The Mating Games

Chapter Fourteen:

PRINCE ARES:

A mess. A f*****g gloriously obscene, excruciatingly painful, and desperate mess. That is what this is. What was supposed to be THE BEST moment of my life has turned into possibly my WORST nightmare. I take a long and drawn-out sip of liquor and pull the small, white panty from my pocket that I stole from the log last night. Eloise’s panty. I remember the way she defied my order and pulled them down her silky, thick thighs and then smirked at me as if challenging the very essence of my existence. I am an alpha prince and being challenged like that is usually something that ends with my wolf slitting throats. That is what she is, though? My greatest challenge, but also within the complex depths of her absurdly beautiful eyes is my greatest desire. My greatest pleasure. My greatest heartbreak…

“You coming, old friend? Last event.”

I didn’t even hear Nate knock on the door or come in. All I can think about is HER. The odd-eyed, brown-haired, feisty little fairy that has captured every part of me. I look up at my friend and I can hardly recognize him anymore either. He looks as tired as me.

“You look like s**t, Nate.”

He laughs, but it doesn’t reach his eyes.

“I haven’t been sleeping much lately, especially on the couch after Linda kicked me out last night. I think we took it a step too far last night with Eloise. She was even more pissed with me after Eloise broke down today about me not liking her.”

He looks pained, but it doesn’t compare to the s**t feeling inside me. I smile at how Eloise came so perfectly undone in my arms as we kissed last night. The doom seeps in as I remember my canines coming out and the words that were shared right after. Her words today have cut even further into me than I ever thought possible. She thinks we all don’t like her. Even worse, she thinks I am rejecting her. She has no idea how f*****g wrong she is and how crazy this whole damn thing is. A f**k up.

“I am sorry about you and Linda. I wish there were an easier way. I wish things could be different.”

“Protecting the crown and you are our first priority, Ares. Linda knows this.”

“It shouldn’t be coming between the two of you though.”

Nate nods and runs a hand through his hair.

“She has been very emotional lately. I guess it’s the Spring Equinox and the fact that Linda is doing everything to push me away when the whole order of things wants the opposite.”

He offers me a small smile and I return it, knowing exactly what he means. The Spring Equinox is like a s****l charge for all of the magical kinds. For mates, it is virtually IMPOSSIBLE to resist the s****l tension and it is considered unhealthy to do so. I close my eyes and take another sip, dreading the evening ahead of me and wondering what I did to piss off the Goddess so much. It’s not only affecting me but my friends now too.

“You know, you could always give in for one night. You said yourself that Lady Eloise is expecting an answer tonight from you.”

My eyes snap open at Nate who is smiling at me with a tiny fraction of mischief...

“Take that s****l frustration and have some fun. She will be feeling it too, you know? Nobody will even notice if you disappear for a bit and as long as you CONTROL yourself, there should be no problem. It might be good for you and for Eloise, hell, for everyone, if you two just give in to your attraction for a little bit. I mean, what’s the worse that can happen?”

I lift my eyebrow at my friend’s ridiculous proposal.

“That’s the problem, Nate. I don’t know if I will be able to control myself and if anyone got even the slightest whiff of what is going on here, we both know there will be s**t even deeper than what the horses produce. Do you think things are difficult now? Take that and make it ten times worse if my wolf comes out tonight.”

We both stare at each other with dread. Unfortunately, it’s the truth. Nate nods.

“What are you going to do then, old friend? If you don’t go, or if you don’t at least give her your rose then she might think…”

His words trail off as I feel my eyes straining as I blink away one, very angry and heart-breaking tear. Even the thought of what he is about to say makes me f*****g feel sick to my gut. I look up at my friend, who sees the truth behind my gaze. Even in the hundreds of years of friendship between us, he has never seen me so unsure and it scares the s**t out of both of us.

“Well, just try to have a little fun tonight anyway? All this pent-up frustration cannot be good for you.”

