The Dark Side Of Fate by Karima Sa'ad Usman

29 The Coin (Book 2)

~Sylvester~

After asking Tamia if she and Amelia had returned, I stared at the strange coin on my desk and examined it with gloves. I wondered why wolves would keep something dangerous to them.

I wondered what was happening in the east and the deal with Leo's pack.

We had enjoyed peace for over a year now, and I hoped it would be forever, but the little complaints that have come up recently didn't seem like it.

First, Maxwell Blanch and his fight with Alexie, the nobody that took over his pack. I knew there was more to it because Devin complained of the same thing. Why couldn't we have peace for once?

Looking at the coin, I knew only one person could explain it. The writing was ancient, and it wasn't something I could easily place. It did not look like currency spent at any time, and the ranking stars on the back indicated 'Delta' did not make sense. Why would anyone use silver to hold their ranks?

Only one person could explain what the coin was, Marcel's father, Lucas.

The man had been bored since he returned. He had gotten back with his mate, but there was sadness in his eyes. I guess the fact that he had killed his best friends, who were also his distant cousins, would haunt him for the rest of his life.

He was lonely even though he tried to hide it.

I imagined what I would do without Marcel and Theodore and knew I would be just as miserable. Maybe not as bleak as he was because I had made more friends and built connections, but I knew what he was going through. I understood it.

The fact that they died by his hands worsened his depression. It was a pain he would never heal from, no matter how hard the people around him tried. The truth was, he was better off dead with them.

I expected he would be overzealous about helping with this task, so I discussed it with Marcel before involving his father.

I linked Marcel to come to my office, and he said he was on his way.

I looked at the time, and it was three in the afternoon.

Usually, this was when I closed from the office to spend time with my wife and children, but this coin thing would take my time, and I knew it.

I was willing to sacrifice today, so I could have peace tomorrow. I hoped it wouldn't be anything serious because we all need peace.

While I waited for Marcel to come, a call came through on my phone, and I answered immediately, knowing it had to be someone dear because it was my personal line.

"Hello," I said, and there was silence before the voice mustered the courage to speak.

"Sylvester, it's Vino," I heard my brother's voice and froze.

He had been gone for four months, and no one knew where he was. I pretended that I wasn't worried, but I was. I had sent people to search for him to no avail.

"Where the hell have you been, Vino? We have been looking for you. David and Dominic have been travelling searching. I would have joined in, too, if I wasn't king. Why would you just disappear like that? Four months Vino. Why?" I asked him, and he sighed.

"I am sorry, Sylvester. Honestly, I am, but I needed space. Not everyone heals quickly, you know. I needed time away," He said, and I pinched the bridge of my nose, frustrated because he was talking about Amanda. Amanda had committed suicide, where she was kept five months ago, and even though he tried to hide it, I knew it got to him. Honestly, as wicked as she was, none of us was ready to kill her because of the triplets, but her selfishness never changed, and she chose to end things on her terms.

"So when are you coming home?" I asked him, and he sighed.

"Until I prove myself to you, Sylvester. I can't come and sit around as if I did nothing wrong. I sat there on the council and let them run circles around you. I am just as guilty as they are. I am on a mission to redeem myself," he said, and I became scared because whatever he was saying did not sound good.

He had three daughters with him. Other than the two nannies that followed him, he was alone. Why would he put himself in such a precarious situation?

"All is forgiven, Vino. You have nothing to prove to me or anyone, not even yourself. Just come back. If you want to make yourself useful, I have a job for you in the east. I am sure you will like the assignment." I said, and he paused.

"What assignment?" He asked, and I knew I had tickled his curiosity.

I hoped there wouldn't be anything serious in the east, but I would make it sound interesting enough to tickle his curiosity and bring him home.

"Some silver-immune Alphas taking over packs in the east and south," I said, and he was silent.

"No way, Sylvester, there is no such thing," He said, and I laughed.

"Apparently, there is. Why don't you come home and help me solve this mystery? I will take your participation as penance. Tamia misses the girls, and I am sure Nicole and Katya would love to help too. My mother wasn't happy that you took them with you. They deserve a home, Vino, and you need a job of which I have just given you one. Will you please return?" I said, and he paused a while.

"I will take the first flight back from Gad," he said, and I wondered what he was doing in Gad.

