Shadows of Destiny

{Book 2} Chapter 50 – ~Leo~

Alexei had dropped a bomb on me, and I remained fixed in my seat. I stared at his moon-coloured eyes

and saw the resemblance with my Amelia.

Everything he had told me was bugging me, and I felt beads of sweat on my forehead.

We had all thought this uprising bullshit was over, but we had just scratched the surface.

Lord Lucas Sidorov had insisted that the uprising was too big for Larry to have orchestrated

singlehandedly.

Even Larry had bragged about us having more to deal with during his sentencing, but we had brushed

it aside because we wanted to close the matter. We wanted our happily ever after so severely that we

disregarded Larry’s words.

We should have taken him seriously and accepted everything he said thoughtfully.

I knew it didn’t add up when Larry wanted to kill all of us with silver dust when we busted into his

apartment in Gad. He had wanted to end his life.

It was odd to see someone that had done so much in the bid to install himself as King want to

carelessly throw his life away like that. He must have figured his life was forfeit since we had caught

him and decided to die and take us along.

I was glad that he was still alive in prison. He had refused to die, so it might be to our benefit.

I looked at Alexei, and he just remained quiet on the chair.

I leaned forward to ask more questions.

“Do you know the location of this cult?” I asked him, and he shook his head

“They move occasionally but are between the east and south. These were the regions they ran to when

Dimitri was after their life,” he said, and I did not feel safe. If I had those things lurking in my territory,

they could strike anytime.

I had a lot of questions for Alexei.

I took out my phone and searched for the photo of the coin.

Finding it, I showed it to Alexei.

“Do you know what this is?” I asked him, showing him the coin’s image, and he nodded.

Then reached into his pocket and brought out a replica. His was old, but it looked the same.

“This belonged to my father. He gave it to me, so I will not forget my heritage.” He said, and I dared not

reach for it because it was silver.

I also noticed the ease he used to take it out, and that was how I knew he had truly cheated Max, but

even if he did not cheat Max, he would have won.

Seeing Amelia’s fast speed, I knew her brothers would be the same.

“It is our family insignia,” He said, and I already knew that; I just wanted to be sure.

“What about this?” I said, showing him the picture of Amelia taking something from a displaced man.

He frowned, and I scrolled to the image of the writing on the back of the picture.

“Do you know who did this?” I asked, and he shook his head, meaning it was a red light.

“I will have to ask Clay because he keeps an eye on her too. Please send me the photos,” he said, and

I nodded.

“So Max wasn’t lying about you cheating, was he?” I asked, and he sighed and looked at me.

“You have to know it was necessary,” he said, and I sighed.

“Just answer the question,” I said, and he reluctantly nodded.

“I needed it over quickly and did not want him dead. He would have fought to the death, and it wasn’t

worth it,” he explained, and I nodded.

“So, what are Amelia’s special abilities you do not possess?” I asked, and he sighed.

“Well, to start with, she can shift fully with silver in her system. It takes longer, but she can do it if she

tries. I learned from our cousin that she had shifted and wounded a Kappa for attempting to take

advantage of her. He said the bastard had used silver to weaken her, and she had taught him a lesson.

She heals faster than us, even with silver in her system but not as fast as a wolf without silver. She is

also faster and stronger.

We have the same abilities but are a bit slower and have limits.

Amelia doesn’t have limits like us, and that is because her mother was a Beta with Stepanov’s distant

genes.

So it made her more enhanced than us.

That has also given Erik Kozlov the idea that mating with her will produce great heirs,” he explained,

and I was pissed.

“Well, that option is closed. She is my mate, and we have claimed each other,” I said.

Alexei wanted to say something but held his tongue. I could see he was guarding his words with me.

“Come on, say it,” I said, and he sighed.

“Erik doesn’t care about things like that. The bastard believes the Stepanovs are superior,” he said, and

I could understand the Erik guy being a psycho.

Alexei just indirectly told me that Erik would disregard my claim.

I wanted to see him try.

I do not mind cheating to kill the bastard. But no Northern royalty will take the woman I love from me.

Sylvester took Tamia, and now the moon has blessed me with Amelia. I will die first.

“So what is the deal now?” I asked him, wanting to know his angle and take in this.

“I do not know their plans and am still trying to figure it out. They snatched a lab technician and

Amelia’s blood sample to do goddess-knows-what.

Erik tends to deceive himself sometimes. He believes he is an Alchemist and that the talent is innate. I

know he studied biochemistry, but I doubt he can pull off the level of expertise our ancestors pulled off.

He did not want anyone to know our secret, so they snatched the sample and technician, and both

were burned to death at the western borders. The King is wasting his time searching for them,” he said,

and I was shocked.

Erik was evil.

I know their family’s right was stolen, but this was extreme.

Looking at the entire thing, he wouldn’t have been lord even if it had followed the natural order.

It would have been between Alexei and Clay. What was the guy’s deal? Now I respected the Volkovs

for only letting the person in the line of succession bear the last name.

It was to ensure family members don’t get delusional.

If not, I doubt the Sidorov, Balyeavs, and Orlovs would not have dragged the lordship and kingship with

Sylvester.

Even Dominic, David and Vino have assumed their positions and accepted that the crown belongs to

Sylvester and maybe Liam in the future.

“Is there beating this Erik guy?” I asked Alexei, and I could see worry in his eyes.

“They are immune to silver. I am afraid there isn’t. We can go to war with them, but everyone other than

my siblings would have to find a way to protect their airways and skins from coming into contact with

silver, or they would not stand a chance. We are faster and stronger, but we can only kill many of them

before they overwhelm us.

I want to protect my sister and keep the borders safe to stop them from expanding, but they are getting

bolder. As things are, it won’t be long before they attack Clay and me and overrun the east and south if

that is their plan.

Our cousin, Andrew, plans to join me in Hill Valley to seek asylum. I am sure he will tell us more when

he arrives,” He said, and I sighed because that was a good plan. I had plenty of questions for Andrew.

“Would you like a drink?” I asked him, and he smiled.

I pointed at my cabinet, and he got up to fix himself one.

I did not know if I should let him meet his sister, but I had to trust my instincts.

I watched him pour himself a glass of scotch.

There was peace about the guy that let me know I could trust him. Taking him to my house will be a

bad idea because of Max. I would have to find a way to explain things to Max.

“What will you do when all this is over, and we survive by miracle because these folks are invincible?” I

asked, and he laughed and took a gulp of his scotch.

“I plan on returning Hill Valley to Max. Alia and I will move back to the north. Hopefully, the King would

reinstate my family’s history and Legacy, and we won’t have to hide away.

However, even though one of us should be ruling, I can tell you Clay and I aren’t interested in being

King.

A lordship in the north is more than enough. We both want a quiet life. Sylvester can continue being

King. The agreement between our great grandfathers was for lordship and not kingship.

As a Stepanov and a descendant of Adrian Stepanov, father to Adrik Stepanov, we have no claim to

the kingship because we have no hand reinstating it,” He said. His eyes showed he meant every word.

I could see why Alia fell in love with Alexei. He was a man of honour, and he did not seem the type to

lie to himself.

If the other Stepanovs were like this, we would not have had any issues.

“Would you like to meet your sister?” I asked him, and he looked at me.

“I would love to, but I do not know if she would like to meet me,” he said with worry in his eyes.

Knowing my mate was easygoing, I knew he had nothing to worry about.