He smiles, salutes, and then exits my office, leaving me alone with my glass of liquor and the thin, white material ball in my fist. I quickly down the last of my drink and hiss at the burn down my throat. My eyes darken as the alcohol lingers along with the scent of Eloise’s essence in my hand. I guess one night off won't completely kill me, but how do I get around the obvious? I cannot miss the event, because then I lose the girl, but I cannot let it get too far either, else I may lose her still. f*****g crazy, but I am snookered here. I quickly place her undies back in the pocket of my suit jacket before standing and booming through the door. I can hear the music become increasingly loud as I get closer and closer and the smell of everyone’s arousals paint the air. The moon is at her highest and the breeze does little to offer refreshment from the heat of the day and my choice with Eloise.

I won't reject her, but I cannot have her the same.

*~*

My eyes scan over the wonder that this evening is. Fountains of boozy liquid pour in shimmering gold from the taps behind the bars. The tops of the trees have been strung with delicate lights that blend into the already shimmering stars of the night sky. Red roses, the flower of undying love, devotion, and passion, can be seen hanging from every available space or placed in vases to boast their promise for a night to come. I lick my lips at the fresh foods on offer and my eyes dart from person to person, all dressed for a night of exotic pleasure and delicious teasing. The men seem to have kept things classic in their black or grey formal wear, but the women have outdone themselves. All of them are in dresses too short to dance, too see-through to allow for anything to be left to the imagination, and that could hardly be classified as actual clothes. It is like we have walked into a scene of a lingerie show, only now the smell of s****l tension and desire is evident and the show ends with a reward for most people present. I glaze over everyone, but nobody is HER. Even with all the beauty around me and the need for s*x high, my body feels heavy because not one person here can offer me what she does. Where is she?

“I haven’t seen her yet.”

I turn my gaze to see Sabrina offering me a drink. Her delicate hand is decorated with some sort of shimmering, diamond glove that becomes a type of body suit that only covers what is necessary. She is a magnificent woman, but she isn’t MY woman. I smile and take the drink.

“Lady Sabrina. You look lovely tonight.”

She smirks, her red lipstick only accentuating her elegant features. It is the only pop of color on her right now, as even her hair blends into the outfit.

“Yes, well, I put a lot of work into this outfit. It was supposed to sweep you off your feet.”

I lift my eyebrow at her, causing her to laugh out and me to join.

“I am sorry, Sabrina. For what it’s worth, you are a wonderful catch to any man here.”

“Oh, I know that wolf prince. Mark my words, some lucky guy will be lucky enough to rip off this outfit later and share my bed! I didn’t look this hot for nothing.”

She laughs again and then clinks my glass before moving off. I watch as she goes to Johnno and tries to seduce him, much to his date, Emily’s disgust. I laugh out and move off to the other end of the dance floor where the bar is. Everyone here looks so comfortably partnered up. I can hardly believe it’s been a week of events and shenanigans already. I take another sip and watch the class of the evening unfolds in front of me. You see, everything about these games is ridiculous, horrible, and unnatural to me, except for the last event. Except for the Spring Equinox event. Johnno wards off Sabrina and runs after Emily, who now looks upset and rejected. I laugh at how swag my wolf friend looks as he tries to woo Emily. She smiles at him and to everyone’s surprise, Johnno pulls out a single, red rose and offers it to Emily as his sign of affection. I smile again, impressed that my goofy third has such guts to be the first to offer the symbol of unity for the evening. Emily gasps and there is a moment of silence in the space around them. This is the moment where Emily has to decide whether she accepts Johnno as her Equinox partner or not. The games come down to this moment. The moment where she will either place the flower in her hair and offers Johnno one petal to pin to his shirt in acceptance, or where she will throw the flower into the red, flamed fire at the center of the event in rejection. Emily smiles at Johnno and jumps into his arms before placing the flower into her perfectly done bun and the crowd goes wild as Johnno smiles brightly with a petal pinned to his charcoal grey suit jacket. They link hands and then head to the dancefloor, where they will now share in an intimate dance of affection under the moonlight before heading off for the evening. The music starts and they begin to sway. Right, my queue to have another drink. I turn around to face the bartender.

“Two shots please.”

I tap my fingers on the wooden surface as I wait for my drinks.

“Going hard tonight?”

I look to the side of me and see Prince Zion smiling at me as he also orders two drinks. I lift my eyebrow at him.

“Not exactly.”

“Whatever man. We all know you will probably have a bed crawling with ladies by the end of the night. You and me both. We are princes, after all. It’s the only reason I came to these games, so I could get a good lay tonight.”

