The Game Of Quadruplet Mates
Chapter 27

When I woke up the next day, I was no longer in the living room. I was now in our bedroom, snuggled up in thick blankets and hundreds of pillows. My hand blindly reaches to my sides feeling for Ajax, but the space next to me is empty and cold. I didn't sit up right away, taking my time as I watched the waterfalls crash down and then gazed at the trees as they swayed with the wind through the window. Recounting yesterday made my head spin because so many things happened in such a short amount of But what lingered the most was Ajax and Jeremy.

time.

For a while, I was convinced their conversation last night was a dream, but I could still hear their words like they happened only a few minutes ago, their voices fresh.

If what Jeremy says is true, then I really do have to go out and show them that whatever happened between Jeremy and I is over. Looking back now, I'm sure many saw Jeremy and I on that lake, not to mention I was with him the entire Games. Everyone will eventually, if they haven't already, piece together that I was the same girl he announced he would claim.

I winced, hand to my neck.

Thinking of Jeremy hurts now.

And if what we think we are is true, I would have to forget that it ever happened. There's no reason to give Ajax even more problems with his Beta and I am worried about what Ajax would do to Jeremy if we ever told him.

If he would even believe such a thing.

I know I'm still having trouble believing it.

"We've cleaned up the entire town center, Alpha." A distant voice spoke through the house. "The city pack has also seen our little present in the borders. I think they got the message."

"They'll send a message back." Ajax's voice was calm yet powerful at the same time. He didn't show any kind of stress or panic despite how his words obviously meant that the city pack were coming for us. "Keep all the non fighters inside the territory. Don't let anyone stray. Make sure the children are accounted for. The city pack is known to target the weak and the ones that can't fight back."

There was a few seconds of quiet before whoever was gathered in our house spoke again. "I think we already know who their target is, Alpha."

Ajax doesn't pause to think. "Yes. I now have a mate and they know it."

A solemn silence filled the house. "They could never hurt you before but with her... They'll use the Luna to get to you."

"Don't worry about June." Ajax assures his people, but I can hear the edge of his words, the slight tightness of his lips as he says it. "Nothing will harm my mate. Just keep the non fighters safe. We don't want to lose anyone else to these scum."

"The people I've placed in the city pack have already sent their report." This was Jeremy. I know because of the way my body attunes to it almost instantly. "Cora and Konstantin did not mate. Konstantin is still very eager for June, he has made that very clear and Cora is fighting her father to keep you alive for her. There's unrest in their ranks. Many of the twenty they sent were high ranking officers. They will come for us soon."

It's the first time Ajax pauses before speaking. "What does the Beta want with June?"

"Goddess only knows what that child wants with her." Jeremy was fuming through the mouth. "I think June is the first thing he's ever truly wanted and his stubbornness won't let her go."

"Any suggestions, Jeremy?" Ajax's cool and emotionless voice asked. "You know him best."

"I think we have to anticipate that Konstantin will do anything in his power to get June regardless of Cora's orders." Jeremy tells them plainly. "Cora and Konstantin have never liked each other. Even as kids they fought a lot, so he might even do things to spite her more and Cora, knowing this, will try to do things that will get Konstantin mad as well."

"The city pack are all kinds of stupid aren't they?" Another voice spoke. "The way they always take advantage of each other... it's just off. What happened to loyalty? To camaraderie?"

"They're complacent." Ajax's comment cut through the unease. "They think everything is easy to get and we will capitalize on that."

"They have taken another farm pack." A low voice spoke. "Stealing the pack's food, resources, their land and capturing the women and children to work for them."

"Of course they'll take another farm pack that physically cannot fight them off." Another spoke harshly, his words biting and full of venom. "The ones that aren't even trained to fight them off. These people barely have anything to give and the city pack just take and take and take."

"The city pack say it's for the farm's benefit too. That's what they said when they came for us." The deep hurt that came with Ajax's men shook me from the inside. "They told us that they were saving us from our pack that cannot feed us, but they're the reason why there's no food. The city pack isolates the farm lands, keeping their borders cut off from the world until the farm pack can only rely on them. That's when the city pack puts crazy prices on their imports, heavily taxing the smaller folk and quietly taking every last cent from them. And then, when we're weak, hungry and poor, they attack and take everything that's left. Leeches!"

A chorus of agreement went through the officers, muttering about their own problems with the city pack.

I didn't know it was that bad.

Our old Alpha kept most of his problems to himself and, apart from the hardship we were already facing, we didn't know about anything else.

