The Dark Side Of Fate by Karima Sa'ad Usman

129 Casting Votes

~Sylvester~

Larry was the first to stand and address all of us. Since Makhailovs were indisposed, the responsibility fell on him.

"We all know why we are here today," he said, clearing his throat.

"I will bring you up to speed for those who do not know," he said, looking at the alphas from each region to ensure he had their attention.

"Three nights ago, Sylvester Volkov, acting in the lord's capacity, made a massive arrest, arresting alphas, council members, mates and so on. He arrested people, randomly targeting them. Took over the council prison by force by installing his enforcers and was unapologetic about it," He said, and many people gasped.

"We have a report that states some people were beaten up and denied their rights. We have a witness that claimed they saw the people Sylvester Volkov arrested, requesting that they be brought before this council for a fair trial. He did not only deny them but threw them into prison.

We tried reaching out to him in good faith, but he refused to respond. He acted as if he was above the law and could do as he liked. Right now, we do not know his victims' condition, nor know if they are still alive. This tyrannical behaviour should not be allowed to stand," Larry said, and people began to murmur.

"As a lord, Sylvester Volkov protects and serves us. Every suspect has the right to be brought before this council. He locked some up in the dungeon in his estate, and when it was filled up, he took over the prison. We can't allow this. So today, the council has decided to relieve him of his status as lord and try him for violating the people's basic rights," Larry said, and everyone grumbled. It was clear it did not sit well with some people.

"We do not want a war; leave Volkov alone," I heard some alphas say, afraid of what I might do. My family's reputation was really strong.

"I object!" Leo said, standing up, and everyone was silent.

"This council will make no such decision without me and my colleagues' points of view in consideration," he said, and there was silence.

It was clear the council wanted the regional leaders to refrain from speaking.

They were supposed to table Leo's letter instead of what they tabled. They feared losing power before getting rid of me.

Removing me as lord meant anyone would be installed as King. I bet Leo saw it coming. He made the best move.

"I object to this nonsense. I sent a letter yesterday, and that is what we are here to discuss," he said, tabling the fundamental matter.

"Eh, Alpha Albert, we have to deal with the issue before discussing your matter," Larry tried to explain.

"The issue at hand and the matter we are discussing are one and the same. The council no longer wants a lord, and I agree," He said, and there was total silence because the implications of his words meant the council had won.

"I do not want a lord because this lordship thing has not helped us. There is a terrorist group trying to cause war by all means, and there is no way to catch them because of the stupid laws and protocols we have to follow.

Recently we let a suspect go because we couldn't pin anything on her. How can we succeed under these stringent laws that favour criminals?" He said, referring to Amanda. No one wanted to let her go, but we could not pin anything on her, which still baffles me.

"This system could also be corrupt, which is why I see a few empty council seats. I do not want a lord but a King," he said, and people were surprised.

"A king does not need to follow protocol. He does what he must for his people. Sixty per cent of my region has been taken by the traitors. What has this council done? Nothing.

I am sure Lord Volkov had to do what he did for peace. I wrote to this council a few months ago to make specific complaints. Nothing was done.

My Beta calls, and all he keeps getting is that they are working on it. For how long do we want to go on like this? The system is corrupt. We are on the verge of war, and the perpetrators are faceless. I want a king, and I say we take a vote.

I want a king and the original order restored with Sylvester Volkov as King and the other three families as the lords. That is what I want. Because he is the only one I know who has the balls to do what this council failed to do.

He single-handedly slowed down their activities in my region, and you want him to step down for putting the safety of the people first?

You want to disgrace him for locking up suspects so we can breathe and think straight?

Jake Brighton's pack was destroyed by an order passed by this council. Even though they claim it was from Lord Volkov, we later discovered that he knew nothing of it, and the council failed to confirm whether he authorised it.

Is the council not supposed to keep the lord in check? Then why authorise taxes to be increased and a pack to be attacked? Why did this council not challenge the order?

Lord Volkov has to be a tyrant, so we can survive these faceless people. He is doing what he must.

Though slow to solve the problems our region has faced, the council is quick to condemn the one person who has done something about the situation.

However crude, it was necessary.

Is the council a part of this group, or are they just complacent?" he asked, and the members of the council became worried and agitated. None of their names was on our lists, so I knew they were not involved, but Leo's words got to them.

"I am not a fool and refuse to be treated as one. Today this whole charade stops. I want Sylvester Volkov as King, and we should take a vote," Leo said, livid.