He smirks and for some reason, his words annoy the s**t out of me. Sure, I am not innocent and if this were a week ago, I probably would have had multiple women in my bed. Things are different now, though. I quickly down one shot and so does Zion. We both hiss as the music comes to a standstill and chatter starts up again. Emily and Johnno giggle and start darting off into the darkness of the forest to get their fill of each other.

“Wasn’t it you that courted Lady Eloise for almost all of these games?”

The words leave my mouth and are dripping in angry sarcasm towards Prince Zion. He offers me a wicked smile and I wish I could punch it right out of him, but I know better. It just annoys me that his intentions were never about Eloise and more about mindless f*****g, but then I guess everyone’s was.

“And I would be glad to show her the VERY best time.”

My fists clench at my sides at his words and just before I lean forward to say something, I smell her sweet scent approaching. Some distant gasps and chatter get my attention. My eyes follow to where people have stopped moving and are looking to where the archway into the event is. My eyes almost fall out of their sockets at the sight. Lady Eloise descends down the stairs, one silky leg at a time as the mini-dress she wears pulls against her amazing, female figure. I gulp. The dark brown material matches her hair and although it isn’t see-through or as provocative as any of the other women here, it still fits her body in every way that would make a man scream. In every way that will make ME scream. Her one greeny-brown eyes shimmer under the smokey-eye makeup she is wearing and her soft curls bounce as she holds herself up and enters the outside space as if she is the living definition of royalty. She walks in like a queen. I gulp again.

“I wonder who she will choose tonight?”

My eyes look back to Prince Zion with horror.

“Me or you?”

He smiles this last part and it takes everything inside me to not rip his head off for speaking about Eloise that way. She is, after all, MINE! My eyes dart back to where Eloise is standing and I notice some other guys and girls mingling with her. Even from across the room I can smell her heavenly scent. I can’t smell anyone else’s but hers at this moment, which is all the proof I need. I smelled it that day when we kissed after she laid down her stones. I smelled it after I fought to have an evening with her. I smelled it last night as she took off her clothes in front of me and I smell it now, as she stands like a Goddess on the other end of the dancefloor. My nose tingles as I allow it to inhale everything it can and once again, it fills me with the deepest desire to claim her in every way possible. I look up and search her every feature and as if on cue, Eloise turns and faces me. I am CERTAIN she can feel me, smell me, and sense me too. All the signs are there. It is just COMPLICATED. So, so complicated and messy. Her dual-toned eyes meet mine and I marvel at the look she lays over me as she checks me out too. I quickly grab my second shot and down it, looking at Zion with some pity.

“I am afraid that she may NEVER choose anyone but me again. Enjoy your evening, though.”

“Weren’t you the one courting Sabrina all through the games?”

Prince Zion gives it right back to me as we stand chest to chest. My eyes threaten a fight and his dance with humor. When did this become a pissing contest? I look to the side and see that Eloise has seen me and just as our eyes meet, her cheeks flush perfectly. Beautiful girl. I can't help the small smile as I turn back to Prince Zion.

“You know what. This isn’t worth it. Our families are allies and old-time friends, so I am not going down this road. Now, if you will excuse me, I have my girl to go to.”

The witch prince looks at me with confusion, but I don’t care. All I can think about is my lady on the other side of the room. There is too much distance between us and every bit of s****l tension is starting to buzz inside my veins. The equinox has become like a chant that pulls my every step towards my greatest desire and when I am finally standing in front of her, I can feel every ounce of energy bounce between our bodies and souls as we breathe in and breathe out but do not touch. We may as well call it a night already with how our eyes are practically f*****g each other. If only she knew how much she actually means to me. Yes, it’s the Spring Equinox, but she means more. So much more.

“Prince Ares.”

“Lady Eloise.”

We greet each other as if we are strangers, yet the hidden promise in our tones speaks of desire and need. She bites her lip and I run a hand through my hair as my eyes rake over the way the brown bits of dress pull at her breasts. Goddess, help me. I have to keep things formal. I have to stay in control, even though every part of my primal self is BEGGING at me inside to come out right now. One wrong move and I have f****d everything up. I look to the side and see Nate giving me a quick nod before asking Linda to dance. Right, it is about that time of the evening. I look back to Eloise, who is watching me in awe and question.

