The Dark Side Of Fate

~Tamia~

Avery and Linda arrived in my room a few minutes after they had linked me.

They sat on the couch while I dressed up in Sylvester's clothes.

What happened with his mother baffled me, and I was nervous about what to expect from the woman.

The switch was disturbing, and somehow I knew it would not be easy onwards.

I did not need to guess whose side Sylvester was on. Stephanie had picked a dangerous game because I was bound to win.

I joined Avery and Linda on the couch, then linked the staff to serve us tea and biscuits.

"What is with Stephanie?" Avery asked me, looking curious.

"She was drinking in the lounge of this wing, and we went to say hello. She was very nasty to us. Calling us whores, backstabbers, thieves, name it, Tamia. She looked like she was out of it," Avery said, and I sighed sadly.

"She is unhappy about what happened with Dominic and believes I was the mastermind behind his arrest. I am officially her enemy now," I said, and Linda hissed.

"That is pathetic and silly. What do you have to gain from that? You already have it all. You will be the lady of the north in two months. Sylvester is indisputably yours. She is silly,” Linda said, sounding irritated.

"Actually, I did ask her to make sure that Dominic does not show up at the hearing, and I did imply that I will go against him if he troubles Sylvester," I confessed, and Linda rolled her eyes.

"So what? The arsehole deserves it and much more. Sometimes I suspect she didn't give birth to Sylvester because of the way she is quick to side with Dominic against him, even if Dominic is in the wrong, and that douchebag is always in the wrong. I think it is an odd situation. I can understand favouritism, but this is too damn much. Screw her. We do not need her as our friend." Linda said, and I giggled

Linda made a lot of sense, but I knew Stephanie was Sylvester's mother.

"She disagrees with Sylvester's policies. She wanted him to get justice for her husband. She wanted him to expand..” I said, and Avery began to laugh, interrupting me in the process.

"Really, who will get justice for all the people her husband wronged? Her husband ruined lives and wrecked homes. Bane is a hero. I do not care what people say,” Avery said, and I covered her mouth. "Please do not say things like that. The walls have ears, and we do not want Stephanie to have anything against us.” I said, and Linda laughed.

Just then, Nancy walked in with our tea and biscuits, and I was worried she might have heard Avery. She was about to leave when I stopped her.

"I am sorry for what I am about to do, Nancy, but I will need you to taste the food. A lot is happening right now, and I am just being careful," I said, and Nancy smiled

"It is alright, Luna," she said, tasted our teas, and ate our biscuits.

She stood for about ten minutes before I apologised and dismissed her.

"What was that about?" Avery asked, biting into her biscuit.

I placed the tea by my nose, and the scent was a bit strong, so I put it down and opted to drink the cranberry variation instead of the black tea.

"Stephanie hates us, and she was married to a psycho. I do not want to make mistakes," I said, and Linda laughed.

"What is wrong with the tea?" Avery asked me, and I shook my head.

"The smell is a bit too strong this afternoon. I wonder if the brand is what we are used to. I will ask Nancy." I said, and she nodded and opted to take the cranberry variation, too; likewise, Linda.

"So, who do you think it is?" Avery asked me the real reason they had come.

"I doubt it is Dominic; I think someone set him up to throw us off their scent. He is the most obvious culprit. It is just too easy," I said, and Linda laughed

"Sometimes life can be easy, and the truth might really be what it is. Just look at how easily we found love again,” she said, and I nodded.

"I am not disputing the fact that he might have a hand in this. Possibly, he did it, but he was too stupid to cover his tracks. It is a possibility, but between Brighton's attack and this, it does not seem like the same person." I said, and Avery nodded.

"1 agree, but it still does not mean Dominic is innocent. He might have miscalculated or tried to copy the original crime hoping it would go a certain way," she said, and it made a lot of sense. "Dominic was desperate to take over from his brother. The issue with Brighton must have given him the idea to try to replicate the same scenario with an alpha alleged to have teamed up with the enemy of the north. Either way, it would be a winning situation; it would have caused a war or forced Sylvester to step down.” I said, and Linda frowned.

"But if Sylvester steps down, it would leave the Volkov's line and go to the Sidorovs, then the Orlovs If neither Marcel nor Theodore cuts it, the north will have to choose between Dominic and Vino to lead them. Neither of them is an alpha, but they would likely lean towards Dominic." Linda said, and I nodded.

"You can put it that way, but we also have to consider Dominic's friendship with Larry. Larry is the eldest on the council. He hates Sylvester and believes Dominic should take over from him. The man must have assured Dominic that he would force the council to endorse him. In exchange, Dominic will be his puppet and wage war, increase the power of the seat and the council and enrich the north," I said, and they were silent.

