SHADOWS OF DESTINY - Season 3 Episode 46

~Leo~

My mouth was dry, so I drank the water and composed myself, ready to listen to the rest. I dared not

interrupt.

“Because of this progress, there was a law that we would only mate with Alphas to have strong alphas

in our bloodline like the Volkovs. Although Patrick died before his grandchildren from Rudolph got their

wolves Sophia lived long and tried to ensure they married Alphas.

Sophia passed away, and Rudolph he focused on his son and his grandchildren and ensured they

continued doing so as his parents wanted. That was why everyone in our lineage mated with an alpha.

All except you, Leo.” He said, and I remained fixed in my chair.

I was glad that Sophia was a distant cousin of Amelia’s ancestor, or else it would have been weird. I

held my tongue and listened.

My father told me about Gregory and Adrian’s agreement, how Gregory had broken that agreement,

and everything that Dimitri did to wipe out the Volkovs. He said the story the exact way everyone that

knew it narrated it.

“When the Stepanovs had to flee from the North, our family and the Sullivan Family helped them

escape,” He said. I was surprised by how the Sullivans got into the story.

“Are the Sullivans the same Sullivans that moved to the North and had an issue with Maurice?” I asked

my father, and he nodded.

‘” Yes, they are the same Sullivans. They were the descendants of the beta son the Stepanov

abandoned. The boy and his mother moved to the South to settle down, and that was when they

adopted that last name just like we adopted Albert. The Sullivans are Stepanov descendants, while we

are Volkov descendants with Stepanov genes,” My father explained. That made a lot of sense why

Susan recovered from silver so quickly.

Things had just gotten complicated. Susan was a distant relative of mine. But Sylvester was a closer

relative because Patrick was his ancestor.

“My father and Grey Sullivan’s father ensured the Stepanovs could settle and find homes in the East

and South. My father had many businesses then, but he spent all his money making sure Dimitri did

not win, even though Dimitri was more of our relative than the Stepanovs.

The Sullivans did the same in the South. Before my father passed away, he told me to work with the

Stepanovs and always ensure they were fine. I was to keep their secret and ensure they were

protected.

Grey Sullivan and I worked with the Stepanovs, Erik, Yuri, Ilya and Mikhail to ensure they were fine.

Yuri then had a bright idea of starting a family group of all the Stepanovs to help revive the bloodline

and start our lives instead of hiding in the dark.

Grey and I refused to join because we didn’t think it was a wise idea, and we saw it as corruptible

because Yuri wasn’t a nice guy. Yuri also had reservations about me because I was a Volkov.

By then, they had money and did not need us anymore.

The only reason they remained dependent on us was that they could not mix thoroughly because of

their apparent features, so they often asked us for help with certain things, and we would help when we could.

Maurice found some transfers and investigated Grey and Nicolas Sullivan. He had suspected an

underground network like a cult was after his Lordship but could never prove it.

I did not know that was what Yuri was doing then. I honestly thought Maurice was paranoid.

Lucas and Gavin were hot on Yuri and Erik’s trail because of the uprising against him led by the Head

Alpha of the West. Maurice believed they were a part of it, but he did not know they were Stepanovs

because they always dyed their hair and wore contacts. The only thing that exposed true Stepanovs is

that you wouldn’t feel your wolf when you try to shift beside them.” My father said, and I remembered

what Casper said about his inability to feel his wolf when he was with my parents.

“Do you have that ability, too, because my beta could not feel his wolf when he was with the two of

you?” I asked, and my mother laughed and showed me a bracelet that looked like a device.

“Erik made this for me. It is a radioactive silver emitter. It works when wolves are in close proximity.

Once turned on, everyone would lose connection to their wolves except the wearer,” She said, smiling,

and I looked at the ingenious device. This Erik guy must be brilliant.

My father cleared his throat to get us back to the discussion, and I focused my attention on him.