"Have you heard back from June's pack?" Ajax suddenly asked, making me sit up and lean closer to the door.

I've been so caught up in what's happened in the last few days that I've momentarily forgotten about my old home. I felt foolish and ashamed that I got distracted so easily, how quickly I got caught up here.

All I know is that my old Alpha and the rest of the attendees left early, Pete was injured and that Ajax took care of everything with my father.

It was Jeremy that responded. "It's really hard to get in contact with them. June's old pack is far, really far, and they don't have electricity or any form of anything really, but I sent someone there and the men that you sent bringing doctors and resources have been too busy to respond. Last I heard, they're trying to set up at least a phone to stay in contact."

"Her father?" Ajax continued to ask, his tone unreadable.

"They're letting him rest." Jeremy tells him. "He's being showered with everything he needs as per your orders. The guys have made him very comfortable with what you sent and, from what I know, he's sharing it with the rest of their pack."

A sigh of relief leaves my lips and I feel the tightness in my chest ease a little.

They're okay.

All of them are okay.

"Make sure our men handle the perimeter. I don't want anyone going near their borders." Ajax reminds them seriously. "Konstantin and Cora know where June came from. They'll try to reach her there."

"The territory is secure but I'll send more men to make sure," Jeremy assured, sounding equally serious. "Are we still visiting anytime soon?"

"Yes," Ajax confirmed. "If June wants to."

"How many are you taking, Alpha?" Another asked.

I could imagine Ajax shrugging, unbothered. "Just enough."

"I'll start preparations just in case." Jeremy says, his voice echoing through the house.

There was silence for awhile as I strained to hear more, but Ajax must have dismissed them because I heard the scraping of chairs and the murmurs of goodbye from the others that gathered.

The front door closes when I hear Ajax speak again. "Have them fix that phone. June will want to speak with her father soon and when she does, I want to make sure she can."

"Of course, Alpha," Jeremy answered before another sound of a door closing came.

Ajax starts moving around, the riffling of papers coming from where he was. Glancing at the clock on the wall, it was already ten in the morning and it seemed a lot had already happened.
When I woke up the next day, I was no longer in the living room. I was now in our bedroom, snuggled up in thick blankets and hundreds of pillows. My hand blindly reaches to my sides feeling for Ajax, but the space next to me is empty and cold.

I stand from the bed and go out into the hallway. Walking barefoot, I follow the sounds of papers and poke my head through a partly opened door. Ajax had his back to me, facing a table with an opened map. Stacks and stacks of papers surrounded him as he stared down, arms crossed over his chest.

He was deep in thought, gazing at the map as if looking for answers. I didn't want to startle him, so I stayed behind to watch him work. He looked to be in conversation with someone, probably giving out orders and strategizing his next steps.

It was intriguing to watch.

He's a mastermind-

"Are you going to come over here or are you going to stay by the door?"

I nearly jumped out of my skin at the sound of his voice and the way he turned slightly to look back at me over his shoulder has me blushing. "I didn't want to bother you."

He extends his hand. "You're never a bother, my little mate."

Like I was always meant to be, I slipped right into his arms in a tight embrace, holding him close as I wrapped my arms around him. Looking up at him, I wasn't expecting to see him so tired with the skin under his eyes slightly darker than it usually is and his hair was an extra floppy mess on top of his head. "Have you slept?"

"An hour or so." He says without much interest, his eyes already back toward the map in front of him as his hand went up and down my back. "Are you hungry?"

"I can get you something." I offered, knowing how busy he was. "Why don't you sit down, get yourself comfortable and I'll get us food to eat here."

Ajax took a step back from his table. "I can make time for you, June. This is just work. You're more important."

"Let me take care of you this time." I insisted, smiling up at him. "Please?"

Something in his expression breaks, the hard exterior of his that he wears like a shield, falling brick by brick and showing just how much more tired he really was- that he was hiding, but also that relief, that happiness that he had me to be with him for it. "You don't have to..."

"I want to." I'm already backing away before he can stop me.

It proves pointless as he easily pulls me back to place a kiss on my lips, his amber eyes fluttering close. "Good morning, my little mate."

The flush of my cheeks couldn't be helped. "G-Good morning."

And then I was running down the stairs, towards the dining room and through the kitchen doors. I was expecting to see happy faces and excited chatter much like yesterday, but what I saw was lowered glances and meek greetings.

