The Dark Side Of Fate by Karima Sa'ad Usman

76 Through Leo's Eyes

~Leo~

Max, Kyle, me, and our polo teammates arrived at the north nervous.

We had no clue how to play the game, but we knew Sylvester would be playing Polo, and Kyle wanted to discuss the exchange of Linda for Rebecca.

Likewise, Max, who miraculously concluded that he needed Avery and not Michelle.

I tried to talk them out of it, but they refused to listen.

I was the leader of the east; it was my duty to support them.

Supporting them would torture me because I could not bear to see Tamia with the wolf Lord.

I knew I had sent her a goodbye letter, but my guilty heart could not say goodbye. She was everything to me. There was no way I could get over that.

I wanted to come with Amanda so she would not be alone, but she had things to do; she promised to join me soon, and I hoped she would come. We had been trying, and I believed we were making progress.

When I learned Devin was around, I panicked for Tamia because if what he was saying was true, then he would draw her attention. I could not reach him or Tamia, so I opted to wait until the ball.

When we arrived at the ball, I was nervous while Kyle and Max were eager to see the mates they maltreated and threw away.

It was amazing to see how delusional they were.

They were either unstable or stupid.

I knew those women would not return to them, and they would end up disgracing themselves trying to play Polo.

Maxwell and Kyle had only two weeks of polo training; I wondered how they would survive on the field against people that had played the game all their lives.

When Linda entered with Gamma Theodore, Kyle complained bitterly. Her bump made him sick, and he got so angry I thought he would have a fit. Their eyes met, but she looked past him as if she did not know him.

Gamma Theo seemed to be taken by her, and he paid much attention to her.

Pulling out her seat and helping her sit. She was introduced as his fiance. How the hell was Kyle hoping he could beat that?

There was no way they would exchange Linda for Rebecca. He had just set himself up for humiliation at the games for nothing.

Theodore seemed to adore Linda, and I could see it in their eyes; they were in love. It would be easy for her to fall because Kyle irreparably broke her.

I wondered how Theo did it, but I had to commend him for being the man for her.

I had failed her as the leader of the east. If I knew of all Kyle was doing to her, I would have stopped it, but it was kept private. Nonetheless, I felt responsible for her pain.

Avery entered and was introduced the same way. I began to wonder how these women did it.

It was as if Sylvester and his friends split our wives amongst themselves and fell in love simultaneously.

It was troubling, and I hoped there wasn't a grand design or plan. Maybe a ploy to get them comfortable enough to use them to take over the east.

"Or they might have truly fallen in love," Black said in my head, and I sighed.

Avery did not even look at Max. She was over him. I knew she might have seen him, but she did not look at him. Instead, she concentrated on the man she was with, the second most powerful man in our world.

The women had upgraded, and they looked beautiful. If my friends weren't on the losing end, I would have openly commended them for their choices. I was internally grateful that they found love while I maintained a stoic face.

"These greedy bastards, they can have anyone, and they chose to have our women," Max linked me, sounding angry.

"He got my Linda pregnant, that bastard," Kyle linked me, and I knew it hurt him most because he had called her barren and good for nothing when in actual sense, he was the one with issues and not Linda; her tiny bump said it all.

I stopped myself from laughing at my friends. They helped themselves to the champagne flute, realising that their reason for coming and signing up for the polo tournament was defeated,

A woman was introduced as the Lady of the north, a position Tamia would soon occupy.

I figured she was the wife of the former Lord and Sylvester's mother.

She looked young and pretty, but her eyes showed her age. People cheered and greeted her respectfully. It was evident that everyone loved her.

She went to sit at the table, and I knew Tamia and Sylvester would enter. I did not know how I would feel when I saw her again.

I maltreated her mentally when I broke my promise to her and made her share.

Although I tried to salvage it, the deed had been done. If only I could go back in time, I would reject Amanda on the spot, but deep down, I believed Tamia was where she was meant to be.

Seeing how both Avery and Linda were with their newfound love, I knew Tamia would be better.

They weren't vicious like we thought. We were the brutal ones, forcing our mates to share and some maltreating their lunas. I would change a lot when I got back home. I would start by creating a committee to rescue and help abused victims.

When Sylvester and Tamia were announced, my heart lept, and I looked toward the entrance.

Tamia looked beautiful. She had always been beautiful, and I tried to hide her looks by stopping her from wearing revealing clothes and make-up, but she still looked terrific that way.

Sylvester allowed her to go all out, and she took liberty the best way. She looked like a goddess.

