The Game Of Quadruplet Mates
(Bk 2) Chapter 17

1 kept the wolf figurine in my pocket as the arts and craft class ended, my hands holding it as we were all dismissed

"You may come to this room to continue making improvements on your projects or you may request materials to be brought to your bedchambers anytime." The organizer in charge says from the front of the room." For now, you may proceed to the clearing for the next set of games that will be held. Remember, though there aren't any more golden wreaths to win and crown with, the winner will still be able to give something to the woman or man that they appreciate." I quietly laughed at the way the organizer said the last words.

"Let's go," Miss A held my hand and took me out the door, but not before I saw O staring after me. "Quick so we can get good seats."

"Good seats?" I questioned as I noticed everyone rushing towards the woods. "Why would we want good seats?"

Miss E takes my other arm, hooking them together. "Yes, the next games are usually done in the clearing and there are some really good front seats. Best to get a really good view of their hot bodies, you know." "Miss X," called a voice from behind us.

Miss A's hand on mine tightens, recognizing who the voice belongs to, as she tries but fails to push us forward, but it wasn't fast enough because a hand is placed on my shoulder, stopping us.

With his other hand pushing his glasses, Mister F gave a lopsided grin. "Sorry, it's loud. I know you couldn't hear me over all the noise."

"We heard you just fine." Miss A answers for me with a roll of her eyes.

-"Hearing you wasn't the problem."

E loudly snorts. "So polite, A."

She doesn't relent, her protectiveness getting the better of her. "What is it that you want, F?"

"I just need a second with Miss X," He explains shyly, unable to meet Miss A's eyes.

All our eyes widened when he fished around his pocket for something and when I started to see lace, I squeezed Miss As hand.

The last thing I needed right now was Mister F and whatever he was about to take out of his pocket.

Not after what I just learned about him.

And I don't think Miss A is the type to lie about anything.

I offered him an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry Mister F, but we're in a hurry and I told you already that I'm not really open to-"

"It'll just be a moment." He urges, fighting with his pockets.

"I'm sure you'll change your mind if you know how dedicated I am."

Miss A's face almost turned purple at this and I don't think it was because she was happy to see him. "No, we have some place to be."

"Are you okay?" Mister F sucked in a breath at the sight of

A, shifting his weight from left to right. "You're not looking too good."

"Yes, I'm trying to push back the foul language in my mouth that wants to unleash itself." Miss A mutters through gritted teeth. "Now, we're leaving. There's an event we desperately want to see." "But I just want to give Miss X my-"

He doesn't get a chance to finish as Miss A hurries me away, shoving me forcefully as I start to see the fan he made.

"He gave his token of affection to A three years in a row." Miss E informed me as we ran to the woods. "You two can start a collection soon."

I was going to shake my head at her when I heard a yelp that suspiciously sounded like Mister F from behind us and, sure enough, when I turned I saw Mister F on the ground, the lace fan on his hand was broken in two. Above him was my guard, glaring down at Mister F.

My guard doesn't apologize or offer an arm up to help Mister F, but he does stand over him for a fairly long time.

I felt bad

My chest pinched at the sight of him like this.

At least that's what I hope it is and not a flutter towards my guard who looked mean and ready to squish Mister F with his foot.

"That guard of yours is hot," Miss E all too happily tells me.

"Like as hot as Mister W hot."

"He's a guard, E." A says in a scolding voice.

. "We're only

supposed to choose from attendees, remember? They're not allowed to meddle or interact with us."

The smirk that was on Miss E's lips was chilling. "I didn't say I was going to choose him... I only wanted to occupy him for a night or two."

When Miss A just makes a face, Miss E turns to me.

"Do you think he'll like me?" She fluttered her long eyelashes.

A pang of what I fear is jealousy stabs me right in the heart, but I shook it off like a bug that flies into my face. "I don't think he likes anyone. He barely tolerates me." E blows out a breath in disappointment. "Sad."

