The Dark Side Of Fate by Karima Sa'ad Usman

34 The New Norm

~Tamia~

After the strange discussion with Stephanie, I wasn't looking forward to lunch or Dinner.

I noticed she cared about Sylvester and was possessive about him, too. I needed to be careful not to cause problems between them.

I sat on the couch in our bedroom, observing what Lilly and Sylvester were doing.

Although my eyes were fixed on them, Stephanie's words troubled me because they meant she was pretending the day we met.

Lily was at the computer in the bedroom working on the codes. At the same time, Sylvester monitored her, and I saw that he liked her in a sisterly manner. It was just sad that she had to spread lies about their relationship.

I was silent all through and wasn't looking forward to stepping out of the room.

Soon, it was lunchtime, and Sylvester felt it would be polite to eat with his mother. I could not say no, so I agreed to go with him.

Lilly left our room, and Sylvester joined me on the couch. Belonging © NôvelDram/a.Org.

"You have been awfully silent since my mother arrived," he said, kissing the back of my hand, and then he moved to my neck.

It was official that Sylvester could not keep his hands off me, and I liked it.

"My mark will be here, and you won't wear your hair down when we are outside. I want everyone to see it," he said, kissing the spot.

I smiled, and he placed his hands on my thighs.

"Sylvester, we will soon be going for lunch. You know I do not like quickies," I said, and he teased me.

"You have been awfully glum since you returned. I was hoping you could share," he said, and I knew he was serious even though he sounded playful.

I looked at him and studied his eyes.

"Why did you pick me?" I asked him, and he smiled.

"I love a strong woman that knows what she wants, can say no and damn the consequences. When I lifted your chin, and you stared into my eyes, against Marcel's warning, my wolf found a kindred spirit in Kaira. I was enthralled." He said, and I laughed.

"Basically, you like stubborn women," I said, and he shook his head.

"No, you are just an exception, and I do not want you generalising what we have or how I feel about you," he said and kissed my lips.

"Did she talk about my scent on you?" He asked me, sensing his mother must have said something, and I shook my head.

"She said she would like to get to know me," I said, which was the nicer version of what went down.

"Alright, well we have thirty minutes before lunch, and we can arrive there late anyway." He said, tugging on my dress, and I let him. We were behaving like teenagers in love.

He wanted me to ride him on the couch, and I giggled because my skills had paid off somehow.

"Careful, wolf lord, you are getting addicted," I teased, and he grabbed onto my arse with his dark wolf eyes.

"I am already addicted," He said, and my pussy clenched.

We spent forty-five minutes in the room making love. Sylvester fought Knight from sinking his teeth in. It was clear his wolf was eager to own me.

We got dressed and headed to the dining room.

Marcel, Theodore, Avery, and Linda were not there for the first time. Instead, it was Stephanie, Dominic and Glenda.

"Why is she here?" Sylvester asked, pointing at Glenda.

"The same reason why she is here," Dominic said, pointing at me.

Sylvester did not get angry, and we sat down.

He sat at the head where he usually sat with me by his side, and his mother sat on Theodore's seat. At the same time, Glenda and Dominic occupied Marcel and Avery's seats.

I wished, just like our friends, Sylvester and I had lunch in our room.

"How do you like your room, mother?" Sylvester asked her, and she smiled.

"Tastefully done," She said with approval looking at me.

She was studying her son to see if I had told him anything. She knew I did not tell him from the look on her face.

"Tamia did it," Sylvester said, and Dominic laughed.

"Of course she did; she is used to that work. Was she not someone's wife before you took her as spoils?" Dominic said, and before Sylvester could speak, Stephanie shut him up.

"You will not disrespect Tamia and your brother in his house. This might be a Volkov property, but as Lord of the north, this is his home, and as future Luna, this is Tamia's home. We all have our reservations, but I will not allow you to misbehave," She warned him, and he shook his head.

"I can't believe you will go along with this, mother. He is making a terrible decision with this woman. Every prisoner would want to find favour in the eyes of their gaoler so their lives would be easy. How can you let him throw his life away?

He can choose from plenty of young virgins in the north. If they are too young and inexperienced, we can try and find someone or look for Susan in the south and make her come home. Instead, you are letting him marry another man's wife. A woman whose husband did not want anymore. This is wrong, mother," he said, and those last words got to me, but I held my tears. I promise myself I won't let them fall.

"She is down on her luck. Of course, she would want to be with Sylvester. Even you have questioned her motives, mother. I can't pretend this is okay when we know it isn't. The north also has issues with the south and the east. She was head Luna of the east. Her loyalty will always be to her people first, before anyone. Why are you letting him make this mistake, mother? Why?" Dominic snarled.

"I will advice you to leave this table now," Sylvester said to Dominic with a low growl.