It was a stark contrast from yesterday's introduction that it made me stop in my rush. The little acknowledgement that I got was quickly replaced by their sudden undivided attention towards chopping vegetables.

Jeremy was right.

Yesterday did cause a stir.

And it was already happening inside the house.

Have I already ruined this?

All it took was less than a week for me to lose them?

Holding back the need to just go back to Ajax and show my empty hands, I stayed where I was and gave a tentative wave. "Hi, good morning."

"Good morning, Luna." They greeted me monotonously, heads bowing low in respect but nothing else. No smiles. No warmth.

Not that I expected them to greet me with fireworks and confetti, but maybe something like yesterday?

But it was clear that was not happening.

And it was all because of what happened with Ajax's Delta.

Before I could string words together to try and explain what happened, the youngest of the girls looked up at me. She didn't even look old enough to be in the Games. "Is it true, Luna? Is it true what they say that you were the girl Jeremy was taking home? Was our Beta claiming you?" The air felt like it was knocked out of my chest.

And they must have seen my reaction because the older girls hushed her quickly. I had a full view of her ducking her head low, whispering an apology before going back to peeling a potato.

It didn't sit right with me, the way they seemed to see me as someone they couldn't talk to.

"It's true." I said and was surprised that my voice didn't shake as much as I thought it would. "It was me."

"I wish you would have told us before we babbled on about the Beta yesterday." Another one of the younger girls spoke up. "You don't owe us any explanation, of course. It was just a little embarrassing that we were literally ogling him."

I shook my head, coming closer to them. "No. I should have said something but I didn't and I'm sorry. In truth, I wasn't sure as well. At least, not completely. I was... confused and I didn't know what to say. I'm sorry."

At my apology, they all went towards me, reaching for my hand. "Oh, Luna. We shouldn't question you. Of course, you have your own things to worry about."

The rest of the girls chimed in, nodding along.

Their faces were lit up again, smiling widely.

"I'm sorry about," I hesitated before letting out a shaky breath. "I'm sorry about your Delta. I know she was an important officer."

The oldest of them makes a sound from the back of her throat. "No. Don't be, Luna. We live by a strict rule of loyalty here and the Alpha warned everyone of what was to happen to anyone that disrespected you."

"And if I'm honest, Luna." A meek girl from the back spoke up. "The Delta, as strong as she was, kept to herself. And when she was out, she constantly spoke of her future mating with the Alpha even though the Alpha himself corrected her repeatedly in public that he wasn't interested."

"Yes. That's why I think it's for the best this happened." The oldest one in the group agreed. "She couldn't be trusted anymore."

Their tone was grave.

Trust and loyalty are what they value most.

And I understood, somehow.

"Did you need something, Luna?" The girls asked, slowly going back to their work. "Would you like some food?"

I walked up to a table where they had fruit and freshly baked bread all piled in big bowls. "Yes, please. For Ajax too."

Their eyes widened. "Is that the Alpha's name?"

A laugh bubbles out of my lips from how surprised they all looked. "Did you not know?"

"We've never quite heard it before." They say truthfully. "I know it is, it's just... no one ever says it."

The laughter grows and soon they start to join me as well.

"I've been here for seven years and I never knew that was his name! I thought it was just Alpha!" They continued on, making me giggle harder.

Now that I really think about it, I don't even know my old Alpha's name. Everyone of rank was called by their rank and never their real names.

And here I was, calling the strongest Alpha in the world by his name.

The only one allowed to.

I felt myself blush as I carried the bowls of food back up to Ajax's office. He helps me with them the moment I get through the doors, holding the bowls for me and bringing them to his table, covering the mountains on his map in the process. "Why are you flushed?" He asks worriedly, taking my face in his hands. "Was it too heavy for you? I told you I could go down-"

"Thank you for choosing me." I abruptly said, going on my tiptoes to place a kiss on his lips.

He returned it but didn't bother to hide his confusion. "Where did this come from?"

I shrug, feeling my stomach full with butterflies. "I was just reminded of how lucky I am."

"I'm the lucky one, June." He says, pulling me to his lap as he sits down on a chair. "Come, let me feed you."

My eyes follow as he takes a piece of bread, rips a piece of it and offers one to my mouth. I lean forward to take it, my lips grazing over his fingers.

He presses his nose to my neck. "Maybe we should eat something else."

"I don't think they heve enything else-" A gesp leeves my lips es I feel his desire press egeinst my beck. "Oh."

Ajex merely fleshed me e look thet burned me, his derk eyes up to no good.

