town, and we met in a store," He said, and I did not know what to tell him. He wasn''t supposed to take any of the neers off the property. Why will he take Avery to town? I did not want to create an issue, so I let it rest. "You need to fix it," I told him, and he nodded. We ate dinner in silence, and the atmosphere was a bit glum, but my heart wasn''t. My hands were on Tamia''s thigh, and I couldn''t wait to go to bed. " Alpha, there is an attack on the north gate, southern soldiers," one of my warriors told me through the mind link, and I stood up abruptly. "What is the matter?" Tamia asked me, looking worried. "I need you to stay indoors. There is an attack on the north gate, and we must defend ourselves," I told her, and her eyes darkened. " You do not have a lot of warriors on the estate," She said, and I wondered how she knew. "I pay attention, Sylvester. I was a luna remember?" She said, and I sighed. "We can take them," I said, and she grabbed me and kissed me. "We still have a lot to do. Come back in one piece," She ordered me, and I smiled. Marcel, Theodore and I headed out. There was amotion in the passage; the residents were being taken to safety. I had about fifty men in the estate. I am sure we could take them. I did not need to know who sent the attackers. I was sure it was Bane''s handwork. We headed there, and the men were plenty. Knight took over, and we shifted. The attackers had torn down the northern gate, and they were many. How did they get warriors here so fast? There was no way they were all from the south. I sensed eastern soldiers were among them. Knowing the south and east had an alliance, there was no doubt that the eastern soldiers were among the herd. They came at me like mad wolves, and I unleashed my anger on them. I was angry that they disrupted a peaceful night. I had saved up my energy to keep my promise to Kaira, now I had to use it on them. Knight was angry. Why wouldn''t they just leave us alone? I hit the wolf that leapt at me and knocked it away with so much force that it flew sideways. We were winning, and most of the attackers died. We had injured a lot of them, and I could only see a few standing; then, they released a weird green gas. It was sudden. Some of us managed to step away from it, but Knight had inhaled it, making Knight weak. "Poison, fall back," I linked my wolves. The green gas cleared, but we were too weak to continue. The remaining wolves, about sixteen, came at us, and Knight whimpered, stepping back. My vision was blurred, and I couldn''t see much. I realised the gas was theirst resort. We had injured and killed most of them, and we were still manypared to them. But our numbers did not matter because we were weakened by the weird green gas. I felt my body healing from the gas, but it wasn''t healing fast enough for me to fight back. The wolvesing at me were most likely kappas, and they were the worst, because they were the deadly warriors in a pack. They were trained to die with their enemies. Knight growled, making a weak attempt to show dominance, but the wolves approaching could not be fooled. They knew we were weak, and they were taking advantage of it. Some of my warriors had copsed from poisoning. I could feel them, so I knew they would be okay. A ck kappa wolf lunged at me, and a grey delta wolf came from nowhere and knocked it out of the way. The grey wolf growled at the attackers, and I saw two more delta wolves, one brown and the other white, jumping into the fight. When I realised who the grey wolf was, I panicked. The fight continued, and I joined in, but the new additions were holding their own perfectly well; even in their weakened state, they were good. The white and brown wolves fought like mad wolves. They had a lot of pent-up anger, and they were unleashing it on the attackers. The grey wolf was skilful and fast. They did not have the strength the attackers had, but they had tactics, and it paid out. I watched Kaira skilfully tear down her opponents, and I realised why Leo couldn''t let go. She was a true Luna. A true equal for an Alpha. The intervention made the poison possible to dissipate in our systems. We joined back in full and finished off the remaining wolves. It was a narrow victory. Who would have guessed they would fight dirty? We took some of the injured enemy wolves for interrogation. I shifted back to my human form. Kaira came to nuzzle me before she shifted back to the very tired Tamia. "Why didn''t you stay back?" I asked her, and carried her bridal style into the house. We were both naked, but it did not matter. "We couldn''t leave all the fun for you guys. We were watching the fight from the balcony facing the northern gate. It takes a while to recover from the green gas, you know." She said, and I realised she had leapt from the balcony. That was why she had the force needed to knock the attacking wolf out of the way. "Do not do that again. You scared me." I said, and she giggled. "You should see me in full capacity," She teased, and my heart broke a bit for her. N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. Her marriage to Leo left her with a weak wolf and a broken heart. I hope to do better. I hope to give more than I take from her. I took her straight to the room and wore my shorts. "Where are you going?" She asked me, wearing my bathrobe. "I need to ensure they didn''t take anything and everyone is alright. I promise toe back immediately," I said and kissed her. She released me, and I rushed to the west wing, where we interrogated prisoners. I reached there and found Marcel and Theodore already attending to the prisoners. "Who sent them?" I asked, and Marcel looked at me. "Bane," He said, and I knew there was more to it. "He sent them to bring Tamia to him." He finished, and I was stunned at why Bane would risk a war for her sake. As much as I wanted to say Leo helped him, I doubted Leo was a part of this, but we needed to send a warning message to the east never to pull this stunt again. Somehow, I will find a way to question Leonardo. I needed to know why Bane would want to risk a war for Tamia''s sake. 19 Emotions and Needs 19 Emotions and Needs ~Tamia~ I showered and waited for Sylvester to return. I was nervous and excited at the same time. d that I was able to test my skills. During the fight, I was given a rush, I missed it so much, and I was d I was of service. I doubt the attackers would have won, but they would have caused much damage. I linked with my friends to find out how they were, and they were thrilled to fight. I knew Linda and Avery used the opportunity to vent their frustrations on the men. Some of those wolves smelled like they were from the east. I wondered why my people would want to create more trouble with the north. Sylvester returned and went to shower. He exited the bathroom, and I noticed he looked a bit worried, but I could not ask him why. I got off the bed and went to him. "Sylvester," I said, and without warning, he crashed his lips against mine. We kissed hungrily, and I knew something was bothering him in those moments. "What is the matter?" I asked. "Don''t jump from balconies again. Do not get into fights in your current state. Promise me you won''t do it again," he said, and I could hear the fear in his voice. "I had to.." I said, and he cupped my face in his palms. "Please," He said, and I knew he must have heard something that upset him. "Okay," I said to calm him down, but I was determined to find out what the matter waster. He hugged me and kissed my neck, and breathed me in. I let him and rxed in his embrace. Sylvester held me tightly through the night. Morning came, and we got ready for breakfast. I wondered what troubled him, and hoped he would tell me. N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. "Do you know Bane personally?" He finally asked while we were getting dressed. I stopped what I was doing. "Yes, I met him at a dance party, and he asked his beta to take me home. I never saw or heard from him since." I said, and he frowned. "Anything transpired between you two?" he asked, and I shook my head. "Nothing, not even a kiss," I said, and I saw relief in his eyes. He pulled me close and kissed me, holding me tightly. I felt his teeth on my sweet spot. Was he trying to im me? I knew something was troubling him. We left the room and headed towards the dining to eat breakfast. "Do you want to eat in the room?" Sylvester asked me while we walked. I looked at him and smiled. "I am hungry for other things", I confessed, and he grinned and spun me around. It was so fast that I almost fell, but he caught me, and weughed. "We will feed our stomachs this morning and do other thingster. I want to spend the day with you," He said and kissed me on the lips. I grumbled, knowing that was a subtle no. We returned to the room, and food was brought for us. Sylvester served the food on my te, and we both ate. I hoped he would go the extra mile soon because it was overdue. "Tel me about yourst days with your ex-husband," He said, and to my surprise, I wasn''t sad about it. There was a time if I was asked that question; I would be a wreck, but my heart was elsewhere, and I knew it. "Not so great, but he tried. He tried all he could to make it work. Amanda was an Alpha''s daughter, so even though Leo wanted to ignore her, he couldn''t. They forced her into our home," I said, remembering the incident. "Did they force Leo into her bed?" He asked me, sounding a bit annoyed, and I knew it was because he knew it hurt me. The answer was obvious when I couldn''t speak. He touched my hands gently and kissed them. "Fate might have sent her his way, but he could have rejected her. He was weak, which destroyed your marriage," he said, convinced by his words, and I sighed. "I guess so," I said, and he smiled. "So what is with Bane?" He asked me, and I could sense jealousy in his voice, but I did not want to mess with him, so I opted to be honest. "Nothing. I told you all that I know?" I said, and he nodded. He held my hand and kissed it, then looked at me critically. "If hees to get you, will you follow him?" he asked me, and somehow I felt he was asking the real question that bugged him. "I do not know him well enough to follow him anywhere. Besides, I have no reason to leave unless you kick me out," I said, and I could see him rx a bit. I hoped he would tell me what was troubling him soon. "What about you? Anyone special from your past or was it always orgies all through?" I teased him, and heughed. He plucked a grape and gently ced it in my mouth; I made sure to suck his finger sensually, and he slowly pulled away; his eyes turned ck, meaning his wolf liked it. "You are a naughty woman, Tamia," he said, and I giggled. "There was someone. Her name was Susan. She was my first," He said, and I felt a tinge of jealousy. My feelings for him were dangerous because I was getting jealous of an ex that wasn''t even in the picture. I think it was the way he said her name. I couldn''t ce it. "Rx, Tamia," He said, and my cheeks coloured; how did he know? "How?" I asked, and he giggled. "Your wolf shed," he said,ughing and leaning closer to me. "I think it is cute that you are feeling possessive," he said close to me, holding my chin in his hands and gazing into my eyes. "I think it is sexy," He said, and I could not hold his gaze. I was shy all of a sudden. I was bold with everything but a shy mess with him. He leaned close and kissed me gently on the lips. Then broke away before I could take it up a notch. "Don''t worry, green eyes. I won''t make you share," he assured me, and as much as I wanted to believe those words, I was too afraid to be invested in it. I was determined to live in the moment, ready to head out if it went south. My heart was tough enough for it now. The servants came to gather the dishes, and Sylvester told them to leave the fruits and the dessert. "You haven''t told me about Susan," I said, and he pulled me close. We were sitting on the carpet with the bed as our backrest. The rug was fluffy and soft, and the lights were dimmed. Perfect for a mood Sylvester wasn''t ready to tune into. "She was a year younger than me, and we nned to have a future. Being the Alpha in my family, she knew I would want to be at my strongest. But she was enough for me. She was a beta breed. She was enough. Her brother found his fated, and it wasn''t his girlfriend. The heart break the girlfriend endured spooked her, and she decided to relocate to the south region with her uncle before my eighteenth birthday, so she would not be heartbroken if she ended up not being my fated. I never heard from her since," He said, and I felt sorry for him. There was a tinge of sadness in his voice that made me realise it hurt him deeply. "With the way we were, I would have rejected my fated for her sake," he said, and I smiled. "Easier said than done," I said, looking away, then he made me look at him. "I know you have heard those words before, and the person that uttered them went back on his words, but I am not like Leo. If I were in his shoes, I would have willingly kept my word and been content with half-strength. All it meant was that I would have to train harder." He said with a firm resolve, and I could almost believe him, but I wasn''t a fool. "Unfortunately, she left for nothing because I never found my fated, and I had to make do," he said, and I stroked his hair and looked into his eyes. "The pain is undescribabale. I could understand her fear," I said, remembering what happened to me, and he kissed me. This time he did not pull away. We kissed, and soon I heard Kaira howl in my head when he took off my shirt. His eyes were jet ck, and I tore his shirt because I couldn''t undo his buttons. I touched his body. The muscles I had longed to run my palm against. Feeling his muscles made my core clench, and a moan escaped my lips. His scent was intoxicating, and I wanted him. We kissed until we were both naked on the carpet. I heard a low growl, and his body vibrated. His wolf had joined in. He lifted me up and ced me on the bed. "I have been wanting to do this since I set my eyes on you," He said,ying me on the bed. I grabbed onto him. I did not want any distance between us. My body was aching. "I want to take my time," He whispered in my ears and nibbled it. Then he licked and sucked the skin where a mark should be. He teased the spot with his teeth, and I moaned. I felt the wetness on my inner thigh, and I was long gone. He travelled to the crook of my neck, sucking and nibbling, and I was a moaning mess on the bed. I ran my fingers through his hair, grabbing it and wanting more. I could not exin my hunger and need for him, but I wanted him. He sucked on my nipples, one at a time, hungrily, and I let him do as he liked with them. Everything was getting to my head. "Ahhh!" I moaned, not able to contain the pleasure I was feeling. I reached for his cock, and he let me touch it. It felt hard and stiff, and I wanted it badly, and he pulled away from my breasts so I could feel him. He knelt on the bed with his length in my hand. His eyes filled with lust, and I mirrored it. I bent and ced his cock in my mouth, hungrily working on him. He grabbed my head gently while I bobbed my head up and down his length. He groaned and moaned and pumped gently into my mouth. He has enormous, So I held his shaft with my hand. Working on it. Taking it all the way to the back of my throat and gagging. My eyes were watering, but all I could think about was the pleasure it would give me when it filled me up. He pumped, and I bobbed. His hold on my hair became tight, and I knew he wasing. "Fuck! Tamia," He growled. "Fuck!" he moaned and continued pumping until I felt his cock twitch, and he shot his load down my throat. I took it all in, sucking the tip and licking my lips for him to see. "Fuck, Tamia, you are amazing," He said. Leaving his length, I looked at him, and his ck eyes were intimidating. I had taken him off the bend, and my core clenched, anticipating receiving the result of my hard work. Heid me down and spread my legs wide. "Time for dessert," he said, and I could not speak. He delved in with his mouth. Sticking his tongue in my core, I grabbed my breasts and squeezed. The pleasure shot to my head. He licked the entrance all the way up to my mound and then began to suck it. "Ahhh ahhh!"I cried. My mound was sensitive, and he was sucking on it, pushing his tongue against it and licking it. He licked and sucked until I couldn''t take anymore. I felt myselfing. I grabbed his shoulders and dug my nails in. I was wild, and my animal side was taking over. "I aming," I moaned. The build-up was fast. He was an expert with his tongue. He did not relent. He kept the rhythm steady until the orgasm erupted, and I cried. He didn''t stop. He continued to suck. I shook and moaned then I started to scream from the intense pleasure. "Now, Sylvester. Put it in now," I moaned because I wanted him inside me. He stopped and made me turn around on my hands and knees. He drove his cock into me and started pumping. Holding my hips, he guided my ass to m into him. His cock went deep, stretching my walls and hitting all the right spots. He filled me up, and I felt this was my birthday because he was too damn good at it; he fucked me with reckless abandon. All my build-up and anticipation were satisfied at that moment. "Mine," I heard him growl as he pumped into me. "Yes," Was all I could say. He was doing everything right. iming me with his cock, I knew there was no going back from this. He turned me around, ced my legs over his shoulders, and pumped into me ferociously. "No one is taking you from me," He growled, pumping fast and steady. I didn''t see any more. I felt the build-up, and I knew he had just started. My orgasm came, and he fucked me through it, sustaining it. He did not stop. He pumped into me, shattering my inside and making me confess to things I wouldn''t have. I saw stars, having an out-of-body experience, and I did not want toe down from the heights. He had taken mepletely. "Promise you will always be mine, no matter what," He groaned, and I did not think about it. He had fucked my brain to mush. "Yes, yes!" That was all I could manage. Another build-up wasing, and I weed it. "Look at me when you areing," he said and fixed his eyes on me. I looked at him, and the orgasm washed through me. He kept his rhythm steady, and soon, he stilled and poured himself into me. Sylvestery next to me, trying to catch his breath. I was fully satisfied. He pulled me close, and Iid my head against his chest. "Don''t leave me, Tamia," He said, stroking my hair. 20 Shocking and Unwelcomed 20 Shocking and Unweed ~Leo~ I received Tamia''s letter and was shocked that the wolf Lord would help her send it. Tamia was a loveable woman; I could imagine what she was doing there. The letters made it clear that she was okay, and I felt a bit jealous that she was happy without me. I wasn''t happy. My heart was still broken, and I had lost a part of me when I released her. I wonder who was helping her through the difficult moment. Amanda had moved back into the house and was gradually busy furnishing the living room. I did not let her move into the room I shared with Tamia. I wanted to hold on to her scent until time faded it away. Rebuilding the damage caused by the attack had taken most of my time, and I had stopped attending the regional meetings. I received two summon letters that I did not honour. I could not help but me Kyle for what happened to me. People might argue that my marriage was over before the attackers came, but I was trying to fix it. I felt stuck. Even though Amanda and I were fated and my feelings for her were strong, I felt stuck. I felt fate had stolen my free will and fucked with my life; the Wolf lord took Tamia from me. I wished her the best, but I prayed that one day, soon, the Wolf Lord would release her, and she will come home. I will be waiting with open arms, loving her with all my heart, and never making her cry again. It was a promise I made to myself. I was sitting in my office when Casper brought me a parcel. It was huge, and a letter was attached to it. "Who sent it?" I asked my Beta, and he looked worried. "The Wolf Lord," he said, and I saw blood on the parcel. I became scared it was Tamia. My hands were shaking when I began to undo the strings that secured the box. I opened it and saw the head of an eastern warrior. As gory and sad as the sight was, I was relieved that it wasn''t Tamia. I opened the letter. "Alpha Leonardo Albert. I was kind to receive your letter and deliver it to your ex-wife. I was kind to allow her to send you a letter so you would have closure. I believe you are an honourable man, but I have issues with the east now. Your region teamed up with Alpha Devin and sent men to attack my sanctuary in the north to abduct Tamia from me. They came with poisoned gas and tried to eliminate my people. This is to let you know that I won''t sit idly by while your people insult me. I am sending you this parcel because I know you are in charge of the east. Let this be a warning. I will not take another attack lightly. I know your packs are yet to recover from thest one, which makes this a stupid move. The only reason I won''t strike now is because of Tamia. I know she will be mad if I hurt you, but do not push me, Alpha Leonardo. Whatever you have going on with Devin should remain between the east and south. Tamia belongs to me now. She is mine; I will see another attempt to steal her as an act of war. I won''t be taking trophies, and I won''t ept peace offerings. I will burn the entire east to the ground. Sylvester Volkov." It read, and my hands shook. I could feel his rage from reading the letter. I also noticed that he was possessive of Tamia. I did not need to guess. He had made exceptions for her, which was against his character. He might have fallen for her. I did not understand why Devin would send men to the north to rescue Tamia; I also wondered who gave him the eastern soldiers he needed. Missing the meeting had left me in the dark. It was time for me to stop grieving over my loss and be the leader I was supposed to be. It was time to take the reigns. I looked at my Beta. "Casper, do you know of the attack?" I asked him. "I just heard, Alpha. Apparently, Alpha Max wanted Avery back, and teamed up with Devin to get Avery and Tamia back," he said, and I became angry. "Without my consent? Who the fuck do they think they are? I am in charge of the east. I feel insulted," I said, and Casper was silent. "Call a meeting and invite that bastard Devin. I want to know why he and Max will do this to us." I said, and Casper left. I wondered what gave Devin the right to risk a war over Tamia. They met once. Danced once, and he suddenly felt he could. Was he trying to say I did not love her enough to go after them? Tamia gave herself up so that people would live. If my life was all that was at stake, I would have risked it all to get her back, or died trying. I called Kyle immediately because he was the one that brought Devin into our lives. "Hello," He said, sounding drunk on the phone. I did not know how he was drinking, but I didn''t bother to ask him why. "Do you know about the attack?" I asked him, and he was silent. "I just heard about it. I can''t believe Max and Devin will put us in this situation. I am afraid right now, Leo. I have nothing to give the Wolf Lord if he retaliates," he said, and I could understand why he was drinking. "We better hope he doesn''t because he doesn''t n to take anything. He sent me a message that he would burn the east to the ground," I told him, and he eximed. "We need to prove to him we had no hand in it," Kyle said. "And Max?" I asked, and he sighed. " He dug his grave," he said "But you were the one that brought Devin to the east. You made us forge the alliance with the scumbag; since then, we have had nothing but trouble. The wolf Lord never bothered with us, and we never looked for his trouble until we made the alliance with the south," I said. "What are you saying, Leo?" He asked, and I sighed. This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. "If you said you didn''t stage the first attack, then who do you think will do it on your behalf?" I asked, and he was silent. I knew he understood what I was driving at, but he was too afraid to say it. "Do you think that Bane is trying to get us in trouble with the wolf lord?" he asked, and Iughed. "I am not sure, but I suspect he has a hand in it. Hence why he will attack the north by joining forces with Max. We both know he knew he could not win. This is the wolf lord we are talking about." I said, and Kyle was silent. "I will see you at the meeting tonight. Come sober," I told him and hung up. After talking to Kyle, I thought of my deductions. Bane was smart, it was supposed to be a get in get out mission, but Max was his fail-safe. If his warriors do not seed, the south won''t be the only region implicated. The east will be implicated, too, forcing us to join forces and go after the north if the Wolf lord tries to retaliate. I hoped for all our sakes I am wrong because if that is the case, we are fucked. I fought the northern warriors, and they were too skilled and strong. On my way home, my phone rang, and I answered; it was Max. "Leo, I am sorry," were his first words. "It sounded like a good idea at then. He didn''t tell me he was going for Tamia. He just said he would help me get my Avery back." Max said, and I felt it was weird that he would want Avery back after all he made her endure because of Michelle. I heard he used to beat Avery. Why will he want her back so badly? "I thought you wanted her out of your lives?" I asked him, and he sighed. "I want her back. My life hasn''t been the same. It''s been almost a month, and everything is falling apart. All Michelle is good for is fucking, and she has a terrible attitude. I am beginning to suspect the things she said Avery did to her were lies. She just wanted my wife out of the picture. I regret everything. I should have given them Michelle. I am doing my job and Luna''s duty now. Michelle is so dumb, and I am mad fate will join me with such a useless piece of shit. You know the fucked up part, I can''t hate her. Whenever she is with me, I feel like a fool. My wolf just gives in. I should have risked being weak and rejected her." he said, ranting, and I sighed. "Still, you had no right to go after her now. The Wolf Lord is mad," I said, and he growled. "I did not care," he said, and I growled back. "I care. I fucking care, damn it. People diedst time; how many more are we willing to sacrifice? Let it go. I am sure she is fine. The man is treating them well," I said so he could be at peace. "And how do you know this? That man is a sick fuck. Do you know what the north does to Lunas they capture?" he said, and I sighed. "He is different, Max. Tamia sent me a letter saying she was fine. If anything was wrong, she would have found a way to put it in the letter without letting them know. I am sure Avery has epted that she belongs to the north and moved on. Do the same," I said, and he was silent. "See you at the meeting tonight, and make sure Devin shows up," I said and hung up. I returned to the house, and Amanda was weeping at the table. I knew her ckmail tactics, and I was numb to them. So I walked to my bedroom. I showered and dressed, then returned to the living room to wait for the meeting. "Leo," Amanda said,ing to join me on the couch with puffy eyes. "You haven''t touched me since I returned. I did not do anything to deserve this." She said, and I looked into her eyes. She was sad, even though I knew it wasn''t her fault. I was still in mourning. ck wanted tofort her, but I held back. "Give me time," I said gently and kissed her forehead. No matter how mad I was, I couldn''t hate her. She remained with me on the couch until it was time for the meeting. I did not want her to follow me, but she insisted, so I let her. I waited for Amanda to get dressed, so I knew I would arrive at the meetingte. When I arrived at the meeting hall, there was a full-blown argument, and I realised Max was trying to fight Devin, iming he had tricked him. "You wanted Avery, and I wanted Tamia. How did I trick you?" Devin said, stating what transpired. I walked up to him and tried to punch him, but he caught my fist. "You won''t hit me twice, Alpha Leo. I will give you your respect because of our alliance, but do not try to hit me again," He warned me, and his yellowish wolf eyes shed. "The Alliance is off. Go back to your region. You have done enough," I said. There was no need to have a lengthy discussion. They had admitted what they had done, and everyone knew what might ensue. The only thing left was a response to their actions. Devin looked around, wanting to see if they shared the same opinion, but no one countered me. "I may not be as famous or as powerful as you are, but this is my region, these are my people, and I am the head. Kyle made that alliance with my permission. I am breaking it tonight," I said, and he nodded, epting defeat. "You will regret this, Alpha Leo. The north can''t be trusted. The Lord of the north is sly and wicked, and he wille for all of you when you least expected it," He said, and Iughed. "What does taking Tamia from the north have to do with conquering it?" I asked him, pointing out the stupidity of his words. He looked at me funny. "It wasn''t a crime trying to get Tamia away from that bastard. She deserves better, Leo. You might not feel anything for her, but she deserves better than being a fuck toy for the wolf lord and his officers," He said with pain and anger, and I could swear he was in love with Tamia. I had never seen Devin break character before. What the fuck was his problem? They only met once. 21 Getting To Know Each Other 21 Getting To Know Each Other ~Tamia~ I woke up still tangled in the sheets with Sylvester. I did not want to get up. Watching him sleep peacefully melted my heart. He looked so much at peace, and I kissed him on his lips. In response, he wrapped his arms around me and tickled me. I felt like a teenager again. Iughed and then stopped. Then he pulled me close to him and kissed me hungrily. "I am a man with arge appetite, green eyes," he said, and I giggled. "We need to head for dinner first. We have been in this room all day," Iined because all the orgasms I got had made me hungry. "I thought Kaira could take it; she said all night and some more; we haven''t gotten to the all-night part yet," He said, and I got off the bed in an attempt to get away. He was fast and pulled me back; I giggled at his yfulness. He kissed my neck and sucked gently. "Sylvester," I moaned, and heughed. "Come on, let''s shower and get dressed," he said, and I smiled at him. We showered, and he took liberties, touching me in ces that got me all worked up, but he never went all the way with me. "What do you think you are doing?" I said when he was dressing up. "Going for dinner, green eyes, just like you said," He said, and I knew what he was doing. I went to pick up his shirt, and he stopped me. "Feed my eyes tonight," He said to me, and I grinned. I reached for a ckce lingerie with a short silk robe. I wore pantyhose, and he watched me put them on. I made sure to do it as slowly as possible to get him worked up. By the time I was finished, he was spotting a hard-on. "Shall we?" I said with a low drawl, and he growled at me. I saw his eyes shing and felt the pressure that came with his presence. Knight was seeking to dominate me. "We do not want the food to get cold," I said and walked out of our room. He followed me and caught up with me. Then slid his hands around my waist. I noticed he had found a way to tuck his very erect member. He did not button his shirt, so his chest was visible. People were looking at us in awe, and I heard some people whispering. "How did she do it?" I heard someone say, and I realised that Sylvester seemed imprable to them, but he was adorable with me. "They look so good together," someone said, admiring us. "You know she was a luna in the east. Not a virgin. He will dump her pretty soon," some hater said, and I wanted tough. I felt Sylvester vibrate. He must have heard thatst statement. I ced my hands on his chest to calm him down. Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. "Words don''t get to me, Alpha," I assured him, and he rxed, but he made sure he took note of the person that said it. The woman was unsuspecting, but I was sure Sylvester was definitely going to deal with her. We entered the dining room, and everyone was silent. It was clear they were talking about us. Linda eyed my get-up and winked at me. "Someone is finally getting some," she linked me, and I felt shy. "You should too," I told her, and she looked away. I looked at Avery, and she and Marcel seemed to have patched things up. They were moving faster than any of us. Sylvester and I went to sit so the food could be served. I looked at my friends. We were never really close, until circumstances brought us together. Having the same problems made us create a bond, and it seemed to be strong. I looked at the men we were with and realised we were making the right decisions that might lead to true happiness. It wasn''t supposed to be this way. We were supposed to be prisoners serving the Alphas. That was why they split us amongst themselves, but here we were, being treated like queens. Avery and Linda were treated better than they were treated at home. As for me, my broken heart was healed and learning to open again. The meal was served, and Sylvester took my hand and kissed it. He was gentle about it too. His eyes said it all. "Eat," he said, and I smiled at him because I knew why. We ate, and while we did, we talked about the attack. Avery and Linda were yet to get off the ''high'' of the fight. "Those men were from Max''s pack," Avery told us, and I was in shock. "That was why I enjoyed it. I remembered some of the bastards. They always took Michelle''s side against me." She said, going down memoryne, and Marcel pulled her close. "At least your husband didn''t make his men fuck you for his entertainment," Linda said, and I still could not believe Kyle would do that to her. I doubted Linda would ever recover from it. "You can''t rte because Leo was awesome; even Amanda could not turn him against you, other than sharing your bed," Avery said. Weughed to make light the situation. Those scars would never heal, and I was grateful that the men allowed us to discuss it freely. It was helping the healing process for Avery and Linda. I believed I was healed. "Honestly, I am d. If not, I wouldn''t be here." I said. Avery shook her head. "We would have ended up here regardless. Kyle would have still gone ahead and done shit. Those men aren''t worthy of leading. I suggest you take over the east before they waste innocent lives for personal gains." Avery told Sylvester, and he smiled at her. He was being tolerant, and I admired that about him. He understood that she was angry and she had the right to be. No one deserved to be treated like that. Mia had some silver scars, and I knew they were from the beatings because we rarely fought battles in the east. The white wolf had suffered. "I do not like taking over other regions. My father was the one that took over the west. As long as no one looks for my trouble, there is no need. I am sure the Alphas know what is best for their people. I am also sure Leonardo Albert will put them in check," Sylvester said and looked at me. He was searching my eyes for something, but there was nothing. Somehow, he was still afraid that my heart still belonged to Leo. It made him look cute. We finished dinner, and Sylvester decided we should go to the club in town. I was surprised because I knew neers were not allowed to leave the property. We returned to his room, and I realised I couldn''t wear lingerie, see-through tunics or gowns to the club. "I have nothing to wear," I told him, and he smiled at me. "I sent for clothes this morning. They will soon be here," He said and backed me up against the wall. I wrapped my legs around him, and he tore thece panties and buried himself inside me in a rush. He had been anticipating it. Sylvester growled with satisfaction. I saw his teeth elongate, which was a serious turn-on for me. His ws grew out, and I held on tight while he pumped like the beast he was. Someone knocked, but we did not care. We were in our world. I came quickly, and he followed. He let me down gently, and Iughed. "I have a big appetite," he said, nibbling on my ears. "Eager to please," I said, and heughed. He adjusted himself, and I covered my tornce lingerie with my robe. The door clicked, and two hangers of clothes were rolled in. Two boxes were ced on the vanity table, and the workers quietly exited the room. I checked out the clothes, and they were beautiful. One of the boxes had jewellery, and the other had makeup in it. Sylvester had gone all out. I showered to clean up, and Sylvester helped me go through the clothes to select which one I should wear. He took great care in choosing, and it was adorable. We both settled on a short deep blue velvet club dress that was backless with a halter neck. It had some sequence on it, but they were tastefully ced. I chose silver heels to go with it and let my hair down. I wore simple makeup. Sylvester wore a ck shirt and blue jeans and packed his long hair in a ponytail. He looked breathtakingly handsome. "You look beautiful, Tamia," He said, and I beamed at him. "You look good, yourself," I told him. He smiled, pulled me close, and breathed in my scent. "Promise you will always be with me, Tamia," He breathed into my ear. "I promise," I said, and he moved to look into my eyes. He searched them for deception, and I looked at him. "Unless you end it, I am not going anywhere. My story with Leonardo has ended. You do not need to be guarded with me." I told him my truth, and he rested his forehead against mine and sighed. Then pulled me in for a tight hug. "I won''t end this," He said with a promise, and I slowly wrapped my arms around him. We were moving fast. There were three Jeeps at the castle entrance, and I noticed everyone was riding in their Jeep. Linda sat in one with Theodore; I could only see her top, which was red. I believed red was her favourite colour. Avery was wearing something purple with Marcel, and we entered thest Jeep. The ride was bumpy,ing down the hilly road that led to the property. We rode through a forest for a while. "We''re heading to the centre of a town called Lund. "My mother and brother live there," Sylvester told me, and I was stunned he had a family. "I did not know you had family," I confessed, and heughed. "After my father was murdered, my brother and I decided to hide my mother, so we moved her out of the Volkov Estate and brought her here. Although I was the youngest, I was the one that inherited the Alpha genes, so I took over. My brother visits from time to time, but we do not see eye to eye on several things," he said, and I got curious. "Like what?" I asked him. "I changed a lot of rules when I took over. I found some of my father''s practices inhumane and decided to change some things. He did not like it, and we have argued about it ever since," he replied, and I knew it kind of hurt him. "What is your mother''s take in all of it?" I asked him, and he sighed. "She agrees with him about some, but not all. You see, my mother is mad at me because I am yet to bring my father''s killer to justice, and because of that, she sees me as weak," He confessed, and I wondered what kind of people they were. If they were calling Sylvester weak, I wonder what their idea of ''strong'' was. "Do you know who did it?" I asked, and he wrapped his hands tightly around the steering wheel and squeezed it. "Bane," He said, stepping on the gas. "That bastard imed my father trespassed, but he was lying. My brother went to war with him, but he wasn''t ready, so Bane won. My mother and brother hate me for not joining and leading the battle. I couldn''t. As much as I wanted to, I couldn''t because I knew the truth. My father was an evil man, so I could not me Bane entirely for what he did. ording to him, my father took his mother as tribute, and she never returned to them, driving his father mad and forcing him to take up the alpha position at a young age. My father wrecked his life, and honestly, my father was in the wrong because the south did not do anything wrong. He wanted to enforce that they alle under him and pay him taxes. They revolted, and he went after them. The east and west agreed to pay, but the south pushed back, and he attacked. So I could understand Bane''s anger towards my father and why he will go after the man and kill him. Though what Bane did was cowardly, I could understand. I deliberately did not join that battle against the south because we couldn''t go on killing in the name of vengeance. I had to break the chain at a point," he sighed. "Anyway, that was how the asshole got the name Bane, because he killed the former wolf lord and won the war against my brother. My mother and brother are not happy that he is living and breathing, and because of that, my older brother, Dominic, feels he should be the Wolf Lord and not me," he said, and I frowned. "But he isn''t Alpha," I argued. "Well, you do not need the Alpha genes to be lord. He tried to get the council of elders to dethrone me, but he was unsessful. It is really messed up, Tamia," He said, looked at me and smiled, then looked back at the road. "I do not want you stressing over my family issues tonight. I want us to have fun," He said and continued to drive. We talked andughed about trivial things and soon arrived at Lund, a beautiful city. Living in the ''castle'' made me forget that we lived in a developed world. It was a bit more developed than Mountain. We arrived at a club called Grundle. It looked high-ss, and I held on to Sylvester and leaned on him 22 Banes Intent 22 Bane''s Intent ~Tamia~ There was a long line at the entrance, but we were ushered in, skipping the queue. I noticed some people startedining, but when they realised who we were, they were quiet and very respectful. We were ushered to the VIP. The VIP was upstairs and had a dedicated bar. The sofas werefortable, and it wasn''t crowded. We had a table and also a great view of the rest of the club on the ground floor. A DJ was on the stage, and people were getting wild. There were poles avable for people to dance with, and the light was colourful and dim. I loved the electronic dance music they were ying. Leo never let me have this kind of fun. Instead, we attended serious functions and white-cor parties, nothing wild and carefree like this. I liked this. Sylvester ordered champagne; they brought it with sparklers, which was beautiful. "Do you want to dance?" Sylvester asked. "Later, we just got here," I said, and he nodded. He ran his finger up my upper arms gently and kissed my shoulder. A moan escaped my lips, and I leaned against him. He ced his hand around my waist, and we watched the people on the ground floor. Some girls were dancing at the poles, and they were good too. Avery and Marcel were the first to hit the dancefloor. Soon, I decided to dance, leaving Linda and Theodore behind. I hoped she eventually lets up. I knew it was because of fear. The music was upbeat, and Sylvester and I were in our world on the floor. He wasn''t the Wolf lord; he was simply Sylvester, my boyfriend and I was his naughty girl. When we got tired, we returned to our seats and found that Linda and Theodore were on the floor too. She loosened up a bit, and Theodore took liberties with her. Sylvester moved close to me and leaned close to my ear. "Are you having fun?" he asked, and I turned to look at him. "Yes," I said, and he smiled. "I will try and bring you out more often," He said, and I nodded. I felt slightly pressed, so I stood up to use the toilet. I rushed to the toilet and stood in the mirror to fix my make-up. I was about to close my purse and leave when a red-haired woman walked in. She was wearing a short whitecy dress. She had hazel eyes and full plump lips. She fixed herself in the mirror and looked at me. "You are in the new batch?" She asked me, and I frowned at her. "I beg your pardon?" I asked, and she turned to face me. "You came with the wolf Lord. I noticed you might be one of the eastern Lunas they brought here," she said, and I was silent. "I noticed how you were grinding up on him on the floor. Do not get carried away. They do it with all their new conquests. Fuck them for a bit until they are tired, and move on. To him, you are used goods. He will never have anything serious with you. His heart only beats for one person, and I am sure he is still searching for her, which is why he is still single," She said, smiling. "Why are you telling me this?" I asked her knowing she had malicious intent. "You seem sweet, and as a woman, I hate seeing other women cheated. Do not expect too much from him. His heart belongs to Susan Sullivan. He might make you feel like you are everything now. He has that about him; one day, he will just move on. Don''t say I didn''t warn you," She said, and I smiled at her. "Well, I better enjoy it to the fullest then," I said to her, and her smile faded. I knew she wanted to hurt me. "I do not know you or this Susan Sullivan, and I do not care. The fact that you took the trouble to ost me in thedies says whatever I have with Sylvester is solid. Waste your breath elsewhere," I said and closed my purse. "Excuse me," I said, leaving her dumbfounded. The woman was probably jealous that I hadnded the big one. Well, boohoo. I got to the seat and saw Sylvester in a heated argument with a man. They looked a bit alike, but the guy was older than Sylvester, and he did not wear his hair long. I figured he might be Dominic Volkov, Sylvester''s brother. This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. I did not know if approaching them was safe, so I stood still. "You should be ashamed of yourself. Fooling around with eastern whores. They are supposed to be your prisoners. You are supposed to learn about the east and conquer them. Why are you killing father''s dream? The four regions should serve our bloodline. That was how things were before the democracy nonsense. Father was working towards it, which was why he kept prisoners. I have nothing against you fucking them, but this is going a bit too far," The man said, and I hid so I could listen to them. "Mother is highly disappointed in you, Sylvester. You do not visit her, but you can bring women to the club and fool around. How irresponsible," Dominic said, and Sylvester was controlling his anger. "I will have you dethroned. You are too stupid to rule. I watched you for thirty minutes acting a fool on the floor with your whore," He said, and Sylvester grabbed him by the cor. People moved away immediately. "Don''t you ever call her that again," He said through gritted teeth, and his brotherughed. "You have lost your senses. What happened to finding Susan and bringing her back to be Luna, like Mother and father expected? Instead, you are fooling with a war prisoner. You are a joke." Dominic said, as I could feel the pressure of Sylvester''s anger. I knew he could do damage. "Let''s go to him," Kaira said, and I did not know if it was wise since I was part of the cause. But I went to him regardless and touched his hand. "Let him go, please," I linked Sylvester, and his hand shook with rage and pulled his brother close. "You might be my older brother, but I am your Lord, and I bow to no one. Watch how you address me, Dominic; I won''t take it easy on you next time." Sylvester said and released him. The red-haired in the bathroom approached and held Dominic''s hand, and I figured they had nned this. She hade to get me upset in the bathroom, but she failed woefully at it because I wasn''t an amateur, while Dominic approached Sylvester. "Mother wants to see you, and do not bring your things close to the house or I won''t be so gentle," Dominic said and adjusted. Sylvesterughed and looked at Dominic. "You can''t do shit. I can be with whoever I want, and as for Bane, I will attend to him when the time comes," He told his brother calmly, sat down and rxed on the chair. The brother looked at me and smiled. "Do not let him deceive you. You won''t be the first, and neither will you be thest," He said, and I smiled at him. "Thank you, sir. I look forward to a wonderful time. It is better thannguishing in a cell," I told him, and he was more shocked than mad. I did not react the way he wanted me to. Honestly, I did not care. I was having fun, and Sylvester seemed genuine. I was willing to see where it leads to. I sat down on the chair and leaned against Sylvester. Dominic tried to approach again, but Marcel and Theodore held him. Sylvester remained calm, but I knew what his brother said bothered him because he knew I heard everything. Dominic walked away, and Sylvester stood up, ending the night. I could not talk to him because I could sense he was pissed off. The pressure of his rage was also much, so I remained silent. We left the club and started heading back to the Volkov Estate. We drove all the way back in silence and headed straight to the bedroom. I undressed and showered, then wore his t-shirt with nothing under. I could tell he was worried. He sat at the edge of the bed, and I knelt behind him, wrapped my arms around him, and then kissed his cheeks. "I trust you, Sylvester. Nothing he said bothered me. I know you, and I wanted this too. Do not let him get to you. He is just jealous, that is all." I said, and he held my hand and kissed it. He turned to look at me. "There won''t be anymore. This is it for me, Tamia. I can feel it down in my soul that you are the one. Please do not let all these people get into your head. I haven''t kept a harem in over three years, and I am not searching for Susan," He said, and I cupped his face in my palm and kissed his lips. "I know, Sylvester, I believe you," I said, and he was silent. "Let us sleep," I said, and he obliged. I woke up in the morning and noticed Sylvester wasn''t in the room. I tried to link him and noticed he wasn''t on the property. I showered and headed for breakfast. Everyone was there except for Sylvester. I greeted everyone and went to sit. "Sylvester had to go and see his mother this morning, because of what happened at the club. It was sudden, and he told me to apologise on his behalf. He will be back tomorrow," Marcel said, and I frowned. "Lund isn''t that far. Why tomorrow?" I asked Marcel. "Because he always spends the night when he visits her," Marcel said, and I nodded. It was his mother; I could understand why he would spend time with her. "By the way, Tamia, I do not know if Sylvester told you anything, but can you tell me about the nature of your rtionship with Bane?" Marcel asked, and that was the second time they would ask me a weird question about Bane. First, it was Sylvester, and now Marcel. "I only met the guy once. We danced at the party, and he asked his beta to take me home," I said, summing it up. "Then why will he send an army to retrieve you from here?" He asked, and I was stunned. "What!" I eximed, and even Avery eximed too. "Yes, that attack was because he wanted to rescue you from here. We could understand Avery''s ex- husband wanting Avery back, but we can''t understand Bane and you," he said, and I was confused. "Anyway, I am telling you this because there is a long war between the north and the south. I do not think Sylvester has told you about it, but you can''t be affiliated with Bane and Sylvester at the same time. It will be catastrophic. My Alpha cares about you a lot. I wouldn''t want him to get hurt emotionally." He said, looking out for Sylvester. "Is it because Sylvester did not attack him for murdering his father?" I asked Marcel, and he shook his head. "No, Tamia. Bane believes he should be the Wolf Lord because he killed the former Lord. The fight between Bane and Sylvester and the main reason why Bane is trying to gather an army is to take over the North, East and West; I am only telling you this because anyone affiliated with Bane is an enemy of the north," He said, and my hands began to shake because Leo had made an alliance with him. There was no way Marcel was lying. I was worried for Leo and the entire east. Avery and Linda did not care, but I cared; Leo was there, and his mate was expecting. 23 Mother and Son 23 Mother and Son ~Sylvester~ The altercation at the club got to me. This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. I was worried that Tamia would believe Dominic. She had juste out of a serious heartbreak, so it was normal that she would be guarded. I wanted the evening to be fun and an experience for Tamia, but they ruined it. I respected how Tamia took it, but Dominic was wrong, and I was determined to put him in his ce. When Tamia wrapped her arms around me and told me she trusted me, I was relieved and determined never to break that trust. I might not have confessed my feelings, but I wasn''t confused about them. I was sure, and I could see it in her eyes too. Loving her will be easy. I woke up very early to go and see my mother in Lund. I could not disregard the summon. Although I was not enthusiastic about it because I would see Dominic, I had to see my mother. I got out of bed, and looked at Tamia sleeping peacefully in my t-shirt. I was tempted to wake her up and make love to her before leaving, but I decided against itst minute. I knew she might be tired and needed her energy. So I kissed her gently and went to get ready to leave. I needed to arrive at Lund for breakfast. I hoped I wouldn''t have to spend the night there so I coulde home to Tamia. Our rtionship was new and young; distance and time apart won''t help it blossom. I dressed quietly and headed out of the house. I linked Marcel on my way out. "Hey, I am on my way to visit my mother. I didn''t tell Tamia I was going out; please apologise on my behalf and tell her where I went," I linked him. "Alright, she is in good hands," he assured me, and I thanked him. I left the estate feeling giddy. I haven''t been in a serious rtionship since Susan, but what I had with Tamia, however short, was mature and real. She understood me. Knew when to act, how to act and speak. She was strong and determined. She was resilient and wise. She was perfect. I drove with a smile, remembering all we did yesterday. Her moans, her response, her grinding against me in the club, and even her responses to Dominic. I arrived at our house in Lund, and I was in time for breakfast. I entered the room and greeted my mother. She did not respond, and I knew Dominic must have told her shit because she was mad. Dominic wasn''t with her. "Mother?" I said and went to sit next to her. I served myself a ss of juice, and she looked at me. "I thought you wouldn''te," She said, and I kissed the top of her head, but her countenance made me sense she was angry. I sat beside her and served my food, bracing myself for theing argument. "Look at where I live." She finally spoke, and I frowned at her. "I was Luna of the north, wife of the wolf lord, and now I live in a duplex because of Bane. Instead of you hunting him down, you are busy fooling around with the whores you took from the east," She said, and I balled my fist. "When did you lose your way, Sylvester? Did I not raise you right? What happened to your sense of duty and leadership? What happened to your morals?" She asked, and I was silent. "Mother, why do you always take his side?" I asked her, and tears welled up in her eyes. "Because Dominic is responsible. Because he knows and understands my pain. I am alone, Sylvester, because of Bane," She said, and I shook my head. "Don''t speak like this; you have Dominic and me," I said, and she shook her head. "I have no one," She said, and I sighed. "Mother, father did this, and you know it. You say you feel alone? What about all the Alphas he stripped of their lunas for no reason? Children that grew up without their mothers? What about all the Alphas he killed and left their Lunas withoutpanions because he felt he deserved to rule the world? What about them? Does their happiness not matter? Who got justice for them? Father got what he deserved," I said, and she pped me. "How dare you? If I didn''t give birth to you, I would have called you a bastard," she said, and I stood up. "Where do you think you are going?" She asked me, and I controlled my temper. "Home. I can''t do this," I said, and she held me, digging her ws into my skin. "You dare not walk out on me," She said through gritted teeth. "What have you achieved for the north since you became lord?" She asked me. "You have not expanded ournd or increased our wealth. The north depends on old glory, and you are proud of yourself?" She said, and I balled my fist. "Why haven''t you taken over the east? Instead, you and your officers are bedding their whores and taking them to nightclubs. Where is your head? No one is saying you shouldn''t screw your prisoners, but getting emotionally involved is out of the question. Your father screwed a lot of prisoners, and he did it to further his cause." She said, and I startedughing. "He didn''t have to screw them to further his cause. He was just a sick man," I said, and she tried to p me again, but I caught her hand this time around. "Don''t do that again," I told her, and she dropped her hand. "I want you to step down as lord for your brother. You can be Alpha but not the wolf lord," She said calmly, and I started tough. "You have no power or right to ask that of me. Do not push my patience, mother," I told her, and just then, Dominic walked in. "Or else what, Sylvester?" he said, picking up an apple from the kitchen Ind and biting into it. He was dressed to go out. "You have turned the family name into a joke. Bane sent his soldiers to get his bitch from you, yet you haven''t retaliated," he said and wondered how he got that information. "You are weak," he said, and Iughed. "Says the man that went to war and lost," I said, and he became mad. "You can never be me, Dominic. I will go after Bane when I see fit," I said, and my mother looked at me. "Bane''s woman is in your care?" She said with a wicked smile. "I do not have Bane''s woman in my care," I told her. "Whatever you say, but it seems this person was important enough for him to send kappas to attack and retrieve her. Tamia Albert, they say," He said, and my eyes widened. "We can use her," My mother said, and I pulled away from her. I was getting to my limits. "I almost died, and she saved my life. She fought and killed her own people to save my life. She could have gone with them, and I wouldn''t have been able to stop her, but she fought on my side. Risking her life," I told my mother, and she looked at me for a while, studying me. "I have never cared about anyone the way I care about her, and the feeling is mutual. Do not make me choose because I will choose her, mother," I said, and her eyes widened. "An alpha''s left over. Used goods. Trash that was given up as a tribute," Dominic said, and I smiled. "Well, your information is wrong. Her husband did not give her up. She gave herself up to save his life. He would have died trying to protect her. It took a lot for him to release her. She has that effect," I said, and Dominicughed. "Of course she does, she is hot, and her slut meter is high," he said, biting his apple. I looked at my mother, getting impatient. "Was this why you asked me toe?" I asked her, getting ready to leave. "I have told you why I called you. I am asking you to step down as lord, and save this family from any more embarrassment," she said, and Iughed. "If it everes to that, know that my officers and I won''t be fighting for Dominic. He will have to get his team and lead his war," I warned her. I wasn''t nning on stepping down, but I wanted her to know what would happen if I had to. "Dominic, leave us," My mother said sternly, and my brother fiddled with his car keys and left the house. My mother led me to the living and asked me to sit down. "Bane cannot be trusted; he wille after you," She said, looking more worried than the brave face she tried to front. "I can''t lose you like I lost Maurice," She said. "That bastard wants to take over the world; we have to beat him to it, Sylvester, or he will be worse than your father. Your father will be an angelpared to that sick bastard," She said, and I understood her fear. "This woman, are you sure she isn''t his spy?" She asked me with fear and concern. "I am sure. She said they met at a party and danced, and that was all," I said, and she shook her head. "You need to dig deeper, Sylvester. You don''t meet someone once and risk a war for them. She is not being totally honest with you. You need to be careful and investigate her. She might be lying to you out of fear or something else. I do not want anyone to cause your downfall," She said and gently touched my cheeks. "Please, investigate. This woman isn''t telling the truth. Just think about it," She pleaded with me. Even though my mother was right, I believed Tamia. I doubt she would lie about something like that. I knew it was odd that he would risk a war for someone he had only met once. I nned on questioning her gently about it, just so I would know what to do and how to approach the matter. "I will dig into it," I told my mother, and she smiled. "That is good enough for me," She said, rxing and smiling at me. "Soon, you won''t fool around with your prisoners anymore. I am trying to get you a suitable Luna from the north. A virgin, to be precise," She said, smiling. "I am not interested," I told her, and she frowned. "You can''t remain single all your life. Your father had Dominic at your age. You need an heir and a luna." She said, and I nodded. "I am working on it," I said, and she became angry, understanding what I had just said. "You cannot make a prisoner Luna. She is tainted and old. You need someone young.." She said, and I interrupted her. "I am tainted and old too. I am not a virgin, and I am twenty-nine, mother, so we are a perfect fit," I said, and she shook her head but held her peace because she knew she couldn''t win. "I will wait for you to get her out of your system," She said, leaning back in her chair. "Then you will be waiting a long time," I said and stood up. "What are you doing?" She asked me, and I sighed. "Leaving," I said. "Why?" She asked, and I sighed. "I left a woman I am crazy about in bed and came to spend time with you. Since I got here, the reception hasn''t been warm. You have done nothing but berate me and insult my intelligence and choice. You insulted the very woman that made my heart start beating again and tried to make her look like shit. If I stay any longer, you might end up saying things that will ruin our rtionship, mother. Since you can''t be grateful that I am happy and have a reason to be hopeful and smile again, I have no reason to remain here," I said, and she became sad. "Please stay; I promise I won''t repeat anything bad about your girlfriend. I really missed you. We do not have to fight about it," she said, and I looked at her critically. "In fact, you know what, I want to meet her," She said, and I shook my head immediately, knowing how it would end. Although Tamia was strong, I wouldn''t want anyone getting into her head or pushing her. "No funny business, I promise. I will love to meet her. All I know of her is what your brother told me. I would like to make my observation unbiased," She said, and I knew she wouldn''t drop it, so I nodded and sat down. "I will think about it," I said, and she shook her head. "No, do it," She said, and I did not respond. "Does she have children?" She asked, and I shook my head. "Never been pregnant, and before you judge her, there is nothing wrong with her. She married at neen, and her husband wanted them to take precautions because he wasn''t ready." I quickly exined. "So you mean they have been careful for five years?" She asked, and I nodded. "That is really stupid of the Alpha," She said, and we both agreed andughed at that. "I see you care about her. I will try to like her," my mother said. All her anger dissipated. I knew Dominic got into her head and made her say all that nonsense. She was lucky that even though I am the Wolf lord, I was patient and loved her dearly. I had no choice but to let it go. She was my mother, after all. 24 A Day Apart Makes The Heart Fonder 24 A Day Apart Makes The Heart Fonder ~Tamia~ After breakfast, I felt lost and bored. Since they brought us to the estate, Sylvester had been around, and I had his attention, so the ce felt new and lonely. Avery and Marcel had things nned, and Linda and Theodore were getting to know each other; I could not inconvenience them. I returned to our bedroom to think of all that Marcel had told me about Bane, the silent war, and the east. I was worried for the east. Thest thing I wanted was for the east to get caught up in a mess. I didn''t want to stress about it too much, so I decided I would hang out with Katya in the garden. I knew some of the women in the harem liked to hang out in the garden, so I wore jeans from the new collection of clothes Sylvester got me, and his t-shirt to surround myself with his scent. I held the t-shirt to my nose before wearing it. I headed to the garden in high spirits. When I got there, most of the women in the harem came to greet me. Katya approached, and we hugged. "You look stunning in his t-shirt, Tamia," She said, and I smiled at her. I found a ce to sit, and some women came to sit around me. I noticed Lilly from a distance, and she was looking at me with scorn, but I couldn''t be bothered. "Is it official? Are you the new woman in his life?" Katya asked me, and I frowned at her, wondering why she would ask me such a question. "What do you mean by the new woman?" I asked her, epting a cup of tea from one of the women. I made sure I stylishly sniffed it before cing the cup against my tongue to pretend to take a sip, and then I put the cup down. I wasn''t stupid to drink something served by women in Sylvester''s Harem whom he wasn''t screwing. "I mean, since he kicked Lilly to the curb and all," Katya said, exining her question, and I laughed. It was clear Lilly did not tell them the truth. I was about to speak when I saw her approaching us. "See who decided to grace us," She said politely, and I smiled at her. "I see you did not tell them the truth," I told her, and she shrugged. "Alpha only said those things to make you happy, Tamia. Who am I to say he is lying? I am just a prisoner of war. If he said he wasn''t screwing me so you would feel better, so be it," She said, trying to save face. "Whatever makes you happy, Lilly," I said, and I noticed that the women had figured out what we were saying. "So, you mean you have been lying to us all this while?" one woman asked, and Lilly shook her head. "How can I be lying when we spent long hours in his office and his room?" She said, and I decided to change the topic. Lilly was clearly ashamed and too embarrassed to own up to the truth. Since we had the same alpha, I could now link her. "You need to be careful with your lies so he doesn''t find out, Lilly," I said, and she frowned at me. "Let us change the topic," I said to the women and stood up without drinking the tea. It was my most innovative way of refusing to drink it. I have read a book about back pce politics. I wouldn''t want to be a victim. "What do youdies do for fun?" I asked, and Katya stood up. "Painting, quilting, sewing, embroidery," She said, and I rolled my eyes. "I want something that is fun and consumes energy. Don''t get me wrong, those things are rxing, but I do not want to rx." I said, and some of the womenughed. "Croquet, Volleyball," Katya said, and I beamed at her. "Now that will be fun. I say we y Volleyball and then wind down with Croquet." I said, and we headed to a field meant for Volleyball. We immediately formed our teams. The women took off their tunics and gowns, leaving them wearing sexycey lingerie. I did the same, and the game was on. Most of the guards came to watch. It was my team against Lilly''s team, and Katya was on my team. Lilly seemed a bit rxed because I did not embarrass her as she had thought I would. I served the ball, and the rest was history. We had a lot of fun, and the women were genuinely overjoyed. Soon, makeshift courts were created so that others wouldn''t have to wait too long for their turn. It was so much fun that Avery joined us, and I looked and saw Marcel standing by. It was supposed to be their day together since the Beta was always busy. I guess this was part of the fun they were having. "Alpha won''t be pleased seeing you ying in your underwear outside," Marcel warned,ughing, and I ced my index finger against my lips. "Then this will be our secret," I said. We had so much fun, and it turned into a party. When we were tired of ying Volleyball, the guards came to set the ce for Croquet. It took time to set it up, allowing us time to catch our breaths. While the guards set it up, we rxed with wine and bite-size treats. It somehow turned into a party, and I noticed some women were gettingfortable with the officers. "Is that allowed?" I asked Katya, and she smiled. "Of course. The Alpha, Beta and Gamma don''t touch us, but we are allowed to date. There are some women who are currently married with children to top officers and ordinary people. I do not know why alpha calls it a harem," She said, and I hoped she was telling me the truth because I did not want anyone setting me up where Sylvester was concerned. While they yed Croquet, I went to meet Marcel where he was, to ask him if it was okay that the women flirt with the officers, and he nodded. Apparently, everyone was allowed to mingle except for my friends and me. Soon it was evening, and we returned to freshen up and eat dinner. I did not want to enter the room because I would miss Sylvester. The moment I stepped into the room, I felt alone again. Sylvester had spoiled me with attention and care. I did not know how much until now. I went to the shower and showered in a hurry, then headed for dinner. Everyone was waiting for me. The moment I got there, we all started eating. I felt it was odd that Marcel would wait for me to arrive before eating. Whenever Sylvester wasn''t around, he was the one inmand. I took it as a kind gesture, and I was grateful. After dinner, Linda and Theodore left in a hurry, and I somehow figured they had gone all the way. Linda didn''t seem uptight with him anymore, and I was happy for her. Kyle was a bastard. I was d she was moving on. I hoped Marcel would let Avery hang out with me, but it seemed Avery wanted to be around Marcel instead. I understood, so I let it alone. I walked back to the room slowly. Lilly came to me on my way, and I rolled my eyes, bracing myself for her smart mouth. Instead, she hugged me. "Thank you, Tamia, for not embarrassing me out there," She said and broke the hug. "You and alpha look good together; I hope itsts. Since he disposed of his Harem three years ago, he has been single. You are lucky," She said; I frowned at her. "Were you here three years ago?" I asked, and she nodded. "I came a few months before he sent the women he was screwing away. They were five altogether," she said smiling, and I felt a tinge of jealousy, but it was normal for me to feel that way with how I felt for Sylvester. "Well, good for them; they are free," I said, and she shook her head. "They didn''t want to leave. It was horrible. He treated them as if they were nothing. It was heart- wrenching to see. Especially Arya, who was crazy about him. We all thought she would be luna with the way he showered her with attention, and the fact that she was from a small pack in the north, but he threw her out as if she was nothing," She said, and I didn''t want to hear anymore. "Well, it is none of my business," I said, and she nodded and ced her hand on my shoulder. "I am not trying to antagonise you or hurt you. Please do not take this wrongly, but be guarded and be ready to say goodbye. I am only telling you this because you were kind to me today. When he set those women free, he told them they were wasting their time because he does not n on ever settling down with anyone," She said, and I smiled at her and thanked her. "Well, as for the settling-down part, I have been there, done that, and there is nothing to it. Let us see where this leads. But I am grateful for the heads up." I said, and she smiled. I couldn''t tell if she told me those things to hurt or make me feel bad. I was grateful if she was genuinely looking out for me by warning and preparing me. Otherwise, she was wasting her time. I returned to the room, showered and wore Sylvester''s shirt to bed. It was clear I was sharing his wardrobe. Who would have thought I would be with the dreaded Wolf Lord? It was an unbelievable turn of events, and the fact that he ended up being sweet, loving and sensitive towards me was amazing. I didn''t miss that he wasn''t kind to others, and I liked it that way. "What do you think he is doing?" Kaira asked me, missing Sylvester, and I sighed. "I do not know, Kaira," I said, and I felt the loneliness down to my soul because Kaira was feeling it too. "I think I am falling for him," Kaira said, and I smiled. "We both are," I assured my wolf, and I felt warmth. "Do you think we have a fated out there?" She asked, using the word I hade to hate. "Honestly, at this point, I do not care. If Sylvester is true and we ever end up together before he comes, I will reject him," I told my wolf. "Leo couldn''t do it, and he loved us," She pointed out. "Not enough, apparently. He did not want to be weak. He was being an asshole and selfish," I told her. "Do you think Sylvester will be different?" She asked, and I could not answer the question. She knew it but asked anyway because it troubled both of us. "Our emotions are one and the same," She said, and Iughed. "Do you think he will fall in love with us?" I asked her, and she was silent. "I wonder if he will ever tell us he loves us, or this is all we will get," I told her. "It will be nice to hear the rumoured heartless Wolf Lord tell us he loves us. You know he is a complete contrast to the stories we heard," She said, and I adjusted in bed andid on my side, hugging his pillow. "Let us not be too hopeful, Kaira. We are still war prisoners, and he is the wolf lord. We should take what we get." I said, smiled and hugged the pillow with his scent tighter. Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Thanks to our activities, sleep came. Sweet pleasure erupted inside me, and I thought I was dreaming. I opened my eyes and saw Sylvester between my legs. I was a bit disoriented, and the pleasure he was giving me did not allow my mind to settle. I began to moan. Losing control of my body and I came. Waking me uppletely with a burning desire for him. He moved up to look at my face, and my juices glistened on his lips. He kissed me, and I could taste myself. "I couldn''t stay away, Tamia," He said with a breathy voice, and I grabbed onto him and kissed him. "Good morning, darling," He said to me, undressing me. He buried himself in me, and I hoped I wasn''t dreaming. I flipped our positions and decided to show him how well I could ride. He held my hips and guided me. I was in my world, and soon we both came simultaneously. Iy next to him, and he pulled me close and kissed my neck. "I couldn''t stay away, green eyes. You are bing an addiction," He said, and I giggled. I looked at the clock and saw it was two in the morning. He must have snuck out of his mother''s house. It made me feel important. "Did you miss me much?" He asked, and I turned to look at him. "No," I lied. He kissed the tip of my nose, and Iughed. He stared at me seriously and intensely. "Don''t break my heart, Tamia," He said, and I stoppedughing. Patting my hair gently, he continued to look at me. "I am never letting you go," He said with a firm promise and pulled me close holding me in his arms, and we both fell asleep. 25 Affirmations 25 Affirmations ~Tamia~ Things got intense between Sylvester and me, and I found myselfpletely in love with him. I was afraid that I would repeat history, but my heart was beyond my control. He knew how to act, what to say and what to do. He made me feel like the most important person in his world, and I slowly found myself saying, ''this is it'' but I had said that before, not so long ago, and I came out burnt and broken. I wasn''t willing to make that jump again. It was a scary situation to be in. I tried to fight my feelings and kept telling myself it was casual. I tried to think through the situation to guard my heart. The fact that Sylvester and I weren''t fated scared the shit out of me. Questions of the future gued my mind. What if she shows up one day just like Amanda? Where will that leave me? He had never told me he loved me. This could be a fun and exciting thing for him. I scolded myself for catching feelings. Every day we would wake up, eat, and train together. I let him go and handle his duties, and then we met in the evening and did whatever we liked. It was fun and scary because I had fallen in love with him. When I decided to speak to Sylvester about my fears, we were lying on the grass in the western garden, a part of the estate people rarely visited. "Sylvester," I said gently; we were lying side by side and looking at the stars that graced the night sky. N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. It was a beautiful sight and a lovely moment. I was afraid that I might ruin it. "Yes," he replied, and I exhaled. "Do you ever let your prisoners go?" I asked him, and he chuckled. "Which of the prisoner''s, green eyes? The ones in the cell or the trophies?" he asked, making light the question. "Your trophies," I asked, and he exhaled too. "They have nowhere to go back to, I am their Alpha, and they are connected to me; I am not keeping them here as prisoners; they are here because this is their only home for now. They are free to leave, but they only leave if they find love or want to move to Lund or another part of the north. They are all here of their own volition. I am a lord, not a monster. I expect the women to fall in love eventually and move on. I also know they have needs." He said. "Would you ever settle down?" I asked him immediately, and he was silent. "I am sorry to ask, but I overheard somedies talking about how you threw out the five women in your harem. They said you told a woman called Arya that you do not n on settling down. I just want to know if it is true," I said. "I am not worried about it. I understand. Coming out of a failed marriage, I can understand, and I am okay where we are; that way, if you find your fated, it would not be an issue," I said, trying to convince myself more that falling for him was stupid. He turned to his side to look at me. "Look at me," He said, and I did what he asked and made sure my face bore no emotions. "I indeed said those things, and I meant them, Tamia. As the lord of the north with a pending war, I doubt I would want to tie any woman down. It was my way of setting them free and making them forget about me," He said, and his words hurt because it seemed as if his mindset had not changed. "As for my fated, I do not care about that shit, Tamia. I make my destiny. I do not care what the stars say. I won''t lose my shit or betray a woman that has been there for me through thick and thin, because fate said so. I will reject her in a heartbeat and risk being weak," He said, and I smiled at him. Having been there, I knew it was easier said than done. He touched my face gently and smiled. "I am not Leo, Tamia," he said, and I nodded, but my eyes were already welling up with tears because I was a fool all over again. I had fallenpletely in love with someone that did not n on having anything serious with me. "I am nothing like my father. My trophies are not prisoners: they are free, but I won''t let you go, Tamia. You aren''t a prisoner here, and you aren''t a trophy; you are my woman," he said, and I smiled at him, but tears were threatening to fall at that moment. He sat up and asked me to do the same. Then he pulled me close and crashed his lips on mine, "I want to make love to the woman I love under the stars," he said, tugging on my clothes gently, and I could not believe he had used the word ''love'' with me. He moved from my lips to my neck. "I can''t wait to im you as mine, Tamia," he linked me, sucking on the spot on my neck, and my body came apart; he moved to the crook of my neck and opened my blouse to expose my breasts. "You aren''t my trophy, Tamia. Neverpare yourself to them," He linked me and sucked my nipples one at a time. He sucked while he rubbed the other between his thumb and index finger. I had started moaning, and he growled with approval. He rolled down my panties and spread my legs wide. Iid back down on the grass, looking at the stars while he ate me. "Sylvester," I moaned, my vision blurry and my heart racing fast. Please let this be it; I prayed while I writhed, moaning in pleasure, running my fingers through his hair and anticipating the release. All my senses were alive, and I felt the releaseing through. I let go, and it erupted inside me. He did not stop until I came down. Then he leaned over me and stared into my eyes. "I wasn''t joking when I said this is it, Tamia, I love you," He said, knowing what had troubled my heart all along and drove himself into me before I could say anything, making love to me under the stars. "This is it for me, Tamia," He said, pumping gently but hitting the right spot. Soon he sat up and pulled me up. I came on top, hugging him and riding. He held me and my body responded to him. My speed became faster because an orgasm wasing, and soon it erupted again. He stilled and released into me. He held me, his head against my chest. "I am never letting go. I love you," He said and looked at me. I had tears of fear in my eyes, fear that fate might take him from me, so I held on to my confession of love, never speaking the words that might doom me again, and my lips quivered. "You have nothing to worry about with me, Tamia. You won''t lose me to anyone, not even a fated. I won''t do what Leo did to you. I promise. Your heart and love are too precious for me to throw away because fate says so. I am begging you to trust me and love me without reserve," he said. I searched his eyes, and they were sincere, but so were Leo''s until, the day he saw Amanda. "Don''t make promises you can''t keep," I said to him, my hands and knees shaking. "I don''t. I know I will keep this one," he breathed in my scent. "Until you, I did not think my heart would ever beat for anyone or I would ever feel this way, but you have made what seemed impossible possible. I want you to trust me and take this leap with me, please. Open up one more time. I know it is a lot to ask for, but I am asking you to give me a chance," he said to me, and in those moments, I threw caution to the wind because who was I fooling? My heart was already invested deep in what we had; I might as well go all in. "I love you too, Sylvester," I said to him, "please do not damage what is left of my heart. I doubt I will survive another rejection. I will always be with you and never leave, even if there is an opportunity to do so, I am with you by choice, and I am giving you my heart by choice. If ever fate interferes with what we have, I will let him go in a heartbeat because I choose you, but please, Sylvester, do not let me down. Do not make me share, and do not make me regret this," I pleaded with him, and he held me. "I am ready to go all the way with you, Tamia; settle down and have children. I want to build a life with you, and I hope you will let me." He said, pleading with me, and I nodded. I wanted those things, too; although fate had robbed me greatly, I still wanted those things. "Don''t ever listen to rumours and equate yourself to the people of my past. What we have is different. It is unique and new," he said, and I nodded. He kissed me and made love to me under the stars. My heart was lifted that night, and my worries dissipated, but fate still scared me because I feared what it might have in store for me. 26 Faceless Attack 26 Faceless Attack ~Tamia~ Sylvester finally asked me to follow him to Lund to meet his mother. After meeting Dominic at the club, I wasn''t looking forward to the meeting. I learned the woman was strict and had her sons on a tight leash. Even though Sylvester had confessed his feelings for me, what if she did not approve of me? I was scared, but since Sylvester insisted and told me I had nothing to worry about, I decided to take him up on it. We ate breakfast in our room and prepared to leave. Linda was the most worried for me because there were only two things that could happen; she could either be unreasonable and ask her son to choose between her and me, or give me a chance. I hoped she would give me a chance. Leo did not have parents when we got together, so this was new for me. We got dressed to visit his mother. On our way out, Silvester stopped. "Marcel needs me for a minute. Do you think you can wait for me? The matter seems urgent; it is about Bane and the East," he said, and I was a bit worried because of Leo. "Link me when you are ready to leave," I told him, and he nodded. I decided to go to Avery''s room. I found Avery in her room, embroidering a piece of fabric. It looked horrible, but it seemed to be her new pastime. I had not seen her that morning because we didn''t eat in the dining room. "Hey, you guys haven''t left yet?" She said, putting down the hoop that held the scarf she was marring with her needlework. I noticed a diamond ring on her finger, and she smiled at me. "He proposed an hour ago. I did not think about it; I just said yes," She said, smiling with tears in her eyes. "I can''t get it wrong twice now, can I?" She said, and I could hear the nervousness in her voice. She was afraid. "Why did you say yes?" I asked her, picking up on her fear. "Because I love him, and it will be great to have a life with him, but deep down, I am scared fated will show up and mess me up again," She said, and I went to hug her. She pulled away and nodded, wiping away her tears. I now understood why she was in her room working on an embroidery hoop instead of socialising in the eastern garden as usual. "I have to take this leap of faith, or I might keep guessing and live with regrets. Marcel is a great guy and a great catch. He is a step up from that arsehole, Max. This is a good thing," she said, wiping her tears. "Feeling afraid and being happy at the same time is a weird mix of emotions," She confessed, and I smiled. "Has Sylvester told you what is happening in the east?" She asked, changing the topic, and I shook my head. "We were heading out when Marcel called him for a meeting about Bane and the east," I told her, and she nodded. "That bastard," She said, and I wondered why she was pissed. "Bane has sessfully divided the east. Leo isn''t in full control of the East anymore. A part of the East has joined the south. I also learned he might go to war against Leo to take over the East completely. I just picked bits of Marcel''s conversation. I am sure Sylvester will tell you what is going on in case I heard wrong," She said, and I was in shock. How could the Eastern Alphas allow Bane to use them like this? I was worried. I hoped Leo was getting all the help he needed to push back. It was one thing to willingly join up; it was another to be forced into it. I sat nervously in Avery''s room for almost two hours and decided to return to my room. I wasn''t in the mood to hang out in the garden. "Where are you?" I linked Sylvester. "Still in the meeting," he said, and I felt bored. I sat and prayed for Leo''s safety. Eventually, I got tired of waiting and fell asleep. LATER THAT DAY. I woke up to amotion in the corridor. I looked out the window, and it was evening. I wondered what was happening. Sylvester did not return. The meeting had taken all day. What was happening? Some guards entered my room, and I sat up in bed, worried because they were northern guards. No one had ever barged into Sylvester''s room like this before. "Sylvester", I linked Sylvester but met silence which meant he was not around. To my surprise, Dominic walked in, looking angry. "Bind the bitch; she has questions to answer," he said, and Kaira began to growl. "It will be in your best interest toply, or your actions might be seen as treason", he warned me, and I looked at him angrily. "Does Sylvester know about this?" I asked him, and he did not care. "I do not need his permission to question a prisoner. Fucking him does not change what you are here. A crime has beenmitted, and we require your full cooperation to solve it," he said, then the guards mped the silver cuffs around my wrist. "What happened? At least I deserve to know what happened." I said while the guards dragged me out of the room. "You will find out during questioning," Dominic said, and I tried to link Marcel and Theodore, but they were not around too. "What has happened to Sylvester?" I asked, afraid something had happened to him, and Dominic stopped and pped me on the face. "You should not speak his name. He is lord of the north, whore!" he growled. What had happened to make him like this? "He trusted you. I warned him. Our mother was attacked today and is currently fighting for her life. She was attacked in the afternoon, and she was in thepany of one of a council elder. Unfortunately, the elder did not make it. The surviving warriors identified the men as a mix of eastern and southern mercenaries. I know you are affiliated with Bane, so the council wants us to question the neers, especially you. Bane had dared to attack twice now since you got here. It must mean something," He said to me, and I felt it was ridiculous. "We have all sworn to serve the Alpha," I said, avoiding mentioning Sylvester''s name. "How can we work against him? Why should we pay for Bane''s crimes?" I asked, and he looked at me with rage in his eyes. "I will tell you why. I warned my brother to be careful with you, but he wouldn''t listen. Too bad I am here to help him think when he is carried away. Since our father was murdered, our mother has hidden in Lund sessfully without event. You are the first outsider to know she lives in Lund, and then this happened. I also won''t forget that Bane had tried to take you from the north. You were supposed to visit her today; they might have as welle to get you and decided to do some damage when they did not find you there," he said, and my eyes widened at his wicked angle. Putting things that way made me seem suspicious. "I won''t say anything until I see my alpha," I said, and he turned to look at me and pped me again. "You will afford me the same respect. I have permission from the council to use force if necessary. I would not want to damage my brother''s toy. Do not push me," he said, and I remained silent, knowing this was a difficult situation. As much as I hated Dominic, I could not dispute the fact that he had a point. This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. I was carried to a cell and locked up. Soon Avery and Linda were thrown into the same cell with me. Linda had a bleeding nose, so I figured she resisted. We were too many for them to afford private cells. Other women that were brought from the East were locked up, too; some were bound in silver chains and made to sit on the floor because the cells were full. "This is highly unfair. After swearing to serve the north, they still treat us as prisoners," Avery retorted, and I nodded. "Let us wait for Sylvester to return. I am sure he will put Dominic in his ce," I told Avery, and she shook her head. "I doubt it is that simple. If the council is backing Dominic on this, then Sylvester would have to allow the investigation to run its course," she said, telling me something I already knew. "Why did Bane attack their mother and kill a council member?" I asked Avery, and she frowned at me. "There is a war, remember?" She said, and I shook my head. "There is nothing substantial to gain from that," I said, and Linda shook her head. "He could destabilise the lord and the north. If she dies, Sylvester might act irrationally, giving Bane the opportunity he wants," Linda said, and I shook my head. "It still doesn''t sound Like Bane''s mode of operation. I think someone did this to make it seem like Bane," I said. "It doesn''t matter; we will still have to answer questions. I wished we had something useful to give," Avery said, knowing what happened to prisoners that were useless, and we sat there. No one attended to us. We spent the night there. "Who gave you the right to barge in here and do this!" I heard Sylvester''s voice. He was livid. I had woken up from sleep in the cell they kept us in. "So what if Bane attacked mother? Does that mean you should take it out on Tamia, Avery and Linda and the innocent women from the East? What crime did theymit here?" He asked, and I heard Dominic''s voice. "The Council gave the order. I am just carrying it out," Dominic said, trying to justify his actions. I could hear a tinge of fear in his voice too. Sylvester was outraged. We all felt it. "You are just being malicious. You could have as well asked them whatever question you wanted to ask without degrading them like this. You wanted to hurt them, and I do not know why," Sylvester said. "Degrade them? They are prisoners. They should be in a cell and not in your bed," and I heard a punch, and then there was an uproar. Sylvester was beating his brother up. "Please stop; I am fine," I linked him quickly. I did not know if it worked, but the unrest stopped. I heard footsteps, and then I saw Sylvester in front of our cell. "Open it!" he yelled at the guard, and the guard was so afraid that he dropped the key twice before opening the cell. "They will have to answer the council''s questions," I heard Dominic say. "When that timees, it will be done with respect," Sylvester said, and as soon as the cell was opened, he rushed towards me and carried me out of the cell. I honestly wanted to walk, so I made him put me down. He was afraid and worried. "I am not mad at you," I said so he could rx. Avery and Linda were ushered out. "I am sorry I did not return on time," Sylvester pleaded with me, and I told him it was okay. He asked me if they had hit me, and I lied that they didn''t. Thest thing I wanted was for Sylvester to go berserk and beat his brother. "What happened?" I finally asked him while we walked towards the room. "My mother''s home was attacked. She was injured while a council member was killed. Bane soldiers left a message demanding I send you to him," He said, and I was stunned. Dominic''s anger made sense. Why will Bane do something like this? What was his deal? "So he knew where your mother lived all along?" I asked, and Sylvester looked at me and searched my eyes. "That is the second issue. No one knows where my mother lives except the council members, my brother, and me. It was a surprise that Bane knew to attack there and also knew we would be visiting," Sylvester said. I realised the situation was a puzzle. It was either Bane had an informant and knew more than Sylvester thought he knew, or the attack wasn''t Bane but was made to seem like it. I dared not say these things but hoped they would solve it soon. "How is your mother?" I asked. "She is out of the woods and healing nicely," he said. He stopped to open the door, and I walked in. "Do not worry about the council or my brother, Tamia. He is just an arsehole. You have nothing to prove to anyone. Marcel and Theodore are already investigating the incident," He told me, and I nodded. This development also meant I won''t see his mother anytime soon. 27 A Jump. 27 A Jump. ~Tamia~ Long after Sylvester and I returned to our room, Dominic banged on our door. I was initially afraid of the douchebag, but I was angry now that Sylvester was back. Sylvester seemed like he wanted to ignore his brother but opened the doorst minute because the guy wouldn''t stop banging. The man walked into our bedroom angrily. He looked at me, and I could see his hatred for me. Honestly, I did not know what his deal was, but it was clear I was in his bad books for no reason. "You may be the Wolf Lord, but you have no right to interfere with my investigation," He said to Sylvester, and Sylvester did not respond. "Mother would have been killed, and these women would have been roaming free," He said, and Sylvester nodded. Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. "Yes, they would have been roaming free, Dominic. Why punish people for a crime they did not commit?" Sylvester asked him, and Dominic was shocked at Sylvester''s response. "She knew mother was in Lund," He argued, and Sylvester shook his head. "She did not know where she was in Lund. The only people with that information were me, you and the council, so don''t try to pin this on Tamia. Besides, she will never do anything to hurt me, and as for Devin, I doubt he has a hand in this. It is not his style," Sylvester said, voicing his opinion. "What happened to you? You used to be so focused and stern. Now you seem pussy whipped," Dominic said, and Sylvesterughed. "Nothing happened to me, Dominic. I am not a madman and won''t start acting like one because you want me to. The east has its hands full, and Tamia is a member of my pack. She has no reason to fight against me or hurt our mother. You need to drop it, Dominic. As things are, I am relieving you of the right toe into this estate and order my men around. Whatever you need to do has to pass through me, and Tamia should be afforded respect. On no ount should you ever try to question or hurt her again," he said, and Dominic looked disappointed. "She will be your downfall, Sylvester, and I willugh at you when that happens." He told him and then looked at me. "Your position isn''t secure. He has been trying to fill a void Susan left for eleven years. You might think he is head over heels for you now, but if Susan ever returns, he will dump you in a heartbeat. Just don''t getfortable," he said and excused himself. Sylvester was mad about his brother''s words, but I left the bed, hugged him from behind, and kissed his back. "Don''t let it bother you. His words can''t get to me," I assured Sylvester, but he was still mad. We left the room to have dinner, and I wondered how Avery and Linda were doing because we were all in the same predicament. The dining room was silent, and Sylvester and I took our seats; Marcel and Theodore were angry. I looked at my friends, and they looked a bit worried. I hoped things don''t get explosive between us. We ate in silence, and Sylvester decided to break the ice. "Out with it," He said, looking at Marcel, and Marcel dropped his cutlery on his te. "I have a lot of respect for you. I understand the gravity of the crime, but Dominic had no right to have my fiance beaten up and dragged out of her room like a criminal. I serve you, and not the Volkov family; I won''t hesitate to beat the shit out of him next time," Marcel said, and Sylvester turned to Theodore. "What he said" was all Theodore could say, and Sylvesterughed. "I already beat the shit out of him," He said, trying to calm the situation, and it worked. "What is the deal with the guy? He does not have what it takes to be lord, yet he keeps trying, and the sad part is that the council knows, yet they keep putting him in a situation where he would sh with you. I think we should bring it up at the summit," Marcel said, and Sylvester nodded. "Dominic is the least of our problems; we need to find out who is behind the attack on my mother and Jenny Lawrence from the council," Silvester said. "I heard you were one of the best strategists and investigators when you were Luna of the east; what do you think about this?" Marcel said, directing the question to me, and I looked at Avery, who smiled and nodded. She was the one that must have told him. "Well, based on the information I got, it doesn''t seem like Devin''s mode of operation, and it seems more like an inside job, but I could be wrong," I said quickly, and Sylvester caressed my hands gently. "Speak freely, Tamia," He said, and I knew he was thinking the same as I was. I could see it in his eyes, and he seemed fascinated that I had the same thought. "I think someone is trying to force your hand to go to war with Devin, and there is a possibility that this Jenny woman was the real target; your mother might have just been with the wrong person at the wrong ce," I said, and Marcel frowned. "If they wanted Luna Volkov dead, they would have killed her just like they killed Jenny, but they only wounded her and moved on. It seems the main target was Jenny. You need to find out why anyone would want to kill Jenny." I said, and Marcel nodded. "Then why frame Devin and the east for the attack, and make it seem he had sent soldiers to try to get you?" Theodore said. "That was the most stupid plot ever. Whoever did this isn''t so bright. First, Devin does not know where she lives, and second, how the hell did he know Sylvester and I would be visiting there? Whoever did this knows the issue between the north and Devin. They also know that Devin has attempted to take me from the north too. They just felt the bad blood between Devin and Sylvester would make Sylvester overlook the other aspects of the crime and go after his arch-enemy. The person was stupid and sloppy." I said, and Theodore smiled at me. "We all thought as much, Tamia, but when Avery said you were a strategist, we wanted to see how good you are, and you are excellent," Marcel said. I looked at Sylvester, who was smiling at me. "You two owe me fifty each," Sylvester said to Marcel, and I could not believe they had made a bet on this. I smacked his hand gently, and weughed, and just like that,ughter had returned to our dinner. Although we discussed the matter during dinner, I was still worried. Knowing someone was willing to frame the south and the east to get what they wanted, baffled me. I did not even know what the deal was with the Jenny woman. It was a mess, and I could not sleep. I spent the night tossing and turning; Sylvester was too tired to know I was having trouble sleeping. The event that had taken ce troubled me. I was worried about the north and east. I was concerned for Sylvester''s mother. Above all, Dominic scared me because whatever he had for me was personal, and I did not know why. I woke up early and went to shower. Sylvester was still sleeping when I went to the bathroom. I turned on the water and stood under it, trying to make my mind go nk. "Good morning, darling," Sylvester said, getting into the shower with me. I was spooked because I was deep in thought, and I did not hear him get in. I looked at him, and he frowned. He was naked, and he was hard. "What is the matter?" He asked me gently, and I shook my head. "I know you are troubled, Tamia," he said to me, and I sighed. "What if they had killed your mother, Sylvester? What would have happened?" I said, voicing out my fears, and he hugged me under the warm shower. "Please let it go. Dominic can''t do anything to you. I know you will never double-cross me. You have proven that already. Whatever Dominic says does not count," he said and kissed me. "You are safe with me, Tamia. I won''t let anyone hurt you." He said, and I pulled away. "You would have gone to war with the east on this," I said, afraid for Leo, and he searched my eyes. "I love you too much to attack your people or your ex. Unlike before, I would investigate before proceeding. Please let it go," He said, and I knew he needed me to let it go, so I nodded. He hoisted me up in the shower, and I wrapped my legs around him. "We can''t let this waste now," he said, and Iughed. He carried me out of the shower to the bed and went down on me. I should have woken him up when I was tossing and turning. His ministrations on me pushed my troubles far away. I felt his finger in me as he worked on my nerve bundle, and I moaned. Soon I climaxed, and he drove his very hard and erect cock into me. Pumping hard and fast. As if he had anticipated it all night. It was a while before he came, and I had climaxed several times by then. My legs were like jelly when he was done. Weid down to catch our breaths, and he stroked my back gently. "Do not worry about war, Tamia. How can I n to go to war when I want to start a family with you as my wife?" he said, and I froze in bed. I searched his eyes to see if he was serious, and there was no deception in his dark eyes. "Sylvester," I said, and he held my hand and kissed it. "Please disregard what happened with Dominic. I have never felt so right about anything in my life. I want this. That is why I never took precautions with you. I want us to settle down and start a family. I want you to be my wife, my mate and my Luna," He said, searching my eyes for an answer and tears of excitement and relief poured. "Sylvester," I said again and nodded in response. I could not speak. My breathy voice was caught in my throat. He beamed at me and kissed me passionately. "That was why I wanted you to meet my mother." He said, breaking the kiss, then went to the dresser and returned with a jewellery box, "I picked this out for you," He said, sitting beside me in bed and holding my left hand. "I have never felt this way about anyone before. Youplete me, Tamia, and I want this to be official. No more will anyone again refer to you as a whore or prisoner because you are neither of those things. My respect is yours, and my life is yours. Everything I am and own is yours, Tamia. I want to take this leap with you. Let us do this," He said and brought out an emerald ring, and I laughed at the irony of the gem being green. "They match your eyes," he teased,ughing with me and then slipped it onto my ring finger. The tinum band made it look exquisite, and I kissed him. I had said yes to marriage twice now; I hoped this would be it. Sylvester was so happy about my response that he made love to me, and I could feel the difference this time. His strokes were sure and determined. He was pouring out all his feelings, and I received them with so much gratitude. Soon I felt Knight taking over, and it became wild because Kaira joined in. They had agreed to be mates too. 28 Back In The East. 28 Back In The East. ~Leo~ Protecting what was left of my territory from Bane''s invasion was hard, but I had to. These were times when I would have loved Tamia on my team. She knew exactly what to do and how to act. I was leaning on Max and Kyle, and our odds didn''t seem great. When the lesser Alphas joined with Bane, it didn''t hurt. I felt it was their choice. They wanted to go after the wolf lord and get their daughters back; some wanted revenge for their loved ones. I could understand their pain. However the Wolf Lord tried to justify his attack, his actions were wrong. Attacking the entire East because a pack from the East dared to attack him was wrong. I knew it was cowardly to ept defeat and urge the East to rebuild and move on, but I did not want us to lose more than we had already. The northern soldiers were strong, and they had arger army. Combining our strength with the south would have evened the ying field, but I did not trust Bane''s intentions, and I still don''t. I had called a meeting with the remaining Alphas under me, and they answered. When the alphas arrived, they were angry and scared at the same time. Everyone med Kyle for our misfortunes because he was the one that brought Bane to us. What pissed all of us off was Bane wanted us to join up by force. It was as if the part of the East that willingly went with him was not good enough. He wanted Kyle, Max and me on his team too. During the meeting, I watched the alphas argue and push me around, which wasn''t why I called the meeting. I called the meeting because I needed to find the best solution for peace. Joining Bane was out of the question. "We need to call a truce," I said, and the hall went quiet. "We can''t do that, Alpha Leo; the man is mad. I heard something about him calling himself the rightful Wolf lord because he killed Maurice Volkov," Ramsey said. I was surprised about how ambitious Bane was. "We need to find a way to tell him we do not share in his views and we won''t go to war against the North," I told them, and they agreed. "How will we do that? We have already told him we maintain a neutral stance. How else can we tell that bastard that we are not interested in his promises and helping him further his cause?" Alpha Christian said. "Since you told us Luna Tamia spoke highly of the Wolf Lord, and that he has been treating our sisters and daughters well, we have made peace. How many more do we have to lose?" Timothy said, sounding as frail as he was. He was one of the Alphas that did not bother fighting. He just handed his granddaughter over as tribute because his daughter was already mated. I could understand his fear. "I say we take the war to Bane and let him know he has his limits. What he took from the East isn''t the best of the East; we can take him down," Gaston said, and I shook my head. "Luna Tamia was one of our best strategists, Luna Avery dealt with welfare, and Luna Linda dealt with shelter protection. With those three aspects of our society unattended, we stand no chance. The north crippled us already by taking the three most powerful Lunas of the east. We have to rely on strength, and as my wife always said, smart beats strength any day," I said, remembering Tamia, and we were silent. "We can still manage with what we have," Gaston said, and I nodded. "Of course, we can, but we do not want any more bloodshed. I suggest we have a peace talk with him," I said, and they began to grumble. "The man is mad. He will not answer us or anyone. He is greedy and covetous. He won''t stop until he gets what he wants," Gaston argued. It seemed the Alpha had made up his mind about fighting Bane. "I will try and have a peaceful meeting with him," I said, and Ramzey refused. "This is Kyle''s mess. He brought the bastard upon us; he should have a peaceful meeting with him. Why should you risk your life?" Ramzey said, and I nodded. "I understand your anger, Alpha Ramzey, but this is beyond pettiness. Yes, Kyle brought him, but we all agreed. Even though Tamia warned that the Wolf Lord wasn''t bothering us, we still chose to Join forces with the south to protect ourselves. Kyle did not force us to ept the alliance; we did it wholeheartedly; it can''t be his cross alone to bear. As the leader of the East, I am to have that peace talk with Bane," I said, owning up to my responsibility, and everyone was silent. "If anything happens to you, we will go to war with Bane. It is as simple as that. He wants us for the army he is building, and going to war with him will cripple the size and strength of his army. We might not win, but we will do damage. I rather hurt the bastard and die than take orders from him," Max said, and I realised he, too, had it in for Bane. Max imed he had written several letters to Avery in the north but never got any response. He tried to insinuate that Tamia wrote her letter under duress, but I had to point out the difference to him. Other than breaking my promise to my wife, I never maltreated her for Amanda''s sake. I nevery a finger on her and I performed my duties as a husband towards her. I refused to give her up and would haveid down my life for her sake; he did the opposite. If anything, he should take her silence as moving on. She was probably enjoying herself there and had moved on. Knowing that it was a tradition in the north to split Lunas among the top officers, she was probably with the Alpha, Beta, Gamma or Delta and having the time of her life. Any life would be better than what she and Mia had with him. During ourmunity full moon walks, I saw the silver scars on Mia''s white fur several times. I ignored it because it wasn''t my business. Although I had been pleading with Max to let go, he didn''t want to, and now he wanted to go to war against Bane. All I could see was a desperate alpha looking for a thrill. This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. He never loved his Luna enough to treat her well. I looked at Kyle. "Set up a meeting with Bane for tomorrow evening, to take ce on Hill valleynd, where it shares a border with Krane. He will feel safe meeting me there," I said and ended the meeting. Amanda buzzed my phone throughout the meeting, so I decided to rush home to see what the problem was. I arrived and found northern warriors at my home. Although they did not seem like they came to fight me, I had to be on my guard. They took my wife away thest time they were at my home. Iposed myself and walked into the house. Amanda was showing, and we had learned we were expecting triplets. Meaning we will have a full house soon. As happy as the news was, my joy wasn''tplete. This wasn''t the life I wanted for myself. The fact that I would be taking this transition into parenthood without Tamia was heartbreaking. I slowly began to ept that I was the cause of my heartbreak, not fate. I was too weak to keep my promise, and it will stay with me like that. "Alpha Leo, the Council of the North sends us," The man leading the envoy said to me, and I nodded and sat down on the couch in my living room. I did not like what Amanda did with the ce; I prefered the way Tamia decorated it, but it was Amanda''s home now, and she could do whatever she liked. I noticed she had served them some small bites and drinks. I just hoped she wasn''t stupid enough to slip them something. Thest thing I wanted was for both Bane and the Wolf Lord toe at me. Amanda smiled at me and went to her room. I was still yet to let her move into the master bedroom. Tamia''s clothes were still there, and her pictures graced the walls. Amanda hade to ept it, and it didn''t bother her anymore. "To what do I owe this visit?" I asked the man in charge. "I am Jacob Mikhailov. The Northern Council spokesman," he said, and I nodded, he looked more like a warrior to me, but I let it be. I did not need to introduce myself; he knew who I was. "The north wants to know if you are interested in working for them. We know that Alpha Devin Corrigan has taken part of the East, and threatens to force your remaining region toe under his command. We are willing to help liberate your people and end his reign of terror," He said, and I shook my head. "At what expense, Mr Jacob? The part that joined with Devin did it willingly; I do not want them back. He has promised to give them what I can''t. I do not believe in violence. The north has brought this hardship upon my people by attacking us and taking our wives, daughters, and sisters. It is the north that has wronged us. They dealt the first blow. If they wanted peace, they would have had peace talks about the alleged attack instigated by Brent pack before wrecking our lives. Most of us will never recover from the loss we incurred due to that attack. Devin has gained allies because of it. While some of us are willing to let go of our loved ones, however painful it may be, others have sworn revenge. I am sorry, but I won''t be teaming up with the people that wrecked my home and my life," I said with finality, and Jacob and his men stood up. "I believe you are still grieving the loss of your Luna, Alpha; know that she is well cared for in the north. The Lord has personally made sure of it. If you ever change your mind, please reach out to us," he said, and I nodded to end the conversation. They left quietly, and I rxed. A few hourster, Kyle called me to say that Devin was ready to meet. I hoped the meeting would ur the next day, but Devin was eager to get on with it. I told Amanda where I was off to, and she was scared. She had been making many effortstely, even training while pregnant. I knew she was hoping to fill Tamia''s shoes. I told her not to worry, that it was a peaceful conversation and that I would return. She released me eventually, and I left for Hill Valley pack. I arrived at Max''s pack house and was surprised to see Devin. He must have trusted my intentions toe there all by himself. "He has the ce surrounded," Max told me with a low growl and excused us. I guess Devin did not trust us that well. "Hello, Leo," Devin said, smiling at me, and I did not return the smile. I might havee to have a peaceful discussion with him, but I was still mad at him for all he did and didn''t do. Everyone excused us; it was just me and him in Max''s office. "I see you are doing well without Tamia," he said, and I did not respond. I sat on the couch in the office and looked at him. "Why are you doing this? Why must we join forces with you to attack the north? Why do you want to go after a man minding his business? What is the deal, Devin?" I asked him calmly, and he sighed. "That man ruined my life, Leo," he confessed. "Just like he ruined your life, he ruined mine," He said. "How are things with your fated?" he asked an unrted question, but I answered because I called the meeting, so the burden was on me to be polite. "What did he do to you that warrants such hatred?" I asked him, and he sighed. I knew I could not trust his words, but I would hear him out. "I was fifteen when Maurice Volkov attacked the south and tried to force us to pay taxes. My father revolted, and my mother was taken in the process. He won, and we were forced to pay those taxes. We thought he would return her after we agreed to pay, but we soon found out the north never returns what it takes. My father sank into depression and lost his mind. So when everyone was acting their age, waiting to turn of age so they could find their fated, I was forced to grow up and take over as Alpha. Maurice robbed me of my life. When I killed him, I saw it as an opportunity to liberate our world from the evils of the north. Automatically I should be the wolf lord, but his son took over. My request for a match between that bastard and me for the seat was denied," he said and sighed. "I let it go and took care of the south. Then I met Tamia," he said and looked at me. "Your mark sat on her neck. A great deterrent for me, but knowing that you had found your fated, I knew the union was over; it would only take a matter of time before both of you called it quits, and then I could approach. Meanwhile, I nned on courting her. It seemed like a good n then, and I was eager to get to know the green-eyed beauty," He said. I wanted to punch him but held my cool. "Then I find out the north attacked and took her away, just like they took my mother; I was done being nice," he said, and his eyes turned golden yellow, which indicated his wolf. "All this over a woman you met once?" I asked him, pointing out the ridiculousness of the matter, and heughed. "You see, unlike we Alphas that can detect our mates whether we have been imed or not, it doesn''t work the same for other wolves. It doesn''t matter how long I spent with her or how many times I met her, Leo. All that matters is that Tamia is my fated," he said, and the shock was so much that I just stared at him, stunned. Everything he did makes a lot of sense now. 29 Visiting Lucland 29 Visiting Lund ~Sylvester~ I was thrilled about the bold step that I had taken. I felt giddy about it and wanted to celebrate the engagement. I noticed Tamia staring at her ring, which made me smile because she liked it. There was so much life in the dining room when we ate that I was d I gave love a chance. I never knew my heart could ever beat for anyone again. Tamia proved me wrong and had my heart on a marathon. I held her hand throughout dinner and did not miss the opportunity to kiss her. This was it for me. After dinner, we returned to our bedroom, and we made love. We were like beasts. Within the walls of our room, we had no control and no limits, and somehow, I knew it would always be like this. I decided to visit my mother the next day. I knew she was healed, so I opted to check on her. I asked Tamia toe with me, and she was a bit reluctant because of Dominic. "I do not think it is wise to take me along. Your brother hates me for reasons known to him, and your mother just came out of a terrible attack that allegedly had something to do with me," She said, wearing her jeans. "I want you there with me. I also hope we can find a way to speak to her about the event so you can make some deductions on the matter. Above all, I want her to meet her future daughter-inw," I said, and she looked at me. "I do not have experience with in-Laws," she told me, and I frowned. "Leo''s parents are still alive," I argued, and she nodded. "They travelled when they handed over to him and have not returned since. It was just the two of us until Amanda came along," She said, and there was no ounce of hurt in her tone. I was pleased that she could talk about Amanda and Leo without being hurt. It showed that she had moved on. I went to her and pulled her to my chest, then kissed her. Holding her in my arms felt so right. She was perfect for me. "Green eyes," I told her, and she giggled. "Know you have nothing to worry about whenever you are with me. I can burn the world for your sake," I said and kissed the tip of her nose. I wasn''t saying those words to soothe her ego. It was my truth, and I meant it. Anyone that tried toe between us would face my wrath. "Please, I want you toe with me," I said and kissed her neck, tempted to sink my teeth in. Too bad I would have to wait for the wedding night to do it as tradition. "Okay," She said, and Iughed. "Great, wear a dress; Jeans are a lot of work," I said, squeezing her arse, and she giggled. "You are naughty," She teased. "For you," I replied, and her cheeks coloured. I brushed them gently and ran my thumb against her parted lips. She licked it and sent shivers down my spine. Then she moved away to change her outfit. "Wear something short," I said,posing myself, and she smiled. "Mine," Knight said, and my wolf made meugh. "She is ours, Knight," I corrected him, and he growled. "Bump up the wedding; we are lord; we do not have to wait for the Blue moon ceremony. I want to make her mine now," Knight said, and I agreed with my wolf. The Blue moon ceremony was about three months away; that was too long a time to wait to im my woman. "I can''t control myself, Sylvester," Knight said, and I knew he might sink his teeth in before the due time. I would try to hold out for as long as I can. She returned, dressed in a short orange sundress. Her legs looked beautiful. "The colour suits you, darling," I said, and she smiled. "It was the only decent outfit fit for the asion," She said, and I smiled at her, knowing what her collection was like. We headed out, and I felt like a schoolboy all over again. Grabbing and kissing her on our way out. A lot of people saw us, and I did not care. I was finally living my life, and I liked it. I wanted to drive us there but decided to have a kappa drive usst minute. I doubted if I wouldst behind the wheel with how I felt. I ced my hand on Tamia''s thigh and moved up. "I am not wearing panties," She linked me, and I looked at her. Knight growled lustfully. She knew how to get us worked up. She reached for my hand and ced it between her legs close to her pussy, and moaned. "This was why you made me wear something short." She linked me, and I knew my eyes were back because I could not control Knight. She reached for my fly, unzipped my pants and reached into my boxers. The moment she held me in her hands, I rxed to enjoy the gift she was about to give me. Bending down, she ced me in her mouth, and that was all I needed to go wild. I could not tell where we were, the car was somewhere in the woods, but I didn''t care. I had never taken a woman in the car before. This will be the first time; She bobbed her head, taking me down till it touched the back of her throat, and I felt it. I didn''t want toe in her mouth this time. So I made here on top of me. cing me in her, she began to ride. "I told you I could ride," She linked me, reminding me of our horse riding joke. I was too excited tough. I growled and moaned. She was moving right, and it felt so right. Tight and the perfect fit for me. I wanted her toe first, so I held out. Guiding her body as she ground her pussy up and down my length. "I''ming," She said, and it was like music to my ears; she moaned so loud, and I felt her walls pulsate and clench my cock until she came down, and then I released into her. I felt rxed when we were through, and she got off me. "Amazing," I said, kissing her, and she giggled. "Hope I don''t fall asleep before we get there," She said, and Iughed. "Me too," I said, looking at the driver, who seemed rigid. We had assaulted his eyes, and I felt guilty for it. We arrived at my mother''s house, and Tamia and I went in. My mother was sitting in the ante-room with Dominic and one of Susan''s cousins, who happened to be his new girlfriend and a bitch, Glenda Sullivan. "Alpha," Glenda said, standing up when she saw me. My brother did the same but was angry to see Tamia. "Why did you bring your whore to see mother?" He said, and I wanted to attack him, but Tamia stopped me. I went to hug and kiss my mother. "Mother, meet Tamia, my fiance," I said, and she smiled at Tamia and hugged her. "What!" I heard Glenda and Dominic exim. I wondered if my brother would ever mind his business. "She isn''t your fated," Glenda said, and I honestly would have pped her if it weren''t for the fact that I respected women. I might just make her the exception. "Who said I was searching for my fated?" I asked her. "Susan. That was why she left. She said you needed to be strong and needed your.." She said, and I shut her up. "I will not repeat this. Do not mention that name where I am concerned, and it will be nice if you mind your business or I will forget you are screwing my brother and mistreat you. Whether you are with Dominic or not, I am still your lord, and you should never speak to me unless I ask you to. "Leave them alone, Sylvester; I am d you came," My mother said, leading Tamia and me to the living room. "She is gorgeous," my mother said, admiring Tamia. "How is he treating you, dear?" She asked Tamia offering us a seat. Tamia sat and smiled. "I am happy," She said, and my mother smiled. "From your smiles, I can see you are happy," My mother said and took her hand to admire the ring. "The shade of your eyes," My mother said, looking at Tamia. "Who would have thought you were a romantic, Sylvester?" She said, looking at me, and I smiled. "So this is it?" She finally said, and I nodded. "I hope babies are in the n," She asked, and I nodded. "So you two will wed on the blue moon ording to tradition?" She asked. I nodded, and she beamed. "Great, Tamia and I have three months to get to know each other and n the wedding. I want it to be grand," My mother said, and there was no way I would be bringing Tamia to Lund often. "Mother, I can''te here all the time with Tamia," I said, and her smile faded. My mother wanted to tell me something, trying to find the right words. "You see, son, since the incident with Jenny, I felt the essence ofing to live here had been defeated. If they could attack me here, then I am no longer safe here," She said, and I frowned at her, wondering where she was heading with this. "I thought about it after I was discharged from the hospital this morning, and I have decided I will be moving back to the Estate," She said, and I did not know how to feel about it. I love my breakfast with my friends, who were also my officers. I loved my life there. Having my mother move back there would change a lot of things. I will have to eat with her and spend more time with her. She would want to get involved with running the ce, and I would not like it. It was just better this way. "Mother, I do not think it is wise. Let me increase the security here," I said, trying to convince her not toe and stay in the estate. ''No, Sylvester, my mind is made up on this. You may be a lord, but I am still your mother. Your brother and I are moving back in," She said, and I eximed. "You can''t bring Dominic to the estate, mother. You know we do not see eye to eye on many things. I need to be focused. He will be a serious negative distraction for me," Iined, and she shook her head. "It is just the two of you. Please, Sylvester. I have spoken to him about it, and he is willing to try. The both of you have to try to get along. He is your only family, other than me, of course," She said, and I shook my head. "Tamia and our children are my family," I said, and she nodded. "Of course, Sylvester, I am not disputing that, but please, you must try to make it work with Dominic. It breaks my heart to see you two fight and hate each other. Please," She said, holding my hand, and I looked at Tamia. Her face bore no expression. she could not say yes or no even though she hated Dominic. This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. "I have rules, mother. He should not speak to or disrespect Tamia in any way. He isn''t allowed to get involved with running the ce. He cannot attend my meetings. I do not want to know he is there," I said, and she shook her head. "I can understand all that except thest one. We will have some time together when we can, and he can be rxed there, too; after all, the estate belongs to our family. Try, Sylvester," She said, and I knew if I said no, it would break her heart. I would just have to see how it goes. Living with Dominic would be very difficult, especially now that he is going steady with Glenda. 30 30 ~Tamia~ Sylvester''s mother received me with kindness, and she was nice to me, but I realised Sylvester wasn''t happy about having his brother on the estate. I could understand his reluctance. I have met Dominic three times, and none have been pleasant. Sylvester searched my eyes for answers, but I could not give any. Until I officially became his Luna, I had no say. Dominic walked into the living room with his girlfriend, who was afraid of Sylvester. "Have you told the wolf Lord, mother?" Dominic asked and came to sit in the living room with his girlfriend. "I have told him, but there are conditions," his mother said, and he eximed. "He can''t give me conditions to live on our family''s property," Dominic said, and their mother growled. "He can, and he has. He is lord and Alpha of the North; you will give him his respect, Dominic. I am beginning to sense you are jealous of your younger brother," His mother said, and Dominic seemed bewildered by her words. "Why do you think I am jealous, mother?" He asked, and she looked at him. "To begin with, you lied about his rtionship with Tamia; you made it seem like he was going about misbehaving, and you made it seem as if she was a liability. Then you lied about him neglecting his responsibilities. When Jenny came to meet me, she had nothing but praise for Sylvester. I will advise you to find something worthwhile and stop trying to bring your brother down, and yes, he has the right to set the rules. He is lord and Alpha. You will abide by his rules, or you won''t move in with us. I am warning you that you should not insult or disrespect Tamia. She is Sylvester''s chosen and future Luna of the North. You will give her her respect," His mother said, through gritted teeth, and I could feel the boss in her rise to the surface. She was a tough woman, and I could see where Sylvester got his toughness from. Although I hadn''t met their father, I figured Sylvester was more like his mother. We spent a while with Luna Stephanie Volkov, Sylvester''s mother. She was a joy to be around. She showed me baby pictures of Sylvester, making me want to have children. I remembered how hurt I was when Leo told me Amanda was expecting. I looked at Sylvester and thanked my stars for giving me a second chance. Understanding how I felt in those moments, he touched my hand and squeezed. He knew I wanted children. Leo must have included it in the letter. "I can''t wait too," He linked me, and tears welled in my eyes, but I brushed them away before luna Stephanie would ask me why I was crying. Glenda tried to be friendly, but I was weary of her; learning she was Susan''s cousin did it for me, and I did not trust her intention towards Sylvester. I trusted my man, but I did not trust her. Knowing that Dominic would be moving into the estate meant I would have to deal with her. I am okay as long as Susan does not miraculously show up looking for her cousin. Somehow I knew what Susan did still hurt Sylvester even though he wouldn''t admit it. She was best far away from us. I hoped she was married with plenty of children. Soon it was time for us to leave, and Luna Stephanie felt sad about it. She pleaded with Sylvester to let us stay, but he declined because we had to answer questions at the council early in the morning the next day. ording to him, Avery, Linda and me would be questioned extensively about Elder Jenny''s death. As long as Dominic wasn''t doing the questioning, I was fine with it. We returned to the estate and tried not to assault the driver''s senses this time. Entering our room, Sylvester pulled me close to him and kissed me. "No one will hurt you, I promise." He said, and I smiled at him. "I know," I said, assuring him I was okay, and he smiled. We went to shower so we could get ready and head for dinner. Dinner was a bit silent. I guess Sylvester had linked Marcel and Theodore about the new development. They weren''t enthusiastic about Dominic moving in. This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. I guess I wasn''t the only one that did not like Dominic. Linda was afraid and wondered how we could remain calm after finding out that the man that locked us up in cages and tried to pin Luna''s assault and the Elder''s murder on us, was moving in. I had no answer because I was afraid, but I was confident that Sylvester wouldn''t let him hurt us. After dinner, we all returned to our rooms and decided to sleep early so we would be refreshed the next day. I thought we would be sleeping, but Sylvester had other things in mind. He went under the covers and decided to give me the wildest night yet. Kaira howled in my head, enjoying every bit of his ministrations. It was clear he was trying to get a baby in me. I wasn''t on the pill anymore, so it might happen soon. We left early the next day for the Dark Wolf Pack council building in Lund. It was tall and grand. The sight of the building alone was intimidating. The North was the most developed and organised part of our world. It was only normal they would lead the rest of our world, and now that I was a part of it, I was proud of it. We entered a small auditorium, loges boxes were on the walls. The boxes were raised sitting tforms towards the rear of the auditorium. They were on multiple levels stacked vertically above the ground. I counted a total of six levels of sitting boxes on the wall. Dominic was sitting in a loge on the first level. We were taken to the grand Loge meant for the lord. It was on the first level but on the opposite side of where Dominic was sitting. It was a beauty. I could see the Elders seat on the ground floor and the opened centre on the floor where the speaker would start to speak so everyone could hear. It was a beautiful setting. If only it was bigger, they could have ys there, but it was clear it was an official setting. Somedies were asked to serve our Loge, and from how they were dressed, it was obvious they had a different kind of service in mind. Avery got ufortable and snapped at one of the girls. Noticing what was happening, Marcel requested that men serve the Loge instead. The women were not happy. "Your reputation precedes you." I leaned close to Sylvester''s ear and said; he looked at me and frowned. "Tell me you wouldn''t have selected a bedmate from those girls if I wasn''t in your life," I teased, and he smiled and kissed my hand. "I only go for premium stuff," he said, maintaining eye contact with me. His gaze made me shudder, and I felt like I was the only one in the room. He had that effect on me, and he knew it. He stuck out his tongue and sensually licked the back of my hand with the tip before kissing my hand the second time. My pussy clenched, imagining his tongue on me. "Sylvester," I breathed, and he smiled at me. He had me right where he wanted. Just then, a woman approached our Loge to speak with Sylvester. "Lord Volkov," She said, bowing her head, "We are about to start. The Eastern Lunas have to follow me," The woman said, and it still bothered me that we were seen as eastern Lunas, even though we had no marks on our necks. "They are no longer Eastern Lunas," Sylvester corrected her, and she bowed her head and apologised for her blunder. We were led to the centre and made to stand. I guess we were the entertainment of the event. Standing on the open centre of the ground floor meant we would be the ones answering the questions. Seven elderly people took a seat where the elders sat, leaving one seat vacant. I believed that was the chair that belonged to Elder Jenny. I felt terrible for her. The leader of the council was a young man called Vino Lawrence. He was an Alpha, and it seemed he had seeded his father. He was the most reserved, and it did not seem like he would be asking questions. Looking at him, I realised the seats belonged to families, not nominated individuals. If not, Vino would not be the head of the council. "Luna Tamia Albert, wee to the council. I know you know why you and your colleagues are here. So we can get right to it," An elder called Larry McMillian said, and I nodded. "Three days ago, Luna Stephanie and Elder Jenney were attacked at Lunna Stephanie''s house by Southern and eastern soldiers. ording to the northern warriors on guard, they imed the men were there to get you, and they were sent by Alpha Devin Corrigan, also known as Bane. Exin your rtionship with Bane and how he knew to search for you in Luna Stephanie''s home." The man said, and I was pissed off. He might not have said it, but he insinuated I set the Luna up. "I was the Luna of the Mountain pack, married to Alpha Leonardo Albert until I was given as a peace offering to Lord Sylvester Volkov to settle the misunderstanding between the North and the east. I do not know Alpha Devin Corrigan." "I met him once at a dinner party, and that was all. I have notmunicated with anyone outside the Volkov Estate. We are under strict conditions and cannot wander about the ce or communicate with outsiders." "I did not know where Luna Stephanie lived, and I have no dealing with Elder Jenny. I am not in a position to shed light on the matter." I said, and Elder Larry Laughed. "Lying to the council is a crime Luna," he said and looked at me with dark eyes. "We havews in the North, and we abide by them. I will give you a chance toe clean if it happens, or your colleagues will be punished severely for the crime." He said to me. "I will not admit to anything because I did not do anything," I said, and he nodded. "Alpha Max Christian nc of the Woond pack at Hill Valley sent letters to his Luna. We were able to intercept those letters, and we found something interesting. In those letters, Alpha Max tells his wife to respond. He says he knows she can respond because you, Luna Tamia, sent Alpha Leo letters about your stay in the North," He said, and I frowned at the man. "We have the letters in our possession." He said, and people began to murmur. I did not know what to say. "Luna Tamia, What did you tell your husband about the North? I am of the notion that you told him all he needed to know. Because there is an alliance between the east and south, Alpha Leonardo Albert, leader of the east, sought help from the man that had beaten the North in battle, believing he would be able to do the task to try to take you away from the North," He said, and I could not believe this bastard. He had twisted the narrative. "These are all insinuations. You have no proof," I said, and he shook his head. "I have Alpha Max''s letters that say otherwise, Luna," he said, and I was about to speak when I heard Sylvester''s voice from his Loge. "Enough!" He said, and everyone was silent. "I made her write one letter to her husband when she got here and sent it myself. She did not know my mother was in Lund then. I read the letter and still have a photocopy of its content. You can not base your deductions on the letter of a husband that misses his wife and wants her to write to him at all costs. Besides, what I want to know is why they killed Elder Jenny. If Tamia was their target, they would have injured both my mother and Jenny, not killed Jenny. I have done some investigations myself, and my mother said they did not ask for Tamia; they beat her up and killed Jenny before she cked out. Whatever happened had nothing to do with Tamia, Avery and Linda. And I will advise this court to refrain from referring to them as Eastern Lunas. As you can all see, They no longer bear their husbands'' marks., They belong to my pack, and Tamia will be my Luna soon," He said, and people began to murmur. As proud as I was of him, I did not think telling them I would be their Luna soon was a good idea. They had it in for the east, and the three of us represented the east and south to them, especially Dominic. 31 Confessions. 31 Confessions. ~Sylvester~ Hearing what Larry had to say made me know Dominic had a hand in this. Intercepting Avery''s letters were wrong. The fact remained that the women were no longer prisoners, but our mates. It was wrong to treat them like this. I did not care what the rules said. If I do not protect them, the council will destroy them. "Your Eminence, we havews. A mated wolf cannot be luna," Larry said, and Iughed. "Do I look like someone that goes by the rules?" I asked Larry, who seemed a bit scared. "I do not care. Tamia will be my Luna by the blue moon. Avery is marrying Beta Marcel too, so it would be wise to stop trying to pin shit on them and disgracing them simply because you think you can." I said sternly. "I will object, sire. Only northerners can rule the north." Larry said, and Iughed. "Like I said, the council isn''t above me. The council is here to help the lord deal with matters so he can focus on other things. I have stated what will happen. You all should ept it. The women belong to my pack now, and I have chosen who will rule beside me. Let this be thest time this council will send Dominic to my home and humiliate the people living in it in the name of investigation. I allowed this hearing simply because I wanted to know the council''s intent, but it is obvious this council is not interested in finding who the true culprit is. This council is only interested in solidifying the enmity between the north, south and east. I refuse to go after Bane or Leonardo Albert on this matter. One thing I know is Elder Jenny wasn''t important to the east or south, and I doubt those soldiers truly went to get Tamia from my mother''s house. I also want to know who intercepted Avery''s letters without my knowledge. Acting discreetly without informing me can be seen as an act of nned mutiny. I want to know who did it and why." I said and signalled that Tamia and her friend return to my Loge. "It was I," Dominic said, standing up. One thing I knew was that Dominic was too dumb to do something like this. He must have had help from someone or gotten the Idea from someone. "Really? "I asked my brother, and he nodded. "I may not be Lord, but I have the right to protect my province and people. If I notice that you are losing focus, it is my duty to make sure the system is running as it should," he said, and I smiled. "And who appointed you as my second inmand? Who gave you the right to describe me in such a manner?" I asked him, and he was silent. "Dominic, you are my only sibling, and I love you very much. But you will stand trial for treason the next time you act without my consent." I said, and there were murmurs in the hall. Tamia sat down on the chair beside me. "I want real suspects with motives within two months. I want to know why anyone would want to kill Elder Jenny. Let this be thest time any of you will try to pin this on my mate again simply because she used to be married to the Alpha of the east." I said withmand, and they were afraid. I rarely used my alphamand because I felt I was bullying people, but they left me no choice. I was tired of their bullshit, and I knew that if I did not force them to ept, others thinking like Larry would have something to say. We discussed other matters that did not need my presence, and soon I decided to leave. Just then, Vino came to see me. He was a young man about my age. His family has headed the council since its inception. His father died several months ago, so he had to take over as the first son of the Lawrence family. He had been trying to be my friend for a while, but I couldn''t rte. Being the head of the council, I knew it was wise to keep him close, but I doubted we had anything inmon. With what had happened now, I believed it was best to keep him close because of vicious people like Larry. Larry had supported my brother when my name was put forward for ascension. He would have seeded in instating my brother as Lord if it weren''t for the fact that Dominic was not an Alpha andcked the strength of a true lord. "Hello, Vino," I said with a smile, and he bowed to greet Tamia, giving her the respect I had requested of them. "Congrattions on your engagement. I wish you two a happy and blissful married life together." He said, and I thanked him. "Tamia, meet Vino Lawrence, the head of the council," I said so she would not feel left out. She was going to be luna soon, so it was important she got acquainted with everyone important in the government of the north. "Nice to meet you, Vino," Tamia said, and I felt her voice was too lovely and seductive that I coughed, which made herugh. I couldn''t help my jealousy; it was just how I was wired. "I am having a dinner party at my mansion in Woodcreek next week; I would like you and Lady Tamia to grace us with your presence. Beta Marcel and Gamma Theodore are wee too. They cane with their dates, too," he said, pleading with his eyes. The guy had been trying so hard to be friends that I felt it would be cruel to say no, so I nodded. "I am sure my Luna and I will make the time to show up at your party," I said, and he smiled and nodded. "Thank you so much, your eminence. It is an honour," he said, and I smiled and nodded. He walked away happy, and Tamia nudged me. "You have a fan," she teased me, and I looped her hand in mine. We left the ce and returned to the Volkov Estate. My mother was going to move in the next day, so Tamia took it upon herself to ensure my mother and brother''s rooms were ready. She also allocated staff to them. It came to her naturally; I knew it was because she had been Luna since she was neen. After running the east for five years, it came to her quickly; her former Luna friends also chipped in, so she wasn''t overwhelmed. Sometime in the evening, Tamia walked into my office, a bit exhausted. "Hectic day?" I asked her, and she smiled and sprawled on the couch in my office. I left the desk and went to sit on the couch. I asked her to lie down so I could massage her feet. I knew she stood throughout the process, so I believed her feet would be killing her. It was nice doing this for her. As I massaged her feet, she moaned with approval. "Yes, right there," She said, rxing in the chair. The sound of her approval wanted me to do other things to her. I continued to work on her feet. "So, is that how they argue with you at the council?" She asked, moaning in between. "Larry and Dominic, yes. Vino wants to be my friend, and the others are too scared to voice their minds," I said, and sheughed. "With the way you used yourmand, they are bound to be afraid of you, Sylvester. You are too damn scary," She said, and I tickled her feet, making her giggle. I picked the other foot and worked on it. "You know they used to tell us scary things about you when you seeded your father," She said, eyes closed, half asleep. "They told us you were a monster and a savage. Sometimes women told their children scary stories about the Dark Alpha of the north. They said you drink wine with skulls and so on, and people dreaded you. When news travelled that Bane defeated your army, there was a tinge of hope that you might bleed like the rest of us," She said and chuckled. This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. "If only they knew it was Dominic they defeated and not you," Sheughed, proud of me. "Then you conquered what was left of the west, and people got worried that you wereing to the east too." She said and stopped smiling. "The day of the meeting, I warned them not to aggravate you. I warned them not to team up with the south against you because, based on the stories I heard, I figured you only act when provoked, but they did not listen," she said and looked at me with sleepy eyes. "Never did I imagine that you would be a loving man. A man that would make my heart beat in ways that I can only imagine. A man that would see my soul and capture it, one that would heal my wounds and dry my tears. A man that would bring back the fire that heartbreak and betrayal put out. A man that would give me a reason to try again. Never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined you would mean so much to me and I would be in your arms. Never, Sylvester; but here I am, yours, body and soul," She said, looking at me with misty eyes. I thought I was the only one who loved deeply, Tamia did too, and I did not need to question how deep her love for me was. It was deep enough to want to spend the rest of our lives together. "I love you, Sylvester. With my heart, body and soul. Today you did for me something I did not expect. You stood up for our love. I will never forget how you damned the council and honoured me as your luna. Even though they tried to make me seem worthless, you added value and dignity to me. I won''t forget how deep and true your love is, Sylvester. I will keep what happened today with the council in my heart and always forgive your shorings. Love can not be given as much as you have given yours in humility andplete honesty," She said, and my heart began to beat fast. I thought what I had with Susan was deep and genuine, but now I know it was a joke. Looking at Tamia pouring her heart out while I massaged her feet made me know I had made the right decision, and somehow everything that went wrong in our lives had brought us together for this specific purpose so we, too, could experience true love in its purest form. I could only kiss her feet and promise never to hurt her. It was time to burn Susan''s letter. 32 Really Feel 32 Really Feel ~Tamia~ Sylvester kissed my feet gently and looked at me. My heart was beating like a drum, and my breathing was caught. I looked at him in disbelief that he was really mine. The feared and dreaded dark Alpha. The man that they used to tell scary stories about. He massaged my feet slowly, still speechless, and I smiled at him as tears rolled down the sides of my eyes. "I can''t wait for us to make it official," I told him my truth. "I want to have your babies," I said, confessing my inner desire. He leaned over me and stared into my eyes for a few seconds. "Green eyes," he said with a breathy voice. It wasn''t a tease; it sounded more like worship. "I love you, Tamia," he said and kissed me sweetly. I returned the kiss with anticipation. I could never be too tired to make love with him. He sat on the couch, and I straddled him. He searched my eyes for approval and crashed his lips on mine again. "I love you with all my heart and soul. I love you with everything I am, Tamia, and I can''t wait for us to get married. For me to im you, for you to bear my mark and for us to wee our pups into this world. You have made me a happy man. Somehow I know this is it. From a broken man to someone enthusiastic about building a life with you." He said and unbuttoned my blouse. "Let me worship you," He said and rolled down my blouse, exposing my breasts because I wasn''t wearing a bra. He devoured my nipples and sucked on them gently with need. I felt his cock rise, and I moaned. "Mine," I heard Knight in my head, and all I could say was yes. I was gone. Running my hand through his hair as he worshipped my breast. By the time he was done, my nipples were hard. He rubbed them between his thumb and index fingers and looked into my eyes. I was a moaning mess. I wanted to touch his chest and feel his skin against mine, so I undid his buttons and took off his shirt. He resumed what he was doing to my nipples, and I ran my finger against his body. He went back to work. Sucking my nipples, and by then, I was soaked between my legs, ready for him to take me. He stopped what he was doing, made me sit on the couch, and then rolled up my short dress until my arse was bare. Then he pulled me to the edge of the sofa and opened my legs wide. He removed his trouser, exposing his very erect cock, before getting on his knees to eat me. He sucked my clit gently and ran his tongue up and down my slit, from my pussy to my nerve bundle. I moaned. "Do not muffle your voice, darling," He said, assaulting my knob with his tongue. Sucking it gently but consistently. I knew I would soone. I wanted to enjoy it a bit longer. As if reading my mind, he stopped, smacked my clit to crash the build-up, and then went back in. He did it four times until the smack could no longer crash my build-up. He grabbed my arse, pushing my clit to his mouth while he sucked it. I came ferociously and began to shake as he continued what he was doing, not letting up. I grabbed the couch and turned my head left and right to handle the extra sensitivity of what he was doing, and soon I began to beg him to put it in. He sat on the couch, and I straddled him, cing him inside me. Ready to milk him for all he could give. Ready to have his babies, ready to be his luna in every way. I rode him with love and pleasure. He held my body to guide me. His moans pleased my ears, making me know I was riding him the way he liked. I felt a new build-up, and he knew it. He eagerly guided my body, wanting me toe all over his cock. "Sylvester," I moaned, and he growled sweetly. "Come for me, green eyes," He said, and I began to ride faster until I climaxed. I continued to ride because my pussy wanted more. But the orgasm had slowed me down, so he made me kneel on the couch facing the backrest with my arse in the air. He drove into my pussy from behind and began to m into me. Hard, fast and steady. He was good at it, and he used his skill on me. "Sylvester," I moaned, and he growled. I knew people could hear us, but I did not care. I was having the time of my life... I felt his w dig into my skin, cing his scent permanently on me, and I took it. "Mine," Knight growled, and all I could do was moan. My vision was blurred, and my mind was empty. All I could feel and think about was the pleasure he was giving. Pounding into me steadily. He was a love machine, and I loved that he was mine. I came again, shattering all over him. My pussy became wetter, and his thrust was slippering. Filling me up and hitting the right spot. He pumped until I felt his cock stiffen and pulsate in me. Pumping his seeds into me. My pussy milked him hungrily, taking it all in. I was bound to get pregnant at this pace. He pulled out gently, and I was tired. He lifted me naked and carried me out of the office to our room. I did not know if people were in the hallway, but I hade so many times that I was half asleep when he carried me to our bedroom. Heid me down on the bed, and I fell asleep. I woke up and found Sylvester working on hisputer on the table. There were codes on the screen; I figured that was what Lilly must have been helping him with. "Hey," I said, and he smiled and looked at me. "Two hours is hardly enough for you to rest, green eyes," He said, and I giggled. "What are you doing?" I asked him, and he smiled. "Monitoring Annonymous transactions going to the south," He said, and I frowned at him. I did not want to delve into it, so I held my peace, but I knew he would borate soon. He closed theputer and came to bed. "Is that what Lilly was helping you with?" I asked him, and he nodded. "I think you should give her the job back," I said, and he raised an eyebrow. "You can''t do everything, Sylvester, and it seems important. I am okay with you having women in your team. I trust you," I said, and he smiled at me. "What happened to the jealous protective woman?" He said and kissed my nose. "That was when I thought you were screwing her. You have eyes for only me, so I am not bothered. I trust you," I said, and he kissed the tip of my nose. "I will think about it. Right now, we have to eat dinner," He said, and I sluggishly got out of bed. We showered and went to the dining room. I wondered how we would manage now that his mother would be around. It meant we won''t be able to make out at the dining table, and we all had to be on our best behaviour. Thinking about it, I knew it would suck big time. We all ate in silence, knowing that would be thest time we would have some privacy. "I think Avery and I will start eating in our room. Honestly, Sylvester, I love your mother, but I can''t stand Dominic," Marcel said to break the silence, and Iughed. "Me too," Theodore said, and Sylvesterughed. "I guess my mother and Dominic will be eating alone then because there is no way I will sit through a meal with Dominic present, and somehow I know Glenda will find a way to make herself avable," Sylvester said. There was a knowing look in the eyes of the men that made me know I wasn''t privy to some things. I nned on getting the truth out of Sylvester when we returned to the room. "So, will we attend the event in Vino''s mansion?" Marcel asked Sylvester, and he nodded. "I made a promise and would have to keep it," Sylvester replied, and it was clear neither of them wanted to go but would have to attend out of obligation. "How about we just pop in and leave? That way, he wouldn''t say you did note," I said, and Sylvesterughed and pulled me close to him. "You reek of Sylvester," Avery said, smiling at me. I smiled and looked at Sylvester. N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. "That is because I marked her with my scent. So she would smell like a mated wolf to others as a deterrent. The blue moon is too far; this should keep the wolves away until then," He said and then looked at me smiling. "I did not like the fact that Devin was trying to get you, and I do not trust Leo is over you yet. I am just marking you as mine," He said and kissed my neck. His words gave me butterflies. That was his way of saying he was jealous and worried that someone might take me away from him. "Howe you haven''t marked me with your scent?" Avery asked Marcel, and he was speechless. We finished our meals andughed a bit before returning to our rooms. I woke up early the next day to ensure everything was prepared and we were to receive luna Stephanie. Since I wasn''t married to Sylvester yet, she would be Luna of the house and be in charge of everything. I just hoped we get along. Although Sylvester wanted me to take control, I decided I would put it upon myself to ask her opinion before doing anything until I became the luna. Sylvester and I stood at the entrance of the building to receive his mother. Just as Marcel had thought, Dominic arrived with Glenda. I was d we won''t be eating with them because knowing she was Susan''s cousin made me ufortable with her, but Sylvester''s mother had insisted that Dominic moves in, too, so we had no choice. Luna Stephanie hugged me, and I greeted her, then she insisted I walk her to her room, so I told Sylvester I would join himter. We got to her room, and she looked around, studying the ce. I knew she lived in the mansion before she moved to Lund, so she was just trying to see what I had done to the ce. "I hope everything is to your liking, Luna Stephanie," I said respectfully so she would know she was still in charge. She looked at me and smiled. "Thank you, Tamia. I can tell you put in a lot of effort. Sylvester is lucky to have you," she said, and I smiled at her. I was about to excuse her when she stopped me. "I want to speak to you, dear," She said and pointed at her seat. I really did not like being alone with her, but I had no choice but to sit through it. "Do you love Sylvester or just want to escape captivity?" She asked me with a straight face, and I was shocked. "My son has had his heart broken before, and I learned this Bane guy is trying to get you by all means. I want to be sure that you won''t just run off with Bane and leave him like Susan did. She ran away to the south and left him with a flimsy excuse," She said, and I shook my head. "I did not want this union, but he was adamant, and I love him, so I will give you a chance to prove your worth. Until I am satisfied, you are not allowed to make any decisions in this ce without passing through me. Prove to me that you love my son genuinely and not because he is the wolf Lord," She said, telling me exactly how she felt. I could understand her being protective of her son. "I understand; unfortunately, I do not believe I have anything to prove to you. As long as Sylvester knows how I feel about him, that is all that matters. I learned a long time ago that I can''t please everyone, and everyone can''t believe me. Your doubts are justified, but I won''t spend my time trying to prove myself to you, Luna Stephanie. Life is too short for that. Instead, I will spend it building memories with the man I love. I do not care about his status, and I do not care about his money. I am a strong woman that can always survive on her own. I wasn''t captured; I gave myself, so my husband, his pregnant mate and my pack members could survive. I am that type of person, and whether you like me or not, it wouldn''t change it," I said, and her face faltered. "So your husband made you share?" She asked me, and I smiled at her, nodding. "Still, I understand your stance, Tamia, but I will study you before epting you. Sylvester is my son, and I want the best for him. He is already going against tradition by marrying and mating with a woman who has been mated. I just want to be sure he isn''t making a mistake. It isn''t personal. I will watch your every move and investigate you until I am satisfied," She said, and I nodded and asked to excuse myself. Her opinion did not count. All that mattered was Sylvester. I left her room and returned to ours. "nning the wedding already?" Sylvester asked me with a smile, and I smiled back and nodded; there was no point telling him the things his mother said to me or her stance in all this. I did not want to create a problem between them. He came to kiss me, and I returned the kiss unbiasedly. 33 The Meeting With Bane 33 The Meeting With Bane ~Leo~ Devin''s revtion did not sit well with me. I thought he wasn''t good enough for Tamia, and I suspected the Wolf Lord was possessive of her. This was a difficult situation. "You should let her go," I finally said, and he shook his head and pinched his nose. "You, of all people, know that won''t happen, Leo," he said, and I bowed my head. "I just want peace," I said. "It is easy to say. You didn''t fight for her because you already had someone. You had already reced her," He said to me. He had struck a nerve with those words. "Do not speak of things you don''t understand or know nothing about. The mate bond drives you, but I love Tamia. Tamia is my best friend, my confidant, my soul. I did not give her up. I would have died for her. I fought them with everything I had, but she wanted to leave. She had asked me to release her so many times. She gave herself to them, so don''t tell me about my feelings for my wife. You know nothing about it. Where was the fucking mate bond when we were young? Where was it when we fell in love and nned our lives? Everything was going well until that fucking party," I said, fighting back my tears. As much as I told myself that I was okay with Tamia being in the north, I wasn''t, but I was d she was happy. Although it hurt, I was d. I was pleased that she was alright. "I am not telling you to let it go because I am a coward. I am telling you to let it go because I sense she has something serious with the wolf Lord. I doubt she will pick you, Devin, and I know it will break your heart. Unlike me, Tamia is strong and determined. If she had met you before I met Amanda, I know she would have rejected you and risked being weak," I told him my truth based on my suspicions. He was stunned and looked at me as if I had said something wrong. "The Volkovs took everything from me; I can''t let them take my fated too. I will try my best to get her back from the north," he said and sat down. "We need to team up, Leonardo. I do not want to force your region under me," He said, and I smiled. "You already divided my region into two. I am not mad. They chose to follow you, but trying to force the rest of us to help with your cause ispletely wrong. My refusal to fight does not necessarily mean I am weak, Devin; I just like peace. I strive hard to keep it, so I live by it." I said, and he nodded. "I am a desperate man, Leo. I have everything to gain and everything to lose. It will be nice to have you join my cause. We will all benefit from it. Being free of the Volkovs is important. Three days ago, a vige in the west that shared a border with the south was attacked because they wanted to be free of the high taxes the wolf lord ced on them through the council. This vige survives by farming. There is no form of development in this vige. There are no social infrastructures there, yet they are taxed every month. I had to make my hospitals avable for their injured. That is just one of the many people that beast is oppressing. As for Tamia, it is easy to fall in love with your captor. It is normal. He is all she sees. Showing her some affection might give her the notion that she is safe and loved. Coming from a broken rtionship and heartbreak, he might seem like the best option for her. She doesn''t know that I am her mate, so maybe she does not think there is anyone out there for her," He said, then sighed and looked at me with misty eyes. "I moved too slow, please I need your help, Leo. I want my mate. My wolf, Rex, has not rested since weid eyes on her. Please. You are mated, so you know how it is. As for the north, I can share it with you when we conquer it, please," he said, pleading with me, and I did not know what to say. I could understand his desperation and his angle, but Tamia seemed to have something good going in the north. It will be wrong to pull her back into this. "I know you are looking out for Tamia, but I will never hurt her. I will love and cherish her until I die," He said, pleading with me. "Have you told Sylvester Volkov that she is your fated? I think that would be wiser than attacking him," I said, and heughed. "The man is greedy. I learned he has a harem of lovers. Over a hundred of them. He is a collector, Leo. He won''t give her back," he told me, and I knew that part. I doubt Tamia had issues with it. I guess making her share with Amanda gave her a thick skin. I was ashamed of how badly my weakness damaged her. She never liked sharing. She was jealous and possessive. Knowing what was happening in the north broke my heart. "I do not want to fight you for support, Leo. There is nothing better than us willingly joining forces." He said and stood up. "I came here to discuss with you as a civilized man and an honest Alpha. If you disagree with my cause, I will respect your decision. I know you have heard that I n on attacking the rest of the east. I am not Sylvester, and I won''t do it. But I will keep you abreast of our moves just in case you decide to join. Know that the offer remains," he told me and stood up. From the way he behaved, I knew he was serious about not fighting me for the rest of the east. "Then why did you surround the ce?" I asked him. "Have you seen how Max and Kyle look at me? I had to take precautions," he said, and I smiled at him. To think those two once spoke highly of him. "I guess they haven''t forgiven me for losing their Lunas. Women who, by the way, were better off without them. As much as I would like to take responsibility for that stunt, I did not do it. I attacked the Volkov Estate to get Tamia but did not send eastern soldiers to attack the western borders. I do not know why Kyle insists it was me. He needs to check his ranks for traitors. The north is that good. They know how to infiltrate packs and turn them against each other. If you study what happened in the Western province close to the north, you will know that was Maurice''s tactics. I can''t say the same for Sylvester, but the apple never falls far from the tree. I am just fighting for liberation, Leo. I want to live in a world where there is no fear and injustice. Where we do not have a bully as our Lord, and where we are free. That is what I am fighting for. And yes, I know I will do better than Sylvester as the wolf lord. I do not care if he has blue blood; he bleeds like the rest of us," he said, and Iughed. We shook hands, and he excused himself. Fifteen minutes after he left, Max and Kyle came in, eager to learn what had transpired. I could not tell them about Devin and Tamia, so I told them the only thing that concerned them. N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. "He said he won''t force us to join him to fight the north," I said, and Kyle shook his head. "That man is a sly bastard. I do not trust him one bit," Kyle said, and Max agreed. "Probably wants us to let our guards down so we can be vulnerable when he finally attacks. The man wants to be wolf lord," He said, and I nodded. "He admitted that too. He said he would do a better job than Sylvester Volkov," I said, and Max laughed. "The Dark Alpha is from the royal bloodline. There is a difference. For Devin to take over the north, he has to wipe out the Volkov family and the council of elders. We all know that is impossible. The northern army is made of steel. I once heard they trained with silver; there is no beating them. Even though we cheated when we attacked the estate, none of our warriors returned alive," Max said, and I frowned at him. "How did you cheat?" I asked, and Max bowed his head. "Chlorine and silver gas," he said, and I eximed. It exined the rage in Sylvester''s letter. "You are fortunate he has a thing for Tamia, or we would have all been dead by now," I said. Max frowned at me, and I nodded. "He sent me a letter with a warrior''s head and let me know why he would not attack yet, but promised to attack the next time we push him. He also promised he wouldn''t be taking prisoners," I said, and Kyle sighed. "More reason we need to watch our back," Kyle said, and I nodded. "We also need tob through our ranks and be sure we have no traitors in our midst," I said, and they were silent. I left Max''s pack and returned home. Amanda was worried. I knew she was afraid I might not return. People feared Bane because he killed the wolf lord and defeated Sylvester''s army, but somehow, I suspected he was just lucky. I did not know how to prove it. I just felt that way, but that was my opinion, and it wasn''t popr. Amanda hugged me tightly and pleaded with me to sleep in her room. I decided to oblige her. I had punished both of us long enough, but I wasn''t ready to move her to the room I shared with my wife. 34 The New Norm 34 The New Norm ~Tamia~ After the strange discussion with Stephanie, I wasn''t looking forward to lunch or Dinner. I noticed she cared about Sylvester and was possessive about him, too. I needed to be careful not to cause problems between them. I sat on the couch in our bedroom, observing what Lilly and Sylvester were doing. Although my eyes were fixed on them, Stephanie''s words troubled me because they meant she was pretending the day we met. Lily was at theputer in the bedroom working on the codes. At the same time, Sylvester monitored her, and I saw that he liked her in a sisterly manner. It was just sad that she had to spread lies about their rtionship. I was silent all through and wasn''t looking forward to stepping out of the room. Soon, it was lunchtime, and Sylvester felt it would be polite to eat with his mother. I could not say no, so I agreed to go with him. Lilly left our room, and Sylvester joined me on the couch. "You have been awfully silent since my mother arrived," he said, kissing the back of my hand, and then he moved to my neck. It was official that Sylvester could not keep his hands off me, and I liked it. "My mark will be here, and you won''t wear your hair down when we are outside. I want everyone to see it," he said, kissing the spot. I smiled, and he ced his hands on my thighs. "Sylvester, we will soon be going for lunch. You know I do not like quickies," I said, and he teased me. "You have been awfully glum since you returned. I was hoping you could share," he said, and I knew he was serious even though he sounded yful. I looked at him and studied his eyes. "Why did you pick me?" I asked him, and he smiled. "I love a strong woman that knows what she wants, can say no and damn the consequences. When I lifted your chin, and you stared into my eyes, against Marcel''s warning, my wolf found a kindred spirit in Kaira. I was enthralled." He said, and Iughed. "Basically, you like stubborn women," I said, and he shook his head. "No, you are just an exception, and I do not want you generalising what we have or how I feel about you," he said and kissed my lips. "Did she talk about my scent on you?" He asked me, sensing his mother must have said something, and I shook my head. "She said she would like to get to know me," I said, which was the nicer version of what went down. "Alright, well we have thirty minutes before lunch, and we can arrive therete anyway." He said, tugging on my dress, and I let him. We were behaving like teenagers in love. He wanted me to ride him on the couch, and I giggled because my skills had paid off somehow. "Careful, wolf lord, you are getting addicted," I teased, and he grabbed onto my arse with his dark wolf eyes. "I am already addicted," He said, and my pussy clenched. We spent forty-five minutes in the room making love. Sylvester fought Knight from sinking his teeth in. It was clear his wolf was eager to own me. We got dressed and headed to the dining room. Marcel, Theodore, Avery, and Linda were not there for the first time. Instead, it was Stephanie, Dominic and Glenda. "Why is she here?" Sylvester asked, pointing at Glenda. "The same reason why she is here," Dominic said, pointing at me. N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. Sylvester did not get angry, and we sat down. He sat at the head where he usually sat with me by his side, and his mother sat on Theodore''s seat. At the same time, Glenda and Dominic upied Marcel and Avery''s seats. I wished, just like our friends, Sylvester and I had lunch in our room. "How do you like your room, mother?" Sylvester asked her, and she smiled. "Tastefully done," She said with approval looking at me. She was studying her son to see if I had told him anything. She knew I did not tell him from the look on her face. "Tamia did it," Sylvester said, and Dominicughed. "Of course she did; she is used to that work. Was she not someone''s wife before you took her as spoils?" Dominic said, and before Sylvester could speak, Stephanie shut him up. "You will not disrespect Tamia and your brother in his house. This might be a Volkov property, but as Lord of the north, this is his home, and as future Luna, this is Tamia''s home. We all have our reservations, but I will not allow you to misbehave," She warned him, and he shook his head. "I can''t believe you will go along with this, mother. He is making a terrible decision with this woman. Every prisoner would want to find favour in the eyes of their gaoler so their lives would be easy. How can you let him throw his life away? He can choose from plenty of young virgins in the north. If they are too young and inexperienced, we can try and find someone or look for Susan in the south and make here home. Instead, you are letting him marry another man''s wife. A woman whose husband did not want anymore. This is wrong, mother," he said, and thosest words got to me, but I held my tears. I promise myself I won''t let them fall. "She is down on her luck. Of course, she would want to be with Sylvester. Even you have questioned her motives, mother. I can''t pretend this is okay when we know it isn''t. The north also has issues with the south and the east. She was head Luna of the east. Her loyalty will always be to her people first, before anyone. Why are you letting him make this mistake, mother? Why?" Dominic snarled. "I will advice you to leave this table now," Sylvester said to Dominic with a low growl. "Or else what?" Dominic said, and I saw that Sylvester''s hands were shaking. I could feel the pressure of his anger, and it wasn''t good. "Calm down, Sylvester," His mother said, but he wasn''t calming down. Dominic had struck a nerve with him. "Dominic, apologise," His mother said, and the stupid man refused. I knew it wouldn''t be good. We had yet to eat. Sylvester stood up and headed to where Dominic was seated. "Please, Sylvester, do not get physical with your brother. Please," Stephanie said, and he did not listen. He lifted Dominic from his seat and mmed him against the wall. "Sylvester, please," Stephanie began to cry. Sylvester growled and held him against the wall. He sent a punch to Dominic''s face, and he bled. "Please, do not kill my baby, please," Stephanie said, and I wondered why she would use that word. They were both her children. Did she favour Dominic above Sylvester? She knew it would be like this because they never saw eye to eye. She also knew that Dominic found it difficult to respect his brother. She should have cautioned Dominic when he went off on me, but she let him finish his resentful derogatory words before warning him. "Don''t just stand there. Stop him," She yelled at me. Sylvester was punching the life out of Dominic, and it seemed Dominic would pass out soon. I wanted him to beat some sense into him so he would know his ce. He wasn''t alpha, and he wasn''t lord. He had better learned to respect his brother. "Tamia, do something!" Stephanie said, and I was reluctant to get involved because Dominic had said hurtful things about me, but I had to do something because Stephanie was already crying. "Sylvester, please stop," I pleaded, but he did not listen. "It didn''t hurt me, Sylvester! His words did not hurt," I lied, and he stopped and looked at me. His eyes were jet ck. It was Knight that was doing the beating. "Knight, leave him alone, please," I pleaded with his wolf, and Knight left Dominic. Dominic slid down to the floor. His battered face was already healing; Sylvester had done a number on him. "I guess we won''t be eating together," Sylvester told his mother, and she shook her head and went to Sylvester. "Please stay, son. I haven''t spent time with you in a while. Dominic will behave henceforth. He won''t question your decision or say anything to you or Tamia again." She said, and I knew Sylvester did not want to stay. "I should leave. This is a family lunch," I said, and Sylvester stopped me. "You are my family, and Dominic will have to ept it whether he likes it or not. "Like I said, mother," Sylvester said, turning to his mother. "I will have tea and garden walks with you, but as long as Dominic is here, I won''t sit with you for breakfast, lunch or dinner again. Tamia is my luna; I have marked her with my scent, so she is mine; I will see any action towards her as treasonous. I do not care what anyone thinks. But anyone who disrespects, insults or tries to endanger her life will have me to contend with," He said, and she shook her head. "You should have waited until the wedding night before marking her with your scent, son," She said, and he smiled. "There is no difference between now and the wedding night. I won''t be changing my mind, mother. Somehow I believe Dominic said what both of you discussed, and I suspect you said hurtful things to Tamia when she walked you to your room," He said. I was shocked that he figured it out. Was I that obvious? She eximed and looked at me angrily. "You are really smart. So you told him what I said," she said, looking at me disappointed. I shook my head. "There is no harm in a mother looking out for her son. I only asked her to prove herself to me. I asked her to prove that she loves you, and this isn''t a survival move," Stephanie said, and Sylvester laughed. "On the contrary, that was a trick statement, mother. Tamia did not say anything, but I am not stupid; after Dominic spoke and you didn''t stop him until he finished, I realised you shared the same opinion with him, but just won''t say it because you do not want to hurt my feelings. I know you will not hold your tongue when you are with Tamia alone, so I figured you must have used the opportunity to tell her something. Anyway, I do not care what you think or how you feel. I am a grown man and not a child. I make my decisions. Tamia has nothing to prove to you or anyone. I won''t force you to ept her, but I will advise both of you to respect her or you will have issues with me. You might be my mother. You gave birth to me, protected me and raised me. I will always love and respect you, but you can never fill the shoes of my luna. You can never be mypanion, my confidant, my lover and the mother of my children. You have your ce in my life, and Tamia has hers. Do not try to make her seem insignificant. My heart and soul belong to her. Let this be thest time anyone would mention Susan''s name to me or speak of Tamia''s ex-husband," He said and held my hand. "Excuse me," he said, and he left, taking me with him. "You should have told me what she said to you in private instead of looking glum," He said, and I could not speak. "You have earned some spanking after we eat," he said, and I was d we were eating in the room, but I hoped his rtionship with his mother won''t be rocky. I hope to have children, and I will like to have an excellent rtionship with them. I want to ensure Stephanie has an excellent rtionship with her son. I will have to speak to Sylvester when he is less annoyed. 35 Girl Talk 35 Girl Talk ~Tamia~ A week passed, and gradually the week of the dinner at Vino''s mansion was approaching. Avery had a lot of tea parties in the garden, some of which Stephanie attended, and she was civil towards me. We were never alone, so she never had the opportunity to tell me how she really felt. Avery got what she wanted because she reeked of Marcel. I guess he was head over heels for her. On the other hand, Linda and Theodore were stagnant, and I knew Linda was the one setting the pace. Sylvester had decided we all eat dinner in the small dining room like we used to. His mother and Dominic still ate separately from us. It was a weed development because eating in the room became tedious and boring. We were still deciding what to wear to the dinner at Vino''s mansion, so Avery had linked me to join her at the Beta''s wing to discuss our outfit. Linda and Avery avoided the alpha''s wing because of Dominic. Although Stephanie was always pleasant, Dominic wasn''t, and his constant fights with Glenda made it worse. I also found out he had orgies with some women in the harem. Initially, I thought he was using them, but I let it go when I found out it was consensual. "Where are you?" I heard Sylvester through the mind link. I was trying to go to the Beta''s wing to see Avery, but I guess I would have to go back to my wing. "On my way to see Avery, but I aming back to our wing," I replied. "Great, meet me in my office," he said. I walked quickly and bumped into Stephanie on my way there. I wasn''tfortable being alone with her, and somehow she knew because she smiled at me. "Good afternoon, Luna," I greeted her, and she nodded. "Did you change the food menu?" She asked me, and I shook my head, wondering why she would ask me that. "I have not done anything here, Luna. The only thing I did was prepare your rooms for your arrival," I exined to her, and she searched my face. "Do not break his heart, Tamia. He is crazy about you. I have never seen him act the way he did that afternoon over anyone. Not even Susan," She said, moving close to me and touching my hand. "Sylvester is my joy; Tamia, do not hurt him," She said with misty eyes. "If anyone has the capacity to hurt anyone, it will be him hurting me. He is alpha and he is lord. I cannot hurt him," I said, and she shook her head. "The only people that can hurt him are you and me, Tamia. People he loves have always been his vulnerability. I am sorry about my behaviour when I got here, Tamia. I really am, and I hope we can have a fresh start," She said, and I smiled at her. Even though I did not trust her words, I smiled at her because I knew it was a lot of effort for her to do what she was doing. I excused myself and headed to Sylvester''s office. I really did not know why he was calling me, but I hoped there wasn''t an issue. I knocked on the door, and he asked me to enter. He did not know it was me until I entered. "You didn''t have to knock, you know," He said, leaving his desk. He went to sit on his couch, and I joined him. "Have you eaten?" he asked, ying with my hair gently. "Not yet," I said, and he nodded. "I changed the menu to venison instead of the regr steak," he said, and I realised why Stephanie had asked me the question. "Your mother asked me if I changed the menu," I said, and he frowned at me. "She asked me nicely, Sylvester," I said, clearing the air, and he nodded. "I need you to n a dinner menu for a small event. Would that be too much?" he asked me, and I did not know what to tell him, especially since his mother had told me I wasn''t allowed to make any decisions without her consent. "Don''t you think your mother should do it? She is luna," I said, and he frowned at me. "She isn''t my Luna. Her era has passed," He said, stroking my hand and kissing my neck. "I am asking you to handle the menu because we will host some guests in two nights. I want to officially announce our engagement, introduce you to the council, and pack Alphas in the north and west. I need you to pick the venue for the event too," he said. I did not know how Stephanie would feel about me doing this, but I did not want to bring it up. After what Sylvester did to his brother because of me, I did not want to cause any more damage. "Okay, I will try," I said, and he smiled and kissed my neck, making a light moan escape my lips. He had that effect on me. "I will need a little more than that," He said, gently nibbling my earlobe. He knew what he was doing, and I knew that was also why he had called me to the office. He was a bit stressed out. "Are you sure that is all you want to discuss?" I teased him, and he continued what he was doing. I headed to the Beta''s wing after I had finished with Sylvester. He was a bit wild in the office, which drained me a bit. I also needed to do something about my weakness because it was telling on me. I wondered if it was telling on Leo the same way. I hoped not because Bane never fought fair, and he would need all his strength to push back. I tried not to think of Leo and knocked on Avery''s door. She was there with Linda. I heard their voices. "It is open," She said, and I walked in. Avery was scolding Linda about something, and I wondered what it was. "What is going on?" I asked, and Avery looked at me. They were sitting in the sitting section of the bedroom with tea, juice and biscuits. Avery was living the life of a queen. "Linda really wants to mess her life up. We have all been given second chances, and she has thrown hers away," I said and frowned at Linda, who looked away. It was clear she was uninterested. "Kyle maltreated you but making another man pay for his mistakes is totally wrong, Linda," Avery said, and I knew it had to do with Theodore. "What happened?" I asked, and she looked at me. "Theodore is going to the dinner party with Lilly," Avery said, and I frowned at them. "Linda moved out of his room three nights ago, saying she isn''t interested in anything serious and wants to just be friends. Theodore did not want to have a friends-with-benefits arrangement with her; he wanted something more serious, so he was pissed off with her. He isn''t even talking to her," Avery said. "So, is that why he is going with Lilly?" I asked. "Sylvester told him to take Lilly as his plus one. Lilly wanted to go to the party but could not go without an invite, and since Theodore has no date, Sylvester asked him to take her as his plus one," Linda exined, and I could not believe how stupid Linda was. "You clearly want to remain stuck in the past and remain unhappy. We can''t help you with that. No one can, but it will be wise if you move on. You are too damn young to be miserable." I said, and she shook her head This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. "Neither of you is fated to these men. What do you think will happen when they find they''re fated? I can''t afford to be a victim twice in my life." Linda said and looked at me. "I can understand why you will risk getting burned again. Leo was a darling, and he loved you until the very end. I wouldn''t be surprised if his heart still beats for you," She said and looked at Avery. "But I can''t understand you. Max treated you like shit, and he abused you, yet you want to give it a try again?" She asked. "I can''t risk it. No one can understand what I went through in the cell. When I lost my baby. That is the only reason I kept pushing. I went from Luna to pack whore. Even if I didn''t want to, my husband required it of me as entertainment. I can''t just get up and forget that ever happened to me. I can''t. Believe me, I have tried." She said, tears streaming down her face. "I had it all. Land, money and power, and that bastard took it all and left me with nothing. He gave me to the northern soldiers as if I was nothing. To him, I meant absolutely nothing. Everything my father left me is in his possession. I have never had to be at anyone''s mercy, but here I am. I own nothing," She said and wiped her tears. "I offered Theodore a friends-with-benefits rtionship because I do not want to get burned again," She said, crying. "I do not want to get hurt. I do not want to live in fear and cry myself to sleep. If Theodore hurts me, I won''t recover. So I can''t risk it," She said, and I went to console her; Avery did the same. "I understand your fears. We all have it, but love takes bravery and hope. We have to hope history doesn''t repeat itself, we have to be brave to walk away when it does, but if we do not try and keep trying, we will be the biggest losers." I told her. "Every day I am with Sylvester, I am afraid his fated will show up, and I will find myself in the same fucked up situation I was in. Yet I cherish every moment as theye because I know if I run away and close myself up, I will never heal from the pain of the past, and I will live with regrets." I said and lifted her hand. "We all share the same fear, but how we choose to deal with it will make a difference. That guy likes you a lot. He has been patient and taken it slow. Do not hurt him. He isn''t Kyle and will never be Kyle." I said, and she hugged me and sobbed. "The possibilities of them meeting their fated are very slim. The truth is we were just unfortunate. In the entire east, only two alphas married their fated. The rest are with their chosen, and some of them grew old with their chosen. Even among the pack members, very few of them have met their fated. There are some packs where there isn''t anyone with their fated. Meeting fated mates is a bit difficult in our world, but then some people like us be victims. You can''t decide to not live your life because of that," Avery told her. "Do not let him take Lilly to that dinner party. You know we will be staying the night at the mansion. She has lost her chance with Sylvester; she can never have a chance with Marcel; Theodore is the next best option. If she sinks her teeth in him, that will be it, and you will be filled with regrets," I warned her, and she looked at me. "You should listen to Tamia, Linda. If Lilly gets in, she won''t be getting out." Avery warned her, and Linda wiped away her tears. "I will return to his room," She said, and I widened my eyes at her bold move. "I think you should talk to him about it first," I said, and she shook her head. "I think I should act. He won''t kick me out," She said, and I realised she really liked the guy, but she was too afraid to let herself show it. We discussed our outfits for the event, and Linda was a bit more rxed. I requested that they help me with the impromptu dinner Sylvester had asked me to organise. They were ted, and slowly it dawned on me that this was really happening. I was going to be the luna. 36 Engagement Dinner 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. 37. Down South. 37. Down South. ~Devin~ Since the dinner party where I found Tamia, I haven''t been able to sleep. I stayed awake most nights, wondering what to do. I had just agreed to an alliance with the east; it would be wrong to ask the leader to part with his wife because she was my fated. I knew she wasn''t an Alpha breed when she couldn''t sense me and convincing her she was mine was going to beplicated. The situation between her and Leo made me hopeful, but I wanted to wait a bit. I knew Leo wouldn''t hold on to her for too long, and I hoped to im her when they decided to call it quits. Little did I know Volkov woulde calling, bullying his way through. As much as I had tried to ignore the Volkovs, they always had a way of messing with me. First, it was my parents and my youth. Because of Maurice, my father died early, and I could not be a normal teenager because I had to take over. Now Sylvester has taken my fated. Attacking the estate in the north was stupid, and many lives were lost in the process, but I was desperate. I couldn''t take it anymore. My wolf, Rex, was in pain, and I was hurting every day, knowing that, just like my mother, I might never see my fated again. When Leo asked me if I had told Sylvester that Tamia was my fated, I could not help but chuckle. The Volkovs never let go of what they have taken. They are called trophies for a reason. They are keepsakes, living proof that they have conquered a ce. I did not know what to do, and as time passed, I became more desperate. I had to respect Leo for calling a meeting because just as he had heard that I was going to attack the east to take over the rest of the east, I had heard that he would attack me to take back the part of the east that joined the South. The man did not like trouble, which was one of his strengths. I decided I would be more careful before acting because someone or some people were clearly trying to knock our heads together. It still hurt that Kyle thought I would orchestrate the attack against the western borders. Honestly, I believed Kyle did it, and when it went south, he denied it, but as the days passed, I began to suspect that Sylvester might have orchestrated the entire thing so he could have a reason to attack the east and subdue them. If only Leo could see that it would be wrong to keep allowing the mad lord to rule us. How many more do we have to give? Even though Leo did not want to go after Sylvester, I will. For Tamia''s sake, I will. The universe made her for me, fate gave her to me, and I wasn''t willing to let go. Leo told me Sylvester and Tamia were together, and it repulsed me. I was sure she was only doing what she could to survive. I would do the same in her shoes. Her time living with Leo and sharing him with Amanda must have hurt her so deeply that her captivity would be bliss. Iter learned that she had written to several alphas in the South to grant her permission to own land and property in their territories. She was actively making efforts to leave Leo. Why didn''t she write to me? Why didn''t she tell me her ns the day we danced and I held her in my arms? I did not know what to do and felt I was running out of time. "We can''t continue like this," Rex, my wolf, said, and I sighed. I was lying on the grass at the back of my house in the garden. I lived alone. I had lived alone since my father passed away. I never dated anyone seriously, and I never brought a woman home. I wanted to wait for my fated, and I always let the person I was dating know that I was waiting for my fated. How could I be so unlucky? "We can''t let Sylvester keep her, Devin," Rex said, growling in my head. He was in pain too. "I am moving as fast as I can. When we strike, we have to get it right," I told my wolf, and he was silent. It wasn''t because he was happy about my response; he knew I was right. The alpha of the western pack, whose territory was attacked for taxes, was on his way to visit me. I wasnt ready for the visit because of my mental state, but I had no choice but to be nice. I was only d that I was able to help. I dragged my feet and got ready to head to my office and wait for my guest, Alpha Brighton. I arrived at the office and waited for him. The man eventually arrived, apologising that he had a long night because he had to go to a dinner party at the Volkov estate. I offered him a drink, and he epted. "Thank you so much, Alpha Devin, for helping us. The north speaks poorly of you, but it is them that are savages," he said, gulping his drink. The man was annoyed. He did not look like he got much rest, and his appearance was messy and unkempt. His shirt wasn''t tucked in, and he had sandals on. "That overprivileged bastard did not have the decency to allow us to mourn our dead. He pretended he did not attack my pack and decided to invite us to his engagement party. I can''t believe someone agreed to marry the bastard. I learned she was a luna from the east. One of his trophies. Beautiful, too, I must say. Tamia Albert.." He said, ranting, but he had lost me with those words. "Did you say, Tamia Albert?" I asked him, and he nodded. "Pretty woman. Too bad she would be tied to the scum. I must say she seemed happy for a captive. I could not tell if it were pretence or that it was her actual state of mind," The man said, and he had lost mepletely. My heart began to beat fast, and my hands were shaking. I was filled with anger and fear and battling tears from falling. There was just so much I could take. Rex began to growl in my head. How would she be able to sense our bond wearing Sylvester''s mark? I was angry. I guessed Leo wasn''t lying when he said they had fallen in love. I needed to find a way to see her before he imed her. I needed her to know that she belonged to me. "Alpha Corrigan, are you alright?" Alpha Brighton asked me, and I tried topose myself and smiled at him. "Yes, I am," I said, and he drank the scotch and smiled. "Who would have guessed the bastard would settle? I learned his woman left him many years ago and came down south. She must have realised how fucked up the family was and didn''t want to be a part of it. I say she dodged a bullet. I learned he searched for her for a bit and then let go. I guess he has finally decided to move on. Or maybe, just like his father, he is making this Tamia woman his baby machine. He is the wolf lord; he needs an heir," The man said, and I balled my fist in anger. The man looked at me and smiled. "I do not know how I can pay you back for showing my people sympathy even though you are enemies with the north. I will do whatever you want, just to show my kindness. We have agreed to pay the taxes imposed on us to avoid any future attacks," the man said with sadness in his eyes. "How will your people manage?" I asked him, knowing it would be too much for them. I had to hide my emotions. It was taking a lot of effort. "I guess we will keep paying until we can no longer pay. When that happens, we will all abandon our land and spread out into different packs," He said, and I felt sorry for him. I wondered how Sylvester Volkov could be so cruel. To think he would be marrying my Tamia, I did not want to imagine the horrors she would endure with him. Alpha Brighton finally left. My insides were shaking, and I was in turmoil. I left the office, shifted into Rex and ran toward the woods howling. I was in pain. I was confused and did not know what to do. N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. As things were, I had to get my Tamia back between now and the blue moon. I doubted my army would be ready by then. I honestly did not want to be lord anymore. I just wanted my fated. I howled, pleading to the powers that be to please help me. There was no way I would be able to function without her. Tamia was all I had dreamed about since I saw her. I knew I could not afford to lose her to anyone. I needed to try harder and move faster. I nned on pleading with Leo for help. Since he writes to her, maybe he could tell her about me, about our bond. That may help. It was a long shot because Sylvester might intercept the letter, and he might end up knowing and make sure I never see her, but I did not know what to do. I nned on finding a way, even if it meant risking my life and going to the north just so she could see me and know. I prayed really hard that I emerge the victor in all this because I had suffered enough to be deprived of my happy ending. 38 Northern Politics 38 Northern Politics ~Sylvester~ Tamia looked exquisite at the engagement dinner, and I enjoyed unting her. I could see the eyes that lusted for her, which made me proud. I honestly could not believe I was finally taking the big step. I was grateful for whom I was taking it with. Since Tamia came into my life, she has made me feel things I thought were dead and others I did not know existed. I watched her smile and respond to the people, and my heart swelled with pride. The fact that she and my mother were finally getting along made my heart rejoice. As much as Dominic tried to make her seem like trash, I caught him staring at her lustfully and had to link him a few times when it got too obvious. Tamia was a gem, and she was mine. I could not wait for the blue moon toe. I danced with my mother, and she was grateful for the gesture, which Dominic was supposed to do, but I guess he was too dumb to realise it. People congratted us and wished us well. I prayed for some of their wishes toe true, especially those involving babies. To be honest with myself, I was a bit jealous of Theodore, and in those moments, I wanted Tamia and me to have that news to share too. I wasn''t going to rush her; I believed it would happen. Vino was very friendly and polite, and he seemed to adore Tamia. Looking at how most people took to Tamia and how she carried herself, I knew I had chosen the right Luna for the north. The party ended on high notes, and Tamia and I returned to our room . She was exhausted, and I let her sleep. We spent the next few days nning the wedding, knowing there would be three instead of two. N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. I knew Theodore''s family were giving him a hard time about Linda, but I knew he wouldn''t bend. I had never seen Theodore so happy since I had known him. He now spent all his free time with Linda and was setting up a nursery in his wing. I knew it was a bit too early, but his excitement got the best of him. It was finally time to go to Vino''s party, and our women had selected their outfits for the event. Knowing they had nned it for two weeks, I knew it would be gorgeous. Tamia asked me to leave our bedroom while she got dressed. She could have as well worn her dress in the closet but she preferred to dress up in the bedroom and I loved watching her. She wanted to make it a surprise. I also knew it was because she did not want us to bete. After watching her put on her underwear, I had the habit of taking her. It was always a sight to see, and she did it sensually. She finally told me she was ready, and I returned to my room. She looked like a goddess. She wore a peachce dress that looked like she wasn''t wearing anything but had everything covered. I knew she was wearing nude-coloured underwear, like her skin tone to give the illusion, which was nice. The Viance design was beautifully done. I walked up to her and ran my finger against the fabric, making sure I brushed the tip of her nipples. A light moan escaped her lips, and I could smell her arousal. I leaned close to her ear and nibbled, then spoke in a breathy voice while breathing gently into her ear. "You look beautiful," I said, and instead of a thank-you, she moaned and grabbed onto me. "As much as I would like to ease that, I do not want to ruin your dress, darling," I said and pulled her close. I licked her ears, and she held on. "Take it off me; I want you now," She said, unable to control herself. I clicked my tongue. "After the party, darling, your pussy will be so wet, and you will cum for me repeatedly," I said. I heard Kaira growl, and I chuckled. If the dress were short, I would have rolled it up and taken her, but it looked long and delicate. "Shall we?" I asked her. Her eyes were wolfish-yellow. I watched her battle and try to control herself. If only she knew how hard I was. To my surprise, she shook her head. Undid her hair, zipped her dress from the side, let it fall and stepped out of it. Tamia wasn''t going to take no for an answer. She went on her knees and undid my fly. I could not say no because I was hard as hell, and she knew it. Soon my cock was free, and she sucked it in her mouth, moving and bobbing her head. She used her hand to work on the rest of the length that could not get into her mouth. I looked at her and gently pumped my cock into her mouth. I did not want to cum in her mouth, so I pulled out and made her climb the bed and go on her hands and knees. I rolled down her underwear and buried my cock in her wet pussy. She moaned, and I began to pump. It was warm and wet, and it milked my cock. "Ahhh," She cried with pleasure, and I increased the pace. How the fuck did it happen? I expected us to hold out until after the party. I grabbed onto her hips and guided her butt. I mmed into her, burying my length deep in her. "Ahhh, Sylvester , yes... More," she moaned, and I growled, the pleasure going straight to my head. I pumped and increased my pace. "Please," She cried, and at that moment, I knew we were both speaking gibberish because of the extent of the need and satisfaction that came with the ease. I pulled her body up until her back was against my chest and continued to fuck her. I squeezed her soft breast, brushing my thumb against her nipple. Then reached down to rub her clit with the other hand. Knight was howling in my head, and the room was spinning. I couldn''t see clearly. All I could feel was the intense pleasure of what we were doing. "More, give me more.." She moaned, and I growled in response. Until I felt her pussy walls clench around my cock tightly and milk me. She hade, so I continued hitting the same spot at the same pace to sustain her orgasm, and it lingered. The way her pussy milked my cock made me lose control, and I shot my cum into her, burying my cock deep, ensuring my load was deep enough. I felt her pussy take it all, and soon the orgasm ended, and I pulled out from her. We dressed up in a hurry. She wasn''t wearing much makeup, so she just fixed her lipstick, and we exited the room. The six of us were sharing a Limo, and it seemed Tamia and I were theters. We entered the Limo and headed to the party. Vino received us at the entrance, and I wasn''tfortable with how he greeted Tamia, but I let it go. The rustic hall design was beautiful, and I enjoyed dancing with Tamia in my arms. After a few dances, we retired to the honour table, where the six of us were ced. Alphas, council members, and people from prestigious homes came to greet us. I noticed plenty of youngdies at the party, and I wondered who invited them because they did not seem like plus ones. "Lord Volkov, I hope you are having a good time?" Vino said to me, smiling, and I nodded. It seemed like he wanted to tell me something, so I excused myself from the table while he led me to a private room to talk to me. "What is the matter, Vino? You seem tensed?" I asked him, and he smiled at me. "Did you order the military to attack Alpha Brighton and his pack because they refused to pay taxes?" He asked me, and I frowned at him because I had no clue what he was talking about. "No," I said, and he bowed his head and sighed. "A few weeks ago, they were attacked because they revolted against the increased development tax. Bane was the one that came to their aid. Those parts are poor, and I do not think it is wise to impose such hardship on them," He said, and I had no clue what he was talking about. "I did not increase taxes," I said, and he shook his head. "There is a document signed and sealed by you ordering it," He said, and I was in shock. "Why didn''t anyone tell me this?" I asked, and he bowed his head. "Because it was from you, we did not think we needed to tell you," He said and looked a bit ufortable. "If you didn''t write the order, then someone close to you did it," he said, and I balled my fist, ready to beat Dominic for trying to sabotage me. "Dominic," I said with pure rage, and Vino shook his head. "I doubt Dominic will do this. He doesn''t have the smarts in him to do this. It is someone close to you," he said, and I could not believe what he was insinuating. "Theodore, Marcel and I are like triplets; we practically grew up together. They can never betray me. They have no reason to," I said through gritted teeth, and he nodded. "I get it; I just wanted you to know what is happening. The council is outraged and wants to speak with you about the attack." He said, and I understood why he was nervous about talking to me. The council wanted to summon me for inquiries, so they sent him. "Do not worry; I will be there," I said and patted his shoulder. "Trust me, you are doing a good job as head of the council. Do not let those old people intimidate you," I said, and he smiled and nodded. I returned to enjoy the evening. I nned on discussing the issue with Theodore and Marcel after the party because I did not want to ruin our fun. Tamia looked so beautiful it would be wrong not to spend the entire evening with her and night buried inside her. 39 After party. 39 After party. ~Tamia~ The dinner party was more fun than I thought it would be. Other than the time that Sylvester went to speak with Vino, he remained by my side all through. People congratted the six of us on our uing wedding, and I realised it was a big deal. It made me feel nervous. When I married Leo, it was a tranquil event. Most people did not know. The Mountain pack was small then, and because of that, the activities in the pack were insignificant. We just had a small ceremony where we said our vows in the presence of a few pack members and went home. The celebration was small. We eventually rose to the top together and soon became a big deal in the east. I knew my marriage with Sylvester would be different. It felt like it would be grand, making me a bit nervous. I watched Theodore dote on Linda. He paid so much attention that I secretly wished Kyle could see her. Dominic came to the party with Glenda, but they both seemed to be flirting with other people. After the party, we retired to the room made avable by Vino. I did not want to stay the night. I wanted to return to the estate and sleep in our bed, but sleeping over was part of the party because we were supposed to have breakfast with the rest of the very important guests in the morning. The Lawrence family were very wealthy, and I realised they were the fourth most powerful family in our world. Vino''s family was after Theodore''s family in rank. I could understand why the council gave Vino a tough time because they expected so much from him. When we entered the room allocated to us, I stepped out of my clothes and wore the nightgown I had brought. The staff had packed a casual outfit for breakfast and nightwear for us to wear in the Lawrence estate. The driver must have helped ce our stuff in the room allocated to us. "What is the matter?" I finally asked Sylvester, knowing something was troubling him, even though he did everything to hide it during the dinner. He asked me to sit on hisp on the couch in the room, and I obliged. He reached into my robe and touched my body with his hands. Feeling me, and I moaned gently. "You should answer my question," I said, trying to get him to tell me what was troubling him. He kissed my neck and sighed. "People forged my signature and seal and sent an order to increase taxes in the west," he said, and I was stunned. "That isn''t the worst of it. A small pack by the border in the west could not pay, so someone sent a northern army to attack them. They also imed the order came from my office. The painful part was that the alpha of this pack came to our engagement dinner and did not breathe a word to me. He must think I am a douchebag for throwing a party and inviting him after I ordered an attack on his people. Vino thinks someone close to me is trying to sabotage me," He confessed, and I turned a bit so I could see his face. "Of course, he is right. Someone close to you wants to sabotage you. Do you think it is Dominic and that Larry guy?" I asked him, and he nodded. "I believe so, but Vino does not think Dominic has the capacity," He said, and I shook my head. "It is wrong to underestimate people," I said and paused, realising the implication of Vino''s deduction. "So, who does he think is behind this?" I asked, wondering what the head of the council was thinking. "He says it might be Marcel or Theodore," he replied, and I stood up and shook my head. "I hope you don''t believe him," I said with horror, and Sylvester shook his head. "Of course not, I do not believe him," he said, and I rxed. "Those men are your best friends, and they are loyal. They have nothing to gain from sabotaging you," I said, and he smiled. "On the contrary, Tamia, they do. If the Volkov family fails, the lordship will fall on the Sidorovs, Marcel''s family, followed by the Orlovs, Theodore''s family and then the Lawrence, Vino''s family," he said, and I nodded. "I figured that out, but the truth is if that is his reason, then he is as much a suspect as Theodore and Marcel," I said, and Sylvester nodded. I went to him and cupped his chin in my hand so he could look at me. "Do not doubt those two. If you do, it will break your protection and the only defence you have. I know Vino wants to be your friend, but he has no right to point fingers. I think we should look at Dominic and Larry. But I must say, I doubt Dominic has the smarts for this, but we could never tell," I said, and he smiled at me and pulled me back on hisp. "The council asked Vino to invite me to the council hall for a question and answer session," he said and tickled me, and I giggled. Then he stopped and breathed in my scent, resting his nose on the back of my neck. "I want you toe with me," he said, and I turned to look at him and searched his eyes. "You want me to be a part of it?" I asked him, and he nodded. "I know you do not know much about the north or what is going on, but you are my luna; I want you to observe and watch them. I want you to be my eyes. You will see things that I might overlook or be unable to see. I want you there with me," He said, his eyes pleading with me, and I nodded. "It will be an honour," I said, and he stood up, lifting me with him and mmed me on the bed, making me bounce on it. The thrill was much that I giggled. He walked to the closet and took out silver cuffs. I frowned. Kneeling over me, he smiled. "Beforeing here, I had them pack something special along with our clothes," He said, cing the cuff on my hand and cuffing it to the post. The cuff had a soft fabric covering it, so the silver did note in contact with my skin, but it weakened me so I could not break it. He did the same to my other hand and blindfolded me. "You let Vino flirt with you at the party, green eyes, and I will punish you for it." He said and opened my robe. "There will be no safe words; I will determine when to stop," he said, and my breathing became heavy; I could only smell him. I had no idea what he would do to me, and I anticipated it. He opened my robe to expose my naked body. Then I felt him squeeze my breasts. I felt his wet tongue lick my nipple, and I shuddered. "Who do you belong to, green eyes?" He asked me, and I felt like being stubborn, so I held my tongue. He sucked my nipples one at a time, and I moaned. I felt his tongue move across my body to my navel down to my pussy. I wanted to touch his hair, but my hands were tied. My body was crumbling. "Who do you belong to, green eyes?" He asked me, and I shook my head. I felt him suck my clit, and I moaned louder. He did not stop and was consistent with what he was doing. Licking and sucking my nerve bundle, assaulting my pussy with his mouth and tongue. Eating me so well that I was overtaken with pleasure and lust. Then he stopped and instantly smacked my pussy with his hand, crashing the build-up. I craved him to give me the pleasure he had just taken away. "Who do you belong to, green eyes?" He asked me with a low growl, and I wanted to see how long I could defy him. He went back in with his tongue, repeating what he was doing, at the right consistency, just the way I liked it. "Ahhhha Ahha ahhha," I moaned, and he stopped and smacked my pussy again, and then I became impatient. "No release until you stop defying me, green eyes. Who do you belong to?" He asked. N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. "Myself," I replied, and he smacked my pussy and ced his finger in. me. "Can you do it this good?" He asked me, and I nodded. "Yes," I replied, and he chuckled and then went down on me. He was licking me with his wet, warm tongue and sucking the right ce. "Can you do it this well?" He linked me, and I knew I couldn''t. I did not know what to say, but I moaned. "I know you like it, green-eyes, but I will stop if you don''t respond," he said. I wanted to hold out just a bit, feeling my release close. Then he stopped and smacked my clit. "No, I can''t," Kaira moaned eagerly to get the release. He had driven both of us crazy. I was feeling everything many times more than I did when I could see everything. It was so fucking good, and I didn''t want him to stop. He delved back into it and sucked it fast until my orgasm came, but he did not stop, he continued sucking my oversensitive clit, and I shook and squirmed. I tried to push his head off, but my hands weren''t free. "Who did you belong to?" He asked, and I could no longer hold out; another orgasm wasing. "You! you!" I moaned, and he ced his fingers in my pussy to ease my clenching walls. It felt so good, and I felt relieved, and slowly a new orgasm began to build up. "Next time someone is flirting with you, you remember how good I made you feel tonight, and don''t make me jealous again," He said and drove his cock into me. He took off my blindfolds, released my cuffs, ced my legs over his shoulders and pumped into me. My eyes adjusted, and I saw him. His hair was loose, and he was partially in wolf form. Teeth elongated with dark eyes. My juices were on his lips, and he rammed into me. "Mine," Knight growled, and I knew who was in charge. The waves were shooting up into my head, and my vision blurred. My body was shaking as multiple orgasms rolled through me, draining my strength with the pleasure I received, and it felt so good. I had never been fucked this good before and was grateful I came up north. "Knight," I called out, and he growled in response, pumping viciously into me. "Keep cumming, green eyes," He told me, and I writhed under him, squirming to contain the orgasms washing through me. I am sure the entire hallway could hear us, but I did not care; I was on cloud nine and liked it. Soon he shot his load into me and gradually stopped pumping. I passed out immediately. My sleep was deep and peaceful, and my body, mind and soul were fully satiated. 40 Morning After. 40 Morning After. ~Tamia~ I woke up in the morning with a smile on my face. Sylvester was a beastst night, and I enjoyed every bit of it. Now every time I rememberedst night, I would want to experience that level of love. He did not hold backst night; I was sure everyone heard us. I knew I said some pretty wild gibberish stuff while he took me out of the world and back. I looked at Sylvester, who stood by the window, naked. The blinds covered the window, but he was peaking through the side to see outside. "Did you sleep well, green-eyes?" He said and looked at me with a smile. His hair fell nicely on his shoulders, and he looked so handsome that I wanted him to join me in bed so we could cuddle. "Come back to bed; it is still early," I said, and he smiled and came to join me in bed. I snuggled into his arms and ced my head on his chest. "I had funst night," I said, closing my eyes to recollect the feeling. Heughed and gently stroked my hair. "I love making love to you, Tamia," he confessed, and I looked at him. "Were you jealousst night?" I asked him. "You looked so beautifulst night, and you let Vino make you smile," he said, and Iughed and touched the tip of his nose with my finger. "I am yours, regardless of who I smile with," I said, and he held me tight. "I know, but I can''t help it," he confessed, and Iughed. "Well, if that is how you punish me, then more offences areing," I said, remembering what we did. He touched my hand and kissed it. "I can''t wait to start a family with you, Tamia. I am a bit jealous of Theodore and Linda," he confessed, and I smiled because I felt the same way. "Me too. I felt a tinge of jealousy, and I am eager for that to be us soon. It wasn''t a big deal with Leo, but I want us to be a family, Sylvester. I love you so much that I want to be the mother of your children and have little us running about the ce. I really want it, and I hope it happens soon. It is a journey I am eager to make with you," I confessed, and he kissed my hand. "Me too, Tamia. Me too," he said, kissing the top of my head and stroking my hair. I prayed we get the news soon, too, because it would be nice. We stayed in bed for a bit, soon showered together, and got dressed to join the rest of the guests for breakfast. I knew we won''t being back to the room when I saw our driver walk past us. Just as they ced our stuff in the room, he had gone to pack our clothes from the room. We arrived at the dining room, and two chairs at the head of the table were left empty while our host, Vino, and the rest of the guests upied the remaining seats. The seating arrangement was made ording to the level of importance. I assumed Sylvester and I would sit at the head because Theodore and Linda were on the side, and Marcel and Avery were on the other side. Next to Marcel and Avery were Dominic and Glenda; next to Theodore and Linda was Vino and, to my surprise, Lily. I wondered when she arrived. Sylvester and I went to sit at the head of the table, and people greeted us. From the way some of them looked at us, it was clear they heard usst night. It was only some of the guests that were at the party who were present at breakfast. I guess only a few of us were invited to breakfast. Roughly twenty-six people attended, and there was a wide spread of food on the table. "When did Lillye?" I asked Sylvester through the mind link. "She arrived with Dominic and Glenda. She really wanted toe, so I asked Vino to have her as his plus one. Since he had no date, he obliged, but they are friends, and there is nothing between them. I wanted her to have some fun after being cooped up in the house," He said, and I understood his reason. " Now that you have said that, I think we need to let some women settle in the town. They do nothing at the estate. I know they are your trophies..." I linked with him, but he stopped me by interrupting me. "You are Luna; you can do whatever you like. I won''t be taking trophies anymore. If you do not want them in the estate, I understand. Whatever you decide is okay. I have never had rtions with the women presently living in the mansion, and I will never," he said, and I smiled at him. We ate in peace, and when we were done, we were asked to socialise a bit before going home. Larry walked up to Sylvester, and I could tell Sylvester did not like the man. Larry was with a pretty brte who was staring lustfully at Sylvester, and Larry knew she was; what was his problem? "Hello, Alpha Volkov," The woman said, and Sylvester did not find it funny, but she hadn''t done anything wrong. "Hello, eh eh.." the woman said, trying to speak to me in a derogative manner. "Is she an addition to your new harem? She reminds me of myself, enthralled by you," She said and smiled at me, then extended her hand. "Hello, I am Arya Micheals, his ex-lover, and I believe the best he ever had," she said and smiled at Sylvester. "You said so, remember," she said, winking at Sylvester. He wanted to speak, and I stopped him and shook her hand. "Nice to meet you, Arya; I have heard about you from the other girls in the harem. I am Tamia Albert, his fianc¨¦e and future luna," I said, and her smile dropped. I saw a twitch of disbelief in her eyes. It was blinking on its own, and I wanted tough. "How could you?" She told him with tears in her eyes. "What does she have that I don''t?" She asked, and Sylvester smiled at her and pulled me close to him by my waist. N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. "Isn''t it obvious?" he asked her, and she looked at me. "He moves on quickly," she linked me, and I realised she was still a member of his pack. "I guess I will enjoy it while itsts," I said, touching my chest with my left hand so she could see the emerald engagement ring in my hand. The woman looked at Larry, and I realised Larry had brought her to us deliberately. I realised Larry wanted to cause a problem between us. She walked away feeling hurt, and Sylvester pulled Larry close by the cor. I touched his hand to release the man. "It didn''t mean anything. I had fun talking to her, Sylvester; let him go, please," I pleaded with him so he would know that it did not bother me. "Pull that kind of stunt again, and I will beat you up. I will show you how far I am willing to go to drive my point." He said and let Larry go. Just then, Theodore walked up to us and punched Larry in the face. The man fell down. It all happened so fast, and the room was at a standstill. Theodore was furious, and I wondered what Larry had done to him. "Who the fuck do you think you are, inviting all the women from our harem for breakfast? Do you want to ruin my rtionship? Your actions upset Linda," he said and tried to lift him up, but Sylvester stopped him. "You have to let me at him, Sylvester. Beatrice really upset Linda. We do not need that kind of energy right now," Theodore said, and I looked in Linda''s direction. She looked annoyed. "Leave him alone," Sylvester told Theodore. If I doubted Theodore was an Alpha, this was proof. His rage was affecting me, and I clung to Sylvester. "You need to calm down," Sylvester ordered Theodore. Larry wiped away the blood in his mouth and looked around. Then just as consistently, Dominic came to his aid. "He has done nothing wrong. Why tag team on the old man with your friends, Sylvester? You are a bully; first, you increased taxes for the poor people in the west, then you attacked them with your army, and now you are beating a council member because he invited women you and your friends used, abused and dumped. Where do your cruelty and ipetence stop?" He asked and turned to look at the rest of the guests. "Behold your lord of the north and his goons," He said, and Sylvester was mad. He pulled Dominic by the cor, and I let him because Dominic had gone too far. "If I find out that you were the one that set me up by increasing the taxes and attacking the vigers in the west like you attacked Bane in the south, I swear I won''t say you are my brother; I will end you. Your hunger for power is making you plot against me. I swear I won''t let it go. Not even mother will stop me from dealing with you," Sylvester said and flipped the narrative. Dominic began tough, and Sylvester let him go. "Nice one; try to feign innocence because you know your days are numbered. You, of all people, know that isn''t my style. I know you did it, Sylvester, and I will prove it," he said. "And what will be his gain?" I asked him, angry at how he spoke to my man. "Shut your trap, eastern whore, no...." And Sylvester sent him a punch before he could finish the sentence. He knelt over Dominic and began to punch him. "Have I not warned you?" He said, livid, and I tried to stop him. Theodore and Marcel had to help pull him off. Dominic was in shock on the floor. He wasn''t expecting Sylvester to lose his shit like that. "You disrespect her like that again, and I will do worse," Sylvester yelled at Dominic. I was embarrassed by how people were watching us. "I did nothing wrong by calling you out on your wickedness," Dominic replied. "And what would be his gain ?" I asked in tears seeing how determined the arsehole was to ruin his brother''s reputation. "What is his gain, Dominic? Why would he increase taxes and then kill people in the west? Why? Just tell us his benefit and gain in all this?" I said, and he was speechless. "Do not let your envy for your brother ruin the family''s name and the family. It is just the two of you. You keep doing this, and you will be alone, Dominic. Do you think Larry cares about you? He doesn''t," I said and held Sylvester''s hand. "Let''s go home," I said, and Sylvester was stunned, but he pulled me close, held me and kissed the top of my head to calm me down. In those moments, I did not care that everyone was looking at us. He was all that mattered. Vino came to apologise, and we left quietly. 41 Enforcer Bryce Golubev 41 Enforcer Bryce Golubev ~Leo~ I was sitting in my office when Casper came to me in a hurry. He seemed like he had rushed there from home. I had asked him to take the week off because his mate had given birth, so I knew whatever might have brought him to my office was important. "Envoys have been sent from the north and have just passed Hill Valley; they are heading here, Alpha. They say the Lord sent them," Casper said, sounding nervous, and I knew why. We had waited for the Wolf Lord to bring his people since he conquered us and took most of our women as trophies. I thought he had changed his mind when time passed, and nothing happened, but I was wrong. "Are they officers?" I asked Casper, and he nodded. "Marlo said they were battle ready. It seems they believe we might revolt to whatever news they bring, and they are willing to use force if necessary." Casper said, sounding worried, and I wondered what more Volkov wanted from me. He had taken everything from me. What more did he want? I sat in my office and told Casper to go home, just in case it turned into a fight, so he would not be caught up in it. "I won''t leave you to face those barbarians alone. What Kyle did to us is unforgivable because he was the one that made that man pick interest in the east," he said,ining bitterly. We sat worried about what might befall us. Finally, the men arrived, and I offered them seats in my office. They did not seem like they wanted to stay, so I did not bother to ask questions; I just let them get straight to the point. "Alpha Albert, My name is Bryce Golubev, a lead enforcer for the northern council, appointed and sanctioned by lord Volkov himself," He said with pride. I nodded at him and greeted him. I wondered why a head enforcer would be sent to me, and it bothered me. "We are here, under the order of the council by lord Volkov, to collect on the eastern developmental tax," He said. I frowned at him, not knowing what the hell he was talking about. "What taxes?" I asked the man, and he brought out a document with the Wolf Lord''s seal. "Why are we to pay these taxes?" I asked him. "This tax is for the regions under the Wolf Lord. This region has been conquered by the north," he said and stood up. "I am not here to chit-chat, alpha Albert. I will be back in a week to collect. Please make what is necessarily avable." He said, and they excused themselves. I felt insulted. Sylvester was testing my patience. I might be passive and dislike war, but this is too much. First, he takes my wife from me and now this. There was just so much a man could take. I wasn''t over losing my Luna; now he was doing this. How far to the ground did he want to beat me? Devin was right about this man being a bully. "What should we do?" Casper asked me, and I sighed. "Call a meeting. I think it is time to have a serious talk with our people and know what we need to do. There is no way I am paying development taxes to the north." I said, and he sighed. "I suggest you contact the Wolf Lord, Alpha, before making hasty decisions. I would not want us to make a mistake," he said, and I frowned at my beta, "He did not attack us when Devin and Max attacked his home. This might be the council abusing its power. Let us not be hasty. I think you should ce a call to him directly this time instead of sending a letter. We can then decide what to do based on his response." Casper said, and I realised he was right. I smacked my head for being hasty. Because I wasn''t over the fact that he was with my wife troubled me and made me quick to react. "Very well, get me his office number. I will call him tomorrow and make my enquiries directly from him or anyone in charge," I told Casper, and he nodded. One thing I was grateful for was that Enforcer Bryce Golubev did not decide to attack me. It would have been gory. The man looked like he ate silver for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I wondered what they gave the northern warriors. I returned home to find Amanda cleaning Tamia''s room. I was livid. "What the fuck are you doing in there?" I yelled at her. I was angry and rushed to the room, then entered the closet to be sure Tamia''s scent lingered. I left the room, and she was in tears, her hand shaking. "I only wanted to clean the room and air the space" She exined, and I did not care. "Didn''t I warn you not to go in there? Why did you do it?" I said, closing the door and locking it with a key. "That will always be Tamia''s room, and you are not allowed in there," I said, and she began to weep. "She isn''ting back, Leo. I am sure she has moved on with her life, so why can''t we move on with ours?" She yelled back at me, and I shook my head. "If she didn''t give herself up, we wouldn''t have a life to move on with," I said and sat on the room couch. "I hate you, Leo! All you have done since they took Tamia away was mope about. You have been distant. It isn''t my fault that they took her! It isn''t my fault that we are fated!" She said, and I was angry. "But you lied to your father so he could force you into my home. I hurt my wife in ways I can never forgive myself," I said, and she shook her head. "Do not me me for hurting Tamia, Leo. You should have rejected me instead of making out with me on the balcony. You should have shown her how much you loved her and rejected me. Instead, you held out. I had to force my way in because yourck of rejection gave me hope. It made me believe you wanted me, and she was the reason you were reluctant. Call it what you want. Your actions gave me hope to fight for what is mine. So don''t me me for her sadness or what you did to her. That was you, Leo. That was all you, and I refuse to pay for your crimes." She said and wiped away her tears. "And whether I was here or not, the north would have taken her away. You stood no chance against those soldiers," She pointed out. I shook my head, tears streaming down my face at the depth of truth she had spoken about me not having the courage to reject her. She was right. I caused it all. My reluctance gave her hope and ruined my marriage. Fate didn''t force me to ept Amanda; I did it of my own volition. "We would have stood a chance if she fought beside me, but she gave up on us the moment she found out you were pregnant," I said; she began tough, tears still streaming down her cheeks. "I did not climb on top of myself to get me pregnant. You did. So stop making me out to be the bad guy. Other than the lie I told against her, which you did not believe, I did absolutely nothing wrong. Tamia had left you before she left physically, and you know it, so don''t me me for it. I did not ever n to live in another woman''s shadow, but that was what fate mapped out for me. I am sorry for trying to make something beautiful out of the misery fate brought upon us," She said and wiped away her tears. This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. "I wasn''t supposed to stay in the east. I was supposed to visit my father and return to where I came from, on Kanes Ind in the north. I had a job and a good life there. Everything went away the moment I set my eyes on you, Leo, so stop making it seem like I was the one that did something bad here," She said in tears and took the mop stick away. I sat down on the couch and bowed my head in shame. I was ashamed of myself. Everything that Amanda said was true. I was selfish and weak. I only thought of myself and believed I could eat my cake and have it. I wanted to keep my wife and my fated. I thought I was smart. I broke my promises to Tamia and expected her to be okay with it. All that Amanda said was right, and my eyes welled up in tears. It was a joke. No matter how hard I tried to be happy, I couldn''t be. Amanda wasn''t a bad Luna. She was doing a good job, but to me, it would never be enough because even with the mate bond, I just didn''t love her the way I loved Tamia. Tamia was remarkable, and I was worried about what was happening to her. She wasn''t harem material; would Sylvester Volkov see that and give her the honour she deserved? I thought of my Tamia, and all I could do was shed tears. I decided I would sleep in the living room on the couch, and for the first time, Amanda did note to trouble me. I knew it was for the best. We both needed the space. Morning came, and I went to the office without checking on my mate. I knew it was wrong and nned to make it up to her, but I needed to deal with the tax situation quickly before Enforcer Bryce changed his mind and returned to collect sooner than he had announced. I got to the office and dialled the number Casper had sent me. A deep voice answered. "Who is this?" The man asked, and I swallowed before speaking. "This is Alpha Leonardo Albert from the east. I would like to speak to The Lord or beta on an important matter, please," I said politely, and the man waited before answering. "They went to a dinner partyst night and are yet to return. I will try to patch you through to the beta," he said, and I sighed, d that I would be speaking to someone up there. The beta was the second most powerful man in our world, so it was okay. I waited almost two minutes before I heard another deep voice on the phone. "To what do we owe this call, Alpha Leo?" The beta sounded a bit jovial, giving me the guts to tell him what I wanted to say. "An Enforcer by the name Bryce Golubev arrived with a council order signed by the Lord to collect on development tax; he promised he would be back to collect in a week. He wasn''t friendly about it, either. I want to know why we have been asked to pay this tax?" I asked, and I heard the man curse angrily in the background. Had I stirred the ho''s nest. "Sorry about the mix-up, Alpha. The Lord did not sanction any tax; I will see to the matter," he said, and I exhaled. I was so d I did not spring into action and listened to my beta. "Will that be all? I am actually at a breakfast party and shouldn''t be receiving calls," he said, and I thanked him. "That will be all, sir. Thank you for your time," I said and heard people fighting. It made me wonder why people would fight at a breakfast party. Before he hung up, I heard a voice that sounded like Tamia''s, but it was too faint for me to believe she was the one. I sat on my couch and rxed mind. There was really no need for panic. I began to wonder what was really going on in the north. I also remembered the vige Devin told me of. Could it be that someone high up there was trying to stir up shit against the Wolf Lord? I knew I needed to be careful henceforth. Things weren''t as they seemed. 42 Council Hall. 42 Council Hall. ~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. This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. "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. "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 note. "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. 43 The Concil and Somemore 43 The Concil and Somemore ~Sylvester~ What Tamia did blew me away. She fearlessly came to my defence and put the council in their ce. I was blessed. I looked at Dominic''s box and was grateful that he did note. The hearing would have been difficult if he had shown up. Of everyone, he was the only one that could disrespect me without consequence. It wasn''t that I could not deal with him, but I had to respect my mother and not hurt her by hurting him. Larry seemed disappointed, and I figured he must have nned something with Dominic. I needed to investigate that man. Even though we all knew Dominic did not have the smarts to pull off something of that magnitude, I could not say the same for Larry. Tamia was right when she asked them if they traced the documents. As much as they wanted to end the conversation after emphasising attacking Bane and Leo, I had to decline their request to end the meeting. Pam moured on Leo''s issue deliberately. She said many things about the eastern alpha while watching Tamia''s reaction. I knew what she was trying to prove, but I knew Tamia belonged to me and her heart beat only for me. "Have you all finished?" I finally spoke, and there was silence. Then Vino stood to speak. "Yes, we have, your lordship, and we ask to close the meeting," he said, and I shook my head. "Today isn''t a silent day for me," I said, and Vino sat back in his chair. I looked at Pam. "What did you say were alpha Leonardo Albert''s crimes?" I asked her. "Word has it that he has teamed up with Bane to help build his army, of which they n on marching up north to overthrow you and take over," she said with conviction, and I smiled. "And where did you hear this?" I asked, and she did not look so confident again. "We must keep our ears to the ground and listen for harmful news that can bring the downfall of our structure." She exined, and I smiled. " In other words, it is a rumour," I said, and she was silent. "And you ask me tounch an attack against this alpha based on a rumour that has no origin or facts," I said so she could understand the stupidity of her request. "I also did not miss that you kept looking at my mate while you made that request," I said and smiled. "Let this be thest time this council will try to use Tamia''s ex-husband as bait. It is low and disrespectful. It is stupid and baseless, and I am highly disappointed in all of you." I said. N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. "You all called me here for a question and answer session based on baseless allegations. I would have been impressed if you had done your work, but you didn''t." I said. "While you are all trying to create an issue out of nothing, there is a serious matter pending that we are yet to discuss," I said, and they were attentive. "Who sent Enforcer Bryce Golubev yesterday morning to the east to demand development taxes from Alpha Leonardo? This was done after I told Vino I did not pass that order. Why wasn''t he called back? Why did he threaten the alpha?" I asked, and they were silent. Tamia was in shock. I should have told her when she returned to our room yesterday evening, but I was too angry about what the council was doing and worried about how far they were willing to go to say anything to her. It is a shame that Leo and I can never be friends because I took away his price possession, but I respected the alpha for reaching out instead of reacting. "I need an answer," I said, and Councilwoman Joan yman stood to speak. "With all due respect, your Lordship, how did youe about this?" she asked, and I smiled. "Alpha Leo had the heart to reach out to us and enquire about the so-called development tax. I am d he did not revolt." I said and refused to change the topic. "I asked a question," I reminded them, and no one spoke, so I looked at Marcel, and he nodded. Kappa William ushered in the enforcer, and the council members were silent. "Bryce," Marcel said, and the man knelt and kept his head bowed. He wasn''t allowed to look into our eyes, and he knew his ce. " Who gave you the order to go to the east yesterday morning? Who paid for your flight and commissioned the mission?" Marcel asked, and he did not speak. "If you choose to hold your tongue, you and your family will be tried for treason. Delivering false news in the name of the Wolf lord is treasonous," Marcel warned him, and the man bowed his head. "I honestly thought the order was genuine. Lord Dominic gave it to me," he said, and people began to murmur. "When did he give this to you?" I asked him. "Three nights ago. It had your seal on. I believed it was from your office," he said, and people began to murmur. I could hear outrage and disappointment in the room. I was wondering if that was why Dominic did not show up. Did he know we would find out the truth? Was he somehow on the run? "We need to hunt Dominic down and arrest him. He has a lot of exining to do." I Linked Marcel and Theodore, and they told me they were already on it. "Dominic should be arrested," Pam said, and I noticed Vino was shocked and silent. "I looked at Larry, who was equally shocked, but I could not believe his reaction. They could have nned it. He could have as well been the mastermind and nned it with my brother to be the fall guy. I I looked at him and let my eyes linger on his. "I have no hand in this, Lord Volkov," he said, and I smiled. "That is not for you to decide." I said, and he widened his eyes. Kappa William and his men moved to arrest Larry. " You are guilty until proven innocent. Whatever Dominic does reflects on you." I said, and most of the council members disagreed with me, but I did not care; I was lord after all, it was time to let them know who was truly in charge. "With that out of the way, I want to use this opportunity to state that the east is a sovereign region, and we will not tax their alpha. I might be the Wolf lord, but the alpha of the east rules the east, likewise that of the south. As long as they do not dere war, I will not move to attack them. I do not have lives to waste or homes and families to ruin. War might give my seat and this council money and power, expand ournds and strengthen our reach and hold, but it also ruins lives, destroys homes and brings pain and sorrow to people. My father did much of that in his time, creating enemies for the north and my family''s name. His actions led to his death and birthed grudges from all over. I am not here to continue in his footsteps. My time is for healing, peace and prosperity. None of you should try to force my hand against anyone, secretly or openly, or I will see that action as treason," I said, and they were silent. I had said my peace and decided to end the discussion. Vino ended the discussion, and we left. Tamia sat in the passenger''s seat of the Jeep, a bit silent. It was clear that she was baffled about something. I decided to wait until we got home so we could discuss it. I also wanted to reward her for her bravery and foring to my aid. She was the best. Every day that passes, I fight with myself and Knight not to go against tradition and im her. We had two more months to go, but it felt like forever. I wanted to be one with her now. I touched herp, and she smiled at me. "I am d that went well, " she said, and I nodded. "Thanks to you, darling; you deserve a reward for it," I said and ran my palm up her thigh. She opened her legs to grant me ess, and I could smell her arousal. Knight growled in my head, and I swayed. "Focus," she teased, and I looked at the car in front of us, contemting if I should park and take her. I decided against itst minute and overtook Theodore and Marcel''s Jeep. I needed to get home in a hurry. I parked at the estate''s entrance and made Tamia alight the Jeep so we could rush in. I did not speak to anyone, and it made her giggle. I entered our bedroom and crashed my lips against hers. I was about to get into it when someone began to bang on my door. "Sylvester, how could you!" I heard my mother''s voice, and I knew why. I grumbled, let Tamia down and zipped up my fly. She giggled, and I was slightly annoyed that my mother would bang on my door the way she did. I opened the door, and she walked into my bedroom and pped me. There was silence in the room. I could tolerate her doing that, but I had warned her against hitting me. She tried to send another one, and I held her hand and roared at her. Tamia held me from behind to calm down. Tears were streaming down my mother''s face. " Why did you arrest your brother? I did as Tamia instructed and stopped him from attending the hearing; why lock him up?" she said, and I turned to look at Tamia. I was surprised that she arranged it without telling me. She knew, and her eyes pleaded with me. "Did you instruct my mother to keep Dominic?" I asked Tamia, and she nodded. "I did. I did it for you. You were worried about him and Larry working against you. He was the only one that could challenge you, so I asked her to stop him from attending.." She said, and I knew she meant well. However wrong her actions were, I knew she meant well; it showed in her eyes. Even though I was mad about the implications of her actions, I could not scold her in the presence of anyone. I turned back to my mother. "You threatened to deal with my son, Tamia, so I held him back. Why then this? The soldiers dragged him out of his room in silver chains like a criminal," she said in tears, and I did not know what to say. I looked at Tamia, and she could not speak, which meant that conversation had taken ce. " Dominic forged my signature and seal and sent Bryce to threaten Alpha Leonardo," I said, but my mother shook her head. She refused to listen to me. She was too hurt to understand what I had just said. Instead, she wept. 44 A Family Matter 44 A Family Matter ~Tamia~ I was afraid of the oue of the confrontation. How can everything switch suddenly? The woman imed I threatened her; I did not remember doing that. I just warned her that Dominic shouldn''t be in my bad books. From the look in Sylvester''s eyes, I knew I had overstepped, and I was worried because Stephanie was his mother, and she was trying to make it seem as if I had instigated the arrest. " Where is the proof?" Stephanie asked Sylvester sounding hysterical. " So you arrest your brother based on what her ex-husband told you?" she said, pointing at me, and it hurt. Why did they always have to link anything that happened in the east to me? " Not based on what Leo told me, mother; head Enforcer Bryce said Dominic sent him to the east to try and collect developmental tax. The same taxes that caused the Brighton attack. Bryce imed the order was given to him with my seal and signature, and he said it was Dominic. He even called him Lord Dominic, a title meant for me alone," Sylvester said, and his mother searched his eyes for deception but couldn''t find any and then looked at me. There was mistrust in her eyes, and slowly I began to suspect our friendship was over. "If I find out that you set him up to help Sylvester as you threatened, then you will have me to contend with. You might have Sylvester in knots, but he is still my son. Two months is enough to prove you are unworthy," she said, and I fought back my tears. I was mad that she could turn on me so quickly. "Why are you trying to me Tamia for this? How does she have a hand in this? What would she gain from this?" Sylvester asked her, and she shook her head. "You promised to y dirty if he poses a threat to Sylvester. You promised to do anything to help Sylvester. You might not have used those words, Tamia, but you implied it," She said, and I was stunned by how her mind could twist my words. Sylvester looked at me with disbelief but tried to hide it. I did not know what damage this woman''s rage and fear would cost me, but I needed to speak. "I did not set him up, Stephanie. I do not know Bryce," I said, defending myself. "Yet it is your ex-husband, who did not want to give you up, who has teamed up with bane, that pointed Bryce out as the culprit." She said, and I knew what she was trying to imply. "I suggest you speak inly, Stephanie. You are trying to say Leo and I set Dominic up using Bryce so we can get whatever you feel we are after," I said, and she was silent. Sylvester gently touched my hand, a plea to ask me to calm down. "As much as all this hurts me, I will let it pass because you are hurting, and people say a lot of things they regret when they are hurting, but I will not ept your usationS," I said, and she growled at me and looked at Sylvester. "Even if he was used of such, you should have investigated instead of humiliating him like this. You have wounded his pride with your actions. Taking the lordship from him was a hard blow; you shouldn''t have done this, Sylvester. This is low," she said in tears, and I felt Sylvester''s rage emerging. "And let him force me into a war because his feelings are hurt?" he yelled at her. "Do you know the implications of his action? I would have chosen to push back if Leonardo had not reached out but revolted instead. There will be a war. People will die because of his hurt. Is your son''s feelings more important than people''s lives? Is it more important than the peace we are enjoying right now? Answer me, mother. You say Tamia threatened you; why wouldn''t she? She saw him for what he was. A threat to me, a threat to the north and our world, so she did the only thing she knew she could by asking you to force him to remain so he won''tplicate things for me at the hearing as he and Larry had nned. Did she force him to get involved with Larry and actively work against me?" He said, his hands shaking. "I would have lost the seat today. If they could prove that Imitted those crimes, the Volkov family would no longer be in charge. Are his feelings worth all that?" He asked her, and she began to weep and went to her knees. "You know he didn''t do this. He is not smart enough to pull something like this. He will not do this, Sylvester; please, Let him go," she pleaded on her knees, weeping. "If the investigation proves he is innocent, then I will let him go, but his name has been mentioned as the main culprit, so he will remain in custody until proven otherwise," Sylvester said, and she began to cry. She looked at me with anger. "They had different views and did not see eye to eye on many things, but they were getting along before you, Tamia. I know you did this. I know you think you are doing this for love. I know you think you are protecting Sylvester by removing Dominic from the picture, but you will live to regret this." She said in tears, and I could not believe why this woman wanted to drag me into this. "All I can see is that you need to me someone other than yourself for not raising your first son properly. So you picked the easy target, which is me. I did nothing to Dominic; I won''t feel sorry, I won''t regret it, and I won''t hurt over it," I said, a bit annoyed. "I hope you will be a mother one day.." she said, and Sylvester shut her down. "Enough, mother, leave my room now!" he said, and she was in shock and disbelief, but soon she realised he was serious and stood up. She looked at me scornfully and then looked at Sylvester. "She is desperate, Sylvester, making her a dangerous woman. You need to be there when she was talking about Dominic," She said, referring to me. "I hope you know what you are doing, son. Dominic is the only family you have. He is your only sibling. Just like she left her husband, she can leave you, move on and won''t have anything to do with you, but Dominic and I will always be your family. I know you haven''t felt this way about anyone since Susan left, but do not let your feelings blind and control you, Sylvester..." she said, and he shut her up. "Get out," he yelled at her, enraged. "Sometimes I question if you are my mother," he confessed. "You let him disrespect me and work against me, and then you expect me to be understanding and forgiving towards him, but you are quick to point fingers whenever he is hurting. I do not care if he is your favourite, but if I find out he is guilty, I will have him tried and executed for treason," Sylvester said finally, and Stephanie and I both gasped. She hurried out of the room while I remained. She had messed up Sylvester''s mood and left me to deal with it. I did not know how he would react, but I braced myself for it. "Did you order her to keep him at home for my sake ?" he asked me with a low voice, and I knew there was no use lying. "I meant well, Sylvester," I tried to exin, but before I could say anything, he crashed his lips on mine and pulled me close to his body. His kiss was fierce and demanding, and I let him take me. I knew he needed the tranquillity that love brings, and I was willing to give it. I needed it, too. Stephanie hade to stir up shit, and I hoped she calmed down soon and came to her sense. Sylvester tore my clothes and my underwear. I did the same to him. He hoisted me up with my back against the wall and rammed himself into me. He was growling and pumping viciously. The pleasure he gave coursed through my veins, taking away the anger, fear, anxiety and pain Stephanie had brought and recing it with pure love and a need for the release he offered. I held on tightly, digging my ws into his kin, and Kaira growled and moaned simultaneously. I wished he would sink his teeth into my flesh at that moment and im me. I wanted to be his forever and prove Stephanie was wrong. He did not just have them, he had me, too, and the children we would have in future... He had my love, heart and my life, and I know it was enough, just as he was enough for me. I came viciously, and he pumped through it, forcing my orgasm to linger. And soon, he came and gently let me down. With my back against the wall, he ced his forehead against mine. "Thank you for forcing her hand, Tamia. Everything she said shows how far you are willing to go for my sake, something even she has been incapable of doing. I am not mad at you, my love; I am surprised and grateful," he said, and tears began to roll down my cheek, and I held on to him. I was relieved. Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. "Sylvester, I was scared you were mad at me," I confessed, and he wrapped his arms around me and let me cry my tears of relief. He led me to the bed and made me lie down. "Before we got home, I knew something was troubling you. Do you mind sharing?" he asked, sitting on the bed by my side. I realised he would be stepping out soon. I nodded and sat up. "Something didn''t sit well with me about how easy it was to catch Dominic. He might be stupid, but I doubt he is that stupid," I said, and he frowned at me. "What are you implying?" He asked, and I sighed. "We still need to trace the paper trail for the first order. The one that was done without mistake, the one that you couldn''t find out about until the deed was done." I said, and he stroked my hair. "Larry must have done it and framed Dominic for it," he said, and I shook my head. "It came together too quickly, almost as if someone or some people are trying to throw us off their scent, Sylvester. Let us keep this within our circle, but we need to trace those documents and investigate what happened with Brighton thoroughly because I believe what happened with Leo went the way the culprit hoped. Leo is passive, so they know he will not attack. They also know you let memunicate with him once, so he might feelfortable reaching out," I said and sighed. "All I am trying to say is that they wanted you to find out. Whoever did this made it sloppy enough for you to find out. They wanted you to know, and Dominic to take the fall. I do not like your brother, Sylvester, but that isn''t his handwork," I said, and he bowed his head. I knew my words had confused him, but I have been an investigator since I was Luna of the east. Although nothing of this magnitude had ever happened, problems like this were always easy to solve. As much as I was mad at Stephanie for trying to make me look like the bad guy, she was his mother, and she, too, knew he wasn''t capable of this. I have to hope for her sake that he is truly innocent because if it turns out that he did it, then it would be a blight on the family''s name. Soon, Sylvester left the room to join Marcel and Theodore to discuss the next course of action. After he left, Avery linked me that she and Linda wereing to my room. I knew they wanted to get involved with the matter. Somehow our lives were tied to this shit, and we all knew it. 45 Extensive Discussion 45 Extensive Discussion ~Tamia~ Avery and Linda arrived in my room a few minutes after they had linked me. They sat on the couch while I dressed up in Sylvester''s clothes. What happened with his mother baffled me, and I was nervous about what to expect from the woman. The switch was disturbing, and somehow I knew it would not be easy onwards. I did not need to guess whose side Sylvester was on. Stephanie had picked a dangerous game because I was bound to win. I joined Avery and Linda on the couch, then linked the staff to serve us tea and biscuits. "What is with Stephanie?" Avery asked me, looking curious. "She was drinking in the lounge of this wing, and we went to say hello. She was very nasty to us. Calling us whores, backstabbers, thieves, name it, Tamia. She looked like she was out of it," Avery said, and I sighed sadly. "She is unhappy about what happened with Dominic and believes I was the mastermind behind his arrest. I am officially her enemy now," I said, and Linda hissed. "That is pathetic and silly. What do you have to gain from that? You already have it all. You will be thedy of the north in two months. Sylvester is indisputably yours. She is silly," Linda said, sounding irritated. "Actually, I did ask her to make sure that Dominic does not show up at the hearing, and I did imply that I will go against him if he troubles Sylvester," I confessed, and Linda rolled her eyes. "So what? The arsehole deserves it and much more. Sometimes I suspect she didn''t give birth to Sylvester because of the way she is quick to side with Dominic against him, even if Dominic is in the wrong, and that douchebag is always in the wrong. I think it is an odd situation. I can understand favouritism, but this is too damn much. Screw her. We do not need her as our friend." Linda said, and I giggled Linda made a lot of sense, but I knew Stephanie was Sylvester''s mother. "She disagrees with Sylvester''s policies. She wanted him to get justice for her husband. She wanted him to expand.." I said, and Avery began tough, interrupting me in the process. "Really, who will get justice for all the people her husband wronged? Her husband ruined lives and wrecked homes. Bane is a hero. I do not care what people say," Avery said, and I covered her mouth. "Please do not say things like that. The walls have ears, and we do not want Stephanie to have anything against us." I said, and Lindaughed. Just then, Nancy walked in with our tea and biscuits, and I was worried she might have heard Avery. She was about to leave when I stopped her. "I am sorry for what I am about to do, Nancy, but I will need you to taste the food. A lot is happening right now, and I am just being careful," I said, and Nancy smiled. "It is alright, Luna," she said, tasted our teas, and ate our biscuits. She stood for about ten minutes before I apologised and dismissed her. "What was that about?" Avery asked, biting into her biscuit. I ced the tea by my nose, and the scent was a bit strong, so I put it down and opted to drink the cranberry variation instead of the ck tea. "Stephanie hates us, and she was married to a psycho. I do not want to make mistakes," I said, and Lindaughed. "What is wrong with the tea?" Avery asked me, and I shook my head. "The smell is a bit too strong this afternoon. I wonder if the brand is what we are used to. I will ask Nancy." I said, and she nodded and opted to take the cranberry variation, too; likewise, Linda. "So, who do you think it is?" Avery asked me the real reason they hade. "I doubt it is Dominic; I think someone set him up to throw us off their scent. He is the most obvious culprit. It is just too easy," I said, and Lindaughed. "Sometimes life can be easy, and the truth might really be what it is. Just look at how easily we found love again," she said, and I nodded. "I am not disputing the fact that he might have a hand in this. Possibly, he did it, but he was too stupid to cover his tracks. It is a possibility, but between Brighton''s attack and this, it does not seem like the same person." I said, and Avery nodded. " I agree, but it still does not mean Dominic is innocent. He might have miscalcted or tried to copy the original crime hoping it would go a certain way," she said, and it made a lot of sense. "Dominic was desperate to take over from his brother. The issue with Brighton must have given him the idea to try to replicate the same scenario with an alpha alleged to have teamed up with the enemy of the north. Either way, it would be a winning situation; it would have caused a war or forced Sylvester to step down." I said, and Linda frowned. "But if Sylvester steps down, it would leave the Volkov''s line and go to the Sidorovs, then the Orlovs. If neither Marcel nor Theodore cuts it, the north will have to choose between Dominic and Vino to lead them. Neither of them is an alpha, but they would likely lean towards Dominic." Linda said, and I nodded. "You can put it that way, but we also have to consider Dominic''s friendship with Larry. Larry is the eldest on the council. He hates Sylvester and believes Dominic should take over from him. The man must have assured Dominic that he would force the council to endorse him. In exchange, Dominic will be his puppet and wage war, increase the power of the seat and the council and enrich the north," I said, and they were silent. "So, how is Sylvester handling it?" Avery asked, and I could not answer that question because I did not know. "I think we should investigate this thing like we used to do back in the east," Linda said. "I do not think Theodore would want you to get involved," I said, and she rolled her eyes. She wanted to do this for the thrill. " Let us bring it up during dinner," I said to them, and Avery agreed. I decided to tell them what I really wanted. "I know this might sound crazy." I began, and everyone was attentive. "It might even be unnecessary. There might be nothing to it," I said and sighed. "But we need to investigate Stephanie," I said, and Avery frowned. "Why? The woman is clearly unstable and a psycho, but that would be a waste of time because she would not want to work against her sons. There is no way she would set either of them up. She is also a victim in this," Avery said, and I nodded at my friend. "I am not asking that we investigate her because of the event. She has no hand in this and can never actively work against her son. But I need to know what she has in store for Sylvester. She is always quick to side with Dominic against him, and there is that issue of Sylvester not wanting to get the revenge she wanted so badly. I need to protect my man from a woman that is hurting and trying tosh out." I said and sighed. ''''He told her to get out," I confessed, and Linda gasped. "And he sided with me against her. You needed to see the rage and scorn on her face when she realised he wouldn''t back her up. She said many implicating things that she only got away with because Sylvester is her son. There is no way Stephanie is going to let what happened today go. No matter what happens, I need to be a step ahead of her, and I need help," I said, and Linda smiled. Just then, I felt nauseous and rushed to the bathroom to vomit. "What is the matter with you?" Linda asked me, and they joined me in the bathroom. Other than the tea and biscuits I ingested, there was nothing in my stomach. So when I threw everything up, I sat by the toilet seat, heaving. Avery poured cold water overhead, and I sighed with relief because I was burning up. "What is wrong with you?" Linda asked, looking concerned, and I shook my head "I guess I am reacting to something in the tea or biscuits. It might also be because of the up-and- down feeling today. Everything has been crazy." I said, feeling better. "Maybe you should rest," Avery said, and we left the bathroom and went back to the couch. N?velDrama.Org content. We talked about other things, watched a movie, and then they left. Sylvester returned thirty minutes after they left, looking very angry and troubled. He went to the bathroom immediately, and even though I wanted to join him, I wasn''t feeling that great. He lingered in the bathroom beforeing to bed. "Are we not going for dinner?" I asked him, and he shook his head. He looked at me and held my hand. "You look pale," he said with concern, and I smiled at him and caressed his cheeks gently. "And you look tensed," I said, and he smiled at me and pulled me into his arms. I ced my head against his chest, and he wrapped his arms around me. I felt his uneasiness, and I knew the issue with his brother troubled him. "You need to be calm, darling. I know you care about Dominic, and I pray he is innocent too, but you need to be calm," I said, and he kissed the top of my head. "I want you to join me in questioning him and Larry tomorrow. Do you think you are up for it?" He asked me, and I looked at him with a broad smile. "That will be amazing. It will be more fun than anything I have been doing since I got here," I said, and he frowned at me, his dark eyes shing. I wondered what I said to make Knight jealous. "More fun than making love?" he asked, and I smiled broadly, shaking my head. "No, definitely not," I said, and he smiled and tickled me. "Did my mothere to this room after I left?" he asked, and I shook my head. "We are definitely now enemies. I doubt she wille here knowing you aren''t here," I said, and he nodded. "She has taken a short trip, and for some reason, I am nervous because it has to do with Dominic," he said, and I frowned at him. "Avery and Linda said they saw her in the lounge a few hours ago," I said, and he nodded. "The alcohol must have given her a bright idea," he said, and it did not sit well with me. A desperate woman would do anything. Stephanie''s judgement could not be trusted at the moment. "Did you have her followed?" I asked him, and he shook his head. "I doubt I need to have her followed, Tamia. She is just angry. Besides, she is my mother. I can''t treat her like a suspect in a crime," he said, and I nodded even though I disagreed with him. I honestly wished he had her followed. Deep down, I doubted her trip had anything to do with Dominic''s freedom. After hearing what Avery told me she said to them on their way to my room, I knew she believed I had masterminded everything. She had also implied that my position with Sylvester wasn''t a given and that two months was time enough for things to change. I wondered what my new antagonist had in store for me. I prayed silently for the strength to ovee. 46 A Difficult Request 46 A Difficult Request ~Tamia~ Morning came, and Sylvester and I got ready for breakfast. It was going to be a busy day, but I was not feeling up to it. I was a bit tired even though we didn''t do anything and I had just woken up from sleep. I did not think much of it and just got ready quietly. Once we were done getting ready, we went to the dining room to have breakfast. Everyone was there as always, and we ate in silence. What happened with Dominic had brought gloom into our lives. I hoped the matter was solved quickly. I prayed it did not linger because we all deserved better. Our love was still young; we were still getting to know each other and trying to manoeuvre through our differences to ept them and make it work. This matter needed to be solved as soon as possible. "Tamia will be apanying us to question Dominic and Larry," Sylvester announced, and Marcel nodded. "I want Avery toe with us too," Marcel said, and Sylvester didn''t seem okay with it, but he did notin. Theodore requested to bring Linda along, and I touched Sylvester''sp to stop him from making a scene. I could not really eat, so I just pushed my food about the te picking the bits and stalling for breakfast to be over. We finished, and Sylvester decided to go to the cells on the property to question Dominic. As we moved towards the ce, I remembered when Dominic attacked my friends and me and locked us up because of councilwoman Jenny''s death and the attack on his mother. I was still baffled why the attackers spared Stephanie''s life. It really didn''t add up. When we got there, we noticed Dominic outside his cell in chains standing with some officers. "What is going on here?" Sylvester growled. He was angry. "What is the council task force doing here?" he asked, and the men saluted him and bowed their heads immediately. "Your eminence, the council has ordered that we move him to the council prison," One of them said. N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. "Under whose orders and why?" Sylvester asked. "It was a collective decision by all council members. The act of treason is judged and punished by the council," The man said and handed Sylvester a paper. Sylvester did not bother to read the piece of paper. He just tore it. "Out of my house now!" he ordered them, and they shook; even I shook because there was an authority in his voice. We let them leave, and Sylvester''s Kappas ushered Dominic to a room. We followed, and as soon as Dominic sat down, he looked at Sylvester. "What would you gain in this? You already have it all. Why lock me up? First, your woman threatened mother to keep me at home, and now I am being tried for treason. What happened to you, Sylvester? We used to fight, but nothing like this," He said with disbelief, and I could see he was genuinely hurt. "It stopped being fair when you decided to forge my signature and seal and send Bryce to stir up shit in the east. You knew the development tax issue was false, yet you still chose to use that same method to cause trouble for me. Why?" Sylvester asked him, and he looked at me. "Do not look at Tamia; focus on me, Dominic. I need to know why you would actively work against me," he said, and Dominic''s eyes welled up with tears. "If I tell you my truth, would you believe me?" Dominic asked, and Sylvester did not respond. "Answer me!" Sylvester growled at his brother. The pressure was overwhelming, making me nauseous, but I held it. Beads of sweat formed on my forehead, and my vision was a bit blurry, but I tried to keep it together. "I did not give anything to Bryce. He is lying against me, Sylvester. Mother asked me before she left to get help, and I told her the same thing. I did not do this. I have never given Bryce anything or sent him on an errand before. I was stunned when I was arrested, and his name came up as my aplice." Dominic said to his brother. "Why would Bryce lie against you?" Sylvester asked, and Dominic looked at me. "She wants to be rid of me. Can''t you see what she is doing? Mother told me how you treated her and insulted her because of this woman. Did it ever ur to you that she and her so-called ex might be trying to divide the strength of the north? Bryce might have collected money or something from Leo and Bane to do this. They need a reason to go to war. They might have done this to try to create the opportunity to attack. Do you not think it is weird she would just fall in love with you and want to spend the rest of her life with you? All three of you are blind. You destroyed their homes and took them away from their mates. No matter how fucked up their marriage situation was, you can''t dispute that they loved their mates. Do not let them turn you against your people, Sylvester. I might be a douchebag, and you and I might not see eye to eye on many things, but I did not do this. I did not send Bryce anywhere. I do not know why he will speak my name," Dominic said and bowed. "Your exnation isn''t good enough for me, Dominic. I will give you time to think about things, and then I will return. If you do not tell me the truth, I will hand you over to the council and wash my hands off the case," Sylvester told him calmly. "Mother was right when she said she needed to go get help because she doubted you would help me, since your woman controls you now," Dominic said, looking at me scornfully. "Matter of fact, she is right. I am a fool for my mate, and it will always be that way. You are lucky she isn''t evil or vindictive. You wouldn''t have been here if that was the case," Sylvester told Dominic, and tears streamed down Dominic''s face. "I didn''t do this, little brother. I swear on my wolf and everything I hold dear that I did not do this. Someone or some people are trying to set me up. Please do not let them win," he pleaded with Sylvestre in tears, and somehow I suspected the man was telling the truth. It broke my heart to see them like this. I decided I woulde and speak to him alone. "Let us go," Sylvester said and turned his back. "Please, Sylvester, I am begging you," Dominic said in tears. "The punishment of treason is death. I didn''t do this," he pleaded, and I ced a hand over Sylvester''s shoulder. "You can''t leave him here unprotected. He could be telling the truth. If he is, the culprits might try to finish the job," I linked him, and Sylvester looked at me. His eyes lingered on me, and he looked at Dominic and then at Marcel. "Lock him in a protection cell," He ordered Marcel and led me out. I noticed we were heading for the exit, and Marcel and Theodore were not behind us. "where are we going?" I asked Sylvester. "To see Larry," he said, and I shook my head. "I doubt it will yield anything," I said, and he frowned. "We are at a dead end. I need to know who is who in this, Tamia. My reputation and the peace of our world are at stake here," He said, and I pulled him close to me. I could feel his panic. "Let us speak in private, please," I pleaded with him. He agreed, and we returned inside and headed to our bedroom. The moment we entered, I went to sit on the couch because I was tired. "Like I said, Sylvester, this might be a wild goose chase. Either to throw us off or keep us upied. I do not think Dominic did it. I do not like your brother, but I doubt he is lying. If he is telling the truth, it means Bryce ispromised. Focus more on Bryce to get real information. At the same time, Avery, Linda, and I will visit Brighton," I said, and his eyes widened. He shook his head immediately. "I can''t let you go to Brighton. That journey is for Theodore and Vino to make," he said, and I shook my head. "You need to be tactful with these things. Brighton hates the north, and they see you as a menace; thest thing you need is to send northern elites there. They won''t cooperate, and they won''t be receptive. But people like Avery, Linda and me will be well received because they might feel we have something inmon. We had both suffered the northern brutality even though we are to be married soon; it wouldn''t matter," I said, and he shook his head. "I can''t let you or your friends go there," he said, and I got angry. "Can''t or won''t, Sylvester?" I asked, and he refused to answer. "I thought you said we weren''t prisoners here anymore," I said, and he was slightly annoyed. "Don''t put it like that, Tamia," he said. "I won''t let you go to a part of the west close to the south. You will be close to Bane''s region and Leonardo," he said, sounding possessive, and I realised his fear, so I stood up and went to him. "If it weren''t for your tradition and the necessity of the blue moon for the im to beplete, Sylvester, I would have asked you to im me right now," I said and ced my head against his chest. "I can never go back to Leo, and there isn''t anything between Bane and me. Please, Sylvester. I promise I will return. I just want you to seed. That is why I am doing this," I said, pleading with him, and he lifted my chin and searched my eyes. "I love you, Sylvester. I can''t run away from you," I said, and I could see the difficulty in his eyes. He was trying to figure out what to do. "You know I am telling the truth. We are the only ones that the people of Brighton would receive and open up to. We need to solve this matter before it gets out of hand. We can''t wait until the culprit does something that will be unstoppable," I told him, and he held me to his chest and squeezed me. "I will let you do this," he said with difficulty, "but pleasee back home to me, Tamia. I do not know why Bane is after you, but Brighton shares a border with Bane. You have to promise you will return no matter what. You have to promise that you won''t run away. You have to promise you won''t decide to let me go out of fear that we are not fated. You have to promise toe back to me. If you don''t, I will go crazy and burn the world, Tamia. If you do note home, I will be the monster people believe me to be because you would have left with my soul. Promise me you will return to me." He said; I wrapped my arms around him and held on tightly, tears streaming down my face. I had no intention of running away, but with what he said, I had to ensure that I returned. "I cannot imagine a life without you, Sylvester. I promise I won''t run away. I chose to love you, I chose to be with you, and I hope to spend the rest of my life with you. Nothing will change that. I won''t get to where Bane is, and once we get the information we need, we will return. To be safe, I promise not to spend more than three days in Brighton because we would question the pack members too. Whether we get answers or not, we will return on the third day," I assured him, and he kissed my forehead. "Secret guards will apany you to protect you," he said, and I thanked him. It was necessary to know what happened with Brighton to solve this case, and we were the only ones we could trust to do a thorough job. 47 Jake Brightons Request 47 Jake Brighton''s Request ~Devin~ I was sitting in my office when my beta, Lukman, walked into my office to announce Alpha Jake Brighton''s arrival. I thought my business with his pack was over. What was he doing in my pack? I did not want to seem rude, but I wasn''t in the mood for a guest. "Let him in," I told my beta. Alpha Brighton walked into my office smiling, and I wondered what the asion was. "Good afternoon, Bane," he said, and I stered a fake smile on my face to avoid being rude. "Hello, Brighton," I told him, and he nodded and sat down without me offering him a seat. The man made himselffortable. "To what do I owe this visit?" I asked him, wanting to get straight to the point, and he sighed. "I wasying on my bedst night thinking of how to improve my people''s lives when an idea popped into my head," he said, and I frowned at him. "Shouldn''t you be discussing that with Volkov?" I asked, and he had an angry scowl on his face. "I can never discuss my people with that bastard. He has done enough," he said, and I wasn''t comfortable with his words. As much as I wanted to dissolve the rule of the north, I wasn''t comfortable having such a conversation. Jake noticed and frowned at me. "Did Ie on a bad day?" he asked, and I wanted to say yes, but I shook my head and smiled at him. I couldn''t be happy or enthusiastic about anything. There were just two months left to the blue moon. If I don''t do anything and Sylvester ims Tamia, I would have to kill him to get her back. I hope she isn''t in love with him. I needed to do something quickly. "Care to borate?" I finally said, wanting to be rid of the man. He smiled, adjusted his seat, and then looked at my shelf where I had drinks. I deliberately didn''t offer him anything because I did not want to stand up. "If you want some, you can pour yourself a ss," I said, and he smiled and went to pour himself a ss of brandy. He took a sip and returned to sit down. "I know what you did for my people was from the kindness of your heart, and I appreciate it," he started, and I was attentive. "I was hoping you could allow my people to work in your region. Mostly part-time odd jobs in construction and the factories," he said, and I frowned at him. "The ie and experience will help develop my people, and if things get worse with the north, we can abandon ournds and settle down in your region as members of your pack. I am willing to let go of my leadership for the sake of my people," he said, and I knew he was serious. I had to respect the love he had for his people. "I do not think that will be possible in the south because we are highly popted," I said, and his smile dropped. "But," I added, and there was hope in his eyes. "I n on visiting Leonardo Albert in the east. They havend and jobs. Your people will be able to settle and work there. He might even give yound to use to lead your people." I said, and he frowned at me. "Are you his friend?" he asked, feeling awkward about my suggestion. "We are acquainted, and I know they need people for manualbour due to the current issues they had with the north and the fact that some of their people have moved to the south," I told him, and he smiled at me. "When do you n to visit him?" he asked, and I sighed. "I have an appointment for tomorrow. Mind you, I have an issue to discuss with him already, so you will have to table your matter yourself," I told him, and he nodded. "What time do you leave for the east tomorrow?" he asked "Ten in the morning. Mountain Pack isn''t far from Greenwood. I will be there in two hours." I told him, and he nodded and stood up. "I will return by eight tomorrow so we can leave for the ce together." He said, and I nodded. Morning came, and Jake Brighton arrived earlier than eight. I knew he was desperate. I could see his desperation, and I hoped Leo would ease his mind and put a smile on his face. The people of Brighton needed a break. It was sad I couldn''t give them that. We arrived at Mountain on time. I expected Leo was waiting for me in his office. I had tomend the man for being civil. We were offered drinks, and I opted to drink water instead. Beta Casper took us to Leo''s office, but I asked Jake to wait so I could speak to Leo privately. I entered Leo''s office, and he was looking bedraggled. His beard had overgrown, and he had dark circles. I could tell he was not sleeping, but it wasn''t my business. "To what do I owe this visit, Alpha Devin?" He said. I did not know if he was in the right mood to discuss my concerns. I knew Tamia was the reason for his appearance. I did not understand why he did not treat her well when they were together. He must have thought she would always be with him hence why he epted Amanda. It was his loss. "Alpha Leo," I said. "I do not know where to begin, but I need your help," I added, and he was attentive. "I do not know how good your rtionship is with Volkov, but I need you to help me inform Tamia that she is my fated," I said, and he eximed. I knew I sounded like a madman, and it wasn''t far from the truth, but I needed her to know so she would know that her fated was out there and he was waiting for her. I was hopeful that would buy me time. " I do not think that will be possible. She is Sylvester''s property now. I, too, wish I could take her back, but we both know the Wolf Lord never lets go of his trophies." He said, and I realised he had not heard of the wedding. "I am desperate. Please help me. My wolf and I have been suffering. You know what it is like. You have a fated. Every day Iy awake wishing I had taken her away from that dinner and dealt with the consequencester. That way, she would have been mine, and Sylvester wouldn''t have her because she wouldn''t be in the east to begin with. Please, Leo, I will give anything for you to tell her the truth about me," I pleaded desperately, and he leaned forward. "Why are you desperate? I told you Sylvester sounded possessive of her. I doubt he will let her go. She is his trophy. The best advice I could give you is to try and visit their annual sports in four months. The trophies are allowed to attend. I n on attending so I can see her too. She no longer bears my mark. She would recognise you, and then both of you can decide..." he said, but i interrupted him and shook my head. "I do not have that much time, Leo," I said and bowed. "Sylvester will marry and im her on the blue moon night. They have celebrated their engagement," I said, and he eximed. I looked at him. His hands were shaking, and tears formed in his eyes immediately. It was clear he had not let go, and I hade to the wrong person for help. "What?" he said in a low voice. I could hardly make out the sound if it weren''t for the fact that I could read lips. "They are getting married, Leo. I am desperate." I said. Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. "In that case, I will advice you to let her go," he said, and I shook my head and banged my hand on the table. "Don''t ask me to do what you couldn''t do, Leo. I just want you to help me." I pleaded, my hands shaking. "Please, I will give anything.." I said, and he shook his head. "Did it ur to you that she is in love with him and wants to spend the rest of her life with him? Tamia isn''t the type to be forced into a union. I can''t take that bliss from her by telling her about you. I can''t. I know what happened to me with Amanda. My bliss was taken from me the moment I caught Amanda''s scent. It ruined my perfect life. It ruined everything that I held dear, Devin. I can''t allow Tamia to go through that kind of turmoil. It is easy to chase after your fated if you aren''t in love, but it is torture when you have already given your heart to another. No matter how strong the pull was, I could not stop loving Tamia. I still love her, and I always will. If she is getting married to Sylvester, I will advise you to reject the bond and let her be. Please. She does not need to be torn between her heart''s desire and fate. It wasn''t easy for me; I do not want her to have the same experience," he pleaded with me. Although the news seemed to break his heart, he was still looking out for her. "I can''t let her be. I can''t," I told him my truth, and he sighed. "Then I wish you the best, but I won''t help you to mess Tamia up," I told him, and I was mad that he would see my plea as an attempt to mess Tamia up. I did not understand his logic, but I knew he was still hurting. I hade to the wrong person for help. There was no way he would help me get with Tamia. He was selfish like that. Jake Brighton was ushered into Leo''s office, and he exined his matter to Leo. "Why haven''t you taken your idea to the north? I am sure the Wolf Lord will have a solution," Leo said, repeating my words, and Jake got angry. "I can never go to that bastard for help. He imposed development tax on my people and then sent his enforcers to attack my people when we couldn''t pay," he said, and Leo shook his head. "I do not think you should be quick to judge. I do not know what is happening in the north, but I doubt the Wolf lord did that to you. Two days ago, enforcers came here with a written order that we are to pay development taxes henceforth or face the consequences. I panicked, but my beta talked some sense into me. I called the Lord''s office, and his beta was shocked. They never passed such an order. I believe the issue was from the council. There is a possibility he doesn''t know of the attack on your people." He said, and Jake shook his head. " He is marrying your ex-wife. He wouldn''t want her to see him as a monster by taxing and attacking her people." Brighton said, making a valid point, and Leo sighed. "Very well. I still doubt the lord had something to do with it, but I am willing to offer your people part- time jobs. I cannot let them settle here because you are under the north, and I do not want trouble with the north," he said. Jake was happy about Leo''s response. It was clear he wasn''t expecting to get anything from it, but Leo came through. I thanked Leo for his time, even though he did not agree to help me. I understood his position but could not give up on my fated. Jake and I returned to Greenwood, and I teased him about his pack being named after hisst name, and he found it funny. "It was a settlement, and my ancestor was the alpha. It was called Brighton''s pack, and as they grew, the settlement became a vige, and it was named after the pack," he exined, and I laughed. I knew he would soon retire, which was why he was taking all the steps necessary to secure his people and help his son rule with ease. I had tomend him for it. I would have been happier if my father had been as strong as him. Jake''s wife was taken from him by Lord Maurice Volkov. They were only neen when it happened, but he held firm for the sake of their twins and was still holding firm. I respected the man greatly. "I would like you to visit Brighton, so I can host you, Devin. You have been most kind to us. I want my son and daughter to meet you. I think you cane and unwind in Brighton. We might not be developed, but our environment is serene and good for the soul," he said, and it sounded like a good idea because I needed to think, and I couldn''t do that with my mind muddled up. 48 Lying Tongue, Truthful Eyes. 48 Lying Tongue, Truthful Eyes. ~Tamia~ I could feel Sylvester''s uneasiness about my trip to the western vige. I did not know how to tell him I could never leave him. After our discussion, he insisted that we visit Larry. He wanted to get to the bottom of the matter, and I needed to figure out how to stop him from wasting his time. I was feeling nauseous, so I went to the bathroom to throw up my stomach''s content. Sylvester rushed to the bathroom, a bit worried. He carried me to the shower and turned on the water while he took off my clothes. "I noticed you were slightly warmst night but didn''t think much of it. Now you are burning up. What is happening?" he asked me calmly, and I could see he was fighting every fibre of his being from acting out. "It started after we had tea and biscuits yesterday afternoon. I threw it all up and felt better, but the nausea is back," I managed. The water was soothing, and I wanted to stay under it. "Who served the snacks?" He asked, and I knew what he wanted to imply, so I shook my head. "I doubt they did anything to the food, darling. I made the person that served it taste it," I said, withholding the person''s name, and he was silent. Once I was calm, he carried me to the bed. "You can''t go to Brighton tomorrow in this condition," he said, and I smiled because I was already feeling better. "Nice try, Alpha," I said and touched his nose. He did not smile. " Let me call the doctor?" he said, and I knew how important going to Brighton was, so I shook my head and sat up, pretending to be strong. "I feel better. You will be wasting your time. I believe the stress caused it, and something might have irritated my stomach from breakfast. Come on. Let us visit Larry." I said, and he frowned at me for a bit before finally epting. We got dressed and left the room. The moment we walked past Stephanie''s room, I became nervous. "Where do you think your mother went to?" I asked, and Sylvester shook his head. "I do not know, and honestly, I can''t be bothered. No matter who she brings to plead with me to let Dominic go, I won''t listen. Sadly, she does not understand the gravity of Dominic''s offence," he said, and I touched his hands. "I do not think your brother did it, Sylvester. I believe him. He is too proud to beg like that. Someone wants him to take the fall. We need to question Bryce, not Larry, and you must ensure the council does not get their hands on Dominic. If they do, he would be found guilty. I doubt they would go through the stress of finding the truth. See how they handled the matter that concerned you. They did not do any investigation to figure out what was going on. They tried to me you for the crime. They are either a bunch ofzy idiots or against the Volkov family and want you to step down by all means. Which is why you can''t let themy their hands on him." I said, and he pulled me close as we walked. "If my mother only knew you meant well," he said and stopped to kiss the top of my head. Then he looked into my eyes and caressed my chin. "Do not get your hopes up, green eyes. Dominic might disappoint you," he said, and I smiled at him. We left the mansion, and a Jeep was waiting at the entrance. We drove to Lund silently, and Stephanie''s trip did not sit well with me. I doubted she was going to get help. Whatever she nned on doing was extreme, and I knew it had to do with me. I could not understand why the woman would me me for this. I might have overstepped when I went to ask her to keep her son at home, and I might have said some things that scared her, but I have done nothing wrong. I was troubled, and so was Kaira. Stephanie wasn''t a good enemy to have. Even though Sylvester had sided with me against her, and I knew she couldn''t make him change his mind about me, I did not want their rtionship to be damaged. I remembered all the good times we had had with Stephanie and wondered if she had been pretending all along. I doubted it, though, because she seemed genuine. She loses her mind whenever it has to do with Dominic, and I needed to know why. We arrived at the Northern prisons, and to my surprise, Sylvester asked to see Bryce instead of Larry. "You changed your mind?" I asked him, and he shook his head. "I want us to see Bryce first, and then we can check on Larry," he said, smiling, and I smiled back. I could see he was stressed and worried, but he hid it well. It wasn''t easy knowing that faceless and nameless people were plotting against him. I just hope he handles the pressure well. We were led to an interrogation room. The smell of the disinfectant they used to clean the ce filled my nose, and I felt sick but held it. I knew if I showed any sign of sickness, Sylvester won''t allow me to go to Brighton. "May I have a ss of cold water?" I linked Sylvester, and he frowned at me. I smiled at him, so he won''t think anything was wrong. "Thirsty", I whispered, and he nodded. Four chairs were in the room, and one was welded to a desk. I figured that was for the prisoner. I sat on one of the free chairs while Sylvester paced. The water came, and it was freezing. Drinking it made me feel better. Bryce was ushered in a few minutester and kept his eyes bowed. "Look up," I ordered him to look into his eyes. He refused until Sylvester ordered him to. "You do whatever she tells you," he warned the man, and he apologised to me. "Exin how Dominic sent you the order." Sylvester said, and Bryce looked down. "Look up!" I ordered the man I went to stand beside Sylvester. I doubted the man would tell the truth, but I needed to see his eyes. "He called me toe to the estate. Then he handed the document to me and told me that his eminence wanted me to carry out the task quickly. That the east is supposed to pay development tax, and if they refuse, I should use force." he said, and Sylvester looked at him. "Was he the one that asked you to request development tax from Brighton too?" Sylvester asked, but I doubted that was the right question because the council-owned up to it. "That order came from the council", he said, and I now understood what Sylvester was doing. He wanted to gauge his reaction. He wanted to understand how he behaved when he told the truth and compare it to his mannerisms when he spoke of his dealings with Dominic. Sylvester was a master. "Tell me how Dominic called you. When he called, and the time and day you went to the estate?" Sylvester asked, and the man swallowed. "He called me in the evening, and I went there an hour after his call. This happened five days ago," he said, and Sylvester was satisfied, but I wasn''t. "You were right, Tamia; he is lying," Sylvester linked me. This wasn''t Sylvester''s duty. His office ces him higher than this. They would normally send Kappa William or kappa Wilson to do this. Sylvester must care for his brother to do it himself. Although Sylvester had figured out the man was lying, Sylvester''s conviction was not enough to free Dominic. The council will still ask for him and will likely sentence him. It wasn''t enough. We did not only have to know Bryce was lying. We had to prove it. "So you went to the estate in the evening five days ago to receive the order from Dominic Volkov," I said, summarising his exnation, and Bryce nodded. I was mad at the bastard but needed to back him into a corner without threatening him. If I threatened him, his confession might be seen as something made under coercion, which might make it inadmissible. "I can see you have an excellent memory, Enforcer Golubev," I said, and he looked down, avoiding eye contact. I did not need to see his eyes anymore. "I am sure you didn''t sneak into the estate. You would have had no reason to sneak in because you were officially summoned. You must have gone through the gates. Will the people stationed at the gate be able to testify that you passed through that gate in the evening five days ago? Will the people stationed at the entrance into the building be able to testify that you were in that building?" I said, and he nodded. I realised they had that part covered, so I decided to go the extra mile and lie to catch him. "Will the newly stationed guards in the hallway testify that they saw you and Dominic that day? And since Dominic doesn''t have an office in the estate, can they testify that they saw him give you a document in the hallway or admit you into his bedroom or any room for a private conversation that thedies in the harem weren''t privy to?" I said, and the man looked at me. Of course, there were no guards in the hallway, but he could not know that because the person that sent him did not have that information. "I can''t remember the time of day," He said, and I nodded. "That is great, but as long as it happened five days ago, we do not need time. I want to know if anyone would testify to those things," I said, and he was silent. "I do not want to hurt you, Bryce, but I want you to tell us what happened. If you tell us the truth, then Lord Volkov would tamper justice with mercy. We know you went to the estate but had no dealings with Dominic. Which means Dominic Volkov had no interaction with you. What we want to know now is who put you up to it and why you agreed to do it," I asked him and his eyes welled up in tears. "My wife is seven months pregnant. I got a note stating they would hurt her if I did notply. I did not meet anyone. The order was sent to me via mail, and I was asked to state that Lord Dominic put me up to it. They took my Maria during that time, and I did all they asked to get her back," he said, and I smiled, knowing my guess was correct. They wanted the n to go belly up and Dominic to take the fall. I also believed this was to make Dominic the fall guy for what happened in Brighton. Knowing Dominic and Sylvester do not see eye to eye, they thought Sylvester wouldn''t bother to dig and help his brother, and that would have been the case if I had not insisted. "So where is Maria now?" I asked him, and he told us where his mate was. Sylvester ced a call to Marcel to have the woman taken to safety. "You will be transported to a cell on the estate for your safety." Sylvester said, and the man thanked him. I asked Sylvester if he would release Larry, but he refused. Larry had misguided Dominic, Sylvester wanted him to suffer a bit, and I agreed. We returned to the estate in high spirits and returned to our room. The moment we entered, I went to lie on the couch because I was tired and did not want Sylvester to know. "You have to stall the hearing. Do not let the council know what we know. Keep your brother in the cell. That way, whoever tried to set him up would believe he had seeded. It will buy me the time I need to investigate in Brighton. Once I am back, we can have Bryce speak his truth," I said, and Sylvester came to sit on the chair where I was lying. I could see he wasn''tfortable with me going to Brighton but did not want to say no because he had already said yes. "Who do you think is doing this?" Sylvester said, and I honestly did not know. I was more worried about what Stephanie was up to than who was trying to set Dominic up. "You should just be cautious and don''t give too much away. Once you do not raise the rm that someone is out to get you, the person would still think they are winning, but I suspect this is bigger than it seems. You upy the most powerful seat in our world; it is meant to be hot," I said, and he looked at me and smiled. Then he stood up and carried me off the couch to the bed. N?velDrama.Org content. "We will be having dinner in the room. I will spend the night proving to you why you should return quickly," He said, peeling off my clothes. "Throughout your journey, you will be wet and eager to come home when you recollect what I will do to you tonight," He said and sucked my neck. My skin was extra sensitive, and I knew it was on. Kaira purred in my head, eager to receive Sylvester''s love. 49 To Brighton 49 To Brighton ~Tamia~ "Your skin is so sensitive, Tamia; it feels like I am learning your body all over again," Sylvester linked me, eating me up. I grabbed onto his hair tightly and writhed. I felt my orgasming, and I couldn''t control it. Everything was going straight to my head, and my skin was burning. "Sylvester..." I moaned, and my body climaxed. "I want to see your green eyes, Tamia," he said and ced himself into me. He knew I was sensitive, so he was gentle. "So warm, so soft, so wet," He moaned and started pumping, hitting the right spots. My body felt so different, and I loved it. I watched his teeth elongate, and his eyes turn ck. Knight was in charge, and he increased his speed. "Mine," He growled his famous words. Owning me with every pump, my body responded strongly. Taking it all and wanting more. It got into my head, and I could no longer keep eye contact, feeling my orgasming. I grabbed him, digging my nails into his skin, wanting everything he was ready to give and all of him. "I aming," I moaned, unable to control my need anymore and shattered all over. Knight pumped through my orgasm, making me feel like I had an out-of-body experience. If too much pleasure could kill, this would have been my death because he kept pumping, and I kept coming. Every sense was heightened. Everything amplified. It had never felt this good, and I knew I would be wet every time I thought of this and would find myself running back to him. He growled and poured into me. My pussy milked him for everything I could get. I felt his hands shake. He could no longer support his weight with it, and he gentlyy on top of me to catch his breath. I wrapped my arms around him and rubbed his back gently. Satisfied and glowing. Sylvester understood my body. Soon he rolled off me to lie on the bed. Then I turned to the side to look at him. He smiled at me and then touched the tip of my nose gently. "You know I do not want you in Brighton, but you are too stubborn." He said, and we bothughed. "You do not have to solve the mystery, green-eyes. Juste home in three days," he said, and I smiled and nodded. N?velDrama.Org content. "It will feel like an eternity for me here. Not seeing you or being with you for three days would be torture. Please do not let it linger," He pleaded, and I kissed him to assure him he had nothing to worry about. He held me all through the night, and soon morning came. Sylvester made love to me in the shower. We got dressed, and we were famished. So hungry that I felt like biting something. Heughed at my hunger, and we went to the breakfast room. We walked past Stephanie''s room, and I felt a chill down my spine. The woman''s absence and silence troubled me, but Sylvester did not think much of it, so I did not want to bring it up or take any measures, so he won''t think I was against his mother. I could only be lucky where she was concerned so many times. She was his mother, after all, and I know he loved her, regardless of her behaviour. Everyone was in the lounge, and I noticed only Avery was dressed. Linda wasn''t dressed, and she did not seem happy. I sat down and started dishing my food. At the same time, I greeted them individually with the utmost respect a hungry, freshly fucked woman could manage. "You are really hungry," Avery said and giggled. "Alpha must have drained you," she teased, and we bothughed, but Linda did not join in. She was upset. "What is with her?" I linked Avery, and she stoppedughing. "Theodore said no. He said he would not allow her to travel to Brighton in her condition." she linked me back, and I felt sorry for her, but I could understand his reasons. She was at a delicate stage. She needed to be careful. Linda was so angry that her mood affected everyone except my tummy. I ate the tarts, croissants, sandwiches. I sampled everything to eat on the table, and Sylvester was surprised. "I believe they have good food in Brighton, Green eyes," He said, and everyoneughed, including myself. I felt terrible for Linda, but Theodore had a point: she was carrying his child, and we did not know what kind of stress we would experience in Brighton. "You will use the jet," Sylvester said, and I knew if I declined, he would insist. My intention was to arrive there covertly, but it seemed that would not be possible. "There will be a chauffeur in Gad that will drive you to Brighton. The shadow warriors will be with you, but you won''t see them. They are good at hiding and trailing people, which is why they are called shadow warriors. I have instructed them to only interfere when your lives are in danger," he said, and I nodded. As much as I wanted to tell him it wasn''t necessary, I knew those were his conditions. We got ready to leave, and Sylvester and Marcel decided to drive us to the hangar. It was a covert mission, so no one was there except the pilot. Avery and I got into the jet. Wended in Gad an hourter, and I realised the distance would have been torture if we had to drive through. The nausea was terrible, but I kept it together. True to Sylvester''s words, a driver was waiting for us at the airport in Gad, and we proceeded to Brighton. As we drove through, I realised Gad was a big city. I also saw a lot of electronic billboards paying homage to Sylvester. I honestly thought the west hated the Volkovs. "These people seem to love Lord Volkov," I said aloud, not wanting to call Sylvester by his name. "Yes, Luna. Lord Sylvester was the one that brought development to Gad. It wasn''t different from Brighton. Where others pushed back, the people of Gad weed him, and this was the result. There are other parts of the west like this. After the development of Gad, people epted him, and he has been working hard ever since. The west is grateful to be under his lordship." Denis, the Chauffeur, said, and I hoped my work would be easy. The drive was long, and I threw up twice during the journey. When we got to Brighton, I could see the difference. It was indeed underdeveloped. We were taken to a small hotel. It had only twenty rooms, and Avery and I decided to share. I knew we would have to visit the Alpha, but I wanted to rest before I proceeded. I had seen the destruction the attack caused, and it broke my heart. "How are you feeling?" Avery asked, handing me a ss of water. I sat on the bed in our room. The air conditioning was on, but I was sweating. I knew I needed to tell someone the truth. I collected the bottle of water from her and drank the content. She sat next to me and rubbed my back gently. "After I threw up that day, I haven''t been feeling good," I confessed. "Does Sylvester know?" She asked, rubbing my back, and I shook my head. "If I told him, he wouldn''t let mee, and you know how important it is for us to do this ourselves," I said, and she nodded. "Marcel knows if theye here, the people would attack. He felt we should have left the council to handle it," She said, and I rolled my eyes. "Not when the perpetrators are nameless and faceless. We are the only people who can protect their reputation and ensure peace," I told her and further exined what we had learned from the enforcer. She was in shock. "Poor Dominic. I know he is a douchebag, but he did not deserve that humiliation. I can understand Stephanie''s grudge. Where is she, by the way?" Avery asked, and my stomach churned. "I believe she is part of the reason I am ill, Ave," I said, and my friend frowned. "That woman has it in for me. I know Sylvester loves me and will always side with me, but I do not want to deal with unnecessary stress, and I am afraid of the extent of the damage she might cost. I also would not want her and Sylvester to be estranged." I confessed feeling emotional about it, and she hugged me. I let my tears fall freely, realising I had been holding so much in with no outlet. I didn''t want Sylvester to know it bothered me because he had a lot on his te. "What about Larry?" She asked, and the thought of Larry made me giggle. I wiped away my tears, laughing. "Sylvester knows he is innocent but wants to keep him a while longer," I said, and sheughed. "I must agree with him on that one. The old man is obnoxious," She said, and we giggled. We ordered lunch and then prepared to visit Alpha Jake Brighton. I was nervous about meeting him, but I was hopeful. Denis took us to the Alpha''s house. A blonde-haired woman about twenty years old let us in. The Alpha livedfortably, and I was d his home wasn''t destroyed. Avery and I sat on the couch in the living room, and soon Alpha Jake joined us. He wasn''t smiling and came to sit down. "To what do I owe this visit, Luna Albert?" He asked, and I wished he wouldn''t call me that. "Just call me Tamia. I am yet to wed the lord, and I no longer bear Leonardo Albert''s mark." I said with a smile, and he nodded. "So he sent his woman," he said, referring to Sylvester. "He wanted toe himself, but I insisted Ie in his stead," I said, and he looked away and cursed under his breath. "Alpha Brighton, Lord Volkov had no hand in this," I said, and he stood up. His hands were shaking, and his mouth was quivering. "His father took my wife and sister, and now he sent his men to kill my people," He said, and I could understand his pain. "We are trying to get to the bottom of the issue, Alpha. We are trying to fix the problem. Someone is working against Sylvester to force him to lose favour and step down. Please Alpha. If this person seeds, judging by their methods, the four regions would not have it easy," I said, and he shook his head. "Alpha Corrigan''s region is secured. Nothing can happen to the south. I will just go and live there with my people," he said, and I nodded. "There is no ce like home, Alpha," I said, and he shook his head. "What do you want, Lady Tamia?" He asked me, and I was about to speak when I felt like throwing up. Avery noticed immediately and asked for their bathroom. We returned to the living room, and Alpha Jake looked worried. "You do not seem well. Why will he send you or even let youe?" He said, and I shook my head immediately. "He didn''t, I insisted," I managed, and then he sighed. "I mustmend your effort, Luna. Your ex-husband told me the same thing. Let us say that is the case; how can we protect ourselves?" He asked, and I was amazed by his switch but knowing Leo had spoken to him already made me realise he believed Leo but just wanted to hold on to his grudge. "You can call the Alpha, Beta or Gamma directly to confirm anything henceforth. To show our goodwill, the lord will be footing development projects in Brighton to fix the damage and improve the living standard of the people," I said, and the man was grinning from ear to ear. My words must be like music to his ears, and I was d to put his mind at ease. "Do you know the name of the enforcer that brought the tax order and led the attack on Brighton?" I asked, and he smiled. "Councilwoman Pam sent the tax increment order, but as for the Kappa that attacked, he said he was from Lord Volkov. He told us who sent him before they did their deed," he exined. "Did you get his name?" I asked, and he shook his head. "But I can recognise his face," He said, and that was good enough for me. "I will be hosting a small luncheon at the Volkov Estate in a few weeks. I am personally inviting you toe and secretly identify the bastard by looking through the pictures of every kappa warrior that belongs to the north. Do you think it is something you can do?" I asked, and he nodded. "I would like you to attend a Brighton festival tomorrow night. Some alphas will be in attendance. Kindly have your driver move your belongings to my home. It is wrong to have my future luna, Lady of the north, staying in a hotel. I must say, I see why Lord Volkov chose you," He said, as much as I wanted to decline and just leave in the morning. I knew it would be rude and spoil the little progress I had made with the man, so I obliged him. 50 Brightons festival 50 Brighton''s festival ~Tamia~ Avery and I insisted on sharing the same room. Alpha Jake offered to have his pack doctor examine me, but I refused. I nned on managing the condition until I got back to the north. "That went well; too well, I must say," Avery linked me, trying to be cautious, and I smiled at her. "He believed Leo when he told him but still felt insulted until I showed up," I linked her back, exining my deduction. "Alpha Jake Brighton is an old-fashioned man. He expected word to have gone to Sylvester''s ears of the atrocity in Brighton, and he expected Sylvester to apologise personally even though he had no hand in it. It is an ego thing for the old man, nothing more." I linked Avery, and sheughed. N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. "What do you think about Councilwoman Pam? The woman reeks of treachery," Avery said aloud, and Iughed. It would be unwise for us to remain silent all through the room. Being former Lunas of top packs, we understood the politics. Alpha Brighton wanted to keep an eye on us and our activities in his territory, so he offered we stay in his house; I was sure people were listening to our conversation. We had dinner with Alpha Jake, Mikail, his nephew, Iris, his daughter and Donald, his son. His son and nephew were about my age, and I figured Donald would seed his father soon. His daughter, Iris, kept staring at us during dinner, and I was a bit ufortable, but I let it be. We ate in silence and returned to our room. "Donald did not seem to like us. I do not know what his deal is. Jake''s nephew, Mikail, was worse. He kept staring at us. Honestly, I can''t wait to be out of this ce," Avery said, lying next to me, and I smiled. The feeling was mutual. "I am missing Marcel," She said and sighed. "He didn''t want me toe, but I insisted. Right now, I just want to head back to the north and never leave his side. It has just been a few hours, and I am missing him so badly," She said, and I smiled because I felt the same way. I wondered what Sylvester was doing. As much as I wanted to ce a call, it was best I didn''t. I was about to fall asleep when my phone rang. I did not need to guess who it was. I answered in a heartbeat. "Miss me already, Green eyes?" he said, and I giggled on the phone. "More than you can imagine. Would have returned in the morning, but Alpha Jake invited us to a festival tomorrow evening, so we will return after the festival," I said, and he grumbled on the phone. We talked about his day, and I handed the phone to Avery to speak with Marcel. Apparently, she did note with her phone. We said good night and fell asleep. We had breakfast in the morning with our host and his children, and it was a very ufortable one. "When are you two leaving?" Donald asked with a very disrespectful tone, and his father cautioned him. "You might choose to be silent, but I won''t. They are marrying the men that attacked their people and took them away from their husbands. If it isn''t shameless and a desperate act of social climbing, then I do not know what is. Yet we wee them to our home, allow them to eat at our table and pretend everything is okay. Mikail doesn''t have a mother because of the Dark Alpha; my mother was taken from me because of the Dark Alpha. Yet we are here. I say these eastern whores should be ashamed of themselves," He said, and I put down my cutlery and wiped my mouth. His father was going to speak when I stopped him. " It is easy to point fingers, call people names and judge them when you do not have the full picture. It is easy to speak about loyalty and moral values when you have not experienced certain things, and judging people looking from the outside is easy. You call us whores and wicked. You call my mate vile and evil, but he was our saviour. Where was your moralpass when my ex-husband broke his promises and forced me to live with his fated, and I lost my rights and standing as luna? Where was your moralpass when Avery''s husband abused her and her wolf day and night, forced her to live with his mistress and ced the bitch above her? No one was willing to help, knowing what she was going through. These monsters revived our faith in love and gave us the strength and courage to try again. Sylvester wiped away my tears and gave me hope when I thought all was lost. My husband did not give me up; I gave myself up to get away from him. As for your mother and aunt, I sympathise with you, but Sylvester is nothing like Maurice. If you are too blind to see it, you need to look into the mirror and question your morals," I said, picking up my fork to continue the meal; I could not let it waste. No one said anything. Alpha Brighton gave us a tour of the vige. I saw many things that needed improvement, and I made mental notes to ry to Sylvester when I got home. "Alpha Leo has offered my people part-time work to help with the ie. He is truly a nice man." Jake said, and I smiled at him. I had always known Leo to have a big heart. I was d the things that happened didn''t take it from im. "How is he?" I asked, eager to know how he was doing but reluctant to show my eagerness. "He looks like he has seen better days; Alpha Corrigan said he is still hurting over you. I guess he needs closure," He said, and I was hurt to learn that my letter did not give him the closure he needed. "After what you told my son during breakfast, I figured he did it to himself. I think he is finding it hard to forgive himself. I doubt there is anything you can do to help him. Besides, you seem pretty happy. I believe you love Volkov, or you would have used this opportunity to run away. He is a lucky man," Jake said, and I thanked him. "I hope Donald and Mikail will heal from what happened to them. Honestly, that is the reason I haven''t handed the pack over to Donald yet; he is about twenty-six and ready to take over, but I am afraid he would make a bad decision that would get him and our people into trouble." He confessed, and I smiled at him. "He will heal, Alpha. We all do," I said, and he nodded. "I am sorry about the initial reception. Please tell his eminence that I truly feel honoured that he sent you," he said, and I smiled. He sighed and looked at Avery and me. "You women have been through a lot and are still holding firm. You need all the strength you can manage in that ce. The north is a political jungle of people wrestling for power. Your ces as lunas are never secure, so you have to be careful. Too many people want to be affiliated with the north. With all that has happened, the council is only partially loyal to the Lord. He needs to be careful. Maurice knew this, and that was why he was ruthless. Hence why I do not have a grudge against the old Lord. He needed to be a certain way so there would be peace in our world. I know Sylvester is trying to be kind, but someone has to be stern, keep an eye open, and ears to the ground. He might be suffering a spillover of something from his father''s time. I am not sure, but some of us old Alphas know of the power struggle between the six ruling houses of the north," He said, and I absorbed every word and then used that opportunity to ask him to borate. "Do you mind telling me about the power struggle?" I asked, and he sighed. "Let''s start with Stephanie Volkov," He said, and my stomach churned. "She is a nice woman, wasn''t treated well by her family and her mate, but she can be vindictive." He said, and he noticed my countenance. "Is there an issue?" he asked, and I shook my head "Nothing, but I would like to know more about her, and you seem to be in the best position to tell me since you experienced when she was in power," I said, and heughed. "There is nothing special about her. She wasn''t so bright. That was why Maurice preferred his fated to her," he said, and I was in shock. No one ever mentioned that Maurice had a fated or that Stephanie had to share him with his fated. "A fated?" I asked the man, and he nodded. "It was a well-kept secret. Stephanie is a member of the Belyaev family, so no one would dethrone her. His fated''s name was Lady Alissa Pavlishchev. She was from a small merchant family in Gad. Stephanie would not share her title even though the Lord was and still is allowed to have more than one Lady. So she always ensured the woman was presented as one of his whores. Maurice and Stephanie fought about it often, but when the Belyaevs threatened to divide the north, Maurice had to letply. Hence, why Maurice became power-hungry and a monster. I believe the man wanted to be so strong that no one would be able to threaten him as the Belyaevs did. Maurice was able to take overpletely and subdue them by wiping out the Belyaevs and their supporters, which were the Babanins and the part of the Lawrence family, leaving Stephanie powerless and defenceless. Unfortunately, Alissa had passed away before hepleted his mission, so he decided to keep Stephanie as his Lady and the only Lady of the north," He said, and I was stunned. "Stephanie made sure no one ever spoke of Alissa or remembered her. I doubt Lord Sylvester and Dominic even know her," he said, and I could not believe how rotten the north was. I kept all those names in mind and nned to start my investigation from there. The tour was educative, and I was pleased Jake took the time to show us around and give us some history lessons that we wouldn''t have been privy to had we remained in our cocoon at the estate. I also realised that I needed to be extra careful where Stephanie was concerned. She was the type to always get what she wanted. Alphas started arriving, and Jake had to excuse us to attend to his guest. I noticed Iris was excited about it. Hopefully, she would find her mate and not live her life afraid of fate. Avery and I were sleeping when a bang on the door woke us. Someone was sent to inform us that the festival was at full st, and we were needed at the high table to grace the event. We must have overslept. Avery and I dressed and decided to grace the asion as special guests from the north. I suspected we would be representing the Lord and beta. The festival was a full st, and there was a lot of merriment. We stayed away from alcohol because we had to remain sharp. Alpha Jake sent Iris to bring us to the high table. We moved through the crowd, and I admired the lights disy and merriment. Seeing how these people turned their misfortune into joy and bounced back was amazing. They were strong, and I admired them for it. Women, children, and men yed and danced. There were bright colours everywhere, confetti and music. It was beautiful. We headed to the high table, and then I caught his scent. "Tamia..." Kaira said, nervous, excited and scared. What had just happened to us. The scent called to me. It was alluring, strong and demanding, woodsy and musk, masculine in every way. It surrounded me and dominated me. I was in a trance. My heart was beating really fast. I tried to think of Sylvester, but the thought of him never came. Who was this stranger that fate had tied me to? I left Avery''s side and stopped following Iris. I followed the scent. The owner was elusive. He knew of me and was leading me somewhere with his scent. I knew what I was doing was stupid and dangerous, but I could not control myself. I kept telling myself to stop, but my wolf was giddy, and she wanted to know; she wanted to see him. I walked briskly into a garden, and there he stood with a rose in his hand and fear in his eyes. Tears formed immediately in my eyes. My heart was pounding, my hands were shaking, and my emotions were all over the ce. I now understood why. Why he did everything he did, and why everyone kept asking if there was anything between us? Images of him at the party where we met flooded my mind. His attention, his boldness, his possessiveness. I looked at him and began to cry. "Why didn''t you say anything that night?" I asked him. A tear rolled down his cheek, and he bowed. His hand was shaking too. 51 Fate in Love 51 Fate in Love ~Tamia~ What a joke. Typically people are ted over something like this, but my heart was conflicted. Every fibre of my being wanted him. I wanted to throw away my love and promises and ept fate. It was overwhelming and euphoric. All that existed at that moment was him. Kaira wanted to jump and let him take us. I wanted to let her. Devin looked up at me and came close to me. His teary eyes searched mine, and I could see he was desperate. Desperate to have me and make me his. His eyes shed golden, and I knew his wolf was in control. Kaira wanted him. He touched my cheek with his palm, and I closed my eyes to feel his touch caressing my skin, enveloping me in his intoxicating scent. "Mate," His wolf said, and Kaira wanted to respond, but I held my lips. I searched his eyes, and they were expectant. "Why didn''t you say anything that night?" I asked angrily that he had let the moment slip. If he had, I would be in the south and would have never gone to the north. I was angry not because I went to the north, but because he knew I was suffering with Leo and didn''t make a move to take me from him. "You sent me back to his house. You let me go back!" I yelled at him, tears streaming down my face, and he bowed. "You knew I was suffering. You knew I was in pain. You had the power to take it away. You are Alpha, and you let me go," I said and stepped back. "Now you hold a rose and say, Mate?" I said, and Kaira pleaded with me to take it easy, but I was mad. "Why Devin? Why didn''t you save me? Why didn''t you im me? When I wanted my fated toe and rescue me, to take my pain away. I prayed so hard the goddess answered, but you weren''t willing. "Why now? Do you hate Sylvester so much that you want to hurt him the worst way ever!" I said, and he shook his head, tears streaming down his face, looking misunderstood. "No, Tamia," he said, looking at me, and I stepped back. "Then tell me why now? Why!" I yelled at him; my heart was beating so fast. I was fighting myself. "I thought we had time. I wanted Leo to let you go before I stepped in," he said, and I began to laugh. "Leo would have never let me go! I had to give myself up as a tribute to get away from him," I said, and he nodded. "You didn''t want me then; why now?" I asked him, and he shook his head. "I always wanted you. From the moment your apple and cinnamon scent filled my senses, I had wanted you. But I wanted to wait for the right moment, the perfect moment to make you mine. I wanted to do it properly. We had allied, and I did not want to have issues with Leo. I wanted to reason with him first," he said. "If you cared, you wouldn''t have waited for perfect conditions. You would have taken me from him that night. You would have made me yours," I told him angrily. "I wrote letters to alphas, pleading with them to let me join their pack, so I won''t go rogue when I leave Leo. Meanwhile, you were there all along, waiting for the perfect moment that would never come because the world doesn''t work that way, Devin. There is no such thing as perfect. It is an illusion, a lie we tell ourselves, and you gambled me away with that decision. You left me to rot with Leo and Amanda." He reached for me and crashed his lips on mine. Kissing me. I wanted to push him away, but my body responded. He was tugging on the bond, and Kaira let him. He moved to my sweet spot and sucked it grazing his teeth over it desperately, "Green-eyes", I heard Sylvester in my head, giving me the strength to push Devin away. "That is dubious," I said, shaking my head. "Please, Tamia, you do not have to return to him. Come with me. I will protect you. I will fight him," He said, and Iughed. "You didn''t want to fight Leo for my sake, but you are willing to fight Sylvester?" I said, and he nodded. "I won''t let you use me as bait for your Wolf Lord agenda. I refuse to be used," I told him, and he pulled me close and shook his head. "I do not want to be wolf lord anymore; I just want my mate." He pleaded with me. "All my life, I waited for you. Never made promises to anyone, and hoping to find you. Do you know how heartbroken I was when I saw Leo''s mark on your neck? I was broken," he said, and I shook my head. "Not enough to challenge him for me. Not enough to break the rules for my sake. Not enough.." I said, and he bowed his head. "I did not want a war. I did not want our love to be built on war. I wanted to do it amicably. The east is your home, and you have people there. I did not want to ruin the ce. I swear, Tamia. I just wanted to do it amicably. I did not know Sylvester would take you away and that you would end up with him," he said, and I smiled with hurt in my heart. "We do not know what the future holds, Devin; that is why we seize the moment and do all we can. Love the people we love, appreciate them, tell them, and show them how we feel. Do all that we want for them because the future isn''t guaranteed. Tomorrow isn''t guaranteed. So we be a bit impulsive, so we don''t look back on it with regrets. Things change, feelings, time, and conditions; they all change, so we always seize the moment and live in it because tomorrow isn''t guaranteed. I know this and live by it daily, which you should have. If you had, we would be together. I wouldn''t have met Sylvester, known him, and fallen in love with him. I wouldn''t be torn and fighting our bond right now; my heart and yours wouldn''t be breaking. Everything would be as it should be," I said and looked at the sky. "When Leo found Amanda, I ran away from the party and shifted. The pain was incredible, and I prayed that my mate woulde and take it away. The goddess answered, she answered, but when you came, you weren''t willing. You weren''t ready, so I had to face it alone, and someone else had to help me through the healing process. What you feel for me is a bond ordained by theN?velDrama.Org content. goddess and fate; what I have with Sylvester is destiny made from choice," I said, and his eyes widened. "I love him, Devin. My heart beats for him. He was there. He held my hand to make me smile, gave me a reason to try again, fixed me, and made me hope and love again. He was there. Now you hold a rose in your hand and want me to just forget about the one person who loved me through my pain and suffering. The one person that went against tradition, his values, his family, his people, for my sake. The one person willing to seize the moment and live in it." I said and looked at him. "I can''t. I promised him I would be home tomorrow. I promised him I would never leave him. I promised I wouldn''t break his heart. I am not letting you go because of my promises; I am letting you go because I have already given my heart to him," I said, and he nodded, tears streaming down his face. "When Leo told me you were in love with Sylvester Volkov, I thought it was a lie. When I heard of your marriage, I thought you only did it to survive. But seeing you here made me realise I was wrong. He let youe this far unapanied, and you''re not willing toe with me. I see you love him," He said and bowed his head. "And I know the bond can not take that away. The human and the wolf would always be conflicted. Leo loved you, still loves you, and because of that, he hasn''t been able to be happy with Amanda. I see him die more every time, and I do not wish that on you, Tamia. I do not want to be the source of your pain. You were right when you said I had lost my opportunity. Even if I take you and im you, just like Leo, your heart will always beat for Sylvester. I can see it in your eyes. I care about you enough to want you to be truly happy. I do not want my love or our bond to be a source of pain and regret for you. Whatever you do, I will ept and wish you the best," He said, letting the rose drop into his hand. I looked at him and did not know what to do. A part of me wanted to reject him and walk away. Another told me to consider it. I wasn''t fated to Sylvester; what if he finds his fate and betrays me? Then I will be left with nothing. If I let Devin go, I might never have a fated again. Second-chance mates are rare. I looked at him, and my heart thumped in my chest. He pulled me close to him and began to kiss me again, Pleading his case. He was trying to influence my decision with my body, and my body let him. I could understand what Leo went through that night. My mind was trying to seize control, but my wolf and body wanted him. Musk and wood scent engulfed me, and a light moan escaped my lips. He pulled me to his body, and I wrapped my arms around him. "Mate," I heard myself say, and he growled. My body was shaking in his arms. He travelled with his kiss to my neck. Licking and sucking the skin. My vision was a blur; he was erupting desire in me, none like I had felt before. Intoxicating. I knew I shouldn''t be doing this, but I could no longer remember why. Our kiss became more hungry and vicious, and he took full possession of my body andid me on the grass. "Mine," He said, and just like that, I snapped out of my trans and moved away from under him. He stared at me in disbelief, and I moved backwards, staring at him in disbelief. Knight''s voice echoed in my head. "Mine," He said, and I felt my ws and teeth retract. Realising what had happened, he did the same. Not wanting him to im me, I decided to do the only thing I could. "I Tamia Riverstorm.." I started, and he bowed in shame, kneeling in the grass. "Reject you, Devin Corrigan, as my fated mate. I pray the goddess blesses you with one worthy to be yours and you have the wisdom to seize the moment," I said, and he epted in tears and heartache. We waited for the wrenching pain that apanies a rejection, but it never came. I looked at myself and then at him for the pain and weakness, but it did note. He looked at me, surprised. His scent was no longer intoxicating, which meant the bond was no more, but there was no pain or weakness. We sat on the grass looking at each other, waiting for the pain toe, but it never did. 52 Going Home 52 Going Home ~Tamia~ This was unheard of. We sat on the grass for thirty minutes, and nothing. "Do you feel anything? Is your wolf weak?" I asked, and he shook his head. "Wow," I said, and he chuckled lightly. "Sylvester is lucky to have you," he confessed, and I bowed my head. "You were right, Tamia. I should have seized that moment, but I didn''t. It is my loss," he said, and I smiled at him. "I know you will find someone that will love you genuinely, Devin, but please stop fighting Sylvester. He isn''t a bad guy," I said, and heughed. "It''s funny you ask me not to fight the guy you rejected me for," he said, and I knew I sounded a bit stupid. "But I understand. Because there was no love between us, all my longing for you is gone, and I am sure the same for you. I guess the bond is only a guide to help us build a rtionship and fall in love, hence why Leo has been unable to get over you," he said and touched my hand and kissed it gently. "I liked you from the moment I saw you, and I still do. I won''t attack Sylvester because of you, Tamia, but if he looks for my trouble, I will give it to him," He said, and I could feel pain and heartbreak in his eyes, even though he was trying to hide it. "You will find someone worthy," I said to him, and he nodded and stood up. "I doubt she will be anything like you, Tamia. You are one of a kind," He said, and I smiled. He stretched his hands and helped me stand up. Then pulled me close and kissed me. I let him, and he broke the kiss. "I will remember this, Tamia and I will always seize my moment so I do not lose out. If he ever hurts you, you can call on me, Tamia," He said and caressed my cheek longingly. "I will always answer you whenever you call me. I promise you. I do not know why this rejection did not hurt or weaken us, but I am d that other than the heartache, we did not lose much," he said, and I kissed his palm, hoping I hadn''t made a mistake and condemned myself for nothing. He held my hand, and I could see he was reluctant to let go. "Bond aside, just like Sylvester, I too would have fallen in love with you, and maybe I had a little bit that night," He said. We both chuckled lightly. He patted my cheek and left me in the gardens, and as he walked away, my heart was ovee with fear. Fear of the unknown. This was my chance to be with my fated, and I had thrown it away. I prayed to the goddess that I had not made a wrong choice and that this would not end up hurting me. I returned to the party and sat on the high table next to Avery. "Goddes, Tamia, you looked ravaged," She said, and I felt tears wanting to fall. I felt I had wronged Sylvester and cheated on him by letting Devin kiss me and touch me. Tears began to fall, and Avery quickly made them excuse us, so they wouldn''t see my tears. We returned to the room, and I began to cry. "What happened? You reek of someone else, Tamia. What did you do? Were you attacked?" she asked, and I shook my head. "I found my fated tonight," I told her, and she gasped. "Fuck!!!" she yelled and sat beside me. "Fuck fuck fuck!!!" She eximed. "I let him kiss me; he almost imed me, and I liked it," I said, crying. She held me. "This is not good for you and Sylvester, Tamia," she said, and I shook my head. "I rejected him, and he epted, but I still feel like shit. I feel like I have cheated on Sylvester," I said, and she hugged me. "You have done the bravest thing that no alpha has been able to do. I am sure a kiss will be better than running off with your fated. Besides, nothing happened between you two; it was just a kiss. Wash his scent off your body and forget about it. You don''t have to tell Sylvester about it if a reason doesn''t exist. Telling him about it means that it meant something, and from how you are behaving, I know it meant nothing, so let it go," she said, and I nodded. N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. "Who was it?" She asked me, and I looked at her. "Devin Corrigan," I said, and her eyes looked like they were going to pop out of the sockets. "No way!" she eximed, and I nodded. "That exins a lot. The way he behaved at the dinner was weird. You couldn''t sense him because of Leo''s mark," She said, then stood up and began to pace. "No wonder he attacked the Volkov estate for you. No wonder people were asking if anything was between you two. Why didn''t he im you as his at the party?" She asked the same question that I asked him. "He said he wanted the moment to be perfect," I said, and she chuckled. "His loss. Did the man ever hear of the saying Seize the Moment?" she said, and I did not know what to say. "I guess not," she concluded. "Look, darling, dust yourself and move on," She said, and I nodded, "What if Sylvester finds his fated and makes me share?" I asked her, and she realised what was truly troubling me. "I am sure you did not sacrifice for the wrong man, but if that ever happens, I know you are strong to handle it," She said and came to sit with me and rub my hand gently. "I do not think you should worry about things like that. All we can know is the moment, and we must live in it. Tomorrow is beyond our control. Let it take care of itself," she said and lifted my chin gently. "Today and now, Sylvester loves you; I doubt anything will ever change that," She said and kissed the top of my head. "Come on, we need to shower and pack our bags. I want to see my man tomorrow morning, and you need Sylvester''sfort, after which you will have to see the doctor because you do not seem fine," she said, and Iughed a bit. She led me to the shower, and I had a warm bath, after which food was brought to our room by Iris, and we thanked her for her kindness. Alpha Jake came to check on us, and Avery told him my illness had worsened, and I needed to rest. We also told him we would like to leave as early as five in the morning. He thanked us for staying and attending the festival and hoped we would see each other soon. I assured him the party would not be far, and he promised to attend. I was restless most of the night, and it took a while before sleep came. Contrary to what we said would happen, we woke around six in the morning, and I was too sick to do much. I wondered if it was the rejection that made my sickness worse. Denis drove us to Gad, where we got into the jet to return to the north. I heaved most of the time in the car, and my skin was burning. I wanted to know if Devin was affected too, but somehow I doubted it. I believe it was mainly because of my sickness. The flight felt like forever, and when wended in the north, Kappa Wilson, whom I did not like much for pping me when they brought us to the north, was there to receive us. He saluted us and treated us with the utmost respect. I thought he would want to p me again, and I wanted to tease him about it, but my physical health and sadness did not let me tease him. We arrived at the estate, and I was eager to see Sylvester, but none of them was home; neither he nor Marcel nor Theodore. Linda came to receive us, and we went to my room. By then, it was evident that I was ill. "What happened to her?" I heard Linda ask Avery while she used a cold towel to bring down my temperature. "She was sick before we left, but it took a turn for the worsest night," Avery said, and Linda was worried. "Please, get better because Stephanie is back, and she is a terrible bitch now. She has taken over the estate, and Sylvester does not even care," she said, and I heaved. I was in no physical condition to banter with anyone. "Call Sylvester on the phone, tell him to send a doctor," Avery ordered Linda, and Linda took out her phone and ced a call to Sylvester. It seemed like he did not pick so she called another number. "Darling," She said, and I knew it was Theodore. "Avery and Tamia are back. Please tell alpha to send a doctor; Tamia isn''t feeling well," She said, and he said something and hung up. "Sylvester is in a meeting, so he said he would send a doctor instead and tell Sylvester once he is through with the meeting. "He should tell him now. She needs him," Avery yelled at Linda, and Linda shook, wondering why the urgency. She called back and insisted that he tell Sylvester immediately that it was a serious matter. "He said okay," She said, and Avery and Linda led me to the bathroom and made me get into the bathtub filled with cold water. "I will add ice to it now to crash your temperature; the doctor is on the way," She said, and I nodded. I could pick up every scent in the room. It was nauseating. Soon, the doctor arrived, and I was carried to the room and ced on the bed. Sylvester came immediately and ran to my bedside. He looked worried and scared. "What is going on?" he asked, and I could hear the fear in his voice. I wish I could speak, but I was too sick to talk. He kissed my lips, then my cheek and my palm. I heard Knight growl, and I tried to smile so he would be at peace. "The doctor just arrived. We hope he will tell us," Avery said, and Sylvester looked at me. "Tamia, please stay with me," he said, and I nodded. So he would know I was still awake and okay, just feverish and nauseous. I touched his hands and squeezed weakly. He kissed me on the lips and forehead, and the doctor took some blood samples. "How long has she been feeling this way?" The doctor asked, and Avery was too afraid to say how long in the presence of Sylvester so he would not be pissed, but she had no choice. "Five days now," She said, and Sylvester eximed. "She has been throwing up her food and eating much. She has also been burning up." Avery said, and the doctor nodded. "Mood swings?" He asked, and Avery could not answer. "I will need a sample of her urine for a quick test," he said, and Sylvester carried me to the toilet to pee into a cup so it could be used. He was gentle and handled me with care. I knew he was afraid and was only trying to be strong. I managed to pee, and he carried me back to bed. He returned to the toilet to get my urine sample for the doctor. I noticed the doctor put a strip in the cup and took it out. He held the strip in his hands and waited, and soon the confusion in his eyes turned into a broad smile. He looked at Sylvester and smiled, "Congrattions, my Lord. Lady Tamia is pregnant," 53 In The Mix Of Things 53 In The Mix Of Things ~Sylvester~ When Theodore interrupted my speech at the northern council conference, I knew something serious had happened. I politely excused myself. I went to him. I could hear people murmuring, but soon, Marcel took over, and they were silent. That was why it was best I wrote my speeches. He just picked up from where I left off. N?velDrama.Org content. Theodore stood when I approached him. "They are back," He said, and I smiled, d that Tamia had returned. I was worried she might see Leo or Devin, and they would convince her to leave with them. The painful part of that fear was that I wouldn''t have gone after her if she had willingly followed. Otherwise, I would have given my mother, Dominic and the entire council the war they had longed for and burned the south or east to the ground. "Tamia is ill. Linda asked that I send a doctor, which I did, but then she insisted I tell you. I think it is serious," He said, and images of her being poisoned by Jake Brighton just to get at me flooded my mind. I was out the door before Theodore could finish the sentence. People were looking at me weirdly. The moment I stepped out, I hopped into the first car I saw. It wasn''t mine, but I was lord, and the driver was already behind the wheel. "Volkov estate now!" I ordered him, and he started his vehicle. I did not know who he worked for; I will have to apologiseter. We arrived at the estate, and I rushed into the building and went straight to my room. Avery and Linda were with her. She looked pale and sweaty but seemed a bit calm. The doctor was examining her, and I went to hold her hands. Knight was afraid, so I had to try and control myself. When the doctor congratted me that she was pregnant, I was shocked. Knowing that Linda did not feel the same way made me still worried that Jake did something. "Linda is pregnant, and she isn''t ill?" I asked the doctor. "People experience pregnancy differently, but I will still take her blood sample to test for other things. If there is anything, she is already recovering from it. I will give her a mild sedative to help her rx and sleep it off, but there is no cause for rm here. She will be alright when she wakes up; she just needs to rest," he said, administered the sedative, and packed his things to leave. I watched Tamia''s eyes close gradually until she fell asleep. Linda and Avery excused themselves, and I stayed with her. There was a knock on my door thirty minutester, and I rushed to open it so the person did not bang too hard and wake Tamia up. I knew it was my mother. She was the only one that dared to do that. I opened the door, and she frowned at me. Not wanting her in my room, I stepped outside. "What is wrong with her?" She asked, and I knew she must have heard. "What do you care?" I said, and she sighed and bowed her head. "I know I misbehaved thest time, and I am sorry. It was just that treason is a serious crime, and I knew they would want to kill Dominic. Tamia threatened to deal with Dominic if he caused you trouble. You are a fool for her. I was angry, but I don''t hate her. I just went to my family home to calm down and think things through." She said, and I knew she was being honest, but Tamia wasn''t comfortable with her anymore, and that was a rtionship she would have to fix alone. "Your words and actions hurt her, mother. Even though she didn''t say it, I could see it. You called her a whore, among other things; words like that don''t get forgotten," I said, and she bowed. "Do you know she was the only one that believed Dominic didn''t do it? She was the one that urged me to dig instead of passing judgment. Dominic has been a problem for me, so it was easy to think he would pull off that stunt. It was Tamia that made me question the enforcer. She was the one that made me look at other factors, yet you were busy antagonising her and making her feel inadequate. I am disappointed in you, mother. Anyone looking from the outside would say you didn''t birth me with how you acted. You always side with him over me; you never have my back," I said, tears streaming down her face. "Do not say that, Sylvester. I gave birth to both of you. I threatened to disown him if he went for the hearing. That was why he stayed. I also say hurtful things to Dominic, but I have to feel sorry for him. He is the older of you two, yet he has nothing, no position, no charge and respect. Things like that get to people. You have it all, Sylvester; he has nothing. He has to live in your shadow for the rest of his life. It is not your fault, but I know it gets to him, so he is always eager to prove that you are wed so he can feel better. Larry has worked on his insecurities and used them. I was happy you locked the douchebag up. I gave birth to both of you. Do not ever think otherwise," She said and bowed her head. "I am sorry about Tamia, but I am really concerned for her. I knew she went to the west because of you. It was a brave thing to do on her part, and Imend her, but I am concerned. Jake isn''t vindictive, but I can''t say the same for Donald Brighton. He is the next alpha, and he has a grudge against this family. Just like Devin, his mother was taken by your father," she said and looked around us. I realised she wanted to tell me other things people weren''t supposed to hear, so I opened the door to my room and let her in. I signalled her to keep it down, and she looked at Tamia, where she was sleeping. "She is pale," She said with concern, and I nodded. "Doctor said she will be fine," I said, and she looked at me. "Do you mind if I examine her?" She asked, and I did not know how Tamia would feel about it, but since I was there, I decided it wouldn''t be any harm. She touched Tamia''s forehead and palm and checked her nails; Tamia stirred in her sleep but did not wake up. "Did the doctor take a blood sample?" She asked, and I nodded. "I think she ingested a small amount of poison, and I also think she is pregnant," she said, and I was panicked because she could be right. "No need for rm; her system is fighting whatever was introduced into it," She said and patted her hair gently. "She is pregnant," I confirmed, and she gasped. A wide grin spread across her face. "Congrattions," she said softly and looked at Tamia lovingly. "I hope she will give me another chance." She said, and I doubted Tamia would be that nice again, but I kept it to myself. "You were going to tell me something about Donald Brighton, mother," I said, and she nodded. We moved to the couch area, and she sat. "Yes, Ava Brighton. A bitch ..." she said scornfully. "She and Gretchen were brought as trophies. Gretchen was Jake''s younger sister. She was stunning and a looker. Your father eagerly drafted her to join his harem and reluctantly drafted Ava. He favoured Gretchen of all his bedmates, and Ava got jealous. Gretchen thought she was being nice when she pleaded with Maurice to send her sister Inw back to her husband, and Maurice considered it. I hated that bitch because she almost took my husband from me. Ava did not see it as an act of kindness on her part. She saw it as a way of reducing herpetition. The bitch thought Maurice liked her too, and Gretchen was only trying to get rid of her. So she pleaded with Maurice to remain in his service and continue to warm his bed," She said and wiped away her tears. It was clear that my mother''s selective memory was her coping mechanism. Sometimes she would say he had to sleep with those women to learn their husband''s secrets and be ahead of them, but here she was admitting that his method was fucked up, but I held my tongue. "Ava murdered Gretchen in cold blood, driving a silver de through her heart in this room," she said, looking around. "She hade to plead with Maurice to let her say, and instead of finding Maurice, she found Gretchen in his bed naked, looking freshly fucked, and she snapped. You see, Maurice had stopped touching Ava, and it bothered her," she said and bowed her head. "Maurice had her locked up in the dungeon, and one drunken night, he went to her cell and took her life," she said, and I was stunned. "What he did was against thew. Ava was supposed to stand trial for her crime, ve or not. But he acted on impulse, and we swept it under the carpet. No one knew this, but Donald hates the Volkovs because of it. He thinks his mother was brought here as a ve and killed unjustly. I doubt Jake knows the truth," She said, and I looked at Tamia. "Our family has many enemies, hence why the rest of the Volkov bloodline are quiet and not bearing ourst name. It was wrong to send her to Brighton. I am sure they wanted to kill her. She just didn''t ingest enough," she said, and I hoped for Jake''s sake there was nothing in Tamia''s blood or I would destroy Brighton. "Is there a record of this?" I asked her, and she nodded. " The recordkeeper kept a record," She told me, and I nodded, hoping to use it when the time comes. "The council have sent enforcers for Dominic''s hearing. They want to move him and Bryce to the council prison," Theodore said through the mind link, and I got up immediately. "What is the matter, son?" My mother asked, and I shook my head. I dared not tell her what was happening. "Council matters," I said, and she nodded. "I will take my leave. Tamia likes yoghurt and fruits. She also likes smoked salmon in her sd. I will have the kitchen staff prepare her favourite so she can eat when she wakes up; she has lost some weight." My mother said, and I thanked her. We both left the room. Although I knew she meant no harm, I did not want her to be the first person Tamia would see when she woke up. I linked Avery and Linda to go to my room and be with Tamia, then headed to the dungeons where the enforcers were waiting. Marcel was there, and Dominic stood in chains with fear in his eyes. "What is the meaning of this?" I asked, and the leader bowed his head. "Your Eminence, Councilwoman Pam asked us to transfer the suspects to the council prison so they can stand trial tomorrow," He said, and I nodded. "They will stand trial tomorrow; tell her I will be presiding over the case, and the prisoners will remain in my custody until then. Now leave," I said. I knew it wasn''t my ce, but I was going to bend the rules for Dominic''s sake. Someone wanted him to be the fall guy, and I wasn''t going to allow it. "With all due respect, my lord, the council decides on criminal matters," he said, and I nodded. "Then tell them I am overriding the decision this time. If they have an issue, they should face me directly on the matter," I said, and the man nodded, saluted me with respect and left. "What is with the council? Why are they quick and eager to convict Dominic," Marcel said, and I looked at my brother. "Someone is desperate to cover their tracks by making him the fall guy," I said, and there was hope in Dominic''s eyes. "What?" Marcel said. "Tamia and I have been digging, and we found some really troubling things. They were hoping I wouldn''t investigate because of the friction between Dominic and me. They were right, had Tamia not insisted, I would have let them deal with him," I said and looked at Dominic, who looked ashamed of himself. "You did this to yourself, big brother. Always working against me and trying to prove that I am ipetent. You would have been the fall guy for nothing." I said, and he remained ashamed. "Double Bryce and Dominic''s security. I do not want a mishap," I linked Marcel and Theodore, and they nodded. I returned to my room to be with Tamia. 54 Awake 54 Awake ~Tamia~ Everyone was ted by the news except for Sylvester. I could see he was happy, but he squeezed my hand gently. "Thank you, doctor, but why is she ill? Linda is pregnant, and she isn''t ill," He said, and I could understand his reaction to the news. "People experience pregnancy differently, but I will still take her blood sample to test for other things. If there is anything, she is already recovering from it. I will give her a mild sedative to help her rx and sleep it off, but there is no cause for rm here. She will be alright when she wakes up; she just needs to rest," He said. "I will administer a mild sedative to help her rest", he added. The doctor administered the medication and left. Leaving Sylvester, Avery and me in the bedroom. My eyes became heavy, and I fell asleep. I woke up to see Sylvester lying beside me in bed and working on hisputer. I groaned, and he looked at me and smiled. He put hisputer on the nightstand and kissed my forehead. "If you were a child, I would have said you were grounded," He said with a tinge of anger, and I understood. His eyes were teary, and he was fighting his emotions. "Anything could have happened to you out there, Tamia. Anything. Why would you keep something so significant from me?" He asked, and I gradually sat up. "Had I told you I was throwing up and feeling feverish, you would not have allowed me to go, and I did not trust the council to do your bidding in the west," I said, and he bowed his head and then looked at me. "How are you feeling now?" He asked and ced his hand gently on my belly. His touch felt good against my skin, and I wanted his hand to linger. Kaira was silent because she was ashamed of what we did and what she almost allowed to happen. I understood her shame. "Don''t do this again. Always tell me what you are going through, Tamia. We will get through it together no matter how terrible it is," He said, and I nodded. "So we will be parents soon," he said with a broad grin, and I smiled at him. I felt like shit. How would I tell him I saw Devin and we made out? How would I tell him he was my fated, but I rejected him? How? "Please don''t," Kaira pleaded with me, afraid. I understood her fear because making out with Devin and almost allowing him to im us felt like a great betrayal. "How were things over there?" he asked, and I told him everything Alpha Jake told me about the attack. He took off his shirt and snuggled into bed beside me to hold me. I felt at peace when he wrapped his arms around me and enveloped me with his scent. I held him resting my head on his chest, and looked up at him. "I love you, Sylvester. Please don''t break my heart," I said in tears, and he frowned. He was surprised at my sudden mood. "I can never hurt you, Tamia," He said and ced my hand on his chest to feel his heartbeat. "I cannot live without you." He said. "If your fated shows up, what would you do?" I asked, and he sat up gently. I gently sat up, too, and he looked at me. "I make my destiny, Tamia, and I choose you and our baby. She would have shown upte. I have given everything to you, Tamia; I have nothing to give her," he said, and I bowed my head, knowing how strong the pull was and how Leo failed. Devin was a gentleman, unlike Amanda, who was persistent. Devin respects my wishes; what if his fated is like Amanda, persistent? "What if the pull is so strong and you can''t say no?" I asked him, tears streaming down my face. "I will prove that my love is stronger than the legendary pull of the mate bond. I will choose you over and over again. You have nothing to worry about. Soon we will be married and wee our baby into the world. My fated has no room in my life," he said with conviction. "Your mother hates me, Sylvester. What if she interferes?" I said, and he shook his head. "My mother doesn''t hate you, and she can never make me do anything I do not want to do," He said and lifted my hand and kissed it. "This is it," he said, pulling me close to kiss him. His lips felt so good on mine, and I opened up to receive the goodness he was giving. Erasing Devin''s kiss. I kissed him hungrily, wanting to feel every bit of him, knowing this was it for me. My heart was beating fast. A mixture of joy and uncertainty. He travelled with his lips to my neck and sucked. I wanted him to sink his teeth in and seal the deal. I wanted to disregard tradition and just go for it. I held his head tightly, and he growled and groaned. He was fighting Knight, and I did not want him to. Kaira gave me strength, and I straddled him and opened my robe. He went for my breasts with his lips, and I looked up, pushing my chest to give him ess. He worshipped them and paid attention. I felt his bulge, and I wanted him to seal the deal. He gently flipped our positions and got off the bed, leaving me gasping for air and disappointed. "You need to rest, Tamia. I want you so badly that if I go ahead now, I will im you," He confessed, and I took off my robepletely. "I do not care, Sylvester. I am already yours," I said, and his eyes wentpletely dark. He had entered a battle he would lose because Knight charged back to the bed and kissed me hungrily; he moved down my body fast and went between my legs. "Mine," he growled his famous words. The words that brought me back from the trance. The words that helped me keep my promise and gave me control. I weed the words and opened wider for him. He teased my knob with his tongue and then looked at me to be sure I was seeing what he was doing. He sucked gently, and I moaned. He looked at me again. "I won''t be able to control myself," He told me, and I shook my head. ''''Then don''t," I said, and he knelt between my legs and drove his cock into me. He growled and began to pump fast and hard. I weed it, but a part of me said I was wrong. He should know... He should know, and just like that, my body went cold, and I began to cry. Sylvester gently pulled out and lifted my face to look at him. "What is the matter, green eyes?" He said with concern, and my tears fell freely. "I did something bad, Sylvester, and I am afraid you will hate me for it," I said, and he froze. "What did you do, Tamia?" He asked gently. I knew he was controlling himself. He stood up from the bed, and I looked at him, afraid. "What happened?" He said, and my tears fell freely. "I...I...I...," I said, stuttering between sobs. "I saw Devin at the festival," I said. He clenched his fists, and his hands began to shake. His eyes darkened instantly, and I could see anger rise in them. There was no going back from this. "He was my Fated," I said, and Knight began to growl. I could feel the pressure of his presence. "I did not know untilst night, Sylvester. I swear. I did not know. He said it was because of Leo''s mark," I said, rushing through the words, but his growls became louder. "The pull was strong and intoxicating, and we made out," I confessed, and he roared. I wiped away my tears. "He almost imed me, but I rejected him. I rejected him. It took a lot of effort, but I rejected him," I said and looked at him. "I had nothing to give him. He epted because he realised that my heart belonged to you. It was hard, but he epted it." I said and began to weep. He approached me on the bed, and my heart was pounding from fear. I thought he would do something crazy, but he hugged me tightly and kissed my neck. "It''s okay, darling. It''s okay. You didn''t do anything wrong. You did not betray me. You did something most people are incapable of; you honoured me and kept your promise," He said and sucked the soft spot of my neck. "You have nothing to be ashamed of. You and Kaira have nothing to be ashamed of," he said, looking at me with his ck wolf eyes. "Thank you, Tamia, thank you foring back to me," he said, tears streaming down his face. He was afraid. "Your sacrifice will not be in vain, Tamia. I promise I will never do anything to make you regret choosing me instead of your fated. I promise you." He said, and I nodded; tears of fear and uncertainty streamed down my face, and he hugged me and kissed my neck. "I am yours, Tamia. My heart, body and soul. You will never have to share me with anyone. I will never hurt or betray you. I will never touch anyone else until I die. It will only be you now and always. Just you, Tamia and no one else. I love you," he said and arrested my lips with his. Heid me down gently on the bed and gradually used his tongue to leave a trail of pleasure on my skin. Tracing from my neck to my core. He sucked on my mound gently, and all the fear I felt was reced with pleasure; the load was lifted, and I felt light. I came immediately, and he ced himself in me and pumped. His eyes were dark, and Kaira took over. He pumped and pumped, and I came several times. Even though we weren''t fated, I hoped this was it. Wey in the bed naked, and Sylvester cracked many jokes about what his mother did when she returned. ording to him, she was hurt he didn''te after her. She wanted to go missing, and he would come and beg her, and then she will make her demands as her condition to return. When that didn''t happen, she returned and used him of abandoning her and choosing me over her. The woman was just unbelievably petty. Sylvester wanted me to forgive her, but I bore no grudge against her, to begin with. I had just decided that I would be careful around her. Stephanie had said hurtful and mean things to me. It wasn''t okay. It wasn''t okay for her to switch and insult my friends and me because she was hurt. It wasn''t okay. I could understand Sylvester''s willingness to forgive her; she was his mother, but I couldn''t. After what Jake had told me, I nned on investigating her too. I knew the woman was hiding something and was determined to find it out. "Dominic and Bryce will be tried tomorrow. Do you think you can join me?" He asked, and I searched his eyes. "With Stephanie around?" I asked him, and heughed. N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. "She won''t trouble you. She knows what you did for Dominic.." He said, and I interrupted him. "I didn''t do it for her. I did it for you and the love of truth. She shouldn''t get it twisted. The things she said to me still hunts me. Calling me and my friends social climbers and eastern whores.." I said, and Sylvester touched my hand and kissed it. "You aren''t any of those things.." he said, and I nodded. "I know I am none of those things, Sylvester, but it isn''t alright that she calls us names. It isn''t easy being here. If it weren''t for the love we found with you, Marcel and Theodore, Avery, Linda and me would not have it easy mentally. It isn''t okay," I said, and he pulled me close. "I am sorry about the condition in which you were brought here, Tamia. I will never take prisoners again. It is a tradition that I am ready to abolish, but I will want you with me tomorrow," He said, and I nodded. "With pleasure," I said, and we both smiled. I knew the trial would be tedious because I suspected the culprit of being in the council. If not, the entire panel and Vino was too weak and scared to do their job. 55 Dominics Trial 55 Dominic''s Trial ~Tamia~ "That went well," Kaira said, purring in my head as Sylvester walked to the bathroom naked. I stared at his chiselled body, and it made me groan. How could someone be carved so perfectly? Tight butt cheeks, define calves. His muscles flexed, and his tattoo was masterfully done. "How did we end up with such a hottie?" Kaira said, and I had to shut my horny wolf up because Leo was hot too but not this hot. Kaira was aplete contrast from a few hours ago when she was panicking about our make-out session with Devin. I wondered how Devin was doing and if he had indeed moved on. I hoped so because thest thing I wanted was for him to feel cheated. "Come over," I heard Sylvester in my head, and I left the bed naked and went into the bathroom. He laid in the tub with water and asked me to sit between his legs so he could wash me. I got in with him, and he kissed my shoulder, which made me moan. Hethered the sponge and began to wash my skin. I knew I was being pampered, so I relished the moment. Taking everything in and letting him spoil me. Morning came, and we had our breakfast together. Everyone congratted me, and I noticed Avery was a bit affected by it. She was happy for me, but she was sad for herself. I touched her hand lightly to encourage her, and she knew that I knew. Soon we left the ce and got ready to go to the council hall. Stephanie approached us on our way out, and I was a bit ufortable. I did not know what to tell her, but I chose to be civil for Sylvester''s sake. "Good morning, dear Tamia," she said, and I smiled at her in response. "Congrattions. Thanks to you I will soon be a grandma," She said, looking genuinely happy, and I smiled at her, not wanting to say anything. She touched my hand and patted it lightly. " We should talk when you return," she said gently with pleading eyes. I did not want to be alone in a room with her, but I knew Sylvester won''t see anything wrong with it, so I nodded. "As long as the conversation does not include my doom and slurs, I will make room," I said, and Sylvester chuckled. She pulled me into a hug. "I am sorry for all the hurtful things I said to you," She said. Because she didn''t strike me as the type to eat her words, I was wary of her apology, but I epted it for Sylvester''s sake. I did not want him to feel torn between his mother and me, but I had questions for her and hoped she would be truthful enough to answer them. We walked away, and a vehicle was waiting for us. Usually, Sylvester used his jeep; I wondered why he opted to have a driver drive us in a car. We got into the backseat, and he held me. "A car?" I said, and he nodded. "No one drives my jeep, and I want to hold you all through," He said and kissed my neck. "I still can''t believe you rejected your fated for me. You have proven to me that true love exists," he said, and I looked at him and searched his eyes. The driver started the vehicle and moved. "I was scared you would be mad," I confessed, and he shook his head. "I wasn''t growling from anger, green eyes; I was growling from fear. Ever since the attack on the northern gates, I have feared that Devin would take you from me. What you told me has now put my mind at peace," He said and touched my belly lightly. "I want to im you so badly, and I doubt I can wait until the blue moon. If I did not need the blue moon for it to work, I would have done itst night. I want us to be connected on all levels, Tamia; I want you inside me. I want you to share my soul, and I share yours," he said, and we kissed. We finally arrived at the council hall and went to sit in Sylvester''s box. Everyone was there, Avery, Marcel, Theodore and Linda. On the floor at the centre was a broken version of Dominic, a very afraid Bryce and a furious version of Larry. I knew Larry shouldn''t be there, but Sylvester wanted to humiliate the man and make him suffer. He was justified to do so because the man tried to use Dominic to work against him. Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. The sooner Dominic realises the enemy is from without, the better. Vino greeted Sylvester and acknowledged our presence, then handed over to Jacob Mikhailov, the council spokesman. "I speak on behalf of the council when I say you have overstepped your bounds, my lord," The man said, and Sylvester was silent. "Civil and criminal matters are overseen by the council. You have abused your power by holding the prisoners in your custody and choosing to preside over this case. We hereby ask you to withdraw and only observe as we deal with the matters." He said, and Sylvester raised his hand and signalled the man to be seated. "Tell me of the council''s investigations and findings first before I respond to your demand," He said calmly. Pam, who I had slowly started to hate, stood up to speak. "What more is there to know? Enforcer Golubev has confessed the truth. We are here for sentencing," she said, and I could feel Sylvester''s rage. "If it was possible to unseat this council, I will. This council has failed woefully in their duty. Was it not this council that used me of being wicked without investigating the allegation against me? And now you have done the same. Unfortunately, I will decide on this one because my brother is involved. I have done some investigations, and here are my findings. Enforcer Golubev has confessed that he was ckmailed into framing Dominic Volkov. We are in possession of the letter he received from the culprit instructing him to go to the East and cause trouble, and name Dominic as the culprit. In exchange, his pregnant mate will be returned safe and sound." he said, and people eximed. "We have the letter," I said, "and I have made copies for you to see." "May we see it?" Council Woman Joan yman said, and Sylvester nodded. "What use is this council when it fails to do the needful? I think that there are people actively working against my family and me. And because of this, I will be presiding over every decision until further notice." He said, and they began to murmur. "That is wrong; our family fought for this together. You might be a Royal, but we all share in this..." Pam said, and Sylvester nodded. "That is why I have not ordered the arrest of every council member. I hope you all have no hand in this because it is disturbing that you do not investigate and are quick to condemn and destroy what is mine. My brother would have been sentenced and executed for nothing. I want this council to focus on finding the culprit behind this. My Luna and I know that Jenny was the target of the attack that took her life, not my mother; I want this council to spend their precious time figuring out why. I want this council to reduce my workload for me. If I have to get involved with the investigations, I will water down the council''s power. ording to thew, I can do it," he said, and they were all quiet. I noticed some of them look at me scornfully. "With all due respect, your Eminence, Lunas are not allowed in the council hall, and they are not allowed to preside over matters. Their duty is to make sure the Volkov bloodline always has an heir. You are not married to this woman yet; it will be advisable to keep her out of our business for now," Joan said, and I knew what they were implying. I always wondered why Stephanie never came; now I know why. "Well, not in my Epoch," Sylvester said and stood up. "How many of you can boast of having Tamia Riverstorm Albert''s achievements added to their belts? She is a strategist, an analyst, a warrior and one of the best investigators in our world. If that does not qualify her to sit in this box, observe, interfere and decide over matters, then I don''t know what would," he said and sat down. "I will not repeat myself. Let this be thest time any of you will speak of my Luna as if she is an outsider and an object. I will take it as an insult to my person, and I will not take it easy regardless of your family." He said and sighed. I looked at them, and they were silent. Some of them looked at me scornfully, except for Vino, who was smiling at me. I returned his smile, and he nodded. They read the photocopied letter that Sylvester had passed to them, and they were silent. Then Pam moved to question Bryce, and he was honest. She asked him if anyone was coerced. "Are you sure you speak the truth, Enforcer?" She asked him, and Bryce kept his head down. "I feared they would kill my wife and our unborn child. The instructions were clear. I was to get to the Volkov estate so it would seem like I had a meeting with Lord Dominic. I was to go to the East and state that the council sent me under Lord Volkov''s orders to collect development tax. I was asked to be rude and threaten the head Alpha of the East, and when I was asked who sent me, I was to tell this council it was lord Dominic Volkov. That is the truth," The man said, and Pam nodded. "So, what made you tell the truth?" She asked him. "My Lord and Lady interrogated me in the council prison and figured out I was lying. I had to give up the pretence and tell the truth," he confessed, and Pam shook her head. "Are you sure you were not coerced by Lady Tamia?" She asked, and I would have pped her if I had been close to her. Suddenly I began to feel the woman loathed me. I wondered what I did to these people. She was now high on my investigation list. She better be clean, or I would disgrace her and make sure she loses her seat. I will make an example of the bitch. I was pissed off. I felt Sylvester''s hand on my thighs, and he touched it gently and smiled at me. "Calm down, green eyes," he pleaded with me, and I nodded. "I wasn''t threatened or coerced by my Lady." Enforcer Bryce said, and the woman kept quiet. I thought she would dare to ask if Sylvester coerced him, but she didn''t. The bitch. "Very well then, I doubt there is any need for a trail," Vino said, and people were silent. "I hereby acquit Dominic Volkov of all the allegations made against him. I also acquit Councilman Larry McMillian Babanins of the suspicion of conniving with Dominic tomit treason." Vino said, and I remembered the Babanins as one of the families that Maurice took out, ording to Jake Brighton. I kept a mental note of it. Some enforcers went to release Dominic and Larry from the chains. Dominic walked away with his head bowed, feeling ashamed. Likewise Larry, but I noticed something while they walked; Dominic kept his distance from Larry. Locked up for a few days, death looming over his head made Dominic rethink certain things. Soon I saw Dominice to join us in our box. I was ufortable, but he was Sylvester''s brother. "Enforcer Bryce Golubev, you have lied against royalty. Youmitted an offence that would have cost the man his life. You also misled this council, which is an act of treason. As a result, we sentence you to death by beheading." Vino pronounced with a tinge of anger, and I squeezed Sylvester''sp. "Do not let them kill him. This will not be the end of people plotting against you. The next person will never tell the truth if Bryce loses his life," I said quickly, and Sylvester stopped the enforcers from taking Bryce away. "No one is going to die by beheading," Sylvester saidfortably, and Dominic growled. I could understand Dominic''s anger, but Bryce had no choice. "He spoke up and told the truth. He could have also maintained his lie, which would have saved him from punishment. But he told the truth and, in turn, saved my brother and councilman Larry from being sentenced for treason. As a result, I pardon him and move him to work at the Volkov estate. I would rather surround myself with honest people than connivers," Sylvester said, and the council murmured. "Thew, your Eminence," Pam said, and Sylvester shook his head. "I choose mercy," he said, and the woman looked at me. Her eyes showed she knew I was the one that instigated it. I needed to find a way to clip her wings before she became a problem for me. As things were, Vino was the only council member who did not hate me. 56 An Invite and An Opportunity 56 An Invite and An Opportunity ~Devin~ I decided to attend Jake''s festival to unwind. It was ast-minute decision. I nned to spend four days in Brighton and then return to Greenwood. It was a great n. It was supposed to ease my stress and help me think straight. When I arrived in Brighton in the evening of the festival and Jake told me that Tamia was around, I was giddy. Rex was overjoyed, and I could not believe how easy it would be to take my mate away from Sylvester. Hearing that Sylvester sent her to have a peace talk with Jake unapanied made me think of two different extremes. Either they loved and trusted each other so much that he would allow her to handle state matters without fear, or her life meant nothing. He was willing to gamble it away by using her to apologise to Jake, hoping Jake won''t attack and kill her. Hearing Jake talk about her made me realise she was alright. He told me she arrived a bit ill and pale looking, and I was afraid Sylvester maltreated her in the north. I nned it all. The rose, the garden. I wanted it to be perfect. I wanted it to be romantic. It is all I have ever wanted. Finding my mate and starting a real life in love and happiness. Tamia was perfect. I did not care that she was once married or was taken by the wolf lord. I did not care. I just wanted my mate. Rex hoped to hold her, ept her and im her. I wasn''t going to waste any time. I was going to run fast and sink my teeth into her. I did not need to wait for the blue moon; that was only done by chosen mates for the iming to work. I did not need the blue moon to im my mate. The moon goddess had given her to me. So I used my scent to lure her. She scented Peach and Wildflowers. Her scent was vivid and more precise than when we first met at the party. She was delicious, and she was mine. I hoped she would follow, and she did. When she saw me and tears started streaming down her cheeks, I knew it wouldn''t be easy. Everything she said to me in tears broke my heart. Not because she refused to run into my arms, but because what she was saying was true. I took my moment with her for granted. I wronged her deeply. I knew she was hurting with Leo, and I should have challenged him for her hand, but I was diplomatic about it. I made the biggest mistake of my life. I should have taken her from him that night. I took our moment for granted, and Volkov stole her heart. I could not me her for rejecting me. But deep down, she should have given me a chance to prove myself. No pain or weakness came with the rejection, but the feeling was the same. I knew she battled her wolf to let me go. As much as I wanted to be persistent, I had to respect her wishes. I lost my chance, and I hated myself for it. Rex did not forgive me for epting the rejection. We actually thought she would let us im her. The feeling was right. It felt so good, and I wanted to sink my teeth into her neck, but she pulled away. I could not force myself on her. I left Brighton the next day a broken man. Throughout my journey back to Greenwood, my wolf howled, ming me for the loss and rejection. He, too, was right. When I held her in my arms at the party, he urged me to throw away the alliance and challenge Leo for her hand. Her eyes were sad and withdrawn. I should''ve listened to my wolf, but I didn''t. I wanted the marriage to end naturally because they weren''t ready to let each other go, even though Amanda hade between them. I know Leo still feels the same way. I got home and thought I wouldn''t long for her anymore, but I still wanted her. I remembered how it felt to have her in my arms, and I wished things were different and she didn''t fall in love with Volkov. "What will we do now?" Rex asked me, still mourning our loss. "I do not know, but I think we shouldn''t be quick to move on. Tamia does not like to share, and knowing the history of the Volkovs, they always have more than one woman. I n on waiting a bit to see how things go between them." I told my wolf, and he was silent. I wasn''t going to actively try to separate them, but I was afraid she might lose on his side too. There was no way he could be different from his father. I had to make sure I remained avable a little longer for her sake. "I say we wage war and take her from him. The goddess made her for us. She is ours. He has stolen what is ours," Rex said, and tears streamed down my face. "She is in love with him, Rex. We can''t beat that. The only thing we can do is wait them out. He might slip up, and if he does, I will be there for her, even if it is as a friend, but this can''t be it," I said, trying to convince myself there was hope. My day went slow, and I returned to Greenwood more depressed than I had left. A dayter, I was sitting in my office when Lukman, my beta, brought me an invitation from the Northern Council. "We hereby invite your pack to partake in our tournament starting next month''s new moon. The openpetitions are Polo, Swimming, Football, Golf, Croquet, Volleyball, One Hundred Metre Dash and Ring Fight (without any presence of Silver). Please reply with the list of sports you are interested in and the name of your team members. Thank you, and we look forward to hosting you," it read, and I looked at the person that sent the invitation. "From the Northern Council, Signed Joan yman. " It was strange that the northern council would invite me to participate in the all-region sports games. They usually invite lesser southern Alphas, but they had chosen to invite me this year. I contemted whether I should ept or not. "Weirdly, the council would invite us, knowing we have an issue with the lord," Lukman said. I even had more issues with the Lord because Volkov had stolen the heart of my fated. "Should we take part in it?" Lukman asked, and I did not know what to say. Usually, I would say no, but it also meant I would see Tamia one more time before her wedding. It meant I could officially spend a month in the north without having any hindrances because the tournament takes that long before weplete. The Polo alone takes two weeks. It would be a great opportunity. "Do you know if Volkov is participating?" I asked Lukman, and he nodded. N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. "He ys Polo every year." He said, and I began to grin from ear to ear. "Do we have a good Polo team?" I asked him, and he nodded. "Niks Sullivan has a good team. He is a northerner but relocated to the south eleven years ago with his niece. I am sure they would participate in the north as a southern team against Volkov''s team." He said, and I began to grin because this would be an excellent opportunity to spend time with Tamia. As much as I hated to think of it, she would be around Sylvester often, and if he yed Polo, we would be around each other often. It will give me a chance. I need to prove that I am a better man for her. I did not n on ying dirty, but I nned on making an effort. If I still lose, I would gracefully bow out, but I would try as penance for not taking her away from Leo when I had the chance. Somehow I knew it was my fault she ended up in the north. If I had taken her from Leo, the north would have still attacked the east, but she wouldn''t be there to give herself up. She would have been with me. I looked at Lukman, grateful for the opportunity that had dropped on myp, and I wasn''t going to waste it. "Ask Niks Sullivan to see me in my office. I need to finalise with him and respond to the Northern council as soon as possible before the slots for Polo teams are filled." I told Lukman, and he went to sort the matter. I waited nervously in my office, grateful for the opportunity. Knowing the invitation came inte because most Alphas received their invites two weeks ago, it seemed like ast-minute thing. I believed I wasn''t meant to be invited, but they chose to invite me for reasons known to them. I felt it was off that the council would invite me, but it might be their step toward making peace with me. After all, Sylvester had sent Tamia to Brighton to make peace with Jake, and he had somehow made peace with Leo. Leo never spoke scornfully of the Dark Alpha, and I believe he should because the man took his wife, whom he still loves, but Leo seemed to be okay with it. Volkov might have suddenly realised the errors of their ways and wanted to make amends, or this might also be an attempt to keep his enemies close. I did not know what it may be, but I was on alert. If it was a trap, I had to get out of it. If it weren''t for my need to see Tamia again and try to prove myself to her, I would have declined. Niks arrived a few hourster, and he had brought his niece. Lukeman had sent a helicopter to pick him up from Pridewood, where they were staying. It wasn''t far, but they would have taken longer to get to Greenwood. The man looked fit and a bit younger than I imagined. He was in his early forties, and I was sure he could swing a mallet with ease. His neice was a pretty blonde woman, roughly twenty-six or twenty- seven. She was very stunning and had that legendary northern beauty. I stood up to greet them, and they greeted me with a lot of respect. His niece seemed in awe of me and made me feel like a celebrity. "Please, make yourselvesfortable," I said, offering them seats, and they sat down. "To what do we owe this honour, alpha?" Niks asked, and I smiled so he would know to rx and that I meant well. "I heard you have the best Polo team in the south," I said, and the man smiled, trying to be modest. "We try alpha, but it isn''t a popr game in the south as it is in the north," he said, and I nodded. "I know you relocated here with your niece from the north. I was hoping your team could represent us in the all-region tournament starting next new moon," I said, and the man was stunned. He could not contain his joy. "It will be an honour. I have been looking for an opportunity to showcase my teams. It will be great," The man said, and I looked at his niece, who seemed to be drooling over me, and I smiled at her. "You y too?" I asked her, and she nodded. "Yes, she does, but she won''t y at the tournament. She isn''t qualified to y at that level; she will just manage the teams," The man said, and I had no clue what it entailed, but it sounded like a good thing. "How many teams would we enter into thepetition?" I asked the man. "Three. We have only three strong teams in the south," He said, and I nodded. "Very well then, I will reply and ask them to save three slots for us in the polo tournament. I will need the names of your teams and team members," I told the man, and he nodded, smiling. "They will give you a ce to rest, and the helicopter will take you back to Pridewood tomorrow," I said, and the man was excited about it. I was excited, too, because I had a non-threatening legal reason to be in the north for a whole month. Rex and I were ted, and I rxed a bit on my couch, hopeful. 57 Little Red and The Big Bad Wolf 57 Little Red and The Big Bad Wolf ~Tamia~ Dominic locked himself in his room for three days after we returned from the council hearing. I knew it was shame and fear. Somehow the man did not expect that to happen to him. I believed realising that he could easily lose his life woke him up. I wondered how his rtionship with Larry would be henceforth. I knew the council was working against the Volkovs, but we needed to find out who the mastermind was and why, so I decided to start from the beginning. I went to Sylvester''s office, and he was deep in thought, concentrating on the documents on his desk. Realising some people were actively working against him put him on edge. Initially, it was based on spection, but now it was apparent. Whoever threatened Bryce was either the mastermind or part of the clique. I looked at him and realised he needed a break. I had to clear my throat for him to realise I had entered his office. It was either he was far away in his mind or so used to my scent that he did not think I hade in. Either way, he looked up and smiled at me. "Hey," he said, and I smiled and looked at him. "I want to talk to you, but first, let''s go horse riding. I want to go back to the cliff where I can see the alpines," I said, and he smiled at me, but his eyes looked tired. "How about we do that tomorrow, darling? I am busy. Besides, it would be best if you weren''t riding in your condition; I will drive the jeep there. Maybe have a pic?" he asked, and Iughed. "But I am allowed to ride you..." I said, and his wolf shed "I want us to go now; you need a break, Sylvester. It would help if you unwound so you can think straight. Everyone is going crazy. Marcel and Theodore look like you. Dominic has locked himself inside his room, and your mother is confused. We all need a break, and I want to take it now, with you, at the cliff." I insisted, and he closed the file on his desk and put it away in a silver safe. It amazes me howfortable the northerners were around Silver. They trained with it and used it as storage for essential things. It was mid-bugging. The silver was not in the same space as him but was enclosed in an iron cupboard to prevent it from weakening the people in the room. Sylvester followed me to the room, and I was d he listened. We returned to our bedroom to change our outfits. "What did you want to tell me other than going to the cliff?" He said, and I smiled at him while I changed into somethingfortable. "I think we should send proper investigators to search Jenny''s house and go through her belongings. Avery, Linda and I can lead it. There are specific things that I am looking for that the people we send might miss, and we are bored sitting doing nothing," I said, and he was silent; then he went to sit on the bed and started unbuttoning his shirt. The sight of his bare chest might stop us from making it to the cliff because I was already getting turned on by his stripping gesture alone. "What are you looking for?" he asked. "Journals, notes, emails, scribbles, objects...things that can tell a story," I said, and he took off his shirt, flexing his muscles. He was so hot that I could no longer concentrate on what I was doing. I wanted to run my fingers against his chest and feel his muscles. He was mine, all mine, and I wanted him. "Sylvester," I asked him, drooling over the sight of his body. He looked at me with a question in his eyes. "What a hot body you have," I said to him, and heughed. We bothughed; just like that, his spirit was lifted, and his mood was lighter. "The better to seduce you with, my dear," He said, and we bothughed because I was ying the role of little red, and he was my big bad wolf. I could not handle my hormones anymore. We could talk about Jenny after. But the cliff would have to wait for another day. I went to straddle him on the bed and opened my shirt. Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. "You need to finish the talk, darling. The wolf desires to eat little red riding hood. Unlike her, I am willing to be devoured," I said, and he gently touched my tits and sucked them gently in his mouth, swirling his tongue on them. They were sensitive and hard, and I moaned. I wanted more, something was starving in me, and I needed him to satisfy it. "I will eat you until you beg me to stop," he said with a low growl and flipped me unto the bed. He kissed my neck and nibbled my ears, sucking the lobe and breathing into it. I had goosebumps all over, and my pussy was clenching violently. "Oh, Sylvester. Please," I pleaded with him. My body craved him, aching for his touch, tongue, and cock. My core was aching for release. He worshipped my body with his mouth and travelled down, sucking and licking my skin, leaving a trail of ecstasy, anticipation, need, desire and want. I dug my nails into the sheet, anticipating him. "Sylvester," I moaned, and he kissed my lips but avoided my clit. He was teasing me. "Ahhh," I moaned from anticipation andck of patience. "I need it now," I said, trying to press my thighs together to ease the ache. "Tell me what you want, Tamia," He growled lowly. "I want you to eat me until I can take no more, then fuck me until Ie all over you," I said, moaning and writhing under him. I wasn''t a shy woman, and now he knew. I could be vocal when I wanted, and I wanted those things and more. "Now, Sylvester," I said, my pussy dripping and anticipating his attention and care. "Prove to me that you are my big bad wolf," I said, and he growled and dug in. He licked my knob and travelled down my slit to my pussy. "Ahhhhhhhh, Sylvester," I cried. I was extra sensitive, and he knew it. "Do not cum until I tell you to," He ordered, and I nodded, waiting to see how long I could hold out against his skilful tongue. His skill was unparalleled. "Sylvester," I cried, wanting to cum so he could bury himself in me. I wanted to feel his skin against mine. I wanted to wrap myself in his scent. He worked on me until I could no longer take it. "Please, Alpha..." I moaned, and he growled with satisfaction. "Cum," he linked me. I released and felt the climax ripple through my veins. My nerves tingled, and my hair was probably standing. I felt like my spirit was going to jump out on me, and I stretched, then began to crumble from the over-sensitivity of my clit that he refused to let go of. Sylvester ced his finger in me, kneaded my walls sweetly, then ced himself in and began to pump. He pounded into me like a beast. Stretching my walls and satisfying my need for him. Everything was heightened, and I was enjoying it. I dug my nails into his skin and took it all. cing my legs over his shoulder and kneeling between my legs, he pumped viciously, going all the way in. I saw his teeth elongate and his ws grow out, meaning he was enjoying himself. Knight was trying to take over, and I wanted him to. He pumped and fought a im. I shattered all over him, feeling liquid sip out of me. Sylvester finally came andy by my side. I could see that he was relieved, and I was satiated. "So you want to y detective?" he said. After we hadid down for forty minutes, I nodded. "I, too, believe we will find something out in Jenny''s ce. Hence why I sealed and guarded her house after her death," he confessed, and I squealed at him. "But I can''t let you go there with thedies," He said, and I frowned at him. He sat up and sighed. "You are my life, Tamia. I have never been this much in love in my entire existence, and people know. They know you are my weakness. They know how much I love you because I do not hide it. I can''t, even if I want to," he said and bowed. "After what happened with Dominic, I realised people are out to get me and hurt me. They can only hurt me by hurting you and our baby. We will be parents soon, Tamia. I want you protected at all costs. I know you will do an excellent job, tell my men what to look for, and they will bring it, but I can''t let my wife out of my sight," He said and bent to kiss my lower belly. "I have wanted this all my life. A mate that genuinely loves my family and me. Now that I have you, I can''t be careless, Tamia. Please. Do not push it. These people are dangerous. They took Bryce''s pregnant mate. I am not saying you are weak or can''t defend yourself, but they are cunning and unknown. There is nothing more difficult than fighting the unknown," he said and touched my hand. "Please, my love, do not argue with me on this one," he pleaded and kissed my hand. "I want you to instruct my men, and they will do as you have requested. Share your thoughts with Theodore and Marcel, but I won''t let you y detective. If you are bored, think of something to do for the All-regional games that does not involve you participating in the sports activities," He said. I knew he needed me to say yes. He was genuinely afraid, and I could see it. So I nodded. "Basically, what I need are journals, notes however insignificant. If I can''t go, at least let Theodore or Marcel lead the search. Finding these items isn''t the only important thing. How and where they are found matters. It can say a lot and give us more information than the items themselves," I said, and he sighed. "Very well, we will all go there. I will not let you out of my sight, Tamia. I won''t." he said, andid back down and pulled me close. He sucked on my sweet spot gently. "I won''t survive if I lose you. If anything ever happens to you, my darling, I will be the Dark Alpha," he said, and as much as it sounded like a joke, I knew he was serious. We both fell asleep, and I woke up in the night. It was nine at night, so I decided to walk to Avery''s wing to check on her. She had been depressed lately, and I knew it was because of my pregnancy. I knew she feared something was wrong with her, just like I was. I was sure she was alright and would happen soon, but I needed to ensure she was okay. I left my room barefooted so I don''t wake Sylvester. He was sleeping peacefully, and he needed the rest. While I walked down the halls barefooted, causing me to have stealth, I heard someone whispering on the phone. I did not like eavesdropping, but these were dangerous times, so I leaned closer to listen. "It is too tight right now; I can''t get it for you. You will have to wait and let things loosen up a bit. Maybe during the games," A voice that sounded like Lily said. Then I heard her hang up and approach, so I hid behind a door. She walked out of the corner she was hiding and looked about to be sure the coast was clear before leaving. I knew women from the harem were not allowed phones, and Sylvester never told me she had special privileges. Whatever she was doing, she was up to no good, and I wondered what she was asked to procure that would need to be done during the games when the security wasn''t so tight anymore. I nned on telling Sylvester and having the woman investigated. She was scornful and might try to hurt us for it. I walked and bumped into Stephanie, thest person I wanted to see. 58 It Is About David 58 It Is About David ~Tamia~ Stephanie did not look well. Her eyes were swollen, and her hands were shaking. It was clear that she had been crying. I wanted to ignore her, but I couldn''t. I knew Sylvester wouldn''t, so I decided to show some concern. "Are you alright?" I asked, and she looked at me and shook her head. "I am not, Tamia. Everything is falling apart. Dominic won''te out of his room. He said he feels like a nobody. I have tried to talk him out of it, but he is too ashamed to let himself mingle," She said, and I nodded. "You need to give him time, Stephanie. He had a near-death experience. If Bryce had not confessed, he might have been dead by now. He will need time to recover from it," I said, and she hugged me and began to cry. I did not know what to tell her. So I hugged her in return and patted her back. "You need to take it easy, Stephanie. Crying won''t fix him. You need to find the things and people that make him happy and try to surround him with them," I said, and she sighed and bowed. She looked at me and studied me. "You will be the Lady of the north soon, Tamia; there are things I need to tell you. Things that I swore to take to my grave but I suspect are part of why all these are happening to my sons," She said, and I was surprised that she was willing to trust me with her secret. "Are you sure you want to tell me?" I asked her, and she nodded. "You will be Luna soon and rule by his side. You''re already doing it, and unlike me, your Alpha loves you and gives you freedom. You take part in council discussions and give advice. None of which I was allowed in my time. You give northern women hope, Tamia." She said and sighed. "There are things I need to tell for the sake of the Volkov bloodline. You need to know that you have a Volkov growing inside you. You need to know the truth about Maurice and our children.." She said, and my mind went to what Jake had told me. Was she nning on telling me the truth, or was she nning on deceiving me like she might have deceived her children? "Does it have anything to do with what is going on?" I asked, and she paused, looking at me. She was contemting what to tell me. She was sizing me up, and I wasn''t angry at all. "It might," she confessed, and I looked at her. "I will join you in your room in a few minutes. I want to check on Avery. The hallway isn''t as safe as we think; we might have spies lurking about the ce," I linked her, and she nodded at me. I still could not shake off Lily''s phone conversation. I could not shake off the fact that I knew she wasn''t supposed to have a phone. I couldn''t shake it off. Something was off, and I nned on figuring it out. Stephanie walked past me, heading to her room while I headed towards the Beta''s wing to see Avery. I would have checked on Linda too, but I knew she and Marcel went on a date. I got to Avery''s door and knocked. "It''s open," I heard Avery say, and I gently let myself in. I saw my friend sitting on a couch and working on an embroidery piece. I looked at the leaf design she was weaving into the fabric and realised that her skill had improved, but she was still marring the fabric. "Tamia, you and Sylvester missed dinner," She said, and I nodded and sat beside her. "How are you feeling?" I asked, and she sighed. "I feel nervous," She said, and I wondered why. "Why?" I asked, and she sighed and put down her supposed artwork, which was more of a cluster and an honest attempt at being creative. "I have wanted babies for as long, but when Michelle came into our lives, it became a tall dream. Now I found love again. Marcel and I started trying before you and Sylvester got together. Then Linda and Theodore got together," She said and bowed her head and began to weep. "Yet I am still waiting in line, Tamia. I waited in line with Max, and I believe that was why Michelle got the best of him, and now here I am with Marcel," she said, and I moved close to her and rubbed her back. "Do not be afraid, Avery; it will happen for you, too," I said, rubbing her back. "But when?" She asked, and I sighed. "You should see a doctor to know if anything is wrong and if it can be corrected. That is what I would do," I said, and she broke the hug and stared at me. "You are right, Tamia," She said and held my hand. "Join me at the hospital tomorrow, please," She said, and I remembered my conversation with Sylvester about protection and not being on my own. "I suggest you go with Marcel. It would be best if you handled it together," I said, and she shook her head. "I want you toe with me, Tamia. I do not want Marcel. What if something is wrong with me? He will know and might change his mind. I love him, Tamia; I can''t lose him," She said with genuine fear in her eyes. "Nothing is the matter with you, Avery. I will speak to Sylvester to let me follow you to the hospital," I said to ease her mind, and she thanked me. I tried to counsel her to the best of my ability and decided to leave because I did not want to keep Stephanie waiting. My actions might have seemed a bit stupid. Whatever Stephanie wanted to tell me must have been serious, so it was wrong to put her on hold, but I knew that whatever she was going to tell me might leave me shellshocked, and I won''t be able to check on my friend, so I wanted to get it out of the way before speaking to Stephanie. I walked still barefooted so people could not hear my footsteps. I took a mental note to do this often. Lily was on my watch list. I needed to know who gave her a phone and who she was communicating with. I got to Stephanie''s door and knocked. "Pleasee in, Tamia; I know it is you," She said, and I let myself in. "Lock the door," She said, and I did as she said and approached her where she sat on the couch in her room. I went to sit with her, and she smiled at me. I was still wary of her, but I let it be because she was open to me again. There were only two possibilities: to misguide or tell the truth, so I was attentive. "I am sorry to ask you this question, but I need you to be honest. How did it feel when Leo met his fated?" She asked, and I looked at her. I contemted answering it, but I knew I had to, or the conversation won''t make headway. "Heartwrenching. My life was over. He was the lead alpha of the East; I had nowhere to go, and no one would want me. I could not leave, so I was there through it all until the north attacked and gave me a chance to escape," I said, and she looked at me stunned. "Yes, I gave myself as a tribute to leave Leo. We would have subdued the people who attacked us, but I did not want to be the third wheel in their home anymore. They were going to be a family. There was no ce for me," I said, and she looked at me worried, but I smiled at her. "I am d," I said and ced my hand on my belly. "I found love in the north and everything I ever wanted." I told her, and she smiled. "Do you know if Leo were Sylvester, then truly you would have nowhere to go? Sylvester is a step up from Leo, but no one is a step up from the Wolf lord. So, in that case, you will be stranded forever, and even if you want to leave him, it would be impossible. Society won''t allow it, your family won''t allow it, and your heart and wolf will hold on so tight, and it won''t allow it. There is something in us that seeks the dominant male," She said, and I wondered why she was saying such things. "I didn''t call you here to discuss your rtionship." She said and sighed. I called you here to discuss mine. "Something my sons did not know was that their father had a fated," she said, and I eximed, pretending not to know so she could give me her version of the story. "Everyone that knew was sworn to secrecy by Maurice. Her name was Alissa Pavlishchev, and she was from Gad in the western region. Only the people in the council and older western Alphas knew of her." She said. "Maurice loved me wholeheartedly until he met her. He never slept with anyone. Like Sylvester is with you, my husband was that way with me. Maybe not exactly, but you get the picture," she said, and her eyes welled up in tears. "I loved Maurice with all my heart, and I thought our lives would be rosy, but I was wrong. He met Alissa and took her as his mistress. My family and the council did not let him im her because that would insult me, so he slept with her and made me endure unimaginable pain. The woman wasn''t a saint, either. They never are. It is not by choice but by design. No fated would want to be a mistress. They see us as taking their space, so they would do anything to rece us fully and not share their mate. She plotted against me and manipted my husband. She was the one that made him start the war frenzy. When my family and part of the council pushed back, Maurice moved to eliminate them to make her Lady and his Luna; I had given up hope. I had Dominic then, and he wasn''t an Alpha, so I knew my days with Maurice were numbered. When she got pregnant, I left the estate and returned home with Dominic. Maurice did not look for me. He doted on her and loved her, but he never imed her. The woman was so wicked that her people refused toe and work in the estate to help her. If you think I am lying, you can investigate. Because of this, Maurice forced me to return and be her midwife. I was maltreated and abused. He would beat me because of her and her lies, and she never ran out of lies. I was tired. If it was a lesser Alpha, I could run, but who would challenge the wolf lord for my sake? I knew I wouldn''t be able to leave until he let me go. Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. The goddess took pity on me and she died giving birth to her son. Maurice lost his mind. First, he said I poisoned her and had me locked up in a cell, but it was proven that she died of a dangerous case of preempsia. I was released and asked to care for the child, but I refused. I told Maurice I would not touch his bastard because that was what the boy was. Maurice felt guilty for locking me up, so he did not try to force me to care for the child. Soon he found out all the lies she told about me. When the boy turned one, Maurice found out he had an Alpha wolf, so he sent him to Grizlo in the north to be cared for by a small family. Around that time, I was pregnant with Sylvester, but things weren''t the same. Although Maurice loved me, the loss of his mate destroyed him, and he found himself drawn to women of the west who looked like her, so he started actively keeping a harem. He conquered the entire west for other reasons but took their women so he could rece Alissa briefly. I handled it well, had Sylvester, and when Maurice found that Sylvester was an Alpha, his love for me increased, and Alissa and her son faded away." She said and looked at me. "That boy''s name is David Pavlishchev. Maurice did not give him hisst name because he was a bastard." She concluded, and I was in shock. "That bastard was why I left here, Tamia. I went to see if I could find out about his whereabouts because he was the only one that would want to kill my sons. He is the only one who will have something to gain from this. Dominic and Sylvester do not know of his existence. I told Dominic yesterday, he didn''t take it well. That is why I am telling you this so you can help me tell Sylvester. We need to find David and be sure he isn''t behind all this. I do not have proof; I am just specting, but I know you are good with investigations. I will need you to carry one out for me and figure it out," She said, but I was too dumbfounded to respond. 59 Talks and Decisions 59 Talks and Decisions ~Tamia~ Shock could not describe how I felt after Stephanie had told me everything. I sat on the couch and stared at her, speechless. "Why are you trusting me with this level of information, Luna Stephanie?" I asked her, and she wiped away her tears. Going down memoryne was hard for her, and I could see she loved her husband dearly, just like I loved Leo, and I wouldn''t have let him go. To be fair to her, I could understand her predicament, which was why I had to let Devin go when he came to me. I couldn''t be selfish and crush the one person that dared to love me through my pain. My heart truly belonged to Sylvester. I was lucky. Stephanie did not have a Sylvester that would sweep her off her feet and rescue her, so she had to deal, but hearing her open up to me like this made me afraid. I wasn''t her best person; in fact, there was friction between us, and I doubted it would change. For her to tell me this meant she was desperate. I tried to remain calm while I waited for her to respond. "I think he is behind this, Tamia," she said and bowed. "He might feel cheated. He is an Alpha, and he is older than Sylvester. If he weren''t a bastard, he would have been the lord of the north. I am sure he knows I am the reason Maurice could not marry his mother properly," she said, and I wondered if she was speaking from knowledge and not just a hunch. There was no way she wouldn''t know what was going on in this David''s mind if she wasn''t privy to it. I looked at her for a bit. "Are you sure about these things?" I asked her, and she nodded. "I can''t lie about this," She responded, and I wanted to beg to differ, but I held my tongue. "You know if I tell Sylvester about this man, he will hunt him down, and there will be no going back from this," I said and sighed. "Are you sure he is a threat to my mate?" I asked her, letting her know Sylvester was my first concern, and she nodded. I smiled because I had her right where I wanted her. "In that case, I need you toe clean about it. Tell me how you are so sure this man is a threat?" I asked her, and she looked at me and nodded her head. "I do not know how to exin it, Tamia, but I just have a hunch. At least let us find him, and then we will know what to do from there," She exined, and I understood what she wanted from me. Stephanie wasn''t sure of her hunch, and she knew Sylvester would not have a subtle approach, and his approach could aggravate this David. She wanted me to tell Sylvester about David and make sure he is subtle about it. "Very well then.." I said, and just then, I heard Sylvester''s voice in my head. "Where are you?" He said, and I knew he had woken up and wondered where I had gone. I got off the couch and looked at my barefoot. "On my way back to you, darling," I linked with him, and he was quiet. "I have to go back," I told Stephanie, and she nodded and looked at me. "I am truly happy for both of you. I know it may not seem so, but I am. I am also begging you not to break his heart, Tamia. Susan left my baby wounded, which is why I have been uptight. Please." She said and looked at my tummy. "I am sure you two will make a great family," She said, and I smiled at her. "I cannot hurt him, Stephanie, and he knows it. I love him with everything I am, and I have turned my back on everything just to be with him. My love and heart are in his hands. I hope he does not break me," I said, and she could not speak. I did not owe her the exnation that I had rejected my fated for his sake. That was to remain between Sylvester and me, but she needed to know that I was in my rtionship a hundred per cent, and I did not n on ever letting my man go. I hugged her and assured her everything would be alright before leaving her room and heading towards mine. I bumped into Lilly on my way, and she looked at my foot. One thing I noticed was she was lurking around our corridors too much. I know Sylvester was easy on her, but this wasn''t her wing. "Good Evening, Luna," She said to me, already ording me the respect of Luna. "Hello, Lilly," I said, and she looked at my barefoot. "Is that because you are pregnant?" She asked me with a tinge of jealousy, and I smiled. "No, dear, it is so I can sneak around the ce unnoticed," I said and walked away from her.Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. I felt her eyes on me, and I turned to wink at her. I wanted her rxed and a little bit on edge simultaneously. She was bound to make mistakes faster when on edge than when rxed. "I entered the room and went to bed. Sylvester wrapped his arm around me and kissed my neck. "The bed was cold," he said, and I turned to look at him. "Since when did a cold bed start troubling you?" I asked, wanting tough. "When you started sleeping in it, Tamia," He said in his low deep voice, and it made me shiver in a good way. Sylvester knew how to turn me on, and this was one of those. He came on top, and I knew the night would be longer than expected. We had breakfast in the morning with our friends, and Sylvester brought up the investigation. "I will want us to go through the things inte Jenny''s house," Sylvester said, and Marcel looked at him. "Have you told the Lawrences about it? Especially Vino. She might be upying a Babanin seat, but she is still his aunt." Marcel said, and I was a bit surprised that Jenny was Vino''s aunt, but the name was a dead giveaway. She was Jenny Lawrence; I just thought she was a different Lawrence. In light of this, things were a bit confusing in my head. "I do not need permission, especially when I am trying to figure out why she was killed," Sylvester said, and Marcel nodded. "Sign me up," Linda said immediately, and Theodore looked a bit pissed at her. I understood why shemitted herself quickly because she knew he would try to stop her because of the pregnancy. "Are you sure it is the best way to go?" Marcel asked Sylvester, and he nodded. "I knew my mother wasn''t the target of that attack. Jenny might have been involved in something or known something to be eliminated." Sylvester said, and Marcel sighed. "What about the wire transfers that Lily was working on? Does it show any funds leading to or from Jenny? We have to check everything knowing that your father almost wiped them out." Marcel asked. "They should lead somewhere," Marcel added, and I remembered her phone call and contemted bringing it up. "All those anonymous transfers lead to the south, and now some are going east. I have asked Lily to take a break. I cannot leave her with aputer unattended, and I want to spend time with Tamia. So I will find another way to trace the transfers," Sylvester said and touched my hand. He kissed it, making my body shake. "I am worried that some people are stationing people in the east and west. With what has happened recently, I hope an attack that would be med on the north will not ensue. We are yet to understand why the transfers and the people they are going to are anonymous. I can''t shake off the fact that everything is directed at destroying my family. The fact that my father had many enemies does not help matters either. I am thinking of reaching out to the distant Volkovs for help," He confessed, and I touched his hand. "Very well, what time do we go to Jenny''s house, and how many of us are going?" Theodore asked. Sylvester smiled and kissed my hand again. "See it more like a date because we are bringing our mates with us," he said, and Marcel shook his head. "Avery and I have a doctor''s appointment this morning," He said, and Sylvester shrugged. "Go and return. Pending on what the doctor says will determine whether or not Avery will be coming," He said, and Marcel nodded and thanked him. After the serious discussion, we returned to our food, and Sylvester could not keep his hands off my body. He got me all worked up that I might have gone on top of him in that room. He breathed in my scent and ensured his pinewood scent surrounded me. He nibbled my ears and sucked on my sweet spot. "My mark will be there soon, darling. You will be truly mine," He linked me, and a faint moan escaped my lips. The room was a bit blurry, and he was getting me worked up. "I am already yours," I linked him back, and I felt his tongue brush through, making my body shiver and the hairs on my skin stand because of the goosebumps his action produced. "Sylvester.." I moaned, and he ced a grape in my mouth, allowing his finger to enter my mouth. I sucked on it to let him know the work I could do to his cock. He felt it because Knight growled, and Kaira purred in my head. "You two should get a room," I heard someone say, but I was too far gone to know who did. It was between Linda and Avery. We finished breakfast, and Sylvester and I returned to our bedroom. I was wet and horny, but at the same time, I needed to tell him about Lily. We entered the room, and he rushed at me, ready to take me. As much as I wasn''t selfish, he had ignited a fire that needed attention, so I let him go to work on my body. It was a passion-filled morning, and I confessed to all sorts of things. He made me say something that I wouldn''t have on a typical day while hitting the right spot; with his intoxicating scent and the love I felt in my heart, I could promise him the moon, which wasn''t mine to give by the way, but I could hypothetically give it to him because he had taken me there and back and he knew it. Wey on the bed tired, with my head against his chest. I kissed his chest, and he touched my back gently. I thought of the few times I heard of him while I was in the east. If anyone told me he would be the love of my life back then, I wouldn''t believe them, but the funny part was there was no day that I judged or resented him. It helped me decide toe to the north, and I was d I did. "I need to talk to you about something," I said, and he made both of us sit so he could look into my eyes. He looked worried, so I smiled at him to be calm. "Are the women in the Harem allowed to have cell phones?" I asked him, and he froze. "I can''t let them have cell phones, Tamia; that will defeat the purpose of keeping them in check. They can also betray the north and easily sell information that way," he said, cing his hand on my cheek. He thought I wanted him to give them cell phones. It was cute. "I know you are a kind woman, but please do not ask me to give them a phone. Please do not ask me to endanger the north." He said, and I shook my head and kissed his hand on my cheek by turning towards it. I used my hand to gently hold his palm against my face and closed my eyes to relish the feeling. "I need you to act rational and wisely about what I am about to tell you. Promise me you won''t lose your shit," I said, and he looked confused. "Last night, I decided to check on Avery in her wing, so I left barefoot, knowing my attempt to wear something on my feet would wake you up. While I walked down the hallways, I heard a voice. I hid behind the door to listen; it was Lily talking on a phone. She told someone that things were a bit tight and she couldn''t get something for the person and that the person should wait until during the all-region game when security is loose," I said, and I saw rage rise in his eyes. Sylvester looked like he was about to kill someone, and I hoped it was nothing for Lily''s sake. 60 Lily And Her Scorn 60 Lily And Her Scorn ~Sylvester~ I could not believe what Tamia had just told me about Lily. I was so mad that I knew Knight could emerge. I looked at my mate, and she did not seem like she was joking. From the look in her green eyes, it took a lot of effort for her to tell me what she had just divulged. I raised my hand, patted her head gently, and then kissed her lips. It was more to calm myself down than to tell her I was okay. I knew I needed to be calm to handle the matter. Lily was a big problem. If she was betraying me, then I was in trouble because she knew of my investigations, and she was helping me with one of them. What if she was giving out the information to someone else? I had always suspected I couldn''t trust her, but when she came, she was innocent-looking, and I thought I could have the younger sister I never had. I revoked her privileges when I heard all the awful things she did to the women in the harem. I did not want to jump to conclusions, but I wanted to get up and go and find out the truth. I was about to get up when Tamia stopped me with her hand. "I have not finished talking to you, darling. Please be calm. I hope there is a rational exnation for what I heard and saw," She said, and I searched her eyes, my soul pleading, hoping that whatever she needed to tell me next would be easy to digest. "Here goes," She said and sighed. "After the incident with Lily, I bumped into your mother." She said, and I held my tongue. I did not want to say anything that would change the topic. " She was crying, and she requested to speak to me immediately. Of course, I went to see Avery and then returned to your mother''s room." She said and squeezed my arm. "Your mother exined why she left the estate in a hurry that day Dominic was arrested, and what she went to do," she said. "ording to her, your father had a fated called Lady Alissa Pavlishchev," She continued, and I eximed. Tamia just nodded gradually and continued what she was saying. "Your father epted his fated and made your mother share. She did not have you then, and when the woman was pregnant, your mother left with Dominic. Things happened, and your mother was asked to return to care for her. All the while, he tried to divorce your mother, but her family was too important for him to divorce her sessfully, so he started conquering the council families and the west. He wanted to own the world and be powerful enough to overthrow the council and marry this woman. ording to your mother, the woman was evil and did many mean things. Eventually, she died giving birth to her son. This was relieving to your mother, but that was the beginning of your father growing his harem and getting involved with the women in the harem. He only went for women of western descent because they reminded him of his fated. Your father realised the boy was an Alpha, so he tried to get your mother to take care of the baby, but she said no, so he sent the boy to be cared for. She got pregnant with you, and everything became rosy after she gave birth to you, and he discovered you were an Alpha too." She said and searched my eyes for emotions, but I made sure there was nothing in them so she would have the confidence to tell me the rest. "When your mother left, it wasn''t an act of defiance, but to find David Pavlishchev, your half-brother, because she believed he might be the culprit. He has so much to gain if anything happens to either of you," she said, and I knew she was right. "Did my mother tell you hisst known location?" I asked, and she shook her head. "Very well, I will handle it," I said, and she smiled. Sheid down a bit, and I held her in bed until she fell asleep. It was time to go to the only part of the mansion I never visit. The Harem. I linked Theodore to meet me there with two women from my staff. I kept my anger under control and moved swiftly. When I got to themon hall of the harem, the entire ce was silent. I had never visited there since the women had been brought. Thest I was there was when we were actively involved with the former women in the harem before I let all of them go. Marcel, Theodore and I threw orgies there and partied all night long. Thinking of the life I led back then; I was ashamed of myself and grateful that Tamia brought meaning and love back into my life because Susan left with everything, and I was nothing but an empty shell. Most of thedies were looking at me seductively, and I ignored them. My eyes searched and found Lily, who smiled at me. I motioned her toe to me, and she approached eagerly. "Take me to your bedroom," I said, and I heard some women gasp. I knew what they were thinking, but I did not owe anyone any exnation. We waited for Theodore to join us before leaving. I could see the giddiness in Lily''s eyes, and I remained silent. "I hope Luna Tamia won''t be mad about this Alpha. I do not want to anger luna," She said with a sly tone, and I wanted to hit her, but I controlled myself. If what Tamia said checked out, she would have betrayed me beyond repair. I was holding my temper. "What is going on?" Theodore linked me. "Be attentive," was all I could manage, and he was silent. We got to Lily''s room which she shared with two other girls, and I entered. The room was beautifully furnished, and three beds were ced in it. Beside each bed was a vanity table. It looked like a luxurious hostel, which was the point, and Lilly stood with her head bowed. I knew what she was thinking, and she began to undo her tunic to confirm my suspicion. I could feel her joy and expectation. I had never given her the sign that I wanted anything sensual with her, but I knew it was a fantasy in her head, and it almost cost me my rtionship with Tamia. "Keep your clothes on," I ordered quietly. She looked confused but nodded. "I am at your service, Alpha," She said with her head bowed. "Where is your bed?" I asked, and she eagerly pointed to the bed close to the wall. I linked the women that came with us to search through her things. Lily became apprehensive immediately. "What is going on, Alpha?" She said, looking worried. "Hold her, Theodore," I told my Gamma, and he did as I had said. "Where is the phone, Lily?" I asked her and her eyes widened. "Do not bother lying because people told me you have one. Where did you put it?" I asked her, and she bowed her head and began to sob. "Where is it!" I yelled, feeling my anger bubbling to the surface at the realisation that there was indeed a phone and Tamia was right. "Inside the mattress under my bed," She confessed. The women lifted her mattress, and there the phone was. They brought it to me, and it had no number and no messages, but the call log had an anonymous caller on it. The person was wise to hide their caller identity when calling. "How did you get this?" I asked her calmly, and she sobbed. I tried to hold my temper because I knew I could kill her. "What have you given them?" I asked her, and she continued to cry. "Answer me!" I yelled with my authority, and she shook. She struggled and broke away from Theodore and went on her knees. "I am sorry, Alpha. I am sorry. They promised I would go home but threatened they would wipe my family out if I did notply," she said without answering my question. "Do not test my patience, Lily. What did you give them, and who were you speaking to?" I asked her, and she began to sob. "They did not give me a name. Sometimes it was a woman and sometimes a man," She said, and I grabbed her neck and squeezed. "What did you give them?" I asked, angry. "Sylvester?" I heard Tamia''s voice in my head, and I cursed under my breath because I wasn''t expecting her to be awake. "Sylvester?" I heard her voice again, and I released Lilly''s neck. "Yes, darling, I am in Lily''s room; you are right," I said, and she did not reply. I knew she was on her way. "What did you give them? "Banking details, signatures, royal seals, envelopes, and I ced a backdoor on yourputer to help them monitor what you were doing," She said quickly, and I pped her. She fell to the ground. I was enraged. "You practically helped facilitate the treason against me, you bitch!!" I said, and Inded another p. "Do you know what you have done!" I yelled, and she remained on the ground. Just then, Tamia burst in, out of breath and barefooted. She must have run to where I was. "Why did you run?" I scolded her, afraid because of her condition. Our baby meant everything to me, and I did not like her running. "What happened?" She said, and I bowed my head. Lilly was crying, her nose bleeding. "It was Lilly that helped facilitate the treasonous moves. She exposed me to them, Tamia. Bugged myputer, gave them my signature, my seal..." I said and wanted to send another p when Tamia stopped me. "Lilly," Tamia said, standing between me and the treacherous bitch. "Why did you do it?" she asked, and Lily could not stop crying. "Your actions would have cost Dominic his life or made Sylvester lose his lordship. You could have caused a war. Why did you do it?" Tamia asked, sounding pained. "Because I am tired of being here all by myself. They promised me freedom, and I wanted it badly. Since he did not want me and would never see me, I chose to take my chances..." She said, and Tamia pped her before she couldplete her sentence. "That is the most stupid excuse I have ever heard!" Tamia said. "Do you think life is all about sex!" Tamia yelled at her angrily. "If you loved him, you wouldn''t have done this. We can never harm the people we love this way. I thought you would have a good excuse, but you disappointed me," Tamia growled. "The East and South hate him, and part of the west is wary of him because of this. Do you know the extent of the damage you helped our enemies cause? What was his crime? Making usfortable when we were all supposed to benguishing in a cell because that is what happens to war prisoners," she said. I pulled her to my body by the waist to stop her from saying those words because I did not want her to refer to herself as a prisoner. N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. "Please, Tamia," I said, and she shook her. "No, Sylvester. Sometimes people have to hear the truth as it is. When we were dragged to the north, I thought I would be a ve. Only for me to be pampered and cared for even more so than I was back home, and I know the same is for you, Lily. How dare you feel entitled? How dare you!" Tamia said, angry, and I could feel Kaira emerging. "You have exposed us to great danger! Where are your puppeteers now? They won''t save you from what I will do to you, Lily. They won''t save you," Tamia said, and Lilly looked at her. Tamia lifted her chin while Lilly remained on her knees. "Tell me how you got recruited, and I will make it easy," She said, and Lily''s eyes danced with fear. Tamia pped her impatiently. "I do not have all day, Lilly. Tell me now!" She said. That was when I realised why every Alpha needed a Luna. "There... is... there is an uprising group in the north, and they are recruiting members. I do not know where their headquarters is or how they meet. It was a former Luna that is in service that recruited me eight months ago. I refused to help, but when they threatened to wipe out my family, I decided to help them," She said, and Tamiaughed. "You expect me to believe that bullshit?" Tamia said and pped Lily again. "They did not need to threaten you for your cooperation, Lily. Sylvester just had to get with me to make you snap and want to bring his downfall, you scornful bitch! What is your handler''s name?" Tamia asked her. "Sofia Malek," She said, and Tamia stepped back, allowing the men to carry her away. "Guard her and make sure no harmes to her. She is mine" She ordered them, and they looked at me. I nodded, letting them know they were to follow her orders. The situation with Lily had blown this thing wide, but I was d we now had a name. Sofia was a luna that worked in the kitchen for the harem. ***Please, if you aren''t following me on I.G.. please do. I like staying in touch with my readers. My handle is Karimasaadusman. Thank you for your support and feel free to DM me I always respond*** 61 Remorse 61 Remorse ~Leo~ I did not know the meaning of misery until I found myself living in it. Since I learned that Tamia was getting married to Sylvester, my heart has broken into a million pieces. I was hoping she woulde back one day. Most of the northern captives always do. I wanted to right all my wrongs and seek her forgiveness. I sat on the couch in my living room. I stared at the invitation to the all-region sports games sent to me by the council, and even though we had responded, I was dreading going there. I was going to see Tamia in his arms, and my heart could not bear it. Amanda came out of her room, and that was when I noticed she had packed her bags. "Where are you going to? You are almost due." I asked her, and she bowed her head. "This isn''t the life I wanted for myself, Leo. I can''t continue living in another woman''s shadow. She has moved on, yet you choose to be miserable. I have pleaded with you several times. You have disgraced me and belittled me. Most of the Lunas mock me now. I do not have a title, and neither are we married. Why did you do this to me, Leo?" She said, and I did not know how to start. "I can''t forgive myself for what we did to Tamia. She did not deserve all that happened to her here." I said, confessing my truth, and she sobbed. "Why?" she asked, and I looked at her. "I broke every promise I made to her because of you," I said, with my heart wrenching. "She would have done the same had she found her fated," Amanda said, and I shook my head. "She was stronger than me in that regard, Amanda. I know Tamia, and she would die before breaking her promise. She would have risked being weak to stay happy with me." I said and bowed my head. "I was her first. She did not want to get with me because we weren''t fated, but I assured her she had nothing to worry about," I said, and after saying it, I saw myself as a deceiver. "She did not want me, Amanda, but I assured her. I told her I would reject my fated and risk being weak. She trained to be strong because of me, and we used to joke about bncing each other''s strength." I said, and Amanda came to sit next to me while I wept. "I promised her many things and broke everything that day on the balcony when I did not reject you. You came to my home quite alright, but you did not force me to get into your bed. You did not force me to ept the bond or im you and did not force me to make her share. I lost my way completely and found myself doing things I couldn''t even imagine to her. Never spending time with her, refusing to go out with her. I did so many things to her, Amanda; I treated her like a burden. And do you know the twisted part of all of this was that I expected her to bear with me and understand? I was a selfish prick," I said,ughing at myself. "I hurt her and broke all my promises. I was her first, and I broke everything. I can never forgive myself for what I did to my wife, Amanda. She wanted to have children, and I told her we should wait; I could only understand her pain when she found out you were pregnant. I knew she would be hurt if I did not take the same precautions with you. It was as if I had used her to while away time until my fated came. I had failedpletely, so I can''t move on, Amanda." I said and looked at her. "I do not hate or dislike you. If anything, you have been with me through this difficult time, but I can''t forgive myself for what I did to Tamia. I saw the pain in her eyes before those men attacked, and I can never shake off the fact that I caused it. That pain was a permanent fixture since the dinner party when I met you. I failed her every single time until there was nothing left to salvage," I said and began to weep. I had to let out my hurt because, other than being my wife, Tamia was my best friend and confidant. I thought Casper was my best friend, but I was wrong. Tamia was there all along, and I took her for granted. She was always there to lift me up; she had my back and looked out for me. She made me happy and went out of her way to put a smile on my face. I had never felt so alone in my life. Although I was surrounded by people, I was lonely and sad. Amanda wrapped her arms around me and let me cry. The irony was that she was the cause of my pain and was trying tofort me. "You have to forgive yourself, Leo. Tamia has moved on, and she has found love." She said with a definite tone, meaning she knew something I didn''t. I broke the hug, wiped away my tears, and looked into her eyes. "How do you know this?" I asked her, and she smiled. "You forget I schooled in the north. Everyone is talking about the soon-to-bedy of the north. The Wolf Lord is madly in love with her. She presides over council matters. She can do whatever she likes. Recently she went to the west unapanied to discuss peace with Alpha Jake. She has moved on Leo, and she is happy. Why can''t we do the same?" She said. I was hurt to hear that Tamia was free to move around, and she did not bother toe and see me so we could talk things through. "She has let you go, Leo; you should do the same," Amanda said, and I shook my head. "If you think I am lying to you, you will see them at the all-region games; I am sure you will have closure then," she said and stood up. "As for me, I am going back home. I hoped you woulde around, but until you get the closure you want, I know you won''te around," She said, and I stopped her from leaving. "You will be due soon," I said and ced my hand on her bump. "I do not want to miss out on this. I want to be there. I want to hold your hand through it, Amanda," I said, and she shook her head, wiping away her tears. "You do not get to pick and choose, Leo. You are either all in or not," she said, and I understood what she was saying and nodded. "Please stay and give me time. I will try to make it right." I pleaded with her, and she looked around and wiped away her tears. "Youpare me to her all the time, Leo. You always talk about her; you call her name in your sleep, even when we make love. How much more do you want me to endure? I never wanted this for myself. I have done everything to fit into her shoes. I have been training since they took her. I have studied hard and am a work in progress, but you are not encouraging me or giving me the support I need. You are not helping me, Leo. I am going through the transition alone. I can''t continue like this." She said, and I buried my face in her neck close to my mark and sucked gently, making her moan. I knew I was ying dirty, but I was desperate. "Please give me time, Amanda. I am begging you." I pleaded with her, and she refused weakly with a moan. "Please," I said and kissed her neck. ck growled, wanting her and I let him slowly take over. "Please.." I said and kissed her. She let down her defences, and ck took over. She was our mate, and we were trying to make her stay. I woke up to someone banging on my front door. Amanda was sleeping peacefully. I looked at the clock, and it was twelve midnight. I wondered who would be knocking on my doorte in the night. Amanda woke up, and I asked her to go back to sleep. She had bought a bigger bed for her room so she could rollfortably on the bed. I was yet to move her to the room I shared with Tamia, and I doubt I could do that. Buying a new house was looking like the way forward, but I would wait until after the games. I wasn''t hoping to get Tamia back this time; I just wanted to be sure she was genuinely happy. If I suspected she was being forced by the wolf lord, I nned to help Devin take her from him. She deserved to be happy, even if it wasn''t with me. I wore my shorts and advanced toward the main door. I was shocked to see it was Kyle. He was drunk and naked. I let him into my house. His eyes were swollen and red, and I wondered why he would run in wolf form from his territory to mine. Was he out of his mind? I went to get him joggers, and he wore them and sat on my couch. "What is the matter with you? It is twelve midnight. How long did it take you to get here?" I asked him, and he sighed. "Thirty minutes, I went through the woods," He said, and I knew that was the only exnation for how he could get here in wolf form, still drunk. It seemed Kyle had taken over from Linda and be the new drunk of our territory. "What is the matter with you?" I asked him, and he began to weep. "I shouldn''t have let my Linda go, Leo. I was a horrible man. I did unspeakable things to her, and now I am paying dearly for it," he said, and I wondered what he was talking about. "Reba is a bitch," he said with scorn. "Her triplets aren''t mine," he confessed, and I was shocked. "It seemed she was pregnant before I imed her," he said, and he wept. "That was why I epted her because Linda and I had been trying, and there had been nothing. I called my wife useless and barren and made my officers fuck her for entertainment," He said, and I punched him before I could realise what I was doing. He looked at me in shock. I sent another. N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. "How the fuck could you do that? Do you know how that poor woman was seen andbelled? No wonder she was always drunk and willing to hop into bed with anyone. You had broken her and taken her pride from her, Kyle," I said, growling at him, and he bowed his head in shame. Most of thend, money and resources he owned belonged to Linda. Why would he hurt her like that? He deserved the pain he was feeling. "I was mad at her. I saw my time with her as wasted years. In my head, I had to touch my fated once, and she got pregnant. Meanwhile, I was with Linda for six years, and she never got pregnant.." he exined, and I wanted to beat the shit out of him, but he was already beating himself. "Did you seek medical help to find out what the matter was?" I asked, and with how he looked at me, I knew the answer was no. The man was an idiot. "So, how do you know the triplets are bastards?" I asked him. "Kent fell ill, and the doctor wanted to give him a blood transfusion. The mother volunteered, but she wasn''t a match, so naturally, it should have been me, but she refused. The doctor offered to test my blood and found that I wasn''t a match either. So we decided to do other tests and discovered they weren''t mine. She confessed to being with someone before me, and while I was still trying to figure out whether to ept or reject her, she continued to sleep with this man. She deliberately got pregnant, so she would get me because she knew I wanted children," He said and bowed his head. "The bitch nned it all, Leo. She nned it all. She nned Linda''s exit from my life," He said, weeping, and I wondered what he wanted me to do now. "What do you want?" I asked him, and he wiped away his tears, got up and went to my liquor cab to help himself to more alcohol. "You''re in good rapport with the Wolf lord. I want to exchange Reba for my Linda," he said. I knew it was the alcohol speaking because there was no way he could be serious, but I wanted to poke him a bit before telling him the truth. "What about her being barren?" I asked, and he bowed his head in shame. "Doctor said I have low sperm count, and I could only get her pregnant with assistance," he said. I knew the idiot had already figured that out without the doctor because the woman was pregnant when he requested to have her locked up for flimsy reasons. "I doubt Linda would want toe back to you, Kyle. The Wolf Lord is treating them well." I said, and he growled. "Is he fucking her? Because I know that is what they do in the north. Fuck other people''s wives," he said, and I shook my head. "He isn''t; he is with Tamia; I think she is with another alpha. I do not know, but I am sure you will find out during the All-Region Games. If she is free, you can plead your case there," I said, and he shook his head. "You are the leader of the east. You should have my side if he says no," He said, and I shook my head. "I will not risk war because of you. You have to try to offer the exchange most amicably, but I will advise you to continue your life with your fated and forget about Linda. She will note back to you. I did not do anything to Tamia, and she wanted to leave me by all means; you practically ruined Linda. She will not want you. Besides, she no longer bears your mark, so let it go and lick your wounds," I said to him and told him he could sleep in the third guest room while I returned to Amanda''s room to sleep. The man was a selfish prick. 