Shadows of Destiny

105 The Plan

~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 the large 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 caught committing a crime. I wanted to laugh.

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 welcomed in our home.

“I am sorry we are late. I went on a hunt this morning and got carried away,” I explained, 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 relax, 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 glad 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 welcomed 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.

We went to my office, and everyone made themselves comfortable.

“Leo and Devin are on their way here; they said you invited them,” Theodore said, looking a bit worried,

and I nodded.

“I did so last 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 the law is working in their favour. With everything they seem to have planned

out for us, we won’t win.” I said, and Theo bowed his head.

“We do not stand a chance playing 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 planning 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 plan,” 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 accessible for all, and how did they pay me?” I said, feeling rage coming 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

and committing 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 planning for a rotation; they are planning 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 successfully 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 a commoner 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 they laughed 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 unsuccessful, we might have to retire to the south

to recover and come back again,” I told them, preparing their minds in case the raid does not go as

planned.

They all agreed with me, and we discussed the strategy while we waited for Devin and Leo to arrive.