Vindicator

Chapter 64

"Mother!" Chance said in exasperation, angry that Karma left because of her.

The Queen's face had paled at the letter, she didn't seem to hear Chance. Instead she turned to her husband and held out the paper to him. "They will declare war in three days" she explained.

Reggie frowned, looking at the paper his wife was handing him. "Those bastards!" He growled. "Trying to force us out like this..."

Now stitched and bandaged up, Chance walked towards his parents. "It's my fault...You're both perfectly capable of having another child. I am now seen as mateless, and..." he nearly said wolfless, but remembering his home was already infiltrated by the enemy once, he decided not to. "And...Well, I just think it would be something to consider. If I die, so does their footing for taking over."

"Don't be ridiculous!" The King boomed at his son. "The situation with your mate may have given them the courage to rest their pathetic little heads, but those cowards did not come up with this plan over night. You are not to blame, Chance, and I will be cold in my grave before I let anyone kill your for the throne!" He vowed passionately.

The Queen nodded, recomposing herself and straightening up. "Your father is right! Besides, if it was just the mate situation, announcing the Spectre as your mate would resolve it. That may buy us some time, but I think you will find that they are not so easily deterred" she said with a sigh.

"Speaking of..." Chance said, levelling his mother with a disapproving stare. "Her name is Karma, and we will be fortunate if she will still have me after my mother chose to treat her so abhorrently!"

Aless pursed her lips, meeting her son's stare. "You do her injustice by assuming an insult from me could dissuade her. I admit, I was angry and rude...But she will return, and I will apologize to her then; however..." she said, pausing before continuing through mindlink. "Do not get attached to her, darling. She has a mate out there, and for all we know has already met him. It could even be this Alpha she has run off to see, and that is why he even accepted her into his pack. I just do not want you to get hurt again..."

Chance took in a sharp breath at the mention of Karma potentially being mated to her Alpha. His parents lead him out of the medical wing and back to his own area. They even got him a new shirt, and the family continued to the throne room to discuss how, when and where they would announce Karma as his mate. For Chance, though, it was all a blur in the background as he considered the possibility of Karma and her Alpha.

It was true that he didn't know enough about the Forsaken pack's Alpha to know if he was even a possibility; but, the more he thought of it, the more it made sense. Why else would Karma be picked from all possible werewolves to be his right-hand wolf? Wouldn't Christina have been the more obvious choice? She was still young enough to fulfill the role for years to come, and had the leadership and fighting experience of a Luna.

Although, Karma had said he didn't recognize her as his mate. Still, the devotion one would have for their mate, like Karma may have for her Alpha, could have been what endeared her to him. It would also explain why Karma was so tormented over mates; did her Alpha marry a chosen mate? Perhaps she had to sit back and accept that her mate had already chosen another; but, to remain close to him, she took on the role that would allow her to be closest to him.

The more Chance thought about it, the more certain he was. It ate him up inside to know that his mother had chased Karma off to her potential mate, instead of by his side. He didn't want to tell his parents that she was also mateless, like him; that was information she entrusted to him. Still, he wanted someone else to know who could encourage him or discourage him, either way. Clearly, he was biased.

To his dismay, the night passed with no sign of Karma returning, and he began to fear the worst. What if she really didn't come back? What if she admitted to her mate who she was in a last ditch effort before resigning herself to being his stand-in mate? And her mate accepted her, so she was abandoning him? On and on his anxious thoughts spiralled.

While he was lost in his head, the plans for his mate being announced were settled, and his parents shifted to discussions of war preparation. Typically, a topic like this would involve an entire room full of people; unfortunately, the monarchs didn't know who they could trust outside of themselves.

"...To the Forsaken pack, we should have Karma ask her Alpha" Chance overheard the King saying, causing him to zone back in on the conversation at hand.

"Sorry father, what was that?"

The King gave him a look, seeming to have known his head wasn't in the planning. "I said that, for your safety, we should consider sending your to the Forsaken pack if war does break out...Nobody knows where it is, so it would be the safest place for you" he reasoned.

Chance was angry, feeling as though he was some fragile doll being locked away in these china cabinet for safe-keeping. Upon reflection, though, he had to acknowledge that without Xander, he was more of a hindrance than anything. With a heavy sigh, he nodded in agreement "I can understand why you feel that would be wise, father."

After all of his time fretting over the Alpha, he was to be sent to that very man's protection should war break out! How humiliating, he thought. Suddenly, he felt a heavy hand clap him on his uninjured shoulder, causing him to look up to see his father had moved to stand beside him.

"You should get some rest, my boy...Tomorrow will be a big day, and I can tell you are riddled with distractions already" the King said.

Grimacing, Chance once again nodded. "Yes, perhaps you're right father...I should get some rest" he replied as he got back to his feet. He bowed his head in respect to his father, then walked over to kiss his mother's cheek and bid her good night.

Wandering the halls back towards his own bed, he was once again dragged back into his thoughts on Karma. It had only been one date, but he was already so taken with her. The realization that she was also mateless had given him hope that he hadn't thought he'd be able to have, especially not so soon after losing his mate. It was clear that he and Karma had chemistry...And he realized, based on his clear obsession with thinking of her, he had feelings for her.

If he is fortunate enough to get the chance...Should he tell her?