62 Private Dectectives 62 Private Dectectives ~Sylvester~ Tamia was very angry about Lily''s betrayal; I could feel it in her. I tried to calm her down as we walked back to the room. "We must search all the women in the harem and all the lunas working here. Everyone that has come to live here through war," She said, and I could understand her reason. There was no way they would be happy about being away from their loved ones. The fact that they could start an uprising right under my nose spoke volumes, and I knew it was best to do as Tamia had instructed. There was nothing more deadly than the enemy within. "Very well, I will instruct the officers to do as you have instructed," I told her, and she nodded. I asked her to follow me to my office so I could set some things in motion. It wasn''t long after we were in the office when my mother knocked on the door. I knew it was her because I could smell her jasmine perfume. She entered and looked at Tamia. "What is this I hear of traitors in the estate?" She asked, and I knew news must have reached her by now, and she only came to rify what she had heard. "Lily was the one that set Dominic up. She had beenmunicating with a man and a woman we do not know, but she has given us a name," I told her, and she smiled. "I knew my baby had no hand in this," She said almost with a celebratory tone, and I nodded so she would know that she had won. "Yes, yes, but if he did not spend his time trying to cause my downfall, I would not have believed the allegations against him," I told her. "I think we should sweep your office for spy devices," Tamia said, interrupting my mother and me. "Our bedroom too. We need to be sure Lily was not actively spying on us," She said, and I understood her. Lily had ess to my office and bedroom. She could have as well nted things in my office. "Maybe we should torture it out of her," my mother said, and I understood her rage. Just then, Marcel linked me that they were back. "Mother, please excuse Tamia and me; we have things to do today. I will speak to you when we return," I said, and she nodded. Tamia frowned at me, so I had to link her. "Marcel and Avery are back, let''s go to their wing, and then we can leave for Jenny''s house from there," I said, and she stood up immediately. I could see the eagerness in her eyes, and I smiled, hopeful that our trip to the beta''s wing would lighten her mood more. We left my mother in my office, but I informed kappa William to sweep my office and room for bugs. If any were found there, I would be annoyed with Lily. I was already pissed off with her, but I knew it would be worse. We arrived at the beta''s wing and headed to Marcel''s room. I was worried for them but optimistic at the same time. It would be nice to wee our children into the world around the same time, but it wasn''t really up to us. Marcel and Avery seemed happy, and I had linked my friend when Tamia went to speak with Avery. "How did it go?" I asked him, and he nodded. "We are both fine. The doctor said she should be calm about it and that she was overthinking it. There is nothing wrong with either of us," He said, and I sighed. "What is this I hear about Lily?" He said aloud, and I sighed. Just then, Theodore and Linda arrived. They were already dressed for our mission at Jenny''s house. I knew Linda was the one behind it. The woman was eager to go out and do something. I wouldn''t me her. Theodore was overprotective about her pregnancy, and I knew it would get to her eventually. "You needed to be there," Theodore said to Marcel, joining our conversation. "Tamia whacked the hell out of the bitch," he said, and I looked at him. Avery and Linda looked at Tamia. "Yes, I did," She admitted. "The bitch deserved it. All because Sylvester didn''t fancy her," She said, and Avery was shocked. "Did she say that?" She asked, and Tamia shook her head. "No, she didn''t, but that is the truth. She imed they tried recruiting her a few months before we arrived in the north. Suddenly her recruiter miraculously had the idea to threaten her family to make her do what they wanted a few months after Sylvester got with me. The bitch was sitting on the fence all this while, and when Sylvester got with me, she snapped. It is as simple as that," Tamia said, and Linda growled. "Tell me you drew blood, Tamia," She said, and I was shocked. These women were dangerous. "More than she could spare. She was lucky it was a controlled environment. I am not done with her yet," She said, and Theodore linked me. " I would not want to be on her bad side," he said, and I nodded. N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. "Very well, are we ready to go to Jenny''s?" I asked, and everyone was a bit excited. It wasn''t a date, we were going to snoop in a dead woman''s house, but it seemed exciting to everyone. I hope we find something exciting there, and hopefully, it leads us somewhere. Tamia and I returned to our bedroom to get dressed to go to Lund. I wanted us to spend the night in our house there, so I called the staff to prepare the ce. I was hoping to have fun with my friends and my luna. We rode in our jeeps as always. Tamia seemed excited and nervous at the same time. I wondered if it were the hormones, and I ced my right hand on her thigh and squeezed gently. We arrived at Jenny''s house, and I was surprised that no one was in sight. I had asked that the ce be guarded, but it seemed no one was there. "Did we not put guards to guard the ce?" Marcel asked, and I wondered why he was asking me these questions. "I will call Kappa Wilson to find out why no one is here," Theodore said, and we entered the building. It was dark and dusty, and I did not think it was safe for pregnant women to inhale so much dust, but I knew Linda and Tamia were stubborn, most especially Linda, who had been dying to leave the estate. Avery found a switch and switched on the light, and the living room looked trashed. Tamia rushed to the door in the corridor and tried the lock, but it was locked. The door seemed to lead to the hallway that led to the rooms and probably her office. She examined the lock, and I moved close to see what she was looking at while the others snooped around the anteroom and the living area. "There are scratches on the wood," She said, and I knew what it signified. "Someone tried to get in forcefully but failed. Maybe there were guards, or the person ran off, but it seemed they did not have the time to break through discretely. I guess it was because people were guarding the ce. If not, they could have smashed the door to get through." She pointed out. I touched the door to understand the type of wood it was made of, but immediately, I felt a familiar weakness thates with silver. "Thick Oak. It would not have been easy even for a wolf because it has silver in it." I said, feeling weak just by touching the door. "Jenny wanted to keep people out," Tamia said, and I smiled. "Do not overthink it, darling. She might have only been protecting herself. She lives alone, you know," I said, and Tamia smiled. "We need to find a way in," I said, trying to see how best to bring the door down. Tamia took out two pins from her hair and smiled at me. I was amazed when I watched my mate pick the lock on the door. "How did you know how to do this?" I asked, and sheughed. "Leo and I used to..." She said and looked at me worriedly as if she had said something wrong. I wondered why she would think that way when she rejected her fated for my sake. Leo paled in comparison to her fated. "It''s okay, green eyes; he is a part of your past. You can speak his name," I said, and she smiled. "When I was seventeen, we were not supposed to be dating because I was under-aged; my aunt then used to lock the doors to prevent me from going out at night. Leo taught me how to quietly pick her lock when she was sleeping at night so we could hang out without her knowledge," She said, laughing. I realised it was a happy memory for her. "I have never asked you of your parents, Tamia. Hope it isn''t a sensitive topic?" I asked her, and she shook her head. "Not at all. My father used to be Leo''s father''s Delta. My parents were killed when they went on a trip. No one told me how it happened, but my elderly aunt raised me. She died a month before my wedding. She was myst rtive," She said. My heart broke because I could only imagine the trauma she went through when Leo betrayed her because he was her only family. He was the only person that was rted to her and hers alone. I could not speak because being alone was the worst thing ever. She looked at me and smiled, and I stered a smile on my face. I looked into her green eyes; although she had been through horrible things, she still found a reason to smile and dared to open up to love and be loved. I knew then that breaking her heart would be an unforgivable sin. I vowed to ensure she would never regret loving me. I will try to be everything so she will never feel alone or feel like she iscking. "We are in," She said and stood up, snapping me out of my deep thought, and I smiled. We walked into the hallway, and it was dark, but my vision was better than most wolves. Borrowing Knight''s eyes, I could see clearly and found the light switch, which I turned on. There was a door down the hall; I suspected it was either the master bedroom or her office. There were three doors in the corridor, and I moved to open them all. They were not locked, and I discovered they were rooms, leaving the door I had my eyes on from the onset, the one at the end of the corridor. Tamia tried the lock, and it was locked. She smiled at me and squatted to do her magic. She opened the door, and it was Jenny''s office. Something peculiar about the office was that the window was covered with silver shields. She was trying to keep someone, or people out. We began to search through her desk. I saw a cab and reached for it. There were many files in the cab, and I went through them and saw onebelled David Pavlishchev and the Volkovs. I had always known she had a knack for keeping records, but this was a bit extreme. I took it out, and it was just pictures of a man that looked very much like Dominic, but he had the legendary blonde hair that westerners have. I flipped through the files, saw photocopies of handwritten letters, and realised Jenny had photocopied the letters she had mailed and received. The older generation stuck to the letter system and is still yet to change it. They imed it was imperative that the receiver knows the sender that sent it, hence why the handwriting is unique to everyone. The letter carried the sender''s scent and seal. I could see a ck and white photocopied image of the Babanin''s seal on the paper indicating she or a Babanin wrote it. I took out the file and went through it. The dates were distinct. A letter to my mother caught my eye, so I read that first. "Dear Stephanie, I hope this letter finds you well. I am writing to you as your friend and a council member. I want to give you a heads up on your husband''s wishes before he leaves for pilgrimage. He requested that your ancestral seat on the council be given to his son, David. I know you have requested the Balyaev seat be given to Dominic, but this will not be so as the lord himself has given it to his son. Because you are his wife and the rightful heir to the seat, he can also give it out as he owns the seat by marriage. The Balyaevs are the original head of the council before Lawrence. It means David will head the council while Sylvester will be lord. I am giving you a heads-up so you will not be surprised when it happens. Yours faithfully, Jenny Lawrence Babanin." It read, and I was shocked at the discovery. Why would my father insult my mother this way? There were so many letters to be read, and I was motivated to go through them all. 63 Jennys Treasures 63 Jenny''s Treasures ~Sylvester~ I took out the following letter, and it was a letter my mother had written to Jenny. "Dear Jenny, I am pained to my soul that Maurice would do such a thing to me. Kindly let me know if there is a way to overturn this injustice. That seat is rightfully mine, and I want Dominic to sit on it as head of the council. Please, I need your help. You know everything, and you know that bitch Alissa and everything she did to me. Please help me overturn this cruelty. Yours Stephanie Balyaev Volkov" It read, and I went through Jenny''s scribbles. Studying the scribbles, she was tracing David. I wondered what she was tracing him for. Was it to do my father''s bidding or my mother''s bidding? ording to the scribbles, David had moved from Grizlo to Haddad, then he moved to Lund and went to the west to live in Gad, after which she lost track of him. Why was he moving about so much? The following paper was a letter from my father before he went on a pilgrimage. "Dear Jenny, Hope this letter finds you well. I am writing to you because Gavin, Lucas and I won''t see you before we leave for our pilgrimage, but I promise we won''t be long. Also, I have decided to instate David as the head of the council using the Balyaev seat. Kindly help me find him and ensure he takes his ce as head of the council. Also, please keep it between us because you know how Stephanie can get. When I return, I will reward you greatly for your loyalty. Yours sincerely, Maurice. PS do not forget to buy a recement for the redce that I like. See you soon, darling," it read, and I was stunned. I did not need someone to exin what I had just read. Jenny was sleeping with my father. They were having an affair, and I was sure my mother did not know because Jenny was my mother''s best friend. The following letter was addressed to my father while he and his officers had left on pilgrimage. "My darling Maurice, you need to be careful; I think Stephanie is nning to get you. She said something about you stealing from her. I do not know why but she seems to want to set you up. Please be careful ande back to me in peace. I bought the redce you like, and I hope itsts before you rip it. Please hurry. I miss you so much, and my body is craving your touch so much that I find myself touching myself often just thinking of you.." I could not finish the letter because it seemed like the rest was dirty talk. From what I had read so far, Jenny was ying two sides. I suspect she lied to my father about my mother being out to get him. All my mother said was that she did not want David to have her ancestral seat, and she was in the right. Unless there were other communications between then and when she sent the letter to my father. I would have to dig deeper. It was wrong for my father to try to pass my mother''s seat and Dominic''s birthright to his bastard. "Darling," Tamia said, and I looked at her. She was holding a photo album and her eyes looked a bit worried. She handed the album to me, and I was shocked at the content. ording to the pictures, my father had a child with Jenny. I began to rake my head, wondering who this child was because he wasn''t David, and ording to the time stamps on the pictures, I was just two years older than the baby. "That isn''t all," she said and showed me some letters. I read the content. "Whores have no ce on the council. You better keep your mouth shut, or I will shut it forever." it read, and I was surprised. The next one read. "I see you are getting cosy with your position on the council. I wonder how people would feel when they find out you were fucking the wolf lord while married to yourte husband, of which you currently upy his seat on the council. What would they say when they find out you even had a bastard by the wolf lord three years after your husband died? Bloody hypocrite. I will advise you to shut your mouth and stop digging for shit, or you will get what ising," it read, and there were lots of them. Some had dried tears on them. Meaning Jenny wept while she read some. I wondered about the kind of life Jenny was living. I put down the letters and picked up Volkov''s file again. "She kept a journal, Sylvester," Tamia said, and I looked at her and saw a book in her hand. Just then, the rest of our team walked into the office. "Sylvester, Jenny was screwing our fathers," Marcel said, and I looked at him. He showed me a ck-and-white picture of Jenny tied and Marcel''s father, Lucas, and my father having their way with her. We did not need to guess who was behind the camera. It was definitely Theodore''s father. I wondered about the kind of sick life our parents were living. I turned the picture and saw a scribble. "To Maurice, thank you for letting us share your woman this once; it was an awesome experience. You are one lucky man to have someone like her. Hope you are open to sharing again. We looked good together," It read, and both Theodore and Maurice''s father signed it. Gavin and Lucas. I bowed my head in shame because there were times the three of us shared women like this, but it seemed Jenny belonged to my father, who let them have her once. I dumped the picture, and Tamia picked it up. Avery and Linda joined her in studying it. I continued to flip through the documents in my hand. "Sylvester," Tamia said softly, and I looked at her. "Jenny was in pain in this picture. I think she was being taken against her will," She said, and I did not care, but it must be a clue to what had happened. I collected the picture from her, and indeed Jenny was not happy. Why did my father do this to her? I guess I will have to let Tamia study her journal. I found a letter addressed to my mother, and it read. "Stephanie, I know you set Maurice up in the south. You didn''t have to do it. You have ruined a lot of lives. I know he hurt you, but why will you do this to him? I had apologised to you for sleeping with him; I even helped you make sure David did not ascend your family seat on the council. Why couldn''t you let it go, Stephanie? I hope you will have the courage to tell your sons that you set their father up and had him killed in the south," She said. The letter looked written in haste as if the writer was experiencing anger and sorrow at the same time. I quickly checked to see if my mother had replied to her, and she did. "How dare you insinuate such nonsense? I would have killed you if I had nned to have him killed. I am not angry about you grieving the death of your lover and lord, but don''t you dare try to pin it on me or bring my sons into the conversation. As for this bastard, David, that you manipted his position, do not say you did it for me. Vino is your brother''s son, and you love him dearly. You did it for the sake of the Lawrence family. Let this be thest time you will try to use me." It read, and I was relieved because I was scared that my mother had set my father up. It was usible thinking about all he did to her. While I searched the document, I wondered what happened to Jenny''s child with my father. I did not know if it was a boy or a girl, but the baby had somehow disappeared. Did it somehow die? I guess I will have to lean on the journal to exin it. I returned to the cab, and the remaining files were duty files, but I nned on taking everything with me to study them. Jenny was a can of worms, and it was apparent she was the target of the attack at my house in Lund. Maybe the same person who sent her the anonymous threat letters might have been the one who decided to finish her off, or someone she might have angered. I did not understand why they did it in my mother''s house and injured my mother too. I also realised it was odd that Jenny was in my mother''s house, seeing the amount of bad blood between them. Although my mother had a lot of questions to answer, I doubted she would tell the truth or lead me right. She had so many secrets that I could never tell the difference between her truths and lies. I checked the file and saw a letter addressed to David. "Dear David, as per your request, I have sent you eight hundred thousand Lakhs. I hope this is enough for you and your mate to settle wherever you like. Now that your half-brother is lord, please do note to Lund because he is searching to kill you. You have heard of his reputation. It will be in your best interest to stay away. Do stay in touch and let me know if you need anything." It read, and I was enraged. This bitch had sent a letter to David telling him that I was hunting him when I did not know of his existence. Why would she go to this length to keep David away? I would have thought David was her son if I did not know of Alissa. She even sent him a lot of money to settle down with. Hearing David had a wife and family, and seeing that he was moving about, made me suspect he might not be the culprit, but then again, he could have felt entitled and cheated and decided to snap. Anything could have happened. Finding him and Jenny''s child, whether a man or woman, was necessary. It was imperative. Babies don''t disappear. I knew something was terribly wrong with the picture. We searched the office and found other things, but nothing led to her child. "Let us take all the files, journals, photo albums and anything that could give us clues to study. We will be staying at the Volkov duplex in Lund. I asked the workers there to prepare food and three rooms for us," I said, and everyone was happy except for me. I hade here for an answer, but it seemed I would be leaving the ce more confused than I hade. I wanted them to pack the files out of the house. While we were packing, five Kappas entered the office. I figured they were the people that were supposed to be guarding the ce. When they saw us, they paid their respects and were scared. They had to be because they were not doing their duty, and I had seen it first-hand. They imed they went to eat, and I told them it was wrong for them to all leave without attending to their work. N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. They handed me the keys, and I locked the office and the door that led to the corridor to keep intruders out. We exited the house, and we all hopped into our jeeps respectively and drove to the Volkov duplex in Lund, where my mother was staying before she moved back to the estate. "You need to calm down, darling," Tamia said, and I sighed. "As long as you are with me, I am calm, green-eyes. There are so many unanswered questions," I confessed, and she ced her hand on my thigh. "I am sure her journal would answer a few of those questions. You just have to keep your mind open and watch your temper. It seems Jenny was a shitty person," she said, and Iughed because of how she put it. I was grateful to have Tamia beside me. I rubbed her thigh gently. "I love you, Tamia," I confessed from the bottom of my heart, and instead of an I-love-you-too response, my mate said something quite funny. "Then you show me how much tonight," She replied, and Iughed. Only Tamia could get away with that as the reply to I-love-you. She was cute like that. I stepped on the gas, eager to get her out of her clothes, taste her and bury myself in her. I could never get enough of my green-eyed beauty. 64 Getting to The Duplex 64 Getting to The Duplex ~Tamia~ I was giddy about spending time at the duplex but worried about Sylvester''s mood. It was clear we had opened a can of worms, and I doubted we would get all the answers we wanted. We arrived at the building and were greeted by a smiling staff. They had a lot of respect and admiration for their Lord. The staff orded the same respect to me, making me realise who I was now. I was no longer an eastern Luna but would soon be The Lady Of The North. Something most women could only dream of. I was d that Sylvester wasn''t a shitty man like his father. Stephanie did a great job raising him, and I had tomend her for it. I wondered what went wrong with Dominic, but I guess time would tell. "Do you want to shower? Because of the dust at Jenny''s," Sylvester said to me the moment we entered the house, and I could sense he had other things in mind, so I nodded, and he led me up the stairs to the master bedroom. "What about dinner?" I said, and he smiled at me. "Once we clean up, we would head down to eat. I promise." He said. The room was beautiful. It had a contemporary designpared to the old victorian of the estate. Sylvester hugged me from the back and kissed my neck, making me moan. Kaira purred in my head, and I knew it was on. I doubt we would get tired of each other, but I knew Sylvester was on edge and needed to calm down. He was finding his centre, and I was more than willing to help him find it. He unbuttoned my blouse, still standing behind me. Then he opened my blouse and cupped my breasts with his hands, squeezing gently and brushing his thumbs against my hard nipples through the fabric of my bra. I moaned softly. "Music, your moan is music to my ears," he whispered, nibbling my earlobe gently. Sylvester was a master, and I couldn''t get enough of his skills. I closed my eyes to enjoy what he was doing as I felt the wetness between my legs. My shirt came off, and then my bra. He took them off while standing behind me. He opened the fly of my jeans, rolled it down, and I took it off. I had nothing but my panties on, and I was wet between my legs. "Time to shower," He said, and I could not believe we were stopping there. He led me into the bathroom. I entered the shower, and he pinned me against the wall facing me and staring intensely into my eyes. "This is a lifetime journey, Green eyes," He said with conviction, and I nodded, not knowing how to respond to his statement. He crashed his lips on mine and kissed me hungrily, then broke the kiss and stared at me. He lifted my hand and ced it on his chest to feel his heartbeat. I looked at him, speechless. "I will only stop loving you when it stops beating," he said, and the words hit so hard that I squeezed my hand a bit, digging my nails into his flesh. I looked down, averting my gaze from his, fighting my tears. Then his hands touched my chin and lifted my face so that I could see him. "I will be your family, your love, and your support. I will never betray you, Tamia. I will never leave you. I will never use you, and I will never hurt you. I will always choose you, no matter what. You own my heart, and you own me, and it will always be like this. No matter how hard it gets, no matter how difficult it gets, I will remain by your side. You will be my pride, and I will wear your love proudly. Your sacrifice won''t be in vain. I will give more than what the fated bond provides; I will love you endlessly," he said with misty eyes, and my tears fell from the corner of my eyes. They fell freely. There was deep relief in my chest that made me realise that I was worried about something. "I know my father was a bastard, and he hurt my mother and the women in his life in irreparable ways. But I am nothing like him. I am not a dark alpha, and I refuse to be. Please do not let what we discover about my family and father make you afraid. I am nothing like him," He said, and I ced my head against his chest and let my tears fall freely. "I know, my love. I know," I assured him, and he hugged me. Holding me close. I felt him turn on the faucet, and the water washed our skins. I took off his shirt, and he took off his trousers and shorts and helped with my panties, leaving both of us naked under the shower. The water washed away our fears and uncertainties. He kissed and hoisted me up, burying himself deep inside. He pumped gently, and I knew it was beyond the physical for me. He was joining his soul to mine, owning and uniting with me. I held on and let him take me ces. We both came shattering on each other and loving it. Wepleted the shower and exited the bathroom. There were joggers in the wardrobe, so I opted to pair them with a white t-shirt. He wore the same, and we headed downstairs for dinner. The amazing thing was that we all arrived in the dining room at the same time, with wet hair and in joggers. I wondered if the men nned this, but it didn''t matter. We sat at the table and served the food to eat. "It was disturbing what we found back there," Linda began, and everyone agreed. "Did you see the bondage pictures? Jenny and her Lord were into some kinky shit," Avery said, and we allughed. I was d our men did not take offence. "No joke, but she wore the Mistress title with a capital M," Linda said, and weughed. "Honestly, it is sad," Avery said, and we were silent. "I want to know how your mother could stand that woman," I asked Sylvester, and he shrugged. "Honestly, if I were in her shoes, I would have found a way to make her disappear," Linda said, and we allughed. Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. "You do not know how often I wanted to make Reba disappear. Kyle wasn''t worth it. If he were, I would havemitted a crime," She added, and Sylvesterughed. "Honestly, my father wasn''t worth the trouble. Trust me. With all I found, my mother could have as well driven a de into his heart, and no one would fault her. He was shitty like that," Sylvester said, and I ced my hand on his thigh to rub gently. "There are a lot of things we need to figure out quickly," I said. "It is clear Jenny was the target, but why did they kill her in this house and not hers?" I asked, and Linda raised her hand as if we were in the ssroom. "Did you see her windows and the silver on her doors? They had to get her where she was less protected." Linda said, and we allughed. Although I agreed with Linda''s deduction, it did not make sense. "It doesn''t still make sense. This is the Wolf Lord''s house. Stephanie is the Wolf lord''s mother and lady of the north. There would be guards here; they were supposed to guard her. The main reason for bringing her here to live was to hide her and protect her from Devin and other enemies. It means this ce was heavily guarded. Why would they attack and kill her in a heavily guarded ce?" I asked, and as I asked the question, a scary truth dawned on me, one I dared not speak. I was silent immediately. "I guess we will have to read her journal to understand her mind, and we can figure it out from there," Avery said, and everyone agreed, but I could not speak a word because the thought that loomed in my mind was the most likely answer, but I had to discuss it with Sylvester in private just in case I am wrong. I did not want to say anything that would hurt the investigation and people''s reputations. "One of the letters read that she gave my half-brother money. I wonder why she would go out of her way and give him money, then scare him to not show up in Lund by telling him I am looking for him when I did not even know of his existence," Sylvester said, and he had a valid point. "Your mother did ask her to help overturn your father''s ns. Maybe that was part of it." Marcel said, and Sylvester shook his head. "I had ascended as Lord by then. It can''t be because of that. I suspect it has to do with something else," He said, and I was equally confused about that part. "What about her child? Did it die at birth? I wouldn''t put it past our fathers to do that just to hide their secrets. Mind you; people would know that she was unfaithful to her husband, which would have been detrimental to the Lord''s reputation. The fact that our fathers shared her meant the baby could have belonged to any of them. What if they killed that baby? It will be understandable why she lived a solitary life and was always sad all the time. She dared not speak of it because it would reflect on her character. If the world knew of her affair, she would lose the right to represent the Babanins on the council, which would make her irrelevant, and I doubt your father loved her enough to make her luna. He couldn''t even if he wanted to. The Belyaev bloodline is premiumpared to her Lawrence arse. She would always y second fiddle, and I think she knew it," Marcel said, and we were silent because what he said was true. He had hit the nail on the head. "We need to study her journals together starting tomorrow," Sylvester said with strong determination, and I squeezed his thigh. I nned on telling him my thoughts when we retired to the bedroom. I hoped it wasn''t what I thought, but that was the only usible exnation for what happened. "I think we will still need tob through that building," Theodore said, and I knew he was right because we were not expecting to find all we found there. There was a possibility that there were things there. "For someone that keeps records for the council, it is amazing that she doesn''t have aputer yet. All the letters were photocopied," Linda said, bringing something vital to our attention. "I thought that too. It was quite odd. I know she is old school and all, but it was quite odd that there was nothing on her desk. Do you think someone might have stolen theputer if she had one?" Avery asked, and we all looked at ourselves because she had given a valid point. There was a lot of shadiness and bad blood around her. She might have something on it that they want to protect from getting out. We needed to find out. "If she had aputer, I doubt it was in that office. Didn''t you see the number of locks on the door and windows?" Theodore said, and Sylvester shook his head. "The culprit might have stolen it before the murder. The office and passage were locked after the murder," Sylvester said, making a very valid point, and it was usible. "There is a lot to uncover. I suggest we stay another day here and go through the documents we have taken. Afterwards, we should copy them onto a system by having a Kappa scan them into a computer." I said, and everyone agreed. We finished up and decided to retire to our bedroom. As soon as Sylvester and I entered the room, I decided to tell him what I was thinking about Jenny''s murder. I just prayed he would not take offence. 65 Lets Talk About Stephanie 65 Let''s Talk About Stephanie ~Tamia~ Sylvester took off his clothes, leaving his boxers on andy on the bed facing up and resting his head on his hand. He looked to the side and smiled at me. He motioned me to join him in bed. "Come on, Green-eyes. I want to hold you," He said, and I smiled. I took off the joggers and left the T-shirt on. It was big, and I had nothing under it. I climbed into bed, and he sat up to hold me. "That was intense down there, right?" He asked, kissing my neck, and I nodded. "So, do you always solve cases like this?" He asked me, and Iughed. "Never solved a murder and mutiny case in my life," I said, and he pretended to be shocked. "You mean I have an amateur on the job?" he asked yfully, and Iughed. "You are then charging too much, green-eyes," He said. "I will charge you more," I said, and he tickled me. Iughed so hard and used the pillow to hit him. His wolf shed, and I found it sexy. I stoppedughing, and my eyes roamed his body. I looked at his muscles and his tattoos. The tan on his skin and Kaira purred in my head.N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. "Drooling, Green-eyes," He said with a smirk, and I looked away, giggling. "All yours," He said and hugged me, pulling me close and kissing me on my lips. I moaned gently, and he growled lowly turning me on. I wanted to get into it, but I needed to tell him what I was thinking first. "I want to share something with you," I said quietly, and he nibbled my ears, making it hard for me to compose myself. I moaned, and he put his hand under my T-shirt. "I want to speak to you," I said between moans as he caressed my clit with his thumb. My body was coming apart, and he looked into my eyes as he rubbed my clit gently. "Tell me," he said with lust in his eyes, and I could not speak. He wasn''t ying fair. "I wanted to taste you all day, green eyes," he said with his dark wolf eyes, and I gently nodded, telling him he should go ahead. Spreading my legs wide, he went to work. I did not know what had happened to me, but I came immediately, and he smacked my clit gently. "That is naughty, Green-eyes. I wanted it tost longer," He teased, and the truth was, how could I when he had already got me worked up before he delved in? I went on top of him to ride. I ced him inside me, and he filled me up and guided my body as I moved up and down on his cock. He worshipped my breast, and everything was heightened. We were at it for a while, and soon we finished. Iy beside him, trying to catch my breath, and he looked at me. "You wanted to tell me something," He said, and Iughed. I managed to sit up because what I wanted to say was serious. He sat up, too and smiled. "I do not want you to take offence to what I am about to say. It is just a hunch, and I could be wrong." I said, and he smiled. "You can never offend me, Tamia." He said, and I smiled at him. "It is about Jenny and your mother," I began. "How could she be visiting your mother when it seemed there was a lot of bad blood between them? Your mother found out she was having an affair with her husband and must have hated her for it. Howe she visited your mother?" I asked, and he was silent. "Stephanie might be passive, but I also know she is vindictive. There is no way she would be okay with it. Your father did a lot of horrible things to her. It is a miracle she is sane." I said, and he touched my hand gently and kissed it. I did not know my hand was shaking until he did that. I was trying hard to find a way to put my thoughts into words without offending him. "Rx and tell me what you want to say, Tamia," He said and kissed my hand again. I sighed. "Your mother does not seem like the forgiving type. Were there guards in this duplex during the time of the attack?" I asked him. "They were supposed to be, but the wounded ones were few. They usually have a shift, and the attack happened during the shift. They did say southern and eastern soldiers attacked them. They thought my mother was dead. That was why the attackers left," he said, and I sighed, "Did you see these so-called southern soldiers? At least your mother''s guards should have put up a fight and got one or two," I said. "I guess they came prepared," he said. "What if," I said and looked at him, trying topose myself and summon the courage to speak. "I am just specting, Sylvester," I warned him, and he smiled and caressed my cheek, urging me to speak freely. "What if your mother lured Jenny to her house and had her killed?" I said, and he froze. "Think about it. They aren''t friends; there is bad blood between them, and Jenny''s house is imprable. Your mother might have invited her here in the name of truce, made sure there was a shift and nned with the guards present to do her bidding and say it was the south. She and Dominic were the only ones that knew I was visiting that morning. Since Devin had tried to take me from the estate once, they might as well me the attack on him, only that this time around, he decided to kill a council member and injure your mother, which is a bit odd. If truly he was the one that staged the attack, then your mother would be dead. What if Jenny was ckmailing your mother, and she decided to silence her for good? What if Jenny was making allegations that could put you in trouble? Your mother would do anything for you and Dominic. I am just saying," I said, and he was silent for a bit, digesting my words. "What will Jenny have on her?" He asked me and his eyes widened because he had thought of something. "There was a letter where Jenny imed my mother had my father and his officers murdered. My mother replied to her and warned her to stop spewing nonsense. It is impossible, of course, because we know Bane killed them, but what if Jenny was trying to pin it on her? I still doubt my mother will kill her because of a baseless allegation." He said, and I shook my head. "I doubt it has anything to do with your father''s death, Sylvester. I think it has a lot to do with your position and that of your brother. You know I read the letters you read, and your mother said something about Jenny helping her because it would benefit Vino, who is Jenny''s nephew," I said, and he nodded. "Did it ur to you that the two people that helped her overturn your father''s decree are now dead? Vino''s father and Jenny?" I said, and he widened his eyes. "I am just specting, but what if your mother wanted Dominic to ascend her family position on the council, and Jenny might have pushed back because that would make Vino second inmand? You know how badly your mother wanted Dominic to be in the ce of power," I said, and he realised where I was driving. "I hope she didn''t do it, Tamia. Please do not tell anyone this. If my mother did it, she would be in trouble because after the blue moon, she would no longer be thedy of the north and would not have immunity. I do not want us to give our enemies a weapon to use to hurt our family," He said, and I could see the fear in his eyes. "That was why I held my tongue downstairs," I said and looked at him. "As much as you will want Theodore or Marcel to be in on this, I think we should investigate your mother''s part in this between us so that no damage is caused. We need to investigate the allegations made, and once we have enough, you should question your mother in private," I said, touched his hand, and used my thumb to gently rub the back of his hand to calm him down. "I am sure no woman would go through half of what your mother did and not snap. Your father treated her like shit. He tried to rece her with his fated, then forced her to be his fated''s midwife. He cheated on her, killed most of her family members and crippled them by forbidding her from representing them on the council, almost wiping them from existence just because he wanted to divorce and rece her. He didn''t stop there; he had an affair with her best friend and tried to take her family seat from her by depriving her child and giving it to his bastard¡ªthe son of the woman that caused your mother so much pain. There is just so much a woman can take, and these are just a few things she had been brave enough to share. When I look at Stephanie, she looks like a battered woman that has learned to cope by living in denial. I am sure she must have snapped and tried to push back somewhere along the line, Sylvester," I said, and tears formed in his eyes. He fought them, but they came. "I never thought of it this way, Tamia," he said, and I snuggled into his arms to help him rx. Listing out what his mother had been through, the reality hit home for him. It would hurt anyone. "She never really told us any of these things, Tamia. She only spoke praises of him and told us how he loved her," He said, and I could understand Stephanie''s reason. She needed them to be proud of their father. She did not want to ruin his image for them. She did not want to spoil their memory of him. "Your father might have been a wonderful man to you and your brother, and she did not want to spoil your memory of him," I said, and he sighed. "I guess so. He was really fun and spent so much time with us. I knew of the Harem, but since it was tradition, my mother did not seem to be bothered about it. I let it be. I would have confronted and challenged my father if I had known she was going through half of the things you had listed. If I didn''t, I am sure Dominic would have. He loves her that much. If Dominic knows half of this, he will be mad," Sylvester said, and I sighed. "I think he might know Sylvester. He was alive during the time of Alissa. He must have noticed the changes. Even if he did not know of her, he must have noticed that your father was different towards your mother," I said, and he giggled. "I doubt he knew. My mother kept it hidden. I am sure he did not even know of Alissa. My brother worshipped our father. He sees him as perfect, hence why he went to war to avenge his death. He loved our father and spent more time with him than I did," He said, and I sighed. "I guess your mother did a good job of protecting your innocence, which brings me back to the point that she must have snapped somewhere down the line," I said and turned to him. "We will get to the bottom of it, but we must keep my mother''s investigation a secret. I do not want her to get in trouble," He said gently, and I nodded. "Neither do I. She has been through enough, and if she did anything to Jenny, Jenny deserved it. That is my opinion because the woman was a wicked and shitty friend. She could refuse the wolf Lord, but she did it for her gains or whatever reason. "We will go through the document tomorrow and decide what to do from there," He said and kissed me. We snuggled in bed, and soon sleep came. 66 The Journal of Worms 66 The Journal of Worms ~Tamia~ I woke in the morning with a bit of morning sickness. So I rushed to the bathroom and threw up what was left of my dinner fromst night. Sylvester joined me in the bathroom and rubbed my back gently. Knowing why I was throwing up, neither of us was bothered. He kissed the top of my head, and I wiped my lips gently and smiled at him. "Good morning," he said to me, gently patting my hair. I smiled in response. We sat down on the bathroom floor. Sylvester ced his hand on my stomach and rubbed gently. "I can''t wait to meet our baby, Tamia," He said, and I gently touched his hand on my tummy. "We still have a long way to go; it''s t," I pointed out, and weughed. We got ready for the day and headed downstairs. I could not wait to go through the journals. As much as I wanted to get to the bottom of things, I was curious about Jenny''s life because the woman had a lot of skeletons in her closet and seemed a bit entric. "Good morning," Linda said, smiling at me, and her smile was extra, which made me know Theodore had done a lot of work. "Good morning," I greeted her and Theodore, and he smiled at me while rubbing her back. Avery and Marcel were yet to join us. Sylvester pulled out a seat for me to sit down. I sat and looked at Linda. She was glowing. She looked nothing like the Linda that I used to know. It was amazing what true love could do to someone. We were lucky. We came to the north as war prisoners and found love in the process. Like in the east when our husbands were friends, likewise in the north. It was amazing to see how intertwined our destinies were. It was still in the very same order. "Where is Marcel?" Sylvester asked Theodore, and he smiled. "They will soon join us, I hope," Theodore answered, and Sylvesterughed. I knew there was a subtle exchange between the men, which we weren''t privy to, so I squeezed my man''s thigh. "Have you decided what our team would wear during the polo?" Theodore asked Sylvester, and he shook his head. "Maybe our women would decide that," Sylvester said, lifted my hand and kissed it. "I want to look sexy while you cheer me on during our games," he said, and I smiled at him. "That is an easy colour. ck polo shirt and white trousers. ck and white everything," I said, and he nodded. "As you wish, my Lady," he said, and I felt tingles. "I am so excited about the ball before the sports games begin. I learned everyone would be there," Linda said, and I wondered why she would be excited. Then it hit me that our exes might being for the games, but I also knew that the east and most of the south were never invited to the all- region games. "You will get to rub it in his face one day, Linda but not at the games. They never invite the east," I linked her, and her smile dropped. She really wanted tough at Kyle. I could understand. Theodore was an upgrade from the douchebag. Theodore was a powerful Alpha and third inmand of our world. A position Kyle could never dream of. It would have been nice if she and Avery got the chance to rub the joy on their faces. Call it petty, but there was a true satisfaction that woulde with their pain and disbelief. I knew one day it would happen, and no matter how much they imed not to care, they would because the women had an upgrade. Avery joined us with Marcel, and with how they looked, I knew what they had been up to. Marcel did not button all the way up, meaning they were in a rush, and Avery looked like she packed her hair before tumbling in the sheets. She couldn''t take the time tob and pack the hair again, so she decided to pat it and fix herself up. "Shall we eat?" Sylvester said, and we dug in. I ate everything. My appetite was over the roof, and Sylvester kept adding things to my te. Breakfast ended, and I was the first to leave the table to head to where we kept the journals. There were six journals altogether, and somehow it wasn''t a daily record of her life; browsing through the page, I realised she only recorded significant events. "Read aloud, Tamia," Marcel said. We were all eager for answers, so we sat in the living room, and I picked the oldest journal, judging by the dates, to read. "Today was the worst day of my life. I told Maurice I would like to have a baby with him, and he shut it down. He said he already has one bastard; he can''t have another. It really hurt because I love him so much, and it would be a gift to have a baby with him," I finished. It wasn''t informative, but we now knew how Maurice felt about having a baby with her; maybe that is why the baby is nowhere. I flipped through, looking for something significant. Jenny seemed the type to rant a lot, and I wasn''t surprised. She was alone most of her life, so she was bound to rave in her journals. Everyone needed an outlet, and this was hers, especially since she had dirty disgraceful secrets. "Maurice punished me today because I wanted something permanent. He told me he did not like Stephanie anymore, but he red up when I asked him to make me his Luna. He did the worst thing ever to me, and I will never forgive him for it. Asking his friends to share me with him was the most humiliating thing ever. He wanted me to know how he saw me, as his whore. I might not be in his harem, but I wasn''t different from them in his eyes. I was foolish to think he would fall in love with me." It read, and I could not feel sorry for her because Stephanie was her friend. She got what she deserved. "It is clear that Maurice is lying to me. I know he loves Stephanie; I can see it in his eyes now he has banned me from speaking her name. I hate that bitch so much," it read, and weughed. "I think we should skip that book and read theter ones," Sylvester said, disgusted by the content of the journal I was reading. "No, please let her read some more pages, and we will move to the next one," Marcel said and looked at me. "Read an interesting bit, Tamia," He said. It was clear we all believed she got treated the way she should. " Alissa is a bitch, and I will put her in her ce. How dare she take him from me. I have to find a way to get to her. I do not know how, but I will start somewhere. Friendship always makes it easy. I will try and be her friend and pretend to support her against Stephanie. The woman is a thief and a menace, and she needs to be sent back to where she belongs," It read, and I could only imagine her state of mind when she wrote it. I dropped the journal and went for the second to thest one. The one she started the year Maurice would go on Pilgrimage. "You will skip all these ones?" Linda asked, and I nodded. "The woman is mad and obsessed with her lover. Unless we want a whole day of how she feels about all the women the wolf lord was screwing, we need to move on from them," I said, and Linda was silent. "You know you can read them at your leisure. I n to do so," I told her, and she smiled at me. I picked up the book and opened it. N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. I flipped through the pages and found a relevant entry. "Today, I was wronged to my soul. Maurice has never spoken of my son. He behaves as if he does not exist. He even favours his bastard over my son. nning to make David head of the council is just wicked. I have to alert Stephanie. I am sure she would be mad, and she might fight him. Who knows, Maurice may snap and dump her arse. If he does, he will definitelye to me, and I can find a way to get my son back," It read; now we understand why she bothered to alert Stephanie about Maurice''s decision. We also knew she had a son who was not with her. Clearly, she wasn''t in her son''s life and might not know where he was. It sounded like Maurice took her son from her, but I could not draw conclusions yet. The other pages showed how she and Stephanie would ensure that Dominic got the Balyaev seat. She indeed nned on double-crossing Stephanie in that regard; the woman was vile. I picked up thest journal and read most of its content until I could not read it aloud anymore. Jenny had made several entries that could get Stephanie in trouble. It was part of her final records. "What is it?" Avery asked me, and I tried to y it off. "Nothing interesting; we should go through the files," I said, and they agreed. Linda picked up the first journal while I held onto thest one. "Are you alright, green-eyes?" Sylvester linked me, and I looked at him. "We need to talk in private," I linked him back. "Is it about something that is in that book?" he asked me through the mind link, and I nodded. "Go upstairs; I will join you," He said, and I pretended to have a stomach upset and would read the journal while in the toilet. So I headed up to the room. I entered, sat on the bed and read the pages. "I have always known that Stephanie was behind Maurice and his officers'' death. She had denied it, but now I have proof. Today I received a letter from my spy in the south. An anonymous person sent the letter to Devin, iming that the wolf lord was nning to attack and take over the south. The content of the letter was wicked. The writer had described the route the wolf lord would take, his alias and thepany he was travelling with, where he would stay, and the time he should attack. The sender also lied that the wolf lord was travelling with a secret army. The writer gave Devin the details he needed to strike and seed. Only one person would have this much information on Maurice: Stephanie. I have scanned the letter and emailed it to her. I have also threatened to expose her so she would bear the full wrath of her punishment. Once she is put on trial, we can easily say that she connived with her sons to have their father killed so they can take over the lordship and head the council. It will automatically disqualify them, and Sylvester and Dominic will not ascend. I will have thest laugh." It read, and my hands began to shake. I read the rest of the contents; Jenny had ckmailed Stephanie with the letter for five years. ording to the entries, Stephanie denied writing it. She even told Jenny not to hurt her son''s reputation with the lies. Jenny found her pleas amusing and wrote about how she enjoyed tormenting Stephanie with the letter. We needed to confront Stephanie, and she needed toe clean so Sylvester would know how to deal with the matter. Just then, Sylvester walked in, and I looked at him with fear in my eyes. "Jenny was a very disturbed woman," I said, and he frowned and came to sit with me on the bed. "You have to confront your mother, Sylvester, and she bettere clean," I said, and he asked me why. "Because Jenny ims she was the one that got your father and his friends killed. Jenny got a letter someone sent Devin and mailed your mother a copy. She has been ckmailing your mother for five years now," I said, and he was in shock. I could only imagine what was going on in his mind. Even if Stephanie did not do it, the wolf lord''s death was a serious matter. Now I understood why Stephanie was hell-bent on Sylvester taking revenge. If someone had already been punished for the crime, she can''t be tried for the same offence; no one would dig since the culprit has been dealt with. As much as I knew Maurice deserved it, Devin wasn''t lying when he said the Wolf Lord trespassed. He was made to believe the wolf lord had trespassed by whoever sent the letter. 67 A Confession Of Rage 67 A Confession Of Rage ~Sylvester~ I took the journal from Tamia and read the page she was on. I could not believe what I had just seen. "What if this woman was trying to frame my mother? The letter was anonymous. What if that was what she was trying to do? Jenny was on the council, and my mother wasn''t. My father had left the Balyaev seat vacant, making the Lawrences the most powerful family on the council. What if the council teamed up and decided to persecute my mother? There is always evidence to convict a person, whether guilty or innocent. What if that was Jenny''s n?" I said, still finding it hard to believe what Tamia had said. She stood up and touched my hand. "I do not know what to believe. But we must review the files and hide the correspondence about your father''s murder. Marcel and Theodore are loyal to you, but their fathers were also killed. They might not find it funny and demand retribution," she said to me, and I knew she was right. So I left her in the room and rushed down, stared at where the documents were and started searching the files for anything that had to do with the correspondence between Jenny and my mother. "Sylvester, is everything alright?" Marcel asked me holding Jenny''s journal in his hand. It was clear they found what she had written amusing. I smiled at him and nodded. "Yes. I just need to see the correspondence between her and my mother," I said. He nodded and continued to read the journal in his hand. I thought of the many things that could happen if the information Tamia just found out got into the wrong hands. The thought motivated me to search. Tamia joined me downstairs and helped me search the files. We were at it for hours. We had lunch and talked about the content of the journal. We joked about what Jenny wrote. Tamia and I pretended to find it amusing because we did not want to rm the others. By evening we had gone through all the documents we had brought, and only four files consisted of her correspondence with my mother and father. I found a copy of the letter sent to her by her southern informant in those files. It was authentic, but I could not tell if it was my mother''s handwriting or not. "Alpha Corrigan, I write you in good conscience. I do not believe in injustice, and I believe the wolf lord lost his mind because of his greed. Knowing how greatly your family suffered at his hands, I am moved to do this. Although I want to remain anonymous, I have discovered that the lord is out to conquer the south. He travels in disguise with his beta and gamma under the Alias John Michan. He ns to scout your territory as a tourist to develop his attack n. I am writing you this letter so you can prepare yourself for what is toe. Your parents'' sacrifice should not be in vain. Leah Corrigan and I became friends in the harem. Where I found favour with the wolf lord, she didn''t. I am writing you this letter to help keep her son alive. Please, the wolf lord with be in the south on Monday at noon. He will be staying at the Danes Inn in Pridewood Packnd Under his Alias. Be warned that there will be warriors around. You must intercept him in the inn. I hope for the sake of the south you seed." It read, and I wondered how Jenny would think my mother would write the letter. The writer said she was in the harem, but Jenny had also said only my mother knew the Alias my father used to travel. Could it be possible that he discussed his trip with one of his girls, and she opted to betray him? Tamia and I returned upstairs to pack the evidence, and I decided to talk to her about my thoughts. "Could it be that my father might have divulged his travelling ns to a girl in the harem?" I asked, and Tamia looked at me. "You did not read some of the records in the journal. Jenny said that Leah Corrigan was never in the harem. He did not even sleep with her. She was thrown into service in Grizlo, where she died." Tamia said. "Maybe she was misinformed. My father slept with all the lunas he took. He might have told Jenny that, so she would not be mad. You have read her journals, Tamia; you know she is obsessed with him and possessive of him, too," I said, and she nodded. "Still, you need to confront your mother on this. You need to ask her; she bettere clean because this is serious. This can just ruin the entire Volkov family. We have a marriageing, and we will soon wee children into this world. We do not need lies and secrets weighing us down and haunting us." She said, and I could understand her fear and her reasons. I decided I wouldn''t waste any time. Once we returned to the estate in the morning, I would ask my mother. I hope she tells the truth for all our sakes so I can figure out what to do. We had dinner, and everyone joked about the things they read in Jenny''s journal. The woman believed my father loved her, and my mother was ckmailing him to keep him. She was really delusional. One thing that troubled everyone was that other than when she mentioned her son, she never talked about him again. It was as if he had stopped existing. ording to Theodore, there was an entry where she imed my father took her son from her, but that was all. She did not talk about it or tell us where he was living. It was as if the baby had stopped existing. It was weird. We left for the Volkov estate the next day. I was eager to confirm with my mother on the matter. We arrived, and I went to my room. After Tamia and I had settled in, I took the photocopied letter and knocked on my mother''s door. I hoped she did not make it hard for my sake because I was tired of the lies. My mother opened the door and was surprised to see me. She smiled and let me in. "I must have done something right for you toe looking for me this morning," She said with a smile and offered me a seat. I sat and thanked her. "How is Tamia? Is she alright? I hope she is eating and resting. These are the early stages. She shouldn''t be going about with you," She said, and I smiled and leaned forward. "She is fine, mother," I said and sighed. "I am here to have a private discussion with you, and I need you to be honest with me," I said, and her smile dropped. "I need you to tell me the truth because what I discovered is explosive. It can ruin our family. I need you toe clean and tell me the truth, so I will know how to handle the situation," I said, and she frowned at me. "Why are you speaking like this, darling? I won''t lie to you about anything. I love you and your brother, and your know it," She said, sounding a bit hurt, and I nodded. "Okay, I want to know what transpired between you and Jenny Lawrence Babanin. There was a lot of bad blood between you two, so I do not understand why she would visit you in our house," I said, and she became ufortable. N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. "She just came to say hello and reconcile," She said, and I got irritated. "Mother, you better tell me the truth. I have a letter from Jenny''s records. She has a record iming you wrote it and using you of killing father," I said, and she stood up and shook her head. "How can you say such a thing about me? It is all lies. I warned her to stop spewing that nonsense about me. You do not know how that bitch was. She was obsessed with your father.." She said, and I cut her sentence to stop her from deviating. She always did that when backed into a corner. "Tell me the truth, mother," I said, and she shook her head. "Please sit down," I told her, letting mymand through, and she reluctantly did as I said. "I know he was unfair to you. I know everything. Tamia told me about Alissa, and I learned other things. I am not trying to judge you; I just need to know what to do," I said and sighed. "She is lying. I can never hurt Maurice. He was my husband." She said, and I shook my head. "Yes, I know, but he hurt you, mother. He tried to divorce you because of his fated, made you care for her, murdered most of your family members, and tried to give your family seat to his son. He did a lot of hurtful things to you," I said, and she looked at me, shocked. "How did you know he tried to take my family seat from me?" She asked me with disbelief. I bowed my head and then looked at her. "I did some research and saw a letter Jenny wrote to you to alert you that father wanted to give your family seat to his son, David," I said, and she was speechless. I had her where I wanted, so it was time to ask again. Now that she knew I had information, she would not resolve to lie. "Mother, please tell me you had no hand in this. Tell me that Jenny is lying and you did not have father killed." I said, staring into her eyes. Her tears were a dead giveaway. She was shaking and sweating. I could see it, but I needed her to say it. "Answer me, mother," I said, and she wiped away her tears. "She was fucking him, Sylvester. I had no choice. They were working against me, all of them, against us," She said, and my knees gave out, and I fell on them with tears streaming down my eyes. Everything she told me was a lie. Everything I knew was a lie. Every hate I harboured against Devin was doctored. I was a puppet. My mother''s puppet. "I had to. Maurice had done enough, Sylvester. My family headed the council. He did not only wipe them out but banned me from sitting on their seat because he wanted to make his fateddy and luna. Things went back to normal when Alissa died, and we lived for many years. I couldn''t say I was happy because he kept a harem and had mistresses, but he wasn''t trying to divorce me anymore, and you and your brother were growing into fine men. I was content. Then Jenny told me he nned to give my seat to his bastard. I was livid. I was preserving that seat for Dominic, and the council had approved that he ascend the chair to lead them. Maurice was nning on going on a pilgrimage when he decided to give my seat to his bastard. We had a heated argument after Jenny told me what he was nning. I wouldter find out that she was his mistress and that she told me, hoping it would end my marriage and she could slide in. That bitch. During our argument, your father threatened to deal with me if I did notply. When I told him I won''t stand for it, and I would fight him for it, he came to the sickest decision. He said I could keep my seat and give it to whomever I liked because he would make David lord. After all, he is an Alpha and his son, even if he did not marry his mother. I couldn''t have it, and knowing he was serious, I was determined to end his terror. He had shamed me so many times I refused to let him shame my children. So I did what I had to do. I sent a letter to the southern Alpha that Maurice was heading his way to wage war on his people." she said, and I bowed my head. Bane wasn''t lying when he said my father trespassed. I looked at my mother, and she looked away. "I had to, Sylvester, or you won''t be lord. He had sent the decree, which I had to bribe Vino''s father and Jenny to overturn secretly. I did not even know he was screwing her then. They agreed, but the Balyaev seat would be vacant in exchange, so Lawrence would head the council. I did it for you. That man wanted to take everything away from us and give Alissa''s son. All my years with him, suffering and supporting him were going to amount to nothing. He wanted to raise a bastard above you, Sylvester. He was a cold-hearted maniac, and I had to end him before he ruined what was left of our family and lives. I loved him, but I couldn''t take it anymore," She said and sat down and began to weep. I did not know what to say or do. I was in shock. "Then why did you have Dominic wage war against Alpha Corrigan?" I asked her, and she looked away. "To cover my tracks. Jenny suspected I had a hand in Maurice''s death, and she was hell-bent on exposing me. I had to cover my tracks. If someone is punished for the crime, there will be no need to dig into it." "So why did you continue your friendship with Jenny?" I asked her, and She sighed. "Ever heard of the saying that tells us to keep our enemies close?" She said, and I wondered what more she had done for our honour. A woman''s scorn was truly dangerous, and my mother had proven it. 68 The Rest Of It 68 The Rest Of It ~Sylvester~ I was speechless. My mother sat on the couch and was weeping. I could see she was afraid, and I understood why. She hadmitted treason. I sighed and looked at her. I could see she was tired and wondered how much she was hiding. "Is there anything else, mother, that I need to know?" I asked her, and she looked at me. It was hard for her, but she knew her game was up. "I hated her." She confessed, and I did not need to guess who she was talking about. "She came to my house uninvited and told me that she was tired of the money she was getting from me and she needed to get justice for Maurice. She was on to something, and I knew she would do it. I do not know if it had anything to do with the bastard that Maurice took from her, but she was broken, and she came to vent her anger on me," my mother said, and I sighed. "She said I was an idiot and could not take care of business. She bragged to me that I was a fool. She told me she was the one that helped me get rid of mypetition. I only had onepetition when it came to your father, and that was Alissa. She told me how she paid the doctor to inject silver into her system. Silver doesn''t kill us; it only stops us from healing and makes us weak, which was what it did to Alissa the day she gave birth. The doctor registered her cause of death as an extreme case of preempsia. She bragged that I would not be able to prove it because, unlike me, she knew how to tidy up her mess. The doctor died a month after Alissa passed away. We didn''t see it as anything when it happened, but I figured it out when she told me. I knew Jenny was crazy, but I did not realise how crazy she was until she said what she said. After she bragged about what she did to Alissa, she said I reaped the benefit of her hard work but not anymore," my mother said I knew where it was going, but I held my tongue to let her speak. "I did not know she was screwing your father when I asked her to help secure the Balyaev seat. I found out after he died, and she thought that was why I had him killed. She imed she loved your father, but it was all a lie. She was a bloody social climber. She dated Gavin Orlov in secret. I knew but kept her secret because her husband waste by then. I did not know she was also screwing my husband when I learned about her and Gavin. I found out after Devin had killed him, and I was mad. Jenny was a bloody social climber. She married Jerry Babanin because his family was higher than hers. Before Jerry, she tried to get with my brother, but he did not fancy her. After she married Jerry, she chose to aim higher, so she went after the eldest, Orlovs, and one day I found out she went after Maurice Volkov too. She just wanted to be at the top. The bitch. I had someone investigate her so I could have something on her and get her off my back, but I found out she had a child for my husband, which made me snap. So I started sending her threatening messages hoping she would be so scared and maybe run away, but the bitch always kept her shit together, so I stopped." She said, and I remembered the anonymous ckmail letters Jenny was getting. I did not tell my mother I had seen those letters so she would not feel bad about it. "I had to pay her two hundred thousand Lakhs every three months so she wouldn''t raise the issue at the council. The letter might not have carried my name, but once they dug deep, they would figure it out. So I pretended with her. The day she died, she came to my house to gloat. She told me she had me where she wanted and could dispose of me whenever. She only let me keep my miserable life because she enjoyed watching me suffer. She told me of her child with Maurice, and I pretended to be surprised about it. She told me Maurice took her son away from her and how she envied me because he let me raise my children. The woman was that sick. She could not tell the difference between a legitimate child and a bastard. Jenny said it was time for her to raise the matter in the council. Kapa ke and kappa Melvick were there when she made all those statements; they didn''t believe her, of course, and saw her as a mad woman threatening my life. She also came with her guards for reasons best known to her. "It all happened so fast. She was leaving and said she would get you off your seat and end the Volkov line with the amount of evidence she had. Knowing she always made good on her threats, I knew I could not let her go. So I attacked; likewise, her men attacked my men, but we had the upper hand. She stabbed me with the silver switch knife she always had on her, and Kappa Melvick helped me end her. Of course, my men killed her men, and they got scared because they had killed a high council member, so I told them what they would say before I passed out," She said, and I ced my hand on her thigh. She looked at me, and her eyes looked light. It must have been a burden. "You know my secret, Sylvester; please do not hate me and do not tell Dominic any of this. He would never understand. He loved his father blindly," she said, pleading with me, and I nodded and hugged her. She cried in my arms, and I could only imagine the amount of pain she was in. She had no choice but to strike. Jenny was not going to back down. I had read the woman''s journals. She was sick and rotten to her core. It was good riddance. Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. "Please, Sylvester, Melvick and his men meant well, do not let them suffer; they believe they were protecting our family from a mad woman," She pleaded. I told her to calm down, patting her back gently. "It is okay, mother, your secret is safe with me," I said, and she broke the hug and stared into my eyes to be sure I had just said what I said. "What about Tamia? She likes digging and ..." She said with genuine fear in her eyes, and I shook my head and held her hands that were shaking so she could be calm. "Tamia was the one that figured it out, mother," I said, and there was horror in her eyes. "She hid the evidence from everyone and only let me in on it. She protected your secret, mother. She knew it would hurt you, our baby and me, and she kept it," I said, and tears fell freely from her eyes. "I am grateful, Sylvester. Tell her I am grateful.." she said, crying. She was relieved. "Tamia, please join me in my mother''s room," I linked my mate. I needed my mother to believe that Tamia was on her side because I could feel she was conflicted. I held my mother, and there was a knock on the door. My mother broke the hug and wiped away her tears while Tamia walked in. My mother looked at me and then looked at Tamia. She went on her knees to plead to my mate. sping her hands together, she wept and begged. "Please, Tamia, do not expose me. I am begging you. I had no choice.." she said, and Tamia rushed to her and held her. She knelt and hugged my mother. "Your secret is safe with me, Luna. We will burn all the evidence and never speak of it again," Tamia assured her. I was d Tamia was the one that found the evidence. I did not think Marcel or Theodore would want to hurt my mother, but their mothers might feel differently about it. I watched as Tamia held my mother while she wept on her knees. It was a secret she had carried and lived in fear at the mercy of Jenny, the psycho. I hoped for all our sakes it was over. It was a relief, but we still had unanswered questions. Who was working against my family? It was either the entire council, some people or someone on the council, David or Jenny''s bastard. I realised that Devin was innocent all along, and I had to try to find a way to calm the situation down and have a treaty with the south to avoid any more problems. There was also the issue of him being fated to Tamia. Although she rejected him, he was too hopeful for him to let go like that. He would always me me for his loss, even if he respected and epted the rejection. I watched Tamiafort my mother. We left her room together and returned to our bedroom. "We need to destroy all the evidence, so it does not get into the wrong hands," Tamia said, going through the files. "Anything that points to the bad blood between them, Jenny''s ckmail, the letter to the south and the correspondence about the letter must be destroyed. I am thinking of burning it in the bathroom," She said, and I frowned. Although we had electronic heaters in our rooms, there was a firece in themon room that we could use to burn the evidence. "Why would you want to burn it in the bathroom when we can use the firece in themon room?" I asked, and she shook her head. "Someone can walk into themon room and notice we are burning papers. No one would notice if we burn them in the bathroom bit by bit until they are all gone," She exined, and I understood and agreed with her. "So, what is our next move?" She asked me. "After we are done burying her secret, we must look closely at everyone on the council. Investigate them while I search for David." I told her, and she nodded and searched the documents to separate them. I doubt David could help with anything, but I needed him to know I wasn''t hunting him. I needed to investigate and find Jenny''s child. Meanwhile, we had to prep for the games. It would start in two weeks. While we were figuring all these things out, it was best we figured out what to wear for the ball and prepare for the games to keep up appearances. Jenny might have led to a dead end regarding the pending mutiny, but it opened a lot of things that were hidden from us. The new knowledge that we gained would help us in our future decision- making. Tamia and I searched through the documents for two hours, and once we had separated the evidence against my mother from the others. I took them to the bathroom to burned them one at a time. I sat by the window in the bathroom with a metal trash can and started burning the papers. I could not let Tamia do this because of her condition. I wanted her and our baby to be healthy and well. She was everything to me, and she knew it, which was why she respected my decision and did not argue with me. 69 Planing A Ball 69 ning A Ball ~Tamia~ A week passed, and Sylvester and I did not mention what we knew. We did not even speak of it in private. We had utterly buried it, and Stephanie was grateful. Glenda and Dominic were at it again, and Sylvester was nning to move them to the house''s east wing because they fought in the halls at night. They fought about everything. Sometimes I would hear Dominic end it, and they would get back together within minutes. They were psychos, and even though I knew Maurice was a douchebag, I could understand why he did not deem Dominic worthy of anything. There was no way Dominic would be able to lead the council. He was controlled by his emotions and did not have a mind of his own. I was d his rtionship with Larry was strained, and Larry had started trying to cosy up to Sylvester. The old man had no shame. Linda had turned Jenny''s journals into her book of jokes. The woman was delusional, and it showed in her entries. We would often joke about some things she said during dinner. It was great. While we did that, we practised croquet because that was the only sport we were allowed to partake in, due to our conditions. We nned our uniforms and our mates'' polo team uniforms. I was serious about the ck and white uniforms. So I had them make the same for our croquet team. The women in the harem that were on our team, most especially Katya, asked of Lilly, but we did not tell them anything. The investigators had searched the women in the harem, and nothing was found on them, leaving Lilly and Sofia Malek as the only culprits. They were going to be judged and punished for all to see, but it would have to be after the games. In the meantime, they werenguishing in a cell in the estate. We were supposed to send them to the council prison, but we needed to find out the people she worked for. We needed to protect ourselves and our investigation. Due to these reasons, we kept their arrest and imprisonment a secret. "Tamia," Stephanie called out to me in the great hall of the estate, where the VIP ball would take ce; Alphas and sports team captains with the council members will be attending. We nned on using the eastern garden and the hall as the venue because we doubted we could contain all the guests in the hall. We had a professional event nner, Lacy Brian, nning the ball, but I had to keep busy, so my friends and I decided we would supervise the event nner. The woman was rude and did not respect us. Lacy felt we had no say, but we were stubborn about what we wanted. I fought the urge to report her to Sylvester. I had to make people respect me without getting my man involved all the time. My friends understood my reason and decided to follow in my footsteps by unapologetically insisting she does what we want. We were standing in the hall going through the colours with the event nner when Stephanie joined us. Avery and Linda were weary of her, but I had let the bad blood between us go. Avery was vindictive, and she wasn''t over the name-calling yet, and I didn''t me her. Stephanie went too far. I hoped they reconcile. "So what are the three lunas doing?" Stephaine said with brilliant-looking eyes. I had never seen her this happy before. Her eyes shined brightly. Her secrets were killing her. I guess she wasn''t burdened by them anymore. "My Lady, these women want to have a monochromatic colour arrangement, and I keep telling them it isn''t nice for the event. They want shades of brown and green and beige which do not suit the mood, and itcks taste," Lacy said. There was a way she said it that made it sound offensive. Maybe she had not gotten the memo, but I kept it to myself. She referred to us with a demeaning tone giving Stephanie all the respect and pleading with her to put us in our ce. Even though she did not put it that way, her actions and tone implied it. "You need to watch your tone, Lacy," Stephanie scolded her. "Who do you think these women are? Mistresses?" She asked, and Lacy realised she had committed an offence. "That is Linda, Alpha Theodore Orlov''s mate and fiance; that is Avery, mate and fiance of Alpha Marcel Sidorov and this is Tamia, fiance and mate to the lord of the north and soon-to-be Lady of the north," She said, and the event nner was speechless. The colour drained from her face, and she went on her knees and bore her neck to me to apologise for her rude behaviour. I told her it was okay and to get back to work. N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. "She thought you were women from the harem," Stephanie said while Lacy walked away, utterly scared. "Most of the women your mates have been with usually oversee the events, but it had been three years since they had kept suchpany. She was silly to think that might be the case. I apologise on her behalf," Stephanie said, and I nodded, telling her it was okay. "I learned you are ying croquet," Stephanie asked me and looked at my tummy. I ced my hand on my t tummy and smiled. "I spoke with the doctor, and he said it will be good exercise," I argued, smiling at her, and she shook her head. "Not on my watch, Tamia. That is my grandbaby growing in you. I want both of you to be okay. I think you should take up the cheering bit. The one that involves you sitting next to me and cheering our team. You too, Linda," She said, and I knew it would make Avery ufortable. I tried to smile it off. "You should do the same, Avery. You might not be pregnant, but we don''t want any mistakes," Stephanie said, and Avery smiled at her. "I hope I am, Luna. I want to have babies too," She confessed, and we allughed at how she said it. "You will; just don''t overthink it and try to rest a bit more," Stephanie said, advising Avery, and Avery nodded. "Well, I want to y croquet," Linda said, and I knew she wouldn''t back down. "Theodore forbids I do anything physically demanding. It is getting to me. I want to move about the ce," She said, and I could see her tiny bump when she ced her hand on her tummy. "The Orlov family are few, Linda; that is why Theodore is overprotective. He is the only child of his father, Gavin. He wouldn''t want anything to happen to his child and you. Please listen to him," She pleaded, and Linda smiled. "Well, he said I could y croquet since the doctor approved," She said, and Stephanie looked at me. My eyes pleaded with her to allow me to join in the fun. "Very well, I will cheer your team from the seat," She said, and I smiled. We sat on one of the tables, and they served us juice and Ice cream. I had Ice cream. Weughed and joked about many things, and the whole ce was lively, only for Pam to grace us with her presence. Seeing anyone from the council gave me the creeps. "Lady Stephanie," She greeted Stephanie and did not bother to greet us. Stephanie wanted to scold her, but I told her not to. "Why don''t you ever acknowledge us?" Linda asked her, and I honestly wished I had stopped her because I did not want to get into an altercation with the old bitch. She looked at Linda''s tiny bump. "That has never kept a man," She said, and Stephanie was angry. "Watch your tongue, Pam, this isn''t the council, and she isn''t a mistress," Stephanie said, and Pam smiled. "I get it, but they are just girlfriends until the wedding takes ce and the iming is done. The alphas can change their minds before then, and even the women can change their minds. It isn''t set in stone. I would ord them respect when that happens. As things are, I am above them. I dare not bow to women simply because they are sleeping with the Alphas and lord," She said, making a disturbingly valid point, but she was wrong. It was beyond what she was thinking, and I could not wait to see her eat her words when the time came. I hope she will be able to repeat herself after the blue moon. "Jealousy does not suit you, Pam. Your daughter had no chance with either of them. Now you are taking your anger out on these innocent women for getting what you wanted for your daughter. What is it with you council women and social climbing? I hope you can repeat this in the presence of Sylvester, Marcel and Theodore," Stephanie said, and the woman''s smile faded. "They can tell them what I said. I haven''t said anything wrong. You are still Lady of the north, and I have given you your respect. It ends there. Besides, this is not why I came," She said and handed Stephanie a file and a sh drive. "That is the number of invites we sent, and those are the alphas that responded and the names of the sports they would indulge in along with their team captains. to help with the ball arrangement and nning," She said, and Stephanie frowned at the document. "This is bulkier than usual," she said, and Pam smiled and looked at all of us. "I guess the games have be more popr as we have more invites and participants this year," She said with a smile, and I knew she was nning something wicked. She bowed to Stephanie and excused herself. Stephanie was staring at the bulky document, still wondering why it was big. "May I?" I asked Stephanie, and she handed me the file while she held onto the sh drive. I figured the sh drive consisted of everything in the file for mailing purposes. They were giving a go at going digital. I ced the file on the table and began to scroll through the list of guests that would be there. I read several pages before seeing the eastern Alphas that wereing. The east had never participated before. The council had deliberately invited them to cause trouble for us. We were the ex-wives of the eastern top Alphas; it was only expected that there would be bad blood, jealousy and friction if we met our exes face to face with our current mates. This was what she meant by ''anything could happen before then.'' She will be shocked to learn that Kyle did not care about Linda, nor did Max care about Avery. I scrolled through the names and saw them, Kyle, Max and Leo wereing, and I was worried for Leo because of what Jake had told me about his state. These stupid council people nned to stir up shit. I was d to know beforehand so we could alert our mates. At least we would be attending prepared. Linda would get her moment in the sun, likewise Avery. I hoped Leo wouldn''t do anything stupid and get on Sylvester''s nerves. I did not bother to check the rest of the file. I looked at Stephanie, and she frowned at me with the same question in her eyes. I nodded, and she became angry. "That bitch Pam knows how to stir up shit," She said, balling her fist in anger. She knew exactly what the council was nning to do. They wanted to stir up shit and separate us from our men, but they would be disappointed because what we have is unshakeable. 70 Finally, A Lead 70 Finally, A Lead ~Sylvester~ Tamia walked into the room tired. I was at my desk working on myputer. Someone had sent money to a Bricks Liam in Gad, and I was on it. It was an anonymous transfer, but the receiver had slipped off. Instead of using a number as an ID to collect the money, he gave his Id and name. This was the first slip-up since I started tracing the transactions. Was it possible that Lily was the one helping these people hide their tracks because this was an idiotic move? If that was it, I would make sure the bitch suffered most excruciatingly. The truth about Lily was she wasn''t a trophy, as everyone believed. Her father sent her to the estate the year we had decided we would no longer keep a harem. He wanted her to be my mistress and bear me children, but I felt it was wrong and saw her more like a younger sister. I did not know it would get to her and make her act stupid. I was angry. The only reason I let her stay was that her father was my father''s friend, and they agreed that she would live on the estate. I had abolished thews of the lord and alphas keeping harems, but some people still wanted it in ce. Bearing a bastard for the top six families would guarantee an elite life for such people and their families. Hence, everyone wanted it, and the elites would rather their daughters be mistresses than marry into lesser families. It was a sick tradition that people still tried to keep even though I had abolished it. I banned alphas, betas and gammas from sending their daughters to my estate three years ago, and I have maintained it since then. "Are you alright?" Tamia said, bending and hugging me from behind. She kissed my cheek, and I grabbed her and ced her on myp to kiss her properly. I drank her in, kissing her and taking in her scent until she moaned for me and broke away from the kiss, getting up. She went to sit on the bed, and I watched her move. "I am so tired," she said, arching her back and moving so she could crack her spine for relief. She turned her neck, too, for the same reason, and Iughed. "That is why there is a nner. So you do not have to stress yourself, mydy, but you always choose to. I can''t stop you because I did not want to argue with you," I said, and sheughed at me. "I think I would soak in the bath," She said, and I nodded. She stripped as she walked toward the bathroom and moved seductively, making Knight growl and lust for her. "Tamia," I growled, and she giggled, knowing exactly what she was doing. I closed myptop and decided to join her in the bath. It had been two days since we made love, and I would not let her get away from me tonight. I waited a bit, then took off my clothes and went to join her in the bathroom. She sat in the tub and looked at me, smiling. "Did you miss me?" She asked, knowing exactly what was on my mind, and Knight growled in response. I got into the bath with her, and she moved to me and kissed me. She broke the kiss and put foam at the tip of my nose,ughing. She was the most beautiful woman I had ever seen. Her eyes captivated me, and herughter was enthralling. She had brought me to my knees entirely before I knew it. She was easy to love and be with. No tension and no stress. She wasn''t a social climber. Her love and affection were true. What did I do to be this lucky? I looked at her innocent eyes and drew her close to me. "My Tamia," I said, and she stoppedughing. Her eyes shed golden, and I knew it was jealous Kaira. "I love you too, Kaira; you two are the same," I said, and she giggled. Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. I pulled her close and kissed her lips. We kissed deeply and had to break to catch our breaths. So I rested my forehead against hers. "It will always be like this. My love will never die, and it will never weaken. It will always be strong, Tamia. I will never allow you to regret this. I am nothing like my father. You will never have to share, and you will never have to deal with shit. I will be true all my life, worship and cherish you until I die. You have nothing to worry about where I am concerned, my love." I said, and tears streamed down her eyes. "I know, Sylvester. I know. I want you to know that for me, it is the same. This is my family. You are my family. You and our baby, and it will always be like that. My past is behind me and forgotten; it can neverpete with what we have. Know that and trust me, Sylvester," She said, and from how she said it, I knew something was troubling her, but I did not want to spoil the moment and ask what it was because I knew she was speaking her truth. She kissed me and soon came over to me in the bath. I let her. My body was ready and eager to please her and receive the love she was willing to give. She came over to me, and I grabbed her waist and guided my length into her. Her warmth engulfed me with peace and pleasure as she rode me. It felt so fucking good that I did not want it to stop. I held on to my cum, wanting her to ride her fill. Tamia rode me, and I enjoyed every bit of it. She was my haven, and I was grateful. The pleasure got into my head, and I moaned. "Fuck!" I said, trying to hold on to my cum. My toes were curling, and the pleasure was at its peak. I felt her pussy clench as she grabbed onto me tightly. "Sylvester," she called my name, and all I could do was growl as she came and milked my cock. Soon I could not hold it anymore. Her pussy was too warm, soft and sensitive for me to hold out on her for long. I spilt my seed into her, feeling my toes curl in the bath. She rode me until I went soft. I held her for a bit in the bath and kissed the side of her neck. "We have seven more weeks to go, and you will be mine. We will be connected as one," I said, and she held me tight. I knew something was troubling her, and I could not keep it anymore. So I broke the hug so I could see her face. I searched her worried green eyes, and she searched mine. "Tell me," I said, and her tears began to fall freely. "Oh, Sylvester. The council wants to break us up. They invited our exes for the games," She said, and I froze. I was pissed off. Pissed off because I knew Leo and Max were not over their mates. I can''t say the same for the sick bastard, Kyle, but Max had tried to take Avery from the estate, and Leo has been on the fence even though he imed he had given her to me. I could not forget the fact that she gave herself up, and he would have rather died than let her go. Everyone knew how those men felt about our women. The only person whose intentions weren''t clear was sick Kyle. I knew Leo still loved Tamia. Why will they do this? I could understand Tamia''s fear, and I held her. "It''s okay, my love. They can''t break us. In fact, it is good they see the three of you have moved on, so they can move on too. I know I am the only one in your heart now, Tamia. You have nothing to worry about. I can''t be jealous of Leonardo Albert because I have you. Do not worry about what that evil council is doing." I said to ease her mind, and she held on tightly. "Once we solve the mutiny case, they will be dealt with ordingly, I promise," I said, and she squeezed tightly. "She said scary things like our marriage and union not being set in stone. She said you could change your mind," Tamia said. Usually, I knew this wouldn''t faze her, but her hormones were all over the ce, making her extra sensitive. Most people did not know she was pregnant with my child yet. "Who said this?" I asked so I would know who to discipline. "Pam Rivers," She said, and I cursed under my breath. "That social climbing bitch. She tried to send her daughter to join the Harem three years ago, but we turned it down. She had been bitter ever since. She is just jealous of you, Tamia. She can''t win, and I know you know this, so cheer up and stop letting your fear get the best of you." I said, and she broke the hug and looked at me. We left the bath, dried up and went to bed naked. Iy down, and Tamia ced her head against my chest. I needed to ease her mind and change the topic. "Guess what?" I asked her, and she pinched me in response, which made me flinch, and we both laughed. "The money transfers finally turned up a name at the receiving end," I said, and she sat up abruptly and looked surprised and overjoyed at the same time. "A break!" she said, and I nodded,ughing and sat up. Tamia was overjoyed. "Finally, we have a trail," She said, relieved for the same reason. "I think Lilly has been helping them hide their tracks since, but not anymore," I told her, and Tamia nodded. "I suspected that might be it, but I had no proof. That bitch." She said, and Iughed. "I will have him arrested tomorrow," I said, and she stoppedughing and shook her head. "You can''t do that. Put someone on him and have him watched. He might lead us to someone and blow this thing open wider. They do not know their moles have been caught. No one knows what happened to Lilly and her handler. We will keep it that way and keep letting them slip up. There will be more activities during the game because Lily had told them security would be low then. That is when we''ll strike, and I am thinking of using Lilly to get them," She told me, and I could understand her angle. I agreed with everything she said except for using the treacherous bitch to trap the people. "I do not trust Lilly to have her do our bidding," I said, and Tamia nodded. "I know she is selfish, and that is exactly what we will use against her. Right now, her life is forfeit because shemitted treason. We will offer her lesser punishment if she can help us catch some of them. She will throw them under the bus to save her skin. The woman is selfish like that. She does not believe in their cause. She only did what she did out of scorn. Her conviction is different from theirs. That is why we will use her." She exined, and I could see her point. "What about Sofia, her handler?" I asked, and Tamia shook her head. "She will be challenging to use. We will keep her locked up, and soon word will get out that she has been apprehended. So the uprising group, whatever they call themselves, will have no choice but to work with Lilly directly." Tamia said, and I understood what she was nning on doing. "I think we can work on that," I said, and she nodded. Tamia''s eyes looked sleepy, so I made her lie down. She ced her head back on my chest, and soon I heard her snoring. She was exhausted. I thought of what she said about Pam, and I decided it was time to clip the wings of the council. They had done too much damage. 71 The Trickery of Envy 71 The Trickery of Envy ~Sylvester~ I woke up in the morning, and Tamia was still sleeping. I knew she was exhausted and overworked. Not wanting her to fall ill, I ordered the staff to serve her breakfast in the bedroom. I showered, got ready for the day, and headed to the dining room. To my surprise, only Marcel and Theodore were in the dining room for breakfast. "Tamia too?" That was the first thing Theodore said, and I nodded. "They must have overworked themselves yesterday," Marcel said, and I agreed and sat on my seat. I knew it would be a boring breakfast without our soon-to-be wives. "Linda returned to the room and passed outst night. She said she just wanted to put up her feet and fell asleep immediately." Theodore said, and I smiled. "Avery passed out immediately. She entered the room and pleaded with me not to wake her before passing out. I wondered if Lacy left all the work for them?" Marcel said, sounding slightly annoyed, thinking the event nner didn''t do her work. "I do not think Lacy is the problem; you know how the women like to handle everything. That might have been it. I have asked the staff to serve Tamia in the room. Honestly, they need to rest." I said, and they agreed with me. We ate breakfast in a rush, and then I broke the good news to them. "So finally, I traced a money receiver in Gad yesterday. He slipped up and collected money using his ID instead of a secret word or number," I said, and Marcel was surprised. "That was a bit too easy, don''t you think? What if they are trying to divert our attention," He said, and I shook my head. "I thought as much until I called Noel in Gad to have her trace the guy. His name is Bricks Liam. He exists, and he is, indeed, a bit shady. I wanted her to arrest him, but Tamia came up with a nice idea that we should trace him and investigate him and his associates before we move in to arrest him. That way, he will lead us to other people," I said, and Marcel agreed. "So what has Noel found out?" He asked, and Iughed. "She saw him yesterday evening. We need to give it time, but I think it will lead us to a mole or part of Lily''s so-called organisation members here." I said, and they agreed. "I think Lily was why we did not catch anyone all this while. She might have been alerting them to cover their tracks," Theodore said, thinking the same way I thought. "I believe so too. It was smart to keep her and Sofia''s arrest a secret." Marcel said, and I nodded. "As for Lily, Tamia thinks we can use her to our advantage," I said, and Marcel frowned. "Lily hasmitted treason, and the punishment is death. For a lesser punishment, she will have to cooperate and help us catch some of the people. If she agrees, we will make Sofia''s arrest public and prosecute her; it will force the organisation to reach out to Lily directly. Tamia said she heard Lily telling them that security would be low during the games. We could use the games to trap some of the members," I said, and they were silent, thinking about what I had said. "That is an excellent Idea. The girl is too selfish not to agree. Besides, I doubt she believes in their cause. I think she was just mad you refused to fuck her," Marcel said, and we allughed. It was a pity because I saw her as my younger sister and treated her well. "Speaking of the games, there is a slight issue. It isn''t an issue, but it was created to be so," I said, and they frowned. "The council is at it again, and Pam decided to invite the eastern alphas," I said. Theodore banged his hand on his table angrily. "When will those bastards stop? What is her fucking problem? She sent her daughter here once, and neither of us epted her, and now she is trying to ruin our lives because of it?" Theodore said, livid. "Linda loves you, Theodore, and she hates her ex; you shouldn''t be worked up," Marcel said, trying to calm Theodore down, and he shook his head. N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. "I just don''t say it, but Linda has nightmares. She doesn''t know, but most of the time, I have to wake her in her sleep and hold her. She is traumatised to her soul. I hear many things she mumbles in her sleep, and I could not imagine anyone could be subject to that kind of treatment. Imagine what I had to deal with when she got here. She was broken. I am not worried about where her heart lies. She is pregnant. I do not want anything that would trigger her memory and cause her stress. She might think she is over the guy, but she still dreams of revenge. I do not want her to be stressed. How dare Pam do this?" He said, very angry. I did not know he was dealing with all that until he voiced it out. I now understood their slow progress and the woman''s reluctance. Kyle was a bastard, and I wondered what Leo was doing as leader of the east. He was supposed to strip Kyle of his rank and take his pack from him. The bastard was unfit to rule. "They should strip that man of his rank and take his pack from him," I said, and Theodore nodded. "I would have moved to do that, but I do not want to cause a war with the east. Most of thend he uses and the money he spends belongs to Linda. She is an heiress. The guy is a bastard. He caused a problem with us, and when we came, he gave her to us and decided to keep her things so he and his bitch could share. Once I am married to Linda, I will retrieve her property. He has no right to hold on to her things since they are no longer together. I will see how powerful his pack will be without hernd and money. The man needs to suffer." Theodore said, and we were silent because of the new tension in the atmosphere. Now that Theodore put it that way, I was a bit worried. What if Leo showed up and stressed Tamia out? She did not need any form of stress at the moment. Her pregnancy was still in the early stages. Pam was a bitch. "I swear, Sylvester," Marcel said, and I could see the pure rage in his eyes. "That bastard Maxwell tried to take Avery from the north." He said, pointing out his own situation. "How could the council invite an Alpha that had attacked the north with an Army? We need to query them and water down their power," Marcel said through gritted teeth, angry and disgusted by their conduct. "I nned on doing that after the games. I do not want them to think we harbour anything against them. If we move now, the mutiny culprits will be careful, and it will be hard to catch them. We need them to be rxed so we will be sessful when we move. We cannot lose our eyes on the goal. Someone or some people are working against us. We must deal with the situation quickly before it gets out of hand. " I can''t wait for the blue moon toe so we can rest," Theodore said, and Iughed. "Too bad the games will ur before the blue moon," I pointed out, and there was silence. They were processing the situation, and soon we resolved it individually without sharing our resolutions. "No matter what happens, I won''t doubt my mate. I will let her do what she wants. Our women have shown usplete loyalty, and we have to respect that aspect," I said, and Marcel smiled at me. "You can say that since Devin is noting. You know that dude is obsessed with Tamia, right? I did a little digging and found that she wasn''t lying. They met only once. My sources in the east said he danced with her and was enthralled.." he stated, and I interrupted him. "Devin is a closed chapter in Tamia''s life. She loves me, and I know it. He had his chance, and he blew it." I said, and everyone began tough. It was great to see everyone lifted. I finished breakfast and headed to my office to call and ask Noel about Bricks Liam. It wasn''t long after I sat down when Dominic barged into my office. "Why are you sending me to the western wing? It is meant for workers," he said, and I bowed my head. I hated dealing with his drama, and now that he was over his imprisonment, he was back to his old self. I could understand why our father did not want him heading the council. "There is a luxury apartment in the wing meant for my Delta. If Vino had joined the service, that would have been his wing. I am giving it to you because I can no longer take your activities with Glenda in this wing. My mate is pregnant, and she needs to rest, yet you guys fight and ravage yourselves in the halls. And you always seem to do it close to my door. I am tired. At least you will own that wing and can do what you like," I said as calmly as I could manage, and he grumbled. I knew he wanted something. "Please, Dominic, I do not have time for all this," I said, wanting him to get to the point and leave. "Sign me up for the Polo team. I want to y," He said, and I studied him. I knew he would not take no for an answer, and the truth was the games were to connect and have fun. He would be a severe handicap on our team, but I just nodded so he could leave my office. He thanked me immediately. "Glenda has great ideas for our uniform," he said, and I shook my head. "Tamia has already handled that; she should have spoken up earlier," I said, and he grumbled. "The ck and whitebination is tasteless. Also, the monochromatic design for the ball is too in," He said, and I sighed. "Tasteless or not, my woman wants me in a ck and white uniform, and I am lord, so I will wear what she wants. If she wants to paint the entire estate in whatever colour she likes, I will allow it. Anything to make my Lady happy. Hope you know my wedding is fast approaching. You need to start respecting Tamia as your sister Iw, Dominic. She was the one that got you out of that bind." I told him, and his face dropped. "I do not disrespect her. Did she report me? I have been nice to her. I am forever grateful for what she did, but you know I am the older brother, and Glenda is my woman; she should have something to do. She does not feel like I am not taking her seriously, Sylvester, and I love her," He said, and I looked at him. I could not believe my brother would ever use that word with anyone. He was like our father, and he was incapable of being faithful which was why they fought all the time, but for him to say he loves her means it is serious. "She can meet Tamia. I am sure there will be something for her to do. Trust me, my mate needs the help. She was tired yesterday." I said, and he nodded. "She shouldn''t be overworking herself; she is carrying your baby," He said with concern. I could see that Dominic had changed, so I pushed my luck a bit. "Word of advice, Dominic, try to be faithful to Glenda. I know what you have been doing with the girls in the harem; you have to respect her. So you do not hurt her like father hurt mother. I am just saying," I said, and he looked away because he knew that was precisely what he was doing. He excused himself, and my mother walked in. I wondered if she was waiting for Dominic to finish talking before she interfered. She was angry and worried, and she looked unsettled. "Sylvester, we need to do something about Pam and Joan," She said, looking angry and very worried. "Please have a seat," I said, and she looked towards the bathroom door of my office. I shook my head to let her know no one was there. "I went through the guest list. They invited Devin and Devin requested to ce his pack in the Polo tournament," She said. As much as that did not sit well with me because I doubted his intention was pure, knowing what transpired between Tamia and him, I trusted my woman not to betray me. She had rejected him, and he had epted that. He was stupid if he was still hoping to try his luck. I was angry at the council, and I knew I would have to suspend them and review their authority because this was just too much. They know the bad blood between Alpha Corrigan and my family, yet they chose to do this. I just hoped they did not n to start a war. I looked at my mother, who seemed a bit nervous and worried. "What is it, mother?" I asked, wanting her to get to it because I wanted to call Noel and find out if there had been any other leads other than the one I gave her. "It is not Devin I am worried about, my son. Niky Sullivan is the registered captain of his team, and he ising with Susan," She said, and my heart was caught in my mouth. I felt a pound in my chest, one I had not felt in a long time, and fear engulfed me. Why would the council do this to me? I had picked up the pieces of my life and moved on; why would they bring my past to hunt me? If Tamia finds out Susan ising, she will be perplexed, and I do not want anything to happen to our baby. I bowed my head, trying to figure out what to do. "Pam and Joan are smart, son. They brought in the list at the time closest to the event when we could not cancel the guests," My mother said, repeating what was ying on my mind. "Tamia," Knight said, livid at what the council had done. ***thank you to everyone following me on I..G... I was overjoyed when I saw the likes and comments on myst post. I hope we can connect more. Hugs*** 72 Dilemma 72 Dilemma ~Sylvester~ I remained speechless in my office, and my mother stared at me. She looked genuinely worried, and I knew why. I wanted to speak, but she interrupted me. "That girl has been through a lot, and she loves you with all her heart, Sylvester, do not break Tamia''s heart," She said with tears forming in her eyes. "I used to want a daughter so badly, but I never had one. Tamia feels like my blood." She said and wiped away her tears. "I love her, Sylvester, and I love what you two have. Please," She said and put her hand together to beg me. "Do not break my Tamia''s heart. I know Susan is your first love, and you never got over her, but please; Tamia deserves better. Your wedding and iming ceremony is seven weeks from now; please do not disappoint her and me. If you do, I will leave with her and my grandchild, and I will forget that you are my son," She said with conviction in her eyes, and I knew she wasn''t lying. "Why do you think I will be conflicted where Susan is concerned?" I asked her, and sheposed herself. "Because you keep your promises, Sylvester. You swore you would never settle down until she came back. You said you would find her and bring her back to make her your luna. You have remained single all this while, and that bitch Pam said everything isn''t set in stone. Please, my son. Susan gave up on you and ran away. She should have hung around, fated or not. She should have waited to see what you would do, but she had no faith in you and left you alone with nothing but a letter and a broken heart. Do not destroy Tamia for her sake. I plead with you. I know you had a strong feeling for that girl, but she isn''t worth it. Please," She said, and I felt terrible that my mother would think I would hurt Tamia for Susan''s sake. "I love Tamia, and she is carrying my baby. I can never hurt her," I said, and she nodded. She did not believe me, it was in her eyes, and it annoyed me a bit. "I am nothing like my father, mother. I will never hurt the woman I love. Tamia has no family but us; I can never be cruel. I will die without her," I said, and my mother studied my eyes and nodded. "That was all I came to tell you; I will take my leave now," she said and got up. "Mother," I called her attention, and she stopped to listen to me. "Do not tell her about Susan. Allow me to do it myself, please," I pleaded with her, and she hesitated before nodding, and then she left. I sat at my desk, and my heart was still racing. Why would Susane now after eleven years? Why will shee to the north? Why would Niky Sullivane with her? Was she ying on the Polo team? I remembered how we learned horse riding and yed Polo and Polocrosse together. I took an interest in the sport because of her, and it has remained my favourite since then. Why would she return now when I had picked up the pieces of the heart that she shattered and moved on? I was confused and angry. I did not know how I would act when I saw her, and I did not know how I would feel. I wondered how she was doing, if she was okay, and what she looked like now. Was she married? Did she have children? Was she happy? Those questions crossed my mind. I remembered everything we did together, and the pain of her abandonment returned to me as I fought back my anger and tears sitting in the office. I blocked everyone from the mind link so I could gather my thoughts and put my emotions in check. My office phone rang, and it snapped me out of the deep thought I was it. "Hello," I said, and it was Noel. I should have called her first thing in the morning, but many things distracted me from contacting her. She had finally called me. "My Lord, Bricks noticed he was trailed, so he tried to escape. I had to get involved and arrest him," she confessed, and I was sad because it meant we wouldn''t learn more like we wanted to. "So what will happen now?" I asked her, and she sighed. "That is why I called you. He said he works for the council''s spokesman Jacob Mikhailov." She said, and I felt relief wash through me as I finally had a name that led to someone on the council. "They are funding an extremist group that seeks democracy and Liberation," She said, and I was stunned. "He ims they want to eliminate the lordship and put the council in charge while the regions would be ruled by governors," She said. I wondered why he quickly gave up names and told Noel their ns. "Why did he tell you all of this?" I asked her, and she sighed. "I tortured him and told him he would be tried for treason. He begged for a lesser sentence in exchange for information." She said, and I realised he wasn''t as loyal as his recruiters might have needed him to be. He did not sound like someone that believed in the cause. "Very well, transport him here secretly for questioning," I told her and hung up. I ran my fingers through my hair, feeling frustrated and sad. It was good news, but my heart wasn''t happy. The whole Susan thing had destabilised me. There was so much happening at once, and I needed a breather. I needed the noise to quiet down and the spinning situation to stop, but I knew it wouldn''t, and it was getting to me. I was tempted to have Jacob Mikhailov arrested, but I would instead do it after the games. I did not want to do anything that would disrupt the games or interfere with the investigations that would ur during the games. I needed the traitors to be rxed and follow their n. So we could catch them. I attended to some documents in the office and went to train. After training, I joined Marcel and Theo at the stables to practice polo. Susan gued my mind, and I needed the thought of her to fade away. I practised so hard until I was tired. I skipped lunch and remained outside, trying to free my mind of what was happening. I sat by the cliff and wondered what I would do. I took the horse back to the stables when it was dinner time, showered, and went for dinner. I entered the dining room, and Tamia looked at me with her green eyes; she was worried; I could tell, but she did not say a word. I went to sit next to her, and she smiled at me. I had not seen her the whole day, and I felt guilty. Why was I acting like this? What was I worried about? "You locked everyone out of your mind. Is everything alright," She said to me, and I rubbed her back gently, then began to te her food. "Everything is alright, my love," I said to her, releasing my mind tomunicate through the link. "They have arrested Bricks and are bringing him here for questioning. He said Jacob Mikhailov was the one that sent him the money, and they are funding a group that wants to remove the lordship, ce the council in charge and liberate the people of the regions by installing governors. I told her to bring him here so we can interrogate him properly," I said aloud, and Marcel growled. "What about Jacob?" He asked, and I shook my head. "Let him continue to believe his secret is safe. I want them to make more mistakes. Please, ce someone to watch him and study his activities and associations. That could help." I said, and Marcel agreed. We ate the rest of the meal in silence. It was apparent that I wasn''t in high spirits, but I tried to keep it together. Soon we finished, and Tamia and I got up to leave. We walked in silence, and she did not utter a word. I could not read her. I could not tell if she was angry or just giving me space. We entered the room, and she went to the bathroom. I went to check myputer for emails, but there was nothing. By the time I was done, she had exited the bathroom in her night dress with wet hair. She had taken a quick shower, and she looked gorgeous. "Hectic day?" She asked me with a smile, and I nodded. I felt relief wash through me because I realised she was just giving me space. She wasn''t mad at me. I watched her moisturise her skin at the vanity table and then move to the bed. I decided I had to tell her that Devin and Susan wereing so she would know and would not be surprised and shocked when she saw them or found out before then. "Devin ising for the games," I said, and she looked at me, stunned. I could see a glimpse of fear in her eyes. "He has nevere for the games before. He epted and even signed up three polo teams to y in the tournament for the south." I said, and she looked worried. N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. "That isn''t all, my ex''s uncle is the captain of his team, and he ising with my ex, Susan," I said, and her hand shook a bit. She sat upright on the bed and looked at me with fear. She was speechless. "Susan ising?" She asked, and I nodded and went to join her on the bed. "Yes, Tamia," I said and pulled her into my arms. "I am not telling you this because she is important; I am telling you this so you will not be surprised when she shows up and some loudmouth council member decides to use it as a jab. I do not want you to get worked up over this," I said, and she nodded slowly, so I turned her to look at me. "I love you, Tamia. You have nothing to worry about. She blew her chance when she left me. My time with her is over now; my heart beats for only you," I said, and she did not respond. "Was that why you were scarce all day and you blocked your mind frommunication?" she asked me. Although it was part of it, I couldn''t tell her because she did not seem to be taking it well. "No, the issue with the council is what is killing me. I am only telling you this because I want you to know so you aren''t caught off guard." I said, and she nodded. She looked at me and searched my eyes for a bit. "I trust you, Sylvester. With all my heart," She said with teary eyes, and I knew she was worried. I leaned close and kissed her lips. This was why I was worried. I did not want her to be stressed about it. I held her, and she wrapped her arms around me. "Please don''t break my heart, Sylvester. I won''t survive this one," She said, and her words cut me deeply. The fact that she thought there could be a possibility made me want to check myself. I was shocked and nervous about seeing Susan, but it wasn''t because I wanted to get back with her. It was because, deep down, I was still mad that she did not break up with me properly before leaving. "I won''t, I promise. You have nothing to worry about. You own and rule my heart now. I will never betray you and our baby, Tamia. I promise you that my love is true, and it will always remain that way. Please don''t be worried. Don''t make me regret telling you," I said, and I heard a faint sob. I held her, and weid down. She ced her hand on my chest, resting her body on half of mine. I touched her hair, gently stroking it and stared at the ceiling. I could not wait for the blue moon and make her mine permanently. 73 In A Trance 73 In A Trance ~Tamia~ nning the ball for the games became a bit challenging after what Sylvester told me. As time drew near, I became a nervous wreck. I tried to hide it, but I couldn''t. Sylvester would often figure it out, and I will pretend to snap out of it. I was afraid that Susan would take him from me. She was his first, and he never had closure; what if his heart remembers her? I tried to be calm, but I couldn''t. Stephanie was a bit worried; she somehow knew Sylvester had told me about the guestsing. Four days before the event, I couldn''t hide my fear anymore. I sat on the chair in the hall, going through the table arrangement, and I looked like a wreck. The eastern alphas and Devin had turned down the ball for reasons best known to them. Linda wasn''t happy about it, but since they were going to y polo too, she would still have her day. My heart was so troubled that I felt sick and had to vomit. I returned to sit down, and Stephanie came to speak to me. "My dear, you need to have faith in him," She said, knowing what troubled my soul. I did not share the news with Avery and Linda, so they did not worry for me, but I was dying inside. "What if he wants her back?" I said, tears almost streaming down my face, and Stephane pulled me in and held me. "I won''t allow it," she said, and I knew she had no power in that regard. Sylvester was lord. Was he going to make me share? What would I do? I was a mess. "Have some tea and retire to bed. Lacy and I will handle the rest. Please try and sleep," Stephanie said, and I was too much of a mess to argue with her. I got up and left the hall. I returned to my room, and Sylvester was there on hisputer. I did not speak to him. I just walked to the bathroom to freshen up. I stood under the shower for minutes, deep in thought. "We should be strong, Tamia. We should be ready," Kaira said, and I did not know how to feel about it. I never imagined that Susan would return, and I did not know what to do now that it was in four days. "What if she decided to see him before the ball? Most of the participants are already arriving, Tamia. It can happen anytime," Kaira said, and I covered my mouth to cry. I heard Sylvester enter the bathroom, and I shook from the sound of his entrance which snapped me out of my thoughts. I stopped crying immediately. He got into the shower with me and held me from behind. He kissed my shoulder, turned me around, and then turned off the water. "Look at me, Tamia," He said gently, and I did not want to look up because he would know I was crying, and I wanted to be strong. "Please look at me," He said, lifting my chin up. I looked at him. "Please do not doubt my love. This should not bother you. She isn''t even my fated, Tamia, and you are a wreck. I want to believe it is the hormones, but you need to keep it under control. I regret telling you, but I did not want you to be taken by surprise. Please, Tamia. I know your time with Leo scarred you, but I am nothing like him. I am a one-woman man, and you are my woman. Susan is my past; you are my present and future. Yes, she will want to see me and talk to me, but I promise I will not disappoint you. I won''t do anything that would make you aughing stock. I won''t break your heart. I need you to cheer up. We have all been looking forward to this ball. Do not let Susan take away your joy, our joy. We have a lot to look forward to. Please do not let this hurt you. If you are worried about an ex-girlfriend, then I should be paranoid about an ex-fated," He said, and I giggled hearing him put it that way. I just hope he will be faithful to his words. I ced my head against his chest, and he wrapped his arms around me and turned on the water. "I want my green-eyed beauty back," he said, and I dug my nail into his skin. "Tamia," he groaned in a sexy way, and I looked up at him. He crashed his lips on mine and kissed me hungrily. His kiss said it all; he was mine and no one else''s. I wrapped my legs around him, eager for him to pound into me, and he did not disappoint. We moved from the shower to the bed. I had been distant for over a week. It was expected behaviour that he would ravage my body, and I liked it. Sylvester made love to me, and I could feel his heart and intention with every passion and stroke. I came twice before he released into me, but his dark eyes let me know the night was only beginning. The day of the ball finally came, and I dressed in a cream dress to fit the event''s mood. Leo, Kyle and Max had changed their minds and decided they would attend. I could only imagine Linda and Avery making an effort to look good. I couldn''t me them. The men deserved the shock. I was counting on Leo to be civil. Devin was still noting, so I would not have drama to deal with. Sylvester was in the closet dressing up when there was a knock on the door. I asked the person toe in, and Stephanie entered the room in an onyx dress. She looked young and beautiful. She could easily pass for Sylvester''s older sister, and I wondered how Maurice could treat her so terribly, but I could also see why he couldn''t let go. She was a beauty. She held a jewellery box, smiled, and walked to me. "You look beautiful, Tamia. You look like a goddess," She said, and I thanked her. I put a lot of effort into the dress and make-up. Thece cream dress hugged my body and gave me a mermaid shape. It was backless with a halter neck and no sleeves. The left slit showed my long legs, and the beautiful golden high-heeled slipper I was wearing complemented the dress. I wore my hair down straight and parted in the centre. My make-up was subtle but beautiful. I was still contemting what to wear as jewellery. Stephanie looked at me and smiled. "I am here to check on you and make sure you are alright," She said, and I nodded and smiled at her. "Be confident in your love, Tamia. That girl does not have good intentions, but I know Sylvester will not betray you," She said, and I frowned at her, wondering why she would say that. She smiled and winked at me, so I prompted her to tell me what she had done. "Please tell me why you say she doesn''t have good intentions?" I said, and she smiled. "She tried to get in here to see Sylvester two days ago, but I had given orders at the entrance that no one is let in, especially her, only on the day of the ball. I do not want her to have time alone with my son. I blocked her twice, and yesterday I went to see her in their home in Lund to tell her to back off. I told her my son had moved on and that you two were getting married soon. She shouldn''t think she can just walk away ande back and find him waiting for her. I did not say it nicely, either. I wanted to hurt her with my words, and I wanted her to back off. She wept, of course, but I need her to get the message." She said and winked. "You are my daughter, Tamia, and the only woman I want with my son. I will protect you and my grandchild," she said and gave me the jewellery box, It had a golden bracelet with diamonds and looked really beautiful. "I picked it out for us yesterday," She said, showing me hers, an exact replica, and I felt loved. She helped me wear it on my wrist, and I thanked her. She left me alone, and I turned to look at myself in the mirror. The bracelet was all the jewellery I would need. It was perfect. Sylvester walked out of the closet, smiling. It was clear he heard what his mother said. He was decked up in his official attire. His uniform rank and adornment made him look exquisite. He packed his hair in a ponytail, and I somehow knew Marcel and Theodore would dress the same. He was fixing the cufflinks of his white shirt under his official suit. "I see you two are a team," He said and kissed the tip of my nose. I giggled, and heughed. "You look beautiful, green eyes," he said, and I smiled at him. "And you look handsome, Lord Volkov," I said, and weughed at each other. "I can''t wait for the party to end so I can take off your clothes and bury myself inside you," He said and kissed the sweet spot of my neck. Which made me crumble in his arms. I moaned, and heughed. "Shall we?" He asked, and I nodded. He led me out of the room, and we headed toward the hall. "Lord Volkov and Lady Tamia," The announcement said, and Sylvester and I walked into the ballroom hand in hand. People were silent, and they stared at us in awe. I looked at the people and my eyes caught someone I never imagined I would ever see again, Leo. He looked different. He had lost weight, and his beard was very bushy. He was a shadow of the man I used to know, and I looked around to see if Amanda was with him, but she wasn''t there. Did he leave her at home? It felt awkward, but I looked away. I saw Max and Kyle standing, staring at their ex-wives who ignored them and were having fun with their new mates. They, too, did not bring their mates, and I wondered why they did not use their plus ones. It was okay. Sylvester and I were led to the high table, where the beta, gamma and their mates were and sat down. Avery and Linda looked beautiful. Linda wore a red dress, and Avery wore a cream dress like me. They were beaming with joy, and I could see mischief in their eyes. Stephanie was also at the table with us and winked at me. The Alpha guests formed a line to greet their hosts, Sylvester, Marcel and Theodore. Only the Alphas could get close to the lord of the north. I did not know how powerful and important Sylvester was until now. They greeted him with the utmost respect. It was Leo''s turn, and he greeted Sylvester respectfully. Sylvester answered, and then Leo''s eyes were set on me. "Lady Tamia, good evening," He said, and I smiled. "Good evening, Alpha Albert; we hope you enjoy our hospitality," I said, and he had no choice but to thank me and move on. Kyle and Max refused to join the line, and I could see that they were angry. In fact, I was surprised when they left the hall to sit outside. It was apparent they were having it hard seeing their ex-wives happy. I knew there would be drama where those two were concerned, especially Max, who looked at Marcel evilly. I hoped for his sake Marcel did not catch the evil stare. The party went on, and everyone was happy. Sylvester and I danced and mingled, then returned to our table to rest. My friends and their mates weren''t at the table, nor was Stephanie. Sylvester and I were admiring the guests and the atmosphere of the ball when a beautiful Blonde woman walked into the hall. Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. She wore a short peach dress and held her hair in a bun. Many men stared at her because she looked beautiful, and it was clear that it was intentional on her part. Herte arrival was deliberate too. She wanted the attention. I stared at her a bit, trying to ce her, but I couldn''t. She was new. She looked in our direction, only that she wasn''t looking at me; she was looking at Sylvester. When I turned to see if Sylvester saw her, he was staring at her as if he was in a trance. 74 The Lady In Peach 74 The Lady In Peach ~Tamia~ Sylvester''s eyes lingered on her, not moving, not blinking. I wondered if she was Susan. I looked around, and I saw Leo looking at me with concern. I could remember this scene from before. It had happened to me before, but I did not want to believe it was happening to me again. I saw Linda and Theodore dancing and did not want to call them. Stephanie was talking to one of the guests, and Marcel was introducing Avery to people. I did not know if I should squeeze Sylvester''s thigh or call his name. "Sylvester," I said with a breathy voice, and he did not respond. My heart began to race. "No, no, no, Tamia," Kaira said in pain, and I contemted waiting around to experience the disgrace that would ensue. "Sylvester," I said with a breathy voice again, but his eyes remained fixed on the blond woman in the peach dress, and I watched the words escape his lips. "Mate". My eyes filled with tears immediately, but I fought them. Even if I cried, it would not be in public. It would not be in the eyes of Pam and Leo. It will not be before everyone. So I held it together, but I was utterly broken inside. The woman began to approach. She was beautiful. Hourss shape, plump lips, doe eyes, oval- shaped face. Perfect in every way. I sat still, shaking inside. Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. Sylvester stared at her; to him, she was the only person in the world. I understood the feeling; I had been there. Every fibre of me wanted Devin. I wanted him so badly, but I fought it. I did not know where the strength came from, but I fought it. It didn''t look like Sylvester was putting up a fight. Sylvester was the wolf lord. He did not need to fight it. He was allowed to have mistresses and keep harems. Being faithful to me was a choice for him and not an obligation. He had not imed me yet and did not need a blue moon to im this woman. I was truly fucked. What if he epts and ims her and chooses to keep me as his mistress because of his baby? If that ever happened to me, I would run away and not look back. I sat still and watched her approach. I wanted to chase her out of the hall and have the guards hurl her away, kicking and screaming, but I knew Sylvester wouldn''t have that. She was his mate, after all. Her eyes were teary as she approached. She looked relieved and happy. There was so much joy in her and a tinge of regret too. Who was she? "Mate," I heard Knight say with a growl, and my insides churned. I could no longer speak. Breathing was hard, but I sat still. "Susan?" Sylvester said, and I figured out why they both strongly reacted to the mate bond. She was Susan, his Susan, the Susan that he told me I did not need to worry about. He lied. I now understood the look of regret in her eyes. If only she had stayed and not run off to the south, they would have been happily married with pups by now. Suddenly I felt like a ceholder for her. I began to gather myself. I prepared myself mentally to walk away from the hall. She approached our table and smiled at Sylvester. "Sylvester," She said with a breathy voice ignoring me. Tears were falling down her face. People were staring at us, and then someone made a loud noise that took people''s attention from us. I looked in the direction of the sound, and it was Leo. He was talking to someone at the top of his voice. I saw him, and I could see that he knew. Leo did what he did to help me save face because everyone was looking at Sylvester and Susan before Leo diverted their attention to himself. I looked back at Susan and Sylvester, and she smiled at him. I did not know what to say, but I was getting ready to leave the ce. "Sylvester," She said again, staring at him in disbelief. She ignored mepletely as if I wasn''t there, and I could not me her. How could she acknowledge her ceholder? She had returned to take her man, and it seemed I would have no choice but to let him go. I heard low growlsing from Sylvester, and his breathing was a bitboured. He did not want to breathe her scent. I looked at him, and I could see him battling Knight, and I knew fate had done it again. What did I do to deserve this? It was alright that it happened to me once, but not three times. Finding a fated in my world was rare, but it seemed to be a curse that followed me everywhere. Only three people found their fated in the Mountain pack, and Leo was among the three. In Avery''s Pack, only Max found his fated. Likewise, Linda''s pack. Why did a rare thing have to happen to me three times? I fought my tears and tried to be strong through the humiliation that was about to happen to me. Pam''s words ran through my mind, and I was ashamed of myself. I had told Sylvester it wouldn''t be easy, and he had disputed it and called Leo weak. I could see him doing the same thing Leo did. "Susan," he said, and she smiled at him. My heart broke because he called her name and not mine. He did not look at me. He kept staring at her. I guess that was my cue to leave. I stood up gently and was about to walk away when Sylvester held my hand firmly. He stood up and continued to stare at Susan. Why did he want me to witness this painful event? I wanted to run away. I wanted to leave and go and hide. There was no way I would remain with him and his fated. This was my time to leave. "If I had known, I wouldn''t have left," Susan said, tears spilling down her eyes. Sylvester did not reply. He was staring at her, and I could feel the conflict between him and his wolf. "Thank goddess you are.." She said. "Unmarried?" He said,pleting her sentence, and she nodded. I tried to get away, but he held me still. I tried to wiggle my hand away from his. My tears were threatening to spill, and I was crumbling inside, but he locked his hand on my wrist, stopping me from leaving. "Well, you are wrong. I have someone I love, and we will be getting married soon," he said, and Susan looked at me, a bit surprised. "But we are fated," She said with surprise and confusion. Thinking Fate was a strong reason for him to dump everything and be with her. "I do not care about such things," he replied. "Glenda said you were nning to find me and bring me back so I can be your Luna. Now fate has made it that we are fated," She started, and he cut in. "Your cousin lied to you. I have someone I love very much, Susan," he said, and I was battling tears. I doubted he would want to risk being weak because of me. A war was brewing, and he had to be at his strongest. This was not a good situation. "Sylvester, I won''t be mad," I linked him, resigning myself to my fate, and he squeezed my wrist. His hand was shaking. It was difficult for him to resist her. It would be so because they were once in love. The bond would amplify their buried emotion. "You shouldn''t havee here, Susan; you should have stayed away like my mother warned you to," He said, and she began to weep. "I still love you. I never got over you, Sylvester. I regret leaving and always dreamed of returning, but I was too afraid of what would happen if I did. Please, Sylvester. We are meant for each other. My heart still beats for you the same. Please. I did not leave you intentionally; I wasn''t given a choice, please. We can make this work. We are destined to be together," She argued, and he shook his head. "Let us talk about this in private without interference. Please." She pleaded for privacy because she knew she could get the best of him that way. "Just you and I," She said, and her eyes looked at his hand on my wrist. There was a rage in them, but she hid it immediately. She was fighting to control herself. I could see it, and to her, I was an obstacle. "Let us find a private ce to talk things through, away from the crowd," She pleaded, and I knew when she said crowd, she meant me. "Fate had put us together like we always wanted when we were younger," She said with tears in her eyes. "I make my own destiny, Susan," He said to her and looked at her. "I, Sylvester Volkov..." he started, and I could not believe what he was about to do. "Wait, do not do this. It will weaken our wolves. You are lord; Knight can''t be weakened. I do not mind sharing you with her. It is a price I am willing to pay for letting them force me to leave you, but please don''t. I will do anything to be with you and remain yours. Please reconsider." Susan said, then looked at me with tears streaming down her cheeks. By then, everyone was concentrating on us again. Leo''s diversion had ended. "Don''t be selfish; stop him. It will be your fault if he does this, it weakens his wolf, and the north falls." She said to me, and I wanted to punch her at that moment. How dare she put it on me? "Shut up!" Sylvester told her, and everyone was silent. We were now the centre of attention. "You are not to speak to my mate in that tone ever!" he warned her and continued his sentence. "I, Sylvester Volkov, reject you, Susan Sullivan, as my fated mate now and forever. May fate find you another match," He said, staggered, and sat down. She fell on her knees in pain, and I knew the deed had been done. I watched Sylvester battle with his pain, and my tears finally fell, but instead of it falling from pain, they fell from relief. Sylvester was indeed telling the truth when he made those promises. I doubt I can ever pay him for the gift of love he gave me. "Let us go, Sylvester. You need to rest," I linked him, and he stood up, leaving Susan writhing in pain on the floor. Sylvester was in severe pain, too, but he was masking it, which was why I needed to get him out of the hall so no one would see his pain. People came to Susan''s aid. Sylvester and I left the hall together, and I realised that even though the architect of my misfortune tried to y the same situation twice, I was favoured this time. Sylvester did not even leave room for conversation between himself and Susan. It should have been more difficult for him because they had a history. Leo was indeed a weak man, and I was d I ended up with Sylvester. We got to our bedroom with much difficulty because of the pain Sylvester was experiencing. Though he masked it through the hall, it became visible in our wing as his wolf groaned in pain. It made me wonder why I felt no pain with Devin. I quickly undressed and undressed him. Then I held him in bed to sleep it off. He had just weakened his wolf tremendously for my sake. I had great respect for him. "I love you so much," I said, even though I doubted he could hear me. I began to cry tears of relief. "Thank you, Sylvester, for not breaking my heart," I said, weeping. I was afraid it would be like Leo. I was ready to leave and run away. "I love you so much. I promise to remain by your side. I promise to bnce your strength and do everything to make you happy. I love you so much." I said and held on to him tightly. Fate did not give him to me. We chose ourselves, and it was a great match of love, trust, determination and promise. 75 The Snapping Of Bonds 75 The Snapping Of Bonds ~Sylvester~ I heard my mother enter our room, and I wondered what she wanted with Tamia; I was still battling with my cufflink, so I remained. I didn''t interrupt her. My mother''s words touched my heart. I knew Susan had been trying to reach me since she arrived but I ignored her. Glenda hade to see me in the office twice, and by the third time, I had banned her from my wing. The woman was obnoxious hence why Dominic still found it hard tomit to her fully. I was sure that if Dominic met someone like Tamia, he would change. I had to ask her how she would feel if I tried to turn Dominic away from her, and she got the message. I thought it was stupid of her to try to get me to see Susan knowing that I was mated to Tamia. I was d that my mother took the initiative. I exited the closet when my mother left and saw Tamia. She looked breathtaking. If the event wasn''t important, I would have peeled off her clothes and taken her on the spot. Her tummy was t, and I wished her bump was showing like Linda''s just so Leo would know to keep off. I trusted my woman and knew she would only have eyes for me. I also tookfort in the fact that Devin would not be attending the event. I did not know his reasons, but Marcel had put someone to watch him, just in case he was up to no good. I still could not forget that he believed he should be lord because he killed my father. Inviting Devin without my consent was going to cost Joan and Pam. I just needed the games to be over before I made my move. We arrived at the ballroom and everyone stared at us. I heard the whispers, and I ignored them. It was mainly envious folks. They made it sound like I took someone''s wife and made Tamia seem like she was a social climber. I was d Tamia wasn''t listening or maybe she heard and just chose to ignore it. Either way, her mood wasn''t affected. I did not miss the multiple lustful eyes that looked at Tamia; I had to growl to make them stop, but there were people that couldn''t help it. My mate and soon-to-be wife had that effect. She was captivating. We sat at the table, joining my friends, their mates and my mother. I did not miss the eastern Alphas that angrily left the hall. With how they looked at Marcel and Theo, I figured they were Avery and Linda''s exes, and I knew the women were enjoying it. The Alphas lined up to greet me, and when it was Leo''s turn, I could see he had it bad. The man seemed like he had fallen on hard times. He had dark circles, and his eyes weren''t lively. He stared at Tamia with regret and longing but dared not express it. Tamia was no longer a member of his pack, so he could not link her. He walked away and I could tell he wished things had happened differently. If it weren''t for the letters exchanged between us, I might have beat him up for what he did to Tamia, but all was water under the bridge now. I had fun at the party and Tamia and I danced and socialised with people. Tamia and I went to sit at our table when Susan walked in. She looked elegant. She looked so good, and I knew it was deliberate. I was a bit pissed off that they would allow her into the party, but I kept it together; there was no time that I wouldn''t have to face her; besides, she was the one who left me; it was okay to be civil. I was still thinking of how to handle seeing her when the scent came. Roses and mint. Knight growled in my head, and he began to do somersaults. I felt an overwhelming giddiness in me, and I tried to fight it. My eyes stayed glued to her. Everything faded in those moments. My hands were itching to touch her, my lips were begging to kiss her, and my entire system was out of control. No one existed. Nothing mattered. I looked at her and our eyes met. "Mate," the words escaped my lips effortlessly, and she smiled and responded. "Mate," I did not hear her voice, but I read her lips, and she wasing for me. I wanted to take her away from that ce. There were colours around her, and the swirl of colours blurred out the crowd, making me zero in on her. She was my focus, the centre of my attention. Someone was trying to link me, I could feel it poking at the sides of my mind, but I was closed off. All I wanted was Susan. All I needed was her, and Knight wanted to go for it. "Sylvester," I heard a faint fearful voice call out to me, but I did not care; it did not matter. I just wanted Sussan. "Mate," Knight kept saying, and her scent filled my senses. I knew something was wrong, but I couldn''t figure it out. Susan walked towards us. "Susan," Knight said, howling in my head, and I knew I needed to take control. He had dominated mepletely with his animalistic side; I was fighting him. I did not know why I was fighting him, but I knew it was wrong. Something felt utterly wrong about it. I began to fight the scent because it was overpowering me. The more I breathed her in, all the emotions I buried and tried to forget came back. Memories of us filled my mind, and I wanted to return to those days when I had no care in the world, and we made ns for the future, hoping we would be fated. I fought and then remembered that she left and I was broken, and I tried to move on. N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. Tamia came to my mind. From the moment I lifted her chin and gazed into her eyes to the promises I made her, our baby and her fears, I knew I had to push back. As calming and soothing as the feeling was, I had to push back. Every fibre of my being wanted Susan, Knight wanted Susan, and he fought me. I fought him with all my might. I could not do this to Tamia. I dared not break her again. Susan approached confidently, and I could see she was d we were fated. She spoke her mind confidently, already assuming the mate role, and I felt people were watching us, but I was battling Knight at the same time. She spoke to me, and I felt Tamia get up. I dared not let her leave like this. I did not haveplete control, but I held her wrist to stop her from leaving. I knew it would be over if she walked away at that moment. I went through the motions. I heard a loud noise. Someone had somehow taken the crowd''s attention from us, but I could not look; I was enthralled by the bond. It was trying hard to snap in ce, and I fought it with all my might. I fought Knight while I spoke to Susan. I noticed how she looked at Tamia, and it pissed me off. She had no right, and I wasn''t going to give her the power to make that okay. Her disrespect towards Tamia was what gave me the strength to reject her. The pain cut through my chest as I felt something cut the bond''s connection. The pain increased gradually, and I let Tamia lead me out of the hall. I dared not show weakness, but felt the drain of strength and joy. It was so strong that Knight began to howl and growl in agony. All of the happiness left me. I felt empty and iplete. It was a strange feeling, one I had never felt before. Tamia led me, and I followed her. We got to the room, and she helped me to undress. Iy t on the bed inplete agony and felt like I would die. Knight went crazy. I heard Tamia mumble something, but I could not pay attention. The pain was blinding, and my energy waspletely gone. I understood why people feared rejection. The pain was excruciatingly painful. I groaned and groaned until everything went dark. I woke up and saw that it was the early hours of the morning. The pain was gone, but my body felt physically weak. I had sessfully weakened my wolf. I looked beside me, and Tamia was sleeping. I could only imagine what she went through in those moments in the ballroom. I wanted to show her off and have fun with her, but instead, I had to deal with the mate bond and scare her. I felt a tear roll down my cheek from my deep sadness. I felt empty, and I felt a big void inside me. Was this what Tamia felt when she rejected Devin? She sacrificed for me greatly. She did not have to reject him; she could have run off with him, but she came home to me feeling the way I was feeling now, and she kept the emptiness to herself. I had to respect and appreciate her love. I brushed the feeling aside and went to the bathroom to shower. "I am weak, Sylvester," Knight growled in my head when I turned on the water. "I couldn''t betray Tamia, Knight," I told my wolf. "I am d you had the strength to reject Susan and Maya. I almost made us break Tamia and Kaira''s hearts. I felt their pain, Sylvester, but I could not snap out of it. She will be mad, Kaira will be mad," Knight said, worried that he had messed up, and I sighed. "I am sure they understand, Knight. I am sure they understand," I said, and he groaned. "I love Tamia and our pup," My wolf said, and I chuckled a bit under the shower. "You do not have to tell me, Knight, I know. Do not worry. I am sure Tamia would not think you betrayed her, and I do not think she will punish us for your conduct," I told my wolf, knowing exactly why he was bothered. I finished up I and went back to the room. Tamia was up, and she was crying. I knew it was her hormones, but I also knew they were tears of relief. I went to her, and she wrapped her arms around me. "Shhhh, it''s okay. I am here," I said, knowing she might have had a bad dream. What happened with Susan must have triggered something, and I felt terrible. "You left me for her. I was dreaming about it, and then I woke up, and you weren''t beside me, and I panicked," She said, and I held on tightly to her. "That phase is over, Tamia; we belong to each other. You are mine, and I am yours. No more surprises or fear. We are done with them. I am d that it is over. You no longer have to worry. All we should do now is enjoy the game and n our wedding. I know you do not want something grand, but with all that has happened, I want to celebrate it." I said and looked into her green eyes as I once did before. There was something different about her eyes. I couldn''t ce it because it looked the same, but it reached into my soul, and I felt a bond snap into ce between us. It was faint, but it was there. I felt the emptiness I was feeling in the bathroom fade away, and I felt renewed. I did not know what it was, but it gave me hope that we would get through this. 76 Through Leos Eyes 76 Through Leo''s Eyes ~Leo~ Max, Kyle, me, and our polo teammates arrived at the north nervous. We had no clue how to y the game, but we knew Sylvester would be ying Polo, and Kyle wanted to discuss the exchange of Linda for Reba. Likewise, Max, who miraculously concluded that he needed Avery and not Michelle. I tried to talk them out of it, but they refused to listen. I was the leader of the east; it was my duty to support them. Supporting them would torture me because I could not bear to see Tamia with the wolf Lord. I knew I had sent her a goodbye letter, but my guilty heart could not say goodbye. She was everything to me. There was no way I could get over that. I wanted toe with Amanda so she would not be alone, but she had things to do; she promised to join me soon, and I hoped she woulde. We had been trying, and I believed we were making progress. When I learned Devin was around, I panicked for Tamia because if what he was saying was true, then he would draw her attention. I could not reach him or Tamia, so I opted to wait until the ball. When we arrived at the ball, I was nervous while Kyle and Max were eager to see the mates they maltreated and threw away. It was amazing to see how delusional they were. They were either unstable or stupid. I knew those women would not return to them, and they would end up disgracing themselves trying to y Polo. Maxwell and Kyle had only two weeks of polo training; I wondered how they would survive on the field against people that had yed the game all their lives. When Linda entered with Gamma Theodore, Kyleined bitterly. Her bump made him sick, and he got so angry I thought he would have a fit. Their eyes met, but she looked past him as if she did not know him. Gamma Theo seemed to be taken by her, and he paid much attention to her. Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. Pulling out her seat and helping her sit. She was introduced as his fiance. How the hell was Kyle hoping he could beat that? There was no way they would exchange Linda for Reba. He had just set himself up for humiliation at the games for nothing. Theodore seemed to adore Linda, and I could see it in their eyes; they were in love. It would be easy for her to fall because Kyle irreparably broke her. I wondered how Theo did it, but I had tomend him for being the man for her. I had failed her as the leader of the east. If I knew of all Kyle was doing to her, I would have stopped it, but it was kept private. Nheless, I felt responsible for her pain. Avery entered and was introduced the same way. I began to wonder how these women did it. It was as if Sylvester and his friends split our wives amongst themselves and fell in love simultaneously. It was troubling, and I hoped there wasn''t a grand design or n. Maybe a ploy to get them comfortable enough to use them to take over the east. "Or they might have truly fallen in love," ck said in my head, and I sighed. Avery did not even look at Max. She was over him. I knew she might have seen him, but she did not look at him. Instead, she concentrated on the man she was with, the second most powerful man in our world. The women had upgraded, and they looked beautiful. If my friends weren''t on the losing end, I would have openlymended them for their choices. I was internally grateful that they found love while I maintained a stoic face. "These greedy bastards, they can have anyone, and they chose to have our women," Max linked me, sounding angry. "He got my Linda pregnant, that bastard," Kyle linked me, and I knew it hurt him most because he had called her barren and good for nothing when in actual sense, he was the one with issues and not Linda; her tiny bump said it all. I stopped myself fromughing at my friends. They helped themselves to the champagne flute, realising that their reason foring and signing up for the polo tournament was defeated, A woman was introduced as the Lady of the north, a position Tamia would soon upy. I figured she was the wife of the former Lord and Sylvester''s mother. She looked young and pretty, but her eyes showed her age. People cheered and greeted her respectfully. It was evident that everyone loved her. She went to sit at the table, and I knew Tamia and Sylvester would enter. I did not know how I would feel when I saw her again. I maltreated her mentally when I broke my promise to her and made her share. Although I tried to salvage it, the deed had been done. If only I could go back in time, I would reject Amanda on the spot, but deep down, I believed Tamia was where she was meant to be. Seeing how both Avery and Linda were with their newfound love, I knew Tamia would be better. They weren''t vicious like we thought. We were the brutal ones, forcing our mates to share and some maltreating their lunas. I would change a lot when I got back home. I would start by creating a committee to rescue and help abused victims. When Sylvester and Tamia were announced, my heart lept, and I looked toward the entrance. Tamia looked beautiful. She had always been beautiful, and I tried to hide her looks by stopping her from wearing revealing clothes and make-up, but she still looked terrific that way. Sylvester allowed her to go all out, and she took liberty the best way. She looked like a goddess. I could not believe I had let my weakness make me throw her love away. I looked at her with longing in my heart. She used to be mine. Mine to love, touch, but now she rests in another man''s arms, and it seemed like I had faded into the shadows of her heart. "Tamia", ck said, trying to link her, but I knew she would not hear because she wasn''t mine anymore. I fought my tears and looked at her. Sylvester was possessive, and I felt his menacing and strong presence warning us to look away. Even if I ever dreamt of taking her back, I doubted Sylvester would let go. His countenance and possessiveness of her said it all. She smiled at me, and my heart broke. I remember growing up when we started dating and everything we did together until our wedding, and I felt a lone tear roll down my cheek. I had fucked up. Broken my promises and hurt her. I was d Sylvester was there to help her. I was d she was happy. Every doubt I harboured about the Wolf Lord''s intentions towards my Tamia faded away, and as painful as it was for me, I prayed he gave her all I couldn''t. The event started, and the women seemed in their world with their men. It was obvious that they were now northern Lunas. Theodore and Marcel were Alphas of their ns and next inmand in the royal line. They had ended up with the three most powerful men in our world. Everything went smoothly until the blonde woman in a peach dress walked in. I saw the wolf lord''s reaction and knew what had happened. My heart began to break for my Tamia. How could this happen to her twice? I read her bodynguage and knew she was worried. Everyone was looking at them, and I did not know what Sylvester would do. I needed to protect her from the shame that might ensue. I was angry at myself and fate for allowing her to go through this again. I nned on saving her from the humiliation and demanding Sylvester give her to her fated. I also hoped he would pass the test that I failed. If he did, there would be no need to demand he gives her to Devin. So I began to talk and act like I was drunk. I felt people looking at me, and some wereughing at me. I was the leader of the east, so I knew I would make headlines with my behaviour. It was a small price to pay to protect Tamia from the pending humiliation. It was worth it. As long as they would not witness Tamia''s humiliation, it was worth it. I continued until it seemed the wolf Lord snapped at the woman, and everyone turned their attention to them. I saw him holding on to Tamia''s wrist, and I was concerned. I hoped he wasn''t nning on keeping both women as I did. Tamia deserved better than that. I watched and then saw him do the one thing I failed to do. He rejected her. He did not think about it or speak to her privately as I did; he just went for it and rejected her. I watched the woman fall to the ground, and Tamia led Sylvester out of the ballroom. She had found her knight in shiny armour, and he wasn''t me. I had a lot of respect for Sylvester in those moments. I had a lot of respect for their love. If I thought he was ying her, what he did in those moments made me realise that his feelings for Tamia were real and that he genuinely loved her. I was grateful that they found each other. In those moments, my heart was lifted, and I felt my guilt fade away a little, realising that I had lost her to a better man. The party continued after they had left, and everyone was in shock. I heard people talking about Tamia and Sylvester''s rtionship, and based on all I could gather, people knew they were crazy about each other. Those who might have doubted their love''s depth would now believe it because Sylvester had just thrown away a rare gift for Tamia. It was rare to find a fated. It wasn''t impossible, but it was rare, so people were reluctant to let it go when they found theirs. Sylvester had shown everyone and Tamia that his love was deep and genuine. The party continued, and soon it ended. I knew Tamia and Sylvester wouldn''t be returning. When I let Tamia go, I slept the pain off most of the night. I had to im Amanda again recently to regain the strength I lost. Although Sylvester might be weak now, I knew he would regain some of his strength on the night of the blue moon when he ims Tamia. I tookfort in knowing they would be okay. Max, Kyle and I returned to our hotel in Lund, and they grumbled all the way. The moment we entered our suite, I began tough. "You guys just bit more than you can chew. You can''t y Polo, and you are not getting those women back. Too bad you can''t withdraw. I will just advise you to watch your backs on the field because I doubt you will have it easy," I said, and Kyle did not find it funny. He forgot himself and wanted to punch me, but when ck growled at him, he held back. "Do not forget I am your Alpha, Kyle. I might be yful and easygoing, but I am still the leader of the east." I warned him, and Max tried to calm me down. "Word of advice, better be nice to Reba, or she might leave you too. It is just so much you can do to someone before they snap," I told him and went to my room. I hoped Kyle would take my advice, and I hoped both he and Max would snap out of the fantasy of swapping their mates for their ex-wives. The women had upgraded. I took out my phone to call Amanda and ask her when she woulde to the north. After seeing Tamia happy tonight, I was willing to try with Amanda without reservation. 77 The Man Once A Child 77 The Man Once A Child ~Tamia~ Sylvester held me into the morning. I felt a strong connection between us, something that wasn''t there before. He was mine, and it was confirmed this time. There was no fear or uncertainty between us. He was mine. I still could not believe that he kept his promise and made me proud. I thought I would walk out of the ballroom alone and humiliated, but instead, I left with Sylvester after he had publicly rejected Susan. I honestly felt bad for her, but she did not seem nice. How could she expect me to get up and walk away from my man simply because she showed up and they were fated? I guess she knows now. I woke up in the morning feeling light. The void I felt when I rejected Devin was gone. I was filled with love and hope. I looked to my side, and there he was, handsome as always, with his messy hair on the pillow, and I thanked the goddess for giving him to me. I would have never imagined that I would be this blessed or there was hope for me after what Leo did. I was grateful, and I knew I would always be. I woke him up gently because we needed to be present for the opening ceremony in Lund. It also meant we would be staying in the house in Lund. I knew the staff had helped pack our things, so all we had to do was get dressed, get some food in our systems and head to Lund to attend the opening ceremony. I could not wait to be a part of the celebration. There would be parades and performances from different packs from all over. I was excited. I nibbled Sylvester''s ear, and he groaned, waking up gradually. He opened his eyes and looked at me with a frown which I returned, and then he grabbed me and turned me on my back and leaned over me. Sylvester was that alert, and I liked it. He tickled me, making meugh until my lungs began to hurt. Then he stopped and stared at me. "Good morning, darling," He said, kissing my neck, making a moan escape my lips. He did not stop but continued. As much as I wanted to tell him we had something to attend to, I wanted him to touch me, So I held my tongue. "I wanted to peel that beautiful dress off your body thest night," He said, working his way down to my breast. "I guess I will have to imagine I did and make do with what is in front of me," He said and sucked one of my nipples while he yed with the other. My body anticipated it. Soon he was inside me pumping. I wanted to stay in the room and not go anywhere, but soon we both came and had to shower. Sylvester washed my body, and I washed his. It felt great. Nothing was burdening our hearts. I could not speak for him, but his eyes showed he was light, and I was light too. "Thank you for remaining by my side through it, Tamia," He said in the shower while I traced his tattoos with my hand. "My love," He said and lifted my chin. I was battling tears, but we were under the shower, so he could not see it. "I can never leave you. Always know that." He said, and I hugged him and ced my head against his chest. "I can never leave you, darling. I can never leave you," I said, and he held me. We did not need to say anything. Our actions had said it all. I had rejected Devin for him, and he had rejected Susan for me. Love did not get better than this. Making our choice and sticking to it. Not driven by some forces thatpel us to love, but falling naturally and nurturing the feeling as it blossoms into something beautiful. We finished and went for breakfast. The moment we stepped into the dining room, everyone started pping. Marcel, Theo, Avery and Linda pped. Sylvester and I had crossed a fire they had not experienced and might never see. I smiled, and Avery winked at me. She knew I had crossed that fire with Devin long ago. "Yours finally," She linked me, and I smiled at her because she understood my relief. We went to sit down, and they took turns congratting us. I was very hungry, so I ate a lot of food, and Sylvester kept adding things to my te. He always reminded me I was eating for two, and he did not want his child to be malnourished. It was cute, really. "We are expected to cut the ribbon for the opening," Marcel said, and Sylvester smiled at him. "I think Dominic should cut the ribbon this year. He had always wanted to do it badly," Sylvester said, and his friendsughed. "He is a serious handicap on our team," Theo said, grumbling and everyoneughed. "Tamia," Avery said, and I turned to look at her. "Guess who is ying polo?" She asked with a mischievous grin, and I frowned at her. "Leo, Max and Kyle with some other douchebags from the east," She said, and I was in shock because I knew Leo did not y polo. "When did they start ying polo?" I asked and looked at Linda, who shrugged. "I don''t know, but I think it is a bit suspicious," Avery said, and I remembered how the men were looking at them at the ball. "Was that why they were looking at Marcel and Theodore scornfully?" I asked, and Linda smiled. "I saw that. I looked right past him," She said,ughing with satisfaction in her voice. "I can''t wait to see them fool themselves on the field." She said and looked at Theo. "If your team happen to meet theirs, please do me the honours by beating the crap out of Kyle. After all, idents happen on the field," She said and kissed Theo, who seemed to be on board with what she was saying. I wanted to say they should exclude Leo from their n, but I did not know how Sylvester would feel about it. I could notugh at their n. As great as it sounded, I couldn''t. Above all, I remember that Leo made a fool of himself at the ball to try to save me from embarrassment. He was the leader of the east; I knew many people would talk about his drunken stunt, and it might make headlines, and he did it for me. I also knew Leo knew nothing about polo and wouldn''t be safe ying against our men on the field. Sylvester touched my hand and kissed it gently. "I won''t let them hurt Leo, Tamia. Just Kyle and Max, not Leo," he linked me, and I searched his eyes expectantly. "It is okay for you to feel protective of him. Before he broke his promise, he was your first best friend and confidant. I could see that even at the ball, I could see the connection. It was still there. I am not jealous, Tamia, because I know I own your heart. He is a friend and a loyal one at that." He linked me and kissed my hand, and I was relieved. "But I can''t promise the same where Devin is concerned," He said, and Iughed because I honestly did not care about that. I wished him well, but if he made a nuisance of himself, then it was okay that Sylvester messed him up. He deserved it for bringing Susan and her uncle. "I am excited about the blue moon," Linda said, rubbing her tiny bump. Theo kissed her neck where his mark would rest, and she moaned. "I think we should start leaving," Avery said, and I knew she was a bit unhappy because she wanted a baby too. "Should we go in the same car or separate cars?" Linda asked innocently, but I knew Avery would say no, so before Avery spoke, I quickly spoke. "It will be a great idea, Ave," I told Avery, and she knew I suspected her mood was a bit foul. "Okay, Lady Tamia," she said, and we all giggled. We left the dining room and went to prepare to leave. I wore a simple ck dress with a fascinator on my head. While Sylvester was decked up in his official outfit. Just like the ball night, he looked dashing. "My prince charming," I said, and he smiled at me. I was nervous about our Croquet team, but I kept it to myself. I knew we would have lots of fun. There was a knock at the door, and Sylvester asked the person to enter. To my surprise, it was Dominic, and he was wearing the same outfit as Sylvester, but where Sylvester''s outfit was decorated in gold threads, his was decorated with regr cream-coloured thread, and he looked handsome. He had on his official suit what I hade to know as the Volkov''s crest. A profile of a wolf bearing its teeth. It was beautiful. "I hear I am cutting the ribbon this year," He said, and Sylvester smiled at him and nodded. "Yes, big brother. You will also be weing the guests in my stead. You are a Volkov, too," Sylvester said and pulled me close to him. It was obvious that we were genuinely happy. A heavy load had been lifted, and the dark clouds of fate had been chased away. It was just us and the brilliant love sun. Dominic beamed at Silvester, and he looked like a child. His eyes wandered to me. "She is good for you, I see," he said, looking at me, and I did not know what to say. He walked up to Sylvester and shook his hand. "Glenda shouldn''t know I did this, but I am proud of you. I thought you would do what father did," He said, and my heart skipped because, contrary to what Stephanie thought, Dominic was aware of what was happening when he was little. I wondered what secrets he kept in his mysterious mind. Sylvester frowned at him pretending not to know what he was talking about. "What do you mean by that?" Sylvester asked, and Imended him for his quick thinking. Dominic looked at me and smiled. "After what my brother did for you and seeing how you were indifferent towards your ex, I believe I can officially call you a member of my family now, Tamia, so I will speak in front of you." "Father had a fate. Her name was Alissa, and she was one wicked bitch. He did not reject her for mother. Instead, he made her share. I wouldn''t call it sharing, really, because we were sent to the west wing," he said, and his eyes became misty. "That was why I did not want to go there when you sent me there, Sylvester. It just brought back memories," He said with a sad tone. "That woman was the reason father hated me so much. She set me up all the time, and my father disciplined me. He did things that I could never tell mother. She did not know, which was why I was quiet for most of my childhood. When we left, I was happy, but father asked us to return, and mother was turned into that bitch''s ve. Giving massages, washing her feet, name it. There was nothing that mother wasn''t made to do. Some I had to do because it degraded my mother. I dared not speak then," He said and pinched the bridge of his nose between his eyes. "Father used to hit her, you know. I do not know if she told you, but he will beat her because she did not get the taste of Alissa''s food right, or she messed up with the menu. Mother did not know that I knew. I knew he would lock her in the dungeon for days and lie to me that she went to visit her nonexistent family, whom he had ughtered because they refused to allow him to remain Lord if he divorced her. You see, Uncle Arnold Balyaev, mother''s brother, you did not know him because father killed him, would have ascended and be Lord, but father married his sister and kept the lordship in his bloodline while he controlled the council. There was a bnce of power then. He killed our uncle so he could divorce our mother and wed that bitch. I prayed that she would die a painful death, and she did. Talking about answered prayers," he said and chuckled a bit. " Father seemed to have repented, and he became nicer to mother. When she had you, and he realised you would seed him because you, unlike me, were an Alpha, he began to dote on her and did everything to make her forget what he did. I doubt she ever did." He said and wiped away his tears. I could only imagine the trauma he went through as a child. Seeing everything that was happening but not being able to speak of it.Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. 78 First day of The Games 78 First day of The Games ~Tamia~ I could not believe the wealth of information Dominic had locked in his heart. I could see Sylvester''s disbelief too. Dominic''s erratic behaviour made a lot of sense. It was an outlet for his trauma. "Why did you go to war for him?" I asked because I could not hold my tongue. "Because Devinid im on my brother''s seat. I couldn''t have it. I did not try to kill Devin because he killed our father. I was trying to protect you, Sylvester. Everything I have done is to protect you. I believed everything Larry told me about you being unable to lead and might fall victim to our enemies soon because you will be a point of target. I thought if you stepped down and I took over, they would focus on me. When I got set up, I realised I was wrong and that Larry was a bastard hence why I do not talk to him anymore," He said and then looked at me. "I did not trust your intentions, Tamia. I hated that you had blinded my brother. When I heard you were affiliated with Devin, I began to suspect Devin had sent you to do a job in the north. That was why I did what I did. But you proved yourself, and now you carry a Volkov in you, and I have seen you stand by my brother through thick and thin. There is no way all this will be pretence. I have watched you. I thought you might sneak off to see Devin. I know you met him in Brighton, an informant told me, and I was ready tough at Sylvester when you did not return, but you proved everyone wrong. I do not know what transpired between you two that left him broken, but you came home. That was enough for me to know you had nothing to hide," He said and bowed. "I am sorry we had a rough start, and I cannot promise you I will be pleasant because I know I can be annoying, but I will never work against you or my brother," He assured me, and I smiled at him. I was d I told Sylvester the truth about Devin. If not, I would have been in trouble now. "So now that my brother has rejected his fated for your sake, I hope you won''t leave him if you ever find yours," he said with worry and concern in his eyes. I could genuinely see why Stephanie was protective of him. He loved to a fault, and he had arge heart. "She already rejected her fated for me, Dominic. She did it before she even found out she was pregnant," Sylvester told him, and I felt heat rise to my cheek. "What? Who was it?" He asked. "Devin Corrigan," He said, and Dominic cursed. "Fuck fuck fuck!!" He said, looking at me. "Was that what happened in Brighton?" He asked me, and I nodded. "Oh fuck! How did you do it, Tamia? You left that man a broken shell. My informant said he cried." Dominic said, and I felt sorry for Devin. "You did not have to. All you had to do was leave with him, and yet you took the jet back to the north and came back to my brother," he said, and I was speechless. "Thank you," He said with a breathy voice. "Thank you for choosing Sylvester. It means a lot," he said, and Sylvester touched his hand. "No one should know this," Sylvester told him, and Dominic nodded. "My lips are sealed." He said, "at least that is something I am good at," he added, and weughed. As morbid as the joke was, weughed. "I guess I will see you at the games. We will all be staying in the house in Lund," He said, and Sylvester nodded. Dominic left us, and it felt like I was still holding my breath. "I can''t believe it. He knew Alissa," I said, and Sylvester was silent. He was stunned. I could understand his shock. Stephanie never went into detail about the things she endured. She was light about it. I could understand. Witnessing the event had broken Dominic; she might not have wanted Sylvester to be broken too. "There is no need to tell your mother you know what happened," I told him, and Sylvester wiped away a lone tear he had lost a battle to. I hugged him to calm him down. It wasn''t easy to find out that most of the things he believed in were lies. "We will get through everything together, my love. You have me," I said and hugged him tightly. He wrapped his arms around me and breathed in my scent. When he did that, I realised he had a different scent. He smelled of Cedar and Cypress. It was calming, and I breathed him in. It was a sweet scent. "Cedar, mmmm," I said, and he gently broke the hug. "What is that?" He asked. "Your scent since we woke up," I said, and his eyes widened. "Yours is of Citrus peels," he said, and I was shocked that we had distinct scents instead of our normal, natural scent enhanced by our body wash and lotions. Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. "We will bete," I said, not wanting us to read meanings into our discovery. We arrived outside, and the Limo was waiting. We got inside, and I could see Avery was a bit annoyed. "We have been waiting for thirty minutes," Sheined, and I smiled at her. "You are lucky we didn''t make you wait longer," I teased, and everyoneughed because it implied Sylvester and I was making love while they waited. We left for Lund in high spirits. I could not wait to see what would happen to Kyle and Max on the field. It would be awesome. We got to the venue. Since the games were yet to begin, everyone was lined outside the gate that led to thends. The red carpet was rolled out for us as we exited the Limo. Dominic and Glenda had already arrived, and I could swear I saw murder in the woman''s eyes when she looked at me, but I ignored it. The council members were there too, and Vino smiled and waved at me. I waved back. Dominic gave a wee speech and cut the ribbon, and everyone cheered, and we entered the gate. I was expecting a stadium or an arena. It had both and had other fields too. People were to go to the area where they yed their preferred sports. I wondered where we would y Croquet, but I knew it would be fun. There were mini carts that were made avable for us to move about the ce to watch sports. I was sure Sylvester must have organised it because of Linda and me. I could see it in his eyes, so I did not bother asking so I didn''t make Avery unhappy. We went to the polo field, and the list of teams was rolled out on the table. The western Polo strikers were going against the Eastern Bulls. I checked the yer''s list, and it wasn''t Leo''s team. Southern Sharks were going against Northern Bears. I checked the list and did not see Devin''s name. There were three other southern teams. "There had been ast-minute adjustment to the matches," I heard thementator announce, and I wondered why that was. We went to sit in our booth, which was cosy and had shade. "Theo went to ensure they put our team against Leo''s Team," Sylvester said, and I realised Theo was going to give Linda her wish and beat the crap out of Kyle on the field. This was going to be hard to see. The first match began, and we watched from our booth. Sylvester''s game would take ce the next day, so all we were doing was observing. Theo returned grinning from ear to ear. "What happened?" Marcel asked him. "Our friends said they are amateurs for polo and wanted out because it won''t be a fair match. It was clear they did not know how this worked because they forgot that it only meant they were to add another sport to the list so they would have a chance of winning something, in case they lost in the game they im to be amateurs in. I kindly signed them up for rugby," Theo said with a wicked grin. "And I signed us up for rugby too. We will get them in polo and in rugby," he said, and Marcel laughed with anticipation and likewise Sylvester. They were not going to y to win. They were going to y to kick their arses. I felt sorry for Leo. The day was eventful. Western strikers won against the eastern bulls, and the southern sharks won against the Northern bears. The winners would move to the next round, while the losers would y another game to get a chance at winning. If they lose, they are outpletely. We moved from the polo section to watch the rugby, and we enjoyed the match. I could only imagine what would happen to Kyle and Max. I was sure by now they would know our men were after them because Theo had deliberately signed them up for rugby to get a go at them. The day ended, and we returned to the duplex. Linda continued talking about how some people would get their arses whooped, and the funny part was that Theo humoured her. They looked like teenagers, and it was cute. Who would have thought that they would be so good together? I was happy for Linda. She wasn''t the same drunken depressed woman I knew in the east. She was a different person, and she radiated. We arrived at the house, and I was famished. This would be the first night we would have dinner with Stephanie and Dominic. I wasn''t worried because we had bonded at different points. It wouldn''t be difficult and awkward as it was in the beginning. Sylvester and I showered quickly. My tummy was growling, and I hoped they would have enough food. I began to suspect I might have more than one baby growing inside me with the rate I was eating. We arrived at the table, and everyone was there, including Glenda. I could not forget that Susan had mentioned her name, and it seemed the bitch was the one that encouraged Susan to try to take my man. I sat down and looked at her sternly. I wanted to see the bitch try to antagonise me. I was ady of the north. There was no debating it. It was best she watched herself where I was concerned. Dinner was fun. We ate, and those that could drink drank while Linda and I were subject to Juice. Stephanie also made sure Avery drank Juice. She said she should not expose her body to harmful chemicals since they are trying to have a baby. It wasn''t long before Glenda crossed the line. She was drunk, but it was no excuse. "You are one heartless bastard!" she said, looking at Sylvester, and the table was silent. "How can you sit here and pretend everything is okay? My cousin is at home in pain, and here you are, enjoying your sleep. I knew the Volkovs were heartless, but.." She said, and Dominic interrupted her. "Watch it, Glenda. He might be my brother, but he is lord; I can''t help you if you overstep," he warned her, and sheughed. "You think I care?" She said and then looked at Sylvester. "Throw me into prison, do what you like, but I will speak the truth. "She waited for you, Sylvester. She kept herself for you, hoping you would get back together one day. She loved you," She said in tears. "No one asked her to, Glenda. She left me." Sylvester said calmly, humouring her, and Glenda startedughing. "You believe that?" Glenda said and looked at me. "You would pick someone''s wife, a bloody leftover, over your first love," She said, and Dominic almost pped her, but Stephanie stopped him. "Don''t hit her because of your brother." She said to him, and I could understand why. It would have been a huge mistake on his part. But his misty eyes said it all; he was only trying to shut her up, so Sylvester won''t do anything to her. "She was forced to leave; Your father did not think.." She said, and Stephanie tried to shut her up. "No! he needs to know the truth, so he can understand what he threw away," she said in tears. "Your father felt she wasn''t Lady material because we were middle-ss merchants, so he threatened my father to make sure she walked away. That was why Uncle Niky took her with him to the south, far away from your father''s reach. He took her to the only ce the Wolf Lord dared not go to. Where he had no power, and they remained there. She was forced to leave you. That letter was written under duress. I was there. So do not feel smug and proud that you left her writhing in pain on the floor in the presence of everyone. You humiliated a woman that loved you deeply," She said, and Sylvester startedughing. "Your cousin should ept the rejection and move on. I am not interested. My father has been dead for five years; she could have returned in those years. I do not want her anymore, Glenda. The feeling isn''t there anymore. I cannot force it to return because my father scared her off," Sylvester said to her gently. "The feelings are there. She is your fated, yet you rejected her because of that woman. That piece of.." She said, and Avery pped her. Glenda was in shock. "I believe you can make your point without insulting my friend. My friend might be patient and slow to anger, but I am not. You can plead your cousin''s case, but don''t you dare insult my friend, or I will beat you up. Trust me, I have a lot of rage bottled up for it," she said, and she meant it. Glenda was in shock. She did not see iting, but Avery meant it. "I won''t punish you, Glenda, for disrespecting my mate and me. I won''t punish you because of Dominic, but if you dare try this again, I will not hesitate to have you dealt with it. This is also thest time you will eat with us. I do not want to hear of Susan or anything that has to do with her again. Tell her to ept the rejection if you care for her so much. Nothing can ever happen between us. I have moved on and found true love; she should do the same, too," Sylvester said, and Glenda was in shock. Avery had hit her hard because there was blood in her mouth. A tiny bit sipped out. She used a napkin to wipe it and looked at Dominic to do something, but it was awkward for the man. Marcel was above him. He dared not insult Avery. His eyes pleaded with her to be calm, and honestly, I believed he was better off without her, I could see why he got involved with the women in the harem. The girl was toxic. 79 Who Did It 79 Who Did It ~Sylvester~ I wondered what got into Glenda that made her feel it was okay to talk to my mate the way she did. I watched tears stream down her cheeks after Avery pped her, and I wished Avery would give her another. This was supposed to be a fun dinner for us, and she had tried to ruin it with talks of Susan. Honestly, it had nothing to do with the mate bond; I was done with Susan when Iid eyes on Tamia. I have never been so happy and fulfilled in my life until now. I was in love with a woman that loved me just as fiercely as I loved her. We were expecting. What more could I ask for? If Glenda truly cared for Susan, she should have advised her to move on. I knew Susan did not return because she missed or wanted me. She came because her uncle had something to do in the north. Even if I wasn''t with Tamia, I would have rejected her. She was nothing but pride and ego when she walked into that ballroom. To her, it was her right. She expected me to dump whoever I was with because she had arrived. It wasn''t that she loved me. It was her ego and her need to be with the most important man. That was all. It was the same thing that kept Glenda with Dominic. That same drive made Susan try toe for me. Susan looked at Tamia scornfully with little respect, meaning her intention was malicious and wrong. Although Knight fell for it, I had to be grateful for the strength to snap myself out of the trance. Every longing I felt about our past together had disappeared, and I felt absolutely nothing towards her. Suppose she was in pain; that was her problem and not mine. I had moved on. Come the blue moon, Tamia will be mine fully. Glenda stood up, and I thought she was going to leave us as I had instructed, but instead, she bared her neck to Tamia and me. "Forgive my stupidity, Alpha and Luna," She said, and I knew Dominic had warned her. It did not matter; I did not care for her shit. I looked at my big brother, and his eyes pleaded with me. Tamia touched my thigh gently and squeezed, indicating it was okay, and I let it be. "Do not mention your cousin''s name or speak to my mate disrespectfully again. The next time you do, Luna Avery''s palm will be the least of your troubles," I said, adding Avery''s title so she would know none of the women at the table was at her level. I prayed my brother would dump her arse because I believed she wasn''t good for him. We talked about sports and what we would do tomorrow. Tamia''s Croquet match was before ours. We had made them ce the match in the morning before the sun was high in the sky so our mates won''t be exhausted. My mother wasn''t happy about it. "I honestly did not think these women should y croquet," My mother said, and I knew her fear. Tamia was carrying my baby, her grandchild; my mother would do anything to ensure she was safe. "We won''t be running about the ce or doing anything physically tasking, Luna," Tamia told her. My mother looked at me with pleading eyes begging me not to allow them to y. "You do not know how malicious women could get. You do not know how many young women envy the three of you. Do not expose yourselves like that," She said, and Avery giggled. "We would beat them up, or better still, throw them in a cell if they attempted to do that. No woman in her senses would try to mess with us." She said, and the three womenughed. My mother had to let it rest, and we all soon retired. Marcel, Theo and I decided to hang out on the patio while our women went to bed. I did not want to be away from Tamia for too long, but we had things to discuss. We could not let the event take us out of our goal. Lily had agreed to our terms and was participating in the sports. She was to report anyone that contacted her and tell us what they wanted. Kappa Wilson was watching her. Also, Bricks Liam had been locked up, and Kappa William was overseeing his questioning. "So, what have we learned so far about this group?" I asked Marcel, and he took a sip of his drink. "The man seems too forting for my liking. I do not think we should take his word as truth. He might be trying to mislead us deliberately. I know that someone or some people on the council are actively working against us," he said, and Theo nodded. "Hopefully, our mole will turn out something better," He said, referring to Lily without mentioning her name just in case someone was listening in. It was impossible, but we had to be careful. "What would we do about the members openly and actively working against us?" Marcel said, talking about Pam and Joan. "Let the games be over in peace, and let everyone go home. This period is to help us gather the information we need to get our enemies. We need to find out where Alissa and Jenny''s sons are. I believe that would help with our investigation," I said, and they agreed. "So what do you think about them ying Croquet?" Marcel asked, and with his tone, I realised my mother had gotten to him. N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. "Honestly, I did not want them ying any sports, but you know how stubborn these women are. We just have to warn the organisers to make sure nothing happens. Although I doubt anything would happen while ying croquet. It is safe and somewhat rxing. Besides, they need the exercise." I said, and Theo agreed. He was the most spooked of all of us. Linda was showing, unlike Tamia, where only a few handful knew she was carrying my child. We talked about our game the next day, and Theo and Marcel were eager to get on the pitch with Kyle and Max. They were looking forward to the Rugby more. I could just imagine them pounding on them. Although we would need fifteen men, I wondered how they nned on doing it. "We areplete for Polo. The four of us, including Dominic, areplete for Polo. We have four more kappas to take over when we have to rest every seven minutes, but I wonder, how will we get a team of fifteen people plus the seven extra for the Rugby?" I asked, and Theo and Marcel laughed. "Oh, that is easy. You do not have to join us. We are joining the Northern Bulls against them," He said,ughing. "I spoke to the team managers and teammates, and they were excited to have us on board. Of course, I told them our intentions, and they were excited about it," Theo said, and I realised they had gone all out. "I want to join in the game, too," I said, and Theo shrugged. "You do not seem to have qualms with Leo. It won''t be fun," He said, and I shook my head. "I want to mess with Kyle. That bastard is a sick fuck that has no business running a pack," I said. Just as if I had triggered a memory for Marcel, he raised his hand slightly as if in a ssroom, which made Theo and Iugh. "Yes, Marcel," I said, and we allughed. He smiled, realising what he had done. "We traced the order of the attack," He said, and I frowned at him, but it seemed to have clicked for Theo. "The attack that made us attack the east. We were able to work it out. Abel got some damning evidence on an Alpha Ramsey Richford. We are still investigating him. We have not shared our findings with Leo, but we are looking into it deeper to be sure because we found out he is Leo''s fated''s father, and there was a time he was soliciting for warriors to go to battle against Leo. We do not know what for, but we are still digging." Marcel said, and I shook my head. I did not need to know what he was gathering the fighting force against Leo for. I knew immediately. Tamia had told me Amanda was forced into their home. That must have been it. Leo did not stand a chance, even if he did not want the girl. She was daddy''s little princess, and he would get her whatever she wanted. Too bad for Leo; she wanted him by all means, even if it meant going to war with his people. I was silent a bit because I remembered the hurt and regret in Leo''s eyes during the ball. After experiencing the mate bond myself, I knew he did not stand a chance with his fated sleeping in the same house with him. Losing Tamia was a painful loss for him, one he had no power over because of this Ramsey guy. "I want the man investigated thoroughly. I want to know why he would attack the western borders where my soldiers were and try to make it look like Kyle did it. I want to know his issues with Kyle and why he would even go that far. I also want us to question and iste the trophy he gave us. I want to know how he gave the trophy and what the trophy is to him. It isn''t his daughter unless he has more than one." I said, and Marcel nodded, realising the bigger picture. "I did not think of it that way." He said. That he did not tell me immediately meant he did not think of it that way. "The arsehole must have known that I would strike back. He prepared for it. I want to know if he fought or simply surrendered his trophy. That way, I will know how to deal with the matter. I also need to know why he would do such a thing." I said, and my friends understood my point of view. We talked some more, shared a few sses of rum, and went to our rooms. On my way to my room, I decided to link my brother. "You know you can hang out with us, right?" I linked him, and he was silent, then he responded. "Are you sure?" he asked me, and I smiled, climbing up the stairs. "With a woman like that, you can hang out with us as much as you like, just to take the break," I said, and he sighed. He thanked me, telling me he would be with us all through the games tomorrow since Glenda won''t be around, and I realised that Glenda was killing him. I believed another woman would be a better mate for him. I nned on asking Tamia to do some match matchmaking for Dominic. I also n on including my mother. I wasn''tfortable having Glenda in his life. She seemed toxic, and from what I have learned about his childhood trauma, he does not need that kind of bad energy around him. I just hope he finds someone so he can say goodbye to Glenda. I returned to the room and took off my clothes. I snuggled into bed behind Tamia, who was in a deep sleep. I breathed in her citrus scent and felt a strong pull to her, simr to what I felt with Susan, only that this was slightly different. It wasn''t aggressive. It was subtle and pleasing. I felt my teeth elongate by her sweet spot, and I held myself back. I knew it would not work unless I did it under a blue moon so the goddess could bless it and cause the bond to form. I would hurt her if I did it now, but Knight wanted to do it badly. He wanted to seal the deal, and I could feel his need grow. I pulled her close and sucked the skin there, making her moan in her sleep. Her voice was music to my ears. I allowed myself to be filled with her citrus scent as I drifted into dreand, resting for the energy we would expend on the polo pitch the next day. 80 Day two of Tournament 80 Day two of Tournament ~Tamia~ Iy amid beautiful flowers, and the sky was a brilliant shade of blue and purple. I knew I was in dreand. I wore a flowing white dress, and I was pleased. I was in avender and jasmine flower field, and I wasn''t alone. I looked ahead, and Sylvester was sitting on the green grass with his back to me. I went to where he was and hugged him from behind, but then the clouds became dark, and the nts died. Heavy rain began to fall, and suddenly he was over a cliff, and I was holding his hand, trying to pull me up. "Don''t let me go," he said with fear in his eyes, and they went dark. "I can''t," I said and woke up panting. I looked at the window. The sun was yet toe up, but it was four in the morning. Sylvester was sleeping peacefully beside me, and I realised I had had a bad dream. Vivid dreams were part of the listed pregnancy symptoms, so I rubbed my belly and smiled. Sylvester and I had crossed the biggest hurdle that could pull us apart, and we had survived. I knew nothing coulde between us. My mind was just reying an old fear. N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. I kissed his cheek, and a strong need to sink my teeth into his sweet spot came over me as his Cedar scent engulfed me. I felt an overwhelming need to strengthen the bond between us. I felt the cord joining us, and it felt stronger than it did yesterday. Sylvester pulled me close, and I let him. I drifted back to sleep in his arms. He woke me up in the morning. I opened my eyes, and Sylvester was leaning over me with a broad smile. "Good morning, darling," He said and kissed the tip of my nose. I pulled him close until he was resting on me. He moved down and ced his head on my bosom while I stroked his hair gently. He touched my lower belly and rubbed gently. His hand felt so good against my skin that I moaned. Then he reached between my legs with his hand, and I gave him ess. I felt his index finger rub my clit gently, and he rested on me while he did it. It felt good. I stroked his head hair while he pleasured my clit. He licked his finger and ced it back on my clit, building the pleasure. This was the best way to wake anyone up. I moaned, and I heard him growl. "Sylvester... Ahhhhahhha," I moaned gently, and he was pleased. I felt the pleasure building until I came. He slid his finger down my slit into my pussy, but there was no way it would fill me up the way I wanted. "Sylvester, I need you to fill me up," I moaned, feeling like I was out of this world. "You have to be a little more specific, Tamia," He told me, and I moaned as he caressed my entrance with his thumb. I had no shame at this point as his cedar scent filled me taking control of my senses. All I wanted to do was mate with him. "Fill me up with your cock," I said, and he growled with approval. He leaned over me, ced his hard length into me, and began pumping. Kaira took over from me, and he pumped sweetly. I felt the pleasure building up in me when I looked at him and said "Mate", climaxing along with the word. I felt an out-of-body experience while my teeth elongated, wanting to im my man. His eyes were dark too, and his teeth were out. A serious turn-on for me, and he fucked me through my orgasm. I came twice before he spilt into me with Knight saying Kaira''s exact words. "Mate". He fell on me and kissed me. "I do not know why but I have been feeling the need to im you since the night I rejected Susan," He confessed, and the feeling was the same. "I have battled it, but I know I will lose the battle soon because it is overwhelming," he said as I stroked his hair. "Should we try it?" I asked, and he rolled off me and looked at me from the side. "It will be an ugly scar if we do not do it on the blue moon," he said, and I was quiet, not wanting to push. "Come on, let us shower. Your game is by eleven this morning. I noticed you are pairing up with Katya while Avery is pairing up with Linda," he said, and I nodded. We did not want to y one-on-one, so we chose to y the double team. I just hope we would score fourteen points and win. I would not want to try another sport. Sylvester led me to the bathroom, and after we brushed our teeth, we went into the shower. He kissed the side of my neck while standing behind me, gently squeezed my upper arm on both sides and breathed me in. "I swear your pussy feels so damn good, Tamia. Thinking of it just made me want to bury myself in you. I am addicted to you." He confessed, and his words gave me tingles. I did not know he was serious until he hoisted me against the bathroom wall and took me again. When we finished, we exited the shower to get dressed for the day. "Your game against The Eastern Beasts is this evening; how do Theo and Marcel feel about it?" I asked him as we dressed up. "Excited, but they hope they beat them quickly so they would have no choice but to y Rugby next week and then get to pounce on them and beat them some more." He said, and Iughed. "How will you do the rugby team? It wasn''t part of your preparations," I asked, wondering how they woulde up with ast-minute team, and heughed. "Who said we would do that? Theo already spoke to the Northern Bulls, so we will just rece three members in the actual game; they know our intentions, and they n to humour us," he said, and I "Before I forget, do you know much about Ramsey Richford?" He asked, and I hated that name because he was the one who forced his daughter into our home. "Other than the fact that he was the douchebag alpha that threatened to go to war with Leo if he did not ept Amanda, I know nothing serious," I said, and he nodded. "Why did you ask?" I asked him, and he sighed. "He was linked to the attack that caused me to attack the east," he said, and I gasped. "That bastard," I said in anger. "We are investigating him. Does he have any other daughter or a sister?" He asked, and I frowned. "None, He has a niece that lives with him, but Amanda is the only princess in his castle," I said, and he nodded. "I want you to be a part of this investigation, and it also means you will interact with Leo. Do you think you can do that?" He asked me, and I searched his eyes to see if he was serious or if it was a test. "I trust you, Tamia. Leo can''t take you from me. You are mine," he said confidently, and his wolf shed. I nodded, epting the task, and he thanked me. I wore white pants and a ck polo t-shirt with Sylvester''s family name and crest on the back and Northern Beasts on the front. Same as Sylvester''s polo team. The back read Volkov instead of Albert or Riverstorm because I already saw myself as a Volkov. I packed my hair in a ponytail and wore a ck face cap with the Volkov family crest. Then I hooked my gloves to my pants. I would use it to hold the croquet mallet when the timees. I hoped they gave us mallets with square ends and not round ends. I wore white sneakers to finish the look. Sylvester dressed the same way; only he wore white-fitted trousers. He wore sneakers. He would wear his boots when the time came for the game. We looked good together, and we went downstairs to have breakfast and go. Avery looked exquisite. Her shirt had Sidorov on the back with their family crest, while Linda had Orlov on the back with the family crest. We were given Royal bands the previous day, so we wore them on our wrists. We ate quickly and left in a hurry. We arrived there and took the cart to the croquet garden. Katya was already there in her uniform, and she looked good. She rushed to hug me when she saw me, and I wrapped my arms around her. Lily was there, too. I wasn''t bothered because she was serving a purpose. I did not look at her, but Linda interacted with her to avert suspicion, if any. It was time for the game to start. "This morning, The Northern Beasts team, consisting of Lady Tamia Volkov and her teammate Katya Nowak will be starting the game, ying against Western Butterflies Luna Ashley McCain and Luna Alexandria Russel, first to make fourteen points win. The northern Beasts control the Blue and ck balls, while The Western Butterflies have the Red and Yellow Balls. The Northern Beasts would go first," Thementator said, and people cheered. I looked at the booth where Sylvester was sitting. Stephanie and Dominic were there, and they all waved at me. The game was easy as Katya and I could pass the balls through the six hoops in the right order and hit the central peg, and we won. Two matches were yed before Linda and Avery''s team. They won too, and we were excited. We went to join Sylvester, and I asked the very reluctant Katya to join me. Sylvester hugged me when I joined him, and Katya greeted everyone politely. "Where are you from, young Lady?" Stephanie asked her, and she was shy. "She is in Marcel''s Harem," I said, and Stephanie looked at me. "Howe I have never seen her?" Dominic said, and Iughed. "She is a bookworm, and she is in her room most of the time except the few times we socialise in the garden," I said and smiled at her. There was a look of approval in Stephanie''s eyes, and she was made to sit with us. I wondered where Glenda was, but I did not ask. I believed her absence was for the best. We sat to watch the other games. Sylvester''s polo match would not start until the evening, so we had a lot of time on our hands. There was afortable booth reserved for us at every sports section, and looking at the contents of the booth that we were in, Sylvester made sure it was equipped with food. "Luna, someone just made contact with me," I heard Lily''s voice in my head, and I was alert. "Do you know who the person is?" I asked, and she wasted a bit before answering me. "Luna Gezel of Grizlo," She said, and I wondered who the fuck that was. "What does she want?" I asked her. "The usual stamps, and she wants me to ce a tracker on Lord Volkov''s phone. She said something about us moving quickly so we could rescue Sofia Malek. I think they are nning an attack," She said, and I did not know what to say. "Continue what you are doing. We will discuss extensively after." I linked her, and she was silent. I linked Sylvester with what Lily told me; he was a little worried. I did not know why and could not wait until we got home, so I asked him to link me with the reason. "Luna Gezel is a Sidorov," he said, and I knew the implication of the Sidorov family being tied to treason. It would be bad for Marcel. We needed to deal with it quietly if it was true. "I am sure it is a set-up," I linked Sylvester, and he rubbed my back. "We will deal with it when we get home. We have to act normal and not tell our friends yet. I want to speak to Marcel about it before we proceed," he said. I obeyed and remained silent. We spent the day watching sports, eating and having fun. I did not see anyone I knew. Not Devin, Not Leo or the men that Theo and Marcel were nning on dealing with. Yet I knew they were around. I knew I would see them when the time of the game came. I brushed off what I had learned about Gezel and focused on the match that was toe. Soon it was time for the Northern Beasts to face the Eastern Beasts. It was a match to watch. 81 The Game 81 The Game ~Tamia~ Linda was excited about the Polo match. I doubt she had ever seen a live polo match before, but she seemed happy about this one. I did not want to be in Kyle''s shoes right now; the look of mischieve in Theo''s eyes spoke volumes. I stood with Sylvester watching him put on his knee guards and boots, and he looked handsome. "Oh my," I said, looking at him, and he gave me his boyish grin. He was quickly the most handsome man. I knew others would say the same about their men; to each his own. I kissed him before he put on his helmet, and he winked at me, getting prepared to mount his horse. I could feel his excitement, and it was because he knew it would be an easy win while they had fun knocking Kyle and Max about. They mounted their horses, and thedies and I returned to our booth to watch the match. The ce was filled up with spectators, journalists and cameras. It was as if that was the only event taking ce. I felt terrible for those ying other sports at the same time as Sylvester''s polo match. I knew why the ce was filled up. The four most powerful men in our world were ying. Everyone would want to see it. The crowd cheered as Sylvester, Marcel, Theo, and Dominic rode in. The screen showed them individually, and people cheered every time the camera switched. "ying this evening are the Northern Beasts against the Eastern Beasts," Thementator said. I felt Eastern Beast was too much for a bunch of amateurs. The name alone would make people that did not know they were amateurs expect so much from them. Sadly, they would be disappointed. I doubt they thought much about the name before choosing it. I believed they wanted to copy the north. Too bad they would get their arses kicked. "In position one is Sir Marcel Sidorov ying attack and offence," Thementator said, and everyone cheered. "Position two is Sir Theodore Orlov, also on the offence. Position three is Lord Sylvester Volkov on the attacking position," thementator said. The crowd cheered louder when Sylvester''s name was mentioned. Sylvester waved at people, and then he blew me a kiss. I caught it and blew mine. It was beautiful, and the camera caught the exchange because it was disyed on the screen. "Andst but not least, Sir Dominic Volkov ying position four on the defence," he said, and people cheered Dominic too. He waved at everyone and even at us. That was the first time I would hear someone address Dominic adequately as Sir and not Lord, which was meant as a jab. I watched them arrange themselves, and then thementator spoke again. "On the opposing team, Eastern Beasts, we have Alpha Leo Albert ying Position One, ying attack and offence," People cheered, and I saw Leo wave at everyone. He turned to wave in a particr direction, and I saw the heavily pregnant Amanda on the television screen. She waved at him smiling. It was good to see they were still getting along. "In position two is Alpha Maxwell nch, also ying offence," I saw Max wave at the crowd, but he wasn''t so happy, and I could swear he was nervous. He did not seem confident on the horse either. Theodore must have made sure the handicap wasn''t counted for this match to be possible. "In position three is Alpha Kyle Nikson ying attack, andstly, we have Alpha Gabriel Wright in position four," Thementator said, and Leo''s team arranged themselves on the field. The whistle was blown for the first Chukka, and the umpire threw the ball between the team. Instead of going for the ball with the mallet, Sylvester went for Kyle''s horse leg, forcing the horse to bend slightly, making Kyle tilt over and fall to the ground by the ball. Theo hit his head with the mallet before they stopped so Kyle could get back on his horse. The hit was brutal because Kyle was dazed, but his helmet reduced the impact slightly. A foul wasn''t counted, and they waited to restart the game, and this time they hit the mallet normally to avert suspicion. Sylvester scored the first goal, and they switched posts. Then while heading to score on the other side, Marcel challenged Max by ridding him off. He got his horse close enough to bump Max''s horse hard. Max wasn''t well secured on the horse, and he fell, but his horse did not stop moving, dragging him along the field. It was clear that they were outmatched. The umpire blew his whistle, and they had to make Max''s horse stop. The seven Minutes for the first Chukka was up. So they started the second Chukka. This Chukka had a lot of falling and hitting, with Kyle and Max doing all the falling and getting hit. It was so bad that Max was taken out on a stretcher. Marcel had done a number on him, and a foul was called. It didn''t matter because the Northern Beasts were way ahead with more points, so the goal Leo scored for the foul did not mean anything. Leo was impressive for a first-timer and did a good job holding his own. I was sure Max and Kyle would have done the same if our men weren''t targeting them. I noticed that after Max was taken off the pitch, there was concentration on Kyle. Sylvester, Theo and Marcel wanted a piece of him, and they did not want him to be taken away quickly, so they took their time. Kyle fell off the horse many times in the fourth Chukka and was dragged along the field. Theo''s mallet met his head by ''ident'' a couple of times until he was knocked out, and they had to take him out on a stretcher too. By then, I was sure Leo would have figured out what was happening, but it didn''t matter. The crowd found it funny, and Linda and Avery found it satisfying. I doubted they would be in shape for Rugby because beating them up on the field during Rugby would be easier than this. The match ended with our team winning, of course. It was the most entertaining match of the day, and the crowd cheered both teams for the humour they got during the game. We went to their changing room to celebrate their victory, and I saw Theo and Linda kiss passionately. Linda had given him her big thank you. He kissed her with his hand on her tiny bump. It was amazing to see how much they loved each other. Marcel lifted Avery in his arms, and she giggled. N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. They really had it in for Max and Kyle, and the satisfaction they got from it was amusing. It was more fun for them than revenge. Sylvester touched the tip of my nose yfully, and I walked him to where he would unburden himself and take off his gears. "Those men did not make it challenging," Heined, taking off his knee guard,ughing. "They probably trained for just one month. Polo isn''t yed in the east. I was honestly surprised that they would want to y polo. Given the circumstances, they tried," I said, and Sylvester looked at me. "I was surprised, too, until I saw my itinerary. Leo asked for an audience with me on behalf of Kyle and Maxwell. I think they want to discuss something with me, and this is the only way they could get close enough," Sylvester said. I wondered what it was that Leo wanted to discuss with Sylvester on behalf of Kyle and Maxwell. "I will see them in the afternoon tomorrow," Sylvester said, finishing what he was doing, and we headed towards our booth. When we got there, I found Dominic in deep conversation with Katya, and Stephanie was talking to someone on the phone. Sylvester made me sit on hisp to watch the next game, and I enjoyed him holding me. We watched the game together, and I realised that Sylvester and his team were ruthless because I saw a smooth game with no fouls or violence. No one was carried off in a stretcher. I looked at the part given to the east and noticed that Kyle and Marcel had not returned to sit in their positions; they must have been injured. While I searched for them, I saw Alpha Ramsey with his daughter sitting next to Leo, and I remembered what Sylvester had told me. I spoke up immediately. "Sylvester, Alpha Ramsey Richford is the man in the eastern booth sitting next to Leo," I said. "The one with the blue shirt?" He asked me, and I nodded. "Yes," I said, and he sighed. "I will put someone on him just in case his intentions are malicious," He said, and I agreed. After Sylvester told me about Alpha Ramsey, I wondered why he would do such a thing, and I could not figure it out. The man had no reason to set Kyle up and bring evil upon us. But then again, he had forced his daughter into our home and threatened war with Leo. I also knew that Ramsey did not like Leo at all. I think it had to do with the Whitewood pack being in charge of the east before the rise of the mountain Pack. I did not want to draw any conclusion because many things could have caused him to go against Leo, but one thing that was certain was that Leo needed to know that Ramsey worked against him, but I did not know how Sylvester would feel about it. I nned on discussing it with him when we got home. "Link Lilly to join us for dinner so I can give her some of my seals," Sylvester told me, and I looked at him to be sure I heard him right. "Why would you want to set yourself up like that?" I asked him, and he smiled at me. "I am not setting myself up, darling. I want to trace it. It is a physical item, so the culprits would have to find a way to collect it. I want to trace it until it reaches its final destination. I can catch the person and maybe figure out the reason," he exined, and I smiled, realising it was a brilliant Idea. I linked Lily to join us for dinner before we left the ce. 82 A Partial Claim 82 A Partial im ~Sylvester~ We returned home, and Tamia and I went to our bedroom to change. The moment we entered our bedroom, I pulled her close to me. "We should change and have dinner with everyone, deal with the Lily situation and then maybe you will choose to spend time with me tonight instead of your friends," Tamia said to me and moved away. I could smell her arousal, but she wanted me to work for it. N?velDrama.Org content. I understood her point and quickly changed into something simple. I wanted to get the dinner over and return to spend time with my woman. We headed downstairs, and I was surprised to see Katya at the table. She looked nervous, but Tamia smiled at her, making her rx. Glenda, whom I had banned from the table, was there too, and I looked at Dominic, who shrugged. Not wanting to embarrass him, I let it rest. "Hope you will be of best behaviour tonight, Glenda?" Tamia asked her, and she stood up and greeted Tamia and me respectfully. I knew it was a pretence, and when I looked at my mother, I saw her rolling her eyes at what Glenda did. Katya was sitting next to her. "I invited her to join us," My mother said quickly, and as much as I wanted to pretend not to know what she was doing, I knew exactly what she was doing. She was trying to separate Dominic from Glenda. Honestly, I was in support because the girl was just toxic. I somehow believed Glenda had forced herself to join us, leaving Dominic to take responsibility for it. It was just so low of her. Avery and Marcel joined us; they looked like they had done something beforeing down. They smelled like it, and I looked at Tamia, who looked away from me, knowing exactly what she did. Linda and Theo joined us, and the butler soon ushered Lily in. She was very nervous and was made to sit next to Katya. Dinner was served, and we ate quickly. I wanted it over with. "The game against the East was brutal," Dominic said, and weughed. He wasn''t in on the n. "It was intentional," Tamia told him, and I watched it click in his eyes. "My, I learned those alphas were in the infirmary for a while, especially the red-haired, Nikson," he said, trying to remember Kyle''s name, and we allughed. Honestly, beating him up physically and stripping him of his alpha status would have been the best punishment, but we did not want something that would cause a war between us, so we had to settle. While we discussed the events, I wondered what Leo wanted to discuss with me. It must have been important for him to go through the trouble of signing up for a sport in which he had no skill. I alsomend him because he yed well. We would have still won without the brutality, but the fact that they scored some points meant they put some effort into it. After dinner, Tamia and I led Lily to the mini office in the duplex. She was nervous, and she ought to be. I wasn''t over her betraying and trying to ruin me. If it weren''t for the fact that we needed her cooperation to make headway on the matter, I would have ensured she faced the ultimate punishment for treason: death. I was sure no one would dispute it, not even her family. "Have a seat," I heard Tamia tell her, and I wanted to tell her to keep standing, but I let my mate handle the situation. "So tell me about Gezel Sidorov," Tamia said, and Lily adjusted herself in the seat. "She is the head of the northern uprising group. I do not know her function, but they want me to meet with her during the games. She ys golf, so I am expected to hand her the seal at the golf course," Lily said quickly. "Did they tell you what their mandate is?" Tamia asked her, and she nodded. "They want a democracy where the council would be the highest seat and every top family in the regions, and the packs would have a seat on the council, creating a senate. They feel the system we run is stylishly autocratic and want to change that." She said. "Do you know who the leader of this future senate will be?" Tamia asked her, and she shook her head. I needed to understand why Gezel Sidorov would want to ruin a system that benefits her family and implicate her cousin in the process. If this treason is linked to the Sidorovs, Marcel would be asked to go into exile as punishment for not keeping his family in check. I needed to find a way to discuss this with Marcel and Theo because they must look into the affairs of their families. Whoever is doing this is trying to weaken my support. With Marcel out of the way and maybe Theo too, I will be left to deal with the uprising alone. It would be difficult for them to unseat me, but what if they divide my control? I could not risk allowing Marcel and Theo to be implicated in this. There has been a need to implicate them for a while. This was the smartest route, and this Gezel bitch was making herself useful to the enemy. I opened my drawer and handed three seals to Tamia. "Do you know what they want to do with it?" Tamia asked, handing the seal to Lily. "I think they want to write a release letter for Safia Malek that would be forced into order while the tournament is on. They want to ask for her release making it seem like Lord Volkov ordered it. It is just my guess; I am not sure. Maybe they will cue me in on what they want to use it for once I deliver it to Luna Gezel," Lily said, and she made a lot of sense. I wondered if this Luna Gezel was the one that forced Bryce to act against me. I was in a dilemma. I did not know if I should arrest her immediately or allow her to lead us to other people so we could have a wider picture of what was happening. So far, the trails we were getting led us away from the council. I could understand Pam and Joan being scornful and jealous of our mates, but with what Lily had just told me, the council might be pawns too. They might be reacting the way this malicious group want them to react. I knew I would have to tell Marcel and Theodore. Dominic also needed to know because he was the first to be framed; they might try to frame him again. Lily seized the opportunity to apologise and beg for my forgiveness, but the damage had already been done. My heart was closed off to her. Tamia linked me to ept her apology, and I knew she must have her reasons. I reluctantly smiled at Lily and told her it was okay and that what she was doing was a great way to apologise. It was hard for my lips to form the words, but they did. Tamia ended the meeting with Lily, and she left. I could see the regret in Lily''s eyes, but I did not care. Once a traitor always a dangerouspany to have. After she left, Tamia and I headed to our room. We needed to shower and then sleep. I had to ask her on our way up why she asked me to ept Lily''s apology. "So she would do the task given to her diligently. She is obviously seeking your approval, and this was to show she is sorry. If you continue giving her the cold shoulder, she won''t give us the result we want because she will have given up. Hope is a strong driving force that pushes people to achieve the impossible; your forgiveness and affection is the impossible goal her hope drives her to achieve. Let us use it to solve this problem. If not a full solution, partial would do just fine," She said, and I pulled her close to kiss her. The instant we entered our bedroom. I closed the door and pulled her close to my body. I had been meaning to hold her all day. The PDA in the booth was not enough. It filled my senses with her arousal and made me want to do things to her. She got away when we returned home, but there was no escaping now. I kissed her neck, and she moaned. Her citrus scent drew me in. I had spent most of the time battling knight from iming her. I did not know if I should go for it, but only fated mates could im each other sessfully without a blue moon blessing the union. I did not want to mar her neck. The cord connecting us was getting stronger, and I did not understand what was happening, but I had an overwhelming need to im her and make her mine. "Mate," Knight growled in my head; I did not want to argue with my wolf. Of course, she was our mate. We entered the shower, and the moment the water came on, Tamia grabbed me. Wrapping her legs around me, I supported her with my hand as we kissed fiercely. She had a strong need for me, and I could feel it. Our lovemaking had be more frequent and intense since she got pregnant, and I liked it. She held on to my hair, grabbed fiercely and kissed me. Realising I could not give her the satisfaction she needed in the shower, I turned off the water, still carrying and kissing her, and we moved to the bedroom. "im me, Sylvester," She said with wolf eyes, and I was a bit confused. One of us needed to control it, and I decided to. Moving down her body with my lips, she tugged on my hair and writhed. I touched her pussy, and it was very wet. I wondered how long she was aroused. I felt my teeth elongating, and I did not know what to do. I had to move with instincts. So I kissed her clit and sucked on it gently. Flicking the tip with my tongue. Her Citrus scent engulfed me, driving Knight crazy, and as soon as she came, I sank my teeth into her inner thigh close to her pussy. She moaned loudly, and I felt the cord connecting us tighten. I did not know what the fuck had just happened because that was Knight''s doing, but it felt so right. "Tamia," I said, looking up at her, and Kaira was in charge. "Inside me," She ordered me, and I obeyed. cing my cock in her, I pumped. The feeling was heightened. I felt the connection so strong, and I enjoyed giving her pleasure. I felt the pleasureing back to me at the same time. I could not exin it, but it felt good. "Mate," I heard myself say, and I did not know why Knight called on to her like that, but it felt right. As long as it was Tamia he referred to as ''mate'', it was right, and I loved it. We were in our world for about an hour before we finally stopped panting on the bed. I looked at Tamia, and I could see she was fully satisfied. She smiled at me, and I winked in return, making her giggle and smack my chest gently. "Did you just im me?" She asked, and I did not know what to say. I felt the ce with my hand; it had healed because it was smooth. Tamia moaned when my hand came in contact with the ce, and I was tempted to look at my mark on her thigh. I knelt between her legs, and she frowned at me. "I just want to see it. I do not want to mar your skin, my love," I said, and she giggled and opened her legs for me. What I saw took me by surprise. The mark had not just healed, but like that of a true mate''s bond, a pink crescent moon perfectly rested on the spot. "Fuck!" I eximed softly, and she sat up to look at me. "What is the matter?" She said, checking out the spot and she was surprised. "How?" That was all she managed, and Knight was howling in my head. How did I miss it? I was so used to Tamia that I could not read the changes between us. I could not understand the scent and the need to im and own her. She looked at me, and I noticed that it had clicked in her mind just like it clicked in mine. We were fated mates. The goddess had blessed our union without a blue moon. In a world where finding mates was rare, we did not only get to find ours and reject them; we became second-chance mates. Seeing this, I prayed that Susan and Devin would also find second-chance mates too and leave us alone. 83 A Slow Morning 83 A Slow Morning ~Tamia~ The pink crescent moon on my thigh gave me so much joy. I felt intense pleasure while Sylvester sank his teeth into my skin. I felt a strong pull and a bond forming. It was simr to a thick cord that I could almost tug. I felt lighter. Having been imed before, this was different. The euphoria was more enjoyable. I looked at it, and Sylvester ran his finger along the skin, making me moan because of the tingles. He looked at me and smiled. "Should we go all the way?" He asked me the very question I wanted to ask him. I was about to say yes when I thought of our friends. We tried to do everything together. Avery already felt unfortunate because she was the only one that wasn''t pregnant, and I remembered how I felt when Linda got pregnant. It would be wrong and insensitive to wear each other''s marks before them. "I know what you are thinking, darling," Sylvester said, pulling me close. "You do not want to hurt them. I understand. We can wait. The blue moon is roughly six weeks away. After the tournament, we would just have two weeks to prepare and then that is it," He said and kissed me sweetly on my lips. I moaned, feeling his need for me. "I doubt I would be able to control Knight, Tamia. He wants to im you and Kaira badly, and now that we have done it partially, his need for you to wear our mark and us yours would grow. I hope you will be able to handle my love bites," He said, kissing my neck and grazing his teeth against the skin. I was too much in need that all I could give was an inaudible moan saying "Yes". We cuddled in each other arms after. It was two in the morning. d we had no matches to y, we decided we would arrive at the sports arenate. Sylvester''s meeting with Leo waste in the afternoon. I wondered what Leo would want to discuss with Sylvester. I honestly wished I could be there. I would have to wait for Sylvester to tell me about the meeting. Sylvester stroked my hair and my skin until I finally fell asleep. I woke up in the morning with an intense need for pleasure. I did not know if it was the partial im or my hormones, but the need was there. Sylvester wasn''t in the room, and I didn''t bother to link him. I went to freshen up and get ready for the day. When I exited the bathroom, someone knocked on my door, and I went to answer to see who it was. To my surprise, it was Avery, and she was crying. I gently let her into my room. Before closing my door, I looked around to see if anyone was in the passage. I picked up a box of tissues and handed it to her. She thanked me and used it to wipe away her tears and blow her nose. "What is the matter with you?" I asked her gently, and she looked at me with fresh tears. "Oh, Tamia. I am sad," Sheined. "I was hoping we would get to do everything together. You know," She said and looked at my tummy, which was still t, but I got the message. "Linda is showing; she is four months gone; you are almost three months but look at me. I was hoping our children would be age mates. Maybe not the same month but the same year. So they will be close and tight like Marcel, Theo and Sylvester, but I still have nothing," She said and bowed. "I have done everything. I have changed my diet; I even secretly tried fertility pills. I tried staying in bed after we made love; sometimes, I would hold my legs up so everything stays in there and gets to the right destination. We made love throughout my ovtion periodst month, and I have been checking. I use the strip every day, and it is always negative. I don''t know what to do, Tamia. It is hard for me. Nowadays, I get cranky and furious when Linda rubs her bump. Marcel says it is okay, but I want to have children, Tamia," She said and started crying. I went to console her. "Why is it bothering you so much? The doctor said there was nothing wrong with you. Did it ever ur to you that it is taking time because you are stressing about it too much?" I asked her, and she shook her head, wiping away the tears still flowing. "Why are you not confident this will happen for you, Avery?" I asked her, and she could not respond. So I touched her hand. "It is okay to be impatient about something you want so much. But it isn''t okay to work yourself into depression for it. Marcel loves you. He doesn''t care about this; he is only trying because you want it now." I said and sighed, then chose to tell her a secret. "Honestly, when we found out Linda was pregnant, I was jealous, I wished it was my news to give and not just hers, and I know you are feeling that way too, but just like it happened for me, it will happen for you too. I was pregnant without knowing." I said and sighed. "Enjoy your time with Marcel. He is nothing like Max and will never be. You mean the world to him, and that means a lot. You are his centre. Children, for him, are an addition to the bond you already have. Do not put a strain on your love because of this. I know it will happen, but you have to enjoy every moment. Make love to your man because you want to share with him, love him, give him your all and be one with him, Not because you want a baby. Enjoy your time, and the reward wille." I said, and she wiped away her tears. "Do you think I am stressing him out?" She said out of worry, and I shrugged. "He might never say it, and I might be wrong, but everything you want and need matters to him. See what he did to Max on the field. He will do anything for you. Do not let this destroy your love," I said, and she hugged me and cried. "I don''t want to stress him out, Tamia. I love him so much that I want to have his babies. I want to have little me and him running about the ce. That is why I want this so much." She said, and I understood her need. She wanted the baby so much because, to her, that was the outlet that could express the strength of her love for him, evidence of their love, a reminder that they are united. I could understand her, but she needed to rx. "Come on; we need to eat. " I said, and she looked at my tummy and giggled. "You mean you need to eat," She said with an emphasis on you, and I squinted and smiled. "What''s with Glenda, by the way?" She said, and her mood was lifted. "What do you mean?" I asked her, getting my clothes for the day. I opted to dress in front of her while we gossiped. "I mean, she has been around Dominic like glue. She has been so nice. I don''t get it." She said, and Iughed. "Haven''t you seen Katya?" I asked, and she widened her eyes with realisation. "Oh, I get it now; oh my. Katya is gorgeous; she doesn''t stand a chance," Averyughed. It was good to see her mood switch so quickly. She might be pregnant without knowing because of the hormonal disy she gave me. "You need to see her, Tamia. She is practically glued to him. She served him breakfast and whatnot. She hasn''t said anything to aggravate anyone. I see she is on her toes," Avery said,ughing heartily. Glenda''s pain would be a pleasure, especially for me, because she was the one that encouraged Susan toe and get my man knowing that he wasn''t avable. "Stephanie is shoving Katya in there; you know she invited her to stay at the duplex during breakfast," Avery said, and I widened my eyes. I missed a lot by not eating breakfast with everyone. "Yep, it was hrious because Dominic told Katya during breakfast that they would love to have her around. He even smiled at her," She said, and Iughed. By then, I had finished dressing up, so we headed out. Since they had already had breakfast without me, I decided to eat. I wondered where Sylvester was, and I decided to link him. "Where are you? I woke up alone," Iined. "Sorry darling, I had to attend an emergency meeting via a conference call in the home office," He responded. "Is everything alright?" I asked him, and he was silent. "I am afraid not, but I am trying to put it under control." He said, and I became nervous. "May I join you in the office?" I asked, and he was silent a bit. "I am almost done. Marcel and Theo are here. I promise I will tell you everything before we leave for the games," he said, and I became worried. I did not know what was going on, but it seemed serious. I could feel it. I decided to eat in the kitchen. Linda and Katya joined Avery and me, and I was happy to see Linda glowing. "I hear you will be staying with us," I told Katya, trying to get my mind off what Sylvester had just said. I needed to take the advice I had given to Avery and not worry. Whatever the matter was, it must be serious. "Yes, Lady Stephanie asked me to stay and keep herpany," Katya said, and Lindaughed. "Her or Dominic?" Linda asked, and we allughed. Katya''s cheeks coloured, and I realised she might like him. "I mean, he is hot," she whispered, and weughed. "Do not let fangdy hear you say that," Avery said, referring to Glenda. Katya rolled her eyes, disgusted by Glenda. "She just won''t leave him alone for a second. She is with him all the time..." She said, and I smiled. "He isn''t a baby, Katya. He has to rescue himself from her. If he likes you, he will be the one to make a move," I said, and she frowned. N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. "But you three did not wait..." She said, and Iughed. "Oh, we did. Avery and Marcel clicked first, but Marcel was the one that went to her, then Sylvester and me; I mean, I could not resist. Then Linda, whom Theo practically persuaded. The only difference was that they weren''t attached then," I said, and Katya nodded as if she had learned something new. "Do not copy us, darling; follow your heart; some men require that push. Dominic might fall under that category," Avery told her. I wasn''t surprised that she would give her an impatient idea. She had always been the least patient of us three. Just then, Glenda strolls in with a ss of water in hand. She greeted us respectfully, except for Katya, and we knew it was on. The moment she left, weughed. Honestly, if Glenda had to do so much to keep Dominic from Katya, she would have lost the battle because she shouldn''t have to do anything to keep her man. I could have beautiful women in the same room as Sylvester and me, and I won''t be bothered because I know he loves me and only sees me and no one else. We talked about other stuff, and it was noon. "Where are you?" I heard Sylvester''s voice in my head, and I was alert. "In the kitchen with thedies," I replied. "Meet me in my office," He said, and I closed themunication between us. I excused myself and went to his office. I entered, and Sylvester looked troubled. He came towards me and crashed his lips on mine, kissing me as if I was the air he needed to breathe. I could feel his anxiety and his need. Something was bothering him. Whatever it was, it was serious, and he was trying to calm down. He kissed my neck, but I doubted he wanted forey. I felt the anxiety, too; there was no need to be a gentleman about it. I would always want him anywhere at any time. Turning me against the wall, he reached under my skirt and rolled down my panties. Holding my hand above my head against the wall, he rammed into me and pumped gently. Knight was distraught. "Hard and rough," I moaned, and he increased his speed, needing that release that would relieve his anxiety. His mood wasn''t great, but I enjoyed it too much to say anything. He moved me from the wall to his desk and bent me over it, ramming hard and fast. He wasn''t gentle anymore, and I was enjoying it because he was hitting the right spot. He was consistent, and I came. I came hard and fiercely, and he followed, emptying himself in me. Then he pulled out gently and kissed me. His eyes were misty, and I did not know what to do. "Sylvester, what is the matter?" I asked him, feeling satisfied. "I didn''t want a war," he said, and a tear escaped and rolled down his cheek. I held his face and let him ce his forehead against mine. "Breathe," I told him. "Breathe and rx," I said, and he closed his eyes and did as I had told him to. He moved away from me and sat on the couch in the office. "The council called, and half of the north do not want me as their lord anymore. They still want the council, but they do not want to have a lord. They have sent a petition," He said and bowed his head. "I have two options, Tamia. Either be an evil bastard like my father and force them to remain under me via war, or hear them out and lose the battle because I know this is some people''s doing. I need to find the traitors before this gets out of hand. Someone is actively working against me and the system," He said, and I understood his dilemma. "How long do we have?" I asked him. "Eight months before the hearing, but we both know that is too small of a time." He said, and I nodded. "I need a book of the northern Laws and constitutions. There should be something in there that could help us cancel this nonsense while searching for the culprit. With Avery and Linda''s help, I will read it faster. I am sure we can keep their hand. These people are manipting thews for their sake. It is time we start doing so, too," I said, and he looked at me. 84 Tete-A-tete 84 Tete-A-tete ~Sylvester~ My insides were calmer after what I did with Tamia, but I could not shake off the feeling that everything was falling apart and slipping away. Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. I did not want to be wicked like my father, but these people made it more challenging. I wondered why I could not have a peaceful life. One that involves me ruling in peace and raising a family. My mate was expecting, and our wedding was around the corner, so why couldn''t I have an everyday life? I looked at Tamia and did not know what to tell her. She deserved better. She deserved peace, and here I was, dealing with one problem or the other. When does it stop? The bastards had hidden so much that they were hard to find. I just needed to know who was behind all this, and there would be peace, but the people troubling my life and my people were wise and hidden. I looked at Tamia, and as much as her suggestion made sense, I doubted it would work. These people needed a firmer hand than thew to sit down. As much as I was against my father, there was a reason our bloodline went from kingship to lordship and maintained it. It was because, during the brief democratic period, too many wars were fought because of greedy regions and leaders. So they had to reinstate the old order, but instead of a king, we were given lordship, forcing us to share our power with the council. Going back to those wicked times would mean war for many of us. "I don''t think that would work, Tamia," I said, telling her the truth, and she sat next to me and touched my hand. "Darling, I know you are a kind man," She said and sighed. "But there are times you will need to be ruthless and wicked. This is one of those," She said, and I was confused by her words. "If you do not do what I am about to tell you, I will carry it out on your behalf," She said, and Knight was curious because I could feel her determination through our little bond. "Whoever is messing with you knows you are kind and patient. People may call you the dark Alpha, but you only fight when provoked. Because of this, they will avoid provoking you, but they will run circles around you," She said, and I wanted her to get to the point. "So, what do you suggest?" I asked, and she nodded. "Who are these people that raised this petition?" She asked me, and I sighed. "Alpha of Keev, Grizlo, Haddad..." I said, and she interrupted me. "May I have a list, please?" She asked, and I frowned, wondering why. "Tell me why," I asked her, and she smiled. "They upset my man. We had a lot of fun. I am still looking forward to that rugby match, and I want to know why Leo wanted to see you today. We made love yesterday, and you imed me partially. Basically, things have been great, and they have been looking up, then thises up, and you are down. I think it is time to visit those clowns and tell them what they are messing with. I will do it in a way that does not lead to you or me. But I need loyal Kappas and enforcers to get this done," she said, and I wondered. "Someone is motivating them to work against you. We must motivate them to work in your favour and lead us to the culprits." She spelt out, and I understood her angle. "The method would yield results, but it would be brutal," she exined. After hearing Tamia say it, I realised it was essential to act quickly. Killing the movement that fast would buy us time to catch the culprits. Gezel would be caught soon, and she could lead us to the others. As slow as it may seem, we were closing in on them, and the good part is that they did not know it. I looked at Tamia and smiled. "I willpile that list and give you kappas and enforcers that you need, but you have to promise me you will not engage physically," I said, and she smiled. "Bryce was motivated to work against you. I would just use the same method. Until the petition they pushed forward is reversed, their loved ones would not be returned to them." She said, and I realised that Tamia could be dangerous if she wanted. As much as I disliked the method, it was necessary, and I fully supported it. "If I can get the list by tomorrow, this matter should die down next week, and we can move on with our investigation." She said. I knew it was best to inform Theo and Marcel about the idea so they could rx. "Are you alright now?" She asked, and I smiled. It was uplifting. One thing I did not want to tell Tamia was that after we do this, I n on wearing the Dark Alpha''s shoes and being unapologetic about it. I had been nice because I did not want Tamia to view me as a monster, but these people had crossed the line with me. I won''t be so talkative with them again, especially the council, who are insr and have outdated opinions about how things should be run. Tamia stood up. "I need to clean up and rece my underwear so we can leave," She said, and I smacked her cute butt while she walked away. I linked my friends to join me, and they responded in about ten minutes. I did not need to wonder why it took that long. They were just as unnerved as I was. No one wanted war. It used to be easier when we had no rtionship, but we had mates now, and Theo and I would be fathers soon; we would like to be around for our mates and our children. Getting up to go to war did not sound as easy and wise as it used to. Theo was the first to arrive at my office, followed by Marcel. They were a lot calmer, and they wondered why I wasughing. When I told them Tamia''s Idea, Marcel was the first tough. He loved it. "She is right, you know; Bryce was really motivated. I am sure this move would motivate anyone. I believe it is better than the other option. I advocate for democracy, but we know what these wolves would do with it. If we do not find the people doing this and stop them, it will be worse," Theo said, and I agreed with him. We decided we would secretlypile the list of the people we needed to deal with so we could reverse the problem. We also decided topile the list ourselves and use men from the estate to carry out the task. The mission would be a secret. The three of us were excited and could not wait to get it over with. My meeting with Leonardo Albert was in two hours. We got ready and left for the Sports Arena. There was a lot of traffic, and we got there thirty minutes before the meeting. I went to attend to Leo in a private empty booth while the rest went to join my mother and brother in the rugby section. Leo joined me in the booth when the meeting was set to take ce, and I admired his punctuality. "Your eminence," he said, greeting me and looking ufortable. "Alpha Albert, you requested an audience with me. Is everything alright?" I asked, and he nodded. "Everything is fine, Lord Volkov. The hospitality is great, and my people are having fun," he said. At the mention of his people, I wondered how the two sorry arses were doing. "How are your alphas?" I asked, and he smiled. "They are alright. They are studying the rugby game as we speak," He said, and I nodded. "I hope your team gives more of a challenge this time," I said, and heughed. "I doubt they would, but we will be better next year. Once we get home, we will practice our moves," He said, and I nodded. We were served drinks, and I gave him the floor to speak. "I do not know how to say this." He began. "I warned my Alphas against it, but they insisted. As the eastern leader, I am obligated to try," he said, and Iposed myself. "Max wants to swap Avery for his fated mate, Michelle," He said, and I held my tongue so he could finish. "And Kyle wants to swap Linda for his fated Reba. They do not want to disrespect you but feel they made the wrong decision. Since you want something of sentimental value, they believe their fated mates would be a better choice," He said. From how he spoke, I could tell he was reciting something he had rehearsed several times. He wasn''t confident, and he did not sound convincing. "This has to be a joke, right? Or maybe you want to swap Tamia for your heavily pregnant mate, too," I said as he shook his head. "Tamia deserves to be happy, and I see the light in her eyes. I took away her joy by not keeping my promise and rejecting my fated. You put it back there. I can''t tell you I did not love her because I did, and I still do, but you are what is best for Tamia. My love is not selfish, and I want her to be happy. She looks very happy with you, and you passed the test I failed. She is with the best man. It will be silly of me to even try to ask you to give her back to me," he said, and there was a truth in his voice that made me know he was genuine. "You know Your friends'' requests won''t be granted, right?" I said, and he nodded. "Linda is pregnant by Theo, and Avery is with Marcel. They are not things. They are not objects your men can give away and swap whenever they like. They are people and should be respected and treated as such." I said, and he nodded. "I am surprised that you would go to this length for your Alphas, Leo," I said, a tinge of anger rising inside me. "I must say I wonder what the moralpass of the east is. I would have been more impressed if you had stepped in and rescued Avery from the abusive Max, who beat her wolf senselessly and treated her like shit," I said, and he was ashamed. "Where was your leader spirit then, Leo? Were you too blind to see that these men were maltreating their wives? Do you know what Kyle did to Linda?" I asked him, and he looked down. "I will tell you. He degraded her. Took her money and hernds as if that wasn''t enough; he had his men use and abuse her because he had gotten himself a shiny new toy. Did you not know this? Where were your confidence and bravery then? Why didn''t you make the east safe for these women? Rescue them from the monsters? Now that they''re happy and safe, you want to throw them back into the hell I rescued them from?" I said to him, and he remained silent. I knew he was ashamed, but he needed to be told the truth. "You speak of your betrayal toward Tamia as if it was something simple. You might not have beaten her and Kaira up or humiliated her, but you abused her mentally. You crushed her soul. She told me everything. How you broke your promise, how you made her share. Did you bother to ask for her opinion before you jumped into Amanda''s bed? Did you bother to care about how she would feel? No, you wanted her to be okay with it whether she liked it or not, likewise, your friends, Leo, they wanted their women to just take it, and now you want them to go back," I said and smiled. "If you had any respect or conscience, Kyle should not have a pack in the east. He should be stripped of his position and disgraced for his conduct. Linda should be given hernd and money. Maxwell should be disciplined for his actions against his luna, but here they are, ying sports, asking for swaps and living their lives as if nothing happened. Linda arrived here damaged and destroyed. It took a lot for Theo to get her to where she is now. You should be ashamed of yourself. I did not take action against you because of Tamia. Even though you hurt her, she still cares about you and is protective of you; if not, I would have taken over the east by force just to deal with those two clowns." I said, and he looked up at me with misty eyes. "You are right. Everything you said is right," he confessed, and tears rolled down his cheeks. Something told me he had been doing a lot of crying for a while now. "There is no night I do not sit up in bed wishing I had done things differently, that maybe my heart wouldn''t be so heavy. I loved her, and I still do, and it hurts me every day knowing that I fucked it up. It is a pain that will never go away, and I embrace it as my punishment, but as for Maxwell and Kyle, I did not know what they were doing until recently. You are right, I should have taken disciplinary measures against them, and I will move to do so when I get home, but you need to know our system is different from yours; unless you give the decree as lord, the best I can do is present the matter in ourmittee. Then we would vote on the punishment," he said, and I realised I might have been too hard on the man. There was a sorrow in his eyes that might never go away. He had lost a gem he would never get back. I decided to let the matter rest and focus on more pressing issues. I needed answers. I had problems that required to be solved quickly, so I decided to discuss Ramsey Richford with him. Hopefully, he would cooperate and work with me on it. I needed to start catching people. Ramsey might be his inw, but he might be a tool used to work against me. After studying the events of that attack, I figured someone wanted to force my hand to attack the east so the east would rise against me feeling wronged. I couldn''t risk it anymore, and Leo seemed like someone who would willingly work with me. 85 An Ally And Friend. 85 An Ally And Friend. ~Sylvester~ Leo and I sat in the empty booth and spent at least one hour discussing Max and Kyle. I was amazed to learn how oblivious he was of their activities, and I was amazed to learn how extremely democratic their system in the east was. Wolves needed one leader, one they would listen to and follow. They can only achieve a little when given ample freedom of choice. In a situation like that, people like Kyle and Max will get away with many atrocities as they already have. Wolves needed firm hands and definite action. Leo wasn''t weak, as I had thought initially, but his environment made him so. Their democratic system was wed, allowing people to meddle in other people''s affairs without consequence. If Kyle and Max had a say in whether Amanda should be in Leo''s house, it was only natural they would vote for it because that was precisely what they were doing. There was no yardstick to measure moralpass or qualification to vote. It was chaos. After he told me about Max and Kyle and how best to deal with them, we delved into other matters. N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. "I am of the notion that Kyle did not orchestrate the initial attack against Gad''s borders," I said, wanting to know what he knew before I divulged my truth. "He did say he did not do it, and honestly, I believe him. He isn''t that smart to do something at that scale. I have been investigating the incident since the attack happened because I did not want Tamia''s sacrifice to be in vain," he said and chuckled. "Had I known she had gone to be where she would find love again, I wouldn''t have been bothered. But I had this hope of finding the culprit and reporting the person to you, hoping you will give me back my wife," He said. Referring to Tamia as his wife got to me, but I figured it was out of habit, so I let it be. "And what did you find during your investigation?" I asked him, and he sighed. "Well, Kyle''s men defected and were working against him." He said, which corresponded with the information that we got too. "Do you know who they were working with?" I asked him, and he shook his head. "I am yet to find out, but I believe it is one of the eastern alphas because only someone very close to Kyle could do that magnitude of damage. We initially thought Devin did it to force us to join forces with him and attack the north, but when I spoke to Devin, I realised he just wanted to protect his people. He even believed you orchestrated to attack, so you will have a reason toe for us as punishment for going into alliance with the south," he said. I could not believe how these people viewed me. "I guess that is why I am called the Dark Alpha," I said, and he smiled and nodded. "You don''t want to hear the stories told about you. They make you sound like a heartless monster that kills at will. Seeing Tamia''s joy has changed my perspective of youpletely. Tamia has a good heart, and for her to love youpletely and deeply means you have a kind heart, too," he said, and I gave a half smile. "I will take that as apliment, Leo," I said, and heughed. He wasfortable enough for me to ask him a question. "I see Amanda''s father is an Alpha, and Tamia told me that is why I got lucky with her. If Amanda wasn''t an alpha''s daughter, they wouldn''t have forced Amanda into your home," I said, and I could tell the memory was painful for him, and he shook his head. "I made a silly mistake," he said and sighed. "Finding a fated was so rare that I was excited that I found mine. Instead of rejecting her as you did, I allowed room for conversation and let the bond thrive. It thrived enough for me to kiss her and make out with her. In the process, her dress got ripped, but I did not do anything with her or ept her. I nned to reject her, but I feared the weakness that came with it. So I tried to be passive. I wanted to ignore her until she gave up and moved away. I was unfortunate because she told her father I had epted and taken her. So they fought me to get her into my home. Ramsey asked me a couple of times, then threatened me. When that didn''t work, he began soliciting alphas to help him go to war against me. He imed I defiled his daughter, so a meeting was called, and I was given a week to take her in, or they woulde for me. By then, my marriage with Tamia was rocky. She had already given up on us, and my wolf did not want Tamia, and she knew it, so I let Amanda stay in my house. I ignored her for a while, and one night, my wolf, overwhelmed by the bond and Amanda''s scent, took over while I was sleeping and took me to Amanda''s room to im her. I did not know what had happened until we had imed each other; by then, it was toote, and there was no going back," he said, and his eyes were teary. "ck never betrayed me before, but he betrayed me that night. He let the mate bond ovee us, knocked me out and took over my body to im his mate. When I found out what had happened, I had to ept it and live with it," he said and bowed his head. "I did not want to let her go," he said and began to weep again. The man was broken, and I doubted anything would put him back together. "I am willing to let you continue your friendship with Tamia," I blurted out, and he looked at me in shock and wiped away his tears. "Yes," I said because his eyes asked if I was serious. "You two have been friends for a while. She told me how you taught her how to pick locks.." I said and stopped. "There is no happy memory Tamia has about her past that you are not in. Besides what transpired between you, you were her family and best friend. That is why your betrayal was hard. You were all she had and her only rtive in the world, so she was trapped until my men came and took her away," I said, and he shook his head. "She wanted to leave me. She had been trying to leave me. She saw your men as an opportunity," he said, and Iughed. "I know," I said, and he was surprised that I knew that Tamia had left him. "She told me she wrote several letters to various alphas asking them to absorb her into their packs," I confessed, and he nodded. "The day I heard she was writing letters to join other packs so she could leave me, I felt destroyed. I never imagined a day when Tamia and Kaira would want to be far away from me. We promised each other forever and always. She did not even take the locket with her. She let me go completely," he said, and I looked at him. "Just because you two are no longer mates does not mean you can''t be friends. If you want to continue being friends with Tamia, I will allow it," I said, and he was still in disbelief. "You mean you trust me?" He asked, and I shook my head. "I trust Tamia. I know she loves me utterly and truly." I said and looked at him. "Tamia loves deeply and genuinely and keeps her promises," I said, and he frowned at me. "A lot of people don''t know this, but before I rejected my fated for her, she had done that for me," I said, and he was shocked. "She went to see Alpha Jake Brighton and ran into Devin Corrigan, who happened to be her fated. She rejected him and came home to me," I said; he was stunned, but he wasn''t surprised, which meant he knew. "I see you aren''t surprised," I said, making an observation, and he sighed. "I told Devin to let her be; that you were possessive of Tamia, but he wouldn''t listen. He wanted me to write to her and tell her they were fated. I refused, and he wasn''t happy," he told me, and I was shocked that Leo knew and had advised Devin to walk away. "So she rejected him for you?" he said, feeling inadequate. He should because Tamia had done something he was incapable of. Leo chuckled and looked at me. "I am a joke," he said, and I frowned. "During one of our arguments in the past, I once told Tamia it wasn''t my fault that I found my fated, and she could not understand. I honestly believed I did well, and I tried. Now I realise I was weak. After seeing you give up your fated for her without thinking about it and hearing that she did the same, I now realise I was weak and stupid," he said, and I smiled at him. "It is okay. We are all where we are meant to be," I said, and he nodded in agreement, but his eyes said otherwise. "Can you tell me anything about Ramsey? He seemed a bit forceful," I said, trying to make my questions flow into the conversation. I wanted him to answer me honestly. If I asked him about Ramsey directly, he would be suspicious and want to protect the man for Amanda''s sake. I could not allow that. Establishing him in our discussion on Amanda and Tamia had given me room to inquire more about him without raising Leo''s suspicion. "He is an obnoxious prick. He schemed with his daughter to get rid of Tamia. The worst of his schemes was when hepelled a man to attack Amanda and told me Tamia sent him to kill her when he was caught. I knew Tamia could be ruthless, but she would not kill anyone for something like that. Although Amanda got the best of me, I overreacted in the process. When the eastern Alphas joined forces with Devin, the sleaze bag remained with us. When the alphas returned to me, they were surprised Ramsey never left. I found out he was the one that instigated them to join Devin. I have yet to confront him, but I do not trust the man. My opinion," he said quickly, and I realised Leo wasn''t a stupid man. He was very wise. "Well, since you have established that on your own, it is safe for me to tell you this," I said and looked at him. "Ramsey was the one that orchestrated the attack on Gad that led to me attacking the east," I said, and Leo gasped. Slowly I saw rage begin to show in his eyes. I could see him destroy Ramsey. He was livid. "Do you know why?" he asked, and I could hear a low growl. He wasn''t weak at all. I felt his wolf, and Leo was a very powerful man; he just seemed like the peace-loving type. "That is why I am telling you this. I was hoping we would work together to uncover the culprits," I said, and he was still. "I do not need to overthink; he had been trying to get rid of my wife. The arsehole knew you would attack and was hoping I would give up Tamia or she would get killed," he said, and I shook my head. "That is too broad, Leo. I need you to take your emotions out of it and investigate. It is too specific. If what you are saying is true, it would have been a dangerous gamble because what guarantees that it wouldn''t be his daughter? This Ramsey guy is too smart not to be deliberate and specific. We need to dig deep to find out why he would do such a thing and then frame Kyle for it. Why didn''t he frame Maxwell or any other Alpha? Why Kyle? Do you think you can help me figure it out?" I asked Leo, and he nodded. "I will dly do it, your eminence," He said with a promise, and I was happy. He had a bone to pick with Ramsey, and I doubted Amanda could make him change his mind. We shook on it. "I see you will be on the rugby team," Leo said, and I could see that he knew what was happening. "I guess Max and Kyle are not out of danger yet," He said,ughing, and I joined in. "They wanted to chicken out, but I lied that it waspulsory," Leo said, and weughed. We weren''t the only ones that found their suffering satisfying. Leo did too. 86 A firm hand 86 A firm hand ~Sylvester~ Leo and I spent a while in the booth, and soon it was time to join our families, so we left the booth. While Leo walked me to my family''s booth so he could say hello to Tamia, Max and Kyle joined. It was clear they were lurking around and waiting. Leo shook his head, indicating I disagreed. "Your Emminence, I believe a fated is more valuable than a chosen. We feel it would be more..." Max said, and I looked at him. "You are lucky I am in the spirit of forgiveness, Alpha nch. I haven''t forgotten that you attacked my estate with your men." I said, and he was silent. "Tribute does not work that way. There can be no swap. As you can see, the women have moved on. Avery is happy and will marry Marcel Sidorov during the blue moon. Likewise, Linda is four months pregnant and will marry Theodore Orlov on the same day. They are nowdies of the north and above you; they are not yours, so a swap cannot take ce," I said calmly as we walked towards my booth. "What if we talk to.." I heard Kyle say, and I was irritated. I stopped in my track and looked at him. "You are lucky Theodore isn''t here. He would have bashed your face in. How dare you ask your men to fuck your wife for entertainment while you watch?" I asked, and Max gasped. "You are lucky I am not your Alpha. I would have stripped you of your title and seized yournds and money. Then I would have had you locked up to serve time, but Leo seems a bit too liberal for the good of the east," I said, and Maxwell looked at Kyle with disgust. "It isn''t what you think. I was .." Kyle said, trying to justify himself, but the words won''te because what he did was wrong. "You hurt that woman and traumatised her. It took a lot for Theo to help here out of it," I told him, and he was silent. Max had a judgemental look in his eyes. "And you think you are smart," I told Max. "Asking your wife to shift so you can beat the shit out of your wife, and no one would know. Who does that? With silver, Max? Mia has scars on her lovely white fur. I can''t believe you all did these things because you had found your fated. It is absurd. I want to believe that your mates had agendas other than having you to themselves," I said, and they were silent. "Anyway, the answer is no. You are lucky I am in good spirits or I would have taken disciplinary action against you to discourage others that n on walking in your footsteps," I said. I looked ahead and saw my family''s booth. "Well, I guess this is where we part," I said, shook Leo and left them to go to my booth. It was best for Leo to say hello to Tamia some other time because I did not want Marcel and Theo to deal with Max and Kyle outside the pitch. I was happy that I had found myself an ally in Leo. All that remained now was for the actual investigation to begin. I got to the booth, and Tamia looked at me with expectant eyes. I smiled at her and kissed her. "I am alright, darling. I am not as troubled as I was this morning, and Leo and I have made headway," I said, and she raised her eyebrow at me, which made me smile. "You are right; he is a cool guy and highly misunderstood," I said, and she giggled. "Lilly has delivered the items to Gezel, and we have four men on her now," Tamia linked me, and I nodded and looked at Marcel. I knew I would have to tell him that his family was involved in the mess. I did not know how he would take it, but I hope to sweep Gezel''s involvement under the carpet, so it does not hurt Marcel. Whatever the case, I knew Gezel was not the mastermind. I believe she was being used, and they wanted me to catch her so it would implicate my beta. My gut feeling was telling me to protect them first and investigateter. "So we will wait to see what they would do with the items Lily got them," I linked Tamia. We returned home early, and I went straight to my office. Tamia followed me, and I let her sit on my lap while I went through my email on myputer. I was still trying to trace my half-brother, and I was still trying to find Jenny''s child. "When are they bringing the list with the names of the alpha that raised the petition?" Tamia asked me, sounding eager. "They will bring it tonight. I trusted Kappa William with the task. He is my most loyal officer." I told her, and she smiled at me. "And Wilson too," she said, and I did not know how to respond because Wilson was the one that pped her when they wereing to the north. I disciplined the Kappa for it, but I wondered if Tamia had forgiven the guy. "It''s okay, darling. The jaw-shifting blow Theodore gave him the day we arrived was satisfactory," she said, giggling, and I was relieved. "Him too. I trust him too." I confessed, and she kissed my forehead, saying it was cute. Marcel entered my office, followed by Theo; I knew they were eager to know what Leo and I had discussed. Avery and Linda entered, and I knew they were looking for Tamia. Still, Tamia remained on myp, and I wanted her there because I was hard as hell and trying to calm down. Her citrus scent was overwhelming, and we were hiding the fact that we were fated from our friends for now. "What is with Gezel?" Marcel asked me. "First, I will tell you what Leo said," I said, trying to save the serious thing for thest. Theo took orange juice from the small fridge in the office and gave it to Linda, then asked her to sit on the couch. Avery collected the juice from him and sat quickly, leaving Linda dumbfounded. "I get to be pampered, too," she said, and everyoneughed. Marcel took another Juice from the fridge and gave it to Linda, and Linda received it smiling while she sat next to Avery. "Leo said Kyle, and Maxwell put him up to it. They requested a tribute swap," I said, and Avery coughed, spilling the juice through her nose. "What?" Linda said, eximing. "Yes, I want to believe they have either lost it or are on some medication that isn''t good for their minds. Kyle wanted to swap his mate for you, Linda. Leoter exined that Kyle found out that her triplets aren''t biologically his, and he has difficulty getting women pregnant. He regrets his actions towards you," I said, and Linda was nonplussed. I could see her mixed feelings, and I knew it came to her as a shocker. After all that Leo told me, I figured Kyle might have med her for not getting pregnant too, which was why he visited that level of abuse on her. I wonder if he would abuse himself now that he knew the fault was with him all along. "Max wants to do the same. I expected it since he joined forces with Devin to attack the estate. Those two men are desperate. We have to watch them," I said, and Theoughed. "You never know what you have until you throw it away. I am so looking forward to Rugby now. How dare those two treat this as a transaction? He wants to take my pregnant mate and swap her for his fated as if they are objects. I will treat him as an object soon," Theo said with a tinge of anger. "How stupid is Leo to deliver such a message? And let me guess, he wanted to swap Ramsey''s daughter for Tamia too?" Marcel said, and I shook my head. "No, he has made peace with his loss. One thing I realised is that Leo genuinely loved Tamia. He took her for granted and did not know his action would have consequences. He was presumptuous about many things, which cost him dearly. He wishes us the best and will work with us to expose Ramsey. He does not like the Alpha and believes the man is shady." I said, rubbing Tamia''s back gently, and she smiled at me. I wondered how she would feel when I told her I was willing to allow her friendship with Leo to continue. Tamia is not my prisoner and has the right to have friends. I do not feel threatened by Leo, and I trust herpletely. "Oh, before I forget. Devin Corrigan returned to the south today but said he would be back next week. He has been trying to put himself on Tamia''s itinerary, and I have blocked him," Marcel said, and I was a bit pissed at the guy. Doesn''t he ever give up? "Let him see her," I said, and everyone was shocked. Tamia looked at me, frowning. "What are you saying?" She linked me, and I smiled at her. "I trust you, Tamia. I think you should hear him out so he can leave us alone. We are fated now, so I have nothing to worry about," I linked her back, and she smiled. There was a wickedness to her grin that let me know Devin won''t have it easy when he saw her. "Very well, now let''s talk about Gezel," I said, and Marcel was eager to listen. I told him all we knew, and he had to sit down to control his emotions. "That bitch! Does she know the implications of her actions? If she is found guilty of treason, our family will be exiled, and she will be killed. She wants to cost us our reputation and good name," he said, angry and worried. "I n on sweeping it under the carpet. I will catch the people she is working with, so we can get closer to the culprit. I am telling you this so you can take steps that won''t cause you to be implicated in this crime. You too, Theo," I said, looking at my Gamma. "The person we are dealing with is very smart and knows thew well. So far, we have concentrated on the council, but the trail we follow leads us away from them. That does not mean we would not remove Pam and Joan, but we need to be careful. This person is trying to take away my shield and protection so they can deal with me directly. With both of you in exile, I will be vulnerable. Vino is a coward, so I do not expect him to be of much help. The other council members have been linked to one thing or the other. You need to be on the lookout. Go back to your ns and families and ensure everything is in check, so they don''t hurt us," I said, and Theo sighed. "I know you want to sweep this Gezel matter under the carpet, but it will be difficult. It will be challenging unless we kill everyone who knows of her involvement. We need to think of ways to manage the situation if it gets out," he said, stating the truth, but I wanted to be optimistic and try. While we discussed the matter, Kappa William was ushered into the office. It was time for dinner, but we needed to attend to the matter so we could retire to our bedrooms after dinner. Kappa William was holding a sheet of paper, and Tamia got up and went to collect it from him. She was eager to nce at the list of the people on it. She smiled evilly and looked at me. "Is he the one that would handle it?" She asked me, and I nodded. I did not know what she would tell him, but I had to let her handle it. "They are seven on this list. Is there a hidden location in the north that no one knows of?" she asked a peculiar and unrted question. "We have warehouses and underground shelters that are isted, Luna," Kappa William said, and she nodded. "Skip the underground shelters. Let us use the structures that are above ground and could belong to anyone. Let us use the warehouses." She said and looked at Wilson. "I need you to abduct their wives and a child, each, if any. If they have no spouse, then the person closest to them. I want these people blindfolded and kept in the warehouse. They should not be harmed yet. Make sure it is done covertly, and they don''t see you," She said, and I was shocked. Avery was grinning, and Linda wasughing. Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. "I want you to set up a fictitious ount as citizens and bombard these alphas to withdraw their petitions, or their loved ones won''t be returned to them. Let them believe that the people are unhappy with their actions and will riot if they choose to proceed. Also, make it seem like the citizens abducted their loved ones to motivate them toply. Can you do it?" Tamia asked him, and he nodded. "I want to oversee the operation," Avery offered. "Me too. Croquet is very boring," Linda said, and Tamiaughed. "We will create fictitious untraceable emails and use them to troll them. But we have to keep up appearances at the games, so you two can''t be physically involved," Tamia said, and Avery thought about it. "Well, it is fair enough," She agreed, but Linda was silent. Looking at Linda, it seemed she wanted to be part of the process. Kappa William saluted us and excused himself. "Now we can focus on serious matters. Those clowns will cave. More will be taken from those who prove stubborn, and if they insist...," Tamia said and paused to think deeply. I knew she was thinking something sinister. "Well, let''s not go there because they won''t like what I would do to them," shepleted her sentence, smiling. "We honestly need to focus on catching the culprits. We can''t be ahead if we are nice and y by the book. These people need a firm hand, and that is what they will be getting henceforth," she said, and Marcel nodded with approval. "Remind me to not get on your bad side," Theo told her, and we allughed. 87 The Leader Of The East 87 The Leader Of The East ~Leo~ I wasn''t ready to face Tamia yet, so when Max and Kyle osted Sylvester and me, I used the opportunity to part ways. I knew seeing Tamia was inevitable, and I wished it would be easy, but I knew it won''t. Thest time we spoke, she was hurt. I remembered the hurt in her eyes that day. I saw her give uppletely, and it was all my fault. I knew she was happy with Sylvester, but I still found it hard to move on. She was mine right from when she was seventeen. Who would have thought our time together would be short-lived? I felt ashamed of myself. She had done what I failed to do. When she reminded me of my promise the night she returned home naked and in pain, I sat on the couch and could not speak. The truth was, I did not expect her to understand. I did not expect her to see things my way. I was afraid to let go of the rare gift given to me, and I expected her to ept it. I knew that that was my inner truth. When sheined and showed disappointment, I often told myself she would do the same thing in my shoes. Even though I knew Tamia was very loyal and devoted, I believed she would do the same in my shoes. I had told Devin that she would have rejected him for my sake, but I did not believe my words. I just wanted to discourage him from pursuing her and getting her in trouble with Sylvester. After hearing that she rejected Devin, I felt ashamed of myself. How could I face her knowing I had failed her? Sylvester Volkov was a better man for her. He made a promise and stuck to it. She made a promise and kept it. There was no way anyone or anything coulde between them. There was no way. I needed to prepare my mind for my friendship with Tamia. It will be hard. It would be difficult to see and talk to her, being in the same space with her and having limits around her. It will be difficult because she was once mine. I needed to prepare my mind for the torture I would experience through the friendship, but I was grateful to Sylvester for his kind gesture. A challenging friendship with Tamia was better than silence. It was better than being estranged from her. At least I get my confidant back, someone I know I can trust and rely on. I was excited about it. However challenging it will be, I was excited about it. I returned to my booth, and Ramsey was sitting next to Amanda. I honestly hated the man. He brought about my ruin, and I was angry and enraged after what Sylvester had just told me he did. I knew Kyle was a fool, but he did not deserve this. I wanted to beat the crap out of Ramsey and ask him what the fuck Kyle did to him to make him set us up like that. I was angry. The lives that were lost due to that attack still haunt me. "Darling," Amanda said, smiling at me, and I returned the smile. "How did your meeting go?" She asked me, and I knew I needed to watch my tongue where Ramsey was concerned. Speaking in opposites was the only way to protect myself from the prick. "Not well," I replied, and her face dropped. She rubbed my back gently and kissed my upper arm. "I hope he wasn''t upset," She said with a tinge of fear, and I could not me her. The Wolf Lord''s anger was something to avoid. "I hope he isn''t. Max and Kyle osted him, and I am nervous," I lied, and she hissed. "I am sorry, but those two alphas are fools. Kyle was the one that got the east into this mess to begin with, he had better not try it again, and Max almost got us in trouble the second time," She said, grumbling, and I rubbed her back to calm her down. I did not want her going intobour in the booth of a sports arena in the north. I wanted to tell her. It wasn''t Kyle but her treacherous father, but I refrained from it. There was no use voicing my mind. "Father, you should go against them in themittee. The east was more peaceful when you led it. Leo is doing a good job, but those people make it very hard. I think you and Alpha Timothy should step in to support Leo," She said, and Ramsey shook his head. The prick. Of course, he will shake his head. He had messed everything up. I was beginning to suspect that he did it out of scorn. Tamia and I had increased the strength of the mountain pack, knocking him out of first ce in the east. I was upying his seat. Kyle and Max knocked him down to fourth ce. Could he create trouble for us because of it? I believed it was more profound than that, and I was determined to get to the bottom of things. "Max and Kyle have Leo''s vote. I can''t contest it," Ramsey said casually, and Amanda shook her head. "I am sure Leo will side with you." She said and squeezed my hand. "Won''t you, darling?" She said, and honestly, I cringed. I knew I said I wanted to try with Amanda, but other than the bond, there was nothing. It wasn''t her fault; the issue was with me. "No, I won''t," I said bluntly, and she stopped. "I won''t, darling, because your father is in retirement. I can also put Kyle and Max in check. I won''t be able to caution your father," I exined, and she shook her head. "You aren''t putting those two in check. If you were, they wouldn''t have caused the war and friction between the north and east," She said, and I shook my head. "Kyle did not attack the Western border in Gad. I believe him. I do not know who did it, and I don''t care." I said quickly, so the main culprit sitting with us won''t be on alert. N?velDrama.Org content. "How can you not care? They took Tamia away," she said with a shaky voice. "You did not see how they bound her in chains and took her away, Leo. She could have pointed at me or let them kill you, but she gave herself to them," She said, getting all emotional. "And she is now ady of the north. I believe it served her well," Ramsey said with a bit of jealousy or scorn. He used his daughter to force Tamia out of our home; now, Tamia got herself a bigger and better wolf. "Tamia was lucky with the wolf Lord," she said, and I stopped her. It was evening time. "We need to return to the hotel." I said, standing up, and she stood with me. I was tired of the conversation, and I wanted to get away from Ramsey. My mind was still processing what Sylvester told me about his involvement with the attack. "I will see you tomorrow, daddy," Amanda said and hugged her father. Ramsey kissed her cheek, and he shook my hand. Amanda and I walked away. We returned to the hotel suite that we shared with Max and Kyle. After I showered, I changed into somethingfortable and picked up the inte to order a meal. "What would you like to eat?" I asked Amanda when she exited the bathroom, and she smiled at me. "Surprise me," she said and came to bed in her night dress. I ordered her favourite and ordered mine. She was excited and rested her head against my chest. "Amanda," I said, and she looked at me with a smile. "Do you tell your father everything that is going on in our home?" I asked her, and she was silent before responding. I knew the answer was yes, but I kept it to myself. "Not that I go and tell him, he talks to me about things, and I find myself answering the questions. He is very curious, and you know I am his only child," she said, giggling, and I pretended tough. Realising I needed to be secretive around Amanda. "Leo," she said, and I answered her gently. "Now that Tamia is getting married and you know she is happy, are we going to get married too?" She asked me, and I sighed. "We have imed each other already. There is no need for a ceremony. Only chosen mates practise blue moon ceremonies and weddings," I said, and she was silent. I knew it was customary to have a wedding ceremony with her, but I refused simply because I knew her father was the one pushing her to do it, and I did not want to name her Luna officially too. I wasn''t there yet. We ate, and Amanda fell asleep thirty minutes after we finished eating. The movie we were watching was boring, so I could understand. My eyelids became heavy too but sleep left me when I heard Max roaring in the living area. I left the room in my pyjama pants and saw Max angry and fuming, pacing up and down the room. "What is the meaning of this? Amanda is trying to sleep," I said, and Kyle looked at me angrily. "What good are you?" he said, and I frowned at him, "All you had to do was demand a swap, and you failed. How can you call yourself our leader yet have no leadership in you? You have no spine," He said, and I was slowly getting angry. "You are a coward, Leo, a fucking coward. No wonder Tamai moved on quickly," Kyle said, and I punched him. I heard something crack, but I didn''t care. He had struck a nerve with me. "You will respect me!" I said, getting angry. ck had had enough of their nonsense. I was a peaceful man, but I refused to be disrespected anymore. "I epted the invite because of you two. Came here and ridiculed myself for your sake. I begged Sylvester Volkov for your sake. I am a leader in my own right, yet I stooped low for your sake, and you call me a coward!" I said, livid. "If you had kept your ranks in check like a proper alpha should, no one would use your men to attack the border of Gad, and Sylvester won''t rain down his terror on us and take our mates from us. I am still hurting from my loss. I can never get over it. How dare you call me a coward? It takes a lot of strength to walk away from a fight when you are challenged. I see Tamia in Sylvester''s booth at the arena, and I dare not look. I dare not let my stare linger or talk to her. Do you think it is easy? It is your fault, Kyle! They took our mates because of you!" I said and then looked at him. "Linda isn''t an object that you can swap at will. She is a person, and she is happy now. She is expecting a baby with Theodore Orlov; move on. She would not get back to you even if you were thest man on earth. After all you did to her?" I said andughed from frustration. "Are you on drugs, Kyle?" I asked him. "No woman would return to a man like you after you treated her that way. You are sick. You need help. I still can''t wrap my head around you asking your soldiers to fuck your wife in front of you. I can''t wrap my head around it. It is sick, and you need help. She is free of you, so let her go," I said and looked at Max. "And you. I need to figure out where to start. I am ashamed that you two are my friends. I have done enough for you two. Let this be thest time either of you will talk to me about the mates you lost to better men. And before you think of a jab, I ept that I lost my wife to a better man. It is time you start epting it, too," I said, and Max shook his head. "You might be our leader, but we are alphas. Yes, I made a mistake with Avery, but I am willing to make amends. Everyone deserves a second chance. I won''t be at peace if I do not try. I was blinded by lust and fooled by the bond; I had to try, Leo. I can''te this far and humiliate myself this much to not take her back with me," Max said, tears welling up in his eyes. "I didn''t mean to beat my Avery. Michelle told a lot of lies, and I believed her. Some of my men were in league with her. I believed them; I hurt Avery because I believed them. I thought Avery was malicious. I thought she deliberately hurt Michelle. I believed all the lies they told me..." Max said and sat on the couch crying. "I swear, Leo, I didn''t mean to. It is just that things got heated between us and I reacted, and then I found myself doing that all the time," he said, and I did not want to hear him or Kyle anymore. "Then you two will have to do it on your own. I am not going to aggravate Volkov, Sidorov and Orlov over this," I said and returned to my room. Amanda was sitting up and crying in bed. I knew she heard me, but it didn''t matter. I got into bed with her letting ck take over, and tried to console her. I was trying, but I needed to move faster. We headed to the arena the next day, and Max and Kyle decided to seek out Linda and Avery. They wanted to catch them when they were alone and plead their case. They were delusional, but I admired their perseverance. Too bad I did not see this going well for either of them. 88 A Memory-Turned Nightmare 88 A Memory-Turned Nightmare ~Avery~ I was having the nightmare again. The very dream that gued my sleep and reminded me of my pain. It was the first night Max beat Mia. I felt the chain and the silver, themand and the pain. *** Max had stayed out all night, and I felt pain all through the night. I did not need anyone to tell me what was happening. I knew he had gotten intimate with someone behind my back. I did not know why and was determined to find out when he returned. I sat in bed and wept. I was mad at him and waited for him to return home. He did note home until noon the next day. By then, I had body pains and a terrible headache caused by his actions. He walked into our home and did not say a word to me. Our eyes met, and he looked away immediately. I could see the guilt in his eyes, and he knew that I knew. He did not speak. Instead, he walked away immediately. I was mad. So I followed him. My head hurt, and my body ached, but I refused to be disrespected. "Where were you?" I asked, and he was taking off his shirt. He did not say anything. He took off his shirt and ced the shirt in aundry bin. "Max... Maxwell!" I asked, feeling insulted, and he sighed. He turned to look at me and sat at the foot of the bed. "I am sorry, Ave. I am so sorry," he said, and I got pissed. "Is that what you have to say for yourself?" I asked him, and he bowed his head. "What do you want me to say, Ave? You know I fucked upst night," he said, close to tears. "I had no control over it," he said and looked at me. His tears fell freely, and it broke my heart because the pain was registered in his eyes. "Control over what?" I asked him, and he shook his head and pinched the bridge of his nose between his eyes. "I have screwed up, Ave; I am finished," he said, and I did not know what to tell him. I began to suspect it was an act to take me away from the fact that he was with someone all through the night. "What happenedst night? Why didn''t youe home?" I asked him, and he looked at me and bowed his head again. "I found my fated, Ave; I found her," he said, and his words were like a moving truck. It hit me, and I moved back until my back was against the wall. I was instantly ovee with fear, anger and confusion. My eyes welled up with tears, and my hands began to shake. "No, no, no, no," I said, more to myself than to him. This was not supposed to happen to me. This was an impossible situation. No one had a fated in our pack. We knew it was impossible. That was why no one bothered and just named a chosen and imed them during the blue moon. Why was I an exception? "No!" I cried, knowing what would happen. Max had fucked her all through the night; I believed we were past debating what he would do now. I believed he had epted her. "Why?" I asked him, and he did not answer. "If you love me, you will reject her," I said, trying my luck, but my voice held no conviction. I was hopeful, but I wasn''t sure. He was my alpha; I was connected to him. If he epts her, I know he won''t reject me. Where will I go to? How will I survive? "You are my husband, my mate, Maxwell. After all that we have been through together, you have to reject her. Prove to me that I matter to you, and let her go. I will support and carry you. I have been by your side for a long time, Max," I said, not knowing what to say again. I was out of words. "But I have touched her. I didn''t want to, but Echo didn''t give me a chance," he said, and Mia growled in my head, feeling betrayed by Echo. I wept, and soon he came to sit with me on the floor. He touched my hand and asked me to look into his eyes. "I epted her, Ave," he said, and my heart broke. "She is moving in today," he said, and my hand began to shake seriously, my heart racing and beating against my chest. I was sweating, and my stomach churned. I wanted to throw up. "I have imed her, and she ising. I had no choice. Echo sank his teeth in before I could stop..." he said, and I pped him. I hit him with all my might. He did not do anything, and I hit him repeatedly until I began to cry. He held me without saying a word, but I felt alone in those moments. I knew my life was over. "Set me free," I said, looking at him, and he shook his head. "Set me free!!!" I yelled and moved away from him. I was enraged. "Let me go, Max! I did not care for the weakness; I want to go and find another mate!" I yelled at him. "Snap out of it!" he yelled, and I looked at him. He had fear in his eyes. That was the first time he would yell at me. "You were hysterical. I needed you to calm down," he said, pulling me into his arms. "I am sorry, my love. I am so sorry, but I can''t set you free. I can''t bear losing you. Fate has fucked our union up but let us try to make it work. Please," he said, but he also knew I had no choice. If he did not set me free, I couldn''t leave. No one would take me in. The ball was actually in his court, and he had stylishly told me he wouldn''t let me go. Max held me, and I wept in his arms. "You are my Luna, Ave; you will always be Luna, and Michelle has no choice but to respect and serve you. I have told her, and she is okay with it. I know this will work," he said, and I could not believe how delusional he was. What made him think a woman he was fucking would be subservient to me? Michelle moved into our home. She was nice at first, and Max could not leave her bed. I listened to them most of the time. Max gradually stopped caring and showed a lot of affection to her in public. It got to me, and I showed it. I would get angry and throw things. I broke a lot of things in the house. I wanted out, but I was his prisoner. Everything got to me, especially the disrespectful pack members who gossiped behind my back or tried to be disrespectful towards me. What added to my misfortune was that I did not grow up in Hill valley, so they already had issues with me because I wasn''t from there. Michelle''s grandfather happened to be from Hill valley, so they were nicer to her. One day I got home, and Michelle had made a mess of the kitchen. The Omega had gone home, and I needed to cook because they had dinner and did not include me. I went to the living room, where she was watching the television. "Michelle,e clean your mess; I need to cook," I said to her nicely, and she looked at me. She was always disrespectful when Max wasn''t around. "If you can''t wait till morning when the omegas would do it, then clean it yourself," she said, and I got angry. She wasn''t only a bitch; she waszy too. I had a bad day that day and could not take her shit anymore. "You bettere and clean your kitchen mess, Michelle," I said with a low growl, and she looked at me. I knew she could see my intent, and she knew she would notst on a one-on-one with me. Max wasn''t around. I would have beaten the shit out of her before he returned. I did not n to touch her, but I knew that was what she was thinking. She was reluctant at first, then she smiled and got up to clean the mess, but she was so slow that I decided I would eat at the pack house. There may be some leftovers in the fridge there. I went to the pack house and ate, then hung around a bit so I would just sleep when I got home. I returned home only to find Max on the couch, fuming angrily. I wanted to walk past him and go to my room, but he didn''t let me. "What did you do to Michelle?" he asked, and I frowned. I did not understand. "I came home and found my men helping her. She had bruises on her, and they found this on her wrist," he said, showing a thin silver bracelet used for torture. It was one of the ones I kept in the house for protection. Usually, it was best to mp it around your attacker''s wolf''s hind leg, forcing them to shift back to their human form and allowing me to beat the shit out of them. How did Michelle get her hands on it? "When did you be so wicked, Avery? I get your tantrums, but this? You mped silver on her wrist and beat the shit out of her simply because you were hungry and the dinner was finished. I know you are jealous and do not want to share, but this is extreme, Avery. Did you think I wouldn''t find out? Unfortunately for you, she passed out on the floor, so she could not free herself like you ordered her to. I am d my men helped her because if she had freed herself, her wounds would heal, and it would be your word against hers," he said, and I was in shock. I was so shocked I could not speak. "All I asked her to do was clean her mess in the kitchen because I wanted to cook. She was rude about it, and I insisted. She went to clean it eventually without me touching her. She was too slow about it, so I went to the pack house to eat the leftovers; where is all thising from?" I asked him, and he shook his head, livid. "Liar!" he yelled at me withmand, and I shook and stepped back out of fear. "Fucking Liar. She told me she was cleaning the kitchen and you got angry that there was no meal for you. I know you, Ave. I know you are quick-tempered and impatient," he said, and I was shocked. "I might be quick-tempered, but that is too silly for me to beat her like this," I said, and he shook his head. "She said you got angry and told her you wished she could disappear and that she is not wanted in this house. She tried to reason with you, and you got mad and pped her. She threatened to tell me. You went to the room while she continued the cleaning, only for you to return and mp the silver around her wrist and beat her with the kitchen utensils. Then you threw the bracelet key at her to release the cuffs by herself; you also told her to make sure the mess is clean before you return, and if she tells me, you will do worse to her..." he said. I looked in the direction of the kitchen, trying to figure out how she would make up such a story. "The kitchen is a mess. It has your scent, and her blood is everywhere, Avery," he said, and I went to the kitchen and lo and behold, he wasn''t lying. There was a terrible mess of broken things, dented pots and pans with blood on them. "I did not do this, Max. You have to believe me," I said, and he shook his head. "How can I? You never wanted her here. You asked me to reject her. You have been cold towards her. I also learned you do this often. You bully and sometimes beat her when I am not home. My men confirmed it," and I realised there was a ganging up against me. The sinister look in Max''s eyes made me know that I would not win. He dragged me out of the house to the back. He was fuming with rage, and I wondered where he was taking me to. "She is pregnant, Ave, she is fucking pregnant!" he said, dragging me with him, and I tried to defend myself, but he used his authority on me, forcing me toply. Tears streamed down my eyes. Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. "Please, Max, please. I did not do it. She is lying," I said in tears. "She has no reason to lie. I treat her well. You, on the other hand, feel you have been wronged. I wouldn''t have believed her if my men did not corroborate her story." He said; he pushed me into the garage and locked the door, then I watched him wear thick rubber gloves and wound a silver chain around his hand. I wanted to run, but hemanded me to remain. He was livid. "You beat a defenceless woman and used silver to make sure she feels the pain and does not heal quickly. I also learned this isn''t the first time. If she had not passed out, I wouldn''t have known. Michelle had told me you hated her. I did not realise it was this bad," he said, and tears began to stream down my cheeks. "Better pray she does not lose the baby, Ave, or it will worsen. Now shift!" hemanded me. He beat Mia with the chain until we passed out... The garage became my discipline room, and soon it became a norm. He would lock me up there for a day or two without food. Sometimes he would be sweet and loving towards me, and then Michelle would lie against me with the help of his men guarding our house, and then he would rpse and take me to the garage. That became my life until he gave me to the northern soldiers... *** I woke up panting, relieved that the beating was a dream. I had a nightmare of that garage and silver chain, which still had the same effect on me. Marcel woke up and held me while I cried. "It''s okay, darling, it was just a bad dream," he said, gently rubbing my back and kissing my neck. "He can never hurt you gain. I promise," he said, and I cried and held him. It had been a while since I dreamt about Max; why did I dream about him this night? Marcel held me, and I kissed him. He returned the kiss with passion and started taking off my nightgown to make love to me. I wanted it. "Let me bring you back to the present," he whispered, burying himself into me, and the pleasure shock went straight to my head. The dream was a distant memory as Marcel took me to great heights, reassuring me of his love. We went to the sports arena early the next day, and our men went to handle state matters leaving Tamia, Katya, Stephanie, Linda and me in the booth. Stephanie, Katya and Tamia went to watch the croquet game, leaving Linda and me in the booth. Linda excused me to get a sandwich, and I sat alone, only for Max to approach the booth, looking at me with pleading eyes. 89 Come Back To Me 89 Come Back To Me ~Avery~ I looked at Max with his pleading eyes. What was he doing in my booth? Was he crazy? He walked to where I was, and I stood up and punched him right between the eyes. Now I see why I dreamt of himst night. Everything he did to me came rushing back to me, and I pped him. He did not say anything; he just stared and me with tears rolling down his cheeks. "What do you want, Max? You are trespassing," I told him, and he went on his knees. "Avery, I am sorry," He said, and I wondered what had gotten into him. Why was he telling me sorry? There was no word to describe what he did to me, so there shouldn''t be a word to take it away. "What do you want?" I asked him, and he bowed his head. "I want you toe back to me, Avery," he said, and I could not believe this guy. "Are you sick or something? How the fuck do you think I wille back to you after all you did to me because of Michelle?" I said, and he stood up. "I am sorry, Avery. Iter found out that she was lying. She wasn''t pregnant, and you were not beating her. Doctor Alice said Michelle had never been pregnant in her life. All the miscarriages she imed to have because you beat her were lies. I am sorry," he said, and I was shocked. I wasn''t shocked at what he said, but because he was stupid enough to not figure out she was lying about her pregnancy. "I have scars to show for it, Max. Scars that would never heal on Mia''s body. My body. How do you think that would make me feel?" I asked him, and he bowed his head in shame. "I do not know what came over me, Ave. I lost it. I lost my mind," he said in tears, and I could not believe this psycho. "You did it so much, Max. You did it every night. Every night you fought with Michelle, you came for me; whenever I refused to agree with your actions, you came for me. Whenever I did something you disagreed with, you came for me. I was your punching bag. Your rag. You maltreated me; anything is better than being with you," I said and looked at him in disbelief. Had he lost his mind? "How could you even expect that I will leave someone who loves me wholeheartedly and fixed my broken soul? What made you think I would return to you? " I said, and he looked at me. I knew he never expected it toe to this. He saw me as amodity, an object. He even saw his fated like that, too. That was the only reason he requested a swap. He thought it would be easy. He thought all men were like him and saw women as objects. It was either that, or he had lost his mindpletely. "I am doing all this for you, Ave. I came here to humiliate myself, so I can see you. If you tell him to give you back, he will, and I will cherish you for the rest of my life. I will let you do whatever you like." he said and looked away. "I have executed all the men that lied against you and banished their family members. That is how desperate I am," he said, and Iughed. I knew there was more to the story. I knew he wasn''t telling me the entire truth. "Not all of them, Max; can''t say you dealt with all the men that hurt me when you are standing in front of me," I said, looking him straight in the eye, and he bowed his head. "I will do more if you promise to tell Sidorov to send you back to me. There are many women out there for him, but you are meant for me. My life was better when you were in it. My world ising apart without you, Avery. You are my lifeline. Please," he said, and I did not understand why he would want me back. He had his fated. "You do not need me, Max. You have a mate," I told him, and he shook his head. "What about Echo, Max? Does Echo not need his mate badly?" I asked, and he was ashamed of himself. "Please, Avery," he said in tears. I knew he had no words to plead his case. So I looked him dead in the eyes to make my demands. Demands I knew he would not be able to deliver. "Go and lock Michelle up in the garage and repeatedly beat the shit out of her wolf for three years. Starve her and humiliate her over and over again. Fuck her out of pity and let her know that is why you are fucking her; let her know you touched her because you can''t let a wolf in heat roam about your house. Degrade her and make her feel like shit. Then, make her a spectacle to your men and pack members. Go and do that, thene back in three years," I said with a grin, and he bowed his head. I had told him to do all he did to me to Michelle for the time he did it and return. I knew he couldn''t. He did not have that luxury of time, but those were my terms; an impossible task he could not achieve. I wanted him to hear what being with him sounded like, and he knew. He needed to hear what he did and how long he did it. He needed to see the extent of his wickedness toward me. "My pack is in shambles, Avery. I will lose my pack if you do note back. Michelle can''t do shit. I do not know how to handle the arsenal and the shelters. Your food preservation schemes and safety schemes have died. People are moving to Leo''s pack, where the luna is active. Please. That pack was left to me by my father. I can''t lose it," Max confessed, and I realised why he wanted me back. The very reason he did not let me go. "Let Michelle do it," I said. "I will happily draft you a n for old-time sake so she can have something to follow, but I am not coming back to you. I can have this conversation with you because I have moved on. I have healed. My heart is in the right ce. I am getting married soon, and Marcel and I n to start a family. I have too much going on for me here. I can''t return to that hell hole. I will advise you to walk away," I told him, and he shook his head. "You were mine. You will always be my Avery," I saw the possessive rage in his eye. Where was it when he maltreated me for three years? Where was it when he repeatedly chose Michelle and his men over me? Where was it when he hurt me to my soul? "You know I didn''t give you up. You told people I gave you up, but we both know what happened that day. You deliberately stopped fighting and let them overpower us. You knew I would have no choice but to let you go... You told everyone that cared to listen that I threw you to them like you didn''t mean anything, yet we both know it was a lie," he said usingly. "I could not die for a pack that maltreated me and a man that destroyed me. I had to get away from the beating. It was a saving opportunity, and I took it. I knew you wouldn''t give Michelle to them, she imed to be pregnant, so I knew you would give me up instead. I was the useless Luna that wasn''t your fated. Your biggest mistake," I said boldly, and he opened his eyes in shock. He did not know I heard all the things he said about me. "Yes, Max, I heard most of your love discussions with Michelle. How you found me repulsive. How you wished you never had to fuck me again. How you only sleep with me when I am in heat out of pity. How you wished you waited for her," I said and hearing me say those words brought tears to my eyes. "Where was Echo when I met you?" I asked him because we had known each other before we got our wolves. He was two years older than me, but it didn''t matter. I had known him since I was fourteen years old. We didn''t date until I was sixteen. Max never touched me until we married when I turned eighteen, and I got my wolf. I was twenty-six now, and he was twenty-eight. "In those passionate nights with Michelle, you made all the time we spent together, all the memories we had and shared into nothing. You made it seem like nothing and imed to regret it, so should I return it to you? You had used your words to cancel every ounce of affection I had left for you. You took it away every time I heard you say those things to her Max, so I will ask you nicely to leave before my mate returns. He isn''t patient, just like me, and he won''t take your proximity lightly," I warned him, and he stared at me, speechless. I guess he did not think things through as always. He had acted on impulse. "Go home to Michelle and build a life with her," I told him, and he bowed his head and then looked at me. Something he always did when he had something difficult to say. "She is dying, Avery. That was how I found out she had never been pregnant. She has a few months to live," he said, and I realised Karma had caught up with them. I guess their forever will never be. He threw away a love he had for twelve years for something fleeting. N?velDrama.Org content. "Answer me this, Ave," he said to me. "If you were not with Marcel, would you havee back to me?" He asked me, and it was only fair that I tell him the truth. "No, Max. I would never. I would have remained a sex ve or a servant in the north. I would have chosen that life over being with you. I stopped loving you a long time ago, Max. I stopped caring. I had be numb, so it was easy for me to forget you. Go back home and spend time with your woman. There is nothing for you here," I said, and he began to weep. Max should have Listened to me and left the booth when I had told him to because I saw Marcel advancing towards our booth with rage in his eyes. "Why didn''t you tell me that bastard was here? Someone had to link me that a man was disturbing you in the booth," Marcel Linked me approaching, and I knew Max was in big trouble. Marcel got into the booth, and Max turned to face him, only for Marcel to knock him to the ground and bash his head with his booth repeatedly. I had never seen Marcel with so much anger before. "You fucking prick. What do you want with my mate! Haven''t you done enough? Why can''t you leave her the fuck alone?" He said, kicking Max on the floor. "Marcel, please stop," I said, close to tears because Max wasnt fighting him. I had a feeling that Max did not mind dying by his hand. "He is a broken man; leave him alone," I pleaded with my mate, but Jax, his wolf, was in charge. "Jax, please, leave him alone; his mate is dying. Please," I said, close to tears. I was afraid, and everyone was looking at our booth. Jax looked at me and then stopped. Max remained on the ground, coughing. "You are not fit to be Alpha, you fucking bastard," Jax roared at him, and the pressure of his command was much. I never knew that Marcel could be this angry. "Stay away from my mate. You had your chance, and you blew it. I know all that happened and all you did, and you are lucky I did note for your pack. Get the fuck out of my booth!" Marcel yelled, and I saw Leo approach us. Was he watching all along? But then again, the eastern booth wasn''t far from ours, and they could easily see what was happening in our booth from across the field. "Please forgive him, Sir Sidorov," Leo said humbly and helped his friend. Max refused his help and got up himself. I could see that he had given up, not just on me but on everything. "Watch him, Leo; he isn''t in the right frame of mind," I told Leo, and he nodded at me and walked away with Max. If anyone told me the first day I met Max, this was how our story would end. I would say it was a lie, but fate had dealt us a dark card, and his love was not pure enough to see us through. 90 Know Your Place 90 Know Your ce ~Linda~ I had to have a sandwich. There was no way I would sit in the booth until noon before I ate. A woman was selling delicious turkey sandwiches, and I went to her stall. Besides my cravings, I did not want to sit alone in the booth with Avery. Even though I chose to be oblivious of it, I noticed she had been acting strangely towards me since my bump started showing. It had be so bad that I dared not make certain gestures around her. I knew how she felt, but I believed it was unfair for her to act that way around me. I hoped she got pregnant soon so I could have my friend back. While I waited for the woman to put my sandwich together, I rubbed my bump and thought of the joy in my life. Theodore took all my pain away. Bit by bit, he broke down my defences and fixed them with his love. He loved me through my fears and uncertainties. After seeing what Sylvester did for Tamia, I knew I had nothing to worry about where Theo was concerned, and I was grateful for him. Thanks to his love, I was a different person altogether. I remember walking around drunk and sleeping with anyone who told me they found me attractive. It wasn''t like I cared for them; I was just looking for a way out, anyone that would challenge that prick Kyle so he could set me free. Then I met Eric, a delta breed and a warrior. He said he loved me. I could still remember it like yesterday. *** I was depressed, and I wanted to visit someone. I wanted to go somewhere, have fun and forget my troubles. I had a bad headache from the alcohol I had consumed the night before, so I needed to take care of it before figuring out who I would visit. I wanted to visit Avery that day, but I thought of what she was facing at home and decided against it. I did not see her at the meeting, so I knew Max had locked her up again. Tamia was the lukiest of us. Leo was making an effort, and he still loved her. She was still in charge, and no one dared her. I wished I were in her shoes. As much as I wanted to visit Tamia, I wasn''t as close to her as I was to Avery. So I opted to go to a pharmacy to get painkillers and return to my home, which was also my prison and torture chamber. I met Eric at the counter, and he was handsome. One thing led to the other, and I found myself dating him. It was supposed to be a fling, but we could not stop seeing each other. He made me happy and helped me forget my troubles. I was at peace around him, and he respected my body. He was what I thought I needed in a man, and I became infatuated with him. Eric began to n how he would request to challenge Kyle, and I encouraged it. But then I got pregnant and decided to run away with Eric and deal with the markter. I wasn''t thinking. I was desperate. Kyle once told me I could do whatever I liked, but he would kill me if I got caught. Kyle also believed I was barren and good for nothing. He believed it strongly because he had just touched Rebba once, and she got pregnant. When I think of it. Rebba''s pregnancy was the reason he epted and imed her. He said he had slept with her to figure out if he was the one with the issue, and when she returned to him pregnant, he realised I was the barren piece of shit. What an arsehole. He used me of many things and said I was only suitable for entertainment. That was why he treated me the way he did because he thought I was barren. The painful part was that I believed him until Eric got me pregnant. That was why I chose to elope on impulse. I knew the pregnancy would make Kyle mad, so I had no choice but to elope with Eric, but Eric was a coward. He ran away and left me to deal with the mess. I was arrested on the day I nned to run away. Reba imed I had tried to poison her and her children, and Kyle believed her; my ns of running with Eric did not help too, coupled with the fact that I was pregnant. Kyle beat the shit out of me and locked me up. He told me I would rot in the cell, and he was right. I lost my baby and almost lost my mind entirely before I was taken out of the cell and handed to the northern soldiers. The irony of my suffering was I was made to shower and change my clothes every day in that cell, so I looked like someone that had care. It was Kyles''s sick joke. I told him I did not try to kill his mate and children, but he did not believe me. I rubbed my bump, d that all was in my past now. I was determined to love Theo without reserve. I refused to be damaged goods or act like one. I refused to be a broken woman. I will love him as if he was my first, and Kyle never existed. I owed myself that much. *** The woman finished making my sandwich and handed it to me. I offered to pay for the sandwich, and she refused. "I can''t collect money from you, Luna; I am from the Orlov pack." She said, smiling at me and looking at my bump. "For our future Alpha," she said, and I smiled at her and thanked her. She also gave me Iced Tea to go with it, and I decided to sit by her stall and help myself. Call me selfish, but I knew Avery might want to have a bite, and I wasn''t in the mood to share. I did tell Avery to walk me down to the stall, and she refused, so I would eat it alone. I was eating when a familiar scent caught my nostrils. I looked in the direction it came from, and the bastard Kyle was approaching me. Usually, my heart would start racing, but I was calm. He was on my turf. Iposed myself to hear what he had to say. I had heard of their request, and I wondered what he wanted with me after they told him no. I rubbed my bump gently and sipped my iced tea with the straw. I wanted him to see it. Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. He walked to where I was sitting and cleared his throat. "Linda.." he said, and I looked away from him. "Linda, please, I want to talk to you," he said, and I could not imagine his nerve. "Please, Linda, look at me," he said, and I felt movement, so I looked at him and saw he was on his knees. "Please tell Orlov to send you home. I will take care of the baby as if it were mine. I will love you with all my heart. I will send Reba and her children away. I want you toe home. I was a fool and did not know what I had until I lost you," he said, and I shook my head. "I am happy where I am, Kyle; why should I follow you? Can''t you see that I have upgraded? You once called me a whore, and you know whores always go for the best," I said, and he shook his head. "I am sorry. I am sorry. You are not a whore. I am the whore. For doing what I did to you. I need you toe back to me, Linda. Since you left, my life has been in shambles. I did not know how I felt about you until I lost you. Please, Linda. I promise to be a better version of myself," he said, and I remained calm. Not because I wanted to but because of my baby. I did not want to get upset and cause complications for myself. "Let us not drag this, Kyle. Get off your knees and leave. I am noting back to you. I am happy. I have a man that loves me, a real man, Kyle. One that adores me. You said I was a whore and worthless, but Theo treats me as his prized possession. His gem. I have liberty and freedom. I can do and say whatever I like, and I don''t even want to get into the love-making part. I did not know I was a virgin until Theo happened to me. I can''t leave all that for a known hell," I said, seeing that my words affected him, especially the virgin part. I was just telling him the truth. "Look, you better leave this ce because Theodore won''t treat you nicely if he catches you here with me. Go patch things up with Rebbeca and her three bastards and move on with your life. At least no one is there to try to poison them again." I said, reminding him of the wicked usationid against me. "I am sorry I let her set you up. I am sorry," Kyle said, and before I could reply, Theo arrived and grabbed him. I wonder how he got there so fast, and the woman in the stall came out and was nodding. "He was troubling Luna, Alpha," she said, and Theodore had rage in his eyes. How did he get here so quickly? I heard Sylvester calling, and I realised they might have been nearby. Theodore knelt over Kyle and beat the shit out of him. He did not talk. He just kept punching him against the ground. I did not know what to do. I knew it would be best to stop Theo, but I didn''t want to. Kyle deserved it. He deserved every punch and every blow. He was lucky I was pregnant, or I could have joined in. The audacity he had toe and ask me toe back. What the fuck was he thinking? Only a fool would go back to a psycho like him. People were gathered, and Theodore did not stop until Sylvester pulled him off him. "Stay away from my wife!" he told him, and Kyle managed to get up and wipe his bloody nose. "I do not see a mark on her neck," he said, and that was it for me. I walked to where Kyle was and punched him with all my might with the help of Arya, my wolf. He fell to the ground. The crack sound that apanied the punch was satisfying. "I am not your property, Kyle, so fuck off, you sick fuck. And do not think I will let you get away with all you did. I won''t," I said and spat on him. I went to meet Theo, and he held me. I felt so much satisfaction, and I believed Kyle needed more punishment. "I want you to go for his pack and his title," I linked Theodore, and he held me. "All you had to do was say the word, darling," he linked me back and began to kiss me with his hand on my baby bump. I felt my anger dissipate as Theo filled me with love and joy. His kiss was possessive, and I weed it. "Stay the fuck away from her," Sylvester warned Kyle with hismand. "The next time you overstep, I will sanction your arrest. Remember your ce, Kyle. I will take this up with Leo for not putting you in check," Sylvester said, and I hoped Sylvester talked to Leo to tell Kyle to stay away from me. I was done with the clown, and I hoped he got the message now. 91 Following Through 91 Following Through ~Tamia~ Stephanie was into the Croquet game we were watching, and I wished Avery and Linda had followed us, but they wanted to remain in our official booth for reasons best known to them. Dominic had stylishly joined us, but we did not need to guess why he was with us and not with his brother. Katya seemed utterly enthralled by him, and he wasn''t different. It was so deep that Stephanie and I left the booth, and they did not notice. "I want some sweet pop corn," Stephanie said, and my mouth began to salivate. "That would be yummy," I said, stopping at a cotton candy stall. I helped myself to the strawberry- voured variation, and the vendor refused to take my money. He treated me with respect, and my heart fluttered. "Have you heard about the new move by the sneaky council?" Stephanie asked me, taking a bit of my candy and grimacing at the level of sweetness. "What move?" I asked her, feeling happy. William had called me and told me he was rounding the people up and taking them to the warehouse. I was too eager because the meeting would be in two days. Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. "Some alphas raised a petition, and many people have signed it. They are trying to dissolve the lordship," she said, and I wondered why she would say it was the council members. Clearly, the alphas did it of their own volition. "Why would you think the council is behind this?" I asked her, and she scrunched her nose. She had gotten some candy on her nose, but her warm, slightly sweaty skin had melted it. "The petition puts the council in charge of everything while each region would have a council of alphas led by a governor, simr to what you practice in the east," she said. We found a bench to sit on. Stephanie called on to a child and handed him money to buy us popcorn and something for himself. The moment the boy left, she leaned against the backrest and looked ahead with a frown folding her arms. "The Volkovs were royalty before it became a lordship. This council was formed because of the tyranny of Maurice''s forefather, Eddard. It was an excellent way to keep the royal bloodline in check. The council helped the lord remain on course and fought for people''s rights. They helped to question the lord and make sure he was fair to the people, but the lord was still like a king. He owns and rules everything. Devin Corrigan might have revolted, but Sylvester still rules all four regions. His decree must be upheld in all regions, or it will be seen as treasonous. The leading alpha of each region is like a representative of the lord and must bow to the lord''smand; that is why there is alwayspetition for prominence in every region. One you are conversant with since you helped your ex-husband rise to power. They are to rule the region and keep it in check ording to the lord''s will. That is the order. Sylvester is lenient, so they have this false notion of sovereignty, but they remain under him; that is something your ex-husband respects and keeps to it," she said and sighed, then unfolded her hand and brushed something off her jeans. "This petition obliterates the lordship and renders Sylvester powerless. It will ce the council in charge and leave the lordship as an honorary position and nothing more, banning the royal families from interfering or making decisions that have to do with governance." She said and looked at me. "Who is benefiting from that arrangement?" she asked, and I knew the answer. "Not the stupid alphas, but the council. The council is the one benefitting from that arrangement, and to show you how eager they are, they shifted the hearing to the day after tomorrow instead of waiting until after the games," she said, looking worried. Wanting to tease her, I pretended I did not know and proffered a solution. "In that case, Sylvester can take up the Balyaev seat," I said, and she looked at me, eyes widened. "Luis and Jenny Lawrence are dead. No one knows of the agreement I made with them. That could work," she said, but she wasn''t happy because being head of the council wasn''t the same as being a lord. I ced my hand on her thigh and gestured that she calmed down. "We are on it, Stephanie. Do not trouble your gentle heart," I said, and she frowned. "The hearing would take ce tomorrow, but they won''t get what they want," I said, and she rxed a bit. "Have you all figured out the person that caused the attack on Brighton and framed Dominic?" she asked eagerly. "I believe it is the same person doing this," she said, and I shook my head. "Not yet, but we want to take out Pam Rivers and Joan yman. They have done enough," I said, and her eyes darkened. "Those bitches are nothing but whores. I wouldn''t be surprised if Maurice fucked them. If he didn''t, I am sure Gavin, Lucas, or maybe three of them might have. They are just sore that Sylvester, Theodore and Marcel rejected their daughters. After studying all they have done and how I heard they behaved during the few hearings against Sylvester and Dominic, I have concluded that they might be a part of it," she said, and I agreed. The women had acted too suspiciously for them to be exonerated. "Sylvester ns to unseat them. I guess he will do it after the petition hearing," I said, and she shook her head. "He should do it now," she said, afraid we might not win the hearing, but I knew we would. "There is no need to panic, Stephanie," I said and just then, the boy she sent for the popcorns returned. He also seemed excited. "What took you so long?" Stephanie said, and the boy gigged. "Sir Orlov was beating a man that was disturbing his wife in front of the turkey sandwich stall," the boy said, and Stephanie and I got up immediately. I was so worried for Linda that I began to panic. I just hoped she did not identallye off as flirtatious to anyone. Holding our popcorn, we headed to the ce. I was surprised to see Sylvester calming Theo down; it looked like something explosive had happened. I rushed to where they were. "What happened here?" I asked them and was shocked to learn that Kyle had tried to talk to Linda. The nerve. Linda was so excited telling me how Theo beat the crap out of Kyle, and I was amazed. I wondered why she came to the stall alone, but I kept the question to myself, seeing a bit of mayonnaise at the corner of her lips. We returned to our primary booth, and I was surprised to see that Marcel had done the same thing to Max. I wondered when those two idiots would learn. How could they, in their twisted minds, think Avery and Linda will leave the life they have now and go back to the hell they gave them? It was delusional, and I began to fear for their mental health. There was no doubt that they were mentally unstable after learning all they had done to their wives, but they should learn from Leo and let go. We returned home early, and Sylvester was a bit nervous about the hearing that had suddenly moved up. I told him to rx, but he was nervous. It showed all over him. "I think I have been too damn lenient. They wouldn''t have tried this with my father," He said, and as sad as it was, he was telling the truth. The people needed a firm hand. Everyone thought they could piss all over him. First, it was the forged letters, then my poisoning, Dominic''s set up, and now this. The earlier we started catching people, the better for us. Gezel was yet to lead us anywhere, but Kappa Wilson was asked to stay on her. We hope to catch a break. "I agree with you, Sylvester. This may seem a bit wrong. But when this petition thing is over, we should make some changes to the council after we remove those women from the seats they upy. The council members are old, and Vino is young and seems not to want to cross anyone. You should put him in check. If he can''t do the job, he should let us know so we can ce someone else. It is time he starts taking responsibility for the actions and inactions of the council as their leader, or he should vacate the seat for a more capable person," I said. Sylvester pulled me close and buried his nose in my neck. He was distraught, and I could feel it. His love bite on my inner thigh tingled, and I could feel the tension he needed to dissipate. "We can''t work against the Lawrence now; they are our strongest ally on the council. Vino''s need for my friendship has always made him side with us. Asking him to step down would mean I would not have an ally on the council," he said, and I turned to look at him. "As much as I know this isn''t the time, I think it is time to get Dominic on Balyaev''s seat," I said, and he broke away and shook his head. "I know Dominic might havee around in your eyes, but I do not trust him to make good decisions. Especially with Glenda still in his life. He has not been able to stand up to her and break away; how will he be able to handle the council? Vino is still doing a good jobpared to him. See how Larry used him. I would be empowering a tool my enemies can use against me," He said, and I could see his point. He sat on the bed, and I kneeled behind him to massage his neck and shoulders. He needed to relieve his body from the tension he was feeling. I helped him take off his shirt, and he flexed his muscles, making me run my palms against his perfectly sculpted body on instincts. I went in front of him and straddled him. As much as I wanted to relieve him of his tension, I wanted to enjoy it too. Sylvester woke me up gently. I passed out after the multiple orgasms. I looked at the clock, and it was seven in the evening. He kissed my neck, and I moaned, waking up fully. "William called, darling. He said they have all their wives and some of their children. They are in a secured location." he said, and I got off the bed immediately and wore my house robe. "I will need to use theputer in your office; I hope it has a Virtual Private Network installed on it," I said, and he nodded. "Is your subscription active?" I asked, and he smiled. "Always," he replied. "Good. Leave this to us," I said and Linked Avery and Linda to join me in the home office. It was time to send our darling Alphas the instructions they needed to get their mates back unharmed. Linda and Avery got to the office simultaneously, and they were excited. They had yet to tell me what happened with their exes, but this was important. "You reek of Sylvester, Tamia," Lindained, and Iughed. I passed out after making love and did not shower beforeing to the office; of course, I reeked of him, and I liked it. "I thought it was only me that picked the strong scent," Avery said, and Linda shook her head. "Let''s get to work," I told them, and they were happy. "We are to create temporary emails and send them letters instructing them on what to do, but we must not make it seem like it came from the Volkovs," I said, and Linda nodded. "It shoulde from the west. Let us request ridiculous amounts of money. It cane from any part of the west except, Jake Brighton''s territory," I said, and Avery frowned. "Don''t you think Jake''s people would need money the most?" She asked me, and I sighed. I remembered my poisoning. I did not pursue the matter because I wanted peace and did not want the peace we had established with our visit to be destroyed. "Remember how sick I was when we returned?" I said, and Avery nodded. "There was poison in my system, and I think one of his children or his Nephew did it; how best to hurt the wolf lord by trying to kill his mate. I believe I was lucky I couldn''t keep anything down and kept throwing up. It saved my life. Only a little of whatever they put in my food got into my bloodstream." I said, and she was stunned. "Why didn''t they poison me? We ate the same food," She said, and I shook my head. "We did not use the same tes. I am not sure, but I think the poison was on the utensils, not the food. Or maybe it was water or juice I was served in the bedroom. Either way, someone wanted to hurt Sylvester by hurting me." I said, and she was in shock. To think she would have died if they had opted to feed her the same poison must have scared her. My pregnancy symptoms had saved my life. Avery had no issues, so she would have kept everything down, and it would have gone into her bloodstream. "What is Sylvester doing about it?" She asked, sounding a bit annoyed and feeling betrayed. "I did not let him dwell on the matter. What happened in Brighton isn''t a mystery, Ave; what is happening now is a mystery. We need to figure out the people working against our men. As for Jake''s children, I know they did it because of what happened to their mother. They were trying to get even. We know them and their reasons. We can catch them anytime, but the person who authorised the attack on Brighton and framed Sylvester then, Dominic, is very dangerous. We need to catch that person, so they don''t do much damage." I said, and I could see motivation in their eyes. We got to work contacting the alphas anonymously and instructing them on what to do if they wanted their mates back. 92 Restoring Order 92 Restoring Order ~Tamia~ Linda, Avery and I had dinner in the office, and Avery seemed a bit ill. I did not want to get her hopes up, but I felt it would be best to take a pregnancy test because she had been acting funny. She had been very emotional, and her eating habits had changed. It might also be the hormones because I knew she was taking fertility meds. Regardless, I thought it was best she checked herself, but I kept it to myself. We finished what we needed to do in the office and returned to our bedrooms. Sylvester was not in the bedroom when I returned, and I was too tired to look for him. So I showered and went to bed. "I want to sleep," I linked him. "I will be with you shortly," he replied, but I didn''t want him to feel pressured. "Take your time," I said and let it go. Slowly sleep came, and I fell into dreand. I woke up feeling energised and nervous the following morning. We went to the arena early and sat in our primary booth. I was surprised to learn that Kyle and Max won''t be ying rugby, so our men decided to pull out. I hoped the two douchebags had given up and decided to move on. I had yet to find out what happened, but I hoped Avery and Linda would tell me soon. We were watching the ball game in our booth when three northern Alphas came to see Sylvester. They looked distraught and worried; I did not need to guess why. I fought the urge to smile and looked at Avery and Linda. Linda looked away, and I knew she was going to giggle. To hide, she buried her head in Theodore''s chest, making a romantic gesture so she couldugh, but we all knew why she wasughing. I felt likeughing, too, but I dared not pull the same stunt as Linda; she had beat me to it. "Your Eminence, Sir Sidorov, Sir Orlov, Sir Volkov," They said, greeting our men and Dominic. Then they went to greet us. "Lady Volkov, Luna Volkov, Luna Sidorov, Luna Orlov," they said, greeting us. I was referred to as Luna Volkov, while Stephanie was Lady Volkov, a position that would soon be mine. "What is the matter, Alpha Christian?" Sylvester asked the alpha that seemed in charge. "My Lord, we need help," he said, sounding frantic. "Yesterday, our mates and children were kidnapped, and we have traced them to the west. My Isabelle is all I have. I am afraid they will hurt them. I do not know how powerful or broad their network is, but it is more extensive than what my pack warriors can handle. The west is under you; please have them return our mates," He said, and I realised we had hit the jackpot because they were so scared that they had forgotten they were working against Sylvester. "Did you have any altercations with anyone?" Sylvester asked him, looking concerned, and the man could not answer. "Please, we are losing time, my lord," he said, and I wondered if his wife was his fated. "Is your mate your fated?" I asked him, and he looked at me and nodded. "Who will do such a horrible thing and why?" I asked, looking genuinely sorry for the man. "They took his fated?" Avery asked, feigning surprise. "We need to do something about it. This cannot be epted. Do you know them or where they are?" Linda asked, and he shook his head. "What did you get yourself involved with that would warrant such a drastic action," Sylvester asked. I knew he wouldn''t link it to us because their names on the petition were supposed to be anonymous. We also kidnapped Lunas from alphas that had nothing to do with the petition to throw off suspicion. We weren''t supposed to know they were the ones that raised the petition until tomorrow when the hearing would happen. "I didn''t know, but they took lunas from fourteen packs," Alpha Christian said, genuinely confused. "Very well, I will get someone on it tomorrow evening. As you all know, there is a council hearing tomorrow. I have to defend my position, so I won''t be able to do anything about it pending the meeting oue. I will know what to do," Sylvester said, and the man became hysterical. "We need to move now," he said, pleading with Sylvester. "I would if I could, but some people have asked that I relinquish my power and hold to the council. That is what the hearing is about. If I lose, then how will I help get them back? That responsibility will fall on the council or whatever new system has been made to rece me," he said. "In a democratic government, I won''t be able to just act, Alpha Christian. I have to negotiate and see if we can meet their demands; it won''t even be my job in that case; it will be the job of the council or the governors," Sylvester said stating the truth. The men realised they had shot themselves in the leg. "So you will handle them after the hearing?" The man asked, realising there was no way out for him. "If I am still lord and in charge, well, yes. I will instruct my men to handle it. But so we save time, please report to Kappa Levi and give him all the event details so they can start investigations. After the hearing tomorrow, I will spring to action based on the oue; if I lose, I will turn the matter over to the council and wash my hands off it," He said, and one of the men went on his knees. "You won''t lose, my lord. My wife is eight months pregnant; democracy won''t get her back. We won''t let you lose," he said with determination. "Well, it is up to the people who raised the petition," Sylvester told them, and the man stood up and looked at Christain with scorn. I figured it was Christian''s idea, but instead of nning how to deal with him, we would need to drill him to find out who put him up to it. That would likely lead us somewhere. I was going to do something about it after we had won and the names of the people who raised the petition were exposed; I will make my move. "Promise you will help us no matter what if you win," Alpha Inkabod asked Sylvester. I knew it was because he knew Sylvester would find out they were the ones that raised the petition against him. "I have no choice," Sylvester told him, and he nodded, but something in Christain''s eyes did not make me confident. He did not seem to exhibit the desperation that Inkabod was exhibiting. In fact, only Inkabod seemed to have decided what to do about the petition. I guess we will have to find out tomorrow. They left our booth, and four more Alphas came with the sameints. We told them the same thing, and they left. We closed early, and we all began tough the instant we got home. "What kind of emails did you send them?" Sylvester asked, and Iughed. "We were going to give them instructions not to back the petition, but there was no way we could do so without them linking it to you. So we opted for something extreme. "Asking them for ridiculous sums of money in exchange for their mates. We made it look like a criminal activity. We knew they would have no choice but to seek help from the authorities, which is still under you. It was a gamble, and it paid off," I exined, and Sylvester lifted me up and spun me around. We spent the rest of the day worried about the hearing and how it would go. Dinner was silent, and we all ignored Glenda. She got away with things she wouldn''t have on an ordinary evening because our minds were elsewhere. We slept early. Sylvester and I woke up early the next day and got ready to go to the council hall. Everyone was ready, and even Stephanie decided she would visit this time. Maurice was no longer alive; if I could go to the council hall, then she too could go there. We went in a convoy and arrived on time. The press was outside, and it was a big event. We heard that they had suspended all the games for that day. It was highly unnecessary, but they wanted to make it a public affair. They wanted to publicly strip Sylvester of his power for all to see. They were not going to have it easy after this. We sat in Sylvester''s Loge while Stephanie and Dominic sat in Dominic''s loge. The entire council members were seated, and Vino looked worried and nervous. He did not seem to like the topic of discussion, but he should have shut it down and not let it get this far. Lenny Mikhailov, Jacob''s recement, spoke on behalf of the council. I wondered if Sylvester had moved on Jacob, but I doubted it. The man was just deliberately absent. Maybe he orchestrated this whole shit. Lenny started by addressing everyone and greeting us with the utmost respect before proceeding. "We are here to debate the petition raised by the collective. It is called the Democratic petition. The people have signed it, and the owners of the petition are here to defend it and tell us why it must be turned into a bill and passed by the council," he said and cleared his throat, then picked up a sheet of paper to read. "Alpha, Christian, on behalf of Alpha Inkabod, Alpha Paulman, Alpha Michael, Alpha Theophilus, Alpha Gabriel, and Alpha Kent, representing three thousand people each represented by a signature of the signed petition, ask for the following," he said and coughed to clear his throat. "That the authority of his lordship be given to the council and shared among the governors of the four regions. That voting should take ce before creating aw and implementing it. Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. The council seat should be made public, and upants should be selected by vote, with each region having a representative on the council. That the tax be reduced and that the lordship be dissolved entirely with immediate effect," he said, and people began to murmur. Vino banged the gavel and told the press and the few citizens that were allowed to witness this hearing to be silent. It had taken them by surprise. "Defending this Petition is Alpha Christian of Haddad," Lenny said and sat down. Alpha Christain walked to the centrecking confidence and could not look up in shame. I pretended to be surprised. We all pretended to be surprised so he would know that his actions were treacherous. Lenny gave him the floor, and he addressed us respectfully and greeted all of us. I noticed Larry, Pam and Joan paying attention to him. I wouldn''t put it past them. I wasn''t confident because yesterday, Christian did not seem like he would break. If Inkabod had shown up, it would have been a given. I decided to hope for the best. "Dear council, The alphas and I have discussed this extensively and realised that we made a mistake," Christian said, and everyone began to murmur. I looked at the council to read their bodynguage, and they all seemed disappointed. "We are sorry to waste the time of this council, but we will want Lord Volkov to continue to rule over us. He has done a tremendous job over the years, and it will be wrong to rob him of his birthright in the name of democracy," he said, and Joan got angry. "Do you think this ce is a joke? How dare you stir shit up and back outst minute? You wasted our time," she said with rage, and Pam agreed. Likewise, three other people. They were livid. Vino had to bang the gavel, but I noticed his voice was slightly more stern than it used to be. There was a power in it, too, and it made me wonder why he pretended to be timid all along. "You know you can''t raise this petition again. You know this will never be discussed by this council in Lord Sylvester''s lifetime again?" Vino asked Alpha Christian, stating the implications of pulling out, and Christain nodded and said he knew, and that was the end. We all remained while the press and civilians were asked to leave the council hall. Sylvester did not look at Christian, and I wondered what they would discuss after this hearing. Once everyone had cleared out, Vino tried to end the meeting, but Sylvester stopped him. "I, too, have an issue to bring up," he said, and everyone was silent. I could also see they were nervous. "Pam and Joan acted against me. I am tempted to have them arrested for treason, but I will kindly ask them to vacate their seats, or I will arrest them," he said, and there was an uproar. "Silence," Sylvester said with deepmand, and the ce was silent. He was angry, and we could all feel it. "You did not only disrespect my uing union, but invited Alpha Corrigan to the north without my consent. Devin Corrigan murdered my father; he tried to stake a im on my family''s position and attacked my estate to steal my mate. You dared to invite him as a guest to the north, knowing fully well he is an enemy of the north?" he exined, and everyone was silent, realising his point. I saw Pam and Joan in tears because they knew he had a point. "I have been patient with the two of you and treated you with respect, but you have insulted me with this action, and I will kindly ask you to resign your service, or I will force you to do it," he said. "Please, lord Volkov, we did not see it that way; we wanted to use the games to unite the regions," Pam said. "If your intentions were not malicious, you should have run it by me instead of bringing the guestlist late, so I won''t be able to cancel them. You brought two people you believed had a history with Tamia so you would try to stop my wedding. I will make an example of the two of you," he said, and I knew his mind was made up. I did not feel sorry for them because that was exactly what they tried to do. While they pleaded their case, I was d about our progress and decided it was time to invite Alpha Jake Brighton to identify the enforcer that led the attack against his pack. 93 Finding Some Light 93 Finding Some Light ~Sylvester~ The hearing had gone better than I had hoped. Tamia and her friends havee through. They were indeed ruthless. Seeing how far they went made me realise that the only power their previous mates had over them was the marks they bore to force their loyalty. I made a mental note never to cross my mate. After asking Joan and Pam to resign, they got off their seats to beg. They begged so much that Larry and the rest of the council pleaded on their behalf. "We didn''t see it that way, your eminence. We were trying to unite all regions, and since Corrigan honoured the invite, we thought we had ended the feud," Pam said in tears. Tamia responded with rage in her voice. "Liar!!!!" she screamed at her. I wondered where the anger wasing from. It was clear Tamia had severe issues with these women. "Lady Volkov was there when you taunted me, boasting it might notst. You deliberately withheld the guest list, knowing we would find out. Stop lying and own up to your mistakes!" Tamia warned her, and Vino had to bang the gavel even though I could see he did not want to. "Until you are wedded, you still cannot speak in this council," Vino said with pleading eyes, and I knew he was right. I could not wait for the wedding to be done. If they push too much, I might as well im Tamia before the blue moon, since the goddess has already blessed our union, and leave the Blue moon night to Marcel and Theodore. "I am sorry, Luna Tamia," Pam said and went on her knees. Pam wasn''t a fool. She knew she had gambled and lost, and she knew Tamia would be the Lady of the north. It was the wisest option for her right now. "I am begging you to not see it in that light. A lot was happening with this petition, so we could not compile the list quickly. I swear on my wolf, Joan, and I did not try to work against your union. Please, Lady Tamia, please believe us. The seat is all we have and the only honour our family has. We are the only women in the council. If we vacate, they will be upied by men. Please,dy Tamia. We promise never to antagonise or disrespect you again. Please show us mercy," Pam begged, and Joan joined in. They had sessfully put Tamia on the spot. Her decision would shape the way people would look at her henceforth. It would be the beginning of her northern reputation as Lady. Pam and Joan were brilliant. They knew people would not ept a Lady that isn''t merciful and forgiving, and I knew my mate wasn''t any of those things. "What do you want to do?" I linked Tamia, and she did not respond. Instead, she squeezed my hand for all to see. She squeezed it in a pleading manner. Tamia was just as innovative as these women were. She knew what they were doing, and she had outsmarted them. Her actions showed she was pleading on their behalf, and ordinary citizens and the press were there to see it. Tamia was good at publicity. "Very well, my mate has pleaded with me, but I can''t let your transgressions go. Because of Tamia''s pleas, I will suspend you two for three months to go and reflect on your actions," I said; Joan went on her knees next to Pam, and they both bore their necks to Tamia and me. The suspension was better than them losing their seats on the council. "Since this matter has been resolved, I, as a result, close this hearing," Vino said and banged the gavel. "I want to talk to the alphas. We need to know how and why they came up with that idea," Tamia linked me, and I smiled at her while we got ready to leave the council hall. "I will have to question them. It is beyond your office. Please do not be offended, Tamia, but even when you are officially Lady, there are certain things you won''t be able to do. It would have been easy to have you question them if they hade to us. It would be a private matter, but this would be done officially, and Alpha Christian is the leader of the north, just as Leo is the leader of the east. I have to treat him with respect," I linked her back, and she looked at me and smiled. "You need to change somews, Lord Volkov; I am your better half," She teased, and I smiled at her, d she took it lightly. "You know what, I think you should be with me during the questioning; that way, you can identally chip in, and I will allow it as a form of indulgence," I said, and she beamed at me. "Marcel, invite Alpha Christian to our house in the estate. Tell him to follow us along with his friends," I linked Marcel, and heughed. He knew exactly what I had in mind for the alphas. We stepped out, and my mother squeezed Tamia''s hand. She knew Tamia had a hand in the oue of the hearing. "You got yourself a gem," She linked me, and I smiled at her. We did not want to speak out because we did not want people to listen to our conversations and figure things out. The ride home was joyous, and I was breathing fine. This was the second time Tamia would do something drastic to save me from the council. She hade into my life at the right time. We arrived home and headed to our room to change. The moment we entered, I grabbed Tamia, and she let me. "I would take you right now; if Christian and his friends weren''t waiting for me in my office," I whispered in her ear and grazed my teeth on the sweet spot. She was aroused immediately, and I could smell it. Knight was going crazy. I needed to im her. The mate bond had begun to tug even harder than it did with Susan. I contemted it but wanted it to be special, so I relented and forced my teeth to retract. I could not resist the scent. So I put Tamia against the wall while she giggled, knowing what was happening. She teased me, grinding her cute butt against me, and I reached under her skirt and realised she wasn''t wearing panties, which made us giggle. "You are naughty, green-eyes," I said and rolled up her skirt. I buried myself in her and went to work. I battled my wolf so hard. Knight wanted to sink his teeth in. I wondered how Marcel and Theo would feel when they found out we were fated. I needed the union to be unique. Although it was meant for chosen mates, the blue moon ceremonies were extraordinary and more romantic than the iming of fated mates. I could not deprive both of us of that joy. I also wondered how the iming would be on a blue moon now that we were fated. I pumped and felt here, which made me grab onto her tightly and go faster until I came too. We got ready to head downstairs to join Alpha Christian and his colleagues in my office. I knew Inkabod was with him and along with two other Alphas. Marcel had already linked me. I entered the office with Tamia and found only Theodore and our guests waiting. "Where is Marcel?" I asked Theodore. "He had to take Avery to the hospital. She is running a fever," he said, and Tamia giggled. I wondered what was amusing about that statement but kept it to myself. I went to sit on my chair and asked Tamia to sit on myp. Tamia''s presence made the meeting look less serious. "Alpha Christian," I said, and he bowed his head in shame. "I can''t believe you were the one that championed that petition, yet you had the effrontery to ask me to help you find your mates. Why couldn''t you wait for the democratic government you were pushing for to find them?" I asked him, and he was silent. "Do you think ruling is easy? I have to put up with a lot of shit every day. Do you know the amount of nonsense I deal with? My peace is taken from me daily to keep you safe. In my time, there has been no war. Do you think it is that easy? Do you not know history? Have you forgotten what happened when something like that was in ce? The head of the council was regarded as lord. The governors fought for that seat, creating a serious war, forcing my family, the Sidorovs, the Orlovs, the Belyaevs and the Lawrences, to wage war and reinstate the autocratic rule of the royals, which formed the lordship. Why will you want to return to such a time, Christain? Have I not been lenient? Have I not allowed everyone to rule their packs as they see fit? Why?" I asked him, sounding genuinely hurt because I was. N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. I felt betrayed; I felt like my kindness was thrown back at me. "We did not mean to either," Christian said and looked up at me with tears. "I am content with your rule. I was forced to back that petition," he confessed, and I frowned at him. "My first son and my only Alpha heir went to study in Gad. A group of people kidnapped him and forced me to raise this petition and back it up," he said, and I frowned at him. "Why would you send your son to school in the west? It might be under me, but you know how my father acquired the ce and took out their leader. They might be civil, but we all know it is unwise to roam about the west unprotected. They have only started epting my rule. What were you thinking?" I said, and he shook his head. "I sent him there against my better judgement. My mate forced me to do it," he said. I wondered who the kidnappers were and how they reached him. He was a significant man in the north, and taking his son was a strong move. I did not know his family very well, so I made a mental note to better get to know the Alphas and their family members. "How did they reach you?" I asked him, and he took out his phone, checked some things, and handed it over to me. "That is how," he said, and I was stunned. It was video footage of Liam Bricks, the same Liam Bricks I had extradited from the west and had locked up in a dungeon at the estate. The very Liam Bricks working for the uprising. The same man that epted the money transfer that I could trace. The bloody traitor. In this footage, he was tied to the chair in silver chains. I could tell it was silver because his wound was bleeding. "So they sent you this footage?" I asked him, and he nodded. "What did they tell you they would do?" I asked, and he took his phone from me and showed me an email. "If you do not raise and support that petition, we won''t only kill him, but we wille for the rest of your family," it read, and I was surprised. "Did they take your wife?" I asked him, and he shook his head. "Those people were different. They just wanted money," He said, and I realised he had to choose between his wife and his son, but I knew that the video of his son was acted out because his son was one of them. I nned on keeping that information to myself. The group was a lot worse than I thought. Picking Gezel up was very important now. I needed to drill Liam to know how deep he was in the organisation. "So you had to choose between your mate and your son," I asked, and he shook his head. "I coulde up with that money they asked for, but I realised I was a traitor when I spoke to you at the game. You do not deserve what they wanted to do to you, and my colleagues could note up with their ransoms. I decided to gamble and let Liam go for the sake of peace," He said, and I could see the resolve in his eyes. I could also feel his loyalty and the depth of his determination. He must have thought about it hard before making up his mind. "You have done well because your son is part of a criminal group nning an uprising. Their headquarters is in Gad, and we are trying to trace him because he received a huge sum of money a few weeks ago," I told him, not wanting him to know I had him in custody. The man gasped in disbelief, and so did Inkabod and the other alphas. "How are you sure?" He asked me, and I checked my phone to pull up the email with Liam''s ID. I showed him, and he was speechless. "You are the lead Alpha of the north; it was the best and fastest way to push their agenda," I told him and collected my phone. The man had tears in his eyes. "Liam Bricks?" He said in disbelief, and I knew there was more to the story because hisst name wasn''t Bricks. "The petition stated that the council leader would be head of the council, which is the only seat that would not be decided via election. Could it be that the council leader is involved? Because I found that use baffling," Christain asked; I smiled and shook my head. "It is a norm. In the case of democracy, the council will vote for who will upy the top seat, and they will have to choose the top five families. The Volkovs, Sidorovs, Orlovs, Balyaevs and Lawrences. It can be either of us. The current council leader might not be the leader in the end. I think they are after something and need us out of the way. Right now, everything goes through me. Imagine what would happen in that type of setting," I said, and his eyes showed understanding. "Well, Kappa Levi is on the case, and your mates will be found and returned to you; meanwhile, when I catch your son, I will let you know so you can question him. I won''t release him to you because he hasmitted treason. Am I clear?" I asked him, and he nodded. "His ID says he is twenty-two. How old is he?" I asked him, knowing there was no way Christain would have a twenty-two-year-old son, and that guy did not look it. "He is seventeen, my lord; he just turned seventeen," Christian said. I could not believe the organisation was recruiting minors. Whoever was running this thing was desperate. Somehow I believe the arrest of Gezel would shed some light on the matter. 94 Who is Liam? 94 Who is Liam? ~Tamia~ I could not believe the wealth of information we had just gotten from Alpha Christian. Who would have thought Liam Bricks was underaged and Alpha Christain''s son? The man had carried out the task given to him diligently, thinking he was saving his son''s life. Liam was a wicked child, and I was furious. I could not say a word in the office. I was speechless. Thinking of everything, I wondered what this uprising group wanted. The issue came down to the four families that would head the council if the bill was passed. Theodore and Marcel were Loyal. That leaves Vino, but Vino does not seem like the trouble kind. He did not seem pushy, and he never antagonised Sylvester. He has never done anything to work against Sylvester, nothing we know of. I know he wants to be a friend and join their group. Today was his first show of anger and power, and he was irritated that the Alphas had wasted our time. He was relieved that the bill wasn''t passed. He might not have told me, but the smile on his face after the hearing said it all. I was curious to find out who this person was. Was it Jacob Makailov? His family wouldn''t be considered if the bill was passed. It was a colossal mess, and we were right in the middle. "Alpha Christian, we need your help to figure out who recruited your son," I spoke up, and he nodded. His eyes were bloodshot. He was angry and ashamed at the same time. Treason was a severe matter. His son had brought shame to the family, and if word got out, his family would lose respect. Traitors are never able to redeem themselves, hence why Joan and Pam swallowed their pride and begged; they had no choice but to do so, or they wouldn''t be cast out of their families and stripped of their names because of thesting consequence of their actions. "Anything to save my family''s reputation, Luna Tamia," he said, and I nodded. "What is his real name?" I asked, knowing Bricks wasn''t a northernst name. "Liam Zakharov," He said, and I nodded. He was a true northerner. "Did he exhibit any behaviour before you sent him to study?" I asked, and he shook his head. "He was happy and content before I sent him to the west. He wanted to go to Gad. He was an introvert in Haddad and did not have friends. He eventually made a friend online and wanted to meet this friend, so he pressured his mother to ask me to let him go to school in Gad to be close to his friend. I felt it was an odd decision, but my mate wanted her son to be happy. The prospect of him finally having a friend seemed great, so we contacted a hostel there, and they assured us he would be cared for. We went there in high spirits. A few monthster, he called to inform us he would be sharing an apartment with his friend and that he did not like the living condition of the hostel. My mate had to travel to Gad to see where he would stay and meet his friend. She was a young female wolf that went by the name ine. She seemed decent, and my mate said it was okay. That was how he moved out of the hostel," He said, and I frowned. "Did she bother to find out anything about ine?" I asked him, realising that might have been his recruiter. "The girl was an orphan and worked in a bakery in Gad. Her name is ine Ashbreed. She went missing after my son was kidnapped. I think they killed her," He said, and I realised that ine was a part of it and ine wasn''t her real name. "Why did you send your son to the west using a false ID? It doesn''t make sense," I asked him, and he nodded. He did not seem surprised, so I knew he was aware his son wasn''t bearing his real name. "I do not travel, Luna, and honestly, I felt it was odd that Liam would ask for a fake ID. He said his last name would get him in trouble because he was an Alpha breed and the son of the Northern leader. It did not make any sense, but I let it be. He is his mother''s favourite, so she must have helped him get it done. Something about wanting him to blend in. He had somehow gotten it in his head that he had no friends because of hisst name. She said the west would be a great way to start over for him. Little did I know he nned on getting involved with criminal activities and did not want to be traced. The bastard!" he said with rage, and I shook my head. I wanted to question his mate, but I kept it to myself. "I think this ine girl talked him into it. Based on all you have said, other than being an introvert, he waspletely normal until he went to the west. I think he was catfished and made to move to the west for this purpose so they could initiate and use him. He is a pawn in a dangerous game," I said, and tears rolled down Christian''s cheek. He had fought the tears, but they won eventually and trickled down. He went on his knees immediately and bore his neck.Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. "Please, Lord Volkov, he is my only heir, do not kill him. Lock him up and do anything you like but do not make it public for my family''s sake. He will not seed me, but I do not want him to die, and I do not want him to pull down the rest of my family. Please, Lord Volkov," he pleaded, and I could see the desperation in his eyes. Why did Liam do this to his father? This man was the leader of the north, just like Leo was the leader of the East. Other than the council and my mate, he answered to no one. All alphas reported to him. He was a powerful man; his son had just belittled him. Having him beg Sylvester in the presence of his Alpha subordinates was a disgrace, but one he had to risk so his stupid son could keep his life. "Seeing what you did for me at the council today, I will make an exception, but just this once," Sylvester said, and I smiled and rubbed his thigh gently tomend him. It was hard not to make an example of someone that hadmitted treason. It would make it seem like it was an okay offence, but Sylvester made the exception. Regardless, I nned on questioning his mate. I wondered why she would make a false ID for her minor son and allow him to move in with a stranger she did not bother to investigate. It was suspicious. Knowing Gezel was a luna and part of this nonsense, this woman might be a part of it too. Luckily for me, she was in my custody. Alpha Christian and his colleagues left, and Sylvester, Theo and I went to the dining room to eat. Avery and Marcel were there, and they both seemed extremely happy. The moment we sat, Glenda came towards the table. "You can''t sit here tonight, Glenda," Stephanie said, a bit irritated. "We are having a family dinner. Thest I checked, Dominic has notmitted to you, so respect yourself and eat in the room or anywhere you like. And that is an order." Stephanie said to her sternly. Honestly, we were all tired of having Glenda around. I wondered when Dominic would do the needful and send her away. He wasn''t going tomit himself. We all knew it, so I wondered what she was still doing here. Glenda looked at Dominic, and he red at her. "I did tell you it was over, and you should go home, but you chose to hang around," he told her, and we gasped. Glenda was shameless. "We broke up yesterday in the morning, and we are not getting back together again, Glenda. This time I am done. I can''t deal with your nonsense, and I do not think it is something I want to put up with for the rest of my life. You have done enough. My brother and I are in a good ce now, and I want to keep it that way. I will never be Lord of the north, and you should leave since that is all you ever nag about," He said, and I gasped because I understood what had happened. Glenda must have been part of why Dominic pushed against Sylvester so hard. "So you broke up with me because I wanted you to be a better man?" she asked him, sounding angry and hurt. "It is irritating, Glenda, when you constantly ring in my ear that I am supposed to be Lord. You tell me I am a fool for allowing my baby brother to walk all over me. You make me feel inadequate. Guess what? I do not have alpha genes, I cannot lead battle, and I cannotmand respect, so I am not qualified for the position. I am done with the nagging and yapping. It has almost cost me my life," he shot back, and she picked up a ss of water and threw the content at him. The content hit Avery, and I could see the rage in my friend''s eyes. "That is not the real reason; it is because of the harem whore, Katya. I know you two slept together. Do not try to make this about my words of encouragement," She said, and Avery pped her. "You can throw whatever you want, as long as it doesn''t touch me," Avery said, cleaning the water spilt on her. The water was cold too, so I could understand Avery''s anger. I also figured she contemted before pping Glenda because she allowed the woman to finish her sentence before doing it. I knew she also did it because of Glenda''s choice of words towards Katya. "A whore, you say," Dominic said smiling, "if a virgin can be regarded as a whore then it''s okay, but she is more of a woman than you will ever be. An alpha breed from a prestigious family well brought up and a joy to be with. She makes me want to be a better version of myself. She epts me for who I am and genuinely loves me. I am not a social staircase to her. Katya is the best decision I have ever made. Since you have decided to spill it, I might as well announce my intentions," He said and stood up and went to where Katya was sitting. He went on one knee and brought out a small jewellery box. We all knew what would ensue. He asked Katya to marry him, and she said yes before he could finish the sentence. Tears of joy streamed down my cheeks. I was so emotional that Sylvester held me. Glenda stormed out of the ce, and she was wailing. I did not like her methods or intentions, but it was painful. She had been with Dominic for years, and he never popped the question. Katya came in and took it all. I do not me Doiminc either; if all he said was true, then he would have sentenced himself to hell if he married Glenda. We all congratted them; it was indeed a happy day for us. After our meal, Marcel stood up to make an announcement. I already knew what it would be, but I was attentive. "Avery and I went to the clinic today, and we are four weeks pregnant," He said, and everyone was overjoyed. We all knew Avery wanted this badly, and now she had it; I looked at Linda, who sighed with relief. Finally, she could rub her bump in the presence of Avery without feeling guilty. I looked at Avery and smiled at her. She hade toin to me some days ago, crying profusely, if only she knew the goddess had already blessed her. I wondered if her test strips were working, and I nned on asking her that question. The day had gone better than we had hoped, but we still had much to do. 95 Celebratory Mode 95 Celebratory Mode ~Tamia~ I was ecstatic about Avery''s news. She beamed so beautifully at the table. I sighed with relief, knowing Avery had finally gotten her wish. Our children would be born around the same time and grow up together. How much more could we thank the goddess for blessing us so greatly? From unhappy women whose husbands had cheated, to war trophies, then lunas of the most powerful men in our world. We must have done something extraordinary in our past life for the goddess to smile upon us. There were two great pieces of news. Katya had finally given it up and was getting married, and Avery was expecting. Sylvester and I retired to bed in high spirits. "I can''t believe my brother finally popped the question," Sylvester said, changing into something comfortable to sleep in. "And to think the woman that brought that out of him was Katya," he added, and Iughed. "It sounds weird that some of the women in the Harem are virgins, don''t you think?" I said, and he laughed and came to sit on the bed. "Yes. We usually sort them that way to avoid them being molested or abused. Saying they belong in our harem makes them sort of forbidden, but we allow them to mingle and choose a mate if they so desire. It is my way of protecting them," He said, and I had figured that part out already. "So why did Theo say you do not touch used goods?" I asked him, remembering what Theodore had told us upon our arrival. Sylvester giggled and pinched the bridge of his nose; eyes shut tight with his face looking up. He wasughing seriously. "So, that is where that came from," he said and looked at me, stillughing. "I wondered why you called yourself used goods that night I came to your room. It baffled me. Here I was, thinking I had found someone worthy to be mypanion, and you were busy calling yourself used goods. Theo can be an arsehole like that. He must have said it so no one would get ideas into their heads. Lunas are usually bold and very experienced. We have had a couple that had tried to seduce their way out of service. They are usually the most cunning of the trophies, and I did not expect less from them," he said, and Iughed. "You, my dear, did not seem interested at all. None of you seemed interested. Avery looked like she just wanted to have fun, Linda wanted to be left alone, and you were still trying to let go of Leo. An unusual mix, I must say. But it all worked out well." He said and ced his hand on my lower belly; I had a little bump now. It wasn''t obvious, but I could feel it with my palm, and he could feel it too. "I wanted to im you when we got back today," he said, still touching my lower belly and staring into my eyes. He wasn''t smiling anymore; he was serious and looked deeply with need in them. "Then why did you hold back?" Kaira asked, and I blurted it out. He caressed my cheek with his thumb resting my face in his palm and staring deep into my eyes. "Because I want it to be special, green-eyes. I want the moon to bless us twice; I want to do it in the eyes of everyone. I want to im you for all to see and know there is only one woman in my heart, and she will always be you, Tamia. I do not want to do it in the confines of our bedroom. I want everyone to see it," he said, and it touched my heart. Blue moon iming was usually a ceremonial public affair; of course, we will have to do it again in the heat of passion in our bedroom, but the iming is done under the moonlight in the eyes of all the people invited to create and solidify the bond. We did not need that because we were fated already, but Sylvester wanted the aesthetics that came with it. I knew it was the romantic aspect that he liked. The vows and promises, the shifting and marking. It was great, and it was something to look forward to. He moved close to me and kissed me, stirring up a hunger in me. I returned the kiss hungrily, and I heard a low growl. It was Knight, and I knew we would do more than kissing. The mate bond was driving both of us crazy. Taking off my clothes, Sylvesterid me down on the bed and went to work. He straddled me and bent to suck on my nipples gently, blowing and sucking on them. "If you move, I will cuff you to the bed, green eyes," he warned me, and I did not know if I should moan or nod. He grazed his teeth on my skin, moving from my breast to my neck and sucked on where his mark will rest. His mark on my thigh tingled, and I writhed a little. "That is it," he said, getting up. I was very wet. He stripped down his clothes entirely and reached for the cuffs he used on me in Vino''s mansion, with blindfolds and a feather. "All that," I said, feeling impatient, and he did not speak. Sylvester cuffed my hands to each side of the bedpost, tied my legs apart, and covered my eyes with the blindfold. I was nervous and eager at the same time. "You did a beautiful job today at the hearing and asked the right questions when the alphas came. You deserve a reward, green eyes," he teased me, whispering in my right ear, and I felt my nipples harden. I felt the feather touch my lips and gently move down. I felt it between my breasts, and it moved and circled my right nipple. I felt Sylvester''s wet mouth on that nipple, sucking it and teasing it with his tongue. His licks were expert, and I was craving more. Then he left it and circled the feather on the second nipple and did the same to it with his expert mouth, it felt warm and delicious, and I moaned, tugging on my cuffs to touch him, but I couldn''t. It made them feel helpless and at his mercy. I knew that was the point, and I loved it. "You are soaking wet, green eyes," he teased, and I felt his tongue in my belly button. "Sylvester, please," I pleaded with him. I did not know what I was begging for, but Kaira wanted more. Not seeing what he was doing was driving me wild. Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. I felt his thumbs on both my nipples, and it felt good, his thumbs also felt a bit wet, and it gave the tongue effect. Before I could absorb all the pleasure I was getting, I felt his tongue searching for my clit, and I writhed to guide him to it, but he kept missing it deliberately. He would tease the tip with his tongue, suck a little and move elsewhere. He did it so many times that I became frustrated. "Goddess, Sylvester do something," I moaned impatiently and heard him chuckle. "It is mine, so I will take my time," he teased. I tried to close my legs, but they were tied apart for that reason. Kaira became wild, wanting the release, and soon he sucked on the nub and did not let it go this time. He was still caressing my nipples with his thumb. I was in a pleasure haven and doubted I could take much because my body was sensitive. The build-up came up quickly while I ground myself against his lips. I heard him growling, his love bite tingling and driving me crazy. The orgasm exploded. "Ahhhhh," I moaned, shaking. He left my clit and bit into his mark on my inner thigh, giving me a second wave. I could feel the tears in my eyes, even though I had blindfolds. Sylvester had taken me to an incredible height, and I could not help but let the orgasms move through me. I felt the tip of his cock on my entrance, and my body went crazy. He drove himself into me and began to pump. I wanted to touch him but I was still cuffed to the bed. "Sylvester, let me touch you." I moaned while he pumped. "No," he growled, pumping, and I felt the pressure building up. It was more intense. I knew why he kept me tied up and blindfolded. The fewer sensory organs I ess, the more heightened the feeling would be. It was amazing. The fact that I could not see or feel him with my palms heightened the sensation of his cock grinding into pussy, and it felt so fucking good. "Yes," I moaned, not knowing what I agreed to, but I liked it. I came again, and he pumped through it. I felt my toes curl and my ws grow out, wanting to dig into something. Sylvester took off the blindfold, and it took a bit for my eyes to adjust; he was enjoying it just as much as I was. I guess we will be going to the arenate again. Morning came, and Sylvester wasn''t lying beside me. I wonder where he went. It was just eight in the morning, and we still had time, but he wasn''t in bed. I tried to link him, but I met an empty void, meaning he wasn''t home. Whatever must have taken him out of the house that early must have been serious. I wanted to call him, but I did not feel the need to do so, so I got out of bed and decided to get ready. It was going to be an eventful day because Alpha Jake would be joining me in the booth to go through the photos of the enforcers, so he could show me who led the attack against Brighton. It might not yield anything because I know the order came from the council, but hopefully, I would get something out of it. I also needed to hold Luna Amy Zakharov, Liam''s mother. Once they''re returned today, I will have Levi arrest her for questioning. It wasn''t within my jurisdiction. If she refuses, I will use Stephanie''s office to do the job. We only had a few weeks to go, and the whole technicality will be over. I got ready and took out my phone to call kappa William who had returned from the west. "Lady Volkov," he greeted me on the first ring, and I answered. "I need you to bring a tablet with all the pictures of the enforcers to the arena in Lund. Also, order Kappa Levi to arrest Luna Zakharov when they return today. She has questions to answer." I told him, and he was silent. "Have you informed Lord Volkov of this?" He asked me, and I could hear the fear in his voice. "No, I haven''t," I said, and he sighed. "Luna Zakharov is Alpha Christain''s wife; she is too high for me to pick up without order from the Lord, Lady or council," he said. I understood what he meant even though he sounded a bit afraid. The truth was Sylvester and I were yet to tie the knot. I was still a girlfriend and yet to be wedded to him. It wasn''t my office, and he was right. The order shoulde from Sylvester or Stephanie. "Very well, I will tell him to instruct you to do it," I said, slightly irritated. "I will do it, but please be clear with him on it," he said quickly, but I hung up instead of saying anything. I ced a call to Sylvester, and he answered. "Darling," he said, and I sighed. "I woke up alone," Iined, and he giggled. "I am sorry, love; my itinerary starts today at eight in the morning. I am having a meeting as we speak," he said, and I sighed. "Okay," I said. "Thank you for understanding," he said, and I giggled. "Do you mind telling Kappa William to do as I say? I asked him to bring me a tablet with the photos of enforcers so that Alpha Jake and I could go through it. He could show me the enforcer that led the attack on his pack; I also asked him to tell Kappa Levi to arrest Amy Zakharov when they return her. He said she is too important, and I should clear it with you or your mother," I said, and I heard a low growl. "I am not offended. He is right, Sylvester. I do not have an office yet, so it is okay. If the council behaved as he did, we wouldn''t have problems," I said, and he calmed down. "Very well, I will do it once I am done with my current meeting," he said, and I thanked him and hung up. I headed out of the room. 96 Cards and Candy 96 Cards and Candy ~Tamia~ I left the room and headed downstairs. Linda and Avery were busy congratting Katya, who was blushing. Katya was the first to see me since she was facing my direction. "Luna Tamia," She said, and I smiled at her. We were going to be sisters. "Wee to the family, darling," I hugged her. She returned the hug, and I broke it and squeezed Avery''s hands, who squeezed in return. "Katya was just telling us what made her give it up, finally," Avery said, teasing Katya, and I raised an eyebrow at her. "It just felt right. He... he... he was.." she was trying to find the right words. I squeezed her shoulder gently. "We all know the feeling. There is no need to borate. I am sure you two will be happy together," I said, and she smiled. "Oh my, there you all are," I heard Stephanie''s cheerful voice as she approached us. I looked in her direction, and she was beaming. "I am such a lucky woman. My sons found themselves two amazing women," She said and turned to Katya. "I have known you were perfect for my baby," she said, embracing Katya, and we allughed. "Did you see Glenda?" she said, and we all giggled. Glenda did not look good at all when she left last night. "Serves the bitch right. She has been trying to get her cousin in here. Putting her on Sylvester''s itinerary, busy trying to get her cousin back together with Sylvester when she should have been worried about her rtionship. Glenda thought her rtionship with Dominic was certain. I was so happy to see Dominic propose to Katya in her presence. I could not help butugh." Stephanie said, and I could not believe what Glenda had been up to. Not that I had an issue with Susan. Now that Sylvester and I were fated, there was nothing to worry about. Still, she would have been a serious inconvenience, and I did not want to deal with the nonsense. Good riddance. "I am so happy, dear Avery; Marcel is over the moon. I heard him calling his family to inform them. The four of you are blessed, and I am happy to be a part of it." She said and touched my hand. I knew she wanted to speak to me privately, so we excused ourselves. "Tamia," Stephanie said, looking at me and touching my hand. "I am d to see that you are capable. My son has found a true luna. One to apany him through the difficult journey for the rest of his life. I know you will raise a strong heir and help continue the Volkov bloodline. I am very proud of you. What you did for Sylvester cannot be quantified. You have saved our family from shame and disgrace. My son is very kind, and those bastards have taken advantage of him repeatedly; I am d they have met their match. I know you will deal with them. Seeing how you yed politics with those two bitches made me realise how strong you are. Whatever you need to do subsequently, please do it. Do it in my name until you are married toN?velDrama.Org owns ? this. Sylvester. I know you are working on many things, and William called me for consent a few minutes ago. I have instructed him to carry out your order as thedy of the north. Please, Tamia, I know you are wise beyond your years; help my son bring peace into our lives. My son swallowed his pride and tried to maintain stability in our world, but there is war and turmoil in his life with all these hidden threats; please do all you can to expose them; I know you will seed. You achieved the impossible yesterday, which made me know you can," she said and sighed, looking at me seriously. It was the look of respect and adoration. "I know what you did for him, Tamia. What you and your friends did to make those Alphas bend. Sylvester needs someone like you to bnce him out. Those men are too kind. They need the three of you to bnce their power. Thank you so much," she said and hugged me. I wrapped my arms around her warmly and smiled. It was good to be weed, especially by a woman who doubted me and my intentions. I guess she was no longer in doubt. "How is my grandbaby?" she asked, breaking the hug, and I giggled and touched my tiny bump. "Growing," I said, and weughed. We ate breakfast, and the four of us headed to the Arena. Everywhere was buzzing with life. People were going about their activities and watching games; it was amazing. We went to our booth in the croquet section to watch the game. Avery and I were ying in the evening. Linda was out, and she did not seem to care. It was funny. Linda just dumped the mallet and said she was done. Sheined that it was making her sleepy. Peopleughed and pped for her as she walked away. While we watched, one of the Kappas working for Sylvester came to see me. "Luna Volkov, you have some guests on your itinerary," he said, and I frowned at him and then looked at Stephanie, who smiled. "You are the lord''s mate; of course, you will have an itinerary. As long as the person''s name is on that list, it is safe to see the person, and you must see the person. As ady of the north, you must make yourself avable to Lunas from all over. Next year will be a st for you since you will officially be thedy of the north," she teased, and I smiled at her. I knew I was expecting Alpha Jake in the evening, but I did not know of any Luna. "Who is it?" I asked. "Luna Amanda Richford," he said, naming the woman that almost ruined my life, and my stomach churned. "What? How did that bitch get on the list?" Avery asked, fuming with anger. "It was a humble request, and we vetted her before allowing it," The kappa said. "Do you know who that bitch is?" Avery said, and the kappa became worried, afraid that he had made a mistake. Indeed he had made a mistake because Amanda shouldn''t have been allowed on the list. I knew he would lose his job and be punished severely if I made an issue of the matter, so I let it be. "I will see her," I said, standing and Avery eximed. "Tamia!" Linda said, surprised at my words, and I smiled and nodded. "I have to see her; besides, she can''t do anything to me," I told them, and they rxed. "Link us if there is an issue," Avery said, ready to do damage to Amanda. Both she and Linda hated the woman for what she did to me. It was no news that Leo didn''t want her, and she had lied and forced her way into my home. I honestly wondered what she wanted to tell me. I left the booth with the kappa and went to a booth prepared for me to receive my guests. ording to my itinerary, I had three lunas waiting to see me. It was a bit weird, but I said it was okay. Amanda arrived looking heavily pregnant with swollen eyes. I did not care if she had been crying. She wanted Leo to herself, and I let her have him. She rubbed her tummy gently and sat down. I did not know if it was an insult or just out of habit. "Good morning, Lady Tamia," she said, greeting me with respect, and I smiled at her in response. "I want to thank you for what you did for Leo and me that day. I owe you my life. I wasn''t expecting that level of kindness. Thank you," she said, and I smiled at her. "As you can see, it all served us well. You have your fated now, and I am out of your lives," I said, and she bowed her head in shame. "I am sorry. I did a lot of things that I am not proud of. I did not know it would end up like this. I lied against Leo to get into your home, but I swear it wasn''t deliberate. My father put me up to it; it was either that, or he would have found another way; knowing how ruthless he was, I had to back the story he told to the alphas. Leo and I only made out, and he wanted to reject me. He tried to reject me so many times.." she said, and I did not want to hear the rest. Leo was a weak man. That was why it was difficult. There was no way she could stop him if he really wanted to. "Can we not talk about Leo''s supposed rejection? You aren''t the only luna on my list, you know," I cut her abruptly, and she chuckled. "Luna..." she said, "I am not his luna. He refused to marry me. I just put it there, so they will let me see you. Leo has vowed never to rece you. Your room has been empty. He sleeps there sometimes," she said. It touched me, but he made his bed. "What do you want from me, Amanda?" I asked her, and she wiped away her tears. "Please, I need Leo to move on. He doesn''t love me. ck is doing all he can, but Leo keeps holding back. He is riddled with guilt. Maybe you can talk to him and give him closure," she said in tears. "Please, Luna Tamia. I am begging you. He needs your permission to move on. He rarely eats and rarely sleeps. He is an empty shell of the man he used to be. Please, I need your help. You have been his friend for a long time; you have known him for a while. I know he will listen to you. I am not asking him to love me, but I want him to live. I want him to eat, sleep and find a new reason to press on. Please, he is driving himself to an early grave, and only you can help him. I am begging you," she said and was about to kneel when I stopped her. Amanda was desperate; I could see it in her eyes. She wanted Leo to move on with her. I did not want her working herself up and going into labour in my booth, so I decided to pacify her. "I will speak to my mate to allow me to speak to Leo. I will try my best," I told her, and she burst into tears. "Thank you, Luna Tamia. Thank you so much. Words cannot express my gratitude," she said and got up. Her time was up because she requested only ten minutes. She was supposed to be a VIP because she was mated to the leader of the east, but Leo had refused to give her my former office. I will talk to him; maybe when he knows certain things, he will move on. The woman is desperate and helpless. One thing that caught my attention is that Ramsey made her lie and threatened to do worse if she did not support his lie. Meaning he wanted Amanda in our home for a reason. I did not know whether Amanda was a pawn or an unwilling aplice. I saw the other two Lunas who only wanted to invite my friends and me to their homes. Remembering what happened to me in Brighton, I told them I would think about it. I could forgive Iris for bringing me poison when I did not know I was pregnant; now, I had to be careful. I returned to our booth at the croquet pitch, but the morning game was over by then, so we had to move to our main booth to while away time. Avery and Linda wanted to know how the meeting with Amanda went, so I told them everything on our way to the booth. Averyughed while Linda was irritated. "Boohoo, she wouldy on her bed of thorns; Tamia, she made it," Linda said, and we allughed; even Stephanie joined this time. Other than Katya, all four of us had been burned by our husbands'' fated at one point, so they all understood. We got to our booth, which was filled with gifts and cards. To my surprise, they were all addressed to me. "Kind-hearted Lady of the north," One read, and I picked up the other, but Stephanie stopped me. "Don''t just open things because they are addressed to you. You will be ady soon; believe me or not, you have enemies. There is the staff that will open it to be sure it is not harmful before you touch it," she said, and I saw her signal some people to take the things away. One of the cards caught my eye; it was a simple card with a white tulip taped to it. "This one looks harmless, Stephanie. May I," I said, reaching for it. I had picked it up before she spoke, and I opened it. The content was appalling. The words were cut out from magazines and papers. "You were not meant to be involved, Luna. But it seems to move him, you have to be moved; watch your back because we areing for you," it read, and I was in shock. Stephanie saw it and collected the card from me. There was another with a red rose, and I picked it up. "A traitor like you deserves to die. How can you fall for the very man thatid waste to the lives of your people? Have you no shame? Or did you n it all along? Watch you back, Luna, because we areing for you," it read, and I began to search through the cards. I found six altogether, and none had anything pleasant. I tried to pick a scent, but the flower taped to it covered the scent it might have had. It was sent meticulously. Someone or some people were not happy about what happened at the hearing, and they knew I helped out, but how? "Calm down, Tamia, you are sweating. I need you to be calm for the baby''s sake," Stephanie said, and I did not know what to do. How could I be calm when I had somehow be a target in a game I did not know who the yers were? 97 Brain Storming 97 Brain Storming ~Tamia~ I could not believe what had just happened. I have heard of these notes and how the owners used them to scare people into doing what they wanted. Whoever was running this show had suddenly be desperate. I held on to the cards. They had no instructions, just warnings and threats, so it was either the person or people who sent them wanted me to back off from whatever they believed I was involved in or headed, or they simply wanted to scare and destabilise me. They had seeded in destabilising me but not scaring me. If anything, I was more curious and motivated. I wondered who I might have touched for them to do this. Maybe Liam, Gezel or Amanda. It was unclear unless Lily somehow found a way to alert Gezel. The problem with that theory was that Lily was being watched, and she did not know it. I needed to start thinking of everyone as ''smart''. "Dear," Stephanie said, sounding worried, and I smiled at her. "Your hands are shaking, Tamia. It is okay to be scared," Stephanie said, and I looked at my trembling hands. I shook my head and tried to be stable, but I could not stop my hands from shaking. "It is wrong for the lord''s mate to show weakness," I told her, and I could feel the tears threatening to fall. I battled them. I wasn''t afraid, really; I was angry. Angry that whoever it is felt it was okay to do this shit. I was done ying games. I needed to pick Gezel up soon, but I would pacify myself with whatever Liam would divulge. "We need to move to the estate now," I said to Stephanie, and she frowned. "Really?" Linda said, sounding excited. " I have a lovely dress I would like to wear tomorrow that I forgot to bring. I also want to do something for Sylvester. See it as an early wedding gift," I said, and Linda frowned. Then realisation dawned on her, and she smiled. "I really miss my room there too." She said, and I nodded. Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. It was paramount that we act normal. "Meanwhile, send these cards to the authorities so they can figure out the sender," I said and handed the cards to the Kappa in the booth. I knew I was being watched by the sender or by their scouts. I needed to take immediate action for them to follow or report to their master or masters. If I went to the mansion without doing something about the cards and threats, they would know I had something important there. But by dealing with the cards'' issue immediately, they will not suspect anything at the mansion. "Green-eyes, are you okay?" I heard Sylvester''s voice in my head, and I looked at Stephanie, who looked away. "Why did you tell him? It will destabilise him," I said to her, a bit annoyed. "Yes, darling. I am fine," I replied. "I am on my way to you now. I have cancelled my itinerary for the day. Please be calm. Knight senses your anxiety," he said, and I looked at my hands, which were still trembling and realised I needed to bring it under control. Soon, Sylvester, Theodore and Marcel arrived, and Sylvester held me close to him. He collected the cards from the Kappa and went through them. Then he handed it to Marcel. I really did not want Sylvester to read the cards. Some had death threats and insults in them. He was mad by the time he was through with them. "Do you want to go home?" he asked, and I looked at him. "I want to sleep in our bed at the Estate," I told him, and he nodded without question. "Anything you want. I have told Alpha Jake to meet us there so we can go through the photos," he said, and I shook my head immediately. This whole card thing had made me forget that Alpha Jake hade to Lund specifically because of that. Could it be that someone did not want my meeting with the alpha to hold? "Have him escorted here so he can identify the person that led the attack on his pack. Oddly, these people would send these cards when Jake arrived. He is here to show me the enforcer that led the attack on his people. Could it be possible that it is a big clue, and they want to destabilise us?" I asked, and Sylvester was silent. Then he took out his phone and called alpha Jake. "Brighton, meet me in my main booth now..." I heard him say, and then he paused. "Fantastic. Have Corrigan and Albert escort you here. It is an order," Sylvester said and hung up. I frowned at him, wondering if I heard him right. "Corrigan?" I said, and he nodded. "He said he was with Devin and Leo, so I said they shoulde too. This thing is bigger than the north. Whoever is doing this is trying to disrupt the natural order, divide us and emerge as ruler. Leo is peaceful, and Devin wants the south to be left out of politics. There is no way they have a hand in this. These people have a widework. It is time we expand ours." He said and looked into my eyes. I could see fear in them, and I knew it got to him this time. "It has hit home for me. Anyone with the effrontery to threaten my mate and unborn child has crossed the line. I can no longer be lenient about this, Tamia. I will swallow my pride and work with those two to get to the bottom of the matter," He said, and I could see the determination in his eyes and his fear. So I rested my forehead against his and let him breathe in my scent. "I am here, darling," I linked him, reminding him I was okay and he should rx. He held me close. He rxed. I looked around and saw more kappas surround our booth. "I want to question Liam tonight," I linked Sylvester. "What about the mother? Is Levi going to arrest her now?" He asked, and I nodded. "Her too. I want to know what''s going on," I said, and he kissed my neck. Just then, I smelled Leo, and I looked in his direction. He was walking towards our booth with Devin and Jake in tow. I did not know how I would feel about seeing Devin again after what transpired between us in Brighton. They arrived and greeted Sylvester respectfully. They respected his office. I could see Devin''s difficulty, but Sylvester was lord, and he was on his turf. "Luna Albert," Devin said, and Sylvester cleared his throat. "It is luna Volkov now," he corrected Devin, and I could see the hurt in his eyes. He looked at me and nodded. Leo stared a while before speaking. "Tamia," he managed, and I smiled at him. I could see the pain and sorrow Amanda spoke of in his eyes. "Leo," I said, and it was too much. "Alpha Jake, shall we go through the pictures while his lordship discusses with Alpha Leo and Alpha Devin?" I asked Alpha Jake, and he nodded. We needed to stop the awkwardness between us immediately. I moved away from Sylvester and collected his tablet. William had sent the photos to Sylvester via email, so Stephanie, Linda, Avery, Jake and I sat away from the rest to go through the image. Sylvester, Marcel, Theodore, Devin and Leo decided to take a walk. I could see the tension between the men, and I hoped they would set aside their differences and make something of this. "Alpha Jake," I said, and he smiled at me. "You never invited me to that party," He said, and I smiled at him. I indeed promised that I would invite him to a function in the north, but I didn''t eventually. "A lot came up," I said, not wanting to tell him that his children might have slipped something poisonous into my food. "It is okay, my Lady. I have a lot of respect for what you are doing for Lord Volkov. If it wasn''t for you, I would have hated the man. Seeing he is a victim in arge conspiracy really made me feel bad about my conduct," Jake said. I frowned at him, wondering how he hade to that conclusion so quickly. "Your ex-husband spoke to Devin and me extensively on the matter; honestly, I feel used. I would have teamed up with Devin to take him down after what happened to my people. I am d I did not join in. I also heard about the uprising group. Could it be possible that they are just like me, and someone is pulling all these strings to have other people do their bidding?" he said, and I frowned. I had not thought of it that way. The truth was if Alpha Jake had gone ahead with his n to work against Sylvester, it would have been a new kind of heat, and we would not know who to link it to. What if all these people have a bone to pick with Sylvester? What if they feel they are doing the right thing? I also have to consider that aspect. "Speaking to you is always insightful, Alpha Jake. It is good to have a wise older man like you around. The truth is you might have a point. I wouldn''t want to shut down that idea," I said, and he smiled at me. "I am sure we can figure this out, but honestly, it stilles down to that awful council. They gave the enforcer that attacked me the order to do so," he said, and I nodded. "I still need to know who it is so I can trace where and how he got his order," I said, and he nodded, understanding my vantage point. I switched on the tablet, and everyone leaned in to see what I was doing. Sylvester was already signed in to his email, so I just searched for Kappa William''s email and opened it. The inte was fast, so the attached file downloaded quickly. We went through the picture for almost an hour. Jake was able to pick the faces of some of the people that attacked his pack, some of which were deceased. I believe the attack on Brighton was theirst battle. Jake wasn''t a pushover, neither was his son or nephew and knowing the amount of rage they harboured, it was possible that they would do damage to the attackers. We continued going through the images, and he finally pointed to the person that led the attack. I looked at the photo, and it was the person now upying Bryce Golubev''s former position. His name was Enzo Mikhailov. I did not need anyone to tell me he was rted to Jacob Mikhailov, the council''s spokesman. The Mikhailov family had just found a way to put themselves at the top of my list of suspects. I opened Enzo''s resume and saw how he quickly moved up the ranks. I did not know if we should move in on them or if we should just arrest Enzo and question him. "You are sure it is this man?" I asked Jake because the Mikhailovs were nobles. I did not want to create unnecessary enemies for Sylvester. "Yes, I am. He was the one that took his time to tell me that he would spare my life because he wasn''t ordered to kill me but to show me what would happen if I ever defied Lord Volkov again. I remember his face. I did not know he was a Mikhailov. If I had, I would have told you," He said, and I could see the rage in Jake''s eyes. The memory of the disgrace was still fresh in his memory. I could understand his pain. Knowing his people were sacrificed to push an agenda hurt him deeply. It would hurt me too, if I were in his shoes. No one was dispensable. This was just wicked and wrong. 98 The Awkward Meeting 98 The Awkward Meeting ~Sylvester~ The cards got to me. It was alright when the threat was from a distance, but they hit home this time. Threatening my mate was extreme, making me impatient to catch the people. I was desperate, and Tamia could tell, seeing that I was willing to talk to Devin Corrigan about it. My reasons were simple. Whoever was responsible for this would likely use my enemies to get me. Devin was a known enemy of mine. With all that had transpired between us, I knew he would have no issues moving against me. I needed to keep him close so he could be one less person to bother about. I was a bit ashamed that Tamia had to take up some responsibilities when she needed to rest, but I could no longer hide the fact that I was confused. I did not know where to start. There were so many clues that led to nothing. It was almost as if everyone was reacting to something hence why it was a dead end. It was too much for me to deal with. As lord of the north, my duty was to ensure peace and prosperity in every region and that nows were broken. My existence curbed greed and madness, and now I was dealing with more than my duty. Scrapping my position was dangerous for our world as it would lead to chaos. Wolves needed someone they could follow, or they would lead chaotic lives. Was this person or people so hungry for power that they were willing to destroy order just to get what they wanted? Tamia knew exactly what I wanted. Being with her now made me understand the relevance of being fated. Her scent calmed me down more so than before. She knew how to help my mood; burying my nose on her neck helped me rx. When I saw Leo and Devin, I almost regretted asking that Jake have them escort him, but it was now or never. I had to swallow my pride and ask for their help. Seeing how Devin looked at my mate got to me. I doubt it was just the mate bond that pulled him to her. There was nothing but longing in his eyes, and just like Leo, he too, regretted losing his opportunity. Did it ever ur to them that fate wanted it this way? However dark and twisted it may seem, Tamia and I ended up being fated after passing through others. In a world where it was impossible to meet a fated, I believe we were blessed to be given second chances. I did not know how the thing worked, and I did not care; all I knew was that she was now mine. Hopefully, we wouldn''t have to address the elephant, and we would only be facing the matter at hand. Marcel and Theodore branched to deal with the card issue leaving Devin, Leo and me. We walked to my private booth, where I held meetings. I sat down before Devin and Leo sat. Leo was rxed, but Devin was ufortable. We had never met in person before, and even though he told people he had defeated me in battle, we both knew it was a lie. But his secret was safe with me. I wasn''t the type to ruin a man''s reputation. "Leo," I said, and Leo smiled at me. "I see you and Tamia are yet to smooth things out," I said, and he could not say a word. Then I looked at Devin. "We were hoping you would y a sport," I said to lighten the mood, and he smiled, but his smile did not touch his eyes. "It was ast-minute thing," he confessed, and I did not need to guess why he came. "As you all know, we are the least unlikely people to speak," I started, and they were attentive. I did not want to beat around the bush because the awkwardness was getting too much, and the earlier we left the Arena and set out for the Estate, the better. Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. "We have one person inmon that we all care about, and that person''s life is in danger," I said, and Devin was attentive, likewise Leo. "Today, Tamia received a series of cards threatening her," I said, and Devin growled at me. "You have made your bad luck rub on her. She is too sweet for anyone to hate her. This is because of her association with you," Devin used me, and his words got to me, but I kept it to myself. "Well, I couldn''t help it. She is my mate now, so I have to do what is best for her and love her the best way I can," I said, and Devin banged the table. I did not let it affect me. I looked at him, and his eyes were misty. "She rejected me because of you. She was my fated, and she let me go because of you. How much sacrifice can you make? You took her from Leo and made it impossible for her to love her fated. Are you happy now? You selfish prick. You had all the women at your beck and call, but you had to take my fated from me!" he said, and I was calm, knowing I needed his help. I let him vent. "He let go of his fated for her, too, Devin, so let it go. I told you they loved each other from the onset, and she would reject you, so do not try to pin this on Lord Volkov. You had your chance, and you blew it just like me, Devin, so let it go." Leo said, sounding a bit short, and I knew Devin''s words got to him. Devin was surprised by it and looked at me in disbelief. "You rejected your fated?" he asked, and I looked at him. "You brought her to the north," I told him, and he was confused. "Susan Sullivan. Nics Sullivan''s niece, the captain of your polo teams," I told him, and his eyes widened. "If I didn''t know better, I would have suspected you brought my ex to disrupt my life with Tamia. But seeing that you weren''t at the ball to gloat, I realised it was a coincidence, but I must thank you because you helped me get that out of the way." I said, and he still looked angry. "She was mine, Sylvester. I would have loved her. I might not be a lord, but I would have given her my best. I spent all my years waiting for my fated. Never loving ormitting to anyone, and you took her from me," he said with pain, and I realised that was why he had made himself scarce. I sighed and bowed my head. "It wouldn''t have worked, Devin. By the time you found each other, she was already carrying my child," I said, and Leo made a fist and tried to calm himself down. Devin was in utter shock. He had realised something. "That was why there was no pain," Devin murmured, still in shock. "What do you mean?" I asked him, and he bowed his head. "Other than the emptiness and longing I feel, I wasn''t weakened, and I did not feel pain," he said and chuckled painfully. "Children, they say, is a type of bond. That is why a child signifies that the bond between two wolves is permanent. She was already bonded to you by then, so it made the rejection easy," he said, and I could hear the pain in his tone. "It wasn''t only that. After I rejected Susan, Tamia became my second chance mate. We are fated," I said, and Leo''s hands shook. Tears were streaming down his cheeks. "Liar," Devin said, and I shook my head. "Liar, why haven''t you imed her?" he said, and I bowed. "I don''t want my love hidden. I love the romance of the blue moon ceremony. I want to show everyone I love her and im her in the eyes of everyone under the blessed moon. I want it to be special, that is why. But I am not lying to you." I said with sincerity. Leo stood up to calm himself down and then sat back down. He was a mess. "We were best friends," he started, and I knew he was speaking more to relieve himself, but I was silent. "I promised her we would always be together. It would be us against the world. I broke my promise and let another woman into our lives. I still can''t forgive myself or let it go." He said and looked at me. "The day she gave herself up to be taken by your men, she was hurt that I took precautions with her and got Amanda pregnant. The hurt was so profound that I still have nightmares about it. She gave up on me that day. She refused to fight. She chose captivity over surviving with me," he said, and I knew it would always haunt him. He wiped away his tears and looked at me. "Thank you for giving her everything that I couldn''t. I know she is happy. I can see it. I am not against your love. I am d you two have been matched by fate. I also know you will care for her, but I can never get over what I did. I have tried. I won''t lie to you, Sylvester. I love Tamia, and there is no day that I would stop loving her, but I have epted that she is no longer mine in this lifetime," he said, and I knew he had spoken his peace. Devin, on the other hand, was silent, and I knew it would be easier for him to let Tamia go because, other than the bond, they had no history together. There was silence in the booth for some minutes before Devin finally spoke up. "Why are we having this meeting?" He asked, and I cleared my throat to speak. I told him everything that had been happening, starting from the attack on Brighton. I also told him about Ramsey and what has happened till now. I held back Gezel''s and Liam''s names but spoke of the rest. I could not give them all the information I had just in case they betrayed me. "This is extreme," Devin said, a bit shocked at what I had told him. "Scrap the council," he said, and I shook my head. "I wished it was that easy. I am a lord, not a king. They are all noble families, and each noble family owns a seat. Besides, this thing is moving farther away from the council and pointing at an organisation fighting for democracy," I said, and Devin shook his head. "A democracy that waters down all our relevance as region heads, destroys the monarchy and puts the council in charge," he pointed out and putting it that way didn''t make it seem like the council. "It can''t be all the council, or they would have seeded. Maybe one or two people. But the real threat isn''t from the council," I said, and Leo shook his head. "Sometimes the threat is obvious," He said, and I nodded. "I need to be sure. I could lose my power if I prosecute the wrong council member without proof. It is a very difficult situation for me. The reason I am talking to you two is that I need help. They have tried to cause you two toe against me already. I want us to work together to snuff these people out. Control your respective regions and do not go to war against each other. We have to limit their choices and detect their moves to catch them," I said, and Devin and Leo understood what I meant. "I think you should give a sanction to back Leo up so they can arrest Ramsey," Devin said, and Leo shook his head. "I want to watch him. He might be a pawn or might be ying at something else entirely. Let us not limit our resources. The man has damaged the east already. If you did not send the people who joined you back to me, the east would have been in shambles. We almost went to war, Devin, remember?" Leo said, and I realised they were suffering almost the same as me. "War?" I asked, and Leo nodded. "When some eastern Alphas joined with Devin, they said Devin would attack me to take the rest of the east by force, so he could build an army to march to the north. We would have been at war if I had not decided to have a peaceful conversation with Devin," Leo said, and Devin cleared his throat. "I know this might be hard, Leo, but you should send Amanda back to her father''s house. The man wanted her in your home for a reason, and knowing all that he had done so far, she might be in on it too," Devin told Leo what I was ufortable telling him. Leo looked reluctant, but his eyes showed he was thinking the same thing. "I will work with you, Volkov. If Tamia''s life is in danger, I will work with you, but I will advise you to be open with us so we won''t be walking blind. I know you withheld some information because you are too smart to share everything with us on our first sitting. I will do the same, but I hope we cross that bridge eventually. All I want is peace in our world and for everyone to mind their regions while you keep us safe and stabilise our world. Really that is all I want, and I hope we can achieve that," he said, and I heard the sincerity in his voice. We stood up, and we exchanged handshakes. Promising to stay in touch and work together. I was worried about Leo the most and hoped he would have the heart to control his wolf and send Amanda to her father. I knew what the bond was like, and I knew I wouldn''t be able to send Tamia away like that. While I went to join Marcel and Theodore where they were handling the card matter, I heard Vino''s voice in my head. "Lord Volkov, I would like to see you briefly," he said, and I wondered what it was about. 