The Game Of Quadruplet Mates
(Bk 2) Chapter 14

When I woke up the next day, the birds were singing, the smell of pine was in the air and a hint of something sweet like honey stirred my stomach. That is until a wave of something sour like acid and bile bubbled up my stomach instead.

My head hurt, a pounding sensation on my skull and my eyes felt heavy as I rolled on my side, keeping my blanket all the way to my nose.

I could lie and say I don't remember anything from last night, but I do. I remember every single word I said to 0 and what he said back to me. I remember how, after that, I held onto my guard like I would break and how he, in return, kept his arms around me to keep me together. He didn't say a word the entire time.

He didn't tell me he was right.

He just stayed there, unlike everyone that had disappointed me in the Games so far.

When I finally calmed down enough, he helped me into my room and waited until I was in bed before closing the door like nothing happened.

Another wave of something sour went up my throat and I swallowed it down, refusing to feel anything else from last night. My stomach grumbled, my eyes glancing at the clock on my nightstand to see that it was already ten in the morning.

I blinked, not realizing how late it was.

Remembering the schedule for today, I rushed to the bathroom and quickly showered. While I dry myself, I choose a simple long summer dress from my closet and wiggle into it. In only a few minutes, I fixed my hair and my face as best as I could, which wasn't great with the bags under my eyes and the pale color of my skin.

My stomach kept lurching but I fought it down, opening my door to replace my guard where he was last night, which was right in front of my door. He looked up and merely tipped his head forward in greeting.

I waited for him to make a comment or to make fun but he didn't, merely staying quiet and taking a step back so I could walk.

We were right by the gardens when he decided to say something.

"You dropped this last night." He held out my squished bracelet, the pink flowers ruined by my hands when I gripped it tightly.

"Throw it away." I said quietly. "I don't want it anymore."

There was an emotion on his half covered face that I didn't comprehend. He is always so hard to read. "I don't think you can do that."

I nodded, understanding that the bracelet is important, but it's done. The meaning behind it ruined. "Well, the one that had my bracelet threw it, so I might as well throw it away like he did."

He says nothing more about the bracelet as I watch him place it inside his pocket. "All the attendees skipped breakfast, brunch is being served instead. Today's events have been pushed back to the afternoon." "Thank you." I said, taking a deep breath. "And I'm sorry. I'm so sorry you had to see me like that."

"Do you want me to disqualify him?" He asked seriously before I could take another step.

I turned to face him again, feeling myself smile a little." Can you do that?"

He shrugs like it didn't matter if he was allowed to or not.

He still would regardless.

It certainly tempted me. "'ll keep that in mind for later."

"As long as you know I can."

Feeling better than I originally felt, he and I continued to walk towards the gardens, my ears picking up the quiet chatter up ahead.

My stomach does a little flip when I make it to where everyone was. The gardens have been transformed from the receiving area from yesterday into this beautiful gathering of attendees eating among flowers and nature.

Tables and chairs have been set up in every possible nook and corner with staff moving along carrying plates and glasses full of sparkling liquid for everyone.

In front were tables upon tables full of never ending food; fruits and salads and meats and biscuits and pastries. I spotted sandwiches, cheeses of every smell and chocolate covered marshmallows. There were fountains of juices and drinks, some even alcoholic. A lot of attendees hovered there, refilling their glasses greedily, trying to chase away their hangover with another hangover.

A live band was playing classical music from the gazebo far ahead, calming everyone's otherwise hungover expressions.

Miss A suddenly waved from in front of a table of food, beaconing me to walk over to her. She looked a little worse for wear but still absolutely beautiful. She had thick black sunglasses on which she lowers to look at me. "What an amazing night, huh?" I forced a smile, remembering exactly what happened last night with a wince.

"Right,"

"I'm sorry I couldn't spend more time with you. I was trying to distract myself with a boy who I was too good for." She grumbles, handing me an empty plate and taking one for herself as she looked at the selection. "I'm so hungover, I can't even feel my stomach." We stack our plate high with food before we replace a table near the gazebo.

She removed her sunglasses and spread her legs apart with a sigh. She was wearing a dress like I was, but even then she looked positively ravishing even if she shouldn't."

I'm too old to party like this. I feel like a hundred years old."

Just as I was about to agree, Miss E slammed her plate down on our table. She looked terrible, much like we all did and she was armed with a tray of coffee cups that she was aggressively chugging like her life depended on it.

"I'm never drinking again." She announces, cringing at her own loud voice.

"I haven't stopped hurling since last night. I

wanted to sleep but my mouth and stomach had other plans. It was like a broken faucet. On and on and on!"

"What did you expect?" Miss A replies humorlessly, nursing a cup of coffee in her hands. "You single handedly finished the entire stock of stolen liquor last night. It's as if you were possessed."

"My prospects aren't prospecting." Miss E mumbles to herself. "I needed to distract myself."

