Fangless: The Alpha's Vampire Mate
Chapter 261: The Spectator’s Seat

Chapter 261: The Spectator’s Seat

Sir Roderick had been sneaking glances at Emperor Kaan ever since they left the Forest of the Strays, like a guilty child trying to avoid getting caught. Sitting across from the emperor, he was forced to face backward in the jolting, awkward carriage—a position that did absolutely nothing for his dignity.

"You’ve been staring at me like I owe you money, Roderick," Emperor Kaan said, still gazing out the window with an air of supreme indifference. His hands rested neatly on his knee, the very picture of royal grace—because apparently, even a rattling carriage couldn’t shake his impeccable posture.

Sir Roderick bit his lower lip so hard he thought he might draw blood. He had replayed this scenario a thousand times in his head, each ending with one undeniable conclusion: Keep your mouth shut if you want to live.

The emperor wasn’t exactly known for being forgiving—or reasonable. But no matter how much he tried to suppress it, the words clawed at his throat, demanding to be spoken.

Clenching his fist like a knight about to charge a dragon (except this dragon was sitting across from him and had perfect posture), he blurted, "What have you done to that girl?"

The words hung in the air, and for a second, Sir Roderick considered jumping out of the moving carriage just to avoid the fallout.

It wasn’t like he knew Riona personally—he wasn’t that bold—but her reputation had certainly made the rounds. She was no pushover, and the idea of her rolling over for Emperor Kaan was laughable. Or it would’ve been, if the whole thing didn’t feel so ominous.

The emperor didn’t flinch. Instead, he turned his gaze from the window and looked at Sir Roderick with an unsettling calm, the kind that made your skin prickle.

"What do you mean, what have I done to her?" Emperor Kaan said, his tone maddeningly even. "I’ve fixed her, of course."

There it was again—that unnerving composure. Emperor Kaan had the kind of composure that made everyone around him deeply uncomfortable—like he was always two steps ahead and patiently waiting for everyone else to catch up.

Even the previous emperor, sharp as he had been, had found it unsettling. Sir Roderick thought he now understood why: this wasn’t calm. This was the stillness that preceded something dangerous.

Emperor Kaan smirked. It was fleeting—barely there—but Sir Roderick caught it before it vanished, like a shadow slipping out of sight. "Don’t trouble yourself, Roderick. Everything is going exactly as planned."

"What plan, Your Majesty?" Roderick asked, trying to sound curious instead of vaguely terrified.

Ever since the previous emperor had died, Sir Roderick had not grace the court with his wisdom and brain power. Emperor Kaan had done everything by himself, including developing strategies and making plans. Sir Roderick didn’t even know what the emperor’s ultimate goal was.

Since the previous emperor’s death, Sir Roderick had been little more than a spectator to Emperor Kaan’s reign. Once a trusted advisor, he had watched himself fade into irrelevance.

Emperor Kaan had taken control of everything—strategy, decision-making, even the smallest details. The young ruler operated with a singular focus, shrouded in secrecy. Roderick didn’t know what the emperor’s ultimate goal was.

No. That wasn’t true. He did know. He just didn’t want to say it out loud because saying it made it real, and ’real’ was not something he was emotionally prepared to deal with.

"Is it..." Roderick began, but the words got stuck somewhere between his brain and his mouth.

Emperor Kaan spared him the agony of finishing the thought. "Yes," he said casually. "To conquer the world. That plan still stands."

Roderick stared at him, his stomach sinking. Kaan didn’t say it with arrogance or bravado—just calm, unshakable certainty. It wasn’t a dream or an aspiration to him. It was an inevitability, as though the world had already signed itself over to him and was merely waiting for him to claim it.

"Ah, of course, Your Majesty," Roderick muttered, managing to keep his tone polite despite the rising urge to scream. We’re doomed, and I’ll die a virgin.

***

Emperor Klyn, Kaan’s father, had been a pragmatist through and through. He cared deeply for the world—not just for the vampires, but for all beings. He upheld the ancient pact of coexistence, a treaty that ensured harmony among the races.

Under his reign, the vampires thrived, flourishing in peace and prosperity.

Kaan, however, was a completely different story. From an early age, it was clear he was exceptional. He excelled at everything he touched, but his effortless success made life, and everything in it, seem boring to him.

Challenges were nonexistent, and with no obstacles to conquer, Kaan’s interest in the rules and traditions that governed the world waned.

Sir Roderick, only a few years older than the crown prince, had always felt worlds apart from him. The contrast between them was glaring. Where Roderick had to work tirelessly for every shred of authority or respect, Kaan seemed to radiate it effortlessly.

Even their movements spoke volumes—Kaan carried himself with an air of unshakable grace, while Roderick’s footsteps were more...awkward shuffle than commanding stride.

Their minds, their attitudes, even their posture—they were polar opposites.

"I don’t want to train with him, Father," Roderick would pout with a mix of frustration and childish defiance.

He was still young, and all he wanted was to attend school like other kids, surrounded by friends his own age, not tangled up in the weight of responsibilities that had been looming over him since he could remember.

Sir Damien, Roderick’s father, could see the root of his son’s frustration. He understood exactly why Roderick didn’t want to be anywhere near the crown prince.

Kaan was the epitome of effortless perfection, the kind of child who made every other kid look like they were still learning to walk. Calm, collected, and always a step ahead—Kaan was a constant reminder of just how ordinary everyone else was.

And for Roderick, the comparisons were unavoidable. Every single time they were in the same room, it felt like he was under a magnifying glass, being measured against a flawless standard. The more they spent together, the more Roderick’s self-esteem plummeted.

"There must be things you can learn from him," Sir Damien tried to offer, doing his best to sound encouraging.

Roderick shot him an exasperated look. "Learn from him? What’s there to learn? He’s not even normal. He masters everything on the first try. He remembers everything just by hearing it once. He doesn’t even need to read a book twice to memorize every word in it," Roderick spat, the bitterness clear in his voice.

He was so disappointed in himself. Every time he found himself in the same space as Kaan, it was like his focus shattered. Instead of working to improve, all he could do was wallow in how insignificant he must have looked in Kaan’s eyes.

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