99 Return to The Estate 99 Return to The Estate ~Sylvester~ I wondered what Vino wanted to discuss with me. The guy honestly gave me the creeps, but I knew I needed to be polite; so far, he had sided with me most of the time during the council hearings, and he had let Tamia get away with a lot. The least I could do was hear him out. "Hey," I linked Marcel and Theodore. "The meeting is over with Leo and Devin, and they are willing to work with us because of Tamia. Meanwhile, Vino asked to see me, so I want to see him briefly in the booth. I will join you guys soon. We will be heading for the estate today. Cancel all our participation. I think we have yed enough," I said, and they agreed. It would have been fun to unwind and win a cup before our wedding, but there was just too much to do, and the time was very little. "Meet me in my meeting booth," I linked Vino, returning to where I had the meeting with Leo and Devin. I went there and sat down to wait for Vino. He arrived looking dirty in his football jersey. I did not know he was ying football. The guy was just invisible to me. I needed to make more effort to know what my council members were up to. He greeted me with respect, and I smiled at him. "Vino, how may I be of service?" I asked him, and he smiled and made himselffortable. N?velDrama.Org content. "How are you, your eminence?" he asked, and I chuckled. "Please call me Sylvester. We aren''t in the council hall," I said, and he smiled. "It is an honour to call you by your name," the man said, and he was creepy. Sometimes I wonder why he admired me. I had done nothing. Other than seeding my father, I had done nothing, yet he treated me like his idol. It was weird, but there were strange people like that, and Vino happened to be one of those people. "So?" I asked Vino getting impatient. "I am really in a hurry," I said nicely, and his smile dropped. "if I may?" he said, and I knew he was asking to speak freely, so I nodded and told him to go ahead. "Too much has been happeningtely, and I do not know if we need to be worried," he said, and I frowned at him. "The petition these alphas raised would affect all of us. I am d they changed their minds," he said, and I frowned at him. "You were likely to benefit from it the most," I pointed out since he was the head of the council. He bared his neck immediately, a sign of submission and respect. "That is why I want to see you. I knew I would be the prime suspect, and seeing how people have been set uptely, I believe whoever is doing this is trying to set me up. Please, Sylvester. I have no hand in this. Think of it like this, if they pass it, you, Marcel or Theodore, will likely be head of the council. Please. I do not want you not to distrust me. I saw the way you and everyone looked at me after the hearing. It got to me. I have no hand in this, Sylvester," he said, sounding scared, and I smiled at him. "Do not write yourself off, Vino. All the culprit has to do is find a reason to disqualify the three of us, and you have a seat," I said, and he looked even more worried, so I decided to help him rx. "Do not worry, Vino. I do not think you are behind it. The Alphas must have just wanted some autonomy and did not think it through before raising the petition. d they did not do damage in the process," I said, and Vino smiled, looking a bit rxed. "I am d you see it that way. I was worried that I was being set up like Sir Dominic," he said, and I laughed and stood up. "Would that be all?" I asked him, and he nodded. I left him in the booth and walked away quickly. I didn''t want to get into conversations with him, and I did not want him to invite me to anything he was doing at the Lawrence Mansion in Lund. I walked briskly until I got to my Primary booth, where Tamia was. Jake was still with them, and they all seemed to be discussing something serious. My mother looked furious, and I knew they had found something. I cleared my throat, and Tamia looked at me. " Enzo Mikhailov," she said, and I frowned at her; "He was the enforcer that led the attack and left a message iming he was from you," She said. I remembered Jacob''s role and wondered what the Mikhailovs had against me to work against me like this. I tried topose myself because I did not want whoever sent those cards to suspect something was off. We needed to act as normal as possible, but I was desperate to get Tamia away from the arena. "Shall we?" I said aloud. "Please, Alpha jake, stay with us for a few days in The estate before you return home. It is my way of apologising to you," I told the alpha, and the look in his eyes showed he understood what I was doing. "With gratitude, my Lord. I wasn''t able to identify the person. You know how war is. The memory is a blur,'' he said, and I nodded, telling him it was okay. "It was simple logic. Whoever sent those cards wanted something, so they would likely listen to our conversation and watch our actions after seeing them. I linked Marcel and Theo and headed to the car park to enter our vehicles. I left Dominic and Katya at the arena because one of us had to present medals to the swimming teams. He would handle all my official duties concerning the games while I remained at the estate, investigating the issues we were facing. The ride was smooth, and I was rxed, knowing I had gained two powerful unlikely allies. I knew Tamia would be curious to know how the meeting went with Leo and Devin. It would be discussed as Pillow talk, especially Leo. I was worried for the man; he seemed to be hanging on a thread mentally. We arrived at the estate, and everyone rushed to their wings and rooms. My mother handled Alpha Jake''s reservations, and they seemed to be friendly with each other, so I knew he was in good hands. The moment Tamia and I entered the room, I pinned her against the wall and kissed her to calm the stormy sea of fear inside me. She returned the kiss with the same passion. "Thank you," I said and broke away from her. "How did your meeting go?" She asked, and I looked at her. "They are willing to work with us. Devin thinks Amanda might be working for her father. He has the same misgivings about Ramsey," I said, avoiding talking about Leo. Even though she loved me, I knew Tamia cared about Leo and knowing he was suffering would affect her mood. I would still tell her when we decide to rest. "Kappa Levi has arrested Amy Zakharov, and they are on their way. The irony is her husband was the one that gave her up." Marcel linked me, and I was happy we had some people in custody. Hopefully, it won''t lead to a dead end this time around. I needed to catch someone and end this nonsense once and for all. "Vino came to see me," I told Tamia while she was taking off her clothes to slip into something comfortable. She turned to look at me and frowned. "Why?" She asked, and I sighed. "He said the petitions the alphas raised made him look suspicious, and he came to tell me he had no hand in it. He was genuinely afraid I would suspect him. He believed someone was trying to set him up like they did Dominic," I said, and Tamiaughed. "Is he stupid or what?" she said, and I wondered why she would say that. "The uprising has no reason to set him up. Dominic was set up to cover the track of the people that attacked Brighton. Why would they want to set Vino up," she asked, slipping out of her undergarments, and I realised she had very valid points. Vino was really stupid. There was no reason for them to set him up unless they wanted me to waste my time investigating him and creating a problem between us. "I think they have a motive, Tamia," I said, and she looked at me standing naked. Her body was gorgeous, and I was trying hard to focus on my thought and not drool. "If I suspect him, I will investigate him, and we will have problems. Look at it like this, so far, Vino has somehow, in his way, given us liberty in those hearings. With him working against us, those hearings would be more difficult. It would be easy to recruit him to their side if I start suspecting and tormenting him," I said, and she giggled. "You are thinking too hard about this. The people who sent me cards today do not seem like they were thinking in that direction, Sylvester. If anything, they seem desperate and boxed in. He has no relevance in all this," she said, and I did not want to argue with her. "I guess you are right. The things that have happened have put me in a position where I overthink things." I said, and she came to me and dropped to her knees. I knew what she wanted to do, and I weed it. " Let me help you take the edge off," she said, and all I could do was a growl in response. We spent a few hours in our bedroom, making love, and soon it was evening. Tamia and I showered together and left for the dinning room to have dinner. Then we were to question Liam on everything he knew about the organisation he was working for. I was rxed after making love to my mate, and I looked forward to learning what was happening from Liam''s angle. We ate dinner in silence, and the moment we were done. Marcel, Theodore and I went to question Liam. Tamia wanted to question him, but we decided we would go first, and then the women would go after. That way, we would likely get more from him than if all six of us were present. Marcel, Theodore and I headed to the interrogation room in the dungeons of the estate, and I was feeling a bit impatient. We had been walking blind for a while now, and answers were needed to help us through the situation. Liam was cuffed with silver and sat on a chair with his cuffed hands resting on the table. It was also clear that he had been crying. He was only seventeen and bound to crack sooner than an adult. I looked at the boy and smiled at him. "I know you are a minor, Liam Zakharov," I said, and he widened his eyes. "I have discussed this with your father, and I am surprised that the son of someone as prestigious as Alpha Christian Zakharov would get involved with a terrorist group. I will go easy on you if you tell me the truth. Still, if you don''t, I will treat you like an adult and make sure you are dealt with mercilessly until you beg for death. Still, it will nevere because those dealing with you would enjoy your suffering. I am sure you would not want that, so I implore you, to be honest, and say everything precisely as it is. Do you think you can do that, or would you need the motivation toe from our enforcers?" I asked, and he shook his head, tears streaming down his face. "I will speak, your eminence. I will tell you everything. Please do not hurt me. I made a mistake; please do not hurt me," he said, crying, and my heart broke that someone would do this to such a young man with a promising future. As things were, he would be lucky to keep his life because he hadmitted treason. Even though I was willing to spare his life, he would never seed in his father and would never be recognised as a Zakharov. These people had ruined his life, and I doubted they cared. He was just another means to an end. 100 From The Top 100 From The Top ~Sylvester~ Liam looked very afraid, staring at me from the table. His tears flowed freely, and I did not know how to make himfortable. Looking at him now, I could see his father''s features. I cleared my throat and asked that they bring him some juice. "Have they been feeding you?" I asked him, and he nodded reluctantly. I figured he might not have been eating. I felt sorry for him. I could not be as cruel as I intended to be, knowing his age and the fact that he might be misguided. "How about we start from the top," I told him and narrowed my eyes, looking at him. "I know little of the back story and how you pretended to be kidnapped so your father would do their bidding. I know everything, so I would advise you to be honest. The offence you havemitted is treason, and I am sure you are a smart young man to know the repercussions of your crime. If you tell me the truth and it yields something, I will waive the death penalty and life imprisonment. You are too young for it. Do not let this matter escte beyond this room. I will quietly send you home to your father if you tell me the truth, young man. Today some people threatened my mate, so I am not feeling kind," I told him. He nodded quickly and swallowed. Someone brought the juice, and they helped Liam take a sip. I could see some relief in his eyes which meant they were not feeding him. Knowing he was a minor made me feel bad, and I asked Theodore to look into the prisoners'' feeding. It was wrong to starve them. Anyone in the estate''s dungeons is awaiting trial and is just a suspect. It was wrong to treat them as convicted criminals. "I am listening," I said, giving Liam to the floor, and he nodded immediately. "About two years ago, I started chatting online with a girl called ine. I received an email one day inviting me to d******d an app called Friendzone and make new friends. It wasn''t in my spam box. It was in my inbox, and I wondered who must have sent it because it did not look like an ad. Being a lonely child eager to make friends, I ignored all the warning signs and d******ded this app. It was called Friendzone. I wouldter find out that the app was private and it belonged to an organisation. After d******ding the app, I was asked to register my real name and upload my ID to start making friends. As eager as I was, I wasn''t stupid, so I joined in as a guest with just my first name and nothing more. I received a lot of friend requests, and I was excited. Unfortunately, I could only ept the request to interact with them if I was fully registered. So I went against my better judgement and registered fully on the app. Uploading all that was required of me. My full name, ID, phone number, age, address, everything. They asked for everything, and I foolishly gave it. True to the conditions, I was verified and allowed to ept the requests; I did so and messaged everyone that sent me a friend request. There were about twenty-three altogether," He said and looked at me with shame. "I felt I had hit the jackpot for someone that did not have any friends to having twenty-three potential friends. I felt like I wasn''t a weirdo anymore, and maybe I had finally found amunity that I could belong to," he said and bowed his head to show remorse. "None responded except for ine. She was pretty, and she was about a year older than me. You needed to see her Alpha, she was gorgeous, and I could not believe my luck. We finally talked, and she told me all I needed to know about her. She was an orphan who lived alone in Gad and worked in a bakery. She wasn''t financially buoyant, but she was getting by. I must admit I had a crush on her," he said and looked to the side. I could see that he was relieving his experience, and I could also see that he slowly realised what might have happened to him. He was catfished. "We got talking, and six monthster, she said she had feelings for me. I did not need to overthink it. She was a huge upgrade, and I did not want to lose her. She asked and pleaded for me to find a way so we could be together and soon decided I would go to Gad," He said and chuckled painfully. "All this while I thought I came up with the idea alone, but now I realise she put it there," he said, and I nodded. "My father did not want me to go to Gad. He said the west wasn''t safe for someone like me. You had just conquered what was left of it; they were yet to fully ept the direct rule. He said if it was anyone else, it would be okay, but as the son of the head Alpha of the north, I might be in danger. Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. I thought he was being unfair, and I threw some tantrums. I told him I had gotten admission to study there, and that was where I would go to further my education. My mother did not oppose me; she encouraged it and fought my father for it. Eventually, he caved, and I was off to Gad. Still, ine and I could not be together because my father had ced me in a hostel where they were required to put me under strict watch. The living condition there wasn''t really great, and ine and I would often hang out. While we hung out, she would tell me the people''s history in Gad and how your father ruined the west. She also told me you were the reason she was orphaned because of the war you fought to conquer the rest of the west. I believed her, and soon I started following her to strange meetings. She said it was a ce people affected by the war went to heal. It was also a ce for a selected few. I felt it was weired because people in Gad spoke highly of you and loved you dearly. She made me believe it was a pretence out of fear. In this group, they had a leader called Moses. He had nost name, just Moses, and he was an eloquent speaker. He spoke of the evils of Monarchy and how it had gued our world. I was made to believe that other than the north, the rest of the regions lived in fear of being conquered. I was made to believe people lost their homes, families and lives because of the monarchy. We were made to believe that an ountable leader was what we needed to ensure the safety of our people and four regions. They made us believe a lot of things. I honestly saw them as a hate group, but ine did not seem hateful. She just seemed like someone from whom everything had been taken, and she was looking for a ce to belong. There was no crime, so soon, I opened myself up for it. I would tell my mother what I had learned, and she would tell me not to tell my father as it could lead to trouble. I wonder why she was protecting me. ine spoke to me about asking for my father''s help. They somehow had a notion that the only thing that was protecting them from your wrath was the council. They had copies of sanctions and orders you signed, which resulted in huge suffering in other regions. Thetest they had was that of the east. You took the eastern leader''s mate for yourself, and they told me you could do the same to my mother. They said it wasmon practice, and every region had suffered that form of injustice. They had documents with your signature authorising war and killings simply because people refused to agree to your requests. They made you seem like a monster, and the truth was, soon, I wasn''t torn about it anymore; I believed them. It started looking more like our world would be better if you and your officers were no longer in power and the council was the one in charge, and I felt it would be a great prospect. One day I took a leap of faith and asked them how I could help. They said being the future heir of my family, I was already helping. They made me feel like a child, and I wanted to prove myself badly. Moses teased me about living in a hostel under my father''s watch, and they could not trust me with specific responsibilities. Even ine started treating me like a child, so I decided to prove myself to her. I called my mother and demanded that I was sixteen, and ording to thews in Gad, I was allowed to own my own ce. She did not argue with me, but my father kicked against it. We were at it for a bit, and my mother came to Gad to see who I would share the apartment with. She liked ine immediately, and finding out she was an orphan made my mother feel sorry for her. Soon my mother was able to help me move in with ine. Other than kissing and watching television, we never did anything. I respected her, and she respected me too. Soon they started giving me small responsibilities. I would follow Moses to receive wire transfers and other stuff. Knowing that I would be charged with that responsibility one day, Moses said I should request a false Id iming that I would feel safe if I wasn''t bearing my surname. I did as he told me, which was when my father drew the line. I needed a parent''s consent that came with my family seal for any agent to create a false Id for me because I was a minor, so my mother secretly consented, and that was how I became Liam Bricks. One day Moses got agitated in the meeting and said you were onto the organisation, and you were coming to kill what was left of us. I did not want anything to happen to ine and all her friends in the organisation, so I asked them to brainstorm and see how we could help. Moses now came up with the n to make my father raise a petition to take you and your officers out of the office and ce the council in charge. That way, you won''t have the power to attack us, and everyone will be safe. It was a good idea, except for the fact that my father had no reason to do so; unable toe up with a good cause, ine said we should pretend that I had been kidnapped. They should threaten to kill me ande for his family if he didn''t do it. She said if my father loved me truly, he would do it to save my life. I did not feel great about it, but I did not want to say no to ine. So we made a video of me in captivity begging my father to do whatever they asked if he wanted me toe home. It was a believable video, and it was sent to my father. My father responded and promised to do as they asked as long as they showed him proof of life every day. They agreed, and he went to work. One day I returned home, and ine told me Moses was ill and that I should help receive a money transfer and wire it to a specific ount. She said the task was given to her, but she did not feel too good and needed to rest. Wanting to please her, I did it and used my fake ID to receive the money. No one told me I wasn''t to use it; in fact, Moses had implied I needed the Id for that very purpose. I had already used it when a clerk at the bank said they usually used secret words to ept the transfer from the client. I did not think much of it. I wired it to the anonymous ount that ine asked me to wire it to. I returned home that day, only to find that she had left the apartment," he said, and his tears fell freely. He felt used, and he knew exactly what had happened to him. 101 Bulls Eye mess 101 Bull''s Eye mess ~Sylvester~ I gave Liam a minute because he started crying after hisst sentence. One thing I noticed was that he did not know theirst names. Which meant they were not nning to keep him for long. The names he had might be aliases. It was sad. "She had moved out. It was as if she was never there. All the photos of her were gone, her clothes. Her emails in my inbox, and the ones I sent to her. They logged me out of my ount in the Friendzone app, and everyone had cut off. She left a note telling me I had been made and was being watched. I panicked and decided that I should run away too. That was when I got arrested," Liam said, and I was silent for a bit. I looked at Marcel and Theodore; they also seemed to be sorry for him. What he told us was helpful. We knew they had a leader called Moses. Hopefully, that was his real name; if not, then at least he knew what Moses looked like; but what baffled me was how they had copies of orders and sanctions I had presumably signed. Were they real or fabricated? I remembered what Lilly was doing for them, and I wondered if she was creating sanctions using my seal all along. After what she did, I wouldn''t put that type of behaviour past her. "Can you tell me your mother''s role in all this because she seemed to let you have your way all the time," I said, trying to throw him off my suspicion, but his eyes said he knew, and he suddenly became tight-lipped. "I know you think you may be protecting her. But if she has a hand in this, then she isn''t worth your protection. She must have seen you as dispensable for her to allow you to get mixed in this shit. Think about who you are protecting, Liam, and ask yourself if they are worth it. Look around you. It is just the four of us here, and you are the only one in chains," I said, pointing at his cuffs, and he looked at them. He had an internal battle. "You have to tell us everything, Liam. We will find out one way or the other. Thest thing you want is for us to find out elsewhere. It means we will have to hand you to the council for judgment, strip your father of his position, and send him on exile, which would shame your family. Tell us all you know so we can manage the problem better," Theodore said, and Liam looked stunned. "My father had no hand in this!" heined, and I nodded, but we need him to give Amy up. We knew she was a part of it. We also knew it did not matter. As long as a family member was part of it, the entire family would be guilty; it was thew. "Is your mother a part of it?" I asked him sternly, and he looked into my eyes and bowed. "Yes, alpha. She was the one that gave them my email and made them recruit me the way they did. She did not want to ask me directly just in case it did not work out, and I told my father, so this was the best option for her. That was what she told me," He said, and I rxed. "Who else is a member that you know?" I asked him, and he sighed. "Luna Gezel. Ca Orlov, Luna Kate of Cains Ind, Jacob Mikhailov, and some alphas from the eastern region. They are plenty and have groups in each region except the south. They n on neutralising your power and getting rid of Bane and Albert. They im the three of you are what is wrong with our world. There is also a manhunt for a David Pavlishchev. I do not know who he is, but they im the world would be better without him. They have a lot of documents and evidence to support their ims," he said and looked at me. "I do not know if this would help and if what I am about to tell you would make you spare my father, but they all seem to be taking orders from a man, one whom they refer to as the king and say he would lead the council once they have scrapped out everyone. Lady Volkov and Luna Volkov are also on their hit list. I believe I was on it too because someone tried to kill me before I was arrested," He said I did not know how to handle all I had learned. The most worrisome part of the revtion was that Theodore and Marcel''s family were deep in it. There was no how this would get out, and they won''t be asked to step down temporarily. Those women were allowing themselves to be used. Hearing they tried to kill Liam made me realise that they would kill anyone that stopped being beneficial to them. So far, Devin''s region seemed imprable to them, and I wondered how he did it. Leo was at high risk. The man was too peaceful for his own good. This was very bad. "Are you sure of everything and every name you mentioned?" Marcel asked him and Liam nodded. "Do you have proof?" He asked, and Liam shook his head. "They deleted all the emails and wiped out the blueprint. The app has been pulled down. I have no proof," He said, and Marcel punched the wall. My hands were shaking. I could see the target on all their backs, and I wondered what target was on mine. If they wanted to scrap everyone out, then they were definitely nning something for me. Implicating Marcel and Theodore for treason was definitely their smoking gun; I wondered what would be mine. I needed Devin''s help. So far, he seemed imprable, and I needed to know why. "How are we not sure you are doing to us the same thing you tried to do to your father?" Theodore asked him, sounding angry. "You might as well be telling us what they told you to tell us, so we could be misled," Theodore said, and he had a valid point. There was a possibility this was all a n, from the use of the false ID to his arrest might be a n to get him in here so he could nt shit in our heads. We could not trust him, really. I looked at Liam to study him, and he shook his head. "I swear to you I am not lying. These people are very smart. If they sent me here, I would have proof to implicate all these people I mentioned and make you go after them," he said with tears in his eyes. He seemed desperate and scared. "They even have people in your estate. My life is forfeit, and I know it," he said in tears.N?velDrama.Org content. "I just don''t want my father implicated, and I want you to spare my mother. Just like me, she has been misguided by this King man," he said, sounding angry when he said the ''King man''. "It is funny how they im they want democracy, yet they refer to an anonymous person as king," he said, speaking the irony of their cause. "I need proof," I told him, and he bowed his head. "I want to give that to you, your eminence. I can''t, but please be careful of the people I have mentioned," he said, sounding resigned. What he told me about the people working for this organisation living in the estate worried me. "How did you know there are people here?" I asked. "They have one of your favourite girlfriends working for them. They im she is the closest to you, and you dote on her. She has been able to give them seals and documents. She also has unlimited ess to your office. I do not know if she is your current mate, but she was said to be someone you have been intimate with," he said, and I balled my fist because I knew he meant Lily. I did not understand why the stupid girl would tell people we were intimate. I was really pissed off. "There is also a woman called Arya. Shees there once in a while. She ims to know you intimately too. I do not know if she is the one they are talking about," he said, and I wanted to roar. There was nothing worse than a scorned woman. Arya was part of the harem I disbanded. She was scorned and more so when she met Tamia at Vino''s party. "Who else?" I asked through gritted teeth. "Two women here. I do not know their names, but they have warned me to keep my mouth shut, or the organisation would go after my family and wipe them out," he said, and I leaned closer to him. "Can you recognise these women?" I asked him, and he shook his head. "They wore face masks, but I know their scent," he said, and I was grateful for that bit. "You will help me identify them. I will protect you, Liam, and to make sure you do not go down as a traitor, I will pretend you work for me as a spy. That is the best I can do. But if I find out you are still doing their bidding, I would treat you like a grown man and execute you," I told him, and he swallowed with fear. "We can''t trust this boy," Marcel said, and I looked at my friend. I could see the fear in his eyes. We all knew what wasing. They had set targets on Theodore and Marcel through their ignorant family members and hit the bull''s eye with them. I did not know when they would y that card, but we need to act quickly because once thates out, Theo and Marcel will be suspended pending the investigation. I won''t have anyone to lean on. The suspension also means temporary exile from the north. What would stop them from attacking my friends and killing them while away? As things were looking, they might y that card very soon. I need to plead with Devin to give them asylum when that happens. I also knew if they had bull''s eyes on Marcel and Theodore, then they have bull''s eyes on Dominic and me too. They were already hunting my half-brother, David; I wondered what they would have on Vino. Someone wanted to wipe out the top families and lead the council, and the Makhailovs were a part of it. "Take him to safety and have him heavily guarded," I said, and Theo looked at me. "Where is safe for him?" he linked me, and I sighed. As much as I hated to impose, I knew he had only one ce to go, and that was south. "I will speak to Corrigan. We will need him more than anyone else," I linked Marcel and Theodore, and from the looks on their faces, they knew I wasn''t only speaking on behalf of Liam. They knew it was mainly for their sake. Their mates were pregnant; they needed to be safe and secure while we dealt with the issue. "They areing for you too, Sylvester," Marcel said, looking worried. "I know. Though we are yet to figure out the angle, your angles are obvious," I said. Theo and Marcel cursed at their rtives for being idiots. "We need to find my half-brother and his family. We need to make sure he is safe," I said, not caring how my mother would feel about it. If David was on their hit list, he was also a victim. I could not allow the bastards to hurt him even though everyone imed his mother was a bitch. "I want all the females in this estate lined up," I said and looked at Liam. "Your first assignment will be to sniff out the two women that warned you in the cell. Can you do that?" I asked, and he nodded. "What do we tell our mates? This is too much. I saw how Tamia was trembling when she got the cards." Marcel said, and I sighed. That was one big problem I did not know how to solve. It would be wrong to keep this from them; it would also be wrong to expose them to this level of anxiety. I did not know what to do. "One thing was certain; we can''t let them question Liam. If they must know what is happening, it has toe from us. Once that is out of the way, they can talk to Liam," I said, and Marcel bowed his head. "How do you want to stop them from questioning his mother? Those women are stubborn," he said, sounding resigned. "Especially Linda, who ims to be bored all the time," Theodore added, and I knew we were in a severe mess. 102 After The Dinner 102 After The Dinner ~Tamia~ After dinner, Sylvester, Marcel and Theo went to question Liam. We wanted to be there, but I knew why they told us to stay behind. Although Sylvester said he wanted to see if Liam would trust them enough to talk and if he proves difficult, we will speak to him kindly and get the information out. I know that wasn''t Sylvester''s reason, but I let it be. We had been through too much that day for me to argue with him. I could see his desperation. He spoke with the two people he would have never spoken to under normal circumstances, especially Devin. I knew the cards bothered him. However calm he tried to be, I knew he was troubled by the cards, and so was I. Safety and peace had be paramount, and I looked forward to solving the matter. Avery and Linda followed me to my room. Stephanie met us in the hallway, looking troubled, and I knew something was off. "Luna," I said, and she smiled at me, but her smile did not touch her eyes. Her bodynguage was off, and I wondered what might have transpired between her, Dominic, Jake and Katya during dinner. Sylvester still refused to eat with them, and I knew it was because he loved eating with his friends. It wasn''t personal, although since Jake was with us, I nned on having breakfast together to show respect and appreciation. "Where is Sylvester?" she asked, and I frowned. "Working''" I said, and she nodded. Her hand had a slight tremble and did not seem at ease. She was clutching her phone tightly. "Stephanie," I linked her, worried, and she looked away. "Please see me when you are through with your friends. It is urgent." she linked back. "Jake?" I asked through the mind link, and she shook her head. "No, Please see me," she said and walked away. "What is with her? One minute she is happy; the next, she is a trembling mess. Did she not arrive at the mansion in high spirits? I swear I saw some chemistry between her and Jake, but now she is a mess," Avery said, and I ushered my friends into my room. "I doubt it has anything to do with Jake," Linda said, and I wondered how Linda could sum that up. "How do you know?" Avery asked. "She was clutching her phone too tightly," Linda said, and we allughed, but I was worried. We all sat down to have some tea. I linked a servant to serve us tea. "Congrattions, Ave, I never got to congratte you personally," I said, resting my hand on her lap, and she beamed at me. "Thank you, Tamia. I am so excited. I wee the morning sickness and everything. I am thrilled, and Marcel has been over the moon about it," she said and then looked at Linda. "I am sorry that I made you ufortable all this while. It wasn''t deliberate, I just.." she said, about to get emotional, but Linda stopped her. "You have nothing to apologise for, Ave. I know the feeling. Trust me; I lived it. Besides, it is natural for you to feel that way. Although it made me want to stay away from you, I wasn''t mad," She said, and we allughed. The tea came, and I told the Omega to leave after she had ced the tray on the coffee table. "How long do you think questioning Liam would take?" Linda asked, and I shrugged. "They should have let us in on the fun, too; I am bored," Linda said, and I sighed. "Liam is a child, Linda; he just turned seventeen. It is sad that those sick bastards would want to use him like this. I did not think I would have been able to handle seeing the poor boy tortured. If you hear his back story, you can''t help but feel sorry for him. I doubt I can handle his pain, but Amy, his mother, is another ball game," I said, feeling rage towards the mother that had failed her son on every level. I get that she had misgivings with the Volkovs, if any; I get that she believes she is fighting a cause, but why get her son involved? No matter what anyone said about the bitch, I knew she was involved. She was way too lenient about Liam moving to the west and went out of her way to fulfil an odd request. She did not act as a mother should. I would have believed otherwise if Christian did not say she was his mother. There was just no excuse. So her son did not have friends. Neither did I have friends when I was growing up. It was no excuse, and I wanted to get the truth out of her. "So you think it is the mother ?" Avery asked, and I nodded. "The signs are there. Even if she did not do it directly, she had facilitated it," I said, and Avery cursed. "I will be a mother soon; I will never do that to my baby. If I want to be evil, I will leave my child out of it, even if I believe I am fighting for a just cause. I still won''t get my baby involved in a treasonous act," she said, and Linda shrugged. "It wouldn''t really matter, Ave. I believe this Amy bitch knew it, so she made the most of the situation. If Amy is involved in treason against the royals and the nobles, her entire family will go down for it. She will be executed, and they will be exiled. It is all or nothing. That is thew. Every family should be disciplined and put in check. Everyone is responsible for everyone. That was why they tried to frame Dominic. If Dominic had gone down for that shit, Sylvester would have had to step down to be investigated. It was all targeted at Sylvester, and I am d Dominic could see it eventually. I am curious about what Larry''s role is in all this," she said, reminding us of the man who was once a problem but somehow had faded into the dark. He was in the council, but he barely spoke or acted. Could he be pulling some strings in the background to get back at everyone for the humiliation he suffered? "Larry.." Avery said, realising we never really thought of the guy. "We need to look into Larry," Linda said, and I nodded. "Noted. Who we need to focus on now is Amy. I am sure she has a lot to tell us. I also learned she is a Delta like us, so there should be no hard feelings when we apply force," I said, and Avery shook her head. "I doubt I can do anything physical," she said, and I nodded. "I will have an enforcer there to help us out. It would have been nice to do it alone, seeing how she failed to protect her son, but an enforcer will be great too." I said, and we discussed other things. Linda and Avery soon said goodnight after an hour. Seeing that Sylvester was yet to return to the room, I was d because it meant Liam was forting. He wouldn''t have stayed this long if the boy was tight-lipped. I decided to check on Stephanie. While I walked towards her room, I told the head of staff that we would all be eating breakfast together in the bigger dining room. I stood at Stephanie''s door and took a deep breath before I knocked on it "Come in, Tamia," She said, knowing it was me. Of course, she would; she was an Alpha breed. I opened the door and walked in. What I saw scared me. Stephanie was a mess; she had a bottle of northern cocktail on the table and a ss of it in hand. I rushed and took the green stuff from her. Remembering my experience with the thing, I did not want anything to happen to Stephanie. "What is all this?" I asked, a bit annoyed. Why was she acting like a child? I was threatened that day, but I had my shit together; what was her problem? "I am scared, Tamia," She said, tears streaming down her cheeks. "I did not know what to do," she said, pacing about her room. "What is the matter, Stephanie?" I asked her, and she handed me her phone. On the screen was her inbox. I did not know what to look for until I saw thetest massage in her inbox and who the sender was. "Jenny Lawrence," it read, and I wondered who was sick enough to y this kind of joke. "Who is ying with you?" I asked, and she shook her head. "Open it," she said, and I opened it. "Treason should never go unpunished," it read with a big graphics interchange format (GIF), of someone grinning wickedly. I did not need to guess what the person was referring to. "We burned the proof, Stephanie; you need to rx," I said, and she shook her head. "I doubt I can do that, Tamia. I am scared," She said, and I went to hold her. "This person might be ying a prank," I told her, knowing deep down that wasn''t the case because we did not see Jenny''sputer and being a file freak, she might have had all the details there. I needed Stephanie to be calm while Sylvester and I figured out everything. I moved her to the couch and held her. "I need you to rx. Do not give them what they want." I said, and she shook her head. "Whoever is doing this has ess to Jenny''s email and has the proof you burnt. The woman kept records of her crimes. Why won''t she keep a record of the crimes of others? She was that sick in the head. If word gets out that I killed Maurice, a lot of things will happen," she said, shaking, and I shook my head. "Technically, you didn''t. Bane has taken all the credit. As for the anonymous letter, you never really admitted to sending it, so it is baseless," I said, and she did not rx. I knew something was troubling her, or she wasn''t upfront about some things. "If there is anything you feel we should know, it is best you tell me now," I said, and she pulled away and began to weep. "You know how angry I get, Tamia. Jenny was frustrating, and she pissed me off severely. I am not sure, but I might have admitted to it over the phone in the heat of anger. Hopefully, she did not record that either." She said, and I felt the blood drain from my face. She was an Alpha breed. How could she be so sloppy? Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. "You what!!!!" I said, and she shook her head. "I am not sure, but I do not want my words to be twisted and used against me," she said, crying, and I had no choice but to hold her close and calm her down. If this was the case, there was only one thing to do: discredit the source and make it seem malicious. "Stephanie, you will listen to me now," I said with a calm and cold voice. "I need you to pretend like nothing is wrong. I need you to brush it off. Whoever is doing this is trying to push you off the edge. You musn''t let them. I need you to treat it as harassment. If the person had anything, you would have been arrested. Do not give them what they want. There is so much to deal with now. Do you think you can do that?" I asked her, and she looked into my cold eyes. She wiped away her tears immediately. "I am not worried about myself, Tamia. I did a lot of shady things with Jenny and her brother. If word got out, Sylvester would be affected." She said, and I nodded calmly, knowing all she was talking about, but we needed to focus on the most important thing, and that was to discredit the source. Moving on, the Mikhailovs were important now. Who knows, Enzo might have theputer or maybe Jacob. 103 Too Little Too Late 103 Too Little Too Late ~Tamia~ I spent thirty minutes more in Stephanie''s room until she fell asleep. Then I asked a maid to remove the green drink from the room and returned to mine. I was surprised that Sylvester hadn''t returned, and I wondered what was keeping him. I decided to link him. "How is it going?" I asked him. "I am on my way," he replied, and I did not like the answer. If it were something good, he would have said ''great'' or ''we caught them'' or '' he was cooperative'', but his response implied he wanted to discuss something serious with me. Had he learned about Jenny''sputer too? I sat up in bed and waited. Sylvester walked in ten minutester. He did not say anything. Instead, he went to the bathroom, showered and slipped into something comfortable beforeing to bed. I sat up, waiting for him. He leaned close and kissed me passionately, then rested his forehead against mine and sighed. Breaking away, he buried his nose in my neck and held me to his body. "Tamia," he breathed, and I knew he was troubled. I touched his head and ran my fingers through his hair to calm him down. He must have learned something horrible. We honestly deserved a break. "Tell me," I said, and he squeezed me tightly. "He talked. Liam spilt everything, and it isn''t good," he said and broke away so we could keep eye contact. "I wasn''t going to tell you any of it so you won''t get upset, but I can''t keep secrets from you, Tamia, you are my better half, and I do not want to lose your trust. So I will go against my better judgement and tell you. Please do not get upset," he said, and I smiled at him. "As long as it does not involve you being with another woman, I can deal," I said, giggling, and he smiled at me. "Far from it," he said, and I already knew it. He told me everything Liam had split, and I was in shock. I tried to hide it, but I couldn''t. I saw the implications of what they were doing. I was mad. Getting a Sidorov and an Orlov involved meant big trouble for Marcel and Theodore. "I am trying to seek Devin''s help. So far, they have been unable to get into his territory," He said, and I wondered if Devin would want to help him out. Knowing how much Devin hated Sylvester and his family. "He is very tight with his alphas and ruthless too. Leo is lenient, so I can understand them corrupting some of his people. Devin''s family has led the south for many years. Power shifted to Leo recently; before then, Ramsey''s family was in charge," I said, and he looked at me wide-eyed. It seemed like a light bulb had turned on in his head. It was cute. "Why didn''t I see it from that angle?" He said, asking himself and not me. "Of course, Ramsey has a reason to work against Leo. Now I see everything," he said, and I did not know what to think. Sylvester looked like he was reasoning alone. "Getting his daughter into your home." He said, counting, using his fingers, and I was trying to make sense of his words. "I am sure he must have been trying other things before then, Tamia. Fate only worked in his favour where Amanda was concerned. I am sure he did not expect to be lucky. His daughter''s fated was the man that took his family''s pride from him," He said and looked at me. "But there was a problem. You were a problem. The reason Leo refused to ept and honour the bond. The obstacle preventing him from getting close enough to do damage. You were a problem, his problem," He said, and I was beginning to see his point. I waited patiently to see where he would land. "He knew the bond would wither since Leo decided to shun Amanda. The shunning was a subtle rejection but a rejection nheless, and that is why Leo is still unable to bond with Amanda properly. The goddess does not force us to be together; our heart decides to ept or reject the bond. Leo had rejected her in a subtle manner. That was why Ramsey lied and forced his daughter into your home. Our wolves are primal hence why we have to control them," He said and got up and began to pace. "Leo told me his wolf betrayed him by taking over, leading him to Amanda''s room and iming her. Just like Knight let go of Susan and obeyed my choice, his wolf would have let go eventually, and Ramsey knew. He had nothing to gain in enforcing the union unless he wanted to watch Leo and counter his moves. He must have used his daughter as a spy to help him cause things that would make people doubt Leo''s leadership and destabilise him. His daughter might have been willingly or unwillingly helping him by feeding him information," he said. It hit me that throughout the time Amanda was with us, while I was there, she visited her father too frequently. I often thought she went to report us or tried to force her father to act in her favour, but I was wrong. She was feeding him information. The past yed vividly in my mind. Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. Ramsey was quiet when Leo took over, and there was peace. We all knew he was scorned by it, but he had no avenue of which to act on his emotions until fate happened. The way he championed the union was off. He did not mind his daughter being a mistress. He said he wanted her to stay with us, and we could figure it out from there. I felt his words were a bit off, but I did not pay any attention. How many fathers would want their only child to be a mistress? With how Leo treated Amanda, he should have taken her away from him by now. Instead, he allowed it. It was when Amanda got into the picture that the whole Bane issue, fearing the Dark Alpha of the Dark Wolf pack and the threat of doom to the east, became a topic of discussion in the council. I felt it was off that we were discussing uniting with Bane against Sylvester. I felt it was odd. I looked at the clock, and it was past midnight. What I needed to find out could not wait. "I need to call Leo''s cell," I told Sylvester, and he frowned at me but handed me my phone. I had Leo''s cell by heart, so I just dialled and hoped he would pick. It took a while before he finally answered. "Hello," he said with a sleepy voice. "Leo," I said, and he was silent, then he spoke. "Tamia?" He asked, and I could hear the break in his voice. I felt bad realising Ramsey had ruined our marriage deliberately for his personal gains. I wouldn''t have had it any other way because Sylvester is my destiny, but Leo and I did not deserve what happened to us. I held my pain and fought tears. "Leo, I need your help," I said, and Sylvester frowned. "Anything you want.." he said, and I heard a rustling sound. "Is Amanda there?" I said, and he was silent. Then I heard a click. "I just left the hotel suite. What do you need?" he said, and I sighed. "Who pushed the idea that we should team up with Bane because Sylvester mighte for the east?" I asked, and he sighed. "Kyle, of course," He said, and I nodded. "I know that much, but I need to know who put that in his head. Kyle isn''t our leader; he must have had a discussion with someone, and they sort of put it in his head. Can you find out how he came up with the idea?" I asked him, and he sighed. "Who are you suspecting, Tamia? I know you very well. You wouldn''t call to ask for such a favour if you did not already have someone in mind and wanted to rify," He said, and I sighed. "I know this might sound off, but I think Ramsey put it in his head," I said, and he was silent. "I know he is Amanda''s father, and trust me; I am not trying to get at her.." I said, and he interrupted me. "I can never think that, Tamia. I know you love Sylvester. I can never think you would want to get at Amanda for anything. You saved her life that day. You could have waited for them to kill her and me before surrendering to go to the north. You ensured both of us survived, so I can never think that. I need you to tell me why you think Ramsey put it in Kyle''s head," He said, and I rxed a bit. "He wanted Amanda in our house by all means. He did not care if she would be a third wheel or miserable. He just wanted her in our home. She told me he made her lie against you. He threatened her. She is his only child, Leo. He shouldn''t do that, but then again, he was the leader of the east before we took over," I said, and I had forgotten myself and used ''WE'', and I hoped it wouldn''t get to Sylvester. "She told you that when?" he asked and I told him of the meeting I had with Amanda and her request. I heard him curse at Ramsey. "He wanted her in our home so he could keep an eye on you and run circles around you. Problems started when she came to our house, and she visited him too often. I doubt she knew what he was doing, so please go easy on her, but he used her. I just need to know if Ramsey put the idea in Kyle''s head so I can figure out what to do from there. It is very important because everything that has happened has almost led to war between the north, east and south. I think Ramsey is part of this organisation, and they have recruited alphas in the east through him. I hope you can see the bigger picture. In exchange for his help, they will give him back his honour and make him the leader of the east. These people are crazy, Leo. I know of a mother that signed up her underaged son to be used as a tool and discarded; Ramsey could have done the same with Amanda. What made her valuable and part of the n was because she was fated to you," I said, and Sylvester walked up to me and asked for the phone. He seemed a bit impatient, so I handed it to him. "Leo," Sylvester said on the phone, and I sighed, afraid he might say something hurtful to Leo. "I need to see you and Devin at the Estate tomorrow. It is an emergency. The operation is bigger than I thought, and you and Devin are targets too. It isn''t just my fight anymore. Do you think you can make it here without telling your mate?" He asked him with a stern,manding voice, and there was silence, and he spoke. "Very well then, I will expect you in the morning. We need to move quickly," Sylvester said and handed me the phone. "Leo," I said, and I heard him sigh. "Is what he said true?" He asked me. "Yes. It is bigger than we all thought, and I think Ramsey is part of it. Please do not let Amanda in on anything. Tame ck," I said, and he was silent. I knew exactly what was running through his mind. "Please, Leo. Think of your child. I doubt she knew her father was using her. Do not take it out on her, Leo. Please. Do not do anything that would alert Ramsey. We do not know what he is up to," I pleaded with him, and he sighed. "I will try, Tamia. I will try," he said, and I said good night. Sylvester joined me in bed and hugged me. "As much as I am grateful for this union, it breaks my heart that Ramsey ruined your home for this nonsense," he said, and I did not know tears were streaming down my face. I remembered the exchange. Leo, kneeling and pleading. He begged me all the way. He was in turmoil and did not know how to handle it. I was mad. I was furious. I did not see Ramsey. Leo was still haunted by it all. Ramsey had destroyed a fine man because of his greed. He had condemned his daughter to live in a loveless rtionship. What kind of future will her baby have? The man was evil. I thanked the goddess she gave me a second chance at love. Leo deserved better, and I began to weep. Sylvester held me tight as I wept my heart out. I remembered everything Leo and I went through together, the promises we made, his remorse, and his effort. He tried. He wasn''t emotionally strong enough, but he tried, and that bastard wrecked us. It was personal between Ramsey and me now. If no one moved in on him, I would because he had rubbed me wrongly. I wept and tried to calm myself down. Kaira howled in my head, and Sylvester held me to his chest. I was a wreck, and I knew it. Seeing how hurt the realisation of what happened made me feel, I wondered who would be consoling Leo. 104 What I Want Now 104 What I Want Now ~Sylvester~ Everything suddenly made sense, and I could feel Tamia''s pain. Realising someone ruined her home because of his personal gains was very painful. I held her in bed until she finally fell asleep. Then I slept. I woke up in the morning and found Tamia pacing in the bedroom. I looked at the clock, and it was six in the morning. I wondered what must have made her wake up early. I looked at her sheer nightgown and saw the tiny bump. I smiled; realising that we would wee our child into the world was heartwarming. I looked at her, and my heart was d. She had brought joy into my life. The need to end the trouble around us was critical. I got off the bed and went to hold her. She was startled a bit, which meant she was deep in thought, but she rested into my arms quickly, and I stroked her hair. She was gorgeous with her messy her, and I loved her. I ced my hand on her bump and kissed her forehead, taking in her scent, and Knight howled in reverence in my head. We wereplete. Our wedding would take ce in three weeks, and it seemed too far. "Tamia," I breathed, and she moaned, resting her head against my chest. "Why are you up so early?" I asked, feeling the anxiety she was trying to suppress, and she gently broke away from me. "Are you thinking of what happened to you and Leo?" I asked, and she shook her head, frowning at me. "I was over it before I slept. If anything, I am grateful because it led me to my true mate," she said, and I knew she wasn''t lying. I could see it in her eyes. She cared for Leo as her friend, but I was the only man in her heart. I would never oppose her friendship with Leonardo. It is a part of her; he is a part of her. "So why the anxiety?" I asked her, and she sighed and went to sit at the foot of the bed. I knew it wasn''t appropriate to be having erotic thoughts at the moment, judging the situation, but she looked very hot sitting in her short see-through night dress. Her nipples were hard, and she looked ready to be ravaged by me. "Calm down, Knight," I said to my wolf because he wanted to go for it, and I could feel my cock twitching in my pants. Tamia looked at my pants and smiled at me. I looked down and saw that I was hard, so I went to sit beside her. "Ignore it. Tell me," I said, wanting to know what troubled her, and she smiled at me. Tamia did the craziest thing. She got up, knelt in front of me and sprang my cock loose from my pants. I leaned back, ready to take what she offered, and she went to work. It felt so fucking good. She paid attention to it, sucked the tip and licked the shaft before taking it deep into her mouth until I hit her throat, and she gagged a few times. Knight was going crazy. We must have done something right to have it this good. I leaned forward to see what she was doing, and the sight of her bobbing her head on my cock drove me to the edge. I gently held her hair away from her face while she paid attention to my cock. "Tamia," I moaned, and she increased her pace. I did not want toe in her mouth, so I gently pulled away. Helping her up, Iid her on the bed and buried myself inside her. I felt at home and began to pump. I held on to my release waiting for her to climax. She was wet, soft and slippery. Her walls miked my cock, making it hard to hold on. She moaned, and I felt her. Her clenching walls squeezed tighter while I pumped. I kept my rhythm and maintained my speed. Never crashing the build-up. I felt her nails dig into my skin as she climaxed, and I followed. I groaned deeply and released the ecstatic feeling that had overwhelmed me, pouring myself into her. I pulled out andy beside her in bed, trying to catch my breath. It was worth my morning. I looked at her, and she was trying to catch her breath too. "Thank you," I said, and she smiled at me. "You will thank meter," she teased and giggled. We rested a bit before heading to shower. Entering the bathroom, we started our morning routine. "Did you find out what happened to Jenny''sputer?" Tamia asked me, and I wondered where the question sprang from. I figured it must have had something to do with the anxiety she was experiencing in the morning before my erection got in the way. "Not really. Is there an issue?" I asked her, rinsing my toothbrush, and she nodded, spat the paste in her mouth, and then rinsed out her mouth before rinsing her toothbrush. Holding the brush under the running water, she stared at it. "There is a big problem, darling, but I want you not to panic," she said and ced the brush in the holder. She used the towel to dab the water on her lips and then went into the shower. "What is it?" I asked, joining her in the shower and picking up the gel while she turned on the water. "Someone has theputer, and they have ess to Jenny''s email," she said, and I froze. Tamia noticed it, collected the shower gel from me, and turned me around. I felt her hands run across my back, gently caressing me as shethered the liquid on my skin. "How do you know this?" I asked her, and she sighed. I could feel her anxiety rise. She was worried about how I will take it. "Did they threaten you with it?" I asked. "No, no," she said quickly, and I wondered what the issue might have been then.N?velDrama.Org content. "Tell me, please," I said, shut off the water and turned to look at her. "They threatened your mother with it," she confessed, and I felt my heartbeat pounding in my ears. I staggered backwards and rested my back against the tiles on the wall. Jenny knew my mother had a hand in my father''s death. Jenny knew my father wanted David as lord. Jenny knew a lot of dirty secrets, and the woman kept a record. She also ckmailed my mother a couple of times, and my mother confessed to exchanging emails with her. This person with Jenny''sputer must have ess to a lot of information. "The message was vague, so I doubt the person has proof of anything. Look at it this way. If they had proof of anything at all, your mother would have been arrested by now. They might be trying to scare her and make her slip up," she said, and I shook my head. After speaking to Liam, I knew the organisation were smart and sadistic people. They might just want to drive her crazy and destabilise everything around us before they strike. "They might just be ying with her and holding on to the ace," I said to Tamia, and she was silent. Her eyes showed that she was thinking the same thing. "Damn it!" I growled, and Knight began to growl. It had been a long time since I had shifted. Maybe I needed to let my wolf go wild. With the way I was feeling, I needed an outlet. "I need to go on a run with Knight," I told my mate, and her eyes looked slightly sad. She nodded quietly, stepping away from me in the shower. "I will be back. I just need to release my fear," I said, gently patting her cheek, and she nodded. She was scared too. "I will be back in an hour," I said and stepped out of the shower. I wore shorts and went out of the room. I walked briskly until I got to the exit, then headed for the western garden leading to the property''s forest. Getting into the woods, I shifted, letting Knight take over, and we ran. I moved about the woods growling with rage. I needed an outlet. There were many clues, but none led us to the top. All we had were still pawns. I knew we would have to start arresting people soon, but I just hoped the noise would quiet until after my wedding. We needed to have some peace and celebrate our wedding peacefully before we resumed this nonsense. I was sure the culprit would die a prolonged and painful death when caught. I roamed about the forest and when the morning was very bright, I returned to where I had left my shorts, shifted back to my human form, wore the shorts and returned to the estate. I rushed to my room to shower and dress up. Entering the room, I saw Tamia standing by the window, staring outside with her hand on her tiny bump. She was worried, too; I could feel it. I went to her and held her from behind. I knew I was dirty, but I could not help but try to console my mate. "You are back," she said, turning toward me, and I noticed her eyes were swollen. Too many things were happening, and there wasn''t any time to take a breather. "I can walk away from all this if you ask me to, Tamia. I will dly walk away and never look back. We can lead a quiet life. I heard my half-brother has a family and is living a quiet life. We can do the same," I said to her, ready to walk away because I was tired. We had no time. Our wedding was around the corner, and we could not even n it. As things were looking, it did not seem like we would have a honeymoon. Tamia shook her head, and I could see the rage in her eyes. "I know you have called Leo and Devin here, but I want you to listen to me, Sylvester," she said, and I saw her eyes. I knew she had thought about what she was about to say, and I knew it was severe. "The alpha of the Dark wolf Pack, lord of all werewolves, one whom everyone refers to as the Dark Alpha, will never walk away," she said, and I frowned at her. "Sometimes people need a nightmare to wake up," she told me, and I frowned at her. "You can talk to Devin and Leo. You can reason with them. It is okay. But I want you to do this for our child and me." She said, looking deep into my eyes, and her wolf shed. "I want everyone that Liam and Lilly mentioned arrested and locked up. I want their rights taken from them; I want you to bully the council and put them in their ce. I want you to dismiss anyone that opposes you. I want you to be a tyrant; I want you to be the demon they fear, the dark Alpha," she said, and I was stunned. "I will stand beside you and support your every move. I will do whatever it takes to quiet the noise," she said, and I felt her determination. I looked into her eyes for a bit and gently nodded. She was right. We need to act and stop waiting. So much damage had been done throughout the waiting period. This move would scare the culprit and destabilise them. But if we have to do this, the arrest must happen simultaneously in every region. "I will do it. If that is what you want, I will do it. I will be that monster, and I will be unapologetic about it." I said to her, and she rested her forehead against mine and ced my hand on her bump. "For us," she corrected, and I chuckled. 105 The Plan 105 The n ~Sylvester~ Tamia and I showered together and dressed up for breakfast. Marcel linked me three times, saying they were all waiting for us. Apparently, Tamia had ordered that we have breakfast together without telling me. I was sure she had her reasons, and after our new resolve, I knew she meant well. We rushed towards therge dining room. It was almost nine-thirty. We arrived, and I saw that Linda and Avery were already eating. It was cute seeing them stop when Tamia and I entered. Linda looked as if she had been caughtmitting a crime. I wanted tough. Alpha Jake stood up to greet me, and so did Marcel, Theo and Dominic. It was an official breakfast, and I could understand why Tamia would organise it. It was a show of respect to Alpha Jake Brighton, telling him he was weed in our home. "I am sorry we arete. I went on a hunt this morning and got carried away," I exined, pulling out Tamia''s chair for her to sit on. I looked at my mother, who had dark circles, and she smiled at me. "I know what happened. I need you to rx, okay?" I assured her through the mind link, and she nodded immediately. I served Tamia''s meal before serving mine, and she smiled at me. Taking a sip of the juice, I looked at Alpha Jake. "I am d we can settle our differences. Thank you for the information you gave us. We are putting it to good use," I told him, and he smiled and thanked me. "I will also want to use this opportunity to tell you that I appreciate your loyalty and cooperation," I said, and he nodded. "You have my loyalty, your eminence. I also want to thank you for the new hospital project in Brighton and the school renovation. It is a much-needed and weed development," he said, and I smiled at him. Breakfast went smoothly, and when we were done, I asked Marcel, Theo and Dominic to join me for a private meeting before Devin and Leo arrived at the mansion. I hoped, for all our sakes, Leo would keep it together and not do anything that would alert Ramsey or Amanda. I wasn''t sure of the woman''s role in the whole mess, but one certain thing was that she was indeed a channel. Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. We went to my office, and everyone made themselvesfortable. "Leo and Devin are on their way here; they said you invited them," Theodore said, looking a bit worried, and I nodded. "I did sost night. Tamia and I figured something out, and we need their cooperation based on what Liam told us," I said, and Marcel nodded. "What did Christain''s son say?" Dominic asked, and I wondered how he was already up to speed, knowing he had arrived at the mansion early in the morning. "I told him everything," Marcel confessed, and I nodded. "I personally think Larry is part of them. The man does not like you," Dominic told me, and I nodded. "It is great that you know now, but that isn''t why I have called the meeting," I said and looked at Marcel and Theodore. "The only reason why fighting these people has been difficult is because we are trying to use the law to get them, but the truth is thew is working in their favour. With everything they seem to have nned out for us, we won''t win." I said, and Theo bowed his head. "We do not stand a chance ying fair. Our mates are expecting, and we have four weddings on the Blue Moon night in three weeks. At the rate this is going, the weddings will be rushed, or they might not hold. We might be exiled or disgraced before then. We need peace. Without peace, we cannot think." I said, and Theo nodded. "Theodore, your mate is showing now, mine has started to show, and Avery is just starting her journey. This is too much. Yesterday it was cards. Only the goddess knows what their next move would be. You all have heard first-hand what they are nning on doing. None of us is safe," I said, and Dominic looked at me. "So what do you propose? I know you are saying all this because you have a n," he said, looking at me, and I nodded. I looked at Marcel and Theodore, and I sighed. "All my life, I have tried to be fair and kind. I disliked my father so much that I did not want to be like him. So I gave the council liberty and allowed the people to decide. I tried to honour and keep to the laws and made myself essible for all, and how did they pay me?" I said, feeling rageing to the surface as I thought of all I had been through. The subtle attacks, the killings, the schemings and the lies. "By running circles around me. Undermining my authority and trying to strip me of my power," I said and balled my fist. "If they had done this to my father, I would have said he deserved it, that he was too wicked, but what is my crime? What is our crime?" I asked, looking at them. "They have food on their tables, jobs, freedom and peace. They can mix if they choose. Our world has never been this happy, but some people still feel they can do better than us. Instead of arguing with us in the council by conversing about their goals, they chose to be treacherous about it. Sneaking about andmitting all forms of atrocities. We have heard what they call their leader. They call him a king," I said and chuckled. "I do not need anyone to tell me where all this is going. They do not seek democracy but autocracy. They worship a man, one wolf that wants to seize power for themselves. Either because they feel they will do a better job or they own it. This person is not nning for a rotation; they are nning to cripple the government and take it when it is at its weakest, and when will be the weakest time?" I asked them. "Just like in the past, it will be when there is a council and governors. Neither having total power or control, both are required to work together but can sessfully work against each other. This king''s agenda will not bring peace but war and a bad case of inequality. Yet fools are running around and trying to make the ''king''s'' dream a reality. We all know he will not share his power or glory with them. Whatever he promised them might not be theirs to take at the end, yet they see me as the enemy," I said and chuckled. "My only crime is being nice. My only crime is being understanding and giving people freedom. I am not lord of the north; I am a Volkov; the Sidorovs, Orlovs, and Balyeavs are the lords; I am king!" I said, my blood boiling. "My ancestors ruled this world from the beginning, and the Sidorovs, the Orlovs and the Balyaevs were born from the Volkov lineage. I am king and refuse to be treated as amoner in my kingdom. I am not the lord of the north but the king of wolves. Before all this nonsense, the rule was equal, and the people thrived. I bet you none of this nonsense would have happened if we had maintained that order. The council was formed to represent the voice of the people to the king. Now they want to scrap us in the most brutal manner and take over. We can''t let that happen," I said, and I saw a smile creep on Dominic''s face. "I have waited for you to speak like this, brother," he said with joy, and I nodded. "So what do you propose?" Marcel asked me, determined to follow my lead. "I say we arrest everyone on our list and throw them in the dungeon. Family members or not, alpha or not, council member or not. We arrest them, and they will all be pronounced guilty until they prove their innocence. Those who resist will be executed, and their immediate families exiled. Just like in the old days," I said, and Theodore looked at me. "Just like The Dark Alpha of the dark days," he said, and I nodded. "Stories have been told about my ancestors being ruthless and monstrous. Now I can see why. With so much treachery lying in their wake, they needed to quiet the noise and violence, and ruthlessness was the answer." I said, and Marcel looked at me. "What made you break?" he asked me, and I looked at him. "I will be a father soon. I will not hide away in exile with my mate. My children deserve freedom, and my mate and I deserve peace. We all deserve peace, and this is the only way to get it. If we keep chasing these people with clues, we won''t catch them all. Just like Liam, most people would talk when they are caught. They would sing louder than the Nightingale." I said, and theyughed at my comparison. "Very well, I will do it. You have my support," Marcel said, and I looked at Theo. "Me too," he said, and I thanked them. I did not need to ask Dominic whose side he was on. He was pumped up and ready. "Ready our Military forces; we will do the sweep in full force," I said, and Marcel nodded. "What about Devin and Leo?" he asked me, and I smirked. "They will agree to do the same. The raid and arrest would be carried out simultaneously in all the regions. Devin has no traitors in his region. If we are unsessful, we might have to retire to the south to recover ande back again," I told them, preparing their minds in case the raid does not go as nned. They all agreed with me, and we discussed the strategy while we waited for Devin and Leo to arrive. 106 Truths and Lies Part 1 106 Truths and Lies Part 1 ~Leo~ Tamia''s call brought back painful memories, and I soon found myself walking on the street where the hotel was. I couldn''t go back to my room. I couldn''t see Amanda. I was blind and weak. I was stupid and gullible. I helped Ramsey mess up my home. All I had to do that night was reject her. I shouldn''t have gone to talk to her. It was true when they said we should always tame our wolves and not let them drive or direct our actions. N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. My life was a mess because I allowed ck to control me. I lost a great woman andpanion because of a stupid bond. Hearing that Sylvester and Tamia were now fated broke my heartpletely. Maybe if I had rejected Amanda and Tamia rejected Devin, we might have been fated. The goddess had already blessed our union under a blue moon. Why did my wolf destroy everything? I walked, tears streaming down my face. I had never cried so much in my life, but this year had been hell for me. I had cried so much this year that tears had be normal. They fell easily, and I did not fight them. Everyone knew I was a wreck, and there was no hiding it. I could not believe Amanda had the effrontery to see Tamia and make requests. I have tomend Tamia for her self-control. I doubted I would have honoured her request if I were in Tamia''s shoes. Tamia and I had a great life, and Amanda helped her father ruin it. Not because she loved me or wanted to be with me but because her father wanted to take the east from me. I walked and thought of everything. From when Ramsey began to mour about me taking advantage of his daughter. Never for once did shee out and confess it wasn''t true. Tamia might have asked me not to alert her, but I was done ying nice with Amanda. I did not care if she was carrying my pups. I knew she wouldn''t have tried this with the likes of Devin or Sylvester. I must havee across as a weak man to everyone for them to use me like this. The fact that I loved peace did not make me weak. "I don''t want her anymore," I heard ck say in my mind. I could feel his anger. No one would be happy learning we were pawns, and a means to an end. "Tamia would never use us. Amanda destroyed us," ck said, and I could understand his pain. "You should have ignored Amanda''s wolf''s call, but you didn''t. You left Tamia''s side and went into Amanda''s room to im her. You put us in this mess, ck," I told my wolf angrily because he had betrayed me the most. "I am sorry," He whimpered in my head. "Sorry won''t fix it, ck. Sorry won''t change things. It won''t bring her back to us," I told my wolf, and we were both in pain. "When you came to me, you promised you would protect me, be my strength, and never hurt or mislead me," I reminded my wolf. "Tamia was in my life before you, ck. You have always been a part of me from birth, but you came to my consciousness when I was eighteen. Tamia was my friend before then, and we had each other''s backs. "You promised you would love what I love and protect it with everything, yet you betrayed her," I said. I felt ck''s pain, so I had to sit. "You threw her away for a feeling, a bond that we could do without. You gave our enemy an opening to torment us. You made us weak. Did you see what Sylvester did at the ball?" I said, feeling ashamed of myself. "He had a history with that woman, so the pull would have been stronger than ours, yet he honoured his promise. His wolf honoured his choice. His wolf did not knock him out and do the unthinkable; his wolf allowed him to make a choice and epted it," I said. "You cheated me, ck. You knocked me out severally, battled me unceasingly, and kept trying to make it work by force. Every time I tried to touch my wife, you fought me. Every time I chose my wife, you fought me. You ruined me. You betrayed Tamia; you betrayed me, ck. If I could separate myself from you, I would in a heartbeat because you have done more harm than good," I said, and he was utterly silent. "But I do not me you, ck. You were like a child in a candy store. I shouldn''t have given you free rein. I should have held on to control and stood my ground; I should havepleted my sentence on the balcony and spoken the right words to break free from her. I should have ended it on the spot, but I let it fester and gave it room to ovee us. So I take the me for everything," I said, and ck whimpered. "We can''t lose more than we already have. We cannot continue to let Ramsey run circles around us. I hope you know what we need to do?" I told my wolf, and he growled. "We need to be the opposite of who we are; we need to be ruthless and unforgiving when dealing with the bastard. It means dealing with Amanda too, even though she is carrying our pups. As things are, that pregnancy seems more like a trap than a coincidence because, to be honest, we weren''t ready," I told my wolf, and he growled some more. "I do not want Amanda anymore; she has betrayed us," ck said firmly. I was determined to help him keep that resolve. We returned to the room, and Amanda was awake in bed; her eyes were puffy, and she looked worried. I did not say a word to her. I went back under the covers andy down. Amanda looked troubled and stared at me, still sitting in bed. "Tamia is nevering back to you, Leo; you must move on. You can''t keep punishing me like this. It isn''t my fault that we are fated," She said to me, and I almost raised my hands at her because she had said the very words I said to my wife. I sat up in bed feelingplete rage, and ck keeping his promise, receded to the back of my mind, promising not to interfere this time. "But it is your fault that you came into my home and broke my marriage. It is your fault that you could not speak the truth to the alphas when your father lied that I had epted you and taken advantage of you on the balcony. It is your fault that you sowed discord between Tamia and me by telling lies and pitting us against each other. It is your fault, Amanda," I said, and she shook her head, tears streaming down her cheeks. "No, Leo, it is Volkov''s fault that she is not in your life. He attacked the region and took her from you as tribute. Had he not attacked our region, she would have still been with you. You have an issue with him," she said, and I giggled. Knowing her father caused the incident that led to the attack made me giggle. "You think Tamia and I wouldn''t have defeated our attackers?" I asked her andughed. "She is a true Luna, a warrior. She might be a delta breed, but your alpha wolf has nothing on her, Amanda. Tamia and I have weathered storms and conquered packs together. We were a formidable force. I did not defeat your father alone, Amanda; Tamia was by my side. She fought, nned, organised and did everything to ensure we got to the top and do you know why?" I asked her, and she shook her head. "Your father killed her parents, and I promised I would disgrace him, and he knows, hence why he has been silent. Tamia and I dared to lead the east, and we did a good job at it, so do not think Volkov''s warriors stood a chance against us because they didn''t. Tamia left because of you," I said, and she bowed her head and began to cry. "You wanted to be head Luna of the east so badly that you forgot to look up the requirements," I said to her, feeling thoroughly disgusted now that ck wasn''t in the picture. "She has forgiven everything and moved on. Why can''t you?" she asked quietly, and I felt her wolf coming to the surface, calling onto ck. A had a way of calling on ck when things got heated between Amanda and me, and this was one of those times. Still, ck was keeping his promise and remained unresponsive. "Tamia can move on because she does not have to live in the same house or wake up next to you. To me, you represent everything that went wrong in my life, Amanda. I can never love you because you wrecked my home with lies. I do not know why your father would help you like this. Did he not love you enough to want you to have a man that is truly yours? Instead, he helped you force your way into my home to be my mistress, ying second fiddle to my wife. If I did not know him, I would say he did not father you," I said to her, and she looked at me, and tears streamed down her face profusely. Her eyes looked haunted, as if I had peeled a hidden scar. 107 Truths and Lies Part 2 107 Truths and Lies Part 2 ~Leo~ Amanda stared at me, and I could see a haunted look in her eyes. Something that spoke of hidden pain. It had always been there, but I was too upied to question her about it, and I felt my hurt surpassed whatever inner turmoil she battling with, but here it was again. The haunted look had resurfaced while deep in a conversation about her true intentions and the life her actions had forced me to live. The haunted expression reared its head, and she looked broken. Amanda sighed after taking a deep breath and looked at me. "You do not understand my life, Leo; as fucked up as you feel this is, you are the best thing that has happened to me in a while, and that is why I hold on," she said, and Iughed. Gone were the days when those words touched me, but not anymore. "I do not want you to hold on anymore, Amanda. I want you to leave," I said to her, and she bowed her head. "Okay, I will leave in the morning," she said, sounding resigned, and Iughed. "Yes, you will, after you tell me everything you nned with your father. How you helped him stage the attack that brought Volkov''s men on us, how you helped feed him information that wrecked and divided the east. Information that made people doubt my leadership. How you tried to help him take over the east again," I said, and her eyes widened, tears falling from her eyes. "Leo, I will never do that to you." She said with fear in her eyes. "I don''t believe you. You lied against me in his favour; you lied against Tamia, so don''t you dare," I said, and she shook her head. "I can never help my father do anything, Leo. I can''t. I will never do it. I never lived with him. I always looked for a reason to live apart from him. Did you ever ask me why?" She asked, and I did not care. "He killed my mother before my eyes and would have killed me too had I not promised never to speak of it. He stopped her heart with Silver because she was against something he was nning. I can''t remember the detail, really, but I think it had to do with the massive attack in the east that imed a lot of lives. He stabbed her because she said she would write Maurice Volkov and report his conduct. She called him a usurper, and he stabbed her. The memory is still embedded in my head. I can never help him do anything. I went along with his lies because I wanted to be free of him. Bing a mistress was better than being his child." She said, and I paid attention. "Then why did you feed him information about my dealings? Why were you helping him to spy on me!!!" I yelled at her, angry. I was mad that she would think telling me her story, whether it was true or false, would make me feel sorry for her. I hated her. "Why did you do it?" I asked her, and she bowed her head in shame. "I had no choice Leo," she confessed, and as much as I was angry, I wanted her to be innocent but hearing her admit it broke my heart and made me feel like a fool. ck began to growl. She got off the bed, went on her knees and bore her neck to me. "I had no choice, alpha. It was the only way I could keep you safe. I did not know that was what he was doing until Tamia left. He ordered me to make sure we got married. I knew you weren''t up for it, but he insisted. He told me he wanted to know everything you did from then on. I told him I couldn''t do that and that he should take it up with you, but he did not find it funny. Soon I found out that he had people in your ranks and working in the pack that was on his payroll, and he was on the payroll of some King somewhere. He said if I chose you, he would kill us, and he would not need to raise a finger to do it. I had to think of my babies and you, Leo. You might hate me, but I love you. My father had shown me times without number what he was capable of; I knew he would do it with ease and get away with it as always," she confessed. "I asked him what he wanted, and he said he wanted to have your itinerary and know your private discussions with Max and Kyle. I did not think much of it because I did not think you were nning anything serious, so I agreed, and I have been doing so diligently," she said, and I felt like a fool. I had serious discussions with Kyle and Max at my home. I wondered why she was always around or awake during those times, and I now knew why. "If I knew he was trying to take the east from you, I wouldn''t have helped him. I swear, Leo. I thought he was just being nosey. I thought he was just trying to be informed and aware. He is a control freak, so I just thought it was one of his curiosities," She said, and I knew she was sincere, but the damage was already done. "I fed him a lot of false information, too; that is why he came for the games. He figured it out. I have been avoiding him. I am scared," She said, and I frowned. "What false information?" I asked her. "He asked me if you weremunicating with Volkov and Tamia because of the things discussed at the meetings. I said no. I lied when he asked if you would being to the games. That was why I did not follow you here. I felt it was off he would ask me such questions because it had nothing to do with the east, so I lied Leo, and he was mad," she said and looked at me withplete fear in her eyes. Fresh tears began to fall, and I could feel her panic. "Please help me. I will go away with my children and never bother you if you rescue me from him. Please, Leo. I swear I will disappear and never trouble you. Please," she said, and I looked at her. "Why didn''t you tell me this? Was that why you were acting weird since you arrived?" I asked her, and she nodded. Although I did not believe her, I wanted to give her the benefit of the doubt without exposing myself to more harm. "There was no way I could tell you without telling you what he had been doing. I was afraid," she confessed, and I sighed. "Do you know anything of his ns?" I asked her, and she shook her head. "All I have is his email password. I was able to get that before I came to the north. I wanted something as leverage. I believed he was doing something bad, and I wanted to get the proof to buy my freedom," she said. I could only imagine how horrible Ramsey was that his daughter would think of buying her freedom as if she were a ve. The man was just too evil for his good. "Alpha Gabriel is in on it too. All the old Alphas except Alpha Timothy. They all visit him and have secret meetings, so I know they are in on it. I did not know they were nning to take over the east; from what I learned, it seemed more like they were trying to install a new king. There was nowhere your name was mentioned; that was why I did not say anything. Please, Leo, I know you hate me, but I am not lying. I swear. I swear on the life of my unborn children that all I have told you is the truth. I need help." she said, weeping seriously. I got up from the bed, went to the closest, and took out a silver bracelet. "I will help you," I said, approaching her. "You will follow me to the estate tomorrow and repeat all you know to Lord Volkov. Then I will decide if I want to stay with a fated that unwillingly destroyed my life or move on. I believe that is fair enough," I said, and she nodded.N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. "Your wrists," I said, and she willingly handed it over. I mped the silver on her wrist and felt her wolf go silent. "Go to bed," I ordered, and she obeyed without question. Her game was up. I took out my phone and sent Devin a message informing him that we would be going to the Volkov Estate in the morning. I sat in the chair in my room and watched Amanda. I was determined not to sleep until we got to the mansion, and I knew she wouldn''t be able to get away. I wasn''t nning on releasing her. I nned on pleading with Sylvester to lock her in one of his cells until her story checked out. I couldn''t allow the woman to fool me twice. She seemed to be telling the truth, but it could just be an act. I was mad that she was carrying my pups. However it turns out, the fact still remains that my pups would have Richford blood. It was unfortunate. 108 Who Poisoned Me 108 Who Poisoned Me ~Tamia~ Leaving Sylvester to talk to his officers, I decided to speak to Alpha Jake about certain things. I also needed Avery and Linda''s support. There were certain things I needed to discuss with him. If I had dwelled on the issues, they would have caused severe problems. I went over the poisoning, and after all that had happened, certain things finally fell into ce. I had spent most of the time since I returned wondering why anyone would try to kill me with poison. Had I not been pregnant and vomiting, I might have died. The vomiting helped me empty my system of the poison, and only a trace amount got into my bloodstream. Now that I had figured out why, it was time to speak to alpha Jake about it because it was very sensitive. We met Stephanie on the way to the lounge, where Alpha Jake was waiting for us, and she was a wreck. I asked Linda and Avery to go ahead of me while I remained to speak to Stephanie. I watched them walk away. Jake was in the lounge in my wing, so they joined him while Stephanie and I walked toward her room to avoid eavesdroppers. Knowing that staff members were working for the uprising, we needed to be extra careful, especially knowing what they nned to do to Stephanie. N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. We entered her room, and she began to pace about. "You need to keep your shit together, Stephanie. We do not know what these people have or if they have anything at all. Keep behaving like this, and you will slip up. I need you to act as if nothing has happened and not admit to anything or get into a heated argument with anyone," I said and went to hold her shoulders. Holding her still, I stared into her eyes. "You need to snap out of this shit, Stephanie. You are a luna, for goddess''s sake. It is not in our nature to show weakness or crumble under pressure. I want you to wipe the fear and pity off your face and walk about the ce with your head held up high. Sylvester has a lot of shit to deal with, and your current behaviour isn''t helping at all," I warned her, slightly irritated. I guess it was my hormones. I have been a bit too emotionaltely. "So what, youmitted a crime? Everyone has a secret, Stephanie. Stop thinking the worse and make yourself useful by helping us catch thedies working for the organisation. I will be doing a major sweep of the estate today, and you will be helping with it," I said, and she widened her eyes. "We need all the help we can get," I told her, and she frowned. "What will we do to them if we catch them?" She asked me, and I felt rage in me. "We have limited cells in the dungeon. Those who are forting with information will get amodation in the cells. Those who aren''t will be executed immediately," I said, and she widened her eyes. "We aren''t allowed to do that," she said, and I chuckled. "And who will stop us?" I asked her. I was sick and tired of all the nonsense. The people we were against were cowards. I would have had more respect for them if they had waged war against us. Then we really know that they are fit to lead. This intellectual attack was a cowardly approach. I nned on showing the Kingman how to be a king. Stephanie must have noticed my resolve because she wiped off her fear. "Tyrant style?" she finally asked, and I nodded. "Marcel and Theodore are on board?" She asked me, and I nodded, hopeful that Sylvester''s meeting with them would go well. "What about the region leaders?" She asked. "Corrigan and Leo will be in support, too," I said, and an evil smile crept on Stephanie''s lips. "Oh, sweet freedom," she said with a sigh. "I hated all this diplomacy. It never really helped anyone. Wolves need a firm hand, and they will be getting one. The investigation would be faster and easier this way. Rendering the council useless is a good move. With all the military support, we would get away with it. It would also force the culprit to reveal themselves," she said, knowing where Sylvester and I were headed with our move. "I like it," she said, and suddenly, colour returned to her face. Stephanie was an intelligent woman. Under such circumstances, she is bound to get away with her crimes. " Very well, let me freshen up. I haven''t showered this morning. I will join you in the lounge," She said, and I left the room. I walked quickly towards the lounge. While I walked, I touched my bump and hoped that Leo and Devin would support the idea so we could end this nonsense, even if we did not catch them or end it. It will give us the peace we need. My wedding was a few weeks away. I wanted to experience the blue moon ceremony peacefully and not under stress. I entered the lounge, and Jake was joking while thediesughed. "Alpha Jake," I said, reaching for a ss of juice on the table. I sat down on a chair opposite him, and he smiled at me. "Luna Tamia, thank you for the hospitality," He said respectfully, and I smiled at him. "You are wee," I said and took a sip of my drink. "I am d you see that we have no issues with you," I said, and he stopped smiling. He could sense the anger in my voice, and I knew it would be confusing since he had done nothing wrong and helped us. Linda and Avery stoppedughing, and they looked at me. "Avery and I went to Brighton in good fate. We went there to restore peace and investigate and bring the culprits to book," I said, and he frowned at me. "We risked our lives and respected you. We stayed in your house so you could watch us, yet we enjoyed the experience. The festival was beautiful," I said and leaned forwards. "I do not have a problem with you, alpha, and I believe we have established that but I need you to be honest with me about certain things," I said, and he became ufortable. "Did you give your wife to Maurice, or did she give herself as tribute?" I asked, and my question shocked him. "I am heading somewhere with this, so I will need you to answer my question," I said, and he bowed his head. It was obviously aplex topic for him, but unfortunately, I needed his answer to draw my conclusions. One thing I knew was the apple never falls far from the tree, and I believe it was the same with Brighton''s children. I needed to establish his wife''s character to move forward. "I do not have money, and Brighton isn''t rich. My wife always liked thefort money could bring, and we fought about it often. My sister''s mate had passed away and left her money, so she returned to stay with me. She brought her son. Then I just had my twins, Iris and Donald, Mikhail joined, and there were three," he said, and I was surprised that Donald and Iris were twins. I always thought Iris was Donald''s younger sister. She looked very young. I guess she had good genes. "I thought Iris was Donald''s younger sister?" Avery asked, interrupting us, and he smiled at her. "She looks young, so when people assume it, I just let it be, but they are twins. Iris does not like people knowing she is that old either because she feels it would hurt her chances of getting a good suitor, so I just allow her to lie about her age," he confessed it was unnecessary information, but I allowed it. "Anyway, my sister spent a lot on our children, and anytime my wife asked her for money, she never gave as much as she wanted, which I felt was okay and a bit too generous. Anyway, my wife began to take out our financial handicap on me. It wasn''t that we were poor, but shepared me to all the wealthy alphas of the west and made me feel inadequate. When Maurice had issues with the leader of the west because he had teamed up with the eastern leader to overthrow his lordship, Maurice attacked the west and took over. The east submitted immediately and executed the ones the eastern leader imed were responsible, but we knew they were sacrificialmbs. Nheless, they agreed to the taxes, so Maurice let them be, but because the western leader was the one that led the attack, the west was taken. We were all asked to give up something. My sister did not have a mate anymore, so she offered to go. Little did I know that my wife wanted to go too. She told the warriors to take her. I tried to stop her, and she told me she would rather be a mistress to the Lord than be my luna. It hurt, but I let her go," he said, and I could hear the hurt in his voice. I also realised that was why he could carry on without his mate. I also did not miss the fact that that was the war that led to my parent''s death, where Ramsey had ughtered them for alerting Maurice of his conduct. Ramsey was a leader then, and Leo had promised he would disgrace him for my sake. I sighed, remembering Leo and tried to brush him out of my mind. I fought my tears and rxed. "Why did you not tell your children that their mother left of her own ord? Because they harbour a lot of hatred for Volkov," I said, and he bowed his head. "She was gone, and she was never going to return. I did not want to spoil it for them," he said, confessing his reason for keeping the truth from his children. "Did you know Maurice wanted to return your wife to you after your sister requested that he send her back?" I asked, and he shook his head. "Well, your sister was his favourite, and some might say he loved her. She asked him to send your wife back, and your wife got angry and snapped out of jealousy. Your wife murdered your sister in cold blood. And Maurice was angry. He locked her up in a dungeon and had her executed for her crime," I said, and tears streamed down his face. I was heading somewhere, but I wanted to establish certain things with him before voicing my reason. I gave him a minute, and I could see anger in his eyes, but I knew it was toward his wife, not Maurice. "I respect you, alpha Jake, and that is why we are here. There is no way the uprising would be able to know to attack your pack and seed if they did not have help from within. I know they said they got orders from the council, but why your pack? Of all the packs that were in the east, why your pack?" I asked, and he could not answer. "I bet your children were the ones that advised you not to confront Sylvester about the attack, and I bet Iris was the one that told you and made sure of it," I told him, and he nodded, looking at me confused. "Would she have any reason to do so?" I asked him, and he looked confused. "Since I returned from Brighton pack, I have tried to piece the puzzle together," I said. "The rage, the hostility and the poisoning," I said, and he eximed. "What do you mean by poisoning?" he asked. "I was poisoned. If I had not returned home the day I did, I might have lost my life or miscarried," I said, and he became nervous. "I remembered that you were looking for an Alpha suitor for Iris," I said, and he nodded. "Did you, by any chance, offer her to Sylvester in the past?" I asked him, and he shook his head. "Lady Volkov threw a ball and invited all the daughters of the alphas for Sylvester to choose from, but he didn''t choose any. Iris was among the girls. He danced with her, but there were no sparks. She did not take it well, but she was over it," he said, and I realised I had hit the nail on the head. Ever since Stephanie told me about Jake''s wife and her behaviour, I had thought about the poisoning. "I will like you to bring Iris for questioning. Alpha Jake. I want her to tell me why she served me poison and who put her up to it. Something must have made her willing to hurt me and hurt Sylvester by helping the Brighton attack seed and stopping you from confronting Sylvester. It would have festered if we had note to Brighton, and you might have joined the uprising against my mate. Am I right?" I asked, and he was silent. "I want you to be honest with me. You are a guest and not a prisoner. I consider you a friend, alpha. Be assured I am not trying to rope you into something," I assured him, and he reluctantly nodded. "Can you be loyal enough to bring Iris? I have put off her arrest and stopped my mate from pursuing it because I do not want to dishonour you. Do you think you can repay my kindness with loyalty, alpha?" I said, and he took a deep breath and sighed. His eyes were misty, knowing the implications of his daughter''s actions. "She does not live in Brighton. She couldn''t have worked with the attackers. She just returned permanently recently," He told me, trying to prove that she had no reason to help the attackers seed. "It still does not change the fact that she was around when I came, and she served me poisoned food," I said and looked at him. "Will you bring her?" I asked him. "Promise me she will have a fair trial," he said, close to tears, and I nodded. "I swear on my wolf, she will be set free if she is innocent," I said, and he nodded. I had told him of his wife so he would know his daughter was just like her. Jealous, angry, greedy and vindictive. If I am right, they wanted to kill me to force Sylvester to go to war against the west, giving them leverage to usurp his power. There was no way Iris wasn''t one of them. 109 An Agreement 109 An Agreement ~Sylvester~ After telling my friends and brother what I was nning on doing, I was rxed, knowing that I had their full support. All I needed to do now was wait for Leo and Devin to arrive so we could get them on board and spring to action. " I hope you know there will be no going back once we do this," Marcel said, telling me the implications of my n, and I nodded. I was done being nice. "It also means after we arrest everyone mentioned, we will support you and install you as King," Theodore said, and I nodded. "You will need Devin and Leo''s support for it. I know Albert might not disagree, but Corrigan is something else. You took his fated," Theodore said, and I knew he had a point. "There is no harm in trying. This is the only way we can quiet the noise," I told them, and they nodded. Dominic was just smiling. "So the three of us get to be lords while you will be king." He said, and I nodded. "I like it," My brother said, happy that it hade to this. "Moreover, it would make it difficult for them to use the council to work against us," Marcel said. "So what will you do once you have been made king?" Theodore asked me, and I shrugged. Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. "Dare the usurper toe at me and stop lurking in the shadows," I said, knowing that would be all that would be left to do because I would have all the power in an autocratic system. All the stealing of seals and trying to make people hate me will no longer count. Whoever the Kingman was would be backed into the wall and have no choice but to be silent ore out. Tamia had given me the nerve I needed to go dark, and that was what I would do. We studied all the names of the people that we had that were affiliated with the group. After talking to Devin and Leo, we would know how to mobilise and get them. It had to be done at the same time on the same day. I nned to round them up and then wait for the council to summon me, which I would use that day to overthrow their system and crown myself King, reverting us to the old order. I knew it would not be well received, but after locking many people up, no one on the council would be able to go against me. I was ready to destroy anyone that stood in my way. I had a goal and nned to achieve it at all costs. My blue moon night will be romantic and peaceful; I will im my mate, and we will rest. Our pup would be born in a peaceful world, and we will live happily ever after. I do not care how many traitors I would have to kill to get to that goal, butsting peace was the ultimate goal for me. Two hourster, I heard that Leo and Devin had arrived. I also heard that Leo hade with a prisoner and was requesting that the person be locked up in a cell, and I wondered who it might be. I went to join them in the guest lounge at Marcel''s wing. The moment I entered, I was shocked at what I saw. Leo and Devin stood to pay their respects. We exchanged handshakes, and I asked Theodore to supervise the kappas that would bring Liam to where we were. There was nothing better than hearing directly from the source. Amanda sat on the couch quietly with a silver bracelet on her wrist. "What is she doing here?" I asked Leo, and the rage in his eyes said it all. I could not me him for it. The woman had allowed herself to be used in the worst way possible. I get Leo is her fated, but there were better ways to love him than manipte her way through and wreck his home. I looked at Devin, and he seemed ufortable. He was also looking at the ce. I was d he could see that I had nothing but the best to offer my Tamia. It was immature to think that way, but I liked gloating sometimes. "Please lock her in a cell," Leo asked me, and I frowned. "She is your mate, Leo," I said, and he shook his head. "If she cared about me, she would not lie to me and spy on me for her father''s sake," He said, and tears were streaming down her cheeks. The woman had given up, and seeing how she looked, she did not seem like someone that wanted to live anymore. She seemed like she had given uppletely. I did not know what her deal with her father was, but she did not seem like someone that had it in her to push back. "I will put her in a room heavily guarded. She is carrying your pups, Leo. I know you are angry, but we have to think before we act," I said, and I heard a low growl. It was his wolf that wanted her punished. The wolf must have felt betrayed by her. "Tell him all you told me, and make sure you give all the names of the Alphas your father has been having meetings with," He ordered her, and she flinched at his harshness. Amanda fell on her knees with difficulty because she was heavy and bore her neck. I immediately asked her to sit on the couch. Leo got up and began to pace about the room. I could feel his rage, and I knew he had snapped. Amanda told me the most disturbing things and mentioned a lot of names. After she finished her confessions, all I could see was an unwilling informant. She seemed truly afraid of her father and wanted to be free of him. If only she believed Leo would help her break free, she should havee clean to him instead of allowing her father to use her to cause so much damage. It was sad. I ordered the Kappas to lock her in a room in my wing and ensure she wasfortable. I wanted her to give birth before she went for trial. Amanda''s confessions made Devin attentive, and it also seemed it would be easy to get him on board. Theodore finally came with Liam, saying Tamia required him in an hour. She wanted to use him to sniff out the two women threatening him while he was locked up. Once we caught them, Liam would no longer need to be in the cell, but we won''t let him go outside the estate either. Liam narrated everything he told us, and Devin became worried. "What did I do to these people?" Devin asked. Both he and Leo had established the bastards were just power-hungry. After Liam had finished telling it all, I asked them to take him to Tamia, then faced my guest. "I know this is unusual, and trust me, it was hard to make this call," I began, and everyone was silent. "This king guy and his minions are dangerous for all of us, and they are so good that even if we investigate them, we won''t catch them," I said. Then looked at them. "I know this might sound crazy, and you might want to kick against it, but I have a n that would suppress them or force them out, and I need support from the two of you to help me champion this n," I said, and they were attentive. "I do not want to go by the book anymore. I do not want to be diplomatic anymore and do not want to follow the rules of engagement anymore. These people know thew and use it in their favour. They want to cripple the system by scrapping my office. After they do this, they would scrap the council and install their King. We can''t allow them to seed," I said, and Devin frowned. "So what do you propose?" Leo asked me. "I say we arrest all the people they have mentioned and dere them guilty until proven innocent. It will also be done in all regions simultaneously, so they don''t go underground or escape," I said, and Leo nodded. "That is a great idea, but the council would query it. We might say it was a decree by you, but you are not a king, Lord Volkov; you still have to listen to counsel; what do we do then?" Leo said, coming to the reason I had called them. "This is where I need your support. Knowing that these people want to install a king, I decided I would revert to the old ways when we had three lords and a king," I said, and Devin stood up and shook his head. "I can''t agree to that. Your father did a lot of damage as lord. I do not want to imagine the level of damage that you will cause as King." He said and disagreed immediately. I expected he would behave that way. "If it weren''t necessary, I wouldn''t do it, Alpha Devin. But I have no choice. My joining is in three weeks, and I need peace; our mates are expecting, and Tamia received cards from these people. Please, Devin. I am desperate," I said, and he shook his head. "Where would that leave us? Getting rid of a threat to install a powerful threat is stupid." Devin said, looking out for his people. "I will not be like my father, Devin. If there is anything I have tried to prove for the years I was in charge, is that I am nothing like him," I said, and Devin shook his head. "Yet you attacked the south. You sent your brother to attack me for defending my region and asking for my price. As if that wasn''t enough, you attacked the south again, iming we helped the east to attack Gad. You attacked the east and took their wives, sisters, and daughters from them. You did all this as lord. I do not want to imagine what you will do as King," Devin said and putting it that way, I did sound horrible, but that was one-sided. "When you killed my father, I did note after you. I knew he deserved it. My brother''s attack on the south was of his volition," I told Devin, and Dominic shamefully admitted that I was honest. It was shameful for Dominic because Devin defeated him and sent him back with his tail between his legs. "When I attacked the south because of Gad, I had to because that was what our investigation led us to believe, Devin. They led us to believe you were in on it. As for the women we took from the east, Tamia had asked them to go home, and they refused. No one is touching them or doing anything with them. I haven''t kept a harem in a long time. I am nothing like my father. The harem I had did not consist of conquests. Five women willingly gave themselves to me, hoping I would one day settle down with one of them, but that never happened. When I knew I wouldn''t marry any of them, I let them go. Do not judge me by the rumours you have heard, Alpha Devin. Left to me, I will walk away from this. As of this morning, I had told my mate we should leave. I wanted to walk away, but she was the one that insisted I go this route for the sake of our people''s safety. Whoever this person is, they will be harder to follow than me," I said, trying to reason with Devin, and I saw his eyes soften. Deep down, he knew I was right, and the solution I had proffered was the best. If we kept Investigating, we would not yield anything because the people in question were smart and elusive. "What will happen to our regions when you be king?" he asked, and I sighed. "You will still lead your regions, and I will give you seats on the council," I said, and Devin''s eyes widened. One of the King''s most significant powers that the lordship did not possess was creating council seats. Having a seat on the council would bump their status to nobles and give them a say in some issues. It was a dreame true for any leader. "All we have to do is the support that we return to the old ways, and you will be the king?" He asked, and I nodded. "I will also need Military support in case the usurpers surface and try to take over by force," I added quickly, and heughed. "You have my support," he said, extending his hand for a shake. I was worried that it was a bit easy, and I felt awkward shaking Devin''s hands. Because of my uneasiness, I decided I would have him investigated. "Just so you know, I am agreeing to this because the south has been prated too. That was why I wasn''t around most of the games. Three packs were attacked in the south, and I know there was no way the attack would be possible if they did not have someone helping them. They made it seem like it was from you, but with what happened to Jake, I was wiser," he confessed, and I rxed. If that was the case, then he was in the same predicament as Leo and teaming up with me was his only chance of survival. "We do not have names in your region yet, but once we round up everyone we have, we will likely get helpful information that might lead to the culprits in the south," Leo said. "What if they refuse to talk?" Devin asked, and Leo chuckled. "That is easy; Tamia and I always had this game we yed when we were trying to take over the east. We would y a game with the prisoners. We would give them room to buy their lives with information. Anyone that gives us useful information that checks out will be spared. Anyone that doesn''t or dares to lie to us will lose their life. It worked like magic on the warriors. These people aren''t warriors, so the effect would be stronger," he said with ease, and I realised that Alpha Leo wasn''t as nice as people thought. He was just passive, but I noticed he was done being passive. 110 Sniffing Them Out 110 Sniffing Them Out ~Tamia~ My discussion with Alpha Jake was intense, but I was d we were able toe to an understanding. I knew I was a bit stern, but I needed to rify my point. I also needed him to know I did him a big favour by not pushing Sylvester to investigate my poisoning. The fact that I was pregnant when it urred would have summed it up as treason. Deep down, I hoped our n worked out so we could n our weddings peacefully. Alpha Jake seemed sad after our discussion, and Stephanie came to join us. Her dark circles were gone, and she was in high spirits. She also looked great. "I hope I did not take too long?" She asked, sitting beside Alpha Jake and smiling at us. It was awkward seeing that she was the only one smiling after the difficult conversation I had with Alpha Jake. Stephanie soon realised she was the only one in high spirits and stopped smiling. "What happened?" she asked, and even though I did not want to speak about it, Alpha Jake volunteered the answer. "Luna Tamia believes my daughter Iris must have tried to kill her with poison to get back at your son for not choosing her, and also, she believes she might be working for the uprising, so she asked me to bring her for questioning," he said, summing it up. Stephanie nodded. "The poisoning part is true. She was poisoned in your pack, Jake. I saw it. We had to bring a doctor to flush her system." Stephanie said, and the fear in Jake''s eyes was more pronounced. He had secretly hoped it was a coincidence, but hearing Stephanie say the same thing made him realise it might not be a coincidence. "I do not know what I would do if she is guilty. She is my only daughter," he confessed, and Stephanie touched his hand gently. "They are all grown, Jake. We have done our best by raising them and giving them the best. We have taught them right from wrong and tried to guide them. We should not me ourselves if they choose to part from teachings in adulthood. At the end of the day, they are independent of us and will continue to exist when we are gone. The best we can do is wish them the best and pray they learn from their mistakes. We, as parents, cannot give more than we have given. You shouldn''t feel guilty for this, Jake. You tried. If Iris decides to be like her mother, then it isn''t your fault," she said, trying to calm him down, but it did not work. The man was in knots. "I think it is time to have Liam help identify the people that threatened him," I said, standing up and trying to avoid the awkward situation. Everyone agreed, and I linked Kappa Wilson to help line up everyone in the estate so Liam could sniff the culprits out. It took thirty minutes for Wilson to aplish it, and soon he linked me to inform me the task was done. I got up and asked everyone to follow me to the eastern garden, where everyone was waiting. We walked towards the garden silently, and I prayed it would yield something. We needed to catch as many people as possible to either force the leader out or make them go silent. Either oue was better than what was happening. Arriving at the garden, I was surprised to see many people, along with the trophies, lined up to be checked. They looked worried and puzzled. Some of the Lunas in service looked at me scornfully, and I did not bother; I know they saw me as despicable. I was sleeping with the man that conquered my pack. Any Luna from the outside would see my friends and me as traitors, but they did not know our full story, and we did not care. Despicable or not, all I could see was a bunch of jealous Lunas that were down on their luck. I am sure If Sylvester, Marcel or Theodore had ordered they join them in bed, they would do it willingly. The thought alone made meugh at the scorn on their faces. Liam was brought to the garden, and I could see him properly for the first time. He was indeed a child. How could his mother do this to him? How could this Kingman allow this? As things were, if this leader ever seeded, he would have no regard for life or innocence. Getting a minor involved with treasonous acts was wreckless and heartless. I n on voicing my opinion to the bastard if we ever catch him. The people began to murmur at the sight of Liam. While some were genuinely confused, others seemed angry. "Silence!" Avery yelled at them, and they reluctantly obeyed. "Any noise and the person would be thrown in a cell. Disrespect will not be tolerated. We have been charged with a task and intend to do it diligently without disturbance, am I clear?" Linda asked, and there wasplete silence, indicating they got the message. Just then, Kappa William walked to me and told me that Sylvester required Liam toe to the lounge. Learning that Leo and Devin were around gave me mixed feelings. I prayed they would put aside their differences and findmon ground to unite and fight the organisation. I told them to take Liam with them and return him immediately. They took him away. We needed to move quickly because I still needed to question Amy. I wasn''t nning to be nice where the bitch was concerned. After seeing what she did to her son, I knew she could not be trusted and did not deserve freedom. I nned on making her feel pain. I was going to be unapologetic about it. "What is with Liam?" Avery linked me. "Leo and Devin are here. I think Sylvester wants them to hear directly from him," I linked her back; her eyes opened wide, and she nodded. Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. "How do you manage, Tamia? The three of them are crazy about you. Would they be able to overlook their differences and work together? I know Leo has it bad and that Devin guy does not seem different. Poor Sylvester. I wonder how he feels having to lean on the two men likely to hate him the most for support," she linked me, and I sighed because she was telling the truth. "Isn''t that Zakharov''s son?" Jake asked me, interrupting Avery and me, and I nodded. "Yes," I said, and his eyes were wide. "He is a child," he said, looking at us as if we had done something horrible. "I know, and that is why he isn''t in the council prison," I told him, sounding stern. "His mother got him involved, and they used him to control his father and the northern alphas. He also helped them receive and transfer money," I told the man, and his eyes widened with disbelief. "You don''t mean it," He said in shock, and I nodded. "That bitch decided to use her son in the most despicable way. The only reason he is alive is that he is young," I told Jake, and Stephanie hissed. "That bitch Amy had been bad news. Her mother was like that, you know. Always trying to share her opinion and make you ept by force. Maurice screwed her a couple of times, and she gave up her husband for it. I wished Christain looked before leaping, but they say love is blind. His has led him to an exile situation," she said, and I was unhappy about her words, but they were true. Because Liam and Amy were involved in the uprising, they would be regarded as traitors, and the entire Zakharov family would be exiled pending investigation. It also means Christian would have to step down from his position. The woman had wrecked him. His only saving grace is if Sylvester seeds and is installed as the king, then Sylvester would pardon him and only punish Amy for her actions. A lot was riding on Leo and Devin agreeing to make Sylvester king and working with him to end the threat, but I doubted they would because of me. I looked at the women and the men lined up in the garden, and I hoped for their sakes that none of them was guilty because I nned on being ruthless. Soon Liam returned, and his chains were removed to ess his wolf and pick the women''s scent. We did not make it seem like he was going to fish them out using their scent; we made it seem like he would be by looking at the eyes so that the culprits would be confident. Wilson protected Liam as he moved through the staff, looking at them and secretly sniffing their scents. He moved through most of them, and none of the staff was selected. It remained the women in the trophy section. He got to a dark-haired eastern beauty and stopped. Indicating she was one of them. My heart soared because I knew who she was. Then he moved and selected a western Luna that worked in the gardens. I linked Wilson not to bring them out yet until he had sniffed everyone. It took an extra thirty minutes before he finished. I could see relief in the eyes of the eastern woman and the western Luna. They thought they had scaled through. It made meugh internally. I knew what I was about to do to them was a bit sick, but I wanted to see joy drain from their eyes. Liam was taken back to the cell, and I asked Wilson to have them search the rooms and belongings of the people in question. He left to do it, and I kept the people on guard. "Luna Tamia, is there anything else?" One of the elderly Luna working in the mansion asked, and I smiled at her. "Did I give anyone permission to speak?" I asked coldly, and they were silent. "My mate might be lenient, but I won''t be. You are to remain here until I dismiss you," I told them, and they looked at Stephanie, hoping she would stop me. Technically she was above me, but the woman wouldn''t dare it. "Lady Volkov, mercy," some of them called out to Stephanie. "Quiet! Do as your Luna said, and you should start getting used to Tamia as the Lady of the north. Too much damage had been done by being lenient. Everything being done today is to save lives, so I will advise you toply." She warned them, and they were silent. Alpha Jake stood next to me and leaned close to my ears. "Any luck?" he asked me, and I looked at him and nodded. He smiled a bit. "I would like to question them about Iris," he asked, and I smiled at him. "When I am done with Amy, you can try your luck. They might not be able to help because it seems like they work in groups, and no group is familiar with the other. It is just a guess, Alpha; I might be wrong," I said, and he nodded, understanding my words. Thirty minutester. "The search is over, Luna," Kappa Wilson linked me, and I rxed and looked at everyone standing in the garden. "Did you find anything?" I asked him. "A smallptop and a satellite phone," He linked me back, and I was d we got them. I knew there would be others, and I would make them speak. "You may all return to your rooms and continue your activities. I am sorry for disturbing your afternoon," I said to them and noticed that the two culprits were very rxed. We left the people before they began to return to their rooms. "So?" Linda asked on our way to my wing. I nned on changing into somethingfortable to question Amy. "Alpha Jake and I have a lunch date," Stephanie said, and my eyes widened at her. Seeing her face, I knew she wanted to get Jake away from us so we could do our work. His daughter was part of the uprising, that much I know; it would be wrong to allow him in on every aspect of the investigation. I smiled and nodded. "That is great. I want to take a nap anyway," I excused them. "What about Amy Zakharov?" Jake asked, and I knew he was still worried about his daughter. "Go on your date with your new friend, Alpha. You will speak with her supervised when you return," I assured him, and he thanked me. Avery and Linda followed me to my room while Jake and Stephanie left us. "So?" Linda asked again the moment we stepped in. "Alpha Ramsey''s niece is one of them," I told her, and she was shocked. "Anika!! The one he gave away as a trophy?" She asked, and I nodded. It suddenly made sense. He did not orchestrate the attack to get at Leo; he did it to give his niece as a trophy and get her into the Volkov estate easily. Every other thing that happened was a bonus for him. Knowing this meant he did not need Amanda to be in our home. He would have still carried out his n sessfully. cing his daughter in our home was for good measure. The fact that he wasted a lot of lives and wrecked homes just to achieve that showed the kind of person he was. The man did not deserve any form of mercy. 111 I Will Tell It All 111 I Will Tell It All ~Tamia~ Linda and Avery were stunned by my revtion. They, too, had done the math, and I could see their surprise build up to rage. "People died during that attack," Linda said, sounding angry. "I knew Kyle was a douchebag, but what Ramsey did was wrong. He framed him for it, making everyone mistrust the guy, and then he divided the east in the process. I wonder how Kyle got out of the mess. All that waste because he wanted to get Anika into the Volkov estate," she said and then looked at me. "Do you think Amanda is in on it?" She asked me with anger in her eyes. She already hated Amanda. This would make it worse. "I do not know if she was a willing participant," I said, and Avery growled. "Maybe they were hoping Leo would give her as tribute, too, so she would get in," She said, and I shook my head. "I doubt if that would have been her purpose. She was most likely to keep an eye on Leo. It was a good n. They would get Anika into the Volkov estate. Hopefully, she will be in the harem and get some information. While Leo, Max and Kyle would give us as tribute giving Amanda room as head luna of the east. After all, we were the ones that teamed together to unseat Ramsey as the eastern leader, so it would serve as sweet revenge," I said, and Avery growled. "He was a good-for-nothing leader and had caused too many deaths. Someone had to remove him," Linda said because, just like my parents, her parents were killed by the bastard. No one talks of it because our parents were executed as traitors, but we all know the truth. "So you mean this man did all this for revenge and to get Anika into the north?" Avery asked, and I nodded. "They were hoping Sylvester would be like his father. Anika is pretty, and she is a virgin. All she had to do was impress him during their fuck sessions, and she was in. Unfortunately for them, our men are decent, and we came along with the package spoiling their chances, so they had to find another way. They had to be informants and maybe recruit more people within the estate for the cause, like Sofia, Lilly, and others. They would tell us once we were done with them," I said, and Avery sat down because she was sweating. I went to get shorts and a t-shirt from the closet to change. "Bring us something simr. I want to get my hands dirty, and I can''t do it in a dress," Linda said, eager to question the women we caught and Liam''s mother, Amy. I went through my things in the closet and got some new shorts I did not wear for them to choose from. I did the same with the t-shirts and exited the closet, bringing them the clothes. Iid them on the bed and asked them to choose. I began to strip my clothes to change into what I wanted. "What would be his gain in all this?" Linda asked, curious as to why Ramsey would go to this length. She was also right to ask. If revenge was all he wanted, all he had to do was run circles around our exes and have us disgraced and exiled, but somehow I knew ruining us was an extra benefit to his n. Ruining Sylvester was Ramsey''s n, and I knew our parents were murdered for the same reason. He might have restarted the failed take-over in a subtle but more deadly manner. Knowing the western leader that led the uprising back then was dead, I wondered who he was working for now or if he was the original mastermind. They were nning to overthrow the Volkovs. I did not know what Ramsey would have received as payment for his loyalty and diligence. There was no way he would be lord because there were many more prominent people in our world. He had to be under someone else''smand, so he had to have a benefit to be this diligent and meticulous. "There is no way Ramsey would be lord, so he has to have a bigger benefit in this," I said, putting on the shorts. "I guess we will find out. First, we will deal with Amy," Avery said. I nodded. Anika would have to be saved for thest because I needed to know what motivated Ramsey. I also hoped Leo and Devin would help Sylvester. When I finished dressing up, I linked Sylvester. "How is it going?"I asked him. "They are on board," he replied, and I could feel his relief because the mark on my inner thigh tingled. "Long live the king," I linked him back, feeling joy bubble to the surface. "So, did Liam catch anyone?" He asked, and I nodded. "Ramsey''s niece, Anika and a western Luna, Olga," I replied to him, and he was silent. "That is great," he finally responded. "By the way, Leo requested I lock up Amanda; I had them put her in a room because she is pregnant and almost due. I do not know if you would like to question her," He said, and I was shocked that I gasped. Avery and Linda looked at me immediately, worried about my reaction. "Why?" I linked Sylvester back. "Well, let''s just say everything we suspected was true. She imed she was afraid for her life, but Leo won''t have it. I think I will let you talk to him. Will you be up for it?" he asked me, and I did not know how to tell him how I felt. Not wanting him to think I still had feelings for Leo, I responded quickly. "Sure, I will see him tomorrow. Today will be busy. We have three women to question." I said "Amy?" He asked. "Yes, Amy," I replied, and he wished me luck. He also made me promise that I won''t get too excited because of my condition. I let him get to it, and I put on my shirt. "What made you gasp?" Linda asked, and I looked at her. "Leo asked Sylvester to lock Amanda up. She was working for her father," I summed up, and Linda smiled. N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. "Sweet justice. I know Amanda isn''t Reba, but I am gloating now. That bitch deserves everything coming to her," She said, and Averyughed in support. "Once we are done for the day, I will pay her a visit," Avery said, smiling. I honestly did not want to be in Amanda''s shoes at the moment, but she wasn''t my problem. We finished dressing up and headed for the dungeons. Wilson told me he had arrested Anika and Olga, and they had also prepared Amy for questioning, and I thanked him. We got to the cell where we would question Amy, and she was looking confused and tired. "Lady, Volkov," she said to me. Her tone made it seem like there was a mix-up. I pulled a chair and sat in front of her. Her hands were chained to the table, and she was wearing her underwear. I had told them to strip and chain her hand to the table to make her ufortable. Avery and Linda pulled chairs, and I looked at the woman. Liam also looked like her. He had her brows and lips. "Head Luna of the north," I said, and the woman blinked away her crocodile tears. "Do you know why you are here? Do you know why Christian gave you up?" I asked her, and she shook her head, looking very afraid. "Where is your son, Liam?" I asked her and her eyes widened. "He was kidnapped by some terrorists in Gad," she said, quickly reiterating what her husband had told us before he found out the truth. "What about his roommate, ine?" I asked her, and she shook her head. "I do not know. She is an orphan, so we could not track her down," she said, and I sighed. Then looked at her. "I will start from the top again, Luna, and this time, I want you to be honest with me," I told her, and she began to weep. "I have answered your question and told you what I know. If you do not believe me check my email, you will see the email my son''s kidnappers sent to me. I do not know anything about ine. Since my son went missing, she had been missing too. Maybe something has happened to her; I cannot tell. I just pray it is otherwise," She said with tears flowing freely. "Very well, Luna," I said, standing up. "I see you do not want to do things the easy way. I guess we will have to take the hard route," I said and looked at her. "Life is precious, don''t you agree?" I asked her, and she nodded quickly. "If you are honest with me, I won''t kill you, but if you are not, I will have them execute you, and nothing will happen. Your husband has given his consent. I need you to buy your life back with the most useful information you have," I told her, and she frowned at me. "Very well, Amy. Liam is in my custody and has told me many disturbing things, which checked out," I said; fear crept into her eyes, and I saw doom written on her face. "His information was so good that I let him use it to buy his life back. I am offering you the same opportunity," I told her, and she swallowed. "Before you start, I want you to tell me why you got an underage boy involved in this," I said, and her face hardened immediately. It was as if a switch had gone off. Amy did not want to pretend anymore. Which was great. "I see you are being yourself now," Avery said,ughing at the woman, and I studied Amy. "Why did you expose Liam like that?" I asked her, and she looked at me. "Can''t you see Volkov and his officers are sick? Look what they did to your region. They have been doing it for years. All we want is a government that we will have a say in, not tyranny," She said, and I did not want to tell her she is yet to see tyranny. "So you will overthrow a lenient lord to install a false king?" I asked, and putting it the way I did, made her sound stupid. "It is for the greater good," She said with her nose in the air. "So what do you think would have happened to Liam?" I asked her. "He would have be a fine governor of the north," she said, and I shook my head,ughing at her stupidity. "I guess you do not know what happened to your son." I said and looked at her. She still had a look of pride and defiance in her eyes, and I wanted to p her, but what I was about to tell her would hurt her deeply. "Your son wasn''t only observing. ine made him collect a transfer that blew his cover, and they tried to kill him. Even while locked in our dungeon, they have tried using their members working the estate to execute him. I doubt your king nned on sharing his victory with your family. You were just pawns. If you think I am lying, I will have them bring him here to tell you how we saved his life," I said, and tears began to stream down her cheeks. She knew I wasn''t lying; I had no reason to. She felt betrayed. "Those bastards promised nothing would happen to him," She said and began to weep. "What do you expect from terrorists?" I asked her, and she looked at me. "Let me see my son, and I will tell you everything I know. I do not care if I die, but I want you to get Ramsey Richford for helping the king to put a target on my son to cover their track. They were not to make him active," she said, and my heart soared at what she had said. It was apparent that we had found Ramsey''s coffin. Destroying the bastard would be easier than I thought. Amy was angry, but I could not pity her because she endangered her son''s life. No matter how strongly she believed in the cause, hated Volkov, or thought she was helping our world, her duty was first to her family before anything. It was her duty to care for her son and protect him. Exposing Liam the way she did showed she had no business being a mother. 112 Amys Confessions 112 Amy''s Confessions ~Tamia~ Amy seemed angry and broken, but I could not feel sorry for her. She was careless and selfish. Gambling with her son''s life was just stupid. I could not sympathise with her, but I linked Wilson to bring Liam to us just so she would know I wasn''t lying about her son. Avery did not like Amy, and neither did Linda. I could see it in their eyes. Their anger was the same as mine. I was highly disappointed. "I want to know, Amy, why you will use your son in the most despicable manner?" Linda asked her voicing out her contempt towards the stupid luna. "I understand you being adventurous or trying to be a vignte, but involving your son and endangering his life is careless and extreme. You are not fit to be a mother. People like you are a disgrace to motherhood." Linda said, and Amy could not speak. She was silent. I did not feel sorry for her. Her husband had washed his hands off her and told us to do as we pleased. Even if she managed to get out of the mess, she would have no home to go to. She deserved worse than abandonment. Wilson walked Liam in, and he looked well-kept in new clothes. Since the people threatening him had been caught, he had been set free. It was only a few hours of freedom, but it showed. To think I have been busy all day was killing. Sylvester and I had decided to go ruthless this morning, and I was still at it. I was tired, but I needed to finish Amy''s session and get something tangible. The boy looked at me, bowed to pay his respect, and then looked at his mother. There was a sudden rage in his eyes that I knew only the betrayal by a loved one could bring. "Why am I here?" He asked, not wanting to be in the room. "She wanted to see you," I told him calmly, and he shook his head. His eyes were misty. "I do not want to see her," He said, voicing his anger, and Amy sobbed. "Liam.." She cried, and he growled at her. He was an Alpha, after all, so it was expected. "I hate you!" he yelled at his mother with hismand, and I must say, I felt it too. The boy might seem timid, but he was strong. His father must be a strong Alpha too. Hismand made Linda ufortable, and Wilson touched his shoulder to calm down because his mood upset everyone, including me. I tried to be assertive about it and mask the difort, but I felt it too. "You got me involved with those people. You encouraged it. I hate you. They tried to kill me. They set me up and put a target on my back. Moses put a target on my back, and ine ran away. If I hadn''t been arrested, I would have been dead by now!" he yelled at her, and I could see and feel his pain. Amy was weeping, seriously realising now that I did not lie to her and everything I told her was true. "I did not know they would do that. They promised me you won''t be active," she said in tears, looking at her son, and he shook his head. "Why get me involved in the first ce. I started talking to that bitch when I was fourteen, mother. Who exposes their child like that. You helped them manipte me. I thought going to the west was my idea, but it was yours. You exploited my weakness. You knew I wanted friends and used my longing to get me into your gang. I hope they find you guilty and you rot," he told her and wiped away his tears. "Father will lose his position because of you, and we will be in exile. Even if they kill you, we will be exiled. You ruined us," He told her, spelling the truth to her. Sylvester must have told the boy what to expect. Amy could not say anything. "I will make it right, I promise," The woman said, trying to redeem herself in her son''s eyes, but that ship had sailed. "You can''t do shit," he replied to her and looked at me. "I want to leave Luna," he told me, and I nodded, letting him go. His pain had gotten to me, but I had to keep it together. This wasn''t the time to allow my tears to fall freely. I still had people to question once we were done with Amy. I looked at her, and she was still weeping. Longing, looking at the door her son had walked through, he left her alone, and she deserved it. "Your love must be sick and twisted for you to do that to your son," I told her. If they had killed him, it would have been worse. I pulled a chair and sat in front of her. Her eyes were tearing and out of focus. I snapped my fingers to make her focus. She must have escaped into her mind after seeing her son and knowing what he thought of her. I could not feel sorry for her, really. She blinked, and her tears fell. Then she looked at me and bowed to show submission. "I want you to tell me all you know, and I want the truth. If your story does not check out, I will execute you," I told her, reminding her of the cost of her keeping her life. She nodded and looked at me. "I will tell it all." She said with determination and pain in her eyes. I put on my phone recorder to record her words. I hoped to get something good that would lead somewhere. She was the head Luna of the north, so it had to count for something. "I was recruited five years ago. I am part of the northern elite core. My husband doesn''t know, but my duty is to keep an eye on the activities in the north and get close to the influencers. The idea was to cause tiny pockets of trouble, make the people revolt and cause a revolution. They promised me a sit on the council when the king is installed, and my son will be governor of the north. Everyone that they hope will be governor and council member when the king ascends is in the group. Ramsey is the one mobilising us, but he isn''t the king. The king is very shifty, and I don''t know who it is, but I doubt he is young because they are following the same n they used during Lord Maurice''s time. I might be wrong also, but I am just saying." She said and sighed. "I need you to be more detailed," I told her calmly, and she nodded. "Ramsey is our leader. His task is to unite the east and the south so we can get our men into the south through the east and overthrow Devin Corrigan to install our leader there. We thought we had almost seeded with Leo Albert butter found out that our informant, his current Luna, had been deliberately feeding us false information, and Ramsey dered her an enemy two weeks ago. I do not know if they have carried out the order. N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. Once you were taken from the east, she was supposed to report everything Leonardo was doing and his movement so he could be ambushed, killed and reced. She did not know that part, but I guess she figured her father had ill ns for her fated, who happened to also be the man that overthrew him in the past. I do not have the full story, but I believe you know it better than me since that was your life. Of course, some people suggested we just attack the east and Kill him, but the elites know that Albert might be peaceful, but he is deadly. It had to be nned in a way that Maxwell nch and Kyle Nikson would not be able to aid him. They, too, were on the hit list, but our n did not work. We were hoping the attack on the east would force Leo to take the initiative and execute or exile Kyle to reduce his strength in the east. When that didn''t happen, we had to lean on our informant," She said, and I had to interrupt her. "Why all the scheming and hiding in the shadows. This is a lot of tedious mental work. Why not just attack and try to kill everyone? Why scheme against them? That is not a leader''s trait," I said, and she smiled at me. "They do not have an army. A few loyalists here and there, but the numbers aren''t enough to guarantee a win, so this is their best bet," she said. I understood their handicap, which would have been to our advantage if we knew who this king man was. I guess I would just have to be satisfied with ending Ramsey and everyone on our list, hopeful that the king would show up, which I doubt anyway. He did not seem like the irrational type. Not wanting to spoil the confession, I prompted her to continue. "Please continue," I said, and she sighed. "Amanda Richford has not been cooperative. The n was to ce our member Alpha Gabriel as leader of the east. He would, in return, support us against Lord Volkov, putting his position in a precarious situation. Even though we had failed with Leonardo Albert, the infiltration of the south was sessful. I do not know if they have given the order, but Corrigan would soon be no more. We have been able to buy a few people close to him to finish the job. Christian was supposed to champion the petition and make sure Lord Volkov stepped down as Lord. Which will automatically make him head of the council as he is both a Volkov and a Belyaev. Once that happens, the governors and Alphas in the association will sack the council and install our person as the king. The king will then create a new council which Ramsey will head. Every Elite will have a seat there. The king promised that there would be equality and that every pack would be allowed to make their decision and keep most of the revenues to develop theirnds which isn''t what is happening in the current council. The Lord keeps sixty-five per cent as tax to use as he sees fit, " she exined the situation. Besides their greed for being on the council, I saw nothing attractive about the situation. "Tell me the people in the Elite and others," I said. "Ramsey, Gabriel, Gezel Sidorov, Ca Orlov, Kate Bloomberg, Jacob Mikhailov, Jenny Lawrence, who iste now. Niks Sullivan, Glenda Sullivan, some eastern and southern Lunas," she said, and I realised that she would need to write down all their names. "What about Moses and ine. The bastards you entrusted your son too?" I asked her, and she looked worried. "ine is Iris Brighton, and Moses is Alpha Renold''s son, former Leader of the west," she said, and Avery whistled at Iris''s name. I took certain deep breaths. "Did your team instruct that Iris should kill me?" I asked her, remembering the poisoning, and she shook her head. "You weren''t a matter of concern until recently," She said, and I was interested. "Certain things have not gone the way we nned, and your name seems to alwayse up as the reason. You also seem impossible to recruit. Unlike Arya, Maurine and Lin. The three of you were unapproachable, so there has been an order to take you three out, but it was very recent. I also think they nned on doing it publicly with a gun. I am not sure. It wasn''t my department, but I heard it in passing," she said and looked at her chained hands and smiled. It was a painful smile. She wasughing at herself, seeing where all her schemingnded her. In a dungeon in her underwear, chained with silver like amon criminal. How low had she fallen? "Lilly and Sofia were the team leaders of the Volkov Estate. Lilly informed us that she had been caught, and you asked her to work for you, so she had been doing it. Moses asked her to do as you say and report back to us," She said, and I balled up my fist in anger. That bitch never learns. I will make a spectacle of her when I be queen. I couldn''t wait. "Is that all the information you have?" I asked her, and she thought about it before speaking. "They found David Pavlishchev. I do not know if you know who he is, but he is very important in this. They are trying to recruit him. It will be wise if you get to him before they seed. They sound pretty convincing, and soon he will think working against the current order is the right thing, just as they did to me," She said, and I asked her where David was without showing excitement. "He is in Pridewood pack in the south," she said, " He is currently living there with his mate, Lisa and two children. He is a peaceful man living under the alias of Thorn Lucas," she said, and that was a piece of very important information because I knew Sylvester was looking for his half brother. I looked at Amy, realising she was more valuable to us alive than dead, especially now that we were trying to get ahead of the bastards. I needed to put aside my personal feelings towards her and make use of her. "So, do you know their ns in detail so we can counter them?" I asked her, and she nodded. "I know some of it, but now that I have been arrested, they will just change their ns," She said, and a crazy n came to my mind. I knew it would be risky, but we needed to take risks. "How about you be our informant in that society. We have your son, so we know you won''t misbehave. Do you think it is something you can do?" I asked, and Avery eximed, indicating it was a bad idea, but I knew what I was doing. "What about Lily?"Linda asked, and Iughed. "Lilly won''t matter soon. Sylvester and I do not trust her," I said, knowing that Sylvester nned on arresting everyone that was involved. All we have to do is make sure that Amy isn''t arrested. There is no way we can catch everyone, but reducing the amount of field yers would force them to promote the survivors. Amy will be promoted and might get to see the king or the one closest to him. 113 A Genius 113 A Genius ~Tamia~ I knew my idea of using Amy was crazy. It wasn''t as if I trusted her, but we needed people in their ranks. It was a shame that Lilly did not take my kind gesture and chose to continue working against us. I would have spared her, but she had shown me there was nothing worth saving about her. I attached Kappa Wilson to Amy to get all the names of the people she knows in the organisation. He was to submit the names to Sylvester when he was done. We left the questioning room, and I linked Sylvester to find out where he was. I felt a bit tired and knew I needed to rest before drilling Annika and Olga. "Where are you?" I asked Sylvester through the mind link. "Still in the lounge discussing our strategy," he replied. "I am sending you a recording of Amy''s questioning. Make sure Devin and Leo are there because it involves them," I linked him, and he was silent. I wanted to spare him the trouble of recanting whatever he learns to Devin and Leo and move on with it. It was best they heard Amy''s confession so they could understand the severity of the matter. I emailed the voice recording to Sylvester and went to my bedroom. Linda and Avery left me to retire to theirs. I was hungry, and I needed to take a short nap. I shifted the questioning of Olga and Annika to the following day. As eager as I was to arrest Lilly, I did not want the idiot to know that we knew what she was ying at, but I had ordered Kappa Levi to ensure Sofia was in a more secure cell in case some people tried to break her out. The names were disturbing. Glenda''s father and Glenda were on the list. I wondered if Susan was a part of it too. The mention of their names made me want to look into why Susan left because the conversation between Glenda and Stephanie indicated Susan had no choice. It might be nothing, but we needed all the information we could get. Information is a weapon in an intellectual hunt, and this was an intellectual hunt. Iid down on the bed and wondered if Sylvester had received the email and if they were listening. "How did it go?" I heard Stephanie in my head, and it startled me a bit because she was thest person I expected to mind-link me. "Aren''t you on a date?" I asked her. "Tamia, you know why I took him away," she said, and I giggled. "It went well, but I am resting now," I replied. "Anything juicy?" She asked me, and I sighed. "She told us everything. Something like this happened during Maurice''s time," I linked her. N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. "Yes, it did, Tamia, and that was why the guy went tyrant. He caught and ughtered all of them," she told me, and I doubted if that was true since Amy said this king was an old man. "I doubt he caught all of them; Amy said the Kingman isn''t a young person," I said, and I heard a knock on my door. I did not need magic to know it was Stephanie. "It''s open" I linked her, feeling toozy to get off the bed. The person turned the doorknob, and Stephanie walked in, then came towards the bed, staring with concern. "You need to take it easy, Tamia," she said out of concern, and I nodded and smiled. I was trying to rest, but here she was, disturbing me and telling me I needed to take it easy. I kept my thoughts to myself and sat up in bed. I told her all Amy told me, especially about Iris, and she gasped. "Poor Jake, he will be broken by this," She said, feeling sorry for her new friend, and I nodded, knowing that was what would happen. "Why would she allow herself to be used like that? The girl is ungrateful and stupid," Stephanie growled, and I nodded. "He will have to deal with it eventually. Please let me know when they pick that Glenda bitch up," she said with so much rage that Iughed. Learning Glenda was one of them was unsettling. She lived with us, ate, and slept in the same house. It was just upsetting. I did not know how Dominic would take it, but I knew he would not be happy. "Do you think we can trust Amy?" Stephanie asked me, looking concerned. "No, we can''t, but I n on using her regardless, and she seems to want to redeem herself in her son''s eyes, so let''s just see how much she wants to keep her life and redeem herself," I said, and she smiled. "You tried to do the same with Lilly." She pointed out, and I sighed. "That was a different case," I said, ashamed that I had entrusted the wrong person with an important task. I tried to brush it off. Knowing I did not want to discuss Lilly with her, she smiled at me. "I was thinking of what you said about the king guying from Maurice''s time, and I disagree. It is all too easy," she said, and I was attentive. "Sylvester is nothing like his father. Maurice was ruthless. The only reason Ramsey escaped his wrath was that Ramsey could prove his innocence beyond reasonable doubt and plead his case with the council. That was the only time Maurice hated being a lord. If he were a king, he would have executed Ramsey without a trial because he knew Ramsey worked against him. Back to what I was trying to tell you, I do not think this person is a spillover from that time. Maybe he is surrounding himself with some of the survivors of that time, but the mode of operation is so different that it is a new person altogether. He might be young or my age, but it isn''t the same people," she said, and I was surprised at how deeply Stephine was thinking. "Anyway, the good news is Leo and Devin are on board to install Sylvester as king," I said, trying to change the topic because I wanted to rest, and she squealed. "Unfortunately, we might have to keep the two Alphas here because these people have a target on their backs, and we do not want anything to happen to them," I said, and she frowned, not wanting to speak because I was tired and sleepy. I yed the recording of Amy''s questioning for her while I closed my eyes to rest. It wasn''t long after I closed my eyes that I fell asleep. I woke up, and it was dark. Stephanie wasn''t in my room, and Sylvester was sitting next to me with hisputer on hisp. He seemed calm. I managed to sit up gradually, and he looked at me and smiled. "Sorry, I did not want to wake you," He said, closing hisputer, and I smiled at him. "How did they take it?" I asked him about the recording, and he sighed. "Devin did not take it so well. But we have decided we will arrest everyone at the same time in two days, but they will stay in the estate in the meantime," he said. I wasn''tfortable with his words, but I did not say anything so Sylvester would not worry. I didn''t particrly appreciate Devin and Leo being in the estate. I still felt like we had unfinished business, and I did not want to face them yet. Most especially Leo. "Are you okay?" He asked me, and I nodded. "When will you question Amanda?" he asked me, and I had forgotten about herpletely. "I have shifted it all for tomorrow," I said, and he sighed. "What is the matter?" I asked him. "We are supposed to be nning our wedding, Tamia, but look at all this," he said, and I snuggled into his arms. "Do not trouble yourself, darling. I am having fun," I told him, and he gently patted my hair. "Marcel and Theodore suspect Jenny''s son is the culprit," he said, and I looked at him. "We all thought it was David, but now that we have found where he is living and realised he is on their list, it onlyes down to Jenny''s son," He said, and I asked him to borate. "Nomoner would wake up one day with a decision he wants to be king. This person is going after this agenda as if it is his entitlement. Calling himself a king is extreme. If it were amon person, he would have been satisfied with just putting the council in charge but going further to sack the current council and reinstate a new council while he installs himself as king speaks volumes, Tamia. The painful part about all this is how blindly these people follow this man. It is as if they are stupid, Tamia, and I am worried about it. We need to hunt down the guy. Whoever Jenny''s son is, he is still out there, and I bet he is behind all this. I do not think he is an older person. The elderly nature of the culprit might be a deliberate characteristic to throw us off his trail. If anything, the guy is a genius, and we should not give him too much time to recuperate after we have arrested everyone," he said with a strong determination. I knew he was right, but I wasn''t eager to discard the fact that it might be a spillover from Maurice''s time. 114 Let Us Plan This 114 Let Us n This ~Tamia~ I woke up at five in the morning. Although it seemed early, I knew it was because I slept early. I was famished, too, because I skipped dinner. I linked a staff to bring me a sandwich so I could eat something before breakfast. I dreaded breakfast. Knowing Leo and Devin were in the estate made me nervous. How was I going to face them? I didn''t owe Devin anything, so he was the least of my concerns, but Leo was another ball game entirely. I could not bear seeing the hurt in his eyes. I could tell he was hurting, and I could not handle it. I wasn''t in love with him, but we still had ties that bound us. He was my best friend, and we went through a lot together. He kept all the promises he made to me except one. I did not know how I would face him. "What is the matter?" I heard Sylvester''s sleepy voice. I did not know I was pacing the room until he saw me. I looked at him; he was trying to sit in bed. "Nothing, darling, just hungry," I said, and he sighed. "Are you sure that is the problem?" he asked, and I looked at him. He said and focused his gaze on me. He had pity in his eyes. "I know you are avoiding Leo and Devin," he said, and I was busted. I went to sit at the foot of the bed, my nerves all over the ce because I did not want him to think I felt anything for them. "You need to be calm, Tamia. Your hands are shaking. I am not mad," he said and moved to where I was. He wrapped his arms around me and kissed my neck. His scent calmed me down, and I wrapped my arms around him. "Oh, Sylvester," I said, letting my tears fall. The truth was Leo was a situation I did not know how to handle. It was easy to write a letter and truly forget about him. Seeing him was a different ball game. "Oh, green-eyes," Sylvester said, gently stroking my hair. "I know how it feels. It is not easy to break the heart of someone you care about. I know you saw the hope in his eyes and you are avoiding telling him to move on because you think it will crush him," he said, voicing out my real fear, and I held on tighter. Then he pulled away so he could look into my eyes. "It is not your fault. What happened is not your fault. You would have remained loyal and faithful to him. You loved him genuinely and supported him. You kept your promises, but he broke his. He created the problem and lost you. He should have publicly rejected Amanda; none of this would have happened. He didn''t want to let her go. He wanted you to understand. Ramsey only took advantage of an opportunity he created. This is not on you, Tamia. Do not feel guilty for moving on and falling in love again. Do not let his hurt get to you. If you had not come up north, would he have left her for your sake?" he asked me a fundamental and genuine question. Just like that, images of Leo and Amanda shed through my mind. How he took her everywhere and asked me to watch the pack, how I had to share him with her. People mocked me, and there was nothing I could do about it. He broke my heart, both him and his wolf. I thought of it, and I realised that I owed him nothing but friendship. I should not feel sorry for moving on. Kaira and I did nothing wrong. I looked at Sylvester, and he wiped away my tears. "Everything led to you, darling," I said, focusing on the only man that mattered in my life. The one that did not care about my past. The one that loved me through my pain and helped me forget. The one that kept all his promises and is still keeping them. The one thatpletes me. Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. I stared at him and was mad at myself for allowing the past to gue me like this. "I am sorry, darling. I am so sorry," I said, and he ced his index finger on my lips, shutting me up. He kissed me sweetly, and I was lost in his embrace. His tongue probed until my mouth opened so we could taste each other. Taking off my night dress, he moved to my breast and sucked on the nipple. It was hard, and so was the second one. I moaned, forgetting my pain, and heid me down to admire my body. "My Queen," he said to me, making me giggle. I was excited at the route we were finally taking. He bent to kiss my bump, and I felt butterflies in my tummy. His love bite tingled, and Kaira called onto Knight. When Sylvester looked at me, his eyes were utterly dark and beastly. Moving down, he spread my legs to pleasure me, but I wanted him inside me. "Inside," Kaira moaned, feeling impatient, and he groaned, then drove his cock inside and began to pump. We were at it for two hours until we were exhausted. I figured the sandwich I ordered might have come in between the session, but we ignored the knock on the door. After catching our breaths, we got up to get dressed, but the hunger had returned, so I checked the mini fridge, and there was yoghurt in it. I picked the one with strawberries in it and ate six packs. They were too small to satiate me, but I knew it would hold until breakfast. What Sylvester helped me see boosted my confidence, and I wasn''t worried about seeing Leo again. In fact, if anything, I would encourage his rtionship with Amanda, that is, if he still wanted her. She had loved him in her way, and after what Amy said, I knew she wasn''t an enemy, just someone caught in a bad situation. I wasn''t going to get involved with their rtionship, but if the pups are indeed his, then it was wise he tried with her. Raising children in a broken home is wrong, and it was worth the try if they could work out their differences. As for Devin, he was a douchebag that blew his chance. He knew I was his; he knew I was suffering, and he saw it, yet he sent me home. My love and heart wasn''t something he could just put off until he was ready. He chose his alliance with the east over me and should live with it and move on. It was sad that even the coalition that happened was him ying into Ramsey''s trap. Kyle was a fool, and he paid for it dearly. They all paid for their stupidity. I joined Sylvester in the shower after brushing my teeth. He washed my body gently, and we went another round in the shower. I knew what he was doing. He wanted me to have his scent so strongly that Devin and Leo would get the message. It was cute, and I enjoyed the orgasms that came with it. We got dressed and headed to the dining room for breakfast. I had a lot to do that day. Questioning Amanda, Annika and Olga were high on the list. I also wanted to question Lilly about her ''update''. It wasn''t like I wanted her to know that I knew she was a two-timing bitch, but I just wanted to study her bodynguage with the new information I had. We entered the room, and everyone was present. Leo looked at me longingly, and I looked away. "Good morning," I greeted everyone respectfully, and they all replied. Sylvester pulled out my seat for me to sit on. "I was so tired yesterday that I passed out," Avery said, and I smiled at her. "Me too," I said, and Linda giggled. "I ate before sleeping. Could not miss dinner," she said, and Iughed. It was great having them around. They always knew how to light up my mood. "You reek of Volkov," Avery teased via the mind link, and I looked at her. Her eyes widened, realising the reason, and she made a false sad expression. "Poor Leo and Devin," she linked me, and I smiled at her. The food smelled delicious, and I dug in as soon as Sylvester served it on my te. "So, how are we going to move?" Marcel finally asked, breaking the silence. I looked at Jake Brighton, and the look on his face said it all. He must have found out about Iris. "Donald is bringing his sister today. She has been arrested." Jake told us, and I wondered what he was going through right now. "We had no hand in the poisoning, Tamia. Please, spare my son and nephew," he said, and Leo eximed. I saw his hands shake a bit, and I remembered how protective he used to be. Even though they had heard the recording of Amy''s confessions, Amy and I never discussed the poisoning. All I asked was if they had put a target on my back, so it was expected that everyone would be shocked that I was poisoned in Brighton. "You poisoned my wife?" Leo eximed, and he had said the words before he knew it. The whole room went silent. I looked at Sylvester to be sure he was not pissed off, and I felt Knight trying toe to the surface. The alliance was important, so I ced my hand on his thigh. "It was a slip," Leo said to Sylvester apologetically. "She no longer bears my mark. It was a slip. Please ignore," he pleaded, and I rubbed Sylvester''s thighs gently so Knight would calm down. Leo looked at Jake angrily. "I helped your people, and they poisoned Tamia. For what?" He asked, sounding angry. "Iris acted on her own, Leo. Let it go," I told him, and I heard him try to calm himself down. "You mean your daughter poisoned Tamia when she visited?" Devin asked Jake. Devin didn''t find the revtion funny, and the poor Alpha felt he was on the spot. "Please let it go. Jake has helped us so much. As I said, Iris acted alone, and I think it was because she was mad at Sylvester for not choosing her at a ball," I said and nudged Sylvester to make light of the situation. Avery and Linda chuckled, but that was all. No oneughed about it, and we all felt awkward. "Okay, if we are all going to remain on this topic, I might as well get with my duty today," I said, trying to get up, and Sylvester stopped me. "Let us talk about our operation," He said, looking at Marcel, who cleared his throat. His words had alleviated the awkward mood, and everyone was back on the topic. "I have informed my beta and sent him the list for the people in the south. They will be arrested and ced in the dungeons tomorrow night," Devin said, and Sylvester nodded. "Kyle and Max are on it, and boy, are they pissed. I sent Casper the list; he is working with them to round the people up. The only issue we have is that most of them are in the north at the games, so we have to move in on them here," Leo said. I knew Max and Kyle would be his best bet. They were the only people he could trust to have his back. However sick they were, they were useful. "Very well, we will work together and round them up," Sylvester said. "I think we should lead this charge ourselves. All the western, northern, eastern, and some of the southern names are in Lund. Theodore would make the council prison avable. The operation will take ce tomorrow night. We have to do it when they are sleeping to avoid fighting," Sylvester said, and everyone agreed. "The council?" Marcel said, and Devin smirked. "We are installing a king, Marcel; they wouldn''t count. Once me, Leo, you, Theodore and Christain agree, there is nothing the council can do but ept it." Devin told Marcel. "What about Vino Lawrence? This will weaken his power." Linda asked, and Leo shrugged. "The Lawrences aren''t originally from the north. They were bumped up to noble status by thest king. Vino''s feelings and opinions do not count. In fact, he should be happy he isn''t going into exile because histe aunt is on that list," Leo retorted, and Theodore shook his head. "She is on the list, but Jenny upied the Babanin''s seat. Whatever she does would reflect on the Babanins and not the Lawrences." Theodore said, and Sylvester cleared their throat. "Once I be king, I am scrapping thatw. Only the culprit should be punished. We have already learned that no one has the capacity to control the actions of every member of their family. It is wrong to hold an entire family ountable for the blunder of a member," he said, and Devin smiled. "Well, you have to, Volkov, or else Marcel and Theodore will be in deep shit because of Gezel and Ca. I just do not know what those women were thinking. Why would they want a seat on the council? They were royalty already. Just stupid." Devin said, and we all agreed with him. Some of us evenughed because he was right about Sylvester not having a choice but to toss thew. It was really stupid of Gezel and Ca to get involved in this mess. Avery, Linda and I were the first to leave the dining room. I did not want to speak with Leo yet, so keeping busy will be the best option. I wanted to speak with Amanda before I talked to him. While we walked down the hallway, Leo called out to me, and I froze in my tracks. I guess getting away from him would not be possible. 115 Lets Talk About It 115 Let''s Talk About It ~Tamia~ I took a deep breath and turned around to see Leo approaching. Avery chuckled, knowing I had been avoiding Leo. "We faced ours. It is time for you to face yours," Linda said,ughing at me, and before I responded, she and Avery walked away giggling. They were just naughty. "Hey," Leo said softly when he approached me. "Hey," I replied, and he sighed. "Do you mind us talking in the lounge? I promise I won''t take too much of your time," He said, and I looked at him. There was a time he did not need permission to talk to me at all. Everything had changed, and my heart had left him behind. "Sure," I said and led him to Sylvester''s lounge. "Sylvester said we can be friends," He said while we walked, and I frowned and looked at Leo. "He did?" I asked, and he nodded. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. "Yes. He said we had a history together, and he did not want to erase that. Moreover, he trusts you," he said, and I smiled, knowing that Sylvester could say something like that. We entered the lounge and went to sit on the couch. Leo sat on the couch next to mine so he was close. There was an awkward silence between us, and he broke it with a sigh. "Tamia," he said, his voice shaking and broken. "I am sorry," He apologised, and I shook my head, wanting to stop him, but he covered my mouth with his palm gently, and I looked into his eyes. They were pleading with me to let him speak, so I rxed, and he withdrew his hand gently. "I fucked up. I had just one thing to do, and I fucked up," he said with misty eyes. "I threw everything we had away on that Balcony that day. I should have remained by your side, and I should have let her go, but I was weak and stupid. I guess deep down, I thought you would always be with me. I thought you would stay with me no matter what. I thought I could handle it. My twisted mind thought it would be okay. The hurt in your eyes when I told you she was pregnant let me know I failed. I threw it all away. Love, life and peace. I threw it all away. We have been together for so long. You are all that I have ever known, and I threw it away. You were there before my wolf. You were there when I was a nobody, and the mountain was a small pack in the east. You were there. All my happy memories are with you. I did everything with you. You were my strength and my wisdom, and I threw it all away," He said, and his tears began to fall freely. "I cry every day. I have cried so much more this year than I did in my entire life, yet the tears are not enough, and the pain is still raw. When Sylvester rejected Susan, I was relieved and ashamed at the same time. Relieved that you would not go through the same pain twice, ashamed because I had failed the test." He said and held my hand. "My heart still beats for you, Tamia, and there is nothing I can do about it. I love you. I know I shouldn''t feel that way anymore, but I can''t stop loving you. What happened to us isn''t your fault or Amanda''s fault. It was mine. All I had to do was reject her and love you, but I wanted to keep it all. I was greedy and mean. I was cruel towards you. I may not have beat or disgraced you like Max and Kyle did to Avery and Linda, but I made you share. I slept with her in the very house we bought together. I left our room and went to hers to please my wolf. What I did was despicable, and I deserved to lose you," she said and wiped away his tears. "Sylvester is a great guy, and I am happy you ended up with him. I was scared he would put you in his harem, but he did the right thing by you and loved you beyond my capacity," he said, and I rxed a bit. "I want you to know that I support your love, and you have my blessing," he said, and tears streamed down my face because I knew he was speaking from his heart. However painful it may be to him. He was speaking from his heart. His wolf shed, and Kaira acknowledged him. There was a time we bore each other''s marks and loved each other. It was only fair that we acknowledge our wolves. "I want to be your friend Tamia. I did not want to lose youpletely. I have learned to love you from a distance and ept my life. Please do not take away your friendship. I will never betray you gain. I will always have your back, and I will never try to make things hard for you, Tamia. Please. I want you to know that I bless your uing marriage, and I wish you and Sylvester the best life has to offer. Do not shut me out," he said, pleading with me with his eyes, and I wrapped my arms around him and cried. My heart was d and broken at the same time. Leo slowly wrapped his arms around my waist, and I felt him breathe in my scent. He was letting go. My hug lingered, and I soon broke it. It was time for me to talk to him about Amanda. I wasn''t going to force it, but I needed to tell him what I thought. "Leo," I said, and he was attentive. "Amanda," I said, and he became angry and shook his head. "Please hear me out," I said, and he tried topose himself. "Maybe you two can start over," I said, and he disagreed. "She never really helped them. She fed them lies until her father dered her wanted. As sick as she was, she loved you and fought dirty. I agree she shouldn''t have lied to you, but you must understand where she came from. With a father like that, she would do anything to survive and get away." I said, and I knew my words were falling on deaf ears. "All I am asking is that you try again with her. With Ramsey out of the picture. Try again with her. I have forgiven her. Sylvester and I are fated, so I believe all this was meant to happen. You were meant to find her, and I was meant to find Sylvester. The events were ugly and painful, but I am happy where I am. If there was anything I knew while we all lived together, it was that she loved you in her own way. I am saying you give it a chance for the sake of your children," I said, and his eyes softened. "I am going to get the babies tested. There is no way she will trap me like Reba did to Kyle," he said, and I nodded. "That is alright. Test the babies, but if they turn out to be yours, I will implore you to try. She risked her life for you," I said, and he shook his head. "She should have told me the truth," He argued, and I disagreed, knowing Leo would have been impossible for her to approach. "I know you, Leo. When you are unhappy, you are difficult to speak with. I am sure you ignored her most of the time. Amanda might have been trying to survive while she held on to you. I am saying you should start afresh with her. I have forgiven you, and I have forgiven her. I think both of you should forgive yourselves and move on. Her father is looking for her to kill because of you, do not crucify her," I said, knowing my words did not get through to him. I had tried and hoped that Leo would see the light and try with his mate when everything was settled. Since Sylvester and I had been fated, the feeling had been different. I did not want him to lose that. We discussed Kyle and Max andughed about the two idiots a bit. I had a ss of milk while he drank juice. It was like the old times when we were younger, and love had notplicated our lives. I saw some light in his eyes. It was as if some weight had been lifted. I prayed for all our sakes that the operation we nned on carrying out worked, and this king guy surfaced so we could deal with him. I left Leo and headed towards the Harem quarters to talk to Lilly. I could not wait to hear her lie through her teeth. Once she was done lying to me, I would have her locked up and thrown in the dungeon under the worst circumstances. I wasn''t going to have mercy on her. As for Annika and Olga, they were going to suffer at my hands. I linked Kappa Wilson to be ready. I nned on applying some torture where Lilly was concerned. I wasn''t prepared to see Amanda yet. I nned to save her forst. I doubted with all that happened, Amanda would lie to me. I also doubted Leo would give her a chance. It wasn''t my business, really. She blew her chances when she did not trust Leo enough to tell him the truth. 116 I think She Is Thirsty 116 I think She Is Thirsty ~Tamia~ I walked into Lilly''s room and found her lying on the bed. She sat up immediately, and her roommate left the room to excuse us. "How are you, Lilly?" I asked her pretending as if I did not know she was a two-timing bitch. "Luna," She said. I drew a chair close and sat in front of her. "Why are you lying here?" I asked her, and she shrugged. "There isn''t much to do today," She said, and I raised my eyebrow. "Shouldn''t you be at the Arena in Lund? Are you not supposed to help me get intel on Gezel and the others?" I said to her, and she nodded her head. "Gezel isn''ting to the Arena today, so I stayed indoors," She exined, and I smiled. "Do you know what they used the seals you gave them for?" I asked, and he shook her head. "Do you have anything tangible to tell me?" I asked, and she shook her head. I sighed, letting her know I was pissed. "We had a deal, Lilly. To keep your life and freedom, you must report everything about the uprising. So far, I haven''t gotten anything from you, and you are making me wonder about your loyalty." I said, and she bowed her head. "I am trying, Luna, but they are all closed off. All of them are silent about their ns. I think they suspect I am no longer with them," She said, and I sighed. "And why would they think that?" I asked her, and she did not know how to respond. "Something about you arresting people," She said, and I realised she was trying to get information from me. Yesterday''s line-up must have spooked her, and she wanted to know what we were up to. I had given her a chance, and she had fooled me once, not again. "Did I arrest anyone?" I asked her, and she shook her head. Olga and Annika''s arrests were secretly made, so we do not alert everyone working against us in the estate. "So I guess you are not useful to us then," I said, and her eyes widened. "Your main purpose was to bring me information, but you have failed woefully," I said and linked Wilson toe and arrest her. "Luna, I tried, but," She started and stopped when she saw Wilson enter the room. Her eyes showed she knew what I was doing. "You promised, Luna Tamia. You promised," She said, tears streaming down her cheeks, but I was numb to her pain. There was a time when I believed she was misguided and needed a little faith, but I was wrong. She was evil to her core. "The price has to be right, Lilly. The price was clear, and you were not willing to pay. It was information for your freedom, and you promised to do your best, but you haven''t done your best," I said, and she shook her head while Wison mped silver on her wrist. "I gave you Gezel and Sofia. I gave you the people I was dealing with directly. I was forting," She said, weeping profusely while Wilson dragged her away. I followed behind because I had yet to start with her. I would have a lot of fun getting information from the two-timing bitch. "You promised, Tamia. You promised!" she said, and I shook my head. N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. "But you did not keep your side of the bargain. I wanted useful information frequently. Instead of being out there and gathering information for me, you were busy lying on your bed, iming you had done your best. You bloody ingrate," I said and she began to wail, but Wison mped his hand on my mouth to silence her. "Avery, Linda, meet me in the room prepared for Lilly''s questioning. Ensure you bring me juice, a sandwich, and your special mix for Lilly. It will be a long day." I said, and I knew they got the message. Wilson did not release her mouth until we were in the dungeon hallway, where only prisoners could hear her. Her tears were falling, and there was fear in her eyes. "You are evil, Tamia. I hope Sylvester knows what he is getting into. You are a monster," she said, crying, and I realised she had dropped the pretence. "You went about telling people you were closest to his heart, implying he was screwing you; well, I have a problem with that," I said, and she sobbed. "We were screwing, Tamia. I cannot lie about something like that. I just could not own up to it since he wanted to deny it because he is lord. I had to let it be. You aren''t the first woman he would ask to marry him, Tamia, do not let him deceive you. This is what he is good at; using women and dumping them," She said, and I could see that she believed her lies. "I believe we aren''t talking about the same man Lilly and if we are, then know that I did not care," I said, knowing that was the best way to shut her up. "Tamia, please," She said, and Wilson took her into the room. "String her up," I told Wilson, and he looked at me with fear in his eyes. "Do you need me to repeat myself, Kappa!" I told the guy, and he shook his head. I guess the punch Theodore gave him on my ount when they first brought me to the north had tamed him. He moved quickly, and I watched him tie her hands up to the bar that was hanging from the ceiling. "Put a stool under her feet to support her weight," I said with rage in my eyes, and Lilly cried. "You didn''t do this to Sofia. Just lock me up, please," She pleaded with me, and Iughed. "Do you know what betrayal looks like?" I asked her, and she cried. "I have repented and given them up. Why are you doing this? I admitted that what I did was wrong and changed my ways, only doing what you asked me to, please, Tamia. I am sorry for not going to the Arena. I am sorry that I have not gotten new information yet. I will try harder. I would do my best." She said without answering my question. Just then, Linda and Avery walked in, and there was a nightmare in Lilly''s eyes. She was scared of my friends but little did she know I was the one she should be afraid of this time. I was the one that would punish her. Linda handed me a bottle of orange juice, and I took a sip. "Did youe with water?" I asked, and Averyughed, knowing exactly what I meant by ''water''. "We did, even though you did not request it; we were able to create water for Lily on short notice," Avery said. Someone opened the door, bringing in two buckets of water. "I think Lilly is thirsty," I said, and just like that, some water was poured on Lilly, and she screamed because it wasn''t water. Silver dust was mixed in it. It was a special mix of Avery''s. We used a lot of silver dust to fight in the east. As the person keeping the arsenal, Avery knew what we needed and always ensured it was avable. We nned on dealing with the traitor''s eastern style. "I will ask you a question, and if you answer well, I will wash off the silver. Am I clear?" I asked, and Lilly screamed yes. I could see Wilson''s shock. "What does betrayal look like, Lily!" I asked her, angry and mad. "I don''t know, Luna, I swear I don''t know,'' She said, crying and screaming. I epted the answer. ''It looks like you," I said and nodded for them to wash the silver off so she could calm down. Wison attached the hose to the faucet in the room and used the water to wash Lilly''s body. The water was much that her feet were slippery, and she tried not to fall off the stool; she managed to bnce herself with a lot of effort. " I tried to do it the easy way. Lilly. I tried to redeem you. I tried to save your life. I told my mate you were misguided and we should give you a chance. I stuck my neck out for you. Everyone warned me not to trust you, but I said I wanted to give you the benefit of the doubt and that I was sure you would help me out. I was sure you would give me the information I need, but you disappointed me, Lilly, and proved me wrong," I said, and she shook her head. "Now answer me this," I said. "Did you or did you not tip Gezel off about your arrest and our deal?" I asked, and she shook her head. "I think she is thirsty,'' I said, and Lilly began to scream out of fear. "I did! I did! I told her everything. Please don''t pour that water on me!'' she said, wailing. The burn of the first session was still on her skin because of the silver that was used to bind her. The longer it took to heal, the more likely she would develop scars when it healed. "Why did you betray me, Lilly? You gave our enemies information and still had the effrontery to stay here; why?" I asked her as she looked at me. "I wanted to be someone, and they promised me that. They said they had people on the council and they would elevate my status. I do not want to be a trophy anymore...." She said, and I shut her up. "Bathe her," I said because she was still lying. She wasn''t a trophy. She did note to the Volkov estate like the rest of us. She was sent so Sylvester would consider matting with her. Her father sent her for the sake of having an alliance. She screamed for a while before they washed it off. "Every time you lie about something, and I know it, I will wash you with silver". I told her. "I do not care why you did it, Lilly; I want information now. What did they do with the seals you took?" I asked her. I already knew what they did with it, but I wanted to be sure that she understood my message and would tell the truth because I figured she was the type that needed motivation before she could speak the truth. It was pathetic, but she was a liar. "They used it to create attack ordered in the south. It was sent to the council to approve so the north could deploy troops to the south to cause a problem between the two regions," she said, voicing the truth for the first time. "Now, was that difficult ?" I asked her, and she shook, still sobbing. "What is their next move," I asked her, and she looked at me as if she were scared. "If you do not tell me, Lilly, I will force it out of you, and it is painful", I assured her. "They are nning to do something to Lady Volkov. Something about hermitting a crime. I did not have the full details, but they n to arrest her after the games to force Lord Volkov to step down," She said, and Iposed myself. "After that, what next?" I asked, and she shrugged. "Do you happen to know what they have against her?" I asked, and she nodded. "Jenny Lawrence''s confession that she sent to the council. She said it would be sent and yed for the council if anything happened to her. ording to them, Lady Volkov has been trying to kill Jenny because Jenny knows her secret," Lilly said, and I knew where they were driving. "And, what is that?" I asked, and she was afraid to say it. "Say it!" I yelled at her, already knowing what it was, but I wanted to discredit it and make it seem like propaganda. "They said she was the one that gave up lord Maurice''s cover and had him killed so her son could be lord because Lord Maurice wanted his other son to be lord instead of Volkov," she said, and I shook my head. I was secretly worried that that was why they were looking for David, but I kept it to myself. "How many more lies would these people peddle. This woman has buried her mate, and they want to use his death against her. Do they have proof of this allegation other than Jenny''s confession?" I asked, wanting to know what we were up against, and she shook her head. "Not that I know of Luna. I am just an underdog." She said, and I knew she wasn''t lying. I walked up to her and looked at her body. "You had a bright future, Lilly. Sadly, you dared to throw it all away for nothing. I tried to make it easy for you and give you your life back, but you threw my kindness back at me," I said and looked at Wison. "Lock her up in the dark cells. She would be tried for treason with the maximum penalty," I said, and she began to cry and pleaded, knowing she would be found guilty. "You have proven you can''t be reformed, Lilly. I can''t have you roaming about the ce creating troubles for my husband and me," I exined my reason to her and walked out of the room. I was done with her. She cried and called after me, but her pleas fell on deaf ears. She deserved pain. Waking up every day knowing she would be sentenced soon would torture her. I might not push for the death penalty, but it wasn''t my decision. I instructed Wison on what to do. They had already prepared the second questing room for Annika and Olga; I nned on questioning them and then visiting Amanda. 117 Willing To Speak 117 Willing To Speak ~Tamia~ I could feel Linda and Avery''s excitement while we walked. "I can''t believe you went ruthless on Lilly," Linda said excitedly. "That bitch had iting from the moment we met her in the general banquet hall for breakfast. She was so full of herself, trying to control all the women with her lies and nonsense. Honestly, she had iting, and I must say, you went a bit too easy on her, Tamia," Avery said, and I giggled. "What is all that about Stephanie? They are trying to pin a lot of shit on the woman. These people would stop at nothing. Jenny is a member of the organisation and disqualifies anything she has to say. As far as we are concerned, it might have been herst card should all fail," Linda said, and I stopped and hugged Linda. She had just made aplex issue easy. We did not have to do anything. The fact that Jenny was part of them already disqualified whatever she tried to use Stephanie of. I felt terrible that my friends did not know about what Stephanie did. Sylvester and I had kept it between us so we could keep it secret. I was d that Linda''s ignorance about the issue had allowed her to find a solution. "What''s with you, Tamia?" Linda said, wiping the cheek I kissed. "You solved a major issue because I know they would want to use it," I said, and Averyughed. "Sylvester will be king by then. Good luck with antagonising the king," Avery said, and we chuckled. "We got to the door of the room they kept, Olga and Annika, and I was about to step in when Avery stopped me. "I know Annika is personal, but you can''t have all the fun. We are lunas, too; we will bedies when you are queen. We deserve to have some fun with these women, Tamia. Come on," Avery pleaded, and I giggled. "Trust me; we increased the silver concentration in the water for these two. I want to watch them suffer. The thought that they threatened that poor boy makes me want to give them pain," Linda said, and I opened the door and walked in. Annika and Olga were chained against the wall, naked. "Who requested that they be kept like this?" I asked, wondering what was happening. "I did.'' I wanted to treat every inch of their bodies," Avery said, and I realised it was just the three of us. "There was a silver whip on the table, and I doubted we would need to exert the energy when there were buckets of Avery''s unique mix. We picked up the rubber gloves and wore them to protect our hands. While we picked up the bowls, we would take the water and ssh it on their bodies. I knew we would have fun. "How is it going, darling," I heard Sylvester''s voice in my head, and I told him we were having a wonderful time. He told me David was almost at the mansion, wished me luck, and we ended the conversation. I knew they were nning the massive arrest for tomorrow night, but I did not ask him any questions even though I was nervous about meeting his brother and eager to see what he looked like and know why he stayed away. I just had so many questions I might not get to ask in one day. "Annika Richford," I said, and she growled at me. "Some attitude you have there," I said and looked at Olga, who was crying. I guess Annika was the leader. "So what do you have for me, Annika?" I said, and she spat in my direction. I did not have the time to fight her. "I think she is thirsty," I said and being from the east, she knew exactly what it meant. Her eyes opened, but it was toote. I took some water and sshed it on her body. She screamed, and I heard the sizzling sound of the silver searing her skin. That was definitely leaving a scar on her skin. "I do not have a lot of time, Annika. I would like to put my legs up and sleep. Avery and Linda would ask you questions, and you are to answer to the best of your ability with the truth or else we will continue to quench your thirst until you can take no more," I said and went to sit. Avery moved forward to Annika, while Linda moved to Olga. I watched my friends torture these women for over an hour without asking questions. It got to the point that Annika was pleading with me to interfere, but I had promised to give them free rein. Soon they finished; I connected the hose to the tap in the room so I could wash their bodies with it. "Annika was panting heavily by the time I finished cleaning her skin. "My uncle sent me here," She started speaking without being prompted. " That was the only way I could earn my keep. Amanda wasn''t cooperative, so he sent me here," she said. I had tomend Avery for her skills in torture. The girl must have dreaded Avery working on her again, and she felt her best bet was to tell it all. "I was toe here and recruit people in the estate to work for him. My Uncle nned it all. He caused a few attacks in Brent to frighten Alpha Kyle. Then he visited immediately after the attack so Alpha Leo would not find out. He nted it in Alpha Kyle''s head to team up with Devin Corrigan. Since Kyle and Leo were close, Leo signed off on the alliance. He used that opportunity to create trouble that forced Lord Volkov to attack. That was the opportunity he needed to give me off as tribute and get rid of the three of you so that Amanda could run things in the east. Still, My cousin is stubborn, and she did not do what he wanted. This thing is bigger than all of us, and the people are powerful. I am just taking orders from my Uncle," she said, and I figured we knew everything she would tell us. "You have nothing useful to tell us, Like who the king is?" Linda asked her, and she shook her head. "We do not know who the King is, but I can give you the names of the council members in exchange for a lesser punishment," Annika said, negotiating for herself. "Me, too," Olga said, and I was surprised at how quickly these women gave up. "What was your gain in all this," I asked them, and Annika bowed her head. "I had no choice, Luna. My parents are dead, and I depend on my Uncle. I had to do as he said, or I will be alone." Annika confessed, and her reason was usible. "What about you, Olga," Linda asked. "I just wanted revenge for my mate," she said, and I realised they would not gain anything from this. "Very well, I will give you all softer penalties if you can tell me the council members in this thing and prove it," I said, and Avery looked at me. "I do not care about people outside the council. I need to know the council members that are part of the organisation," I said and looked at Annika. "You seem to be close enough to your Uncle to know he associates. I need you to give me names," I said, and she nodded quickly, eager to please and sell her bully uncle to save her life. "They used to visit us secretly. The activities started three years ago," she said "I do not know their names, but if you can call it out, I could remember the sound from memory," Annika said, and I pulled out my phone because they were nine council members, and I did not know all their names by heart. "Vino Lawrence?" I asked, and she shook her head. "Larry McMillian?" I asked, and she shook her head, so I called a known member''s name to see if she was lying to me. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. "Jacob Ma..." I started, and she nodded before I could finish the sentence which meant she was being truthful. "Joan yman?" I asked, and she shook her head. "Pam Rivers?" I asked, and she shook her head. I felt a tinge of disappointment because I wanted that bitch to be guilty. I still thought she was. Maybe Annika did not know all their names. "Lucas Vanhill," I asked the quietest person on the council, and she shook her head. "Gaston Wayat," I said, and she frowned a bit and nodded. "Neil Peakman," She said quickly, which was the next name I would call. "I remember him, Neil Peakman," She said. "Uncle said he is reticent in the council and makes no sound, but he passes all the orders before the council leader signs them. He was the one who connived with Jenny Lawrence to murder Louis Lawrence, head of the council, Vino''s father. I think they hate Vino Lawrence too. He might be on their hit list," She said and sighed. Though the information was fragmented, I nned to piece it together. "I will give you the password to myputer and email so you can piece together the information on your own, Luna. Please, I want to reduce the sentence for my cooperation." She said quickly. "Not yet, until your information checks out," Avery said, and Annika agreed. Her confidence let Tamia know she wasn''t lying, but they would still crosscheck to be sure. "It will check out alright. I am not a liar like that, Lilly girl. You know she doubled-crossed you, right? She told them you were on to them, so they changed strategy," Annika said, and I realised she wanted to cooperate. I doubted it had anything to do with reduced sentencing. She wanted her Uncle to get caught. "It seems to me you want us to catch your uncle," I told her, and she bowed her head. "I am tired of the man, Luna. Locking me up in a cell for the rest of my life will be freedompared to this. I am tired of everything, and I doubt what they are peddling is what they are nning," she said, and Olga eximed and asked her what she meant about that. Annika began tough. "They im every pack will be free yet want to install a King. Do the math, Olga, and stop being dumb." She said and chuckled. The girl was mentally unstable, and I felt genuinely sorry for her. Realising there was nothing more to learn from them. Avery, Linda, and I left them and returned to my wing. I nned on resting before I visited Amanda. I told the additional names to Sylvester, and I could feel his shock. The council members that were mentioned came as a shocker to him, but the baffling part of all this was that we were still yet to get the name of this king. It would have been nice to pick the king up along with the others tomorrow night, but as things were looking, we would just have to go after the names we had and hope that the king and the rest would rear their heads. 118 Waiting for David 118 Waiting for David ~Tamia~ Avery, Linda and I decided to kick back before seeing Amanda. I was happy about how fast we were moving. First, we did not have people to deal with, and now we had a list. However, I would have been happier if the king had been on that list. It would mean our troubles would end, but it was better than nothing. I wondered what Sylvester was still doing, but I did not want to disturb him. The operation they were nning was very tedious, and I knew it would need a lot of care. Paying attention to detail and being meticulous about it would ensure sess. "I really think Lilly got off easy," Avery said, and Linda giggled. "There is nothing worse than mental torture. Tamia sent her to the dark dungeon to await the trial. Who said she would have her day in court ever?" Linda said, and we allughed. There was nothing worse than not being able to plead your case. Death would be an easy escape for the bitch. She did not strike me as someone that wanted to live. If she wanted to live, she would have taken the gift of life given to her and made the most of it, but she decided that she would throw it all away for nothing. I do not know how her mind functions, but the girl is very stupid. "I will need you to receive David and his family on my behalf when they arrive. We are still nning, and our ns have hit some challenges. Do you think you are up for it, Green-eyes?" Sylvester teased me, and I sighed. "I need some stress-relieving activity to be up for it," I teased him. Giddy about what we have been able to achieve so far. "Meet me in my office," he said, closing the link. I was shocked; I actually meant that as a joke. I did not think he would take it seriously. The way he said it was mind-blowing, and my walls began to clench just thinking of what he would do to me in there. Linda and Avery were speaking, and I wasn''t listening. I stood up immediately. "Excuse me,dies. Sylvester sent for me," I said, not wanting them to know what I was going to do. "Okay, we will wait for you here," Linda said, and I felt a tinge of guilt. I left the lounge and walked briskly down the hallway. Sylvester was so spontaneous that I liked it. I hoped I wouldn''te immediately because of how I was feeling. My body temperature had gone up a bit. Excitement wasn''t good, especially when there was a task toplete. It always gets in the way. I reached the office door and took a deep breath before stepping in. Sylvester was sitting on the couch with his shirt open, and I could see the lust in his eyes. "Lock the door," He ordered me, and I obeyed. "Stress relieving activity, you say," he said, and I felt my cheek colour. I didn''t know why I felt shy, but he had brought that out of me. "Strip", he ordered me, and I took off my clothes without argument. I was very wet too. I felt it when I rolled down my panties. My body was anticipating his touch. It had been a long day, and I needed it. Sylvester asked me to kneel across hisp on the couch with my butt in the air. His thumb caressed my entrance. "Wet," he said, and I wanted him to stick it in. Grinding my pussy against his hand, he smacked my entrance, and I moaned. "You are too greedy, green-eyes," he said, and I did not care; Kaira was growling; his wolf scent filled my senses, and I wanted to mate badly. He smacked my entrance again, and I moaned. I became wild, wanting him to prate. "Sylvester," I moaned, grinding impatiently. Wanting the release badly and wanted to ease my wall. He made me get up, and then he made me sit on the couch and open my legs for him. His eyes were dark when he knelt before me and rubbed my clit with his thumb. He put his thumb in his mouth to taste me, and Knight shed. The sight was so erotic that I moaned. The breath that escaped my lips was hot, and I was thirsty. He rubbed my clit with his thumb and teased my entrance with his index finger. "Sylvester, please," I said, unable to bear the teasing anymore. He groaned and then bent to do his work. Just as I suspected. It did notst at all. It wasn''t long he began to suck on the nerve bundle that I came. He smacked my clit foring too soon, but the sensation was sweet. I turned around and knelt on the couch while he rammed into me from behind and began to pump. My walls went wild, and I could not control the intensity of the sensation I was feeling. I was making a lot of sounds, and I did not care if anyone could hear me. I loved it so much. "Sylvester," I moaned, and he continued to pump. He had no mercy on me. I cried for mercy, and he increased his thrust and speed. I crashed all over his cock. He pumped right through the orgasm, building up another one and sustaining it until I felt pins on my skin. It was a good type of pin. I believe my hair was standing. I was cold and hot. I did not know how to describe the orgasm, but it was wild, with a ringing in my ear that faded everything out. "Yes, yes," I moaned, agreeing with what he was doing and how he was doing it. Pumping and hitting the right spot. I crashed again, and he stilled and buried his cock deep inside before releasing it into me. I was out of breath by the time he pulled out. He caressed my butt cheek and kissed the right side gently. Then I turned to look at him. He had a smile on his face. "Are you still stressed?" He asked me, and I shook my head. We bothughed. I got up and began to wear my clothes. "How did it go with Lilly and those two?" Sylvester asked me, and I told him all that had happened. He was stunned at how ruthlessly we dealt with the girls. "And they call me the dark one," he said,ughing. "You should be called the Dark Luna. You and your friends. Goddess, that was something else," he said, and Iughed. "Never have I ever thought of bathing a wolf with silver. Their skin is marred for life," he said, and I shrugged. "They should be lucky if they get to ever show it again. Treason is a huge offence," I told him, and he sighed. "I actually saw Lilly as a younger sister. To think she could be so wicked like this breaks my heart. I feel like my kindness has been thrown back at me, Tamia," He said, and I went to hold him. He was sitting on the couch, and I stood before him and hugged him; with his head against my belly, I ran my fingers through his hair to calm him down. "It will be alright, darling. We are on the right track." I said, trying to calm him down. He held on tightly and kissed my tiny bump. "It will be alright. Once we arrest them, you will be king, and we can have our wedding. No one can work against us again," I said, and he held on tight, squeezing me. I could feel his anxiety and fear. Although our love-making session had given us temporary ease, I could feel his building up again. "Darling," I said, and he looked at me. "It will be best we receive David together. I know you are nervous about seeing him, and I am sure he feels the same way. He will be at ease and feel more weed if he sees us instead of just me," I told him, and he sighed. I knew he was avoiding seeing David, and I could not me him. This was someone he did not know existed. Seeing David makes everything real, and he must deal with it. "Okay," he said reluctantly, and I sat beside him on the couch and rested my head on his shoulders. N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. "We will be alright, darling. I am sure of it. You will have nothing to worry about," I told him, and he held me close. I linked Avery and Linda to inform them where I was and let them know Sylvester and I had decided to wait for David to arrive. Avery and Linda decided to retire to Linda''s room. They said they would ask Katya to join them, so she does not feel alone. I told them it was alright and closed the link. Sylvester and I decided to freshen up and wait for David to arrive. We returned to our bedroom and showered together theny on the bed naked in each other''s arms. The clothes that we would wear were ready. We just wanted to be nude on the bed for a bit. It wasn''t long after weid down that I drifted to sleep. Sylvester woke me, and I noticed I had been asleep for two hours. He was dressing up, and I realised that David must have arrived. "They are here. They are in my lounge." Sylvester said, and I became nervous. "Dominic will be joining us too," He said, and I did not think it was wise that I would be there. "I do not think I shoulde with you, darling. I think the three of you should get acquainted," I said, and he smiled at me. "Nice try, Green-eyes. I need you to help with his wife and children. He came with two girls and a boy, and they seem to be triplets, ording to Kappa William," he said, and I was surprised. David was older than Sylvester, so he should be in his thirties. "That is beautiful," I said and got up. "What wing will they be staying in?" I asked him, and he shrugged. "Put them in our wing. Two rooms, one for the triplets, one for the couple," he said, and I shook my head. "We need three rooms. The boy should have his own room while the girls can share a room." I told him, and he nodded. "I will give David and his wife my former room and allocate two smaller rooms to the children," I said, and he smiled at me. The look in his eyes said he was doing the same as I was. Reminiscing about our time in that room. The awkward situations, Kaira''s tantrums and the northern cocktail episode. It all led to this. I got dressed, and we headed out. I did not know what to expect, but I believed we had one less person to worry about with David on our side. For him toe without stress meant we had nothing to worry about. I was curious to learn how he got to know Jenny and why she sent him Eight hundred thousand. I was excited. 119 Meeting David 119 Meeting David ~Sylvester~ Our little love session in the office helped me gain some focus. When Tamia linked me about being stressed, I did not think twice about it. We had spent the past three days working and doing a lot of mental work. I had not been able to spend time with my mate, hold her hands, have a pic and make love to her under the stars like I once did. I did not even have time to stay in bed with her. We were dealing with one stress and then another. The traitors and the spies. It was all too much. What we did in the office was spontaneous and worth it. I had almost forgotten how to live. I felt like I was drowning in all the issues surrounding me. My little time with my mate in the office pulled me back up. Everything was crazy. I had to open my doors to two unlikely people in the name of trying to establish peace, and as things were, I would have to open my door to more. It was hard, but I had to do it. Leo was Tamia''s ex, yet he was staying at the estate, not to talk of Devin, who wasn''t only Tamia''s former fated but the very guy that almost made the north start a war. He killed my father due to the intel he got from my mother,id im on the lordship, attacked my home and tried to take my mate from me. Yet he was in my lounge drinking scotch and making ns as if nothing had happened. The thought of it alone made meugh at life. Sometimes taking things too seriously was wrong and stupid because we did not know where the road would lead us. Sitting in the lounge and nning the massive arrest was tedious. We had to find a way to ensure we did it at once so that none of the people on our list escaped. The names that we had were surprising. The ones that hurt me the most were the council members on the list. Hearing that Jenny teamed up with some people to kill her brother made memend my mother for finishing the woman. She had no ounce of loyalty in her. I could see why my father nevermitted to her and felt the need to punish her sometimes. She was the type to be kept on a leash, or she would bite. She was good riddance, but she had caused a lot of damage. One of the damages Jenny had caused was what I would have to fix soon; my brother David. She had told the guy that I was hunting him. She had lied to him and made me seem like a monster, and then she sent him money. Then I heard they were trying to recruit him. I thought he was the king until I got that information and realised he was a victim too. While I sat in that lounge to n the arrest, I was tense. My nerves were all over the ce. I was afraid. As much as I tried to hide it, I was worried. I was going to tantly vite the rights of the people on the list. I knew I had to be the viin for the greater good. It was sad. I was also worried but hopeful that we were on the right track. I hoped we were not being misled and ying into the enemy''s trenches. A lot crossed my mind, and I prayed where I sat. I had never asked the moon goddess for much, but here I was, pleading for my life and those of the people I love. My mate, my friends, their mates, my allies, and the innocent people of our world. I did not want a war. I knew what war brings. I fought a few of them for peace, and I do not want to fight again. Especially not in the magnitude these people were trying to bring. I knew if I did not do something about it quickly and shut it down, we would be in a dark age, and a lot of killing would ur. The bastards might not have an army, but they were recruiting daily. Once they have the number, they wille for us. This move was to make sure they would never have the numbers. When Tamia linked me, I had to excuse myself from the meeting and go to the office. We had been at it for two days. I need a break. Tamia had been questioning and torturing people for two days. She needs a break. While I walked to my office, I was mad. I was pissed off and prayed that I catch this king very soon. I won''t kill him because death would be an escape for the bastard. I nned on making the rest of his life excruciatingly painful and challenging. I nned on chipping away his sanity bit by bit and watching him suffer from fighting for it. I nned on destroying him from the inside out. Death would be an escape I wasn''t willing to provide the bastard. Tamia, Linda and Avery should have been resting and nning our wedding, which was in two weeks and some days now, but here we were, nning arrests and torturing people. I prayed that the arrest would buy us time. I hoped the time would be enough to n our wedding, get married, im our mates and love each other. I prayed that we catch the king, but if we don''t, I pray he goes into hiding and stops troubling us. I hoped for a lot and prayed that the goddess would grant me the best. I moved to my office and unbuttoned my shirt. Knight was eager to ravage Tamia, and that was what we did when she entered the office. I felt at peace after. When Tamia told me I would have to receive David, I knew she was telling the truth. It would have been wrong for me to have Tamia receive him, especially after all the lies that Jenny filled his head with. While we walked down the hallway to wee David, who was waiting in my lounge with his family, I was clueless about what to say. He was the son of the woman that broke my mother''s marriage, the reason my father broke his promises and never returned to who he was again. He would have taken my birthright. I should hate him by all standards, but it wasn''t his fault. It wasn''t his fault that his mother was a bitch. It wasn''t his fault that our father was a douchebag, and it sure wasn''t his fault that he existed. Either of us could have been in the situation that he was in. I wished my parents had handled it differently, most especially my mother. I wished she cared for him and kept him close; Jenny wouldn''t have been able to do what she did. I stood before the door leading to the lounge and took a deep breath. Tamia squeezed my hands to help me calm down, and we both walked in. Being lord and soon-to-be king, I dared not show fear or weak emotions, so I held on to a brave face while we walked to where David was. The moment I saw him, I wanted to crumble. He was the spitting image of our father. He did not wear his hair long. His brown hair and brown eyes were exactly like our father''s. Although his features were softer, I knew it was because of his mother. I heard she was a beauty. A beautiful bitch. His wife was blonde with blue eyes, and his children were beautiful. They all stood to pay their respect, and I could see the fear and concern in my brother''s eyes. I was about to speak when Tamia broke the ice by hugging his wife. "I am so happy to finally meet my sister-inw. You are wee," she said joyfully and hugged David''s wife. Breaking the hug, she looked at her and her children. "I am Tamia," she said, introducing herself, and the woman smiled warmly at Tamia. "I am Nicole," she said and introduced her children. "This is Tanya, Liz and Justin. They are triplets. Justin was the first toe," she said, and Tamia smiled and hugged the children warmly. David rxed, and I extended my hand for a handshake which he willingly took. "Wee," I told my brother. The look in his eyes showed that my behaviour wasn''t what we expected. We sat back down, and Dominic was yet toe. "Dominic will join us soon," I told him, and he smiled at me. "Thank you for inviting us; I did not think I would ever be allowed to enter this ce," he confessed, and I frowned. "Why is that?" I asked him, and he sighed. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. "Well, I heard I was being hunted by you. A woman called Jenny said your mother had ordered my assassination because father said I should be lord," He said and sighed. "I told her I wasn''t interested in being Lord and that I would juste and exin myself to my stepmother, but she filled me with so much fear and told me it was best I go into hiding," he said. I could not believe how far Jenny had gone. "So you have been in hiding since?" Tamia asked him, and he nodded. "Sort of. She sent me some money and pleaded with me to disappear. I felt it was odd that someone I did not know would ask me to sign some documents and ask me to disappear," he said, and I frowned at him. "Sign some documents?" I asked, and he nodded. "She said you sent it. I should relinquish my im to anything that has to do with Volkov. I will never be lord, and I will never head the council. I will never have a say in the governance, and neither will my children," he said, and I wondered why Jenny would go that far. "It wasn''t difficult. I signed it and quickly sent it to her. She sent me money, and I went into hiding. It was a no-brainer for me, really. I did not want anything to do with the things stipted in the documents, so it was an easy sign," he said, and I could see he was sincere. "Anyway, the woman was a traitor. She is dead now. I was never hunting you. I did not even know you existed until recently when my mother told my mate about you," I said, and the man was shocked. "I told you," Nicole said, and I wondered what she meant. "If I may speak your eminence," she said politely. "We are family, no need to address me officially," I said, and she smiled and thanked me. "I told him to stille and see you and exin himself, but he refused," She said, and I could not me him. Because my family was being branded as ''evil people'', no one would want to try to reason with me. "Anyway, I would like you to stay here in the meantime; there are people out to wipe out our family for personal gain. That Jenny woman was one of them, but she iste now. I believe you and your family would be safe here in the estate while we deal with the threat," I said, and he thanked me. "I know of the threat. They tried to gun me down six months ago. That was why we moved to the south. I honestly thought you were the one, but now I know it might have been those people," He said, and I frowned. "How do you trust me so easily?" I asked him. "Because if you wanted me dead as they said, you wouldn''t bother to bring me here. They would have just killed me instead of transporting my family and me to the Volkov Estate," he said, and I was d he was the intelligent kind. I got up immediately, not ready for an extended reunion. "My wife would show you to your quarters. Please feel free and make yourselvesfortable." I said, and they thanked me. Seeing David was difficult because it felt like I was looking at the younger version of my father. I suspected that was the sentiment that made my father go against my mother. Something he paid dearly for. I did not feel sorry for my father, but I was d that the uprising wouldn''t get to David again. This was a victory. 120 The Rest Of The Day 120 The Rest Of The Day ~Sylvester~ I returned to the lounge while Tamia helped settle David and his family in. I wonder why Dominic did not show up to meet the guy. I knew my brother was petty like our mother. He knew Alissa, and she was mean to him and our mother. It was normal that he would avoid her son and not want to have anything to do with David, but he needed to ovee his hatred and show some love. I entered the lounge, and Dominic was there. My guess was right about him not wanting to see David. "How did it go?" Dominic asked me, and I sat down on the couch. "You would have known if you were there," I said, and his face dimmed. "I can''t have anything to do with that bastard," Dominic voiced out, and I nodded. "That bastard is the spitting image of father and seemed pleasant too. He isn''t interested in our politics and has a lovely mate and three children, who happen to be triplets, by the way," I exined to Dominic, and I could see the shame in his eyes. My words rendered him speechless. Everyone was quiet too. It was as if I had made the atmosphere seriously awkward. "We are not obligated or expected to avenge mother, Dominic. Our parents lived their lives and made mistakes; we do not have to continue the pattern among ourselves," I said, and he felt ashamed. "Where is he?" Dominic finally asked. "Tamia is settling them in," I told him, and he nodded. "I will see themter," he said, and I sighed. Once the atmosphere was calm, Devin was the first to speak. "My beta would arrest the people in the south today. But he said he would do it quietly, so they do not alert the people here," he exined to me, and I sighed. Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. "So what will happen after we pick these people up and you be king?" Leo asked a valid question because what we were doing was only going to buy us time, not solve the problem. "I will give both of you seats on the council, increasing my influence, and we will hunt for someone," I said, and they were attentive. I did not know if Dominic knew of Jenny''s son, but this was the time toy it on the table. "Jenny Lawrence had an affair with my father. She also slept with Marcel and Theodore''s father," I said, and they were shocked. "This Jenny woman is all over the ce," Devin said, making an obvious observation. "But that isn''t the issue, really," I said and sighed. "We investigated her home a few months ago and found some pretty disturbing things. The woman had a knack for keeping records. Official and private records, some of which were disturbing." I said, and Theodore interrupted me. "Maybe her involvement in these things is what got her killed. She might have pissed them off, and they came for her and then tried to make it seem like it was Corrigan. I am d we did not act on the information we had," he said, and Devin eximed. "What attack?" He asked. "Jenny was killed in the Volkov home in Lund when she visiteddy Stephanie. There was a fight, and they said the attack was from you. That you ordered them to bring Tamia to you," Marcel said, and Devin was confused. Of course, he would be. He did not orchestrate the attack, and my friends did not know the truth about the attack. "Why would I attack Lady Volkov and this Jenny woman, let alone kill her?" Devin asked, and we sighed. "It seemed usible at that time since that was the day Sylvester was taking Tamia to visit our mother, and you had already attacked the estate to take her," Dominic said, and I could hear the tinge of shame in his voice. He had humiliated our mates and the girls in the harem because of the event. I am sure he wished he could take it all back now. "Wow, these people want a war badly," Devin concluded, and I did not want to borate because I knew exactly what had happened. My mother had killed Jenny and tried to make it seem like it was Devin. There was no point exining or borating because that would unearth my mother''s secrets, and I could not allow that. "Anyway, Jenny liked to keep records," I said, going back to the topic of discussion, and they were attentive. "ording to those records, she had a child with my father, or so she said. It could have been anyone''s child, but she imed it was my father''s. Her husband waste by then, and she upied his seat on the council so that it would have been a scandal, and she would have lost the Babanin''s seat," I said, and they were in shock. "What happened to this baby?" Leo asked, and I nodded. "She imed my father took the baby from her, and she does not know where the baby is," I said, and Dominic growled. "Another bastard!" he said, and I nodded. "Technically, the only bastard if the baby is a Volkov. David isn''t a bastard since father imed his mother, but Jenny''s child is a bastard not only because of the illicit affair, but we are not sure if the child is truly a Volkov. The baby could have belonged to any of her lovers. She also seemed obsessed with my father," I said, and Theodoreughed. "You can say that again, Sylvester. Linda can''t get enough of those journals. The woman was out of it," He said,ughing. Honestly, the journals were funny. "Journals?" Leo, Devin and Dominic asked, and I nodded. "There were journals of her personal life that we took from her home where she describes all manner of things. It is easy to conclude that the woman was unstable." I said. "Anyway, what if this son is the king?" I said, and Dominic shook his head. "This king thing is a spillover from father''s time. It might be the same set of people. He is too young to be the mastermind. He should be twenty-five twenty-six now since you said it was after Jenny''s husband''s death." Dominic said, and I nodded. "That is the confusing part of the information. I thought it was David, but after meeting him and his family, I do not think he is the one." I said, and Leo leaned forwards. "It will be wrong to dismiss hunches. I think this bastard is worth looking into. After the arrest, we should pull our resources together and trace this guy out. We need to know if he is alive and where he is. This king guy must have a serious sense of entitlement, and I am sorry to say this, but he is likely the one who thinks he is owed because other than that, he has no reason to want to be king," Leo added, and we agreed. "So, how are we doing this?" I asked, and Marcel leaned forward. "The games have been cut short because of security issues and the rates of forfeitures and dropouts. So, it ends this week. We will go to the arena tomorrow and make our presence known. Pretend nothing is happening and move in on the traitors at night. The longer we stay away from the arena, the more alert they will be. We need them to rx," Marcel said, and I agreed with their devised method. "I thought we should y some Polo, too. Kyle and Max are on their way," Leo said, and we all laughed, remembering what happened at thest game. Everyoneughed except for Devin, who didn''t get the joke because he wasn''t there. "They won''t trouble Linda and Avery. They know they have lost. If anything, they are very sorry. Max has bigger issues. It seems Ramsey is behind his pack''s predicament, and Kyle is paranoid about his warriors," Leo said quickly to put Theodore and Marcel''s minds at ease. "We will need all the help we can get. Max and Kyle are pretty strong warriors and the best the east can offer. Differences aside, we will make a great team," I said, agreeing with Leo''s choice, and my friends had no choice but to ept it. We went over the ns again and decided to rest. Marcel nned on introducing Devin and Leo to thedies in the harem, but I doubted they were up for it. They still had eyes only for Tamia. Anyway, I let them go about their businesses. I hurried back to my room. On my way, I saw my mother at my door. She must have been knocking. I wondered why she did not bother to link me. "Why didn''t you link me?" I asked her, and she smiled. "I have a headache just thinking that bitch''s son is in here," She said, and I sighed. I opened my door and let her into my room. "I can''t believe Tamia would betray me and be nice to them," she said, sounding petty, and I hugged her. "You have to let it go, mother. Alissa is gone, and so is father. David did not ask for any of this. You can''t continue to feel this way about him," I said, breaking the hug. "Do you know you were the reason he went into hiding?" I told her, and she widened her eyes in surprise. "I did not do anything to him. He is lying," she said quickly, defending herself, and I shook my head. "He didn''t say you did anything to him, mother. I am just telling you why he went into hiding. Jenny told him you were looking for him," I said, and she swore at Jenny. "And while she was at it, did she tell him she was the one that killed his mother out of jealousy or did she pin that on me, too?" She asked, and I shook my head. I did not even give him that bit of information. "I need you to look past our differences, mother, and make it work. These people are making use of our grudges and shorings. We must ensure they can''t use any of those things anymore." I said, and she looked at me and sighed. "How is he?" she finally asked me the real question she wanted to ask. Deep down, she did not hate David. Her anger was towards my father and Alissa. I smiled at her and looked at her. "Maybe you should see him yourself. After all, you took care of him before they sent him to Grizlo," I said, and her face coloured. "I do not know what to tell him or what he would think of me. I feel bad that I suspected he was behind everything," she confessed, and I nodded. "We all do. He did not even want to be lord, mother. He did not care at all. He just wanted to be left alone. Jenny even made him sign agreements that he would noty im to anything or get involved with anything." I said, and she cursed. "That bitch. She must have wanted him out of the way for her son''s sake," she said and looked at me. "Are you sure Jenny did not know where her son was or who he is? That bitch could not have done all this if she did not know. She did not look like someone who had lost something precious to her. I think she knew where her son was and was inmunication with him before I ended her," my mother said, making a very valid observation, one we had never thought of. If what my mother was saying was true, my guess might not be far from the truth, and he might be behind all this. I also could not dismiss the clue that the king is old. Could they be the same, or could he be another idiot and pawn like Liam? Something the uprising wanted to use for personal benefit and discard, or worse, could they have eliminated him after the death of his mother just like they wanted to eliminate David? There were many questions, and I did not know where to start. My mother excused herself from the room, and I rxed on the bed. A short nap would get me to where I wanted to be. Tamia had hers and was probably catching up with David''s wife; I won''t be surprised if Linda and Avery were with her too. I guess I would just sleep a bit to gather my strength. The next day would be tedious, and I need all the energy I could get. 121 Amandas truth 121 Amanda''s truth ~Tamia~ Getting Nicole and the children settled in wasn''t a challenge. The children were pleasant and a joy to have around. They were eight years old, and I was a bit envious of them but d I had my little bundle of joy growing inside me. "Lady Tamia, I am grateful that you would wee us into your home," Nicole said while her husband helped put their bags in the room. It was my old room. I thought Amanda would be in it, but I was told Sylvester changed his mind about putting her there and put her in the smaller room. "Oh, I am not Lady yet. Our wedding is in two weeks. Stephanie Volkov is still the Lady of the north; they refer to me as Luna for now, and having you in this ce is a joy. It is also your home," I said, and she smiled and came to hug me. "Thank you so much. It really means a lot. We had been running around and hiding before we had our triplets. At least now we can rest." She said, and my heart broke. Hearing her say they have not known peace for the years they have been together was hard. It is the worst thing that can ever happen to anyone. "Please rest," I said, and she held my hand. "If there is anything you need me to help with, kindly let me know. I am good with house chores," She said and looked at her husband. "We do not n to be freeloaders here. We would like to earn our keep," she said, and my heart broke into pieces. David is a Volkov. I wonder how he grew up and how they have lived for them to be this way. "I am sure Sylvester would find a ce for his brother. As for you, you''re a luna here too, so start acting like one. My friends and I are having evening teater; I would like you to join us," I told her, and she looked at David, who nodded. I did not know if Sylvester would want to spend time with his brother and get to know him. We were nning an operation; I could not jeopardise it and send David to where Sylvester was having his meeting. I would have to allow Sylvester to move at his own pace. "Do you know where my older brother is?" David asked me, and I knew he was talking about Dominic. Dominic might have changed, but he was still a douchebag. "You mean Dominic?" I said, and he nodded. "I am sure he wille searching for you once he is through with his engagements," I said, not wanting to get into details and start exining things to him. I wanted to keep it simple. "Okay, ehm, I will take the triplets to their rooms. Tanya and Liz would have a room while Justin would have a room to himself," I said, and Justin squealed. It was clear he had to share with his sisters most of his life. "A room would be fine. I am sure you have other guests," Nicole said, and I shook my head. "He is a boy and deserves his own space, and the girls deserve their privacy, too," I said, winking at Liz and Tanya, who grinned at me. "Come on," I said, and with that, I exited my former bedroom, which was now David and Nicole''s bedroom. I did not take the children too far away from their parent''s room. I gave them the rooms immediately after their parents'' room. Justin started jumping on the bed when we entered the space allocated to him. He looked so excited that it warmed my heart. I gave the girls the only room left; Amanda''s room was beside it. I needed to question Amanda before the tea party. Once the girls were settled into their room, I excused myself. I went to the door of Amanda''s room, and one of the Kappas lurking about used the key to open it so I could enter the room. I entered the room, and there she was, standing by the window with her hand on her bump, staring outside. She turned to look at me. Her eyes were swollen, and I knew she must have cried her heart out. "Amanda," I said, and she left the window and approached me. She looked like she had aged a bit from thest time I saw her at the Arena. "Lady Tamia," she said and bowed her head to show her respect. "Why?" was all I could ask her. We stood there for a few seconds, and she looked at me. I knew she was thinking of how best to start. I was all ears. She wiped away her tears. "I had no choice. My father already had set everything in motion. I did not know until they took you to the north. That was when he became forceful. He had set everything in motion." she said, and I sighed. "Before then?" I asked her knowing she had visited her father too often forfort before the north attacked. I thought she went toin to her father about her living condition, but now I know better. "When he asked me to lie that Leo epted me, I went along with it because only a fool would defy my father. Everyone that defies him ends up dead," she said, and she did not need to borate on this. My parents paid the price for their defiance. Leo''s father, their Alpha then, could not protect them. "He would invite me, and during my visits, he would ask me what was happening in our house, pretending he cared about my well-being. I did not think much of it, so I talked. I said everything exactly how it was, and he would tell me to hang in there and that it would soon improve. It sounded generic and rehearsed, but I would excuse it since I knew he did not know how to show affection. When you gave yourself up, and they took you away, everything changed. He began to push me to marry Leo, and he started asking me private questions about Leo''s moves and what Leo was up to if he was going to avenge the attack and so on. I thought that was a bit too nosey, so I pushed back. He told me I was dispensable; if I did not do what he wanted, he would just get me out of the way and do what he liked. Knowing his brutality, I knew he could kill Leo and me, so I agreed to feed him information. After that decision, I did not know what to do, but I knew it would buy us time. You need to understand that I was grabbing on straws. Leo hated me, so I dared not confide in him, and you were no longer with us. I was alone. Everyone looked up to me as the head Luna of the east, so I had to keep going. I performed these luna duties to the best of my abilities while I fed my father lies to satiate him. It was getting tedious, especially when I feared my information would not check out. One day I decided I would run away. Leo didn''t love me, and he didn''t want me around him, and I knew my father would soon find out that I had been lying to him. Leo had the power to push back; he had Max and Kyle, but I had no one, and I doubted he would protect me from my father since he med me for losing you. N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. Leo saw me moving out of my room with my bags the day I wanted to leave. I could not tell him the real reason, so I made it seem like it was a matter of the heart, hopeful that he would let me leave, but he pleaded with me to stay, and I was too in love to walk away. I knew he needed help and could not be left alone, so I chose to risk it and stay. Every day I woke up fearing my father would find out I had been lying. When Leo decided to leave for the games, I decided to visit my father''s house and steal some information that I knew might keep me safe. The sh drive is currently in my bag at the hotel. It has the list of people he nned his mutiny with and how they funded themselves. Every single one of them. I made sure I took the information before joining Leo in the north," She said, and I paused. "Where is the sh drive right now?" I asked, and she sighed. "In our hotel suite, I put it in Leo''s bag before we came here. So if they checked my things, they wouldn''t find it," She said, and I was ted. That was all the information we needed to nail more people. I hid my excitement so she would finish talking and I could send people to get their stuff. "Continue," I said, and she nodded. "My father followed me here, and he was mad but couldn''t do anything. That was why I was always in public or with Leo. I had lied to him that Leo won''te to the north. I had messed up his ns because I knew he wanted to n an attack on your life and make it seem like it was an act of revenge by Leo. He knows Lord Volkov would lose it and attack Leo blindly. I happened on that information thest time I visited him, so I lied to him. He also knows Leo isn''t a pushover and would fight Lord Volkov. Leo and Devin are friends, so they would get into the war they have been trying to create. Leo being here spoiled the n, and he was mad. The night Leo caught me, I had learned that day from a friend who was in a society that my father had put a target on my head and they were going to kill me. I could not tell Leo, but I remained with him, waiting for an opportunity to run. The fact that I am almost due did not help the matter either." She said and went to sit on the foot of the bed. That was when I noticed that she had silver bracelets on. "Who put that on you?" I asked her. "Leo. I told him I won''t run, but he wouldn''t have it," she said, and I took out my hairpin to pick the lock on the bracelet. Taking her hand, I began to pick the lock. "You know how to do this too?" she asked me, amused while I picked the lock. "Yes, Leo taught me when I was young. It was the only way I could get out of the house at night so we could hang out," I said, and the bracelet opened. "I am sorry I ruined your happily ever after with Leo, Tamia. I wish I never went to that damn party," she said, sounding genuinely regretful. "We all wished we never went to that party, but I believe it was meant to happen because I am where I was meant to be all along," I said, and she nodded, tears streaming down her cheeks. "I am d you got your happily ever after, Tamia; you deserve it. I was too jealous of you to be nice to you back then, and I am sorry. I wish I could take it all back. But know that I did not want toe into your home. When my father found out we were fated, he began to scheme. I should have fought back," She said, and I pulled her close to hold her. She broke downpletely. I felt her fear and her anguish. I wished Leo would just try with her. She was a victim like all of us, caught in the web of her father''s lies. As things were, if we did not put an end to Ramsey, it is only a matter of time before he gets to Amanda and kills her. Any man that can order the assassination of his child is cold-hearted. When we catch the bastard, there is no point in being merciful. He did not deserve it at all. I left Amanda in the room and sent Kappa Wilson to Leo''s hotel to get their stuff. I also asked two female staff to cater to Amanda''s needs. The woman had been through enough, and the truth was, if she had note into our lives, I would not be with Sylvester now. I was grateful for how things turned out; it was time for peace. 122 Leading Up To The Arrest 122 Leading Up To The Arrest ~Sylvester~ Tamia woke me up from sleep, and I realised it was nighttime. I must have fallen asleep while resting. "Sleeping," she teased, and I managed to sit in bed. "Where are you going?" I asked, noticing she was in her casual outfit. "You do not expect me to go to dinner in my nightwear," she said, and I looked at the clock. It was seven-thirty. I managed to get off the bed to get ready for dinner. N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. "Were you with Nicole all the while?" I asked her while I changed my clothes because I had slept in the ones I had on. "No. I went to see Amanda. Learned a lot of things and then had tea with my friends. Nicole joined us during tea, but they will have dinner in our former dining room. I did not want awkwardness there, and besides, we have an operation to discuss," She pointed out, and I nodded. "What did you learn from Amanda?" I asked her, and she sighed. "Well, for starters, I have a sh drive she ims has the names of all Ramsey''s associates," she said, and I looked at her, leaving my shirt unbuttoned. She showed me the drive in her hand and giggled. "How?" I asked her. "ording to her and Annika, she has been lying to her father. She knew he would find out soon, so she took an insurance policy to make sure he left her alone when he found out. She hid it in Leo''s bag. I sent Wilson to get the bag, and I asked Leo to hand it over to me. This is it," she said, grinning, and I buttoned up my shirt and went to her. I took the drive from her while kissing her. There was peace and giddiness in me. "It is all strange. Why didn''t she give it to Leo before he brought her here?" I asked her, and she shrugged. "I thought as much, too, but right now, we need all the information we can get," Tamia said, and I sighed. "Can we trust what she has?" I asked Tamia, and she shrugged. "Trust is a strong word when ites to Amanda. But we can check it out and see if she is telling the truth. I also released her silver bracelet and had two maids attend to her," she said, and I was a bit ufortable. "Don''t you think you jumped the gun there?" I asked, and she shook her head. "She is still under lock and key. I just wanted her to befortable because of her condition. We can''t rule out the part where she fed her father information. Whether they were lies or not, the man almost seeded." She said, and I understood her point. "Have you checked the files?" I asked her, and she shook her head. "I was going to leave that bit for you," She said, and I was too eager to check it out. The drive would need studying. We would have to spend a whole day figuring out the information on the drive. "We will still carry out our n, and then we will arrest the remaining people some other time. That is if they do not go into hiding by then," Tamia said, and as hard as it was to admit, she had spoken the truth. There was so little we could do between tonight and the next day. "How did you get her to give it to you?" I asked her, and her smile faded. "She ims she is like us, trying to survive her father. Too bad Leo isn''t willing to give her a chance," She said, and I knew she felt bad about it. "Let''s not conclude. She is Leo''s mate, and he knows her more than us. We can''t rule out that she had all the opportunity toe clean about her father''s schemes to her mate, and she kept silent. Ramsey wouldn''t have been able to do anything to Leo. He is your ex, and you know him better than everyone. He might like peace, but he isn''t a weak man. I am sure there is more to their problem, but I doubt Leo wants her back. Even his wolf hates her. I have never seen something like it where fated mates are concerned. However rare it may be, fated mates don''t hate each other. Leo''s wolf detests her. He does not even want to speak her name. Let''s survive this and see where it takes them, but I doubt there would be reconciliation between them," I said, and she smiled. I put the drive in my pocket and buttoned up the rest of my shirt before we headed out. I noticed my mother was absent when we got to the dining room. When I learned she was having dinner with David and his family, I was d she had decided to try to know the guy. Dominic was with us, and I suspected he had not checked on David. I did not bring it up but let it go. We discussed the drive Amanda had given us, and I deliberately thanked Leo for letting his mate help us even though I knew he had no say in it. He warned us not to trust her, and the feeling was mutual. We just wanted peace so we could get on with our lives. I also noticed Leo did not like that I referred to Amanda as his mate. But that was precisely what she was, whether he liked it or not. It was easy for the guy to forget his role in messing his marriage up and me it on the woman. I was d Tamia was out of their mess. "My daughter has been brought to the north. She doesn''t know what is happening yet. Her brother brought her. I do not know if we would be arresting her or if she should be brought to the mansion immediately," Jake Brighton said, and I knew it was a difficult thing to do. "Tell Donald to bring her here. Make it seem like we are having a party. The rest would be taken care of." I said, and though it was eight thirty, I knew they could arrive before ten. I was looking forward to our activities in Lund. Questioning Iris would have to take a back seat even though I wanted to punish her for poisoning Tamia and almost killing her and my unborn child. The rest of the dinner went quietly, and I advised Dominic to try and see David. He protested, iming he wanted to rest because of our activities the next day. That was when I decided to exin something to him. "You won''t be making the arrests with us," I said, and he frowned at me "I do not have to be an Alpha breed to be useful, Sylvester. I am your big brother, and I have a stake in this too." He protested, and I shook my head. "No one said you won''t be doing anything. In fact, you will be doing much. You will help us keep up our appearance and remain at the arena for the party of the medalists. One of us has to be there. The cups will be presented before the closing ceremony the day after tomorrow, but there will be a party for the medalists after the games tomorrow. I need you there." I said, and he shook his head. "Mother can do it," He protested, and I looked at him. "We both know our mother isn''t cut out for things like that, neither are we, but we must do it. It is part of our duty and a sign of respect and gratitude to our people. A Volkov has to be there," I said, and he bowed his head. He really wanted in on the action. "Okay, Sylvester. I will remain at the arena, but I must be a part of the interrogation," He said, and I nodded. "Of course, you will be. The arrests would be silent. There will be no interrogation, so it is quick. I just hope none of them would fight back," I said, and he smiled. "As long as no one tips them off, they won''t fight back. It would be too sudden for them to even consider it," Dominic said, making a valid point. I hoped an unknown informant would not ruin our carefully nned arrest. Those people were too resourceful. The fact that they did not have an army made this more of a mental war, and they were brilliant. Tamia and I returned to our room to sleep. I wanted Tamia to avoid following me to the arena for security purposes. I could not risk it if they nned to assassinate people with guns. It was one battle Tamia was going to lose with me. There was no way I would let her go. So I decided to upy her with Iris''s questioning. The thought of the gun assassination baffled me. It felt odd, but I wasn''t going to dismiss it. The moment Iid down, sleep returned. Knight and I needed all the rest we could get because tomorrow would be a very long day. 123 The Arrests 123 The Arrests ~Sylvester~ I woke up early in the morning feeling well-rested and pumped up for the adventure. I had slept in the clothes I ate dinner with, so the sh drive was still in my pocket. I ced it in a drawer in the closet before showering and getting ready. Theodore had set out the game for the afternoon so Kyle and Max could join in. I wonder how Theodore and Marcel would handle those men, but the situation forced us to coborate with them. It was weird. I was working with Devin and Leo, and Theo and Marcel had to put up with Kyle and Max, all for the greater good. All our issues seemed trivialpared to solving the problem at hand. Even if we did not catch the king, the rapid arrest would slow them down or stop thempletely. Installing me as king would give us more power over the following events. The main aim was for the four of us to wed in peace and have some quiet time with our mates before we continued the search. If the King''s name happened to be among the names in the drive Amanda gave us, then we would have hit the jackpot. Either way, I see peace in our near future, whether short-term or long- term. It was better than nothing. I finished dressing up and exited the closet when Tamia stood akimbo looking at me. "Good morning, darling," I said and went to her. "What a nice way to want to sneak off," She said, sounding hurt and betrayed. I knew Tamia would want to be a part of the action, but I needed to deny her the thrill this time. "You have Iris to question and the drive to look into," I said, avoiding telling her she could not follow me. "I wouldn''t follow you even if the opportunity presented itself," She said, and weughed. "But I need you to be careful," she said with concern. "If they have started thinking of gunning people down, you are not safe either. What if they decide to go for you?" she asked a valid question, and I knew it was a risk I would have to take. I also knew that killing me won''t give them what they wanted. They needed to discredit me, my bloodline, and my friends to install a new king and make the people ept their decision. They couldn''t do that with me dead. Causing a war was their best bet, but I kept it to myself and smiled at my mate. "I think whoever this king is, wants me to suffer. I am going to hope that is his goal and push. Once we arrest the people in question, we would tread with caution." I assured her, and Tamia did not seem convinced. "Juste home to me, Sylvester. Asking me to carry on without you will be asking for too much," she said, and I knew she meant her words. With that, I knew failure wasn''t an option. We kissed, and I headed out. We all converged outside at the entrance and left in different vehicles. We arrived systematically. Our guests went to the arena ahead of us, and the rest arrived an hour later. We knew the uprising would have eyes on us, but we nned to arrest Ramsey and the council members on our list. Leo and Devin, max and Kyle had a separate list. The Kappas had a different list. We were all to move at once. I sent Kappa Levi and Kappa William to ensure everyone we wanted to arrest was in the arena. It was paramount that they were taken at once. We would have to deal with the restter. We all went to our respective booths, and my Itinerary was brought to me to sign. I wondered why I had many guests on a day that no one knew I would be at the arena. The Kappa that brought the list said it was a spillover, and I had to deny them admittance because some of the names were on my list of suspects. "I will be ying today, so I will see them tomorrow," I said, making it seem like a meeting would hold tomorrow. I knew there would be no meeting because we would be busy questioning the prisoners. I also knew the council would call an emergency meeting after the arrests to question my conduct. That is when I would take over as king. We had it all nned out, and everything would have to go as nned. "Alpha Christian is here to join us; I said he should join Leo''s team for the arrests," Marcel told me as soon as the Kappa with the itinerary had left, and I nodded. It was wise to ce alpha Christian with Leo since his wife was in our custody, and some of the people we arrested might know. We tried to keep it under wraps, but we could not deny that they were resourceful. We spent a few hours in our booth, and soon it was time for our game. ying polo without our mates present was boring, but we had to keep up our appearance; there were a lot of Kappas on the watch for snippers and suspicious movements. The game went smoothly, and I noticed Kyle and Max putting in some effort. Since we did not know how the arrest would go, we were not rough with the opponent. We wanted everyone to be in good shape when we moved in on our enemies and arrested them. During the game, I noticed Leo''s team was good, and it was our brutality that had caused them to fail thest time woefully. The crowd also hoped to witness what they had seen thest time. Too bad we had to disappoint them. My team won the match, and we went to freshen up and return to our booths. I presented some medalster and gave a short speech. So far, so good we did not do anything suspicious. Once we finished at the arena, it was time to move in on the people on the list. Dominic remained to honour the medalists as nned. I became nervous because we did not know what we would find. They could be prepared or not. They could fight back or not. Anything could happen, and it wasn''t given that we would seed, but we knew we had to move in on them. Leo''s team split into two: Leo, Devin, Jake and Christian, Kyle and Max. The kappas had six groups altogether. Everyone had their lists. It was time to move in on the suspects. We abandoned our cars and used vans instead. My team started with the Mikhailovs. We followed the Mikhailovs with our van, overtook them and blocked their car. Lenny exited the vehicle, not knowing we were the ones, and I stepped out of the van to make the arrest. We arrested him and his brothers. They protested, but I did not care. My wedding wasing, and I didn''t want trouble. We drove to Gaston Wayat''s house and arrested him and his mate. They protested, but I did not speak a word, and it was too sudden for them to put up a fight. I maintained my silence and saved my questions forter. While taking them to the van, I called Devin on the phone, and he informed me that their arrests were going smoothly and none of the suspects had fought back. Due to the number of people we were arresting, we would lock them up in the council prison. I had changed the guards to my men a few days ago so no one would be allowed to escape. "What is going on here? Lord Volkov, you cannot do this. You have no right," Gaston said while I bundled him and his mate into the back of the van. The moment he saw Lenny, he knew his game was up. "Not talking now, are you?" Theodore said, smacking the back of his head and pushing him in. His mate was in tears. Theodore sat with the prisoners at the back while I closed the back of the van and went to sit in the passenger seat in front, happy for the ease with which we were arresting the suspects. "Sometimes, when you need something done, you do it yourself," Marcel said and started the van. We were enjoying it, and Knight wanted to be let out, but none of the suspects had shifted to warrant that type of brutality. We picked up Gezel and her mate and likewise Ca and her mate. Our van was full, so we drove to the council Prison. "What is going on here, Marcel?" Gezel said, and Marcel did not respond. He was too disappointed to speak. "Thoe!" Ca asked, and he growled at her. "You had it all, Ca; why do this to our family''s name?" Theo asked her giving her a hint that their game was up, and she became silent immediately. Her husband kept asking what was happening. He clearly didn''t know what his wife had gotten them into. "Ask your mate," Theodore said, and there was silence. We arrived at the prison and moved quickly. We did not want time topse or for the rest of the suspects to find out about our activities and escape. One of my trusted Kappas, Tom, was in charge of the prison guards, and Donald was helping him. I did not want him there, but Jake said we could trust his son. I had not spoken to him, but I instructed Kappa Tom to keep an eye on the guy. We put the people we arrested in different cells in the council prison and moved to arrest the remaining people on our list. When we got to Neil Peakman''s house, he was loading his suitcase in the trunk of his car. I exited the van and pped for him. "Going somewhere, Councilman?" I asked him, and there was fear in his eyes. Someone must have informed him that we were making arrests. Seeing that we were arresting everyone, I wondered who had the time to do that. "I am innocent," he said, and the man looked pathetic. "Save it for your questioning," I said, and Marcel cuffed him with silver. We loaded him into the truck and arrested two more people before heading to Ramsey''s hotel. When we got to the hotel, we found amotion in the front, and I saw Leo''s van parked there. Ramsey wasn''t on their list, so why did theye there? "What the hell, Leo!" I said aloud. "We had to get here as fast as we could. My Kappa said he was running away. Someone had tipped them off," he said, defending his actions, and I wondered who that person might have been. "Have you gotten everyone on your list?" I asked, and he shook his head. "Gabriel escaped. I have dered him wanted," He said, and I nodded. "Where is Ramsey?" I asked, and he pointed at the reception of the hotel. "In there acting crazy," Leo said, and I noticed that Devin and Jake weren''t with him. I moved close to Leo to ask him about Devin and Jake. "They went to get in through the emergency at the back. My Kappa would open the exit from the inside for them to get in. Ramsey is focused on us, so he won''t see theming," he whispered, and just then, Devin and Jake came out dragging Ramsey in chains. Ramsey was screaming he wouldn''t say anything until he was put before the council. A little torture would change his resolve. He had also received a beating, and I did not need to guess who did it. Devin looked very pissed. "We got the bastard!" Jake said, enraged, and I knew his daughter''s involvement was part of it.Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. I was so ted so much that I had a big grin. I felt a weight lifted, knowing we had caught a break. Maybe not a solution but a break, a massive break! I could not wait to get on with the rest of the n. 124 To Do About Everything 124 To Do About Everything ~Tamia~ I was worried about the arrests, primarily because of the rumours about the gun assassination. I did not know if it were the truth or a piece of false information to mislead us. Anything was possible because the people were intelligent, and they were multiple steps ahead of us. After Sylvester and the other men left, I knew we had to set some things in motion and reduce the workload. Iris''s questioning would have to wait. I was curious to find out what was in the sh drive. Sylvester had asked a valid question, and I was tempted to ask Amanda, but I changed my mind. No one trusted her intentions, and they all had valid reasons. I needed to consult with my friends to figure out what to do. Carrying Sylvester''sptop, I took the drive from where Sylvester kept it in the closet and headed to Avery''s wing so we could check the content together. We decided to have breakfast there because time was of the essence. Since the information wasn''t encrypted, there was no need for a hacker. We would just do well enough. "Where are you?" I heard Stephanie''s voice in my head, and I honestly did not want to see her until I was done, but I knew she would juste looking for me. "On my way to Avery''s room," I replied. "Nicole wanted us to have breakfast together. I do not want to be there alone," She confessed, and I giggled. "You will have to. I have been given a task which I have toplete before Sylvester returns," I confessed, and she was silent a bit before responding. "Very well then, I will see youter," She said, giving up, and I was d she was letting the matter rest. I arrived at Avery''s door and knocked. She answered, and I let myself in. Linda was there eating a sandwich, and we all greeted ourselves. "Doing some tech stuff?" Linda said, pointing at theptop, and I giggled. "No, Linda. We are going through the sh drive Amanda gave us," I said, and Avery rolled her eyes. Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. "You mean the snake because that is what she is," Avery said, not wanting to give Amanda the benefit of the doubt. Looking at it, nobody gave the woman the benefit of the doubt. We all believed she was up to no good. "You have to agree with Ave, Tamia," Linda said. "We were there, remember. Leo took her everywhere; introduced her as his luna to people. They abandoned you at home most of the time and left you to attend serious meetings only. If Leo could admit more than one Luna or rece you, he would have. We all knew how she was eager to attend those meetings, and he had to say no because you were the strategist," she said and stood up. "The three of us havee a long way, Tamia, and the goddess has smiled on us again, but we should not forget our enemies and the pain of our past. It is what has brought us this far." Linda said and looked at me. "Amanda should have gracefully walked away from that party and returned to Cain Ind when she realised her fated was already happily married. She should have exposed her father''s lies when he tried to force her into your home. And if she did not dare to do so, she should have rejected Leo and stayed out of the way of your marriage when they brought her to your home; she is an Alpha breed, Tamia. Unlike you, she could let go without his consent. Leo is rich; he would have set her up wherever she wanted. She ruined a perfect marriage and imed she did it because her father said so. Please," Linda said, rolling her eyes. "She continued her deception," Avery continued, "just like the women that took those douchebags from us. Amanda continued her deception after you had left. She had Leo all to herself, and she knew what her father was doing, yet she did not tell Leo. It is almost as if she wants her father to seed. iming she fed him lies? Was that really necessary? She did not need to lie to anyone; All she had to do was tell Leo the truth, Tamia, and she didn''t. For whatever fucked up reason she may have, she didn''t tell him the truth, and that is the most painful part of all this. She held on to the truth and continued to allow Ramsey to seed. People died in that attack. What if our men weren''t so nice? Do you know how we would have ended up? They were going to kill Leo, you say. Why didn''t the bitch give herself up to be taken as tribute? Why did you have to do it? I bet she hoped you would shift, fight and get killed in the process. She is only crying now because she got caught," Avery said, and I knew both she and Linda were right. I sighed and sat on the chair, a bit weak in the knees because they had opened fresh wounds. No matter how much I say I forgive Amanda and Leo, my heart couldn''t let the pain go. Leo and I were best friends, and he betrayed me for a total stranger. He was my first in almost everything, rtionship and friendship-wise, and he betrayed me. Pain like that does not go away. I fought my tears because this wasn''t the time to break down. "I agree with both of you. Sylvester and I discussed it, and we felt it was weird that she did not give Leo the drive after he confronted her. What was she ying at?" I asked, and Averyughed. "Last resort, if all fails, she will pretend to be on the winning side," Linda said, and weughed. As funny as the answer was, it was true. "You know the painful part of all this is that Theo told me we can''t hold the bitch here for long if we can''t link her directly to anything. Leo would have to send her back to the east, and then they would solve their matter there." Linda said, and I nodded, knowing that bit too. "The arrests might yield something no matter how little; we might get something that we can pin on the bitch and deal with her, pregnant or not. I do not care. She deserves to suffer. Maybe sentence her to prison and take the babies from her when she gives birth. I am just thinking. But she has been too wicked to you, Tamia, for her to go scot-free," Avery said, and I appreciated their support. "I would like that too, but unless someone says something to implicate her, we will have to let her go soon," I said, and we were all silent. I turned on theptop, and Linda frowned at me. "Is that Sylvester''s?" she asked, and I nodded. "I do not think connecting Amanda''s drive to thatptop is wise. What if there is spyware in it," she said, and it did not cross my mind. "You need a nkptop, one that is not connected to the inte and that has nothing on it to monitor or copy. I am still baffled that she gave you the drive instead of Leo. What if it is all part of the n? After all, that was what Lilly was doing for them here before the two-timing, two-faced bitch got caught. I am just saying," she said, finishing her sandwich, and I felt foolish. How could I have been so careless? I was very grateful to Linda for her wisdom. I guess that questioning and critical thinking had slowed me down mentally. I linked Kappa Wilson to get me aptop that wasn''t used for anything serious. I was d Sylvester left Wilson for me. The Kappa has been an asset, and even though we started off on the wrong foot because of the p, he has been respectful and efficient. I wouldn''t change him for anything. "Yes, Luna. I will bring one to you now." He said, and I rxed. Food was brought, and we ate while we waited for Kappa Wilson to get theptop I requested. "Our wedding is fast approaching, and we have not decided what to wear," Avery said, sounding worried. "I hate this uprising group. They are a pain. We should be receiving beauty treatments and having the wedding nned, but as things are looking, it would be rushed, thanks to those bastards," Linda said, and I felt the same way. Although Sylvester and I did not need the blue moon ceremony to im each other and be connected, we still wanted to experience it and be a part of it. It was a fantastic feeling. Our wolves and us would have ceremonies, and people would witness our deration of love and union as we im each other under the particr moon. But these bastards were upying our nning time. I didn''t want it rushed, so I thought of an idea. "How about I have Katya, Stephanie, and Nicole n it? Katya will be getting married on that day, Nicole is looking for something to do, and Stephanie has been boredtely. We can ask them to do it, and we would just worry about our dresses." I said, and Linda smiled. "That is very smart. I hope your sister-inw won''t mind and Stephanie would willingly oblige because we both know how the woman is. Shees off as unstable sometimes," Linda said, and I knew Stephanie gave that vibe, but I knew she wasn''t unstable. Yet, I could not defend it because I knew Stephanie''s secrets, and Sylvester and I vowed not to tell anyone of the demons that haunted the woman. As things were, it was clear that it would soon be out in the open, but I was hopeful we would nail the bastards before all that happened. "I understand, but I am sure she would love to do it," I said, and Linda nodded. Wilson soon brought theptop, and I connected the drive to it. On it was a folderbelled Files. Inside that folder were other folders marked Desktop, downloads, and documents. We went through them, and they all had just one file. Each had a document file of lists of names. The one in the downloads was from an email, while the others were screenshots of a folder. The information wasn''t coherent initially, but it soon made sense. By the time we finished going through the drive, we had found over eighty names of the members of the uprising. We didn''t even have that number of names. The people we arrested were about thirty-forty altogether, eighty names of which we already knew twenty-seven on the list was a huge break. Amanda really had in for her father. The sad part was their aliases weren''t there, so we did not know who the king was and if he was among them. I would have to have Leo question her about the king before he decides what he would do to her. So far, Amanda has cooperated and has no direct link to anything. We had nothing to hold her with, we would be viting her rights by holding her in the North. Unless Leo decides to take her to the east and deal with his problems there, there was no reason to hold her. 125 Leos Resolve 125 Leo''s Resolve ~Leo~ The arrest went smoothly. It would have been easy if it weren''t for the informant that might have tipped them off. I had an idea of how it might have happened, but we needed to question the suspects to conclude. Ramsey was despicable. He kept yelling he would not speak until he was brought before the council. If only the arsehole knew what we had in mind for him. With the present hierarchy, he was right. The lord would have to take him to the council to question him before passing judgement, but Sylvester would be king soon and then have the power to do as he wills with the prisoners. It was a lot of power to bestow on one person, but I trusted Tamia''s judgement of character and decided I would support the cause. We parked at the estate and walked in. Devin was excited; I am sure he had not had so much excitement in a while. For someone that likes to fight a lot, this was thrilling for him. As for me, I felt nothing. My life would still be fucked up after this. One thing was sure, no matter what Tamia said, I would let Amanda go. If the children were mine, I would find a way to be in their lives. Thinking of all the damage she caused broke my heartpletely. Although we couldn''t link her to anything, and the song the suspects were singing made her seem innocent, I still did not want her. There was just something off about her behaviour that did not sit well with me. The only reason I wasn''t going to push was because of her condition. If we could not prove that she was actively and deliberately working with these people, then she was a free woman. One thing I was certain about is she would never be the head Luna of the East or my mate. I was willing to move on from Tamia, but I wasn''t willing to move on with Amanda. We arrived in the early hours of the morning, tired from the arrest and headed to our room. I did not know what would happen the next day, but I knew it would be fast-paced henceforth. We also had to wait for the council to summon Sylvester for an impromptu meeting so we could move and install him as king. Christain was with us, so we wereplete. Everyone that had a say in making Sylvester king was with us; the only pushback we might have was from Vino Lawrence, who might see it as a slight, but as far as I was concerned, the guy should be happy that he remains on the council. His family aren''t truly northern. They originated from the west, and his aunt had a big hand in this mutiny. He should be happy if we leave him on the council. It was a shame that Gezel and Ca were involved. If not, I would have pleaded with Sylvester not to abolish thew that holds every family member ountable for the crimes of a member. It would have been nice to have the bastard resign because of Jenny and Neil''s conduct. I knew it would also affect the Babanins, but the Lawrences, through Jenny, had stylishly taken over that seat so far. It was all a colossal mess. I went straight to my room, and sleep came quickly. I woke upte. It was expected since we arrived at the estate in the morning, and we were tired when we arrived. I looked out the window and saw the sun was up in the sky, which meant it was afternoon. I freshened up in a hurry and left the room. Entering Volkov''s lounge, I noticed everyone was there. Sylvester, Marcel, Theodore, Devin, Christian, Jake, Dominic, Kyle and Maxwell. I was thest to join them, and Sylvester smiled at me. "Must have slept well," he said, and I nodded. "Like a baby," I lied, and ck grumbled in my head. "We found out that Mikhailovs were the ones that warned the others of the arrest," Devin said, just as I had suspected, and I was relieved that there was no traitor in our midst. It would have been another headache to deal with. I sat and picked up a sandwich from the table. There was a list in Sylvester''s hands, and I wondered what it was. "What''s that?" I asked him, and he handed it to me. "Eighty- three names of their members that we got from your mate''s drive," He said, and I knew he meant that mate thing as a jab since everyone knew how it offended me. I had to let it go because I deserved it. I had thrown away a gem for that shit, and Sylvester now had my gem. He wasn''t letting her go. "I do not trust her information," I said, ncing through the document. None of them seemed surprised, and I was d we were on the same page. "Well, we still can''t link her to the events, and everyone is singing the same song where she is concerned. They imed she fed her father lies, and he put a target on her," Sylvester said, and I shook my head. "You all do not know Amanda like I do. She had all the opportunity toe clean to me but held it," I said, and Devin shook his head. "You were not easy to be with, Leo. I saw you in the east. You did not seem approachable. She might have been scared of your reaction and chose to handle it the best way she could," he said, making a valid point, but something did not sit well with me about her still. I felt it was odd. "I am just ufortable letting her off the hook," I said, and Theodore sighed. "Well, the north has to let her go. We can''t hold her here. She has fulfilled all obligations. She has confessed and cooperated. ording to ourws, she is free. It would have been a different case if we could link her to these people as actively among them. We have to let her go today, Leo," he said, and I looked at him in shock, then looked at Sylvester, who nodded. "We do not want anything to work against installing me as king. Holding a pregnant Luna prisoner after she has confessed and cooperated might be seen as tyranny, and that could make the council try to push back longer than we can afford. Of course, they won''t win, but it would unnecessarily prolong the situation. We need to strike once and hit hard. So I will advise you to figure out what you want to do with your mate today so we can move on to more pressing matters, like figuring out who this king is. Sixty per cent of the people on this list are from your territory, Leo. You still have a lot of work to do to keep your ce clean." Sylvester said, and I was a bit angry. I did not want Amanda to go scot-free for all she did to me. "I know you have scores to settle with your mate, but it is between you two now. I cannot be involved." Sylvester added gently, knowing exactly how I was feeling, and I decided to do the right thing. "I will deal with it now, but please, I want to be a part of the questioning," I told them. Theyughed. "We won''t question anyone until Sylvester is king. They all demand to be brought before the council before they speak, so we can''t question them. There is a possibility they would go free if we allow it. It will be a shocker when Sylvester is made king, and they have to answer to him," Theodore said. Stalling their questioning with the council is the fastest way to make Sylvester king, and we all knew it. The council will send Sylvester a summon, which he is meant to ignore. Then the four leaders would be asked toe to the council and vote that Sylvester steps down for tantly refusing to see the council and viting rights. During the voting session, we would push forth our agenda and demand he be made king because the current situation is not helping us. For whatever reason we choose toe up with, however stupid it may be, we would just unanimously agree that we want a king and not a lord anymore. After a long debate between the council members and us, the top families would be asked to choose sides. We knew what the top families would decide, championing our proposal. After the top families side with us, the council would have to back down. This process might take a day or two, pending when the council chooses to act between summoning Sylvester and us. I knew dealing with Amanda''s issue was essential so we could focus on the problem at hand. She was more of a distraction and liability. I excused myself to go deal with my problem. I moved through the hallway, and when I got to the room that Amanda was being held in, a Kappa came to open the door for me. I walked in, and she was sitting in the chair reading a book. She looked at me, and there was fear in her eyes. "Leo," she said, and ck growled at her. "It is alpha to you!" I said, and she averted her gaze. "I guess you have not forgiven me yet," She said, putting down the book and standing up. "I can never forgive what you did to me," I said, and she shook her head. "I did not do anything to you. We are both guilty. You could have rejected me but refused to do it, so do not put this on me. Do you think I wanted this life? Do you think I wanted to y second fiddle to Tamia? I didn''t, Leo, but you put me in that situation. You put my wolf and me in that situation, so don''t me me for this. Tamia has the right to be angry but not you. I did everything I could to fit in her shoes. I loved you the best way I could, but I was never enough," She said, tears streaming down her face, but I was numb to them. "You could havee clean about what your father was doing, what he was making you do," I said to her, and she shook her head. "Would you have listened? You rarely spend time with me, and when you are around, you are buried in work. I was alone, so I had to figure it out alone." she said, and I nodded. "I do not trust you, Amanda, and I do not want to waste any more of my precious time with you. Sylvester says he can''t hold you, but I still believe you have a hand in all this. Because if you can sleep with me, and hide this magnitude of information from me, then you can as well kill me in my sleep the moment I stop being useful," I said. She looked hurt, but I did not feel a thing. "You can say all you like but do not belittle my love, Leo. I love you, and you know it, so don''t say things like that," she said, crying, and I exhaled. "I will let you go, but you can''t be my Luna. I do not even want you in the east. You can go home and pack your things. When you settle, let me know where you are. I will find a way to be in my children''s lives after they have been tested. But our rtionship is over Amanda," I said, and she looked at me angrily. "Very well, I do not need you to take care of my children," she said, and I did not know if she wanted me to plead with her or not. I did not care. "Suit yourself. However you want, it is fine by me," I said, and she nodded. "I will let them know the kind of man their father is," she said as a threat, and I nodded. "While you are it, tell them how you got into my life and ruined it. Tell them how you helped your father almost destroy me. There might be no evidence linking you directly to this shit, but I don''t trust you. I promise you that if I find out you had a hand in all this, I will hunt you down and destroy you," I said; she stepped back. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. "I, Leonardo Albert, reject you, Amanda Richford as my mate. May your days be full of the anguish and pain you brought me," I said, finally speaking the words I should have said on the balcony that day, a little toote. She stepped back, anticipating pain, but it never came. I looked at her and frowned. "ept!" I yelled at the stubborn woman, and her tears began to fall freely as she shook her head, refusing to ept the rejection: hoping I would take it back, but my mind was made up. I was done. "ept!" I yelled. I needed her to ept because she was an Alpha breed. Getting impatient, I advanced towards her, and she epted before I could reach her, but the pain did note. I felt a disconnection and emptiness but no pain. With Tamia, there was pain. Did it have something to do with the blue moon? Finding a fated was hard, let alone rejecting them, but Sylvester had felt pain when he rejected Susan even though he masked it. I knew it, which was why Tamia took him out of the ball, but I felt nothing with Amanda. "May I see Annika before I leave?" She asked, wiping away her tears. "My father misled her, and I felt I should have saved her. I would like to see her before I leave," She said in tears, and I nodded. "I will tell Tamia to permit you," I said and turned my back. I was a free man, and even though I felt empty, I knew I would start on a clean te. 126 A Weird Goodbye 126 A Weird Goodbye ~Tamia~ I was d when Sylvester returned home. I felt him snuggle into bed with me in the early hours of the morning, and the fact that he was home with me made me thankful. It was hard to express my fear. I woke up early and snuck out of bed. Sylvester was still asleep, so I decided to let him rest. I freshened up in the bathroom and headed out to speak to Stephanie, Katya and Nicole about the wedding ns. The truth was we couldn''t continue to put it off; we needed all hands on deck, and those were the ones avable. Due to myst experience, I did not want to trust the nner without having people there to watch her if she wasn''t getting it right. I knocked on Stephanie''s door, and it took a while for her to let me in. I stepped in and could pick up Jake''s scent in the room but kept it to myself. So much for being just friends with the Alpha. Stephanie seemed to be getting her groove back. I maintained a stoic face and went to sit on the couch. "Good morning, Luna," I said, and Stephanie smiled at me. "Out with it, Tamia; I know you smell him," she said, and Iughed, then made a lip-sealing gesture, and she smiled at me. "What can I help you with?" She said, knowing I must have needed something to show up in her room the way I did. "I need you to help n our wedding; of course, Katya and Nicole will help, but since we are too upied to do anything, I was hoping you could do it for us," I said, and she beamed at me. "I get to n my sons'' wedding; why not?" she said, and I was thrilled. I got off the couch and hugged her. Stephanie was slightly off, so it hit me that Jake might still be in that room. I decided to take my leave. "Do you mind telling Katya and Nicole on our behalf? Katya should be happy; it''s her wedding, too," I said, and she nodded, wanting me to leave the room badly. I got to the door and touched the knob. "Tell Alpha Jake that he should make sure he rounds up and make himself avable in Sylvester''s lounge before the lord wakes up," I said, and Stephanie sighed. "Oh, Tamia," she said, and I giggled and opened the door. I stepped out of Stephanie''s room, still giggling. Done with it, I returned to my bedroom to rest. I went to lie down, and soon I fell asleep too. I woke upter, and it was almost noon. Sylvester was awake, and he was getting dressed. "You are finally up," I said, and he giggled. "You are the one that was sleeping, Green-eyes," he said, and I shook my head. "I woke up, freshened up and returned to bed," I said, and he looked at me and smiled. I got off the bed and handed him a paper with the list of names on Amanda''s sh drive. I handed it to Sylvester, and he nced through the content. "Those are the list of names we got from the sh drive. Maybe we can use it to question the prisoners," I said, and he sighed. "For now, I won''t be able to question them. They have requested to be brought before the council. A request I have deliberately denied ording to our n," He said, and I was surprised. "Of what use are they if we can''t question them and get to the bottom of this?" I asked, and he nodded. "Very useful. Their arrest would force the council to reach out to me. I would deny their request, and they would reach out to the regional Leaders to vote me out of office because this is a tyrant behaviour I shouldn''t partake in. On the contrary, the regional leaders, who are now my allies, would raise a bill for reasons known to them that I should be installed as king. There will be a back and forth, and the elite families will be asked to resolve the problem. Once I be king, we can question them as we see fit," He exined, and I understood that was part of the n already, but we needed to be ahead no matter what. Some of these people would want to talk, but I did not want to push it, so I held my tongue. "Very well then, what would we do while we wait for the council to reach out to you?" I asked him, and he smiled at me. "It has been a long time since we spent quality time together. Today I want to spend time with you. Go hunting in wolf form, have a pic, and make love under the stars," he said, and I beamed at him. The idea sounded so irresistible that a moan escaped my lips. It was most weed. "I see you approve," he said, smiling at me, and I nodded. "First, I would go to the lounge to catch up with everyone, then we will start our day," he told me and pulled me close. He searched my eyes for something and then smiled. "Soon, we will be free of these people and live in peace," He said, touching my tiny bump and kissing my neck. I could not wait for him to sink his teeth andplete the bond. We did not need the blue moon, but it was worth the wait. Sylvester left the room to head to his lounge while I searched for my friends. "Where are you?" I linked Avery. "Having a tea party in the eastern garden. Linda and I were bored and decided to hang out with the girls. Katya and Nicole are here too. Your sister-inw is the life of the party, Tamia. She and Katya are bonding well. Oh, lest I forget, Stephanie is here too, and she reeks of Jake Brighton," she added. I giggled, remembering Stephanie and Jake. I wonder how Sylvester would take it. I was happy for both of them. They were having fun amid all the craziness. I went to the eastern garden, and the party was alive. People were gossiping andughing. I also realised that they knew what had happened to Lilly. I wondered who had told them. While some girls felt she was misled, others felt it served her right. They figured she lied about many things, especially her rtionship with Sylvester, and they did not wish her well. Seeing how many people hated her, even her sidekicks, who were always with her. I guess loyalty wasn''t part of their friendship. After spending two hours in the garden, Kappa Wilson linked me that Leo wanted to see me. I did not know how to feel about it, but I obliged him. I excused myself from the party and returned to the mansion to meet Leo. He was waiting for me in the hallway close to Amanda''s room. "Is everything alright?" I asked him, and he nodded. His eyes were expressionless, and I knew he was mad about something. "What is the matter, Leo?" I asked him, and he put his hands in his pocket and stood straight. "Amanda wants to say goodbye to Annika before she leaves," He said, and I frowned at him. Surprised that they couldn''t work it out. "I know what you want to say, Tamia, but please save it. It is best this way," He said, knowing I would talk him out of it. "What about the babies?" I asked, worried for the unborn children, and he sighed. "I offered to be there for them, but she said no," he said, and I knew Amanda might have said that out of pride. Alphas were proud. "And you let her?" I asked him, and he nodded. "I did, Tamia, and I do not regret it. I should have rejected her on the balcony that day, and none of this would have happened. She was the beginning of my downfall. It won''t work. If I keep her, I will always see her as the reason my life crumbled. I need a clean start, and she does too. I want to help with the children, but It seems she would try to use them, and I do not want to give her that room, so I have rejected her. If the children ever desire to know their father, they wille looking for me. I have a lot of issues to handle, and Amanda can''t be one of them," he said with a final tone, and I knew his mind was made up. I was also confused that he felt no pain, but I kept it to myself, wanting our conversation to be short. "She had the opportunity toe clean, and she never did. She could have given me the sh drive when I confronted her, but she refused. I would be careful around her if I were you, Tamia. The woman is dangerous and cannot be trusted. I can''t believe that I threw away my life for her sake. What I did was stupid, and it would haunt me for the rest of my life, but I want a breather for now. I want to take a break from the love department and re-evaluate my life and self-worth. One thing I know is that I will never risk what I have for something fleeting again," he said with misty eyes, and I hugged him. He bent his head on my shoulder and wept. "I am sorry, Tamia." he wept bitterly, and I let him hold me. "I forgive you, Leo," I said, but I knew he would need time to forgive himself. We broke the hug, and he wiped away his tears. I Linked Kappa Wilson to join me so we could escort Amanda to see Annika. I entered Amanda''s room, and Leo walked away. He did not want to see her. For fated people, his hatred for her was so intense that it was almost palpable. I saw Amanda weeping on the couch. She looked as if she was utterly heartbroken. She looked at me with her swollen eyes but remembering what Linda and Avery said and Leo''s mistrust towards her, I had my guard up. "I heard you want to see Annika before you leave," I said, and she nodded. "He rejected me, Tamia. He rejected me," She said, and I did not know what to tell her. "You shouldn''t have refused his help, Amanda, but I won''t ask you to. Come on, I do not have all day. A driver is waiting to take you to the airport. You can have five minutes with your cousin, that is all," I said sternly, and she nodded. She stood up and ced her hands in her pockets. We exited the room, and Wilson and I escorted her to the dark dungeons with heavy security. I noticed the food served by Luna''s in-service, and the prisoners seemed well cared for. I wondered when Sylvester nned on moving them to the council prison. I guess I will discuss it with himter. We went to where Annika was being held, and Amanda went to her. Their hands touched through the bars, and Annika was in tears. "Amy," She said to her cousin, and Amanda began to cry. "I am sorry. Annika, I should have kept.." she started, and Annika interrupted her. Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. "It is not your fault. I failed myself. I made the wrong decisions and failed," She said, and I did not feel an ounce of sympathy for them. "They will bring you before the council. Just tell them," she said to Annika, and Annika nodded. "Once you are free,e find me," Amanda said, and Annika nodded. I hated spoiling their hope, but Annika would not be free because a council won''t oversee their trial; I would oversee their trial as queen. I wanted tough, but I held it. I knew they were mind-linking each other, and we did not have the full information of what they were discussing, but I noticed that Annika began to weep seriously. I could only guess what Amanda might have told her. Amanda was crying too, and it was time for her to leave. "Say hello to her for me," Amanda said to Annika, and I felt it was a strange conversation. Maybe Amanda knew Olga too. Too bad they won''t be getting out of this free of charge. "Uncle will burn," Annika said, and I figured they both hated Ramsey. What a dysfunctional family. I asked Kappa Wilson to have a Kappa watch her just in case her hands were dirty because her conversation with Annika was a bit off. We left the dungeons, and Kappa Wilson led her to the car while I joined Sylvester in the western garden. 127 The Waiting 127 The Waiting ~Sylvester~ I waited for Tamia in the western garden. I had the staff prepare a pic for us. I stood and paced around the garden waiting for Tamia to join me. I was told Leo had sent for her, and it had something to do with Amanda. I wasn''t worried, but I did not like that she would be dragged into their mess. They chose each other they should leave my mate out of it, but Leo was yet to learn that Tamia was permanently out of his life. I would leave the issue for both of them to resolve. I might have approved a friendship, but it was wrong for Leo to involve Tamia in his problems with Amanda, the woman he broke her heart for. Soon I saw Tamia approaching, and she had a broad grin. It was clear whatever Leo called her for had no adverse effect on her. She rushed at me, and I lifted her from the ground, and we kissed passionately. It felt so good holding her in my arms in the garden. Breaking the kiss, she looked around at what I had prepared for our time together and was beaming. "It''s lovely, Sylvester," she said, almost on the verge of tears, and I held her to my chest. That was when I caught Leo''s scent. Had he been hugging my mate? I controlled Knight and broke the hug gently. "Jealousy does not suit you, big guy. He rejected Amanda, and she left. He needed a shoulder to cry on. You, of all people, know the emptiness thates with rejection," She said, knowing exactly what was the matter with me, and I smiled because it was okay. "You can''t me me for being possessive," I teased. We sat and enjoyed the scenery. I rested my head on herps, and she ran her fingers through my hair. We were catching our breaths and rxing. I noticed Tamia had been overwhelmedtely, despite notining about it. I knew it, and I was d we were rxing. "Stephanie, Katya and Nicole are nning our big day," She said, and I already had that information. David had told me when I took Dominic to see him. He was still with Dominic, and I hoped my brother would let our half-sibling in. "I know; David told me when I took Dominic to see him," I said, and she giggled. "How did Dominic handle seeing him?" She asked, knowing how Dominic was. "He was shocked to see how much David looked like our father. Dominic liked our father, so it was easy for him to look past the Alissa thing. They are together as we speak." I said, and she sighed. "The conversation Amanda had with Annika was a bit weird. I did not want to say much, but I think we should keep an eye on her, Sylvester. I asked Wilson to put a Kappa on her just in case her namees up somewhere in the middle of all this; we would know where to get her," She said, and I sat up. "How weird was it?" I asked her, worried because everyone wasn''tfortable with Amanda''s business, and there had to be something to it. If only we had something we could pin on her, I would have stylishly held her, but no one had mentioned her name. The way we caught her was based on spections. If she had not admitted anything to Leo, she would have been an innocent party in all this. She was too clean to be clean, but there was nothing. I was proud of my mate for taking that initiative. I wished Leo would have kept her as his luna for a little longer, but he had his reasons for letting her go, and I could not me him. "Did they not feel the pain?" I asked Tamia, and she shook her head. "Not that I know of. It was just like Devin and me," She said, and I frowned. "So why was mine with Susan different?" I asked, and she shrugged. "Maybe because Susan wasn''t pregnant? That is the onlymon factor between Amanda and me," she said, and I did not want to stress her to think of it. "I think it was a brilliant idea to have someone watch her. Hopefully, her name doesn''te up, and we do not have to see her again," I said, and weughed. She bent to kiss me, and soon I pulled her close, and we were lying on the pic mat. We went into the woods to allow our wolves to run wild and soon returned to where the pic mat was. It was close to evening. Returning to my human form, I checked my phone and saw many missed calls from Vino Lawrence. It had already begun. My few hours with my mate were the only time I was spared. I decided to call Vino back because he had called with his personal phone and not the official number, so I expected it to be confidential. "What is it?" Tamia asked, wearing my t-shirt. "Vino called me four times," I replied, and the smile in her eyes faded. I knew what she was thinking, but we had set things we needed toplete in motion. I called, and Vino answered after two rings. "Lord Volkov," he said calmly. "What is it, Vino?" I asked him, sounding short, and he cleared his throat. "I am sorry to disturb you, your eminence, and I hope this isn''t a bad time," he said, and I was silent, giving him room to speak. "We learned you made some arrestsst night and have taken over the council prison. Please, your eminence, I do not want to sound disrespectful, but only the council has the right to deal with such issues. You must hand the prisoners over to the council and let them have a fair trial. The fact that some of these prisoners are council members has created an uproar. We have been trying to reach you all day to no avail," He said, and he was silent. "So what do you want?" I asked him, sounding uninterested. "If it won''t be too much trouble, your eminence, we hope you wille and defend your actions. We also ask that you give the council control over the prison, as it should be based on ourws. I promise you that I will see to it that your reasons are heard, and proper investigation is carried out to bring justice," he said, and I sighed. I noticed he was watching his words trying not to offend me, but we had a n, and however nice Vino may be, I had to follow it through. "I do not care about thew in this regard, Vino. These people have been a problem to me, and I want peace. I do not trust the council, so I am taking thew into my hands to do as I see fit. You should tell the council that I dare them to do their worse. I will not back down this time around. Where were thesews when these people ran around me and tried to cause a war? I will deal with them as I see fit. It would be wise for you to stay out of my way, Vino. You and the council you represent," I told him, and he sighed. "I am not your enemy, Lord Volkov. I am just speaking on behalf of the council. Please, I do not want this matter to escte beyond the way it is. You are lord, not a king; you do not have the power to overthrow the council. They will agitate, and I do not want what happened with Alpha Christian to happen again." He said, talking about the petition they raised. Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. "And how well did that go?" I asked him, and he sighed. "It didn''t go well, but now you have arrested members of prestigious families and the council. They will all be against you. Please hand the prisoners over to the council so we can get to the bottom of the matter, and there won''t be hatred towards you," he said, pleading with me to consider. He wanted to prevent me from getting into trouble, but he did not know I was looking for that trouble. All the cards were in my favour already, and I did not need to do much to get what I wanted. "Do not worry about me, Vino. I will advise the council to stay out of this. I will do as I please; end of the story," I said, and he was silent. "I guess we are done," I said to Vino and hung up. "What''s with him?" Tamia asked, and I smiled at her. "What we expected," I said, and she frowned. "The council wants me to turn over the prisoners, and I said no," I said, and she smiled, knowing exactly what would ensue. Ignoring the call, we spent time in the western gardens and made love under the stars. It took a lot not to im her. I tookfort in knowing that the blue moon was just fourteen days away and we couldplete our bond. I did not im Tamia because I did not want my friends to feel left out. We rarely would find our fated mates, let alone reject them and find second-chance mates. We were truly blessed; there was no need to rub it in their faces. The love bite would have to do for now. Two days passed with no word from the council, and I began to worry because they were moving slower than I expected. Dominic told me they had been debating in the council, and Larry and Vino had been on my side, but the rest of the members were livid. I had decided not to get involved, but Dominic had been invited severally so they could speak to him to convince me to do as they wished. Besides Larry and Vino, everyone called for a vote to take me out of office. However, they were not nning to remove the lordship as I had hoped; they wanted Dominic to take over. In that case, they would not need the regional leaders to vote. It was a smart move. They were going to call for the vote the next day. So we decided to have a meeting early in the morning and move. I arrived at my lounge, and I could see the disappointment in all their eyes. The council had behaved differently. We needed to counter them. I sat down, and even though my mother wasn''t there, I could pick up her scent. I looked at everyone present, wondering who was carrying her scent. Not wanting to dwell on it too much, I chose to address the matter at hand. "So what should we do now that they have done this?" Devin asked, sounding a bit impatient. I understood his issues. We were yet to question the prisoners. We had more people to arrest, and this king guy was still atrge. It was a huge setback. "I can''t believe we are worried about this. We will just push on," Leo said, and I looked at him. "Only Leaders from three regions are present. The exact number of votes needed to push our agenda. We will write the council and demand we want a king. It would be our vote against theirs, and they will still have to call Sidorov, Orlov, Belyaev and Lawrence to vote. Thank goddess, we need three of the four. Dominic would stand in for the Balyeav, and that is it. We still get what we want." Leo said, sounding angry and impatient. His anger wasn''t directed at us, but at the situation we were facing. "It would be more forceful and look like a n, but at this point, I really don''t care. They can call it whatever they like. We have to do this. This king man is dangerous; we have only two options. Make Sylvester king or let this man take it by force, and he would do it easily. He is smart and has his tendrils everywhere," Christain said, and it was a done deal. That day a letter wasposed and sent to the council for a vote to ur the next day. Leo wrote the letter, and there were a lot ofints about how the council had failed to protect the east from the terrorist group. Devin had the sameints, and they all agreed that since the protocols were not working, they would prefer they install a King instead of the nonsense we had. I needed only three of the four regional leaders'' support, likewise the noble families; I needed three of the four, and I had the numbers on my side. It would be a quick and easy vote, and I could not wait to get it over with. Once it was done, I nned on unleashing hell on the prisoners until I found the king. I will go dark on them. 128 To The Council Hall 128 To The Council Hall ~Sylvester~ I stood in front of the mirror in my room, adjusting my official outfit. Tamia stood behind me, and even though it was a given that we would win, we were still worried. Many things didn''t go as we had hoped, but we held on to the hope that we would seed eventually. Leo had pushed for immediate effect pertaining to the letter he sent yesterday. They had called an impromptu meeting to vote and decide. All parties concerned were to attend, and I was eager. Dominic had decided he would stand in as a Balyeav today. That was the only way we would not allow Vino to vote. I did not know how it would go, but I knew it would be a long day. I looked at Tamia through the mirror and noticed her dress was free on the waistline. Her bump was already showing, which meant time was going by. We need to restore peace before our bundle of joyes into the world. The blue moon ceremony was also a part of it. I also did not want any more surprises. I wanted to maintain order and prevent a war. We all wanted to go back to our lives. These people were like parasites, vermins, weeds that needed to be uprooted. They were a problem. One thing I have learned so far is that anyone who challenges physically in the open is true in comparison to one that hides in the shadows. The King''s personality was clear to me. He was a brilliant coward that liked to manipte from the darkness. He was also not sure he would win. That was why he was yet to make a move. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. "Let''s knock them dead," Tamia said with a big grin, and I smiled at her. "You know you look smashing in your uniform," She said, and I spun around so she would admire it. If everything went well, this would be thest time I would wear the uniform I had on. "I am sure the king outfit would be more exquisite," she said, and I pulled her close and kissed her passionately. We went for breakfast, and everyone was ready. The only member of the family that wasn''t going to the council was David, and because of that, my mother chose to remain. I did not mistrust David; I just did not want his presence to be used against us. He, too, was an Alpha Volkov. Even though he did not want anything, I had to protect the n on all fronts. We sat in silence; everyone was nervous about the oue. Making a n was one thing, but carrying it out was another. We had nned this but had to make some slight changes. I hoped it worked out. The regional leaders left ahead of us. No one knew they were at the estate, so they must arrive at the council hall before us. It also didn''t matter whether they were at the estate or not; we just did not want a situation where it would be apparent that it was all nned. "Shall we," I told Tamia as we stepped out of the mansion and entered the Limo waiting to take us to the council hall. We had to do an entire convoy with escorts. I was moving in an official capacity. Marcel and Theodore were nervous in the Limo with Avery and Linda. I could see the worry in all their eyes. We were all worried because the people we were dealing with were resourceful and intelligent. The rest of the people on that list had gone into hiding. Leo and Devin had organised to start transporting the people arrested in their regions to the north to turn them over. We needed to conclude the meeting today because when those prisoners arrive, Leo and Devin would have to hand them over to the ones in charge, which is the council. They can''t bring them to me, and they do not have the power to do what I did with the prisoners we arrested. So, it was an issue. Soon we arrived at the council hall, and people were present. Everyone had heard of the terrible thing I had done, and there was no admiration in their eyes. I could swear that I heard some people call me the Dark Alpha. My pack was the Dark Wolf Pack, but I knew what they meant by the Dark Alpha. It was usual for the council to present the matter in the worst way possible to hold on to their power. Every alpha from the packs in all the regions was present. They must have all flown inst night. Even Kyle and Max were in attendance. When we entered the council, it was a full house. Everyone was in their seats. I looked at the empty Balyaev seat and smiled internally. Marcel, Theodore, I and our mates proceeded to our box. Everyone went to their seats. Leo, Devin, Christian and Sean were seated in their section. Sean was the top leader of the west but not the head Leader because my father ensured the west would not have a head leader. So Sean upied the western head leader''s seat. It was clear the council had bumped him up without my consent. Looking at the mix, I was bound to lose. Leo was my mate''s ex-husband; he was meant to hate me for attacking his territory and taking his mate from him. Devin and I had the worst history possible, first with my father and then with me. There was also a pending war between us. Christian had raised a petition to remove me from office. He must have had his reasons. All of them had a reason not to install me as King. Because even though they wrote a letter requesting a king, they needed to be more specific. It could be anyone. After we were all seated, Dominic strolled to the Balyaev seat, and everyone was shocked. Larry stood up immediately to speak. He always liked to say something whenever Dominic was concerned. As my father''s friend, I must say he preferred Dominic to me. "Sir Dominic, you should be in the lords'' loge, not here with us. You are part of this too," he told Dominic, letting him know he could get something tonight, perhaps a promotion. "Thank you, Councilman Larry. But today, I am representing my maternal family, the Belyaevs, and I will be temporarily heading this council," he said, which was a no-brainer. The Belyaev family was the original head of the council until my mother cut a deal with Jenny and Louis. "That chair is dormant, and you are a Volkov," Lucas Vanhill said. "I am also a Balyeav. Since my brother is the Lord, I am the only one to represent my mother''s family unless we ask her toe and represent her family herself," Dominic said, sounding a bit impatient, and they were silent. "Not necessary, but there are certain documents to sign before you can head the council, Sir Dominic. It is thew. Your father made that seat vacant by refusing to let your mother ascend the seat. It is okay if you want to assume the responsibility, but there are documents to sign to put that into action. Vino Lawrence will head this one at least for today until all necessary measures are taken," Joan said cautiously. "Very well, I still represent the Balyeavs in all matters. Should there be a need for a vote, I would carry the Balyeav vote," Dominic said; they could not dispute that, so they were silent. It was now time for the back and forth to begin. ***Hello, my darling readers and Co-writers. I hope the story ising along well. I will give away souvenirs to five people every month throughout this year starting from this month. I am grateful for the support and would like to show my appreciation. I wish I could give everyone something. Please do not be offended if I do not select you. It is not because I think less of you; it is because I am too broke to give to everyone. I will think of something digital soon, like gift cards that I can share with more people that will be cost-effective. I will select you through thement section of my books on GN and post the chosen people every month on my social media. I love you all.*** 129 Casting Votes 129 Casting Votes ~Sylvester~ Larry was the first to stand and address all of us. Since Makhailovs were indisposed, the responsibility fell on him. "We all know why we are here today," he said, clearing his throat. "I will bring you up to speed for those who do not know," he said, looking at the alphas from each region to ensure he had their attention. "Three nights ago, Sylvester Volkov, acting in the lord''s capacity, made a massive arrest, arresting alphas, council members, mates and so on. He arrested people, randomly targeting them. Took over the council prison by force by installing his enforcers and was unapologetic about it," He said, and many people gasped. "We have a report that states some people were beaten up and denied their rights. We have a witness that imed they saw the people Sylvester Volkov arrested, requesting that they be brought before this council for a fair trial. He did not only deny them but threw them into prison. We tried reaching out to him in good faith, but he refused to respond. He acted as if he was above thew and could do as he liked. Right now, we do not know his victims'' condition, nor know if they are still alive. This tyrannical behaviour should not be allowed to stand," Larry said, and people began to murmur. "As a lord, Sylvester Volkov protects and serves us. Every suspect has the right to be brought before this council. He locked some up in the dungeon in his estate, and when it was filled up, he took over the prison. We can''t allow this. So today, the council has decided to relieve him of his status as lord and try him for viting the people''s basic rights," Larry said, and everyone grumbled. It was clear it did not sit well with some people. "We do not want a war; leave Volkov alone," I heard some alphas say, afraid of what I might do. My family''s reputation was really strong. "I object!" Leo said, standing up, and everyone was silent. "This council will make no such decision without me and my colleagues'' points of view in consideration," he said, and there was silence. It was clear the council wanted the regional leaders to refrain from speaking. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. They were supposed to table Leo''s letter instead of what they tabled. They feared losing power before getting rid of me. Removing me as lord meant anyone would be installed as King. I bet Leo saw iting. He made the best move. "I object to this nonsense. I sent a letter yesterday, and that is what we are here to discuss," he said, tabling the fundamental matter. "Eh, Alpha Albert, we have to deal with the issue before discussing your matter," Larry tried to exin. "The issue at hand and the matter we are discussing are one and the same. The council no longer wants a lord, and I agree," He said, and there was total silence because the implications of his words meant the council had won. "I do not want a lord because this lordship thing has not helped us. There is a terrorist group trying to cause war by all means, and there is no way to catch them because of the stupidws and protocols we have to follow. Recently we let a suspect go because we couldn''t pin anything on her. How can we seed under these stringentws that favour criminals?" He said, referring to Amanda. No one wanted to let her go, but we could not pin anything on her, which still baffles me. "This system could also be corrupt, which is why I see a few empty council seats. I do not want a lord but a King," he said, and people were surprised. "A king does not need to follow protocol. He does what he must for his people. Sixty per cent of my region has been taken by the traitors. What has this council done? Nothing. I am sure Lord Volkov had to do what he did for peace. I wrote to this council a few months ago to make specificints. Nothing was done. My Beta calls, and all he keeps getting is that they are working on it. For how long do we want to go on like this? The system is corrupt. We are on the verge of war, and the perpetrators are faceless. I want a king, and I say we take a vote. I want a king and the original order restored with Sylvester Volkov as King and the other three families as the lords. That is what I want. Because he is the only one I know who has the balls to do what this council failed to do. He single-handedly slowed down their activities in my region, and you want him to step down for putting the safety of the people first? You want to disgrace him for locking up suspects so we can breathe and think straight? Jake Brighton''s pack was destroyed by an order passed by this council. Even though they im it was from Lord Volkov, weter discovered that he knew nothing of it, and the council failed to confirm whether he authorised it. Is the council not supposed to keep the lord in check? Then why authorise taxes to be increased and a pack to be attacked? Why did this council not challenge the order? Lord Volkov has to be a tyrant, so we can survive these faceless people. He is doing what he must. Though slow to solve the problems our region has faced, the council is quick to condemn the one person who has done something about the situation. However crude, it was necessary. Is the council a part of this group, or are they justcent?" he asked, and the members of the council became worried and agitated. None of their names was on our lists, so I knew they were not involved, but Leo''s words got to them. "I am not a fool and refuse to be treated as one. Today this whole charade stops. I want Sylvester Volkov as King, and we should take a vote," Leo said, livid. There was no way those things he said were rehearsed. He meant every word. The murmur was so loud after Leo''s speech that Vino had to bang the gavel. "We are sorry for your grievances, Alpha Albert, and If I had known anything of it, I would have personally seen to it that your matter is resolved," Vino said to Leo gently, and Leo ignored him. "However, you alone can not decide you want a King. We should vote," He said, and Devin stood up. "I agree, and so does alpha Christian, so please get on with it. We do not have time to waste. We have all suffered the same things," Devin said, and Larry cleared her throat. "Those arepelling allegations. If a group of people is trying to cause war, we have to investigate it. We also have to be sure this isn''t a n by Volkov to force this to happen," Larry said, and there was uproar. I realised many people wanted to change the order and the system. "How dare you!" I heard some people say. Mostly western Alphas because the noise was more in their section. "How dare you! I say we vote and get this over with," Some people from the southern loge said. "I say we carry out this vote just as Alpha Albert requested. This is the most useless council in history, and we no longer want the council in power. This democracy isn''t working for us. Wolves need a leader, not leaders. They need one they would follow that would have absolute control. That is how best we function. This system has almost altered our nature and caused unnecessary behaviour. I agree with Alpha Albert and Alpha Corrigan that we take the vote now and move on," Christian said, and from the look on the faces of the council, they already knew how this would go. I had the majority votes of the nobles and the head Alphas. I was going to be King. Vino banged the gavel with difficulty this time and stood up. "Very well, this council would take a vote; the head alphas would take a vote, and the elite families would vote. I will be standing in for my family and myte Aunts'' family," he said, and we did not see thating. The Babanins were nobles too. Leo got up immediately to speak. I knew he did not like Vino. I did not know why or whether anything had transpired between them, but he seemed to hate the Lawrence family. "The Lawrence have no business voting in this, Vino. You are not a true northern noble family. The last King might have given your ancestors noble status, but you have no rights here," Leo repeated what he had once said, and everyone was silent. Leo''s words had hurt Vino. I had never seen Vino so angry before. "How dare you, Albert! How dare you belittle my family like this?" he asked with his alphamand. He was strong, but Leo wasn''t a weak Alpha; it brushed past him like nothing. "Say I am lying, and I will rest my case. Only true northern elites can be involved in a matter like this. You can vote on behalf of the Babanin by proxy, but that is it. Lawrence would have no say in this other than the council vote; they will have no votes as nobles," Leo said with his Alpha command, and everyone was silent. The man was a powerful Alpha. Thinking of the strength he wielded, I realised that he was just stupid and weak where Amanda was concerned. What an irony. Everyone was silent, and Leo won the argument. The vote was cast, and Vino, Joan and Pam voted in my favour. I was surprised that Vino voted that I be King after all Leo said to him. He should have voted against it knowing it was Leo''s cause. The alphas cast their votes, and all four of them, even Sean, voted in favour that I be King. When the noble families voted, they all agreed that I be King. Even Vino used the Babanin''s seat to vote in my favour; there it was; I was no longer Lord of the north but King of our world. The inauguration was set for the next week, but because of that vote, I could start acting as a king, meaning no one could question me or ask me to exin myself again. I hoped we had not created a monster for the ones that woulde after me. I looked at my mate and kissed her hand to ensure this would not destroy us in the future; we must instil strong values in our children. I was grateful to everyone who voted in my favour and was d that part was over. It was time to start questioning, and Ramsey was the first on my list. Vino came to my booth to congratte me. "Your Majesty," he said with a broad smile and looked at Tamia and smiled. He always smiled at Tamia. I suspected he had a crush on her, one he could not act on. "Thank you for the vote, Vino. I will try my best to serve," I said, and he bowed his head. "Do you mind telling me what The Makailovs and the Peakmans did?" he asked curiously. "They belong to a group," I said, and he looked confused. "A treasonous group," I added, and he nodded understandingly. "Very well then, I wouldn''t want to be in their shoes," he said, and I smiled. "No one would want to be in their shoes, and trust me, by the time I am done with them, people will feel very sorry for them," I said with a promise in my tone. He congratted me again and congratted Marcel and Theodore on their lordship. I looked at where Larry was, and he was unhappy about the oue. The man genuinely hated me, and I did not know why. 130 Ramseys Questioning. 130 Ramsey''s Questioning. ~Sylvester~ We stayed a while in the council hall while I bumped Leo, Devin and Christian up to noble status; my reasons were clear. I will only work with people I trust. Dominic would be made lord under the Balyeav family. Unfortunately, he would have to bear the Balyaevst name. Our father had wiped out the family, and Dominic would have to resurrect the bloodline. "I feel this thing was nned," Larry said after I had made my derations, trying to incite people, and Iughed and stood up. His opinion didn''t matter anymore, and he knew it, so his head remained bowed. "I may be King, but I want to work with people passionate about our world. Alpha Albert, Corrigan, and Zakharov have shown their zeal to make this seed. I may be King, but I need trustworthy people to seed. While their families will now have representation on the council, I will officially make Sean Kingston head Alpha of the west, restoring a seat that my father made vacant due to mutiny. My main goal is to restore peace, and I know I have made this decision because of this purpose." I said and ended the conversation. Unlike the past when the council will argue and debate the matter. All they could do now was advise. I was given total control. Now it was time to fish the bastard out. I could not wait to question Ramsey. I would start with him and then move on to the others. As for the Makhailovs, Peakmans and Wayats, I had something special for them. We left the ce and returned home. Tamia was very tired, so I apanied her to the room so she could rest. My mother wanted all the juicy details of how the event went, and Avery offered to tell her, leaving me free to do my work. I freshened up and decided to visit the council prison to question Ramsey. There was no way I would sleep without interrogating him. Leo and Devin had pleaded with me to participate in the questioning, and I obliged them. It was the least I could do, seeing they were the ones that championed the cause at the council. Dominic and Christain proceeded to question Lenny Mikhailov so we could find Jacob. Theo and Marcel proceeded to handle Peakman; Wayat would have to wait his turn. I walked into Ramsey''s cell with Leo and Devin. News had gone around that I was now a king. Even the enforcers at the prison greeted me. I should delegate this to someone else because of my status, but I wanted to do it myself. Leo was rted to Ramsey even though Amanda had left and was now far away, starting over. I could understand why Leo would want to participate in Ramsey''s interrogation. The man had ruined his home because of greed, and Leo needed answers and revenge. Devin excused us to check on something and told us to go ahead. I let him go. I knew we had to move quickly. I needed all the information I could get, and I needed to catch the so-called King. Being his right-wing man, I knew Ramsey would lead me to him. So far, everyone had spoken Ramsey''s name; it had to ount for something. I drew a chair and sat in front of him while Leo decided to stand. Ramsey had a silver bracelet on, so his hands weren''t tied, but he was useless because he could not shift or ess his wolf abilities. Questioning him would be easy. I looked at him, and he smiled at me. I knew he was trying to keep a brave facade. He knew he was busted, and his life was forfeit. It seems he would rather die a brave man than a coward. His smile meant he was smiling at death. I represented death to him, and his mind was right. There was no way I would let him live. Letting him survive to tell the story another day would be stupid. "Your game is up, Ramsey," I said, and he nodded. "I agree," he said, not putting too much of a fight, and I knew something was off. "Who is the king?" I asked him, wanting to get straight to the point. "Well, you are, of course. You got crowned today," He said, and I got impatient. I wanted to be done with this and prepare for my crowning and wedding. "I do not have all the time in the world. I have a list of all your associates," I told him, and he frowned at me. "A list? What list? Whopiled this list?" the man asked, and even though I should be asking him the questions, I knew I needed to rub it in that his very own had sold him out. "Well, your daughter gave us a sh drive of the list of your associates," I said, and he began to laugh. Heughed so hard that I felt stupid. Leo wanted to punch him, but I stopped him. "Amanda?" Ramsey said, and I nodded, and he shook his head. "My my my, you are even a bigger fool than I thought. Your father wouldn''t have fallen for this," he said, and I frowned at him. "Where did she get this file from?" He asked. "Yourputer Ramsey, so quit acting," Leo said, and Ramsey bowed his head as if he was hurting. "Do I look stupid to you?" Ramsey asked me, and I did not respond, making a straight face. "So I would somehowpile a list of my associates and save it as a file on myputer. Amanda miraculously knew my password, and out of the many files on myputer, she happened to know which one to pick and copy?" he said, and putting it that way, it seemed a bit off, but the specific folders copied made me rx. "She copied many files," Leo said, and Ramsey shook his head. "I do not keep a list of associates on myputer. I never have and never will. I y solitaire and chess with my desktop and nothing more. That list isn''t mine. You can send for myputer and give an expert to check if I have deleted anything from it," he said and looked at both of us. "Where is she now?" He asked me, and I looked at him. "Far away from your reach," I said, and heughed. Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. "And I guess she is far away from yours too," he said,ughing, and I was impatient. "You are pissing me off, Ramsey," I said with mymand, and he shook, remembering why I was a Volkov, to begin with. "You have been had," Ramsey said, and Leo wanted to attack him, but I stopped him. "I do not know what my darling daughter told you, but she is cunning like that. She was smart enough to n her escape if she got caught," He said, and I shut him up. "Annika said you..." I said, and he interrupted me. "Annika is a blind fool. And I am sure she is dead now because Amanda always cleans up her mess," He said with sadness in his eyes, and I became confused. "You have let go of the only person that knows the king''s identity," he said, and I punched him. I thought he was trying to get back at his daughter for giving him up. Touching his broken nose, he tried to fix it a bit. "I am not lying, your majesty," he said with sincerity in his eyes. "Amanda schooled in Cains most of her life, where she met the King. He did not live there, but he visited there often, and they shared the dream of ruling together," he said and sighed. "She met Leo a day after she arrived in the east. She came there with the sole purpose of recruiting me. I would have declined if I knew she was setting me up as the fall guy. But what they offered was too good to refuse. I had been disgraced in the east; it would have been nice to be a nobleman, more important than the man that took my position. They did not have an army, so they needed to cause war. She sweet-talked me into it. Something about restoring our family''s glory and giving me a seat on the council. She said her mate was a Volkov and that they loved each other so much. He did not im her, of course. Their wedding was to ur after they seeded at creating the war. Getting with Leo wasn''t part of the n, but she went to Casper''s party, and they were fated. It was a massive setback because she was torn between her wolf and her desires," he said, and I called Kappa Wilson on the phone to check on Annika in her cell. There was no way Ramsey was lying. I could see the resignation in his eyes. 131 The Bond 131 The Bond ~Sylvester~ The call did not take long. I instructed Wilson to hurry up and get back to me. After the call, Ramsey continued to speak. "Amanda informed the King of the development with Leo the night she returned from the party. She feared he would dump her, but the guy had a bright idea of using the mate bond for themselves and their cause. Unfortunately, Leo wasn''t as stupid as they hoped he would be. She never won his heart, so she never got to control him, but she helped her boyfriend cause damage," Ramsey said, and I felt foolish. "Why will she set you up, and why did Annika not know she was the mastermind? Your niece named you," I said, and heughed. "Amanda never forgave me for what happened to her mother. But I had to kill that bitch because she was the one that got me in trouble with Maurice Volkov, both her and Annika''s mother. I guess the two decided to get revenge for their mothers. Annika is a fool for Amanda and would do anything her cousin says. To her, everything Amanda does is for the greater good. I allowed it simply because it was beneficial to me. By now, you must have established my character. There is nothing to hide," He said, and I was speechless. I was also worried that Ramsey was right about Amanda cleaning her mess where Annika was concerned. "What about the threats and the targets? The gun assassination?" Leo asked, sounding confused, and the man began tough. "None of you would be alive if we could do all that. Amanda controlled the information that would be in cirction. She was smart like that. Once you hear the same thing from two to three people, then it is true. I can never put a target on my daughter''s back. During the game, I sat in your booth with you. Did I behave in any suspicious way? She told you what she wanted you to believe, and she pretended all through. I won''t me any of you. Amanda is smooth like that," he said, and I was stunned. "What about her visits to your house?" Leo asked, and he sighed. "She did not visit me; she was visiting him. That pregnancy isn''t yours, Leo. They imed each other, so you won''t feel it. Think of it this way. If Amanda had her way, both you and Tamia would have died the day the north attacked, and who do you think would have control of the east if that happened?" He asked, and I knew the answer before Leo even said it. "Amanda," He said, and I became impatient. I did not want to even listen to the rest of it. We had an Ace and let her go out of pity and sentiments. Because of the stupid councilws. I wanted to punch Ramsey. If only he had spoken up, I would have held her by all means. We had nothing on her, and so we had to let her go. I was d Tamia put someone on her. I kept that part to myself. "Everyone knew no one stood a chance against the northern Army. Being fighters, Leo and Tamia should have fought to theirst breath; what Amanda did not expect was that Tamia would refuse to fight and give herself up. That spoiled many things because Leo remained alive. Now that Tamia was in the north, there were limits to how we couldplicate issues between the east and the north," he said, and I began tough from frustration. Leo was growling. His bitch had outsmarted everyone. "I am just a pawn in this thing. One thing I know is that the guy is a Volkov. She told me that much, but I did not know which one. Some council members are in league with him because he promised to make them lords when he bes King. A position their family can never attain, and it seemed usible. Honestly, I thought about who this guy must be. I thought it was David at first, but then I found out he was married with children, and I doubt it is your brother, so this guy might be lying or delusional. I do not know, but he is resourceful and has a very powerful person behind him. That is all I know," he said, resigning himself. Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org. My phone rang, and it was Wilson. I was afraid of answering, but I did. "Your Majesty, we got to the cell, and when Annika realised what we were there for, she swallowed something, and now she is unconscious. We found a tiny capsule filled with eastern silver dust in her hand. I believe someone gave her two. She did not get to swallow the second capsule," Kappa Wilson said, confirming what Ramsey said. I remembered the odd conversation Tamia spoke about between Annika and Amanda, and I was livid. Annika had confessed, so we could not keep her under the same condition as the other prisoners. I wish I was King then; I would have waived her rights. She should have had silver on her to stop the mind-linking ability. Leo was right when he said that thews do not favour our society. Bing King was a gamble. If I knew I would win and that I would get the support I got, I would have damned it and broken all the rules. I punched the desk between Ramsey and me and hung up. Suddenly what Ramsey said checked out. I did not need him to borate any more than he already had. The woman had yed us. "We will put a wanted ad of Amanda Richford," I said calmly. "Why didn''t I feel the pain of her being with someone else?" Leo asked Ramsey, and heughed. "She is an Alpha, like you, Leo; she did not reject you. She did to you what you did to your wife. imed another man while connected to you, so you won''t feel it. You see, we all know that once imed by our fated, we could im a chosen and transfer the bond. The bond with the fated would remain, but it will be weak. Have you looked at the mark on her neck? If you look closely, you will notice that there are two bites almost in the same spot. Your bond with Amanda was transferred to this guy, so they did not need a blue moon to im each other. It happens. If you find your fated and reject them, the bond transfers to the one your heart desires, but you must have found your fated or possess a fated bond to create that connection. A few people have done it in the past, so it isn''t news to my generation. They had to im each other even though they weren''t ready to do it, so you will not know when they are intimate. They did not need the blue moon to im each other because of your existing bond with Amanda. So your bond with her was transferred to him. She chose him. You can easily dismiss his scent when she returns to you because she has always had it. She had been intimate with him before you; he had marked her with his scent. They love each other deeply," Ramsey exined, and Leo swore. The woman had yed all of us, and no one was the wiser. I was heartbroken. I did not know how Tamia would feel about it knowing the woman had deliberately ruined her home for nothing. There was no way Tamia would not take this personally. This was very bad. "Do you know where she would be right now?" I asked him, and he shook his head. "Must have gone into hiding. You won''t find her, your majesty. They are resourceful, and they love each other. That much I can tell you. Even the mate bond could not stop them from getting together. With Leo, she would be head Luna of the east and live in Tamia''s shadow for the rest of her life; with this Volkov guy, she would be queen. It was an easy choice," he said,ughing. "Sorry, Leo," he added, and Leo wanted to hit him, but I stopped him. Just then, Devin walked in, and it was clear he had not heard anything Ramsey had told us. I told him everything, and he cursed. "Honestly, I felt it was weird she had that sh drive. Why didn''t she give it to Leo before he brought her to the estate? I believe it was herst resort, and it worked. She tried to be a victim and yed on Tamia''s history with Ramsey to get the sympathy she desired. The bitch," Devin said, and I was mad. How could we have been so stupid not to see Amanda for what she was? A mastermind. 132 Back to the Mansion 132 Back to the Mansion ~Sylvester~ Everything we had learned disrupted my emotions. I did not know how to feel about being outsmarted. We had her within our reach, and thews had forced us to let her go. I med myself for it. I should have been ruthless where Amanda was concerned, but I let her go. I felt sorry for her because I thought she was carrying Leo''s children. She cooperated, and I genuinely thought she was a victim in a bad situation. I was angry and ashamed. There was no way we would let her seed. I knew if we put our heads together, we woulde up with something. I looked at Ramsey, who was silent, and I decided to use him. "Very well, Ramsey Richford. I appreciate your cooperation, and because of that, I will cut you a deal," I said and sighed. "A reduced sentence for everything you know about your daughter''s mate," I said, and he shook his head. His eyes were a bit misty. "I do not want a reduced sentence, your majesty. Right now, I choose death," he said, and I realised I was dealing with a hardened man. Just like his niece that tried to take her life. The man had resigned himself. "I have nothing to live for. My daughter betrayed me. My niece might be dead. I killed my mate. I am alone. Even if I get a reduced sentence, what would I do with my freedom when ites? I have fallen so low that I can never get back up again. There is nothing for me in this world. To think Amanda held on to her grief and destroyed me for it breaks my heart. I do not want reduced sentencing, your majesty. I want the death penalty," he said, and I knew he meant it. "But I will give you all the information in my possession. I will cooperate with you until you do not need me anymore," He said, and I was surprised at his resolve. "And why will you do this? You sound exactly like Amanda," I said to him, and he nodded. "Just keep me locked up in silver; you know you can trust me. Put me in the darkest cells. I have absolutely nothing to prove," he said, and I looked at him. "For starters. I think you should send someone to Cain to fish her out. She might not go there, but something there would lead you to her." he said, and I fought theugh knowing Tamia had sent someone to watch her when she left the mansion. I just nodded. Getting up, I decided to excuse myself. I needed to find Amanda, who would lead me to Jenny''s bastard, and then he would lead me to the person supporting him. Either that, or we search for Jenny''s bastard and find the person supporting him. Either way, I needed to look into the Lawrence household. There was no way Jenny''s pregnancy and son were a secret to them. Someone in that house would know. Even though Louis is dead, someone in that generation would know. "Let''s go," I told Devin and Leo, and they agreed. We left Ramsey in his cell for an enforcer to take him away, and we left the prison. I dreaded telling my pregnant mate all that we had learned. I was in knots. We entered the vehicle that would take us back to the estate. There wasplete silence in the car. Kappa William was driving, and I sat at the back with Leo while Devin sat in front. Leo hadplete sorrow in his eyes. He had thrown away everything for a lie. "I asked Tamia to shift that day so we can defend ourselves," he said, speaking to himself, and I saw tears trickle down his cheek. "I pleaded with her to shift so we could fight the northern soldiers. I told Amanda to go to the shelter and hide because she wasn''t cut out for that situation," He said and bit his fist. He was angry. "I indirectly asked Tamia to risk her life for Amanda," he said, blinking away his tears. "I did not see it that way back then, but that was what I did," he said. "All because she was pregnant, and I thought it was mine. I wasn''t ready for it. I took precautions, but she said ck did it, and I had to ept. She yed me and tried to kill Tamia and me for her personal goals. I wish Tamia had let me die that day," he said, and I heard the rage in his voice. "She gave herself up because she wanted me to live and Amanda and me to have a happy home without her. She took her chances with you because she wanted out of the mess I created. If I find that bitch, I will destroy her and her bastards," he said, biting into his fist until blood began to spill. "I will destroy everything about her, and it will be as if she had never existed. Both her and her mate," his wolf growled, and I honestly did not want to be in Amanda''s shoes right now. It was personal to Leo. It was cruel to think they ruined his home because they wanted to take over the north. They could have carried on their agenda without him. Their actions were beneficial to me because they brought Tamia into my life, but I felt sorry for Leo and the life he would have had. I had often looked at him and Tamia, and they did look good together, but she was mine now. I pulled Leo''s fist from his mouth before he crushed his hand. "You need to be calm and maintain a sharp mind. They won''t get away with it. We will hunt them down and destroy them," I told him with promise, and he was speechless. Even with Amanda dead, the damage would still remain. Their actions had chipped away at his soul. We arrived at the mansion, and Devin requested to speak to me privately. I wondered what it was about, but I chose to oblige him. While Leo went to his, Devin and I went to my lounge to discuss. He seemed unsettled, and I wondered what his issue was. "After all that I have learned, I need to tell you something," he said, and I was attentive. "Niks Sullivan lived in my territory with his niece Susan who Iter learned was your ex. I did not know that Niks and his daughter, Glenda were in on this shit," he said, and I frowned at him because I had Glenda in custody. Niks was atrge, but I knew it was a matter of time before we caught him. "What I am trying to tell you here is that after seeing what happened to Leo, I do not want to have the same issue," he said, and I still did not get him. "Susan and I started dating a week ago, and she is staying in my hotel room. I do not know if she is one of them and is just using me," he said, and I could hear the fear in his voice. It was an epic match, and if all this shit wasn''t there, I would haveughed. I was with his fated, and he was with mine. It was funny. "Are you two fated now?" I asked him, and he shook his head. I guess the goddess blessed Tamia and me. "I do not know what to tell you, Devin, but I will advise you to be careful and keep an eye on her. Now that you are on the council, if her hands are dirty, it would reflect badly on you," I said, and I could see fear and reluctance in his eyes. Susan had that effect; I just hoped she was being real with him. "One more thing. I do not know if this will help. She did not mean to leave, but Maurice conversed with Niks, divulging some things she did not hear. She walked in on their conversation, and Maurice thought she heard everything he told Niks, so he ordered that she be taken away, or he would take her life. Niks chose to leave with her. She never moved on until the day you rejected her; she was afraid toe to the north, thinking your mother might be in on it too," he said. I wondered what my father might have discussed with Niks to warrant that kind of action. I realised we needed to catch Niks too. He was one of the people who escaped because of the tip. If I catch him, I might discover something. "I have dered him wanted. You should do the same." Devin said, and I sighed. "You should be careful. That is all I will tell you," I said, and he nodded. "Why did you excuse us when we wanted to question Ramsey?" I asked him, and he handed me his phone. "Susan tried to reach me all day, and I wanted to call her and tell her I was fine," He said, and I did not bother because I do not have her current number. I honestly do not care about anything that concerns them.Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org. "It''s okay," I said and refused his phone. "Will that be all?" I asked, and he nodded. "When is our next meeting?" he asked, and I sighed. "Honestly, I want to rest while we try to hunt that bitch down," I said, and he nodded. "I understand. I will remain in the north pending the solution. My beta can handle things in the south," He said, and I thanked him. Devin said there has been calm in the south since we made the arrests, and he was willing to stick around to help us finish. I left the lounge and headed to my room, worried about how Tamia would take the news about Amanda. I was d Tamia had Amanda followed, but the thought that we could have caught the bastard if we had only held on to Amanda a little longer was disturbing. I entered the room, and Tamia was sleeping peacefully on the bed. Themotion and waiting must have exhausted her. We waited for three days before we got the result that we wanted. She was bound to sleep. I moved close to her, and she looked peaceful. I just hoped that the news that I was about to give her would not take her peace away. I went to shower, and after standing under the warm water for almost thirty minutes, I got over my anger and anxiety and decided to meet the problem head-on. I decided I would have the Lawrences interrogated by the next day. I exited the bathroom and called Marcel while in the closet, on the phone, because he was still at the council prison interrogating prisoners. I told him what I had learned from Ramsey, and he was in shock. "We need to do something. We need to ensure we catch her and bring her back to the north for questioning." I said, and he sighed. "We should discuss this when I return," he said, and I hung up. I exited the room, and Tamia was awake. She sat up in bed and smiled at me. "You are home," she said, looking beautiful with her messy hair and sleepy eyes. "Yes, I am home," I said with a smile and sat beside her in bed. I intertwined my fingers with hers and kissed her hand. Then I pressed her palm to my beard and closed my eyes. I needed her scent to calm Knight down. "What is the matter, darling?" She asked, and I sighed and looked at her. I did not know how she would take what I was about to tell her, but it was necessary. 133 Tamias Plan 133 Tamia''s n ~Tamia~ Sylvester''s movements woke me up from sleep. I heard him talking to someone in the closet on the phone, and I wondered what the matter was. I must have been asleep for hours. After winning the votes to be king, all the tension that built up dissipated, leaving me tired and in need of rest. I was feeling refreshed, but Kaira could feel Knight''s uneasiness which meant Sylvester had learned something disturbing or something had gone wrong. I braced myself for the worst and waited for him toe out. He finally exited the closet and joined me in the bed. Though he seemed rxed, he felt nervous. His gestures could not fool me. I felt Knight''s turmoil, and I knew something was wrong. I wondered what he must have learned that would cause him to behave like this. I looked at his dark eyes and smiled. "Your majesty," I teased, and he smiled at me. "Oh, Tamia," he said, and I knew it was serious because he did not call me green-eyes. "Amanda was our link to the king," he said, and I sat up in shock. "borate," I said, and he sighed. "Ramsey told us everything. Leo was there. How she recruited him, how they used Leo, how they nned that you and Leo would die. It''s a mess, Tamia, but she nned it all and those babies aren''t Leo''s. They belong to Jenny''s son because she imed her lover, who is the king, is a Volkov," he said, and I gasped. I felt terrible for Leo because he did not deserve that degree of deception. "Yes, and that is why we would have the Kappa arrest her," he said, and I shook my head. I knew everyone was angry, and emotions were running high. But we had to be smart about it. I had someone watching her quite alright, and that meant our cause wasn''t hopeless, and she had not gotten away, but we had to be wise. "I do not think that is wise. Let her believe she has fooled all of us and gotten away with it. Let us watch her so she can lead us to the king. She is still a pawn in this. Whether she is his bitch or not, it doesn''t matter. she is receable, but if we catch him, we will end the threat," I told him, and he nodded, understanding my point of view. "So you think we should just watch her?" he asked, and I nodded. "Yes. She will not go to him immediately because we have her father in our custody. We have to make her believe that we have lost her and she is free. She is bound to visit the king, and then we will catch them. Meanwhile, pull all your resources together; let''s find that bastard," I said. "What if..." he began, and I interrupted him. "If we had held her here, she wouldn''t give him up, and she won''t lead us to him. He won''te for her either. The bastard seems selfish and wicked to allow his pregnant mate to y a dangerous game. He left the woman he imed to love with another man. Leo fucked her day and night, Sylvester. While I was there, they were like rabbits. No man that genuinely loves a woman would use her like that. To the so-called king, she is a tool and a means to an end," I said, and he frowned. "He imed her, Tamia, and he got her pregnant," he said, and I nodded. "She wanted him to im her, so he gave her what she wanted. He knew she would carry out the task diligently if he possessed her heart. If he treated her like shit, she would have betrayed him to Leo, but she didn''t because she had the illusion that he loved her and they would end up together. That is very dangerous thinking. He doesn''t care about her or the babies in her womb. She is just another tool. If we held her, she won''t give him up because of love, and he won''te for her, but allowing her to be free would make her unwillingly lead us to him. Just wait and see. Let''s focus on your crowning and our wedding. Once Amanda leads us to the bastard, we will catch him. Let us maintain the status quo and continue to drill the prisoners. Let us keep Amanda''s involvement out of it. We do not need to tell the prisoners what we know. Tell all the people that know of Amanda''s involvement to keep it quiet. Word must not get out that we know. I want her to be free. I want to fool her the way she fooled us. She might even reach out to Leo to determine if he knows anything; he mustn''t let her know. He must maintain his behaviour. Pretend Ramsey did not give her up. We need to treat her the way she treated all of us. Fool her. She is our only viable lead to the bastard king. We have to catch him through her. It would be sweet justice," I said, beaming at him. I needed him to rx. I was worried internally, but I needed my mate to be sharp. He sighed with relief and nodded. "She gave Annika a silver dust capsule. The girl is in ama," he added, and I gasped. I remembered the hands Amanda kept in her pocket and how she rushed to hold Annika''s hand through the bars. That was when she must have handed it to her. I was angry at Amanda that she would go as far as encouraging her cousin to kill herself for her selfish benefit. Amanda would suffer and die a slow and painful death. I know I will enjoy it because finding out she never cared for Leo broke my heart. She ruined my marriage and my friendship for selfish reasons. I hated her. Poor Leo is alone now because of her. She would die a very painful death, and I would dish out the pain. "They should feed her milk and tea tree oil. She woulde through in a day or two. If the silver caused damage, it would take a few weeks for her system to repair fully, and she would be ready for questioning. They should use a feeding tube." I said, knowing the remedy of what she took. Silver dust belonged to the east. The bitch knew the north did not understand how the poison worked. "Once she is alright, I will drill her about her secret conversation with Amanda. Amanda must have wanted her dead for a reason. Annika knows something, and I want to find out what it is." I said, and he nodded. "Thank you for making sense of all this, Tamia. I was confused and mad. I will reach out to everyone to act normal, but I won''t tell anyone we have eyes on the bitch." He said, and I nodded. He went to make some phone calls while I went to the bathroom to freshen up.Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. It wasn''t long before I stepped into the shower when Sylvester joined me. He held me under the water from behind, and I giggled. I wasn''t expecting he would be in the state of mind to make love to me, but his hardness said otherwise. I turned to look at him, and he bent to kiss my lips. He lifted me up, and I wrapped my legs around him. Kissing me, he ced himself inside me and began to pump. I liked it. I knew we couldn''t do this soon because of my growing bump, so I enjoyed it. He travelled with his kisses to the sweet spot on my neck, and I looked up with my eyes shut to enjoy the feeling. I wanted him to im me so severely, and Kaira wanted it too. Sylvester carried me out of the shower into the bedroom andid me on the bed to continue what he had started in the shower. Laying spent on the bed, he turned to look at me. "Guess what?" he said, and I was attentive. "Devin hooked up with Susan," He said, and I gasped and then smiled. "Wow!" I said because I did not see thating at all. "How did you find out?" I asked him, and he smiled. "After hearing what Amanda did to Leo, and knowing Niks is involved and that he is atrge, Devin became worried that Susan might be a part of it too and might be ying him just like Amanda yed Leo. You needed to see him; he was a confused mess," Sylvester said, and I frowned. "That is serious," I said, and Sylvester nodded. "Apparently, she told him my father was discussing something confidential with her uncle when she walked in on them. My father thought she heard the discussion, and because of that, her uncle offered to take her away to spare her life. Also, she did not return because since my father must have done that to her, my mother might do the same. It was weird, but I know my father has killed people for less, so it is usible that she had to follow Glenda''s father to the south to avoid my father''s wrath. When we catch Niks, I want to find out what he was discussing with my father that made him send Susan away. It must be very serious." he said, and I had a theory. "What if it was his bastard? What if Niks knew of the bastard or what transpired between him and Jenny. Looking at everything, Jenny was your father''s darkest secret. What he did with that woman was enough for him to lose face. He had to somehow salvage himself. He did not want people to know of her. He flirted with many women but kept Jenny a secret because something bad might havee out of it. So he might have been discussing either Jenny or her son with Niks and thought Susan heard," I said and shook my head after thinking of my theory and realising I had nothing to support it with. "I might also be wrong; she might have lied about the reason. I guess we will never know until we catch Niks," I said, and he nodded. "Alpha Ramsey told me that the fake king has a very powerful person behind him." He said, which made it more interesting because if that was the case, then this bastard was not the one at the top, but a means to an end. "We need to catch the guy to know what is really happening here," I said, not wanting to overthink the situation. "Let us follow the n and see what happens from there. Your inauguration is in five days. Let us rest so you can look sharp that day. I can''t wait for you to be crowned," I said, and he smiled and touched my nose "And you will be queen a week after the inauguration," he pointed out, and I beamed at him. I had butterflies thinking of my uing wedding and iming. I could not wait to bepletely joined to Sylvester. I looked forward to it. We remained in bed in each other''s arms until we finally fell asleep. 134 With the girls 134 With the girls ~Tamia~ Morning came, and we went for breakfast. Everyone was present. There was an awkwardness in the atmosphere even though not everyone present knew of Amanda''s treachery, the ones that knew made it radiate into the atmosphere. I noticed Jake was not around, and when I asked about him, Stephanie said he had gone to Lund to see his son. His daughter was still locked up in the Estate, but I doubted we would yield anything important. As things were, all that mattered was Amanda, the Volkov guy, and the person supporting him. None of the people we had locked up presently could give us useful information. Amanda and the Volkov handled the information so well that no one would be useful if caught. Amanda might not be the mastermind, but she was his tool, the one he sent and the only one that had direct contact with him and knew who he was. She was all we needed, so I will be satisfied with having an eye on her until they meet and we swoop in. "How did the questioning go?" Stephanie asked. I wondered why she decided to have breakfast with us instead of David and his family. "We are still trying to get as much information as possible from the prisoners," Sylvester said to stop others from telling her what was really going on, and she smiled at him. "Your Majesty," she teased and looked at Dominic, "Your Eminence," she teased him too, but both Sylvester and Dominic had false smiles on their faces. No one could miss it. They sucked at acting, and Stephanie caught on. "What''s with the two of you? You should be in celebratory mode," she said, surprised by their mood. Sylvester nodded at her. "We can''t celebrate when the king is still atrge, and some people are missing," he said, and Stephanie nodded. "Still, you got some victory; you should be proud of yourselves. Now you have the power to deal with them as you see fit without that corrupt council getting involved. It is a huge improvement," She said, and they nodded. "Anyway, we are almost done with the wedding ns for the blue moon. I wanted to know if you all will be going on honeymoons before we start implementing the n," She asked, and Sylvester nodded. "Yes, I will be taking a short holiday with my wife," He said. The others agreed to do the same, and Stephanie nodded. "I will look for the perfect spot. Fit for Royalty," she said. There was genuine joy in her eyes. I wondered what would happen if she found out the truth. After breakfast, Sylvester went to speak to his friends while Avery and I joined Linda in her wing. The Gamma wing was stunning, and I noticed that Linda had made plenty of modifications to the ce. She had always been the type to own a ce thoroughly, and this was her own wing. We entered her bedroom and sat in the living section of the room. "What is this I hear about that snake?" Linda asked about Amanda and then served us juice. "I was surprised too. " Avery said. "What are we going to do? We let the ring leader go," Linda said, and I nodded. "I still can''t wrap my head around it," I confessed. I had maintained a strong facade to lend Sylvester strength, but the truth of the situation was that Amanda outsmarted us, and it did not sit well with me at all. "She wasn''t dumb after all, cunning bitch," Avery said, giving Amanda a promotion. "I used to think she was dumb, but after Theo told me what she managed to pull off, I have to give it to her; she is smart," Linda said, and I stood up and began to pace. "Crying, trying to look weak, begging and pretending to be desperate, pretending to care about Leo," Avery said, describing Amanda''s behaviour. "I know you might find this offensive, Tamia, but I do not feel sorry for Leo. He made his bed with thorns; he should lie on it, but damn to set her father up and ask her cousin to swallow poison while she roams free is cold. There was no way she did all this for love, that selfish bitch." Linda said, and I nodded. "I think she did," I said, and Linda shook her head. "No, Tamia, she is incapable of love," She argued, and I shook my head. "On the contrary. She is capable of it, and it is the dangerous kind. Being pregnant while nning an uprising isn''t easy, but she wanted to tie herself to the man. That was why she transferred her bond and got pregnant by him too. She did it all to keep him. Call it what you must, but it is an act of desperation. A way of holding on to something you believe might slip away. If anything, I believe he is using her," I said, and Avery asked me to borate; I told them the same things I said to Sylvester, and they understood that aspect. "Well, she is out of our reach now," Linda said, and I shook my head. "Not really. I have a Kappa on her trail. I did not want her out of sight, so I had someone watch her from the moment she left." I said, and Linda beamed at me. "Brilliant," She said happily, and I nodded. "How did you know to do that?" Avery asked, and I smiled. "Her weird conversation with Annika, the fact that she gave me the drive instead of Leo and that every one was uneasy about releasing her. It was enough for me to double-check. I needed to make sure," I said, and Avery smiled. "Very well. Send reinforcements and have them drag her ass back here," Avery said, and I shook my head at the same time Linda said no. "Why not?" Avery asked, and Linda spoke before me. "The snake is home free; she is bound to slip up," She said, and I chuckled because Linda was right. "Think of it this way: She believes she has fooled everyone and is free. She will try to meet her lover or mate, whatever the douchebag is to her. Once she does, we will know who he is and catch him. If what Tamia suspects about their rtionship is true, then to him, she is dispensable. If we catch her, he would just go into hiding, and she might be too stupid to want to give him up. We need her to reach out to him and then go for both of them together," she said, and I smiled at Linda because she understood why I had not moved to arrest Amanda. "Then send that Kappa reinforcements. It wasn''t difficult for Liam to know he was being followed," Avery pointed out, and I nodded. "We had amateurs following him because of the impromptu situation; in his case, he knew he had been made, and his associates were also hunting him. It is a different scenario, but I will send Levi for good measure. They are good at their job," I said. Just then, my phone rang, and Wilson was on the line. I answered immediately. "Your Majesty," he said, addressing me by my future title, and I could not believe it had happened. Everything seemed unreal, but it had happened, and that is where we are now. "Yes, Wilson," I said. N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. "Amanda Richford checked into a hotel in Cain, and Jacob Mikhailov just joined her," He said, and I was on alert. "Send reinforcement to the Kappa. I want a minute-by-minute detailing of their meeting, discussions and behaviour towards each other, now," I said. "Okay, I will have the Kappa contact you after their meeting. I will also deploy two men there." He said. "No, send Levi," I said and hung up. "So?" Avery asked, eager to hear what was happening. "Amanda is in Cain, and Jacob Mikhailov just joined her at the hotel." "Do you think he is the one?" Avery asked eagerly, and I shook my head. "I am not sure. I doubt he it, but we could never tell. The Kappa on her has been asked to stay on her and watch them. If they end up fucking, then we will move in on the bastard. If not, we will wait for them to finish the meeting, and when they are far apart, arrest the bastard. We do not want him roaming about the ce freely." I said, and they agreed. We talked about our wedding and what we would wear on that day. And even though we tried to make it sound as if that was the only thing that mattered, the situation with Amanda loomed at the back of our minds, reducing the joy and enthusiasm that we were supposed to feel. We did not know what to do about it. Three hourster, a call came in from a number on Cains Ind. I answered immediately. "Your Majesty, this is Kappa Hendrix," the voice said, and I was attentive. "Jacob visited Amanda''s hotel room in the morning, and they had breakfast in the restaurant. They were having an argument at the time, and he left in anger," he said, which was too vague for me. I need more detail. "Details," I said. "The man wasining about his fugitive status, wanting to know what the king would do about it. Miss Richford said she was waiting for instructions from the king and could not do anything about his situation. But the man wouldn''t have it. He threw a fit of anger, causing a scene at the restaurant, and management had to walk him out. I want to know if I should follow him or remain on target?" he asked me, and that was an easy pick. "Remain on target," I said. "We will be sending you a partner. You are only to report what you see, Kappa, do not engage or jeopardise the mission," I warned him before hanging up. I told Avery and Linda what I had learned. "That is some progress; at least, we know where Mikhailov is and what Ramsey told Sylvester checks out. Whether we liked it or not, we all had a tinge of doubt because the information came from Ramsey. He might have as well cooked it up to get even with his daughter for ratting him out. This proves her involvement with the whole uprising bullshit and with the king directly," Avery said. I smiled, feeling a bit relieved that we had an eye on her and she wasn''t a free bird. After that call, the three of us decided to shop in town. We wanted to buy clothes for the inauguration, which was now in four days and also give the tailor the contract of having something ready for our blue moon ceremony. Although we had a lot of issues to deal with, life was still passing by, and we could not allow Amanda and her king to stop us from living it. I was proud of how far we had alle, and bing actual Royalty was a considerable step up. I nned on enjoying every moment and supporting the man I love through this huge milestone and remarkable transition. It was truly great because Sylvester had peacefully achieved the one thing Maurice wanted but did not know how to do. Leo hade through for him, and I was grateful to my ex for his loyalty. On our way out, Stephanie stopped us, but when I told her what we were nning to do, she decided to take the whole gang along and soon what was meant to be an outing that consisted of my friends and I, Katya, Nicole and Stephanie became a part of it and just as expected, Stephanie took charge. We let her and tried to rest our minds. As long as we had an eye on that bitch, Amanda, she was still a mouse in our maze. 135 Waiting For The Day 135 Waiting For The Day ~Sylvester~ After breakfast, we had to converge at the lounge to discuss matters. Tamia went with Linda and Avery while my mother left us to handle the issues concerning the uing ceremonies. I have never been this mentally busy, but dealing with this king forced me to put my brain cells to work. If it weren''t for the lives it threatened, I would have said I was enjoying the cat-and-mouse game the uprising was ying. "Four days to go, and you will be the official king. How do you feel about it?" Dominic asked me, and I looked at him, searching my mind for an honest answer. "Honestly, Dominic. I feel nothing. I feel under pressure like I will be taking up more responsibilities," I confessed, and heughed. "To think father fought tooth and nail for what was given to you on a tter," he said in deep thought. I knew Dominic cared for our father a lot and wasn''t aware of what our father did to him. I hope the time won''te when I must tell him the man he held on to in his happy fairytale memory never acknowledged his worth. "I never agreed with your ideology, Sylvester, but I do now," he said and sat beside me. Marcel and Theodore were making themselvesfortable, while Leo and Devin were yet to join us. "If you had attacked the south and destroyed the east as I advised, these people would have won. I am d you know when to be merciful and when to be ruthless," he confessed, and just then, Leo and Devin joined us. "Since you told me what Ramsey said, I took it upon myself to check the people on that list and the names checked out. The list she gave us was urate. I returned to the prison to show Ramsey, and he agreed with the list. Those were names of their associates and members," He said with concern. "So, what are you driving at?" Dominic asked him. "Amanda and her lover nned on using these people, and if it goes wrong, dispose of them. See what she did to her cousin and father. They are trying to make us clean up their mess," He said, and I knew where he was driving. "The uprising group has ended, and the so-called king man would look for another means of getting what he wants. See these people and the uprising thing as a failed project. These people on this list do not have any viable information about the king man and Amanda. They make her seem like a victim and keep saying he is an older man. That would force us to a point at Ramsey, but we know Ramsey doesn''t have the capacity and smarts for this. They have stylishly disposed of their allies so they can go into hiding and start afreshter." Marcel said, and Theodore cleared his throat. "That is why it is paramount that Annika wakes up. She must have information that is not in cirction to make Amanda go as far as slipping her poison. We might be wrong, but it''s worth the attempt," he said, and I nodded. Just then, Tamia linked me. "Amanda is in Cains, and Jacob Mikhailov just visited her. They argued, and he left. I asked Hendrix to stay with her. Levi will be joining him in Cains," She linked me. "Let''s talk about itter," I said, and she closed the connection. "What is the matter?" Marcel said; he must have noticed my eyes zed over while Tamia and I communicated. A not so nice giveaway that I always do my best to mask. "Amanda is in Cains," I linked Marcel and Theodore, not wanting Devin and Leo to know. "Ramsey said we should check there," Marcel linked back. "She is in Cains, and Jacob Mikhailov visited her at her hotel toin and argue," I linked them, and Marcel gently nodded, not wanting us to discuss it further. "So what are we going to do? You asked that we should not dere her wanted," Devin said, and I nodded. "Yes, we want her to think she seeded and is home free. She will contact Leo. He is now on the council and very powerful. She will contact him," I said, and Leo frowned. "I believe there will be trouble in paradise soon," I said with a broad grin. "What do you mean?" Marcel asked me, and I cleared my thought. "Just as everyone on that list was a target for a specific reason and their emotions were worked on, I believe the king man targeted Amanda," I said, and they were confused. "Her father was the only one that survived the uprising against Maurice, my father. It had to count for something. This king man knew he needed a protective shield in case the operation blew up. So he recruited Amanda, worked on her and made her fall in love so she would wholeheartedly do his bidding: to recruit her father and make him the face of the operation. On the surface, it would look like a continuation of what happened in my father''s era, but in actual sense, it is something new," I said, and Leo shook his head. "I think they fell in love," he said, and I nodded. "I thought as much until Tamia broke it down for me," I said and looked at Leo because what I was about to say would make both of us ufortable. "We fell in love with the same woman. I can never imagine sharing Tamia with someone else so I can achieve my goal; I would find another way. Likewise you. It took you a while to let go of her, and you are still battling yourself. Would you have sent Tamia to Devin, allowed him to sleep with her and im her so you can have power over his region?" I asked him. His eyes were misty, and he shook his head. I knew he was fighting fresh tears, and I did not mean to be cruel. I just wanted them to see my point. "Leo didn''t even want me dancing with her," Devin said, "almost beat me up when the north took her. He wouldn''t have," Devin said, and I nodded. "Likewise myself," I said. "I can''t. I can''t imagine her having someone else''s scent. It would drive my wolf mad. I scented Leo on her, and it took a lot to calm Knight down. It was a friendly hug, but my wolf won''t have it," I said, and Theodore and Marcelughed. "Yet this so-called king man sent the woman he loves to another Alpha. A powerful one at that, simply because they were fated, he had found a way to use the bond to his advantage. He allowed her to stay with him and screw him severally. Tamia said you two were like rabbits in that house, so Amanda must have had your scent regardless," I said, and Leo became quite ufortable. "I am sorry about where this discussion is going, Leo, but I need to exin something; please bear with me. I am not being insensitive, just proving a point Tamia made," I said so he would know I did not mean it as a jab. It was clear the man would never heal, and I knew why. It was because he knew it was all his fault. Everything could have been avoided if he had kept his promise and said no. I am living proof of that after what happened between Susan and me. She moved on, and Devin moved on. He thought he could get away with it, but the goddess didn''t allow it. "But he got her pregnant," Devin said, and I nodded. "Amanda is crazy about this guy. That is why she would go as far as she has gone for him. She has destroyed her bond and her entire family for his sake. She was the one that kept going back to sleep with him; she was the one that wanted the babies and not him. To him, she is dispensable," I said, and they understood my point. Then I looked at Leo. "Back to our topic of discussion. He won''t kill her, but he might separate from her and me it on the problems. He won''t kill her because he knows she won''t give him up, but he might disappear and make himself inessible. When that happens, she will reach out to you, Leo. Because she will be grabbing on straws, looking forfort, she will reach out to you. Maybe not toe back but to make a connection because you will be her only family. When that happens, I want you to act like everything is normal. Can you do that?" I asked him, and he looked at me with red eyes. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. "I can''t promise you she will be alive if I find out where she is," he said, and I knew there was no point pushing it. The man was ready to destroy her. "Please, Leo, we know this has destroyed your life. It took everything from you, but we need you to act as if everything is the same when she reaches out to you. If not, we won''t catch all of them. Your enemy is the king. He was the one that had the bright idea of using your bond with her. She was just too in love to see the error of her ways. I do not mean that you shouldn''t deal with her, but hold on a little until we catch that bastard," Devin pleaded, and he gradually nodded. I knew it was a difficult situation, but it was necessary. "So what do we do about the names on that list?" Marcel asked, and that was an easy one. "Dere them wanted to keep up appearances," I said, and he nodded. We finished our meeting, and I returned to my office to handle matters. I had documents on the table I needed to study and sign before the inauguration. When I was through with my work, I searched for David. I learned he was at the western Garden with his family. That was the Garden Tamia and I loved to visit. We would have to find a new spot because our activities there weren''t child appropriate. David was having a pic with his children, but Nicole was nowhere in sight, so I figured she was with my mother. "Hey," I called out to David, and the children stopped ying while he looked at me. David stood up immediately and tried to bow his head, but I stopped him. I honestly felt like shit because our father wanted him to be lord had my mother not manipted the situation. "Where is Nicole?" I asked him with a smile on my face so he could rx. "Went shopping with Lady Volkov," He said, referring to my mother. It was awkward. "You know you can just say Stephanie," I said, and he nodded. The children also seemed ufortable, and I realised I had to help them rx. "Won''t youe to say hello to your scary uncle?" I said, and they giggled and rushed towards me. I guess an invite was all they needed. I yed with them briefly while they greeted me and returned to y. "Thank you for making them rx," David said while they walked away, and I nodded. "How do you like it here, David?" I asked him, and he smiled. "It''s a temporary arrangement, so I can''t getfortable," he confessed, and I shook my head. "Volkov brothers have always lived together." I said, looking at him, "I want to say I do not mind you living here, David. I can give you a section to make your own," I said, and he was surprised. "Won''t that be too much?" He asked, and I shook my head. "As a lord, you will have to stay here," I said, and his eyes widened. "I know you do not want to have anything to do with power, but it is in your blood. I have decided I will make you lord. You can choose to be inactive if you like, but you have the title," I said, and he sighed and nodded. "Very well, prepare because all the Lords will be named on my coronation day. 136 Coronation 136 Coronation ~Tamia~ Finding what to wear for the Coronation was a bit challenging, especially with our bumps. Avery was the only one in the clear because she wasn''t showing up yet, so she got the best dresses to try on. Linda was worse off than me and had to shop from very loose selections to amodate her pregnancy but look sexy at the same time. I was in between. Nicole and Katya were free to choose from anywhere. We tried on many clothes. After all, we all wanted to wear the same colour none of us would be with our men on that day because we weren''t married yet; we would be going there strictly for moral support. After the wedding, we would be one and the same without a mate. Only the Lords would be at the top with Sylvester. Thinking of it, I did not want to go again. Sitting away from him and watching him from a distance did not feel good at all. But I knew it would be insensitive of me not to be present. We bought beautiful lc dresses good enough for a function but nothing over the top that would draw attention to us. We all chose to wear the same colour as Stephanie to show we were family. Satisfied with our purchase, we returned to the Estate. It was nighttime, and I just went to my room and asked an Omega to bring me food. I decided I would eat in the room. Sylvester was already sleeping; it was too early, but I figured his day might have been hectic. I freshened up, and the food arrived. I ate quietly and went to bed. It was a bad habit, but I was too tired to stay awake and wait for the food to digest. Sylvester''s coronation day had finallye, and I was nervous. We were to converge at the council hall, the King''s Hall onwards. I was excited, and I dressed up; I had butterflies. Sylvester was taking his time in the closet, and I was too eager to see him in his new uniform. I walked into the closet, and he was handsome. The jacket was regally decorated, and his hair was packed in a ponytail. "Goddess, you are handsome," I breathed, letting the words out before I knew it. He looked at me through the mirror and smiled. "I watched him as he managed to button up the jacket. Once he was done, he pulled me close and kissed my neck. "Soon, you will be by my side. The blue moon is next week," he whispered in my ears, and I moaned. "Sylvester," I breathed. "Hold that thought," he said and nibbled my earlobe gently, making heat rush between my legs. "I can smell you, Tamia," he whispered, but I couldn''t speak. "I want to get wild tonight, so I will keep things as they are, and you will think of me throughout the ceremony," He said, and I knew what he nned on doing. We finished in the room and headed out. The Coronation would take about an hour and thirty minutes, but it looked like it would be a long hour because Sylvester got me worked up. He held my hand firmly while we walked through the hallway. Just mean. When we got to the entrance, everyone was there. There was a limo with tints of gold parked in front, and I wondered where it came from. I knew it was the king''s vehicle. Sylvester ushered me in, but Stephanie stopped him. "Unfortunately, she can''t ride with you today, Your Majesty," she told him the protocols. I tried to release my hand from his grip, and he held on. " She rides with me, mother. The blue moon is next week. I will be riding in the same car with my mate," he said sternly, letting her know he would not follow ancient protocols" he ushered me in, and Stephanie smiled and stepped back. I knew she did not mean anything by it; she just wanted to let him know the protocols. She didn''t push. Sitting at the back with Sylvester was more challenging than I thought because of my aroused state. "I can still smell you, Tamia," he said to me in his low husky voice, and I swallowed because my throat was dry. "Sylvester," I managed, and he pulled me onto hisp. the vehicle was moving. He kissed my neck and nibbled gently. I could feel his hardness underneath. I tried to hold my breath. "I guess we both can''t wait," he whispered in my ears, and that was all the invite I needed. There was plenty of room in the Limo, so I sat across for him and rolled down my panties. Managing the space between us. He went between my legs and went to work. I could not believe what we were doing. The thought of everything got me so excited that I came immediately, and he sat back on his side, releasing his cock for me to ride. His ck eyes said it all, and I knew Knight would not give Sylvester control until he got what he wanted, and I liked it. I went on top of him. We arrived at the venue fully satisfied. I wiped traces of lipstick from his face, and Sylvester adjusted himself. I applied a newyer of lipstick on my lips and adjusted myself before we stepped out of the Limo. There was a multitude of people cheering outside. The crowd was phenomenal. There were screens outside to show what would be happening inside. I went to join Stephanie and the others while Sylvester walked in alone. The hall was arranged differently. There was a stage with two steps-tforms. On the first step were four chairs, while on the second step, which was the top, sat the throne and the whole ceremonial disy. There was an aisle with rows of chairs on both sides. It looked so different. I would have thought it was a different ce if it weren''t for the loge. We were led to sit in the front row to see everything happening. A sceptre and a crown were resting on a cushion on the stage close to the throne. The crown and the sceptre looked old, which was logical since we had not had a king in over three hundred years. This was indeed a miracle. There were four chairs on the lower level of the stage, and I knew they belonged to the lords. There were supposed to be three, so who was the fourth person? I guess I did not get the memo. The music began to y, and we all stood up. "Lord Dominic Volkov," Larry said, weing Dominic as Dominic entered the hall. He looked regal in what looked like Sylvester''s former uniform. It was new, but the decorations were precisely like Sylvester''s. He looked good, and I heard Katya exhale. The two were very in love, and I was happy for them. Dominic sat on one of the four chairs. "Lord Marcel Sidorov," Larry said, and Marcel walked in with his handsome self. I looked at Avery, and her eyes were misty. I am sure she wished she was walking down with him for support," He looked at her and winked before continuing to sit down. "Lord Theodore Orlov," Larry said, and Theodore walked in, walking a bit faster than the ones before him. He got to the front and blew a kiss at Linda, who caught it where she sat, and people actuallyughed. Theodore had made the ce a bit lively. "Lord David Pavlishchev Volkov," Larry said with difficulty; I guess he wasn''t expecting that David would be on the list neither were we. It was a huge surprise, and people began to murmur. I was also shocked, but Nicole wasn''t; I saw her grinning and wondered why Sylvester didn''t tell me. David walked quickly, and people were in shock. I knew they said he was the spitting image of Maurice. There were murmurs. "Silence! Silence," Larry said, and I looked around to study the faces of the people present. They were all surprised, and I realised no one knew. He went to sit down, and everyone was quiet. I had butterflies in my tummy because I knew who would enter next. The music changed, and the Lords stood up, saluting and maintaining the pose. "His Majesty, Sylvester Volkov. The twenty-fifth king of the Volkov bloodline. Son of Lord Maurice Volkov and Lady Stephanie Balyeave Volkov," Larry said, and I could hear some contempt in his voice. I might have been imagining it, but who cares. Sylvester would sit on that throne, and there was nothing anyone could do about it. The building was fully guarded, and Bryce Golubev was responsible for security. Sylvester walked, and behind him was Lucas Vanhill, wearing a ceremonial outfit. I did not need to guess what his function would be. Joan and Pam were dressed the same way, and they followed him. Sylvester walked quickly and climbed onto the stage. He climbed above the Lord''s level with them still saluting him. They turned to face him, and he sat on the throne. Sylvester looked in my direction with no expression on his face. He was trying to acknowledge me subtly, so it was okay. "It''s okay, darling. Just one more week to go," I linked him, and his eyes faltered a bit. Everyone sat down, and the ceremony began. Larry said the words, and Sylvester spoke the oath. Joan handed him a book consisting of ourws and history. It was old and looked like they had just polished the leather back. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. Sylvester was made to acknowledge the book and swear. Then Pam handed him the sceptre. He promised to rule with a firm hand, to be just and true, to put the people''s needs above all, to maintain peace, and protect everyone equally. Then Lucas Vanhill ced the crown on his head as Sylvester was made to promise to carry the people and bear their burden bravely. To truly serve and love his subjects. He was made to promise not to be partial and always uphold thew. To judge and punish those who are guilty and free the innocent. Sylvester made all the promises, and he was officially named king. People cheered; the people in the hall and the multitude outside the hall. It was a happy event, and I was happy to be a part of it. As soon as the ceremony was over. The King and Lords left the hall, and so did we. People were cheering outside, and Sylvester waved to them. I joined Sylvester in the Limo, and we headed to the Estate. There was traffic because of the crowd, and we did not get home until nighttime. He held me throughout the ride, and we did not speak to each other. Although we had maintained a calm exterior as if nothing was wrong, our enemies were still atrge, and we did all this to back them into a corner. We arrived at the mansion and went to our bedroom. I was halfway changing my clothes when I heard Stephanie''s voice. "Tamia, the bastard sent me another text," She said, sounding nervous, and I knew what she meant. "Rx, what does it say?" I asked her. "How does it feel knowing you will be the first to be judged by your son? Enjoy the freedom while it lasts," she told me, and I gently sat on the stool in the closet. "Calm down, Stephanie, do not let him get to you. Whoever it is might just be bluffing. If they had anything on you, they would have put it forward by now. They might want you to panic and do something stupid. Please, keep it together. It is only a matter of time before we get this King, man," I linked her, and there was silence before she responded. "Okay, Tamia," she linked me and closed the connection. I did not know what this king might have on Stephanie, but knowing that he might be Jenny''s bastard, made me believe he knew everything. I could not tell Stephanie because she would panic and do something stupid. I left the closet wearing a sheer gown and joined Sylvester in the room. Today was his day. I would not spoil it with what Stephanie had told me. The news could wait until tomorrow. 137 What To Do About Stephanie 137 What To Do About Stephanie ~Tamia~ Sylvester looked breathtaking, sitting at the foot of the bed. I exhaled, and he looked at me and smiled. I could not let what Stephanie said spoil the night, so I returned the smile. I looked at his body and admired what I saw. "Your Majesty," I said with a breathy voice, and he grinned. "Hold your pose; I want to have a perfect picture in my mind," I said and straddled him. He looked at me and supported my back, gazing into my eyes. "I want to remember how you look tonight, void of worry, void of fear, just living in the moment," I said, his eyes searching mine. "Let us deny all that is happening and that time is passing by. I want to hold this moment, freeze it and keep it forever. Let us free our minds of our troubles, Amanda, the king, our duties, our world. Just us. You, me and our wolves. Do you think you can do that for me, my love?" I asked, and he looked at me with misty loving eyes and crashed his lips on mine. Drinking him in, drowning in his love, I gave my all as we made love on his first night as king. Sylvester and I battled the im, and it was a bit painful because Kaira and Knight wanted to complete the bond. The love bite wasn''t working anymore, and we both knew it, but we held on. The bluemoon night had to count. We were too tired to go for dinner, and neither were we hungry. Sleep finally came, and we drifted into dreand. I woke up on an empty bed in the morning and saw Sylvester on hisputer. I ignored what he was doing. I got off the bed and went to brush my teeth. When I returned, he had closed hisptop and was waiting for me. "Good morning," He said with a smile, and I went to him and kissed the top of his head in response. While I was pulling away, he pulled me onto hisp and hungrily kissed me. "I am not a little boy, Tamia," He said, breaking the kiss, and I giggled. I also noticed something was bothering him. I guess our bliss was over. "What is the matter?" I asked, and he sighed. "Someone sent a weird email this morning. Asking me how fair and just I will be when judging the case of a loved one," he said, and I did not need to think twice about who the loved one was. "The sender going by the name Mathew Majesty asked me my true intentions. Wondering if I would seed where the council has failed," he said, and I frowned. "Have you traced it?" I asked, and he chuckled. "The email ount was created in Grizlo yesterday. It might be a VPN address, but it was still created yesterday regardless," he said, and I sighed. "Your mother linked mest night that the ckmailer sent her a message asking her how she feels knowing she will be the first person you will judge," I said, and he frowned at me. "We both know it is this king man, and he is jenny''s son. If that is the case, then he knows everything, Sylvester," I said and gently stood up. "That is a big problem." He confessed, and I nodded. "Since we have not caught him, it is," I said. I looked at him nervously because what I was about to ask him to do was risky, but I could not see any way out. "Sylvester, your mothermitted treason and murder. We need to get as many people on her side as possible. Jenny''s death would be seen as a homicide, and the death of your father and his officers would be considered conspiracy and treason. She is in big shit, Sylvester. However we try to y it off, Stephanie is in serious trouble," I said, and he stood up from his seat. "I do not know what to do. I have thought about the situation since the first ckmail, Tamia, and I do not know what to do. She didmit those crimes," Sylvester confessed, and I nodded. "Yes, she did, and her reasons were justifiable; however selfish they were, they were justifiable," I said and sighed. "I have been thinking of this for a while, but I will tell you now," I said and went to sit to calm my nerves. "I think we should tell Marcel, Theo, Dominic, Devin and David what happened," I said, and he eximed. "What!" he said, and I flinched. "That letter got Marcel and Theodore''s fathers killed. How will they feel knowing my mother orchestrated their fathers'' deaths just because she did not want David to be the lord?" He asked, and putting it that way really spoke a lot. "We do not have to tell it that way, Sylvester," I said calmly, and he shook his head. "We will do no such thing. I cannot expose her like that," He said stubbornly. "Either way, she will be exposed. Only the goddess knows what this douchebag has on her. He has his mother''sputer, Sylvester, and Jenny liked to keep shit. He knows it all. How do you think Marcel and Theodore will feel when they find out through the guy, not us? Do you think he will expose your mother in a way that would get her sympathy? It might not affect your position because you are now king, and David is lord as your father wanted, but still, it will affect her. The punishment is death, Sylvester. We have people locked up for treason that never attempted taking your life; what do you think would happen to your mother, who nned and seeded in having a lord and his officers killed by exposing him to his known enemy?" I asked him, and he was silent, seeing my point. Sylvester looked at me with misty and tearful eyes. "She has been through enough; having me judge her would be cruel, Tamia. Exposing her like that would be inhumane," he said, afraid of what would happen to his mother. "I know, my love," I said and went to him, and he hugged me forfort. I rested my head against his chest. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. "I know exactly how it will feel. That is why I want us to do damage control. Please hear me out," I pleaded gently, and he broke the hug. He was able to win the battle against his tears. "We will start by telling David how his mother died and how Jenny bragged about it. Then we will tell Dominic what your father nned on doing to him. Then we will talk about the letter sent to Devin anonymously and confess who did it and tell them that Jenny found out and was ckmailing your mother with it. She attacked your mother at home, and she and your mother fought. Stephanie killed her in self-defence. But afraid of what the council might do to her because the council was corrupt, she tried to cover it up. Now Jenny''s son has the evidence from his mother''sputer, and he wants to destroy Stephanie with it to destabilise you," I said, and he shook his head. "It would not exonerate her," he said, and I nodded. "But it wille from us, and they will sympathise with her. Instead of allowing that bastard to tell it from his angle, that might as well damn your mother," I told him, and he did not know what to do. "What is the situation with Amanda?" He asked me, and I shrugged. "ording to Levi, she is still in the hotel in Cains. She should be due in two weeks, though. Hendrix is on Jacob, but I think they should just arrest him. I doubt he knows anything and would lead us anywhere. I n on sending enforcers to Cains Ind to pick the bastard up," I said, and he nodded. "Let''s give it a day or two, and then we can decide. The blue moon is next week, and I do not want my mother to miss our wedding," he said with a finality that I knew had ended the conversation. I pretended to let it go while I thought of the best way to deal with the situation. We freshened up and went for breakfast. Everyone was in high spirits, and David and Nicole were with us for the first time. When I asked about the triplets, Nicole told me they were having breakfast with their grandmother. I was d to hear that Stephanie hadfortably taken up the row. It meant progress had been made. Looking at David critically, I realised the simrities between David, Dominic and Sylvester. I guess I never really looked. I nned on speaking to Devin after breakfast, but I had to find a way to talk to him without Sylvester knowing. Sylvester might think being silent and waiting for time to pass so we could catch the bastards might be the best bet, but he was wrong. Anything could happen, and no one was going to spoil my wedding. "I will be returning to the east tomorrow," Leo said, and I looked at him. I did not need to know why he was leaving. It was only natural that he wouldn''t want to attend my wedding. "When will you be back?" Marcel asked him, and I knew they would miss him. "Whenever you need me," he said, and Marcel shook his head. "You have a seat on the council now; you should be in the north at least for an entire week every month..." he said, trailing off. I guess somewhere in his mind, he figured out why Leo was leaving. Leo looked at me and smiled. I could not imagine his emotions in those moments, but it was okay. I knew he would be okay. He was a strong man, and strong men survived. At the end of breakfast, I left the dining room immediately so Sylvester won''t ask me to apany him anywhere. I hid in the corridor, waiting for Devin to leave the room alone. I secretly watched everyone exit the dining room, and Devin headed toward his room. "Alpha Corrigan!" I called out. He turned to look at me and frowned. "Tamia?" he said, and I nodded. "Do you mind if I speak to you outside the estate?" I asked him. "Just a short walk, nothing serious," I said, and he contemted and then nodded. I moved quickly, and noticing the haste, Devin hurried up too. 138 What Really Happened At The Inn 138 What Really Happened At The Inn ~Tamia~ The moment we stepped outside, I exhaled. "What would you like to speak to me about, Tamia?" he asked gently, and I looked at him. "First of all, I want to congratte you. I heard of you and Susan, and I am happy for both of you," I said; he nodded and looked away. "I heard a rumour that I want to confirm with you, Devin, and I need you to be honest with me. To start with, I know you did not face Sylvester during the legendary war. I know it was Dominic, but I have kept your secret. I am telling you this so you know you can trust me," I said, and he chuckled. "I knew you figured it out. There was no way you would be close to Volkov and not know that fact," he said, and I smiled. "What do you want to ask me?" He asked, and I sighed. "It is about your encounter with Lord Maurice Volkov," I said, and his expression became serious. "Nothing serious, Devin. Nothing bad; I just want to rify, please," I said, and he nodded reluctantly. "I do not want trouble. The Volkovs and I have buried the hatchet. Do not resurrect an old issue, Tamia," he warned me, and I nodded. "I do not intend on doing that, Devin. I just want to know the truth about something. Please, I hope it is not too much to ask," I said to him, and he sighed. "Very well, I am listening, Tamia," He said, and I nodded. "I heard you got a tip from an anonymous person in the form of a letter telling you where Maurice Volkov would be and his reasons in Pridewood," I started. "ording to this rumour, the person gave details of his Alias and his purpose there," I said, and he frowned at me. "Where did you hear that from?" he asked me, and I nodded. "Late Jenny," I said, and he balled his fist. "What was her gain with that magnitude of lies? I did receive a letter like that, but I ignored it. I did not attack Maurice because of the letter. Jenny is full of shit. I have kept what happened that day in my heart, and I do not want to speak of it," he said, and I frowned at him. "What do you mean by that?" I asked, and he shrugged. "Nothing, Tamia, just ignore those rumours. It is a lie," he said, wanting to walk away, but I held his hand and stopped him. "Please, Devin, I need to know what happened that night," I said with desperation, and he frowned at me. "What is it to you? How does this affect you?" He said defensively, and I did not know what to say. "You need to tell me why you want to know what happened badly, or else my lips are sealed, Tamia; you do not expect me to divulge anything to you while you hold back. These are things on which my reputation was built. You do not expect me to just let tell you. At least tell me why you want to know," he said, and I looked at him. "Will you tell me if I tell you?" I asked him, wanting a genuine answer. "If you promise to keep my secret, I will," He said, and that wasn''t good enough, especially if I needed him toe forward for Stephanie''s sake. "What if someone''s life is on the line for it? Would you speak up?" I asked, and he shook his head. "I can''t destroy my reputation for anyone," he said, and I pleaded with him. I did not know tears were streaming down my cheeks until I felt the coolness. I was terrified for Stephanie and Sylvester. I did not want Sylvester to be in a situation where he would have to condemn his mother. The ckmailer was sick. "Tamia," Devin said, suddenly worried because of my tears. "Are you in trouble because of it?" he asked me gently, and I shook my head. "No, Devin, I am not, but someone dear to me other than Sylvester is," I told him, and he frowned at me. "Stephanie is being ckmailed; they im that the letter was written by her and caused Maurice''s death. They said she sent it to you. She is the only parent figure in my life; everyone knows I have been an orphan for a long time. I do not want anything bad to happen to her. She has been through a lot. Devin, please. If there is anything you can tell me that would not make that letter admissible, if a hearing should ur would be kind. I will be forever indebted to you. Please, Devin, I am begging you," I said, beginning to weep because I was out of creative ideas. "Does your mate know about this?" He asked me, and I shook my head. "He has a lot to deal with already," I lied, and he sighed "Tamia. I have had this reputation for years," he said, and I nodded. "Please, Devin, I believe you will be known for greater things. With all that is happening now, you will be known for greater things. Please, I need your help to help Stephanie. If we can''t prove otherwise, she will die. They will try her for treason and sentence her to death. I know you are a good man, Devin, and you will not want something like that on your conscience. It is okay to maintain your story if it is not hurting anyone, but if a life is hanging in the bnce, then you know the right thing to do. Please," I said, and he sighed. "Was she the one that wrote the letter?" He asked, and there was no point lying. "Yes, she wrote the letter," I said. "Why?" he asked me, and I knew I had to be careful. "He murdered her entire family, made her serve this fated, took her family''s seat from her and tried to gift it to his son. The abuse was intense, and she just wanted to breathe," I said, and his eyes faltered. "He did all that?" He asked, and I nodded. "Much worse than that, but that is all I can say," I told him, and he nodded. "I did not like Sylvester. I always believed he was overprivileged, but my time with him made me realise I was wrong. He isn''t over-privileged. If anything, he had it worse. Having to always watch his back and constantly being in a battle to maintain power and peace is a shitty life that I do not wish on anyone. I also realise that he is nothing like his father. He does not keep a harem and take people''s wives. What happened with you and Leo was tragic, but you deserve all the love you are getting now. I was too slow when I had a chance thinking I had all the time in the world. My procrastination gave birth to the love between you two. I will never want toe between that, let alone destroy the joy the goddess has put in your life. Because of that, I will tell you everything that happened with Maurice. If ever ites to it that I have to speak up, I will do it for your sake, for the sake of the happiness I was meant to give you that day at the dinner party by taking you away from Leo," he said. I thanked him. "I got the letter quite alright and dumped it. I do not know how it got around that I got a letter; I guess a mole might have picked it up back then. Which means this uprising bullshit is a spillover from Maurice''s time, and Jenny''s son is a stupid pawn," He said, and he made all the sense in the world. I had asked myself severally how Jenny could get her hands on the letter with her so-called investigator. Why would she have someone in the south? I had thought it was a way of keeping an eye on her enemies, but Devin made it make sense now. Maybe the influential person behind Jenny''s son had been nning this all along. If so, the bastard was a fool and might go down like the rest of the people. It was really messy, and I did not know what to think, so I shut down my mind to ponder on the matterter. "Maurice arrived at Danes Inn in Pridewood secretly with his officers. They had cleared out the Inn for themselves. I felt insulted that the man that ruined my family was on my turf, and I could not do anything about it. Unable to hold it in any longer, I decided to visit the Inn in the dead of night. I went alone to avoid confrontation. When I got there, it was quiet. There was no one at the exit and at the entrance. It was nothing like what I had seen before. There was no one there. A hefty guard was lying dead on the floor at the entrance. He reeked of alcohol and northern cocktail, so I figured he might have overdone it. Other than the guard, there was no one. Not a soul, but the light was on, and everything was running. I figured Maurice might have told the staff to excuse him. He had lots of money anyway, so it was possible. I let myself in, and that was when I smelled blood. Afraid that Maurice hade tomit a crime in my territory, I followed the scent, and it led me to a room. The door was ajar, and I saw Gavin Orlov partially shifted and dead with multiple silver stab wounds to his heart. He had deep w marks all over his body. There was no way he could have survived with silver in him. he also reeked of the northern cocktail and some illegal stuff. N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. I heard aggressive sounds and moved through the living section to the room. I saw Lucas Sidorov on top of Maurice''s dead body, stabbing him continually with a silver de, he held it in his ws, and his wolf was in charge. They were both partially shifted and reeked of the northern cocktail and other things. I did not need to think. I attacked Lucas immediately. He was strong but already wounded andpromised; aiming for the kill, he surrendered and bore his neck to me. I had no choice but to stop. I looked at the mess, and he was in tears. He pleaded with me never to tell anyone what had happened there. He convinced me to im the death and that he would disappear. He said I would be lord if I im their deaths. It was motivation enough. I had no qualms with the man, so I agreed, but I wanted to know why he did it before I let him go. He said he found out that Gavin and Maurice drugged him and fucked his wife severally. The drugs they gave him made him pass out so he wouldn''t feel it. He said it was a cruel way for Maurice to live up to the dare they had when they were young and unmated," He told me, and I was in shock because this was a serious matter. "I swore not to ever divulge this next part, but I guess I might have to now since I have told you that story," He said and looked around. "Lucas believes that Marcel is either Maurice or Gavin''s son. He does not know who," he said, and I gasped. It was a shocker, and my entire body froze on the spot. "Honestly, I think the guy was mad because Marcel looks a lot like him, but he kept saying Marcel wasn''t his. He was unstable, and I could smell the northern cocktail on him and other stuff. Basically, he was out of it. But one thing was certain, he did not appreciate that his friends drugged him and fucked his wife severally," Devin said, and I frowned. "Did he have Marcel tested?" I asked, and Devin chuckled. "How am I to know that part? I doubt the guy did that. You needed to see him, Tamia. He was mad," Devin said. "So you let him get away?" I asked, and he nodded. "A deal is a deal, Tamia. He had surrendered and told me why he did it. I would also be seen as powerful for fighting and killing the three of them and maybe bing lord. So I let him go," he said, and I was shocked to find out that Lucas Sidorov was still alive, roaming free. "So what did you do? How were you able to pass off three dead bodies when they were only two?" I asked. "I burned the dead guard''s body at the Inn''s entrance; he had overdosed anyway. It was charred beyond recognition, so I passed it off as Lucas. People bought it seeing that half of the Inn burned down and the burnt body was pulled out of the fire," he said, and I frowned at him. "How?" I asked. "Well, I took Gavin and Maurice''s bodies outside. Their bodies were wed and partially shifted, so it seemed like we had a wolf fight, and they died before fully shifting back. The fire seemed like it urred due to the battle. I imed that Lucas was my first kill in the room, and I chased Gavin out and ended him. Maurice was not around but arrived at the Inn while Gavin and I fought. I had dealt the killing blow to Gavin when Maurice attacked me, and we fought. To make the story believable, Lucas wed at my skin before he ran away, and that is the truth," he said, and I shook my head. "Why did he have to lie like that?" I asked him, thinking all Lucas had to do wase home. "You do not know the protocols, right?" Devin asked me, and I shook my head. "The officers are to die with the lord. There was no way Lucas coulde home; he would be put to death. It was customary." He said, and I understood. "There was no war; no wolf fight like people like to tell the story. Maurice had no shadow guards, and I had no warriors with me, Tamia. I am not the hero; I am not a strong man. I am not the Bane, just a guy that got lucky a couple of times," He told me. "No, you are all that and more, Devin. You are powerfully strong and loyal. I respect your honesty, and I know you would have killed them if it came to it. After all, Lucas bared his neck to you." I said, and he smiled. I felt relieved at what I had heard, and I could not wait to share the news with Sylvester but knowing that Lucas Sidorov was out there meant a lot. He could have truly gone into hiding and abandoned his mate who cheated on him, or he could have founded a terrorist group to destroy the family of the man that destroyed his home. I might be wrong, but I knew there was something there. I returned to the house, and a call came through on my phone. It was Levi, so I answered immediately, "Your majesty," he said, addressing me by my future title. "Amanda is moving to Grizlo to meet her lover," he said, and I was ted. Two wonderful pieces of news on the same day. I could not wait to share it with Sylvester. 139 Preparing For A Trip 139 Preparing For A Trip ~Tamia~ My legs could not carry me fast enough. I walked through the house quickly. Wanting to get to Sylvester and give him the news. I appreciated Devin for telling me the truth. It took a lot for him to put his reputation on the line like that. That reputation had kept the south safe; if thises out that Lucas was the one that killed Maurice and Gavin, then it will be over. While I moved towards the room, I knew the Lucas narrative was a part we must keep secret. Establishing that Devin did not attack because of the letter was enough to get Stephanie off the hook. As for Jenny''s death, the evidence Mathew Majesty might have against her will not stick because no one knew what happened other than Sylvester, the two Kappas that worked for Stephanie and me. The Kappas would never tell a soul because they would condemn themselves and their families in the process, so I doubted that would be an issue. The letter was my biggest fear, and knowing it won''t be admissible was great news. I walked quickly and went straight to the room. Sylvester wasn''t there, so I decided to link him. "Where are you?" I asked him. "In my office," he replied, and I left our room to join him. I entered the office, and he was sitting behind his desk. He did not seem in high spirits, and I wondered why. "What is the matter?" I asked him, and he looked at me. Then smiled; my heart was beating fast, and his smile put it at rest. "Don''t do that again. I was scared that something was wrong," I said, and heughed, got off his chair, and came to where I stood. He pulled me close to his chest, stillughing and danced with me in his arms a little, then pulled me close. "What happened?" I asked him, and he smiled. "Amanda is off to Grizlo to see her lover," he said, and I rolled my eyes. "So Levi told you," I said, and he shook his head. "Hendrix told Wilson, and Wilson told me," He confessed. Iughed and smacked his chest gently. I could understand his joy. We had caught a big break. He went to sit on the couch in his office and pulled me onto hisp. "Lay across," he said in a low deep voice, and I knew what it meant. Kaira squealed. This wasn''t the time for this, but Sylvester wanted what he wanted, and he was going to get precisely that. Heid me across hisp with my butt in the air. He rolled my skirt up until my thongs were exposed and smacked my entrance. "Ouch," I said because it brought both pleasure and pain. He used his thumb to caress my entrance and then smacked it. I flinched and moaned at the same time. It was pleasurable. "It hurts, yet you are soaking wet, Tamia. What do I believe, your lips or your bodynguage?" He asked, and I did not know what to say. "You have been naughty, Tamia," He said, caressing the entrance and making me moan. "You have been a naughty girl," he said, but I could not say anything. I was enjoying what he was doing while anticipating the next move. I wanted him to stick it in, but I knew it would take a while longer. "You have been a naughty girl, and naughty girls get punished," he said, cing his finger at my entrance. Making me moan and grind my pussy against it. He pulled out and smacked my butt cheek. "I saw you sneaking off with Devin, Tamia," he said with a low voice, and I continued to grind against him. I did not care; I knew I had done nothing wrong. "Hiding in the corridor waiting for him to pass, I saw it all," he said, sticking his thumb in, and I felt Knighting to the surface. Putting it that way, it did seem suspicious. "Will you let Devin do this to you?" he asked, caressing my walls, and I moaned. "No," I replied, wanting more. "So what did you do outside?" he asked, and I could not think straight anymore. "Sylvester," I moaned. "I know what you want, Tamia, but you won''t be getting any until you tell me what you went to discuss with him outside," He said, using his thumb to rub my clit. I wasing, and he knew it, so he crashed and smacked it. "Sylvester," I said impatiently. "Tell me, Tamia," he said, massaging my walls. "I wasing to tell you and..." I said, and he began to rub my clit again, "Kneel on the couch and hold the backrest," He ordered, and we both got up. I was dizzy with lust; I could see his dark wolf eyes and elongated canines. He was battling himself seriously. I assumed the position he wanted, and he rolled my thong down and took it off. My arse was bare, and I did not care that the office door was not locked. Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org. He went on his knees to eat me. I could not see him because he did it from behind, but my ws grew out, and I dug my nail into the backrest. Feeling the pleasure rise. It didn''t take long before I came, and he started to work. He pumped hard and fast inside me, and we were at it until he came. Resting on the chair, I realised sneaking outside with Devin bothered him. However, he did not say it out of trust and respect, it bothered him, and I made a mental note never to do it again. Leaning against him, spent on the couch, I decided to tell him what I had learned. I told him everything Devin had told me, and he got up from the shock. "Lucas Sidorov is alive," he said, and I nodded. Sylvester ran his hand through his hair and began to pace in his office. "Why didn''t he tell us this soon? We would have looked for the man," Sylvester said, and I shook my head. "You have to understand, darling; he had a reputation to protect. In our world, reputation is a huge thing. His reputation has kept his region safe; it was worth his silence. He had also promised Sidorov that he would not tell," I told him, and Silvester remained silent a bit. "Very well. So what do you propose?" he asked me, and I sighed. "Ehmm, I think we should take Devin''s ount into consideration. No one has to know that Lucas is atrge. We can hunt him by ourselves, but Devin can just dismiss receiving any letter. Once he does that, then there will be no case. As for Jenny''s death, no one can prove Stephanie did it, so she is free. If they try to me it on Devin, we will me it on the uprising group," I said, and he nodded. "It is a good idea, but do you think Devin would lie about not receiving a letter?" Sylvester asked, and I smiled at him. "He would do anything to save his reputation. iming he had intel he used to attack your father and his officers make it seem like he had help. He likes to take credit, and I am sure he would," I said, and Sylvester nodded and stood up. "Very well, I am going to Grizloter today; you want toe?" he asked, and I beamed at him. I never imagined he would ask me to follow him. He always expected me to sit things out, so I wondered what had changed. "Why do you want me toe with you, your majesty?" I asked him, and he smiled at me. "You won''t just be a fancy queen, Tamia. You are a fighter and a strategist. I do not n to kill your fire," He said and helped me up, then ced his hands on my tiny bump. "This is not a weakness," he said, and I beamed at him. "I am sure you are just as deadly as you were without it," he said, and I kissed him. "You can see Devin and tell him what we expect him to say if there is ever a hearing concerning the issue with my mother''s letter to him. Also, tell Leo about Amanda''s location. I know he said he was leaving, but I am sure he will want to be there," He said, and I frowned at him. A few minutes ago, he punished me for talking to Devin privately. What was with him? "Are you sure you want me to speak to them? You weren''t happy I spoke with Devin. No matter how you tried to mask it, I could feel it," I said, and he shook his head. "That wasn''t what got to me, Tamia. I was mad that you chose to sneak to do it. I wouldn''t have stopped you from talking to Devin, Leo or anyone, regardless of your history with them, but the fact that you did not want me to know got to me," he confessed, and I shook my head. "That wasn''t the reason, darling," I said, looking at him apologetically. "I did it because of your mood in the room when we discussed it this morning. You shut it down completely. You ended the conversation. I did not want to argue with you. I wanted to get a solution before bringing it up again. I am sorry, and I promise not to do it again," I said, and he pulled me close and kissed me. "No matter how mad I get, Tamia, you can always tell me what you want; I will never shut you down," he assured me, and I nodded. The truth was I didn''t push it with him; I should have, instead of acting suspiciously. The painful part was if Sylvester saw me, then Marcel and Theodore saw me too. I was a bit ashamed. "Marcel and Theodore?" I asked him, and heughed. "Marcel was the first to spot you. It was cute, really; Theodore figured you wanted to get Devin to do something for you," He said, and we bothughed. "That obvious?" I asked, and he nodded. "I guess I need to work on my people skills," I said, and he nodded. "Come on, we have an operation to n. I can''t wait to see who Amanda''s lover is. A jet is prepared to take us to Grizlo," he said, and we left the room. I linked Avery and Linda immediately to inform them. Avery said Marcel had told her, and she was getting ready; Linda had decided to stay behind because she was too heavy to shift. I was d it happened now because I would be too heavy to shift a month from now. I left Sylvester in the room and went to find Devin to tell him what was happening and how he would present the matter of the letter at the King''s hall if the time ever came. I knew he would jump at the idea because it meant he could keep his secret. I had the discussion with Devin and then told him about Amanda going to Grizlo, and he was willing to join us. We were not nning to disrupt their meeting. We just wanted to see who it was and then arrest them. Since they had no army, I doubted there would be any fight. I left Devin and went to search for Leo. It was going to be more challenging to speak to him because of the emotional tension between us. I had moved on, but it was clear Leo hadn''t, and maybe he never will. I prayed he found someone to ease his breaking heart. While I walked towards his room, I cursed Amanda. She wrecked a man to please another. She destroyed a home to build another man''s dream. I could not promise I wouldn''t destroy her when I saw her, but I prayed for wisdom to handle what wasing. 140 Grizlo 140 Grizlo ~Tamia~ I hesitated before knocking on Leo''s door. I did not want to argue, but I knew I had to be the one to tell him that we were finally going to see the man that sent Amanda to ruin our home. I knocked. "It''s open," I heard his voice say, and I entered the room. He was packing his bags. Leo looked at me and was surprised to see me. "Tamia," he said, confused. "What are you doing here?" He asked me. "Amanda is going to Grizlo to meet her lover. She should be there by now. We are all going to catch them. Sylvester wanted me to inform you so you can join us," I said, and he sighed. "He told you to tell me?" He asked me, wondering why Sylvester did not tell him himself. Looking at Leo now, I knew why. Amanda was our mess, and he wanted us to work together. "I can''t wait to give that bitch the treatment she deserves," He growled, and ck surfaced. "I hope you all know I will kill her when I see her," He said, and I shook my head. "The babies?" I said, and he growled. "His babies. I do not give a fuck, Tamia. You were mine. The only person that mattered in my life. My marriage was my baby, and she killed it. She deliberately killed it," he growled, tears falling down his eyes. "I will give anything to return to that day on the balcony, Tamia. I will give anything to do it all over again. I would give anything to have you back in my life, but I can''t. I do not get to keep you; likewise, the bastard Amanda is with would not get to keep her and their bastards. I will have my pound of flesh. It is what she owes me, Tamia," He said, and I knew he believed every word of what he said. I began to regret inviting him. "Leo, you need to be wise about this," I said, and he chuckled. "I was going to try with her, you know. I was trying. I really tried. It would have worked out. I was crawling, but they were still steps; Tamia, I would have kept at it until we arrived somewhere. Now I know why I couldn''t fallpletely. Now I know why my bond with her could not heal andplete me. She had stolen it from me and given it to her lover. I hate her, Tamia. I do, and I swear when I catch her, she will be history," he said, and tears streamed down my cheeks because I could feel his pain. We might have gotten back together had I not fallen in love. He would have never betrayed me again. But Sylvester is everything I have ever wanted in a mate, and we were now fated. Leo was buried in my past. Just as I faded away in his eyes once, he had now faded away permanently. I walked to him and touched his chest. Then looked up into his eyes. "I need you to move on and let it go," I pleaded with him. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. "Life is too beautiful for you to carry this hatred you have in your heart. Trust me, I felt the same way in Mountain, but I got over it and picked the pieces of my heart. When I came here, I wept my first morning. I sat in the tub and sobbed. My heart bled, Leo, because something had been taken from me. When you let me go, there was a pain and emptiness that I could not describe. Knowing I could do nothing about it, I let it go and opened myself up to find love again, and I did. It was slow and hard for Sylvester and me to get to where we are now, but once I opened up, we increased the pace, and now we are together. I am sure there is someone out there for you, and I pray you will find a second-chance mate, so you will never have to fear the bond again," I said, and he closed his eyes while his tears rolled down. "What am I supposed to do without you? You were all I had, and you are all I have ever known, Tamia. I do not know where to start, but one thing is sure. I won''t let that bitch and her bastards live," he said and opened his eyes. They had darkened, and I knew it was rage. Every time he thought of Amanda, that was when he felt anger. He had been betrayed but did the same to me without knowing it. I kept that part to myself because I wanted him to heal. "You have to keep the peace and let bygones be bygones. Forget about the pain and the life we could have made. Forget it all, Leo. We are where we should be. Don''t let it destroy your gentle soul. I have watched all the trouble chip away yourpassionate nature, and I am afraid you will let it destroy you. Underneath it all, I know you are loving, forgiving and strong. I need you to forgive the pain and feelings you have put out on parade stopping you from moving forward, Leo. I need you to truly let me go," I said to him, and he gently touched my cheeks with his palms. "You used to be mine," he said, looking at me longingly and searching my eyes for a hope he would not find. "Now you are someone else''s, and I know I have to let you go, but I do not know how, Tamia. Every beautiful memory I have is with you. Everything I have, you are part of. How can I forget you when you are a part of my soul?" he asked me. I could feel his pain. "I have learned to embrace my past and look to the future. Do the same. A beautiful woman is coming into your life soon, Leo; I want you to love her like you loved me. Unlike what you did to me, I want you to promise yourself that your love will be wless and you will never betray her. Start from there and look to the future. She is there, waiting for you. Do not let your pain and anger blind you. I will always be in your life, maybe not how you want me to be, but I will always be in your life," I told him, and he sighed and wiped away his tears. "I will try, Tamia. I do not want this bitch to live, but I will try. Tell Sylvester to let me know when it is time for us to head to Grizlo. But once all this is over, I want you two to promise to release that bitch to me," he said, and I knew that was his condition, and I nodded. I knew Sylvester won''t object. So far, we have gotten what we wanted. I knew he won''t object. I can''t wait for us to catch this bastard and get on with our lives. I left Leo''s wing and returned to mine to get ready for the event that would ensue. The moment I stepped in, Sylvester looked at me and smiled. "I think you should wash Leo''s scent off your body beforeing to me. Knight has been nuts lately, and I think it has to do with the dyed im," he said, and I sighed. Suddenly I felt waiting to do it under the blue moon was unnecessary. Still, Sylvester wanted it on that night for a purpose, so I held my opinion and showered. Not long after I stepped in the shower, Sylvester joined me. We yed a bit, and when we were done, I told him about my discussion with Leo and Devin. He was d they were on board because he wanted to only take people he could trust. I learned Dominic and David would remain at the estate with Stephanie. Sylvester also told me he had assured his mother that she had nothing to worry about. He did not tell her about Devin''s false reputation, but she was grateful nheless. I had butterflies in my tummy. I was too eager to catch Amanda and her lover and curious to find out who it was. I hoped it was someone that could be dealt with. I would dly support destroying the person because he had caused much damage. Although I knew he was being manipted by someone, I still hated that he allowed himself to be used that way. Greed was a terrible disease, and this man was suffering from it. We were going to cure him very soon. The time came, and we dressed up to head to the airport. Sylvester had chartered amercial jet to take us there in case the bastard had people at the airport in Grizlo; he would not know of our arrival and run away, it was a wise move, and Imended my mate for it. Leo was angry, and likewise Devin. They would catch the man that tried to destroy their lives, start a war and cause conflicts. Amanda, her lover and the person behind him had caused much damage. There was nothing anyone could say or do that would ease the situation. Everyone was going there to catch them and teach them a lesson. We were travelling on a low profile because Sylvester was the King. If we went as ourselves, the culprits would know and escape because everyone would want to greet the King. This was the best option. We got to the jet hangar and boarded the jet. I was nervous, and Sylvester held my hand tightly. "We are only going there to observe. Once we have found the information we need, we will decide what to do. On no ount should anyone engage without my permission," he said, looking at Leo. "However high our emotions run, we are not to engage," he said, directing thest sentence to Leo, and Leo reluctantly nodded. "I will give her to you once we are done with her," He assured Leo, so he would know that Sylvester would keep his end of the bargain. I Knew Sylvester was yet to tell Marcel that his father was alive. I knew he would have to, in case the man had anything to do with this because, as things were, someone was sponsoring and helping Amanda''s lover. There was a possibility he was the one. We just had to hope for the best. We arrived at Grizlo and secretly left the airport to join Levi and Hendrix. They were staying in an apartmentplex opposite the building Amanda was to meet her lover. We arrived there, and I was amazed by the level of equipment that I found in the apartment. They had all the spy gadgets. Binocrs, radios, cameras and so on. It was aplete investigation. Avery was thrilled by everything that she started examining the equipment. There wasn''t much in the apartment, but it was serving its purpose nicely. Levi exined all that was happening to Sylvester, and we all sat there waiting for Amanda''s lover to show up. ording to Levi, they had had a heated argument on the phone, and Amanda had threatened to return to Lund and tell it all. Levi thinks the guy is either doing this to pacify or kill her; either way, Levi believes that we need to be careful because anything could happen. I learned they had picked up Jacob Mikhailov, and he was en route to the King''s prison, formerly known as the council prison. Everything wasing together nicely. We sat on the couch, waiting for the man to show up. Hendrix went out to get us something to eat. He returned, with more snacks than food. I could not wait to get the mission over with and eat good food. I sat on the chair and soon passed out from exhaustion. I felt someone tapping me to wake up, and I woke up. I realised the people in the room were moving out. Sylvester was the one who gently woke me up. "Tamia, he is here," Sylvester said, and I was awake immediately. "Did you see him?" I asked him, and I noticed his countenance wasn''t good, which meant it was somebody he knew. "Who is it?" I asked him, afraid to know the answer. "Vino Lawrence," He replied, and I was shocked. Chapter 141-2: Longing And Waiting Chapter 141-2: Longing And Waiting ~Tamia~ We finally finished creating the darts. Amelia hadined about why I was making so much, and Linda couldn''t wrap her head around it. We had finally finished, and it was much. The Omegas that were helping us helped pack them carefully into packs. It was evening, and Susan had called to inform us a few hours ago that they had arrived at Mountain and settled in. I stood by the window in the studio to look at the setting sun. I wondered if all of this would indeed be over in five days. I hated to think of the battle, and the fact that we wouldn''t be there was killing me. I was worried for everybody, and I did not want to carry on alone. Still, I guess the possibility of that oue came with the burden of bearing the crown. I stood motionless at the window and watched the orange sky. "Tamia," I heard Avery''s gentle voice behind me, and I turned to look at her. She was tired, and I could see the longing in her eyes; it mirrored mine. We all missed our children. No matter how we tried to keep quiet, we could not hide that we missed our children dearly. We could not hide the fact, and it was painful. "What are we going to do with all the darts, Tamia," She asked me, sounding tired, and I ced my hand on her shoulder. "You should get some rest, Avery?" I said, and she shook her head. "I do not need sleep. I need peace. I sleep most of the time, so that time will pass, Tamia. I want to wake up, and someone will tell me this is all over and our lives are back to normal. I want to hold Marvin in my arms, Tamia, and apologies for losing so much time," She said, and tears began to stream down her cheek. We all hated what Yuri had done to our world. Had we known this, we would have taken Larry more seriously when he told us there was more toe. We shouldn''t have dismissed him. Our actions had bought us a year of peace and given the enemy time to attack us fiercely. "It will be okay, Ave," I said, wiping away her tears. This pregnancy was different from her first. This one made her emotional and tired. I guess they were right when they said no pregnancy is the same. "As for the darts, we are dividing them into two. I n on arming ourselves here. We can''t afford to be sitting ducks. It would buy us time to fight and get away should Yuri attack while our men are away," I said, and she understood. "Come on, go and freshen up. Sylvester has called for a general meeting, and the only reason we are invited is that it has to do with us," I said, and Linda joined us. She was listening to our conversation because she chipped in. "They want to officially tell us we aren''ting," She said, and I nodded. I knew that was what Sylvester wanted to do. Even though we had figured it out independently, seeing how they nned to exclude us. They had not told us precisely that we would remain. They had implied it, but with the day approaching, it was time to let us know we would not go to the West with them. Nicole was sleeping on the couch in the studio, snoring and mumbling her children''s names. I went to wake her up so she could go and freshen up. She looked disoriented when she woke up, and drool was on the corner of her mouth. She must have been tired to sleep with her mouth open. "Come on, Nikky, You need to freshen up. The King has summoned us to his lounge for the meeting," I said, and she nodded and stood up. "Tanya, Lisa, Justin," Nicole said, and I knew the separation was getting more challenging. "Come one, go freshen up. We will soon see them, okay," I said, and she rubbed her eyes gently. It wasn''t to wake her up; I knew it was to fight back her tears. "Lounge?" She finally said with a shaky voice, and I nodded. We all left for our rooms. I linked Katya and udia to inform them of the meeting in the lounge, and they assured me they would be there. I went to freshen up and left to join Sylvester in the lounge. When I arrived, the men were already there, along with udia and Katya. The rest were on their way. Sylvester asked me to sit beside him, and I did. He pulled me close and kissed his mark on my neck. I knew he wanted me to rx, but how could I when we were counting the days to a deadly battle. A battle that we could not predict its oue. A fight against freaks. I maintained a calm exterior, as a Queen should, while we waited for the others. They all finally arrived, and it was time to start the meeting. "We have received the dart, and we are grateful for your efforts," Sylvester started; I wanted to tell him to get to the point badly, but I decided against itst minute. "We all know we will be heading to Gad in four days to prepare for the battle on the fifth night, and we all hope to be victorious," He said and sighed. "We do not know the future and can only hope the oue will favour us. Because of this, we have decided toe to this conclusion," He said and pulled me close to his body. "You all are strong and supportive women. You havee through for us times without a number, never disappointing, always there to lend us a helping hand and take charge when needed. Know that you are highly appreciated for this, and we truly value you," he said. I could feel his nervousness. He believed we would make it difficult for them. "This battle could swing either way, and we have children to care for. They are our future. No matter what happens to us, they have to survive," He added. "because of this, we will be asking you all to remain here while we head West," he said and paused, waiting for us to say something, but no one spoke. "We will need you to hold the Forte in the Estate so you can escape with our children and carry on if anything happens," He said, and I pinched my thigh to stop myself from speaking and crying. "As hard as this is, we have to face the reality that we might note home, but that does not mean we won''t try. I implore you to let Tamia lead you if it everes to that," He said; he was silent. We were all silent. The lounge was glum. There was no life in it. All that permeated the air was fear and uncertainty. I had never hated Yuri more than I did at this moment. "We will hold the forte, but you all muste home. Do not ask us to move on without you," I said, and Sylvester was silent. "Know that if you do not take him out, he will hunt us down like he did to Luis Ivanov''s wives, and he will kill us and maybe our children. So there will be no room for failure. No matter what happens, you must win and survive the bastard because no matter how far we run, he will hunt us down and finish what he started," I said, stating a fact that they might not have thought off. It was easy for them toe up with an idea and believe it would work, but they also needed to think of how the enemy''s mind worked, and Yuri had a habit of hunting people down. If they fail, he will be more trouble for us. Just like he was a problem to Maurice and now Sylvester, he will be a problem to Liam, too, that is, if we survive. There was nothing to say. We just pondered on the matter and hoped for the best. We were silent for a bit, and soon we decided to go and check on Jake in Erik''sb. When we arrived, we were surprised that Jake was looking fine. There was colour on his skin, and Stephanie was stroking his hands. "Wow, Erik, you did a good job," Sylvester said, and Erik smiled. "I wouldn''t have seeded if it weren''t for udia, her friends, Nelson and my assistants. Most especially udia." He said, looking at udia, but she looked haunted and gave him a shell of a smile. I could understand how she was feeling. She was married once and lost her husband, and now Sylvester had just told us that they might not return. It was bound to spook anyone. It was a wonder that she could stand and even fake a smile. Erik noticed it, but he chose to ignore it. "So when are we leaving?" he finally asked, and Sylvester shook his head. "You will remain with Tamia, Erik. You''re too valuable to be on the battlefield," Sylvester said, and there was anger in Erik''s eyes. "You mean I am too small and deformed." He corrected Sylvester, and he shook his head. "If I could transfer your brain to someone else, I would take you to the battle. Trust me, you are more valuable than a thousand warriors. I can''t risk losing you. Think of the change you will bring to our world once this is over. It is unmeasurable. I cannot risk your life, Erik, so you will remain with our mates and care for them. It is a big task because Yuri might try to attack the Estate." Sylvester said, and Erik calmed down. He understood Sylvester''s point and let the matter rest. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. We watched Jake for a bit and decided to retire to our rooms. We decided to spend the remaining days together before they finally left. I nned to start spending that quality time tonight. Sylvester must understand why there is no room for defeat. 