The Dark Side Of Fate by Karima Sa'ad Usman

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 be complicated.

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 claim her when they decided to call it quits. Little did I know Volkov would come 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 place.

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.

I later 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 plans 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 glad 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 accepted.

"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 me completely.

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 claimed her. I needed her to know that she belonged to me.

"Alpha Corrigan, are you alright?" Alpha Brighton asked me, and I tried to compose 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.

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 planned 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 planned 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.