Vindicator

Chapter 29

Back at the Royal Pack infirmary, Theo was unconscious in a hospital bed. At his bedside, the Prince sat impatiently waiting for him to open his eyes.

Karma had returned home to find some clothes for herself and her father before they made it back to the Royal pack. She immediately insisted on getting Theo seen by the medical staff, and introduced Christina as Theo's mother. She also gave the King, Queen and Prince a detailed run-down on how Christina was the first abused mate saved by the Forsaken pack's Alpha, so they understood her dynamic with her former mate and her son.

Russell was immediately taken into custody, pending Theo's health returning to allow him to take over Red Moon. Christina was given a room to rest in while she waited for Theo to wake up. Her demands to be with him in the hospital were overruled by Chance, who wanted time alone with Theo to discuss their bond. He was afraid Theo would run away again, and needed to jump on the first available opportunity to discuss things with him. He also enjoyed sitting in the silence, holding his mate's hand while he just listened to him breathe.

Chance stared at their joined hands on the bed and let out a sigh. "I've always been told the mate bond is all but irresistible" he said to Xander through their link. "How come he keeps pushing us away?"

Xander was silent for a moment as he pondered. "Honestly...I was thinking about that, too. Do you think something happened to our bond? The Spectre said she could obliterate bonds, and that's how she was able to save Christina from her mate...But she also thinks she broke the family bond that Christina had with our mate. Maybe her ability to do that is what's impaired our mate bond." He hypothesized.

Chance considered Xander's theory with a frown, worried there'd be no way to fix the bond if that's what happened. From the corner of his eye, though, Chance caught movement and his thoughts flew out the window. He jerked his attention up to see Theo's eyes flutter open.

Theo let out a soft groan as his consciousness, and pain, returned to him. He felt something on his hand and tried to pull away from it, the pleasurable tingles of the mate bond not registering for him right away. Chance held fast, though, and wouldn't let go of his hand.

The memory of his moments before losing consciousness hit Theo, and the fear of being restrained rose up as panic within him. He flailed, desperately trying to jerk away from his captor. His large frame on the tiny hospital bed upset the whole structure, and the bed began to topple over. Instead of steadying the bed, and risking his mate falling off and hurting himself more, Chance dove over the bed after Theo. He wrapped himself around Theo protectively as the two fell off the bed in a heap, and the bed itself crashed on its side next to them. Chance landed on his back with an "oomph!", and Theo's full weight, along with a few flailing punches landed on his body.

"It's okay, it's okay! You're safe!" He called out to Theo, still holding onto him in his best effort to restrain him.

Hearing the familiar voice, and feeling sparks erupt over his skin where it connected with Chance's skin, was enough to snap Theo back to reality. He was panting, near a full-blown panic attack as he stared down, wide-eyed, at the man beneath him.

Seeing that he was able to recognize him, Chance sat up a bit and shifted Theo so he was sitting on his lap more than his stomach. Theo was so dazed and confused that he didn't fight back, still staring at Chance.

"It's okay. You're safe. I won't let anything happen to you" Chance said, this time using a gentler tone. He reached out to cup Theo's cheek with his hand, staring into those gorgeous once-green eyes.

Theo was still breathing heavily, struggling to calm down. He unintentionally leaned into the comforting touch of his mate, and it helped to soothe the anxiety building within him. His heart began to settle down, and his breathing slowed as he started to register that he was no longer in the same debilitating pain as before. And if the Prince was here, then his father likely wasn't here. He was safe. Chance had said he was safe, he told himself.