142 A Stab 142 A Stab ~Sylvester~ The conversation between the two bothered me. Vino was scared, and this woman still told him to hang in there. Did she know the repercussions of her behaviour at all? "Are you crazy?" Vino said to her. "Do you know what has happened?" He added, and she was silent. "Sylvester is now the King. The actual King. The council has no power anymore. We are just advisers now. If Sylvester catches us, we have no saving grace. He can do as he pleases with us, Amy. No one would question him. No one will fight him. We are finished. Thanks to you, every ally of ours is behind bars or in hiding. I need to know who this man is and understand why he is doing this," Vino said, and she shook her head. "Trust me," Amanda said, and Vino eximed. "Trust you? Only a blind idiot would trust you. You destroy everything you touch. You ruin the people you im to love for personal reasons. Only a fool will trust you." He said, and she stepped back. I guess his words hurt her feelings. "What would have been your gain in all this?" Vino finally asked her. "I have yed this repeatedly in my mind since my brother became King. I saw your pattern and goal, and I kept asking myself what would have been your gain in all this, and I could not think of anything. I could not see it, Amy. Tell me," Vino asked her the same question that gued my mind. "He promised me something I never imagined I would have, Vin. It improved my aspirations and gave me a purpose," She said, and I waited for her to tell him what she was promised. "I thought I would be lord, and you will be ady. Something David got on a tter. I wonder why my mother thought to recruit me and not David," he said, and she shook her head. "He needed you, Vin. You are a Volkov and can be King. He was going to rule through you, making me queen. David was already married," she said, and I wondered how anyone would want to rule through a king. It simply means there will be a body higher than the King. "He wanted to make me King and you queen, yet we answer to him?" Vin said, hearing the real n for what seemed like the first time. "He does not have royal blood, so people won''t ept him. You, on the other hand, are a Volkov, so it is normal that you would ascend the throne on his behalf. Then you were to give him some power that superseded yours so he could rule by proxy," She exined, and Vino staggered backwards and sat on his couch. "And what made him think I would willingly do that?" Vino asked. "You will, Vin. You are loyal like that. Besides, only a fool will cross him." She said, and he bowed his head. "So it was just as I thought," he said and looked at Amanda. "I was a tool all along, and you knew it. Yet you pretended to care for me, love me and even got pregnant by me. You are sick, just like my mother. I see why she liked you very much," he said, and I heard Amanda sobbing. "Do not belittle my love, Vin. I care about you a lot. I got pregnant, so I won''t lose you," she said, and he shook his head. "That is not true, Amy. You got pregnant so you will have something to ckmail and control me with like you ckmailed and controlled Leo." Vino said, figuring her reasons out on his own, and he sipped his drink. "I, Vino Lawrence Volkov, reject you..." he said, and she screamed before he could finish it. "No, please, Vin. Refrain from making hasty decisions. Think of our future," She pleaded with him. "We have no future, Amy. Sylvester will soon catch us, and that will be it. Since you have decided to protect your mentor with everything, it is best I let you walk this path alone," he said, giving up on her. He must havee there to convince her to surrender so their sentencing would be mild. "So, what do you n on doing?" She asked him, and the tone of her voice did not seem right. It had changed from sad to calm. It was too calm forfort. "I will return to Lund. Resign my position and turn myself in," he said, and I saw her stylishly move to a drawer; I did not need to guess what she was about to do. I linked Levi and Hendrix to move in quickly and rescue Vino from the woman. "Hurry," I told them, and I hoped they would get to him on time. As much as I wanted to link Vino to be careful, I dared not blow my cover. I kept my binocrs on her and saw her take something from the drawer. "You will throw away everything for the sake of your conscience?" She asked him, moving towards him calmly as if there was nothing wrong. "No, I will go and plead for our children and you. They will need their mother. If Sylvester catches us on his own, our lives are forfeited, but if I surrender to him, I know he will spare your life and our children. He is a fair man," Vino said, still bowing his head. He was sitting on the couch with his head bowed, so he did not see Amanda. She stood in front of him and raised her hand, ready to stab him with whatever she held. "Dodge Vino!" I linked him loudly, and he moved from shock; although not seamless, it was enough to make her miss her mark, which was the top of his head. The object stabbed his shoulder. The woman was fast. She pulled it out, and he got up, seeming a bit dizzy, and I figured she put something in his drink. She did not call him to discuss their love. She had called him there to tie up loose ends. Vino was an open end, just like Annika and her father. Hence why she made that drink the moment they entered the room. Still confused, she stabbed his stomach twice, and he slumped to the ground. Levi and Hendrix busted the door open, and Amanda growled at them, ready to fight, but she was too heavy to shift. Levi moved to tackle her while Hendrix attended to Vino. He pulled the object out, but I believed it was silver, so the healing process would be slow. It was time to move in. "Let''s go," I said, and everyone was ready and waiting patiently for me to say those words because they were out of the apartment in no time. "Tamia, you and Avery wait by the van. Call an ambnce. Amanda has stabbed Vino, and he will need medical help. I also think she poisoned his drink because he was a bit slow after he took a sip of that drink," I said, heading out of the building we were in. Avery was already calling for an ambnce before I finished my sentence. I knew there was a hospital close by, so the ambnce would be on its way. Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. "Okay," Tamia responded, and I followed everyone toward the building Amanda and Vino were in. "Do not engage her, Leo; please, we need her alive. She is the only one that knows the King''s identity. I am begging you," I warned Leo, and I heard him growl in response. We moved up quickly and arrived at the apartment. I saw Vino unconscious on the floor, bleeding out. "He isn''t healing your Majesty," Hendrix said, and I already knew why. "You poisoned his drink," I said to Amanda. Her ws were out, and her teeth were elongated. Levi was trying to find the best way to tackle her. I wished she wasn''t an Alpha;manding her would have been easy. She wasn''t a member of my pack, so it would be difficult for me. I could seed, but it would take more effort and energy than I was willing to spare. Then I remembered she was a member of Leo''s pack. "Leo,mand her," I said, and he, too, was battling a shift. His wolf wanted to kill Amanda. I could see it in his eyes. "Command her," I yelled at Leo. "Surrender," He yelled at her, reining in his anger, and I watched her stagger backwards. "Cuff her in silver. She is dangerous," I said, asking Levi to move quickly, and he did. I watched him mp the silver on her, and I heard her wolf whimper, and then her teeth and ws retracted. Leo walked to her and pped her. I let him. It was the least I could do since I stopped him from pleasing himself and his wolf by killing her. Sheughed, even though the p printed on her face and her mouth was bloody. "I will not tell you anything; you are better off killing me," She said. "Trust me, we will, and we will enjoy every bit of it," I heard Tamia say, standing behind me. I remembered telling her to wait downstairs, but the anger in her eyes said it all. No one liked being a fool. "The ambnce is here; the hospital is three blocks away, and they had an ambnce on standby, so they got here immediately," She said. I saw paramedics rushing in to save Vino''s life. "Cuff the prisoner for transport," I said, and Tamia walked up to Amanda and pped her twice. I saw Tamia''s hand shake, and I felt her rage. I went to hold her, and tears streamed down her face. She cried. I could understand her pain. To think the bitch was just using them. ying a game with all our lives. Leo and Tamia had a perfect life until Amanda happened to them. Then we found each other, and this very Amanda did not allow us to rest. Our wedding was in a few days, and we were still chasing this bitch. I just wanted her behind bars right now and nothing else. We would get the information we need from herter. "Let''s go. We have a ne to catch." I said. "What about Vino?" Tamia asked me, and I sighed. "I will do a sibling test for him. And have the hospital here transport him to Lund with an air ambnce once he is stable. Levi and Hendrix will remain with him." I said, and she nodded. I knew Tamia would get Amanda talking soon. The look in my mate''s eyes said it all, and I will give her free rein. "Let''s go," I heard Devin''s stern voice. I looked to see who he was talking to and noticed he was holding the rest of the chain used to tie Amanda. "Come on," he tugged at the chain, but the bitch refused to budge. "Don''t mess with me bitch," I heard Devin say. Everyone had it in for her one way or the other. She still refused to budge, and much to her disbelief, Devin began to drag her. I could see the shock in her eyes. She looked at us, hoping someone would say something. I guess her condition made her believe she could get away with anything, but Devin was showing her that she was fair game. "I will walk, I will walk," She said at the staircase, and he stopped dragging her but held on to the chains. "We would hold her at a secret location. Only the people present would know she is in our custody," I told everyone, and they agreed. We had to be extra careful because they had moles everywhere. We did not want her mentor to find out about her arrest and abscond. We wanted to catch him when he least suspected it. We carried Amanda all the way to the airport and waited for them to prep the jet that would take us back to Lund. I was d and at peace. Amanda and Vino''s conversation made me know we had caught the King. Amanda would sing. I knew Tamia would make sure of it. 143 Amandas big mouth 143 Amanda''s big mouth ~Tamia~ I could not believe that Amanda was manipting Vino too. Sitting on the ne with her made me sick, and it wasn''t just me. Leo and Avery too. She was indeed a snake. I could not believe the weak, innocent-looking bitch could pull off so many stunts. I was going to enjoy getting information out of her. Sylvester pulled me close tofort me, but I was angrier than upset. I masked my emotions so he would not feel his touch wasn''t enough. Based on everyone''s countenance, it would have been nice if we did not have to fly in the same ne with Amanda, the snake. "I lost a lot of good soldiers," Devin started, and I understood his anger. We lost a lot while they schemed to cause a war. "We almost went to war, and to think this bitch and her father were behind it all. Vino, too," he said and balled his fist in anger. "There was so much I lost trying to secure my region and push back. All the while, I thought the Volkovs were the problem, and I put my life on hold for it," he said and looked at Amanda. "You ruined many lives, and for what?" he asked her. I looked at Amanda, and she didn''t seem like she cared. "You know I do not care that you are pregnant. The only reason why you are alive is that his majesty wills it. If not, Leo would have finished you in there, and if he did not have the heart to do it, I would have obliged." Devin said with so much anger that I felt his rage. "I would have obliged, too," Avery said, looking at Amanda. "You might not have ruined my home. But your stunt in the east made my people lose their lives. How do you live with yourself?" Avery asked Amanda, and she was tight-lipped. Avery wanted to get up to beat her, but I stopped her. "Let''s get to where we are going." I linked my friend, and she hesitated and remained in her seat. "Linda said this bitch was in this too deep than her father presented. But I felt she was being manipted. I stand corrected," Avery said, and Marcel sighed. "Maybe Ramsey lied to us," Marcel said, and Sylvester shook his head. "He didn''t. He told us what she told him. Amanda is a master maniptor. I saw it all when she was talking to Vino. She will only tell you what she wants you to know. She is inplete control. I bet Annika knew more than Ramsey," Sylvester said, and I looked at Amanda. "Annika is dead, you know. Your little cousin. She never had a life. No love, no child. You stole it all from her, and for what? For this?" I said, and her facial expression did not falter. Her heart was cold. Of course, Annika was alive, but I wanted to prepare her for questioning. I guess I had to try other things that might affect her directly. "I can''t wait for us tond so we can be done with this bitch," Avery said, and we were all silent. We had many questions. "You do not want me to tell you the things that I know," Amanda finally spoke, and I could not believe the nerve this bitch had to speak the way she did with a smile on her face. We were still on the ne, so we had topose ourselves. "And what would you like to tell us, Amy?" Leo finally said, and she looked in his direction and smiled. "Stephanie Volkov killed her husband and his officers. Jenny told me, and she had proof. We are not the first people tomit treason. At least we never attempted the Lord''s life. Stephanie did and seeded," She said, and Marcel and Theodore looked at her, shocked. The bitch had just stirred up trouble because Sylvester had not told his friends what we found out. "I killed them because they attacked my territory, so stop lying," Devin countered her. "But you had help, Alpha Corrigan. You had help. Thedy of the north sent you an anonymous letter telling you their location and their aliases. Even if you deny it, we have a recording of her admitting to Jenny Lawrence Babanin, and I suspect she was the one that killed my mentor," she said. I did not know how to handle the situation. "It is in one of those journals, you know. Jenny always kept a journal," She said, and I got up from my seat and went to p her. "You have caused enough damage here; stop spewing lies," I told her, and sheughed. "You know the truth, Tamia; I can see it in your eyes," She said, and I knew she was sick. "Lady Volkov and her mate had a lot of issues, but she would never betray him," Theodore said and looked at me. "Tie her mouth," He said, and I obliged. I took Avery''s scarf and tied her mouth with it, which kept her quiet. But I suspected the damage had been done because Marcel was quiet. I knew he would not speak to Sylvester about it until they were alone. It was time for Sylvester to come clean to his friends about how everything went down. Or else Devin would continue to look like the enemy. "How far gone is she?" I asked Leo, and he frowned at me. "I think thirty-eight weeks," he said, and I nodded. "So she will be due any time soon," I said, and he nodded. "Guess no honeymoon for us then," Avery said and sighed, but I had big ns for Amanda, and a honeymoon was in my n. Our wedding was in six days. It was more than enough time to get the truth out of her. I went to sit beside Sylvester, and he touched my hand gently. "You have toe clean to Theodore and Marcel and tell them what happened. Marcel deserves to know because whether you like it or not, what Amanda told them got to them even though Theodore tried to mask it. I could see it," I linked Sylvester, and he squeezed my hand. "I will", He linked me back. The rest of the flight was peaceful, and Amanda even fell asleep. She seemed too rxed for my liking. I wondered what she was thinking, but I had to prepare myself to be surprised. "Where will we put her?" I asked Sylvester. "A private property on the estate. No one goes there, and nobody is authorised to enter the ce. If her sponsor has people in the estate, they would not know she is there," He linked me, and I sighed with relief because I did not want to be far from the estate. William brought a van to get us at the airport hangar. We arrived at the estate and went to the hidden property. It was a bungalow with five rooms. After we got to the estate and secured Amanda in one of the rooms, leaving William to watch her, we went home to freshen up. "I guess we will have to wait until she is due before we can question her," Marcel said on our way to Sylvester''s wing, and I shook my head. "Leave Amanda for Avery, Linda and me. Once we get the name of the bastard out of her, we will give it to you and then you can go for the person," I said. I had so much nned for that bitch. "You will torture her while she is pregnant?" Theodore asked me, sounding amused. "Like I said, Amanda is my business," I said, and Marcel disagreed. "It''s too personal for you and Leo; maybe someone else should do it," He said, and Sylvester growled. "Tamia can do whatever she likes," He warned Marcel, and we stopped walking. "Do not forget she will be queen. We might be friends but do not disrespect her like that again. Questioning her is disrespectful. Thanks to her advice, I got a lot of information. Allow her to handle the situation," Sylvester told Marcel, and Marcel growled at him. "What advice, Sylvester? It seems you two have been doing things and leaving us out of it," He said to Sylvester, and Sylvester frowned at him, wondering where it wasing from, but I knew it had everything to do with the things Amanda said on the ne. "I know crazy rambles when I hear one, but Amanda wasn''t lying about your mother helping Devin kill our fathers. I could see it in her eyes, and you two know it. It didn''t sound like anything until she talked about the journals. I remembered Tamia going upstairs with a journal that day at the mansion in Lund. She never brought it back. I remember it," he said, and I knew the damage had been done. Sylvester should have listened to me and told them the truth. "It seems she has been hiding a lot," Marcel added, and Avery tried to stop him. "No, Ave," Marcel said, sounding a bit hurt. "We are supposed to be brothers. I am not against your rtionship with Tamia, but you seem to secretly run things together and leave us behind. It is almost as if we are only told what she feels is okay for us to know," He said, ming me for his friend''s secrecy. It was easy for them to point at me. I was the new person in the mix. "Do not me Tamia for anything. No one is keeping things from you," Sylvester said, and Marcel shook his head. "Then give me the journal she kept. Prove to me that Amanda was rambling nonsense and your mother did not help Devin to murder our fathers," he said with misty eyes. There was silence because he looked betrayed. "Let us not do this in the hallway; let''s discuss this in my office. While our mates handle other business." Sylvester said, and Marcel shook his head. "Tamia is very much a part of this; It would be wrong for her not to be there. You have never been secretive with us until she came along," Theodore said, and I knew they disliked me now. " It hurts that you will think that badly of me," I said, looking at them. "I have never done anything to hurt or destroy your friendship. Amanda speaks, and you believe, and suddenly, I am the enemy. Did it ever ur to you that we kept certain things from you two for the sake of peace? Maybe we needed to investigate and be clear before sharing, so emotions don''t run high and we hurt the ones we love?" I asked, and Theodore chuckled. "So you admit it. At least I have tomend you for your honesty, Tamia. You do not owe us an exnation. Sylvester, here is the one that owes us an exnation. He is the one we answer to," He said. "Very well then, I will be silent," I said, and Marcel shook his head. "No one is telling you to be silent, Tamia, we just want to know what really went down, and if what Amanda said is true, it is wrong for Sylvester to hide his mother away. She helped turn our mothers into widows. She should stand trial if that happened," Marcel said, and my heart broke for him because the truth would hurt him. "Devin clearly stated he had no business with any letter," Avery said, getting short with Marcel, and I held her a hand to calm her down. "No, Tamia, how can Amanda say something and Marcel and Theodore would attack you and Sylvester?" She asked, and Marcel shook his head. "It wasn''t based on what Amanda said. What she said triggered a memory, which seemed usible, and Tamia has just admitted to doing it." Marcel exined, and I knew Sylvester was getting short. He began to walk very fast, and I followed him, trying to keep up; Avery, Marcel and Theodore followed him too. I did not know where he was going until we got to our wing and he entered his office. I could feel Knight''s anger, and I knew Sylvester wasn''t happy with how his friends attacked us. "Whatever we did not tell you was to protect you," Sylvester growled at Marcel, "You want to lock my mother up for what? She should have to answer to what crime, Marcel? For writing a letter? Since when was that a crime?" Sylvester asked him. "If it led to deaths, it is a crime, Sylvester. You might not like your father, but we loved ours," Marcel argued, and Sylvesterughed. "That is great, but we dug into the matter and kept it quiet because of the repercussions," Sylvester said, and Theodore interrupted him. They had clearly forgotten he was the King now, but I knew he would excuse their behaviour. "You''re King Sylvester. You should be fair, even where your mother is concerned," Theodore said, and Sylvesterughed. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. "You actually think that this has anything to do with my mother," He said to his friends smiling. "Well, I will tell you what happened, and I hope you will be willing to judge the culprits then," he said and sat on his chair, ready to tell them what Devin had told me. 144 Prepare Her 144 Prepare Her ~Tamia~ I looked at Sylvester, and I knew he was angry. Avery went to sit on the couch while Marcel and Theodore stood around waiting for an exnation. I knew what they would hear would crush them, but they asked for it. "Tamia, please tell them what you found out about Devin''s venture in the south," Sylvester said, and I shook my head. "Lord Marcel has med me for a lot today already. I think it is best you tell them yourself. I am here because I have been used of causing a rift between friends," I said, and Marcel chuckled. "No one said that, Tamia," he said gently. "But you implied it," Avery said,ing to my defence. "Very well then. I am sorry if it came across like that. I was just disappointed that Sylvester would keep vital information from us." He said, and I shook my head. "Did it ever ur to you that he did it out of love and he was trying to protect the two of you?" I said and looked at Sylvester. "The three of you grew up together; why let someone like Amandae between the three of you? So Stephanie wrote a letter. Devin already told you that it had nothing to do with it," I said to Marcel and Theodore, and they were silent. "You said some pretty fucked up things to Sylvester and even forgot that he is now King. He has remained humble, loyal and trustworthy. Why doubt him? Why now, when we are so close to finishing this? Can''t you see the damage that bitch is trying to cause? I know Amanda very well. Both Leo and I. So many times, she lied and tried to put Leo and me at loggerheads. I would never believe anything she said, and you two have seen how she used people and tried to destroy them. No doubt she lured her mate, the father of her unborn children, to that ce to kill him and yet you listen to her. So what, it triggered a memory, then what? It doesn''t mean anything," I said and pulled a chair to sit on. "I hope you have the heart to seek justice after I tell you what Devin told me," I said. I narrated everything that Devin told me. How he arrived at the inn, what he found, their fathers'' condition, the fight between Lucas and Devin, and Lucas'' surrender and confession. I said it all, and Marcel was too shocked to remain standing. He went to sit beside Avery. Theodore leaned against the wall. "That was why we could not put it in the open; Sylvester is searching for your father as we speak. We kept it silent because he implied you were a bastard and your mother was a whore. It would have been a smear on all three families'' reputations. That was why we kept it to ourselves," I said and sighed. "Stephanie wrote the letter quite alright, but Devin did not act on it because he had no reason to. Stephanie wanted revenge, but her letter did not get it for her. Maurice wanted to give her seat to David instead of Dominic. Imagine that. He wanted to give Stephanie''s family''s seat to the child he had with his fated. The same woman who broke her home and her marriage. He wanted to leave Dominic with nothing, and it was Jenny, the bitch, that alerted her about it because she hoped Stephanie would overstep and Maurice would end her; that way, she would swoop in. Unfortunately for Jenny, it didn''t happen that way, and Maurice did the most despicable thing. He pushed David''s name forward to be lord, disgracing Sylvester in the process. That was when Stephanie said she had had enough of the abuse. And I haven''t even said half of what that woman had to endure married to Maurice. He eliminated her entire family so he could divorce Stephanie. Still, he could never divorce her, but he had wiped out her n. At the height of things, she wrote a letter and hoped Devin would make sure Maurice never returned and her nightmare would stop. Little did she know she wouldn''t have to and that Lucas had his own pound of flesh to take from Maurice and Gavin. After Maurice''s murder, she struck a deal with Louis and Jenny Lawrence, not knowing then that Jenny was an enemy. The deal was to cancel Maurice''s decree and make Sylvester lord instead. The Balyaev seat was to remain vacant as payment while Lawrence headed the council. Jenny ckmailed Stephanie with it. Stephanie snapped, and on Jenny''sst visit to Stephanie''s house in Lund, they got into a fight, and Stephanie got the upper hand. Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. It was also Jenny that slipped Alissa poison. She had the effrontery to brag about it too. She hoped Maurice would be with her once Alissa was no more; she wasn''t expecting Maurice to get back together with Stephanie, who was his wife. I believe Amanda was Jenny''s prodigy indeed," I said, and everyone was silent. Theodore could not speak, and Marcel was dumbfounded. "We wanted to find Lucas before we tell you. We were hoping to deal with the situation void of emotions. If you feel I am lying, you can ask Devin and maybe your mother about it," I said, and he shook his head gently. "You mean my father is out there, and he never tried to contact me?" Marcel asked, and that question was beyond me. "He does not think you are his, Marcel. And his life is already forfeit. He wouldn''t dare it," Avery said, gently rubbing his hand to ease him. I stood up immediately. "Well, that is what happened and the truth. I believe I can go and handle the Amanda situation now without usations," I said, and Marcel looked ashamed. Theodore walked to where I was and touched my hand gently. "No one med you for anything, but I am sorry if you felt that way. Thank you for telling us and keeping it secret; no one can hear this. It would be seen as treason, and the Sidorovs would be wiped out," Theodore said, and I nodded. "Hence why we were all tight-lipped about it," I said, and he nodded and thanked me. "You will make a fine queen, Tamia. Thank you," he said, and I nodded and smiled to let him know I wasn''t angry anymore. I looked at Marcel where he was, knowing he would take a bit toe through. I did not want to disturb Avery because he needed her. I was about to step out when Sylvester spoke to me. "Where are you going to?" He asked. I looked at him and smiled. "Our wedding is fast approaching. The sooner we can question that bitch, the better," I said, and he frowned at me, wondering what I meant by it. "She is pregnant, Tamia. We can''t get much out of her," he argued, and Iughed. "Thirty-eight weeks is okay for a caesarean," I said, and Avery gasped. "She is a wolf. Those babies would be out and safe, and she will be healed by tomorrow. The interrogation can take ce then," I said, not wanting to harm the babies but wanting to deal with the mother. "I believe that can be arranged," Sylvester said, and I nodded. "Once it is done, inform me. I need to rest now," I said, heading to the room. Nothing would spoil the blue moon night for me, not even Amanda and her so-called King. 145 Now She Speaks 145 Now She Speaks ~Tamia~ I woke up early in the morning, pumped up to aplish some things, and saw Sylvester on his computer. He seemed a bit sad, and I knew it had to do with what we told Marcel and Theodore. "Hey," I said softly, and he smiled at me. "No need to pretend, darling; I know you are sad," I said, and he nodded. "Marcel did not take it well," he confessed, and I thought as much. "He was bound to know eventually, and at least now they both know. They will move on from it," I said, and he nodded. "Did you order the caesarean?" I asked, and he nodded. "Everything went well yesterday afternoon. She should be fully healed by now. No silver was involved, and she had three healthy babies. They are caring for the babies at the hospital, but she is back. Wison and William are watching her. Also, Vino is currently receiving treatment in the general hospital in Lund. They said he would be fine, but he is yet to wake up," He told me, and I nodded. "Very well, I will question the bitch after breakfast," I said, and he nodded. "Linda said to tell you that she has prepared everything needed for Amanda''s interrogation," he told me. I smiled, knowing Linda would do an excellent job at it. "Join me," I said, going to the bathroom, and Sylvester looked at me and smiled. "Of course, my love," he said, closing hisptop. We showered together and got ready for breakfast. Stephanie, Dominic, Katya, David, Nicole and the triplets were in Lund shopping, so they weren''t present. Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. Breakfast was gloomy, and I did not need to guess why. Avery and Linda were sad but told me they were up for the day''s task. After Amanda''s questioning, we would have to rest because of the blue moon night. It was going to be a memorable event. That much I knew, and I could not wait. Avery, Linda and I went to the property where Amanda was being kept. I could not wait to see the look on her face. Kappa Wilson and William waited at the location and ushered us into the bungalow. Amanda was kept in one of the rooms. We entered the room Linda asked them to prep for her questioning. I was surprised to see what she had nned out for Amanda. The silver dust bath water was there. It always did wonders, but I believed she would need more motivation than that. There was a whip. A big wheel was ced against the wall. I knew Linda nned on tying Amanda to the thing. There was no way she would not speak by the time we were done with her. Wilson brought us a full protective suit and goggles so we do not get silver on any part of our skins. Amanda was brought in, and I smiled. I was too eager to deal with her. By now, her wound must have healed reasonably enough because the medical staff ensured no silver was involved. "Hello, Amy," I said, and she wasn''t looking smiley or chatty anymore. I motioned them to sit her down and removed my mask so she could see my face. Linda and Avery did the same. "Amanda, as you can see, we are ready to go all the way with you and trust me, we will enjoy it. We can skip this part, and you tell us all you know, or we torture the truth out of you." I said. "My babies," she said, eyes filled with tears, and Iughed. "I am not Leo, Vino, or whoever you have fooled in your past. I know they were an insurance policy for you, a tool to use to ckmail the men that were in your life. Be assured they are in safe hands now. Away from your poison." I said, smiling, then stood up to wear my gloves. "Well, we do not have all day, Amanda. As you know, we have a wedding to n, beauty treatment and whatnot. We do not have all the time to waste. So you can tell me who the King is, or we can torture it out of you. The choice is yours." I said and went to the drum where the silver dust water was. "I am sure you are acquainted with this kind of treatment. You just had an operation, so this would be deadly to you. You are as good as dead if you do not tell us what we need. Either way, it will serve its purpose," I said, and I could see fear in her eyes. "I say we give this bitch a bath and ask questionster," Avery said, and Linda agreed. "I don''t feel like talking, Tamia. I want to hear her scream. She clearly won''t give the bastard up; we might as well have fun while we are at it," Linda added, and I nodded. "All of you are sick," Amanda said to us. "You take my babies from me by force, and now this. Do you think those men care about you? All they want to hold on to is power.." she started, and Avery sshed her face with the water. Amanda screamed at the burning sensation. I looked at Avery, and she shrugged her shoulders. "Not going to let her run her mouth today." She said, and Iughed. Amanda continued to scream because the silver was searing her pretty face, which won''t be so pretty anymore. I took clean water and gently washed the silver off her face. Her tears fell freely, and I did not feel sorry for her. "You see, this will only go one way. You tell us who the King is and all you know about him, and then you go to the King''s prison, or we torture you to death. Anytime you say anything unrted to the question you have been asked, you will be burned. You won''t heal nicely because of your cuffs, and I will let the silver linger next time and do some damage. Am I clear?" I asked her, and she nodded quickly, still trying to recover from the pain of the silver. The chains on her hand had impaired her healing, so the wound would take a while to heal. "Who is the King, and what are his ns?" I asked her, and she looked at me. I knew she would speak. She might be a terrorist but was only good from the shadows. She wasn''t a warrior. "No one ising to save you. You have betrayed all your loved ones; I would speak if I were you," Avery told her, and she nodded and sighed. "You have to protect me," she said, and I rolled my eyes. Here we go again. Amanda was ying the victim. "Tell me who it is. All his ns and goddess help you it checks out. If not, I will soak you in that silver bath and watch you die slowly and painfully," I promised her. "You won''t catch him now. He left Lund two nights ago after he ordered me to clean up the mess," she said, and I rolled my eyes. "He has been nning this for a long time, waiting for the right moment. Jenny Lawrence recruited me while I was in Cains," she said, and Avery pped her. "You can tell us the storyter. I want a name now!" She yelled at Amanda, and Amanda began to sob. "It wasn''t supposed to go this way, he promised.." Amanda said and flinched when Avery tried to p her again. "She needs a bath, Tamia," Linda said, both women impatient. I was intolerant too. "Name now, a storyter," I told her, and she nodded. "Councilman Larry McMillian," she blurted out and began to sob. The difficulty in how she said it made me know she had given us the correct name. "The story?" I asked and tried to link Sylvester immediately while sheposed herself. I thought I would be too far, but I wasn''t. "Darling," I linked him, and he replied. "Can you make a subtle arrest? Amanda said it is Larry, but I want you to send your men there to make it subtle just in case it is a lie; Amanda said he is the King. I do not think she is lying this time," I linked Sylvester, and he was silent. "Very well, I will issue an arrest," he said, and I closed the link and looked at Amanda. "Prep the silver bath," I ordered Wilson. "Tamia, please," Amanda begged. " They are going to get Larry now; if it turns out to be another lie, you will swim in silver," I promised her. "He is not in his house; he went to his apartment in Gad. I swear. We usually meet there. He is there. He told me to meet him there once Vino was silenced," She said, and I looked into her eyes. Why would she kill the father of her children for Larry? It did not make sense. "Why attempt Vino''s life for Larry?" I asked her, and she swallowed. "He was bing a liability. He was going to talk and get all of us killed. I had to think of my future and that of my children. He did not believe in the cause, and Larry promised to take care of me and my triplets," She said in tears, and I could understand the liability part. The guy wasn''t tough. Amanda was a very selfish woman; I must give her that. We waited in the ce for an hour, and Sylvetsr barged in. He was angry and impatient. His eyes were dark, too, and I was a bit worried. "Larry isn''t at his house; he left two nights ago, ording to his wife," Sylvester growled. Marcel came in after him, and I realised Amanda had spoken the truth. "She ims he is in his apartment in Gad. They were to meet there." I told Sylvester, and he looked at Amanda, who had been crying since. "He has a small army there; he won''t be easy to catch. He also locked someone up in one of the rooms. I don''t know who, but he was nning to use the person as the fall guy, but I do not know if he ns to do it anymore," She said, and I realised that Sylvester was right about Larry all along. 146 The Plan 146 The n ~Sylvester~ Tamia had done a number on Amanda by requesting a caesarean. It was as if all her defences had been stripped off entirely. When Tamia linked me to inform me that Larry was the king man, honestly, I took it as one of Amanda''s lies. I sent people to Larry''s house, and they told me that the people in his house said he had travelled to Grizlo. I wondered what he was doing in Grizlo, but I was also a bit pissed that maybe I had been misled again. I wanted to take over the interrogation myself when I barged in and saw what they had done to the treacherous woman. "Larry isn''t at his house; he left two nights ago, ording to his wife," I growled, angry that Amanda would have the effrontery to mislead us again. "She ims he is in his apartment in Gad. They were to meet there." Tamia said, and I looked at Amanda. She had been crying. Her face looked messed up, and I was sure Amanda did not know that her face was severely burnt. There was no way the silver burns did not hurt, but that wasn''t my problem. She had fear in her eyes when she saw me. It was as if she had seen her worst nightmare. I guess it had suddenly dawned on her that she would not get out of the mess this time. It had suddenly be her reality that they had failed, and their king had failed them. "He has a small army there; he won''t be easy to catch. He also locked someone up in one of the rooms. I don''t know who, but he was nning to use the person as the fall guy, but I do not know if he ns to do it anymore," She said. If Amanda''s story checked out, it means I was right about Larry all along, and I should have kept him locked up when I arrested him the first time. He had created a lot of damage. I did not understand why he would back Dominic up against me. He wanted Dominic to be Lord badly and did his best to make it happen. Unfortunately, his best wasn''t enough. Why not just recruit Dominic for his cause? I guess I will find that out when Iy my hands on him. There was no way he would get away with corrupting so many people, wasting and ruining lives. There were people who would never see daylight again because of him, and some would be killed for being part of his group. He hid well; he did not expect this to lead back to him. "Secure her," I said to Wilson, and he moved to secure the prisoner. We left the bungalow to head to the mansion and n our attack in Gad. I called Dominic and requested that they not return to the estate until we were done, and he agreed to remain at our house in Lund. My wedding was in four days, so we needed to move quickly. I called a quick meeting in my office and invited Devin and Leo. Bing a king was a wise decision because, as Lord, I would have had to run this by the council and prove my case against Larry, a member of the council. There was no way I would win against him that way. Knowing we would only get one shot at this, I knew we had to be meticulous. Marcel still seemed out of it, so I needed to find out if he was up for the mission. "Are you sure you won''t sit this one out?" I asked him while we waited for Leo and Devin to join us, and he shook his head. "We need to catch this bastard, Sylvester, and I won''t sit it out. Our wedding is in four days. I can''t let anything ruin it," he said with determination in his eyes, and just then, I realised that Tamia was right that we told them everything. Tamia and I did not need the blue moon to bond, but we chose to wait to share the blue moon experience with them so they wouldn''t feel left out. Being fated meant no more surprises. As for them, they would have to look out for a fated since neither of them had found theirs yet. We honestly did not want to rub it in and wanted to partake in the romance of the Blue moon night. Knowing all lovers who weren''t fated bonded that night made it special. It was also called the Love moon. Seeing how Marcel and Theodore took my secrecy and tried to me Tamia for it made me decide not to keep things from them again. "I need to tell you two something before Leo and Devin arrive here," I said, and they were attentive. Leo and Devin already knew, but I did not want them to be with us in case my friends reacted badly to my confession. I exhaled and looked at Marcel and Theodore to build up the speaking momentum. "Tamia and I do not need the blue moon to bond, but we chose to wait because we wanted to share the moment with the four of you," I confessed, and Marcelughed. It was the first time I would see himugh since we told him about his father. I did not know if it was a good thing or a bad thing. "Congrattions, " Marcel said. "It is good news," Theodore said with a broad grin, "I am honoured that you too, care about our feelings to wait, but it isn''t necessary, Sylvester. Knight and Kaira must be going through a lot right now with you two holding back on each other," Theodore added, and I nodded. "We can wait another four days," I said. "You know what this means, right?" Marcel said, and we waited for him to speak. "It means there is hope for us to remain with our mates unhindered. It also means nothing would happen if we rejected a fated thates along. Sylvester fared well, and he isn''t one bit weak or broken. I am sure we will be okay," Marcel said, and Theodoreughed. "I can''t wait to share the news with Linda. She has been worried about fate for a while now. This is indeed good news," Theodore said, and I was happy with how they took it. I was also d to get that out of the way. "When all of this is over, I am going to ask you something, and you will give me an honest answer, Sylvester," Theodore said, and there was a bit of mischief in his eyes that made me know it wasn''t something I would lose sleep over. Finally, Devin and Leo walked in, and we told them everything. "So, where are the babies?" Leo asked about the children he had presumed to be his but were not. "They are receiving care in the hospital. When Vinoes through, he will decide what he wants to do with his triplets," I said, and Devin looked at me. "Would you do a sibling test?" He asked me, and I nodded. "That is one of the reasons David and Dominic are in Lund," he nodded. I did not know if I would want Vino to be a Volkov, but I did not have power over such things. If my father chose to spread his seed, so be it. "If Larry has an army, then we would need one," Leo said. "I was hoping for a more covert operation. Nothing messy, but something efficient enough to catch the man," I said, and Devin adjusted himself on the seat. "So, what do you have in mind?" He asked me. "Shadow guards," I said. "If the ce is protected, the shadow guards would break down his defence silently without his knowing. Our goal is to get in there and take the man without fighting him. I do not want him to die in battle. I would rather he answers for his crimes and receives a befitting punishment. Also, Amanda ims he has someone locked up in there with him. We should get the person out, too," I said, and Leo frowned. "Who does he have locked up and why?" Leo asked. "His fall guy, ording to her," I said. "That sneaky bastard," Devin said. "Probably knew there was a high possibility he would fail, and so he had several escape ns; too bad he has finally hung himself," Devin added, and weughed. "Normally, you shouldn''t go on the mission with us, your majesty," Devin pointed out, teasing me, but I was a hands-on guy. I wasn''t the type to sit idly while someone else carried out the task. "Normally, I shouldn''t, but I will," I said, ad we allughed. "So how do we do the women? They would want to follow us," Theodore said, and I knew that was a huge task. I did not want them toe along. I wanted our mates safe away from the chaos in case anything went wrong. Linda won''t being, but Avery and Tamia might insist. "I will speak to Tamia about it," I said, and Leo cleared his throat for attention. "If I may, your majesty," he said, and I nodded. "I think we should let theme," he said and was surprised he would want me to risk my mate''s life like that. "We will need all the help we can get with this Larry man. His mind works overtime. Tamia and Avery are good at things like that, most especially Tamia. She can think on her feet and improvise. We do not know what he would do or what to expect. This is Amanda we are talking about. Her information might be a part of the n. I do not want to overthink it, but it is possible that that could be the case. I would not want us to get there and be mentally handicapped by these bastards. I know they will be safe because we will be with them, but please let theme with us while Linda holds the forte here. Besides, you will be more rxed and focused if she is with us," he said, trying to be careful not to offend me. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. I knew he had a point, but risking my mate like that wasn''t my option. I looked at Leo and reluctantly agreed because I knew Tamia would insist, and I could not say no. "We have to have a n to take them away at any sign of danger," I said, and he nodded. "I will do it," he offered, and I nodded. I was a bit jealous because it meant he would be around to ''console'' Tamia if anything happened to me. Deep down inside him. I knew he would love that, but I nned oning home and marrying the woman I love. I knew Leo hade to terms with things, but it did not stop my suspicions from running wild. He still looked at her like a lost puppy. I prayed he would find his second chance mate so we could have peace. I would really like Devin and Leo to be my friends, they have earned it with their loyalty and trust, and I will find the time to show them gratitude. "Very well then. Let''s just hope it doesn''te to that," Marcel said, and weughed. "Marcel, Theodore and I are trained to fight with silver, so we will be at the fronts in case silver is introduced," I said. "I have been training with silver too. Since I encountered your men the day they took Tamia, I started training with silver. I might not be as tough as you are, but I can withstand and push through the burn and weakness," he said, and I was surprised that he took the initiative to better himself. "That training is very rigorous. Imend you for taking the initiative. It will serve you in the long run," I said, and he nodded. "Thank you," he said, and I could see Leo and me bing friends in the future once he is entirely over Tamia and has moved on. We all headed to our quarters to rest and prepare for our trip to Gad. Theodore went to send the shadow guards before us. They would not engage until we were close to the property. We will also be travelling as ordinary people, so we will use amercial airline for the trip. The more covertly we treat the mission, the more likely we are to seed. Larry was wise and bound to have his ears to the ground. We needed to move without making a sound. 147 Arriving Gad 147 Arriving Gad ~Sylvester~ I returned to my room after the meeting, and Tamia was waiting for me with a broad smile on her face. "I told you she would talk," she teased, and I went to hold her. I bent to kiss her neck, and the moan that escaped her lips was so inviting that I wanted to sink in my teeth badly and make her fully mine. I pulled away, knowing I had a mission at hand and I needed to move fast. "So?" she asked with a broad grin, and I already knew what she would say. I knew she would want to know when we would go to Gad. There was no avoiding it. I took Leo''s advice because Tamia would not back down if I said no. I sighed before replying so she would sense I was making a difficult decision. "Out with it, your majesty," She said, pouting her lips. I wanted to grab her and kiss them, but duty called. "Marcel is talking to an airlinepany that would get us into Gad covertly, while Theodore has sent the shadow guards covertly," I said, and she frowned. "Why not warriors? Why guards?" She asked, and I knew she wasn''t acquainted with them yet. I tried to send her off with shadow guards when she went to the west to broker peace with Brighton on my behalf, but I eventually changed my mind. "We do not want to fight Larry. I do not want to create a situation where death before trial would be an option for him. If we engage with his army, then that would happen. He might choose to get killed during the battle. The shadow guards would secure the ce by taking out his guards, and then we go in for the arrest," I exined, and she shook her head. "If they are many, our guards won''t stand a chance. Larry would have equally strong people around guarding him. The west is under you; call Alpha Sean. He can send his warriors to secure the ce," she said, and I shook my head. "I only trust the people here. Just because I promoted him does not mean he is on my side, Tamia. In fact, the uprising has had a strong presence in the west for his nose to be clean," I said, telling her what I thought, and she became worried. "I do not want us to walk into a trap. This is Amanda we are talking about. She is full of surprises. Please also send warriors; they won''t engage unless necessary. The shadow guards can go and secure the location. If we get him easily, then it is good; if not, at least we will be prepared to take him by force," she said, making a very valid point. I nodded and linked Theodore to charter a ne to fly warriors to Gad to wait around the location of interest. "Are you sure you want toe with me?" I asked her hoping she would say no and remain. I needed her to be home and safe. She has helped me so much, but I needed her to be safe right now. "I want toe, darling. It would be nice to sit this out, but I can''t. As much as I want to make you happy and sit his one out, I can''t. I will be worried. I will be scared. It is not because I think you are incapable," she said, shaking her head. "You are the most powerful man in our world, but Larry is sly and cunning. I want to be there to help you when I can, darling. I want to know what is happening and chip in where I can. Please do not ask me to stay home because I would be worried. I would think Amanda lied and something terrible had happened. My imagination would run wild. I have a very wild imagination. With our weddinging up, anything can happen. Please do not ask me to remain here because I won''t. I will follow you," she said, and I knew she had thought of it before we even had this conversation. Saying no would be denying her rights, and she was my queen. She should be able to take charge when necessary. I slowly nodded my head in agreement, and she smiled at me. Somehow I knew getting Larry might not be easy, but I kept it to myself and chose to love my mate while I waited for the trip to be set. I pulled her close to me and took in her scent. Knight wanted me to let him take over, but I refused. We would have to share tonight. He would have free reign on the blue moon night. I kissed and nibbled her sweet spot, and she moaned, encouraging me to do more. I lifted her bridal style and carried her to our bed. Laying her down, I knelt over her and admired her. She was mine, and I promised myself to cherish the gift given to me. I kissed her, and she grabbed onto me, holding on tight. "Make love to me," she moaned, and she did not need to ask because I would oblige regardless. I gently took off her dress and moved down to kiss her tiny bump. We were fighting this hard and doing all this to make sure they came into this world free of the trouble we were facing currently. I kissed the bump, promising them I would end the crisis and keep their mother safe. I vowed to love and cherish her all my life. Never disrespect or betray. I promised to be an excellent example of how a father and husband should be. An example they will grow to emte. I was so emotional that Knight howled in my head. Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. Honestly, I never knew I would have this. Tamiapleted and gave me everything I thought I would live without for the rest of my life. I moved to worship her between her legs, and her moans told me it was appreciated. I sucked on the nerve bundle wanting her to reach her climax before I went in. I ced my fingers in her, and her clenching walls let me know she was ready to take what I would give, but I nned to wait until she came. I went at it, sucking and pressing my tongue against the nerve bundle. Tamia moaned uncontrobly until she shattered and began to shake. Then I got off the bed to undress and returned to ease her clenching walls while I released my desire for my mate. I drove in gently and pumped. She grabbed onto me tight and asked me to go faster, but I was already moving fast. Tamia and Iy spent on the bed, and seeing pure satisfaction in her eyes was incredible. "So what would we do when we capture the bastard?" She asked, and I did not need to overthink it. "We will have him tried for treason and murder and other things. I do not want to kill him, though. I would want him to be in a situation where death would have been a better option for him," I said, and she looked at me, leaning on her elbow. "Like what?" she asked with mischief in her eyes, and I smiled. "I was thinking of daily baths, you know, eastern style," I said, and she giggled. I knew she would find that amusing. "We are ready," I heard Marcel in my head and got up. "Is it time?" she asked, and I nodded. She got off the bed and dressed up in the closet. I hope the shadow guards would be able to site his men on location so they can take them out with engaging. If not, we would have to fight to enter Larry''s building. I prayed to the goddess to make the mission easy. I wore casual shorts and a t-shirt. Nothing serious, while Tamia wore jeans and a t-shirt. The t-shirt was loose-fitting and longer than usual, so I no longer saw her bump, but it seemed like she was carrying something extra in her pocket. I didn''t bother to ask. "It''s an insurance policy, and I won''t tell you what it is," she teased, knowing I had noticed the extra item on her. I chuckled. I hoped for all our sakes this would be thest time we would go on a mission like this one. I prayed that Larry was the one and he would not point to someone else as the king. We left the estate and entered the van that would transport us to the hangar where the jet was. We boarded silently, and I knew we were all eager and anxious to see what would happen. We wanted it to be over so we could get on with our lives. Many of Larry''s co-conspirators, like Niks Sullivan, were still atrge, but I knew we would get them. Once we catch their king, they will be easy prey. We just need to get the man at the top, and that would be it. Their entire structure would crumble. Wended and went to a small house that belonged to Marcel''s family. We nned on waiting until we got a signal from the shadow guards that we could move in. I wanted to arrest Larry myself. I wanted to look into his eyes while I mped silver on his wrist. Taking him down was personal to all of us. "Since Larry does not know we know it is him; call him on the phone. Let''s have an idea of his state of mind," Tamia said, and I did not even think of that. I was treating the matter as if he already knew. Taking out my phone, I roamed my Lund number to use in Gad and called Larry. It took a while before he answered. "Your majesty," he said over the phone, and I knew I had to be on my guard. "Where are you? I want to have a meeting. This uprising is an issue, and I need all hands on deck," I said, and he sighed. "I am on leave, your majesty. I went to Grizlo to rest. The other council members will be eager to serve. Once I return, I can lend a hand," he said, and I sighed. I couldmand him toe to me, and he would have no choice but to cut the vacation short if he wanted to keep up his pretence. One thing I picked out was that he had lied to me. He told his family he was going to Grizlo, but he was in Gad. The shadow guards had confirmed it. It also meant Amanda wasn''t lying. "I am ordering you to make yourself avable, or your seat is forfeit," I told him, and I heard a low growle from him. "I have the right to take a vacation, but if you want to retire me because of it, so be it. The seats on the council are no longer relevant anyway," he said boldly with such effrontery that made me look forward to what would happen to him. "Very well then," I said and hung up. I had gotten what I wanted. Just then, Marcel got off the phone, and I heard the good news. "They said he is in the location Amanda gave us in Gad. He has a few warriors guarding him, but the snipers have positioned themselves ready to take them down when we arrive," he said, and we got up to move. A white van was waiting for us. We would call for another van when we captured the bastard. While we moved to the location, I realised it was just as I thought. The whole uprising was a mental operation with no muscles involved. How did he n to take over without an army? He hoped Leo and Devin would do the job for him, and then he would swoop in at thest minute. That was what he was hoping for; too bad the three of us have be unlikely friends, and I hope it gets better from there. We parked a street away and waited for the snippers to tell us they were done. Marcel got the confirmation we needed in ten minutes and walked to the building. The front door was open, so we let ourselves in. Devin had a silver chain ready to bound Larry with it. Leo''s wolf was ready to attack and kill. The rest of us were eager to finish it and go home. 148 Larry Speaks 148 Larry Speaks ~Sylvester~ We walked into the building and found Larry sitting on the couch in the living room. There was rage inside me, but I controlled it. Devin advanced toward him, but something was wrong with the scene. He was too calm about the situation forfort. N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. By now, he should have reached out to his security and found out they are dead. "I see she talked," He said and turned to look at us. Devin stopped moving towards him. I guess he too, sensed something was wrong. "I mustmend you for getting this far, Sylvester," he said without addressing me by my title, which showed that he had given up pretences. "When you took over from Maurice, we believed it would be easy. You weren''t so difficult like your father and easy to manipte because you tried not to be like him. Then the eastern bitch came into your life, and suddenly you weren''t so hasty anymore," he said and shook his head gently to show he was stressed. His eyes were fixed on me. He wasn''t paying attention to others. "I must tell you, it wasn''t easy watching you beat our moves. Maybe the story would be different if your mother had not murdered Jenny," he said, and I realised he had been the one talking since we entered. Was he buying himself time? "You can spill your guts in custody," I said, and Devin moved toward him. He stood up and smiled at Devin. "Step back, Devin," I heard Tamia say. "He has dust in his hand," she said, and I noticed the small pouch he was holding. Devin stepped back gently, and Larry held out his pouch. The silver in it was enough to kill us if we inhaled it. He could kill all of us, including himself, so we had to be careful. Devin returned to where we stood, and we had to find a better way to catch him without dust getting in the air. The way he sat there meant he must have been expecting us. It also meant that he knew we were coming for him. "How did you know we wereing?" I asked him, and he smiled. "An airport official in Gad," he said, smiling at me. "I mustmend you for that call; it almost threw me off," He said, and I chuckled at him. "Not well enough for you to be rxed," I said, and he shook his head. "I knew when you arrived. You see, I have a lot of support in Gad, and my allies are here. They all want to see me seed," he said with a broad grin on his face, and I knew leaving that ce won''t be easy because we won''t be facing only him. I was d that Tamia advised that I bring an army. "You can never be King, Larry. It is not in your bloodline. Your family isn''t even from the north," I said, and heughed. "Oh, but you are wrong there. With Pam, Joan and Vanhil dead, bing king will be easy. Your new council members are here with you, so when Corrigan and Albert are no more, what do you think will happen?" he said and smiled at me. "Dominic, David and Vino and within my grasp, and someone is already situated to take them out. Once they do not hear from me, they will gun them down. Call it an insurance policy," he said and smiled. "If only you left your bitches at the estate, it would have been easier, but the one you left there would do just fine; we have enforcers there that work for me," He said, and Theodore began to growl because he had just implied he would kill Linda. "Silver bullets aren''t easy toe by due to ourws, but I had some made especially for this. See this more like a cleansing. A cleansing from the bloodline that has held our world ransom for centuries. Liberation of the people," he said, and I realised he was sick. "And who said the people wereining?" I asked him, and heughed. "It isn''t personal, Sylvester. You have tried, and I mustmend you for your efforts in winning hearts and loyalty, but who says the oneing after you won''t be like Maurice and the ones before him? You must understand that I was friends with your father, and I must tell you, you have performed greatly for someone rted to that bastard," he said and growled. There was a way he said it that made me feel like my father did something to him. This was very personal. I remained silent, waiting to learn all he had to say. I also noticed his eyes remained focused on me. He wasn''t paying attention to the others in the room. He could only do that if he had some form of protection. Other than the silver pouch in his hands, I couldn''t see any, but then again, the dust he carried was lethal enough to do the job and end us all, so we were bound to be on our best behaviour. "Your father should have never been given the position. Your entire family should have been wiped out. I failed the first time I tried, and Maurice caught on, but he never caught me till he died. You were still young when that happened. he had wiped out everyone leaving only Ramsey. Ramsey''s survival was a miracle since the eastern people, most especially Mountain Pack, worked against him. I had toy low for a long time. I had even lost hope until he died as hoped, and you became Lord. I knew we would be back to the same vicious cycle of overprivileged royals that ruin lives because I did not think you would be any different from Maurice. I realised I could not allow your bloodline to continue to rule us. The Volkovs, Sidorovs and Orlovs are lineages of sick bastards that do not deserve to exist," he said with pure venom. I already knew it was a personal vendetta, so I decided to find out why. "Why so much hatred that would make you go this far and sacrifice lives?" I asked him, and he smiled. This bastard was guilty of what he used my father of. He had recruited people, tricked them, and disposed of them, minors included, and that was a terrible crime. "You chose to be a monster to end another monster? Does that not sound sick? You chose to be what you loathed. How is that rescuing the people? You recruited minors, children that were yet to start their lives. You lied to people, turned them against each other, and then gave them up to suffer for your crimes. You are worse than my father; you are evil," I told him, and he growled at me. My words did not sit well with him. Somehow in his twisted mind, he was doing the right thing. He believed he was making the proper sacrifice for the right cause. He was demented, and there was no talking him out of his insanity. For him to have carried the grudge he had with my father over to me was sick. I did not do anything to him, yet he has been more of a menace to me than he was to my father. He was a coward because he did it thinking I would be easy to destroy. He looked at Tamia a bit and looked at me. "You might not have understood my reasons back then, but now you will," he said with pain and anger in his tone and eyes. The man wasn''t well. He had no business being on the council and roaming free. He must have endured a trauma that destroyed him, but no one cared to pay attention. He was also a good pretender. I would have never thought he would be the engineer of all my troubles. "Emily, my Emily," he said, and I was attentive. "We met here in Gad and fell in love. I was on leave away from the council then. We weren''t fated, so we had to wait for the blue moon just like everyone else, and we would have waited. Your father, including everyone on the council, had just taken over from our parents, so we were excited about our new positions. Although I wasn''t a noble, Maurice was my friend, and we were close. He needed me to do something for him, so I cut my leave short and returned to Lund to answer my Lord. Emily and I did not want to be apart, so I asked her to apany me. When we got to Lund, I took her to see Maurice. Your father was yet to be mated then. Emily was a beauty. I shouldn''t have taken her to see him that day, but I did. He was my Lord and friend, so I did not think much of it. Much like Tamia here, she was with child but wasn''t showing. Your father knew no boundaries and had no limits to what he destroyed. Because of him, I knew the royal and noble bloodline needed to be cut down. Lucas Sidorov was still level-headed among the three, but Maurice and Gavin were monsters. They took and took and took and never gave back. They believed they were entitled to everything and took whatever they wanted, not caring who they were hurting. They were wicked, greedy and unapologetic about it. After Maurice, Lucas and Gavin met Emily in Lund, they had their eyes on her. She was a beauty, much like your Tamia here; it was hard not to look at her," he said. I wanted Tamia to step behind me because whatever he nned on doing first would have to do with her. Larry had contempt in his eyes as if I shouldn''t have Tamia. As if I did not deserve to be happy, and I knew it had to do with Emily. Now I understood why Larry always tried to attack Tamia during the council hearing. He always instigated against her or aided Pam and Joan against her. Had I not locked him up, he wouldn''t have stopped. I kept my observations to myself and allowed him to continue. "I was sent on a mission with Louis Lawrence and Erick Balyaev. It was impromptu, so I could not go with Emily. While I was away, Maurice and his officers sent for her to visit them at the damned Volkov estate. She could not refuse. He was Lord. Back then, there were no cell phones. Wemunicated mainly by letters. Emily went, and Maurice and his friends did unspeakable things to her simply because she said no," he said, and I felt his wolfing to the surface. I knew my father was a bastard and did not like being denied, so I believed Larry, but still, it did not justify all he had done. 149 The Blowgun 149 The Blowgun ~Sylvester~ I remained attentive, listening to all that Larry had to say. I will be attentive as long as he doesn''t use the pouch in his hand. I also had to think of what to do if he blew the silver dust into the air. If that happened, I told everyone to hold their breath and head to the exit. Hopefully, we weren''t locked in. "Your father and his friends didn''t only ruin her; they told her I could do nothing about it. That she should be grateful that they fancied her enough to touch her. They told her no one would care even if she reported. It wasmon to practise, and they were right. I knew Maurice initiated it, and those two joined him as always," he said and chuckled. "I always wondered if they would share their mates like that, but they never did. This implies they knew what they were doing was wrong and degrading, but they felt it was okay since they could get away with it. Their jobs were to protect, lead and serve the people, not ruin lives. They broke homes and ruined lives. They separated mates and took women from their homes for personal pleasure, under the guise that there should always be a harem in the estate ording to the kings before the lords. A habit you and your friends embraced until recently. I mustmend yourst procurements from the east for holding you three down. It also let me know that just like those three bastards that fathered you three, the three of you are capable of falling in love," he said and smiled. "I returned home from the mission and found Emily depressed. She had lost the baby due to the incident but refused to tell me what had happened. I was devastated, but I was willing to try again," he said, and I could see tears welling up in his eyes. It was as if he was reliving the memory again. "I would have tried, but she had given up. She said it did not matter that it could happen again. I did not know what she meant by it until she ended herself, leaving me a note of the ount of unspeakable things that the three men did to her. I will never forget her final words in that letter. I still have it to date. She said if I love her and care about our world, I should save our people from the monsters that rule them. These were her words," he said and sighed,posing himself to recite Emily''s words. "If you love me and care about our world and its people. Then you will know this world would be safer without the Volkovs, Sidorovs and Orlovs ruling it. I am just one of many. Maurice might have implied you to be a powerless nobody, but I know you have it in you to stop their menace and make sure they nor the rest of their lineage ever do this to anyone again," he said and looked at me. "Your fathers went on as if they had done nothing wrong. They had destroyed three lives, and they just went on like that. I could never fall in love again. I only mated with Michelle to continue my bloodline. But your fathers moved on; they didn''t even know or care that they did anything wrong. The result of their crimes was my burden to bear and my hurt to carry alone. A few months after Emily''s death, they settled down as if they had done nothing wrong. They destroyed my life, my happily ever after, and nothing happened. They got away with it. The three of them mated and had children. It wasn''t only me that they hurt like that. We were many. Daughters, wives, name it. They had no limit. It was as if thesting peace gave them ample time to y. Time passed, and those of us that knew what they did, remained angry, but neither of us had the effrontery to seek revenge. During that time, he found his fated. He eradicated the Balyeavs because they would not allow him to remain Lord if he disgraced their sister by divorcing her. That episode passed. His fated died, and he got back with Stephanie, and then they had you. Things worked out for him while the rest of us remained broken. He ruined more lives, and no one seemed to do anything about it. So I nned the first uprising with the head Alpha of the west. Emily was his cousin. He took it upon himself, and we would have seeded if it weren''t for some traitors in the east. Your mate''s parents were the ring leaders. They alerted the monster of our ns. Good men died because of that, and I had to go into hiding. Ramsey struck a deal with Maurice and pointed out all the culprits, but he did not know I was involved, so he could not point me out as a culprit. Everything went quiet, and I had given up hope entirely until he did not return from pilgrimage. Jenny told me Stephanie was the one that acted against him, and she should stand trial. I knew Jenny was jealous of Stephanie because she was crazy about Maurice, but I kept it myself. I knew how Maurice died because I was part of the engineers of that event, but I kept it to myself. Jenny''s anger towards Stephanie would be useful. So I saw it as an opportunity to revive my group. I told Jenny we would make her son Lord since Maurice was his father too. It was wrong to hide the poord away to be brought up as a Lawrence when he was a Volkov. Knowing her son would benefit from it eventually, she was in, and that was when we started building again. I never had direct contact with anyone, just like the first time. It was important. Jenny was the one that recruited people. Unlike the first time she went for younger people, people affected by Maurice could share our ideals," he said and looked at Devin. "You should have been an easy recruit knowing what your father endured and how you grew up, but we could not find a way to get you on board. Weter knew how to use your grudge against the Volkovs, and it would have worked if it weren''t for that Riverstorm bitch," he said and looked at Tamia. "You are despicable. You hopped into bed with the man that murdered your people and took you away from your husband," he said disgustingly. "If you hadn''t ruined my home with your prodigy, I would not have needed rescuing, but I am d where I am. Save your moral conviction for yourself," Tamia shut at him. He never really liked her, and now I know why. Her parents had foiled their ns, and now she was part of his problem. "If you wanted to wipe my family out, why try to install Dominic as lord and fight tooth and nail for it?" I asked him, and he smiled at me. "Dominic can never truly be Lord. He isn''t a leader. Even Maurice knew this. That was why he wanted the Balyeav seat to go to David. Dominic is a useless piece of shit. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. My encouragement was to pit you two against each other; if I ever seeded, it would be easy to overthrow and end Dominic. He isn''t as wise or as strong as you are. He does not have your kind of support andpanionship, and the woman he was screwing worked for us; she would have made it easy. That was Glenda''s job. To cause a rift between you two and end him when the timees. But unfortunately, she got caught," he said, and Devin spoke before I could. "And what was Susan''s part in all this?" he asked, hoping her nose was clean for his sake. "That idiot can never be a part of us. She was just too stupid and love-struck. Throughout her time in the south, she only pined for Volkov; she was worthless. I wondered how Niks put up with her. To think she was forced to leave the north because Maurice felt she heard of Vino when he was discussing him with Niks. That girl was just hopeless," he said, and I realised why they forced Susan to leave. My father had seen to it because he felt she knew of Vino. He must have really wanted to keep Vino a secret badly, and Susan and I suffered the consequence. Although I was happy with Tamia, I felt terrible for hating Susan all these years, thinking she just got up and left out of fear that we weren''t fated as her letter had implied. I began to suspect that the letter was written under strict instructions. I was angry at my father for doing that to a young teenage girl. I hoped Devin would give her the bliss she deserved. "I can understand your anger with my father and his officers. They were infamous, but I cannot understand what this has to do with me, my friends and my brothers. David was hunted, Dominic was misled, and you instructed Amanda to kill Vino. If you nned on making him king, why mislead him and then try to have him killed?" I asked, and heughed. "That wimp admired you too much to do what was asked of him. I told Jenny we shouldn''t recruit him, but she insisted. He was the most useless piece of shit we ever recruited. He just sat quietly on the board. I was sure he would tell you the truth eventually. He seemed like it. I needed to be sure he would never speak to anyone about the demons that haunted his conscience. For a Volkov, he was a wimp. Even Dominic would have been better," he said, and I realised who the head of the council was. Vino might have upied the Lawrence seat and headed the council, but Larry was in charge. To think Joan and Pam were not in on this made me feel a bit sorry for the scornful women. "Now that you havee here, I need to tell you all a secret," he said, looking at Devin. "Your friend here is nothing but a farce. He did not kill your father or anyone. It was Lucas Sidorov who murdered his friends. Thanks to the hallucinogen I had someone slip into their cocktails. He went berserk," he said,ughing, and Marcel growled. "He was efficient too. I also made the truth of what his friends did with his mate slip and get to him. You see, I wanted to see how he would feel. I wanted to see how he would handle it. After what they did to my Emily, I wanted to see how they would take it; if they could take it at all," he said and laughed, then became serious. "Well, chit-chat time is over. This building is surrounded by my men. Moses has a bone to pick with your family, seeing that your father killed his father and took the west from his family. Then you had the effrontery to install Sean, who is from a lesser family, as the head of the west. I called in a favour, and you will feel my might today, away from your estate and your men. Today I will get what I have dreamed of all my life: the end of the three menacing families," he said, and I saw him touch his neck and slump to the ground. It all happened fast. "Bind him," I heard Tamia say, and I turned to look at her and saw what she used in her hand. She was holding a tiny blowgun. The man was too confident and focused on me that he did not see Tamia aim and blow, shooting the tiny needle dart at his neck. I began tough in relief. I did not know how we would have survived the silver dust he held in his hands. I wondered where she learned to do that. She must have gone on covert missions while in the east. I looked at her, and she shrugged. "What? He wasn''t ying fair anyway. So there was no need to be fair when dealing with the bastard. Besides, I did note here to fight. We have a wedding to n," She said, and Iughed and pulled her in for a hug. Holding her, I looked at Leo and thanked him. He was right when he said we should bring our mates, most especially Tamia, who was good at thinking on her feet. He smiled and nodded. I realised the tiny blowgun was the object she had in her pocket. "Now to get the people outside," I said, and Marcelughed. "Our warriors have done that already," he said, and I was stunned. While Larry told us his life story, our men quietly took down the warriors surrounding the building. They were much, but we came prepared. Knowing we would walk out of ce with the prisoner we came for without having to fight or kill anyone made me extremely happy. "Let''s drag him along," I said, turning around, and Avery stopped us. "Wait!" she said, and I looked at her. "Amanda said he has someone locked up in this ce. He nned on making the guy the fall guy if the operation should fail," she reminded us, and I touched my forehead because I had forgotten. "Leo, Theodore and I will secure the prisoner," Devin said. "You and Marcel can search the ce for the captive," he concluded, dragging Larry with him. I began to suspect that Devin liked to drag people. I watched them leave with Tamia and Avery in tow. Marcel and I began to search through the apartment. It was void of life. Meaning it had been a long time since anyone had lived in it. We searched the ce and happened upon a small door in the kitchen. It was locked, but Marcel broke it. He opened it, and the room was pitch ck. My night vision adjusted, and I saw a frail-looking man sitting in chains with his back against the wall. His features were not visible. I didn''t need to know that the chain was silver. Marcel and I moved towards the man to drag him out. His facial features were not visible in the dark until we pulled him out into the light and what I saw shocked me. It validated all I had heard. Marcel let go of the chains and staggered backwards. I did the same because I could not believe my eyes. The man was also looking at the two of us in shock, but he was too weak to express himself. He blinked, and tears streamed down his cheeks. It was no other than Lucas Sidorov, Marcel''s father. 150 Back To Lucland 150 Back To Lund ~Sylvester~ The shock was intense, and I could not believe my eyes. Lucas Sidorov looked at us, frail and speechless; he was short of words and had to be because he had a lot of exining to do. Snapping out of the shock, I reached for the burning silver and helped the man remove his chains, Marcel joined in, but he was on autopilot. He wasn''t thinking, just acting, while he processed what had just happened. "Let us take him to the van and leave this ce. I need to call Dominic," I told him, and he nodded. "Theodore, I need you to call Kappa Wilson and William. Have them guard Linda and tell them to tell Bryce to check the workers in his ranks. Larry''s silence might be a signal for something sinister; it would be wrong to find out," I linked Theodore. "I have already done that. I wished I had brought her with me." He linked me back, and I could feel his panic, but there was little we could do from afar. I closed the link and took out my phone to call Dominic. Lucas was hobbling, so Marcel had to support him while he walked. He was so thin, and I wondered how long he had been locked in there. I did not want to think of it, but I hoped it wasn''t for as long as it seemed. His body also looked like he had endured all forms of torture. Larry was furious, and his anger had run him mad. I could imagine Larrying here often to inflict pain on Lucas in memory of Emily. After all, Lucas was part of the batch that vited her and drove her to end her life. Regardless, I still felt a bit sorry for the man. He looked utterly broken, and there was no way he could ever be fixed. I dialled Dominic''s number, and he answered on the first ring. "Hey. Did you miss me so much, little brother?" Dominic asked, sounding jovial, and I heard David laughing in the background. It sounded as if my mother was teasing him about something. "Listen to me, Dominic," I said with a serious tone. "Larry McMillian is the king, and we have just captured him," I said, and he eximed. "What! Are you sure?" he asked, and I knew he was in disbelief because they were pretty close. Although Dominic did not like the fact that the man was pitting us against each other, he liked and admired the man. Larry seemed to be the only one who believed in him. Learning that he was behind our predicament would be heartbreaking for Dominic. "Are you serious, Sylvester?" He asked me. "Yes. He has confessed to it and told us why, but that isn''t why I am calling you," I said and sighed. "I need you to take everyone with you to safety. Make sure you are hidden until wee and get you in Lund. He has eyes on you, and they will take you out if they don''t hear from him. They won''t hear from him because he is now in our custody, so it is only a matter of time before they attack. If you are in the open, they can get you. Where are you now?" I asked him. "We are at the hospital with Vino for the sibling test. The whole gang is here," he said, sounding cheerful. He wanted to avoid alerting the people that were with him. "I need you to take mother, Katya and the triplets to safety. David is a warrior, too, so he can defend himself. Find a ce to hide them in the hospital. We will soon be in Lund. I need you to hold your ground, big brother. Can you do that?" I asked him. "Yes. I will do my best. David too," he said, and I remembered that our n did not include Vino. "Vino too. Protect him. There is a possibility he is our sibling," I told him, and he promised to do his best. I hoped his best would be enough and we would arrive in time. I hung up and moved swiftly so we could get out of the ce. We entered the van, and everyone was silent. I sat beside Tamia, and she leaned on me. I could see surprise and confusion in most of their eyes. Most of them could not recognise Lucas, but Theodore and Devin did, and I could see the shock registered on their faces at the sight of Lucas. "We need to hurry," I told the van driver to step on it. "Kyle and Max have arrived Gad with an army to arrest the people on that list," Leo said, and I frowned at him. "What are they doing here, and who invited them?" I asked. "I did," Leo confessed. "I did not know if there would be a war. So I asked them toe for backup," he said, and I was grateful for his quick thinking. It meant we would have had help if it had led to war. I was d for the blowgun Tamia brought with her. It had cancelled all prospect of a battle urring. My eyes remained fixed on Lucas, who was still in shock and speechless. I believed he would stay that way even after we had arrived at the estate. He had been traumatised and broken. We rode in silence, and the van took us straight to the hangar. By the time we got to the hangar, Leo had received a call from Max and Kyle that they had started arresting the missing people on Amanda''s list in Gad. The two alphas hade with a lot of warriors, so fishing people out in Gad was going to be easy. I hoped they catch them all, but I knew we had more significant issues to deal with in Lund. Securing the estate and catching Larry''s men to protect Dominic and the people with him would be difficult. I could feel a fighting, but I knew that I would not want Tamia involved this time. Once the estate is secured, we will move to Lund without our mates to neutralise our enemies. I did not know who or where they were, and I knew Larry would never give them up, so we had to wing it. The flight was silent. Everyone was nervous because it wasn''t a win yet. We could not rest easy until we had caught everyone, and our family members were safe. We arrived in Lund and headed to the estate. We wanted to secure our prisoner and try to get private medical help for Lucas in the Estate before moving to Lund. We arrived and saw some enforcers bound with silver at the gate. Bryce and most of my kappas and warriors were covered in blood. "What happened there?" I asked, alighting from the van. Everyone disembarked, and Kappa William came to take the prisoner to secure him in the dungeon. "Put him in a silver cage. Do not speak or engage with him," I said, even though Larry had not woken up yet. I did not want to take my chances. I watched them drag the bastard away, and I wondered about the dosage that was in the dart Tamia shot at his neck. She really got him. I waited for someone toe and exin to me what had happened at the estate. Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org. "They are what is left of the men that betrayed us and attacked the estate''s residence. They were trying to get to Lady Linda. They said their orders were to kill her if they did not hear from someone. They also started the fight prepared. We lost some good men today because of their silver dust," Bryce said and punched one of the men in the face so hard the blood poured out of his mouth along with a tooth. I guess he was the one that threw the silver dust into the air. "This bastard was the ring leader," Bryce said, and I looked at the traitor. "I will die an honourable death knowing I fought for the freedom of my people from oppression by the royal and noble bloodline," he said. Bryce was about to punch him again when I stopped him. "Do not waste your energy. Lock them up. I will handle the matterter," I told Bryce, and he nodded. I entered the building with Tamia and headed to our bedroom. We entered our bedroom, and I watched her take off her clothes. My eyes caught the blowgun that partially fit in her jeans pocket. I could see it because her pocket could not conceal it. I was grateful for the improvision she had made by bringing that thing with her to Gad; it had saved us from war and ensured that we captured Larry. "How do you know how to use that?" I asked her out of curiosity. I was waiting for Bryce to tell me they were ready to go to Lund, so I kept my clothes on. "I used to go on spying missions when I was Luna. It helped Leo and I size up our next conquest. The darts are soaked in a unique cocktail designed to make its victims limp once ites in contact with their bloodstream. The victim will pass out cold and motionless on the ground until the drug wears out. I would usually blow the dart aiming for the vein in the neck to make sure the poison is delivered to the bloodstream directly, causing the victim to pass out immediately," she exined, and I smiled at her genius. "Well, I would have never considered going on the mission with something like it. Thank you for improvising and bringing it along. I will always owe you," I said, and she smiled at me. "You can spend the rest of your life thanking me, your Majesty," she teased, and I smiled at her and pulled her into my arms. "We both calmed down and stared into each other''s eyes lovingly. "Tamia, I need you to do me a big favour," I said and sighed. "I want you to remain in the estate with your friends while I try to retrieve Dominic, David, Katya, my mother and the triplets from Lund," I exined. "Can''t they withstand the might on their own?" she asked, feeling ufortable about my trip, and I nodded at her. "I doubt they can because we do not know the level of their might in Lund," I said, and she nodded reluctantly. "Where are they now?" she asked, and I obliged. "In the hospital doing the sibling test," I said, and she was silent a bit and then looked at me worried. "Have you thought of what you would do when the results are out?" She asked me, and I sighed. "There is nothing to do but ept him if he is a Volkov, and if not, he would have to move on with his life; either way, he can no longer be on the council," I said, and she frowned at me. "But you heard all that Larry said," she said, and I shook my head. "He is lucky that all he will lose is a seat, Tamia. Hemitted treason. He should havee to me and warned me, but he chose to remain silent. He might not have actively done anything against me, but he knew of the threat and kept it to himself because he thought he was in love. Losing his seat is a p on the wrist," I said, and she was silent. "I need you to remain here, Tamia, while I do what I must in Lund. Do you think you can do that for me?" I asked her, and she nodded. "Thank you so much," I said with much relief and kissed her sweetly on the lips. She returned the kiss, and I was d we returned from Gad safely. "Before you leave, who was the man Larry had in custody? His face looks familiar, but I cannot ce him. He is too hairy, dirty and thin for anyone to recognise him," She asked, and I knew I would have to tell her the truth. "That is Lucas Sidorov, Marcel''s father," I said to her, and she was in shock. No one would learn that that was Lucas and would not be surprised to see him alive in the flesh. To think we believed we had buried him and said goodbye to him. 151 Arriving The Hospital. 151 Arriving The Hospital. ~Sylvester~ Tamia was in so much shock that she was speechless. I guess suddenly she realised that Devin had told her the truth all along. I went to sit on the couch in our room, and she joined me and snuggled in my arms. "He seems destroyed," she finally said, and I nodded. "After all that Larry told us they did to his mate, the madman would normally vest his anger on him. It is even a miracle that Lucas is alive. I wonder how Larry caught him. How long had he been in Larry''s custody? I guess only Larry can answer these questions," I said. "That man does not seem as if he can ever be normal again," She finally said, and I could not respond because there was a possibility she might be right. "It is time to go to Lund General Hospital," I heard Theodore''s voice in my head. "Is Marceling with us? I am unsure if he would be in the right frame of mind for a fight," I linked Theodore, and he was silent before answering. "I told him to sit this one out, but he insisted," he replied, and I hoped Marcel''s shock would not cost us. "Very well, I aming," I said, closing the mind link. "It is time," I told Tamia, and she nodded. I could see a tinge of fear in her eyes, so I kissed her. "Promise me you will be careful ande home to me," she finally said. "I promise I will be careful ande home. Our wedding is in three days, and I do not intend to miss it," I said, kissing her forehead. "While I am away, help me ensure Lucas gets the care that he needs and the prisoners are secured in the dungeons," I said, and she shook her head. "Only valuable prisoners would be kept in the dungeons. I will send the rest to Prison for execution. I doubt they would have anything useful to give. The fact that they hold no significance and still chose to be a part of the mutiny would be their deaths," She said and looked at me. "You are a kind man, Sylvester, but we cannot keep all of them alive. The prison space we have is limited, and since the punishment for mutiny is death and these bastards are guilty, then we should execute them without mercy. They had no reason to revolt. No one took their loved ones or destroyed their lives," She said, making a valid point, and I nodded. We both got off the couch. "Very well, handle the matter as you see fit," I said, and she nodded and looked at me. "Be alert and do not let your kindness get in the way of your judgement. Right now, anyone that attacks you should die instantly. There is no need for a trial. We already have too many people that would be on trial, and we can give only a few of them a hearing before and after our wedding. I doubt I would want to spend our honeymoon phase in the king''s hall judging people," She said, and I nodded, agreeing with her. She was right. There wasn''t time for any of that again. I pulled her close and kissed her, taking in her scent. Knight growled, wanting to sink in his teeth, but I held on. "Three days, three days, Knight," I told my wolf, and I felt him rescind. I left Tamia in the room and headed for the entrance of the building. Everyone was waiting in a bulletproof van outside. Entering, I saw Marcel had included guns and protective vests in the van. I was surprised, wondering if it would be necessary, but we could not allow them to beat us. If they are many, we would need to reduce their number with the limited ammunition before we shift and fight. "Our warriors have gone ahead of us, but we still can''t take chances. We have some silver bullets that we hoped we might never have to use again. We should use it now," He said, and I hoped it wouldn''te to it. "My Beta has caught Niks Sullivan," Leo said, and I wondered what Niks was doing in the east. "How and where?" I asked him. "He was living in Hand. A small pack close to Ramsey''s pack. The bastard had dyed his hair and tried to blend in. Beta Casper will be transporting him back here," Leo said, and I thanked him for asking his ranked officers to look out for the people on the list Amanda gave us. We had a lot to do, but after we had rescued Dominic, we would have to take a breather and get married before we judged the prisoners. We would not execute immediately. I will take my time and let them rot. I will deprive them of peace just like they troubled mine. "I think we should take a breather after this. We do not want to be too worn out for the blue moon night," I said, and Marcel and Theodore agreed. "Blue Moon weddings are exhausting; you will need all the energy you can manage to get through the ceremonies. It is a bright idea that you rest after this," Leo said. Having been through it before, he would be in the best position to tell us what to expect. I also could not miss that he had just spoken of Tamia''s wedding without feeling hurt. "Thank you, Leo. I will take your advice. A break is necessary with the wedding only three days away," I concurred. We drove the rest of the way in silence. We wore protective gear and got ready for an assault. Typically, none of us should be on this mission, most especially me, because of the office we all held. But we all wanted this thing over with, and the best way to ensure we were indeed done with these people was to do it ourselves. I looked at Devin and hoped he would be able to perform, seeing that most of his reputation was false and from luck. I wondered how well he would fare in a realistic situation where he had to earn his badge literally. I kept my reservations and doubts to myself, so I did not annoy or hurt his feelings. I prayed to the goddess to give us victory andsting peace. We finally arrived close to Lund General Hospital, and the driver told us the traitors had surrounded the hospital. They were pacing in wolf form. "How many of them are in human form?" I asked him. "Not sure, but almost fifteen. The rest of them are in wolf form, your majesty," he said, and I knew it was time to attack. "Where are our men?" I asked Theodore, and he was silent, meaning he was trying to link the warriors to see if they were nearby. "They are around the vicinity," he finally replied. "Great. Who is leading the charge?" I asked. "Bryce Golubev," he said. I was surprised Bryce would be up for it. He had just fought his men resisting the attack at the estate, so I expected him to sit this one out, but I guess he wanted to do it himself after realising we had traitors in our midst. I felt for Bryce. "Bryce, what is the situation?" I asked my head enforcer. "Fifteen in human form and twenty wolves, your majesty. There are also some of them in the hospital. It wasn''t long they went in. I think there is a fight in the hospital as we speak," he said, and I knew that could not be good. "Guns?" I asked. N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. "Three snipers on the roofs. I had sent men up the three buildings to take them out before we proceeded," He said, and I was d he took the initiative to do that. "Very good. Let me know once the snipers are down so we can charge in," I told him. "Yes, your Majesty," he said, and I closed the connection. "What are we waiting for?" Devin asked, gearing up for a fight. "We are waiting for the three snipers to be taken out before we go there. Our silver ammunition isn''t much, so we can only take down a few. Since the snipers would soon be out, we won''t need the vest. We would have to shift to fight once we have run out of bullets. ording to Bryce, some of them are in the hospital. The main aim is to wipe them out. We won''t be taking any prisoners anymore. Now that we have the king. The rest of them are irrelevant," I said. Leo nodded. "I was hoping you would say that. It is about time people start dying for this," he said, sounding a bit angry and determined. We waited for almost fifteen minutes before Bryce linked me to inform me that the coast was clear and it was time. Taking a deep breath, I looked at my friends and allies and told them it was time. I looked at them with a tinge of worry, especially Marcel, who wasn''t in the right frame and knew I needed to talk to them before we attacked. "No matter what happens, know that we have loved ones waiting for us at home. Pregnant mates and our weddings to n," I told Marcel and Theodore. "A new mate and a life to build," I said to Devin and turned to look at Leo. "A heart to heal, people to lead, and a future with unlimited possibilities," I told him. "These people have taken so much from us; we cannot allow them to take our lives too. We cannot fail and let them win. They have already failed, so they are fighting wounded. They have nothing to live for, but we do. When we go out there, we should remember that we intend to survive and lead our people. We intend to survive and go home to our loved ones, and we intend to survive to bring justice for the innocent people that were caught in their deceitful webs," I said and looked at Marcel and Theodore. "We havee a long way since we were born. Do not let this be the end," I said, and they nodded, and I looked at Devin and Leo. "We might have started on the wrong foot, but I now consider you two my friends and brothers too. I do not want this to end. Do not let today be the end," I said, and they nodded too. There was new resolve in all their eyes, and I knew I had it in mine too. We exchanged handshakes and came out of the van, guns zing. We charged towards the traitors, and they did not know what hit them. The surprise on their faces showed they were expecting the snipers to strike, but we had already taken them out. Thanks to Larry for telling us guns were involved; we came prepared. New people charged out of neighbouring buildings close to the hospital to attack us, and we knew we would be dealing with more than the people surrounding the hospital. My warriors also charged out from where they were, and the battle started. I prayed to the goddess that my family, which was in the hospital, would be safe and would be able to protect themselves and the people inside. I aimed and fired at the enemy. We all did the same until we ran out of bullets and had to shift. It had been a long time since Knight fought. This was a good ce for him to take out his frustration and anger. 152 Lucland General Hospital. 152 Lund General Hospital. ~Sylvester~ Seeing the battle, I knew it would be bloody. It was clear our opponents were resigned to death. We would grant them their wish without going down with them. I lunged at a wolf in front of me and hit it to the ground, then bit its neck and ripped out the flesh from his throat. I knew he would not be able to heal with the amount of flesh I took out. I watched him bleed out and went for the next one. I felt a wolf ram into me, but it only seeded in moving me off course. Digging my ws into the ground, I was able to hold my stance and face it. Knight growled, and we lunged at it and went for his hind leg. Locking my jaws on it, I ripped it out of him. We were not nning on taking prisoners, and soon, they would find out. The battle continued, and we gained momentum. Bryce hade with a few men, but they were the best he could afford. They left destruction in their wake and killed everything they encountered. I saw Marcel and Theodore holding their ground and ripping the treacherous wolves apart. I could feel their rage. We were right to be angry. These people tried to take our peace, loved ones, and lives. They have made our lives a living hell. Our rage was justifiable. I searched for Leo, and his wolf was something else. ck was fast and destructive. I could see why he rose quickly in the east. He was indeed a true alpha. Although peace-loving and slow to anger. He was a deadly force. I watched ck take out two wolves at the same time, and they did not even see himing. When he said he had been training, he wasn''t lying. I knocked a wolf in front of me, making it turn belly up, and I ripped out its throat. I killed three more wolves and looked for Devin. His grey wolf could not be missed. It was huge, and it was on a killing spree. We had all unleashed the monsters in us. We wanted peace at all costs, and we were determined to kill everything and everyone that was in the way of the peace and stability we hoped to achieve. The battlested almost two hours, but the momentum soon began to die down. While we fought, I saw several wolves barge out of the clinic. I could see Dominic''s wolf, Xavier, among them and another ck alpha wolf like mine behind him. I did not need to guess whose wolf that was. I could see why father wanted David to head the council. He, too, was a true alpha. Their furs were matted in blood, meaning they had done a lot of damage inside, and the rest of the wolves had run away from them only to join the battle outside. It took another forty-five minutes for us to wipe out the wolves that were attacking us. We mutted and killed all of them, then waited a bit to see if there would be reinforcements, but none came out. They were all dead. We had killed them all. The seven of us converged in the middle of the street in wolf form to congratte ourselves on our victory. People began to exit the hospital, cheering at us. It was clear they were afraid for their lives. They knew their King and lords hade to do the job themselves and were grateful for it. We could not linger, so when our van driver brought us our shorts, we shifted back to our human form and wore them. There were extras for David and Dominic. David was smiling when he shifted back. "That was really thrilling," he said, and Devin and Dominicughed. "I must say, it was easier manoeuvring out here than in the hospital. A lot of damage has been done in there, by the way, but there are no casualties," he pointed out, and I was grateful. "What of Mother, Katya, Nicole and the triplets?" I asked, and Dominic smiled. "We found a closet to hide them. The attackers were not able to trace their scent. "Vino?" I asked. Dominic nodded. "He is safe. They actually went for him first, but luckily, David was with him when it happened. It was around the time that I went to secure our family," Dominic said, and I looked at David. "Did you take the test?" I asked them, and they nodded. "The results would be out tomorrow, but I think we should move him back to the estate. He is awake, but the silver in his system has caused a lot of damage that is taking time to heal. Also, Annika passed away this morning. Her system was too damaged by the silver to heal itself. They had to pull the plug," Dominic told me, and I felt slightly sorry for the girl. Her cousin had deceived her and wasted her life for nothing. The painful part was that Amanda would not mourn or feel her death. "Let''s go back to the estate. There is so much to catch up on and do," I said, and Dominic shook his head. "No, Sylvester. We need to take a break. Our weddings are in three days; I would not want to partake of the ceremony tired," he said, and Iughed. Just like Leo had said, it was a bit rigorous because we would be joined in human form and then in wolf form. Both had separate ceremonies, and then we wouldplete the union in the privacy of our bedroom. The reception would be the next day after the ceremonies. It would be a hectic event, and we needed all the rest we could get. "I agree," I said, and I saw my mothering out of the hospital holding a baby in her hand. Katya had one in her hand, too, and, likewise, Nicole. David''s triplets came out and rushed to hug their father. He squatted to their height and hugged them. The sight warmed my heart, and I knew soon that would be me. "I did not need to guess whose babies they were carrying. It was as if Vino had already been adopted without the test results. At this point, it really didn''t matter. We could not end both his and Amanda''s lives. One had to remain to care for the triplets, and because of that, I would go easy on Vino. His crime was just as severe as the traitors because he kept the truth from me, but I was willing to forgive him and move on. Dominic and his team,prising David, our mother, their mates, David''s children, Vino''s babies and Vino, who was in a wheelchair, entered a van provided by Bryce. The Head enforcer hade with an extra bulletproof van to transport them back. We got into the van we came in and headed back to the estate. On our way, the news on the radio station talked about the battle that happened in front of Lund general hospital. The news did not have the true story, so they said a group of terrorists attacked the hospital holding the people in the hospital hostage. Sir Dominic and Sir David were the heroes that kept the people inside safe and drove the criminals out of the building. While Sir Marcel, Sir Theodore, Councilman Devin, Councilman Leo and the King came physically to obliterate the threat that surrounded the building. Most of the things they said in the news were exaggerated. They exaggerated the number of attackers, and the time it took to subdue them. We listened to several radio stations; that was all they discussed. Some of the things they said made usugh, especially the ones that weren''t so urate. But they all had the same question. Who were these people, and why? N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. I knew going to the King''s hall to address the people and give them an exnation was inevitable. We might not arraign the criminals for judgement now, but we need to exin to the people what happened and reform the council before we proceed. Arriving at the estate, Tamia, Avery, and Linda were outside the entrance to wee us home. They must have heard the news. The smiles on their faces showed that they were satisfied with what we had done. We did not grab our mates to hug or kiss them because we were sensitive to Leo and Devin''s feelings, who did not have anyone to wee them at the entrance. Instead, we walked into the building, and everyone headed to their quarters to rest. Entering the room. Tamia hugged and kissed me with all the passion she could manage. "Thank you foring home, darling. I was worried," she confessed, almost on the verge of tears. "Dying wasn''t an option for me," I teased her, and she smiled. "Any casualties?" she finally asked, and I shooked my head. "Bryce took the best of his enforcers, and we were equally determined," I told her, and I could see the satisfaction in her eyes. I could also understand her concern. We had lost enough to the traitors. We went to shower. Even though she was clean, she joined me. Although I was too tired to do anything, we had fun just washing each other. I was too tired to dress up, so Iid naked on the bed. Tamia joined me. "So what next?" she asked me when sheid beside me. "Max, Kyle and Casper are sending the traitors on Amanda''s list to the north. We will have to question them about their part in all this. But for now, they will have to wait because we have to rest for our wedding. We would proceed with the hearing, sentencing and reshuffling of the council after our wedding," I said, and she smiled at me. There was really no urgency anymore; we had caught the King. "The blue moon we had awaited for so long is finally at hand," She said, and I smiled at her. "Lucas is receiving treatment. It seems he has a lot to say but has been unable to speak. The doctor said it would take a week to get him in a condition he would be able to speak. Larry really did number on him. I cannot even speak of the things that man did to Lucas. I also cannot say he did not deserve it if what Larry said was true, but Larry was extreme," she said, and I looked at her. "Do you think it is necessary to hear him out?" I asked her, and she nodded. "It is necessary to learn what truly happened that night. That letter still hangs over your mother''s head; if it is brought in the open, she will stand trial. Since Larry would stand trial, he is bound to give her up. We need to know what happened that night, coupled with Devin''s testimony, to free her, or else you will be forced to make a partial judgement in her favour. That would be the wrong ce to start as a king. The people already love you," she said, and I knew she was right. "Very well. We will interrogate him after our wedding. For now, we will rest. You will get the beauty treatment you need while we all prepare for the wedding," I said, and she rested her head on my chest. We were both happy and content. I could not wait to make her mine. 153 Before The BlueMoon 153 Before The BlueMoon ~Tamia~ The two days'' rest was much needed. Within those two days, the test results finally came through, and indeed Vino was a Volkov. Sylvester felt terrible about it because he could understand how Vino might have grown up; knowing his father never wanted him must have messed with his self-esteem and self-worth. He was mad at Jenny for taking advantage of her son like she did and at Larry for ruining Vino''s life. Amanda was no good, and she would have killed Vino had they not intercepted her. We were d the ordeal was over, but things still needed to be done. Realising Vino had it worse than David changed Sylvester''s perspective and softened his heart towards the guy. We nned to address the matter after the wedding. We used the remaining time to prepare. Stephanie, Katya and Nicole had done everything, so nothing seemed rushed. A day before the wedding, Sylvester, Theodore, Marcel and Dominic moved to another wing. We would not see each other until during the ceremony. All the brides gathered in my room, and we were excited about the event. I could not believe it was finally upon us. While we discussed the events, I excused myself and went to stand by the window. I stared at the garden at night, and it was beautiful. That was where we would have the wolf iming will take ce. Though it was unnecessary because it could be done privately, it was compulsory for alphas. I had a tinge of worry inside me. I was scared because I had been there before. I had loved and given myself to another, only to be betrayed. My heart was sure, but the scar remained even though I had healed from Leo''s betrayal. I hoped it would fade away. "We have nothing to fear, Tamia," Kaira told me, understanding my fear. I could survive Leo''s betrayal but knew I would not survive if Sylvester betrayed me. I did not need to deceive myself; I just knew it. "He loves us, and Knight does too. He has proven it countless times, Tamia. I have faith in what we have, and you should too," Kaira said, and I felt warmth radiate through me. Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org. "He is our true love, Tamia, our true purpose, the one. Leo was a phase we had to go through to prepare us for this. Now we know what love is. Do not be afraid of the blue moon. We promised ourselves to another once under it. Now we will promise ourselves to our fated under it. It is a gift, one we should cherish. So please, let go of your fear because we have nothing to worry about where Sylvester and Knight are concerned," Kaira said, and I chuckled a bit and looked at the women. They were having fun. Excited and happy. Who would have thought we would find love, joy, happiness and peace again? Each of them had been bruised and broken by love. They were hurt so much that they stopped believing in it. When their mates gave them up as tributes, it was to send them into bondage; little did they know it would be their freedom. It would be the beginning of their ever after. I looked at Avery; although Max could neverpletely kill her light, he did break her in other ways. I could see that now because her smiles and eyes were brighter. Linda wasn''t a pessimist anymore. It worked out for the three of us. I turned towards the window and looked at the moon. It had a tint of blue, but it wasn''t fully there yet. I looked at it and thanked the goddess for this gift. Indeed she had favoured us. We weren''t the first Lunas captured and brought to the north. We were the first women our men would be with, but somehow fate made it work. "Tamia, join us," Avery called out, and they wereughing about something. I hurried to join them, abandoning all my cares and casting my worries away. "I can''t believe it is finally here," Avery said, squeezing my hand. She had tears in her eyes, and I could understand her feelings. "As much as I want to be happy about this, I will only be participating in the wedding; Theo and I will have to do the public wolf iming ceremony next year," Linda said, frowning, and I smiled at her. I would have missed the iming, too, had it been next month. I wasn''t as big as Linda, and my bump was still small, so the iming ceremony would be possible. As insignificant as it was, it was to show the world we were mated and that everyone interested should back off. It was a show of ownership, possession and affection to one another. "That shouldn''t get to you, Linda. The wolf iming is just a ceremony to show you two are mated. The actual im will be made in the bedroom, and you do not need to shift," Avery said, and she was telling the truth. The wolf iming was just a ceremony. Only alphas partook in the ceremony. It wouldn''t have been necessary if Theodore wasn''t an alpha; it would just be the wedding and a hot night. Linda smiled, knowing we were telling the truth, but I knew she was unhappy because she wanted us to do it together. "It will be you and me, Linda," Katya said, and she was right because Dominic wasn''t an Alpha. Linda smiled and touched her hand. We spent the rest of the night happy. Morning came, and Stephanie barged into my room. She did not even bother to knock. I woke up, completely shocked. She went to the widow and pulled the blinds apart. The rays from the sun stung my eyes, and I groaned and squinted. "Get up," Stephanie said, and I heard Avery grumbling. "Your wedding is tonight. We have a lot to do. Getting four brides ready is difficult, so I will appreciate you all waking up and following me," shemanded us, and I groaned. "Let me freshen up," I grumbled, and she shook her head. "No, you will be going to the bathing pool. They are beauticians there to attend to the four of you. After that, we will move to the room downstairs where you will be dressed for the wedding. It might seem like we have a lot of time, but time flies," she said, pping her hands. I managed to drag myself off the bed and went to wear my robe over my night dress. "Where is Sylvester?" I asked, already missing him, and she chuckled. "You will see him at the wedding," She said, touching my upper arm. I looked at her, and she had a broad smile. "I have waited so long for this day, Tamia. Let us make it memorable," She said, and by then, all of us were awake and alert. We left the room and headed toward the bathing pool. It was the same ce we were taken to after Sylvester had drafted us on our arrival to the north. That day remained burned when I stared into his eyes, defiantly daring him to do what he wanted. Thinking about it, I giggled because it gave me butterflies. I touched my tiny bump and smiled. He did do what he wanted, and I weed it. 154 Preparations 154 Preparations ~Tamia~ We got there, and there were staff there. Mirrors, chairs and all sorts of beauty tools. I knew we would stay long in that ce. We were given special ointment to apply to our teeth after brushing, making them a bit whiter than usual. It was excellent, and I liked it, but it wouldn''t be a habit. Then we stripped down and got into the warm water. It had rose petals likest time, and the scent was delicious. I wanted Pinewood scent like Sylvester, but rose petals would do for now. The warm water soothed our skin and helped us rx. I was energised by the time I was out. That was when the real work began. Coffee and sugar were mixed with an aromatic oil scented of apricot and applied all over our bodies. Stephanie made sure she was the one that applied mine. I giggled, and she knew why. It had been a long time since I polished my skin, so this was most wee. Once the session was done, it was washed off, and my skin felt soft and smooth. It was also brighter than before. I could not wait to share this with Sylvester. Linda began toin that she was hungry, and food was brought. We ate the sandwiches while they did our manicures and pedicure. I tried to link Sylvester, but I was blocked off. I missed him so much. "Have you been able to link Marcel?" I asked Avery, and she shook her head. There was no point asking Linda and Katya; I knew it would be the same. When they were done with us, we were ushered to separate rooms. I was sent to a room while Avery, Linda and Katya were sent to another room. "Why are we not dressing up together," I asked Stephanie. Avery and Linda did not want to dress separately from me, but Katya had willingly gone to the room. "They are Ladies like me, but you are queen. The wedding isn''t the same. They are nobles, but you are royalty, Tamia; your dress, make-up, and ceremony will differ from theirs," She said, and I felt sad. I wanted to attend their weddings. "So where will my wedding take ce?" I asked, a bit sad. "The same ce. You and Sylvester will go first and wed. Then you will ascend with him as his queen. Both you and Sylvester will observe the rest of the weddings as King and queen. The wolf iming would be the same," She said, and I was d I would not miss their weddings. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. I smiled and nodded at Avery and Linda. They rxed and went to the room given to them. "There werest minutes changes to your dress, Tamia. You are queen, so you won''t be dressed inly like your friends," Stephanie said, ushering me to my dressing room. I entered the room, and everything was there. My dress was on a dress form covered. I walked to it, and Stephanie opened it for me to see. It was an off-white, jewelledce empire wedding gown. I knew the design was because of my small bump, so I could befortable. The sleeves were translucent and short. It was almost as if it had no neckline or sleeves. Thece started from the bust all the way down. The jewels made it look heavy, but when I touched it, it was light. It was beautiful. I ran my fingers through the jewels, and my eyes were filled with tears. I was emotional. "Come on, Tamia. The wedding will be in three hours; we need to get you ready before it is time," Stephanie said to me, and I smiled and went to sit on the chair. Some people entered, and Stephanie motioned a woman toe close. "Queen Tamia, meet Elisabeth. She will attend to you throughout the ceremonies," Stephanie said, introducing the woman, and the woman bowed. I smiled and nodded with approval, and they went to work. Food was brought for me to nibble on in between, and my feet were massaged so I did not get cramps from sitting for so long. Two hours and thirty minutester, I was ready. I stood in front of the mirror and admired the dress. It was beautiful. I touched my bare neck and knew Sylvester mark would rest there tonight. I was giddy, and so was Kaira. The dress was so beautifully tailored that it wasn''t apparent that I was pregnant. Soon someone knocked on the door, and I asked the person to enter. The people attending to me left the room to give me privacy. It was Stephanie. She was wearing a jewelled royal blue gown. It was regal, and her hair was beautifully done. She smiled at me, and I returned the smile. Her eyes were filled with tears, and she held a box. She walked to me, reached and touched my hand. She squeezed lightly, and I looked at her. "Tamia," she said and swallowed,posing herself and fighting her tears. "You look beautiful," she said, and I thanked her for thepliment. "I doubted you in the past. I mistrusted your intentions, and I fought you. Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine it would lead to this. I was d you remained, and you did not let my tantrums scare you away. I am grateful you did not put a wedge between my son and me; instead, you strengthened our bond. My home was in shambles. You came and fixed it. You brought light into our hearts and blessed us. I have never seen Sylvester so happy. I want to thank you for that," she said, fighting her tears. "I want you to know that I will always look out for you and protect you to the best of my ability. I will never antagonise you or try to make your life difficult," she said, releasing my hands when she could no longer fight her tears. She opened the box, and it was a beautiful golden ne. It had a sapphire pendant, and around the sapphire pendant were tiny rubies. She lifted it up, went to stand behind me, wore it on my neck, and then came to the front to admire it. cing her hand on her chest, she smiled. "My mother left that for me. It is the only family Heirloom I was allowed to keep," she said, and I touched the pendant feeling unworthy of having it. "I was to pass it to my daughter," she said. " And now I have you," she concluded, and I looked at her, eyes wide. Had she just called me her daughter? It was a lot of honour. "Stephanie," I said, and she shook her head. "If I had a daughter, I would have wanted someone like you, Tamia. The goddess answered my prayers. She gave my son a true mate and gave me a daughter," she said, and my eyes bulged, wondering how she knew Sylvester and I were fated. "How did you know," I said, and she smiled. "I saw your inner thigh while applying your scrub," she said, and I looked away. "What you and Sylvester did was kind and sensitive. It isn''t everyone that would have this kind of opportunity," she said, and I looked at her and smiled. "After tonight, there will be nothing holding the two of you back anymore," she said, and I smiled with gratitude. "Well," she sighed and smiled. " I better go take my seat now. Jake is waiting for me," she said and winked. Iughed at her, and she walked to the door. Standing by it, she looked at me. "Someone wants o to see you before you walk down the aisle," she said, and I frowned at her. She opened the door and left. There was a knock, and I told the person to enter. To my surprise, it was Leo. I became a bit worried, but Iposed myself. He walked to me, smiling and reached for my hand. I let him touch it, and " You look beautiful and happy," he said, and I did not know how to feel about his statement, so I just stared. "I have known you for many years, Tamia, and we have been through hell and back. You gave me your heart, and I failed you. It is a burden I will carry all my life, but I am grateful to the goddess that she healed your heart and did not leave it broken and shattered as I did. Sylvester is a great man, and he loves you. I want you to know that you have my blessing, Tamia. We might no longer be bonded, but we are still family. You will always be my family; for that purpose, I will walk you down the aisle and give you away. Please, Tamia, allow me to do this one thing. Let me hand you over to the man that you love with my blessing, Tamia," he said, and I could see the resolve in his eyes. He had epted the situation, found peace and moved on. I fought my tears, so they did not ruin my make-up, and I nodded quietly. He beamed at me, and with that, the bell rang. I looked at Leo; it was time. 155 The Wedding and Vows 155 The Wedding and Vows ~Sylvester~ I heard the bell, and I knew it was time. I had spent a day away from Tamia, and somehow, because of my eagerness, it felt like an eternity. We were not allowed to link with each other, so I had to block the link. It was hard, but I did it. I had never been happy to hear the sound of the bell before until now. It meant it was time for me to make Tamia mine. It was still daylight, but the blue moon would be out by the time the wedding ceremony ended. I wished we did not have to partake in the wolf-iming ceremony; I would have skipped the reception and gone to im my mate. It was hard holding out on her. I was d I would not be holding out anymore. I wore my royal tailcoat, which already had the medals on them. My hair was packed, and my beard was trimmed and clean. I looked at myself in the mirror, and I was grateful. Knight was giddy. I never knew a day like this woulde for me. I never knew that I would fall in love and find a ce in the heart of a beautiful and strong woman like Tamia. She came into my life and fixed everything that was broken. Fate brought her to me. However dark and twisted the circumstance was, it brought her to me, and here we were, taking the final step toplete our bond. I remember the first time I saw her. She was on her knees, and I had lifted her chin to gaze into her eyes. Those green orbs trapped my soul, and my wolf and I were smitten. It has remained that way ever since. I was grateful for Ramsey''s stunt. Had he not done what he did, I would not have attacked the east, and Tamia would not be in my life. I guess it all worked out for my benefit. I gained two brothers and a true mate in the process. I looked at my image in the mirror and promised to ensure my marriage wouldst. I promised that this would be it and she will never have to worry about my love. Taking a deep breath, I turned away from the mirror and left the room. I headed to the grand hall at the left wing. My mother wanted us to have the wedding in a hall in Lund, but I did not want to have my wedding in Lund. I wanted it to be at the estate so I could immediately carry my mate to our room instead of driving a distance. We decided to use the grand hall in the left wing for the wedding, the eastern garden for the iming and the ballroom for the reception. Arriving at the grand hall, I was amazed at work done. My mother outdid herself. I stood at the door and began to walk down the aisle heading to the altar. There was a throne for Tamia and me on top of the tform behind where the officiator was standing. A crowd was in the hall, and everyone stood up. The men saluted me while I walked quickly to take my position before my bride arrived. Because Marcel and Theodore were getting married too, David was my best man. Devin stood beside him. I walked to where David and Devin were, and David smiled, still saluting. He looked so much like our father. I looked at the first row and saw my mother, Jake Brighton, who I believed was dating her secretly and Vino standing. I wondered where Leo was. Had he somehow skipped the wedding? Vino was still frail, but he was better than he was when we brought him home. There was hope he would be alright. The people paid their respects and soon sat down. That was when the bridal music began, and my heart leapt. I turned to look at the entrance, and she walked in. Leo was beside her, and I was surprised because he was giving her away. Although I could not see Tamia''s face because of her veil, my wolf was running wild. I just couldn''t wait to hold her in my arms and make her mine. The people stood but did not salute her. She was yet to be queen. Tamia moved gently ording to the music holding her bouquet of white roses. She finally reached me, and Leo handed her to me and went to stand beside Devin on my side. I was d he had the heart to give her away; it meant he had moved on. I looked at Tamia and opened her veil. She was beautiful. Her green eyes stared at mine lovingly. There was joy and peace in them, and I knew we would be alright. My heart and soul were grateful, for love, for the moment, and I knew words would never express how I felt at that moment. We faced each other, and the officiator began the ceremony. We stared deeply into each other''s eyes and held each other''s attention. The officiator prayed to the moon to bless the union, and we exchanged our rings after making the official vows. It was slightly different from the vows couples usually made because it included our vows to our people as king and queen. It was very unromantic, but it was the procedure. The officiator finished, and we were asked to speak our personal vows. N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. I held Tamia''s hands and looked into her eyes. I had never been the emotional type or the type to speak my feelings, but I wanted her to know and feel the depth of my love. "My love," I said. "I am not one to always speak my emotions or wear my heart on my sleeves, but you deserve to know the depth of my love. I have never felt this way about anyone, and I never will. It will always only be you. I may not be the first man in your life, your first love or your first kiss. I may not have been the first to give you butterflies or keep you up at night. We may not have shared our firsts together, but I promise I will be yourst, Tamia. Thest man to love you, to hold you, to protect you, to care for you. I will be yourst because I will love you until the end. My eyes will see no other, my heart will beat for no other, and my love will never wither. I want you to know that as sure as the sun rises daily, my heart will remain faithful and loyal to only you, Tamia," I said. My voice cracked a bit from the rush of my emotions, but I kept it together and held myself. Tamia tried to blink away her tears but lost the battle, and they trickled down slowly. Her hands were shaking, and I linked her to breathe. The officiator gave her a moment topose herself; then, it was her time to speak. "My love, I never knew a time like this woulde for me. I never knew I would ever find love again or be epted. When I came here, I believed my life was over. All I was thinking of was just getting by. I had lost faith in myself, and my ego had been bruised badly. My heart was broken, and there was no mending it. Then you came and changed my life''s story. You turned my pain into pleasure, my sorrow into joy and melted my anger away. I might have been in love once, but it never came close to this. My heart beats for only you. You are the reason I wake up every day. You are the reason I look to the future with hope and joy; you are the reason I can dare to dream again. You came into my life and resurrected all that was dead in me. You fixed me, Sylvester. My heart was broken, and you fixed it. No one has ever shown me the amount of love that you have shown me. You have been true and loyal even if you do not say it, I see it, and I know. I promise I will never betray you. I will never hurt you, and I will never fall out of love with you. My heart will always beat for you. I pray to the goddess that we grow old together and that none will leave before the other because living without you is impossible. I have nothing to offer but my heart and love, my life and support, and I hope it will be enough. I love you, Sylvester, with all my heart," she said, and I felt her emotions. She meant every word, and I prayed that the goddess would bless us and grant us the grace to keep our vows. The officiator was emotional that he took a minute before he could continue the ceremony. He pronounced us husband and wife, and I held Tamia in my arms and kissed her. Everyone cheered. We turned to face the crowd, and they stood up to salute both of us. We turned to face the throne and ascended. Tamia and I sat, and I held her hands. It was time for Marcel, Theodore and Dominic''s wedding. 156 The Rest Of It 156 The Rest Of It ~Tamia~ I was emotional and held my tears. Sitting on the throne with Sylvester felt good, and I could not believe we had finally tied the knot. He held my hand and squeezed lightly. I looked at his hand, it looked protective, and mine was small in it. I looked at him, and he looked at me and smiled. "I can''t wait to im you," he teased, and I knew I was blushing. I did not know why, but what he said made me shy and giddy simultaneously. Fifteen minutes after we had sat on the throne, Marcel, Theodore and Dominic walked in. They wore decorated tailcoats like Sylvester, but it wasn''t as decorated as Sylvester''s. They stood beside each other. Marcel stood close to the officiator, Theodore stood beside him, and Dominic stood beside Theodore. David, Leo and Devin remained the best men at the wedding. I do not know what happened, but Vino left where he was sitting and went to stand next to David. I figured David must have told him to join them. I noticed he was happy and knew fitting in with his brothers would not be an issue. Soon the music began, and the brides entered. They did not have veils covering their faces, so that part was just for me. Avery was in front, and I figured Linda would be behind her and then Katya in that order. They walked in slowly, and everyone stood up to respect them. They walked, and Avery looked at me on the throne and smiled. "I am sorry I missed your wedding, Tamia, but we were not allowed toe here," She linked me. "It''s okay," I linked her back with a smile, and she smiled. Her dress was exquisite. It was ace ball gown wedding dress with a high-impact bodice and shimmery embellishments. It was the tone of Ivory''s blush, and Avery looked beautiful in it. Linda''s dress was beautiful too. It was like mine, an Empire waist gown. It was cliched under the bust. She looked beautiful, and the smile on her face said it all. Katya''s dress was a mermaid fit. She was a beautiful woman, and Dominic had chosen well. They stood in the same order as their mates and faced them. I watched the wedding as the officiator went through the ceremony as he should. He recited the necessary lines and prayed that the moon blessed their union and allowed their bond to be sessful and flourish. It was a bit different from ours because they did not have to make vows to the people and their office, but it was beautiful nheless. Marcel and Avery were the first to share their vows, followed by Theodore and Linda, Dominic and Katya. When they kissed, people stood up and cheered. As much as I wanted to do the same, I had to respect my new office, so I remained seated and pped. While pping, I looked out the window, and it was dark. It would soon be time for the wolf iming. Sylvester and I were the first to leave the hall, followed by the newlyweds. We were separated when Sylvester and I stepped out of the hall. "This way, your majesty," Elisabeth said while bowing her head. I looked at Sylvester, not wanting to be separated from him, and he smiled and nodded. "It is just for tonight," he teased me, and I followed the woman. We returned to the room I had used to dress up for my wedding. I was eager to get this over with. "You will be wearing this for your reception, your majesty," The woman said, taking out a beautiful white gown and cing it on the bed. I did not say anything, and she helped me undress. I had to strippletely. A white silk robe was given to me to cover my body with. She led me to the garden where the ceremony would ur, and I was asked to remove my robe and shift. I did as she said, and Kaira was led to where some female wolves were gathered. There were other wolves there. They were some of our wedding guests, mostly top families in the north. They were to serve as witnesses. Knight would have to sniff Kaira out of the maiden''s midst and im her publicly. Kaira saw ck. Of course, he would have to be there now that Leo is a council member. I was sure Pam and Joan''s wolves were there too. I wish I could see the jealousy in Pam''s eyes, but there was no point in being petty. I won. Knight''s scent filled my senses. It was stronger than I had ever felt it. It was overwhelming. It took a lot for me not to rush to him and have him im me instantly. My wolf became impatient, and I tried to stop her from seeking him out. "It wouldn''t take too long, Kaira. Please hold still," I pleaded with my wolf. Soon all the wolves squatted in submission, and I watched Knight walk to the front. He looked majestic. He faced everyone, dominating all those that were present. I did not know how Larry nned on being king. He did not have the same authority as Sylvester. The Volkov bloodline was powerful. Spite could make people act stupidly. Knight howled at the blue moon in reverence, and we did the same. "You are wee to my iming ceremony," Sylvester linked all of us. "Tonight, I will seek out my mate and im her wolf. Though fated, we felt it would be best to do this tonight. I am honoured to share this moment with all of you," He said, and I knew people were surprised. Sylvester had just told them we were fated. They must think we were crazy to wait for the blue moon night. I doubt it. The slight wave of energy I felt said it all, and I was d we waited. I didn''t feel anything with Leo until he imed me in bed. This was going to be different and intense. Knight howled at the blue moon again, and we all copied him. I felt a surge through me. It meant that the moon had blessed our union. The wave of energy I felt was more potent and different from the one I felt when I married Leo. It felt like a part of me. It did not feel like it wasing from the outside but felt more like it was from within. We howled at the moon three times. Knight showed his dominance. Everyone submitted, and so did I. He howled at the moon and came over to the line of the female wolves. He began to move through until he got to Kaira and nuzzled her. He epted her as his mate. The other wolves moved away, and Kaira showed him her belly to show vulnerability and trust. He nuzzled her belly gently, epting her, and she got up. She nuzzled him, showing equal status, and they moved to the side to rub their furs. That was when Knight gently sank his teeth into her neck. I felt pleasure and euphoria. The feeling coursed through my veins, and Kaira''s eyes rolled back, enjoying the pleasure of the wolf im. This had never happened to me before. He released and licked the spot. Kaira and Knight moved to the front and stood together while the wolves submitted. They both howled at the blue moon, and wolves howled in response. It was now time for Marcel and Avery. Knight and Kaira observed Avery and Marcel''s iming in silence just as we had observed the wedding in silence. Once we were done, Knight moved away from Kaira. I knew he was leaving to get ready for the reception. Elisabeth approached Kaira with my robe. I shifted back to my human form and wore the robe. She led me back to my dressing room, where I dressed for the reception. "The King is already waiting for you, your majesty," She told me after we had finished dressing up. "You will meet him at the entrance of the ballroom so you can walk in together as a couple," She said, and my heart was d because I knew there would be no need for Sylvester and me to be separated again. I was led to the entrance, and Sylvester was waiting for me in his official uniform. He did not pack his hair as he had done during the wedding ceremony. He looked relieved and happy when he saw me, and the light I saw in his eyes warmed my heart. I guess he, too, was eager for the night to be over so we could retire to our bedroom. I smiled at him, and we stood side by side. When we entered the reception hall, everywhere went silent, and people stood up from their tables. While the men saluted, the women stood in response with their hands at their sides. We walked to a table prepared for us and sat down. I saw Avery and Marcel at a table close to ours. Linda and Theodore were at their table, likewise Dominic and Katya. I looked around and saw Devin with Susan at their table. David and Nicole at their table. Leo and Vino, who did not have dates or spouses, shared the same table. People stood up to toast and bless our union. After the toasts, Sylvester asked me to dance, and I obliged. Resting my head against his chest with his pinewood scent filling my senses, we swayed to the music ying, and Sylvester and I were in a world of our own. We spent some time at the reception and opted to call it a night. We still had the actual iming to do. Linda and Theodore were the first to retire, followed by Dominic and Katya. Sylvester and I left Avery and Marcel at the reception. I guess they were enjoying the party too much. When we were outside the hall, Sylvester lifted me bridal style, and I wrapped my arms around his neck. He did it with so much ease. It reminded me of the few times he ced me on his shoulder and carried me from breakfast because I was being naughty. Those were blissful memories. The teasing was much weed back then, and I enjoyed the attention. He carried me to our bedroom, and the moment we entered, I realised why we were not allowed to use the ce. They decorated the room beautifully. There were flowers everywhere and rose petals on the floor and the bed. Candles and a bucket of champagne on the table with two flutes. Sylvester carried me to the bed and ced me on it. "Finally," he said with dark eyes, and I knew it was Knight. We battled our wolves out there; it was time to give in. Heid me down on the bed, kissed my neck sweetly, and stepped back to admire me. I watched him undress until he had nothing on. Then he approached me and helped me get out of the simple dress I had worn for the reception. He was a bit impatient about it, and it was cute. We had wanted to im each other for so long, and now it was time. He took off my clothes. Then he kissed my lips. I held on to him, drinking him in. He moved from my lips to my neck, and I closed my eyes to relish the feeling. "Tamia," he breathed, and I could not speak. He moved to my nipples and worked on them. He paid attention to them one at a time. He sucked on one while gently working on the other with his thumb. He alternated a few times until it felt like he was working on them simultaneously. I moaned, and he growled with approval. Then moved to kiss my tiny bump. By then, I was breathing rapidly, anticipating what he would do to me. Spreading my legs wide, he delved in with his tongue and lightly licked the nerve bundle. I ran my fingers through his hair and grabbed it while I sat up to see what he was doing to me. He delved in and sucked on the nerve turning me into a moaning mess. He grabbed my hips to keep me steady, but they moved independently, seeking the inevitable release. "Sylvester," I moaned, and I watched him. Owned by N?velDrama.Org. The sight was too erotic for me to control myself. I came, and the release was intense that a loud moan escaped my lip. He did not stop and continued a bit longer, giving me an overdose of pleasure and ecstasy. Then he pulled away and knelt in front of me. I went over him and positioned his hardness at my entrance. I nibbled his earlobe gently, and he groaned. He enjoyed it. I licked it and licked the soft spot of his neck. He held on to my waist and pulled me on his cock until he was buried inside me. I began to ride from instincts. My body, wanting to get all the pleasure moved on its own. I rode gently, and soon my pace increased. The tingles of pleasure and the mate bond overrode my senses until all that remained was primal. I felt Kaira taking over this time; I would not fight her; this time, I would allow her to take what is rightfully ours; I wasing, and I felt Sylvester sink his teeth into my sweet spot. Like my wolf, I felt my eyes roll back from the intensity of the pleasure and the release rush. I felt a bond snap into ce. My ws grew out, digging into his flesh, while I moaned. I did not want toe down from the height. Instinctively, I bent over and sank my tooth into his sweet spot. He held on tight, and I felt his release into me with a groan. The pleasure washed through me again. It was intense. Nothing like I had ever felt before. It was too strong that my body began to shake as Sylvester''s held on to me. I licked the spot on his neck,ing down from the height, and feltpletely drained of energy. He gentlyid me down on the bed so I could rest a bit. I knew it would be a long night, and I doubted we would leave the room the next day, so I decided to sleep a little to recover my energy for the rounds toe. 157 Vino, Nikolas and Maurice 157 Vino, Niks and Maurice ~Sylvester~ I was finallyplete. I held my wife in my arms while she slept and looked at my mark on her neck. A week had passed since the wedding, but everything still felt new. I couldn''t get enough of her, and Knight had be demanding. This was the bliss I had hoped for, and somehow fate had granted it to me. With our enemies caught and locked up, we had nothing to worry about anymore, except something new that might spring up someday, but right now, we were having our bliss. Although Marcel was happy about his union, I knew his father''s condition still bothered him. We all had questions that needed answers, and the only way we could get them was by interrogating Lucas. It was really weird. The man was like my uncle, and we respected him greatly. To question him like a criminal felt wrong and alien, but he hadmitted a crime and needed to exin what really happened. His only saving grace was that Larry took responsibility for the event at the Inn. Still, nheless, he was the one that acted out. I did not want to hear something that would make me unsettled. I had just imed my mate and completed my life, I did not want to learn of anything that would rob me of my bliss, but it was inevitable. We tried hard to wrap things up before our wedding but couldn''t. A lot had spilt over. Deciding not to question all the criminals waszy but the best move. We really did not need all their testimonies. As things were, Larry was the only one that needed questioning. He was the one with the master n. He only fed the people what he wanted them to know, so we won''t be on to him when the information leaks. He was fearless about it, and he did not need questions. The pouch filled with silver dust he held in his hands that day in his house in Gad gave him the effrontery to spill his guts. He told us the truth without remorse thinking his victory was a given. We did not need to prompt or question him. He had told us everything. Everyone would have to pay the price of treason for whatever reason. Whether justifiable or not, treason was a crime punishable by death. Tamia had told me we could only lock up so many people. We cannot waste taxpayers'' money feeding criminals who want to destroy our world''s peace. A mass execution would have to ur, sparing only people that might be important in the future for information purposes but keeping them locked up. It was inevitable, and that was why I nned on waiting a month before passing judgement. By then, it would not share the same month with my union. I did not want anything that would taint the memory of our union, however urgent it may be. Tamia stirred in her sleep, and I knew she was about to wake up. It was morning already, but we had sleptte, so it was understandable that she would still be sleeping by now. She opened her eyes and gently smiled at me. She sat up in bed, and I did the same. I would have sat up sooner had she not been on my chest. "Good morning, your Majesty," she teased me, and I pulled her close and tickled her. Sheughed, and I kissed my mark on her neck. It had formed a beautiful crescent moon, and mine was the same. We got out of bed and showered to prepare for the day. I was yet to decide how we would be having breakfast. Since Devin and Leo had returned to their regions, it was just us. The only alpha guest that refused to leave was Jake, and I suspected it was because of my mother. They were yet to tell me what was happening, but I suspected everyone knew. I nned on remaining oblivious about the situation until my mother decided to open up to me. I wondered why Jake and my mother would pair up like that, but my father had taken Jake''s wife and sister. I guess they both had something to bond over because of that. "What are we doing today?" Tamia asked me while we dressed up. "I was nning on questioning Uncle Lucas now that he can speak. The least he can do is tell us what happened to our fathers and how Larry caught him. I doubt the information would be pleasing, but it is necessary to wrap things up, especially for my mother''s sake. What you said about Larry bringing it up at his sentencing is true. We will need all the help we can get. Devin has agreed to testify that he never got any letter. There is no proof he got the letter, so it will fly," I said, and she widened her eyes. "But he got the letter," she said, and I nodded. "Yes, he did, Tamia, but that is the point. If he admits to doing it, it can be argued that it influenced his decision to go to the Inn the night he went there. Devin not getting the letter is the best bet. That would distance my mother from the massacre that urred that night. She would still be found guilty of attempting to create a situation that would have killed my father, but the punishment for that is less. I am to lock her up for a year, but she can spend that year under house arrest in the mansion with her lover since he has decided to hand the pack over to his son," I said, and her eyes widened. "You knew?" she asked, and I figured Tamia knew of the rtionship between Jake and my mother. "Of course, I knew. They reek of each other. I wonder why they think it is still a secret," he said, and sheughed. "It makes it more fun," she teased, and I understood that part. "If only she had not admitted to sending that letter to Jenny. The case would have been dismissed. Larry has Jenny''sputer and evidence, so he can use the information as he sees fit. We just have to prepare for the worst. "What about Vino?" she asked me, and I sighed. My half-brother''s case was a moreplicated matter. Now that I knew he was a Volkov, he could no longer upy the Lawrence seat on the council, and he hadmitted treason. "He has to be dismissed from the service for now as punishment. Time would have to pass for the matter to die down, and then I could find something for him. We would im coercion which is mostly the truth, but that is all. He wants to remain here and raise his triplets; I think that way is best. "What about his home in Lund?" Tamia asked, and I shook my head. "It belonged to his uncle. If he is a Volkov, he can no longer keep any of those things except his mother''s house." I exined to my wife, and she sighed. "I guess everything has a consequence then," she said, and I nodded. "He seems ted about it. I guess all he ever wanted was to belong somewhere. He wanted to be recognised. What my father did was cruel and unforgivable. He actually threw Vino away. That was what he was discussing with Niks. It was Niks Sullivan he made to do the dirty job. Still, Nicks could not discard the infant, so he took it to Luis, and Luis decided to raise the boy as his own. All he did was send his mate, who was heavily pregnant back then, to Cains ind. She was to return and im she had twins, but unfortunately, her baby died. She returned two yearster with Vino. Vino''s real age is twenty-six and not Twenty-five as registered. My father was scolding Niks for his actions when he thought Susan had heard the conversation and decided he would eliminate her to keep his secret. That was why Niks begged to hide her and promised not a soul would hear." I said and felt a bit of anger toward my father. He did get what he deserved. The guy was a douchebag. "So he knew Vino was his all this while and allowed another man to raise his son?" She asked me, and I nodded. "My father would do anything to keep his pride. Sleeping with another man''s wife is punishable by law, especially for people like my father and Jenny. They were supposed to know better. Vino was conceived while Jenny''s husband was still alive. I suspect my father killed him and sent Jenny away so no one would know what he had done," I told her, and she was surprised. "How do you know all this?" She asked me. "Vino told me, and Leo confirmed it because he questioned Niks yesterday before he left for Mountain," I told her, and she was silent. The situation was twisted. I wouldn''t be surprised if other things spring up, but I was content with all the current information.N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. 158 Lucas Talks 158 Lucas Talks ~Sylvester~ Tamia was shocked about what I told her, but that was the truth, and there was no point sugar- coating it. I just hoped all the victims found peace, especially Susan, who did not hear anything but was forced to leave everything she loved and cared for. It was either that or her life. I wish my father was the one we found and not Lucas; I would have spent an eternity ensuring he paid for his crimes against everyone. Lucas was equally a scumbag, but he did not do half as much as my father did. Hearing Larry''s story, it seemed Gavin and my father were the scumbags, and Lucas was a weak fool who followed along. It was still no excuse for what he did, and I would ensure he paid for his crimes dearly. Tamia and I dressed up and went for breakfast. Arriving at the lounge, everyone was there except for my mother and Jake. They were said to be having breakfast together. The children now had nannies that were caring for them. David''s children were older, so they were more independent, but the triplets were still infants, so the nannies were always with them. Vino smiled his creepy smile when he saw me. I guess with time, he would figure out he did not need to try so hard anymore. He had been entirely epted. Everyone was happy at the table, and I hated to be the one to end the bliss. But someone had to. We had a lot of unfinished business, and I did not want the matter to linger any longer. It had. The earlier we deal with the matter, the quicker it will be for us to start living our married life in peace. I looked at David and Nicole, they were so in love, and I realised that sending him to Grizlo was the best thing that had happened to him. He did not endure our father''s hostility; because of that, he was the kindest of us four. Vino was the most damaged because of the tant and public rejection. I hoped he would get over it and move on. Dominic and I were now happily married, and we had forgiven ourselves for the past. We were closer than before, and we trusted each other. Marcel and Theodore were still my best friends, and I was happy that we all imed our mates on the same night. I was also d our set wasn''t twisted like our fathers''. Somehow we had turned out better than the men that raised us. It was a considerable achievement, and I was proud of our efforts. We ate withplete joy, and everyone had something to say. It was a happy breakfast. Even Vino was delighted. He ate andughed like he had no care in the world. He still had to healpletely, but his health was progressing. I thanked the goddess for sparing his life. Not everyone would have survived silver dust. He had an amazing campfire tale to tell his children when they grew up. "We will have to question Lucas Sidorov today," I said. Marcel put down his fork. Avery touched his shoulder gently, and he looked at me and nodded. "It''s overdue," he said, and like that, the awkwardness in the atmosphere was lifted. I did not know what we might find, but I knew we should brace ourselves for the worst oue. We finished our meals, and everyone went about their day except for Marcel, Theodore and me. Lucas was a priority, and whatever he had to tell us had to do with all three of us. Marcel''s pain was that Lucas thought he was a bastard. It was very stupid of the man, but I guess many things would be clear soon. Although Marcel looked like Lucas, we couldn''t go by looks alone, especially since we were all distant rtives. We had simr features. Marcel had gone out of his way to order a DNA test, and it hade out that Lucas was indeed his father, and that made the man''s usation much more challenging to bear. "Are you sure you are up for this?" I asked Marcel. "Theo and I can go in while you sit this one out," I told him, and he shook his head. "I want to be there, Sylvester. I want to know why he never tried to reach out to us. That was low if it were because of his doubts towards me. Even if I wasn''t his, he raised me. That attachment is supposed to be there. I suspect he wanted to abandon everything and start afresh elsewhere. Too bad for him that Larry caught him," he said calmly. I knew he was pissed, but he controlled his anger very well. Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org. We entered the room where we kept Lucas, and he was sitting on the chair reading a book. He looked better than he did when we found him. They had cut his beard and his hair. He had also managed to gain some weight in a short period. With the silver off him, it was easy for his wolf and body to fix themselves. He looked at us, and his eyes showed shame and regret. His eyes travelled to Marcel, and he bowed his head in submission. He must think we wanted to punish him for killing our fathers, but we hade for answers. "Why?" Marcel said before I could say anything, and Lucas looked at him with tear-filled eyes. His lips quivered as if he was trying to hold a sob. His lips finally parted with a sigh. "I am sorry, son," he said, and I realised he must have figured out that he was wrong even without the test result being shared. "I did not know what came over me that night. I got a message from someone about Morissa a day before, and I became mad. We started drinking, and one thing led to the other. I knew I wanted to kill him. I felt like it. Maurice was a greedy sick fuck, and I wanted to end him. He had crossed all limits. It was fun when we did it with the women in the harem but not our mates. It was cruel, and the extent they went to do it was what made me feel betrayed. It wasn''t by ident. It was deliberate and calcted, and Gavin allowed it. I snapped. I had always allowed Maurice to lead and tell me what to do all my life, but I wasn''t his beta that night; I was his enemy. I asked him about it, and he was too intoxicated to deny it. He and Gavin even went as far as describing the experience and the times it had urred. They imed they had lost count. They found it amusing. All the times I woke up with throbbing headaches and could not figure out what happened yed in my mind. I know you love your mother, Marcel, but Morissa was a bitch. She wanted it. She had always liked Maurice and envied Stephanie greatly. She wasn''t like the women that had no choice but to serve. She wanted it. She was the one that served me the drinks. Then she would slip out of our bedroom to party with Maurice. No wonder she did not want to leave the estate to stay in Lund. I bet she did not expect Gavin to join in, but he did. It was Maurice''s way of letting her know she wasn''t special. I was mad, and I snapped. The anonymous message said you might not be mine, and I believed it. I believed everything, and I wanted revenge. I knew I should have allowed us to return and seek justice with the council. We had consumed many things that night, and I couldn''t control myself. I felt everything in the strongest way possible. It was as if the rage was radiating from me. So I attacked them and killed them. The young head Alpha of the south walked in on me, and I attacked him too, but I was wounded and tired by them. He would have killed me in self-defence had I not submitted. Slowly I realised what I had done, and I knew what awaited me in the north, so I pleaded with him to take responsibility for the deaths and told him he could im the lordship. He was reluctant, but I pleaded with him to do it, letting him know the benefits. I knew if he imed it, no one would persecute him because it happened in his territory. He could easily im he was defending his territory. It also meant he would be feared because everyone knew how ruthless we were. He agreed, and I took off. Unknown to me, men were lurking about the ce, waiting for the right opportunity to abduct me. I fell into their hands, and they captured me. That was when I realised what had happened and that I had been manipted and set up," He said, and I was shocked. 159 The Truth About Emily 159 The Truth About Emily ~Sylvester~ Lucas sighed as if he was reliving the events that had transpired. I also noticed he was blinking back tears. He was broken, and I doubted anything could fix him. "I was taken to a ce far from where they caught me. It was a cult of some sort, but they never allowed me to see their faces, and I never tried to. I had just murdered my friends and was trying to escape. No one woulde to my aid. ording to my n with the young Alpha of the south, I would be presented as dead. People do not search for dead people. Although they were unknown, they seemed to have a powerful presence. I remembered the few time Maurice had suspected something of that sort happening. He suspected there was a cult somewhere, but we dismissed it because we could not find evidence that would lead us to them. I kept my eyes shut throughout the session. Soon they put me in a car and sent me off somewhere. That was when I was given to Larry. It was confusing, and I did not know what had happened or why. The man spent months torturing me without telling me why he was doing it. He moved me from ce to ce at different times, but I had been in the store you found me the longest," he said, and I frowned at what the man had just told us. I wanted to believe that the sect he was talking about was Larry and his friends. So I did not probe any further. It was baffling, but I did not want to overthink it. "Larry said the three of you drugged his fianc¨¦e and messed her up. She lost their baby and killed herself," Marcel said with rage. "How can you stoop so low, father!" he asked. "You had a harem. What else did you want? What else did you want?" Marcel asked, and I could understand his rage. All this would have been avoided if they had kept their dicks in their pants. They were reckless and felt invincible. Lucas looked at Marcel, shocked. "What fiancee?" he asked, and Marcel began tough. "You have ruined so many lives that you have lost count. Fucked too many women to remember any of them," Marcel said, and Lucas shook his head. "I only stayed within my harem, Marcel and the asional times that Maurice asked us to join in when he was with Jenny. Jenny was consensual. She wanted all of us. We never took advantage of anyone. It was always consensual," Lucas said, and I sort of believed the man. Larry never really confronted them about what they did to his fianc¨¦e. Could it be that Larry was lying? But looking at Lucas, Larry was too determined to make him suffer for it to be a lie. The man tortured Lucas and made sure he felt pain. It was a personal quest. It had to be true, but they might have had different versions. "Does the name Emily ring a bell?" I asked him gently, and he looked at me, confused. "Larry had a fianc¨¦e, Emily, that died many years ago," I said, and he went to sit on his couch, still thinking. He was still weak, so he was bound to want to sit down. Slowly I saw realisation dawn in his eyes. "Emily Pachensky. The northern woman Larry met in Gad," he said, and I paid attention. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. He looked at me, and I could see a bit of rage in his eyes. "Emily Pachensky was a northerner born and bred in the west. Larry met her during his leave and fell in love with her. They were to get married. He brought her to the Volkov estate to see us," he said, which confirmed what Larry had told us. Marcel wanted to speak, but I stopped him because his father was deep in thought. "That woman was a piece of work. When Larry travelled on a mission, she came to visit Maurice. We all know Maurice is the most powerful of us three, so, normally, he gets the women first. That woman was something else. Maurice did not want her. He was hoping to court Stephanie then. She was a very jealous woman who easily got angry, so he did not want to lose his opportunity with Stephanie. He might have been a scumbag to many, but he loved and respected Stephanie until that bitch, Alissa, came along. We were all d about her demise because she was driving him mad," he said, derailing and then sighed. "Emily was a cute blonde, and she was from a decent family that lived in the west. I was there when she came and tried to seduce Maurice. He was still single then, so he was fair game. Why go for a council member when you can be ady of the north?" he said and then looked at the three of us. "You all know how we usually wind down in the evening with northern cocktails and parties," He said. It was awkward saying yes because he was supposed to be Marcel''s father. "Well, she lingered until the parties. The woman was a fish, and we told her to go easy on the northern cocktail that it wasn''t ordinary alcohol, but she didn''t. I think she said it helped with her confidence. She believed we were lying and it was just liquor. She was stupid. One thing led to the other, and we all woke up under the sheets with her. She tried to linger the next morning, but Stephanie was going to visit Maurice that day, so he kicked her out. We all felt like shit because she was Larry''s woman, but that had happened, and we could do nothing about it. That was why we started restricting who could attend our parties, so we do not end up in bed with the wrong woman again," he said, and Iughed. All this was a huge misunderstanding. "She lost her baby?" Marcel said, and Lucas was surprised. "Northern Cocktail can cause that. It is harsh. She had no business drinking knowing she was pregnant." Lucas said, sounding a bit angry. If the woman believed it was ordinary alcohol, she might have thought they drugged the liquor, but that was the effect of the northern cocktail. I did not like the fact that she hid that she invited herself. Instead, she told Larry my father had invited her and taken advantage of her. I guess she and Larry fitted themselves. It was stupid. "Was that why Larry joined a cult to get us?" Lucas said, and I nodded. "He added stuff to your drinks and somehow found a way to send the information that would piss you off. I guess he had people at the Inn. He had a huge operation. He was the one that nned the first uprising, and he did another," I said, and Lucas was enraged. "Larry does not have money. Where did he get the resources to pull off something like that?" He asked, and I shrugged. "He was pretty determined. He imed Emily left him a note instructing him to deal with the three of you," Marcel said, sounding a bit calmer. "That bitch!" Lucas said. "She wasn''t so pleased that Maurice kicked her out. She sent him letters and tried to see him several times. She seemed crazy, but we ignored the signs and just banned her from entering the estate. I did not know what she was thinking. She must have thought screwing the Lord would automatically get them close," Lucas said, and I could see he was angry. "So all this happened because of that night? A night I could barely remember?" He said in disbelief, and I nodded, but he shook his head. "That is what Larry says, but I doubt it. Too much effort, too many resources, too much nning. It can''t all be because of that?" Lucas said, and Theodoreughed. "Uncle Lucas, people would do anything for love. You needed to hear this man when he tried to kill us with his silver dust. He was demented. He looked like he was achieving his life purpose. He even tried to install himself as king. They referred to him as king. We all know we can expect anything from a mad aggrieved man," Theodore said, and with that, Lucas shrugged, epting what Theodore had said. "So what will happen to me?" he said, and I sighed. The man had already suffered a lot, and the truth was, they would have ruined everything at the rate our fathers were going. My mother wanted my father to die, and even I did not deem it necessary to seek revenge for his death. "Well, a case that mighte up about my mother helping Devin to locate and kill the three of you. If you can testify to that not being true, it will be nice," I said, and Theodore frowned at me. "What about Devin''s reputation? It will be wrong to strip him of his Bane title," Theodore said, feeling endeared to Devin. "Devn has agreed to tell the truth. So it won''t hurt him. Besides, he has a new reputation now. One he earned." I said, referring to our epic battle at the hospital in Ld. People were yet to stop talking about it. Theo was silent. "So what will happen to my father?" Marcel asked, sounding worried and concerned. "He has suffered for years, and Larry has owned up to causing the event. Larry also kidnapped and held him, so it alles down to Larry. Uncle Lucas will be free." I said, knowing I might need his wisdom for the days ahead. The man was a walking library and wasn''t entirely at fault. It would be a waste to find him guilty of the crime. I could not also condemn Lucas in the process of trying to free my mother. Marcel might pretend not to have an issue with it, but he would. If my mother did not own up to sending the letter, then none of this would be necessary. "King?" Luca said, and I nodded. "I guess Theodore, and I will excuse you two," I said, looking at Marcel. "You have a lot of catching up to do. Larry''s sentencing will be tomorrow. Right now, I am going back to my wife," I announced and walked away before Marcel could protest. 160 The Hearing 160 The Hearing ~Sylvester~ The day of Larry''s hearing was finally upon us. It was not supposed to be long, but we had to brace ourselves for surprises. I watched Tamia stand in front of the mirror in the closet, admiring her brooch. It was one of the many decorative essories she was given to use in her official capacity as Queen. Today she would not be a guest in the King''s Hall, but the Queen and I looked at her proudly. We hade a long way and still had a long way to go. Ending Larry''s madness was just a phase, but we had the right to breathe and celebrate. I went to her and wrapped my arms around her from behind. I touched her bump gently in the process. The free-flowing short gown she was wearing covered it up. She closed her eyes and smiled. I could tell that she was genuinely happy. That was all I ever wanted. She turned to face me, and we kissed passionately. Breaking the kiss, she smiled at me. "So today is the day we put all of this behind us," She said, and I smiled, nodding. We left our room and headed out. We would be leaving for the city in a convoy. Unlike before, when we all shared a limo, it would be just Tamia and me in our Limo while the others shared another Limo. It was the only downside of being a king. The invisible line that separated us during official asions was a bother, but we could bear it. We arrived at the King''s Hall with a crowd cheering for us. The people were still grateful for what happened at the Lund general hospital. They saw us as heroes, and I was d that Larry''sst move made us more popr with our people. Thinking of everything, I wondered how Larry believed he would be King. Lucas was right to question Larry''s resolve. He should not have had that many resources to pull off the stunt that he did, but an angry, determined man could do anything, and to think all that he was fighting for was built on a lie was highly annoying and disappointing. Emily had misled him and put him into a situation where he wouldmit unnecessary blunders. Although Larry had a wife now, he ruined and broke another woman''s heart to seek revenge for his first love, who did not care for him. She was trying to climb the socialdder by all means. It was a sad and disappointing story I was not willing to tell in the future. Tamia and I alighted from our ride and stood side by side to wave and greet the people at the entrance. They were overjoyed to see us, and Tamia had a perfect smile. We walked into the hall and went to our box. It had only two chairs strictly reserved for the King and Queen. Leonardo and Devin were around. They were council members, so it waspulsory for them to attend the hearing. Everyone needed to be there. Vino sat in Dominic''s old box. I was sure everyone had learned about Vino''s heritage, and all that Jenny and my father had tried to cover up were now open. Everyone was there. My mother sat in the same box with Vino, and Jake Brighton was with her. We hid Lucas in the building so no one would guess what we were nning. Knowing Larry would try to take as many down with him was a given, and we were prepared. His top yers were present too. Amanda, Ramsey, Jacob Makhailov, Gatson Wayat and Neil Peakman were lined up too. The rest were already judged by default. N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. While some will be locked up for many years, others will have to die. We could not upy our cells, and we could not allow traitors to roam about freely for the sake of peace. Something had to give. I knew Marcel, Theodore, Dominic and David, with the help of Vino, who knew what role they all yed in the uprising, would know who to keep and who to execute. Tamia and I would judge the people present because they were the leaders. They were the pioneers of the uprising; the rest of the people were just tools, and they would suffer for allowing themselves to be used in such a way. Since Vino was no longer in charge of the council and the Lawrence seat was vacant, we needed someone else to take control. All the top families were no longer on the council, making the council Leadership open to anyone. They had informed me a day before that they would take a vote on who will lead them, and I hoped they had sorted that part out because I did not n to linger in the King''s Hall. Leonardo Albert stood up, and I figured he had been made the council leader. He gracefully addressed all those present, including some of the citizens allowed to enter the King''s Hall and witness the hearing. Then he stated what we were all present for and implored everyone to be on their best behaviour. Devin stood and greeted everyone quickly before informing everyone of the day''s itinerary. "Today, we will be discussing the crimes of the following people. Larry McMillian, Amanda Richford, Ramsey Richford, Jacob Makhailov, Gaston Wayat and Neil Peakman. They have conspired and committed treason and must be tried and punished for their crimes." Devin said, and I could hear the tinge of anger in his voice. The truth was everyone had lost something in the process, and some of those things could never be recovered. There was no way they would go free or receive a p on the wrist. They hadmitted heinous crimes and had to pay for them. The hall was silent, and Devin sat down. Pam read Amanda''s crimes, and she pleaded guilty. The same was done for Gaston Wayat, and he pleaded guilty. Neil Peakman was difficult; he pleaded not guilty. "I have the right to an investigation. These are baseless allegationsid against me. It is my right to request an investigation," he said, looking at his former colleagues on the council. None of them dared to look at him. I could see that they were afraid too. It was clear Neil needed to understand the situation he was in. "Are you trying to say that we are lying?" Leo asked him sternly. "I am not saying anything; I am just saying that evidence needs to be provided before there is a conviction," Neil argued, and Devinughed. "Why do you always like to do things the hard way, Peakman? You tried to run away when the King went to arrest you himself. If your hands were clean, and you were truly innocent, you wouldn''t have been caught loading your suitcase into the trunk of your car, ready to run away on the night of the massive arrest," Devin said. The people who were in the hall murmured. "Mr Peakman, I hope you know this is not the old system where council members abused thews and liberties for their benefit. Only one man makes thew now, and thus you have no right to request an investigation. You are at the mercy of the King," Leo told him, and Neil looked up at the box where I was sitting with my wife. I looked into his eyes, and he could not speak. I was the one that arrested him. I was the one who locked him up in prison. "If you deny your crimes one more time, the penalty will be severe," Devin warned him. Even though they were all going to die, there were worse ways to go. Death can be quick and easy or slow and painful. The decision was his. He conceded after that and pleaded guilty. Likewise, Jacob Mikhailov pleaded guilty and exonerated his family members that were in the cell. "My brothers were not a part of this, your Majesty. They have no hand in this. They were just helping me out. They did not know the severity of the crime. Please, your Majesty, do not punish them for my crimes," He pleaded, but I was going to be the one to decide that. I remained silent and left my face expressionless. Ramsey pleased guilty, and the enforcers moved them to a holding cell, leaving Larry behind. That was when I decided to speak. "Larry McMillian, you havemitted treason against my father in the past and against me. You tried to usurp power and name yourself King. You created chaos in our world, and many people lost their lives. I was disappointed to find out your reasons. You im you did it based on what your fiancee told you, but she never told you to try to install yourself as King and ruin lives in the process. You recruited minors into your scheme and ruined them. You manipted and killed the people on your team to cover your tracks. You misled them and destroyed everything from the shadows, all in the name of vengeance. Today I sentence you to life imprisonment in a silver cage where you will be forgotten and die a slow and painful death. You will be starved and allowed a meal every four days to repent for the lives you took and the people you disced because of your greed and wickedness. I promise you will beg for death during this period, but it will nevere. I hope your remorse is enough for the goddess to forgive you." I said, and the entire hall was silent. Larry began tough. 161 Sentencing 161 Sentencing ~Sylvester~ The people in the hall were confused when Larry startedughing. It seemed to them that he had lost his mind, but I knew better. He had a lot of things up his sleeves, but I was ready for him. "Your Majesty, I ept Imitted treason against your father and against you, but you know why. Your father and his officers took advantage of my fianc¨¦e, who was pregnant with my child back then and destroyed her life. The woman ended upmitting suicide. For people with a harem and unlimited ess to beautiful women, why take mine?" He asked, and everyone was silent. "I will bear the punishment for my crimes if you have the heart to convict your mother and half- brother for treason, too," He said and looked at everyone. "Is that not what a king should do? He should be impartial and dish out justice regardless of who it might affect. Our King here knows his mother''s part in the death of his father and his officers; he knows his mother invited councilwoman Jenny to her home and killed her to hide her secret; he also knows that his half-brother, Vino, who is Jenny and Marcel''s son was part of my team. Yet he hid them away and condemned others. How is this a fair judgement? This is the very reason why the Volkovs are feared and hated. They abuse their power and abuse thew. Yes, he is King, which puts him above all of us, but should he not be ountable to his people? If he loves his subjects, he should go out of his way to make them understand why. I will dly take my punishment if he does the right thing." Larry said, and I was bbergasted by the audacity he had to think he still had a choice in this, but he hadid down serious allegations, which I expected, and it was time to tackle them. "Very well then. However, I will state it now that you do not have any choice in the matter and will be punished ordingly, regardless of how your feel or your will. I will humour and respect my subjects by attending to the matter you have spoken of," I said. Just then, enforcer Bryce walked Lucas Sidorov into the hall. People began to scream, believing they had seen a ghost. Larry''s eyes widened. He was unconscious when we took Lucas from his house in Gad, so he might have believed we did not get him. After all, he had hidden the man in a hidden storage room. Had we not been thorough, we wouldn''t have found him. "Calm down, everyone," Leo said and banged the gavel. I saw Vinough a bit. I could understand his amusement because that used to be his job, and seeing his reaction showed he did not like it much. Neither did Leo because he was a bit short. "Are you still making ims, Larry?" I asked the man, and he was silent. "Larry here confessed to us that he drugged my father and his officers to force them to misbehave; then he fed Sir Lucas stories that would tip him off. There was a fight in the inn where they lodged, and Sir Lucas ended up as the winner, with my father and Sir Gavin dead. Alpha Devin walked in on him, and Sir Lucas was too afraid to return, so he asked Devin to im the kill. Devin reluctantly agreed. Unfortunately for Sir Lucas, Larry''s men were lying in wait. They took him while he was trying to leave. Larry has kept Sir Lucas with him since then, torturing and maltreating him for the crime he imed theymitted against his lover. As for Jenny, she was a part of his team, and she tricked her son into joining them by working on his vulnerability and using Amanda Richford to get him on her team. Theyter found out he wasn''t useful to them because all he ever wanted was to be recognised by his true family. He could not leave because of the implications, so he remained trapped. Amanda''s pregnancy did not help matters either. When he decided toe to me, Larry instructed Amanda to kill him; we rescued him from Amanda. If we had not located them on time, he would have been another dead body added to Larry''s belt. As for my mother and Jenny, Jenny had been ckmailing my mother for years over an anonymous letter she sent to Devin out of desperation. Although she warned Devin of what she believed was my father''s intentions in the south, she never asked Devin to kill him. Councilman Corrigan never got the letter, so it isn''t admissible today. Jenny visited my mother with enforcers to kill her, and she had to defend herself. We decided to keep it quiet to investigate what was happening. I hope all I have said is enough to satisfy all your curiosity," I said, and everyone was silent as should be. Thest part was a lie but tied up nicely, and none was the wiser. Larry looked at me and realised he wasn''t going to win. "If you think I am your problem, then you should have a rethink, your Majesty. I am just a pawn in a wide game. A desperate man that went on an adventure to seek revenge. I sought out power and resources to carry out my ns. I might have failed, but the next one won''t. I am not alone." Larry said, and Iughed. I knew he was trying to scare us so he could remain alive. If I believed him, I won''t let him die just in case I needed information to battle the ''one'' that woulde. The man was a joke, and he was pathetic. "It is sad that you did all you did and destroyed many lives because of a lie," Sir Lucas Sidorov said to him, and Larry was angry. "Don''t you dare call Emily a liar," He said with rage, and I could see he truly believed what the woman had told him. "You threw away your life seeking revenge for a woman that did not love you. Did you not think of Michelle?" Lucas asked him, and Larry faltered a bit. "That woman would be mateless and may be killed for your transgressions. What was her crime in all this? " Lucas asked him, and Larry bowed his head. I guess he did not realise the lives that he had destroyed. Michelle was his wife; she should die with him under normal circumstances because she was his family. "Emily lied to you, Larry. The King told me everything you told them, and I can tell you here that she lied to you," he said, and Larry shook his head. He wanted to believe he was right so badly that he did not want to listen, but Lucas continued to speak regardless. "She invited herself to the estate. You weren''t around, and she decided to pay us a visit. She wanted Maurice, and you know how he is. She came about two times. The third time she visited was during our parties. She drank the northern cocktail as if it were Liquor. We told her to ease off the stuff she could not handle, but she took it more like a dare than a warning. If she was pregnant, she did not want to keep it because she knew that pregnant women should not consume alcohol. She wanted Maurice, Larry, and everyone knew it. You should have investigated the women in our harem then. We had let some of them go by then. You should have spoken to them. They would have told you what happened that night. We drank so much and woke up under the sheets together. Neither of us could tell who touched her and who didn''t. There were other girls with us in the sheets. While Maurice, Gavin and I were remorseful, Emily wasn''t. She wanted to remain. I believe she thought bing thedy of the north will be as easy as fucking the lord himself. Owned by N?velDrama.Org. Maurice was courting Stephanie then and did not want anything to happen to his rtionship. She was asked to leave that morning. She returned severally until Maurice banned her from entering the estate. I do not know why she would lie to you, but you should have been wise enough to tell the difference. You were Maurice''s friend, and you knew him. You knew me too, and we would never take advantage of a woman like that, however pretty she may be. There was never a need to, especially when we had an unlimited supply of women. Emily was depressed because her schemes could not carry her far. She was rejected and did not want to settle for what she believed was less. I do not know why she would ask you to avenge her, but I deduced from all this that Emily was wicked, and you allowed her to use you." Lucas said, and Larry was silent for a long time. Slowly I heard him sobbing. It was painful to find out he had been lied to and that all of his efforts were for nothing. Everyone was silent. "Do you still have anything to say?" I asked Larry, and he shook his head. I guess it would take a bit for all to sink in. I approved his sentencing, and Bryce took him away. Gaston, Neil, and Jacob were next. "Gaston and Jacob, because you were not directly involved with anyone''s death, I am sentencing you to fifty years in prison to reflect on your actions. Hopefully, you will make peace with yourselves in the process. During your sentencing, you will be isted from everyone." I said, and an enforcer led them away. Neil was brought forward for his sentence. "Unfortunately, Neil, I will not be sparing your life. You have not only been directly involved in deaths, but you have been unremorseful about your actions. You challenged my authority in the hall. You will never atone for your crimes, and because of that, you will die in silver, eastern style," I said, and people wondered what I meant by it. "You will be ced in a bath of silver dust until your life is no more," I said, and people gasped at the brutality of his death. He deserved it. The man was a weasel. I knew Larry would die eventually with the punishment he was given. Still, I wanted Neil dead immediately because he was the one that passed the taxws and had packs attack in my name. I have learned that Larry never really instructed them on what to do. They were just given a goal, and their methods were entirely up to them. Neil Peakman had no regard for life. "Jake is grateful for the justice," my mother linked me, and I looked where she sat with her lover and Vino. Jake bowed his head slightly to show gratitude. 162 End Of A Phase 162 End Of A Phase ~Tamia~ The hall was silent after Neil''s punishment was exined. I knew it was horrific, and Leo looked at me, knowing I was the one that must have told Sylvester about the silver bath. I smiled and looked away. I watched them take Neil away and felt nothing for the bastard. He was a silent devil, and he had wasted lives. Iris was in jail because of him, and she will be there for the better part of her lifetime. Sylvester and I had decided all those that acted in a way that cost lives would have to die while the schemers that did not kill or cause anyone''s death would be sentenced to a long jail time. Because of this decision. We were clear on who would die and live long enough to get a second chance. Ramsey was brought before us, and I could see the resignation in his eyes. He knew precisely what would happen. "Ramsey Richford, your actions almost created a war in our world. It pitted the south and east against the north, and it would have been explosive had it not been for the peaceful nature of Leonardo Abert. The stunt you pulled with the help of your daughter cost lives. I am disappointed in you because you have done this in the past. As head alpha of the east, you made innocent pack members pay for your crime. This shows me that you will do it again if given an opportunity. You teamed up with the enemy to overthrow my father and failed. Then you did it again to try to overthrow me. I will not allow you to remain on the surface of this earth because I know if given the opportunity, you will do it again. I hereby sentence you to death by hanging in broad daylight under the sun. The noose will remain on your neck until no more life is left in you. While your life force seeps away slowly, I hope you have the heart to repent and maybe find favour in the eyes of the goddess," I said, and everyone knew how excruciating that would be. It was still quicker than what would happen to Larry. Larry''s punishment was worse because he would beg for death, but it would nevere. It was a very terrible thing. Ramsey apologised for his crimes, epted the punishment, and then looked at me. "Your Majesty, I have wronged you the most. I want to plead for your forgiveness. First, I took your parents from you at a young age and helped my daughter ruin your marriage and home. I hope you find it in your heart to forgive me one day," He said with his head bowed, and even though tears welled up in my eyes from the memories that shed in my mind, I held them. Never again would I shed a tear for the things in my past. My future was bright now. There was no looking back. Ramsey apologised to Leo, and I knew it was hard for Leo to look at him. Ramsey was taken away, and finally, Amanda was brought before the council. Sylvester had kept her forst because he wanted me to sentence her. "This is where I will hand over to my queen," Sylvester said calmly, and Amanda began tough. She knew exactly what would happen. The enforcer with her pped her for being disrespectful. She looked pathetic. I guessed she wasn''t Luna material once; little did I know I was right. She wasn''t looking pretty anymore. The scorn and rage on her face marred her beauty. I looked at Vino in his box, and I could see his heart was still broken. Unlike Leo, Vino really cared for her. Too bad she was too greedy to realise what she already had. I still did not understand her reasons, but I guess I would not understand everything. I looked at her and realised there was no soul in her eyes. She was evil. Jenny did a good job grooming her. "Amanda, it is sad to see that even amidst your shame, you are still unrepentant. Your eyes remain cold and unremorseful. You have cost lives and destroyed lives. You tried to kill the only man that ever truly loved you while you were carrying his babies," I said, and people gasped. "You destroyed my home and almost ruined my ex-husband. You walked a dangerous path and destroyed everything to achieve nothing. Today, your beautiful daughters will lose their mother because she did not love them enough to stay out of trouble and do the right thing. I have thought of your punishment for so long, searching my mind for the best way to handle it. I did not want to destroy you because I knew Jenny Lawrence misled you but seeing you today, I know you will never change. Your heart is cold, and you are selfish. It would be wicked to keep you alive. You do not deserve to walk on this earth, nor do you deserve to breathe the air we breathe. Just like your mentors and your false King, you will be snuffed out of the world most painfully. You have inflicted physical and emotional pain on people without remorse; you have lied, cheated, and schemed your way through. I will give you ample time to reflect on your crimes and seek forgiveness. You will be locked away from everyone. You will spend at least one hour every two days in a silver bath to feel the pain you inflicted on others. You will be fed only once a week to understand the troubles your actions brought upon the families that were disced due to your actions. This will be done until your body can no longer handle the pain. When that timees, just like you did to Annika, your cousin and Vino, your mate, you will be fed silver in small amounts until your entire system shuts down and life leaves your body. I hope you realise the evil you have done and repent before you take yourst breath," I said, and people were shocked. I looked at Vino, and he bowed his head. No matter how angry he was, he still cared for her, but I knew what I had done was for the best. Amanda couldn''t love anyone other than herself and her selfish ambitions. Amanda was carried away while we discussed other trivial matters about the prisoners. Sylvester told them the yardstick for the crime. All lesser participants were to be sentenced to jail, while those that fought -revolted or actively caused harm were to be beheaded. We did not have much space in our prisons and could not start building another prison because of them. Killing most offenders by beheading was the fastest way to reduce the prison poption. We eventually agreed, and everyone was free to leave. Things had gone better than we had hoped. No crime could be pinned on Stephanie, so Sylvester did not need to sentence her, and Vino was pitied instead of hated. No one asked for justice where he was concerned, so he was a free man too. It was now time to get back to our lives and live them the best way we could, free of trouble. Leo came to say hello and told me he would return to the east that day. I hoped he and Devin would hang out with us a bit but duty called. I was d to finally see the light in Leo''s eyes. I was satisfied that he had indeed moved on, and I prayed that the goddess would bless him because he was too young and kind to live the rest of his days alone. We left the hall and returned to the estate happy. Marcel''s mother tried to visit the estate two days after the hearing but was denied entrance. Lucas wasn''t ready to face her yet, so Avery told me that Marcel asked his mother to give his father time. It was sad to learn that the allegations against her weren''t entirely true, but she imed to sleep with Maurice once, which was a mistake. Nheless, Lucas still needed time before he could speak to her. Four Months Later. I was in the delivery room in the estate. Sylvester sat beside me, holding my hands while I squeezed with all my might through the contractions. When Linda went intobour, I felt sorry for her and believed I had prepared myself for this, but I was wrong. The fact that I was told not to push until I was fully dted frustrated me the most. "We will almost be done, darling," Sylvester said, squeezing my hand. I could see the worry in his eyes. He kissed my hand several times and looked at the doctor. I knew he was linking him and did not want me to know. It was okay. As long as my twins came out alive and well, I would be happy. Linda followed the trend and had triplets. Two boys and a girl, and they were gorgeous. They named them Lilly, Miles and Oliver. I was eager to find out what I would be having and, likewise, Avery too. When we did our ultrasound, I found out that I was having twins, and Avery had one healthy baby. Both of us were taken by the news, and we could not wait to wee our bundles of joy into the world. "I will need you to push now," the doctor finally told me, just like Linda told me to do. I waited for the following contractions and began to push. It didn''t take long before my babies came out. They were healthy and well. "Congrattions, you have a boy and a girl," The doctor said, and Sylvester kissed my mmy forehead and then kissed my lips. "Thank you, darling, forpleting my life," he said, and I could not speak because I was feeling emotional about his action. He looked at the babies where they kept them, ready to clean them, and I could see the joy in his eyes. I was d everything had worked out for us. I was cleaned, and then the doctor said I could return to my room, so they could clean the delivery room. Owned by N?velDrama.Org. Sylvester carried me to our bedroom. The bed had been made, and two temporary cots were ced in the room. "The doctor said you will batheter; you just need to rest. My mother wille with our babies," He assured me, tucking me into the bed, but I did not want to sleep until I saw my twins. Stephanie, Avery, Katya and Nicole finally came to the room with my babies. They were all smiles. They came to congratte Sylvester and me. I could see pure joy in Stephanie''s eyes. She was happy to finally have the grandma status. The men came to congratte Sylvester. Even though Stephanie was hoping we would have a huge party to announce the birth of the babies, Sylvester and I refused. We wanted peace, and she soon caved and let the matter rest. Sylvester and I named them Liam and Harper. Two months after the birth of my twins, Avery gave birth to her son, Marvin, and it was a full house. We had never been so happy in our lives. Although we knew there was more toe, this was the beginning of a new phase for us, and we embraced it. The Story Continues in book two. Chapters of book 2 will be uploaded in this book as a continuation. 01 Scars Dont Heal (Book 2) 01 Scars Don''t Heal (Book 2) ~Leo~ A year had passed since the sentencing of Larry, and his cohorts and things have been peaceful in all our region. I often visited the north to attend council meetings. It wouldn''t have beenpulsory if I wasn''t head of the council, but Devin and I decided to take up that responsibility so there won''t be a problem next time. Devin carried out what used to be Neil Peakman''s responsibility diligently, and I always made sure I was thorough before passing anything. I often looked at Tamia, where she sat next to her husband, and wondered what fate had in store for me. Fate led her to her happily ever after, but I doubted it would lead me to mine. Marcel and Theodore often tried to introduce me to women hoping there would be some sparks, but my heart was closed off in that department. Never again would I be the fool. I was manipted and lied to. I lost everything I held dear in the process. Things I could never regain. It was sad, and I did not want to go through that mess again. I sat in my office in Mountain, thinking of the various building projects that the alphas had proposed. Honestly, we could not afford them all. There had been some vandalism, and it was all because of the disced people in our region. These people were disced because of Larry. It was as if most of them migrated from the south and west to the east, and now our region was crowded with packless and homeless wolves. We could not call them rogues because their Alphas were executed for treason. Still, we did not know where to ce them. The building projects were to create amodation and jobs for them, but we could not afford it. I knew I would have to bring it up at the council in the north so Sylvester could step in any way he wanted because it was his problem to deal with too. "Alpha, I think you should call it a day and go home," I heard my Beta Casper in my head. My home and office had no difference. There was no one there and nothing to go home to. It was just a ce that reminded me of my mistakes and how far I had fallen. I had turned Amanda''s old room into storage, so I do not remember that she once lived there. Everything to forget about her presence in my home. I even remodelled the ce, but the ghost of my past with Tamia still haunted me, and I doubted it would go away. I was happy for my friend, but the scar remained. I got off my chair and decided to take my Beta''s advice and close for the day. It was already nighttime, so there was no point. Instead of driving, I chose to walk back home. My house wasn''t far really, it was a thirty minutes walk. The moment I saw my front door, I knew something had happened. Someone had the effrontery to break into my home. I rushed towards the door and slipped in gently, trying not to alert the person; that was when I picked up the person''s scent. It wasn''t the usual wolf scent. It was a ''mate'' scent, and ck growled, annoyed. This could not happen to us again. Why would someone with a mate scent break into my home? I traced the scent and saw that it was in my room. The very room I shared with Tamia. Tamia''s things were still there, most especially her jewellery. I ran inside and saw a brte by the vanity table going through Tamia''s jewellery box. From how she looked, she hadn''t showered in days, and I knew she might be one of those disced people. I ignored the mate''s scent, and then she turned and looked at me. Her eyes were grey, and she had soot on her face. Had she been in a chimney? She looked like she was a pro at stealing because she had defiance in her eyes and stood up from the stool she sat on and looked at me with her nose turned up. She knew she was in trouble and was fighting the bond just like me. I wasn''t going to let the same thing happen to me twice. "What are you doing here?" I asked her, barricading the door with my body. "What does it look like?" she barked at me. "I wonder what you are doing with all this shit. You don''t need it anyway. There nody in this house," She said, holding some of Tamia''s jewellery in her hand, and I red up. I locked the door and went to get silver cuffs from my cupboard. "On your knees with your hands behind your back now!" Imanded and saw her doing her utmost to fight my authority, but she couldn''t. I was Alpha, and she wasn''t. At this point, I did not care what her breed was, but she was going to jail. She went on her knees and did precisely what I told her to do. I moved to where she was and mped the silver on her writs. "This is unfair. You do not need any of the stuff," she protested. "Don''t you think you are too old to be a petty thief?" I said, pulling her to stand up. "That''s all we can do since the king executed our alpha," she said, and I knew she was one of those wolves. "I guess you will think about your ways in jail," I told her, and she refused to budge. "Do not make me drag you out of this ce," I said, pulling her with me. "You are just as wicked as the rest of them. Are you not supposed to be the head Alpha of the east and head of the council? Shouldn''t you try to find out what my pain is and fix it? You all are wicked lots. Heard you are besties with that Dark King and that ruthless bitch he calls queen," She said, and that was it. I pulled her and mmed her against the door. Holding her arms tight and growling. "How dare you bad mouth your king and queen. You are lucky your packs were not eradicated for your Alpha''s treachery," I told her. She was trying to maintain a brave facade, but I could see the tears forming and smell her fear. She was silent and shaken. I knew the packless wolves hated Sylvester, Tamia and the entire council, but they did not know they owed us their lives. Normally their packs should have been wiped out for their Alpha''s treachery, but we only punished the culprit. We even allowed their families to live. Sylvester abolished thew of punishing an entire family for the crime of a member, and it had helped us preserve lives, but here they were, being ungrateful. She looked so frail that I felt like a bully, but she was definitely going to jail for daring to break into my home. I pulled her away from the door and unlocked it, then dragged her out. I could not believe she was refusing to walk. It just reminded me of Devin. He never hesitated to drag anyone. I knew it because he dragged the heavily pregnant Amanda. Once we were out of my house, I linked the nearby kappas. "You will stand trial in a week," I told her. "I never took anything; this is unfair," She protested. "But you would have had I not caught you, and you seem unremorseful," I replied. Then the Kappas arrived, and that was when she became scared. "I am sorry," She managed with difficulty. "It is hard out here. I just wanted money since no one was willing to give me a job," She said. She seemed more afraid of the kappas than she was of me. Was she banking on the mate bond? She was just stupid, thinking that would be the case. Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org. "You are going to jail, miss," I told her and handed her to the kappa. "Give me a job, Alpha. I would never steal again but do not let them take me to that ce," She said, almost shrieking. "I wondered what the theatrics was about. Just now, she had her nose turned up, and now she was shrieking. I decided to listen, just for the fun of it. It wasn''t like I had anything to do, really. "So you want a job?" I said, telling the Kappas to halt, and she nodded. "I can cook, clean, and doundry. I noticed your home is unkempt. I can help..." She said, and I stopped her. "I have omegas to do the cleaning if I want," I stopped her because it seemed she wanted to work for me. Maybe she was hoping to steal some stuff. "They are not doing their job. The ce is dirty," She said, sounding desperate. I knew she was lying. "Where do you sleep?" I asked her, and she looked away. It was clear she had nowhere to stay. I waved the Kappas to leave her alone. "Very well, I will give you a job. You can stay in the service quarters. You are to clean my house and take care of the ce. If you steal anything, I will catch you and won''t be merciful. They will give you a bed, food, and clothes and pay some wages enough to sustain you," I said, and she slowly beamed at me. It was as if she never expected me to help her. She went on her knees to thank me immediately, and I nodded. I went to her and took off the silver on her wrists. She smiled while rubbing the burn on her wrist. "Thank you, Alpha," she said and knelt to swear her loyalty to me. In the process, she joined my pack. The kappas were about to lead her to the servant''s quarters when I stopped her. I had onest thing to do. "What is your name?" I asked her, and she smiled at me. "Amelia Westwood," She said, beaming at me. Thest name did not ring a bell. She wasn''t from any family I know. I nodded. "I, Leonardo Albert, reject you, Amelia Westwood, as my fated mate. I hope you find love in your future," I said, and the pain was excruciatingly painful. Amelia fell to the ground in agony, but I could not be bothered. There was no way I would be hoodwinked twice in my life. I was done with the mate bond and shit and did not want to be a part of it anymore. I weed the pain; it was my freedom from making another mistake. 02 Maybe Worth It (Book 2) 02 Maybe Worth It (Book 2) ~Amelia~ It was hard being disced. I was just finding my footing in my pack when our Alpha was arrested and executed for treason against the King. Neighbouring packs took over ournds in the western region, and we were chased out. They did not even have the decency to ask us to join their packs; they drove us away to find our way. I knew our Alpha was an arsehole, but what did it have to do with us? We were equally victims of his wickedness. The King, Queen and the council did not help us. It was as if we did not matter, and that was when some of us started hating them. My life was a colossal mess. I grew up in an orphanage. My mother took me there when I was five and never looked back. No one adopted me because of the colour of my eyes and my breed. The fact that I was a Delta breed did not help matters either. People felt I would be defiant. Only Deltas, gammas, betas and Alphas could adopt someone like me, but I guess they never visited orphanages. I was allowed to stay until I was eighteen. The matron, Lucy, wanted to send me to a workhouse in Gad when I turned eighteen, but I refused, so I was kicked out of the orphanage. I roamed the streets, and many painful things happened to me in those years. Soon I learned the ropes and became fierce. I was a petty thief for a while before finally stealing enough to start a small food business in a truck. It was okay. I did not go to bed hungry and had enough to get by. Things were looking up until Alpha Moses was arrested for treason, and all hell broke loose. Alpha Sean took over Gad after Moses was beheaded. We were sent away from our settlement in Gad. I would have taken my truck with me, but it broke down, and the rickety thing could not travel far. I learned we would be weed in the east, so I came here, but the atmosphere was just as hostile as the west, and soon I had to revert to my old ways. I had been caught stealing severally and locked up many times. Every time I was released, they would ask me to leave the pack. That was how I found myself in Mountain. I did not want to break into Alpha Albert''s home, but I was hungry. I was looking to steal some money to add to my stash and maybe start a food business in the east as I did in Gad, but I was busted. I did not know why I did not hide when his scent filled my senses, but it was too sweet to ignore. There was something earthy about it, and Aurora, my wolf, wanted to remain even in the face of danger. "Mate, Mate," she said, and I froze. This was unusual, and I could not believe it was happening. I was hopeful, but looking at myself in the mirror, I knew it would be hard for anyone to ept an ugly, homeless woman as their mate. I looked unkempt, dirty and malnourished. His heart must be of gold to overlook our appearance. "Don''t get your hopes up, Aurora," I told my wolf, and he walked in. I fought the scent, and when I realised who it was, I put more effort into it. Seeing his eyes, I knew he would not ept me. There was no point even trying. Other than the mate bond, I also had to deal with the fact that I had been caught stealing, and he was the head alpha of the east. I have heard stories about how cold and ruthless he had beentely, I knew I might not survive it, but I chose to be brave. That was all I could do in the face of the danger that stared at me. I tried to be strong, but I was scared. As low as my life was, I wanted to live. I did not know what he would do to me. When he ignored the bond, chained me and dragged me out of his house, I knew rejection was coming. I wanted tough at myself, but I dared not because he would think I wasughing at him. It was still okay until he handed me to the bloody kappas again, and I knew I had to swallow my pride and beg. There was just so much abuse anyone could take, and I did not want to go down that path again. At that point, I was willing to say anything to stop him from locking me up. I doubted he would listen, but I was surprised when he did. He gave me a job and took off the silver cuffs. I felt a tinge of hope in me. When Aurora returned to me, she was hopeful, too, because he had shown us kindness, something we had never experienced in our entire life. I was hopeful. Then he asked for my name, and I stupidly gave it to him with ease, thinking something great would come out of it. I should have known what he would do with it. The moment I gave him the name, it was over. He rejected me with ease, and I found myself writhing with pain on the floor. I wished I didn''t cry, but the pain was so much that I felt like my soul was being ripped apart. Aurora howled in my head. I tried to see what he was doing and noticed he was in pain, too, but he quickly gathered himself and walked back into his house. I kept my eyes on him. Hoping he would look back, but he never did. He shut the door behind him, and the Kappas that I did not want to touch carried me from the floor. By then, my vision was very dizzy, and I passed out. I woke up on a soft bed. Sitting up, I realised I was in the servant''s quarters. The ce had several wooden bunk beds but was neat and well-kept. There was air conditioning, and the ce looked like pure luxury. The Alpha really took care of his workers. Thinking of him, I felt an emptiness in my heart. I never really epted the rejection. He did not give me a chance to do so. He was a higher breed, so it did not matter. I sat up and looked around me. Realising no one was there, I wept and buried my face in my palms. Fate had dealt me a harsh card, and I did not know how much I could take. Although I got a ce to stay and a job, I lost something dear: A bond. Something precious and rare. Something I never had in my life. I never bonded with anyone, be it family or friends. I never had any, so it was painful. I dragged myself up and saw a note on the tiny dresser at the side of my bed. I was ced in the lower bunk. The dresser had my name stered on it, and I knew it had been allocated to me to store items. I opened the letter, and it was instructions from the head of the omega. "Dear Amelia. Alpha has drafted you to work in his house. There is a storage drawer under your bed where we have put your clothes. Once you wake up, Please head to Alpha''s house to start your day. You are to prepare his meals and eat there before you return. You are wee to our pack. Macy," It read, and I knew that the head Omega was a nice person. Even though the note was gentle and kind, I could not smile because joy had been ripped outst night. I still had a longing, one I knew I was to ignore. I got off the bed and looked at the top bunk. I noticed it had a drawer on the side, so I looked at the side of my bed and saw a drawer the width of my bed. I pulled it out, and there were clothes in there. They weren''t work clothes but casual clothes and some toiletries with a towel. I took out what I needed and decided to check what was in the drawer of the side dresser. There was a dairy and pen on the top level. On the lower level were aprons. I guess I was to wear the aprons before I left. I walked about the ce until I found the bathroom. I had not been in one for almost a month, so it was like heaven. They even had hot water, and the lemon shower gel felt fresh. I washed my skin and hair thoroughly. I even got conditioner to use on my hair. It was amazing. I could not believe how well they treated their workers. This was way better than the Omega workers in Gad. I had seen them a couple of times, and every time I saw them, they looked like they had seen better days. The people in the east were enjoying themselves. I finished cleaning and looked at myself in the mirror of my bathroom. I was skinny but looked clean for the first time in a long time. My eyes looked hollow, and I knew the emptiness of the rejection was a part of it. I got dressed in the A-line skirt and fitted blouse made avable. I wore my apron and headed out to work. The Alpha''s house was pretty close, so I walked there. I stood at the entrance and knocked on the door. I did not know if he was home or not. I wanted to avoid barging in unannounced. Now that what I was doing wasn''t illegal, I could be bold about it. I did not want to face him because he had just rejected me, but I had no choice. It was either this or the streets, and I was done with streets. "It''s open," I heard his voice, and my heart beat fast; there was pain too. The pain of rejection. I did not know if I could face him after he had rejected mest night. I took a deep breath to compose myself and look strong as if his rejection did not affect me. I knew I had no choice, so I opened the door and boldly walked in. He was standing by his bedroom door and looking at some papers in his hand. He looked up when I greeted him. Then he frowned at me. He probably could not recognise me. "Oh, you," He said, realising it was me because of my eye colour. "Yes, Alpha, I am here to start my chores," I said, and he pointed to the Kitchen. "Eat something. Macy has already cleaned the house," he said, pointing at the Kitchen, and I nodded. I was still hurt about the rejection, but I dared not speak. "We can''t let him go, Amelia. He isn''t a bad man," Aurora said, and I tried to shut her out. Wolf could be impulsive, and I always kept mine in check. "He has rejected us, and we should move on," I warned her. "No, we never fight for anything. We should fight for this one. We have to try, so at least if we fail, we know we tried," she said, and I went to the Kitchen. I made a sandwich and ate, then went to the living room to see if I could do anything. He was on the couch reviewing some documents and seemed simple and rxed. I doubted we would ever get his attention, but there was no harm in trying. This could be worth fighting for.Material ? N?velDrama.Org. 03 My Hands Are Tied (Book 2) 03 My Hands Are Tied (Book 2) ~Leo~ Honestly, Amelia was giving me the creeps. She sat at the table staring at me most of the morning. She wasn''t doing anything wrong, but her grey eyes were difficult to ignore. It was as if she was waiting for something. "It is afternoon, Alpha. What would you like to eat?" She asked me, standing up from her chair. "Anything that will fill my stomach and make it for two," I told her. "Yes, Alpha," she said and headed toward the Kitchen. The moment she left the living room, I was grateful. Finally, I could breathe. I could swear she was staring at me with wolf eyes. ck felt like he was being choked by it, and honestly, the rejection made me feel a little weak, but I did not care. I could not ruin my life twice. The fact that we were fated spoiled it, coupled with how I found her. Fate was like a gue, something I never wanted to discuss or experience again. Henceforth I make my own destiny. " That girl seems mischievous," ck said, growling in my head. He did not trust her. "Of course she is. She is a thief," I said, and he growled. "Why to let her work in our house, Leo," he asked me,ining about her presence. "If she decides to revert to her old ways, she will be my mess to clean up," I told him, and he understood my reason. It was my way of helping her and keeping an eye on her. I had instructed Macy to ensure she wasn''t allowed anywhere other than my house. I did not want her stealing other people''s things. One hourter, just when I was about to get into what I was doing on myptop, Amelia started arranging the table. I honestly thought she would stay longer in the Kitchen. I guess I was wrong. I wasn''t looking forward to eating food that she made, but I had hired her, and it would be mean not to try it. "Food is ready, Alpha," She said gently, and I looked at the table. Three covered white dishes with a bow and te were on the table. I put down myptop and reluctantly went to the table to try what she had made. "Mashed potatoes, gravy andmb chops," She announced, and I hated to admit to her it was my favouritebo. I kept a straight face and sat at the table. She dished the food gently. When I was about to start eating, I saw her take out her spoon and taste everything on my te without asking me. She took one of themb chops with her hand and began to eat it. I looked at her, surprised. She had Gravy smeared on the corner of her lips on the right side. It would have been cute had she not overstepped. "If you are hungry, you dish your food. You are not supposed to eat from my te," I scolded her with mymand, and she flinched. "I was just tasting it to show it wasn''t poisoned, Alpha. That was all," She said, and I felt a bit ashamed of myself after she said it. She moved away from me immediately. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. Honestly, I did not want to be a jerk, but I just could not tolerate another fated; rejected or not, she was what she was. I sighed and took a bite of themb chops, which tasted heavenly. I had never eaten something that delicious before. It took a lot for me to stop ck from drooling. I opened the dish containing themb chops hoping there was more, and I was d to find more. It was perfectly cooked. The mashed potatoes were creamy, and Gravy was delicious to taste. The dish came together well, and I realised I had hired a chef. Had she not been what she was, she would have had a good time working for me, but regardless of how delicious her meal was, I would be on my guard. I finished the meal and hoped she had saved some for herself in the Kitchen. I was about to leave the table when someone knocked on my door. "It''s open," I said, which was my preset response because I rarely ever locked my door now. To my surprise, Kyle walked in, looking angry. I did not need drama on a Saturday, but it seemed Kyle had brought his to my home. While I linked Amelia to clear the table, I left the table and attended to him. I went to Kyle, and he looked past me toward the table and frowned. "Since when did you have a live-in nanny?" He asked me, and I knew his thoughts were in the gutters. "She isn''t a live-in nanny, Kyle. She works for me and sleeps in the servant''s quarters. One of the disced people," I said, and he stared at her. "Her eyes are creepy," He said, referring to her moonlight-coloured eyes. They made her seem a bit blind, but it was unique. "I didn''t notice," I lied, and he managed to look away from Amelia. I offered him a seat on my couch, and he sat down. "Why are you here? Brent is a long drive from here," I said, and he nodded. "I need your help, Leo," he said, leaning forward. "You are the head of the council, right?" He asked, and I nodded. "I need you to throw out Linda''s case," he said, and I frowned at him because I had no idea what he was talking about. "What case?" I asked him, and he sighed. " She sent me a letter asking for her things back. She said she wanted thend and money in my possession," He said, running his fingers through his hair. "Those are mine now. My pack lives on part of thend, and I am using the money to run my business. I have even grown my wealth a bit. So I sent her a reply saying she is no longer part of the east, so she cannot ownnd in the east," He said, and I could not believe that Kyle could be stupid. I was mad at him. "She said she would take it before the council," He said and sighed. "So you want me to throw it out when her case is read?" I asked him, and he nodded. "Are you stupid or something? Linda is a Lady now. She is above me. There is a possibility her husband will oversee the case," I told him and sighed. "But you know her husband; you can talk to him. He is your friend," Kyle said, and I shook my head. "You are crazy. I see it now. How the hell do you want me to talk to Theodore about his wife. Have you forgotten the beating he gave you?" I asked, and he bowed his head. "She does not need any of the stuff. She just wants me to suffer. I am already suffering raising three children that aren''t mine with a stupid mate that refused to leave. What more suffering does she want me to go through, Leo. Linda is wicked," He said, almost close to tears. I knew what she was asking him to give up would ruin him, but he caused it. "You weren''t kind to that woman when she was your wife. You abused her, Kyle. You were worse than Max. You belittled your Luna. You ridiculed her. You allowed your Kappas to have their way with her for your entertainment. Shit like that does not go away. Linda is a Delta, and you turned her into a kappa''s ything. It is a miracle someone that high would want to be with her. No high-born or breed would ever touch a woman that Kappas have touched, regardless of her breed. It would be like sleeping with the help''s woman; you ruined her," I said, and I heard something break just then. I looked toward the table and saw that Amelia had dropped a dish. "Great, you aren''t just a thief but clumsy too. If you break anything else, you will pay for it," I scolded her, and she nodded, but I did not miss the tears that had welled up in her eyes. There was no way what I said got to her. She was tough as nails and shameless. It was definitely something else. I chose not to ask her or bother about it. I looked at Kyle, and he was a bit annoyed. "I regret everything I did, and I have apologised to her. You know it," he argued, and I shook my head. "There are situations when sorry is just a word because the damage cannot be fixed. What you did is unforgivable. No man should do that to the woman he ims to love. You have no right to im anything. If truly you are resourceful, you will hand over the items and let go," I said, and he shook his head. "You are supposed to be on my side, Leo. You are my friend. I was there before Sylvester, Theodore, Marcel, Devin and that crazy Volkov Dominic guy. I was there, Leo. Whenever you needed help, I was there. No matter how fucked up I might have been, I never let you down, Leo. Why can''t you side with me on this? Why can''t you please help me plead my case and make her let it go?" He said, almost close to tears. "I''m still your friend, Kyle, but I have no power over this. Linda and her husband are above me," I said, and he shook his head. "You are my Alpha. You are the head Alpha of the east. You helped install Sylvester as King. They owe you! You must protect everything and everyone in your region. Linda belongs to the north now. You are supposed to protect me and my interest," he argued. "And then what, Kyle? Say no and start a war? Is that what you want!" I yelled at him, sick of his tantrums. "You aren''t the only one with problems, Kyle! We all do. You aren''t the only one that lost! We all did. Don''t you think I want to do a lot of things? Don''t you think I would like to take some things back?" I asked him, mad at him, then pointed at his chest. "You fucked your life up. Deal with it, and stop looking for someone to hold your hands. Man up! You said you made some profits. Keep the profits you made and give her back her money andnd. If you invest wisely, you can build your wealth again, but this will only lead to trouble, and I swear to you, Kyle. If Theodorees for you, I will not get involved. He has been looking for a reason to deal with you for what you did. Do not give it to him," I warned Kyle, and he growled at me with frustration and stormed out of my house. I knew what Linda was doing would ruin him. I knew she did not need those things. I knew she was trying to make him suffer, but my hands were tied. I hope he will be wise and do the right thing. 04 The Delta In Omegas Shoes (Book 2) 04 The Delta In Omega''s Shoes (Book 2) ~Amelia~ I observed the argument between Alpha Leo and his friend. It was very sad what was happening to the man. From what I heard, the bastard was a douchebag and deserved all that he was getting, but I also learned that Leo was a very powerful and influential man. Why would fate tie me to the heavens and leave me on earth with nodder? I was aiming above my station. His statement made me believe I might not seed with him. Many horrible things happened to me on the streets and in prison cells. Things I never speak of and just brush aside, buried deep in my mind. I often live in denial, but I know the truth. When I find a ce to sleep at night and get through it safely without being disturbed, I know the truth because only then do I experience peace. Leo''s words scared me and made me almost lose hopepletely. I felt terrible about the dish I broke while eavesdropping on him and his friend. But it wasn''t deliberate. Honestly, his statement about breeds and high-borns shocked me and cut me deep, but I hoped I won''t be cut off guard again. The rest of the day was hard because I had to walk on eggshells. Leo was annoyed after his friend left and did not seem toe out of it. Seeing him, I knew he had a lot of pain, but didn''t we all? After I had made his dinner and cleaned up, I opted to leave before he kicked me out. As much as I was willing to put in an effort and try, I did not n to irritate him and lose my job in the process. This was the first time in my life that I would have a semnce of peace. A ce to sleep, food to eat and hope for wages without being vited. Rejected or not, he has been the kindest person to me. I returned to the servant quarters, and everyone was there. The moment I stepped in, the women were silent. It made me feel awkward and out of ce, but it was normal. I was the new girl and not just a new girl but a Delta servant. It was unheard of. Delta''s were usually high-borns from top families. Unfortunately for me, my mother was an Omega that had an affair with a high-born and dumbed the result at an orphanage when she could no longer cope. I think my eyes also were the problem. If I had the money, I would buy some contacts to hide them, so I do not continue to look like something from a horror movie. My gaunt, malnourished looks did not help matters either. That was why I was grateful for my new job. I nned to eat as much as possible to fill my body and look healthy. I smiled to reduce the awkwardness. While some of them returned the smile, some looked annoyed and disgusted. I wondered whose job I might have taken. I knew Omegas loved to serve the Alphas. Still, I was the only one in Alpha Leo''s house today. He did not seem like the type to fuck the help, or maybe that rule only applied to me since I am the ''disced thief he took pity on''. I did not care, regardless. I had food, a ce to stay, wages to collect and a fated to fight for. They could look at me with all the hate they wanted. I just did not care. My skin was too thick for their shit. I went to my bunk, and a blonde woman was waiting there with a smile. She had blue eyes. She was too attractive for her own good. How can Alpha see me with people like this around him? I did not study them really until I saw the woman. All the Omegas were gorgeous. "They have had care, Amelia. Sure, we would look better in their situation. Throw them into our life, and let''s see how dreamy they would look. Overprivileged bitches," Aurora hissed, and I almost laughed but held it. The woman smiled at me, and I returned the smile, not knowing what to expect. "Hello, Amelia. I am Macy. The head Omega," She said with a warm smile, and I nodded, not knowing what to say. "This is the first time we will have a high breed with us. I want you to know you are most wee. If you need anything, feel free to reach out to me. Alpha said you are to work only in his house. So you will take up the cooking and cleaning entirely tomorrow. I did the cleaning today, so you can sleep in," She said and smiled at me. "Kappa Tom told me what happened. I want you to know he wille around. He has just been through a lot," She linked me and then winked at me. "I will also advise you to be careful with somedies here. You have taken their dream job," She linked me again, and I giggled, rxing. I guess I would not have a hard time with Macy after all. She left me to settle in. I managed to change into the Pyjamas avable and went to bed. I woke up early the following day and headed to the shower. It was an open ce, but I wasn''t shy. When I took off my towel, some of the Omegasughed. "My goddess, is that a skeleton?" Someone said, and Aurora made me turn to see who it was. It was red-haired. I could see why she would open her trap. She had a gorgeous body. I could easily subdue her, but I did not want to create a problem that would make them report me to Alpha Leo. I did not need anyone to tell me I was on probation, so I will be on my best behaviour. The bitch red at me, and I turned back to continue what I was doing. I finished up quickly, dressed up and went to work. Alpha Leo wasn''t home when I got there. So I cleaned the house and waited around. "Bring my breakfast to my office. Make it for two," I heard his voice in my head, and I jumped a bit. Rarely do people link me, but it seemed I would be getting a lot of that now. I made him turkey sandwiches with many cold cuts between the toasted bread. I did not like dry sandwiches, so I made them with sauce and mayo and added some heat. I ate much of it before cing them in a basket and heading to his office. I asked for directions on my way and arrived there. The office was beautiful. It had a reception and all. I wondered if this was what the Luna''s office would be like. I waited in the reception and was soon asked to go in. I wondered what he was doing in the office on Sunday, but I did not need to wonder much when I entered the office and found a pretty brte in the office with him. She looked sophisticated and alluring and was a delta like me. Only that she was a pure high-born, not a halfling like me. She also seemed to be into Alpha Leo. "Oh good, the help is here. I am famished," She said, turning to look at me, and she screamed from shock when she saw me. My eyes had that effect. I believed I was the only one with those eyes. "Can she see with that thing?" She asked, referring to my eyes. Alpha Leo ignored. I greeted Alpha Leo and refused to greet the bitch. I was also a bit defiant about it, and Alpha Leo noticed. I did not care. There was no way he would fire me for her sake. I did not care who she was. I did not work for her. I went to the table to arrange the food. "Leo, she is rude," the woman said, and he chuckled. "She didn''t do anything, Leah. You said you are hungry. You better fix yourself something from Amelia''s basket because I doubt she will serve you," he said, chuckling, and I heard the woman growled. "I am a guest in this pack. I came from the north to pay you a visit, Leo. The least I could get is some respect from your staff," sheined, and he said nothing. I served the sandwich and took Alpha Leo''s te to him. Then I went out of my way, ced one sandwich on a te, and dumped it in front of the woman. She looked at the te with disbelief. "I thought you asked her to make it for two?" She asked him, and he looked at me. "Well, I ate my share, miss, and I do not share my food," I said to her ndly, and Alpha Leo chuckled. "It''s Miss yman," She corrected me, but I did not care. I had passed my message.N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. " I am sorry I did not exin it better, Amelia. You may go. I will share mine with her," he told me, and I was a bit pissed. I made that sandwich good for him. I would have made a dry one for her if I knew she was in his office. "I doubt someone with Miss''s figure would appreciate that sandwich alpha," I said, packing up the basket and heading out. I grumbled all the way back to his house. When I got there, I found that the door I had locked was left open. I hurried inside, and I could pick up the scent of an omega. It wasn''t Macy''s scent, so I was curious. I knew only Macy was allowed toe to his house. I checked the entire bungalow and did not see anyone. Maybe they hade to see if I were around and left. I did not bother about it and found something productive to do. Alpha Leo returned in the evening with Leah yman, and Aurora began to boil. I never epted the rejection, so I will be in pain if anything transpires between them. I did not prepare for this. The woman entered with a small travel bag and looked about the ce as if it was a dump. "Why do you live like this? With all your money, you choose to live like this?" She said. "Tamia chose the house, and I loved it." He said that name rang a bell because it was the same as the evil Queen''s name. I wondered who this Tamia was. "Well, your ex-wife now lives in the pce and is Queen. You should upgrade, you know," the woman said, and I was dumbfounded. I cursed at myself for not being vast in current events. I should have paid more attention to what was happening in our world. How could I when I was busy trying to survive? I knew the King was the Queen''s second mate, but I never imagined that I would be fated to her ex- husband. I did not want to jump to a conclusion, but I was now curious because I suspected his behaviour toward me had much to do with her. "Take my bags to the room," Leah said, and I stood still and waited for Alpha Leo. She wasn''t the boss of me. "Fix the small guest room," He told me, and I nodded, d she won''t be sleeping in his room. I noticed the woman wasn''t happy. She came there with intentions to seduce him. I could see it. "A small room?" She asked. "Yes, Leah, I wasn''t happy you could not book a hotel. I will find you one tomorrow. There is a guest inn in.." He said, and she shook her head, trying to stop him. "It''s just a week; I will manage," she said, clearly knowing he would get a room but wanting to be in the same space with him. I wondered who she was, but I wouldn''t make her stay pleasant. Servant or not, Alpha Leo was mine. 05 A Plot (Book 2) 05 A Plot (Book 2) ~Leo~ Amelia surprised me. Other than the delicious sandwich, her attitude towards Leah was funny. I knew it was wrong because Leah was my guest, but I did not want to scold her in the presence of Leah. She was a Delta that had fallen on hard times. There was no point in rubbing it in, especially when Leah was a Delta like her. Deltas are very feisty. I knew that because I had the experience first-hand while married to Tamia. They always felt they needed to prove themselves because even though they were at the top, they were not among the first three and could be easily skipped. Although I said I would share the sandwich with Leah, I regretted it when I tasted it. It was delicious, just like all the meals Amelia had prepared for me. I wondered what her life must have been like where she came from. Amelia was a mystery to me. Usually, Delta''s were high-borns. Even if she were kicked off hernd, her family should have some money in the bank she could use to settlefortably elsewhere like all the high-borns from affected areas did. I doubted she was a criminal in her pack because criminals were executed along with their treacherous alphas. N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. How she ended up on the street as a petty thief was a mystery. Her eyes were also a mystery. Leah was just being mean when she asked if she was blind. Amelia''s eyes were gorgeous and alluring. Even though she was thin and almost gaunt looking. She could easilypete with all the beautiful women I know if she had proper care. I did not know why and how she ended up on the street, but I wouldn''t stick my nose in her business. I had done my best for her, hoping she would pick up from there and move on. Getting involved in her business would give her hope; I meant it when I rejected her. Whether she epted it or not was her business. At least I was free of the bond. I nned on scolding Amelia about my guest when I got home. She had no reason to act as she did; it would have given the impression that I was involved with her, which wasn''t true. I wasn''t ashamed of her, but I wasn''t involved with her. Leah enjoyed the meal, too, and she waited with me in the office. I was expecting her to leave for her hotel, but she didn''t and when I asked her why she told me she couldn''t get a room. I knew she was lying. Since I became the council head, Joan yman has always made it a duty to send her daughter to me. Sylvester, Marcel and Theodore had warned me about it now I understood why. It was as if Pam and Joan wanted to get their daughters as close to the top as possible. I also learned they were that way with Maurice Volkov before and after he settled down with Stephanie. Vino was even meaner than me. He did not spare Pem''s daughter a look. He had been about his daughters since they came into this world, and Imended him for his dedication. "So, where will you stay?" I asked Leah, and she smiled and shrugged. "I was hoping to spend the week with you," she said, trying to sound seductive, but her voice rolled off me as if it were nothing. I did not argue. I just took her home. The look on Amelia''s face when she saw Leah with me was priceless. Although she hid it immediately, I caught the look. I hoped she would get the message to ept the rejection and move on. I have done my best for her, giving her food, clothes, shelter and a job. I believe she was off on a good start in the east as long as she stopped being possessive of me because I belonged to no one. " The room is ready," Amelia told me, returning to the living room after I gave her the order to fix the small room for Leah. There were four rooms in my house altogether. I had converted one room to storage while sleeping in one. I deliberately gave Leah the small room so she would get the message and never try the stunt she tried with me again. "Take her things to the room," I told Amelia because I knew she wouldn''t do it if Leah asked her. I could swear I heard Amelia''s wolf growl, but I ignored it. She took the bag to the room, and it seemed she dumped it there because she was back too soon. "I have made dinner. Would you like to eat now so I can clean up after and leave?" She asked me politely, and I looked at her. "Did you make for two?" I asked her, and she did not answer because she had done the same thing she did in the morning. "You know I have a guest, and you did not make it for two," I said, sounding slightly angry. "I was beginning to wonder who was the boss," Leah said jokingly, and I was pissed. "Do not speak of matters that do not concern you. How I rte with my staff is none of your business, Leah. You were not supposed to be in my house. So be grateful I brought you home," I told her, and she was in shock. I knew she was shocked I would speak to her that way in front of Amelia. "Go and make something for my guest and set the table for me," I told Amelia sternly. She didn''t say anything and just walked away. I would have to speak to her when I am less irritated. "Your food is ready, Alpha; your guest can join you," She said, and I was amazed that she could whip something up in five minutes. Amelia had set the table for two, and I wondered where the extra came from. That was when I realised she must have served Leah her portion. "Did you serve Leah your portion?" I asked her, and she nodded. "It would have taken extra time to make something, and it is almost closing hours. I do not want to linger," she confessed, and I felt terrible that I might have been a bit hard on her. She had done her job. Leah was an unexpected guest. "Sit down and join me," I said, and she looked at me amazed. If I shared my sandwich with Leah, I could share my meal with Amelia. It would be wrong to send her to bed on an empty stomach. "This is wrong, Leo. She can''t respect you like this. No one eats with their help. Delta or not, she is your servant," Leah said, and Iughed. "And this is my home, so mind your business," I told her, and she was silent. "Alpha, I have eaten in the kitchen," Amelia said, reluctant to eat with me at the table. "I know," I said, knowing she was lying and trying to avoid the awkward situation. "I still want you to join me. So I know you did not poison the food," I teased her with a straight face, and she picked up a spoon with a smile, and we ate together. She was slow and a bit ufortable. We ate silently, and when we were done, Amelia cleared the table, cleaned up and said good night. I could see a tinge of worry in her eyes. I hoped she would move on, really. There was no love for her where I was concerned. I went to my room and locked the door with the key so Leah won''t get some ideas. I stayed there until morning. I waited until eight, when I knew Amelia would be in the house before leaving the room, but to my surprise, Amelia had not resumed her work. Leah was the one cooking in the kitchen. "Good morning, Leo," Leah said, frying bacon on the stove. "Where is Amelia?" I asked, and she shrugged. "You spoil her rotten. I doubt she thinks she needs to be punctual," Leah said. It was wrong for Amelia to be sloppy on her third day. Had my kindness made her feel she could do whatever she liked? Knowing that Macy would not be in the quarters, I decided to head there and wake Amelia up from sleep myself. I also nned on deducting some money for her tardiness. I got to the hall, and there was a lot of noise. It was as if they were fighting. I did not want them to pretend, so I did not link anyone and stealthily entered. The servants were gathered. They stood yelling and condemning someone in the middle. Macy was busy trying to calm them down. "Let us take the matter to Alpha. This is wrong, Jeana! Alpha Leo will be mad!" Macy was saying, and she sounded like she was crying. "What? Are you scared of the freak or something? There is just so much a freak Delta can do to us!" A voice said, responding to Macy. "She is a thief. We should deal with her and report after. You know how intolerant Alpha is to criminals. Why would he even let her work in his house, knowing she is a street rat and a thief? She had already tried to steal from him," I heard someone say, and knew I could not let it continue. "Halt!" I yelled with mymand, and the entire ce was silent. They looked at me and immediately bowed their heads. I approached them, and they parted to create a path for me to see what was happening in the centre. What I saw was rming. Amelia was in her underwear, with the silver bracelet on her wrist, and they had scratched and beaten her. That wasn''t all; her eyes were wolfish blue, also an unusual eye colour for a wolf, but that wasn''t what surprised me. I wondered how she could still hold on to her wolf while bound with silver. "Freak!" I heard someone call her, and I tried to look at who the person was. I pped her hard across the cheek, and the rest of them knew to be silent. "What happened here?" I asked, and Amelia''s wolf receded. It was as if she was holding on for me toe. Macy walked up to me with Tamia''s pearls in her hand. "Jeana found this in Amelia''s drawer. I walked in on the chaos. They had mped the silver on her wrist and began to beat her before I arrived. They imed she stole it from your house, and I know it belongs to Queen Tamia," Macy said, and I collected the pearls from her. "I know you had warned us that she steals, but I wasn''t expecting this from her. I did not want to believe it, Alpha, but they found it in her drawer," Macy added. I held the pearl in my fist and looked at Amelia. "Why did you take it? I thought you said all you needed was a job?" I asked, but she was speechless. She finally let her tears fall as if she knew there was no winning for her. I wondered how often she might have been in a situation like this to make her feel there was no need to defend herself. I looked at her for a while and knew she did not do it. Someone was trying to set her up. Amelia wasn''t the type to cry when caught red-handed. She had a smart mouth and was defiant. She had been wronged. What was I thinking, putting a delta amid omegas? They wanted to lynch her. "Who found it?" I asked, and they pointed at a red-haired called Jeana. I asked her to step out. "What were you looking for in her dresser? Is that how you snoop about, searching through people''s belongings?" I asked her, and she shook her head, looking scared. "She was acting funny when she arrivedst night, Alpha. I watched her look around before cing something in the drawer. I had to check because of what Macy told us you said," She defended herself. "Who mped the silver on her wrist?" I asked Macy, and she pointed at Mirabel, the maid that used to cook my food. She was horrible at it too. "And who incited the mob to join hands and beat Amelia?" I asked, and Macy pointed at the two other girls I did not know. "There will be no wages for all of you this month for daring to beat my chef. You have no right to dish out punishments. She is above you all!!" I dered and looked at Macy and shook my head. "It seems they are beyond your control now," I said, and she bowed. I walked to the women that incited the mob and pped them hard. "Next time you try this shit, I will relieve you two of your duties," I said. Then moved to Mirabel and Jeana and pped them too. "How dare you try to frame someone just because you don''t like them?" I asked them, and they were crying. They were too afraid to deny what they did. It was just as I had thought. "You two are no longer needed here. Pack your things and leave," I said to them. Then looked at the women and looked at Amelia on the floor. I was wrong to tell them she steals and they should keep an eye on her. That was why they did what they did. I was also wrong to send her to live with the Omegas. "Pack her things and move them to my house. She has no business being here." I ordered Macy, took the sheets off a bed, wrapped them around Amelia, and then carried her out of the ce. "Don''t get used to this treatment, Moonlight. I just love your food," I teased her, but she remained silent, still shocked at what had happened. It was going to be temporary. Until I could find her proper amodation close by because there was no way I was letting go of good food. 06 Teritorial (Book 2) 06 Teritorial (Book 2) ~Amelia~ I felt awkward eating with Alpha Leo. I wasn''t lying when I told him I had eaten already. I never joked with my food, but that was his way of apologising for being short with me for not including Leah. It wasn''t my fault because I did not know she would follow him home. When he told her to mind her business, the look on her face was priceless. I was full, so I ate very slowly. After I was done for the night, I left the house and returned to the servant quarters. I was worried about my night because I was yet to ept his rejection. I was scared that they would get together and I would suffer the pain. The truth was I did not want to writhe in agony in the servant quarters. It was bad enough that most of the Omegas hated me. I did not want to give them something to talk about. I lingered outside the quarters for two hours, waiting to see if something would happen so I could suffer outside, away from everyone, but when nothing happened, I went in. I did not bother to shower. Some Omegas were still awake, but the lights were out, so I just removed my clothes. I was too tired to wear my pyjamas, so I went to bed in my underwear. A searing pain on my writs woke me up. I woke up immediately, and there was a crowd by my bunk. "Theif!" I heard some people yell, and I wondered what had happened. "Drag her out!" Someone yelled, and before I could say anything, someone pulled me by the hair and began to drag it out. Aurora wanted to take over, but I tried to stop her. I did not want people to know I wasn''t affected by silver like other wolves. "What is going on?" I managed, a bit angry, and someone pped me. They began to beat me, and I doubted they were using just hands. They were wing, punching and kicking me on the floor. The pain was so much that Aurora took over. There was no point hiding that silver did not affect me so much. I did not shift, but it lessened the pain. The silver normally impeded my healing, but that was all. I had ess to my wolf but not all my functions. I could not link anyone or shift fully, but my strength remained, and I could partially shift. I contemted fighting them and ripping most of them to shreds, but they were too many for me to be sessful, and if what they were saying was true, I knew I was finished. There was no need to add murder to the charges. If they used me of stealing, Alpha Leo would believe them. He had caught me stealing once and wanted to lock me up for it; I dreaded what he would do if I were used of stealing shit and killing Omegas. I did not want to die, so I bore the pain and controlled my rage. I heard Macy''s voice yelling at them and begging them to stop. They eventually listened, and I was made to kneel in their midst. Though on my knees, I refused to bow my head or cry. I looked at them defiantly to let them know they were too little to break me. Macy was in tears, and I saw her holding a pearl ne. I knew whose ne it was. It belonged to Alpha Leo''s ex-wife. I knew I was finished. There was no way I could exin my way out of this. I had never won defending myself. Seeing the pearl in Macy''s hands, I knew my days of bliss were over. I had just two days. Two days of peace. I wasn''t fully settled yet, and they did this to me. I knew I would be locked up and then back on the streets in no time. Macy asked me to exin myself, and I held my tongue. There was no use. The omegas wanted to continue their actions, but Macy tried to stop them. She even tried to scare them by telling them Alpha Leo would be mad, but I knew he wouldn''t be. When I heard his voice, I gave uppletely. All I could think of was what I would do out there alone again. I wasn''t going to be allowed to hang around the pack. "So this is it," I thought to myself. Aurora receded the moment I saw him; I knew she was waiting to see him. The look of disappointment in his eyes when they told him that I had stolen from him made me lose the battle with my tears. When he asked me why I did it, I could not say anything; there was no point in speaking. I just braced myself for what was toe. What Alpha Leo did and how he handled the matter shocked me. He was indeed meant for me. I did not need to speak for him to know that I was set up. There was nothing to prove I was innocent, yet he figured it out. I had never been grateful for anything in my life; I was grateful when he was dishing out punishments to the Omegas for messing with me the way they did. I was grateful to the moon. Macy took off the silver while Alpha dealt with the bitches. The p Jeana and Mirabel got was pleasing. I figured one of them went to the Alpha''s house and took the ne. I decided I would be vignt onward. After Alpha Leo was done with all of them, I expected him to leave while I got ready to resume my duties, but he did the most incredible thing for me. He told Macy to pack my things and take them to his house, then wrapped me with the bedsheet and carried me out of ce. I was in shock. He called me Moonlight, and I knew it was because of my eyes, then he told me it was because of my food. I was too shocked and grateful to react. Alpha Leo did not know that no one had ever carried me before. We got to his house, and I held on to him while he managed to open his front door and carry me in. I smelled some cooking, and I was mad that bitch was making herself useful, but I was enjoying the treatment I was getting, so I held on. All that the omegas did have be a distant memory. Looking at it, it got me a better deal. Now I would be living in Alpha Leo''s house. My wolf and I were giddy just thinking about it. I let his earthy scent engulf me. He took me to thest room and ced me gently on the bed. "I think you should sleep and then freshen up. You can rest for today," He said, which would have been tempting had someone not been in my kitchen. "I am fine, Alpha. I will just quickly make breakfast and then freshen up before I carry out my chores," I said, and he shook his head. "Leah is cooking," He said, and I did not know when a growl escaped my lips. I mped my hand over my mouth, immediately knowing I was out of line, but he did not find it offensive. He chuckled. "Very well, have it your way," he said, leaving me in the room. Two minutester, Macy brought in my clothes, and she was all smiles. "Guess the moon is on your side," she told me, and I did not answer. I knew it wasn''t her fault, and she tried, but I did not trust Omegas anymore. I just smiled and nodded. She excused herself, and I wore my pyjamas and rushed to the kitchen. Leah was ting the food. It also looked good, and I could not have it. So I smiled at her. "Miss yman. I can set the table while you freshen," I said, and she smiled at her hardbour and nodded. "I do not know the deal between you and Leo, but you are not included," She said, and I nodded innocently. She was about to leave, and then she looked at me. "I know what you are trying to do, Delta. He is above your station. ying victim and having him carry you to his house won''t work. Men like Leo do not mess with the help. He is only into the best. He can''t go from a queen to a servant," she said, eyeing me, and I nodded. "I guess you are aiming too high, too, Delta," I said with a smirk on my face because she was nowhere near Tamia. She raised her hands but then put them down. I wished she had tried it. I knew Leo would kick her out in a heartbeat. That much I was sure of now. She walked away from the kitchen. I looked at the food, and I decided to mess it up. I added more salt and pepper. Even a starving wolf would not be able to eat it. Then I ced it nicely on the table and made myself a delicious submarine sandwich. I had prepped for it the night before, so it was easy and quick. I also made it for Leo and the bitch but hid the extras. Leo looked at me where I stood in the kitchen. That was the best part of the open-space setting. He saw the sandwich, and I bet he thought that was what he would be having. Leah joined him. "Come, I made breakfast for us since your help did not resume her duties on time," She said. "She has a name, Leah. Do not refer to her as the help again," He warned her and went to sit at the table. Clearly, he wasn''t the bacon, eggs and baked beans type because I could see he wanted something else. Maybe I shouldn''t have spoiled it after all, but I did not care. Alpha Leo took a bite of the meal and spat it out immediately. It took a lot of effort not tough. Leah did the same and then looked in my direction. "You bitch! You messed it up!" she growled, and I looked at her defiantly. "I just ced it on the table as you asked me to, Miss yman," I said, and Alpha Leo drank water immediately. "Make me a sandwich," he said, ignoring Leah. "Leo, she ruined the meal. It wasn''t like this," She said, wanting some form of justice. "What do you expect will happen when you meddle with her work? You are a guest, Leah, and have no business cooking for me. Besides sabotaged or not, I wanted the sandwich all along," He said, and I smiled. N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. I ted the sandwich for both of them and served it, then carried the tes away. I started cleaning the living room. Alpha Leo stood up after eating. "Casper will take you to your hotel. I need to go to the office now," He said, standing up, and I wanted tough. I looked in their direction, and the look on her face was priceless. I knew she wanted to protest, but alpha Leo had returned to his room. I giggled, and I made sure she heard me. "We have to talkter," I heard Alpha Leo''s voice in my head, and I was curious. 07 At Least Try (Book 2) 07 At Least Try (Book 2) ~Amelia~ Alpha Leo left the house ten minutester. He did not say a word to Leah, and I knew she was hurt, but I could not be bothered. She was shameless not to have gotten the message. After Alpha left, I turned to his guest, who was still dumbfounded. "Do you need me to help you pack, Miss yman?" I asked politely with a smirk, and she was furious. She stood up and growled at me, but she did not advance. I dared her to. I wished Alpha had let her stay longer so I could deal with her, but I believed her exit was for the best. "I will be back. You''ll see." She said to me, trying topose herself, but I doubted that would happen. She went into the room while I continued my chores. I was yet to shower. I did not n to shower until Leah was out of the house so I could lock the door with a key this time and shower. There was no way I was letting the omegas set me up twice. Soon Leah exited with her bag and sat on the couch to wait for Beta Casper to take her to her hotel. I ignored herpletely and did my Job, ensuring everything was clean. "You will always be a maid and a cook to Leo. He will never fancy you," She said with a bored tone, and I ignored her. My intentions towards the Alpha were my business alone; I did not need to discuss or argue with anyone. She was free to have her opinion. "Everything about you screams ugly. Your eyes look like you are blind. I wonder if you even see colour. Your gaunt-looking face. You are like a walking skeleton. Have you seen Queen Tamia or his ex-fated, Amanda? You can neverpete with them. You are just a street rat he took pity on, and you will remain like that. Seeing you, You have no idea how to get a man. I will advise you to pack your shit and move on before you get burnt, little girl," She said, and I was d she admitted she was an old woman. "d you know you are too old," I said to her, smiling. "I wouldn''t be wasting my breath on someone I do not feel threatened by. So I will take your insults as apliment because I have given you aplex. Unlike you, I do not have to lie to get his attention or stay in his home. So maybe my naivety is paying off after all," I said to her with a smile, and she hissed at me. There was a knock on the door, and I knew her ride was here. "Your ride is here, Miss yman. It was nice meeting you," I said and went to open the door for Beta Casper. "Good Morning, Beta," I said with a bow, and he smiled. "Heard what happened this morning, Amelia. I am d you are okay," He said, and I was surprised Alpha had told him already. "You are kind, Beta. I am fine," I said, stepping aside so he could enter. "Leah," He said, and she stood up. "Carry the bag," She ordered me, and I smiled. "I do not work for you, Miss yman. It would be best if you carried your bags yourself," I said, and Beta Casper chuckled. "Carry your bag, Leah. I do not have all day," He said, sounding short. She did as he said, and they left. I locked the door, put away my cleaning supplies and showered. The bath in the room Alpha gave me had a beautiful mirror. I decided to look at myself in it. What Leah said did not get to me, but I wanted to be sure I was gaining the right amount of weight. It had only been three days, so there might be no result, but there was no harm in checking. I stood in front of the mirror naked and looked at myself. Compared to other people, my eyes did look weird. I was very skinny, but it wasn''t my fault. Living on an empty stomach was hard, and this was the result. I knew I would get there soon. "Don''t worry, Amelia. We will gain some weight. I can''t wait to be at full capacity," Aurora said, and I giggled. She was just as skinny as I was. I noticed we really did look hungry, and maybe that was why Alpha Leo rejected us. Something Leah said caught my attention. She said he had a wife and then a fated, so why were we fated? Although he had broken the bond with me, I wondered why we had a bond in the first ce. I was tempted to ask him, but I knew it would be dangerous, and it might cost me my Job because he was done with the bond. He could not feel it, and I knew it. I left the mirror and took a shower. I freshened up and went to make myself useful. Alpha Leo did not return untilte in the night. I waited for him too. He entered the house looking tired and had some documents in hand. He had somehow brought work home. I wondered if he ever rested. He sat on the couch in the living area and unbuttoned his shirt to rx. All the while, he did not speak to me. There was an awkwardness in the air, so I opted to break the ice. "Should I serve you tea or food or..." I said, and he shook his head before I could finish. "I do not need anything," He said, and I went to sit at the dining table. "You creep me out when you do that, Amelia; please go to bed. I can take care of myself," He said, and even though his tone was gentle, I felt it. I did not know why it got to me, but it did. I got off the chair and headed towards the room. "Wait," he said, and I waited. "I did not mean it that way. It has nothing to do with your eyes. It''s just that you sit there and just stare at me. I do not like it," he exined, and I felt it was kind of him to try. "It''s okay, Alpha; I will go to bed now," I said, and he shook his head. "We need to talk," he said, and those words were repeated. I stood, and he told me to sit on a couch. So I sat on the one-sitter. "Why were you acting possessive? You had no respect for my guest. I know she was unweed, but you were supposed to be nice to my guests," he asked me, and I did not know how to answer his question. "You are sending the wrong message, Amelia. I have no bond with you. I know you are yet to ept, but that is the truth. Acting possessive of me is wrong. I do not want a mate bond. If I am going to be in a rtionship, it should be on my terms, not because fate wills it. It would be best if you were not hanging onto the bond, Amelia. Do not let it dictate to you who you should be with. I am sure you will move on easily once you ept it," he said, and I did not know if he wanted me to say anything or just listen. I had two concerns, my bond and my Job. My Job was the most important right now, so I held my tongue. "ept the bond, go out and meet people. Forget about me, Amelia. I cannot love you. Everything I am doing is because I know you have had a hard life. You look it. I do not know what happened with you, and I won''t ask you, but I do not want your hardship to continue; that is why I have done all I have done. Though you might be a bit wild, I also noticed you are an honest and good woman. Do not do this to yourself. Do not hang around a man hoping he will love you back. Build your self- esteem and self-worth and move on," He said gently, and I felt tears stinging my eyes. "If I looked normal, would you have wanted to try?" I asked him, and he looked shocked. Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org. "It has nothing to do with your looks. There is nothing wrong with you. You are a bit underweight and have started gaining in three days. It has nothing to do with your eyes, either. They are unusual but gorgeous. They look like full moons. Nothing is wrong with you, but I cannot love anyone because fate wills it. It has to be on my terms. I will treat you as my younger sister and give you the life I feel you deserve, but I won''t give you more, Amelia. I won''t give you more because I can''t." He said, and I summoned the courage to speak. "Bond aside, you should at least try. If it doesn''t work out, then at least we tried. I might not be at the level of your exes, but You could at least get to know me first. I am not asking for too much, am I?" I asked him, and he looked at me surprised. "Who told you I had exes?" he said, and I was disappointed that was all he could pick from what I said. I had to tell him the truth. "Miss yman said other than your ex-wife, you had a fated," I said, and he cursed. "What brought about that conversation?" He said, sounding angry, and he was using hismand. I could not fight it, so I told him what Leah told me, and his eyes turned ck. It alternated from yellow to ck and then settled on ck. I was afraid. "Do not mention that I had a fated ever to me again," he warned me, and I nodded quickly, hoping to excuse myself. The conversation had not ended, and I doubted he would discuss it again. He dismissed me, and I rushed to my bedroom, still afraid of what I had just experienced. "Hang in there," Aurora said, and I ignored her. Alpha Leo scared the hell out of me just now. Morning came. I showered and dressed up, and left my room. To my surprise, Omegas cleaned the ce, and Alpha Leo was on the couch. I was afraid that I had lost my Job. Maybe I should have kept my mouth shut. He looked at me, and I greeted him quickly. "I am sorry I overslept, Alpha I.." I thought I might not have resumed when he expected, and he shook his head. "No, Let them clean the house. We are going out today. We need to buy you some clothes. I feel like resting a bit today, and you need clothes," He said, and I frowned at him. I swear the omegas paused to be sure they heard Alpha Leo right. I did not want to s say anything or spoil it. I nodded immediately and smiled. A day with him was a reasonable effort on his part. I did not know if he was trying, but I was hopeful. I knew he was kind and ruthless, so this might be his kind side. On my fourth day already, Alpha was taking me shopping. I could not believe it was happening. "Baby steps, Amelia, we are taking baby steps," Aurora said. I doubted it, but I let it be my reality for now. 08 Moon Eyed Beauty (Book 2) 08 Moon Eyed Beauty (Book 2) ~Leo~ I knew I was harsh on Amelia. The moment she ran to her room, I felt ashamed of myself. The fact that I did not want a rtionship with her did not mean that I should scare her like that. It wasn''t her fault that I messed my life up the way I did, but she was too good for me. When I returned home and found her still in her work clothes, I figured she was a good person. She wasn''t a lying schemer trying to seduce her way into my life. I appreciated her, honestly. When she told me what Leah told her, I was mad. Was Leah trying to give Amelia aplex? I did not find it funny, and I knew that was why she asked if my rejection had anything to do with her looks. Honestly, it didn''t, and I had told her my truth. I hoped she would ept the rejection and move on because I felt nothing towards her. The mate bond was broken on my end. When she asked me to try, I knew she was hopeful. Soon she will find out there is no hope where I am concerned. Being a delta breed, I decided to treat her as one. For now, I would see her as a little sister, so the maid status had to end. I called the omegas to clean the house, but Amelia will still cook. I trusted her not to harm me. She needed a wardrobe change because I knew her clothes won''t fit soon. She had gained some weight in a few days, and I hoped she would reach her ideal weight soon to be more confident. When I told her I would be taking her shopping, the light in her eyes let me know she wasn''t angry. I got up from the couch and decided we would go shopping in town. There were nice stores where we could buy casual outfits and outfits meant for outings. I want her to get used to the fact that we are not dating first, and then I can take her out to functions so she can socialise. Amelia looked at the road smiling, and I caught a glimpse of a dimple on her cheek. She looked very innocent, but I knew she had a story. Her eyes looked haunted sometimes. Not wanting to get personal, I had decided not to ask her and would keep it that way. "I am sorry aboutst night. There are certain things I do not like to talk about," I finally said, and she looked at me. I took my eyes off the road to look at her, and she smiled. Then I returned my focus to the road. "It''s Okay, Alpha, I won''t speak of her again," she said, understanding what I wanted, and I was grateful. I never wanted to hear or see anything that had to do with that bitch Amanda again. "Thank you for the kind gesture," She said, and I smiled and stepped on the elerator. I had not had fun in a long time. I had fun with Amelia. We stopped to order fast food. She had a thing for ice cream and told me she could count how many times she had had ice cream in her life. It touched me because I knew it wasn''t based on choice, but I did not let it show. Amelia had a smile on her face as if she had no care in the world, and her mood lifted my spirit. I got her casual clothes, and we bought two sizes more than her now because we hoped she would gain some weight soon. She was a beauty already, but I knew she would look better with some extra weight. We finally ended up at a high-end store for dinner dresses and lingerie. Amelia was shy at first, but then she loosened up. Everyone thought she was my girlfriend and treated her with the utmost respect. She seemed ufortable about it, but I told her it was okay. At least this way, people won''t be getting ideas and being hopeful that they have a chance with me. We were leaving the store when a woman entering stopped us. She looked familiar, but I could not remember her. "Alpha," She said, and I smiled at her. I was trying to ce her face, but I couldn''t. "Joyce Monroe," She said, and I was shocked because she was one of the women that worked with my mother when my mother was luna. I had not seen her in ages. It was odd. "How are you ?" She asked me, and I smiled at her. She looked around and pointed at a cafe close by so we could chat. I did not want to be rude, so I obliged and had Amelia follow us. She looked at Amelia strangely, and I hoped it did not affect Amelia. We sat at the table outside, and a waiter came to serve us iced coffee. "Do you still hear from Luna Martha?" She asked about my mother, and I shook my head. "Thest time I heard from them was when they sent me a postcard from River Ind," I said, and she smiled. "Your parents always wanted to retire to that ce. I doubt they will be returning soon," She said, and I frowned at how confident she was about them not returning. She gave me the vibe that she knew something and kept it to herself. It was odd that since my parents handed the pack over to me, they had yet to return. I had considered visiting, but they did not want to be found. "Anyway, how are you? You became head alpha of the east in a short period, and I heard of the great things you did in the north," she said, and her smile faded. "I also heard what happened with Tamia. How are you holding up?" She asked me, and I smiled to tell her I was fine. "They are fated, So I am fine," I told her, and she nodded with approval. Then looked at Amelia with curiosity and disgust. "And who is this?" She asked me, and I smiled. "My girlfriend," I lied, wiping away the scowl on her face. "Those eyes," she said, and I cleared my throat because I was tired of people pointing out what was wrong with Amelia''s eyes. "There is nothing wrong with her eyes," I said, getting slightly offended, and she shook her head. "Not that, Alpha Albert. Those.." she said, thinking about something, then spoke to Amelia. "Where are your parent, dear?" She asked, and Amelia looked at me. I told her it was okay to answer. "I grew up in an orphanage. I do not have parents," She confessed, and I was surprised at what I had just heard. "Where?" Joyce asked. "A small vige in Gad called Vestir," she answered, and the woman nodded. "Did the orphanage tell you anything about where you are from?" she asked her, and I felt the questions were getting too much, but I did not want to interfere because I wanted to know too. I should have asked the questions, but I did not want her to see it as if I were interested. So learning this way was okay too. "My mother was an omega. She dumped me at the orphanage when I was four. They kicked me out when I turned eighteen. That is all," She said, and I wondered how long she had been on her own. How did she survive? Gad isn''t a very good ce for vulnerable people. It was dangerous for a youngdy to roam the streets of Gad at night. "Why are you asking all of these questions?" I asked Joyce nicely, and she looked at me. "There is a Volkov lineage with these eyes, the Stepanovs, but they are no more. I am surprised to see this. The bloodline was eradicated because the head of the family then, Adrik Stepanov, challenged Dimitri Volkov, Maurice''s father, for the Lordship. I heard it was a huge thing then. Dimitri was to be inaugurated, and then his cousin, Adrik, challenged him. They said his eyes were like the moon, and they were right. I have seen his picture in history family tree books. He was also immune to silver, too and very strong. He was formidable, but Dimitri had the upper hand. After Adrik lost the challenge, that bloodline was wiped out for treason, and that was it. Her eyes look like the moon. That was why I was curious, but maybe it is just a coincidence and knowing her mother was an Omega just throws me offpletely," She said, but it didn''t throw me off because I remembered Amelia had ess to her wolf even after they bound her with silver. I kept that bit to myself and smiled at Joyce. "Since he was killed for treason, then we can agree she is not his descendant," I said, and she agreed with a smile. "They have pictures of him in the historic library and online. Check it out when you can. The eyes are identical," she said and smiled at Amelia. "It is a pleasure meeting you. You have big shoes to fill. Tamia was a darling," she said, and there was some awkwardness in the air. I paid the tab, and we left. The ride back home was silent. I knew Amelia was thinking of what Joyce had said, and so was I because silver did not affect her as it should. She insisted on carrying the bags when we got home, but I refused. I was a gentleman, after all, so I carried the shopping bags, and we entered the house quietly. "Do not let what Joyce said spoil our day," I said to her, and she smiled and nodded, but I doubted that was just it. Joyce had sent her down memoryne with those questions. I honestly did not know what to do to help. "Those days are behind you, you know," I told her, and she looked at me. I could see the sadness in her eyes. "They aren''t really, Alpha. I am still a charity case," she said and looked at the bags at my feet. Owned by N?velDrama.Org. "I am very grateful for today. " I had fun," She said, picking up the bags at my feet. While she headed to her room, I cursed at myself. Maybe I was supposed to be her happily ever after, but I had no joy to give her. She came a bit too late. I sat on my couch and pulled out my phone to browse the inte for what Joyce had told me. I typed Adrik Stepanov in the search engine box, and a picture finally appeared. The eyes of the man looked like Amelia''s. He was deceased, along with his entire bloodline. I looked in the direction of Amelia''s room, and I made a silent promise to myself. If I cannot be her family, I will try and find her real family. I decided I would take her to the north in two months. 09 Personal Purchase (Book 2) 09 Personal Purchase (Book 2) ~Amelia~ I returned to my room in a low spirit. Alpha Leo came out of his shell today, but my experience with Joyce was low. He even introduced me as his girlfriend, and I should have been thrilled about it but knowing he was determined never to go that far made it roll off me. I sat at the foot of the bed and looked around me. He had broken some personal rules on my behalf, but it was out of pity, and that was one thing I detested. I hated pity because it screamed that I was in a bad situation next to hopeless. I fought my tears. "Why are you emotional," Aurora asked, and I chuckled. "Our skin isn''t that thick, Aurora. Some things hurt. I might not have been bothered before, but how everyone has looked at metely and described me, especially around Alpha Leo, bothers me. How would he want to try with a creepy-looking freak? I am not stupid, and neither are you. We both know my eyes are a minus for us." I told my wolf, and she was silent a bit. "So, are we giving up?" She asked, and I chuckled. "No, we aren''t. I am just bracing myself for the days ahead," I said, and my wolf was delighted. I wondered why she would think I would just walk away from what was rightfully mine. I might be a second chance mate, but I nned to be a good one. It is obvious he had a bad experience the first time, and maybe that is why he is guarded with me. I will investigate what happened to understand his mindset. No way will he see me as a sister. I won''t settle for that. I wiped away my tears and went to wash my face in the bathroom to look fresh. I headed out to make something for both of us to eat. Seeing all we had was iced coffee; I knew he would be hungry. I exited my room and found him busy on hisptop. I guess the fun was over, and it was back to work for both of us. I did not speak to him, so I won''t break his concentration. I just walked towards the kitchen. "Still up?" He asked me with a gentle voice. "It''s just eight in the evening, Alpha, and Iced coffee can''t serve as dinner," I chuckled. He did the same. At least I had said something to brighten up our moods. "Well, in that case, I would want a sandwich, and I want you to show me how to make mine, just in case I want one when you are not around," He said, and I looked at him and smiled. I held my response and nodded. The truth was, I nned to always be there. He will soon find out. Alpha Leo got into the kitchen with me and wore an apron. He knew his way about the kitchen, so I guess he must have been making his meals for a while. "Shall we?" he asked with a smile, and I nodded. Making the sandwiches was fun. He asionally tried to crack a joke, and I realised he wasn''t such aplicated guy. I guess things happened to him that toughened him up. I hoped he would be able to open up one more time. After our adventure in the kitchen, which we both over-ate, we retired to our rooms, and he said good night for the first time. I didn''t let it get to my head, but it was an improvement. Six weeks passed, and I had gained weight. It was amazing watching it slowly pile on. I was still slim, but I wasn''t looking like a skeleton. Alpha Leo was kind to me. He even stopped me from cleaning his house, but I refused. After what the omegas tried to do to me, I did not trust them, so I insisted that I needed the exercise. Alpha Leo finally gave me a day off, and I had some money to go shopping, so I knew exactly what I wanted to get. I have been looking forward to it, hoping it will change how he looks at me, sees me as normal, and make him want to try. My fingers were crossed. I might not have cared about my looks in the past, but I did now. I had a reason to care. I was too excited, and Alpha Leo noticed it when he joined me in the living room in the morning. I ced our meals on the table, and he sat down to eat. We had started eating together at the table, and I was grateful for the gesture. There was gossip in the pack that I was sleeping with the Alpha, and I let it fly. As long as I wasn''t the one spreading the rumour, it was okay, and maybe the rumour might be true someday. "Why are you happy?" Alpha Leo asked me while we sat at the table. "I am going shopping with my sry," I told him, and he frowned. "I thought I got you everything you needed," He asked because he had made it a duty to take me shopping on Saturdays. We didn''t buy much but had fun outside, away from the settlement. I shook my head with a smile. "This one is personal. You''ll see," I said, and he frowned at me, wondering what was personal that he would see. Realising how it sounded, I shook my head immediately andughed. "Not that kind of personal," I said, and he looked relieved. The relief in his eyes was hurtful, but I let it brush past. After the meal, I cleared the table and did the dishes, then went to prepare to leave. I wore tight Jeans that fitted me nicely and a blouse that showed a little cleavage. I admired myself in the mirror and was d. I could look at myself in the mirror for the first time and not feel bad. I knew I looked good, even better than those omegas. I was hot. I nodded with approval and left my room. Alpha Leo was sitting on his couch, and I wondered why he had not left for the office yet. "So you know your way..." He started and then stopped when he looked at me. The pause was long that I felt something was off about my outfit. I began to search for myself. "No, no, there is nothing wrong with you. You look nice," he said, and I looked at him and smiled. "Thank you, Alpha. I am heading out," I said, and he stopped me. "Do you know your way to town?" He asked, and I nodded. I was roaming the streets before I ended up in his house, but I knew he was talking about transportation. "I discussed it with Delta Gabriel, and he said he would take me to town," I told him, and he nodded slowly. "He didn''t tell me he was going anywhere?" Alpha Leo said, and my smile dropped. I knew the Delta had to take permission from Alpha Leo before he could take me out. "Then I will use a cab," I said, not wanting to get Gabriel in trouble. "No, Let him take you. Ehm, if you need anything, you can call me," he said, and I wondered how I would call him without a cell phone. "Take," he said, handing me a small phone, and I looked at it. "I can''t, Alpha. It''s your phone," I said, and he smiled. "Yes, It is my other phone. My main number is on it. You call me in case you need anything, and I can call you in case I need anything," he said with a smile. I epted the phone and thanked him. I wanted to head out when he stopped me. "We can go to the office together. Gabriel wille and get you from there," he told me, and I nodded. We headed out. While walking, people were staring at us. I could see jealous stares and lustful stares. I did not get it. It was a norm for a week now, so I ignored it. "Is it a date?" Alpha Leo asked me while we walked, and Iughed. "No, I asked him to take me to town to buy what I wanted," I said, refusing to tell him what I nned to purchase. "I see," he said. "Then why not have a kappa take you," he said, and I shook my head. "Please, alpha, I do not want any kappa near me," I said, and I could hear the fear in my voice. He stopped walking and looked at me. "You acted the same way the day we met. Do you have issues against Kappas?" He asked me, and I shook my head, but he knew I was lying and could see it in his eyes. "I will respect your silence, Amelia, but don''t lie to me again. It does not suit you," he said, and I looked away, ashamed that I was caught in a lie. We continued to walk until we got to his office. He asked me to wait in his main office with him, but I just wanted to sit at the reception. I did not want to piss him off, so I obeyed. While I sat, I realised if I did not contact Delta Gabriel, he would not know I was ready and where to find me. I tried to link the Delta but met silence. Where was he? "Alpha, may I go look for Delta Gabriel?"I asked him, and he looked at me. "I sent him on an errand. He will soon return, and then he can take you to town," he said, and I nodded and sat down. Deep down, I began to suspect alpha Leo did not want me to go to town with his Delta. So I stood up. "Where are you going?" he asked me. ''Since Delta Gabriel is busy, I will just use a cab. I better leave now so I can get to the main road on time to get one," I said, and he shook his head. "Sit down. Casper will take you to town," he said, and I wondered why he would rather his beta take me to town and not the Delta. He needed his beta more than his Delta. I just held my peace and did not say anything. "Beta Casper is mated; Delta Gabriel isn''t," Aurora said in my head, and as much as I did not want to believe her exnation, it sounded usible. He did not ask me about my movement until I went to dress up. Was he ufortable with me looking like this? The thought alone made me want to laugh, but I held it. Thirty minutester. Beta Casper entered the office, and Alpha Leo looked at him. "I want you to take Amelia to town. She wants to buy something," he told the beta, then looked at me. "I do not know what you want to buy, but you can use my card," He said and handed me his credit card. I was in shock, but I managed topose myself. I wanted to reject the offer because I wanted to spend the money I earned. He had already spent much on me; I did not want to be a sponge. I also knew I dared not reject his kindness. So I took it, but I did not n to use it. "Thank you, Alpha," I said, following Beta Casper out of the office. The ride to town was silent, and I was d I did not have much to do. Beta Casper was deliberately quiet because he used to talk to me, but today he was silent. I did not want to annoy him, so I held my tongue.Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org. ''Where are we going?" he asked me, finally speaking. "Eye clinic," I said, and he paused. "What for?" he asked, and I smiled. " Contacts. I do not want people looking at me like a freak, so I want to get contact lenses," I told him, and he nodded slowly. "Did you tell alpha," he asked me, and I shook my head. "I doubt he cares about things like that," I said, chuckling, and he did not respond. Delta Gabriel had helped me book an appointment to be quick. So I just went in for my appointment when we arrived. Beta Casper waited in his truck outside. After the examinations, it was decided that my vision was okay, so they offered fashionable contact lenses. There were various colours, but I opted for something regr. I chose the honey-coloured lense and paid for it from my wages. I got the whole Kit and two extras, along with the solution. I left the Clinic and found Beta Casper waiting in the truck. He frowned when he saw me. I knew I looked different, and I had a broad smile. I looked around the street, and all I got were looks of approval. No one squinted to look at me. They just nced and looked away like they looked at normal people. I felt normal for the first time. I got into the passenger''s seat and told him I was done. "I did not bother to ask him if I looked nice. The point of it all was looking normal. 10 Effort (Book 2) 10 Effort (Book 2) ~Leo~ Amelia had be insanely gorgeous. The pack members were gossiping about me sleeping with her. I allowed it because I did not want anyone to exploit her. She was vulnerable. When she dressed up to go to town, I was tempted to have her change her outfit, but I did not want to sound possessive or controlling. I had no reason to, so I just asked her questions instead. When she told me Gabriel was taking her, I wasn''tfortable. He was indeed free for the day, but I chose that moment to link him and send him on an errand. I did not know why I did it, but I did. I thought she would wait for me to finish so I could take her, but she seemed in a hurry, so I asked Casper to take her. I would have preferred I sent her with a Kappa, but she seemed to have a phobia for them. I knew they doubled asw enforcement, which might be why she hated them so much. Regardless, Casper was the only safe option I could think of that would protect her out there. So I let him take her to town. Three hours passed, and there was no charge on my credit card. I wondered what they were doing in town, so I opted to call Casper to find out where they were. It took a while before Casper answered, so I had topose myself. "Where are you?" I asked him. "On our way back, Alpha," he said, and I sighed with relief. "Well, I am going home," I told him, and he hung up. I entered my house and sat down on the couch, waiting. I got restless and then went to the kitchen to see what I could fix for myself. The truth was I lived by myself for a while. Amelia had been my onlypany for over a month, so I was bound to feel her absence. I thought of how I acted throughout the morning andughed at myself. I was overprotective of her. I took a beer from the fridge and opened it. "Are we liking her?" ck asked me, and I almost spat out my beer. ck had been silent on Amelia''s matter because I med him for what happened with Tamia. I had severed our bond with her before thinking about it. I did not want to get to know or spend time with her. The fact that we were fated spoiled it for me, but I ended up spending time with her. So I could understand ck asking if I had feelings for Amelia. The truth was I was just fond of her, and I did not want anyone to take advantage of her. She had suffered enough. I just wanted to protect her and maybe help her find her family. I went to sit on my chair and decided to call Tamia. I had been putting it off for weeks, so I decided it was time. I dialled her number, and she answered immediately. "Leo," she said, sounding excited on the phone, and I knew she was with the twins. "Your majesty," I said, and sheughed. "To what do I owe this call, Councilman," she asked, and Iughed thenposed myself. "How are you doing?" I asked her, and she sighed. "Perfect," she replied. "Sylvester and the twins?" I asked her, and she giggled. "They are fine too. You didn''te for thest council meeting," She said. "I had something to handle," I lied. I had deliberately missed it because that was the first hearing for Kyle and Linda''s case. Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org. "Liar," Tamia said, and I knew she had figured it out. "Kyle was hopeless," she said "So, how did it go?" I asked. "It was moved to the next hearing. Kyle imed it was rightfully his by marriage and that she gave those things to him. The story was long and messy," she said. "Leo, please advice Kyle; Theodore isn''t finding his behaviour funny at all, and you know how Linda is," she said. I sighed, knowing exactly what she was trying to tell me. "I do, and I had tried to talk some sense into him, but he refuses to listen. I honestly do not know what to do," I said. It wasn''t really our problem, but it was our business. I knew I would have to talk to Kyle again. "Anyway, back to why I called," I said. "I met a girl.." I said, and Tamia began to tease me on the phone. "It isn''t what you think. I am just helping her out," I said quickly, and she was silent. "Anyway, she stays with me now. She has unique eyes that someone said are from one of Volkov''s bloodlines. The issue is that she grew up as an orphan and did not know who her parents were. I also checked the Volkov family tree, and that bloodline was wiped out by Sylvester''s grandfather for treason. I do not know if it is possible that someone survived, and maybe someone along the line fathered the girl," I said. "What is the name of this ancestor?" She asked. "Adrik Stepanov" I said. "Very well, I will speak to Sylvester about it, but you might have to bring her, so maybe we can run some tests if needed," She said, and I was d that Tamia was going to help. "Very well, I will see you at the end of the month," I told her, and she giggled. "I am sure there is more to it with this girl, Leo because this is a lot of help you are rendering," She teased me. "See you soon," she said and hung up. The call put me at ease, and I rxed on the chair and sipped my beer gradually. I heard a car pull up outside, and I knew Casper had returned. I was curious to see why Amelia didn''t buy anything. A hand tried the handle of my door lock. "It''s opened," I said, and the person opened the door. It was Casper. He walked in, and Amelia followed behind him. I was shocked by what I saw. She smiled at me, seeming very happy, and I looked at Casper for an exnation. "It was an Eye clinic. She went to get contacts," he said and immediately excused himself. The contacts did not sit well with me at all. Amelia walked up to me and handed me my card. I collected it from her, still trying topose my words. "Do you have issues with your sight?" I asked her, so I did not jump to conclusions, but she shook her head. "No, Alpha, my sight is perfectly okay. At least this way, I won''t look blind, creepy or scary anymore," she said, sounding very happy. I realised the remarks, constant stares, and name-calling finally got to her. No one was calling her names anymore, but people stared too hard. "Don''t you like it?" she asked me, and Iposed myself, so I didn''t scare her. "I want you to remove them," I told her, and her smile dropped. " But Alpha," She tried to protest, and I shook my head. "Take them off, Amelia. There is nothing wrong with your eyes or the colour. Take them off," I said, and she shook her head. "I won''t," she said defiantly; I was shocked. "You don''t know what I go through daily," sheined, and I heard her voice crack. "It was hell for me as a child. I wasbelled many names for it. No one would adopt me. They always asked if I were blind or if something was wrong with me. Being a delta did not help either. Growing up, it became more difficult. You have been kind to me, alpha, but even here, people stare too hard forfort," She said, and I knew she was fighting her tears. "Today, I walked out of the clinic, and no one stared at me. For the first time, I got approval looks and not disgust. No one stared hard," she said and wiped away her tears. "You will base your self-esteem on people''s opinions. Did it ever ur that they might be staring because they find you attractive? They might be mesmerised by the colour of your eyes. It might intrigue them. Did it ever ur to you that those that call you names might be jealous? Your eyes are the best part of your face. They are unique, and you want to bemon?" I asked her, and she shook her head and looked at me. "Even you, Alpha, you stare hard sometimes," she said, and I realised she did it for me. She did not need to spell it out, but for someone as thick-skinned as Amelia to do something like this, I knew it had to be because of me. " I just want you to be able to try," she confessed. "I am hanging on because I want you to try. Not based on the bond but on choice. I just wanted it to be easy. I thought it would be easier if I gained weight and got contacts. You will be able to look at me without staring too hard. You will want to try," she said, and I did not know how my actions had damaged her until now. I ran my fingers through my hair, not knowing what to tell her. There were many things I could say in those moments, but I couldn''t let them out. I did not want to try with her or anyone. I was done in that department. Why wouldn''t she just get the message and be happy? "I will not speak of your past, but making me pay for someone else''s mistakes is cruel, alpha. This is me trying. I never cared about many things before, but I do now. I am trying. Why can''t you try? Am I not worth the effort?" She asked, and I looked at her because her tone had a tinge of anger. "Am I not worth anything? I am not asking you to marry or im me. I just want a shot. I just want to know what it would be like. If it doesn''t work out, at least we both tried. I am not asking for too much," she said, crying. "I am not sophisticated or high-born, but I can try. I don''t even want to be Luna. None of this matters. I just want to have a shot at love, life and happiness, and I do not want to try with anyone else but you. So yes, I gained weight and bought fucking contacts with my wages, so just maybe you will see me and want to try," she said and walked away from me. She went to her room and shut the door. I stood there stunned. I could feel her frustration and see it in her eyes. She went through many emotions simultaneously, but anger was the most prominent one. Her words had cut deep. I knew what I did was harsh, but I did not want a mate bond with anyone. I did not want to break what was already broken. Why did she have toplicate matters like this? I was still thinking of all she had said when Amelia walked out of her room with her bags. "Where are you going?" I asked her, and she wiped away her tears. "I did not hang around because of food and money. I stayed because I was hoping you would want to try, but I have done everything within my capacity and even changed certain things about myself with the hope that you will want to try, but I know it has nothing to do with me. It is you. I might not be your type. Hanging around you will be fruitless, so it is best I leave and settle elsewhere," she said, still wearing her contact lenses. "I, Amelia Westwood..." she started, and I knew she wanted to ept the rejection. I did not know what I did, but I acted on impulse. I pulled her close and kissed her lips to stop her from saying the words. "I will try," I linked her, still kissing her. I could not let her leave, not like this. 11 I Need a Little Bit More (Book 2) 11 I Need a Little Bit More (Book 2) ~Amelia~ I was really done with everything. I realised it wasn''t about me when Leo cautioned me about the lens. Owned by N?velDrama.Org. It wasn''t my fault that someone messed up in his past; it wasn''t my fault that I was born with unique eyes. I only got that lens so people, especially him, would stop staring when talking to me. Most people squint as if they are trying to figure me out. I just want to be normal for a change. I wasn''t desperate, but I wanted to give it a try. I have never been in a rtionship and never had anyone close to family, so it was logical that I wouldn''t want to let go of my fated mate easily. After spending almost two months with Leo, I saw him open up a little and realised he wasn''t as complicated as I thought, but he wasn''t willing to try. I got the contacts to make it easy because he looked too hard, just like everyone else, and I didn''t want people to always ask him if I were blind. I knew it got to him, so I chose to do the only sensible thing so we could focus on other things. The way he behaved when he saw the lenses broke my heart. I have never been the type to dwell on an issue. I realised his opinion of our rtionship would not change. It had nothing to do with my background. He didn''t see me that way, and I could not settle for less. So I said my piece. I said it all, so I won''t regret anything when I leave. I went to my room and started packing. I did not want to think of it. I knew I would change my mind if I did, but it wasn''t healthy. He had pleaded with me to ept the rejection before, so I decided to listen and ept. I knew he was surprised to see me with my bags packed. Thanks to his generosity, I had things to pack in a bag. I was grateful for them, but it was time to move on. I said my final words to him and was about to ept his rejection when he kissed me. He kissed me and said he would try, but that wasn''t enough. I needed more from him, so I gently broke away from him. "Don''t say you will try because you don''t want me to leave," I told him; knowing that was his reason, he was speechless. It was pretty much his assumption that a kiss would make it okay. "What happens when the demons sets in, Alpha? What happens tomorrow and the day after that?" I asked him, and he remained speechless. "You can say you want to try now and then give up tomorrow. I need more than what you are willing to give me, Alpha. I needmitment and effort. I am not a child. I am a woman and have scars too. You aren''t the only one that has been hurt. You aren''t the only broken party in this. You do not know half of what I have been through. At least you have pleasant memories, friends and family; I have none. Nothing to smile about in my past, but I was still willing to open up. I should be in a cocoon and hateful. I should hate men because my experience with them hasn''t been so great, but I was still willing. I can''t be your sister or a charity case. You can''t expect me to be okay with it when I know it is meant to be more." I said, fresh tears welling up in my eyes. "I understand your point about fate and freedom, but I do not understand why I have to pay for it. I chose to hold on to my bond. Fate did not force me to; I did. So being with a fated is also a choice, Alpha, which you threw away. I might be thick-skinned, but some things cut deep. Telling me you will try just to keep me from leaving is low," I said and wiped away my tears. " I meant what I said, Amelia," he said, and I shook my head. "I need more than that. I needmitment. I need to know you will give it a hundred per cent and not look back. I need to know you won''tpare me to her. I need to know I won''t suffer for her crimes," I said, and he pinched the bridge of his nose and looked up. His hands shook, and I knew we had reached the difficult part. "If you aren''t willing to truly try, then it is best you let me go because I can''t continue hanging like this, Alpha. I can''t. I would rather leave and settle elsewhere where I can forget I met you and move on with my life," I told him, knowing I was serious about it. He moved close to me. I tried to step back, but he held me and pulled me to his chest. "It wasn''t intentional; I just wasn''t prepared for this. You came a bit too soon for me. Everything is fresh in my mind as if it were yesterday, and I am still trying to sort it through." He confessed. "I can''t wait for you because I know I will wait forever," I said quietly, and he held me tighter. "Please, Amelia, I am willing to try with you. I will be a fool not to. The weeks you have been with me have been amazing. I haveughed more than I did in a while. I have gone to bed happy," he said and pulled away to look into my eyes. "It was wrong of me to reject our bond, but I do not regret it. I got to know you without my wolf''s interference and am choosing to try now. It has been hard controlling myself around you. I have held my feelings at a safe distance, but today, I realised I was only fooling myself," He said, and I searched his eyes to see if he was serious. "I did not want you to go to town with anyone other than me. I was restless all through," He said, running his finger through his hair. "Skinny or not, you are a beautiful woman. Your eyes are perfect. They remind me of the full moon at night. That is why I call you Moonlight sometimes. Seeing you cover them up got to me. And I am sorry about how I reacted. But I can''t let you leave, not without trying. Deep down, I feel it is right, but I am afraid of losing myself again and messing everything up," he said, and I ced my hand on his cheek. "Then let us worry about that together instead of pushing me away," I told him, searching his eyes for a response. He searched mine too. His lips moved a bit, but no sound came from them. Then he crashed his lips on mine, lifting me up, and I wrapped my legs around him. His earthy scent filled my senses, intoxicating me, and I closed my eyes because everything was spinning. He moved from my lips to my neck and sucked on my sweet spot. No touch had ever felt good, but Leo''s touch felt like heaven. He carried me back to my bedroom, and I was suddenly nervous when heid me on my bed. He noticed and broke the kiss to look at me. He searched my eyes, and I knew I had fear in them. "What is wrong?" He asked me gently, his face inches from mine, and I did not know how to tell him I wasn''t intact. "I .. I.." I started out of fear, and he gently got off me and sat on the bed. I sat up, trying to catch my breath. "It is okay if you are ufortable telling me," He said, and I touched his shoulder. He turned to look at me. "I want to tell you, but I do not know how you will see me after," I said, confessing the real reason I was tongue-tied. "Surviving on the streets has been hard, and Kappas aren''t kind to helpless wolves," I said, and his eyes faltered. I guess he had figured it out now. My hatred for Kappa and cells. He touched my face gently and kissed my forehead. "You have no reason to be ashamed, Moonlight. I still want to try regardless," he said, and I was shocked. I remembered what he told his friend Kyle the first day I started work in his house, and I could not believe he did not share his opinion on the matter. "I thought you told Alpha Kyle..." I said, and he chuckled. "Some people share that opinion but not when it concerns matters of the heart. It blurs everything until the line disappears, Moonlight. I am surprised you ended up well, regardless of the challenges. I am also d I gave you a job because you were not lying when you said all you needed was a job. You are strong," He said, and I felt the weight of being tainted lift from my chest, and I was a bit rxed now. That bit was the only setback for me, and he had made me realise it didn''t matter to him. I was happy. "Do you mind removing the contacts?" He finally asked, and Iughed at the way he said it. I went to the bathroom and took it out by the sink. He joined me when I had put the second lens in the container. He wrapped his arms around me from behind and made me look in the mirror. "You do not know how beautiful those eyes are," he said, and my cheeks coloured. I felt a bit embarrassed by the gesture. He lifted me from the bathroom and ced me back on the bed. We might have missed the moment, but we had made some improvements, and I was looking forwards to what would happen onward. 12 Moving Forward (Book 2) 12 Moving Forward (Book 2) ~Leo~ My moment with Amelia was intense. She had poured out her heart and demanded what she wanted. Realising she was ready to let go offort, unsure what lies ahead but still willing to put the distance between us, made me understand she would not stick around as long as I expected. It also gave me a reality check. The moment I kissed her, I was invested. I truly hoped this would be it and not end up in a mess as I did with Tamia. I put Tamia through hell while she was with me before she moved to the north. I did not see the errors of my ways untilter. I prayed to the goddess for wisdom this time around. I felt terrible for her when she told me why she hated kappas. I should have sensed it. The fear she disyed every time a Kappa was involved was a dead giveaway, but I failed to piece it together just like always. Owned by N?velDrama.Org. She even paid attention to my conversation with Kyle. I now understood why she broke the dish that day. My words must have made her feel hopeless. I decided I was going to bring the matter to the council. I did not n on talking about Amelia''s experience. Regardless of who they are or where they may be, people should be able to get justice for such crimes against them. I am sure It would pass quickly. Nobody should take advantage of anyone or do anything to them against their wish just because they can. The punishment should also be severe. Three dayster, I sat in my office thinking of what had transpired between Amelia and me. Realising I was starting a new rtionship made me nervous. I could never try with Amanda, and I was d; Amelia would be different because I wanted her and was willing. I was still in my office when Delta Gabriel walked in. He looked a bit happy, and I wondered what the asion was. "Good morning, Alpha," he said with the utmost respect, and I nodded. I couldn''t shake that he nned to take Amelia to town without informing me. I wondered what he was up to. "I would like to request to be given a day off," He asked, and I frowned at him. "Why?" I asked. "I would like to take someone special on a date, Alpha," he said, and I got curious. I never asked my men about their personal lives, but Gabriel piqued my curiosity because of Amelia. "Does this some even have a name?" I asked him, and he looked confused but knew he had to tell me. "Amelia Westwood," he said, and I felt ck stir a bit, but I tried to calm him down. We had spent three days with her, and he was getting used to us being with her. "Is that so?" I asked him, and Gabriel nodded. "Have you asked her out yet? What was her response?" I asked him, and he shook his head. "No, Alpha, but I n to do so once I get a day off. I would not want to ask her and end up being busy on that day, like three days ago. I was supposed to take her to town, but I had to run errands. She hasn''t spoken a word to me since then, and I believe she might be mad at me." he said, and I rxed a bit. " Well, you can have your day off but can''t take Amelia out. She is off limits, Delta," I said, and he seemed confused. ''Unless you want to date the same person I am dating," I said, and his eyed widened with surprise. "Sorry, Alpha, I did not know. She did not tell me," he said, and I nodded. "But you have been hearing rumours in the pack," I pointed out, and he was silent. "Well, those rumours are true," I said, even though they weren''t because I wasn''t sleeping with her yet, but it served its purpose. Gabriel nodded and apologised. "I am sorry I asked," he said, and I nodded and excused him. Iughed a bit when Gabriel left. Why didn''t he ask her out when she just got to the pack? I knew he was a physical person. He must have seen how beautiful she had be and decided to try his luck. I was pleased I had Casper take Amelia out instead. I was stillughing at the matter when a call came in from Maxwell. I answered immediately. "Hello," I said, and he sounded frantic. "My pack..." he said, and I could hear him moving fast. " I am heading to Mountain with the rest of my pack members," he said, and I was shocked. I sat up immediately. "What happened!'' I asked him. "Another Alpha challenged me. He had some of my pack members with him. Remember I was comining that I was losing pack members a year ago? Well, they returned with the douchebag," he said, and I remembered it. "It got worse, but I kept silent because I did not want to trouble anyone. I thought I could handle it. This morning he gave me an Alpha challenge, and I lost. I did not want to take it, but I had no choice. He has taken over thend and everything. He also cheated," He said, and I wondered who this Alpha was. "Do you know his name?" I asked "Alexei Kusov," he said, and I did not need anyone to tell me it was a northern name. What was a northern alpha doing in the east and setting challenges? "He is from the north?" I said "Yes, but his Luna is from my pack," He said, and I was surprised that a pack member could do this to him. "Which family?" I asked him. ''My cousin, Alia," He said, and I knew he was fucked. If That was the case, the man had the right to challenge him for the pack. Max luna Michelle had passed away a few months ago, and now he had lost his pack. Karma was a bitch. If only he had stayed with Avery, maybe things would have been different. Michelle did a number on him and turned his men against him. It was inevitable he would lose support in his pack. "Alright, I will be expecting you," I said and got up to go back home. The Alexie man had not broken anyw, but I felt terrible about this development. What if he decided that he wanted to challenge other packs? I might be overthinking it, and Max might have just been unfortunate. So I decided to rx and call a meeting for alphas in the east to get a feel of the Alexie guy. Max had hit rock bottom. It wasn''t going to be easy for him to start from scratch. I had smallnd close by. I hoped he would be able to settle there with his pack members. This was the part of being head alpha that I hated. Everyone''s problems always be my problem. I entered my house, and Amelia was lying on the couch reading a book. I tried not to look worried, but the look on her face showed that I was busted. "What is the matter?" She asked me, and although I was worried, I rxed slightly. There was no need to transfer all the tension I felt to her. "It''s okay," I said and sat on a couch. She got up and joined me where I sat. "Would you like tea," she asked, and I chuckled. It was only Amelia that would think tea would ease tension. " No, but thank you. Something happened to my friend, and I am still in shock. I will be okay," I said, and she nodded and got up. I watched her walk to the kitchen, and she was making the tea, regardless. She finished and joined me on the couch. I was about to reach for it in her hand when she put the mug to her lips and took a sip. "You said you didn''t want any. This one''s for me," She said, and I startedughing because she got me there. Eventually, she let me have the tea, and its aroma helped me rx, but I was still worried for Max. I did not know how he would cope. "Max lost an Alpha challenge and his pack andnd," I told her, and she gasped. She had heard of him in passing but had never seen him. Max had been going through so much lately that he was scarce. I guess I would see a lot of him now. I hope he wouldn''t ask me to help him bully his inw because the guy had a right by marriage. While I thought of Max''s predicament, I remembered the next council meeting would be next week. "I need you to put pack some of your things. We will be going to the north next week. I have a council meeting, and Tamia wants to meet you," I told her, and her eyes widened. "No pressure, Moonlight. You are perfect. You will like your time there. Tamia, Avery and Linda are wonderful women. They are older than you, but they are wonderful. I am sure you will fit in nicely," I kissed her neck. She moaned sweetly, and I wanted to take her. Her fear spoiled our moment the other day, and now, Max''s predicament would spoil our moment today. I wanted to make it memorable. I wanted it to count, so I nned to wait for the perfect moment. For now, kissing her would do. I felt ck trying to reach the surface, but I stopped him. I wouldn''t let him take control until Amelia and I was in the right ce. Max and his pack eventually arrived. Casper received them. Casper linked me to let me know he came with fifty people, so I instructed Macy through the main link to find temporary amodation for them within the settlement. While I instructed Casper to bring Max to my house. The moment the knock came, Amelia stood up to leave. I let her excuse herself because I did not know the type of mood Max would set. Casper walked in with a shirtless Max. His eyes were sad, and he looked like he had seen better days. "Leo," He said, walking in," I told Casper to excuse us, and he left. ''Max came to sit on the chair. "How did this happen?" I asked him, and he shook his head. " Alia came home with the guy, and I had him investigated. We found nothing. He was an orphan from the north who settled in Hand in the east. Iter started hearing rumours he belonged to a cult, but I could not prove it. I didn''t support the union, and the guy knew it. They still went ahead without me. That was four months ago. This morning he came to my pack and challenged me. I wasn''t ready. The man was peculiar. He had silver on him because I felt a bit weak fighting him. I swear, Leo, that man had silver on him, but it was as if he didn''t. I tried to call it to people''s attention, but no one believed me because he partially shifted. But I felt the weakness every time he moved close to me. It put him at a great advantage," he said, unable to tell me the rest. "How are you sure it was silver?" I asked him. "Every time I moved away from him, I would gain ess to my wolf and my strength, but every time he locked me in a grip, my wolf will be silent, and I will be weak. Is that not a silver effect? No one believed me, and that was it for me. He beat me in under ten minutes. It was a disgrace. You know I have been losing pack members. I had roughly three hundred members left. I lost most of them today. Only fifty followed me. The ones that left in the past showed up with this guy. It was as if he had been trying to take my pack and only married Alia to take over the pack legally," He said, and I felt awful for him. I knew max would say anything to save face, hence the whole silver thing, but I nned on digging into the cult rumour because I had heard of it a few times. I believed it was worth looking into. 13 Happy Giddy and Ready (Book 2) 13 Happy Giddy and Ready (Book 2) ~Leo~ Max and I remained in the living room while he exined his ordeal. I felt sorry for my friend, but we both knew my hands were tied. It was a fair challenge, and many people could testify to it. He just had to find a way to get back on his feet again. "Max," I finally spoke after he had finished telling me all his problems. "I understand your predicament, but we both know I can''t get involved. If your former pack members testify it was a fair fight, I can do nothing about it." I told him, and he shook his head. "I am not telling tales, Leo. That guy cheated. I could not shift. I had no ess to my wolf. It was traumatic. Maybe he won''t be able to beat you since, just like the north, you have been training with silver for a while now, but I am telling you, Leo, ck won''t be able toe out around that guy. I just want him investigated," He demanded, and I sighed. I knew I owed him that much. As the head Alpha of the east and head of the council, I had to do what was best. "I hope you know the alphas here won''t want to help. They might not even agree to have the man investigated. I will have to take it to the council and bring it before the King and lords," I said, and Max chuckled a bit. "We both know you do not need all that formalities. Tamia and Sylvester are just a phone call away, and Marcel, Theodore, Dominic and David are your friends now. It will be easy for you to implement." He said, and I nodded. "That will be an abuse of power. The man has not done anything obviously wrong. We have to be diplomatic about it so we can use it if we find something. Getting evidence against your Inw isn''t the only goal; how we get it would determine whether it is admissible. I promise to bring your case up before the lords and the King. The best I can do is prioritise it, so it is mentioned and given the utmost attention," I told him sternly, and he knew that was the best I could do. I understood his agitation and fear. He had just lost everything, and it was setting in gradually. "I have and that you can use to start again. I won''t sell it to you. It is just so you can get your bearings before we solve the Alexie matter. Maybe you might have to rechallenge him, or someone else will challenge him on your behalf. In the meantime, the head of Omega will find temporary comfortable amodation for your members, and you can have the storage room cleared to stay in. I am happy to house you," I said, and he frowned. " You have another free room other than the small room, Leo; why can''t I stay there?" He asked, and just then, Amelia stepped out. I doubt she heard him. She walked towards us, and I knew it was to say hello to Max before she would do what she wanted. " Hello, Alpha Max; I have heard so much about you from Leo," She said. Owned by N?velDrama.Org. Max turned to look at her, and he was inplete shock. He moved back in the chair. "Good goddess Leo, is she blind?" he asked, and it really got me pissed off, but I tried to control my anger. To my surprise, Amelia began tough. "I get that a lot, Alpha. My eyes are unique," she said, and I was pleased with how she brushed it off. I guess only my opinion mattered to Amelia. She headed toward the kitchen. "I want to fix something for us. Will Alpha Max be joining us?" She asked, and I nodded with a smile. I watched her walk to the kitchen, and I admired her figure. Then Max snapped me out of it with a question. "Who is she?" He asked me, and I smiled. "My girlfriend," I said, letting the wordse out easily. "You are dating again?" He asked, sounding surprised, and I nodded. "You never learn, really. Isn''t it too soon?" he asked, and I looked at him, a bit annoyed. "I get you had a bad day. There is no pointing to spoil mine. Amelia and I are together. You should focus on your issues," I told him, and he frowned. "I was just asking out of concern. There is nothing wrong in looking out for a friend," He said, and I did not bother to answer him, so I do not get pissed off. "Her eyes, Leo. They look like moons. Her pupil is so small. she looks otherworldly. Where did she come from?" He asked, and I smiled. I liked the description of Amelia looking otherworldly; it meant she was a goddess in her own right. "Gad," I replied, and he shook his head. "She looks like a northerner. She looks like a northern woman, Leo. She is lying to you. Other than the eyes she got from goddess-knows-where, she looks like she is from the north. I thought you would know better than to jump into a rtionship blindly," He said, and I sighed and looked at Max. Focusing on what he thinks is my problem might help him forget about his predicament. " I know all I need to know about my woman, Max, and I am satisfied. Drop it. Since you will live with us, I will appreciate you respecting her. She is a Delta," I added so he would know she was feisty. We both had experience with Deltas. We were married to them. I looked at Amelia, who she was preparing to cook in the kitchen, and promised myself not to mess it up this time. I was young when I got with Tamia and had no experience. Now that I know what losing love feels like, I have grown a little and n to be careful with my heart and Amelia''s. Remodelling my house and connecting the living room to the kitchen in an open space setting was the best modification I could think of. Because it gave me a view of everything. Amelia finished cooking, and we ate at the dining table. Max went for a second helping, and I noticed he was more rxed around Amelia. I guess the shock of her eyes had left him, and he could truly see her now. "She is gorgeous," He linked me while I cleared the dishes with Amelia, and I chuckled a bit because I couldn''t believe he had just noticed. Fate had a way of tying me to stunning women. Amelia handled the dishes while I tried to help max settle in. He would sleep in the small room until the storage was cleared and fixed for him to upy. I knew the reality of what had befallen him would settle once he was alone. I hoped he would have the strength to cope with the loss. I returned to the kitchen to join Amelia, and she seemed in high spirits. "So, what is the asion?" I asked her, and she shook her head while wiping thest dish with the kitchen napkin. "Nothing, just happy," she said, and I could see it too. I went behind her and pulled her close to my body, then bent to kiss her neck. She moaned sweetly, and I wanted to ravage her, but I controlled myself. I was thinking of when will be the best time and location to make love to her. She turned to face me and wrapped her arms around my neck then I bent to kiss her lips. Everything went fast from there. I felt ck rising to the surface, aiming, and she hopped on me and warped her legs around me. I ced her on the kitchen counter, and we continued to kiss. Knowing Max was in the house, it was wrong to do this, but I could not help myself for some reason. The giddiness she felt rubbed off on me, and I liked it. I felt like a teenager again, discovering romance and love for the first time. I knew she was doing this for the first time, and it was a huge leap of faith for both of us. I unbuttoned her blouse and exposed herce bra. I knew it would look exquisite on her when we were picking it out at the lingerie shop. I wondered what I was thinking all this while holding back from her. Little did I know that I would take it off her soon. I unhooked it at the front and bent to worship her breasts. Her moans were encouraging and inviting, and I could smell her arousal as she ran her fingers through my hair, grabbing on tightly. ck was now sharing control with me, and I knew there was a possibility that I would lose control. I stood up, lifted her from the counter, carried her to her bedroom, andid her on the bed. Her eyes were Blue, and I knew her wolf had joined in. I took off my shirt on instinct and unbuckled my belt. Realising my Jeans and taking them off. I had nothing but my shorts on, and I bent over her. I took off her blouse and bra fully before undoing her skirt. Sheid under me with nothing but her panties and looked gorgeous. "Are you sure about this?" I asked her, and she nodded quickly. I could feel the heat radiating between her legs. Her scent permeated the air, and I was feeling intoxicated by it. I bend to nibble her neck, then suck on her sweet spot. Where my mark would rest one day. I moved from there down her body to her belly button. Then hooked my fingers on herce panties and rolled them down. They were soaked, and I knew she wanted me, but I wouldn''t go in until I tasted her. I moved lower and caressed her entrance with my fingers. She moaned a bit louder, and I could hear her anticipation. I ced my index finger in her, and she was very tight. Her walls sped on my finger while I gently moved it in and out of her. I kissed her clit and then licked the tip a bit. She partially sat up, moaning, trying to see what I was doing to her. She was the visual kind, and I liked it. I sucked her clit gently, and she moaned. Her hips began to move independently while I moved my fingers in and out of her. She was getting wilder, and I loved her response to my touch. I was hard as hell and wished my cock had reced my finger, but it had to be gradual. As much as it throbbed, I knew I had to treat her delicately. She was pretty tight. I added an extra finger to widen her and prepare her for me. I continued to suck on her nerve bundle until I felt it pulsate, and she dug her fingers into the sheets. Her walls milked my fingers fast, and I wanted to go in when Casper used that time to link me. "Alpha, Alpha Kyle is here demanding to see you. He has been a bit violent. Alpha Max and I are holding him. He wants to barge into your house," he said, and I growled. I looked at Amelia, and her wolf eyes were still visible. She was anticipating this, but I had to attend to Kyle''s issue, so I controlled myself and pumped her with my fingers until her walls rxed. She looked confused when I got up. "Kyle is creating trouble for my Beta, demanding to see me," I exined immediately so she would not think anything was wrong with her. She did not seem happy about it. "I promise I will make it up to you," I said, and she just nodded, a bit sad about the development. I was pissed off with Kyle. Because of him, Amelia went from feeling giddy and happy to sad. This was supposed to be a great start, but Kyle had interrupted me. I went to the bathroom to wash my hands and clean up so I do not get Amelia''s scent on Kyle when I punch him. Then returned to dress up. Amelia was wrapped in her sheets by then. I kissed her on her lips, and she chuckled a bit, making me rx before heading out to speak to Kyle. 14 A Step Further (Book 2) 14 A Step Further (Book 2) ~Leo~ I left my house annoyed. Kyle had to bring his problems to my pack every time, and I hated it. He was outside, causing a scene, and Max was trying to control him. I wondered what the fuss was about. "This isn''t Brent, Kyle. You better watch yourself," I said with mymand, and everyone stopped what they were doing. Kyle was growling with wolf eyes. At the same time, Max and Casper were holding him. I realised he was nning to charge into my house to fight me. "You want to fight me?" I asked him, and he continued growling. I smiled because I knew ck would enjoy this. "Let him go so he cane at me?" I said, and they released him. People stood around, watching us from a distance. " I began to unbutton my shirt because I did not want to rip it. I was angry. Kyle stood where he was, breathing heavily. His wolf had receded because he knew he couldn''t take me. So why did he want to charge into my house? "If you weren''t nning on fighting me, why did you want to charge into my house?" I asked him, and he continued breathing heavily. "You were supposed to be there, Leo. You were supposed to have my back!" he said, referring to his case with Linda, and I chuckled. "How is that my concern? Linda wants her things back. Just give it to her. I won''t defy the northern Lords, the king and the council because of your greed, Kyle. Thend and money do not belong to you. Give them back to the owner. You gave her away as a tribute. You should give her her property too. It is only logical. I can''t go to war because of you. We have a lot on our te, and a stupid war because of your greed isn''t part of it," I told him, saying it aloud so people would know what he wanted. "Max and I were your friends before those privileged bastards in the north. You are supposed to come to our aid when needed, just like we came to yours while you were in the north," Kyle replied, and I shook my head. "What you helped with wasn''t a personal matter but a collective issue. So do not make it seem like you were helping me out," I corrected him. "I get you are mad, Kyle, but do not drag me into this," Max warned him. "We all have our issues and are dealing with them the best way we can. It would be best if you dealt with yours. You have the least problem. I lost my pack,nd and money to my Inw this morning. Where do you think that leaves me? You should just give Linda back her things. Of all the Lords, Theodore is the most dangerous and ruthless; he will disregard protocol ande for you. It wouldn''t be an issue if we weren''t caught in the mess. Alpha Leo is right. You should give Lady Linda Orlov back her things. She is no longer your wife and is above you now," Max warned him, and I was proud that Max could see things for what they were. "You are too stupid to see what is going on. We are all going through a lot of shit, and Leo here is having the time of his life buried in that blind creepy-looking girl''s pus..." He did not finish his sentence when I rushed and punched him in the face knocking him down. "Yourck of respect is what led you down this path. Had you respected your wife and treated her as you should have, your life won''t be so sour. We have all epted our faults, but you seem stuck in your victim illusion." I told him while he tried to scramble to get on his feet. I knew I had be stronger but did not know how strong until I knocked Kyle down with one punch. People were in shock at my might, and I managed topose myself and step back. "You were supposed to be there as head alpha and plead my case," He said, sounding betrayed, and I sighed. "I did not show up because I would side with Linda if I did. Give her back her things and move on. You still havend and money that belong to you. Settle those living on hernd in your pack. If you want to rent or buy it from her, request it. Stop trying to bully your way through this, Kyle. You did not have the might to withstand the trouble you will cause," I told him and buttoned up my shirt. Kyle stood up and adjusted himself. "You might be head alpha of the East, but from now on, we are no longer friends. Do not call me when you need help, and I will nevere to you for help again," He said, and it was fine by me because he was a handful. He walked away, heading towards his car, and I turned my back to get back into my house. I could not believe this interrupted my special moment with Amelia. I was pissed at Kyle and hoped he kept his word because I did not want him around me again. I went back into the house and headed to Amelia''s room. She was sleeping peacefully under the sheets. I noticed she was still naked. She must have passed out from the orgasm. I left her room and returned to mine. Then went to the shower. While I stood under the shower, I wondered why I did not bring Amelia to my room. As much as it seemed we were moving fast, I wasn''t ready for that step. Hopefully, we will get there someday. I showered, changed my clothes, and went to my living room to work on myptop. I had to send an email concerning Max''s predicament and request that Alexie''s conduct be investigated so Max could get a rematch. I hoped Max was telling me the truth about the silver effect, and it wasn''t that the guy was too strong for him because losing twice in a row would be sad. I sent the email to Devin Corrigan, then copied Sylvester and all the four northern Lords. I also indicated it was important so they would urgently treat the matter. After I was done. I decided to do some research on Adrik Stepanov. I was in the living room untilte in the noon. I did not even know it waste in the noon until Amelia exited her room. She sat beside me and looked well-rested. I smiled at her. "I did not know when I fell asleep," She told me. "A good orgasm has that effect," I said, proud of myself, and she was shy because her cheeks coloured and she looked away. "I am sorry about the distraction," I said, and she shook her head and kissed my cheek. "It is okay," she said, and I smiled, grateful that she understood. "You know what?" I said, closing myptop and putting it down. "Why don''t you dress up? Let me take you out for dinner," I said, and she smiled, but then her smile dropped. "What about Alpha Max?" she asked, thinking of my guest. "I will have the Omegas cook for him," I said, and she smiled. Amelia looked lovely in her summer shorts dress. The orange and whiteplimented her skin. The cleavage showed because her breasts were full and plump. I was a bit jealous that she won''t only feed my eyes but that of others, but I was fine with it. Dinner was great. Customers stared at us, and I knew they were not looking because of me. I knew they were staring at Amelia. It didn''t bother her, and it shouldn''t because the stares were of admiration. She was gorgeous. I noticed the roots of her hair were frosty white. I had not noticed it until then. I kept it to myself but nned to ask her when we got home. Getting home, I followed her to her room instead of going to mine. I wanted to hold her that night. I watched her undress and enter the bathroom to shower. I knew exactly what she wanted because she had invited me to join her. I chose to oblige. I went into the bathroom and joined her under the shower. I held her from behind while the water rained on our skin. She turned to look at me, and I knew she wanted me to finish what we had started before Kyle''s interruption. I kissed her deeply and lifted her; she wrapped her legs around me, wanting me to go inside. So I moved us from the shower out of the bathroom. cing her on the bed, I hovered above her hard as hell, and her scent filled the air. "No forey," She said, and I smiled at her. I knew she wanted to seal the deal, and so did I. I didn''t have to think twice. I buried myself inside her. The water for the shower helped. Though she was super tight, I was able to push in gently. I felt the pleasure shock. It had been a long time since I had done something like this. I hoped I would be able to meet up to her expectations. Owned by N?velDrama.Org. I pumped gently, and we soon fell into a rhythm. She was wet, and I couldn''t get enough of her. Her walls milked me nicely, and my body moved independently, wanting to please and seeking release simultaneously. I felt her dig her nail into my back, and I knew she wasing. The moment she came, I held on to my release and pumped fast through it, wanting to sustain her orgasm. She called my name, and that was my undoing because I spilt into her. The rest of the night was wild for both of us. I couldn''t get enough of her, and neither could ck. It was as if we had held on for so long and were now letting gopletely. To my surprise, Amelia matched my appetite quite nicely. I spent the night doing what Kyle had used me of, and I loved it. 15 Eastern Alphas Meet (Book 2) 15 Eastern Alphas Meet (Book 2) ~Leo~ I haven''t woken up feeling giddy in a long time. I did this morning, and I liked it. Amelia was still asleep, and she looked peaceful. I touched her hair gently, careful not to disturb her sleep. I noticed the roots of her hair were tinum blonde, so I nned on talking to her about itter. It looked like she dyed her hair brown. I wouldn''t put it past her. It was cute, and it made me chuckle. I snuck out of bed and out of her room. Stepping out, I saw Max on my couch, drinking coffee. He looked at me and smiled, but the smile did not touch his eyes. He was still processing his loss, and I knew it would take a while before he could recover from the pain. "Good morning, Alpha. d to see you are finally letting up," he said, and I smiled at him. "Did you sleep well?" I asked him, and he rolled his eyes. "Between my heartache and the sounds of your activity in that room, you could just imagine how well I slept," He said and chuckled. I knew Amelia and I were a bit loud, but it was my house, so he had to manage. "Goddess Leo, you did not spare that woman," He said, and I told him to mind his business. "I got the mail," he told me, and I frowned at him. "Sylvester approved the hearing of my case for this week. Thank you, Leo. I know you had to pull some strings," he said, sounding very grateful, and I nodded. "Besides, we are going to the eastern alpha meeting this morning. I have called everyone," I told him, and he did not look too enthusiastic. This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. "Those Alphas are wimps. The guy will scare them into agreeing with his conduct. They wouldn''t want him toe for their packs. As things are now, he can go for any pack, and there is now stopping him from doing it," Max said, and I knew he was right. It was also one of the reasons why I wanted to meet with Alexie. I needed to read him and decipher his intentions in the east. It isn''t every time a northern Alphaes to the east, marries a woman, and takes over her family''s pack by force. He must have a goal, and I need to know what it was so we do not have issues in the future. The alphas might think it is Max''s problem now, but I could see ahead, and it did not look good for us. I went into my room to prepare for the day, so I could head to the meeting. I opened my closet, and Tamia''s clothes were still in them. I hadn''t been able to give them away. I had paced them in boxes and would have sent them to her, but I couldn''t. The room still felt like it belonged to her, and I doubted the feeling would change anytime soon. I showered and got dressed. By the time I came out, Max was already dressed. " Shall we?" he asked, and I shook my head. "No way will I go to that meeting on an empty stomach," I said, moving towards the kitchen. I wanted to make a sandwich for Amelia and myself. "What are you doing," Max asked me, and I shrugged. "Making one of the sandwiches Amelia showed me," I said, and he smiled. "So she is your mate now?" Max asked, and I froze while cutting the bread. I wished he didn''t use that word. "We aren''t there yet, Max. We are still getting to know each other. I want to be sure before I give what we have abel. Let''s use the word girlfriend for now," I said and sliced the bread. Max was silent, and I looked at him. "Do not make the same mistake twice trying to be careful," He said, and I wondered what he meant by it. I ced some sliced pieces in the toaster and looked at him. "What do you mean by that?" I asked him, and he moved towards the kitchen to be closer to me. "I mean, she is nothing like Amanda. At this rate, you might end up hurting her, Leo. Do not put her inpetition with your past. Tamia is happy now. You deserve to be happy too. If you just want her as a girlfriend, then let her go before both of you get burnt," he said, and I was a bit annoyed that he would spoil my mood. I wasn''t longing for Tamia anymore. I had let her go. I felt bad for breaking my promises and being weak when I should have been strong. I was trying not to allow my emotions to control me this time. "I am not going to rush things with Amelia. I will take my time and make sure she is right for her and for me before I jump. I am sure she understands and can wait," I said, and he stared at me a bit sad, then nodded. "Well, I have no right to advise you. I messed up more than you did, and my life has remained fucked. I would lie if I told you I did not think of Avery and how lucky Marcel is, but she deserves it. After all that I put her through, she deserved it, Leo. I was a fool. Michelle said things and connived with my men. I believed every word. I should have trusted my wife. We had been through so much together, so I should have trusted her, but I believed a total stranger over her. The same men that made me believe Michelle ended up betraying me, and Michelle died eventually, leaving me with nothing but painful memories. There are times when I do not feel like pushing anymore," he said and then looked at me. "Honestly, Leo, what Alexie did might be for the best. I do not deserve to run a pack. However this hearing goes, I will be fine if you absorb me into your pack along with my people too. I do not mind answering to you, Leo. Honestly, I do not mind it. I am only doing this so they would know I cared, and I tried," he confessed, and I was in shock. I could not believe what Max had just told me. " Let us hope for the best," I said, and Max smiled. He had told me his truth, and his opinion on the matter will not change. I ended up making three sandwiches. One for me, one for Max and thest for Amelia when she wakes up. I also left her a note, so she would know where I went. We left the house and headed for the town hall. We arrived there and found most of the eastern Alphas waiting. Max and I entered the hall, and there was silence. My noble status and rtionship with the royals gave me more recognition and respect. No one wanted to mess with me. I looked around and then went to sit at the table reserved for me. The moment I sat, everyone made themselvesfortable. Max found a ce to sit. Kyle was also there, staring at me scornfully, but I did not care. I looked at all the alphas present until my eyes settled on who I believed to be, Alexie. The man had the legendary northern Dark hair. The hair was full, and so was his beard. His eyes were grey but nothing like Amelia''s. They looked perfectly regr. It was a weird eye colour for a northerner. So I figured Alexie must have western or eastern genes. He was bulky and handsome. I could see why Alia would lose her head over the guy, and his aura screamed of danger. Sizing him up, I knew I could take him, but I would not do anything that would lead to that. "You all are wee to the meeting," I said, and they thanked me for the invitation. "I will not waste our time and go straight to the point. The King is already interested in this matter. Still, I wanted to see if we could solve it among ourselves to avoid taking it to the north. It would be a shame if we cannot solve matters among ourselves," I said, and most of the Alphas agreed. Kyle was silent, and I did not care. "I am sure you all have heard what happened at Hill Valley pack," I said, and everyone was silent. "Alpha Alexei Kusov married Alia nch and challenged Alpha Max for his pack yesterday morning. He won the challenge and took over the pack forcing Alpha Max to leave," I exined, and people began to murmur. "I know nothing is illegal about what I have just said, but that isn''t the issue," I said, and they were silent. "Alpha Max made some serious allegations concerning that fight, and I am here to verify those allegations," I said and looked at Alexie. "Did you have ess to your wolf during the battle?" I asked him, and He stood up and bowed his head. "Alpha Albert, it is quite unfortunate that we are meeting like this. I would have loved for it to be under different circumstances. You know my name, of course, and I am from the north. My mother, however, is from the east. She belongs to the Richmonds in Hand. Her name was Teressa Richmond. My features make me seem like a foreigner in these parts, but I am very much one of you. I wanted to say that first before I proceed to answer your question. Then I would like to exin myself after," He said, and I nodded. There was no point stopping him from speaking. "I had ess to my wolf, and I fought him partially shifted," He confessed and sighed. "I know Alpha Max hates me. He has proven that from the onset, and he would make it seem as if I was after his pack all along. He has insinuated it. He said I am a member of an Unknown cult. He also imed I married Alia to earn the right to challenge him. Now that I have exined my heritage, you would know that I did not need to marry Alia to challenge him. As for his pack members, whom he imed I bought and stole, I would like to state that they have beenining about his conduct for a while. He has been negligent towards his alpha duties for personal reasons, perhaps. I did not challenge Alpha Max because I wanted his pack; I challenged him because he had vowed not to let me settle in his pack with my wife. Alia did not want to leave Hill Valley, so I had no choice but to challenge him so we could both remain in hill Valley," He exined, and after all, he said, it seemed usible. I looked at Max, and he had nothing to say. I knew he had given up already, but that did not mean he shouldn''t defend himself. There were limits to what I could do under such circumstances, and he knew it. "Very well, we will talk about the challenge," I said, and Alexie nodded. "Max told me he could not ess his wolf while fighting you. He said he got the silver effect whenever he was near you," I said, and people murmured. Alexie did not say anything; he just stared. "Did you have silver on you when you fought him?" I asked him, and he shook his head. "But you were partially shifted?" I asked, and he nodded. People looked at me as if what I was saying waspletely stupid, but I had seen someone hold on to her wolf while wearing silver, so I knew it was possible. Amelia''s ability was a secret I intended to keep, but it forced me to see this case differently than I would have had I not seen Amelia''s abilities. I knew some people could ovee the silver effect. "If you were partially shifted, then it was only logical that Max would partially shift or fully shift. This brings us to the fact that he had no ess to his wolf," I said, and I could see people were torn. "This is ridiculous, alpha. How can I ess my wolf if I had silver on?" He asked me, and I smiled at him. "Will you agree to a rematch in full wolf form with both of you fully shifted before it begins?" I asked him, and one of the alphas there objected nicely. "Councilman, we know Alpha Max is dear to you, but a loss is a loss. I do not think we should drag this issue. If alpha Max wants a rematch, he should return in six months, per thew. For now, the pack belongs to Alexei Kusov," He said, and I kept my eyes trained on Alexie. Even though what Alpha Timothy had said was true, I could not shake the feeling that Alexie would not want a rematch because Max was telling the truth. I could not shake it off. There was something in his eyes that screamed he cheated. I had gotten what I wanted. How I would handle the matter waspletely up to me. 16 The Morning After (Book 2) 16 The Morning After (Book 2) ~Amelia~ I could not believe how far Leo had gone this time. I thought it would be the regr kissing and making out when he joined me in the kitchen. Little did I know I would be getting a whole lot more. He did things to me that only lived in my imagination. It was amazing experiencing everything with him the way I did. He blew my mind away, and not holding back made it even hotter. Seeing how far we went was amazing, and it was without regret. I wondered how far he was willing to go with it. Kyle''s interruption hurt, and he spoilt a crucial moment for us, but Leo made up for it all through the night. It was as if his appetite grew, and he just wanted more and more. Somehow I believed he was now taking baby steps, and I hoped our rtionship would blossom into something beautiful. Something people would tell stories about, and wish was theirs. I hoped for it, and I prayed the moon granted my wish. Leo wasn''t in bed when I woke up in the morning. I knew he must have gone to the office, so I wasn''t bothered. I got off bed to prepare for the day. There wasn''t much to do because I knew the Omegas would have cleaned the house, but still, I had to find something to do. I freshened up, got ready for the day, and left my room to find something to do. I tried to Link Leo, but I couldn''t reach him. It meant he wasn''t around. I was still wondering what was happening when I found a note he had left me on the kitchen counter beside a covered dish. I picked it up the note to read. " You looked so peaceful in your sleep that I could not wake you. I am off to attend the regional alpha meeting. I will be back soon. Meanwhile hope you like the sandwich. Your recipe," it read, and I smiled. I looked at the ce, and I had nothing to do. The ce was clean. I opened the dish, and there was indeed a sandwich in it. Last night''s activities made me hungry, and my tummy grumbled. I picked up the sandwich and devoured it, then decided to stroll. I left the house and locked it with a key. I had be extra careful since what happened with the omegas. I did not want to get in trouble. Leo might have taken a giant leap with me, but my bare neck and the fact that I was still in my room meant we weren''t there yet. I wasn''t going to risk it. If I did not have a history of stealing, I wouldn''t care, but how we met had made certain things about me questionable. I had to make sure no one used my past against me again. While I walked down, people stared at me. I was used to the stares by now, so it did not bother me. Strolling within the pack wasn''t a crime, so I refused to let it bother me. I had excellent hearing, and I could hear their whispers. Most were hateful, but I did not care. I had no business with Them. My only business was with Leo, and I bet they could not repeat their words to his face. I summed it up as jealousy, and I enjoyed it. I had never met anyone jealous of me, so it was a good thing. I ran into Delta Gabriel, and he greeted me. His greeting was a bit unfriendly, and I did not know what it was, but I chose to ignore it. "Hey," I said, and he nodded. "So you were busy that day," I said, and he nodded. "Alpha sent me on an errand," He said, and I nodded, which made our conversation awkward. ''What is your game?" he finally asked me, and I looked at him, confused. "You came and flirted with me. Meanwhile, you are screwing the Alpha. What kind of a woman are you?" He asked me, and I frowned because I had never flirted with him. "Why will you think I was flirting with you? I just wanted to be friends and have a ride to town?" I said, which was the truth, and he chuckled. "Of course, you will want to be friends now that you have found your way into the Alpha''s bed," He said, sounding hurt, and I was a bit creeped out by his reaction. It was weird he would think I was flirting with him. "I will just advise you not to get your hopes up. Queen Tamia owns his heart. He might sleep with you and use you to pass the time, but just like Amanda, you will never fill that void in his heart. The Omegas said you do not sleep in his room. Likewise, Amanda when she was here, and you want to know why? It is because that was the room he shared with Tamia. Her stuff is still in there. So I hope you enjoy being the alphas ything. At least it will mean a roof over your head," he said, and I wanted t to p him, but Iposed myself. Note to self, have the Omegas cleaning the house reprimanded. "All this meanness because I said I wanted to be friends?" I asked him "Wow, Delta. I thought you were better than this. I could expect this pettiness from the Omegas but not from a high-ranking officer like you. What was that supposed to do? Make me sad? Make me cry? Make me break up with Alpha Leo?" I asked him. "You tried the wrong trick on the wrong girl," I said, and he sighed, looking ashamed. He knew he had crossed the line. "I am not trying any trick on you, Amelia. I see how you look at him. From the day you got here. I also know you are his second chance mate, and he rejected you. It is all over the pack. I am just looking out for you, Amelia. You have been through so much; I do not want you to get hurt," He said, and I wondered when I told him my life story. " Did I tell you my story?" I asked, and he smiled and shook his head. "You don''t have to. How you came here, what you came here to do and how Alpha Leo took pity on you is everywhere. I know you have had it rough. Just don''t get your heart broken. I am sure you are a smart girl. Know when to walk away," he said and looking at him, I knew he wasn''t being malicious. He was genuinely advising me. "Thank you, Delta, for the warning. At least I am d someone cares about me around here," I said, trying to brighten the mood, and he gave me a half smile. I excused myself and walked back towards the house. The moment I got home, I picked a book to read. I did not think much about what the Delta said because I believed I would not end up like Amanda. I believed Leo was trying, and he would give a hundred per cent just like I was, and if it didn''t work out, I would leave. Nothingsts forever, so I will just enjoy the moment. If it yields something, then it will be great. If not, I will be happy for the happy memories and move on with my life. I did not survive this long by sulking and moping. I will keep pushing until I find a home, wherever that may be. While on the couch, I thought of my days as an orphan. After I was rejected three times, the head of the orphanage, Lucy, started dying my hair brown, but there was nothing she could do about my eyes. Getting contacts for children was illegal, so she had to make do. There were times she would make me wear sunsses to cover my eyes. I chuckled, thinking of it. Silly of her to assume the party interested in adoption won''t take it off to see what they are getting. Thinking of it all, Lucy was pretty dumb. But I was grateful for her. However badly I was treated. I was thankful she did not throw me away when she realised I would never be adopted. Had she done that, I might have been dead by now. The only thing I wasn''t happy about was her trying to send me to the workhouse. I would have done odd jobs, but a whoring profession was not the career path I wanted to take. She tried to convince me, and the person that wanted me toe and work for them offered a lot of money. She said I would give her ce an exotic touch. Iughed, remembering the conversations. There were all in my past now. I looked on to the future. One thing that stayed with me was the constant dying of my hair. I just couldn''t stop it. I had stopped it at a time and let my tinum hair grow out when I wanted to start the food truck business, but people stayed away. Business picked up when I returned to being a brte, which was how it became a habit. Broke or not, I always found the time to dye my hair. Still in thought, I heard the door nub turn. I looked in that direction and saw Leo and Max walk in. I was happy, but I controlled myself. Leo looked at me and smiled. At the same time, Alpha Max walked straight to his room. Leo joined me on the couch, and I sat up. " Did you miss me?" he asked me, and I shook my head, which made himugh a bit. He pulled me close gently and kissed my neck. I held the moan, but he put in more effort; I could not help but moan. "How was the sandwich," he asked me, nibbling my ear, and I pulled away and gave him a thumbs down. He was surprised and tickled me for marking him down. Then we kissed. I wrapped my arms around his neck, and he made me sit on him on the couch. Still kissing, he held me close tightly. We had to break the kiss to catch our breaths. I rested my head against his, and he smiled at me. "''I missed you," he confessed, and it gave me butterflies. "Maybe I did too, but a little," I said, and weughed. Owned by N?velDrama.Org. He looked so alive, and there was a light in his eyes that wasn''t there when I first saw him. "What do you want to do today?" He finally asked me, and I shrugged. I could not think of anything to do. "We can go hunting in wolf form," he said, and Aurora was ted. I had never been able to do that because most woods were privately owned, and I was always an outsider and a nonbody. I would have been killed for trespassing if I had gone into those woods. "We will go hunting tonight because we are going to the north tomorrow." He said, and even though I was excited about hunting and going on a trip with him, I was nervous about meeting the Royals and nobles. They were just way above me. I did not know how to fit in and was scared of being in the same ce as Tamia. She was gorgeous and looked very normal. I did not want aparison, but I must be optimistic. Leo lifted me and carried me towards my room. 17 In The Woods ( Book 2) 17 In The Woods ( Book 2) ~Leo~ I haven''t been weed home warmly in a long time. Holding Amelia on the couch and the yful way she rted with me gave me warmth. I lifted her from the couch and carried her to the room. I wouldn''t call us rabbits, but we were moving faster than anticipated. Weter returned to the kitchen to cook. I wanted to help out, and she obliged. She looked pretty and innocent with her messy hair. Looking at her made me remember I had a question about the roots of her hair being different from the body. I hoped it didn''t get to her when I asked. "Amelia," I said, and she looked at me, holding a wooden spat coated with tomato sauce. She looked breathtakingly beautiful, and I smiled at her. "Why are your roots tinum blonde?" I asked, and she touched her head with her free hand and giggled. "Oh, that," she said as if I had asked her a funny question. I was curious. "Well, the short story is they dyed my hair often at the orphanage so someone would adopt me, but my eyes were always in the way," she said,ughing and turning the sauce in the pan. "I let the hair grow out once when I started my food truck business, but people were so creeped out they wouldn''t buy, so I just realised I should continue dying the hair. The habit has stuck with me ever since. I have been carried awaytely that I forgot to attend to the hair. It makes me stand out too much," she said, and I held her from behind while she stirred the sauce and kissed her neck. " Let it grow out, Moonlight. It''s beautiful," I said to her, and she giggled. "Well, do not act funny when you see it," she said, and I kissed her neck more. "I doubt there is anything about you that I would not find attractive," I confessed, and that was the truth. She was a gorgeous woman. Even when she was skinny and looked sickly, I could see it. N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. "Will Max be eating with us?" She asked, dumping the meatballs into the sauce. "I guess so," I said. "So why didn''t youe with your food truck," I asked her, realising she was earning a living in Gad. Now I knew why she was good at cooking. "Well, it wasn''t new, and it wouldn''t have been able to make the trip. We were also disced, so I had no time to sell it. The funny thing was I wanted to start that business here, hence why I was stealing. That was the only decent way I coulde up with the capital. I never took what people would miss," she said, and I did not know how to feel about that because Tamia''s jewellery was dear to me. Each had a memory and a reason behind it. I did not tell her that, so I didn''t spoil her mood. As thick-skinned as Amelia was, I got to her. "Well, I am d you do not have to anymore," I said, ending the discussion, and she nodded and turned off the stove. Max came out shirtless, holding his shirt in hand. "The smell of the food tingled my senses," he said, looking at the kitchen, and I sighed. Amelia looked at him, and I felt a tinge of jealousy in how her eyes grazed through his body. She did not have disgust which meant he looked good. She should have faked some disgust, though. "The dragon on your tattoo is a bit ugly," She said, and I startedughing. Here I was, thinking she was admiring Max''s body while only analysing his tattoo. I felt silly. "I agree. The artist never finished it. He got killed," Max said, wearing the white t-shirt he held. She had made him a bit ufortable, and it made meugh. I helped arrange the food on the table, and Max joined us. We ate and talked about many things. The most prominent of our discussions was going to the north. Both Max and I were eager to visit. I knew Max was happy he would be heard and Alexie would be exposed. While I was keen to learn more about the Volkovs, I believed they were Amelia''s family. "What are you doing this evening?" Max asked me, and I shrugged. "We are going hunting," Amelia said happily, and Max raised an eyebrow. I wished she did not tell him. It was meant to be our evening together. "May Ie?" He asked, which was precisely why I did not answer when he asked. "It''s a special evening for two," I said, and Max nodded. He did not take it personal. "Maybe next time," Amelia said, and he nodded. We talked about other things and soon cleared the table. The three of us cleaned up. Max retired to his room, and we sat on the couch in the living room to watch some television. "Leo," Amelia said, and I knew she had something important to say from the sound of her voice. "Do you have specific Omegase to clean your house?" She asked me, and I wondered why she would ask that question. "Yes, Macy and two other girls," I replied, and she nodded. "Well, I do not appreciate them talking about what we are doing in this house to pack members," She said, and I looked at her, wondering what had happened. "What happened?" I asked her. "Well, I ran into Delta Gabriel, and he had a lot of advice for me, Leo, because the Omegas couldn''t keep their mouth shut. They tell people stuff. They talked about what you had in your room. They talked about where I sleep and whatnot. I just think it is wrong for them to clean their Alphas house and tell people what they saw," She said. She did not sound angry, and I was grateful for it. I nned on calling Macy to order. I knew it wasn''t Macy and might be the extra hands she brought with her. I decided Macy would do the cleaning alone henceforth. "Did he say anything that bothered you?" I asked her, and she shook her head. I sighed with relief and left it alone. I knew she didn''t tell me everything and only had to tell me about the Omegas because she believed something needed to be done about their conduct, and she was right. I can''t have gossip in my house. It was finally time to go hunting. I had told Casper to make sure the woods were clear, and he had told me it was clear and that no one used it. It had been a long time since I went hunting in the woods, but Amelia made me want to go there to meet her wolf. Her blue-eyed wolf had stayed with me since that day I saw her in the service quarters. We went to the clearing by the woods, and it was time to shift. Amelia was giddy. The fact that tiny gestures made her smile let me know that loving her would be easy, but my heart wasn''t ready to cross that line yet. If I crossed it now, there would be no turning back, so I nned to take my time. I shifted to ck, and he howled at her to pay his respect to our would-have-been mate had I not rejected her. She stripped, and goddess, she was gorgeous. I felt my heart racing and knew ck was anxious to meet her wolf. Amelia shifted into a beautiful tinum-furred blue-eyed wolf. Her fur shined, and she looked like a goddess. I began to ask where she came from. I had never seen anything like that. Her fur looked soft even though I hadn''t touched it. I had never seen anything like it before. She looked regal. Why would the world hate such beauty? We always believe life is easy for the beautiful ones, but that is not entirely true because if that were the case, Amelia should be a queen. "What''s her name?" I linked her. "Aurora," She said, and ck howled to pay his respect. Though smaller than me, she walked to us and squatted with her head bowed. She was acknowledging me as her alpha and not her mate. I guess the rejection got to Aurora because she knew ck could not feel their bond anymore. ck howled for her to get up. He rubbed his fur against her to encourage her. She did as he said. "He is ck," I linked her. "Alpha ck," Amelia said, paying her respect and just then, I believed Amelia was also being careful with me. Unlike our human selves, our wolves were bad pretenders, and I could see now that she was thinking more than she was letting out. Hopefully, she would open up one day. I dashed into the woods, and she followed behind. I felt free at that moment, rushing through the woods. It was as if something had been lifted. I felt Aurora behind me, and she reminded me of Kaira. The memory was pleasant. We spent a while in the woods, and I noticed Aurora hadn''t seen much of the wild. I also realised that Amelia rarely shifted, which would exin her wolf''s naivety to the forest. It must have been hard for both of them. "They are with us now. We will take care of them," ck said confidently, and I did not respond; I let him own his promise. It wasn''t long before we were in the forest when an arrow pierced my side. It was silver because I shifted back to my human form immediately. What the fuck was happening in my woods? Aurora moved close to me, and I tried to shoo her away with my hand to protect her. I wanted her to get away so she did not get hit, but she grabbed the arrow with her jaws and pulled it out. Then, she took a protective stance in front of me and growled in the direction the arrow came from. I touched the wound that hadn''t healed yet and saw my blood was ck. It meant the arrow was dipped in silver dust. I needed medical care, and there was no way I could get it. With silver in my system, I could not link anyone. Two men approached us, and one held a silver chain with gloves. They were there to capture one of us. Aurora lunged at the one with the chain like a wild beast. She wounded the guy by biting off a chunk of the flesh of his thigh. He immediately let go of the silver chain, but Aurora had ns for the guy. The other one got scared and ran away. Aurora did not give the guy that was down a chance. She focused on him. Aurora held the chain in her mouth and wound it around the man''s neck. I was amazed that the silver did not affect or force her to shift. I began to doubt it was silver until I heard the sizzling sound of searing fleshing from the man''s neck. She was going to burn his neck and kill him. Aurora stepped away from the man who was screaming for dear life before he passed out. I could tell he was still alive. Wolves came running towards us. I guess Aurora must have linked my men. Gabriel was in front, then Casper and the other men. Aurora had left the silver by then, so they did not see her hold it in her mouth. I guess she wouldn''t have let me see her handle silver had it not been life-threatening. Gabriel shifted and removed the silver from the attacker''s neck, and Aurora wasn''t pleased because she was growling. As much as I wanted her to shift back to Amelia, I let her remain in wolf form. I knew my men were in awe of her wolf. I could see it from how they stared at her, but she was mine. They carried me to the infirmary. 18 Off To Luckland (Book 2) 18 Off To Ld (Book 2) ~Leo~ The doctor cleaned out the silver in my wound and put me on a drip to help my system expel the silver. All the while I was undergoing treatment, I was thinking of Amelia. I saw how her wolf had defended me and the fear she drove into one of the men that made him run away. Thinking of it, I chuckled a few times and was grateful, but I wondered what they were doing in my woods because those men hade intending to capture me. That means someone told them I would be hunting in the woods. It had to be one of the men Casper asked to see if the woods were clear. Or they might have told someone that told another person, and word got out. I remembered what Amelia told me about the gossip in my pack, and I knew I needed to address the issue. Nheless, this was a serious matter. It was clear that someone or some people were after me. Why now? After a year plus, why now and why me? Casper entered where I was and was surprised to see me sitting. "You gave us a scare there, Alpha," Casper said, and I gave him a half smile. "How did you know toe?" I asked him. "Amelia linked Gabriel, and Gabriel linked all of us. He was on his way when he linked us. I have told him to look elsewhere because he seems interested in the girl," Casper said, and I nodded. "She has been outside for an hour. I did not know if you were okay that she came in," He said, referring to Amelia, and I nodded it was okay. I actually wanted to see her and thank her. "Let her in," I said. Casper nodded and smiled. "She was lucky she didn''t get hit by the arrows. They aren''t onlyced with silver dust; the tips were made of silver. I believe they nned on capturing one of you because the chain was only meant for one person," Casper said, but I already knew that. What I needed to know was the reason behind the attack. "Our woods had been safe all this while. Amelia is the neer in this pack. What if she pissed someone off, and they came looking for her here?" Casper said, and I chuckled. "Then how did they know she would be hunting in the woods with me? I do not remember telling anyone that she would be hunting with me. Not even you, Beta. I just requested you ensure the forest is clear," I reminded him, and he nodded, looking stupid. "Well, maybe they had eyes on her," He said, and I shook my head a bit irritated because he seemed to want to pin the attack on Amelia. After all, she was the neer in our pack. "Or maybe they were after me, and I was lucky she was there with me," I said the one thing he was reluctant to say, and Casper was silent. ''I want that man interrogated. He mustn''t die. I need to know what he and his friend were doing in my woods," I said, and Casper frowned. "Friend?" He said, and I nodded. "Yes, there were two of them," I told Casper, and he was surprised. "The other one ran away after Amelia''s wolf got his partner," I said, and Casper frowned.This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. "I have been meaning to ask you something. How did the man get the chain around his neck? That thing is pure silver." He said I knew I had to lie to cover for Amelia. "How do you think I got the arrow on my side?" I said, iming I had done it before the arrow hit me. He did not seem like he believed me, but he was quiet. Casper left me alone, and Amelia entered my room. She was smiling at me. I could see she was worried and only smiling to brighten my mood. "Come here, Moonlight," I said, and she rushed to hold me. She was afraid for me. It felt good knowing someone cared. She held her emotions well. I kissed the top of her head, and she rested on my chest and sat on myp. "I have been asking to see you for a while, but they won''t let me in. How are you feeling now?" She asked me. I held her tighter with my free arm. "I am alright, Moonlight," I said. There was an awkward silence between us, and I decided to break it. "Thank you for what you did out there. Your wolf has an amazing ability," I said, and she got off my lap and looked at me with disbelief. "You do not think I am a freak?" she asked, and I chuckled and shook my head. She beamed at me, and I saw her rx. Showing me her ability must have troubled her. "I was worried you''d think I am a freak," she said, and I shook my head. "Your secret is safe with me," I told her, and she smiled. "Any idea who they might be?" She asked, and I shook my head. "My Beta will handle it. Right now, I just want to finish this drip and go home. We are going to the north tomorrow," I said, and Max strolled in. It was odd they would stop Amelia from entering without my permission and let Max in without my permission. I did not need to guess why, but they should have applied the same protocol to Max. I was going to address itter. "How are you feeling?" Max asked, looking worried. I knew what he was thinking, and I shook my head. "No one thinks it is you, Max. You need to rx," I told my friend, and he shook his head. "It is that douchebag. I suspect him. Maybe he wants to stop us from going to the north since you have already said the King has taken an interest in the matter," he said. His exnation was usible, but how did Alexie know I was in the woods? "So how did he know to get me in the woods?" I asked, and Max shook his head. "I can''t exin that. Maybe that was their way in, and they hit the jackpot when they saw ck there. They might have been nning to break into your home..." he said, and I shook my head. "You are giving them too much credit. Someone told them I was in the woods, and they waited," I said, and Amelia stood there silently. "You must have gotten injured protecting Amelia," Max said, feeling sorry for both of us and knowing there was no way I could tell the truth without giving away Amelia''s secret made me realise it was best to shut up. My men came in after that, and Amelia decided to excuse us. She left before I could even speak. I wanted her to stay, but I could not link her, thanks to the silver in my system. I watched her walk away, and Max followed. I felt a bit possessive of her. I didn''t want her home alone with Max, and the thought alone made meugh at myself. My men and I had a long discussion about the possibilities of why anyone would attack me in my woods, and none made sense. The only option we had was to hope that the prisoner talked. I wasn''t nning on postponing my trip to the north. I put Casper in charge of the investigation and dismissed them. When I was done receiving the drip, it was past midnight. I returned to my house, and the whole ce was dark. I knew I should not trouble Amelia''s Sleep, but I went to her room against my better judgement. She was sleeping peacefully under the covers, and I smiled. I admired her bravery out there. Knowing she was uneducated and untrained, Imended her. Her instincts were good. I wished life had given her more. "Then we should give her more," ck said, speaking of our rtionship for the first time. "Let us not rush things," I told my wolf, and he was sad. "Our men treated her as if she was nobody by refusing to let her into the infirmary to see us. Had it been possible, she would have been seen as the suspect. They know you are seeing her, yet they do not respect her," ckined. "What are you driving at?" I asked my wolf. "Is she a potential mate or our ything?" he asked, and I cringed at hisst words. I wondered why my wolf would use that choice of words when he knew my intentions towards her were pure. I nned on addressing my men''s conduct towards her. "I am not speaking based on your intentions, Leo; I am speaking based on your actions and what people may believe. You should have reprimanded Casper for denying her ess to see us," He said, and he was annoyed. I agreed with him and nned on addressing the matter the next day. Suddenly I did not feel worthy of lying beside her in her bed. I contemted leaving her room and was about to go when I heard her call my name in her sleep. "Leo," she said, and I knew she was dreaming. Dreaming of me. I smiled, undressed but let my shorts on, and got under the sheets with her. She unconsciously moved close to me and ced her head on my chest. I gently wrapped my arms around her and caressed her back until sleep came for me too. I woke up in the morning, and Amelia was still sleeping. I gently woke her up. It took a while before she woke, but she soon did and gradually sat up. "We need to get ready, Amelia. We have a ne to catch this afternoon," I said. I wanted to go in my private jet, but I decided we would flymercial instead. I did not want to waste money paying for a hangar in Lund because I did not know how long we would spend in the north because of Amelia. I left her room and went to shower in mine. I spent a while in the bathroom, thinking of many things, but soon I cast my worries aside and chose to take the days as they came. Deep down, I hoped that the people that attacked us in the woods and tried to capture me weren''t a big deal. I got dressed and took out my luggage to the living room. To my surprise, Max and Amelia were making sandwiches and having fun doing it too. Max seemed more alive than he did the day he came to my house. I guess he had indeed moved on, and following his ims about Alexie was him doing his due diligence and nothing more. Max made Ameliaugh, and I saw her rx around him. ck was a bit jealous, but I held it. I was still going to move at my pace. I will not jump until I am sure. I joined them in the kitchen and saw what they were making. "sandwiches?" I asked, looking at the counter. "Max said we should make club sandwiches," she said, and even though I wanted a sub, I had no choice but to ept what Max had suggested. Amelia served the food, and we ate silently before Max broke the ice. "So, have you decided where to stay when you go to the north? I know you usually stay at the Volkov estate," Max asked, and I nodded. "I have booked a suite for us. It has two rooms. You can sleep in one, and Amelia and I will sleep in the other," I said, and he frowned at me. "Why not go to the estate with Amelia while I stay in a room in the hotel? I am sure you two will have more fun there," He said, and I smiled at him. "Yes, we will, except that I do not own the ce, and I have to take permission before I take Amelia there," I exined. A look in his eyes said he did not buy what I was saying, but he let it rest. We finished breakfast, and I decided to leave Max to do the dishes alone as punishment for trying to spoil breakfast. We finally got to the airport and boarded the ne to Lund. Amelia was nervous, but I held her hand. I knew she had never been in an aerone before; this would be her first time. I ensured she had the window seat to look out and get the whole experience. The flight was smooth, and wended peacefully. We were collecting our luggage when I got a call from Casper. I honestly did not want to answer it, but I had to. I put Max in charge of the luggage and told Amelia to stay with him while I stepped away to answer the phone. "Alpha," Casper said, and I answered. "We found fresh camping sites in our woods," He said, and I knew that wasn''t the urgent thing he wanted to discuss with me. "Alpha, they abandoned the ce in a hurry. The disturbing part was that they had some tools and left them behind. From their scent, they were about six people. Based on the tools, I believe they were trackers. I think they were tracking someone or something. It is either that or they were scouting," He said, and beads of sweat formed on my forehead. I could not head back to Mountain now. Six trackers, tracking or scouting in my woods was worrisome. "They have left, Alpha, but I just wanted to tell you what is happening. I have put men to guard the perimeter. I will keep you updated on our finds," Casper added, letting me know it wasn''t as urgent as it may sound. I hoped so. I was confident that my men could handle six trackers, but I wanted to know what they were doing in my woods. "When the prisoner talks, let me know," I said to Casper, and I hung up. Chapter 181 - 19 On Arrival Chapter 181 - 19 On Arrival ~Leo~ The call I got from Casper didn''t sit well with me. Trackers that did not belong to the pack of an ally were a problem. I did not know what or who they were tracking, and the fact that I wasn''t in Mountain to protect and defend my territory was an issue. I looked at Amelia and Max, where they stood waiting to see our bags and knew I had to make a careful judgement call. Attending the meeting waspulsory, but remaining in the north was optional. I also need to stay to help Amelia with her lineage. Deep down, I knew something would have to give. I braced myself and hoped Casper would be able to handle the matter and that they would not need me in the east because it would suck if I had to leave Amelia behind and go back to the east. Knowing she was being careful, I did not want her to think I was dumping her or trying to get away from her. She might not make a fuss, but I knew it would hurt her. I stered a half smile on my face and moved toward them. " How do you feel, Moonlight," I asked her, and she beamed at me. It was obvious she was enjoying the experience. This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. Unlike her, Max and I wanted to get our luggage and get out of the ce. People had begun to recognise me, and I did not need the attention I was obtaining. To my surprise, our luggage was brought in a trolly. "Councilman, Albert. Wee to Lund," The man pushing the trolly said with the utmost respect, and I thanked him. I knew we needed to get out of there immediately before the cameras got involved. Toote. I saw the first sh, grabbed Amelia''s hands, and began walking quickly towards the arrival section''s exit. I hoped the camera wouldn''t give chase, but they did, and the moment we were out the door, they were in our faces. I heard Amelia giggling and looked at her. She seemed to be enjoying the attention, and it was cute. She was even posing yfully. I wondered if she wouldugh so much if she realised she would be on the front page of a tabloid the next day. "They will print it in the papers," I linked her, and she froze. Just then, the car taking us to the hotel pulled up in front of us. I opened the door for Amelia to enter, then followed her in. Max sat in front, and the driver started the engine. "Is it always like this?" Amelia asked, and I nodded. "That is why I like the east. I am not a celebrity there," I teased, and sheughed. We spent the ride in silence. Since Amelia came from Gad, nothing about Lund would surprise her. The Volkovs built both cities, so they were simr. Soon she rested her body on mine and fell asleep. It was cute and trusting of her to sleep in the car of a stranger she did not know. She must really count on my ability to protect her. It was heartwarming that she trusted me so much, but I could not yet trust her with my heart. I was nning to be patient and wait and see. We arrived at the hotel, and Amelia woke up. The staff got our luggage, and we went to the concierge to handle certain things. We got the key to our suite and used the elevator to get to our floor. I made somest-minute changes to the arrangement. While Amelia and I would use the suite. I got a room on the same floor for Max so we could have our privacy. When we got to our floor, I handed Max his room key card, and he was excited. "I am so happy you did this. Honestly, I did not want to be listening to both of you at night. This means I will have a good rest," He said, walking away and searching for his room number dragging his luggage behind him. The man with the trolly smiled a bit, seeing Max''s excitement when he found out he wouldn''t share a suite with us. We finally got to our suite, and I hoped they got the romantic arrangement right. I did not know if Amelia would like it, but that was me trying. Knowing she did not grow up like most women I know, surprising her would be challenging because I was yet to know her. We entered the suite, and the windows were closed. The ce was dark, but the surprise was in the bedroom. I tipped the staff, and he left with his trolly. "Do you like it?" I finally asked her, and she smiled like a little girl. "It is beautiful, Leo." She said and rushed to hug me. I could feel her joy. I hadn''t done anything, and she was genuinely happy. I held her close to my body and bent to kiss her sweet lips. She responded without hesitation. I kissed her, and then we broke the kiss to catch our breaths. "I never got to thank you properly for saving my lifest night," I said, and I saw that she was shy and tried to look away. So I touched her chin and had her look at me. "Aurora is the most gorgeous wolf I have ever seen. I am not saying this to tter you, Amelia; I mean it," I said, and she searched my eyes. I was curious to know what she was looking for, but I hoped she would be pleased with whatever she found in them. She pulled me closer to her, and that was it. We began to kiss and undress. I wanted her to see the romantic arrangement in the bedroom; we would have to make do. We stripped to our underwear and tried to go to the bedroom. I broke the kiss when we entered because I wanted her to see how much I cared. The curtains were shut, the dark room was softly lit, and roses were everywhere. They did not get the exact arrangement I wanted, but I appreciated the effort on short notice. "For me," she said, covering her mouth, a bit shocked, and then she looked at me and looked around again; by now, I could see her tears. "No one has ever done something for me before. This is beautiful, Leo," She said to me, and I carried her bridal style and ced her on the bed. "You should get used to it because you deserve this and much more," I told her, leaning over her and gazing into her eyes. I searched for a part of my soul in them and knew I would find it if I tried a bit harder. I bent to kiss her neck, and her moan was all the invite I needed to do the things I had wanted to do to her sincest night. Amelia and I made love, and soon wey naked and spent. Her head was on my chest while I caressed her back. It was too early for sleep, but I knew Amelia would soon fall asleep because of the multiple orgasms she experienced. I was proud that I did not disappoint her. "When is the meeting?" She finally asked me, and I sighed. "Tomorrow morning," I replied, and she was silent. "Are we going back to Mountain after then?" She asked, and I did not know the answer yet. I did not want to say something and then do something else. "I am not sure; it depends," I said, and she kissed my chest and held me tighter. Soon she fell asleep. I remained awake because a lot of things weighed on my mind. The most important of all was the trackers and the Alexie matter. Somehow I was uneasy about it all. I did not need the distraction because I was trying to develop something meaningful with Amelia. Still, the trouble was knocking, and I could feel it. I heard my phone vibrate and gently slid off the bed to get it. The name made my stomach churn. "Hello," I said, bracing myself for the response I would get. "Leo, where are you? We were told younded in Lund four hours ago," Theodore Orlov said, and I rxed. I had thought he had called to discuss his wife''s case with Kyle. "I am staying in a hotel," I said. "Why stay in a hotel when you have a room in the estate?" he asked, and I did not know what to tell him. "I know you came with someone. You know you can bring her here, right. That way, Marcel and Dominic will stop trying to hook you up withdies," he said, and weughed. I looked at Amelia, who was sleeping peacefully on the bed, and I doubted she was ready for that level of exposure. "I am not sure, Theo. I doubt Amelia is ..." I started, and he did not let me finish. "Bring her first and figure it outter. You have no business staying in a hotel," Theodore said, and I sighed. "Also, Max nch is with me," I said, and Theodore was silent as expected. "What is with those two?" Theo said, sounding irritated, and I chuckled. "He is over Avery, Theo. He has a case that Sylvester has approved. Someone cheated in a challenge and took his pack, and he is seeking justice. Avery isn''t one of the things on his mind. He moved on long ago," I said, and I knew what I was saying was true. Unlike Kyle, Max wasn''t living in denial and deceiving himself. He epted his wrongs, and he found a way to forgive himself. "Well, I did not know about nch. We will send him to the delta wing if hees here," Theo said, and honestly, I wasn''t expecting he would still invite me. "Very well, we will join you in the estate after the hearing tomorrow," I said, and heughed, sounding pleased. "Is she the one?" He asked me, and I looked at Amelia and decided to y it safe. "Still thinking about it, Theo. I am not sure, but I think we are heading somewhere," I said, and he was silent for a bit. I know he did not like what I said. "Love is a rare thing, Leo. Do not throw it away by being too careful. Whoever this girl is, I am sure she isn''t another Tamia or Amanda. She is unique, and because of that, you shouldn''tpare. If you are interested, I advise you to dive in deep instead of surfing on the surface," he advised me, and I sighed. I understood his point. "I know, and I am trying," I said. "Well, that is a good start," he said, and I was pleased that he wouldn''t ask anything else. "See you at the hearing. Call any of us if you need anything. I will give Sylvester and Tamia the update. They hoped you woulde to the Estate today, but I will let you be," He said, and we both hung up. I stood in the room looking at Amelia as she slept peacefully in bed, and I was afraid, not of falling in love, but of breaking her. I prayed that the goddess would grant me wisdom and strength not to mess this up. I got into bed and pulled her close to hold her. Suddenly I regretted rejecting the bond. Chapter 182 - 20 History Lesson Chapter 182 - 20 History Lesson ~Tamia~ It had been over a year of silence and peace. Sylvester and I had made the most of it. We led our people and kept our home. The task was daunting, but we were always there to support each other. Laying on the pic mat in the western garden of the estate, I watched Sylvester y with the twins. Fate had led me to him and kept us together. Our children were just a year plus and a joy to be around. Harper started walking before her brother, Liam. It was a sight to see as if they werepeting among themselves. Sylvester was a wonderful father and husband. He always had time for us. He cared for them diligently. He spent less time in the office and more with our children and me. All my fears of doing it alone were a distant memory now. I watched him y with them in the western garden, and I was thankful. Harper fell on her bum, and instead of crying, she giggled. She had two cute front teeth, and they looked beautiful. Her eyes were green like mine, but her hair was dark like Sylvester''s. On the other hand, Liam would look like Sylvester when he grew up. He had nothing of mine. N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. Sylvester lifted Harper and spun around. When he stopped, she giggled, and Liam began to cry, so I got up and decided to join in the fun. "Don''t cry, little one; momma is here," I said, lifting Liam up and doing the same spin Sylvester did with Harper. He giggled, and just like his sister, he looked cute. "They seem jealous," Sylvester said, and I raised my brow. They were bound to be. Both Sylvester and I were jealous people. We yed a bit and then returned to the mat to enjoy the serene environment. The peace was divine. It felt good not having to watch our backs or outsmart our enemies. It felt so good just taking the days as theye and living them to the fullest. "I am thinking of a vacation in Grizlo," Sylvester said, and I frowned at him, wondering why he would want to go to Grizlo. "Why?" I asked, and he pulled me close and kissed his mark on my neck. He knew better not to do that, but he was being naughty. My body shuddered with pleasure, and he chuckled in approval. "David says it is a good ce, and I think you will like the change of scenery even if it is for a week. I am sure Harper and Liam would love it, too," he said. "They can''t tell you they don''t," I said, and he shook his head. "Yes, they can, Green-eyes. They can cry all week and make our time there miserable. I am telling you, babies are smart," he said with a serious and firm expression that made meugh. I saw Miles, Oliver and Lilly chasing each other with their baby feet on the grass. Theo was behind them, and Linda was behind Theo. They all seemed to be having fun except for Linda, who looked like she''d rather be indoors getting a massage and drinking champagne. Of the three of us, Linda was the first to get pregnant but the last to adjust to parenthood. She looked around, and her eyes settled on me. Lilly came to where Harper was and tried to get her attention by ying with her toy. Harper giggled and was open to sharing. I wondered how they understood each other. Maybe babies had psychguage. We would never know. Oliver and Miles joined in, and that was it. The toys weren''t enough, and soon, they all started crying. I linked a staff to bring more toys while we tried to calm them down. "Have you seen Ave?" She asked, and I shook my head. "What is the matter?" I asked Linda, and she shrugged. "Nothing, it was just that I hadn''t seen her all day, and I got worried." She confessed, and I shook my head. I knew that wasn''t the case. Avery had been spending more time with Katya and Nicole, and it was getting to Linda. "Maybe you should try hanging out with them more often," I said, and she pouted her lips. "She is my friend," She said with a funny tone, and weughed. "So what is happening?" She finally asked me, and I shrugged my shoulders. "Nothing, just the same," I replied, and she smiled. "How does being queen feel like?" She asked, and I shrugged. "Honestly, other than the meetings, it is normal," I replied, and she rolled her eyes. "Do not get me started about those meetings, Tamia. Now that I have a case, I do not look forward to going to the King''s hall. I hate seeing that man; he has a deep sense of entitlement. Imagine the guts he had to say I gave those things to him and that because I no longer live in the east, he has the right to keep them?" She said, and I knew Kyle''s words and conduct got to her, but we could do nothing about it. Sylvester could give an order, but we wanted Kyle to let go of Linda''s things without exerting force. It did not seem like the matter was going peacefully, but we would try. "Is Stephanie back?" I asked her, knowing my mother-inw would be returning from Brighton, and she nodded. "With Jake," Linda added, and we bothughed. The romance between Stephanie and Jake was so much that they seemed like teenagers. I wondered what made them click, hoping it would lead to something beautiful. They both deserved a happily ever after, and I hoped they get it. While thinking of them, Leo crossed my mind, and I said a silent prayer for him in my heart. "Dear goddess, please help Leo find love again and give him the strength and courage to open up and cherish what he is given. I know he is a broken man; fix him and send him true love that would keep him," I prayed, and Linda''s face dropped because she knew I was deep in thought. "What is ying in your mind, Tamia?" She asked, and I shrugged, but my eyes gave it away. "He isn''t a baby, Tamia. You bounced back and moved on. He did you badly, but you moved on. He should heal from what Amnda did. If he can''t, then too bad. You have done enough. Sylvester has done enough. Leo will be fine. I am sure he is having the time of his life right now," she said, trying to cheer me up, and it worked. I smiled at her. The toys arrived, and I heard Theo and Sylvester sigh with relief. They had a tough time coping with the children. The toys solved the toy scarcity issue our children were having. "Have you heard from Vino?" Linda asked me, and I shook my head. "It''s been four months. I hope he is fine," She said, and I was worried too. Vino got up one day and decided to travel with his daughters four months ago. Although he went with nannies to help him care for the girl, he had been silent since then. I nned on asking Sylvester to find him because I was worried. He hadn''t been okay since he returned from the hospital. Realising that the woman he loved was only using him wasn''t easy. Everything was taken from him. He was disgraced and reced. I know Silvester tried to cushion his fall, but a fall is a fall, nheless, and he felt it. He needed therapy, not a trip, and I hoped Sylvester would get his brother some help. Linda and I began strolling in the garden while discussing other things. "The council meeting is tomorrow, and Leo said he ising," Linda told me, and I nodded. "He wants me to look into an extinct lineage of the Volkov bloodline. He said he found a girl with eyes peculiar to that Lineage. I have researched but must seek Stephanie and Jake''s knowledge to know enough," I told her, and she was interested. The glint in Linda''s eyes said it all. We had all been bored for a while, so any assignment that would have to do with thinking and investigating was weed. "What is the name of this bloodline so I can help with the research," She asked me, and I chuckled at the eagerness in her voice. "Adrik Stepanov," I said, and she gasped. "The silver-eyed king?" She asked, and I nodded. I guess she paid more attention during history sses than I did. "Yes, A.K.A the Silver-eyed or the Silver King," I said, and sheughed. "They taught us in school, Tamia. He was one of the bloodlines forced into extinction for treason," She said, and I pleaded with her to borate. I must have missed those sses. "It was an optional case study in school. Only a few took the ss." She said, making me feel better. I was usually more intobat and strategy. Linda and Avery were my seniors, so the extra History sses must have been cancelled, seeing only a few were interested. "You know the tradition of the Volkovs? She said, and I nodded. "Only the heir to the throne, or lordship, whatever be the situation at the time, can bear Volkov as theirst name. The others would take their mother''s surname hence why there is only one line bearing Volkov as theirst name. For example, Dominic was allowed to bear Volkov because they contemted making him Lord then, but now that your hubby is King, Dominic is a Balyaeve. He and his children will not bear Volkov because they are not in the line of session. Hence why David is a Pavlischev, and Vino will remain a Lawrence," she exined, and I already knew that part. "Now, rewind to the past. The rule was the same. After The Last Volkov king fell, who happened to be Sylvester''s great-great-grandfather, the council was ced above all. We all know what happened with the council and how messy things went with war, everyone battling for power and dominance. Sylvester''s great-grandfather, Gregory Volkov, and his brother, Adrian Stepanov, fought to reinstate the monarchy, but instead of a King, they were granted lordship. Now rumour has it that there was a verbal agreement between the brothers to discard thew of session so everyone would have a fair shot at the throne; they decided that there would be a power rotation between their Lineage. When Sylvester''s great-grandfather passed away, he handed it over to his son, Dimitri Volkov. There was outrage by the Stepanovs because it was their turn to rule as per the verbal agreement between Gregory Volkov and Adrian Stepanov. Unfortunately for the Stepanovs, many things were considered before handing over to Dimitri Volkov," she paused. "You know you do not need to be an Alpha to rule as king or lord," she reminded me, and I knew that part which was why Dominic was hopeful. "Our world was still vtile then, and it was agreed that whoever ruled should have the alpha authority," She said and paused. "One thing the Stepanovs were known for was their vast knowledge of alchemy and the many ways they evolved from generation to generation, but the mutation came at a cost. It erased the Alpha gene from their bloodline. Thus they had Gammas, Deltas and even Omegas but never an Alpha. This gic w disqualified Adrik Stepanov, Adrain''s son, but he refused to stand down. He was the first Alpha of the Bloodline since the gene mutation, so he stood a chance. His Alpha genes were seen as luck, and people doubted it would transfer to his offspring. To increase Adrik''s chances, he had partial immunity to silver, an ability only the Stepanovs possessed. Well, to cut a long story short. Adrik challenged Dimitri, and though the battle was tough, Dimitri won. Adrik did not want to bow out, so Dimitri had no choice. He ordered them to arrest all the Stepanovs for treason and execute them. The records state they were wiped clean as if they had never walked the earth. That is the tragic story of the Stepanovs," She said, and I was shocked at the story. I felt sorry for the bloodline, but I could understand why they needed to install a lord with genuine Alpha genes. "So, what is this''s girl''s connection to Adrik Stepanov?" Linda asked me excitedly. "Her eyes are like the moon," I said, repeating what Leo told me, and she frowned. She was just as confused as I was. 21 Arriving The Kings Hall (Book 2) 21 Arriving The Kings Hall (Book 2) ~Leo~ Morning came, and it was time to head to the King''s hall for the hearing. As much as I looked forward to it, I wasn''t enthusiastic about discussing Kyle and Linda''s issue. I knew it would be a mess, and Kyle was too stupid to see that it wouldn''t favour him either way. The truth was that the property and the money belonged to Linda, and there was no argument he would put forward to help him win. "Can we branch a convenience store in town so I can get hair dye?" Amelia said, stepping out of the bathroom wearing a bathrobe and her hair tied in a towel. I also noticed that she had worn her contacts and realised she had an issue with shocking people with her stunning features. "We are back to this, aren''t we?" I asked with a sigh, and she smiled at me. "First impressions matter, Leo, and I did not want to shock anyone today," she said, pouting her lips, and I sighed. "You won''t shock anyone, Moonlight. You need to embrace your features and ept that you are beautiful in a unique way," I teased, and she giggled and returned to the bathroom. I hoped she went to take off the contacts. Not wanting Amelia to sit in the crowd, I immediately called Tamia. She answered on the first ring. From the way she sounded, I knew they were already on their way. They lived farther from the King''s hall, so it was understandable that they would be on their way. "Leo?" she said, and I greeted her. "Is Kyle with you?" She asked me, and I grumbled. "No, but I know he is in town somewhere," I replied, and sheughed. "I hope he does the right things today. Sylvester will not allow the case to go any further, and Theo is gearing up to take the things by force," She warned. I already knew my verdict on the matter. I just hoped it would be satisfactory to all parties involved. "I was hoping Amelia could sit with Avery and Linda. I do not want her sitting in the crowd. They can get acquainted that way," I said, and she giggled. "Are you sure nothing is going on between you two because you seem overprotective of Amelia to be a charity case," she pointed, and I covered my eyes with my palm and sighed. "Tamia..." I said, and she giggled. "I see. I hope you uplicate things. Sure, she can sit with them. I will make arrangements for it before I get there," She said, and I was d. I did not want people staring at Amelia in the crowd at the guest section. Amelia returned to the room, and the contacts were gone. It made me smile. I nned to search for where she kept them and make them disappear. She must embrace her features; getting rid of those things was the best way out. It didn''t take long for Amelia to figure out what to wear. I was impressed with her fashion sense. She wore lovely grey tailored pants and a cream silk blouse that screamed elegance. She looked like she was going to do something formal. Amelia packed her hair in a ponytail, letting her face stand out. Her make-up was mild and straightforward. Her face looked perfect as if she had nothing on, but she did, and she looked gorgeous. Looking at her, I remembered the first time I saw her and realised she had put in much effort. I moved close to admire her, and she smiled at me. "Am I looking presentable?" she asked, and even though she giggled, I could hear the nervousness in her voice. "You look stunning," I confessed, and she beamed at me. Her tinum blonde roots were pronounced, and they looked great. I honestly wished she didn''t dye her hair, to begin with, but after all, she had told me covering her features was what she taught at the orphanage. Instead of helping her embrace what made her different, they made her cover it up and believe she had to look like everyone to be normal. She was perfectly normal with unique features. I pulled her close and kissed her lips gently. I did not know what was stopping me from moving on with her, but I was fighting it. I just wanted to be sure before Imit myself and profess my intentions. She touched my cheek gently and searched my eyes, hopefully. I averted my guess to douce the emotions we were both expressing, and she I knew my actions let her down because she walked away to where her bag was. I got ready, and we headed out. Max was waiting for us at the entrance. The hotel provided a cab to take us to the King''s hall. The ride to the hall was silent, and there was press at the entrance when we arrived. Sylvester and the lords were yet to arrive, and I wondered if Tamia had called ahead to prepare a ce for Amelia. I held her hand and walked her through the crowd. While we moved, the reporters asked nosey questions about her. There was such noticeable silence, and I knew it was because of Amelia''s looks. I squeezed her hand gently so she would not be ufortable. I held on until we entered the hall. Amelia moved closer to me while Max went to find a ce to sit. Kyle was there, too, and I did not bother to let my eyes linger in his direction. "Councilman Leo," One of the kappas said when he approached me. "The Queen has requested we sit you guest in the noble''s loge." He said, and I smiled, d that Tamia had kept her promise and called ahead. I watched as they took Amelia towards the stairs that led to the noble''s lodge. I was surprised to see Lady Stephanie Volkov already sitting there. She must havee separately. Jake was beside her, and I did not need to guess the rest. Stephanie smiled at me, and I waved at her. Hard times made unlikely bonds to form. The issue with Larry had somehow made me close friends with the north, and I doubted our friendship would ever die. I moved towards my seat on the council to wait for everyone to arrive. "I was thinking you wouldn''t show up this time, and I would have to head to the council again," Devin said when I sat down. It made meugh a bit. "Sorry aboutst time," I apologised, and heughed. "I did not need to guess that the person you walked in here with is the reason you missed thest hearing," He said, referring to Amelia, and I shook my head. ''Actually, I did not want to be a part of Kyle''s hearing," I confessed, and heughed. "That is one stupid and stubborn man. You weren''t here, Leo, but I must tell you, Imend Theodore for maintaining his cool through it. He said a lot of stupid and ignorant things. I think Theodore might take Brent soon at the rate Kyle is going," Devin said, confirming my fears, and I sighed. "We have a lot of issues in the east. I would not want any pack to go through a hostile takeover. Max just lost his pack. My men found trackers in my woods yesterday. I think something weird is going on in the east," I confessed, and he eximed. "I thought I was the only one having issues, Leo. Two packs have been taken over in the south. They were taken over legally with an Alpha challenge. While one of them bowed out, the other Alpha, Macoy, fought to the death." he said, and I frowned at him. It was weird news to hear; no one ever challenged anyone for their packs anymore, so for this to happen now around the same time was weird. "That is odd," I said, and he nodded. "The weird part is the Alpha Donald of Peachwood ims the man that challenged him cheated with silver, so I forwarded the hearing to the council. Sylvester chose yours over mine, so I guess the oue of yours will determine when mine will be heard," He said, and I was in shock that we were having simr issues. "Where is this new Alpha from?" I asked just to be sure. "y Newton is from Hand in the east. He has brown hair and weird-looking eyes. Greyish blue of some sort. I have never seen the colour before. He is also polite but has a sly feel. Donald wants to challenge the right of y to challenge him in the south, but y ims his mother is from the south and his father is the one from Hand. His story checks out, but the issue of the silver effect fight is also a problem." Devin exined to me, and I was just as confused as he was. "We must look into this matter because these things are happening simultaneously. Being vignt is paramount," Devin said, and I nodded and thought of something to say to change the topic. I did not want to think of the implications of what was happening. I enjoyed the rxation moment and did not want to start solving a mystery or fighting foes. "Have you and Susan picked a date yet?" I asked him, knowing they were looking forward to the next blue moon ceremony. The moment I mentioned her name, his facial expression changed. I did not need to be told that something had gone wrong with them. It was written on his face. "I broke up with herst month," he confessed, and I frowned at him. "You do not know what it feels like having to live in the shadow of another man, Leo. I feel like I am inpetition with Sylvester where she is concerned. She is either too careful or unwilling. It has been a rollercoaster ride, and I am done. She is still hung up on the guy, and he has moved on. He has two children now with Tamia, and it is all rainbows and rays of sunshine for them. Still, Susan keeps the dark and rainy clouds of her past looming over me that I had to bow out," he said, and I felt terrible, not because of him but because I believed I might be doing something simr to Amelia. I could understand Susan because I was somewhat in that situation too. It is hard to let go of great love from the past. Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org. "Give her time, Devin. She wille around," I said, and he chuckled. "I am over it," He lied, and I sighed, allowing him to have thest word. He said those words more to convince himself than me. I looked up at the lodge Amelia was sitting in, and she looked pretty ufortable there. Stephanie was staring at her and frowning, and I thought I had made a mistake bringing her to the King''s hall. Maybe I should have allowed her to wear her contacts. Stephanie was speaking to Amelia, and her questions seemed ufortable. I tried to listen, but the voices in the hall covered the sound of Stephanie''s voice, and I knew I would have to use mind link. "Is everything alright there, Moonlight?" I linked Amelia, and she looked in my direction and smiled. I returned the smile, and Stephanie looked in my direction. "She is asking me questions about my family and my eyes," Amelia linked back, and I knew she must be ufortable. "Hello, Leo," Stephanie linked me. I smiled at her, and she returned the smile. "d you came for this one; Kyle has been a pain," She said, and I nodded. She returned her gaze to Amelia and touched her hand affectionately. Amelia smiled at her, and I rxed. It was clear they were alright. Sylvester and Tamia finally arrived, and everyone stood up to pay their respect. They walked straight to the stairs that led to their lodge while the lords went to the stairs that led to their loge. I noticed that Vino wasn''t among them; this was the fourth month since I had seen him. I wondered if he was okay. Although he wasn''t a lord, he usually sat with his half-brothers, but he had been away from the scene for four months now. I would find out when I get to the estate. Everyone paid their respect, and Kyle''s case was mentioned as the first case to be discussed and resolved. Sylvester was clear he would not allow the case to spill into another hearing. I saw Theodore''s approval and was d I hade up with a solution. 22 The Verdict (Book 2) 22 The Verdict (Book 2) ~Leo~ Devin announced Kyle and Linda''s case, and I saw Theodore tense. Linda stood up and moved towards the stairs to stand in the hall''s centre. Kyle moved towards the centre quickly, and people were murmuring. I did not know why Kyle wanted trouble. All he had to do was give Linda back hernd and the money her parents left her, which were in his control, but the man was stubborn. "Councilman Leonardo Albert, you will oversee this hearing and pronounce judgment. Be warned that I will not allow sentiments concerning judgment," Sylvester ordered from his throne. I stood up to pay my respect to the king and queen. Then I greeted the Lords and everyone in attendance. I picked up the paper before me to read the case. "Alpha Kyle Nikson of Brent pack, once married to Lady Linda Orlov, has refused to return his ex- wife''s belongings to her, stating they were joint possessions due to their marriage and he did not initiate a divorce of his free will; thus, he has the rights to keep what they jointly owned during their marriage, and if there is need for a division, the wealth, both fixed and liquid assets, should be divided evenly between the two as he has helped increase the wealth in question. The alpha ims that his pack members own properties on thend and thus cannot relinquish his hold because it was with the understanding and agreement of his ex-wife. He also ims he has grown the wealth by investment, and the liquid asset has tripled in value. Although Lady Orlov ims she wants both fixed and Liquid assets back, Alpha Kyle has refused, which has led to the second hearing today. " I said and then sat down. The noise in the hall had increased, so I had to bang the gavel to silence the crowd. I hated my job, but Devin and I had to ce ourselves high to ensure what happened with Larry did not repeat itself. "I am giving Lady Linda the floor to state her arguments," I said, and everywhere was silent. "Thank you, councilman Albert," Linda said, sounding formal. She bowed to the king and queen, and Tamia nodded, indicating she could speak. "Both Liquid and fixed assets were given to me by my parents as part of theirst will and testament before they passed away. There was no time that I officially handed over anything to Kyle. My marriage to Alpha Nikson has been rocky. During thest period of our marriage, he forcefully settled his pack members on mynd, iming hisnd was not enough for their expansion. I had no voice then, so I let it be. He took over my bank ounts after he mated with his fated, cutting me off financially to ensure I suffered. I do not want to mention things he did to me within this period, but he nned to make sure I rotted in the cells for trying to escape the cruelty he had subjected me to. Luckily the north came, and he gave me away as a tribute. I do not seek retribution for the crimes he hasmitted against me. All I am asking is that he gives me back the things he took by force. He initially imed I gave him these things, yet he couldn''t show any document of transfer of ownership signed by me. He now ims we owned them jointly, which means I also own his pack. Thus everything we own together should be split in the middle, the pack inclusive, as I have helped nurture and build the pack during my tenure as Luna. I do not seek this; I am just stating the implications of his argument. Even though I am married to a northern lord, I am still an easterner. It is my right as an easterner to keep my assets in the east," she said, and there was a rage in her voice that let me know that Kyle would not have it easy if this did not go Linda''s way. " All I ask for is that Kyle Nikson return everything I originally owned, both fixed and liquid assets, so we can part in peace," She stated inly, and there was silence. I waited for her to say something, but her silence indicated she was done speaking. "Kyle Nikson, you may argue your case," I said, and he stepped forward. I hope, for all our sakes, he says something reasonable and agrees with Linda so we can move on. "ording to eastern tradition, both parties own each other''s property by virtue of marriage. I did not divorce my wife; she was taken away from me as tribute. I was forced to let her go. I had pleaded with the north to return my wife and even tried to rece her with my fated as my tribute, but.." He started, and people began to murmur. I knew Kyle''s angle. It was stupid. I banged the gavel to silence the people, and he looked around. "Continue," I said, and he nodded. "My people are on thatnd. They have built their homes and businesses on thend. This will disce them. As for the money, my pack currently depends on the investments made by the funds; pulling out the funds will render my packpletely penniless. We won''t have enough to survive, let alone defend ourselves from threats. Alpha Leonardo Albert is very aware of this since we recently have a case of an Alpha losing his pack in the east," He stated, and I banged the gavel because he was out of line. "Remain on the subject, Alpha Nikson. Do not derail," I warned, and he had no choice but to apologise. "Lady Linda is not in need but in search of revenge for grievances between us, of which I have apologised. It is cruel for her to want to disce people and plunge an entire pack into poverty as revenge. I am pleading with this council to help me, plead with Lady Linda to let this go." He said, and the crack in his voice showed the state of his mind. He was desperate, and he hoped he would win. "Council?" I heard Sylvester say, and I stood up, knowing I would have to proffer a solution. "Lady Orlov, Alpha Kyle," I began, and they were attentive. "This is a difficult and an easy case, depending on the angle. Difficult because of the number of people affected by the verdict but easy because of the obvious solution. As head Alpha of the east, I know what it means for people to be disced and a pack to be rendered defenceless. However, I know what Lady Orlov went through while married to Alpha Kyle, so I won''t fault her for her decision. Here is my solution," I said and sighed. "I proffer that Alpha Kyle hands over thend ownership to Lady Orlov, but instead of chasing the people that have settled there, I request that Alpha Kyle be asked to pay rent at the current value to keep his people on thend. Failure to do this should result in the eviction of the people." I said, and people were murmuring, but that was the best option because some people had permanent structures on thend. "I also proffer that Alpha Kyle returns the original sum of money he took from Lady Orlov and return to her either in the form of shares, investments or cash. He must also pay her thirty per cent of the profit gained from these investments. Inparison, he keeps the seventy per cent he invested to keep the finances of his pack afloat. This is because the investments were purely alpha Kyles''s idea, and because of that, the money used for these investments will be treated as a loan. The thirty per cent extra he will pay will be treated as the interest that urred from the loan," I said, and neither party seemed pleased or disappointed, but Kyle would be burnt the most because he needed money to pay rent. "Well, I will dly relinquish my hold on thend if Alpha Kyle is willing to buy it at the current market value. I would not want anything to keep us in contact with each other," Linda said, and as wise as it sounded, Kyle did not have the funds to purchase the area from Linda. Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org. "Does anyone have an issue with the solutions proffered by the council leader?" Devin asked, and no one spoke. "Does anyone have issues with the solution proffered by Lady Linda?" He asked, and no one said anything. So I banged the gavel to pass judgement. "Alpha Kyle Nikson is to either pay Lady Linda rent or purchase thend at current market value. He is to return the original sum he took from Lady Linda with an interest of thirty per cent," I gave the order and banged the gavel. Theodore stood up immediately after I did that and spoke. The whole ce was silent. "You are lucky that your friend saved you today. One thing that Alpha Leo has failed to do is mention the punishment for you failing to do as the council has ordered," he said, and I knew I messed up there. "If you fail to do what is required of you within two months, I will seize your pack and ce my representative as the alpha. I do not need permission, nor do I have to table my grievances before the king and the council. You have been warned, Kyle. I am giving you two months simply because you havee through for the north in the past. Do not test my patience," Theodore said and sat down. People murmured, mainly because they were afraid for Kyle. Kyle looked at me angrily before bowing to Sylvester and Tamia and walking away. Linda returned to her loge to sit beside her husband. This was honestly the best oue for Kyle. I hoped he wouldn''t be stupid enough to wait until Theodore came for his pack because we had more significant issues pending. "Alpah Maxwell nch," Sylvester called out, and I knew he was most interested in Max''s case because he did not wait for me to announce Max. Max stepped forward and stated everything that happened as he had told me. Sylvester did not seem surprised, and I knew he knew something I would soon find out at the estate. We discussed other matters, and the meeting ended. I went to say hello to Sylvester and Tamia and linked Amelia to join me. When I got to their loge, Sylvester got up and extended his hand for a handshake. It was clear they were happy to see me. He looked at Amelia and smiled at her extending his hand for a shake; he stared at her for a while. " Mother was right; she does look like a Stephanov," He said, and I looked at Amelia, who was confused. We had a long way to go, but I hoped I might find her family and her true home. 23 Getting to The Estate (Book 2) 23 Getting to The Estate (Book 2) ~Amelia~ I was nervous about apanying Leo to the King''s hall. I did not think we were there yet, but I joined him since he insisted. When we got there, I was taken to a loge. As grateful as I was that I would not be sitting where there were multitudes of people, I was nervous about being around a Volkov. The very people that cost me my home and food truck and set me on the journey I was on. I was grateful, but I missed my food truck. I had reservations about them since they were the reason I was disced, but I was determined to set aside my grudges and get to know them. "Dear, they say you are with Alpha Leo," Stephanie Volkov said, and honestly, if I did not know better, I wouldn''t believe she was as old as people made her seem. She was stunning. I looked at her, and she gasped before I could answer. It made me look away immediately because I knew my eyes had shocked her. "Oh my, those eyes," she said, and I did not need to guess anymore. She ced her hand on mine gently. "Look at me, dear," she said, and the man beside her cleared his throat. "You are making the young woman ufortable," he told her. The way he said it was gentle and endearing, and I figured they might be together, but the man looked more like a westerner than a Northerner. I kept my questions to myself and smiled at Stephanie. "Oh my, your eyes are stunning," She said, admiring my not-so-normal feature. "Never imagined I would get to see moon eyes in my lifetime. I have read of them and seen them in pictures, but my oh my, they are gorgeous," She said, staring at me to the point that I started blushing. "You look like a Stephanov. How can this be?" Stephanie said, and I was a bit confused. "Where are your parents, dear?" She asked, which was the question I avoided because I had no answer. "I do not know. I grew up in an orphanage in the west," I replied, and she looked at me with pity. "I am sorry to hear that, dear; it is just that you look like a distant rtive of myte husband," She said. It made me chuckle a bit because there was nothing royal and noble about an Omega that got knocked up by a Delta. There was nothing regal about me. I smiled, and she frowned at me. "Are you together with Leo?" she asked me, and I did not know the answer to her question because Leo had not fullymitted himself to me yet. In fact, I was the only one that felt the bond, so I did not know how to answer the question. "We are friends" was the best I coulde up with, but the look in her eyes showed she did not believe me. She squeezed my hand gently. "We will talkter when you are more rxed. Give it time," She said as if she understood what I was going through. It would be nice to have someone to talk to about my fears and feelings for Leo. It was hard to sort through everything alone, but I kept calm because I was yet to know and trust her. The hearing started, and I saw Kyle at the centre. After hearing everything, I felt the guy had a serious sense of entitlement. The woman he mistreated was so pretty and graceful, and I wondered how sick Kyle was to do those things to her. She was blessed to have found a way out of the abusive marriage. She had obviously upgraded, and Kyle was the loser. After Leo pronounced the judgement, I was proud of the fairness and realised his power. Seeing him conduct and coordinate the hearing made me feel stupid. What was I thinking breaking into his home? It also made me lose hope that he might want anything serious with me because I was a nobody. All the women there seemed like they brought something to the table. I had nothing to offer. Nothing at all. I tried not to let the realisation faze me. Even though I felt inferior, I brushed it aside and tried to enjoy the moment. Sitting in the loge with Lady Volkov and her friend, I decided to enjoy the moment and not take it hard if everything ends between Leo and me. With how he has been from the moment we met, I doubted we had a future, but there was no harm in trying. The hearing was over, and Leo asked me to join him. Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org. He took me to the King and Queens loge. I wasn''tfortable about it because of the things I said about Queen Tamia and my reservations towards the Monarchs, but Iplied and stered a smile on my face. If I wanted Leo to try with me, then it was only fair I give his friends a chance, especially his ex, whom everyone imed he was still hung up on. I might learn a thing or two from her. I wouldn''t see her as an adversary where Leo was concerned. I intended to see her as his standard. I might not make the cut, and I won''t try to change myself, but it will help me understand him better. Leo was so friendly with them that I found it hard to believe he was once married to Queen Tamia. There was no way he was still hung up on her. I firmly believed he was just being careful. I could see what Leah was talking about when she mentioned Tamia. She was beautiful and looked completely normal; she was also the first person not to act funny when she saw my eyes. Instead, she smiled warmly and said hello. Hearing the King repeat what Lady Stephanie said about the Stepanovs piqued my interest because I wanted to know the Volkov rtives that I might look like. Leo and I left their royal loge and prepared to leave when a woman osted us at the entrance. "Councilman Albert," The woman said respectfully andpletely ignored me. I would have thought she was interested in Leo if she did not look older. I ignored her rudeness and remained beside Leo. She looked at me, somewhat ufortable as if she did not want to speak in my presence. I decided to excuse them, but Leo held my hand and urged me to remain. "What is it, Councilwoman yman," he asked, and I figured she was Leah''s rtive. The realisation made me almostugh. I briefly had fun with Leah when she was in Leo''s house. "I am sure you can say whatever it is in Amelia''s presence," Leo urged her so that she would know he was in a hurry. "I. I ..." She said, looking at me and then at Leo. "I want to invite you to dinner at our ce. Lord Dominic and Marcel areing," She said. Leo nodded, agreeing toe and moved away from her, still holding my hand, so I followed. We rushed to the unmarked cab we came with, away from the cameras and the press. Max was already sitting in front when we entered, and Leo ced his hand on my thigh and squeezed gently. "Where are we going to?" Max asked. "The Volkov estate. The cab went to the hotel to get our bags. We will be staying at the estate," Leo said, and I looked at him surprised. "I might have to return to Mountian today," he added. "What about me?" I asked him, and he squeezed my thigh gently. "We will talk when we get to the Estate," he linked me, and I became ufortable. "I want to talk about it now," I linked him back, and he sighed. "There were trackers in the forest we were attacked in. I need to secure my pack and region; something isn''t right about the recent activities," he linked me. Even though I knew he was being honest, I felt like he was trying to abandon me with the Volkovs since I looked like a distant rtive of theirs. I wasn''t interested in all that, so I shook my head. "I aming with you," I linked him, and he looked at me. "You are not going to follow me, Amelia. You will remain here with the Volkovs. I wille back once I am done," He said with finality, making me chuckle. "Just say you came to dump me here," I told him,ughing at myself. I moved away from him and closer to the door to look out the window and fight my tears. I hardly cried. I wasn''t going to allow this to make me cry. "Amelia," he said, and I ignored him, refusing to look in his direction. I focused on the buildings and trees outside the window, trying to escape my feelings. I didn''t want toe across as desperate because I wasn''t, I was only giving it a try, but by the look of things, my heart might not be able to take it. I needed to prepare myself for it and get ready to move on. "Amelia," he called again and touched my thigh gently. "Come on, please," he said gently, pleading with me to look at him, but I couldn''t because If I did, my tears would fall, and I was still trying to fight them away. Leo pulled me close with force and made me look at him, then touched my chin and raised my face to look at him. I knew my eyes were a bit misty, but I tried to look defiant. I dared not speak, or I will lose the battle with my tears. Leo crashed his lips on mine and kissed me fiercely and gently simultaneously. I could not exin it because I was feeling everything at once. He held me close, and I finally rxed in his arms while he kissed away my tears and fears. "I am not abandoning you here, Amelia. I can''t do that to you." he linked me while he kissed me, helping me to rx. He moved from my lips to my neck and sucked on the skin of my sweet spot, making me moan. Then he broke the kiss and caressed my cheek gently. He looked a bit worried too. "I do not want you to think I am nning to abandon you," he said sincerely. "I won''t dare it, Amelia. I said I will try, and I mean it," he said, and I nodded gently. Leo held me in the backseat until we got to the estate. The ce was grand. I could not believe what I saw. The building wasrge and ancient. I wondered about the number of people that lived there because it looked like a settlement. I wondered how the queen was able to make this ce her home. We alighted the cab, and some people came to help us carry bags from the back of the Cab. We entered the building, and Leo held my hand and led me through. He knew where we were going, so I guess I was the only person that did not know the ce. We walked quickly up a staircase, down a hall and into a room. The room was beautiful, and it was elegantly furnished. I was still admiring the room when someone knocked on the door, and Leo went to see who it was. The staff brought in our bags and left immediately. Leo locked the door and pulled me close to him. "Why will you think I will want to abandon you in this ce," He asked, kissing my neck and undoing my blouse. All I could; do was moan in response. Leo opened my blouse and carried me to bed. It made me giggle, and he smiled at me, undoing the buttons on his shirt too. There was an eagerness in his eyes that made me giddy. He got into bed with me and went to work. Leo understood my body enough to know what to do and how to touch me. I was a moaning mess all through. Weid spent on the bed, and I giggled,ughing at myself for almost getting emotional in the cab. Leo pulled me close and looked at me. "Once I am sure all is okay, I will return to the north or ask Max to bring you home," he said, and I nodded. I knew I would miss him, but I also knew he had a duty to fulfil to his people. I did not want to hold him back. Soon we got dressed to attend lunch with everyone. I was nervous, but Leo promised everything would be alright. I smiled at his words of assurance and wore a peach sundress to attend the lunch. 