The Game Of Quadruplet Mates
Chapter 10

We stayed in that hug for a long time, his arms securing me to him. The warmth that comes from him is relaxing and I never want to leave it.

"I'm sorry I was late." He whispered in my ear. "I came as soon as I could but you weren't in the garden anymore, so I thought to just go to my room and call it a night."

I smile, feeling much better. "It's okay. What kept you?"

Jeremy hesitated, his breathing still. "Our Alpha came to the Games. He had us do a few things."

"He's here? I thought he didn't want to come to these things." His Alpha's reputation is darker than the night, his sins painting the ground red with the people he has killed. Jeremy said there are some truths to the rumors but doesn't confirm which. "I'm really not sure. The Alpha said he wanted to look into something." He says evasively and points to his room. "Do you want to come in?"

I don't push him for answers. Anyway, what did I care about an Alpha? "Okay."

My heart fluttered as he took my hand and brought me into his room. He pushes open the door and I see a very similar room to mine. His was maybe a little bigger with more windows and darker tones. Instead of a princess look, this was made for a Prince. If I stared at him long enough, he certainly looked like one.

He leads the way, sitting down on his bed and pats the spot beside him. "So are you going to tell me why you smell like someone I know that constantly shits?"

I smiled at his mention of Konstantin and sat down beside him on the bed. In other circumstances, this would be very inappropriate, being alone in bed with him. I just didn't care. "He sent someone to my room and had me dressed up. At dinner, I ate with them... his pack."

His expression turns cold. "Did they do anything? Did he do anything? Konstantin... he can't be trusted. I have known him a long time and no woman is safe with him. He likes to collect women and parade them around like they're his toys."

"No, he didn't do anything, but I was reminded of my place." I played with my hands, my hard calloused hands making me flinch.

He reaches for me. "June,"

I force a smile. “It's true, Jeremy. I need to remember it."

He stands up, angry and tight lipped. "They need to remember that they're not invincible and that their wealth doesn't make them better than everyone else."

"Jeremy," I started, but he whirls around and presses his lips against mine. I exhaled in surprise but the familiarity of his lips... of his touch quickly made me give in.

His lips are desperate and hungry as his weight pushes down on me heavily. He was on top of me, his arms keeping me in place and his lips doing things that made me whisper his name. Jeremy tasted better than any food served to me and I couldn't get enough. He presses against me, eliminating all space between us. I felt this manhood stiffen and could feel the tightness of his pants as it did.

"Fuck, you taste good." He hoarsely whispers into the kiss. His hand goes between us and I feel him slip under my dress, caressing my thigh. "You don't need this."

I was breathing hard, his hands on my skin left a trail of fire as his hands explored. He tugs at the city pack dress and, with an expert hand, easily undos the strings that kept everything in place. I was completely na k e d underneath and Jeremy made sure to appreciate this by giving feather light kisses to the exposed skin.

My body was shaking by the end of it, as was he. His baby blue eyes showed both hesitation and [**t.

"I didn't invite you here to do this..." He says, sounding very guilty while his lips slowly came back to mine. "I'm sorry. We shouldn't. I said we should wait."

But he was panting like he didn't want to follow his own words.

In all honesty, it was okay.

I've never really done anything like this before and though Jeremy is the perfect man to do it with, the Games didn't seem like the right place to do this- even if this is what the Games are for. And I know there probably won't be another chance with him... but this was enough.

Being with him, like this, is enough.

At least, I'll have this memory when I go back to our lands.

Jeremy started to pull away, albeit looking pained to do so. Before he fully extricated himself, he paused just before my mouth and whispered a quiet: "Soon." He took his shirt off next, revealing a body was packed with muscle and helps me into said shirt. "Wear this instead."

The cotton shirt is soft on me and fell an inch above my knees, covering everything that needed to be covered.

"Let's go to your room and get a change of clothes." He says, running his hands through the ends of the shirt I'm wearing. "I wanna take you somewhere." "Where?" I asked, breathless from his touch.

His touch goes higher, under the shirt and touching my thigh. "I want you to experience the Assembly the right way. No more 'reminding' of your place."

If we continued, we would replace ourselves back where we started and he knows this as he reluctantly pulls away, slowly taking away each point of contact.

Still, without his shirt on, it was very hard to keep my attention away from his muscular chest.

He smiles softly. "Do you want that? Do you want to go down again and give this Assembly one more shot?"

'As long as I'm with you.' is what I wanted to say, but it was too forward so I just said: "Okay."

Jeremy's smile widens and he takes my hand, pulling me up to stand from his bed. We left quite an indent on the pillows which made me smile, that is, until I realized the hand holding mine was missing something. "Where's my-" I trail off staring at his wrist where my identifier used to be.

Did he remove it?

Did he throw it away?

Is he ashamed?

Jeremy touched his wrist, a look of genuine surprise on his face. "It was here before I... It must have fallen off. I'm so sorry, June. I didn't remove it, I promise."

