The Game of Quadruplet Mates

Chapter 4

The Beta was gone before I could look back, disappearing towards one of the tents erected for the most important attendees. His people came with him— I didn’t know that was allowed— it probably wasn’t and they didn’t care, ignoring everyone and blatantly avoiding the festivities.

“I can’t believe they’re here.” Larissa says between sips of her champagne. “Do you think their Alpha will come?”

I shook my head in hopes it could remove the image of the handsome Beta and his all too warming smile out of my mind. “Alphas don’t come to these things.”

The sound of something wet against something wetter took my attention out of the Beta and I made the mistake of looking towards Pete, who was very much eating a girl’s face. A new wave of foolishness presses at my heart and I quickly look away.

How easy was it for him to forget his promise?

Then again… everyone breaks their promise.

It was my fault for hoping. It’s always my fault for hoping. I never learn.

My heart still sinking lower and lower, I grab two glasses of champagne even if everything was slightly spinning and finish the two like my life depends on it. Another two replaced that one as I walked towards the lake again, this time sitting on a woven love seat hooked on a thick tree branch like a swing.

Larissa followed after me, her lips pressed thin. “You don't have to be mad. He’s not exactly a loss. I mean, I think you’d prefer to come home mateless than to be his mate.”

“I’m not mad at him.” I told her, making space in the swing.

She sits down beside me, feet pushing the ground. “Who are you mad at then?”

It was a hard pill to swallow. “Myself. I should have known better.”

Larissa, with all her toughness and will, wraps her arms around me. It was awkward. We’ve never done it before— in fact, this is the longest conversation we’ve ever had but somehow it was nice. It’s nice because she understands the pressure no matter how much she hates it. “It’s not your fault for being hopeful, June. Being hopeful is what keeps us going. It’s what makes us survivors.”

“I don’t know…” I trailed off quietly.

She brushes my hair back, smiling at me with a look of mischievousness. “You’re a pretty girl, June. There are at least a few hundred men at the Games. You might as well make the most out of it. If they’re screwing us, we might as well screw them. And anyway, if we don’t get chosen, at least we have fun doing it.”

I lifted an eyebrow, smiling back at her. “Is that what you’re planning?”

Larissa shrugged, a knowing look on her face. “I want to take control of this weekend as much as I can.”

The words from the two girls from earlier come back to me. And the hopelessness combined with the sounds of wetness coming from Pete brought a coldness that I wanted to wash off immediately. “Yes. Let’s dance, feast and… flirt.”

We toast, staring out into the party and observing the attendees. There were hundreds— near thousands of people at this year's games, all dressed in their finest and flashing whatever they had to offer. All eyes were on the prowl, searching for the best candidate for themselves.

From what I can see, farm packs stay with the other farm packs and the city packs stay with the city packs. No one really intermingled and that was normal. It was to be expected. For why would a wealthy city pack be with someone from a poor farm pack?

There weren’t Cinderella stories here.

No one mated above their rank and if they could help it, no one mated lower.

This was a business deal.

A game of our futures was being played and no one wanted to risk it.

With nothing to lose, I let myself go, drinking more and smiling widely. Like Larissa said, I was coming home mateless anyway. Might as well make the most out of it.

Larissa winks, taking the glass of sparkling liquid from my hand before walking off to join the festivities, her hips swinging like a weapon ready to be unleashed. I stayed on the swing for a little while longer, knowing I had until the afternoon before some of the activities began. There are supposed to be a lot of events to try and get everyone to meet.

I use this time to look around more. To my surprise, some met my gaze and not all were disgusted. Larissa was right. Most are here on business, but a little pleasure wasn’t all that discouraged.

My stomach grumbles, calling out to the food— a masterpiece in its own right. I walk to the table with piles and piles of delicious smelling food. There was meat and they weren’t just wild birds and malnourished rabbits that we ate back at home on special occasions, but chicken and pork and beef. All of the things I’ve only ever heard from stories before.

They all had different tastes; savory but sweet, tangy but herby, mint and honey and so many more things I didn’t know were possible.

I take a bite of each, h e l l, I take two and three more bites. Larissa at one point joins me, introducing me to her friend— a boy from another pack that clearly wasn’t with her for the mating our Alpha hopes we get. The boy tells us about a few other meats we weren’t familiar with, like duck and turkey and bison and lamb. A new wave of tastes played in my mouth and I sighed, eyes fluttering close.

“You guys don’t eat this normally?” He asks, confused about our enthusiasm for the food.

My eyes widened at the question. “Do you?”

The boy shrugs. “This is what we usually have every day.”

Larissa made a face and I knew this boy wouldn’t get too far with her. With a roll of her eyes, she turns to another boy that was waiting on her and almost deletes the other boy from existence. She and I share a smile before losing each other in the crowd.

All in all, I was enjoying myself and I didn’t think of Pete once.

I was picking at a fruit bowl when I felt something looming over me. Turning with a grape between my teeth, I saw a tall man at least twice my height with a deep frown on his lips.

There wasn’t time to smell or even check his identifier before he went right into business.“Name, rank and pack?”

