Shadows of Destiny

The Dark Side Of Fate By Karima Sa’ad Usman Chapter 192{Book 2}

Chapter 31 – ~Leo~

The look on Sylvester’s face when I told him about Amelia showed he wasn’t happy I kept that bit to

myself, but I knew he would understand why. I knew they all could understand why.

Amelia was mine to love, keep and protect. If her bloodline had been wiped away, then she shouldn’t

be in existence.

Whoever was looking for her would want her for the very reason Adrik was murdered.

I wanted it to be a coincidence, so I remained in denial, but after seeing the coin and learning what

Lucas Sidorov had to say about it and Sylvester’s deductions, I realised it was best to trust Amelia’s

secret to my trusted friends and allies than to try to handle it alone.

Deep down, I prayed she wouldn’t be able to pick up the coin or touch it. I have never wanted anything

so badly as I did at this moment. I hated to think about it, but I wanted her to be normal.

Explaining that she had unusual abilities and might be a science experiment would be challenging.

Being a Stepanov would also make her royalty, and I wondered how the world would take it.

I feared they might call for her head because her family had already been condemned and wiped out.

She would be an anomaly.

I prayed Silverster would protect her secret. If not, I will go to war for her sake.

With that determination, I opened the door of my room and walked in.

Amelia was reading a book she had brought with her and sitting by the window.

I noticed she wasn’t a television person and liked reading a lot. It was a healthy habit that kept her

going.

A healthy and active imaginative mind could help people cope with stress and difficulties.

It provides an avenue for escape and optimism based on what the mind is fed, and seeing the book in

her hand; I knew she had only read of happy endings.

She looked at me and put down her book.

“Leo, are you done with your meeting?” She asked with a smile, and I asked the goddess why I met

Amanda and not her.

I would have been happier if I had met her after losing Tamia.

Seeing how Tamia and Sylvester were, I was pleased with all that happened and somehow realised we

weren’t meant to be. They were perfect together, and I could swear the light and glow in Tamia’s eyes

was like I had never seen before.

The same glow was in Amelia’s eyes, and the best part was that it was for me.

I suspected she would be my home eventually.

However, I was still going to move gradually and love her to the best of my ability until I knew enough

and was sure she wanted me and wasn’t driven by the bond or lust before I commit because once I did,

I won’t be looking back.

I returned the smile and went o squat in front of her.

She was a bit surprised, and I knew my facial expression was intense, so I softened it with a smile and

gently touched her delicate hand.

It was hard to believe she had been through hardship. I kissed it and placed her palm against my cheek

to feel it, and she gazed at me lovingly.

“Leo,” she said, blushing, and I smiled.

“I know you are immune to silver,” I blurted out, and her smile faded.

“I also know you have been hiding it. Aurora came out because you had no choice that day in the

service quarters. I also noticed how boldly you attacked those intruders in the woods. You did so

because you knew the silver wouldn’t affect you the same way. Am I right?” I asked her, and tears

welled up in her eyes. I knew she was afraid.

One thing I had come to understand about Amelia was that she craved to be normal.

Her childhood and life had given her a definition of normal; it had driven a standard into her mind. A

standard she fell short of, so she always tried to hide those things that took her far from the standard

just to feel normal, hence the hair dye, the contact lenses, the pretense of not being able to fight back,

and her tolerance to silver. Those things weren’t normal for an average wolf.

A wolf must be trained to fight, but she did it effortlessly in the woods that day. She was the goddess’s

masterpiece, and she had to hide it because it did not meet the standards given to her all her life.

” Leo, please,” She said, tears streaming down her cheeks, not wanting to admit it.

I touched her hand and squeezed gently.

“I do not care about what sets you apart from the rest of us. It will never affect the way I look at you. If

anything, Amelia, I am proud. I am happy that the goddess chose to bless me with someone special.

Bond apart, You are a rare gem, Amelia, and you should be proud of it.

You are beautiful and unique, and you have all the qualities I would have loved to be given. It won’t

change how I look at you,” I told her, and she nodded gently, but I knew she was scared.

“It doesn’t burn me,” she confessed, ” But it slows down my healing, and I can’t fully shift, but I maintain

all my wolf abilities, including strength and speed,” She confessed quickly, and I stood up, frozen in

shock.

“Leo, Leo,” she asked me.

I heard her apprehension, but I wasn’t shocked about what she told me; I was surprised that Max had

said precisely the same thing about Alexie. He said Alexie had access to his wolf but never said the

guy fully shifted.