I couldn't really speak, doubt clouding my thoughts.

He grabs my face, cupping my chin and stares into my eyes. "June. I'm sorry. Please believe me. It must have fallen when I went to the woods earlier. I would never purposely lose it. Okay?"

I still couldn't replace the words.

He pulls me close. "I swear on my Alpha, I didn't lose it on purpose."

Knowing his absolute devotion towards his Alpha, I believe him. "It's okay. It's just an identifier."

"But it's your identifier." Jeremy says possessively, hand still on my chin and bringing me closer to him. "I'll have a few of my guys replace it. I'm sure it's still there."

I nodded, giving his hand a little squeeze. "To my room then?"

He wraps an arm around my shoulders. "Lead the way."

Quietly, we make our way out his room, through the halls and up a few staircases. We didn't see a single soul with everyone down in the gardens. It was nice to have the mansion all to ourselves.

Jeremy kept his arms around me, his chin resting on the top of my head. It was intimate and dream like but better because it was real. This was happening.

We were near my room when someone called me from behind and the magic was broken. Unbothered by this, Jeremy turns, which makes me turn to replace Larissa staring at us with wide eyes. We were quite a sight to see because it was only now did I realize that I was only wearing a shirt-Jeremy's shirt and Jeremy, who gave the shirt to me, was topless. My hands were on his chest and his hands were all over and... and it was something.

But Larissa doesn't miss a beat and smiles. "Sorry, dinner is done and a party is being held in the ballroom. I couldn't replace June so I thought about looking for her up here."

Jeremy extended his hand. "It's nice to meet one of June's pack members. I'm Jeremy."

"I'm Larissa." She takes his hand and shakes it. Her knowing eyes, glanced between the two of us. "So, Beta, are you choosing this year?"

I pause mid breath and have the urge to melt into a puddle.

Oh no.

It was so out of the blue too.

I narrow my eyes at Larissa in hopes she understands that this isn't the time, but of course, she doesn't care and leans closer to Jeremy. "See anyone you want to choose?" Jeremy burst into a fit of laughter, his eyes meeting mine.

I took this as my cue to save him from my prying friend. "I'm sure Jeremy wants to keep this to himself."

A playful smile made it's way to his face. "We'll replace that out tomorrow, won't we?"

"I hope so." Larissa says with a lifted eyebrow. "If you two are joining the party, and not that I'm judging or anything, but, uh, I think it's best if you two wear more clothes?"

"I'll get right on that." I told her, happy that Larissa was still Larissa. "We'll meet you downstairs."

"I'll get us drinks." She says, wiggling her eyebrows again. "Don't take too long."

"Thank you checking on me." And I meant it. With the loss of my closest friend, it was good to have Larissa who watched out for me.

She didn't reply but her smile said it all.

We weren't ever a loyal pack and we didn't have the same kind of unification as the others, but this, with the two of us, certainly felt like it.

Larissa disappears in a corner and, with her gone, Jeremy takes me to my room. I move quickly, feeling excited. In less than five minutes, I was showered, dried and changed. My white dress was nowhere to be seen-Konstantin's help must have brought it down to wash or something, so I opted for one of the other dresses in my bag.

The older girls from our pack that returned from the Assembly unmated are required to donate their dresses to the younger girls. I was given three of them. I choose the one closest to my size: a simple black dress. The other two didn't really fit well, most of them slipped off my shoulders but it would have to do.

I'd rather wear these than something from Konstantin.

I came out of the bathroom to replace Jeremy lounging on my bed. He had his head on my pillow and his feet up while he whistled.

He easily catches the shirt I toss him and tugs it on. "Ready?"

My heart leaps out of my chest, watching him so casually be with me. "Ready."

Jeremy takes my hand as we grin at each other. He led me out of my room and I noticed how the hallways had been dimmed a little. As we start walking down the stairs, we hear loud music playing from somewhere in the mansion.

We followed the music and stopped right in front of the ballroom, the doors wide open. It was dark with only the flickering neon lights to guide our way.

Crowds and crowds of attendees were hurrying inside, grabbing from trays of alcoholic drinks that the organizer staff was holding in trays. Larissa is there standing with another boy. He smelled like someone from the sea pack, salty yet fresh.

She spots us and waves. "Over here!"

Jeremy shared a smile with me and I can tell he was wondering if this boy was her future mate or a night time enjoyment.

Larissa doesn't bother to introduce the boy beside her- answering our question for us. "Grab a drink and let's go in."

We all take one sparkly drink each and tip our heads back. Jeremy reaches for another two shot glasses and offers one to me.

"To the Games." He whispers in my ear.

I can't help but smile, feeling exhilarated. "To the Games."

We take the shot together, interlacing our hands and head into the ballroom. Much has changed since this afternoon. The entire place was decorated with bright neon lights and glowing dance floors. The raised platform where the city pack Alpha was now occupied by a man in front of what looked to be a machine that the music was coming from.