My lips parted with the grape dropping on the floor. I fumbled to remember my name, mostly out of surprise that someone was talking to me rather than anything else. “Uh,”

“Never mind.” He dismisses with a glare before moving away, his nose in the air. “Poor quality blood.”

This happens to me four more times. Each time I don’t get a word in, their eyes are on my face and then on my wrist where my identifier is.

In their defense, it’s hard to smell my quality of blood in a crowd of people with different scents.

Hard as it is to admit, it still stung every time I’m left alone, lips parted as I watched them speak to another girl. I remind myself that it’s okay, that I’ll be okay, but it’s getting harder with every minute that passes.

I heard ‘I thought you smelled different’ a couple of more times before I went back to the swing, facing the lake and away from people. It seems that even fun eluded me here. My blood and rank are just too low.

That’s okay.

I tried.

At least I still ate all the amazing food and experienced something I’ll never have a chance to do again.

My hands on my knees, I looked out at the water moving gently from the blow of the wind. It was calming, reminding me of home which I suddenly realized I missed. Around this time, my father would probably be rushing to his patrolling shift after helping with the chores. He’s probably tired, probably sleepy, but he won’t complain. He’ll do his patrols until dark and do more chores since I’m not there to help him.

I should just have stayed home. The Alpha wasted the pack’s hard earned money by sending me here. A sigh leaves my lips as I bury my face in my hand.

“Why the long face?”

The voice that spoke was calm, the sound like smooth butter, but hearing another voice this far out of the garden made me jump out of my skin. The voice, smooth like butter, belonged to a man, fit and large like a high ranking werewolf. He’s handsome too. Maybe a little too aware of it by the way he smiled.

His smell came next. Strong and powerful. Then came the smell of the city, smoke and glamour all in one sniff. His identifier altered me to his high rank, a Beta.

But why was the Beta of the city pack speaking to me?

“Can I help you with something?” I asked politely, hoping it masked my uncertainty.

He can’t blame me for feeling nervous about his approach and his expression shows it. “I’m sorry to startle you. It wasn’t my intention. I just wanted to make sure you’re alright.”

His face finally registered with me. I’ve seen him in newspapers that the city pack sometimes sends to us— propaganda, the Alpha would say before burning the newspaper in the fire.

All news of their glory and wealth.

All centering on their amazing lives.

It was a way for the city pack to let everyone know who was on top, which we clearly weren’t.

I’ve seen his face a couple of times, his storyline is always the same. Handsome Beta saved this, handsome Beta destroys that, handsome Beta brings more wealth by whatever it is he does there.

Our Alpha tells us different. With all his strength and distinction, he is known for one thing and one thing only: he is a womanizer. Too famous for his many affairs with at least half of the women in the entire werewolf race, his love for the fairer s e x is a little too much and if rumors are correct, he has several children already.

“So, are you alright?” He asks, taking me out of my thoughts.

“Oh, yes. Perfect. I’m having the time of my life.” The smile that comes to my lips is easy, normal and not at all false despite my less than stellar day.

The Beta tilted his head to the side, eyes sparkling with… interest? That can’t be. “What’s your name?”

I waited a few seconds. Usually, this is the time they walk away, but he stays where he is, eyes still on mine and never wavering. He doesn’t look down on my wrist to check my rank nor does he sniff me for any hints of where I’m from.

It was strange.

It was really strange.

“June.”

He beamed like he had just won an award. “June.”

The way he repeats my name makes me swallow.

“It’s nice to meet you.” He continues softly. “I’m Konstantin.”

I know. I almost said. I’ve read about you. Instead I say, “And you, Beta.”

And much like his voice, his response is as smooth as butter. “Just Konstantin, beautiful June.”

No one has ever called me beautiful in my life. Never. Not ever. This dries my throat, making my heart beat against my chest uncontrollably. In the same way, it eased the tightness of loneliness there.

For the first time, I felt something other than disappointment and pain. I felt happy. I felt hopeful.

But then I remember who he is again and the feeling goes away. He didn’t feel right. There was something wrong with him. I just couldn’t put my finger on it.

Or was I just being too suspicious of someone— the only one being nice to me?

My gut said to stay away, but the loneliness that crept under my skin hummed. Two feelings pulled at me at the same time and I didn’t know what to do.

I suddenly remember the wait, the night and day that passed. I suddenly remember how I was left to d i e, my fingers holding the tree root tightly. I suddenly remember the feeling of wanting to give up but the hope that there was some explanation…

“June?” Konstantin spoke, his hand reaching out to me.

I blinked, the tightness of my chest coming back. “Yeah?”

“Would you like to have lunch with me?” The Beta asked, gently, like I would suddenly run away from him. He sees my hesitation and smiles again, kindly and softly— it pulled at me. “I swear I don’t bite.”

If this really was all a game, he was good at it.

Too good.

I’ll give him that.

“She already promised lunch with me, lover boy.”

The voice that spoke this time around was not smooth or kind. It was sharp like a whip and authoritative but with power to back it up. It was angry too, possessive even. Like how we speak when someone takes things from us in our lands. It was a voice of claiming, demanding.

And that voice belonged to him.

The Beta from earlier.

Jeremy.