The Game Of Quadruplet Mates
The Games

Dear Miss X,

It is with great pleasure that we invite you to this year's Games. The week long celebration will be held on natural land in a faraway mansion. A car will personally pick you up the night before the event takes place and bring you to paradise.

Note that there are a few rules once you make it to the grounds. In the Games, shifting into wolf forms is prohibited and upon arrival, there will be no names, only letters will be used. The mention of packs, titles and ranks is strictly forbidden. Anyone caught revealing personal information will result in an immediate dismissal and offenders will not be allowed to attend the Games through the next five years. If, by chance, the attendee knows another attendee at the Games, all are still required to be called by the first letter of their names and nothing more, otherwise the punishment will be severe.

Enclosed in the letter is a list of all necessary things to bring. If you are unable to bring any, these will happily be provided for you upon request by your Alpha.

We look forward to receiving you this spring as part of our grand Assembly.

Sincerely,

The Organizers

I read this letter three more times in the car before folding it neatly and hiding it in my pocket, keeping it safe. My head against the window, I mentally count the number of times I have read the letter since I received it three months ago. Thirty one. I've read it thirty one times.

I managed to memorize the letter by now, but I still can't shake the feeling of worry and anxiousness.

The Games are all about love and replaceing partnership, but at twenty years old how would I even know who that would be? Everyone makes it look so easy, replaceing love and replaceing the one, but what if I don't know what I'm looking for? What if I mate with a man I don't even like? Or I make a mistake and I ruin everything?

There was so much at stake.

This was my life and I will have to make this life changing decision in only a week.

Normally, people are excited about the Games. It's luxurious and pretty and has these intricate events that everyone talks about but no one opens up about the ceremony. How do they choose? How do they know that this is the one?

I was told it's all about feelings.

But I'm still confused about that. With these rules that keep us from revealing ourselves and relying on nothing except feelings, all of this makes me worry.

What if I mate with a criminal?

What if I mate with someone who's family is mean and unsupportive?

What if I don't like what they're like after the Games?

We were going in blind and it really set off my anxiousness. I'm the type of person that has to always double check things and I've been told it'll change once I'm there when the twinkling lights and beautiful clothes come in, but I'm already in the car heading to this faraway mansion and I'm still sick to my stomach.

The driver in front is quiet, playing some classical music, but I can tell he can sense my worry, my unease and when I take the letter out of my pocket again, reading it closely to remember rules that I've already memorized, trying to replace little details I might have missed, the man decides to speak up.

"It's always nerve-racking the first time." He says to me, looking from the rear view mirror. "But the place is some kind of magic. You'll feel love the moment you step in. The beauty of the place is just incredible and it has all the right ways to help you replace the one." "That's what I'm worried about." I whispered under my breath. "What if whoever I choose changes once outside the 'beauty' and the 'romance' of the place? What if he decides that I'm different outside the Games too?"

The driver smiled at me and there was something comforting about it. "No one I've met has ever complained so far. You'll see. When I come to get you at the end of the week, with or without a mate, you'll be telling me about how great everything was." My hand goes to my pocket again, fiddling with clothes that were far too lavish. I was dressed in my best dress made for this occasion specifically. "I hope so."

"I know so." He says kindly.

For the first time in three months, I felt a smile come to my lips. My eyes turned to the window, staring at the trees that blurred past me, noticing how far we had already driven. It had been a couple of hours now, but with no attendee knowing the exact location of the Games, everything was a mystery. The car itself is luxurious, equipped with champagne, fancy snacks and a television-we weren't allowed to bring any electronics. They were also strict about any pack officers coming unless they were attendees themselves. I suppose the organizers want everyone on equal grounds without the presence of intimidating figures nearby.

It would just be attendees at the Games and from what I heard, a lot of guards to keep the peace and to catch us if by chance we accidentally slip out any information.

Most people party in their cars, getting themselves drunk before the actual Games because, apart from the rules given to us, we were encouraged to have fun and enjoy ourselves to the fullest, but I kept the classical music playing and stared out the window in waiting.

"Can I put the window down?" I asked the driver.

He nods, smiling at me. "Of course."

