Shadows of Destiny

136 Six Days To Go

~Sylvester~

Training after I had left Erik's lab was easy. I felt a weight off my shoulder. Although Jake wasn't in the

clear, I was hopeful. I did not want anything to happen to him because I knew he and my mother had

something special.

Now that we knew he was responding to treatment, I felt allowing my mother to see him would be okay.

But I needed to speak with her about it to manage her emotions before I let her see him. I did not want

to lose her should anything go wrong.

"Leo, when will you be heading east?" I asked him while we were rounding up training.

He put aside the silver-coated dumbells and moved towards me. He looked tired, and I knew all that

was happening was overwhelming. I did not even want to look at Devin. He had been hit the most. I

just hoped we would get everything back to normal by the time all this was over.

"I will be leaving with everyone tomorrow," He said, and I frowned.

'Everyone?' I asked, and he nodded.

"Amelia, Alexei, Clay, Kyle, Devin, Susan and Gezel." He explained, and I wanted to plead with him to

leave Amelia and Gezel behind, but it wasn’t in my place. I could understand that he would want to

spend every moment leading up to the main day with his mate. I could not rob him of that. We had six

days to go, and we had to make the most of those precious moments.

"I see. Gezel requested to be part of the battle, and I granted her request," I said, and he was silent a

bit. I believe he was processing my words.

’With all due respect, you shouldn't have. Amelia is just meeting her for the first time. We do not know

how the battle will go. Who will be her family if we fall? I believe in what we are doing, but we can't be

too careful. Her brothers are fighting with us, along with her cousins and uncle. Letting her mother

come with us was wrong,' He said, and I was taken aback by his response. He also had a point.

Unfortunately, I wasn't thinking in that regard and had already given my word. I couldn't take it back.

"Gezel did not seem like she wanted to hang around. Amelia had been distant. I suspected she wanted

to die in battle, but I made her promise she would survive," I said, and even though it sounded stupid,

that was the best explanation I could give.

Leo deserved an explanation. He had been loyal and supportive. Shoving my decision down his throat

would be wrong and insensitive of me.

'That promise isn't hers to make, especially knowing the calibre of people we would be fighting. The

Stepanovs have trained and built their numbers for the purpose of war. Look at how equipped Erik is.

The things we are using were originally created for them," Leo sighed.

'I am not trying to be disrespectful, and I know you would have pushed back, but I am unhappy you

said yes. Telling this to Amelia would be hard.

She might seem detached from her mother, but I know she will try. It seems otherwise because she is

focused on ending the issue with Yuri," he explained.

'I am sorry, Leo. I meant no harm," I apologised, and he nodded, telling me it was okay.

"I guess I am off to tell her," He said and smiled.

'Try to get her to take a nap first. She is overworking herself. Tamia is complaining. A woman in her first

trimester should be resting. She is putting her and the baby in danger by refusing to rest," I

complained, and Leo’s eyes darkened a bit.

"She promised she would catch some sleep. Where are they?" He asked me, and I used that

opportunity to link Tamia to find out if they were together. We had only trained for two hours. If Gezel

did not succeed in making Amelia rest, she should be in Tamia’s makeshift studio in the delta wing of

the mansion.

'Is Amelia still with you?" I linked Tamia.

'Passed out on the couch," Tamia said, and I relaxed. I cut off the communication to relay the message

to Leo.

'She is in Tamia’s studio in the Delta wing, passed out on the couch. You should take her to your room

unless you want Tamia to ask Wilson to do it.

' I said, knowing he would not like that outcome. He shook his head immediately and moved away from

me. He walked so fast that I could not help but laugh.

"What is with him? Marcel asked me, approaching me.

'He doesn't want Wilson to carry his mate to his bedroom," I said, and Marcel laughed.

'So Jake is responding to treatment?" He finally asked me on a serious note, and I nodded.

'He isn't in the clear yet, but at least they were able to formulate something that worked,' I explained.

"I learned Claudia won't have friends after this," He said, and I frowned at him, wondering where he got

that story from.

"Who told you that?" I asked, and he pointed at Vino.

"He said Claudia is distraught that she had to be hard on her friends for security purposes," He

explained. I looked at Vino, who was having a

lengthy discussion with Andrew. Those two seem to be becoming friends. I wondered if questioning

Ighor helped them bond.

"True," I confirmed.

'She had to be tough because Thompson and Irene now have the formula for AgK32. She isn't only

preventing them from selling out but also protecting them from being abducted. It is tough, love. I hope

they

understand when all this is over and forgive her because they really came through for her. She is also a

very tough woman. Not once did she crack under pressure,' I commended, and Marcel nodded.

’Yes, she coordinates herself better than our mates. I guess medical school does that to you. I learned

she was calm when she treated me in the hospital. I wouldn't have believed it if I did not see how she

handled Devin professionally, even though Vino's life was also threatened. She is tough in that regard.

