The Game Of Quadruplet Mates
(Bk 2) Chapter 24

"You are truly beautiful, Miss X."

I forced a smile, trying my hardest to be nice and to be open, but I held my cup to my chest a little tighter than I should be- showing the opposite. "Truly, you are the most beautiful attendee." I want to ask him; what else?

But I cannot fault him, since there was nothing else.

Because he doesn't know me and there was nothing else to go on after that.

Everything I could say for him as well was just that he looked fine.

And maybe that he's very confident in the way he's talking to me.

But that's it.

After that, there's nothing.

No sparks. No butterflies. No fireworks.

There were no feelings there.

Not even a toe curl that my own vomit could do.

I do not know what I'm expecting but the way the organizers tell us to feel it, to replace it and you'll just know... is just coming short for me

The man sitting across from me who, I have forgotten what letter he was, reaches over the table I was eating at and tugs at the bow in my hair playfully.

It was supposed to be endearing and cute.

It was supposed to make my heart flutter... but it didn't.

The worst part is, I kept hoping he was 0.

Another terrible part is that I almost wish it was just my guard instead.

The surprising thought had me slam my cup of hot chocolate down the table a little too loudly, my cheeks flushed, but it had nothing to do with the man in front of me. "Everything okay?" The man asks, concerned.

I smiled, nodding my head. "Yes, uh, I just drank too fast."

He reaches over and does it again, only this time, he touches my hair, his fingers playing the strands.

Maybe it isn't me.

Maybe what's putting me off this man is how his neck has about a hundred different love bites on his neck.

I gently removed his hands, giving him an apologetic look.

He wasn't the one for me.

Book 2: Chapter 21

"They were right about you." He says when he sees that I had no interest in him.

leaned back in my seat, getting ready for the worst of it. " And what's that?"

He stands, shooting me a glare.

"That you're a f*****g

prude and a bore."

His words did not hurt as much as he wanted them to.

"I would have had a lot more fun talking to a wall." He growled, his face contorted in anger. "You're such a waste of-"

Behind me I felt my guard move and this scared the man, correction, the boy off.

"Tell me to disqualify him. Tell me and I'll do it." My guard almost begged, his fists clenching by his side.

A laugh leaves my lips as I take a deep breath. That was the seventh man to approach me during breakfast and all of them turned out the exact same way.

They pick up on my disinterest and then say something mean before leaving me alone.

I don't dare look at my guard when I speak. My thoughts were already filled with him. I didn't need to add to it and get me into even more trouble. "I don't think being stu pi d is punishable by disqualification." "I'll make it so." He says with a shrug like he made all the rules.

I wasn't surprised to see how serious he was.

. "If you do150 Points

Book 2: Chapter 21

that to every attendee that speaks to me; there won't be any left."

"Which isn't such a bad thing." He grumbles, moving to take a step back again when he sees another person approach my table.

"Hello, Miss X." A boy with soft eyes greeted me. "It's my first year and I wanted to introduce myself officially to you."

I perked, appreciating the nice way he introduced himself." Hi, it's nice to meet you."

His eyes went low. "You have very huge bre a sts."

And then, just like that, it was over. F***s sake.

Goddess, strike him down.

I stood up from the table and did my best, my absolute bestest, to force an expression that didn't look like I was going to kill him. "Thank you for introducing yourself. I am leaving now."

My guard wasn't as nice, openly glowering and looking like he was trying to melt the guy with his eyes. He grips a chair so tightly as I pass by and I know he's thinking about throwing the chair at him.

In fear of losing my guard, I took his hand, the gesture making me flush all over again, but I did my best to push past it and pull him with me as I walked to the open grounds of the garden.

"At this point," I started, tugging him continuously as he didn't budge. "I think I'm going to be single forever."

He quickly whirls to face me. "Hmmm,"

I furrowed my eyebrows at him. "What?"

"Nothing." But he looked so pleased with himself, happily following behind me.

Before entering the open garden, which was this beautiful hillside overlooking the lake, there was a neatly stacked table full of blankets, baskets full of sandwiches and fruit and cheese, and then books, thick leather bound books. I take a blanket while my guard takes a basket of food for me. Thumbing through the titles of the books, I settle for a classic and replace a spot among the other picnic goers.

