The Game Of Quadruplet Mates
Chapter 11

When my eyes open the next day, the immediate need to throw up comes to me and I run to the bathroom like my life depends on it. My legs didn't work at first and I tripped a few times before making it to the toilet.

As I emptied the contents of my stomach that burned my throat, my head started to pound, a hammer beating down on my cranium. I held on to the toilet, tucking my head between my legs and groaning in pain.

I was warned by one of the older girls in my pack that before drinking I should make sure I ate something first, but with the dinner I had and the drinks I drank... well. I'm certainly paying for it now.

Looking down at myself, I notice that I'm still in my dress from last night. I close my eyes, trying to remember how I got here. It was blank at first until a vague memory of the night comes back to me.

Jeremy is approached by his pack member at some point and excuses himself. He calls for Larissa to stay with me and she says things to him that make him flinch.

She took me to the bar, ordering funky looking drinks that had my head spin and dip. This is when my memory starts to be a little hazy. I remember someone, probably Larissa, taking my hand and proceed to walk me back to my room.

I remember being tucked into bed and then being offered cold water to drink.

And then...

"You won't be drinking like that without me."

What a strange thing for Larissa to say.

When my stomach feels more stable, I strip out of my dress from last night and get into the shower. I stank of vomit and alcohol. Not the best combination for the last and most important day of the Assembly.

Today is the day of the choosing. From what I heard from the older girls from our pack, the last day will start with brunch in the gardens. We will be given a few hours for ourselves, which is usually the time for the matches or potential matches to start discussing things. At noon, the grand ceremony begins. This is the massive wedding that happens. We all take turns announcing who we choose to mate and do the traditional ritual for marriage.

Tonight, if everything goes well, I'll be heading home with my husband... my mate.

The realization dawns upon me and I close my eyes. Usually, attendees choose for love and for attraction or, as many have said, a business deal. It wasn't the same for me.

My problem was that I had none of those. My blood ranking is too low for any business deal and as far as love and attraction goes, there is none.

And if, by some miracle, I am chosen, I don't have the time and the opportunity to refuse and be choosy. It is known that our pack has a lot of women that are unhappy with their matches, but they go through it anyway because being chosen by some horrible man is better than being unmated.

It is my duty to my father and the pack to be chosen by anyone. We cannot afford another unmated female. Our pack was already barely holding on and my father needed to retire, have his health checked and finally relax.

I have been so busy chasing 'fun' and Betas that won't ever choose me without even giving this Assembly a fair chance. Maybe there is someone out there. Maybe someone from another farm pack. Maybe it's Pete and I just have to s**k it up. Yesterday was fun and all. I let myself loose a little, but that is the end of that. It's time to do what I've come here for.

With a new resolve, I finished showering and put on one of the dresses I brought from home. It didn't fit right, the sleeves falling a bit, but it was good enough if I tucked them right.

I'm breathing hard from nerves by the time I make it down to the lake. The organizers did another incredible set up and, if possible, it's even more fairytale like than yesterday. A beautiful archway of flowers greeted me at the entrance with flower petals on the floor. Wisps of lace fall from the trees, creating this mystical atmosphere. White parasols hover over circular tables, keeping the morning sun away from the attendees that were up all night partying.

The smell of mouthwatering food fills my senses and I follow the scent to a long table filled with the most delicious looking food. There's bacon, ham, steak and other assortments of meats. There are also dozens of different fruits and salads. Pastries and breads of every kind are stacked neatly in a beautiful arrangement. I stifle a laugh when I see a cereal area too. At the end of the long table are several clear containers with different kinds of colored juices inside them.

I now understand why there's a five year limit to the Assembly. Some people abuse this luxury and stay longer than they should. If it didn't cost so much to be sent here, I would come every year and it wouldn't be to replace a mate. The food alone has me on my knees. I stack my plate high with an embarrassing amount of bacon and eggs. I try to seem healthy by taking a few pieces of fruit as well.