My guard finally stands behind me, not at all like the promise of ten steps away or how he would be invisible like the organizers say.

But obvious and loud even in the silence.

Ever present and ever scary.

"Maybe I should try. Just once." E whispers to us,unhooking our arms to be left behind, matching steps with my guard who doesn't even notice her.

I tried not to look, but with very little control over myself, I glanced back to watch as E smiled up at him in such a flirtatious way that I was almost sure he was going to stop and look

But he isn't fazed. Not one bit.

Still, he kept walking with his eyes on me.

Miss E falters a bit at the blatant way he was ignoring her but she quickly recovers and greets him. "Hi,"

He turns, only slightly, barely noticeable, before meeting eyes with me in confusion. The way he looked at me was like he was saying; 'What is this madness?'

I shrugged at him and mouthed; 'You're on your own. He tipped his cap upward just so I could have a clear view of him rolling his eyes.

It annoyed me to no end, but it wasn't because of his actions. I'm annoyed because I feel my entire world stop for a few seconds at the sight of his face without the shadows covering them. It didn't happen often but every time it did I just felt it, me falling over. My guard is handsome, I know this, but every time I see it, my stomach twists and leaps.

I hate being the kind of woman that is swayed by a handsome face and muscles upon muscles for he did have lots of muscles, more muscles than I can count.

Especially when Miss A just reminded us that he's a guard and not an attendee.

But still, it's hard to ignore that my guard has a face that could make the Greek gods weep.

And right now it was making Miss E weep.

She doesn't give up all that quickly, determined to get a reaction out of him, which I found myself admiring. Only a little bit. "I'm Miss E, it's very nice to meet you."

Like the guard that he's supposed to be, he openly disregards E's presence and then contradicts the promise of his supposed invisibility by, if possible, lessening the space between us even more as he walks closer and pressed closer than was normal. His very selective commitment to his duties is adorable to watch and I fight the smile that pulls at my lips.

My body is buzzing from the proximity, but it's probably just the alcohol - yet I haven't drank a drop.

"Aren't you going to save me?" He said so low and quietly that I almost didn't hear it.

To Miss E and Miss A, he probably only sounded like he was breathing harshly.

But for me, I felt every word on my skin as goosebumps spread all over my body.

I hide my words by coughing. "No, enjoy her attention."

"Impossible. Unless you're the one doing it." Is what I think he said, but I'm sure it's not.

I decide that for the stability of my heart and my mind, his answer that I think I heard must stay in my imagination and must only be my imagination.

A guard, I chanted obsessively to myself. A guard.

"There!"

Thankful for the distraction, I looked ahead to see a clearing not too far away. As always, the organizers have done a splendid job of decorating the walkways, dusting them with colorful flower petals with white wisp like fabrics on the trees trailing down around us. But the sight that really captures my breath is the wide open space. Circling around the open space are large white umbrellas and under that are chairs and tables and soft carpets with food and drink and fluffy pillows.

Early attendees were already on their backs, relaxing on the grass, some with their tops off to greet the bright sunlight that came from above, others having their dresses and hair sprawled over the ground. Almost instantly, everyone in the clearing was already drinking sparkling liquor like they had been thirsty for days and eating like they had been starved.

To the outside eye,

it would merely look like we were rich

kids having a posh picnic in the woods and not at all like the werewolves that we are about to watch even more of the Games unfold.

There was still a live band playing music in the far corner, playing a melody that made my heart jump with excitement.

Miss A guided us to a table near the front, sitting the three of us there as she accepted drinks from a nearby staff member with a tray full of the drink everyone was inhaling

She raises her drink up above her head. "To watching hot men make a fool of themselves,"

"Hear, hear!" Miss E cheered, bumping her glass against ours before throwing back her head and finishing the entire glass.

It's quickly refilled

Like magic.

I tip my head back as well, tasting the fruity yet sharp liquid go down my throat.

The organizer in front claps his hand as the last of the attendees replace their seats in the clearing. "Good afternoon, attendees! Is everyone ready?!"