“Dance with me, Eloise?”

Her eyes flash with confusion, yet I can see the small smile of happiness across her lips. She wants to, but my beautiful girl is also still not over yesterday or even today.

“And why should I dance with you, Prince Ares?”

She asks me with so much fire, yet her tone remains respectful and enduring. She wants me to know that she won't be hurt again. She wants me to see that a choice needs to be made and that she is dead serious. I want to tell her that it was never my intention for things to become this f****d up and that she doesn’t need to guard her heart with me. I want to scream to everyone about how much this woman is my everything. I want to plant her with kisses and promise the world to her, but I also know better. The people of this land can know that I f****d Eloise tonight, but they can NEVER know more. I look at her beautiful, exotic eyes that have pulled me in and captured me with an emotion I never thought I could ever feel. The same eyes that also fill me with knowing dread.

“Well, I was going to wait until later, but seeming you are so insistent.”

I smile and pull out a beautiful, blooming rosebud that I had personally picked for Eloise from my mother's garden for this occasion. I also tied a brown and a green ribbon around it. A symbol that I know in my own heart to truly be close.

“Brown and green?”

“Like your eyes.”

I smile and so does she as she blushes. The whole party has stopped, even my father's loud and bursting laughter has come to a halt as he watches us curiously. It’s uncommon for wolves to fall in love with someone who is not their mate, but he doesn’t need to know that I love Eloise. As far as everyone is concerned, this encounter can mean nothing more than an end to the Mating Games for me and Eloise. A tick in the annual affair. A success story before everything returns to normal and all of this, including Eloise and I, become long forgotten.

“Also of our chastes.”

Eloise whispers and my chest swells. I want to nod my head yes. That is what this really means. You, me, and us. She is so clever. We stare at each other for a bit as she twirls the rose between her fingers and pouts her lips.

“The rose is so beautiful. It looks different to the ones offered out at the entrance.”

I smile at how observant she is.

“That’s because it isn’t from the entrance. I chose this one from my mother's rose garden. Red roses were her favorite and my father decided to keep her garden alive in her memory.”

Her eyes sparkle and widen as she looks at the rose with a new type of respect. I enjoy watching her gaze look down at the deepened red. Pure, unscathed, large, and blossoming, just like my feelings for her, but then I see a flicker of doubt inside her that makes my stomach do a flip.

“Yesterday, Nate said…”

“Lady Eloise. I know things have been said and I am incredibly sorry about how things have come to be. My intentions have never been to hurt you. Surely you can feel that in your heart?”

I ask and she thinks about what I am saying then nods. I smile at her response. Even if she doesn’t know it, she can FEEL it, just like I CAN.

“So then, will you listen to your heart just for this moment? Listen to what it is that it is telling you. I want this moment and I want it with you and nobody else. I either spend tonight with you or I chain myself up and share it in agony and alone in the castle dungeon.”

Her eyes go wide at my words. Breathe in. Breathe out.

“I didn’t want to be here. I didn’t even want to participate in these stupid games. I honestly brought a bag of books that I was hoping to enjoy while I was here.”

“Romance novels?”

She sighs and I laugh. Her laughter meets mine as she nods.

“The truth is that those books feel empty. I haven’t been able to read a single page since that day we kissed by the water. Every romantic gesture, every character build-up and encounter seems thin…”

“Compared to us?”

I finish the sentence for her, leaving her cheeks bright red and ready for more kissing. My member twitches and I have to remind myself to stay in control.

“I know we are complicated and I have a lot of explaining to do. Just, trust me this once and let the rest fall into place?”

I ask one more time and Eloise searches my gaze for anything insincere. She won’t find it though, because I have never been more serious in my life. The people around us are still waiting, their eyes glimmering in anticipation to see whether the wolf prince will be rejected. Without her even realizing it, Eloise has become the talk of the games. The girl who defies the natural way of things between men and women. The girl who got the prince to fight for her. The girl who captures Zion’s heart. The girl with mysterious eyes. Who will she choose? Eloise offers me a smile and the weight of the moment lifts off my shoulders as she starts to pin the rose into her soft curls. Her eyes glitter under the candlelight and before she lowers her arms, her hand holds out a single petal from the flower of her hair. An offering of herself for me. Nothing could ruin this moment for me and I think the smile plastered on my face is proof of that. I quickly pin the petal to my tuxedo jacket.

