The Game Of Quadruplet Mates
Chapter 6

When Jeremy and I walked back to the mansion, we did so together, side by side with our elbows almost rubbing. It was hard to keep my heart in check and my lips to stop from smiling up at him.

I felt like a little girl, crushing on the popular boy. Yet there was something easy and natural about Jeremy. I didn't have to try with him. It was effortless and I could talk to him without needing much thought.

For once, I felt normal in the Games because Jeremy didn't notice or mention my low birth, bloodline or anything along those lines. He talks like it's not even on his mind and in a world that is only about someone's standing, I can't help but admire him for it. Nearing the mansion and away from our little getaway in the gardens, the crowd began to grow with more and more people staring at us. I prepared myself for the worst at first, to hear the whispers again, but it seems they've opted to ignore my existence completely, focusing solely on Jeremy instead.

I purposely fell behind from him, mostly to give him the space to get back to his pack-secretly because I was getting intimidated by the stares that followed and that's when reality slapped me in the face. It's like a bubble around me pops, the smoke clears and I'm reminded of who he is: the Beta of a very powerful pack.

His hold on people is instantaneous. Boys and girls alike turned to watch him walk in the mansion. With one hand in his pocket while the other holds the back of his neck, he strides through the entrance without a care about the attention he was getting. Suddenly, he's stopped by a girl in a dark red dress. The girl is beautiful. Her skin is radiant, her eyes wide and doe like. From the smell, I can tell she's from a big pack, her blood line high.

Jeremy stops, his expression unreadable and his blue eyes blank. I can't hear what she's saying to him but she's talking and smiling. Just when I think they know each other, Jeremy frowns and looks around all while she's still talking. Blue eyes searched the crowd until they found me, hidden among a wave of excited participants.

He finally smiles, his cold expression breaking into something warm... warm enough to even thaw my stomach that turned to ice from their interaction.

"There you are, June." Without giving her a single word, Jeremy pushed passed the girl in front of him and walked up to me. "Where did you go? You suddenly disappeared."

"I was just," I started to say, but the words die in my mouth when I saw the sharp glare of the girl he left behind. "I should replace my pack members."

Jeremy's smile falls. He covers it up quickly with a nod. "Of course. Foolish of me to try and steal you away for the entire weekend."

The blush comes instantly and I almost lose my footing.

He takes my hand, his thumb running knuckles. "I'll see you later, June."

I watch him go but he doesn't get far as he is stopped again by a voice. "Hello, cousin."

Cousin?

When I turn to face the voice, I see strawberry blonde hair and similar baby blue eyes... similar to Jeremy's. She's tall and lean and powerful. Her muscles are obvious but not taking away from her feminine features.

And she's beautiful. Too beautiful. Her skin is perfectly tanned like she spends her days sunbathing, her hair all made up in a way I never thought was possible and her dress, oh her dress, was black and studded with a million crystals. It hugged her in all the right places- even I was attracted to her. She made me feel underdressed, under everything. She was a star and she knew it.

This girl, no, this woman, is beauty and strength all in one.

But then I also noticed the obvious.

She was the Alpha everyone was talking about.

The Alpha's daughter of the richest pack in the world, the one with a dowry that could buy anyone.

And I remembered what she called Jeremy.

Cousin.

He's a cousin of an Alpha, the Alpha of the city pack. Which means he has an Alpha bloodline.

I felt even more silly.

Jeremy sighs, crossing his arms on his chest. "Cora, I didn't know you were going this year."

The beautiful Goddess smiles, pushing her long strawberry blonde hair back. "If you knew, you would tell him and if you told him, he wouldn't come."

"I can't blame him. I wouldn't have attended either if I knew you were here." Jeremy not so kindly teased. "Unlucky for you though, he's not coming. It's time to abandon that dream of yours, Cora. He won't mate and he certainly won't mate you." Her confidence didn't waver, the smile on her lips widening. "It's my last year. He'll come."

Jeremy laughs like this is the funniest thing he's heard. "He hates the city pack. He hates you most especially. How many more years will it take you to realize that?"

A perfectly curved eyebrow goes up. "You say he hates it but then he takes an Alpha blooded city pack member as his Beta?"

His expression darkens at the mention of his bloodline. "We're not the same, Cousin. We might share the same blood, but we are not the same. He knows this. He knows what you are."

