The Game Of Quadruplet Mates
(Bk 2) Chapter 39

Today is Choosing day

And for the first time since the Games began, I had a peaceful sleep and it had everything to do with the man sleeping beside me

Topened my eyes and I swear all was right in the world for the first time in days. The sun was up, the birds were singing and the wind blew just right. Glancing out my open window, I noticed how everything was more colorful and radiant. Like today was a perfect day.

My guard was still sleeping beside me, his arm draped around me. In the soft morning sunlight, the tanned skin of his exposed back and arms are irresistible, and the soft expression on his face is almost too innocent and calm to be his.

He is handsome as always, but not a delicate kind of handsomeness. With the scars on his face, some on his arms and most on his back, he looked fearsome and powerful even as he slept. And his size compared to mine seemed bigger than life. Because he is much larger than I am, his entire arm almost completely covers my body.

Something about this sight of him stirs something inside me, another warmth that spreads across my entire I shivered slightly at this, trying to tame this new excitement

We were still n a k ed and in our sleep, the blanket covering us must have fallen down to his hips. Pulling the blanket back up to his shoulders and under my chin, I was about to go back to sleep, or attempt to, ready to cuddle up in his arms, when I started to remember what happened last night... the things I did with a man that wasn't even part of the Games.

The things... that I should never do with man I'm not supposed to be with.

Panic immediately replaces bliss.

Tlike to think that I'm a good girl.

All my life I have done everything right. I have made my parents proud, followed rules to the letter and I have never done anything to disappoint anyone.

But last night, I did something and it is something I have never done before.

Not only that, but I broke a rule, a rule that could get me banned from the Games.

Forever.

This man sleeping peacefully beside me after the most passionate night of my life, was a guard.

A guard.

Failure and horror tightened my chest, making it hard to breathe

How could Truin this?

He's not even part of the Games

Not in the way that made it right

And what do I know of him apart from the short time I've spent with him? I had risked it all... for him.

He could be a criminal... a heathen. Something. Everything that was wrong and I did not know.

There are only my feelings, these d a m ne d emotions that I am supposed to follow and it's not even pointing at an attendee.

It's pointing to a guard that I'm not allowed to choose.

For the lack of a better word, I was scared.

Scared out of my mind.

And I was panicking and worrying, and the attendees' parents are supposed to come tomorrow to meet our choice.

Who were they supposed to meet? My lies or my guard?

What have I done?

What have I done?!

How am I going to explain this? What am I going to say-

The arm wrapped around me tightens.

"You're worrying

again."

"Why aren't you?" I immediately demanded, rolling to face him.

I had almost forgotten that I was n a ke d and he was trying really hard not to look down.

To his benefit, he kept his eyes on my face, but his dark eyes gave him away and the hard thing pressing against my thigh was only a bonus

He took a deep breath, calming his clearly excited self before answering. "Darling,"

"No." I immediately cut him off. "No, if you call me that, then I'll cave and we'll do Goddess knows what again."

He smiles at me, amusement in his eyes, and I hate how I was already giving in.

The warmth in my chest started to push away the panic and terror.

"Do you trust me?" He whispered so softly, so surely.

"I don't even know you." I tried to pull away, but his arms were like steel and, as much as I know I should fight back, this only further warms my heart.

"That's not true." He takes my hand and places it over his heart. It was beating steadily. "You know me. You know that I want you, that I'll do anything for you. I will figure something out. I will do whatever it takes to be with you."

"But how? You can't be an attendee. Not anymore." I guessed, knowing I was right because he had alluded to it before. "You didn't just have five years in the Games. You had six. The maximum years allowed."

The look on his face only confirmed it.

I was right.

And with this, we can never be legally bonded as mates, which is the only thing I needed.

The only thing that was expected of me.

When I pull away this time, he lets me go.

I wish he had told me, but I don't think it would really change anything.

Thad wanted this as much as he did, probably more.

"Don't overthink," He knows what I was doing, what I was thinking and he knows what I'm about to do. "We can think of something together-"

My mouth dries. "Last night, I came to you knowing probably nothing would come out of it."