When I had finished filling my plate, I saw Konstantin by the lake standing in front of a beautiful girl from another pack. He was frowning heavily, which is uncommon for him when in the presence of a girl. Konstantin was a lover by nature and he showered women with more love than I would like to see.

Who was this girl? Is she his chosen mate? Isn't the Alpha his chosen mate?

Suddenly, as if he felt my stare, his eyes glanced in my direction. Konstantin's mood lifts almost instantly and he waves.

I waved back, confused. It really wasn't my business what they were discussing. Not sparing Konstantin another look, I turned away and found an empty table.

I eat quietly, eyes scanning for Jeremy from time to time and then when I realize what I'm doing, I focus all my energy on scanning for the boys that didn't look to have matches yet. Enough of the Betas. It's time I focused on replaceing a potential mate at my level. Soulmates might be relatively extinct, but I still believe in destiny. Who knows, maybe destiny will come and crash into me?

"Good morning, party animal." A plate piled with five pieces of thick steak slams down onto my table. Larissa is wearing thick black shades and a loose tank top with some shorts. It wasn't exactly the proper attire for a 'mate replaceing event'.

I squinted up at her. "You look like a tourist."

"I am technically a tourist." She answers smartly.

"How was your night?" I asked, eyes still scanning the male attendees. Not many held my stare.

Larissa shook her head like she was shaking off a nightmare. "I can barely remember. I'm too hungover. I vomited four times this morning and that's not counting the ones from last night."

"Oh, yeah. Thank you for taking me back to my room last night." I told her, remembering the night before. Larissa frowned. "What?"

I yawn tiredly. Larissa must really be hungover. "I got drunk and you took me back to my room last night."

The frown on Larissa's face deepens. "June, I didn't. I was practically a fountain of vomit yesterday."

I froze, knowing well that someone had helped me walk through the halls and place me in bed.

"I didn't even make it to my room. I woke up on top of the bar." Larissa explains, now looking protective. "No one... did anything to you, right? Cause if someone did, I swear to the Alpha's life I would kill them."

"Don't swear on our elderly Alpha's life, Larissa." I tried to scold her but was too busy trying to remember what happened last night. "He's had a hard enough life as it is."

Larissa lowered her head. "I'm sorry. You and I... we're supposed to protect each other. Did someone-"

I cut her off. "No. I wasn't. I'm sure I wasn't."

And I am sure. I still had my dress from last night on when I woke up and none of my undergarments were compromised. I'm also positive I heard my door close before falling asleep. Larissa let out a heavy breath. "If you're sure..."

"I am. Don't worry." I reassured her by patting her arm softly. She was gripping the table so tightly I feared it would snap in two.

Larissa and I weren't friends before this. We barely spoke back at home. It was nice to know that if the Assembly doesn't give us mates, it still gave us friendship.

She opens her mouth to say something when another plate joins our table. We both looked up to replace Pete standing over us. "Hey!"

Larissa scowls, stabbing her steak as if she was stabbing Pete. "The only thing more horrible than not being chosen today is coming back to the pack with you."

Pete ignores her, turning to the lake with narrowed eyes. "That Beta keeps looking over here. Unless he's interested in me, he must be eyeing you."

"He's probably interested in you." I said with a shrug, looking at the other attendees again.

"What are you doing here, Pete? Shouldn't you be eating someone's face right now?" Larissa all too nicely says. "I can't stand you. Maybe you should leave the pack. Be a rogue. Or better. You can d i e."

My so called best friend leans down and gives me a pointed look. "Did you sleep with him?"

"Fuck's sake, Pete." Larissa growls warningly. "That's none of your business."

"Everyone's been talking about how he rejected everyone that proposed to him." He tells us, sitting down uncomfortably close to me. "See? I can hear him rejecting that girl right now."

Unable to help myself, I looked towards where Konstantin was. True enough, the girl is in absolute tears and Konstantin is looking at her apologetically. "He's promised to his Alpha. He's probably rejecting everyone for her."