With the window down, I breathed in the smell of spring and fresh pine. The air was clear and cool and refreshing, clearing my worried thoughts and calming me for what was to come.

When the car slows down and the sight of the big black gates catches my eyes, I feel the first of my excitement come. Already I saw guards everywhere, wearing all black uniforms and an empty expression that kept us from thinking of doing anything bad, but beyond that, beyond the tall black gate, was the most beautiful sight of them all.

An enchanting white stone mansion stood tall and wide, taking my breath away with just one look. It was a castle for royalty or some kind of faraway palace in the countryside made for only princesses and princes. The white stone of the mansion shined and the blue towers were so majestic that they were gleaming in the morning sun. Decorated beautifully in flowers and colorful shiny fabrics, falling and blowing against the wind, I felt like I was dreaming and had woken up in some place heavenly.

I barely noticed how the gates opened, how the guards spoke with my driver or how they looked at me and then at the paper in their hands. They whispered my name: "Miss X."

But nothing more than that.

No name.

No pack.

No title.

Just a letter.

That's all I am now.

And then we were driving again, heading for this beautiful place that could only exist in our hearts and imaginations.

We drove slowly, the driver knowing exactly what to do for me to get the full experience of seeing everything up close. The long driveway was needed, driving through rows and rows of flowers and bushes and green manicured lawns until finally we got closer and closer to the stone mansion. The classical music playing only made everything better, my lips parting and my heart tightening in my chest.

It was like a different world altogether, the great alabaster pillars, inlaid with what seemed to be precious gems, rectangular painted glass windows that ran from polished marble, the domed glass ceilings and the otherworldly feeling- it was all majestic and beautiful. The longer I looked, the more I saw, the more details I picked up.

And finally, we stopped right at the entrance.

The driver turned to face me. "I hope you have the best time, Miss X. I'll be right out here at the end of the week."

I smiled at him. "Thank you. You were right. This place is incredible."

"It only gets even better." He assures with his own smile as my door opens.

A guard opens my door as a girl comes forward, the brightest smile on her lips. She was a little older, old enough to be organizing the event or maybe she was an organizer. No one will know.

Everyone, even the organizers, kept their identities a secret.

"Welcome to the Games, Miss X. We are right on time." The girl is dressed beautifully in black like all the organizers and staff are. "Please hand over your invitation."

I dig into my pocket, handing over the carefully folded paper.

She takes it, reading the contents. "I would like to remind you of the rules that must be followed. No shifting. No giving personal information. Your bags will be taken for inspection and will be brought to your room. I understand your Alpha did not make any special request for you?"

I shook my head, staring up at the white stone mansion. "Not that I know of."

Through the beauty of the place, I noticed just how secure everything was. The guards are everywhere, constantly patrolling and quietly watching everything happen. "Perfect. Due to safety and our precautions regarding information being kept secret, every attendee entering the grounds must be accompanied by a guard. Please know that they won't cause any trouble and will keep a distance."

My eyes flicker at the man holding my bags. He was tall and broad and didn't bother to speak or acknowledge my presence. He had an ever present frown on his face, barely looking in my direction. He was in that all black uniform that every guard wore but, much like all the rest, he had the majority of his face covered by a cap that he wore low.

No introductions were given, no names were exchanged. He merely disappeared as the girl attached a bracelet to my wrist. "This is to mask scents. It is another precaution to keep everyone's identity hidden. You must never remove it. For events, you may remove this one."

Carefully, she places another bracelet on my wrist, this one made of woven flowers.

"I wish you the best of luck, Miss X." She says with another smile, gesturing to the side entrance which looked to lead towards the gardens.

I stared at it for a while, wondering what could possibly be waiting for me there. My heart was in my throat, my hands felt clammy but a smile pulled at my lips as I took a step forward.

This was it.

Let the Games begin!

Because everyone enjoyed the Games so much, I am officially writing a short sequel for 'The Game of Quadruplet Mates'!

In this story, much like the attendees, you will not know who they are until the choosing ceremony. You will not be given descriptions of the characters and with the characters never mentioning their family members or rank, everyone is a mystery. Just like an attendee, you will have to fall in love by using your emotions only.

See you at the next Games