"What are you doing in Gad?" I asked him.

"Keeping an eye on Alpha Sean. There have been some serious illegal takeovers in the west that the council isn't really aware of. Leo brought it up several times, but Sean said they were pack members of Alphas tried for treason.

I checked it out, and he was right, but the takeovers' formation and concentration baffled me the most.

While some are actually what he says they are, others are alpha challenges of packs that share borders with the east and south.

I think it is a secret activity. I know I sound crazy and might just be overthinking things, but I think it was worth looking into.

Alpha Jake Brighton has been spared because his pack shares a border with Devin's pack. I do not know why. The baffling part of all this is that the three alphas that have taken up packs that share the border with the east and south are new alphas, and I am hearing rumours that they are Delta breeds. I haven't checked it out yet.

I can't explain it to you, but something is off. The other western takeovers are just as Sean has described, but these ones are different. I am still investigating it, but I will come home tomorrow.

Once Leo's matter is concluded, I will return because I think I am on to something," He explained, and he did not have to explain any further than he had.

What he said did sound like he was on to something.

Leo had complained bitterly about the sudden inflow of displaced persons to the east and how they were overcrowding the system there.

I just hoped this inflow of people was actually displaced people, not people like Alexie. Còntens bel0ngs to Nô(v)elDr/a/ma.Org

Vino said goodbye, and we both hung up. I composed myself, and Marcel walked in. His shirt had baby food, and I knew he was with his son, Marvin.

"Sorry I pulled you away from family time," I apologised, and he smiled at me.

"Whatever it is must be serious because you should be with Harper and Liam, too," he said, and I was grateful that he wasn't angry.

"So what is it?" he asked, and I showed him the coin.

"Leo found this in his woods," I said and told him all Leo told me about the attack in his woods.

"He looked at the coin and was confused.

"Why would wolves have silver coins with ranks on them?" he asked, and I nodded.

"More reason why I called you. The writing is an ancient language. It says the strength of evolution is stronger than death. I do not understand what the wolf with a leaf in the mouth means," I said, and he nodded.

"Let me take a photo and send it to my father. He would understand it better. I would have said, we asked your mother, but she wasn't in the system like my father was," He said, and I nodded.

"That was precisely why I called you. I wanted to discuss this with your father," I said, and he took out his phone.

He placed a call to Lucas immediately.

"Hello, Father," Marcel said, and I rested my pack on my chair to listen to their conversation. He put his phone on speaker and placed the phone on my desk. They exchanged pleasantries, and Lucas asked Marcel when he would bring Marvin over. Instead of responding, Marcel went straight to the point and tabled the matter at hand.

"Leonardo brought a strange silver coin he found in his woods in the east. We do not understand what it means. We were hoping you could identify it and tell us the meaning," Marcel said.

"Silver coin?" Lucas said, surprised that the coin was made from silver.

"Take a picture and send it to me. I will figure it out from there," Lucas said, and Marcel thanked him and hung up.

Marcel diligently took pictures of the coin, ensuring he did so on both sides and sent it to his father.

"Why did you change the topic when he asked for Marvin?" I asked Marcel, and he smiled.

"Avery and I are planning a surprise visit, and we have good news to share with them too. The impact would be best if he feels something is off," He said with a devious grin, and I laughed.

Even though Marcel thought it was a well-kept secret, I already knew Avery was pregnant. The doctor had informed me, but I plan to act surprised when they decide to tell us.

We both sat in the office, waiting for Lucas's response.

I would lie if I said I wasn't nervous. I prayed that it wasn't anything serious.

After waiting an hour, Lucas called back, and Marcel put him on speaker.

"Are you sure Leo found this coin in his woods?" he asked perturbingly.

"Yes, father. He brought it to us," Marcel replied, and I heard Lucas sigh.

"This is confusing," He said.

No one interrupted, so he continued to speak.

"The wolf and leaf is a family insignia symbolising the Stepanovs' evolution. The leaf represents the practice of alchemy, and the coin symbolises their evolution and immunity to silver. What baffles me is that Adrik and his entire bloodline were slain by Marcel's father, Dimitri. What is their family insignia doing in the woods of Mountain?" He asked, and I was just as shocked and confused as Marcel. What was going on in the east?