"And what's that?" She smoothly challenged, looking much taller than Jeremy despite them being almost the same height. It was subtle but still there.

"A greedy bitch who's always thirsty for more power." He says factually and oh so calmly.

When she laughs, it shatters her beauty, turning it into something wild and feral. "Greedy? I already have the world."

Jeremy replaces amusement in this. "You have everything except one and it irritates you that you don't have it."

She steps forward, her face a mere centimeter away from his, and I'm suddenly very afraid for Jeremy. "For now. He will be mine one way or another." The Games.

This was the Games: where the powerful get what they want and everyone else is trampled along the way.

"June!" Larissa grabs my arm, pulling me away from Jeremy and his cousin. "Where have you been? The events are about to start!"

"The what?" I blabbered, coming back down from my thoughts.

Larissa playfully lets out a huff. "The elders are gathering us in the ballroom to announce the schedules and other stuff. There's supposed to be these activities to get everyone to mingle." Remembering Cora and how she all but announced her high standing in life, I doubt everyone will mingle like the elders want.

"Let's go!" Larissa urged, smiling and excited, the pressure of replaceing a mate not on her mind.

I followed behind her and was immediately greeted by a huge golden chandelier at the entrance. Various gasps can be heard from the crowd and I can't blame them. I think I was actually one of them.

We enter the white stone mansion and it's absolutely breathtaking. It's like I walked into a fairytale or some Parisian mansion in a faraway countryside. The windows are high with luscious wine red curtains draped over them, paintings of famous wolves of every kind on every wall, beautiful art pieces and vases that probably cost more than our pack decorated the wide, never ending halls.

It's no wonder why everyone spoke highly of the Assembly. We got to live here and for the entire weekend I can pretend to be a Princess.

It was nice to feel pretty, to feel important, even for the weekend and even if it's just in my head.

My smile widens as everyone gets ushered into a large open ballroom space. It could easily fit my entire pack back at home and have space for breakdancing. Three times over.

At the very front of the room is a raised platform with a podium. A hush goes through the room when the Alpha of the city pack himself enters the room. Some Alphas like to go to the Games to watch over their attendees, like our Alpha who stays in a separate compound. They're not supposed to come near the mansion, but I guess they make exceptions when it's him.

I know he's the Alpha of the city pack because, frankly, he looks exactly like his daughter, an exact replica. Glamorous. Handsome. Tall. Strawberry blonde hair and baby blue eyes. He's older than I thought he would be but his aura alone had my head bowing before I could think of doing it.

The Alpha's mere presence is commanding and powerful despite his old age. He carries himself in such an imposing way that no one could hold his gaze... no one except Jeremy, who I see roll his eyes at the Alpha's arrival.

Jeremy is way across the ballroom surrounded by his pack mates who, I realized, all glared at the Alpha.

I don't know much about the city pack's Alpha. From what I heard from our Alpha though, he's a politician and a businessman all rolled into one. There's a reason why he's so rich and it has everything to do with him exploiting people. Looking at him now though, he didn't seem like it, but maybe that's his game: cunning and manipulating. I suppose all corrupt politicians are like that.

But what did I know?

I'm only a poor girl from an even poorer pack.

The Alpha makes it to the podium and stands behind it. He smiles, flashing us all his perfectly white teeth. I see him lock eyes with his daughter, his face beaming with pride and then his eyes replace Jeremy- the smile disappears and I see something dark behind his perfect features.

"I welcome all of you to the Assembly." The Alpha begins with his strong and powerful voice. He explains the importance of the Assembly to the attendees the same way our elders speak of it. Pride. Honor. But he adds something else to it: the strengthening of bloodlines. "The Assembly, as you know, was founded for our race to thrive, for our bloodlines to be purer and stronger, for the honor of our families and for the optimum child to be born."

He certainly knows how to make me feel like cattle.

And then his smile returns, perfect and well calculated. "I met my mate in this Assembly several decades ago and, apart from the birth of my daughter, it's the best thing that has happened in my long life. I hope that all of you are blessed with the same happiness I've gotten from it. Enjoy the weekend and I hope to not see the same faces again next year."

Laughter goes through the ballroom. Some forced-mostly from the poorer packs. Alphas and elders alike have always encouraged everyone to replace their mate in the first year. It's cheaper that way, less expenses for the pack and, much like where I came from, we can only afford to go once.

