Shadows of Destiny

The Dark Side Of Fate By Karima Sa’ad Usman Chapter 259

Not Ten Anymore

~Susan~

When Devin told me my parents were around, I did not know how to feel about it. They had been gone

for nineteen years, and a lot had happened between then and now.

I honestly did not know how to feel about it or if I wanted to see them. Knowing they were part of the

Stepanov cult made me sick, and the fact that Uncle Nicolas helped Yuri take the South made me feel

worse.

How could I have a happy life with Devin when my family is why he lost everything? Even if he doesn’t

look at me that way, I will look at myself that way. It was sad and humiliating for me.

Devin entered the bedroom and looked at me, a bit worried.

“Sue, won’t you see them? Sylvester and Leo need to question them, but they want you to have your

moment first,” he said, and tears began to stream down my face.

How could he still be so loving and considerate towards me after learning what my family had done to

him?

“Devin,” I said, breaking down, and he rushed towards me and held me.

“Not even a postcard to tell me they were all right,” I said in tears, and he gently stroked my hair and

breathed into my ears to calm me down.

“You need to be calm, babe. You should be calm. All that matters is that they are here now. Alive and

well,” he said, and I broke the hug to look at his face.

“Uncle Nicolas helped Yuri take the South; my folks were part of Yuri’s group. Aren’t you the least

mad?” I asked him, and he smiled at me and caressed my cheek gently.

“I am mad at Nicolas, but not you, my love. I am wary of your folks, but I trust you completely. I do not

know them, but I know you. That is all that matters. Now I want you to go out there and be a badass

Luna and face them.” He said, and how he said it made me chuckle.

“I want you to come with me,” I said, and he shook his head.

“Have your moment with your folks, darling.” He said, and I shook my head.

“You are my family and my support Devin. When everything crumbled, you were there. You put up with

my nonsense and carried me through. When I needed someone the most, you were there. You never

judged me, and you were patient with me. If I am seeing them, you have to be there. I won’t see them

without you,” I said, and he sighed.

“As long as you do not drag me into the drama,” He said, and we laughed.

I braced myself to confront my parents, and we headed out to see them in the living room, where Leo

asked them to wait.

My heart was beating fast as we descended the staircase, and I could not help but stop to take some

deep breaths to calm down. I have never dragged my feet in my entire life. I walked slowly, still feeling

like I was moving too fast.

Many questions were reeling in my mind.

What if they can’t be trusted and came here to hurt everyone I care about? What if they were

pretending and do not care about me or anyone? Questions reeled in my mind, and soon we arrived in

the living room.

“Are you ready?” Devin linked me, and I nodded. I took a few deep breaths before walking into the

living room.

I saw them, and tears welled up in my eyes.

They were older than the photos I had.

My mother’s blonde hair had some grey in them, and the brilliant blue of her eyes had faded. She

looked tired and slim.

My father did not fare any better. Besides his height and bulkiness, his hair was grey, and his blue eyes

faded too.

They looked at me with pain and sadness. My mother began to cry when she saw me, and my father

held her. She buried her face in his chest while he looked at me with tears streaming down his cheeks.

I stood still, not knowing what to do.

I wasn’t good at things like this, so I did not know how to react.

“Go to them; I will hang back here,” Devin nudged me, and I looked at him. He smiled and nodded,

telling me it was okay.

I moved toward them, and my mother broke away from my father and rushed to hug me.

She wrapped her arms around me and began to cry.

“My baby. My baby. There is no day that I did not think of you, Sue,” she said, and I reluctantly wrapped

my arms around her.

She held on tightly and wept.

“I am sorry, baby. I am sorry. We could not bring you along. We could not endanger your life. I am sorry.

I am sorry.” she continued to apologise, holding me, and I remained speechless. I had nothing to say. I

had so much anger in me that I knew opening my mouth would ruin the moment.

“Suzy,” I heard my father say.

He was the only one that called me that, and he knew I hated it so much, but he teased me with it so

much when I was a child.

I looked at him, and he wiped away his tears.

“I am sorry, honey. I am very sorry,” He said, and I knew he had told his part because he wasn’t good

with words.

My mother finally broke the hug between us, and my father replaced her and held me in his arms.

“My little girl is a woman now. You have grown into a fine woman Susan, and I am proud of you.

Richardo told us all you have been doing. I am proud of you,” he said, which did not make me feel any

better or decrease my anger and pain.

I broke the hug and looked at them.

“If you cared so much, why team up with an enemy? Why make Maurice’s allegations right? I had to

deal with the shame of Uncle Nicolas’s treachery, and now I hear that you two aren’t far behind. Why?

Why couldn’t you be normal?” I said, voicing my mind.

“Do you know how it feels to be a suspect every time something comes up simply because every

member of my family is deep in some shit? Do you know how uncomfortable I am with my friends and

Mate? Yuri took the South from Devin, my mate. Uncle Nicolas helped him do it. Then I heard you were

in the cult. It made me start thinking you two were part of it too. They murdered people! How do you

want me to feel about that?” I asked, and my father’s eyes widened.

“We had no hand in that, Suzy; you must believe us. We never helped Yuri do anything. He took us in

to protect us from Maurice. Maurice was going to hang the three of us for treason, Sue. Nicolas was

the one that told us to run away and that he would take care of you. We had no choice. Had we stayed,

Maurice would have hung us.

He had proof that we were part of the uprising; I recently realised that Nicolas had set us up.

Nicolas did many messed up things in my name, and I had to go down for it.

We had no choice. It was either we remain and die with you, or we run away and hide with the

Steapanovs to keep all of us alive,” He said, rushing through his words; I knew he wasn’t lying, but I

could not help feeling sad about the entire situation.

“We will get the South back. We will help you counter Yuri. Maurice is gone, and we are free from Yuri;

we will help your mate take back what is rightfully his; I swear on my wolf, Sue. I will give my life to

make sure you forgive us and live a happy life. It is the least I can do after missing so many years with

you, my child,” He said, and I wanted to tell him no, that I did not want them to give their lives for it, but

I could not trust them still. It could all be an act.

My father looked at Devin and bore his neck.

“Councilman Corrigan, it is an honour to meet you finally,” He said, officially addressing Devin.

Devin walked towards us and extended a handshake which my father took respectfully with his head

bowed.

“The pleasure is all mine, Beta Sullivan,” Devin said, and my mother wrapped her arms around him

without warning.

“Thank you, Alpha, for loving our baby. Thank you for being her family and not allowing her to walk

alone. Thank you so much. We are at your service, Alpha. Anything you ask of us, we will do. We will

do all we can to ensure Yuri doesn’t take the South. Please give us a chance.” She said and broke the

hug. I noticed Devin was a bit uncomfortable but managing it well.

“Susan looks like both of you,” He said, changing the topic. I knew it was to ease the tension because it

made me laugh, and my father, who was a bit confused, later got it and joined in.

“Yes, she does,” He said, and Devin nodded.

“Please let us sit while we discuss the matters with the others. Time is not on our side. I believe you will

have ample time to catch up with Susan after.” He said, and my parents agreed and went to sit down.

Devin went to speak with a Kappa at the door and returned to sit beside me to wait for the others. My

mother did not stop staring at me, and my father smiled at me every time I looked in his direction. It

was very awkward, and I doubted I would get used to it. It seems my parent did not understand that I

wasn’t ten anymore.