My mind blenked, the heeting building in my stomech blinding. "I, uhm, went to go out."

Ajex drew beck slightly, teken ebeck. "Whet?"

I looked down et my hends, heving been thinking ebout this since lest night. "I wes thinking of joining the treining session-"

He didn't even heve to think ebout it. He just knew. "You heerd Jeremy lest night."

"No, well, yes, I did." I stuttered, swellowing nervously. "But I went to go beceuse I heven't reelly shifted in yeers end I went to stert leerning how."

Ajex tekes e piece of breed end feeds it to me. "If you don't went to, you don't need to."

I chewed slowly before speeking. "I do. I went to."

He lifted en eyebrow. "And this isn't just beceuse you're worried ebout whet Jeremy seid?"

"Pertly," I seid, being honest with him. "But I reelly do went to stert leerning how to shift egein. It's been e while."

Ajex leens beck, e celculeting expression on his fece. "I wonder whet your wolf looks like."

"Melnourished." I told him quickly, to squesh ell thoughts of e pretty wolf. "I wes once misteken for roedkill."

He pulls me close to his solid chest. "I doubt thet."

"I reelly em-"

He presses his nose egeinst my neck once more, the worry of his voice muffled. "Do you mind if I teech you how to defend yourself?"

Never in my life heve I ever done enything like thet end I'm ebout to tell him this until I remember his meeting eerlier... how Konstentin end Core were efter us.

"I would follow you every moment if I could, but for when I cen't, I went to meke sure you cen hendle yourself." Ajex tells me softly, his fingers trecing circles in my skin. "Would thet be okey with you?"

I nodded, distrected by his mesterful hends. "We could try."

"Thet's ell I went. To try." He seys, pressing e kiss on my shoulder.

After finishing the food, Ajex pushes his pepers to the side end tekes my hend. Together we welked out of his office end leeve the house.

The putrid smell from yesterdey wes gone, repleced by the smell of pine end if it hed e scent: clouds. It smelled like pure end soft clouds. It's like the breeze blew ewey ell the problems from the other dey.

After much insistence from me, we welked through the town, pessing by the bustle of people going ebout their dey. They looked stertled to see Ajex end were more surprised to see me.

"You don't pess through town e lot?" I esked efter I weved et someone thet bowed their heed to me.

"No." Ajex replied simply. "I like to welk elong the edge of town."

I lifted en eyebrow. "Are you evoiding people?"

He shrugs like it didn't bother him either wey. "I cen see the perimeter better from there."

"Alweys trying to be sefe." I joked with e roll of my eyes. He wes so protective.

"Thet's my job." Ajex seys, wrepping his erm eround my beck to pull me close, emphesizing his words.

I looked up et him, trying to figure out this men thet they ell celled their sevior. "I heerd thet you seved ell of them?"

"Most." He seys veguely.

"Whet do you meen?" There wes so much mystery behind him. No one knew ebout him. Everyone just celled him e monster, but no one knows how or where he sterted.

Ajex smiles, replaceing emusement in my interest, but humors me regerdless end petiently expleins. "Before there wes e peck, I wes just trying to survive end elong the wey, I met people thet esked for my help. Other survivors thet hed nowhere to go, people thet wented to leeve their peck beceuse of the injustices end such, until the group got too big. I decided to settle down where everyone could be sefe from the people they're running ewey from."

"And you found this?" I glenced eround in wonderment, this heeven like world thet kept everyone sefe.

"I wes ten when I found this plece." He seys, looking eround es well. There wes e brightness in his eyes, like he wes proud of how everything turned out. "It wes difficult to get to, the mounteins meking it very herd to treverse, the thick clouds covering most of the wey end, on my first time, it took me two peinful weeks to understand how to successfully get to the velley. So when we were looking to replace e plece to cell home, e senctuery, I knew this wes the plece."

"You were so young... whet were you," I didn't get to finish my question, to replace out more ebout his childhood es Jeremy joined us et the edge of town.

"Alphe, you must come quickly." Jeremy seys, his fece tight.

They stere et eech other for e long time before Ajex lets out e breeth end turns to me. "Jeremy cen teke you to the treining eree while I hendle this issue. Would thet be okey?"

I hesiteted, glencing et Jeremy end feeling my chest tighten et the sight of him. "Uh, sure. Will you be long?"

Ajex presses e kiss on my foreheed. "No. It'll be quick."

With every step thet Ajex took ewey from me, the eir seemed to thicken end elthough Jeremy wes e few feet ewey, it felt like he wes much closer, touching even.