The girl is in hysterics now, screaming and jabbing her finger at Konstantin's chest. Maybe she slept with him.

"Yikes. Push her into the water, Konstantin." Larissa mutters under her breath.

"Larissa," I pulled her to face me. "It's not polite to watch someone get-"

"Absolutely annihilated in public?" She finishes for me.

A few minutes and ten more steaks for Larissa later and the girl is still screaming bloody murder at a placid faced Konstantin. I didn't take him for a gentleman. If anything, I expected him to remind her he's a Beta and deserves more respect. "Watch her swing her hand at Konstantin's face." Larissa says, her mouth full of steak. She's been doing a commentary on his live show. "Oh and it's a double smackeroo! Right on the money!"

"I don't know why he's rejecting that girl." Pete says over Larissa's commentary. "The word is, the nameless pack's Alpha is here."

"Who?" Too interested to be angry at him right now, Larissa edges close. "Jeremy's Alpha?"

"He arrived last night. Meaning Konstantin lost his Alpha." Pete grinned happily. "Alphas mate with Alphas. That's just how it's supposed to be, how it's always been. He should just accept that beautiful girl because he just lost his Alpha." "And she's as Alpha as it gets." Larissa murmurs. "Born from the strongest Alpha there ever was."

Happy to have Larissa's attention, Pete enthusiastically continues. "I heard this Alpha wasn't a born Alpha. He made himself an Alpha."

"Which makes him stronger than the strongest Alpha there ever was." Larissa pushes, eyes wide. "No one can make himself an Alpha unless they're really strong."

Pete nodded in agreement. "They will make a fine couple. I suspect he has waited this long for her. All those years of keeping out of the games... waiting for her, his perfect mate."

And Cora is perfect. The most perfect woman I've ever laid eyes on. The hair. The face. The grace.

I didn't expect anything less from her.

"Mark my words, he's going to claim her by the end of the day." Pete swore with conviction. "Hey, June?"

All three of us turned around, pulling our attention away from the conversation we were having.

It's the man we were just talking about and he smiled widely down at us as if we weren't just loudly talking about how he lost his shot at being Alpha. "Are you free to talk?"

Pete's eyes widened at Konstantin's request and, from the look on his face, he did not approve. I can see it clearly in his expression.

"Sure." I replied with a smile, feeling guilty for talking about him.

"Perfect! We can walk along the trail in the woods?" He suggested, pointing in the direction of the entrance of the woodlands.

Pete opened his mouth to no doubt say something rude.

"Sounds good." I said, cutting off Pete and standing from my seat.

I waved good bye without looking at Larissa or Pete. Konstantin and I made it to the trail and walked side by side along it without touching. It's clear he still remembers how we left it last night.

It's hard to forget how I sat there while everyone knew, even he knew, that he would have to mate with his Alpha.

But has that changed since Cora is trying to mate with another Alpha?

I don't know what to think about that.

Just when I think I can leave these Betas, here I am walking with one.

"I saw you with Jeremy last night." He begins, watching me for my reaction. "Are you choosing him?"

Funny. Very funny.

What gave him the right to ask this question? After last night too?

I square my shoulders and though I am the last person to look intimidating, I still try to be. "You don't get to ask me that question, Beta."

He took my arm, pulling me to him. "Last night was my mistake. I'm sorry. I just wanted to be with you."

"Knowing full well that you were choosing your Alpha." I shot back at him.

"For duty." He reasons, biting his lip.

I yanked my arm out of his grasp. "It doesn't matter what for. It's disrespectful to her and to me."

Konstantin rolls his eyes, throwing his arms up in exasperation. "June, we're in the games. What did you expect?"

That's what everyone says. Games. It's all a game. "I expected better from a Beta."

"Because the other one treated you so well?" He sarcastically says. "I know he left you."

It hurt.

It really did.

Because it was true. More than true, it happened and I couldn't do anything about it.

