Vindicator

Chapter 12

Author's note: Possible trigger warning for homophobia and abusive language. I do not share the ignorant, short-sighted beliefs of my characters. :)
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As soon as the word left Chance's lips, everyone in the room bristled.

Theo, the Alpha heir, paled in disbelief. He stared at Chance, seemingly incapable of responding as his brain struggled to process what was happening.

Meanwhile, his father snarled at Chance, turning to glare at him. Gone was the sobbing mess of an Alpha, replaced by a very angry, albeit human one.

Tom stepped in front of his friend, snarling back at the Alpha. "Watch it, mutt, you're already on thin ice. I wouldn't go snarling at the crowned prince if I were you" he said in warning.

"How dare he claim my son is his mate?!" The Alpha yelled, spittle flying from his mouth in his rage. "My son is an Alpha heir! He can't be gay! His mate is a woman and will give him an heir of his own!" He continued on, the veins in his neck visible from the stress his rage was putting on his body. "He's not going to be your queen, you pathetic piece of shit!" He ended, spitting at the prince.

With the silver shackles restraining his wolf, and werewolf abilities, the blow that Tom landed on him would have killed a lesser Alpha. Instead, it just sent the man crashing to the floor, unconscious. Tom was seething over someone daring to disrespect the prince like that.

This snapped Theo back to the present, breaking him from his daze. Like his father, he growled at Tom and the prince. "Like he said, I'm not your mate. I'm an Alpha heir, not some piece of ass for a Royal" he sneered.

Tom growled back, ready to punch the rude piece of shit wolf in front of him; but, a hand on his shoulder stopped him. It was the prince, reminding him without words that Theo was not to be harmed.

Chance was frowning at Theo's reaction, hurt that his mate was refusing to acknowledge the bond. "You feel it, too" he said to Theo, not taking his eyes off of the man.

Theo glared back at Chance. He couldn't deny it to himself, but he could certainly deny it to the rest of the world. "You're full of shit. I don't feel anything" he spat.

Chance moved quicker than Theo could follow, and was in front of him before the last word left his mouth. So when Chance gently placed a hand on his cheek, he let out a shocked gasp at the pleasurable feel of tiny sparks dancing across his skin. Chance smirked down at him, pleased he was able to confirm what he'd thought - only mates would feel sparks when in contact like this. At Theo's gasp, everyone else in the room tensed further.

Theo, stunned at first, smacked the prince's hand aside. He growled, too angry and embarrassed to realize he could have played the situation differently. In his mind, his reaction told the room what he didn't want to admit - he was mated to a man. Why? How?! This was humiliating!

"I, Theo Hemming, Alpha heir of the Red Moon pack, reject you—" but he couldn't finish his sentence, a giant hand clamped down over his mouth.

"No!" Chance hissed, his face paling in disbelief and distress. "You can't! I won't accept it!"

Theo shook his head until Chance released him, growling. "I'm not gay, never have been and never will be. I like women, and if I've been fated to a fucking man then I might as well just take my pick of all the women who fall at my feet. This is bullshit. If you won't accept the rejection, it's on you, but as soon as I'm out of here I'm taking the hottest girl I can find and—"

Chance cut him off, colour returning to his face as he began to seethe. "I didn't expect this either, but the mate bond is sacred! We must accept that the Moon Goddess is pairing us for a reason!"