There was no way those things he said were rehearsed. He meant every word.

The murmur was so loud after Leo's speech that Vino had to bang the gavel.

"We are sorry for your grievances, Alpha Albert, and If I had known anything of it, I would have personally seen to it that your matter is resolved," Vino said to Leo gently, and Leo ignored him. Please check at N/ôvel(D)rama.Org.

"However, you alone can not decide you want a King. We should vote," He said, and Devin stood up.

"I agree, and so does alpha Christian, so please get on with it. We do not have time to waste. We have all suffered the same things," Devin said, and Larry cleared her throat.

"Those are compelling allegations. If a group of people is trying to cause war, we have to investigate it. We also have to be sure this isn't a plan by Volkov to force this to happen," Larry said, and there was uproar.

I realised many people wanted to change the order and the system.

"How dare you!" I heard some people say. Mostly western Alphas because the noise was more in their section.

"How dare you! I say we vote and get this over with," Some people from the southern loge said.

"I say we carry out this vote just as Alpha Albert requested. This is the most useless council in history, and we no longer want the council in power. This democracy isn't working for us.

Wolves need a leader, not leaders. They need one they would follow that would have absolute control. That is how best we function. This system has almost altered our nature and caused unnecessary behaviour.

I agree with Alpha Albert and Alpha Corrigan that we take the vote now and move on," Christian said, and from the look on the faces of the council, they already knew how this would go.

I had the majority votes of the nobles and the head Alphas. I was going to be King.

Vino banged the gavel with difficulty this time and stood up.

"Very well, this council would take a vote; the head alphas would take a vote, and the elite families would vote. I will be standing in for my family and my late Aunts' family," he said, and we did not see that coming.

The Babanins were nobles too.

Leo got up immediately to speak.

I knew he did not like Vino.

I did not know why or whether anything had transpired between them, but he seemed to hate the Lawrence family.

"The Lawrence have no business voting in this, Vino. You are not a true northern noble family. The last King might have given your ancestors noble status, but you have no rights here," Leo repeated what he had once said, and everyone was silent.

Leo's words had hurt Vino. I had never seen Vino so angry before.

"How dare you, Albert! How dare you belittle my family like this?" he asked with his alpha command. He was strong, but Leo wasn't a weak Alpha; it brushed past him like nothing.

"Say I am lying, and I will rest my case. Only true northern elites can be involved in a matter like this. You can vote on behalf of the Babanin by proxy, but that is it. Lawrence would have no say in this other than the council vote; they will have no votes as nobles," Leo said with his Alpha command, and everyone was silent.

The man was a powerful Alpha. Thinking of the strength he wielded, I realised that he was just stupid and weak where Amanda was concerned. What an irony.

Everyone was silent, and Leo won the argument.

The vote was cast, and Vino, Joan and Pamela voted in my favour. I was surprised that Vino voted that I be King after all Leo said to him.

He should have voted against it knowing it was Leo's cause.

The alphas cast their votes, and all four of them, even Sean, voted in favour that I become King.

When the noble families voted, they all agreed that I become King.

Even Vino used the Babanin's seat to vote in my favour; there it was; I was no longer Lord of the north but King of our world.

The inauguration was set for the next week, but because of that vote, I could start acting as a king, meaning no one could question me or ask me to explain myself again.

I hoped we had not created a monster for the ones that would come after me.

I looked at my mate and kissed her hand to ensure this would not destroy us in the future; we must instil strong values in our children.

I was grateful to everyone who voted in my favour and was glad that part was over.

It was time to start questioning, and Ramsey was the first on my list.

Vino came to my booth to congratulate me.

"Your Majesty," he said with a broad smile and looked at Tamia and smiled. He always smiled at Tamia. I suspected he had a crush on her, one he could not act on.

"Thank you for the vote, Vino. I will try my best to serve," I said, and he bowed his head.

"Do you mind telling me what The Makailovs and the Peakmans did?" he asked curiously.

"They belong to a group," I said, and he looked confused.

"A treasonous group," I added, and he nodded understandingly.

"Very well then, I wouldn't want to be in their shoes," he said, and I smiled.

"No one would want to be in their shoes, and trust me, by the time I am done with them, people will feel very sorry for them," I said with a promise in my tone.

He congratulated me again and congratulated Marcel and Theodore on their lordship. I looked at where Larry was, and he was unhappy about the outcome. The man genuinely hated me, and I did not know why.