The Game Of Quadruplet Mates
(Bk 2) Chapter 42

The mighty wolf of the mountains and the precious gem of the city.

Silence.

Complete utter silence.

Not a word was said

Not even a breath could be heard.

No one moved. No one blinked.

The wind had somehow stopped, with the whole world halting altogether.

In the Games, our identities are a secret. It is forbidden to even think about it. That rule goes above everything else because it is the one thing that we cannot break.

The only time an attendee can say their real name, their position and title, is when they are bonded to someone, mated and sealed.

Forever.

But my guard, the one that was supposed to uphold this rule, had different plans.

And with the expression on his face, serious and unbending, he didn't care if he did.

There were horrified looks from everyone in the clearing, all their attention on us, on him.

For he is.. Tedros Valentine Ludovic. The mighty wolf of the mountains. Son of the greatest Alpha to ever live.

I did not know.

I did not even suspect it.

There was no way to know. We have never met before. Not even a glimpse or a vague description. And with the Games the way it is, photographs and meetings between packs have been limited for the younger members of the pack. But I have heard stories. I have heard whispers of him. It was not hard to hear how people celebrated him and his greatness, which was so similar to his father.

They all say the same thing; he is the strongest of us, a hero to all and a formidable enemy to the unlucky.

And most of all, he is famous for leaving the Games unmated. He didn't even attend his Choosing. All six of them.

He didn't want anyone.

Nobody was able to grab the attention of the strongest of us.

They always whisper that no one was ever good enough, that he was made for the Goddess herself.

It was an inside joke that I hear all the time.

As I gaped at him, my guard, my ever faithful shadow, the man 1 had broken the rules for, I truly had no idea who he really was

And like everyone around me, I was surprised beyond words, staring at this man, at this other breed of perfect werewolf, like I cannot believe he actually exists and he is here... choosing me when he has never chosen anyone before. "Miss X is the precious ger of the city?"

How could I forget?

He revealed two identities.

His and mine.

"She's the only offspring of Alpha Jeremy? She's to be the future Alpha of the city pack?"

I am an only child.

And I am the future of our pack, which is why 0 was so adamant that I be with someone that can support me for a very long time. Because I am going to be the Alpha soon.

I needed a partner.

I'needed a mate.

Someone to keep me steady.

Someone that can support me as I strive to be who my father was to our pack.

With 0 dying and being an only child as well, there weren't any safety nets for the pack. We could lose it all.

The organizer beside us seemed to finally gather herself, the shock of my guard's claim resonating through everyone including the staff

Though what surprises me even more is how the organizer faces my guard- Tedros, with a look that only a mother could give to a disappointing child.

"Tedros!" The organizer scolds in a quiet shout that was as loud as an actual one.

My guard's eyes momentarily left mine to flicker towards her. "Mother,"

Mother...

The organizer, the same woman that greeted me at the entrance of the Games, is his mother, the Luna of the Mountain pack.

This continued to surprise everyone, causing yet another stir as more identities are revealed.

Not only was the future of the Mountain pack here, but also his mother. The Luna.

The untouchable Luna that no one could dare harm. They say that if anything happens to her, our world will burn and with us in it.

Mother and son were staring at each other, long and hard, a mindlink conversation that only they could hear.

While they did this, the people of the clearing seemed to have remembered one crucial thing: Tedros was no longer an attendee and he was choosing me.

He was a guard.

Book 2 Chapter 12

And I was an attendee

The outrage of this makes everyone jump out of their seats, yelling and sputtering

"What of the rules?"

"He revealed their identities!"

"Alpha or not, he's a guard!"

"He's already been in the Games for six years. He can't be an attendee again."

Tedros turns to the crowd, a low growl leaving his lips. My skin prickles, the powerful sound of this small action makes everyone stop. This was unlike the growls I had heard from him before. This was different.

This is the man that he is.

He didn't even say a word.

He didn't need to.

He never needed to.

Instead, like nothing else mattered to him but me, he came back around to look at me. "I know I am not your first choice and that you have many offers to consider, but I would never forgive myself if I didn't do this, if I didn't try."

My heart skips a beat.

A few beats.

His hand came to gently hold the side of my face, holding me and staring at me as though I was the most preciousBook 2 Chapter 12

thing in the world He swallows, giving away a hint of his nervousness, but his eyes softened for me all the same

"I want to be your mate." He professes like he was ready to shout this from the top of the mountains of where he's from. "I want to be the one to protect you, to shield you from all harm, to cherish you and support you unconditionally. It will be you and only you for the rest of my life. No one else. I understand that you're the next Alpha like I am, but I am willing to adjust, to be whoever you need me to be. I will step down from my position, from my title if that means I can be with you."

"But Tedros," Someone exclaimed behind him and when I saw Miss A standing from her seat, another wave of panic went through me.

She...

Is she going to betray me too?

But something about the way she was looking at him and about the way the organizer was looking at her made me realize that there was something more.

That this wasn't a betrayal.

That she isn't like Miss E.

This was something else.

"Jewel,"

The sound of my name startled me. I have not heard it in a week. But more so because he is the one that says it.

Shamefully, I have imagined him saying my name,Book 2 Chapter 12

whispering it to me, but heanng it in person was a million times belter than anything I could have ever thought of

"Say you feel the same and I will be yours forever."

Whatever I say after this will change everything.

My eyes glanced behind him, seeing 0 in the crowd of thousands already staring at me. He looked at me like his whole world was falling apart, but through all this, he only nodded his head and smiled almost encouragingly. "You promised," He whispers.