"So, how is Sylvester handling it?" Avery asked, and I could not answer that question because I did not know.

"I think we should investigate this thing like we used to do back in the east,” Linda said.

"I do not think Theodore would want you to get involved,” I said, and she rolled her eyes. She wanted to do this for the thrill.

" Let us bring it up during dinner,” I said to them, and Avery agreed.

I decided to tell them what I really wanted.

"I know this might sound crazy.” I began, and everyone was attentive.

"It might even be unnecessary. There might be nothing to it," I said and sighed.

"But we need to investigate Stephanie,” I said, and Avery frowned.

"Why? The woman is clearly unstable and a psycho, but that would be a waste of time because she would not want to work against her sons. There is no way she would set either of them up. She is also a victim in this,” Avery said, and I nodded at my friend.

"I am not asking that we investigate her because of the event. She has no hand in this and can never actively work against her son. But I need to know what she has in store for Sylvester. She is always quick to side with Dominic against him, and there is that issue of Sylvester not wanting to get the revenge she wanted so badly. I need to protect my man from a woman that is hurting and trying to lash out.” I said and sighed.

"He told her to get out," I confessed, and Linda gasped.

"And he sided with me against her. You needed to see the rage and scorn on her face when she realised he wouldn't back her up. She said many implicating things that she only got away with because Sylvester is her son. There is no way Stephanie is going to let what happened today go. No matter what happens, I need to be a step ahead of her, and I need help,” I said, and Linda smiled. Just then, I felt nauseous and rushed to the bathroom to vomit.

"What is the matter with you?" Linda asked me, and they joined me in the bathroom. Other than the tea and biscuits I ingested, there was nothing in my stomach. So when I threw everything up, I sat by the toilet seat, heaving.

Avery poured cold water overhead, and I sighed with relief because I was burning up.

"What is wrong with you?" Linda asked, looking concerned, and I shook my head

"I guess I am reacting to something in the tea or biscuits. It might also be because of the up-and- down feeling today. Everything has been crazy.” I said, feeling better.

"Maybe you should rest," Avery said, and we left the bathroom and went back to the couch.

We talked about other things, watched a movie, and then they left.

Sylvester returned thirty minutes after they left, looking very angry and troubled.

He went to the bathroom immediately, and even though I wanted to join him, I wasn't feeling that great.

He lingered in the bathroom before coming to bed.

"Are we not going for dinner?" I asked him, and he shook his head.

He looked at me and held my hand.

"You look pale,” he said with concern, and I smiled at him and caressed his cheeks gently.

"And you look tensed," I said, and he smiled at me and pulled me into his arms.

I placed my head against his chest, and he wrapped his arms around me. I felt his uneasiness, and I knew the issue with his brother troubled him.

"You need to be calm, darling. I know you care about Dominic, and I pray he is innocent too, but you need to be calm,” I said, and he kissed the top of my head

"I want you to join me in questioning him and Larry tomorrow. Do you think you are up for it?" He asked me, and I looked at him with a broad smile.

"That will be amazing. It will be more fun than anything I have been doing since I got here," I said, and he frowned at me, his dark eyes flashing. I wondered what I said to make Knight jealous. "More fun than making love?" he asked, and I smiled broadly, shaking my head.

"No, definitely not,” I said, and he smiled and tickled me.

"Did my mother come to this room after I left?" he asked, and I shook my head

"We are definitely now enemies. I doubt she will come here knowing you aren't here,” I said, and he nodded.

"She has taken a short trip, and for some reason, I am nervous because it has to do with Dominic,” he said, and I frowned at him.

"Avery and Linda said they saw her in the lounge a few hours ago,” I said, and he nodded.

"The alcohol must have given her a bright idea,” he said, and it did not sit well with me.

A desperate woman would do anything. Stephanie's judgement could not be trusted at the moment.

"Did you have her followed?" I asked him, and he shook his head.

"I doubt I need to have her followed, Tamia. She is just angry. Besides, she is my mother. I can't treat her like a suspect in a crime,” he said, and I nodded even though I disagreed with him.

I honestly wished he had her followed. Deep down, I doubted her trip had anything to do with Dominic's freedom.

After hearing what Avery told me she said to them on their way to my room, I knew she believed I had masterminded everything.

She had also implied that my position with Sylvester wasn't a given and that two months was time enough for things to change. I wondered what my new antagonist had in store for me. I prayed silently for the strength to overcome.