Shadows of Destiny

Brighton’s festival ~Tamia~ 1 Avery and I insisted on sharing the same room.

Alpha Jake offered to have his pack doctor examine me, but I refused.

I planned on managing the condition until I got back to the north.

“That went well; too well, I must say,” Avery linked me, trying to be cautious, and I smiled at her.

“He believed Leo when he told him but still felt insulted until I showed up,” I linked her back, explaining my deduction.

“Alpha Jake Brighton is an old-fashioned man.

He expected word to have gone to Sylvester’s ears of the atrocity in Brighton, and he expected Sylvester to apologise personally even though he had no hand in it.

It is an ego thing for the old man, nothing more.” I linked Avery, and she laughed.

1 “What do you think about Councilwoman Pamela? The woman reeks of treachery,” Avery said aloud, and I laughed.

It would be unwise for us to remain silent all through the room.

Being former Lunas of top packs, we understood the politics.

Alpha Brighton wanted to keep an eye on us and our activities in his territory, so he offered we stay in his house; I was sure people were listening to our conversation.

We had dinner with Alpha Jake, Mikail, his nephew, Iris, his daughter and Donald, his son.

His son and nephew were about my age, and I figured Donald would succeed his father soon.

His daughter, Iris, kept staring at us during dinner, and I was a bit uncomfortable, but I let it be.

We ate in silence and returned to our room.

“Donald did not seem to like us.

I do not know what his deal is.

Jake’s nephew, Mikail, was worse.

He kept staring at us.

Honestly, I can’t wait to be out of this place,” Avery said, lying next to me, and I smiled.

The feeling was mutual.

“I am missing Marcel,” She said and sighed.

“He didn’t want me to come, but I insisted.

Right now, I just want to head back to the north and never leave his side.

It has just been a few hours, and I am missing him so badly,” She said, and I smiled because I felt the same way.

I wondered what Sylvester was doing.

As much as I wanted to place a call, it was best I didn’t.

I was about to fall asleep when my phone.

rang.

I did not need to guess who it was.

I answered in a heartbeat.

“Miss me already, Green eyes?” he said, and I giggled on the phone.

“More than you can imagine.

Would have returned in the morning, but Alpha Jake invited us to a festival tomorrow evening, so we will return after the festival,” I said, and he grumbled on the phone.

We talked about his day, and I handed the phone to Avery to speak with Marcel.

Apparently, she did not come with her phone.

We said good night and fell asleep.

We had breakfast in the morning with our host and his children, and it was a very uncomfortable one.

“When are you two leaving?” Donald asked with a very disrespectful tone, and his father cautioned him.

“You might choose to be silent, but I won’t.

They are marrying the men that attacked their people and took them away from their husbands.

of social climbing, then I do not know

them to eat at our table and pretend everything

Dark Alpha; my mother was taken from me because of

Yet we are here.

I say these eastern.

themselves, “He said, and I put down

going to speak

names and

values when you have not experienced certain things, and judging people

call us whores

vile and evil, but he was our

rights and standing as luna? Where was your moral compass when Avery’s husband abused her and her

gave us the strength

my tears and gave me hope when I thought all

up; I gave myself up to get away

your mother and aunt, I sympathise with you, but Sylvester is nothing like

the mirror and question your morals,”

No one said anything.

Brighton gave us

needed improvement, and

to Sylvester when I got

my people part- time work to help with

man.” Jake

always known Leo to

was glad the things that

eager to know how he was doing

seen better days; Alpha

and I was hurt to learn that my letter did not

breakfast, I figured he did it to

think he is finding

anything you

seem

believe you love Volkov, or you would have

lucky man,” Jake said, and

will heal from what

twenty-six and ready to take over, but I am afraid he would make a bad decision that would get him and our people into trouble.” He confessed, and I

“He will heal, Alpha.

do,” I said,

am sorry about

eminence that I truly feel honoured that he sent you,” he

sighed and looked at Avery and

been through a lot and are still holding

need all the strength you can manage in

jungle of people wrestling for

never secure, so

people want to be affiliated

the council

needs to

and that was

I do not have a grudge against the old

be a certain way so there would be peace in our

is trying to be kind, but someone has to be stern, keep

spillover of something

of the power struggle between the six ruling houses of the north,” He said, and I absorbed every

about the power

start with Stephanie Volkov,” He said, and my stomach

treated well by her family and her mate, but she can be vindictive.” He said,

her, and you seem to be in the best position to tell me since you

is nothing special about

She wasn’t so bright.

preferred his fated to her,” he said, and I was

that Maurice had a fated or that Stephanie had

I asked the

was a well-kept

is a member of the Belyaev family, so no one

fated’s name was Lady

small merchant family

would not share her title even though the Lord was and

she always ensured the woman was presented as

when the Belyaevs threatened to divide the north,

why Maurice became power-hungry and

believe the man wanted to be

be able to threaten him

and subdue them by wiping out the Belyaevs and their supporters, which were the Babanins and the part of