Vindicator

Chapter 42

Karma's jaw dropped as she stared at the Goddess. "So...The Prince is actually supposed to be my mate?" She asked.

"Yes. I always intended for you to be mated to the Prince. Theo's mate is a female, as he is expecting" she explained.

Karma raised an eyebrow, asking "but Theo is mated to the Prince, so...I don't have to be?"

Smiling, the Moon Goddess nodded. "That is true. If your brother accepts that Chance is his mate...Well, you will then some day meet your female mate. And Theo will be the first and last male to be mated to a King, because he will end the Royal line."

Karma frowned. "So, you're saying...I have to either get the Prince to accept Theo's rejection, or forcefully break their bond...And then he will realize I'm his true mate...Or I can convince Theo to accept the Prince, but I would bring an end to the monarchy?" She asked for clarification.

"Correct" the Goddess replied.

"Why would you give me that ability?" Karma asked, still frowning.

"Because change needs to occur...Having seen the worst of your kind, and being blessed by your Goddess, you now have the power to change the world. You are the Queen that the werewolves need to right their wrongs; but, it is up to you if you feel they deserve that chance" the Goddess answered cryptically.

"Deserve that chance? What happens to werewolves if I don't become the Queen?" Karma demanded, suddenly feeling a great weight on her shoulders

"The Alphas and elders will be left to determine what comes next for your race, should you choose to end the monarchy" she said simply, with an elegant shrug. "Do not fret, my dear child. I do not want you to know the future, I simply want you to live the life you feel is best. Based on your own experiences and your kind heart, the werewolves will forge their own fate. I merely ask you to follow your heart, and do what you feel is right. That is all I can tell you, for our time is coming to an end."

"You can't just tell me that I'm supposed to follow my heart to determine the fate of an entire race, and then leave!" Karma shouted angrily.

The Goddess just smiled at her, and the next time Karma blinked she found herself back in the Prince's bed. She was right where she'd left things, being held an arms-length from Chance, her eyes downcast while his stared at her expectantly.

"Mate!" Alessia shrieked in her mind, excited as she caught up on what had happened between Karma and the Goddess. "He's our mate! We have to tell him!" The wolf sang joyously while prancing around.

Karma ignored the wolf in her mind and shook her head, as much to clear the wolf's singing as it was to answer Alessia's statement. She took a breath, and decided she'd tell Chance the truth...Or, at least, a version of it.

"I'm your mate's sister" she said quietly.

Alessia growled in Karma's mind, not liking the path she was walking. "Theo is not his mate" she said menacingly.

"He is for now. I need time to think, once I tell him I'm his mate there's no taking it back...At least if he thinks Theo is his mate, it buys me time to think" Karma responded.

Meanwhile, Chance's eyes widened in shock. "What?! But he's an Alpha-heir. Alphas can't have daughters...But you look exactly like him...And your father" he said, mostly talking to himself.

Karma frowned, not liking that she also shared her looks with her so-called father. "I'm blessed by the Moon Goddess...Is it so unusual she'd also make me the child of an Alpha?" She asked with a shrug.

In Karma's mind, she could feel that Alessia had begun pacing in irritation. "Why do you need time to think? He's our mate!" The wolf reasoned.

Karma was trying to focus on the Prince, but was finding it hard with how annoying Alessia was becoming. "Because I never wanted a mate! We saw what it did to mom, we saw what it's doing to Theo and the Prince! To all of those people we've had to save from their mates! What good are they? I just want to stay single with you, mom and Faith!" She snapped at her wolf.

Chance, unaware of the argument taking place in front of him, frowned, but nodded. "So...Why have I not heard of you until recently...Spectre?" He asked, though not unkindly.

"That's not all mates! He's a good man, he'd be a wonderful mate. Even though Theo doesn't want him, he's been nothing but kind, loving and devoted. He is not the kind of mate we've had to save others from! We should be with him!" Alessia howled in frustration.

"My powers only awakened when I turned 15" Karma answered Chance while leaving her wolf unanswered for now. She knew Alessia was right, that Chance had been a wonderful mate to Theo so far. Unfortunately, she knew that it meant nothing, and he could change like so many had. She didn't want to risk the pain, it seemed easier to just stay alone forever.

"But a female being born to an Alpha would have been incredible, and that news would have travelled far and fast...Why didn't we know about this?" He asked.

Karma snorted a laugh. "You've met my so-called father, he's not exactly a stand-up guy. He forbade anyone who knew of me to speak of my existence, then he told the pack that my mother had cheated on him and he was banishing her. His wolf wouldn't let him completely reject her, and she would never let him kill me, or...I'm certain he would have" she explained.

Chance growled, not appreciating the idea of someone killing Karma. This caused Karma to look up in surprise at the Prince, making eye contact once again. Now that she knew he was meant to be her mate, she couldn't deny the pull she felt. She had been lying to herself by saying it was only Alessia, when she was drawn to him as well. Cursing herself inwardly, she looked away from him again.

"She has been acting unusual...She won't make eye contact with us anymore. Ever since we asked why she looks like mate" Xander said, suspicious of her shift in behaviour but uncertain what it could mean.

"Well...It is a big secret she's been keeping. Maybe she's just embarrassed" Chance suggested.

"No. I think she's lying about something" Xander insisted. "Make her look at us!"

Chance considered ignoring his wolf, but he did have to admit that Karma was avoiding his gaze. He reached out gently to take her chin in his fingers and tilt her head up to look at him.

Ever stubborn, Karma had her face tilted up towards the Prince's without fighting; however, she kept her eyes downcast to avoid eye contact. The Prince found this amusing, and let out a chuckle. Hearing his chuckle caused Karma's heart to skip a beat, and unintentionally her eyes snapped up to look into his.

And it was in that moment that Tom burst into the Prince's room, shouting that he had news about Theo.