The Dark Side Of Fate by Karima Sa'ad Usman

103 Too Little Too Late

~Tamia~

I spent thirty minutes more in Stephanie's room until she fell asleep. Then I asked a maid to remove the green drink from the room and returned to mine.

I was surprised that Sylvester hadn't returned, and I wondered what was keeping him. I decided to link him.

"How is it going?" I asked him.

"I am on my way," he replied, and I did not like the answer.

If it were something good, he would have said 'great' or 'we caught them' or ' he was cooperative', but his response implied he wanted to discuss something serious with me.

Had he learned about Jenny's computer too?

I sat up in bed and waited.

Sylvester walked in ten minutes later.

He did not say anything. Instead, he went to the bathroom, showered and slipped into something comfortable before coming to bed. I sat up, waiting for him.

He leaned close and kissed me passionately, then rested his forehead against mine and sighed. Breaking away, he buried his nose in my neck and held me to his body.

"Tamia," he breathed, and I knew he was troubled.

I touched his head and ran my fingers through his hair to calm him down. He must have learned something horrible. We honestly deserved a break.

"Tell me," I said, and he squeezed me tightly.

"He talked. Liam spilt everything, and it isn't good," he said and broke away so we could keep eye contact.

"I wasn't going to tell you any of it so you won't get upset, but I can't keep secrets from you, Tamia, you are my better half, and I do not want to lose your trust. So I will go against my better judgement and tell you. Please do not get upset," he said, and I smiled at him.

"As long as it does not involve you being with another woman, I can deal," I said, giggling, and he smiled at me.

"Far from it," he said, and I already knew it.

He told me everything Liam had split, and I was in shock. I tried to hide it, but I couldn't. I saw the implications of what they were doing. I was mad. Getting a Sidorov and an Orlov involved meant big trouble for Marcel and Theodore.

"I am trying to seek Devin's help. So far, they have been unable to get into his territory," He said, and I wondered if Devin would want to help him out. Knowing how much Devin hated Sylvester and his family.

"He is very tight with his alphas and ruthless too. Leo is lenient, so I can understand them corrupting some of his people.

Devin's family has led the south for many years. Power shifted to Leo recently; before then, Ramsey's family was in charge," I said, and he looked at me wide-eyed. It seemed like a light bulb had turned on in his head. It was cute.

"Why didn't I see it from that angle?" He said, asking himself and not me.

"Of course, Ramsey has a reason to work against Leo. Now I see everything," he said, and I did not know what to think.

Sylvester looked like he was reasoning alone. Content (C) Nôv/elDra/ma.Org.

"Getting his daughter into your home." He said, counting, using his fingers, and I was trying to make sense of his words.

"I am sure he must have been trying other things before then, Tamia. Fate only worked in his favour where Amanda was concerned. I am sure he did not expect to be lucky. His daughter's fated was the man that took his family's pride from him," He said and looked at me.

"But there was a problem. You were a problem. The reason Leo refused to accept and honour the bond. The obstacle preventing him from getting close enough to do damage. You were a problem, his problem," He said, and I was beginning to see his point. I waited patiently to see where he would land.

"He knew the bond would wither since Leo decided to shun Amanda. The shunning was a subtle rejection but a rejection nonetheless, and that is why Leo is still unable to bond with Amanda properly.

The goddess does not force us to be together; our heart decides to accept or reject the bond.

Leo had rejected her in a subtle manner. That was why Ramsey lied and forced his daughter into your home. Our wolves are primal hence why we have to control them," He said and got up and began to pace.

"Leo told me his wolf betrayed him by taking over, leading him to Amanda's room and claiming her. Just like Knight let go of Susan and obeyed my choice, his wolf would have let go eventually, and Ramsey knew.

He had nothing to gain in enforcing the union unless he wanted to watch Leo and counter his moves.

He must have used his daughter as a spy to help him cause things that would make people doubt Leo's leadership and destabilise him.

His daughter might have been willingly or unwillingly helping him by feeding him information," he said.

It hit me that throughout the time Amanda was with us, while I was there, she visited her father too frequently. I often thought she went to report us or tried to force her father to act in her favour, but I was wrong. She was feeding him information.

The past played vividly in my mind.

Ramsey was quiet when Leo took over, and there was peace.

We all knew he was scorned by it, but he had no avenue of which to act on his emotions until fate happened.

The way he championed the union was off. He did not mind his daughter being a mistress. He said he wanted her to stay with us, and we could figure it out from there.

I felt his words were a bit off, but I did not pay any attention.

How many fathers would want their only child to be a mistress? With how Leo treated Amanda, he should have taken her away from him by now. Instead, he allowed it.

It was when Amanda got into the picture that the whole Bane issue, fearing the Dark Alpha of the Dark Wolf pack and the threat of doom to the east, became a topic of discussion in the council.

I felt it was off that we were discussing uniting with Bane against Sylvester. I felt it was odd.

I looked at the clock, and it was past midnight. What I needed to find out could not wait.

"I need to call Leo's cell," I told Sylvester, and he frowned at me but handed me my phone.

I had Leo's cell by heart, so I just dialled and hoped he would pick.

