The Game Of Quadruplet Mates
(Bk 2) Chapter 28

The sun had barely risen but already it's like it never even rained in the first place. It was a new day, a better day... I hope.

Our walk back to the mansion was eerily quiet. The kind of quiet that comes before a storm, a terrible storm. And in this case, my guard

It was as if the entire world was waiting as the man in front of me stomped his way through the woods. He has not said a word since we left the quaint garden shack... since Mister W kissed me. But he had a lot to say, I am sure.

With the way his back was unnaturally straight, the way his muscles were tense and pulsing, the way his breath was so, so quiet.

My doom was inevitable.

Was I being a pushover again?

Had I been overthinking?

Wasn't it normal for some attendees to spend most of the Games away from everyone else and with a specific person?

Mister W was right. No one will look for us. Though there are schedules, some attendees don't participate in that but they do participate... in something else.

Not that we were doing anything else.

The quiet went on. I felt like I was going deaf with how silent he was. The mansion was just up ahead as well, taunting me of how close we were.

Something inside me knew that if we didn't speak about what happened before we made it to the mansion, my guard and I... we would be like everyone else in the Games. Strangers- no. Worse. He would be invisible.

And I don't know why, but I couldn't take that.

My hands were on his wrist before I could think more. "

Wait,"

He stops but doesn't turn to face me.

I could feel the heat coming from his skin, seeping into mine, but I did not let go. "Can we talk?"

Still, he refuses to look at me and when he speaks it's cold and sharp. It was the same unfriendly and dismissive tone that he used when he first met me. "There's nothing to talk about. You had all the right to be out, to vanish with whoever you desire in the Games." "Don't make it sound like that. You know that's not what happened. I didn't and wouldn't." I don't know what I was saying or why I was defending myself to him when I didn't need to, but the words came without me thinking about it." It was raining, hard, and I wanted to go back but the storm was intense and it just wasn't safe."

This time, he does look at me.

And I swear my lungs shook at the sight of him.

With the sun on his back, creating this halo of light around his head, I was stunned by his handsome face all over again. He didn't have a cap on like he usually did, allowing me to see all of him.

He wasn't the kind of handsome Mister W is. He wasn't perfect or an angel meant to be on top of a tree. He wasn't even that kind of devilishly handsome that Mister 0 had, promising mischief and other sinful things.

My guard is all harsh and strong and rugged, the kind of look that parents disapprove of.

I know my parents would disapprove of him.

If I was being perfectly honest, my parents probably want someone like Mister F for me. Someone kind and sweet, reliable and dedicated. Someone that would take care of me.

But my guard, oh, my guard. I have to remember he's just my guard.

And he is technically done with the Games.

Though it is hard to stop myself from thinking... why wouldn't it be just him instead? Why couldn't I have someone like him?

The feeling only got worse when I saw that he was wearing my bracelet on his wrist. The pink flowers with the lace. In his all black clothing, the pink from my bracelet was such a contrast. He had it.

He was wearing it.

If only he had been an attendee. The choice would have been so easy.

"I'm sorry if I worried you," I continued, my voice really small. "I know you've been looking for me all night. I truly didn't want to cause any trouble-"

I wasn't able to finish what I was about to say as I was pulled against a strong, muscular chest with arms like steel embracing me and holding me to him tightly

He felt good.

To be held by him felt incredibly good.

So good that I do not want it to end.

He rests his chin on top of my head like he was meant to be there, meant to hold me the way he was. "I'm just glad you're unharmed."

Promising myself that it was just this once, I let my arms wrap around his back, feeling tight muscles and years of hard work on them. "I am. I swear I am."

We stayed in that embrace for a very long time, long enough that the sun was high above the sky and I could hear music playing from a distance- the mansion finally waking.

He took the deepest of breaths, like he was trying to convince himself that I was alright, before lowering his hands to my waist and taking a step back.

Already, I miss his arms on me and I have to fight myself not to jump back into his embrace.

"You have terrible taste in men." He says flatly, humorlessly. "The absolute worse."

And just like that, we were back at it. "I'm about to chest kick you."

now?"

The man actually had the audacity to smile. "Will you

"Do you want to get hurt?" I threatened, feeling my chest tighten with the sight of his handsome face and that rare smile. It felt like a gift to be able to see it.

His eyes burned then. "That's not how you're going to hurt me."