With all the flourish of a peacock, he walked down the platform and spoke with an elder who was waiting for him at the side. Something the elder says makes the Alpha scrunch his face and shake his head, looking disappointed. I hear an echo of her name, Cora, before he stomps away.

He's replaced by another elder at the podium who gives a few announcements. "We shall start the afternoon with a feat of strength by the gentlemen. Participants may choose another attendee to honor and represent- a prospective choice if you will. After the feats of strength, you will be given free time to explore and mingle. Food and drink will be available anytime. Your room assignments will be posted on the board outside. We will be having dinner outside at exactly seven o'clock and we will resume here at the ballroom for the evening festivities. Now, let's all proceed to the clearing to watch the power of this year's attendees."

Larissa and I followed the bounding crowd of attendees intent on replaceing their room assignments and to watch the most powerful wolves in attendance wrestle each other to victory of the fairest. Our Alpha told us about this. How there will be events to show strength, beauty and power. They were pageants. All to show dominance and all to show just what you're buying into when mated. Right as we're in front of the board, a hand takes mine. I turned around in confusion and, to my utter surprise, saw Konstantin, smiling down at me with his pearly whites.

"June," He began with an easy smile. "Hey,"

Larissa's eyes widened at the sight of him and was quick to give us space, as if sensing a potential match. She doesn't say a word, melting into the background like she was never there. "Can we walk to the clearing together?"Konstantin pointed ahead. "I plan on participating, you see, and I would love it if you were there."

The hint did not fall on deaf ears and I hated how instantly my blush came. It's not as if I was particularly attracted to him, but I was rather flattered. I can't count the amount of times people have called me the 'unattractive' one, the one that repelled the opposite gender. I just wasn't used to it. "Of course. Lead the way."

Konstantin offers his arm out to me and I slip my hand through it the way I see the other girls do.

Much like how it was with Jeremy, we were gathering attention again. The extremely dashing and wealthy Beta of the city pack talking and touching a lowly girl from a farm pack that no one knows. The only difference was that Konstantin basked in the attention. He smiled wider, standing straighter and looking like a million bucks.

It's as if he wants this to happen. He wants to get more attention on himself.

He paraded us like we were the perfect couple... or at least he was perfect. I was just dangling along.

His manners never stopped though, or was it just gossip masked as manners?

"I'm sorry about Jeremy." He says, his voice a little louder than it should be. "That traitor has a special way of pissing people off."

"Traitor?" I asked before I could think. Thankfully, my tone wasn't as defensive as I felt and in some way it's hilarious for me to be defensive of a man who I'm barely friends with. "How is he a traitor?"

Konstantin the ever flashing peacock was too busy smiling at onlookers to care about my question too much. "He was angry that he wasn't the next Alpha or the next Beta. He threw a tantrum and left the pack to join those monsters in the mountains. He went to the only pack that would give him a position." Somehow, I don't see Jeremy caring about rank. "He just left? Just like that?"

"He sort of cried about life being unfair and will tell anyone who would listen that we're mean to him because his biological father is some dirty, unranked rogue that raped his mother." He explains with a shudder. "His mother is the older sister of the Alpha but his blood isn't exactly pure enough for rank anymore. Especially since the father's blood is important in these kinds of things."

I could taste the disgust in his tone and I wondered suddenly if he thought I was disgusting for being without a bloodline.

And what about Jeremy? Is this the truth? An exaggeration of the truth? Or another one of those half truths people spread about powerful people?

Whatever it was, I felt bad for Jeremy and his mother and I'm happy that they left the city pack or at least Jeremy has. Konstantin's words seemed sugar coated as harsh as they already were. I can only imagine how bad it was for Jeremy. "We're almost there." Konstantin says, breaking me out of my thoughts.

I didn't even notice how far we had walked until I looked around and realized that we were already in the clearing. The trees were high and thick here, the grass green and fresh, the air blew a gentle cool wind that cooled the hot afternoon. It was wide and big enough to fit all of us. The clearing itself was decorated too, with flower garlands on the branches and low tables equipped with food and colorful pillows on the ground to sit on. There were champagne bottles in metallic buckets filled with ice, soft fur on the floor like a carpet. Like everything in the Assembly, everything was beautiful and magical, an impressive affair.

