Golden Destiny

Chapter 18. Curiosity

Chief Cochise was an imposing but very kind man. After my father had woken up, still weak, we heard the thundering of paws on the ground and saw a horde of wolves and about a dozen men and women coming towards us. We braced for another fight, but a large white wolf came to the front of the newcomers. After he had shifted and donned a pair of pants handed to him by one of the men, he went to where dad was trying to sit up.

"Steady, River. You have to reserve your strength. My men and I will stand watch over your family."

And they did. While my brothers, Dima, Misha, Veren, and mom were getting dad ready for transport inside the cabin, Chief Cochise and his men formed a perimeter around the grounds. Their bodies were stiff, muscles bunched, like they were ready for an attack at any moment.

As dad was carried into the cabin, Harper going with them, I went to where the Chief was.

"Princess Mia, it is an honor to meet you," he told me with a slight bow.

"Chief Cochise. Thank you for coming to our aid," I told him.

"I can see we weren't needed," he smiled while looking at the bodies of the dead rogues littering the ground.

"Did you want to ask me something, Princess?" He asked.

"How did you know we were being attacked?"

"Prince Alexei," was all he said.

What?

"I'm sorry, Chief, but I don't understand."

"You know we were in a meeting with this pack's Alpha?"

I nodded. He nodded back.

"About thirty minutes ago, while this Alpha was trying his best to dazzle us with his supposed triumphs, the Prince cut him off and said just one word."

I kept quiet at first, but then I couldn't stand to any longer.

"What did he say?" I asked.

"Your name, Princess."

I gasped.

"You know, it's a beautiful thing to find your mate. I remember when I saw mine just like it was yesterday," he said, smiling wistfully.

"She was visiting from another tribe and the moment she entered the room, it was like it was only her and I there. My world stopped and began to revolve around her. It was like being found. Do you agree, Princess?"

I shook my head.

"I found my mate while I was in a coffee shop. He was walking in the door and I knew the second he realized I was his mate because he glared at me and walked away," I told him.

Chief Cochise looked confused, and then his mouth formed a small grin.

"I'm sorry you had to go through that, Princess Mia. Decades ago, when the prophecy was first made known to us, me and my wife were so sad upon learning that either you or your mother would be turned away by her mate."

I nodded.

"But I was asking about your other mate, not that first one."

I looked at him bewildered.

"I don't have another mate," I told the Chief.

Again, a look of confusion appeared on his face.

"You haven't met your second chance mate yet?" He asked, and I noticed he was choosing his words very carefully. Why, I didn't know.

"It's my understanding that second chance mates are rare, Chief Cochise. I don't know if the Goddess deems me worthy of that," I told him.

He looked angry then looked around.