The way he says this weakens my knees, the meaning behind his words is too deep and I brace myself against a tree. "You do realize that I'm in a race to replace my mate and it is day four. Day four. I literally only have until tomorrow to replace him before the Choosing on Saturday. And you happen to be the worst wingman. Ever. You either scare everyone away or freak me out with your warnings."

"I'm not your wingman." He leans against the same tree I was using to brace myself, his body facing me. "And I won't apologize for doing those things."

I let out a sigh, blinking away the thoughts that haunted me. "I know you won't. I just... I just want to make my family proud. It would really help us if I could replace a good dependable mate."

The laugh he lets out is mocking, effectively causing a chill inside me. "And you think 0 or Wor whatever letter the other guys are will make your family happy?"

"I don't know." I told him honestly, staring into his eyes, hoping he saw the desperation in them. "Maybe. But you're not helping my situation. You don't like any of my options.

In fact, you don't like anyone at the Games."

He leans closer to me until were an inch apart. "They don't deserve you. All of them don't deserve you."

I want to ask him; who deserves me?

But I didn't say it, fearing his answer.

I don't even comment on the bracelet, fearing that too.

He knows I see it, but he doesn't care.

He was flaunting it.

"You don't even know me." I tried to say this as confidently as I could but the way he was looking at me made it very difficult to breathe.

His next words sent shivers down my spine. "I know enough to know they don't."

"You just want me here for five years." I grumbled out jokingly, to ease the tension that I could almost taste in the air between us. "At this rate you should just tell me if there's an opening as a guard because it seems like you and I are going to be unmated together." His chuckle was warm and a little rough and it made me feel hot all over. "Where is my little ball of sunshine that I was promised?"

I glared up at him. "I thought I was your headache."

He shrugs, pushing himself off the tree and helping me back on my feet by taking my waist once more.

"You are

both."

The thin fabric of my dress did nothing to stop the warmth that came from his long fingers-

A guard. I chanted over and over. Not an attendee.

He pushed me a little forward, motioning to the mansion, and I tried my best not to sway too much as I walked towards the sound of breakfast. It proved to be difficult as kept thinking of his hands on me... how good he looked and how better he felt. It's day four, I reminded myself. I cannot be distracted by my guard, knowing that I'm running out of time.

With a deep breath, I straightened my back and walked on despite how hard it was to ignore the man ten steps behind me.

Breakfast was in full swing by the time I got there, attendees in various stages of throwing up were chasing away hangovers with an unhealthy amount of mimosas and sandwiches.

"X! Where have you been?" Miss A asks from the mimosa fountain. She was wearing the thickest black sunglasses ever made. "I was looking for you all night. You missed an unbelievable party. People were doing body shots on Miss E and I was dancing on top of a table."

"I got caught up." I gave her an apologetic smile, not knowing how to explain. "I wish I could have seen you dance and did a few shots on Miss E."

"Don't worry. She's still doing body shots now." She pointed towards a table at the far back where Miss E was lying down like she was a meal that was served, wearing a bikini as girls and boys alike licked salt from her. "Though I wouldn't recommend it. She hasn't showered like... you haven't showered."

Her eyes widened, looking at my disheveled appearance

"I see. Good for you." She says with a proud nod, not bothering to ask for details. "I hope you had fun."

My cheeks flushed

Why did I think of my guard when she asked that?

"Don't let that Mister O put you down." For my benefit, she came closer to whisper. "You know last night he was so drunk he could barely walk?"

My heart stopped at this. "Yeah?"

She rolled her eyes. "Yeah. Poor guy. Girls were all over him."

I tried not to think about it... tried not to care because I had no right because we were done. We agreed to part ways and I was with someone last night as well.

But why? Why was I still so disgustingly jealous?

It must have been written all over my face too, because Miss A took my hand and squeezed it affectionately.

She gave me a reassuring smile. "He wasn't with anyone as far as I could tell. He was escorted to his room by a few of the guys he's always with. And the guards make sure were not touched without our consent, so you don't have to worry about that." I replace myself hugging her in thanks, unable to say the words

She's startled by this at first but manages to hug me back after a while. "I got you. We're friends."

My heart leaps at this, happy to have someone in the Games even if it isn't a mate.

"I'll look out for you, which is why I have to tell you that Mister W is here and he's looking at you like he's hungry." She turned me towards the right direction.

Sure enough, Mister W walks into the gardens. He's freshly showered, handsome as ever, perfect as always.

And he was looking at me.

Only at me.

Even when everyone was looking at him.

But just before I could wave or go to him, he walked away, heading in the opposite direction.

Yet again, there were more questions than answers when it came to him.