"Or else what?" Dominic said, and I saw that Sylvester's hands were shaking.

I could feel the pressure of his anger, and it wasn't good.

"Calm down, Sylvester," His mother said, but he wasn't calming down. Dominic had struck a nerve with him.

"Dominic, apologise," His mother said, and the stupid man refused. I knew it wouldn't be good. We had yet to eat.

Sylvester stood up and headed to where Dominic was seated.

"Please, Sylvester, do not get physical with your brother. Please," Stephanie said, and he did not listen. He lifted Dominic from his seat and slammed him against the wall.

"Sylvester, please," Stephanie began to cry. Sylvester growled and held him against the wall. He sent a punch to Dominic's face, and he bled.

"Please, do not kill my baby, please," Stephanie said, and I wondered why she would use that word.

They were both her children. Did she favour Dominic above Sylvester? She knew it would be like this because they never saw eye to eye. She also knew that Dominic found it difficult to respect his brother.

She should have cautioned Dominic when he went off on me, but she let him finish his resentful derogatory words before warning him.

"Don't just stand there. Stop him," She yelled at me.

Sylvester was punching the life out of Dominic, and it seemed Dominic would pass out soon. I wanted him to beat some sense into him so he would know his place. He wasn't alpha, and he wasn't lord. He had better learned to respect his brother.

"Tamia, do something!" Stephanie said, and I was reluctant to get involved because Dominic had said hurtful things about me, but I had to do something because Stephanie was already crying.

"Sylvester, please stop," I pleaded, but he did not listen.

"It didn't hurt me, Sylvester! His words did not hurt," I lied, and he stopped and looked at me. His eyes were jet black. It was Knight that was doing the beating.

"Knight, leave him alone, please," I pleaded with his wolf, and Knight left Dominic.

Dominic slid down to the floor.

His battered face was already healing; Sylvester had done a number on him.

"I guess we won't be eating together," Sylvester told his mother, and she shook her head and went to Sylvester.

"Please stay, son. I haven't spent time with you in a while. Dominic will behave henceforth. He won't question your decision or say anything to you or Tamia again." She said, and I knew Sylvester did not want to stay.

"I should leave. This is a family lunch," I said, and Sylvester stopped me.

"You are my family, and Dominic will have to accept it whether he likes it or not.

"Like I said, mother," Sylvester said, turning to his mother.

"I will have tea and garden walks with you, but as long as Dominic is here, I won't sit with you for breakfast, lunch or dinner again. Tamia is my luna; I have marked her with my scent, so she is mine; I will see any action towards her as treasonous. I do not care what anyone thinks. But anyone who disrespects, insults or tries to endanger her life will have me to contend with," He said, and she shook her head.

"You should have waited until the wedding night before marking her with your scent, son," She said, and he smiled.

"There is no difference between now and the wedding night. I won't be changing my mind, mother. Somehow I believe Dominic said what both of you discussed, and I suspect you said hurtful things to Tamia when she walked you to your room," He said. I was shocked that he figured it out. Was I that obvious?

She exclaimed and looked at me angrily.

"You are really smart. So you told him what I said," she said, looking at me disappointed. I shook my head.

"There is no harm in a mother looking out for her son. I only asked her to prove herself to me. I asked her to prove that she loves you, and this isn't a survival move," Stephanie said, and Sylvester laughed.

"On the contrary, that was a trick statement, mother. Tamia did not say anything, but I am not stupid; after Dominic spoke and you didn't stop him until he finished, I realised you shared the same opinion with him, but just won't say it because you do not want to hurt my feelings. I know you will not hold your tongue when you are with Tamia alone, so I figured you must have used the opportunity to tell her something.

Anyway, I do not care what you think or how you feel. I am a grown man and not a child. I make my decisions. Tamia has nothing to prove to you or anyone. I won't force you to accept her, but I will advise both of you to respect her or you will have issues with me.

You might be my mother. You gave birth to me, protected me and raised me. I will always love and respect you, but you can never fill the shoes of my luna. You can never be my companion, my confidant, my lover and the mother of my children. You have your place in my life, and Tamia has

hers. Do not try to make her seem insignificant. My heart and soul belong to her. Let this be the last time anyone would mention Susan's name to me or speak of Tamia's ex-husband," He said and held my hand.

"Excuse me," he said, and he left, taking me with him.

"You should have told me what she said to you in private instead of looking glum," He said, and I could not speak.

"You have earned some spanking after we eat," he said, and I was glad we were eating in the room, but I hoped his relationship with his mother won't be rocky.

I hope to have children, and I will like to have an excellent relationship with them.

I want to ensure Stephanie has an excellent relationship with her son. I will have to speak to Sylvester when he is less annoyed.