“Now, MY Lady, will you dance with me?”

“Prince Ares…”

The music starts and I swoop Eloise up into my arms. The crowd around is cheering and hooting and my father is smirking at me. For one night, anything goes in this realm and s*x is the only thing that anybody has on their mind. Even the almighty wolf royalty isn’t immune to the hype of the Spring Equinox. We are, after all, part animal and part magical and this is a day where the magic runs high. A tingle runs from my fingertips and across my arm as Eloise pulls herself closer to me and latches onto my arm and we both look up and smile as the melody begins. The only light offering us any comfort on where to go is the gentle rays of moonlight and the shimmering flickers of the candles against the stars, making the moment even more perfect. I look down and my chest swells with an unfamiliar feeling when I see Eloise smiling with her eyes closed as she sways with me to the gentle tune. Everything from her nose that dips down in a perfect line until the lifted tip, to the pouty and full lips of her mouth, to the tiny splatter of freckles on her cheekbones and the long lashes that grace her perfect eyes makes me swoon with a feeling of adoration. Goddess…

“You’re staring at me.”

I spin her around and then dip her down so that our faces are close together and she is close to the floor in my arms.

“It’s hard not to stare at something so beautiful.”

Our foreheads touch and the music starts to intensify along with our breathing. Just as the piano crescendos, so her body lifts and turns, placing her backside tightly against me as her hips sway from side to side. She moves her head to the side and I look down at her dark dress that squeezes her breasts together so perfectly. My hand slides up and up and up…

“Prince Ares, I…”

“Call me Ares. You don’t have to be so formal with me anymore.”

My hand stops at her ribcage and I feel her breathing deepen as currents of electricity flow between us. My member is wedged against her perfectly round backside which is rubbing against me. I push her slightly tighter against me so that she can feel and her cheeks become a shade pinker. The music continues and I move her body with mine across the floor, turning her around towards the end of the song so that she is tightly up against me and her lips are only inches from mine. Eloise is a work of art and I can’t get enough of it. I lift her up into my arms and swing her across the air just in time for the music to end and everyone cheers again, but at this moment, all I can think about is my girl. Just as everyone around us blurs and forgets about us, so I lower Eloise down against me and press her body tightly against mine. Our eyes haven’t left one another’s once since the music stopped. I dip my head down so that I can inhale the scent right in the crook of Eloise’s neck and her heart flutters as her arousal mixes into the sweetness around me. I kiss her softly and gently dart my tongue out, loving how soft she is and how my touch is making her a piece of goo.

“Ares, I have never done this before.”

I look down at her red cheeks and for a moment I have no idea what she is talking about. She starts to bite on her lip and almost hides as people giggle and watch our interaction and the penny drops. Eloise is nervous and THIS is nothing she has done before. I keep forgetting that Eloise is still in the early years of her life and she probably hasn’t lived through many Spring Equinox celebrations. I, on the other hand, have been around longer than I wish to admit. I smile at her before lowering my mouth down to her ear.

“Oh, baby. Are you ready to go somewhere more private with me?”

Her breathing hitches as I kiss her soft neck and a soft moan escape her lips as she battles to form words. I smirk at how perfect she is in my arms. I am ready to show her the magic of this evening.

“Words, Eloise. I need words.”

Her eyes flutter open and I have to hold onto her tighter.

“I am ready, Ares.”

Brown flashes start to take over the green of her eyes and my heart starts to beat faster. I saw this that first time we kissed when things got heated. I saw this again yesterday. She looks at me, completely unaware of what is happening to her and I pull her closer into my arms as I quickly get her away from the crowds. The last thing I need is people asking questions. Nate and Linda give me a quick smile and raise their champagne glasses before also heading off for their own evening.

“Where are you taking me?”

I smile down at the little beauty in my arms. She looks like a queen in her brown dress. I can feel the s****l energy buzzing off of her as we get closer and closer to midnight and the moon shines down on us. Goddess, if only she knew how magnificent she looks right now as she holds onto me and allows me to hold her hand as we head back into the castle.

“You will see soon.”

I smile adoringly at her blushing cheeks and my wolf stirs inside.