24 Lunch And More (Book 2) 24 Lunch And More (Book 2) ~Amelia~ We arrived at the dining room, and I felt a bit shy. It was hard to feelfortable amid the rich and powerful. Seeing everyone at the table made me feel I was aiming too high regarding Leo. Leo led me to a seat, and we both sat down. I did not know what to say or do that would not make mee across as rude, so I kept my head down and looked at the empty te in front of me. "I love your dress, Amelia," I heard Queen Tamia''s voice say, and I looked in her direction. It was tough loosening up there because I did not know if it were right that I stared into her eyes. "You should rx; we are all friends here; the formalities end at the king''s hall," She said, and everyoneughed. They were not mocking me; I could see that much, which made me rx. "Your eyes are like the moon. They look gorgeous," Lady Linda said, smiling at me, making me rxpletely. "She is a keeper, Leo," Queen Tamia said, and I knew I was blushing at that moment. The women helped me to rx. Food was served, and we ate in high spirits. They had conversations that made meugh, and Leo kept his hand on my thigh under the table. It wasn''t as dreadful as I thought, and I was grateful the women made it easy. "I will be heading back to Mountain tonight because of security matters," Leo finally announced, and everyone was silent. This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. "You just got here, Leo," Lord Marcel said, and Leo nodded. "Yes, I know, but I have pending issues in the east. I will return when I have solved it," Leo said. "We were just getting to know Amelia. Hope you return sooner," Queen Tamia said eagerly, and Leo shook his head. "I will be leaving her here, based on our discussion. I will return," Leo said, and I wondered what he had discussed with Queen Tamia. The woman stopped smiling and looked at me. "I see," she said and smiled. " Well, you know she is in good hands, but there is just so much we can do to keep herfortable. She is yet to know us. You need toe back soon. We will simply bore here," She said, speaking the truth, and Leo nodded. "Amelia will adjust faster than you expect. I promise I won''t stay long," he said, and there was an awkward silence. "What do you want to do, Amelia?" Lady Avery finally asked, speaking to me. "Do you want to remain or go with Leo and return with him? Whatever Tamia is helping with, I am sure it can wait," Lady Avery asked, sounding concerned for me. I looked at Leo because he knew my answer, but something in his eyes let me know he did not want me to follow him to Mountain. I decided not to embarrass myself. "I will wait," I said, but my voice wasn''t convincing, but they were kind enough not to stress on the topic. Lady Linda changed the topic of discussion, and that was it. Lunch ended, and I returned with Leo to his room. I watched him pack his bags and wondered why he was taking everything with him, knowing he would return. "You have clothes in Mountain; must you pack your bags?" I asked, and he sighed. "The only reason I am returning is because of you, Amelia," he confessed. "I hardly spend up to two days in the north. I onlye for council meetings and important gatherings. I will only return because you are here. I do not leave my things in the north," he said. "I see," I said because he had not realised what he had said. "What about Mrs yman''s dinner party? Did you tell her you wille to lead her on?" I asked him, and heughed. "We know why she invited me for dinner. I am not interested in her daughter. We might go together if I return on time, but if not, then too bad," he said, zipping his bag, and I nodded. "At least call Beta Casper to find out if you are needed today," I suggested, and he shook his head. "Will you mind if I decide toe with you?" I asked, and he sighed. I quickly shook my head so he would not think I was pestering him. "It is okay, Leo. I am not worried," I said, " just be safe," I added. Leo looked at me and smiled. He left the bag and came to hold me. "I won''t be long, Amelia. I promise I will return," he said, and I nodded and pulled away from him. "You can take your time in Mountain, Leo. I do not want you to feel under pressure," I told him, and he was silent. "What did you ask Queen Tamia to do for me?" I finally asked, and he sighed. "I want to help you find your family," He confessed, and I was angry. That was a huge decision to make without consulting me. I walked away from him, trying to control my emotions. After everything I had been through growing up, that was thest thing I wanted. He had no right to do this without asking me. "Did you care to find out if I wanted to find them?" I asked, controlling my anger, and he looked surprised. "I would have searched for them if I wanted to find them. Not every orphan has the dream of finding their parents, especially knowing that my mother dumped me at the orphanage. That says a lot, Leo. It says she did not want to have anything to do with me." I told him, letting him know my stand in all of it, and he frowned at me. "What about your father?" He asked, and Iughed. "Why are you trying so hard to give me something I did not ask for? Why are you trying to give me the thing I do not want? If that is why you are leaving me here, I might as well return to Mountain with you because I do not want to know anything about the Stepanovs, the Volkovs or my mother," I said, ad he went to sit on the couch. "Why will you make such a decision without telling me? Was I so much of a burden to you that you wanted to find my family so your conscience could be at peace when you let me go?" I asked him, and he looked at me and shook his head. "Then why do this? Why make all these arrangements without my consent? You are still treating me like a charity case. The only reason I am with you is because we decided to try, but I doubt you are trying," I said, and he shook his head and stood up. He walked to me and held my upper arm gently to get my full attention. "You are not a charity case. I just wanted to do something nice. I wanted to give you a gift. I wanted you to know the history of your lineage to help you build some self-esteem because of how insecure you feel about your eyes and hair. You are perfect, Amelia. I swear to you, I do not see you as a charity case, and if I could avoid going to Mountain, I would have. If you do not want me to go with my bags, I won''t, but please don''t be mad," He said to me, and I knew I had blown the conversation out of proportion. I did not want him to go to Mountain without me. I was afraid he might not return for me. Even though I did not say it, I felt that way. Leo pulled me close and held me to his chest. "I won''t be long, I promise you. I know you are safe here, and I know Tamia will look out for you," he said, and I wrapped my arms around him and breathed him in. Leo left his bag behind and headed to the airport. I remained in the room, uncertain about what to do. An hour after Leo had left, someone knocked on the door, and I went to open it. I was shocked to see Queen Tamia. I bowed my head immediately, and she giggled. "May I," She asked, and I stepped away from the door so she could enter. She entered the room and made herselffortable. I did not know what to do, but she made me rx when she pointed at the couch in the room, urging me to sit. "I want you to be rxed around us, Amelia. Most especially my husband and me. Like I said during lunch, the formalities end in the King''s hall. Here we are all friends. Knowing you and Leo are together, I will consider you a friend, too," she said as I shook my head. "We aren''t really dating yet, just trying," I said so she does not jump to conclusions, andter if it didn''t work out, I would be ashamed. She smiled at me. "You two are doing more than trying, Amelia. Leo is fond of you and looks at you in a certain way. Just hang in there," she said, and I smiled. "Based on what Leo discussed with me. I will be taking you for a rtive DNA test tomorrow to determine if you are rted to the Volkovs. There is no doubt about it, but the tricky part is that your lineage is supposed to be extinct because Adrik Stepanov and his entire family were executed for treason," she said and looked at me. "Whatever the case may be, I want you to know that you are most wee here, and we are all rooting for you and Leo to end up together." She said and stood up. "Do you mind joining me in the garden? I am having an evening pic with my children; thedies will be there too with their children. It will be nice to get to know you, Amelia," She said, smiling at me. I smiled at her, feeling wanted. "May I speak freely?" I asked her while we left the room, and she nodded. "Why did you allow packs to take overnds of Alphas tried for treason? People were killed. Some lost their homes, and others, like me, became disced and destitute.." I asked, and she stopped in her tracks. "My husband did not authorise that, Amelia. If there is an issue, we must ask Alpha Sean because he is the head Alpha of the east. Noints of such happenings have been brought before the council. Are you sure of this?" She asked, and I felt confused because we were made to believe they knew. I nodded, and she looked baffled. "I will inform my husband. It is okay to take over a pack fairly, but it is wrong to disce the people. They are allowed to continue their lives. The only thing that changes is their allegiance and leadership. I will look into the matter, I promise," she said, and I was d I came to the north; even if I did not find the family that Leo wanted me to find, I would achieve something more significant, which is getting justice for the people that were treated wrongly in the west. 25 BAck To Mountain (Book 2) 25 BAck To Mountain (Book 2) ~Leo~ Max insisted on returning with me to Mountain because he did not want to be alone at the Estate. His past with Avery haunted him, and he did not want to have a constant reminder. I knew it would be torturous leaving him there, so I agreed. We got to the airport on time and boarded our flight. While on the ne, Max got chatty, and I did not appreciate it at all. "I doubt Kyle can afford that judgment you gave him. Maybe we cane up with some money to lend him. Thest thing we want is Theodore fighting Brent," Max said, and I shrugged because it was none of my business. I trusted Theodore to iste his problem to Brent alone. "Kyle drew the line between us. I am not his friend anymore, so it isn''t my business how hees up with the money. Besides, I have helped him the best I could; it is now up to him toply. If it weren''t for his pride, all he had to do was beg Linda, and she might have gone easy on him, but he wanted to prove that he had rights. I do not want to discuss Kyle, Max," I warned Max, and he nodded. "Do you think it is wise leaving Amelia at the estate?" He asked, and I frowned at him, wondering why he would even think of asking such a question. "What is it?" I asked him. "I mean, your rtionship is too young for you two to be apart so soon," he said, and I disagreed. "If I can handle the distance, I am sure she can. Besides, my duties to my people and my pack come first, Max. She should understand, and I am sure she does, so don''t try to make an issue where there is none," I warned him, and he nodded. "Your duty is to your pack, I agree but look at me, Leo. Had I been faithful to Avery, I am sure she would have remained with me. The pack members abandoned me when they could. They left with their children and spouses. I gave everything to keep them safe and provide for them, and they abandoned me at the smallest opportunity. What I am saying is that I admire your effort and duty but do not neglectpanionship because it is a void your pack and duties would not be able to fill," he told me, and I got pissed off. "Really?" I asked him, and he nodded. "My pack was with me through thick and thin. Amanda betrayed me and almost ruined me. We were supposed to be fated, and she almost destroyed me. So do not tell me aboutpanionship." I warned him, and heughed. "You betrayed Tamia first, Leo. Had you not betrayed Tamia, Amanda wouldn''t have had the chance to harm you; that is on you," he told me, and I knew it was the truth. Although I was over Tamia, I was yet to forgive myself for ruining my life. "That is why I am being careful this time," I told him, and he nodded. "That girl loves you, Leo, and I know you know it. She is nothing like Amanda. She will never hurt you," he said, and I was silent because even though it seemed like it, I wasn''t sure. I needed to be careful. I needed to be sure she was the one. "If you doubt her this much, then cut her loose. She is a very gorgeous and decent-looking girl. I am sure she will find someone to love and trustpletely. I am afraid you will damage her at the rate you are going because you have no excuse not to bring her along no matter how dire the situation is, but you rather keep her in the north where she is far from you. Had I not known better, I would have guessed you did not n to go back for her," He said, and I almost punched him because that wasn''t true. "I suggest you keep your guesses to yourself because you are getting on my nerves right now," I warned him, and he smiled and looked away. I nned on flying first ss the next time. Business ss left room for the proximity I did not appreciate at the moment. Max was getting on my nerves. We arrived at Mountain safely, and Casper was waiting for us at the airport when wended. I was grateful to him for being there on time. "Where is your luggage?" Casper asked me at the arrival exit of the airport, and I shook my head. "Left it in the Estate. Amelia is still there," I told him, and he nodded. We got into his truck, and he drove us to the Mountain. "Were you able to track the trackers?" I asked while he drove. "Yes, we followed their trail with our trackers, and thest scent they left was in the woods close to Hand," Casper said, and I wondered why Hand wasing up more often now. I might have to reach out to the Alpha soon. "Hand, you said?" I asked, and Casper nodded. "Yes," he said. "Did you secure their campsite?" I asked, and he nodded. " I marked it; it will be easy to find if you follow the caution tape trail into the woods. We left everything as we found it to keep the integrity of the ce," He exined, and I was satisfied. I commended him for the work done. "Alpha Alexei Kusov asked to have an audience with you. I told him you went to the north.:" he said, and I wondered why the intruder would want to see me. He better not be trying to challenge me. As a councilman, I had the right to refuse a challenge, which would also make me seem afraid of him. I decided to avoid him for as long as I could until I realised his true intention. We arrived at the pack, and I went straight to my house. Max followed me quietly. He must have known his questions and insinuations while we were on the ne must have irritated me. Entering my room, I went to shower so I could sleep and start my work the next day. While sorting through my clothes to find my favourite shorts, I saw the boxes that contained Tamia''s stuff, and I felt it was time for me to send them to her in the north. Not because I was moving on but because it was the healthy thing to do. Honestly, left to me, I would be single for the rest of my life, but Amelia had somehow made that resolve hard and put me in a situation where I would have to open up again. I knew she would win in that regard, but I needed to buy more time and be sure because it would be for the rest of my life. If Imit myself, I n to get it right. Owned by N?velDrama.Org. I was yet to figure out what to wear when someone banged on my door. I wore the first Khaki shorts I saw and went to see who it was. I got to the living room and saw Max at the door talking to someone. I moved closer to see who it was. I was surprised to see the oldest Alpha in our region, Alpha Timothy, with his granddaughter. It was a very odd thing. The man was too old to makete-night calls unless his pack had an issue. "What is the matter," I linked Max. " He demands he wants to see you. He is distressed," Max said, and I told him to allow the man in with his granddaughter. The moment The Alpha entered, he went on his knees immediately. "Thank goddess you returned today, Alpha," he said on the verge of tears. "I need your help," he said, motioning his granddaughter close. "You know I have no sons, and my oldest grandchild was taken away as tribute when the north attacked. Please, this is Mirabel, the youngest of my grandchildren. She is twenty-one years old, and she will make a good Luna for your Leo," He said, and I was shocked by his words. "What is the meaning of this?" I asked him, and he got up. " Alpha Alexie has challenged me for my pack. He ims Hill Valley needs to spread, and Alia is the one that got it into his head that he can take Brentworth to expand theirnds. I rather lose my pack to you than lose it to that leech. Please Alpha. Take the pack and deny him the challenge. Please. Take Mirabel for my sake," He said, and I did not know what to do. I understood Alpha Timothy''s disposition on the matter, and I understood thew clearly. I was the only one that had the right to decline a challenge and get away with it, and that was because of my recent noble status, but I could only exercise that authority over a pack I owned. I may be the head alpha of the east, but I was only the Alpha Of Mountain. To protect Brentworth, I had to be its Alpha, either by taking it over or by virtue of marriage. None was a possibility. "You need to calm down, Alpha Timothy," I said, and he nodded and looked at me eagerly. "I can''t mate with your daughter to protect your pack. I can''t. I am seeing someone, and that would be wrong of me. Besides, I am sure Mirabel has ns for her future and being mated to me isn''t one of them," I said, and the stupid girl; shook her head. I wondered what was special about me that made most of these women crazy. Whatever it was wasn''t enough to make Amanda faithful or tell Tamia to leave Sylvester for me. "I need your help, and that is the only way I can get it," Alpha Timothy said, and I decided I would speak to Alexie. I was trying to put off talking to him, but I decided I would do it for Timothy''s sake. Mating with his daughter was extreme, and I knew the old man would not survive a challenge. "I will speak to him," I told the old man, and the hope in his eyes drained away. "That man has an insidious agenda in the east. He will be hard to reason with." He said, and I wondered why he would say something like that. "Why are you saying that?" I asked the old man. "He took over Hill Valley recently, but Alpha nch kept his money, right?" Alpha Timothy said, and I looked at Max, who nodded. "Some of it. I lost what I had in the pack ounts," Max rified, and Timothy nodded. "Great, but still, the money isn''t much because I remembered you having financial problems, hence why some building projects were halted," Timothy reminded Max, and he nodded. It was a general problem in the east. "Four days ago, Alexie revived the building projects, mainly military-rted projects. When I saw this, I asked him, and he said Hill Valley''s Military structures were weak, and he was trying to upgrade them," He said, and Max nodded. "Yes, That is true; the military funding for my pack had been low," Max agreed. "I think he is trying to acquire my pack and resources for expansion bases. I also believe he is getting external funding because it is weird that he cane up with the capital on short notice. If he had all that money, he could have bought a massivend, registered his new pack, and started one independently instead of taking over Hill Valley. I know I am bbering right now, but I believe that man is up to something," the old man said and looked at me. "I do not know what is happening, but I need you to help me secure mynd. Since Alpha Max said the man cheated, I cannot ask you to fight him because that would cost you your position as head alpha and your pack if you lose. All I am asking is that, at the least, you im you are mated to Mirabel and own the pack so he can keep off. You do not have to mate with her. I am sure you can create a room for that Alpha. It is your duty as head alpha to protect us. Please. She will be with you for a month, and you can send her back. By then, it will be like it didn''t work out, but you still own the pack. At least do this to buy me time while I investigate the bastard." The old man said, and I did not want what he was offering because I did not want the news to get to Amelia about anything. She would think I deliberately left her in the north for this. I wasn''t going to hurt her the way I hurt Tamia. "No," I told Alpha Timothy. "I am seeing someone, and I do not want her to feel hurt or betrayed," I said, and he nodded. "I will tell her of the n. You can tell her of the n. I am sure she would understand, Alpha. I am desperate. He wille to my pack in the morning." The old man said, and I shook my head. "What if I wasn''t around? I was supposed to be in the north today; I just returned for personal reasons," I exined, and he bowed his head. "Please, Leo. I need your help." He said, and I knew he was tired of everything and just wanted to save his pack at all costs. I linked Casper to get Alexie''s phone number so I could speak to him. 26 UnBiased (Book 2) 26 UnBiased (Book 2) ~Leo~ Alpha Timothy remained in my house. I finally got Alexie''s number and called him. He answered on the first ring. The guy''s voice was smooth and confident. For someone who had created a lot of ruckus in the east, he was courageous. "Alexie, this is Leo," I said. "Alpha Albert. It is an honour that you would call on the phone," He said, sounding like a fan, and I knew it was all pretence. Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org. "What is your deal in the east?" I asked him, and there was silence before he answered me. "Why will you ask me this?" He asked, and I sighed. "First, you took over Hill Valley; as if that isn''t enough, I heard you challenge the Alpha of Brentworth. You know he is an old man. Is your victory in Hill Valley not enough? Why do you want to create unrest by challenging an elderly man?" I asked him, and he was silent. "I thought this was a free democracy," he argued, and I sighed. "It is a peaceful and fair one too. You did not need to take over Hill Valey, but you exined why you did so at the meeting. Now you want to take over Brentworth. Why? Soon you will challenge another alpha. Why are you doing this? Challenging and taking over packs is rarely done because it causes distress and unrest in regions. You keep this up, and the King himself will shut you down. I do not want that kind of attention on my region." I said, and he sighed. "This is very biased of you, head ALpha. It is my right to challenge anyone I want and extend my land however I want. Unless aw states otherwise, Alpha Timothy should save himself the embarrassment and just hand over the pack to me. I haven''t done anything wrong." He said, and I hated the arrogance in his voice. I wouldn''t have challenged him, but there was too much at stake for me if I lost, and what Devin told me in the King''s hall meant I needed to be careful. I could not fight him until I was sure he wasn''t a silver freak. " What. do you need Brentworth for?"I asked him, and he sighed. "I need to expand and big a mega city. I have investors from all over, but Hill Valley doesn''t have the land mass required," He said, and I knew he was lying. He was challenging Timothy because he could. He was just a greedy fuck, and I knew he wouldn''t stop there. He might challenge other alphas around him. The next pack after Brentworth was Kyle''s pack, Brent. I doubt he would dare challenge Kyle knowing thend partly belonged to Linda. "Well, You cannot challenge Alpha Timothy," I said, and heughed. "I can, and I have. He should prepare to fight me tomorrow," he said arrogantly. "He gave me the pack tonight as an early wedding gift. and As the new Alpha of Brenthworth, I deny your challenge." I said, and he was quiet. I bet he didn''t see that parting. "You will marry his daughter to save his pack from me? Don''t you think that is extreme?" He said, and Iughed. "And what are you trying to do?" I asked him, and he was silent. "We both know you won''t mate with that girl," He said, and Iughed. "Where I choose to sink my teeth is none of your business. You have gotten the response to your challenge. I will also advise you to refrain from making any permanent changes to Hill Valley as the matter has been tabled before the KIng. A rematch will soon be in order," I warned him, and he was silent. "I know what you are doing, Alpha Albert. I know you won''t mate with that girl and might just keep her with you for a duration, then give her back to her father and im it didn''t work out. That is manipting thews," he warned, and Iughed. "And who made you an expert? I have told you how it will go, so you should face your marriage and start training for your rematch because I will make sure you won''t have silver on you when it happens." I warned him. "You are supposed to be my Alpha too, but it is clear you have taken sides. I have heard Alpha," he said, and I hung up because there was nothing to discuss. When I hung up, I looked at Timothy and Mirabel and hated that I had returned home. Had I not come home, I knew Alexie might have killed Timothy in a challenge, but how would I exin this to Amelia? "Thank you. Timothy said, and his daughter thanked me, too, but they had no clue how they had just fucked things up for me. Max and I left them in my house and decided to walk in my woods, where the trackers were. We decided to scout the parameters in wolf form. ck wasn''t at peace because of the deal I struck with Timothy. He was worried that Amelia would find out before we could exin the situation to her. I decided to head back to the north in two days. There was no point staying back if the threat wasn''t imminent anymore. We got to the ce marked by Casper and the others, and indeed there was a campsite. ck sniffed around, and we happened on a shiny medal on the soil alone. When I tried to pick up the coin, it burnt, and I immediately returned to my human form. I knew it was silver. Part of it was covered with dirt, so I pulled it out from under the dirt. It burned, and I wondered what wolves would be doing with a coin in their hand. I used leaves to wrap the Medal so I could hold it, Then shifted back to my wolf form to search the perimeters. Max and I scouted for a while before I found a satchel in a dead tree trunk. It was old, but it had been there long. Whoever left it there forgot it and mighte back for it. I carried the bag and the coin back to my house with me. I ced the wrapped coin in the small section of the satchel and noticed it had photographs in it. Not wanting to stay longer in the woods, I held the satchel in my mouth and ran back to the entrance where our shorts were. I returned to my human form and wore my shorts before slinging the satchel on my shoulder and walking home. Max was behind me, eager to see what was in the bag. When we entered the house, I found Alpha Timothy sleeping on my couch while his daughter Mirabel was still awake. I had forgotten entirely to allocate a room to them before I left. I told her to take her grandfather to Amelia''s room and that they could stay in the room since the bed was enormous. I hoped they would leave my house in the morning, but I knew Mirabel would return. Coming back is the only way I could front that Brentworth belonged to me. I nned to head back to the north immediately because I wasn''t nning on hurting Amelia. I promised her I would try. I nned on doing so. If it doesn''t work out, it shouldn''t be because of a stupid mistake like this; it should be because we weren''tpatible and couldn''t fall in love at the end of the day. Mirabel had a look in her eyes that indicated I was making a big mistake, but she wasn''t my type, and she paled inparison to Amelia. I was only helping her grandfather, and that was it. "Do not look at me like that; I am already taken. I am only doing this to help your grandfather. Are we clear?" I warned her before heading to my room. I heard Maxughing, and I selfishly hoped they would click and she would be out of my hair. I switched on the light in my bedroom and decided to go through the content of the satchel. I picked the silver coin. It was one inch wide. It had a wolf with a Leaf in its jaws symbol in the centre and an inscription around the edges written in the ancient northernnguage. I took out my phone to use the Inte to determine what the writing read. I typed it into the search engine and tranted it into: "The strength of evolution is stronger than death," I wondered what it meant. I decided to ask my northern friends to help trante or exin it better. At the back, it had four rank stars, which meant they were deltas. Why would a wolf have a silver coin indicating their rank? I kept it and opened the satchel. There was a switch knife, lighter, silver bullets, and photographs. I opened the photographs, and what I saw shocked me. It was a picture of Amelia; when she was younger, she looked eighteen. She was covered in soot, but I could recognise the moon eyes. There was another with her handing a customer a meal pack from a run-down truck. I guessed that was her food business. I studied the pictures, and it seemed they were not trailing Amelia but the people she was interacting with. There were recent pictures of her in my pack. Thest picture showed her with a stranger I did not know. She was giving him something and smiling. The man looked suspicious, but it seemed like she knew him. I wondered what she was handing him and why she did not tell me of this incident because it was a few weeks ago. I knew this because the blouse she was wearing was new. I knew when I bought it. I turned to the back of the picture, and there were scribbles. "Send to Alpha; she is in," it read, and I was confused about what to make of all these things I had seen. I looked at the picture again, and it now seemed as if she was collecting the pack from the man and not giving him. What was she collecting? Who was he? and why did she hide it from me? I did not want to draw conclusions too soon. I had two options: question her about what I had just seen or keep an eye on her. I felt it was weird that they were keeping tabs on her. It also clicked in my head that the arrow was shot at me and pierced me and not her, but I was the one that told her we should go hunting in the woods. I tried to be rational and not think the worst, but I couldn''t. I honestly did not know how to handle it. I decided I would discuss this with Max instead of confronting Amelia with what I knew; I would keep a close eye on her. I regretted taking her to the north and getting her into the Volkov estate. I did not want to doubt her, but I needed to be careful where she was concerned. I had to investigate the matter before returning to the north to join her. I also nned on watching her to ensure she wasn''t working against me. I knew she wasn''t like Amanda, but I needed to be careful. I also had to make sure she wasn''t in danger because deep down, I knew Amelia was a good person, and she cared about me enough to want to hang around no matter what. I wasn''t going to act irrationally and spoil things; I needed to be careful. There was no way these people had good intentions. They were watching her for a purpose. I needed to find out why for my safety and Amelia''s safety. If she isn''t in cohorts with them, they are after her, and she might be in danger. I nned on dealing with the issue with an open mind, but putting my heart in check was the first point of action because the matter had to be dealt with without sentiments. Chapter 189 - 27 Determined (Book 2) Chapter 189 - 27 Determined (Book 2) ~Leo~ I found it hard to sleep. There were so many questions and issues going on in my mind. As things were, I knew telling people what was going on was the right thing to do. I might not trust the people in my region, but I needed to discuss this with my friends in the north. Alexie was a big issue. I did not appreciate that he wanted to start challenging everyone around him just because he could. His hearing on Max''s allegations against him was next month, but I could not wait until then. How many packs will I suddenly have to take over to protect my people? Timothy was desperate, but Alexie''s actions were insidious. I needed to draw a line quickly. I thought of the objects I found in the woods and concluded that I would need to protect Amelia. If these people were taking pictures and hiding in the woods, she was important and needed protection. I doubted they wanted to grab her because they would have before she arrived. I wondered what they wanted and who the ''she'' was in the sentence written at the back of the photograph. After tossing and turning, I decided I would return to the north first thing in the morning. I knew my eagerness to return had other personal reasons, but I held on to the fact that I needed to cry for help because this Alexie guy and the people in my woods were beyond my control. Something terrible was going on, and these takeovers might have had something to do with what was also happening in the west, causing us to have arge inflow of disced persons crowding ourmunities and economic system. I eventually fell asleep. By the time I woke up, it was nine in the morning. I linked Max to dress up and prepare to return to the north, then dressed up quickly and left my room. I wanted to make a sandwich before leaving. Thinking of the sandwich, I knew I had missed Amelia. It had just been a day, and it felt like weeks already. Whatever I needed to do will be from the north. Once we have decided on her lineage, I will bring her home. I had a firm resolve about her, and I decided to go with my guts, not to doubt her and put in the best effort I could to make it work. Stepping out, I smelled breakfast and wondered what was cooking in my kitchen. Max was on the couch looking in the direction of the kitchen. He seemed indifferent about it while Timothy was reading the newspaper on another sofa. Finally, someone decided to read the news from the papers, not the inte. Timothy looked up and stood up to greet me. "Good morning Alpha Leo," He said with a smile. He looked more rxed than he didst night. "Good morning Timothy," I said, looking at the kitchen section. Mirabel greeted me, smiling. She was cooking, and it instantly got on my nerves. Somehow I felt Amelia should be the only woman there. My house wasn''t a general property where people coulde and do whatever they wanted. I reigned in my anger and decided to speak to Alpha Timothy. "I am d you are rxed. Max and I will be returning to the north this morning. I am sure you can go home without any issues from Alexie," I said, and he nodded. "Very well, Mirabel can pack her things ande and stay here," He said, and I shook my head. "There is no space for her in this house, Alpha Timothy," I said, and his smile dropped. "I only said what I said to buy you time and ensure you won''t be challenged this morning. Alexie would get a summon by the north to stop challenging people. However strong he is, he won''t be able to defy our King," I said, and he understood my angle. He looked at his granddaughter where she was cooking, and it seemed like they were communicating because his eyes zed over. It wasn''t my business, really. I went to the kitchen, and Mirabel greeted me again; she was blushing. "I made breakfast, Alpha," She said, and I nodded. "Thank you, Mirabel, but I have something else in mind. You shouldn''t have bothered, really. Only one person cooks my food, and she isn''t here," I said, and her smile dropped. "Like I said to you, there is nothing between us. I only told Alexie what he needed to hear to buy your grandfather time. You may eat what you have cooked and return home," I said and took out the bread that I wanted to use. I did not bother to see what she was cooking. Timothy and his granddaughter ate the meal she had prepared, and he thanked me for my kindness. I linked Gabriel to join Timothy and take over his pack on my behalf while I head to the north. After we ate the sandwiches, I waited for Gabriel toe so he could apany Timothy and Mirabel. Once they left. I carried the satchel containing those items with me and locked my house. "I did not want to discuss this trip in Timothy''s presence, Leo. Why are you going back so soon?" Max teased me when we got to the airport, and I knew where he was heading with our conversation. I did not want to give him the satisfaction of being right. It will be hard sitting around him, gloating about his wisdom. " Alexie needs to be put in check, and I cannot do it from the east. Only Sylvester can deal with this guy." I told him, and he nodded with a big grin. Max knew my other reasons because I could have easily called Sylvester on the phone this morning to inform him of my fears. But I wanted to do it in person because I couldn''t stand being away from Amelia. I did not borate on my reasons; I wasn''t going to give Max the satisfaction of being right by telling him the truth. We boarded the ne, and we used the First ss this time. I could catch up on my sleep on the ne without disturbance. When wended in Lund, Max and I took a cab to the Volkov estate. There was giddiness and eagerness in me that I had not felt in a while. I knew it was because of Amelia. She was slowly taking it all, and I was willingly giving it. We arrived at the estate, and Iposed myself before heading to Sylvester''s wing. It was best to deal with the pending issue before going to my room. I knew I won''t have the time to attend to the matter when I see Amelia. "May I see his majesty, please? Tell him it is Leonardo Albert," I told the Kappa stationed at the entrance to Sylvester''s wing. The man nodded with his eyes zed over, so I knew he might be linking someone inside the house. About two Minutester, he stepped aside, allowing me to enter the wing. I went to Sylvester''s office, where he was dealing with documents at his desk. He seemed very exhausted, too, but I had to tell him of the threat in the past. We greeted each other, and he was surprised to see me. I was surprised that I hade there too. I guess none of us expected me to return immediately. Amelia had a hold on me, even though I did not want to admit it. "Leo, you returned so quickly. Couldn''t stay away from Amelia," Sylvester teased me and offered me a seat. I sat on the chair in front of his desk and sighed, prepared to tell him why I wanted to see him. "What I am about to tell you might seem trivial, but I think it is serious," I confessed, and I had his attention because he stopped what he was doing and looked at me. " This Alexei guy is up to no good. Alpha Timothy Eduard of Brentworth pack came to my house yesterday, begging me to marry his granddaughter and take over his pack simply because Alexie challenged the old man. I called Alexie, and he said he needed thend to build a mega City. I need you to halt his activities because he is getting out of line. We are yet to decide whether he cheated or not to defeat Max. If he cheated, he could easily take over most of the packs in the entire east this way. I do not trust him and his intentions." I said, and Sylvester sighed. "So you want me to ban him from taking over other packs by prohibiting him from challenging other alphas?" Sylvester asked, and I nodded in response, knowing it was a bit extreme based on all I had said. Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org. "It is his right, Leo," Sylvester said, and I nodded. "Not when something simr is ongoing in the south, and one thing they all have inmon is the im that two of the three Alphas involved have been rumoured to be immune to silver. I also think we should look into the pack take over''s of the west too." I said, and Sylvester sighed. I knew how easy it was to look away and tell ourselves it was no big deal, especially after dealing with Larry and his group. However, this was beginning to sound like a big deal. I told him everything I knew about the men in my woods and showed him the objects in the satchel. I was d I did because the coin caught his eye. From the look on his face, it was a familiar item to him, and I wondered what he knew about it. "You found this in the woods?" He asked me, pointing at the coin, and I nodded. He also asked me if it was buried or on the soil''s surface. I told him it was on the surface because I did not have to dig it from the ground. I knew why he would ask such a question. If the coin was buried, it meant it had been there for a while and might not have ended up in my woods in my lifetime. But finding it on the surface meant it just got there. "Very well; I will do something about Alexie while we look into the issue with the trackers in your woods. It also seems like they are after Amelia by the look of things. The satchel content says it all. Let me call Tamia to find out if they have returned from Lund. They went to do a DNA test for Amelia early this morning. I am sure they have returned," He said, taking out his phone to call his wife. I excused him and headed to the beta''s wing, where my room was. I wasn''t sure if Amelia had returned, and I did not want her to know, so I tried the lock and let myself in. Amelia gasped and turned in the direction of the door. She had nothing but her whitece underwear, which looked very sexy. I was a bit jealous that she did not lock the door. Her face lit up when she saw it was me, and she rushed at me. I managed to shut the door before she reached where I was. I held her, and we kissed. My kiss was different this time because I missed her and was determined to make this work. I did not know how much she had impacted my life until now. We broke the kiss to catch our breaths, and she giggled. "Wasn''t expecting you back this early," She said, and I nodded. "I wasn''t expecting you to miss me this much," I teased her, and she blushed because she missed me as much as I missed her. It was just one night, and it felt like forever. I pulled her close and caressed her cheek gently. Staring into her eyes, hoping to find everything she searched for in mine. "Amelia," I said with a serious voice, and she was attentive. "Please do not break my heart," I told her, and she rested her head against my chest, wrapping he arms around me. "The only heart capable of being broken here is mine, Leo. Our bond remains with me," she said, and her words cut deep because she was right. I wished I hadn''t been irrational about my bond when I saw her. If there was a way to rescind the rejection, I would because if I was feeling this way without the bond, there was something strong between us. I quietly led her to the bed and decided to open up about Timothy and Mirabel. It is not like Mirabel will ever be in my house, or I will have to follow through on the lie because I had handed the matter over to Sylvester, but she deserved to know everything. I did not want secrets between us in that regard, so I told her of Timothy and Mirabel, but I kept the satchel finds to myself, so she did not panic. Seeing her now, I knew there was no way she was being secretive around me. I held her hand and kissed it gently. "Please always tell me everything, Amelia. I need to know your friends and what you''re doing. I want you to be safe," I said, and she nodded but frowned a bit. Her eyes showed that she was suspicious something was wrong, but I knew she wouldn''t push it. She was that understanding and peaceful. She smiled at me, and I was d she did not take the Mirabel and Timothy incident seriously. "So you told Alpha Timothy you were taken?" she said, repeating what I had told her, and I knew where she was heading with that question. Instead of answering her, I tickled her. One thing led to another, and my clothes came off. I nned to remain buried in her for the rest of the day. 28 Couldnt Stay Away (Book 2) 28 Couldn''t Stay Away (Book 2) ~Amelia~ I wasn''t expecting Leo to return as quickly as he did, but he did, and I was d. I had a fabulous time with thedies and the Queen but missed him. It wasn''t up to twenty-four hours, but I felt his absence. The bed in his room at the estate felt cold and lonely. I reined in my emotions and tried to act normal, but Tamia knew and promised he woulde around. When I turned and saw that it was him, my heart soared. I wondered if he had missed me so much that he couldn''t stay away. My heart was at peace when he told me of all that happened in the east because it showed we were heading somewhere. His kisses were more profound than before, and his touch differed slightly. I could feel his need for me. His hands caressed my skin gently. His touch was delicate and careful. Fromughing and ying, his tickles became sensual. I reached for his shirt, and he let me. Soon I wasn''t the only one in my underwear anymore. He was, too, and he looked hot as always. I wanted to go on top, but I knew he wanted to take the lead, so I let him. Laying on the bed, he bent over me, leaving a trail of hot kisses from my sweet spot to the centre of my chest between my breasts. Leo unhooked the bra in front, setting my breasts free. He felt them with his hands, and I heard a low growl. Aurora responded. Caressing my nipples with his thumbs, he kissed my lips. The sensation was too sweet for me to kiss back, and he bit my lower lips gently, knowing what he was doing to me. He went for my breasts, kissing and biting the right breast gently while he caressed the nipple of the left with his fingers. The sensation was so much that I felt my wetness. Leo''s was masterful, and I rxed to enjoy what he had to give. He sucked my right nipple. Licking the tip with his tongue. It felt good, and I ran my fingers through his hair to appreciate the love he was giving. My fear of being touched was now a distant memory. I wanted his touch now, and he was generous with it. He worshipped my breasts and moved lower until he was where I wanted. He hooked the sides of my panties with his fingers and rolled them down my legs. Taking them off me. "You are wet, Moonlight," he said, and I moaned in response. My body was ready for him. I was on fire, and he knew it. He ced his finger in me, but I didn''t want that. I wanted him inside me. I tried to reach for him, but he moved, still pumping his finger into me. "Patience, Moonlight," he teased. "I tossed and turned all through the night, so I n on taking my time with you," he said and bent to taste me. I felt his tongue on my clit, and a loud moan escaped my lips. I grabbed onto his hair, enjoying his ministration, wanting to climax and not wanting the sensation to stop. "Please," I begged, not knowing what I was begging for. I felt his hands grab onto my hips, move under me, and grab onto my butt cheek while he ate me. He had no mercy, and I felt our bond pulling onto him. Calling for him to im me. "Leo, Please," I moaned, and he growled, edging me closer to orgasm. My hips moved on their own, and I felt my walls clenching, wanting to grab unto something wanting him to fill me up. "Patience, Moonlight," he linked me, but it was too sensual for me to rx. The orgasm washed through me, and I saw colours from the euphoric feeling it brought. The orgasm was something else. I left his hair and dug my fingers into the mattress. It was intense, and it sustained a bit before I began to shake, but he did not stop sucking my clit. I shook so much that I tried to push his head off, but he wouldn''t let me. Slowly a new orgasm built up, and my walls clenched uncontrobly until it erupted inside me, and I screamed. Leo stopped and drove his hard cock into me and started pumping hard and fast. "Fuck," he growled, and I opened my eyes to see his dark wolfish eyes. ck was in charge. He pumped not too fast and not slow. The pace was perfect, and my pussy weed every stroke and every hit on my spot. "Leo," I called out to him, unable to handle the intensity of the pleasure. He pumped, Held my legs up and apart, knelt between them and pumped. He entered deeper than usual, brushing my g-spot consistently until I climaxed. My legs were shaking, but I knew he had just begun. Owned by N?velDrama.Org. Leo made me turn on my hands and knees and drove himself into me from behind. Leo pumped, and I knew we weren''t in our senses anymore. There was a frenzy of pleasure between us, and the euphoria was so intense that there was no point in making sense of it. My orgasm came again; this time, I felt him still and pour himself deep inside me. The afternoon was intense. Leo and Iy in bed, spent from the orgasms. I was tired but tried to stay awake because every moment with him counted. He knew it too. While my head was against his chest, I thought of Alpha Timothy and his granddaughter. Although I did not know them, I knew the man was trying to be sneaky; I just felt it. Using the alpha challenge to sneak his granddaughter into Leo''s house was extreme. He could have just asked for help, but instead, he came up with the only solution favouring him. Getting his daughter married to one of the most powerful men in our world. Leo was the head of the King''s council, the head alpha of the east. the man that got the King his throne. He was friends with the King and Queen. All the lords were his friends. His influence was throughout our world. He was bigger than Mountain and the east. It was too much of a sacrifice to request him to be mated to his daughter, iming she would be a good luna. I wished I had been there; I would have chased her out. I might be easygoing to Leo, but my kind nature ends there. Rejected or not, he is my mate, and I wasn''t willing to let him go unless he wanted to be free. I rested my head on his chest andughed at the Eduards internally. The man had made a genius move. "How was your time while I was away?" Leo finally asked me, and even though he had just gone for less than twenty-four hours, I had a lot to say. "Queen Tamia came to get me, and we hung out in the garden with her and their friends. Their children are adorable, Leo. I really had fun. They were fun to be around, and I did not feel any complex exceptdy Katya kept staring into my eyes. Lady Avery made her stop eventually. I knew she didn''t mean to, but she could pretend." I said, and heughed. "So you do not hate Tamia anymore?" he asked, and I knew why he asked me that question. I had spoken against her the first time we met when he caught me stealing her things in his room. "Well, I talked to her about the takeovers, and she wasn''t aware it was happening. She promised to discuss it with the King. I feel awful for hating the woman. She is awesome, Leo." I said, and he was silent. Maybe I had said too much. She was his ex-wife, after all, so he already knew she was awesome. I knew how he lost her, and the fact her things were still in the room they shared, and he still slept there alone spoke volumes. As much as I was into Leo, I was on my guard because I knew he might hurt me, not because he wanted to, but because it seemed he was yet to let go of Tamia. "He rubbed my back gently, and I tried to rx in his arms. "Since you two are friends, I am sure you can help me send her things to the north when we go home," he said, and I froze and sat up to look at him. I wanted to be sure that he had spoken and that I wasn''t hearing things. "Are you sure about this?" I asked him, and he nodded. "I have been trying to figure out how to do it, but I haven''t been able to. This morning, I looked at her things in the wardrobe and knew having another man''s wife''s clothes in my closet was unhealthy. Makes me seem like a creep," he said and chuckled. "I have moved on; it is time I start acting it out so people can stop thinking I am still hung up on her." He said and sat up in bed. He caressed my cheeks gently and stared into my eyes lovingly. "I want to know where this will lead to. I have invested a hundred per cent, Amelia. I do not want to mess this up," he said with sincerity, and I closed my eyes to feel his palm on my cheek. I rubbed my cheek against his palm gently, feeling safe. "Leo," I said because his words had touched my soul. "You are the first friend and family I will have, do not break my heart," I confessed. After all, even though I was carefree and looked as if nothing bothered me, I knew no matter how tough I was, losing him would break me in irremediable ways because I would never find a recement for him. He cared even without the bond he cared. When others would have chased me away, he took me in. It was gradual and fast simultaneously, and I knew it was a battle. No one would care as much as Leo has cared. That much I knew because he saw me before everyone else could. 29 The Coin (Book 2) 29 The Coin (Book 2) ~Sylvester~ After asking Tamia if she and Amelia had returned, I stared at the strange coin on my desk and examined it with gloves. I wondered why wolves would keep something dangerous to them. I wondered what was happening in the east and the deal with Leo''s pack. We had enjoyed peace for over a year now, and I hoped it would be forever, but the littleints that havee up recently didn''t seem like it. First, Maxwell nch and his fight with Alexie, the nobody that took over his pack. I knew there was more to it because Devinined of the same thing. Why couldn''t we have peace for once? Looking at the coin, I knew only one person could exin it. The writing was ancient, and it wasn''t something I could easily ce. It did not look like currency spent at any time, and the ranking stars on the back indicated ''Delta'' did not make sense. Why would anyone use silver to hold their ranks? Only one person could exin what the coin was, Marcel''s father, Lucas. The man had been bored since he returned. He had gotten back with his mate, but there was sadness in his eyes. I guess the fact that he had killed his best friends, who were also his distant cousins, would haunt him for the rest of his life. He was lonely even though he tried to hide it. I imagined what I would do without Marcel and Theodore and knew I would be just as miserable. Maybe not as bleak as he was because I had made more friends and built connections, but I knew what he was going through. I understood it. The fact that they died by his hands worsened his depression. It was a pain he would never heal from, no matter how hard the people around him tried. The truth was, he was better off dead with them. I expected he would be overzealous about helping with this task, so I discussed it with Marcel before involving his father. I linked Marcel toe to my office, and he said he was on his way. I looked at the time, and it was three in the afternoon. Usually, this was when I closed from the office to spend time with my wife and children, but this coin thing would take my time, and I knew it. I was willing to sacrifice today, so I could have peace tomorrow. I hoped it wouldn''t be anything serious because we all need peace. While I waited for Marcel toe, a call came through on my phone, and I answered immediately, knowing it had to be someone dear because it was my personal line. "Hello," I said, and there was silence before the voice mustered the courage to speak. "Sylvester, it''s Vino," I heard my brother''s voice and froze. He had been gone for four months, and no one knew where he was. I pretended that I wasn''t worried, but I was. I had sent people to search for him to no avail. "Where the hell have you been, Vino? We have been looking for you. David and Dominic have been travelling searching. I would have joined in, too, if I wasn''t king. Why would you just disappear like that? Four months Vino. Why?" I asked him, and he sighed. "I am sorry, Sylvester. Honestly, I am, but I needed space. Not everyone heals quickly, you know. I needed time away," He said, and I pinched the bridge of my nose, frustrated because he was talking about Amanda. Amanda hadmitted suicide, where she was kept five months ago, and even though he tried to hide it, I knew it got to him. Honestly, as wicked as she was, none of us was ready to kill her because of the triplets, but her selfishness never changed, and she chose to end things on her terms. "So when are youing home?" I asked him, and he sighed. "Until I prove myself to you, Sylvester. I can''te and sit around as if I did nothing wrong. I sat there on the council and let them run circles around you. I am just as guilty as they are. I am on a mission to redeem myself," he said, and I became scared because whatever he was saying did not sound good. He had three daughters with him. Other than the two nannies that followed him, he was alone. Why would he put himself in such a precarious situation? "All is forgiven, Vino. You have nothing to prove to me or anyone, not even yourself. Juste back. If you want to make yourself useful, I have a job for you in the east. I am sure you will like the assignment." I said, and he paused. "What assignment?" He asked, and I knew I had tickled his curiosity. I hoped there wouldn''t be anything serious in the east, but I would make it sound interesting enough to tickle his curiosity and bring him home. "Some silver-immune Alphas taking over packs in the east and south," I said, and he was silent. "No way, Sylvester, there is no such thing," He said, and Iughed. "Apparently, there is. Why don''t youe home and help me solve this mystery? I will take your participation as penance. Tamia misses the girls, and I am sure Nicole and Katya would love to help too. My mother wasn''t happy that you took them with you. They deserve a home, Vino, and you need a job of which I have just given you one. Will you please return?" I said, and he paused a while. "I will take the first flight back from Gad," he said, and I wondered what he was doing in Gad. "What are you doing in Gad?" I asked him. "Keeping an eye on Alpha Sean. There have been some serious illegal takeovers in the west that the council isn''t really aware of. Leo brought it up several times, but Sean said they were pack members of Alphas tried for treason. I checked it out, and he was right, but the takeovers'' formation and concentration baffled me the most. While some are actually what he says they are, others are alpha challenges of packs that share borders with the east and south. I think it is a secret activity. I know I sound crazy and might just be overthinking things, but I think it was worth looking into. N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. Alpha Jake Brighton has been spared because his pack shares a border with Devin''s pack. I do not know why. The baffling part of all this is that the three alphas that have taken up packs that share the border with the east and south are new alphas, and I am hearing rumours that they are Delta breeds. I haven''t checked it out yet. I can''t exin it to you, but something is off. The other western takeovers are just as Sean has described, but these ones are different. I am still investigating it, but I wille home tomorrow. Once Leo''s matter is concluded, I will return because I think I am on to something," He exined, and he did not have to exin any further than he had. What he said did sound like he was on to something. Leo hadined bitterly about the sudden inflow of disced persons to the east and how they were overcrowding the system there. I just hoped this inflow of people was actually disced people, not people like Alexie. Vino said goodbye, and we both hung up. Iposed myself, and Marcel walked in. His shirt had baby food, and I knew he was with his son, Marvin. "Sorry I pulled you away from family time," I apologised, and he smiled at me. "Whatever it is must be serious because you should be with Harper and Liam, too," he said, and I was grateful that he wasn''t angry. "So what is it?" he asked, and I showed him the coin. "Leo found this in his woods," I said and told him all Leo told me about the attack in his woods. "He looked at the coin and was confused. "Why would wolves have silver coins with ranks on them?" he asked, and I nodded. "More reason why I called you. The writing is an ancientnguage. It says the strength of evolution is stronger than death. I do not understand what the wolf with a leaf in the mouth means," I said, and he nodded. "Let me take a photo and send it to my father. He would understand it better. I would have said, we asked your mother, but she wasn''t in the system like my father was," He said, and I nodded. "That was precisely why I called you. I wanted to discuss this with your father," I said, and he took out his phone. He ced a call to Lucas immediately. "Hello, Father," Marcel said, and I rested my pack on my chair to listen to their conversation. He put his phone on speaker and ced the phone on my desk. They exchanged pleasantries, and Lucas asked Marcel when he would bring Marvin over. Instead of responding, Marcel went straight to the point and tabled the matter at hand. "Leonardo brought a strange silver coin he found in his woods in the east. We do not understand what it means. We were hoping you could identify it and tell us the meaning," Marcel said. "Silver coin?" Lucas said, surprised that the coin was made from silver. "Take a picture and send it to me. I will figure it out from there," Lucas said, and Marcel thanked him and hung up. Marcel diligently took pictures of the coin, ensuring he did so on both sides and sent it to his father. "Why did you change the topic when he asked for Marvin?" I asked Marcel, and he smiled. "Avery and I are nning a surprise visit, and we have good news to share with them too. The impact would be best if he feels something is off," He said with a devious grin, and Iughed. Even though Marcel thought it was a well-kept secret, I already knew Avery was pregnant. The doctor had informed me, but I n to act surprised when they decide to tell us. We both sat in the office, waiting for Lucas''s response. I would lie if I said I wasn''t nervous. I prayed that it wasn''t anything serious. After waiting an hour, Lucas called back, and Marcel put him on speaker. "Are you sure Leo found this coin in his woods?" he asked perturbingly. "Yes, father. He brought it to us," Marcel replied, and I heard Lucas sigh. "This is confusing," He said. No one interrupted, so he continued to speak. "The wolf and leaf is a family insignia symbolising the Stepanovs'' evolution. The leaf represents the practice of alchemy, and the coin symbolises their evolution and immunity to silver. What baffles me is that Adrik and his entire bloodline were in by Marcel''s father, Dimitri. What is their family insignia doing in the woods of Mountain?" He asked, and I was just as shocked and confused as Marcel. What was going on in the east? 30 Analysis (Book 2) 30 Analysis (Book 2) ~Sylvester~ After the discussion on the phone, Lucas Sidorov had promised toe by the following day so he could examine the coin. The news baffled Marcel so much that he wasn''t enthusiastic about returning to his wing to spend time with his family. "We need to tell Theo, Dominic and David," I told him, and he agreed with me. I was about to link them when Tamia linked me. "Where are you? Is it over an hour past family time? Is everything alright?" She linked me, and I did not know if I should tell her or wait to confirm certain things before divulging the issue. We promised to be open to each other no matter what, so I opted to tell her when we were together. "I will tell youter. Something came up. Leo brought something from the east, and we are trying to figure out its origin." I told her, and she was silent. "Is it something serious?" She linked. "Maybe and maybe not. I am not sure at the moment, so I n on keeping it quiet until we know," I replied as honestly as I could. "I hope it is an adventure. Those council meetings are beginning to bore me, " She teased, and it made me chuckle a bit. I could understand her take on that. Honestly, I was bored with the monthly and sometimes weekly routine. Things were less tedious when I was lord. Tamia and I had decided to delegate some of our duties to the council and increase their power, but we had yet to decide what to give them. After ourst experience, it was only wise we are careful. "I will join youter, green-eyes," I linked my wife, and that was the end of the conversation. This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. I linked Leo, Theo, David and Dominic to join Marcel and me in my lounge. Leo requested that Max could join us, and I obliged. I did not know his relevance in the discussion, but I obliged because Leo was a loyal friend. I couldn''t deny a simple request because I couldn''t be mean to someone who fought for me to take the throne. I could not forget that day in the council hall. Leo was annoyed, and he scared a lot of people. I had thought he was weak, but our adventure together made me realise otherwise. My only advantage over the guy was that I was a Volkov, and now that I knew he had begun training with silver, I could not be sure of his limits. Overall, Leo wasn''t a good enemy to have, so I was grateful he was my friend and a loyal one at that. As for Max, I was indifferent, but unfortunately, I had to be sceptical because of how he behaved with his wife. He seemed remorsefulpared to Kyle. Marcel and I head to the lounge. Leo and Max were the first to arrive before the rest. I noticed Leo looked more rxed than he was when he arrived. I did not need to guess why; he reeked of Amelia. As much as Leo might want to lie to himself, he cared for the woman. I could tell from his bodynguage and how he looked at her, but people like Leo are best left to admit their truth. "Sylvester, what is up?" Dominic asked, not pleased I had called him to the lounge. I might have interrupted something, but what I had to discuss with them could not wait. "Leo brought a coin from his forest with an ancient northernnguage and a weird-looking insignia," I said and tabled the coin. They all took their time to look at it. All but Leo because he had already seen it. When I knew they were satisfied with it and decided to continue. "All I could figure out was the writing which says '' The strength of evolution is stronger than death''," I said, and David touched the coin using a handkerchief so it wouldn''t burn his hand. "Wanting to be sure what it was, Marcel sent pictures of the coin to uncle Lucas, and he was able to figure out something from the image," I said, and they were attentive. "ording to him, the wolf and Leaf on the coin is a Stepanov family Insignia," I said, and David was shocked. He spent most of his time reading, so he must know about Stepanov''s history. "I thought our grandfather, Dimitiri, killed Adrik and his family? The council even went as far as burying the name and history of the Stepanovs to wipe them from existence. What will a coin with their Insignia be doing in the east?" David asked, and I understood his confusion. "Uncle Lucas ising here tomorrow to examine the coin physically. The physical examination is to decide when the coin was produced. It does not look old enough to date back to thest Stepanov, but then again, it must have been kept well by whoever dropped it in Leo''s woods," I said and sighed, then brought up my genuine concern. "I would have brushed this off as a lost treasure if it weren''t for the reports Leo and Devin have tabled from the east and south about the new alphas that have been challenging pack alphas and taking their packs from them by cheating with silver in these challenges. Although the ims are yet to be confirmed and there are investigations ongoing, it is only a wolf immune to silver that will use it to cheat," I said and looked at Leo. "I hate to say this, Leo, but your girlfriend is another reason I am determined to look into this. She is a delta breed with Stepanov features. Those eyes cannot be missed. The only difference is her tinum blonde roots which I believe is the colour of her hair. I also cannot ignore the fact that she is a delta. The stars on that coin are meant for a delta," I said, and he frowned, confused. I did not want him to get defensive, so I spoke immediately. "I am not saying she is involved or she has an idea of what is going on, Leo; I am saying she might be a Stepanov, an improved version," I said and sighed, ready to borate on my statement. "Stepanovs were masters at Alchemy, and they used themselves for the experiment. They were so good at it that they could evolve over several trials. It came at a cost, of course. They lost their alpha genes, But there had been rumours that they could produce Alpha-like deltas, strong, fast and authoritative, but those Delta can never be a match to a true Alpha. Adrik found that out the hard way. Could it be that one or some of them survived and went into hiding?" I said, and Dominic shook his head. "Amelia''s DNA test will be out tomorrow; let''s not conclude until we are sure," Dominic said, and I nodded. "I understand what you are saying, but she looks like us, Dominic. There is no doubt she has Stepanov genes. Waiting until tomorrow will be a waste of time when we can test it now," I said, and Leo looked at me worried, but I had to request what I was about to ask of him. It was essential to know, at least. "Only one thing would make us remove her from the equation and make her appearance a coincidence," I said. "Please, Leo, bring Amelia here. All she has to do is pick up the coin. Whatever the oue, we won''t divulge the reason to her, but I need to see her pick up the coin with her bare hands," I said, and I could see the reluctance in his eyes. He could only be reluctant if he knew something he did not want the rest of the world to know because, under normal circumstances, he should like to know too. "Is there something you aren''t telling us, Leo?" I asked him, and he sighed. "Amelia is very innocent and has had a rough life growing up without her parents. It will be cruel if she is put to death because she has Stepanov abilities," he sputtered, and I shook my head. I could feel his protective approach, and I did not want to upset him or make him think her life was in danger where we were concerned. "I will never hurt what is yours, Leo; even if she is a Stepanov, we will keep it to ourselves and protect her. It also means she is our family, and we must protect her. It also means she is the one they are after, and the events happening in the east and south aren''t mere coincidence anymore," I said, and he looked at me with trust in his eyes and nodded. "I will bring her here, but before I do, I want to tell you all something," He said, and I was attentive. "When Amelia came to my pack, I gave her a job as my chef," he said, and his smile made me know he was fond of the memory. "She lived in my Omega service quarters then, and you all know how Omegas can be. To cut the story short, She was framed for theft, and instead of bringing her to me, they bound her with silver to beat her. It was a mob action in there; I went there to see why she had not resumed work only to see what the Omegas were doing, but that wasn''t what caught my attention," he said and sighed. "Amelia''s wolf Aurora was in charge. The stupid Omegas did not even figure it out, but I did. I wondered why she would have wolf eyes with silver on her wrists. The eyes were blue. I had to take her out of there. This was the reason I believed Max when he told me about Alexie because if Amelia had an ability that gave her ess to her wolf after being bound with silver, someone with that ability could cheat with it." Leo said, and I was in shock. Leo knew withholding that information from us was wrong, so he walked out quickly to go and get Amelia. I wasn''t mad at him either; I understood his need to keep and protect her secret, and I am sure he might have carried it to his grave if it weren''t for the fact that he knew her life might be in danger. Leo might not want to admit it, but his heart was beating for this woman. 31 The Silver Test (Book 2) 31 The Silver Test (Book 2) ~Leo~ The look on Sylvester''s face when I told him about Amelia showed he wasn''t happy I kept that bit to myself, but I knew he would understand why. I knew they all could understand why. Amelia was mine to love, keep and protect. If her bloodline had been wiped away, then she shouldn''t be in existence. Whoever was looking for her would want her for the very reason Adrik was murdered. I wanted it to be a coincidence, so I remained in denial, but after seeing the coin and learning what Lucas Sidorov had to say about it and Sylvester''s deductions, I realised it was best to trust Amelia''s secret to my trusted friends and allies than to try to handle it alone. Deep down, I prayed she wouldn''t be able to pick up the coin or touch it. I have never wanted anything so badly as I did at this moment. I hated to think about it, but I wanted her to be normal. Exining that she had unusual abilities and might be a science experiment would be challenging. Being a Stepanov would also make her royalty, and I wondered how the world would take it. I feared they might call for her head because her family had already been condemned and wiped out. She would be an anomaly. I prayed Silverster would protect her secret. If not, I will go to war for her sake. With that determination, I opened the door of my room and walked in. Amelia was reading a book she had brought with her and sitting by the window. I noticed she wasn''t a television person and liked reading a lot. It was a healthy habit that kept her going. A healthy and active imaginative mind could help people cope with stress and difficulties. It provides an avenue for escape and optimism based on what the mind is fed, and seeing the book in her hand; I knew she had only read of happy endings. She looked at me and put down her book. "Leo, are you done with your meeting?" She asked with a smile, and I asked the goddess why I met Amanda and not her. I would have been happier if I had met her after losing Tamia. Seeing how Tamia and Sylvester were, I was pleased with all that happened and somehow realised we weren''t meant to be. They were perfect together, and I could swear the light and glow in Tamia''s eyes was like I had never seen before. The same glow was in Amelia''s eyes, and the best part was that it was for me. I suspected she would be my home eventually. However, I was still going to move gradually and love her to the best of my ability until I knew enough and was sure she wanted me and wasn''t driven by the bond or lust before Imit because once I did, I won''t be looking back. I returned the smile and went o squat in front of her. She was a bit surprised, and I knew my facial expression was intense, so I softened it with a smile and gently touched her delicate hand. It was hard to believe she had been through hardship. I kissed it and ced her palm against my cheek to feel it, and she gazed at me lovingly. "Leo," she said, blushing, and I smiled. "I know you are immune to silver," I blurted out, and her smile faded. "I also know you have been hiding it. Aurora came out because you had no choice that day in the service quarters. I also noticed how boldly you attacked those intruders in the woods. You did so because you knew the silver wouldn''t affect you the same way. Am I right?" I asked her, and tears welled up in her eyes. I knew she was afraid. One thing I hade to understand about Amelia was that she craved to be normal. Her childhood and life had given her a definition of normal; it had driven a standard into her mind. A standard she fell short of, so she always tried to hide those things that took her far from the standard just to feel normal, hence the hair dye, the contact lenses, the pretence of not being able to fight back, and her tolerance to silver. Those things weren''t normal for an average wolf. A wolf must be trained to fight, but she did it effortlessly in the woods that day. She was the goddess''s masterpiece, and she had to hide it because it did not meet the standards given to her all her life. " Leo, please," She said, tears streaming down her cheeks, not wanting to admit it. I touched her hand and squeezed gently. "I do not care about what sets you apart from the rest of us. It will never affect the way I look at you. If anything, Amelia, I am proud. I am happy that the goddess chose to bless me with someone special. Bond apart, You are a rare gem, Amelia, and you should be proud of it. You are beautiful and unique, and you have all the qualities I would have loved to be given. It won''t change how I look at you," I told her, and she nodded gently, but I knew she was scared. "It doesn''t burn me," she confessed, " But it slows down my healing, and I can''t fully shift, but I maintain all my wolf abilities, including strength and speed," She confessed quickly, and I stood up, frozen in shock. "Leo, Leo," she asked me. I heard her apprehension, but I wasn''t shocked about what she told me; I was surprised that Max had said precisely the same thing about Alexie. He said Alexie had ess to his wolf but never said the guy fully shifted. I looked at Amelia and softened my expression with a smile. "You might have just cracked a case for me, Amelia," I said, believing Alexie might be like Amelia. It was off that their back story was simr. Was he dyeing his hair too? But his eyes did not look like Amelia''s. Was he wearing contacts? I will find that out in due time. "Come on, Moonlight. Let''s go to the king''s lounge." I told her, and she nodded and stood up. She was nervous. I could feel it from her trembling hands, but I had no choice. I would be wrong not to return to the lounge without her. Besides, I trusted everyone there, and I knew Sylvester was a man of his word and would never do anything that would harm the woman I cared about. "Do not worry, Amelia; they are all on our side. If anything, I believe you will gain family today. A very powerful one," I said to try and help her rx, but she looked at me with a sad expression. "I already have family, Leo. I have you," she said, and her words cut me deep. Just like Tamia too. I was Tamia''s only family, and I let her down. I squeezed Amelia''s hands and ced her palm on my chest, promising myself not to repeat my mistakes. Thinking of it now, I could understand why she held on to our bond and stuck around. I was meant to be the light at the end of her tunnel. Her home and I had acted irrationally. I knew I could still im her without a blue moon because she held on to our bond, but I would make it special and surprise her with it. "Other than my missing parents, You are my family too," I responded and the smile she had warmed my heart. Amelia was a joy and easy to be with. Where was she all this while? We arrived at the lounge, and the men were talking and analysing different things and scenarios. The moment I entered with Amelia, everywhere went quiet. David walked towards Amelia. "Amelia Westwood, Is is an honour that you are joining us," He said, and I knew it was in a bid to calm her down and make the atmosphere less tense for her. David was the most sensitive of all his brothers, except for Vino, who was creepy and mysterious, but he seemed sensitive too. Dominic nodded and smiled at her, and everyone took turns greeting her. They did so with respect, and I was also grateful for the gesture because it helped Amelia rx and loosen up. "Amelia," Sylvester finally said, and she bowed her head. "Not here. Just like Tamia told you, those formalities are for public gatherings. Leonardo is a friend and more like family. We just want to determine maybe he will soon be our inw," Sylvester said, and everyoneughed, making it light. Amelia was blushing immediately, and soon she started giggling too. Sylvester motioned her to sit on the couch across from his, and she looked at me. I nodded, and she went ahead to do as he had requested. "You see, Amelia, we have long lost rtives that have superpowers of which everyone was envious," he said, and they all chuckled because he wasn''t lying. The Stepanov ability was incredible and limitless. "Well, Leo bragged that you might have those abilities too, so we want to know so that we can protect you better," He said on a light note. I was d he did not tell her her life was in danger if she was a Stepanov. Silvester ced the coin on the coffee table between them using a tissue. "I want you to pick up this coin with your hands, Amelia. It was built for a Delta, who is a Stepanov. Other than the DNA test Tamia took you for, this will prove if you have the same abilities as that branch of our lineage." he said, referring to Marcel and Theodore because they were a branch of the Volkov family too, and she nodded, then took a deep breath. She looked at me, and I smiled, urging her to proceed. Amelia reached for the coin with shaking hands and easily picked it up. It did not burn her at all. Everyone was silent, and they tried to act normal. "Can you ess your wolf?" Sylvester asked her with a broad grin. I knew he was worried, but she needed to befortable. Amelia nodded with a smile which meant she trusted everyone in the room. "Show me. Shift partially," Sylvester asked, looking slightly serious, and she nodded. Slowly I saw her ws grow out, and her eyes turned a brilliant shade of blue. Dominic stepped back. I knew he did not mean to, but it was a wonder unheard of and unseen. Everyone was in shock. "Shift back to your normal form," Sylvester said, trying to gather himself, and she did as he had asked and ced the coin on the table. "Thank you, Amelia; your secret is safe with us. Once the DNA result is out, we will know what to do and how best to protect you," he said, and I could see beads of sweat forming on his forehead. Owned by N?velDrama.Org. It wasn''t just him; Marcel and Theodore too. It was a shocking revtion to everyone, and the room was quiet. Not wanting Amelia to figure out the difort, I gently offered to walk her back to my room. I will have to discuss this with Sylvesterter so we would know the way forward. 32 Pillow Talk (Book 2) 32 Pillow Talk (Book 2) ~Tamia~ Sylvester entered the room in the night. Normally I would be mad, but I knew something was off. All the men missed family time. Averyined bitterly that Marcel had just left her to attend to matters. She wasn''t mad, but she was worried. Linda and I were a bit excited because it meant we would have something to do, but Avery wasn''t. Linda and I knew she was pregnant, but we kept quiet until she told us. I guess Marcel and Avery were waiting for the right moment. I have learnt that there isn''t ever a right moment. " Darling," I said, sitting up, and Sylvester stood by the bathroom door and sighed. He removed his shirt, and I knew he wanted to shower. "You want to shower?" I asked him, and he nodded. " Join me," He said, and I beamed at him. He entered the bathroom, and I followed behind. I stripped down my clothes and got into the shower with him. He pulled me into his arms under the running water and held me warmly, then kissed his mark on my neck. I wrapped my arms around him to hold him. "Darling, is everything alright?" I asked him, a bit worried. "I will tell you about it," he said, pulling away. He stared at me briefly, then caressed my cheek gently with his palm. "I missed family time today. Are you going to punish me for it, Green-eyes?" He teased, and I was wet immediately. He knew I couldn''t punish him, but I will try as long as impatient Kaira did not take over. I doubted the situation we were in would allow me to hold back. He looked hot under the running water, and I wanted a piece of him. I was about to reply when he crashed his lips on mine and kissed me hungrily. He pulled me to his body and squeezed my butt cheeks with his hands. I loved the feeling, and I wanted him to do more. Sylvester travelled with his lips to my neck. Kissing me and living trails of hickeys. I felt the water from the shower reduce, and I knew he had turned it down a bit. He breathed into my ear gently, and I had goosebumps all over. "Sylvester," I moaned, and he turned our position until my back was against the wall. He squatted, spreading my legs apart. I bnced myself by hanging a leg over his shoulder while he went to work. The warm water beat my skin gently while he worked on my clit with his masterful tongue. I ran my fingers through his hair, trying to handle the pleasure flow as it coursed through my veins, taking me ces. I closed my eyes and relished the feeling. I grabbed onto his hair because he had no mercy at all. "Sylvester," I moaned, and he growled in response. My body began to move independently until my orgasm erupted, and I began to shake. He did not stop. My moans got louder, my walls clenching fast, wanting him inside me. He stopped and stood up. I wrapped my legs around him with my back still against the wall, and he buried himself into me and began to pump. He was a beast under the shower, and I loved it. I dug my nails into his back to handle my pleasure. He liked it and pumped faster. He kept moving at the right pace, hitting the right spot and taking me closer and closer to my climax until I came, and then he stilled inside me, and I felt him pulsate in me while he groaned from the intensity of his release. Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org. Gradually he let me down, and I giggled, feeling fully satisfied. We washed each other and returned to the room. We did not dress up. We went to bed naked, and Iid my head on his chest while he caressed my back. I could feel his calmness. "Care to tell me what is going on?" I finally asked him, and he sighed. "The attacks in the east and south might be linked to the Stepanovs," he blurted out, and I sat up, completely shocked. "Did Stephanie not say they were wiped out? Your grandfather had them killed for treason. The entire bloodline. Adrik, his mate, their cousins and children. Everyone that had the mutated gene was ughtered. There is a cemetery with their bones to prove it, Sylvester. Unless phantoms can wreak havoc on the Living, that theory is impossible," I said, and he sat up gently and sighed. "I know, but today I watched Amelia pick up silver with her bare hands, and it didn''t burn her; she could also shift partially with the silver in her hands. She is also a Delta breed Tamia. There is no way that is a coincidence," he said, and I was in shock. "Leo found a coin with a Stepanov insignia in the woods of Mountain. Along with it were pictures of Amelia. They are keeping an eye on her." He said, and I was dumbfounded. " How do you know it is a Stepanov coin?" I asked. "Because Uncle Lucas told us. He ising tomorrow to study it so we can understand the time it was made," he said, and I nodded slowly. "Still does not mean anything, Sylvester. What if someone is trying to make us think in that direction?" I asked, and he sighed. "And Amelia''s Abilities?" He asked, and there was no way to exin that part. "They might be seeking her out to use her or sample her DNA," I said quietly, and he shook his head. "I doubt it. If that were the case, they would have taken her long ago before she went to Mountain. Leo''s evidence showed that they had been watching her for a while now, Tamia. Theints that Max and Devin brought to the council also scream otherwise. Without this new information, we would have believed the alphas were sour losers, but seeing what Amelia can do and this coin, theints are now viable and worthy of looking into. My greatest fear is having an army of people with these abilities." He said, and I understood my husband. Sylvester wasn''t worried about them being Stephanovs; he was worried about their abilities. Maybe someone had figured out how the Stepanovs did it and decided to start his journey towards evolution. It also meant the so-called new alphas might be a science experiment, and Amelia might be an improved version. That was only credible because the entire Styepanov bloodline was killed. None were allowed to live. "Could it be a new bloodline who have cracked the form and are experimenting on their children?" I asked Sylvester, and he looked at me. "That might be it, but we need Amelia''s results toe out tomorrow and be sure. Other than that, I n on summoning the new Alphas toe so I can study them and get their DNA samples to be sure," He said, and I nodded. "I agree, but we have to get the DNA samples without them knowing so they would not think we are on to them. Thest thing we want is to alert them before we are ready for them," I said, and he nodded, agreeing with me. He bowed his head and then looked up. "Vino called me, and I asked him toe," he said with a sad tone, and I honestly believed it was good news because Vino had been silent for four months. We had been looking for him to no avail. "That is great," I said, and he shook his head. "Yes, but I wished I didn''t tell him about Leo''s case. I told him he would be helping me with it in the east. Suddenly I am beginning to feel this is going to be a dangerous mission, and I am sending my brother into harm''s way," He said, and I was silent because I understood his fear. "Vino has three daughters, and their mother is dead. I shouldn''t have said anything," He scolded himself, and I had to hold him because I believed he needed the support. Sylvester was more afraid for Vino''s life than of the threat. Vino had been through a lot, and I could understand him feeling this way. "I hate this King thing. I liked it when I was hands-on," he said, and I knew he was right. I hated the royalty thing, too. It limited uspletely. "I believe I should get involved with these things directly, but there is no one to leave in charge of the throne. I know everyone would want to join, including Devin. It would be stupid to leave the council in charge based on our past experiences. I strongly believe we all have to be hands-on with these people because I do not think it is a coincidence that they are taking over the packs in the east and south. This Alexie guy is attempting to increase his pack. Leo had to plead with me to send an order forbidding him from challenging anyone. On the surface, it is normal that an alpha challenges others to increase their pack, but no one has done that in decades. Why now? Vino has also picked a pattern simr to that? He ims people are taking over packs close to the south and the east border from the west." He said and looked at me. "Apparently, they aren''t just packs of Alpha tried for treason, as Sean had told us. Vino is trying to find out what is going on there too. I honestly do not know what to think, Tamia," he confessed. I understood what he was trying to say. "We need to investigate, Sean. If he hasn''t been honest, it means he is up to no good," I said, and he agreed. "I will have to find someone I can delegate my work as King to, so I can handle this, Tamia," he said, and I frowned at him. "I want to be a part of it too," I requested, and he looked at him and sighed. "I will let you in as long as you promise me that you will stay out of it the moment it gets dangerous," he said, and I knew he meant what he was saying and could not change his mind. "I promise," I said, and he sighed. "I will inform Uncle Lucas and my mother to lead on our behalf while we try to solve this. Please do not let Amelia know the danger she is in for now. I believe Leo is shielding her, and it will be wrong of us to work against his efforts." he said, and I nodded. I wouldn''t tell her anything anyway, but I appreciated the warning. Leo wasn''t only shielding her; he was in love with her even though he did not want to admit it. I hoped he would see the light quickly because Amelia was an excellent catch for him, Stepanov or not. I knew she would be good for him. I could feel it. 33 Three Days Later (Book 2) 33 Three Days Later (Book 2) ~Leo~ Owned by N?velDrama.Org. Lord Lucas Sidorov came as Sylvester had informed us. I did not want him to see Amelia yet, so everyone kept her out of it. He examined the coin and told us it was an old make that dated to Adrik''s time. He was able to tell from the shape of the coin and some of the markings it had. His deduction about the coin made us rx a bit because it might mean someone might have forgotten it in the forest. But the way I had found it couldn''t have been a coincidence. Sylvester told me he would have toe clean to his uncle soon when Amelia''s DNA resultse out. We waited for the results, but when the hospital reached out to Tamia, they imed it was inconclusive, and they were still on it, so we opted to give them more time. We waited three days for the DNA results. I was nervous but maintained a calm exterior so that Amelia would not get worried. To take our minds off the test result, I put it upon myself to ensure she had fun and enjoyed herself. When I wasn''t attending meetings with Sylvester, I took her to town, and she loved every moment. I also noticed that she had be friends with Linda quickly. Tamia was also her favourite, but she was more fond of Linda. I somehow believed their abuse history by Kappas also helped with the bonding process because they understood each other. I often heard Amelia tell Linda to ensure Kyle suffered for his conduct. It made me realise I did not want to be on the receiving end of her wrath, but we were getting along nicely. I woke up in the morning of the fourth day to my phone ringing. Amelia was still sleeping, so I snuck out of bed and did not wake her. I checked my phone and saw it was Sylvester. I answered immediately. "Leo, we have been trying to reach you for a bit now. It was almost ten in the morning. Did you overwork yourselfst night?" he asked, and I pinched the bridge of my nose, a bit embarrassed with myself. Amelia and I did not sleep until five in the morning. "Anyway, Pleasee to my office. Vino arrived this morning, and he has a lot of interesting things to tell us." He said, and I told him I would be there shortly. I was hoping he would tell me the DNA results were out, but Vino returning wasn''t what I had in mind. Honestly, I still did not like the guy. There was just something creepy about him. Knowing he was a Volkov did not change my misgivings, but I knew I would need time to trust him. His history with Amanda did not help; how they both used and yed me constantly reminded me why I could never trust the guy. I wouldn''t want to be in the same room with him if it weren''t for Sylvester. I couldn''t let go of his role in what happened to me. I went to freshen up in the bathroom and dressed up. Amelia had woken up by then, and she frowned at me curiously. "What''s the rush?" She asked me, and I went to her. She sat up in bed and smiled at me. I nted a kiss on her forehead, and she smiled. "Sylvester wants to speak with me in his office; I will be back," I said, and she nodded. "Are we still attending the dinner at the yman''s?" She asked with a glint in her eyes, and I knew she was eager to go there because of Leah. Amelia could be very mean sometimes, and I liked her like that. "You will have your shot at Leah tonight," I said, and she beamed at me. "Great. I will join the Ladies in the yroom," she said, getting up. "Don''t forget to eat. I did not want you losing weight," I said, and sheughed and then sucked in her cheeks to mimic a gaunt look. We bothughed at the expression, and I headed out. My short interaction with Amelia had given me a lighter mood, and I smiled, heading towards Sylvester''s wing. Vino was in the office when I entered, and he greeted me, to which I responded. There was a look on Sylvester''s face that showed that he knew I was yet to forgive his brother. Although he was king, he couldn''t force me to like the guy. I just couldn''t. I noticed he had lost weight, but it wasn''t my business. He must have taken Amanda''s suicide badly. It was clear that he loved her regardless of her evil and betrayal. I did not understand why he would willingly let her ruin my home. No matter how important a task is, I can never share the woman I love with another man just to achieve a goal. They took advantage of the mate bond, but he could have waited for the Blue Moon to im her. He had no excuse where I was concerned. I did not care how his brothers and cousins treated him. He was still a foe until he proved himself. I might forgive him because Amelia is in my life thanks to his and Amanda''s wickedness, but it was also their fault that I did not want to give her a chance. They had scared me beyond repair. "Leo, please have a seat," Sylvester said and sat on the chair in the office. "Vino returned this morning. He has been working on something in the west due to yourints about the massive inflow of disced people to the east. I want him to tell you what he found out while in Gad," Sylvester said, leaning back on his chair. Rocking it gently. I looked at Vino, and he cleared his throat to speak. "Alpha Albert, after youined about the massive inflow of disced people in the east and south, I decided to look into the matter because even if packs were being taken over, people were not supposed to be disced. Anyway, we contacted Sean, and you know his response. It didn''t add up, so I checked what was happening. Iter discovered that all western packs that share a border with the east and south, excluding Brighton, have been taken over, over the past seven months. It was a gradual process. The only intact pack at the border now is Brighton. Another thing was that the Alphas were new. They have never owned a pack before and seem to have materialised from nowhere. I asked Sean to give me details of all the alphas in his region, and they are not on the list, so I wonder where they came from. My issue with Sean is that he refused to admit that something is off about these takeovers. He said it isn''t a crime to challenge an Alpha for his pack. I know this, but this behaviour has not happened in decades, so I felt it was off. The attacks and takeovers seem to have a targeted region," he said and was silent. I looked at Sylvester to understand what this had to do with me. I guess my dislike for Vino had slowed down my reasoning. "Well, alpha challenges have urred in the south and east, too, just like these people," Sylvester pointed out, and I sighed. "Hillvalley and Brentwood share a border with the west. Hillvalley is part of the takeovers Vino is talking about. Peachwood and Woond of the south share border with the Greenville western pack that was taken over. The alphas that took over Greenville and Dane at the western border were the ones that expanded theirnd by taking over Peachwood and Woond in the south. Peachwood''s new Alpha and Hill Valley''s new Alpha have one thing inmon. The Alphas they challenged used them of cheating with silver. I am sure Woond''s former Alpha would have had the same excuse if he had survived it. Like the other two, the Alpha of Hill Valley tried to expand hisnd by challenging Brentwood." Sylvester said, connecting the dots, and my mouth fell open. This was a lot more serious than we thought. "We need to investigate all the alphas that did the new takeover and maybe organise a supervised rematch to be sure they do not have silver immunity," I said, and Sylvester shook his head. "Alexei Kusov and y Newton are the only alphas that let their opponents live. The others killed their opponents. ording to Vino, some opponents did notst five minutes in the battle. We can''t say precisely that they fought with silver or cheated with it until we investigate how the battle went and how their opponents died," Sylvester said. I nodded, realising the issue was bigger than the east. "We need to know if they partially shifted in the fight and if the opponents could ess their wolf at all," I added, and Sylvester nodded. From the look of things, he did not tell Vino about Amelia, and I was grateful that he kept that bit out. Sylvester sighed and leaned forward, resting his hand on his desk. He looked at me and sighed. "I know you have issues with my brother because of Amanda and his role in ruining your home, and I cannot ask or force you to let it go, but I will plead with you to be civil," he said, and I was silent. "Vino has taken an interest in the case and has already started the investigation. I want him to follow you to the east as my representative to start work on this. The rest of us will join you when it is time. I just have to find the right people to delegate my duty to because it seems we have a severe problem," Sylvester said. I wasn''t happy about Vino joining me in the east. Still, I was willing to let go and be civil for safety and justice, but nothing would change between us. "I am fine with it," I said easily so Sylvester would not think I was having difficulties epting what he had said. He might be my friend, and I might have fought to get him to where he was, but he was still my king, and it was imperative that I give him his respect and not abuse the familiarity. "Please excuse us," Sylvester told Vino, and I knew he wanted to speak to me privately. Vino thanked me for agreeing and left us alone. When he left, Sylvester''s attention turned to me. "I implore you to allow my brother to redeem himself in your eyes. He has been hard on himself lately. He still beats himself and mes himself for everything. He left the north because he believed he wasn''t worthy of being among us. Vino is sorry, Leo. You need to understand where he ising from, and you, of all people, know how maniptive Amanda was. It will be healthy for you to let bygones be bygone and move on. Amelia is a great woman, and I know you love her. Everything that has happened has led to the present. Learn from your mistakes and move on, please. It will be sad to watch you waste away and continue like this. We forgive to set ourselves free from the hurt others caused that kept us emotionally and mentally imprisoned," he said. I honestly felt like a child. I knew Sylvester had a point. I will try my best to ensure I do what is necessary. "Which brings me to why I wanted the private conversation with you," he said and looked at me. "You already know that two of Amelia''s tests came out inconclusive. At first, I felt it was nothing until the hospital called Tamia this morning and told her that Amelia''s samples were missing, along with theb technician. I have currently put Kappa William on the case. I suspect whoever was watching her in the east is also watching her right now. They do not want us to know anything about her family," he said, and I was stunned by his words. I knew she was somehow in danger, but now it was more evident. With everything we had learned recently, I knew it was best to tell Amelia the truth. We could only protect her if she knew what was going on. 34 Telling Her (Book 2) 34 Telling Her (Book 2) ~Leo~ Amelia wasn''t in the room when I returned. She had told me she would be in the yroom with the others, so I wasn''t surprised. I sat down a bit, worried about how to break the news to her. I did not know how to tell her her life was in danger. At the same time, I dared not tell her because she deserved to know. She could only be safe if she knew. Not telling her might cause her to fall into the arms of the people looking for her. We did not know if they were her enemies or not, but we knew they were our enemies. "We need to just tell her and let her deal with the information the best way she can, Leo," ck said, stating the inevitable, and I sighed. I began to pace about the room rehearsing how to tell her what was troubling me. While pacing, I heard the door open. I turned to see who it was and saw Amelia walk in. She looked at me, a bit surprised that I was in the room, and I smiled at her so she would not know I was worried. Her blouse was soiled, and I realised she might have been carrying a child. "Who did that to you?" I asked her, and she giggled. "Marvin. He was annoyed that Liam wouldn''t let him y with the fluffy horse, so I picked him to calm him down. Avery didn''t tell me she had just fed him, and now this is his meal on my blouse," She said,ughing, and Iughed too. I could just imagine the look on Amelia''s face when Marvin threw up on her. "I will just shower and change into something else," She said and headed to the bathroom. I watched her move and saw how carefree she was. Ignorance was truly blissful. I wondered if she would be this carefree and easy when she found out what I knew. I was torn between shutting up and telling her. Still thinking about it, I went into the bathroom. I did not know what I was doing there, but my body moved independently. She turned to look at me standing under the shower. She was naked, but the water wasn''t on, so I could see her beautiful body through the ss. She beamed at me, and she looked beautiful. "Couldn''t stay away, Alpha?" she asked, teasing, and I smiled at her. "Want to join me?" she teased. I felt my cock getting hard, and I obliged and stripped of my clothes. "Yes, Leo," ck growled in my head, eager to get some. "When did you be an addict," I teased my wolf. "When Amelia happened to us," he said, and I could feel his eagerness. My troubles about how to break the news to her were the least of ck''s concerns, and now they were the least of mine. Getting inside her was all I could think of. But first, I n to eat her and make here before I bury myself in her. I want her to be wet every time she thinks of me. I strolled into the shower with the running water because she turned it on before I got in. She looked up at me, and I saw her wetshes. There was an innocence in her eyes that was so hot. I grabbed her and kissed her lips. Probing with my tongue until she opened up for me. She was sweet and delicate. "Mine," ck growled, and I allowed him to get involved. Holding on to her waist, I pulled her to my body and began to kiss her neck. I felt her dig her fingers into my back. "Leo," she moaned, and I growled in response. Even Though the water was running, I could smell her arousal. She was sweet and intoxicating, and she was mine. I travelled down until I squatted between her legs, ready to taste her. I knew she would be ufortable, so I reached and grabbed her hips, then gently ced her back against the wall so she could have support while I tasted her. Her legs shook a bit in anticipation of what would ensue. Spreading her legs apart, I darted my tongue and licked between her folds. "Leo," She moaned, and I got the encouragement to move. I moved closer to kiss her lips, and she rested one of her legs on my shoulder for support, but she wasn''t bnced yet, so I let her rest her other leg on my shoulder and bnced myself perfectly between her legs. I licked and sucked on her mound. "Leo," she moaned. Her scent and response made me hard as hell. Eating her made me hard, and I could not wait to bury my cock in her. I could not wait at all. I sucked consistently until she grabbed onto my hair, and she came. She shook, and I felt her vibrate. "Ahhh.." She moaned, and that was all the invitation I needed. I would have loved to take her under the shower, but I did not want a quick one. I stood up, and she hopped on me and warped her legs around my hips, wanting me to bury my cock inside her. Her eyes were ice blue, and she wasn''t in control of her body anymore. She was grinding her pussy against me, and I grabbed her butt for support while I took us out of the bathroom andid her on the bed, but she did not want to be on the bottom this time. She switched our positions and was on top. She was in charge now. cing my cock inside her wet pussy she began to ride. The clenching of her walls and the movement got to my head. It was amazing. Amelia moaned and cried my name, and all I could do was let her take the love I could give. Her body moved by instinct, grinding her pussy on my cock and taking my cock in deep enough. She took it all. As big as I was, she took it all in, and it fitted perfectly well. This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. I was on cloud nine and did not want toe down. ck helped me with strength, so I did note too soon because the pleasure was getting into my head. "Amelia," I moaned, and she looked at me. Her ice-blue wolf eyes turnedpletely white. There was nothing in them. I felt her pussy clench uncontrobly, and I knew she wasing. I wanted to hold out because my release was close, but we came simultaneously. She rode me through the orgasm, but I wasn''t done with her. Her icy blue eyes returned, and I made her go on her hands and knees and began to ram into her uncontrobly, unleashing the beast inside me. She was my mate. Mine to love and please. She would never think of another man other than me. Anytime I crossed her mind, she would remember this and want me repeatedly, just like I can''t stop wanting her. I bent and reached to grab her breasts. They felt so good that I needed to taste them. I knelt and made here over. I ramed, and she bounced a little while I sucked on her tits. She was amazing. We were at it for a while until both of us and our wolves were fully satiated. Amelia rested her head on my chest, and I remembered her white eyes. Unlike mine, her wolf eyes go entirely white when the intensity of what she is feeling is high. Mine was the opposite; mine turned ckpletely; I guess the white eyes were because of her gene mutation. "Amelia," I finally said, speaking up, ready to tell her everything. "Yes, Leo," she said softly, and I caressed her back gently. "I want to tell you something, and I want you to promise me you won''t panic. We already have everything under control. I just felt it would be wrong to keep it from you," I said quickly, rushing through my words to do as much damage control as I could manage before telling her what was happening. Amelia sat up gently and looked at me, partiallyughing and smiling. "You sound cute, Leo. Or should I say Alpha," she teased, and I groaned. "Keep talking to me like that, and we might miss the yman''s dinner because I will be deep inside you," I teased her, then reached out and tickled her. Sheughed, and I gradually sat and pulled her close to my body. "Amelia, those men in the woods were after you," I finally said, and she stiffened in my arms. I kissed her soft spot gently. "Rx, the king and everyone is on to them," I assured her, and I felt her rx. " When I returned home, Max and I searched the woods and found a satchel with your pictures. They have been following you from the time you left the orphanage. It seems like they are studying you. Thest picture they took showed you were collecting or giving something to a stranger in my pack, but they wrote that you were in on the back of the picture. I cannot tell what it means, but I hope when you see it tomorrow, you will be able to shed some light on the matter so we will know what to do," I said, and she nodded but remained in my arms. I then told her about the coin, letting her know whatever was happening had to do with the extinct bloodline. I could feel her uneasiness, and I understood because she had every right to decide not to look at the pictures. No amount of good lovemaking would make this news feel normal. "That is all, Darling," I said, letting the words of endearment roll off my tongue effortlessly. It didn''t feel foreign to me. "Your DNA test came out inconclusive twice, and now the samples you gave along with the technician are missing," I said, and she froze. "The king is on it, and they will find the bastards behind this," I said, and she turned in my arms and looked at me. "What do you think is going on, Leo?" she asked me, and the look in her eyes pleaded with me, to be honest with her. "I think you are either a Stepanov or an experiment being studied. " Whoever is watching does not want anyone to discover the truth about you," I said, kissing her forehead. "You have nothing to worry about, Amelia. Everyone is working on it. I just want you to know, so you will be wary of strangers and not y into their hands," I said, tears welling up in her eyes. "What if it bes too dangerous? There is no way the king will risk the peace and his life for me. What will I do then? If truly people are after me, it is only a matter of time before they get me because no one will stick out their neck when it gets dangerous. Honestly, I will not request that of anyone," She said, and I could hear her fear. "The king will never abandon you; even if he does, I will never abandon you, Amelia. I promise," I said, and she chuckled and pulled away. "Do not make promises in the heat of passion, Leo. You promised to try, and you are trying with me, but even I know what we have might be fleeting, and you might get bored and move on. I am the only one holding on to our bond, so do not make such a promise." She said, wiping away her tears, smiling. " I do not want to impose, but once it gets dangerous, let me know so I can go as far away from all of you as possible. I am just one person; there isn''t much they can do with me. There is no point risking your lives for my sake," She said,ughing at the situation and herself. I could see the sorrow in her eyes, and I wanted to take it away, but I did not know how. "I will never leave, Amelia. I will go to war for your sake, with or without The king. You mean that much to ck and me. I said I would try, but I never said I would leave you, Amelia. Even if I want to, I can''t leave you, Amelia. I am just waiting for the right moment for us but do not see what we have as fleeting because it is anything but that, my love," I said, and there it was. I had used the L words effortlessly with Amelia, and I did not feel like taking it back because everything I said was true. I was falling in love faster than I knew. 35 The Claymans (Book 2) 35 The yman''s (Book 2) ~Amelia~ Everything Leo had told me gave me chills, but his words soothed the fear and took it away. I could not miss that he called me Darling and said, my love. I never imagined we would reach this point, but here we were. I wouldn''t rush because I could see his defensive wallsing apart slowly. I rested in his arms, and he kissed my neck, engulfing me with his earthy scent. Leo sucked on my sweet spot so sweetly that I became a moaning mess in his arms. Gradually heid me down, and I knew we would be going to the dinner at the yman''ste. I did not mind reeking of Leo when we got there. Leo leaned over me in bed, trapping me between his arms, and his eyes stared into mine lovingly. "I won''t leave you, Amelia, so do not speak of it," He said and bent to kiss the crook of my neck. From there, he travelled to my breasts and worshipped them. He sucked and kissed my nipples, and I felt my core clenching. I was wet again. "Your problems are mine too, and we will solve them together," He linked me while he worked on my breasts. "Don''t ever think you are alone in this," He linked me and travelled down to my belly button. I was completely dizzy, and I just looked at the ceiling. I wondered how many orgasms I could take. There was no way I would be able to walk straight tonight. Above all, I was excited. Leo spread my legs. "You taste like candy, Amelia," He said, and my core clenched more. I felt his tongue on my entrance, and the sensation felt new. He licked from there up to my clit, and it felt so fucking good. "Leo," I cried out with a moan. "Yes, baby. Keep calling my name," he linked me, sucking on the nerve bundle. "I will never leave you, Amelia. I will go to war with myself on your behalf. I won''t let them touch you, and I won''t let them take you from me. You are mine, Amelia; the moon made it so, my heart made it so, and nothing will change it, my love," He linked me. With those words, I came apart, but I knew he had just begun because he drove himself into me and started pumping. His gaze was intense, and so was the pleasure. Leo did not spare me, and I fell asleep by the time we were through. I felt gentle hands waking me and someone calling my name. I managed to open my eyes, and Leo looked at me with a broad grin. "wake up, Amelia; I am sure you do not want to miss dinner at the ymans," he teased and hearing that alone made me sit up immediately. I tried to conduct myself. I looked around, and there was a tray of food on the coffee table in the room. "Tamia sent us food when we missed lunch," He said, and I was grateful to the queen for the kind gesture. I went to brush my teeth out of habit, and by the time I returned to the room, I was hungry. "What time do we leave for dinner?" I asked Leo, and he looked at me and smiled. Gosh, he was handsome. His hair was tousled, and his strong jaw was pronounced. His lips got my mind in the gutters, and his eyes almost put me in a trance. I wondered if this was how it would be because I couldn''t stop thinking of what he did to me. How can a powerful, handsome, influential man like Leo want me so much? I remembered him between my legs in the shower and in bed and felt loved. He took his time with me. He did not treat me like a piece of pleasure meat. He was always delicate and caring, paying attention to me and satisfying my needs. He treated me like his woman. Thinking of everything alone made me feel the moisture between my leg. He looked at me and smirked. He knew what was happening to me. I was silent and went to eat the food at the table. We enjoyed it but didn''t eat much because of the dinner at the yman''s house. After we ate, we rested a bit, showered, and dressed up. I wore a ckce gown that stopped in the middle of my thighs, exposing a good view of my legs yet still looking sexy. Leo loved the length of the dress. The sleeve covered three-quarters of my had, and they were fitted. You could see my skin through thece, yet it was tastefully done, so it did not look trashy and was exquisite. I let my hair fall straight. I had never appreciated my features until now. I did not need much makeup. I knew I looked good. It was also deliberate. Leo whistled when he saw me, and I smiled at him and looked at my feet. The ck stilettos I wore were gorgeous and perfect for the dress. I had a matching ck purse with it. I wore simple diamond earrings that Leo had got me. " You look beautiful, Amelia," heplimented, and I smiled at him. "You do not look bad yourself," I said, admiring him. The truth was he always looked good. Leo wore ck pants with a white shirt that he did not button at the top. He rolled the sleeve to make it look casual, and his wristwatch was on his left hand. He looked rxed but expensive. Leo was very rich, and everything he wore, down to his shoes, was expensive. Yet he lived a modest life. I respected him for it, and I liked it. "Shall we? He asked me with a smile, and I nodded. We headed out, and a limo was outside the mansion waiting for us. We got in, and I was d to see Linda, Theodore, Avery and Marcel there. I knew Tamia and Sylvester won''t be attending. It was the downside of being king and queen. I guess it was up to us to have all the fun on their behalf and come and tell them about it. It really sucked, but that was their life. I had told Linda about Leah, so she winked at me, eager to see the look on Leah''s when she saw me in Leo''s arms. So much for telling me I would not make the cut. "I see you are dressed for the asion, Amelia," Linda teased me, and I smiled at her because I couldn''t wait to give it to Leah and let her know that Leo was off-limits. The drive was long, and we finally arrived at the yman''s house. It was a huge mansion but nothing close to the Volkov estate. N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. It looked like a cottagepared to it, but I could also see why Leah wasining about Leo''s modest house. Knowing Leo had more money than the ymans made me respect him for being modest. Still, he owned an entire settlement, while the ymans owned a mini-mansion. It would be cruel to compare them, but the ymans weren''t nice people, so being cruel to them was allowed. Leah''s mother was the one at the door weing people in. The moment it was our turn to enter, she smiled, but her smile faded when she looked at me. I could see the rage in the woman''s eyes, but I knew she dared not tell Leo I could not enter. "We did not know you would being with a guest," She said with a smile, and Leo stopped walking. We were about to enter the building when she said those words. "I mean, if we knew you were bringing someone, we would have prepared to amodate her," She said with a smile and respectfully. "But Marcel and Theodore''s came with their wives," Leo said, and she nodded. "It is expected that they wille with their wives, but you are single, councilman," She pointed, and Leo chuckled. "I never told you I was single. Maybe if you had asked me, I would have told you. "Joan, Amelia is my mate, so I am not single. I might not have imed her yet, but we are together. Do not make the mistake of categorising me as a single man again," Leo said calmly, and she nodded. Still, the rage in her eyes said she would be trouble. "Of course, if you do not like it, we can leave," Leo added, and she shook her head quickly and ushered us into the mansion. We were led to a big dining room with a table that could seat about fifty people. There were names on the table to show everyone where they would sit. We looked around, and there were many plus ones. We finally found Leo''s name, and instead of a plus one, Leah''s name was ced beside his, and Leo smiled. "Sit on Leah''s chair. I am sure her mother will find another spot for her," he said, and I sat on the chair with pleasure. It was presumptuous of Joan to do this. To my surprise, Linda was beside me, and I looked and saw Theo. Avery and Marcel sat at the head of the table. Leo whispered that since Sylvester wasn''t here, Marcel was the highest person, followed by Theo, then him and so on. I looked at the seating arrangement and noticed Leo''s exnation matched what I saw. It was really presumptuous for Joan to ce Leah between Linda and Leo. Leo wasn''t dating her, and she was not higher than Leo. Soon everyone came and settled down. Leah came to where I was; honestly, I missed her face. "You are in my seat, maid," She said through gritted teeth. Her mother wasn''t anywhere near to caution her. "Hey, watch your tone! Is that how you speak to Councilman Albert''s mate?" Linda asked, Leah tried to calm down not to offend Linda, but I knew she would offend Linda. It was in her character to do so. "She isn''t his mate. She is his maid. She clean..." She started, and Leo shut her up. He used his authority, and everyone was affected. "How dare you insult my mate, Leah? Why would you want to ce yourself beside me? Have I ever shown any interest in you? I want you to apologise to Amelia immediately, or I will have a serious problem with your family. "Councilman, please," I heard Joan''s pleading voiceing from the entrance. She had either waited by the door thinking her daughter would seed and rushed in when it blew up, or she honestly had no idea what was happening and walked in. Either way, they were going to fail tonight. At least everyone now knew Leo and I were together. "Please forgive her. It was my fault. I was presumptuous to ce her tag beside you, and she was really eager to sit with you tonight. I am sorry for the miss understanding," Joan said with a smile and then looked at her daughter. " Come, I will create a seat for you beside me." She said, motioning her daughter to walk away, but Leo grabbed Leah''s hand, and I heard ck growl. From the way Leah flinched, it was definitely painful. "Apologise to my mate now," he said with a low dangerous voice. Leah was ufortable, and she looked at her mother. Her mother did not dare speak. It was clear they were linking each other. "I am sorry for my outburst, Amelia," Leah said, and I noticed Leo squeeze harder. "Ouch," Leah whimpered. "Not good enough, Leah. I want a proper apology. You did not only yell at her to get off your seat; you insulted her, calling her a maid. Apologise," he said, and I felt his alphamand. Tears began to stream down her cheek. "Leo, you''re hurting me," she said, trying to appeal to him, but Leo didn''t flinch. "It is Councilman Albert to you," He corrected her, and tears streamed down her cheeks. Leah looked hurt and betrayed. Had I not known the truth, I would think he had something with her and broken her heart by bringing me to their house, but I was there in the east. I heard and saw everything and decided Leah''s mind had nothing to do with reality. "I am sorry for insulting you, Amelia," She said in tears, and he let her go. Her mother motioned her to sit, but Leah was too embarrassed. She left the dining room immediately, and Joan thought of a stupid excuse for her telling the guest she had gone to gather herself. We all know she was just too ashamed of what happened. Honestly, I did not care. I was d Leo stood up for me, and I did not need to say a word. I wondered how the rest of the night would go. One thing was sure, Joan and Leah would stay clear of Leo and me. Chapter 198 - 36 Forest and Silver (Book 2) Chapter 198 - 36 Forest and Silver (Book 2) ~Amelia~ We ate in silence. I felt the awkwardness in the air, but Leah got what she deserved. It was wrong and highly presumptuous of her to assume Leo would bend to her will. No doubt she had the hots for him, but Leo had shown her he wasn''t interested. It had nothing to do with us being together or being fated. Leo had shown her that he did not see her that way. I was there for some of it, and her thinking she could force her way in was wrong. Leo''s heart was hardened, and it took a lot of patience to break through. He rejected me without considering the consequences; it just shows how damaged he was. Even though we were fated, I still had it at the back of my mind it wouldn''t work out. If it weren''t for his promises while we made love, I wouldn''t think much or hope for much. It was wrong of Leah to think she could force her way in, and it was wicked of her mother to lead her on. Linda pinched my thigh gently. It was just sad that we could not link each other, or else we would have been gossiping by now. "Are you alright?" Leo asked me with a gentle voice. I looked at him and nodded with a smile. The gentleness in his eyes let me know that he cared, but I had only seen him look at me like that. It was different from how he looked at others. I know he has broken many personal rules for my sake, and I hoped he would soon take the final step so we could have something solid and definite. N?velDrama.Org owns all content. "I am alright," I said, and he smiled at me and ced his hands on my thigh. He squeezed and caressed it gently. I had to control myself because of the tingles I felt with every touch. "Goddess, he is something else," Aurora said while she purred in my head. Leah returned halfway through the dinner, looking put together. Her mother had created a ce for her beside her at the other side of the table, far away from Leo. I hoped they got the message this time. "I want to apologise for my earlier outburst," Leah said and sat down. She did not spare us a nce, and soon I realised that she would not stir things up. After dinner, we were ushered to a room to mingle. Linda and Avery were beside their husbands, so I had to remain by Leo. Many people came to speak to Leo about security and other things. Some discussed their prayers to the King so Leo could table the matter at the council meeting, and I felt awkward. There was an Alpha Christian who happened to be the Head alpha of the north that pulled Leo to the side to have a private discussion with him. Leo did not want to leave my side, but I told him it was okay and that I would wait for him. I was standing by myself when Joan walked to where I was. There was no way her intentions were good, but I came prepared. "I hope you are having fun," she said with a smile. I was wary of her friendliness, but I chose to y along. "Very much, thank you," I replied, and she smiled. "Your eyes are gorgeous, by the way," shemented, and I smiled. Coming from others, I would have believed, buting from Joan yman meant she was mocking me. "So, what do you do for a living?" She asked me, and I smiled and looked at her. I knew where she was heading. "Nothing, for now," I said, and she nodded. "Before Leo?" She asked, and I smiled. "I travelled for the fun of it," I said, which was true since I spent a while moving from ce to ce. "But Leah said you were a maid," she asked me, smiling, and Iughed at her. " That is what she thinks. There was no way I was going to let anyone else carter for my mate," I said, and her eyes widened. "So that was why you handled everything in the house," she asked, and I felt the woman was unnecessarily nosey. Still, I would use her to while away time. She was silent for a bit and then walked away from me. I guess she did not get the reaction that she wanted. I didn''t have to think much when Leah walked to me. "Snake," she said quietly, smiling, and I returned the smile. "And so we meet again," I said, and she had nothing but rage in her eyes. "Seeing you like this is amazing after you told me I wouldn''t make the cut. You did not realise back then that I had already made the cut. I think it is best you try elsewhere or, better still, stop aiming above your station. You are too old for this, Leah," I said, and all she did was a growl. "This isn''t over yet, Amelia. Leo will be mine," she said, and I wanted tough because I could see how delusional she was. It was as if she thrived on lying to herself. "Good luck with that," I said, and before she could speak, Linda approached us. "Still looking for trouble, Leah?" Linda asked,ing to my aid, and Leah bowed her head respectfully "Not at all, Lady Orlov," She said, and Linda smiled. "Leo is taken, Leah; move on. Devin and Vino are off-limits too. Find another ce to dig from," she said, leading me away from Leah. "What''s with her?" Linda said, and Iughed. "Could not handle rejection," I replied, and Lindaughed. "Trust me, she can," Linda said. "Rejection is her best friend; she has had so much experience that she fails to recognise it whenever she sees it anymore," Linda said,ughing, and I wondered what she meant by it. ''What do you mean by that?" I asked, and she looked at me and then moved close to whisper. She has been rejected by Sylvester, Marcel, Theo, Dominic, and now Leo. The ymans and Rivers are vicious social climbers. Beware of them," she said, and we both giggled. Leoter joined me, and he looked exhausted. He remained at my side for the rest of the evening and couldn''t keep his hands off me. He introduced me to people as his mate, and I was weed warmly. Some asked us about the iming and if we were waiting for the blue moon ceremony like the King and queen did, which wasn''t far away, but Leo expertly avoided giving a straight answer, and they wished us the best. It was time to leave the yman''s mansion. Joan requested to speak to Leo privately, and he obliged. I did not know what she wanted, but I knew Leo would tell me if it concerned us. Joan seemed afraid when Leo left her, and I did not need to guess that Leo had threatened the woman. It made me smile innocently at Leah, who was on the verge of tears but fighting it from falling. Maybe she cared for Leo, but he was mine, and I did not n on losing him or sharing. His promises to me remained in my heart, and I would hold him to them. We left and got into the Limo. We were tired and needed to rest. Avery was the first to fall asleep in the Limo, and Marcel held her. We had driven for nearly forty minutes when our Limo suddenly moved away from the road and crashed into something hard, breaking windows and causing us to bang our heads on the hard surfaces inside the Limo. I had never been in a car crash before, but Aurora took over, so I did not ckout... It all happened fast; none of us saw what was going on. One minute we were in the car, and the next, we had driven off the road and crashed. The moment everything stopped, Aurora looked around, and I saw Avery bleeding on the head. I knew she would be okay because she was a wolf. "Silver, do note out!" Someone yelled outside, and then he screamed. It was one of the men driving us. We were yet to figure out what to do. Linda was trying to wake Avery, and Theo, Leo and Marcel were gearing up for a fight when a wolf ripped out the door where we were sitting. It was a half-shifted wolf with moon eyes. It was huge with grey fur, and it growled at us. I could feel the silver and knew none of the men there could fight under these conditions. Theo, Marcel and Leo jumped out and began to fight the wolf. They did not have ess to their wolves but held their ground. The bastard must have thought it would be easy. Soon two more half-shifted wolves emerged, and I knew it wouldn''t be a fair fight. I know Leo and the northern lords trained to fight with silver, but it is nothingpared to having ess to their wolves. One of the wolves punched Marcel so hard that blood sttered from his mouth, and I heard ribs crack. "Avery, please wake up," Linda cried in the back, and I was torn between helping the men and staying with Avery and Linda. Soon the wolves beat Leo, Marcel and Theo unconscious and wereing for us. Judging by the situation, I knew what I had to do. I gave Auroraplete control and partially shifted. Knowing they might have the same ability as me, I advanced towards the white wolf and used my ws to cut his throat open. He staggered immediately and fell down. I knew he would die because silver impaired our healing. The grey wolf came at me. He was furious that I had wounded his partner, so he lunged at me and tried to fight me, but I was faster and stronger. I broke his left arm and leg while aiming for his thigh and upper arm in one swoop. He fell immediately. The silver in the atmosphere was bound to prevent him from healing quickly unless they were more advanced than me. I went to his and broke his neck, killing him instantly. Thest wolf ran away, and Aurora wanted to chase it, but I stopped her. Aurora growled in the direction he ran, and I was mad that he had gotten away. The silver in the air became bearable, and I could entirely shift into my wolf form. Aurora went to nuzzle Leo, where hey unconscious on the ground, and we howled at the moon. "Amelia, go to the mansion to get help. It is only twenty minutes away!" Linda called out with urgency, and I looked at her, not wanting to leave her in case those bastards chose to return. Other than Sylvester and Tamia, the entire northern Power was here. I looked at Linda''s teary eyes. It was as if something terrible had happened. There was blood on her hand, and she was weeping. "Go, Amelia, Go. Avery is bleeding, and she is pregnant," She said, and with those words, I turned and ran through the wood. Pushing mysel, I ran with all my might. Linda''s words rang in my mind, and I knew what would happen if Avery didn''t get help quickly. The men were unconscious, and it will take a bit for the silver those bastards pumped into the air to wear off. I needed to get help. I ran with all my might until I got to the mansion. I howled at the gate because they wouldn''t let me in. I had to shift back to my human form. The guards opened the door immediately, and I ran in, not caring I was naked. "Link the King! There has been an attack and ident, and they all need help! There is silver in their blood. Hurry, please!" I was yelling and running. Just then, Vino stepped outside the mansion. He must have been heading out, but I was d to see him. "Calm down, Amelia," He caught me. I did not know I was crying until he caught me. "Bring her a robe! bring a jeep and tell Bryce to prepare with some men. Now!" He ordered with his alphamand, then held me tight. "Calm down, Amelia; I have linked everyone. Calm down; they will be fine," He said, and the robe was brought for me. I wore it and was eager to leave. "Amelia," I heard Sylvester''s voice as he walked out of the mansion. He was calm, but he seemed worried. "Take us there," He said, and I was helped into a jeep. There were three more jeeps filled with warriors behind us and a big van. I sat in front with Vino driving. The windows were down, so I could smell the way back. I kept praying that nothing terrible had happened to them. 37 Rescue (Book 2) 37 Rescue (Book 2) ~Vino~ I was heading out to visit some people in Lund when I heard a voice calling and crying. I knew it was Leo''s girlfriend and immediately linked Sylvester. "Sylvester. There has been an ident or attack; not sure, but everyone is injured except for Amelia. We need to go and get them," I linked my brother, and he responded that he was on his way. The moment Amelia got to the entrance, I held her. "Shh, calm down. It''s okay, we are on it," I said, but she was hysterical and distraught. She did not seem to understand anything that I was saying. Her tears were falling freely, and I wondered what to do. Whatever happened must have been traumatic to get her this way. I began to fear for the others but tried to keep calm for Amelia''s sake. "''Calm down, Amelia; I have linked everyone. Calm down; they will be fine," I said, holding her and she looked at me with teary blue eyes. They were gorgeous. I was used to her moon orbs. I guess her wolf had blue eyes. Her eyes were swollen from her tears, so I held her waiting for them to bring her robe. Sylvester joined us outside, ready to head to the site. "Take your hands off Leo''s woman," He warned me gently through the mind link, but I held on to her, waiting for them to bring the robe. I knew my brother was worried because of the issue between Leo and me, but I did not see a mark on her neck, and the truth was I wasn''t even looking at her in that light. Owned by N?velDrama.Org. If what they said about Amelia was true, then she was family. However distant her bloodline might be, she was still family. I held her, and the robe and Jeep arrived simultaneously. She wore it, and I helped her get into the Jeep''s passenger seat so she could show us the way. Sylvester got into the back, and I went to the driver''s seat. I was afraid for the people in the ident, and I prayed that the goddess would keep them alive. Losing more people would be bad for my heart. "what is going on?" I heard David in my mind. "An ident and attack, heading there," I linked back and drove off. Bryce had done as I ordered, bringing the jeeps with warriors and a van to carry our people. "Show me the way, Amelia, "I asked, and she nodded. Amelia''s wolf had a strong sense of smell. It was amazing to see she would tell which way to go while the Jeep was in motion. We arrived at the gruesome site thirty minutester, and all rushed out of our vehicles. There were two mooned-eyed dead men on the floor. One had a bleeding neck, and the other neck was twisted all the way back. I figured they were the attackers. There was a faint feel of silver in the air, so my wolf, Grant, went silent. Amelia rushed to the car, where Linda was sobbing. The kappa that drove them was lying in the pool of his blood along with the escort. I wished they had used a convoy. The damage wouldn''t have been this extensive. I wondered how many of the attackers came for them. Linda exited the car, and Sylvester carried Avery into the van. Linda joined her in the van, and the van left immediately because Avery needed medical attention. Amelia went to where Leoy unconscious on the ground. "He is breathing," she called out, and our men had to load them in one of the jeeps. "We need to take the dead men with us, to perform an autopsy. We need to know what they made of," I said, and Sylvester agreed, but it seemed he was anxious to take Theo, Marcel and Leo to the hospital. Bryce was charged with the duty of clearing the corpse and sending them to the morgue for autopsy. I gave an order that the pathologist should be guarded at all times. I knew there was more where the attackers came from. Joining Sylvester and Amelia, I drove them to the hospital following the Jeep carrying Leo, Marcel and Theodore. Everyone was silent. Sylvester was the one sitting in the passenger''s seat now, and Amelia stayed at the back, quiet. I would look at her through the rearview mirror. She looked afraid and distraught. There was a possibility she had never been in such a situation before. I hoped for her sake Leo made it because if it were something simple, they should have woken up by the time we got to the site. The drive to town took almost forty minutes before we finally arrived at the general hospital in Lund. I saw the van carrying Avery and Linda, and it was clear they had reached there earlier than us. I was d because Avery looked like she was in a bad situation. The medical staff were waiting at the entrance with stretchers to carry the patients. I watched them load Leo, Theo, and Marcel onto the stretchers, and then we followed them in. They took them to a special emergency ward preserved for nobles and royals. I saw Avery in a unit, and a doctor was attending to her. I knew Avery would be okay from the calmness on Linda''s face. Amelia went to Linda, and Linda hugged her, thanking her. I do not know what Amelia did, but running from the site to the estate was daring, brave and courageous. She deserved more than a thank you. Amelia hugged Linda, looked at Avery, whoy unconscious on the bed, and then returned to us. I knew she would not want to stay with them since Leo wasn''t in that unit. Three doctors walked in, and one caught my attention because her scent filled my senses. This wasn''t the right time, but her scent sent me into a trance. I stood frozen, battling the scent. Grant was giddy, and I tried to shut him up. She was torn between what she was feeling and her job. I used all my might to avert my gaze and then looked at her again. She was a strong woman because she fought the bond and continued what she was supposed to do. Her scent filled my senses and made me go mad. I wanted to walk out, but I knew it would be insensitive, so I controlled my wolf and tried to stop him from emerging to im her. I refused to look at her critically, or I might slip up, and this wasn''t the time. She spoke up immediately. "Bring IVs and silver neutraliser, hurry," she ordered the others, and I knew why Marcel Theo and Leo were down. "What is the matter?" Sylvester asked, and the doctor bowed to show respect before replying. "Silver poisoning. There is a lot of silver in their blood, and they also have some internal injuries. If we do not flush out the silver, they won''t be able to heal, and they will die. We do not have much time," the doctor said quickly. I read her name tag, which read udia Olsen; she was not a northerner but smelled very nice. In fact, I remained enthralled by her scent, but I tried to control myself. I knew what it was, and this wasn''t the right ce for that; besides that, I wasn''t interested in a rtionship right now. I did not want to be irrational about it too. udia looked at me, and I knew she knew, but she fought it and paid attention to her patients. She was working on Marcel. The other doctors joined her and hooked Leo and Theodore to the I.V. I watched them increase the drip flow. Although Amanda once told me that was a hazardous thing to do because it could put a strain on the heart, I guess it was necessary in this case. Seeing them do it took my mind back to Amanda, and I quietly walked away from the ce so that udia could focus and do a good job. I walked away, and memories of Amanda flooded my mind. My mother was the one that ruined her, and she tried to ruin me too. I remembered my interactions with Amanda while doing her Housemanship in Cain general care. I had asked her to speed up the drip so we could go on a date, and she had used the entire forty- five minutes to exin why it was dangerous. There was a fire in her eyes back then, and she seemed to love what she was doing. She did not only take her time with the patient, but the care she showed the patient was rare. Amanda would have been a fantastic doctor if she had not gotten involved with my mother and Larry. I med myself for it. I imed to love her, but instead of telling her the truth and leading her on the right path, I allowed her to decide and think for both of us. I allowed her to lead us stary. I was weak back then and always eager to please. I wasn''t going to allow that to happen again. I had three beautiful daughters to raise and could not do that as a weak man. Thinking of everything, I knew exactly what to do about udia and epting my bond with her wasn''t the right thing to do. Sylvester joined me outside, and I looked at him eagerly. "Avery is okay, and she did not lose her baby," he said. I did not know Avery was pregnant, but I was d she was okay. "Marcel is still unconscious because he sustained the most injury; Leo responded to treatment and is awake. Theo just woke up. Leo has ess to his wolf now, but Theo and Marcel still have not gained ess to theirs. It will take a while for them to heal fully. Dr Olsen said we arrived in time, or they would have died. They had a lethal amount of silver dust in their system," He said, and I was surprised at what he said. "How could they kill the attackers when they had no ess to their wolves? I saw the damage done to them. Unless someone helped them and ran away," I said, and Sylvester shook his head. "That must be Amelia. She is immune to silver," He said, and I was stunned. I remembered the corpse on the floor in the forest and saw how big the men were and the extent of the damage done. Only fast and strong wolves could manage that. I had a new respect for Amelia if she really did that. "Anyway, do not go in there unless you change your clothes because you reek of Amelia, and Leo wouldn''t like it," Sylvester warned me,ughing and heading back. I knew that was what he came out to tell me. It made meugh, too, because I knew Leo would think I was somehow, after all, his woman. I remained outside, and then I picked up the scent again. It was off home in Cain Ind, cotton. She scented of cotton. I looked at her and realised her eyes were icy blue. Her blonde hair was almost white, and she was indeed a beauty. She was about five feet seven inches, with curves in the right ces. It took a lot not to drool. Her skin was perfectly tanned, which made me know she was from the south. I wondered where in the south. I also wondered what she was doing in Lund. She stared at me expectantly. She was also afraid to speak, and that was because she knew I was a Volkov even though I had my mother''sst name. I knew what she was expecting, but this wasn''t the time. I did not want to reject her, but I wasn''t ready for a rtionship yet. "I know what you are expecting, Miss Olsen, but I can''t do this now," I said, and she sighed. "It is Mrs Olsen," she replied, and I looked at her ring finger, and there it was. A golden wedding band. How could I have missed it? 38 Clinic Care (Book 2) 38 Clinic Care (Book 2) ~Vino~ I stood still, feeling like an idiot. It was highly presumptuous of me to think she would be avable. Of course, she wouldn''t be; she was too beautiful to be single. I chucked a bit because I should have known. Fate always had a sense of humour when it came to me. I did not know what to say or what she wanted, so I took a bit to gather myself. "So I guess a rejection is imperative," I said reluctantly, and her face dropped slightly. She was about to speak when Sylvester called her. One of the units had amotion, and I did not need to guess who it was. Ignoring Sylvester''s warning, I followed udia and saw Marcel shaking on the bed. He was going into cardiac arrest. I looked at Avery, where shey still sleeping and was afraid for the Sidrovs. When Marcel tlined, Sylvester ran his finger through his hair. I noticed Leo and Theo were equally stricken by sorrow. "Difubtors now!" udia called out. It was amazing to see her maintain her calm during this time. A lord had just tlined in her care, and she was calm about it. "Clear!" she said, and I watched her try to jump-start his heart with the machine, sending an electric wave to his heart. She did it three times, and finally, we got a pulse. "Prep him for surgery, now!" she ordered, and her tone indicated they needed to do it in a hurry. She was strong and in charge. Owned by N?velDrama.Org. "What is the matter?''" Sylvester asked her, and I could see beads of sweat forming on her forehead. It was amazing how sheposed herself though she was scared. "He has a ruptured spleen, and I need to stitch it quickly to buy him time for his wolf abilities to kick in. Or the internal bleeding will kill him," she said, and Marcel was wheeled away to the operation room on the same floor while we remained where we were. udia left immediately to attend to Marcel, and we remained where we were, worried. "We have our work cut out for us," Leo finally said, and I stood away so he would not pick Amelia''s scent on me. Amelia sat close to him, and how he held her made me believe Leo wasn''t telling us the entire truth about his rtionship with her. She did not seem like a girlfriend. "What do you Mean?" Sylvester asked him. "They were impossible to beat," Theo managed. "We had no ess to our wolves, and the overwhelming weakness that came with it was intense. We had experience fighting with silver, so we could beat the attacker, but two more came, and that was it. They had ess to their wolves. We were down in less than five minutes," Theo said, and I did not miss that he had just described three attackers, but we only saw two bodies. "Three Attackers?" I asked, and Leo nodded. "We only found two dead bodies," I said, and Leo looked at Amelia. He knew she did it. "Thest one got away. I would have chased him down, but Avery needed help," Amelia said, exining what happened to the third person. "Wow!" I said, impressed. And I wasn''t the only one; Theo was too. "How did you manage to take down two deltas? You are a delta breed too. So your strength should be the same or less because you are a woman," Sylvester said, and I wondered how he knew their breeds. Maybe Bryce Golubev had called to inform him of their breed. "We had the same ability but I seemed stronger and faster. I can''t exin it, but Aurora knew what to do. I knew their weak spots and struck. It all happened fast," She said, trying to recall the incident, and I was in awe of the woman. I hoped Leo knew better and treated her better than he treated Tamia because Amelia was another gem in his life. "Do you know what they wanted?" Sylvester asked. "Maybe to take Amelia," Leo said, and Linda chipped in, heading towards us. Her eyes were swollen too. She had cried her heart out in the back of the Limo, holding Avery and hoping her friend would make it. "They aren''t after Amelia. I doubt they expected her to do anything. After they were done with the three of you, they came at us, and that was when Amelia fought back. They had a surprise in their eyes," She said, wiping away her tears, and held her husband. "They nned to kill us all. Amelia was inclusive, but she was like a blur," Linda said and looked at Amelia respectfully. "I have never seen a wolf move that quickly before. She was fast and precise. I watched her finish them off quickly. Her wolf was something else, and her eyes were pure white," She said and looked at Amelia. "Thank you for saving our lives. We would have all died if you weren''t with us. Those bastards came with the mission to kill us," Linda said, and Theo held her close. She buried her face in his chest and sobbed. "They would have killed you all. I thought you were all dead. I. I.." she said, unable toplete her words, and her husband held her and tried to calm her down. "It is okay, darling; I am fine. We are all fine. Avery is okay, and so is her pregnancy. Marcel will be fine. He is in great hands. Dr udia Olsen will do her best," he said, trying to calm her down. Just then, Tamia, Dominic and David walked in. Sylvester looked away immediately, and I knew he was in trouble. There was a possibility he did not tell his wife what was happening. Tamia hugged Linda and Amelia, then went to check on Avery. "What happened?" Dominic asked. "Some silver immune freaks attacked us and tried to kill us," Theo said, and then he wished he could take it back because Amelia was there. There was silence, and Amelia looked at him. "It is okay, lord Orlov. They are freaks. Anyone that tries to abuse their ability like that is a freak. It is the most befitting word for the scum. I wished I had time to catch thest one," she said, and we smiled. Under different circumstances, we would haveughed because Amelia had a good sense of humour. Leo was indeed blessed. "We need to find out why they want to kill us," I said, and Leo looked at me. His nose twitched weirdly, and his eyes turned ck. He was about to lunge at me when Amelia held him back. "I ran into him at the estate," Amelia said quickly, knowing what had triggered his wolf. I knew it was odd behaviour towards a girlfriend, but I kept my deductions to myself. "I will be fine if it is anyone else but not him," Leo said, looking at me scornfully, and I knew he was thinking of what happened with Amanda. I had nothing to say, but Sylvester came to my aid. "Let it go, Leo. Vino was the one that helped Amelia. He listened to her and sprang into action. Let the issue go!" Sylvester said, sounding a bit angry, and everyone was silent. Amelia looked confused, and I knew she did not know what we were discussing. I hoped it remained that way. "We need to fish out these people and know what they want?" Theo said, changing the topic, and it was a given already. "We should start with Alexie Kusov and y Newton. They had the same effect on their opponents as these men had on us. It could not be a coincidence," Leo said, and Tamia spoke up, walking towards us. "I agree, but there is an issue with our theory. Alexie and y were not used of pumping silver dust in the air," she pointed out, which was a valid point. "It begs us to figure out how Alexie and y had the silver effect on their opponents without silver dust. If they pumped silver into the air, viewers would notice and feel it. In their case, only their opponents felt it. The others in the vicinity did not feel the silver effect. They are two different scenarios, and we cannot connect them," Tamia said. I have always admired her sharp mind; she was unting it again. I smiled a bit. It was weird to think, but I used to have a crush on her. She was a celebrity, and I was her fan, but now I had a better rtionship with her. She was my sister-inw, and I was proud of it. "Yes, Tamia. Those are two different scenarios, but one thing is certain, these bastards came from the east," Linda said with rage in her eyes. "Silver dust production and usage are indigenous to us. The expertise used to administer it in the air could only be achieved through years of practice. We need tob through the east because I doubt these people are in the north," Linda said, and that was a piece of information we overlooked. "Silver dust is manufactured in the east. We import it from there, but not many people know of it or how to use it. These people are either from the east or have dealings with the east," Linda said, and she made a lot of sense. Honestly, I have only heard of silver dust from Amanda. That was because she was from the east. We had our work cut out for us where these people were concerned. udia returned an hourter, and she was smiling. I was d because it meant Marcel was okay. She bowed to Tamia, acknowledging her presence and looked at me before looking at Sylvester. "Lord Sidorov is okay now. His wolf abilities have kicked in, and he should be as good as new in a couple of days," She said, and I knew we were lucky. Whatever they inhaled wasn''t as much as what I had drank when Amanda tried to kill me. I was grateful for it. Everyone was happy, and udia excused us. I wanted to speak to her so we could proceed with the rejection since she was a married woman, but I guess it would have to wait. It would be insensitive for me to go after her right now, even though Grant had utterly lost it. 39 AfterMath (Book 2) 39 AfterMath (Book 2) ~Sylvester~ I must admit that I was worried when Vino linked to inform me what had happened. Tamia wasn''t beside me then, and I didn''t want her to know what had happened because I knew she would be worried. That was why I left without telling her. When she arrived at the hospital, the look on her face made me know I was in trouble. I knew she would punish me for not telling her directly. I wondered which of my brothers told her. It definitely wasn''t Dominic, so I suspected David. I looked at him where he stood, and Knight growled a bit. Everyone looked at me instantly, and I calmed down and stered a fake smile. "I am just mad about what happened," I said, and it was believable because everyone was mad about what had happened. I returned my gaze to David, and my anger remained. He would go home, and Nicole will be warm and loving towards him, but Tamia would give me hell for not informing her about the ident myself. I wasn''t looking forward to the confrontation that would ensue. I noticed Vino was acting weird, and I suspected it had something to do with that doctor because she had no reason to go and speak to him when he stepped out. Amanda was a doctor, so I suspected udia went to the same medical school as Amanda. Maybe Vino knew her from there. I did not want to be nosey, but I knew he would tell me if it was something serious. It was finally time to return to Lund. Vino wanted to stay behind, but I insisted he returns with us and told him he could visit the hospital in daylight. I wasn''t going to take any chances. I did not want to lose anyone. Vino grumbled a bit but soon agreed. He seemed desperate to stay, which might have something to do with udia, but I did not bother to ask, so he won''t give me a valuable reason to stay. Dominic, our big brother, told him it was a must to return with us. David agreed.; We all had the same worry. Amelia was the only one at an advantage, and she belonged to Leo, and Leo did not like Vino. I doubted the bad blood would go anytime soon. Leo hated the Lawrences initially, then found out about Amanda and Vino which made him lose it. It served him right because he wasn''t a saint either, but all were bygones now, and we were now family, Leo inclusive, but the man wouldn''t let it go. I wasn''tfortable leaving my younger brother at his mercy. This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. Leo and Amelia remained in the hospital to watch Avery and Marcel recover. Amelia was our best bet right now because she was immune to silver. If those freaks tried to attack again, she would have an advantage. Theodore and Linda opted to follow us home. It was amazing to see how Leo recovered quickly from the attack. Theo was still weak, but Leo was already back to a hundred per cent. It was as if they did not inhale the same amount of silver. I nned to look into itter, but I would have to be satisfied that everyone survived except for the kappa driver and escort, who were mutted by the bastards. We arrived at the Mansion, and Tamia and I headed straight to our wing while the others went to theirs. I knew Max would be in knots, so I asked David to tell him what happened and assure him Leo and Amelia were okay. It was the least I could do. "Sylvester, I am d you are back. I aming to see you in your room," I heard my mother in my head, and I grumbled a bit. I was tired, but I could not tell her no. It was normal that she would be worried. It was normal that everyone would be concerned. I am sure Nicole and Katya would have wanted toe along, and their husbands would have pleaded with them not to go because someone had to be home. Tamia must have stubbornly joined them. No one would stop her because she is queen. I looked at her from the corner of my eyes while we walked down the hallway, and her silence made my stomach churn. "Okay," I told my mother, hoping my mother''s presence would douse the situation. I was mad at Dominic and David. They had all headed to their wings now and would end up cuddling with their wives while I will spend most of my morning apologising to mine. We finally entered the room, and Tamia did not speak a word. She was not happy about what I did. I could feel it. She went to the closet to change her clothes and wanted to follow her in. I waited a bit, then managed the courage I could and went in after a few minutes. What I saw broke my heart. Tamia was sitting on the stool, crying. I rushed to hold her, and she wrapped her arms around me. I realised her silence was to prevent her from crying in public. "I had my heart in my mouth Sylvester," she confessed, and I rubbed her back gently. "Avery is pregnant, Leo has finally moved on, and Linda has never been so happy. I was scared. What would I tell their children? I thought of all the ways these could go wrong. I thought I would lose my friends," she wept, and I held her. It was quite devasting to Tamia. Other than me, the only people she knew as family were in the crash. Here I was, thinking she was mad because of me. Little did I know that it had nothing to do with me. Tamia broke the hug and looked at me with rage in her eyes. "We need to catch those bastards. Stepanovs or not, I do not care, but we need to catch them. Who says they wouldn''t do this again? Luckily for us, Amelia was there; what if she wasn''t? She doesn''t live in the north, and we cannot use her like that. She, too, will have her limits, Sylvester. We need to catch them. I did not care how, but I want to arrest Alexie and y. I want to know how they used silver on their opponents. I believe Max right now. I believe everything he said. They might not have a hand in this, but we have to start from somewhere." She said with rage in her eyes, and all I could do was hold her. "You need to be calm, my love. Takefort knowing they''re okay. Acting out of anger will make us make mistakes. I am equally affected by the matter. Theodore and Marcel aren''t just my best friends; we are distant cousins. They are my family too. Taking them away would be the same as ripping my soul out. We have done everything together, and our friendship has been tight. Because of them, I had something Dominic did not have growing up. I hadpanionship; I learned to y and let go. They are a part of me. If I tell you I did not feel it, I am lying to you, Tamia, because I felt it. I felt every bit of it, and it hurt, Tamia." I confessed, remembering exactly how hard it was for me topose myself. That was why I sat in the back and let Vino drive. "We cannot be irrational, my love. It will be stupid of us, and we might end up ying into their hands that way." I said, and Tamia nodded. "The fear I felt made me force Vino to follow us back; there was no way I would leave Vino in the Lund where they could get him. Leo hates him, and we both know why. I had to ask him to return even though he wanted to stay in the hospital because I was afraid. Please, Tamia, calm down," I said, and she looked at me with her green eyes and nodded. I kissed her on her lips to help us calm down and assure her everything would be okay. Then, I tried to break the kiss, but she held on to me, and I continued to kiss her. I travelled from her lips to her neck and kissed my mark gently. I felt her rx. That was all I wanted. I wanted her to be rxed, and I had achieved that. I finally broke away and smiled at her. "My mother is on her way here. Guess she couldn''t sleep. We will just speak to her briefly and send her back to her room." I told Tamia, and she smiled to assure me she was okay," I left the closet and heard the knock on the door. I walked to the door quietly and opened the door for my mother. My mother stepped in, wearing her night robe and swollen eyes. Evidently, she had been crying, and Jake had been consoling her. Once Jake handed his pack to his son, he had been a permanent resident at the Volkov estate. I had opted that they get a house in town, but right now, I knew it would be a bad idea. I did not want anyone getting to my mother and using her against me. My mother walked in and looked around. Tamia was still in the closet. I knew my mother was searching for her. "She is fine, Mother. She is dressing up in the closet," I told her, and she sighed with relief. My mother covered her mouth and sobbed. I pulled her close and hugged her. "They are all fine, mother. Avery and Marcel are in recovery. Theodore and Linda are back, and Leo and Amelia are in the hospital to keep Avery and Marcel safe. They are fine," I said, and she pulled away from me. "I was afraid. Dominic told us, and I wanted to follow, but Tamia said no," she said, and I was surprised that Dominic was the one that broke the news and not David. I felt terrible a bit because Knight growled at him. "It is okay, mother," I told her, and just then, Tamia came out of the closet, and my mother went to hug her. They hugged for a bit before breaking the hug. 40 The Truth About History (Book 2) 40 The Truth About History (Book 2) ~Sylvester~ I offered my mother a sit on the couch so she would not feel we did not want her in our room. It was morning anyway, but we would have to sleep regardless because we were awake all night. "What happened?" My mother asked, and I sighed, ready to exin. I sat on the couch facing hers, and Tamia sat beside me. "They were attacked. Their Limo lost control, went off the road and hit a tree in the forest. Then silver immune mutant attacked them. They pumped eastern silver dust in the air and killed the driver and escort. Theo, Marcel and Leo fought, but they were no match for them. The silver hindered their wolves, and those things injured them badly. Had it not been for Amelia, they would have all died. Amelia is immune to silver, so she can fight them. She killed two, but one got away. That was when she ran here to tell us what happened." I summed it up, and my mother was stunned. "Mutants, you say?'' he said, and I nodded. "Only mutants would be immune to silver," I said, and she shook her head. "You mean there are more Stepanovs out there?" she asked, and I nodded. "We initially thought it was only Amelia, but we were wrong. I guess some people are out there carrying out experiments on themselves." I said, and she shook her head. "If wolves are immune to silver, then they are of the Stepanov bloodline," she said, and I shook my head in disagreement. All the Stepanovs were killed, so it was impossible. These people had to beb experiments which exins why Amelia''s DNA sample was taken. "Grandfather killed all of them," I argued, and she nodded. "He did, but maybe one or two survived and escaped it. The details we have about the Stepanovs are based on stories told to us by our parents. Dimitri wanted to wipe them off from existence and did a good job at it. We were not taught their history in schools. Our parents were the ones that told us about them. It was a crime to talk about them. We were not allowed to say anything outside the small information about their treason." She exined. "Anyway, these people might be experimenting on themselves," I said, and my mother disagreed. "The Stepanovs bloodline did not evolve by injecting themselves with things," she said, and I frowned at her. "The Stepanovs wanted to improve themselves, unlike what popr history says. It was their bloodline that was the original kings. They alternated power with the Volkovs. The Volkovs came from the Stepanovs and not the other way around. I can tell you this because you are now king." she said, and I was attentive. "Rulership was alternated between the Volkovs and the Stepanovs, but things happened, and the two families were overthrown. The Stepanovs did not want to be vulnerable again, so they started looking for ways to be immune to silver. The Volkovs had their way of building strength, and that was by isting the alpha gene. Hence why only those in the line of session can bear Volkov''sst name, and he has to be an Alpha, while the others will have to bear their mother''sst name. Hence why there are Sidorovs, Orlovs and Belyaevs. We are all from the Volkov bloodline but lost ourst name because our ancestors were not at that time alphas; thus, they were not in the line of session. The Volkovs also ensured that their Alpha and sessor breed with a female Alphas only," She said and stared me in the eye. "If your grandfather, Dimitri, were alive, he wouldn''t let you settle down with Tamia because she isn''t an Alpha. That was why Maurice and I did not get together until his father passed away. Your father was much lenient than his father." she said and smiled, remembering my father. They had their moments, and I could see it in her eyes. "With that practice, the Volkovs were able to breed powerful alphas. The Stepanovs took another route. They decided they wanted their bloodline to be immune to the one thing that could destroy wolves; silver. They called it Alchemy back then, but now it is just biochemistry. They created vines. This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. Usually, when they get married, their wives will give birth to the first pups. After that, the experiments will begin. She will get pregnant with the next set of pups. Then they inject the Vine or serum directly into the fetus, hoping it will develop an immunity gene. Many pregnancies were lost this way, but soon they seeded and gave birth to the first Stepanov sess. He wasn''t immune to silver, but he had a tolerance. He wouldn''t stay down like others and would recover faster than everyone. They were happy about this and stuck with the form. By the time the children that had developed tolerance started having children by outsiders, they realised it weakened the genes, so they made a very severe decision. "she said and paused because it was difficult. "They started inbreeding to concentrate the gene in the next generation and the ones after them," she said, and Tamia gasped. "First, it was between siblings, then cousins, and it widened until it was no longer incest. This practice created a wedge between the Volkovs and Stepanovs, but each bloodline did what it could to survive. The sess and incest practice came at a cost. They lost their alpha genes and eye pigment. Their wolves'' dark eyes were white too. Where ours shed ck in our hominid form, theirs shed white. It was bearable, but the Alpha gene was the worst sacrifice. Whereas the Volkovs had an abundance of strong Alphas, the Stepanovs had none. The highest were Deltas, with the strength of Alphas with nomand. Desperate to have an alpha gene, a distant rtion to the Stepanov''s inline of session travelled to the east to mate with an Alpha female. The experiment was unsessful, and she ended up birthing a Beta. It was the closest to Alpha they could get. I do not know the man''s name; I am just telling you history based on how my father told us, and his father told him, and so on, back to what I was saying. They had a beta, but he did not have silver eyes and was not as strong as the Stepanov Deltas. He was tolerant of silver, but that was all. The child had no immunity, so his father dumped him and returned to the north. He reported the oue of his experiment to their family head, and they decided they would embrace their Delta genes and immunity. That is the history of the Stepanovs. One you will never read anywhere because Dimitri decided to wipe them away along with their story," She said, and Tamia and I were stunned. I did not like that they did not teach this in school, but my grandfather might have been worried that others might follow in their footsteps. Seeing what they tried to do to my people, I believed my grandfather was right. I could not fault my grandfather for taking that step. I had nothing against Amelia. She was a good woman, but the others were scum. Seeing the blood that might run through their veins was that of mutiny; I couldn''t expect less. "I guess grandfather did the right thing because they are scum," I said, and my mother looked worried. I knew she wanted to say something and was afraid to speak up, so I sighed and looked at her. "You know you can say whatever you like," I said, and she nodded, but it seemed she was trying to arrange her thoughts. "Do not take offence with what I am about to say, Sylvester, but I am telling you the truth behind our families. Your grandfather was in the wrong. Adrik was the one in the right, but history is always told by the winners," She said, and I frowned at her. "The mutation happened over six hundred years ago. The families lost their power and were demoted to council members, but the arrangement wasn''t good for our world. There was a lot of chaos and mutiny. Decisions were slow because it was a form of democracy. Mind you, before the people''s revolution that took the monarchs out of power, the Stepanovs and Volkovs had the same power. They alternated session between themselves. Power always switched hands every hundred years. We live longer, so waiting for one to die before handing it over is unnecessary. The longest a king was allowed to rule was a hundred years. Rarely did they stay that long because of war and mutiny, but that was the order. Gregory Volkov reached out to his cousin, Adrian Stepanov, so they could seize power again to save our world. It was a greatbination of powerful Alphas and Delta-like alphas immune to silver. They knew they would win and take over, but their unwillingness to force the hand of the people made them settle for Lordship. Gregory agreed with Adrain that they would alternate power like in the past, and Adrain was okay with it. He was loyal and did what needed to be done. They agreed that Gregory would go first, then after his tenure, he would hand over to a Stepanov, and they would continue to switch. If they had followed that order, it would have been Gregory, Adrik, Maurice, and whoever Adrik''s grandson is, not you, Sylvester. That was the agreement. Adrian Stepanov died a few years after they had won, and Gregory did the most despicable thing. He added a use to thew of session. He said only a royal with the alpha genes between a Volkov and Stepanov would seed; he knew the Stepanovs did not have the Alpha Genes. He wanted to keep the line of session to the Volkov. So he secretly added it to the agreement, and no one knew. You see, the Volkovs felt superior to the Stepanovs. They saw the Stepanovs as an abomination because of their early practice of incest and their odd features. Gregory had used that resentment to cheat Adrian. He added it to the signed agreement between both families. He did it cleverly so no one would know. When he passed away, and they pulled up the agreement, that use was there. Everyone automatically named Dimitri Lord instead of Adrik. Adrik was aggrieved because they had a copy of the original agreement. He tried to get justice, but the council feared Dimitri and did his bidding. He did not want to be cheated, so he sought a challenge. My father said his father believed they would have acted differently if Dimitri and Adrik had wives and children. They each would have had something to lose and sought a more amicable resolution to the problem. Adrik did only what he could; he challenged Dimitri for the title. Adrik would have won, but my father said Dimitri cheated, and the council turned a blind eye. Wanting to secure his position badly, Dimitri framed Adrik for treason. He used the famousw you abolished to wipe the Stepanovs out. In desperation to cover the truth and prevent people from seeing the Volkovs for who they really are, he wiped everything that had to do with the Stepanovs away from history and added aw that made speaking of them treasonous. He ensured he buried thempletely, which is why we never spoke of them." She said, and I was stunned. I could not believe the type of blood that ran in my veins. "I won''t be surprised if the Stepanovs somehow survived the massacre and have decided to take what they know is rightfully theirs and wipe out the Volkovs in revenge. Honestly, Sylvester, I can''t me them. You are my son, but look what your father did to my family because he wanted to divorce me, and they wouldn''t support it," she said with misty eyes. I knew it got to my mother that she was the only Balyeav. Luckily now, Dominic will carry on that bloodline and name for her, but still, it was no excuse. "If the Stepanovs areing for us, Sylvester, we need to be careful because, unlike us, they have nothing to lose?" She said and got up. Tamia and I were stunned, and my mother left the room quietly. We had just had a crash course on history, and there was nothing great about what I had learned. My lineage and everything I believed about myself and my rights was built with lies and cheating. I wished my mother hadn''t told me this now because it would make dealing with the Stepanovs more difficult, knowing they are only after their pound of flesh. "I know what you are thinking, Sylvester," Tamia said, cing her hand on mine. I looked at her, and there was a resolve in her eyes. "You are not Gregory and Dimitri. Making the Orlovs, Sidrovs and us pay for their crimes is wrong. We will fight them head-on. There is no guilt in this, Sylvester. We have a people to rule and protect, a family to keep and children to raise. We have to be ruthless," she said, and all I could do was nodded because I was torn. 41 Meanwhile, At The Hospital (Book 2) 41 Meanwhile, At The Hospital (Book 2) ~Leo~ I had been waiting for everyone to leave Amelia and me alone. When they all left, I breathed with relief. She was in my arms, and I held her tight and kissed her neck. I could not express my emotions until this moment. Twice she had saved my life and asked for nothing in return. Twice she had risked her life for me. "Thank you, Moonlight," I said, and she wrapped her arms around me and sank into my embrace. "I was afraid, Leo. I was scared," She confessed, holding me tighter. I could only imagine what she went through seeing me on the ground, unconscious. I could only imagine the courage she would have needed to run back to the mansion and get help and her mind''s condition throughout the situation. I held on to Amelia and thanked the goddess for her. Finally, fate dealt me a good card. It rectified my hatred for it and rebuilt my trust in it. She wept in my arms, and I tried to calm her down. She was holding a lot in all through, and I had to commend her for control. I knew she was brave all through. I was proud of her. She was just as tough as a Luna should be. "Amelia, it is okay now. We are okay now; Avery and Marcel will be fine," I said, and she broke the hug. Then looked at me with her moon eyes. "Let''s go back to the east, Leo. I want to go back," she said, and I felt iting. The ident and attack were going to be traumatic because I suspected nothing like that had ever happened to her directly before. It was only normal that she would no longer feel safe in the north. "They cannot prove we are rted through the DNA sample. Theb technician got abducted for it. It really doesn''t matter, Leo. You are my family now; that is all that counts. Let us go back to the peace we had in the east. Things were more manageable there, Leo. We just had the small bungalow and pack members to deal with. This is too much for me right now, Leo. I want to go home," She said, and I touched her cheek gently. "Calm down, Moonlight. We will go home. Once Avery and Marcel are discharged, we will leave for the east," I said, wiping away her tears with my thumb, and she nodded with relief. "What will we tell them is our excuse?" She said worried about hurting their feeling, and Iughed a bit because Amelia was sweet like that. "I do not live in the north, I only stayed here this long because of you, and since the test hase out inconclusive, there is no point in remaining. They won''t take offence, Amelia. They will understand." Exined to her, and she rxed in my arms while we remained cuddled on the couch in the hospital room. Dr udia had told us that they would be awaketer in the afternoon and she would discharge them then. I hoped it would be quick because I honestly wanted to return home. I missed my house and how Amelia ran it. I missed my pack and everyone back home. Something about the danger in the north made me want to hide Amelia from it. All I wanted to do now was be with Amelia and live a simple life with her. I felt somehow we wouldn''t have any issues away from this. If they had attacked because of Amelia, we would deal with the matter in the east to avoid bringing problems to our friends and their families. I needed to be rational. Tamia, Linda and Avery had children. They were all starting to enjoy their lives; it was wrong to bring this upon them. Amelia and I would have to sort things out in the east, and hopefully, Devin would work with me on this. If everything Vino had said was true, then their main target was the east and south, and it will be unwise not to be on the ground. This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. I was grateful that Sylvester had banned Alexie from challenging anyone; it meant we had time to solve the issue with Max''s pack and secure the eastern region before the takeover seeded. Amelia fell asleep on the couch in my arms, and I stayed awake to watch her. Avery was the first toe through. She was a bit disoriented, So I called for Dr udia to attend to her.. seeing that Marcel was out of it. I pleaded with udia to make Avery sleep a little longer. I did not want her to be distressed in her condition. It was best Marcel woke up before her so she would not experience the fear of losing her husband. It was imperative. udia gently sedated Avery because she was getting hysterical. I watched Avery gradually go back to sleep, and I prayed that Marcel would be up before she wakes up. I decided to have a word with Dr udia because I was surprised that I recovered faster than Theo and Marcel. "Councilman," udia said with the most respect, and I nodded. "May I have a few questions, Miss Olsen," I said, and she smiled. "Actually, it is Mrs Olsen, but my husband iste," She said, and I felt so bad for her. It was a very sad thing to hear. She was also too young for that kind of experience. The woman was around twenty-five. "So sorry to hear," I said, and she smiled at me. "We were married for a year before he died in an ident two years ago. I should have annulled the marriage, but I did not want his name forgotten." She said, and I felt terrible for her. I did not want to imagine what she would have gone through mentally in those moments. Suddenly I felt weird asking her my questions. "You can ask me what you want, councilman," she said respectfully with a smile, knowing I was feeling awkward about asking her the question I had in mind. I cleared my throat and looked at my mate, where shey on the couch, sleeping peacefully. It was afternoon, and the sun was beginning to show signs of setting. "I want to know why I recovered faster than my friends. We were exposed to the same atmosphere and fought the same people," I said, and she frowned and nodded. "I thought as much, too, Councilman, but I was silent because I did not want toplicate an alreadyplicated matter. Besides, Lord Sidorov needed attention, so I focused on him. Iter checked your blood sample, Councilman, "she said, looking a bit afraid. "I am sorry if I vited your rights, but I needed to figure out why you responded to treatment faster than the others. I will still need to do more tests, but that will be with your consent, of course," she said, and I nodded, wanting her to get to the point. "I noticed that your blood cells have some form of tolerance to silver. It isn''t immunity, but you have antibodies that neutralize its effect a little. It is like you have been vinated, and your body knows what to do when the poison is introduced. I need to check some more, but that is the reason you responded to treatment faster than the others," She said, and I looked at her, stunned, then raked my mind to figure out why this could be. "Is it because I have been training with silver?" I asked. Training with silver was a fancy way of learning to fight without the wolf''s presence. The silver blocks the wolf and ability and renders the human useless because all we have ever trained with is our wolf''s strength. Having to depend on human strength and muscle is hard. Training with silver develops the human and makes them active even without their wolf. Dr udia smiled at my words. "It has nothing to do with that, Councilman. Your tolerance is likely gic. It is just how your body is. Your system has antibodies that neutralize silver, so it won''t kill you as fast as it will kill others, and if you have medical care after exposure, you are more likely to recover without damage," she exined, and I nodded. It was exciting and made me reflect on my life and experience with silver. There was nothing noticeable about it. "The best way you can understand this ability or its origin is through your parents if they''re still alive or a rtive directly rted to you," she said. I cursed under my breath because I honestly did not know where my parents were. I did not know if they were dead or alive. I knew absolutely nothing. My parents had stopped sending me postcards long ago. I was stuck, but I nned on digging into my past and Lineage alone. Maybe I will find a rtive along the line and understand what is happening. I doubt it was anything special, but it was worth looking into. I looked at the doctor and smiled. "Thank you, doctor. I really appreciate this insight, but I would want you to keep it confidential," I said. I was not ready to share this with anyone until I knew what was happening. "I understand, councilman," she said and excused herself. I went back to the couch and watched Amelia sleeping peacefully on the couch. She was my life now. I would be fooling myself if I said I was still trying. I gently stroked her hair and bent to kiss her forehead. She scrunched her nose up a bit, and I smiled at her. Two hourster, Vino walked into the room. ck wanted to growl at him, but I maintained my cool, I had no business with him, and it will remain that way. Sylvester might have forgiven him, but the truth was he did not do what he did to me to Sylvester. If Vino had taken Tamia from Sylvester and ruined his home, he wouldn''t be so brotherly about it. I saw the bastard as a privileged fool. He was going to suffer in the east. I was going to make sure of it. I could not reject the King''s orders, but I could do however I pleased. Vino looked at me with fear in his eyes, and I was d he knew we weren''t cool. We could never be cool. It wasn''t that I loved Amanda; the truth is I never tried with her; it was that he allowed himself to be used that way. Sylvester might pity him and not see what I saw. Maybe Sylvester had the need of not wanting to be the youngest. I could get that. Being an only child, I understood his need as a powerful man not to be the youngest brother, and that is the only reason I could see Sylvester forgiving this douchebag. But Vino, let those decrees pass in Sylvester''s name. These very decrees made people hate Sylvester and almost caused a war. As far as I was concerned, the douchebag had no excuse. He could have told his brother the truth before it got out of hand. I did not even want to think of what he did to me. Stole my bond and got me thinking his daughters were mine. I was a fool for a while because of it. My hands were tied because of it. Tamia left me because Amanda was pregnant. My life crumbled because of it. I could never forgive Vino. I was being civil, and that was it. There could be no friendship between us. The guy was just over-privileged, and I knew everyone knew it. Larry had a point that day, but we had to agree with Sylvester so we did not look divided. 42 Lets Go Home (Book 2) 42 Let''s Go Home (Book 2) ~Leo~ I looked at Vino, and he was very ufortable. It pleased me that he knew he could never have my friendship. He sat on the single chair in the room, and there was total silence between us. I noticed he was battling himself. N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. I knew he had questions, but I wouldn''t give him the go-ahead to ask them. He sat for another hour before Dr udia came to check on the patients. He stood immediately, and his wolf eyes shed. I did not need to guess what had happened. The bodynguage of both of them said it all. Having been in that situation twice and seen Sylvester battle his, I knew what was happening. Why would the goddess bless this idiot like this? Suddenly I wished udia''s husband was still alive, kicking and breathing. I wondered if he would do what he did to me to the guy. udia''s bodynguage was uneasy, but she could control herself better than Vino. I guess that level of control came with the job. Seeing Vino, I knew the selfish bastard did note to see Marcel and Avery; he came for udia. The look on his face said it all. I did not know when I started tough. Unfortunately, that was a bad idea because it woke Amelia up from sleep. The doctor looked in my direction, and Vino refused to look at me because he knew I knew. Amelia gently sat up, a bit confused. As always, she always took her time to wake up. I pulled her close and tried to calm her down so she would know everything was alright. udia proceeded to check Avery and Marcel and then left. Vino followed her, and I hoped deep down he would get rejected. I wanted to see him in pain. I learned he was in severe pain when Amanda died. I did not think the pain was enough; he needed another dose of what he cost me. "Are they awake?" Amelia asked with a sleepy voice, and I kissed her neck in response. "No, Moonlight, they are still sleeping, and you should go back to sleep too," I said, and she nodded andid back down. The fight had taken a lot of energy from her, and I knew she would need to sleep it off. It was wrong to say Amelia was immune to silver. She just tolerated it better than anyone else. She had ess to her wolf, but her healing was impaired. What made silver deadly wasn''t only the burn and cell destruction it caused; it was the fact that it stopped a wolf''s healing ability. The faster we heal, the more we will likely survive attacks and deadly injuries. In the case when there is no healing, the damage is permanent. I suspected Amelia used the knowledge of her abilities to her advantage during the fight. She had injured them in ces that would mean certain death if their healing was impaired. Usually, when fighting an opponent, we will punch them in the stomach, w at their skin and aim to dislocate or rip out a limb, but she had gone for their necks. It was an unusual area tond the first hit; my mate was smart enough to go for it to eliminate any sparing possibilities because she knew she might not win if it came down to it. I was indeed blessed. Nothing beats fighting with wisdom. Amelia had fought with wisdom under duress. I had another level of respect for her. I heard Marcel cough, and I gently left Amelia, so she does not wake again. I went to his side and smiled at him. He frowned his face a bit, unsure of what was happening; then I saw the recollection of what transpired change his facial expression. He sat up with difficulty, but it was quicker than he should have in his condition. He looked around;nded his eyes on Avery, who was sleeping. I saw worry cover his face, and I ced my hand on his shoulder. "Calm down, Marcel. You were the cause of concern. I asked the doctor to sedate her so she would not worry that you haven''t woken up yet. The baby is fine too. She is fine," I said, and he rxed. He looked at his hands and tried to work his neck. "We survived," he said in disbelief, and I nodded. "Amelia managed to kill two. The third one got away," I said proudly, and he looked at where she lay. "Is she okay? Did they hurt her?" he asked with concern, and I could see why Avery fell head over heels for him. The man was caring. Max was caring, too, but he had selfishness in him that Marcel didn''t have. "She is fine. Both of us remained here so we can protect you two in case they try to return," I exined, and he nodded. "Theo? Linda?" he asked, and I nodded. "They returned to the mansion. Everyone was here. Sylvester, Tamia, David, Dominic and Vino," I said so he would know no one abandoned him. "They left this morning when you were in the clear and recovering. Vino is back, though, but I doubt he returned for you," I said, and he sighed. I told him everything Amelia told me about what happened, and he was grateful for her. Had she not run back to the estate to get help, and had Vino not sprung into action immediately, we would have all been dead. Marcel managed to get off his bed to check on Avery. I used that opportunity to find a phone and call Max. I made the call in the corridor to avoid disturbing Amelia''s sleep. Her senses were super sensitive now. Mac answered after several rings. "Max," I said. "Leo, how are you? How are Amelia and Avery?" he asked, and I knew he still cared about his ex- wife even though he hid it. "Fine. I need you to get ready. Once I return, we will be heading back to the east." I told him and heard him sigh. I did not know if it was fatigue or relief. "With Amelia?" he asked. "Yes, we are returning with Amelia," I said. "Great. I honestly can''t wait to return," he said, and we hung up. "Are you leaving so soon?" I heard Marcel say from behind me, and I turned to look at him. He must have heard me while I made the call in the corridor. We had a sensitive hearing, so it was possible andpletely normal. "Yes," I said, and his face dropped. "Because of the attack?" he asked, and I nodded. "You all have families. I do not want to bring trouble your way. From all we have seen, they are after Amelia and want to take over the east and south. Besides, there was no time I wouldn''t have had to return to the east. This is the longest I have stayed away from home in a long time. There is no reason for us to remain here," I said and sighed. "If they are after Amelia, it is best she stays with us," He said. ck almost growled at him, but I controlled myself. "I can''t leave her, Marcel. I will have to return with her," I said, and he smiled. " Rx, Leo, no one is going to hurt your girlfriend. We will keep Vino away from her," he joked, and weughed. Vino was not a thing of concern when it came to Amelia. "We can protect her until this matter is solved," He pleaded with a tired voice, and I shook my head. It might have been okay if Amelia was just a girlfriend, but that wasn''t the case. I doubt ck and I could stay away from our mate that long. I might not feel the bond, but she did, and I loved her dearly. My heart wouldn''t be able the bear the distance. I did not only n on going home with her; I nned to give her her ce and start a life with her. Regardless of what was happening around us, we needed to move forward. Her Lineage or bloodline did not really matter where our rtionship was concerned. I had put everything on hold long enough. "I can''t leave her here, Marcel," I told him, and he frowned at me, not understanding my reasons. I knew I had to tell him why so he does not take offence. "She is my fated," I said, and he widened his eyes with disbelief. "How can this be?" was all he managed, and I could understand. We were in a world where finding a fated was rare. Only a few people had been lucky in that department. I had been unfortunate and fortunate. It was as if fate was trying to fix what it messed up. I had found mine twice. Marcel was speechless after that because he knew there was no point arguing it. I did not tell him about my irrational behaviour and that she was the only one carrying the bond now, but neither of that would matter when we got home because I nned on doing the right thing. We waited in the hospital until Avery woke up, then opted to return to the estate. It was nighttime when we left the hospital, and I knew we would have to leave our trip back home for the next day. We were weed into the mansion warmly by Nicole, Katya and Tamia. They were happy to see us, and Marcel and Avery went to their room. Tamia was happy to see me and let me know she was d. Linda was all over Amelia, and I knew she would miss her very much. I let Amelia tell the women we would return to Mountain in the morning while I discussed my return with Sylvester. I nned to go and prepare a ce for Vino before asking him toe. I also intended to be civil with him. I did not ask Vino about udia because it was none of my business. Still, he had seemed a bit conflicted since he returned from the hospital. Sylvester wasn''t happy to learn I would return the next day, but I had to confess the truth about my rtionship with Amelia to him. He was just as stunned as Marcel and did not fuss about it. "I think we will join you in Mountain soon. Because it seems they are trying to take the south and west," He said. He looked troubled while saying it, and I knew he knew something. He didn''t sound as confused as before. He sounded like he was making informed decisions. I dared not probe even though he was my friend. I trusted he would tell the truth when the time came. I said good night and returned to my room. Amelia was there and had already packed her things. She told me the women, especially Linda, did not take her departure well, but she promised to visit often. There was no need to tell her they would join us in Mountain soon. I just told her they would be okay. I was going to surprise Amelia with my intentions towards her, and I could not wait. We cuddled throughout the night and left in the morning after breakfast. 43 Arriving Home (Book 2) 43 Arriving Home (Book 2) ~Amelia~ Telling Linda and Tamia that Leo and I were returning to the east was more challenging than I thought. Linda actually cried and told me she did not want me to leave. Left to her, we should move in, but Leo was head alpha of the east, so we had to return sometime. They did not know we were fated. I didn''t tell them; I am sure Leo hasn''t told anyone. Maybe he didn''t want anyone to know yet, so I let it be our secret, but I could not be away from him for long. Their love for me and reluctance to let me leave had nothing to do with how I defended them; although they were very grateful, it had more to do with the fact that we were forming a bond. I never knew I would ever be friends with the rulers of our world. I did not even expect that I would be friends with Queen Tamia. To also think she was Leo''s ex-wife was incredible. Honestly, when Leah spoke to me back in Mountain, I felt a bit intimidated and believed I wouldn''t make the cut, that was why I brazed myself for failure, but Leo had blown my mind away. He had shown me more love in the north than in the east. I thought he wouldn''t be able to do so because of Tamia, but Tamia being there also helped him grab onto me tighter. The ident shook me, and I was scared, but that wasn''t why I requested we return home. I felt our rtionship was heading somewhere, and I wanted us to be in that small space again, so we could connect faster. There was just too much in the north. The King always called for Leo, and I had to spend time with Tamia and the others. I loved it, but it robbed Leo and me of our privacy, something we desperately needed. I was d he agreed and hoped we visited the north often. Also, I pray they don''t get attacked again and remain safe. I wished I could split myself into two and stay to protect them, but even I had my limits too. Max seemed excited, and I missed him. He was quiet and inactive at the estate, and Iter learned it was because of Avery. Although Avery never told me what he did, Katya did. N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. I didn''t want to believe at first because he seemed different, but I knew she wasn''t lying when I saw how the guy acted around Marcel and how he was permanently excluded from everything. I hope he finds peace and moves on because he has had it worse than Kyle. The woman he betrayed Avery for had died, and he had lost his pack. He lost on all fronts. Our flight was smooth, and we arrived at Mountain in the afternoon. Casper hade to get us from the airport and was happy to see Leo. He had so much to say, I could see it, and some might not be good, but he held it. We got to Leo''s house, and I breathed in and exhaled when I stepped in. I missed the ce even though I was only gone for a week. I looked everywhere, the kitchen, the dining table, the sitting area and the door to my room. I smiled. I could smell a foreign scent, but I knew it was Timothy and Mirabel''s scent. Remembering those two made meugh a bit. To think Timothy was nning to slide his daughter into Leo''s life in the name of protection. Now that I was back, I doubted they would have the courage toe again. Max moved to his room, and I walked to mine to freshen up. The room was cleaned thoroughly because it had no scent. I guess Leo must have asked the Omegas to clean the ce. Casper brought in my bag, set it on the floor, and then left the room. I sat on the bed and looked around. I touched the sheets gently and remembered my first night with Leo. He had erased all my resentment towards men that night, and I had learned that intimacy with consent is a beautiful thing. Of course, he had done better and kept improving with me, but that night was significant. I went to freshen up in the bathroom. I didn''t spend too much time there. I left the bathroom and wore a big t-shirt with panties. I carried my bag and ced it into the cupboard, then searched my shelf for a book I had not read yet. I wondered what Leo was doing but decided to give him space. If he needed mypany, he would know where to find me. I hoped we make more progress now that we were back. I wasn''t nning to rece Tamia in his heart because they were good friends, but I hoped he would create a ce for me that would be my own, never upied by anyone, just me. While I thought of Leo, someone knocked on the door. I could smell his earthy scent, so I already knew it was Leo. "Come in," I said, and he opened the door. He looked rxed and refreshed, and he had a broad grin. "Wee home," he said, and I smiled at him, and then he walked in. He stood in front of me with a smile, and I could see him contemting something. I smiled back, a bit nervous about what he was about to say because, from the look in his eyes, it was something serious. "Out with it," I finally said to calm my nerves, and he sighed. Leo bent and touched my hands gently. He made me put down my book and stand. Then he held me in his arms and lifted my chin to look at him. "Thank you for being patient with me, Amelia. Rejecting you was unfair, and I would want to spend the rest of my life proving to you that I am sorry," He said and went on his knees. I was inplete shock. I did not know what he was about to do, but I was eager to find out. My nerves were against me, and I breathed faster than normal. "I should have done this long ago, but I was too stupid to think right. You are mine, given to me by the goddess to love and cherish all my life. You are my support and my strength, my wisdom and my courage. You are my better half, my soul and spirit. You ignited a fire that was put out and made sure it burned brightly. You helped me heal and forget my sorrows. You are the reward for the pain in my past and a promise for a brighter and better future," he said, taking out a white box from his pocket and holding my hand. I did not know what to say. Tears welled up in my eyes. I could not believe Leo was flying. I thought he would crawl, walk, jump, and fly, but he had gone from crawling to flying. I tried topose myself and looked into his eyes. It was him and not his wolf, and I knew I was fully epted. "I do not want to lose you, Amelia. I do not want to wake up without you beside me. I do not want to look back and regret that I did not seize the moment. I do not want to lose the rest of me. I want to love you until I die. I want you to have myst name and be the mother of my children. I want you beside me always. I love you, every part of you, and I never want to live without you. So I am begging you to make me a happy man, forgive my behaviours in the past and take this leap of faith with me by marrying me and allowing me to im you as mine. You have shown me that you are my happily ever after. Allow me to be yours," He said, and I was stunned that words could not escape my lips. All I did was nod. He took out a clear diamond ring from the box, wore it on my ring finger, and stood up to kiss me. I melted in his arms and wanted to pull him to bed, but he refused. Instead, he lifted me up and took me out of the room. I was a bit confused, but there was a fire in his eyes that Let me know it was on. Wherever the venue would be, I was definitely down for it. To my surprise, he opened the door to his room. The room he slept in alone, the room he once shared with Tamia. The forbidden room. He opened the door and carried me in. He took me to the bed andid me on it. "This is your home, Amelia, and this is our room. Tamia''s stuff is no longer here. I am giving you your rightful ce as my mate and Luna," he said, and I was too emotional to grab him. Tears streamed down my face because I never imagined this would happen. I wondered what made him do this, but I was grateful to the moon for it. Aurora did not speak. She was overwhelmed. We never imagined it would lead down this path, but it did. I looked around, and there were white roses everywhere. The room was lit romantically, and I knew he had nned this before we even arrived in the east. It wasn''t a spur-of-the-moment thing for Leo. It was a decision and a resolution. "Leo," I managed, and he leaned over me in bed to search my eyes. "I have found what I was looking for in you, Amelia. I hope you find what you desire in me," he said, and I nodded. I found it a long time ago. He only realised his now. Leo kissed me sweetly and travelled to my neck with his kisses. The tingles were stronger, and likewise, his scent. It was stronger and intoxicating. I felt my wetness pull between my legs. Aurora was a mess. I wrapped my arms around him while he sucked on my neck sweetly; I anticipated he would sink his teeth in, and that alone made my walls clench. 44 This Is It (Book 2) 44 This Is It (Book 2) ~Amelia~ I held on to Leo, and he wrapped his arms around me. I felt his wolf vibrate, and his body became warm. Leo stopped and pulled off my shirt. While he did it, he had wolf eyes. He was really trying to control and take things slow, but I doubted ck wanted that. Aurora was surfacing, too, and I hoped this would be it for us. Leo took off my shirt while both of us knelt in bed facing each other. His eyes were on me, and I watched them travel down my body. He reached for my breasts with both hands and squeezed gently. I moaned, and he growled in response. I felt his thumb caress my hard nipples, and I closed my eyes to enjoy the sensation. Leoid me down and went for my hard nipples with his mouth. I felt his warm lips on one of my nipples, and his tongue flicked the tip, and then he sucked it gently while his thumb caressed the other nipple. I wasing apart already. My body was ready for him, and he knew it. I felt myce panties fall off. I figured he used his ws to cut the sides to make it fall off. I could smell my wetness, and I knew he could. He left the nipple and blew on it gently. The cool air made the hairs on my back stand up, and I anticipated more. I felt his lips on the other nipple, and he sucked on it. Moaning, I ran my fingers through his hair. Trying to find a way to handle the pleasure I was getting. His fingers travel down my body, and I felt them part my lips. "You are wet, Moonlight," he linked me, and I moaned in response. I really did not care. My eyes were shut, and I felt and enjoyed everything he was doing. He caressed my nerve bundle with his thumb. I opened my legs wider for him. He travelled down my slit and slipped his finger inside me, still sucking and licking my nipple. I tilted my head back to savour the feeling. Giving him full control and ess to do whatever he wanted with me. My wall mped around his finger, and I wanted more. I wanted him to go deeper and ease the aching spots inside me; I wanted his cock. I felt him add an extra finger and gently thrust in and out of me. He moved from my nipples back to the sweet spot on my neck and sucked on the skin. He was still thrusting in and out of my pussy with his fingers. "I want you inside me, Leo," I moaned, feeling impatient, wanting to soothe all the aches I was feeling. I wanted him to fill me up and make mee. "Leo," I said, and he growled, still sucking. He was enjoying himself; I could feel it too. I felt for his cock with my hand out of impatience. It was hard, and it wanted to be inside me. I curled my hand on the side of his pants, and he removed his hands from my pussy. Owned by N?velDrama.Org. I opened my eyes to see what he was doing and realised he was taking off his pants. I was eager for it. His cock sprang loose, hard and erect, pointing at me. The size was intimidating, but I could take it. I wanted it. He kissed me and ced his fingers in me again. My pussy was clenching uncontrobly. I reached for his cock again and felt it. Leo groaned. He liked it. He liked that I touched it. I broke from the kiss and took the initiative. I pushed him back a bit until he was in a kneeling position. I assumed the kneeling position, too, and bent to take his cock in my mouth. I had wanted to do this for a while. This was me showing appreciation for all the love I had been getting and edging him closer to burying himself inside me. I worshipped the tip with my tongue before sucking it. Leo held my hair gently in his fist and groaned, pushing his waist up, giving me ess to his cock. I pushed my head down on it, and he moaned. He gently aided my head until he was hitting the back of my throat, and I gaged, but I did not stop. I started bobbing my head. Taking his cock as far as I could and using my hand on the rest of his shaft. Only my pussy could take him all the way in. "Amelia," he moaned as he gently fucked my mouth with his cock. "May I cum in your mouth?" he linked me, and I did not stop. That was all the permission he needed. He had tasted me several times, and I wanted to taste him too. I wanted to know what Leo tasted like. He began to move faster, but he was gentle about it until he stilled, and I felt his warm cum down my throat. I swallowed and sucked the tip. He touched my hair gently. He was pleased. Even though he didn''t say it, I could feel it. I would have to thank Linda for this tip. He was still hard when I released his cock from my mouth, and I looked at him. His eyes were completely ck. "Mate," he said, and I knew it was ck and Leo together. He crashed his lips on mine andid me down gently on the bed. "I want to taste you too," he linked me, and I was up for it. I wanted his cock inside me, but I would go at his pace. He travelled down my body, buried his fingers in my clenching pussy and began to suck on my clit. He licked down my slit in between sucks, and I liked it. I felt the build-up of my release, and my hips began to grind against his mouth on their own until the wave of ecstasy washed through my body, and I dug my fingers into the sheets, moaning loud. "Leo", I cried out, my walls clenching fast. "Now," I moaned, and he spread my legs wide and drove his cock into me. "Hard and fast," I moaned, dictating what I believed would soothe my need. I was feeling the triggers everywhere. Leo pumped. He was an expert at it. Consistent and fast. I felt another build-up inside me. It was incredible. I was a moaning mess. "ah ah ah ah," I moaned with every thrust and every tingle. He was edging me closer to another climax. I could feel it. I wasing. The room was a blur. I shut my eyespletely. Still fucking me, he pulled me up until he knelt, and I was over him. My weight wasn''t much because he continued to thrust inside me, growling. Following his rhythm, my body moved independently, grinding my pussy against his cock. Filling me up and hitting the right ces. I held on to Leo, digging my fingers into his back. His strong arms held me and continued to fuck me just the way my body wanted and needed it. He turned my hair away from my neck just when I climaxed and sank his teeth in. The orgasm was explosive. I shut my eyes, and I saw streaks of white lights in the darkness. It was crazy. My hair was standing. I felt like my spirit had left my body. The feeling rushed through my veins into my head. I felt something snap in ce. "Ahhhh," I cried, eyes shut. Then I opened my eyes and saw shes of light. It was insane, and I wasn''t in my senses anymore. I felt my wolf emerge. Aurora acted on her own. Still feeling the high of the im, I sank my teeth into Leo''s neck, and he growled and then groaned. I felt his cock pulsate inside me, and I felt his body vibrate with pleasure. I felt our bonde to life and tighten. We were connected. We were fully connected now. ck was connected to Aurora and me to Leo. I could feel it. The euphoria was different from the others I had felt with all the times we had made love. This was the most instance. I felt something open up inside me. I felt energy course through my veins as if I was being renewed. I knew it was the same for Leo because he did not pull out. Heid me down and started fucking me hard, fast, and consistently. Everything felt different. The sensation was heightened our strengths were renewed. I opened my eyes, and Leo''s eyes were white. Then it flickered to ck. He pumped until we both came again, and this time hey on me to catch his breath. I caressed his back gently, and he slowly rolled off me to the side. I did not know what to say. We were fully mated now. Everything we do henceforth will be mere formalities. Leo pulled me close and spooned me in bed. I felt different, and I suspected it would be the same for him. He kissed his mark on my neck, and I moaned. It caused a tingling affected stronger than what I used to feel in the past. This was it; there was no turning back. Leo had tried with me, fallen in love and epted our bond. I prayed our lives would be blissful henceforth, and I could not wait for us to face the world together as one. I had nothing to worry about where my mate was concerned; Leah, Mirabel and all those women that had been trying luck had to look elsewhere now because Leo was taken. 45 The New Luna (Book 2) 45 The New Luna (Book 2) ~Leo~ Everything has felt so wrong for a while now. Refusing to reject Amanda, cohabiting, and touching her even during the pregnancy felt so wrong that I doubted my reality so many times. It became raw when Tamia left me, and I believed I would never find love again. I believed that was it for me. I had blown my chance at happiness all because of fate. When I thought I would move on without love, fate threw me a surprise called Amelia. I remembered her standing by the Vanity table in my room covered in soot and holding Tamia''s jewellery. I remembered all that transpired that night. I fought myself from allowing the fate bond to overwhelm and take over, and I won. I foolishly rejected her when I should have held her and never let her go. I was grateful that fate tied me to Amelia. She was patient with me. She did not mount pressure and allowed me to move at my pace. I knew it was hard for her, especially when she was carrying the bond alone, but I was d I came to my senses on time. I had called Casper to get me the ring the day before the ident. I had nned it all; I wanted it to be unique. I had rehearsed my words throughout our flight back and prayed that she would not freak out and say no. Forever was a long time and a solemnmitment, one I was afraid she wasn''t ready for. The moment ck and I sank our teeth in, I felt our bond snap into ce, and a wave of peace came over me. The type that I had longed for a while. I held her tight, promising never to let her go. Then she sank her teeth in and imed me; I knew she promised the same. I held on to my mate in bed, knowing it would be different this time. I promised to do everything I could to keep her safe, love her, care for her, make her happy and keep her. I made a silent promise to myself, wolf and bond, never to betray my mate. I nned to make her forget the pain in her past and look into the future. A lot of things reeled through my mind. A family, a home and a life. I could not wait for what the future will bring. We fell asleep and woke up in the evening. Amelia was the first to wake up. I saw hering out of the closet with a broad grin on her face. I wondered what she was doing in there. Maybe she went to be sure Tamia''s things were no longer there. The moment the thought crossed my mind, I shrugged it off because Amelia wasn''t the petty kind. Her hair was tied up to show off my mark, and I smiled. I was d she was proud of it. Owned by N?velDrama.Org. "Up already?" I asked her, getting out of bed, and she nodded and smiled at me. "Had to move my things into the closet," She said, and I smiled at her. Amelia had a different countenance from Tamia. Where Tamia was serious and a bit reserved, Amelia was yful and out there. Her personality suited me best. "I want to cook dinner," she said, and I began to dress up. "Let me help," I said, and she epted my help but did not wait for me. She headed out to the kitchen. I dressed up in a hurry and went to join her. Max was on the couch watching television. He looked in my direction when I stepped out of the room, smiling at the mark on my neck. "It''s about time, Leo. I was telling Amelia how hungry I was, " he said, and Iughed, then headed to the kitchen to help my luna. Amelia smiled when she saw me, and I went to her and asked her what she needed help with. He gave me the worst kitchen chore ever. Cutting the onions. I could notin. I would rather it hurt my eyes than hers. We ended up cutting the Onions together and crying onion tears together. Max eventually joined us in the kitchen. He came for his stomach and not to help. He picked on everything cooked and edible, and Amelia teased him. Honestly, in those moments, we were happy, but the trouble that I knew wasing still bothered me. While we ate, I decided to discuss something important with Amelia. " Tomorrow morning, I will introduce you to Mountain as their new Luna. Then I will introduce you to the eastern Alphas council as my Luna and head Luna of the east," I said, and she ced her fork on her te. I knew Amelia hated attention, and this would make her feel weird. "Can''t it wait?" she asked me gently, and I shook my head. I want to have the wedding done as quickly as possible, if you don''t mind, but in the meantime, I want people to know that I am unavable, and I want you to start taking up your Luna duties." I said, and she looked worried. "What if I can''t do it," she asked, and I sighed. "I watched you wear your Luna shoes in the north. You interacted with the women gracefully, handled conflicts gracefully, and stood strong throughout. You have a caring heart, and you love genuinely. You are patient, and you bring light into the room. That is the work of the moon, bringing light, and you did it and are still doing it effortlessly. You are all that support I need as an alpha," I said, cing my hand on hers. "You do not have to do things precisely like Tamia did. Make your own rules and create your tasks. All you have to do is be yourself and do what you like, Amelia. I am sure it will work fine, and the people will love you," I said, and she nodded, still unsure. "I was aplicated man, yet you broke through my defences and made me fall before I knew it. Winning the hearts of the pack members will be easy. They will love you," I said, and she nodded and picked up her fork. We ate silently for a bit, and then Max brought up a hrious topic that made all of usugh, and Amelia loosened up. I knew she would be great. She is worthy of the position and much more. I wished I could give her more, but that was the best I could offer for now. Dinner ended, and we were all tired. Max offered to do the dishes while Amielia and I retired to our bedroom. We showered before going to bed. We needed to be fully rested for the next day. Morning came, and I saw Amelia lying beside me, sleeping in my t-shirt, and I felt something was wrong with the picture. She should be asleep with nothing on. I was too tired to make love to her in the night, and I knew she was just as tired as I was. I made a note to ensure I didn''t overwork myself, so I would always have time for her. I did not want her to feel neglected. Although our rtionship had just begun, I wanted to ensure we did not have problems. I had the tendency to overwork, but I nned to stop. I caressed the bridge of her nose and then her lips to disturb her sleep. It took a bit before she opened her eyes, and when she did, it took a bit for her to fully wake up. We got off the bed and headed to the shower. After brushing our teeth, we entered the shower, and I wanted to say good morning properly. I bent to kiss her under the running water, and she grabbed onto my neck and hopped on me, understanding my bodynguage. I caught her butt and supported her weight while she wrapped her legs around me. "Moonlight," I groaned, smelling her arousal as it drove ck and me crazy. She giggled, knowing precisely what she was doing. Still supporting her weight, I ced her back against the tiles and drove my cock into her. The sensation was heightened. It did not feel the same as it did with anyone. It was different. It was deep, and I could feel our connection; her pleasure was mine, and mine was hers. My hips moved on their own, seeking release for both of us. My nobody aching to please and be pleased. She grabbed onto me, and I fucked her hard and fast. I buried my cock deep inside her. I wasn''t taking precautions. I was ready for a family and hoped our love would blossom into that. I felt her dig her nails into my skin when she was about toe. I held on to my release and fucked her through hers, trying to sustain it to the best of my ability. The moment she came down. I stilled and poured into her. I let her down gently and washed her body. She was mine to pamper, and I enjoyed every bit. While I washed her, I learned about her body better. I knew her most sensitive parts and kept a record of them. We dressed and headed to the assembly ground, where all the top pack members and a representative of each family in the pack would be waiting. I was surprised to see all of them there. I could understand their behaviour. This was unusual behaviour for me. I rarely called gatherings and had just returned from the north after staying longer than usual. They were bound to be eager and maybe worried a bit. People greeted me as I moved through the crowd holding Amelia. We moved through them until we climbed on the stage, and Casper motioned them to be silent. "Mountain," I started, and the people greeted me. "I want to thank you all for your support through the darkest moments of my life. You all have been kind and awesome," I said, and they cheered, happy for my gratitude towards them. "This Pack has been iplete for two years now. Queen Tamia cared for your needs and ensured everything went smoothly when she was our Luna. You all know what happened, and suddenly this pack was without a luna. We all know an alpha isn''tplete without his Luna; a pack isn''t a family without the Luna holding us together." I said and looked at all of them, then took a deep breath to speak my truth "I never thought we would ever beplete again. I thought we would run without my other half because I was broken, and nothing could fix me. I never thought love would favour me a gain, and I never thought I would be able to move on from the past," I said and sighed when I held Amelia''s hands. "Fate had broken me once, but it fixed me again. It sent a second chance to me in the form of a beautiful moonlight goddess. Initially stubborn, I did not ept it, but I have now. Knowing and being with her opened my eyes and helped me heal from the inside out. I have epted my second chance mate as my mate and luna, and I am introducing her to you as your Luna Mountain. Respect and cherish her. ept and love her. Do not betray her as you did, Tamia. Always look out for her like you will do me because she is my better half, my life and the woman I have chosen to spend the rest of my life with," I said, speaking from the debts of my heart, and the people began to murmur. They did not see thising, which was understandable, but this was now the reality of Mountain, and they will have to ept it. Slowly I saw eptance in their eyes, and they began to cheer Amelia on. I guess my initial words must have shocked them because they did not know Amelia and I were fated. I could see the genuine joy in their eyes. I thought introducing Amelia to them as their luna would be hard because of the scornful looks, gossip and resentment, but what I witnessed was different. Amelia held on to my hand tightly, and I squeezed her and linked her that it was fine. I could feel her nervousness and the fact that she was feeling overwhelmed. I knew she would get used to it. I lifted her hair to show her mak as tradition required. They cheered then I took off my shit to show mined so they would know the deal had been sealed. They cheered, too and began to praise Amelia and me. I pulled her close to me and kissed her before everyone. Then once again sank my teeth into her mark to showplete ownership and devotion; I felt her body shake, so I carried her bridal; style down the stage and through the crowd back to our house. On my way back with Amelia in my hands, I heard Casper''s voice in my head, which sounded urgent. "Leo, Kyle is on his way here," he said, and I grumbled. He was thest person I wanted to see or hear from. I knew he wasing to ruin the moment for me. He always did that. "What is it, Leo?" Amelia asked with her still in my arms, and I smiled because I knew we were connected now, and she could feel my emotions. "Kyle is on his way here," I answered her, and just like my mood, her face dropped. I was about to speak when Casper linked me again. "It is serious, Alpha; his pack has been taken over," He said, and I stopped in my tracks. Amelia gently let herself down from my arms. I honestly did not see thating. 46 The Loss of Brent (Book 2) 46 The Loss of Brent (Book 2) ~Leo~ The news about the takeover of Kyle''s pack left me speechless. Amelia and I returned to the house while she went to the room; I informed Max of what I had heard. Max was in shock. "Who will defy the King''s orders?" Max asked, knowing that Sylvester had put a temporary ban on alphas taking over other people''s packs. It was meant to be in ce until we could prove that the two Alphas in question did not win through foul y as their opponents had used them. "Someone or people that do not feel they answer to Sylvester," I replied, and Max looked puzzled. If what was said was true, we were in a deeper problem. If the attackers had no regard for the current order, then everyone was fair game. "It could also be that kyle had aggravated someone. You know how he is," Max said, and it was a valid point, but who would be so aggrieved to the point of risking getting in trouble with the king? I shook my head, disagreeing with Max''s deduction. "I doubt that is the case," I told Max max. Just then, Amelia walked out of the room wearing my t-shirt with short pants that I could bearly see because the shirt covered it. She looked worried too. "Leo is right. Max," she said, which meant she was listening to our conversation. And she headed to the fridge to get something to drink. "I do not understand why he woulde to this ce after he had unfriended you," Amelia said, and though it was funny, none of us had the heart tough. "I just hope he isn''t bringing his problems with him," she added, and that was a valid point because Kyle was very vindictive and felt entitled hence why he ended up having issues with Linda and Theo. Owned by N?velDrama.Org. "Let''s see," I said with a sigh and sat on the couch, waiting for Kyle. I honestly did not want to deal with his problems, but I was worried because whatever happened to him might spill to the rest of the region. I had the urge to inform Sylvester, but I wanted to know precisely what happened before I spread the news. Kyle arrived an hourter. The knock was hysterical, which let me know it was him. It was demanding and urgent. Max stood up and went to open the door for Kyle. I had deliberately locked my Always-opened door because I did not want people barging into my home anymore. Kyle stepped in and was shirtless with shorts, which made me know that his wolf had brought him to my pack. Anything that would make Kyle run to my pack in wolf form was severe. His eyes were red, and it looked like he had been crying. He refused to walk towards the sitting area and stood by the door. Max shut the door behind him and turned to face Kyle, who seemed he was contemting what to say and do. "So, what happened" I finally asked before Max could ask Kyle. "They came in the night in multitudes. We did not have a fighting chance," he said, looking at Max. "Like what you said happened with this Alexie guy. I think that was what happened to us. They pumped silver dust into the air. And we could not shift. We were busy trying to keep the poison from our lungs. It would be best if you had been there to see for yourself that I am not exaggerating," he said, tears streaming down his face. "They killed most of the pack members," he said, weeping. "I had done everything I could to keep my pack members. Everything, and they were loyal to the end," he said, and I needed him to calm down and tell me exactly what happened. "Do you mind telling me what happened, Kyle?" I asked him, and he nodded quickly. Amelia brought him a bottle of cold water to help him rx. "I need something strong," he said to her as if he was talking to my maid. "Get it yourself, Kyle; I won''t let you speak to my Luna like that," I warned him, and he looked stunned. He looked at Amelia and then at me. "It''s okay, Leo. I will get him a scotch. He needs it," Amelia said with a smile. She had genuine concern in her eyes, and Kyle''s behaviour did not get to her. I was indeed blessed, but just because things rarely got to Amelia did not mean I would allow people to disrespect her. Anyone that messes with her would hear from me. Amelia brought him the scotch and gently led him to sit on the couch. Then she went to her old room and brought out a damp towel. She draped the wet towel over his shoulders, and I saw him rx. Kyle looked at Amelia and smiled. "Thank you, Luna," he said, and I wondered how she knew that would calm him down. "How did you know?" I linked her. "I travelled mostly in wolf form with my clothes in my mouth. I always looked forkes to dip in after I shift back due to the heat Aurora generates after the long trip. Our wolves keep generating that heat after we have shifted. It is the norm. But you wouldn''t know since you travel with vehicles," she said, teasing me with thest part, but we did notugh. A smile was enough to show amusement; I nodded with approval. "I am sorry. I did not know it was official," Kyle finally apologised, and he did it with so much sincerity that I stopped being mad. He drank his scotch, collected the cold water, and gulped it down. I guess his system was conflicted too. "They came in the morning. There were no warnings or threats. It was like they wanted to surprise us, and they did, Leo," he said, talking to me as if we were still friends. "The screams of my people woke me up from sleep. It was still dark. I shifted and exited my house. The moment I stepped out, I breathed the silver and shifted back to my human form. I looked around and saw weird-looking, partially shifted wolves. Some with white eyes like Luna''s eyes, while others with blue eyes. It was weird, Leo. I had never seen anything like it before. There was no fighting them, so I shouted that people should leave and run away. They let some people escape while they murdered others," he cried. "They killed the helpless pack members, Leo; they had no mercy. The less privileged that I settled on Linda''snds were the first to get hit. When they were done, they told us to leave Brent and that they would kill anyone they found on thend onward. They did not stay in Brent, they left, but most of the people were dead already." he said and looked at me. "They killed and disced people, then left thend bare. There is no one there." He said, and I wondered why anyone would clear a pack and not upy the ce. "This is very strange," Max said, and Kyle nodded. "At least Alexie stated why he took over Hill Valley and is currently there as the alpha. He also did not pump silver into the air. This people''s modus operandi is different, Leo," Max deduced, and I already figured that out. "It is simr to the people that attacked us in the forest in the north," Amelia said, and I nodded. I wondered if this was another sect different from Alexie or if Alexie might just be whom he says he is and not have anything to do with these people, but I could not shake off Alexie''s silver effect on Max. "I guess I must speak with Alexie to understand the situation. Or eliminate him as a suspect in the least because he tried to take over Brentwood, and Brent is close to Brentwood and Hill Valley," I said, and Kyle looked at me with expectation in his eyes. "Is that all you will do?" he asked, and I nodded. "Yes, Kyle. I have to start from somewhere, and that is where I choose to start from," I told him, and he shook his head. "You have to get thend back, Leo," he said, and I frowned at him. "Linda will be mad, Leo. I do not want her to be mad," he said, and I almost;ughed. The man was genuinely afraid of his ex-wife. "It is one thing holding on to hernd because of the people on it; losing it to strangers is something else, Leo. Theodore will kill me. Please, Leo. Even if it is Linda''s portion while the rest of my pack settles in Mountain, it will be kind," he said, and my eyes widened. I eximed before he could take it back. "What!" I said, and Kyle shook a bit, thenposed himself. "You can''t bring your people here," I said, already knowing how congested we were. "Please, Leo, they have nowhere to go; they are just over a hundred. I have told the rest to seek asylum with Alpha Corrigan. He did not answer my call. I guess he is still mad at me for something I did. But I am sure you can talk to him because two hundred people are on their way there," he said, and I felt my eyes widen as if they were about to pop out of their sockets. It was Kyle being Kyle again. "You did what?" I asked, and he was silent. "It is your duty, Leo. You are head¡­" he said, and I interrupted him. "What I have told you I will do is what is my duty. What you are asking for is a favour," I corrected him, and he shook his head. "You took Max and his people in, no question asked," he argued, and I raised an eyebrow at him. "Really, Kyle?" I said, and he nodded. The guy had forgotten what he said to me thest time he came to my settlement. "Max is my friend," I said, and he looked confused. I hated to be the one to rub it in, but Kyle seemed to have something wrong with his brain, so I decided to exin. "Thest time you came to this pack. You insulted my mate, then insulted me and told me we could never be friends. You said you would nevere to me for anything again, and I shouldn''t count on you either," I said, and shame washed through his face. He knew he had fucked up with those words. He bowed his head. "You know I did not mean those things, Leo. I was only angry that it seemed you were siding with Linda. You have always been my friend¡­" he said and paused. Then looked at Amelia. "I am sorry. I apologise for the things I must have said out of anger," he said, and that was the first time I would see Kyle genuinely apologise for something. I wasn''t going to get him off the hook quickly. "I will think about it, but I cannot house a hundred-plus people. I have to reach out to the north to find homes for them until we solve the mystery of the silver people. Meanwhile, I will call Devin to discuss your plight. I hope you did not do something unforgivable to him. We all know Devin isn''t as forgiving as I am." I said, and Maxughed. "In the meantime, try not to piss off more people," I said, and Kyle nodded like a child. He was desperate and worried. He didn''t want his pack back; he feared Theodore and Linda the most. I took out my phone to exin what had happened to Kyle to Theodore before springing into action. I nned to call Devin and plead for the Brent pack members that were on their way to him. I also nned to call Alexie to schedule a meeting and discuss this with him. I knew he wasn''t part of these people; I could feel it, but there was a connection somewhere, and I wanted to start with him. Chapter 209 -47 The Calls (Book 2) Chapter 209 -47 The Calls (Book 2) ~Leo~ Theodore''s phone rang a couple of times. He did not answer, so I dialled the number again. I excused myself from the living room and went to my room to speak to him. I motioned for Amelia to follow me. I did not want to leave her in the living room by herself. Kyle and Max weren''t goodpany for her because they would ignore her and catch up on events. They needed that space, and I did not want Amelia to feel left out. She followed him into the room. I still had my phone to my ear in one hand; I used the other to pull her to my body and kiss her neck. Yes, many bad things were happening, but I will not lose a second with Amelia. Theodore finally answered the call. "Hey, Leo. Couldn''t stay away from the north, ey?" he asked, and I chuckled lightly. "Not really, Theo. I am calling to inform you that the silver-dust people overran Kyles''s pack. They killed people and chased the rest of them off thend," I said, and he was silent a bit. I think he was letting it sink in. "They killed people?" he asked, concerned for the lives lost to the attack. "Yes, Theo. They killed innocent people, but that isn''t all. What baffles me is that they did not upy thend. They warned that thend should be bare, or they would return to wipe it out again. Kyle confirmed they pumped silver dust into the air. He is currently homeless right now. I wanted you to know because Linda''snd is part of what they took." I said, and I heard him sigh. "I am sure thend is the least of our worries now. It is baffling to think that these people are getting bolder," Theodore said, stating what bugged me. "Yes. They are. I wondered why they would do this," I said, and he sighed. "What about the silver-cheating Alpha in your territory? Do you think he has anything to do with this?" Theodore asked, and I sighed. "It is not his mode of operation, so I doubt it, but I will summon him to speak to him tomorrow. I doubt he will be honest about anything since he cheated in his challenge. I will be able to read his bodynguage and understand him and the situation better," I told Theodore, and there was a pause. "Okay, Leo, please be safe. We are nning our trip over there. Sylvester is trying to find someone reliable to handle the affairs while we are away. Lucas wants toe so Sylvester can''t handover to him. Once that part is sorted, we will be on our way. I will inform Linda of what has happened. I doubt she would mind. Kyle has already returned her money in full so she would be understanding," he said, and I was proud that Kyle did the right thing even though he was a douchebag. "So where will Kyle be staying? What about his pack members? Are you absorbing them?" Theodore asked me, and I sighed. "He will stay with me, but Max is already with me, and I have absorbed him and his pack members. I also have plenty of disced Western folks in the east. I do not have the space to house over a hundred people. I was hoping you could help with that," I said, and he chuckled. "Of course. We will just assign our Lunas with the task. Send all of them here. There isnd, and our cities are bigger than those in the east." He said proudly, and I rxed about it. "They are actually three hundred plus," I said, and he paused. I knew Devin had his hands full in the south, so convincing him to take in Kyle''s pack members would be hard. I did not mean to push my luck with Theodore, but I had to try. "All right. Just until everything is sorted, Alpha Christian will find ces for them." He said, and I thanked him. I guess the number made him change his mind about charging Linda, Avery, Nicole and Katya with the task. I wanted tough, but the situation was too glum for such a reaction. "Linda is so excited that we areing to the east. I think she built a friendship bond with Amelia. Amelia is all she talks about. And honestly, when you guys left yesterday, she cried. I can''t wait toe to the east too. A change of scenery and a mystery to solve is an amazing adventure to look forward to. Those council meetings have bored the hell out of me," He said, laughing, and I was happy with how lightly they were taking the matter. I hoped it was as light as they made it seem because truth be told, I did not need an adventure right now. I wanted a wedding, children and a happily-ever-after, not this silver nonsense. We said goodbye, and I hung up. "How did it go?" Amelia asked me. She was sitting at the foot of the bed and looking expectant. She, too, did not seem bothered. The straight face and pitiful look were for Kyles''s benefit so we won''t seem insensitive. I went to her and gently touched her nose. She potted and smiled. "You are already wearing your luna shoes, Moonlight. You cared for Kyle the way a luna should, even though you had all the reasons not to. I am proud of you," I said, and she beamed at me. "The call went well. He will break the news to his wife, and they will take the three hundred people heading to the south. So I need to call Devin to send them to the north when they arrive in Greenville. I also have to ensure he provides proper transportation for them." I said, and she agreed with me feeling bad for the disced people. I called Devin, and he answered on the first ring. "Leo, you remembered me today," he said, sounding jovial on the phone, and I chuckled. "How are you, Devin?" I asked, and he smiled. "Better than I wasst week?" He said, referring to his low mood when we were at the meeting. I hoped Susan would sort her shit out because Devin likes her, and she has a better chance of being happy with him. Sylvester was gone. No man gets with Tamia and looks back; besides, she lost her chance with the man, and now he and Tamia are fated¡ªa sporadic urrence. Amelia and I were a rare urrence, but I was grateful for it. Rarely do people find their mates, but I found mine twice. I was indeed blessed the second time. I hoped Susan woulde through for Devin eventually. I told Devin what happened to Kyle, and heughed a bit before getting serious. "That bastard sure is having it hard these days." Devin wasn''tughing at the situation but at Kyle, who was caught in it. "Of course, I will help them, but I can''t take all two hundred. We have western disced people here too. It is only a matter of time before our system copses." He said, and his kindness moved me. He was willing to help even though Kyle had pissed him off. "No Need. I figured you might have the same issue as me, so I spoke to Theodore, and he said they would have Christian amodate them in the north. All you have to do is send them to the north, maybe charter a ne or something that will take them there," I said, and he sighed. "That can be arranged. I will do that when they arrive but thank you for the heads up. Before I send them off to the north, they will need somefort and pampering. I will ask Lukman to see to their welfare," Devin said, sounding as kind as always. Although not passive like me and quick to react to provocation, he was the kinder of us two. "Thank you," I said, and he chuckled. "We must do what we must." He said. "So what are we going to do about these other fuckers. I heard they did a number on you guys in the north. Pumping silver into the air and shit. Fuck, Leo, that was a narrow escape," he said, and I pinched the bridge of my nose. "You are one lucky dude to have a Stepanov descendant for a girlfriend. I heard she kicked their arse." He said, and I wondered who gave him all these details. "Who told you this?" I asked, and heughed. "Rx, Leo. My lips are sealed. Dominic told me when I called, worried that I could not reach Marcel," he said, and I sighed. I was afraid the news had gone out. "We aren''t sure she is a Stepanov yet, and she is my Luna now, so please keep it quiet. I do not want to deal with more trouble," I said, and he chuckled. "You know I will never put any of your people in danger, Leo. We are friends and family, too. We fought for the peace these silver gangs are trying to destroy. We will protect and keep it together. You know you can always call on me," he said. His words warmed my heart. "I will be in the south this week or next, pending how my investigation goes. I n on questioning Alexie just to study him. I will interrogate him. I doubt he has anything to do with it, but I will be the judge of that," I said. "I agree with you, Leo. I will interrogate y too. He was used of doing the same as Alexie," he said, and I was d we were thinking on the same wavelength. We discussed trivial stuff. He congratted me on my union. I avoided discussing my union with Amelia extensively, so I did not trigger sad emotions in him because I knew he was still having issues with Susan. I hope they sort things out soon because I have seen them together and they are good together. I hung up and wondered whether I should call Alexie now orter. I decided to call him. The guy answered immediately. This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. "Alpha Leo," he said calmly. It was as if he was expecting my call. "I want you to see me in my office in Mountain tomorrow," I said, not wanting to exchange pleasantries with him. "My pleasure, Alpha. I will be there. What time should Ie?" he asked, and I hated his confidence. " Nine in the morning will be fine," I said and hung up. "That irritating?" Amelia said,ughing, and I did not know that my anger was showing on my face. "Too confident", I said and sat beside her. She ced her nad on myp and rubbed gently. "You are still above him and always will be," she said, and I pulled her close and kissed her forehead. Just then, my phone rang. I grumbled and looked at the caller screen. It was an anonymous call. I frowned, wondering if I should answer it. Phones could not harm people, so I decided to answer. "Leo," a male voice said. It sounded familiar, but I wasn''t sure if it was who my mind told me it was. "Who is this?" I asked, and the voice sighed. "You don''t even recognise my voice anymore, son," The voice said, and I froze. This couldn''t be. I actually thought they were missing. "I do not have much time. Your mom and I are on our way to you. Do not trust anyone, Son; we have been silent for a reason. Now we areing home to make things right. I will tell you everything you need to know. Please do not trust anyone. They want to take everything¡­" he said, and the call ended before he could finish his sentence. I sat frozen on the spot. I had not heard from my parents in a long time. Thest time I saw them was when they handed the pack over to me. I could not believe they had finally reached out after seven years. 48 After The Call (Book 2) 48 After The Call (Book 2) ~Leo~ I remained sitting beside Amelia at the foot of the bed. The shock of my father''s call still ran through me, and I didn''t know how to shake it off. I did not know how to feel about his call and its urgency. It was baffling. I was mad, confused, shocked, name it. I felt all the emotions pouring through and did not know how to sort through them. My parents had been gone for seven years, and I somehow believed something had happened to them. Hearing my father speak on the phone was mind-bugging. Why would they finally reach out after all these years? What had changed? It was customary for Alphas to take a long trip once they had handed over to their sessor, but they usually returned home or stayed in touch. It was a way of enjoying a burden-free life. Most Alphas settle elsewhere, so they do not feel the urge to get involved with pack matters, and it is reasonable. Goddess knows I will need that time away from my pack so Amelia and I can collect ourselves and start a family. Too bad I won''t have that luxury until we hand the pack over to our sessors, and that was twenty-one years from when we have children. We still had a long way to go. My parents, on the other hand, went missing in action. There was no exnation for their disappearance. Tamia and I were worried for a while before we decided to move on and hope for the best. I wondered what had happened. I also hoped badwork coverage was the reason the phone call ended because my father sounded like there was trouble. If only he had called me with an actual number, I would have called back and had it traced. I would just have to hope that they show up as promised. Amelia touched my hand gently without speaking. She understood me so well, and I wondered how. She knew this wasn''t the time to ask questions, and I respected her for it. She was giving me the time to process what was happening. I touched her hand gently and looked at her. She smiled beautifully, and I caressed her cheek gently. "You are so easy to be with and peaceful, Moonlight. The moon got it right this time," I said, kissing her lips. Breaking the kiss, I decided to tell her what had happened. As much as I respected her giving me time, I should not keep her in the dark about some issues. "My father says he and my mother are on their way to Mountain," I said, and she gasped. "Finally, they decide to make themselves avable," She said, and Iughed at the statement. That was precisely what was happening because they had deliberately stayed away. She ced her hand on my thigh and caressed it gently. "I know you are mad, Leo, and maybe confused, but this is better than nothing," she said with a smile. "It will be nice to give them a chance when theye. Goddess knows I wish I had that opportunity. To know my parents or family, even for a day. You did not only spend your early years with them; they are still alive and areing to you. Cherish the moment. I am sure they had a good reason for staying away," She said, and I knew she was right. I also felt terrible for her because her situation was that bad. Other than me, Amelia had no one. I set aside my feelings about my parents and faced the issue. I nned on dealing with their issue when they finally showed up. I contemted telling Amelia our northern friends wereing but knowing how close she was to Linda; I opted to make it a surprise. "I need to go and cook. I am sure Kyle is very hungry," Amelia said. "We should let them cook their food or have the omegas cook it. It is bad enough that we are housing them; you do not have to cook for them, too," Iined, not wanting my mate to stress over my house guests. Ameliaughed beautifully and even covered her mouth in the process. There was a twinkle in her eyes while she did it, and I wondered how she could remain happy through everything; she was awesome. "I enjoy cooking, Leo. It is a great hobby for me." She confessed, and I raised my eyebrow at her. "Yes, Leo. I love cooking for people. I enjoy the look on their faces when they eat my food. I enjoy thepliments and the praises I get, making me want to cook more. It isn''t work when I enjoy doing it," she said, and Iughed. "You must have loved the look I gave every time I ate your food when you just arrived," I teased, and sheughed, nodding. I knew she was up to something with all the mouth-watering delicacies she prepared when she started working for me. "Well, maybe we need a bigger house then, so you can have a bigger kitchen to work with and a bigger dining table to invite and feed more people," I said, and she shook her head. "I love this house as it is. After living in that castle in the north for a week, I doubt I will want it. We will need workers, and we won''t have the privacy we have here." She said and sounded just like Tamia. Sometimes I wonder how Tamia was able to adjust to the Volkov lifestyle. Love did things to people. Knowing we would have to move to a bigger house because of our northern friends, I had to find a way to get Amelia used to temporarily moving to a bigger ce. "Well, we might have to move to a bigger house temporarily this week to amodate my parents when theye. Also, Vino will being to help with the investigation," I said, and she nodded. "As long as when everything is over, we cane back here; I am fine with it, Leo. We have to do what we have to do. That way, I can even invite Linda to visit. I am sure she will be thrilled. She did not want me to leave, Leo. You should have seen the look on her face when I told her we were returning to the east," Amelia added, and there was a tinge of sadness in her voice that let me know the feeling was mutual. Honestly, I did not see Amelia''s friendship with Lindaing, but it happened so fast. I expected she would be friends with Katya because they were closer in age, with Kaya older by two years, but Amelia took to Linda quickly. Linda would have been a loveable person had Kyle not messed her up as he did. Karma was a bitch, and Kyle was caught in the middle of its wrath. "Amelia and I returned to the living room, and I decided to join her in the kitchen. I was going to make it a habit. Since cooking was her hobby, I nned to enjoy it with her as much as possible. I told Kyle and Max about my meeting with Alexei and allocated Amelia''s old room to Kyle. N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. I prayed no other Alpha would be disced and ask me to house them because I had reached my limits. The rest of the day went by smoothly. Devin called me to inform me that Kyle''s pack members had arrived, and they had logged them in inns and hotels throughout Greenville. He told me he would send them to the north in a few days. I advised him to call Theodore so they could n better because it would be best if the amodation was ready for them before we sent them to the north. Kyle''s pack members also arrived at my settlement, and I instructed my people to post tents for them. Unlike Devin, I had no more space. I could not force hotel and inn owners to house disced people; they had businesses to run. So I instructed Casper to ensure the tents arefortable while I liaise with the north on their amodation. I had also called an airlinepany that would help fly the people to the north when the time came. It was the least I could do. Amelia, Kyle, Max and I spent the best part of the evening into the night, ensuring the people were settled. Amelia handled her Luna duties expertly by attending to the women and children and ensuring they received the needed care. Some unruly omegas tried to get on her nerves, but she handled them expertly; I still nned on making an example of them the following day, but we needed all hands on deck at the moment, so I held my anger and continued to work. Tomorrow was going to be eventful, especially since Alexei would be visiting. I could not wait to figure the bastard out. 49 A Tete-A-Tete With Alexei Kuznetsov (Book 2) 49 A Tete-A-Tete With Alexei Kusov (Book 2) ~Leo~ Morning came, and I put it upon myself to address the omegas for their conduct. Macy came to fix the house, and I asked her to ensure all the Omegas were in the service quarters before seven thirty in the morning. I could see the worry in her eyes because she knew something terrible must have happened. She dared not ask me why, so she only nodded and hurried through her chores. Once it was seven-thirty, I asked Amelia to apany me to the service quarters. She had a frown on her face that indicated she was curious about my intentions, but I smiled to let her know it was okay. I knew if I told her what I nned to do to the omegas, she might object and ask me to leave it alone. I had slowly begun to notice that Amelia did not like trouble, and she let things go quickly, which meant I needed to protect her from people that might want to take advantage of her qualities. Amelia and I arrived at the service quarters together, and the omegas stood in front of their bunk bed. They were also worried, and they had a good reason to be. I had put two kappa outside, ready to teach them a lesson. I would not condone anyone disrespecting my mate. Owned by N?velDrama.Org. "Good morning, Alpha," they greeted me, and I did not respond. "Good Morning Luna Amelia," some of them quickly corrected themselves. Their behaviour was baffling. If I were screwing them or had any form of dealings with them, I would understand their reasons, but being deliberately disrespectful to my mate was uncalled for. I had mistakenly ced her with them when she arrived, but it was only for a few days. To think those few days would cause this level of disrespect was appalling. It was time to set them straight, and I did not n on taking it easy on them. "Macy, step forward," I said, and the head Omega did as ordered. I could smell her fear. Unlike the others, Macy knew they were in trouble. She bowed with her tear-filled eyes, never looking into my eyes. Amelia touched my hand gently, already pleading with me to take it easy, but someone had to be the bad guy here. "I see you all have grown wings and forgotten your station and purpose," I started, and a worried look dawned on their faces. Seeing how they were too stupid to figure out, they were in trouble was annoying. "There is a hierarchy, and there is a reason for it. Wolves thrive on order. History has shown without order, there will be chaos. The hierarchy is innate and not given hence why our wolves have ranks. That aside, it is mandatory for you to respect your Alpha. I do not only own thend you live on; I feed you all, clothe you, keep you sane and keep you all safe. I expect you all will have some level of," respect for me as your leader I said, and some of them began to shed tears because they figured they were in a mess. "I called a meeting in the morning yesterday and introduced my Luna to everyone. What did you all do in the evening when she tried to organise you to help the refugees?" I asked, and they were silent. "Some of you ignored her and did as you liked. Some of you red at her. Some of you even laughed at her," I said and took a deep breath, and exhaled. "Amelia is a Delta and my Luna. Even if she were an Omega, the beta must show her respect and serve her, let alone omegas. Iid people off thest time, which I believe was a bit lenient," I said. "This time around, I will make the noticeable ones scapegoats," I said, asking those guilty of the crime to step forward. "Let this be a warning. I will do worse if Amelia is ever disregarded, disrespected, orughed at again. I might be a nice man, but I am a monster when ites to people I presume as my enemies. Anyone that disrespects, disregards or mocks my mate is my enemy and will be dealt with ordingly," I said and turned to leave. "We are sorry, Luna Amelia," the ones I called out began to plead. Amelia tried to plead on their behalf, but I won''t have it. I knew how the omegas were. They were at the bottom, so they always tried to exert some form of dominance over people they presumed as easy prey. The action I was taking would ensure they do not repeat their mistake. While leaving, I asked the kappas to publicly deal with the selected omegas and make a spectacle of them. They should also announce their crimes to advise other pack members who might be thinking along the same line. It was necessary. Amelia understood my reasons without me expressing myself and let it be. She wasn''t pushy, and she never tried to get her way. Her qualities were unending. But I will let her have her way next time. After breakfast, Casper linked me that Alexei had arrived. It was ten minutes to nine, and I admired his punctuality. Still, he was a foe, and I nned on being careful with him. I did not tell Max and Kyle Alexei was around, but I told Amelia. I also told her not to follow me to the office in case things got bloody. She wanted toe because of the silver thing, but I doubted Alexei would be stupid enough to attack me. Marcel, Theo and I would have subdued our attacker had his peers not joined. Knowing that alone gave me confidence. I walked to my office and saw Alexei waiting patiently in the reception. The moment I entered, he stood up and greeted me respectfully. He wasn''t arrogant like he was at the eastern council meeting. It was as if I was dealing with a different person. I ushered him into my office, and he followed quietly. "Punctual," I said, sitting on my chair, and he smiled. "I dare not keep the head Alpha waiting," he said, and I nodded with approval. I stared at him briefly and decided to cut to the chase. "Why the attacks, Alexei? Is Hill Valley not enough? Did you have to try to take Brentwood too?" I asked, and he sighed. "There are things I am not at liberty to exin, Alpha, and, unfortunately, you are caught in the middle of it, but I had no choice but to try to take Brentwood," He said and frowned at him. He sighed and leaned forward. "As you see, I havee here alone because I mean well. Initially, I had no respect for you, but seeing that you are family now, I have no choice but to tell you somethings that only family are to know," he said, and I frowned at him. I was tempted to check his vitals and be sure he was well. I did not let the shock or confusion show on my face. I just leaned back in my chair to listen to what he had to say. "Exin," I said, and he sighed. He looked at me for a while and then used his hand close to his eyes. I wondered if he wanted to gouge them out, but to my surprise, he took out his contacts, and I was shocked at what I saw. His eyes were exactly like Amelia''s. "What!" I eximed, and he smiled. "Amelia is my baby half-sister." He confessed, and I was stunned. "y Newton is also my half-brother. The three of us share the same father but different mothers. Our mothers are dead, but Amelia''s mother is alive," He said, and I was stuck in my seat. The shock was intense that I did not know what to say. "We are the true descendants of the Stepanov bloodline, but we have rtives here too. Unlike the popr tales, some Stepanovs escaped the massacre. My father''s line is the direct descendant of Adrik Sepanov, the true heir to the lordship at the time of his murder. Unknown to Dimitri, Adrik''s secret lover and mate, Ariana Ivanov, was pregnant with his child. She ran to the east to settle in Hand. That was where she gave birth to our father, Luis Ivanov." He said, and I was attentive. "Unlike our rtive that ran away, our family stayed away from the government; we did not want any part of it. But our father had inherited the superior genes, so they wanted him on board. He didn''t want a part but yed along for a while. He mated with my mother, Ingrid Kusov and had me. Then things got out of hand; he asked her to run away with me to the north. She raised me for a bit before she was hunted down and killed by the Stepanovs. I grew up on the streets hiding for my life. Hair dye and contact lenses were my best friends. My father got with y''s mother, Emma Newton, so he could blend in. He told my mother of her, and they all nned to meet, but the cult caught up with him, and he had to run to the west to hide so they would leave Emma alone. Emmater died of illness. He met Amelia''s mother in the east, and they had Amelia; unlike the rest of us, Amelia had the full Stepanov ability. The cult found out about her and wanted her instead of our father. He gave his life protecting her and her mother, Gezel Westwood. They knew Gezel, so she had to go into hiding. She gave Amelia to her maid to hide in Bestir in Gad. The omega was supposed to care for Amelia, but she dumped her in an orphanage. I believe it was out of fear. When I discovered my father had been killed, I promised to find a home and bring my siblings together. I did not want to take over Hill Valley, but Hill Valley was on Stepanov''s cult hit list, so I overtook it because of Alia. I also knew they would Kill her cousin, Max, but they would think twice before attacking me because my genes are superior. y did the same to slow down the expansion of the cult. They had taken over all the packs that shared borders with the east and south from the west. I am still trying to figure out why. I moved to take Brentwood to secure the area. If you had allowed me to do so, they wouldn''t have taken Brent," He said, and I was stunned; I had several questions to ask him. What cult? What people? Which family members? I had to take my time and organise my question. "Tell me about this cult?" I asked, and he sighed. "They originally consisted strictly of our rtives, the Stepanovs that fled during the massacre. They swore vengeance on the Volkov and nned to take the government by force. They were the sponsors of the uprising against Maurice, led by one of their members. The same memberter led another revolt again Sylvester. I am sure you know whom I am talking about. My cousin, who is part of the cult but not in support of what they are doing, keeps me informed of their activities. He told me that Larry McMin hade to the cult to seek revenge over what our rtives in the north did to his mate. They realised his revenge would help them achieve their goal faster than their original n, so they supported him under the strict instruction that it won''t lead to them. They helped him fund and organise everything. Now that Larry is useless and awaiting his death, they have decided to handle the matter directly and revert to their old n. I do not know their full ns neither does my cousin because they have an inner circle. He isn''t part of the circle, but I know that Larryplicated matters when he forced the Volkovs to seek kingship. It made their indirect approach weak and forced them to make decisions to interfere directly. I would have been dormant, but we learned they had been tracking our sister. Our cousin has been protecting her all this while, but he said they might soon catch up to him, so y and I had to move quickly to own packs and warriors to keep her safe. Unfortunately, she became yours, so we had to watch her from afar. They know she is in Mountain, and I am sure they are trying to get in. They do not need her. They have a man called Erik Kozlov, who is the head of the cult. They n on taking over and installing him as King, Alpha Leo. They also n on stealing Amelia to mate with him so they can concentrate the Stepanov genes in his heir. It is scary, but the blood is distant enough not to be considered incest. Anyway, that is what is happening in a nutshell," he said, and I was speechless. I could not ask my other questions. I just stared at him because he had just fitted some puzzle pieces. I opted to take a minute, and the look in his eyes showed that he knew I was in shock. I could not believe he had been Amelia''s brother all along. Why didn''t I connect the dots? Chapter 212 -50 More On The Matter (Book 2) Chapter 212 -50 More On The Matter (Book 2) ~Leo~ Alexei had dropped a bomb on me, and I remained fixed in my seat. I stared at his moon-coloured eyes and saw the resemnce with my Amelia. Everything he had told me was bugging me, and I felt beads of sweat on my forehead. We had all thought this uprising bullshit was over, but we had just scratched the surface. Lord Lucas Sidorov had insisted that the uprising was too big for Larry to have orchestrated singlehandedly. Even Larry had bragged about us having more to deal with during his sentencing, but we had brushed it aside because we wanted to close the matter. We wanted our happily ever after so severely that we disregarded Larry''s words. We should have taken him seriously and epted everything he said thoughtfully. I knew it didn''t add up when Larry wanted to kill all of us with silver dust when we busted into his apartment in Gad. He had wanted to end his life. It was odd to see someone that had done so much in the bid to install himself as King want to carelessly throw his life away like that. He must have figured his life was forfeit since we had caught him and decided to die and take us along. I was d that he was still alive in prison. He had refused to die, so it might be to our benefit. I looked at Alexei, and he just remained quiet on the chair. I leaned forward to ask more questions. "Do you know the location of this cult?" I asked him, and he shook his head "They move asionally but are between the east and south. These were the regions they ran to when Dimitri was after their life," he said, and I did not feel safe. If I had those things lurking in my territory, they could strike anytime. I had a lot of questions for Alexei. I took out my phone and searched for the photo of the coin. Finding it, I showed it to Alexei. "Do you know what this is?" I asked him, showing him the coin''s image, and he nodded. Then reached into his pocket and brought out a replica. His was old, but it looked the same. "This belonged to my father. He gave it to me, so I will not forget my heritage." He said, and I dared not reach for it because it was silver. I also noticed the ease he used to take it out, and that was how I knew he had truly cheated Max, but even if he did not cheat Max, he would have won. Seeing Amelia''s fast speed, I knew her brothers would be the same. "It is our family insignia," He said, and I already knew that; I just wanted to be sure. "What about this?" I said, showing him the picture of Amelia taking something from a disced man. He frowned, and I scrolled to the image of the writing on the back of the picture. "Do you know who did this?" I asked, and he shook his head, meaning it was a red light. "I will have to ask y because he keeps an eye on her too. Please send me the photos," he said, and I nodded. "So Max wasn''t lying about you cheating, was he?" I asked, and he sighed and looked at me. "You have to know it was necessary," he said, and I sighed. "Just answer the question," I said, and he reluctantly nodded. "I needed it over quickly and did not want him dead. He would have fought to the death, and it wasn''t worth it," he exined, and I nodded. "So, what are Amelia''s special abilities you do not possess?" I asked, and he sighed. "Well, to start with, she can shift fully with silver in her system. It takes longer, but she can do it if she tries. I learned from our cousin that she had shifted and wounded a Kappa for attempting to take advantage of her. He said the bastard had used silver to weaken her, and she had taught him a lesson. She heals faster than us, even with silver in her system but not as fast as a wolf without silver. She is also faster and stronger. We have the same abilities but are a bit slower and have limits. Amelia doesn''t have limits like us, and that is because her mother was a Beta with Stepanov''s distant genes. So it made her more enhanced than us. That has also given Erik Kozlov the idea that mating with her will produce great heirs," he exined, and I was pissed. "Well, that option is closed. She is my mate, and we have imed each other," I said. Alexei wanted to say something but held his tongue. I could see he was guarding his words with me. "Come on, say it," I said, and he sighed. "Erik doesn''t care about things like that. The bastard believes the Stepanovs are superior," he said, and I could understand the Erik guy being a psycho. Alexei just indirectly told me that Erik would disregard my im. I wanted to see him try. I do not mind cheating to kill the bastard. But no Northern royalty will take the woman I love from me. Sylvester took Tamia, and now the moon has blessed me with Amelia. I will die first. "So what is the deal now?" I asked him, wanting to know his angle and take in this. "I do not know their ns and am still trying to figure it out. They snatched ab technician and Amelia''s blood sample to do goddess-knows-what. Erik tends to deceive himself sometimes. He believes he is an Alchemist and that the talent is innate. I know he studied biochemistry, but I doubt he can pull off the level of expertise our ancestors pulled off. He did not want anyone to know our secret, so they snatched the sample and technician, and both were burned to death at the western borders. The King is wasting his time searching for them," he said, and I was shocked. Erik was evil.This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. I know their family''s right was stolen, but this was extreme. Looking at the entire thing, he wouldn''t have been lord even if it had followed the natural order. It would have been between Alexei and y. What was the guy''s deal? Now I respected the Volkovs for only letting the person in the line of session bear thest name. It was to ensure family members don''t get delusional. If not, I doubt the Sidorov, Balyeavs, and Orlovs would not have dragged the lordship and kingship with Sylvester. Even Dominic, David and Vino have assumed their positions and epted that the crown belongs to Sylvester and maybe Liam in the future. "Is there beating this Erik guy?" I asked Alexei, and I could see worry in his eyes. "They are immune to silver. I am afraid there isn''t. We can go to war with them, but everyone other than my siblings would have to find a way to protect their airways and skins froming into contact with silver, or they would not stand a chance. We are faster and stronger, but we can only kill many of them before they overwhelm us. I want to protect my sister and keep the borders safe to stop them from expanding, but they are getting bolder. As things are, it won''t be long before they attack y and me and overrun the east and south if that is their n. Our cousin, Andrew, ns to join me in Hill Valley to seek asylum. I am sure he will tell us more when he arrives," He said, and I sighed because that was a good n. I had plenty of questions for Andrew. "Would you like a drink?" I asked him, and he smiled. I pointed at my cab, and he got up to fix himself one. I did not know if I should let him meet his sister, but I had to trust my instincts. I watched him pour himself a ss of scotch. There was peace about the guy that let me know I could trust him. Taking him to my house will be a bad idea because of Max. I would have to find a way to exin things to Max. "What will you do when all this is over, and we survive by miracle because these folks are invincible?" I asked, and heughed and took a gulp of his scotch. "I n on returning Hill Valley to Max. Alia and I will move back to the north. Hopefully, the King would reinstate my family''s history and Legacy, and we won''t have to hide away. However, even though one of us should be ruling, I can tell you y and I aren''t interested in being King. A lordship in the north is more than enough. We both want a quiet life. Sylvester can continue being King. The agreement between our great grandfathers was for lordship and not kingship. As a Stepanov and a descendant of Adrian Stepanov, father to Adrik Stepanov, we have no im to the kingship because we have no hand reinstating it," He said. His eyes showed he meant every word. I could see why Alia fell in love with Alexei. He was a man of honour, and he did not seem the type to lie to himself. If the other Stepanovs were like this, we would not have had any issues. "Would you like to meet your sister?" I asked him, and he looked at me. "I would love to, but I do not know if she would like to meet me," he said with worry in his eyes. Knowing my mate was easygoing, I knew he had nothing to worry about. Chapter 213 -51 Knowing Love (Book 2) Chapter 213 -51 Knowing Love (Book 2) ~Leo~ I wanted to mind-link Amelia about Alexei, but I knew it would be best to go home, tell her everything, and prepare her for the meeting. I did not know if she would want to see him too. "You are right," I told him, sitting up. Owned by N?velDrama.Org. "I will have Casper keep youpany while I return home to speak to her. I will inform you through Casper what she decides." I said, and he smiled. There was gratitude in his eyes. It was sad to think they had to run around and hide because they had family members pursuing them. I also felt bad for their mothers. Amelia was right when she said I was blessed to have had a normal childhood. Somehow I knew it would be silly to remain mad at my father and mother because they were there for me when I needed them the most. I did not grow up in an orphanage or on the streets. I did not have to take care of myself and fear for my life. I was blessed. I linked Casper to keep Alexeipany while I headed to my house. As I walked, I rehearsed how to break the news to my mate. I did not know how she would take it or what she would think. Honestly, I could not predict her response. Amelia was easygoing and Kind, but I could not imagine what she would do when I broke the news to her. I thought of it, and it baffled me. I did not know when I reached my front door. I was about to knock on the door when my phone rang. I hesitated, then took it out to answer. It was Timothy. I had sent Delta Gabriel to head Timothy''s pack on my behalf. I wondered what the issue was now. I answered the phone, and he was a bit hysterical. "Alpha Leo, they have taken over Brent. I heard it was Alexei Kusov. I think he will soon head my way. I know your delta is here, but I doubt he would respect your im on the pack." He said. I could understand his fear. What had happened to Kyle would scare anyone, but he had no reason to panic. "And how do you know it was Kusov?" I asked, and he was silent. I was right; the old man had guessed it was Alexei. "So, what do you want from me now?" I asked him. "Let usbine our packs, Leo. Mirabel will make a good mate. She even likes you, so it will be easy. It won''t be forced." He said, and I let him finish his sentence because it sounded funny. It wasn''t really about his pack at this point. The guy just wanted me to marry his granddaughter. "I am already mated, Alpha. My wedding ising soon. She is my fated too, so I am no longer avable. Although Max is, and he does not have a pack for now," I said, and the man was silent. I was shocked that he was considering it. I should have watched my tongue because I doubted Max was ready formitment, and he might not fancy Mirabel. "I will have to check with him, though," I said quickly so he would not think it was inevitable. "That will be great, Alpha Leo. Mirabel will like him too. Please talk to him. I am too old for his alpha shit. He can take her and the pack." He said, and Iughed. He was now confessing his truth. The man wanted to retire badly. "I will then get back to you on the matter," I said, feeling weird because it sounded like a transaction and love isn''t supposed to be like that. If Mirabel and Max don''t connect, there will be no forcing it. Timothy must look for someone else if Max doesn''t want tomit to anyone. I opened my door and walked in. Amelia was on a couch reading. I looked around, and Max and Kyle weren''t there. "Where did they go?" I asked her, and she smiled at me. "To check on the disced people," she said, and I nodded. It was their responsibility anyway, so it was okay. I looked at my mate on the couch and prayed that she would take the news well. "How did it go with that cheater?" she said, and I cringed a bit now that I knew he was her brother. I shut the door behind me and went to sit beside her on the couch. She sat up and moved close to me. Her scent filled my sense, and it calmed me down a bit. "I need to discuss something with you," I said, looking at her. She opened her eyes wide with expectation, and it was so cute. To think she managed to hold on to her innocence after all that had happened to her showed her inner strength. I ced my hand on her bare thigh and caressed it. "I need to tell you something important," I said, and she nodded, showing I had her attention. "Alexei is like you," I said, and she frowned. "He has your eyes and hair. He dyes his hair and wears contacts," I said, and she frowned at me. I knew she would wonder why I was telling her this. I sighed. "He is your half-brother," I said, and she gasped. "y Newton too. They are both your siblings. Your grandfather was Adrik Stepanov, as we suspected. His mate was pregnant when they executed him, so she ran to the east and had your father, Luis Ivanov. Other Stepanovs escaped the massacre and went into hiding too. The people that attacked us in the north are from that lineage. They also have a cult headed by your distant rtive, Erik Kozlov. Alexei only took over Hill Valley to protect it from the cult and tried to take over Brentwood to protect Brent from them. Unfortunately, I interfered by getting the ban order from the King, which was why the Stepanov cult could attack Brent," I said and sighed. "A cousin of yours has been watching you to protect you because the same cult wants to have you mated to Erik Kozlov so he can have superior pups. They were the ones that hunted your father down. They Killed Alexei''s mother after she had fled with her son to the north, forcing Alexei to grow up on the streets. Your father mated with y''s mother to blend in, but they found him, and he had to leave them to protect them. He met your mother, Gezel Westwood, in the west and had you. The cult found out and knew you had fully inherited your grandfather''s genes, so they wanted to take you. Your father died protecting you. Your mother went into hiding and gave you to her maid to raise. I guess the maid panicked and took you to the orphanage. Alexei says your mother is alive but still in hiding. She is a beta from the Stepanov bloodline, which is why you are enhanced. Erik is trying to recreate something stronger by mating with you. Your brothers decided to own packs so they could take you in and protect you, but you hade to me before they could seed. So they have been watching you from afar ever since." I said, putting everything together, and she stared at me dumbfounded. I saw tears form in her eyes and trickle down her cheeks. She was overwhelmed. "I have brothers," she said with a breathy voice. She could not believe it. I guess she only heard that part. "I have rtives?" she asked, still in tears, and I began to feel the mix of her emotions. "Alexei is my brother?" She asked, and I knew it was rhetorical, so I remained silent. "May I see him, Leo?" she finally asked, wiping away her tears. There was an eagerness in her. I knew I was her family, but there was something about people you shared the same genes with. The connection was different. Alexei was the closest she would get to know her father. The man that had given his life to save hers. "My parents loved me, Leo," she said with a smile slowly forming on her face. "My family loved me," she repeated, and I knew she was telling herself. "Miss Lucy always said otherwise. She made me feel unloved. The matrons at the orphanage said I was useless, a product of an affair, a bastard. That only high-born bastards that their families are ashamed of end up in orphanages. They made me feel like shit for fourteen years. I carried the weight of being unwanted and unloved for fifteen years. I ¡­" she said and began to weep. I pulled her close, and she buried her face in my chest and wept. "I used to hate my mother. They told me she was an Omega that didn''t want to have anything to do with me. I hated my father and did not wish him well either. I was jealous of children that got adopted. Anytime I saw a child with their parent, I would believe that I was truly unwanted because even poor people keep their young ones," She said, weeping. "My mother went into hiding to protect me; my father died so I could live. What greater love is there than that of a parent willing toy down their life for their child to live," she said, and I knew what she was doing. "I thought the worst of Alexei because of what he did to Max. Although not from the same mother, he looked for me." She said and looked at me with a happy teary face. "I was wanted all along. I was loved and cherished. I was needed." She said, and I knew she was giving herself closure in those moments. She wrapped her arms around me and squeezed tightly. "You have brought me joy, Leo. Goddess bless your soul, and I pray what we havest," She said. Her words touched me, and I wrapped my arms around her and then kissed her head because her face was buried in my chest. "I will love you until I take myst breath, Amelia. You are worth everything and much more," I told her, letting her know the people at the orphanage were wrong. "I want to see him, Leo. I want to see my brother." She said, and I linked Casper to bring Alexiei to my home. I told him to drive down. Walking would take thirty minutes, and I didn''t want Amelia to wait. They arrived twelve minutester. Casper did not know what was going on. He entered my house while Alexei remained behind him. Casper was about to speak when I asked Alexei toe in. Amelia broke away from me and looked at her brother. There were genuine emotions in Alexei''s eyes, and I could see he truly meant well. He looked nervous and uncertain. Casper excused us. Amelia broke away from me and rushed to hug Alexei. The moment she wrapped her arms around him, he began tough with joy and wrapped his arms around her. I heard myself growl. Alexei looked at me and removed his arms from around her. I felt a bit embarrassed, but ck was possessive like that. They broke the hug, and Amelia offered Alexei a seat. I knew they had much catching up to do, so I told Casper to keep Max and Kyle upied and not return to my house until Alexei left. I would have to deal with Maxter and ease his hatred towards Alexei, but I was d Amelia finally found her family. Chapter 214 -52 Love Saga (Book 2) Chapter 214 -52 Love Saga (Book 2) ~Devin~ I had a very hectic evening settling the Brent pack members in Greenville. It would have been easier if I had a luna, but my life was messed up like that. I was still alone. Iy on my empty bed to rx and looked at my side. Susan used to lie there. I turned away because I did not want to think of her. She had broken my heart. The trauma that I lost my fated to Sylvester had just faded, and seeing that the woman I had fallen in love with was still hooked on the same guy got to me. It wasn''t Sylvester''s fault, but it caused me to envy him a little. I wondered what I did not do right, Rex, my wolf, was lonely too. Everyone was moving on, but I was stuck in the same spot. There were nights that I just wanted to pick up the phone and call Susan, but I knew she was yet to get over Sylvester. The death of her uncle and cousin did not help matters either. Although it was necessary because Glenda and Nics had broken too manyws, I could feel her pain. I turned back towards her side of the bed and touched it gently. Rex howled in my head in pain. This was just too much. I had done everything possible to get over her, but it wasn''t working. Susan got me. She understood me. I would never find someone like that. I knew it. I did not understand why I wasn''t enough for her. I would have given her my world. I fought my tears, believing I was destined to live a life void of love. My phone began to ring. I looked at the clock, and it was two in the morning. I reached for the phone, worried that something terrible had happened. After hearing what happened in Lund and Brent, I knew we had to be on guard. I reached for the phone and saw an unknown number on the screen. It made me wonder who would have the heart to call me at this time of the morning. I answered. "Hello, Alpah Corrigan speaking," I said formally, and the person was silent. I looked at the screen to be sure the call was on, and it was. I ced it back to my ear and waited for the caller to speak. "Who is this, please?" I asked, and her voice came through. "Devin," I heard Susan''s voice on the phone; she sounded scared and unsure. My aching heart hurt immediately, but I softened my tone.N?velDrama.Org owns all content. "Susan?" I asked. "I want toe home, Devin," she said, and I did not know how to feel about her words. She was hot and cold with me, and I could not take it anymore. I sighed. "There is just so much heartache I can take, Susan. I can never be Sylvester, and it is unfair for you to keep me inpetition with him. I am not ready to try again with you, Susan. You have hurt me badly," I confessed to her, and she began to weep on the phone. "I am sorry, Devin. I love you. You know I love you," she confessed, and I sighed. "You know I love you too, but we can''t continue this back and forth. One minute you are into me; the next minute, you are done. I am not in this for fun, Susan. I wantmitment, something you are unwilling to give, and settling for me is not good enough, Susan." I told her, and she sighed. "You should not want to be with me because Sylvester is no longer avable. You should want to be with me because you love me, and even if Sylvester were avable, you would choose me," I said, telling her what hurt most about her behaviour towards our rtionship. "I am not settling for you, Devin. I have had time to think things through¡­" she said, and I interrupted her. "That is my point, Susan. The fact that you have to think about it before you decide you want to be with me speaks volumes. There is no need to think it through when you love someone and want to spend the rest of your life with the person," I said, and she began to weep. "I want toe home, Devin. I miss you," she said, and I knew she wasn''t lying. Susan was too arrogant to beg. "You cane home, but I won''tmit," I said, and she was silent. "I have to protect my heart, Susan. You have broken it severally. I can''t handle another heartbreak. You cane home, but I won''t pressure you into dating me. I hate that you are all by yourself out there, soe home. We won''t sleep in the same room. You cane home." I said, and she continued to cry. What I had said wasn''t what she hoped for. "I am ready to go all the way with you, Devin. My answer to you is yes. I am not thinking about it anymore," she said, and I sighed. The offer was off the table. "I am not willing to do that anymore," I said, letting the words fall out. I did not want her to hurt me again. All it takes is her seeing Sylvester with Tamia and their pups, and she would go back to her sad mood, crying, screaming, and throwing things at me. I did not break her heart. I did not force her to leave him. That was on Maurice and fate; why should I pay the price? "You cane home, but we will just be friends," I told her, ready to hang up, even though it was difficult. "Tell me you will leave room for me to prove myself to you," she finally said, and I was shocked. This was the first time she would plead with me. I had always been on the begging side. "I do not know, but I won''t hurt you," I said, and I meant it. I won''t get involved with people. I nned to respect her and treat her like a queen, but I also nned to guard my heart. I have cried in private too many times. "I will be at your house in an hour," she finally said, and I was shocked. I honestly thought she was in the north. Who would have thought she was in Greenville? "I will leave the front door open," I told her, not showing my excitement. "You can stay in any of the rooms you like," I told her, and she thanked me and hung up. I did not know what I was doing but knew I had just kickstarted another rollercoaster ride with Susan. I nned to give her time and watch her. I went to open my front door and then checked all the rooms in my house to be sure they were in order. The Omegas had done an excellent job keeping the rooms neat even though no one upied them. I looked forward to Susan''s arrival. I returned to my room and tried to sleep, but I couldn''t. Rex was giddy, and I tried to tell my wolf it wouldn''t be as before. We had to give her space so she could sort through her emotions, but Rex wouldn''t have it. He missed running in the woods with Susan''s wolf. He missed Susan. On days that she was in a good mood, she was the bestpany to be with. She was fun and carefree. Nothing uptight. She was never too scared to dirty her hands and roll in the dust. She was perfect, but being around her became unbearable when the glum slides in. The painful part was that the gloomy days were more than the happy ones. I loved Susan, but there was just too much to deal with. I needed her to decide and not just see me as someone she could pass the time with when feeling lonely. I knew she wasn''t doing that, but that was how it felt, and it hurt badly. Chapter 215 -53 Wanting To Fix It (Book 2) Chapter 215 -53 Wanting To Fix It (Book 2) ~Devin~ I was unable to sleep. I was eager to see Susan even though I had told her it would be strictly friendship. My wolf wasn''t happy with me for it, but it was necessary. As much as she meant everything to me, loving her was killing me, and it was wrong. Love isn''t meant to kill. It is intended to build and nurture. I heard when Susan entered the house, and my heart began to beat fast. I was nervous and eager at the same time. I knew Rex was causing it, but I tried to control myself. I heard her gentle footsteps on the passage and a door open. I figured she had chosen a room already. I did not know if it would be wise to check on her. Maybe it was best she believed I was sleeping. That would help set the boundaries. Iid still in bed, fighting myself from getting up and going to her, when I heard the knob on my door turn. I shut my eyes immediately, trying to pretend that I was asleep. I knew it was childish, but I wouldn''t let her know I stayed up for her. So I closed my eyes and regted my breathing. "Devin," she said gently, and I fought the urge to wake up. I usually had sensitive hearing, and I was a light sleeper. If she called me again, I would have to pretend to wake up, or she would know I was pretending to sleep. Susan was an intelligent woman. "Devin," she said a bit louder, and I pretended to wake. I gently sat up in bed, pretending to be waking up, and looked in her direction. I was stunned by what I saw. She was just as beautiful as thest time I saw her. She had on a sexy nightgown. I wondered if she hade to my house dressed like that. I wouldn''t put it past her. She must have hoped I would be awake. Susan did not y fair. I averted my gaze from her body and looked at her face. I could see her eyes were swollen, and she had been crying. "Hey," I said, trying hard not to look at her see-through robe that showed sexy lingerie like a nightgown underneath it. It was ck, and it had to bece. Susan was unfair. I fought myself from grabbing her. "Devin," she said, calling my name but maintaining her distance. The lights were low, so she looked exquisite in the soft light. "Susan," I managed, and she walked towards me. I wanted to tell her to maintain her distance, but I couldn''t. She came and sat beside me on the bed. I looked at her, and she bowed her head and began to weep. It was almost four in the morning, for fuck sake. She had turned me on, and now I had to console her too. "Susan, can we do this after I have gotten some rest?" I asked her, and she looked at me with her gorgeous blue eyes. "Please, Devin. I won''t mess it up this time around," she promised me, and I knew she believed her words, but I wanted her to prove it to me. "You have to give me time," I told her, and she gradually nodded. "May I sleep here," she said, and I knew if she did, I would bury myself in her. It will happen faster than I would be able to handle. "No, Susan. You have chosen a room already," I said with a strong voice but as gentle as I could manage. She sighed and then got off the bed. I knew she wanted me; I could smell her arousal, but she could not always have her way. I wanted her to value what we have and not think she could switch us on and off as she liked. She had never cheated on me since we were together, but being hung on Sylvester was too much for me to handle. I watched her leave the room andy back on my bed. Sleep eluded mepletely. I was hard as hell and somehow regretted turning her down. I knew I was going to have a shitty day. Sleep finally came in the early hours, and I got two hours of shut-eye. It wasn''t enough, but it was better than nothing. I got ready for the day and left my room. My house smelled of breakfast when I stepped out of my bedroom. I headed to the kitchen, and Susan was making breakfast in her favourite t-shirt, which used to be mine. She wasn''t a great cook and hated being in the kitchen. I guess she wanted to prove herself. She stopped what she was doing and looked at me. Her hair was a mess, but she looked pretty nheless. She was a beauty. Blonde hair, blue eyes, and a bit of the southern tan on her skin. She was gorgeous, and she had a great heart too. My pack members loved her and wanted her as their Luna; too bad she wasn''t sure about us. She smiled at me, and I returned the smile. "Good morning," I greeted her. "Good morning, Alpha," she teased me, and I wondered why she would call me that. "Alpha? What happened to Devin?" I asked, and she shook her head. "You said we are just friends now, so I respect the boundaries. If you want me to call you Devin, I will," she said, and I knew she was mad that I did not let her sleep in my bed. She tried hiding her hurt, but I could see through her. "Devin will be fine then," I said, and she nodded. I noticed some burnt bacon and toast in the trash and ignored it so she did not feel bad. "I had to use the restroom, so they got burnt," she said quickly, noticing that I had seen the disaster. "I spent my time learning my way about the kitchen," she said, ting some scrambled eggs and toast. "You will see Devin. I have improved. How can I be a luna if I can''t¡­" she said, cutting herself off. I was silent too. I did not tell anyone, but we broke up because I proposed, and she said she would think about it. Wanting to change the topic, I drummed my hand on the kitchen Ind and sat on the high stool. "Let me judge it," I said and looked at her. She was battling tears, and her hands were shaking. She turned away from me immediately and ced the frying pan on the stove. I saw her lift her hand, and I knew it was to wipe away her tears. I did not know if it was wise to remain there, so I got up to leave. I was about to turn when she stopped me. "Please, ignore my emotions. Try the food. You will like it, I hope," she said with a fake grin, and I did not know how to feel about it. The smile did not touch her eyes. I tried to ignore it. I was hurting too. I wanted her to decide on her own. I wanted her to make a decision she would not change her mind about, so I was determined to hold out on her. I had made getting back together easy so many times that I knew she would break my heart if I did that again. Susan served the meal. I thought I would get scrambled eggs but I got an omelette instead. The scrambled eggs were hers, and from the way she tasted her omelette, it looked like it didn''t taste so good. I was already used to her cooking, so I braced myself for the taste. Susan stood in front of me, looking at me eagerly and wanting me to taste the food. I picked up the fork and knife and cut a piece. cing it in my mouth, I chewed it, and it was divine. My eyes widened at the surprise, and she began to giggle. It touched her eyes this time. "This is delicious, Sue. You put a lot of effort into it," I said and started grubbing the meal. It was delicious. Not the best I had had, but having spent over a year being tortured with bad-tasting food, this was a significant improvement. "I knew I was torturing you with the meals I prepared in the past, so I made a duty to try. I am still improving," she said, and I smiled at her. Just then, someone knocked on my front door, and I left the kitchen. I heard Susan following me, but I did not care. It was okay. I got to the front door and opened it. It was Alice, my assistant. I did not have a Luna, so my father''s beta daughter, Alice, had been assisting me with Luna''s stuff. "Alpha," she said. N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. She looked happy but then looked past me and saw Susan. Her smile dropped immediately. I did not know why, but it did. I ushered her into the house, and she entered. "Good morning Miss Sullivan," She said. Susan smiled at her. "I will excuse you two," Susan said, and I heard a little crack in her voice. She walked away before I could ask her what was wrong. I turned to Alice, who was smiling broadly when Lukman, my beta, spoke to me via the mind link. "Alpha, you need toe now. Pridewood has been attacked. The attackers pumped silver into the air and wiped out everyone. Not a soul survived the attack," he linked me, and I stood frozen in shock. All my life, I had never heard anything as cruel and as evil as what Lukman had just told me. Who would do such a thing and wipe out a settlement of over eight hundred people? 56 Inspecting The Damage (Book 2) 56 Inspecting The Damage (Book 2) ~Devin~ I left the living room immediately and went to my garage to get my truck. What Lukman had said was mind-boggling, and I was worried¡ªI had never heard of such a thing before. "Alpha, what should I do?" Alice asked me through the mind link, and honestly did not know what to tell her. I wasn''t in a reasonable frame of mind. "You can do your normal chores and help Susan if she needs anything. I might be long," I linked her back while I drove towards my office. I closed the mind link before she could respond. I tried to keep things short between us because the girl had a major crush on me, and I could do nothing about it. I hoped she would find someone soon. Until then, I had to suffer the attention of a crush. I got to my office, and Lukman was already waiting outside. I alighted the truck and moved to the passenger''s side while he came to the driver''s side to drive the truck. "What happened?" I asked him the moment he started the engine, and he sighed. "It was horrible, Alpha. The evil bastards invaded the ce at midnight and asked them to leave the land in the morning, but Alpha Micheal refused. He imed it was his family''s legacy. The evil people decided it was only befitting that he died along with his pack on thend." He told me, and I frowned. "How did you learn this?" I asked, knowing he said everyone died. "A few people, about twenty or so, survived. They were lucky to hold their breaths and hide, but they sustained silver burns. I have asked Delta Dwayne to bring them to the hospital in Greenville. But they won''t move until we have spoken to them," Lukman said, and I was sad by the news. "Is the air clear of silver?" I asked, and he nodded. "Our men went to test the atmosphere. Those people died in the early hours. The perpetrators were long gone by then." He said and sighed. "They also left you a letter with the survivours. No one has read it yet," he said, and I told him it was okay. We drove for a bit and then arrived at Pridewood. That was the pack where the inn where Maurice died was situated. It had its memories. Dominic and I had fought on thatnd when he tried to attack me for revenge. My best warriors were from there. The people that did this wanted to cripple my defence. The moment we entered the settlement area in Pridewood, I saw corpses on the floor. There were excavators digging mass graves, and we gradually drove through the residential area. My heart was broken. The way the people died showed that they were trapped and surrounded. There was just so much people that did not have ess to their wolves could do. The people that did this were cowards. "The witnesses said they had weird-looking eyes. That they looked blind." Lukman added, and I did not need to guess what type of eyes they had. Could they have been Amelia''s rtives? I did not know what to do, so I took out my phone and called Leo. Leo answered on the first ring. "Devin," he said, and I sighed. "I have been hit, Leo," I said, and he was silent. "Those mutants came to Pridewoodst night and asked people to leave so they could take over thend. I think they wanted Pridewood the same way they wanted Brent, but unlike Kyle, who chose life overnd, Alpha Micheal was too proud to surrender and walk away. He imed it was his family''s legacy, so he would remain. They granted him his wishes. They pumped silver into the air and surrounded the vige, killing its residents. They surrounded the people to ensure they breathed in the silver and did not escape. They all died except for a few that hid and did not inhale the Dust." I said, and Leo was silent. I knew he was processing what I had told him. "You should tell Sylvester," Leo said, and I growled. "Not after I have taken off y Newton''s head," I said. "I do not think y did this, just like Alexei didn''t perpetuate what happened in the east," Leo said quickly, and I wondered whose side he was on. "What do you mean? Do you know something I don''t? Thest time I checked, we believed they could have a hand in this shit," I said, and Leo sighed. "I spoke to Alexei; he isn''t who we thought he was. He admitted to cheating, but these things are bigger than we all imagined. Alexei, y and Amelia are siblings and might be the only ones on our side. This is Stepanov''s revenge," Leo told me, and I was shocked. I did not know whether or not to believe what he had said. "How sure are you they can be trusted?'' I asked my friend. "I saw it in Alexei''s eyes, Devin. He has no reason to lie. Other than that, they have never pumped silver into the air in a fight. Neither killed their opponents. We need to sit and talk about this. The king and lords are joining me in the east soon. I think you shoulde too. For now, staying away from Pridewood will be best to avoid aggravating the terrorists. This whole operation is bigger than we think, and we are caught in a family battle we aren''t part of." Leo told me, and as wise as his idea sounded, I was mad. I did not want to be a sitting duck. I did not like trouble, so this was too much. N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. "Fine. I will visit the east in three days. Have a ce prepared for me," I said. "Amelia and I are moving to the packhouse in Mountain town to amodate everyone. It has seventeen rooms so we will be fine. A room will be reserved for you. If you are bringing warriors or staff, let me know so I can prepare for them too," he said, and I realised we would be setting up a station in the east as we did in the north. "Very well. But I can''t stay away from the south for too long because of the activities happening here," I told Leo. "Devin, our regions are in trouble because the Stepanovs that fled the north settled in the east and south. We will need all the help we can get," he said, and I sighed so much for the much-needed rest and peace. I said goodbye and hung up. Lukman led me to where the survivors were. My heart broke when I saw them. They were a bit above twenty, primarily women and children. Eyes swollen from tears, skin burned from silver, and I could just imagine the extent of the evil in the heart of the attackers. They should have allowed the people to leave peacefully. "Who saw what happened," I asked, and a young, badly burnt boy stepped forward. He was about seventeen. He was the one they gave the letter to give me. I was d for his life. The boy bowed his head, avoiding looking into my eyes and showing submission and respect. My heart was breaking at the sight of what had happened to the people, but I held it together. "Alpha. They came and surrounded us. They looked weird. They asked us to leave thend by morning, but Alpha Micheal provoked them. He did so against Beta Jack''s warning. He told them he would not leave and asked the warriors to be ready to attack. The man leading the intrudersughed at him. He said if we wanted to die, we could stand by our Alpha, but if we wanted to live, we should run and hide because when they started, they would not stop. It sounded like a joke until they started pumping silver Dust in heavy quantities into the air. We could not tell it was the real thing because it did not affect them, but we realised it was the real thing when it started to burn us. People started running, trying to leave, but the men did not allow them. They partially shifted and backed them to the centre, where the Dust was more prominent. That was when a few of us, farther from the centre, ran into our houses. The ones in the centre tried to run but were hit most with the silver; they couldn''t make it, and some died before entering their houses. I hid in a shed far from the centre, observing the massacre." He said, and there was horror in his eyes. "They waited everyone out. They waited until everyone was dead. They knew some of us had survived. They said they did not want anyone on thisnd again. Then one of the men pulled me out from where I hid and gave me this note." He said, showing me a piece of paper. "It is addressed to you, Alpha," he said, and I took it from him. I opened the letter to read it, and it was the scribbles of a mad arrogant man who believed he had already won the war before the battle began. "Devin Corrigan, this is just an example of what will happen in the south if you choose to defy us. We have no issues with the people, but all ruling Alphas in the south must but obey our orders," It read, and my hand shook. I was mad. Why did trouble alwayse knocking? 57 Battles of the heart and mind (Book 2) 57 Battles of the heart and mind (Book 2) ~Susan~ Love could be messed up sometimes, and in my case, most of the time. That was my story when Maurice Volkov threatened my life, and my uncle had to move me to the south. I did not hear anything that day, but the paranoid man believed I did, and for that, I was asked to leave the north or die. Writing the letter to Sylvester was hard, and I shed many tears. Tears that had never stopped falling ever since. I knew he would be heartbroken, but my heart was bound to break more because I knew the truth. While he would hate me, I would have no one but myself to hate for being in the wrong ce at the wrong time. That was twelve years ago now, and my heart was still aching. I never moved on from Sylvester. I couldn''t. I used to dream that we would return to the north one day, and I would see him. I will tell him the truth, and he will forgive me. Unfortunately for me, things did not turn out the way that I wanted. It hurt. I was happy for Sylvester. Tamia was a perfect fit for him and his personality, but where did that leave me? I was stuck in limbo. I could not move forward, and neither could I move backwards. Devin brought light and life into my life, and I had fucked it up. I was afraid that fate would fuck us up, and he had argued otherwise, citing Marcel and Theodore''s love life as an example, but what if we were the exception? Devin thought I still wanted Sylvester, but that wasn''t true. He just reminded me of what I could have had. I also did not miss that he was now fated to Tamia. The moon had blessed them abundantly. I sat in my new room and wept bitterly. I should have said yes when Devin asked me to marry him. I should have thrown caution to the wind and said yes but instead; I said I would think about it. I did not mean to hurt him with my words, but I had seen marriages crushed by fate. However rare the fated bond was, it somehow managed to fuck something up if it came. I was worried that we might get into it and something like that would happen to us. I needed to be brazen and sure. I needed to be determined for it to work out, so I said I would think about it. It wasn''t because of Sylvester. It was to prepare for the unknown. One thing Devin was yet to understand about me is that I suffered from depression. It was a well- kept secret, but it ran in my family. Hence our erratic behaviour. I tried to keep it under control by distancing myself from people and doing things that made me happy, but it was there. My secrets and reluctance to open up had cost me dearly. I loved Devin so much. My wolf Cleo and I could not give him up. I had done everything. I had learned to cook and throw out all my baggage just so it would work. I was determined, but it crushed my soul when he said he would ce me in the friend zone. He was all the family I had now. My uncle and cousin had paid for their crimes with their lives; I was still healing. No matter how evil they were, they were my family, and we loved each other. I missed Glenda so much, and I was always afraid about talking about them with Devin because I knew he hated them. I had to heal alone. How would I heal when I dared not speak of them? I had a lot bottled up, and it hadpounded our issues. "We have lost him, Sue," I told my wolf, Cleo. I could not even go back to the kitchen toplete my meal. The girl who hade to see him seemed into him, and nothing stopped him from getting involved with her. She looked happy and less of a burden. I did not know what to do. I did not want to leave, but I did not want to be a burden. I did not want to force myself on him. "We can''t just give up on Devin like that. He is ours," Cleo said, and Iughed at myself. "I do not know what to do. He does not want us. He let us leave his roomst night, and this morning, when I mistakenly brought up his proposal, he wanted to leave. He is done with us," I told my wolf, tears streaming down my cheeks. "Maybe we should just leave," I told my wolf, and she growled. "Don''t you dare? We always leave. We have never tried to fight for anything. We always let people boss us around, lie to us, manipte us and hinder us from achieving our true potential. So what Devin is mad, we will just have to prove to him that we love him and this is meant to be. We have to stick around for that," my wolf said, and I felt depression sinking in. "I can''t handle seeing him with another woman. I could let go of Sylvester and wish him well, but I couldn''t do the same with Devin. We should leave," I said, and my wolf was silent because she understood what I meant. "We caused this, Sue. We have to deal with it instead of running away as usual," Cleo said, and I shook my head. "Get up and go out there. ster a smile and act like she doesn''t get to you. That girl called us Miss Sullivan for a purpose. We have to make her shove it, Sue. Do not back down." Cleo said, and I reluctantly got up and went to the bathroom in my room. I washed my face to reduce the swelling around my eyes and stepped out of the room. I headed to the living room, and there was no one there. Thinking Alice had gone out with Devin, I decided to clean the kitchen. I entered, and Alice trashed my food and cleaned the ce. I was mad instantly. "What are you doing?" I asked her, and she looked at me. Now that Devin wasn''t around, I knew she would throw away the pretence. She had hated me since Devin brought me home. I knew she wanted him, and I had foolishly created an avenue for her. "What does it look like?" she asked me with a very condescending tone. "I do all the luna duties around her. I mean all." She said, and I did not want to believe that Devin would screw her. "I take care of the pack and Alpha Devin. Since you left, someone had to step in," she said and then turned to look at me. "You know you aren''t needed here anymore. Alpha has moved on. The pack has moved on." She said, and I was stunned by her words. It had only been three months. Three freaking months. I did not say anything to her. I just turned and left. I went to the room I was sleeping in and changed my clothes. The moment I came out, I saw her exiting Devin''s room. She looked at me and winked. Don''t hold your breath, Susan. I will do right by him," she said andughed. She walked away, and I decided to take a walk. I would go into the woods so no one would see me. I might have lost Devin, but I n to get him back. I spent the entire day in the woods in wolf form. Sometimes I would remember my uncle and Glenda. I would brush the thought away so I do not break down. I did not return to the house untilte at night. The moment I stood at the door, I dreaded it. I did not know what I would see, so I braced up and let myself in. Devin was in the living room attending to some files, and I could smell Alice in the house. He looked up at me, and I managed a fake smile. I always try to smile now so that I won''t seem gloomy. He had used me of being a killjoy once because I became sad quickly, so this was me trying not to be that person. Devin was worried, I could see it in his eyes, and I did not know if I should ask him, so I opted for the safest method. I went to sit on a couch close to the one he was sitting on. "Do you mind if I ask you why you are worried?" I asked as politely as I could. "There was a massacre at Pridewood. Over eight hundred died. Some evil bastards came, pumped silver in the air, and ensured the residents could not leave. They inhaled silver and died," he said, pinching his nose''s bridge to fight his tears. I gasped from the horror of what I had heard. "They must have been in agony. It was a painful way to go," he said, and I wanted to reach out to him and hold him, but I knew he wouldn''t want me touching him, so I maintained my distance. "Do you have any idea who these people are?" I asked him, and he shook his head. "I have informed Sylvester and Leo; hopefully, something strong wille up," he said, and I fought my tears from the sadness of the news. Those people did not deserve to die. "Alpha, I am done with dinner. Do you want me to stay?" I heard Alice''s voice and did not want to listen to their discussion, so I opted to excuse myself from the living room. "Are you not eating dinner?" I heard Devin ask. I turned to see whom he was talking to, and he looked at me. I shook my head immediately. I could never eat what Alice had prepared. He looked at me and nodded gradually. "You can hang around. I might still need help," he said, replying to Alice, and I quickly walked to my room. I sat down restless for a bit and then left the room to get a bottle of something strong to help me sleep. This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. I was afraid of seeing something, but I had to. I walked out and headed for Devin''s mini bar. He wasn''t in the living room anymore. There were documents on the coffee table, and I did not need to guess that he had retired to bed with Alice. I felt awful because I had requested that he let me sleep in his bed when I arrived. I startedughing at myself. I knew I sounded crazy, but that was what came out of me. I reached for the forty-seven per cent alcoholic content dry gin bottle and carried it. On my way to my room, Alice stepped out of Devin''s room, fully clothed, and I immediately went to my room. "You still think we shouldn''t leave?" I asked my wolf, and she was silent. I gulped the dry gin and didn''t stop swallowing until halfway through. I was tippy quickly when I put down the bottle because my stomach was empty. I knew I would sleep like a log of wood. I needed it. Iy on my bed and fell asleep. 56 On The Line (Book 2) 56 On The Line (Book 2) ~Susan~ I woke up early in the morning and decided I would get a ss of milk. I shouldn''t have ingested that much alcohol now I was feeling sick. I left my room and headed towards the kitchen when I found Devin on the couch, attending to the documents he had left there. I didn''t know whether to speak to him or just get the ss of milk and leave. "Couldn''t sleep?" he asked me, breaking the ice, and I nodded. "Shouldn''t have drank so much gin," I said, and he looked at me a bit worried. N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. "I am fine, I just wanted to sleep, and it helped, but I guess it was temporary," I said, and he nodded, then put down the file in his hand. He got up and walked up to me. I stood frozen on the spot. I wanted to step back, but there was no need. He had done nothing to me. Devin reached for my face and wiped something away from my cheek. I was embarrassed because it meant I had drooled while sleeping. "Hungry?'' he asked me gently with a smile, and I stood frozen. I couldn''t handle the formality and the friendly treatment. He used to be mine. "Alice left some.." he started, and I shook my head vehemently. I felt rage rising in me just at the mention of her name. I was passive until I got to think of the situation then I got angry. What Alice did was fucked up, and letting her do that was cruel. I did not do anything to him; I just needed space to think things through and be sure. "I don''t want anything your girlfriend has touched, Devin. I get the message. Besides, I will be excusing you two and going back to my uncle''s house in the south," I said, fighting my tears and anger and turning to leave when he held my hand. He held it so tight that I couldn''t walk away from him. I did not want to look at him. I had promised myself not to cry again, and I was trying to keep that promise, but remembering Alice walking out of his room broke mepletely. I never moved on, but he did so quickly. "What do you mean by girlfriend?" he asked gently, and I began tough because my tears had won the battle. "She told me that I wasn''t needed here and that you and the pack had moved on since I Left. She told me she had to step in. I see how well she stepped in, Devin. She did everything in the house and even went to take care of you in the room at night after I had returned to my room. I saw her exit your room smiling, Devin," I said and began tough at myself. "I can''t believe I didn''t figure it out when you insisted you didn''t want me back, and we should just be friends. You didn''t let me sleep in your room, and the next day, you wanted to walk away when I brought up the proposal. I should have figured it out, but I was hoping you would give me a chance. You should have just told me you had moved on, Devin. I wouldn''t have bothered. I would have gone home and tried to heal. This is wicked of you. I might have been unstable with you, but I never did this to you," I said, jerking her hands away from him. "I never hurt you like this. You keep saying I am not over Sylvester, but I am. I do not know why you cannot believe I am over him. I am happy he has found love and wish my life could be like his, happy and fulfilled. That is all, Devin. But you always have to think the worst. You do not know half of what I have to deal with. I am dying inside. How do you think I will feel and cope? I have no family or support system. I am alone. I would have been dead if it weren''t for Sylvester''s law. I can never discuss my pain with you because you were part of the panel that put the rest of my family down. You were not wrong, they were, but that does not erase the fact they were my family, and I loved them. They loved me regardless of their evil. My uncle gave up everything to protect me from Maurice. I could understand why he would want his pound of flesh. As for Glenda, she was just in stupid, but they loved me fiercely. They helped me cope with my pain. Now I have to do it alone, Devin, hence why I''m always sad," I said, crying. "I tried so hard so I don''t infect you with my curse. I wouldugh even when I was dying inside. I did everything. You do not know half of what I have been through. My parents are missing, and no one knows where they are. Uncle Nics raised me on his own after we left the north. I have yet to hear from my folks again. No one talks about it, but it stayed with me. I listen to all your problems and hide mine away because somewhere there, I will mention Sylvester, and that would hurt you. Whether I like it or not, he was there through it all, and it isn''t something I will just erase. " Just like Tamia cannot erase Leo from her life," I said, wiping away my tears. "I only wanted to think about it, Devin. I didn''t say I didn''t want you or love you. I didn''t say I didn''t want to live the rest of my life with you. I didn''t say any of those things. I never gave you a reason to think that way. I just wanted space to deal with my loss and grief so I do not continue to carry the baggage that was killing us. I wanted to be sure that I could handle it if there were a fated in the picture in the future. I wanted to be sure, and you broke up with me, Devin. You used me of still caring about Sylvester and left me alone. I did not hate you for it because I knew my answer, and my behaviour was fucked up, so I tried to deal with my pain alone and then return. It would be best if you told me not to bother. I wouldn''t have intruded." I said, too weak and broken to stand on my feet, so I sat on the couch and bowed my head to cry. "I suffer from depression, Devin, and I have battled with it for years. Sylvester knows he was there through some of it. It is why I constantly have mood swings and react negatively or positively to events. I did not want you to know because, usually, it is a red light for most rtionships. But now you do, and I hope you see that it had nothing to do with Sylvester or you," I said, wiping away my tears. I could not even look at him. I had said much more than I should have, and now I regretted it, but I couldn''t take it back. I forgot about the milk and returned to my room to pack. I nned to leave first thing in the morning. There was no way I would aggravate myself and endure the torture of seeing Alice. I had troubled myself enough. Love andmitment cannot be forced, and I have learned that. Since Devin had moved on, it was only best for me to do the same instead of hanging around like a pathetic fool looking for pity. Cleo was silent through it all, and I knew she was hurting. She did not want us to leave because she had built a bond with Rex, but we were too damaged to hold on to anything. Someone would always edge us out and take it away from us. I heard the door open, and I froze on the spot. I did not want to look at Devin. I was too hurt and ashamed of myself. I tucked the fabric into the bag I was holding and felt Devin advance towards me. He hugged me from behind and kissed my neck, gently breathing in my scent. I tried to still my shaking hands, but I couldn''t. "You should have told me what you were going through. I do not hate your family, Susan. I would have seen you through it," he said, and I began to cry because images of my uncle flooded my mind, and the memories kepting. He was there when no one else was. I hated him for getting involved with Larry and his schemes. I hated Glenda for allowing herself to be used that way. They made decisions that took them away from me. I rested in his arms and began to weep. He turned me around and hugged me. I buried my head in his chest and wept. "I am sorry, baby," he said gently, kissing my head. I let him hold me, and he let me cry. 57 Over The Top (Book 2) 57 Over The Top (Book 2) ~Susan~ Devin held me for a while as I wept bitterly, trying to get a grip on myself. He caressed my back and kept me where I stood. Soon I broke away from his embrace and wiped away my tears. "Thank you for the hug; I needed it," I confessed and picked up my bag to continue packing my things. I couldn''t take his kind gesture as a sign of reconciliation. Devin was kind, and this was him being himself. "Why are you packing your stuff?" he asked me. "I do not want to stay with you. I only came back to fix things, but there is no need for that now," I said confidently because my mind was made up. It was time for me to be alone and survive on my own. "Alice and I aren''t together. I have never touched her. I can never see her that way. She is like a baby sister. I do not know why she would say those things to you, and I will talk to her about it," he said, and relief washed through me that that bitch was lying, but still, it didn''t change the fact that he wasn''t interested. "Well, if that is the case, put her in her ce before she chases someone you care about away. Goddess knows I believed her, and everything that happened yesterday made it seem so," I said and heard Rex growl. "I will put her in her ce," he said, taking my bag from me. "I want you to stay. I haven''t moved on from you, Sue. I don''t want to get hurt again. We fought many times, and I felt you were settling for me. Until you called me and said you wanted toe home, I thought of you and missed you. It hurt me that you weren''t willing to take a leap of fate with me and marry me. It hurt, and I didn''t want to force it anymore. Now I feel like a jerk. Had I known what you were going through, I would have been more patient," He said, and I heard the crack in his voice. "I thought I could move on when I ended things, but it has been hard. I have been a mess," He said and pulled me close. "It took a lot for me to resist you when you returned. It took a lot for me not to call you and beg you toe home. I apologise if my words and actions hurt you. I do not want you to hide anything from me again. I expect you to be in this a hundred per cent, ws and all. I do not care about your condition; we will get through it together. All I care about is you, Susan. Please do not leave me again," he pleaded with me, and I ced my head against his chest and wept, surrendering to my heart''s desire which was him. ''"I told you we should fight for what is ours," Cleo finally said, and I fought the urge tough because joy was rising in me. One I did not expect. "I am sorry my actions made you feel you were in apetition with Sylvester," I finally said, knowing that was the cause of everything and his pain. He caressed my back gently while embracing me. "It is okay, baby. I should have known better than to assume," he said, holding me for a bit. While in his arms, my tummy grumbled, and we bothughed at the timing. "We need to get some food into you," he said, and Iughed because he was right. We went to the kitchen, and Devin heated the leftovers for me. I was jealous because the food tasted delicious. I couldn''t believe that bitch could whip up something this tasty. It made me feel I needed to up my game. He held me for the rest of the night, and I slept like a baby. This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. I woke up to Devin packing his bags. I looked at the clock, and it was eight in the morning. "Go back to sleep. I will pack your bag for you," he said, and I frowned at him, wondering why. "We will be going to Mountain today. Everyone is meeting there. We have to discuss this menace, and you should be with me as my Luna," he said, and my eyes widened. I covered my mouth to stifle the gasp that wanted to escape. His words had woken me up, and I beamed at him. I got off the bed and decided to freshen up in his bathroom. I asked him for a t-shirt, and he gave me a ck one. "I would want it back," he said before I took it from him, and Iughed because I had the habit of not returning his shirts. I doubt I would return this one because it was ck, and I was yet to get a ck one from him. I giggled and then felt there was something on my left hand. I looked at it, and what I saw made me gasp and scream joyfully. It was the yellow diamond ring that Devin used to propose to me some months ago. I stared at it and nodded quickly. "Yes, I will, Yes!" I screamed and hugged him, hopping on him and kissing him. I was ted. This was incredible. A remarkable turnaround, and I nned not to let him down. I let go and stood in front of him. He had a boyish grin, and his blue eyes said a lot. "The Bluemoon is next month. We can make it official then," he said, and I nodded quickly. "If I find my fated mate before or after then, I promise you I won''t hesitate to reject her because my heart and wolf have chosen you to be my mate," he said with determination in his eyes, and I knew he would keep that promise. Sylvester and Tamia had proven to us that keeping that promise was possible, and we nned on it. I was going to do the same. "Me too, Devin. I won''t hesitate," I said with determination and a promise. Devin left what he was doing, and we went to shower together. As much as I wanted him to take me in the shower, he didn''t, and I knew what he was doing. He wanted me to have a build-up. I would wait him out. I was patient like that. Now that he was mine again. I didn''t intend to let him go. We freshened up, and Devin continued to pack while I left the room to head to the kitchen. I wondered if Alice hade around. I couldn''t wait to stick it to her. I was more than happy to do so. I entered the kitchen, and she was, blending some things. She looked at me, and I was shocked to see her smiling. I began to suspect she was up to no good. "Good morning, Luna," she said, and I frowned at her, and she began tough. "I guess I gave you the push you needed to get back with alpha," she said, and I was stunned. I could not believe this woman. "You see, the entire pack was mad that you left him high and dry. I just wanted to teach you a lesson," I wanted tough, but I wanted to p her too. That lesson was cruel and very wicked. "That wasn''t in your ce, Alice," I heard Devin''s angry voice from behind, and the stupid girl bowed her head. "You have no business meddling in my affairs, Alice. Why would you make her believe I was dating you? I did not care if your intentions were good, but you could have harmed her with your actions, and you would have ruined me in the process. I am now relieving you of your duty," Devin said without hesitation, and I was shocked. The girl was in shock too, and began to beg. She was crying seriously, and Devin wouldn''t have it; then she started to beg me. "I did not mean any harm. I swear. I am not even into alpha. Lukman and I have been going steady for a month now. I just wanted to get Luna jealous, so she would get back with you," Alice confessed, and I believed her, but what she did was extreme. Devin wouldn''t have it, and I knew he had a temper, so I told her to excuse us. "You should see it more like a suspension," I told her in the presence of Devin, and Devin wanted to say no, but I touched his hand, and he calmed down. Alice left the kitchen, looking at me hopefully, and I nodded at her to let her know I would talk to him about it. She left, and I went to take over what she was doing, waiting for Devin to calm down. I did my best to finish the breakfast, and we ate. Devin did not want to discuss Alice, and I let it slide in the meantime. Soon it was time for us to leave for Mountain. I was nervous about the trip, but I braced myself for it. I knew I would have fun and make friends if they could look past what Glenda and my uncle did. 58 Telling Those That Matter (Book 2) 58 Telling Those That Matter (Book 2) ~Leo~ What Devin told me left me baffled. I did not know what to do. If it was as serious as he described, it was only fair to involve the king. We could not deal with this bastard independently and were not gically or physically equipped to push back. After speaking to Devin, I took out my phone and called Alexei. He was the only one I could talk to about this, and hopefully, I could get to meet y, and he could borate since he was in the southern region. Amelia was overseeing the packhouse preparation for the arrival of our guests. The ce was too big and ostentatious for our liking, but it was a much-needed space at the moment. Kyle and Max were helping her with the gym and training rooms. I was d she was getting along with the alphas. It would make my life easier. Alexei answered after a couple of rings, and I sighed with relief. I was getting worried when he did not answer the call immediately. "Alpha Leo," he said, almost out of breath. "I''m sorry I was training." He said, apologising, and I could not believe the extent of his humility. He was hard to hate once you started knowing him. "Have you spoken to your brother?" I asked him, and he paused a bit before answering. "Not at all. Is there an issue?" He asked me, sounding worried. "I just want to know the situation in the south. Devin just informed me that an entire settlement was wiped out by what I believe to be the Stepanov cult. They did not leave anyone. ording to him, they wanted thend and asked the people to leave, but the Alpha there refused, and his refusal caused them to pump silver into the air, killing the people in the process." I said, and I heard him gasp. "An entire settlement?!" he eximed. "I can''t wrap my head around it either," I confessed, and he was silent. "It doesn''t make sense why they would want to do that. Thend is useless without the people. They were looking for people to lead," Alexei finally said, and I did not know how to respond. For people that seemed to want to rule us, this was a pretty stupid move unless there was a good reason behind their behaviour that we were yet to find out. "I wonder why y did not inform me of this," Alexei said, and I was silent. The question wasn''t meant for me to answer. "Do you mind if I call my brother and get back to you?" he asked, and I sighed. "Not at all. Any insight into the matter would be great," I said, and he sighed. "Andrew is on his way to me right now. He sounded hysterical when we spoke. I hope it had nothing to do with the southern attack. I will call y and get back to you. He is likely to know more," He said, and I thanked him and hung up. I sat on my couch in the living room, raking my mind for ideas. These people were beyond us. They were enhanced, and they were strong. They were also motivated and had nothing to lose. They were not good enemies to have. We stood no chance in one-on-onebat with them. We did not stand a chance at all, and they knew it hence why they were emboldened. I did not understand why they woulde out now. They had all these abilities, speed and skill; why did they not attack Maurice? Why try to use Larry twice? The second time around, they tried to mess Sylvester up politically. They did note out until now. What had changed? I needed to find out what had shifted that made them either emboldened or desperate. It was one of the two. These people were out of the shadows. I took out my phone and decided to call Sylvester. I would have called Tamia instead, but I chose to speak to her husband this time around. Knowing they would soon being the east, I needed to inform them of the incident so they could be on guard. The cult was moving, and it was time for us to devise a solid n that would remain between us. We do not need to trust anyone with it. We just needed a n that was likely to work. I dialled Sylvester''s number, and he answered immediately. "Leo!" Sylvester said, sounding jovial on the phone. It baffled me that what I had to say would spoil his happy mood. It wasn''t my fault. It was just the way things were. "When are you alling to the east?" I asked, and heughed. "Eager to see us?" he said, thinking I was anxious about their arrival. I did not know how to put it to him, but I had to find a way. "There was an attack in the southst night into the morning. Devin called me to inform me about it," I said, and he did not say a word. "They wiped out the entire settlement in Pridewood," I said, and Sylvester eximed. "He said they came and asked the residents to leave. Exactly what they did to Kyle, but unlike Kyle, alpha Micheal did not think he should leave the ce. He paid for his defiance with his life and that of the people on the settlement." I said, and we were quiet. It took a while before Sylvester finally spoke. I heard a crack in his voice, and I knew he was processing the news. "Who are these people? What are these things?" he asked, and I cleared my throat to answer him. I was trying to put it off until they came, but things had sped up a bit. It was only fair I helped them catch up. "I was going to tell you this in person, but as things are now, I should tell you over the phone," I said, and he told me he was listening. Iposed myself before I mustered the strength to reveal what Alexei had told me. "Alexei came by my pack yesterday morning. I invited him to study his bodynguage because of what happened to Kyle. He honoured my invitation. I thought he was involved, but he blew everything wide open after speaking to him," I said and sighed. "Alexei, y and Amelia are siblings," I confessed, hoping I wasn''t getting my mate in trouble. I did not want to drag her into this, but she was in the middle of it. "Please, Sylvester, Amelia has no hand in any of this shit," I said up front, and he assured me he wasn''t thinking that way. I sighed and continued to speak. "Apparently, when Dimitri Volkov killed Adrik Stepanov, he did not know Adrik had a pregnant mate. She fled to the east and had their son Luis Ivanov whoter fathered Alexie, y and Amelia. They aren''t from the same mothers. While Adrik''s mate fled, other Stepanovs fled and went into hiding. That was how the cult was formed. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. The same cult that Larry joined. The same cult that sponsored the uprising against your father and you. The very cult that troubles us now..." I said, and he eximed. "Remember when Larry said there was more toe? He wasn''t bluffing. We should have listened to Lord Lucas. We should have dug deeper," I told him, and he did not say a word. "So, is this Alexei and y part of the cult?" he asked, and I said no. "In fact, they have been hunting them. They tried to get Luis Ivanov to join them and their cause. He yed it safe for a bit and soon outrightly refused. When he refused, they attacked him, and he asked Alexei''s mother to flee to the north with their son. She did so, and they survived until the cult caught and killed her, leaving Alexei alone to fend for himself. At the same time Alexei and his mother were hiding in the north, Luis had to settle down with an easterner to blend in. That was how he had y, and his family in the north knew of his eastern family. They finally found where he was, and he had to flee to the west to save their lives. That was where he hooked up with Gezel Westwood, Amelia''s mother, who is still in hiding because of the cult. They had Amelia, and the cult no longer wanted him to join; they wanted Amelia so the head of their group, Erik Kozlov, could mate with her for superior pups. Taking them back to the days they practised inbreeding to concentrate the genes. Erik''s rtedness to Amelia is too distant to be regarded as inbreeding, but you get the logic," I said, and he sighed. I told him the rest of the things Alexei told me, including what he said about Andrew. Sylvester was silent for forty seconds before speaking. "And he willingly volunteered this information?" he asked me, and as stupid as it sounded, that was the truth. The burden must have been too much for Alexei to carry, so he confided in me. It could also be because he knew his sister was mine permanently. Whatever the case, something had urged him to open up to me, and it shone a light on the situation. "So, we are dealing with a cult," Sylvester said, and I agreed. "I was going toe next week, but expect us in two days." He said. He also sounded urgent. "I also want Alexei and y present. I want to interrogate them myself. Amelia is your mate, but I have no connection with them other than the fact that they are my rtives. They are likely to show me their true colours faster," He said, and I feared that he might do something rash. He was king. I had no power over whatever he did. All I could do was plead on their behalf. "Whatever you do, know that we need them in our corner," I said, and he chuckled. "If they can be trusted, there will be no reason to do anything bad to them," He said. I thanked him and hung up. I knew their arrival would make things a bit hectic. 59 Preparing For Guests (Book 2) 59 Preparing For Guests (Book 2) ~Amelia~ I linked Macy in the morning to get the Omegas ready to help with the packhouse. The ce was like a mansion, bigger than the yman''s house in lund. Seeing the ce made me realise that Leo was a very simple man. He had built the ce four years ago while still married to Tamia because he was required to have something like it as head Alpha, but the couple never moved in. I couldn''t me Tamia for her choice. Seeing they did not want to live here, I wondered how she coped with living in a pce. People often went out of their way for love. I would not live in this ce once the issue is over. I hope we move back to our little house. Too much space is terrible when building a home, and this ce provides precisely that. It had neen rooms which were different from the number Leo gave me. I guess he must have forgotten the count. Three dining rooms. A lounge, a dance room, a library, four offices, a training room, Gym, and a gaming room. A room that looked like it was meant for women to practice their hobbies. A yroom for children, home cinema. Three kitchens, each serving a dining room, all exclusive of the neen bedrooms, all ensuite. What the hell were Tamia and Leo thinking to build this thing? I had the mind of turning it into a hotel and making some money off the ce when all this was over. I knew Leo already owned three hotels, but I wouldn''t want this building to waste away because there was no way I would live here. Everyone who worked closely with Leo had a small house like ours in the settlement. Having a structure like this was required but unnecessary. Macy came with thirty Omegas. They met me at the Packhouse entrance, and neither dared look into my eyes. I saw my friends there, the ones that tried to disrespect me. It was cute seeing them fix their gaze on the ground. I wondered what the kappas did. Knowing women weren''t taken advantage of in Mountain made me suspect they were publicly shamed, as their Alpha had implied. "Good morning Luna," they said in unison, and I smiled and nodded. Macy looked at me, awaiting orders. She was never rude or unkind to me, but I did not warm up to her for fear that she couldn''t be trusted. So far, she had been good, and she had not worked against me in any way. She wouldn''t even dare dream it now. I smiled at her, and her eyes softened a bit. "I am putting you in charge of this task, Macy. I trust you, and I know you will do an excellent job. We have guestsing tomorrow, so I need this building ready for all of us to stay in. Leo and I will be moving here too. Do you think this ce will be ready by evening?" I asked her, and she nodded. "Yes, Luna. We clean it asionally, so the work will be a little as the building isn''t dusty. I will also ensure the kitchen and stores are equipped for your guests." She added, and I nodded. "All right, let''s go in," I said, and Macy frowned at me, looking confused. "What is the matter?'' I asked her. "You do not need to stress yourself, Luna," She said, and Iughed. "We are going to clean this ce together. Alpha Kyle and Max are joining us soon. I can''t be idle all day," I said, and she smiled at me. We went in and went to work. I watched as Macy organised the women. She was really inmand, and she did it so well. By afternoon I told her we needed to take a break and eat. Kyle and Max had joined us but were not with thedies by then. They ensured the training room and gym equipment were in good shape. We wanted to avoid any mishaps when our guests arrived. We needed to change faulty equipment before they arrived. "Luna," one of the Omegas called Vanessa said, approaching me, and I did not know what she wanted. "There are some things in one of the Master rooms that we are unsure of what to do with them," she said, and mischief was in her eyes. I could also smell it. She would have informed Macy and note to me directly if her intentions were good. I was up for the challenge and stood up to follow them. "I will go, Luna," Macy said, and I shook my head. "You can join me. I want to see the items Vanessa felt important for me to see," I said, looking at Vanessa, and she wasn''t smiling. She tried to look innocent, but I could see past her. I was used to Omegas and their schemes. I grew up with them. Their wolf rank made them great schemers. They naturally always tried to scheme to deal with someone they viewed as an opponent; most of these women believed I fucked my way to the top. I don''t care; they would have done it, too, if it were easy. We went up the grand staircase to one of the master''s bedrooms. Seeing the door, I ced Tamia and Sylvester in that room. I hoped they would visit one day and get to stay in it. It was supposed to be meant for Leo and me, but they were our Mornarchs; they deserved nothing but the best. Vanessa opened the double french door, and I entered the room. It was exquisite, but that wasn''t the only thing that was exquisite about the room. It had pictures of Leo and Tamia on the wall. I went to examine therge and small frames. They weren''t dusty, so it meant they were just put up, and I could smell Vanessa on them. Stupid Omega. "This is meant to be the masters, so I do not know what to do about the pictures," the bitch said, and I startedughing. It was hrious. Did she think I was petty? Stupid girl. "Take down the ones with Queen Tamia and Leo. Leave the ones with just the queen on the walls," I said, not wanting King Sylvester to see pictures of Tamia and Leo. The ones that had just her were gorgeous, and I knew she would appreciate them on the walls. She might even take them to the north if she likes it. I just hope they visit us one day. "What about her clothes and jewellery that are in the closet?" Vanessa asked me. "Leave it there. She is queen. She will stay here whenever she cares to visit. I am sure she would love the arrangement," I said, and Macy smiled at me. I honestly have nothing to worry about. Tamia was taken, and I was taken. I wasn''t living in her shadow. Leo and I were in a great ce. There was no time that I was in competition with her, so it could never bother me. In fact, I weed Leo and Tamia''s friendship. She will always look out for him and me if needed. "This is the best room, Luna," Vanessa said, and I nodded. "I figured, and it is fit for a queen. The second best would be perfect for Leo and me," I said, and everyone was silent. "Take the two frames with Leo and Tamia to our house," I said, and Macy moved quickly. I turned to Venessa, who did not look pleased with my reaction and tried to mask it. "So why did you put them up, Vanessa? Leo put those things in storage in this building. Where are you trying to tell me something by it?" I asked her, knowing her intentions, and she shook her head. "Those pictures were put up just now and had your scent. Why do that and call me toe and see?" I asked her, and I moved closer to her. "I am usually passive with Omegas because I understand your plight of being low-ranked. I grew up with your kind, so I understand, but you women would never learn. Trying to hurt my feelings is low. Did you think I would cry when I saw Leo''s picture with Tamia? I have a mark that says otherwise, Vanessa; this was very low," I said, and she shook her head. I raised my hands and pped her. Everyone was shocked. "I pleaded with Leo to be lenient, but you women never learn. Anyone who tries to mess with me again would be dealt with effectively," I said, linking a kappa to join us in the masters. I turned to Macy to give an instruction. "Vanessa will be sweeping the streets henceforth. I do not want to have any dealings with her; am I clear?" I told Macy, and she nodded quickly, still holding the picture frames. The Kappas arrived, and I ordered them to take Vanessa away. I decided to address the rest of the girls. "I will make an example of anyone who disrespects me again. I will be kind if you are nice and behave, but I will unleash my wrath on you if you decide to make me a rival. I am not your rival; I am your luna. The earlier you all get that, the better for all of you," I said. "Sorry, Luna, we had no hand in this," they said, and I knew they were telling the truth, but it was necessary to state it. Macy had an Omega take the frames with Leo and Tamia back to our house while they continued the work. The mansion was ready by evening, and I retried home. Leo and I moved to the pack house the following morning. He wanted us to stay in the masters, but when he entered the ce, he figured I had prepared it for Tamia and Sylvester. "Why?" he asked, looking at the room. "She is queen, and she was once Luna of the east. If she ever visits, she will have a ce to stay, just like they created a ce for you in the Volkov estate. And you aren''t even from the north," I teased, and he smiled at me. I figured he was hiding something but did not want to push it. He would tell me eventually when the need arose. "So we have to settle for the other main bedroom," I added, and heughed. "Tamia will love what you did to the room," he said, and I was d it made him smile. We settled into our room, but it was strange. I knew we would adjust eventually. Devin Corrigan and his fianc¨¦ arrived at noon, and I allocated a room to them. They were both blondes with blue eyes; I could only imagine how their children would look. Her name was Susan, and she was fascinated with my eyes and hair. She reminded me a lot of Avery but a more reserved version. I could see us being friends. N?velDrama.Org owns all content. I hoped the people of the north would visit because I was already missing Linda. Chapter 222 -60 Unease (Book 2) Chapter 222 -60 Unease (Book 2) ~Leo~ I was surprised to see Devin with Susan. I pretty much remembered him saying he was done thest time I saw him. I wondered what had changed. They looked happy, and I knew they had just got back together. I wouldn''t ask him about it, but I would be happy if he volunteered the information. Amelia sat on the couch in our bedroom and sighed. I knew the ce would need a little-getting- used-to, and I couldn''t me her. Tamia had felt the same way about the ce, so we did not move in when it waspleted. I felt it was better to have my officers and me living in our bungalows. It gave us all the privacy that we needed. Living here would be difficult for both of us, but it was something we had to put up with. I was yet to tell Amelia that our northern friends wereing. I wanted it to be a surprise. Seeing the room she had prepared for Tamia and Sylvester blew me away. She gave them the best room and hung Tamia''s old pictures on the wall. I wondered what she did with the rest of them. I dared not ask her, but I knew she would find a way to keep them. She wasn''t the jealous kind, and she knew she was the only woman in my heart. That was enough to put my mind at ease. "Do you know they are engaged?" Amelia said, beaming from ear to ear, and I frowned, wondering whom she was talking about. "Alpha Devin and Susan. I did not miss the engagement ring on her finger," Amelia said, and I wondered how she managed to assess Susan so quickly. They did not say too much to each other, but Amelia had taken to her quickly. I had reservations about Susan, but I would respect Devin''s choice. I wasn''t so good in the judgement department either. If I were, I wouldn''t have gotten into Amanda''s trap. Overall, her uncle and cousin were the traitors, not her. Her only crime was trying to get back with Sylvester after he had moved on with Tamia. The event yed in my mind whenever I saw Susan; I hoped I could let it go. "Good for them," I said to Amelia, and she smiled at me. "I can''t believe we moved into this ce to amodate them," Amelia said, looking at our bedroom, and I sighed. "Not really; my parents are on their way. Hopefully, they will show up this time. I also do not know if we will receive more guests from the south. We have to be prepared. There is no space in our bungalow," I exined, and she agreed. "So, who will do the cooking here?" Amelia asked, and I did not figure that part out. I knew she liked handling my food, so it was only expected that she would want to do the same thing here. I also felt it would be rude to eat separately from our guests. "Alpha, Alpha Corrigan is searching for you," I heard a Kappa''s voice in my head, and I knew he wanted to discuss the incident in the south. I did not know how to respond to Amelia''s question about food, so I went with the best response. "Whatever you decide, I am up for it," I said, quickly leaving the room before she said anything else. Iughed while walking down the corridor because of Amelia''s surprised and confused look when I was leaving. It would be best if she instructs the Omega to cook, but I will allow her to decide on her own. I walked quickly until I got to the lounge. To my surprise, Susan was there, and then I felt a pang of guilt for leaving my mate in our room. "Join me in the lounge," I linked to Amelia immediately. No response came, but I knew she heard me and knew she woulde. Silence was usually a good thing with Amelia because she was bold enough to always speak her mind. N?velDrama.Org owns all content. I sat on the couch, and Susan greeted me again. "What made you move out of your shoebox?" Devin asked, holding a drink in his hand, and I laughed. "Call it whatever you must, but it is my Haven," I replied, and heughed. "Just joking; what made you move to the packhouse," He asked me on a serious note. "Too many guests and no space for them to upy. This was the best way to go about it," I said, and he looked around the lounge. "I do not see anyone here, Leo," he said; and I nodded. "Yet," I corrected. "No one is here except you two, of course, but the guest would build up," I assured him, and he nodded. He touched Susan''s hands gently and smiled at her. "I want to inform you that we are getting married on the night of the blue moon," Devin said, and I acted surprised. I was surprised, too, because I wasn''t expecting Amelia''s observation to be that urate, but it was. "Wow, that quick?" I said, and he nodded. "I didn''t want to waste any more time. We''d wasted enough," Devin said, stating his reasons, but he wasn''t my concern. The fickle-minded Susan was my biggest concern. What happens when she gets up and says she is no longer interested? I kept my reservations to myself because I could be wrong. I congratted them. Amelia walked in at that moment, and Susan smiled at her. She sat beside me with a couldn''t-stay- away-from-me look on her face, making me chuckle a bit. "Your eyes are gorgeous, Luna," Susan said, and I could swear that was the second time I would hear her say it. I also knew she wasn''t being sarcastic. The look in her eyes showed that she was mesmerised and fascinated by Amelia''s eyes. "Thank you," Amelia said, and Devin frowned at me. "Luna? That quick, couldn''t wait for the bluemoon?" He asked, and Iughed. "Amelia and I are fated," l said, and Devin was surprised. He was stunned for a bit and then paused. "You are one lucky man," he finally said, congratting me, and I nodded and smiled. While we spoke, Amelia got up, and I wondered what she wanted to do. "It is almost dinner. I want to cook something for us," Amelia said, and Susan beamed at her. "I would love to help out in the kitchen. Hanging out with someone that could cook would help improve my skills. May I join you?" Susan asked quickly, and Amelia smiled and nodded. Usually, I would join her, but it seemed Devin had something important to discuss with me that could not wait. We watched our mates leave the lounge and head to the kitchen. The moment they left, I looked at Devin, and he sighed and sank into the chair, rxing his back on the backrest, looking tired. "What is going on?" I asked him, and he sighed. "I am in trouble, Leo," he said and handed me a sheet of paper. I opened it to read what it contained. "Devin Corrigan, this is just an example of what will happen in the south if you choose to defy us. We have no issues with the people, but all ruling Alphas in the south must obey our orders," It read, and I was in shock. These fuckers were trying to take over the entire south. "What do you n on doing with this?" I asked him, and he bowed his head. "I do not know, Leo. Did you receive something like this when Brent was overrun?" he asked, and I shook my head, but then again, Kyle wasn''t defiant. He obeyed and fled with his people. "What changed?" he asked me, and I could not answer the question. "What did Alexei tell you precisely that made you trust him?" he said, and I did not say I trusted the guy; I only said I believed him. Those were two separate things. I sighed and told him all Alexei had told him, and Devin was in shock. He was so stunned that he was sweating even though the lounge was cool. "Leo, we are fucked!" he said, and I knew the feeling. I had those words dancing in my head. None of us stood a chance against these people. A few might have been all right, but an army was impossible to defeat. After fighting them in the north, I knew we were finished. Had Amelia not been there, we would have died. They would have just left us to die with silver in our system. "What is Sylvester saying about this? Because this is his problem too," Devin asked, and I sighed. "We are in the same predicament, but he ising here tomorrow," I said, and Devin shook his head. "His presence won''t fix anything," Devin stated, and I knew his fear. Anyone seeing what those things could do would be afraid. Kyle was lucky he did not put his ego above his pack members. He would have ended up like Micheal. "We need a n fast," Devin said, and I knew he was in the right even though he sounded agitated. My phone buzzed, and I took it out to answer. It was Alexei. "Alexei," I said, and Devin looked up curiously and eagerly. If Devin had his way, he might have taken the phone from me to speak to Alexei. "Andrew and I are on our way to you. y is also with us, and he would like to meet Amelia. I hope it is okay with you?" he said, and I knew Amelia would be more than happy to meet her brother. "I do not have a say in that, and you know she would want to meet him. So it is fine," I said, and I heard him chuckle. "I asked Andrew about the south, and a lot is happening. I do not think it is wise for alpha Corrigan to antagonise them. They n on taking it. It is as if they want Sylvester to know of their existence. I can''t exin it. Andrew said it, but you should hear it from him directly." He said, and I paused. "I will also advise you to keep calm so we can devise a n after you have heard all he has to say. It seems we are dealing with two factions. One more forceful than the other," he said, and that wasn''t good news, but I maintained my calm because Devin was freaking out already, and he did not have the phone to ears. This update would take him off the bend. "I will be expecting all of you," I said calmly and hung up. Devin looked at me with concern, and I smiled. "Alexei is on his way with his brother and cousin. I believe they would exin the incident in the south better." I told him, and he nodded. "You need to rx, Devin," I said, and he sighed. "You didn''t see what I saw, Leo. Those people were brutal. What concerns me is that it won''t be a fair fight. Fighting them will be likembs going to the ughter. They have an unfair advantage, those bastards. Their existence alone is an abomination. No one should have that much power," He said, and I growled at him. "Well, your mate exclusive," he added quickly, sipping his drink. Knowing whatever Alexei had to say wouldn''t make it better, I braced myself for Devin''s reaction. Chapter 223 -61 Meeting Andrew and Clay (Book 2) Chapter 223 -61 Meeting Andrew and y (Book 2) ~Leo~ Amelia and Susan cooked a delicious dinner and then served the food at the table together. I did not need anyone to tell me Amelia was protective of what goes into our stomachs. The fact that she did not trust the Omegas also was a part of it, but I appreciated her efforts. Devin praised the meal at the table; when it was time for dessert, he was more than willing to dig in. I could tell he maintained a strong facade for Susan''s benefit, and Imended him. Not wanting Susan to worry was sweet of him, but unlike him, I could not hide what I felt from Amelia. She might not ask, but I knew she knew I was worried. We were connected, so hiding my emotions would be pointless. "Both of you made this?" Devin asked, tasting the fudge, and Susan smiled. "Amelia is a professional, and she has decided to take me under her wings," Susan said, smiling gratefully, looking at Amelia and thanking her. It was clear the women had fun in the kitchen. I wished I could have fun too. Max and Kyle did not join us. They remained at the bungalow. Knowing the lords wereing made them ufortable about staying in the packhouse. I could understand, but I hoped it would be temporary, and they could sit and talk like Sylvester and me. After dinner, Devin and I returned to the lounge to wait for Alexei. Alexei arrived at ten in the night. I wondered why it took so long, but I knew he would borate once I saw him. Casper brought them to the packhouse lounge, and I did not need to guess why it took long for them toe. The three of them were shirtless, and their shorts seemed stolen. It only meant they had been in a fight. y''s hair was white, and he had grey eyes. I figured they were contact lenses. He was easily six feet six inches and brawny. He also had tattoos that bled to his neck. His face looked more like Amelia''s but with harder edges. Had I seen him first, I would have connected the dots. He greeted me politely and greeted Devin, who seemed reserved. I could understand Devin''s reservations. y was a problem for him in the south, just like Alexei was a problem for me in the east. The third person with them had brown hair but moon eyes like Amelia''s. He wasn''t wearing contacts. He seemed six feet two and very muscr with sharp edges. He also had a tan. The three of them would have done well in the modelling industry. I offered them seats, and Casper went to get them joggers. "What happened?" Devin asked, beating me to the question. "Andrew was being tailed. They attacked us. There were about seven of them. He was lucky he was with us when they found him; he would have been dead," Alexei said, and yughed, and Andrew ruffled his hair. They were rxed and free. "Would have faired well if I had your genes," Andrewined, and yughed at him. It seemed killing the attackers was easy for the brothers. It made me wonder what they could do. "Why do they want to kill you, Andrew?" I asked the guy. "Because they figured I was feeding y and Alexei with information?" He said quickly, and that was usible. Not good enough, but reasonable. "The group split in two, and most of the members that are unrted to us have either died or left. Some are being hunted. See my attack more as Erik tying up loose ends." Andrew exined. "What happened in the south," Devin asked the question that concerned him the most. He wasn''t up for pleasantries. They weren''t his inws. Alexei raised his palm to plead with Devin to be patient. "Andrew will tell us everything he knows," Alexei said, and just then, some omega brought them sses of juice and spring rolls. They collected it politely and thanked them. Even though they were pretty omegas, the men did not spare them a look which meant they were disciplined and could not be caught off guard. It was a good quality in an ally but not an enemy. "Erik and Yuri are having an issue," Andrew said, and I frowned. "Who is this, Yuri?" I asked immediately. "Yuri is our father''s first cousin, the son of Adrik''s brother, Ighor. Erik''s mother fled to the east with him, so the two grew up like brothers, but they are distant cousins," He exined I had nothing to say about it, so I was quiet. "Yuri started the group. It was a group then, but it transformed into a cultter. Yuri started the group so we could all be in touch and help each other. My father, Uncle Erik and Uncle Ilya helped Uncle Yuri fish out everyone that fled and survived the massacre. It was a gradual process that took years. They found all our rtives twenty-nine years ago when theypleted the search and recruitment. Luis, the true Stepanov heir, was the only member who refused to join. Their main aim was to restore glory to our bloodline. Luis said he did not want anything to do with the lordship, so the family leadership was given to Yuri. Yuri was not pleasant, but he tried to be fair and diplomatic. They started nning ways to reverse Dimitri''s order by cancelling the lordship and cing the council above all. The n was to swoop in and take out the council, then install Yuri as King; with this n, the Volkovs won''t be able to do anything because the council would have stripped the Volkovs of their power by being above them and abolishing their royalty. It was a good n, but they would not be able to achieve this n without members that weren''t from our bloodline. Members that could mingle. Members that were part of the government and could make things happen, so they remained on the low. It became a cult when every male Stepanov, mated or not, was required to impregnate as many women as possible. They would settle the women and take the babies from them. They did this to build an army of people with Stepanov genes. Erik also carried out some experiments following the form of the sessful trial, and it worked. He was able to have pregnant women that weren''t Stepanovs but were nning on giving up their babies for adoption sign up for this trial. They would pay handsomely and collect the babies. The result could have been better, but it was good enough. Those babies are the ones in their army now. To achieve their goals, they started recruiting people without Stepanov genes. They went after people that had issues with the north or the Volkovs. Maurice''s activities in the west did not help matters then. My father told me Maurice was like Dimitri. My father and uncles thought they were doing the right thing. They thought they were ridding the world of menace by taking down the Volkov bloodline, but they did not know that to fight a monster, they were bing monsters too. Erik believed Yuri was moving too slowly. He stylishly took over by convincing everyone that Yuri wasn''t fit to lead them. I do not know how because my father was the one that was there. They ced Erik above Yuri but allowed Yuri to be second inmand. Erik worked harder than Yuri. He visited people in disguise and convinced them to join. Top families in the west, north, east and south. Then one day, the opportunity fell on theirp when a council member named Larryined to his friend in a bar about his need for revenge. Unknown to Larry, his friend was a cult member, and that was how he was introduced to Erik. They promised to support him with everything he needed, and he promised to help them cancel the lordship when the council throws the Volkovs. With the help of top Alphas from the west and east, Larry almost seeded, but Maurice caught on, and that operation ended. That was the closest the cult had gotten to victory since its inception, so Larry became a valuable member. They supported everything he wanted with the condition that his life was forfeit if he ever got caught. They were not bold or strong enough to have his dealings lead back to them. Those who participated in Larry''s first uprising were killed, leaving the few to go into hiding. Erik believed in what Larry was trying to do and decided they would try again when the time was right. Maurice was too difficult for them, and by the time they got Maurice, a new lord had been installed, one more fierce than his father, Sylvester Volkov. Sylvester was brutal and quick to action. He never left an enemy alive, and that was a problem for the cult. Like Sylvester, we had taken over from our fathers by then, but the old men were still in charge. Yuri told Erik they should take the south and east and leave the north for the Volkovs. Erik refused and said the Volkovs would pay for what they did to their n. They contacted Larry again and sponsored another uprising well nned than the first, but this time, Sylvester had help from all of you. Things just did not work in the cult''s favour. It was even worse because now Sylvester Volkov had installed himself as king, meaning taking over the north would not be possible until the king and lords were dead. That was when Erik and Yuri disagreed. Erik wanted the Volkovs dead, while Yuri would settle for taking the east and south and ruling it as king. They did not bother to fight about it. Each carried out their ns. N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. Yuri sent his loyal men to take overpacks that shared a border with the east and south. From there, they would have sessfully divided our world, and instead of having four regions, it will just be two, north and south. Erik concentrated on getting people to the north to finish the Volkovs and those bearing their mother''sst names. For Erik to install himself as king, every person in the Volkov lineage must die because Sylvester Volkov is the first original king in hundreds of years. He was chosen and ced there. It wasn''t the old Mornach but a new one, and because of that, there would be no alternating between the two ns. When Alexei and y took over the eastern and srouthern packs, Yuri knew he would no longer have the element of surprise. He figured someone had informed them of their ns to take those packs. The packs were in strategic ces. To get into the east, they must go through Hill Valley, Brentwood, and then Brent to get to Mountain. Once Mountain is down, the rest of the east falls under them, likewise the south. They moved faster in the south because, unlike the east, which had members in the cult protecting it, the foreign members in the cult from the south had no sentiments toward the south. Mainly the Sullivans. They are a southern family with roots in the north, but Maurice bullied them out of their status. He wanted their life at a point. I do not know what happened, but they had to flee and leave their daughter for their brother to raise," he said, and I was shell-shocked because those were Susan''s parents, but I kept silent and looked at Devin. He had connected the dots too. Andrew looked at me, a bit worried whatever he had to say was difficult. I knew it and braced myself for it. "Your parents were members until recently when Yuri said he wanted to take the east. I believe they are currently on the run," he confessed, and I was speechless. It was as if my air supply had been cut off briefly. I did not know if I should believe him or not. Chapter 224-62 Still On The Issue (Book 2) Chapter 224-62 Still On The Issue (Book 2) ~Leo~ I sat still for a bit, trying to process what Andrew had just told me. I did not want to believe him, but my parents weren''t around to defend themselves. Judging by their call, they did sound like they were in trouble and on the run from something. If what Andrew had just told us was true, then this shit was bigger than us. Devin, white as a sheet, leaned forward to speak to Andrew. "Are you telling us the truth?" he asked, and Andrew nodded. "I have no reason to lie." Andrew defended. " Study their pattern, and you will see. Erik ns to wipe out the royals and their entire n, starting with the lords, their children, and the King, his mate and children. He believes that once they are out, the rest of the families will be easy to kill. Then he would install himself as the new King. Yuri ns to take over the south and east and install himself as King. He isn''t interested in killing the Volkovs. Once Mountain and Greenville falls, he would control the two regions. As for Amelia, Erik ns to mate her with his son, Maksim, for the stronger pup. The bastard experimented on his mate a lot, and his son is the closest he could get to Adrik''s genes, so he hunted Luis until he killed him. Erik had always wanted Luis dead because, with Luis out of the way, Erik had a chance of being the heir," Andrew said that was a wed reason because Yuri was Luis''s first cousin. " Wouldn''t the burden fall on Yuri after Luis''s death?" I asked, and Andrew nodded. "Following the natural order, Erik did not n on doing that. Yuri would have been killed if Sylvester Volkov did not install himself as King." Andrew said. "So you mean Erik would murder the only person that would give him im to the throne? The only person that is working with him for his ambition?" Devin asked, and Andrew sighed. "What drives the two of them is different. Whereas Yuri wants to avenge his family and restore their glory, Erik wants to rule the world. He wanted to attain a height he would have never reached under normal circumstances. On the surface, they seem to both aim for the same thing, but they aren''t. Yuri is still pained by the death of his father and uncle. What Dimitri did was unforgivable. Setting Adik up just to kill him was wrong," Andrew said, and I wanted him to tell me more. I was in the middle of it, so I needed to know everything. "What did Dimitri im that Adrik did?" I asked, hoping they could tell me their side of the story. So far, we had only known Volkov''s side. Andrew took a deep breath. "Did you not wonder why Dimitri took everything that happened and buried it, forbidding people from speaking of it or passing the history to their children?" He asked, and I nodded. I always wondered why. "It was because the Volkovs were in the wrong. Gregory deceived Adrain to help him take over the council as lord. They agreed on a rotation of power, and there was a document of which we still have a copy with both their stamps and signatures attesting to that agreement. After they had seeded, Gregory wanted to go first. Being patient and peaceful, Adrian was okay with it because it would automatically fall on his son, Adrik, when the time came. Adrian was killed a few yearster, and we suspected it was Gregory''s doing. The Volkovs hated the Stepanovs and saw them as an abomination because of the inbreeding and the modifications that we did to ourselves. Where we chose alchemy to strengthen our lineage, the Volkovs isted and concentrated the alpha genes hence why only the Alpha heirs of the ruling line are allowed to bear Volkov. Until Maurice, no heir was allowed to mate with other breeds less than Alpha. Maurice broke that law by mating with Stephanie Balyeave, and Sylvester broke thatw with his delta queen, Tamia Riverstorm. That was how the Volkovs increased their strength. So both ns did something to ensure they never get disgraced again. Gregory still had that sentiment about the Stepanovs and decided we would never rule. He killed Adrian; I believe this because the Volkovs are evil, and he had everything to gain from it. Then went on to include hisw in the copy of the agreement stating requirements that he knew a Stepanov would never attain. He said the heir must be of Alpha genes and have themand knowing that the Stepanovs do not have Alphas in their bloodline. The Stepanovs did not know of this modification, and he kept it secret in cohorts with the corrupt council, indirectly qualifying Dimitri for the position when it should have been given to Adrik. When he died, they read thew and named Dimitri heir. This angered Adrik, and he chose to challenge Dimitri for the lordship. Adrik would have won if it was a fair fight, but they put three people in the box with him, iming his silver immunity puts Dimitri at a handicap. A Sidorov and an Orlov were put in the ring with him, and Dimitri won. Not wanting to take defeat, Adrik pulled up our agreement to argue that the modification was not made with the knowledge of his father. He also sought retribution for his father''s murder and Gregory''s illegal modification of the agreement. That would have put a taint in Volkov''s name, so Dimitri moved to have him officially killed by staging an attack that threatened his life and iming it was Adrik that did it. It was easy to believe because Adrik had been annoyed and seeking justice. It was easy to believe he would move to initiate justice for himself out of frustration. That was how Adrik was found and murdered along with our family. Most of our grandparents knew what would happen when they arrested Adrik, which was why they could flee. N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. They fled with nothing. While some fled with their wealth in gold, others had nothing but the clothes on their backs and went into hiding, dyeing their hair and using sunsses." He said, and I could not believe Sylvester came from such vile people. One thing I knew was that the evil stopped with Dimitri. Maurice never attacked anyone unless they posed a threat. He was a sick fuck but a reasonable one, likewise Sylvester too, but unlike his father, he wasn''t sick, and he was kind-hearted. "Yuri cannot forgive that injustice, but he is not keen on wiping out the Volkovs. He wants to reinstate the glory of our family by dividing our world into two. On the other hand, Erik wants to take it all," Andrew said. "Won''t their ambitions counter each other? Won''t Erik want Yuri''s half eventually if they both seed?" I asked, and Andrew nodded. "Yes. Some of us believe that. And we believe that Erik is just using Yuri to get the other half while he goes after the main power. We believe he will act like Gregory Volkov and betray Yuri just like Gregory betrayed Adrian. We believe he wille for his life and his half, but Yuri doesn''t. They grew up like brothers, so he trusts Erik blindly. Yet Erik has done so many questionable things," Andrew said, and I sighed from fatigue. The whole exnation made me tired. "Where does that leave us?" Devin asked, and Andrew was silent. "We cannot fight these people; we stand no chance; even the north cannot push back. Had Amelia not been there, Leo and the two lords, along with their mates, would have died." Devin said, stating they were likely to win, and we all agreed. It was an impossible situation where we were helpless. The only way out is to surrender when it happens, but how can I surrender knowing they will kill my friends and their families? Had the lives of my northern friends not been in the bnce, I would have easily handed the east over to Yuri for peace''s sake. I was serving a king already even though he was my friend; I did not mind serving another but knowing that Tamia, Sylvester, their children and everyone I cared about in the north would have to die before these people were satisfied, let me know it wasn''t a fight that I could not surrender. "I agree our options are slim," Alexei began, and the twinkle in his eyes showed he had an idea. "Yes, they are. You saw what they did in Pridewood." Andrew said, looking at Devin. "I learned they had help from the Sullivans because that was the home of their brother, the very people that did not give him asylum when the King was after his life. It is even rumoured that they had an informant there. I am not sure, but you know I have been on the run for a while now, so I do not know the truth, but I am certain they had help from the Sullivans. There must have been an informant in Pridewood that let them know when to strike." Andrew said, and I did not want to be in Devin''s shoes right now. There was silence for a bit before Alexei decided to speak. "I do not want my sister turned into a breeding machine. Our father died trying to prevent it. Allowing Erik to have his way will be spitting on our father''s grave. We did not have a normal life because of these bastards. y''s mother died unhappily; mine was killed because of this bastard. We had to survive on our own because of Erik''s ambitions. We grew apart because of this bastard. We cannot let him take over our world. Peopleined about Dimitri and Maurice. People even hate Sylvester, but Erik will be worse, and his sick son Maksim will be worse. We cannot allow that, so here is what I propose," he said, and I was attentive. "We need a shit load of an army of the Stepanov bloodline to counter this sick fuck. Erik has not bared his ws to Yuri because they have the same fighting force. I say we win Yuri to our side by letting him have the south and east and restoring the Stepanov bloodline while the Volkovs keep the north and west. If Yuri is on our side, we will end Erik and his army. We must pick the lesser of the evils, and Yuri is not bloodthirsty and greedy. He just is just aggrieved; we all are. What the Volkovs did to us was unfair, but we cannot take it out on Sylvester and the Lords. They had no hand in it. A simple divide would settle the matter." He said, and I knew it would be hard. I doubt Sylvester would be open to it, but Alexei was right. I do not see anyone keeping it all in the best-case scenario. Still, I see that bastard Erik taking it all in the worst-case scenario. It was something to think about. I allocated rooms to our guests and assigned Omegas to attend to them. Then, I made a phone avable for Alexei to call his wife. At the same time, Devin and I retired to our rooms. The look on Devin''s face indicated he had a lot to discuss with Susan. I hoped it did not put a strain on their rtionship. Her uncle and cousin had just been executed for treason; they were the only family she knew she had. If thises up, she would know her parents were alive and alsomitting treasonous acts, and she might be a suspect of treason herself if truly they had an informant in the south. It was a mess. I wonder how she will take it. I might not like her, but I felt sorry for her. Chapter 225 -63 The Best Thing To Do (Book 2) Chapter 225 -63 The Best Thing To Do (Book 2) ~Susan~ Devin did not return to the bedroom until one in the morning. I wondered what he stayed up discussing with Leo. He also did not seem too happy when he entered the room, so I was concerned too. I did not know if it were safe for me to ask him, so I remained silent. He sat down on the bed and sighed heavily. "Is everything all right?" I asked him, and he sighed and then looked back at me. "I hope you have been honest with me, Susan," he stated, and my heart began to beat fast from confusion. That was a very odd question to ask me. His words made me sit up immediately. "What do you mean by that?" I asked him, and he sighed. "What you told me about your parents being missing and not knowing where they are: Is it true?" he asked. I did not understand why he would think I would lie about something that serious. "I swear to you, Devin, I do not know where they are. I don''t," I said, not knowing if I needed to convince him. "Where were you when we broke up?" he asked. "I was hiding in Pridewood," I told him, and he sighed. "Who were you staying with in Pridewood? I know your uncle''s home was in Pridewood, the very Pridewood where the massacre urred, the very night you came to Greenville," he said, and I became worried. Had someone set me up? "Why are you asking this?" I asked him, and he looked at me. His eyes were teary. "Because I feel it was odd you returned the very night Pridewood was destroyed. I then learn that your parents aren''t missing but members of a cult that wants to help its leaders take over the south and east. I am not a fool, Susan. What is your real mission here?" he asked me, and I was utterly shocked. I had just heard that my parents, who I believed were dead, were alive somewhere and did not bother to contact me. Then, at the same time, he was using me of treason. "Are you using me of treason?" I asked him quietly, and he was silent. "I know it is easy to believe that I am a bad person because of what my uncle and cousin did and maybe what you heard about my parents, but I swear to you, Devin, I am hearing of them for the first time. What happened in Pridewood was a coincidence. I did not know they would wipe out that ce. I swear, Devin. I did not know. I know it looks like I came here to save myself from annihtion and maybe keep your trust, but I swear I did not know. I would have died there. I was just lucky," I said, tears streaming down my face because I knew I looked guilty. It was weird that I left Pridewood the very night it was attacked and its residents killed by a cult my missing parents are now rumoured to be a part of. It looked suspicious. I waited for Devin to say something, but he remained quiet, and I became scared. Had he discussed this with Leo, or had Leo told Sylvester? Was the council aware? Will I be tried for treason like Glenda and uncle Nicks? Will I be hung in public like they did Glkenda and uncle Niks? Scenarios of what might happen yed in my head. I did not know what to do. I was afraid. If there was an issue and my loyalty was questioned, and Devin did not trust me, I was genuinely fucked because he was all I had. "I swear to you, Devin, I have no hand in the death of the people in Pridewood," I said in tears. I was terrified. I did not want to die. "Devin, tell me you believe me," I said, and he was silent. His hands were shaking, and I knew he was conflicted. "What will happen to me, Devin?" I asked quietly because I knew I was guilty in his eyes. "It isn''t a serious matter yet, but a fleeing member of the cult has confirmed that your folks were involved in the massacre in Pridewood, and to think you left there that very night seems suspicious. I do not know, Susan, but I will have it investigated¡­" he said, trailing off the rest of his words. We had made love when we got to the east and promised each other so much. His words cut me deep. His inability to take my word for it broke my heartpletely. "You mean you do not believe me?" I asked him, and he sighed. "It isn''t about what I believe. It is about what I can prove. I am the head Alpha of the south, and that massacre happened under my watch. Your parent''s involvement with the cult that perpetrated the crime casts a huge shadow of doubt on your person. The fact that you were there and left the ce to my house the night the people were killed¡­" he said, and I did not need him to finish. I knew where it was heading. "Everything says I have a hand in it¡­." Ipleted it for him. "My family''s track record also leaves little to be desired," I added, and he was silent. "So, will I be arrested and detained pending the investigation?" I asked him with a breathy voice, and he shook his head. "If ites to that, I won''t let that happen, Susan, but I need you to be honest with me," he said, looking at me. "I will go against everyone for your sake, but I need you to be honest with me," he said, and I believed that was too much to ask of him. Going against everyone meant him losing his status and good name, and maybe his life. I could not have that. I shook my head. "No need to go against anyone Devin. I can''t ask that of you," I said, and he was silent. "I assure you I have no hand in this, and I do not know anything about my folks," I said, but there was still doubt in his eyes. He was evaluating whether he should trust me or not. If Devin doubted me, I wondered what would happen if I was brought before the council. I was a Sullivan; I wouldn''t stand a chance before the council. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. I sat back on the bed quietly, raking my mind for what to do that would not put Devin in a tight spot. I thought I had returned to his life permanently with bliss, but as things are, I might have to run away and go into hiding because I wasn''t going to allow the council to waste my life and existence over something I had no hand in. I sat on the bed and looked at him, trying to memorise his features, knowing I might never see him again. Maybe I was destined to be alone because something kept happening that would force me to run away. This will be the second time I would have to run away from love to save my life. "I will speak to Leo about it in the morning, And then we will figure out what to do from there. When they start investigating the Pridewood incident, your name wille up, and your movements that night will cause huge doubt. I wish I could bury it right now, but Sylvester is alreadying, and Leo has reported the Pridewiood incident to him. I have also filed it in, and there is a cult member who can attest that your parents were involved and they had an informant in Pridewood, " He said, and I understood his plight and what I must do. "Thank you, Devin. Thank you for trying," I told him, and he looked at me and caressed my cheek with his palm. "Please do not lie to me, Susan. Do not lead me astray. I saw what it did to Leo when Amanda deceived him. I do not want to be in that situation. I love you dearly," he said, pleading with me to be honest with him, but what was the point of being honest when my honesty would be seen as falsehood? "I have never lied to you, Devin, and I won''t start that now. Do what you must. I will hold no grudge against you. You have been there for me through my difficult times, and I appreciate you for it," I said, fighting my tears because I knew I would be gone from the ce in the morning. I needed to go into hiding. I wouldn''t take much with me to avert suspicion, but I must find a way to survive alone. I pulled Devin for a kiss, and I knew it was weird to do, judging by what we had discussed, but I had to say goodbye properly because there was no winning this for me. If all he said were true, then I would be found guilty. I had no friends or alibi. I had no one. Had I not left Pridewood that night, I would have died there, but no one would see it that way since my parents were in the cult. They would believe that I was tipped off and decided to run away. They will believe that I worked as an informant. The list of what I would be found guilty of based on circumstances was unending. I did not know what was going on in our world, but I refused to be a casualty. Yes, I would lose my heart''s desire and the man I love, but I will be alive and still have hope. Devin returned the kiss, and he was gentle. "Make love to me," I whispered, and he stared at me for a bit before obliging. Devin fell asleep after, and I used that opportunity to pack a tiny bag and write him a note. I ensured I was light on my feet and did not make sounds that would trouble his sleep. I folded the letter and left it on the table. Then headed for the door. "Where are you going?" Devin asked, sounding sleepy. "I need a ss of milk. Go back to sleep," I said gently with a fake giggle, and he returned to sleep. I left the room and closed the door. I found my way out of the packhouse. I walked until I got to a forest; I did not know where it would lead, but I would start from there. I removed my clothes and ced them in the small bag, shifted into Cleo, held the bag with my jaws and ran. Tears streamed down my eyes, but it was necessary. I did not want Devin in a tight corner and did not want him to lose his good name because of me. I also could not stick around for the wicked council to use me as a scapegoat over a crime I did not commit. This was for the best. As heart-wrenching as it was, it was for the best. I hoped he would forgive me for this. Chapter 226 -64 Finding Susan (Book 2) Chapter 226 -64 Finding Susan (Book 2) ~Devin~ Everything Andrew told us troubled my soul. I couldn''t get past the fact that the Sullivans were involved, and I could not overlook that Susan came to me the night the ce was attacked. What were the odds that she would be so lucky? I was torn between believing her and investigating her. When I asked her if she was involved, her response and emotions gave me the answer I needed, but I doubted it would be enough when the council is involved. Before falling asleep, I decided I would protect her at all costs. We weren''t mated yet, but she was my Luna, regardless. I believed her and would do everything it took to protect her. I woke up to an empty bed and wondered where she was. There was no sounding from the bathroom. I touched her side of the bed, and it was cold. I wondered if she ever returned to the room after she left to get some milk. Still wondering where she might be, I saw a note on the nightstand. I reached for it, which had my name in Susan''s handwriting. The sight of the letter made my heart beat from fear. I opened it with shaky hands to read. "My dear Devin, By the time you read this, I will be far from here. I have thought about the situation, and I know I can''t win this. The situation is too convincing to be a coincidence. Even if you are willing to give me the benefit of the doubt, the council won''t. They will quickly move to make me a scapegoat. As much as I love and care for you, I cannot hang around and wait for the council to waste my life. I do not want to be a casualty, so I am leaving. I hope you catch the culprits soon. I hope the truthes out and I am exonerated. Do not think I do not love you enough, Devin. I am running because I love you. It would be best if you did not go against the council and the King for my sake. It will be suicidal, and we will give the enemy what they want. We can''t afford to be divided. I hope we win this so I can return home to you. I love you. Susan." It read, and I did not know how to feel. The emotions came at once. Rage, sadness, remorse, regret, fear. They all came crashing, and I had no time to waste. There was no way I would let her be out there on her own. I was all the family she had, and she was all I had. I could not allow her to give up and run. She did it once to Sylvester. I won''t let her do it to me. I got up and wore my shorts and T-shirt. With her scent registered on me, Rex and I began to sniff. I headed out of the Mansion and saw Leo standing with Amelia; they were giving instructions to kappas and Omegas. Leo looked at me funny. "How was your night?" he asked, but I did not have time for pleasantries. "I have to find Susan. She ran away this morning because she fears the council will execute her for what happened in Pridewood," I said, and Leo and Amelia were shocked. They both stared at me, stunned. This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. "How did shee to that conclusion, Devin?" Leo asked with a knowing look, and I knew he knew I might have questioned her about what we had learned. There was no need to answer him. "She has had a good head start," I said, trying to leave, and Leo held me back. "You can''t go like this. Let me lend you, my men. I am sure she won''t have gotten far even in wolf form," He said, but I knew what determination could do, and Susan was determined to get away. I was foolish. I shouldn''t have discussed the issue with her. "Wait for my beta to help you," Leo said, and I waited because I needed all the help I could get. "What happened?" He asked me, and I bowed my head, knowing It was my fault. "She came to my house from Pridewood the night of the attack, and then Andrew said the Sullivans had an informant," I said, and Leo cursed. "You fucking idiot. No wonder she ran. She watched her uncle and cousin executed for treason. It wasn''t so long ago that it happened. She is still traumatised even if she tries to hide it. What were you expecting? She would think they would execute her too. You just had to sit her down and connect the dots based on what Andrew said. Susan isn''t like Amanda; she doesn''t have the heart for this shit. You, of all people, should know," he said, and I felt ashamed. "She is so sweet and shy," Amelia said, looking worried. "You shouldn''t have used her, alpha Devin. It was wrong. It would have been better if you didn''t question her on it. She was bound to panic," Amelia pointed out, and just then, Casper arrived with two men. Leo told him what had happened and instructed him to help me out. "May I have her scent?" Casper asked, and I was more than willing to return to our room and bring her blouse for him to pick her scent. I found the dress she wore and returned with it. I gave Casper, and he sniffed it and handed it to two other men. From how they collected and handled the fabric, I could tell they weren''t warriors but trackers. It was kind of Leo to make trackers avable. They were the ones that could find her with ease. Once they were done, we set out to find her. The trackers shifted while Casper and I remained in human form. While she sniffed around, trying to see what direction she had taken, I cursed myself for going too hard on her. I should have kept my mouth shut. It wouldn''t have killed me to investigate quietly. Knowing what I knew about Susan, I believed I should have known she would run. Running away was her first response to fear and panic. "We got to the clearing in the woods, and ording to the trackers, she shifted and ran into the woods. Casper and I had to shift to follow the tracker so we did not slow them down. All I could think about while we moved through the woods were the silver-immune freaks that had taken over Brent. The ce we were headed was close to Brent. I was panicking inside, hoping she does not cross into theirnd because if she encountered those people, I doubted she could defend herself. We moved swiftly and soon crossed into the woods of Brent. I could feel the stillness in the air. Even the birds no longer resided in the trees. I wondered about the kind of evil that was perpetrated there. Although the people of Brent were sent to Greenville, I never asked them what happened. I know it wasn''t pleasant, judging by what I saw in Pridewood. Their only fortune was that they had an Alpha that put their lives first. I prayed that Cleo would be safe. Susan wasn''t a coward and could hold her own in a fight, but I did not think she could face the silver freaks. Three hours into the search, we got to a ce, and I could smell Susan''s scent mixed with blood; I began to push through the woods. Casper tried to call me back by howling since we could not mind-link each other, but I feared what might have happened. Rex was quick, and my heart was filled with fear. Those bastards had warned people from stepping foot on thatnd. I was freaking out. After running for a bit, I saw Susan in human form naked, Lying in a pool of her blood. I rushed to her, and then I saw an arrow buried in their thigh and one in her side. She was unconscious, and from the look of things, she had been hit for a while, not up to an hour, but it wasn''t just now. Casper caught up to me, likewise the trackers. I pulled out the arrows and used fabric from her bag to bind her side and thigh to help stop the bleeding. The arrowhead was made from silver, and I did not need to guess who the perpetrators were. I cursed under my breath and broke the arrows into two while I stuffed the halved arrows into the bag so we could take them back to examine them. "We must take her back; We have to pass through Brent. If we go back through the woods, we won''t make it on time, "Casper said, afraid for her life, but going through Brent was suicide; we knew it. I knew the woods would have to do to ensure we got back to Mountain at all. "No, we have to go back the way we came. The trackers can find a shorter route. If we encounter enemies in Brent, we would waste more time and wouldn''t get to Mountain in time. We are less likely to be attacked in the woods than out in the open," I said. Casper did not argue with me. He obeyed, and so did the tracker. I shifted back to my wolf form, and they helped fasten Susan to my back while Casper carried her bag. I could not rejoice until we reached Mountain, and she woke up. We were yet to move when the arrows began to fly. They were shooting at us. I moved back towards the woods, away from where we found Susan and the trackers followed me. The moment we got to the woods, the arrows stopped. I realised Susan got hurt because she advanced instead of retreating. Those bastards were serious when they said they did not want anyone on thend they had taken over. We entered the woods and started heading back to Mountain. Rex ran fast because time wasn''t on our side. Chapter 227-65 A Complete Reunion (Book 2) Chapter 227-65 A Complete Reunion (Book 2) ~Leo~ Devin was a stupid man. I do not care what he thought, but he was a fool to use Susan carelessly. He was a fool to expect otherwise. If I were her, I would run. Even though I was head of the council, Devin and I could only make little changes. She was right to have run away. They wouldn''t have bothered to investigate the matter, which would be a majority thing. The Sullivans did not have a good name. There was no way they would spare her. She had also watched the execution of her family. That would mess with anyone. Devin was stupid to even discuss the matter with her without investigating first. I believe Susan''s mental state was fragile, and she did not deserve to be bombarded with such questions and usations. Devin had a lot to learn about rtionships. "Why would he be that stupid?" Amelia asked, a bit pissed at Devin. "I do not know what my brothers and Cousin told you two, but using her like that was wrong. Yes, the scenario he described was suspicious, but he should have investigated and gotten all the cards before asking her." Amelia said, annoyed I could tell she was worried too. We dismissed the kappas and omegas, then headed back in. I had secretly sent my Gamma and guards to the airport to wait for our northern guests. Their arrival was meant to be a pleasant surprise for Amelia. But as things were, Devin and Susan''s issues had ruined her good mood. While we walked, I held Amelia''s hand to calm her down. She was distraught for Susan. She had only met the woman yesterday and had taken to her very quickly. "Why are you so scared for her, Moonlight," I asked her, opening the door to our bedroom, and she walked in and sighed. "While we were in the kitchen yesterday, we discussed many things. Her emotions run deep, Leo. She isn''t like me. I just let things roll off me by focusing on the good. She focuses heavily on the bad, and I do not think her life has been pleasant, either. It was insensitive of Devin to use her of wrong. I would have run way too, Leo. She lived in Pridewood and left the very night the ce was attacked. It did sound suspicious, but it wasn''t suspicious enough, Leo. They had broken up before then. She could have as well gone any other ce. It is only a fool that will conspire to wipe out a pack and go to visit the head alpha of the region the very night it happened. What would have been her gain? She was better off running to the west then returning after the ordeal. Guilty people aren''t stupid. Informants or conspirators aren''t stupid. They are always extra careful, sometimes too cautious, that they get caught in the process. On the surface, it sounds like she is guilty, but then when you think about it, she must be an idiot to act that way if she is the one. Only an idiot would set a pack up for destruction and go to the lead alpha the same night. It was a coincidence. Devin should even be grateful that the coincidence happened. She would have been part of the murdered or injured people. The Sullivans were so wicked that they would have killed their only child. It is unfortunate." She said, and I pulled her in for a hug so she could rx. Although what Amelia said was right, Susan still looked guilty. If taking the south was their primary purpose, staying with Devin in Greenville would make much sense. All they need is an informant in Greenville, and they can attack. Once Greenville is down, they can take over the south. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. If they find Susan, I n to closely monitor her just in case she is the informant. I wouldn''t want anyone delivering Mountain to the enemy. I kept my thoughts to myself because it seemed Amelia liked her. I also hoped that I was wrong. Amelia wrapped her arms around my waist and ced her head against my chest. I stroked her back gently, and she took a deep breath and exhaled. We had more significant issues, and Devin''s issue with Susan wasn''t a part of them. I hoped he found her soon, but Yuri and Erik were an issue. "Are you ready to meet your other brother and cousin?" I asked her, and she broke the hug, looked at me and nodded. Weposed ourselves before leaving the room. We headed to the dining room and found y, Alexei and Andrew helping themselves to the food. They must have been starving. The instant we entered, they stopped. I was d I told Macy to take over the cooking. I hoped Amelia wouldn''t be mad, but I doubted she would want to cook for all our guests. Alexei looked at Amelia and smiled, y looked a bit nervous, and I could not read Andrew''s face. y left what he was doing and rushed to her immediately. He stood in front of her and essed her. "Amelia," he said; from how he said it, it was obvious he had seen her before, but he would be introducing himself to her for the first time. "I am y Newton Ivanov," he said, and she smiled at him. "We look alike, Leo," she linked me excitedly, and I chuckled. y pulled her into a hug. "It is good to be able to speak to you finally. Thest time I saw you, you were crossing into the east from Gad," he said, and she broke away and looked at him. "That was you?" she asked, and he smiled and nodded. She hugged him tight, and I wondered what had happened at the crossing. "You saved my life," she said, and he rubbed her back and chuckled. "Knowing father gave his life to protect you, it would be stupid for us to let them win," he said to her, and I was curious. "What happened at the crossing?" I asked, and y looked at me, still hugging his sister. "The three of us have watched and protected Amelia from the shadows. Andrew did most of it, but we stepped in once it was getting to the time he could no longer help as much. Erik was secretly hunting her, so she got in a couple of fights where Andrew would swoop in and help either by himself or with his wolves. By the time she left Gad, Andrew couldn''t do much, so Alexei and I had to watch her. By then, Alexei was upied with his fianc¨¦ and their trouble in Hill valley, so he had to watch her asionally. I did not rescind until she crossed into Hand. By then, she was in the clear. I sent trackers to watch her for me. At the same time, I went to secure a pack to start an army and prevent the south from being overrun. By the time Alexei and I had sessfully taken over the packs, we could not take Amelia because the reports we got said she was happy here. I am d to see it was so." They finally broke the hug, and Andrew came to introduce himself. After which we sat to eat. "I will be heading home today," Alexei announced, and I nodded. He was married; we could not keep him longer than necessary. "Alia is pregnant, and I hate leaving her by herself. Would Andrew stay with you, or should hee with me?" He asked, and I looked at Amelia. The choice was hers. "Do you want Andrew to remain with us?" I linked her, and she nodded quickly. "Amelia wants him to stay. So he stays," I said, and they allughed at how I put it. "I will be here too, just in case theye for Mountain," y said, and as much as I loved his gesture, I wondered why he did not want to return to the south. "Are you not securing the south anymore?" I asked him, and he nodded. "Yuri isn''t a monster like Erik; he would not attack a pack I have taken, but the south has already been overrun. Most of the Alpha there are joining Yuri fast. I just did not want to tell Devin yet. In a month, the south would no longer be under him. We can''t save it, but we can still save the east because, unlike the south, none of the eastern Alphas has been treacherous enough to join up. It means we have a fighting chance in the east. Even if a deal is struck with Yuri to help eliminate Erik, we must ensure we have something strong to bargain with. We can''t offer or give him what he already has. Then we will have no bargaining chip. It is best we focus on battles that can be won, not those that have already been lost. I will advise that you tell your friend to make ns to evacuate Greenville because that might be Yuri''s next stop." He said, and I could understand why he would not tell me these things in the presence of Devin. They did not seem to agree much. Hearing Yuri would attack Greenville also strengthened my suspicion towards Susan, but I needed to be sure before pointing it out. I knew Devin wouldn''t take it well. I hope there is life and peace for us at the end of all this. I nodded and thanked him for the heads up, but I was secretly worried that the King and lords were on their way to the Mountains. Thest thing I wanted to do was set them up. Having all of us in the same ce might make us easy targets. I kept my fears to myself and ate quietly. Alexei left after breakfast. I sent two warriors to apany him, and he was grateful for the kind gesture. I decided to discuss the cult with Andrew while waiting for my guests to arrive. We had a lot to do but little time and were too handicapped to be confident. Either way, it would not be a clear win. If we get lucky, we will end up with two Kings instead of one mad King. I doubt the Volkovs would agree, but I knew they were not power-hungry to risk lives and peace. 66 Rescue (Book 2) 66 Rescue (Book 2) ~Devin~ We moved through the woods very fast. The trackers helped find shouter routes, and I hoped we would be in Mountain on time. The fact that Susan was unconscious was a big issue for me. I could not get over the fact they had hit her with silver, and she had been on the floor for a while. I prayed that the goddess would keep her alive. I howled to plead with them to hurry, and they continued moving. They got to a spot, and then Casper made them stop. Casper shifted, and I growled at him, but it seemed like he wanted to speak to me. We did not belong to the same pack, so linking each other was impossible. This was the best way he could communicate with me. Rex started growling at him because we believed he was wasting time that Susan did not have. "Let''s take her to Hill Valley. It is thirty minutes away. Let her get some help there, and then we can move to Mountain, pending her health. Mountain is two hours away. I did not think she would make it," He exined, and I howled in agreement. It was a brilliant idea. I did not know why it did not cross my mind. Casper shifted back, and we took a detour to Hill valley. The Alpha of Hill Valley was in Mountain, but I was hopeful that Luna Alia would help us. We got there and were surrounded by warriors. Max had fewer warriors when it was his time. Alexei pulled a crowd. Casper shifted and advanced confidently. Being Leo''s Beta, he was the second most powerful man in the east. It had to count for something because they stepped back and respectfully bowed. I am sure they did not know it was me. "Alpha Corrigan''s Luna needs medical assistance now," Casper ordered, and they created a path for us just as they should after finding out the people they were dealing with. Casper remained in human form, and we moved while two men led us to a newly built hospital. It wasn''t very big, but it was better than what they had before. Alexei was doing an excelent Job. I felt terrible because Max was my friend. This whole ordeal had not let me say hello to him in Mountain. I hope Susan makes it so I can be in the frame of mind to socialise when I return to Mountain. Susan was carried from my back, and I shifted to my human form. People immediately greeted me with respect, but my mind was a mess. They brought us shorts to wear, and I entered the hospital. Susan was taken to a room with physicians, and I watched from the wide d window while they attended to her. It was heart-wrenching, but I had to be strong. The fear that overcame me wasn''t going away. The only thing that kept me on my feet looking brave was hope, and I clung to it with all my might. "Alpha Corrigan," I heard a female voice say, and I turned to see Alexei''s wife, Alia. She was pregnant. "Luna Alia," I said, and she nodded her head. "I heard you came with a wounded woman," She said, and I nodded. "She is my Luna. She was shot with silver arrows in Brent," I said quickly, and she looked like the news had saddened her. She also looked surprised, but it was expected. "Sorry to hear, Alpha. I hope our physicians can help her. Would you like something to eat while you wait?" she asked, and I shook my head. My stomach was empty, but I could not think of food at a time like this. I was too worried to keep anything down. "No, thank you, but Beta Casper and his men would appreciate the hospitality," I said quickly, knowing they had not eaten. She bowed her head and excused me. I stood by the ss and stared at Susan. I did not need anyone to tell me that the doctors were struggling. I began to pray. Soon I had to sit on the bench because watching the doctors work on her was excruciatingly painful, and I needed to focus on something positive. If I wasn''t seeing her, I could hope for better. An hourter, one of the doctors came out to see me. I was worried sick, and I did not know what to do. "Alpha," he said he said with respect and bowed his head. This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. I stood up immediately. My heart began to pound in my chest. I was worried, and my heart was beating fast. They had drawn the curtain to her room so I could not see her. "She was lucky you got here on time. The silver had poisoned her system greatly. She is stable now. But it will take two days to get her in a condition where she can be transported back to Mountain," he said, and I exhaled. It was better news than hearing of her death or their inability to fix the problem. I thanked the doctor and proceeded to check on Susan. I entered the room to check on her. She was hooked to an electrocardiogram and an IV line with a yellow liquid passing through her system. The sight was heartbreaking, but I had to be strong. Clinging on the doctor''s positive words helped me. I went near her and looked at her peaceful face. She looked like she was napping, and I almost broke down. Deep down, I med myself for scaring her the way I did. I never thought my questions would spook her. We had made love that night, and I thought everything was okay between us. Little did I know that she was saying goodbye. I fought my tears and touched her hand. "How could you think I would let you face the world alone, Sue? Why did you run away from me?" I asked her gently. I knew I wouldn''t get a response, but I needed to talk to her at that minute. I kissed her hand, pulled a chair close to her bedside, and sat on it. The world would have to wait. I knew Sylvester and the others could be in Mountain, but I would have to join themter when Susan was okay. Casper joined me in the room with a phone in his hands. It was clear the call was for Me. "Alpha wants to speak to you," Casper said, handing me the phone. I collected it and answered with a ''hello''. "Hey, how is she?" Leo asked, and I sighed. "We found her in time and got her help in time. They said it would take two days for her to be in a coontiditiobn that we could transport her, but the doctor said she would make it," I exined, and Leo sighed with relief. "Is Sylvester there yet?" I asked. "No, still waiting, but Andrew insists we go to the airport for their protection because the cult has informants everywhere. We are on our way there now. Hopefully, we do not encounter those things because I am not in the mood to fight. And I cannot let the King and the Lord join the battle. The mutants will be too motivated to kill if they see them, and more will troop our way." he told me, and I nodded even though he could not see me. He was right about not allowing Sylvester and the others to join the fight if any should ur, it would be counterproductive, and they would find themselves under constant attack because everyone Erik wants to kill would be in Mountain. "What happened there? Casper said she was shot with an arrow in Brent," Leo said, and Casper had told him all I knew already. "He is right, Leo. They shot at us too, and did not stop until we entered the woods to go back the way we came. The message was clear. They do not want anyone on thatnd. Susan must have advanced instead of retreating, but we would never know what happened until she wakes up. I think it is odd because the arrows they shot at us were longer than the ones they buried in her," I said, remembering the length of the arrows that wereing our way. It did not register then, but talking to Leo made it register now. The arrows were longer and different from what I had removed from Susan. Could they be two separate groups? "Unlike us, that were already leaving, she might have advanced in defiance. While they just wanted to scare us away, they wanted her dead. I am unsure, but that is what I think right now. I also think we did not encounter the same people as she did because of the difference in arrows. I think one of the trackers picked an arrow up. I willpare the two once she is stable," I told him, and he sighed. I could hear the frustration in his voice. We were all confused and frustrated. What we faced was beyond us, and we had to be lucky to survive it. 67 What Happened (Book 2) 67 What Happened (Book 2) ~Devin~ Leo and I discussed extensively what Andrew had told him when I wasn''t around, but he did not make it tooplicated for my benefit. I wasn''t in the right frame of mind, and he knew it, so he made it short and hoped he would see me soon. "Okay, keep me posted on what you need. Alexei would soon be there. He left us after breakfast. I am sure you will be wee there," Leo said, ready to end the call, and I was d Alexei would be around. I hung up and handed the phone to Casper. "So you will be returning?" I asked him, knowing he was Leo''s beta and the second most important man in the east. He shook his head and smiled. "Alpha requested we remain with you and return with you in two days." He replied, and I was grateful for Leo''s kind gesture. I thanked Casper. "Did the warriors pick any of the arrows that were shot at us?" I asked him now that I thought I could process the information. "Yes, Alpha Corrigan. One of them got hit, and he pulled it out and held it with his mouth. It wasn''t silver but iron," Casper said, and I was shocked that I did not notice that a tracker got hit. Knowing iron did not affect us; I knew the tracker would be fine. "I am d he is alright," I said, and he nodded. "Do you think we encountered a different group from Susan?" I asked him so it would not seem like I was overthinking and analysing the situation. Casper nodded. "That arrow was expensive. Silver isn''t a cheap metal, and an arrow made from silver is expensive. Whoever shot that arrow wanted her dead, but they had no time to assess her body. Maybe they were called away," Casper said, and I knew I would have to wait for my mate to wake up so I could ask her what really happened. I remained seated on the chair, hoping Susan would soon open her eyes, while Casper excused me. Luna Alia sent me clothes and food and then made a couch avable in the hospital room for me to sleep on. She must have somehow figured I wasn''t going to leave the ce. I was grateful for the amodation and hospitality. Two hourster, Alexei came to see me. He had just arrived from Mountain, and his Luna had told him I was around. ording to him, Leo did not mention what happened in the morning, so he was surprised that I was in his pack. He stayed with me and told me not to worry that Susan would wake up. He was friendly, and I could see why Leo could give him the benefit of the doubt, but they were still on my radar. I wouldn''t rx where they were concerned until it was proven beyond reasonable doubt that they were telling the truth. As far as I am concerned, all our troubles started with their arrival. It had to count for something. I hid my emotions and reservations because I needed them to care for Susan, but I remained wary of them. Susan didn''t wake up untilte in the evening. She opened her eyes and seemed a bit disoriented. I went to her side immediately and held her hands. It took a bit for her to focus on me, and when she did, she was surprised. "Devin?" she asked me, and I nodded and kissed her forehead. "Don''t do that again, Sue. Don''t you ever run away from me again," I warned her, all my emotions pouring through. She squeezed my hand tightly and began to cry. N?velDrama.Org owns all content. "I am sorry, Devin. I was scared and panicked. I knew I would not win. I didn''t want you to go against anyone for my sake; you already have a lot to deal with. I was scared," she said, and I kissed her lips and then pulled away. "We are in this together, Sue. You and me?" I told her, and she nodded gently. It wasn''t obvious, but I was close enough to see it. She was quiet, and then her eyes opened wide. It seemed like she remembered something. She grabbed my hand tightly. It was as if she had seen a ghost. "I saw her, Devin. I saw her. She was talking to a white-haired man. I hid in the woods but could not let the matter go. I wanted to exonerate myself. I wanted to expose her. She wasn''t supposed to be there. I forgot myself, shifted back to my human form, and approached her to be sure she was the one, and I wasn''t mistaken.,'' she said and looked at me with tears in her eyes. "I was desperate, Devin. I wanted to exonerate myself badly. I wanted toe home," she said, shedding tears. I gently wiped away her tears and kissed her forehead to calm her down. "It is okay, baby. I am taking you home, and you won''t have to be afraid anymore," I assured her while she sobbed. "I walked out of the woods, and she was there. It was her. I thought I was wrong, Devin, but I saw her. She was surprised to see me, and that was when they shot me in the thigh and on my side. They ran away, afraid that you might being. They did not know I was alone. That was what saved my life, Devin. I swear I saw here with them. Those weird-eyed people. I can''t prove it, but it will be wise if you take my word for it and investigate her. She is working for them, Devin. I think she has been for a while," Susan said, holding my hand tightly. I could see the panic in her eyes again. She looked worried and scared. "Who did you see?" I asked her, trying to calm her down. She turned to look at me. "Alice. I saw Alice," she said, and I was utterly shocked. I remembered how strangely she behaved the morning that I was called to inspect the massacre, but she always acted that way. I could not tell Susan she might be mistaken because Alice was young and harmless. Maybe she had seen someone that looked like Alice, and fear had made her connect the dots because she did not like Alice and she was desperate to prove her innocence, but I needed to be careful. "I will investigate her," I told Susan, and she calmed down. I hoped for Alice''s sake Susan was wrong because she had no reason to be in Brent this morning. "Investigate her, Devin. Call Lukman. She is working with the enemy. I saw her," Susan said, insisting, and I had to respect her and do what she wanted. She was my Luna, after all; she had the right to get involved in my pack matters. I decided to call Lukman in her presence so she would know that I was taking her seriously and I was on her side. I took the phone given to me and dialled Lukman''s line. He answered on the third ring. Because it wasn''t my phone, he needed to know who was speaking. "Lukman, it is Devin," I said quickly, and he respectfully changed his tone. "Alpha," he said, and I wanted to skip the pleasantries and get straight to the point. Susan looked at me expectantly. "Where is Alice?" I asked him. "She went to Hand yesterday to see a rtive. She said she had beenid off. She promised to return today, but she hasn''t returned yet," he said, and I tried topose myself. "Are you two dating?'' I asked him, and he was silent, which meant it was true. "Since when," I asked him, and he sighed. "A month ago, she asked me out, and I said yes. We are still trying to figure it out, but we are dating, I think. Is there a problem, Alpha?" he asked, and I said no. I knew I could not tell him anything now because he might divulge it to her. "Nothing; she told Susan and me that you two were dating, and I just wanted to find out," I lied, and he sighed. "She isn''t lying, Alpha. I also want to use this opportunity to plead with you on her behalf. She was distraught about her job. She said Luna asked you to fire her. I could understand why Luna would say that. Alice is a handful, but I promise she will behave herself this time," he said, pleading on her behalf. Alice had lied to him about what happened, but there was no point in going into that. "I will consider your words," I said, thanked him for his honesty and hung up. Susan looked at me wide-eyed with expectation in them. "What did he say?" she asked, her voice still weak. "You are right. She left Greenville for Hand yesterday," I said, and I felt like a fool. The girl helped me with a lot of things. She knew too much, which meant the enemies, whomever she worked for, knew too much. If that was it, it was safe to say the south had fallen. Chapter 230 -68 And They Arrived (Book 2) Chapter 230 -68 And They Arrived (Book 2) ~Leo~ Andrew and I spoke extensively about the cult. Amelia and y were present. y chipped in asionally, and the cult seemed deeply rooted, well-connected, wealthy and strong. They had people from everywhere, and their influence and reach were widely spread throughout our world. They had been in the shadows and controlled things from there; that was true power. The fact that they had a purpose made them a lethal force. "So, what if the king refuses to divide his kingdom because that is a possibility?" I asked Andrew, knowing that sharing the kingdom might be pushed against by Sylvester, the lords and the council. Even if Sylvester is willing for the sake of peace, Dominic might not be, and the council will push back. I was sure of that. It will be a challenging idea to sell, but our survival depends on it. Andrew shrugged. We knew it was beyond our control. That much we could ept. "Then we have to think of other ways to keep the peace, but Sylvester will lose something either way. The Stepanovs want revenge, and they are equipt to get it. His concentrated alpha genes won''t help in this regard. Unlike the Stepanovs, with almost the same abilities, the strong alpha genes of the Volkovs remain strictly in the line of session, limiting the strength to one person or two in rare cases. Maurice was thest of the truly powerful Volkovs. Stephanie''s beta genes have weakened that gene, and Tamia''s delta genes have furthermore weakened it. Sentiments aside, they no longer have that concentration. It is a losing battle for the Volkovs," he said, and I could understand his views. N?velDrama.Org owns all content. I knew the Volkovs isted alpha genes for breeding purposes, and Maurice had somehow skipped that part. He must have loved Stephanie dearly. All his ws aside, he did care for her in his twisted way. Seeing that Andrew knew all this, I did not understand why he was helping us. "You have more to gain in the cult than out here, Andrew. Why are you helping us?" I asked him, and he sighed. There was a rage that rose in his weird-looking eyes. He tried to conceal it, but I could see it. "Erik killed my father because my father said Yuri''s idea was the best and we should quit while we were still ahead. I will never forget it, Leo. He made it a public affair and executed him as if he hadmitted treason. Then he stripped my family of our honour. After serving them for years as equals, he ridiculed us and belittled my family''s name. Everyone just watched. No one did anything about it. It made me realise the world we would have if Erik were in charge. I do not want to live in Erik''s world. I would rather die," he said with hatred and rage in his eyes. "Moreover, The Ivanovs are the only sane family I have, and Erik does not have anything good nned for them. The only reason he is yet toe after the true heirs is that he can''t. Alexei and y are a lethal force that will always protect their territory. Even though they can''t take their territories, they will attempt to take the region. I am sure they will reach out to them soon. I am here to ensure they see the cult for what it truly is and don''t join. As for Amelia, she deserves a happy life, Leo, and she has that with you. Her transformation in Mountain was noticeable and commendable. Thank you." He added. There was no doubt he was telling the truth there. His hand were shaking, and his lips quivered when he spoke. Unless they had acting talents and took rehearsal sses, there was no doubt the emotions were genuine, but it made me warier of him. What were the odds that he could be using us? He might have ulterior motives and decided to side with us to take care of thepetition. I knew politics was a dirty game, and I had to be careful that we did not end up doing their bidding in the name of saving our world. "What did Yuri do about it?" I asked him. He did not need to know his stories didn''t entirely take me. I nned to y along until I had a good reason not to. "He said my father wasn''t in his camp and wanted to keep the peace, so he let it go. My father wasn''t significant enough for him to tell Erik it was enough and pushed back. If we did not need Yuri to help destroy Erik, I would have said we should destroy him too. He only gets involved in matters that affect him directly. I do not think it is a good quality of a leader, but he is the lesser of the two evils," He said, and I knew he meant every word. I did not trust him. He could as well be a mole since, ording to him, no one from the east was willing to join up with their cult, so I nned to watch him closely. There was no harm in being too careful. Amelia excused herself and headed to the kitchen to oversee lunch. She told me she would nap after and I should join her when possible. She seemed rxed about everything, but I knew my mate rarely panicked. It was a strong quality for a luna to have, and I was proud of her. I wondered why our guests were yet to arrive. I knew Amelia would soon start to suspect something was up because I had instructed Macy to cook a feast, and we weren''t enough to eat all she would find in the kitchen. "Are you not expecting guests," Andrew asked me after Amelia had left, and I nodded. "I think it is best we go to the airport, just in case Erik''s men find out about their arrival and choose to attack. He has informants everywhere, and we do not want them to get in a fight with the Volkovs. They will be determined, and silver might be part of their weapons. I just think it will be best if y and I are there to protect them. If nothing happens, it will be okay. If anything happens, we will be there. I do not want Erik to win," he said with determination in his eyes. Andrew had a point, even though I did not trust him. In the case of an attack, letting Sylvester and the lords join in the fight would be counterproductive because I knew they would be arriving incognito. It was best to keep our enemies guessing so they do notunch an all-out attack on Mountain. I stood up immediately and sent for a Kappa to prepare a van to take us to the airport. Hopefully, we will get there on time. I nned to divide them into two. The lunas will ride in one while the men will ride with me. In case of an attack, I will join in with y and Andrew so it will seem like I am the important person being transported. It would throw them off if I joined the fight and the Volkov remained in the vans. Luckily the vans were tinted, so they won''t see who was in them. I also requested that the VIP arrival at the airport be cleared so they do not see our guests when they board the vans. I was ready to head out when a call came in from an unknown number. Every call was important these days, so I chose to answer it before leaving. I answered immediately. "Alpha, it is Casper," he said, and I was d to hear from him but worried at the same time knowing why they had left in the morning. "Did you find her? How is she? Where is Devin?" I asked, eager to know what had happened. "She is fine, Alpha; they shot her with silver-headed arrows. We found her lying in a pool of blood on the open floor in Brent. Those people meant business when they said no trespassing. It wasn''t long before we loaded her on Devin''s wolf, they started shooting at us, so we had to run back the way we came. They stopped shooting once we got into the forest. We brought her to Hill Valley because I doubted she would make it to Mountain. She had lost much blood and was unconscious," he said. I was sad she got hurt and happy they found her. " Let me speak to Corrigan," I said, and he handed the phone to Devin. I had a lengthy discussion with Devin, and he told me his deduction on the matter. We weren''t going to know what really happened until Susan woke up and told us herself. Until then, we had to be grateful she was alive and getting the help she needed to survive. I told Devin what was happening and our decision to go to the airport. We agreed to keep each other posted and then hung up. Chapter 231 -69 To The Airport And Back (Book 2) Chapter 231 -69 To The Airport And Back (Book 2) ~Leo~ We left for the airport the moment I hung up. I did not want Amelia to know where we were going, so I told her I wanted to show y and Andrew the ce. They, too, did not want her to join us, so they supported the lie. We entered the van and headed for the city airport. We arrived there on time because Sylvester''s ne had justnded. They had secretly flown in with amercial airline. They were the only passengers on the ne, but we made it seem like plenty of people were on it. It was to hide their identities. No one knew it was them other than the airline owners, and it was wise to limit the information the way they did. It would be suitable for their safety. There wouldn''t be an attack if no one knew of their arrival. I told Andrew thating there was unnecessary, but he told me we could not be too careful because of the number of informants the cult has out there. I could understand his need to be extra cautious. He knew the enemy better than I did, and he was part of them, but I did not trust him, so I decided I won''t let him near my guests. We waited until they exited the VIP arrival. The area was cleared for them by my orders so that no one would see them. Sylvester walked out in a hat and face mask, followed by Marcel, Theodore, Dominic, Vino, and David. I wasn''t happy to see Vino, but he was part of the bunch. Sylvester shook my hand and hugged me; likewise, Marcel and Theodore, Dominic and David. I was civil enough to shake Vino''s hands. "Who are these?'' Sylvester asked me, looking at y and Andrew. "My Inws and your rtive," I said, but he already knew. They all did. The Stepanovs had a peculiar look. Sylvester took off his face mask to look at them properly. He was stunned; they all were, but they composed themselves immediately. I should have told Sylvester the Stepanovs were around, but I wasn''t expecting toe to the airport with them. I will apologiseter. Hopefully, he wasn''t mad. "He looks like Amelia," he said, pointing at y, and y greeted him respectfully as a subject should greet a king. Sylvester extended a handshake and hugged him enthusiastically. I suspected the guy was happy to see his long-lost rtive. He did the same with Andrew even though he did not know who Andrew was. Looking at them now, I realised that the Volkovs and Stepanovs had a striking resemnce. Other than the moon-coloured eyes and white hair, they looked simr. The others greeted them, and then the women came out. Tamia, Avery, Linda, Katya, Nicole, and to my surprise, I saw Dr udia. So she did not o reject Vino. What a lucky bastard. Thedies were ushered into one of our bulletproof vans while we entered the second van. It had to be that way so that if we get attacked, and silver is pumped into the air, it wouldn''t affect those in the vans. y and Andrew sat by the doors so they could exit the van and defend us if we found ourselves under attack. "A lot of security; any issues we should be worried about," Sylvester asked me calmly, and I nodded. There was no point hiding what I knew. "They have informants everywhere, and this is the best way to be double sure. We can''t afford to get blindsided twice," I said, and Theoughed. He understood what I meant. The attack in the north had stayed with me. The impossibility of defending ourselves against those things had stayed with me. It was a hugefort to have y and Andrew with us. I just hoped we could trust them. Theodore and Marcel were excited about the visit. They didn''t hide it. " Linda can''t wait to see Amelia. I was hoping she would be here," Theo said, and I smiled. "I wanted it to be a surprise," I confessed, and he nodded, realising she missed them just as much. "Are we staying in your bungalow?" Theo asked me, and I shook my head. "How will I fit everyone there?" I asked, and heughed. They seemed happy to be in the east. They needed the change of scenery. Their jobs were tedious and confining. This was a breath of fresh air and an exciting adventure for them. I could see the eagerness in their eyes. I hoped they would still be smiling when they found out everything. "Who did you leave in charge? I asked them, and they looked at Sylvester. "My mother and uncle Lucas. I told him we would send for him when he is needed," Sylvester said and the way he said it meant he wouldn''t be sending for him any time soon. "He will stille and leave Aunt Stephanie to handle business," Marcel said, knowing his father would not listen to Sylvester; we allughed. We were still discussing when our convoy was attacked. Things were shot at the van. I did not need anyone to tell me it was arrows. I linked the Kappas driving the women and ordered them to escape with the women while we kept the attackers upied. Sylvester and the others wanted to join in, and I stopped them immediately. "Wait in here. Onlye out when we say the air is clear of silver," y said, gearing up for a fight. We watched them through the window as they came out and shifted. y''s wolf was white like Amelia''s. Andrew''s wolf was moonlight grey. They were weird colours. Grey wolves came at them, and the fight began. There were twelve altogether, and I knew they couldn''t beat them alone. How did these people know Andrew was with us? I studied the fight carefully, and they were trying to get to our van, so it meant they weren''t there for Andrew but for Sylvester and the lords. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. "Let''s help them," Sylvester ordered, and I fought hismand. He was my king and had power over me, but I wasn''t a pushover either. "No!" I said with mymand, and he was stunned because he felt it. There was a general misconception of me being weak, but I was born of two alphas. I wasn''t weak, just peace-loving. "I do not want them to know you are in Mountian. If they do, they will regroup ande back. Please, you must remain here," I pleaded with him and the others. He studied me a bit, and I knew it was difficult for them, but they agreed to remain in the van. I wondered if this was how useless we would be in battle with the cult. This was an eye-opener as I could see why they said we would need Yuri''s men. How could we fight these things in a fair fight? Seeing they were entirely shifted made me know there was no silver in the air, so I exited the van and shifted to join the battle. Getting ck to take over wasn''t easy, but he did eventually. I noticed that I could only shift when I moved away from y. I made a mental note not to go near him, then linked the Kappa driving to plead with my guest not toe out of the van because I noticed they had stopped trying to get to the van, which meant they believed there was no one there. y was like a blur; he moved swiftly and aimed for the attackers. Andrew was fast, but y was faster. I could see that y was superior to Andrew. I held my ground with my ws. I went for their necks. The attackers were not as fast as y, but they were as fast as Andrew, and I did not need to guess whether they were immune to silver or not. It was obvious they were. I bit the hind leg of one that tried to pounce on me. My only advantage over the attackers was that my wolf was bigger, and I was Alpha. They fought my stare and dominance, giving me an edge over them. A paw was used to hit my side, and I felt the ws dig into my flesh. It made ck whimper, but instead of falling, we turned to face the attacker and used our ws to rip his throat open. I watched the wolf fall to the ground and moved to the next one. By the time we were through, I was injured, followed by Andrew, with y having the most minor injuries. I knew it was because of his speed; he could easily dodge an attack. Where we struggled with our opponents, he thrived due to his speed and agility. I seeded because of my alphamand. It made the attackers wary of attacking me. Unlike in the north, where I was handicapped with silver. This time I had ess to my wolf andmand. y took down five attackers, Andrew took down three, and I was able to finish off four, just a number shy of y''s body count. I was proud of myself. The moment y moved closer, I shifted back to my human form, which wasn''t wise because of my wound, but Vino exited the van to help tie my side so I won''t bleed out. It was wise that Vino came out. He wasn''t relevant in the matter, yet; he wasn''t a lord, so for him to be a person of interest, the king and lords had to be dead. It was wise he came out just in case they had people watching from afar. I looked ahead and knew the van carrying the Lunas was long gone. Separating us was a good idea, or else we would have had more to protect, and Avery''s pregnancy wouldn''t have made it easy. I entered the van, and the shell-shocked Kappa driving it started the engine. "Have youmunicated with the other driver?" I asked him, catching my breath. "Yes, Alpha. They are almost at the settlement," he said, and I was d. We headed to the Mountain, hoping we would not get attacked again. One thing that baffled me was how they knew to wait for us where they did. Did we have an informant in Mountain? This wasn''t a good development. Seeing the look in the eyes of everyone, they were worried too. Most especially Sylvester. "Next time, you should let us join you," he said, unhappy to have only watched the fight. "If those people are who I think they are, It was best you didn''te out. You and the lords are their main targets; Andrew will tell you about it once we get to the settlement. All I can say is that we are dealing with two crazy bastards. One sicker and more entitled than the other," I said, preparing them for what they would learn from Andrew. The rest of the drive was smooth, but we were all on alert and afraid that the attackers would pop out from nowhere. We didn''t rx until we got to the Mountain, but deep down, I knew being in Mountain wouldn''t save us from the sick bastards if they dared to attack. I needed to start considering protecting my people and evacuating them if required. Chapter 232 -70 The Surprise (Book 2) Chapter 232 -70 The Surprise (Book 2) ~Amelia~ A feast was being prepared in the Kitchen, and I wondered who the food was for. I began to suspect Leo was nning and hiding something, but I wouldn''t push it. I nned to let it rest, trusting he would inform me when the time came. After making sure the food was good. I decided to write down the names of the people cooking in the Kitchen. I entrusted that on no ount should they change, and other than them, no one else should be allowed near the food. They were also required to serve it when it was time and guard the food with their lives. It was important. With all the attacks and talks of cult people and informants or helpers, whatever Andrew calls them, flying around, I did not want to be caught unaware. I have never trusted anyone in my life, and I wouldn''t start doing so now. Leo wasid back on what he put in his mouth, but that was one of the most important things to be careful about. Had Susan not run away, we would have handled this cooking. I was mad at her for bolting, but I knew there were people like that. Some people cannot face their problems. They just run. I guess it is because she has somewhere to run to, and no one is out to get her. If she were in my shoes, she would have had no choice but to stay. I had nothing to my name and no one to go to. I would rather spend that energy proving I was innocent than leaving and exposing myself to the harsh world. Leo had made this ce home for me. For the first time in my life, I had a home and family. I would have stayed. But I could not judge her. Devin was the one that used her, not Leo. It must suck believing the man you love and want to spend the rest of your life with, who happens to be the only person in your life, thinks you did wrong. There was no getting around it. She did what she felt was best for her. I hope that Devin finds her and fixes it. I left the Kitchen eventually and headed to my room. Leo had linked me to inform me he wanted to show Andrew and y the Pack. I had no problem with him showing y, but I had an issue with Andrew. He might be my cousin and might have protected me from afar because I still went through a lot of shit out there on my own, but I still did not trust him. If he could turn his back on people he has been with all his life, what is to say he is not here to gain Leo''s trust and help his cult get the East? We would have to keep a close eye on him. I did not like that Leo agreed to house him, and I would have a lengthy discussion with Leo about it when he returned. If Andrew has to be here, an eagle''s eye should be on him. I am not taken by the family card they are all ying. y and Alexei are sincere; I can feel it, I feel them somehow, but Andrew is an enigma, and I do not like those. Two hourster, I heard a kappa mind link me. "Luna, you have guests," he said, and I managed to get off the bed. I was about to sleep, but I could notin; Leo wasn''t home, so I guess hosting the guests fell on me, and it clicked that these guests might be why Leo was preparing a feast. Knowing these were dire moments. I linked the Kappa back. "Who are they, and what do they want. Do they have an invitation?" I asked, not wanting to y into the hands of enemies. I could not make myself a liability. "Luna, It is Queen Tamia and thedies of the north," he said, and I screamed joyfully. I could not believe this. I could not believe it. I could not wait to see them and their children. "Make sure they''refortable in the living area; I aming now," I linked him back and hurried out of the room. