The Dark Side Of Fate

~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 that committed 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 become friends hence why he wasn't so receptive to Erik flirting with my mother. I hope Erik succeeds and Jake pulls through for all our sake, or it will significantly affect us.

Vino had informed me of the outcome 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's lab was becoming more complex. I knew it was wrong to sedate her, but Tamia and I had run out of lies to delay her. At the same time, we had a lot of things to do. I felt terrible about the situation, but I held on.

Claudia 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 the last minute.

Katya had moved into my mother's room temporarily so she could be there when she needed her. On my way to Erik's lab, 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's lab.

"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,” Tamia complained.

Leo's mate was very stubborn. I would leave it for Leo to handle, but I doubted he would succeed. 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 on latex 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 resemblance 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 resemblance wasn't obvious at first glance.

"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 you come, 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 explained, 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 Clay 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 regular 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 too late to build a bond, Gezel. If I allow you to come 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 planning to do.

She wiped away her tears and contemplated 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 too late 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's lab.

"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 was coming so they would not devise excuses to prevent me. I wanted to know the actual situation and prepare myself. I got to the lab 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 the lab, and everyone was attending to something. Everyone except for Claudia’s friends. Thompson and Irene. They did not seem pleased at all.

"What is going on here?" I asked, and Erik laughed.

"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 he lay; 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 formula'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 Claudia.

"Ask her," he said, and I looked at Claudia.

Claudia looked exhausted and a bit angry. She looked at her colleagues, and they were not pleased either.

"After we finished the formula, 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 blank, and I could understand her reason.

Before now, only Erik had AgK32's formula. Now everyone that worked on Jake's cure has the formula. Until Yuri has been captured, we cannot trust Irene and Thompson not to sell out. What Claudia 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 Claudia is right. We are in a war, and you have classified 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 accommodation and food until it is over," I said, and Irene’s eyes softened a bit.

"Your majesty, she took our phones and computers,” Irene complained, and I could see why they were mad.

"Unfortunately, you won't be allowed to communicate with the outside world,” I said, point blank 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 Claudia 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, Claudia. 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 the lab 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.