I could not believe I had let my weakness make me throw her love away. I looked at her with longing in my heart. She used to be mine. Mine to love, touch, but now she rests in another man's arms, and it seemed like I had faded into the shadows of her heart.

"Tamia", Black said, trying to link her, but I knew she would not hear because she wasn't mine anymore.

I fought my tears and looked at her. Sylvester was possessive, and I felt his menacing and strong presence warning us to look away.

Even if I ever dreamt of taking her back, I doubted Sylvester would let go. His countenance and possessiveness of her said it all.

She smiled at me, and my heart broke. Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g

I remember growing up when we started dating and everything we did together until our wedding, and I felt a lone tear roll down my cheek.

I had fucked up. Broken my promises and hurt her.

I was glad Sylvester was there to help her. I was glad she was happy. Every doubt I harboured about the Wolf Lord's intentions towards my Tamia faded away, and as painful as it was for me, I prayed he gave her all I couldn't.

The event started, and the women seemed in their world with their men. It was obvious that they were now northern Lunas.

Theodore and Marcel were Alphas of their Clans and next in command in the royal line. They had ended up with the three most powerful men in our world.

Everything went smoothly until the blonde woman in a peach dress walked in.

I saw the wolf lord's reaction and knew what had happened.

My heart began to break for my Tamia.

How could this happen to her twice?

I read her body language and knew she was worried.

Everyone was looking at them, and I did not know what Sylvester would do.

I needed to protect her from the shame that might ensue.

I was angry at myself and fate for allowing her to go through this again. I planned on saving her from the humiliation and demanding Sylvester give her to her fated. I also hoped he would pass the test that I failed. If he did, there would be no need to demand he gives her to Devin.

So I began to talk and act like I was drunk.

I felt people looking at me, and some were laughing at me.

I was the leader of the east, so I knew I would make headlines with my behaviour.

It was a small price to pay to protect Tamia from the pending humiliation.

It was worth it. As long as they would not witness Tamia's humiliation, it was worth it.

I continued until it seemed the wolf Lord snapped at the woman, and everyone turned their attention to them.

I saw him holding on to Tamia's wrist, and I was concerned.

I hoped he wasn't planning on keeping both women as I did. Tamia deserved better than that.

I watched and then saw him do the one thing I failed to do.

He rejected her.

He did not think about it or speak to her privately as I did; he just went for it and rejected her.

I watched the woman fall to the ground, and Tamia led Sylvester out of the ballroom.

She had found her knight in shiny armour, and he wasn't me.

I had a lot of respect for Sylvester in those moments. I had a lot of respect for their love.

If I thought he was playing her, what he did in those moments made me realise that his feelings for Tamia were real and that he genuinely loved her.

I was grateful that they found each other. In those moments, my heart was lifted, and I felt my guilt fade away a little, realising that I had lost her to a better man.

The party continued after they had left, and everyone was in shock.

I heard people talking about Tamia and Sylvester's relationship, and based on all I could gather, people knew they were crazy about each other.

Those who might have doubted their love's depth would now believe it because Sylvester had just thrown away a rare gift for Tamia.

It was rare to find a fated. It wasn't impossible, but it was rare, so people were reluctant to let it go when they found theirs.

Sylvester had shown everyone and Tamia that his love was deep and genuine.

The party continued, and soon it ended.

I knew Tamia and Sylvester wouldn't be returning.

When I let Tamia go, I slept the pain off most of the night. I had to claim Amanda again recently to regain the strength I lost.

Although Sylvester might be weak now, I knew he would regain some of his strength on the night of the blue moon when he claims Tamia. I took comfort in knowing they would be okay.

Max, Kyle and I returned to our hotel in Lucland, and they grumbled all the way. The moment we entered our suite, I began to laugh.

"You guys just bit more than you can chew. You can't play Polo, and you are not getting those women back. Too bad you can't withdraw. I will just advise you to watch your backs on the field because I doubt you will have it easy," I said, and Kyle did not find it funny.

He forgot himself and wanted to punch me, but when Black growled at him, he held back.

"Do not forget I am your Alpha, Kyle. I might be playful and easygoing, but I am still the leader of the east." I warned him, and Max tried to calm me down.

"Word of advice, better be nice to Rebecca, or she might leave you too. It is just so much you can do to someone before they snap," I told him and went to my room.

I hoped Kyle would take my advice, and I hoped both he and Max would snap out of the fantasy of swapping their mates for their ex-wives. The women had upgraded.

I took out my phone to call Amanda and ask her when she would come to the north. After seeing Tamia happy tonight, I was willing to try with Amanda without reservation.