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. I could not believe Leo kept this from me. I had missed Linda so much and the children too. I rushed down the stairs past the foyer into the hosting room. There they were sitting. The moment I entered, I sensed something was wrong. There was tension in their air, and they seemed a bit worried. It took split seconds for them to notice I had entered. It was very unlike them not to be vignt. Something was wrong, but I wouldn''t stress it. I hoped they would eventually tell me what the problem was. If not, I nned to ask Linda. I knew she would open up to me with the right push. Linda stood up and smiled at me, but it didn''t touch her eyes. I rushed to hug her, and we lingered a bit. Then Avery and Tamia stood up, and I hugged them one at a time. Words did not need to be spoken. They knew I missed them. It hadn''t been long since we parted, but I had never had so many friends. Nicole and Katya stood up, and I hugged them. Then I saw Dr udia. What was she doing with them? I figured she might be there to care for Avery, so I did not bother to ask; I just nodded. "Where are the children?" I asked, looking around, and Tamia shook her head, indicating she did not want to discuss it. I feared they were the reason for the tension, but I hoped not. "So, where do we sleep?" Tamia asked, and I knew whatever was up with the children was a secret. I dropped it because it was none of my business, and I wouldn''t push it. I was good at minding my business. "Follow me, your highnesses and Your Majesty," I teased, and they smiled. I took Tamia first to her room, and she paused at the door. "This is the best room in this ce. It was meant for¡­" she started and stopped, not finishing the sentence. I smiled. "I know, Tamia. It was meant for Leo and you, but you did not want to live in this ce because it is big. I agree with you. So much that once all this is over, we are heading back to our bungalow. I wonder how you manage in the pce," I said, and she smiled. "Things we do for love." She said, and I understood her point. She didn''t like it there either, but anywhere Sylvester is living is home. "I felt it would only be befitting that the queen uses this room whenever shees home. The mountain is still your home Tamia," I said, and she had tears in her eyes. She hugged me so tight. "I pray you and Leo will have a blissful life, Amelia; you two are perfect for each other. He needs someone like you," she said, breaking the hug, then opening the door, and she gasped. She went to her pictures, and I could tell she was crying. She turned to look at me and muttered an inaudible ''Thank you'' with tears in her eyes. I wanted to use that opportunity to ask her why they all looked worried, but I held my tongue. "I will leave you to freshen up while I show the others their room," I said, and she looked past me to look at the others. I knew they were hiding something. I did not know what had happened, but I felt it was weird they all came here and left their husbands in the North. Had a war begun, were they in danger? But if they came here for safety, then they should havee with their children. Chapter 233 -71 A Little Gossip (Book 2) Chapter 233 -71 A Little Gossip (Book 2) ~Amelia~ I allocated rooms to everyone, and they said they liked it, but they were too worried to fool me. Linda was thest person I allocated a room to, and it was on purpose. I nned to question her about what was going on. I opened the door to the room closest to the one that Leo and I shared, and she entered. "It is lovely, Ame¡­" she started, and I cut her short and entered the room. "What is going on, Linda? None of you has acted well since you arrived. Where are the children, and why did you alle here like this?" I asked her, and she sighed. "We came with our husbands, but Leo shared us into two vans," she said, and I frowned at her. "So where are they now?" I asked, and she began to weep. "Those things, Amelia. They attacked we were able to escape, but the other Van remained. Everyone was in it. Our husbands, Leo and your brothers. They were in that Van. We have yet to hear from them. Thest the Kappa driving us told us was that Leo and your brothers were fighting those things," she said, and I froze. I felt like punching something. I was mad at Leo for going out without me. What if Andrew cannot be trusted? I was mad. I was enraged. "Do you have a phone on you?" I asked her, and she shook her head. "We did not want to be traced, so none of us brought our phones with us." She said, and I linked a Kappa to bring me a phone. A phone was brought to me in less than five minutes. Knowing Leo''s number by heart, I dialled it. The moment I heard his voice, tears of relief streamed down my face. "Where are you?" I asked him. " We are on our way back," he said while I held my emotions. I would scold him for this, but it would be in person and in private. "The King and lords?" I asked him, and he sighed. He knew that I knew what had happened. "They are fine, Amelia, not a scratch. Andrew and y took care of it," he said, and I growled. "You mean Andrew, y, and you took care of it," I corrected him, and he was silent. "d to know all of you are alright," I said, and Linda rushed to take the phone from me. "Leo, Leo, please let me speak to Theo," she said with shaking hands. I could tell how she was feeling. She spoke to her husband, and she was smiling andughing in no time. We hung up, and I returned the Kappa''s phone to him. "I have linked the others to inform them," Linda told me, and I nodded. I was d to see the light return to her eyes. "So, where are the children?" I asked, and she smiled at me. "Amelia, you won''t drop it, would you?" she asked, and I shook my head. "Leo said they were out to get us, so Sylvester sent the children underground with our trusted workers and rtives to care for them. They will remain in that location until all this is over. No matter what happens to us, our children have to survive. The farther we are from them, the easier we can guarantee their safety. "Who are these trusted rtives, if I may ask?" I asked. "Theo''s brother, Marcel''s sister and mother. With Bryce Golubev, the head enforcer and Kappa Levi. They are the only ones we could trust with our children''s lives," She said, and I knew it was brilliant. Moving to keep the children underground was an excellent idea. I did not want Erik sending his men into the pce and killing the future of the North. It was indeed a smart move, and I had to commend them for it. Well, I will leave you to freshen up while we prepare for the feast Leo has organized without my knowledge," I said and winked at her. Sheughed and pushed back my hair to reveal Leo''s mark on my neck. She had tears of joy in her eyes, and I felt a bit shy. "We saw Leo''s mark, but we didn''t say anything. I am happy for you, Amelia. He finally made the jump, but howe you did it without the Bluemoon? It is a mystery. We were talking about it, but the whole ordeal about the attack made us drop the topic," She said, and I smiled, knowing she did not know we were fated. " Leo and I are fated, but we n to wed on the blue moon night," I said, and she gasped. "That lucky man!" she said. "Twice in a row! The Moon goddess must love him," she said, stressing the word ''Love''. I giggled. I knew about Amanda, but we never talked about her. She was bad news. "I am happy for you two. I can''t wait to hear all the juicy details. You two were acting weird. I must admit. It was ring, but we did not suspect it because of what happened with you-know-who," She said, and I giggled. "He rejected me on sight because of his experience," I said, and she gasped. "Yes, he did, but I did not ept. I chose to fight for what was mine," I said, and she giggled. "You know Leah came around and tried to worm her way into his bed. The bitch," I said, and Linda startedughing. "I guess she hasn''te here since then," Linda said, and I nodded. "Oh my goodness, the ymans and Rivers are always trying to climb the socialdder," she said. "Joan always sent her daughter to the East. There was no need for it, but she did all the time, then, tried to get Devin when it seemed like Leo was not interested in settling down again, but Devin was in a serious rtionship with Susan then. I wonder what happened to those two; they have been on and off. I wonder if they get tired of their breakups and make-ups. The woman has a lot of shit going on with her. I believe she just needs time away from everyone to heal. It isn''t easy watching your only rtive''s execution. I am surprised she could even remain in a rtionship with Devin. Heard they have broken up finally now, so I am sure the ymans and Rivers will be out for Devin. Those two women don''t even know the shit the North is in with your rtives," She said and eyed me to see if she might have struck a nerve. I shook my head. "They killed my dad, so we are on the same page," I said, and she gasped. "Those people are psycho. I know what Dimitri did was wrong, but what does that have to do with our men? They weren''t even born then, and besides, it was a lordship, not kingship. Why can''t they let it rest? I know Sylvester would give them lordship in a heartbeat if they ask for it. I doubt their intentions are good." She said, and I agreed with her. "These bastards are not even in the line of session. My father was the son of Adrik, so my brothers and I are the true heirs, but none are interested, just like my father. It is a colossal mess; they have been doing many weird thingstely. They have been cruel, too," I said, and Linda widened her eyes. "Tell me about it," She said and sat on the couch in her room. I went to sit beside her. There was no point going to my room; Leo wasn''t home yet. "Those bastards stole mynd," Linda growled, and I knew how hard she fought for hernd. "All those poor people from Brent. Why didn''t they just give Kyle a beating and move along? Did they have to steal thend, too?" she said, and Iughed. If only she knew how Kyle arrived at Mountain, I am sure she would feel some satisfaction. "Then the horrible things they did in Pridewood in the south. They murdered all those people in cold blood. I mustmend Kyle for choosing life over his pride. The first time he would do something sensible and put others first." She said, and we were silent. "What do you think the council would do if they found a suspect for the event in Pridewood, even if it was an informant?" I asked, wanting to understand why Susan did not trust the system and ran away. "Why are you asking, do you have a suspect ?" she asked, and I shook my head immediately. She frowned at me, and I looked away. "It isn''t a suspect, just someone I believe might be in trouble for it," I said, and she sighed. "Those council people arezy. Devin and Leo do their best, but the rest of them are just there for the benefits. They do not investigate anything. I honestly cannot trust them with lives. In the bid to close the case quickly, they would just condemn the person. We are always the ones that force investigations. Most of the time, we carry it out ourselves to prove a suspect innocent, but in that case, it has to be something serious." She exined, and I understood Susan''s actions. "So they can''t be trusted to do their job diligently," I said, and she nodded. "Leo and Devin make a difference, but Sylvester determines the oue in the end," she said. I sighed, knowing Susan had a history with Sylvester. It would be a bad situation for all of them. He might not want to give her the benefit of the doubt so it won''t seem like favouritism. I doubt Tamia would mind, but he would respect his queen and leave it to the council. Susan must have done the math, and that was why she bolted. I just hoped she and Devin were okay. I stood up to give Linda time to settle in. "Well, let me go and handle the kitchen staff while you freshen up and wait for your husband," I said, and she smiled and nodded. "Who is doing the cooking?" She asked, and I told her it was the omegas. I had told her I could cook once, and I knew she might have been looking forward to eating my food. I smiled at her. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. "We are plenty now; I doubt I can cook for all of us," I said, and sheughed. "We will all help out whenever you feel like cooking. Trust me, Amelia, living in that castle makes us miss out on many normal things. I would love to cook my meals for a change." She said, and I "I will let you know so we can n towards it," I said, and she smiled. I left her room after that because I knew I might not leave if I stayed. There was just so much to say. I was still mad at Leo for going on that journey without me, and I would scold him for it. I entered my room and sat o. the bed. It wasn''t long before I heard Leo''s voice in my head. They were home. I guess they weren''t far away when I called. 72 Amelias Angle 72 Amelia''s Angle ~Leo~ The moment we arrived at the mansion, I rushed inside. From the way Amelia sounded on the phone, I knew she was mad, and I could not me her. When I left for the airport and lied about showing y and Andrew the ce, I believed I had done the right thing then, but now I knew it was silly. I put myself in her shoes and realised I owed her an apology. Even though I did not want her to join me at the airport, I should have told her what I nned on doing. It wouldn''t have cost me anything. But instead, I chose to lie. I knew she had it in for me. "The omegas would show you all to your room; I am sure Amelia has allocated the rooms to the queen anddies," I said, and Sylvester nodded. "You are in trouble?" he asked, and I knew he would know the look. I reluctantly nodded, and Marcel and Theo startedughing. "Let me guess; you did not tell her we wereing?" Marcel said, and I shook my head. "Not that. "I said and sighed. "I did not tell her I was going to the airport to get our guest because we suspected they might be attacked," I said, and Marcelughed. "Same thing Leo. You couldn''t have told her if you wanted our arrival in the east to be a surprise. Going to your her, we will make ourselvesfortable. I am sure our wives panicked when they saw that attack, and the kappa drove them away. They must have transferred some of that panic to Amelia," He said, and his words did not make me feel better. I decided to leave them. I linked Amelia, and she told me she was in the room. I got to the room and decided to knock. I could onlyugh at myself after I had knocked on the door twice as if I were a guest. I felt too guilty. "Come in," Amelia linked me, and I entered the room. She was sitting on the couch in the room and wasn''t smiling. That was a bad sign. I should have bought her flowers beforeing home. Maybe that would have softened her mood. She looked at me, and I forgot that I was wounded. I had already started healing but knew I looked like a mess. She rushed towards me and led me to the bathroom. Then she took off the fabric Vino had tied on my side. The wound was still open, but it was healing. I guess the cut was deep. She did not say a word to me. She ran warm water on it and disinfected it with ethanol. She could have used the hydrogen peroxide, but she wanted it to hurt, and it did before wrapping a bandage around my waist to cover the wound. It would be healed tomorrow. Once she was done, She left me alone in the bathroom, and I had to gather the courage to face her in the room. "Amelia," I said, and she looked at me with blue wolf eyes. "You could have died out there," she said with a shaky voice. "I do not ask questions, I mind my business, and I let you have your secrets and tell me things when you want to, but that does not mean that you should do this," she said, and I was silent. "You just met Andrew and y. How can you entrust your life and that of our friends to them?" She said, and I was surprised that she did not trust them either. "I have no issues with y. I know he is sincere, but Andrew is a different case. Did it ever ur to you that he is on a mission to help the cult get us? What if he turned on you and y in battle? What if he is an informant and prepared them for this. You and our friends would have been in trouble, and I would have believed you were showing them the pack. It is wrong, Leo," she said with tears in her eyes. "This is not the time for romantic surprises. We are at war. You are supposed to tell me everything. Let me know everything so I will know what to do and how and when to chip in. It is very important, Leo." She said and sighed. Then wiped away her tears. "That night, while in the north on our way from the ymans, you were unconscious to see or understand what I went through. "They took the three of you out as if it were nothing and were heading for Linda, Avery and me. Had I not been a Stepanov, we would have all been dead. I wouldn''t have been able to get help," She said, stood up, and walked to where I stood. Her eyes were misty. N?velDrama.Org owns all content. They were no longer blue, but tears were streaming down her cheeks. "Other than our friends from the North, I am the only person you can trust with your life Leo because I will only be hurting myself by hurting you," She said and touched my cheeks with her palm. "Do not do this again. I do not trust Andrew, and I want us to keep an eye on him until we know his true purpose. In fact, he had no business staying here, but since you have already granted him amodation, we need to be careful because he might be working for Yuri, and this might all be a n so Yuri can get the south and east on a tter." She said and chuckled. "How easy will it be to hand Yuri the south and east in exchange for aid and army to end Erik and secure the north and west? How easy will it be? They im they want to restore the Stepanov''s glory; I doubt it," she said. "If that is true, the real heirs are Alexei, y or me. Yuri has no im where we are concerned. I think the guy is shady. I might be wrong, but until proven otherwise, do not go with him anywhere and do not let him in on your real ns. It would go a long way, Leo," she said, and I knew she wasn''t lying. She was just as suspicious of everyone as I was, but she was subtle about it. Amelia would be a deadly enemy to have. "I am sorry, darling. I swear to you, I wasn''t thinking along those lines. I did not trust Andrew, but I did not know my actions would affect you like this. I am sorry," I said and bent to kiss her. She let me kiss her and held on to me tightly. I could not do what I wanted because of my wound, but I nned to make it up to her. We broke the kiss gently, and she led me to the bed. "I have been trying to take an afternoon nap since, but something alwayses up," she comined, and Iughed. "So, what do you think we should do about Andrew?" I asked her andy down. Shey with me and ced her head on my chest. "If Sylvester agrees with the idea of trading the south and east for Yuri''s support, then I think we should go with it; once Erik has been taken out, we move to take out Yuri too," she said, and I gasped. Her words made me sit up immediately and look at her. "Wouldn''t that be double-crossing an ally?" I said, and she shrugged. "If he was a good man, I wouldn''t think that way," she said. "But you heard what Andrew said about his character," I argued, and she chuckled. "Andrew''s standards are questionable. The man poisoned an entire settlement to get his way. He has been conquering packs and forcing people off theirnds. What he did in Pridewood is the height of his wickedness. Other than targeting the Volkovs, how many settlements have Erick actively wiped out?" she asked me, and I could not answer the question. "Exactly what I thought, Leo. Erik is fixated on getting revenge and taking over from the Volkovs while Yuri is killing innocent people. What would stop Yuri froming for everything once Erick has been taken out? Who will stop him? Did it ever ur to you that this is all part of a n and we are just unwilling and unsuspecting yers in Yuri''s game? " she said, and she made a lot of sense with those words. I did not think of it as deeply as she had, and she was right. Yuri was just as evil or even more so than Erik. What would stop the guy froming for the north and west once Erik is gone, and he has the east and south? Absolutely nothing. He would have all the power with no opposition. I felt completely stupid at that moment. "I see your point, Amelia," I said, and she nodded with satisfaction. "We do not need two kings. Sylvester is enough. Worst case scenario y and Alexei would be given lordship, and the natural order would be restored, but I think it would be stupid of us to work with Yuri and help him achieve his goal. He mighte for everything when we least suspect it," She said, spelling out her reasons, and she smiled. I could see she was d that I saw things her way. "We will discuss everything with Sylvester and the others and maybee up with several ns before we choose which one we would follow. Iid back down, and she ced her head on my chest while I stroked her hair. Amelia fell asleep, but I couldn''t sleep. I was ashamed that I did not think things through, nor did I think of the angle at which things might go south. I was d that Amelia had enough information to think along those lines and figure out how to counter and prevent them from happening. Yuri was a killer. However, Andrew tried to put it. He was a monster. 73 Partial Discussions (Book 2) 73 Partial Discussions (Book 2) ~Leo~ "Should I set the table for our guest, Alpha?" I heard Macy''s voice in my head while I held my mate. She must have tried to reach out to Amelia, but Amelia was asleep in my arms. I could not sleep. Apart from being in slight pain, what Amelia said made so much sense and made me nervous at the same time. I knew I would have to discuss and strategise with the Lords and King. "I want only trusted Omegas to serve us," I linked Macy. "Luna has already made sure of it. The people that cooked the food will serve it. We must also taste the food before our guest eats it," She said, and I peeked at Amelia. She looked peaceful and fragile in my arms, but her exterior didn''t fool me. She was a very caring woman. She also was the ruthless type. She must have cared about me so much to be gentle and patient with me. I stroked her hair gently to appreciate her, and she stirred in her sleep. I watched her eyes gently open, and I smiled. She was a bit confused at first, and then she came through. "Didn''t sleep?" she asked, and I knew she would be able to tell because I did not look rested. "Was watching you," I said, and she giggled and sat up. She took two minutes topose herself, then looked at me. "When are we eating, love?" she asked, and I smiled. I knew she would be hungry. "Now. Macy linked me to find out if she would serve the food now. She also said you instructed them to taste the food and that the same people that cooked the meal should serve us," I said, and she nodded proudly. "We can''t be too careful. Right now, we are caught in a crossfire between the Volkovs and the Stepanovs; it would be silly of us to be the targets. We have to be very careful and suspect everyone. The King and Lords, along with their mates, are here. Their protection and safety are up to us. So if it means me being meticulous about everything, be it." She said, and she had a strong point. We got off bed to prepare for dinner, and I asked the Kappas to usher our guests to the grand dining room. I also linked Kyle and Max to join us. No matter how ufortable some meetings might be, we all needed each other. We were fighting an impossibility. People that were immune to silver were a considerable challenge. We could not throw silver dust at them or bury bullets in their skulls. It would have the same effect as lead, and they would heal. The only way to destroy them was through muttion, but we would be lucky if they let us get close enough to do damage. We needed to put our heads together to find a way out of the problem. I also needed Kyle and Max to help me lure Andrew and y away so I could speak to Sylvester and the others in private. Amelia and I showered quickly, and she helped me dress my wound again. This time she used hydrogen peroxide instead of Ethanol. She wore a simple short dress while I wore shorts and a T-shirt. Then we headed out. We got to the dining, and everyone was there; they were clearly hungry. The head of the table was free, and I frowned and looked at Sylvester and Tamia, who were sitting on the side. "Please, sit at the head. We will maintain the normal order here," I said, and even though Sylvester seemed reluctant, he obliged. Sylvester and Tamia sat at the head; next to Sylvester was Marcel, then Avery. Next to Tamia was Theodore, then Linda before the others. Amelia and I sat at the other end. Next to me was Max, and next to Amelia was Kyle. I could tell the two Alphas were nervous, and I hoped we would move past it soon. We ate in silence, and the meals were delicious. Macy and the girls did well, but I knew Amelia would have done better. While we ate, we discussed trivial matters. After the meal, Amelia led the women to a recreational room meant for them while I led the men. To the lounge to discuss serious issues. Everyone made themselvesfortable, and Vino and Davidmended me on the beauty of the ce. I knew it was small talk, but I obliged by appreciating their kind words so that Vino could rx. I might dislike him, but we had more significant issues at hand. "How are you feeling," y asked me when we sat down, and I nodded. He was too fast for the attackers to do damage. I envied him a bit. "I lived," I said, and everyoneughed. Andrew was there, so I was reluctant to speak of my discussion with Amelia. I decided to communicate the idea to Sylvester and the others when Andrew wasn''t there. Andrew told them everything he told me, and they were left dumbfounded. He told them all but did not proffer the solution we had considered. "This is bigger than us," Vino said, and Marcel nodded. "They are motivated," Sylvester pointed out, and there was silence in the room because that was the biggest issue. Motivation was a driving force, a fuel, and they seemed to have a shit load of it. "So what do you propose we do because fighting these things is an impossibility with all I have heard," Sylvester asked, and Andrew cleared his throat to speak. "I am honoured that you gave me the floor to speak, your majesty. While we brainstormedst night, we came up with an Idea. The n is to team up with Yuri so we can have ess to his military and defeat Erik," he said. Sylvester nodded but seemed troubled by the idea. I wondered if he, too, was suspicious of the man. "Then what?" Sylvester asked, and there was silence. "For us toe to that agreement and get that kind of aid, there has to be a reason. We have to be giving something in return." Sylvester spelt out, and Andrew nodded. "We think it would be safer for all of us if you give Yuri the east and south," He said, and Sylvester stood up angrily. "Do you know what you are asking of me?" Sylvester asked. "I cannot hand the east and south to a mass murderer, Andrew; let us not push that agenda," he warned, and Andrew was silent. Everyone was quiet. "Where do they stay, Yuri and Erik," Sylvester finally asked Andrew while breaking the brief silence. "They move about, so I cannot say precisely where they stay," Andrew responded. "And why should we trust you?" Marcel asked, and Andrew sighed. "I do not have the words to convince any of you, but I just want peace." He said and sounded sincere, but my discussion with Amelia had made me wary of the man. All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. "Very well, we will think about the situation and decide," Sylvester said with a final tone. Andrew thanked him for even considering it. Wanting to discuss with the lords and King privately what I discussed with Amelia, I linked Max to assist me by taking Andrew and y away from the lounge. I would have said Andrew alone because y deserved to be there, but that would make the man suspicious, and we could not have that. It wasn''t hard for Max to do either. Andrew and y were quick to join Max and Kyle at the bungalow. I waited for them to leave before speaking. I told them what I had discussed with Amelia, and they were attentive. "I am d she sees things a bit differently," Sylvester said,mending her wisdom. "With all we have heard and seen, Yuri seems dangerous and maybe more ruthless than Erik. Anyone willing to kill innocent people to achieve their goal is wicked and cannot be trusted," He added, repeating Amelia''s fears. "So what do you propose?" Theo asked Sylvester, and he sighed. "We are not immune to silver, so we do not have a chance against these things. Our first n should be for us to y the two against themselves. So they can cancel each other out or weaken each other''s might to give us a fair advantage." He said, and it made sense, but I wondered how we would approach Erik knowing his intentions towards the Volkovs. "How would we approach Erik? He wants all of you dead?" I said, pointing out the issue. "That is based on what Andrew says," Marcel corrected me, and he had a point. Nothing we know would be regarded as a fact until verified. "I am sure if we put our heads together, we would find a way to approach Erik and y them against each other," Theodore said, and that was also a good idea. "But we need moles in their midst just like they have nted moles in our territories," Theo pointed out, and he was right. We could only seed with urate and trusted information. "I do not know how we would go about it, but we need to know whose side Andrew is on before we proceed and decide quickly. If he is on their side, we will eliminate him, but if he proves trustworthy, he will help us nt the moles. The only way we can sessfully fight them is to know their every move. Fighting them blindly would be a stupid mistake and a certain failure on our part," Sylvester said. "How do we determine Andrew''s true intentions?" Marcel asked, and Sylvester chuckled. "By feeding him false information and seeing what happens," Sylvester said, and we were all silent. There was no disputing that was the fastest and best way to catch Andrew. While we all agreed with Sylvester''s n, I hoped Andrew was on our side because we needed all the help we could get to defeat these people. Learning to fight them was also important, but inside information was required to ensure we seeded. I was still expecting my parents to show up, and after all that Andrew had told me, they had much exining to do. However, Andrew did not tell Sylvester and the lords of the Sullivans and my parent''s involvement. Judging by the source of the information and the fact that we were yet to trust him, I decided to wait for my folks to arrive and then question them about it. Whatever they say will determine how I will reveal the information to others. I nned to do so to avoid any misunderstanding. I hope Devin arrives before they do so we can discuss the matter. 74 Whos The Mole (Book 2) 74 Who''s The Mole (Book 2) ~Devin~ Susan fell asleep a few hours after she woke up. The doctor that checked up on her said she would be safe to transport to the Mountain the next day. She had recovered faster than anticipated, and I was thankful for it. It was good news because I had so much to do. Arresting Alice and finding out all she knew was part of it. I nned to take Susan back to Mountain, then travel to Greenville with Max and arrest Alice. If I returned to Greenville with Susan, Alice would know her game was up, and she would flee. I could not have that. I nned on setting a trap for her to fall in so it wouldn''t be her words against Susan''s. I also did not trust her rtionship with Lukman and nned to expose her. I sat on the couch Alia sent to Susan''s hospital room and watched Susan sleep. She looked peaceful, and I prayed our lives would be that peaceful. I hated that her first reaction to the conflict was to run, but she ended up uncovering something crucial. I was grateful to the goddess for her, and I hoped that once everything was over, we would have a blissful life together. Someone knocked on the door, and I didn''t bother looking towards it because I knew it was Alexei. I could smell him. I fought the urge to roll my eyes and just nodded for him to enter. He walked in quietly and came to sit beside me. I shifted a bit because I was in the middle of the three-sitter couch. "Heard you two are leaving tomorrow," he said, and I nodded. "That is great news. Honestly, I was worried when I heard what had happened. d you found her on time," he said, and I sighed because he was right. I knew he wanted to tell me something but did not know if this was the right time. I looked at him and raised my eyebrow, but his head was bowed, so he did not see my facial expression. I wasn''t the patient type, but people always failed to understand that part of me. "What is it?" I asked, sounding a bit short. He rubbed his head a bit and tousled his hair. "The King and the Lords arrived, and they were attacked by Yuri or Erik''s men; we do not know yet, but I suspect Leo might have an informant in Mountain. I do not know if you can help memunicate with Leo to be extra careful," Alexei said, sounding worried, and I frowned. "Who told you this?" I asked him. "y. He said Leo, Andrew and him had to defend because they did not want the royals toe out of the van just in case it were spections. They were unsure if they knew the King and Lords wereing or if it was just spection. He said it worked because once Leo exited the van, they stopped trying to move past them to attack the van. The good news is that they were able to kill them all. I have been trying to reach Leo, but he seems upied. Please try and discuss this with him extensively tomorrow so they can figure it out. Having all the Volkovs in Mountain is risky, and he has to put in a lot of effort to ensure they do not get killed there." He said and sighed. I kept my eyes on Susan while he spoke. I did not need to guess where the leak originated; I already knew it. It made me even feel more ashamed of myself. That bitch Alice was around when I had discussions with Leo, and I knew Leo. I discussed Sylvester''s arrival in one of our phone discussions. I also registered it somewhere. I bowed my head and sighed. "What is the matter, Devin?" Alexei asked me. I sighed with my eyes still on my mate. "Would you believe me if I said the leak did note from Mountain but from Greenville?" I said, and he gasped. I looked at him, and he was focused on Susan. His profile looked like y, but I was offended he was looking at Susan because I knew what he was thinking. It was normal for he would look at her since her parents were part of the cult. "Don''t look at my mate like that; she did nothing wrong," I snapped immediately, realising I would have to do more to protect Susan because everyone was quick to point at her. She was guilty by association, and that was wrong. Susan had never hurt or harmed anyone before. She wouldn''t have tried to get back with Sylvester if it weren''t for the mate pull between them. It took a while for her to ept the rejection, but it was understandable after all that she had been through. Still, it was wrong to fault her every damn time. "It was my assistant, Alice. She is the daughter of my father''s Beta. Susan caught her in Brent talking to one of your family members. She came out of the woods to confront her, and in response, they decided to bury Silver in Susan and leave her for dead. At first, I thought Susan might be mistaken. The desperation to prove her innocence and the fact that she had an issue with Alice before we came to Mountain might be the reason why she would imagine it to be Alice, so I called my beta Lukman to rify. ording to him, Alice left for Hand yesterday, iming she would visit her folks, among other lies she told him. That puts her in Brent at the time Susan said she saw her. She was the one that told the enemies about Sylvester. She was always around me, so she must have eavesdropped my conversations with Leo. That must have been why they were unsure if Sylvester was in the van." I said, and Alexei whistled. "What did you do to her?" he asked me, and I chuckled. "I guess I refused to fuck her. She might be mad about it," I said, and heughed. "She is like that?" he said, stillughing, and I nodded. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. It was okay tough, knowing they did not seed and weren''t sure whether or not the northerners were in the East, but it would have gone differently had y and Andrew not been there, and we would have lost the war before it even began. "The bitch was so malicious she tried to make Susan believe I was screwing her and that she should leave. She almost seeded, too, had Susan not confronted me about it. She is just a sneaky little bitch. Now my Beta says they are dating; I doubt she wants him; she just wants to use him to keep a tab on our dealings." I said, and Alexei could not stopughing. "So what do you want to do about it?" he said, and I looked at him. I almost screamed when I saw his eyes. I had not seen his eyes since he entered, but I did now. He wasn''t in contact for the first time, and his orbs looked weirder than Amelia''s. I knew it was the same, but I was used to seeing Amelia with those eyes. "What happened to your contacts?" I asked him, and he sighed. "There is no need anymore. The Stepanovs are out of hiding, and the line has been drawn. I hated wearing those things. I wore them all my life," he said. I could understand the relief he felt being able to be himself without hiding behind his hair dye and contact lenses. "''I am d you are embracing your features," I teased, and he nudged me. "So what is the n? We must catch the bitch so she can tell us what she knows. Andrew''s information is limited. He has taken sides, so he would no longer know what is happening with the cult. This bitch can lead us to someone that could lead us to something useful," Alexei said, and I smiled. "I have ns for her," I said, grinning and looking at Susan. I had severe ns for her. She felt the need to bury silver in my mate and leave her for the dead, then went further to sell out my friends. I had ns for Alice, and I doubted she would survive them when I was done. I greatly respected her family because they were loyal to my father, but even that would not save her from my wrath. I took out the phone I was given to call Leo while Alexei remained with me. I needed to inform them about Alice so they would not have random suspects. Suspecting people randomly never solved anything, and this case was a bit more tricky than the one with Larry. 75 Devins plans (Book 2) 75 Devin''s ns (Book 2) ~Devin~ Leo did not pick up, and I heard Amelia''s voice when the phone was answered. "Hello," she said softly to the phone. "Amelia, it is Devin. Is Leo there?"I asked her. "Devin, how is Susan?" She asked. "I found her, and she is receiving treatment in Hill Valey. We will return tomorrow, and she can tell you everything herself," I said, not wanting to get into a lengthy discussion with Amelia. "Okay, I will take the phone to Leo. Hold on," she said, and I waited. It took a bit, and then I heard her hand the phone over to Leo, telling him it was me. I also heard voices that sounded like Marcel and Theo in the background. I was d they were alive and well and the ambush failed, or else I would have med myself for being sloppy and stupid. "Devin, how is Susan," Leo said. "She is fine; I am bringing her to Mountain tomorrow, and then I will head back to Greenville with Max. I hope he is up for the task," I said. "Is anything the matter?" Leo asked me, sounding concerned. "I learned you were ambushed on your way back from the airport," I said, and he sighed. "Yes, apparently, they have a mole in Mountain," he said, and I shook my head even though I knew he could not see me. "No, they don''t, Leo; I know who the mole is. And she isn''t from the Mountain," I said, and he gasped. "Susan?'' he asked, and I growled. Why was everyone always quick to point at my mate? N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. "Not you too, Leo. Please give my mate a break. She is why I have found out who the mole is, so show some respect and gratitude,'' I said, and he apologised. "So, who is the mole?" he asked me quietly. "Alice, my father''s Beta''s daughter. She was the one that Susan tried to confront in Brent this morning when she saw her with a Stepanov descendant. They buried silver in her and left her for the dead. Before that, Susan had issues with the bitch in Greenville because she imed I was screwing her and tried to force Susan to leave. Thinking Susan might have imagined the whole thing because of trauma, I called my Beta to find out if Alice was around. He said the bitch left for Hand to visit her folks yesterday, which put her in the Brent at the time Susan said she saw her. She also asked Lukman out a month ago, and they have been going steady. I know she only asked him out to keep a tab on me." I said, and Leo was silent. I knew I had said a lot for him to assimte. I waited for him to say something. "So what is the n?" he finally asked. "I will bring my mate to your Packhouse and return to Greenville with Max, pretending Susan is missing; then I will set the bitch up and arrest her when she falls. I will bring her to Mountain, and we will drill her for answers. I could have decided to go home and arrest her, but that would make it her word against Susan''s. I do not want my mate to have to defend what she saw. Especially since Alice has gone about telling people, Susan made mey her off. The girl is a bitch, and I am ashamed I let her work closely with me. I am sorry, Leo. Sylvester and the others are in danger." I apologised, and he cleared his throat. "It is okay, Devin. No one would have guessed that bitch would do that. She is a disgrace to all of us. But if what you are saying is urate, then the South is fucked," he pointed out, and I sighed. That was a reality I could not deny. I did not know how far Alice had helped them, and with Susan''s parents involved, there was no way I would win. "I know, Leo. I know I have lost the South," I confessed. It was a hard pill to swallow, but it was best I bared it all for them to see. I did not know if we could ever im it back, and I med my lackadaisical behaviour for it. Why did I lose guard? "Calm down, Devin; we will figure something out. Even when you lose, it would be temporary," He said. "What use will it be when all my people are killed? You know what they did in Pridewood. What would make them refrain from doing that to the rest of the South?" I asked, and he sighed. "Devin," I heard Sylvester''s voice, and I knew Leo had me on speaker. It was good because I would not have to expose my shame twice. "I am d you found your mate, and she is well. I need you to advise your people to surrender and evacuate theirnd once the Stepanovse for them. Tell the Alphas that I ordered them to act like Kyle. Assure them they will have amodation in the north and west where I have a stronger hold. Assure them we hope it will be temporary but do not speak to them about our ns. Be vague and tell them their lives are more important thannd. There is also a possibility they would not want them to evacuate thend, but the best option is that they leave so they do not end up as casualties," he said, and I understood what he meant. The Stepanovs might not ask them to leave because they need people to rule and use for their purpose. But Sylvester was right. The people were best away from the chaos. "I understand your reasons, your Majesty and I will do as you have instructed," I assured Sylvester. "See you tomorrow, Devin," I heard David''s voice. He always sounded excited. The man had an unlimited supply of joy. I hoped I could tap into it when I saw him. I said goodbye and hung up. Alexei remained by my side, and we discussed his twisted family a bit before his Luna linked him, and he had to leave me. I looked at Susan and hoped we would be together one day. I could not wait for us to start our lives and have our children. I could not wait to quiet the noise and move on. We prepared early the next day, and Alexei gave us a vehicle to take us to the Mountain. I was grateful for their hospitality and grateful for Susan. She wasn''t at a hundred per cent yet, but she was getting there. It would take a week before she could shift, and I was happy. Casper and the trackers that followed me were eager to go home. Throughout our journey back to Mountain, we were on high alert. Luckily for us, there was no ambush, and we arrived safely. Amelia and Linda were waiting at the entrance of the pack house. I figured the gatekeepers must have announced our arrival. Susan alighted the car, and Amelia rushed to hug her. They had just met, and Amelia was showing her a lot of love. Linda smiled at her a bit, and I knew Linda did not like her as much, and I wouldn''t me her. Linda was Tamia''s friend, and Susan was Sylvester''s ex-girlfriend and ex-fated. Susan also tried to get back with Sylvester after she knew he had moved on with Tamia. There would still be reservations between them. I hoped Team Tamia would let it go and move on. Tamia and Sylvetser were fully mated and married with children. Susan and I were getting married. It was clear we had all moved on. Amelia gently Led Susan in while Casper and I went into the building and headed to Leo''s office. I was pumped up and ready to head to the South. Because the more time I wasted, the more likely Alice would find out what I knew and make a run for it. I found Marcel, Theodore, Max and Kyle in the office. It was a weird mix, judging their history, but I guess chaos brings people together, and these people seemed to have solved their issues automatically or might just be acting Civil. I knew that if Sylvester and Leo could get along, they would be just fine. Leo arrived with Devin and Dominic. Sylvester was thest to join us, and he looked ruffed up, which meant Tamia did not let him leave the room early. We shook hands and exchanged pleasantries, and I felt our team wasplete. "Just like with Larry, Han?" I asked, and Sylvesterughed. "Yes, the team is back on," David said, looking very happy, and just then, Vino walked in. He was an addition to the bunch this time because,st time, he was one of the bad guys. It was amazing how time changes things. We discussed all we knew extensively, and they all agreed that Alice would help us understand the situation better. Kyle and Max volunteered toe with me. I wanted only Max, but Kyle wanted toe. Along so I ob; aged. We were to leave in an hour, so I checked on Susan and let her know I would be leaving. She already knew what I nned to do, and I promised her I would not stay too long. Her greatest fear was that I would linger and the people that wiped Pridewood woulde to Greenville. I hoped, for my sake, she was wrong. We left for Greenville, and our journey was smooth. I arrived there faster than usual. The narrative was straightforward. We were to pretend Susan ran away and she was missing while I set my trap for Alice. I went to my house with Kyle and Max, and just as I had hoped, Alice came to protect me, and she apologised for her conduct when Susan was around. I told her she could resume work. My work with her would not exceed two days. She was bound to slip up. And Max and Kylke were on standby to help with her arrest and transportation back to the Mountain. I could not wait to deal with the bitch. She had done a lot of damage, and it was time to make her pay. 76 Plans and Execution (Book 2) 76 ns and Execution (Book 2) ~Devin~ Kyle and Max joined me in the living room of my home. I could see they were anticipating what would happen. Neither of us was pleased about Alice''s conduct. They did not know her, but they understood the gravity of her actions. I was d because I knew whomever she was liaising with would lead us to something tangible. I just had to catch her and back her into a corner. "So, how did you make an enemy of your own pack member?" Max asked me, and I wondered if it was meant as a jab or a genuine question. "She wanted us to be a thing, and I never looked at her," I said, point nk, and theyughed. "Wow, I could see why she would have them bury silver in Susan. I hope we get the bitch because I suspect she is behind all the attacks in the south and east, and I need my pound of flesh," Kyle said. I did not know if that was entirely true, but I could never tell. She did go to Brent to meet with her handler or whomever the weirdo may be. "So what is the n?" Max said, and I grinned evilly. "Kyle will keep an eye on Alice. You have better stealth than us, so I would give you that task. We need to find a way to search through her things. I would have entrusted Lukman with the task, but he is pussy whipped, I suppose, and I can''t trust any of the men in my pack with the task." I said, and Kyle grinned. I knew he would love the challenge. "I will im Susan''s body was found in the woods of Brent, and she is dead. I doubt the people that shot at us were the same people she encountered, so there will be mimunication between both parties. I wished there was a way we could have her call her handler and then catch her just in case we do not find anything in her home. We might also make her believe one of the lords is coming so she can try to snitch, and then Kyle keeping an eye on her will catch her? I don''t know. I have a lot of Ideas in my head. All I know is we need to catch her really fast, and it has to be a way that it won''t be her word against Susan''s," I said, and Max smiled. "You know if she has someone from the Stepanov line she is informing, we will be toast, Han?" Max said, and I frowned at him. "Those things are freaks, Devin. They wille here hoping to kill a Northern Lord, a ''Volkov''. The motivation will be high, and we will be done for. There won''t be y, Alexei, Andrew or Amelia to help. I hope you know what you are doing," he said, and I did not think that through. I guess I was just pissed about what happened. "So, what do you suggest?" I asked him, and he looked at Kyle. "I say we grab the bitch, beat her senseless and have her singing in no time. No need to investigate. She will sing like a bird when I am through with her," Max said, and it sounded tempting. Every fibre of my being wanted to do just that, but we needed to be careful. "I do not think that would be a good idea because of her ties with Lukman. I do not need any more disloyal people around me. I am the least patient of us, and even though the south might have been overrun already, I nned to keep my people loyal to Sylvester and me." I said, and Max frowned. "I get it, Devin. We will do it your way, but this is how we will do it," Kyle said. "We will ask Lukman to join us to search here stuff. A youngdy like that won''t be smart enough to cover her tracks. She acted too boldly to be smart. We will find something on her phone or in her house that would tie her to the weirdos. Then we grab her. Honestly, having her send for them toe when they think a Volkov would be here would be dangerous for all of us. They might wipe everyone out. I would have been morefortable with that n if Amelia and her siblings were with us. If that was what you nned on doing, then you came to the south with the wrong team," Kyle said, and weughed. "Very well, I will keep her busy while the two of you join Lukamn to search her belongings," I said, knowing it would be hard for me because I detested the bitch, but it was essential to do so we could make headway. Time was running out, and I did not want to miss the Bluemoon ceremony when my wedding would take ce. We all retired to our bedrooms, and I decided to call Susan to check up on her before I went to sleep. Her phone rang a couple of times before someone answered, and to my surprise, it was Avery. "Hello, Devin," Avery said, and Iposed myself. "Is she all right," I asked, and Averyughed. "Come on, Devin, she is fine. It''s just eleven PM, and Tamia and Amelia decided that we have a get-together in the lounge. Susan went to use the toilet and left her phone behind. Wait, here she comes, holds on for her," she said, and I heard womenughing. I could hear Nicole talking. She was just as Jovial as her husband. I was d that they included Susan in their fun. It was about time they buried the non-existent bad blood between them. "Hey, babe," she said, and I sighed. "You know you should be resting," I scolded her, and she giggled. "I could not say no to her majesty," she said, and I sighed. "Tamia invited me, and I had toe. Besides, it would be boring in that room alone without you, so I am having fun and wishing you the best." She said. "Hope you mess that bitch up, Devin!" I heard Linda say in the background. Susan giggled. "I told them about Alice," she confessed, and I figured. "We have had our fair share of treacherous bitches, but none ever buried silver in us. That batch is cold!" Avery said and even though it sounded funny. They were telling the truth. "All right, babe. I will leave you to have fun with your friends. I will join you tomorrow or the day after." I said, and we exchanged ''I love yous'' and hung up. I was more rxed after hearing Susan was having fun with the women. I guess I must have miss read the bad blood, or maybe Amelia somehow got them to get along. I guess I will never know until I get back. N?velDrama.Org owns all content. I slept peacefully that night. Lukman arrived in the morning. I was d he listened to me and did note with Alice. He looked around and wondered if something was the matter, but I ushered him to sit down. "Alpha, is everything all right?" He asked me, and I nodded. "I need you to take Max and Kyle to Alice''s apartment and join them in searching through her things," I said, and he frowned at me. "Do you want to question my reasons?" I asked him sternly, and he shook his head. "Very well, so you know, Leo caught some rogues, and they named her their informant. I do not want to believe that was the case, but Iter found out that she did not visit Hand when she said she would, and an attack happened in Mountain based on information she got from me. I want to believe it is not true, but I need to be sure before I brush it off and tell them to look elsewhere," I said, and he nodded. "I understand, Alpha. I am sure it is just a misunderstanding and won''t find anything in her apartment," He said, and I nodded. I did not want him to know what she did to Susan yet, so it would not be as if Susan had set her up. She had already used Susan of being the one that caused me to fire her; I could not allow her to manipte her way out of the situation. I nned to expose her and then punish her. "What will you do if she is found guilty?" he asked me, and I sighed. "I do not know," I lied. "Because of her Family''s rtionship with mine, I do not know, but if she is willing to give me substantial information, I might grant her immunity," I lied, and he frowned. "Why would you be that generous, Alpha?" He asked me, and I sighed and looked at him. "Because you two are together, and I would want you in the best state of mind," I said, and he bowed his head. I knew something was wrong, so I wanted to pry., "What is the matter?" I asked him, and he sighed. "I appreciate your kindness Alpha, but Alice broke up with me Last night after you returned. She said she wasn''t feeling the whole thing, and neither was I. We both decided it was best this way. Besides, I noticed she is obsessed with you. Always wanting to know what you are up to. I got tired," He said, and I was surprised. I wondered why she broke up with him, but I knew she wouldn''t tell him the truth behind her actions, so I decided to wait for her toe by. "Where is Susan?" he asked me, and I sighed. "Ran away two days ago. Haven''t seen her since," I lied, and he sighed. "You need to move on, Alpha; The woman has broken your heart enough. I do not think she is ready. I hoped she was because you two were so good together." He said, and I stood up, wanting him to stop talking because I felt shitty that I had lied to him. It was necessary because I did not know Alice''s effect on him. I had to maintain the narrative until proven otherwise. Max and Kyle joined us, and they left to do what I asked. I sat in my living room and waited for the treacherous Alice to arrive. 77 Catching Alice (Book 2) 77 Catching Alice (Book 2) ~Devin~ I heard someone pull up in my driveway, and I knew it was Alice. She did note by until ten in the morning, which was odd, given that I had told her she could resume her job. I tried to look as miserable as possible with a bottle of beer sitting on the couch. I needed her to let her guard down and rx. I felt it was odd she broke up with Lukman the night I returned. She might be trying to skip town or might be nning something worse. I did not know, but I needed to be careful. "Come in", I called out, already knowing who was at the door, and Alice walked in. She looked nervous at first, but when she saw me, she gasped. "Alpha!" she said and rushed toward me. Left to me, I would chain her in silver and drag her to Mountain, but Iposed myself. "What happened?" she asked, and I sighed. "Just do your work, Alice and mind your business", I snapped at her. I had to act as usual so she did not get suspicious of my intentions. She seemed like she had something to say, and I raised an eyebrow at her. "Where is Miss Sullivan," She said, still unable to refer to Susan as her Luna. This was where I had to act, so she remained in my house while they searched her belongings because her body language said she wasn''t resuming her work. "Ran away two days ago, haven''t seen her since, and I doubt I would," I said, maintaining the story. Something faltered in her eyes, and she was clearly hiding something.All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. I already knew what it was, so I did not bother with her; I just yed along. "I am sorry to hear Alpha; I hope shees back," She said, and I knew she did not mean those words. "I doubt she will. I guess it was goodbye this time," I said, and she smiled. "let me fix you something to eat." She said, and I shook my head immediately. She might try to load me up with silver too. "Just keep mepany and tell me all you have been up to since I left for the East," I told her, and she smiled at me. "Well, I went to visit my folks in Hand and returned the day before yesterday. Lukaman and I broke upst night. We weren''t feeling the rtionship, so we decided to end things, and that is all in a nutshell." She said, and I wanted to drill her some more I just needed to be careful how I go about it. "What are your dreams, Alice?" I asked her, wanting to understand her motivations. She looked at me and frowned. "I want to know what you aspire for yourself. You have to want something for yourself," I asked her, and she bowed her head. "Dreams are what they are, just dreams. Reality is always far from it, and since we all have to settle for reality, I have no dreams," she said. That was really strangeing from someone as young as her. "So there is nothing you want?" I asked, and she looked at me, blushing. "I wanted you," she confessed, and Iposed myself. I doubt she meant that because if she cared for me, she wouldn''t have teamed up with my enemies to ruin me. "But you wanted Miss Sullivan. I had been constant. She had been off and on, but she always won no matter how hard I tried to show my worth. You''re a dream, and this is my reality," She said. I knew I could get more out of her, at least buy more time. "Why did you want me?" I asked her, and she frowned at me. "If I said I was interested now, what would be your reason for wanting me, Alice?" I asked, and she smiled. "You are funny, smart, handsome, powerful. You are in charge. People call you Bane; other regional alphas respect you and want to be like you. You are a woman''s dream, Alpha. My dream," she said and sighed. Those were general things, so I figured it wasn''t heartfelt. "I do not know how Susan can''t see what she has. I hope you finally get to move on because she is nevering back," she said, and I frowned at her. It was an odd statement to make, knowing Susan alwayses back. "Why would you say never?" I asked, and she blushed. "She can only run and return a couple of times. A day wille when she won''t return to you, Alpha. She is fickle and fickle people can''t be relied upon." She said, and my phone rang. I paused to answer it. "Max," I said, and he sighed. "Her house is clean, Devin. Too clean to be clean. Even Lukman finds it odd. It is as if she is nning on leaving Greenville. Her bags are packed and everything," Max said, and I sighed. I had figured that out already. The confirmation made it easier. "Pleasee home," I said, not wanting to give away anything. Kyles''s proposed way would have to do the trick because I had no time to waste. The North liked to investigate; I just acted. I hung up and looked at Amelia, and smiled. "Follow me to my bedroom," I said, and she beamed at my invite. I could not believe that the girl was willing to allow me to use her as a rebound. I had a surprise for her in my bedroom, and she would like it. She followed me eagerly, and I ordered her to remove her clothes, leaving her underwear on while I bound her hands and feet. "Today, I would let you live in that dream, Alice," I said while binding her with silver sensually, and she was blushing. I could swear her heart was beating fast and anticipating it. Rex was eager to finish her off, but I knew I had to be patient. I cuffed her hand and feet with silver and then wore her blindfolds. I reached into the wardrobe and took out a chain. I use the iron chain to tie the cuffs on her hand to that of her feet. Leaving enough room for pulling. "Alpha, you like Kinky stuff," She said, and I smirked. "Yeah, Alice, I ''love'' Kinky stuff," I said and took off her blindfolds. She looked at me, a bit surprised that I was still dressed, but I could see the anticipation in her eyes. "Who do you work for, Alice?" I asked. " You, Alpha," She said sensually, and I pped her. She had shock and fear in her eyes. There was nothing sensual about the p and the look on my face. Her mood changed, and it was like something was switched off in her. Her need was reced with confusion and fear. I lifted her chin and stared into her eyes. "Who do you work for, Alice?" I asked, and she pretended not to know what I was talking about when I pped her again so she would know I was serious. "Alpha," she cried, and I pped her again. She had no ess to her wolf abilities, so she was bleeding. Just then, Lukman, Max and Kyle arrived, and I asked them to join us in our bedroom. The moment they entered, Lukman gasped, and Kyle and Max were happy. "That is what I am talking about," Kyle said. "Alpha?" Lukman said, and Alice looked at him with pleading eyes. "Lukman, Alpha is hurting me," she said, and I pped her again. "I confirmed that you did not visit your folks in Hand," I said, and her eyes widened. I could see she understood her predicament now. "How long have you been working for them, Alice? And why?" I asked her, and she began to sob. "I do not know what you are talking about." She said, and I pulled her hair really tight so she could look up at me. "I am not ying, Alice. I am ready to kill you for what you and your friend did in Brent," I said, and the surprised look in her eyes said it all. "What happened in Brent?" Lukman asked. "Alice buried silver arrows in Susan because Susan confronted her when she saw her with those silver immune weirdos with white hair. The same people that wiped out Pridewood," Max exined, and Lukman gasped. Tears began to stream down Alice''s cheeks. "Why did you do it? Why did you betray me? They almost killed Leo, thinking he wasing with the royals. You were the only one that had ess to that information. Had the Royals really been there, they would have been killed, and it would have been your doing. Why Alice?" I said, tugging on her hair. "His name is Inkabod Semenov, Current Alpha of Leegard close to Gad. He is the one that took over Brent," she said in tears, and I pulled her hair tighter. "We have been dating for six months now; we are to be wedded on the Bluemoon night. I was going to leave tonight. He works for a man called Yuri. I have never seen him before, but he calls him his uncle. They want to take over the south and east and establish kingship," She said and began to cry. I let go of her hair. "When you asked me what my dream was, that was it, Alpha. I wanted to be Luna too. Normally I should be your choice being the beta''s daughter, but you chose a Sullivan. One from a treacherous lineage," She said, weeping, and Maxughed. "So you decided to be a traitor so Devin would find you appealing, right?" he said, and even though it was funny, this wasn''t the right time tough. "You will lead us to this Semenov bastard, am I clear?" I said with mymand, and she nodded quickly. "Pack her up; she is going to the east," I said, and Kyle smiled. "With Pleasure, Bane," He said, calling me by my nickname, and I knew he was enjoying this. I could also understand his reasons. She was part of the people that helped run him out of his home. I pulled Lukman aside to give him instructions. "I want the rest of the Greenville residence, that is, civilians moved to the North. Only our military presence should remain. Thanks to Alice, the South has fallen. I do not want innocent people to die. If theye, make sure everyone surrenders and chooses to serve. Do not fight back." I said, and he looked at me with a worried expression in his eyes, and I nodded. "Trust me. It is better than ending up like Pridewood." I said, avoiding telling him we had a n. The less he knew, the better it would be. I never trusted Andrew''s idea of teaming up with Yuri because anyone that would kill multitudes of innocent people cannot be trusted. I do not care what Andrew has to say. I got ready to head back to the east with the prisoner. I felt Inkabod was a valuable yer, and he would blow this thing open and give us a fighting chance. He was just one person, and we had Amelia, Alexei and y on our team. There was no way we could go wrong. Chapter 240 -78 Ladies Night Chapter 240 -78 Ladies Night ~Amelia~ Tamia had the idea of having a party to lift the gloom. As much as we did not want to address the matter, it was hanging above us. There was a cult after all our lives, and we did not know how to deal with them. We needed a miracle, but it was okay to unwind and rx while we waited for the Miracle. Susan told us about Alice and what happened in Brent, and I was furious. Tamia had a simr story about a woman called Lilly. The name seemed to trigger many memories for the three women. It made me wonder why Linda would name her daughter Lilly; until Linda told me it was her mother''s name, I dropped the matter. I believed I might have had someone like that too; if Leo wasn''t closed offpletely, Leah would have been a treacherous problem for me too, but I guess he had learned his lesson from Amanda and closed offpletely. I hoped Devin caught the Alice bitch and made her sing. We needed to know what was going on. We only had Andrew''s angle, and I did not trust him completely. I know my brothers trust him, but I don''t. I nned to have a private discussion with y to discuss Andrew extensively. Nicole was the life of the party, and udia was yet to get along with everyone but seemed to be trying. Something I noticed about the women was that they just expect the neer to fit in, so if the neer is waiting for an invite, she will wait forever. Seeing how udia was quiet, holding her martini, I decided to take a stroll through the corridor with her. Maybe get her talking and discover why she decided to go out with Vino. Call me nosey, but I believed there was more to it. I know Leo has issues with the guy because of Amanda, but I did not care about things that did not concern me. I knew talking to her would make her loosen up because no one seemed to be making any effort. "Do you mind joining me in the kitchen?" I asked udia, and she looked at me and smiled. "Yes, Luna," she said, and Iughed. "Amelia would do just fine," I said, and she smiled. Linda frowned a bit and then figured out what I was up to. She smiled and nodded. I guess she figured udia needed to loosen up too. They all did. They just did not know how to make it happen. "You seem the shy type," I said while we walked, and she shook her head. "I just do not want to offend anyone. All of them are above my station, Amelia. I can''t. I am even surprised that you will speak to me. I did not want toe, but Vino insisted I get to know his family." She said, and Iughed. "Vino is a Volkov, udia, and former head of council; no one here is above anyone. Those women don''t care about titles and social relevance. We are friends and family. You should make some effort to get to know your future inws since you and Vino are going steady." I said, and she giggled. I saw her blush a bit, and I felt it was a bit too soon. "How did you two be an item? It wasn''t long since you met?" I asked. I knew I was nosey, but I was curious. "We are fated," she blurted, and I gasped. "He returned to the hospital and tried to reject me, thinking I was a married woman, but when I told him I was a widow, it changed everything. I would lie to you if I told you I am not afraid of opening my heart again and losing someone I love, but I hope it will be different with Vino," she said, sighed and stopped walking. "We epted each other, and it would have been great if I did not learn of a family arm that is out to wipe them out," She said and broke down. "I can''t go through loss twice, Amelia," she said, and I had a very cynical response in my head that I held back. I wanted to tell her to takefort in knowing that they were likely to get killed together if it happened, but I did not say it. That would be cold and insensitive, so I rubbed her back gently. "We are going to make sure you get your happily ever after," I said, and she frowned at me. "You aren''t good at making people feel better, are you?" she said, and I shook my head, and we both startedughing. I had always known I sucked in that department, something Leah found out the hard way, but I try. I try toe through for people I care about. It is just that I have been through so much shit that I stopped feeling and fearing the worst a long time ago. Leo is good for me. He makes me feel. udia told me a lot about her life and what she hoped to do. She also liked children a lot, and luckily for her, Vino has three adorable daughters; I know she would love them. We didn''t get to the kitchen. We returned to join the women. By then, the music was on, and Susan and Nicole were dancing. Katya was very tipsy. I could tell from the way she wasughing. I went to sit, and this time, udia sat beside me. Some omegas brought us spring rolls. They kept that thinging, and I hoped this batch had some chicken and cheese in it because I wanted meat. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. I reached for the roll when Tamia stood up to call our attention. I could see the bulb turn on in her eyes, and I knew she had a bright idea; I just hoped the idea would still be bright in the morning when we were sober. I told the Omega to drop the tray and leave. She did so immediately. "Ekhem," Tamia cleared her throat, and we were attentive. "I think it is highly disrespectful that our men are not including us in their discussions," She said, and she just spoke the words out because we all felt that way. Leo included me until they arrived. "I think it is disrespectful that we do not get to make decisions and n with them. I think it is arrogant of them," she said, and we all agreed. "And honestly, I am bored. We came here to have fun and solve a mystery, which we must do. If not, we would havee with our children, but we didn''t. Every second away from our babies has to count, so at least when we go home, we have a good reason for staying away," she said, and Avery agreed. "Honestly, I was hoping someone would speak up. Because I am alwaysining of boredom," Linda said, and Tamia and Averyughed. I guess that statement took them down memoryne. "Amelia, tell us what you know because I know Leo would never keep you in the dark knowing you are part of it," Tamia said, and I smiled and leaned forward. I told them everything Andrew told us, What happened, all that has been going on, and they were shocked. "Sylvester told me some of it but not the juicy party," Tamiained, and Averyughed. "I am hearing everything for the first time; I just know that some silver immune weirdos are out to get us, and that is because of the attack in the north," She said, and weughed. "Theo told me some of it too, but not as detailed as what you just told me, Amelia, and honestly, I am mad", Linda said, and Katyaughed. "I was told we wereing here for a holiday," she said, and weughed because she was clueless. "Vino opened up to me about it, but I guess he did not have the same information you had. The irony was he told me this when we got to the east right before we had dinner," udia said, and I realised Vino must have waited so she would not say no. Tricky and smart. We noticed that Nicole said nothing, and I looked at her. Her cheeks were red. I did not know if it were alcohol or embarrassment. "Well?" Linda asked her. "David told me everything," she said, but we all knew that already. "He told our children too," She added, and Tamia eximed. "Why would he do that?" she asked and then quickly stopped Nicole from answering because we all figured out why and did not want udia to know. He told them so their children would know what happened if their parents did not survive it. It was his way of passing on knowledge. "So, what do you think about your rtives, Amelia? Because if we look at this, your brothers should be the ones who are angered, but they aren''t, so what is the deal with Erik and Yuri," Tamia said, and I shook my head. "I strongly suspect that Yuri is the biggest issue, and it will be a mistake for Sylvester to divide the kingdom with him," I said, and they were attentive. "I will tell you all what I told Leo. Use Yuri''s men to take Erik down and then take Yuri down. We only want Stepanov''s name to be restored in history and the Volkovs to right their wrongs. Alexei said it was a lordship they fought for, so they are willing to settle for lordship, but they are not going after the kingship," I said, and Tamia sighed. "That is a very sensible thing your brother said, and to think we thought They were the enemies", She added. "Yes, I trust them, but I don''t trust my cousin, Andrew. I just think it is weird he would want us to team up with someone that is killing innocent people to achieve his goals," I said. Avery nodded, she was the only one not drinking, and it was because she was pregnant. "But you need to understand that Yuri is the lesser of the evils to Andrew. Erick wants to wipe us out and have you mated to his son. Yuri just wants to divide the kingdom," Avery said, and Tamia shook her head. "I understand what Amelia is saying, Ave. Erik''s goals aren''t clear to us except for what we have heard from Andrew, but Yuri''s goals are clear. More so, Erik did not wipe out an entire settlement and take innocent lives for his cause. Who is to say he will be content with just half? Anyone that would do that would want the whole kingdom with time, and it will be a given when that time comes." She said, seeing it from my angle. "I thought as much, too," Linda said. "I think we should investigate Erik and find out his true purpose, the truth is we have to team up with one of them to get the other, but we need to know the safer option. We should try and see how we can get to Erik. Leo''s folks, if they show up, might help us with that bit. Unless we know what we are dealing with, we won''t be safe," Linda said, and I knew we were already a team. "So are webining efforts with the men or working separately?" udia asked, and Tamia laughed. "We have tobine efforts. We have to be on the same page. We will fail if we try to solve this apart," She said, and I was d we had the discussion. I knew tomorrow would be great. Chapter 241 -79 Out With It Chapter 241 -79 Out With It ~Leo~ Amelia did note in until the early hours of the morning. I hoped she had all the fun she wanted. I also knew there was no way she would wake early. Morning came, and just as I suspected, Amelia was still sleeping. I freshened up and decided to go on a run. I met my friends outside exercising. "Amelia is snoozing too?" Sylvester asked me, and I nodded. Heughed. We decided to shift and go running in the woods. It was a way of training our wolves. We had fun. I showed them where we found the camp and the other suspicious things in my woods. There was no foreign scent there, so I knew the intruders had abandoned the spot. We moved around for a bit, and then it was time to return home. David''s wolf was just as yful as the guy, but I recognised he was stronger than Knight. David was born of two alphas, so I could see why Maurice was trying to make him lord. Sylvester was blessed to have a half-brother and a full-brother that genuinely loved him. Vino was still in the greys for me. I would not dispute that Knight had the presence and strength, but if David had Sylvester''s training and exposure, his wolf would have been more domineering. The four of them were blessed to have each other, and I secretly wish I had siblings too. "We returned to the house a bit close to noon and were all famished. We returned to our rooms to shower and dress up so we could eat. I doubted we could wait for our mates, but Amelia wasn''t there when I got to the room. "Where are you?" I asked her through the mind link. "We have decided we would cook when we can. We just finished cooking, and we have set the dining. I was about to link you toe to eat," She said, and I told her I would be there. I showered in a hurry and threw on a shirt and shorts before hurrying out. ck wasining severely, and even my tummy was growling. We should have eaten before we went on the run, but we did not think we would stay that long out there, and we were having lots of fun too. We arrived at the dining room, and the meals were ready. Katya was wearing sunsses, and I knew she was hungover. I wondered what she drank. Susan and Amelia were the ones that seemed at their best. It made me wonder because Susan was still in recovery. She had recovered faster than the doctor anticipated, and it seemed she had full ess to her wolf. She must be a fast healer or someone that did not need much sleep to feel refreshed. I did not make much of it and just sat down. "Too much partying," I said to anyone that would listen. "It isn''t the alcohol that is making everyone like this; we didn''t sleep as much as we were supposed to. Even Avery, that did not drink looks tired," Tamia replied, and we allughed. "I am not doing an all night again," Avery said, and Marcel kissed her hand. "Not good for the baby," I heard him tell her, and she giggled. "But there were a lot of spring rollsst night. I never want to see those things again, at least for now," She said, and everyoneughed. I wondered why the Omegas always made spring rolls to serve to guests. I would discuss the quick menu with Macy and have her spice things up a bit. All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. "We ate in peace, and the food was delicious. I missed Amelia''s cooking, and I was d she took charge. After the meal, the women gave us lectures on how they felt excluded from the issues and wanted to be equal partners in it. Honestly, it wasn''t deliberate, but looking at it now, it did seem like we were trying to keep them in the dark on the issue. Sylvester agreed that we should all have the meetings at the same time. After brunch, we went to the lounge to catch up on events and bring our mates up to speed. Andrew and y arrived at the lounge. The two seemed to be having fun, but I did not trust Andrew. Devin had called to inform us that he was on his way and that they had caught the bitch. I did not want us to have that discussion in the presence of Andrew. I needed to be sure he could be trusted. So far, he hasn''t shown otherwise, especially now that we know who the real mole was, but the fact that he was quick to suggest that we team up with Yuri baffled me. I sat still and decided to figure some things out. Hopefully, Andrew will give us something we can work with. "Do you know any trusted ally of Erik we can speak to?" I asked, and Andrew frowned at me, wondering where the talk came from. I knew it was sudden, but it was also deliberate. "I mean, I want to meet someone that believes in Erik so I can understand his angle. You believe in Yuri. You said it yourself. Your father was killed for his belief in Yuri, and Yuri is a mass murderer, and I do not think you care about that.." I said, and I could see I had struck a nerve with the guy. "He wiped out an entire settlement in Pridewood and chased people away from their homes in Brent, but you think it is okay. Do you know how many Western disced people I have dealt with thanks to his propaganda?" I asked, and he did not say a word. I noticed y was attentive, which meant he gave my reasoning a chance. "All the deaths and misfortunes have been caused by Yuri. I haven''t seen or heard of or experienced one that Erik caused. Erik is too damn silent for us not to know what he is up to. He has also not killed anyone innocent except your father, and you said that your father believed the mass murder was right. What if Yuri is the bad guy, and we will fall into a trap by teaming up with him to take out Erik?" I said, and Andrew shook his head. "Have you heard yourself? Erik attacked you," He said, and I shook my head. "Some weirdo''s that look like Stepanovs attacked us. Everything we know of Erik is from you, Andrew. I am not putting you on the spot, but there is a possibility you have been misguided," I said, and he shook his head. "I have been in that cult all my life, and I know them," He said, and I sighed. "A mass murderer isn''t a peace-loving person. If truly your father meant anything to him, he would have gone after Erik. But he chose not to. I am just saying that your story is one-sided, and if you do not have any intents, we need to get Erik''s angle too and then decide whom we will team up with," I told him, and he bowed his head. "I know I look suspicious, and the things Yuri has dely are questionable, but you do not know them as I do. Erik is a snake, while Yuri is like wind," he said, and I shook my head. "That is different from how you described Yuri. You described him as someone that loves peace. Yuri is the son of Adrik''s brother. He has no reason to want to im kingship. If indeed he is fighting a just cause, should he not be fighting for y and Alexei to be lords now that we can have multiple lords? Was it not lordship that Adrian and Gregory fought for? Why does he want a piece of something that was not part of the agreement? Something that the Volkovs acquired on their own? We bestowed the Kingship on Sylvester because we knew he was worthy. He had proven himself. He took it not because he wanted it but because he had to. Because your cult, through Larry, had backed all of us into a corner, and we had to push back. What are Yuri''s reasons for wanting a Kingdom? What are his reasons, Andrew? I am asking you this because I want to give you a chance here. If he is fighting for Stepanov''s rights, Sylvester will reverse all Dimitri did and give y and Alexei Lordship. That should be enough. That should correct the problem, but we all know revenge stopped driving them long ago," I said, and he looked at me with misty eyes. "We all know revenge isn''t what is fueling Yuri''s agenda. It is greed, and you want us to give it to him on a tter," I said, and he shook his head. "Do you want to avenge your father so much that you are willing to subject the world to the leadership of a madman?" I asked, and he shook his head, tears streaming down his cheeks. "That is not true, Leo. I am not selfish. I had to flee because they discovered I was Alexei''s informant. After all, my men were caught protecting Amelia," He said and looked at my mate. "All those years, you would find money by your shack. All the random acts of kindness, food, bed and amodation you got from the moment you left the orphanage. That was me doing the best I could. I did not have much, but I did not want you to fall into their hands. My best was not enough, but that was my capacity then. I wish I was there for all of it and protected you from the ruffians and Kappas, but a time came when I couldn''t. Erik took it all. I was left penniless because he knew I was helping my cousins. Yuri refused to take me in because he did not want Erik''s trouble. I do not like any of them. Left to me, they both should be dead, but I do not see us winning this. They are powerful. We can''t load guns with silver and shoot their army with it. We can''t fight them. We will not win. I am only telling you to team up with Yuri because I know Yuri will not go after the Volkovs, Amelia, Alexei and y. We need an army to secure them. I also know Erik is after Amelia. Alexei and y are like my siblings now, making her my sister. I would rather kill him than allow him to turn her into a breeding machine. It never stops with these men. They did it in the past, and they will continue doing it. I am sorry if what I said made me seem suspicious. I noticed the secrecy too, but I swear to all of you that I am not on their team," He said. "Then prove it by giving us all the names of the people in charge of the cult," Linda said, and I looked at her. "We do not want a war. We have four Stepanovs on our team. We can pick them off one at a time and eliminate the bad ones," She said, and even though it sounded smart, it was dangerous too. "How about we investigate some more before deciding on that?" Tamia said, and Linda sighed. "We still need the names to carry out an investigation," Linda replied, and Andrew nodded. "I do not know all of them, I am sure they have new ones now, but I will write down the names of the ones I know, and I will help you to the best of my ability." He said, and there was silence because the lounge was tense. David eased the tension with a joke, but I was d it was out in the open. Amelia and I had decided to keep an eye on Andrew until we were sure. Devin, Max, Kyle and the treacherous Alice arrived three hourster. Tamia hoped they would torture the girl, but we learned she sang already. Notwithstanding, Amelia still wanted Susan to have a go at Alice, so they decided they would still question her the Eastern way. 80 A Resolve 80 A Resolve ~Susan~ I had not had this much fun in my entire life. I was missing out on a lot when I refused to join Devin in the north every time he left for the council meeting. The Ladies were fun to be around. They made mixing with them effortlessly easy. Nothing needed to be done; just find a spot and fit in. They were not judgmental, and there was nopetition among them. Avery gave me the creeps at first, but then I realised she was close to Tamia and very protective of her. I could understand why she would seem unfriendly towards me. To my surprise, Linda was the least friendly, but we got along very well. Amelia was hrious, and I aspired to be more like her. She is confident and isn''t ashamed of her ws. I needed a lot of that. I was excited when Devin returned. I felt so stupid running away in the first ce, and I knew he might start sleeping with an eye open. I needed to find a way to make it up to him. So instead of waiting in the lounge when they arrived. I decided to slip away into the bedroom. So we could talk, and I could properly apologise for running away. I waited in the room, and it felt like forever. "Where are you?" I heard Devin through the mind link. "Waiting in our room," I replied, eager to see him. Contrary to what the doctor said, Cleo and I were at a hundred per cent. I guess I was a very lucky woman, after all. "I will be with you shortly. We just want to secure the prisoner," He said, and I was so happy that he caught Alice. I will not forget the smirk on her face when I stepped out of the forest in my human form to confront her. I didn''t care that I was naked. I was shocked that she was there with the same people who wiped out Pridewood. I was angry, and I wanted her to exin. I did not know what I was thinking. Now that I thought of it, I wondered what hade over me. I was indeed desperate to prove my innocence. That was why I would foolishly step out of the woods naked and unarmed to confront a traitor and a terrorist that was immune to silver. "Yeah, Sue, you were very stupid," Cleo said, and Iughed. "We could have died. I honestly wondered what you were thinking. Would you drag Alice by the hair back to Mountain and deliver her to Devin to clear your name? "Cleo asked me, making me feel even more stupid. "Don''t get me wrong, I understand our fear, and we can take her, but what about the freak? What were you thinking, Sue?" she said, and I buried my face in my palm. "We are lucky Devin never gave up on us, or we would have died. I hope we aren''t running anymore because I doubt he would wee us home the next time," She said, and I had tears in my eyes. I was too afraid to think about its effect on Devin. I had been so unfair and selfish. Yes, I had problems, but he had problems too. He is about to lose everything his family worked hard to keep. He is about to be disgraced, yet he still has time for me. I needed to do better. This was the first time I would run away from fear, and I would never do that again. The doorknob turned, and Devin walked in. I looked at him, and he looked at me with affection and satisfaction. No matter how hard things got, he always smiled at me. "I went to him and hugged him. I held on tightly. He wrapped his arms around my waist and kissed my neck. "We caught her, Sue. You no longer need to be afraid," he said reassuringly, and I squeezed harder. Tears were streaming down my cheeks. "I am sorry I ran away. I will never leave you again, Devin. No matter how hard it gets. I will never leave you," I promised both of us, and he held on tightly. "I will never doubt you again. It is my fault. I shouldn''t have confronted you the way I did. I am just d we found you on time." He said, holding on to me. I broke the hug to look at him. His blue eyes were misty too. I guess we both realised what we had almost lost. I did not wait for him. I crashed my lips on his and kissed him. I drank him in. I was taking as much as I could. He held on to my waist tightly and returned the kiss. He tasted so sweet that I did not want to stop. Lifting me, I wrapped my legs around his waist, and he supported me with his hands while we kissed. He gradually moved me to the bed andid me down, then took off his shirt and pants while I took off my dress. I wanted to take off my underwear, but he stopped me. ''"Let me do that," he said, and I smiled at him. I was too eager. He bent over and kissed me, then travelled with his lips to my neck and chest. He felt my breasts and released them from the bra. He kissed them one at a time and sucked them. Licking my nipples and sucking on them one at a time while he used his thumb to brush against them lightly. "Devin," I called out because I wanted him inside me. I did not want forey, but he wanted forey, so I tried to be patient, but my clenching pussy walls made waiting impossible. I felt him ce his hands inside my panties to feel me, then ced his finger inside me, and I looked up and closed my eyes to savour the feeling. He pulled off my pants and positioned himself between my legs. I was d he understood what I wanted and eager to receive what he was about to give. He ced himself inside me and began to pump. We both needed it. Soon he made me go on my hands and knees and took me from behind, just how I liked it. Going deep and hitting the right spots. He filled me up, brushing his cock against all my sensitive spots with the right speed and consistency. I dug my fingers into the sheets to handle the pleasure, and I was wild. I loved it. "Devin," I called out, and he continued to pump. It was intense, and I could not help it. Devin understood my body, and soon I erupted. I felt electricity all over. He went longer until I came twice before he finally came. Laying spent on the bed, I turned to look at him, and he smiled. "I would have punished you longer today if you did not have a prisoner to torture," he teased me, and I frowned at him. "The Ladies requested we let them give Alice the eastern treatment, and I know you will like it," he said, beaming at me, and I kissed him. He wrapped his arms around me and nibbled my neck. "Don''t leave like that again, Sue. My heart can only take so much," he said, and I buried my face in the crook of his neck. "I will never leave you, Devin. I promise," I said, and I did mean it. No matter how panicked I get, even if my life is in danger, I won''t leave his side again. He broke the hug and looked at me. "The Bluemoon isn''t far from now. I do not know how this thing would turn out, But I would like us to go ahead and im each other where ever we find ourselves," He said, and he had a serious look that let me know he wasn''t ying. "Honestly, I am not the party type," I told him honestly. "We can do it privately," I said, and he smiled. Then his smile faded. "I want to give you everything, Sue, but we might live in the north as Sylvester''s pack members permanently. Alice sold us outpletely, and I might not have a region to lead again," He said, and I knew it hurt him. It was just the motivation I needed to deal with that bitch Alice. "I don''t care about things like that, Devin, as long as we are together. I know we will be fine. Besides, that means we will have more time together," I said, and he pulled me close and kissed me. We were lying in each other''s arms when a knock came, and I did not need to guess who it was. I could hear Nicoleughing on the other side. "Time for some fun, Sue! We are leaving the opening for you!" she said, and I looked at Devin, who laughed. "I will be out in a bit!" I called back. "Okay, meet us in the lounge!" She replied, and I heard her walk away. I turned to look at Devin, who wasughing. "Come on, Luna, time to teach a traitor a lesson," He teased me, and I smiled. I went to the bathroom to shower, then slipped into shorts and the ck t-shirt I stole from Devin before heading out. My hair was still wet, but it would dry. Devin had fallen asleep, so I just snuck out of the room so he could rest. I was too eager to deal with Alice that I walked very fast. I arrived at the lounge, and everyone sighed with relief. "And she finally graces us with her presence," Linda said, and I chuckled. "Shall we," Amelia said, standing up. The glint in Amelia''s eyes showed she was looking forward to this, and I knew everyone who wanted a piece of Alice would get theirs. The stupid girl was greedy and wicked and would be dealt with. "Did you get everything I requested for Amelia?" Tamia asked, and Amelia smiled. ''Everything, including the dust bath. I can''t wait to see that one in use." She said, and Iughed. I knew of the dust bath and how thedies often used it in the north. Silver dust was an Eastern weapon, so I figured Alice would get the real stuff. udia looked confused, and I could not me her. She was a doctor, and here we were off to torture someone. She was bound to be nervous. We were led out of the packhouse to a small building in thepound. The moment we entered, I picked Alice''s scent, and I smiled. A kappa led us to the room where she was held, and I found her sitting on a chair in her underwear with silver chains. They looked like the ones Devin kept in his bedroom, and I did not need to guess how he tricked her. Easy bitch. Too predictable for her good. Her cheek was swollen, and one of her eyes was too. I guess they beat her after they ced the silver on her. "Your boyfriend didn''t share his ability with you?" I heard Amelia tease the girl. I saw tears stream down Alice''s face. She was ashamed. I doubted the douchebag she was helping loved her. He was just using her. If not, no man would willingly endanger the life of the woman he loves. "I have told Alpha everything I know," she sobbed, and Tamiaughed. "Who said we came here for information," She said, and Alice''s eyes widened and went to me. "That is right. Susan will get her pound of flesh from you for all you did in the South. Then Linda will get hers because your boyfriend stole hernd. The rest of us will get ours for the attack on our way to Mountain. I doubt you will survive it, Alice, but if you do, I am sure you will wish you didn''t," Tamia said, and Nicoleughed. "The funny part is you were the fool. No man would endanger the life of a woman he loves. He was just using you, darling," Nicole said to her, stillughing. I knew they were mostly mad about the attack on their way to Mountain. They said they were scared they would never see their men again. Even I could understand their rage. "Why did you do it?" I asked her, and she started crying. "I was stupid, Miss Sullivan," and Iughed. "I mean, Luna," she corrected herself. "If you have something we can use. I might plead with thedies to go easy on you," I said, and she shook her head. "I have told Alpha everything I know¡­." She said, and I stepped back. "Tie her up," I said, and two Kappas entered. Alice was confused until they ced her against the wall and tied her there to keep her in ce. She looked at me, and I smiled at her. "She needs a bath," I said, knowing that was the main tool. I did not want anything that would consume energy and time, like whips and whatnot. The bath would do just fine. I wanted to surprise her with the silver, so I requested ordinary water first. The Kappas threw the ordinary undiluted water on her. She looked scared but then rxed when she realised it was just water. That was exactly what I wanted. I did not want her to brace herself for the pain the silver would cause. They poured the water on her several times until she thought it was a joke. Then I instructed the Kappas to mix the silver dust and pour it on her. Her screams were like music to my ears. "How does sudden silver feel, Alice?" I asked her, and she continued to scream. N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. "Rinse it off! Please Rinse it off," She continued to scream as the silver burned. The Kappa wanted to rinse it off, but I stopped them. "When you and your boyfriend decided to bury silver in me and leave me for the dead, did you take pity and pull out the arrows?" I asked her, and she could not respond. The pain was much. I ordered the kappas to pour more, and she screamed so hard that I knew she would soon lose her voice. Then I asked them to rinse it off immediately. She was red sore, and badly burned. I stepped aside and gave Linda the floor. I knew we would all get a go at Alice, and I doubted she would survive. Thanks to her, Devin would lose his home. I can never forgive her for it. 81 A Promise Kept 81 A Promise Kept ~Leo~ After Devin exined everything, we devised a n to get the Inkabod Semenov guy. I hated that we might have to include Amelia with us. I did not want to expose her to fight, but it was necessary. We could not subdue that guy without the three of them. Alexei would have been a nice addition, but I did not want him away from Hill Valley yet. He is the only reason this Inkabod bastard had not advanced. I bet he knows he won''t win a one-on-one with Alexei, so y and Amelia would be our best bet. We were all in my office except for Devin, who must be tumbling in the sheets with his woman. I wondered what our women would do to Alice, but one thing I knew was that there was a possibility that Alice would not survive it. She had caused too much damage to get away with what she did. It was very sad. Her father was Devin''s father''s beta, and they were supposed to be loyal to him. She had tainted their name with her action, and to think her cause wasn''t noble was bad. I wondered if her parents instilled their values in her or if she just chose to go wrong. "So when do we move to catch this Inkabod guy?" y asked. "It has to be soon. If Alice was packing her bags, she nned to join him at the address she gave Devin. If she doesn''t show up when she should, he would know," Sylvester said, and I understood what he meant. "Then we better link thedies to take it easy on her," David said, and I wondered why. "If that bitch has to meet us with Semenov, then we have to make that meeting happen and then grab him from there. How do we know it isn''t a set-up? He might be using her and decided to discard her because I do not see any serious-minded man settling down with that girl. She isn''t trustworthy, and a traitor would always be a traitor," he exined, and I understood his angle. "I am with David on this. We need her to show up at that venue with her luggage; then we will grab him if it is a rendezvous," Vino said. I knew he was right, but I refused tomend him. I had forgiven the guy seeing he was trying everything to redeem himself, but I would extend a handshake when the right time came. "How do we stop our mates from ripping her apart? They have been bored, so I am sure they would go overboard. Especially Linda. The Inkabod guy took hernd, and she fought for thatnd for sentimental reasons," Theodore said, and I saw Kyle bow his head. "It isn''t your fault, Kyle. You did the right thing for your people. There is no shame in what you did. Just look at Micheal. If he had done what you did, all those people would be alive, and they might have gotten a fighting chance," Theodore told him. I was d the words came from Theodore because I knew fleeing hisnd made Kyle feel less of a man. He might have been a horrible mate and husband, but he was a wonderful alpha and friend. We all wished there were things we could do differently, and even though he still loved Linda, he had blown his chances with her even before she was taken to the north. I was d he had epted it and hoped he would move on too. "Let''s all link our mates to take it easy on her so we can use her as bait," Sylvester said, and David raised his hands as if we were in a ssroom which made all of usugh. Sylvester nodded at him,ughing. "Go ahead," Sylvester said, and David nodded with a smile, knowing what he did was funny. "What do we do about Sue? Devin isn''t here?" He said, and we all knew Susan was the one that Alice hurt the most. N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. "Amelia would talk to her about it. I am sure she would take it easy on her," I said, and David shooked his head. "Those blue eyes looked very vindictive, Leo," he said, and Sylvesterughed. "It is true," he said, and I opted to link Amelia immediately. "Darling, please, no one should hurt Alice. Allow her to heal because we n on using her as bait to catch her boyfriend," I said, rushing through the words fast. There was silence at first, and then she replied. "Okay, she is stable now," Amelia said, and I frowned. "What do you mean by stable?" I asked her. "She.. eh.. sort of ¡­ eh¡­ passed out, and udia had to revive her. She passed out on Linda, but I will tell them what you have said," she said, and I was d that we linked them quickly because it would have been a disaster. "Any luck?" Sylvester asked me, and I nodded. I wondered why I was the only one that linked my mate when they could all do it too. "Good, let''s n how we would catch Inkabod," Sylvester said. "Shouldn''t we wait for Devin" Dominic asked, and Marcel shook his head. "We will brief him when he decides to grace us with his presence," Marcel replied, and no one argued with that logic. It was understandable. Casper came to my office immediately after the discussion, and he had a worried look in his eyes. I wondered why he didn''t just link me. I became scared that something bad had happened. "What is the matter, Casper?" I asked my beta, and he looked at Sylvester and the others. "I would have linked you, Alpha, but stopping them froming to your office took a lot of effort, and I somehow could not ess my wolf when I was near them. I led them to your house," He said, and I frowned at him, wondering who they were. "Your parents," He said, and I was shocked. So shocked that my breath caught in my mouth. They had finallye. They kept their promise, but they blocked Casper''s wolf. How did they get that ability? Chapter 244 -82 The Alberts Chapter 244 -82 The Alberts ~Leo~ I did not know how to feel about what Casper had just told me. I was in shock, and the room was silent. Even David, who always had a joke, noticed a problem and held his tongue. "Is anything the matter, Leo?" Sylvester asked me, and I knew it would be rude not to reply. "I haven''t seen my parents in almost seven years. They left the moment they handed the pack over to me. They weren''t even around for my wedding," I said, and my voice cracked because of the emotions that I was feeling. "I thought they were dead until they called me a few days ago, telling me not to trust anyone and that they are on their way. Now they are here," I said, and David whistled. "You are one lucky man," He said, and I could understand him because he never knew his mother, nor did he spend time with his father. "Yeah, It would have been if they weren''t mixed up in this shit," I said, and Sylvester was surprised. "Andrew said they were a part of the cult and are recently on the run," I confessed. "Fuck Leo, hope they didn''te with trouble. Those things are scary," Dominic said, and I stood up and shook my head. "I guess I should go and see them. I hope they can lead us in the right direction," I said, looking at Sylvester. ''Please do not let Andrew and y know my parents are here. I must know what is happening and if I can trust Andrew." I said, and he nodded. He had concern in his eyes. I could see he understood my plight, and I was grateful none of them pushed too hard for information. "What if they are here to spy for the cult," Vino asked, and I could understand why he would ask a fucked up question like that. His mother was a traitor, after all. I thought of many ways to answer him but decided not to. His mother was dead; there was no point rubbing it in. "I doubt they would harm their son, Vino. Not everyone is messed up like Jennifer," Dominic said, and we were all silent. I wanted tough because Dominic took the words out of my mouth, but the situation was too sensitive. I had indeed read some of the dairies the woman kept. Marcel and Theo often used them to crack jokes, and I knew what Dominic said wasn''t an insult. The woman was genuinely sick. I honestly wondered how Maurice and her husband coped with her. "Go ahead. We will return to the pack house, and just like we agreed to do with Devin, we will brief you on our ns when you join us. I hope your parents have something good to tell us." Sylvester said, and I nodded. I left the office and headed for my bungalow. My heart was in my mouth while I walked. A lot had changed over the years. I had married and gotten divorced. I had loved and lost. I had gained power,nd and wealth. I had increased what they passed to me and forged new alliances. I had new morals and values. I had new friends, and I had a new family. A lot had changed in my life, and I knew a lot had changed in theirs too. I was angry that they had kept me in the dark all these years. I hoped what Andrew had told me was not true, and if it were, they would have a rational exnation. Above all, I hoped I could trust them and that they were not here to persuade me to act against Sylvester because I would choose my friends over them. They were my new family now; they were my support and backbone. I won''t team up with anyone against them. I got to my house and opened the door. There they were, sitting on the three-sitter couch in my living room. My mother looked at the door with swollen eyes and stood up. My father did the same. They looked sorry and ashamed. They looked sad. They looked afraid. "Leo," my mother said; she had aged a little since Ist saw her. She had grey hair in the front of her head now, thick and long, but her hair still had the healthy Volume it had. Her blue eyes were faded, and I knew age was the factor. My father still looked like he did. But the lines on his face told of his age. His hair was thick and dark, his brown eyes were brilliant, and he looked in shape. They both still looked in good condition. I believe the years had favoured them until recently. My mother left my father''s side and came to hug me. She wrapped her arms around me and rested her head against my chest. She began to sob, and I slowly wrapped my arms around her to console her. I rubbed her back gently while she held on tightly. I looked at my father, and his eyes were misty. Words could not be spoken. He had nothing to say. My mother finally broke the hug, and My father approached me. He looked at me with respect and nodded with approval. "I am proud of you, son," he said, not wanting to waste the moment. I pulled him in for a hug. "You should have stayed in touch," I said, and he hugged me tightly. "I know, son; I am sorry. We both are," he said, and he broke the hug. I fought my tears while I returned to sit on one of the couches in the living area. My parents sat beside each other, and my mother looked at the house. "You and the Riverstorm girl had never been shy people," My mother said with a smile. Then she looked at me as if she remembered something. "Leo, is she the same Tamia that married the Dark Alpha? We heard a lot of rumours about that bastard stealing your luna?" She asked me, and I sighed. It was easy to judge people when you were not in their shoes and not there for most of it. "Yes, but it didn''t happen that way. No one stole Tamia from me," I said, and there was a rage in my mother''s eyes. "I heard of it but did not want to believe it was the same person." She said, and I wondered where they were staying. Tamia had been in the news for over a year now. "You should have seen her on television," I said, and my father bowed his head. "We have been in a cell for two years. It was our friends that helped us escape recently. That was how we were able toe home." My father said, and I was in shock. "What happened?" I asked them, and my father bowed his head. Whatever he had to say might be shameful. I did not speak a word, but joining a psycho cult was disgraceful. I would leave them to confess and pretend not to know anything. "Son, it is a very long andplicated story, and I do not know what you think after I share it with you," He said and sighed. "Do you want tea?" I asked them, knowing that was their favourite refreshment. "Water would do for now, and I can get it myself," My mother said and stood. She did not want me to interrupt the discussion with my father. "Son," my father said, and I could see the difficulty in his eyes. "We kept you in the dark because we hoped you would have a great life. We did not want you burdened like we were, like my father and his father. I wanted to keep you innocent. I wanted you to raise your family innocently. I did not want you to be part of an agenda or a crime. That was why we did not kick against your rtionship with the Riverstorm Delta girl. Typically you should have mated with an Alpha like all of us, but I wanted to cut that chain." He said and sighed. I was silent because interrupting him with questions won t help. My mother returned with three bottles of water and handed one each to us. "Tell him, Richard. He can handle it, darling," my mother said, understanding that my father was beating about the bush. My father sighed and looked at me. "Do you know of the two ruling houses?" he asked, and I did not answer; I just stared at him. I did not want to say anything that would make him digress. So I remained silent. "Okay, the original family were the Stepanovs, then the Volkovs came from the Stepanovs," he said. I nodded, indicating I knew that already. "Very good," he said and sighed. "When the ruling family was overthrown, and a council was ced in their stead in the name of democracy, both bloodlines decided they would find ways to strengthen their race to take back what was rightfully theirs. Volkovs isted the Alpha genes while Stepanovs took to Alchemy." He said and sighed. "Both families gained, but the Stepanovs lost their Alpha genes because their method was extreme. It had to do with mutation. About three hundred years ago, there was a failed experiment in the East. A Stepanov, a first cousin to the ruling line, came to the East to mate with an Alpha and ended up birthing a useless beta breed. He left her and returned to the North. This experiment made Stepanov believe the Alpha genes were gone forever. But Sophia Stepanov, a distant rtive to the ruling Stepanov line, did not think so, so she decided to break their rule. She had an affair with the lead Alpha of the Volkov bloodline, Patrick Volkov, the grandfather of Gregory Volkov. Patrick knew she was a Stepanov, but the dairy ounts said he loved her so much that they had a child together. But because he was married then, he could not take her as his wife, so he sent her with her child to the East and bought hernd. He also sent her with servants and people to take care of her and her child. He would often visit them secretly. They never thought their son would be an alpha because she was a Stepanov. Their gic mutation always destroys the Alpha genes. When their son got his wolf, he surprised them. Whatever the mutation took away, the Alpha gene had been corrected by the Volkov concentrated Alpha gene. They had a son, and he was a strong Alpha. He also had Stepanov abilities, but his ability wasn''t like the full Stepanovs; his ability made it possible for him to tolerate silver better than other werewolves. Silver couldn''t keep him down for long. Seeing this, Patrick decided to hide him because he knew if the Stepanovs found Sophia and his son, they would take him and try to run experiments because that was what they did. He left them in the East but made sure they would neverck for anything." He said and looked at me. All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. "That boy''s name was Rudolph Albert, our ancestor. It was Patrick Volkov that bought thend that we now call Mountain. He bought it because Sophia loved the peaks in the North, and he did not want her to miss home much," He said, and I remained frozen and shocked. I gulped the water a few times and blinked. It would have been easier to handle if I was dreaming, but I knew I had heard my father right. We were Volkov and Stepanov, descendants. Chapter 245 -83 A Clearer Picture Chapter 245 -83 A Clearer Picture ~Leo~ My mouth was dry, so I drank the water andposed myself, ready to listen to the rest. I dared not interrupt. "Because of this progress, there was aw that we would only mate with Alphas to have strong alphas in our bloodline like the Volkovs. Although Patrick died before his grandchildren from Rudolph got their wolves Sophia lived long and tried to ensure they married Alphas. Sophia passed away, and Rudolph he focused on his son and his grandchildren and ensured they continued doing so as his parents wanted. That was why everyone in our lineage mated with an alpha. All except you, Leo." He said, and I remained fixed in my chair. I was d that Sophia was a distant cousin of Amelia''s ancestor, or else it would have been weird. I held my tongue and listened. My father told me about Gregory and Adrian''s agreement, how Gregory had broken that agreement, and everything that Dimitri did to wipe out the Volkovs. He said the story the exact way everyone that knew it narrated it. "When the Stepanovs had to flee from the North, our family and the Sullivan Family helped them escape," He said. I was surprised by how the Sullivans got into the story. "Are the Sullivans the same Sullivans that moved to the North and had an issue with Maurice?" I asked my father, and he nodded. ''" Yes, they are the same Sullivans. They were the descendants of the beta son the Stepanov abandoned. The boy and his mother moved to the South to settle down, and that was when they adopted thatst name just like we adopted Albert. The Sullivans are Stepanov descendants, while we are Volkov descendants with Stepanov genes," My father exined. That made a lot of sense why Susan recovered from silver so quickly. Things had just gottenplicated. Susan was a distant rtive of mine. But Sylvester was a closer rtive because Patrick was his ancestor. "My father and Grey Sullivan''s father ensured the Stepanovs could settle and find homes in the East and South. My father had many businesses then, but he spent all his money making sure Dimitri did not win, even though Dimitri was more of our rtive than the Stepanovs. The Sullivans did the same in the South. Before my father passed away, he told me to work with the Stepanovs and always ensure they were fine. I was to keep their secret and ensure they were protected. Grey Sullivan and I worked with the Stepanovs, Erik, Yuri, Ilya and Mikhail to ensure they were fine. Yuri then had a bright idea of starting a family group of all the Stepanovs to help revive the bloodline and start our lives instead of hiding in the dark. Grey and I refused to join because we didn''t think it was a wise idea, and we saw it as corruptible because Yuri wasn''t a nice guy. Yuri also had reservations about me because I was a Volkov. By then, they had money and did not need us anymore. The only reason they remained dependent on us was that they could not mix thoroughly because of their apparent features, so they often asked us for help with certain things, and we would help when we could. Maurice found some transfers and investigated Grey and Nics Sullivan. He had suspected an undergroundwork like a cult was after his Lordship but could never prove it. I did not know that was what Yuri was doing then. I honestly thought Maurice was paranoid. Lucas and Gavin were hot on Yuri and Erik''s trail because of the uprising against him led by the Head Alpha of the West. Maurice believed they were a part of it, but he did not know they were Stepanovs because they always dyed their hair and wore contacts. The only thing that exposed true Stepanovs is that you wouldn''t feel your wolf when you try to shift beside them." My father said, and I remembered what Casper said about his inability to feel his wolf when he was with my parents. "Do you have that ability, too, because my beta could not feel his wolf when he was with the two of you?" I asked, and my motherughed and showed me a bracelet that looked like a device. "Erik made this for me. It is a radioactive silver emitter. It works when wolves are in close proximity. Once turned on, everyone would lose connection to their wolves except the wearer," She said, smiling, and I looked at the ingenious device. This Erik guy must be brilliant. My father cleared his throat to get us back to the discussion, and I focused my attention on him. "Unfortunately for Grey, he got linked with the mysterious group. He and his wife Reba had to flee the North, leaving their daughter behind. Yuri and Erik gave them refuge, and that was how they had no choice but to join the Stepanov family group. The problem with the group was that once you were in, you had to seizemunication with the outside world. The wave of the uprising hit us, and Ramsey sacrificed the Riverstorms for it because they ratted him out. Martha and I knew the cause of the problem, but we had to hold our peace because Maurice was a madman. So when you liked their daughter, we did not kick against it. She deserved to have a family." He said and sighed. "You need to understand. Had we spoken up on their behalf, we would have had to expose our family, and Maurice would not have pardoned any of us. He was mad like that," My father said, and I already knew that, so I nodded. I was d Sylvester was nothing like his father. "A year before we handed over to you, we noticed the Stepanov''s activities and became strong. Grey told us of Yuri''s ns to take over. Yuri had be so powerful that it was now a join-up-or-die thing. We knew they woulde to Mountain, and we wanted you to be safe, so Martha and I agreed to join so they would leave you alone. Yuri and Erik agreed, and we handed the pack over to you and left." He said and bowed his head. "Nothing could prepare us for what we would meet. That thing had turned into a cult. We learned of many nasty things that were going on, but we dared not speak because we were referred to as Volkovs there. We thought Dimitri was a madman. These people were worse. They were sponsoring all kinds of things. Grey and I ensured that they never harmed the South and East. Then when I heard you had made it to head Alpha, I was more determined to keep their actives out of the East. Yuri tried to convince me a few times to ask you to join, but I refused. I let him know a deal was a deal. He would often drop it. Something happened two years ago, and then he and Erik split up. They both had different agendas. Erik wanted to avenge what was done to the Stepanovs and restore his family''s name and freedom; Yuri wanted to be Lord. They argue about it, and the cult became divided." He said, and I knew that was about when he said they locked him up. "Whose side were you on?" I asked him, and he looked at me. "I was on my side. You had risen high by then, and the system the Volkovs were running was favouring you. There was no point working against them. We were also Volkovs, so it would be wrong to work against them. That was where Grey and I shared different opinions. Grey wanted revenge because, unlike me, that had no trouble; Maurice forced him to flee his home and join up over something he had no hand in. He never forgave the man for it. Erik and Yuri went about their businesses with none disturbing each other. N?velDrama.Org owns all content. They teamed up with a council member to help bring down Sylvester. Iter discovered The councilman was the person they teamed up with to help destroy Maurice in the past. The very uprising that imed innocent lives. I did not witness the oue of the second uprising, but I learned it failed. Anyway, Yuri used me of telling the outside world of their ns because I tried to send you a postcard and because of that, they locked Martha and me up. We were in the cell until recently when Grey helped us escape, and we had toe here to warn you that Yuri is nning to take over the East and South. I learned you helped make the Volkov a King, so now Yuri wants to be King of the South and East," He said, and I already knew that part. I decided to ask them about Andrew because he made me nervous. He was in my settlement and knew my friends were around. "Do you know Andrew Petrov?" I asked, and he frowned at me. "How do you know that name?" He asked, and I sighed. "Well, he is on the run," I said, and my father nodded. "He is Mikhail Petrov''s son. He was working against the cult. He was feeding someone outside the cult information about their activities, and I heard he worked against Erik by preventing him from getting the daughter of the true Stepanov heir. He wants her to be mated to his son so they can have powerful pups. The guy is ridiculous." My father said, and I realised that Andrew wasn''t lying. "So why did you say I shouldn''t trust anyone?" I asked him, still holding information on what I knew. "Because Yuri is trying to recruit you. He wants to rule the East and South but wants your support. I learned it was due to your close rtionship with the Volkovs. Eriks wants you too; Grey told me Erik sent some men to kidnap you from here, but you survived the attack somehow. He wants to sample your genes because you are the only Alpha other than me with Stepanov''s silver genes. He said Erik had run several silver tests on you, and you had passed where I had failed, so he wants to capture you. While Yuri wants to use you against the Volkovs, Eriks wants you for your genes. I had toe home to ensure they don''t get you." He said, and I remember the attack in the woods when Amelia and I went on a run. I did feel it was weird that they shot me and left her. I could not believe it was me they wanted. It also meant the people who tried to abduct me were separate from those who were camping in my woods and watching Amelia. "Leo, you do not seem the slightest surprised about all your father has told you," My mother said, observing my mood, and I sighed. "I am shocked to discover I am a Volkov descendant with Stepanov genes. It is a bit shocking, but the other things were expected due to what has been happeningtely in this ce." I said. "Yuri is attacking packs and wiping out people that refuse to leave theirnd or submit. Erik sent his men to the North to attack me and the Lords on our way back from the Calyman''s party¡­." I said, and my father interrupted me. "Joan yman? What were you doing in that bitch''s house?" my father asked with rage, and I wondered why he hated the councilwoman. "She is one of Yuri''s people. I doubt Erik was the one that attacked you." My father said, and I frowned. "Erik is just a scientist. His way of revenge is creating stronger Stepanovs and fighting toe out of the dark. He wants his family name and glory restored. He disagrees with Yuri''s madness. yman works for Yuri, so if you and the Lords were attacked on your way back from a party, it was Yuri''s doing. The bastard isn''t even the heir. If truly he is fighting a just cause, Louis''s children should be up for Lordship. I learned that the Volkov had ordained many Lords. All he needs to demand is for Lordship for Louis''s children and their family''s name to be restored. The man is just a greedy bastard. Now that his right-hand man ¡­ Mikhail Petrov, is dead, He will soon start losing support because he has wasted too many lives lately," My father said, and I frowned. "Andrew said Erik killed his father for supporting Yuri. He ims Erik is that bad guy and Yuri is the good guy," I said, and my fatherughed. "Since when did a mass murderer, a jailer and a dictator be a good person? I will tell you both are evil, but the world would be better without Yuri. Yuri sent Andrew''s father to kill Erik. Erik caught him and executed him. I was there when the bastard tried to Kill Erik. He would have seeded too. Andrew would be sentimental because he witnessed his father''s death. I doubt his father ever told his son the truth before he died," My father said, which cleared many things up for me. I decided to tell my parents what had happened and where we were. I told them of my rtionship with the North and about Amelia. They were shocked by the time I told them everything. "I can''t believe you were part of it. No wonder Yuri went nuts and started grabbing on straws. I am proud of you," my mother said, sounding excited. "I want to meet Amelia. I want to see Tamia. I want to see all of them." She said, sounding excited, and I told her to calm down. I had a more significant issue to discuss with my father. "Father, do you know how we can meet Erik?" I asked him, and he frowned at me. "If Amelia is your fated, that won''t be a good idea. Why do you want to meet him?" he asked me, and I sighed. "We need an army to fight Yuri when hees for us because I know he ising. His moles in the South have helped him almost take it over. I believe he has moles here too, maybe not as powerful as the ones in the South," I said, and My mother''s eyes widened as if she remembered something. "Joyce Monroe! You have to get her. I made the mistake of reaching out to her for help after Grey freed us three months ago, and the bitch ratted us out. She is the reason we could note here immediately. Yuri almost caught us." My mother said, and I remembered all the weird questions the woman was asking Amelia and me when she saw us in town. I was mad but concealed it. I knew exactly what to do to her. " I will handle it,'' I told my mother and then faced my father. "Yuri''s warriors are immune to silver. We do not stand a chance," I said, and my fatherughed. I wondered what was funny about what I said. "I must admit the Stepanov ability is intimidating. It is so intimidating that we see them as unbeatable. There are other options to explore." He said, and I frowned. I hope he has an answer that will give us an advantage. 84 The Planning 84 The nning ~Leo~ I looked at my dad with hope in my eyes. If he knew something that could help, it would really be appreciated. The only reason we hadn''t actively searched for these bastards was that we were afraid it would mean suicide. My father smiled and leaned forward. He always did that when he felt he knew something important you did not know. It reminded me of my childhood, and I was drifting down memoryne. He took a sip of his water, and my mother, impatient, nudged him immediately. "Just say it already," she said, and Iughed because they hadn''t changed at all. "Well, when ites to fighting wolves, we are sozy and want an immediate and easy result that makes us always think Silver dust, Silver bullet, silver arrows, but these are weapons that can''t bring a Stepanov down. You will need an army, but you might not get as much as you need. I know a few people, including Erik, that might help with the right incentives. Still, Stepanovs would not side with a Volkov against their own until the wrongmitted is corrected. So even though you will need a Stepanov army, have an ace up your sleeves. Do something that is forgotten. Something that no one expects someone of your generation to do in a battle. Rece your choice of weapon with darts. You would not need your wolf to use them?" my father said, and I felt so stupid that I did not think about poisoned darts. There was no way those things were immune to it. "Getting an Army is a good idea, but we need to add more to it just in case we do not get a lot of Stepanovs on our side because Erik is unstable. He is indeed a better ally than the others. Still, we can''t forget that he is unstable. The Stepanovs would do anything to be a ruling bloodline again," my father said, and I brought him back to what he said about darts. "borate on the use of darts, Father," I said, wanting to be clear before I jumped to conclusions and started nning. "The Volkovs and the northern army trained with silver so they could fight Stepanov n. This common practice ended two hundred years ago before Sylvester Volkov revived it in his time. They did it because they wanted to be able to stand their ground against the Stepanov n. When Dimitri chose to wipe away everything in history to hide his and his father''s crimes, he also wiped away information that would help his lineage if the Stepanov n ever chose to rise up against the Volkovs because we have to admit, other than the alpha genes, the Stepanovs have superior abilities. They are faster, stronger and immune to silver." My father said, and he was right. Those were indeed superior. "The Stepanovs might be immune to silver, but they aren''t immune to poison, sedatives and paralytics. All these things can be loaded in darts. Shoot darts at them, and it would affect them like it does other werewolves. You might argue that their speed would give them an advantage, but the darts and a little Stepanov arm with a good formation would give us a fighting chance," He said, and I understood his angle. This was indeed good news that I could not wait to share with everyone. "So what do we do about the silver dust because they will likely pump it in the air?" I asked my father, and he smiled. "Then have your sprayers. Once they pump the dust, counter it with Nitric Acid. It eats silver. Of course, you must have protective goggles and masks on during that period to avoid getting poisoned, but that would reduce their advantage," My mother said, and I was d they were home. It was clear they wanted revenge on Yuri. Locking them up for two years because they tried to send a postcard was extreme. I knew there was more to the story and something they weren''t telling me, but I let it rest. I linked Casper to arrest Joyce Monroe because I could not have an informant roaming about the ce. I also instructed Casper not to tell her why until I saw her. I would get all the information about the informants in the East from her and do it most painfully. I might even leave the women to handle her while we go from Inkabod Semenov. All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. Now that my father had spoken, I would ask Tamia to help with the poisoned dart production. It was always her weapon of choice and came through for us several times. I just did not know why I did not think to use it. Maybe somewhere in my mind, I felt they would be immune to poison too. "I need to ask you something, Father," I said, and he was attentive. "My fated mate is Luis Ivanov''s daughter. Are we rted?" I asked, worried about the bloodline. "The Stepanov has grown so much in over six hundred years that it isn''t a family but a n. We referred to them as a family because they maintained the samest names until Dimitri did what he did. They also have simr features due to their gics, but they aren''t rted. Yuri, Erik, and Mikhail are the ones rted to your mate. Which makes Erik''s desire to have her mated to his son a bit sick. Sophia was from that n but not the family itself. That was why Patrick could date her. Mind you, Volkovs hated the Stepanovs for inbreeding. Patrick wouldn''t have dated Sophia if they were rted. We are rted to the Volkovs but not the Stepanov; we just have a bit of the silver tolerance ability because of Sophia." He said, and I was calm. "But the Stepanovs are rted to the Volkovs?" I said. "They share two ancestors over a thousand years ago. But both lineages have branched out that they aren''t rted but have equal royal status. Unfortunately for Yuri, Sylvester Kingship is new and not of the old order, so the Stepanovs have no im to it," He exined, and it put my mind at ease. "Look, Leo, I just want everything back to normal," my father confessed. "Sylvester Volkov is the true ruler. What the cult is doing is delusional. They have no im to the Kingship. It would be nice if he could give Alexei and y Lordship to honour the second ruling bloodline. It would also be nice for him to restore the name of the Stepanovs and acknowledge them just to rectify Gregory and Dimitri''s errors. Other than that, they do not deserve shit. I do not mean to insult your mate, but her family is messed up. Yuri is her father''s immediate cousin, and I believe he isn''t only wicked but might be mentally unstable too," He said, telling me his true intentions. "Do you still have some of our stuff?" My mother asked, and I nodded. I never looked at any of those things. "I am sure if I search them, I will find Sophia''s picture," She said, but my father had already put my mind at ease, so I wasn''t bothered anymore. Their things were in storage, but I would delegate someone to the task. I decided to Link Amelia toe. I knew Tamia would want to see them, but she was Sylvester''s mate now, so I would have to take them to the packhouse to see her. Although we had Inkabod to catch, I wanted Amelia to meet my folks, and maybe we could cook something for them before we went to catch Inkabod. "Do you know Inkabod Semenov?" I asked, and my father nodded. "He is of your generation, Leo, a deadly member of the cult and one of Yuri''s trustedckeys," He said. "Well, we are off to catch him. He is helping Yuri take over the South, and our friend is the head alpha of the South." I said, and he interrupted me. "I hope he isn''t in the south now," My father said with fear in his eyes, and I wondered what the issue was. "No, he is here," I replied. "I will have to connect him to Grey. He should stay away because he is on Yuri''s hit list. If you have to pick Inkabod up, do not go with him. Yuri can sacrifice Inkabod to get the guy. He is that sick. Once the head alpha has fallen, the South will be for the taking. Do not let them touch him, Leo." He said, and I frowned at him. "What about me, Father? Won''t they be after my life?" I asked. "Of course, they will be, but you have Amelia, Alexei, and y on your team; you are a more difficult adversary. Going head-on with you will be going head-on with the true heirs. Even if they kill you, the Stepanovs will not move against their own. You have a better fighting chance than the Corrigan," He said. "It will be nice if you connect him with Grey because their daughter is his mate, and they are tying the knot thising blue moon," I said, and my mother gasped and smiled. "It''s a small world, Richard," she said, and my father nodded. "That is all the motivation the Sullivans need to go against Yuri. I will give you his number so you can call him," my father said, and I was happy to know that they were not part of Yuri''s takeover. It was clear that Andrew was misguided, but his hatred for Erik might blind him from believing that his father was just as sick as Yuri and neither deserved to live. "Amelia, pleasee to the bungalow," I told my mate through the mind link. "I will be there in ten minutes," she replied, and I waited. "When Ameliaes, she will make you something to eat. I will also have to ce you in our underground facility," I said, and my mother frowned. "Why?" She asked, and I sighed. "I do not want Yuri catching you and killing you. If he has spies and informants anywhere, they could try to kill you," I said, and my motherughed. "I would like to see them try," she said, and I had forgotten how deadly my parents were. It was odd that they never moved to take over the East as I did, but they did not have the same motivation. I wanted to seek justice for Tamia''s parents and also humiliate Ramsey for what he did. I ended up doing both. "We have been locked up for two years. Leo, we have been away from the action for almost seven years. Let us have some fun, do not lock us up in your bunker. Leave that for the civilian pack members," she said, and Iughed and nodded. My phone began to ring, and to my dismay, it was Timothy Eduard, Alpha of Brentwood. I wondered what the old man wanted now. "Hello," I said, and he answered me. "Alpha Leo, is Max interested in Mirabel?" he asked, and I was a bit pissed because this wasn''t the time for this shit. "I am only asking because some weird-looking men came here offering us immunity from that wicked Alexei guy. They said they would ensure they do not trouble us if I allow a form of union between us. I pretended to be ill, and they said they would return tonight. They gave me the creeps, Leo. If Max isn''t interested, I might hand Mirabel over to them. I am too old for this Alpha shit, and I have no heirs," he said, and my stomach churned. "Did the weird-looking guy leave his name?" I asked. ¡°Yes, Inkabod Semenov. He said they would being tonight. I do not know why they can''t leave it until tomorrow. He seems nice, but you might not like having a new face in the East, and I do not want you to be angry. If Max isn''t interested, I think it should be okay that I find Mirabel a suitor that can lead my people," he said, and I knew what Inkabod meant by ''they would being back in the night''. They were going to sack Brentwood, just like Alexei had warned me. 85 Lets Go 85 Let''s Go ~Leo~ "I want you to listen to me, Timothy, and do as I say. I will send aid to you now," I said, and the man was silent. "I need you to evacuate your people and send them to Hill Valley, nearest you," I said, and he eximed. "Hill Valley, where that creep is?" he said, and I sighed. "You have to trust me on this one. Alexei is not the enemy, and he would not take your pack. Inkabod is the one that sacked Brent in the night, and I think they areing to sack Brentwood to get a base close to Mountain. Do as I say, and I will exin the rest to youter," I said, and he was silent. "Okay, I will trust you on this one, but you will find a good Alpha to take over Brentwood from me. I want to retire, and Mirabel isn''t an Alpha breed," He said, airing his problems. I told him not to worry and hung up. Usually, I would tell Timothy it wasn''t my business, but I needed him and his people out of thatnd before Inkabod came for him. "Amelia, I need you to get everyone in the living room of the packhouse. I aming there now," I linked my mate. "Leo, I am halfway away from the packhouse," Sheined, and I felt terrible. "Never mind, I will go back," She said, and I still felt terrible that I would put her through stress. I told my parents what Inkabod was about to do, and my mother was happy. "Let''s make some darts and load them up with Promethazine and midazm. Shot that thing at them, and capture the bastard. They will attack with an army of twenty-five to thirty. They never go above that number. They are not as plenty as they seem hence why they operated in the shadows for a while. I am sure the three Stepanovs here, the warriors, and our darts would nullify them. They are also likely to pump silver into the air. They always do that to keep people like us in check. You need oxygen masks for that. It will touch your skin and burn but won''t get into your system. The Nitric acid sprays are needed too. Forget about your wolves. They won''t let theme out," My mother said, rushing through her words. It seemed like my parents had a checklist of how to battle these things. I was d to have them home. The bungalow was too small to amodate all of us, so I led my parents to the packhouse. I would have loved Amelia to meet them away from everyone, but Inkabod''sing attack on Brentwood had put us on a clock. We arrived at the packhouse, and my fathermended me for building something grand and beautiful. I led them to the living room, where everyone was waiting. Amelia stood up and came to me the moment we entered. I knew she was nervous because it had clicked that they were my folks. I looked like my father, and she was very smart. Amelia held onto my arm while my parents looked around to admire the ce and the people that were waiting in the living room. Tamia was shocked to see my mother, and my mother went to hug her. I felt weird because Amelia was right beside me. My mother broke the hug with Tamia and came towards Amelia. She touched her cheek gently and smiled at her. "Hello, Amelia," she said, and Amelia smiled. "Amelia, meet my mother, Martha Albert, and that is my father, Richardo Albert, but my mother calls him Richard," I said officially, introducing my parents to Amelia. "I wanted this to be private and just us, but something came up," I linked to Amelia. "It is okay; I hope I get time with them when all this is over," She linked me back, and I was d she wasn''t difficult or emotional about it. "You look so much like Louis," My father said, and I figured he must have known her dad. "Did you know him?" I asked my father, and he nodded. "I helped him a lot when he had to move about. We lost contact when he fled to the West. y was a child then, and Alexei was in the north with his mother," My father said, and he did know them. It also meant Alexei and y were not lying to me. "Your father was a good man. He was peace-loving and easily content. To think he was the true heir and he did not want any of it," My father told her, and she smiled at him. Amelia could not feel sentiment over a man she never knew. I was angry that Yuri robbed her of that opportunity. He ruined many lives and still is ruining lives for his ambitions. Everyone sat down, and y and Andrew walked in. I had forgotten entirely that they were with us. The moment Andrew saw my father, he froze. "Elder Albert?" he said, and my father looked at him sternly. "You had some nerves trying to get my son to team up with that psycho," My father said through gritted teeth, and everyone was silent. I noticed Sylvester, Marcel, and Theodore were observing the scene. I had to respect Sylvester for allowing me to take charge even though he was King. It took a lot of patience, trust and humility for him to do what he was doing, and I appreciated it. Amelia instructed the Omegas to bring refreshments and said they could serve anything other than spring rolls. Avery was grateful for it, and Susanughed. "What is going on, Leo?" Sylvester finally asked me. "Inkabod will be visiting Brentwood tonight, just like Alexei had warned us," I said and narrated all that Timothy and I discussed on the phone. "It means we do not need that bitch as bait," Linda said, and I nodded. "We can''t fight him and whatever army he takes to Brentwood. You needed to see them, Leo; they were ruthless and deadly. We stood no chance," Kyle said, reliving his ordeal, and I nodded. "Yes, we can, and we will," I said. I told them all my parents told me about fighting them. Sylvester was ted by the time I finished speaking. Marcel and Theodore looked pumped up and ready. Dominic and David were smiling with relief, and Devin looked eager. I did not look at Vino, but I was sure he was happy too. "I think we can take drowsy wolves," Sylvester said, and I nodded. It was great news, but the down part of the mission was that we would be restricted for part of it until the silver had dissipated because of the masks and the fact that we won''t have ess to our wolves. But having y, Andrew and Amelia on our side would be to our advantage. I did not want to drag Amelia into this, but at this point, it was necessary. I decided to withhold the information about my lineage until we were more settled. "What would we do after we have caught Inkabod?" Andrew asked, and I looked at him. "We would go for Yuri," I replied, and Davidughed at how I said it. Everyone knew I had misgivings about Andrew. "What about Erik?" He asked, and my father sighed. "I know why you hate the guy so much, Andrew, but he isn''t the enemy," My father said, and Andrew was mad. "Yuri locked you up, but Erik killed my father. He executed him for treason, all because my father believed Yuri was right about leaving the Volkovs and dividing the kingdom for a bnce," he said, and everyone was silent. It was apparent that Andrew had inner demons to deal with. There was little or nothing we could do to help with that. "Your fathermitted treason, Andrew. I was there. He tried to Kill Erik." My father said, and Andrew shook his head. "Ever wondered why Yuri never went after Erik?" My father asked him, and he could not reply. "because Yuri was the one that sent Mikhail to eliminate Erik. Yuri imed Mikhail acted alone, but we all knew it was a lie. I was there, Andrew and it is sad that your father did not tell you his crimes. I can tell you what both parties are guilty of, and your father was just as horrible as Yuri," My father said, and Andrew seemed a bit confused. I felt he was high risk. I needed to find a way to drop him, but he knew too much to be left alone. Sylvester cleared his throat, finally deciding to speak after everything. The atmosphere went cold, and we were forced to silence. I guess this was why he was referred to as the dark Alpha. He was intimidating. "We will do this, Leo''s way. I might be King, but this is his turf, and he has inside information privilege. I will offer Alexei and y lordship as should be and restore the Stepanov bloodline, but I will not divide my kingdom. Anyone who wants to divide the kingdom is my enemy, including you, Andrew, so you will have to tell me what side you are on," Sylvester said with hismand. The women were very ufortable. Vino, Kyle, Max, Dominic, Theodore, Marcel, Devin, and Andrew were affected by hismand. Only David, my father and me were stable. Sylvester had been calm and quiet since they arrived. He had allowed me to run things and n, but I guess he was finally taking over. The aura around him stated it, and it would only be a fool that would go against Sylvester. He wasn''t referred to as the Dark Alpha for nothing. He wasn''t feared for no reason. He could be nice, but he was ruthless. "Leo, gather your men and all that we need. We are going to Brentwood, and we are going to capture Inkabod. He might be immune to silver, but we will improvise. This whole Stepanov cult thing has to end. My grandfather might have wronged them, but they have caused more damage and thus are not owed retribution. What drives them is greed." He said and then looked at Andrew. "I do not care what your sentiments are. But if you know you aren''t on our side, you better run because if you work against us, I will hunt you down and kill you. Do not let your Stepanov ability fool you; I do not need my wolf to put you down," He said, and we were all silent. I was yet to see Sylvester on the battlefield with those things, but I knew he would hold his ground. Our fight at the Lund hospital showed his strength. He wasn''t to be messed with at all. He might not have the concentrated genes, but he trained all his life, making him a deadly opponent in a fight. "I won''t work against you, your majesty. I swear on my life," Andrew said, baring his neck to show submission. Now that it was settled, it was time to visit Brentwood. I called Alexei and pleaded with him to amodate the Brentwood pack members. My mother, Amelia, Tamia, udia, Susan and Linda worked with the omegas to prepare the darts. Masks and goggles were made avable, and even though I knew we would look ridiculous, it would serve the purpose. We also got tanks of Nitric Acid to spray into the air once they Spray the silver dust. Nitric acid would eat and dissolve the silver making the air breathable and giving us ess to our wolves. There would be people on stand-by to spray the acid into the air every time they spray silver. My parents were indeed geniuses. I guess joining the cult paid off after all. With the hope that all this would work, I selected fifty warriors from my pack and armed them. Sylvester insisted oning with us, so we could not leave anyone behind. Marcel, Theodore, David, Dominic, Vino, Max, Kyle, Andrew, y and Devin were all thrilled and eager for the fight. This was the first time we would test our might against them, so we needed to get it right. This fight would determine whether we had a chance or not. Casper had prepared a getaway car for Sylvester and Tamia. No matter what happens, we must ensure the King does not fall. All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. Amelia would fight with the men while Tamia, Linda, Avery, Nicole and Susan would use the darts from afar. Katya, udia and Avery would remain in the packhouse because Katya and udia weren''t trained fighters, and Avery was pregnant; we didn''t want to risk their lives. We set out to Brentwood in the afternoon, so we will position ourselves and wait for Inkabod to come. It was time to test our theories. We were risking a lot by having Sylvester with us, but I felt good about this. 86 Getting To Brentwood 86 Getting To Brentwood ~Leo~ We arrived at Brentwood on time. Just as instructed, Alpha Timothy had evacuated his people, but he waited to receive us. Vino and Devin decided to help ce the women and guards in strategic ces. We knew they would being from Brent because that was their safe passage, so we positioned ourselves at the road and forest leading to Brent from Brentwood. Our Nitric sprayers and dart shooters were stationed around the ce. Some were to hide in the forest on trees, while others were to hide behind rocks and in ridges, away from sight but close enough to shoot. While we organised ourselves, Timothy approached me. He was too scared to approach Sylvester and the Lords. He was shocked that they woulde. The old man had tears in his eyes. "You came," he said, and I nodded. "Yes, Timothy. They took Brent. We can''t let them take Brentwood," I said, and he bared his neck to Sylvester and the Lords. "Thank you, your majesty, for deeming my pack worthy. I was apprehensive. They came very arrogant and proud. They gave me a very unsettling feeling, but I had no heir and did not stand a chance. I didn''t think anyone would save me. A part of me wanted to agree and just hand Mirabel to Inkabod, but my wolf insisted I reach out to Alpha Leo onest time." He said and wiped away his tears. The man was indeed tired. I could see why he was actively hunting for a suitor for Mirable. If she were an Alpha, he would have handed the pack over to her. It was unfortunate. "They look like your Luna," Timothy said, and I already knew that part. "I don''t want to offend you, but they are creepy, and they have this confidence that does not sit well with me." He said, and while he spoke, y and Andrew approached. Timothy tensed the moment he saw them. I knew it was because of their features. "Rx, Timothy, they are on our side. That is y, Amelia''s brother, and That is Andrew, their cousin. Alexei is also Amelia''s brother," I said, and his eyes widened. "That was why you pardoned him." He said, thinking I let Alexei off the hook because he was Amelia''s brother. "That matter is still in the council," I told him, and he frowned. "But Max won''t be getting his pack back," He said, and I shook my head. "I do not want you to jump to conclusions, but Alexei only took over Hill Valley to slow people like Inkabod down. I doubt he would hold on to it for long." I told the old man, and he nodded. "It is none of my business; I just want to retire," he said, losing interest, and everyoneughed. "It will be best you leave now," I said, and he nodded. "Mirabel will be fighting with you. She insisted on remaining and fighting," He said, and I wanted to refuse the help because everyone had a role to y. I did not know where to fit her. "She is very well trained, Leo. It is only fair that she fights for her people and hernd. As things are, if I don''t get a suitor soon, she might have to take over and search for one on her own. I doubt Max is interested, and she seemed to like him more than she liked you. We cannot force the matters of the heart." He said, and I had nothing to say about it. "Timothy, you must leave now," Sylvester ordered, and the Alpha bowed and walked away. I could not wait to catch Inkabod. I knew the fight was going to be eventful. My parents hade with us to get a piece of the action. It didn''t sit well with me, but I could not stop them. When it was six in the evening, my father and mother approached us, where we sat under a tent we had erected. The omegas had packed some damned spring rolls for us, and we just had to manage them because we could not fight on an empty stomach. "Father," I said, and my father bowed to Sylvester and the Lords before speaking to me. "We are heading back to Mountain." He said, and I was happy. I did not let it show. I just frowned with a question in my eyes. ¡°Why?¡± Sylevster asked. "I know you have strong warriors there in Mountain, but it is best Martha and I are there to coordinate. Lady Avery is pregnant, and the other two women aren''t experienced in warfare. It would be wise if we avoid a sneak attack." My father said, and even though Mountain was fully secured, I nodded quickly and told them it was okay. I wanted them out of there. Other than Inkabod, I did not n on taking any prisoners. I nned on unleashing terror on the Stepanov n. Hopefully, our n works and turns the table in our favour. The moment my parents left, Sylvesterughed. "The goddess answered your prayers where they were concerned, Leo. Imagine you are fighting those things with Amelia and your parents here. Your entire family Leo. I wouldn''t want to be in your shoes," he said, and weughed. It was amazing how Sylvester rxed around us but was stern with others. N?velDrama.Org owns all content. Sylvester instructed us not to take prisoners, and we agreed. Other than Inkabod, we nned to kill them all. I linked my people, and Sylvester linked the Northerners on our decision. Fighting to kill was more manageable than fighting to capture. I prayed we would have it easy. "We have to work a team formation," Sylvester finally said, and I was attentive. "Marcel, you are with Devin," He said. "Theodore, you are with Dominic. David, you are with Andrew; Vino, you are with y, Max, you are with Kyle; and Amelia will be with you, Leo," he said, and I shook my head. "Pair me up with Vino. Ordinary werewolves can''t shift around y. It will be suicide for Vino," I said, and yughed. y turned his head and showed me the back of his neck. There was a scar there. It was as if something was buried under his skin. He turned back and smiled at me. "Alexei and I took insurance policies. It is a chip Andrew stole from Erik. It stops normal werewolves from essing their wolves when they are near us. Andrews could not use it because it affected him badly, but we paired with it effortlessly," He said, exining how they could cheat. It was simr to the effect of my mother''s bracelet. I guess theirs was the improved version. "Cheat, just stay away from us," Max said, and everyoneughed. Sylvester did not pair himself with anyone, so I figured he would fight alone. Seeing how rxed everyone was when we were about to test a theory that would mean life or death for us was amazing. Normally we should be worried because failure isn''t an option. We folded the tents when the sun was down. While the dart users and the Nitric acid sprayers remained in the strategic positions allocated to them depending on the range and target uracy, the rest of us upied the homes at the border, pretending to be regr residents. Vino was stuck with me, and I did not like it, but it was necessary. Amelia would get to fight alongside her brother, and I would see her in her glory. "Thank you," Vino said, and I wasn''t in the mood for small talk. I just nodded. "I hope you will one day find it in your heart to forgive me, Leo. I am honestly sorry, and I wish I could take it all back, but I can''t. My intentions were wrong, and what I did was evil. I can never fix what I have broken, but please, I beg you to give me a chance. You are a remarkable person, and having you as my friend would be a privilege." He said, and I coughed at hisst statement. "Let''s not rush it, Vino. I ept your apology, but I will decide if you are worthy of friendship when I know you can be trusted and strong enough to stand up against evil. Because the one thing you were guilty of was knowing what was happening, and you went along with it. It speaks a lot of your character." I said, and he nodded. There was sadness in his eyes, but I didn''t want to lie to him to put his mind at ease. "I promise you can count on me out there tonight," he said, and there was a way he said that made my stomach churn. Maybe I shouldn''t be too hard on him. "udia and the triplets have already lost someone, do not put them through the pain of not having anyone. No matter what happens out there, you must live for your daughters and true mate," I said. "As for me, we are cool. It will take me a bit longer to treat you like I treat the others, but Andrew has reced you in my grey book," I said, and we bothughed at that. He was genuinely happy, and it touched my heart. All the guy needed was approval from me. I would make more effort. We waited until it was past midnight. I gradually started feeling like they had changed their minds. "Alpha, they are here," I heard Casper''s voice and knew it was time. Vino looked at me, and I knew someone must have linked Sylvester, and the King had Linked everyone connected to him. "Let''s do this," Vino said with a glint in his eyes. We all wore turtle-necked long sleeves and long trousers. I wanted to minimalise the burn of silver, so when the nitric acid eats it, the residual effect on us would be minimal. Vino and I walked out, and to my surprise, there were many of them. They were easily a hundred Stepanov n warriors. I see why they ran experiments on people. They were creating an army of people with their genes. I wondered why they woulde with so much heat to attack an old man. Then it clicked that they had an informant. This was not good because they might havee prepared. 87 Testing The Theories 87 Testing The Theories ~Leo~ I walked and stood in front of the line. I did not want Sylvester in front. I wanted to know if the informant was from Brentwood or Mountain. If the informant were from Brentwood, then the heat would be for me, but if it were from Mountain, then the heat would be for Sylvester and the lords. I walked to the front, and Sylvester let me lead. Standing astride with my hands on my side, my ws grew out. I watched the people we were facing, and they parted the way for their leader. He had long white hair. I could make out that much, and his eyes shined in the dark. He was my height and brawny. He was also partially shifted like me with his ws out. As he moved closer, I saw the smirk on his face. He was too confident for his good. "All this heat to steal from an old man," I called out to engage the man just to know his mind. "You aren''t so wise, Leonardo, because if you were, you would know you stand no chance. The old man was a fool to reach out to you. I would have done him a huge favour and married his useless grandchild to take over the pack, but he had to go this route," he said with so much arrogance and confidence. "One thing I would thank him for is that he made my work easier. Now I won''t just get to take Brentwood, but Mountain would fall too, and the entire east will be ours. This is what happens when you put a Volkov in charge. They fuck things up," He said, and I did not like thest part because I had yet told Sylvester we were rted through Patrick Volkov. Everyone was quiet on my side, but I knew they wondered what Inkabod was saying. "The era of the Volkov line has ended, and it is our time to rule, Leo. I will advise you to surrender quietly because Yuri has no qualms with you. You might be a Volkov, but you aren''t important. A descendant of a bastard can never be a contender," He said, and I wished he would stop stressing about my lineage. It was apparent he had no clue Sylvester and the lords were with me. "One thing you fail to know about Volkovs is that they have survived your kinds severally, and we will survive you again. An Alpha would always be an alpha, which your Stepanov line seems tock. Let''s see how you fare when we have ess to our wolves," I said, and heughed. "All is fair in war, Leo. And you know fighting a Stepanov means you won''t have ess to your wolves. Your genes are inferior, and what breaks a wolf can never break us," He boasted, and I knew their ability got to their heads. "I will give you onest chance, or just like Pridewood, your corpses will be what we will leave behind. I know you have Alice, by the way. You can keep her. I was going to eliminate her, but it is pointless now since we will be taking the east and the south," He said. I was d we did not go to the location Alice had given us as their rendezvous. It was supposed to be the ce where she would have been killed. She was a lucky bitch, but I doubted she would be fortunate in the care of our mates. "I want you all to kneel and bare your necks. Yuri will let you live if you denounce the northern King and choose to serve him," he said, and that was the confirmation I needed. It meant the informant was from Brentwood. It couldn''t have been Timothy because he left his granddaughter with us, and if it were him, he would have called to inform them that Sylvester was with us. It must have been someone in his ranks or a pack member. I just hope our n worked and we were sessful, or else this would be it. "Why should I submit easily? Sylvester conquered Mountain and the East; he earned my respect and Loyalty," I said, and heughed. "Yes, he did. He also took your Luna and fucked her brains out. He is still fucking her, by the way. I guess you weren''t man enough for her..." he said,ughing, and it did not get to me. "That is to show you that he has balls," I said, and he stoppedughing. "Hope you know the Stepanov bitch you are with is ours, and when we are done, we will take her to where she should be. With her people. She should be with her n." Inkabod said. "She is with her family now," I said, and he nodded. "Very well, you seem a bit cocky, Leo, so I believe you have a death wish," he said, looking at everyone there. "I will say this onest time," He said, and I linked the people with Nitric Gas to prepare to spray the acid in the air. "I will count to ten for all of you to surrender and swear your loyalty to Yuri Stepanov," he said, and I laughed. "Ten is two long how about counting from one," I said, prepared to fight, and he smiled at me, and I stepped back. A sting on my face told me they had spayed the silver. "You will have to take off your mask and defend yourselves," he said,ughing, believing he had backed us into a corner. They all partially shifted and advanced toward us. The nitric acid was sprayed, and we fell back. I watched some of the wolvesing at us fall. The darts had worked. We waited for the ones the darts missed to reach us. They stopped when theirrades fell, trying to understand what was happening, but then they advanced again. Once they reach us, Tamia''s team won''t be able to use the darts again, so they don''t hit us with them by mistake. We braced ourselves for the impact. Ready to fight. "Attack!" Sylvester said, taking the lead, and we began to fight. y and Amelia went forward, and I was shocked to see Aurora''s speed. She was faster than y. Where y was partially shifted, Amelia was fully shifted. I understood the difference between them and Amelia''s superiority now. Sylvester punched the wolf that came for him, and I could see his strong punch. He twisted the partially shifted attacker''s arm and kicked it, breaking the bone with a force that it protruded. The attacker growled and fell to his knees to manage the pain. Sylvester twisted his neck and moved to the next one. He could fight effectively without his wolf. Likewise, Marcel and Theodore. They were breaking bones and twisting necks. The silver did not get into our system, so we were okay, but we were yet to have ess to our wolves. "Let''s do this," Vino said, and we teamed up. I forcefully kicked the leg of the half-shifted wolf approaching me and ensured I broke the tibia and fib. The bones broke through his skin, and he fell to contain the pain. Vino twisted his neck, and he fell face t on the ground, dead with his head at an unnatural angle. I linked everyone to inflict mortal wounds because I knew their healing ability was impaired. After all, they breathed in their dust. They were overconfident fools. Amelia and y were going for their throats, and I could see how she must have taken down the men that attacked us in the north. She was too fast to counter. They hade to massacre people but ended up finding themselves being ughtered... The ones that got hit with darts were so useless that my men aimed for them and killed them one at a time while we focused on the partially shifted ones. I began to feel ck, meaning I was in the clear, and I shifted entirely. I hit my opponent with force. He fell back towards Vino, who was ready with a kick. Vino kicked his thigh from behind him and broke his femur; the moment he fell, Vino twisted his neck swiftly. This was going to be fun. "Let''s take down fifteen, Leo. Two down," He said, pumped up, and I growled in response. I wed the side of an attacker, and Vino twisted his arm, and then I wed his neck. Making sure I severed his trachea and oesophagus. He died instantly. "Three," Vino said, and ck was excited. I felt a burn on my skin, meaning they had pumped the silver again. I shifted back to my human form immediately. I was no longer wearing a mask because I shifted, so some silver got into my system. I held my breath to avoid getting more silver in my system. The silver brunt my skin a bit, but the Nitric acid was sprayed, clearing the silver from the atmosphere. I quickly got up and pushed an opponent. My system was already recovering from the silver intake. While Vino and I eliminated him, I saw Marcel and Devin rip one of the weirdoes apart. They tore him to pieces. It was brutal. I recovered quickly and could feel ck again. We all shifted to our wolf forms, and the weirdos did the same. I guess they were out of dust. I was sure they regretted it because it made them handicapped. More of the attackers came rushing towards us from the wood, and Sylvester growled in their direction with hismand. They froze, fighting his alphamand. Sylvester''s actions created the opening we needed to destroy them. I moved and went for their throats. "Inkabod is trying to get away, but y and I will get him," Amelia linked me, sounding excited. We moved, and it became a blood bath. Vino''s wolf would pounce on our target, and I will rip out a limb. We could rip them out limb by limb until they die. We were having fun, and something that seemed so difficult was now easy to do. Another thing we did was intimidate them with ourmand and then go for the kill. I watched Andrew; just like before, he fought with all his might. To my surprise, the women joined in too. I guess they had used up the darts and were tired of just watching the action. Deltas always had to prove a point. It was indeed a bloodbath. We finally surrounded what was left of the attackers. And even though they tried to stand their ground, I could smell their fear. We attacked them. They could not get away because they were surrounded. We eliminated all the wolfs in the centre and returned to our human form. I was about to search for Amelia and y when I saw y dragging a wounded Inkabod towards us. I linked one of my men to bring me a T-shirt and shorts quickly. I wasn''tfortable with everyone seeing Amelia''s body. She didn''t seem to care. I looked around, and my warriors passed around shorts to the men and oversized t-shirts to the women to wear. I wore the shorts and handed Amelia the oversized shirt. She smiled and put it on. She looked thrilled and happy. y wore the shorts handed to him, and I looked at the prisoner in his custody. Inkabod was missing part of his arm. He had wounds everywhere. I wondered what they did to him when they caught him. We looked around, and it was indeed a massacre. Inkabod was right when he said Brentwood would be full of corpses. He just didn''t know that it would be his people''s corpses. "I took his arm, Leo. He threw silver dust at us, so I took his arm," She said excitedly, and y laughed at his sister. "I do not want to be on her wrong side. Her wolf was vicious," heughed, and I agreed. I knew y let Amelia go for it. I could see it. He was being her big brother by allowing her to express herself. I nodded to thank him, and he smiled. I turned to look at Vino and nodded at him. He was indeed a great fighting partner. "We did well," I said. "Twenty-three. We took down twenty-three. Some of them were already drugged, but it counts when dealing with freaks," He said, and we allughed. I had a level of respect for Sylvester. His punch without his wolf was brutal. Inkabod did not expect we woulde with heat too. Since we couldn''t Bind him with silver, we decided to leave him in y and Andrew''s care. "I guess Yuri didn''t see thising," I told Inkabod, and there was fear in his eyes. "Not so brave now, are you?" Kyle said to him and punched him in the face. Inkabod had taken his land and disced his people. He was mad. Now he could pay him back. Devin went close to Inkabod and hit him twice. One for Pridewood and the other for Susan. I knew Devin and Kyle would dly be part of Inkabod''s questioning. There was no way, Inkabod would survive, and maybe he knew it, but I hoped he would lead us to Yuri. Sylvester and Marcel approached me, and we had mutual respect for each other. "We did well," Sylvester said, and I smiled. All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. I was just happy our n worked. "You have some exining to do, Leo," Sylvester said, and I frowned a bit then it clicked. "Patrick Volkov is my ancestor. I will exin it allter," I said, and Marcel eximed. "Leo is more rted to you than we are," Marcel teased, and we allughed. Sylvester smiled, and I was d he did not expect me to get into it now. While some of my men remained to take care of the corpses, we decided to return to Mountain with our prisoner. "If I give you all the information you need, you have to promise to let me live," Inkabod finally said when we loaded him into the van. I could not believe the guy was still clinging to life with one arm. "If the information is valuable, we will consider it," Sylvester said, and we shut the van door and headed back to Mountain. It was two in the morning, about the same time they massacred people in Pridewood. This was indeed a victory, and it had given us hope. Chapter 250: 88 From Amelias Angle Chapter 250: 88 From Amelia''s Angle ~Amelia~ Inkabod hade to eliminate people. He did not hide the fact. The army he brought was well over a hundred. He packed so much muscle, and I knew he did not n on taking prisoners. How sweet would it have been for the asshole if he were able to eliminate Leo and take over Mountain and the East? y was the one that spotted Inkabod fleeing. We decided to chase him. When we caught up with him, he tried to talk us out of killing him. "We are family; We shouldn''t fight ourselves?" Inkabod said, pleading; he must have noticed he was a dead man. y''s wolf looked deadly, and I was sure Aurora looked deadly too. I growled and snarled at him, baring my teeth and moving slowly towards him. Inkabod tried to shift, and that made me pounce on him and rip part of his arm off. He cried in pain. His agony was music to my ears. All I could think of was what I heard he did in Pridewood and what I knew he did in Brent, and I knew he did not deserve mercy. y bound him with an ordinary chain. Not like the chain would give effect, but he would be easy to drag. He began to plead with us to kill him, but we were going to leave that decision to King Sylvester. The excitement was palpable in the air. I could not believe that I was in an actual battle. I enjoyed every bit of it. It was as if I was built for battle. y and I made an excellent team. When we handed Inkabod over to Leo, and I wore the oversized T-shirt Leo gave me, I went to join Linda. I knew they had joined the battle, and the women were deadly. They had massacred the idiots. The only thing the cult had going for them was their silver immunity, which had worked in our favour this time. The idiots were so overconfident that they breathed in the dust when they pumped it into the air. They were not expecting that we would clear it up with Nitric acid. It was a clever n; pump dust in the air, then attack. We would be forced to fight, losing the mask and eventually breathing in the silver. The downside to their method was that silver impaired our healing. We might be immune, and the substance might not burn or kill us, but it impaired our healing, making us an easy kill. That was what we used to our advantage, and it worked. Just like in the north, I had gone for their throats to eliminate them quickly. I also noticed others did the same. "Amelia," Linda waved me over, and I went to join them. They seemed happy. Tamia looked fired up, and likewise Linda. Seeing them now made me realise they were genuinely bored. Linda had told me they all came to the East to be part of the action, and they were bored. I could see it now. Susan looked happy and energetic; I bet she had not had this kind of exercise before. Nicole was beaming from ear to ear. "I can''t believe they expected us to remain hidden. You needed to see us in action, Amelia," Nicole said, sounding excited, and Iughed. "It reminded me of the old days when David and I had to keep relocating to stay alive. We fought attackers all the time," She said, going down memoryne; I realised everyone had a haunted past. "Where is Mirabel?" I asked, and Tamia looked around. "That''s true; she joined the fight with us; where is she?" Tamia said, and we began calling Mirabel, but there was no answer. "Mirabel!'' I called out. I hoped nothing bad had happened to her. It will be sad. "Over here, Luna, she is wounded," I heard a Kappa say, and I rushed towards his direction; the others followed me, and Mirabel was on the ground, unconscious. There were deep w wounds on her chest and her side. "Oh shit!" I eximed, and Tamia and I tried to carry her. Two Kappas rushed towards us, and they helped carry her. "We need to head back now! udia isn''t here to stabilise her," I said, and Tamia agreed. "Is there any medical person around," Susan called out, and one of the Kappas nodded. Soon, someone approached us with a first aid Kit and began to work on Mirabel''s wounds. It took him fifteen. He poured Alcohol over it, took a clean t-shirt, and tore it into two to wrap her wounds. "We have to take her to a medical facility. There is silver in her system, which is why she isn''t healing. We need to hurry so she doesn''t bleed out and die. I have slowed down the bleeding, but her blood isn''t clotting. That is a serious problem," The medical practitioner said, and I nodded. I ordered a van to be prepared, and we all decided it was time to leave. The only ce she would get the treatment she needs is in Mountain. I was mad at Timothy for leaving Mirabel to fight. Tamia said she was outstanding, but it was at a high cost. "What is the matter," Leo linked me. He must have noticed themotion, and our van was speeding on a bumpy road. I quickly told him what was happening, and I told him we were rushing back to Mountain. I called the Packhouse in Mountain. I requested to speak to udia and told her we were returning with Mirabel. I handed the phone to the medical practitioner with us to describe the situation to udia so she could be ready when we arrived. There was a well-equipped clinic in the settlement. The practitioner said udia would have ess to all she needed there. Once we got on the good road, the ride was smooth, and the driver sped up. "The bastard knew we wereing. I wonder who the informants in Brentwood were. I can''t believe the pack members would be so wicked to do this to their Alpha," Nicole said angrily, and I shook my head. I had thought about it carefully and doubted that was what had happened. "Brentwood doesn''t necessarily have to have an informant," I said, and everyone looked at me as if what I had said was strange. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. "What do you mean, Amelia," Susan asked. "I mean, Timothy is an old man. Inkabod did not follow the script this time around. Usually, they show up at night and sack the settlement. But this time, Inkabod looking as weird as fuck, knowing the secret about the Stepanovs was out, paid Timothy a visit in broad daylight. He made up a stupid story about protecting Timothy from Alexei, who, by the way, has honoured the ban on challenges. Inkabod was ''generous'' to let Timothy think about his decision and then told Timothy when he would return for an answer," I said, and the glint in Linda and Tamia''s eyes showed they knew where I was heading. "Inkabod has informants everywhere, so he knows Timothy''s behaviour. So far, Timothy always reaches out to Leo for help whenever anythinges up. Inkabod knew Timothy would not change his reaction this time; he knew he would reach out to Leo. He probably already knew we had his bitch, Alice. I am sure the southern informants must have told him," I said, and Susan''s eyes widened. "Which was why he gave Timothy his real name," Tamiapleted. "He knew Timothy would call and tell Leo. He also knew Devin had arrested Alice and brought her to Mountain," Tamia said, and Linda nodded. "He knew Alice would break easily. He believed Alice had already given his name. So when Timothy says his name, it will pique Leo''s interest, and Leo woulde," Susan said, and I was d they figured it out. "They knew Leo woulde to try to capture him for information. He would use that opportunity to eliminate the Head alpha of the East since Alexei won''t allow them safe passage through Hill Valley into the Mountain. It was a trap," Linda said, and I nodded. "How did you figure it out?" Tamia asked, and I smiled. "When I saw the number of people he brought. The Stepanovs aren''t as many as we think. It would take much meticulous nning and time to gather that number of people. At least twenty-four to forty-eight hours. Andrew had already said they attacked with a maximum of thirty. This man came with over a hundred people. If Brentwood had an informant, the informant would have only been able to inform them Leo was coming after Timothy had called Leo and started evacuating the settlement, which was less than six hours before the time of our arrival. It meant the spy would have informed them in the afternoon. There wouldn''t have been enough time to gather an army of that magnitude between that time and when they attacked," I said, and Tamia smiled. "Alexei was on the lookout and would have detected them if they passed through Brent in that number. Which meant they had been around since yesterday morning when Alice was arrested and brought to Mountain. They had been hiding scattered around Brentwood''s forest away from the pack members," Tamia said, and I was happy she figured it out. "Inkabod knew Alice would get caught. Someone must have informed him that Devin had returned to Brentwood, and Alice must have told him that Devin had given her her old job back. The people that shot at Devin when they carried Susan from Brent must have informed him what had happened and how Devin had carried Susan''s body away. It was very odd behaviour for a man that had just lost his mate. Inkabod must have figured then that Susan had survived the attack and given up Alice''s name," Linda added, and Nicole whistled. She was always dramatic. "After all, Susan told us that Alice was fired. So why would Devin go back to Greenville without Susan and rehire Alice while he was still mourning Susan?" Linda asked, and Susan''s eyes widened. "Wow!" Nicole said, and we were all silent, realising how Inkabod had yed us. We would have walked into a trap if Leo''s parents had not given us the brilliant ideas. We would have expected twenty-five to thirty people and faced over a hundred. It was clever, but the Moon was on our side. I blessed the goddess as we rode back to Mountain. When we arrived., Martha, Avery, Katya, udia, and Richard were outside. An ambnce was on standby, and Mirabel was loaded onto it. Martha hugged me for a while, and then Richard too. They were d we were okay. Tamia hugged them, too and likewise, Linda. There were sentiments between them. "Go on to the clinic, I will join you when Leo''s group return," Martha told us, and we followed the ambnce to the clinic. I was d we had captured Inkabod, but we needed to be extra careful because we were dealing with intelligent people that were still in the shadows. Chapter 251: 89 Back to Mountain Chapter 251: 89 Back to Mountain ~Leo~ I noticed the van taking the women back to Mountain, rushing through the bumps on the road. The road out of Brentwood was bumpy, so we were close to them. I wondered what the chaos was about. We had just been victorious on the battlefield. Why were they speeding? "What is going on," I linked to Amelia. The van was close enough for me to reach her. "Mirable is badly injured. We have stabilised her, but we have to get to Mountain in time," She replied, and I was worried. The only reason Timothy was still hanging on was because of his granddaughter. She was the only rtive he had left. I wished the man had left with her instead of telling her to remain with us. Mirabel did not know our routine, so she was bound to get hurt. "Tell the Kappa to hurry once you get on the good road; we will catch up," I linked Amelia, and she was silent. We were almost on the good road. We could not speed because the van carrying Inkabod was behind us. I linked the Kappa driving the van to get in front of us so we could keep an eye on it. The Kappa driving our van slowed down to allow the Van with Inkabod to overtake us. I watched the van with the women speed off. I prayed Mirabel would make it, or she would be another life Yuri had wasted for his selfish reasons. I agreed with Sylvester when he said the Stepanovs had caused too much damage to be owed retribution. There was silence in the van while we rode back to Mountain. I could feel the questions, doubts and excitement which hung in the air. All I was grateful for was that our n worked, and we did not spare any of them. My heart was d, and I was hopeful. I could not wait to tell my father how it went. "Does this mean I can return to Brent with my members?" Kyle asked, and Sylvester cleared his throat. "Not yet, Kyle; until Yuri has been eliminated, it will be wise you keep your head down. We might have won this battle, but Inkabod is ackey, and the war is still on. The only things we have figured out here are that our theories checked out, and we have a fighting chance. Do not get carried away by this. We still have a long way to go; hopefully, Inkabod will give us something we can work with," Sylvester said, and we all agreed with him. "Are we not going to go after Erik now that we know we can defeat them?" Vino asked, and I knew he was still pumped up from the battle. Who would have guessed he could hold his own in a fight? I was impressed and proud of him, but he did not have to know that part. "Let''s not get too confident. Erik has something Yuricks, which is brains," Andrew said, and I wanted tough at him because his hatred for Erik was still tant. "Yeah yeah, you will get your day in the sun, Andrew," David said, and we allughed because we knew Andrew was most particr about going after Erik. "Honestly, Andrew, you heard Leo''s daddy? Your father asked for it," Theo said, pointing it out to Andrew. It was silly of the guy to still be mad at Erik, knowing his father was guilty of the crime he was punished for. That was highly partial of him. "So, who told Inkabod that you wereing?" Devin asked me, and I sighed. "One thing we know is that the leak came from Brentwood. They would know the King and lords wereing if the leak came from Mountain. Inkabod came ready to fight me. He did not know all of you were there until the fight had started. It means Timothy has a traitor in his pack," I said, and Sylvester nodded; I figured he already knew that part and only wanted me to say it. "That Timothy bastard," Kyle said, and Dominic shut him up. "Use your brain for once, Kyle. This dumb shit is getting old," he said, sounding impatient. Kyle was hurt, but Dominic could not care less. "If Timothy did it, you think he would leave Mirable to fight with us? The woman was badly injured, so our mates rushed back ahead of us. To get her the help she needs. That girl is his only surviving rtive," Theodore said, pointing out Kyle''s stupidity. I figured Linda had linked him to inform him of Mirabel''s predicament. "Moreover, if it were Timothy, he would have called to inform Inkabod that we were there; after all, he saw all of us before he left," Marcel said, clearing up Timothy as a suspect. It clicked that I had sent Brentwood members to Hill Valley. Alexei''s hold on Hill Valley is why Yuri could note to Mountain. If Yuri had an informant in Brentwood, I was putting Alexei in danger of an attack. Yuri would dare to move against his nephew regardless of their rtedness. The bastard was sick like that. "Kappa, hand me a phone," I told the Kappa sitting in the passenger''s seat in front. He opened the glovepartment and handed me a phone. "What is the matter, Leo?" Vino asked me, and I figured the guy was pretty chatty with me, but I let it be. He had earned it. We worked well together, but I would stay on the fence with him. It was fun watching him try. "We just sent Brentwood members to Hill Valley. Alexei is the only reason Yuri cannot attack Mountain directly. If Brentwood has treacherous informants, then we have sent those spies to Hill Valley too and opened Alexei up," I said, and it clicked in their eyes. "So what should we do?" Max asked. "Send them back to theirnd," Sylvester said, looking at me, and I knew it was an order. I nodded and called Alexei''s office in Hill Valley. "Hello," Alexei answered. "It''s Leo," I said because it wasn''t my phone number. I heard him sigh with relief. "Leo, thank goddess. I hope all of you are fine?" He said. It was clear he was worried. "Without a scratch," I said, and heughed. "Alexei, Brentwood had informants that sold their Alpha out. I want you to send them back to their land. Ensure you can ount for every single one of them and force them to return to theirnd so they do not expose you to danger. We do not have time to worry or dig for informants, but we cannot let it spread. Send them back. It is an order from the King," I said, and he was silent. "What about old man Timothy?" he asked, and there was concern in his voice, and I sighed. "I do not think it would be wise to send Timothy back there. Let his beta lead the people while he remains," I said, and he sighed. I hung up, and Sylvester looked at me. "He feels it is too much for the old man, so Timothy would remain while the beta would go back to Brent with the people," I told Sylvester, and he approved. The least we needed to worry about was who sold out. It was time to question this Inkabod freak so we could know where Yuri was and attack him. I did not want to y defence anymore. The offence was the right way to go. A surprise sneak attack was what we needed to end these people. They were vulnerable if unprepared. Had Yuri beenmunicating with us, I would have sent him a boastful letter to inform him of our well- deserved victory. We finally arrived at Mountain. There was a silence there that made me wonder what had happened. My parents were at the entrance when we got to the pack house. My father''s eyes showed relief, and my mother was happy. We descended the vehicle, and I went to them. "Your wives arrived before you guys. udia is helping Mirabel. She is badly injured. They are at the clinic," My mother said, checking my body, and I felt like I was a child again. "Where are the pack members?" I asked my father, and he sighed. " I ordered them to go underground. I did not want casualties, and I did not want to risk more informants. There is just so much an informant can do in an underground bunker. They wouldn''t have any more information to give, and knowing Yuri isn''t after the people but the leaders, he won''t go after them in the bunkers," My father said, and I agreed with his insight. "Tell me, did our theories work well?" He asked, and I nodded. My parents high-fived each other, and it was odd. "Wished we stayed to enjoy the action. But I did not want to leave this ce unprotected." My father said, and I was grateful for them. "Inkabod must have been surprised," My mother said, and I shook my head. "He knew I wasing. But he did not know the King and lords would be there, and he did not know we woulde prepared," I said, and my fatherughed. "Brentwood has spies, too? Yuri is extra careful," He said, figuring it out, and I nodded. "Anyway, I have called Grey; he and his wife areing. They are dying to meet Susan and their soon-to-be-inw, but above all, they want to join in the fight. They have a copy of Yuri''s ns, and I know it would go a long way to helping us figure out his true intentions and how to get him. "How about Yuri''s location? That would be perfect," I told my father, and he smiled at me. N?velDrama.Org owns all content. "If I knew his location, I would have said we should go there. Yuri does not trust anyone. He is like a ghost. I honestly wonder how he ns to rule hiding in ces," he said, and I figured Yuri wouldn''t be that easy to find. "Anyway, something I have been able to sort out is that I have organised a meeting with Erik. I told his right-hand man the King''s offer, and he is open to meeting up with you, Leo. Even if he wanted to see the King and Lords, I would say no, for security purposes, but I will advise you and one of the Lords to see him as head of the council and member of the royal family. It would make him feel more respected and appreciated. He is sensitive like that. Whether we like it or not, we will still need this army. Yuri has stronger men than whatever you faced in Brentwood. Defeating real Stepanovs would be more challenging than you did tonight. They are faster and resilient; some of them, like Alexei, y, and Amelia, can fight our Alphamand." He told me, and I wondered why he did not tell us before we went to the battle. "Why didn''t you say this initially," Sylvester asked, a bit annoyed, and my father bowed his head. I knew he meant well. "I did not want you to overthink things before acting," he said, and I remembered that he was a risk taker too. I shook my head, David and Dominic Laughed, and the rest were indifferent, and we all entered the packhouse. My mother said she would head to the clinic where the women were. I wanted to shower andy on my bed a bit. I went to my room, and I linked Amelia toe to the room. We needed to rest a bit before we continued our mission. 90 Dinner Talks 90 Dinner Talks ~Leo~ I heard Amelia enter the room. I was half asleep. Staying up to fight Inkabod had exhausted me, and I needed to catch up on my rest. I did not know if I hadid down for long, but the highlight on the curtains indicated the sun was high in the sky. Amelia went to the bathroom, and I had tomend her that she had the strength to shower after a long night. She joined me in the bed naked, and I figured she was too tired to wear anything. "How is Mirabel?" I asked, and she turned to face me in bed. "udia was able to stabilise her. She inhaled some silver. She is yet to wake up, but udia said she would be fine. She and Katya are watching her. The rest of us had to return to sleep. Staying up all night fighting is exhausting, Leo," sheined, and I pulled her close, chuckling. "Wee to the life of leaders," I said, and she grumbled. "I remember what you said about Tamia and Sylvester the first time we met," I reminded her, and sheughed. ''Honestly, I take it all back. It isn''t easy leading." She confessed, and I pulled her close for a kiss. We cuddled a bit and eventually fell asleep. I woke up and saw that it was six in the evening. We must have been exhausted. My tummy growled, but I wasn''t in the mood to go to the dining room. Everything had been fast-paced that it had finally caught up with me. I needed to breathe before I started thinking of visiting Erik. I was yet to figure out who would join me for the meeting. Amelia woke up and startedining of hunger, so I had no choice but to link Macy to set up the dining room so we could all eat together. I nned to scold Macy for the omega''s excess production of spring rolls. It was underwhelming to have before a battle. I also wondered how Mirabel was doing and if she was fine. Amelia and I freshened up quickly and headed to the dining room. To my surprise, everyone was already there, including my parents. Avery was already nibbling something, and it was understandable that she would be hungry. "Leo," Sylvester said, and I smiled and sat at the other end of the table with Amelia. We sat in the normal order. Food was served, and I used that opportunity to scold Macy about the spring rolls. "Why do you always have to serve us spring rolls? And one variety at that?" I asked her, and Sylvester and Marcelughed. "It is fast and easy to make, alpha. It is the only thing we can serve that won''t be messy and would be fresh," she said, and Amelia shook her head. "I will give you a list of things you can prepare that would serve the purpose," Amelia said, and Macy bowed. "Thank you, Luna. "She said and stepped back. N?velDrama.Org owns all content. Amelia had taken over the staff effectively, and the people that once thought they could disrespect her genuinely feared her. I knew she had no qualms with Macy, but I noticed that many were afraid of her. "Brentwood members have reached theirnd," Kyle said, and I nodded with approval. "Do you think we should worry about who the informant was? I did not think anything serious would happen concerning Brentwood but finding out who tipped Inkabod off about us would be important." Kyle said, and Lindaughed. "We cracked that case in the van," She saidughing, and Tamia joined in; likewise, Amelia, Susan and Nicole. It was safe to say all the women in the van except for Mirabel, who was unconscious at that time. "And what did you crack?" Theodore asked Linda, kissing her hand. She looked at him while he did it and smiled. "Ameliae on," Tamia said, giving Amelia the floor, and she cleared her throat. Amelia imed there was no informant. ording to their theory, Inkabod figured it out based on patterns and events. It was known that Timothy reached out to me every time there was an issue, which was why he left his name and told Timothy when he would return. It was usible because it wasn''t the same trend. She also exined how Devin''s return to Greenville and the rehiring of Alice had made Inkabod suspicious. For someone that had lost his mate, it was suspicious behaviour. Some people must have seen Devin take Susan''s body from the ground and report to Inkabod since he had people stationed there to shoot. If Devin had returned and hired Alice, it meant Susan had survived and given her up. He also knew Alice would give up his name, and he knew he could not pass through Hill Valley to get to Mountain, so he used Timothy to lure us to Brentwood. I would have gone with my theory better, but the women''s theory exined why they would have over a hundred warriors instead of the usual twenty-five Andrew spoke off. If they had an informant, they would have had to travel quickly inrge numbers, and Alexei would have spotted them. When she finished, I did not know whether it was safe to ept the women''s theory. If they were right, we sent the pack members back to theirnd for nothing. "How about we do it this way," Sylvester said, looking at me. "Let us have apetition of theories," He said, and I frowned at him. "We torture the fuck out of Inkabod, and he would tell us what really happened; if our theory wins, the women would be in charge of the cooking for a week; if they win, we will be in charge of cooking for a week," he said, and Dominic disagreed. "No way, they are too smart for us to take that risk, and I do not know anything about cooking. None of us does," Dominic said, and we all startedughing. "Well, I do, but I doubt I can cook inrge quantities," Devin said, and we allughed. I must say, the women had a better theory than ours, but sometimes the simple answer is always correct. "Okay, let''s do this," Tamia said, and all the women agreed. All except Avery. "I do not want a week of experimental dishes," sheined, and we allughed because she had indirectly said they would win. I would love to see her take it back. "We finished our food, and I linked Casper to prep Inkabod for questioning. I doubted we would get much from him, but I hoped he would give us Yuri''s location or ns at best. I knew my parents said the Sullivans wereing, and they had a copy of Yuri''s ns, but I wanted to be sure I had all the information because other than that, my friends were the only people I trusted, and now that I found out that we were somehow rted, it made my circle tight-knit. "How are we going to torture this arsehole? He is immune to Silver," Tamiained, realising that our popr quick and easy methods might not work on them. "Oh, that''s easy. Shoot him up with Silver and inflict pain on him. We do not heal fast because of Silver," Andrew said, which was a brilliant idea. I nodded and smiled, eager to do something to Inkabod. "You have to let me at him," Kyle said, and I could see the fire of vengeance in his eyes. Inkabod had made him run away from hisnd disgracefully; I doubt Kyle would get over it. "You will have your shot at him, Kyle. That much I can promise you," Sylvester assured him, seeming yful. It was great that we were more rxed now. I believe winning the battle with Inkabod was what caused it. Before the fight, we thought we were hopeless and worried, but now, we knew we had a fighting chance, which alone was enough to lift our spirits. "Do you mind us being there, your majesty?" My father asked Sylvester, and Sylvester looked at me. "It is Leo''s turf, so it is up to him to decide," He said, and I nodded with gratitude. "I will like you there, Father, so we make sure we ask the right question, but it will be nice if you do not hold anything from us. I did not like that you did not tell us that some of them could withstand alpha authority," I said, knowing it pissed Sylvester off, and my father bowed his head. "Honestly, I knew it was messed up, but I did not want you overthinking it. Besides, the warriors with Inkabod aren''t pure Stepanovs; they are part of Erik''s first experiments and do not possess all the strong qualities of a Stepanov. The upper warriors are also Erik''s creations, but they were the next generation of Erik''s creations. So the gene is stronger in them. They are not as strong as the original Stepanovs, but they are a formidable force; that is why I am telling you so you can weigh the options wisely when you talk to Erik," My father said, and I understood his reasons. I hoped Sylvester understood his reasons too. "Where is the meeting taking ce?" I asked my father, and he sighed and put down his fork. "Hand. He chose Hand," he said, and I wasn''t surprised. Hand hade up a lot since this whole thing started. I wondered what was so special about the ce that it was always a choice. 91 Inkabods interrogation 91 Inkabod''s interrogation ~Leo~ Once Casper was done preparing the prisoner for torture and questioning, we headed towards the venue. We were excited, and the game Sylvester set in motion was part of it. I wondered whose theory would check out. I hoped it would be ours because it would suck to be stuck with kitchen duties for a week. Like Avery, I liked good food, and I doubted we coulde up with anything ptable. We entered the warehouse where the torture and questioning chamber was situated. The women and my parents were led to sit in a room beside the chamber. A ss wall separated the room from the chamber, and the women could see through it. It helped them see what was happening in the torture chamber, but the people in the torture chamber would not see the people in the other room; instead, the ss functioned as a mirror to them. It helped us observe interrogations in secret without the knowledge of the prisoner. Inkabod was pinned on a round wood resting against the wall with only his underwear on. He looked afraid and worried, and he kept his eyes focused on Andrew and y. I guess he was trying to plead their heritage. "It is an abomination for a Stepanov to team up with a Volkov against their own," he said, short of breath, and I knew Casper must have had him beaten up. He seemed all right, but his looks didn''t fool me. Aurora had done a number on him by taking part of his arm. It was amazing. He still wanted to live, knowing he would be useless. "Do you not know Leonardo Albert is a Volkov," he said to Andrew and y. "His ancestor Patrick Volkov had an affair with a woman from our n," he said, and Kyle went and punched him in the face. At least Inkabod saved me the stress of exining my lineage to Sylvester, but Kyle''s punch was needed. ''We did note here for history lessons, arsehole. We came here for answers, and you will give them," Kyle said, and I was surprised by the amount of Rrage Kyle harboured. "Volkovs would always betray Stepanovs at the end because they feel superior to us. Remember my words when it happens. History has ¡­" Inkabod said, and Kyle punched him again. "I bet you heard me the first time dickhead," He said, and Casper came to feed Inkabod Silver. There was no way we could get ahead with this if his healing ability was still working at the normal rate. Inkabod was difficult at first, but a couple of punches from Kyle and Casper did the job, and they were able to introduce the Silver into his system. ''Now we want you to tell us what Yuri''s ns are and where he is," Sylvester finally asked, speaking to Inkabod. Inkabod became tight-lipped, and Kyle did us the honour of punching him a couple of times. "I would say you should save some fun for me, Kyle, but you seem to be doing an awesome job with the douchebag," Devin said. I knew Devin had it in for Inkabod, too, because of all that had happened in the South. "I do not know where Yuri is," Inkabod finally confessed, and Kyle punched him in the stomach. ''It is best you kill me because I know you won''t believe me. I can tell you what I know of his ns, but I cannot give you his location. He is like a ghost and only trusts himself," He said, repeating the same thing my parent said. I knew there was a possibility he was telling the truth so I am interveined. "Tell us his ns and how far he has gone," I finally said. "You broke a bit too easy for a trained soldier. I bet you are nning on misleading us," David said, observing what we almost dismissed, and Inkabodughed. "My life is forfeit. Because I failed to secure the East for Yuri, he will send men after me to eliminate me. He does not leave any loose ends. This way, I would have hit him where it hurts before he finds and kills me," He said, and I did not know if he was telling the truth or lying. There was also no way we could figure it out. "I want the truth," Sylvester said with his alphamand, and I saw Inkabod''s difort in his eyes. Themand got to him, but he wanted to fight it. He was trying to speak through it. ''I am telling the truth,'' He confessed, and even though that should be enough, We were not going to take it seriously until we were sure. "Very well, tell us of his ns," Sylvester ordered him sternly, and Inkabod coughed, but this time blood exited his mouth. I guess Kyle did a number on his inside. y off the guy a bit," I linked Kyle because Inkabod won''t be helpful dead. If Silver slowed his healing down, we could not afford him to be over-injured. "Yuri has a strong alliance in the South. His n is to take over the South and East. He has strong partners there, but Erik keeps countering him. Erik has gone into hiding because Yuri is searching for him. Yuri ns to take over both regions and install himself as King. Right now, the South has been taken over with the help of thete Nics Sullivan. But now that all Yuri''s powerful allies are no more, he has been forced to carry out his n openly," He exined. "So where is he now in his n, and what affects us?" I asked him, and he sighed. "If I tell you the truth, you must promise to protect me," He said, and I frowned at him. Something faltered in his eyes. "The only reason most of us are helping is that we do not fit in this world. Dimitri''sw hangs over our heads, and we want our freedom badly. I disagree with his views but must survive, so I did my best to appease him. Yuri does not n to settle alone for the East and South. He ns to eliminate Erik and the entire Volkov line and take over as the only King. He has a list of all the Volkov descendants. Joan yman has given him the full detailed ount of every Volkov in existence and where they live. She has also been trying to get the top Northern families to join up, but the result of thest uprising has made people scared. I am not in the inner circle, but our mandate is to take over packs and seizends. Now that I have fallen, another man named Erin Petrova will be taking over from me to take the east. They would sack Hand in a few days because we learned Erik is hiding there. That is all I know, I swear," he said, and all I could pick from this was Joan''s name. I wondered if that was why she kept sending her daughter to the East. Leah was just trying too damn hard. "How long has Joan been in this group?" I asked him. "Her father was the one that initiated her. They thought she would get into the Volkov family as a wife, but it didn''t work out, so she had to function via other means," He said, and I remembered the last time I spoke to her. N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. I had threatened her. I had told her to keep her daughter away from Amelia and me, or I won''t be a gentleman about it, and I would have her removed from the council and her family''s noble status stripped. "The attack in the north, was that Joan?" I asked, and he nodded quickly. "She was supposed to invite everyone, including the King and queen. She promised Yuri that they would honour the invitation. Unfortunately, only two royals honoured that invitation. They were supposed to eliminate all the royals that night. She had called Yuri to inform him that only two Royal attended, but by then, Yuri had given the order to attack. By the time Yuri called me to recall the men, it was already toote," Inkabod exined, and I balled my fist in anger. "What is her gain in all this?" Marcel asked, sounding very angry. I could understand his rage; Avery was pregnant. "I do not know that part; maybe you should ask her," Inkabod said, and I knew we wouldn''t get more than we had already gotten from him. "We will investigate to be sure your information checks out. If it does, I will let you go; if not, I will kill you," Sylvester said, and Inkabod nodded. Hispliance and eagerness to live piqued my curiosity. "Why do you want to live so badly?" I asked, and he sighed. "Cause I have a daughter and a mate in Grizlo; I promised to go home when all this is over. I can''t let my daughter grow up without her father," he confessed, and Devin went and punched him. "Yet you massacred people in Pridewood," He said, and Inkabod shook his head. "That was Erin, not me. I do not kill people; I just force them to leave. Besides, I have no choice. If I do not do what Yuri wants, he will go after my family. The man is sick, and he is a tyrant. You have to understand most of the Stepanovs helping him are not doing it of their own free will. Once Yuri is gone, everyone will return to their quiet lives," he said, and the look in his eyes said he wasn''t lying. Alice was indeed stupid to think he would mate with her. He was just using her. "You do not kill people, yet you wanted to eliminate Alice," I said, and he nodded. "Yuri said she should not be allowed to live, so she does not talk. Anyone that is no longer useful is usually eliminated." He said. It sounded like the kind of sick method Larry used in his time. "Very well, we will check it out. Before we leave you, we have onest question," David said, and I wondered what he wanted to ask. "How did you know Leo wasing to Brentwood?" He said, and some of us chuckled while Sylvester Marcel and I maintained a straight face. It was a very odd question, but it was necessary. The bet aside, we needed to know the informants. "I knew Devin had arrested Alice, and I knew she would talk; I also knew Timothy relied too much on Leo for everything, so I just startled him a bit, dropped my name and told him I would be back. I knew he would call you, Leo, and you would want to catch me for answers. Andrew was with you, so he would have told you our methods. I expected you toe prepared for a fight with Twenty- five people, but you came prepared for the real thing. I must admit, I thought I had outsmarted you. I guess you aren''t to be messed with after all," he said, and we all began to chuckle. Inkabod might think it was his words that made usugh, but the horror registered on Dominic''s face while Inkabod exined his reasons to us was epic. A week of bad food could not be that bad. We needed to learn our way around the kitchen quickly. The Women had won. Chapter 254: 92 Tired Chapter 254: 92 Tired ~Leo~ I ordered Casper to secure Inkabod in a ce to be sure his stories checked out before we decided what to do. The man seemed content with my decision, and I wondered what kind of sick man Yuri was for his people to give him up so easily. As far as I was concerned, what my father said about Erik had finally checked out, and Andrew was clearly speaking of the man from sentiments. Had Erik''s mother known Yuri would turn out like this and be after her son''s life one day, she wouldn''t have rescued him during the massacre. No matter how we looked at it, I still med Gregory Volkov for all of this. Had he honoured the simple agreement, none of this would have happened. Honouring an agreement and building a good name for yourself was always wise. Gregory''s actions built mistrust between the two families, leading to a bloodbath in which monsters were created. We returned to the packhouse with Dominic grumbling all the way. Luckily, we had eaten dinner; our kitchen adventure would have to start the next day. "Omegas won''t be helping," Tamia said while we entered, and it didn''t click until a few secondster. "Come on, Tamia. It is bad enough that we lost. You do not have to rub it in," Vino said, and I figured he was worried. Tamia and Lindaughed at them. The women found it funny all but Avery, and I knew she wouldn''t; she was pregnant with cravings. I doubt we could meet up. "Assign an omega chef to me, Amelia," Avery requested, and Ameliaughed. "The men losing wasn''t a win after all because we get to eat bad food," udia said,ughing, and she was right. We cook the mess, and they have to eat it. It wasn''t a win. "No one said we had to eat it," Linda said, heading towards the stairs. They all startedughing, and I knew if the food didn''t turn out well, the women would be eating something else. Kyle and Max weren''t too pleased, especially Max. He liked food, and a week of bad food was horror. We all looked at Sylvester, who chose that minute to look away and follow his wife. "Of all the things he could think of, it had to be food," Dominic said, hissing and heading in the same direction as Tamia and Sylvester. "Have you decided who will be joining you to see Erik?" My father asked me, and I nodded. "Theodore. He is a lord and not a direct descendant of Gregory Volkov." I said. I would have taken Marcel, but we had just returned from battle, and Avery was pregnant. She could only have her heart in her mouth so many times. "I thought you would take me?" Davidined, and I shook my head. "You are a true Volkov. I am not risking it. If Sylvester falls, You will be next in line until Liam is old enough. There is no point delivering anyone important to them. I am not trying to say Theodore isn''t important, but you understand my point. Erik might be the perfect ally, but he could not be trusted still. His grudge against the Volkovs is the same as Yuri''s. They just chose to handle it differently," I exined, and David dropped the matter. "The Sullivans will be here tomorrow," My father announced, and Susan froze. None of us missed it. I did not know how she would handle seeing her parents. People that she thought were dead. At least this way, Devin wouldn''t be her only family. "I do not think we can trust them," Dominic pointed out, and we were silent. Inkabod did say Grey''s brother was the one that helped them get informants in the South. What is to say this wasn''t a ploy to get us? The Sullivans did not have the same sentiments as my folks; they were Stepanov descendants and had issues with Maurice. "Grey can be trusted," My father said with a sigh. "Maurice wanted their lives because he believed they were connected to the uprising. Now thinking of everything, I realised that Nics must have framed his brother. They ran away to protect little Susan. Maurice was sick. He would have caught them if they had not sought refuge with the Stepanov group and gone under. Maurice wasn''t like Sylvester. He never asked questions." My father said, and there was a haunted look in his eyes that said he had gone down memoryne. I had witnessed some of Maurice''s massacre and the ripple effect. Sylvester was indeed different from his father. It was a blessing to have him. "I would still be careful. They might still have an excellent reason to continue working for Yuri," Dominic said, making a valid point. "Grey never worked for Yuri. He never helped him out. They were just good at keeping their heads down. The bastard locked Martha and me up for trying to send Leo a postcard two years ago. You do not need to do anything to get in trouble with Yuri," My father said, and I knew it would be a long argument if I did not break it. I wanted to return to my room and sleep. This could wait for some other time. Max and Kyle followed Andrew and y back to the bungalow. I did not miss that they were quiet all through. I guess they, too, weren''t happy about losing the bet. Cooking was scary if you didn''t know your way about the kitchen. It was going to be a long week. "I guess we won''t know the truth about the Sullivans until we experience them, but I agree with Dominic that we should be careful," I said and saw Devin wasn''t finding anything we said funny. I did not me him. Nics humiliated him and ran him out of his region with his actions. Nics might be dead now, but what he put in ce for Yuri had diligently served Yuri''s purpose. We might not discuss it, but we all knew the South had fallen. I just hoped Erik had a solution that would help us, or I doubt Susan''s rtionship with Devin will be great knowing what he knows now. Even if he chooses to love her through it, memories would still get in the way. I pulled Amelia to me and led her towards the stairs so we could retire to our bedroom. My mother said good night, and we responded. I knew tomorrow would be a long day because the Sullivans would arrive, but I pray we get through it peacefully without event. "Alpha, our Nitric acid nt has gone in mes," I heard Casper''s voice, and I was midway up the stairs when I cursed. I cursed so loud that everyone stopped to look at me. "What is the matter?" My father asked, and I did not know I was shaking with rage. I balled my fist on my side and growled with anger. I felt Amelia step back. I was behaving like a madman. "I just wanted to rest, for fuck sake!" I growled. The pressure was getting to me for the first time. I wondered why I couldn''t catch a break, sleep and have peace. Why the events had to be a chain of reactions? Why couldn''t they wait to bring it until tomorrow? "Alpha, kappa Tom brought me a note from the arsonist." I heard Casper in my head, and Vino looked at me. "Is everything all right, Leo?" he asked, and I tried to calm my rage down. "Handle the site. I will join you tomorrow after I have rested. There is nothing we can do about the destruction. Bring the note in the morning," I linked Casper, knowing I would not function properly if I were to go there now. I was tired and angry; I could do just so much mentally in this condition. "What happened," Amelia said and touched my hand. My ws had grown out, and I did not know it. The moment she touched my hands, I retracted my ws so I did not hurt her. N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. "The Nitric Acid nt was set aze, and the perpetrators left a note," I said, and Dominic and Vino eximed. "How would they know to torch that ce?" Dominic added. "Someone told them of the oue of the fight and used their spies or men in the east to torch the ce,''" I said, knowing exactly what happened. It meant one or two people got away, or we had an informant in the east. It couldn''t be one of us. It had to be my people or my men. But someone surviving the fight was a more usible exnation. "Someone survived and might have reported how we were able to counter the silver dust," I said, and Dominic was enraged. "If I catch this person, I won''t ask questions. I will make sure they die most painfully," Devin said. "How would they have known where the nt was to torch it? It wasn''t someone that escaped the fight that did this, Leo, someone in this pack whomunicates with them, did this. Preferably one of your men because the pack members did not know we took nitric acid with us. It was sudden. The spies in Mountain did not know we sprayed Nitric acid to counter the dust. Only your men know it. Only your men and us." My father said, making a lot of sense, and I did not want to start troubling my head about it. I felt a headacheing and just turned around toplete the climb. "We will deal with it tomorrow," I said to everyone who cared to listen while Amelia and I headed to our bedroom. I hoped sleep would not elude me tonight because I needed it badly to wake up active tomorrow. Chapter 255: 93 Breakfast Chapter 255: 93 Breakfast ~Leo~ Getting to the bedroom, Amelia requested that we take a shower. She knew how I was feeling and did not bring up the matter of the fire. I was grateful to her for it. She was the only one I had been with that never asked questions. She always allowed me to volunteer the information, making me want to tell her everything and never hide anything from her. I guess it was reverse psychology, and it was working. We decided we would have a bath instead of a shower. We sat in the scented water for a while without saying a word. Thevender scent helped me rx, and my headache disappeared. Once we were done, we returned to the bedroom and decided we would not wear anything to sleep. I slept like a baby holding Amelia in my arms. I woke up in the morning feeling refreshed, and my headache was gone. I was grateful to the goddess for it because I doubted I could function with a stress headache. It would be wise to get on top of things immediately, but I chose to take it easy. If the nt was burnt, there was nothing I could do about it that couldn''t wait. While I brushed my teeth in the bathroom, I thought of what had happened and realised that it was the only Nitric nt we had. How would we produce Nitric Acid quickly inrge quantities to use in battle with Yuri? What if they decide to attack us now? We would be defenceless. The Nitric Acid had helped us and evened the ying field. They were unable to block our wolves and weaken us with silver. It forced them to shift and go head-on with us. All this while, they had thrived by using silver on people. They had made strong men easy kills with it, but the Nitric Acid had taken away their superpower. It was expected that they would destroy the nt, but I wondered who must have fed them the information. I would have tob through my military thoroughly. They were my people, so I could use the alphamand to force the truth out of them. I needed to be sure that none of my men was involved with this shit. If they were, then major overhauling was necessary to get back on track. I also had to figure out how to get Nitric Acid inrge quantities. This was a significant setback, and it was annoying. I finished brushing my teeth and returned to the bedroom. Amelia was sitting in bed, and she looked gorgeous. Her White hair was almost four inches taking the brown dyed hair away from her face. She looked like a goddess. Her plump pink lips looked adorable, and I wanted to kiss them, but I knew she would want to brush her teeth before that. She looked well-rested and ready for the day. "Good morning," she said with a sleepy tone, and I smiled and joined her in the bed. "Did you sleep well, darling," I asked her, and she nodded. "Like a baby." She said even though she looked well rested, now that I was close to her, I noticed she was a lot pale than usual. "You look pale, love," I said, and she nodded. "I have been feeling a bit offtely. I will have some tests done in the clinic today. Yesterday when we returned, I doubt it was silver that must have caused it, but I want to know quickly before it worsens." She said, and I was d she wasn''t the type I would have to plead with to put her health first. I took her soft, delicate hand and kissed it. "Feeling romantic?" she teased, and I smiled and looked at her. "Being in love," I replied, and she looked at me seriously. "We will be fine, Leo," she said reassuringly. "We will be fine. All this will pass, and we will continue our peaceful life. We would remember these days andugh. The moon is on our side," She said, and I could not smile at that because her words were profound and, like a rainbow, chased the storm away. I pulled her close and hugged her tightly, hoping she was right because I did not want anything more than to have a long peaceful life with her. Loving her for the rest of my life. I held her, and she wrapped her arms around me. Then broke it and got off the bed to head to the bathroom. I knew she wanted to brush her teeth. I looked at her cute bare ass as she headed towards the bathroom. Her body was beautiful. Amelia was a beauty, and she was mine. "Hope you are ready for the kitchen," She called out, and I grumbled, remembering the stupid bet. Honestly, Sylvester should be the only one in the kitchen. It was his idea. It was unfair that we were dragged into it. I did not want to imagine the disaster that would happen in the kitchen and after. Amelia and I made love before we headed out. I was fired up for the day when we left the room. I was ready to do everything needed except cook in the kitchen. I began to hope something woulde up that would enable me to escape cooking that morning. Amelia went to join the women in the dining room while I went to the kitchen. It was a disaster. There was burnt toast and bacon. There was smoke in the air, so I figured they had just put out a grease fire. Dominic had pancake batter all over him. The fire extinguisher was close to the stove, and I wondered what had happened. I noticed Max and Kyle mopping the floor while Andrew and y were cutting up fruits for sd. They seemed to know what they were doing, so I figured they picked a chore that suited them. "Devin said we should surprise the women," Sylvester said with grease on his face, and I wanted to laugh. Vino was with the juice maker squeezing oranges. He got the most straightforward job. "What were you all nning?" I asked. "Scrambled eggs, Pancakes, bacon, garlic bread, butter beans.." Marcel started, and I stopped him. "That is a bit much and too ambitious," I said, trying to wrap my head around it. "The omegas te the table like that all the time," Marcel said, and I could not believe these men. I could understand he would want to do his best for Avery, but this was too much. All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. "Let''s just make sandwiches, orange juice, and water.." I said, determined to copy Amelia''s recipes. "Why didn''t we think of that?" Dominic said, ting a partially burnt pancake on a te. "Were you going to serve that?" Devin asked Dominic, pointing at the dish, and Dominic nodded. "It was better than the others," Dominic replied. Devin shook his head. He went to the te and decided to taste the pancake. He spat it out immediately. "Did you follow the recipe, Dominic?" He asked, and Dominic was surprised. "Did you taste the batter?" Devin asked, and Dominic shook his head. "I won''t taste anything with raw eggs in it," Dominic replied, and everyoneughed. Theodore went to taste it and spat it out too. Devin took the bowl and dumped the content down the sink drain. "The salt and baking powder are too much. It is salty and bitter, Dominic." He said, and Dominic decided to take a bite of his creation. He spat it out immediately. Everyoneughed. He would have ted that on the table if it wasn''t burnt. It would have been hrious. "I guess sandwiches would do at this point because I am tired, and we have so much to do," Sylvester said, and Dominic hit the back of his head. "Next time. You better think things through before you drag us into shit. You might be king, but I am your big brother, and this is stupid," He said,ining and ming Sylvester. We made various sandwiches, and I linked the Omegas to present the sandwiches at the table while we went to our rooms to clean up. I returned to the dining room and was surprised the women were waiting. My parent finally arrived and looked at the table. "I guess we would be eating novice food this week." My mother said, eyeing the food on the table. "The sandwiches don''t look bad; I hope they taste better than they look," my father said, and we all laughed. The others joined, and we ate. The women enjoyed the sandwiches, and likewise did we. I suspected Dominic would opt we make sandwiches for the rest of the week. We need to get out of the bet, or we will be underfed soon. I noticed Amelia ate more than necessary and said it tasted delicious. My mother stared at her most of the time, but I pretended not to notice. After breakfast, I linked Casper to bring me the letter that the arsonist left. Casper arrived, and I was d to find out that no one had died in the fire, and they were able to salvage some things, but most of the nt burnt down. I told them to start renovations immediately because we needed to be able to produce Nitric acid in large quantities quickly. I also instructed them to have people guarding the ce at all times. I opened the letter, and it read. "Smart move Albert; say hello to Richardo and Martha for me. They were always a pain to deal with," It read, and I knew Yuri dictated the letter. He might not have written it, but he dictated the letter. I put the letter to my nose, and it smelled of smoke and Casper. The person that wrote and delivered the letter must have equally set the fire, and he or she was cautious in the process. I asked Casper to line up all our warriors. I would use the alphamand to get the truth out of them. I told Sylvester of my ns, and everyone with amand decided to help me so it would be faster. Using themand to get the truth out of people vited their rights, but this was an emergency, and it wasn''t personal. My father told me the Sullivance would soon arrive. There was so much to do and little time. Max and Kyle went to help Casper organise the warriors while we prepared for the day. Chapter 256: 94 Fishing Them Out Chapter 256: 94 Fishing Them Out ~Leo~ Max and Kyle were very diligent in organising my warriors. I arrived there with Marcel, Theodore, David, Devin, My father, and Sylvester. We needed everyone with amand on deck. I knew what I would do vited their rights, but these were desperate times that called for desperate measures. Over five hundred men gathered in the open as per my orders, and I stood on the elevated ground to address them. They all bowed to honour the King and then went on their knees. "Rise!" Sylvester ordered, and they got on their feet. I was d he wasn''t the type to bask in the glory. This wasn''t the time for reverence. Besides, it would be pointless if they were traitors. At the end of it all, Sylvester''s reign was indeed in jeopardy. I cleared my throat to speak to them. Casper brought a microphone, and I wanted tough when I collected it. I had never addressed this vast number, maybe eighty people at a time, but five hundred plus was arge number. I beat the head of the microphone, and Davidughed, seeing that the device felt alien in my hand. "I know you all wonder why you have been called out here today," I said, and they were silent. "Well, yesterday, our Nitric nt was set aze, and this is a crucial moment for this kind of atrocity to happen," I said, and everyone was silent. "I find it disturbing that the ce went in mes at a crucial time like this, knowing well that we need Nitric acid tobat those things," I said, focusing my attention on them. "None of the people we fought survived the attack, and everyone on my team has something critical to lose if our enemies win; that means the arsonist and/or the informant is among you," I said, and they began to murmur. "Silence!" David ordered them, and they all held their tongues. "I will allow the perpetrators to confess now. If you confess and step out, I will tamper judgement with mercy, but if you make me fish you out, I won''t be merciful. We should spend this time nning other things. Instead, we are out here talking to all of you. If you know you are part of the traitors, spare your time now and step out. I won''t be furious, but if we have tomend the truth out of you, then you will be sorry," I ordered, and they were shocked by my words. "The King and the council make thews, and we are makingmand in an interrogation legal for the duration of this investigation. Now, I will state again before we start the questioning; step out!" I said, and everyone was silent. With that, Max divided them into twenty Lines. Making each line twenty-five warriors each. It would be tedious, and I swear to deal with whomever we catch. I started with Casper to be sure he was in the clear. He did not fight mymand, and he replied quickly. I was relieved and proceeded with confidence. My Gamma and Delta were next, and once they were all in the clear, I moved to the warriors. It wasn''t long before we had started with the warriors when one of the kappas, James, stepped out immediately. "I might have caused it, Alpha," he said, and everyone was silent. ''What do you mean by might?" I asked with mymand, and he did not fight it. "Alpha Gordon of Hand was in town yesterday. I saw him when I went to get supplies to deliver to the nt. I was heading to the nt, and he asked me where I was going. I told him I was to deliver some things to the nt. He asked me why, and I told him what we used it for. I didn''t think much.." he said, and I punched him before he could finish the statement. He fell, and I knelt over him and continued to punch him. Marcel and Theodore rushed to lift me off him. "How could you be stupid, kappa? How could you divulge my secret to another alpha? Did I permit you to tell anyone?" I asked him, and he shook his head, tears streaming down his cheeks. He was in pain. "I am sorry, alpha. I didn''t mean anything by it," he said, and I shook my head. "Lock him up. He is high-risk. We cannot have him telling people our secrets," Kyle said, and I agreed, then looked at Casper. "Go with Alpha Max and officially arrest Alpha Gordon. Go with warriors. Tell him he is under arrest by order of the council," I said, using my official power for the first time, and Casper nodded to get to work. I dismissed the rest of the warriors, and they left. I could see relief in their eyes. When they dragged Kappa James away, I felt rage in me. He was lucky I was stopped, or I would have killed him. He had hurt me badly. We could source Nitric Acid elsewhere but might not get enough if an armyes for us. We had to visit Erik quickly while we still could. We headed back to the pack house, and Sylvester was silent. I guess he was processing the matter. I wouldn''t me him. There were too many enemies everywhere. We did not know whom to trust and what to do. It was sad. We had to rely on enemies to get ahead, which was disheartening. I prayed to the goddess that we would get through this. If only I knew where Yuri was, I would have hunted and killed him, but how do we defeat a man who refused toe out of the shadows? Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. We moved toward the Packhouse quickly, and my father tried to calm me down. "When are the Sullivans arriving, because I would like to start preparing for my trip to visit Erik?" I told him on our way back. "They should be here by now," He said and caught up to me, then stopped me. He ced his hands on my shoulders and looked into my eyes. "No one ever wins with rage, Leo. I need you to be calm. You have this under control. If Yuri believed he could win, he would havee for you already. You need to rx, Leo. " he said, and I tried to inhale and exhale. "Besides, you can''t go to Hand until Erik says so. He, too, is in hiding, and the alpha of Hand is tainted. We have to wait until we have got him out of the way before we proceed." He said, and even though he was making a lot of sense, I could not get over the fact that we weren''t in the lead. Whether we liked it or not, Yuri still set the pace, and it wasn''t in our favour. "I have heard, Father," I said, and he nodded. "Let us take this, a step at a time. Let''s pick the traitor up and question him. We need to know what is in his head before we know what to do. Whatever he knows will help us. Everyone we have caught so far has left us with a clue, he won''t be different, Leo, but I need you to be calm about it, please, Son," He said, and I nodded. He grabbed my head and ced my forehead against his. I breathed in and exhaled. "You are Alpha, and Alphas do not lose their cool," He said, and I rxed. He understood what was happening to me. I was getting tired. Being caught in the middle of the crossfire was difficult. I was just lucky to have a chance to push back. Devin did have this opportunity. However I managed the situation would determine if my friends would get their homes back. It was crucial that I maintained a level head and tried to solve the case. I stepped away from my father and headed to the Packhouse. I got there, and everywhere was silent. I tried to link Amelia but met silence. Remembering how pale and tired she was in the morning, I sprinted up the stairs and headed to my room. I looked around, and she wasn''t there; I decided to Link my mother. I was lucky. "Mother, where is Amelia?" I asked her. "Your mate is in the clinic; she almost copsed, and udia said she should be tested. We are at the clinic now," she said, and I started heading out. "I am on my way there; tell her to hold on," I said, rushing out. "Rx, Leo, she is fine. She is just pregnant, that''s all," she said, and I froze. I stood still at the entrance and did not know what to do or what to say. "We will be heading back home now. She would need to get some rest. She hasn''t been sleeping well," my mother continued, and I could not speak; tears of joy and relief were streaming down my cheeks. It had finally happened to me. Something I thought would never be mine. The goddess had finally blessed me. My heart went from burdened to flying. It soared, and I blessed the goddess. I fell on my knees outside and wept. I had never felt soplete in my life. Finally, I would have children of my own. Chapter 257: 95 A Reason To Press On Chapter 257: 95 A Reason To Press On ~Leo~ I got off the ground and headed into the house to wait for Amelia. Time was standing still in those moments. My troubles were distant. I paced about the ce, not knowing what to do. I was mad at Yuri and the Stepanovs. This would have been a better experience in our small bungalow. Somehow I felt like I was in a public home in the Packhouse. I see why Tamia never liked it. I did not know what to do. So I headed to the room. I wanted to ask Sylvester, Marcel or Theodore how they reacted to the news of their mates'' pregnancies and if they did anything special for their mates, but I knew it would be silly of me to do because they were all different and the circumstances were different. I nned to wing it and just be myself. Thirty minutes after I had entered the room, the doorknob turned, and Amile entered. Her face was looking worried, her eyes were swollen from tears, and I stood up immediately, ready to be at her beck and call. "It wasn''t deliberate, Leo," she said, almost on the verge of tears, and I rushed to her and pulled her close. Taking in her scent, words could not express my joy. I kissed her deeply. Then broke the kiss and held her. "You have made a happy man, Amelia; you have made meplete," I said, wrapping my arms around her and holding her tight. "You mean you aren''t mad?" She sniffled, and I squeezed tighter. "How can I? We will be a family, Amelia. I am happy. You have given me a strong reason to seed and press on," I said, and she broke the hug to look into my eyes. Her eyes were already swollen with tears, and I wiped them away. "It is silly of you to think I would be mad over something so beautiful, Amelia. This is sunshine in my darkness. When Tamia and Sylvester were expecting, I was jealous. It was something I believed would never be mine. Then I discovered that Amanda''s pregnancy wasn''t mine, and I believed the goddess was punishing me for my transgression. You are the answer to my prayers and a beautiful sign of forgiveness from the goddess," I said and led her to the bathroom. "Let me pamper you a bit, Amelia," I said, and she rxed a little. "What if the babies look weirdly like me?" she asked, and I chuckled. N?velDrama.Org owns all content. "And why would you use the word weird?" I asked, and she shrugged. "Well, I hear you calling the Stepanovs freaks and Things, sometimes Weirdos. I am not mad, but if you and everyone see them like that, what do you think would happen if our children look like me? Would they be free in this world without name-calling and bullying? I had my fair share. I do not want that kind of life for them." She said, and I pulled her close to my body. "I am sorry you feel this way, Amelia. We did not mean it like that. We did not mean all the Steapnovs, just the arseholes trying to kill innocent people. As for our children, they won''t grow up in a world that is hostile towards them. They would grow up in a world that would admire and respect them. That is what we are fighting for now. We are fighting for a world where the Stepanovs can live freely, where the wrongmitted against them would be correct. A world where their features would be admired and celebrated. Where they would no longer have to wear contacts and dye their hair. A world where they can be themselves and not fear for their lives," I said and touched her cheek. "You are beautiful, Amelia. I would love our babies to look like you and have your features." I said, and she wrapped her arms around me and rested her head against my chest. "Leo," she whispered, and I wrapped my arms around her and held her. I ran a hot bath for Amelia and helped her rx in it. Once she was done, I led her to the bed to massage her body so she could rx and sleep. She eventually fell asleep after thirty minutes of massage. She looked beautiful and peaceful. I kissed her t tummy, knowing a time woulde when it would start showing. Honestly, I could not wait to hold our pup in my arms. I wasn''t patient, but I would make sure my child did note into a world of chaos. I was more determined now to destroy Yuri and anyone in the way of my peace and happily ever after. I snuck out of my room and headed downstairs, but I instructed Macy to watch Amelia and serve her anything she wanted. On my way to the lounge, I saw my mother, and she asked for Amelia. I told her she was sleeping, and my mother decided she would keep an eye on her. It was understandable that she would feel protective over Amelia. She was carrying her grandchild and the future of the Albert family. I permitted her and went to the lounge to n our next move. The moment I stepped it. Sylvester opened a Champagne bottle, and they all congratted me. News had travelled fast, and one of the women had run their mouth. "You will soon be a parent, Leo," Sylvester congratted me, and I smiled. I felt like I had joined a club. The Daddy''s Club. I stood andughed as they sshed the champagne on me. It was okay to be happy in the midst of the chaos. I was d to have them with me. They took turns congratting me. When it was Devin''s turn, I held his hands and looked at him. "You and Dominic are next. Vino too,'' I said, and we allughed. The men agreed with my words and teased the three of them about it, especially Dominic, who had yet to get his wife pregnant after a year. I suspect they were taking precautions, but it wasn''t my business. I asked the omegas to serve us something to eat because the sandwich had digested, and just as I suspected, they served the darn spring rolls again. I wanted to throw a fit but did not want to ruin the mood. "These spring rolls taste delicious; I do not want to depend on whatever we would be whipping up in that kitchen," Dominic said, savouring the taste. If he puts it that way, then he was right. I asked them to serve more; The women weren''t there, so we could get away with it. "So, the Alpha of Hand, hey?" Marcel asked, and I sighed,ing back to reality. I had enjoyed bliss for a second, and now it was time to get back on track. "No wonder this ce kepting up," Vino said, and Sylvester shook his head. ''Let us not jump to conclusions yet. We are yet to know the real reason. I am not saying we should give the man the benefit of the doubt, but I am saying until he exins how he used the information given to him, We shouldn''t jump to conclusions,'' He said, and I agreed with him, but I knew the bastard was guilty as hell. "Meanwhile, send word around Mountain for people with Nitric Acid in reserve to make it avable. It might not be much, but it would suffice in a time like this," Dominic said, and I agreed with his bright Idea. I linked Delta Gabriel to help me source the gas and waited for the long-awaited guests to arrive. "Are you nervous about meeting your iws, Devin?" David teased Devin, and Devin shook his head. "I have mixed feelings. Nics sold me out, and I did not know if they could be trusted. But I will be on my best behaviour for Susan''s sake. She is already in knots as we speak, and she is worried it would affect our rtionship," he said, and Marcel sighed. "For a beta, she worries a lot. She has always been that way." Marcel said, and Davidughed. "But she showed she shouldn''t be messed with at the battle. I did not miss her skills," Dominic pointed out, and he was right. We always forgot that Susan was a Beta breed. I guess her timid nature caused it. The women were doing a good job getting her out of her shell. She has been more livelytely, and I hoped her parents'' arrival wouldn''t wipe away her smile. We decided to drop the topic and discussed other things while we waited for the Sullivans to arrive. I didn''t get the news until three afternoons when my father linked me. ''The Sullinas are here, Son." I heard my father''s voice in my head, and I announced it to everyone. Devin was tense, and it was expected, but I did not know if we should meet them or Allow Devin and Susan to meet them first. We decided it was best they meet their daughter, Devin, and then us. I just hoped they weren''t traitors. I did not need more of those right now. I needed true allies. People that wanted peace. Chapter 258: 96 Not Ten Anymore Chapter 258: 96 Not Ten Anymore ~Susan~ When Devin told me my parents were around, I did not know how to feel about it. They had been gone for neen years, and a lot had happened between then and now. I honestly did not know how to feel about it or if I wanted to see them. Knowing they were part of the Stepanov cult made me sick, and the fact that Uncle Nics helped Yuri take the South made me feel worse. How could I have a happy life with Devin when my family is why he lost everything? Even if he doesn''t look at me that way, I will look at myself that way. It was sad and humiliating for me. Devin entered the bedroom and looked at me, a bit worried. "Sue, won''t you see them? Sylvester and Leo need to question them, but they want you to have your moment first," he said, and tears began to stream down my face. How could he still be so loving and considerate towards me after learning what my family had done to him? "Devin," I said, breaking down, and he rushed towards me and held me. "Not even a postcard to tell me they were all right," I said in tears, and he gently stroked my hair and breathed into my ears to calm me down. "You need to be calm, babe. You should be calm. All that matters is that they are here now. Alive and well," he said, and I broke the hug to look at his face. "Uncle Nics helped Yuri take the South; my folks were part of Yuri''s group. Aren''t you the least mad?" I asked him, and he smiled at me and caressed my cheek gently. "I am mad at Nics, but not you, my love. I am wary of your folks, but I trust youpletely. I do not know them, but I know you. That is all that matters. Now I want you to go out there and be a badass Luna and face them." He said, and how he said it made me chuckle. "I want you toe with me," I said, and he shook his head. "Have your moment with your folks, darling." He said, and I shook my head. "You are my family and my support Devin. When everything crumbled, you were there. You put up with my nonsense and carried me through. When I needed someone the most, you were there. You never judged me, and you were patient with me. If I am seeing them, you have to be there. I won''t see them without you," I said, and he sighed. "As long as you do not drag me into the drama," He said, and weughed. I braced myself to confront my parents, and we headed out to see them in the living room, where Leo asked them to wait. My heart was beating fast as we descended the staircase, and I could not help but stop to take some deep breaths to calm down. I have never dragged my feet in my entire life. I walked slowly, still feeling like I was moving too fast. Many questions were reeling in my mind. What if they can''t be trusted and came here to hurt everyone I care about? What if they were pretending and do not care about me or anyone? Questions reeled in my mind, and soon we arrived in the living room. "Are you ready?" Devin linked me, and I nodded. I took a few deep breaths before walking into the living room. I saw them, and tears welled up in my eyes. They were older than the photos I had. My mother''s blonde hair had some grey in them, and the brilliant blue of her eyes had faded. She looked tired and slim. My father did not fare any better. Besides his height and bulkiness, his hair was grey, and his blue eyes faded too. They looked at me with pain and sadness. My mother began to cry when she saw me, and my father held her. She buried her face in his chest while he looked at me with tears streaming down his cheeks. I stood still, not knowing what to do. I wasn''t good at things like this, so I did not know how to react. "Go to them; I will hang back here," Devin nudged me, and I looked at him. He smiled and nodded, telling me it was okay. I moved toward them, and my mother broke away from my father and rushed to hug me. She wrapped her arms around me and began to cry. "My baby. My baby. There is no day that I did not think of you, Sue," she said, and I reluctantly wrapped my arms around her. She held on tightly and wept. "I am sorry, baby. I am sorry. We could not bring you along. We could not endanger your life. I am sorry. I am sorry." she continued to apologise, holding me, and I remained speechless. I had nothing to say. I had so much anger in me that I knew opening my mouth would ruin the moment. "Suzy," I heard my father say. He was the only one that called me that, and he knew I hated it so much, but he teased me with it so much when I was a child. I looked at him, and he wiped away his tears. "I am sorry, honey. I am very sorry," He said, and I knew he had told his part because he wasn''t good with words. My mother finally broke the hug between us, and my father reced her and held me in his arms. "My little girl is a woman now. You have grown into a fine woman Susan, and I am proud of you. Richardo told us all you have been doing. I am proud of you," he said, which did not make me feel any better or decrease my anger and pain. I broke the hug and looked at them. "If you cared so much, why team up with an enemy? Why make Maurice''s allegations right? I had to deal with the shame of Uncle Nics''s treachery, and now I hear that you two aren''t far behind. Why? Why couldn''t you be normal?" I said, voicing my mind. "Do you know how it feels to be a suspect every time somethinges up simply because every member of my family is deep in some shit? Do you know how ufortable I am with my friends and Mate? Yuri took the South from Devin, my mate. Uncle Nics helped him do it. Then I heard you were in the cult. It made me start thinking you two were part of it too. They murdered people! How do you want me to feel about that?" I asked, and my father''s eyes widened. "We had no hand in that, Suzy; you must believe us. We never helped Yuri do anything. He took us in to protect us from Maurice. Maurice was going to hang the three of us for treason, Sue. Nics was the one that told us to run away and that he would take care of you. We had no choice. Had we stayed, Maurice would have hung us. He had proof that we were part of the uprising; I recently realised that Nics had set us up. Nics did many messed up things in my name, and I had to go down for it. N?velDrama.Org owns all content. We had no choice. It was either we remain and die with you, or we run away and hide with the Steapanovs to keep all of us alive," He said, rushing through his words; I knew he wasn''t lying, but I could not help feeling sad about the entire situation. "We will get the South back. We will help you counter Yuri. Maurice is gone, and we are free from Yuri; we will help your mate take back what is rightfully his; I swear on my wolf, Sue. I will give my life to make sure you forgive us and live a happy life. It is the least I can do after missing so many years with you, my child," He said, and I wanted to tell him no, that I did not want them to give their lives for it, but I could not trust them still. It could all be an act. My father looked at Devin and bore his neck. "Councilman Corrigan, it is an honour to meet you finally," He said, officially addressing Devin. Devin walked towards us and extended a handshake which my father took respectfully with his head bowed. "The pleasure is all mine, Beta Sullivan," Devin said, and my mother wrapped her arms around him without warning. "Thank you, Alpha, for loving our baby. Thank you for being her family and not allowing her to walk alone. Thank you so much. We are at your service, Alpha. Anything you ask of us, we will do. We will do all we can to ensure Yuri doesn''t take the South. Please give us a chance." She said and broke the hug. I noticed Devin was a bit ufortable but managing it well. "Susan looks like both of you," He said, changing the topic. I knew it was to ease the tension because it made meugh, and my father, who was a bit confused,ter got it and joined in. "Yes, she does," He said, and Devin nodded. "Please let us sit while we discuss the matters with the others. Time is not on our side. I believe you will have ample time to catch up with Susan after." He said, and my parents agreed and went to sit down. Devin went to speak with a Kappa at the door and returned to sit beside me to wait for the others. My mother did not stop staring at me, and my father smiled at me every time I looked in his direction. It was very awkward, and I doubted I would get used to it. It seems my parent did not understand that I wasn''t ten anymore. Chapter 259: 97 What They Know Chapter 259: 97 What They Know ~Devin~ I knew it would be hard for Susan to unite with her parents, so I supported her. I had sentiments and did not trust them, but I could not show them. Susan was already beating herself up about everything her family members had done; the least I could do was ease her mind. It wasn''t great to have rtives that were viins, and we did not know where her parents stood. We were unsure if we could trust them, but I would hold Susan''s hand through it all. N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. I would have loved to continue the chat with them and maybe get to know them and decide whether they could be trusted, but time wasn''t on our side. The Nitric nt was gone, and Leo was sourcing Nitric acid from everywhere. I learned people were already delivering the quantities they had, but I doubted it would be enough. We also had a meeting with Erik. We weren''t sure how that would go, but we needed information to be clear on what to do. I had no choice but the cut the entire reunion short and head straight to the point. Yuri could be nning an attack, and it would be messed up if we were caught up in a reunion dealing with personal feelings when he descended on us. The kappa at the door had helped me link Leo, and I knew everyone wasing to the living room. I held Susan''s hands and stroked them gently to help her rx. I knew she had mixed feelings, and I hoped she could deal with itter. I hated seeing her suffer emotionally especially knowing what I now know about her mental health. It was my duty to ensure she was protected and happy always. Sylvester was the first to walk in, and everyone stood up to greet him. Followed by Marce,l Theodore, Leo, Dominic, David, Vino, y, Andrew, Max, Kyle and thedies, all except Amelia, Katya, and Avery. I could see the shock on the face of the Sullivans when they saw all of us. They were not expecting this much. It also meant that the Alberts did not tell them much. I wondered why Richardo would withhold information from them. I nned to ask him. Richardo and Martha walked in, and Grey and Reba stood up to greet them. "Martha," Reba said and hugged Martha. Grey and Richardo shook hands and hugged. It was clear they had bothe a long way. It was apparent they had been through a lot together. "I am d you made it here safely, Ricky," Grey told Ricardo, and Richardoughed. "You too," he said, and they bothughed. Sylvester was patient enough for the friends to exchange pleasantries before he cleared his throat to catch their attention. "So what are Yuri''s ns," Sylvester asked immediately. He wasn''t ying, and he wasn''t wasting time. He was serious, and he meant what he was saying. Grey looked at Richardo, and Richardo nodded that it was okay. "First of all, my wife and I pledge our allegiance to you. To serve you until the day we die. We also ask that when all this is over, you release us to live in the South under our true Alpha, Devin Corrigan," He said, and I was shocked. "Yes, Devin, The Sullivans are Stepanovs of the south, and we serve your family and not the north," He said, and I knew his anger towards Maurice was still there. I couldn''t me him. Maurice got to raise his children while they had to run away from theirs. I am sure they knew Nics had to bring Susan to the South to protect her from Maurice. It was normal that they would not want to serve Sylvester. I wondered why they were helping. "If you have this much anger against the Volkovs, why are you here to help?" I asked, not wanting to ignore the elephant in the room. It was clear that the man did not like the Volkovs. "I admire Sylvester. He is the redemption the Volkov lineage needed. Yuri is scum, and we cannot let someone like him take over our world. It would be worse than Dimitri and Maurice. Those two would be great rulerspared to the scum. He is driven by greed and a thirst for power. His appetite keeps growing bigger, and his thirst can never be quenched. He needs to be put down for the sake of peace." Grey said confidently, and I was partiallyfortable with him. "So what are his ns," Leo asked, sounding a bit impatient. I did not me him. He and Theodore had a trip to make, and he and his mate just found out they were expecting. Under normal circumstances, Leo shouldn''t make that trip, but I knew he was the one Richardo arranged the meeting for, so it would be pointless that someone else goes in his stead. "That bastard is sick. He ns to take it all, and Sean is helping him," Grey said, and Leo mmed his fist into his palm. "I knew it. I knew that bastard could not be trusted. All the takeovers in the west, all the disced people. That bastard. What is his gain in all this?" Leo asked. "Lordship. Sylvester elevated you and Devin''s status, but he got nothing besides being head Alpha of the West. He seems to believe he deserves more," Grey answered. "Yuri has promised a lot of people power." He said and sighed. "Yuri has help from Joan yman, Alpah Gordon of the East, and all the alphas of the South. Three alphas of the west, " Grey said and looked at Sylvester. "Alpha Christian Zakharov of the north is next on his list. We do not know if there is a way to warn them. Yuri ns to pull down Sylvester''s support. That is, take out Leo, Devin, Christain, and The rest of the council and buy off some of his Kappas. So far, Bryce Golubev has beenplicated, and the head Kappas in the king''s guard has been loyal to a fault, so we do not know what Yuri wants to do. Bryce and the Kappa are imprable. Yuri nned to make it seem like it was Erik so Sylvester would go after Erik, and he could swoop in for the kill. Erik has better warriors than Yuri, so Yuri ns to make Sylvester go for Erik. He would assist Erik in pushing back, swooping in for the kill since his men have been unable to infiltrate your security and get close enough to do damage. It was a brilliant idea, but what he did not expect was that the true Stepanov heirs would be on your side. He is afraid of Alexei and y. He is also trying to frame a western Alpha named Jake Brighton if he cannot buy him over. Jake is important to Yuri because he is close to Lady Stephanie. I do not know his ns for Jake, but I know he was nning to reach out to him. One thing I know about Yuri is that he does not y fair. He would always find a way to force your hand, so Jake evacuating hisnd and going under is the best option for now," He said, and his exnation of Jake wasn''t clear. "So, what do you suggest?" I asked him, and he exhaled as if he held his breath while he spoke. He looked at Sylvester. "There are Stepanovs that will willingly fight on your side, Sylvester. They know Yuri is sick in the head, and they are tired of his bullshit. But they want their family names restored and Stepanovs to have lordship and head a region. That is all they want." He said, and Sylvester looked at him. "How do I know I can trust them?" Sylvester asked, and Grey sighed. "Because Yuri is also after their lives. All hundred and sixty of them. They are pure Stepanovs descendants. He is after them because they disagree with his agenda. Like Erik, he is after their lives, and they will willingly help put him down." Grey said, and Ricardo nodded. "So why haven''t they gone after him? They have a good number," Tamia asked. "They do not have the numbers to go head-on with Yuri, and they have been unable to infiltrate his circle. Moreover, they are unwilling toe out of hiding because of Dimitri''s decree. There are Stepanovs that still live in fear of that decree and are hiding from it. Yuri and his group have been the only bold ones. There is no way they would fight without drawing attention to themselves. If a war has to happen, they will need more than their numbers to seed," Grey exined, making some sense there, but I wasntfortable still. Call me suspicious, but I have been through too much to be trusting. "Let us investigate this first before we jump to conclusions," David said, finally speaking, and I agreed with him. The best way to know if we are on the right track was after Leo''s meeting with Erik. Whatever happens, we would decide whether we can trust the Sullivans, if their information is urate and their n is viable. Although it was clear from the silence that all of us were thinking that way, we were not going to tell them or discuss it with them; it was something we would discuss in private when the Sullivans and Alberts were busy catching up, far away from where they could eavesdrop. We were still talking when Richardo received a call. Once it ended, I knew what had happened. Erik had reached out, and the meeting had been set. I wanted to follow Leo to this meeting, and I nned to insist. 98 Preparing For The Meeting 98 Preparing For The Meeting ~Leo~ I could not believe Sean was a bastard. Had we known he would betray us like this, we wouldn''t have opted they give him head Alpha of the West. It seemed right then because we needed the four regional alphas to agree to the kingship. Little did we know it would be a move we would regret. I had suspected him when there was a high inflow of disced people in the East and South. Every time the council reached out to him, he would have a logical exnation for it. He would say they were packs belonging to alphas hanged for treason. He would suggest that the pack members did not like the new alpha and decided to leave. N?velDrama.Org owns all content. It did not corroborate what the people said, but how would we know? I had a region to run, Devin had a region to run, and the council had their hands full. The Royal family also had their hands full trying to bnce Larry''s stunt''s financial and economic effects. We were too upied to dig deep, and he took advantage of it. What I did not understand was why he would think he deserved more. If anyone deserved more, it was Christian. He was with us through it all, even at the expense of his wife and son. Sylvester had forgiven their crimes for his sake, and Christian was content with it. Why would Sean think that way? He was a greedy bastard, and we made a terrible mistake by trusting him. I noticed my father talking on the phone, and I did not need to guess whom he was talking to. I knew Erik had finally reached out. It made me nervous. I doubted I wanted to see the man based on trust alone. I did not know what to expect, and the fact that Amelia was pregnant made it more difficult. It wasn''t like she was sick or something, and it wasn''t like she needed me. I just wanted to be with her. I guess it was the excitement of it all. "I hope we can trust the two of you," I finally spoke, looking at Grey and his wife. "Our history with your family has not been great, with Susan being the exception. I would not trust you until you give me a reason to. It isn''t personal, but I hate being yed. If you say you are on our side, then you better be. There is too much hanging in the bnce; another betrayal would be too much. It is not personal. I do not trust my parents either. I haven''t seen them in almost seven years, and a lot has changed within those years for anyone to remain the same. I dislike pretending, so I am stating it out of respect. I hope I am clear," I said, and everyone was silent. I knew no one expected me to be that blunt, but I had too much to deal with that I did not have time to investigate them or watch my back all the time. I needed them to assure me with their actions that I would not need to watch my back where they were concerned. "We have sworn our allegiance to the King. That should be good enough, but if you want us to prove it, I implore you to give us a chance. You should know that we have personal stakes, just like your parents. They have you and your mate to worry about, and we have our daughter and her mate to worry about. Susan is our only child and the only family we have left. We will be damned to want to ruin her life and happiness." Grey said, making much sense, and I nodded. "Good enough for me. But I will still be watching," I said, and Davidughed. "We will all be watching. We shouldn''t have to pay for a crime our great-grandfather and grandfather committed. Even our father had no hand in this, and I wille to my father''s defence on this," David said, looking at Grey, who was slightly annoyed. "Whether you like it or not, Beta Sullivan, there was an uprising, and your family was smack in the middle. They did it twice. The real person you should me for depriving you of spending time with your daughter and forcing you into hiding is your brother Nics, not my father. My father did nothing wrong by trying to hunt down and eliminate the threat. If my father was evil, he should have wiped out your entire family. Thew calls for it if you have been used of treason, but he spared your brother, niece and daughter. That has to ount for something. He let her grow up there and date his son, his heir, and only asked them to leave when he felt his secret was exposed. He could have still killed your brother, daughter and niece for it, but he allowed Nics to move away with Susan, whom he believed had the knowledge of his secret and allowed your niece Glenda to continue living in the north. You can''te here and try to paint my father as an evil man because he wasn''t. He wasn''t anything like his father or his grandfather. He was just a careful man with sentiments," David said. I had never seen him angry before, but I guess what Grey said about Maurice got to him, and he was right. Thew did state that if found guilty of treason, the entire family should be wiped out. It was Sylvester that recently abolished thatw. Maurice did make an exception for the Sullivans. David was right. We all stared at Grey, waiting for him to say something, but he was speechless. "Even now, your family is still smacked in the middle of treason because of the massacre in Pridewood. Talk of being overprivileged," Dominic said, a bit annoyed, and I knew I had to calm the situation. It was only a matter of time before the Volkovs start pushing back. A lot of shit had been said about them, and they were made to look like monsters, but looking at the entire scenario, the Stepanovs were more monsters than the Volkov. It was still a Stepanov versus Volkov war. "We need to calm down," My father said, noticing the tension in the air. "You can''t ask us to be calm; you do not know what it means for your family to be dragged in the mud repeatedly. Our only crime is that we are Volkovs. My father''s crime to his people was trying to protect himself and his family by sniffing out traitors. Traitors that we still had to deal with in our time. Had my father sessfully taken all of them out, including the Sullivans, Larry wouldn''t have been a problem, and the people of Pridewood would still be alive," Dominic said,ing to his father''s defence. I knew things got pretty awkward because Dominic did not like his father. He was there for most of the bullshit his mother went through. "Do not say that, Dominic. I am a Volkov too. There was no time the Stepanovs made me feel at home for it. Leo has a target on him because he is a Volkov, too. We all share in the taint. Ours is worse because our ancestor was a love child. Talk about being illegitimate, but that is the truth. Please Calm down so we can solve this. I am sure Grey was just speaking emotionally. Please be at peace," my father said. Grey apologised to Sylvester, Dominic, Vino and David for speaking poorly of their father. Sylvester was silent through it all, and I wondered what was happening in his mind. I ordered the maids to give the Sullivans a room and opted to excuse myself so I could get ready for my meeting with Erik tomorrow. While I headed towards the stairs, Devin and y approached me, and I wondered what their deal was. "Hey, you have a minute," Devin asked, and I raised an eyebrow, wondering what he wanted to ask. It was weird for him to speak like that. "No," I said, and the three of usughed. "Seriously, what is it?" I asked. "I want toe with you to meet Erik. I am ufortable with just you and Theodore going alone," He said. "Me too," y added immediately before I spoke. I looked at Devin, and I looked at y. They seemed serious about it. Who was I to say no? "As long as you allow me to speak and handle the situation," I said, and they both agreed. "Okay, but no more additions," I said, and they nodded and smiled. I wondered if they had discussed it or happened to just approach me at the same time. "Leo," I heard Sylvester call me after Devin and y left, and I knew he wanted to discuss the meeting with me too. I went up the stairs and followed him to his room. Tamia was there, and Sylvester closed the door. I was a bit nervous about what they wanted to discuss with me. "So, Devin wants to join you to see Erik?" He asked, and I knew he must have listened to our conversation. I nodded and sighed. "Very well. I need you to be careful out there. You heard Grey. You are on his hit list. Besides my brothers and cousins, you are my strongest support and my cousin too; closer to me by blood than Marcel and Theodore, and Erik knows this. I do not want you to fall, Leo," he said sternly, and I nodded. He showed his emotions poorly, always speaking with a nk expression, and I wondered how Tamia dealt with it. She was like that too, so I figured they were perfect for each other. "I know you will never do anything that would put my family and me in danger, and I know you will always look out for my good. I have discussed this with Theodore. I am giving you the right to represent me at that meeting and make decisions and agreements on my behalf." He said I was in shock. "I do not want a back and forth between us. It will take time, something we do not have. Talk to him and make agreements on my behalf, so we would know what we have and where we are heading," he said, and I understood his reasons. Sylvester wanted the meeting to happen once with results. It was a high risk on his part, but it also meant he trusted me. "I won''t let you down," I said, and he nodded. "I know you won''t," He replied, and I excused myself from the room. Who would have thought Sylvester would have so much trust in me? Only yesterday, he came after my region for treason and unknowingly rescued Tamia from the hell she lived in when I was still confused. I am d it all turned out well, and our family and circle increased. 99 Meeting Erik 99 Meeting Erik ~Leo~ I got ready for the meeting the next day. I was a bit tired because Amelia woke me up at night to discuss the meeting with the Sullivans. She could note because she was sleeping then, and no one was allowed to wake her. I wished she was there, I knew she would have had plenty to say, but she wasn''t, so I had to discuss the situation. She wasn''t happy about it but understood she needed the rest. Contrary to what I thought, Amelia trusted the Sullivans and had her reasons for it. She said it was normal for them to want to protect their daughter and her mate. I could see it from that angle, but Susan and Devin were yet to im each other. I let the matter drop so I could sleep. The night''s discussion had messed up my sleep, and now that I was getting ready for my trip to Hand, I was feeling the effect. I left the room and headed to the kitchen to drink coffee. To my surprise, the men were there making sandwiches. I remembered the darn bet we lost and grumbled. I was hoping to eat something nice for a change. "Can''t we just do something spontaneous and cancel this bet? We ate sandwiches three times yesterday. I love Amelia''s sandwich recipes, but I am tired," I said, and Sylvesterughed and showed me a cookbook. "We n to take it up a notch today." He said with his messy apron. I looked at Kyle and Max, who seemed the least interested in what was going on in the kitchen. "I will eat with the staff," Kyle said, and Sylvester forbade him. "We had a bet, and we lost. We cook and eat. That was the deal. We have to be men of our word," He said, and Max grumbled. Sylvester putting it that way, had backed them into a corner. They weren''t men of their word; that was how they lost a lot, to begin with. It was a silent jab, and we all knew it, so when everyone startedughing, I could not help but join in. "Time to turn a new leaf, guys," Dominic said, borating on the matter, and Kyle ced his head on the table, grumbling. The food was ted on the table, and to our surprise, the women had a different breakfast from us. It was mouth-watering too. They had baked potatoes, Danish pastries, juice, smoked sausages, baked beans, fruit sd, toast, sd and different types of dressing. "We had a deal," Sylvester grumbled while Tamia ate the spread. "Yes, we did, my darling husband, but as I stated, we do not have to eat what you prepare. Besides, we can only eat so many sandwiches," She said. Looking at the sandwiches we made. They looked great this time, but everyone was tired of them. "Leo, Devin, Theodore and y can join us because they have a meeting to attend, and a full and satisfied stomach is required for it, but the rest of you must finish the bet. Be men of your word," She said, and all the men startedughing, including Kyle and Max, because she had said the same exact words that Sylvester had said to Kyle in the kitchen. I ate some of the food, and soon, the others joined in. The women allowed it because the spread was much, but we still had to cook for the rest of the week. I was grateful for the meeting because I would miss a day of bad food. Soon it was time for us to leave, and the Kappa that would drive us brought the van to the front. We left for the meeting. I noticed Devin and y were super excited, and I wondered what was special about this meeting. Theodore seemed indifferent but very confident. The drive to Hand was about two hours on the express road. We had to be extra careful in case we were ambushed or something. I didn''t want any surprises. We had no Nitric gas or masks. We were taking a considerable risk, and I hoped it would be worth it. We arrived in Hand peacefully but could not rest until we were out of the ce. We had to avoid Alpha Gordon because he was a foe. We could not tell him that Erik was in town, especially after learning that Erik was on Yuri''s personal hit list. I decided to call the number my father had given me to inform Erik that I was around. The line rang a couple of times before it was answered. "Hello," A deep, masculine voice answered with confidence. "This is Leonardo Albert; I am in Hand," I said, going straight to the point because it did seem like the person on the line had time for pleasantries. "Come to Vision route. There is an abandoned warehouse by a dead gas station called Fill It. Once you get there, walk into the warehouse. Someone will join you. How many are you?" He asked, and I did not know if giving him our real number would be wise. We honestly had nothing to lose, so I told him our number. "I see you came with the calvary. No surprises, Albert," he said and hung up. He did not seem like a nice dude. I began to suspect I hade with the wrong crew. David would have been best to liven him up. I guess our humour and confidence would have to do. We ensured we weren''t followed while driving through until we reached the Gas station. It was a dead, run-down dump, and I wondered who the owner was. The warehouse was there. It was a run-down building with part of the roofings gone. I wondered if Erik was living in the ce. We found a ce to hide our van in the woods and went to the warehouse. We were extra careful to ensure we weren''t being watched. We entered the warehouse, and it was empty. I wondered if we had been yed. I could smell and feel our tension, but we were calm and silent. y was growling, and I knew his wolf was on standby. Atch in the ground opened, and a shirtless white-haired man with moon-coloured eyes came out of the opening. He looked young, so he couldn''t be Erik. "y, rx," The guy said, smiling at y, and it was weird because he looked like y and Amelia. "Nelson, what are you doing here?" y asked him, and he approached y and hugged him. "Joining the cause, bro. Yuri has gotten out of hand. I heard you are on the Volkov team now," He said, breaking the hug and looking at me warily. "I am on my father''s team," y said, and Nelsonughed. "Come on." He said, and we followed him. "Leo, Theo, Devin meet my cousin, Nelson; he is Yuri''s youngest son. His father disowned him a few years ago. He stayed with me a while before he went missing. Yuri is after him, by the way, but it has nothing to do with what is going on," y said, and Nelsonughed. "I stole his coin and a shit load of money," Nelson said, and they bothughed. I rxed a bit, and we went underground. It was ab. Alexei wasn''t lying when he said Erik saw himself as a scientist. I wondered what he was doing here. I wondered if Gordon knew Stepanovs were working on various mixtures andb apparatus in a hiddenb in Hand. My guess was he didn''t. The Stepanovs in theb seemed happy and rxed. I saw two girls that looked a bit like Amelia but not as pretty. I wasn''t being sentimental; it was true. We were ushered to a door, and Nelson knocked. "Who is it," I heard a loud, deep voice. The same voice I heard on the phone. "They are here, Uncle," Nelson said, and there was silence. Erik must have linked Nelson because he opened the door and let us in. I walked in, and I was surprised to see a small-frame man. About five feet seven inches tall. He was slender and had a lot of white hair on his head and beard. He looked neat and healthy. He had one blue eye and the other moon coloured. "Have a seat," He said and looked at y. We remained standing just in case it was a trap. It wasn''t like we could do much in our situation, but it was best to go down fighting than go down quickly. "Luis did replicate himself," He said, staring at y, and y greeted him. "I won''t want to waste your time. I am sure you all know by now what is going on; that is why you are here. What are the Volkovs offering in exchange for my help?" He asked, getting straight to the point. I swallowed immediately and tabled the offer. "Lordship to the legitimate heirs, restoration of the Stepanov name and the Western region," I added. There was no way I wanted Sean to still head the West. Erikughed. "A region alreadypromised," he said, and I shook my head. "Sean would be dealt with and his title revoked. The King still owns the West," I said, and he nodded. "He sent the right guy. I was expecting he would send one of his distant cousins for this," he said andughed. "Oh, but he did. I almost forgot that you are a Volov too, Albert," He said, correcting himself and laughing. "When Ricky said you wereing, I thought the King wouldn''t allow you, but he did. He must trust you. Even though he took your wife," he said, and I smiled and maintained my cool. "We are where we were meant to be," I replied. "Loyal to a fault," he said, observing, and I remained silent. "What about you, Lord Orlov? You would allow the council leader to speak where you are present?" He asked Theodore, and he nodded. "I am only here so you would know the King has a hand in this, and we respect you. Leo is in charge of this meeting," Theodore said, and Erik nodded with approval. "Tell Sylvester that his offer is good enough for me. All the people thatmitted the crime against my lineage are dead. I have no qualms with him. I just want to walk in the daylight without dying my hair, wearing contact lenses and hiding my name. I want to be a noble again. I want my bloodline to be free." He said, and his eyes were misty. Their situation wasn''t rosy, and it showed. "Why does Yuri want to kill you?" I asked him, and he became angry. "My mother made a mistake bringing that bastard along. He is too greedy for his good. He has wanted to be a king ever since we were little. I did not know he would pursue his ambitions like this. It seemed we were trying to preserve the family name and avenge our rtives, but after a while, I realised we were turning into monsters, which made me want out of the group. That was why we divided the group. But that isn''t why he wants me dead," he said, and I frowned at him. "So why does he want you dead?" Theodore asked. "Because of AgK32," he said, and I frowned at him. "Silver serum. While trying to replicate our genes, I made a serum that helps normal werewolves resistant to silver for a short period. It was meant to have asting effect, but it doesn''t. See it more like a temporary preventive measure. The side effects are not so harmful. A rash and fever after twenty-four hours of usage. You see, the serum makes us less unique because our immunity to silver is our superpower. Giving others the power, even if it is for a short period, would be risky for his ns to take over by force and rule," He said andughed. A lightbulb went on in my head, but I held my tongue. "Tell Volkov to put all he has promised in ce, and he will have five hundred true Stepanovs at his disposal. I do not know Yuri''s location, but we will snuff him out. Hisst known Location was Mountain, but I think he has moved. He is a master of disguise, so you won''t catch him easily.." he said, and he had lost me when he said Yuri''sst known location was Mountain. "When was he in Mountain?" I asked, and Erik understood my fear. "When Amelia arrived. I had people watching her from your woods," he said with a guilty expression because he wasn''t supposed to do that. I wondered why he watched my mate, but I would askter. "I am also sorry that I tried to capture you," he said,ughing as if it were nothing. I held my tongue and let him finish his statement. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. "My people saw him in your settlement a couple of times, I have photos, but they won''t be helpful because he was disguised. He left after they burnt down your nt. Gordon is in on it too. I have my ears to the ground. Yuri has much support, but we can take him out together. I need Sylvester just as much as he needs me. I am not too proud to admit that, you see," He said and went to sit. He offered us seats again, and this time, we sat down. Erik ordered Nelson to bring us something to eat. I still could not get over Yuri being in Mountain without my knowledge and Erik having his men in my woods watching us. 100 The Scientist 100 The Scientist ~Leo~ I knew it wasn''t a good idea to eat with Erik, but I also knew it would be rude to refuse his hospitality, and since we hade for his help, we had to be on our best behaviour so we did not piss him off. The man looked pretty weird, and his features were unexpected. His different eye colours made him look as if he were blind in one and could see with only the blue one. Other than him looking like a mad scientist, the man did not seem dangerous at all. Nothing like Andrew had expressed. I could see why my father rebuked Andrew''s words as a rambling of an aggrieved child. It was, indeed. I looked at Theodore and saw him contemting thefort too. Too bad neither of us belonged to the same pack; we could not link each other. "Erhmm", Erik cleared his throat, drawing our attention back to him, and I wondered what he wanted. "I am d we had that talk, but that brings me to my desires," he said, and I frowned, wondering what he meant by his desires. He took out a syringe and ced it on the table. Seeing a syringe with someone like him was scary, especially knowing he ran experiments on people. Heposed himself to speak while we tried not to act spooked. "I would first like to apologise for trying to forcefully take you from your pack. I did not ask them to extract you, but they got overzealous," He said, and my eyes bulged. He confessed to being responsible for the attack that happened in my woods. "They almost killed me!" I eximed. "As I said, they were being overzealous, and I am grateful they didn''t," he said casually as if it were nothing. I began to suspect the man was just as unstable as the rumours implied. "Anyway, since you are here, I want to believe you hold no grudge and we can be friends," He said, and it was a very odd way to apologise, so I just stared at him. "I do not know if you have heard anything, but I am sure you know you have both Stepanov and Volkov genes," He said, and I nodded. "I would like to run some tests on you. I mean, on your blood samples." He said and corrected himself immediately, knowing how the first sentence sounded. "The Albert line is the only Bloodline with Stepanov genes that could still produce alphas and mighty ones at that. I want to see why. I just need a blood sample. I promise I won''t harm you," He said, rushing through his words so I do not interrupt him; I did not know what to say. Knowing we needed him did not leave me any choice. "If I give you the blood sample, you won''t ask something else of me again?" I asked, and he nodded. "I want to study you, Leo. I won''t ask anything of you again, except if I am alive and your heir with Amelia Westwood happens to be an Alpha, then that would be a good study," he said with a glow in his eyes that let me know he would move to take blood samples of my children if he is still alive when they grow up. One thing I had to give the man was that he did not bother to hide his emotions and intentions, which was a good trait on his part. He would be an easy man to deal with. "Very well," I said, and he beamed at me; then he put away the syringe he ced on the table and brought out one with arger container. "hey!" I eximed, and everyone except Erik and me startedughing. "What? It''s just a little bigger than the one I presented," Erik said, pretending he had not just deceived me. "You deceived me. You n on taking a lot," Iined, and he sighed. "Had I shown you this one, you wouldn''t have agreed. It is not a big deal. You will eat and drink water, and the blood will be reced. I will even give you an iron supplement for free. Mine works like magic," He said with a creepy grin, and I looked at my friends and soon-to-be iw. They nodded and told me to go ahead. Erik grinned and led me to a chair. He did not use the syringe; instead, someone brought a stic adapter, a hypodermic needle and a vacuum tube. Erik used the needle to collect my blood in a bag. It took about fifteen minutes for him to get a quarter of the bag. Then he took it out,belled the bag, and asked ady dressed like a nurse to store it in their bank. I wondered what they were doing in theb. "Well, that is it," Erik said, smiling at me and leading us out of his office. "Sometimes asking just makes it easy," He said with a grin while he stood by the door as we walked out of his office. "Be assured that I will not trouble you anymore," He said when y stepped out of his office. Erik led us to another room with a table with six chairs and food on it. The spread wasn''t spectacr, but the fact that they could have that much food underground was mind-blowing. I wouldn''t be surprised if they had a ce they grew stuff underground. The ce was massive. It was wider than the size of the warehouse above. They did not have loud machinery that would cause vibrations and expose them. It was quiet and serene. "Please manage our meal," Erik said with a grin, and I nodded. It was okay. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. Nelson finally joined us, grinning. It was fair to say he loved Erik more than his father. That spoke a lot of volumes. "Do you have any record of Yuri when he was in Mountain? You said you had people watching him. You also said he is a master of disguise. I would like to see how he was able to infiltrate my people." I asked, and Erick nodded. "He didn''t only do that; he befriended the lovely Amelia too," He said, and I was in shock. "Do not worry. He had no intention of harming her. He tried to use her for information, but she was no good to him. She is a tight-lip woman. My men watched them," he said, took a sip of water and chuckled. "Yuri dressed like a disced person, and Amelia gave him food. Mainly sandwiches. We have pictures," Erik said, and it was taking a lot for me to calm down. Knowing that Amelia was that close to danger and I was ignorant about it made me worried. I wondered what I would have done if he had nefarious intentions and had carried them out. My stubbornness must have driven her to talk to strangers back then. I thanked the goddess for protecting her and keeping her safe. "May we the photograph?" Theodore asked, sounding curious, and Erik smiled. Someone walked in five minutester with a small stack of pictures. Erik went through them and passed a few around. I noticed the shock on Theodore''s face when he held the photo. I was eager to see what was on it. Theodore passed it to me, and I saw the same photo I had discovered in the sachel I found in the woods when Max and I went to search for clues. The picture of the disced man handing something to Amelia. "When we saw that, we assumed she had joined Yuri, but we soon figured that wasn''t true," Erik said, and I remembered what was written at the back of the photo. "Was that why they wrote ''Send to Alpha; she is in'' at the back of the copy of the picture?" I asked him, and he frowned at me. I took out my phone and scrolled until I got to the image and the writing behind it. I passed the phone to Erik, and he read it. "Where did you find the picture?" He asked me with concern. "In a sachel abandoned in my woods," I said, and he nodded. "The man that took this picture went missin'' before you went to the North for the meeting. I have been looking for him since. I used to think you had him; now I know Yuri''s people must have taken him," He said with sadness in his eyes. "I should have pulled him from there once Yuri showed up, but I did not expect Yuri to know he was watching him. I was stupid. The man was kind," He said, and I could see the genuine regret in his eyes. "The answer to your question is yes. That was what the writing meant," He said and ate his potatoes. I could not get over Yuri being in Mountain all along. It troubled me that he was this close, and we did not know. Amelia even gave him food. It was disturbing. "So, how do we begin? Because I would like everything to return to normal," Theodore finally spoke up, and Erik answered. "Tell Sylvester to keep his promise and do the needful; it would make it easier for me to get willing volunteers to fight Yuri. As for the army on your side, I am sure they could handle a little rash. I can produce high quantities of AgK32 and administer it before the battle. Although I would need some level of freedom in Hand to produce the needed quantity," he said and grinned at me. "As head alpha of the East, I am sure you can get Gordon out of the way and cure this ce for me to work. I will also have my scout out there trying to fish Yuri out, but we would have to work together and pass information between ourselves effectively to move fast. I also suspect he would be in the South because that is his strongest hold. We also have to subdue alpha, Sean, of course. He is a sly bastard and might ruin our ns if we allow him freedom." Erik said, and I nodded. "We will need you to write everything down and sign so there won''t have a misunderstanding. All these things can be arranged," Theodore said, and Erik nodded. We ate the food in peace, and I was eager to see the oue of this partnership. 101 Discussions and Plans 101 Discussions and ns ~Leo~ We did not leave the undergroundb untilte in the night. The Kappa driving us had made friends with some female scientists and was sad that we were living. I let him know there was time for everything and this was the time to be focused. Nelson wasn''t thrilled about y leaving, so he pleaded with y to visit when he could. "We left the ce, and our Van was intact where we kept it in the woods. Our visit was sessful, and our trip out of Hand was peaceful. Although we remained vignt throughout the drive back, no one was chasing us. "I can''t believe that was Erik," Devin finally said. We were all amused that it was Erik. We expected a brawny tall man with Stepanov features, but what we saw was a scruffy, short skinny man with Stepanov features. I wondered why he had two eye colours. "Why are his eyes like that?" Devin asked because Erik was the first Stepanov that would have two eye colours. "Leo, ask your father when we get home. He seems to be friends with Erik," Theodore said, and I nodded. I was equally curious. "I guess it went well," y said, bringing our attention to our achievement, and everyone agreed. We arrived at Mountain at night and decided to go to bed. Theodore promised to convey everything to Sylvester via the mind link while we all waited to discuss the issue in the morning. I hoped we wouldn''t have to cook again because I was tired and needed good food. I entered my room quietly, and Amelia slept peacefully in bed. I went to shower, snuggled beside her, and spooned her. She adjusted to fit into my embrace, and sleep came for me too. I woke up in the morning on an empty bed. The soundsing from the bathroom indicated Amelia was there. I heard retching sounds, so I got up quickly to see what was happening. Amelia was sitting by the toilet seat. It was clear as he was vomiting. She looked pale, but her eyes lit up when she saw me and smiled. "I heard it is morning sickness. They said it goes away eventually," She said, and I went to her. "Good morning," I said, squatting in front of her, and she smiled and patted my cheek. "''Good morning, Hope you are ready for kitchen duty?" she asked with a mischievous grin, and I grumbled. She giggled and soon started retching again. I patted her back gently and rubbed it while she tried to vomit. Her stomach was empty, so she just spat into the toilet. We were there for ten minutes; then, I decided to run a hot bath for her to sit in and rx. After spending forty minutes together in the tub, we exited the bath and prepared for the day. Amelia headed to the dining room while I went to the kitchen. Surprisingly, the food was ready, and they seemed to have done a fantastic job. "There were croissants, bagels, bacon, sausages, baked beans, garlic bread and onion soup with cheese. "How?" I asked, and Sylvester looked at me and winked. "How isn''t a greeting," he said, and I greeted themughing. I went to the oven and touched it. It was warm then I saw the trash and widened my eyes. There were boxes and empty food packs from a confectionery, a pastry shop and a restaurant. The food was bought, and I was sure the soup was too. They were cheating. "This is cheating," I said, and David shook his head. "Technically not," he said. "I remembered the rule. They said we were in charge of food for a week, and the Omegas weren''t allowed to help us. That was all. They did not prohibit us from buying food and serving it. Thanks to head Omega Macy, we purchased the finest food from the stores. We have three pregnant women, and we cannot subject them to top crap," David said, and I frowned, wondering who was the third. "Three? I thought it was just Avery and Amelia?" I asked, and David nodded. "Katya is preganant too. She had been hiding it for a while because of the stress, but your mother figured it out then udia confirmed it." Marcel said, and I smiled and looked at Dominic, who seemed over the moon about the news.Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. I went to congratte him, and instead of a handshake, I hugged him. We were both going to be fathers for the first time. It was thrilling. The food was ted, and the women were surprised about the meals. Avery and Amelia were the first to dig in. I figured Amelia would be hungry because she had emptied her stomach in the morning. The Sullivans and my parents joined, and it was a very happy breakfast. y, Andrew, Max and Kyle seemed most happy about the food. I guess they were tired of sandwiches too. Tamia and Linda were suspicious about the food, but it seemed everyone was tired of eating food cooked by amateurs that they ignored the oddities and just enjoyed the spread. I just hoped they wouldn''t say anything. We were already three days into the bet and had four more to go. It would be a breeze at this pace as long as Macy does not tell Amelia the truth. We discussed our meeting with Erik and his odd behaviour. My father and Grey Sullivanughed all through. It was what they had expected, and Erik had acted ordingly. I noticed Theodore had left out the talk of Yuri and Amelia. I knew he wanted me to discuss it on my own time. I was grateful but knew it was time to tell her, especially now that I knew who the man in the picture was, so I brought it up. Amelia was shocked that she had given Yuri food. I showed her my phone so she would see the image. "I honestly thought he was a disced man from the West. He had a lot of great advice. Telling me to hang in there, that I was lucky to find a home after being disced. He seemed harmless," she said and sighed. "I also knew it was strange that he kept asking me questions about the pack and Leo''s ns. He said he was considering joining Mountain but wasn''t sure if it were the right ce for him or if Leo would allow him to join." She said and bowed her head at the table. "Had I known what was happening back then, I would have figured it out¡ªthe bastard. I fed him for over a month," she said, and Linda consoled her. "You should be grateful he didn''t grab you and run," she said, and we allughed, making light of the situation, but there was no doubt it was a close one. "So, Erik wants me to fulfil all his requests before he springs into action," Sylvester said, and I nodded. "He isn''t asking for half," Theodore said, looking at the bright side, and Sylvester nodded. "He would get us the Stepanov army we need, this magic concoction that could help us gain some of their abilities temporarily and also help us find Yuri?" Sylvester said, and Theodore nodded. "Okay, but then it means we must return to the North. All of us, including the head of the council, set things in motion. The ymans and Sean will be arrested at the same time. We would be reinstating the Stepanov line and granting Alexei and y lordship. Amelia is a woman, so her title will go to you then, Leo. But your lordship will have no office but only be a title by name. Your children with Amelia would be the ones to have an office like Alexei and y," he exined to me, and I honestly did not care. I had too many responsibilities already; having a lordship with an office would break me. "How do we carry these things out simultaneously?" Devin asked an important question because it all had to happen simultaneously to avoid surprises, and Tamia smiled. "Simple," She said, and we were attentive. "We go to the North and call an emergency council meeting to discuss the threats. That would bring Joan to the King''s hall. All the head alpha will be invited to discuss the region''s safety. Alexei and y will also be on the itinerary list. They will have to exin their dubious methods of winning challenges; with that, everyone will be around, and no one will be suspicious. We will have to surround the ce with trusted warriors while we discuss all the matters at hand. After the discussions, Sylvester will reinstate the Stepanov line and grant Alexei, y and Amelia, through Leo, their birthright. Then we will move to arrest Joan and Sean for treason, and the West will be given to Erik to head. With Erick heading the West, the Stepanovs can start relocating and coexist with the people already living there," She said, which made much sense, but I knew it wouldn''t be as easy as Tamia had stated. "We must also request Erik lend us warriors to surround the King''s hall. The people guarding the ce must have Stepanov abilities because of Sean and Calyman," Avery said quickly. "You are right, Ave," Linda added, "Those two bastards will let them know of the meeting. It will be an easy way to wipe us out. Yuri would be interested in the gathering and might choose to act on that day to kill us off," She said, making a point. "To be secure, You will need trusted kappas to watch the hall along with some Stepanovs, just in case they do not rig the ce with explosives and decide to blow us to bits instead of fighting," Amelia added, making much sense. "I rarely contribute, but I would say that the time should notpse. Set the meeting and hold it on the same day, with just enough time for all parties involved to take a flight and travel to the North to attend. That way, Yuri would not have ample time to n," Katyya said, and it was indeed a brilliant n. It was amazing to see us brainstorming like this. We were indeed a formidable team. "As simple as the n is, I hope you all know it might not go exactly as nned, so I would advise you all to n for surprises because the traitors might be more in number," My father said, and Sylvester nodded. "Richard and I will ensure Gordon is arrested a few hours before the meeting. That way, Yuri would not be suspicious. Based on all that has been said, Erik needs to work freely in Hand to get the AgK32 ready. And to do so, Gordon must be out of the way," Grey said, lending his help. I did not know if I could trust him, but we honestly had no choice if all of us were in the North, but I would instead send Max and Kyle than my father and Grey. "A brilliant idea, but I would advise both of you to sit this one out. Max and Kyle do not need to be in the North, so they can arrest Gordon. I know sending both of them will be overkill, but we want it to be an easy task. They will make the arrest in my name so no one would fight, not even Gordon''s men." I said, and Grey agreed. "What will be the reason for the arrest?" Kyle asked. "Suspicion for arson," Max said, hitting the back of Kyle''s head because it was an obvious reason since we have a Kappa that could testify to telling Gordon about the Nitric Acid nt. Things were always easier and moved faster with a n. This was indeed a good n. 102 Resting 102 Resting ~Sylvester~ After the lengthy discussion during breakfast, I decided to retire to my room to think of all that had been discovered and said. N?velDrama.Org owns all content. The n seemed simple, but Richado was right. It might take some effort to execute. I did not trust the others involved besides the people close to me. I never knew Larry''s words weren''t to be ignored. I guess we wanted to end the conflict so badly and enjoy the peace that we ignored his tant warnings as the rambling of a madman. One thing I was going to do was talk to Larry when I got back to the North. I was d he was still alive. The man clung to life so hard that I doubted death would find him soon. Uncle Lucas was also right when he said Larry could not have masterminded all that had happened. If he had followed us to the East, he would haveughed at us and said he had told us so. Returning to the North meant Uncle Lucas would be actively involved. He had been searching for an adventure for a while now, so it was a given he would want to be a part of this¡ªthe more, the merrier, anyway. "Where are you going?" I heard Tamia''s voice in my head. "To our room; I need to think," I replied. "I will join you now," she replied, and I was d we would have some time together and maybe brainstorm on the matter. I walked away, trying to organise my thought and set out the n in my head. "Sylvester, when are we leaving?" Dominic said, approaching me at the staircase. I turned to look at him and saw David and Devin behind him. "I guess it is a general question?" I asked, and he nodded while the other''s smiled. "We will return in incognito mode tomorrow. Leo, Amelia, Alexei and y will be seen, but we won''t. I do not want Yuri to target us." I said, and he nodded. "What about Andrew? I don''t trust him. He tried to make us side with the bad guy and divide the kingdom just so he could avenge his father, who, by the way, was dirty," David said. I was surprised my brother felt that deeply about what Andrew did. "I want to believe he was misled," I said, and David shook his head. "We should keep an eye on that one. I say we take him with us and watch him. y has been secretly watching him for a bit." David added, and I frowned. "I did not know either until y had to travel to Hand with Leo yesterday, and he asked me to take over from him stylishly. Max and Kyle are watching him too. They don''t trust the guy. Since Max and Kyle are going to arrest Gordon and we are travelling, we should bring him along. We do not want him slipping notes or calling Yuri to inform him of our ns. I still can''t shake off the fact that he tried to make us go after Erik because of his father, who, based on Richard and Grey''s ount, wasn''t a good person. It is dubious, and we should watch out. W have a lot at stake," David said, and Dominic and Devinughed. He did sound paranoid, but he was right. There had been so many surprisestely that we needed to be careful. It was also unfair if we slipped up and something terrible happened; Susan and Devin deserved their day to be special and trouble-free, and we deserved to hold our children and live peacefully. "Very well, we will bring the guy along. I think Leo doesn''t trust him either, and you know how he gets when he suspects people," I said, and everyoneughed. Leo was vindictive, and it would be bad for Andrew if he got in trouble with Leo. "Very well, may I be excused?" I asked, and Dominicughed and patted my shoulder. "We all need some shut-eye after that incredible breakfast," David said. Weughed, knowing we had found a solution topleting our punishment with ease. We had to pretend to cook in the kitchen while we warmed the meals and set them in dishes. It was a great solution, and I did not feel bad about it. Just as David had pointed out, we weren''t breaking any rules. I went to my room, and Tamia was already there. She must have taken the other stairs. Leo''s packhouse was veryrge. Knowing he is a minimalist, I wasn''t expecting he would build something of this magnitude, but he surprised me. He had the money to do it, and he went for it. His taste was exquisite, but I doubted he and Amelia would live her once this was over. They seemed to cherish the small bungalow more than the pack house. I was d I coulde to the South with my children whenever and won''t worry about where to stay. As a king, I could not stay anywhere, and hotels were out of the question. I was grateful for this and hoped to experience the East better after all this. "Took you long," Tamia said, sitting at the foot of the bed. She had nothing but her underwear on. I knew it was deliberate, and I grinned. "The guys stopped me at the stairs to discuss Andrew and the departure time," I said, and she laughed. "They, too, don''t trust Andrew," sheughed, and I nodded. "Poor guy; Amelia does not trust him either. Nicole said y has been keeping an eye on him," She said, and it was the same thing David said. "I hope for his good he is clean because I doubt any of these people would be merciful, especially Amelia," She said, and I frowned. "Don''t let that fragile face fool you, darling; she is hard and mean. You needed to see how she watched Alice''s torture. She handled it like a pro. And she is far from emotional. Always rational," Tamia said, praising Amelia. I figured she was happy to see Leo happy. She had been more at peace since we came to the South. I went to sit beside her and lifted her hand to my lips. "I noticed you are happier now that you see Leo happy," I said, and she was surprised at my words. Her cheeks also coloured as if she felt guilty. "We have been friends for so long. It was hard watching him suffer. I had forgiven him, but he did not forgive himself. He usually stared at us during council meetings, and the sadness on his face was evident. I haven''t seen that sadness since we arrived, and he hasn''t looked at us with longing and regret. So, I know now that he has made peace with himself and moved on," She said, and I pulled her close. "He looked out for Vino and even cracked a few jokes with him. I think he has indeed put the past behind him and moved on. I also figured that Amelia is good for him," I said, and she smiled. "Once this thing is over, we can finally have peace," Tamia said, and I sighed. "After Larry, I havee to understand that peace is only for the moment as we do not know what will follow," I said, and she looked at me and searched my eyes intensely. I could see that she was tired. Even though she hid it, I could tell. "At least we had good food this morning," I said, breaking the awkwardness, and sheughed. "Yes, we did. All store-bought deliciousness," she said, and I was surprised she knew. "You knew?" I asked, and she nodded. "Amelia knew, and we decided to keep quiet. We were honestly tired of sandwiches." She said, and it made meugh. "So we are going back to the north tomorrow?" she asked, and I nodded. "I miss Liam and Harper. I feel like something precious has been taken from me. It isn''t the same without them," sheined, and I hugged her because the feeling was mutual. Yuri had robbed us of a lot, and I intend to make him pay. Stepanov or not, he has to go. "I will speak to Larry when we return," I told her. "I was hoping you would do the same. The man wasn''t lying after all." She said, agreeing with my idea. Wey in bed and tried to sleep peacefully. It was still morning, but we deserved the rest because our time in the North wouldn''t be easy. Even though we had nned everything, there were bound to be some issues because we did not have power over all the factors. Tamia rested in my arms, and I breathed in her scent. I knew we would be okay and hold our children again. Maybe even try for more if she was up for it. 103 Fallen But Hopeful 103 Fallen But Hopeful ~Leo~ We spent the entire day preparing to leave. After breakfast, Sylvester retired to the room, and we did not see him and Tamia until lunch. I would lie if I said I wasn''t nervous about what would happen in the North. I just wanted it to be over so we could live our lives. Knowing that I would be a father soon motivated me to do more. We decided to gather at the lounge in the evening to rx and discuss the following events. At the same time, Amelia chose to party with the women. On my way to the lounge, my father linked me, telling me he had something urgent to discuss with me. I had to see him before heading there. He was in a small living room with Grey Sullivan. I wondered where my mother and Reba were. "Just the two of you?" I asked, entering the living room, and he nodded. "Amelia invited Martha and Reba to hang with thedies. They deserve to be around younger women for a change," My father said,ughing, and I nodded in agreement. One thing I was sure of was that the women would have a st. Everyone there knew how to have a good time, even in hard times. "Please have a seat, Leo," my father said, and I sat on a single couch to listen to what he had to say. "Grey has something to tell you. It might not mean much, but I implore you to listen and convey it to your friends," He said, and I frowned at him and looked at Grey, who was slightly nervous. "I know you do not trust me and my wife, and that is why we kept this from all of you this morning, but we have now confirmed it as true," he said, and I became nervous. My heart was beating fast because the least I wanted to hear was that we werepromised. "The South fell yesterday," He said, and I frowned at him. "Word has not spread because Yuri wants it to be a surprise. But every Yuri group member has been asked to report to Greenville," he said and handed me his phone. A text instructed them to report to Greenville and receive new assignments. "Does Devin know?" I asked them, and Grey shook his head. "Yuri is pulling all the strings at once to set things in motion, and he is doing it and ensuring word doesn''t get out. A lot of people were imprisonedst night, Devin''s Beta inclusive. I do not know if Yuri would kill him, but he has yet to appear in the South. He has representatives there, and one of the representatives is one of Erik''s men," he said, and I realised why he was looking worried. "Do you think Erik was lying to us?" I asked, and he shook his head. "Grey, just tell him everything. No need to watch your words," my father said, sounding impatient. I guess he got the bug from my mother. She was the impatient one. "You need to secure Erik in Hand because a friend told me the East is next, and it will happen soon..." He said, and I frowned at him. "All you have control over are Hill Valley and Mountain; all the other alphas would fall within this week. Since they have refused to join up, a kill order has been sent to eliminate them this week. Erik might not make it past this week because of the traitors in his circle. We have told him, but he has nowhere else to go," Grey said, and I could see the concern in his eyes. "So what do you suggest? He has ab down there?" I asked, and my father nodded. "Erik is a significant yer in this. Yuri would never be at peace until he dies because of the AgK32 and the fact that Erick controls half of the Stepanov fighting force and could make more if he likes," My father said and cleared his throat. "Speak with Sylvester and take Erik to the North. Let him prepare in the North. We will lead the army in Mountain and hold the forte here. It has been long since we''ve been in a battle, but we aren''t rusty. Be assured Yuri will strike the East now that the South is gone, but we will be here to push back for Mountain," My father said, and it was a serious matter. I stood up, acknowledging it wasn''t in my ce to make such decisions. I might be head alpha of the East, head of council, and maybe soon a Lord without an office, but this wasn''t my call to make. I still answered to Sylvester and the Lords. "You have to join me in the lounge and exin these things extensively so we can brainstorm there," I said, and Grey looked worried. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. He had annoyed the Volkovs thest time; I knew he would be worried. "They let things go easily. You should not stress yourself that much," I told him, and he breathed a sigh of relief. We returned to the lounge together, and everyone acted as if having my father and Susan''s father there was normal. They seemed rxed about it. Sylvester looked well-rested. He deserved the rest because he had much to do when we got to Lund in the North. I didn''t want to be in his shoes. Grey soon told them all he had told me, and Devin did not act surprised. "Aren''t you the least worried for your people?" Kyle asked him; surprised by his words, he shook his head. "We saw iting. I had already given Lukman directives, and I am sure he followed them urately. They were meant to surrender when Yuri came for them. I did not want anyone dying," He said and sighed. "Why would you do that?" Sylvester asked him, realising what Devin had lost. Devin sighed and looked at all of us. "I might sound proud and overconfident, but I believe in this team. We have done it once, and I am sure we can do it again. We have things that Yuri doesn''t have. We have family, love, trust and loyalty. Yuri has led his people and devotees with fear, so they are always quick to give him up when caught. I know we will win. If we don''t, I am willing to live in the North with my mate and raise my children quietly. Nothing is worth dying for. The pack members would equally have a good life under Yuri, just as they did under me. Unless he has insidious intentions towards the people, the only thing that would change for them is leadership; why should I then require them toy down their lives so that I remain in power? Susan and I had discussed it, and we are fine with not being Luna and Alpha of any pack. Blessed be the moon if we win and get back the South. If not, blessed be the moon. As long as we are alive and we get to raise our children in peace, I am fine," he said, and I realised that he had indeed made peace with himself on the matter. I doubted I could let go of the East like that, but we weren''t in the same situation. I had loyal alphas that would risk everything to keep it intact; he had traitors easily swayed in the South. We weren''t working with the same material. "We will get it all back, Devin. The South has been under the Corrigans for hundreds of years. I won''t let them take it from you." Sylvester said with determination in his voice and looked at me. "You need to call an eastern council meeting this evening and warn the alphas of the danger that is coming. You and your father need to educate them on all that is happening and teach them how to fight those things because no matter what, we have to be in the North tomorrow and set things in motion," Sylvester said, and I nodded. It was an order and not an advice. I got the message loud and clear. "Alpha Richardo, tell Erik to transport himself, Nelson and two of his trusted scientist to Hill Valley now. He has to ensure he gets there safely. Alexei will bring him, and I will be taking him to the North. Even though Gordon will be arrested, he can no longer continue to stay where he is because he has been discovered," Sylvester said, and my father nodded. It was amazing how Sylvester took charge almost immediately. Indeed he was raised for this. He looked at y, and y paid attention, waiting for his orders. "Tell Alexei to wait for Erik to arrive and help us transport Erik to Mountain tonight. He should also secure his mate and pack members. If Yuri is going to pull the strings at once, he ns to kill everyone. Alexei should bring Timothy too. His granddaughter is recovering from silver poisoning, so they can move him here to be close to her. If Grey and Richardo are here, Mountain will still have some resistance," Sylvester pointed out, and we agreed. "After we arrest Gordon, we will be here to help them out," Max said, and It was the best offer we could get. There was no way they could go wrong with three Alphas and a strong Beta. We also had Nitric acid in Mountain, so it would work out. "I have made arrangements with the airlinepany transporting us. Amelia, y, Alexei and I will be the visible passengers. At the same time, the rest of you will travel in disguise as part of our crew. Some Kappas wille along to make it believable," I said, letting Sylvester know that I had made the arrangements already. He nodded and smiled, then took out his phone to make a call. I moved away to call for an emergency meeting on my phone. It meant the meeting would hold at night, but it was necessary because I was beginning to suspect Yuri already knew what we were nning and was trying to dy us from acting. Once he takes the East, he would have sessfully divided the kingdom without asking. If he pulls the strings at once, it means the attacks and eradication of the ruling families in the East will happen at once. It meant he was willing to unleash an army of weirdos on every pack in the East simultaneously; it also meant they were already in the East awaiting orders. No matter what, it was paramount that we act immediately. I looked at Andrew while on the phone and saw y staring at him. We had to keep an eye on him to be sure he could be trusted. Chapter 266: 104 Pre-Meeting Chapter 266: 104 Pre-Meeting ~Leo~ I waited for Alexei to arrive so we could attend the meeting together. The fact that the alphas did not comin about the sudden meeting meant they knew something was wrong. It was odd of me to suddenly call a meeting impromptu. Knowing that Alpha Gordon would be there made me want to cringe. I knew I would have to arrest him right away for arson. So I instructed Max and Kyle to apany me too. They might no longer own packs, but they were eastern Alphas. Alexei did not arrive until seven in the evening. Erik had listened to my father and gone to seek him. Hill Valley wasn''t far from Hand, so the trip was quick and easy. Timothy looked worried when I received them at the door of the pack house. He felt something was wrong. "Leo, Leo," He said, walking towards me, and I saw Alexei shake his head with boredom. "Leo, you can''t trust this man; he is mad," Timothy said, pointing at Erik, and I looked at Erik, who wasughing at Timothy. Seeing Timothy now, I knew it was true when they said he reported everything to me. "What did you do?" I asked Erik, and he shrugged. "He told me age is an interesting topic, and he would like to run research on me. He tried to take samples off me," Timothyined, and I looked at Alexei, who confirmed what he said. I could not scold Erik for it, so I just told him to apologise to Timothy for giving him a scare. "I wouldn''t have done that if he wasn''t going on about my appearance. It gets to me, you know," Erik said, and I could understand his angle, but I wouldn''t me Timothy; the guy looked weird. Especially with the two eye colour that I was now ufortable asking him about after hearing questions about his looks got to him. I guess that would remain an unanswered question. Alexei walked up to me, and we extended handshakes. "The whole gang, right?" he asked, and I nodded. "Did the alphas make a fuss?" he asked, and I shook my head. "I guess they knew," I said, and he nodded. "What will we do about Gordon?" he asked, having the same concern as me. "Arrest him quietly tonight. He just won''t show up in Hand. By the time they figure it out, we would have put everything in ce in the north the day after tomorrow. Kyle and Max will secure Hand tomorrow just to be safe. It might create a slight issue, but there is no other way. If I speak to the alphas tonight, he will convey our meeting to Yuri, and we can''t have that," I said, and Alexei nodded. We walked into the pack house. "Have you secured Alia?" I asked him, and he nodded. All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. "The pack members have moved to the bunkers. Max didn''t have many pack members left, to begin with. The men above ground were the people I brought with me," He said, and I knew that part already. "By the way, y told me how you cheated," I said, and he smiled and rubbed the back of his neck where the device was embedded. "Stealing is a crime, you know. I bet the mad scientist does not know you have it," I said, and he shook his head, smiling. "Anyway, it served its purpose," I said, and he agreed. "I must confess that I was shocked to see Erik in Hill Valley. Who would have thought he would end up being our ally? After listening to him, I realised he was misunderstood. Andrew exaggerated things, imed he wanted to have Amelia reproduce with his son and so on. The man just wanted a blood sample from Amelia and the rest of us. He has taken mine, by the way, and I am sure he will ask y and Amelia for theirs," Alexei said,ughing. "He took mine too," I told Alexei, and he frowned at me. I knew why he would frown because there was nothing spectacr about me as a person. "Well, ording to him, I am the first Alpha with Stepanov genes," I said, and he gasped. "Don''t worry; we aren''t rted. Apparently, my ancestor, Patrick Volkov, mated with a woman from the Stepanov n. Alberts are products of both of them," I said, and he widened his eyes with shock. "Patrick is Sylvester''s ancestor," he said, and I nodded. "So you are rted to Sylvester," he concluded, covering his mouth with his eyes almost bulging out. "You are closer to him than the Orlovs, Sidorovs and Balyeavs," he said, and I nodded. I did not know how to feel about it, but I must say I felt good that my lineage was known to me. I knew where I came from, and my silver healing abilities were finally exined. "Interesting," he said, and I nodded. "So, is Andrew still on our team?" he asked me. He was worried. I figured he didn''t trust Andrew either; they did not trust their cousin anymore. All three of them; Amelia, y and Alexei. It was amazing to see how they could switch quickly. It doesn''t take much to lose favour with the three of them. However, they might not have grown up together, but their behaviours were alike. "He tried to use us to get revenge for his father. My father and Susan''s father rified the issue. Yuri sent Mikhail to eliminate Erik, but Erik got lucky. That was what happened, and that was why Yuri could not cry foul. Makhail''s hands were dirty, and he believed in Yuri''s actions. Meanwhile, Erik is just a scientist that wants to be free." I said, and Alexei nodded. "I could see that. He was desperate enough to try to change his eye colour with science. That is why he has two eye colours. He performed an experimental surgery on one and left the other because he was scared he might go blind," Alexei said, exining the two eye colours. Though having two eye colours wasn''t impossible, seeing it on a Stepanov was just odd. They all had grey moon cloured eyes. It has a uniform look. "Did you ask him about it?" I asked Alexei, and he shook his head. "Timothy did. He answered Timothy''s question and took out arge syringe to ask for his blood," Alexei said, and Iughed. We bothughed. Sylvester, Marcel, Theodore, Devin and David approached us in the Foyer, and I re-introduced them again. Alexei was very respectful and treated Sylvester and the Lords with the utmost respect. "You will soon be joining us in the north," David said, and Alexei nodded. "Alia and I n to move there," he said, smiling, and they frowned at him. "What about your pack?" Marcel asked, and he shrugged. "I only took over the pack to slow down the takeovers. Now that we will deal with the problem, there is no point holding on to the pack. I want a quiet life; running a pack isn''t easy, and my wife is already exhausted," He said, and we allughed. I understood where he wasing from, and that was why I was okay with the officeless lordship title. There was just so much I could do at once. "Well, in that case, you will be most wee. A property will be secured for you in Lund to your liking, or you can just stay in the Stepanaov estate. It will need a lot of renovations which we can arrange," Sylvester said, and Alexei nodded and smiled. "I look forward to it." He said, and Sylvester looked at me. "Shouldn''t you be off to your meeting? It should start by nine," he said, reminding us of our engagement with the eastern Alphas. "Kyle and Max must follow me because we must arrest Gordon tonight. I would not want to risk the douchebag conveying the proceeds of our meeting to Yuri. The bastard should not know that we are ready and prepared." I said, and Theodore nodded. "I am sure Gordon would have told him about the meeting. If he doesn''t hear any news from Gordon, he might hold his horses and stay put," Theodore said, and it was a usible oue. I hoped for it because whether they had nitric acid or not, it would still result in a blood bath. It was a war we had no business being caught up in, but here we were, right in the middle of it, taking all the hits the yers were throwing. Alexi and I left the lords in Foyer. Alexei went to settle in to prepare for the meeting while I went to dress up for the meeting. I linked one of the kappas to take Timothy to the hospital so he could spend time with his grandaughter while she recovered. It was important he remained by her side. As for Erik, Nelson and the two nurses they came with, they had each been given a room, except for the nurses who have to share space with the Omegas for just one night before we leave for the north tomorrow. Chapter 267: 105 The Gathering Chapter 267: 105 The Gathering ~Leo~ Amelia was in the room. I knew she had not retired to the room. It looked like she hade to use the bathroom and get something. She exited the bathroom, and her eyes fell on mine. "What are you doing here?" she asked, and I smiled at her. "Called a meeting with the other Alphas, came to dress up before I leave," I said, and she frowned. "Do not tell Susan this, but the south has been taken already, and the next stop is the East. Yuri ns to take the East this week. I am trying to ensure that every Alpha has equal fighting chances. So I called for an emergency meeting tonight. Because we are leaving for the north tomorrow. I am also arresting Gordon tonight so he does not convey the meeting''s oue to Yuri," I said, and she sighed and walked up to me. She searched my eyes just as she used to when we first met, and I wondered what she was looking for in them this time. "Please be safe, Leo," she said, took my hand, and ced it on her lower belly. "It isn''t just you anymore," she said, and those words hit me hard. "I won''t be reckless, Moonlight. I promise to keep it safe ande home," I assured her and bent to kiss her. I kissed her and felt calm wash through me. Along with it came courage and hope, just what I needed for theing days. She left the room to return to thedies, and I headed to the closet to get dressed for the meeting. My father, Alexei, Max, Kyle, and I headed to the town hall where our meetings were held. I was nervous, but it was expected after all we had heard and experienced so far. We also had to watch our backs in case an attack ensued. "Do you know the irony of all of this?" Kyle said while in the van, and I looked at him to speak quickly. "We are going to the town hall to arrest Gordon and have a meeting. What if Gordon has already told Yuri, and he decides to take all of us out there? Look at it this way. Every Alpha leading a pack in the East will be there tonight. Won''t that be an easy kill?" he asked, making a lot of sense. "We will have to take our chances. We won''t get anywhere if we have to calcte every move and oue. There is risk in everything we do, and you have just mentioned the risk of what we are about to do. The best Leo can do is make the meeting quick and not spend as long as usual," My father said, and Alexei sighed. "I agree with you, Alpha. Let''s see how it goes. Worst-case scenario, we will fight and run away," Alexei said, meaning his words, and as cowardly as it sounded, I agreed with him. I could not afford to die now that I was about to have my own family. I understood his plight; he would soon be a father too. We had so much to live for. Being cowards was allowed. It was best to run away and fight another day. Call it being a coward; I called it being wise. The rest of the ride was silent. Kyle''s words had put some unspoken fear in us, but we were all brazen about it. We finally arrived at the town hall, and almost everyone had arrived. It was surprising to see how people responded quickly to my call. Alpha Gordon was there, and he seemed rxed. He wasn''t behaving like a guilty person, but he could not fool me. People were surprised to see my father. Especially those who were alphas before I took over from my father. They had attended meetings with him. They came to greet and wee him, and he was warm towards them. I kept an eye on Gordon, who remained where he was sitting. Soon I went to sit where was designated to me, and the moment I sat, everyone proceeded to their seats. "With all due respect, head Alpha, Kyle and Max no longer own packs; they aren''t supposed to be here," Alpha Thomas, the spokesman, said, and I sighed, "Max is representing Alpha Timothy of Brentwood, and Kyle is here on my request," I said, and they rxed. I greeted all of them and thanked them foring. I looked at everyone and took a deep breath before speaking. I had to make it quick so we could head back. "I know you might all wonder why I called this emergency meeting, but I am also sure that you have all heard of the strange things happening in the south and part of the east about the silver immune terrorists," I said. People began to murmur, confirming my thoughts on the situation. I banged the gavel to silence them, and they were attentive. "I am forced to believe that there is a ploy to take over the south and east, and we are the ones caught in the middle," I said, and I could hear the worry in their murmur. "With all due respect, Alpha, we should ask Alpha Kusov to exin himself. All this started happening when he took over hill valley, and Alpha Max used him of cheating with silver. He must be immune to it and have a hand in this," Gordon said, and I fought the urge to shut him up. "I will get to thatter," I said, and he smiled and sat back down. N?velDrama.Org is the owner. "Unfortunately for Alpha Corrigan, also known as Bane, he has had many traitors in the south. Because of that, the south has fallen to a man called Yuri Stepanov of the Stepanov bloodline we dared not speak of," I said. Some of them gasped, meaning most of them knew what was happening. "I thought Lord Dimitri Volkov eradicated that bloodline," someone said, and I nodded. "So we thought, but that has not been the case. They live and walk among us," I said, trying to sound mysterious in the process. "Yuri Stepanov has taken over the South, and he ising for the East," I said and cleared my throat. "I know these people have approached some of you, and most of you have refused to coborate with them. Imend those who rejected their offer and chose to be loyal for your loyalty and bravery. Because of you, the East has remained imprable," I said, looking around. Then I signalled Kyle and Max, who immediately stood up and when to stand beside Gordon. "I want tomend those of you that have refused to allow greed to drive you and stand for what is right. Whilst doing this, I will also want to condemn someone in our midst," I said, and Gordon wanted to get up, but Max and Kylke held him down. Kyle pulled a silver cuff and mped it on Gordon''s wrists, arresting him. "Alpha Gordon, I am cing you under arrest for arson at this moment," I said, and people began to murmur. "You will have the opportunity to defend yourself, of course, but I have a Kappa that ims he told you of my Nitric nt the night it was set aze. The significance of that nt has forced me to take the matter seriously." I said, and Gordon began to protest. "Why would I burn down a Nitric nt? Why?" he asked, trying to sound like a victim, and some people agreed with him. "On the surface, you will have no reason to do so. It is useless to you, but when it has been used sessfully tobat the silver mutants, it begs the question of why it would suddenly be set aze after it had sat there for many years," I said, and people were silent. They knew where I was headed. "Just as they did in Pridewood in the south, Yuri Stepanov sent his men to do the same to Brentwood. They were to pump silver into the air while the upants inhaled it and died. Luckily my father had a bright idea of dissolving the Silver with Nitric Acid. It was a guess, but when we went to help Alpha Timothy, and they attacked, we had to use it, and it worked. We were able to save Brentwood with it, and because of that, Mountain is safe, and the East still stands. That is why we think Gordon brunt it down," I said, looking at Gordon in the eyes. "Because he is working for Yuri Stepanov," I said, and people gasped. "Call me paranoid, but I will hold you in Mountain. Until you can prove otherwise," I said and nodded so Kyle and Max would know to empty his pockets. I also knew we couldn''t waste time as usual. The earlier we disperse, the safer for all of us. "Guessing that Gordon has beenpromised, we cannot linger here and argue as always. I will just convey my message, and we will all leave to ensure we do not allow Yuri to attack and kill us at once because I believe his men are in the East right now, awaiting his orders," I said, and everywhere was silent. They were all attentive. "I have inside information that Yuri ns to strike this week. Make sure you send your civilian pack members underground and only leave the warriors above ground. Wear goggles and gas masks; have tons of Nitric Acid on standby to pump into the air if they attack. Once you do these things, they would have no choice but to fight you physically without silver. Without their silver weapons, they are easy to kill. If they inhaled the silver themselves, they could only shift partially. Their healing capacity would be slow, strike them and create mortal wounds. Do not underestimate them; they are more advanced and enhanced than us," I said, and they murmured. "What about you, head alpha?" One of them asked me, and I nodded. "My father would be in Mountain to hold the forte. While I try to gather an army to take the war to the south where I believe this Yuri Stepanov will make his resting ce," I said, and they stood up. "When the timees, call on us, and we will be there to fight beside you, Alpha," Thomas said, and the rest agreed. They had all offered themselves and their warriors at once. Which meant we would have more warriors that would use Erik''s AgK32. We stood a chance against Yuri. The meeting ended, and everyone dispersed. We did not spend up to thirty minutes in that meeting, but the minutes counted, and we had hope. Holding Gordon in our van, we returned to Mountain to secure him as our prisoner and prepared to head north the next day. 106 Last-Minute Discussions 106 Last-Minute Discussions ~Leo~ I decided to meet with the people I would be leaving behind in Mountain before going to bed. My parents, the Sullivans, Max, Kyle, and Casper, waited for me in the living room. As much as it was my duty to be at the council in the north, the east was my responsibility, and I would be damned if I let it fall. Devin did not have the same support as I did, so the South fell, but with the loyalty and eagerness of the Alphas of the East, it was my duty to ensure we did not fail. I entered the living room and found a suitable ce to sit where I could see all of them and would not have to turn to speak to anyone. "Have you secured the prisoner?" I asked Casper, and he nodded. "We found these in his pockets," Kyle said, handing me a small stic bag. They must have dumped Gordon''s pocket content in it. Some things were unnecessary to show me, but I understood Kyle and Max''s reason. "Chewing gum, a condom, some weird-looking pills, a lighter, and receipts. I wondered if the light was what he used to set my nt aze. "Thank you," I told Kyle, and Grey stretched his hands, wanting to view the content. I threw it to him, and he caught it easily. "I need you to get all the information you can from him, Casper. I do not mind you going to the extreme," I told my beta, and he nodded. "Kyle, Max, if there is an attack in Mountain, both of you should lead the battle as we did in Brentwood. All civilians should be underground before sunset. I know most of them have been "You need to be careful in the north, Leo, Yuri might surprise you and strike there. If Gordon was his informant, then he knows of the meeting and might know of the topic of discussion. He could have had someone lurking around the vicinity of the town hall to eavesdrop on your discussion," my father said and sighed. He bowed his head and then looked at me with a serious expression. My mother ced her hand over his to calm him down, and I could see the mist in his eyes. "If I knew these people would turn out this way, I would have moved to expose and eradicate them, not helped them as my father instructed. They have caused much damage and ruined many lives in the name of greed and revenge," He said, feeling guilty for Stepanov''s crimes. I would feel the same way if I were in his shoes, so there was no point in searching for words to make him feel better. My father had the duty to tell me of these people before handing the pack over to me. Instead, he chose to leave me in the dark, and thus they had room to work from the shadows and thrived. Had I known of them, Larry wouldn''t have been an issue, and many things would have happened differently. "You are my only child Leo. I am d Amelia is pregnant, and I hope we multiply more than this. Please be safe out there. Do not try to be a hero. I know you care about your friends, but when it comes down to it, it is a Volkov war," He said, and I sighed. "Which puts us in the middle of it, Father, because we are Volkovs too. Yuri will not stop until every Volkov is wiped out, including us and my children. So it is personal," I said, and he nodded. I knew what he was trying to say, but some things were unavoidable. "I do not want to die either, and I hope I don''t. Goddess willing, I hope I will live to tell the story, and I also hope so for everyone involved. The best we can do is act wisely and not move on impulse," I added to ease our minds, and he nodded. "Yuri might surround the King''s hall or find a way to attack. Have you set a date for the meeting?" Grey asked, and I contemted telling him the truth. I decided against itst minute. Katya''s advice rang in my head. We could not allow the space and time for the enemy to n and set their n into action. I didn''t think Grey was working for the enemy, but I did not trust him enough to gamble with our lives by telling him our exact n. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. "We are leaving for the north tomorrow, but the meeting won''t be soon. I will inform you all when we finally set a date," I said. Kyle looked at me, surprised and confused, because he and Max knew the meeting would ur in the evening the day after tomorrow. His surprise disappeared, and I knew he had figured out why I had lied. "No need to tell us," My father said. "The less we know, the safer. We do not know what will happen here. We have to be unable to give valuable information under duress. It is the only way," My father said, and Grey agreed. "Just tell the King to remember what his sister-inw said. Do not give Yuri time to mobilise his people," Grey said, and I nodded. "I am sure Sylvester knows better," I replied. "Very well, we will set everything in ce tomorrow. Hopefully, he chooses not to attack, but I n to get information from Gordon, make him suffer, and pay for that nt. Hand would have to take responsibility for the damage their Alpha caused in Mountain," My father said through gritted teeth, and I knew Gordon would not have it easy. We lingered a bit before we decided to retire. I linked Max to talk by asking him to join me in the lounge. I had promised Timothy I would speak to him. It was time for me to discuss Mirabel with him before I left. I felt weird about it knowing I would kick against it if I were in his shoes, but a promise was a promise. I got to the lounge and poured both of us drinks. "Nervous about tomorrow?" Max asked me, and I nodded. "Heard they will be disguised," he said,ughing, and I nodded. "They will be leaving in Kappa uniforms. So they won''t be detected," I said, and he smiled. "I can only imagine how they would look," Max said,ughing at the thought. "So you will be going with a security detail of twenty people, you, Amelia, Devin, Susan, y, Alexei, and the two nurses Erik brought with him," he said, and I bobbed my head. "I can see you disguising all of them as your security detail, but how would you pass Erik off? He is too small, and no matter what he does with his eyes and hair, you can''t pass him off as part of your security. He doesn''t fit the profile," He said, making a valid point. Something we had thought of. "I know he won''t be part of the security. I am contemting disguising him as my secretary." I said, and Maxughed. "I do not think that would work either. Most men do note in that size; it would be a red light for an informant," He added, smiling, then gulped down the brandy I had poured him. It was indeed a dilemma I was yet to solve. Max looked at the ss. "I honestly thought it was malted whiskey," he said, scrunching his nose. "What happened to the sense of smell?" I asked him, and heughed at himself. It was good to see him happy, even in the presence of Avery and Marcel. Just like me, both he and Kyle hade a long way. "Back to the reason I called you here," I said, and he was attentive. We both sat on the high stool by the bar of the lounge. I grabbed the bowl of nuts we had left there earlier and started picking on them. Max joined me too. "Timothy is hoping you will mate with Mirabel and take over his pack," I said, and Maxughed a bit. "He is looking at the wrong man," He said,ughing, and I knew his response was no. I felt sorry for Timothy because he wanted to retire badly. It was best he found a strong beta for his granddaughter because Max would soon return to Hill Valley, and Kyle would return to Brent. There isn''t anyone I know with Alpha genes that can do the job. Most of them owned packs or belonged to packs and might want a merger which I know Timothy would not like. It was a difficult situation. "He should be asking Andrew. Mirabel captured his attention in Brentwood. Although short, it was long enough to leave an impression," Max said, and my eyes widened. "Are you serious?" I asked, and he nodded. "He asked Casper that night who she was, and I recognised that look anytime. I guess you haven''t noticed because she is in recovery, and we have been upied, but Andrew checks on her before returning to the bungalow at night. I know this because I traced him two nights ago. You know we all suspect him. I was surprised that he went to the clinic to check on Mirabel," he said, and I started laughing with relief. A pure Stepanov Delta is just as good as an Alpha. I am sure Timothy would be overjoyed with this. I decided to not tell him just yet and wait and see. I knew many people did not trust Andrew, but hopefully, his hands are clean; Timothy can comfortably retire while Andrew runs Brentwood alongside Mirabel. Max and I talked about trivial stuff and soon decided to retire. Tomorrow would be a long day, and I wasn''t looking forward to it. 107 Ready To Leave 107 Ready To Leave ~Leo~ Morning finally came, and it was time to head to the north. I felt uneasy about the trip but knew it must be my nerves. I was a bit unsettled about it. "You need to rx, you know," Amelia said, hugging me from behind when she joined me in the shower. I touched her hand on my chest and turned to look at her. She looked rxed and more put together than I did. I bet the women had more fun than us because we spent our time nning and discussing our moves. I bent to kiss her, and she returned the kiss wholeheartedly. I wasn''t going to pass off on the opportunity to make love to her before the day started. So, I backed her against the wall, lifted her, and buried myself. She was eager and ready for it. We both wanted the same thing. Desire rose in me, and my body moved on its own, grateful for thefort I was getting and the love Amelia was giving. I waited for her toe before I let myself finish. Then I took my time to wash her body gently. Her hair was growing fast, and she had almost six inches of her actual hair colour. I could not get enough of my mate and could not wait for the blue moon to marry her. We did not need it but chose to copy Tamia and Sylvester. Sylvester told me the feeling was intense on the blue moon night. Since my only experience was with a chosen, I wanted to experience it this time with a fated. It would also make every Bluemoon night memorable for us. I was d she wouldn''t be heavy by then, so shifting for the wolf-iming ceremony would be easy for Amelia. We left the shower and started preparing for the trip. Our bags were packed with the hope that we would not need to spend more than a week in the north because I could not leave the east unattended. I trusted everyone that I would be leaving behind, but I was still Head alpha. It was my duty to ensure things were running well in the east; that was my first assignment before any office I upied, and I did not take it likely. "I think we should disguise Erik as a woman," Amelia said, wearing an elegant, short cream dress. It had short sleeves and a round neck. She looked serious and smart at the same time. I saw a burgundy jacket that she nned to wear with it and realised she nned to travel in style. Her sense of fashion had improved in a short period. Why wouldn''t it be so when Linda was her best friend? They were inseparable, and Susan had somehow joined the mix. It was amazing to see how women paired up, even among friends. "Why should we dress Erik up as a woman? I doubt that man would appreciate it," I said, and she shrugged. All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. "He is too small to pass off as a kappa, and if he travels with you as a male secretary, Yuri''s spies would know it is him. His size is unusual for a male. He might have had a congenital disability that must have caused his stunt growth, but whether we like it or not, Yuri cannot know he is travelling with us. He is one of the main targets too, you know," She said, slipping on her jacket. "But that would mean shaving his beard and wearing him make-up. I doubt he would want that," I said, and she got angry. "I am for whatever you all are doing: I am in full support, but I will not risk my life and that of my friends and the man I love because the dude cares about his looks. Either he chooses to listen, or we leave him alone to figure it out. And that means sending him back to his undergroundb. Honestly, I do not care about the AgK32, we did good without it in Brentwood, and I am sure Sylvester would have tons of Nitric Acid in the north. We cannot allow Erik to feel irreceable. He has to dress like a woman to join us. That way, I will pass him as one of my maids. He won''t be noticed. He would fit in with the nurses. I know it is harsh, but that is my stance, Leo," She said, and her tone indicated she wasn''t joking. Our flight was for twelve in the afternoon; I decided to speak to Erik about it and find a more excellent, respectful way to do it. So I chose to link my father. "Father, I need you to join me in Erik''s room. I need to tell him something, and he might find it offensive," I linked my father, and it took a few seconds before he responded. "Good morning, Leo, what a way to say hello to your father in the morning," He reprimanded me, and I was a bit ashamed of myself. "I am sorry; it''s just that it was urgent," I replied, and he asked me why I wanted to see Erik in the morning. I exined my reasons to him. "I do not think he would appreciate that, Leo; He is very emotional about his looks. He would find it insulting," My father responded, and just like Amelia had said, I did not care either. "It is either that or he goes back to Hand. We have enough trouble to deal with, and he has a bullseye on him. I cannot risk the rest of us because his feelings would be hurt. We are all making sacrifices here; he should do the same. It is just until we get to the Volkov estate then he is free to be himself again. That shouldn''t be too hard for him to do," I said, and my father was silent. "Okay, I will join you in his room. I understand your point," he finally agreed, and I closed off the link. "Are youing for breakfast?" Amelia asked, and I nodded. "I will join you in the dining room after I have dealt with Erik''s disguise," I replied, and she smiled at me. "Just stand your ground. The man should get over it already; Every Stepanov has something wrong with them. But his feelings aren''t more important than our lives and safety," She said by the door. She had changed her clothes and slipped on a simple dress. "What about the other dress?" I asked, a bit disappointed. I liked what she was wearing, but it wasn''t as lovely as the cream dress she had on earlier. "Over there," She pointed at the couch. She hand-draped the dress and jacket carefully on the backrest. "I will wear it when we are about to leave. I n to eat a lot of food, and I do not want to get it dirty," she said, exining her reason, and I smiled. I remembered how she ate yesterday, so I could understand her motives. Her appetite had grown. I was also grateful I did not sit with her in the bathroom to throw up this morning. Her body must be adjusting and adapting fast. I was too overjoyed about the pregnancy and could not wait to hold our children. She left, and I decided to copy Amelia and wear something simple. I left the room and headed towards Erik''s bedroom. I was nervous about facing the man. He had a thing about him that would make people not want to hurt his feelings; he was also creepy. I smelled my father at the door of his room, and before I knocked, I heard Erik''s loud voice comining bitterly. "How dare he insult me like that!" he said, knowing my father must have told him what I said. I knocked immediately and let myself in before they even asked me toe in. They stopped arguing, and both looked in my direction. My father had not showered, and likewise, Erik too. "What is this I hear about addressing me like a woman, Leonardo?" Erik asked, pronouncing my full name. "Because you cannot fit in with the Kappas or as a male unnoticed, your size would be noticeable quickly," I said, and he growled at me. "Figure it out because there is no way I am shaving my beard and dressing like a woman," he said, and I took a deep breath deciding to be mean andmand him as an alpha. Whether he liked it or not, He was still a Delta, and I had experience with Deltas. They were almost alike, always wanting to show why they should be respected. "You will shave your beard and dress like a woman because there is no way I will risk our lives for the sake of your ego. If you do not like it, you can find your way to the north or return to Hand. Gordon has been arrested, so you have no problem other than Yuri. The choice is yours," I said sternly, and we were all silent. He managed a stern look on his face thinking I would falter, then I added. "We can do without your AgK32. We n to strategise without it if you prove too difficult," I added, and his face dropped because that was one of his powerful bargaining chips. "You want to go back on your words?" he asked, trying to put words in my mouth to justify whatever action he would take next, and I shook my head. "Sylvester does not break his promises. But I won''t risk our lives for the sake of your ego. We will still go to the north and do what we must, but we will be making the trip without you if you choose to kick against our idea," I said, and he bowed his head and sighed. "My mother dropped me by ident when she tried to get Yuri. Many operations were carried on me in the east so I could survive. It stunted my growth," He said in pain, and I could understand him, but still, he would have to get rid of the beard and dress like a woman. He looked at me and nodded. "Very well, as long as no pictures are taken, I will do it," he agreed, and I was relieved. I also did not know how to tell him that there were always paparazzi at the airport in Lund. I figured keeping silent about it was for the best. "Good, we need to eat and head to the airport right away," I said, looking at the time. It was nine in the morning already. We just had three hours before our flight. 108 The Trip 108 The Trip ~Sylvester~ After breakfast, we returned to our room, and the Kappa Uniforms were already on the bed. Tamia had gone to use the bathroom while I inspected the uniforms. Leo was extra careful, and I had to commend him. I never imagined that I would ever wear something like this, but it had finallye to it. There were also false sent perfumes to help mask our scentpletely. Leo was serious. "We need to dress up. Our flight is at noon," Tamia said, returning from the bathroom. She knew the petite uniform was hers, so she reached for it. "Kappa, right?" I said, and she nodded. "We are still better off than Erik," She said, and Iughed. "I heard Leo is putting him in a dress," I said, and sheughed. "You can''t me Leo. I agree with what he is doing. Erik will be a red light if we dress him like a Kappa and try to transport him to the north looking like that. Leo and Amelia want the trip to be smooth, and that is how they n to guarantee it." She said and started putting on the clothes. "Would Erik allow them to shave his beard?" I asked, wondering how Erik would feel about his long beard. "It is either that or he finds his way on his own," She said, and I was shocked. I knew Leo could be stern, but I didn''t expect him to be that stern with Erik. I sensed Amelia''s hand in it. She seemed like the mean kind. Following Tamia''s lead, I dressed in the Kappa jumpsuit camouge uniform and put on the military face cap obscuring my face from detection. The uniform would make us insignificant to the paparazzi. We will be hard to identify. I signed passes to permit us to board the flight to the north and enter the north without showing our passports. It was the only way to smuggle all of us to Lund without revealing our identities, or else Leo would have to create fake Identity cards for us. We did not have time to organise something of that magnitude. The letters would have to do. We finished, and the Omegas came to get our luggage to load them in the van that would be transporting us to the airport. I saw a look of nostalgia on Tamia''s face when the omegas left with our bags. She paused to look around the room, looking sexy in the slightly oversize camouge jumpsuit that held her waist beautifully. I recognised that look anytime. She felt like she was leaving home again. "We wille often, darling. I promise. I am sure Liam and Harper would like it here," I said, and she turned to look at me and smiled. "I miss this ce," she confessed. "The painful part was that I couldn''t go about and visit ces I loved going while I was here because of the Stepanov issue. I hope it ends, and we are safe once again. There are ces in Mountain that I believe you will fall in love with when you see them," She said, and I went to hold her. I hugged her. Then I Kissed her sweetly. "May I tell you something? I hope you won''t be angry?" she asked me, breaking the hug, and I nodded, wondering what could be troubling her. "I like it in the Volkov estate, don''t get me wrong, I love how we live, but I would like to spend more time with just the four of us: you, me, Harper and Liam. We cannot do that in that building. It is too big, and it houses too many people to afford us that luxury. I enjoy what Amelia has here; she gets to cook and care for everyone and everything with a personal touch. I will like to do that. I missed it," She confessed, and I did not know she didn''t like our living conditions until now. She must have sacrificed a lot to make things work between us, and I appreciate it. I was brought up in that estate with many peopleing and going. Having a crowd around was all I ever knew. I wasfortable with it, but her life was different. After seeing the bungalow she lived in with Leo, I could understand her need for privacy. "Honestly, I thought you liked it there, Tamia. You should have said something immediately," I said and hugged her. "There is a bungalow on the property that I would fix for us to use. Will that be okay?" I asked and broke away to look at her. She nodded and smiled at me. "It will be perfect, darling," she said, and I bent to kiss her. She responded sweetly and gently. If it weren''t for the fact that we were in a hurry, I would have taken her on the spot, but that would have to wait until we got home. We left the room and joined the rest of the group outside. Everyone was there, and I saw what they did with Erik. It was hrious. He had a masculine scowl on his face and looked very ufortable. But he was pretty for a manly woman. Everyone tried not tough. I battled it. They had dyed his hair and worn his brown contact lenses. His face was clean-shaven, and they wore him a peach sundress with a hat. He looked like a pretty manly woman, but he looked like a woman, which was the point of everything. "What are we waiting for," Erik asked impatiently. He was eager to get it over with to get out of the dress. I heard some people snickering and shut my lips together, smiling because I was holding myself. They were kind enough to wear him sandals, but he walked like a man still. "Which van am I in?" He asked, trying to figure out which of the four vans he would join. "You are with me," I heard Amelia say sternly. She spoke as if it were nothing. I guess she and Leo did not want him to feel more ufortable. "Uncle Erik, you look pretty," Nelson said, and Erik punched him in the stomach and moved to the second van where the nurses were. "You and Tamia are with us," Leo said, and I could not believe I would be sitting in the same van with ''Erika''. "I hope Erika won''t be mad," I said, and everyoneughed. Erik was in the van, so there was no point in controlling ourselves. He looked hrious. Tamia squeezed my hand while we sat side by side in the van. We tried not to let our eyes stray to Erik, but it could not be helped. His scowl wasn''t helping matters either. "You know if you soften your face a bit, you will look better," Amelia said to Erik gently. "I do not want to look better. I want to get out of the dress," he said, and Amelia nodded and ignored him. We arrived at the airport, and the staff and passengers greatly respected Leo and Amelia. Our disguise had worked because no one noticed us. One person that stood out was ''Erika''. People were pointing and murmuring. Erik tried to walk as femininely as possible, but it made him seem udylike. We got to the checking point, and two actual Kappas went to check us in. Once that was done, we headed to the boarding gate. Leo had chartered a ne. He did not want to use his jet so it won''t be rigged with bombs. Flying commercial was our best bet. We boarded the flight with ease and rxed. "That was a breeze," Marcel said. Theodore and David agreed with him. "Now all that is remaining is getting past Lund Airport security and paparazzi," Vino said, kissing udia''s hand where they sat side by side with udia at the window seat. "Paparazzi!" Erik eximed, and I noticed Leo cover his face. He must have hidden that part from the man. "You didn''t tell me anything about Paparrazi," Erik said, sounding as if he had been decisive. "Well, now you know," Amelia said, and he growled at her. She growled back. "You can jump off if you like. Wearing a dress isn''t as big a deal as you try to make it seem. I do it all the time," She said as if it were the same thing. It made all of usugh. "There are some cultures where men wear dresses, you know. Get over it," She said, sounding a bit short, and I knew it was the pregnancy hormones. Leo caressed her hands gently so she could calm down. "No one knows you, Erik; no one will care. You might get into a photo or two, but it won''t be as yourself", Dominic said, trying to ease his mind, but Erik wasn''t buying it. Amelia had intimated him a bit, and he did not look happy. The flight was smooth, and we finallynded at the airport. Since we were kappas, we would have to get our luggage ourselves. So we waited while one of the real Kappas showed the immigration airport officials the pass I had signed. They took it from them for verification, returned it, and told us we were cleared. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. People started taking photos of Leo and Amelia when we exited the airport. They ignored uspletely, so we could board the vans Uncle Lucas sent to get us to the airport. Amelia was so mean that she held on to Erik while the people took pictures of her. He was supposed to be her maid, which was understandable, but I knew she wanted him to get into the photos. He maintained his scowl, and some peopleughed at him. If only he wasn''t scowling and he walked gently, no one would haveughed, but his unwillingness to act the part had turned him into a clown. I wondered if Amelia realised Erik was her uncle and that she should be nicer to him. I doubted she cared about things like that. She would have made a fine Lord. 109 Back To The Estate 109 Back To The Estate ~Sylvester~ Some reporters attacked y and Alexei with questions, and I became impatient. They asked how they felt about standing trial in the King''s hall. The fact that we have yet to make that announcement public bothered me. Joan must have leaked it to the press because the next question gave their intentions away. They asked y and Alexei when the hearing would ur. We were yet to set a date, and for Yuri to prepare for the event, a date needed to be fixed. "No date has been set yet, but we are hoping there will be no hearing because we each fought and won our challenges fair and square," Alexei said, ying along. There was a particr reporter I noticed that seemed disappointed about his response. She did not behave like the others that jumped onto other questions. She withdrew as if that was all she was after. "Arrest the reporter in the ck leather jacket. Have Bryce Golubev question her at the mansion," I told the kappa driving. He did not even know it was me until I spoke to him. "Your majesty," He said, his hands shaking. "Behave," I ordered him, and he nodded. Leo''s kappas that were with us joined one of my Kappa drivers and went to arrest her. The way she willingly followed them meant they had somehow deceived her. I wanted them to lead her to the van transporting the actual Kappas. "What did you tell her?" I linked my Kappa that was with them. I was too curious to find out. "We did not want to cause a scene, so we said head council Albert asked to see her privately," He replied, which made meugh. I wondered what the woman thought private meant. She was in for a shock. We waited until Leo had entered the car that would transport him to the Volkov Estate before we left. Since he was the most important person, Putting him in the car was logical, while the security details used the van. Alexei and y had to take an airport taxi that would bring them to the Volkov estate. They had made a show of trying to plead their case before their hearing, so it made sense they would try to see me when they arrived in the north. The drive to the estate was long, and I could not wait to get out of the uniform and spring into action. There was so much to do. Questioning Larry was high on my list. I noticed Tamia wasn''t eager, and I touched her hand. I brought it to my lips and kissed it. "What is the matter, green-eyes?" I asked her, and she turned to look at me with tears. I was surprised that she was hurting. Had all this finally gotten to her? I knew she was tougher than that, so it had to be something else. "Liam and Harper won''t be home," she said, breaking downpletely. I was expecting this to happen too. We have never been separated from our children. Having to keep them underground for their safety was hard. While in the east, it was bearable because it felt like we were on a trip we couldn''t bring them along, but now that we were heading home, coping there without them would be hard. "I know, darling, and that is why we will end this thing quickly," I said with determination. She rested her head on my shoulder, and I looked ahead, hoping we would win. Leo had done an excellent job so far; it was time for me to take charge. We arrived at the estate, and my mother and Uncle Lucas were at the entrance to wee us home. She recognised us immediately andughed at our disguise, Likewise Uncle Lucas. "You went all out," Uncle Lucas said,ughing, and I greeted him. My mother came to hug Tamia tightly. "I missed all of you," She and Tamia hugged her back. "Harper and Liam are doing fine." She whispered, and Tamia nodded, appreciating my mother''s effort to make her happy. "Who is that?" Uncle Lucas said, looking at Erik, and we all startedughing. The expression on Lucas''s face was hrious. Erik moved past everyone and walked into the mansion quickly. He had never been there, so I wondered where he was going. We waited a bit, a then he returned. "Where is my room?" He asked with a deep voice, and Uncle Lucas widened his eyes. "Yes, Uncle, he is a man. Meet Erik Stepanov," I said, and my mother gasped. "All will be exined soon. Right now, I need to see Larry." I said, Walking in quickly. Tamia and the others continued while Leo, Marcel, Theodore, David, Devin, Dominic and Vino remained. I linked Kappa Levi to bring us T-shirts and shorts. None of us wanted to go to our rooms yet. We had a lot to discuss. "What about me?" Erik asked again. "A room is being prepared for you. Meanwhile, A kappa is bringing some shorts and t-shirts; feel free to change," I said, and Dominic and David snickered. Eric raised an eyebrow. "You mean if I find my size," he corrected me, and I bowed my head to avoidughing. "I am sure the room will be ready in no time," I said, and we headed to the lounge. We got there, and Levi arrived with the shorts and T-shirts. We didn''t bother to find something for Erik because we knew none would fit. Luckily for him, an Omega came to take him to his room before we finished changing. I asked him to return once he had changed his dress. Thest part didn''t sound right because everyoneughed, but I knew the amusement was over. "Did you say Stepanaov?" My mother said, and I nodded. Then I asked them to pay attention while telling them all we had learned. Uncle Lucas and my mother were in shock. "So I was right all along," Uncle Lucas said, and I nodded. "Right, about what?" My mother asked. "He hinted that Larry couldn''t have nned the uprising all alone," Marcel said, sounding bored, and Uncle Lucasughed. "So what are we going to do now?" Uncle Lucas asked.N?velDrama.Org is the owner. "Larry was Yuri''s right-hand man. They nned the uprising together and almost seeded twice. They had to be meeting in private. I need to know the ces Larry has met with Yuri so I can fish him out," I said, and my mother frowned. "Don''t you think he would have abandoned those ces?" she asked. And David interrupted. "I doubt that," David said, and she was attentive. "Joan yman is on his team, and we had dismissed everything Larry tried to tell us on the day of his sentencing. We believed he was in the shadows until now. Yuri won''t expect us to ask Larry questions now, and the hearing in the King hall, which has nothing to do with him, would further boost his confidence. Even after the spies and traitors have been arrested, he wouldn''t think we would ask Larry for specific locations he isfortable with," David said, and he had a valid point. "Finding his location will not be discussed at the hearing, and I doubt Joan yman would know where he is. She is too close to us for him to be that careless. They haven''t worked closely as Larry worked with him." Vino said, and just then, Erik walked in. He had washed off the temporary dye on his hair and removed the contacts. For a man his age, he had a beautiful face, and his small frame did not hurt his looks at all. The beard messed him up a lot. He looked good as a man but horrible as a woman. "Excuse my manners," He said apologetically, knowing he had poorly behaved initially. Erik walked up to Uncle Lucas and my mother and extended a handshake with a boyish smile. He took my mother''s hand and kissed the back of her hand with some charm. "She is taken," Lucas said, sounding a bit annoyed. My mother was blushing at his charm. If only Jake had been around, Erik would have gotten some beating. Erik sighed and turned his attention towards me. "I heard some of the things you discussed, and you will be right to ask Larry about Yuri''s known locations if Larry is still alive. They often met privately, and Larry used his office to secure some properties for Yuri. You can start from there. He might not know where he is, but you should get the information on the properties he purchased for Yuri. It will lead somewhere," Erik said. "What about you? Aren''t you his cousin? You should know where he is?" Dominic asked him, sounding short. "I am his cousin, but we do not share the same Ideology. We stuck together out of necessity and separated when it was possible to be apart. I do not know much except what my spies in his group tell me, likewise him too," He said, and I nodded. "So you know he has spies in your circle?" I asked him, and he nodded. "Kelly and ke. They do not know that I know. I have caught them recently because of the Issue with the AgK32. I am yet to figure out what to do to them, but they are oblivious of my discovery and partnership with you," He said, and Imended his wisdom. Being intelligent and wise were two different things. It seemed Erik passed both. "So, what is the n now?" Leo asked, and I sighed. "we will interview Larry today and set a date for the meeting after. Our Interview with Larry would determine the next step." I said, and he nodded. "Would Larry be in a frame of mind to talk?" Theodore asked, knowing the condition he was kept in prison. ''We will have to find that out when we see him," Marcel said, and I agreed. While we discussed it, my phone rang. To my surprise, it was Joan yman. Seeing her name made me remember the reporter we had arrested at the airport. "Hello," I said to the phone. "Your Majesty, good afternoon," she greeted. "What is it?" I asked her. It was odd she would call me directly. She must be desperate. I wanted her to get straight to the point. "Alpha Kusov and Alpha Newton arrived with Councilman Albert and many military officers from the east. Will there be a gathering at the King''s hall soon?" She asked, and I sighed. "Why do you ask?" I asked her. "Well, I am thinking of taking a trip, and I do not want to rush from wherever I am going to attend," She said, giving an idiotic excuse. The truth is, wherever she was going, She was only a flight away. "You will only be a flight away in that case, but that aside there will be no council meeting," I said. I did not want her to inform Yuri just yet. If I said yes, they could lie in wait. The time we set the meeting would not matter anymore. Katya''s warning rang in my head. "So what are they here for?" She asked, crossing the line, but I chose to indulge her. "To ask that I dismiss the case. Leonardo and Devin are here to verify that they did not cheat," I replied, and she was silent. "Next time you ask me such questions, I will take offence, Joan," I added, and she apologised. "Thank you, your Majesty. Leah and I might visit tonight if you do not mind?" She said, and I growled. "I mind. Since when did we be friends? Next time you have a request, call one of the lords, Do not cross the line with me again. My father might have been lenient, but I am not a lord anymore; you need to watch it, Joan," I said and hung up before she could respond. Joan''s call made us realise that our n had worked. They needed help figuring out why Leo had come and what we were up to. They were in the dark and were desperate to verify certain things. It was good because I nned to set the hearing for noon the next day. Yuri would not think to send anyone to the north, and even if he as people here, there won''t be time for them to strike. I told Marcel to ensure Nitric Acid is avable at King Hall before we announce the impromptu meeting. The people guarding both ces were also to be provided with gas and face masks. I wanted to be prepared in case Yuri got desperate and struck. One thing I knew was that I was ready to end Yuri''s madness and move on. 110 Discussions and Decisions 110 Discussions and Decisions ~Sylvester~ Our discussion lingered in the Lounge, and Erik told us much about his past. The man was easygoing, and he only cared about science and progress. He was also a very jovial and funny man. Uncle Lucas seemed wary of him, but it was normal. The Volkovs had wronged the Stepanovs gravely. What were the odds that he was really on our side? But I knew he was. He did not seem aggrieved, and the solution Leo had offered him had indeed appeased him. He was also vocal about it. N?velDrama.Org is the owner. "All I have ever wanted was an opportunity to walk under the sunlight as I am, without fearing for my life," Erik said. Vino seemed to feel sorry for him. I soo the look in his eyes. Vino was always easily touched and taken. I hoped he toughens up. "I am d we could reach an understanding," I said, and he smiled at me. One thing I noticed about the Stepanovs I had met was that they respected me as King. What my grandfather did to them was wrong, and I could see that my grandfather made monsters of them. All I had learned about Adrik showed he was a man that was wronged. I wondered how Alexei, y and Amelia saw me knowing that my grandfather had betrayed and murdered their grandfather. They were indeed kind and easygoing. I nned to correct all that had happened to the best of my ability. "So, howe you have two eye colours?" Uncle Lucas said, and Leo looked away as if bracing himself for an outburst. Erik stared at Lucas a bit and then smiled. We had thought he would go off on him, but he had taken it easy. "My eyes react badly to contact lenses, and because of that, I do note out in the daytime because my eye''s colour is a dead giveaway. Out of desperation, I tried to do something that would be more permanent. Though risky, it was sessful. I haven''t been able to do it to the other eye," he said, blinking a few times, imitating a prettydy, making us allugh. I looked at the clock, and it was time to head to the prison where Larry was kept. I knew taking everyone with me wouldn''t make sense, so I had to select at most three people to join me. I decided I would settle for Leo, Devin and Vino. Leo knew the East, so he could easily understand things Larry might disclose about the East and the areas of concern. Likewise, Devin understood the South, and Vino had been investigating the West for a while, so he was vast there too. I made my choice on who would follow me. "Alexei and y are still waiting in the waiting room," Theodore said, and I felt terrible. I knew we were doing all this to make it seem normal, but keeping them there for three hours was wrong. "Do not worry, Amelia is with them, and Tamia ensured they have entertainment," Theodore said. I figured Linda was there too. That was why he knew. "What should we do?" Marcel asked me, and I understood the dilemma. We could not let them stay in a hotel so Yuri won''t target them. We had to risk it and keep them in the Estate. Since the Estate was without traitors and spies, it would be safe. "Allocate rooms to them and let them join us in the lounge," I said, and Dominic frowned. "Won''t that give us away?" he asked, and I shook my head. "I could have as well arrested them when they came to plead their case; it is just until tomorrow," I said, and they all understood what I meant. "You are all brilliant," Erik said, admiring our minds. "Thank you, Erik; we try to be resourceful in the Volkov family," My uncle said, taking credit for it. Marcel looked away, embarrassed by his father. "You should have met Maurice and Gavin; they were smart," he said, and I knew anyone would object to that. They wouldn''t have been caught in Larry''s revenge if they were brilliant. They got high, partied and fought themselves. They drank so much that they made an enemy that required their lives because of a woman. If that wasn''t dumb, then I didn''t know what was. "Vino, Leo, Devin. You will be joining me to question Larry," I said, and Dominic began to protest immediately. "What about the rest of us? We deserve to be there too," He said, and I shook my head. "Count our number. We can''t continue moving about like this. Our circle is big now. With Alexei and y, there are ten of us. Isn''t that too much? It would look like Larry is standing trial again," I said, and Leoughed. "You shouldn''t be roaming about the ce, either. You are the King. What if Yuri is watching the Estate? I do not think it is wise you go," Erik said, and everyone agreed with what he had said. This was part of being King I hated. I liked getting involved with the action. I knew Erik was right, but I wanted to question Larry myself. "I suggest Devin, Leo, and Vino go. Yuri would not think much of their mission. The South has fallen, and Leo is upied. Vino isn''t a lord, so it would not mean much. It would be as if they are going to see a prisoner, but if Yuri''s watchers see you there, they will figure it out." Erik said, and I sighed. "Yuri might not be a scientist, but he is brilliant. He cannot be fooled easily. That is why he has been able to remain in the shadows all along. Do not underestimate him. As you can see, I don''t underestimate him, so I lived in an underground bunker that I turned into ab. I had to go incognito to avoid his detection. Whether you like it or not, Yuri has his eyes on this ce, and he will know. You might have sessfully fooled his informants upon arrival and getting here, but that act alone would make them extra vignt because something is obviously about to happen. Leo''s arrival was very intimidating. It would make them question what is going on. Until today, Leo has never casually visited the North with twenty kappas. It has to count for something, and Yuri would want to find out," Erik said and turned to Leo. "I have been meaning to tell you this since yesterday, but now that we are discussing Yuri, I will use this opportunity to prepare you," he said and exhaled. "Growing up with Yuri helped me understand him. I know how he thinks, so I have been impossible for him to kill. I am sure once none of his informants can give him valuable information again, he will reach out to you, Leo," Erik said, and I frowned. "You are a Volkov and a Stepanov. The Volkov Lineage has also wronged you. Patrick hid Sophia away like a disease, and Sylvester attacked your territory and took your wife. In his eyes, you have been emascted by the Volkovs and might have a hidden score to settle with Sylvester. To top that, Luis''s daughter is your mate. We all know how you brought Ramsey to his knees, for Tamia''s sake. You will willingly do the same for Amelia," He said, and Leo chuckled. "It means I should go for his head," He said, and we allughed. "True. He did hunt and kill Luis Ivanov so he could be the Stepanov heir, but he won''t sell it to you like that, Leo. None of this would have happened if Gregory and Dimitry had done the right thing, and he would sell that point excellently. I have seen him convince people that he was responsible for the death of their loved ones. He is a maniptor. He will convince you to follow him to the end. Ever wondered why he has so many key people working with him?" Erik asked. David interjected. "Inkabod said he was forced," He said, and Erikughed. "They usually join up willingly and believe in the cause until they find out some things and want out, but by then, they would be in too deep. Yuri always has a n B when dealing with people; B stands for ckmail." He said, and I was grateful for the information because it had given me an insight into the mind of the man I was up against. "If the King pushes him far enough, he will reach out to you, Leo. He will see you as the weak link; if not you, then he will reach out to your mate. He has tried to do it in the past; he will surely do it again," Erik said, and Leo chucked. "He is bound to hit a wall," He said confidently, and I trusted Leo''s judgement. He would never betray me, and neither would Amelia. They were family, and they were loyal. "Very well, Leo Devin and Vino should question Larry and return to convey their findings. After which, I will call for the King''s Hall hearing in the morning," I said and turned to look at Leo. "I am giving you the same authority as when you went to see Erik. Larry might want to make a deal before he speaks; use your discretion to decide what to do," I said, and he nodded. Just then, Alexei and y walked in. I thought they would be mad, but they seemed all right. They were indeed easygoing people. 111 A Remourseful Convict 111 A Remourseful Convict ~Leo~ Devin, Vino and I left the Lounge to prepare to see Larry. Everything Erik told us registered in my head, and I was on the lookout. I hoped he would reach out to me because I nned to use that opportunity to catch him. I went to my room in the Estate, and Amelia wasn''t there. There was a possibility she was with Linda. She had linked me while I was in the Lounge to inform me that she and Linda would keep her brothers and cousinpany. I wondered why Nelson did note to the Lounge with Alexei and y. I was still dressing up when Amelia walked it. She was surprised to see me in the room. She must have thought I would still be in the Lounge. "Where are you going," She asked me, opening her bag to go through her stuff. It seemed she was searching for something. I asked her what it was, and she smiled. "Bathing suit. Tamia is throwing a pool party for us. We are trying to act as if all is normal just in case the Estate is being watched." She said, and I fought the urge to roll my eyes. These women were just trying to have fun while they still could. But I let her keep her excuse. "Where is Nelson? He did note to the Lounge with your brothers," I asked, and she giggled. "He is with the young women living in the Volkov estate. He decided to hang out with them, and they seemed to like him. They like y too, but y seems harder to please and serious-minded than Nelson," She said. I had forgotten entirely about Sylvester''s trophies that refuse to go home. They were more like residents in the Estate now. Some of them had paired up and were waiting for the Bluemoon. Tamia had told me the weddings would be much during the bluemoon this year. I guess the single ones were trying to catch up. Maybe two of them would get lucky with y and Nelson. The thought alone made me chuckle. "Where are you off to?" Amelia asked me after finding the sexy pink two-piece bikini, she wanted to wear, along with a short floral white robe. "I can''t believe you will be wearing that when I am not around," I growled, and she smiled at me. "I will try and keep it on for you," she said and winked. I watched her go to the bathroom while I left the room to head to the prison. Devin and Vino were already outside. Devin reeked of Susan, and I wondered if the two would ever get enough of each other. As much as it wasn''t my business, it was definitely a quicky. I guess I stared at Devin so long that he raised an eyebrow to snap me out of it. "You should have at least showered," I said, and Vinoughed. "I thought as much," Vino said, and Devin ran his hand through his hair from embarrassment. He shouldn''t feel that way, but we made him ufortable. We made sure there was a small nitric acid tank in the car, and we each wore goggles and gas masks. We did not want to take chances. We made sure the Kappas driving us were protected too. No surprises. I could confess that I was still traumatised by what happened to usst time, and not having a Stepanov with us scared me. I just hope we make it there and return home safely. We got into the car and left. There was a Kappa in the passenger''s seat in front, so we had to ce Vino in the centre of the backseat. While Devin and I sat by the doors. The ride was quiet, and as soon as we got on the lonely road that led to the Estate, my heart began to pound in my chest. That was where we were almost killed. The memory alone made me want to get even with Joan. She was a bitch, and she needed to end as one. I had a pound of flesh to get from her, and I hoped Sylvester would allow me that luxury. The ride was smooth. We got to Lund City in no time and were at the prison. Head Enforcer Bryce Golubev had done an exceptional job securing the ce. There were huge Nitric tanks at both ends of the entrance, and the prison guards and enforcers were wearing goggles and gas masks. Who would have thought Bryce would be this Loyal? To think he had once helped the enemy in the past. I had tomend Sylvester for being forgiving. He would have lost a loyal soldier had he not had the decency to give Bryce a second chance. Bryce also was repentant and has proven his loyalty times without number. He was so loyal that Yuri saw him as a lost cause. We alighted the vehicle and entered the prison. It wasn''t dark and dingy, as I remembered it. I do not know which of the lords saw to it that it was renovated, but it loved livable. It was clean and air- conditioned. Imended the North for creating a conducive environment for the convicts. I might copy the same in the East when all this is over. I nned on surviving no matter what, so that would not be an issue. We were led to an underground prison. It wasn''t as beautiful as the one above, but it was livable. We were taken deep inside. I heard some people growl and shake the silver bars. I could not feel ck once we entered the ce, so I knew we were where they kept the hardened and condemned criminals. "Why didn''t you take him to a questioning room?" I asked the Kappa leading us to the cell. "To ensure he does not escape," The Kappa replied, and I could understand their reason. "Is that the only entrance to this ce?" I asked. "Yes, Sir," He said, and I rxed. It would be difficult for anyone to enter here. I am sure Amanda was kept in a ce like this in the women''s prison. No wonder she took her life. Death was the only escape. We stopped at a cell, and the light was turned on. It wasn''t bright, but I could see inside the cell. A man was sitting on the floor with his back against the wall. His bed was neatly made, and everywhere was clean, but he remained on the floor with his head bowed. "There he is. I will excuse you now. You can leave the way we came in when you are done." The Kappa said, ready to excuse us, and I nodded. "Larry. Larry," I said, and the man did not respond. We spent almost fifteen minutes trying to call his attention. I even shook the silver bars, and it burned, but he did not respond. "We are here to negotiate with you if you can deliver Yuri Stepanov to us," I said, and he did not respond. "Very well, we just need the location of the properties you helped him purchase and where he is likely to hide. Just answer this part, and we will be on our way." I said, giving up, knowing I would not be sessful in questioning him. Myst statement made Larry move. He looked at me. My words had caught his attention. He stood up and slowly walked towards the bars. He had lost weight, and his eyes were hollow. He looked like a man that battled demons daily. I wondered what they did to him in the prison cells. "So Yuri finally came out of the shadows," he managed with a breathy tired voice. I nodded, avoiding saying anything that would make him ignore us. "Yuri used me and left me to my devices when I needed him the most," he said. He did not let me even speak. I could tell he had ill feelings towards Yuri. We might not need to offer much for him to help us. "I thought I was avenging Emily, but then I realised I was the fool all along." He said, voicing his thoughts, and we remained silent because he seemed a bit unstable. Spending over a year without ess to his wolf was bound to do that to him. N?velDrama.Org is the owner. "I wished I could do things differently. I would have lived a full life. I would have had my wife and children with me. I would have been a happy man. I threw it all away for nothing," Larry said and looked at me. "There is nothing you can give me that I want. I have stayed alive this long for this day. A day when I would pay Yuri back for using me and taking advantage of my ignorance," He confessed. "Go to the office in my house. The third bookshelf is on the right. Pull the grey book, and a secret door will open. The safe in that room contains all the documents of his properties, especially bunkers where he hides in the West and South. I will advise you to ensure Gordon Miles, Sean Garret, Joan yman, and Wilson Carson are out of the way before you go for him. I have one thing to request," He said, and I looked at him. It was obvious he was waiting for this day. "When Yuri is caught, Kindly inform the King to end my life. I cannot live with the shame of what I did to my friends. Maurice, Gavin and Lucas did not deserve what I did to them, especially Lucas. I was a fool to believe Emily, and I destroyed lives for it. Tell the King to end my life when he has defeated Yuri," He said, and I knew he meant every word of what he said. "I will convey your request to the King. I hope you think about it, Larry. King Sylvester isn''t vindictive," I said, and he wept. "Too many people have died for me to want to hold on to life. Please, Albert, tell him that is all I want. They won''t let me take my life here. Please, I need you to help me out," He said, and I knew we would not hear anything from him again. I nodded, agreeing to his words, and we tried to leave. I was d that I was not a victim of deception. I could see Larry''s suffering, and mercy would only worsen it. He had given uppletely. None of us uttered a word. There was absolutely nothing to say. We had got what we came for. "So what now?" Devin asked, and I sighed. "We cannot raid Larry''s house until after the arrests. If we do that now, Yuri will know Larry is alive, and he has told us all he knows. We must get the documents in secret while we arrest the people. I will still want to question Larry, so please inform Bryce to ensure he gets some care. He is too depressed to be of use now. Maybe have his wife visit him. It might boost his morale. Something must be done. Because we need his full cooperation to interview him properly," I told Vino, and he frowned. "Why didn''t we just ask him what we wanted now?" He said, and Devin growled at him. "Are you blind? Can''t you see the state he is in? He wouldn''t have said anything. We are lucky he gave us something. We have toe back again and take our time when he is in a better frame of mind. Hopefully, his wife might help get him there," Devin said, understanding why I did not bother to question Larry. We were even lucky we got something. We left the prison and headed back to the Estate. Chapter 274: 112 Journey Back To The Estate Chapter 274: 112 Journey Back To The Estate ~Leo~ I could feel the nervousness in the car as we were heading back to the Estate. Larry had not said much, but he had given us something big to work with; it would be nice to catch Yuri and end him without it bing a war outrightly. It would be great to spare all the lives that might be lost in the process, but it wasn''t up to us. "I am nervous about this visit," Vino said, breaking the awkward silence in the vehicle. We maintained our sitting arrangement the same as when we were heading to the City prison. "Hopefully, we catch the bastard," Devin said, enraged. "I have a wedding to n, and I need peace," He added. Of all of us, I felt sorry for him the most. Yuri had hit him hardest. He had ridiculed him and made him seem weak. He had belittled his nickname and shamed him. The painful part of everything was that Devin did not lose the South because he was weak or stupid. He lost the South because of the disloyalty of his people. I was lucky to have true alphas in the East and people that weren''t easily swayed, or else I, too, would have been without a pack. "We will get him, Devin. And we will make him pay for what he did in the South," I said, and Devin bowed his head. I had said what was bothering him. It was amazing how he functioned with all that had happened to himtely. Imended him for being tough. "Thank you, Leo. I know I am definitely on the winning team," he said, looking at me with a broad grin. He always had the time to smile, no matter how stressed out he was. I could see he believed what he said, making my heart swell. We needed hope, and Devin''s hope was alive and kicking. His confidence and faith touched my heart, and I hoped fate would smile upon us. I prayed that we would look back at all this andugh. "I am d too because I would be lying if I said I do not miss my girls," Vino confessed and bowed his head. This whole thing had affected everyone, creating enemies for Yuri. "What do you think the ymans'' gain is in all this? What do they want?" Vino asked, and I shrugged. It was hard to say. Vino had the right to be curious. They already had it all. Money and power. What else would they want? I guess we will never know until we arrest them. We got on the isted road to the Estate, meaning we would soon be home, when the window on the driver''s side shattered, and the driver''s head hit the steering wheel. The car began to sway at high speed and headed for the woods. We crashed into a tree, bringing the vehicle to a halt. The driver''s body slid to the side, and there was blood and a bullet hole at the side of his head. He had been shot, and he was dead. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. I did not think twice before I started barking orders. "Wear your goggles and gas masks!" I yelled and reached for mine. Wearing it quickly. The nitric acid was with us, so I was ready to spray when I heard more gunshots. We had note prepared for a gunfight. "We can''t remain in the car. We must find cover in the woods and try to get to the Estate on our feet," I yelled. I had never felt death this close before, but for the first time, I doubted we would make it. Bullets and guns were rare. It was a crime to make them and sell them. Yuri must have been desperate to go this far. I opened my side of the car, and Vino followed. More shots were fired, and we began to run. I heard Devin scream, and I knew he might have gotten hit. So I slowed down for him to catch up with me while I told Vino to run as fast as he could and get help. He was part of Sylvester''s pack, so if he was close enough to the Estate, he could link someone for help. Vino did not want to go ahead, but I forced him. We prepared for silver dust andbat, not silver bullets. Our chances of survival were slim. Devin caught up to me, limping. His hand and leg were bleeding, and I knew he had been hit. "We have to find a hiding ce so I can dig the bullets out. Come on," I said, and I helped him. I heard the car blow up and saw the explosion''s light while feeling the heat of the st. It was a close call. A bullet must have hit the tank. No one was chasing us so the attack might have been from afar. Bullets could travel fast, but I did not stop to find out. We kept moving until we got to a cave. We entered, and I helped Devin roll up his sleeve and trouser. He was sweating, and that made me doubt it was only silver. Growing my ws, I dug into the hole and dug out the bullet in his thigh. I did the same for the one in his shoulder, and we tied it with pieces of his shirt to stop the bleeding. I doubted his healing capacity would set in, so I supported him to help him get to the Estate. "Are you sure about this," Devin said, trying to breathe. He did not look good at all. He looked very pale, and I knew he could die if we lingered in the cave. "I need you to hang in there, Devin. There is still much for us to do together. Remember you said we are on the winning team? Remember Susan," I asked him, and he nodded. I could see that he knew the severity of his situation. I made him hang his hand over my shoulder, and we headed out. I tried to move as fast as possible. I would have carried him if he had been smaller, but this would have to do. Our phones had been blown up with the car, and I wasn''t part of Sylvester''s pack, so I couldn''t link anyone. "Please hang in there, Devin," I said, my voice breaking for the first time. Because I knew the Estate was still a bit far from us on foot. "Shift so I can carry him," ck said in my head. Devin was big, but I was sure my wolf was big enough to manage. I stopped and looked at Devin. His eyes were closing. "I am going to shift, and I need you toy on my back so I can run," I said, and he nodded slowly. His lips were dry, and I knew he was dehydrated, but there was no water. I did not bother to take off my clothes. Every second counted. I shifted immediately, and Devin managed to lie on my back. He weighed a lot, but the fear of losing him gave me the strength I needed to push. I began to sprint towards the Estate. While I ran, my heart was in my mouth. I prayed to the goddess to give me strength and give Devin time. I prayed for speed and pushed with all my might. I hoped Vino and the other Kappa were safe. I hope Vino was fast enough to move close enough to get help. My legs moved quickly, and everything was a blur. All I could think of was getting to the Estate. I ran for about forty minutes and decided to get on the road. It was the fastest route to the Estate. It would take me another forty minutes if I continued in the woods, but if I used the road, I would get there in twenty minutes. Every minute counted, and we had used forty already. I decided to take my chances on the road. Devin wasn''t moving on my back anymore, and I became scared. I pushed myself harder, not giving up hope, trying to make twenty into fifteen minutes. I was still running when I saw heamps. It was a van. I ran to the middle of the road, not caring who it was. The driver hit the brakes, and the tyres screeched against the tarred road. I could smell burnt rubber, but it was the least of my concerns. "Leo!" I heard Vino and Marcel''s voice. Vino had gotten close enough to link someone, and Marcel had sprung into action. I was d, but I wasn''t at ease. Devin''s fate was unknown. They came to help put Devin in the van. I shifted back quickly, and they turned the vehicle around to head to the Estate. Going to the hospital would be suicide because those snippers might still be on that road. I looked at Devin beside me at the back. He was already unconscious. I felt for his pulse, and it was faint. Tears streamed down my cheeks; profound fear was in my heart, and I kept telling him, ''Just a little longer,'' even though I knew he could not hear me. It wasn''t long ago that we were talking in the car about winning and getting Yuri. It wasn''t long ago that he had smiled at me. I wiped away my tears, afraid I would lose my friend. "How is he doing?" Vino asked me with a shaky voice. "His pulse is faint," I said, and Marcel floored the elerator. We were at the Estate gate in no time. The gate was open wide, and Marcel drove in and headed to the Entrance. Erik, udia, Linda, and Amelia were waiting. I saw udia with an epinephrine pen, and the first thing she did when we arrived and brought him out of the van was feel for his pulse and then hit the pen on his thigh. She held it there and counted while the pen clicked. Soon I saw his chest rise and copse, making his breathing regr again, but I knew it was temporary until the issue was fixed. "Carry him to the infirmary; run a line. We need to flush out whatever they put into him," I heard udia say. Her voice and hands were shaking. She was afraid, but sheposed herself. Amelia ran towards me and hugged me. She was afraid and shaking. I tried to find Susan. "Where is Sue?" I asked. "She fainted," Amelia said, and that was when I knew she was crying. I looked into her swollen eyes. "I am here, Moonlight. I am fine," I said, and she nodded and buried her head in my chest. We had indeed just had a close call. Chapter 275: 113 Poison Chapter 275: 113 Poison ~Leo~ We all went to the infirmary to give Devin our support. He wasn''t in the clear yet. The shot was given to him to trick his body into believing he was fine. Until whatever was in his system was nullified, we could not rest. We entered the room, he was kept, and Susan was beside him. She looked very pale, holding his hand with tears streaming down her face. I could see confusion and fear in her eyes. She must feel helpless. "Please help him, udia," She told udia, and udia tried to calm her down. I had tomend the doctor for her ability to keep calm and do her work. Her mate had been in the ident too. It was a miracle that she could think and function. Vino was with us, and I knew it was best he remained there so udia could see he was fine. Amelia held on to me tightly. Tamia and Sylvester walked in, and Taima rushed to me to check. "Are you all right?" she asked, and I nodded. She turned to look at Devin and went to stand beside Susan. "He will be fine," She said, stroking Susan''s hair, and Susan got up, turned towards Tamia, and hugged her. I heard her weep and realised the cruelty of fear and death. This is what happens when we leave our other half behind. Amelia would have been this way and maybe lost the baby from the shock had I been in Devin''s shoes. It was a strong reality check. Theodore joined us. udia looked around, and it seemed she wanted to say something but did not want Susan to hear it. It was going to be impossible because there was no way Susan would leave the room. "May I speak with you for a moment," I asked udia, allowing her to tell me whatever the matter was outside, and she nodded. We stepped out of the room, and I noticed her hand was still trembling. "I do not think I can help him. I do not know what is in his system. The shot I gave him will soon wear off, and I do not know what else to do from there. There is nob here to carry out serious tests. We are handicapped," She whispered with misty eyes, afraid for Devin. I did not know what to say. I wasn''t a medical practitioner, and this wasn''t my turf. I called for Sylvester to join us. He would know what to do. I covered my face and looked at the door leading to Devin''s room. I wish I had magical abilities or special healing powers like in the movies. It would have been nice. Sylvester joined us, and I exined what udia said. "How about we call the hospital to bring certain things? That should help. I doubt they would attack the ambnce," He said, knowing that was our only hope, and she nodded and took out her phone. We were about to walk in when I saw Erick approaching us. I did not even notice that he wasn''t in the room with us. I wondered where he had gone. But it was irrelevant right now. Devin''s life was all that mattered. He rushed to us with a syringe in his hand. "This is not the time to take blood samples. We need to save his life first," I said, annoyed that he might want to draw Devin''s blood to figure out the poison. "This is the antidote, dumb ass. I think I know what they coated those silver bullets in. It came from myb. And I am sure my treacherousb assistants gave it to them. They steal my shit all the time," he said, and I frowned at him. I did not want to argue with him. I just urged him to go to the room immediately. We all returned to the room, and I was surprised to see Devin was somewhat awake but in delirium and mumbling nonsense. Blue veins were showing on his skin, and Susan was crying harder. There was nothing worse than being helpless. We could fight battles to save our lives, but this chemical war was beyond all of us. Erik injected the syringe content into the IV and then increased the speed of the drip. "What was that?" Susan asked him. "The antidote. This position is from myb. I think my days of experiments havee to an end. Yuri has outdone himself this time. Devin is a strong man to be still alive," He said everyone was focused on Devin, hoping to see signs of improvement. "Do not worry, he will get better, and even if they shoot him with it again, it will never affect him again, except for the silver, of course. That will always affect him. I would have to administer this to all of you to prevent this from happening to any of you. My freedom depends on everyone in this room; I can''t let Yuri spoil things for me. I have never wanted him dead before, but now, that is all I look forward to. This is extreme," he said, and I could hear the rage in his voice. It was indeed extreme seeing that Sylvester nned to fix all the wrongsmitted against Stepanovs. Yuri was just in wicked. I saw the blue veins begin to disappear and colour return to Devin''s face. I have never felt relief with the intensity I felt in those moments, watching the signs of life returning to my friend''s body. You genuinely do not know how much someone means to you until you are close to losing them or you lose them. I did not think I cared so much about Devin until tonight. He was the brother I never had. We had met on the wrong foot, but he had be my closest friend. We have been through thick and thin together. Yuri would pay for what he did tonight. I felt ck rx. udia checked on Devin; her smile gave us all peace of mind. udia smiled and cried at the same time. Finally, releasing her emotions. "He is in the clear," She said, and Vino went to hold her. She was, indeed, a strong woman. To have carried on all the while so that she could treat Devin. I commended her for her effort and her strength. She held on to Vino tightly and wept. "Don''t leave me! Do not die," She said repeatedly, which brought tears to my eyes because I knew what she was feeling. Amelia held on to me and squeezed tightly; her heartbeat was still fast. Words did not need to be spoken between us. I understood how she felt. Theodore handed me shorts, and I realised I was naked all along. I collected the shorts and ore them immediately. No one cared. We were all worried for Devin, but now that he was in the clear, I could feel the tension in the room ease up. Just then, Alexei, y and Nelson entered the room, looking worried and confused. "What happened!" Alexei asked, looking at Devin where hey. Susan held Diven''s hands tightly, and her tears were still falling. Only Devin couldfort her, but I saw Tamia trying to ease her mind. "He will be fine and stronger than he was," Erik said, and no one spoke. David, Nicole and Dominic joined. I wondered if Katya woulde too, but it didn''t seem so. There was a possibility she was asleep, and Avery too. I wanted to tell Amelia to go to bed, but I did not bother. Vino told them what happened, and I wondered where the Kappa that survived was. "Did you see the Kappa?" I asked Vino. "He is fine; He got here after you arrived with Marcel. He wasn''t hit, but he was traumatised," Sylvester said, and I was d that the man made it. "I have tomend you for your quick thinking, Leo. You all would have been dead if you had not told them to get out of the car and run." Sylvester said, and I could see gratitude in his eyes. He masked his emotions well, but I saw that he was scared and just like all of us, he was hanging by a thread. Sylvester looked at Erik with a stern expression. I could see he was calcting in his mind. "Do you have more of what you just gave, Devin?" He asked him, and Erik nodded. "Of course I do. That is what I came here to produce, and I came with lots of samples. Hence why I offered to administer it to all of you," He said, and I frowned; likewise did Sylvester. "You mean you just gave Devin AgK32?" I asked, and he nodded. We were silent for a bit. "How many weird poisons did you create that Yuri might haveid his hands on?" Tamia asked him, sounding a bit annoyed. Erik shook his head and raised his palms to distance himself from her words. "I did not create any biological weapon or poison. I did not create this poison intentionally. It was one of the byproducts of AgK32 derived from the silverponent. It urred during the process. It seemed like a good weapon to have then, but now I do not think so," Erik exined. "So you mean your assistance can make it?" Amelia asked him, trying to understand. "They can''t. The form is in my head. I might have to write it down now, but it is in my head, and they aren''t good chemists. I just keep them around for the basic stuff," He said "So what will happen to Devin after this?" I asked, and he shrugged. "A little rash, that''s all, and mild fever in some cases but nothing else. The poison can''t affect him again; he is immune, but he will still react to silver once the drug wears off," he replied. "I would like you to administer the meds to all of us going to the King''s Hall tomorrow and our enforcers and Kappas. There will be about fifteen in total. Do you have enough for that?" Sylvester asked, and Erik shook his head. "I can Administer to the lords, Leo, Devin, Queen Tamia and you. After which, I would have enough for maybe just three heavy-weight people. I will have to administer the meds to Devin again in case silver dust is pumped into the air. He isn''t immune to silver," He said. