The Dark Side Of Fate by Karima Sa'ad Usman

23 Mother and Son

~Sylvester~

The altercation at the club got to me.

I was worried that Tamia would believe Dominic.

She had just come 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 place.

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 Lucland. 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 it last 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 Lucland for breakfast. I hoped I wouldn't have to spend the night there so I could come home to Tamia.

Our relationship 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 relationship 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 Lucland, 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 glass of juice, and she looked at me.

"I thought you wouldn't come," 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 the coming 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 without companions 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 slapped 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 claws 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 our land 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 started laughing.

"He didn't have to screw them to further his cause. He was just a sick man," I said, and she tried to slap 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 to laugh.

"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 Island 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 I laughed.

"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 Dominic laughed.

"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 to come?" 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 I laughed.

"If it ever comes 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 planning 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 will come 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 angel compared 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 planned 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, relaxing 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 relationship, 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 nineteen, and her husband wanted them to take precautions because he wasn't ready." I quickly explained.

"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 and laughed 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.