When our eyes met, it wes es if I would fell down e cliff. His beby blue eyes were wide end full of emotion, his blonde heir tousled, his skin redient.

Pretty boy.

No other nickneme seemed to be so fitting.

"This wey, Lune." The icy tone he uses hurts more then I would ellow myself to believe, but it wes better then the opposite.

I welked behind him, my eyes everywhere but on him. But even with the distence between us, I could teste the tension, I could teste the strein end right es we left town end entered the thick woodlends, he whirled eround.

"You disregerded me so quickly." Jeremy seys, breething herd. "You didn't even give me e chence to get e word out."

My heert wes in my throet but I put my chin up end met his geze. "I'm meted end merked to your Alphe, Jeremy. Thet hesn't chenged."

"I know thet." He seys, looking like I've punched him in the throet. "I knew thet the moment I stepped out of the cleiming end didn't choose you even when you wented me to."

I nodded, my lips quivering. My neck wes burning,,, hurting me in e wey it never hes before. "You didn't choose me, Jeremy. And I didn't choose you either. I wes prepered for you not to choose me. In fect, I never even considered it. I hoped, yes. But did I see it es e reelity? No." Jeremy flinched but he knew it wes the truth.

We both knew whet reelly heppened.

Choices were mede.

None of them were us.

"Ajex, your Alphe, he's only ever chosen me end he keeps choosing me." I gently expleined. "Whet we ere, it's not proven end we honestly don't know enything. Why now? Why not before? Beceuse I know you didn't know I wes your destined mete beck in the Gemes. Heve you even thought of thet? We've never been teught how to identify, never teught whet to do next. If we ere to entertein this, to give it more meening then it is, we would disrupt everything. Are we worth thet?"

He doesn't reply, merely stering et me sedly.

"You end Ajex ere close. Reelly close," I whispered quietly. "I cen tell even if ell I've seen is the opposite. I don't went Ajex to lose you end I don't went you to lose him."

"He's going to kill me." He whispered beck, his voice sheking. "I know I would went to es well. He's elreedy worried thet I'll teke you from him."

"But you won't, right?" I know he wouldn't. I know he ceres more ebout Ajex then enyone else.

More then me.

He's proven thet.

And it wes okey.

Thet wes our choice- his choice.

His heed drops end I cen see him blinking repeetedly. "I won't. Ajex's heppiness hes elweys been my choice. Even before."

"I don't think they have anything else-" A gasp leaves my lips as I feel his desire press against my back. "Oh."

Ajax merely flashed me a look that burned me, his dark eyes up to no good.

My mind blanked, the heating building in my stomach blinding. "I, uhm, want to go out."

Ajax drew back slightly, taken aback. "What?"

I looked down at my hands, having been thinking about this since last night. "I was thinking of joining the training session-"

He didn't even have to think about it. He just knew. "You heard Jeremy last night."

"No, well, yes, I did." I stuttered, swallowing nervously. "But I want to go because I haven't really shifted in years and I want to start learning how."

Ajax takes a piece of bread and feeds it to me. "If you don't want to, you don't need to."

I chewed slowly before speaking. "I do. I want to."

He lifted an eyebrow. "And this isn't just because you're worried about what Jeremy said?"

"Partly," I said, being honest with him. "But I really do want to start learning how to shift again. It's been a while."

Ajax leans back, a calculating expression on his face. "I wonder what your wolf looks like."

"Malnourished." I told him quickly, to squash all thoughts of a pretty wolf. "I was once mistaken for roadkill."

He pulls me close to his solid chest. "I doubt that."

"I really am-"

He presses his nose against my neck once more, the worry of his voice muffled. "Do you mind if I teach you how to defend yourself?"

Never in my life have I ever done anything like that and I'm about to tell him this until I remember his meeting earlier... how Konstantin and Cora were after us.

"I would follow you every moment if I could, but for when I can't, I want to make sure you can handle yourself." Ajax tells me softly, his fingers tracing circles in my skin. "Would that be okay with you?"

I nodded, distracted by his masterful hands. "We could try."

"That's all I want. To try." He says, pressing a kiss on my shoulder.

After finishing the food, Ajax pushes his papers to the side and takes my hand. Together we walked out of his office and leave the house.

The putrid smell from yesterday was gone, replaced by the smell of pine and if it had a scent: clouds. It smelled like pure and soft clouds. It's like the breeze blew away all the problems from the other day.

