The Dark Side Of Fate by Karima Sa'ad Usman

06 Another Alpha In Play

~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 explained, 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 the last 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 accused you of staging an attack on her life," Avery said, and I nodded.

"Leo almost slapped me," I said, and she gasped.

"Do not let him land 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 blame Linda for wanting to take a bite. With the horrific revelation, 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.

"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 playing, 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 relax.

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't completely 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 and complained. He has been jealous all through.

"It is time to go home," Leo said, and I ignored him. I did not come there with him.

"Okay," Amanda said, getting up, and he looked at me.

"Tamia," He said, and I looked at him, sipping from my glass.

"We didn't come here together, darling. I will leave the same way I came. Besides, I am not done socialising," I said, placing the glass 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 to come 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.

"Please come 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.