We cheered and hollered with our glasses raised to the organizer. No one can be in a bad mood here.

At least not for long.

Not even Mister W, who I found leaning against a tree not too far away from our table, could be saddened by all this beauty, for he had an amused expression on his pretty face. He was glowing, his face all too perfect and beautiful. Again, I tried hard not to but I swept the clearing looking for him... looking for O that I apparently didn't know anymore.

It wasn't hard to replace him with how many men surrounded his table.

He was stretched out on the grass directly across from my table, his legs spread out as he drank and chatted away with his men. He looked smug, plopping a piece of meat into his mouth before laughing at something I didn't hear.

It was wrong to do so, but something inside me, something I had repressed for a very long time, longed to be there with him, to laugh at the same things he laughed at and to share stories with the other pack members.

"For the first contest of the day," The organizer goes on, urging us for a drumroll and everyone happily does, pounding their hands on the tables.

"We have... weight

lifting!"

The women s cre a med and the men hooted, pounding at their chests. It was all so silly that I joined the shouting, cheering randomly for everyone.

The staff brought in the titanium steel barbells and weight plates that shook the earth when dropped. When they were done placing everything on the ground, the weight plates were as tall as me. Werewolves were stronger than humans, thus more weights are needed.

A lot more.

"The attendee that can lift the most will be our winner and will have an advantage for the next challenge." The organizer explained, going through the rules, but no one was listening as we all looked around to see who would participate. "The winner, of course, will be rewarded with a chance to give their chosen a pin as a reminder of his or her victory."

The staff from behind the organizer lifts up a velvet pillow with a golden pin on it.

It only made the crowd cheer louder. Anything to win anything. We were that competitive of a race

"Shall we let the games begin?!" The organizer bellowed, gesturing to the crowd

It went crazy with men and women standing up to join the organizer in the middle of the clearing. I do not miss how Mister F walked forward, Miss As grip on my arm only confirmed that I wasn't dreaming.

And then I see Mister W join the group as well, the crowd parting for him to pass.

But what really surprised me was our very own Mister O stand and joining the participants. He hated these kinds of things but he walked towards the organizer like he intended to win.

With the two of them there, the attendees wanting to join the games thinned, some sitting back down knowing they were no match for the two that outmatched everyone in the first games. "Now, to choose your bracelets for luck." The organizer announced before turning to Mister W. "As you are the winner of the last contest, Mister W, you have the honor of choosing first." His eyes almost immediately landed on me and my breath caught.

"Miss X," He says loud enough for the entire clearing to hear. "I would like to ask for your bracelet."

My hand touches my wrist, feeling nothing and, almost instantly, I see O reach for his wrist too, the one that was supposed to have it, but his hands came up empty.

It was almost cruel how he promised he wouldn't lose it and how he said he was keeping it forever.

And he didnt.

He threw it back to me.

I turned to face my guard who I knew was standing behind our table. The last time I had seen the bracelet I told him to throw it away-

My guard shook his head, confirming that he had thrown it away.

"Apologies, Mister W, I have misplaced my bracelet." I said with an apologetic smile.

"Then I will not wear anything." He tells the organizer. "But maybe you can wear mine."

I felt my entire body burn up from the top of my head to the tips of my toes. Beside me, I see Miss E roll her eyes while Miss A wiggles her eyebrows in my direction.

But what was hardest to ignore was the deep frown on O's face. He was glaring between the two of us, his hand still on his wrist which didn't have my bracelet anymore.

But I can't replace the will to feel bad for him.

Because that was his fault, right?

He didn't want to keep it.

He didn't want to have me, any part of me, with him.

Mister W closes the distance between us, his hand on my wrist and, by using his teeth, he loosens the leather bracelet that men wore to give away. He expertly ties it around my wrist, patting it gently to see that it stays put, and gave me the smallest of smiles before stepping away.

I felt like the entire world was watching us and the flutter in my chest that made everything even more warm was foolish.