“Unfortunately for Grey, he got linked with the mysterious group. He and his wife Rebecca had to flee

the North, leaving their daughter behind. Yuri and Erik gave them refuge, and that was how they had no

choice but to join the Stepanov family group. The problem with the group was that once you were in,

you had to seize communication with the outside world.

The wave of the uprising hit us, and Ramsey sacrificed the Riverstorms for it because they ratted him

out. Martha and I knew the cause of the problem, but we had to hold our peace because Maurice was a

madman. So when you liked their daughter, we did not kick against it. She deserved to have a family.”

He said and sighed.

“You need to understand. Had we spoken up on their behalf, we would have had to expose our family,

and Maurice would not have pardoned any of us. He was mad like that,” My father said, and I already

knew that, so I nodded. I was glad Sylvester was nothing like his father.

“A year before we handed over to you, we noticed the Stepanov’s activities and became strong. Grey

told us of Yuri’s plans to take over.

Yuri had become so powerful that it was now a join-up-or-die thing.

We knew they would come to Mountain, and we wanted you to be safe, so Martha and I agreed to join

so they would leave you alone. Yuri and Erik agreed, and we handed the pack over to you and left.” He

said and bowed his head.

“Nothing could prepare us for what we would meet. That thing had turned into a cult. We learned of

many nasty things that were going on, but we dared not speak because we were referred to as Volkovs

there. We thought Dimitri was a madman. These people were worse.

They were sponsoring all kinds of things. Grey and I ensured that they never harmed the South and

East.

Then when I heard you had made it to head Alpha, I was more determined to keep their actives out of

the East.

Yuri tried to convince me a few times to ask you to join, but I refused.

I let him know a deal was a deal. He would often drop it.

Something happened two years ago, and then he and Erik split up.

They both had different agendas. Erik wanted to avenge what was done to the Stepanovs and restore

his family’s name and freedom; Yuri wanted to be Lord.

They argue about it, and the cult became divided.” He said, and I knew that was about when he said

they locked him up.

“Whose side were you on?” I asked him, and he looked at me.

“I was on my side. You had risen high by then, and the system the Volkovs were running was favouring

you. There was no point working against them. We were also Volkovs, so it would be wrong to work

against them.

That was where Grey and I shared different opinions. Grey wanted revenge because, unlike me, that

had no trouble; Maurice forced him to flee his home and join up over something he had no hand in. He

never forgave the man for it. Erik and Yuri went about their businesses with none disturbing each other.

They teamed up with a council member to help bring down Sylvester. I later discovered The

councilman was the person they teamed up with to help destroy Maurice in the past. The very uprising

that claimed innocent lives.

I did not witness the outcome of the second uprising, but I learned it failed.

Anyway, Yuri accused me of telling the outside world of their plans because I tried to send you a

postcard and because of that, they locked Martha and me up.

We were in the cell until recently when Grey helped us escape, and we had to come here to warn you

that Yuri is planning to take over the East and South.

I learned you helped make the Volkov a King, so now Yuri wants to be King of the South and East,” He

said, and I already knew that part.

I decided to ask them about Andrew because he made me nervous. He was in my settlement and knew

my friends were around.

“Do you know Andrew Petrov?” I asked, and he frowned at me.

“How do you know that name?” He asked, and I sighed.

“Well, he is on the run,” I said, and my father nodded.

“He is Mikhail Petrov’s son. He was working against the cult. He was feeding someone outside the cult

information about their activities, and I heard he worked against Erik by preventing him from getting the

daughter of the true Stepanov heir. He wants her to be mated to his son so they can have powerful

pups. The guy is ridiculous.” My father said, and I realised that Andrew wasn’t lying.

“So why did you say I shouldn’t trust anyone?” I asked him, still holding information on what I knew.

“Because Yuri is trying to recruit you. He wants to rule the East and South but wants your support. I

learned it was due to your close relationship with the Volkovs. Eriks wants you too; Grey told me Erik

sent some men to kidnap you from here, but you survived the attack somehow.