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. Seeing how far Yuri went, I knew any gathering would be dangerous. It meant the hearing would be unsafe. "How long will it take you to prepare it?" Linda asked him. "Four days if I have my equipment," Erik said, and Sylvester nodded. "I will ask Kappa Wilson to attend to you. He will get you everything you need. Unfortunately, I must set up ab for you somewhere on this property. I would not want to risk anything happening to you," Sylvester said, and Erik nodded. "I am setting the hearing for tomorrow at noon. We will announce it by nine o''clock. I believe this was a dy tactic and an attempt to destabilise us. We will have to forge ahead with our ns. I am going to arrest all who have been mentioned and torture the shit out of them. I will not have mercy on anyone that is on Yuri''s team. Gone are the days of locking people up; they would be executed immediately," Sylvester said, and I could feel his rage. "They will be publicly disgraced, and their families shamed for their conduct. I will not be kind this time around. Tonight has woken me up from my supposed slumber. It is no longer business as usual. Yuri went after my family and friends. He tried to take their lives. He tried to hit me where it would hurt, and he almost seeded. It won''t be business as usual. I will make an example of him and his people and eliminate them most painfully. When I finallyy my hands on the bastard, I will enjoy every bit of his pain until he takes hisst breath," Sylvester said with pure determination, and I supported his resolve. We all were in agreement on this. Devin would have left us tonight had Erik not been here and had he not travelled with his experiment. We would have lost our friend and brother. Susan would have lost her mate, and the South would have lost their true Alpha. It was time to start killing them. There was no point ying by the book and being nice anymore. It seemed to end them; we needed to be bigger monsters. Chapter 276: 114 To The Kings Hall Chapter 276: 114 To The King''s Hall ~Leo~ We all waited patiently for Devin to recover. None of us retired to bed. I begged Amelia to go to bed, but she refused. We were all concerned for Devin. Three hourster, Devin finally fell asleep. The poison was visibly out of his system, and we knew he was resting. His wolf and body fought a deadly battle, and we were d it was over. It was two in the morning, and we were all tired. I could wait for the hearing tomorrow. I had promised Joan I would cut her down if she crossed the line with me. I couldn''t wait to do the needful. Sylvester was right. Our prisons were full, and our resources were limited. Sympathy was a thing of the past now. After seeing how far they were willing to go, it would be foolish to advocate for mercy on their behalf. Twice they have tried to kill me. They shot at us. It was a miracle we all did not die. The Kappa driver they shot remained burned in my mind. What was his crime? He probably had a mate and children that would never see him again. The thought alone brought tears to my eyes. His only crime was being the designated driver for the journey. Our lives weren''t more important than his. We were just lucky. "Promise you won''t be merciful," I told Sylvester, and he nodded. He understood my anger, and we were all on the same page. "This has to stop. We deserve peace; weeding them out and killing them is the only way," Tamia said. "I agree with you. It could have been anyone in that car. Yuri has gone too far," Alexei said, and the rage in his voice showed that he supported Sylvester''s decision to eliminate anyone found guilty. "Well, I doubt anyone would have an issue with eliminating Yuri since the real head of the Stepanov family, Alexei, has agreed with King Sylvester," Erik said, trying to make light of the situation, but none no oneughed. Even David could not find a joke. This had hit us hard. Had Erik not been here, we would have said goodbye to Devin. We were shaken. "I will give instructions for the Kappas to take a full sweep of the road that leads to town in the morning to ensure no surprises on our way to the city and back," Dominic said, and we all weed it. It was silly that we did not think of it. "That won''t be necessary," Sylvester said. "I n on sending for Helicopters. It is time we use the helipad at the King''s Hall. They cannot shoot poisoned bullets at us in the air. They will not be prepared for it, and an antiaircraft gun isn''t a weapon anyone can transport inconspicuously," He said. "Still, I think Dominic should have the road checked and secured. We can never be too careful," Tamia said, and I could see the reluctance in Sylvester''s eyes. He agreed with his wife, but I knew what he was thinking. He did not want any more casualties. We returned to our rooms, but Erik, Nelson and y decided to remain and keep an eye on Devin to ensure he was all right. Susany beside Devin in bed, and we all knew trying to get her to bed would be futile. She wasn''t going to leave there until he was ready to leave. Erik told us Devin would be okay before noon, meaning he would be active on the panel. He will have a rash, but it was something he could manage. "I hope tomorrow goes well," Amelia said, slipping under the covers. I knew she was worried, but I was hopeful that we would get to turn the tables tomorrow and weed out the problems. Amelia held on to me tightly that night, and I was grateful that the goddess brought me home safely. Sleep eventually came, and I weed it because I knew tomorrow would be a good day. We woke up around eight in the morning. Amelia and I freshened up in a hurry and dressed up. We rushed to breakfast so we could attend the morning discussion. When we arrived at the dining room, Sylvester, Tamia, Dominic, and Katya were yet to join us. Everyone was there, including Avery and Andrew. I frowned because Andrew wasn''t supposed to be at the Estate yet. "What are you doing here?" I asked him, and Alexei cleared his throat. "I called him toe this morning. He came dressed as a Kappa. After what happened yesterday, I wasn''tfortable leaving him at the hotel." He exined, and I sighed. "Did you tell Sylvester?" I asked Alexei because Andrew wasn''t supposed toe to the Estate until after the hearing, but I could understand why Alexei would worry for his cousin. "There was no need. That poison wouldn''t have affected him if they had shot him," Erik said. "But they could kidnap or kill him. Just like Nelson, Yuri is hunting him too." y said,ing to Andrew''s defence. Seeing that they cared for their cousin even though they suspected him was amazing. I hoped they knew there would be no room for sentiments if found guilty. "How is Devin, by the way?" I asked Erik, and he smiled. "Will soon join us. He woke up feeling strong by six but had a mild rash. udia has given him something for the rash. It should fade away by tomorrow. He is lucky it isn''t itchy," He said,ughing, and it was great that we couldugh now. I could not wait to see Devin. Sylvester and Tamiater arrived, followed by Dominic and Katya. We did not start eating still. It was clear we were all waiting for Devin and Susan. They arrived five minutes after Dominic and Katya, and the room had an unexinable joy. We were all emotional about it. We would have lost him. Susan sat while Devin remained standing. "I am very grateful for everything done to keep me in this world," He said, sounding emotional. Susan squeezed his hands to support him while wiping away her tears. It was indeed a close call. "Leo, thank you for risking your life to bring me home." He said with respect in his eyes, and I nodded. "You would have done the same," I said to him. He wanted to thank Vino and Erik, but they stopped him. "Too many emotionstely," Vino said, and everyoneughed. We all understood his views. Devin looked at me differently from before. He had absolute gratitude in his eyes. ck was d he was okay. Sylvester cleared his throat after. "I am shifting the hearing until three in the evening. I will be announcing and inviting everyone by twelve. Devin will be okay by then because we will spend a while in the hall. I n to televise the event to ensure everyone in every region is part of the event. Top family members of noble and aristocratic families in the North would attend. I want to back Yuri to a corner and reduce his reach," He exined, and I understood his reasons for shifting the hearing from twelve noon to three in the afternoon. We hadn''t gotten enough sleep and were yet to put everything in ce. Noon was too close to achieving anything substantial this was the best move. We were eating when my cell phone rang. Seeing it was, Max made me answer immediately. All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. "Hello," I said. "Leo, are you in a good frame of mind right now?" he asked, and I became worried. What a shitty way to calm people down before giving them the bad news. I was silent for a bit. Bracing myself for the news. "What is it?" I am finally asked. "Casper has been kidnapped, likewise some Alphas and Beta of other packs in the East. They did not attack the way we hoped. They just kidnapped people. Even Gordon has been taken from our custody. Loren brought a note this morning. She said they left it in her mailbox to tell her why her husband won''t be home. Soon, your father got phone calls about simr events from other packs. We do not know what to do at this point," he said. I ran my fingers through my hair. I did not know when I started to growl. I needed a break, for fuck sake. I just almost died yesterday. I would have lost a friend andrade. Now this? If I get my hands on Yuri, I will squeeze his life out painfully and slowly. "Leo," Amelia said, and I continued to growl. She collected the phone from me. I tried to control my anger. "You need to calm the fuck down!" someone ordered. The voice was so demanding that I snapped out of it. I realised it was David that used his authority on me. He caught me off guard, but it was necessary. ck was losing it. "What is the matter," Tamia asked me gently. "They have kidnapped beta Casper and most of the Eastern betas and Alphas. They did it in the night and left notes this morning. They also took Gordon, so they know all that was discussed at the meeting," Amelia responded, sounding lost. She must have spoken to Max when she took the phone from me. "You need to assign someone to handle it. Let''s focus on the hearing. I believe Yuri knows something is about to happen thanks to Gordon, and he is trying to prevent it and trying hard to destabilise us. You have to delegate this work to people, your majesty, and carry on with the hearing. Three in the afternoon is too far. Make it one o''clock, and let''s get it over with. If you do not push back now, Yuri will have time to put things in ce," Erik said, and I calmed down. "I will handle it," I said and took the phone from Amelia. I called Max and instructed him and Kyle to act and trace them out on my behalf, then hung up. "We have to get those Documents Larry told us about. They are bound to be in one of those properties," I said, and Sylvester agreed. "I will ask Kappa Levi and Kappa Wilson to sneak to Larry''s residence and get the documents without the knowledge of his family members," Sylvester said, and it sounded like a good n. After breakfast, our mates went to get ready and prepare. They were to arm themselves with poison darts as we did in Brentwood. I didn''t want Amelia toe because of her condition, but she insisted, and Sylvester wanted her there. Unfortunately, Avery, Katya, and udia had to remain, but they were to arm themselves with poisoned darts in case they needed to use them. We were not going to let Yuri surprise us. Emergency invitations were sent to everyone who needed to attend the hearing. Joan and her family representative, Leah. Sean and his mate. Head alpha of the West, Alpha Sean and head Alpha of the North, Alpha Christian. The entire council, the press, and the noble and aristocratic families. The hearing was strictly on invitation. Topics that were to be discussed were tabled. Alexei and y''s cases were to be heard, among other matters, which included terrorism in the South and East. We were careful not to mention Stepanovs or Yuri. Even though we knew they knew that we had already figured it out. It was essential to keep it out of the itinerary to keep them believing we were still investigating and had yet to disclose our findings. It would keep their guards down and open them up for us to strike. Erik administers the med to all of us except Amelia, y, Andrew, Nelson and Alexei. They did not need it. Bryce Golubev and four of our top Kappas were given the meds. It wasn''t that the other''s kappas weren''t important, but the Agk32 was limited, so we had to be selective. I hoped it would not be needed and they would not shoot at us. We also wore Ker vests under our clothes to protect a bullet from our hearts. As for our heads, we have to hope they had a shitty aim because going to the King''s Hall in helmets would be a dead giveaway. Once it was Eleven thirty. We boarded the helicopter to take us to the King''s hall. Arrivingst meant they would not have room to prepare. Bryce Golubev had secured the ce already, and they were on standby, ready for an attack. Chapter 277: 115 Hearing Chapter 277: 115 Hearing ~Sylvester~ I could see that Leo had reached his limits during breakfast. Yuri had pushed him the most. Whereas everything happened to Devin suddenly and in the dark, away from the mess, Leo had experienced Yuri blow by blow and had to deal with the mess. This was extreme. The responsibility to get everyone back from captivity rested on Leo''s shoulders as head alpha of the East, which was why he was overwhelmed. Leo had the entire East to secure and loyalty to protect. He had to hide us in the East. He fought for Brentwood. Housed and provided for the Alphas and Pack members that lost their homes to the terrorists. He had to bring us back safely. He almost lost his lifest night and was with Devin all through. I could just imagine how he felt. All that had happened to him was enough to mentally take him off the edge. It wasn''t even his cross to bear, which made it all unfair. Yuri did this to keep Leo upied and leave me vulnerable. I had tomend Leo for his strength. He had been exceptional through it all. Leo and Devin were caught in a battle they had no business with and were hit the most. I was determined to turn the tables at the hearing. I was determined to restore order. After receiving the shots, we dressed up and boarded therge helicopter to take us to the King''s hall. It was a military helicopter, so there would be nofort, but that was the least of our problems. Eliminating the threat was all we cared about. Peace andfort coulde after. Joan called me on my way out after I had explicitly told her not to call my phone. I refused to answer. We boarded the helicopter, and I realised she was bugging Marcel too. I asked him to answer her and put her on speaker before the helicopter lifted. "What is it, Joan?" Marcel asked, sounding short. "Everyone is here; where are you?" she asked. "Is it noon?" Marcel asked, and she was silent. "I am beginning to suspect you have ulterior motives. You have bugged me too much today. I hope you know I am married," He said, and everyone chuckled. "I beg your pardon," Joan said, sounding offended. "You heard me. I know our fathers did not take their bonds seriously and flirted with you and your friends, but we aren''t like them. Get your daughter a single man and stop trying to climb the social ladder. See you in the hearing," he said and hung up. Everyone startedughing. There was no way Joan would know we were on to her with how Marcel had spoken to her. "It''s usible," David said,ughing. It was amusing, but I did not miss that Leo and Devin weren''tughing. They had been stretched thing and even though I was King. They bore the burden most. I stoppedughing out of respect and linked the others to do the same. "I am sure we will get all of them back," I told Leo, and he nodded. His eyes were distant. Beta''s were always closest to the Alpha. Casper was his best friend. I didn''t expect him to take it lightly. The rest of the ride was silent. When we were about to get there. We ran a checklist making sure everyone was set and ready. The women had their darts, and everyone had on their vests. As for our heads, we just had to hope they wouldn''t shoot. Once the helicopternded on the pad, we hurried into the building. While Erik, Nelson and Andrew remained hidden. They were to await my order to let them into the hall. We did not want the people in the hall to figure out the n. Everyone went to take their respective seats, and Devin announced that the meeting was to start. One of the councilmen, Gideon, was the first to address us. He greeted everyone respectfully and cleared his throat to begin. "With all due respect. We would like to know why his majesty called for an impromptu meeting over the alleged cheating of Alpha Alexei Kusov in the East and Alpha y Newton in the South. This meeting would have been discussed at the end of the month during a hearing as usual," He said, and Devin shut him up. He did not seem to be in a pleasant mood with the council. I noticed Pam was taken aback by his outburst. "I bet you will also argue that the thievery and terrorism going on in the east and south is not an emergency, and we should wait until the end of the month to address the matter," Devin asked him, and Sean decided to interject. "That is a problem for you and Alpha Leo. Alpha Christian and I have problems too, and we did not call for a council meeting to address the matter. This can be seen as an abuse of power and association. I do not understand why we should all be here," Sean said respectfully. "I do not see Alpha Christainining, Sean, so keep your opinion to yourself until you are asked a question," Leo said with rage. It was clear the news he got this morning had affected his mood greatly. From waking up grateful to be alive to finding out that his best friend and Beta had been Kidnapped along with some of the Loyal leaders of the East was enough to push him. "Why is this building heavily guarded?" Joan asked. "With all that has been happening in the south and east, we couldn''t be too careful," Vino said from his seat. "With all due respect. Besides being a Volkov, you do not have an office on this council, so you are not to speak," Pam said, and I already nned to fix that point today. "Have you all finished arguing?" I asked, and everyone was silent. "We do not n to take much of your time," I said. "I called everyone here to right a wrongmitted several years ago. I am doing this because I want peace and do not support cheating and maniption." I said and looked at the camera, knowing the hearing was being televised. "Gregory Volkov went back on his promise to Adrain Stepanov and refused to rotate the Lordship between the two families after they fought to reinstate the Lordship. He altered the agreement and naming requirements he was sure the Stepanovs would not meet." I said I could feel the uneasiness of the council and crowd as I spoke, but it was necessary. "Due to this, a dispute transpired between my grandfather Dimitri Volkov and Adrik Stepanov, who was supposed to be the rightful heir of the Lordship at that time. He wasn''t only cheated but was also wrongfully used of treason, of which Dimitri ordered the Stepanov Family and n be eliminated and forgotten," I said and sighed. "This order was carried out, and Adrik and his family were murdered along with hundreds of Stepanovs. Their names were removed from history, and it was prohibited to speak about them," I said and stood up. "I just learned of this from the stories my mother told me and the living descendants of the Stepanovs that managed to escape. Grandchildren of Adrik Stepanov and his rtives. Being a man that abhors injustices and loves peace, I have chosen to right this wrong today," I said. I linked Marcel to have all the Stepanovs on the floor. Nelson, Andrew, and Erik were ushered in first and made to stand in the Centre. Alexei, y and Amelia joined them. They had no dye or contacts on. The innocent people on the council and the observers were shocked at their features. I noticed Pam''s shock and figured she wasn''t a part of Yuri''s team. "As you can see, their features, those of my grandparents'' age, can easily recognise the Stepanovs. Due to the injustice against them, they were forced to scatter about, hiding in the shadows and trying to survive. A royal bloodline was belittled and destroyed due to greed and malice. Today I will fix the error and hope the Stepanovs will find it in their hearts to forgive the Volkovs and join forces with us as we did in the past without ulterior motives to build a better future," I said. "To correct this wrong. I am appointing Alexei Kusov, first son of Luis Ivanov, grandson of Adrik Stepanov, as Lord and protector of the West. As head of the Stepanov family, his office will rank second inmand and thus ced above Lord Marcel Sidorov. I hope this position corrects the injusticemitted against Adrik Stepanov and Luis Ivanov," I said, and people began to murmur. Even Alexei did not expect to get that position, but it was his right as the heir of the Stepanov n. "Your family''s Estate would be renovated and delivered to you. In return, you are to return the Hill Valley pack to the rightful Alpha, Maxwell nch," I said, and he smiled and bowed his head with relief. "y Newton, son of Luis Ivanov, grandson of Adrik Stepanov. I now grant you Lordship in assistance capacity to your older brother. To Serve under him as Lord, but you will not be above Marcel Sidorov but be above Theodore Orlov respectfully as it is meant to be based on lineage and Heirachy. You are also to return the southern pack to its rightful Alpha," I said, and he bowed and thanked me. "Amelia Westwood, Head Luna of the East, daughter of Luis Ivanov, granddaughter of Adrik Stepanov, I at this moment appoint your mate, Leonardo Albert, as Lord and protector of the East, an office he is to hold and pass on to his son as the rightful heir of the position. Although this office would be inactive in the time of you and your mate, you are free to make decisions that would improve the East and help forge a better future for its people," I said, and she thanked me gently. They went to their seats, leaving Nelson, Andrew, and Erik still standing. "Behold The new members of the people''s council. Councilman Erik Stepanov, Nelson Stepanov and Andrew Stepanov. The three of you will represent your families and n on the council as the Sidorovs, Orlovs, and Balyeaves have represented the Volkovs on the council for many years. Please take your seats," I said, and Nelson was beaming. I did not mean to ce Andrew and Nelson on the council, but it was necessary for there to be a bnce.Material ? N?velDrama.Org. I called Vino to the Centre. "As a Volkov and Lawrence, I reappoint you onto the council to represent The Lawrence Family. I give you the honourary Lordship title in an inactive capacity by name only," I said, and he looked genuinely surprised. I could see he wasn''t expecting it but had dealt with his demons and proven himself worthy. The hall was silent, and no one spoke a word. Knowing we could not waste any more time, I decided to skip to the next matter. "It hase to my attention that just as Larry worked against me and the peace of our world, some people missed our radar and have stubbornly continued in this fashion," I said, and the enforcers and kappas strolled in decked in full protective gear, ready to make arrests. I noticed Joan be very disturbed, but Leah was calm. Could it be possible that Joan was alone in this? "There is a Stepanov terrorist that has wiped out many lives. Being immune to silver, he and his group have used silver dust to wipe out settlements and terrorise people. He ns to divide our world by force in the name of Justice. It pains me that some of the people who swore to protect lives and govern the affairs of the people have helped him by ying a massive part in all of this. Because of the viciousness of their crimes, I have been forced to move quickly without remorse," I said and signalled Bryce to make the arrests. "Joan yman, Leah yman, Sean Garret, You are under arrest for conniving with Yuri Stepanov to usurp power from the sitting Mornach," Leo said and banged the gavel. "This is ridiculous! What proof do you have?" Joan asked. "Plenty. I am sure you recognise Erik Stepanov because he recognises you," Devin said, and I could hear his anger. "Whether you confess or not, there is enough evidence to put all of you away," Devin said, and Leah began to cry. "What is happening? Mother," Leah said, and Joan looked at Pam. "Won''t you vouch for me, Pam?" She asked her friend. I wondered if Rivers was in on it, but I doubted it since her name was not mentioned. "If truly what they say is true, then I can''t vouch for you, Joan. It is extreme. I mean, I like to party and hunt for rich noblemen, but this is just absurd. You are on your own on this one," Pam said, distancing herself from Joan. "I am appointing Erik Stepanov as head leader of the North, and henceforth, all Stepanovs are free to move about. The West would be their home, and anywhere they choose to live. They will not be persecuted as long as they do notmit crimes. I promise the Stepanov n would not be marginalised or deprived of their fundamental rights. I promise this as their King and as their brother," I said, ending it all. "We deserve a fair trial," Sean said, finally speaking. "Unfortunately, this isn''t a democracy," Leo told him. "I remembered warning a lot of you fools not to side with that monster several years ago. Now, where is Yuri to help you? It will help you to forget about himing to your aid because he is a selfish bastard," Erik said. "After all King Sylvester did for you, Sean, you still had the heart to betray him. You were not qualified for that position, but he gave it to you as a form of gratitude, and you used his gift to stab him in the back. I hope all of you think of your treachery while you undergo severe torture because, unlike Larry and the others, we do not n to be lenient," Devin said, and Leah fainted. Chapter 278: 116 Some Laundry Chapter 278: 116 Some Laundry ~ Leo~ When Leah fainted, some Kappas rushed to see how they could help her. They removed her silver cuffs so she could recuperateter, and we asked the press to leave. We did not want the rest of the discussion televised for security purposes. While the Kappas tried to take Sean away, he began to struggle. "This is ridiculous. This is unfair. When I supported a Monarch, I did not ask for my right to be taken from me. I have the right to a fair trial. Evidence is to be brought with witnesses," Sean said, and I was off the edge. His coboration with Yuri overwhelmed the East and South''s economic system. We had all sorts of people trooping in because they were disced. I could not believe the nerve he had to protest and speak of his rights. What about the rights of the people he disced by beingplicit. "A fair trial, you say? What was your response when we asked why so many disced people left the West?" Dominic asked him, and Sean was silent. "Does anyone have the report he sent?" Dominic asked, looking at me, and I nodded. "He said they were disced people from packs whose alphasmitted treason and that the pack members were not epted in neighbouring packs due to their alphas'' actions, so they chose to migrate to where people did not know them," I said and Dominic nodded. "Now we find out that the packs shared a border with the South and East, and they have Stepanov Deltas as their Alphas. The fact that as Head of the East, you did not find this strange means you wereplicit in the matter," Dominic said, giving Sean the requested trail. "What do you say in your defence Sean Garret?" Dominic asked, and Sean was speechless. Gradually I watched his angry face turn up into a big grin. "You all do not know what ising," he said, finally giving up the pretence. "They are immune to silver fast and vicious. All this will soon be taken," He said,ughing like a madman, and Davidughed. "I get the humour and stupidity in your words," David told him, stillughing. Sean stoppedughing and looked at David with confusion in his eyes. "Well, it is too bad you won''t be here to enjoy their reign. I doubt you are as important as he told you, Sean, and that goes for the rest of you," David said, stillughing. He had wiped away Sean''s smile. "Death by public hanging in the West for all to see," Dominic proposed, and people agreed. "I do not understand why you will get your hands dirty like this, Sean. You had it all." Pam asked him, and she seemed deeply sad. "Have it all? I didn''t have it all. None of these people respect me. I was given head Alpha of the West not because they felt I was qualified but because they had no choice but to ce me there because of Moses'' treachery. Everyone got something. Albert and Corrigan bumped up to noble Status. Aw was abolished for Christian''s sake but what about me? I got head alpha, and no one respects me. I dare not speak in the council unless spoken to. Yuri promised to make me Lord of the West, a noble status the present Monarch did not deem me worthy of. It was a good deal, and I took it. All I had to do was turn a blind eye, and that was all I did. Not kill anyone or chase anyone away, I just looked away," He said, and Bryce punched him. We all felt the same rage as Bryce did. I knew it was a reflex because he looked at Sylvester, but Sylvester nodded with approval. "Well, there is the confession," Devin said, and Seanughed. "How does it feel not to have anything, Corrigan? The South was taken from you so easily I wonder how you truly got the nickname Bane," He said,ughing, and Devinughed with him too. "Well, at least I have a seat on the council, friends and family. You are heading to your death, and no one will miss you," Devin said,ughing, and Bryce signalled they take Sean away. He had lost it. He had no good reason but greed. What a shame. "Anything to say, Joan?" Pam asked her. I could see the woman was annoyed too. I guess she just realised how different they were. "I had no choice," Joan said, and I raised my eyebrow. It would be interesting to hear what she has to say. Joan was silent after that and did not say a word. "We are listening, Joan," Pam said, and Joan remained silent. I believed she had said all she wanted to say in her defence. Leah hade through by then, but they pped the silver cuffs on her wrist immediately. "Lock them up and line them up for public execution tomorrow. We can''t stay here longer than we have already. They might have told their master of this meeting," Marcel ordered, and Joan started crying, looking at Sylvester and Tamia. "Please, your majesty, spare our lives. I will tell you everything I know. I honestly had no choice. The ymans have been broke for years, and we have been paying off debts; that was why I was searching for a wealthy suitor for Leah. The Stepanov n has supported us financially by helping us service our debts. If they pull their support, we will lose everything. That is why I had no choice. All they asked me to do was give them information on your whereabouts, uing events, and legition. Also, they would ask for tiny details like rtive names, addresses and locations. That was all. I never actively plotted against you, your Majesty. My family needed financial support to cover our shame. We have been broke for a while now. Please. My daughter is innocent. She has no hand in this. She does not even know them. Please, your Majesty," Joan said in tears, and I was in shock. Her case was foolish. I heard some people chuckle from the noble section. I knew it was because of Joan''s arrogance, and Leah was very arrogant too. I remembered what she said about my bungalow. How could Joan think I would get with her daughter and spend my money on their debt? She was indeed a dreamer. "So you spied on us for money? We almost got killed when we left your house party. Was that part of it too?" I asked her, and she shook her head. "No, Alpha Leo. I was hoping you would take an interest in Leah and maybe help us with our debts since you have the money. I wanted out of my deal with the Stepanovs so many times, but I couldn''t. That was why I kept sending Leah to you. I was really hoping it would work out. We were going to lose everything. As Erik knows, Yuri helps some of us financially, so we work for him. Most of us do not want to be there, but we are. Please let me atone by giving you all the information I have. You can kill me, but spare Leah. She has no hand in this," Joan pleaded, and I knew she was telling the truth, but she had already caused much damage with her actions. "I have never given information that led to anyone''s death," she argued, and Tamia shut her up. "But you told them of our children," Tamia said, enraged, and Joan shook her head. N?velDrama.Org is the owner. "I only gave their names," She said, and the noble observersughed at her response because it was pretty much the same thing. "Exactly what the Queen said," Pam said, and Joan was silent. "Please, your majesty. Please. I do not want to die," she said, and I wanted to squeeze her neck. She didn''t want to die, but it was fine others died; great, what a selfish bitch. She just asked we take her life and spare her daughter. She was really confused. "I have heard enough; the information you give and its use will determine if your life is worth sparing or not," Sylvester said, and she shook her head. "I will give you one now," She said quickly, and we were attentive. "Alpha Jake, Alpha Jake Brighton and his pack members will die tonight. I heard it from one of the cult members. They n to kill them tonight as they did Pridewood. It is topletely divide the South from the West and thus divide it from your influence, your majesty," She said, and I was worried for Stepanie. She and Jake were getting married this Bluemoon. How could Joan keep such information? Knowing and not speaking was a crime too. Where were her morals? She disgusted me. Chapter 279: 117 Into Action (book 2) Chapter 279: 117 Into Action (book 2) ~Leo~ I wasn''t the only person shocked by Joan''s words. The rest of the people in the hall were surprised too. Had we not caught her, she would have remained silent. She was despicable. "How do you know this? Do you attend their meetings? Where does it take ce? How do you communicate?" I asked her, hoping to get information that would help me rescue Casper and all the people kidnapped in the East. As things were, the East was vulnerable, and time was going. Any information would help. Joan shook her head and looked at me. Her eyes were swollen. The silver cuffs on her wrist had stopped her from healing. "So, how did you get the information?" I asked her, and her lips were quivering. She did not want to say it; the only reason she didn''t want to say it was that it could get her into more trouble. "If you do not give us the source of the information, it won''t be seen as credible," I said, and she began to weep. She looked at Leah and then at the lords. There was shame in her demeanour, and I braced myself for more shocking revtions. "This financial issue has been a strain on my family. It was why Leah''s father went missing. I believe he ran away so he wouldn''t have to pay the debts. I have been trying to find other ways to keep up with our lifestyle," She said, and I did not have time for this. "The source, Joan," I ordered her, tired of her roundabout approach. She was prevaricating on the matter, and time was of the essence. "There is a member of the cult named Igor Stepanov. He is Yuri''s cousin. He is also in the inner caucus. Many people do not know because he appears to be neutral most of the time, but he is a strong believer in Yuri''s values, and Yuri trusts him a lot. He gives me a lot of money to go on a trip with him," She confessed, which was a subtle way of revealing her affairs. "He pays you for a good time?" Devin asked, simplifying her words, and she shook her head. She was ashamed. "Not really, we are dating, but we aren''t exclusive, and he helps me financially. He was the one I nned to join on Cain''s ind this evening. The reason I told His Majesty I was travelling. Well, he came to Lundst yesterday. It was a sudden visit, and I had to go and see him. I aming from his hotel. I heard him discussing the Brighton attack on the phone this morning when he thought I was sleeping," Joan said, and I was ecstatic about the news. "Hotel name now!" I asked. I wanted to pick this bastard up if he was still there. We needed to question him. I suspect he had a hand in the attackst night. I was d the broadcast was stopped before this, or he would have discovered he was caught. "He isn''t at the hotel anymore; he is leaving for Cains might have left already. He asked me to join him, but now that he must have seen I have been arrested, he won''t be expecting me anymore. He is a cautious man." Joan said. "Do you know his other addresses?" I asked her, and she shook her head. "I have two cousins called Ighor. One of them staying in Hand," Erik said, and I looked at him. He shrugged. "Ighores across as a neutral party. He is my cousin. We see his Luis Ivanov. Neutral and peaceful. He nned not to take sides; now I know he was lying." Erik said and stood up. "Igor isn''t supposed to be on any team, so I am surprised he is on Yuri''s team now," He rified. "How long have you two been fucking?" He asked Joan, and she did not seem to like how he put the question, but she had no choice but to answer him. "Four years now. We met at Yuri''s house in Grizlo," She said, and I noted that information. "Do you have a picture of Ighor because? We have two Ighors that are our cousins, but only one lives in Hand. It is either him or the other one. If it is the Ighor in Hand, we can catch him, but the other one has been missing for years." Erik asked, and she wondered. "He does not like taking photos, but there is one I took of him when we were hugging, so all you will see is his back. I took a selfie of myself hugging him. I do not know if it will help." She said, and Erik nodded. "Good enough for me," Erik said, and she requested her phone. A Kappa searched her handbag and went to her. With guidance, he could scroll through her phone until he got to the picture she wanted to show us. He brought the phone to Erik, and Erik smiled. "He is the one. The son of a bitch. Now I know how Yuri found out about AgK32," he gritted his teeth. He was enraged. It was so intense that I knew there was more to it. "Tell it all now," I told Erik, and he seemed worried. "I told him I wasing to the north," he confessed, and I ran my fingers through my hair. Erik was unknowingly the leak. "What else did you tell him?" I asked him, feeling impatient, and he bowed his head. All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. "I pleaded with him to help me mobilise some Stepanovs to join my warriors based on my discussion with you, Leo. I told him that if the King gave us what we wanted, we could use the army to push Yuri back for peace''s sake. Had I known Yuri had bought him over, I wouldn''t have," he said, sounding betrayed. I could not fault him at all. I had gone to him to help us gather a Stepanov Army to help us push back. What were the odds that he would know Ighor was a two-faced bastard? "Increase the security at the airports and seaports," I ordered Bryce. We need to catch this bastard, we need to alert Jake, and we need to secure Stepanie because she knows where the children are. It sounded crazy, but the dots connected in my head. "This hearing is now dismissed," I said, and people murmured. "Be on your guard and increase your securities at your Various estates. The North might undergo a brutal, aggressive attack by these people," I warned the nobles, and they began to move faster than they were initially. "What about the prisoners?" Bryce asked me, and I looked up at Sylvester and Tamia where they were. They were both standing, and there was fear in their eyes. They had connected the dots too. "Secure the prisoners in the underground prison, for now," I said, unable to think of anything other than the Volkov children and their safety. We moved to the top of the building to board the helicopter. We moved quickly, and some of us were making phone calls. There was a need for urgency, and we all knew it. Andrew was utterly speechless. I bet he had no clue of anything we had learned. So much for wanting us to team up with Yuri; we would have fallen into a trap. "Have you been able to reach mother?" Sylvester asked Dominic, and he shook his head. ''What about Jake? Has anyone called him?" David asked, and Marcel nodded. "I am waiting for him to call back," Marcel said. "His son said he went horse riding and will ask him to call me when he returns. I have told his son Donald to start evacuating the people of Brighton. He said they have no bunkers and nowhere to go right now. That is the biggest problem," Marcel added, and The helicopter lifted into the air. Linda, Nicole and Tamia were as white as a sheet. Their children weren''t safe. "Do you think they can sessfully abduct your mother?" Tamia asked Sylvester, and he could not answer. "If they take her, they can use her to force Jake''s cooperation and also try to get the location of our children from them. I say we move the children," Linda said, and Amelia shook her head. "I say you don''t," Amelia said sternly. "Stephnie will never give up her grandchildren, and Jake would never do anything that will hurt Stepanie. They will die first before giving out the location of the children. Give them some credit," Amelia said, trying to be the voice of reason. "If you move them now, they will be exposed. I say we catch Ighor and send troops to Brighton from the east to defend them," Amelia said, and I shook my head. " Max and Kyle are upied with tracing out the people that were abducted," I argued, and she nodded. "They should move troops and rescue Brighton. Brighton will be our only safe passage to the South if war ensues between Yuri and us. I doubt he ns toe to the North. He seems okay with the West, East and South as his territories. Andrew did say it initially, only that he forgot to add the west to the number. The West was already taken with Sean on his side and Stepanovs taking over Western packs. We did not know it," Amelia said, and we all looked at Andrew, who was as white as a sheet. I had forgotten he was even with us because he did not speak a word. "She is right," he said. "I had wondered why they skipped Brighton all this while. I suspected it was because they were saving it forst so the King would not be alerted. If they had taken Brighton, it would affect Lady Stephanie, and King Sylvester would get into the matter. I believe they saved it forst when they would not care. Amelia is right. If we n on getting our troops to the South, we must pass through Brighton because it shares a border with Greenville. Moving our troops from the east to Greenville will be long and leave room for ambush because Greenville is in the southwest, and we will have to pass through the southeast to get there if we move from the East. With Brighton still ours, we can set up in Brighton and move to Greenville easily," Andrew said, and Erikughed. "The son of a bitch never nned to give Sean control of the West. He just used Sean to separate the West from the South. He knew Sean would get caught," Erik said,ughing. "Amelia is right; We have to keep Brighton open for ess to Greenville. The route through the east is long and unsafe. If Brighton is taken, then the South is sealed off entirely regardless of the situation in the East," Tamia advised. Though it was a difficult decision, I decided I would send help to Donald Brighton and his father. "Very well, I will call Max and have him mobilise my men," I said, taking out my phone. While I dialled Max, my heart was uneasy. Every second counted in a hostage situation. I wasn''t ready to sacrifice Casper. "Hello," Max answered immediately. I told him everything we heard and what I wanted from him immediately. I had to rush through it so I did not change my mind. "Are you sure about this, Leo?" he asked me, and I told him I was sure even though I wasn''t, but I knew it was the best move. "Okay, we will do it like this," He said, and I knew he could hear my uneasiness. "Kyle would go with the troops to Brighton while I will take two trackers and three warriors to continue the search for Casper," he said; as much as I did not want them to be divided, it was the only way that none of the mission would suffer. It was the only way to set both of them rolling. I reluctantly agreed, and he promised to update me. "Casper will be found, Leo," Devin said after I hung up. He knew exactly how I felt. I wouldn''t be so worried if Casper had been locked in a cell-like Lukman. I needed to know he was alright and safe," The ride back was silent. Wended at the estate, and everyone moved quickly. There was no time. Erik requested for hisb to be set up immediately. He wanted to get the AgK32 production ready. I understood his urgency because Yuri was moving the pieces quickly. We all headed to the lounge to discuss what was going on extensively. While we moved, Theodore received a call, and the way he jubted after receiving that call made us hopeful. Theodore hung up and looked at Sylvester. We all stood waiting for him to speak. "Bryce said his men have apprehended Ighor at the Airport. They are taking him to the secret warehouse for torture and interrogation. Anyoneing?" He said asked with a twinkle in his eyes. The joy that erupted was overwhelming. Everyone was beaming. Ighor might not be Yuri, but he was in the inner circle and might lead us to the bastard. Chapter 280: 118 Off To The Warehouse Chapter 280: 118 Off To The Warehouse ~Leo~ The news of Ighor''s arrest was like music, and I could feel the relief in the air. We quickly went to change our outfits into something morefortable. I could not wait to get my hands on the bastard. To think he was under my nose all the while made me feel deceived. Who would have thought Hand would be home to so many Stepanovs. "You need to be calm," Amelia said, and I looked in her direction. She had taken her clothes off completely. All she had on was her underwear. I looked at her t tummy and realised it won''t be just us in a few months. We needed to end this so we could move on and prepare for our future. I walked to her and held her in my arms. I kissed her neck and breathed her in. I needed some calmness and peace, and she offered it. I felt her wrap her arms around me and rx in my embrace. "I need you to be calm," she repeated. ''I am calm, Moonlight. I am calm," I said, assuring her of my state of mind. "Casper will be fine, and we will win this. I believe in our team," she said, repeating Devin''s words in the car before they shot at us. "I need you to be safe," I said, speaking my fears. "We won''t be around each other much in the days ahead. Our mission might take us to different ces. I need you to remember I need you." I said, and she broke the hug and looked into my eyes. "I need you to remember that too, Leo. Do not get emotional and careless," She said with tears in her eyes. "I would be lying if I said I wasn''t afraid, but I am. I am distraught. Do not get emotional. Casper will be fine. I need you to be sharp for us. We are the ones under fire, not Sylvester or the northern lords. You, me, Devin and Susan. We are the ones caught in the mess. I need you to remain sharp and focused," She said pleadingly, and I bent to kiss her lips. There were no words I could say to assure her that I would put her first. "I will always put you first, Moonlight. Always," I said. I held Amelia for a while, then let go and slipped into somethingfortable for the trip to the warehouse. "I wish we coulde. I would have loved to take out my frustration on Ighor," Amelia said, wearing a silk bedroom robe. I smiled at her. "Do not worry; there will be plenty of key yers for you to y with before sentencing. Joan seems like a good candidate, don''t you think?" I asked, and her eyes widened. I watched a smile creep onto her face. "Is Sylvester going to let her live?" She asked, and I shook my head. I knew he meant what he said when he said he wouldn''t take prisoners. I doubt he would make an exception. Too many people had lost their lives for anyone caught in the mess to be spared. The only mercy was he might make it quick, but I doubt Tamia would allow that. "I can''t wait," She said and went to lie down. I went to her side of the bed, opened her robe, and then bent to kiss her lower belly. She giggled and ruffled my hair a bit. "Have fun," she said when I looked at her. I kissed her again and then left the room. I felt light and ready. I was also hopeful that this whole thing was about to end. I joined everyone in Sylvester''s lounge. We were all waiting for Alexei to join us. Alexei joined us fifteen minutester, and it was time for us to leave. "Are we going by road?" Devin asked, obviously traumatised by the incident, and Sylvester shook his head. "We did not have that luxury of time. The helicopter will do, but we will be using a smaller one this time." He exined, and I was d because I doubted I wanted to go through that road too. The dead driver remained in my head, and I hoped I would not need therapy to get over it. Being at war was different from being shot at. One is expected, and the other catches the victim unaware. I did not want to be in that situation again. We were heading out when Erik joined us at the door. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. "You can''t leave without me?" He said, and I frowned at him. "udia, Nelson and my assistants are helping with the purchase and set up. It won''t be ready today. I might as well help while they are busy getting things together. Besides, I will need to give you all something for the rash that you will have in two hours," he said, and I hadpletely forgotten about the side effect of the meds he gave us. It was too bad that we did not need it, but there was no harm in being extra careful. "What if they attack us on our way there or elsewhere?" Marcel asked him, and Erik nodded. "It will still work. The effects will wear off tomorrow, but the rash wille today," Erik said, and Devin grumbled. "Hope you will be able to create something more permanent," Devin said, and Erik shook his head while we headed out of the building. "That would be impossible, Devin. For something like that to be permanent, it has to be part of your DNA. Meaning your resistant cells have to form at the point of conception. What we are doing in introducing temporary artificial cells that would replicate the effect of the original for a few hours and expire," He exined, and I doubted anyone was paying attention. We were all rushing towards the small Heliport on the property. "It also wares off in Alphas faster than others," Erik said, and Devin looked at him. We were walking very fast. "Well, that is also the very reason why we do not have Alpha genes. The alpha genes neutralise it. When creating Stepanov armies, we looked for people that did not have alpha genes to reproduce. It was the only way to ensure the experiment''s sess," He said, and we arrived at the Heliport. The helicopter we would use was already waiting, so we just got in. Erik tapped my shoulder while we got into the helicopter. "That is why I am studying his DNA," he said, and I knew he was referring to me. "Really?" Sylvester said, rxing in the helicopter and strapping himself in. Everyone was doing the same. "Yes. Leo has the gene, which is very active but seems to have triggers. It is not always active as in a normal Stepanov; it needs something to trigger it. Silver, Dopamine, serotonin, Oxytocin, adrenaline. Once those chemicals are introduced, the genes arepletely active, and then it goes dormant again. Somehow the Albert bloodline has evolved the Alpha genes helping it coexist with the Silver-resistant genes. But they aren''t fast orpletely immune like us. But they have a higher chance of surviving silver attacks than ordinary werewolves," He said, and the helicopter lifted into the air. "When all this is over, I want to take more samples, Leo. So I can run experiments." He said, and I shook my head immediately. I doubted there would be an end to it. "Cherish what you have, Erika; there won''t be anymore," I said, and everyone started tough. Erik punched my upper arm, and it really hurt, but I couldn''t stopughing. Erik dressed as Erika remained engraved in my mind. "So what would we do to this Ighor guy?" y asked after being silent for a while. "I don''t know; maybe Andrew can tell us since he was hell-bent on getting us on Yuri''s team," Devin said, looking at Andrew, who was embarrassed. "If I knew all this, I wouldn''t have suggested it. I am d neither of you listened to me. I am really ashamed right now," He said, and I noticed we had made him very ufortable. The guy knew no one trusted him, it was good enough to keep him on his toes, but everyone needed to be in high spirits because we did not know the kind of mind games Ighor was capable of. If he could Fool Erik the scientist for so long, then he was very good at whatever he did. "Have you called your grandfather-inw?" I teased Andrew, and he frowned. I knew he had no clue what I was talking about. "Timothy. Did you call Timothy? I heard you have been checking on Mirabel since she was hospitalised," I said, and he bowed his head. He behaved like someone that had been caught, and it was cute. Feelings did that to people. I did not know if it was love, but something was there. ¡°Andrew likes Mirabel?¡± y said and looked at his cousin. "Is that where you have been going at night. No wonder you smell like the hospital sometimes," y said, and Andrew looked up with a weak smile. "Busted; now, can we please drop it?" he said, and Iughed. "She is fine," I told him, even though I could not tell. I knew that If anything had gone wrong, Maxwell would have told me. No news was good news. I could see relief in his eyes, and I realised his silence was partly because he was worried for her. "Do you n to settle down with her? Maybe court her?" I asked him, knowing Timothy was desperately looking for a mate for her. He nodded immediately. "Well, Timothy would be delighted. He has been looking for a suitor for her for a while now. I hope she will like you," I said, and he smiled at me. "She will," he said confidently, catching everyone''s attention. I found it off too. "That is some confidence you got?" Sylvester said,ughing at him, and I did not want to press him any more than I already had. Our conversations let time pass effortlessly, and soon wended in a clearing in the woods. What were the odds that there would be a ce tond? I thought we would have to jump down. I guess this ce was reserved for things like this. One could never know the extent of resources Sylvester has. "We must walk a bit before we get to the warehouse. There is no clearing tond close to the ce. That is why wended here. Running there in wolf form will be faster," Sylvester said, taking off his clothes, and I guess my observation was wrong. I stand corrected. We removed our clothes, shifted, and held our clothes in our mouths. Sylvester, Marcel and Theodore led us through the wood, and we followed. We were a pack of giant wolves running through the forest. It was a fun experience. Chapter 281: 119 The Right Treatment Chapter 281: 119 The Right Treatment ~Leo~ We arrived at a run-down small warehouse. It did not look like anyone lived in it, but I knew it was more than what it looked like on the surface. We shifted back to our human form and wore our clothes. David seemed excited about the mission. "I am itching to beat this bastard up," David said, and Devinughed. "You don''t know how I feel right now. I am sure the douchebag had a hand in the shooting. Must have stolen the shit from Erik," Devin said, and I knew his near-death experience yed on his mind. I could understand Devin''s rage. It had only been yesterday. He would have died, leaving Susan alone and marking the end of his lineage. It was alright for Devin to have a go at him. " Please allow me to lead his questioning. When he bes stubborn, we can exert force. I need to know why," Erik said, and as much as I did not want to agree, Sylvester said it was okay. ''As long as you do not interfere when we decide to mess him up," Marcel said, and we allughed. The ten of us walked into the warehouse. Ready to do damage. There was no pointing with warriors. There were already ten of us, and Bryce had his men there, too, so we were okay and ready to fight if there was to be an attack. We walked in, and I was surprised that the warehouse looked as ordinary as it looked outside. It had tungsten bulbs. A few wooden chairs and a table. Bryce was there with six men, and a man with brown hair was sitting on the chair. His hair was a bit mmy, meaning he had been drugged. I could not me Bryce for drugging him. Stepanovs were immune to Silver. Drugging them was the only way to subdue them. "Can he speak?" Sylvester asked Bryce, noticing the man''s state, and Bryce saluted the king and the rest of us. He saluted all the lords, including me. I had forgotten I was a lord until he called me Lord Albert instead of Councilman Albert. "He tried to give us a hard time, so we had to administer medication," Bryce exined, and Sylvester told him it was okay. We all grabbed a chair and sat in a circr formation, putting Ighor in the centre. Bryce stood beside him. It was necessary because the drug would wear off eventually. Now that we were around, there would be no need to administer another dose. There was no way he could escape us. "I found him at the airport heading back to Mountain. I think he was returning to Hand and not Cain as Joan had imed," Bryce said, and I heard Ighor slur a curse. " fucking whore," were his words. I wanted tough because that wasn''t an insult. It was the actual situation between him and Joan. "Ighor, how could you allow yourself to get caught up in this shit?" Erik asked him, sounding very emotional. "How can you allow yourself to be used against your family?" Ighor slurred, and Erik got off his chair and approached Ighor. "What happened to being peaceful and searching for freedom?" Erik asked him, and Ighor looked up at Erik and smiled. I could see signs of the drug wearing off. "You can''t have freedom with peace. You have to fight for it," he said, and Erik shook his head. "At what cost? Yuri is going about ughtering innocent people," Erik said, and Ighorughed. "Just like they ughtered our people," Ighor replied with a bit of strength. The type that came with anger. "How does Killing the people in the east and south atone for the crime against us?" Erik asked him, and Ighor shrugged. "They wereplicit in the matter. They did not condemn their Lord. The council representing the people agreed with Dimitri, and they buried his crimes," he said, and Erik shook his head. "So it is wise to kill the people who took us in, sheltered and protected us? Is it okay to murder them and prove that Dimitri had a point all these years? Yuri''s actions show that Gregory and Dimitri were right all along. How does that make you feel?" Erik said, and Ighor spat at him. "Bloody traitor," he said, and Andrew cautioned him. "I used to have a lot of respect for you, Uncle. I did not know your hands were this dirty?" Andrew said, and Ighorughed. "Mikhail must be rolling in his grave right now. You could not avenge your father. You are a bloody traitor. First, you worked against Yuri and now this," he said, and Andrew shook his head. "Protecting my cousins, the true heirs of our family isn''t treachery. My father attempting to murder Uncle Erik for no just cause is treachery. If your perception of right and wrong is wed, mine isn''t. Yuri is killing innocent people and has to be stopped." Andrew said with a bit of rage. I did not need any more convincing that he was on our side. Indeed the man was misguided by his father andck of urate information. I was d we gave him the benefit of the doubt. "If Yuri is fit to be king, why is he hiding? King Sylvester is here. He did not hide behind his minions. He is here with us." Alexei said, looking at him. "Where is your King, Ighor Stepanov?" he asked, looking at Ighor, and Ighor looked in his direction. "In Hill Valley fucking your pregnant wife," Ighor said,ughing, and Alexei joined him. "I would have believed you if she was there," he said, and Ighor frowned. I realised he had only said that to aggravate Alexei. Sylvester got up from his chair and went o where Ighor was. Without warning, he punched him hard in the face. I saw blood, but instead of pain, Ighorughed, and Sylvester joined him. "I like your kind," Sylvester said and went to stand behind Ighor. We were all attentive. I knew whatever Sylvester nned to do to the psycho would be epic. "I want you to give me a location leading to Yuri, Ighor. Then I might let you remain whole," Sylvester said, and Ighorughed. Sylvester hit his shoulder from behind, popping his arm out of the socket, leaving the hand dangling at an unnatural angle. Ighor screamed, but Sylvester wasn''t done. He hit his upper arm, breaking Ighors Humerus into two. The bone protruded, and I knew healing would be a harrowing experience. The man screamed, tears streaming down his face. David and Dominic joined Sylvester. I guess he linked them. David held Ighors chin up to look at him. "I didn''t know a tough man like you could cry," David teased him. "My brothers aren''t as patient as you may think. You can still heal that arm once, but it is off; there is no putting g it back. All we need is Yuri''s location," David asked him, and he shook his head even though he was in pain. The man was trying to be brave and act tough. Dominic and Bryce, and David held Ighor down. Marcel and Theodore ced his broken arm on the table, and Sylvester shifted his hands into his wolf''s hands. This was a very bloody and brutal questioning. It was dark and mean, and I liked it. I was going to practice this method on an enemy one day. They ced Ighor''s hand on the table, and Ighor was screaming. All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. Erik could not watch, but the rest of us did. Erik must have really cared for his cousin. "I do not usually do things like this, but you leave me no choice. My family and friends are in danger; my people are being killed. I can no longer sit and wait for a peaceful resolution. You will give me what I want, or I will tear you limb by limb," He said and, without warning,nded a hit on Ighor''s lower arm crushing his radius and Ulna together. I flinched at the sight of it. Everyone let Ighor go immediately. The arm looked like something a tire had ttened in the crushed ces. It looked unnatural and damaged. Ighor was crying. "We still have three more limbs to go, Ighor. You know Yuri would not care what happens to you. Where is your cousin?" Sylvester said calmly Sylvester did not flinch and did not look like he felt anything. He was indeed a scary man. I wondered how Tamia stole his heart. I looked at Marcel, Theodore and Dominic. They did not flinch one bit. I took a couple of deep breaths to control myself. I had learned a few things that I would experiment on my enemies one day. d I came on the trip. "A meeting is holding in Gad in ten days. All our members are going to be there, Yuri inclusive. We will be meeting at the National Theatre of Arts and Culture. The underground conference hall has been reserved for us for eleven at night. Password, Evolution is stronger than death and the Stepanov coin," he said in tears, and I felt a huge relief and triumph. " Why would they need a password and coins?" David asked. "Because we will be over a hundred, and we do not know everyone in person," Ighor exined, still in pain. It will take a while for his wolf to heal his arm. "What about security? How tough is it?" Vino asked him. "About a hundred true Stepanov volunteers in the premise and two hundred more in the vicinity. We own all buildings surrounding the theatre," he exined. "Is there a possibility that they would move this meeting?" I asked him, and he nodded. "If they feel one of us has beenpromised," he said, nodding in pain. "In other words, if you do not check in," Vino said, and he nodded. "Well, that can be arranged. You are supposed to be in Cains having fun with Joan, right?" Vino asked him, and he nodded. "Well, It is just a matter of phone code. You will be here, but you will call, and it will seem like you are in Cains for ten days. That will help you stay in touch with them," Vino said, and David shook his head. "What if they have a secret code, and he tips Yuri off?" David said, and Andrew shook his head. "I was in Yuri''s camp. I know their code. I will be there whenever they converse to ensure he doesn''t." Andrew offered, and Sylvester looked at me. I knew he did not trust Andrew, but I nodded, indicating it was alright. "Well then, ten days is a short time to prepare for war, but I knew we would make it. "One more thing. Will Sean''s arrest make them change their ns?" y asked a crucial question since the meeting would be in Gad, and Ighor shook his head. "Sean wasn''t invited. In fact, Sean thinks Yuri is in the South. Yuri nned that Sean would be caught, likewise Joan. Yuri wants you to believe he will be in Greenville hence why Brighton will be attacked tonight." He said, and we had figured that much out. "What about the people that shot at usst night?" Devin said, and the man bowed his head. "That was me. I was the only one there," he said. It was evident due to the timing of his arrival and his need to leave in a hurry. The fact that no one came at us when we were running indicated the shooter might be alone. I wasn''t surprised, just pissed off. Devin walked up to him and punched him in the face. "You bloody scumbag. My family took your people in. Allowed you to settle on ournd, in our region. Your cult didn''t only wipe out Pridewood; your sick cult also took my home from me and my people away from their homes. My mate is part of the Stepanov n. Leo is partly part of the Stepanov n, and his mate Amelia is one of the heirs. Have you no conscience? I would have died. Leo would have died. An innocent man lost his lifest night. He had a mate and three children. You fucking asshole. You ruined lives for a psycho. I hope you die a most painful death, and if you have a family, I hope the same happens to them," Devin said with so much rage, and I did not know that the kappa had a family. I felt the same rage as Devin, but there was no need to approach the man. We might not have told him yet, but we all knew Sylvester wouldn''t let him live. 120 Ambush 120 Ambush ~Leo~ Ighor was in terrible shape by the time we were done with him. I wasn''t sorry at all. In fact, I believe he deserved worse. I was still shaken by the shooting and could understand Devin''s rage. I felt it, too, but Devin had already dealt the blow. "Where were the eastern captives taken to?" I asked the bastard wanting to know where my beta and loyal alphas were. Ighor shook his head. "How can you say you do not know? Are you not in his inner circle?" I asked, a bit annoyed, feeling he was trying to be innovative. "Maybe he does not need his other arm," Sylvester said, and Ighor began to cry. "Please, your Majesty, I swear. I do not know. The kidnapping took ce without my knowledge. They might be in an underground bunker in Hand. I am not sure. Please don''t hurt me. No more," he cried, and I knew there was no way Yuri would take them to Hand, especially since Gordon was now a wanted man. I let the matter rest knowing Ighor was telling the truth. "Bundle him and bring him to the Estate. The inner cells are as good as Cains. He can make his calls from there," Sylvester said, and Bryce nodded, ready to spring into action. Sylvester walked out, and we followed him. He had taken over entirely, and I was d not to be the one making all the decisions again. "So what is next?" David asked him. "We have a location and time. We need to prepare towards it. Since Sean and Joan are no longer useful, death by hanging will be in order as they are no longer needed. I will not spend taxpayers'' money feeding them," Sylvester said, and Theoughed. "I think the women would like a go at Joan. Let''s not rob them of their fun." Theo said, and some of usughed. I was a bit rxed now that we had made heads way, but Ighor, not knowing where the eastern captives were, was mind-bugging. I still could not stop worrying for Casper and everyone that was taken. We took off our clothes again and shifted. So we can head to where the chopper was kept. Sylvester and David lead the charge. We moved through the woods swiftly. It felt as if we were racing against time. Ten days might seem far away, but it wasn''t. We got to the helicopter, and something seemed off. The kappas that flew the aircraft were not there. I did not remember Sylvester telling them to leave, so it was off. I could smell it even though it was faint. It was silver. I wanted to link the others to arm themselves, but I could only Link Alexei, Erik, and Andrew. They were the ones that were linked to me. Seeing the stance Sylvester''s wolf, Knight, took made me know that he was aware. We instinctively formed a circle facing all directions with Sylvester in the middle. We had to make sure no one got to him. He was ready to fight, too, but we did not know what we would be facing. "I think they traced Ighor," Erik said, and I wondered if he had such a device, but this wasn''t the time to ask him for that. It would be bad news if that was the case because if Yuri found out we had Ighor, he would change his ns, and we would have nothing to work towards. The silver was in the air, and we had breathed it in. True to Erik''s promise, we weren''t affected, but we could not let the attackers know. They had yet to attack us because they were waiting for the silver to work. They wanted an easy kill. Knowing this, I shifted back to my human form. Vino copied me looking worried as of I was out of my mind. "What are you doing, Leo?" He asked me, looking genuinely worried. Knight howled, and I knew Sylvester was reprimanding me. "There is Silver in the air, and it has affected me and my wolf. I am weak," I said aloud, and Vino frowned slightly. It did not make any sense. I dared not voice the actual reason to him aloud because all wolves had good hearing. I knew the enemies were lurking in the woods, watching us and waiting for us to be weak so they could strike. This wasn''t an excellent way to fight. It was best to join Sylvester''s pack temporarily so we could fight as one instead of this. "I, Leonardo Albert, swear my allegiance to you, Sylvester Volkov, King of Wolves, Alpha of the dark wolf pack, to sever you with my life and remain loyal if you let me in," I whispered. Understanding what I had done, the rest of us, not members of Sylvester''s pack, automatically joined his pack by swearing allegiance to him. He epted immediately without shifting back. "Now shift back to your wolf form and stop clowning," I heard Sylvester in my head for the first time. He was just as imposing as he was in person. "Not really. They will not attack us until they believe the silver they pumped into the air has taken effect. They are aiming for an easy kill." I linked Sylvester, and he was silent. Gradually, I saw Marcel and Theodore shift back to their human form, feigning weakness. All of us except the Stepanovs shifted back. Andrew, Alexei, y and Erik remained in their wolf form. They were Stepanovs, so they will take longer to shift back. Since Amelia was the only Stepanov that could hold on to her wolf form when silver was in her system, I knew they would soon shift back to their half-wolf form. I knew the people that pumped the silver into the air would attack when that happened. "Bryce has secured the prisoner so we can face these bastards," Sylvester linked all of us at once. This was the best way for us to coordinate ourselves. Devin and I could go back to being alphas once this is over. Erik was the first to shift back, followed by Andrew, y, and Alexei. They had ws and teeth but were in their human form. By then, the silver had dissipated in the air. A few secondster, some grey wolves came out of nowhere. "Mindless hounds!" Erik shouted, and the fear in his eyes showed that he was afraid. I could not help but notice the beeping cor on their necks while they bared their teeth at us, circling us and ready to attack. "We need to find the person controlling those cors. The cor is one of my gadgets, but these wolves are Yuri''s experiment, not mine. They are feral wolves that are controlled by vibrations from the cor. The controller is nearby," Erik linked all of us. There were six hounds altogether, but knowing they wouldn''t be our only adversary in the woods made me nervous. I wondered how many of them were really out there. We were plenty but were we enough? They lunged at us, teeth bare and ws out. The one approaching me aimed to tear my skin, but I was fast. I did not know where I got the strength and speed from, but I had it, and my body and wolf used it. I saw them in slow motion. N?velDrama.Org is the owner. I slipped under the wolf that lunged at me and dug my ws into his belly, tearing him open before he slid to the ground. His gut was out by the time he reached the ground. His body twitched a bit before it gave up the ghost. Alexei crushed the wolf''s spine that attacked him, and y copied him. While Marcel and Theodore tag-teamed the feral wolf, trying to fight them. They tore him limb by limb. I looked around to search for Sylvester, but he was missing. "Erik and David have followed Sylvester to find the controller," Devin linked me, and I growled. Seeing Alexei and y could handle the rest. I shifted back to ck While Devin Shifted to Rex, and we went to search and help Sylvester. We moved until we picked up the strong smell of blood and the sound of a fight and growling wolves. We arrived at a clearing where almost fifteen wolves were attacking and Fighting Sylvester''s groups. There was no time to think about it. We joined the fight. The bastards did not expect us to be able to maintain our wolf form and strength after introducing silver into our system. They were in for a shock. We joined in and had fun tearing them limb for limb. I was faster than usual, and I enjoyed the euphoric feeling that came with the speed. ck was wild, and I knew the feeling was the same for others. The others finally joined us, and the fight was over before we knew it. Marcel and Theodore were the first to shift back into their human form. They wereughing too. I could tell that they felt excited. Soon we all shifted back, and there was excitement on our faces. It wasn''t because of the fight or the killing; it was because we realised that Erik''s cocktail worked, and we finally knew we stood a chance. 121 The Assistant 121 The Assistant ~Leo~ "I can''t believe we kicked ass like that," Dominic said, feeling happy about what we had achieved in the woods. "I have never felt so strong in my life. Is this what the AgK32 does?" Dominic asked Erik, who was laughing. I could see the pleasure in Erik''s eyes. He looked like someone that had made a breakthrough in research. It also made me realise we were his guinea pigs. I did not want to bring it up there until he was alone. "Leo, did you see yourself? You were like Amelia. You were a blur," Vino said, and I frowned and looked at Devin, who nodded. "The way you tore that wolf''s belly was epic. One second you are under him, the next you are away from him, and his guts are on the ground," Theodore said, and I was surprised at myself. "The AgK32 worked well; with your genes," Erik said, smiling, and I looked at him. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. "I know we are the first people to use your stuff," I linked him, and his smile faded. I caught him. "Do not worry, I won''t tell the king but do not try this kind of bullshit on us again. What if it hadn''t worked?" I linked him, and he shook his head. "It would have worked. I had tested it before but not in a battle," he linked me back, and I dropped the matter so I do not end the joy of the moment. "See who I found," Andrew said, and we all looked in his direction. It was a weird-looking guy. I did not need help to know he was a Stepanov. "Melvin?" Erik asked him, and the guy looked away. "Do you know him?" Sylvester asked Erik: of course he did. "My former assistant," Erik said, walked to where Melvin was held and punched him in the face. "What is the meaning of this?" Erik asked, annoyed. It seemed the man had snapped. This could happen to anyone after facing a near-death experience. "What are you doing here?" Erik asked him, and the man cowered on his knees; it was clear he did not have the courage for a confrontation. "We tracked your cell phone," he said, and I looked at Erik. We had alle with our cellphones. "Why? Who put you up to it," I asked him. "Yuri said we should bring Erik," he said, and I tookfort that it had nothing to do with Ighor. "So you decided to ambush us in the woods. Why note to the Estate?" Dominic asked him, and he shook his head. "The security is strong at the Estate, and we did not know Erik was in the north until the hearing. That was when we started to track his phone. When I picked his signal, we took a helicopter to the woods where the signal was," He said, and I frowned. "So, where is the helicopter?" I asked him, and he shook his head. "We jumped off the helicopter. It did notnd. We took out the Kappas in your helicopter andy in ambush." He said, and I wondered how they could travel with feral wolves and jump off their helicopter. It seemed impossible and tedious. "The hounds?" Erik asked. "Normal warriors, but the cor turns them that way. We improved on the mechanism." He said, and Erik growled at him. "You call that improvement? Turning normal people feral isn''t an improvement," he said, and I agreed it wasn''t an improvement but madness. "So this was why you left me to go and work for Yuri, so you can steal my inventions and use them for evil. That cor was created to control and stabilise feral wolves, not run normal people mad," Erik said, sounding angry. "Does Yuri know we are in the woods?" I asked him because he must know we had Ighor. If he did, the information we got from Ighor would no longer be useful because their position would have been compromised. "No. We thought Erik came to run some experiments here. We did not know he was with the King and Lords. We just wanted to grab Erik." Melvin said, and I rxed. "What else do you know about our reasons for being in the woods other than our experiments?" Sylvester finally spoke. "Nothing, your Majesty. I have no qualms with you. I was sent here to retrieve Erik, that is all," He said quickly with fear. "And you decided to kill us while you are at it," Sylvester added coldly, and the man shook his head in tears. I could see his fear. It was understandable since people close to Sylvester saw him as a monster and feared him. It was a good image, one I nned on building for myself. "Very well. Let us take him back with us," Sylvester said. "You will tell me all you know of Yuri''s ns and where we can find him," Sylvester said, and we all laughed, knowing the torture that would entail. Devin and Dominic secured the prisoner, and we carried him back to the helicopter. Our clothes were on the floor, so we sorted them out and dressed up. We secured Melvin in the helicopter, and Theodore and Marcel became our pilots. Two more innocent kappas had lost their lives to Yuri''s madness. I was counting, and I nned to pay him back. The ride back to the Estate was silent. I could tell Erik was very angry and had all the right to be so. Melvin had stolen from him and tried to use his inventions against him. Wended at the Estate, and the kappas came to thending spot to take Melvin from us. Sylvester ordered that they secure the prisoner while we headed into the building. "The lounge," Sylvester linked all of us. I was looking forward to having a bath and eating something, but it seemed time was not on our side. A lot needed to be done, and there was little time for it. "Moonlight, where are you?" I linked Amelia while we moved towards the lounge. I wanted to let her know I was back and also to find out how she was doing. There was silence. It took a bit before she responded. She was sleeping, and my link had woken her up from sleep. "I just want you to know we''re home safely. Go back to sleep, Moonlight. I will join you soon," I said, and she said it was okay. Everything going on was mentally and physically draining. Still, we just had a few more hurdles to jump, and we will be okay. We got to the lounge, and everyone took their seats. It was clear none of us wanted to be there, but we needed to have this meeting. "I want tomend everyone for the performance today. It shows we are ready to take those bastards down," Sylvester said and looked at Erik. "I want you to speed up the AgK32 so we can administer it to our warriors. But based on all that has happened now, I do not trust any Stepanov other than the ones in this mansion." He said and sighed. "I am saying, Erik, that I will no longer need the Stepanov army. I would rather fight with people I can trust than people who can turn on me anytime. As things are, your circle is highlypromised. Ighor and Melvin have shown how vulnerable you are and how much ground Yuri has gained against you in your n. I do not need any more surprises. So I will need the cocktail to administer to our warriors before we go to Gad. I can expect their loyalty. My men and Leo''s men will be enough to take them down," Sylvester said, and Erik shook his head. "Please. I know people who do not support Yuri and have a bone to pick with him. It is only fair you let Stepanovs join in this fight. You have kept your end of the bargain. Please allow us to keep ours. Igor was an unfortunate fool that imed to be neutral. He was neither for nor against. I do not know what happened, and I do not feel sorry for him. As for Melvin, he was a traitor before I met you. His ideals differed from mine, and since Yuri could not get me on his team, he decided to take my assistant and steal my things. These men should not sum up your perception of my n, your Majesty. Allow me to bring together people I can vouch for with my life. People that have a bone to pick with Yuri. People I know who will give their life for the cause and those I know will not betray us. Allow me to do my part, or I cannot ept what you have given because I will feel like a thief." He said, and I knew honour was part of his reason. Sylvester was silent for a while. It was a difficult situation. Both of them had a valid point. "I will think about it and get back to you tomorrow. I want to discuss this with my wife," Sylvester said, and it was a usible response. Tamia''s view would be different, and he can then decide. Erik was grateful Sylvester did not shut him down. "Meanwhile, Kappa Levi and Wilson have brought the deeds to the properties so we can look through them and have every location searched for the hostages," Marcel said. It was a good idea, but I doubted it would yield anything. While we waited for the Kappas to bring the documents, my phone rang, and it was a weird number with an eastern area code. "Hello," I said, answering the phone. "Leo," I heard Casper''s voice, and I was relieved and scared at the same time. "Max found us, and we are going back to Mountain. He was badly injured, but he will live. I am just calling so you will stop worrying about us. Once we get to Mountain, I will let you know," He said, and as much as I wanted to be happy, I could not shake off the fact that Max was injured. "May I speak to Max, please," I asked him, and there was silence. Then I heard Max''s voice on the phone? "I guess we can focus now," he said, breathing hard. "Save your breath," I said quickly, not wanting Max to trouble himself more than he already had. "Once we get to Mountain, we will tell you; by the way, Yuri is currently in Gad. I heard one of his men discussing it when they thought we had been knocked out. I do not know where, but that is where he is. I will drill Inkabod to get his properties'' locations there. Hopefully, it would lead somewhere," Casper said, and I was d for the news, but I doubted Inkabod would have that information. There is no harm in trying, though. "What about Gordon?" I asked, and he sighed. "They killed him. Took off his headpletely a few hours ago. They believed he was a liability and must have given a lot away. They believe he was the one that led you to Erik. Apparently, Erik is essential to them. I do not know why, but they do not want Erik working with you. They took off his headpletely without remorse. We were in a bunker in Hand. Imagine them doing that to him on hisnd. I guess karma came calling," He said, and I already knew why Erik was important. It was because the AgK32 made their abilitymon. No one would want that. Their abilities set them apart from others, so for Erik to create a serum that could give others that ability, even if it was for a short period, was unfair. Thanks to the broadcast, they now know where Erik is. No waonder Melvin came for him. We needed to protect Erik. I hung up and narrated all that Casper had told me. They were all happy for me and wished Max a speedy recovery. He was indeed a true friend. The fact that Max had risked his life to get those people back showed the depth of his heart. I was d he would be getting his pack back after this. I also hoped to hear good news from Kyle. I did not want any more deaths. Too many lives had been sacrificed already. "I guess all we have to do is prepare and gather our troops now," Marcel said. "Meanwhile, let''s try to hunt for Yuri. Once he is out, the others will surrender," Erik said, not wanting anyone to die. "No, Erik. The war must be fought. We do not want a situation where another Yuri will spring up. I n to wipe all of them out so I can have peace. No more surprises," Sylvester said, and he clearly meant what he said. I was in support too. We needed to wipe Yuri and his cult out, or another bastard woulde along seeking revenge, and we couldn''t have that. Chapter 284: 122 Preparations Chapter 284: 122 Preparations ~Sylvester~ I was d about how Ighor''s questioning had gone. Honestly, I did not have the patience to ask and wait for him to feel generous enough to answer. Left for me, I would have finished him off at the warehouse, but since he needed to correspond with Yuri so they would not suspect their meeting had beenpromised, I had no choice but to let him live in the meantime, but Sean and Joan were definitely going to be hanged. I did not care if the ymans were nobles; the fact that Joan could jeopardise lives to hide her shame was sick, and she did not deserve to live. She was lucky I had abolished thew that punishes an entire family and n for the crime of its member. If not, the whole yman household would have been hung. I decided to not only hang Joan but demote the ymans from their noble status so they wouldn''t have room to work against me again. They would only be useful to my enemies if they were in the system. When we were ambushed in the woods, I was worried that we had beenpromised and that Yuri knew we had caught Ighor, but when Melvin told me they were after Erik, it put my mind at ease. I was also amazed at the wealth of resources and gadgets they had. The devices were courtesy of Erik, but it was still in their possession regardless, and they were willing to use them. I knew I would need Erik to tell us everything he had created that could be used against us. Especially things that were stolen from him. It was essential. We waited in the lounge for Levi and Wilson to bring the files they got from Larry''s house. Leo''s good news about his beta and the eastern Alphas had put our minds at ease. I knew Leo wasn''t in his full capacity and his mind was divided, but I could see the relief now that Maxwell had helped solve the problem in the East. I prayed Kyle would be safe in the West. I could understand why the three of them remained close despite having nothing inmon. They might have been shitty husbands and douchebags to their mates, driven by the mate bond, but they were loyal friends, and their devotion was true. Maxwell risked his life over something that did not concern him, and so is Kyle; neither hopes to regain their packs, yet they are still helping their friend and others preserve theirs. It was a pity they fucked up their marriages; I hoped fate would give them a second chance because I knew they would not fuck it up. While we sat silently, I thought of all Erik had said about the Stepanovs. However, I was still ufortable about using his people. He could not tell who was for him or against him, and most of them seemed to buy into Yuri''s idea. What would stop them from telling Yuri our ns and attacking us? It was a risky situation. After using the Agk32 to fight in the woods, I was confident in what the medication could help us achieve. However, the effect wasn''t permanent; it evened the ying field, which was all we needed. We needed their abilities so they would not use them against us. I was sure we would fair well with our warriors. "Erik, I noticed I could not really use mymand effectively in the woods, is there a reason for it," David asked Erik a crucial question. I realised that question had been dancing in my mind, but too many things were piled up, and it skipped my mind. I also noticed mymand was almost nonexistent. It was there, and I could use it a bit, but I needed a lot of effort, and there was a time during the battle I couldn''t feel it. "Did you not feel the weakness, Leo," I asked, seeing he had unbelievable speed and strength during the battle. He was the only alpha with Stepanov genes in our midst. He looked confused and shook his head. "I did not try to use it, but I did not feel different," he replied, confused. Since he did not try to command anyone, he would not know. "Command Dominic," David told Leo,ughing. Dominic did not find it funny, but besides the Stepanovs in our midst, Dominic was the only one that did not have alpha genes. The Stepanov Deltas were also like Alphas, so Dominic''s genes were inferior to theirs. Leo looked at him with an evil grin on his face and smirked. "I want you to get on all fours," Leo gave a demeaningmand, and Dominic did not find it funny. We allughed, watching Dominic battle themand with all his might. Beads of sweat formed on his forehead, and I could see the fear in his eyes. Although Dominic was standing his ground against Leo''smand, his beta wolf was trying to obey. "Okay, you rx," Leo said, letting it go. We had gotten the point already. There was no point driving it in. "So it does not affect Leo," Erik said as if he was studying us. Something let me know we are the first to use his medication. I was too afraid to ask. Afraid to learn that I was a guinea pig used for a drug experiment. Fearful of knowing that the side effects are not fully documented and that anything could happen to us. Afraid to know that we had been reckless. Leo had insinuated it, but I had now confirmed it.All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. "Well, answer the question already," Vino asked, and his tone indicated he was equally tense and worried. Erik sighed and looked at Vino. "The drug will affect you like the silver immunity genes affect every Stepanov. The two cannot coexist. The alpha genes would eradicate the silver immune fighting antibodies introduced into your system. That is why the rash is present after a few hours. In your case, your alpha genes would win the battle and regain their full functions, that is why the drug is temporary, but in a Stepanov, it is permanent because as the antibodies form in a fetus, it stops the alpha genes from forming. Leo''s case is different because he has mutated Alpha genes, and those alpha genes can coexist with the silver-fighting antibodies. I hope this is clear. It is not permanent, and you have nothing to worry about," Erik told Vino, and Vino tried to rx a little. "Erik, I want to know the list of weird devices you created that have found their way to Yuri''s hands," I told him, and everyone agreed. "We do not need surprises because clearly, silver isn''t the only thing we have topete against," I said, remembering the feral wolves with cors. Erik nodded, realising the importance of my words. "You are right, your majesty but other than the cor, the wolf jamming device that Andrew stole from me, and the poison Ighor used, there is nothing out there," he said. I looked at Andrew, who looked away. "You stole from your uncle?" I asked him, wondering whose side Andrew was really on. "I can exin,''" Andrew said. His cheeks were red from embarrassment, and I knew he was guilty. "He stole it for y and me, "Alexei said quickly, owning up to the crime, and I raised my eyebrow. "That was what we used to challenge the alphas and jam their wolves with silver radiation. We did not want to kill anyone; we wanted the defeat to be easy. So we used it to make the work easier," He exined, and Theodore startedughing. "No wonder Max went crazy about you cheating, Alexei," Theodore said, and we allughed because it was funny how Max narrated his ordeal. Seeing Leo, I knew he already knew what had happened, and I did not take offence. We did not have to worry about it because Alexei and y had the device and were on my side. "I also gave something like it to Martha Albert. She is a good friend of mine," Erik said quickly, and I nodded. I had heard enough, really. "Very well, that is good news. So when will you start producing the serum," I asked, not knowing what to call the AgK32. I did not want to call it a drug because it would feel like we were doing something illegal. Serum sounded more subtle. "As soon as this meeting is over, I will check in with Nelson and udia to see the progress on my lab. I will also need Leo''s sample to make something that would not affect the alpha genes. It is not a promise but an attempt," He said, and I shook my head. "You have run enough experiments, Erik. We will settle for what you have already. The rash should be bearable," I said, and he shook his head. "The rash isn''t as bearable as it seems. Ask Devin how he felt before we gave him something for the rash. We should also attempt the one that would tolerate alpha genes. Facing three hundred true Stepanovs would be challenging. They are swift and strong. You have seen Alexei, y and Amelia in action. You have also seen me and Andrew. Imagine having to face three hundred of us. You might stand a chance, but there is no way you will be matching to war with four hundred Alphas. You will most likely go there with fifty or fewer alphas; the rest will be betas, Gammas, Deltas and Kappas. A Stepanov Delta is equivalent to an Alpha without themand, so the beta, Gamma, and Delta you will be matching with will be outmatched and outssed. The few alphas with you will need theirmand to fair well. The current serum impairs that ability. You need something that would make you function almost as well as Leo, hence why I need his blood. I honestly mean well, and I hate seeing any of you die. You may not believe me, but I have be attached. Allow me to help and give my best," He said, and there was sincerity in his eyes that let me know he was serious. It was more of a demand, which was a bid to save our lives. Who was I to say no? Chapter 285: 123 Alone With Her Chapter 285: 123 Alone With Her ~Sylvester~ We were silent in the lounge for a while, and I reluctantly agreed to Erik''s request, but I looked at Leo to be sure he was okay giving his blood. I knew Erik had already taken blood from him, so taking from him again would be too much. "If Leo is fine with it. I would not impose," I said, leaving Leo to choose. Leo sighed and looked at Erik, a bit annoyed. "You always have to take my blood, old man. I might soon start charging you for the goods," He said, and we allughed at how Leo made light of the situation. Erik tapped his shoulder and thanked him in advance. "It will be wise to make the current serum while you still figure out the Alpha serum. At least if that one does not work, we will fall back on the original form already tested," David said, and Erik nodded. "We must keep Sean alive to use him as the guinea pig. We would be wrong to be the first to receive this drug. No Alpha, beta or Gamma should receive the serum until it has been tested on Sean. He is an Alpha. If it yields desirable results in his system, we can process it. Sylvester has already condemned him to death, so he will be doing this world a service by donating himself to science," Vino said, and we allughed. He had a point with that. I liked the way Vino put it. Donating his body to science. Iughed heartily. Levi and Wilson finally arrived with some files, and we stoppedughing and put back our serious expressions. The documents seemed a bit much, and I wondered if we had the patience to go through all of them. "Did you go through them?" I asked Levi, and he nodded. "Queen Tamia and the Ladies helped us while you were away. Getting the documents was easy. There was no one at home. Larry''s wife had gone out with the family, and they hadid off most of their staff, so it was easy to get in unnoticed and take the documents. We returned early, and Queen Tamia requested we go through the documents to save time," Wilson exined, and I was grateful. Though Wilson and Tamia had started on the wrong foot when he pped her while bringing her to the north, he had diligently worked hard to gain her trust and be her trusted officer. It was amazing to see. "Very well, should I send for the queen, or did you memories the findings?" I asked, knowing that Tamia was resting and did not want to trouble her rest. "We had it all written down. She made sure of it," Wilson said, and Levi took out a sheet of paper. "There are Thirty-one properties altogether. Most of them are in the West. Two in the north, eight in the south between Hand and Whitewood, now part of Hill Valley. The others are in the south. ording to the transactions, receipts and banking credits we found as part of the documents, Yuri seemed to stay more in the West and South. Those were his most frequent ces, and he seemed to like the property in Gad and Pridewood most," he exined, and I was surprised that he liked Pridewood. If so, then why raze it to the ground and murder everyone in it? "He also owns the yman''s mansion and Nics Sullivan''s home in Pridewood and Lund. Queen Tamia believes he has been sponsoring them through Larry for a long time. Listed among the properties is Jennifer Lawrence''s property. She sold her mansion to Larry shortly after her husband passed on and has been paying a token as a lease since then. Technically the property does not belong to Lawrence anymore. There are also bank statements of transactions where Larry sent money to many Stepanovs. Lady Linda said we should trace the addresses of the ount, and we should also freeze the ounts to render the owners financially handicapped. We are waiting for your approval and seal to carry out the task, your majesty," Levi said. I was impressed by the amount of work done while we were in the woods torturing Ighor. The women were busy, really, and I was grateful for it. "You may go ahead and do as they have ordered," I told Levi and Wilson, and they nodded. It was clear there was no need to go through the document anymore. "Find someone to scan the document onto the system and put the physical evidence in the Library''s archives for future reference," I told them, and they nodded. They collected the documents, and both of them left us. "Well, that was fast," Erik said, sounding amused, and Leo chuckled. "Those women are that resourceful. The East was at its best when they were in charge. There are no loose ends with them," he said with a reminiscent tone. I know he felt nostalgic for the old day and did not mean anything about it. One clear thing was that Leo had moved on and was utterly in love with Amelia, but he held on to his friendship with Tamia, which was a brave and strong thing to do. I doubted Linda and Avery would be able to do the same, but I could notpare them since Leo did notmit the same crimes as the other two men. Levi and Wilson left, leaving us alone. "Very well then, I think it is time for us to retire and rest," I said, and Erik raised his hand like a child in a ssroom wanting the teacher to choose him so he could ask his question. I chuckled and nodded towards him. "When will you give me feedback on involving the Stepanovs?" He asked me a very crucial question. It was still uncertain, and I needed to be clear with him. "Like I said, I would seek a second opinion from my wife. Since no one argued with me here when I said my mind, they all share the same views. I would prefer to hear it from Tamai''s perspective, someone outside the conversation," I said and looked at the others. "Please discuss this with your mates so we can get a bnced solution to this problem. I would be lying if I said I wasn''t worried seeing the rate of how easily these people joined Yuri and how passionate they are to give their lives for the cause. It is insane," I said, and Erik agreed and rxed. "Fair enough. I will await your response. The earlier, the better. Ten days might seem like much, but it is only a few days away." Erik said, and I appreciate his sensitivity to time. We decided to retire, and I instructed the Omegas to serve us food in our rooms. Tamai was wide awake on the couch when I got to my room. I knew she was deep in thought even though she snapped out of it when I entered. I did not need to guess what was bothering her. I missed them too. By now, we would have tucked them in bed. I missed my children, and thinking of them made me hate Yuri more. Tamai looked at me with her beautiful green eyes and smiled. She looked a bit tired, and I went to join her on the couch. "You know you need a shower, right/" she teased, pinching her nose, and I chuckled. "If you join me, I will," I said, wanting to put her mind at ease. Her face lit up immediately, and I stood up. I stretched my hand out towards her, and she took it. She wore a silk robe, and I hoped she was naked underneath it. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. I opened it, and I was right. She had nothing on. I eyed her gorgeous body, and she smiled at me. "No touching unless you are clean," She teased, and I carried her. She struggled a bit,ughing. It brought back memories of the day I carried her from the breakfast room for disobeying me and wearing something provocative. I smacked her butt, and she made the sexiest moaning sound. It was good toe home to some happiness. I still remember the bungalow on the property. I nned to surprise her when all this was over. Taking her to the shower, I ran the water and washed my body quickly. I was so fast and eager that Tamiaughed at me. She knew I was rushing so I could touch her. Getting the battle blood and dirt off my skin, I felt worthy enough to press my naked body to hers. She smelled amazing, and I sucked my mark on her neck. A sweet moan escaped her lips, and I turned off the water. What I needed to do to her would not be appropriate under the shower, So I carried her out with our wet bodies and ced her on the bed. Crawling over her body, she looked at me with lust, and I knew my eyes mirrored the emotion. I traced my finger on her lips down to her breasts. Her nipples were already hard, begging for attention. I bent to suck on them. I pulled gently while her body undted with pleasure, responding to my touch. Her scent and need permeating the air were all the encouragement I needed to continue my work. I worked on each nipple, suckling and licking them until they were stiff peaks. Her breathing was fast and eager; I felt between her legs with my fingers and caressed her nerve bundle with my thumb. I felt her wetness. I wanted to taste her. Knowing my desires, she opened her legs, and I moved down. Leaving a trail of kisses on her body until I got to my destination. I licked her clit down to her pussy and circled her entrance with my tongue. She writhed and pressed against my mouth, and I held her with my hands. Tamia always tastes great, no matter the situation or time of day. I ced my tongue in her entrance. Every inch of her was mine to love, taste, and explore. I pushed my tongue in, and a loud moan escaped her lips. I fucked her with my tongue while I gently circled her nerve bundle with my fingers. She was moaning uncontrobly. Writhing with pleasure and pushing herself against my lips. It was sweet and sensitive, and I liked it. My tongue and fingers switched positions. I licked at sucked her clit while my fingers massaged her eager and clenching walls. It was milking me, and I knew it needed more than my fingers. It needed my cock. The thought of it alone drove me crazy while my cock throbbed, aching to be buried inside her, aching to find release in her, aching to please her. Soon I felt her climax, and as in on queue, I moved quickly and eased my cock into her. Pumping with vigour and eagerness. Knight was going wild, my body and pleasure dictating the pace. I lost control. I turned her on her hands and knees and rammed into her just as she liked, hitting all the spots she liked. My name rolled off her lips as I delivered on my promise of ecstasy. She gave as much as she took, and the energy circted between us. I needed this, I needed her, and it was mutual. The world was silent, our troubles were distant, and time had stopped. It was just the two of us loving each other wholeheartedly and making the most of the moment. We passed out after and did not wake up until morning. My tummy was growling, and I looked at the clock. It was seven in the morning. Tamia was lying naked beside me in bed. She looked fully satiated. I was proud of myself and the work done. I looked forward to more. It was motivation enough to end this nonsense with Yuri. I got off the bed to use the bathroom. "Your Majesty, there is a woman at the main gate demanding to see Lady Amelia," I heard a Kappa in my head. It was too early for a woman toe to the estate searching for Amelia. It was bold and careless. Had Yuri sent someone to woo her? "Who is she?" I linked back. "She says her name is Gezel Westwood, she ims to be Amelia''s mother, but she looks homeless and not right in the head," The man said, and I was in shock. This wasn''t something that I should handle, so I decided to Link Leo. 124 The Rash 124 The Rash ~Leo~ After the meeting in Sylvester''s lounge, Erik requested that I follow him to his room to take my blood sample. While I followed him, I wondered how often he would have to take samples from me. I hope not again because I was beginning to feel like cattle in hisb. I entered his room and was surprised to see the mess of clothes he had everywhere. His countenance changed, showing some embarrassment. "Sometimes deciding what to wear isn''t easy," he said, gently scratching his head and smiling from embarrassment. "I see," I said, eyeing the entire ce. "Do you have a mate?" I asked him, knowing he had children. I had meant to ask him because he had been behaving like a bachelor for a while now. He went to his bag and brought out a big purse. I did not need to guess what was in it when he slipped ontex gloves. "Yuri and I made many silly mistakes when we were younger. We said we wanted to popte the world and so on," he said,ughing at himself. "Had I known what I know now, I would have settled with Elsa. She left me after she had Erin, and I did not im her. I do not know where she went. I hoped to find her but have been unsessful in that venture." He said and prepared the bag he would use to take my blood. "Yuri?" I asked him, sitting on the couch in his room. "He settled down, but she died. He was negligent and cruel, especially to his sons. Nelson was the bravest of the three of them," he replied. "So, where is Erin?" I asked him, and he sighed. I could see the conversation was difficult for him, but he seemed forting. "Somewhere in the West with his mother. He wants nothing to do with me." Erik said, and I felt sorry for him. "Maybe, you can try to get your family back together?" I said while he cleaned my arm to set up the IV line. "I n on doing that. Once this madness is over, I n to dedicate my time to finding Elsa and Erin. I hope it won''t be toote." He said, and I remembered something Alexei once told me about Erik and Yuri''s experiments. "What about your other children by other women?" I asked, and he looked at me and frowned. "Ten sessful science experiments scattered about the ce," he said, almostughing at himself. "I can''t tell which are mine, Yuri''s or Mikhail''s. We did a lot of stupid things in the name of revenge. We believed it was up to us to build our n again, so we wanted Luis to join us so we could be plenty. Luis was smart and normal. It was cruel what Yuri did to him. I did not find out untilter, so we split up. Yuri had killed the heir because he refused to join up. I knew it was more than that. I knew Yuri did it so he could be the heir. That was why I divided the group. It was the only way to reduce his power. He never forgave me for it. Frankly, I do not care. He is the hunted now," Erik said,ughing, and I chuckled too. It was clear the man let things go easily. He wasn''t the type to hold a grudge for long. If only Dimitri did not do what he did, all this would not have happened, and Erik''s mother wouldn''t have identally dropped him. Sylvester was dealing with a mess his ancestors created. I learned it is always good to look to the future before making decisions. Decisions that are made based on immediate gratification can cause long-term adverse effects. Erik finished, and I left his room. I moved quickly, eager to shower, eat and get in bed with Amelia. We had spent the entire day apart. I returned to the room, and Amelia was eating and watching television. Sylvester had ordered the Omegas to serve the food in our rooms because he knew we would not have the time to shower and converge at the dining room to eat. This was thoughtful of him. Amelia looked at me and smiled. Her mouth was full, and it looked cute. I walked towards her. She swallowed and pinched her nose, pointing towards the bathroom. I chuckled. I had forgotten that I was filthy. I went to shower in a hurry. The dirt, grime, and blood washed away with ease. I used a bath wash with menthol, so it was cool against my skin, making me feel fresh and clean after. I wore shorts and joined Amelia on the couch to eat. "Miss me?" I asked her, and she giggled. "We were busy here. No time," she said, and I feigned hurt, making her smile. "How was it?" She asked, and I told her all that happened. She was wide-eyed by the time I was done. "I knew Sylvester was a mean guy," she said, and weughed. I remembered what she had to say about Sylvester and Tamia when I caught her in my house. We had indeede a long way. "The Bluemoon is around the corner," she finally said, and I kissed my mark on her neck. She moaned while I ced my hands in her robe. "I know, Moonlight," I whispered in her ears. "This should be over in ten days," I said, hoping we would win. She pulled away from me a little, and I frowned at her. She wasn''t the type to show emotions, so I wondered what the matter was. "Sylvester has to allow Stepanovs to fight on his side. They can''t all be bad. I saw the way they moved when we fought them in Brentwood. They are a formidable force. I know he is being careful, but it also means he does not trust the n. He has to have a little faith in us," she said, and I sighed, hoping Tamia would see it that way, too, because I knew Sylvester would only listen to Tamia on this matter. He might have told us to speak to our mates about it, but I knew only Tamia''s opinion would matter. "I hope Tamia sees it that way," I said, and Amelia nodded, understanding me. "Did Kappa Wilson and Levi report our findings?" She asked, and I nodded. My response was satisfying, and she dropped the matter. She seemed very tired, so I decided I would avoid doing any physically draining activities with her. There would always be time. Maybe in the morning when we were both rested. Amelia and I chose to watch a movie that night with her cuddled in my arms. We did not finish the film when we passed from fatigue. I woke up early in the morning and found we were on the couch. So I gently carried Amelia to bed. I tossed and turned the rest of the morning. I was nervous about many things. I hadn''t heard from Kyle, and I was worried. Kyle did not need to go West to help Jake, but I had sent him there. I did not want him to die in a battle he had no business fighting. I nned that I would call Jake or Donald in the morning. My friend and warriors were in their pack. I hoped they would survive. Unlike us, they did not have AgK32 in their system. They had to depend on Nitric acid and poisoned darts. It would be a clumsy fight. The best case was that Yuri would change his mind and not attack Brighton. Sleep eventually came. I woke up with a headache and Sylvester''s voice in my head. I grumbled a bit and looked at Amelia. She was sleeping peacefully in bed. My neck was a bit itchy, and I scratched the spot. It felt rough and stung severely after I scratched it. My back and chest felt the same, So I rushed to the bathroom to see what was there. I turned on the light and looked at my reflection in the mirror over the sink. A trail of red rashes was on my neck down to my chest. The areas covered with the rash looked inmed and itchy. I ran cold water over a towel and ced it on the spots to cool it down, but then I felt the same sensation on my back. I did not need to know what had caused it. "Leo," I heard Sylvester''s voice again. Although I was feeling ufortable, I knew I had to answer. "Good morning, Sylvester," I replied, removing my shorts to get under the cold shower. I nned to head straight to Erik''s room to give me whatever he gave Devin because I doubted I could spend the entire day like this. It wasn''t bearable. "There is a woman called Gezel Westwood at the gate. She ims to be Amelia''s mother. Should they let her in?" He asked me, and the itch was immediately blocked out of my brain. Gezel, Gezel, I thought in my head. "One minute," I told Sylvester and tried to Link Alexei. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. "Alexei, Alexei," I linked him, and he answered by the second time. I knew he was just waking up. It was a few minutes past seven in the morning. The itch was back in full force, and I began to dance in the shower while I attempted to turn on the cold water. I danced, avoiding scratching the parts that itched. I turned on the cold shower to ease the burning sensation. "What is Amelia''s mother''s name again?" I linked him. "Seriously, Leo?" he replied, feeling I had troubled him for nothing. My condition in the shower was too much for me to condone his feeling. "A woman called Gezel Westwood is at the gate and ims to be Amelia''s mother. Handle it. The rash is here," I said, turning the shower to full force. It subsided, and I quickly exited the shower. I could not go to Erik with morning breath, so I decided to brush my teeth. While brushing my teeth, the difort of the rash returned, burning and itching simultaneously. I was going nuts. I wore a robe and left my room barefoot and partially wet. I wasn''t thinking straight. My mind was muddled up with the itch and the inmmatory pain I was feeling. It looked like I was dancing in the hallway. I kept my hands from my body to avoid scratching the itch. People looked at me funny, but I had to make it to Erik''s room. I got there and found David there too. He was shirtless and covered in a rash. He was also banging on the door seriously. We did not exchange pleasantries. There was no need. Our predicament was severe. The difort came with anger and a need to me someone. All I could think of was Erik''s inurate guesses. Soon Erik opened the door half asleep, and when he saw us, his eyes widened quickly. "I suspected you two would be the first to get the rash. Your concentrated Alpha¡­." He started, and David yelled at him. "Give us the fucking meds, old man," He said, and he had taken the words out of my mouth. How could Erik think this would be the time to exin why we were the first people at his door? "I do not have it with me. The nurse at the Infirmary would administer it. She is on standby." He said, and David walked away briskly before he could finish the sentence. I followed, too; I just wanted the itch and everything to stop. Everything could wait. 125 Mother 125 Mother ~Amelia~ Leo wasn''t in bed when I woke up. Someone was knocking on the door. I did not know who it was but did not appreciate the disturbance. I had nned to sleep longer this morning, but it seemed that wouldn''t happen. I looked at the clock. It was almost eight in the morning. "Amelia, Amelia," I heard Alexei''s voice, and I wondered why he was banging on my door. I really missed our bungalow in Mountain. I couldn''t wait for this thing to be over. There was nothing private about the ce. I grumbled and felt a bit irritated. "I aming." I managed, and the banging stopped. I got off the bed and went to the door. I opened it and walked away from the door to brush my teeth. Whatever Alexei had to tell me could wait. I did not like having morning breath. "Amelia," He said, and I raised my hands, signalling him to wait while I walked towards the bathroom. I did not take too long to brush my teeth and rinse my mouth. I exited the bathroom, and he was still standing by the door. I did not spend up to five minutes, so it was fair. "Good morning, big brother," I said, sounding slightly irritated, and he chuckled. "Good morning. I apologise for disturbing you, but Leo seemed busy and asked me to handle it." He said, and I frowned at him, wondering what he had to handle. He sighed and walked towards me. I noticed he was trying to find the right words, and that did not sit well with me. Such behaviour always indicates something serious. What could be serious that Leo could not tell me himself but sent Alexei to convey to me? "Someone is here to see you," he said, and I frowned at him. I wondered who woulde searching for me at the estate early in the morning. I was a guest at the Volkov Estate. Everyone I know who cared about me was in the estate. I wondered who would be there. "Who?" I asked, and he sighed. There was difficulty and contemtion in his eyes. I could see that Alexei did not appreciate Leo putting him up to whatever he had to say. "Your mother," he said, and I stepped backwards. I was in shock, and Alexei rushed towards me. He helped me sit on the couch while I tried to steady my breath. "Take it easy, Amelia. It is expected she will search for you after the broadcast yesterday. She has been in hiding because of Yuri." He said, and he really sucked at giving shocking news. "She is freshening up as we speak. She came here disguised as a madwoman. Please take it easy," He told me, and I just looked at him. Why would shee disguised as a madwoman? But then he did say she was hiding. "Let me freshen up," I said, and he nodded. "y and I will keep herpany in themon lounge. Tamia said we could use the ce. You can join us there when you are ready. Please do not take long," Alexei said, and I frowned at him. "Do you know her?" I asked him, and he nodded. "She sent my mother and me money when we were hiding in the north. She was a great support to our father and our family. She would send me and y extra funds, and she and Father would write letters. Until they attacked them in the West and killed Father, and she had to give you up and go into hiding. I tried to find her but gave up, not knowing what she looked like. You, on the other hand. It was difficult finding you too, but unlike you, she was aware of the dangers, and she hid well," He said and chuckled. There was a pain in hisugh, but I chose to ignore it. There was fondness in his voice while he spoke of the woman he imed was my mother, and I knew he was reminiscing. Too bad I did not have such memories. I had none. "I will freshen up and join you two," I said and got up. Alexei held my hand and looked at me, pleading. "Please take it easy on her. She did not have it easy either. I would give anything for my mother to be here. She wouldn''t be alive if she did not go into hiding and stay away from you," He said, and I nodded. He wasn''t to tell me how to react. I could understand his sentiments, but she abandoned me with her Omega. What if I was kidnapped and killed? I went through shit. She should have taken me with her; we would have hidden together. I could not share the same sentiments as Alexei, but there was no need to tell him that. I felt uneasy. I was angry and nervous at the same time. I tried to rx so I did not get to the point that it wouldn''t affect my baby, but I couldn''t. My body was going crazy. I stood under the shower and hugged myself, hoping the warm water would soothe my pain. Where was Leo? Why would he leave me to handle this alone? I seemed tough most of the time, but I did not want to face her alone. Although this would have been good news, I felt angry. I felt she did what she did out of convenience. I felt robbed. "Leo," I tried to link him, and there was silence. "Leo," I said, feeling for him again. "Amelia," he responded, and I exhaled. "Where are you?" I asked. "A bad rash. At the Infirmary. They have given us medication, and we are waiting for the itch and inmmation to subside. I am also a bit drowsy." He said, and I remembered the AgK32. Erik did say the rash was a side effect, but he had said it would be mild. The lying bastard. "Everyone is there?" I asked him, and it took a bit before he answered. All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. "Yes, including Sylvester. Everyone that was given the drug except for Devin, I heard he went through hisst night, but he is better now," Leo said, and I knew thest part was for my benefit. It would be best if I did not trouble him with my problems. Facing my mother alone would have to do. I exited the shower, wore a simple cream dress, and headed to themon room. "How are you feel, Amelia?" I heard Tamia''s voice in my head. Since when was she able to link me? "Howe?" I asked instead of replying to her question. "Leo joined Sylvester''s pack yesterday. They all did, so they could link each other during the fight in the woods. It is only temporary until this Yuri business is done. Once it is over, it will be back to the way it was," She exined, and I sighed. Since Leo was my Alpha and Sylvester was now his Alpha, it was expected that Tamia would be able to link me. It also meant I could Link Linda too. "I am fine," I replied, and she was silent. "I heard your mother is here," She said, and I fought the urge to roll my eyes at the speed at which news travelled. She was queen, so nothing would move past her, but I wished I was allowed to share the news instead. "So I heard. I am off to join her in themon room," I said, and she was silent. "Take it easy, Amelia. No one will disturb you. I have assigned an omega to attend to her. They will serve you breakfast there. If you need support, you can call on us," She said, and I was grateful for the support. Tamia had been kind to me since we met. She was indeed an amazing person. "Thank you, Tamia. I really appreciate it," I linked her back, and she closed the connection. I wanted to link Linda and request she joins me, but I believed I would have to do this alone. I moved toward the lounge, my heart thumping in my chest. I did not know what to expect and how best to react, but I knew it was only wise that I remained calm for all our sakes. I heard Alexei and y''s voices when I got to the lounge. They sounded delighted to see her even though I believed they were seeing her for the first time, but they seemed to have much to discuss. They stopped talking when I entered, and she was on a couch in the lounge. She wore a simple white dress, and her hair was wet, so I figured she had showered at the estate. She stood up and looked at me. I could see a mix of emotions in her eyes. Worry, fear, joy, it was much, and tears lingered in them too. She was indeed a gorgeous woman. Raven ck hair and brilliant blue eyes. I looked nothing like her. Time had been gentle on her, and she did not look her age at all. It also meant that she did not suffer. I hated being a bitter bitch, but I felt rage surge. I tried to rx. Alexei and y excused us quietly. We stared at each. I did not know what to say, so I held my tongue. "I am sorry," She said, tears streaming down her cheeks. She was the first to break the silence, so I held my tongue. "I could not run with you because I did not know my fate. I wanted you to be somewhere they wouldn''t search for you. I told Karen to take you somewhere I wouldn''t find you. I did not want to give you up if they ever caught me. Iter found that Yuri got to her. She was killed. I would have remained and searched for you, but I couldn''t. Too many people had my pictures, and I did not want to lead them to you. My properties and resources had been seized. I had nothing. The head Alpha of the West had taken everything from me to smoke me out. I was stranded and hopeless. I could not do much hiding and trying to survive. Please, Amelia," She said nervously, rushing through her words. It seemed she had much to say and needed me to hear her out. It also seemed she was afraid I might say something hurtful to her. I held my tongue to allow her the opportunity to say all she could without interruption. I had always been a good listener. I nned to put it to good use. "All this while, I never stop thinking of you. The only things that kept me going were the hope of finding you and my hope for revenge until yesterday when I saw you and your brothers on the television. Please. I have no excuse; I just wanted to see you," She said, wiping away her tears. She was shaking nervously. I could see her fear. Even though she was an Alpha breed, the fear radiated. I looked at her for a while. I could not be sentimental over something I do not understand. I could not be emotional about someone I did not know. I was suddenly numb. Maybe now that I had life growing inside me, I would understand the bond better, but staring at her, I felt nothing. There was so much to do; I did not want to waste time voicing emotions that no longer mattered to me. She wasn''t there when I needed her the most. I was alone. I grew up alone, and I moved about alone. It was hard, but I survived until I found Leo, and I wasn''t alone anymore. I had a family now. There was no pointshing out. "I cannot say anything that would make you happy, but I am d to see you. At least I know what you look like, and Yuri didn''t get to you¡­."I said, and she did not let me finish my sentence when she rushed at me and wrapped her arms around me. "Amelia," she said, holding me tightly and weeping. I stood still. Reluctant to wrap my arms around her. I was numb. "I am so sorry. They watched me for so long that I could not search for you. They hoped I would lead them to you, so I could not search. When I finally slipped off their radar, I dared not resurface again. I have been living like a madwoman for many years now. Hoping, one day, I will find you and your brothers. Please, Amelia," She said, and I did not know what she was begging for, but I lifted my hands and wrapped my arms around her. She neededfort to ease her aching heart. I wanted to be calm, so numbness would do for me now. She broke the hug eventually and led me to sit with her on the couch while the Omegas served food. No matter how I felt, I knew I needed to eat. I wasn''t in the mood to catch up, but I will try. While we ate, Alexei and y joined us. It was clear they could not stay away. The way they looked at my mother made me feel cheated. Whatever she had with them, she did not have with me. It was a pity. Though this was their first time seeing each other, she was a mother to them. Yuri had robbed me deeply. He deserved what wasing, and I hoped Leo would allow me to join them because I wanted my pound of flesh from the bastard. If anyone had to pay for all my trouble, it was Yuri and his cult, and I nned to make him pay painfully. Chapter 288: 126 Dealing With The Rash Chapter 288: 126 Dealing With The Rash ~Sylvester~ After informing Leo about Gezel Westwood, I began to feel a weird burning sensation on my back. It was a bit itchy too. I did not think much of it and thought it would go away. My mind was upied with the events that were unfolding. I would lie if I said I wasn''t nervous about confronting Yuri in Gad. I looked forward to ending it, and the anticipation made me nervous. I got into the shower quickly because I had a lot of nning to do when I felt the itch and slight burning sensation on my back. Tamia joined me in the bathroom and screamed. I turned towards her, and she looked concerned. "Your back is red with rashes," she said, looking worried and then it hit me. "Erik," Knight said in my head, and I tried to turn my back to the mirror to catch a glimpse of what was on it. It was indeed red with rashes at the top visible part. I grabbed my bathrobe and headed out. Seeing it made the itch increase. It might be psychological, but it had be severe. "Where are you going?" Tamia asked me. "Erik," I replied, unable to form aplete sentence because I was battling the difort. I walked out of the bedroom. I did not bother to answer the greetings in the hallway and headed straight towards the Beta''s wing, where Erik''s room was. On my way there, I bumped into Vino. He seemed to be in the same predicament as I was, and he wasing from the Beta''s wing. "The Infirmary," He said quickly. Knowing what had brought me there. There was no need for pleasantries. We were both in trouble. I turned around, and we headed to the property''s infirmary. I could not speak. I felt like backing up against a wall with my back and rubbing it there to scratch it. It was itchy. The burning sensation made the idea of scratching it unpleasant. It was a terrible feeling. I wondered if this was what Erik meant by it being bearable. I needed to stop believing the guy. He had used us asb rats and misrepresented the intensity of the side effects. I was mad. Knight was angry too. The difort took over my mindpletely, and I could not think straight. Soon we arrived at the property''s clinic, and I was surprised to find Leo and David receiving treatment. They were wrapped in wet towels that seemed to have been dipped in ice buckets close to their beds. They were also receiving medication intravenously. "You are here?" Leo said, almost asleep, and I could tell the medication caused drowsiness. A nurse came to me and helped me take off my robe. Vino whistled at the sight of my back, and I turned to look at him. Someone was already attending to him too. His rashes were on his chest and arm. But with the way David and Leo were covered, they seemed to have it more on their bodies than Vino and me. I was made to sit while a bucket of Ice and towels was ced beside my bed. They made mey face t on the bed and used the cooled towel to calm the burning sensation of the rashes. "We will administer the medication now, Your Majesty," the nurse said, and I just wanted the itch and burning to stop. I did not care what they were up to. All I wanted was for everything to stop. I turned around so they could set up the IV line for the drip. I was eager and impatient. I found myself growling at the nurse to hurry up. My actions had made her nervous, but she was steady. "How are you feeling, babe?" I heard udia''s voice. I looked in Vino''s direction, and she was beside him. She must have entered while I was lying face down on the bed. The difort must have been too much, so I could not sense her when she entered. She caressed Vino''s face gently and kissed him on the lips. "It will subside in three hours. You will be asleep for most of it," she said, and I rxed. I must admit I panicked when she said it would subside for three hours. I imagine going through the level of difort I was going through now for three hours. It wasn''t something to look forward to. I am d she followed it with the sleep part. I hoped Erik was happy with himself right now. udia walked towards me to inject something into the saline water connected to the IV. It turned the clear liquid cloudy, showing something had been introduced. "You will feel better now, your majesty," She said, regting the drip, and I hoped she was right because I was going crazy with the difort. She was still talking to me when Marcel and Theodore rushed in. They looked like a mess, and they had rashes on their chests, part of their arms and a small part of their backs. Marcel looked angry and ufortable. Theodore looked like he was having a lot of difficulties. I am sure if men were allowed to show weakness without being judged, we would have disyed difort through our emotions. udia quickly moved towards them and helped them find beds. Seeing that the beds were upied, I realised they had prepared for this. They had the exact amount of beds needed in the space, and each had an IV line on standby. Erik was sure none of us would escape the side effects. Speaking of the devil, Erik walked in while I was thinking of the arrangements of the ce. He looked calm, as if he expected it. He walked towards me and bowed. "Your majesty," he said, and I nodded, controlling my anger. "Sorry about the difort. It will soon subside," he managed, and I did not bother to answer him because I felt drowsy. Iid back on the bed with heavy eyes weing the sleep upon me. Gradually I drifted to sleep. I woke up in the infirmary. I was drowsy because of the drugs'' effects, but the itching and burning sensation on my back was gone. I looked around and noticed David and Leo''s beds were empty. Marcel, Vino and Theodore were still sleeping. Erik came towards me, smiling. He ced his hand on my shoulder to examine me. "All gone, Your Majesty. It took about four hours, but you are okay," He said, amused, and I looked at the wall clock. It was a little past twelve noon. "Leo and David?" I asked. "Left an hour ago," He said, and they brought me a shirt to wear. "The Queen brought you clothes when she checked on you twice," he said, handing me the shirt and shorts. I was grateful for Tamia''s kindness. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. I got off the bed wearing the shirt. Leaving the shorts, I had on and headed out. I felt Erik following me, and I knew he had something to discuss with me. "I have started the production, your majesty," He said, and I cringed at the sound of what he said. The difort of the rash was still fresh in my mind. Knowing I would have to go through it again annoyed me, but it wasn''t his fault. We were lucky he even had something like that. "That is great news," I said, not sounding enthusiastic about it but acknowledging the necessity of it. "I also want to find out if you have decided whether we will join you or not," He said, and I stopped walking to speak to him. "I am yet to discuss it with Tamia. Once I do, I will get back to you on the matter. Be assured you will receive feedback today," I said, and he nodded, a bit sad. "What is the matter, Erik?" I asked him, knowing he might decide not to tell me what was bothering him. My tone didn''t really seem friendly, either. The rash disrupted my day, and it took a bit for me to fall into the rhythm. "I have received a few calls from my n members, mostly from people in hiding. They called to congratte me. I was hoping this would be a good time to gather them so they can help us. I learned Bryce is already gathering your army," he said, and I nodded. "You will get my response today, Erik. I really appreciate all you have done so far. I want this thing over with, and I am avoiding surprises. It will not be productive if Yuri knows we are on to him. You have to understand my reasons. I will speak to Tamia and get back to you. In the meantime, you can send for Sean Garett to use as your test subject," I said, and he nodded and smiled. I moved away from him and headed towards my wing. Getting there, I went to my room. Tamia was in the room. She seemed a bit sad, but I knew why, and I hoped this thing would be over soon, so we could have our familyplete again. "You are up," She said, sounding happy, and I nodded, taking off my shirt. I turned around so she would see my back. "It is gone," she said, and I smiled. "Amelia''s mother is here," She said. I had forgotten entirely about the mad woman at the gate demanding to see Amelia. "Is she sane?" I asked Tamia, and sheughed and got off the couch. "It was a disguise. ording to Alexei, Yuri has been hunting her," She said, and I did not want to imagine the kind of life she would have had. Tamia and I weren''t faring well because the twins were away from us. I wondered how she would have felt not knowing where her daughter was. There was no doubt she hated Yuri. "Well, I am d mother and daughter are united," I said, and Tamia had a sad smile on her face. "Amelia does not seem enthusiastic about it. She is indifferent. I went to check in with them in the lounge and found Alexei and y talking andughing with the woman. Amelia just stared. It was almost as if she did not know where toe in. She doesn''t know her," Tamia said with tears in her eyes, and I knew the tears were not meant for Amelia but us. I pulled her into my arm and held her to my chest. "It won''t happen to us, Green-eyes. We won''t be away from Harper and Liam. There will be no need for us to live away from our children. We will be active in their lives. I promise," I said, and she wrapped her arms around me. Chapter 289: 127 What to do Chapter 289: 127 What to do ~Sylvester~ I held Tamia for a bit. I could feel the heaviness in her heart. She feared that if this lingered, we would spend too much time away from Liam and Harper. As things were, we were already missing out on a lot. We had nine more days to go, and everything would end. "I can''t imagine my children not knowing me. You needed to see how indifferent Amelia was with her mother," she said and sniffled. Then she broke away. "It wasn''t like she was being mean. She just couldn''t connect with the woman. There was no bond between them," Tamia said, and I wiped away her tears. "Amelia grew up in an orphanage and has been through many things. I am sure she hasn''t been vocal about all her ordeals. The harsh reality of her life has made her numb to certain things. You cannot expect her to show emotions like normal children. Her brothers did not grow up in an orphanage where they werebelled freaks. They both have memories of their parents, however brief. Amelia has nothing. She was kicked out at eighteen and lived on the streets for a while. Many things might have happened to her on the streets before she met Leo. She did not have the protection and guidance most people had growing up. Being distant, for Tamia, is normal. Do not worry about her; she wille around. But, the woman should not expect a mother-daughter rtionship because it would never be like that. She has missed out on the bonding years," I said, and Tamia sighed and nodded. She understood my point. "She is an Alpha, you know," She said, and it was surprising that Amelia''s mother was an Alpha. I wonder if Luis mated with her for love or her breed. "Soon, she won''t have to go about disguised like a mad woman anymore," I said, and Tamia sighed. "I hope Amelia allows her to build a rtionship because the woman seems really happy to see Amelia. The deep sorrow in her eyes says it all." She said and fell back into my arms so I could hold her. "We should end this bastard so he does not rob us of happiness. I doubt I can go any longer without my children." She said, and I gently caressed her back. She broke the hug eventually, and I decided to discuss Erik''s help with Tamia. N?velDrama.Org is the owner. "I need to ask for your advice," I confessed, and Tamia looked at me. "Won''t you shower first?" She asked me, and I shook my head. "I will do so when we have decided. It is urgent," I said, and she nodded. "Erik wants to gather an army of Stepanovs to help us fight. Although that was part of the initial agreement, I do not want to do anything that would jeopardise our mission. Yuri has been hard to track down, and now that we have a time and location, I would not want to miss the opportunity to end the bastard. A lot is at stake, so I cannot carelessly trust people I do not know." I said, and she remained silent. I guess she expected me to borate. " Erik does not know who he can trust. He is not sure who is on his side and who isn''t. It also seems Yuri has gained more ground than him in the loyalty department. Take Ighor, for example. Erik did not want to believe he was on Yuri''s side because he believed he was neutral," I said and sighed. "What I am trying to say is Erik does not know the true intentions of the people around him. What if we let this person join us, and we end up teaming up with Yuri''s spies? They might find a way to destroy us or tip Yuri off on our finds," I said, and she sighed. Tamia led me to the couch so we could sit. Then she ced her warm palm over my hand. "I understand your reservations," She said, and I was d she saw my point. "Thest thing we want is for Yuri to cancel that meeting. We have exhausted a lot, and we do not have any more time to spare on this matter. Our eagerness to end the situation is the reason for your concerns," she said. "But I also know we can''t take them, even with the AgK32. If we are fighting pure Stepanovs, we will face people Like Alexei, y, Andrew and Amelia. You might not have paid attention during the fight in Brentwood, but I did. We watched most of it before we joined, and they were like a blur. I doubt the AgK32 can help us that well. It might increase our chances, but I doubt we will seed against pure Stepanovs," She said, and I waited for her to say what she wanted to say. "What I am trying to tell you is whether we like it or not, we will need all the help we can get to win this, and we need Stepanovs on our side. They can''t all be the same, and I am sure most do not agree with Yuri''s methods. Take Inkabod, for example. Most of them are serving him because they have no choice. You have given them a choice, freedom and a home. You have restored their lineage and name. They now have a choice, and I am sure they will willingly fight to keep what you have given them." She said. I needed her to understand mine as much as I understood her point. "So you mean we should allow them to join us in battle? What if they tell Yuri what we know?" I said, and she shook her head. "Yes, we should let them join us in battle, but they are not going to know where it will be fought. Erik should tell them to move to Gad and start settling down. You have, after all, told the world that the West would be Stepanov territory. The Lords of the West are Stepanov Heirs, and the head Leader is a Stepanov. It is only expected that they move there. We will call on them when we surround the building with Yuri in it. That way, we have Yuri''s insight, and he cannot escape. There is a possibility that there will be traitors among Erik''s people, but there will be loyal people too. We would have eliminated the possibility of Yuri being tipped about our ambush, so they would have no choice but to fight," She said, and I sighed. It was a good idea, I must admit, but how many of Erik''s Stepanovs will genuinely be on our side? We already know there will be about three hundred true Stepanovs on sight. I did not know how many of Erik''s people would want to join him that day, and I could not tell how many would betray him. All I could do now was hope they weren''t much. I also knew I had to expect the defectors would be much; that way, I could n and be safe. It would really be nice for Erik to create a serum that would not affect our Alpha genes much because ourmand woulde in handy. I nodded and got up. "I will convey this idea to the others, and we will decide," I told Tamia, and she smiled at me. "The moon is on our side, Darling," she said, and I knew it was more of a prayer than words of encouragement, but it was weed. I headed to the bathroom to freshen up. I finished having my bath when my mother linked me. I honestly did not know she was around. I guess I had been too upied to notice. "Sylvester," I heard her in my head when I turned off the water and stepped out. I gripped a towel to dry off. "Mother," I replied. "Jake is injured badly. I just got a call on the attack in Brighton. Although they won, Kyle said Jake might not make it," she said, and I knew she must be crying. "I aming," I said and hurried out of the bathroom. Tamia was already on her way out, and she was in tears. My mother must have told her. "Leo ordered Kyle to fly him to Lund, but Brighton is underdeveloped, and they will have to drive to Gad before they can fly down," she said, and I sprang into action immediately. "I will send an Air-ambnce with a specialist to Brighton. Tell Leo to have specialists from Mountain go to Brighton. I am sure Jake has a small medical facility in Brighton that can render first aid before help arrives." I said, and she nodded quickly. It was bittersweet news. Brighton had not fallen, but would Jake fall? Even though he wasn''t the current Alpha, it would be a huge loss, one we could not bear. I picked up my phone immediately and called Lund General Hospital to give them orders. Once I was done, I headed out to speak to Leo and see my mother. I was hopeful that Jake would make it. They were getting married on Bluemoon night. I prayed it would happen. Yuri had taken enough from everyone. His reign of terror must end. Chapter 290: 128 After Treatment Chapter 290: 128 After Treatment ~Leo~ I was the first to wake up in the infirmary. Everyone was still asleep. Erik was there, and it seemed he had sat there all through. We really did not need his attention to be divided. We just had nine more days to go. " You are up," Erik said with a smile, and I nodded. "Shouldn''t you be in yourb?" I asked him, and he smiled. "I have set up the production of the old form. I do not need to be there. My assistants and Nelson can handle the rest. I will return there to attempt the upgraded version," He said, and I nodded. "It took you an hour and thirty minutes to recover, Leo," he said, and I frowned at him because I did not see how important that was. "It took Devin three hours. The minimum recovery time for alphas is three hours. Your body recovered in half the minimum time required, nor was your rash as severe as the others even though you and David have concentrated Alpha genes," He said, standing up and walking towards me. "You are also a Stepanov, Leo. You are also a part of my n," He said. Honestly, I did not care about things like that. "Your DNA has adapted the best of both bloodlines well. Albert''s bloodline is perfection," he said, and he was creeping me out. There was a glint in his eyes that screamed mad scientist, but I kept my shit together. Somehow I was used to Erik already. "How is my mate? Did shee here?" I asked him to change the topic, and he shook his head. "Tamia did, though. She came to check on the King and then checked on you. I haven''t seen Amelia, and I doubt there will be any need for that, seeing that you are okay," He said. Just then, Amelia walked into the infirmary. I wondered if our minds were in sync. She had a broad grin on her face when she saw me. She came with clothes that looked like mine. "You are up," she said, smiling, and I opened my arms. She rushed towards me and hugged me. "I would havee earlier, but Tamia told me you were still sleeping. Hope you aren''t mad, but I felt it would be impolite to leave Gezel alone with Alexei and y, knowing she is here to see me," she said, and that was when I remembered the mad woman that hade to see her. "Your mother," I asked, and she broke the hug to look at me. "Alexei confirmed it was her. I believe them because of their conversation about the past and their correspondence. Apparently, she took care of them. It even seems like my father married her for her money. She had to send funds to Alexei and y until she could no more. She is an Alpha, you know," she said, and I held her to my chest. Amelia was rushing through her words, but there was hurt she was trying to disguise. I did not n to discuss it with her in the infirmary. It was something that needed to be done in private. "Luis did not marry Gezel because of her money, Amelia," Erik said. Amelia broke the hug and looked at him. "I know your mother, and I am d she has finallye out of hiding. Yuri hunted her. He wanted her money, and he wanted to mate with her. He believed he could have a child like you with her. Not all Alpha genes arepatible with Steponov genes; Gezel was a unique case. That is why you are more special than your brothers. It wasn''t you that Yuri wanted Amelia; it was Gezel. She had to go into hiding, and there was no way she could go into hiding with you," He said and sighed. "Ever wondered why Yuri did not snatch you all these years? He kept an eye on you, hoping Gezel would reach out to you, and then he would take both of you. He tried to recruit you, so Gezel would reach out to you. She hase out of hiding now; she isn''t safe anymore," Erik said, and I felt stupid that I did not ask Erik about Gezel. Alexei had told me that Erik and Yuri knew her. ¡° Luis and Gezel were fated. Ingrid Kusov divorced him when she found out the cult was after him. She felt she and Alexei would be safer that way. He left Emma Newton because she was pressuring him to join up for peace. The only woman that stood by Luis''s side was Gezel. She was with him through thick and thin until the bitter end. I tried to help her when Luis died, but even I knew I needed to watch my back. So I did not actively search for her, so Yuri won''t find her. I hoped she could forgive me for not helping." He said with a tinge of regret. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. "So you mean if you see her, you will recognise her," I asked Erik, and he smiled. "I saw her when they were ushering her to themon lounge. I could not bring myself to face her. I could not bring myself to be reminded of my failure," he said with misty eyes, and that was the confirmation I needed to know the woman iming to Amelia''s mother wasn''t a fraud. I collected the clothes Amelia had brought and put them on. Amelia and I left the infirmary together. "Do you mind if I meet your mother?" I asked her, and she shook her head. Erik''s words had softened her a bit. She led me to themon lounge, where Alexei and y were chatting with a ck-haired woman. y looked at me and smiled. "You''ve recovered," He said,ughing at me, and Alexei turned andughed too. The woman turned towards me, and Amelia looked nothing like her at first nce, but if Amelia dyed her hair ck and wore blue contacts, there would be no mistaking that she was her mother because Amelia had her nose and the shape of her head. The rest of Amelia''s features was definitely Luis''s because y and Amelia looked alike. The woman was gorgeous, and it was believable that Amelia woulde from her. "Albert! You look so much like Richardo," She said, and I frowned at her. Did she know my father? "I walked towards her to greet her, and she stood up. She pulled me into an embrace that shocked me a bit, but I tried to rx. "Thank you for taking care of my daughter.Thank you so much, Alpha Albert. Your family have always been there for Stepanov in need. Thank you for everything," She said, and I rxed a bit. She broke the hug. "You look so much like your father. He helped Luis a few times. Luis couldn''t have escaped Hand when he was with Emma if it weren''t for Richardo. Emma had sold him out because she wanted him to join up badly," She said and looked at y apologetically. "That was what Luis told me," She told y, almost pleading with him. I knew y was surprised, but he controlled himself. "Honestly, you can''t me her; she wanted all of you to be safe. That was why she did it. That was why Luis ran away from the East to the West. We met while he tried hiding and blending in the West. His oud wood scent was strong and enthralling," She said, reminiscing but soon snapped out of it. I could see the tears threatening to fall. She still missed her mate but was trying to be strong. I wondered how she had stayed alive all these years and not given up somewhere along the line. I did not need to guess that finding Amelia was her reason. "I am pleased to meet you, Alpha Westwood," I told her, recognising she was an Alpha even though she had no pack. "I am Mrs Ivanov. Westwood is my maiden name," she said with a smile, and I already knew that, but it was okay that she spoke up about it. "Soon, you will be free once we rid this world of Yuri," I said, and there was a sudden rage in her eyes. "Mikhail too. He killed Luis. Luis had the upper hand but made a foolish mistake of sparing the bastard; he slit his throat," She said, tears streaming down her cheeks. She was reliving the horrors of the past. Her words confirmed what Erik had said about Andrew''s father being Yuri''s hitman. "Erik executed him," I said, and there was relief in her eyes. "I am d he is no longer breathing. I can''t even tell you the things the bastard tried to do to me. I could not hold Luis when he was dying. I had to run away. He took everything from me," She said and looked at Amelia. "Everything," She repeated, and Alexei got up and held Gezel. The woman was still broken. "Please take her to her room so she can rest," I told Alexei, and he nodded. "Amelia," Gezel said, reaching, and Amelia held on to me. "Go with her, Moonlight. She needs you. You can join meter," I linked to Amelia, who was reluctant to go wither her mother. Amelia pulled away from me and went to her mother. I watched Them leave the lounge, leaving me with y, who was still shocked at what Gezel had told him. "My mother never told me that part of the story. She said he ran away so we could be safe. She never told me she sold him out," he said, and I knew he was a bit angry because he had been robbed of having a father. Somehow I suspected Alexei''s mother did not tell him she had divorced his father too. I did not me the women. It would have been hard exining to them that they drove their father away so they would be safe. Alexei and y wouldn''t have been understanding. The only person who did not drive him away ended up losing everything. "I am sure her decision is why you are still alive," I told y, and he was silent. I turned around to head to my room. I wanted to shower and get into the day. Time had already been lost, but it was still morning. Chapter 291: 129 Call from Brighton Chapter 291: 129 Call from Brighton ~Leo~ I got to my room and called Max to check on him and know how everyone was doing. Max answered after a few rings, and I was d to hear his voice. "How are things over there?" I asked him. "We are fine. The alphas here have gathered warriors upon arrival. They are waiting for word from you," he said, and I was surprised that they had sprung into action. "So soon?" I asked, and he chuckled a bit. "They never want to experience what happened to them again. This Yuri man is a menace and has to go, Leo," He said, and I chuckled at what he said. I missed Max, but we had only a few days to go, and everything will be okay. "Mirabel is alright, by the way, and she told Timothy that she and Andrew are fated. Did you know?" He asked, and I was shocked. I realised why Andrew was confident about her. "Now I do," I said, and weughed. I could only imagine the relief Timothy would be feeling at the moment. "She wants to join him in the north, but her grandfather says no," he said, which was thoughtful of Timothy. "You will have to lead us in the East, Leo. The alphas are waiting for you." He said, and I sighed. "They might have to rally themselves and move towards the West soon. Don''t tell them yet; we want to be sure," I said, and he was silent. "I thought it would be the south. Yuri has made a lot of moves and changes in the south. I have heard rumours of a coronation in the south and a council being set up. Although after the broadcast Yesterday morning, everything has gone silent. I do not know, but I think he is in the south, and we should strike there," he said, and I could not tell him that the activities in the south were to mislead us. "When we are sure we will move, there is no rushing," I said. Max said nothing after that, so I knew he was content with my exnation. "Gather the warriors and get me their number. But ensure we do not take more than a quarter from every alpha in the East. I do not want the East to be void of protection. Other than the south, I do not want Yuri to have anywhere to run to," I told him, and he agreed. "Your father and Grey already said that. They said they should only donate a fraction of their defence force to the cause so they can have people to defend the territory," He said. I was happy my father and I were thinking along the same line. "How are they?" I asked, and he sighed. "They are busy, so I doubt they miss you much, but your mother does not seem happy with you and Amelia. Sheined that neither of you had called to check on them. Reba isining about Susan and Devin too. I guess you will sort it out," he said, and Iughed, imagining the look on my mother''s face while sheined. "I will sort it out," I said, and we hung up. I wanted tough, But I couldn''t. A few hourster, I got a call from an unknown Western number. It was past twelve in the afternoon. I answered, relieved to learn it was Kyle, but what Kyle told me troubled my soul.All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. "They attacked, but we were able to push back. I believe they were not expecting resistance. They didn''te with force. We lost some men, but they lost more," Kyle said, but it sounded like he was having difficulty speaking. "What about you? How are you doing?" I asked, and he sighed. "I am injured, but I will live. I am not the issue right now. Jake Brighton is. They shot him with a weird dart. I do not know what is in it, but he is fighting for his life currently. There are medical practitioners in Brighton, but the facility you and Devin were constructing for them is yet to be completed. Donald has called to inform Lady Stephanie. I had to talk to her about it. The woman is distraught already. The troubling part is they ran away after they shot Jake. It was as if they had come for him," he said, and I did not need to guess what the poison was. There was a possibility it was the same as what was introduced to Devin''s system. Ighor must have lied about the poison and who possessed it, or Melvin might have replicated it for Yuri. "Do you think he had dealings with them and did not fulfil his end?" Kyle asked, and I could not process that thought yet, knowing the severity of the situation if my guess was correct. "See if you can get him to Gad then Lund; either way, I will try to get help to meet you in Gad or Lund, pending on time and avability of resources," I said, and he thanked me and hung up. I knew we needed to get Agk32 to Jake immediately. Gad was the closest, but if we couldn''t get to Gad on time, they could bring him to Lund, and we could meet them with the antidote. I got off the bed and headed towards the infirmary to see Erik. "Erik, Where are you?" I asked. "In myb, Sylvester just returned to his room." He told me, and I hurried out of my room to go to Erik. I nned to fly the antidote to Gad, so there was no time to discuss anything with Sylvester. Time was of the essence. "Leo, have you heard?" I heard Tamia in my head while I moved. "Yes, I have told Kyle to get him to Lund. I am on it," I said, and she closed the connection. I could just imagine what Stephanie was going through right now. I hurried to Erik''sb to discuss the best way of transporting the antidote and getting it to Jake on time. "Leo," I heard Sylvester in my head. He must have heard. "Where are you?" he asked, and I told him I was in Erik''sb. "Good. I n on sending an air ambnce with specialists to Brighton. Send a Specialist from Mountain to Brighton to help out. I am sure they can render first aid before The air ambnce arrives," he said, and even though he meant well, I doubted Jake had that much time. "I believe he was shot with the same poison introduced to Devin. He doesn''t have much time. We need to get AgK32 to him immediately and have it administered there. Forget the air ambnce. Let''s use a jet to send it to Gad now, then find a way to transport it to Brighton from there. Kyle said they are trying to flush his system, which should buy him some time." I said, and Sylvester was silent. I knew he was on his way to theb, so I decided to discuss the matter with Erik. "When was this poison administered?" Erik asked me, and I did not know. "If you have a jet, let them pick Jake up and bring him here. He will need more than AgK32; the earlier he is here, the better..." Erik said, and I sprung into action before he couldplete his sentence. I had not used my jet in a while, but it was necessary now. I took out my phone and ced a call to Max. He answered quickly. "Have you heard?'' He asked, and I skipped the question because time was of the essence. "Have Casper prepare my jet, then use the small helicopter to take Jake from Brighton to Mountain. The flight should be forty minutes. Once he is in Mountain, fly him to Lund using the jet. I believe there is a deadly poison in his system." I said, and Max told me he was on it. This was a serious issue. If only Brighton wasn''t underdeveloped, we would have just flown the antidote to Brighton directly. But it had no airports or runways to amodate a jet, and helicopters would be too slow. I honestly doubted he would make it. "Leo," Erik finally said, and I realised he had been trying to get my attention. I was a bit apprehensive but listened to him. " I have been trying to tell you there is no AgK32 here. We exhausted it yesterday. Due to the rush, I left a sample in myp in Hand. It is in the safe of my office. I forgot to bring it along. They can administer that to him before bringing him here," he said, and I hugged Erik tightly. I should have allowed him toplete his sentence before springing into action. I felt relief wash through me immediately. I called Max immediately and gave him the order. I instructed him to use the helicopter to Hand and gave him instructions on how to get to the warehouse. They might have tond in the clearing in the woods close to the warehouse to be quick. Erik told him where the safe was and thebination to unlock the safe. Then I instructed him to fly the content to Brighton with the helicopter and have the antidote administered before they bring Jake to the Mountain and fly him to Lund. That was the fastest way to get the antidote in Jake''s system and save his life. I just hope we won''t be toote. Sylvester arrived after I spoke with Max, and he was relieved. He made a few phone calls. Apparently, he had requested that an air ambnce go to Gad. There was no need for that now. It was a miracle that Erik left a sample in the safe. He imed it was because he had to leave in a hurry, but it hade in handy because Erik had no sample avable in the Estate. We had used them, and the ones he was producing weren''t ready yet. "I have to go to my mother; she is trying to leave and go to Brighton," Sylvester said, and I stopped him before he left. "On no ount should you let her leave? I am beginning to suspect the poisoning of Jake was deliberate. I think Yuri wants to take your mother. I am unsure, but why poison Jake and leave the rest?" I asked Sylvester, and he understood my point. I let him leave and decided to leave theb so Erik could work peacefully. Max called me an hour and thirty minutester to say that they had sessfully administered the antidote and were flying him to Mountain so they could bring him to the North. Although I was happy with the news, the fact that Jake was unconscious when they administered the antidote did not sit well with me. I just had to hope I was right about the poison and they had administered the antidote on time, or all our efforts would be in vain. I linked Sylvester to tell him the good news. He told me that Stephanie was sedated to keep her from acting up. We all had to keep our fingers crossed and hope my guess was correct. Amelia joined meter, and she looked worried. I was sure she heard. I just held her. ''Neither of us could speak. We all want Stephanie and Jake to have a happily ever after; they deserve it. Yuri had outdone himself. Somehow I believe the attack was just to poison Jake, which was why Kyle did not meet too much force. Jake was their target, not Brighton or Donald, and I knew it had to do with Stephanie, which led us back to Sylvester. Chapter 292: 130 Dealing With The Moment Chapter 292: 130 Dealing With The Moment ~Tamia~ The news of Jake''s predicament got to me. When Stephanie told me what had happened, I was afraid. I was afraid that she might lose him too. I know how Sylvester described Stephanie when her husband passed away. Even though they had a lot of issues between them, she mourned him for a long time in her own way. Jake was going to be worse because she was in love with him. His status did not matter neither did his pocket. They were just perfect for each other. To have a love like that ripped away from her would be cruel. I, too, wanted a piece of Yuri. He had done too much for nothing. Sylvester had corrected the wrong, and the Stepanovs had yet to celebrate their liberation. I did not know why he would attack Brighton. It was either based on malice, or he was nning something. I just hoped we would be ready for what was toe. I went to Stephanie''s room, and udia was already there. I wondered how she got there before me. I sighed and walked in. Stephanie was too broken to acknowledge my presence. "He will make it. You have to be hopeful," I said to her and went to sit beside her at the foot of her bed to calm her down. She leaned against me a bit, and I held her while she wept. Just then, Nicole and Katya walked in. Katya rushed to hold her, and I shifted to create space for them. "I told him toe to the north, but he wanted to be there when they attacked Brighton. He did not want his son and nephew to face that alone. He had already lost his daughter. He did not want to lose his son. I tried to plead with him," Stephanie said, speaking to all of us, and none of us had anything to tell her. We were as worried as she was. "Vino requested that Ie here to sedate her, but I am waiting for you or the King to approve it," udia linked me. I could understand why Vino would want her sedated. There was no way we could guess what she might do in the meantime. "Wait for Sylvester," I linked her back, and she nodded. It was great to see how udia fitted in easily. I hoped she would be able to cope with the triplets. Sylvester walked inter, and everyone stood to greet him, including myself. Not that it was required, but his mother was the one in need of attention. It was just a reflex. N?velDrama.Org is the owner. "Mother," Sylvester said, and Stephanie looked at him with swollen eyes. Honestly, informing her about Jake wasn''t a bright idea. I was mad at Donald for calling her directly. They should have called Leo instead. He would have told Sylvester, and Sylvester would have found a way to break it to her. "I want to go to Brighton. I want to be there," She said, and Sylvester nodded and stroked her back. "Let''s give in an hour or two. Leo is on it." He said, and without warning, udia gently injected Stephanie with something. Sylvester led her to lie on the bed. I guess he must have told udia to go ahead. The disadvantage of mind links was that the conversation wasn''t always general, so we could only guess from the action. Everyone was silent, and we waited for the effects of the med to kick in. Dominic entered, but by then, Stephanie was shutting her eyes. "How is she?" He asked Sylvester. "Asleep for now," Sylvester said and stood up. Katya moved towards her husband, and he held her. These were stressful times, and we needed a break. "Let''s wait at the lounge. Kataya and udia can keep an eye on her for now," Sylvester ordered, and Nicole and I got up to leave. "Tamia, both of you should be there," Sylvester told me gently, and I nodded. Things were happening, and we needed to move fast. I had nothing to do, so I just followed him to themon lounge. While I walked beside Sylvester, he held my hand. "Thank you for being strong in there," He whispered, and I squeezed his palm. I wanted this to be over with. I was tired. I missed my children and the peace we were enjoying. I remember when Lindained about boredom and not having anything to do. I wish I could get back that time. I wished we were bored with nothing to do. I would be lying if I said I wasn''t afraid. There was a pending war. Even though we had some things in our favour, I could not shake off the fact that we would have to fight those people, and whether I liked it or not, I knew some people would die. That was just how war worked. I wanted peace badly and hoped for a situation where there would be no death. But could it be possible? Could we really end this with the death of one man? The questions swam in my head, and soon we arrived at the lounge. Everyone except Leo and Amelia was there. Susan was sitting close to Devin and holding on for dear life. We could all rte. I knew we would not be invited to join the battle. However hard we tried to push, our men would not allow it, which was for a good reason. Someone had to be here for the sake of our children. Who better to protect our children than us, the mothers. Susan was holding on tightly. The day of the event was fast approaching, and soon it will be upon us. I was relieved by the information from Ighor but also sad because of the time given. "How is she?" David asked Sylvester. "Sleeping," He said and made me sit on hisp. Sylvester wrapped his arms around my waist and kissed my back. I felt him breathe me in. He neededfort, and this was the best way he could get it. I wanted to hold him too, but this would have to do for now. Nicole joined David on the couch and sat close to him. She rested her head on his shoulder, and he stroked her hair gently. The news about Jake had shaken everyone. Avery was in tears, while Linda was glum. Theodore and Marcel held their mates. Avery and I would feel fear because we knew Jake. He amodated us and protected us in the West. He was a kind man. Awesome and fair. He was easygoing, never bothering anyone, and always did what was expected. We did not have to watch our backs with him; his loyalty was absolute, and he brought colour into Stephanie''s world. What Yuri did was cruel, and I hoped Jake would survive it. As much as I tried to be optimistic, it seemed we were already saying goodbye to him. I prayed it would not be so and there would be good news. Leo soon walked in with Amelia, who was looking confused. She had no personal rtionship with Jake and was already on a rollercoaster because of the arrival of her mother. But I respected her sensitivity to respect our grief. She sat beside Leo, and Leo squeezed her hand. "They have administered Agk32 into his system and are on their way to Lund," Leo announced, and I frowned. What does Agk32 have to do with this? "Why?" I asked, and he sighed before responding. I knew he had a theory. He always did that when he had a theory about something. "ording to Kyle, they did note with force to raze Brighton to the ground. In fact, they were surprised by the force they met in Brighton. My warriors had overwhelmed them. They shot a poisoned dart at Jake. They did not shoot Donald or Kyle with the dart, just Jake and once they had seeded, they gave up and ran," He exined, and I could see his point. "It means they came there specifically to poison Jake, and I think it has to do with his rtionship with you, Sylvester. I think it has to do with your mother. Maybe they have an antidote and want to ckmail you with it? I only asked they administer the Agk32 to eliminate the possibility of the poison being the same as the one Ighor used on Devin," he exined, and I could not rx. "What if it isn''t that poison?" I asked. "Erik is on standby for that. Whatever the case is, we will figure it out," Leo said, and I wasn''t optimistic. A problem known is half solved, but this was an unknown substance, and I doubted Jake had the luxury of time for tests and experiments. I was worried and unsure. "If what you say is true, then Yuri is bound to reach out and make some demands," Amelia said, which should be the natural cause of action if what Yuri did was deliberate. "We must be prepared if that should happen," I said. "I also think we should drill Melvin," Leo said. "If he was Erik''s assistant, then he must know what is in the dart," Leo added, and he was right. There was no guarantee that what they shot into Jake''s system was from Erik''sb. It might be Melvin''s experiment since he was the next best thing to Erik and worked for Yuri. "Very well, Leo, Devin, David, we should head to the dungeons to question Melvin. Also, ask Erik to come along. Theo, Marcel, Dominic and Vino handle what needs to be done while we deal with that bastard. Alexei, y and Andrew are already handling the recruitment for the battle," He said and looked at me. "See how you and thedies cane up with ideas to help swing this in our favour. Also, ensure my mother does not leave her room when she wakes up. Do not give her bad news even if there is any," he told me, and I nodded. The blue moon was around the corner. Hopefully, it all ends in our favour so that all those that n on tying the knot on that day will do so happily with relief. We dispersed, and everyone went to carry out the work allocated to them. Chapter 293: 131 The Phone Call Chapter 293: 131 The Phone Call ~Sylvester~ Leo''s exnation made a lot of sense, and I was afraid and eager simultaneously. I was afraid we might not be able to help Jake, but keen that Yuri would reach out to me. It was about time he did so. If there was anything I could read about his personality was that the man was very arrogant. He must believe he had the upper hand for him to remain silent after all that had happened. Not having any dealings with him also made me nervous. What if Yuri was dead, and we were just dealing with an illusion? He wasn''t anywhere. No one seems to be able to point out his location. He was like a ghost. What if he had killed over somewhere and someone, maybe his child, was trying to realise his dream by all means? It was a wild guess, but anything could be possible with how everything was unfolding. "You say they are on their way?" I asked Leo, and he nodded. I could tell he was a bit stressed out. I would be too. Too many things were happening around him. He needed a breather; we all did. I hoped we would get it soon because I was tired. We waited for Erik in the hallway, and he joined us. He still had hisb coat on. He must have been interrupted in the middle of something. "Hope we did not interrupt a process?" I asked him, and he shook his head. "Not at all, your majesty. Nelson is bing a pro, you see. He is handling it effectively. The Agk32 is almost ready. I n to start working on the improved version tonight. I am still studying Leo''s gic and DNA patterns to understand the code that enables him to retain his alpha capacity," He said, and I nodded. I did not understand anything he was saying. My mind was muddled up with worry and uncertainties. "That is great news. Worst case, we would use the old form. Another rash would not be a deterrent for the cause," David said, and even though it was meant to be a joke, no oneughed. The situation was dire, and we all knew it. I cleared my throat to get everyone''s attention and then directed my words to Erik. "Leo is of the notion that the poison was injected into Jake deliberately. We want to find out if Melvin created any poison for Yuri and what the antidote is," I said, and Erik understood. "I was also thinking the same. Although we have administered AgK32 in his system, there might be a possibility that the By-product of AgK32 isn''t the culprit here. It might be something else entirely. I am ready to run tests on Jake upon arrival, but I might not have the time required to solve the problem," he confessed, and I could hear the concern in his voice. It was difficult for Erik to admit he couldn''t do something. "Okay, shall we question Melvin now since time isn''t on our side?" David asked, and I nodded. The earlier we get to the matter, the better. We went to the deeper cells of the Estate. There wasn''t anyone there. Tamia had forced me to stop locking people there. The prisoners were either in prison or released out of sympathy. The Estate wasn''t as popted as it once was. Even the trophies I got were mostly gone; some were married, while others chose to return to their packs. The few that remained were a fraction of the former number. Eventually, I would have to send them all away. Hopefully, they will fall in love and move on. We reached the cell holding Melvin, and I ordered the Kappa to let us in. It was dark. There was no light in the cell, nor was there a light in the hallway. It was kept that way for a purpose. Darkness and solitude could break a mind, and I nned to break Melvin and Ighor. Marcel had done an excellent job upgrading the ce. Now they had a bed and a toilet. It used to be a mattress and bucket, but we got generous. Marcel would sometime argue that we typically lock up suspects and thus should not be treated as convicted felons. Well, he was right, but this bastard, Melvin, wasn''t a suspect. He was guilty of the crime he was locked up for. Lucky bastard. The lights were turned on, and the dark ce was illuminated immediately. The bastard groaned. I could see Bryce had done a number on him. He had bruises all over, and one eye was swollen shut. Bryce must have beat him up while he was in silver chains. That was the only reason he was yet to heal from the beating. I figured the beating wasn''t the punishment. The pain of the beating was the punishment, and I liked Bryce''s sense of humour. Melvin was finding it difficult to open his eyes, and I decided to give him time for his free eye to adjust to the light. "We don''t have all day, traitor," Erik said with a tinge of rage. He, of all people, will understand the urgency of the matter. Melvin struggled to open his good eye, and when he finally did, I asked him to stand up. Though in chains, he was able to move freely. "Your majesty," he said with a raspy voice. His throat was dry, so I called a kappa to bring him water. I wasn''t being kind, but he needed to be able to speak. I waited for the Kappa to get the water, and when he had a sip, I ordered the Kappa to leave. I wasn''t nning to satiate Melvin''s thirst just to make him speak with ease. The sadness in his eyes showed he desired to have more, but unfortunately, I wasn''t feeling generous. "I will go straight to the point. Did you prepare any poison for Yuri while in his service? Think really hard about your answer because if I find out you were lying, your death will be slow and very painful, something that would span for years. I am sure you wouldn''t want that," I asked him, and he nodded. "I did not create a poison, but I boosted the potency of the by-product of the Agk32," He said, and Erik cursed. "And what does it do?" Erik asked him. "Reproduces silver in the system and eats through the organs. It starts by killing the wolf genes, so survivors are likely not to have a wolf if they have survived it," He said, and I wanted to punch him in the face. Right now, saving Jake''s life is important. I also wondered if that was the same substance introduced in Devin;''s system. If so, we are safe, but if not, we could not know what to expect. "Was it the same substance Ighor used to attack us?" I asked, and Melvin frowned a bit. It was clear he knew nothing of the attack. I guess he wasn''t that close to Yuri, or maybe Ighor was overzealous and acted alone. I did not have time to find that out, so I dropped it. "Can AgK32 nullify the effect?" I asked quickly, and he shook his head. "I do not know, your majesty," he said, and I held his throat. "He cannot know, your majesty," Erik cut in. All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. "They do not have the form for AgK32, so he cannot know. To be sure, he would have to run a test, and none could be carried out without the Agk32," Erik exined; I understood, but I was frustrated because it seemed I wouldn''t get much from Melvin, so much for being hopeful. " How did you get your hands on the By-product?" Erik asked. "One of your assistants gave it to Ighor. She promised to write down the form the next time you make Agk32, but we never got it. You did not take her to your newb," Melvin said, and Erik had a knowing look. He did confess to Leo that he knew there were traitors in his circle. This is why I am still unsure of involving Stepanovs in the fight, but Tamia''s reasoning was correct. I would just have to hope for the best. "Is there an antidote?" I asked him, and he shook his head. "I wasn''t able to create one. Yuri said he was okay with it not having a remedy," He said, and I knew we wouldn''t get anything more from Melvin. I hade here with heat with the hope of inflicting pain on the bastard, but the condition I had met him was pitiful enough for me to let it go. I just walked out of the ce. Melvin called out to us, pleading that I forgive him. I guess he wasn''t used to darkness and pain. Unfortunately for him, I did not believe he was worthy of that gesture. He was scum and should be treated as such. The lights went out, and we headed out. We walked out of the underground section and were about to disperse when a call came through on my phone. Everyone stopped. It wasn''t like it was their business, but there was curiousness in their eyes. Leo''s phone began to ring, too, and I wondered what the odds were that we would be called simultaneously. Leo took out his phone and checked it quickly. "It is Kyle. I think they have arrived," Leo said, and I was d. I hoped Jake still had time and Erik would be able to solve the matter. My phone continued to ring. Leo moved away to answer his phone while I remained to answer mine. I checked the screen and saw an unknown number. It was a number but had no name or identifier. I cautiously answered even though nothing could be done to me over the phone. Other than ear- damaging activities, it waspletely harmless. "Hello," I said, and there was silence; soon, I heard someone sigh on the other end. "Sylvester Volkov," I heard a deep mechanical voice say to me. It was dark and menacing. Due to the machine or effect the caller used to change their voice, I could not tell who it was, so I controlled myself. One thing was certain; it was definitely a foe who did not regard me as their King. Chapter 294: 132 Who Is On The Line Chapter 294: 132 Who Is On The Line ~Sylvester~ I held the phone to my ears, wondering who was on the other end of the phone. "Who am I speaking to, please?" I asked, and there was silence. I could not understand the need for the drama. I was getting impatient, but I rxed, knowing that the caller wanted me to be apprehensive. "How are you doing today, Sylvester?" the caller asked me. Something was condescending about their tone. They spoke to me like an elder would speak to a child. As if I were stupid and beneath them. "I am fine, thank you," I said with all the calmness I could manage. David tapped me and frowned, and I held up my index finger, indicating he gives me a minute. I could see the worry in his eyes, Erik''s too. "Speaker," Devin linked me, and I ced the call on speaker and held the microphone close to my mouth. "Sylvester Volkov," The voice said again, and Erik frowned. I remained silent, not in the mood to y the game the sick caller was ying. "I see you are the patient type. No wonder you make loyal friends quickly," the voice said, and I sighed, feigning boredom. "How may I help you?" I asked. "You know who is speaking, don''t you?" the voice asked, and honestly, the caller was getting on my nerves. "I do not. Please introduce yourself," I said, and the callerughed. "Well, my name is Yuri Stepanov," he said, and Iughed. "If that is true, why are you masking your voice?" I asked, and he continuedughing. I must sound funny. "It will give a dramatic effect, don''t you think? Didn''t you feel the tension of the suspense? Guessing who I was, trying to figure it out. The few seconds must have given you the pump," he said, and I was silent. "What do you want, Yuri," I said, not believing he was who he imed he was but hoping to get something. "Well," he finally said without the effect in his voice, and I looked at Erik, who nodded quickly. I could not believe this bastard. He had indeed masked his voice for effect. How dramatic. He also seemed like the yful type. A yful bad guy. Iposed myself and allowed him to continue speaking without interruption. "Everything, of course. I want everything. Everything your grandfather stole from us. I want it all. You might have been able to deceive my cousin and blind him by dangling peanuts in his eyes, but you cannot fool me. Giving those two bastards lordship and the West would not erase the damage Dimitri Volkov caused. It would not change the fact that we had to hide in the shadows for years," he said, and I did not want to hear his pathetic story, so I cut in. "What will?" I asked him to see how far he was willing to go. "Now that you ask, I doubt anything would be enough. But I can start by eradicating your lineage," heughed. I thought Erik was the unstable one, but Yuri was insane. I guess the many years of inbreeding must have affected the mental health of the n. I was silent for a bit and waited. "I am calling to find out how Stephanie is doing. I want you to know that I will take all your loved ones from you like I have done to Stephanie; the poor woman did nothing to me, but she is coteral damage," He said andughed. Original from N?velDrama.Org. "I hope you know that poison has no antidote. I had it made especially for you and your family. Too bad Jake had to be a guinea pig," he said, and my hands shook. Erik did not linger and left, following the same route Leo took. Whatever needed to be done for Jake had to be quick. "I will make you feel the pain Dimitri inflicted on us. Jake will not make it. The medication has no antidote. Prepare for a funeral and know at the back of your mind any of your loved ones could be next. I want you to feel the way Stepanovs felt for years, knowing there was a target on our backs. Knowing our lives were forfeit and we dared not dream of a future. I will take you mates, children, family and friends one at a time and make you feel all the pain that we felt when our parents had to flee their homes and we had to hide from the rest of the world at the mercy of strangers; people that were beneath us. I will make you feel it all. Also, tell the Volkov bastard, Leonardo Albert, I wille for him next: his father, mother and their treacherous friends. I won''t spare any of them. I will cut away bit by bit until there is nothing left," He said yfully, and I wanted to squeeze my phone, but I dared not. "So you called me to tell me all of this. Why not just do it?" I asked, and heughed. "I like your confidence. But you won''t be confident when I am through. We were royalty, and Dimitri took it all. Wiped us out from history as if we never existed. Covered his father''s crimes and made us extinct. We survived him, your father, and we will survive you, Sylvester. You will be thest Volkov to rule. I keep promises and have made you one," he said. "Very well, we will see whoughsst," I said, and he hung up,ughing. Yuri''s words bothered me. Not knowing his ns or where he would strike bothered me. The fact that he chose to harm Jake simply because of association made me realise he had no limits. He was a sick bastard. David walked up to me and touched my upper arm. "Do not take his words seriously. All I can see is that Yuri is grabbing on straws," He said, and I frowned at him. How could he make such a deduction from the call? As far as I was concerned, the man had called to brag that he had me in a corner. He wanted me to know what was happening to me, and he wanted me to feel helpless. "How can you say that, David? This man wants us to know he has the upper hand," Devin said, taking the words out of my mouth, and David shook his head. "That is not the reason for the call," David said, and I was attentive. "The reason for the call is to destabilise us and see if you will break. He thought you were hot- tempered and would slip up out of anger, but your silence took him by surprise. His boast was to push you. If you noticed, his voice went from yful to threatening. Forget about hisugh. He was anything but confident by the time the call ended. He called and got nothing. It also means he has no one in our circle for now. He is moving blind. That is why he reached out," David exined, and putting it that way made a lot of sense, but one could not be too rxed with Yuri. He seemed unstable and unbnced. Such people had no limits. He had no soul. "So what should we do now?" Devin asked. "Remain on course," I said. Considering what David said, I figured we were doing something right. I believe Leo had frustrated his efforts to create a north and south demarcation by holding on to the East. Hence his anger towards Leo. I believe Grey and Richardo were indeed on our side, hence why he promised to end them. Everything has rendered him blind. And above all, my actions at the King''s hall might have made a significant shift. I won''t be surprised if the n is divided and he has lost people. The call was an act of desperation on Yuri''s part, and I got the message loud and clear. "We will remain on course," I repeated. "We must be doing something right to have him act this way. This call was to feel for information or destabilise us, as David deduced. He wants us to be busy watching our backs and looking out for one another while he carries out his ns. He wants us to resolve to solve effects instead of dealing with the cause. I believe what David said about Yuri, and I say we remain on course," I said and headed out. I wanted to know if Jake had arrived and his condition. I hoped in my heart Erik would be able to do something for him because I could not bear to see my mother''s heartbreak. They had nned to settle down this Bluemoon and relocate to Cains Ind as a form of retirement. It will be sad if it never happens because some pissed-off psycho chose to make an example of Jake so he could get to me. It would be unfortunate. It was time to have everyone on deck. "Marcel, Kindly invite your father. I will need him running things while we deal with this matter," I linked Marcel while I walked towards Erik''sb. If Jake had truly arrived, I knew he would be in Erik''s care, not the infirmary. "Leo, are they here?" I linked Leo. "Yes, we have moved him to Erik''sb. He is unconscious, and his skin is grey. We just have to be hopeful," He said, and I moved. Decisions needed to be made, and we needed to move quickly. Chapter 295: 133 A slight Modification Chapter 295: 133 A slight Modification ~Sylvester~ While I moved towards Erik''sb, I linked Vino and Andrew at the same time. "Have Ighor call Yuri in an hour and make sure he feeds him the information we give him. We want Yuri to believe everything will go as nned, and I want to know their ns. Do not make him say things that would seem pushy. Yuri is too smart for that. Let him beyback and normal. Offer the bastard freedom in exchange for hispliance," I linked both of them. "Are you serious, Sylvester? We can''t let that bastard loose after this. We can''t deal with his shit," Vinoined. "I am with Vino on this one. That man does not deserve to live. He is a liar and deceiver. He really had no reason to do what he did. He would have killed Devin, Leo and Vino. Let''s not even mention the poor Kappa he took from this world. He does not deserve the gift of life," Andrewined. "I said to make him the offer. I never said I nned to honour my deal. He and Yuri have no honour, so theymit atrocities in the shadows. That is why they chose to use people and kill them. That is why they do not care about the consequences of their actions. I n to pay him back with the same coin. Make him the promise and make sure heplies. Once he is no longer useful, he will be executed. No questions asked," I said. "That is much better. I n to kill; him myself," Vino said, and I knew the event of the shooting was still ying on his mind. If it weren''t for the powers that be, Vino wouldn''t be here either. I could understand his rage, and I nned to give him all the freedom to visit his vengeance on Ighor once all this was over. We walked quickly. Erik''sb was outside the building. There was no way I would allow him to carry out chemical experiments inside the mansion. I could not tell the hazardous level of his activities; it was best done outside. While we headed out, I remembered my promise to Tamia about the bungalow and nned to get on it. Once my work for the day was done. There was no harm in having people fix the ce while we solved the matter. I had faith that fate would be on our side this time, and we would ovee Yuri and his cult. We arrived at theb, and everyone was there except for Vino and Andrew, who must have gone to deal with Ighor. They were all worried for Jake. Even our wives. Katya, that was supposed to be with my mother, was standing beside Dominic, watching Jake on the bed. Avery did the same next to Marcel. Tamia and Nicole stood by Jake''s bedside while udia attended to the IV Line connected to Jake. Susan sat on the couch, looking at the floor. Devin went to her. She must be tired. Leo was standing with his back against the wall in deep thought. Kyle stood next to him, with the dried blood stains of the battle on his body. Amelia was beside Leo. Linda and Theodore stood while y and Alexei watched Jake, seeming lost because they had no rtionship with the man. Nelson and the two attendants were working on some chemicals and ignored uspletely. I wondered who was watching my mother. "Who is with my mother?" I linked Tamia, and she looked at me. It was as if she were in deep thought and did not notice my presence. I could not me her either. Jake didn''t look well. His lips were pale, and his skin was grey. He looked like a corpse, even though he was breathing. My mother dared not see this. She would die immediately. She would go ahead of him. We have to keep her away as long as possible. "Ladies, let us leave. We have work to do," Tamia said, and I was grateful that she was taking charge. She walked towards me, and I noticed she had been crying. Her tears were still falling. "Please make sure they help him. No one deserves this. He did nothing. His only crime was loving your mother. Please, Darling," She said, and I pulled her into my arms. Words could not soothe the pain both of us were feeling. Her words cut deep because she was right. Jake''s only crime was because he loved my mother. I held her and looked at the man on the bed. Rage and determination rose in me, knowing Yuri nned to do this to everyone around me. Everyone I love and care about. I dared not leave him room to do it. "I won''t let him win," I told my wife. And she held on to me tightly. "Please don''t let him," She said. I held her for a few seconds before she broke the hug. She wiped away her tears and looked at the others. "We will remain on course. We won''t allow this to destabilise us. Katya and Avery, you two will stay with Stephanie. Do not bring her here or tell her of his condition. Linda, Susan and Nicole, we have darts to produce. We need lots of it, and nine days is a short period to beid back," She said, and they all moved like machines. They were sad but had to do the needful. They were strong, setting aside their emotions and fear and carrying on. Like our mates, we had to carry on too and not allow this to disrupt us. Seeing Jake, I doubted he would make it, but I nned to hold on until the very end. Once they left, I looked around. Leo, Kyle, Devin, David, Erik, Theodore, Marcel, y and Alexei were all there and attentive. Nelson and the attendance were there too. I looked at Nelson and wondered whose side he was on, knowing Yuri was his father, but then I snapped out of the thought, realising he, too, was a victim of the psycho. He had been helpful since he joined us; there was no need to single him out simply because he was Yuri''s son. Erik and y trusted him, so I will give him a chance. "What is the situation?" I asked, and Erik cleared his throat. "I have examined his blood, and it is indeed the by-product of Agk32. It is the enhanced version and does exactly what Melvin said it would do. The AgK32 has slowed down the effect but not eradicated it. Had Jake had Agk32 in his system before the poison was introduced, it would have been harmless, but unfortunately, he did not. So instead of preventing the situation, his antibodies are dealing with the effects, and the effects are endless," He said, and it did not sound promising. "So what are you saying?" I asked, and he sighed. "I will have to improve on Agk32 for this specific case. To keep him stable, we will continue administering the serum to his body every twelve hours. We are trying to save his wolf genes too. The fact that he is an alpha means we have to work faster. It also means I will not have time to improve on the form as per your demand," He said, and I could understand his plight. Erik had to stop his research on improving the form so we could ess our alpha abilities after the Agk32 has been administered to our system. He has to stop this research so he can work on the improved form to save Jake''s life. It meant we would have no choice but to use the current form for the fight, and we will not have ess to ourmand. Themand was something crucial. It was what would have given us a better chance. "It means we won''t have ess to our Alphamand during battle?" Marcel said, and Erik asked the nurses to excuse us. We were discussing private matters now, and he did not want to risk it. Nelson left the room to keep an eye on them and make sure they were not eavesdropping. All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. I appreciate the effort and the care, and I hope we all survive this and reap the benefit of our hard work and loyalty. "Yes, that is what it means," Erik finally replied to Marcel, and there was silence in the room. "We will have to fight unorganised without themand, and we won''t be able to order the opponents if the opportunity presents itself," Theodore pointed out. Showing how perilous the fight would be. "Leo," I said, and he looked at me. He had been silent since I got there. I guess seeing Jake the way he was, shook him. Devin too. They were both fond of Jake. They were so fond of Jake that they helped him with his pack and settlement development even though he wasn''t under their jurisdiction. "I am listening," He said, letting me know I had his attention. Kyle seemed a bit lost, and I could not me him. He knew nothing. "You had ess to yourmand when we fought in the woods yesterday," I said, and he nodded. "Very well then, You will lead the battle," I said, and everyone was shocked. It was normal for them to be surprised by my choice. As King, I was supposed to be in front. But my ego wasn''t as important as the lives we would save by having an alphamand at the battle. If I lead the battle, we will be disorganised with no direction. We need that synergy to excel, and we need someone tomand us. "I will chip in through the mind link if I can, but I need you to lead us. We must move like one body, or the fight will be disorganised and messy. Saving Jake''s life is very important, so we must brace ourselves to use the original form as is while Erik improves the form to help Jake," I completed and looked at everyone. They understood my reasons, and they all agreed with me. "But you have to be in front," Erik said, and I nodded. "Leo is a lord now, so he will be beside me. Our opponents do not need to know who is in command," I said, and Erik nodded. "Very well, I will focus on helping Jake," he said, looking at udia. She nodded. I did not know what they were discussing, but I knew it had to do with Jake. I hoped our sacrifice would be worth it and they will seed in saving his life. "I have sent for two pharmaceutical experts to join us," udia told me, and I nodded. "As long as they can be trusted, we have nothing to worry about," I said, and she nodded. "They will be stripped and searched, and their phones confiscated. They will not be allowed to leave until they have finished and we are satisfied they cannot harm our mission. They are not married, so we have nothing to worry about," udia said with a glint in her eyes, and I could see her survival instincts in them. She had toughened up, and I was d she was rising to the asion. I nodded with approval, and we decided to remain in the ce for a bit to watch Jake before we went for training. While we waited, we discussed the recruitment, and Kyle gave us the number of the Eastern warriors and all the alphas joining us. Leo must have been an excellent leader because his alphas were loyal, except for one, Gordon, who had been eliminated by his friends. Chapter 296: 134 Keeping On Schedule Chapter 296: 134 Keeping On Schedule ~Vino~ Andrew and I moved to the lower level where the dark cells were situated. I could not wait for all of this to be over. udia had been strong, but I could swear there was fear in her eyes sometimes. I was d she was supportive and hoped we would survive this. I missed my girls, and I wondered how they were doing. The only thing that kept them safe was everything that made being apart from them unbearable: zero contact. We could not call or visit. We wanted to avoid being traced or trailed. It was tough, and they were too young for this. "Who is leading this questioning?" Andrew asked, and I wondered why it was a question, seeing I was easily the one in charge. "Me, of course," I said, and heughed. "You seem like you want a pound of flesh from the guy. Hope you can keep your temper in check? I hope you know for this to work, we have to butter him up and make him feelfortable," he said, and I nodded. "Of course, I know that already, and I n on putting my unknown skills to good use," I said, and we laughed. I wasn''t good at pretending. I had tried, but most of the time, I came across as creepy. I hope to be convincing this time around. . "So what would you do when all this is over? The Stepanov movement has been your entire life?" I asked Andrew, and he shrugged. "I n to settle down and move on with my life. I am tired of everything, and what the King has done for my n is a dreame true for most of us. Living in the shadows is not easy. At least now we can dare to dream big," he said, and it touched my heart. I could only imagine what it must have been like for the very fair-haired and moon-coloured-eyed Stepanovs to survive. What my grandfather did was very cruel, and I hoped what Sylvester had done would redeem our bloodline. We arrived at our destination. It was pitch ck. There were lightbulbs, but we usually kept the ce in darkness to help the prisoners reflect. "Lights," I ordered the guards so we could see where we were going. There were only two people on this level, Melvin and Ighor. So it would be easy to know which cell to visit. The light was turned on, and even though it was dim, it still served its purpose. Anything brighter might damage the eyes of the prisoners. Even though we knew they would be executed eventually, there was no point hurting their eyes before their execution. A kappa led us to Ighor''s cell, and I found him sitting on his bed, staring at nothing. He was obviously in deep thought, and I could see he wasn''t fully healed yet. The silver Bryce used to bind him must have hindered his healing capability. It will take a while for him to heal if we leave him in chains, but that wasn''t my concern. We were here to ensure Yuri sticks to his itinerary. All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. The cell was opened, and Ighor looked in our direction. He had snapped himself out of his deep thought. It was good to know we had his attention. His eyes went from me to Andrew. He rested his gaze on Andrew with an expression that screamed betrayal. We entered the cell, and I asked the Kappa to leave us. "Ighor," I said, and he was silent. "We are here to offer you a deal," I said, and he chuckled. "I am not a fool, Volkov; I am not like my ancestor, whom your great-grandfather duped. I know Sylvester will kill me. Why let me live after all I had done?" He said, and that was my opportunity to work on him. "Well, we are that desperate, Ighor. We are desperate enough to let you live if you help us catch Yuri. Sylvester and the Stepanov heirs do not want bloodshed. We won''t go after anyone if we can lay our hands on Yuri," I said, and he looked at me, then looked at Andrew. "Did you not tell them of the people''s loyalty?" he asked Andrew, and Andrew sighed and moved closer to him. "As things are, everything I know and believe was a lie," He told the man, and his eyes widened. "Sylvester has indeed given us the West. Our people are settling there as we speak. Alexei and y are the rulers of that region, while Erik is the head Leader. Amelia is the head Luna anddy of the East. Her son will be Lord of the East, so we will have the East and West. We are free to settle anywhere we want and live normal lives. Our names and family history would be taught in schools. He has restored everything they took from us. What else do we want, Ighor? Gregory and Adrian fought for lordship, and Sylvester gave it to us. So what do we want?" He asked, and Ighorughed. "You are stupid, Andrew. The lordship given to us now differs from the one Sylvester upied before bing King. When Sylvester was Lord, he was Lord of all regions. He had power, ultimate power, and now he has turned that office into that of a king. What he is giving everyone now is just a ceremonial title and nothing more," Ighor said, and I interrupted him. "I disagree. As the former head of the council and a part of Larry''s uprising, I disagree." I said. Ighor looked at me with shock, and I nodded. "Yes, Ighor. I was part of that uprising. My mother used a beautiful woman to lure me in. I fell in love and became very stupid. I also envied my brothers because my father never acknowledged me. My reasons aside, I was part of that government. The council was in charge, not the Lord. He needed the council''s approval to do everything. He was called the Lord of the North, the dark alpha, the wolf Lord. His power and reach were limited, so they had to make him King. Our father had to conquer the West to get the West under him. Though not Lords, the head alpha of the South and East were in charge of their regions. The lordship offered now differs from the one our great grandfathers fought for. It is better and stronger. Higher than the council and second inmand to the King. Please, Ighor, do not miseducate people on the matter," I corrected Ighor, and he sighed. "If you put it that way, the kingship should be divided, don''t you think? The Stepanovs and¡­" he said, and I cut him immediately. "We are not here to negotiate with you. When the four head alphas decided to install a king, your n was not in consideration and wouldn''t have been even if they were allowed freedom. This is because Sylvester earned it. So do not speak of the things you do not know. As for Yuri, he has done nothing but destroy lives. We are not here to banter with you but to offer you a future. One that will be trouble-free. Whether you give up Yuri or not, we will still catch him. The walls are closing in on him. He has only been able to take the South. We can hunt him down and finish him off. But Sylvester does not want innocent Stepanovs to die in the process. He does not want any bloodshed. Once we catch Yuri, that will be it. Everything will be over, and everyone will be free to live their lives. We are here to implore you to work with us and end the feud and deaths," I said, and he looked at Andrew. "They will betray you like Erik did your father." He said, and Andrew sighed. ''My father tried to kill Erik. My father was the traitor. Yuri used him as a personal assassin, and when my father got caught, Yuri distanced himself from the entire ordeal just like he would do to you and anyone helping him. You are only useful while free; once caught, he would not lift a finger to help you," Andrew said, leaning forward toward the man. "He did not lift a finger to avenge my father. He did not seek justice. He was silent as if nothing had happened. I want to ask you this, Uncle Ighor," He said, and the man was attentive. "Should we make demands on your behalf? Would Yuri be willing to sacrifice for your sake?" he asked; the man was silent. "You are in chains, uncle. You might be executed like my father because you tried to do Yuri''s bidding. You tried to help him achieve his goal. Do you think he will honour your loyalty ad fight for you?" Andrew asked, and the man knew the answer clearly but was too proud to say it. Ighor''s eyes were misty, and he had a sad expression. Andrew''s words resonated and forced him to think of the situation. It wasn''t a fair one. "Yuri murdered Louis Ivanov in cold blood. Our family leader, the son of Adrik Stepanov, the man that tried to fight for our rights," Andrew said, and Ighor shook his head, disagreeing. "His widow is with us, Gezel Westwood. She was there when my father murdered Luis. It wasn''t because he wanted him to join like we had been told; it was because he wanted him out of the way so he could be the head of our bloodline. He didn''t only do that; he hunted Luis''s children, killed his exes, and wanted to grab Gezel to mate with her and maybe birth strong pups like Gezel''s daughter, Amelia. Did you know that Yuri murdered Luis because he wanted to mate with Gezel and be the head of our family? Did you?" He asked, and Ighor was in shock. "It was Erik that¡­" he said, and Andrew yelled at him. "Lies. Gezel was there, and my father Mikhail was the culprit," he said, and Ighor was dumbfounded. He had learned of this detail for the first time. "I honestly thought Erik killed Luis. Luis was a gentleman. He just wanted to be left alone," Ighor said, and Andrew nodded. "Just like Erik, I and all the Steapnovs currently moving to the West. We just want to be left alone to live normal lives, but Yuri is too greedy and selfish to let us. He wants to be King. I see the amount of chaos and mistrust he has cost us as the head of our family. Imagine what he would do as King. We im the Volkov rule was evil and ruthless. It will be nothingpared to what Yuri would do," Andrew said, and tears fell from Ighor''s eyes. "I thought, I thought we wanted revenge and freedom," he whispered, almost as if he doubted himself. His mind was in an imbroglio. It was clear his head had been messed up. He might have known everything Andrew was telling him, but he knew it from Yuri''s perspective, which must have made everyone seem evil. Too bad Sylvester wouldn''t let him live neither would I? I still remember the gunshot. "What would you have me do?" He said in tears, and Andrew nodded. "Nothing. We want you to stay in touch with Yuri and pretend all is well. We need that meeting to hold so we can arrest him." Andrew said, and he shook his head. "They will be plenty, and the people with him will not be easily swayed. You won''t be able to arrest Yuri easily." Ighor warned, and I sighed. "At least we will have a chance to try," I said, and he nodded. We gave Ighor a phone with Cains''s code, and he willingly ced the call. Yuri sounded rxed talking to Ighor. They discussed Joan and Sean, and Yuri saw them as another loose end Sylvester was helping him tie by silencing them. He spoke of his coronation in the South. He talked about his difficulty with the East. He feared he would meet the same resistance in the West because it was now Erik''s territory. He discussed how angry he was with Erik, and the truth was if I did not know better, I would see his point. The man was good with words and manipting people. Ighor asked him if the meeting would be held in Gad, and he said it would; Ighor promised to call him the next day, and Yuri told him to have fun in Cains. There were no secret talks or codes. Once the call was over, Ighor broke down. He felt like a traitor, but Andrew told him he would save countless Stepanovs by helping us. Somehow I could see Ighor knew it was true, but he was also fond of Yuri, and his sentiments towards his cousin held his conscience. Chapter 297: 135 Preparations Chapter 297: 135 Preparations ~Sylvester~ Lucas arrived the morning of the following day. I had wanted to ask him to move in permanently, but his wife wouldn''t have it, and I knew being in the mansion would make him remember my father and Theo''s father. The ghost of what happened in Pridewood Inn still haunted him. Even though Larry had orchestrated everything, it still hurt that he was the one thatmitted the atrocity. I received him at the entrance, and instead of pleasantries, he asked for my mother. He must have heard of what happened to Jake. "She is in her room, uncle, but we have pending issues," I said, and he nodded. I ushered him to my office and handed my responsibilities over to him. It was easy because he was already handling things before I returned from the East. There was no way I could train for battle and handle royal matters at the same time. One had to give way for the other. He was the best person to substitute for me while we dealt with the issue. I brought him up to speed on the events, and he was surprised at all that had happened within the short period we had arrived. He was eager to check on Jake. I knew they had somehow be friends hence why he wasn''t so receptive to Erik flirting with my mother. I hope Erik seeds and Jake pulls through for all our sake, or it will significantly affect us. Vino had informed me of the oue of his session with Ighor, and we seemed to be on course. Two days passed, and everything was going fast. The day of the battle was fast approaching, and we still had much to do. Uncle Lucas was doing a good job, but I couldn''t focus because of Jake''s predicament. Keeping my mother away from Erik''sb was bing moreplex. I knew it was wrong to sedate her, but Tamia and I had run out of lies to dy her. At the same time, we had a lot of things to do. I felt terrible about the situation, but I held on. udia and her friends worked tirelessly with Erik. Nelson and the assistants were also working around the clock. Although the AgK32 was helping us sustain Jake, his body was building resistance to it quickly. It might not work after a while as things were going because a normal wolf can only handle so much. The fact that Jake developed a rash every time also worsened the situation. Giving up on him would be wise, but we had to wait until thest minute. Katya had moved into my mother''s room temporarily so she could be there when she needed her. On my way to Erik''sb, I decided to see Gezel. She had requested an audience with me after she arrived, but I had been unable to see her because of all that had been happening. I decided to see her briefly before heading to Erik''sb. All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. "Amelia, where is your mother? Ask her to join me in my lounge," I linked Amelia. "She is helping us make the poison darts, your majesty. I will ask her to join you," Amelia responded, and even though it was through the mind link, I could sense her fatigue. Leo''s mate needed to rest, but the woman was too damn stubborn to listen. Avery and Katya rested, but Amelia wanted everything over quickly, so she refused to rest. "Darling, are you with Amelia and Gezel?" I linked Tamia. "Yes. Gezel has been of great help to us. Susan fell ill this morning, so Gezel is filling in for her. Amelia refused to rest, though, and she is stubborn about it," Tamiained. Leo''s mate was very stubborn. I would leave it for Leo to handle, but I doubted he would seed. The best thing is to let her tire herself and fall asleep. I headed to the lounge to wait for Gezel to join me. It took her ten minutes, and she was panting when she arrived. She had gloves on and took them off when she entered. They must have put ontex gloves for safety purposes. She looked nervous, and I ordered her to sit on a couch across from me. Looking at her now, I could see the resemnce with Amelia. Amelia looked like a mixture of both her parents. They needed to be seen together a few times to figure it out, but the resemnce wasn''t obvious at first nce. "You said you wanted to see me?" I asked, and she nodded. "Yes, your majesty," she said. I was attentive, giving her the go-ahead to speak. She shifted in her seat and cleared her throat a few times. She was nervous. "I will like to request the opportunity to join the fight against Yuri. I know Mikhail is dead, but I want to fight," she said, and I shook my head. ''If I let youe, Tamia and the others would see a reason to follow," I said, and she shook her head in tears. "I want to fight, your majesty. I have not known peace for eighteen years now. I have dreamed of avenging my mate. That is what has kept me going. I want to kill those bastards and make them feel the pain I have lived with for years," She exined, tears streaming down her cheeks. "I watched Mikhail kill Luis. He never wanted any part of this shit. He just wanted to live peacefully, but they won''t let him. We were trying to get Alexei and y to live with us in the West so we could be a family. We wanted an everyday life. Luis dyed his hair and got a regr job. Yuri couldn''t leave him alone. All Yuri had to do was forget about us, but he didn''t. He wanted me to bear him children, and he wanted to be the head of the family. It had nothing to do with revenge or liberating the Stepanovs. It was his personal selfish agenda, and he killed Luis for it. I wish I had the opportunity to kill Mikhail. I would have done it. Luis spared Mikhail''s life and told the bastard to go. Luis told him to tell Yuri he was dead and promised to go off the radar, but Mikhail pretended to listen and ended Luis when his defences were down," she said, weeping. "I live this nightmare every day. I thought seeing Amelia would give me peace, but I was wrong. She does not know me, your majesty, and I doubt she ever would. She is distant, and she has a good reason to be. I suspect her life wasn''t warm either. Someone has to pay for it. I want to kill as many of those Stapanov bastards as possible. I want them to feel my pain, your majesty. Please let me," she said and went on her knees. I could see the desperation in her eyes. I could also see something else, something she tried to mask, but I knew the look too well not to notice it. She was tired and determined to end her life on the battlefield. I understood her plight. Having lived in the shadows for years, being unable to reach out to her child had damaged her. Seeing her daughter and realising she can never be a mother to her must have solidified this resolve. I leaned forwards to speak to her. "I understand your pain, Gezel, but Amelia still needs you. You might not have been in her life when she was young. I am sure Amelia will want you in her life now. She is about to be a mother, so she will need you. It is never toote to build a bond, Gezel. If I allow you toe with us, you have to swear on your wolf that you will do everything it takes to survive the battle," I said, and she realised I knew what she was nning to do. She wiped away her tears and contemted her response. "I swear on my wolf, your majesty, that I will try to survive," she said with difficulty. "Dying in battle is cowardice, Gezel. Daring to start again even though you believe it is toote is bravery. I implore you to be brave," I said, and she got off her knees and sat on the couch. "Is there anything else?'' I asked, and she shook her head. I got off the chair, ready to head to Erik''sb. "Now that that is out of the way. Start your motherly duty by ensuring Amelia gets some rest. She would not listen to any of us. I am sure you will have a way of getting through to her. She is in her first trimester and would need some rest," I said, and she stood up and nodded quickly. "Yes, your majesty," she said, and I left the lounge. I walked briskly, eager to find out what was going on. Erik had been awfully quiet all morning, so I was keen to learn the situation. I did not link any of them to inform them I wasing so they would not devise excuses to prevent me. I wanted to know the actual situation and prepare myself. I got to theb and found armed kappas there. It was a shocking sight. I wondered what was going on. The kappas saluted when they saw me and parted the way for me to enter. I looked at theb, and everyone was attending to something. Everyone except for udia''s friends. Thompson and Irene. They did not seem pleased at all. "What is going on here?" I asked, and Erikughed. "Jake has started responding to treatment," he said, and I was surprised. A joy filled my heart. It wasn''t absolute, but it was a glimmer of hope. I looked at the alpha where hey; he still had rashes on his grey skin. "He still looks the same to me?" I said, and Erik nodded. "We were able to improve on the form''s strength and modify it to help with his situation. We have done our part. The rest is now left to him. If his will to live is strong, he will pull through," Erik said, and I could see he was genuinely tired. They all were. They had worked tirelessly for two days. "What is with the guards?" I asked, and Erik pointed at udia. "Ask her," he said, and I looked at udia. udia looked exhausted and a bit angry. She looked at her colleagues, and they were not pleased either. "After we finished the form, Irene decided they wanted to leave. I have stated they won''t be allowed to go until the matter is resolved. I guess they thought I was joking, so I decided to use force," she said point nk, and I could understand her reason. Before now, only Erik had AgK32''s form. Now everyone that worked on Jake''s cure has the form. Until Yuri has been captured, we cannot trust Irene and Thompson not to sell out. What udia was doing might seem cruel, but it was necessary. I did not want her friends to hate her when all this was over, so I decided to handle the matter. "I apologise for this, but unfortunately, Doctor udia is right. We are in a war, and you have ssified information we want to control. Once this is over, you will be rewarded and celebrated for your effort. For now, the best I can offer is amodation and food until it is over," I said, and Irene''s eyes softened a bit. "Your majesty, she took our phones andputers," Ireneined, and I could see why they were mad. "Unfortunately, you won''t be allowed tomunicate with the outside world," I said, point nk and asked the kappas to give them room in the mansion. It was clear they were tired and needed to freshen up. They were ushered out, and udia instructed that a Kappas remained at their doors. As mean as it seemed, all she had done were necessary. We could not afford loose ends. "You should go and rest too, udia. You have dark circles," I told the woman, and she looked at Erik, who nodded that it was okay. Erik said they would have to keep an eye on Jake and hoped they would not need to increase the strength of the medication. Jake might not be in the clear yet, but we were hopeful he would pull through. I left theb to join Marcel and the others to train. We only had a little time left, as Leo would have to go to the East to mobilise his troops and head West. Chapter 298: 136 Six Days To Go Chapter 298: 136 Six Days To Go ~Sylvester~ Training after I had left Erik''sb was easy. I felt a weight off my shoulder. Although Jake wasn''t in the clear, I was hopeful. I did not want anything to happen to him because I knew he and my mother had something special. Now that we knew he was responding to treatment, I felt allowing my mother to see him would be okay. But I needed to speak with her about it to manage her emotions before I let her see him. I did not want to lose her should anything go wrong. "Leo, when will you be heading east?" I asked him while we were rounding up training. He put aside the silver-coated dumbells and moved towards me. He looked tired, and I knew all that was happening was overwhelming. I did not even want to look at Devin. He had been hit the most. I just hoped we would get everything back to normal by the time all this was over. "I will be leaving with everyone tomorrow," He said, and I frowned. "Everyone?" I asked, and he nodded. "Amelia, Alexei, y, Kyle, Devin, Susan and Gezel." He exined, and I wanted to plead with him to leave Amelia and Gezel behind, but it wasn''t in my ce. I could understand that he would want to spend every moment leading up to the main day with his mate. I could not rob him of that. We had six days to go, and we had to make the most of those precious moments. "I see. Gezel requested to be part of the battle, and I granted her request," I said, and he was silent a bit. I believe he was processing my words. "With all due respect, you shouldn''t have. Amelia is just meeting her for the first time. We do not know how the battle will go. Who will be her family if we fall? I believe in what we are doing, but we can''t be too careful. Her brothers are fighting with us, along with her cousins and uncle. Letting her mothere with us was wrong," He said, and I was taken aback by his response. He also had a point. Unfortunately, I wasn''t thinking in that regard and had already given my word. I couldn''t take it back. "Gezel did not seem like she wanted to hang around. Amelia had been distant. I suspected she wanted to die in battle, but I made her promise she would survive," I said, and even though it sounded stupid, that was the best exnation I could give. Leo deserved an exnation. He had been loyal and supportive. Shoving my decision down his throat would be wrong and insensitive of me. "That promise isn''t hers to make, especially knowing the calibre of people we would be fighting. The Stepanovs have trained and built their numbers for the purpose of war. Look at how equipped Erik is. The things we are using were originally created for them," Leo sighed. "I am not trying to be disrespectful, and I know you would have pushed back, but I am unhappy you said yes. Telling this to Amelia would be hard. She might seem detached from her mother, but I know she will try. It seems otherwise because she is focused on ending the issue with Yuri," he exined. "I am sorry, Leo. I meant no harm," I apologised, and he nodded, telling me it was okay. "I guess I am off to tell her," He said and smiled. "Try to get her to take a nap first. She is overworking herself. Tamia isining. A woman in her first trimester should be resting. She is putting her and the baby in danger by refusing to rest," I comined, and Leo''s eyes darkened a bit. "She promised she would catch some sleep. Where are they?" He asked me, and I used that opportunity to link Tamia to find out if they were together. We had only trained for two hours. If Gezel did not seed in making Amelia rest, she should be in Tamia''s makeshift studio in the delta wing of the mansion. "Is Amelia still with you?" I linked Tamia. "Passed out on the couch," Tamia said, and I rxed. I cut off themunication to ry the message to Leo. "She is in Tamia''s studio in the Delta wing, passed out on the couch. You should take her to your room unless you want Tamia to ask Wilson to do it." I said, knowing he would not like that oue. He shook his head immediately and moved away from me. He walked so fast that I could not help butugh. "What is with him? Marcel asked me, approaching me. "He doesn''t want Wilson to carry his mate to his bedroom," I said, and Marcelughed. "So Jake is responding to treatment?" He finally asked me on a serious note, and I nodded. "He isn''t in the clear yet, but at least they were able to formte something that worked," I exined. "I learned udia won''t have friends after this," He said, and I frowned at him, wondering where he got that story from. "Who told you that?" I asked, and he pointed at Vino. "He said udia is distraught that she had to be hard on her friends for security purposes," He exined. I looked at Vino, who was having a lengthy discussion with Andrew. Those two seem to be bing friends. I wondered if questioning Ighor helped them bond. "True," I confirmed. "She had to be tough because Thompson and Irene now have the form for AgK32. She isn''t only preventing them from selling out but also protecting them from being abducted. It is tough, love. I hope they understand when all this is over and forgive her because they really came through for her. She is also a very tough woman. Not once did she crack under pressure," Imended, and Marcel nodded. "Yes, she coordinates herself better than our mates. I guess medical school does that to you. I learned she was calm when she treated me in the hospital. I wouldn''t have believed it if I did not see how she handled Devin professionally, even though Vino''s life was also threatened. She is tough in that regard. Just the right match for Vino. He is too soft. I believe she would bnce him out," Marcel said, and I agreed. "I want to go see my mother. I will reach out after. We must attend to somest-minute things before Leo leaves for his region tomorrow." I said, and Marcel frowned. "He is leaving tomorrow?" He asked. I could see that he wondered why Leo did not tell him. "Amidst the chaos, it must have skipped his mind. He has to return to organise his army. His warriors and the alphas of his region are our true allies, their loyalty has been tried and tested, and they have passed with flying colours. We need what he is bringing to the table, and he cannot leave Max to do his job. He is lord of the East now; it has to count for something." I said, and he nodded. "Are Alexei and y going to the West too?" He asked, and I shook my head. "The West is a bit unstable. Once Yuri is out of the way, we will know the traitors and the loyalists. Mind you, more than half of the western Alphas are Stepanovs in Yuri''s cult. Sean helped them to secretly gain ground there. Letting Erik, y and Alexei go to the West would be suicide. If Yuri had not had so much power there, he wouldn''t have acquired all that property and used it as meeting grounds. Gad has been an issue since the time of Larry. Erik will remain with us, while Alexei and y will return to the East with Leo. Alexei is yet to officially hand Hill Valley back to Max. He would have to add his contributions as Hill Valley''s alpha regardless of his new office," I said, and Marcel told me he understood. I left him and headed to speak to my mother. Hopefully, she was awake. I told udia that they should stop giving her sedatives. I knew my mother would be mad at me for my decision, but it was necessary. As much as I cared about Jake, she was my mother, and I could not lose her. I was selfish enough to ensure she remained should anything happen to Jake. I got to her room and knocked on the door. Katya asked me toe in, and I was d she was kind enough to remain with my mother. I entered the room. Though it waste afternoon, the sun shone bright, and the curtains were drawn apart to illuminate the room. My mother was sitting on the bed while Katya fed her oats. She did not seem interested in the food. "Good afternoon, your majesty," Katya greeted me, and I nodded. "Please excuse us, Katya," I ordered my sister-inw, and she put the bowl of oats down on a table and headed out of the room. My mother looked at me with lifeless eyes. She had also lost some weight. She slept a lot and ate little; she was bound to lose weight. "How are you feeling?" I asked and went to sit beside her. I took her hand in mine and massaged the back of her hand gently. I felt her growl a bit. "You kept me from Jake," She said and looked at me with teary eyes. "You did not allow me to say goodbye," She said with tears streaming down her face, and I shook my head immediately. "I will never rob you of that opportunity, Mother," I said, and she sniffled. She was heartbroken and scared. I touched her cheek gently and made her look at me. "I do not have a father, Mother. I could not afford to lose you too. Jake was in a terrible situation, and we did not know if he would make it, so we had to keep you away from the situation," I confessed, tears rolling down her cheeks. She was afraid; I could feel it. "They introduced a position that had no antidote into his system. We were not sure he would make it. We had been sustaining his life with Erik''s serum. We needed our medical staff and chemists to focus on his treatment. I did not want you to see him when he was deemed hopeless. I am sorry if I hurt you with my decision, but if anything happens to you, Dominic and I will feel it too," I said, and she nodded and bowed her head. "So how is he now," She asked, sniffling. I knew she was bracing herself for the worst oue, but I had good news for her. "Well, udia got her friends to help Erik and today, they formted a medication that is helping his health. Currently, he is not in the clear yet, but there is hope," I said, and she looked at me with hope in her eyes. "Seriously?" She asked me eagerly, and I nodded, and she smiled. I squeezed her hand tightly and arrested her attention so she could listen to me. "They are not sure he will pull through, but he has a fighting chance," I exined, and she nodded, telling me she understood. "Am I allowed to see him?" She asked me, and I knew the question wasing, so I sighed to tell her what I nned to tell her beforeing to see her. "Yes, you can, but you must promise me you will be calm no matter what happens. If he doesn''t make it, you will pick up the pieces and move on, for all our sakes. You will not break down, and we won''t lose you in the process," I said, searching her eyes, and she lingered a bit before nodding. I wrapped my arms around my mother, and she wept lightly. She knew I hade to prepare her for the worst, but I prayed deep down that Jake would survive. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. I let her go and linked Katya to help her freshen up so she could visit Jake. I hoped her presence would motivate him better. I left the room and was heading to my office when I heard Erik in my head. "Your Majesty. The Stepanovs Elders are in the North to meet with you. They represent the ten families of our n. They are in the North to see you. I do not know where you would like to receive them," Erik said, and I wondered why some of the Stepanov Family heads would be in the North to see me. Chapter 299: 137 Visitors Chapter 299: 137 Visitors ~Sylvester~ I did not waste any time asking Erik why the people hade to see me. "Did they tell you why they are here?" I linked him back. "Based on what we discussed. They have ordered their families to move and upy the West. They are here to pay their respects and swear their allegiance," He linked back, and I did not know what to make of the sudden visit. Somehow I was ufortable about it, but I had agreed to let them join us during the battle. My fear was that there was no guarantee that they were not working for Yuri. "Can they be trusted, Erik?" I asked him, and there was silence. "Like you said, I could not make out Ighor''s allegiance to Yuri. At this point, I would not vouch for anyone, but I know that they reject Yuri''s methods and ideology. If that is good enough to convince you, then I would tell you Yes, but if not, that is the best I got," He replied honestly, and I sighed. "Tell Alexei and y about it. I will convey this to the people on my side and get back to you on the matter," I told Erik and closed the connection. Leo''s idea that everyone should be connected to me was productive because it made communication easier and saved us time. I linked Marcel, Theodore, David, Vino, Devin, Leo, Alexei, y and Andrew to join me in my office while I headed there, walking briskly. Although Erik was going to tell Alexei and y, I needed multiple opinions to decide on what to do. I might be the king, but they all had stakes in the matter. Everyone had something dear to lose. No one''s loss was more significant than the other giving us equal stakes in the matter. A unanimous agreement was required for us to proceed. They arrived at my office individually. Twenty minutes after I had linked them. David was the first to arrive, followed by a very tired Dominic, then Marcel. Vino came in thirty minutes, followed by Leo and then Theodore. Alexei, y and Andrew were thest to arrive. Seeing the Stepanovs, I knew they figured out the reason for the meeting, but the rest didn''t. Original from N?velDrama.Org. "Some Family heads of members of the Stepanov n are here to see me. I do not know if I should give them an audience, and if I should, I do not know where will be safest," I said, and everyone was silent. I looked at Marcel and Theodore, who seemed to be processing my words; they all were, and I remained on my chair, patiently awaiting their response. "I would lie if I said I''m not worried. What if it is a trap by Yuri to lure you out?" Marcel said, voicing his fears, and the rest shared this opinion. "They can''t work with Yuri. They loathe him," Andrew said, and I did not know if his opinion would be enough. "That was how Erik said Ighor was a neutral party, only to find out that he single handed came to shoot at us just to help Yuri''s cause," Devin said, sounding slightly annoyed. He had a point, but Andrew disagreed. "Ighor was indeed a neutral party. I still find it hard to believe that he shifted allegiance. The people in question aren''t Neutral. They are in Erik''s camp. They have a falling out with Yuri because they do not trust his ideals. Erik has worsened their hatred towards Yuri by recently exposing how Yuri used my father to murder Luis because he wanted to mate with Gezel. Gezel''s confession also contributed to it. I will advise you to see them and ensure Gezel is with you. They need to know the truth. The AgK32 is good, but Yuri''s inner caucus consists of true Stepanovs. Not half-breeds but people that were a product of the many years of inbreeding. They are strong and fast, and resilient. We will need all the help we can get. The number Ighor gave us was an estimation, and knowing he was the source; it might be misleading too," Andrew said immediately without leaving room for argument. "So you propose Sylvester endangers his life by seeing them?" Vino asked, sounding worried, and Andrew nodded. "I propose Sylvester grant them an audience in a space he can control. They won''t be able to pump silver in the air, and people will not be able to attack from the outside. Somewhere isted where Sylvester has ultimate power. Where enemies would think twice before attacking. His interactions with them would determine if he can trust them," Andrew said, and Devin nodded, understanding his point. "So, where do you propose?" Marcel asked him. "The estate," Andrew said, and we were silent. "Think about it. They will be searched thoroughly, and their devices confiscated at the gate. They can''t attack you and seed in the estate. We are all here, and you have a very strong guard here. We also have AgK32 here, just in case. I think it will work out here. But I will tell you now, knowing the people in question, we have nothing to worry about. They will be loyal." He said, and it sounded like a n. I was curious to see how the Stepanov family heads'' minds worked and their ns. Andrew was right about meeting them. It would be wise to see them, especially if I would rely on them to help me attack Yuri and his people in Gad. We have to have some trust between us and respect one another. "Very well then, if everyone is in favour of me seeing them here, I will tell Erik to set it up for this evening because Leo will be leaving in the morning. Lund City isn''t that far away from here; They can easily make it and return to the city without stress. I linked Erik to inform the stephanotis to Join me in the estate. Then I told Leo to inform Gezel to get ready. I also linked Bryce and Levi to ensure the visitors would be checked and watched when they arrived. Everyone dispersed, and I went to my room to take a short nap. I needed to rest and gather my strength pending when My guest arrived. I needed some shut-eye and n to get it. I got to the room, took off my clothes, leaving only my boxers on and fell asleep. I woke up to some noise. It was subtle, but I did not need to guess who it was because her scent filled my senses. "Green eyes," I groaned, managing to open my eyes. I sat in bed, and she joined me in her underwear. "I didn''t want to wake you," She said gently, touching my face. I opened my eyes and looked at her. She looked tired. We both needed the rest, but it was good that she was upied. That way, she wouldn''t overthink missing Harper and Liam. "How is the arsenal going," I teased her, and she smiled and kissed me. She looked gorgeous, and her scent was inviting. "I need this," I said, and she got onto the bed and straddled me. She looked like a goddess. I caressed her body, tracing her curves with my fingers. "Green eyes," I groaned, speechless, and I felt my cock harden. I wondered if we had the time for this, but then I figured the guests could wait if they arrived soon. Tamia was wet. I could smell it. I dipped my hand in her panties and reached to caress her clit. Instead of letting me, she adjusted herself and took it off. I unhooked her bra in front and released her breasts from the cage that confined them. They were beautiful, and her nipples were hard. My mind was nk. The moment gave me the silence I needed for peace. Tamia took off my boxers, leaving mepletely naked. She caressed my chest, and I felt electricity course through me. She knew exactly what to do. She understood my body, and I let go. "I want to ride," she said, and I rxed so she could take control. I could see the need in her eyes. She wanted this; she wanted me, and I was willing because I needed her. I reached for her breasts and caressed her nipples while she moaned and guided my cock into her pussy. Inside her was warm, wet, and slippery. There was no friction between us as she rode on top of me. The pleasure went straight to my head, and I wanted to ravage her body. I let her ride a bit and then ced her on her hands and knees to pump as hard and fast as I wanted. I wanted to go deep inside her, and that was what I did. I delved in deep and pumped until I felt her shatter all over. It wasn''t long before I followed too. She fell on the bed face down like a ragged doll. Her orgasm must have been intense, or it might have been the long working hours. Whatever it was, we were both at peace at that moment, and I relished it. Iy next to her, and she began to chuckle. "I needed that too," she confessed while she snuggled into my arms. I stroke her back gently, lying naked in bed with her. This was the peace I wanted. No drama, no war, no death. Just peace, and I hope we will get it eventually. I informed her about the arrival of the Stapanov family leaders, and she didn''t have much to say about it. She warned me to be careful but implored me to give them a chance without making us vulnerable. I did not know how to achieve that, but I prayed to the goddess for wisdom. It wasn''t long before we both fell asleep again. I woke up to Marcel''s voice in my head. "Sylvester?" he called out again. "What is it, Marcel?" I asked. " I have been trying to reach you for almost thirty minutes now. I knew Tamia was sleeping in the room, so I did not send someone to knock on your door. The Stepanovs are here. There are about Ten family elders. Dyed hair with contact lenses, you would never guess. Alexei and y are keeping thempany, but they are here to see you. What do I tell them?" He asked, and I got off the bed gently so I did not wake Tamia. She was snoring a bit. I knew she was tired. I looked at her sleeping and covered her with the sheets. She adjusted herself, and I headed to the bathroom to shower. "Tell them I will soon be with them," I replied to Marcel. "By the way, just a heads up. They im to have two hundred and fifty trained pure Stepanov warriors, and they told Alexei that he couldmand them as he wishes," Marcel said, and that was a number I wasn''t expecting. If these people had been on our side, they would have increased our chances immensely. I hope to figure them out when we speak. Fingers crossed, I would have nothing to worry about in their regard. 138 Meet The Stepanovs 138 Meet The Stepanovs ~Sylvester~ I arrived in the small conference room in the mansion, and true to Marcel''s words, the visitors did not look like Stepanovs. They had extremely fair skin, but their dark hair and brown eyes made them look ordinary. Alexei and y were there. They stood up when I entered the room, acknowledging my presence. They all bowed their heads, and the room was utterly silent. "Please be at ease and sit down. Thank you foring," I thanked them and went to sit at the head of the table. Marcel and Theodore were there. I linked Leo and Devin to join us. I also linked Gezel toe. She was very much a part of this meeting. Hearing that Erik had already seen them, I didn''t bother to link him to join us. "To what do I owe this visit?:" I said, and one of them sitting closest to me on my left cleared his throat to speak. "I am Peter Zelenski," He said, introducing the nine people he was with. It was surprising that none of them used Stepanov as theirst name. I had to ask. "Why are you not using yourst name? I know you all are pure Stepanov family members, direct descendants of Adrian Stepanov, not just part of the n," I asked, and Peter sighed. "With your pronouncement at the King''s hall, we can now publicly bear our names and stop disguising ourselves in public," he said, and some of them smiled with relief. "It is good to hear that. I am genuinely sorry for what my great-grandfather and grandfather did," I said, and he shook his head. "It is not your cross to bear, your majesty. We are just happy we could findmon grounds," He said, and it seemed he was the leader because no one else was speaking except for him. "You have done right by Adrik and given him what he fought for," He said, looking at Alexei and y. "His grandchildren have been given the honour that was rightfully theirs. We are grateful for this." He said, and I nodded. All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. "Thank you for showing your gratitude," I said. Leo, Devin and David arrived and greeted the Stepanovs. Peter stood up to greet Leo. I could easily tell it was because of Amelia. Leo felt awkward and looked tired. "Well, since we are all here, I would like to ask you what you all think of Yuri''s behaviour," I said, pointing at Devin. "Did the Corrigans wrong the Stepanovs, too?" I asked, and Peter shook his head with a very ufortable expression. ''Well, do you know what Yuri did to the Corrigans?" I asked, and Peter sighed. "We heard, and that is why we are here." He said and looked at the others. They were communicating among themselves. It took a bit, and Peter sighed. "We, too, have a bone to pick with Yuri. His ways are extreme. We have let him continue pursuing his madness as long as it does affect one of our own. Still, recently, we found out he had been behind significant Stepanov deaths. We even learned that he is after Erik. His own cousin. This has made us conclude that Yuri is mad, and we must stop him before he ruins everything. Installing himself as King of the South is outrageous, and we want you to know that we do not share the same views with him. We are content with what has been given to us and hope to serve diligently." He said, and Leo cut in. "By Diligently, you mean help us deal with Yuri?" Leo asked, seeming impatient. I couldn''t me him, really. We were all tired. Peter nodded, and I rxed. "Erik told us you will need our help. We have brought Twenty-five able-bodied pure Stepanov warriors each for you tomand as you wish, after which we will leave them to serve Alex in the West," Peter said. Based on my calctions, the total number of warriors was Two hundred and fifty. That was a lot of silver-immune fast fighters to have on our team. Even the AgK32 wouldn''t have given us this much advantage. "I appreciate the kind gesture. This is indeed great news, but unfortunately, we do not know where Yuri is, and because of that, we do not know how to mobilise your group," I told him, and he was silent. As much as I was willing to involve them, I did not want to leave room for Yuri to figure out our n. Six days allowed him to makest-minute changes; I could not risk that. "So what do you suggest, your majesty?" Peter asked, and I sighed. "We all know the condition of the West. Most of the packs have been taken over by Yuri''s men. I would like to start by taking back those packs and cing your people in charge. Even though Stepanovs do not have Alpha, Beta and Gamma breeds, a Delta Stepanov can rule just as well. We will ce Stepanovs there once we have sessfully taken over those packs. I would prefer Stepanovs, that love peace and want the development of our world," I said, and he was attentive. "That can be arranged. But if we start attacking the packs individually, innocent people will die. We have to note that most of the pack members are innocent people," Peter said, and I was d he went there because it meant he had a good heart and his intentions were pure. "In a time of desperate measures, there will be casualties," Devin said, helping me to push further. It was essential to see Peter''s take on the matter. Coming from me would make me seem like a heartless bastard, and it might make them change their minds about helping me if they were interested in supporting me. Having Devin says it would mean he was hurt by what Yuri did to him and want to pay him back by all means. It would be excusable. Peter looked at me after hearing what Devin said and shook his head. "We can''t pay evil back with evil," he started, and his peers agreed. "We remained silent and did not get involved in Yuri''s matter because we did not want bloodshed. Too many people have died for nothing. We would prefer a safer way to end this. Although we are willing to fight if necessary, we will feel better if our men fight stubborn, heartless Stepanovs who refuse to embrace forgiveness and peace. I would not send my family warriors to kill innocent pack members," He said and looked at Devin. "I know you have been wronged, Alpha Corrigan, but you should try to be the bigger man in this. If you avenge what happened in Pridewood, when will it stop?" He said, and Devin growled at him. "Women and children¡­" he said, and Peter stood up. He raised his hands to plead with him to calm down. One fact remained certain: Stepanovs were still mainly Deltas, and Devin was an alpha; his mood was bound to disturb the Stepanovs present. "Please calm down, Alpha Corrigan. We know you aren''t called Bane for nothing. You have been very considerate, but I will plead with you to have mercy. What happened in Pridewood is unforgivable. Wiping out an entire settlement just to gain grounds was cruel. What the others did in the West to the pack''s sharing borders with the South, too, was wrong. Those alphas did not deserve to die like that. But all I am saying is that we can''t continue avenging people. Look at the Ivanovs. They have been wronged mostly by Yuri. He sent Mikhail, his cousin, to murder Luis, his first cousin, so he could be the heir. He robbed the three of them of their parents," He said, and just then, Gezel walked in. Everyone was quiet. It was weird that she would walk in when he talked about her mate. "Gezel?" Peter said, and Gezel wiped away her tears. She was surprised to see Peter. "Peter," she said in a low tone, and he left his seat and went to her. "You are indeed alive," he said and hugged her tightly. The others began to murmur, and it seemed they all knew her. "You are alive," Peter said, breaking the hug, and she bowed her head, fighting her tears. "You survived," he said, and one of the Stepanovs, I think they said his name was Greg spoke up. "Then Erik was telling the truth when he said Yuri sent Mikhail to murder Luis," he said, and Peter looked at her for confirmation. She nodded, and He balled his fist in anger. Even though he was saying it a few minutes ago, he did not believe it until now. "He wanted Mikhail to bring me to him. He said Yuri would like a child like Amelia. She was just like Adrik, and he wanted a child-like Adrik. Luis beat Mikhail and spared him because he did not want to kill his cousin, but Mikhail used the opportunity and killed him. I had to run with Amelia. I handed Amelia to my maid, who left her at an orphanage. I tried to get to her, but Yuri would not let me rest. I had to go into hiding because I did not know who to trust," she said, and Peter hugged her. "You shouldn''t have had to be alone, my little one. You should have brought her to me. Yuri wouldn''t dare¡­" he said, and Alexeiughed. "Yuri has no bounds. If he could murder my mother and father, he can alsoe for you. She did what was best for her and everyone she loved," Alexei finally said in anger, and Peter sighed. "Still, I cannot attack an innocent pack for this. Those people did nothing wrong." He maintained, and I somehow knew he had strong values. "Very well. I will advise you to take your troops to Gad. So we can help secure Gad for Alexei and y. Do you think it is something you can do?" I asked, and he looked at me. "When do you want to move on, Gad?" he asked, and I shook my head. "It is Alexei''s territory. He will be the one to decide. I won''t be going to Gad. It is a Stepanov problem, and since you do not want to do it our way, I will leave the Lords of the West to deal with the matter," I said, and he looked at Alexei. "When do you want us in the West, my lord?" He asked, and Alexei nodded. "In four days. I will call for your assistance between then and the eighth. Be ready and on alert with your men," Alexei said clearly, not mentioning the sixth day when the battle would ur. With the way it yed out, Yuri would not know we were on to him should anyone snitch. He would believe that we were after the Stepanov Deltas that took over packs. I hoped he would still hold his meeting. Everything was banking on that meeting holding ce. I nned to have Vino and Andrew press Ighor for information so we will know we are still on course. The meeting went quietly, and we strategised on their silent secret movement to the West. They had the notion they were doing this so Alexei and y could take possession of the West, but we knew our true motives and kept it to ourselves. 139 A Meeting Of Caution 139 A Meeting Of Caution ~Leo~ The meeting with the Stepnaovs went pretty well. Gezel knowing and trusting them was a good sign, but we could not be rxed and let them in on our ns. We had to be extra careful because we would only get one shot at this. Yuri was a slippery bastard, and we could not afford to let him slip. Everything mattered. We did not mislead the Stepanovs. We just did not tell them why we would be in the West. The fact that they believed only Alexei and y would be there to fight would throw Yuri off. I needed to tell Sylvester something before I departed the next day. Knowing we only had one shot at this, we had to somehow find a way to direct the matter carefully. The Stepanovs were led to the delta wings, and the unmated men were allowed to get acquainted with the women in the Harem. I still did not understand why Sylvester called that gathering a harem since he had never touched them. I knew they were hopeful some women would find love, and this was a great opportunity. Only two of the Stepanovs opted out, and I could tell it was because they felt too old to mingle. The two were Peter and another guy. I did not bother to catch his name. "Sylvester, I would like us to have a meeting in your office before we retire," I linked him, and he looked at me before he stood up. Speaking out loud when in the open wasn''t a great idea, especially while we had strangers in our midst. I figured he linked everyone on the issue because they all moved to the Royal wing of the mansion. We went to Sylvester''s office and shut the door for the first time. Everyone was there, just as I had hoped. Sylvester sat on the couch with the rest of us instead of sitting behind his desk. "Guess the lounge is out of bounds," David joked, and weughed. Original from N?velDrama.Org. He always had a way of enlivening the situation, no matter how serious it seemed. Dominic nudged him, and they bothughed. I couldn''t help but notice how close the brothers had be. Four of them behaved like they came from the same woman and grew up together. I kind of envied what they had. It sucked being an only child. Even Alexei and y had a bond I envied. I wondered why my parent had only me and rested. I nned to have many children with Amelia. Thinking about everything, I was pretty stupid when I told Tamia I wasn''t ready for a child. It wasn''t meant to be, really, because, with Amelia, I was very prepared for everything. There were no rules or limits. Although it seemed like it initially, Amelia was too stubborn and unaffected to let me have my way. I thanked her for it. Thanks to her, I have a family now, and her brothers are like mine. I also had an unlikely bond with Sylvester and his brothers and cousins. They were my family too. It was amazing to find out that we were literally family. Knowing we had developed a bond before we found out we were rted was also pleasing. I smiled and watched them. They served Sylvester''s whiskey, and they all seemed more rxed than we were in the morning. Having two hundred and fifty true Stepanovs on our side was a massive shift and a definite win if everything went as nned. "So why do you want to see us, Leo?" Marcel asked me, taking a sip of his drink. "Now that we have sent the Stepanovs to head West and settle in Gad of all ces, I think Yuri might get suspicious," I said, and Dominic chuckled dismissively. "How can he be suspicious of Alexei and y? Had we said we were going, then he would have been suspicious regardless of Alexei''s story," Dominic said. Some of them agreed, but they didn''t see my angle. I needed them to see my angle. "Yuri is a mastermind. He is intelligent and thinks thoroughly; that is why we have been unable to catch him. Even the information we have isn''t certain. He might already know that we have You-know-who in custody and might be feeding us with the information he wants. Has it ever urred to you that the person in question might have someone he was supposed to meet on Cains Ind? With Yuri, we really do not know what to expect. So I am imploring us to be wise and be on our guard," I pleaded with them, and Marcel got a bit short. "What else do you want us to do, Leo? We have been cautious. We even let you run this thing for a while in the East. Now that we have some action, you are doubting our break?" He asked, and I shook my head. "I do not doubt our break. And for the record, you did not allow me to run things in the East. I had no choice because it was my territory. I have done nothing but maintain my ce in the North. I do not appreciate your tone, Marcel," I said because his words were condescending. Saying they allowed me as if it wasn''t my ce, but they just humoured me. I was a bit mad. "Calm down, Leo," Sylvester said, realising I was getting angry. "Apologise to him, Marcel. You did cross the line there by saying we allowed him. It is his region, so he had to be in charge, and he did a damn good job at it. What you said was unfair," Sylvester reprimanded him taking my side. Marcel ran his fingers through his hair and apologised to me. "I am sorry, Leo. I am just tired of this Yuri''s bullshit. I miss my son, and I miss my quality time with my wife. I miss my life in general. I shouldn''t take it out on you. We are all in this." He said, and I nodded. "Hey, we were bound to crack at a point. The only thing keeping me is this Whiskey", David added, and we allughed and clinked out sses. "So what are you suggesting, Leo?" Theodore asked me, and I nodded. "I say we mislead Yuri so he does not see using. We cannot be obvious about either of our movements. We have to confuse him," I said, and they were all attentive. "The stepanovs would be moving west to aid Alexei and y in theing days. When I go to the East, we will send some men to the South to make it seem like we are nning on attacking the South. We will circte news about Yuri''s coronation and how it''s treasonous and speak about taking back the South. Other than the stolen packs and the freaks that took them," I said and paused to apologise to The Stepanovs in the room for calling their n members freaks. Alexei and yughed and told me to continue. "We will also circte a story about us taking the South. But we will make it seems like we are heading south, and when I mean we, I mean most of us. This will give Yuri the confidence to move with the lesser danger. Christain is holding the North well, so he won''te here, and Max and the Alphas in the East have proven to be formidable. He is bound to take the safest option, which is moving west, and would decide to have his meeting. We have a scope to work with if the meeting doesn''t take ce. The properties Larry obtained for him wille in handy. As we noticed, most of those properties are in the area of the national theatre, so he is bound to be in that vicinity," I said. They could see my angle because they nodded. ''You know he is a master of disguise. What if he disguised himself and settled within the city?" Alexei asked, and I smiled. "You will make it mandatory for every public structure to send information about new or strange people, preferably hotels and restaurants. We will have to run it with the Identification database. It is not like we will actually do it, but knowing he is careful and won''t take foolish risks, he is bound to stick to his known circle and use his things to stay off the radar. We will also continue to use Ighor tomunicate with him so we will know he is still on course. Although we cannot trust his words to Ighorpletely, we can trace the calls to try to pinpoint his location. But I have a gut feeling that he is already in the West," I said, and everyone was silent. They could see my point, and Sylvester soon ordered everyone on what to do, and we sprang into action. We decided to try to ensure that Yuri believed we were heading to the South to stop his coronation and take back the region. Morning came, and it was time for us to leave for the East. I needed to gather my people and lead them to the West. I wasn''t happy that Gezel would fight with us, and I wished I could talk her out of it. Still, I hadn''t gotten the chance, nor had I been able to tell Amelia about her mother''s decision. While they carried our luggage out of our room, Amelia and I decided to check on Erik and Jake. I wanted to see how Jake was before I left. We got to theb, and I saw Jake''s skin tone improve. udia was there, and it looked like she needed to rest. I doubt the woman would. She had been working none stop with Erik. I hoped Sylvester would award her for her effort because she has blessed our group. Stephanie was sleeping on the couch, and I did not want to wake the woman. I noticed she had lost some weight and hoped to receive good news soon. Erik walked up to me. He already knew why I hade to see him. He looked at Amelia beside me and hugged her. "See you in a couple of days," He said, hugging Amelia, and then he broke the hug and shook my hand. "I hate to say this, but please do not let her fight. Gezel too. We do not know what we will meet there. She is carrying your child and the future of our n; she has to survive no matter what happens," He linked me, smiling at me, and I could see the worry in his eyes behind his fa?ade. "She isn''t going to fight. When the timees, I will send her back to the North to be with Tamia. I just do not want to miss any moment with her. That is why we are heading East. I want to spend some time with my mate," I confessed to Erik through the mind link, and he appreciated my words. As weird as the man seemed, he cared deeply for everyone. "How is Jake?" Amelia finally asked, breaking the silence, and Erik nodded. "Well, he is looking better than he did yesterday. I hope he wakes up soon because I doubt we can continue to watch his arse," Erik joked, and we both chuckled at his words. It was okay to make light of a dire situation. We had all done our best where Jake was concerned. The rest was left to Fate and his desire to live. I was given boxes of AgK32 to administer to my warriors before I left. I left theb, and we headed out. Sylvester and Tamia were there to bid us farewell. Although we knew we would see each other soon, we knew we would miss each other. Amelia and Linda''s hug lingered, and I heard Linda tell Amelia she is returning to join them. It also meant the women knew we won''t be taking them to the West. I was grateful because this would make my work easier. We got into the van and headed to the airport. On my way to the airport, I decided to call Max. "Hello," Max answered on the first ring. "How are things going there?" I asked him. "All the alphas are in Mountain with their troops, and we are waiting for you," He replied, and I was happy about his efficiency. "Thank you, we are on our way," I told Max. "That is great; I want to ask you about something," Max said, and I was attentive. "What is this we hear that we will attack the south?" He asked, and I was d that Sylvester had done his part. By stylishly preparing to attack the South, Yuri was bound to head West. "I will exin when I get there. Just make sure the troops are divided into two. One should consist of one-quarter of the total numbers we have. A few alphas will be leading them. We are on our way," I told Max. "What about Alexei? He has to bring his contribution." Max said, and I sighed. "We will discuss this when I get home. There are things we can''t discuss on the phone, Max," I said, and he was silent. "Very well, Leo. I await your arrival,'' He said and hung up. 140 The East Is Ready 140 The East Is Ready ~Leo~ We arrived at Mountain without issues. I wasn''t fooled by the false peace, but I knew it meant Yuri was either out of the East or had no influence in the region. Maybe he was busy with other things; I was grateful. Seeing a few people above ground, I realised how important dealing with this issue would be. There was a vast difference between the atmosphere of Lund and Mountain. "Where are the people?" I heard Gezel say, and Amelia sighed. "They are in bunkers around the settlement. We did not want to risk what happened in the South, so we decided they should go under mostly the women, children, and teenagers." Amelia exined to Gezel, and Gezel nodded, still looking out the window. "So you are head Luna of the East?'' Gezel asked her with a smile, and Amelia nodded. N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. "Lady of the East," she corrected, and we allughed. Gezel''s gaze was soft and longing. She had so much to tell her daughter but did not have the words. I hoped one day she would. I also nned to talk her out of joining us to fight. I needed to do my best before telling Amelia of her mother''s decision. We arrived at the settlement in front of the massive packhouse. My parents, Susan''s parents, Casper and Max, were waiting outside to receive us. I also noticed many people were roaming about the settlement. I did not need to guess who they were. They were most likely warriors from other eastern packs. Kappas came to carry the AgK32 serum given to me to administer to my men when we get to the West. Since we wouldn''t use it now, I instructed Casper to guard the serum heavily. Max shook my hand and hugged me. I returned the hug and thanked him for everything. "Thank you for finding them, Max," I said, and he nodded. Kyle cleared his throat, and we allughed because it was a sign of jealousy. "I have already thanked you, Kyle," I said, and he shook his head. "Not enough. You sent me to fight those freaks," Heined, and weughed. "Gezel," I heard my father say, looking at Amelia''s mother, and I wondered who else knew this woman. "Richardo, it is nice seeing you again," Gezel said with a smile, and my mother went to hug her. "Sorry about Luis," My mother said with aforting tone; Gezel''s voice cracked, and she returned the hug. It was clear the woman was still hurting. I did not know if there was anything anyone could say or do to alleviate her pain. It would be constant. "You didn''t call me not once, Amelia," I heard my mother scold Amelia, and Susan''s mother scolded Susan too. "Not even a text message to let us know you are fine. Is that how to treat us?" They asked, and the women were speechless. "We had our share of problems in the North. Devin almost died, Momma," Susan responded, and Reba gasped, likewise, my mother. "What happened?" they asked, and I sighed. "The least you can do is let us in," Iined, and Maxughed. We all entered the building, and Macy was there to receive orders from Amelia. Amelia allocated a room to everyone, including her mother, and then we went to our bedroom. When we entered the room, she sighed and sat on the bed. I could tell she was exhausted. "I can''t believe we are back home," She said, and I nodded without saying a word. I wanted to give Max time to set things in motion, so I decided to speak to Gezel before meeting with the Eastern alphas. I nned to hit the ground running. There was no time to waste. Once everything is in ce, I can spend time with my mate. "Amelia, I want to take care of some business; link me if you need me, and I wille running," I said, and she giggled. "Literally speaking?" She asked me, and I nodded. Shey down on the bed and smiled. "I need to catch up on my sleep. Making those darts took a lot of time. I do not know what Tamia wants to do with all the darts she made us make. It isn''t like we could use it for battle. I doubt there will be time to shoot them all. Lindained, and Avery¡­, well, that one slept most of the time," she said, yawning, and I knew she was tired. I left the room and headed toward''s Gezel''s room. I did not hesitate to knock on her door, and she opened it after the first knock. She did not even ask who it was. She just opened the door. "Leo," she said, a bit surprised. "Who were you expecting?" I asked her, and she stepped aside for me to enter. "I was expecting your parents. It has been a long time since I heard from them. Luis was alive when I saw Richardo and Martha. They hade to see how Luis was doing and warn him of Yuri''s ns," She said and almost slipped down memoryne. I did note for that, so I nodded quickly and sighed. "I am d you can connect again. They did not tell me they knew you. I think they believed you were killed. Anyway, that isn''t why I am here. I am here to discuss something vital," I said, and she was attentive. "Please sit. I am yet to settle in, but it is a nice room," She said,plementing the ce. "Thank you. Amelia fixed up the ce," I said, and she smiled. There was an awkward silence between us, and I broke it. "Gezel, why would you request to fight?" I asked, and she looked at me surprised. "It is my decision to fight and kill those responsible for Luis'' death." She said coldly, and I shook my head. "Erik had already executed Mikhail..'' I said, and she interrupted me. "I want my pound of flesh, Leo. They took everything from me for no reason. Luis was everything, Amelia was everything, and I lost it all. They forced me to go into hiding like a coward. They stole my wealth and everything that had to do with the Westwoods. I deserve my revenge." She said, tears streaming down her cheeks. "But you will get it, Gezel. We will get it for you?" I said, and she shook her head. "There are things that I will just have to get for myself, and revenge is one of those things, Leo. You weren''t there. You did not witness it, so you won''t understand," She said, and I realised Fate had dealt her a dark card. She had been scorched for a long time. "Gezel, we both know you are nning a suicide mission," I confessed, and she was stunned by my words. "We both know what you want to do. It is all because you can''t connect with Amelia. After all, she treats you like a stranger¡­." I said, and she covered her ears and shook her head, streaks of tears streaming down her cheeks. I had hit the nail on the head. "You just met her, Gezel. You have to give her time. She has longed for her mother for a while. Before Alexei, she was told that her mother was an Omega that got pregnant for a delta and dumped her at the orphanage when she could no longer cope. She grew up thinking she wasn''t wanted. No one would adopt her, and the orphanage made it worse by ming it on her breed and her appearance. She had a hard life with no parents to help her navigate through. I can''t start by telling you what your daughter had to deal with or in what state I met her. It will break your heart," I said, and she began to cry. "And now that things are beginning toe together and the future looks bright, you decide to do this?" I said. "Do not give up on her. Gezel. Amelia just needs time. She has gone through so much and lost so much on her journey. She had said goodbye to you in her subconscious, and having you pop out of nowhere would destabilise her. Gezel, you cannot follow us to Gad in four days. You cannot join us in that battle," I said, and she looked at me with swollen eyes. "I have to, Leo. It is the only thing that makes sense to me right now. It is all I have got. Please don''t stop me," She pleaded with me, and I sighed. "Don''t go. Please Gezel. I know the King has given his consent but please. I would prefer that you return to the North with Amelia when the timees. I would prefer you are with her." I said and bowed my head. "Our victory isn''t guaranteed. Should anything happen, she would at least have you," I said, and she looked at me with shock. I nodded. "When I met her, she had no one, and she clung to me dearly even after rejecting her. As much as I hate to say this, I know Amelia needed to belong somewhere and have a family; Someone she could call her own, and that made her hold on. I was d I regained my senses and appreciated Fate''s gift. She was happy, and life was in her eyes; then she met her brothers and suddenly had a family. She expecting, you know," I said and sat on the couch in her room. "Alexei, y, Andrew and I will be at the battle. Hell, I am sure Erik wille too. She will be alone again if youe with us and we fall. Other than my parents, she would have no one. Please Gezel. Do not give me a reason to be worried on the battlefield. I beg you to return to the North with Amelia when the timees and be a mother to her. She still needs you, especially now that she is also about to be a mother. My mother will have limits; she can never fill your shoes. No one can. Now that you are back in her life cherish the gift of a second chance and make it work, Gezel. I am pleading with you," I said and stood up. I could not wait for her to respond, but she had ample time to think of what I had just told her. "Where is she?" She finally asked me. ''Sleeping. She was tried," I said, and Gezel wiped away her tears. "Please give me a day to think about it," She finally said, and I was grateful that she would at least think about it and not dismiss my words. I hoped for all our sakes she chooses to do the right thing and stay. I left Gezel''s room. "Max, have you gathered everyone?" I linked Max. "Yes, Leo, we are waiting for you in the assembly hall," Max said, and I chose to Join them. The entrance to the hall was heavily guarded, and to my surprise, they had two tanks of Nitric Acid there, and the guards were entirely covered with goggles and gas masks. I tried to chuckle, but I was d that everyone was being careful. Although I knew the side effects of AgK32, I knew it was a more essible tool than this. I entered the hall, and people were murmuring. They were lined up ording to their packs, with their alphas at the front of each line. The moment I entered, they began to cheer and greet me. They were grateful for the rescue. I had not done the job, but they knew I put Max to it and everything I told them had worked. "Let''s cheer the new Lord of the East!'' Someone said, and they all hailed. I smiled. Surprised that they had the time to watch the proceeds at the King''s hall. I guess the question on my face said it all. "We had ess to television in captivity," One of the alphas told me, and Iughed at the humour. I got to the stage at the assembly hall to address them. The moment I got to the podium, they were silent and attentive. The eagerness and respect in their eyes made me nervous, but I chose to proceed. "I want to start by thanking everyone for their loyalty," I said, looking at some of them. "Because of your loyalty, the East has not been overrun like the South. You all have made our region imprable and made us proud. Thanks to all your efforts, we have been tried and tested and passed with flying colours. I sympathise with those of you that have lost someone in this struggle, and I want you all to know that we shall get justice," I said, and they hailed. "We will hunt down the son of a bitch that has gued our world for so long and end his shadow reign. We will clip his wings and destroy his ego. We will pay him for his crimes against us and our peers," I said, and they hailed. "I want to thank you all for your contributions to the cause, and the King himself is highly grateful. Know that we wee you to join us on this mission with love and respect, and we pray to conquer our foes," I said, and they all cheered. "We do not know what will happen, so we havee with a serum prepared by A Stepanov, who is on our side. The King and all the lords, including myself, have used this serum, which has helped us tremendously. You can ask Alpha Devin Corrigan. It was used to save his life when Poison was introduced to his system through a gunshot," I said and looked at Devin, who stood on the side. "It is true," He nodded. "We have some Stepanovs who do not share the same view as this madman, Yuri, and they are on our side. We have their heirs on our side; their daughter, our Luna, is on our side, so let us not conclude that all Stepanovs are our enemies," I warned them, and they nodded with understanding. "Erik Stepanov has created a serum that would make us like them for a day. It will make us immune to silver and help us fight them so we have nothing to worry about. He is currently in hiding because his life has been threatened by Yuri because of this medication he concocted. We will use their medication to our benefit, and the silver dust our weapon, which they use against people, will no longer be useful to them in battle again," I said, and they were attentive. "We do not know where to find them, so a quarter of you will head to the South to stop his coronation upon my signal, and the other Three quarter will head to the West to help Alexei and y take over the packs controlled by the Stepanovs. We will all know what to do when we reach our destinations." I said, and someone raised their hands. "Which group will you be going with, Alpha?" He asked, and it was a good question. "I am yet to decide, but I know Max and Kyle will be heading South with the South team," I said, and they cheered. The two alphas have proven their worth while I was absent. Seeing their response, I knew they would follow them to the end should the need arise. I was d there would be no fuss. I had to be careful about announcing which team I would follow just in case Yuri knew about this. "What about Alpha Alexei and y?" Someone asked, and I nodded. "Since the West is now their region, they will lead the group heading West to take over the packs at the borders," I said, and they agreed. We took care of other details, and soon, the assembly ended. They all left to go and prepare for the trip to the regions they were drafted to. "Will we be fighting in the south?" Max asked me, and I shook my head. "You will be a decoy," I linked him, and his eyes widened, finally realising the n. 141 Longing And Waiting 141 Longing And Waiting ~Tamia~ We finally finished creating the darts. Amelia hadined about why I was making so much, and Linda couldn''t wrap her head around it. We had finally finished, and it was much. The Omegas that were helping us helped pack them carefully into packs. It was evening, and Susan had called to inform us a few hours ago that they had arrived at Mountain and settled in. I stood by the window in the studio to look at the setting sun. I wondered if all of this would indeed be over in five days. I hated to think of the battle, and the fact that we wouldn''t be there was killing me. I was worried for everybody, and I did not want to carry on alone. Still, I guess the possibility of that oue came with the burden of bearing the crown. I stood motionless at the window and watched the orange sky. "Tamia," I heard Avery''s gentle voice behind me, and I turned to look at her. She was tired, and I could see the longing in her eyes; it mirrored mine. We all missed our children. No matter how we tried to keep quiet, we could not hide that we missed our children dearly. We could not hide the fact, and it was painful. "What are we going to do with all the darts, Tamia," She asked me, sounding tired, and I ced my hand on her shoulder. "You should get some rest, Avery?" I said, and she shook her head. "I do not need sleep. I need peace. I sleep most of the time, so that time will pass, Tamia. I want to wake up, and someone will tell me this is all over and our lives are back to normal. I want to hold Marvin in my arms, Tamia, and apologies for losing so much time," She said, and tears began to stream down her cheek. We all hated what Yuri had done to our world. Had we known this, we would have taken Larry more seriously when he told us there was more toe. We shouldn''t have dismissed him. Our actions had bought us a year of peace and given the enemy time to attack us fiercely. "It will be okay, Ave," I said, wiping away her tears. This pregnancy was different from her first. This one made her emotional and tired. I guess they were right when they said no pregnancy is the same. Original from N?velDrama.Org. "As for the darts, we are dividing them into two. I n on arming ourselves here. We can''t afford to be sitting ducks. It would buy us time to fight and get away should Yuri attack while our men are away," I said, and she understood. "Come on, go and freshen up. Sylvester has called for a general meeting, and the only reason we are invited is that it has to do with us," I said, and Linda joined us. She was listening to our conversation because she chipped in. "They want to officially tell us we aren''ting," She said, and I nodded. I knew that was what Sylvester wanted to do. Even though we had figured it out independently, seeing how they nned to exclude us. They had not told us precisely that we would remain. They had implied it, but with the day approaching, it was time to let us know we would not go to the West with them. Nicole was sleeping on the couch in the studio, snoring and mumbling her children''s names. I went to wake her up so she could go and freshen up. She looked disoriented when she woke up, and drool was on the corner of her mouth. She must have been tired to sleep with her mouth open. "Come on, Nikky, You need to freshen up. The King has summoned us to his lounge for the meeting," I said, and she nodded and stood up. "Tanya, Lisa, Justin," Nicole said, and I knew the separation was getting more challenging. "Come one, go freshen up. We will soon see them, okay," I said, and she rubbed her eyes gently. It wasn''t to wake her up; I knew it was to fight back her tears. "Lounge?" She finally said with a shaky voice, and I nodded. We all left for our rooms. I linked Katya and udia to inform them of the meeting in the lounge, and they assured me they would be there. I went to freshen up and left to join Sylvester in the lounge. When I arrived, the men were already there, along with udia and Katya. The rest were on their way. Sylvester asked me to sit beside him, and I did. He pulled me close and kissed his mark on my neck. I knew he wanted me to rx, but how could I when we were counting the days to a deadly battle. A battle that we could not predict its oue. A fight against freaks. I maintained a calm exterior, as a Queen should, while we waited for the others. They all finally arrived, and it was time to start the meeting. "We have received the dart, and we are grateful for your efforts," Sylvester started; I wanted to tell him to get to the point badly, but I decided against itst minute. "We all know we will be heading to Gad in four days to prepare for the battle on the fifth night, and we all hope to be victorious," He said and sighed. "We do not know the future and can only hope the oue will favour us. Because of this, we have decided toe to this conclusion," He said and pulled me close to his body. "You all are strong and supportive women. You havee through for us times without a number, never disappointing, always there to lend us a helping hand and take charge when needed. Know that you are highly appreciated for this, and we truly value you," he said. I could feel his nervousness. He believed we would make it difficult for them. "This battle could swing either way, and we have children to care for. They are our future. No matter what happens to us, they have to survive," He added. "because of this, we will be asking you all to remain here while we head West," he said and paused, waiting for us to say something, but no one spoke. "We will need you to hold the Forte in the Estate so you can escape with our children and carry on if anything happens," He said, and I pinched my thigh to stop myself from speaking and crying. "As hard as this is, we have to face the reality that we might note home, but that does not mean we won''t try. I implore you to let Tamia lead you if it everes to that," He said; he was silent. We were all silent. The lounge was glum. There was no life in it. All that permeated the air was fear and uncertainty. I had never hated Yuri more than I did at this moment. "We will hold the forte, but you all muste home. Do not ask us to move on without you," I said, and Sylvester was silent. "Know that if you do not take him out, he will hunt us down like he did to Luis Ivanov''s wives, and he will kill us and maybe our children. So there will be no room for failure. No matter what happens, you must win and survive the bastard because no matter how far we run, he will hunt us down and finish what he started," I said, stating a fact that they might not have thought off. It was easy for them toe up with an idea and believe it would work, but they also needed to think of how the enemy''s mind worked, and Yuri had a habit of hunting people down. If they fail, he will be more trouble for us. Just like he was a problem to Maurice and now Sylvester, he will be a problem to Liam, too, that is, if we survive. There was nothing to say. We just pondered on the matter and hoped for the best. We were silent for a bit, and soon we decided to go and check on Jake in Erik''sb. When we arrived, we were surprised that Jake was looking fine. There was colour on his skin, and Stephanie was stroking his hands. "Wow, Erik, you did a good job," Sylvester said, and Erik smiled. "I wouldn''t have seeded if it weren''t for udia, her friends, Nelson and my assistants. Most especially udia." He said, looking at udia, but she looked haunted and gave him a shell of a smile. I could understand how she was feeling. She was married once and lost her husband, and now Sylvester had just told us that they might not return. It was bound to spook anyone. It was a wonder that she could stand and even fake a smile. Erik noticed it, but he chose to ignore it. "So when are we leaving?" he finally asked, and Sylvester shook his head. "You will remain with Tamia, Erik. You''re too valuable to be on the battlefield," Sylvester said, and there was anger in Erik''s eyes. "You mean I am too small and deformed." He corrected Sylvester, and he shook his head. "If I could transfer your brain to someone else, I would take you to the battle. Trust me, you are more valuable than a thousand warriors. I can''t risk losing you. Think of the change you will bring to our world once this is over. It is unmeasurable. I cannot risk your life, Erik, so you will remain with our mates and care for them. It is a big task because Yuri might try to attack the Estate." Sylvester said, and Erik calmed down. He understood Sylvester''s point and let the matter rest. We watched Jake for a bit and decided to retire to our rooms. We decided to spend the remaining days together before they finally left. I nned to start spending that quality time tonight. Sylvester must understand why there is no room for defeat. 142 Come Home To Me 142 Come Home To Me ~Susan~ I had never been filled with so much fear in my life. I could feel the countdown. Deen down, I wished Sylvester would reach out and inform us that Yuri had changed ns, but the fact that he was still on course and the meeting would still hold in Gad brought fear to me. I knew it wasn''t a sure win, even though we wished it would be a certain victory. I was worried sick. I had seen too much betrayal to be confident in the people on our team, especially the Stepanovs, but I kept my fears to myself. The battle was in three days, and I did not want to get in Devin''s head. He needed all the support he could get, and I was willing to give it no matter what. I just had to hope for the best. My heart remained broken because we could not go to the South. That was where we were supposed to be. Devin and me. We were supposed to be with our people, lending them strength and courage. Instead, we had to hide with Leo and pray that it all worked out for a good while our loyal pack members were in cells, especially Lukman. I knew it troubled Devin; I could see it whenever his eyes wandered in pain. I had heard him growl in the bathroom a couple of times in pain. He behaved like a man whose soul had been ripped from him. He was angry, and he had every right to be so. Yuri targeted someone that had nothing to do with what happened to his bloodline. Evidently, what drove Yuri was greed and not revenge like he made it seem. "How are you feeling this morning," Devin asked me, exiting the bathroom. He looked perfect and had a smile on his face. I knew the smile was to my benefit. He had told me he did not want the moment leading up to battle to be glum and riddled with fear. He had pleaded with me to be the happiest and live it to the best of my ability, and I was trying. I was trying not to show fear. I had been feeling under the weather, but I kept that to myself too. I did not want him to have anything to worry about while he was away in battle. Devin joined me in bed and kissed my forehead, then pulled me close to his chest. I rested in his embrace and allowed his scent to engulf me. He was my love and home. I cherished him with everything I had and loved him dearly. "Guess what," He whispered in my ear, nibbling the lobe with me between his arms. I moaned and caressed his arms that were around me in response. "I have instructed the Omegas to serve us in this room. Since you will return to the North in the morning, I want to spend the entire day with you. Meaning no training for me today," He said, and my stomach churned, remembering that we would have to part the following day. Knowing that I would not be in Gad with him made me nervous. I believe the situation was why I was sick. I feared the unknown. I did not know what wasing and did not want him to see my fear. "That is sweet and romantic of you, Devin," I said, and he kissed the back of my ear, making me moan louder. "I can''t wait for all this to be over and the Bluemoon toe. I can''t wait to im you, Sue, and officially start our lives together. You have filled a void that has been in my heart for a long time, and I am forever grateful for your love," He said. I turned in those moments to look at him. His eyes were misty, but I knew he would not let his tears fall. Devin was that tough.N?velDrama.Org is the owner. I caressed his cheek gently and leaned in for a kiss. There was no better way to show him how much I needed him toe home and fulfil everything he had promised me. There was no way to show him that failure wasn''t an option. I kissed him, and he responded with passion. "Promise me we will win, Devin. Promise you will survive ande back to me no matter what. I need you to promise me. I do not care about being Luna or running a pack. I just want to be with you. Promise me that no matter what happens, you will survive ande home," I pleaded with him. He needed to know dying wasn''t an option. He needed to know that I would be waiting for him and willing to be with him no matter the oue. I would not judge him. or see him as weak. He was mine to love and cherish, and I will choose him repeatedly, no matter what. I needed him to know that. He touched my cheeks and stared into my eyes. He searched them with his and rested his gaze. "We will win this, and I wille home. I have faith in us. I have faith in the team Sylvester has put together, and just as we overcame Larry, we will ovee this madman. We will defeat Yuri. We have fate on our side." He said and sighed. "I need you to have faith too. I need you to believe that it will be okay. I need you to be strong for both of us. I need you to hold on to the picture of the future we desire, the future we deserve, and the future we will have. I need you to believe, Sue," He pleaded with me. His deep and sincere words pierced my soul as I drowned in his gaze. I touched his hand on my cheeks and closed my eyes to feel his touch deeply. All I could manage was. "Please," begging him from the dept of my soul toe back home to me. Devin pulled me close, and the kiss was passionate. It was a kiss of promise, of hope and belief. It was a kiss that said he would be back. I let him receive all that he was willing to give. I tasted him, and he was sweet and assuring. Strong and supportive. There was no ounce of failure in him. He was an Alpha, my alpha. I reached for his shorts, wanting to be one with him. Needing him inside me. I did not want forey. I wanted him. If it was possible to swallow him whole, I would do it and run away from here. "Easy, Sue", He chuckled while I fumbled with the ropes of his shorts. He helped me take it off and gradually took off my nightgown. I wanted to be on top of him, and he let me. He sat in bed with his back against the headrest while I straddled him. There was love and lust in his eyes, and I knew it was the same in mine. I could feel my wetness run down my thighs. I wanted this. "Sue," he groaned while I ced him inside me and began to ride. He held me to guide my movements. "You are so wet, Sue," He groaned, and I closed my eyes and turned my head upwards to savour the moment. Soon he flipped our positions, and he was on top of me. Driving in and out of me. I dug my fingers into his back, trying to hold on as much as possible. "Let go, Sue," he said, knowing I wasing but fighting it. He increased his pace inside me, and soon, my walls shattered around him. I felt shivers all over my body, and my skin was raised with goosebumps. The orgasm was intense, but I knew he had just begun because he continued pumping. He was relentless. I believe someone knocked on the door, but we were too busy to notice. He pumped and pumped. cing my legs over his shoulder, he drove into me deep, and I felt another orgasming. My worries and fears were distant. He took me to heights that created a blur in my mind making my fears no longer a concern. He owned the moment and made everything alright. I let him. My heart let him, My wolf weed it, and we found ourselves in our own world. Filled with love, hope and pure pleasure. "Devin," I moaned, holding on to my climax, waiting for him to join me, but he was so damn skilled that I found myself shattering again; this time, it was sustained, and there was a ringing in my ear with white spots in my vision. I felt him still inside me too. I held on to him the best I could, knowing that I would have to leave the following day and the rest would depend heavily on fate. 143 We Still Have Time 143 We Still Have Time ~Amelia~ I thought when we got to Mountain, Leo and I would have time, but we had spent two days already, and the only time we had was nighttime. He spent the day ensuring the warriors trained and sharing their formation with them. It was hectic. My brothers helped, too. Within two days, my sister-inw, Alia, came to join us because Alexei did not want to take any chances. She hade with her newborn twins and three Omegas to help her. Apparently, she had given birth When in hiding. They did notmunicate with Alexei, so the call will not be traced. I was enthusiastic about her visit, but the fear of the battle''s oue weighed heavily in my mind, that I could not spend time with the lovely twins. They both were faired-haired with weird eyes like mine. Seeing them, I figured my children would look that way too. Especially knowing Leo had some Stepanov genes. The twins were adorable. A boy and a girl, and they named them Josephine and Eiane. Apparently, they had discussed the names of their babies before Alexei joined us to head north. The twins looked so cute that I could not wait to hold mine in my arms. Unfortunately, Leo sent Alia and the twins to a VIP bunker where all the Eastern Lunas and their children were kept. It had better resources and was cosy. She would have joined us in the North if she did not have the twins with her, but there was no room for children at the Volkov estate. Especially knowing there was a possibility the ce would be attacked. Even though we were not going to battle in Gad, there was a possibility we would fight in the North if Yuri got the bright Idea ofing after us there. Alia was in no condition for a fight, so the bunker was her best bet. The Alberts and Sullivans were going to Join them in the bunker when Leo and the others headed to the west in two days. I would lie if I said I wasn''t afraid but had faith in Leo and his team. I believe that the Stepanovs that volunteered to join us would not deceive us, and I think the moon would be on our side. I had to keep a positive mind so I did not fall apart. I must ept that everything was beyond our control and that the goddess wasn''t wicked to let Yuri win. I had to hope that we would all get our happy ending and we would all look back at this andugh. I had to believe that one day I would tell this story to my children, Leo would give them the details of the battle around a campfire, and we wouldugh at the oue. I hoped we would have a future after this because if I didn''t, then Yuri would have defeated us without even fighting us. Hope keeps everyone alive; we had to keep our hope alive. Susan and I will return to the North in the morning, so I decided to use that opportunity to check on my mother. I did not know if she would remain in the East or join us in the North, but I had to see her. I believe there were a lot of unspoken words between us. There might never be a right time to say those words, but seizing the moment was important because we did not know what theing days would be like. I stood at her door while contemting whether or not to knock. I eventually did, and she did not bother to ask who it was. She just opened the door. She was shocked to see it was me. I could understand her shock because I had not made an effort to speak to her privately besides breakfast and lunch or family time with Leo and Susan''s parents. It wasn''t that I hated her, but I did not know how we would connect. "May Ie in?" I asked, and she stepped aside, still in shock, and let me in. I entered her room, and it was neat. I wondered if the Omegas hade to fix her room or if she had done it herself. "Gez... I mean Mother," I said, and she smiled and nodded. "It is okay to call me by my name, Amelia. I can understand," She said, but her voice was a bit shakey. I had not called her anything, really. I avoided addressing her directly so I would not have to figure out how to address her, but it was time to deal with the situation. "I would prefer to call you Mother if you don''t mind," I said, and her eyes softened. There were tears in them, but I could tell she was fighting them with everything she had got. I sighed and gathered my strength to speak to her. I do not leave room for her to speak so we do not digress, and my courage does not fail me. "I am not good at bonding, and I mighte across as disconnected sometimes, but I want you to know that I do not hate you and do not me you. You did what was best for both of us," I said. She was about to speak when I stopped her. I did not want to digress neither did I wasn''t to lose the resolve I had gathered toe and speak with her. I had so much to say, and I knew that I would hold my peace if I did not speak now. "I want you to know that I do not me you. I am d you held on to life and did not give up. I am d you came looking for me. I am grateful for your courage, Mother," I said and watched her tears fall. "I do not hate you, and I promise I will try to connect with you. Thanks to you, I am no longer an orphan.." I said, fighting my own tears. "I will be a mother soon, and I want you to be a part of our lives," I said in tears. "I want my children to call you grandma, and I need your help. I might seem too old and independent, but the fact still remains that I need you. It is never toote to know what it feels like to have you in my life. I want to experience that. I want to connect with you, and I want you to give it a chance. Please say you will give us a chance," I pleaded in tears, and she rushed toward me and hugged me. She wrapped her arms around me so tight that I almost lost bnce. "Amelia," She wept, and I wrapped my arms around her, letting myself cry, releasing my pain and fear of rejection. I didn''t want her to go away once Yuri had been dealt with, and all this was over. I wanted her to remain and be a part of my life. I wanted my mother, too, and I hoped she would remain. "Please promise me you will stay when all this is over. Promise me you won''t leave me," I pleaded, and she held on tight. "I won''t leave you, darling. I will never leave you again. I will never leave your side. I will remain for as long as you want me to. I will stay, Amelia." She said, and there was no need for words between us. I held on to her tightly, and she held on to me. I was grateful to the goddess for giving me back my family. Everything I had lost when I was four had been restored, with the exception of my father, but I could live with it. This was better than being alone in the world. Not having anyone, not knowing where to go, and not belonging anywhere. Wandering like a vagabond with no hope and no future. Original from N?velDrama.Org. First, it was Leo, then my brothers and now my mother. I was grateful that my life had been turned around for the better. I held on to her with all my might and promised never to let go. I vowed to make her proud and make the most of our moments together. We still had a long time to go, and I am d she came at a time when I was about to enter a new phase in my life. I remained with my mother for a while, getting to know her on a personal level without any distractions for the Alberts and my brothers, just us, and soon left her room to go and look for Leo. We only had tonight to spend together. I will be heading north in the morning, and the rest will be in fate''s hands. 144 A Little Hope Goes A Long Way 144 A Little Hope Goes A Long Way ~Leo~ The day was fast approaching, and it made me restless. The fact that we did not know what we would expect in Gad made it worse. The men and I trained, and we practised our formation. Sylvester and I were in touch, and he told us we were still on course. Ighor willingly continuedmunicating with Yuri, and ording to their conversations, the meeting was going to hold. Max and Kyle had involved their beta''s respectfully, and even though they wanted to join us in Gad, where the real battle would happen, I still decided I would send them to the South. We had somehow decided they won''t be a decoy. That they would actually fight and take Greenville from the Stepanovs. They were more than eager to oblige when they knew they had a real mission. It would be logical to have Devin go with them, but we had a formation that worked best with Devin, so he would have toe with us. It was evening time, and Alexei had gone to the VIP bunker to get Alia so he could spend time with her. He had been doing that since we arrived, and she was brought to Mountain. I felt bad that he missed the birth of his twins, but he was already making it up to his mate. I decided to retire to my room to spend time with Amelia. She would be going to the North the following day, and I won''t see her until after the battle. It was important that I spend quality time with her. One of the things that troubled me was that Gezel was yet to get back to me on what we had discussed. I dreaded having to tell Amelia that her mother would being with us, but as things were, it seemed I might have to tell her tonight. Dropping the bomb on her in the morning when she and Susan are leaving would be wrong. I thought to discuss the matter with Gezel before heading to my bedroom, so I linked her to ask her. "Where are you?" I managed, and it took a bit before she answered. "I am with your parents, Alpha Leo," She replied calmly. The woman''s grace made it clear that she came from a high-standing family. It was sad what Yuri did to her, and I could understand her desire to get even with the bastard. Still, there was no way she could go about it without risking her life and hurting Amelia in the process. I hoped she would allow us to handle the matter. "Do you have a response to what we discussed?" I linked Gezel. "I will get back to you in the morning. I have all the cards now, and I am contemting. Please give me time, Alpha Leo. I know it is too much to ask, but I will plead with you not to tell Amelia now. I will make up my mind tonight," She pleaded with me. Her request did not sit well with me because I believed Amelia deserved to know her mother was nning a suicide mission. Still, I also knew I had to respect her decision and allow her to figure it out independently without pressure. "Time isn''t on your side, Gezel," I told her and closed the link; I hoped she would get the message and decide soon. I hurried toward my bedroom to spend some time with my Luna. Devin had been indoors with Susan all day, so I knew they weren''tcking in the time department. The thought of the two of them couped up in the room, away from all that was happening, made me envious, and I moved quickly."Where are you," I linked Amelia. "Having a bath," She said, and I smirked, closing the link. She was right where I wanted her, and I was happy. I entered the room quietly. Hoping she would not hear me. Then I stripped down my clothes and entered the bathroom. Amelia was in a bubble bath, looking beautiful and extremely seductive. She looked in my direction and was a bit surprised. It was as if she wasn''t expecting me to be there, but here I was. "Closed early?" Amelia asked with a broad grin. I got into the bathtub, and I nodded. "Needed to spend time with my Luna before she heads north tomorrow," I replied and pulled her close. She positioned herself between my legs with her back against my chest. I wrapped my arms around her. Holding her. Peace surrounded us, and a calm came over us that I wanted to hold on to forever. "Amelia," I said, kissing my mark on her neck, and she giggled. "Yes, Leo," She replied in a low, seductive tone, blowing the foam towards our feet. She was in a yful mood. I had to respect Amelia for having the ability to live in the moment. Although there was a huge hurdle to jump, she was light about it. It was as if our days were normal, and I appreciated her for it. She took my worry away and gave me the confidence to face my problems. "Hope you are gearing up to kick some arse?" She said to me, and Iughed. "We are more than ready; Yuri won''t know what hit him," I said, and she giggled, then stopped laughing. "Leo," she said, and I was attentive. "Do not doubt the Stepanovs on our side. They are our family too. You might be a Volkov, but I am your mate, and Stepanovs are my family. Do not use Yuri as a yardstick. I would not tell you all not to go there prepared for a betrayal but be optimistic too. Helpes from mysterious ces. Do not judge my n and family by Yuri''s standards," She pleaded, and I squeezed tight. Holding her and breathing her in. "I want you to be at ease, Amelia. We are more than grateful for the help from the Stepanovs, your brothers and Uncle Erik. We wouldn''t have hope if it weren''t for them, especially Erik and your brothers," I said, and she rxed. "What are we doing tonight?" She asked, and I pretended to think about it. "Well, Let''s see¡­." I said, and she was alreadyughing before I could speak. "We will eat, make love, eat, make love and repeat until we sleep," I said and sighed. "Wouldn''t that be too boring? We have the rest of our lives for that," she said,ughing. "Well, let''s see, my love?" I said to her, and sheughed. We left the bathroom, and the Omegas knocked on our door to bring our food. I was famished, so the food came at the right time. Amelia ate heartily, and I could not see a trace of worry on her face. Her heart was hopeful, and she was solid as a rock. She was indeed a great support for me. "Have you thought of names for our children?" She finally asked, snuggling in my arms on the couch while I put on the television to watch a movie with her. I brushed her hair aside and kissed her shoulder gently, breathing her in simultaneously. "I haven''t actually thought of it," I replied because even though I was excited about the prospect of being a father, I had not had the time to think of their sex and names. "What would you do if theye out looking like me?" she asked, assuming she was carrying more than one child, and I smiled. "Then they will be the most beautiful babies in their time. Even more beautiful than Alexei''s twins, and those twins look like you," I said, and she giggled. "I hope they fit in well and won''t go through what I went through, Leo," she said, voicing concern for the first time. "They will grow up in a time when being a Stepanov is a thing of honour. They will have it too good, Amelia. Trust me," I said, and she rxed a bit. I touched her tummy gently and tried to feel them. "Amelia," I managed, finally addressing the elephant in the room that I believe she dreaded speaking of. I looked at her, and her eyes looked curious and hopeful. I touched her chin gently and caressed it. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. "I do not n to die in Gad," I said, her eyes welled up with tears. It was a concern that weighed heavily on her mind, and she avoided speaking of it. I respected her restraint, but I had to give her words of encouragement and let her know my true intentions. "I n to survive no matter what ande home to you. You won''t raise our children alone, Amelia. You won''t face the world alone. You have lent me strength by making me happy and giving me hope. I have a reason to live. You and our unborn children have given me a formidable reason, and I will hold on to it until Ie home. I promise," I said, and she crashed her lips against mine and kissed me passionately. Although not relieved because she knew I had no power over the oue, I could feel her hope increase, and that was good enough for me. We held each other until sleep finally came. As much as I tried to spend more time and linger, sleep won the battle, and we did not wake until morning. Amelia cried a bit while packing and preparing to leave. It wasn''t like she meant to, but the tears won''t stay away. I watched her literally fight them. Wiping them away andughing in between. I could feel her nervousness and her fears. I wished I could do more to assure her. While trying to console her, we ended up making love, and we took our time. With what we had coming, there was no point rushing the moment. We showered together after, and I followed her to the van. I nned to escort her to the airport and wait until their ne departed. To my surprise, I saw Gezel at the entrance of the packhouse dressed to go. I looked at her, surprised. "You are going north?" I asked. I was surprised, and she nodded with tears in her eyes. "I would not want to miss a moment with my child," She said, and I was grateful I did not tell Amelia of her ns to go to Gad with us and maybe die there. My mate would have been devastated. Alexei and y hugged their sister, and then they hugged their stepmother. Gezel did not want to let go of them. She panicked a bit. "I want you two toe home in one piece, alright?" She said, and Alexei smiled and nodded. "Please. I do not want to lose either of you. Alexei, remember Alia and the twins. They are waiting for you and counting on you and y; remember us. None of us are ready to say goodbye. You might be strong and almost invincible, but I need you all to be careful. Watch your back and try to stay alive no matter what. Promise me I will see you in four days," she said, and y wrapped his arms around her. "We will meet you in Lund, Gezel. We promise." He said I could tell the emotions were getting to them. But they held it together and maintained a calm exterior. We all got into van, Devin too and headed to the airport. Susan clung to Devin like glue, and she was pale. Amelia remained stoic. She might seem unaffected, but I knew deep down she was worried. Knowing Amelia and Susan were going north because there was a possibility Tamia and the others would need help also made me afraid, but I knew they would be fine. Sylvester had already instructed Tamia and the others on what to do should we fall. I prayed to the goddess that we would see each other again and that all this would be a thing of the past. 145 A Breaking Point 145 A Breaking Point ~udia~ The days went by fast. I needed to breathe to stop and think, but there was no time for it. Jake was recovering well, and Vino was training most of the time. There were moments I had the urge to just leave because, deep down, I didn''t see all of them coming home. Sylvester''s talk about what we should do if they fall got to me, making me wonder if I had been cursed. My husband died, and then I met my fated. It should be a happy feeling, but it wasn''t because danger loomed from the moment I saw him. I did not know what to do. I was a woman of few words; somehow, my words had be fewer over the weeks. Keeping calm amid everything was difficult, but I had to. I knew nothing would lift me up if I broke down, so this would have to do. Jake had finally woken up, but sadly, he could not feel his wolf. Erik had told him to give it time, especially since he was still weak, but I doubted the time would work. Melvin had said that was one of the oues if anyone survived his lethal position. If Jake''s wolf ever returns, then it would be a miracle. Stephanie did not seem to care about that; she was d he was alive. I could understand her position. I would be grateful, too, if I were in her shoes. I sat on the couch in Erik''sb, thinking about what I would do If I lost Vino and couldn''t figure it out. Life had mistreated me, and I doubted it would make an exception for me and bring Vino home to me. I doubted it, but I had a tiny hope that he would survive. Amelia and Susan were on their way from the East, so I figured Vino''s time to head to Gad was drawing near. Was it possible to freeze time? I would wave a wand and freeze everything to have more time with him and the others. Could I be given that power? N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. "udia, you should retire. You do not look well," I heard Stephanie''s voice. It snapped me out of my deep thought, and I looked at her. I hadn''t looked in the mirror in a while. I knew I looked awful, but I did not care. Nothing really mattered anymore. I looked at her while she sat beside Jake''s bed, holding onto his hand. The man had fallen back to sleep again, but he was in the clear. "You should eat something, Stephanie. You have lost too much weight. I will ask the omegas to bring you something," I said, with a calm, unaffected tone, and she looked like she was more concerned about me than her health. "Have some faith, udia. They will return in one peace. Sometimes faith is all it takes," she said, and I sighed because I had nothing to tell her. "Thank you, Stephanie," I finally managed and got up. I headed out. Erik was snoring on one of the beds in hisb. The man did not seem affected by all this. If anything, he was mad they won''t be taking him to battle, but Sylvester''s reasons were valid. He was too valuable. I have never met someone with a beautiful mind like Erik. He was a genius; having him die in battle would be a waste. I headed back to the mansion or pce. I did not know what to call the building, but the thing was huge with many rooms. I wondered if Vino, the triplets and I will have to live here once everything was over. Hopefully not, because I would go crazy. I would prefer a ce that I can make into a home. Something private and personal, with maybe just two Omegas in attendance and few security details. I wouldn''t be able to deal in this building, but it wasn''t up to me really because as things were, it seems, Vino would not want to be apart from his brothers. Whatever he decides, he has my full support. I returned to our bedroom, and Vino was there. I was shocked to see him. "Early," I said, and he smiled at me. "yep, Sylvester decided we needed to spend time with our mates since we will be leaving tomorrow night," He said, and I was shocked. "I thought you would be leaving next tomorrow in the morning," I said, and he shook his head. "Leo''s group will be joining us next tomorrow morning. We are going to Gad in secret to study the activities leading up to the night of the meeting. We will need an entire day to figure things out and position ourselves," He said, and I had nothing to say. I felt the numbness in my chest fading away and something else surging through. The numbness had been a shield to keep my emotions in check, but it was crumbling. I felt a surge of rageing, I think it was pent-up fear, anger and fatigue, but I felt it coursing through my veins in those moments. It was as if I had been forced to look in the mirror and was suddenly faced with an ugly truth. I walked up to the vanity table where my lotion and perfume were, and just like that, my wolf tried to take over when I cleared the table violently and broke the mirror. Unable to handle my reflection and emotions. "udia!" Vino said and rushed to me. He held me from behind, and I began to growl. I had reached my breaking limits. I growled so much. "Shhh, it okay darling, It''s okay, I am here," he said to my ears, holding me tightly and trying his best to calm me down. The anger dissipated, and in its ce, I felt a deep sorrow and fear. I began to cry. Vino held me to his chest and tried to calm me down. He kissed his mark on my neck, but it wasn''t enough to drive away the demons looming in the corners of my mind. I had held it together for a while and was suddenly broken. "Please don''t go," I pleaded with him, and he held me. I pushed myself away from him, shaking my head vehemently like a mad woman trying to make sense of my thoughts, letting the words thate to mind escape my lips without restraint. "Let''s run away from here. Get the triplets, and let us leave. We can hide, and no one will find us. The King will understand. He will forgive us," I said, and he advanced towards me while I backed away until my back was against the wall. "udia, please, I need you to calm down. Let''s not spoil our moment like this. I need you to be strong for both of us. Please. I know you have tried, and Imend you for all you have done. I also know you are strong enough to chase the demons away. I promise I wille home to you, udia. I won''t die. You won''t lose me. I promise. If it means running away from the battle, I will do it but do not ask me not to stand with my brothers and fight. Yuri is equally my cross to bear. If Sylvester falls, he wille for the rest of us, my children too, until there is no Volkov left to im the throne. Please, udia. You heard, Tamia, failure is not an option for us, so I need your support. Please. I need you to be strong," he said with a shaky voice, and I saw tears welling up in his eyes. Vino reached me and pulled me back into his arms. I am so sorry, my love. Had I known there was something this dangerous looming in the corner, I wouldn''t have dragged you into this. I would have rejected you so you could have peace and not endure this amount of Trauma. I would have walked away¡­" He said, and I shook my head. "No, no.. do not take it back. Do not make what we have to seem like a mistake that you regret. Don''t," I pleaded with him. "I do not regret it, darling; I just want you to know how much I wished I could protect you from this fear," he said, and I held on to him. "Pleasee back to me. Make sure youe home no matter what," I pleaded with him, hoping he would be strong enough to make that promise. Vino gazed into my eyes and stared deep into my soul. "You and my daughters are all the reason I need toe home. I promise you. I won''t fall in Gad," he said and kissed me. I held on to him tightly. Holding on to his promise. "Make love to me," I said, and he lifted me bridal style to carry me to bed. There were emotions words could not express. 146 Off To Gad 146 Off To Gad ~Tamia~ I thought the days would go by slowly, but they didn''t. They moved fast. Sylvester and I had little time together because we had to train. Even though we weren''t going to Gad, the women had to be battle ready. udia was excluded from the training because she had too much work to do. Her dark circle were pronounced, and she looked like someone that would crack any moment. The surprising part was she always managed to keep it together. I admired her strength. I would have been in knots by now if I were in her shoes. Stephanie had linked to inform me that Jake had finally woken up. I was happy for her and d we won''t say goodbye as we thought, but theing battle made it impossible for me to celebrate. Sylvester had told me they would be leaving in the night the following day. After exining his reason, I epted it. Amelia and Susan arrived in the afternoon, and I was surprised Gezel hade with them. Sylvester was surprised, too, but I figured Amelia or Leo might have talked her out of going to the battle. I did not mention it, but I was d we would have a female alpha with us. Gezel was battle-ready, so it increased our chances of survival. Some of us might have to use the serum, except Susan, who was sick; Katya and Avery, who were pregnant and Amelia, who did not need it. Honestly, I wasn''t looking forward to it and somehow hoped Yuri would not bother to attack the estate. Once Amelia, Susan and Gezel had settled in, I decided to retire to the bedroom to catch some sleep. Sylvester joined me. We need the rest more than anything. We had spent two days reviewing our escape n and how we would run away if anything went wrong. As much as I hated to think of it and would love to hold on to the fact that they would return home no matter what, there was a possibility they won''t, and there was a possibility we have to carry on without them. There was a tunnel we would use to escape into the woods where a van would be waiting, fully armoured with ammunition and only our mates and we knew of it. We did not want any surprises if it came to it. Although we would have preferred to live in denial, there was no room for it. As leaders, we had to ept and face reality. I had nned arge dinner for all of us. So we can be merry before tomorrow when they will finally depart. I knew the event would not be jovial, but I had to try. Too bad Leo, Devin, Alexei and y would not be a part of it. I wish them the best. "Join me in the bathroom, green eyes," Sylvester said, standing by the bathroom door, and I smiled at him. His confidence remained, and he was optimistic that we would win. I loved his spirit because it lifted me up and made me optimistically look into the future. He had run the water and scented the bath with Lavender salt. It was calming, and I got in to sit between his legs. He held on to my body and breathed me in. "By this time in three days, I will be home with you, Green-eyes," he said with a definite tone and kissed his mark on my neck. "We would have nothing to worry about again, and the peace we longed for would finally be ours," He said, caressing my body gently and kissing my neck. "Yes," Was all I could manage, with his arms wrapped around me, engulfed by his scent and overtaken by his love. All I could do was remember to breathe. I wasn''t sure the bathtub was the best ce for this because my body needed more than what it was getting at the moment. Kaira purred in my head, wanting Sylvester to do more. Sylvester understood my bodynguage and reached between my legs from behind me. Understanding my needs, he rubbed my clit while he nibbled and sucked the sensitive parts of my neck. He had turned me into a moaning mess. I felt his other hand squeeze my breast and caress the nipple. I wasing apart, and he didn''t relent. I was left at the mercy of his touch. He rubbed, not too hard and not too soft, just the right amount of pressure needed to edge me close to my release. His mouth and tongue left cool sensitive trails of licks and kisses on my neck to my shoulder, and his hands kneaded my breast gently. My release came, and a loud moan escaped my lips. He did not stop what he was doing, and I began to shake. My walls clenched, wanting him inside me badly. The need drove me strongly. I broke away from his body and straddled him, facing him and guiding his cock to my entrance. His eyes were jet ck. His need was the same as mine, and as I lowered myself on him, he pulled me to his body. Neither wanted space between us, which was precisely what he was doing. Eliminating the distance between us. I rode his cock, and he guided my body gently until we both climaxed. Sylvester held me in the bath for a bit until it was time to dress up and head to Dinner. I was surprised to find everyoneughing and talking in the dining hall. Even udia''s dark circles were gone. It was as if a weight had been lifted. I did not know what had happened or why the atmosphere had suddenly be lively, but I was grateful for it. It was just the right amount of energy needed to send our men off to battle. David was his usual self cracking all the jokes he could think of while weughed. Erik disclosed how he nned to use Sean and whoever they captured in the battle asb rats. He seemed to have a lot of experiments lined up for the criminals, and Sylvster approved. The man''s eyes beamed brightly every time there was something about science. We all discussed the war confidently as if it were a sure win and there was nothing to worry about. We spent a while in the dining after eating, and when we were tired, we retired to bed in high spirits. Morning came, and Sylvester got a call from Leo that he was already secretly heading to Gad. Leo said they had started sending their troops to Gad gradually so they won''t be detected. It was a brilliant move on his part. Yuri will not suspect anything if there isn''t a sudden inflow of people to the West. Leo ensured that there would be a sudden inflow of people to the south which would make Yuri stay away from the ce and remain in the West since he liked to y safe and the East and North were not safe for him. Leo''s decisions had inspired Sylvester, and he, too, had sent the first batch to Gad in the morning. Others will go in the afternoon, and then the rest would leave as ordinary people at night. Taking Ighor was necessary, so they prepared him to take him along. I put all my fears away and chose to move forward with optimism. I positioned the kappas and told everyone where we would be once our men left. I also shared the dart with everyone and ensured the serum was ready to be administered to everyone in the estate. I was overseeing the affairs when Sylvester linked everyone to join him in the lounge, and the way he sounded meant something serious was happening. I hurried there, and the television was on. It was a Southern news channel, and a man with brown hair and blue eyes was being interviewed. The caption read, "Invitation to the coronation of the King of the South," the name of the person being interviewed was Ilya Stepanov. "Who is he?" I managed, and Erik volunteered the answer. "Yuri''s right-hand man. Our cousin. We founded the Stepanov aid group-turned-cult together. He was the one that helped fish out members. Yuri can do no wrong in his eyes." Erik said, sounding a bit sad and sorry for the man on the television screen. The man did not seem like someone we should feel sorry for, but I did not know him. "So what do we hear about a war in the south?" The journalist asked him, and the man chuckled. "We are sure the northern King will try to bully his way and stop us, but we are not fazed by it. We are just inviting all the noble families toe and celebrate this joyous moment with us," He said as if nothing was wrong with what they were doing. "This might be seen as treason," The journalist said, but the way she said it seemed like it was a rehearsed question as if she was meant to say it so he could have the opportunity to say something. I wasn''t surprised. The people in the South were under duress. There was a possibility this interview was forced. "Well, if the Volkovs are truly sorry and have repented from the wrong theymitted in the time of Lord Dimitri Volkov, they should not have a problem with this as the Stepanov family has the same social standing as the Volkovs. And if you try to say it is in the Capacity of lordship and refer to Alexei Ivanov''s lordship as proof of remorse, then we can argue that both families are to rise equally in power and status regardless of the situation. There can also be an argument that Alexei or y should be crowned. Still, we forget that Yuri is also a direct descendant of Adrian Stepanov and was the son of Adrik''s younger brother. The lordship would have fallen on his father had Dimitri not decided to punish the n for Adrik''s crimes," He said, and Erik cursed at him. "This broadcast was not meant for us. It is meant for Peter and the others. They are making ast effort to get support from the Stepanovs to band together. Being a king is better than being a lord. Saying Stepanov will bow only to Stepanovs is more appealing than having Stepanovs bow to Volkovs, the primary cause of our predicament. It is a smart move, but unfortunately for them, Peter and I aren''t driven by greed," He said, and I had to speak up. "What about the others? Wouldn''t this sway them?" I asked, afraid the Stepanovs in the West would work against Sylvester.Material ? N?velDrama.Org. Erik shook his head. "Those who were to break away and side with Yuri have already done so. The ten leaders that came already knew this would happen, but they chose to restore peace. No one wants Yuri as a leader. He has killed his own, which is against our code. Giving him power will mean a certain death for anyone that opposes him. It will mean saying goodbye to true freedom. This is an attempt, but I can assure you it won''t be sessful. We are content with being free and living in the West. Sylvester''s leadership has been favourable to all. We are bound to fair better under him than Yuri," he said, and I pushed. "Then what will happen when Liam takes over?" I asked because Sylvester won''t always be King, and my son will seed his father. "We will serve," Erik said with confidence, and even though I didn''t trust it, I had to hope it would be so. I hoped my son would not suffer the way we have. "When you all get to Gad, show no mercy. Yuri must die. Him and everyone that believes in what he is doing. Do not leave anyone standing. Do not pardon anyone, and do not let them escape. I said, knowing Sylvester showed kindness sometimes. There was a need to wipe these people out, and I wanted to ensure it happened. I said this because this fight would determine the kind of life our children will have. "Remember that the future of all our children depends on this. They troubled Maurice and Sylvester. We have to let it end now. None of our children should have to deal with this shit," I said, and everyone agreed with me. Sylvester went through the n again, and soon it was time for them to depart. None of us wept, and none of us clung to our men. We knew the importance of their mission, and we remained strong while we watched them leave. The moment they were gone, I set everything in motion. We raised our defences and took our shots of AgK32; it will be administered every two days until the battle ends. 148 Preparing To Move In 148 Preparing To Move In ~Sylvester~ Alexei took out his phone and called Peter. The man was more than happy to answer. It was as if he was waiting for Alexei to call. Alexei put him on speaker so we could listen in on the conversation. "My lord, we have been waiting for your call," Peter said enthusiastically. "Our men are ready, but I do not think it is wise to move them from Gad right now," he said, and we were attentive. "Why is that?" Alexei asked, and I heard Peter sigh. "I do not know if the information is urate. But we got a call from Greenville that the coronation will take ce in two nights because Yuri ising to do something in Gad tomorrow night," he said, confirming the conversation Leo had eavesdropped on. "How sure are you about this?" Alexei asked. "Our informant in Yuri''s team does not lie to us. I do not know what Yuri ns to do in Gad, but this might be an opportunity to get him. We have two hundred and fifty men. I am sure we can do a number on him. If that man isn''t put down, he will ruin everything you and your brother have fought to restore. We do not want enmity with the Volkovs, and that is what that bastard is striving to cause," Peter said, genuinely worried for their n. "I understand, but I did note prepared for that. Let us remain on course. Let''s take back the West; then we can move in on him in the South. Please send your men to check into the hotels around the Landway Hotel. I n to go through the forest to invade Billworth. The men should wait for my signal. I will let them know where to join me. They also have to be battle ready just in case we get intercepted within the area," Alexei said, which was a brilliant way to lure them to the Theather at thest minute. Landway Hotel was five blocks away from the Lude mansion. It was brilliant. This method will ensure our true allies get to us without being intercepted. "Very well then, it is your call to make. I will send the order and have the team at your location of choice. The ten team leaders will reach out to you. The family heads won''t be joining the battle. I hope you do not mind," He said, and Alexei nodded even though Peter could not see him. "I understand," he said, epting what Peter had said. Peter tried to urge Alexei to stay in Gad so they could attack Yuri when he came around. Still, Alexei was adamant about attacking Billsworth, so Peter dropped the matter respectfully, and they both hung up. "Now that that is out of the way, we have more warriors for the mission. I have told the two hundred and fifty men I came with to administer the serum tomorrow at six in the evening. It would give us time to fight before the rash sets in," Leo said, and I wondered what had happened to the others. "I thought you wereing with more than three hundred troops?" I asked Leo, and he nodded. "I could only send seventy-five people at a time to avoid detection; I also had to make ast-minute adjustment and send Max and Kyle with more warriors since Stepanovs would not be helping them in the South, and they will be fighting to take over Greenville. Lukman is aware, and he is the one that let us know we need a lot of warriors to do that, as most of the southern Alphas have joined up with Yuri already," Leo exined. Understanding his point, I dropped the matter. We spent the rest of the night surveying the ce and eating canned food. We took turns sleeping, making sure two of us were awake at a time. Leo had to sleep the most as he would lead the battle. He would need a lot of mental strength tomand everyone. My men were about two hundred, making our total number seven hundred. I hope we will be enough. If Yuri does not fall in the West, there will be a severe issue. I kept what Tamia said close to heart, and I knew I wasn''t only doing this for us but for our children''s future. Men like Yuri should not be allowed to live. Morning came, and all the team leaders of the ten Stepanov families had reported to Alexei and y. They gave them their coordinates, and Alexei instructed them to remain where they were and be battle ready by evening. He also instructed them to keep him informed from time to time. I would lie if I said I wasn''t nervous. I was anxious and afraid, but it was my duty. Every other person fighting was there to help me. It was my kingdom and bloodline that they were trying to preserve. I had to be brave. We knew the meeting would ur once it was three in the afternoon, and weird-looking people were trooping in and hanging around the Theather. Suddenly there were security details and surveince on the street, indicating someone important would being. Alexei told the Stepanovs warriors to be ready to join him anytime, and we began to position our men too. Seeing the number of Stepanovs in the area, I knew the battle would not be easy, but I wasn''t fazed. Not a civilian was in ce. The only people that were civilians in the area were our men. The rest were Steapanovs, and they were much. By five in the evening, our men were being chased away by the Stepanov security details, who thought they were civilians to keep the area essible. It was evident that Yuri was on the way. We kept Andrew by a Window to check everyone entering the theatre Building so we would know when Yuri arrived. We needed to attack when Yuri arrived. I was grateful to our mates for the darts because that was our best bet for weakening Yuri''s surveince from afar. My men were armed and ready from their various locations to shoot the darts when the time came. We noticed that these were pure Stepanovs, so they would be harder to deal with than the people we dealt with in Brentwood. I could understand why my ancestor would cheat when he had to fight Adrik, these people weren''t a joke, and our alpha abilities would be useless with the Agk32 in our system. I was grateful that Leo was with us. He was our ace and our only means of coordinating ourselves. It was clear the battle would be challenging because, seeing the calibre of people hanging around the ce, I knew getting directly to Yuri would be nearly impossible. We would have to kill our way through. While I thought of it all, my heart was beating fast. I stared at the clock and watched as the hour drew nearer and nearer. And once it was seven in the evening, Andrew told us that Yuri had arrived and he wasn''t wearing any disguise. My stomach churned in those minutes, and we all administered AgK32. We nned to give them an hour before advancing. The moment it was time. I decided to call all my friends and brothers to speak to them. They all looked confident and ready for battle. I was grateful to the goddess for them. They had made my life easy. "I want to start by appreciating all of you for your loyalty," I said and looked at Devin. "The Corrigans nevermitted a crime against anyone, yet you were hit the most. I am sorry for this, Devin. I appreciate that you remained loyal regardless and did not team up with my enemy. I will never forget this, and I hope our friendship will remain after this," I said and then looked at Leo. "Our story is a weird one. But regardless, we both navigated with grace and found happiness in the process. You aren''t only a friend but also my blood. I appreciate you, Leo, for all you have done and still are doing," I said, thinking my words made him ufortable. He didn''t like the attention, so I moved on and looked at everyone. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. "All of you could have walked away and chosen the easy way out, but here we are, fighting to preserve the kingdom and our bloodline. Fighting to preserve peace and fighting for the future. The fact that we are doing this as one gives me hope and the strength I need to push on as your King," I said and sighed. "I do not want any of us to lose our lives tonight. If you find yourself in a bad situation and there is an opportunity to run away, please do. Your lives are more important to me than the kingdom and the crown. I will dly give it up so we can live," I said and looked at Dominic. "You are the most stubborn of us. You might not be an Alpha breed, but you have proven your strength and worth time and time again. There is nothing more to prove, big brother. Do whatever you must to survive tonight," I said and looked at every one individually. "I do not want a funeral after this. I want celebrations, weddings and childbirths. I want us to grow old together and tell our children and grandchildren stories of our adventures together. Please put in all you got but preserve your lives," I pleaded, and Dominic ruffled my hair as he used to when I was little. "You can''t get rid of me that easy, Litte brother," he said, and we allughed. I prayed that ourugh would be permanent and death would not take it away from us. Our goal was to eliminate Yuri and everyone in his cab. In his case, we won''t be taking prisoners. Wemunicated with everyone to administer the serums. We waited for the meeting in the Theather to start so we could move in on them. I knew the battle would be along with the number of people in attendance, but I held on to my will to survive and prayed that Fate would be on our side this time. 149 Battle And Fate 149 Battle And Fate ~Leo~ The time had finallye, and I was very nervous. Sylvester tried to boost our morale by giving us a heartfelt speech, but I could not take my mind off that we might be outmatched tonight. All my life fighting, I had never gone to battle with fear of being beaten. This was indeed the first, and I hoped we would survive it. "Leo, You are takingmand," Sylvester said while we headed out. I nodded and felt like the pressure of the world was on my shoulders. Commanding seven hundred troops would take a lot of work. "Don''t worry, Leo, you have us," Alexei linked me. "You must return home to Amelia," y said to me. I was grateful for their consideration, but it did not alleviate my fear. They had control of two hundred and fifty out of the seven hundred and still had to wait for my orders, but the best part was we all had each other''s backs. Even though Alexei, y and Andrew had just joined our group, I knew they would not betray us. We were fighting the same cause. We headed out and did not move as a group. We were scattered, and I made sure our men were hidden. I did not want to alert the Stepanovs watching, and I did not want a confrontation immediately. A sneak attack to begin before the entire assault will serve us better. "Darts!" I linked all the men so those possessing the darts would know to use them now. We hid from view and watched the Stepanovs guarding the ce mysteriously drop to the ground. Those guarding the entrance to the theatre were the first to fall. I do not know what they put in the dart, but Amelia had told me it was lethal. The goal was to reduce them as much as possible so we would not fight too many people, which seemed to work. We remained unseen and waited for our men to shoot all the Stepanovs on the street. I knew there were three buildings in the vicinity the Stepanovs upied, and I expected they woulde out once they saw theirrades dropping like flies. They all fell, and soon the streets were empty, and our men stopped shooting abruptly. Satisfied with the performance, I linked everyone to advance towards the theatre. I nned to position our men nearby and take control of the ce. This way, the Stepanovs in the Theater will be trapped, and the ones in the other buildings won''t be able to attack confidently because we will have those in the theatre as hostages. We all wanted Yuri but were prepared to kill as many of them as possible to get the desired result. We secretly advanced towards the theatre with me leading. Our men that shot the darts did not join, and I wondered why. Was the Agk32 affecting ourmunication too? We still advanced but weren''t together, so it would look like something other than an attack formation. Everyone was waiting for me to raise my hand and clench my fist to prompt us to band together and take our positions in the rehearsed battle formation. Alexei was yet to inform his men to advance. We did not want them to know we would be attacking the theatre. We n to use them as backup fighters. The Agk32 would have to help for now. The street was eerie and very quiet. I looked around, waiting for people toe out of the surrounding buildings, but no one did. I knew three buildings in the vicinity had Stepanovs in them; it made us wonder why they had note out to defend theirrade and protect the theatre. "Something is wrong," I linked to everyone, telling them not to relinquish their positions. "What do you think is the matter?" Alexei linked me. I could tell that he could feel the oddity of the situation. I also felt a blockage between me and some of the men we had positioned in the vicinity. What was going on? "I think they know," y linked me. I was trying to hope otherwise, but it was beginning to seem like it. Had we walked into a trap? I was still thinking about it when people exited the theatre, ready for battle. It was as if they were waiting to see what we would do. How could they have willingly sacrificed their people just to deceive us? I stood in front with Sylvester beside me while the others were behind. None of our men were in sight, and I chose to keep it that way until I was sure what they were doing. I felt my connection to the men break, and I was worried. Something terrible had happened, and we might lose our entire fighting force. The fair-haired white-eyed men and women came out of the theatre ready for battle. They spread from one end of the building to another, soon forming a triangr formation with the point facing us. I was silent and afraid. They looked intimidating. These were not the same people we saw going into the theatre. Was there a back door or blindsight? Or did they arrive in disguise to keep us guessing? I did not know, but this did not seem promising. We would be in big trouble if they already knew of our ns. Their triangr formation opened in the middle, creating a clear view of the entrance to the theatre. I watched a man walk through slowly with a smile on his face. His hair was white, almost bleached, and his eyes looked utterly blind, but his focus let me know he could see clearly. He had a brown expensive trench coat on and lookedposed and rxed. I did not need anyone to tell me who he was. N?velDrama.Org is the owner. "Yuri," Andrew linked me, and I figured it out. "What an honour," He finally said, stopping in front. "Darts," I linked my men again, trying and hoping at least one or two of them were still safe and could help us take out Yuri from a distance because I wasn''t nning to fight fair, but none was shot. "Shoot him and his people now," I linked the men, but there was silence. What was going on? I became worried. " Alpha, the Northern soldiers have been captured, and we do not have darts," an eastern warrior linked me, and I realised what had happened. More than half of our force was gone if the northern warriors had been made. I could not include the Stepanov warriors from the ten families because I did not know if they would fight on our side or double-cross us. "Volkovs, along with the treacherous Stepanovs, decided to join the party," Yuri said with a big grin. His voice snapped me out of my deep thoughts. "What is happening, Leo, have them shoot them down with darts," Sylvester linked me. I could feel his nervousness too. We were all afraid. I linked everyone to inform them about our captured northern warriors, and I could feel their apprehension. The Agk32 heightened senses; this was a terrible time to feel everyone''s anxiety. I could understand why it was better if it doused the Alpha abilities. Unfortunately, my genes were immune. "You all saved me the trouble of attacking you at the estate, well, not really, as some of my men are on their way there. I am sure your wives won''t be a problem. Unlike Dimitri, I won''t be sloppy and let some of them escape," He said and startedughing. I tensed up a bit but tried to hide it. We had expected it, and I knew his men would meet a brutal force at the Estate. Yuri walked forward slowly with a big smile I hoped to wipe off his face. "I knew Ighor was with you, and he was being monitored," he said,ughing. "He was meant to go to Grizlo, not Cains. He was meant to meet Ilya there so they could head to Greenville to prepare for my coronation, but when he called me with Cain''s number, I knew he had been caught. He did not need to say anything, you all made it easy, so I decided to use him to lure you all here, making you all believe you have the surprise element," He said,ughing. "I doubt that, Yuri; look at the dead men on the floor," Sylvester said, sounding calm, and Yuri laughed. "You think I would waste my bloodline like this?" he asked and went to one of the corpses on the floor. There was a dart stuck to his neck. His eyes were blue, and I knew what had happened before Yuri spoke. We could see their hair colour from afar but not their eye colour, and even if we saw it at close range, we would believe it was contact lenses. I dreaded what he would say, but I already knew it. "These aren''t Stepanovs. Just people from families, your father and grandfather offended. Honestly, your father gave me more members than anticipated when he decided to forcefully im the West. A lot of the noble families came for help. Some were fugitives from the north," He said, turning the corpse face down with his leg. "May their souls rest in peace they had served their purpose," He said, and I had nothing to say. The man was genuinely heartless. To think he had set the poor people up as decoys was disheartening. "Also, do not bother linking your men. We caught the ones with the darts," he said; I already knew that. I wondered if they were dead or if they had surrendered. I could feel some of them, meaning they were still alive. "Do you not fight your captors," I linked them, hoping to get through. The AgK32 might help them, but I did not know the extent of their condition. I felt like a failure. As much as we wanted to win this, every life mattered. "Don''t you have anything to say, Volkov?" Yuri asked Sylvester, and Sylvester was silent. We did not come with the mindset that Yuri would outsmart us. "We all know how this will go, so anyst words?" Yuri asked, and I could not believe this bastard. As much as I thought of my promises toe home to Amelia, I could not live with myself if I knew we did not try. We still had some men around. About a hundred and fifty without darts and, hopefully, Alexei''s men too. We had a chance. Looking at the formation in front of the theatre, there were almost a hundred people, but I knew there were Stepanovs in other buildings, hiding about the ce and maybe the theatre too. We were outnumbered and maybe outmatched, but I was still hopeful. "We can''t head to the north now to save our mates; we just have to hope they survive. We need to do whatever it takes to end this bastard, or we will lose everything," Sylvester linked us. His link was weak, but it carried to those of us close to him. I could feel the difficulty in the connection. The Agk32 had affected him in that department. Realising the weight of the coordination fell on me, I braced myself. "We will be going in, and we will be unapologetic about it," I finally linked everyone, including the warriors, and I could feel all our resolves. I prayed to the goddess that we survive today and conquer this bastard, or this will be ourst stand together. "Alexei, have your men advance to this area; there will be a blood bath. Hopefully, they are on our side, or we will have created more enemies to put down," I linked Alexei, and he agreed with me. I let him do his thing while I focused on Yuri. The man had a broad grin on his face. I expected them to pump silver into the air, but they didn''t- instead he took off his clothes in front of us and shifted partially to a white wolf. He growled at us, and the others copied him. 150 The Rise Of Gad 150 The Rise Of Gad ~Leo~ "This is it, Leo," ck said, ready to take over. "We fight to live," I told my wolf and began to feel the transformation. It was different because of the Agk32, confidence came with ck, and I held on to it because I needed it. "Shift and fight," I linked everyone at once, and wolves began to jump out of different ces. They were my wolves from the east, and they were ready for battle. ck took overpletely, and we had all shifted. Knight stood beside me as should be and growled at Yuri''s white wolf. The bastard''s wolf looked too much like Amelia''s with blue eyes. Instead of being a hindrance because it reminded me of Aurora, it reminded me that I must survive and get home quickly. We waited for Yuri''s wolf to advance, but the wolf stepped back, indicating he wouldn''t lead the battle. His wolves covered him and roared at us, daring us to pass through them to get to him. What a coward. Having others fight his battle wasn''t King or leader quality at all. We were disadvantaged because we would be fighting from all angles. We were surrounded by Yuri''s men that were in the buildings. I hoped Alexei''s men would get there on time and join us. Hopefully, they are on our side. Regardless, we lunged at the Stepanovs in formation and began to fight. Our might was almost the same, and I could smell their surprise. They had thought we would be an easy kill, but it didn''t seem like it. Three Stepanovs advanced towards me, and Imanded them to a halt. While they were fighting mymand, I finished them off. Then I pushed myself into the air andnded on the wolf advancing with my paw. It fell to the ground and skidded on its side, scarping its furr in the dirt. There was blood, and it must have hurt. I liked it. I chased the wolf before his body halted and tore out his flesh, exposing his spine. Then broke his back. "Is everyone alright?" I linked everyone, and they replied. "My men are almost here," Alexei linked me, and I was grateful. It took about thirty minutes for Alexei''s men to arrive, and luckily, they were on our side. The Staponovs did not see thising, as I noticed they were beginning to fear the battle''s oue. N?velDrama.Org is the owner. We opted to tag team like we did in Brentwood. Vino and I joined forces, and we began to move. We maintained our teams like we did in Brentwood, with the exception of Amelia''s absence, but it didn''t change much. We tore through flesh and broke bones. Alexei''s men did not allow the Stepanovs surrounding us to get to us while we fought through the formation, trying to get to Yuri. While we advanced, Vino''s wolf leapt at me, and I felt a caw dig into my side. I thought it was Vino, but it was two Stepanov wolves, and Vino was trying to protect me. One of the wolves had caught Vino''s neck, ready to kill his wolf. I moved and bit its leg, then pulled with all my might so he would let go of Vino''s unconscious wolf. I tried tomand the bastard, but he was stubborn. He was a pure breed. I felt ws dig into my side deep this time around. There was a putrid smell of poison in the blow, but I refused to let go of the wolf I was holding; I broke through his bones with my jaw, and he let go of Vino''s wolf, whoy motionless on the floor. I did not know if he had seeded, but I knew I could not stop to check. "Vino, are you alright," I linked him, but no response came. I advanced with tears welling up in my eyes. I began to wonder if we would make it out alive. I noticed more warriors wereing out of the Theater and joining the fight, making their number seem endless. We fought like rabid wolves but was our strength and determination enough to get us home to our mates? "Theo has fallen," Alexei linked me, and I kept pushing. Yuri was a bloody coward; he knew we would tire before we got to him. I hoped to disappoint him. Summoning all my strength, I tore through the wolves like rags and tore their flesh. I did not target any specific part. I fought like a blind man. The loud growls I hearding from Knight and the others meant they were doing the same. There was no point in being strategic; we could die, but we would ensure they did not live either. Failure wasn''t an option. We aimed to seed even if it cost us our lives. "The Stepanovs surrounding us are all down; my men are advancing," Alexei said. I did not feel relief because it was clear people were joining the battle from inside the theatre. We needed to move quickly and get to Yuri. The fightsted almost three hours, and we were worn out. I wondered where the new supplies of warriors on the enemy''s side came from. "Why are they not ending?" I heard Marcel; I could feel his fatigue and fear. "Let''s press on," y urged us, but some of us were down by then. Dominic, Vino, Theodore and Andrew were down. I did not want to think of it, but I believed they were dead because I could not feel them. "Let''s try to fight through the Stepanovs to get to Yuri," I linked everyone, and we had to decide what to do fast while we fought. "Sylvester, you and I will pierce through the crowd while the others will fight off threats and hindrances. Once we get inside the Theater, we find Yuri and Eliminate him. Once Yuri is dead, the troops will stoping," I said, hoping that would happen, not that someone else would take over until we were all down. "Okay, Leo, Let''s do this," Sylvester linked back with sorrow. He was afraid he had lost people. Too. We would only know once the battle was over. Whatever it is, the earlier the battle ends, the likelier we can save our people. Seeing the force, we were fighting, we knew we would be hopeless. We needed more help, but we doubted it woulde. I could feel all our resolve. I pleaded with Amelia and my unborn child to forgive me for not being able to keep my promise and go home, but I knew this would be it. We were about to barrel through when weird-looking werewolves came from nowhere to join the battle. I thought they were part of Yuri''s set, but to my surprise, they weren''t. They were fighting on our side. Soon I figured they were Gad pack members, both warriors and none warriors. The people of Gad hade to our aid. Knight growled with gratitude, and they responded while they tore through the Stepanovs. Apparently, Agk32 wouldn''t be necessary since the stepanovs did note with silver dust. Their overconfidence was going to cost them. The new additions to the battle had alphas in their midst that had full ess to theirmand because they did not have Agk32 in their system. "I guess the goddess answered our prayers," Alexei finally linked me, and I turned to look at his wolf. He was limping, and one eye was closed. I did not know he was severely injured until that moment. "You should stand down," I linked him, and he howled. "That bastard hunted my parents and killed them. He is the reason for this war; I want to be a part of his demise," He linked me back, and I knew I could not deprive him of his revenge. Rex, Devin''s wolf, came towards me covered in blood. It wasn''t his blood, and I knew he had killed many Stepanovs. "Are you going after that bastard?" He linked me, and I told him we were. "Then I aming," he linked back, his wolf growling. He was angry. "That bastard stole my home. Made me aughing stock. I must pay him back for what he did in Pridewood," He linked the three of us weakly. The serum had affected him too. I knew there was no need to talk Devin out of it. I could see the rage in his eyes. "I want to bundle him and take him back to the north, where I can do terrible things to him," Sylvester said and being the King, we had to obey his wish. A clear path was created into the theatre. While we moved through, I watched as Gad''s pack members and Alexei''s men massacred the enemies. I hoped the pack members would not kill Alexei''s men because they looked like Yuri''s men. So far, they were not killing each other, so I think they had found a way. We entered the theatre, and it was empty. I wondered where Yuri had gone. "The bastard is a bloody coward. He has run away," Devin linked me. "We can''t let him get away, Leo," Sylvester linked me weakly, and we did not know how to get him. Fortunately for us, he had dropped his trench coat on the floor. We could quickly get his scent from the trench coat and sniff him out. "Someone bring me Yuri''s trench coat now," I ordered through the mind link, and we waited. "I doubt he is still in this ce," Alexei linked me, and Sylvester and Devin agreed. "If he ran, he must have gone through the back or slipped away. The crowd," Sylvester linked us. We waited, and a ck wolf brought the trench coat. We did not know who it was, but we thanked him with a howl and began sniffing the coat to get Yuri''s scent. His scent was strong on it even though it was covered in dirt. Once satisfied, we began to sniff around the premise until Knight caught the scent, and we followed his lead. He led us to the open emergency exit. We went out the exit, into the park. We followed his scent on the premise and into the woods. I wondered where Yuri was running to. We began to follow the scent in the woods, moving fast. Alexei was limping, so hegged behind, but I knew he would catch up eventually. Soon, Knight ran through the woods, and Rex and ck followed. I could smell Yuri, and his scent was getting stronger. Had he run immediately after the battle began, or did he run sometime in between? I could not tell, but we pushed ahead. Knight came to an abrupt stop and moved stealthily. We followed his lead, and we moved and hid behind the bushes. There was a helicopter there, and Yuri was wearing shorts. The Helicopter had no pilot, so I figured he was waiting for his pilot. We studied the ce to ensure he was alone. It was apparent Yuri wasn''t a good fighter because he would have sensed us if he were. Knight slowly moved out of the bushes to face him, and Rex and ck did the same. Yuri was stunned to see us. He must have thought we were dead. "You had fallen," He said to Knight. It was clear he believed his words. It also meant he was misinformed, and some of his men had turned on him. Knight slowly advanced toward him, and Yuri stepped back. He did not bother to shift, and I wondered why he wasn''t trying to fight. Knight, ck and Rex circled Yuri waiting for a surprise from his men, but it never came, which confirmed he was alone. He wasn''t expecting to be alone, but he was. His men had abandoned him. Not needing any more proof, Rex lunged at his left leg and crushed the bone. He yelled in pain, and it was music to my ears. I felt the need to finish him, but I controlled my anger. I would have loved to kill him, but the King wanted him alive. " Do not kill him, Devin," I told Devin so he could control his wolf. He had a lot of anger in him; I could feel it. Devin obeyed and let go of his leg. Alexei hadn''t caught up with us yet, so I was d we could manage the situation because I knew Alexei was equally angry. "What did you do that for?" Sylvester linked both Devin and me. "So he won''t run," Devin linked us back, and he howled. I went to the Helicopter and shifted to my human form to look through the contents. There were no weapons there, and since Yuri was immune to silver, there was no point looking for silver binds. "There is nothing here," I linked Sylvester while I searched through the item and heard Yuri cry with pain. I tried to look at what had happened and saw that Sylvester had crushed his other leg; so much for questioning Devin''s initial actions. Alexei arrived then and realised there would be no fight. He seemed sad that we did not leave some action for him, but Sylvester assured him he would have his pound of flesh when we returned to the north. We decided we would drag Yuri back to the battlefield. When we drew closer, Alexei linked us that the battle had stopped. I wasn''t relieved because of friends and family that had fallen. We returned to where the battle was fought and saw many Stepanovs had surrendered. I do not know what had happened, but seeing how the Gad warriors were with Alexei''s men, I figured the ten Stepanov families hade through and made allies on our behalf; maybe that was why Peter was trying to convince Alexei to attack Yuri in Gad. Ambnces were present, and they were loading people on them. We shifted back to our human form, and I linked anyone to tell me what had happened to Vino, Dominic, Theodore and Andrew. y was the one that responded. "They have been transferred to the hospital. The medic said they would make it. Apparently, they were wed with the same thing they used on Jake, but the Agk32 helped them except for Andrew, but he will make it," y said, and I was d. I figured they had wed me with the same shit, but my wound was already healing, so I knew I would be fine. One of the Gad alphas approached Sylvester and bowed his head to show respect. " My name is Alpha Jacob. I am at your service, your majesty," The man said, and Sylvester composed himself? I could see the relief of hearing our people were alright. We were all relieved that none of us had died. Although we still had Max, Kyle and our mates to worry about, we had achieved what we came for. We had caught Yuri Stepanov. "Thank you, Alpha Jacob, foring to our aid," Sylvester finally said, and the Alpha nodded. "Delta Peter reached out to us two days ago to join up, and we chose to do so, Your Majesty. So when Delta Ashbrid called us to help with the battle at the theatre, we moved quickly because we were on standby. The West had suffered too much at the hands of these people. Initially, we med the Volkovs, but now we know the truth. We are d to serve you and our new lord," He said and bowed again. Then he ordered his men to bring us shorts while we organised transport for Yuri. We weren''t going to let him out of our sight. We nned to ride with him until we got to the north. I did not know the type of might they would take to attack the estate, but I trusted that our mates would push back viciously. Seeing what we met, Yuri had put his best foot forward in Gad, and some of his men weren''t loyal to him. We tried to call the people at the estate but could not get through to anyone. We did not need anyone to inform us what was going on. It was evident the estate was under attack. Though we seemed confident, our hearts were in our mouths. We hoped our women would seed just as we had. I tried to call Max and Kyle too. I could not get through to them. The best we could do now was just hope. We got a big van and ushered Yuri into it. Sylvester, Marcel, y, Alexei, Devin and David joined us in the van, ready to transport Yuri to the north. Alexei called Peter so we could chatter a ne to take us to Lund to get to the estate on time. I doubt we will meet the fight there, but I hoped the women would seed. "You think this ends with me?" Yuri said, and those famous Larry wordsing out of his mouth made me cringe. "There will still be a southern king, and then your families will be massacred in the north," He said, laughing while we were hauling him into a van. Sylvester walked to him and pushed his mouth hard; his teeth flew out of his mouth with blood. Sylvester cupped his mouth and made Yuri focus on him. "Unlike before, we took measures, asshole. Your troops in the north will meet their match, and there will be no king in the south. Look around you, Yuri; even your men turned against youst minute. Your time is up," He said, and even though the bastard tried to hide it, I could see the defeat in his eyes. 151 Afer They left 151 Afer They left ~Tamia~ The instant Sylvester and the others left, I requested thedies follow me to Erik''sb to take the shots of Agk32. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. I instructed Kappa Wilson to ensure the warriors in the Estate were administered AgK32. They weren''t much, roughly eighty warriors, but I wanted to ensure they were well-equipped in case of an attack. Unlike our men, who were going to a venue and knew when the battle would begin, we just had to be cautious because we did not know if we would be attacked. We really did not know what to expect, but it was essential to be ready. We had yet to determine when Yuri would strike or if he would strike at all. The worst thing that could happen is that they catch us unaware. I couldn''t allow that to happen. Erik seemed unhappy that Sylvester did not take him along, but he was coping. I found Gezel with him at theb, and they seemed to be discussing the past. It is amazing to see how everyone had somehow rxed. I guessed we had all worried so much that we decided to stop abruptly, knowing nothing was within our control. Jake was sleeping, and Stephanie was still there. I went to her while Amelia went to her mother. The other women stood around waiting for orders. Even though I was Queen, I had decided that should a battle ensue, Amelia would lead because she was a true Stepanov and immune to silver. Unlike the rest of us, that would have to depend on the Agk32 serum, which would impede some of our abilities and eventually result in a rash, she would be at full capacity throughout. Stepanie looked at me with a smile, and I touched her shoulder. The hope was restored in her eyes, but they also had a tinge of fear. Fear for her sons. I massaged her shoulder lightly with one hand and smiled at her. "We will all be fine, Stephanie. I need you to be hopeful," I said, and she nodded with misty eyes. Seeing her, I knew her tears would fall if she spoke at that moment, so I epted the nod as her response and spared her the trouble of speaking. "I will need you and Jake to be transported to the underground bunker of the Estate. Will you be okay with that?" I asked, and she was confused. "I need to know you are safe. You and Jake can''t do much in his current condition. In case of an attack, I need to know that you are safe, and I would not need to worry about you. I n to send the women in the Harem to Lund to get them out of the way. It would have been great to send you with them, but Jake cannot handle the trip. That is why I am requesting that you hide in the bunker," I said, and she opened her mouth to speak. It was just air at first, but then her voice came through. "Anything you say, Tamia. I won''t argue with you," She said, and I was d she wouldn''t make it difficult. I thanked her and went to Erik. When I got to him, they stopped talking, and Erik was at attention. "We are here for our shots. I am creating a makeshift medical facility in the bunker. I will send Jake, Stephanie, and the medical staff to hide. I do not want them in the way in case of an attack," I said, and he agreed. "That is a brilliant idea, Queen Tamia," Gezel said, and I ced my hand on her upper arm and rubbed gently. "It is just Tamia. That formality is for the King''s hall," I said, and we allughed. "Are you sure it is wise to administer the drug now? What about the effect of the rash?" Nicole pointed out. "I was thinking the same," Linda added, and I turned to look at them. The two women stood with their backs against the wall, waiting and eager to leave theb but too polite to go ahead. "Yes, I agree, it will do more harm than good. The rash will incapacitate our warriors. It is too much of a price to pay. The enemy can attack when the rash sets in, and we won''t be able to do much because of the difort. Trust me, I was with Devin through his, and it wasn''t easy at all. He just couldn''t coordinate himself," Susan said, making a very valid argument. Their words made me feel a bit strained because I did not know what to do then. If we did not take it, we would be sitting ducks. Avoiding taking the serum would mean we had to hope they did not attack us with silver dust. I doubt we could be that lucky with Yuri. I looked at Erik, who had a big grin on his face. I wonder what he found amusing. "Gezel will be the only person that would suffer the rash as badly as your mates; for the rest of you, Deltas and lower, it won''t be severe. Taking an allergy medication a few hours after using the serum would bnce out the effect and make it bearable," He said, and that was good news. "What about Susan? She is a beta," Amelia asked, and Erikughed. "She has more Stepanov genes than Leo. She will be fine. The effect won''t be much, and the allergy meds would make it almost nonexistent." He said, and that was all the encouragement I needed to begin the administration I linked Wilson to begin and told him to visit Erik so he could get allergy meds. Hopefully, we will have enough. I ensured Marcel''s father was sent home. I did not want him in the Estate. He could fight, but Sylvester had handed over to him temporarily, so we needed to keep him safe. I was grateful he understood and did not make an issue of my decision. The harem women were sent to a hotel in Lund, and the moment the buses carrying them departed, I decided they wouldn''t being back. I would lie if I said I had no issue with them being at the Estate and everyone calling them Sylvester''s harem. He might not be involved with them, but the title was suggestive. It was time to make the Estate more like a home than a hostel. The underground medical facility was set up, and everyone that needed to be there was sent there immediately around eleven at night. Katya, Avery, Stephanie, Jake, udia and her friends were sent there while the rest of us remained. udia tried to protest, but I convinced her to go. The truth was she was just as valuable as Erik. She was the only licensed medical practitioner in the Estate. She was the only one who knew what to do in a medical emergency; we could not gamble with her life on the field. It was hard for her to ept, but she did eventually. I would have loved to send Amelia to the bunker because of Leo''s baby, but I needed her to lead us. It was hard. I just hoped that nothing would happen and our men would be home soon. I turned a room on the ground floor close to the exit into our sleeping spot. Mattresses were brought along with our darts, dart guns and other things we would need. We needed to be in the same ce, and we also needed to be battle ready, so sleeping in our individual rooms was not an option. Above all, we needed to be close enough to the bunker. We waited in the room, nervous for our men and ourselves. We all just wanted it to be over so we could put it behind us. The anticipation had be overwhelming, but we handled it the best way we could. By two in the morning, Gezel pleaded with Amelia to sleep. Amelia obliged, and I had to plead with Gezel to sleep too. I would be lying if I said I wasn''t worried. Still, I focused on Liam and Harper and told myself that failure wasn''t an option and that ensuring we won the battle was important. We all deserve our happily ever after, and our children deserve to grow up normally. Our gift to them would be ensuring we end the threat once and for all. Soon sleep came and slept. I woke up in the morning feeling refreshed. It was ten in the morning, and everyone was awake. Sandwiches were on the coffee table. I looked around. Susan was Sleeping, and Gezel and Amelia were at the window. Nicole was having tea, so I figured Linda was in the bathroom. My hand had a mild rash, and I tried to link Erik to have him send the allergy meds to me. I noticed establishing a connection with him was almost impossible. It took a lot of mental energy, and when I finally did, it was weak. "We will need the meds," was all I could manage. "Linda has them. She came to the bunker this morning to ensure I had not given it all to the warriors. Her rash was a bit bad, but it wasn''t itchy," Erik said. His voice was loud and clear. I did not bother stressing myself to thank him. I am sure he would understand. My hand was itchy, and I waited for Linda to exit the bedroom so I could take the meds from her. Linda exited the bathroom, and she did not look bad at all. She had showered and was looking refreshed. There was also a little rash on her back, so I wondered what Erik meant by her rash being bad. "Meds," I said, and Sheughed. "You should have seen me this morning. You were too tired to wake up. It burned as hell, Tamia. That thing is no joke," She said, and Everyoneughed at her. "Me too, but the meds and a three-hour sleep helped me," Gezel said, and I could see traces of the rashes on her cheek. "Honestly, I hope we will not need to take another dose of Agk32," Gezel said, picking up a sandwich from the table. I thought she would eat it, but she handed it to Amelia. "You need to feed," She said, and Iughed. Amelia was lucky to still have a parent, and I am d they had somehow found a way to make it work. "I wonder what they are doing right now in Gad," Nicole said, and we were silent. Being unable to contact our mates for fear of being traced and our ns being exposed really hurt. Not knowing what was happening was killing me, but I pictured Liam and Harper in my head and remained hopeful. I could not afford to crack. Sylvester counted on me to lead everyone to safety should things go wrong. I remained focused on my children, and Kaira stayed calm. The meds had helped with the rash, and it was receding. Susan woke up with nothing on her, not even a pimple. It was as if she did not take the AgK32 at all. She was lucky. I wondered how much of the Stepanov genes she possessed. She also looked well-rested. She freshened up quickly and ate hungrily, which was expected because it was one o''clock in the afternoon. Maybe hunger was her side effect. It didn''t matter anyway. We sat around waiting. It was as if we were confined to the spot. Wilson had to physically visit to give me the updates. He could havemunicated through Amelia, but linking with Amelia on his part was draining. I wondered how Sylvester and the others would manage with the serum in their system. I kept telling Wilson to ensure they maintained a defence formation. Those that would be shooting darts should be ready. Knowing we had no traitor within the Estate, I knew the traitor would being from outside the gate, beyond the fences, and that was where the warriors shooting the darts should aim. We did not have many warriors, so we needed to make the most of it. They were roughly eighty people altogether. The poison in the darts was lethal, so if they were proficient, they could take down many enemies before engaging in a physical battle. Of course, the best case was not to be attacked at all. None of us were with our mobile phones. We had deemed the devices useless since we wouldn''t communicate with our mates through them. To avoid the temptation of calling, we left our phones in our rooms. I decided I would get my phone once it was nighttime. Hopefully, something woulde up in the news to end the suspense. There were no events until eleven at night when the siren went off. I had never been so afraid in my life. The fact that mindmunication was affected by Agk32 made it difficult. I panicked so much that I remained frozen, pondering what to do. It was as if all my ns disappeared from my head. I had indeed hoped we wouldn''t be attacked. I was afraid we couldn''t do much with just eighty warriors. As much as I knew this wasn''t the time to show fear, the fear was already on my face. I did not know what to do, and then I remembered Amelia was part of my pack. All the women were on their feet, waiting for my orders, and I looked at Amelia. "This is when you take charge," I said to her. 152 A fight In The Estate 152 A fight In The Estate ~Amelia~ I wasn''t a warrior, neither had I ever led a battle before, but here we were. There was no time to contemte what to do. Tamia had entrusted me with a task, and I had to do it. I did not know I was nervous until my mother ced her hand over mine. "Stay close to me, darling. I will walk you through the process," she reassured me. I knew Tamia had given memand because of the mind-linkmunication. I was the only one whose abilities were not impaired. I had to make it work. "I aming to you," I heard Erik in my head, and I rxed a little. I was d I wouldn''t be doing this alone. We began wearing belts that held the darts and the guns. The guns were automatic loaders, so shooting the darts would be fast and easy. I hoped we would have the time to aim and shoot because, unlike the first time, when we were on offence and positioned ourselves away from the enemy''s eyes, we were in defence now and would be in in sight defending ourselves and our territory. "Have the men position and shoot down as many attackers as possible. Reach out to Wilson to give you the situation report," Tamia ordered me, and I nodded immediately. "Orders from the Queen. All possessing darts should begin to fire and eliminate as many intruders as possible. Kappa Wilson, can you hear me?" I linked everyone because I did not know which of the connection was Kappa Wilson. But fortunately, he responded. "Lady Albert, loud and clear," He replied; his connection was weak, but it was better than silence. "What is the situation report?" I asked him. "Many people are trooping in from the main gate and fences. I have lost count, but they are plenty, over a hundred. They are on the premise from all angles. They are fast and have taken down some of our men, but the darts are working in our favour. The only issue is we do not know how many enemies we are facing because they are stilling in. Another unfortunate aspect is they are good at dodging and taking on the shooters; we will soon need to engage physically," he said, and there was a lot of difficulty in hismunication. Still, I was able to make out the link. I narrated all he had told me to Tamia, and the worry in her eyes showed her fear. I tried to mask mine and be hopeful, but I knew it was just as obvious as Tamia''s. "Uncle Erik is on his way here," I added, hoping it would be good news. Tamia was in deep thought, and then she snapped out of it. "I need you all to be focused and determined. I need you to drive away the fear and hold your ground. This is for the sake of our future and our children''s future," Tamia said to us. Her voice was shaky, but I could see her resolve. Her resolve boosted my confidence, and I felt hopeing through. Aurora was also gearing up for a fight. I nned to give it my all, knowing it was the same for the others. None of us will fall tonight. Tamia''s words touched deep into my soul. I felt the fear dissipate, and a new resolve reced it. I nodded at Tamia, feeling honoured, and all the women urged me to lead them. I had never done this before, but there was always a first. It was indeed an honour. We headed out, and Erik joined us in his shorts, holding a dart gun and darts. "Gezel," He said to my mother, and she nodded. We headed out of the Estate, and it was a massacre outside. The fight was scattered, and no people or wolves had distinct features. Yuri did not send pure breeds to fight us. I felt a tinge of relief, but I did not n to underestimate the attackers. I did not know who was winning, but bodies and brown wolves were on the floor, meaning both sides were dying. "Move to the centre," I linked everyone, and no one questioned me. I wanted us to move to a point where I could link our men on the ground to move to our side at the centre of thend to create a clear demarcation between the enemies and us. That way, I would know what the enemy looked like. The worst that could happen is us killing our people, who weren''t much anymore. I was trying to avoid that. Erik and my mother led in front, and we moved to the centre. The entrance gate was far but in clear view; we were midway between the building and the gate. I saw people jump over the fences into thepound. They were Stepannovs because the silver on the fence did not affect them. "Everyone join us at the centre and fall behind us now! I want a clear demarcation," I linked all our warriors, and people soon began to move towards us. "Shoot at those that are trying to attack," I linked thedies, my mother and Uncle Erik, and we began to aim and fire. As I had suspected, not all of them were fair-haired, but they were Stepanovs, just not the pure breeds like me. We needed them to shift to differentiate between our men and theirs. Seeing the number, they were well over a hundred. As much as fear tried to creep back in, I only thought about Leo and my unborn child. Tamai was the first to run out of drats and shift. We all threw the guns away and shifted. That was when the battle began. A sudden madness came over Aurora. With a need to survive, and a desire to eliminate the enemy, I tore at flesh as I pushed through the attackers. N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. I did not n to go down easily. We all deserve to live. We deserve our happiness, and we will take it by force. Tamia, Nicole and Linda moved ahead of Susan and me, leaping into the air andnding hard on the backs of grey wolves. Breaking theirs back and rendering them useless. There was blood all over Kaira, and her eyes were raving mad. I realised we had nothing to worry about. My mother''s wolf, Elsa, grey and majestic, fought alongside Erik''s white wolf. His wolf was as white as mine. He moved fast, almost like a blur. Exhibiting the speed of a true Stepanov. Chloe, Susan''s wolf, was holding her ground, and she was faster than usual. Her fur was matted with blood that did not belong to her. I could feel her rage, and she was putting it to good use. Everyone was fighting, and I felt a euphoriae over me. The need to eliminate the enemy. Aurora''s speed was unmatched, our strength was unmatched, and soon I realised the wolves were avoiding fighting me. I did not allow them to dodge me. I ensured I went after them and put them down. It had be a sport, and Aurora was grateful. The enemy''s supply of warriors was reduced, and I knew it would not be a long battle. "Do not let them get away. ughter everyone. All of them," Aurora linked everyone, and they howled in response. It was a blood bath, and we did most of the Killing. During the battle, I noticed no one tried to address us on their side. So it meant they had no prominent leader. I figured Yuri did not deem us necessary enough to send any of his top people to lead the assault. They thought and believed we would be an easy kill. Unfortunately, his arrogance would cost him his vision because none of his men would go home tonight. All the anxiety and rage that had gued us for months was unleashed on the battlefield. There was no point showing mercy. Soon I began to see the men make for the gates, but we wouldn''t let them go. Kaira growled loudly, and we all got the message. There were roughly ten on the enemy''s side. Unfortunately, we weren''t nning to keep prisoners. Yuri was very arrogant. The warriors he sent were not true Stepanovs. They were like some of the easy kills we encountered in Brentwood. I was grateful for our luck. We eliminated all of them, and slowly, I felt my rage dissipate. nkets were brought for us to cover our bodies when we shifted back. Susan was injured badly, but we knew she would be okay. My mother hugged me as soon as I returned to my human form. She wrapped her arms around me, and words did not need to be spoken. We had expected and anticipated the attack. We were not just expecting the fight to be Easy. We finally broke the hug when Tamia tapped me from behind. She was wrapped in a nket with a big grin on her face. "We did a number on them," She said, and Linda joined in. "Oh, how I missed the rush. They weren''t as challenging as expected," Linda said, and weughed because she was right. "He must have really underestimated us," Nicole said,ughing. "Not really. The fight continued for almost three hours," My mother said, and I frowned at her because it did not feel like it. "She is right. The fight went on for almost three hours. They were skilled warriors, not just the best," Erik said, and weughed. I wondered if the rush of the battle made it seem like little time. Whatever it was, I was d it was over. "These men were sent here to grab all of you. They were not sent here to kill," Erik made an observation. "Why would he want to do that?" Tamia said, and I could see the worry in Uncle Erik''s eyes. He prepared himself to give his response, but I already understood it before he spoke. We all did, and I covered my mouth to fight my tears. "Yuri knows they areing. He knew they wouldn''t be here. He knew it would just be the lunas and little warriors. He knows they areing," I managed in tears, exining my observation and my mother pulled me into her arms. "And he will surely meet his match," she assured me. "We have to warn them. They need to know it''s a trap?" Linda said, sounding frantic. "We will do no such thing," Tamai said, and I broke away from my mother and looked at her. "We will not call them. We will stick to the n. Whether it is a trap or not. There is little to what we can do. Did it ever ur to you that they expect us to call our mates so they can trace the call and discover their location? The meeting is tomorrow night. I will release the news of the attack at the Etstate to the press now. I am sure Sylvester and the others will figure it out from there," Tamai said and hurried back towards the mansion. We followed her, and as we moved, I prayed that we wouldn''t bete. I prayed they were safe and we wouldn''t have to continue without them. "I am going to attend to Susan," Erik linked me, and I was torn between following him and Tamia. I decided to follow Tamia and urged my mother to apany him. Susan needed support even though we all knew she would be fine. 153 To Greenville 153 To Greenville ~Max~ It was finally time for us to head South to Greenville. I would lie if I said I wasn''t nervous. If what we encountered in Greenville would be worse than what we met in Brentwood, then we had serious cause for worry. Although we won''t be travelling heavily likest time, it was still a dangerous mission. I hadn''t led a battle in a while, so I knew I would be rusty. The fact that Leo said the serum would impede our Alpha abilities and weaken ourmunication was scary, but we nned to make it work. I repeatedly went through the formation and strategy with the warriors and alphas to ensure they knew what to do when we arrived at the venue. Lukman had managed to find a way tomunicate with us and told us where we would find them. We did not want the enemy to be on alert, so attacking them when they least expected it was important. Lukman had told us that Ilya and Gaines would be our adversaries in Greenville. I wasn''t surprised, knowing Yuri would be in Gad. Whoever would be standing in for Yuri in the South would fall; that much I could guarantee myself. Casper had drilled Inkabod for information on Ilya and Gaines, and we had learned that Ilya was Yuri''s, right-hand man. He became important after Mikhail''s death which meant should Yuri fall; the bastard will take over. Gaines was also a dangerous bastard, ording to Inkabod, but they were the same to me. Getting ready to head south, I thought of everything I would want for myself after this. Leo had been uneasy about sending me because he believed I had nothing to live for, but he was wrong. Everything I had seen and experienced in Mountain since Alexei took over my pack had been transformative, giving me a cathartic relief. Seeing Amelia and Leo gave me hope. He had done it twice, and Amelia was the third time. I was hopeful that fate would smile on me, too, and I would have the things I have always wanted; a family. I wasn''t keen on a fated, but any would do. I was motivated to live and love again, which was motivation enough to survive because I wanted to do these things in a world of peace. Leo had nothing to worry about. I had made peace with my past and was hopeful about the future. Casper linked me to inform me that the van was ready, and the troops and other alphas had gone ahead of us. The n was to go through Brighton, stop in Greeville''s forest, and attack at night. It was okay for our men to leave now. Leo had instructed us not to administer the serum until an hour before we engaged in battle. He imed a horrible rash came with it. We decided to move with medical practitioners and an armoured ambnce that we would hide in the woods miles away from the scene to keep them safe. The doctor had offered toe with meds to help with the side effects of the medication, and I had agreed. Although Casper was Beta and should lead naturally in Leo''s absence, Leo had put me in charge, so all had to pass through me. To helpmunication flow easily, I grouped everyone. I ensured an alpha or Beta led each group to help the impededmunication range that would ur on the battlefield due to the adverse effects of AgK32. Ricardo and Grey wanted to tag along, but I dared not let them. Instead, I told him to remain and keep Mountain safe. Ricardo knew it was bullshit, but he had no choice but to ept. We were off to take down an enemy; I wouldn''t want to create another in the process. If Leo''s father should die, Leo will never forgive me for it. I had fucked too many things up. I couldn''t mess this up. "Shall we?" I heard Kyle in my head. "Yes, The van is outside. I am on my way out," I said, gathering myself to head out. Stepping out of the room in Leo''s house, I knew things wouldn''t be the same after this battle. I promised myself to make an effort to turn my life around. Being an Alpha had nothing to do with a settlement. It had everything to do with love and the need to protect and care for everyone regardless of the situation. I had failed Avery woefully and then failed my pack. I won''t fail Leo, Devin, Sylvester and my world. I promised to seed this time around. With so much to prove, I held onto hope to seed. I headed out, and the armoured van that would take us to Greenville was waiting. Casper stood outside with a smile. Along with him was my Beta, Christopher and Kyle''s beta Allen. They were all ready for battle. Kyle Joined us outside, and we entered the van, ready to head to the South. None of us was nervous. All I could feel from them was hope, resolve and the need to survive. We will need all the positive energy necessary to seed. "What will you do after this?" Kyle asked me, and I smiled at him. "Take back my pack, meet someone, settle down and start a new life," I said all in a nutshell, and he smiled. "I n to do the same. Unlike me, Leo did not wallow in his regret and try to hurt the people around him. He is happy now. I n to follow in his footsteps, and this time, I n to be fateful regardless of the situation. If I settle with a chosen and a second chance mate shows up, I will reject her in a heartbeat. Never again will I hurt my mate. I really wronged Linda, and even though I am yet to forgive myself for it, I hope to fix my blunder one day," he said and sighed, knowing how he was feeling; I let him have some silence. The three of us had messed up big time. Leo was remorseful immediately, but it took us losing everything to realise our blunder. I was grateful. Original from N?velDrama.Org. I looked at all the Beta''s present and could see confidence radiate from them. It was time to talk to them as a leader should. I knew they were confident, but they needed the boost. "This is not the time to die," I said, and Christopher smiled at me. He always had a smile for everything. There were times I imagined he would die smiling, but I hoped it would happen when he was old and it was his time to go, not on the battlefield. "This is not the time to fail. No matter what happens in Greenville, hold on to life. Hold on to the hope of a better future, the hope of growing old, and the hope of freedom. Dying and failing isn''t an option. We will watch each other''s backs and liberate the South from the thieves that have tried to steal it. Devin, Leo and the King will fight in Gad, and we know they will be victorious because they have everything to live for; let us do our best to mirror the victory in the South. Let us show our worth and be part of the liberation," I said. Casper nodded with resolve; Allen agreed, and Christopher, as always, smiled. "I do not n to die in the South," Kyle said, and we allughed because he said it as a fact. The drive wasn''t long. We had to go through the back road of Brighton to avoid detection since most of the southern Alphas werepromised. I knew it was a risk, and there was a possibility they might detect us, but that was the safest route we could take. We arrived in the forest of Greenville close to evening time. It was an hour from the settlement. Lukman had given us the coordinate, but he had also suspected that they knew we would being, so we braced ourselves to meet them ready. We descended the vehicles, and I linked everyone to administer the Agk32, then formed groups with a leader each. If the serum weakensmunication,munication should be less strenuous among small groups. After the shots, we moved with our darts and loaders. Leo had warned that the contents of the darts were lethal, so we were careful not to let them touch us. Our Betas led different groups, and Kyle and I led different groups but moved in the same direction. The goal was to surround the pack house where Luckman had informed us they were sitting. As we approached the area of interest, I realised there wasn''t much sounding from the settlement, which was odd, but we pressed on. "Something is wrong with this," I heard Kyle''s faint voice in my head. I could also sense the difficulty he had linking me. I tried to link him to respond too. It took a while, but I got through. "''They know we areing, so let us brace ourselves," I managed to reply, and I moved. We came out of the woods into the clearing, and all the lights went out. There was an army of people waiting for us in the clearing. They had situated where they knew we would likely emerge from, the forest leading to Brighton. 154 Taking The South 154 Taking The South ~Max~ There were two fair-haired men in front of the group of warriors we found at the clearing. I could recognise Ilya among the men because I had seen him on the news but did not know the other. I figured he was Gaines. "I see Leonardo sent hisckeys. Typical of the Volkovs to send others to die in their stead," Gaines said, and I said nothing. The moon lit the night beautifully so I could see them without its light. I wondered why they bothered to turn off the lights, but I guess they had their reasons. Valid or not, they must have been strong reasons. I saw Luckman by Ilya''s side, and even though it seemed like he was with them, I knew the truth. "Why risk your lives for something that does not belong to you, something you won''t benefits from? If truly Corrigan cared for his people, he would lead your charge," Ilya said, sounding bored. I could see some southern alphas I nned to kill agree with the bastard. They had betrayed their leader and pushed him to be at the mercy of the leader of another region. They ought to be ashamed of themselves. "Bloody traitors," I heard Kyle say, and I knew he was referring to the southern Alphas that stood with the Stepanovs. "We stood by Leonardo. That was why they could not get into the East. You opened yourselves up for invasion. Do you think you will be treated fairly in a Stepanov world? They believe they are better than the rest of us. What do you think will happen if they realise their dreams? You all will be ves. You all aren''t safe if they can sacrifice people in their n for their goals. You are all stupid," Kyle said, and one of the alphasughed. "Speak for yourself. You are an Alpah without a pack. How does that make you feel?" the man said, and Kyleughed. "I guess you have been away from reality for a while now. I got my pack back," Kyle said,ughing at him, and it wasn''t far from the truth. Yuri had no presence in the East. We had unified and driven him out entirely. "Well, the world would be ours once the Falls in Gad tonight. It is a pity you won''t be alive to share in it," Ilya said, and I looked at Lukman, who seemed worried. It was as if he was trying to tell us something but couldn''t dare it. His countenance made me uneasy. I honestly thought the battle in Gad would ur the following day. If it would happen tonight and they knew Sylvester was in Gad, then our people won''t have the element of surprise. I could not let their words destabilise me, so I let it go as if it were nothing. "Everyone has their battle, and this is ours," Kyle said, and it was a goodeback. Ilya looked to his left and then to his right. He did not need to speak; he wanted us to see his might. They were plenty. Well, over four hundred. We were just three hundred people, so we would be at a disadvantage, except if really the AgK32 would give us some of their abilities, then it would be an even fight. We also had the darts that might help us half their number. "I will advise you to surrender. I am sure Yuri will find something great for all of you," Gaines said boastfully, believing they had already won the battle, and most of the eastern alphas I was with began tough. "Pridees before fall. I can see you n to fall tonight," Casper said to Ilya, and Ilyaughed. I wondered why they had not engaged yet. Why were we having this conversation when they already knew we wereing? Something wasn''t right. I could sense they were buying time, but I did not know what for. Not wanting to find out, I managed to link as many people as possible to aim our guns and fire because, judging by the proximity, I knew we couldn''t use our guns for long before they ram into us in their wolf forms. The darts began to fly, and Lukman broke away from their formation to join us. "Bombs in the woods behind you!" he yelled, and that was when I realised it, but it was toote because the first one went off. I did not want to think of what we had lost, but It was time to shift and Fight. Abandoning the guns, we leapt into the air and shifted. The enemy began to run away from the ce in their wolf forms. We gave chase. Seeing how they moved, I knew they were not running from us. They were running from their bombs. What a stupid risk to take. As we moved, I heard the bombs go off behind us and knew we must have arrived a bit earlier than anticipated because the bombs were timed. I knew we had lost people, but this wasn''t the time to check. I just hoped most of the people with us were alright. Original from N?velDrama.Org. We chased them, and as we moved, I felt the sprinkle of silver dust. I realised they were running from the bombs that went off and sprinkled silver in the air. If that is the case, the casualty on our side won''t be much. They were running from the dust because it hindered them from shifting entirely. Lukman fell beside me, and I growled at him, urging him to take cover. He did not have Agk32 in his system; he was at risk of dying. Understanding me, he got up and began to run. The silver had forced him to shift to his human form, but I knew he would survive. I felt a surge of energye through. It was as if the silver had activated the AgK32 in my system. I had the primal desire to end them. "I take Ilya; you take gains," I managed to link Kyle weakly, and I set my eyes on Illya. We caught up with them in the opening. They had stopped running, so I guessed we were far from the bombs and silver. I watched the white wolves move into the crowd to shield themselves, forcing us to tear through their warriors and other Alphas to get to them. Some of the Alphas had returned to their human form, making them easy to kill. I guess the Stepanovs did not care about them because if they did, they wouldn''t have sprayed silver dust in the air, knowing that the alphas with them weren''t immune. Or maybe the alphas did not move fast enough, but I doubt it. Knowing what I know about Yuri, they would have eliminated the southern Alphas after achieving what they wanted; this just made getting rid of the traitors easy. I did not waste my time on the alphas that could not shift. Devin will deal with them when he returns to take his position in the South. I went for the Stepanov wolves, the grey and white wolves. I tore off chunks of flesh with fur and was unapologetic about it. I was destroying my enemies with every blow and bite. The battle of ws and teeth, sputtering blood everywhere, drove a killing frenzy in the air. I focused on the future I desired. A wife, children, family, pack and peace. I focused and fought for it. I moved swiftly and hoped none of myrades would fall because we nned to celebrate our victory tonight. The white wolves were fast and deadly, and I could see the reason why the Stepanovs were feared. Though Deltas, they were just as deadly as alphas. I saw Kyle chase a wolf into the woods and knew it was Gaines. With both Ilya and Gains dead, the battle will be over. While I fought, I searched for Ilya''s wolf and spotted him. His fur was spotless; other wolves protected him. How could they call this their revolution when they were unprepared to fight? I lunged towards them, and he sprinted towards the woods. The wolves protecting him tried to fight me, but Casper and Christopher''s wolves lunged at them, giving me the opportunity to chase after Ilya. I sprinted through the dense forest of Greenville, my senses heightened by the Agk32 serum. The moon''s eerie glow illuminated my path as I chased down the scent of Ilya. I had to catch him. Sparing his life will be a failure, and we could not afford that. I thought of all they had done and what we had to endure because of them, and that gave me the push I needed to move. Each breath I took carried a blend of anticipation and primal instinct, knowing that tonight''s battle would determine our fate. Suddenly, a rustle in the underbrush alerted me to the presence of my adversary, Ilya. He was hiding. He knew his time was up. Ilya''s scent grew stronger, mingling with the earthy musk of the forest. My muscles coiled, and I crouched low, my ws digging into the soft soil beneath me. The white soulless Stepanov Wolf emerged from the shadows. His snarling muzzle revealed rows of sharp, glistening fangs, and his eyes glowed with a menacing blue. This was it; I knew I had to defeat him to secure peace in our world. I did not care about Yuri or what might happen in the West because I knew Leo and the King wouldn''t fail. All I cared about was ending Ilya and his hold on the South. I trusted that Leo and the others would end their adversaries in the West. Without hesitation, I lunged forward, a growl rumbling deep in my chest. The sh of our bodies reverberated through the night as we engaged in a frenzied dance of teeth and ws. Each swipe and bite carried the weight of my determination, fueled by the primal need to establish dominance. Our movements were a blur as we rolled, twisted, and fought for control. The force of our impacts sent tremors through the forest floor, shattering branches and scattering leaves in our wake. I could feel the adrenaline coursing through my veins, heightening my strength and agility. I could feel hope. Despite the intensity of our struggle, the moon''s silvery light offered brief glimpses of my opponent''s ferocious features. Blood dripped from my wounds, mingling with the wet earth, but the pain only fueled my resolve. My every instinct screamed for victory, for survival. With a final surge of strength, I managed to pin Ilya beneath me. My jaws mped down on his exposed throat, a triumphant snarl escaping my lips. Ilya struggled beneath me, but my grip held firm. At that moment, I knew I had emerged victorious. A profound sense of satisfaction washed over me as life faded from Ilya. I howled at the moon, my voice echoing through the night, proiming my victory. Previous events and this battle were gruelling, pushing me to the limits of my physical and mental endurance. But I had emerged stronger, more connected to the primal forces that surged within me. And as I basked in the moon''s glow, I knew victory was ours. Kyle arrived limping. I could see that he, too, had defeated his enemy. I howled at the moon in gratitude. I could not wait to call Leo, tell him of our victory, and inform him that our world will always have one king. 155 Anxious Reunion 155 Anxious Reunion ~Sylvester~ The journey to Lund felt like an eternity, filled with worry and apprehension. Each of us concealed our concerns behind a brave facade, but deep down, our hearts were heavy. Before boarding the flight, I repeatedly tried calling Tamia''s number and my office line, desperate to ensure everything was alright. The thought of something going wrong was unbearable. Looking around the aircraft, I saw the sombre expressions on Leo, Marcel, Devin, and David''s faces, their unease palpable. Alexei and y appeared nervous as well. Our worries were centred on the safety of our beloved women. Fortunately, a helicopter awaited us at Lund airport, ready to swiftly transport us to the estate. It was the fastest way to reach our destination. I found sce in the hope that Vino, Theodore, Dominic, and Andrew would be fine and join us up north tomorrow, unharmed. They had given their all, making the best of a dire situation. I fervently prayed that we wouldn''t have to go through something like this again. As the ne touched down, relieved to have neutralised the threat, there was no need for secrecy or immigration procedures. We hurriedly disembarked, assisting Yuri, who was in a wheelchair due to his leg injury. It would take a few days for his crushed bones to heal, not that I cared much about his suffering. He hadn''t been given any pain medication, so I knew he was enduring a great deal. Although, his suffering wasn''t nearly enough. We boarded the waiting helicopter without dy, ready to face whatever awaited us at the estate. Breaking the silence and snapping everyone out of their deep thoughts, I urged mypanions, "No matter what happens at the estate, we must remainposed and sane." Leo reassured us, saying, "Don''t worry. Those bastards will meet their match up north. Our women are incredibly resilient. I''m confident they''ll outsmart and ovee their adversaries. Those women cling to life like glue." His words elicitedughter from all of us because they rang true. Considering everything they had survived, it was usible that they would emerge victorious. They relied not only on strength but on wisdom, which is the most vital asset in any battle. Leo''s words filled us with hope and uplifted our spirits. I felt optimistic about whaty ahead. After a fifteen-minute helicopter ride, wended on the estate grounds. Stepping off the aircraft, I instinctively tried to link with Tamia, but my abilities vanished. I knew the rash was about to manifest. ncing at Leo, who wasughing almost maniacally, I could see the relief on his face. He had sessfully linked with his mate. "So, don''t keep it to yourself," I urged him, and he looked at me and nodded. "They''re alright," he managed to say, and at that moment, I took the time to survey my surroundings. My men were clearing away the corpses littering the grounds. I wondered how the battle had unfolded, knowing that some of my men had also lost their lives. It must have been a gruelling fight, but I was grateful that our mates had made it through unscathed. Wilson and Levi approached us, taking charge of Yuri. They would secure him in the dungeon, following my order not to treat his wounds. Since he was immune to silver, holding him without inflicting pain on his legs would be pointless. As we made our way toward the building, Tamia and the others approached us. I could see the relief wash over her face. "Where is Theodore?" I heard Linda''s anxious voice. She was clearly worried and scared. Anticipating the concern that would arise, I quickly raised my hand to reassure her. "He''s fine. They''ll join us tomorrow. They were injured and are currently receiving treatment in Gad. We would have waited and returned together, but Yuri had boasted about the attack on the estate, so we decided to rush down and see if we could help. But clearly, all of you had it under control," I exined. A glimmer of relief appeared in her eyes. "Do you know when they''ll arrive tomorrow?" she asked, and I shook my head but promised her they would be with us by tomorrow. "Where''s Susan?" Devin chimed in, sounding concerned. "She was injured, but she''s okay now. She had been feeling a bit unwell but kept it from everyone. I''ll leave it to her to tell you everything," Tamia responded with a smile, and I didn''t need to guess what Tamia was leaving for Susan to reveal. David and Nicole headed inside the building just as Marcel inquired about Avery. Tamia assured him that she was safe with the others in the bunker. Marcel hurried towards the building, eager to reunite with his mates. It was a natural reaction. If Tamia hadn''te to meet me outside, I would have done the same. The rest of us entered the estate, and I dreaded exining to udia why Vino wasn''t with us. She would likely be the one most deeply affected. Alexei and y went ahead of us, visibly exhausted. Unlike the rest of us, Alexei''s mate was safe in Mountain, while y had everyone he cared about ounted for within the estate. Upon entering the estate, I spotted Erik with Gezel in the hallway, sharingughter over something. It seemed they had followed the women but opted not to approach and give us our space. "Long live the king! I see you full of energy and triumphant!" Erik eximed, approached me and extended a handshake, but I couldn''t help but warmly embrace him. "Thank you, Erik. Thank you so much for everything you''ve done. You made this possible. Without you, we wouldn''t have ovee this man. Ighor deceived us, but Peter came through for us," I expressed, acknowledging the invaluable assistance we had received. I released Erik, who wore a broad grin on his face. "Well, as you can see, I didn''t miss out on too much action here. Yuri was arrogant and sent people to abduct the women. That''s when we realised they were aware of your impending arrival. I''m d you''re safe," he replied, and Gezelughed. I wondered what was so amusing. "We were in a panic, and Tamia leaked the event to the press, so you''ll probably hear it on the news. We thought the confrontation would still happen tomorrow at the meeting venue. Little did we know it had already taken ce," she shared, and I understood why she found it amusing. The meeting in Gad was originally scheduled for tomorrow night. However, if Yuri knew we wereing, he might have deliberately manipted the date to catch us off guard. Whatever the case, they had been defeated, and we had emerged victorious. It was as simple as that. "Did you bring me anyb rats?" Erik quipped, and I shook my head. "Sean and Joan will have to do for now. Unless we manage to obtain some Alphas from the South," I responded, ncing at Leo, who shook his head. He was still unable to reach Max and Kyle. I didn''t want to entertain the worst-case scenario, but my mind couldn''t help but wander there. "I might have to head south," Leo dered, causing Amelia to tighten her grip on his shirt. She didn''t want him to go anywhere, evident in her behaviour. "We''ll go together. After all, it''s my territory they went to reim," Devin chimed in, and Leo nodded in agreement. Devin excused himself to go to the infirmary and check on Susan. I knew udia would likely be there as well. It was possible that no one had informed udia about our arrival, so I called out to Devin as he made his way. "Please make sure to give udia good news. I don''t want her to be traumatised," I hurriedly requested, and he nodded in understanding. "Indeed," Erik added, agreeing with me. We then proceeded toward the staircase. "udia''s on the verge of breaking down. I can sense that she''s been bottling up so much inside her, mostly fear. Vino had bettere home tomorrow," Erikmented, and I realised I was correct about udia''s fragile state of mind. I had tomend her for her strength. She was new to all of this, yet she had held her ground and acted with grace and resilience throughout the ordeal. It would be heartbreaking to witness her breaking down. I hoped it wouldn''te to that. While we ascended the stairs, Erik mentioned that he would send us allergy medication to prevent a severe rash. I was grateful for his quick thinking because I didn''t want to experience the difort I had enduredst time. It was a terrible and embarrassingly ufortable experience. If it weren''t for the more significant danger looming over us, I''m confident the memory of the rash would have haunted my dreams. I dreaded its return. "That rash is so ufortable. Susan was the only one who didn''t get it. I heard Gezel''s experience was particrly awful," Tamiamented, and I wondered why Susan had been spared. "Susan has more Stepanov genes than Leo. That''s the reason The Agk32 didn''t harm the baby. It was foolish of her not to get checked when she was feeling unwell. She took too many risks, you know. The child will undoubtedly resemble us now. Any chance of it being an Alpha is gone. I just hope she pays more attention next time," Erik exined, chuckling softly. "Come to think of it, Yuri desired the South for the Stepanovs. Now, Devin will bring one into the world," Erik remarked, and although it was a dark joke, I understood his perspective. Gezel caught on as well and joined in theughter. We parted ways at the top of the stairs. Amelia and Leo headed toward their wing, Erik and Gezel went toward theirs, while Tamia and I proceeded to our own. As we walked, Tamia giggled softly. "What''s so amusing?" I inquired, wrapping my arms around her waist, eager to bring her into our room. "Those two have been getting quite close and friendly with each other. I''m starting to suspect that Gezel has a type," she remarked, and I couldn''t help but join in theughter. Erik and Luis did seem alike in many ways. Both Stepanovs had the potential for greatness and power. Yet, they preferred a peaceful and private life away from the public eye. I imagined Luis must have been pretty humorous as well. I wondered where their friendship would lead. Perhaps I would witness a love story like my mother and Jake''s. After all, no one is ever too old for love, and Gezel is still in her forties. If they were willing, Gezel and Erik would make a splendid couple. While it would be a sight to behold, no one would force it. I was simply d that the grim and deste Gezel had vanished. I couldn''t forget her determination when she asked to join me in battle. I wondered what had changed in Mountain. I suppose I would eventually find out. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. Finally reaching our room, I opened the door, revealing the familiar surroundings that felt like home. We stepped inside, locking the door behind us. The past few days'' events had left us both physically and emotionally drained. I longed for thefort of Tamia''s embrace and the sce of our shared love. Tomorrow would bring new challenges, but we could find peace and healing in each other''s arms for now. 156 Concern and Fear 156 Concern and Fear ~Leo~ Amelia and I made our way to our room, exhaustion weighing heavily on my shoulders. Yet, amidst my weariness, a wave of worry engulfed me. The safety of Max and Kyle consumed my thoughts. I needed reassurance that they were alright, that they were unharmed. It was more than just important to me; it was everything. Doubts gnawed at my mind, questioning whether I had sent them with the adequate support they required. I sat at the edge of the bed, lost in contemtion. Amelia, sensing my unease, knelt behind me, her hands gently kneading my tense shoulders in an attempt to ease my worries. But even her soothing touch couldn''t alleviate the tension within me. "What''s troubling you?" Amelia asked, her voice filled with concern as she wrapped her arms around me and nted a tender kiss on my neck. She then shifted to sit beside me, her hand resting gently on my thigh, urging me to meet her gaze. "I can''t reach Max, Kyle, and Casper. I fear I didn''t provide them with enough reinforcements for their mission in Greenville. What if they''re overwhelmed? What if they don''t make it?" I expressed my fears, and Amelia held me tighter, her words carrying a determination I struggled to comprehend. "When we discovered that Yuri was anticipating your arrival, we were terrified. Panic consumed me, and I wanted to call, but Tamia kept me grounded. We were all worried, Leo. We thought you all would be outsmarted and killed. But here you are. And you know what amazes me? While we were anxiously thinking of you guys, you were worried about us," she spoke, her voice filled with conviction, and I furrowed my brow, unable to grasp the connection between her words and the well-being of Max and Kyle. "What I''m trying to say is that you underestimate your friends. Forget about your own rtionship with them for a moment. They are powerful Alphas in their own right. Casper is an exceptional Beta. Before your status was elevated, Max and Kyle were your equals in the East. You''ve fought battles together and gone through so much. All I''m asking is for you to have faith in them, to believe that they will triumph. I know they will. We just have to hold onto hope," she asserted, her determination unwavering. I brought her hand to my lips, kissing it gently, appreciating her unwavering support. "But what if they have nothing to fight for? Max is still tormented by his past with Avery. He mes himself and refuses to move on. I can sense his istion, his reluctance to be with anyone. He''s trapped in his own darkness. And Kyle, he''s gone through the depths of grief. What I mean is they lack the same motivation we have. I have you and our unborn child toe back to, a future to anticipate. Simrly, the other men on my team have their own reasons to fight. But Max and Kyle, they don''t have what we have. At the end of the day, they''re alone, and the weight of their losses might make surrender seem easier than the battle itself," I revealed, voicing my concerns, seeking sce in her embrace. "They will make it, Leo. Those two are more resilient than you think. If giving up were truly an option, they would have chosen death over seeking your help when their packs were taken. We just need to wait and see. It''s all we can do for now," she reassured me, holding me tightly. "I''m worried about Casper too," I confessed, realising that once I had rested a little, I would have to set out for the South. Waiting idly was no longer an option. "Well, it seems like there won''t be any sleep for us this morning," Amelia remarked, breaking the embrace, and I shook my head. "You need to rest. Our baby''s safety is paramount," I insisted, rising from the bed and making my way to the bathroom. The grime and blood on my skin demanded cleansing.N?velDrama.Org is the owner. "I''ll join you," Amelia chimed in from behind me. It would have been an opportune moment to make love to her, but my heart couldn''t find sce. Even in our victory, an unease lingered. As Amelia went to answer a knock on the door, I stepped into the bathroom. She joined meter, holding a ss of water with some pills in her palm. "Erik sent these. He says they''ll help with the rash," she said, offering them to me with a warm smile. I took them immediately, remembering the agonising rash I had experienced before. Amelia undressed and stepped into the shower with me. Her beauty struck me, and the knowledge that Yuri would no longer threaten our world filled me with a sense of peace. I would be able to lead and protect my family in a world free of his tyranny. Amelia and I would have all the time we needed, and I vowed to love her with every fibre of my being. Under the warm water, I held her close, allowing it to wash away the remnants of the battle in Gad. It felt good to be home, to have her in my arms, and to anticipate a future filled with happiness. We stayed there until the hot water ran out, reluctantly leaving the embrace of the shower. As I entered the room, my phone ceased ringing. I hurriedly picked it up and noticed eight missed calls from Casper. My heart clenched, fearing the worst. I tried to steady my trembling hands before dialling his number. Amelia, slipping into her nightdress, asked, "Who was it?" "Casper," I replied, holding the phone to my ear, and she widened her eyes. She shared my worry, but knowing was better than being left in uncertainty. Casper answered on the first ring. "Alpha!" he eximed, his voice filled with excitement. "Yes," I replied, my worry still palpable. "They knew we wereing, but we won!" he eximed, and a heavy weight lifted from my chest. Relief flooded over me, engulfing me like a warm embrace. "They rigged the forest with silver dust bombs. We suffered some casualties, but none of the alphas who joined us were lost. The Agk32 was a tremendous help, granting us immunity and empowering us with the strength and speed required to face those abominations. I apologise for my previous choice of words," he quickly added, and I didn''t take offence. After all, he was right. Any Stepanov aligned with Yuri was nothing short of an abomination, misusing their abilities. "Max dealt with Ilya in the forest. That coward tried to escape, but Max pursued him and finished him off. Kyle took care of Gaines too. The South has been liberated. All the treacherous Alphas have been apprehended, and Max and Kyle have decided to load them onto a ne and send them north for trial since Devin is there," Casper shared. Tears of relief and joy welled up in my eyes, and I fought to hold them back. I was alone with my mate, and it was okay to show my emotions, to let the relief wash over me. "May I speak with Max and Kyle?" I requested, and Casper chuckled. "Max is right here," he said, passing the phone to Max. "Leo, you''re on speaker!" Max announced cheerfully, and I couldn''t help butugh heartily. "Leo, how did things go on your end?" Kyle chimed in, and myughter continued. "We triumphed over that bastard. He knew we wereing, but the alphas of Gad and the Stepanov families rallied to our aid. Even his own men turned against him in the end. Yuri is currently locked up, awaiting trial. How about you?" I inquired, joy coursing through my veins. "The cowards fled into the forest when they realised they were losing. Kyle and I split up and dealt with our opponents. It came down to killing them; we couldn''t let those assholes live," Max replied, and I chuckled. "So, I''ll see you this afternoon, then?" I suggested, knowing they were likely to fly in with the captured traitors. "You bet, Leo. We won''t let you have all the fun. How are the women?" Kyle asked, and I knew he was referring to Linda. "They''re all safe. Yuri sent men to the estate, but they were prepared. You know, the women are formidable fighters. They took out their anger and frustration on the enemy with their wolves," I recounted, ncing at Amelia. She scowled and yfully smacked my hand while Max and Kyle erupted inughter on the other end of the line. "Come home soon, Alpha!" a distant voice called out over the phone amidst theughter. "That''s Alpha Gregory and the others. They had quite the adventure in the battle. It wasn''t easy, but we survived. Pass on our gratitude to Erik for his concoction; it served us well. Ilya was so twisted that he booby-trapped the forest with silver dust bombs, knowing his own alphas were susceptible to silver. He nned to kill everyone, including the traitorous Southern alphas. It''s a shame there won''t be a chance for redemption," Max expressed, a tinge of annoyance evident in his voice. I knew Sylvester wouldn''t show mercy to the traitors. "Very well, then. I''ll see you in daylight," I confirmed, and we bid each other farewell. Ending the call, I turned to Amelia with a wide grin, and she rushed into my arms, hugging me tightly. "It''s aplete victory!" she eximed with a squeal of joy. I held her close, then broke the embrace to kiss her passionately. Fatigue may have weighed heavily on me, but my heart overflowed with gratitude for the victories on our side. She was with me, my friend was alive, and we emerged triumphant. It would be a long morning for both of us, as I intended to worship her body and express my gratitude for the wins we had achieved. 157 Reunion 157 Reunion ~Leo~ I woke up in the afternoon with a little rash on my skin. The medication Erik had sent had done wonders, and I was grateful for it. Amelia was sleeping peacefully in bed. I knew she was exhausted so there was no point waking her up. There were still things to do. I had to prepare and wait for Max and Kyle¡¯s arrival with the southern prisoners. I also needed to inform Sylvester of the oue of the battle in the South. Hopefully, they were already awake. I wanted everything over and done with so we could all go home and rest. There was a lot to n for and a future to look forward to. I entered the bathroom and stripped down. Standing in front of the mirror I tried to examine the extent of the rash. It was on my left arm and half of my back. Although the red angry-looking things looked aggressive, they did not hurt neither did they itch. I felt a slight burn but that was it. It was much better than the first one. I stepped into the shower and opted to use the cold water so I do not aggravate the rash and end up in the clinic, sedated. I ran the cold water and it soothed the burning sensation of the rash. It was a good idea to shower with cold water. Once I was done. I exited the shower and got dressed for the rest of the day. It was two in the afternoon so we had lost some daylight already. I quietly left the room and headed towards Sylvester''s wing. ¡°Are you up,¡± I linked to him and he answered me immediately. ¡°In the lounge with the others. It took you long enough,¡± he said and his words made meugh. I headed towards the lounge, and true to his words, all of them were there except for Vino, Andrew, Dominic and Theo who should be on their way if noplications had urred at the hospital in Gad. I greeted everyone present and they responded heartily. ¡°Max and Kyle have taken the south," I blurted out with excitement, but the look on their faces indicated they already knew. I was hoping it would be big news but someone had beat me to it and stolen the reaction I desired. ¡°Lukman called in the early hours. He is receiving treatment for breathing silver but he will be fine. Max and Kyle led bravely,¡± Devin said and I nodded and sat on a sofa in the lounge. ¡°Well, they are on their way here with the traitors that defected,¡± I said and they were surprised. Finally, a piece of information they did not have. Their reaction made me chuckle. ¡°It is best they stand trial at the king''s hall since you are here. If they hold them in the South, they might devise a means to escape. We can''t afford to create a future problem for ourselves. It must be over now,¡± I exined, and Devin smiled. ¡°Devin will soon be a father,¡± Marcel told me and I smiled at Devin pretending to be surprised. Erik had already told us so it was known but I congratted him regardless. ¡°Congrattions Bane,¡± I said and we allughed. He seemed very happy. I guess he will finally have the family he wanted so much. It had all turned out well. ¡°What about the others? When will they return?¡± I asked. ¡° They are all fine. The Agk32 helped them expel the poison. They are on their way back. We are waiting for their arrival,¡± Sylvester exined and I was d. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. We sat and talked about the fight in Gad. We had indeed believed we won¡¯t make it but fate was on our side and it had brought us victory. We spent the afternoon deliberating the punishment most befitting for Yuri and his cohorts. While some preferred we hung him publicly, Sylvester Devin and I preferred we tortured him to death. It was only befitting that he lived the rest of his miserable life in agony and pain while we chipped away at it gradually until nothing remains. With limps and sensory organs, gradually but brutally taken away from him. Every cry of pain that would escape his lips would be payment for the pain and suffering we had gone through. He had messed everything up and destabilised our world. He had done it all without true justification. He was a sick selfish man that deserved no mercy. As for the alphas of the south that chose the betray the King and sell out their leader, the most befitting way is to die in public by hanging them in their packs, in the presence of their pack members as a deterrent for future rebellion. It was only befitting that we wiped them outpletely. Unlike before when imprisonment was an option, it won''t be on the table. There will be no time to repent and make peace, no time to connect with loved ones, and no time to prepare, their deaths will be sudden and brutal. We allined about the rash and the burning sensation that apanied it. It wasn¡¯t itchy but it burned. Erik soon asked us to go to the infirmary so they could administer some medications to help with the burning sensation. I was getting better so there was a possibility I would not need the meds, but I could not say the same for the others, they did not have it easy. We went to the infirmary and to my surprise, udia¡¯s friends were around. I knew Tamia had sent them away with everyone during the fight so it was shocking to find them there. It was clear they had reconciled with udia because they were engaged in an animated discussion andughing. I guess they understood her reasons and forgave her. We all crossed many lines to get the best oue, I was d we came out unscathed. ¡°I can''t wait to reunite with my son,¡± Marcel said echoing a longing that was present in all their hearts. David and Sylvester too had the same longing and the smile that grazed Sylvester¡¯s face, despite the burning sensation of the rash, said it all. ¡° Take this, You will not need the IV,¡± Erik said handing me some pills I smiled and took it from him. I did not want to be sedated on the bed knowing Max and Kyle were on their way. I was more than happy to swallow the pills. I watched udia and her friends help the others rx. Alexei and y were bystanders watching them. Just then Sylvester began to chuckle and we looked at him. No one had said anything funny to make himugh but something he was thinking had amused him. ¡°Share,¡± David asked and Sylvesterughed and looked at me. ¡°We were so caught up with Yuri and his goons that we did not organise a tournament this year,¡± He said bringing up a memory of the first tournament I attended. I covered my face andughed remembering how we made fools of ourselves trying to y Polo. I remember how Marcel and Theodore had dealt with Max and Kyle on the field. I also remembered Amanda and I could not help but see how far we hade. I joined Sylvester in theughter. ¡°We can have a small celebration and a rematch after the sentencing before the blue moon,¡± Marcel said and Iughed. They were in for a shock because our team would win this time around. ¡°A rematch between the Northern Bears and the Eastern Bulls,¡± I said and weughed. I would love to have that; a little unwinding will not hurt anyone. Theo, Dominic, Andrew and Vino arrived in a helicopter five in the evening. We went to greet them. Their mates were first out the door before us. I knew Katya and udia were holding their breaths all through, now the celebration will beplete. Walking towards the helicopter. udia ran towards Vino and hugged him tight. He was all smiles, Lifting her in his arms and kissing her. She held on tightly and wrapped her arms around him. ¡°You came back,¡± I heard her say and I knew she feared the possibility of never seeing him again. Dominic swept Katya off her feet bridal style, while she giggled. They didn¡¯t say much to each other, There was no need for it. I believe they were mind-linking. Linda ruffled Theo¡¯s head before embracing him. She sobbed gently against his chest and he gently stroke her back, reassuringly. It was a beautiful sight to see. Amelia leaned close to me battling her tears. ¡°She had her heart in her mouth throughout,¡± Amelia told me looking at Linda by the helicopter and I pulled her close and rubbed her arm gently. "She can breathe now, we can all breathe now,¡± I said and I had never felt sure of anything more than I did at that moment. It was indeed over. Theodore, Dominic, and Vino retired to their rooms with their mates, except for Andrew who had no one, but he retired still, while the rest of us waited for Max and Kyle to arrive. I was anxious because they would have to secure the prisoners at the prison first beforeing to the estate. I could not wait to appreciate them for what they had done. I was happy. Max and Kyle arrived at seven in the evening. We got to know from the gate that they had arrived and we rushed to meet with them. I stood outside the entrance of the building with Amelia, Devin and Alexei and y, waiting to receive them. The cab parked and both of them alighted with broad smiles. I hugged Max. I could not control my emotions. I was d that they survived. Then I broke the hug and hugged Kyle who wasughing. There was relief in the air. Devin thanked them genuinely from the bottom of his heart for fighting and winning a battle that was his. Max let him know we were all the same and his battle was also theirs. I looked at us and realised we had alle a long way. Not wanting to keep them waiting outside, We ushered them into the building while they told us what happened in the south and how the battle went. It was a very interesting story. The funniest part was the fact that those bastards did not n to spare the lives of the Alphas that had betrayed Devin. They nned to wipe them out. I couldn''t wait for the hearing that would take ce tomorrow. Tomorrow will usher in a new era one without malice and prejudice. 158 Kings Hall Sentencing 158 King''s Hall Sentencing ~Sylvester~ Everyone was finally around. Other than Jake¡¯s wolf that wasn¡¯t likelying back, we had all survived Yuri and his cult. They had attacked and attempted to destroy me and everyone I cared about but we had persevered against all odds. I was grateful for how things yed out. We made new friends and strengthened old bonds in the process. I was grateful for it. We wanted to go get our children immediately but we all soon decided that it was best to get on with the sentencing before we reunite with our children. Because of this, we had set the hearing for the following day, and every noble family leader was to be in attendance. I did not want Yuri¡¯s death to be easy and quick. I wanted it to be hard and slow and I had devised the best way to have that happen. I nned to chip away at his sanity and life as he did to others for many years. I nned to make him beg for death. He was an arrogant fool and I nned to crush his pride until there was nothing left. He deserved no sympathy and he wasn¡¯t going to get any. As for Ighor, I was going to leave him at the mercy of Vino and Andrew. He had deceived them greatly and it was only befitting that they get their pound of flesh back. I exited the closet in my official attire and looked at Tamia who stood in front of the mirror, admiring her figure in her cream short dress and tweeded suit jacket. She looked beautiful. Gracing her neck was a pearl ne with pear earrings to match. The golden metal holding the pearls together glittered. She had her hair in a bun. She looked regal and serious-minded, she also looked delicate and charming. She was a beauty. She turned to look at me and smiled. ¡°How are you feeling your majesty,¡± She said and Iughed. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Anxious. Can''t wait to get it over with so we can get Liam and Harper back. I miss them,¡± I said, confessing my true feelings towards the separation for the first time. Tamia gently covered her lips with moistened eyes fighting back her tears of joy. ¡°Me too,¡± Was all she could manage and I went to hold her. I held her in my arms until she was calm. ¡°After this no more. This is it,¡± I said and she nodded while breaking away from my embrace. She admired my outfit and helped make some adjustments then stepped away from the mirror and stood behind me so I could see myself. I pulled her to my side and then looked in the mirror to see us together. We had indeede a long way. She looked just as gorgeous as she did the day I set my eyes on her. There was still mischieve in her eyes the type that would make me ce her over my shoulder and spank her. She was still Tamia and I love her dearly. "Shall we?¡± I asked her and she nodded. We left the estate in a convoy. Travelling through the road that led to the city was easy for the first time in a while. We were d we wouldn''t have to watch our backs. There wouldn¡¯t be an Ighor in the woods with a bazooka or a machine gun firing bullets at us. No one would have the bright idea of ramming into our vehicles and sprinkling silver dust in the air to incapacitate us. It was finally over. We arrived at the King¡¯s hall and met a massive crowd. People were screaming with joy and jubting. One thing that caught my eye about the crowd was the Stepanovs in their midst. They had finally come out of hiding. I saw them with signs jubting and expressing their gratitude. The Fair-haired people blended nicely with the crowd. The lords were the first to alight their vehicles and when the Stepanovs came out the scream of Joy was Intensified. I saw Alexei, y, Amelia and Leo wave at the crowd. While Andrew and Erik made their way into the hall. People were happy and they were throwing flower petals at them. I could guess the reaction came mostly from the women in the crowd. Too bad only y was avable and he did not seem interested. They made their way in and it was time for Tamia and me to alight and enter the hall. The moment we stepped out, the crowd began to hail us, singing the northern anthem, grateful that we were victorious and indeed there will only be one king. Tamia and I waved at them and allowed people to take pictures before entering the hall. There was a big screen outside with speakers so the crowd could witness what was going on in the hall. It was a judgement and sentencing so it was traditional that everyone will be a part of it. We also made provision for the events to be televised so that people from all over would see it. Tamia and I entered and made our way to our Loge. Everyone was seated in their ces. Leo, Erik, Andrew, Devin and the rest of the council members were in their seats, Likewise the lords too. They were in their ce. Marcel''s father, Lucas, My mother and Jake were in their ce too. Jake looked frail and shouldn¡¯t havee but he insisted he wanted to witness the sentencing. I could understand him. They had no reason for what they did to him. To think he lost his wolf for nothing. It was a hard thing but we were d to have him with us and their wedding was still going to take ce. Erik was hopeful Jake¡¯s wolf will return but there was no guarantee. Gezel sat beside her daughter in the Lord¡¯s Loge where Leo should have been seated if he wasn''t the head of the council. I noticed Gezel¡¯s eyes wandered to Erik from time to time and he looked at her and smiled. I was ready to bet that something was up between them, but I will do that in a less serious situation. Leo addressed everyone and started the hearing. The southern Alphas were the first to be arraigned. ¡°You all are guilty ofmitting treason, against your people, against the head alpha of the south and your King, what do you plead?¡± Leo asked them. The tone indicated this was just a formality. One of them stepped forward in tears. ¡°I honestly had no choice, your Majesty, it was either we joined up or die like Micahel of Pridewood. Alpha Corrigan had left the south so we chose the only way we knew to survive,¡± He said and I did not know his name. ¡°Your name?¡± Leo asked him. ¡°His alpha Klein of the Pree pack in the south,¡± Devin volunteered and I noted. "You could have left the South and tried to settle elsewhere, After all, that was what my alphas did when their packs were taken over. If Devin wasn¡¯t around you could have reached out to King''s office for help. Why didn¡¯t you that?¡± Leo asked and he could not talk. ¡°You didn¡¯t only betray the King and your alpha, you also followed the enemy to battle, to fight against the people that were sent to liberate the south. Do you still im innocence? After all, Beta Lukaman was among you. He was held captive and freed. He found a way to give us information and help us regain control of the South. He risked his life in thest minutes to warn of the bomb, while the rest of you stood in defence, defending the intruders andughing at the alphas sent to rescue the people. Do you want to say you had no choice still because it seems to me you had plenty of choices but chose the treasonous option?" Leo said summing it up and they were silent. ¡°You would have died in the field because the intruders did not have ns for a future for all of you. They knew you weren¡¯t immune to silver like they were, yet they rigged the ce with bombs that would spray silver in the air, injuring most of you and killing some of your men. What do you have to say to that?¡± Leo said and there was total silence. ¡°Very well since you have nothing to say, here is the judgement of the council; you have all been found guilty of treason, against, the King, your leader and your people. We will leave his majesty to pronounce the punishment for your crimes,¡± Leo said and people began to murmur. The alphas were silent. All of them resigned to their fate. Luckily for them, Sylvester had abolished thew that state the family should be wiped out if any member is guilty of treason. If not the poption in the south would have reduced drastically after this. "Silence,¡± Devin said and Leo banged the gavel making everyone to be quiet so that I can pronounce his judgement. ¡°I hereby sentence you all to death by handing in your various packs. The alpha title and office will be stripped away from your families,¡± I stated. And that was my judgment. I knew it would be a sight for the pack members to watch but it was necessary and it will act as a deterrent to others. Other people were brought forwards that yed an active role in the uprising. Mostly Yuri¡¯s cult members including Ighor and Melvin. We figured most of them had no choice so those that did not move against me deliberately, like Inkabod, were sentenced to serve jail time and would be released to integrate with the world in future. Although I meant to kill everyone, we could not bring ourselves to do it knowing that these people acted the way they did because they had no choice. Finally, it was time to sentence Yuri. The moment he was brought to the floor people outside began to boo him. It was the moment everyone was waiting for. To see what would be of the man that shook our world and almost ruined everything. Leo stood and began to read his crimes. The man had no remorse in his eyes. He sat there on the floor,ughing like a madman. Bryce had broken his legs again so he could not walk. The man had indeed lost it. After Leo finished listing his crimes he asked to speak. Yuriughed and then looked at me. ¡°Your lineage and everything that has to do about the pathetic crown on your head is a sham. The Stepanovs will always be the true heirs. You might end me, but the greed and malice in your bloodline will surely be your undoing,¡± He said and looked at everyone around. "It is amazing to see how you can all gather today for this. Where were your conscience and sense of duty, when Dimitri cheated Adrik? Where were your conscience and sense of duty, when Dimitri framed Adrik for treason and had us hunted down like animals and ughtered? Where were all of you then?" He said and then looked at Erik. ¡°Having gone through the same things and suffered the same oue, you dare to work against me, your brother? You dare to work with the enemy knowing victory would have been ours? You''re a traitor," he said and Erik smiled at him. ¡°You stopped being family the day you sent Mikhail to murder Luis the true heir, and you stopped being my blood the day you sent Mikhail to kill me. A world under your leadership will be stained with innocent blood and gued with hardship. I have chosen well and sided with the real king,¡± Erik said letting his cousin know his conviction. I could see tears in. Yuri¡¯s eyes. He was truly beaten and as he sat helplessly on the floor in tears I knew we had won. No new viin wasing for us in the future, the madness would indeed end with him. ¡°Yuri Stepanov. I hereby sentence you to death. Unlike the others, your death will be slow and painful. It will give you time to reflect on all the evil you havemitted and figure out if it was worth it. Your being would be cut away piece by piece until there is nothing left. Each cut agonising and painful ensuring the body is not buried in one ce but scattered like a carcass all over, as you killed, burned, piged and destroyed everyone and everything you came in contact with that refused to bow to your will," I said and promised. ¡°Although it will be death, I promise you it would be quick,¡± I said and he was lifted by the men. He wanted to speak when Bryce punched him and shifted his jaw with the punch. We had wrapped up all that concerned Yuri and his cult it was now time to reunite with our children and n a wedding. I knew all the weddings won''t take ce in the north but I hoped they will agree to have it all in the estate so we won''t have to pick and choose. They were all important to me and I would not want to miss any of them. 159 Happy Homecoming 159 Happy Homing ~Tamia~ We returned home from the hearing feeling incredibly happy. It was as if a heavy burden had been lifted off our shoulders. We had been so worried that something terrible would happen, but it all stopped suddenly, and we made it through unharmed. I was filled with joy and couldn''t wait to see my children again. The time we spent apart felt so long, and I missed them dearly. But now, we could finally rx. Sylvester held my hand as we drove home, appreciating the beauty of the trees around us. We no longer had to fear for our lives. There was no need to worry about someone attacking us or shooting at us out of nowhere. It was all over. I looked at Sylvester, who caught my attention by gently touching my hand. "We did it," I said, and he smiled and softly touched my cheek. "Yes, we did," he replied. We both realised that we had won, and we allowed ourselves to savour the moment. We sat quietly in the back of the car, enjoying the view as we drove home. Finally, we arrived, and we all got out of the car and went inside. I had nned a small evening party in the living room as a surprise, so I told everyone to gather there after changing into morefortable clothes. Original from N?velDrama.Org. "Please join Sylvester and me in the living room once you''ve changed out of your formal attire," I announced to everyone. Sylvester raised an eyebrow, curious about my n. "What''s the asion, my love?" Sylvester asked as we climbed the stairs. "Just a little time to rx and connect now that we''re all here," I replied. "I''m sure they''ll appreciate the gesture, my dear," he said, gently kissing my hand. We returned to our room, changed into casual clothes, and headed to the living room. We were the first ones to arrive. The staff did a wonderful job. Everything was prepared¡ªthe drinks, the snacks, and the entertainment. Happiness would finally return to the Volkov estate. Sylvester instructed Bryce and Levi to bring our children, and I was filled with anticipation, longing to see little Liam and Harper again. I missed them so much, but I tried to contain my excitement. I made sure the staff prepared spring rolls just to tease Amelia and Leo. They used to make spring rolls in their kitchen in the East, It was the default snack Omega Macy served every time, and it brought back memories of being with everyone in their packhouse. It was a fun time, and I hoped we could do it more often. Amelia and Leo were great hosts, and the ce was enjoyable, despite Yuri''s tricks. "Spring rolls," Sylvester said, eyeing the tray of delicious snacks, and Iughed. He knew exactly why I included them. "And sandwiches, too!" he eximed wide-eyed, and Iughed. It reminded me of the bet we won against the men and how we punished ourselves with sandwiches. I had never eaten so many sandwiches in my life. It was a memory to cherish. "Leo and Amelia will be thrilled," he added, and I nodded,ughing, knowing exactly how uninterested they would be. They were tired of the stuff. Sylvester took my hand and held me in his arms, and like a gentle dance, we swayed to the soft background music. Resting my head against his chest, I let his scent fill my senses, reassuring myself that the danger was over and we could finally be happy and live our lives. "You know, we should be doing this in our bedroom, green eyes," he whispered, dangerously close to my ears, arousing me in the process. I sighed, trying to suppress my sudden desire for him. "We have the rest of our lives to celebrate," I managed to say, and he spun me around, pulling me back into his arms. The music and the mood were perfect, but since we were in a public ce, I had to settle for enjoying our dance together. "I see you started the party without us," I heard David''s cheerful voice, apanied by Nicole''s giggles. We stopped dancing and looked at them. David reached for Nicole¡¯s hand and yfully imitated our dance moves. "Don''t stop the fun on our ount; this is a well-deserved lounge ball," David said, and we all laughed. Sylvester and I resumed our dance, and slowly, everyone arrived and joined in, immersing themselves in the joyful atmosphere. When we were all present, I paused the music to address everyone. I looked around. Every one of us was there. I looked at each person, their attention fixed on me, waiting to hear my words. Susan sat on Devin''sp, looking healthy and happy. Their joy was finallyplete. Avery and Marcel couldn''t keep their hands off each other, as always. Linda rested against Theo''s body, filled with contentment. Amelia sat on Leo''sp, eagerly anticipating my words, while Leo looked at her in awe. Seeing them, I knew he wouldn''t mess it up. Nicole and David sat side by side, the oldest love in the room still strong and unbreakable. Vino held udia in his arms, their joy and peace evident from their calm expressions. Katya sat on Dominic''sp, his hand gently caressing her growing baby bump. Alexei, y, Andrew, and Nelson stood at the bar, waiting for me to speak. Max and Kyle sat in individual chairs, radiating happiness and contentment. Gezel and Erik stood together at the bar. They hadn''t officially be a couple yet, but it was clear that they were heading in that direction. The only ones missing were Jake and Stephanie, and they were excused. Jake was still recovering, so I understood why they weren''t there. With the exception of Gezel and Erik, this gathering wasn''t their scene. I sighed with contentment and stood up to address everyone. Sylvester stood beside me, holding my hand tightly. I needed his touch because I was about to get emotional. "I am grateful that we all made it," I began, and smiles spread across their faces. "Something that seemed incredibly difficult and impossible is now behind us. Along the way, we forged new connections and friendships. We discovered secrets and truths, but most importantly, we were there for each other, supporting and helping one another, ensuring that our troubles didn''t overwhelm us. Our friendship has grown, and we have be like family, knowing each other''s strengths and weaknesses, and filling in each other''s gaps. We stood by each other, offering a helping hand every step of the way. Our friendship and love have grown stronger. Everything we''ve been through has made us stronger and happier. I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to each and every one of you for being loyal and true, for believing in us and for never giving up. Even though we will soon return to our own homes, let this not be the end. I hope our friendship and love will endure and stand the test of time. I genuinely hope we will stay connected and always support one another, no matter what happens. Let''s not spend too much time apart, and always we will always be there for each other. May our friendship continue to blossom and be a story that brings happiness and joy to everyone involved," I said, my voice trembling with emotion. "Long live the King and Queen!" David eximed, and apuse filled the room. Laughter filled the air, and Linda was the first to request a snack. Sylvester and I sat together on a couch, and I leaned on him. The staff brought out the tray of spring rolls, and Amelia eximed. "Not again! We stuffed ourselves with those things in Mountain," sheined, and Leo seemed to share her sentiment. The expressions on their faces were priceless. Most of us burst into laughter. Then the sandwiches were brought out, and everyone started teasing about them. Sylvester and Iughed heartily. It was definitely going to be a fun afternoon. After a while, I decided to make a request. I gently tapped my ss with a teaspoon to get everyone''s attention. The chatter ceased as they turned their focus toward me. "I hope my request won''t offend any of you, but Sylvester and I were hoping that all of you could have your weddings in the north. Since it will be taking ce under a blue moon, we don''t want to have to choose which weddings to attend. We want to be there for all of you, and I doubt we can make it if we have to travel across regions for each wedding," I exined, my fingers crossed, hoping they would agree. "Sue and I don''t have a problem with that, as long as her parents are willing toe to the north for the wedding," Devin said, and my excitement grew. Then I turned to Leo. "Well, I''m sure my parents won''t mind, and Gezel is already here, so why not?" he replied, and Amelia''s face lit up. It seemed she liked the idea too. "Marvelous! We will take care of the nning and arrangements. None of you will have to lift a finger," Linda offered, and I frowned yfully at her. I couldn''t believe she had been hoping for this to happen but hadn''t mustered the courage to ask. "Don''t give me that look; I''m not the queen," she defended herself, and we allughed. We had just solved the puzzle of which wedding to attend and whom to send our well wishes and apologies to. There would be no need for that because all the weddings would take ce in the north at the same time. We continued to enjoy our time in the lounge, eating,ughing, and sharing stories. Bryce linked Sylvester to inform him that they had brought our children. Without thinking, I sprang to my feet and rushed toward the entrance. Linda, Avery, and Nicole followed, eager to see their children and hold them in their arms. As I hurried, nerves and worries about the children''s well-being in the bunker filled my mind. Were they being taken care of properly? Were they healthy? Were the nannies treating them kindly? These questions swirled in my head as we reached the entrance and saw Levi and Wilson helping Nicole''s children out of the van. Tanya, Elisabeth, and Justin ran toward Nicole and David, who embraced them with overwhelming happiness. The girls hugged her father tightly, expressing how much they had missed him. They looked well and clean. I assumed they werefortable in their temporary location. "They took us to a small house with a beautiful garden, Daddy," Tanya told her father, and I nced at Bryce, curious about where they had kept the children. "We didn''t keep them in the bunker, but we didn''t disclose the location either. Knowing that some council members were among the traitors, we were afraid they might have ess to specific ces in the north. So I sent them to my mother''s bungalow in Pearl''s vige, ensuring that no matter what happens, no one would find them," Bryce exined. At the same time, the nanny holding Harper brought her to her father. She had grown so much and now resembled Stephanie a lot. The only thing she inherited from me was my eyes. She was a beautiful child. They brought Liam to me, and he smiled when he saw me. "Mama," he said, his voice clear and audible. "They can say some words now," one of the nannies mentioned, but I couldn''t focus on her words. I held Liam in my arms and counted my blessings. I was grateful that fate had been on our side, and we had survived Yuri. I was grateful to hold my children in my arms again. I was simply grateful. Lily, Miles, and Oliver were with their parents. Linda and Theodore''s joy and emotions were evident as they held and embraced their children. Marcel held Marvin in his arms. "Wee home, big guy," he said, lifting him up and blowing on his tummy to tickle him, eliciting laughter from the little one. Joy filled the air. 160 One Day To Go 160 One Day To Go ~Amelia~ For six days, we dedicated ourselves to preparing for the blue moon. Tamia took charge of all the arrangements, ensuring everything was in order. Almost everyone was present except for Vino, udia, and the triplets. They had been away in Lund, only returning this morning. Little did we know, Vino had specifically asked Kappa Levi to send the triplets to his home in Lund, where he and udiater joined them after Tamia''s lounge party. That exined why we didn''t see the triplets when Bryce brought the children. It would have been nice if Vino had allowed us to meet them, but I''m sure he had his reasons for sending them away. I understood that they needed some time alone after their recent ordeal. Now, they were back and getting ready for the wedding scheduled for tomorrow. Leo and Susan''s parents had been flown in for the wedding, and at that moment, it struck me with a sudden realisation. I excused myself from the bustling banquet hall where Tamia, Linda, and Nicole diligently arranged the seating. Unbeknownst to me, my nerves quietly crept up until I entered my bedroom. As I settled down, I took a few deep breaths, seeking sce and attempting to calm my jitters. This was it¡ªthe moment I had been eagerly awaiting. I counted my blessings and felt profound gratitude welling up within me. If someone had told me this extraordinary life would be mine, I would have dismissed it as a fanciful lie. I could have never imagined such a marvellous oue for myself. My mind wandered back to the serendipitous way Leo and I had met and all the remarkable events that had unfolded to bring us to this point. Indeed, I was blessed beyond measure. Not only had I found my soulmate in Leo, I had also gained a loving family and found my rightful ce in this vast world. Every fibre of my being overflowed with gratitude as I eagerly anticipated the future with a renewed sense of hope. Lost in my contemtion, a gentle knock on the door interrupted my thoughts. Curiosity piqued, I rose from my seat and approached the door to discover who sought my attention. "Who is it?" I asked, and my mother''s voice responded. She had been absent for two days, so I was relieved to see her return. Weing her inside, I could tell from her appearance that she had just arrived. Curiosity was piqued about her activities with Erik. Still, I chose to withhold my inquiries and respect her need for privacy. Perhaps one day, she would willingly share the details. I ushered her in and offered her a seat. "Where is Leo?" she inquired, to which I shrugged. Since the lounge party, he had been upied with the sentencing and execution of punishments. It wasn''t solely his responsibility; all the men were busy. He had left early in the morning and Was yet toe home. "Somewhere," I replied, and she chuckled. "Erik and I travelled to Gad to reim the properties and wealth Yuri stole from me," she exined, and I felt genuinely happy for her. "So you have everything now?" I asked, ted on her behalf. She nodded, smiling. "I have what remains of it," she admitted, but her nonchnt demeanour assured me she was content. "I''m d for you. You no longer have to dwell in the shadows," I conveyed, and she acknowledged my words with misty eyes. "Amelia," she began, holding my hand and gazing at me intently. "I''m proud of you," she stated. "I''m proud of the woman you''ve be. I know it hasn''t been easy for you, and I admire your strength. Please know that there hasn''t been a day when you weren''t on my mind," she confessed, her voice trembling with the threat of tears. Wanting to spare her further emotional strain, I intervened. "Let''s leave the past behind, Mother, and focus on the future," I reassured her, and she nodded, attempting to blink away her tears. She withdrew her hand and produced a rectangr jewellery box from her bag. I wondered if she had gone shopping on my behalf. "Your father gave this to me on our wedding day. It belonged to his mother. He imed he kept it for his fated, but I knew he had given it to Alexei''s mother, who returned it after their divorce. I never let on that I knew so as not to spoil the moment," she exined, and weughed. "Anyway, tomorrow is the night of the blue moon. Although you and Leo don''t need it, you''ve chosen tomemorate it together. I want you to have this so you can pass it on to your daughter as a family heirloom," she disclosed, and I opened the box. Inside was a beautiful silver charm bracelet adorned with delicate charms shaped like the Stepanov family crest. However, when I touched the metal, it didn''t have the typical silver feel. "Mother, what kind of metal is this?'' I inquired, realising my initial assumption of it being silver was incorrect. "Padium. It is a charm bracelet." She said, and I admired the jewellery, took it out, and wore it on my wrist. The metal was beautiful; seeing it in the sunlight, I knew it wasn''t silver. The metal was truly mesmerising. It gleamed in the sunlight, emanating an ethereal radiance that instantly captivated me. Its surface sparkled with an otherworldly brilliance, the kind only precious metals possess. The sunlight danced upon it, creating a dazzling spectacle of glimmers and reflections. Each ray of light seemed to wrap around the padium, caressing it like a gentle lover. Its pristine shine was an invitation to delve into a world of wonder. As I touched the padium, I was astonished by its smoothness. The metal''s cool, silky surface felt like liquid silk under my fingertips. I was awestruck by the craftsmanship that had transformed this raw material into a work of art. Its lustrous beauty seemed to transcend the boundaries of mere metal. "It is beautiful," I said and looked at my mother. "It looks perfect on your wrist," she said. Leaving it on, I put aside the box and looked at her. "So, will you be moving to Gad?" I asked her, and her eyes showed a bit of difficulty. I knew she believed the answer she would give would make me ufortable, but she was wrong. As long as she is alive and well, it is fine by me. "I n to move between Gad and Mountain if you do not mind. I do not want to lose touch with you and your brothers. I also want to be a part of my grandchildren''s lives. Your children, Alexei''s and hopefully y''s," she said, and I beamed at her. "I can share," I said, and sheughed. I could exin why she would also want to be there for Alexei and y. She had taken them as hers even before I was born, even though they were not with her and our father. I was d she would fill that void for Alexei and y. We talk about my dress and our honeymoon ns. My mother was excited about the wedding, and she was ted too. We had yet to decide who would give me away at the altar, but hopefully, that would be solved before the wedding. Linda wanted something loud, but we had decided we wanted the wedding to be private, with only friends, family, and well-wishers. Nothing on the big screen, so we ensured the press won''t be present at the wedding. N?velDrama.Org is the owner. Above all, I knew it was going to be exquisite. My mother left, and I decided to check on Susan and udia. On my way to their rooms, I bumped into Andrew. I was surprised to see him because he was supposed to be with the men, but here he was in front of me. "Did you not go to the execution ground today?" I inquired, noticing his unease. His demeanour suggested he was privy to something he wished to keep hidden. "What''s the matter?" I pressed, and he hesitated before shaking his head. "You should inform me," I probed further, and eventually, he relented. "But please, don''t mention to Leo that I divulged this to you," he pleaded earnestly. Understanding the urgency, I nodded, urging him to swiftly get to the crux of the matter. "Sylvester is throwing a party for the men in Lund." He said, and Iughed. It exined why Leo hurriedly dressed and was out the door before I could ask questions. They had been through a lot. It was good for them to unwind and have fun before the wedding. "So why are you here?" I asked him. "Mirabel is on her way to the estate," he said, and my eyes widened. "Are you two¡­" I started, and he shook his head. "We will be having a wedding next month. We are fated, so we do not need the Blue Moon ceremony," he said, and I nodded. I wasn''t going to ask him if they were getting married, but he answered. "I am happy for you," I said, and he nodded. Realising he was in a hurry, I let him go. He seemed too eager to see her. It made me wonder why Leo wasn''t that way with me when we met, and it took him a while toe around. I guess Andrew isn''t bruised like Leo was. I arrived at Susan''s room, and she let me in. She was energised and high-spirited. I could see the joy in her eyes. "Are you nervous?" She asked me, and there was no point lying, so I nodded and said yes. "Me too. My mother said it will be worse tomorrow, but then it will be okay after," she said, and I smiled in response. I had nothing to say. I did not want to sit in my room and worry about the wedding. My bracelet caught Susan''s eyes, and she lifted my hand to admire my wrist. "Padium, Leo has taste," She said, and I smiled and pulled my hand away from her. "My mother gave it to me. It was a gift to her from my father," I said, and she smiled at me. "You two are connecting," she said, and I nodded. "I am happy for you," she said, and I thanked her. "So what will we be doing tonight?" She asked. "Tamia has organised a spa treatment party for us at the pool bath," I said, and she squealed. I could see her eagerness and was happy for her. She talked a lot about her dress. Susan had never been the chatty kind, but she seemed to be talking suddenly; I guess that was how she handled nervousness. One thing was sure. She was very happy and could not wait to share her life with Devin. I spent a bit with her and decided to see udia. "Where are you?" I linked udia. "In the yroom with the children." She said, and I hurried towards the yroom. I saw Avery, udia, Katya and the nannies when I got there. The others were busy with the wedding ns. "Amelia, you finally join us," Avery said, smiling and ying with Marvin. "Yes, I finally did," I said and went to where udia was with the girls ying with dolls. Lilly and Harper were with them too. While Liam, Oliver, and Miles were running around the ce. I knew Nicole''s children won''t be in the yroom because they were older. They were probably ying in the garden-turned-yground on the western side of the estate. "When did you guyse in?" I asked udia, even though I knew when they returned. "This morning," udia said, and Harper handed me a doll, making me sit with them. I collected the doll from her and thanked her. She was kind like her mother but looked a lot like her grandmother. "So, are you nervous about tomorrow?" I managed, picking up a tinyb tob the doll''s hair. "She has been going on and on about it," Katya said with her eyes fixed on the boys. "Vino wants us to live in Lund because of my work," udia said. I was surprised that Vino would be that considerate because he seemed attached to his brothers. "Wow, he is considerate," I said, and udia smiled and nodded. "Yes, but I said no. I would rather be here than live in Lund. So I tendered my resignation yesterday. Besides, the girls did not seem to like it in that ce. They seem more rxed here with Harper and Lilly around," udia said, and it was amazing to see how she had quickly assumed the motherly role for them. The triplets were blessed. "So, what are your honeymoon ns," udia asked me, and I shrugged. "Leo said it''s a surprise," I said, and sheughed. "I am sure you will like it," She said. We spent a while ying with the children. When it was time for their meal, we excused them. We headed towards the pool bath in the building for the spa treatment her Majesty, Queen Tamia, had organised for us. On getting there, we found Tamia, Nicole, Susan and Linda receiving the spa treatment; even Stephanie was there. "It seems we arete for this party," Avery said, taking off her clothes to get into the warm pool with rose petals. "nning that event was killing. We needed the treatment," Lindained, and Tamiaughed. "And you wanted something grande," She said, letting Linda realise the magnitude of the work that needed to be done. "Well, we would have had more than two wedding nners and would not need to be on the ground for anything," Linda said, and Tamia ignored her and continued tough. "Lovely bracelet, Amelia," Nicole said, noticing my bracelet, and I thanked her for it. The women admired the jewellery. Following Avery''s example, we stripped and got into the hot bath. It was soothing and rxing. I could understand why this was necessary; all my anxiety was gone, and I looked forward to the wedding. 