"And what about you? She left you too?" I didn't sound as angry as I wanted to be. In fact, I sounded lost, looking for a friend to join me in my misery.

We stare at each other, both stupid and confused. The quiet wasn't as empty as it felt. In another life where mating wasn't a business deal and some sort of game, Konstantin and I could be friends or something more.

Or maybe not.

Who knows?

"He eats his enemies, you know." He says after an extended silence. "The self made Alpha who everyone's talking about."

"He does?" I wasn't really interested. I had too many things to worry about than some Alpha I'll never meet.

Konstantin swallows and if I wasn't imagining things, he looked to be scared. "I've seen it. He's a monster. Don't expect him to be anything less."

"Are you scared of him?" I asked, unable to help it anymore. What could a powerful Beta be scared of? He had an equally powerful Alpha on his side.

"Who wouldn't be? Everyone is and you would be a fool if you weren't. He's horrendously big-built like a muscled ox and ferociously strong, faster than anyone I've ever met and was seen bathing in the blood of his enemies." He seems to believe his own words, which makes me want to believe him.

Jeremy said not everything about his Alpha is a lie.

There is some truth.

But for now, it did not affect me and I was running out of time. I should be looking for a prospective mate not gossiping about some Alpha.

"I have to go."

His face falls. "June,"

I took a step back, making sure to be far away from his touch. "Konstantin, I really can't do this. I'm sorry if you've missed your chance with your Alpha, but I also have something going on that has a deadline."

The expression on his face was unreadable. "What if I told you-"

I don't wait for him to finish. "Enough. Please. I really have to go."

Walking back the way we came, I was horrified to replace Pete behind one of the trees. His eyes widen when he sees me. Am I ever going to be given a chance to try and replace someone that will choose me?

Luckily for Pete, Konstantin goes the opposite direction because if the Beta catches someone listening in to his conversation... it would not go nicely.

"What are you doing here?" I snapped, losing my patience. "Don't you know he can easily kill you if he wants to?"

"I'm going to choose you later, June." He announced. "I won't break my promise. I said I would choose you and I will choose you."

It's clear we aren't attracted to each other. There is no chemistry at all. He was just attached because we're from the same place and I was familiar.

That's all.

At the party last night, he was happily dancing and entertaining another girl, kissing her and flirting with her. I didn't blame him since I was with Jeremy as well.

Yet, here we are.

I only want to be chosen and he just wants to choose the easiest option. The one that knows the land and our pack best, the one he knows will take care of him.

His next words took a possessive tone. "I expect you to accept me later."

"No." I answered without looking at him.

A long awkward pause. I have better chemistry with the fish from yesterday's swim in the lake than I did with Pete.

I'm sure he felt the same.

We weren't the same people anymore. It used to be just the two of us, all day every day, but things have been done and words have been said. Two days in the Assembly was all it took. It wasn't us.

But it's looking like it will be.

My heart clenches because the reality is... Pete will most likely be my only option and he knows this. "How will it work?"

He knew what I meant when I asked that. "We go home. We resume what we've always done before."

Sadly, it looks like this is what it's come to.

Pete smiled, knowing he had won. "But better because we'll have pups and you'll be mine and you will take care of the family."

It makes me flinch like I've been slapped. I can't do this.

Two days ago I would have been happy to hear this. Not anymore.

There has got to be someone else. I know I'm in no position to demand when I am the way I am.

Right now, being alone sounds better. I don't need love. I don't need a mate. I can handle myself and my duties. I can work until I die... I don't need this. I don't need him.

He goes on to say something but I can't hear him. Not waiting for Pete to continue what he's saying, I leave the woods with my head swimming with thoughts.

I could leave the Assembly unmated. I could survive. I could help my father work like usual. I'll eat less. I'll shower less. I'll consume less. Whatever it takes.

My father says we'll figure it out.

But he's old.

His health isn't like before.

There's simply too much on the line.

I would have to choose Pete for my father's sake.

Horrified and gasping for breath, I lock myself in my room until the Assembly begins.