He wants to sample your genes because you are the only Alpha other than me with Stepanov’s silver

genes. He said Erik had run several silver tests on you, and you had passed where I had failed, so he

wants to capture you. While Yuri wants to use you against the Volkovs, Eriks wants you for your genes.

I had to come home to ensure they don’t get you.” He said, and I remember the attack in the woods

when Amelia and I went on a run. I did feel it was weird that they shot me and left her. I could not

believe it was me they wanted. It also meant the people who tried to abduct me were separate from

those who were camping in my woods and watching Amelia.

“Leo, you do not seem the slightest surprised about all your father has told you,” My mother said,

observing my mood, and I sighed.

“I am shocked to discover I am a Volkov descendant with Stepanov genes. It is a bit shocking, but the

other things were expected due to what has been happening lately in this place.” I said.

“Yuri is attacking packs and wiping out people that refuse to leave their land or submit. Erik sent his

men to the North to attack me and the Lords on our way back from the Calyman’s party….” I said, and

my father interrupted me.

“Joan Clayman? What were you doing in that bitch’s house?” my father asked with rage, and I

wondered why he hated the councilwoman.

“She is one of Yuri’s people. I doubt Erik was the one that attacked you.” My father said, and I frowned.

“Erik is just a scientist. His way of revenge is creating stronger Stepanovs and fighting to come out of

the dark. He wants his family name and glory restored. He disagrees with Yuri’s madness. Clayman

works for Yuri, so if you and the Lords were attacked on your way back from a party, it was Yuri’s doing.

The bastard isn’t even the heir.

If truly he is fighting a just cause, Louis’s children should be up for Lordship. I learned that the Volkov

had ordained many Lords. All he needs to demand is for Lordship for Louis’s children and their family’s

name to be restored. The man is just a greedy bastard. Now that his right-hand man … Mikhail Petrov,

is dead, He will soon start losing support because he has wasted too many lives lately,” My father said,

and I frowned.

“Andrew said Erik killed his father for supporting Yuri. He claims Erik is that bad guy and Yuri is the

good guy,” I said, and my father laughed.

“Since when did a mass murderer, a jailer and a dictator become a good person? I will tell you both are

evil, but the world would be better without Yuri. Yuri sent Andrew’s father to kill Erik. Erik caught him

and executed him. I was there when the bastard tried to Kill Erik. He would have succeeded too.

Andrew would be sentimental because he witnessed his father’s death. I doubt his father ever told his

son the truth before he died,” My father said, which cleared many things up for me.

I decided to tell my parents what had happened and where we were. I told them of my relationship with

the North and about Amelia. They were shocked by the time I told them everything.

“I can’t believe you were part of it. No wonder Yuri went nuts and started grabbing on straws. I am

proud of you,” my mother said, sounding excited.

“I want to meet Amelia. I want to see Tamia. I want to see all of them.” She said, sounding excited, and

I told her to calm down.

I had a more significant issue to discuss with my father.

“Father, do you know how we can meet Erik?” I asked him, and he frowned at me.

“If Amelia is your fated, that won’t be a good idea. Why do you want to meet him?” he asked me, and I

sighed.

“We need an army to fight Yuri when he comes for us because I know he is coming. His moles in the

South have helped him almost take it over. I believe he has moles here too, maybe not as powerful as

the ones in the South,” I said, and My mother’s eyes widened as if she remembered something.

“Joyce Monroe! You have to get her. I made the mistake of reaching out to her for help after Grey freed

us three months ago, and the bitch ratted us out. She is the reason we could not come here

immediately. Yuri almost caught us.” My mother said, and I remembered all the weird questions the

woman was asking Amelia and me when she saw us in town. I was mad but concealed it. I knew

exactly what to do to her.

” I will handle it,’ I told my mother and then faced my father.

“Yuri’s warriors are immune to silver. We do not stand a chance,” I said, and my father laughed.

I wondered what was funny about what I said.

“I must admit the Stepanov ability is intimidating. It is so intimidating that we see them as unbeatable.

There are other options to explore.” He said, and I frowned. I hope he has an answer that will give us

an advantage.