I looked at Amelia and softened my expression with a smile.

“You might have just cracked a case for me, Amelia,” I said, believing Alexie might be like Amelia.

It was off that their back story was similar.

Was he dyeing his hair too? But his eyes did not look like Amelia’s. Was he wearing contacts? I will find

that out in due time.

“Come on, Moonlight. Let’s go to the king’s lounge.” I told her, and she nodded and stood up.

She was nervous. I could feel it from her trembling hands, but I had no choice. I would be wrong not to

return to the lounge without her. Besides, I trusted everyone there, and I knew Sylvester was a man of

his word and would never do anything that would harm the woman I cared about.

“Do not worry, Amelia; they are all on our side. If anything, I believe you will gain family today. A very

powerful one,” I said to try and help her relax, but she looked at me with a sad expression.

“I already have family, Leo. I have you,” she said, and her words cut me deep. Just like Tamia too.

I was Tamia’s only family, and I let her down.

I squeezed Amelia’s hands and placed her palm on my chest, promising myself not to repeat my

mistakes.

Thinking of it now, I could understand why she held on to our bond and stuck around.

I was meant to be the light at the end of her tunnel. Her home and I had acted irrationally.

I knew I could still claim her without a blue moon because she held on to our bond, but I would make it

special and surprise her with it.

“Other than my missing parents, You are my family too,” I responded and the smile she had warmed

my heart. Amelia was a joy and easy to be with. Where was she all this while?

We arrived at the lounge, and the men were talking and analysing different things and scenarios. The

moment I entered with Amelia, everywhere went quiet. David walked towards Amelia.

“Amelia Westwood, Is is an honour that you are joining us,” He said, and I knew it was in a bid to calm

her down and make the atmosphere less tense for her.

David was the most sensitive of all his brothers, except for Vino, who was creepy and mysterious, but

he seemed sensitive too.

Dominic nodded and smiled at her, and everyone took turns greeting her. They did so with respect, and

I was also grateful for the gesture because it helped Amelia relax and loosen up.

“Amelia,” Sylvester finally said, and she bowed her head.

“Not here. Just like Tamia told you, those formalities are for public gatherings. Leonardo is a friend and

more like family. We just want to determine maybe he will soon be our in-law,” Sylvester said, and

everyone laughed, making it light.

Amelia was blushing immediately, and soon she started giggling too.

Sylvester motioned her to sit on the couch across from his, and she looked at me. I nodded, and she

went ahead to do as he had requested.

“You see, Amelia, we have long lost relatives that have superpowers of which everyone was envious,”

he said, and they all chuckled because he wasn’t lying. The Stepanov ability was incredible and

limitless.

“Well, Leo bragged that you might have those abilities too, so we want to know so that we can protect

you better,” He said on a light note.

I was glad he did not tell her her life was in danger if she was a Stepanov.

Silvester placed the coin on the coffee table between them using a tissue.

“I want you to pick up this coin with your hands, Amelia. It was built for a Delta, who is a Stepanov.

Other than the DNA test Tamia took you for, this will prove if you have the same abilities as that branch

of our lineage.” he said, referring to Marcel and Theodore because they were a branch of the Volkov

family too, and she nodded, then took a deep breath. She looked at me, and I smiled, urging her to

proceed.

Amelia reached for the coin with shaking hands and easily picked it up. It did not burn her at all.

Everyone was silent, and they tried to act normal.

“Can you access your wolf?” Sylvester asked her with a broad grin. I knew he was worried, but she

needed to be comfortable.

Amelia nodded with a smile which meant she trusted everyone in the room.

“Show me. Shift partially,” Sylvester asked, looking slightly serious, and she nodded.

Slowly I saw her claws grow out, and her eyes turned a brilliant shade of blue. Dominic stepped back. I

knew he did not mean to, but it was a wonder unheard of and unseen.

Everyone was in shock.

“Shift back to your normal form,” Sylvester said, trying to gather himself, and she did as he had asked

and placed the coin on the table.

“Thank you, Amelia; your secret is safe with us. Once the DNA result is out, we will know what to do

and how best to protect you,” he said, and I could see beads of sweat forming on his forehead.

It wasn’t just him; Marcel and Theodore too. It was a shocking revelation to everyone, and the room

was quiet.

Not wanting Amelia to figure out the discomfort, I gently offered to walk her back to my room. I will have

to discuss this with Sylvester later so we would know the way forward.