Shadows of Destiny

Enforcer Bryce Golubev ~Leo~ I was sitting in my office when Casper came to me in a hurry.

He seemed like he had rushed there from home.

I had asked him to take the week off because his mate had given birth, so I knew whatever might have brought him to my office was important.

‘Envoys have been sent from the north and have just passed Hill Valley; they are heading here, Alpha.

They say the Lord sent them,” Casper said, sounding nervous, and I knew why.

We had waited for the Wolf Lord to bring his people since he conquered us and took most of our women as trophies.

I thought he had changed his mind when time passed, and nothing happened, but I was wrong.

“Are they officers?” I asked Casper, and he nodded.

“Marlo said they were battle ready.

It seems they believe we might revolt to whatever news they bring, and they are willing to use force if necessary.” Casper said, sounding worried, and I wondered what more Volkov wanted from me.

He had taken everything from me.

What more did he want? I sat in my office and told Casper to go home, just in case it turned into a fight, so he would not be caught up in it.

“I won’t leave you to face those barbarians alone.

What Kyle did to us is unforgivable because he was the one that made that man pick interest in the east,” he said, complaining bitterly.

We sat worried about what might befall us.

Finally, the men arrived, and I offered them seats in my office.

They did not seem like they wanted to stay, so I did not bother to ask questions; I just let them get straight to the point.

“Alpha Albert, My name is Bryce Golubev, a lead enforcer for the northern council, appointed and sanctioned by lord Volkov himself,” He said with pride.

I nodded at him and greeted him.

I wondered why a head enforcer would be sent to me, and it bothered me.

“We are here, under the order of the council by lord Volkov, to collect on the eastern developmental tax,” He said.

I frowned at him, not knowing what the hell he was talking about.

“What taxes?” I asked the man, and he brought out a document with the Wolf Lord’s seal.

“Why are we to pay these taxes?” I asked him.

“This tax is for the regions under the Wolf Lord.

This region has been conquered by the north,” he said and stood up.

“I am not here to chit-chat, alpha Albert.

I will be back in a week to collect.

Please make what is necessarily available.” He said, and they excused themselves.

1 I felt insulted.

Sylvester was testing my patience.

I might be passive and dislike war, but this is too much.

First, he takes my wife from me and now this.

There was just so much a man could take.

I wasn’t over losing my Luna; now he was doing this.

How far to the ground did he want to beat me? Devin was right about this man being a bully.

“What should we do?” Casper asked me, and I sighed.

“Call a meeting.

to have a serious talk with our people and know

no way I am paying development taxes to the north.”

Wolf Lord, Alpha,

frowned at my beta, “He

might be the council abusing

not

call to him directly

on his response.” Casper said, and

I smacked my

wasn’t over the fact that he was with my wife troubled me and made me

get me his office

will call him tomorrow and make my enquiries directly from him or anyone

I was grateful for was that Enforcer Bryce

would have been

like he ate

what they gave

home to find

I was livid.

the fuck are you doing in there?” I

rushed to the room, then entered the closet to be

left the room, and she was

to clean the room and air the space” She explained,

warn you not to go in there? Why did you do it?” I said, closing the door and locking it with

be Tamia’s room, and you are not allowed in there,” I said, and she began to

isn’t coming back,

am sure she has moved on with her life, so why can’t we

have a life to move on with,” I said and sat on the

hate you, Leo! All you have done since they took Tamia away was

You have been distant.

fault that they took her! It isn’t my fault

you lied to your father so

ways I can never forgive myself,” I said, and

not blame me for hurting

should have rejected me instead of

shown her how much you

Instead, you held out.

way in because your

me believe you wanted me, and she

what

actions gave me hope to fight

for her sadness or what you did

That was you, Leo.

for your crimes.” She said and wiped away

here or not, the north

against those soldiers,”

shook my head, tears streaming down my face at the depth of truth she had spoken

She was right.

I caused it all.

gave her hope and ruined

Amanda; I did it of my own

fought beside me, but she gave up on us the moment she

on top

You did.

stop making me out to be the

lie I told against her, which you did not believe, I did absolutely nothing

had left you before she left physically, and

another woman’s shadow, but that was what

make something beautiful out of the misery fate brought upon us, She

supposed to stay in the

supposed to visit my father and return to where I came from, on

and a

I was the one that did something bad here,” She said in tears

down on the couch and bowed

was ashamed of

that Amanda said was

selfish and