"Don't say that." He urged, his jaw clenched, his body like steel. "Don't do it."

"I knew better and I do not regret it, but I need to leave with someone that I can officially be mates with. That is all I was asked to do." I was breathing hard, trying to get the words out. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry about it all." He takes my hand and when he interlaces our fingers, I almost give in.

Right here

Right now

was going to throw it all away

"But I want you." He swallows, scared and nervous just like I was. "And I know you want me too. Doesn't that stand for something? I can make things happen, change things

I was on autopilot, speaking without me meaning the words. Because if I accept this, if I accept the reality that he and I will just be some unofficial thing, then I should have just chosen O who had at least three years. "I have things I need to do. My parents... they're relying on me. I can't disappoint them. Not like this."

"And what am I supposed to do? Am I supposed to go out there and watch you dance, smile and laugh at these men like they are the ones who would kill a thousand men for you? Like they are the one you want, when I know they're not?" He asked, a rare tone of anger towards me in his words. "You don't want them. I know you don't. I will change the laws if that's what you wish. I will change the entire Games if you want to-"

I shake my head. I know he is just trying to do everything, to say anything but... "You cannot do that."

If only he knew that if I could do anything for myself, it would be to leave with him.

To follow my heart and be with him.

But... but it wasn't just me.

It's never just been me

"Thank you," I found myself saying as I stood up. I didn't even care if I was n a ke d. My heart was squeezing so much I truly could not breathe. "I am going to prepare for the Choosing now. When I get out of the bathroom, I want you out of my room. Do you understand?"

He sits up, his own panic showing. "Let's talk about this, please, I'm begging you-"

"You said I could have anything I want, right?" I waited for him to nod.

. "Well, I want you out of my room so I can

prepare for the Choosing."

I didn't even know I was shaking until I made it to the bathroom, my back to the door.

If I did want to be with my guard, I would have to forgo choosing today and if I did that, he and I would not be legal mates.

And I cannot have that. My parents... they wouldn't want that.

I needed a true mate, locked and bonded by the Games.

Anything outside of that is wrong and unbecoming.

The mere idea of this should frighten me. I am a good girl. I have always been a good girl but here I was, ready to run out of the bathroom and tell him I was going to defy the rules and accept the future.

Unable to help myself, losing all control that I had, I ran out of the room to replace that T had already left. The only evidence of his time with me was an unmade bed.

Wrapping myself in a bathrobe, I raced to the hallway where I knew he would be but for the first time... he wasn't.

There was only the bouquet of flowers that he gave me on the floor.

Left by him.

"Miss X,"-

I perked up, thinking it was my guard, thinking he just left to do something quick, but my heart pummels when I turned and it wasn't him.

It's W.

Sober and freshly showered.

He was in a white suit, a suit that he would be using for the Choosing Ceremony in a matter of hours. "I'm glad I caught you."

W paused momentarily, eyes glossing over me before settling on my face.

His eyes were dark now, dark and wanting. "You look incredible. You're glowing... radiant even."

I did not say anything.

My mind was on my guard.

My heart was panicking for him, thinking the worst.

Because he has never not been out in the hall. He is always there, waiting for me even when I think he isn't.

Where was he?

"1 want to apologize for last night. I was drunk and I was stupid and I was so lost in my own sorrow that I didn't see how much I was hurting you." He explained, taking my hand, and I instantly felt cold. It felt like a sin to touch another man.

Not after what happened last night.

To look or be with another felt like a sin, the highest sin. I half expected the sky to split open and the Goddess to strike me where I stood.

I pull my hand away, giving space between us.

"I know you're mad. You have every right to be." He says, patiently accepting my cold behavior. "I understand and I will spend the rest of my life regretting it, but I will make it up to you. In the Choosing later, I'm going to choose you." He comes close to me and I am so distracted that I do not dodge the kiss he presses on my hair. I almost vomited all over again.

He wasn't T.

He wasn't my guard.

He wasn't who I wanted.

Even though he checked all the boxes that I needed for a mate.

I was about to tell W to choose someone else instead when he started jogging away, waving his hand out to me. "I will

see you later, Miss X."