The perfect spot was right under a tree and I lay my blanket there before leaning against the trunk of the tree with the book in my hands. My guard placed the basket down, moving it close to me so I could easily reach for it.

He resumes his post-ten steps away from me, eyes faraway like he wasn't there.

Munching on a strawberry, I dive into the book, smiling at myself and the peace I have found.

A shadow hovers over me after some time. "Business or pleasure?"

I looked up a little startled, my mind taking its time to adjust from the world I was in. "Mister W,"

He smiles down at me, holding two plates in his hands." Lunch?'

My eyes swept through the gardens to see everyone eating.

1 had not realized how long I had been sitting there until i noticed the sun far lower in the sky than it had been when I began reading. "What time is it?"

"Two, almost three in the afternoon." He says with a face that knows I haven't been paying attention to my surroundings. The orange hues from the rays made his face glow as I stared up at him. "So you're reading for pleasure then? If you're that invested in what you're reading."

Hifted the book up to show him the title.

"What do you

think?"

"The Long History of Werewolves," He reads, putting down the plates. "Pleasure. Definitely pleasure."

I shared his smile, laughing a little as I made room for him on the blanket so he could sit down.

When he finally settled down, his back leaned against the tree, making a home for himself on the roots, one leg extended, and the other pulled up in front of him. With fast hands, he took the book from my hands and held it above his head, far out of my reach. "That's enough of that. You should eat. You can't skip meals if you're going to drink the way you do."

"Wait, that's mine. I was just finishing a chapter." As I leaned closer to him to reach for the book, I was hit by his scent that wasn't completely there but I could still smell a hint of something masculine in him. It made me flush, my cheeks burning all over again. The way his large body loomed over my smaller one didBook 2: Chapter 21

not help the rush that heated my entire body. "While I'm sure the history of werewolves is mind boggling, you should at least take a few bites before you continue."

"Fine," I breathed out, sitting back on my spot. "You win."

"I know." His eyes seemed to sparkle as he said this. With that triumphant smile, he places the book between us and reaches for the plates. "I got a little of everything."

I put the plate on my lap and, from the corner of my eye, watched him take a bite of a carrot. "Are you sure you want to feed me? After seeing me last night with my head out the window like that?"

He continued to eat, unbothered as he glanced at me with that sort of naughty look on his face. "I don't remember that ever happening."

My lips parted, ready to say something back, when a girl walked up to us. Her head was bowed really low and her hands were behind her back.

"Excuse me, Mister W?" She was blushing. I could see the flush of her neck as she shook.

W doesn't react, barely noticing her, but he does move a little bit closer to me, our sides touching.

But she pushes on despite the shaking. "I wanted to give you something."

Oh.

My heart stalled, knowing she was about to give him the arts and crafts project we all did yesterday.

The symbol that she was going to choose him by the end of the week.

I stayed quiet, replaceing the situation very awkward, especially since I was right there.

His silence was piercingly loud and he wasn't even looking at her. Taking pity on the girl, I elbowed him in the side and gestured to her.

He looks at me, the first time he actually looks up and blows out a tired breath. "I'm sorry, I can't accept this.

He didn't even see what it was.

"But I made it for you." She held it out to him as if a quiet offering to a God that would not listen. It looked like some kind of embroidery. Beautiful and golden. It is clear that she had carefully made the gift with her own hands, specifically with him in mind. "Please, just take it,"

I almost accepted it for him.

Thankfully, he gives in and acknowledges her with a tilt of his head. Sadly- his words were not what she would have hoped for. "I already have someone on my mind... someone I wish to choose at the end of the week. It is not you. I'm sorry."

My eyes went as wide as saucers.

So he did love someone already.

The leather bracelet on my wrist that he gave me yesterday was suddenly very heavy and uncomfortably tight.

Am I the other woman?

I suddenly felt very faint.

No wonder my guard told me to be careful! I should never have doubted him. These men, I swear-

The girl runs away in tears, wiping her face furiously with her shaking hands.

"Why didn't you accept it?" I questioned with a bit more attitude than I would like, "She made it specially for you."

He raised his eyebrows. "Why would I? It's not the one I want."

For a second, I saw red, my blood vessels ready to explode and I was ready to tear him a new one, to defend the women of the Games from him. "Then maybe you should go to the person that you want to be with."

"I am with the person I want."

This time, my heart did stop.