The Dark Side Of Fate
56 An Invite and An Opportunity

~Devin~

I decided to attend Jake's festival to unwind. It was a last-minute decision. I planned to spend four days in Brighton and then return to Greenwood. It was a great plan. It was supposed to ease my stress and help me think straight.

When I arrived in Brighton in the evening of the festival and Jake told me that Tamia was around, I was giddy. Rex was overjoyed, and I could not believe how easy it would be to take my mate away from Sylvester. Hearing that Sylvester sent her to have a peace talk with Jake unaccompanied made me think of two different extremes.

Either they loved and trusted each other so much that he would allow her to handle state matters without fear, or her life meant nothing. He was willing to gamble it away by using her to apologise to Jake, hoping Jake won't attack and kill her.

Hearing Jake talk about her made me realise she was alright.

He told me she arrived a bit ill and pale looking, and I was afraid Sylvester maltreated her in the north.

I planned it all.

The rose, the garden. I wanted it to be perfect. I wanted it to be romantic. It is all I have ever wanted. Finding my mate and starting a real life in love and happiness.

Tamia was perfect. I did not care that she was once married or was taken by the wolf lord. I did not care. I just wanted my mate.

Rex hoped to hold her, accept her and claim her. I wasn't going to waste any time.

I was going to run fast and sink my teeth into her.

I did not need to wait for the blue moon; that was only done by chosen mates for the claiming to work.

I did not need the blue moon to claim my mate. The moon goddess had given her to me.

So I used my scent to lure her.

She scented Peach and Wildflowers. Her scent was vivid and more precise than when we first met at the party.

She was delicious, and she was mine. I hoped she would follow, and she did.

When she saw me and tears started streaming down her cheeks, I knew it wouldn't be easy. Everything she said to me in tears broke my heart. Not because she refused to run into my arms, but because what she was saying was true.

I took my moment with her for granted. I wronged her deeply.

I knew she was hurting with Leo, and I should have challenged him for her hand, but I was diplomatic about it. I made the biggest mistake of my life.

I should have taken her from him that night. I took our moment for granted, and Volkov stole her heart.

I could not blame her for rejecting me. But deep down, she should have given me a chance to prove myself.

No pain or weakness came with the rejection, but the feeling was the same.

I knew she battled her wolf to let me go. As much as I wanted to be persistent, I had to respect her wishes. I lost my chance, and I hated myself for it. Rex did not forgive me for accepting the rejection. We actually thought she would let us claim her. The feeling was right. It felt so good, and I wanted to sink my teeth into her neck, but she pulled away. I could not force myself on her.

I left Brighton the next day a broken man.

Throughout my journey back to Greenwood, my wolf howled, blaming me for the loss and rejection He, too, was right.

When I held her in my arms at the party, he urged me to throw away the alliance and challenge Leo for her hand. Her eyes were sad and withdrawn. I should've listened to my wolf, but I didn't.

I wanted the marriage to end naturally because they weren't ready to let each other go, even though Amanda had come between them. I know Leo still feels the same way. Sᴇaʀch Thᴇ FindNøvᴇl.nᴇt website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

I got home and thought I wouldn't long for her anymore, but I still wanted her. I remembered how it felt to have her in my arms, and I wished things were different and she didn't fall in love with Volkov. "What will we do now?" Rex asked me, still mourning our loss.

"I do not know, but I think we shouldn't be quick to move on. Tamia does not like to share, and knowing the history of the Volkovs, they always have more than one woman. I plan on waiting a bit to see how things go between them." I told my wolf, and he was silent.

I wasn't going to actively try to separate them, but I was afraid she might lose on his side too. There was no way he could be different from his father. I had to make sure I remained available a little longer for her sake.

"I say we wage war and take her from him. The goddess made her for us. She is ours. He has stolen what is ours," Rex said, and tears streamed down my face.

"She is in love with him, Rex. We can't beat that. The only thing we can do is wait them out. He might slip up, and if he does, I will be there for her, even if it is as a friend, but this can't be it," I said, trying to convince myself there was hope.

My day went slow, and I returned to Greenwood more depressed than I had left.

A day later, I was sitting in my office when Lukman, my beta, brought me an invitation from the Northern Council.

"We hereby invite your pack to partake in our tournament starting next month's new moon. The open competitions are Polo, Swimming, Football, Golf, Croquet, Volleyball, One Hundred Metre Dash and Ring Fight (without any presence of Silver). Please reply with the list of sports you are interested in and the name of your team members. Thank you, and we look forward to hosting you," it read, and I looked at the person that sent the invitation.