Some way or another, we lose Larissa and the night time enjoyment boy leaving just Jeremy and I in the middle of the dance floor. Jeremy noticed this and used this opportunity to bow low dramatically.

"May I have this dance?" He shouts through the loud music.

The smile on my lips grew even bigger. "You may!"

The two of us dance, moving with the beat of the music. Hot bodies press us closer together and I let the music control me. One of Jeremy's hands replaces its way to my waist and one of mine is on his shoulder.

At that moment, it was just the two of us.

Jeremy pulled me impossibly closer to him to the point that I could feel his breath on my face. Our bodies move in sync, eye contact never breaking.

I don't know how long the two of us danced like that, but I'm brought out of my stupor when a familiar shiver runs down my back. Goosebumps found their way to my skin and it wasn't because of the lack of space between Jeremy and I.

I was being watched.

From across the room, in the shadows, were the same amber eyes from earlier staring right at me.

This time, the neon lights and the moon's brightness gave me my first glimpse of him. Despite being hidden partly by the shadows, it's clear as day that this man is dangerously handsome. My eyes drift from his sculpted high cheekbones, down to his strong sharp jawline and to his cleft chin. He's tall and muscular, leaning against a pillar with a glass of dark liquid in his hand. A plain white dress shirt that he rolled up to his elbows showed off the hard toned biceps of a trained fighter. I tried not to notice that a few of his buttons weren't done, revealing a strong chest under his top.

I've never seen him before. He didn't look familiar at all. Not once did I see him the entire day.

Was he an organizer?

Surely, I'd remember someone like him? Especially with those eyes.

The eyes that I've come to admire from him, however, don't stay a bright amber for long. It drastically darkens into the color of a storm until it's completely black.

He tips his head back, drinking the remaining liquid in his glass, and turns away.

Who was he?

I don't get to question this any longer because a man approaches us. By the smell, what little I could smell of him, he was from Jeremy's pack. He bows his head at me before staring into Jeremy's eyes.

A quiet conversation happens in front of me and for a moment I think he's going to tell Jeremy that he found my identifier, but Jeremy's reaction to whatever the man said says the opposite. He recoils away from his pack member, eyes darkening.

"It's time to go, Beta." The man says out loud and I glance at Jeremy with worry.

"I promised-" But Jeremy's head falls. "I'll be right there."

"What's wrong?" I asked, holding his hand tightly.

"Pack business." He says vaguely, unable to meet my eyes. "Let's replace Larissa."

Numb and very confused, I followed behind him as he scoured the ballroom. It took a good half an hour before we found Larissa. Standing in front of the man on the platform, she was giving him the 'look' and he winked back.

"Larissa," Jeremy calls, breaking Larissa away from her little stare match with the man. "I have to go."

Larissa glances at me, a flash of concern in her eyes before shooting Jeremy the coldest glare. "You're just like everyone else, Beta Jeremy."

The sharpness of her tone surprised me. She was talking to a Beta but her stance said she was ready to fight him, whatever his rank was. Jeremy flinched at her words.

"I thought you would be different but I guess you left her like everyone else has." Larissa continued, taking my hand and pulling me away from Jeremy. "Come on, June. There are a few shots with our names on them at the bar." Her words hit me deep and I allowed her to take me away.

Larissa and I squeezed between bodies and more bodies until we made it to the side where a table was set up. A few of the organizer's staff were behind it, mixing and shaking colorful liquids. A powerful smell was coming from whatever they were mixing. "What can I get for you ladies?" The man asked, pouring a clear liquid into a glass and topping it off with an olive.

"The strongest you've got." Larissa shouts over the music. "Get us drunk."

Like all the men that interact with Larissa, he gives her this wide flirtatious smirk. "Coming right up, gorgeous."

I watch as the man adds funky liquid after funky liquid into a metal cup before shaking it. He then pours a green, almost glittering liquid into a clear glass before handing it to us.

"Don't drink it all at once. I put wolf's bane-" He starts but ends up laughing when he sees both Larissa and I finish the entire glass in one gulp. "Another, I guess?"

Another turned into five others and I started to feel like I was swimming... or maybe I was. It is getting hard to tell. Everything was blurry and I could barely tell who I was speaking to if I was speaking at all.

My stomach felt weird. I kept burping and hiccuping. My head felt light and a little loopy.

And then I was laughing, a lot.

But I don't know why.

Everything was just so funny.

I remember someone taking my hand. Larissa maybe or was it Jeremy coming back for me? The hand felt different, larger and firmer. I remember the dark hallways, the one holding my hand supporting my back as we walked. "You're so handsome." I slurred, licking my lips. "I like you."

I remember seeing my room next and being brought to the bed and tucked into it. My lips felt something cold being pressed into them, a cold glass. I think it was water.

Exhausted, I started to fall asleep when I heard a quiet voice speak up.

"You won't be drinking like that without me."

I think I see a flash of amber before I completely pass out.