The Game of Quadruplet Mates

Chapter 6-2

When she laughs, it shatters her beauty, turning it into something wild and feral. “Greedy? I already have the world.”

Jeremy finds amusement in this. “You have everything except one and it irritates you that you don’t have it.”

She steps forward, her face a mere centimeter away from his, and I’m suddenly very afraid for Jeremy. “For now. He will be mine one way or another.”

The Games.

This was the Games: where the powerful get what they want and everyone else is trampled along the way.

“June!” Larissa grabs my arm, pulling me away from Jeremy and his cousin. “Where have you been? The events are about to start!”

“The what?” I blabbered, coming back down from my thoughts.

Larissa playfully lets out a huff. “The elders are gathering us in the ballroom to announce the schedules and other stuff. There’s supposed to be these activities to get everyone to mingle.”

Remembering Cora and how she all but announced her high standing in life, I doubt everyone will mingle like the elders want.

“Let’s go!” Larissa urged, smiling and excited, the pressure of finding a mate not on her mind.

I followed behind her and was immediately greeted by a huge golden chandelier at the entrance. Various gasps can be heard from the crowd and I can’t blame them. I think I was actually one of them.

We enter the white stone mansion and it’s absolutely breathtaking. It’s like I walked into a fairytale or some Parisian mansion in a faraway countryside. The windows are high with luscious wine red curtains draped over them, paintings of famous wolves of every kind on every wall, beautiful art pieces and vases that probably cost more than our pack decorated the wide, never ending halls.

It’s no wonder why everyone spoke highly of the Assembly. We got to live here and for the entire weekend I can pretend to be a Princess.

It was nice to feel pretty, to feel important, even for the weekend and even if it’s just in my head.

My smile widens as everyone gets ushered into a large open ballroom space. It could easily fit my entire pack back at home and have space for breakdancing. Three times over.

At the very front of the room is a raised platform with a podium. A hush goes through the room when the Alpha of the city pack himself enters the room. Some Alphas like to go to the Games to watch over their attendees, like our Alpha who stays in a separate compound. They’re not supposed to come near the mansion, but I guess they make exceptions when it’s him.

I know he’s the Alpha of the city pack because, frankly, he looks exactly like his daughter, an exact replica. Glamorous. Handsome. Tall. Strawberry blonde hair and baby blue eyes. He’s older than I thought he would be but his aura alone had my head bowing before I could think of doing it.

The Alpha’s mere presence is commanding and powerful despite his old age. He carries himself in such an imposing way that no one could hold his gaze… no one except Jeremy, who I see roll his eyes at the Alpha’s arrival.

Jeremy is way across the ballroom surrounded by his pack mates who, I realized, all glared at the Alpha.

I don’t know much about the city pack’s Alpha. From what I heard from our Alpha though, he’s a politician and a businessman all rolled into one. There’s a reason why he’s so rich and it has everything to do with him exploiting people.

Looking at him now though, he didn’t seem like it, but maybe that’s his game: cunning and manipulating. I suppose all corrupt politicians are like that.

But what did I know?

I’m only a poor girl from an even poorer pack.

The Alpha makes it to the podium and stands behind it. He smiles, flashing us all his perfectly white teeth. I see him lock eyes with his daughter, his face beaming with pride and then his eyes find Jeremy— the smile disappears and I see something dark behind his perfect features.

“I welcome all of you to the Assembly.” The Alpha begins with his strong and powerful voice. He explains the importance of the Assembly to the attendees the same way our elders speak of it. Pride. Honor. But he adds something else to it: the strengthening of bloodlines. “The Assembly, as you know, was founded for our race to thrive, for our bloodlines to be purer and stronger, for the honor of our families and for the optimum child to be born.”

He certainly knows how to make me feel like cattle.

And then his smile returns, perfect and well calculated. “I met my mate in this Assembly several decades ago and, apart from the birth of my daughter, it’s the best thing that has happened in my long life. I hope that all of you are blessed with the same happiness I’ve gotten from it. Enjoy the weekend and I hope to not see the same faces again next year.”

Laughter goes through the ballroom. Some forced— mostly from the poorer packs. Alphas and elders alike have always encouraged everyone to find their mate in the first year. It’s cheaper that way, less expenses for the pack and, much like where I came from, we can only afford to go once.

With all the flourish of a peacock, he walked down the platform and spoke with an elder who was waiting for him at the side. Something the elder says makes the Alpha scrunch his face and shake his head, looking disappointed. I hear an echo of her name, Cora, before he stomps away.

He’s replaced by another elder at the podium who gives a few announcements. “We shall start the afternoon with a feat of strength by the gentlemen. Participants may choose another attendee to honor and represent— a prospective choice if you will. After the feats of strength, you will be given free time to explore and mingle. Food and drink will be available anytime. Your room assignments will be posted on the board outside. We will be having dinner outside at exactly seven o’clock and we will resume here at the ballroom for the evening festivities. Now, let’s all proceed to the clearing to watch the power of this year's attendees.”