Just the right match for Vino. He is too soft. I believe she would balance him out,’ Marcel said, and I

agreed.

"I want to go see my mother. I will reach out after. We must attend to some last-minute things before

Leo leaves for his region tomorrow." I said, and Marcel frowned.

"He is leaving tomorrow?" He asked. I could see that he wondered why Leo did not tell him.

'Amidst the chaos, it must have skipped his mind. He has to return to organise his army. His warriors

and the alphas of his region are our true allies, their loyalty has been tried and tested, and they have

passed with flying colours. We need what he is bringing to the table, and he cannot leave Max to do his

job. He is lord of the East now; it has to count for something." I said, and he nodded.

'Are Alexei and Clay going to the West too?” He asked, and I shook my head.

'The West is a bit unstable. Once Yuri is out of the way, we will know the traitors and the loyalists. Mind

you, more than half of the western Alphas are Stepanovs in Yuri's cult. Sean helped them to secretly

gain ground there. Letting Erik, Clay and Alexei go to the West would be suicide.

If Yuri had not had so much power there, he wouldn't have acquired all that property and used it as

meeting grounds. Gad has been an issue since the time of Larry. Erik will remain with us, while Alexei

and Clay will return to the East with Leo. Alexei is yet to officially hand Hill Valley back to Max. He

would have to add his contributions as Hill Valley's alpha regardless of his new office,’ I said, and

Marcel told me he understood.

I left him and headed to speak to my mother. Hopefully, she was awake.

I told Claudia that they should stop giving her sedatives. I knew my mother would be mad at me for my

decision, but it was necessary. As much as I cared about Jake, she was my mother, and I could not

lose her. I was selfish enough to ensure she remained should anything happen to Jake.

I got to her room and knocked on the door. Katya asked me to come in, and I was glad she was kind

enough to remain with my mother.

I entered the room. Though it was late afternoon, the sun shone bright, and the curtains were drawn

apart to illuminate the room. My mother was sitting on the bed while Katya fed her oats. She did not

seem interested in the food.

’Good afternoon, your majesty,’ Katya greeted me, and I nodded.

’Please excuse us, Katya," I ordered my sister-in-law, and she put the bowl of oats down on a table and

headed out of the room.

My mother looked at me with lifeless eyes. She had also lost some weight. She slept a lot and ate little;

she was bound to lose weight.

’How are you feeling?" I asked and went to sit beside her. I took her hand in mine and massaged the

back of her hand gently. I felt her growl a bit.

’You kept me from Jake," She said and looked at me with teary eyes.

"You did not allow me to say goodbye," She said with tears streaming down her face, and I shook my

head immediately.

’I will never rob you of that opportunity, Mother," I said, and she sniffled. She was heartbroken and

scared.

I touched her cheek gently and made her look at me.

’I do not have a father, Mother. I could not afford to lose you too. Jake was in a terrible situation, and

we did not know if he would make it, so we had to keep you away from the situation," I confessed, tears

rolling down her cheeks. She was afraid; I could feel it.

’They introduced a position that had no antidote into his system. We were not sure he would make it.

We had been sustaining his life with Erik's serum. We needed our medical staff and chemists to focus

on his

treatment. I did not want you to see him when he was deemed hopeless. I am sorry if I hurt you with my

decision, but if anything happens to you, Dominic and I will feel it too," I said, and she nodded and

bowed her head. 2

"So how is he now," She asked, sniffling. I knew she was bracing herself for the worst outcome, but I

had good news for her.

’Well, Claudia got her friends to help Erik and today, they formulated a medication that is helping his

health. Currently, he is not in the clear yet, but there is hope," I said, and she looked at me with hope in

her eyes.

"Seriously?" She asked me eagerly, and I nodded, and she smiled.

I squeezed her hand tightly and arrested her attention so she could listen to me.

'They are not sure he will pull through, but he has a fighting chance," I explained, and she nodded,

telling me she understood.

'Am I allowed to see him?" She asked me, and I knew the question was coming, so I sighed to tell her

what I planned to tell her before coming to see her.

'Yes, you can, but you must promise me you will be calm no matter what happens. If he doesn't make

it, you will pick up the pieces and move on, for all our sakes. You will not break down, and we won't

lose you in the

process,’ I said, searching her eyes, and she lingered a bit before nodding.

I wrapped my arms around my mother, and she wept lightly. She knew I had come to prepare her for

the worst, but I prayed deep down that Jake would survive.

I let her go and linked Katya to help her freshen up so she could visit Jake.

I hoped her presence would motivate him better.

I left the room and was heading to my office when I heard Erik in my head.

‘Your Majesty. The Stepanovs Elders are in the North to meet with you. They represent the ten families

of our clan. They are in the North to see you. I do not know where you would like to receive them," Erik

said, and I wondered why some of the Stepanov Family heads would be in the North to see me.