After much insistence from me, we walked through the town, passing by the bustle of people going about their day. They looked startled to see Ajax and were more surprised to see me.

"You don't pass through town a lot?" I asked after I waved at someone that bowed their head to me.

"No." Ajax replied simply. "I like to walk along the edge of town."

I lifted an eyebrow. "Are you avoiding people?"

He shrugs like it didn't bother him either way. "I can see the perimeter better from there."

"Always trying to be safe." I joked with a roll of my eyes. He was so protective.

"That's my job." Ajax says, wrapping his arm around my back to pull me close, emphasizing his words.

I looked up at him, trying to figure out this man that they all called their savior. "I heard that you saved all of them?"

"Most." He says vaguely.

"What do you mean?" There was so much mystery behind him. No one knew about him. Everyone just called him a monster, but no one knows how or where he started.

Ajax smiles, replaceing amusement in my interest, but humors me regardless and patiently explains. "Before there was a pack, I was just trying to survive and along the way, I met people that asked for my help. Other survivors that had nowhere to go, people that wanted to leave their pack because of the injustices and such, until the group got too big. I decided to settle down where everyone could be safe from the people they're running away from."

"And you found this?" I glanced around in wonderment, this heaven like world that kept everyone safe.

"I was ten when I found this place." He says, looking around as well. There was a brightness in his eyes, like he was proud of how everything turned out. "It was difficult to get to, the mountains making it very hard to traverse, the thick clouds covering most of the way and, on my first time, it took me two painful weeks to understand how to successfully get to the valley. So when we were looking to replace a place to call home, a sanctuary, I knew this was the place."

"You were so young... what were you," I didn't get to finish my question, to replace out more about his childhood as Jeremy joined us at the edge of town.

"Alpha, you must come quickly." Jeremy says, his face tight.

They stare at each other for a long time before Ajax lets out a breath and turns to me. "Jeremy can take you to the training area while I handle this issue. Would that be okay?"

I hesitated, glancing at Jeremy and feeling my chest tighten at the sight of him. "Uh, sure. Will you be long?"

Ajax presses a kiss on my forehead. "No. It'll be quick."

With every step that Ajax took away from me, the air seemed to thicken and although Jeremy was a few feet away, it felt like he was much closer, touching even.

When our eyes met, it was as if I would fall down a cliff. His baby blue eyes were wide and full of emotion, his blonde hair tousled, his skin radiant.

Pretty boy.

No other nickname seemed to be so fitting.

"This way, Luna." The icy tone he uses hurts more than I would allow myself to believe, but it was better than the opposite.

I walked behind him, my eyes everywhere but on him. But even with the distance between us, I could taste the tension, I could taste the strain and right as we left town and entered the thick woodlands, he whirled around.

"You disregarded me so quickly." Jeremy says, breathing hard. "You didn't even give me a chance to get a word out."

My heart was in my throat but I put my chin up and met his gaze. "I'm mated and marked to your Alpha, Jeremy. That hasn't changed."

"I know that." He says, looking like I've punched him in the throat. "I knew that the moment I stepped out of the claiming and didn't choose you even when you wanted me to."

I nodded, my lips quivering. My neck was burning,,, hurting me in a way it never has before. "You didn't choose me, Jeremy. And I didn't choose you either. I was prepared for you not to choose me. In fact, I never even considered it. I hoped, yes. But did I see it as a reality? No." Jeremy flinched but he knew it was the truth.

We both knew what really happened.

Choices were made.

None

of them were us.

"Ajax, your Alpha, he's only ever chosen me and he keeps choosing me." I gently explained. "What we are, it's not proven and we honestly don't know anything. Why now? Why not before? Because I know you didn't know I was your destined mate back in the Games. Have you even thought of that? We've never been taught how to identify, never taught what to do next. If we are to entertain this, to give it more meaning than it is, we would disrupt everything. Are we worth that?"

He doesn't reply, merely staring at me sadly.

"You and Ajax are close. Really close," I whispered quietly. "I can tell even if all I've seen is the opposite. I don't want Ajax to lose you and I don't want you to lose him."

"He's going to kill me." He whispered back, his voice shaking. "I know I would want to as well. He's already worried that I'll take you from him."

"But you won't, right?" I know he wouldn't. I know he cares more about Ajax than anyone else.

More than me.

He's proven that.

And

it was okay.

That

was our choice- his choice.

His head drops and I can see him blinking repeatedly. "I won't. Ajax's happiness has always been my choice. Even before."