Second Chance Mate (The Force - Book 2)

**This is the second book in The Force series. If you have not yet read, “The Werewolf’s Mate (The Force – Book 1) check it out before starting book two. If you have already read book one, thank you! Please remember to follow me by clicking the heart symbol.** Training at the Royal Court was an honor. Only the best warriors were selected to go through the training program, or those who had parents that had influence to get their son in. Not many females were admitted to the training program. Mostly because female she-wolves could not shift into wolf form. A major disadvantage. Most females were not as strong as a male Werewolf, not as fast. It’s not to say there were not strong females who would make great warriors. They just would not make it to the Royal Court. The Royal Court was guarded by all males. A few of the skilled female warriors who passed the training program were often assigned to noble families as personal guards or went into private work. Mattie was determined to be the first she-wolf to be accepted as part of the Royal Court, not to be passed off to a rich family to babysit some spoiled brat. No, she wanted to be part of the vampire task force which hunted vampires. Having lost both of her parents to a Vampire attack, she was determined to join the Royal Court to help rid their territory of the blood suckers before others suffered losses like she had. Today was examination day. Mattie made sure she had a good night’s rest. Her roommate, Elle, never understood Mattie’s desire to be a part of the Royal Court. There were so many programs she could have selected that were not dangerous, but she was determined. Like the good friend Elle was, she made them a healthy breakfast. Each of them had their own exams to complete. For Elle, she worked on her art portfolio projects all month, designing her best work to showcase today. Each of them ate in silence, mulling over the challenges they would face today. Elle’s family took a liking to Mattie when they met her. They even put a good word in for Mattie to help her get accepted into the training program. As a favor to the family, the director of the program admitted Mattie, but he never made it easy for her. He was determined from the first day to make things so difficult that she would quit. From his point of view, he was providing her with an accelerated program, giving her advanced challenges to test her abilities. Tasks he never thought she would complete. Each task he gave her, she completed. The Director just saw her as a pretty little face trying to prove a point or make a name for herself. A female has no place in The Royal Court. Set your sights on something achievable and you might just get it. Mattie never forgot his ‘words of wisdom’. Every day she remembered what he said on her first day of training. And every day she set her goal to join the Royal Court. To be the best. Mattie did not let anything distract her from her training. She broke up with her boyfriend Dax, who, unfortunately, was also in the training program, but he was a year ahead of her. Instead of leaving after he passed his examination, Dax stayed for specialized training. She thought it was because of her, but she paid him no attention after she enrolled. Upon arriving at the training arena, Mattie stretched and began to warm up. The examination had four parts. First, a physical endurance test to measure a warrior’s fitness. A cross-country run and swim in the territory, where they would face challenges to overcome. Mattie would not exert herself in the first challenge, but ensured herself she would not come in at the end of the pack. Second, they would engage in a weaponry exam in the arena to demonstrate their skills with a weapon of their choice. Most trainees would choose the long sword or a medieval weapon which was heavy and not realistic to use in combat, to try to impress the elders in the Royals Court. Mattie had prepared to select daggers of different lengths. Much more realistic for fighting Vampires out in the field. She was here to pass a test not impress old wolves who reminisced over their old glory days. Which she figured many of them had never killed a vampire before, only watched their guards kill them.   The third test would be a hand-to-hand combat examination, sparring with an opponent. A simple game of five. The first to score five points by landing death strikes, or the first to knockout their opponent would win the points. Not winning was not an option for her. She needed to win. The loser would either be cleared to proceed to the last challenge if he received at least two points, or fail the examination. Of course, every trainee was going for a knockout to declare victory and ensure themselves a spot to compete in the final round. The last examination was the most critical. After exhausting themselves with a physical endurance test, weaponry assessment, and sparring, those who advanced to the final round would fight a Vampire. The program brought in Vampires they held at The Colony. Usually they only brought in newly captured Vampires, some were held just for the exam. Occasionally, they had to dip into their reserves and use an older Vampire when they were desperate, or had more trainees make it to round four than they predicted. During the last round it was simple. Kill the Vampire to win. The quicker the kill, the more points. Anyone who was at risk of being killed, a Royal Guard would step in, resulting in a failed examination. The weight of the test was intense. The risk of injury was a guarantee in some form. The risk of death was possible, but not an option for Mattie. She knew she needed to reserve energy for the fourth round. She had heard of trainees making it to the final exam only to be too exhausted to fight a Vampire. Dax, her ex-boyfriend, walked up to her, watching her stretch and warm up. His arrogant confidence was stifling. Leaning against the wall, he waited for Mattie to greet him. When she didn’t, he cleared his throat. “Mattie…” Ignoring him, she stayed focused on her stretching. “Mattie, you don’t have to do this. No one would think less of you if you declined to participate in the exam.” The nerve of him suggesting her not to participate in the exam angered her. She held onto that anger to fuel her performance for today. Calmly Mattie stood up to face Dax. He was very handsome, for most people. She even fell for his dashing good looks when she first met him. But she quickly learned behind his mask of beauty lied a controlling asshole. His beach blonde hair was perfectly styled as his baby blue eyes sparkled in the arena lights. He was built like a warrior. Tall. Muscular. Like some of the rich trainees, Dax would do his service in the Royal Court, in a secured position for a year or two, before engaging in politics or another high-ranked position for power. Coolly Mattie gave Dax a fake smile, “Thanks, but I worked very hard to be here today. I intend to see the exam through.” A coldness iced over his eyes for a brief moment before concealing his emotions. She angered him very easily. She was the only female to ever break up with him, let alone not do as he said. Maybe this is why he liked her so much, she challenged him in ways no one else ever had before. Dax looked over her shoulder as the Director called all of the trainees over to him. Quickly, he grabbed her wrist, “Mattie, if you insist on doing this, be careful. For me.” With that, he let her wrist go and she jogged off to the lineup. Mattie was not going to pass this exam. He guaranteed it. When she failed the exam, he would swoop in to comfort her. He knew how important this program was to her. Even if she was unable to see past her own pride, the program would never recommend her to the Royal Court. If, by some miracle, she passed, which he strongly doubted, she would end up as someone’s personal guard. Maybe he could convince his parents to have her assigned to him. She would have to do everything he said. One way or another, he was going to be with her again. Dax always got what he wanted. And he wanted her back. **Please follow the book by pressing the heart symbol.**