It took a while before he finally answered.

"Hello," he said with a sleepy voice.

"Leo," I said, and he was silent, then he spoke.

"Tamia?" He asked, and I could hear the break in his voice.

I felt bad realising Ramsey had ruined our marriage deliberately for his personal gains.

I wouldn't have had it any other way because Sylvester is my destiny, but Leo and I did not deserve what happened to us.

I held my pain and fought tears.

"Leo, I need your help," I said, and Sylvester frowned.

"Anything you want.." he said, and I heard a rustling sound.

"Is Amanda there?" I said, and he was silent. Then I heard a click.

"I just left the hotel suite. What do you need?" he said, and I sighed.

"Who pushed the idea that we should team up with Bane because Sylvester might come for the east?" I asked, and he sighed.

"Kyle, of course," He said, and I nodded.

"I know that much, but I need to know who put that in his head. Kyle isn't our leader; he must have had a discussion with someone, and they sort of put it in his head. Can you find out how he came up with the idea?" I asked him, and he sighed.

"Who are you suspecting, Tamia? I know you very well. You wouldn't call to ask for such a favour if you did not already have someone in mind and wanted to clarify," He said, and I sighed.

"I know this might sound off, but I think Ramsey put it in his head," I said, and he was silent.

"I know he is Amanda's father, and trust me; I am not trying to get at her.." I said, and he interrupted me.

"I can never think that, Tamia. I know you love Sylvester. I can never think you would want to get at Amanda for anything. You saved her life that day. You could have waited for them to kill her and me before surrendering to go to the north. You ensured both of us survived, so I can never think that. I need you to tell me why you think Ramsey put it in Kyle's head," He said, and I relaxed a bit.

"He wanted Amanda in our house by all means. He did not care if she would be a third wheel or miserable. He just wanted her in our home. She told me he made her lie against you. He threatened her.

She is his only child, Leo. He shouldn't do that, but then again, he was the leader of the east before we took over," I said, and I had forgotten myself and used 'WE', and I hoped it wouldn't get to Sylvester.

"She told you that when?" he asked and I told him of the meeting I had with Amanda and her request. I heard him curse at Ramsey.

"He wanted her in our home so he could keep an eye on you and run circles around you. Problems started when she came to our house, and she visited him too often.

I doubt she knew what he was doing, so please go easy on her, but he used her. I just need to know if Ramsey put the idea in Kyle's head so I can figure out what to do from there. It is very important because everything that has happened has almost led to war between the north, east and south.

I think Ramsey is part of this organisation, and they have recruited alphas in the east through him. I hope you can see the bigger picture.

In exchange for his help, they will give him back his honour and make him the leader of the east.

These people are crazy, Leo. I know of a mother that signed up her underaged son to be used as a tool and discarded; Ramsey could have done the same with Amanda. What made her valuable and part of the plan was because she was fated to you," I said, and Sylvester walked up to me and asked for the phone. He seemed a bit impatient, so I handed it to him.

"Leo," Sylvester said on the phone, and I sighed, afraid he might say something hurtful to Leo.

"I need to see you and Devin at the Estate tomorrow. It is an emergency. The operation is bigger than I thought, and you and Devin are targets too. It isn't just my fight anymore. Do you think you can make it here without telling your mate?" He asked him with a stern, commanding voice, and there was silence, and he spoke.

"Very well then, I will expect you in the morning. We need to move quickly," Sylvester said and handed me the phone.

"Leo," I said, and I heard him sigh.

"Is what he said true?" He asked me.

"Yes. It is bigger than we all thought, and I think Ramsey is part of it. Please do not let Amanda in on anything. Tame Black," I said, and he was silent. I knew exactly what was running through his mind.

"Please, Leo. Think of your child. I doubt she knew her father was using her. Do not take it out on her, Leo. Please. Do not do anything that would alert Ramsey. We do not know what he is up to," I pleaded with him, and he sighed.

"I will try, Tamia. I will try," he said, and I said good night.

Sylvester joined me in bed and hugged me.

"As much as I am grateful for this union, it breaks my heart that Ramsey ruined your home for this nonsense," he said, and I did not know tears were streaming down my face.

I remembered the exchange.

Leo, kneeling and pleading. He begged me all the way. He was in turmoil and did not know how to handle it.

I was mad. I was furious. I did not see Ramsey.

Leo was still haunted by it all.

Ramsey had destroyed a fine man because of his greed. He had condemned his daughter to live in a loveless relationship.

What kind of future will her baby have? The man was evil.

I thanked the goddess she gave me a second chance at love.

Leo deserved better, and I began to weep.

Sylvester held me tight as I wept my heart out.

I remembered everything Leo and I went through together, the promises we made, his remorse, and his effort. He tried. He wasn't emotionally strong enough, but he tried, and that bastard wrecked us.

It was personal between Ramsey and me now. If no one moved in on him, I would because he had rubbed me wrongly.

I wept and tried to calm myself down. Kaira howled in my head, and Sylvester held me to his chest. I was a wreck, and I knew it. Seeing how hurt the realisation of what happened made me feel, I wondered who would be consoling Leo.