"From the Northern Council, Signed Joan Clayman. "

It was strange that the northern council would invite me to participate in the all-region sports games. They usually invite lesser southern Alphas, but they had chosen to invite me this year. I contemplated whether I should accept or not.

"Weirdly, the council would invite us, knowing we have an issue with the lord,” Lukman said. I even had more issues with the Lord because Volkov had stolen the heart of my fated.

"Should we take part in it?" Lukman asked, and I did not know what to say.

Usually, I would say no, but it also meant I would see Tamia one more time before her wedding.

It meant I could officially spend a month in the north without having any hindrances because the tournament takes that long before we complete.

The Polo alone takes two weeks. It would be a great opportunity.

"Do you know if Volkov is participating?” I asked Lukman, and he nodded.

"He plays Polo every year." He said, and I began to grin from ear to ear.

"Do we have a good Polo team?" I asked him, and he nodded.

"Nikolas Sullivan has a good team. He is a northerner but relocated to the south eleven years ago with his niece. I am sure they would participate in the north as a southern team against Volkov's team." He said, and I began to grin because this would be an excellent opportunity to spend time with Tamia.

As much as I hated to think of it, she would be around Sylvester often, and if he played Polo, we would be around each other often.

It will give me a chance.

I need to prove that I am a better man for her. I did not plan on playing dirty, but I planned on making an effort. If I still lose, I would gracefully bow out, but I would try as penance for not taking her away from Leo when I had the chance.

Somehow I knew it was my fault she ended up in the north. If I had taken her from Leo, the north would have still attacked the east, but she wouldn't be there to give herself up. She would have been with me.

I looked at Lukman, grateful for the opportunity that had dropped on my lap, and I wasn't going to waste it.

"Ask Nikolas Sullivan to see me in my office. I need to finalise with him and respond to the Northern council as soon as possible before the slots for Polo teams are filled." I told Lukman, and he went to sort the matter.

I waited nervously in my office, grateful for the opportunity.

Knowing the invitation came in late because most Alphas received their invites two weeks ago, it seemed like a last-minute thing. I believed I wasn't meant to be invited, but they chose to invite me for reasons known to them.

I felt it was off that the council would invite me, but it might be their step toward making peace with me. After all, Sylvester had sent Tamia to Brighton to make peace with Jake, and he had somehow made peace with Leo.

Leo never spoke scornfully of the Dark Alpha, and I believe he should because the man took his wife, whom he still loves, but Leo seemed to be okay with it. Volkov might have suddenly realised the errors of their ways and wanted to make amends, or this might also be an attempt to keep his enemies close. I did not know what it may be, but I was on alert. If it was a trap, I had to get out of it. If it weren't for my need to see Tamia again and try to prove myself to her, I would have declined. Nikolas arrived a few hours later, and he had brought his niece. Lukeman had sent a helicopter to pick him up from Pridewood, where they were staying. It wasn't far, but they would have taken longer to get to Greenwood.

The man looked fit and a bit younger than I imagined. He was in his early forties, and I was sure he could swing a mallet with ease. His neice was a pretty blonde woman, roughly twenty-six or twenty- seven. She was very stunning and had that legendary northern beauty.

I stood up to greet them, and they greeted me with a lot of respect. His niece seemed in awe of me and made me feel like a celebrity.

"Please, make yourselves comfortable," I said, offering them seats, and they sat down.

"To what do we owe this honour, alpha?" Nikolas asked, and I smiled so he would know to relax and that I meant well.

"I heard you have the best Polo team in the south," I said, and the man smiled, trying to be modest. "We try alpha, but it isn't a popular game in the south as it is in the north,” he said, and I nodded.

"I know you relocated here with your niece from the north. I was hoping your team could represent us in the all-region tournament starting next new moon," I said, and the man was stunned. He could not contain his joy.

"It will be an honour. I have been looking for an opportunity to showcase my teams. It will be great,” The man said, and I looked at his niece, who seemed to be drooling over me, and I smiled at her. "You play too?" I asked her, and she nodded.

"Yes, she does, but she won't play at the tournament. She isn't qualified to play at that level; she will just manage the teams,” The man said, and I had no clue what it entailed, but it sounded like a good thing.

"How many teams would we enter into the competition?” I asked the man.

"Three. We have only three strong teams in the south,” He said, and I nodded.

"Very well then, I will reply and ask them to save three slots for us in the polo tournament. I will need the names of your teams and team members,” I told the man, and he nodded, smiling.

"They will give you a place to rest, and the helicopter will take you back to Pridewood tomorrow,” I said, and the man was excited about it.

I was excited, too, because I had a non-threatening legal reason to be in the north for a whole month. Rex and I were elated, and I relaxed a bit on my couch, hopeful.

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