Attendees gathered around the table, sticking close to the trees while an elder in the middle fumbled with a microphone.

The elder smacks it with his hand. "Hello, hello?"

There was sharp static and feedback that pierced the air but we could hear him well enough.

"Welcome to all!" The static was thick but the elder's excitement was as clear as day. "I am pleased to be hosting the first show of strength! It's tradition to start this with a brawl in human form. As you know, we are only as strong as our human form and it's essential for any mating match to know each others strength."

In other words, this competition was to show the pecking order for both the male and female participants. The men by showing their dominance through the fight and the women by giving their bracelets to the strongest.

"Everyone is encouraged to participate and each participant may take another attendee's bracelet to honor them-winning this while wearing another attendee's bracelet will bless the two with good fortune for their futures." The cheers grew as several people started to get ready by removing their clothes, showing their ripped bodies and shouting out to the sky. "Now, shall we begin our little competition?"

Taking another's bracelet is like a mating mark before a mating mark. A claim. It was to show people that this person was already spoken for and will most likely be chosen at the end of the week.

I can already hear the bragging rights of the girls who get chosen. Hopefully, Larissa will have someone take her bracelet. The Alpha would be happy if at least one of us was successful in this. "Who will join first?" The elder screamed, nearly jumping in his step as he gestured to the crowd. "Step on up!"

I felt Konstantin break away from me, taking a step forward as people screamed his name. He smiled widely, confidently. This was a man who had never lost- who had never not known perfection and he was out to win this. I watched him do a little turn, accepting all the praises and whistling. I also watched as he deliberately slowly pulled his shift off. It was well practiced... rehearsed and just like everything else about him: perfected.

"Beta Konstantin of the city pack!" The elder announced proudly, clapping his hands. "Of course, we'll have the very best as our first contestant. Who is brave enough to go against him?"

The smug voice that could only be owned by Jeremy spoke up from somewhere in the trees. "I will."

A quiet that chills me goes through the crowd. The crowd parts until Jeremy can finally be seen. He's effortlessly handsome, his nickname 'pretty boy' well placed. The blue of his eyes shined and his soft blonde hair was blowing in the wind. There's no need to try with him. He wasn't practiced or choreographed. He didn't need it. He was perfect the way he was.

Jeremy's already shirtless, looking bigger and stronger than the supposedly battle worn Konstantin. His arms and shoulders are ripped with hard muscle, his chest sculpted by hard work and power.

I was very much aware of how my heart thumped like a drum at the sight of him, my cheeks burning with one look. There was a lightheadedness to my feeling with butterflies in my stomach and I've never felt it with anyone but him before. Jeremy smirks, blue eyes on Konstantin. I think I saw Konstantin's expression fall just a little at the sight of Jeremy.

"Another Beta! What a match this is going to be." The shouts were intense, piercing howls and pounding feet. Everyone seemed to be on their feet, shouting and screaming and pounding on the ground. "Does anyone else want to take on these two?" No one stepped forward.

I wasn't surprised.

"Then let's get this started!" The elder hollered. "Betas! Choose your lady to represent."

The clearing quieted, the girls waiting with baited breath as they stepped forward, fixing themselves as best they could by fluffing their hair and patting down their skirts. If called by any of the Betas, it would be the ultimate statement for anyone. Cora was here. I could see her from across the clearing. The organizers of the event set a special table for her, a sofa filled with the softest looking furs for comfort. There were at least four people attending to her needs, one holding an umbrella over her head while another fanned. Another refilled her drink while the last brushed her hair back.

She smiled brightly, waiting to be called by- at least her Beta. It wouldn't be a claim but a show of power. It would say that she could have the strongest men in the Assembly.

Whatever she wanted, she would have.

"June Valentine." Konstantin says over the d e a d silence. "May I have your bracelet?"

A little dazed, my heart stopped as I felt everyone turn to look at me. Before I can react though, Jeremy walks up to me, his eyes electric.

"I would also like your bracelet, June." His hand was on my wrist already, his thumb running over the fabric that said I was unmateable. "Would you give me the honor of fighting for you?"

The elder is still.

Everyone is still.

I was only mildly aware of Cora's lethally still figure, her eyes blazing before walking out.