But then I see the gaping looks of the attendees, the angry expressions on some of their faces, the shaking of their heads and the frowns on their lips.

They waited for my answer, for my decision with bated breath.

And as I stare into the dark yellow eyes of my guard, of Tedros, I know in my heart and in my soul that he is who I wanted

The choice wasn't hard.

From the moment I first saw him in the maze, us bickering and replaceing comfort in each other... preferring to be with him over all the other attendees, I knew. I knew it.

I was already willing to leave the Games for him and bed a m ned forever before he even walked down the aisle for me.

"I want to be your mate, Tedros." The words leave my lips powerful and unwavering, without doubt and without hesitation. "I want to be yours and only yours"

He sucks a breath through his teeth like he was holding hus breath for so long as he waited for my answer, but lam rewarded with the biggest smile that tugs at his lips. Just as I am about to embrace him, to hold him close and to beg for forgiveness from this morning, I see Miss E- Emily stand from her seat among the mated attendees.

"You can't do that. She can't change the rules just because it suits her!" She shouts angrily, staring right at me. "How can she keep breaking the rules? Left and right and center.

She killed an attendee. Did you all know that? She claims she was attacked by my sweet brother but he could never. He was so innocent. He was so kind. There was no trial. There was nothing, not even a good bye. She ordered her guard to kill him and nothing happened to them. Just because they're both from powerful packs does not mean they can step all over us."

Like a man on a hunt, Tedros turns around. With his back to me, I could see how he started to shake violently. The mere mention of that night with Mister F triggered him.

I place my hand on his arm and he stops, glancing back at me.

"He was killed because he attacked another attendee. It doesn't matter who. He attacked someone and it was in the worst way possible. Any guard, any staff member of the Games would do the same for any one of us. I agree that the circumstances could have been different but what he did is unforgivable."

"Stop hiding behind your self-righteousness. You broke the rules and you're breaking more of them. Why can she doBook 2 Chapter 12

this?" Emily questioned, trying to rally the other attendees against me. "Why are we allowing her to do this?"

"You say all these things, painting Jewel Xanthos terribly like she's some monster, yet you're still alive, aren't you?" O slowly stood up from his seat, interrupting Emily from continuing. "You trespassed into her room. You ruined her things. You had your brother believe that she wanted him, urging him to go after her and thus attacking Jewel in a dark hallway, attempting to a s s a ulther. I say you are equally to blame. And yet we've kept you alive despite this disrespect, only because we know Jewel wouldn't want her supposed friend killed. Wars in the past have started for much less than what you've done and I don't think the River pack can take both the Mountain and the City pack combined."

She was pale. Pale as the white dress she wore. "You have no evidence."

O walked down the aisle, stopping to stand in front of Tedros and I, as if to shield us with his own body. "On the contrary, I have interrogated the people that were caught in her room today. And they all say the same thing, you ordered them to do it. We have your signature on paper, your promise to promote them as soon as you're made Alpha if they do what you asked of them."

"No. That's not true." She argued, panicked and looking down at Wylan who was still as stone.

Wylan was starting to realize what this meant.

He stared at me and then at Emily... his face a mask of horror.

O doesnt stop, doesn't let Erly think They're standing tral soon and once it's proven, and trust me it will be proven, you'll be stripped of your title and imprisoned for the foreseeable future"

"What?!" Wylan demanded, standing from his own seat and yanking his arm from Emily. "Stripped of her title?!"

Emily burst into tears. "No, wait."

But Wylan only puts more distance between them.

Their whole relationship was centered purely on her title and soon she wasn't even going to have that.

I can see the deep regret on his face and when he looks at me, his expression is simply unfathomable.

The truth is, he wanted to choose me and, at some point, I would have chosen him but chose power and title, not realizing that I had both.

O tilts his head up, staring down at her... staring down at everyone in the clearing. "Jewel Xanthos is the future Alpha of the City pack."

More so for Wylan than for anyone else, O grins mischievously.

"She is to inherit the wealth of the richest pack in the world and has the strength of a pack who comes second when in terms of power." He straightens his back, standing at his full height, proud to say all of this about me. "She is the only daughter of her very protective father. I wouldn't test her kindness if I were you."

Book 2 Chapter 12

"And who are you? What do you know about this? How are you involved?" Emily was gasping for breath, shaking with fear and panic.

"I am her Beta, Kolton Armani, Son of her father's Beta, Konstantin Armani. have sworn my life to protect her and with it ending soon, 1 am willing to do just about everything to make sure she has her happiness before I go." Kolton or Otto, as we like to call him at home, didn't miss a beat, standing strong and ready to do absolutely anything for me.

Someone from the front row stands as well and when she looks at me, my heart warms. There was respect in Miss As eyes and I could only watch as she turned to the crowd as well."Likewise. If anyone tries to rip my brother away from the woman he loves, they will have to go through me as well."

Brother.

Miss A was...

"I am Adelle Valentine-Ludovic and I will happily be banned from the Games, bringing down my wrath if anyone dares to come between them."

I should have known.

She looked exactly like her father.

A carbon copy of him but of a beautiful woman.

My mind made up, I faced the organizer- the Luna of the Mountain pack. I was never the type of person to use my title or mention my father, but I was willing to do just about anything to walk out of these Games with Tedros as my mate "I will pay whatever fee. I beg to change whatever rule and I will take whatever punishment. I will speak to my father. I will do it all Please. Please, allow this to happen."

She surprised me by smiling, a small beautiful smile of disbelief like she couldn't believe what I was saying. "Are you really your father's daughter?" I did not understand the question.

But behind those eyes of hers was a history that I didnit know about

A long history that involved her and my father.