161 The Bluemoon 161 The Bluemoon ~Amelia~ Leo did note home, and I learned that was the tradition. We were supposed to be apart for two days, but there wasn''t much time to do anything because of the events that had transpired. The twenty-four hours separation was the best we could get. The omegas came to get me in the morning, and they led me to the same pool room where we had the spa party. Stephanie was already there. udia and Susan joined us a few minutester. We had some skin and hair treatments. That took some time. Tamia and the others came to check on us, and they told us stories about their experience. Stephanie also shared her story about when she married Maurice. It took a while, and when we were done, we were ushered to a room to dress up. Our dresses were already there, and the people that would help us get ready were waiting. Tamia and Linda came to check on us to let us know that the guests had started arriving and Stephanie and Jake would go first before the lords. Stephanie wore a simple,ce white dress with a bouquet of white roses. Her jewellery was made from white pearls, and her look was somehow vintage and sexy. She had on white stilettos that added to her height and improved her figure. Dominic came to get her. I heard he would be the one giving her away. She was excited and nervous, but she was overwhelmed with joy. Not long ago, the possibility of her getting married on this day was threatened. We had all thought Jake won''t make it, but thanks to Erik, udia and her friends, they were able to turn the situation around. I could understand Stephanie''s joy. To her, it will be like a dreame true. I was sad that I couldn''t witness Stephanie and Jake''s wedding, but I believed it would be beautiful. Hearing the bell go off, I knew the wedding was in progress. Susan''s father came to inform Susan that he would be giving her away; since udia was an orphan, her uncle Norman would give her away. I did not know who would give me away. We waited nervously in the room, waiting for our turn. Two hourster, the bell rang, and I knew it was time. We made some finishing touches to our outfit and make-up and were ready. Although we will be wedded at once, I was ced in front of the three of us; Leo and I had the highest office. Standing alone in front of the line on the way to the tent, felt lonely. I fought to look back at Susan and udia, who had someone by their side. I was still wondering how to walk down the aisle alone when Erik came rushing towards us. "I am sorry, dear. Had to check on something at theb. Hope I am not toote," He said, using his hand to adjust his messy hair, and I wondered what he waste for. "You missed Stephanie''s wedding, but ours is yet to start," I replied, and he sighed with relief and looped my hand in his. "Well, I am on time then," He said, and that was when I realised he was the one that would give me away. Original from N?velDrama.Org. "Since Luis isn''t here, I believe I am the next person," He said proudly, and Iughed with joy and relief. "You didn''t think we would allow our princess, the heir to our bloodline, to walk down the aisle by herself?" He said, and I shook my head, fighting my tears. "You have family Amelia; it is not just you anymore. Never forget that," He said, and I held on tightly, breathing with relief and joy and looking onto the future with hope. It was finally time. We walked towards the tent''s entrance, and my heart began to palpitate with anxiety and eagerness. I had not seen Leo in twenty-four hours, but it felt like forever. I wondered if he would like the dress. I wondered if he would like what he saw, what he would tell me, and how he would react. Questions swirled through my mind. I took a deep breath, my heartbeat echoing in my ears as we walked into the tent. All eyes were fixed on me as I stood at the entrance, my arm entwined with my uncle''s. My eyes searched for Leo, who was waiting patiently at the end of the aisle. The soft melody of the piano filled the air, adding a touch of magic to the moment. This was the moment I had dreamt of since I was a little girl. A moment I thought would never be mine, but here I was. As my uncle and I started to move forward, I could feel the soft fabric of my wedding gown brushing against my legs. The intricatece and delicate beads seemed to shimmer under the warm glow of the candles, making me feel like a princess in a fairytale. Every step I took brought me closer to the man who would be my partner, confidant, and love for the rest of my life. The seemingly endless aisle stretched out before me, yet I couldn''t help but want to reach its end faster. The smiles and tears of joy from the faces of our loved ones blurred as my focus remained solely on Leo, who awaited me. His eyes locked with mine, and I could see a mixture of excitement, adoration, and nervousness reflecting in his gaze. Everything else faded away at that moment, leaving just the two of us connected by an invisible thread of love. My heart swelled with emotion as memories of our journey flooded my mind. Thete-night conversations, the sharedughter, and theforting embraces that had brought us to this day. The challenges we had ovee, the dreams we had woven together, and the promises we had made to support each other through thick and thin. As I focused on him, the world around me seemed to fade into a gentle haze. Every sound became distant, muffled by the overwhelming rush of emotion coursing through my veins. My steps became lighter, buoyed by the sheer joy that filled my heart. The anticipation built with every beat of my heart, and I could almost taste the sweet promises of forever on my lips. As I finally reached the end of the aisle, my uncle kissed my cheek tenderly, passing the torch of love and protection to Leo. The moment our hands touched, a surge of electricity shot through me, solidifying our bond. I looked into his eyes, and the world seemed to stand still. It was just him and me, ready to embark on this extraordinary adventure called marriage. At that moment, the weight of the past and future uncertainties disappeared. The world was ours to conquer, and with his hand in mine, I knew we could ovee anything. As the Officiant began to speak, I couldn''t help but smile, for I had found my soulmate, my best friend, and the one who made my heart beat with overwhelming love. The six of us stood facing each other while the wedding officiant spoke. It was now time for us to share our vows. Leo went first. "Today, Moonlight, I stand before you, ready to embark on this incredible journey of love. When I first saw you, I knew my life would be forever changed. You came to me when I hadpletely lost hope and closed my heart to the world. You did not give up on me. Bit by bit, you broke through my defences and opened my eyes to the gift bestowed on me. You were patient and did not allow me to destroy our gift. I will be forever grateful to you for rescuing me from the damnation I ced myself in. You have be my guiding light, my rock, and my everything. I am grateful beyond words for the love we share and the future we are about to embrace. Reflecting on our journey together, I am reminded of the countless moments that have led us here. From theughter we''ve shared to the tears we''ve wiped away, we have weathered the storms and celebrated the victories side by side. And through it all, our love has grown stronger, deeper, and more resilient. Today, I make these vows to you, my beloved. I promise to love you unconditionally, with a love that knows no bounds. I vow to cherish and honour you, to support and encourage you as we navigate the unpredictable path that lies ahead. I promise to be your partner and stand by your side through the highs and lows. I will be your shoulder to lean on, your confidant, and your best friend. Together, we will face every challenge and ovee every obstacle, hand in hand. I promise to listen to you with an open heart and mind, to truly hear your dreams, fears, and desires. I will strive to understand you deeply and always be there for you, offeringfort and sce whenever needed. In your presence, I feel a love that is pure and transformative. It fills me with hope, strength, and an unwavering belief in our future. Today, I give you my heart entirely and without reservation, knowing that with you, I am whole. Finally, I promise to keep the me of passion alive in our rtionship. I vow to nurture our love, ignite the spark of romance, and never take your presence for granted. Our love story will continue to unfold, with each chapter more beautiful than thest. My love, I am grateful for your gift as I stand here, saying these vows. You are the love of my life, my soulmate, and my forever. Today, I pledge my love to you and eagerly anticipate the extraordinary adventure that awaits us as husband and wife." He said and slipped on the ring. His words filled my eyes with tears of joy and a heart full of love. I knew he had spoken the promises that would bind us together for all eternity. His love reflected deeply as I gazed into his eyes, filling me with profound happiness. It was my turn, and I took a deep breath, ready to speak from my heart. "Leo, my heart is overflowing with joy and anticipation. As I gaze into your eyes, I am reminded of all the moments that have led us to this sacred altar, where two souls unite as one. From the very first time our paths intertwined, I knew there was something extraordinary between us. Even though the circumstances were embarrassing, and you ended up rejecting me on the spot," I said, and peopleughed, including Leo. "Regardless, you kept me by your side, protected me, shielded me, gave me a home when I had none, a family, and suddenly I wasn''t alone," I said and sniffled. "You ignited the hope in me to dream, and you never put out that fire. You have kept it burning with love every day. You turned around and embraced our bond, which was our story''s beginning. You have be my rock, confidant, and partner in every endeavour. Today, surrounded by our loved ones, I vow to honour and cherish you for the rest of my days. I promise to be your Moonlight in darkness and never lead you astray. I find sce andfort in your presence, a sanctuary where I can genuinely be myself. Your unwavering support and belief in me have given me the strength to pursue my dreams. For that, I am eternally grateful. As we embark on this journey together, I promise to be your constant pir of strength, uplifting you in times of uncertainty and celebrating your triumphs. With each passing day, my love for you deepens and evolves. You have opened my eyes to a love that transcends time and space and is patient, kind, and unconditional. Today, I vow to love you fiercely, with every fibre of my being, for as long as we shall live. I promise to cherish the uniqueness of our bond, nurturing it withughter,passion, and understanding. I vow to be your partner in creating a home filled with love,ughter, and eptance, where we can grow together and create beautiful memories. In moments of strife and disagreement, I promise to approach every challenge with an open heart and a willingness to findmon ground. I pledge to listen to you with empathy,municate honestly, and embracepromise, for it is in these moments that our love will truly flourish. Today, I stand before you, my beloved, and solemnly vow to stand by your side through every joy and every hardship that life may bring. I promise to be your confidant, best friend, and unwavering supporter. With this ring, I seal my promise to you, a symbol of my undyingmitment and a testament to the love that binds us together. I am blessed to call you mine and honoured to be yours. As we embark on this incredible journey of love and partnership, I am filled with excitement and gratitude. Today, I pledge my love to you, and I cannot wait to build a future together, hand in hand, as we create a love story that will endure the test of time. I love you, now and forever," I said, tears streaming down my face. I heard some people blow into their noses, so I knew I wasn''t the only emotional person. Leo stared at me as if I was all he could see. He believed my words, and his gratitude was evident in his piercing gaze. The Officiant moved on to Vino and udia. Their vows were brief, and it was clear they weren''t the type to share their emotions in public, or maybe our vows had stolen the show, and they did not want to beat the unbeatable. Susan and Devins''s vows were deep and heartfelt, too, and finally, the Officiant pronounced us married. Giving the go-ahead, Leo pulled me into his arms and kissed me with all the passion he could manage. I melted into his arms, fading the cheering crowd away. We left the tent parting outside the tent to prepare for the Bluemoon iming ceremony. Leo and I did not need it, but it was okay for our wolves to im each other again under a blue moon. I looked forward to it. We got ready for the wolf-iming event. Stephine and Jake would not partake in the Wolf iming ceremony because of Jake''s condition, so they would have to im each other in the bedroom in human form. I am sure neither had a problem with it. They were just d to still have each other. Leo and I went first. People were already on the garden ground in their wolf forms. I could make out Sylvester and Tamia''s Wolf because they were on an elevated tform watching on. Sylvester''s Wolf howled to wee our wolves, and the ceremony began under the brilliant blue moonlight. Aurora and Balck imed each other, and the intense electricity between us was so overwhelming that Aurora whimpered and purred. And with that, we were fully mated. Vino and udia followed before Devin and Susan. We celebrated and had fun. My mother and uncle were together throughout the event. I suspected Erik was one of her reasons for wanting to stay in Gad. I knew we might hear something from both of them. Erik was a good man, and I trusted he would make my mother happy if they ever chose that route. Soon we retired to our rooms to rest and prepare for our honeymoon. I could not wait to see where Leo was taking us. 162 A Dream Come True 162 A Dream Come True ~Tamia~ The wedding and iming ceremonies were absolutely stunning. Love was in the air throughout, and I couldn''t help but feel overjoyed for everyone. Sylvester and I were filled with happiness, celebrating not just a wedding but a triumph. It seemed almost impossible a few weeks ago, and we never imagined we would reach this moment. Yet, here we were, revelling in new beginnings and the joy of young love. We truly felt blessed by the goodness in the world. The enchanting light of the blue moon cast a magical spell on us as we danced and praised the goddess for her blessings. After the party, Sylvester and I retired to our room. We were exhausted, so all we could do was hold each other tight. In the warmth of his embrace, I snuggled closer, cherishing his protective presence. No words were necessary between us. Sleep embraced us, bringing peace and tranquillity. Morning arrived, and the newlyweds embarked on their honeymoon. Vino, udia, Stephanie, and Jake headed to Grizlo, while Devin, Leo, Amelia, and Susan chose Cains Ind. Cains Ind was an amazing vacation spot, but I understood why Vino didn''t want to go there. It held painful memories of his past with Amanda. Now, he was starting a fresh chapter, making new memories. Any ce, like Grizlo, would do just fine. It took some convincing, but Vino and udia agreed to leave their adorable triplets behind, entrusting us with their care. Once they left, everyone else went inside except Sylvester, who pleaded for me to wait with him outside. I instantly felt butterflies in my stomach, sensing that something special was about to happen. "Let''s go to the stables. I want to take you somewhere," he said, and a smile spread across my face as I wondered where our horses would take us. We walked to the stables and mounted our horses. Sylvester led the way, and I followed eagerly. We rode for a while until we arrived at the most breathtaking stone bungalow I had everid eyes upon. As I dismounted, my gaze was fixated on the property in awe. Tears welled up in my eyes, and I fought to hold them back. I couldn''t believe what I was witnessing. It was beyond beautiful. The garden was exquisite, with a charming park and yground for children. I rushed towards the entrance, where Sylvester stood, holding a set of keys and wearing a wide smile. I didn''t need to guess what those keys were for. I hugged him tightly, overwhelmed with emotions, and he lifted me up. "We haven''t even seen the inside yet, Green-eyes," he said,ughing, and I couldn''t contain my emotions, kissing him passionately. I had only mentioned my dream to him, and he assured me he would look into it. Little did I know that he had decided to grant my wish. I didn''t know how to express my gratitude. "I love you, Sylvester. I love you so much," I whispered, and he held me even tighter. "Anything for my queen," he replied, his happiness mirrored in his eyes. Gently, he set me down and handed me the key to unlock the front door. cing the key in the lock, I turned it, and the door swung open. We stepped inside, greeted by a beautiful and weing home. We moved from the anteroom to the living room, which was incredibly spacious with modern and stylish furnishings. The colours of teal, green, brown, mahogany wood, and cream created a delightful ambience. There was afortable settee of chairs, and everything felt perfect. The kitchen shared the space, with the dining area positioned between them. A passage led to the bedrooms, but I didn''t need to explore further. I knew it would be the ideal ce for us. "How did you manage all of this?" I asked, amazed at when he found the time to n and arrange everything. "While we were still dealing with Yuri," he replied, leading me to the backyard. With the press of a button, the curtains rolled away, revealing sliding ss doors that showcased the beauty outside. A marvellous garden, a barbecue section, and a small pool awaited us. Opening the sliding door, I stepped outside, feeling like we had entered a different world within Lund. It didn''t feel like the estate; it felt like a warm and private haven. I was in awe of it all. Sylvester guided me through the rooms, showing me the five bedrooms, one for Liam, another for Harper, and two additional rooms for our future children. He had thought of everything, and all I had to do was say the word. Finally, he led me to the master bedroom. Although not as grand as the one in the estate, it was fit for royalty. Stepping inside together, Sylvester closed the door and walked toward me, his eyes filled with love. "Did you think I wouldn''t listen?" He asked me, staring into my eyes, and I did not know what to say. He touched my face, and I closed my eyes to feel his touch. "Tamia, You mean the world to me, and I can never ce anything or anyone above you. You are the centre of my universe, the anchor that keeps me grounded, and the light that illuminates my path. From the moment Iid eyes on you, I knew that you were the one who would fill my life with happiness and love. You have brought immense joy into my days, and I am grateful for every precious moment we have shared together. Through thick and thin, you have stood by my side, and your unwavering support has meant everything to me. Please know that my love for you runs deep, deeper than the oceans and higher than the mountains. It is a love that knows no boundaries, for you have captured my heart and soul in a way that no one else ever could. I am forever grateful to have you as my partner, my confidante, and my best friend. Your needs are my needs, and your happiness is my utmost priority. I promise to always be there for you, to listen to your thoughts, and to understand your dreams. Your desires and wishes hold immense value to me, and I will do everything within my power to fulfil them. Your smile is a treasure to me, and I will strive each day to bring it to your beautiful face. Life may throw challenges our way, but together we are stronger. With your hand in mine, I know we can conquer anything thates our way. Your love has given me the courage to face the world head-on, and I am eternally grateful for your unwavering belief in me. In this journey called life, I want you to know that I will always be by your side. Your happiness is my happiness, and your sorrows are mine too. Together, we will celebrate the joys and ovee the obstacles thate our way. N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. My love for you knows no bounds, and it will continue to grow with each passing day. You are my rock, my inspiration, and the reason I believe in the power of love. Thank you for being the amazing woman that you are and for choosing me to be your partner. I love you more than words can express, and I will spend the rest of my life showing you just how much you mean to me. You are everything, and I am forever grateful for the love we share. I love you, Tamia," He said, and tears spilt down my cheeks because I could not find the words to say. In the tendernguage of breath and trembling lips, my emotions wereid bare. He pressed his lips against mine, an ardent kiss that spoke volumes. I clung to him, vowing to never release our embrace. Forever I shall remain by his side, striving to bring him joy, as he has filled my heart with boundless happiness. I held on to my mate, my love, my life, and my future, the father of my children, with all my love and all my heart, promising to never let him go. 163 Not The End But A New Beginning 163 Not The End But A New Beginning ~Leo~ After our wedding, Amelia and I embarked on a journey to Cains Ind the very next day. It was a ce close to her heart, a destination she had always wanted to visit. I chose this beautiful ind as the perfect setting for our honeymoon. For two blissful weeks, we resided in a charming resort where every moment was filled with love and joy. I made a solemn vow to myself each morning, determined not to let anything go wrong. My love for Amelia was all-epassing, devoid of doubt or fear. I hadmitted myselfpletely, and every word spoken during our wedding was sincere and heartfelt. With Yuri and the Stepanovs no longer posing a threat, we returned to our normal lives. Amelia and I shared unforgettable moments together. Her carefree nature and unwavering trust made it nearly impossible for anyone else toe between us. Her infectious humour added a touch of lightness to our days. The growing bump on her belly served as a constant reminder that our little family would soon expand. Upon our return to Mountain, we decided to personally prepare the baby nursery, utilising Max''s former room. Alexei had graciously returned Hill Valley to Max, reuniting their members in Mountain and the people that remained Hill Valley. When I saw Max again, I noticed a change in him. The mncholy and hopelessness had vanished, and he radiated the same happiness and optimism as before the fated mate ordeal. He shared his dreams for the future, frequently visiting to lend a helping hand. Kyle remained steadfast. His pack members returned to theirnd, and he became an improved version of himself. The East was no longer just a region; it had transformed into a tight-knit community. Everyone willingly extended a helping hand, erasing the boundaries between packs. The Stepanov situation had forged an unbreakable bond between the alphas in the area. Our meetings were no longer tedious and obligatory; they became enjoyable reunions. Everything fell into ce harmoniously. Most importantly, we had all grown stronger through our experiences. As the Lord of the East, despite Sylvester''s prediction that it would be a mere title, my responsibilities were substantial. I found myself fulfilling all the duties expected of a Lord. Eventually, I relocated my office to our home so that I could be readily avable to assist Amelia whenever she needed me. I had vowed never to prioritise anyone or anything above her, and I remained true to my promise. Casper handled most of my guests in the office, while only urgent and significant matters were attended to in my private residence. I intended to keep it that way, unburdening myself to ensure I could be fully present when our babies entered the world. My desire was to be there for every step of the journey, forging an unbreakable bond as we built a strong and loving family together. Our pack house overflowed with cherished memories, and our dear friends graced its threshold regrly. However, as Avery and Katya''s pregnancies progressed, the visits dwindled, reced by eager anticipation for the day of their deliveries. Amelia, understandably nervous, found sce in Gezel''s presence as she hade to stay and offer her support. My parents stood by our side, their long-awaited retirement trip postponed until after the birth of their beloved grandchildren. In our conversations, I implored them to stay connected, and they, in turn, promised more. They vowed to visit every three months, ensuring I would always know their whereabouts. Somehow, everything fell perfectly into ce. Meanwhile, Alexei and y flourished in the western territory. They dedicated months to rooting out terrorists and extremists, and their efforts bore fruit. Erik, a remarkable leader, impably represented the West. To our delight, Gezel and Erik''s rtionship blossomed further, removing any doubt about its future. Their union would be a blissful one, sealed under the enchantment of the uing Blue Moon. As for the Sullivans, they relocated to the South, assisting Devin in rebuilding the pack since many of the packs now had new alphas. Some of these new alphas were actual Stepanovs, esteemed members of the ten families that hade to our aid during the Gad crisis. Devin weed their support. While the Stepanovs may not have held the title of alpha, they were leaders in their own right. Pridewood was restored, and its inhabitants found new homes to settle into. We erected a memorial to honour those who lost their lives, including Alpha Michael, who disyed incredible bravery. Witnessing the South''s plight made us realise that Alpha Michael''s choices were not foolish; he had either joined forces with Yuri or met his demise. He remained loyal until hisst breath. A day was designated in the South tomemorate the fallen of Pridewood and their courageous and devoted alpha. A month after our own wedding, Andrew and Mirabel exchanged vows, and Timothy graciously passed the torch of leadership to Andrew, allowing him to assume his role in Brentwood. Although Andrew had initially desired to be closer to his cousins in the West, love and destiny guided him to my domain. He settled with joy, content to visit the West instead. His happiness with Mirabel brought me immense delight. I couldn''t help but chuckle at the memory of Timothy''s attempt to arrange a marriage between me and Her. How amusing it seemed now. Nelson found himself in the westernnds, surrounded by his cousins and other brothers. Yuri, a wicked and heartless man, showed no mercy even to his sons. Two of them paid with their lives for defying him. It was clear why Nelson fled, desperate to save himself. But now, the evil man was gone, no longer a threat. Sylvester ensured that Yuri suffered every day, inflicting agonising pain upon him. Yuri begged for release, but Sylvester made sure his torment was slow and unforgettable. He, too, was no longer among us. Larry, too, had received the mercy of death, a wish granted to him. Joan, imprisoned, remained uncertain of her future. Given the circumstances, I knew she would rot away in there. Leah had tried to find sympathy for her mother, but her pleas fell on deaf ears. Now, as I''m about to be a father, Iprehend the gravity of Joan''s crimes. So much could have gone awry, and to think that it all stemmed from money troubles was absurd. Erik kept Sean and some of the captured alphas alive, subjecting them to experiments. While some perished intentionally at Erik''s hands, others were left devoid of their wolfpanions, rendered harmless. Eventually, they would likely meet their end, as Erik never ran out of projects and experiments. Stephanie and Jake sought sce in Grizlo, building a new life filled with happiness. Jake''s wolf had yet to return, but we held onto hope that one day it would. Nevertheless, it didn''t dampen their spirits. They retired and relished in the joy of life. During our visit to Grizlo, we encountered Donald, Jake''s son, and Mikail Milton, his nephew. Their contentment was evident, and it brought us great pleasure. Meanwhile, Alexei diligently worked to develop Brighton, just as he had done for other ces in Gad. The residents were immensely grateful for his efforts. Original from N?velDrama.Org. Old books containing the history of the Stepanov lineage were now essible in libraries, and the tale of their bloodline was taught openly in schools. It was no longer a forbidden secret. Truly, things had turned out remarkably well, and I felt a deep sense of gratitude for being alive to witness it all. Avery, the brave soul, was the first to bring forth new life, blessed with twins this time. Their son was named Alexander, while their daughter was affectionately named Eleanor. Unfortunately, circumstances prevented us from being by their side, as Amelia''s due date was approaching. Nheless, we sent our heartfelt love across the distance. Later, it was Katya''s turn to deliver her precious baby. It made perfect sense since she was already pregnant when they arrived in the East. Katya, too, was blessed with twins, two darling boys named Henry and Logan. We eagerly sent our love and patiently awaited the arrival of our own children. I was consumed with nerves, and the news of Katya''s delivery only heightened Amelia''s anxiety. She had countless questions, particrly about how our little ones would look. I refrained from specting, but deep down, I couldn''t help but imagine they might resemble their beautiful mother. Finally, the long-awaited day arrived. In the early hours of the morning, Amelia''sbour pains began. I promptly contacted the hospital, informing them that we were on our way. Hurrying to fetch the car, I prepared to drive her to the medical facility. With contractions urring every fifteen minutes, we had enough time for the journey. Both of us were bubbling with excitement. Amelia managed to smile and even let out a fewughs as she practised her breathing exercises. Her eyes shimmered with tears of joy, revealing her profound eagerness to meet our little ones. As the contractions grew closer together, pain gripped her. We reached the mountain hospital, where a team of medical professionals stood ready to wee her. My heart overflowed with tion. I was truly happy. It was beyond anything I had ever imagined. After enduring the betrayals of Amanda and the pain of hurting Tamia, I had lost all hope. But fate had smiled upon me, turning my life around. Now, I was about to embark on the incredible journey of fatherhood, and the overwhelming joy consumed me. I followed Amelia into the delivery room, gripping her hand tightly as she bravely brought our twins into the world. I struggled to contain my emotions, reminding myself that grown men don''t shed tears. Yet, I pondered if tears of happiness could be an exception. I was overwhelmed with joy. Amelia''s delivery went smoothly, without anyplications, and she gave birth to two precious boys. One had fair hair and sparkling blue eyes, while the other bore my features with dark hair and warm brown eyes. They were absolutely beautiful and healthy, and they were ours to love and cherish. Choosing their names required no second thoughts, for we had already decided. Our fair-haired son, with features reminiscent of the Stepanov lineage, was named Noah. The other was lovingly called Sebastien. Holding my sons in my arms for the first time, a surge of indescribable happiness coursed through me. It was at that moment that I realised my life had finally found its purpose. We joyfully called our dear friends to share the wonderful news of our twin babies'' arrival, and their hearts overflowed with happiness for us. Luckily, they had already nned to visit us in a few weeks, and we eagerly anticipated celebrating this precious blessing together. Amelia, my beloved partner, had never experienced such immense delight before. However, Gezel and my mother became quite a handful as they constantly vied for the opportunity to bathe, change diapers, and feed the babies. It seemed as though both of them wanted all the time in the world with our twins, but there simply wasn''t enough to satisfy their desires. To eas e the tension, Amelia came up with a brilliant idea: assigning each grandma to take care of one child. They would switch roles every twelve hours, granting both women cherished moments with their grandchildren while maintaining a harmonious schedule. Amelia and I agreed to this arrangement, knowing that our parents would soon leave, and we would then have ample time to cherish and care for our children ourselves. Weeks passed, and the long-awaited day arrived when our friends set out on their journey to Mountain. Casper and I eagerly went to the airport to wee everyone. Since it was a big gathering, we arranged for three vans to amodate everyone¡ªSylvester, Tamia, Marcel, Avery, Theodore, Linda, Dominic, Katya, David, Nicole, Vino, udia, Alexei, Alia, y, Nelson, Erik, Stephanie, and Jake, along with all the children. The next two weeks were bound to be filled with endless joy and merriment. Additionally, Max and Kyle, Andrew and Mirabel will be joining us. The only ones missing were Devin and Susan, as Susan was expected to give birth any day now. Seeing my friends in person again filled my heart with anticipation and excitement. Our conversations over the phone simply didn''tpare to the joy of being together. We gathered outside the arrival area, eagerly awaiting their arrival. Erik was the first to emerge, warmly congratting me and offering a heartfelt hug. "Congrattions, Leo. I have no doubt you''ll be an amazing father," he said, and I clung to him a little longer. yfully, I pleaded, "Please, keep those needles away from my precious twins," to which he laughed. Erik had a unique hobby of drawing blood, and I needed him to understand that my babies were off- limits. He jokingly asked, "Not even a tiny prick?" and I tightened my embrace, yfully asserting my protective nature. "Okay, okay. I won''t do anything without permission and consent," he assured me. I let him go, knowing that was the best I would get. He flexed his muscles andughed, teasingly mentioning my newfound protective instincts. As our yful banter concluded, the rest of our friends arrived. The sight of the children brought immense joy to our hearts. Liam and Harper were now walking on their own. I couldn''t help but notice the striking resemnce between Harper and Stephanie. Although she resembled Tamia, there was an undeniable simrity to Stephanie as well. Liam, on the other hand, was a spitting image of his father and appeared more attached to Sylvester, holding onto him tightly. Linda cared for Theodore and the triplets, who were already tired and peacefully asleep. Marvin was taking his first steps while Avery and Marcel lovingly held their twins. Nicole cradled one of Katya''s babies while her own children helped keep an eye on the little ones in strollers. Observing them, I realised our home would soon be filled to the brim withughter and love. Amelia had made borate ns, and the menu wouldn''t feature spring rolls and sandwiches unless specifically requested. With Vino, udia, Stephanie, Jake, Alexei, and Alia joining us, we all climbed into the vans, ready to embark on the journey back to our cosy settlement, where beautiful moments awaited us. Gezel and my mother eagerly awaited their arrival at the entrance. We had prepared their rooms, and set up the yroom and children''s room, excluding the nursery for the little ones. To ensure everyone had enough space, Amelia and I chose to stay in the bungalow. Max, Kyle, Andrew, and Mirabel arrivedter that evening, and it was a night filled with joy. The men gathered together while the women formed their own group. We caught up on the events and moments we had missed in each other''s lives as if the past troubles had never urred. There was an undeniable sense of happiness and tranquillity in the house, and we stayed awake until the early morning hours before deciding to rest. Three dayster, we received news that Susan had given birth to triplets. Without a second thought, most of us rushed there immediately, leaving behind Gezel, Stephanie, Katya, and Avery. I wanted Amelia to stay, but she insisted on apanying us, so I relented. The journey was filled withughter, and we arrived at a grand celebration in Greenville. The pack members were rejoicing in the arrival of their future generation. Devin greeted us with overwhelming joy, and Susan was resting. "I didn''t expect all of you toe right now," Devin said as he weed us. Lukman was present, and I noticed that he had finally found his mate. It was a relief to see him happy after narrowly avoiding a difficult situation with Alice. We celebrated Devin''s blessing alongside our own. He had been blessed with two girls and a boy, Anthony, La, and Sarah, all of them with beautiful white hair. The girls had eyes the colour of the moon, while Anthony inherited blue eyes like Noah''s. Erik wore a triumphant expression when he saw them, and I chose not to bring up the past. The couple was overwhelmed with joy for their blessing, and their babies were perfectly healthy. That was all that mattered. In the enchanting South, we spent two blissful days before journeying back to the serene East. In those precious moments, our hearts brimmed with unprecedented happiness, erasing all traces of past struggles. Eachnd flourished, and serene tranquillity wrapped around us, almost making us forget the hardships we had endured. Together, we made a solemn vow to preserve the harmony and love that had enveloped our world. We pledged to nurture our children, instilling in them the values of peace andpassion, ensuring a brighter tomorrow for our people and the world we cherish. We had traversed a long and arduous path, encountering life-altering lessons along the way. Yet, those trials did not shatter our spirits or rob us of hope and joy. Instead, they empowered us to confront our inner demons and sculpted us into the finest versions of ourselves. We had embraced maturity and weed our destined paths, gazing ahead with hope and eagerness. Uncertain of whaty ahead, I carried a profound certainty within me that whatever obstacles we faced, we would conquer them hand in hand. This was not an end but the genesis of a new, captivating tale yet to untold. 01 Too Late For Goodbyes (Book 3) 01 Too Late For Goodbyes (Book 3) ~Liam~ Sixteen years Later Liam: 18 Sophia: almost 16 The music red loudly, forcing my friends and me to shout in order tomunicate. It made me wonder whose brilliant idea it was to turn the graduation celebration into a club-like event. Furthermore, I couldn''t understand why no one bothered to seek our consent for this setup. Amidst the chaotic atmosphere, I spotted Harper dancing with Lily and Eleanor, who shouldn''t have been there. We were two years ahead of Eleanor. Their presence made me question the whereabouts of the triplets. "Have you seen the sisters?" I asked Miles, but he shook his head. Oliver gestured in a direction, and there I found Charlotte, Gemma, and Jewels¡ªthe notorious triplets of our ss and, coincidentally, my beloved cousins. I pondered what their ns were after graduation. Being immensely popr in school, I was certain they would find something worthwhile to upy their time. Turning to Marvin, I inquired about Sophia''s presence. Once again, the answer was negative. "Isn''t she supposed to be here? I thought you two were close," Oliver chimed in, taking a sip of his dubious drink. I refrained from guessing its contents, but I was certain it contained alcohol. "Not really. She''s two years younger than us. I think she''ll turn sixteen in a few months," Marvin replied, and Miles yfully punched me while chuckling. "But she should be here to give you moral support," he said, winking and emphasising the words ''moral support,'' which elicitedughter from me. "I haven''t mustered the courage to ask her out yet," I confessed, surprising them both. "What are you waiting for? She''s gorgeous, and now that we''re done with school, guys will be lining up for her. The only reason they''ve held back is because they''re afraid of you, and you won''t be here to stop them," Oliver asserted. "You''ve been friends with Sophia since you were ten and she was eight, which feels like an eternity. By now, you should have figured out your feelings for each other. I''m aware that she''s the reason you convinced our parents to send us to Grizlo''s Academy. So, Liam, I don''t understand why you haven''t made a move," Marvin questioned, leaving me at a loss for words. "You shouldn''t waste any more time. You know every moment counts," Miles added with conviction, and I knew deep down they were right. I hadn''t wanted to divert my attention during my studies, as my parents expected nothing but the best from me, and I didn''t want to disappoint them. Romance hadn''t been a priority, but now that I had graduated, I felt ready to explore that realm. However, I also acknowledged the importance of waiting and seeing if we were destined for each other. Sophia had yet to turn eighteen, so I couldn''t be certain. Thest thing I wanted was to break her heart. I had heard stories about Uncle Leo and my mother, and I vowed never to inflict that kind of pain on anyone. Not everyone is as fortunate as they were. Nheless, I couldn''t deny the growing intensity of my feelings for Sophia. The difficult part was that she remained oblivious to them. To her, we were simply friends. I was unsure if confessing my intentions wouldplicate our friendship or create an opportunity for both of us, but I was willing to take that risk now and confront the possibility of being mates, if it were to ever ur. My affection for Sophia ran deep, and I cared for her immensely. I rose from the couch in the VIP section and made my way outside to give Sophia a call. I had genuinely believed she would be present at the event. "Where are you headed?" Harper''s voice echoed in my mind. "Just going out to get some fresh air," I replied, continuing on my way. "We''re breathing just fine in here," she yfully teased. "You mean you''re going to call Sophia, right?" she inquired, knowing well enough not to expect a response from me. I could envision herughter. My sister understood my feelings for Sophia, and she had been incredibly supportive by keeping it a secret from our friends and cousins. It remained between us; even our younger brothers, Joseph and Keith, were unaware of my crush. Harper and I had a strong bond in that regard, and as far as I was concerned, she was the greatest twin sister one could ask for. I stepped away from the bustling entrance of the club, seeking sce in the quietness outside. Wanting privacy, I dialled Sophia''s number, anticipation building within me. After a few rings, she answered, and her sweet and gentle voice greeted me with a warm hello. "Hey," I responded, feeling a surge of happiness. The sound of a television ying in the background assured me that she was home. "What are you up to?" I asked, my tone yful. She chuckled in response. "I''m at home, watching television," she replied, and a sigh escaped me. "I was hoping you''de to the party and keep mepany," I teased, to which she giggled. "With all those girls fawning over you, I''d rather spare myself the envious res. Some of them actually think I''m your girlfriend," she revealed, and I pinched the bridge of my nose. "And what''s wrong with that?" I questioned, and a brief silence ensued. The atmosphere turned awkward. Tonight, I had nned to ask her out, but doing it over the phone felt insensitive. "I would have loved for you to be here," I finally confessed, breaking the ufortable silence. She let out a sigh. "You know my father. He''s on a mission with the alpha and hasn''t returned yet. I couldn''t get permission to leave the house, and my mother wouldn''t let me go without my father''s approval," she exined, grumbling. "Honestly, I wanted to be there, Li. I wanted to see you," she admitted, and I sighed. "Now that you''ve graduated, when are you leaving Grizlo?" she inquired, and I chuckled. "I''ll stay if that''s what you want," I assured her, and sheughed. "Oh,e on. You''re destined to be a king someday. Grizlo is too small to contain you," she remarked, tinged with a hint of sadness. "Are you already missing me?" I teased, and sheughed. "You wish," she retorted, though I knew it was a lie. She didn''t want me to leave. "Alright, you know what? I''ll swing by your ce after the party," I decided. "The rooftop?" she suggested, and I chuckled. "No need to make a grand entrance through the front door. Beta Mike is intimidating, especially when ites to his daughter being visited at night. The rooftop will suffice. I''ll let you know when I''m around," I suggested, and sheughed, well aware of her father''s protectiveness. "What if I let you into my room?" she yfully teased, and for the first time, it felt like an enticing invitation. "I hope I can handle it," I teased back, and she giggled. "See youter, Li," she said in her soothing, seductive voice, and we ended the call, a sweet anticipation filling my heart. I did not know I was smiling and pacing about the ce while talking to Sophia until I hung up. As I turned around, I was taken aback to see Charlotte, Gemma, and Jewels looking at me mischievously. They had overheard everything. Frustration overwhelmed me, knowing my cousins couldn''t keep a secret. "How much did you hear?" I asked Charlotte who was their ringleader. "Enough, Liam," she replied with a teasing kissing sound, promptingughter from the others. "When are you going to ask her out?" Jewels inquired, and I shook my head. They were always teasing me, although they were fun to have around. "Not in the mood," I muttered, walking past them. "Well, Grandma will be," Gemma remarked, causing me to cringe. It would be a disaster if our grandmother found out. She would surely invite Sophia, and I didn''t want to imagine how she would handle it. "Please don''t tell her," I pleaded, and theyughed. "You know we''ve got your back, Your Highness," Charlotte said with a wink, making a zipping motion across her lips. "We won''t spill the beans." I thanked them and went inside. Since they didn''t follow me, I assumed they were done with the party and leaving. I was ready to call it a night too, but I knew my ssmates had prepared a surprise for me, and it would be impolite to disappear, considering the effort they had put into it. Returning to join my cousins on the couch, Maya approached me before I could update them on the situation. I wasn''t in the mood for her attention-seeking antics. "I was hoping you''d want to dance," Maya said, and I couldn''t stand her. She had no business being there, being two years younger than us. Unless she was apanied by someone, she shouldn''t have attended. However, I guessed her parents were okay with it, as she was already sixteen. "What are you doing here, Maya Rivers?" Marvin snapped, clearly irritated. She smiled at him, undeterred. "I''m here to have fun," she replied, shing a smile. Her choice of dress was inappropriate, giving off the impression that she had ulterior motives. She was too young for this, and I couldn''t fathom why her mother allowed it. "No," I curtly responded, causing her smile to fade. But she didn''t give up. She proceeded to ask everyone, and eventually, Miles agreed to save her from further embarrassment. I was relieved because her eyes had begun to well up, and she seemed on the verge of tears. As time went by, I received a meaningful present from my ssmates¡ªa que adorned with their signatures and heartfelt messages, pledging their loyalty when my time to lead arrived. It was a truly exquisite gift. In addition, my cousins were also honoured with ques, as they were destined to be future lords of the north. The ceremony was a sight to behold, filled with beauty and significance. Once the event concluded, I entrusted the que to Marvin and hailed a taxi to make my way to Sophia''s house. Despite theteness of the hour, I disregarded the time. This was a now-or-never moment. I fervently hoped that she would ept my proposal and be willing to give our rtionship a chance. If the fated mate connection ever came into y, we would confront it together when the time arrived. My wolf, Alex, was ecstatic about the prospect. Meanwhile, my mind raced, contemting how I would express my feelings, and strategising how I would handle any potential positive or negative response from Sophia. One thing I resolved to do tonight was to share a kiss with her, if circumstances allowed. N?velDrama.Org is the owner. I held onto the hope that she reciprocated my affections. In my eyes, Sophia was the embodiment of perfection, leaving no room for doubt or hesitation. I had a strong inkling that my mother would approve of her as well. I got to her street and asked the cab to park a few blocks away from her house and leave. I nned to shift and run back home. I tried to link her as usual so she would know I was around, but there was no response. As I approached her house, I saw the light in the living room and kitchen, but there was none at her window. I wondered if she had waited and fallen asleep. Her father''s car wasn''t in the driveway, so I figured he had not returned from his mission with Alpha Thompson. Partially transforming my physical form, I silently scaled the house, aiming to reach her window undetected. I suppressed my scent to prevent my overpowering aura from alerting anyone inside. I tried to feel for her presence, but I got nothing, and it made me a bit nervous. Crouching by her window, I knocked lightly, but no response came. Then I squinted to look through the window, relying on my night vision. Sophia wasn''t in the room. I cautiously descended from the roof and stealthily made my way through the house, desperately longing to feel her presence. As I reached the back, Beta Mike emerged, shirtless, clearly having just finished bathing. His expression was cold and unweing. I stood frozen in ce, undeterred by his hostility. Although his demeanour instilled no fear in me, I cleared my throat and faced him with resolve. I was eighteen, after all. "Good evening, Beta Mike," I uttered softly, and he responded with a growl. "Isn''t it toote for you to be lurking around my residence, Your Highness?" he sneered, leaving me without a retort. "Sophia didn''t attend our graduation party, so I came to check on her," I exined, and he nodded. "At midnight. Couldn''t it have waited until tomorrow? Besides, she has no business being at that party. She''s not even sixteen yet and two years your junior," he remarked, and he was correct, but Sophia was only a few months away from turning sixteen. I stood there, wordlessly gazing at him. "Regardless, she isn''t home, and she won''t be returning. I''ve sent her and her mother far away from this forsaken ce," he revealed, and a sinking feeling engulfed me. I couldn''t quite describe the sensation, but it surpassed mere heartbreak. "Where?" I inquired, my voice barely audible. "Far away from here, and she won''t being back," he stated bluntly, shattering myposure. Anger surged within me. "Tell me where!" I demanded, my voice trembling, but he resisted mypulsion. "I anticipated someone trying to force the information out of me, so I instructed Suzy not to reveal their destination. If you truly care about her, Your Highness, you''ll forget about her. I sent her away for her own good," he exined, and I battled the urge to confront him. He had torn something precious away from me. It felt as if my entire world was copsing at that very moment. I had spoken to her just a few hours ago. I should have left the party immediately and rushed to her side. I would have seen her, confessed my feelings, and taken her away from there. If protection was what she needed, I would have provided it. Gazing at the man before me, I stumbled backwards, aware that he wouldn''t divulge any further. "I''m sorry, Your Highness. I didn''t anticipate it affecting you like this, but I had no choice," he uttered remorsefully, and I snarled at him. My wolf, Alex, began to emerge. He took a step back, assuming a defensive stance, prepared to defend himself. Yet, I had no intention of attacking him. I wouldn''t engage in a fight. Stepping away, I shifted and sprinted towards the woods, unleashing a howl that carried the anguish of my soul. The most painful part was that I never had the chance to express my feelings to her or bid her farewell. 02 In Search Of Sophia (Book 3) 02 In Search Of Sophia (Book 3) ~Liam~ I pushed through the forest, howling my soul, pleading with the moon for peace, hoping for a sign of something that would lead me to Sophia, but I knew I was heading nowhere. How can I have experienced joy, anticipation and hopelessness simultaneously? I berated myself for wasting time, for thinking there would always be time. I believed she would always be there, within my grasp, ready for me when I was ready. Her father had ripped her away from my life for reasons best known to him. Coming to a halt, Alex plopped on the dirt by a tree, mourning our loss because deep down, I knew I might never see her again. "She might reach out on the phone," Alex thought, and with that, a glimmer of hope rose in my heart. As much as that was a possibility, I wished I had seen her tonight and told her my intentions. What if it is toote by the time she reaches out. "We can utilise the royal resources to find them," Alex said. "You know Father would see that as an abuse of power and privilege," I replied my wolf. "Uncle David or Theodore might help," he said, and even though they were the least strict members of our family, I knew they would not see reason. It wasn''t like Sophia and I were fated. Besides, they will still hand the matter over to Alpha Thompson, and Mike is his beta. I doubt it will be helpful. "We have to rely on that phone call," I said, and I opted to try her number, but I had lost my phone when I shifted. Knowing I needed a phone for her contact number, I traced my footsteps back the way I came. It took a while because it wasn''t easy to trace my scent. I made many rounds and finally fell asleep by a tree. I woke up in the morning and continued until I found the device on the ground. I used my nuzzle to flip the phone to the screen and saw that the battery was dead and the screen was cracked, but that was an easy situation. I would just have to rece the screen. Holding the phone in my mouth. I headed towards my grandparent''s home. People waved and greeted Alex as we strode along, congratting me for graduating, but there was no way to acknowledge them. I hoped they wouldn''t see me as arrogant, but my heart wasn''t in a good ce at the moment. I finally arrived at the estate and found Charlotte outside, worried sick. She still had her nightdress on, and she had bags under her eyes. "Liam," she said with joy and ran towards my wolf. Bending, she hugged me and began to cry. "We were afraid. You didn''te home, and we were afraid," she said, weeping. "Where did you go? You got everyone worried; Grandma and Grandpa were worried sick; each hour passing, they contemted calling your father. You know, Grandpa just got his wolf back, yet he shifted and went to look for you. Why will you disappear like that?" she said, still crying. I was ashamed of myself for putting my family in so much trouble and unrest. "Where are Marvin and the others?" I linked her. She broke away from me, and we started heading back to the house. I refused to shift back to my human form. "Everyone is out looking for you, especially Harper. She said you went to Sophia''s house. We called, and her father answered. He said you didn''te by; that was why we got very worried," she said, and a rage surged within me. Why would that piece of shit lie? I immediately shifted back to my human form, and the phone fell. I picked it up and stormed into the house. "That lying piece of shit," I growled, and Charlotte was confused. "What is the matter, Li?" She asked. A worker brought me shorts, and I wore them before turning to face her. Her eyes were swollen and tired from tears. I wondered where Gemma and Jewels were. "Where are the others?" I asked. "They went with Harper, Eleanor too," She said and moved closer to me. She used the back of her hand to touch my forehead. I guess she was wondering if I were sick. "What happened out there, Li? Why are you mad?" she asked. I could be angry around her because she was an Alpha like me; some might even argue that the triplets were stronger since their biological mother was an Alpha too. I stepped back and sat on a chair. "I am angry that that bastard, Mike, lied that I did note by the house. I went there, and we spoke before Alex took over from rage,nding me in the forest," I said, and she was surprised, then slowly, anger covered her face. "That snake? Why would he lie? What happened?" She asked.N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. "I went to check on Sophia and found out she wasn''t there. While trying to figure it out, he came out through the back and told me he had sent her and her mother away for their protection. I tried to find out where he sent them. I even identallypelled him, but he said he had anticipated compulsion and told his mate not to tell him where they were going. That tipped me off, and I bolted into the woods to calm down," I said, and she was silent for a bit. I knew my reasons might seem silly, but only I knew how I felt. Charlotte might not even comprehend it. "Did you call her phone?" Charlotte asked me, and I realised how stupid I was. "No, I didn''t. The way Mike spoke to me did not allow me to think. Iter realised that was an option and spent the rest of the dark searching for my phone, which I did not find until dawn. But the battery is dead, and the screen is broken," I said, and she handed me her phone. "Take, use my phone. Call her," Charlotte said. "You have her number?" I asked, and her cheeks coloured. "Why do you think no one dared ask her out? We made sure of it. Harper, Gemma, Jewels and I have always known of your crush. I mean, you made our parents send all of us to Grizlo because of her. The instant you chose Grizlo Academy, we knew why; what we did not expect was that our parents would require us to join you. Well, here we are, so we kind of kept tabs on her to be sure she won''t break your heart when you are ready. We do not want a heartbroken king ruling us," She said, making meugh. Her phone gave me hope, and the realisation that I could reach out to Sophia gave me hope. Charlotte unlocked her phone and disyed Sophia''s number. I dialled it immediately, and I was grateful the phone rang. It rang for a while before she finally picked. "Sophie, Sophie," I said. "Li?" she asked, and I rxed. "Where are you? I went by your housest night, and your father said he had sent you and your mother away. Tell me where you are, and I wille and get you. If you need protection, I can provide it," I said, and I heard her crying on the phone. "I didn''t think you could help us, Li; I think my father ¡­." She did not finish when I heard a rustling sound. "Sophie! Sophie!" I called out on the phone, afraid something horrible had happened to her. "Hello," a female voice said, and I knew it was her mother. "Mrs Maguire, it''s me, Liam," I said, and she sighed. "Oh dear Liam, my husband said you came by yesterday, and you were distraught," she said, and I did not respond. "I am sorry it was sudden, your Highness, but this was for the best. You need not involve yourself in things that are beneath you. You were always above our ss. I think it is best this way. I am sure you have other friends," she said, and I was confused. "What are you saying? Where are you? If you are in trouble, I can help," I said, and she sniffled, which made me know she was crying. "You can''t help us. I doubt the Royal family will want to be caught up in this mess. I am sorry, your Highness, but where we are going, even your father won''t be able to find us, and as for this number, I have confiscated it. It is best you move on and forget about my daughter," She said, and I heard Sophia in the background. "No, momma, No! At least let me say goodbye, please. I am begging you." She was pleading and crying in the background, and her mother said no. "I am sorry, Li! I ¡­" she said, but the line went dead before she could finish the sentence. I took the phone from my ear and looked at the screen in my hand. Silent tears were streaming down my cheeks. I redialed the number and put it on speaker, hoping it would ring, but it did not go through. I called repeatedly, and Charlotte quietly pried the phone from my grip. Without saying a word, she wrapped her arms around me and held me. I did not know I was crying until she held me. "It is okay, Li; it is okay to cry. It is just us; no one will know," she said, her voice shaking too. A sniffle betrayed her tears. She had heard the conversation too. She held me for a bit, and soon I wiped away my tears and went to my room to freshen up. I was going through the motions. Thinking of the many ways this would have gone. Had I arrived there early, they wouldn''t have been able to take her. I would have abused my power and grabbed her from them. I stood under the shower and wept. I had nned it all out. My graduation, asking her out, marrying her. Everything. Some would say I was too young to think of things like that at eighteen, but I had it all nned. I had the urge to go to her house and beat the hell out of Mike. I wanted to beat him until he could tell me why. I fought my rage under the shower, and when I finally realised I had to give in, I turned it off, dressed up and headed out of my room. Ready to return to the Maguire''s residence and do some damage. I was greeted by everyone in the living room. My grandmother and everyone looked concerned. They felt sorry for me, and somehow, I knew they knew. I looked at Charlotte, who shook her head, indicating she did not tell them. "She didn''t tell us, Liam," my grandfather said. "We figured it out when your cousins returned from the Maguire''s and said the house was empty. Mike has fled too," Grandpa said, and my grandmother came to me and hugged me. "Oh, Liam, my sweet child. I am sorry your journey is starting like this. You have to let her go, Liam. Her father is in big trouble, and I doubt they can ever show their faces again. You have to let her go," my grandmother said, and I broke the hug and looked at her. "What did Beta Mike do?" I asked, and she looked at me. I could see her contemting whether or not to tell me what he did. "You have to tell me, Grandma," I said, desperate to understand what had happened. "He murdered the alpha and his family. Their bodies were found this morning. People are looking for him. Unlike in Lund, Grizlo''sws are a bit different; if they catch him, it means they will ughter his wife and daughter too. Your parents can''t interfere with the localw," She said, and I froze. It was as if everything was at a standstill. 03 A Moment To Ponder (Book 3) 03 A Moment To Ponder (Book 3) ~Liam~ I was yet to wrap my head around what I had just heard. I sat on the couch, trying to make sense of everything. Beta Mike had gone on a mission with Alpha Thompson. That was what Sophia insinuated, so why the murder? I remembered how he looked when he came from the back of his house. He had just showered, and he seemed a bit uneasy. What could havee over Mike to make him do this? I now understood why Sophia''s mother said I couldn''t help them. I sat on the chair, clueless and confused. I should be celebrating by now, and Sophia should be with me; instead, there was a shadow of gloom over me. "You''ll be alright, Li," I heard Harper''s voice in my head. I turned towards her, and her eyes were misty where she stood next to Lilly. Eleanor was in tears, too, and Gemma was consoling her. How could my life take a turn in one night? "It gets better, Liam," My Grandmother said, and I looked at her and shook my head. "I never got to say goodbye or tell her how I feel. I never got the chance," I said, and she nodded and came to sit beside me on the couch. "As cruel as this may sound, you should be grateful. We cannot be associated with that family. A serious crime has beenmitted, and Head Alpha Christian would hunt for them. Right now, their lives are forfeit," My Grandmother said and sniffled. "Poor Sophia, such a gentle soul. How unfortunate is she to have such a father. Whatever the issue might have been, Mike should have thought of the well-being of his family and not acted foolishly, and now, he has destroyed their lives. His wife and child will remain in hiding for the rest of their lives. They have to live in perpetual fear for the rest of their lives. They will always be fugitives," My Grandmother said. "How are you sure he did it. Did they ask the Gamma and Delta?" I asked, hoping that somehow they were mistaken and Mike was innocent. "No, son," Grandpa Jake said. There was heavy sorrow in his voice. "The Delta and Gamma are out searching for him right now. They will have to report to the head alphater this evening. We are lucky Mike said you did note by his house. It means you won''t need to answer questions, and the royal family''s name won''t be near this mess." My grandfather said, and I figured that was the reason Mike lied. But someone that lied to protect my name would not do something as heinous as murder the alpha and his family. Something was wrong. "I do not think he did it," I said with a low whisper, and Grandpa Jake sat beside me and rubbed my back gently. "I wished things went differently between Sophia and you, Liam. She is great. I can understand your desire to believe his innocence, but he isn''t. His fur was in the murder scene, His nails, fur and w marks in their wounds. They are still investigating. But all the evidence point to him. There was no one else there with them. He killed them and fled the scene, then instructed his wife to run away with their daughter while he tied up loose ends. He followed maybe shortly after he encountered you. You have to let it go, Liam, and move on. Your father was your age when his father made his girlfriend leave and seizemunication. He was heartbroken for a while. No one knew he would ever settle down, but now, it is as if that never happened. I know you will get over this," He said, and I shook my head. "Sophia is my friend..." I said, and Harper''s phone began to ring. I knew it was her phone because we had the same ringtone as me, and my phone was out of business. I looked at her, and the look on her face gave away who it was. It was either our father or mother. Most likely our mother. It made me nervous, and my stomach churned. Soon Harper walked to me and handed me the phone. "It''s Mom," She said, and I took it reluctantly, knowing that my Grandmother must have told her what had happened. "Hello," I said, and I heard a sigh at the other end. "Liam, where did you gost night? Everyone was worried about you," she asked, and I was speechless. How could I tell her my whereabouts without bringing up Sophia''s father? "I am fine. I just got excited and decided to go hunting all night," I lied and looked at my Grandmother, who had a look of disappointment on her face. "I heard you went to Beta Mike''s house. You did not know how scared I was when I learned what he had done. I was afraid that he might have hurt you, Liam. You shouldn''t go off like that. Never go anywhere without Marvin, Oliver and Miles. They aren''t just your cousins but your team and future officers," she said, and I was silent. It was clear there was no point lying anyway. "How are you feeling," she finally asked, and I did not know how to answer the question. Everyone was there. It was as if my problem had be everyone''s business. "Do you mind if I call you back, Mom?" I asked her, and she sighed. "I know you need a moment. Call me soon. Love you," she said, and we hung up. My mother was cool like that. She knew when to give us space, and I appreciate her for it. I handed the phone to Harper and got off the couch. "Where are you going?" My Grandmother asked. "Out; I needed some air," I said, looking at everyone around. "I aming with you," Mile said, and I nodded. It was okay to have hime along. "Me too," Marvin said, and I did not need to guess whether Oliver would being. We left the house, and Miles suggested we go hunting to take my mind off what had happened. But how could I forget it when yesterday would have been an excellent day for me. The thought of never seeing Sophie again was harsh, and I could not ept it. I did not want my grandparents to know my ns because they would freak out. We got to the woods, and I did not feel like shifting. Alex had not said a word to me, so I knew he needed his minute. We were attached to Sophia, and she was always there. I could not believe that ripping her away from my life could be as easy as this. I had never felt so powerless in my life. Growing up, I believed I could have anything and do anything I wanted. What had happened had shown me my limitation, and they were painful. I had heard the story about Susan and my father several times, but that wasn''t Sophia and me. I couldn''t let that happen to us. My grandfather caused my father''s limitations, but I knew my father would not hinder me. N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. The dirt on the Maguires was too much to wash off. I wondered if it were possible to find a way to have them pardon Sophia and her mother while they hunted for Mike to exin himself. I also knew it was wishful thinking because my family would not get involved unless it became a general problem involving all regions. I leaned against a tree and ran my fingers through my hair out of frustration. Sophia''s voice over the phone yed in my mind. She was afraid. I couldn''t just sit back and let this happen to her. I needed to do something, and I needed to do it quickly. As much as I hated to admit it. There were just two people I knew that could get involved with the matter regardless of the consequence, and they weren''t in Grizlo. 04 Sounds Like A Plan( Book 3) 04 Sounds Like A n( Book 3) ~Liam~ I remained with my back against the tree, thinking about how best to handle the matter with Sophia. Letting go wasn''t going to be an option. How could I lead one day if I could not save the girl I wanted to spend the rest of my life with? Only I knew how I felt. "What up?" Miles asked me, taking off his shirt. I shook my head. "I am not hunting; Alex isn''t in the mood," I said, and he stopped what he was doing. "There is nothing we can do about it, Li. Mike fucked up. You aren''t King yet and won''t be for a long time. I think you should just let her go," he said, and Marvin and Oliver approached. "Yeah, I think you should let her go, Li. She is great and all that, but this is beyond us. You heard our grandma Stephanie; we can''t get involved. Even our parents can''t get involved. I doubt we would still be in Grizlo if they had told either of our fathers. They know how close we are to the Maguires because of your rtionship with Sophia. There is no way they would have let us remain here. Your mom is cool. Mine would have yanked us out of here," Oliver said, and weughed. Aunty Linda was that protective. His words made me smile a bit. "At least I managed to work your facial muscles into a smile," He teased, and the restughed. "I do not n to let her go," I confessed, and their demeanour changed. "So what do you want to do?" Marvin asked on a serious note. "Investigate and find out what really happened, then figure out how to get her and her mother out of the mess should Mike be guilty," I said, and Miles shook his head. "Bad idea, Li. You are going to get all of us in trouble for that. That man did it. He ran away," He said, and I nodded. "Yet he lied that I did note by his house so I do not get caught up in the mess. Something is off. He might be innocent, or it might have been self-defence," I said, and Oliver disagreed. "What threat were Luna Glenda and her daughter Lara to him that he had to do them in too? His fur was in the w marks that killed them." Oliver said, and I nodded. "I get that part, but what did Beta Mike stand to gain in all this?" I asked, and neither could answer. "Maybe they had a deal, and money was involved. You know, people do crazy stuff for money," Marvin said, and I shook my head. "I doubt that is the case. There is more to this; I am getting to the bottom of it. I can''t let Sophia go like that. I can, and I won''t. I refuse to give her up," I said, and Oliver rested his hand on my shoulder and shook me slightly. "Are you nuts? You can''t get caught up in that shit. You know what this may mean for our family. We might be royals, but we have limits, Li. Your father has limits," He said, and I shook my head, pushing his hands off my shoulder. "You didn''t hear her on the phone. She was scared," I said, and Miles nodded. "She is with her mother. She will be fine," he said, and I shook my head. "They were both afraid. We can''t abandon them to their fate," I said, and Marvin growled. "I know you like her and all, and you have a long-time crush on each other, but this is too much of a price to pay. You two aren''t even fated. What do you stand to gain in all this? We just graduated, Li. We can''t start risking our lives, delving our noses into matters that do not concern us." He said, and I sighed. "I don''t have a crush; I love her," I said, and they were silent. "Why didn''t you ask her out ?" Oliver asked. "I wanted to wait and be sure a fated wouldn''te between us. But since I turned eighteen, I am yet to meet someone. I only held back because I wanted her to turn eighteen too, but I realised I couldn''t wait yesterday and decided I was ready to take that leap of faith with her. Determined to damn the consequences and reject whoeveres along after," I said, and Marvin sighed. Neither of them could speak. A gloom upied the atmosphere. I knew my words had sunk in deep. "So what do you want to do now?" Marvin finally asked, and I nodded. "Alpha Max and Kyle will help," I said, and Marvin''s eyes widened while Oliver and Miles were shocked. "You want to go to the East? What will we tell our parents we are going to do there? And how can they help with what has happened in Grizlo?" Oliver asked, and I nodded. "They are neutral parties. Uncle Leo is Family; he will tell our parents but Alpha Max and Kyle will help us. Think about it. Every time we go to Mountain for holidays, who are the people that cover up for us?" I asked, and they knew where I was headed. "This is different, Li. It isn''t youthful exuberance. It is a life-and-death situation. Did it ever ur to you that they could also get into trouble if they choose to help us?" Marvin asked, and I shook my head. "I know they will help. They do not have obligations like the others, and the royal family will not be involved. I am sure if we reach out, they will help," I said, trying to convince all of us, Including myself. There was uncertainty in the air, but that was all I had. Every other person I knew was either a Volkov or a Stepanov or had a seat on the council. If I would sessfully help Sophia, I needed influential people who had no business with the royal family or the council, and that was Alpha Max and Kyle. I also had a good rtionship with them. I had a strong feeling that they won''t turn me down. What happened in Grizlo wasn''t a general problem, so I knew no one would lift a finger. I wouldn''t forgive myself if I let something bad happen to Sophia. After we had discussed my ns in the woods extensively, we decided to head back home. We arrived home, and to my surprise, everyone was packing, including Grandpa and Grandma. "What is going on here?" Marvin asked, but I did not need to guess; I already knew what had happened. "Go and pack your things, son; we are returning to the estate?" Grandpa Jake said to Marvin, and Oliver grumbled. We all hated it in the estate. It was isted from everyone, especially my parent''s bungalow. They might like the serene feel of privacy, but we hated it. We wanted to mingle and mix with people that weren''t our rtives. "But why all of a sudden?" Marvin asked. "MiKe''s crime is in the news, and your fathers heard. The King is angry that we did not inform him immediately, and the Lords feel the same," Grandpa Jake said, sounding a bit sad. It was clear he wasn''t letting on everything that had transpired. My Grandmother rubbed his back gently to calm down, which meant they had had a heated argument with our fathers, and it was all my fault. "What does Mike''s crimes have to do with us?" Oliver said, and Grandma sighed. "Liam moved here because of Sophia. Everyone knows it, even Sylvester. If Mike could murder his alpha, Luna and their daughter, what would stop him from hurting the future heir to the throne? They do not want any of you here so they can protect you. I do not know what is happening, but your parents do not want you near this mess," She said. Oliver looked at me. I knew what the look was about. It was about our discussion in the woods, but I couldn''t care less. I meant what I said about helping Sophia. Nothing my father could say or do would deter me from helping her. He has had his love story and happily ever after; his love for me would not hinder me from mine. I did not care about Mike, but Sophia was in this mess, and she needed help. I did not say anything or give away any sign that I was nning something. Instead, I walked past my Grandmother to head up the stairs to my room. Charlotte was at the head of the stairs and sad too. It will be hard saying goodbye to all their friends. I was so caught up in what was happening to me that I did not think of how the matter would affect my sister and cousins, especially the triplets. Most of their friends were from Grizlo. How will they manage? "I am sorry, Charlotte," I linked her, and she shook her head. Instead, she drew me close and hugged me. "It is not your fault, Li. We were bound to leave someday," She said and broke the hug. She wiped away her tears and smiled. "Been eighteen for months now and no sign of Mister, right. We might just get lucky in Lund. Hopely our fathers allow us to visit the city, and we do not stay couped up in that castle," She said, and I gave a half smile that made her giggle. Gemma and Eleanor approached just then. "Guess you will see Alexsander soon," I told Eleanor, and she was indifferent about seeing her twin brother. She did not have toe to Grizlo Academy, but she was too etched to Harper and Lilly to follow her twin brother to Lund Academy. I could understand her sadness. The people from Grizlo were cool and simple. They did not live fake lifestyles like the people in Lund. There weren''t gold diggers trying to get with us, except for Maya Rivers, who was also from Lund. Had the situation been different, I would haveughed. I knew Maya''s parents had moved to Grizlo so she could go to the academy, and I knew any of us was their target. "Do you need me to help you pack?" Charlotte asked, and I knew she just wanted to be busy. "Yeah, sure," I said while Gemma and Eleanor descended the stairs. "Do you need help?" I heard Harper in my head, and I looked at the foyers from the top of the stairs and saw her looking up. She was worried for me. "Charlotte is helping already," I linked back, and she nodded. We headed to my room, and Charlotte started helping me pack. I could tell a lot was going on in her mind with how she focused on the task she had given herself. Soon her phone began to ring, and she asked me to help her get it. "I am not in the mood to talk to anyone now," she said, and I reached for her phone to answer. It was an unsaved number, so whoever was calling wasn''t on her contact list. I cautiously answered, and the voice that came through made me freeze. "Charlotte, please may I speak to Liam? I do not have much time," I heard her gentle voicee through the phone. She was afraid as before. "Sophie.." I said, and she was silent a bit, then she responded quickly. "Li, I am sorry," she said, her voice breaking. "You have nothing to apologise for. Where are you? Can you get away?" I asked, and Charlotte was instantly beside me, curiosity written on her face. "No, we are on a private boat in the cargo section. I was able to take Charlotte''s number from my phone before they threw it into the sea. I do not have anyone''s number, Li, and your phone is switched off," She said, sounding afraid and crying. "I am so scared, Li. There are weird people here, and I do not know where we are going. I do not think we are safe. I think we are being held. Not sure. They took my mother up the deck, and she left her phone. I have been trying to call, but there is nowork here. Thework just came back now. This is my mother''s line; I am sure they will throw it away once they see it, Li," she said, and I wondered where they would be going that would require them to travel by boat and who these men were. "Listen to me, Sophia. I need you to hide this phone as best as you can. When you get to your destination, I need you to find a way tomunicate your location so I cane and get you," I said. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. "No, Li, my family is in a big mess. These men are dangerous. I do not think it is wise. He did it, Li. He murdered them. He came home covered in blood. I do not know what to do, Li," she said, weeping. I could hear that she was afraid. "I will think of something," I said, not knowing what I would do, but I needed to tell her something to ease her mind. "Do not get in trouble for my sake, Li. I am just calling to say goodbye properly..." She said, and I shook my head. "No, Sophia, do not say goodbye to me," I said. "But I have to, Li; I do not think we will ever see each other again¡­" She said, and the line went dead. I dialled the number, and it was out of coverage. I ran my fingers through my hair, frustrated and confused. I just needed a minute. I needed a fucking minute. I needed everything to be still so I could think. "What are we going to do, Li?" Charlotte asked me, looking worried. "I can''t let her rot away for her father''s crimes," I said, and she nodded in agreement. "Should we plead with our parents to look into the matter and see how they can intervene for their sake? I am sure Your father can bend a bit on this. She is an ionnocent person, Li. They should bend on it. Let us talk to our folks about it and see what happens," She said. I did not want to tell her my intentions to go to the East for help, so I nodded. There was no harm in asking my parents for help before seeking assistance elsewhere. Deep down, I hoped my father would listen and help out. Sophia didn''t sound like they wouldst. 05 Tea Time 05 Tea Time ~Tamia~ The news of the incident in Grizlo had profoundly unsettled us. My anxiety grew when Stephanie called, informing me that Liam hadn''t returned home. I repeatedly dialled Harper''s number, each time hearing that they were still searching for him, which only heightened my fear. The situation worsened when I discovered that Liam had visited Mike''s house, and the man had imed not to have seen him, as ryed by Jake. Even though our world had been rtively peaceful, I knew all too well that trouble could arise at any moment. Nothing felt within our control. So I anxiously waited, contemting whether or not to inform Sylvester. My worry escted upon learning about Mike''s criminal activities. I feared that Liam might have witnessed something and been harmed as a result. It took great courage to keep this information from Sylvester. Finally, hearing his voice brought immense relief. I was grateful that Liam was unharmed and safe from Mike''s grasp. However, it didn''t take long before I discovered that Sylvester had learned about the incident and was furious with Jake for not informing him earlier. I empathised with Jake and Stephanie for their silence. Though it was risky, since every second counted, I understood their intention to avoid exaggerating the situation. Sylvester paced anxiously in the living room of our home, which made our youngest children, Joseph and Keith, slightly nervous. "You can go and y in the backyard, boys," I assured them, and Keith swiftly gathered his belongings. "I think I''ll head to the mansion," Joseph said, and Keith asked if he could join him. They were due to start at Lund Academy in a week, so it made sense for them to spend more time there with their siblings. As Joseph and Keith departed, I turned my attention to Sylvester. "You need to calm down and hold yourself together. It''s not their fault that Liam didn''te home last night," I advised, and he gazed at me, seeking answers. "You knew?" he questioned, and I affirmed with a nod. "Stephanie called this morning to let me know that Liam hadn''t returned, and they were searching for him," I exined, and he let out a sigh before finding a seat on one of the couches. "That boy can be so careless at times. If something happened to him, how would we even trace his whereabouts?" he expressed, a mix of annoyance and worry evident in his voice. "You need to loosen up a bit, my love. He''s eighteen now, no longer a child, and we can''t control every move he makes," I reassured him, hoping to ease his concerns. He nodded in response. "Still, I want him to be safe. Everyone knows he''s the heir. I don''t want anything to happen to him," he admitted. "And nothing will. Everyone is watching out for him, including his cousins. I highly doubt that Miles, Marvin, and Oliver had no idea where he was. Remember how it was with you, Marcel, and Theo? It''s the same for them. You need to rx a little, and I believe an apology to Jake is in order," I suggested, sensing his resistance. "They shouldn''t have to deal with all this. Even though Liam requested to go to Grizlo, it wasn''t their responsibility to house and take care of our children. They''ve been nothing but kind. You shouldn''t hold any animosity towards Jake and your mother because of Liam''s mistakes. If you feel the need to reprimand someone, it should be Liam himself. If his phone had been reachable, there wouldn''t have been a reason to panic," I reasoned, and he eventually agreed. I moved to sit beside him, gently rubbing his back in a soothing manner. "Our children are growing, Sylvester; you must loosen your grip. They are not troublesome children, and they can take care of themselves. I think it''s important to give Liam some leniency. He has always been exemry, and it''s not his fault that Mike Maguire chose to ruin his own future and that of his family. Sophia isn''t to me, either. We just need to help Liam navigate through this difficult time because he''s not handling it well. Even if he hasn''t explicitly said it, we know how much he cares for Sophia. Remember how devastated you were when Susan left the North? Liam is at that age, going through something simr now, and he needs our support," I gently exined, and he looked at me, sighing in acknowledgement. "I was afraid," he confessed, revealing aplex mix of emotions. I nodded understandingly and embraced him. "He''s safe, and they''re on their way back home. He will need all the support he can get to ovee this," I assured him, and he wrapped his arms around me, seekingfort in my presence. I knew how fiercely protective Sylvester was, and Liam''s recent experience reinforced to him that some things were beyond his control. It was time for my husband to start epting that our twins were growing up. Sylvester retreated to his office, and I decided to join thedies in the garden for some tea. Avery, as usual, was the one organising the tea party, and under normal circumstances, we would have all been present. However, the news from Grizlo had cast a somber mood upon the gathering. As I arrived, I could sense the heaviness in the air, no need to inquire about the cause. "How did Sylvester handle it?" Avery asked as I settled into one of the cane chairs. Leaning forward, I helped myself to some tea and chocte fudge cookies. "He was quite upset and took it out on Jake for not informing him sooner," I replied, and Avery nodded in understanding. "Marcel and Theo were furious with Jake for not keeping them informed as well. In any case, I heard they are on their way back," Avery informed me, and I nodded in acknowledgement. "How is Liam coping with all of this?" Linda inquired, and a heavy sigh escaped my lips. "He didn''t seem all right when I spoke to him. He mentioned he would call me back but hasn''t yet. I believe he''s still processing everything that has happened," I exined, and thedies expressed their sympathy for him. "He truly cared for Sophia," udia chimed in. "The triplets would often tease him about his crush when they talked about their trip to Grizlo. They''ve been friends for so long, Tamia. Liam will need a lot of support toe to terms with the possibility of never seeing her again," she said, and I sighed, fully aware of the emotional turmoil my son must be experiencing. The situation was undeniably awful, and it was an unfortunate way for him to start this new chapter of his life. Liam had just graduated, for goodness'' sake. Why couldn''t Mike think about his family and their future and do the right thing? Whatever the issue might have been, he should have known better. I didn''t want to rush to judge the man because he and Margret had always been wonderful people, and we hadn''t picked up any negative vibes during the few times we had met. Mike seemed stern, as he should be, but not malicious. Nevertheless, our limited knowledge of them prevented us from drawing any conclusions. The only constant in life was change, and people were susceptible to it. Mike might have taken a wrong turn at some point. "Why would Mike do something so horrendous?" Nicole eximed, her anger palpable in her voice. "We understand that it''s not our concern, but why would he destroy his own life and that of his family? Now they''re being hunted by everyone, and Alpha Christain is sparing no expense," Nicole continued, her frustration evident, and a heavy silence fell upon us. Living would be incredibly difficult for the Maguire family with the massive manhunt initiated by Alpha Christain. What made it even more agonising was the fact that this incident resulted in the obliteration of an entire family. Why would Mike kill the Luna and her daughter as well? What could possibly drive him tomit an act that would ultimately lead to the forfeiture of his own life? C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. "We haven''t even considered the fact that Margret and Sophia will also face execution for this... mess," Katya interjected, and another solemn silence enveloped us. It was an unspoken truth that none of us wanted to voice aloud. Mike hadmitted familicide, wiping out an entire family, and byw, his own would be eradicated as well. It was aw established to prevent such heinous acts. It mainly protected those in the line of session. Therefore, Dimitri had to used Adrik of treason to carry out the annihtion of Adrik¡¯s family without facing consequences. This was an utterly grim situation, and I could only hope for the best for Margret and her daughter. "Well, since tour children are on their way back, and Mike¡¯s issue doesn''t directly involve us, I suppose we can find some sce," Linda attempted to alleviate the tension in the room, but her words did little to ease the heavy weight on our hearts. Sophia was dear to us. We had known her since she was eight, and Margret had never caused any trouble or emitted negative vibes. The fact that we were familiar with them, and my son had formed an attachment to their daughter, made this situation a personal concern. I knew Liam would not find peace in his heart amidst all of this. ¡°Once our children are back, we can put Mike¡¯s issue behind us,¡± Linda added, desperately trying to move on from the ufortable feeling the topic had brought. I knew she was trying to ease our hearts, but it couldn''t work. We were all affected. "Tell that to Liam. He practically relocated to Grizlo for her. I highly doubt he would have chosen to live with his grandma under normal circumstances. We all knew he moved there to be closer to Sophia. We were silently waiting for the romance to blossom. Charlotte kept me updated with all the juicy gossip about those two. I don''t think he''ll easily recover from this," udia voiced my concerns, and I nodded in agreement. She had spoken the unvarnished truth. "Perhaps when we visit Amelia in the East, it might help him loosen up a bit," Linda suggested optimistically, but I hesitated. The thought of going to the East after everything that had happened didn''t sit well with me. It felt wrong to engage in the usual family gatherings and merriment, knowing the emotional and mental turmoil my son was currently enduring. "I don''t think I''ll be making that trip, Linda," I confessed, disappointment registering on her face. "But why, Tamia? It''s Amelia''s turn to host, and you know how much effort she puts into our get- togethers. It wouldn''t be fair to cancelst minute," Linda protested, and I understood her perspective. "I mean, I spoke to her just yesterday and confirmed our attendance. I can''t just say, ''Sorry, we can''t come because some fool in Grizlomitted familicide and is now on the run.'' How does that rte to us, Tamia? I know Liam had feelings for Sophia, but he''ll move on. They weren''t even dating. Lily mentioned they were just friends. And it''s not like they were destined for each other or anything. I don''t want to sound insensitive, but I believe going to the East might help Liam recover from the shock more quickly," she reasoned, making a valid point. "We''ll see. Once they return today, we can assess the atmosphere and decide," I suggested, and Linda shook her head. "I''m heading to Mountain next week to spend time with Amelia. This mess with Mike doesn''t concern us, and there''s not much we can do to help unless it bes a widespread issue, which I highly doubt. Whatever happened between the beta and the alpha was localised. Don''t you think cancelling our ns would be overly dramatic?" she questioned, and Nicole chimed in, agreeing with her. "Honestly, I''m looking forward to going to the East, and Justin mentioned he would be joining us this time. Hopefully, he''ll find someone special there. He''s too old to be single," Nicole added, and I could understand their eagerness to visit Mountain. I was eager to see Amelia and Leo as well. Perhaps I was being overly dramatic about the entire situation. I simply nodded and continued to sip my tea, contemting our uing decisions. 06 A Unseen Request 06 A Unseen Request ~Tamia~ We remained in the garden, engrossed in conversation about various topics until evening when we received word that our children had returned from Grizlo. I quickly rose from my seat, followed by udia, Linda, and the rest. Nicole, whose children were grown and residing in Lund City, didn''t share the same sense of anticipation as we did. With haste, I made my way towards the driveway in front of the mansion. The vans had arrived, and our children were disembarking. Keith and Joseph immediately embraced Harper as she emerged from the vehicle, and she reciprocated their affection with a radiant smile. One by one, the others showered our returning children with hugs and warm greetings. Charlotte yfully tousled their hair, patiently waiting for her younger siblings to join. It was a joyful but crowded scene, the culmination of the news they had shared and the realisation that their graduation meant they wouldn''t need to return to Grizlo. I approached Harper, and her face lit up with a wide grin upon seeing me. "Mom," she eximed as we embraced. "He''s still in the van," she whispered to me, referring to Liam, and I gave her a gentle pat on the back. "Your father is in his office," I whispered back, well aware of the special bond they shared. Harper broke the hug and headed inside, followed by everyone else. Finally, Liam stepped out of the van. Although he appeared outwardly fine, I knew better. His eyes held a haunted and pained look, and without hesitation, I enveloped him in my arms. "You''ll be okay, son. It will get better," I whispered reassuringly, and he allowed himself to be embraced. It was clear that he needed thisforting gesture, and I was grateful that he let me provide it. After our hug, I posed a question to Liam. "Would you like to see your father first, or would you prefer to go to the bungalow?" I asked, noticing his gaze fixed on the entrance. "I suppose I should see the King first and find out my fate," he replied, and I couldn''t resist yfully ruffling his hair, though I knew it embarrassed him. He may have grown up, but he would always be my little boy. "Come on, I''ll walk you there," I offered, understanding his concerns about facing his father after causing worry by going missing for a few hours. I knew that Sylvester was more worried than angry, but I doubted he would want our son to witness his vulnerable state. As we entered the mansion, a newfound vitality filled the previously quiet halls. The building was bustling with activity, with omegas bustling about attending to various tasks. I knew the dining room would be lively tonight, and I felt a deep sense of gratitude that I had my children with me, safe and sound. My heart went out to Margret and Sophia, and I wished them the best of luck. We reached Sylvester''s office, where Harper was seated on the couch, engrossed in an animated conversation with her father. He sat behind his desk, attentively listening and wearing a smile. I could tell that Sylvester was genuinely relieved to have them back, and I felt a wave of reassurance wash over me. The moment Liam and I walked in, the room fell silent. Sylvester stood up from his chair and approached us. Without a word, he pulled Liam into an embrace. Witnessing their interaction, I felt a sense of relief knowing that this wouldn''t be a heated argument, as had sometimes been the case. Despite their asional shes, they shared a deep connection. As they released the hug, Sylvester ced his hand on Liam''s head in a gentle grip, gently resting it against his own while gazing at him intently. I knew they were having a telepathic conversation, and Liam eventually pulled away, nodding in agreement to whatever had beenmunicated between them. "I''m d all of you are home safely," Sylvester expressed, and Harper beamed with joy. Original from N?velDrama.Org. "Mom, Dad said we''ll be going to our house in the city for the weekend," Harper shared, and I nced at Sylvester, who shrugged in response. "She mentioned that she doesn''t like feeling isted here. I believe the others will follow suit. It''ll only be for the weekend. Besides, we could use some family time before our visit to Mountain," he exined, and I didn''t see any reason to object. It sounded like a good idea, especially since I could also see Joseph and Keith off to school on Monday. I nodded eagerly, but I noticed that Liam didn''t share the same enthusiasm. "Don''t you like the idea?" I asked him, curious about his reaction. He looked at me, his eyes dancing with unspoken thoughts, signalling that he had something to say. "What is it?" I asked Liam, sensing the urgency in his expression. He nced at his father before speaking up. "We need to help them," Liam said, and Sylvester''s smile vanished, reced by a serious expression. "Help who? The Maguires?" I questioned, seeking rification, and Liam nodded in response. "Mikemitted familicide, a grave crime that even the royal family wouldn''t daremit. Their lives are essentially forfeit," I stated, grasping the severity of the situation, and Liam confirmed my understanding with a nod. "I''m certain something doesn''t add up..." Liam began, speaking rapidly, and before I could interject, Sylvester intervened, signalling for me to let Liam continue. "Tell me why you think that," Sylvester urged, leaning on his desk and focusing his attention on Liam while maintaining a stoic demeanour. "Sophia told me they''re being held captive on a boat. Her phone was thrown into the water, and her mother was taken away on the deck. They were kept in the cargo section. She used her mother''s phone to call me, but I haven''t been able to reach her since. If Mike intentionallymitted this murder, why are his family members being held captive? Furthermore, he lied about not seeing me that night. We did see each other, and we spoke. He only denied seeing me to ensure I wouldn''t get entangled in his mess. That''s what I believe," Liam exined passionately,ying out the details that I hadn''t been aware of. "If he was truly a viin, why hesitate to involve the royal family in his predicament? His life was already forfeit. By keeping this information as leverage, he might force us to assist him. I think something is amiss," Liam concluded, and I realised that there was much more to the unfolding events than I had initially understood. "Grizlo has its own set ofws, and the North has a Head Alpha. Unless the matter is brought to the Council by the Head Alpha, and the Council deems it necessary to address, our hands are tied," Sylvester exined to Liam, his tone tinged with a hint of frustration. Liam nodded, acknowledging the limitations. "I understand that, but perhaps we can involve another alpha. Maybe Max and Kyle? They have a reputation for being excellent investigators. We could..." Liam suggested, but Sylvester chuckled, interrupting him. "Max and Kyle may not be the best investigators, Liam. Leo, along with his beta, Casper, on the other hand, possess the skills needed. However, I highly doubt your uncle will want to be entangled in a situation that doesn''t directly concern him. He has enough on his te as it is," Sylvester exined, casting doubt on Liam''s proposal. Liam let out a sigh, his determination emanating from his very aura as he pushed his chest forward. "In that case, I request, as my first assignment, that you send me to Grizlo as their new alpha," Liam dered, leaving both Sylvester and me stunned by his audacity. A heavy silence hung in the air as none of us were eager to speak. Why would Liam consider something so dangerous? The weight of the moment enveloped us, and the question loomed: How could Liam ask us to send him to assume the position of a man who had been murdered under mysterious circumstances? 07 Unwavering 07 Unwavering ~Liam~ Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. The words I uttered left my parent in a state of shock, evident from the look in their eyes. My father stood before me, rendered speechless, and I couldn''t bring myself to meet my mother''s gaze. Though my actions were impulsive, I stood by them wholeheartedly. I had carefully considered everything, engaging in discussions with my sister and cousins during our journey home. When I heard Sophia''s distressed voice on the phone, I realised I couldn''t remain passive, waiting for someone else toe to her rescue. I had to take action. While everyone else sought retribution, I was the only one determined to uncover the truth. I yearned to understand why Mike hadmitted such acts, and I was resolute in my mission to save Sophia. "No, absolutely not," my mother''s voice cut through the air, and I turned to face her. "Liam, are you out of your mind? You''ve just returned home. You graduated yesterday, and now you want to throw your life away in haste. We know nothing about Alpha Thompson''s involvement or the gravity of the situation in Grizlo that led to the conflict with Mike. We are unaware of the extent of the troubles that gue Grizlo. Why do you think we asked your grandparents toe here instead of staying there? Grizlo is their home. We wanted to protect them, and now you want us to send you there? Why, Liam? Let it go. Christian will handle it and determine if Mike is innocent or if there are other factors at y. It''s his predicament, not ours," she pleaded, and I silently acknowledged her concerns. "That''s precisely my point. You shouldn''t perceive it solely as Alpha Christian''s problem. If the issue proves to berger than Grizlo itself and he fails to contain it, it will affect us as well. Besides, Head Alpha Christian isn''t searching for them to resolve the problem or shield them; he''s pursuing them to exact justice. He''s hunting down the Maguires so that Mike pays the full price for his crimes. It''s not a fair chance," I asserted, and she shook her head in disbelief. "I will make sure your father speaks to Christian; I won''t allow you to go there. The position of the alpha of Grizlo is precarious at the moment. Choose something else, perhaps a role in Lund, anything for your first assignment, but not Grizlo. I''m begging you, Liam," she pleaded, her eyes glistening with tears. "You have no idea how terrified I was when they were searching for you, knowing that Mike had committed murder and there was a chance you had gone to his house. Have somepassion for me. Your father and I are too young to bear this level of stress, Liam. And you, you''re too young for all of this too. Let her go," she implored, her voice filled with desperation. I shook my head and turned to my father. His expression showed his disapproval, evident in his eyes. "No," he stated firmly, and I remained standing my ground. "If you don''t allow me to go there officially, then I''ll go to Grizlo on my own and investigate. I can do it," I dered, causing my mother to gasp in shock. "Liam, you need to calm down," Harper interjected, reaching out to me, but I couldn''t. Every passing second was critical, and six hours had already slipped away since the phone call. The number Sophia used to contact me remained unreachable. Anything could have happened. Every second counted. I gazed at my mother, her eyes still teary. I rarely witnessed her cry, so my request must have deeply frightened her. "Please, Mom, try to understand. I can''t just sit idly and do nothing. Sophia''s life is in danger. She told me she was being held captive along with her mother by some men. That was six hours ago, and I haven''t been able to reach her since then. I''m desperate," I pleaded, and she wiped away her tears, contemting my words. "I will personally contact Alpha Christian and plead with him to make an exception if they find Sophia and her mother. But I can''t let you go, Liam. Mike can''t recklessly gamble with his life and his family''s only for me to lose my son in the process. I can''t bear that," she expressed, and I shook my head in frustration. "What if Alpha Christian doesn''t find them, Mother? What if it''s already toote?" I countered, desperation tinging my voice. My father interjected, his tone calm yet resolute. "If Alpha Christian can''t locate her, then neither can you. And if time is of the essence, then it''s already beyond our reach. If those who have taken her and her mother want them dead, there''s nothing we can do. Sending you to Grizlo won''t change the oue, Liam. I understand your emotions all too well, but if they are in the wrong hands, finding her again bes nearly impossible. It''s no longer solely in the hands of her parents," my father exined, his voice filled with wisdom. "I know how you''re feeling, son. I''ve been in your position before, though not under such dire circumstances. It was significant to me at the time. From my experience, I can tell you this: fate has its own way of unfolding events, Liam. I urge you to follow the natural course of your life and let go. Sophia is a gentle soul, and I wish she had better options, but right now, there''s little you can do. None of us can," he advised his words resonating deeply within me. However, I couldn''t bring myself to give up. I nced at my mother, then at Harper, battling to hold back my tears. "Last night was meant to be wonderful," I confessed, my voice trembling with a mix of sorrow and determination. "I had finallypleted my studies, and the future seemed within my grasp. I had meticulously nned it all, my entire lifeid out before me. I was going to confess my feelings to her. I asked them to wait up until I came and saw her. If only I had known this would happen, I would have rushed there immediately. I never had the chance to express how I truly felt. I never got that opportunity. And when she called me, it was to say goodbye, as even she had lost hope of surviving this ordeal. I implore both of you to grant me a chance. Allow me to try. Even if it''s just for a few months, let me search for her. Please. I understand you can''t directly intervene, but as the Alpha of Grizlo, I can involve myself, and you can assist me. I''ve never asked for anything before, always fulfilling expectations withoutint or asking for too much. This is the first time I''m making a request. Please don''t turn me down," I pleaded, directing my gaze at my mother, for she was the one my father would listen to. She stared at me for a moment. "We will think about it, Liam," she replied, and I knew that was the best response I would get. "In the meantime, I will discuss the matter with Alpha Christian and explore what assistance he can provide," my father dered, and somehow, I sensed that was the most favourable answer I would receive. "May I be present when you speak with him?" I asked my father, ncing at my mother. I locked eyes with her, and she nodded. "Alright," my father consented, and although I didn''t feel instant relief, I understood that was the best oue I could expect. I just had to keep my fingers crossed, hoping for a favourable resolution. Harper and I made our way back to the bungalow, the atmosphere heavy with silence. I could sense that Harper felt uneasy about the situation, and her silence indicated her uncertainty about what to say or how to avoid causing offence. Throughout our discussion with our cousins regarding our next course of action, she seemed the most ufortable with our proposed n. As we reached the entrance of the bungalow, I halted and turned to face her. Breaking the silence, I finally asked her, "So, what do you think?" She reached for the doorknob and opened it, and we both entered the house. However, the usual sense offort that apanied being home eluded me this time. I was overwhelmed by negative emotions, which overshadowed any positive sentiments. "I don''t know what to say, Liam," Harper began, her tone filled with concern. "Asking to be sent to Grizlo is a lot, considering we were specifically asked to return here for our safety. Don''t you think you''re taking too great a risk? Mom and Dad will be entangling themselves in a dangerous situation by requesting favours from Alpha Christian. They''re doing it out of fear that you might take matters into your own hands and go to Grizlo. I understand how you feel, but you must realise that you are more important to them than unravelling the truth behind Maguire''s mess in this particr situation. You need to take their feelings into consideration. What if this situation proves to be more than we can handle, and we all end up losing our lives? Do you think they will ever forgive themselves or that things will remain the same in the estate?" Harper continued, her words filled with a mix of reason and concern. "I can understand your love for Sophia, but let''s not jeopardise the love and peace within our home for it. There is a possibility that you may meet someone in the future, someone destined for you. What good will it do if we get caught up in this mess and lose our lives? You have to approach this rationally," she urged, her voice filled with a blend of caution and care. "Allow Mom and Dad to call Alpha Christian. We can handle the situation from here, where we are safe. They are already making significant sacrifices by reaching out for his assistance, as it will be a favour rather than a duty. Liam, you need to take it easy," Harper concluded, her words surprising me. For the first time, it seemed that she didn''t fully support me in this endeavour. I couldn''t help but wonder what had changed her perspective. Without responding, I made my way to my room, and Harper followed behind me. She spoke up, apologising for her words, but I wasn''t angry with her. She had simply spoken the truth, no matter how painful it might have been. "What do you suggest I do, Harper?" I asked, frustration evident in my voice as I sat down on my bed. I ran my fingers through my hair, feeling overwhelmed. I looked at my sister, waiting for her response. "Thest time we spoke, Sophia was afraid and saying goodbye. She was in a dangerous situation, trapped in the cargo section of a boat with strangers," I exined, expressing the part that hurt the most. Harper came to sit beside me, offering her support. "Hopefully, Alpha Christian will be willing to help and take the necessary action. I like her too, and you two would be great together. Having her as part of our family would be wonderful. She''s fun to be around and down-to-earth. But I won''t let you risk your life for her. You love her, Li, and I respect that, but you''re my twin. I can''t bear the thought of losing you," Harper confessed, her voice filled with emotion, thest word barely escaping her lips, as if she were holding back tears. At that moment, I held Harper close, offering her reassurance. "You won''t lose me," I promised, providing her with thefort she needed. Just then, Keith and Joseph entered the room, rushing towards us. I learned that they were going to the academy on Monday. I was grateful that I would be there to see them off. I couldn''t help but wish that Mike had nevermitted that murder, as it would have prevented all of this from happening. 08 Ours Requested The Same 08 Ours Requested The Same ~Sylvester~ I didn''t know how much Liam had grown until he made that dangerous request. Despite my instincts telling me to shut it down, I could see the determination in his eyes. The permission he sought was merely a formality; he had already made up his mind. Liam was just like me, driven by an unwavering determination and a sense of responsibility. Every fibre of my being screamed that he would continue with his investigation, even if I tried to dissuade him. Tamia, too, recognised this, which exined her tears. We both knew that nothing we said would make him hold back. He was resolute in his mission to save Sophia, and nothing would deter him. This was no trivial matter. Liam cared deeply for the girl, and while we suspected there were romantic sparks between them, we never anticipated the magnitude of his devotion. Unbeknownst to him, he was willing to walk through fire for her. I couldn''t allow him to traverse this path alone. My father had caused me heartbreak, and I couldn''t bear to see Liam endure additional pain. I would try my best to find a way to support him while ensuring his safety. Tamia walked to me, where I stood frozen after Harper and Liam had left. I weed her into my embrace, holding her close. "Why does he have to be so much like you?" she mused, and I chuckled softly. "I''m not the stubborn one; that title belongs to you," I teased, a hint of amusement in my voice. Tamia remained nestled against my chest. "He''s still our baby, and we can''t allow him to get entangled in this mess," she expressed, breaking away slightly to meet my gaze. "I might sound selfish, but Mike didn''t consider the well-being of his family when hemitted that crime. So why should we let Liam sacrifice himself for their sake?" she pondered, her words tinged with frustration. She looked at me, seeking understanding. "Did he reallymit the murder?" she inquired, her eyes searching for the truth. I nodded solemnly in response. "All the evidence points to him. Two eyewitnesses saw him leaving the alpha''s house in wolf form, covered in blood. I didn''t delve into the details with Christian back then because I thought it wasn''t our concern. But now, Liam has made it our concern," I confessed, the weight of the situation heavy in my voice. Tamia nodded, absorbing the information. "What if we assist him with the investigation?" she suggested desperately, searching for a solution that would keep Liam out of direct harm. "This isn''t eighteen years ago when we roamed about ying detective and risking our lives. Some of us barely survived the Stepanov encounter. We managed to maintain peace and avoid simr situations. This is a matter specific to Grizlo, and we don''t know its full extent. It wouldn''t be wise for us to interfere. Besides, it falls outside our jurisdiction. Unless Alpha Christian brings it before the council and they deem it necessary for us to intervene, we can''t get involved," I exined, hoping she would understand the limitations we faced as royals. Tamia nodded, acknowledging the wisdom in my words. "Don''t you think I''m aware of all that? I understand the consequences. But I''m desperately searching for a way to prevent Liam from going to Grizlo. Once he goes, Harper will follow, along with Lilly, Charlotte, Gemma, and Jewells. And let''s not forget about Marvin, Miles, and Oliver. They''re all so close to him. Avery won''t find it amusing, and Linda will be beside herself. I can''t even begin to imagine what Vino and udia would say. There''s no separating them, and none of them would dissuade him. If anything, they would encourage him. We need to find a way to take control of the situation ourselves, so they won''t have to y detectives," Tamia pleaded. While I knew she was right, I couldn''t help but fear failure. What if something terrible had already happened to Sophia and Margaret? Even if I got involved, it wouldn''t change Liam''s pain and loss. I didn''t want to let him down; that was my greatest fear. Additionally, I knew it would be wrong to stick my nose in Christian''s affairs without being invited or obligated to do so. This was an incredibly challenging situation. "I don''t know how we can officially intervene," I confessed, the weight of uncertainty evident in my voice. "Leo and Devin could propose that it bes a continental matter," Tamia suggested, her voice tinged with hope. I shook my head, realising the difficulties. "The council meeting is in three weeks. By then, it''ll be toote. Moreover, everyone would see it as an influenced decision for personal reasons since it isn''t a secret that Sophia is close to Liam. Leo is my cousin, and Devin is our friend, not to speak of Erick and Andrew, who are also distant rtives and friends. People will wonder when we started caring about small-town murders?" I remarked, highlighting the challenge we faced. Tamia understood my perspective immediately. "Let me discuss this with my cousins and brothers, and then we can devise a n. Have Wilson, Levi, and William keep a watchful eye on the children, especially those who are more likely to act impulsively and head to Grizlo. I''ll ensure my men are stationed at all the dock and sea ports, searching every arriving boat, regardless of its size, for any signs of the Maguires," I decided,ying out the initial steps. Tamia nodded, understanding the urgency, and swiftly left my office to carry out the assigned task. I was well aware that time was not on our side, and my children, especially Liam, could grow impatient and take matters into their own hands. The determined look in Liam''s eyes troubled me because I knew he wouldn''t back down easily. I had to make a choice: either allow him to proceed or find a way to convince him otherwise. For now, my goal was to buy enough time to find a viable solution. "I will dispatch men to search every coast, including those on the outer inds that are farther from our continent. Although the more distant inds will take time to search thoroughly, the ones closer to us will be more manageable. I hope this is a good starting point," Imunicated with Liam through our mental link, hoping for a positive response. A positive response would indicate that I had sessfully bought some time. "That''s a great idea, Dad. Assign me to oversee the operation, so I won''t just sit around waiting," Liam responded, his messageing through our mental link. I felt relieved that I could grant this request since it didn''t involve him directly entering Grizlo. Hopefully, this task will yield some positive results and help put this issue behind us. "You''ll need to work closely with your Uncle Vino on this, so I''ll ask him to get involved," I ryed to Liam before breaking the link. Following that, I contacted everyone else, instructing them to gather in my office. The responses came quickly from all except David and Dominic, who were likely to be clueless about the situation since their children weren''t directly involved. After waiting in my office for about fifteen minutes, the others began to enter one by one. Marcel appeared visibly worried, as did Theo. Vino was clearly angry, while Dominic and David seemed lost and confused. I didn''t have to guess why Marcel, Vino, and Theo were feeling that way. It all revolved around Sophia. C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. "I''m sure by now you all know why I''ve called this meeting," I began, and Theo nodded in agreement. "The Maguires," he stated, and I nodded in confirmation. "What? What business do we have with Grizlo fugitives?" Dominic questioned, clearly irritated that we were even discussing this matter. "We don''t have any direct involvement, but our children do. Liam asked me to appoint him as the Alpha of Grizlo for his first assignment," I revealed, causing David and Dominic to exim in surprise. "Marvin mentioned that he would be joining Liam in Grizlo on official duty. He was confident about it. Avery was in shock. They just graduated yesterday. In our time, we were partying and living our lives," Marcel added, indicating that our children had already made ns among themselves. "Miles, Oliver, and Lilly are also insisting that I find a way to assign them to Grizlo for their first mission. I tried to exin to them that they had just returned home and were entitled to a six-month rest period before taking on any assignments, but they wouldn''t hear of it," Theo shared, reflecting the stubbornness our children often disyed when they were determined to achieve something. "I don''t think I need to mention Charlotte and her sisters. Initially, I thought it was a boy''s problem, maybe a crush, because they didn''t seem particrly friendly towards Sophia. But when Charlotte and Gemma started insisting, mentioning Liam''s involvement, it became clear. They were hell-bent that Liam was going to be Alpha of Grizlo, and they wanted to help him with his investigation. I don''t understand why our children believe we would allow them to risk their lives like this. It seems they may have nned it before even returning home," Vino expressed, and I nodded in agreement. It appeared that our children had already set their minds on this course of action. "I have a n to keep them away from Grizlo and ensure their safety. We can assign them to supervise the search at the docks and ports. This way, they will be involved in the investigation but not directly in Grizlo itself," I shared, presenting my proposed solution. "Additionally, we should contact Alpha Christian to provide us with updates on the situation. This will give us insight into the direction the investigation is heading. As things stand, if we don''t receive any favourable news, those children will find their way to Grizlo with or without our consent, and there will be little we can do about it. They are grown and of legal age," Marcel added, highlighting the reality that our control over their actions had diminished. They had reached an age where they had to forge their own paths. Our role now is to protect and guide them, but what should we do if they refuse to follow the guidance we give them? I nodded in agreement with Marcel''s words. It was a new phase of parenthood, one where we had to navigate the delicate bnce of guiding and supporting our children while respecting their autonomy and choices. Our primary responsibility was to ensure their safety and well-being, even if it meant adapting our approach to their desires and wishes. I told Vino he would be overseeing the task, and he was more than willing; Theo insisted on being a part of it, too, and I had no choice but to oblige. As things were, it was clear our children would be running the show. 09 Alpha Christian鈥檚 Opinion 09 Alpha Christian¡¯s Opinion ~Liam~ Restlessly, I waited in my room, eagerly anticipating my father''s summons to his office. He had given me his word that I could be present when he contacted Alpha Christain, and I anxiously awaited that crucial call. Harper had retreated to her room to freshen up, while I remained in mine, contemting ways to assist. The details of the situation still eluded me, but I hoped that rity would soon prevail. Anxious thoughts filled my mind, but I hesitated to confront the problem directly. If Sophia hadn''t confided in me about her and her mother''s distress, perhaps I could have found some sce in the notion that time was on our side. I knew her father would never harm her, which was precisely why he had sent them away initially. However, I couldn''t extend the same assurance to the unidentified men who held her and her mother captive on their vessel. Marvin''s voice echoed in my mind, asking, "How did it go with your folks?" It was frustrating that we weren''t living in the mansion alongside everyone else. I couldn''t help but wonder why my parents had chosen to iste themselves in this way. If it weren''t for the current issue that had arisen, I would have requested to return to the Alpha''s wing of the mansion. I''d be lying if I said growing up in the bungalow wasn''t enjoyable. It gave the surroundings a more weing and less rigid atmosphere. But now, all I wanted was to be where everyone else was, especially after finding Sophia. "They won''t send us to Grizlo, but they''re assigning us to investigate that matter from Lund under Uncle Vino¡¯s supervision," I responded to Marvin, who remained silent for a moment. "Alright, we should have a meeting after dinner. I''ll let everyone know. Maybe we can gather in the beta''s lounge. My father never uses it, so it''s just going to waste. They''re always in the Alpha''s lounge," Marvin suggested, and I expressed my gratitude for the invitation, although I doubted it would be feasible. "I''ll inform Harper," I connected with him through our mind link and then severed the connection. My brother Keith informed me that our mother had instructed us to gather at the mansion for dinner. Naturally, we wouldn''t be dining in the bungalow. It was our first day back home, and my father would expect aplete family gathering. I quickly got up and hastily dressed. Seeing everyone would undoubtedly be wonderful, but I couldn''t fully embrace the moment. How could I be happy knowing that Sophia was somewhere in danger? As I reached the door, I encountered Harper on her way out. She had attempted to establish a mental link with me, but I must have unintentionally blocked her off. It was a peculiar habit of mine, albeit unintentional. "How are you feeling?" she asked, her smile brightening the room as Joseph and Keith darted past us, engaged in a race to the mansion. I knew the Lund Academy would have its hands full when they joined. "I''m pushing through," I replied, and she smiled in response. "Hopefully, Alpha Christian has some fantastic news for us," she said, and I smiled back, acknowledging her efforts to uplift my spirits. We strolled together towards the mansion, making our way to the grand dining hall. The seating arrangement was always less than ideal. My father and his team would upy one end, while my team and I were relegated to the other, with both generations converging in the centre. Upon arriving at the dining hall, we took our seats, but our parents had yet to make their entrance. "Heard your father refused," Charlotte linked me, her concerned expression drawing my attention. I reassured her, urging her to remain calm. Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. Finally, our parents arrived, prompting us all to rise and pay our respects. My father and mother took their seats first, followed by the rest of us. The tension in the room was palpable. What should have been a joyous homing and a fresh chapter after graduation had taken on a sombre tone. I couldn''t help but acknowledge my own responsibility in this, but how could I pretend that everything was fine when my heart was filled with anguish? We dined in silence for a while, until Uncle David and Dominic inquired about our lives and experiences in Grizlo. Most of us responded politely, not wanting toe across as impolite. Once we had finished eating, my father requested that I join him alone in his office, which meant Harper couldn''t apany me. Somehow, I longed for her presence. We were used to doing everything together, and I needed her by my side during this time. Leaving the dining room, I nced at my twin, and she nodded, assuring me silently. Uncle Vino appeared upset, so I purposely avoided looking in his direction. I knew it was due to our audacious n. However, I feltpelled to try, no matter the odds. Stepping into my father''s office, I watched as he circled around and settled into his seat behind the desk. He gestured for me to take the chair in front of him, and I sat down nervously. Leaning forward, he locked eyes with me. "No matter what happens, remember that life goes on, Liam. I''ve yearned to witness you grow into a man, to see you take charge, and I''m proud of the person you''ve be. Don''t let loss or heartbreak hinder your progress towards greater heights. So, I implore you, my son. Promise me that no matter the oue, you''ll gather yourself and keep moving forward. Mike squandered his life and that of his family due to his choices, and you mustn''t make your family pay for his sins. I know you care deeply for Sophia, and I hope we can find her and save her. However, you must also prepare yourself for the worst. If things don''t turn out as you wish, you must pick yourself up and move on. Life always continues; time and seasons wait for no one. As long as we live, we must adapt and evolve with them. Promise me you won''t remain stagnant," he spoke with seriousness, studying my face intently. I knew my father meant every word, so I nodded in agreement. "I promise," I replied, my words sincere. Though I meant what I said, I held onto hope that I wouldn''t have to move on. I remained optimistic that we would find Sophia and that everything would eventually be well. My father dialled Alpha Christian''s number and activated the speakerphone. It took some time before the Head Alpha answered, but eventually, he did. "Good evening, your Majesty," Alpha Christian greeted, causing my father to shift ufortably in his chair. I knew he was doing this for my sake, and I felt grateful and hopeful in that moment. "I am calling to inquire about the Maguire case," my father stated, getting straight to the point. There was a brief silence before Alpha Christian responded. "I have it under control, your Majesty. I have been informed that your children are home. You have nothing to worry about. We will apprehend the culprit soon," Christian assured, as he should, given his pursuit of the fugitives. "Do you have any insight into his motives?" my father asked, preferring not to be so direct. I could sense Christian''s sigh on the other end. "There are too many theories to discern which one is urate. I had nned to present the matter to the council in three weeks, but that timeline seems lengthy now. The Delta and Gamma teams mentioned that Mike had grievances with the Thompson, and they had embarked on a mission together that fateful night. However, they have no knowledge as to why he snapped andmitted the heinous act of murdering the Alpha, Luna, and their daughter. It was a horrific scene, your Majesty. The daughter had graduatedst year and was about to begin her first assignment when he took her life and that of her parents. Rest assured, he will face justice for his crimes," Christian exined, and I didn''t want to dwell on Mike''s actions, as they were gruesome to contemte. "What about Mike''s wife and daughter? Have you been able to locate them?" my father inquired anxiously. "Yes," Alpha Christian replied, and a surge of tion washed over me. "I''m not entirely certain, but it appears he sold them to some people on one of the inds. I''m still working on identifying which specific ind it might be, but the Delta team suggests focusing on the inds closer to the eastern coast. I''ve been attempting to reach Lord Albert to request his assistance in sending troops to Kaizen and Braile Inds. Unfortunately, he hasn''t responded to my calls yet. My initial n was to start the search there, but I have my doubts about finding them. It will require extensive resources," Christian exined, leaving me uncertain about how to feel. The news had initially sparked hope, but now it seemed like a dead end. "What do you suggest, then?" my father inquired, seeking guidance. "I will continue the search, but I''m not optimistic about finding Mike. I can''tprehend why he wouldmit such actions unless something happened between him and the Alpha that only they were aware of. It infuriates me. Mike had the opportunity to report his Alpha to me, unless he himself was at fault, and Thompson attempted to intervene. The Delta and Gamma teams support this theory and are determined to apprehend him. Honestly, Grizlo is a small, tranquil town; no one would have anticipated such a tragedy taking ce there," Christian responded, prompting a weary sigh from my father. "It''s disheartening to hear. I would like to request that you allow my son and his team to join you in the investigation. They have shown a keen interest in the matter, and my son even asked me to assign him as the Alpha of Grizlo for this purpose," my father proposed, attempting to downy the severity of the situation and what it meant to me. Alpha Christian let out a chuckle in response. "The prince has just graduated. He should be enjoying his newfound freedom," Christian remarked, causing my heart to sink. "The issue is moreplex than it seems, and I don''t believe it would be wise to send Prince Liam to Grizlo. It appears as though Mike had nned everything meticulously, or there may be other parties involved," Christian exined, presenting an angle that would discourage my father from allowing me to get involved. My father looked at me, and I silently pleaded with him. "Nevertheless, I still want him to assist you in the investigation, so he can gain firsthand experience of the situation. He had a close rtionship with the Maguire family, so it hits close to home for him," my father confessed, withholding the true reason for my genuine interest, which was to find and save Sophia. Christian remained silent, contemting my father''s request. "Christian, I will ask you for a favour, and I hope you won''t refuse. You''vee to my aid in the past, and I am now asking for your assistance once again," my father stated, acknowledging the difficulty in making such a request. As a king, he shouldn''t owe anyone favours, yet here he was, willing to go the extra mile for me. "I am all ears, your Majesty," Alpha Christian responded, and my father let out a sigh. I observed as he clenched his fist, nced at me, and then back at the phone. "If you manage to locate Mike''s wife and daughter, could you find a way to spare their lives? I understand thew, but we both know that punishing them for Mike''s crimes would be unjust. If we continue to exact such retribution, our kind will face extinction. Despite what thew dictates, I firmly believe that Mike alone should bear the consequences of his actions. His daughter and mate should not be made to suffer for his sins," my father proposed, his voice filled with conviction. Alpha Christian let out a resigned sigh. "I wish it were within my power to decide, your Majesty, but for such a decision to be made, it would need to be brought before the council, and ultimately, Lord Albert would have the final say. Once his decision is made to get involved, you can take over from there and decide their fate," Christian exined, expressing his willingness to support my father''s request. I felt a glimmer of hope, but the realisation that the council meeting was scheduled for three weekster dampened my spirits. A lot could transpire in the interim. "In the meantime?" my father inquired, seeking further guidance. Alpha Christian let out a sigh in response. "Three weeks is a substantial amount of time, and much can unfold during that period. Let us hope that we locate them before anyone else does. However, if we do manage to apprehend them prior to the meeting, the Northern Alpha council will ultimately determine their fate," Christian exined, highlighting the reality of the situation. My father nodded, understanding that there wasn¡¯t anything else to say. Alpha Christian had been amodating to our requests and had even provided a potential solution. The only uncertaintyy in the hands of fate, which could tip the scales in any direction. After concluding the call, my father looked at me, hoping I could glean something from the conversation. "You heard what Alpha Christian said," he remarked, and I nodded in agreement. "He mentioned Kaizen and Braile," I stated, but my father shook his head. "The eastern region falls under the jurisdiction of your uncle. Any actions to be taken there must go through him. I cannot simply give orders to him as I would to Alpha Christian or Alpha Devin. Leo has chosen to show respect to me regardless, and our friendship ys a significant role. I cannot exploit it," my father exined, leaning forward. "You heard Alpha Christian''s assessment. They don''t believe we will apprehend Mike ore across his family easily. I suspect Mike has gone into hiding," my father admitted, sighing in frustration. He ran his fingers through his hair, disying his exasperation, then leaned back in his chair and studied me intently. "You''ve just graduated, Liam. You''ve just returned home, and now all of this. Peace is a precious gift that you should learn to cherish. Trust me, I''ve been in your shoes," my father expressed, his voice filled with understanding. I remained silent, realising that I had exhausted my words and arguments to persuade him otherwise. "I would hate to be the one holding you back, Liam. I would hate to be the one obstructing your dreams. That''s why I''m pleading with you to listen to me on this," he continued, his tone filled with earnestness. "I, too, don''t want Sophia and Margret to suffer for a crime they didn''tmit. Therefore, I implore you to conduct some investigations under Vino''s supervision. We will proceed with our ns to travel to the east next week as scheduled while Christian continues his search. If, by that time, there are no significant developments and they remain unfound, Christian will bring the matter to the council, and I will take the necessary action," my father proposed, his eyes reflecting hope as he awaited my response. I realised that I had no other choice but toply. 10 Seemingly A Chance 10 Seemingly A Chance ~Liam~ Sleep eluded me the entire night. My mind was consumed by nightmares, haunted by the terrifying possibilities of what might have befallen Sophia. Restlessness permeated the air, not just within me, but also evident in Alex. Eventually, I sat up in bed and gazed out at the moon through my window. Its radiant glow captivated me, and in my desperation, I found myself wondering if it held some wisdom. Could the moon speak to me? Could it somehow reveal the whereabouts of Sophia? Perhaps its luminous beams had touched her in some way tonight. I entertained these thoughts, hoping for a sign or inspiration on where to search and whom to reach out to. But deep down, I knew it was mere wishful thinking. The reality was that as each day passed, the chances of finding Sophia diminished. We were now entering the third day, and the weight of that grim possibility pressed heavily upon me. Dread filled my thoughts, refusing to be averted, as I confronted the unsettling notion that time was slipping away. Morning arrived, and Harper and I embarked on our customary run through the woods. As we made our way, we were joined by Marvin, Miles, Oliver, Lilly, and the triplets. We had hoped that our visit would be brief and that we would quickly return to Grizlo, but our parents held us firmly in their grasp. Arriving at a stream that served as our rendezvous point, where a metal trunk housed our spare clothes, we gathered together. This spot had be a familiar meeting ce during our runs. I was the first to shift back to human form and retrieve the clothes from the trunk. Though it seemed that the collection hadn''t been refreshed in some time, I couldn''t help but feel grateful. The omegas responsible for maintaining the trunk never failed to ensure we had a fresh supply of clothes. I tossed the shorts to the guys and the oversized t-shirts to the girls. They all swiftly changed into their respective garments. We settled down by the stream, contemting our next course of action. I ryed the details of my father''s conversation with Christian to the group. Charlotte voiced the question that lingered in all of our minds. "Why does this situation feelrger than we initially thought?" she pondered, and I found myself without an answer. "I just want to find her," I confessed, my voice filled with a mix of desperation and longing. ¡°I never had the chance to tell her how I truly felt. I need to see her and express my emotions. Moving on from this as quickly as my father hopes seems impossible. It''s incredibly challenging to stop caring about someone who has been such a significant part of my life. I can''t just walk away," I expressed, feeling the weight of my emotions. Harper reached out and gently touched my shoulder. "We understand, Liam, and we''re here to support you in finding her. Just say the word. I might have said some things yesterday, but I hate seeing you like this. If you want us to sneak away and conduct our own investigation, we''ve decided to do it," Harper dered, surprising me with her determination. The idea of leaving the estate and embarking on an adventure to find Sophia seemed exhrating, but I immediately considered the potential consequences. I thought about our parents and realised that it would be unfair to put them through such worry and uncertainty. As I contemted the situation, my father''s voice echoed through the air, summoning us to his lounge. Had something significant urred? We left the stream behind and hastened our way back to the mansion. Once inside, we neglected to change our attire, even though it wasn''t entirely appropriate. It was only us, after all. We made our way to the lounge.C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. The television screen was already on, and to my astonishment, I saw a video featuring Mike, Margret, and a visibly distraught Sophia. They didn''t appear to be held captive, but the surroundings indicated an underground setting. It was difficult to determine the specific location since we had numerous underground hideouts, and every time my father shut one down, new ones would swiftly emerge. Therefore, we opted not to dwell on that particr detail. My mother approached me. "They are safe, Liam. Mike is sending this message because of you," she informed me, her tone laced with a hint of annoyance. I noticed that the video wasn''t ying on a typical television station, so I inquired about its source. My mother revealed that it had been mailed to Head Enforcer Golubev by an unidentified sender they had been unable to trace. My father pressed the y button, and I focused on Mike''s words, ready to listen to what he had to say. "I want to begin by expressing my sincere apologies to Alpha Christian for the trouble I have caused. I deeply regret that it hase to this, but please understand that I had no other choice. I wish I could go back in time and remain oblivious to the circumstances, but that is not within my power. Through this message, I humbly implore Alpha Christian, the Alpha council, the king''s council, and the crowned prince to find it in their hearts to forgive me for my actions. Although I cannot divulge the reason behind my actions, I earnestly request that the search be called off," Mike spoke directly into the camera, his gaze unwavering. "Prince Liam, I offer you my sincere apologies, as I understand the depth of your feelings when I saw you two nights ago. Please know that what urred was not intentional or born out of hatred. I also plead with you to let go of Sophia. As you can see, she is alive and well. I implore you to release her and find peace in your own life. Perhaps, one day, the truth will be revealed. But until then, I simply want to say sorry," the video abruptly ended, leaving us with a sense of ipleteness. The recording left us with more questions than answers. Its vagueness made it clear that the sole purpose was to plead for the search to cease and for me to move on. However, the motivations behind such a risk and the true intentions remained unclear. There had to be more to it, but we were left in the dark, unsure of what would transpire next. "There is definitely more to this situation than meets the eye," Uncle David astutely observed, and I was relieved that he shared my scepticism. I turned to my father, seeing the worry etched on his face. My uncles also expressed their concerns, with Uncle David and Uncle Dominic disying a touch of frustration. "Alpha Christian mentioned that he would bring this matter to the council. I believe we should pursue it," Uncle Dominic proposed, his gaze focused on me. It was evident that he made the suggestion for my benefit, and I felt grateful for his support. He had a knack for being cool like that sometimes. "We cannot allow this to happen to our dear Liam," Uncle Dominic continued, his eyes still fixed on me. "I mean, it''s been years since we''ve truly had any fun," he added with a mischievous smile, and I hoped he would say what I was hoping to hear. "I strongly believe that this matter warrants further investigation. Trust me, if we bring it to the attention of Leo and Devin, they will take action. I sense something fishy was transpiring in Grizlo," Uncle Dominic voiced, and I felt a sense of relief knowing that my uncle shared my perspective. The fact that none of his own children was involved likely allowed him to approach the situation with clearer judgment, unclouded by the sentiments that may have influenced my parents. Uncle Theo objected, stating we had no direct connection with Grizlo, and my heart sank a bit because he was right. Three weeks was a long time to wait for Alpha Christian to bring the matter to the council. "Yes, you''re right, Theo. We don''t have any direct involvement with Grizlo," Uncle David acknowledged, understanding his concern. Uncle David turned his gaze towards me, assessing my countenance. "You won''t recklessly jeopardise your life or the lives of your cousins on matter, will you?" Uncle David inquired, and I shook my head in response. As much as I cared about Sophia, I wasn¡¯t selfish to ruin my family for it. "Very well then. I propose that we appoint Justin to oversee Grizlo for the time being. After all, I have a deep connection to the ce. Liam and the others can work closely with him," Uncle David suggested, surprising me with his willingness to send his own son to Grizlo. "What?" Aunt Nicole eximed in protest. "We were supposed to head to the east. Perhaps Justin might find someone there. Besides, didn¡¯t Christain say they were looking at Kaizen and Braile? Why send our son to Grizlo?" she argued, but Uncle David shook his head. "Who''s to say Justin won¡¯t find someone special in Grizlo?" Uncle David replied with a knowing look in his eyes. Reminding her they had met and married in Grizlo, and I fought back the urge to smile. "Besides, it will be a temporary arrangement. We will conduct our investigation as well, but we''ll work behind the scenes," Uncle David exined, outlining his n. I nced at my father, recognising that he held the final decision in his hands. "When we return from the east, we will finalise this n. We must also ensure that Justin is willing to take on the position. We can''t force him to assume a role solely for the purpose of investigation. Additionally, Leo will provide valuable insight," my father dered. While it appeared to be a distant solution, I remained hopeful that he would agree. I knew that once we arrived in Grizlo, my predicament would be one step closer to resolution. After my father dismissed us, a sense of relief washed over me. I began to walk away when Charlotte chased after me and handed me her phone. I instantly knew it had something to do with Sophia. Unfortunately, I was yet to retrieve my own line, so I made a mental note to seek Kappa Wilson''s help with it. "I received four calls from an unknown number. I believe it might be Sophia, but I don''t want to call back in case it''s a secretmunication. I think it''s best if you hold onto it," Charlotte exined, and I expressed my gratitude. I swiftly left the mansion and sprinted back to the bungalow. As soon as I entered my room, the phone started ringing, and I answered it immediately. "Hello," I managed to say, my heart racing. Sophia''s voice resonated on the other end. "Li," she said, and before she could say anything else, my worries spilled out. "Are you alright, Sophia? Are you safe?" I asked anxiously, pausing for her response. "We are okay for now, Li," she replied in a hushed voice, and I sensed that her safety was still precarious. "Don''t ever say goodbye to me again. I''m searching for you and doing everything I can to ensure your safety and protection," I pleaded with her, my voice filled with determination. Over the phone, I heard a sniffle. "I''m sorry I got you involved in this mess, Li. I truly am sorry," she said, her wordsced with remorse. I knew the video was one of the reasons behind her apology, but I couldn''t dwell on it. I had to focus on what mattered most¡ªfinding a way to bring her and her mother to safety, away from their current location and out of the clutches of thew. "Do you have any idea where you might be?" I managed to ask, my concern evident in my voice. "We arrived at an ind. My mother and I are being held in a heavily guarded building. I believe they are using us as leverage to control my father. I don''t know the exact location, but I will try to find out andmunicate it to you," she exined, and my relief was mixed with frustration. "Did you notice anything distinctive when you arrived?" I inquired further, hoping for any clue that could aid our search. "We were blindfolded during the journey. Our blindfolds were only removed once we were inside the building. They used a strongvender scent to mask the natural smells of the area. It had a distinct alcoholic base. There was also a strong, constant wind, but I couldn''t see much as there were no windows where they''d kept me. It seems like they have nned everything meticulously. I believe they are using us as a means to manipte my father. I don''t fully understand the situation, but I want to assure you that it doesn''t seem like they intend to kill us," she revealed, providing some reassurance amidst the uncertainty. "Please, Sophia, keep a low profile and do everything you can to stay alive. Don''t ever say goodbye to me or ask me to move on without you because I won''t. Don''t ask for the impossible. There''s something I should have told you, but I was waiting for your eighteenth birthday. We were supposed to discuss it in person, but I won''t wait any longer. So please, hold on tightly," I dered, my determination and love evident in my words. I heard her let out a sigh of relief. "I will, Li. I will hold on for as long as I possibly can," she assured me, and we ended the call. Her words lifted my spirits, and I hoped that fate would be kind to us. Despite being just eighteen, I was certain of my feelings and resolute in my heart. I would not let her slip away. 11 A Word of Wisdom 11 A Word of Wisdom ~Liam~ The weekend arrived, and as my father had promised, we set off for Lund. Everyone else went to the city, except for our grandparents who chose to stay at the estate. We didn''t go to our mansion because it wouldn''t amodate all of us. Instead, we went to the Stepanov estate, where Lord Newton and his wife were present, making it a suitable alternative. I found it difficult to concentrate. My desperate desire was to go East and implore Uncle Leo for his assistance. Since I hadn''t received any furthermunication from Sophia, I could only hope that she was safe. In order not to dampen the mood, I made it my duty to conceal my feelings and fears throughout the weekend. Harper could see through my pretence, but she allowed me to keep up the charade. Meanwhile, Charlotte, Gemma, and Jewels were preupied with plotting ways to sneak off and explore the Inds when we reached Mountain. The triplets were daring and persistent, and I was grateful that they were taking on those adventures on my behalf. As the weekend came to a close, my mother took Keith, Joseph, and Eleanor to school. My mother seemed to have a stronger attachment to Keith and Joseph than she did to Harper and me. She was reluctant to let them go, but anyone who was to serve in our world had to attend an academy. I knew my brothers would have a great time there, and I hoped their experience would be as joyful as my time in Grizlo. Before we departed for the estate, Lord Newton extended a final invitation for us to have dinner together, and it turned out to be a fantastic evening. Uncle David and Aunt Nicole added a lively spark to the gathering. My uncle seemed to possess an endless supply of jokes and sarcasm, and his wife''sughter filled the room with energy. I was taken aback when my cousin Justin joined us. I was aware that Aunt Nicole had reservations about his involvement, but she ceased her objections once he embraced the opportunity to be the temporary alpha of Grizlo. During the dinner, Justin approached me and asked if I''d apany him for a walk in the garden. Intrigued, I followed him as we slipped away from the crowd, finding sce in the peaceful surroundings. "So, how have you been holding up? Charlotte filled me in on everything," he inquired, and I sensed that Charlotte yed a role in his decision to go to Grizlo. "Did she manage to convince you?" I questioned with a chuckle. "Are you kidding me, Liam? We were all waiting for you two to finally admit your feelings. The signs were evident. It''s just an unfortunate circumstance. But anything we can do to make it work, count me in," he replied, yfully tousling my hair as he used to when I was younger. Despite the age gap, being around Justin was effortless. He was like an older brother to me, even though we were cousins. He was someone I could always depend on, no matter what. I was grateful that he embraced the situation and offered his support. "When do you think we''ll be heading to Grizlo?" I inquired, and Justin came to a halt, his steps matching the pause in conversation. "As soon as we''re finished with Mountain. Aunt Amelia insists that all of us be present, so there''s no escaping it. My mother has this notion that my mate is in Mountain. I highly doubt it, but you know how she is. I''ll humour her and go along with it. Honestly, I''m not ready to settle down. I''m only twenty-six, and I feel like I still have my whole life ahead of me," he expressed, and I couldn''t help butugh. Justin''sughter subsided, and he looked at me intently. I could sense that he had something profound to share, something I might not necessarily be receptive to. It was evident in his eyes. "Go ahead, tell me," I mustered the courage to meet my cousin''s gaze, sensing his shift from joy to concern. Original from N?velDrama.Org. He ced aforting hand on my shoulder and let out a deep sigh. I could see that he was grappling with finding the right words and approach. But I had learned that in moments like these, there were no perfect words or approaches, only the truth. No matter how he chose to express it, I knew I would receive his message in the same way he feared I would. Regardless of his choice of words, the conclusion would remain the same. "Come on, Justin, just spit it out," I eximed impatiently, and he chuckled before nodding in agreement. "I know you both have feelings for each other, Liam. It''s been pretty obvious for a while now. It''s just peculiar that you never officially got together. I understand your restraint, though, especially considering the age difference," he remarked, and I nodded in acknowledgement. He hit the nail on the head. If our ages had aligned, I would have pursued a rtionship with Sophia without hesitation, despite my doubts. I simply wanted her to reach adulthood before diving into something serious. If her father hadn''t sent her away, I would have expressed my intentions to her, and we would have maintained our friendship until she turned eighteen. Justin''s assessment was spot-on, and I came to terms with that reality. "Well, I hope we find them. But I want to know what you will do if you find your mate and she isn''t Sophia?" he posed an incredibly challenging question, one that was difficult to even fathom, let alone answer. "There''s a probability that you will encounter your mate, Liam, and it may not be Sophia. What will you do if that happens? You''ve invested so much time and effort into this quest. You''re sacrificing a great deal to find her. Everyone is going beyond boundaries and breaking the rules to support you. But what will ur if you find your mate and we haven''t found Sophia? And what if we do find Sophia, but you discover your mate elsewhere? These are crucial questions, Liam. I don''t expect you to have an immediate answer, but I want you to contemte them and prepare your heart for these potential oues. Fate is aplex force, and we''ve learned from our parents that it can lead us down unexpected paths. Sophia is young, just like you. Two years is a substantial amount of time to wait and discover what destiny holds. What will you do after devoting so much time and energy when you realise she isn''t meant for you? And what if you don''t find your mate, but she finds hers and decides to embrace that bond? How will you navigate such circumstances, Liam?" He posed the questions, leaving me utterly speechless. "I want to know because I''ve taken on the temporary role of Alpha of Grizlo for your sake. Your father expressed his desire not to hold you back and ensured that you had all the support and assistance necessary to find her. If we fail in our efforts, it won''t be due to ack of effort or because we neglected to assist you; it will be because of destiny. When your father shared this with me, I had to consider your mental well-being and your future, Liam. You are destined to be King one day, and we will all be here to protect and guide you. I don''t want to wait until I hold the title of a lord to fulfil my duty. That''s why I''m asking you these questions because even though you may feel certain now, matters of the heart are unpredictable. That''s precisely why I haven''t pursued any romantic rtionships myself. I don''t want to break someone''s heart or have mine shattered. The mate bond is not something that can be easily severed. Your parents managed it, and the moon granted them the rare gift of bing second-chance mates. Alpha Devin and Aunt Susan never had that opportunity. Uncle Leo and Aunt Amelia were also blessed in that manner. However, they all found happiness together. Uncle Leo was the first to tell me about the mate bond and his own mistakes, followed by Max and Kyle. It drives you to do irrational things, clouding your judgment. It''s as simple as that. That''s why I''ve held back all this time, waiting. I won''t choose a mate until I''m thirty and certain that I won''t find my fated one," he exined, leaving me speechless as I absorbed his words and their implications. "So, I implore you, as your brother and your steadfast supporter, to separate your heart and feelings from the equation. I plead with you to keep the possibility and chance of a fated mate who may not be Sophia open. Search for Sophia as a friend, not solely as someone you hope to spend your life with. Allow fate to unfold naturally, so you don''t find yourself fighting against the wind in the future," he expressed, and I remained rooted in ce. His words prated deep within me, resonating with my very being. I would be dishonest if I said Justin''s words didn''t make sense¡ªthey did, and I felt grateful for his words of wisdom. Morning arrived, and we embarked on our journey back to Lund. Throughout the night, I pondered Justin''s words, weighing their significance. Ultimately, I decided that I would follow wherever the winds of fate led me, but I wouldn''t give up on my search. Whether fated or not, Sophia was my friend, and she needed assistance. Gathering my belongings, I prepared myself for our uing trip to Mountain, ready to face whatevery ahead. 12 Something Unexpected 12 Something Unexpected ~Liam~ The flight to Mountain proved to be uneventful, with our family upying a private aircraft for the journey. True to form, Uncle Leo awaited our arrival at the airport, ready with five vans and security personnel to transport us to our destination. I eagerly anticipated reuniting with Noah and Sebastien. It had been months since west saw each other, back when we gathered at Lord Alexei''s residence in Gad. If there was anyone capable of helping us navigate through Mountain, it was those two, especially Noah, whom we affectionately referred to as the "idental Alpha." Noah''s unexpected alpha wolf came as a surprise since his mother was a Stepanov pure breed, and we didn''t anticipate him inheriting alpha genes because of it. But to our astonishment, Noah wasn¡¯t only an Alpha but also embodied the full traits and abilities of the Stepanov lineage. Sebastien also had the Stepanov abilities without their physical features. Their younger brother Ethan, on the other hand, stood as the sole delta among the brothers. Ethan looked mostly like their father, but he was a delta with Stepanov abilities. To add to their family, they had an entric grand uncle who, in an unusual twist, also served as their grandfather by virtue of settling down with their mother''s mother. It made for an intriguing blend of family dynamics. Setting aside Sophia''s ongoing predicament, being in the East felt invigorating, and I revelled in the experience. Eager to avoid sitting with our parents, we hastily piled into one of the waiting vans. Beta Casper, already aware of our preference, had arranged a separate vehicle for our group. Marvin, Oliver, Miles, Lilly, Harper, the triplets, Justin, and I settledfortably in the van, leaving our parents to find their own seating arrangements. Uncle Leo had arrived with an excess of vehicles, so it was expected that some would return empty. As the van began its journey, Justin captured our attention with a noteworthy piece of information. "Hey," he called out, directing his words towards Miles and Marvin. "I heard that Alpha Devin and his children are currently staying at the mansion," It was clear he was addressing Miles and Marven, who had severe crushes on the Corrigan sisters, La and Sarah. I had to give credit to my cousins; they certainly had an eye for beauty. The Corrigan sisters were truly stunning, bearing a striking resemnce to our Aunt Amelia. It was difficult to articte, but it seemed my cousins had a penchant for Stepanov women. I was well aware of Oliver''s infatuation with ine Kusov. Given the opportunity, I was certain he would jump at the chance to visit Gad, where ine resided. However, ine had a spirited sister named Josephine Kusov, and our interactions were far from pleasant. We constantly shed and couldn''t stand each other''s presence. In fact, there were times when I actively went out of my way to avoid her. Original from N?velDrama.Org. Josephine was headstrong, stubborn, and resolute in her own ways. It seemed we were perpetually at odds. Despite being slightly younger than me by a year and a few months, I couldn''t envision us ever bing friends. She was wild and unyielding, and I could continue listing her characteristics. Fortunately, the sisters would reach the age of eighteen next year, and with any luck, they would find their destined mates, allowing my cousin to move forward. "Oh, will there be some sparks?" Jewels yfully teased Miles and Marvin, and I could swear I saw Marvin''s cheeks flush with colour. It was evident that he had strong feelings for La Corrigan, even more so than I had realised. It was a shame that they would have to wait until the end of next year to determine if they were fated to be together. I genuinely hoped that fate would be on their side. Observing the expressions on my cousins'' faces as we made our way towards the Mountain settlement made me realise how self-centred I had been when I insisted on heading to Grizlo. I had unintentionally hindered their own desires by asking them to assist me in pursuing mine. I knew how much we had all been looking forward to visiting Mountain, and I felt a sense of guilt and remorse for my decision. I had spent considerable time reflecting on Justin''s words, and they resonated deeply with me. Although I hadn''t personally experienced the challenges Uncle Leo and my mother faced, I could only imagine the turmoil they endured. They were fortunate to have been granted second chances in love. Yet, I couldn''t help but ponder what might have happened if their stories hadn''t unfolded so positively. The unsettling thought troubled me greatly and ultimately led me to a resolution. I made the decision to persist in my search for Sophia. I wouldn''t give up on finding her. However, I also realised the importance of preparing my mindset in the event that we encounter our fated mates along the way. I wasn''t certain of the exact approach or how I would aplish this mental preparation, but I remained hopeful that it wouldn''t prove too arduous a task. Upon our arrival at the mansion, it became evident that Uncle Leo had made significant modifications and expansions to the property over the years. The building now surpassed its original size, leading me to believe that it might continue to grow in the future. The van came to a stop in front of the entrance, and we exited one by one. Aunty Amelia stood at the entrance, as she always did, ready to wee us with open arms. Time seemed to have no effect on her, and her distinctive eyes remained unchanged. "Liam," she greeted, pulling me into a warm embrace. Momentster, she extended the same affection to Harper, drawing us all into a big, heartfelt hug with the rest of the family. As our parents received their own warm wee from Aunty Amelia, we made our way inside. Familiar with the mansion, we each knew our designated rooms. Miles, Oliver, Marvin, and I typically shared one room, while Lily, Harper, and the triplets upied another. Eleanor had expressed a desire to join us, but Uncle Marcel had enrolled her in Lund Academy since her return to Grizlo wasn''t imminent. She only had two more years toplete her studies, and my mother had taken the opportunity to drop her off at the academy along with my brothers. As we ascended the stairs to our designated wing, we unexpectedly crossed paths with the Corrigan sisters. They had noticeably grown since ourst encounter, which was only a few months ago. "Hey, Li, Miles, Oliver, Marvin," La greeted us warmly, her smile radiating. She nced at each of us but seemed to focus on Marvin, who became momentarily flustered. In his attempt to wave while still clutching his bag, he ended up dropping what he was carrying. It was no secret that Marvin tended to be a bit flustered whenever La was around. "Hi," Miles greeted Sarah with a casual air, as if she were the only person in the room. Leaving Marvin and La engrossed in their own little world, Oliver and I hurried past them, making our way to our room. I couldn''t help but look forward to teasing them about their interaction when they returned. Their response to our yful banter never failed to amuse us. "Did you see Marvin?" Oliver chuckled, hisughter contagious as I ced my bag in the closet. "Just like you are when you see ine. I don''t know what it is with you guys and the Stepanovs," I replied, joining in theughter. "They''re undeniably beautiful, Li. You can''t deny that. We always thought you might have a soft spot for Josephine, but she''s quite the handful¡ªtoo much for your serious mind to handle. Besides, you''ve been preupied with Sophia to notice anyone else. I just hope we''re able to find her," Oliver said, his tone shifting as we both grew serious. I could tell he was treading carefully, delicately skirting around the subject. I gave his back a reassuring pat and took a seat, our smiles fading as we contemted the weight of our mission. "We''re here to have fun and conduct our investigation. Don''t let my mood dampen yours. We''ll make the most of our time here, and I already mentioned the phone call to you. Sophia assured us that they wouldn''t harm them. I highly doubt Mike would allow it. We need to stay optimistic, but at the same time, we shouldn''t let our current joy be overshadowed," I reassured Oliver, emphasising the importance of maintaining a positive outlook. He nodded in agreement. "Do you think the Kusovs will be joining us? Aunt Amelia usually invites everyone when it''s her turn," Oliver asked, his cheeks blushing slightly as he expressed his eagerness to see ine. "Well, for your sake, I hope she does. It would be a shame to see Miles and Marvin having a great time with Sarah and La while you''re left alone. You know Aunt Nicole is hoping that Justin might meet someone here," I interjected, attempting to divert the topic. Oliver nodded, joining in the laughter, and we both shifted our focus to the potential enjoyment that awaited us at the gathering. "I wouldn''t want to be in his shoes right now. Honestly, she is hands-on. I heard my mother saying Aunt Nicole ns to start organising balls for Justin. ''Speaking of prince charming and the lucky girl''. I am sure all the young unmated women will overrun the ce. I hope he finds a way to convince her not to do so. It kind of sucks not knowing someone is your mate until they, too,e of age. I think the moon allows you to cross paths with them. Hopefully, Justin will, and Aunty Nicole can rest," he said. I really hoped so, too, because Aunty Nicole had put a lot of hope and effort into finding Justin, his mate. Noah and Sebastien joined us in the room, and their presence brought me immense relief. It was evident that they weren¡¯t aware of the situation I was facing, but we refrained from discussing it directly. I wanted to ensure that I had fully settled myself before delving into those matters. However, I had no doubt that Noah and Sebastien would be there to support me. Despite the two- year age gap between us, they were incredibly resourceful individuals, especially Noah. He seemed to have his finger on the pulse of everything, and Uncle Leo had his hands full when it came to parenting Noah. With their energy and enthusiasm, I knew they would be instrumental in helping me navigate through this challenging time. Kaizen and Braile will be a breeze for them. Noah and Sebastien were set to graduate in just two months. Their remarkable intellect had earned them double promotions twice, cing them in the same academic year as us. They were my cousins and held a closer bond with me than Marvin, Miles, and Oliver. Their stay in our room was brief, as they had other engagements. I made a mental note to catch up with themter, as I knew their insights and support would be invaluable. After freshening up, my father contacted us to inform us that we would be having dinner separately from our parents. Apparently, the reason was that their dining room couldn''t amodate all of us. I couldn''t help but feel relieved by this arrangement. Eating with our parents often felt dull and overly formal, with them holding all the enjoyment while we merely observed and adhered to proper behaviour. Now, at least, we could have a good time amongst ourselves without a chaperone. I suspected that this change was due to most of us having turned eighteen. However, I held hope that Justin would join us for dinner. He was just as enjoyable to be around, much like his father. Miles and Marvin finally entered the room, and Oliver and I decided to let the issue concerning the Corrigan sisters slide for now. Considering the time it took for them to return, it seemed apparent that whatever was transpiring between them was mutually agreed upon. I resolved to give them the necessary space and address the matterter when the time was right. We proceeded to dress for dinner and made our way to the smaller dining room. The Corrigans were already present, alongside the rest of our group. Although I was initially designated to sit at the head of the table, I asked Justin to take that position as a gesture of honour while I took the seat next to him on the right. As we settled into our ces, I couldn''t help but notice that we were waiting for something. Curiosity getting the better of me, I leaned towards Justin and inquired about the dy in serving the food. "The Kusovs arrived about thirty minutes ago. We''re waiting for Josephine and her sisters to join us," Justin informed, his gaze directed at Oliver. Instantly,ughter erupted throughout the room as we all understood the implications behind that look. I couldn''t help but anticipate the awkwardness that would ensue. As we were no longer mere students, it was crucial for each of us to contemte our own futures. While I pursued my search for Sophia, my cousins had their own aspirations within their grasp, and I hoped they wouldn''t let those opportunities slip away. While we waited for the Kusovs to join us, I caught a distinct and captivating scent wafting from the doorway. It was subtle but alluring, reminiscent of dill. The fragrance lingered momentarily, yet it was undeniably present. My gaze turned towards the source of the scent, and there she was¡ªJosephine Kusov, apanied by her sisters. As always, she exuded an air of aloofness with her dark eyeliner and a subtle hint of gothic fashion. Yet, there was something different about her this time. I couldn''t quite put my finger on it and didn''t wish to dwell on it. I redirected my attention to my te, allowing them to settle infortably. Alex, my wolf, seemed restless, and I couldn''t help but wonder what had just happened to me. 13 Deliberating 13 Deliberating ~Liam~ As I stared down at my te, I made an effort to soothe Alex''s agitation. Falling sick was a rare urrence for me, so I doubted if that was the cause of my unease. I nced over at Justin, who seemed engrossed in conversation with his wolf. Much to my dismay, Josephine upied the seat across from me next to Justin. Without hesitation, ine settled beside Oliver, and their mutual gaze revealed a connection between them. I could only hope that when thedies reached the age of eighteen, they wouldn''t face heartbreak upon realising they were not destined for one another but rather for someone else entirely. Lost in my thoughts, I suddenly heard Josephine calling my name. I looked at her, my mouth dry and my heart racing. I couldn''tprehend why Alex was behaving this way. Clenching my napkin tightly on the table, I fought against an overwhelming wave of emotions that threatened to overwhelm me. Only I understood the intensity of what I was feeling in that moment. "Congrattions," Josephine eximed, and I furrowed my brow, puzzled as to why she was congratting me. My mind was muddled, struggling to think clearly. "You graduated?" she rified, and I nodded, feeling foolish for not realising sooner. Why hadn''t I put the pieces together? Why was Alex acting strangely? I attempted topose myself. "Thank you," I managed to reply, but as she turned her attention to Justin, I sensed a fit of jealousy that made me wish she wouldn''t. I fought back a growl, desperate to maintain control. The situation felt unbearable, and the urge to leave welled up within me. However, drawing unnecessary attention to myself was not a viable option. I fought the urge to let out a growl as I observed Josephine gently touching Justin''s hand. Why was Alex losing control? I had no idea what was triggering his behaviour. Josephine''s brother, Luis, took a seat beside me, where Marvin should have been, but he was too busy getting cosy with La. "What''s up?" Luis asked me with a smile, and I nodded, though my eyes remained fixated on Josephine for reasons unknown to me. "When did you guys arrive?" I finally managed to ask Luis, forcing myself to look at him, anything to divert my attention from Josephine. "About forty-three minutes ago. My father was held up in a meeting regarding something rted to your girlfriend''s father. So we couldn''t leave Gad on time," he exined, instantly piquing my interest. "Why were they discussing Mike Maguire in Gad?" I inquired, and Luis shrugged. "I don''t know, but my father intends to assign one of us to work closely with Justin to investigate the incident in Grizlo. Your father requested it, mentioning something about keeping it within our circle. They''ll discuss it with you. Anyway, I''m excited. The three of us scored exceptionally well in that department and are eager to put our skills to good use. Hopefully, they choose me," he said, and I nodded, feeling inadequate. Original from N?velDrama.Org. It was disheartening when juniors caught up with you, but that was the Stepanovs for you¡ªthey were prodigies who had earned double promotions as a result. I hadpletely forgotten that they had graduated a few months before us. Suddenly, I felt selfish for my own shorings. "Congrattions, by the way," Luis said to me, and I nodded in acknowledgement. "You too," I replied, returning the sentiment, and a smile crossed his face, indicating that my words meant a lot to him. Turning my attention to Josephine, I realised that I hadn''t yet congratted her. "Hey," I said, catching her gaze with my own. "Congrattions," I offered, and she responded with a smile. "Thanks, your highness. Didn''t think you would remember," she said yfully, summing up our brief exchange before redirecting her attention back to Justin. Alex seemed unsettled by their interaction, and I couldn''t fathom why. As the food was served, we all began to eat. Justin, much like his father, had a talent for enlivening the atmosphere. His jokes elicitedughter from everyone, particrly Josephine, who seemed captivated by his presence. Not once did she spare me a nce, and that bothered me. Moreover, I couldn''t shake off the scent of dill that seemed to surround her. I contemted asking her if she was using something rted to dill as a fragrance or perfume. After dinner, we made our way to the living room to continue the festivities and spend time together. Our parents were likely gathered in the lounge, enjoying their own conversations. As we walked towards the living room, Josephine moved closer to me, and I couldn''t help but wonder what she wanted. Her presence was driving my wolf to the brink of madness. "Hey," she greeted me, and I looked at her, offering a smile. "I heard about Sophia; sorry to hear that. I know you two were close," she said, and I nodded in acknowledgement. "We are still close," I corrected her, and she fell silent, seemingly taken aback by my response. I hadn''t meant to sound curt, but the truth was, I was on edge, and she seemed to be the cause. "I didn''t mean it that way. Of course, I know you are close," she quickly rified, and I shook my head. "I apologise for my tone," I said sincerely, and she smiled at me as if she hadn''t expected my apology. She nodded, indicating that she epted it. "Forget about Sophia," I heard Alex''s voice echoing in my mind. He was attempting tomunicate with Josephine and not me, and I was grateful that I alone could hear that conversation. "Anyway, my father mentioned that one of us will be assisting Justin with the investigation. We''ll do everything we can to ensure she is found," she said, patting me on the shoulder and preparing to walk away. In that moment, I reached out and held her hand. I couldn''t exin why I did it, but the touch sent an electric shock through me. She looked at me with surprise, then nced at our joined hands as I stood rooted to the spot while the others continued ahead. I didn''t want to let go. Touching her hand felt inexplicably right, and suddenly, I found myself questioning what was happening to me. I had known Josephine my entire life, and she had always been intimidating. This was an entirely new experience. "Li?" she asked, her gaze fixed on me. It felt as if I were in a trance, unable to snap out of it no matter how hard I tried. Managing to find my voice, I quickly questioned her. "Why do you smell like dill?" I blurted out, and she frowned, sniffing the air around her. "Are you feeling all right, Li?" she inquired, concern evident in her voice. And with that simple question, I knew exactly what had transpired. Releasing her hand abruptly, I turned away and started walking towards my room with haste. I dared not answer or look in her direction. I had to move swiftly, desperate to avoid doing something I would regret. "Li! Li! Liam!" Josephine called after me, but I refused to acknowledge her. I had to keep moving, afraid that any moment longer would result in aplete loss of control. "This can''t be happening to us now," I whispered to my wolf, my mind filled with chaotic howls of Alex. "But it is happening, and it has," my wolf responded, his voice firm. "Josephine. It can''t be Josephine; she''s practically family," I protested, desperately searching for any reason to deny the reality of the situation. But Alex disagreed. "Our parents may be close, and she maye from the second ruling line, but she isn''t rted to us by blood, Li," he countered, his voice filled with a sombre eptance. Yet, even with that knowledge, I couldn''t shake off the overwhelming emotions flooding over me. We had practically grown up together, with only a year and a few months separating us. Why had fate chosen to y such a cruel trick on me? "Fate has not made a mistake, Li. This is a rare opportunity, and I believe we should embrace it," Alex insisted, his voice filled with conviction, but I shook my head in disagreement. "I don''t like her. She''s stubborn, annoying, and always trying to prove herself, especially to us. I can''t handle that kind of behaviour. And her sense of fashion... it''s just not my taste. She doesn''t seem to care about anything," Iined, venting my frustrations. "But you liked Sophia for simr reasons," Alex pointed out, leaving me flustered as I stormed into my room. "No, Sophia is different. She''s kind, gentle, and sweet. Josephine is wild," I argued, though deep down, I knew Alex had a point. I found myself desperately trying to convince myself that fate had made a mistake. "I can''t give up on Sophia. I''m the only one actively searching for her, trying to protect her," I protested to Alex. "We will continue our search for Sophia, but we can''t dismiss this gift from fate for her sake. She isn''t meant for us. Consider this, Li: every time we try to express our emotions, something always gets in the way. It''s a significant sign, and I don''t think it''s fair to ignore fate and leave Josephine behind. How do you think she would feel?" Alex questioned, reasoning with me. "She''ll be fine. She doesn''t strike me as someone who needs a man or desires amitted rtionship," I retorted, causing Alex to be visibly angry with me. "Let''s at least give fate a chance, Li," Alex urged, and I sat down on my bed, feeling a mixture of fear and uncertainty. "But if I say yes now, what will happen to Sophia? Our father won''t continue pulling strings, and they might let her go. She''s in serious danger," I voiced my concern, and Alex understood the dilemma I was facing. "If I say yes and pursue a rtionship with Josephine, Sophia may be forgotten, and the support system in ce for her could be removed. Besides being my best friend at school, she may no longer hold significance," I exined, weighing the consequences in my mind. "What if I reject Josephine like Father rejected Aunt Susan? Couldn''t the bond then shift to Sophia?" I asked Alex, hoping for a different oue. However, his response left me frustrated. "Mother had to reject Uncle Devin first. What makes you think Sophia would reject her fated partner if she finds him? Besides, I simply don''t see a valid reason to reject Josephine," he countered, his annoyance evident. I fell silent because, deep down, I knew he was right. I had no genuine reason to reject Josephine. My fear stemmed from the possibility that Josephine might reject me. We had grown apart over the past two years, and she had kept to herself during that time. I wasn''t sure what had caused the change, but she hadn''t been friendly towards me, Marvin, Oliver, and Miles for quite some time. She would exchange brief greetings and engage in small talk before moving on. She had grown closer to the triplets, my sister, and Lilly, but most of her time was spent absorbed in reading or working on calctions. Honestly, I had no legitimate grounds to reject her, yet I doubted that a rtionship would work between us due to ourck ofmon ground. "We never really gave her a fair chance, did we? Everyone was easily intimidated by her because of her high IQ. Her only friends were her siblings and cousins, who also had exceptional intellects. I believe that contributed to her attitude. Perhaps we should give it a chance," Alex suggested, and his words made me chuckle. I had never looked at Josephine from that perspective, but Alex had a valid point. She could be quite intimidating. However, I had no intention of actively pursuing anything with her. Instead, I nned to keep my observations to myself and take the time to understand her better. A year and six months should be sufficient to gather information and figure things out. There was even a possibility that she might not want to ept the bond when the time came. As Alex had rightly pointed out, the decision was not solely up to me. Nheless, having this knowledge now would undoubtedly make things awkward between us. I just knew it. Despite her attitude, there was no denying that Josephine was stunning beneath the heavy eyeliner and serious demeanour. But looks alone weren''t enough, and even though the moon had ignited a spark, it was ultimately up to us to determine whether we would let it grow into a zing fire. 14 Drafting 14 Drafting ~Josephine~ I wasn''t particrly enthusiastic about going to Mountain at first, until my father informed us that one of us would be assisting Justin in investigating the mysterious circumstances surrounding Mike Maguire. I had briefly met the man during a visit to Lady Stephanie and her husband in Grizlo, but I hadn''t paid much attention to him. Apart from his daughter''s close rtionship with Liam, he was just an ordinary person to me. However, upon discovering that he hadmitted Familicide and disappeared, I wouldn''t be honest if I said I wasn''t intrigued. A few months had passed since our graduation, and we hadn''t encountered any significant challenges. I was certain that this opportunity would be enjoyable. Moreover, I eagerly anticipated working alongside Justin on this case. He was a fun and cool person to be around. Unlike others, he didn''t be ufortable in my presence, which made our interactions much smoother. He disyed a protective nature, akin to that of a brother, despite us not being rted. I hoped they would choose me to assist Justin in the investigation in Grizlo, as working with him promised to be an enjoyable experience. During the dinner held at Albert''s mansion, I couldn''t help but notice Liam''s difort as he continuously nced in my direction. I was aware that the situation involving Sophia had affected him, but I never anticipated it would make him lose control the way he did. Throughout the meal, he seemed almost entranced, drifting off during conversations with Luis and stealing asional nces at me. It was as if he didn''t want me to interact with his cousin. Regardless of Justin''s rtion to him, I believed I had the right to engage with anyone. I hadn''t done anything to warrant his behaviour, making itpletely unwarranted. Interestingly enough, Liam even forgot that we had graduated until Luis reminded him, despite being supposedly close family friends. It made me question whether the Volkovs truly believed the world revolved around them. I couldn''t help but wonder what challengesy ahead when Liam ascended to the throne. While Sebastien, Noah, and Ethan might not face any issues since their father is Liam''s uncle, and they are technically his cousins, I doubted that I would be warmly embraced within that circle, particrly as the one he hadbelled as the "weirdo." After dinner, I made an attempt to talk to Liam about the mission. I knew he was the one who had caught the King''s interest in the matter. It was evident that Sophia yed a significant role, and although I found it biased, I understood her importance as the crown prince''s friend. To my surprise, I discovered that Liam and Sophia weren''t dating yet. I had nothing against Sophia personally, but their potential romantic pairing didn''t quite feel right to me. In my opinion, Liam and Sophia were better off as friends, but who was I to judge? "It still isn''t," Onyx, my wolf, remarked within my thoughts. She had been acting strangely since we entered the dining room, and even she couldn''t exin why. I settled onto the couch, observing everyone''sughter and enjoyment. Marvin and Miles were engaged in conversation with the Corrigan sisters, while ine seemed engrossed in her discussion with Oliver. Luis, on the other hand, was talking to Harper and Lilly, and I suspected Eleanor Sidorov was the topic of conversation. My brother had an infatuation with her. Just because our parents were close didn''t mean we had to be together, but it seemed like fate might have different ns in store. Charlotte, as usual, was chatting with her sisters, while Justin kept thempany. I should have been part of that circle, but I couldn''t shake off the tingling sensation that lingered after Liam''s hand briefly touched mine as we made our way to the living room. Moreover, he had asked me a peculiar question about dill, which struck me as odd. Despite Liam being eighteen, I was not yet of the same age, which meant there couldn''t be any mate pull between us. In fact, I highly doubted that the moon would ever connect us. We had absolutely nothing inmon, and Liam''s intense focus on Sophia made it clear that they were destined to be mates in the future. Furthermore, I knew deep down that I wasn''t his type. I learned that in a rather harsh way, and it stung a bit because I used to have a crush on him. To be honest, that crush hadn''tpletely faded away. Liam was undeniably handsome, gentle, driven, and physically strong. However, he had never spared me a second nce. ine used to believe that sparks would fly between us, but it never materialised. As things grew more serious between Liam and Sophia, I chose to step back and let their rtionship take its course. Sitting on the couch, observing the lively atmosphere around me, I couldn''t help but chuckle at my past self and the near-miss from two years ago. It was a memory that brought a mixture of pain and relief. I had been just fifteen years old at the time, foolishly contemting asking Liam out. Looking back, it was an embarrassing and naive notion. It had only been two years, but it felt like a lifetime ago. We were all gathered at the Volkov estate, and it was ine who had encouraged me to approach Liam and confess my feelings. Reflecting on it now, I realised how foolish I had been. Liam was in thepany of Marvin, Oliver, and Miles that day, and I wanted to seize the opportunity to approach him and request a private conversation. Even though Sophia was present as well, I stubbornly believed that I could somehowpete for his attention. I pondered on the source of my courage back then, and I attributed it to Onyx, my newfound companion, as it was around that time that I had just acquired my wolf. As I neared their conversation, I overheard Liam voicing his grievances about me. He had taken issue with my attitude, my choice of clothing, and evenbeled me as arrogant. The sound of their laughter only intensified the negative emotions welling up inside me. Miles even made a joke about my hair and eyeliner, and it stung deeply. I couldn''t help but feel self- conscious about my eyes, which often appeared almost blind. Though they didn''t explicitly mention it, I had a sinking feeling that I had missed a significant portion of their conversation. I had never realised they saw me in such a light until that moment. In that instant, I made a swift decision to forget about the crush. Upon returning to Gad, I made it a point to trouble my mother about getting me contacts, feigning the excuse of poor eyesight. The optometrist saw through my ruse but kindly obliged, prescribing me contact lenses. Everyone assumed they were for medical purposes, but in reality, they were purely a fashion choice¡ªa way to give people one less thing to gossip about. I loved the boldness of my heavy eyeliner; it made my eyes stand out, and I could never bring myself to regret it. I refused to apologise for being intelligent or foring across as unfriendly. Whether or not they wereughing about me, I didn''t bother to find out. I retreated into myself, focusing on my own journey, and let go of that foolish crush. "Hey, I noticed you were talking to Liam earlier. Why did he refuse to join us?" Jewels asked as she sat beside me. I reminded her of the situation with Sophia and how Liam was struggling to cope. She nodded in understanding. "Yeah, he''s really going through a tough time. He hasn''t taken it well at all. You should have seen him that day; he was absolutely devastated. He''s convinced that she''s being held captive on some remote ind. Hopefully, our investigation in Grizlo will shed some light on the situation," she said with a hopeful smile, and I couldn''t help but reciprocate. "I thought maybe he got upset and left because he seemed so fixated on you during dinner," she said, her curiosity evident in her gaze. I hoped she wasn¡¯t trying to insinuate something because I was sure I wasn¡¯t Liam¡¯s type. "I guess my eyeliner captured his attention," I teased, and we shared augh. "Everyone finds it fascinating, and you really know how to rock it," sheplimented my artistic skills. C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. "It does look even better with your natural eye colour, though. I wish you didn''t have to wear those lenses. You look just as beautiful as Aunty Amelia," she added, causing a slight blush to tint my cheeks. I never saw myself in that light, so herpliment was truly heartwarming. "By the way, congrattions," she said to me, and I nodded. Our graduation had been rtively low-key due to the specialised sses we attended. "Thank you, Jewels. So, what are your ns now?" I asked her, genuinely curious. She shrugged in response. "I''m thinking of starting a business and maybe finding Mr Right to settle down with," she replied with a hint of yfulness, causing me tough. "And what about you?" she inquired, turning the question back to me. "I''ll likely join my father''s ranks," I responded, and she gasped in surprise. "But you''re royalty!" she eximed, and I chuckled. "So are you," I replied, reminding her of her own noble lineage. She nodded in acknowledgement. "Well, let''s see how our work in Grizlo unfolds. Who knows, maybe you''ll find your fated mate or meet someone along the way, settle down, and explore other possibilities," she teased, and I nodded, considering the possibilities. Suddenly, I remembered the questions I had about Mike. Since Liam wasn''t present, I figured I could approach Marvin, who was engrossed in a conversation with La. However, seeing their deep engagement, I realised it would be impolite to interrupt. I looked around, hoping to find someone else to talk to, but aside from Jewels, who seemed uninformed, there wasn''t anyone readily avable. I would likely have to wait until tomorrow to speak with Liam about Sophia and Mike. Sebastien''s announcement caught my attention, drawing me back to the present. It seemed we had been summoned to the lounge, likely concerning the Grizlo assignment since it appeared that most of us would be involved in it. We all paused our activities and made our way to the lounge as a group. I followed behind, taking my ce as thest person to arrive. Liam was already present, and there was an air of tension in the room that I couldn''t quiteprehend. Uncle Leo appeared displeased, which only added to my confusion. "I''m sure you''re all aware of the Maguire case," Uncle Leo began, his voice carrying authority. "The incident involving the man whomitted Familicide," he rified, and several of us nodded in recognition. "Well, Prince Liam is determined to save his girlfriend, Sophia. He believes that she and her mother are being held captive by dangerous individuals who are using them as leverage to manipte Mike. It may sound farfetched, but it''s a usible theory. While this isn''t directly our business, Liam has made it our concern. In times of need, we stand united. And as your parents, we hope that you will do the same." Uncle Leo''s words resonated, and I realised that there was a select group being chosen to work on this case. While all of us might end up going to Grizlo, as it was likely the destination, only those directly involved in the investigation would have an active role. The prospect of being excluded weighed on me, knowing that Liam would likely prefer to have Luis or ine join him rather than me. I had been eagerly looking forward to going to Grizlo and being part of the investigation, but if the decisiony with Liam, I knew he wouldn''t choose me. Lord Vino interrupted the silence by clearing his throat andmanding our attention. He spoke with a measured tone. "When you go to Grizlo, your primary task is to investigate and observe. If the situation esctes to confrontation, you are not to engage. Instead, report back to us, and we will take it from there. While we would like to assist Liam in rescuing his friend and her mother, we are not willing to put our children in harm''s way." His words hung in the air, and my gaze instinctively turned to Liam, searching for any sign or reaction. Liam appeared visibly uneasy, and I empathised with his position. If anything were to go wrong, he would likely shoulder the me. However, our families were tightly connected, and it was inconceivable to leave the Volkovs to tackle this alone. Our bond required us to stand together, regardless of the risks involved. My attention shifted to Queen Tamia, and her distress was evident. The weight of the situation, combined with the uncertainty surrounding it, made it even more challenging. If there was a way for our parents to handle it themselves, they would have done so. Unfortunately, their roles and positions didn''t allow for such direct intervention. "My beta will dispatch his team tomorrow to check the ports of Kaizen and Braile, conducting inquiries discreetly. We cannot simply storm into people''s homes and conduct searches unless there is a clear and urgent need or a state of emergency is dered on those inds. At present, the best approach will be to circte their pictures and offer rewards for any valuable information," Uncle Leo exined. His pragmatic approach acknowledged the limitations they faced, and it seemed like the most suitable course of action for the time being. "The active team in Grizlo will consist of," Lord David began, capturing our full attention. "Justin, as the temporary Alpha, Liam as the temporary Beta, Marvin as the temporary Gamma, Oliver as the temporary Delta, and Noah as the Epsilon. Josephine, Sebastien, and Charlotte, the three of you will work closely with them and assist in the investigation. The rest of you will join them in Grizlo after four months once they have settled into their respective roles. It''s essential that all of you coborate closely and uncover the truth behind what went wrong. Head Alpha Christian Zakharov has provided some documents for you to review." As Lord David spoke, his gaze settled on me, and I felt a surge of both pride and pressure. "Josephine, you possess exceptional intellect, and thus, you will lead the investigation. I would like you, Noah, and Sebastien to employ your brilliant minds to analyse the documents provided by the Alpha and develop theories. Report your findings to your respective Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta, and Epsilon. In more serious cases, report directly to me," he instructed, and I nodded in acknowledgement. ncing towards my parents, I could sense their approval of the assigned roles. I couldn''t help but feel a mix of excitement and anticipation, particrly knowing that Uncle Max and his family would be visiting soon. I hoped we wouldn''t be required to depart before their arrival. As I shifted my gaze towards Liam, it became clear that he was visibly ufortable with the fact that I was assigned to his team. I could sense his disapproval, but something within me urged me not to let it affect me. Regardless of his feelings, I knew that I had a role to fulfill and that I was capable of contributing to the investigation. It was unfortunate for him if he didn''t like the arrangement, but he would simply have toe to terms with it. Clarification On Treason and Familicide rification On Treason and Familicide As per the Oxford Dictionary, Treason is defined as the act of betraying one''s country, especially through attempts to kill or overthrow the sovereign or government. On the other hand, Familicide refers to the deliberate and uwful act of one family member killing multiple or all members of their own family. The term "family" in this context usually epasses immediate rtives like parents, children, siblings, or other close knitted people residing in the same household. However, in the context of the werewolf world, I liken the concept of "family" to a "pack." Essentially, Familicide is a form of Homicide within this context. For those seeking rification on thews in the story, it''s essential to understand the distinction between Treason and Familicide, which are two separate crimes. In book two, we discover that Dimitri used Adrik of Treason as a means to eliminate the Stepanov family without facing guilt for Familicide/ Homicide. The reason for abolishing the punishment of an entire family for the crimes of one member was primarily due to the prevalence of treason, a significant issue in books one and two. Original from N?velDrama.Org. Now, a new situation arises where Mikemits Familicide/ Homicide in a small town. Unlike previous cases involving power struggles or mutiny, Mike''s crime involves theplete annihtion of a family for reasons best known to him. While rare, such urrences can happen. In handling this matter, it falls under the jurisdiction of the Head Alpha of the North, Christian Zakharov, as it is akin to Homicide. However, the ruling ss has also be engaged due to Liam''s involvement with Sophia. It''s crucial to note that the Law on Familicide punishment has not been abolished, and each region operates under a distinct governing system, as established in book one. Only escted issues reach the council and be part of the King and lord''s business. To address concerns about inconsistencies in the story, it''sparable to a regr court system, where Manughter and Murder are separate offences carrying different punishments, despite resulting in the loss of life. Thank you for your time in reading this rification. I hope it was helpful. 15 Misunderstanding 15 Misunderstanding ~Liam~ I had never been so ufortable in my life. Normally, I should have been overjoyed that we were finally going to investigate the matter, and I should have been grateful for Uncle Leo''s determination to explore the inds in the east. However, an unsettling thought lingered in my mind¡ªI would be spending more time with Josephine than I had expected. Being away from her would certainly make dealing with the bond a lot easier. I couldn''t trust myself to behave appropriately with her close by. As our parents assigned roles for the investigation, I stood there silently, unable to voice my concerns. I knew I should simply be thankful because they were all going above and beyond for my sake. When my father dismissed the rest of us and asked Justin to stay, I wanted to remain too, but it seemed I wasn''t meant to be privy to their private conversation. Justin, being the oldest, would be responsible for all of us, and I assumed there would be additional instructions that we wouldn''t be informed about. "Come on, Li," Charlotte eximed, her excitement evident. She seemed thrilled about being drafted into this endeavour. I was tempted to decline, but I knew it would be impolite. They were all going out of their way to assist me, and I genuinely appreciated their efforts. Even Josephine had the right to refuse, yet here they were, willing to help me unravel this mystery. Perhaps we could be as close as our parents had hoped. "It''s not fair that our fated is assisting us in the search when you might end up rejecting her for the person she is helping us find," Alex whispered in my mind, causing a pang of guilt to wash over me. I hadn''t nned on rejecting Josephine, but I wanted to get to know her better first to see how things would unfold. I couldn''t make a snap decision about such an important matter. In agreement with Charlotte, I followed the group to the living room. It was evident that Miles wasn''t too thrilled about not being officially on the team, given the gloomy expression on his face. Sarah stood by his side, attempting to lift his spirits. I decided to connect with him telepathically. "Look at the bright side; you get to do whatever you like and join us in four months. I''m sure you won''t miss out on too much," I linked him, but he shook his head in response. "I''ming with you guys; my father said it''s okay," he replied, which left me puzzled by his lingering gloom. "So what''s with the face?" I asked, seeking to understand his emotions. "Alpha Devin won''t allow Sarah and La to visit," he revealed, and I sympathised with his predicament. I wasn''t entirely sure about the depth of Miles and Marvin''s feelings for the Corrigan sisters, but I hoped everything would work out for them and they wouldn''t end up in a situation like mine. For so long, I had been infatuated with Sophia, only for fate to introduce Josephine into my life. I wished that wouldn''t be the case for them. "I''m sure we can work something out," I reassured him through our telepathic connection before finding a seat on one of the couches. I couldn''t really immerse myself in the celebration or engage in mingling. Thoughts of the mate bond still lingered, and the scent of dill stung my nose. Thankfully, Alex seemed to be handling it better than I was, but I knew coping with this on a daily basis would be a real challenge. Amid my contemtion, Josephine came to sit beside me. I sensed ine''s stare, and when I nced in her direction, she quickly averted her eyes back to Oliver. "Our father said the three of us can go to Grizlo," Josephine mentioned, referring to her siblings. I nodded in response, not wanting to engage in a full conversation with her to avoid saying something foolish. Josephine stayed silent for a moment; then, she touched my shoulder. The sensation was overwhelming, and I gently shrugged her hand off. I could tell from her expression that my action wasn''t well-received, as she realised I didn''t want her touching me. "Sorry," she said, withdrawing her hand to herp. I felt like a jerk, aware of how my actions must have seemed to her. If only she knew the turmoil I was going through at the moment, she wouldn''t be upset. "No, it''s not what you think," I tried to exin, feeling guilty for my behaviour. "It''s just that I''m not in a good frame of mind," I added, which was genuinely true. She nodded, gazing ahead. "I know you don''t want me on the team, Li," she unexpectedly said, leaving me stunned. How did she reach that conclusion? "Well, that''s not..." I began to respond, but she shook her head and locked her eyes on mine. I found myself drawn into a trance, noticing her features more closely than ever before. I had often wondered why she wore contact lenses. In truth, she had Aunt Amelia''s stunning eyes, and perhaps transparent lenses would have been a better option. "You have your reasons for not liking me, and I understand that. I mighte off as arrogant and difficult, and my sense of style might be unconventional. Nevertheless, rest assured that it won''t impede my investigative skills. I know how much Sophia means to you, and I''m willing to put in the effort to help you solve the mystery and save her. But I want to plead with you, Liam, to give me a chance and make my work a bit easier. We can''t function effectively as a team if you harbour such strong dislike towards me," Josephine spoke with a serious expression, and I shook my head in response. "I do not dislike you, Joe," I said, hoping to clear any misunderstanding, and she smiled faintly, looking away. Original from N?velDrama.Org. "Maybe not to my face," she replied, catching me off guard. I couldn''t fathom where that notion came from. "I beg your pardon?" I asked, seeking rification, and she chuckled before meeting my gaze. "Two years ago, during the summer gathering at the Volkov Mansion, I overheard you and your cousins talking about me. You wereughing at my fashion sense, my appearance, my makeup, and my attitude. I was the subject of your jokes," she revealed, and I racked my brain, trying to recall the conversation she referred to. As I struggled to remember, she continued, "So you see, I know exactly what you all think. I only came to tell you to set aside your feelings so we can work together effectively. I don''t expect everyone to like me, but I promise to always give my best." Her words left me utterly speechless. Josephine stated her piece and stood up, walking away before I could respond. I sat there, dumbfounded, on the living room couch. I tried to recall the conversation from two years ago, and while we may have discussed Josephine, it was never meant to be malicious. We might have shared opinions, and perhaps there was a hint of jealousy toward her intelligence, but it was all harmless. I could only assume she had overheard a fragment of that conversation and misconstrued our feelings towards her. A week went by, and there was still no news about Mike. It felt as if he had vanished from the face of the earth. Max and Kyle joined our group, bringing along their wives and young children. Max''s oldest child was Celia, an eight-year-old girl, and his son Jacob was five years old. Meanwhile, Kyle had two adopted sons named Luke and Ashton. Max''s mate, Ingrid, was a lovely brte, and Josephine, ine, and Luis seemed to have a great fondness for her. Considering Max was also their uncle on their mother''s side, it made sense that they were close. The story of how their families became connected was quite amusing and bizarre. It was hard to believe that Lord Alexei had cheated Max during an Alpha challenge and ended up taking over his pack. Our parents would asionally joke about it, particrly Uncle Leo, who loved to recount how Max had sought his help after facing a Stepanov. No one would have guessed that Max would eventually forgive his cousin Alia and ept Alexei as his inw. It spoke volumes about their big hearts and the strength of their friendships and bonds that had endured for so long. As for Kyle, his mate Veronica was known for her spirited nature, and everyone enjoyed being around her. They had chosen to adopt children when they discovered that Kyle had reproductive issues. They were incredibly happy with their sons, and aside from their different features, one would never suspect that they weren''t biologically rted. Kyle had triplets he lovingly cared for, children that his fated mate had tricked him into epting as his own. Now that they were grown, the triplets had moved away, but Kyle still kept in touch with them, cherishing the connection they had formed. When Max and Kyle learned about Mike''s crime and our assignment, their reactions were just as I had anticipated. They were immediately intrigued and eager to be part of the investigation, so Uncle Leo assigned them the task of secretly looking into Kaizen and Braile. I hoped that their involvement would yield valuable information for our sake. Alpha Devin also instructed them to explore other inds, and Lord Alexei granted them permission to check the Inds in the west as well. The truth was, Mike and his family could be anywhere, possibly scattered across different locations. I hadn''t received anymunication from Sophia since that day, but I held onto hope that she was still alive. Expanding the search perimeter was crucial in this situation. The aim of our mission in Grizlo was to uncover the root cause of the crime. Understanding the cause could potentially lead us to a solution. Our parents believed that investigating the reasons behind the crime would be less confrontational and dangerous than actively chasing Mike, where we might encounter serious obstacles. Justin made sure we used the week to n and strategise our approach in Grizlo. None of us had ever undertaken such a responsibility before, so we were excited about whaty ahead. Throughout the preparations, Josephine kept her distance from me and only greeted me when we happened to be in the same vicinity. I felt terrible about this situation, and I couldn''t help but think that she might have truly overheard our conversation two years ago. Looking back now, I regret not keeping my thoughts to myself. It was a stark reminder of how our careless words and jokes could unknowingly hurt others. Even though Josephine seemed tough on the outside, our remarks affected her. It made me realise the importance of being mindful of our words and treating others with kindness and respect. Noah and Sebastien were busy organising a pic on one of the mountain tops, and everyone seemed to be looking forward to it. It promised to be a fun time away from our parents'' watchful eyes. Harper, Charlotte, and Lilly were taking charge of the event nning, while Noah, Sebastien, Gemma, and Jewels worked on figuring out the evening''s entertainment. I had a strong hunch that they intended to sneak some alcohol into the gathering, and I suspected Miles or Oliver might be the ones behind it. While everyone was eagerly anticipating the pic, I couldn''t shake the feeling of being out of ce, as if I were somehow doing something wrong. At first, I tried convincing myself that my unease was due to Sophia''s perilous situation, but deep down, I knew it wasn''t the real reason. What truly bothered me was Josephine''s avoidance. Despite my best efforts to hide my feelings about it, her distance affected me more than I wanted to admit. Before the mate bond revtion, being around Josephine was effortless. Even though she was reserved, she still found time for small talk and greetings. But ever since the bond came to light, everything changed. My uneasiness about the situation caused me to act like a jerk, and she misinterpreted my behaviour. Now, any possibility of a friendship seemed distant. I couldn''t help but worry that she would outright reject me if she ever discovered that we were mates. In theory, it shouldn''t have bothered me so much, but in reality, it gnawed at me deeply. It bothered me far more than I cared to admit. 16 A Strong Maybe 16 A Strong Maybe ~Liam~ As the time approached for our pic on the mountain, Miles and Marvin had already gone ahead to help Noah and Sebastien with the preparations, leaving Oliver and me in our room. We were nning to catch up with them soon. I watched as Oliver meticulously tried on three different shirts, putting in a lot of effort to look good for ine. His fashion dilemma amused me, and he joined in on theughter when he noticed me chuckling. Out of the blue, Oliver asked, "What''s going on between you and Josephine? Did you guys have some kind of disagreement?" I was taken aback by the question. "Not really; why do you ask?" I responded, trying to hide any unease in my tone. "I''ve noticed that she usually keeps her distance now. She used to be friendly¡ªgiving a little hi or hello andughing at our jokes. However, she''s been rather cold this week," Oliver exined, expressing his observations. I couldn''t hide the truth and told him, "She mentioned that we made fun of her two years ago at the mansion." Oliver''s eyes widened in surprise, "You mean she brought that up? That was in the past, and we certainly didn''t mean any harm by it. We were just casually talking." Realising that Oliver remembered the conversation too, I asked him, "So you do recall the conversation?" "Yes,¡± He confirmed. ¡° ine said she overheard us talking about her. But we never intended any harm by it. I think she might be taking it a bit too personally." His words made me feel awful. Whatever Josephine had overheard must have hurt her deeply, and she kept it to herself for so long. It became clear that her exterior toughness didn''t mean she was impervious to hurtful words. I regretted my actions and wished I had been more careful with my words back then. After getting dressed, we made our way out to join the others. On my way, I happened to bump into Uncle Leo. "Having fun?" he asked with a yful smile, and I instinctively dodged when he reached to tussle my hair. My reaction amused him, and he chuckled warmly. "You''re a grown man now, huh?" he teased, and hisughter was infectious. I couldn''t help but laugh along with him. He then paused and ced his hand on my shoulder. "You should enjoy life, Liam. I wish I were eighteen again. Don''t let Mike''s mistakes steal the joy and laughter of your youth. I admire what you''re doing for your girlfriend, but remember to live a little too. No matter the oue, don''t let it weigh you down," he advised, echoing the same wisdom I had received from various people. I nodded, appreciating his words, and smiled at my uncle. As I looked at him, an overwhelming urge to ask about the mate bond took over me. I felt like I was going crazy with all the uncertainty and emotions tied to it. "Uncle Leo, can I discuss something with you?" I asked, and he raised an eyebrow, giving me a nod. Sensing my unease, he understood my need for privacy and guided me away from the hallway into a nearby room. Closing the door behind him, he looked at me with a kind smile. "I''m all ears," he said, offering his full attention. I swallowed nervously, wanting to inquire about the mate bond, but cautious not to reveal that it was specifically about Josephine. Curiosity and uncertainty filled me as I finally asked, "What does the mate bond feel like? Can you tell me about what happened when you met Aunt Amelia?" I asked him. To my surprise, he suggested, "Actually, let me tell you about Amanda instead." It was a rare topic, as we seldom discussed her, despite her being the biological mother of Charlotte, Gemma, and Jewels. "I''ll share about Amanda because that was the first time I experienced the mate bond. By the time I met Amelia, I was already filled with apprehension and resistance due to the bad luck it had brought me with Amanda. So, my experience with Amelia might not give you an urate representation," he exined, sighing softly. "We were at a dinner party, and her scent caught my nostrils. I was in a trance, you see, and I couldn''t control myself or my wolf. The pull was powerful, almost impossible to shake off," Uncle Leo recounted, and I nodded in acknowledgement, as I was already familiar with that part of the mate bond experience. Curious, I asked, "What would have happened if you could feel the mate bond, but Amanda couldn''t because she wasn''t yet at the mating age?" His puzzled expression showed that he needed a moment to process the question. Eventually, he grasped the implication. Uncle Leo was indeed a brilliant man, and he studied me thoughtfully before arriving at a revtion. His eyes widened with surprise. "That''s why you''re going crazy searching for Sophia?" he presumed, thinking it was her I was referring to. I immediately shook my head, indicating that it wasn''t Sophia, which only seemed to deepen his confusion. He went on to exin, "Well, it is a rare urrence, but it has happened to a few people. Perhaps the person is close to the mating age, but the pull won''t be as strong as it would have been if she had reached the mating age. That scent would simply let you know she is the one, and she is ready. Once that person is of age, the pull will be intense; you won''t be able to tear your eyes away from her. Your wolf would go crazy, needing toplete the bond. It''s a profound feeling, especially when you''re still unmated, but it can be torturous if you''re already mated," he exined, sharing his insight on theplex dynamics of the mate bond. He moved closer to me. "If you''re asking these questions, then I suspect you''ve found her," Uncle Leo remarked, looking at me intently, and I reluctantly shook my head. "Don''t lie to me, Liam; what you''ve described is an exceedingly rare urrence. You wouldn''t be asking me about it unless you''ve experienced it yourself or someone close to you has. So, tell me the truth," he insisted, and I felt a pang of shame for being caught in a lie. "Can I keep it to myself for now? I''m still trying to sort out my feelings," I admitted, hoping to buy some time. Uncle Leo studied me with a knowing expression, understanding theplexity of the situation. "Are you romantically involved with Sophia?" he inquired, and I shook my head. Original from N?velDrama.Org. "I haven''t yet expressed my feelings to her," I confessed, and he seemed relieved by that. "And this person you believe is your fated, does she know about it? And do you have feelings for her?" he continued his probing questions, to which I again shook my head. "I don''t have any negative feelings towards her, but I don''t see her in a romantic light either. She''s unaware of my thoughts," I exined, being as honest as I could. "Do you want to reject her and search for Sophia?" he asked, but I found myself unable to answer. The bond was strong, and neither Alex nor I wanted to let it go. Uncle Leo noticed my uncertainty and gently said, "I see you''re unsure. Take your time to figure things out." He advised, and I nodded, grateful for his understanding and guidance in this intricate matter. "Well, I would advise you to give the bond a chance. Since you haven''t confessed your feelings to Sophia and haven''t made any promises yet, it would be unfair to discard the gift of the moon for something that isn''t truly yours. Keep in mind that Sophia might find her own fated match, and unlike you, she might be more than willing to embrace it," Uncle Leo advised, echoing the same sentiments that Justin and Alex had pointed out. He sighed, cing his hands on my shoulders with a reassuring touch. "Whoever this person is that you believe is your fated mate, I''m sure she doesn''t deserve to be rejected without being given a chance. I made that mistake with Amelia, and I''m grateful she didn''t give up on me. I don''t want you to make mistakes that you won''t be able to rectify, Liam. I was fortunate, but I don''t want you to test your luck. Whatever it may be, I urge you to embrace it and give it a chance. We will still search for Sophia regardless," he emphasised, alleviating my fears. I looked at him, and he nodded, understanding the reasons behind my hesitation. "I understand that might be a part of your reluctance, but at this point, we are all too invested to pull out. Remember, she is still your friend, Liam," Uncle Leo said, and I let out a sigh of relief. However, the realisation struck me that he could potentially share this information with my parents, and the last thing I wanted was for them to be involved in my love life, especially when I wasn''t entirely sure about my feelings for Josephine. If my parents found out she was my fated mate, there would be no room for rejection. I needed time to figure things out before they knew. "Please don''t tell¡­" I started, and he finished the sentence for me, understanding my concern. "I won''t tell anyone. You lied when I asked, so I can see that you don''t want anyone to know. Your secret is safe with me," he reassured me, and I thanked him sincerely. Uncle Leo extended a handshake, but then he pulled me into an embrace and yfully tousled my hair. We both shared a heartyugh, and in that moment, I realised that no matter how old I grew, I would always be little Liam to him. Uncle Leo''s wise words reminded me of the importance of being fair to both myself and the person I believed to be my fated mate. His advice reassured me that there was room for both hope and exploration, and it didn''t necessarily mean closing off my heart to other possibilities. I felt a sense of gratitude for his guidance and support as I navigated through theplexities of the mate bond. I knew I could count on him to keep my confidence, allowing me the space and time to sort out my emotions without unnecessary interference. After leaving my uncle, I made my way outside and realised that everyone was ready to go. Two vans were waiting, one already full and the other still open. Charlotte seemed unhappy, standing by the door of the open van. I quickly assessed the situation and noticed that the only avable seat was next to Josephine. As I hesitated, my eyes scanned the other seats in the van, unintentionally making Josephine speak up. She seemed defensive, saying, "I don''t want to sit beside you either, but it looks like everyone else has paired up, and the other van is full," I felt the need to rify my actions, as I didn''t want her to think I was avoiding her. I shook my head immediately and sat beside her. Taking a gentle approach, I looked at her and exined, "I wasn''t looking around because I don''t want to sit with you, Joe. I was simply trying to figure out who else was in the van with us." Josephine¡¯s scepticism was evident, but I wanted to put her at ease. So, I ced my hand over hers, intertwining our fingers. At that moment, my heart felt lighter, and my fears seemed to dissipate. The tingling feeling of the bond was undeniable, and I was determined to see where this journey would lead us. "I was actually looking forward to sitting beside you," I whispered to her, noticing the furrow of her brows as she tried to understand the sudden change in my demeanour. 17 The Picnic 17 The Pic ~Liam~ Josephine appeared mildly taken aback by my gesture, and I could empathise with her reaction. Going from a nervous and somewhat distant demeanour to intertwining our fingers was a stark contrast. Even I would have questioned my own behaviour. However, I wanted her to understand that I was perfectly fine, just trying to sort out my thoughts. Gracefully, she withdrew her hand from mine, which brought a small chuckle to Alex. The way she did it was rather endearing, and it brought a smile to my face. Looking ahead, I noticed that ine and Oliver were giving me curious looks, as if sensing something was amiss. Oliver couldn''t resist asking, "What''s going on between you and Joe?" I was at a loss for words, unsure of how to exin the situation to him. "Why do you want to know?" I replied, and he averted his gaze. ncing over to where the triplets were seated, I caught Jewels smiling at me, as though she had some insight. I hoped she hadn''t figured anything out, as she was the least likely to keep things to herself among the sisters. Upon arriving at the venue, I overheard Noah and Sebastien making phone calls to their friends from Mountain, inviting them to join us. I had hoped that our pic would be more private, but judging by the setup, it appeared to be anything but that. Harper took on the role of the DJ, and as I watched her prepare, it became evident that the music would be quite loud. The triplets and Lilly were in charge of refreshments, while others teamed up to help with the setup. I decided to partner with Josephine and assist her with the mats. Noticing that Josephine seemed a bit ufortable around me, I thought it would be a good idea to strike up a conversation with her. "May I speak with you, Joe?" I asked, and she looked at me with an expressionless face before nodding, indicating it was okay. "I am really sorry about my attitudetely. It''s just that I have been dealing with a lot mentally," I said, and she nodded in understanding. "I know. We all know. Hopefully, we will be sessful and find Sophia, so you can get back to your serious and yful self," she replied, still maintaining her poker face. I couldn''t quite read her emotions, unsure if she had truly forgiven me for my behaviour or if she was being sarcastic. "Does that mean we are cool?" I asked curiously, seeking some rity, and she nodded. "We have always been cool, Li," she said, and with that, the conversation ended. Her responses were concise and to the point, leaving no room for further boration. Inplete silence, Josephine and I set up the mats, appearing as though we were being reluctantly forced to interact while everyone elseughed, joked, and formed pairs. Eventually, we ended up sitting separately, much to Alex''s dismay. But what could I do when it seemed like Josephine was doing everything in her power to avoid me? I regretted thements we had made two years ago; I wish I could take them back. At the time, it felt like harmless fun, as she wasn''t present, and we were just having augh. However, looking back now, I realise how foolish and insensitive those remarks were. If we had refrained from discussing Josephine at all, she wouldn''t be feeling ufortable and distant from me now. I couldn''t help but feel like aplete jerk. Justin didn''t join us, leaving me with no one to talk to as everyone else was upied with their dates and friends. Finally, the guests my cousins invited arrived ¨C four guys and a girl who appeared to be siblings, all with brown hair and brown eyes. They seemed delighted to be hanging out with our group, which was understandable since everyone there came from royalty and would hold positions of power in the future. It was natural for them to want to join in. The girl, Kelcy, introduced herself and immediately took a keen interest in me, being quite flirtatious, which made me feel a bit uneasy. She always found a reason to be by my side, and I was trying my best to be polite and not outright ask her to leave me alone. Charlotte noticed what was going on and couldn''t contain herughter, which only added to my difort. Meanwhile, I nced at my sister sitting by the jukebox, looking somewhat frustrated as Kelcy''s brother, Josh, kept yapping and telling jokes that only he seemed to find amusing. "Where the fuck did Sebastien and Noah find these people?" Harper linked me, voicing the very question that had been on my mind. We shared augh at that moment, both bewildered by the choice of guests. Original from N?velDrama.Org. "Hrious, right?" Kelcy said, and I looked at her, feeling a bit confused. Unfortunately, I hadn''t heard a word she had said, and myugh mistakenly made it seem like I found her joke amusing. All evening, my gaze had been directed towards Josephine, and now, Kelcy''s other brother, Rob, was talking to her. Alex, my wolf, growled with jealousy, but I managed to keep myself in check. I knew I had no right to feel possessive or envious over Josephine''s interactions with others. "What if he convinces her to run away with him, and we never see her again, and she never finds out who we are?" Alex said, and I couldn''t help but find it the most paranoid thing I''ve ever heard my wolf say. Alex was losing his shit, and it was making me incredibly ufortable. Josephine''s eyes met mine, and for a moment, I hoped she woulde over to join me. However, she looked away and focused on Rob, who was clearly annoying her, but she maintained her polite demeanour. Meanwhile, Noah and Sebastien were hanging out with their friends Roger and Saul, who happened to be Kelcy''s siblings too. Observing the situation, I realised that Rob, Josh, and Kelcy had likely tagged along to hang out with us because we were royalty. It wasn''t umon for people to bring their rtives along to be part of our circle, which is why we had to be selective with our friends. Maya Rivers was all the groupie we needed. While my gaze remained fixed on Josephine, I couldn''t help but notice Rob reaching out to tuck her hair behind her ear, iming to have helped her remove something that wasn''t even there. Talking was one thing, but his touch felt like a step too far. She smiled and thanked him, but that was the breaking point for me. There was no way I could pretend to be calm about this situation any longer. I swiftly got up from my mat and made my way over to where Josephine was. "May I have a word with you?" I asked, and she frowned, looking at me. Speaking to her in front of everyone was out of the question. "Privately," I asserted without waiting for a response, and I gently took her hand, pulling her away from the pic party. She seemed surprised, but she followed me. At that moment, I couldn''t care less about everyone else watching us; Rob had clearly crossed the line, and I needed to get Josephine away from him. As we walked further away, Josephine eventually came to a stop, and she looked at me with a hint of confusion. "What was that about?" she asked, sounding a bit displeased. "He was touching your hair," I replied, the wordsing out thanks to Alex. He was bing increasingly difficult to control, and I wasn''tfortable with it. "So, what do you care?" she retorted, leaving me at a loss for words. Instead of responding verbally, I reached out to her. Though she flinched initially, she allowed me to touch her hand. I gently caressed her fingers as I looked into her eyes. "I am sorry for whatever nonsense we spewed two years ago," I said, sincerely wanting to dissolve the animosity she felt towards me. "We shouldn''t have acted that way. You deserve better. Honestly, I think we were just jealous. You are intelligent, beautiful, and independent. Some guys might find that intimidating, you know. But I was wrong, and I apologise. I don''t think you''re a freak. In fact, you''re pretty; everything about you is perfect, even your eyes, and I genuinely don''t understand why you wouldn¡¯t use transparent lenses. As for the eyeliner, well..." I trailed off, knowing she was aware of my opinion on that matter. "It''s your choice of makeup, and if it makes you happy, then so be it. But please, let''s put an end to this friction between us. I''d really like to get to know the real Joe, not the defensive ''I-do-not-need- friends'' version," I earnestly expressed, hoping my words wouldn''t upset her. She looked away momentarily, and I feared I might have said something wrong. However, when she looked back at me and smiled, relief washed over me. "Do you mind if I work on the Maguire case with you in Grizlo?" she asked, and the urge to pull her close and kiss her washed over me. I felt a primal desire to sink my teeth into her neck, but I fought to control my wolf, staying still. I wanted our connection to be genuine, not merely driven by our bond. "I don''t mind at all. Actually, my uncles made an excellent choice," I replied, and she beamed at me before furrowing her brows. "Are you alright, Li?" she asked, looking intently into my eyes, and I wondered what had caught her attention. "What''s the matter? Alex keeps trying to emerge. Your eyes have been shifting from ck to normal since we started talking," she observed, moving closer and cing her palm against my cheek. "Your temperature is a bit high, too" she remarked, and I tried to y it off. She pulled her hand away, though I longed to catch it and keep it against my cheek, feeling its warmth. But I knew that would be too much, so I restrained myself. I nced back at the party and then back at her. "Do you want to go back there?" I asked, and she turned her head slightly, gazing in the direction of the party. "With our cousin''s social-climbing friends around?" she remarked, and we both burst intoughter because that was exactly what was happening. Noah and Sebastien were always oblivious to such things, and I couldn''t me them. "Nah," she said, signalling her disinterest in returning to the party. Then, she looked at me with a mischievous grin. "It''s a beautiful night, and the moon is high in the sky. Why don''t we let our wolves run wild? Onyx would love that," she suggested, and it was an enticing idea. However, it left me with a dilemma of what Alex would do with Onyx running alongside him. Despite the risk, I knew I had to go along with it. I didn''t want to upset Josephine again; she was tough, and I knew I wouldn''t get off easily if I messed up again. "Excellent idea," I replied, and she beamed at me. We made our way down the mountain and into the woods, ready to shift into our wolf forms. I could sense that it would be a magnificent night because Alex was filled with overwhelming happiness. 18 Time To Go 18 Time To Go ~Liam~ The run felt like pure magic. I had never experienced anything quite like it before. Instead of hunting creatures, we simply revelled in the soft glow of the moon and listened to the sounds of the woond creatures around us, shielded by the protective canopy of trees. It was a truly beautiful and serene experience. At that moment, all my troubles seemed to fade away, and I found myself no longer consumed with worry about Sophia. Somehow, I had discovered a sense of peace. We spent a good while embracing this tranquil moment, but eventually, we decided to make our way back to the settlement rather than return to the pic. A week passed. Josephine and I were getting along remarkably well, and no one seemed to suspect anything. I wondered if I was exceptionally skilled at hiding my feelings, or perhaps people were simply oblivious to it since they only ever saw me with Sophia. Regardless, I knew it wouldn''t remain hidden for long, especially with how Alex was always eager to be near Josephine. During breakfast and dinner, I noticed Josephine blush a few times when I sat beside her. I deliberately left the head of the table open for Justin, so I could sit next to Josephine, and no one found anything unusual about my actions, thanks to the precedent set during our first dinner together. Everything seemed perfectly normal. Josephine was at ease with me, and we engaged in various discussions during our time together. Uncle Leo called for a meeting with just the Grizlo team and our parents present. We made our way to Uncle Leo''s office, knowing that summoning everyone there meant whatever they had to discuss was of great importance. Josephine and I met at the entrance on our way out, and she seemed to be in high spirits. "I heard Uncle Max and Kyle are back," she said, and my heart skipped a beat, hoping they had uncovered something useful for the investigation. A breakthrough in the case would be a weed relief. Oliver joined us, followed by Charlotte and the rest of our team as we walked together towards Uncle Leo''s office. Among us, I was the most eager, and Justin seemed to walk faster than the rest. Upon our arrival, we found my father, Uncle Leo, Max, Kyle, Uncle Dominic, Uncle David, and Uncle Vino, who always appeared displeased, already there. Uncle Theo, Uncle Marcel, Alpha Devin, and Lord Alexei were also present, waiting for us. Since all the seats were upied, we stood in a group. I noticed that Uncle Leo had made some modifications to his office, as it seemed bigger than it was a year ago. I couldn''t help but wonder if the expansion was necessary, but given howfortably we all fit inside, it seemed like a wise decision on his part. While standing together, Josephine yfully pinched my hand, causing me to flinch slightly, which made her giggle. I smiled too, appreciating this yful side of her that I hadn''t seen before. It saddened me to think that a few careless words had caused a rift between us. She was truly enjoyable to be around, much like Harper, who held a special ce in my heart, making it unfair to compare anyone else to her. "You seem to be in a good mood, princess?" Alexei inquired of Josephine, and sheposed herself. "I guess she''s happy about the challenge," Uncle Leo chimed in, and I smiled, moving closer to Josephine until there was no space between us, and I gently touched her hand. She held on for a moment before letting go. "We''ve called you all here today because you''re set to depart for Grizlo the day after tomorrow," my father announced, and I was taken aback by the sudden news. "Alpha Christian needs the officers recing Thompson and his crew to resume their duties so he can focus on his current task. They''ve dered Mike a wanted man, and Christian intends to concentrate his resources on catching him. Investigating what really happened will be our responsibility. Next week, Christian will present the matter before the council, and we''ll officially take it up, giving us a more unrestricted hand in the matter," he exined. I felt a sense of relief that we could finally take action, but I also held onto the hope that our efforts wouldn''t be in vain, despite the time that had passed. "Have you heard from Sophia since thest time she spoke to you?" My father inquired, and I shook my head in response. "She hasn''t reached out since then," I admitted, and he nodded before turning his attention to Max. "Well, we spent three days investigating Kaizen and Braile, but nothing substantial came up. I doubt they''ll be forting with information; their alphas seem to be quite tight-lipped. We can''t forcefully search the inds or prevent people from travelling there, so we need to find a more subtle approach to our investigation. At this point, we''re not entirely sure, but we n to check other inds in different regions," Max exined. "That means the only thing that could potentially provide a proper lead on the matter is your investigation in Grizlo," Lord Alexei stated, looking directly at Josephine. She nodded, smiling. I knew there was a possibility that her father had linked her on the matter. After discussing our strategy with our parents, they dismissed us so that we could start packing and preparing for our journey to Grizlo. Once we resumed our positions, our belongings would be sent there as well. While everyone else moved ahead to get ready, I walked a bit more slowly. Josephine walked beside me and reached out to hold my hand, causing me toe to a stop. "I understand how you''re feeling right now, Li; we will do everything within our power to find her," she assured me, and I looked at her. She had a beautiful smile on her face, and somehow, the eyeliner had grown on me. Strands of her hair fell across her face, and I wanted to gently brush them aside, but I restrained myself. As she was about to release my hand, I held on tightly, surprising both of us. She then surprised me even more by hugging me, resting her head against my chest. I wasn''t sure how to touch her or respond to the gesture. "I know you need a hug right now, Li, so consider this one a sign of hope. We will find her and her mother," she said, breaking away with a smile. "I don''t want to see you looking gloomy. You look better when you''re happy," she added, and I managed to muster a smile, though I was still trying to keep my emotions in check. Herforting presence meant a lot to me in that moment. As we walked back to the mansion together, we eventually parted ways, each heading to our respective rooms. Once I entered my room, I noticed Oliver was already packing. "What''s going on between you and Joe?" he asked me as I brought out my bag. I frowned at his question. "What do you mean, Oliver?" I replied, trying to y it off, but he had a knowing look on his face. "Don''t lie to me, Li. You''re always staring at her, touching her hand whenever you can, sitting next to her during dinner, and you haven''t mentioned Sophia in a while until today''s meeting," he said, pointing out the obvious. How much longer could I hide this? "I want to know what''s really happening between you two because I''m having a hard time figuring it out. Are you crushing on her too? Are you trying to be her friend out of guilt for what she heard us saying about her, or is there something more going on?" Oliver pressed, and I sighed. It was getting increasingly difficult to keep it all hidden. "She''s an amazing person," was all I could manage to say, but Oliver shook his head. Original from N?velDrama.Org. "You lost yourposure during the picst week when that guy was talking to her. You whisked her away and never returned. I''ve seen you caress her hand several times, even during today''s meeting. Have you changed your mind about Sophia, or are you just confused?" he asked with genuine concern, and I found myself staring at him. It became evident that Oliver was genuinely looking out for Josephine. He seemed concerned that I might unintentionally hurt her, and I could see it in his eyes. Our close friendship meant I couldn''t deceive him. "Don''t hurt her, Li. You can''t y with people''s emotions like that. The way she looks at you, blushes, and giggles¡ªit''s all so apparent. I''m worried that when Sophia is found, Josephine might end up hurt," he confessed, expressing his genuine concern. While I hadn''t viewed the situation from that angle, I realised that Oliver deserved to know the truth so that he wouldn''t worry any longer. I sighed, feeling nervous and frustrated. Running my fingers through my hair, I looked at Oliver, studying his face for a moment. "If I tell you this, promise me you won''t tell anyone, not even ine," I requested, and his curiosity peaked as his eyes widened. "I won''t, I promise," he assured me, and I knew he was being truthful. "Josephine and I are fated, but she doesn''t know it," I managed to say, and he was frozen for a minute before a stream of expletives escaped his mouth. "Fuck! Fuck! fuck What the Fuck!" he eximed, and I felt a bit embarrassed by his reaction. "Shit! What about Sophia?" he asked, showing concern for our friend, and I had no answer. "I haven''t confessed anything to Sophia or asked her out," I replied, and he moved to sit beside me. "This is messed up, Li. What are you nning to do?" he asked, sounding worried. "I want to get to know Joe and see how it goes," I said, and he sighed. "So, you''re no longer pursuing anything with Sophia," he rified, and I shook my head. "I don''t think I can, not when all I can think about is Joe," I admitted, and he sighed, realising the complexity of the situation. "Why were you able to feel it so soon? Isn''t she supposed to be of age before you find out?" he asked, and I nodded in agreement. "That''s what I thought too, but it seems fate had other ns this time," I replied, feeling a tinge of sorrow. "It sucks to be you right now. Do you n to tell her?" he inquired, looking concerned. I shook my head, contemting the best course of action. "If I tell her, she might think I''m only getting close to her because of the bond, and any progress we''ve made will lose its significance. I want her to discover it on her own. I''ll pretend I''m also just realising it, so that the bond doesn''t overshadow the connection we build before she finds out," I exined, though I could sense he didn''t fully agree with my decision. However, I feared Josephine''s reaction if I were to tell her we were fated. She might think everything I''ve done and said was solely driven by the bond, and our rtionship wouldn''t feel genuine to her anymore. "Well, figure it out quickly, Li, and get on track. You two do look good together, and it would be a perfectbination, reuniting the two families properly," he said, focusing on the political aspect of the potential match. However, at that moment, my mind couldn''t fully grasp the implications of such a union. As we finished our tasks, dinner time approached, and I found myself eagerly anticipating the meal. It was a chance to sit beside Josephine and savour herpany. The uing journey to Grizlo promised to be a grand adventure, especially when it came to matters of the heart. 19 To Grizlo 19 To Grizlo ~Liam~ The next day, I rose early, my bags already packed and ready for our journey to Grizlo. Miles was also awake, and it struck me that this was the first time we would be separated like this. I couldn''t help but wonder why our parents had chosen to send our team ahead of the others. The idea of reuniting in four months seemed puzzling as well. I knew I would miss them all, and it was evident that they were already feeling our absence. Miles attempted to conceal his emotions, but I could sense that he would keenly feel Oliver''s absence. Marvin had no twin, so he was fine. Josephine and Charlotte would undoubtedly experience the same separation from their siblings. Even I would feel it because in tough times, Harper was always there to support me. Now, I had to carry on without my twin. Although four months might appear to be a brief period, it was certain to feel like an eternity. Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. Despite my eagerness to strengthen my bond with Josephine, the thought of finding Sophia and ensuring her safety remained pressing. Oliver''s warnings echoed in my mind, and I resolved not to let things escte to that point. "We will be having breakfast together," Uncle Leo''s words resounded in my head, making it clear that only the team members would join our parents for breakfast. Setting our luggage aside for the staff to load it into the van, Oliver and I made our way to the general dining room. As I approached the entrance, a familiar scent of dill enveloped my senses, confirming Josephine''s presence. I took a deep breath, and Oliver couldn''t help but chuckle as he understood what I was going through. We entered the dining room, and to my surprise, only our fathers were present. Noah and Sebastien appeared ecstatic, and I couldn''t me them; going on an adventure was a rare and thrilling experience. Without hesitation, I took a seat beside Josephine, immediately sensing my father''s disapproval as I was supposed to sit at the tail end of the table. "Alpha Justin can have the seat," I dered, causing the rest of the team to burst intoughter while teasing Justin with his newfound title. Justinughed and settled into the chair, but my father''s expression grew suspicious. He could sense that something was amiss, but I tried to act nonchntly. Lord Alexei, too, seemed to be eyeing us with curiosity, and I hoped they wouldn''t figure it out for our own sake. Perhaps I needed to dial down our interactions a bit. "I see you''re finally getting along with Liam, princess," Alexei remarked aloud; it was obvious he wanted everyone to hear because he might as well have linked his daughter. I nced at Josephine, who looked genuinely puzzled. "We''ve always gotten along," she innocently argued, though most of our fathers seemed to disagree. "If that''s what you believe, so be it," Uncle Vino chimed in, his gaze directed at Charlotte. "You knock them dead and show them what the Lawrences are made of," he yfully teased Charlotte, who beamed at him and nodded enthusiastically. "I am looking forward to the adventure," she replied, prompting Uncle Leo to clear his throat and direct his attention to his sons. "Stay out of trouble, you two, especially you, Noah," he said, shooting a pointed look at Justin. "And if they happen to cause you any stress or get into trouble, feel free to dismiss them and send them home. Noah can be quite stubborn and adventurous, and Sebastien has his moments too," Uncle Leo added in a serious tone. I couldn''t help but chuckle at my cousins, who were visibly frowning and feeling a bit embarrassed. "I''m sure they''ll be just fine," Uncle David chimed in as the maids began serving our meal. We delved deeply into the details of the trip, and Justin shared his nned strategy. "I believe it would be unwise to divulge the purpose of our visit and the details of our investigation to the Gamma and Delta of Grizlo," Josephine interjected, instantly capturing everyone''s attention. "Whatever happened between the Alpha and beta, it''s likely known to the Gamma and delta. At this juncture, we can''t determine who is at fault. If Mike is to me, then we can trust the Gamma and Delta. However, if it''s Alpha Thompson who''s at fault, then involving the other two in our investigation wouldplicate matters, as they wouldn''t want us to uncover their misdeeds," she exined, making a valid point. "So, what do you suggest we do?" Oliver inquired, and Noah stepped up to respond. "Nothing, for now. We can''t apprehend the Gamma and Delta based solely on spections. Even if we have some circumstantial evidence, we need to allow them to remain free and potentially make a mistake that ys into our hands. Revealing our true intentions is out of the question. We cannot let them know we are on a mission to uncover the truth," Noah exined, and his reasoning was sound. "That''s why Lady Stephanie and Alpha Jake Brighton will have to return to Grizlo," Sebastian proposed. "Their protection will serve as the cover for our presence," Charlotte added, piecing together the rationale. Uncle Vino couldn''t help but apud the idea. "Ah, this brings back memories," Uncle Vino eximed, his excitement evident. "I genuinely can''t wait for the council meeting. Christian must present this matter to the council, and then we can be officially involved," he said with such eagerness that it made me curious about what might have changed to ignite such enthusiasm in him. "I''m sure Tamia, Avery, and Linda will relish the thrill," Uncle Marcel chimed in, and they all shared a laugh. It seemed like this had be a favourite pastime for them. After finishing our meal and discussing various topics, the time came for us to prepare and depart. We spent more time with our cousins and friends, but eventually, it was time to go. Miles assured us not to worry and promised that they would find a way to join us before the four months were up. I had a hunch that our parents wanted us to settle in first before allowing the others to follow. The sooner we got everything in order, the smoother the journey ahead. As we boarded the van, Josephine willingly sat beside me, bubbling with excitement. "I can''t believe it''s finally happening!" she eximed, and I nodded in agreement. My mind, however, couldn''t help but dwell on Oliver''s warning. Josephine was now joining us on this adventure to save Sophia, the very girl I had professed my love for. I hoped that as we spent more time together, a genuine connection would form between us, and any sparks that may fly would do so naturally. Thest thing I wanted was to hurt Josephine in any way. Upon our arrival at Grizlo, the Delta and Gamma warmly received us, showing great respect towards Justin, despite their seniority. They extended the same courtesy to the rest of us. I was certain they already knew we were there to take over their positions. Instead of heading straight to our grandparent''s house, we were led to the packhouse, which would serve as our amodation. Alpha Thompson and Beta Mike, being mated, lived elsewhere while we, still single, would find the packhouse suitable. We each settled into our assigned rooms, but I attempted to persuade Charlotte and Josephine to stay on the beta''s floor. Secretly, I wanted Josephine to be on my floor, but I didn''t want to raise any suspicions, so I included Charlotte in the request as well. "I don''t know, Li," Charlotte responded uncertainly, and my attention turned to Josephine. "How about you? Do you mind?" I inquired, hoping she would choose to stay on my floor. "I was actually nning to stay on Noah''s floor," Josephine replied, and my heart sank. I had hoped she would want to stay closer to me. I knew it was unwise, but I longed for more time with her without the watchful eyes of others. As we continued chatting, Oliver approached us, confessing that he couldn''t help but overhear our conversation. He proposed a solution, stating, "You can''t have all the smart ones on your floor, Li. Josephine can stay on your floor while Charlotte can bunk with me." His suggestion brought me immense relief, knowing that Oliver was indeeding to my aid and managing to manoeuvre the situation in my favour. "Sebastien and Noah are paired up, Marvin is a loner, leaving Liam and me as the odd ones out. Well, at least until ine joins us," Oliver added yfully, winking at Josephine. "Then Josephine should stay on your floor instead," Charlotte quickly interjected, and in that moment, Oliver realised he had unintentionally undermined his own effort. Saying no to Charlotte might offend Josephine and send the wrong message that he didn''t want her on his floor. The situation suddenly became more delicate than he had anticipated. "Well, we barely speak, and Josephine has been good friends with Li. She will be morefortable on Li''s floor," Oliver quickly asserted. I looked at Josephine, hoping she would consider his suggestion. She gazed back at me, seemingly waiting for an invitation. "I''d love to have you in the beta''s wing, Joe. I''m sure we''ll have a st," I said, trying to sound as inviting as possible, but Charlotte couldn''t resist making teasing noises, insinuating all sorts of things. "Stop it, Charlotte. Must you read into everything?" Oliver scolded her, but my focus was on Josephine, and I couldn''t care less about the argument brewing between them. "I think I''ll stay on Li''s wing," Josephine finally decided, and suddenly, I could feel Alex howling in my head. I knew my wolf had momentarily shed, and the way Josephine furrowed her brow suggested she had noticed it too. I needed to find a way to gain control over Alex quickly; otherwise, we might get exposed soon. "It looks like that settles it, but I''m not hanging out with you, Oliver. I''m staying in the Alpha''s wing with my favourite cousin," Charlotte dered, clearly upset with Oliver. I wasn''t sure what had transpired between them, but he must have said something that deeply offended her. I picked up Josephine''s bag and chose a room next to mine for her. As I helped her settle in, I felt a reluctance to leave her side, but eventually, I had to step out of the room. This marked a new phase in our lives. No schools, tutors, or parents; it was just us now. I hoped we could make our parents proud with what we were about to undertake. Hurriedly, I went to my own room to freshen up and settle in. As I nced at my phone, a habit I had developed since thest time I spoke to Sophia through Charlotte''s phone, I noticed there were no missed calls or texts from her. The worry inside me was genuine, but now that we were actively investigating the situation, I held onto hope that we would make progress and find both her and her mother safe and sound. 20 Somewhere Away From Home 20 Somewhere Away From Home ~Sophia~ The sun and moon became a precious luxury, as I only caught fleeting glimpses of the moon and felt the warm rays of the sun through a tiny window in the room where we were being held captive. In this confined space, my mother and I lived in fear, desperately holding onto hope for a miracle. Since the video my father had recorded, showcasing our plight, I hadn''t seen him again. My mother worried that something terrible had befallen him, but deep down, I couldn''t believe it. Somehow, I had an inexplicable sense that as long as he was alive, they would keep us alive as well. I had lost track of time, but it was evident that several weeks had flown by quickly. The phone I used tomunicate with Liam had died, and I had no means to charge it, leaving me anxious about what might be happening on his end. Was he still searching for me, or had he given up and moved on? The way the people around us handled our captivity gave me a strong inkling that Liam had indeed used his influence. It seemed evident that he had pulled some strings, and our captors had ensured we had no freedom as a result. The recent tightening of security further supported my suspicion that the search for us had intensified. My mother believed that efforts to locate my father had also intensified, but I couldn''t share her confidence. I knew Liam well enough to understand that he never made empty promises, so I had no doubt that he was diligently working to find us and save us. C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. I regretted not attending Liam''s graduation that night. Perhaps he could have found a way to help me escape this nightmare. But how could I have known? My father had insisted that I skip the party, and now I couldn''t help but wonder if he had orchestrated this situation intentionally rather than it being a mere coincidence. The thought of him intentionally risking our lives was infuriating, and I felt anger towards him and even my mother for failing to see his errors. My mother seemed oblivious to his faults, which only added to my frustration. I understood support, but her blindness to his actions was unhealthy for both of us. Suddenly, the sound of the lock turning on the door snapped me out of my thoughts. I turned to face the door, and my mother sat up on her single bed, her face filled with paranoia. I chose to ignore it; being paranoid wouldn''t solve anything right now. The truth was, we were in a dire situation, and our lives were no longer in our control. These people held all the power, and they could end us at their whim, without anyone ever knowing. The Alpha of the ce where we were held captive entered the room, apanied by another man carrying two trays of food. As the Alpha nodded, the man ced the food on the tables beside our beds. My mother stood up and respectfully bowed to greet the Alpha, but he wasn''t my Alpha, and I refused to show him any form of respect. I had refused to greet him ever since our arrival. As expected, the man who was serving the food forcefully pulled me up and pped me hard across the face, causing me to fall back down. My mother gasped in shock, as she always did, but I remained silent, showing no sign of pain. I knew I was intentionally frustrating the Alpha with my stoic response. "You''re quite the tough one," the Alpha remarked, amusement evident in his voice. The man was about to pull me up and strike me once more, but the Alpha intervened, halting his actions. "She''d rather face death than show me any respect," the Alpha said aloud, urately pinpointing my stance. He was right; I would rather endure any consequence than bow to the douchebag. Whatever his issues were with my father, it didn''t entitle him to my respect. He shouldn''t expect any kindness orpliance from me. I was resolute in standing my ground. The Alpha approached me and forcefully made me stand up, then he lifted my chin to peer into my eyes. "What connection do you have with the crowned prince?" he inquired, trying to search for answers in my eyes. However, I remained steadfast and refused to respond. I had made it a point to never speak to him or answer any of his questions. Seeing how my actions frustrated him brought me some satisfaction, and I intended to keep frustrating him until I was either freed or dead. "Is he your boyfriend?" he probed further, and I couldn''t help but find amusement in that question. Oh, how I wished that were true. I had secretly crushed on and admired Liam for many years, but he had never reciprocated those feelings. He never asked me out or professed any romantic affection towards me. We remained good friends, but I knew I wasn''t his type, and that reality was a bittersweet truth for me. The Alpha released his grip on me and began tough. "If someone had told me that capturing you would lure the brat right into my trap, I would have dismissed it as a lie. But let''s see what unfolds. If your presence doesn''t bring him to us, then we''ll have no choice but to dispose of you, your mother, and your father," he taunted, hisughter echoing through the room. I frowned, trying toprehend what Liam had to do with all of this. The urge to question the Alpha about his cryptic words arose within me, but I knew it would be futile; he would never give me a straight answer. In fact, I didn''t even know his name or any pertinent information. It all felt like a twisted mind game, and I was left in the dark, unaware of the significance of Alpha Thompson''s death or how it tied into our captivity. It seemed I would remain clueless for now, confined to this small room with its tiny window and locked door, limiting my ability to uncover the truth. There was only so much I could discover under these conditions. "If you behave, I might allow you and your mother some time in the sun. Of course, that''s only if you cooperate and provide the information I seek," he taunted, hisughter echoing as he turned around and exited the room. He didn''t even give me a chance to respond, likely assuming my reply already. But he was right; I had no intention of saying a word. No matter how many times they resorted to violence, I wouldn''t give in. This was my father''s mess, and I wouldn''t let these despicable individuals drag my friend into it. They could p me as much as they wanted, but my lips remained sealed, resolute in protecting Liam from whatever tangled web my father had woven. After they had left, my mother began to scold me for antagonising the Alpha. "You need to stop provoking him, Sophie; you really do," she chided. "Call me Sophia, Mom; only my friends call me Sophie," I retorted, making it clear that I was upset with her and we weren''t on friendly terms. "Why are you mad at me?" she asked, and I couldn''t believe she would ask such a question. "How can you side with Father in all of this? Look at what he''s done. Did he really have to kill the Alpha? If he disagreed with Alpha Thompson''s methods, he could have resigned and left Grizlo peacefully. Instead, he robbed us of our future and freedom by taking the man''s life and that of his family," I expressed, my frustration evident. She seemed haunted by my words as she replied, "You wouldn''t understand, but he had good intentions, Sophia." I shook my head in disbelief, unable to ept her exnation. "Then tell me why he did it. Tell me why, Mommy?" I pleaded, hoping for some rity. But she remained silent, refusing to divulge my father''s reasons for his heinous acts. I sensed that it must be something she believed I wouldn''t approve of, something that could deepen my resentment towards them, something inherently selfish. "Anyway, I hope Li..." I began to say, but she interrupted with a chuckle. "The Royal family cannot intervene in this matter, Sophia. I''ve told you this countless times. Don''t get your hopes up. Liam may be the crowned prince, but that''s the extent of it. He holds no official power. The king and queen won''t get involved; this matter falls solely under Alpha Christian''s jurisdiction. Only he will decide our fate. Grizlo''s issues rest on his shoulders; he has no reason to bring it before the council unless it spirals out of control," she sighed, bowing her head in frustration. "Hunting for a murderer isn''t an issue; it''s not like your father is a serial killer roaming different regions and killing people. The royal family can''t intervene, and Liam can''t assist you either. It might have been different if Liam were King, but he''s just a prince, and there are protocols in ce. Please, Sophia, stop dreaming that he will save you because he can''t," she urged, and though I had tried to convince myself otherwise, deep down, I knew there was some truth in her words. "If he''s not pulling any strings, then why is that alpha trying to dig into our rtionship?" I pressed her, and she shrugged, attempting to act nonchnt, but her eyes betrayed her. It was evident she was hiding something, and that only fueled my frustration. How could she keep silent about something so significant? "Trust me, Liam can''t assist us. He''s probably focused on his first assignment and searching for his mate. Your paths were never meant to align in that way. If he truly had feelings for you, he would have asked you out by now. He''s royalty, and we''re just a middle-ss family from a small town. It''s just not feasible," she asserted, trying to persuade me to let go of any hope involving Liam. "We don''t have to be dating for him to help me. Liam is a loyal friend, my best friend, and I know he won''t rest until he''s done everything within his power to aid me," I responded confidently. Having known Liam since I was eight, I knew he had never broken a promise to me. I would hold on for as long as possible and keep my lips sealed. I wouldn''t divulge anything about the royal family or Liam to the Alpha. I was determined to persevere until my veryst breath. 21 supposed date 21 supposed date ~Josephine~ Arriving at Grizlo filled me with excitement. While the purpose of our visit wasn''t joyous, the prospect of putting our abilities to the test filled me with enthusiasm. I secretly hoped to stay in Liam¡¯s wing, but I didn''t want to impose or ask for it. So, when he eventually invited me to stay with him, it thrilled me beyond words. Naturally, I had to hide my excitement, as Charlotte, with her keen eye, would never let me live it down. The fact that Liam chose a room next to his own made me feel incredibly valued and significant. We had made remarkable progress in such a short time, but the recent turn of events left me wondering what could have possibly transpired. "Sophia isn''t around," Onyx''s voice echoed in my mind, instantly dampening my spirits. My wolf had a way of being a killjoy at times. Curious, I probed further, asking Onyx what she meant by that. However, she remained silent, leaving me to ponder her words as I stepped into the bathroom to freshen up. The statement lingered in my mind, raising questions about Liam''s sudden kindness. Could it be connected to Sophia''s absence? Was he missing her and seekingfort in mypany? It struck me because Liam had never attempted to bridge the awkward gap between us. He had always kept his distance, seemingly unaware of my difort around him and Sophia. It made me realise that my father''s instincts were right in picking up on the signs, but I hadn''t fully grasped the situation until Onyx brought up Sophia during breakfast. I reluctantly got dressed,cking enthusiasm for going out, and decided to forgo my contact lenses and eyeliner. Lost in my thoughts, a soft knock on my door interrupted me. I got up, trying to shake off the sombre mood, and went to see who it was. To my surprise, it was Liam, dressed in a fresh white shirt and jeans, appearing as if he had just showered, emanating a pleasant scent of soap. His face lit up with a broad grin when he saw me. "You freshened up too," he remarked, and I absentmindedly touched my damp hair, realising I had skipped both my contacts and eyeliner. Before I could react further, Liam gently reached out and pulled my hand away from my face. "Don''t even think about it," he said, his intentions unclear as I furrowed my brow, wondering what he meant by that. Liam inched closer, but I stood my ground by the door. He stepped so close that I had to tilt my head upward to meet his gaze. Being in such proximity sent butterflies swirling in my stomach. Why did he have to be so incredibly attractive? It was simpler when I considered him a douchebag, but this newfound side of him would be difficult to resist. "Liam," I managed to say, my voice barely above a whisper. He gently caressed my cheeks with both hands, guiding them to keep my eyes locked onto his. "Your eyes are the most captivating feature of your face, Joe. They are truly beautiful. Please, don''t cover them, at least for now. I''ll see if I can arrange some transparent contacts for you. I simply adore gazing into those eyes," Liam said, leaving me utterly astonished. "Well, I guess you were wrong, Onyx because Sophia does not have Stepanov eyes," I linked my wolf, and she huffed in response. Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. Liam withdrew his hands as if snapping out of a trance and took a gentle step back, creating an unseen distance between us. "I was hoping you''d join me for a walk. Since you haven''t been to Grizlo often, it would be an honour to show you around," he suggested with a warm smile. I saw his wolf sh again, but I pretended not to because I noticed he didn''t want me to notice it either. All I could figure out now was that his wolf was also fond of me, and now that his wolf had shed just like it did when he asked me to stay in his wing and many other times we were together, I could easily tell Alex was hopeful I would say yes. "I would love to," I replied, noticing the instant excitement in Liam''s eyes. Alex also briefly shed, and I was pleased that I could now understand his wolf''s emotions. "Keep in mind that we won''t be dining with the others. I''ve got a wonderful restaurant in mind that I''d like to take you to," he said, waiting for me to get ready. I slipped on my slippers, grabbed a jacket, and decided to forgo the eyeliner today. With a smile, I walked out of my room, and Liam and I strolled together out of the beta''s wing. As we stepped outside, we spotted Marvin engaged in a phone conversation. I knew exactly who he was talking to, and I doubted that Alpha Devin would permit his daughters toe to Grizlo. I felt a pang of sympathy for the Corrigan sisters. Hopefully, their father would have a change of heart, and they would join us in the second batch. As Liam and I stepped out together, he gently held my hand, and the touch instantly eased my nerves. But a mix of questions and doubts flooded my mind. Was this gesture merely friendly, or did it hold a deeper meaning? Did he hold Sophia''s hand like this? Were they as close as we seemed to be now? Did his wolf react in the same way when they were together? And the most haunting question: Would he have made a move like this if Sophia hadn''t disappeared? Despite my attempts to clear my mind of these thoughts, they persisted, incessantly echoing within me. Onyx had undoubtedly stirred up a whirlwind of emotions, and her silence spoke volumes about the situation. "The pack house is at the heart of Grizlo, and you can practically reach any destination from here. However, taking a cab will save us time this time," Liam exined, ncing briefly at me before signalling for a cab. "Why didn''t we just take one of the cars?" I inquired, and he gently squeezed my hand as a cab pulled up in front of us. "Because Onyx and Alex will bring us back," he replied, implying that we would shift and run back. The memory of ourst exhrating run during the pic party brought a smile to my face, and I couldn''t help but let out a small squeal at the thought. My reaction elicited a grin from him, and he reached out to open the cab door for me. I hopped in, and he followed suit. "Take us to Fellowship Park, private section," Liam instructed the cab driver, who seemed pleasantly surprised to have such distinguished passengers. "Yes, your highness. Good evening, Lady Stepanov," the driver greeted me, acknowledging my status as the true heir of my generation, with Noah falling second due to being a Volkov and an Alpha. I smiled back at the cab driver, and Liam did the same. Initially, we sat a bit apart, but feeling bold, I decided to take a chance and moved closer to Liam. To my delight, he weed the proximity and held me close to him. It felt surreal, and I could hardly believe that this was happening. However, I tried not to overthink it and simply enjoyed the moment. Reflecting on the past, I wondered if I had acted too hastily in trying to talk to him two years ago. Perhaps things would have unfolded differently between us. Regardless, I was grateful that we managed to cross that bridge and reach this point. Now, I couldn''t help but wonder if there was a possibility for us to be more than just friends. Snuggling in closer to him, I breathed in hisforting and pleasant scent. I felt safe in his arms as he gently stroked my arm, creating an atmosphere of warmth and affection between us. As we arrived at the park, the cab driver refused to ept payment from Liam, much to his insistence. The driver was simply overjoyed that we had chosen his cab. It dawned on me that the Volkovs didn''t typically use public transportation while they were in Grizlo. I couldn''t resist teasing Liam about it, as it seemed evident that this decision was influenced by my presence. With amusement in my voice, I said, "Looks like you''re making an exception for me, Liam." He chuckled and replied, "Well, I can¡¯t help it." His smile made him so handsome that I got shy. We then approached the park gates, and the beauty of the ce was already visible from the outside. As the guard noticed Liam and me, he promptly opened the gate and saluted us. Liam graciously thanked him, and we stepped inside the park, ready to explore its wonders together. The sun was beginning to set, and I couldn''t help but wonder if we were heading to the restaurant Liam had boasted about. As we strolled together, our arms intertwined, I allowed him to lead the way. Before long, we reached our destination, and to my surprise, it was a food truck. I burst into laughter. "This is the restaurant?" I asked him, still chuckling, and he nodded with a wide grin. Despite my initial expectations, I found myself thoroughly enjoying the unexpected twist. There was a beautifully set table outside the food truck, and it had a tasteful ambience that made the experience even more delightful. I continued tough, finding the situation amusing and endearing. While I had envisioned a fancy restaurant, this unique and casual setting brought a whole new level of excitement. I couldn''t wait to try the food and savour the moment with Liam. A woman emerged from the food truck, offering a warm smile as she greeted us. "Your Highness, it''s wonderful to see you again," she said, and I sensed that Liam must have been a frequent visitor to this ce, which left me with a knot of unease. Could this have been one of the spots he used to bring Sophia to? Was this their special ce? "The table is ready," the woman announced, bowing to me. "You are most wee, Lady Josephine. It''s an honour to have you here," she added, surprising me with her knowledge of my identity. I had always tried to avoid the spotlight, so I wondered how she could tell it was me. Perhaps my eyes and hair were dead giveaways, but I suspected there was more to it. Liam exined, "I mentioned I was bringing someone special this time." With that, he guided me to the set table, pulling out a chair for me. I sat down while he took the seat across from me. Though I was used to him sitting beside me, I decided to handle the slight distance between us with ease. The anticipation of the meal and thepany were enough to keep my spirits high. "Usually, Ie here alone to enjoy the view. It''s my quiet ce. No one knows Ie here," Liam revealed, and those words eased my heart. I was relieved to know that I wasn''t recing Sophia and Onyx had been mistaken. It was evident that our connection was unique and different from what he had with her. "I''m happy to share this ce with you then," I replied, and he smiled warmly at me. The food was served, and I relished every dish the talented woman brought to our table. She was an excellent cook, and if circumstances allowed, I would have loved to bring her to Gad with me once all of this was over. "I love her cooking, Li," Iplimented, and he agreed with a smile. "I''m d we share the same opinion. There were times I imagined hiring her to be my personal cook when I have my own home," he admitted, seemingly taking the idea right out of my mind. "Seriously! I was thinking about how to whisk her away to the Gad," I confessed, and we both laughed. Liam graciously paid for our meal, and we left the food truck area to enjoy the sereneke nearby. Despite the cool water, the overall temperature felt just right for me as we savoured the peaceful moment together. "I know we just ate, but I really want to take a dip," Liam confessed with a mischievous grin, and I couldn''t help butugh. "Honestly, I was thinking the same thing," I admitted, feeling a yful spark between us. Liam wasted no time and began to take off his clothes. He stripped down to his shorts, and even in the moonlight, his features looked striking. I couldn''t help but admire him. However, as I started undressing, a sense of shyness washed over me. It was peculiar because I had done this countless times before ¨C shifting, going on hunts and runs with Liam and the others. But tonight felt different as if the moonlight held an intimate secret. Gathering my courage, I managed to strip down to my bra and panties and approached the edge of theke, where Liam stood waiting for me, his presence reassuring and inviting. I stood beside him, and he gazed at me with concern. "Are you sure you''re up for this?" he asked, and I nodded with a smile. Under the enchanting moonlight, I felt ready for any adventure, no matter how wild. Throwing caution to the wind, I jumped into theke first, and he followed suit. We swam apart initially but gradually closed the distance between us until we were side by side and soon facing each other. As we swam, Liam began mock-chattering his teeth, and it made meugh because the water wasn''t that cold. However, it soon dawned on me that our tolerance for the cold water was different, and I grew a bit worried. "Goddess, Liam, let''s get out of the water; your body temperature doesn''t stabilise quickly like mine," I expressed my concern, noticing him shivering slightly as he tried to ward off the chill. But he remained stubborn, insisting he was fine. I wasn''t about to let Liam get sick on my watch, so I gently urged him to head back to the shore with me. I wanted to make sure he stayed safe and warm. As I moved closer to him, prepared to pull him out of the water, he surprised me by pulling me into an embrace, holding me close to his chest. He buried his head in my neck, and I could feel his warm breath on my skin. It left me momentarily frozen, unsure of what was happening. "This is all the warmth I need, Joe," he teased gently, and I found myself perplexed by his actions, trying to make sense of the sudden closeness between us. I didn¡¯t want to read him wrongly. He eventually pulled away, looking deeply into my eyes, and I searched his gaze for understanding, seeking rity in the midst of the unexpected moment. "Are you alright, Li?" I asked, my voice almost breathless, and I noticed his eyes briefly flicker from my eyes to my lips. He drew closer, and I stood there, waiting to see what he would do. My wolf was eager, and so was I. Was he going to kiss me? Was this real, or was I merely dreaming? Just as we were on the verge of sharing a potentially magical moment, a siren red nearby, indicating something was amiss. The abrupt interruption stole the moment from us, leaving us both momentarily disoriented. Shaking off the spell, we swam out of the water. I had to remove my wet underwear and change into my dry clothes, and I noticed that Liam did the same. As much as I appreciated the situation demanding my assistance, I couldn''t help but feel a tinge of frustration that the siren had robbed us of that special moment. 22 The Flames 22 The mes ~Liam~ The siren''s re rudely shattered a significant moment for me, leaving me grappling with the urge to utter curses. As we reluctantly emerged from the water and hastily dressed, I couldn''t help but feel that the interruption had robbed us of what could have been a magical kiss with Josephine. I stole a few nces at her, trying to gauge her feelings, but her face remained stoic, revealing nothing. I longed to linger in the water with Josephine, as she fit perfectly in my arms, and everything felt right when we were together. Inhaling her scent, I couldn''t help but be captivated by her sheer beauty, knowing deep down that she was meant to be mine. The way she responded to me was simply enchanting, reinforcing the belief that we were destined to be together. Josephine adored the surprise I had prepared for her. I had worried that she might not appreciate the simplicity of a food truck or the location I chose, but it turned out we shared more inmon than I had realised. The experience was both unique and thrilling, and I can''t help but hope that we''ll get the chance to do it again soon, perhaps even fulfilling what we started. Being with Josephine promises to be truly wonderful, and after our time in the water, I''m finding it difficult to hold back my feelings, but I intend to give her time. "What''s happening outside?" Josephine inquired, pulling me back to reality as we neared the gate. I decided to approach the guard for answers. "Excuse me, sir, what''s happening out there?" I asked, and he bowed his head respectfully. "There was an explosion involving a van on Sam Street just around the corner, which resulted in a house catching fire," he exined. Hearing this, I instinctively rushed towards the gate. "Liam!" Josephine called after me, and I slowed down to wait for her. "What''s wrong?" she asked with concern. "My grandparents'' house is on that street," I replied, and her expression turned to shock. "Are they in Grizlo?" she inquired, and I wasn''t sure, but I knew I had to find out. I dialed my grandmother''s number, patiently waiting for her to answer. She finally answered and the tranquil background noise on her end brought a sense of calm to my mind. "Grandma, are you in Grizlo?" I inquired. "No, darling. We''reing tomorrow. We sent the housekeeper ahead to prepare things, so it might seem like we''re home. We''ll be there tomorrow," she responded. It was evident they were unaware of the situation unfolding. "Please postpone your trip, grandma. Don''te, at least not yet," I pleaded, and she fell silent. "Is there something I should know, Liam?" she asked, sensing my concern. "A car exploded near a house on your street, and the house caught fire. I don''t want to jump to conclusions, but I''d rather you and Grandpa stay away until we''re certain it''s just a coincidence," I exined, and she let out a sigh. "Okay, darling. I''ll let Jake know," she assured me, and we said our goodbyes before ending the call. Upon hearing my grandmother''s assurance, a sense of relief washed over me. Josephine asked, "Are they safe?" I drew her close, wrapping my arms around her, findingfort in her presence as we continued walking. "Yes, they''re not in Grizlo," I reassured her, knowing she had likely deduced that already. "Let''s head back to the pack house," I suggested, but Josephine suddenly stopped in her tracks. I nced at her, curious about her sudden pause, and the mischievous glint in her eyes spoke volumes. It was evident she was contemting doing something adventurous or daring. "Jo?" I questioned, and she grinned back at me. "It won''t hurt to check the ce out," she urged, her eyes pleading with me. "We might find some clues before any evidence gets erased. Besides, you have every right to be there. Your grandparents live on that street," she reasoned, trying to convince me. I hesitated, unsure of what had really happened and the seriousness of the situation. Thest thing I wanted was to put my loved ones in harm''s way. "I don''t think it''s wise, Jo," I managed to say, but she shook her head, still smiling, and began stepping away from me. Suddenly, she bolted towards the sound of sirens. I was taken aback, but I wasted no time and followed her, shocked by her boldness and determination. "What are you doing?" I shouted, but she justughed in response. "Hunting for clues. It could be connected to Sophia and our case; every detail matters, Li," she exined, sprinting towards the scene, and it pained me to see her so driven. How could she still be focused on finding Sophia after we hade so close to something intimate? Josephine''spassionate nature shone through. She wasn''t selfish, and I couldn''t help but feel grateful that I hadn''t rushed into anything with Sophia. I hoped this would work out and that we coulde together without the influence of any bond. Determined, I quickened my pace, taking the lead, and she followed close behind. It felt like a thrilling race, and my body weed the exercise after a long time without training. I embraced the physical activity and the pursuit of answers alongside Josephine. As we approached the zing fire, the scene was intense. The fire service was already on the scene, keeping people at a safe distance while battling the mes. They had seeded in extinguishing the fire of the now mangled vehicle, leaving behind only an iron carcass. Looking ahead, I noticed some light emanating from my grandparent''s mansion. "Let''s go," I urged Josephine, and she followed me, trying to catch her breath. Her tiredness was evident in her steps. Without hesitation, I squatted in front of her and suggested she hop on my back. "Liam," she responded withughter, as if thinking I was just joking. I turned my head to the side to catch a glimpse of her face behind me. "Never had a piggyback ride before?" I asked yfully, and she chuckled before agreeing to hop on. With Josephine on my back, we continued towards my grandparent''s home. I guided us through the gate, and I didn''t set her down until we reached the front door. I rang the doorbell multiple times, hoping the housekeeper would answer, but there was no response. I decided to try the doorknob, and to my surprise, it was unlocked. "Why would she carelessly leave the door open?" I murmured, puzzled by the housekeeper''s negligence. Josephine chuckled, yfully ncing around the area. "I guess she might have gone to see what was happening or fled when she saw the fire. You''d be surprised what people do in moments of survival," she remarked, taking in the surroundings. She had only been here once before, and I doubted she paid much attention back then. "Come on, let me show you my room," I suggested, and she raised an eyebrow, giving me a knowing look. I quickly reassured her, "No funny business, I promise." Her smile assured me that she believed me, and she nodded in agreement. I led her up the stairs towards my room, and she followed me curiously. Opening the door, I was relieved to find the ce immactely clean, a testament to the diligent housekeeper. Josephine stepped inside and took in the surroundings. "Something tells me you were a serious-minded student," she remarked, and I chuckled, nodding in agreement. "You got me there. Some might say I was outrightly boring," I confessed, ncing at her as she smiled back at me. "I wouldn''t say boring, Li. You are anything but that," she assured me, her words warming my heart. "Coming from you, that means a lot," I said gratefully, feeling honoured by her praise. As I moved closer to her, the memory of our interrupted moment at theke fueled my eagerness to continue where we had left off. "Li," she yfully teased, and I drew her closer to my chest. "Yes, Jo. Are you ufortable?" I whispered into her eyes, noticing the goosebumps forming around her neck. I thought she wouldugh, but instead, her demeanour suddenly became tense. I pulled away, concerned, and observed her fixed gaze on something. Following her line of sight, I realised it was a picture frame on my dresser ¨C a picture of Sophia and me. Josephine moved away from me and approached the photo. "She seems so full of life," she remarked, and discussing it felt ufortable. "Yeah, we... took that picture a few months ago," I awkwardly admitted, realising that the mood had been dampened once again. Deciding to change the atmosphere, I gently led her away from the dresser and guided her out of the room. "I want to show you the rest of the house, but first, I need to check the room where the light was on from outside," I said, and she nodded gently, reluctantly tearing her eyes away from the picture frame. We proceeded down the hallway, and a metallic scent of blood assaulted my nose. I nced at Josephine to verify that the scent was real. "Do you smell that?" I asked her, and she nodded with a look of worry and disgust on her face. I decided to follow the trail of the scent, and it led us to the music room, where Grandma often yed her piano. Josephine gasped while I stood in shock, witnessing the housekeeper lying on the floor amidst a pool of blood. Acting swiftly, we rushed towards her; she was breathing faintly. Without hesitation, I grabbed my phone and dialled the emergency service. "There''s silver in her, so she isn''t healing. They need to hurry," Josephine remarked, kneeling close to the woman and examining her wound. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. I observed the deep w marks on her chest and felt a sense of dread. If those marks had been on her throat, she would likely be dead by now. Why would anyone enter my grandparent''s house and harm the housekeeper? I was grateful that I had convinced my grandparents not toe. The danger we might be facing hit me, and I quickly pulled Josephine to her feet, making a swift decision to leave the house. While we walked, I spoke to the emergency operator, exining the situation. Relief washed over me when the operator informed us that the ambnce was only five minutes away. We needed to get the housekeeper the help she urgently required. "Why are we leaving her?" Josephine asked as we walked out of the building, concern etched on her face. "For our safety. The person who attacked or killed her might still be nearby," I exined, urging us to keep moving. But Josephine stopped abruptly at the gate, bending down to touch the ground. There were burnt tire marks on the floor, leading directly to the burnt-down van that had caused the commotion in the first ce. The realisation hit us simultaneously. "What are the odds that the perpetrators were the owners of the van?" Josephine whispered, her eyes widening in shock and understanding. 23 Alpha Justin 23 Alpha Justin ~Liam~ Josephine and I lingered outside, anxiously awaiting the arrival of the ambnce. The woman''s condition was critical, and though the odds seemed bleak, we clung to a glimmer of hope that the medical team would save her life. My mind couldn''t escape the haunting question: why would anyone want to harm a mere housekeeper? It baffled me as we stood there, trying to make sense of the senseless act. Throughout the traumatic ordeal, Josephine tightly held onto me, seekingfort and sce. I wished I could shield her from the gruesome scene we had just witnessed, sparing her the burden of such a disturbing sight. With heavy hearts, we both knew our ns for the evening were shattered. The experience was too overwhelming to carry on as if nothing had happened, so we decided it was best to call a cab and return to the safety of the pack house, where we could process this unsettling event together. "I apologise for how everything turned out, Jo. I truly wanted us to enjoy ourselves," I expressed as we strolled toward the road. She interlocked her hand with mine, offering aforting touch. "Putting the housekeeper incident aside, I genuinely had a great time, Li," she confessed, and the sincerity in her voice brought a sense of relief to my troubled mind. I hailed a cab, and we entered. I was determined not to let any distancee between us. Pulling her close to my body, she nestled in, and a wave of calm washed over me. In that moment, holding her close, everything else seemed to fade away, and I cherished the connection we shared. The drive to the packhouse was brief, and we soon arrived. It beingte at night, my assumption was that everyone would be asleep. To avoid encountering or disturbing anyone, Josephine and I quietly made our way toward the staircase, intending to head to my wing. However, our path was unexpectedly blocked by Justin, whose expression revealed clear anger¡ªundoubtedly rted to the incident at my grandmother''s house. "What the Fuck, Li!" he eximed, causing Josephine to flinch slightly. Josephine wasn¡¯t an alpha, so she couldn''t help but feel intimidated by Justin''s imposing presence. She clutched my arm tightly, seeking reassurance, and I nced at Justin. "Please, let''s keep it calm," I linked him, hoping to diffuse the tension. His gaze shifted to Josephine, and he realised his mistake, acknowledging her vulnerability in this situation. "Why would you jeopardise both your lives like that? What if the assants were still there in that house? Why did you even decide to go there in the first ce? When did you leave this ce?" he questioned, clearly agitated and concerned. He resembled my grandparents whenever they feared for my safety. "You know this isn''t a game, and you''re not supposed to take matters into your own hands. Why involve Josephine in all of this, Liam?" he pressed, leaving me speechless as I had no valid response. He was the one in charge, not me. "Taking Josephine along was reckless. What if something had happened to both of you? You were just a toddler back then, but I still vividly recall our parents hurriedly hiding us in a safe house when the Stepanovs shed with the Volkovs. It was precisely because of situations like this. Do you honestly believe Lord Alexei will take it lightly that his daughter died while trying to solve a case you brought to the table? Do you think he will consider the bond between our families? This kind of behaviour is what I expected from Noah and Sebastian but not from you, Li," he expressed, his gaze shifting to Josephine. "You should have stopped him. Just because he''s an alpha and the crowned prince doesn''t mean you have to unquestioningly obey his orders," he added, his anger evident in his words. "Your father tried calling seven times, desperately wanting to speak with you. I had to lie, iming you had locked yourself in your room and were asleep. Unfortunately, I was caught in the lie when it turned out you had actually called your grandma to ask her to postpone her trip. You should have informed me about such matters. You were meant toe home. I can''t help but feel disappointed in you," he conveyed, his disappointment sounding sincere. I remained silent, choosing not to respond. Taking the me for the situation was fine with me because, in truth, it was all worth it. "It''s not his fault, Alpha Justin," Josephine asserted, pulling away from me to face Justin directly. I tried to signal her to refrain from saying anything that might lead to trouble, as thest thing I wanted was for Justin to report this incident to Lord Alexei and risk Josephine being sent back to Gad. "There''s no need to cover up for Liam," Justin replied sternly, but Josephine shook her head firmly. "Liam has never been the impulsive type, and you know it," she countered, and I saw a glimmer in Justin''s eyes, suggesting he believed her. "We were at the fellowship park when we heard the sirens. Liam wanted us to return, but I got curious and ran toward the event. It was all my fault," she confessed, taking responsibility. Justin fell silent, seemingly processing the information. I could sense that Justin was at a loss for words. He turned to me, seeking confirmation, but I shook my head subtly, urging him not to reveal this to Lord Alexei, knowing the consequences that could follow. "Please, Justin, you know how he is with his family and what he might do. He''ll insist she returns. We''ll be more careful next time, I promise," I linked him, hoping he would understand. "Excuse us, Josephine," he said gently to her and then turned his attention to me. "Follow me to my room," he ordered, and Josephine looked worried. I managed to give her a reassuring smile as I followed Justin to his room. She proceeded to my wing, and I knew she would be feeling anxious and concerned. "Be more cautious, Liam," Justin advised firmly as we entered his room, and I nodded in agreement without hesitation. "I know you''re determined to find Sophia, but don''t jeopardise our lives in the process," he cautioned, assuming that my actions were connected to Sophia''s disappearance. However, I disagreed, as checking on the fire had nothing to do with her. "Honestly, it had nothing to do with Sophia," I rified, but he shook his head and picked up his remote control. He pointed it towards the television, turning it on, and a picture of a man wearing a ski mask appeared on the screen. "This came in a few hours ago," he informed me, pressing y to reveal further details. "This message is for Prince Liam. The key to freeing your girlfriend lies with the council. We have certain demands, which we will share with you soon," he conveyed, followed by an unsettling image of Josephine and me preparing to hail a cab outside. The chill down my spine confirmed that they wanted us to be aware of their surveince. "Your father and Lord Alexei have seen this. I haven''t heard from Lord Alexei yet, but I can only imagine what''s going through his mind. Please, Liam, I need you to be extremely cautious. We have no idea who these people are or what their intentions might be. It''s crucial that we stay vignt as we proceed with our investigation," he urged, and now I understood the reason behind his distress. My father must have rattled him after witnessing that scene, and it was clear that the situation demanded heightened awareness and caution. "I apologise, Justin. I promise it won''t happen again," I said sincerely, knowing he deserved an apology. He smiled warmly and nodded in eptance. "What are big cousins for?" he said yfully, attempting toe closer to ruffle my hair, but I quickly stepped back, wary of his tricks. He raised his hands in mock surrender, and the moment I rxed my guard, he seized the opportunity to ruffle my hair and swiftly stepped back to avoid retaliation. We both shared a goodugh at the yful exchange. "Now, tell me, anything you want to share about the crime scene?" he finally inquired, and I couldn''t help but beam at him, ready to share the details of what we had discovered. "The van that caught fire was initially at Grandma''s house. We noticed tire tracks leading from Grandma''s gate to the burnt vehicle, and it was Josephine who spotted it. We suspect the perpetrators of the crime at Grandma''s house were the ones connected to the burnt van. It''s puzzling why the van would catch fire just around the corner, burning a neighbour''s house," I exined, and he furrowed his brow in contemtion. "That''s indeed perplexing. They should have made a clean getaway unless someone didn''t want them to escape. Perhaps someone was watching, ready to cover their tracks?" Justin spected, not dwelling too long on the thought. "Tomorrow, our investigation begins Li. I''ll request reports from the fire service to see what they''ve discovered. We can''t fully trust them either, as corruption can seep into any organisation. Nevertheless, it''s a starting point. Additionally, we''ll question the neighbours and thoroughly search Grandma''s house," he outlined, giving me a reassuring smile. "Your idea to ask them to postpone their trip was wise. Your father wasn''t too thrilled when Grandma called him, but with the update, he should have a better understanding of the situation," he added, and I chuckled. "Thank you, Liam. You''ve had a long night, so have a good night," he said, indicating it was time for me to leave his room. I expressed my gratitude and left to attend to my own matters. N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. I hurried towards my wing, hopeful that Josephine hadn''t fallen asleep yet. As I reached my destination, I pondered whether I should knock on her door to check on her before retiring for the night. We had shared some special moments earlier, and I wished they had led to something more, but our encounters were continually interrupted. It was frustrating, and I felt a strong desire to resolve the situation. Standing outside Josephine''s door, I hesitated for a moment, contemting whether or not to knock. Eventually, summoning up the courage, I gently tapped on the door, but there was no response. I tried again, but it seemed like she might have already fallen asleep. And I couldn''t me her; the day had been filled with running around and expending a lot of energy¡ªwe were both likely exhausted. I returned to my room and headed straight to the shower. The unsettling video that Justin showed me lingered in my mind, and I couldn''t help but feel relieved that Josephine and I had made it back home unharmed. The realisation hit me that we needed to be more cautious; those bastards could have posed a serious threat. We were fortunate, and I silently expressed gratitude to the moon for keeping us safe. After finishing my shower and donning clean shorts, I prepared to lie down when I heard a soft knock on my door. Knowing it was Josephine, I hurriedly opened the door, and there she stood with her hair still damp from the shower. "I was in the shower when you were knocking," she admitted, and I stepped aside to invite her into my room. She seemed a bit hesitant at first, but eventually, she walked in. 24 The Beating Of His Heart 24 The Beating Of His Heart ~Josphine~ Justin vented his frustration towards Liam, who remained silent and took the me even though I was the one who convinced him to go to the ce in the first ce. The guilt weighed heavily on me and I imagined what Justin must have endured when the King called, desperately trying to speak with Liam, and Justin having no idea how to reach him. The King''s worry was entirely understandable. The circumstances had led to everyone being evacuated from Grizlo for a valid reason. It was only natural for him to be on high alert when something happened, especially since the incident took ce at his mother''s house. I recognised the legitimacy of his fear, and I felt awful for causing so much concern and putting Liam in a negative light with Justin. I couldn''t shake off the feeling of me, fearing that it might lead to problems between Liam and me. As I made my way to my room, I sternly reminded myself not to act impulsively in the future. Justin''s concerns were entirely justified. What if we had been attacked in that ce? Despite being fighters capable of defending ourselves, we would have been overpowered if they came inrge numbers. The possibility that they might have used weapons as well weighed heavily on my mind. I may be immune to Silver, but Liam wasn''t. The seriousness of the situation dawned on me, and I felt an overwhelming sense of remorse for my actions. While I was in the shower, I heard a knock on the door, and my immediate instinct told me it was Liam. He was the only person who woulde knocking at my door thiste at night. Covered in soap, I decided that once I finished freshening up, I would head to his room. The idea of going to his room gave me a rush of excitement, causing goosebumps to prickle my skin. The memories of our time together at theke and in his room reyed in my mind. The way he spoke and the things he did made my heart flutter. The almost-kiss we had shared at theke was real; it couldn''t have been a product of my imagination. I was certain of it. After I finished freshening up and slipped into my pyjamas, I decided to check on Liam to ensure he was okay, especially since Justin''s demeanour had been serious. Gently knocking on his door, I was surprised when Liam opened it and motioned for me toe in. As I stood in his room, I felt a bit uncertain about what to say or do. Liam looked attractive in his shorts, and not wearing anything on top allowed my mind to wander for a brief moment. "Sorry about..." I began, but he interrupted me, preventing me from finishing the sentence. He quickly put on a T-shirt and then guided me towards the balcony. "I had a great time today, and I don''t regret going with you to that ce. I''m just relieved that we made it back home safely," he expressed, stepping out onto the balcony. I watched him closely, unsure of how he felt about the situation. "So you''re not upset with me?" I inquired, and he shook his head, offering his hand to invite me to join him on the balcony. "Not at all," he reassured me, pulling me closer so that we stood side by side, gazing up at the stars in the night sky. In that serene moment, I knew we shared a special connection, and the day''s adventure had only strengthened our bond. As he gazed at the night sky, I found myself studying him closely. It was surprising to see that he didn''t appear affected by the incident with Justin. It seemed as though he had brushed it off, which I knew was to my advantage. I gently reached out and touched his arm, prompting him to look at me. "You know you shouldn''t have lied for my sake," I remarked, feeling grateful for his gesture but also concerned about him getting in trouble. Liam chuckled and replied, "Who said I was lying? I actually wanted to check it out myself; you just helped me make up my mind faster," he admitted with a mischievous grin, causing me tough along with him. It was a relief to know that we were on the same page, and our adventurous spirits only brought us closer together. Not ready to leave just yet, I decided to initiate a conversation with him. "What do you think the housekeeper might have done?" I asked, seeking his thoughts on the matter. He gazed at me, pondering the question. "Beats me, Jo, but one thing''s for sure: we need to be extremely cautious from now on," he responded, his smile fading as he emphasised the seriousness of the situation. He continued, "We were under surveince by those perpetrators. They even sent a video. Our parents have already seen it. The audacity! They gave instructions and showed us getting into a cab," he revealed, causing me to gasp in shock. "That means they were watching us," I eximed, grasping the gravity of the situation. He nodded solemnly and drew closer to me. "It means they could have..." I trailed off, my mind racing to the worst possible scenarios, realising the potential danger we had ced ourselves in due to my carelessness. Liam held me close, enveloping me in aforting hug while gently stroking my hair to ease my tension. "We just have to be more careful, Jo. I won''t let anyone hurt you," he reassured, and I couldn''t help but embrace him tightly, cherishing the safety and warmth he offered. We found sce in each other''s arms, and we chose to savour the moment, relishing each other''s presence. The tranquillity of the night enveloped us, and if there had been music ying, I would have swayed to it. However, I wanted to stay focused and present in that serene moment. "Jo," he softly called my name, and I lifted my head to meet his gaze. "Today was incredible, and I''m grateful we shared it together," he confessed, and I couldn''t agree more. Despite the incident, it was a day filled with cherished memories etched in my heart. Despite wanting to smile, I found myself lost in Liam''s gaze. His eyes held a promise that stirred emotions I didn''t know I craved, leaving me to wonder if I was merely imagining things or overanalysing the situation. "Li," I managed to whisper, but my voice caught in my throat. Just as he was about to lean in for a kiss, an unfortunate knock on his door interrupted our moment, and I couldn''t help but curse whatever seemed to be conspiring against us. I could have sworn I heard Liam mutter a curse word under his breath too, which was quite endearing, causing me to chuckle despite the interruption. He looked at me, and I nodded, signalling that he could answer the door. Feeling tired and in need of sleep, I announced, "I''m going to bed," making my way toward the door. However, Liam didn''t seem happy with that decision, and his expression conveyed his disappointment. Liam opened the door, revealing Oliver, who had a smile that faded when he noticed me. He appeared visibly awkward, and rightfully so, as he had interrupted us. "Did I interrupt something?" Oliver asked, his tone carrying a hint of guilt. I shook my head, trying to appear nonchnt even though my demeanour probably gave away the truth. "No, you''re good, Oliver. Goodnight," I replied, passing him quickly to make my way to my room. My heart was still racing from the near-kiss moment with Liam, and I couldn''t help but curse the interruptions that kept urring between us. Once in my room, I let out a frustrated sigh. "Maybe we should stop waiting for the perfect moment and just seize it," my wolf, Onyx, suggested, sharing my frustration. Three times in a row, our moment had been interrupted, and it wasn''t the best sign, but I remained optimistic. I was determined not to let anything else get in the way of embracing what I was feeling for Liam. I went to bed hoping for a good night''s sleep, but it eluded me. If only Liam had been there, I thought, I might have snuggled into his arms and drifted off easily. Unfortunately, sleep seemed to be my enemy that night, and it evaded me for most of the night. By the time I finally dozed off, it was already five in the morning, setting the tone for what I knew would be a lousy day ahead. When I woke up at eight, I was aware that breakfast had likely been served. Hastily going through my morning routine, I managed to get ready by eight-thirty and made my way to the dining room. Upon arriving, I found everyone already seated. The only avable chair was at the far end of the table. When Oliver saw me, he promptly got up from his seat beside Liam, offering it to me. It was a kind gesture, but it made me feel a bit shy to be the centre of attention. "Did you get hit by a truck? Jo, those dark circles," Charlotte eximed, drawing attention to my tired appearance, as I hadpletely forgotten to use concealer to hide the evidence of my sleepless night. Now, everyone would be aware that I didn''t sleep well. I mustered a smile in response to herment and greeted everyone before taking a seat beside Liam. He whispered, "Sleptte," and I nodded, grateful for his understanding. I noticed that he was helping me serve my food, a sweet gesture that warmed my heart. Before I could fully collect my thoughts, Noah''s question brought me back to the topic of our §Ö investigation. It took a moment for- me to connect the dots, given my sluggish morning state. Eventually, Justin responded, "We believe the perpetrators were sent to do something at Grandma Stephanie''s house, and the person who sent them blew up the van to cover their tracks," I was impressed by Justin''s theory and agreed immediately. "I guess finding your girlfriend will be fun with all the danger looming," Sebastien said to Liam. Sebastien''sment to Liam about finding his girlfriend made me freeze. The word "girlfriend" suddenly bothered me, even though it hadn''t before. The realisation hit me that perhaps my feelings for Liam were deeper than I had initially thought. My hands trembled slightly as I lifted the fork, but I quickly ced it back on the te, hoping no one noticed my unease. The conversation about Liam potentially reuniting with Sophia weighed heavily on my heart. "What will you do if she returns and finds her fated Li? Will you be able to move on? You''ve already moved heaven and earth, for Sophia''s sake. Aren''t we all here because of her?" Marvin teased, and I found it hard to bear. The emotions inside me threatened to surface, but knew I couldn''t show weakness stayed seated, not wanting to draw attention to my inner turmoil. A tight knot formed in my chest, the kind that usually preceded tears, but I forced myself to take deep breaths and regain control. I couldn''t let my emotions overwhelm me, especially not in front of everyone. I mustered all my strength to remainposed and steady, even though it felt like a struggle to keep my emotions in check. "Sophia and I are just friends," Liam replied, attempting to downy any romantic connection between him and Sophia. However, Charlotte didn''t let it slide and teased him about the night she went missing, implying that he had nned to ask her out. Marvin chimed in with another yfulment, asserting that Liam had practically confessed his feelings for Sophia in the past. This teasing banter wasmon in Mountain, and it had never bothered me before. Yet, this time, it struck a nerve, and I felt a surge of emotions rising within me. Unable to bear it any longer, I pushed my te away and stood up to excuse myself, pretending that I needed to use the restroom. I calmly walked away from the dining room, but the moment I was out of sight, I hastened up the stairs, desperate to reach my room and let my tears flow in private. Once inside my room, I allowed myself to release the emotions that had been building up. I breathed deeply, trying to regainposure, but tears streamed down my cheeks uncontrobly. It seemed that this teasing about Sophia and Liam had hit a sensitive nerve, and I needed a moment to collect myself and process these unexpected feelings. Sitting on my bed in my room, I couldn''t help but berate myself for foolishly entertaining the thought that there might be something between Liam and me. It was crystal clear that he cared deeply for Sophia, which was precisely why we were in Grizlo in the first ce. With tears streaming down my cheeks, I allowed myself to cry freely. I needed this release, to let out the emotions that had been building up inside me. Deep down, I knew that once I shed these tears, I would start to feel better, and Sophia''s name wouldn''t affect me as much. A part of me recognised that distancing myself from Liam might be necessary to help me move on and forget any feelings I had for him. While it saddened me, I knew it was the right decision to protect my heart from further pain. So, as painful as it was, I made a silent resolution to create some distance between us to heal and find my own path forward. As someone knocked on my door, I quickly wiped away my tears. However, I knew my eyes were probably swollen and red, giving away the fact that I had been crying. Reluctantly, I decided not to answer, hoping whoever was outside would leave. "Jo, it''s me. Open up, please," I heard Liam''s voice, and I couldn''t fathom why he was at my door. I felt a mix of emotions, including anger, as I stood up, preparing myself to confront him. I was determined not to be used as a substitute until Sophia was found. I refused to be anyone''s second choice or constion prize. If Liam thought he coulde to me whenever he pleased, he had another thinging. I was ready to tell him off and make it clear that I wouldn''t be treated that way. I reluctantly opened the door, trying my best to maintain a calm exterior despite my inner rage. Liam stood there, looking genuinely worried, but I didn''t care. He was interrupting my much-needed healing session. "What is it?" I asked him curtly, not hiding my irritation. He seemed taken aback by my response. "Jo," he managed to say, clearly thrown off guard by my tone. I folded my arms, waiting for him to exin himself. "What is it, Liam? I don''t recall signing up for the role of a substitute, so stop bothering me," Ished out, my frustration evident. To my surprise, he entered my room and closed the door behind him. "Who said you''re a substitute?" he asked, looking genuinely confused. I couldn''t believe his audacity. "If I''m not Sophia''s substitute, then what am I?" I questioned, feeling utterly bewildered by his words. He moved closer to me, causing me to instinctively back away, but I wasn''t fast enough, and he caught me, pulling me gently towards him. "Jo, don''t pay attention to them. You know they like to tease me," he said softly, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. I tried to turn my head away, fighting the flutter of butterflies that arose within me at his touch. "Jo, look at me," Liam urged, but I resisted, shutting my eyes tightly and shaking my head. My actions might have been childish, but I didn''t care; I wanted to protect myself from further heartache.N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. Ignoring my reluctance, Liam gently touched my chin and lifted my face to meet his gaze, forcing me to open my eyes. His intense eyes locked onto mine, and I struggled to resist the overwhelming urge to melt under his gaze. In an unexpected move, Liam pressed his lips against mine, catching me off guard. At first, I was shocked, but as his tongue sought ess, Kgradually surrendered to the soft and sweet sensation of his kiss the turmoil inside me intensified as Onyx, my wolf, howled in my head, and butterflies swirled in my stomach. The kiss was a mix of emotions, leaving me feeling both vulnerable and ecstatic all at once. Liam deepened the kiss, and I was taken aback by his emotions. I responded eagerly, fully embracing the stolen moment that had eluded us three times before. This time, it felt right, and I was determined to make it count. As we broke the kiss, both of us were left breathless. Liam rested his forehead against mine, and in the intimacy of the moment, he opened up to me. "I''ve been wanting to kiss you for a while now," he confessed, making me giggle softly. "Sophia is my friend. That is it. You are special to me, Jo and I want us to give this a try. Please do not listen to what they say. You can never be a substitute for anyone in my life, Jo. I can''t tell you how I feel." Taking my hand, he ced it against his chest, and I could feel his heart racing. "No one has ever made my heart beat this way, Jo. None but you," he confessed, baring his feelings in a heartfelt moment that left me both surprised and ted. In that instant, I knew that the connection between us was genuine, and my heart swelled with happiness, knowing that we were taking the first steps toward something special. 25 Enough For Both Of Us 25 Enough For Both Of Us ~Liam~ Holding Josephine in my arms felt right. I knew I needed to make a move because there would be no right time. We had been interrupted three times already. I doubted anytime would be right enough to show my intentions. I thought she would push me away or stop me, but when she responded, Alex and I were at peace immediately. There was hope that it would work out. Maybe she had feelings too. Only time will tell, but I chose to savour that moment with her in my arms to assure her that there was nothing between Sophia and me. As Josephine gracefully left the dining room, she appeared unfazed, yet Alex sensed a hint of unease. Observing her take the staircase turn instead of heading for the restroom, I knew something was amiss. I nned to address the Sophia teases with my cousins. Since it bothered Josephine so much, I could not let them continue. As I held Josephine''s hand against my chest, I could see the bewilderment in her eyes. In that moment, words seemed insufficient to convey my emotions. My heartbeat became the melody, expressing what words couldn''t. "I''m going to talk to them about stopping the Sophia jokes," I said, but Josephine shook her head in response. "No need, Li. I believe I can handle it," she replied, avoiding eye contact with me. Her words surprised me, and I felt a mix of relief and concern. "Now that I know there isn''t much between you and her, I can handle it," she continued. "But what happens when she returns? Despite my feelings, I genuinely wish her well and hope we find her. What will you do then? You were nning to confess your feelings to her the night she disappeared. What happened to those feelings, Li? Did they vanish with her, or did you simply bury them?" she asked, taking a step back, her question bearing undeniable validity. Josephine''s eyes shimmered with fear, clearly bracing herself for whatever I might say. Yet, I found myself at a loss for words as well. "Jo," I started, but she shook her head, urging me to be honest. "You have to tell me, Li. What happened to your feelings for her?" she insisted, seeking an answer. Just as I was about to respond, Justin''s voice echoed in my mind, interrupting our conversation. "Everyone should gather in my office. We''re meeting with the former Gamma and Delta now, and then we''re heading to Grandma''s house to investigate the crime," Justin announced, diverting our attention. Josephine wasted no time, swiftly grabbing her jacket before I could utter a word, leaving the question about my feelings unanswered for now. "Jo," I managed to say, but she shook her head, clearly unconvinced. "You don''t have your feelings sorted, Li," she stated as she put on her jacket. As she made to leave, I rushed to her side, reaching out to hold her and prevent her from walking away. "No, Jo, I really do have my feelings sorted out. Honestly, I do," I pleaded, desperate to make her understand. "I did have feelings for Sophia, but I never acted on them. I never told her how I felt. The n was to confess that night, but it never happened," I exined, attempting to draw her closer by gently tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. However, Josephine deftly evaded my touch, making it clear she needed space. "Please, Jo," I pleaded, gazing earnestly into her eyes. "All I can say is that it was different with you. It took me so long to realise my feelings for Sophia, but it didn''t take much time at all for me to fall for you. Everything about us feels right, even destined, Jo. Don''t let Sophia''s shadow cast doubt on what we have. Whatever I felt for Sophia, it vanished before we arrived at Grizlo; I just hadn''t found the right words or moments to express my feelings to you. I doubt I ever will. With you, words seem to escape me, and all I can do is show you how I feel through my actions. Please," I implored, searching her eyes for reassurance. My heart pounded with fear as I waited for her response. Then, in a moment that lifted the weight of uncertainty, she leaned into my arms, resting her head against my chest. As I held her close, I could feel the gentle warmth of her tears, and it felt like a moment of emotional release and connection between us. "I don''t want to be in anyone''s shadow, Li. Please don''t give me a reason to fear Sophia''s return," she expressed her fears, and I responded by gently stroking her back. She had every right to feel the way she did. I knew that my handling of the situation with Sophia had left her feeling unsure, and I didn''t want to do anything to break her heart. In my heart, I knew that Josephine was someone I wanted to love and cherish, even if she wasn''t aware of it yet. I hoped that when the time was right and she discovered myet true feelings, she woulde understand and trust in the depth of my affection for her. Until then, I was determined to show her, through my actions, that she was my priority and that I had no intention of letting anything or anyone cast a shadow over what we could have together. Josephine pulled away, wiping away her tears with a smile on her face. "We better get to Justin before he loses his shit again likest night," she quipped, and we both shared augh. "Yeah, he did look like he had a fire lit under him," she said, and I chuckled, finding her description of Justin''s behaviour quite fitting. While his reaction was understandable, I knew that dealing with that video, my parents, and the entire situation couldn''t have been easy for him. If my father didn''t give him trouble, my mother certainly would have, not to mention Lord Alexei and others. We had just arrived, and it weighed heavily on me that Justin had to go through all this trouble. I felt genuinely sorry for the burden he had to bear in the midst of everything. Josephine and I departed the room, our hands entwined as was bing customary. Before we left her room, she took the time to apply her eyeliner, and I couldn''t help but smile. I was gradually getting used to the smokey-eye look, and strangely, it was growing on me. However, what I felt for her went far beyond appearances. Her personality was simply incredible, and I knew deep down that she was someone could always rely on and trust, no matter the circumstances. Even though she hadn''t yet I expressed her feelings, I held on to the hope that one day, she would respond positively, easing the worries in my heart. Until then, I was determined to love her wholeheartedly; My love will be enough for both of us. Content belongs to NovelDrama.Org Josephine and I arrived at Justin''s office, finding all eyes on us as we entered. "You barely ate anything, Jo. Are you feeling okay?" Charlotte asked, disying genuine concern. "I''m just saving my appetite a special ce," Josephine replied, giving my hand a yful pinch. I knew she was referring to the food truck we nned to visitter. She must have really enjoyed the food there. However, given the urgency of the current matter at hand, we wouldn''t have the opportunity to go there alone in the evening. So, to ensure she didn''t go hungry, I quickly arranged for an omega to prepare sandwiches for her to eat on the go. This way, she wouldn''t be hungry while we worked. Justin observed us carefully, his silence speaking volumes. Suspicion was evident in his eyes, and he didn''t seem too happy about the situation. "I will talk to youter today, Li," he linked me, and a knot formed in my stomach because I knew it had to do with Josephine. After all, I had spoken to him with unwavering conviction about my feelings for Sophia; how could I now take back those words? I was well aware that I would have to eat my own words from that conversation. It was a bitter realisation I couldn''t escape. Marvin stood next to me, his curiosity evident in his link. "What''s going on between you and Jo?" he asked, and I nced at him. He had been so preupied with La that he hadn''t noticed until now. I shifted my gaze to the others in the group, realising that Marvin wasn''t the only one who had picked up on the connection between Josephine and me. Charlotte seemed somewhat suspicious, while Noah and Sebastien appeared oblivious. It became apparent that everyone else had noticed there was something between Josephine and me. The unspoken feelings and growing closeness were bing more evident to those around us, and it made me wonder how much longer we could keep it under wraps. "The Gamma and Delta have already arrived," Justin linked us discreetly, ensuring no one could eavesdrop on our conversation within his office. "Considering the footage you all saw and the fact that someone was surveilling Li and Jo during their evening stroll...," he said with emphasis on the stroll, and Charlotte chuckled. "... I suspect the conspirators are from this area. While we can''t be certain if the Gamma and Delta are involved, we cannot afford to trust 1 anyone outside our circle. To seed in our mission, we must gather as much information as possible from everyone here while keeping our findings strictly Within our group. It''s crucial to make it exceptionally challenging for them to infiltrate our ranks. This is precisely why not everyone from the gang was allowed toe to Grizlo. We need to establish a seamless rhythm before including the rest," he borated, and we all nodded in agreement. Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. "Understood," Justin replied aloud, ensuring that part of the conversation was open for everyone to hear. Charlotte couldn''t help but chuckle more, and Justin smiled in response. "In a few minutes, we''ll be meeting with Gamma Lebedev and Delta Sokolov. I expect each one of you to show them respect, even though we are temporarily relieving them of their duties in Grizlo. Their office demands it," he instructed. "Yes, Alpha," we all agreed in unison, and he smiled before leading us out of his office towards the visitor''s room. The meeting with the Gamma and Delta awaited us, and we were prepared to handle it with the utmost respect and professionalism. 26 A little drilling 26 A little drilling ~Liam- We followed Justin as he guided us to the visitor''s room where the Gamma and Delta were waiting. Walking beside Josephine, I foundfort in her proximity, realising that being apart from her was bing increasingly difficult. As we entered the room, the Gamma and Delta were seated on the couch, and we each saluted them in turn. They reciprocated the gesture by standing up and saluting back. Justin then asked us to take our seats so he could proceed with his inquiries.Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. "I want to extend my apologies for any inconvenience our presence may have caused all of you," Justin began. "This arrangement is only temporary. Our grandparents reside here, and their safety has be a top priority after the incident. The council and the royal family are also concerned about the recent crime, ident, and fire that urred in our grandparent''s home. I assure you that we are not here to take over your roles or positions." Upon hearing Justin''s words, Gamma Lebedev leaned forward with a smile on his face, seemingly reassured by the Alpha''s exnation. "Not at all, Alpha. We fullyprehend the gravity of the situation. In all honesty, we initially assumed you hade to investigate Beta Mike''s crimes, especially considering that the crowned Prince, Beta Liam Volkov, had a close rtionship with his daughter. It seemed natural for the Prince to pull strings to ensure his girlfriend''s safety, so we understood the circumstances," Gamma Lebedev replied. I couldn''t let this misconception persist any longer, as it could jeopardise what I had with Josephine. I had to make things clear. "Allow me to correct you, Gamma. Sophia Maguire and I are friends, but we have no romantic involvement whatsoever. I just wanted to rify that," I asserted, noticing the surprise on their faces. It seemed they had genuinely believed that Sophia and I were together. I couldn''t let that misunderstanding continue to impact Josephine and me. "Understood. We respect the Head Alpha''s authority, and unless he explicitly seeks our assistance, we cannot interfere with his ongoing investigations. Our hands are tied in this regard, which is why we haven''t dispatched anyone to the former Alpha''s or Beta''s houses. It falls outside our assigned duties," Justin exined with a sigh. "However, since you raised the topic, would you mind sharing your perspective on what you think happened?" Justin inquired, turning his attention to the Gamma, who nodded in response. "Well, we aren''t entirely sure. On the day of the murder, Alpha Thompson gathered all of us and led us to the docks. He had received an anonymous tip suggesting illegal activities taking ce there that night. Alpha Thompson was so suspicious that he withheld the tip''s details and our mission, as he believed one of us might be involved. I think he was right, and the culprit turned out to be Mike. Given the presence of the Royal heirs at the graduation event, we had to heighten the security of the area where the venue was situated. So, Delta Miguel and I left to handle the security for the event while Alpha Thompson and Mike stayed at the docks to conduct the investigation," the Gamma recounted with a sigh. "ording to sources, Beta Mike and Alpha Thompson were arguing, and Alpha was walking briskly, asking Mike to leave him alone. Mike appeared angry and anxious, continuing to follow him. As they had driven there together in Mike''s car, he offered to drop Alpha at his house, and Alpha epted the offer. It seems that the murder took ce after that ride because it aligns with the timing. It''s possible that Alpha stumbled upon something that could expose Mike, and in a desperate attempt to cover his tracks, Mike made a sudden decision tomit the crime. It appears to have been an impulsive act, not premeditated. We may never know for certain, but that''s what we''ve uncovered so far. We thoroughly searched Alpha Thompson''s house and office but didn''t find any incriminating evidence," the Gamma concluded, and Justin nodded in acknowledgement of the information. "Did you conduct the search under supervision?" Justin inquired, and the Gamma confirmed with a nod. "Alpha Christian''s men were present during the search. They have secured Thompson and Mike''s residences and offices to preserve the integrity of the evidence," the Gamma exined, and Justin acknowledged the precautionary measures. "Beyond the night of the incident, how would you describe Beta Mike?" Justin further questioned, and the Delta shifted uneasily in his chair. "He was mostly unremarkable, following orders quietly, but at times, he acted as if he were an Alpha unto himself. His behaviour could be disrespectful, and he disyed aggressiveness. He had a short temper and wasn''t always rational. However, aside from these traits, I believe he was a good guy," the Delta expressed. As I listened, I couldn''t help but feel sceptical. The information they shared indirectly pointed to the possibility of Mike being the culprit. I questioned if they truly function as a team, for in such situations, loyalty might deter them from speaking ill of a fellow member. Their willingness to expose Mike''s ws and offer hints of his potential guilt left me with a sense of sadness and doubt about their alliance. "So, in essence, you are suggesting there''s a strong likelihood that he''s the culprit?" I impulsively asked the Delta without Justin''s permission, realising I might have overstepped my bounds. Surprisingly, Justin seemed to understand, and he didn''t appear angry or inclined to reprimand me. "Your Highness..." the Delta began, but I interjected. "Beta Volkov. I prefer to be addressed by my current title," I said. "Beta Volkov," he corrected himself, seeming somewhat uneasy addressing me formally. "I understand how personal this matter is, especially considering your close connection to the Maguires, particrly their daughter. However, the question isn''t about whether or not Mikemitted the crime; that much has already been established. What we''re trying to discern are his motives," the Delta exined, and I nodded, not wanting to engage in a contentious discussion with them. After a brief moment of silence and awkwardness, the Gamma leaned forward, breaking the tension. "We would be more than willing to assist you in any way possible," he offered to Justin, who acknowledged his willingness with a nod. "I''d appreciate the help," Justin replied, indicating that the formal part of the meeting was concluded. Even though we were currently upying their residence, the packhouse, they remained our guests. Justin suggested that they be offered refreshments and gave us permission to engage in conversations with them. Josephine approached the Gamma to talk, and I naturally stayed by her side. There was no way I would leave her alone with people we weren''t entirely sure we could trust. Since I stayed, everyone stayed. "Do you have any information about the housekeeper who was attacked in Lady Brighton''s home?" Josephine inquired, and the Gamma shook his head. "Unfortunately, there isn''t much known about her. She is a new pack member and currently unmated. She began working for the Brightons around the same time she joined the pack. The Brightons aren''t locals, so they didn''t crosscheck with Alpha Thompson before hiring her. However, since she has never raised any concerns, it''s baffling that someone would target her," the Gamma exined, providing what little they knew about the housekeeper. Charlotte stepped closer, adding her thoughts to the conversation. "Could the attackers have mistaken the housekeeper for our grandparents and attacked her when they realised our grandparents weren''t present?" she spected, and her suggestion seemed usible. I knew we had more theories, but we had to be cautious about discussing sensitive matters with the former officers. "Well, we may not know for sure until the culprits are apprehended, but rest assured, we''re here to offer our assistance," the Gamma reassured. However, Noah couldn''t resist making a sarcastic remark. "I think you two should stick to helping Alpha Christian. I heard you haven''t made any progress in the Maguire case. We''ll take care of the crime at Brighton''s house," he taunted, and Sebastien joined in theughter. Their difort was evident, prompting Josephine to give Noah a warning nce. "Come on, Jo, it''s true. How can they help us when they can''t even catch their own colleague? If anyone should be able to find Mike or know his connections, it should be these two, yet they seem clueless. Based on the footage of you and Li, it''s apparent they are in Grizlo watching everyone, yet these men haven''t made any progress. Unless they prove their value to Alpha Justin and us, they''re better off elsewhere," Noah stated, delivering the harsh truth. Though Noah''s words were blunt, it was difficult to deny their uracy. The tension in the room was palpable, but the truth remained that they had yet to make significant headway in the Maguire case. They had proven unhelpful to Alpha Christian, and it wasn''t likely they possessed information about Mike that could aid in his capture, unless they were intentionally avoiding it to protect themselves and their family members, while also shielding their colleague. Perhaps they were deliberately slowing down the investigation to keep Mike safe, given their friendship and professional ties. It was either that, or they truly were inept, as Noah had suggested. "I apologise on behalf of Delta Albert," I interjected, attempting to defuse the tension in the room. However, Noah didn''t appear receptive to the apology. "I bet they were the ones filming you and Jo," Noah linked me, and suddenly, his perspective made sense. If that was indeed the case, I understood why he was so upset. The situation was bing moreplex, and tensions were escting as we delved deeper into the investigation. "We hope the Gamma and Delta can prove you both wrong and assist Alpha Christian in making a breakthrough," Marvin yfully remarked, addressing Noah and Sebastien, but it was evident he was teasing our guests, subtly taking their side. The Albert Twins continued their questioning, pressing the Gamma and Delta until they appeared visibly ufortable. I allowed them to proceed because their inquiries were indeed valid. "I''m just curious how you all could head to a dock for an investigation, and yet your Alpha wouldn''t provide any hints or information about the mission. What exactly was your purpose there when you were in the dark about what Alpha Thompson was looking into?" Noah raised a legitimate query. "And then, at some point, you either got dismissed or chose to leave, leaving your Alpha and the suspected murderer alone," Sebastien chimed in, directing his gaze towards me, hinting at the possibility of their involvement in the crime scene. "Was there security present at your hall?" Josephine inquired, prompting me to think back to the party. I couldn''t recall seeing any security personnel during the event. I looked at Charlotte, then Oliver and Marvin and they all shrugged. "Could it be that the security arrivedte at night or after the party?" Noah asked, already knowing the likely answer but wanting me to confirm it. "We stayed until the end since our ss had gifts for us," I replied, and he nodded in understanding. "So, Gamma Lebedev and Delta Sokolov, how did you allocate your resources that night?" Oliver pressed, and the men hesitated to answer. "As we mentioned earlier, it waste at night, and we might have arrivedte. We didn''t really keep track of the exact time," the Delta exined, with Josephine nodding in acknowledgement. "In other words, your team members were tardy in carrying out their duties? Regardless I am sure you would have known the party was over?" she questioned, and the men reluctantly agreed. "It was a party, though, so I wonder why there was a need for heightened security and why you sent your men there," Josephine continued, her curiosity evident. Gamma Lebedev quickly interjected to respond. "The royal family was present," the Gamma admitted, and Josephine''s nod confirmed that she had gotten the answer she was looking for. "Exactly, which is why your security should not have failed. Securing that ce should have been a priority over checking the dock with Alpha Thompson. If the Alpha and Beta were left alone there, it implies that your presence was not required at the dock in the first ce," Josephine deduced, and Noah concurred. "I had the same thought, Jo. Their exnation doesn''t add up, but regardless, it''s not our concern. Our focus is on ensuring the safety of the Brightons and stabilising Grizlo after the terrible incident they experienced. We need to do that ne before Alpha Christian appoints a new Alpha to the position, While solving the Maguire case would be ideal, it''s not our responsibility," Noah asserted, and Marvin agreed with his sentiment. I could see the officers rx a bit and what Noah had done was wise. "Good luck with that one. We hope you solve the case quickly so people can stop wondering what happened," Oliver calmly conveyed, and the Gamma and Delta nodded in response. "It was enjoyable chatting with you, and we hope you didn''t find our questioning offensive?" I inquired, and they assured us that it wasn''t offensive, although we couldn''t be entirely sure if they truly felt that way. After leaving them in the visiting room, Justin escorted them out. As we were yet to head to our grandparent''s house for the investigation, we decided to gather in Justin''s office to exchange ideas and thoughts. I couldn''t help but wonder whether the Gamma and Delta were genuinely ineffective in their roles or if they were intentionally stalling the investigation to protect Mike. Regardless of the truth, we were determined to get to the bottom of the matter. As we interrogated the Gamma and the Delta, I witnessed a fiery determination in my cousins'' eyes, confirming why our parents had chosen us for this task. The Albert''s disyed the same passion as their father and Josephine matched their intensity. Charlotte was equally relentless, and Marvin and Oliver showcased their capabilities. We were a formidable team, and there was no doubt in my mind that together, we would unravel this mystery and find the truth. Content belongs to While walking, my phone buzzed with an iing text. I noticed it was from Sophia''s mother''s number and hastily opened it. "Stop looking for me. I think they are nning something," the message read, prompting me to share it with everyone immediately. Deep down, I knew they were scheming something, but Sophia would have called me instead of sending a text. It seemed like someone else wanted to halt the search or establish contact with me, raising concerns about Sophia''s well-being. The fact that she no longer had a phone left me worried and questioning her safety. 27 To Sam Street 27 To Sam Street ~Liam~ I felt uneasy about how to handle sharing and discussing the text message. I worried that mentioning Sophia might trouble Josephine, even though I knew she was resilient. But I also feared that it could set back the progress we had made so far. Instead of announcing the text to everyone, I decided to talk to Josephine first. "Hey," I said, linking her, and she turned to face me, her brow furrowing. I expected this reaction, as linking in close proximity was reserved for private discussions. "I want to show you something," I said, handing her my phone with the text message. She took the phone, read the message, and then returned it to me. "The team should know," she linked back, and I observed her carefully. "It wouldn''t bother you?" I asked to be sure. I was still new to this rtionship thing and didn''t want to make any mistakes. "Not at all, Liam. We had our discussion this morning, and I''m confident that Sophia''s name won''t bother me anymore. I promise," she said with a smile and yfully punched my shoulder. "I''m not that petty or jealous, Li," sheughed, and I felt relieved. "Attention, everyone; Li has something important to share," Josephine dered, and a chuckle escaped me. All eyes were on me, and I cleared my throat before speaking. I put on a serious demeanour because the situation warranted it. If they had Sophia''s mother''s phone, there was a possibility that something significant had urred, and their circumstances might have altered. Navigating through this with limited information wouldn''t be a simple task, but we must exercise utmost caution. "I just received a text message from Sophia''s mother''s line, the same line she used tomunicate with me," I exined, passing my phone around so they could read the message. "Thest time she spoke to me, it was through Charlotte''s phone, as I hadn''t recovered my line back then," I added. Marvin was the first to ask a question. "So why is she asking us not to search for her?" he inquired. "That''s precisely my point. If it were truly Sophia, she would have called instead of sending a text message. The vagueness of the message suggests an underlying agenda. If it was genuinely from Sophia, it would have contained more helpful details," I exined, and Noah voiced a different perspective. "Have you considered the possibility that she just wants you to stay out of the matter to protect you? Sending a vague message would be the best way to ensure you have nothing to work with," he suggested, and I nodded, understanding his reasoning. "Yes, but she would have called me if it were really her. Sophia rarely sends text messages; she''s more of a phone person," I exined before Sebastien interjected. "Not if she''s surrounded by the enemy and needs to secretlymunicate with you. Her situation might leave her no choice but to send a text message, Li," he argued, and many others seemed to agree. Josephine then asked me to share my theory if I didn''t believe the message was from Sophia, giving me the opportunity to exin. "I think someone is trying to establishmunication with me while pretending to be Sophia. It''s been too long without any word from her, making this message seem odd. If it were genuinely from her, it would have been sent to Charlotte''s phone. It would have also contained more details about her well-being before asking me to stop searching. Sophia will want to put my mind at ease," I borated. "Thest time we spoke was back when we were in Lund. The tone of this message seems off, as if we''ve been in frequentmunication. Additionally, she isn''t aware that I''ve recovered my line, so she would likely have sent the message to Charlotte''s phone to ensure I received it. Sophia wouldn''t risk sending a message to a line that might still be switched off," I concluded, and Charlotte nodded in agreement. My thoughts might not have been entirely clear, but I had a gut feeling that I was onto something. "I understand your point, Li, but you''re right; this message doesn''t provide much information," Charlotte acknowledged, stating the truth. Josephine, on the other hand, had a different perspective. "True, but by receiving this message, a line ofmunication has been opened between us and whoever sent it. I propose we continue to interact with ''Sophia'' and see where it leads us," she suggested, using air quotes when saying ''Sophia,'' which elicited augh from Noah. "Whoever is posing as Sophia must have a motive. To confirm if it''s truly her or not, you should engage in conversation and share specific details that only she would know. Then, we can wait for her response. Even if she''s being held captive, she might cleverly mislead her captors and provide us with hints. I''m certain she knows we''re searching for her, and her captors might have informed her about it. So, it''s wise for her to mislead them in her answers to help us uncover what''s really going on," Josephine exined, perfectly echoing my thoughts. I nodded, looking at her, and she smiled in response. ie "You really don''t have to worry about my feelings when ites to Sophia. I know she''s just your friend, nothing more," she assured me. "I have male friends too," she added, but I could sense that Alex wasn''t entirelyfortable with that statement. Nevertheless, I managed to keep myposure. Josephineughed, signifying that she noticed my momentary unease, but it was our inside joke, and the others remained oblivious to our unspokenmunication. "I hope she''s still alive and safe," Marvin expressed, echoing my biggest fear. "They won''t dispose of her easily. If Mike is working for them, they won''t dare harm her, and if they have some ulterior motive involving her, they won''t dare either. In any case, she''ll likely remain alive until they aplish whatever they have nned," Oliver pointed out, and his assessment was urate.Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Initially, this gave me some sense offort, but the idea that Sophia couldn''t reach out to me when she wanted, troubled me greatly. I was deeply concerned about her safety and prayed that we could resolve this situation as quickly as possible. Justin came back after seeing the Gamma and the Beta off, and we remained on high alert. "So, how did they do?" he inquired, and we allughed because it was clear that Justin had cleverly left us alone with the officers to question them. It was a smart move on his part. By not directly conducting the questioning and making it a casual conversation, it wouldn''t be considered an official interrogation. That way, they couldn''t use us of treating them as suspects. Despite Noah and Sebastien being a bit difficult and hard on them, our team recognised the importance of having individuals like the Albert twins to maintain a bnced approach. "Their story didn''t add up. There were discrepancies and ack of rity," Josephine replied, and Justin nodded in agreement. "So, are they suspects or just acting stupid?" Justin asked, which made me chuckle. "Right now, we can''t determine that. We''ll have to wait and see," Oliver responded. "Alright, then let''s head to Sam Street. A crime scene awaits our expertise," Justin said, grabbing his jacket. "This alpha thing might just be for me," he added, chuckling, and we allughed. It was clear he was enjoying himself too. Before we left, we discussed Sophia''s text with Justin, and he liked the idea of maintainingmunication with whoever was posing as her. He also promised to find someone to trace the line. I couldn''t help but wonder if it was possible for them to hide their location. At the very least, thest known radio mast to transmit the signal would lead us to the area of interest unless they somehow found a way to block it. With all that in mind, we piled into the van, with Justin taking the wheel as we headed towards our grandparents'' house. I understood his reason for driving and not involving the packhouse kappas. I am sure he did it to avoid exposing us while we tried to make sense of the situation. "Stay alert, everyone. Remember, we''re being watched, so be prepared to defend yourselves if needed," Justin cautioned, reminding us of the disturbing video sent by the criminals. "I wonder what they''ll ask of the council," Charlotte pondered, and Noah chuckled in response. "My father will shut it down," Noah confidently stated, and he was right since his father, Uncle Leo, served as the head of the council and was not one to back down from a challenge. The council meeting is just a day away, and I know it will be quite the spectacle when Alpha Christian brings up the Grizlo incident and hands over the evidence. I couldn'' wait to witness my father''s reaction. The attack on Grandma''s residence had made the situation personal, even though the culprits hadn''t been confirmed yet; I had a strong feeling they were the ones who harmed the housekeeper. I couldn''t help but wonder how she was doing. Content belongs to NovelDrama.Org "How is the housekeeper?" I inquired, ncing at Justin through the rearview mirror. He then returned his focus to the road. "She''s still in aa. Hopefully, she pulls through and can shed some light on what happened to her in that house," he responded, and I kept my fingers crossed, hoping for her swift recovery. 28 Being On Guard 28 Being On Guard ~Liam~ Upon arrival at the street, we noticed that everything remained undisturbed, just as we had left it. The crime scene was still cordoned off with tape. "Does it look the same asst night?" Justin inquired, and Josephine confirmed with a nod as he parked the van. "I instructed them to maintain the integrity of the scene. We can''t be sure if the perpetrators tampered with it as well, so let''s not give them any confidence that they followed my instructions," Justin warned, and we all understood the importance of preserving the evidence and the likelihood that the pack members were corrupt. "Marvin, Charlotte, Sebastien, and Oliver, you''ll investigate the exterior. Check the tire tracks from grandma''s gate leading to the burnt van," Justin directed. "The rest of us will head inside. Once you''re done outside, join us indoors to discuss your findings," he continued, efficiently dividing us into two teams to make the most of our investigation. Josephine, Noah, and I apanied Justin as we entered the building for the investigation. As soon as we stepped inside, Justin inquired about the location where the body was found, and I provided him with the details. He and Josephine went to explore that particr room, while Noah and I were assigned to search other areas. Investigating Grandma''s house felt bizarre. Only a few weeks ago, I was living here peacefully, but now it had be a crime scene. The question that haunted me was: why did they target the housekeeper? "I bet they thought your grandparents were home," Noahmented, scanning the surroundings. "But what did my grandparents ever do to them?" I questioned, seeking an exnation. He simply shrugged in response. "After watching that video where they mentioned instructing the council to do something for them, I wouldn''t be surprised if they had ns to target your grandparents. Holding your girlfriend wouldn''t necessarily force your father or mine toply with their demands. It might pressure you, but you don''t have the final say. Your grandparents, on the other hand, are a different story altogether. Both our fathers would be more inclined to bend, especially yours. Lady Stephanie is his mother, and I know I''d do anything to protect my own mother, just like you would for yours. Now imagine your father''s situation," Noah exined, connecting the dots eloquently. "It was quick thinking to prevent them froming home," he praised, and hearing Noah piece everything together, I realised how much sense it made. "Sophia isn''t my girlfriend," I corrected him, and he nodded, chuckling. "Yeah, right. So we all got involved in something that wasn''t our business because you wanted some excitement, Li?" he questioned, leaving me unsure of how to respond. He then revealed something embarrassing, saying, "Your mother told mine that you confessed your feelings for Sophia to her and your father." My impulsive actions left me feeling utterly embarrassed. In my defense, I tried to exin, "I wanted them to take the situation seriously." Noah countered my argument, saying, "You didn''t need to confess your feelings unless they were genuine, Li. You were nning to ask her out the night she went missing. You''ve been through a lot of emotional trauma." He paused and fixed me with a serious gaze. It was an unusual expression for Noah, who, along with Sebastien, usually appeared yful and carefree. However, their sharp eyes betrayed their keen awareness of their surroundings. It was impossible to fool them; their ability to quickly piece things together made lying futile. "You''re my cousin," he sighed, "and so is Josephine," he added, hinting at the direction of the conversation. "I''m aware of what''s going on between you two. Your silent gestures and secret mind links don''t fool me, which is why I brought up Sophia during breakfast. I''d hate to see Jo hurt. She''s kind-hearted and sweet, and she doesn''t deserve to be caught up in your issues with Sophia. If she''s just a substitute until Sophia is found, I promise you, Li, you''ll have a problem with me, and I am sure it is the same for the others because we expect better from you. Jo may seem tough, but she has a gentle soul that can be easily bruised. I see the way she looks at you, the way sheughs and acts around you. She''s falling for you, Li, and if you were oblivious to that fact before, I hope you understand it now and do what''s right. She shouldn''t be anyone''s substitute," he said with genuine concern evident in his eyes.Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. "She isn''t Sophia''s substitute. I..." I struggled to find the words, and he patiently waited for me to speak. "If I tell you this, you have to promise to keep it a secret. It''s crucial," I requested, and he furrowed his brow, considering my words before nodding in agreement to keep my confidence. "Yes, I had feelings for Sophia. I confessed it to everyone and was quite adamant about it. It''s all true, but I don''t have those feelings anymore. I..." I hesitated, and he remained silent, waiting for me to continue. "Jo and I are fated," I blurted out, causing him to gasp, his eyes widening in surprise. "I found out during dinner when we arrived at Mountain. I swear, I fought against it, but in the end, I decided to give fate a chance," I confessed, and he frowned, concerned. "But she isn''t eighteen yet. You can''t know. She can''t know," he argued, and I nodded in agreement. "I thought the same at first, but fate seems to have different ns for me. She still doesn''t know, and I don''t intend to tell her anytime soon. I want her to discover it on her own, in a natural way, and decide if she wants me or not," I exined, and he studied me closely, trying to grasp theplexity of the situation. "And what about you? Bond aside, do you want her?" he asked, and I nodded without hesitation. "More than I''ve ever wanted anyone," I admitted, and he bowed his head in understanding. "I believe you, Li. Alex just shed while you were talking about her. He never did that with Sophia, so I believe you," he reassured me, taking note of the bond''s response. "Your secret is safe with me. I won''t tell her or anyone, and I genuinely wish you two the best. Congrattions, by the way," he said, and with those words, his serious expression softened into a rxed one once again. It will be stupid to believe that the Albert twins were as oblivious as they seemed. They just seemed the type to choose to ignore things. "I want to ask you about your friends in Mountain, the ones you invited to the pic?" I inquired, and he burst intoughter. "The social climbers?" he chuckled, surprising me with his awareness. "Honestly, we thought you didn''t know," I admitted, and heughed again. "Of course we know, but it gets lonely in the east. You have everyone up north, so you don''t need any extras, but it''s just us, so we make do," he exined with amusement. "Sebastien and I find their efforts entertaining. We invited them for amusement, and boy, they didn''t disappoint. Charlotte, Jewels, Gemma, Lily, and Harper had their hands full with those boys," he said,ughing, and I could tell it was all deliberate. "You should have seen Harper lose her cool. The guy just kept going on. She had to tell him to literally shut the fuck up! You two missed it, but I guess you guys were busy in the romance department," he added, slipping his hands into his pockets before walking away. I never realised my Eastern cousins were this mischievous until now. As we explored the ground floor, meticulously examining surfaces for any traces of clues, we came to a surprising observation - someone had returned to clean the house. The ground floor appeared immacte, with the floors mopped and all surfaces meticulously tended to. However, it was evident that the cleaning couldn''t have been done by the housekeeper. Had it been her, the lingering scents of Josephine and me would still be noticeable. Instead, the house exuded a faint aroma of disinfectants, indicating that the ce had been thoroughly aired after the cleaning. It became apparent that whoever was responsible for this had worked tirelessly throughout the night to achieve such a thorough cleaning. The dedication to erasing any evidence left us both intrigued and concerned about the extent to which they were involved. "You are right; it seems like there''s nothing to be found here," I concurred, acknowledging the fruitless search. We then made our way upstairs to the room where we had found the housekeeper earlier. Josephine and Justin appeared puzzled, examining the environment. "It''s evident that someone did an exceptional cleaning job," Justin remarked, and we nodded, already having reached that conclusion. "They must have worked tirelessly through the night and ventted the ce," Josephine added, acknowledging the thoroughness of the cleaning. "I suppose our best hope now is to rely heavily on the housekeeper waking up," Noah suggested, and it dawned on me that we needed to ensure her safety. If these individuals could clean the house so meticulously, they could also take measures to prevent her from regaining consciousness. "You''re right," I continued, feeling the urgency in my voice. "We have to send men from Lund to guard her in the hospital. In fact, I think we should stay with the housekeeper until they arrive to relieve us. If these perpetrators are going to such lengths to cover their tracks, the housekeeper is the only loose end. Even if she didn''t see their faces, she might have interacted with them or overheard their conversation before they harmed her." As I spoke, Justin''s eyes widened, clearly understanding the gravity of the situation and the importance of protecting the housekeeper from any potential danger. We quickly exited the building, and Justinmunicated with everyone through the mental link, instructing them to return to the van. Once inside, I wasted no time and dialed Bryce''s number. I knew we couldn''t afford to wait for Justin to make the call - time was of the essence. Bryce picked up on the first ring. "Your Highness," he greeted, and I skipped the pleasantries to get straight to the point. "Bryce, send Kappa Levi with at least four other kappas to Grizlo immediately. They need to guard a witness," I instructed urgently. "Yes, your Highness. I will dispatch them right away," Bryce responded promptly, and I found it interesting that he didn''t ask for confirmation from my father or uncles. It appeared that he trusted my judgment and request. "What did he say?" Marvin inquired anxiously. "He said he would send them right away," I replied. "I guess he understands the severity of the situation and the urgency of our task. Your father must have removed the limitations on our requests," Charlotte added, acknowledging the significance of the situation. "You mean they had enough time to clean grandma''s house thoroughly?" Sebastien questioned, and Josephine nodded solemnly. "It was spotless, and there was no trace of mine or Li''s scent. They even took the time to air out the ce," she exined, and Oliver let out a low whistle. "This is troubling, Justin. It indicates that the corruption here runs deep. How did we not realise there was such corruption in Grizlo?" Oliver pondered, voicing the concerns we all shared. "Because it never hit close to home," Charlotte replied with a sombre tone. She was right; we had never encountered corruption on such a personal level before, and it was disheartening to realise that it might have been ongoing for quite some time. "It''s possible that the pack officers and warriors might bepromised. If Mike was the odd one out, then he might have actually been the good guy, because this level of corruption can only be possible through the Alpha," I suggested, and a heavy silence fell over the group. "Let''s not jump to conclusions, Li, but it does seem likely. I hope you''re wrong, because if you''re not, then we''ll have to put a lot of trust in Kappa Levi and his team to ensure that womanes through. That is, of course, if the hospital staff hasn''t already done something to her," Justin said, and his reasoning was valid. The situation was increasingly precarious, and we had to proceed cautiously with the information we had at hand. "We need to thoroughly search Sam Street. Someone must have seen something. Even if some of them are corrupt, it''s unlikely that everyone is involved," Sebastian suggested, and his point was well taken. "We''ll have to do that after we secure the housekeeper. As it stands, we can''t afford to have fewer than four of us in any given ce in case of an attack. Personally, I''d prefer all eight of us to stick together to better defend ourselves until we figure out what''s going on. Without knowing the full extent of the situation, we''re walking blind," Justin stated, and everyone agreed with his cautious approach. "Let''s hope they reveal their demands before the council so we can have a better idea of what we''re dealing with," Marvin added, voicing our shared hope for more rity in this intricate situation. We drove to the hospital, and upon our arrival, the staff seemed on edge. Justin firmly demanded that they take us to the housekeeper''s room, leaving them no choice but toply. As we entered the room, we found the housekeeper connected to various machines. Given our suspicions about potential corruption, we couldn''t entirely trust the medical staff, making it challenging to assess her condition urately. Charlotte approached the woman carefully, examining all the equipment and treatments. "I think we should call my mom for guidance to ensure she''s receiving the right treatment," Charlotte suggested, and it was indeed the best course of action. Aunt udia would have the expertise to guide us. "Alternatively, we could explore the possibility of transporting her to either Lund or Gad. Grandpa Eric possesses incredible healing abilities," Noah proposed, and we began brainstorming potential solutions. Our enthusiasm quickly prompted Justin to subtly quiet us down, reminding us to approach this situation with the utmost caution. "After the council meeting, we''ll have a better understanding of what steps to take. Let''s not forget that this woman isn''t originally from Grizlo, so she might have brought some external issues into the mix. We could be overthinking this situation, and it might be an attempt to divert our focus from the real priority, which is finding Sophia," Justinmunicated through the mental link, reminding us to stay grounded. We all felt a sense of calm because Justin''s perspective was valid. It was easy to get carried away by theplexities of the situation and lose sight of our primary goal: finding Sophia. We were still rtively inexperienced in handling such high-stakes situations and had a lot to learn. The attending doctor came to brief us on the housekeeper''s condition, and while the prognosis was grim due to the timepse, the doctor maintained hope. Despite the bleakness of the situation, we remained determined and hopeful, knowing that we had to continue our efforts to uncover the truth and protect those we cared about. In the hospital room, we found a two-seater and a single couch. Justin and Charlotte settled on the two-seater, while I opted for the single couch, not wanting to sit on the ufortable bench in the corridor. With limited seating, suggested to Josephine that she n sits on myp, knowing we might be there for a while. Despite the public disy of affection, we were both aware that the others wouldn''t speak about it, but I anticipated a conversation with Justinter at the packhouse. Previously, I had been resolute in my pursuit of Sophia, but my feelings for Josephine were growing stronger, and I was determined to make our rtionship work. It was my first real rtionship, and I hoped it would be myst. Josephine settledfortably on myp, while the rest of our team took the avable seats outside the room. Justin stayed inside with Charlotte, Josephine, and me, asionally ncing in our direction with evident disapproval in his eyes. I understood his reservations; my actions and words in the past had not been ideal, and it was natural for him to be cautious about my intentions However, I knew in my heart that I wanted to keep Josephine safe and that my feelings for her were genuine and steadfast. When he confronts me on my intentions, I will assure him Josephine was safe. I had no intention of letting go. 29 Telling Justin 29 Telling Justin ~Liam~ The hospital wait proved challenging as time seemed to drag while we remained motionless. Josephine and I took short strolls asionally to stretch our legs. I permitted her to rest on the couch while I remained standing. Despite the unspoken nature of the situation, I anticipated that questions would arise soon. Seated on myp, Josephine inquired, "Are we still nning to visit the food truck?" Justin observed us, prompting his interruption, "What food truck?" "It''s a little ce we checked out yesterday before all of this happened," Josephine replied, intentionally vague about the location. "I understand. However, you two shouldn''t go anywhere without a couple more people at least," he remarked, his tone resembling that of a protective figure. I almost let out a chuckle at his statement. "Point taken, Alpha," I replied, and he wasn''t still smiling. Whatever he was seeing bothered him a lot, and I knew I was the bad guy in the eyes of those who did not know what was going on. "Join me in the cafeteria, Li. I have something to discuss with you," Justin stated, rising from his seat. It was clear that the conversation intended for the pack house, either in his room or office, would now transpire in the hospital cafeteria. The restlessness and tension in Justin''s gaze were evident, and I dreaded the confrontation. Josephine appeared to share my unease, her expression reflecting worry. Likewise, Charlotte seemed puzzled and disapproving. It was apparent that all of them were protective of Josephine. But what puzzled me was the underlying assumption that I could ever purposefully cause harm to Josephine or anyone else. I had never dated anyone before. This was my first rtionship. I might have crushed on Sophia and believed I was in love by the time of graduation, but I never made a move on her. Seeing my impulses a few weeks ago, I realised I might have made that move because I liked having my life in order. I wanted the rtionship part taken care of, so I could forge ahead. Usually, when most people turn eighteen, their parents are on the lookout for their mates, if any, because it is a rare urrence, and a lot is damaged for those who find their matester in life after being mated. Finding Josephine was all I needed for me to know that I was about to tow the wrong path with Sophia. Truly, regardless of the nature of my rtionship with Sophia, I ammitted to investing the same level of effort in locating her. She''s my friend, and her well-being matters to me. However, my emotions have be distinctly clearer, and my heart beats exclusively for Josephine. Moreover, my motivations aren''t driven by our bond. Spending time with Josephine allowed me to realise how mistaken I was about her true personality. She turned out to be an exceptional person. In all honesty, even with the eyeliner, she retained her unique charm. Josephine shifted from myp, prompting me to rise, prepared to apany Justin to the cafeteria. Simr to Uncle David, Justine possessed a stern side, and I understood that this time, I would be on the receiving end of it. As we exited, the remainder of the team seated outside regarded us with surprise. "Facing some trouble?" Noah reached out through our link, and I found myself at a loss for words. "What''s going on between you and Justin?" Oliver''s message popped up in our mental connection. "Josephine," I responded, and a hush fell over our conversation. Considering the current trajectory, it seemed the entire team would uncover the truth before Josephine did. It was inevitable since I couldn''t address the situation with Justin without disclosing the truth about us. I was reluctant to confide in Josephine directly. I did not want to tell Josephine anything; I wanted her to find out on her own. I did not want to rob her of the feeling of discovery. If everyone on this team knows, and she is the only one that does not know, I believe it would be unfair. It was messy, but I prayed for wisdom to get through it. Justin and I proceeded in silence. Observers turned their attention toward us, offering respectful greetings, particrly directed at me. This was a consequence of recognition-people were aware of our identities, mine in particr. It didn''t sit well with me that, despite being the Beta, I garnered more reverence than Justin. Nevertheless, it was an anticipated oue. My history within Grizlo was extensive, and themunity there held a deep affection for me. However, the contemtion of the events that hadpelled our return to this ce cast a sombre shadow over the situation. We stepped into the cafeteria, Justin and I, purchasing some food upon entry. Hospital cuisine wasn''t exactly my preference, but I was prepared to make do. The meagre offering of sandwiches and water hardly constituted a satisfying meal. Opting for a table tucked into a corner, we settled into our seats. "I''m sure you''re aware of the reason I asked to speak with you," Justin inquired calmly, and I feigned ack of understanding. Truthfully, beyond the matter concerning Sophia, I hadn''tmitted any wrongdoing. It left me puzzled as to why others weren''t receiving simr inquiries about their choices. Oliver''s attachment to ine was evident, and he was almost always by her side when she was around. Miles and Marvin were frequently seen with the Corrigan sisters. So why was my situation treated differently? Was I not allowed to form a connection as well? "What is with you and Jo?" he asked, and I did not know how to answer. "She is like family, Li. Lord Alexei and his siblings are like family, Li. Our parents forged that friendship and alliance through fire and blood; why would you want to act irresponsibly? I understand you are hurting and miss Sophia so much, but relying on Josephine for emotional support and bandage is wrong. What do you think is going on in her head? The both of you went from not being able to stand each other and never speaking to each other to this. Do you think we can''t see it? It is wrong to use people like that. What do you think will happen when we find Sophia Li? Do you expect to revert seamlessly? How do you think that will impact Josephine? She holds affection for you; it''s evident in her eyes. You do a convincing job of showing her she matters, but we both know that Sophia is your sole priority. That''s why we''re all in Grizlo. My advice is that you end this now before it esctes and jeopardises our unity. Believe me, if we encounter conflicts, they will extend to our parents. I trust you''ve studied history well, including the Volkovs and Stepanovs, especially the actions of our great-great-grandfather, Dimitri. He falsely used Adrik of treason to eliminatepetition. It was Lord Alexei, his siblings, Eric, and ten Stepanov families who resolved that crisis. Let us not create another problem because you were looking for a substitute," he warned, and that word ''substitute'' echoed once more. The term ''substitute'' had surfaced thrice that day-first from Josephine in the morning, then Noah at my grandparent''s home, and now Justin. I pondered how this word had be linked to my rtionship with Josephine. I shook my head and directed my gaze at my cousin. "Justin, I understand your concern, but you can trust that Josephine''s well-being is genuinely important to me. My intentions are sincere, and my feelings for her are authentic," I asserted, and he let out a chuckle. "Much like how they were sincere thest time we discussed Sophia?" he questioned, and I averted my eyes. "Yes, Justin. I admit I did say I would reject my fated if the situation ever arose," I responded, knowing that those words had indeed escaped my lips and had crossed my mind. However, circumstances have since shifted. "Those words weren''t spoken in haste, Li. You meant them. Josephine has been a constant presence, and yet you never pursued her. Meanwhile, Marvin, Miles, and Oliver have been upfront about their intentions. You were with Sophia throughout. Now that Sophia is missing, you suddenly start spending time with Josephine. Do you truly believe people won''t notice?" he pressed, causing me to shake my head in response. "I genuinely care for Josephine, Justin. I truly do. I understand if you have doubts, and it''s your ve prerogative not to believe me, but I''m speaking the truth. It took me some time to untangle my feelings concerning Sophia. I never had the opportunity to express those. sentiments, but I believe my emotions for her were born out of familiarity and the expectation of the next logical step. It felt like a natural progression. At that point, I didn''t grasp the intricacies of rtionships or love. I thought I had a concept of what they entailed, but I was mistaken. I misinterpreted my infatuation as love. Content belongs to NovelDrama.Org Sophia is an incredible person, and being around her was enjoyable. This might have misled me into believing I had deeper feelings," I conveyed, meeting his gaze. "All this time, I refrained from pursuing Sophia or asking her out because I held out hope of meeting my fate. When I reached eighteen and still hadn''t found her, my n was to wait until Sophia turned eighteen before making any moves. However, something changed during graduation week, and the notion of waiting didn''t feel right anymore.N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. I had a desire to elerate things, to get that aspect of my life settled and move forward. So, I intended to speak with her, toy bare my feelings, but the universe had its own designs. Now, I find myself grappling with the task of rescuing her," I exined with a sigh. "But with Josephine, it''s an entirely different situation. I had no choice but to obey and ept the gift I was given. She''s exceptional, Justin," I shared, and his eyes widened as the weight of my words sunk in. "Are the two of you destined for each other?" he inquired, prompting me to nod in confirmation. "She''s unaware of our connection, and I''m hoping she''lle to realise it naturally. I discovered our bond during dinner in Mountain, and to be honest, I pondered it extensively before fully embracing it. The more time spent with her, the more recognised how mistaken my initial judgments were. The tension between us was rooted in a misunderstanding from two years ago in Lund when she overheard conversations between me Marvin, Miles, and Oliver talking about her. Honestly, my intentions are pure. I''m still determined to locate Sophia, as she remains a dear friend who needs support right now. However, my determination regarding Josephine remains unwavering. I haven''t revealed our bond to her because I want her to choose me without the influence of our connection. I also wish to preserve the wonder and happiness of her discovering our bond, which is why I''ve kept quiet," I exined, causing him to be taken aback. He downed his water and stared at me in disbelief. Gradually, a smile crept onto his face, and he burst intoughter. "I told you you stood no chance with the bond," he remarked, prompting my memory of our prior conversation. "I really wish you could have witnessed your demeanour that evening. I''m definitely going to have some fun teasing you about this," he continued to chuckle, his amusement still evident as he turned his gaze toward me. "A Stepanov queen might be the missing piece to solidify the reconciliation between our lineages. So, if I understand correctly, our forting King will be a blend of Volkov and Stepanov bloodlines? It''s almost likeing full circle," he mused a notion that seemed rather distant to me. "Isn''t that thinking a bit too far ahead?" I questioned, furrowing my brow at him. His perspective seemed to be quite forward-looking. "It''s the future, Li, whether you''re ready for it or not. It''s what lies ahead," he responded, taking a bite of his sandwich and radiating a sense of relief and contentment. "That''s assuming she won''t reject me," I interjected, and he burst intoughter. "Reject you?" he echoed, amusement colouring his tone. "Have you noticed the way she gazes at you? Have you observed her behaviour when she''s around you? Have you truly seen it? During breakfast, when Noah and Sebastien mentioned Sophia, she appeared incredibly uneasy. She couldn''t even finish her meal. I assure you, she won''t reject you, Li," he affirmed confidently. Justin observed me intently for a moment. "You''re quite fortunate," hemented, and a pang of guilt swept over me. I couldn''t ignore the fact that Justin''s single status was solely due to his ongoing search for his destined mate. He deliberately refrained from entering any rtionships to avoidplicating his life in case his fated partner emerged. I couldn''t help but ponder how much longer he intended to maintain this approach. We finished our sandwiches, and Justin made the decision to grab some more to take back to the room for the team to have something to eat. Taking Josephine''s sandwich, we headed back to the room. Once there, Justin distributed the food, and I handed Josephine her meal. She rose from the couch, offering me the seat. Although part of me wanted to remain standing, another part wished to hold her close. So, I settled down. As Josephine perched herself on myp, I enveloped her waist with my arms to keep herfortable and secure. "Am I the only one noticing this, or have you two gotten quite cosy?" Charlotte inquired, a curious tone in her voice. Answering her in Josephine''s presence was out of the question. She would need to keep specting. 30 Finally, The Council 30 Finally, The Council ~Leo~ Going to the council meeting always sucked. There was no time I got used to it. Amelia often told me it would be a routine, but I saw it as a job. Twice I had asked Sylvester to nominate someone else as council leader so I won''t have to go to all the meetings, and he refused. I could understand his reasons, but having to travel to the north every month sucked. It is fun when we visit, but when it bespulsory, it takes the fun out. This meeting would be funpared to others, so it was something to look forward to. I wondered how Christian was going to table the matter. Vino was right when he said we would have fun handling this matter. I wondered how our children were doing in Grizlo, especially with Liam and Josephine being watched and the terrorist saying they would send us instructions. I wondered what their demands would be. I also wondered how Thompson''s death tied into all this. Why did will Mike murder Thompson and have his partners in crime follow Jo and Li about the ce? It made no sense. Then the attack on Jake Brighton''s home was also an issue. They were like separate crimes, but it seemed like they were all tied to the same source. Amelia exited the closet wearing a simple purple dress. Sylvester had already linked everyone that the convoy was ready. I could see the need for sleep in her eyes. We had arrived in the north yesterday evening, and having to get up early for the council meeting was tedious, but it was our job. "Ready?" I asked my wife, and she nodded.Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. We left our room and headed towards the entrance where the cars would be parked. The Volkov estate was our second home, spending a week there every month for many years because of the council meeting. Alexei, y, Andrew, Devin and Eric could rte as we were all council members and rulers that had to be there every month. Where Andrew and Eric could decide to skip a meeting, the rest of us dared not. The Lords had to be present, which included me, and the council leader and deputy had to be present, which also included me. Amelia and I walked towards the entrance and got into one of the vehicles. It wasn''t long after we entered the car that the convoy started moving. "What do you think will happen today," Devin said, and I shrugged. "Christian will table the matter as agreed, and we will take it up. Honestly, I like to get to the bottom of the matter, especially since our children are involved. Their safety is paramount," I said, and he agreed. "Why have you refused to allow your daughters to join the second batch?" I asked Devin. "They are yet to graduate, Leo, and I do not want to move them to Grizlo Academy," He exined, and I figured that was the case. "Thought they had graduated," Amelia asked, and Devin shook his head "They took extra courses, so they have a year to go," he exined, and I felt sorry for Miles and Marvin because it was obvious that they were dating even though they tried to hide it. I was around their age when I asked Tamia out, which was expected. "I think you should reconsider, Devin. They won''t be happy away from their friends," I said, and Susan chuckled. "You mean their boyfriends because Anthony is going with the second batch, and no one is talking about that; it''s just the girls that will have to remain," Susan said, and I wondered what Anthony would do there. He has been private and non-inclusive. Hopefully, Noah and Sebastien can bring him out of his shell. We arrived at the King''s hall, and just as always, there was a crowd outside. I wondered if the people would ever get tired. Theye there same time every month to hail and greet the council members and royalty. I could also understand their need to be present because a lot of important decisions were made during these meetings. We all proceeded to our spots, and as always, Amelia and I had to part because I was at the floor level where the council sat while she was with thedies at the upper loges. Tamia and Sylvester were in their loge overseeing the meeting. Lady Stephanie and Alpha Jake Brighton shared the loge with thedies, The lords sat elevated from the council, and it was odd to see my empty seat there. I tookfort in the fact that when our children take over, One of my sons will upy the council seat, another will upy the lord seat, and thest will be the head Alpha of the east and upy that seat. There was enough responsibility for all. As for the council seat, it will fall between Ethan and Sebastien. There was no way I would put Noah there. He was too impulsive for his own good and wasn''t friendly with words. Sebastien was a bit subtle, but they were alike. I guess Ethan will take it, then. We arranged ourselves, and I was pleased to see Alpha Christian sitting on the seat allocated to head Alphas. There were three empty seats beside him. One was mine, the other was Devin''s, and thest was Eric''s. y was also around, and I could see the glint in his eyes that stated he wanted in on the action. It was a bit embarrassing that we saw this as sports even though lives were at stake, but the thrill of going on another adventure was overwhelming, and the trauma caused by the near-death experience in the past had faded away. I banged the gavel and addressed the people to start the meeting. Many trivial matters were discussed, and I could understand why the order was arranged in that way. If we tabled Christian''s matter first, there wouldn''t have time to listen to the others. Alpha Caspian from Cain''s ind was to speak before Christian, and he looked distraught. The man was young, in his early twenties. He had just taken over from his father this year and was proactive. It wasforting seeing the calibre of people our children will end up working with. "I want to state that the royal family and this council have been partial this month. We know the incident in Grizlo hit home and recently threatened Lady Stephanie''s safety in their home in Grizlo, but that does not mean the rest of us do not need aid. We have severe trade and port security issues on Cain Ind. There had been an influx of contraband goods from undergroundworks, weapons and drugs, to be precise. Catching these people have been next to impossible. We do not have the military force to keep our ports safe, and Alpha Christain has deployed the best of the northern forces to find Beta Mike of Grizlo. It is wrong. This is a serious matter. People are going missing, and our markets are in jeopardy because of these activities. Although the activities have reduced this month, it hasn''t stoppedpletely, and I am worried for the safety of our citizens," He said, and I wondered why he had waited until now to bring this to the council. "Why didn''t you table this before the council when it started? Your usation towards this council is baseless. It isn''t like you made reports, and they were not handled," I said, annoyed. "I made reports, my lord; we all did and submitted them to Alpha Christian. He is here. Ask him," he said, pointing at Alpha Christian, who was annoyed. "I will share the email I received from Thompson with the council. He did speak of the issues but not in this context, and he did not state the urgency or the gravity of the situation. ording to Alpha Thompson, they were working on it," Christian said in his defence while fiddling with his phone. I figured he was sending the email to us. "Was Alpha Thompson the only person you received an Email from?" I asked Christian, and he nodded. "So, what happened to your reports?" I asked Caspian, and he was fuming. "We submitted all our findings to Thompson since he is the oldest of us, besides Alpha Christian. Most of us just took over from our fathers. Thompson knew the protocol and said he would do the needful," Caspian argued, giving a valid reason, and I approved. He was young, so I could understand. I received the email and decided to connect myptop to the projector to share the mail with everyone. Indeed it came with attachments of reports from all the ports, but the letter stood out. "PLEASE, Find attached reports from the northern alphas on illegal activities in the Northern ports. Some of our ports arepromised, but we are working on it, and we will let you know should the need for your intervention arise," it read, and with that, Christian was exonerated. "As you can see, I haven''t done anything wrong. I have a pack to run and Lund to keep safe. Unless they ask for my help, I can only do a little. ording to Thompson, they had it all under control and would reach out should it get out of hand. They never reached out," Christian said, annoyed at Caspian for using him. Indeed Caspian had made him seem shady, but we hade a long way with Christian. There was no way we would be suspicious of his intentions. "So, what is the issue now?" I asked Caspian, and he apologised to Alpha Christian before proceeding, which showed his incredible manners and the fact that he was well brought up. "The activities have been stagnant, and I think it is because of the search for Mike, but once that search is rxed, I am sure they will continue. The drugs are getting onto our streets, and recently, we found some students peddling some of these things in Cain''s Academy. We need to mp down on it before it gets out of hand," he said, and I was curious. "Where are these undergroundworks from?" I asked. "We do not know. They might be everywhere. But it has been ongoing for a while now, even before we became a kingdom, but now it has gone up the roof. I remembered my father working hard to keep contraband out of Cain''s," he said, and though it seemed a bit scattered, I knew it was something to look into. "So, are you officially handing this matter to the council or here to report Alpha Christian?" I asked to understand his intentions. "We need help to secure our ports and docks," he said, and I could understand that the situation was more dire than he was letting on. "I do not want to be the one to raise the rm since I do not have any evidence to back me up, but I suspect there is a huge problem going on," Caspian confessed, and I looked at Sylvester where he sat with Tamia, requesting permission to give judgement. He nodded, and I looked at Christian. "What can you do for Alpha Caspian," I asked Christian, and he stood up. "We have to investigate his ims since the matter has now been escted," he said, and I approved. "How old are you, please?" I asked Caspian. "I am twenty-four years, my lord," he replied, and my guess was correct. "I also think since Caspian and Justin are about the same age, and Grizlo isn''t far from Cain. I believe they can work together," I suggested, and Alpha Caspian looked rxed. I looked at David where he sat, and he nodded with approval. The fact that Caspian and Justin were close in age will make the work easier. Since seniority was a factor that hindered them from reporting directly. "Very well; Alpha Justin Pavlichev will be tasked with working with you to solve this issue," I concluded and banged the gavel to end the conversation. Christian was next. He got up and greeted everyone. "On the sixth of July, Alpha Thompson Amos, his wife and eighteen-year-old daughter were murdered in their house. Due to investigations and eyewitness ounts, His Beta, Mike Maguire, was implicated as the perpetrator of this crime. Unfortunately, the. suspect fled Grizlo taking with him his daughter and wife. They have remained atrge ever since. They sent video footage to deter us from searching for them and have also recently threatened the Volkov and Stepanov heirs'' lives. We have deployed all the necessary tools to find this man, but our efforts have yielded nothing. Seeing that the Royal family is somehow involved in this mess, I request that the council get involved and assist me in solving this matter," He said, and people began to murmur. "How was the Royal family implicated? Isn''t this your jurisdiction, alpha Zakharov?" Pam asked, and he nodded, then moved to y the video we received from Mike when he lined up his family to let us know they were fine, and we should stop searching. The second one had a man with a Skii mask telling the council to await their instructions and then showing Liam and Josephine getting into a cab. People were surprised. "If these things were not involved, I would have continued to do my best. But knowing what is at risk, I refuse to be responsible for failure. Liam Volkov is the heir to the throne, and Josephine Kusov is one of the Stepanov heirs. They are too important for us not to deploy all the necessary resources to solve this matter," Christian exined. "And you are certain this has nothing to do with Sophia Maguire, Prince Liam''s girlfriend. It seems this case is getting preferential treatment because of the crowned prince," Pam said, and Gerad agreed. I wondered why she had to be a pain in her arse today. There was no time she was pleasant, but I wanted this meeting to end. "Why do you think that is?" Devin asked, and Gerad cleared his throat to speak. "We have to recognise that Treason and Familicide are two different crimes, and Mike''s crime means his entire family will be wiped out," he said, and I shook my head. "Not his entire family. ording to thew, He will just have to pay as much as he has taken. He killed a husband, wife and child, and thus, a husband, wife and child will be taken from him. So it is his immediate family that will be wiped out since he only has one child," Eric exined, and it wasn''t helping. "Well, we need to find out why he did it first before talking about punishments. But just for the record, this has nothing to do with Prince Liam''s friendship with Sophia. For the record, I would like to state the two were not dating," I said in Liam''s defence because I noticed he was getting close to Josephine, and the l¨¢st thing I wanted was for Alexei to separate them in a bid to protect his daughter from heartbreak. My conversation with Liam stayed with me, and I saw how he looked at Josephine. I might be wrong, but being a victim of fate, I knew that look anywhere. "I was just saying it based on what I heard," Pam said,ing to her defence, and I disagreed. "And now I have set the record straight. There is nothing but an innocent friendship between the two. And I do not know why we are making that a topic of discussion The matter here is that Alpha Christian is overwhelmed and has brought the matter to the council. So I think we should take a vote. For those that believe the council and Royal family should step in, say, Aye," I said and raised my hand to say, Aye. Everyone said ''Aye'' except for four people on the council. I looked at where the lords were and saw Vino grinning. He had been itching to get involved with the investigation. In fact, all of us had been hoping for the exercise. This was indeed going to be fun. I looked at Pam and the others, that were obviously nays and smiled. "Well, the verdict is clear. The Ayes have it," I said and banged the gavel. 31 Going On 31 Going On ~Josephine~ The kappasing from Lund didn''t reach Grizlo Hospital untilte, subjecting us all to a lengthy and tense wait. When they finally did arrive, Charlotte couldn''t contain her joy. Meanwhile, I observed Justin issuing them instructions, my only thought being an earnest desire to depart from that ce. Before long, we were on our way back to the packhouse, with hunger and fatigue weighing heavily on all of us. "Whates next?" Marvin inquired, prompting a chuckle from Justin. "Merely your first day, and exhaustion has already set in. Imagine if you had to work under an Alpha known for their workaholic tendencies. Would you feel simrly then?" he remarked, elicitingughter from Liam. "I must say our empty stomachs pose a predicament. Even the most industrious of Alphas must heed the call of hunger," Liam added with a grin, inciting amusement all around. Justin took a turn and branched at a diner to satiate our immediate needs. The moment we entered the ce, the patrons had their eyes on us. They looked at us as if we weren''t like them. Marvin, Oliver and Liam had it easy because they smiled at them and greeted them, but even though they greeted us, too, the difference was there. Liam got a booth for us, and I snuggled into the corner with him. Something I had noticed so far was being around Liam felt right. He made me feel calm and at ease. I think I closed my eyes a bit to savour the feeling because the moment I opened them, Charlotte was sitting across from us with a disapproving look on her face. I honestly wondered what her deal was. Having ced our orders, we consumed our meal in a hushed atmosphere. "Our parents, will head to Lund tomorrow night, and the council meeting will take ce the following day. We won''t be able to do much until after the meeting. We will use that time to go through the files made avable by the Gamma. I implore that we all remain in the packhouse while we await further instruction," Justin implored as our meal neared its end. I could not help but notice all eyes were on Liam and me, meaning we were most likely to break the rule. I liked it. TWO DAYS LATER. Unlike previous asions, the council assembly remained untelevised, leaving me curious as to the reason behind this choice. We had congregated in amunal space to observe the meeting''s proceedings, anticipating insights into our forting actions, but the fact that it wasn''t televised made it disappointing. After a while, King Sylvester called Liam on the phone. Everyone''s phone rang except for Charlotte and me-signifying that our instructions had been dispensed. I had assumed my father would call me, yet my phone remained conspicuously silent. Simrly, Charlotte''s phone didn''t ring, and a sense of unease crept over us. The situation seemed unjust, to say the least. We were integral members of the team, and yet, either our presence was deemed nonessential, or we were relegated to mere order-takers. The sentiment gnawed at me, fostering a sensation of diminished significance. "Want to spend some time in my room?" Charlotte suggested, prompting me to nce at Liam. He appeared deeply engrossed in conversation with his father, implying a protracted dialogue. Despite my reluctance to depart, I nodded in agreement. We headed to Charlotte''s room, and it was apparent that the space she had chosen was originally designated for the Luna on the Alpha floor. Hermitment to making herself at home seemed unwavering. I suppose the fact that Justincked a Luna made the situation permissible. It made sense for his cousin to utilise the room temporarily. After all, the timeline for him selecting a Luna remained uncertain. He appeared to be taking his time in that aspect. Charlotte shut the door behind her, leaving me standing in the centre of the room, taking in the surroundings. The space was passable for a Luna, although all of us had more luxurious amodations back home. "So, spill it. What''s the deal with Liam?" she inquired, her curiosity palpable. I nced at her, fully aware that she had been itching to ask that question for a while. "Why do you want to know?" I countered, feeling my cheeks heat up. The mere thought of Liam was enough to make me blush. These past two days had been a whirlwind, and our chances to be together had been limited. This longing had only intensified as a result. Justin had kept us upied with paperwork and evidence that left us exhausted by day''s end. The prospect of spending genuine quality time with Liam was bing increasingly appealing. "Because you are my friend, and he is my cousin, and I know of Sophia, so I want to know why you will allow yourself to get carried away," she responded, her tone genuinely concerned. I offered her a smile, touched by her sincerity. "There''s nothing between him and Sophia," I reassured, to which she shook her head. "You weren''t there, Jo. When she went missing, he was devastated. I''d never seen Liam that shattered before. His emotions ran incredibly deep, and those kind of feelings tend to linger," she exined. This revtion caught me off guard, as I had never been privy to this information. "Was it really that intense?" I inquired, genuinely surprised, and she nodded. "Worse. I can''t share all the details because they might have an impact on you, but you need to tread carefully, Jo. It would be painful to witness your heart getting broken. Emotions like that don''t just fade away," she warned, her words sinking in. I nodded, choosing to keep my unease hidden. There was no point in arguing; she had firsthand experience and likely had a better grasp on Liam''s connection with Sophia. "Why didn''t he ever ask her out?" I managed to inquire, seeking to understand more. Charlotte shrugged in response. "Liam was always focused on his studies and his future. There wasn''t time for that sort of thing; none of us really had the luxury. But I think now things might be different, and then you came along," she offered, injecting a note of hope. Perhaps my situation was distinct. Despite the emotions they said he felt for Sophia, he hadn''t taken any steps in that direction. Yet, with me, he had acted differently. He had made a move on me, and that was what truly counted. "Well, I don''t need to worry about Sophia then. Liam has been upfront about his intentions with me, and we''re officially dating now," I stated with a touch of pride, causing her to gasp in surprise. "Not a chance," she disputed, clearly taken aback, and I affirmed her surprise with a nod. Her realisation seemed to widen her eyes. "Liam actually asked you out?" she inquired, seeking confirmation. "Yeah," I responded. "When?" she pressed for details. "Two mornings ago, right after breakfast. He assured me there was nothing romantic between him and Sophia, they were just friends. He admitted he used to have feelings for her, but that''s all in the past now. My guess is he''s kept quiet about us because he doesn''t want the search for her to halt. After all, she''s his friend, so it''s understandable," I exined, and her astonishment was palpable. "They''ve known each other for so long," shemented, and I felt the need to rify. "We''ve known each other our entire lives," I corrected, and a silence followed. I had always held an affection for Liam, even from my earliest memories. My heart had always held a special ce for him, though not necessarily in the realm of love or infatuation. Our collective memories included countless gatherings and ying in the garden''s sands. It felt unjust for them to overlook these facts and insinuate that I had suddenly appeared out of nowhere. In reality, Sophia was the neer. "I''m sorry, Jo. I realise my words stung," Charlotte apologised, sensing my emotions. "I''ve been there all along," I managed, close to tears because it seemed they just forgot that I was there. I had always been there. Charlotte reached out to hug me. Embracing each other tightly, our arms formed a bond of understanding and support. "I apologise, Jo. I won''t mention Sophia in that cont again. I realise how insensitive that was. Just conveyed, releasing me from the embrace. that I''m cheering for the both of you," she "As everyone else was forming pairs, we were secretly hoping for you two toe together. We sensed that it would be a fantastic match, but Sophia was always in the picture. It''s reassuring to see that Liam now recognises what''s right in front of him," she added, and in that moment, my heart foundpletefort. "Oh, and one more thing. How would the two of you handle it if a fated shows up?" she asked, posing the famous question. While once an infrequent phenomenon, fated connections have be moremon over the years. Though still unusual, the likelihood had increasedpared to the past. I hadn''t contemted this scenario and didn''t have a well-defined answer. "I have to hope that we are fated to be together or that we possess the strength to do what his parents did: defy expectations and reject what fate has in store for us," I mused aloud, causing Charlotte''s expression to take on a tinge of concern. "Let us not worry about things that are yet toe and just live in the moment," she advised, attempting to alleviate our worries. In that very moment, our phones chimed in unison. ncing at my device, I saw that it was my father calling. A smile graced my lips immediately, grateful that he deemed it important to reach out and provide guidance. I presumed it was Charlotte''s father calling her as well. With mutual understanding, we both answered our calls. I excused myself to my room, eager to converse with my father in private. "So, how did everything go?" I inquired once we''d exchanged pleasantries. "Slower than I''d have preferred. Honestly, I wished we could shift those meetings to once every three months. But the silver lining is that we''re now in a position to intervene. Alpha Justin will be coborating with Alpha Caspian of Cains Ind. Consider this a heads-up," he informed me. "Also, it''s a good idea for you to review the reports that Thompsonpiled and sent to the council about issues with the ports and docks. He downyed them in an email, but they''re reports of incidents filed by younger n alphas. I''ve forwarded it to you. Take a look so you understand Caspian''s perspective. I can''t shake the feeling that this might be significant. The fact that Thompson was involved makes it noteworthy," my father conveyed, to which I nodded in acknowledgement. "There might be a connection, Dad. ording to the Gamma and Delta, on the night when Mike killed Thompson, Thompson had taken them to the docks to investigate something. He mentioned illegalet activities were urring there but didn''t provide details. He used the excuse that he didn''t fully trust them, but it felt like a cover-up. The Gamma mentioned that he and Delta left Mike with Thompson to assist with security at Grizlo Academy''s graduation party. Unfortunately, they couldn''t get there in time." "They also said that witnesses at the docks reported seeing Thompson and Mike engaged in an argument before Mike gave him a ride. It''s as if this case might tie together," I exined, and my father remained silent, then warned me to be careful. "Absolutely, I''ll take care. I won''t take unnecessary risks. Now that we''re actively involved, I''ll reach out if I need anything," I assured him. "Is there anything you need to fill me in on?" he inquired, prompting me to wonder why he felt there was something I should share. "No," I replied, and he let out a chuckle. "I''ll be in touch soon, Princess. Send my regards to Liam," he said before disconnecting. I blushed a bit at his chuckling tone. My father had a knack for getting his message across, sometimes in a teasing way. "Were we really that obvious?" I pondered to myself. "Well, even a blind person can notice," Onyx remarked, causing me to take a seat at the edge of my bed. Thetter part of our conversation had left me feeling bashful.C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. Lost in my thoughts, a knock echoed at my door. I hastened to see who it was, only to find Liam standing there with a warm grin. "Hey," he greeted, and a sudden bout of shyness overtook me. "There''s a stream in the forest on the property. I thought maybe we could spend some time there, just the two of us. Justin gave his approval," he suggested, and my heart raced. I promptly nodded, my eagerness evident. I had been yearning for a chance to share some intimate moments with Liam, and he had ingeniously made it happen. 32 A Date 32 A Date ~Josephine~ A rush of excitement coursed through me, and a smile tugged at Liam''s lips as he stood by the doorway. Since there was nothing to grab in my room, I slipped on my slippers and made my way outside. "Did your father get in touch?" Liam inquired as we descended the staircase, and I nodded. ¡°Heard the Alpha of Cain is joining us,¡± I said. "My father thinks his case is linked with ours," Liam said, and I was surprised. "Mine too," I said. Moving downstairs, we encountered Oliver and Justin in the foyer. It was evident that they were engrossed in a conversation. As our gazes met, Justin''s lips curved into a knowing smile, his eyes carrying a hint of understanding. Had Liam confided in him about our rtionship? The notion made me feel bashful, yet I reined in my emotions. "Make sure you stay on the premises, you two," Justin cautioned, and Liam affirmed his understanding with a nod. With that, we stepped out through the door, and under Liam''s guidance, our journey began. "What''s up with Justin? One moment, he seemed ufortable with us being close, and now he''s all smiles," I inquired of Liam, prompting augh from him. "He was just concerned because of the whole Sophia situation. He didn''t want you to be hurt," Liam exined, causing me to pause and regard him. "What did you say to reassure him?" I questioned, and he smiled. "I told him the truth. Sophia is my friend, and you hold a greater ce in my heart. He doesn''t need to worry," he expressed, and a warm sensation filled me, knowing that Liam had the courage to confide in his cousin about us. "Charlotte shared simr concerns," I divulged as we continued our stroll. "She feared I might be hurt when Sophia is located, but I assured her that we''re together now and she doesn''t need to be concerned," I revealed, and a brief silence fell between us. I wasn''t sure if my words had unsettled him, but they seemed to put a halt to our conversation. "You must have had it bad for Sophia for everyone to be worried for my safety," I teased him, and heughed. "Not really. There was always a hindrance between us, A ''but'', a let''s-wait-and-see vibe that I couldn''t shake off. It was a bit foggy, and I had to think through it and n," he said as we entered the forest. Liam halted his steps, drawing me near. His fingers brushed my cheek with a tender touch as his gaze locked onto mine. I had abandoned my contacts, a secret I was yet to reveal - the reason behind their initial use. Strangely, I felt more assured in my own skin now than ever before. The realisation had dawned upon me that the hurtful words thrown my way held no true significance. Perhaps I should have confronted him back then, instead of enduring two years of emotional turmoil. Liam''s touch continued a gentle caress on my cheek. "With you, I never needed to overthink. It was simply meant to be," he admitted, and a flush crept up my cheeks while Onyx circled in head, howling. Gazing into his eyes, I sensed the sincerity in his words. Doubts dissolved as certainty took their ce. Liam wouldn''t shatter my heart; there was no need for apprehension. "Follow me, the stream isn''t too far from here," he suggested. Taking his lead, we strolled hand in hand through the wooded area. The gentle murmur of flowing water gradually reached my ears, apanied by the aroma of a crackling fire and the tantalizing scent of food being prepared. Could someone be cooking by the stream? "Looks like there are people around, Liam," I remarked, gripping his hand a bit tighter, to which he responded with a chuckle. Stepping out of the woods, we emerged into a clearing beside the stream. What met my eyes left me pleasantly surprised. This outing wasn''t a spontaneous decision or ast-minute idea. Liam had meticulously orchestrated it, and the realisation set my heart aflutter. A pic maty adorned with a cosy nket and cushions. Nearby, the woman from the food truck was busy cooking, adding an unexpected and delightful touch to the scene. "Since we can''t venture out alone, I convinced Mrs Mirabel to join us," he exined, and a surge of excitement led me to embrace him tightly. His consideration touched me deeply. I had yearned to return to the park ever since that day. Even though the stream wasn''t quite the same as theke, it was more than eptable. Liam encircled me with his arms, nting a gentle kiss on the nape of my neck. The sensation from his kiss shot through me, immediately evoking a response that I shouldn''t be entertaining. The presence of someone else nearby added ayer of shyness to my emotions. "Li," I murmured softly. "Yes, Jo," he responded in a hushed tone, still holding me close. His breath set off sparks of electricity across my skin, and my thoughts began to stray into more forbidden territories as my desires started to take on a wild edge. "Not in front of her," I managed to utter, and he chuckled, easing away from me with gentleness. The vulnerability I felt was tangible; I didn''t want him to retreat, yet he seemed to respect my wishes. We settled onto the mat, soaking in the picturesque view and relishing the serene ambience of the location. Mrs. Mirabel diligently served us an array of appetizers and food, and once she hadpleted her task, she discreetly departed. I was aware that her assistance didn''te without a price - she couldn''t have left her food truck unattended. Liam must have expended considerable effort to arrange for her toe and prepare this delightful meal for us. After her departure, I nestled in close to Liam, my gaze fixed on the horizon to marvel at the unfolding sunset. "Peace is a precious gift," Liam voiced, his gaze fixed on the distant horizon. The stream before us provided a broad enough expanse to grant us this view, and it was truly breathtaking. "We have to do everything we can to protect the peace our parents fought so valiantly to secure," he said, and I nodded in agreement, entwining my fingers with his. The tranquillity enveloping us felt like a treasured blessing. The calm around us was a gift. If we were at war or in trouble, we wouldn''t be able to do this. The restrictions on our movement were a poignant reminder that something of great significance was at stake. "I''m confident you''ll make an exceptional king when your timees, Li. And rest assured, we''ll all be there to offer our unwavering support," I assured him, prompting him to turn his gaze towards me. "I want you there, Jo. Right by my side," he spoke earnestly, his sincerity evident in his words. I found myself momentarily at a loss for a response. He drew me close to him, his gaze prating mine. "I''m not toying with your feelings; this isn''t some experiment for me. It''s real. I won''t rush you, but understand that mymitment to you is real. My feelings won''t waver. This is the real deal for me. But, of course, you can take all the time you need to decide what you want. I will be patient with you," he said, coaxing a giggle from me. Liam''s brow furrowed, looking at me.N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. "How have you been managing without your contacts?" he inquired, and a twinge of embarrassment led me to avert my eyes. There was little sense in concealing the truth about them any longer; it was time toe clean. "Well, um, you see," I began, clearing my throat and absently tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. Liam''s attentiveness only added to my nervousness; I desperately hoped this revtion wouldn''t sour our date. "There''s actually nothing wrong with my eyes, Li. I wore the contacts as a cover-up because of what I overheard you all discussing back in Lund," I confessed, finally meeting his gaze. The fa?ade had to crumble; there was no longer any justification for keeping this secret. "That day, I was actually nning to ask you out," I admitted, and his expression registered genuine surprise. "ine was the one pushing me. You know how relentlessly optimistic she can be. Her enthusiasm must have rubbed off on me that day," I added with a chuckle, reminiscing about the moment. However, his evident shock and attentive demeanour made my nerves flutter; it seemed only fitting to carry on and divulge everything I had started to reveal. "I was scared, partly because of Sophia''s presence. She seemed perfect, so normal, and I..." I stumbled over my words, the memory stoking an odd ache within me. The pain from that day was stubborn, refusing to fade. "I felt like I couldn''t measure up, Li. But my sister insisted that I should give it a shot," I confessed, my eyes welling with tears. "I''d had a crush on you for a while, but I suppose Icked the courage to let it show. You never seemed to notice. It was always you and Sophia. From the moment you two became friends, you started sidelining me, even at gatherings. It was as though I were invisible, and that hurt," I continued, and he made a move to draw me nearer, yet I stopped him. It was imperative to express everything I had been holding inside. "Despite everything, I clung to hope ret and desperately wanted to share my feelings with you that day. I was just fifteen, but understood my emotions, Li. It was crystal clear. had never experienced anything like it before. But then I overheard you four talking andughing about me. Sophia was thereughing too, and it made me feel stupid and insecure,¡± I revealed, my voice trembling as tears streamed down my cheeks. "At that moment, I don''t think I''ve ever despised being a Stepanov more than I did then. My hair, my pale skin, my eyes, my intelligence they all seemed to work against me. While I couldn''t change my skin or my IQ, and I actually loved my hair colour, I thought maybe having brown eyes would make me seem more ''normal''," I confessed, my vulnerabilityid bare. This time, when Liam reached out to draw me I close, I allowed him to hold me. "I''m sorry, Jo, truly sorry," he apologised with genuine remorse, and while I sensed his sincerity, he needed to understand the full story. Liam released his hold on me and locked his gaze onto mine. "Your eyes, Jo, they''re beautiful. They''re among your finest features. Being unique is a blessing, not a curse. What the four of us said was thoughtless and hurtful, driven by our own jealousy. We were older by a year and some months, yet you not only caught up but surpassed us; you continue to do so," he earnestly expressed, evoking a giggle from me. "Who wouldn''t be jealous of a perfect person? I regret it deeply, Jo, and I wish I could undo my words and actions Turn back time and erase those moments. I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me and not let this linger between us. I adore every facet of you. You''re perfect just the way you are. I wouldn''t want a single thing to change," he articted sincerely and hugged me this time; he kissed my neck again, and a moan escaped my lips before I could stop it. Content belongs to NovelDrama.Org "Li," I whispered, and he transitioned from my neck to my lips. His kiss was tender and affectionate, devoid of any haste or pressure. He was resolute in keeping his promise of patience. My body was responding in ways that felt unfamiliar, and I understood the direction in which this was heading. But were we truly ready for this? Was this the right moment, or were we still too young for such experiences? Liam''s gaze bore into me with deep, dark eyes, a glimpse of his wolf shining through. My heart raced, unsure if I was prepared for the intensity of this moment. And then, he kissed me, and the sensation was met with an eager response from Onyx within me. "Li," I whispered breathlessly. "Mine," he responded, his voice carrying a deep growl that seemed to resonate with Alex''s presence. He gingerly encircled his arms around my waist, his touch evoking a tingling sensation along my skin. My scent seemed to saturate the air around us, and despite my shyness, my body exhibited a different kind of response. I''d never been in such close proximity to a guy before, and a flurry of thoughts crossed my mind. How many other girls had he been involved with? Was I just another experience for him? "I... I''m clueless," I stammered as he trailed kisses along my neck, each touch igniting a wild sensation within me. "Same here," he managed between breaths, his hand gradually tracing up my thigh. His confession reassured me, and at that moment, I embraced the idea of exploration and discovery with him. His touch sent electric jolts through me, and I couldn''t help myself. He was about to touch my centre when he froze and pulled back. I was concerned and looked at him. His eyes shifted from obsidian to their regr hue. A battle was raging within him, a struggle against his wolf. Eventually, he emerged victorious, though his breathing had hastened. "I apologise, Jo. I don''t want to push you," he admitted, and while his caution was appreciated, a part of me desired the opposite. I yearned to forge a deeper connection with him. His cautiousness elicited a giggle from me. "I wouldn''t mind a little making out," I stated, drawing closer to him. His eyes promptly darkened once more, surrendering to his wolf''s influence, and he pressed his lips forcefully against mine. Buttoning my blouse, he fumbled with my bra hooks, which I had to help him undo. It also showed he had no experience in that department, and I was at ease. My heart was pounding in my chest, but there was also an ease that made me feel it was right; this was right. He stared at my breasts and ran his thumb against my nipples. It felt so good and the shock went up my head. They were hard. To my surprise, he bent to kiss them and then sucked on one. My core clenched, and my body went wild. I wasn''t in control anymore. He sucked on my nipples one at a time, and they appreciated the attention they were getting. I didn''t know there was this much pleasure in this until now. Instinctively, I ran my fingers through his hair, grabbing on his brown curls and enjoying the pleasure he was giving. I was wet to my core. He stopped to look at me. His eyes were normal as he studied mine. "I won''t go all the way until you turn eighteen," he said, my heart still pounding-excitement and shock of what was happening between us still coursing through me. "What if I don''t want to wait until then, Li," I blurted out, "What if I want us to move fast? What if I want it now?" I said, and he studied me. cing his hand on my thigh, he moved his hand up to stare into my eyes. He moved until his hands were on me. The only thing separating his hand from touching my clit directly was my underwear. He began to rub gently. And I closed my eyes to enjoy the pleasure he was giving me. I felt his lips on my nipple, sucking on them as he rubbed gently. A sensation started to stir within me, unfamiliar yetpelling. I didn''t resist it; instead, I allowed it to take its course. Slowly, the pressure mounted, and eventually, I surrendered to its pull. A resonant moan tumbled from my lips, coupled with his name. What he had just elicited from me was nothing short of euphoric. Waves of sensation coursed through me, a lingering jolt that seemed to reverberate. My body quivered, caught in the aftermath of the experience. He stilled his hand, and as I opened my eyes, I found him gazing at me with a fervent mix of love and desire. I initiated a kiss, and he responded by enveloping me in his embrace, reciprocating the passionate gesture. Uncertainty lingered as I contemted the future of this connection, yet my hope remained steadfast that it would endure. A New Journey for Liam and Josephine Begins! A New Journey for Liam and Josephine Begins! Dear Readers and Beloved Co-Writers, I am thrilled to share some exciting news with all of you. Liam and Josephine are embarking on their own unique adventure, and their story is bing so enthralling that it deserves its own book. Considering the depth and breadth of this tale, I''ve received wise counsel to give Book Three its own space. Now, before you start worrying, let me reassure you: the chapters you''ve already read will remain right here. You''ll be able to seamlessly transition into the new book from where you left off. Without further ado, I present to you the title of this captivating journey: **''Puppy Love''**! ?? I understand that the reading experience is precious, and some of us just want to immerse ourselves in the narrative without any extra steps. However, I''d like to shed light on the vital role your engagement ys. Yourments, votes, and reviews are the pirs that uplift a story and its creators. It''s a reality that sometimes writers are forced to halt their creative ventures due to ack of support. I''ve faced this unfortunate scenario myself on numerous asions. Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. So, I humbly beseech all of you. I want this story to thrive and flourish, to continue captivating hearts and minds. To achieve this, your active participation is invaluable. Kindly take a moment to visit the new book and share your thoughts through reviews on what you have read so far. If something strikes you as you delve deeper, don''t hesitate toment. Your votes also contribute significantly. I''ve poured my heart into Liam''s journey, and don''t want it to wither away. With your love and support, we can make this adventure truly remarkable. Your kindness and encouragement mean the world to me. Thank you for being part of this incredible journey. Let''s keep the fire burning bright together. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!