We all shared a look, realizing all of us were in need of distractions. "Men,"

The three of us stuck out our tongues in agreement before digging into our food.

Two bites in and Miss E pushes her food away. "I think I'm going to throw up... okay, wait, I think I'm okay. Wait...

maybe not."

"Can you face the other direction just in case you're not okay?" Miss A comments with a scrunched up nose. "I just showered and I don't plan on showering again so soon." Miss E pouted. "You don't trust me?"

Miss A didn't even bat an eye. "No. You're green. You look like you're a second away from releasing something from within."

"That's certainly what I feel." Miss E answers, holding her stomach. She directs her attention at me. "How was your night, X?"

I didn't bother lying. "Terrible. Just terrible."

"The guy with the nice hair didn't work out?" She asked, patting the hand I had on the table

I shook my head. "It was never going to work out. I don't know why I even tried."

Miss A frowns at this. "I hate guys. You love them, you tell them you love them and they leave you."

"I hate them too." I agreed with a laugh.

"And we have this class thing for them as well." Miss E continued with a shudder.

"What thing?" I asked, dreading to do anything today.

"It's the new thing they added recently." Miss E answers, already looking bored.

"Arts and crafts." Miss A added with a roll of her eyes. "I've made three of those and they all went to the trash."

I was about to say more when I caught sight of him.

O had just walked into the garden, his pretty hair was a mess on top of his head as he looked around the garden. I melted into my seat, ducking my head down.

"What is it?" Miss A asked, looking around until she saw him. "Oh, him."

"I have to go. I mumbled quickly, keeping my head down as I hid behind flowers and bushes. "Ill see you in that arts and crafts thing."

Just when I thought I was in the clear, I slammed into him.

Head first.

Staggering back

Oh, Goddess.

O tries to steady me, hands on my waist, but I shove him off roughly. "X, come on."

My lips pressed thin, unable to even look at him.

The sound of bones cracking grabs my attention momentarily, only to replace my guard closer than he should be, his knuckles on his sides- white and shaking. His eyes were burning holes in O's face.

I know if we weren't in public with several attendees and guards already watching, he would do something that he probably wasn't allowed to do.

Still, his darkened eyes flickered towards me in question.

He was asking me if I wanted O gone, just like his promise, and even if it was against the rules with many witnesses, he would do it. Whatever it takes. All I had to do was say the word. But I could handle O.

I wouldn't let him do this to me again.

My guard and I's quiet conversation is broken by 0, who reaches for my hand once more.

"Let's talk? Please." He begged like I had begged. "Last night was a mistake-"

I drew back as if he slapped me. I didn't think he was capable of hurting me even more. "A mistake? That's what I was to you?"

"Just let me finish." He pleaded, seeing as I had already started to retreat from him.

Unrelenting, I continued to back away.

"I think you already

said what you had to say."

He took me by the hand and even if I fought against it, he held me close, pulling me deeper into the gardens where people couldn't see or hear us.

I thrashed around, pulling with all my might, but he was holding onto me with all his strength.

He only let me go when we were far away. We were alone with only our heavy breathing and the beautiful sculpted statues around us. "I'm wrong for you, X. I'm all kinds of wrong. Everyone knows it. You know it."

"You dragged me all the way out here just to say that?!" I found myself shouting, the last of my patience gone. "Yes, I know that. You already told me yesterday. Why do you have to say it again?"

He was getting angry again. I could see it in his eyes as if it was my own anger I was seeing. "We ended badly and I just hoped that-"

I didn't let him finish, having already heard this before. "You don't want me. That was quite clear."

"Listen to me. Just listen! You know I can't be the man you need or the man you deserve. I..." He trailed off, a look of absolute torment on his face. It was a look of someone that was dying a little bit inside. I know because I had that exact look on my face too. "You know what I am, okay? You know my responsibilities."

I sucked in a breath, exhausted and weak. "I was ready for it all. To fight for you. To endure and go through whatever it was. To go against the Alpha, to everyone. But you made your choice and it doesn't include me."

"Enough of this," He says with finality. "Enough! We can't do this. We can't keep doing this."

"It doesn't have to be like this! Why can't we.." I was a mess. I was grasping for something that I knew wasn't there. I was trying, I was scrambling. I was plunging and there was no one to catch me as I fell.

He doesn't even let me say the words as he growls out at me, his teeth coming out. "Fu c k's sake, X-" I cut him off before he could say my name, shoving him hard. I knew he was going to do it.

He didn't care. He never cared.

All of this was just a game.

And in the end, I got trampled. Like how everyone else around him got trampled.

I was just another number, another crying girl under his +25 Points

Book 2: Chapter 11 belt.

Another piece in his collection.

My breath caught in my throat. "You want to go home that badly? You want to be away from me that much that you're willing to be disqualified?"

My guard was near.

I could feel him close.

And I know he was waiting for his chance to rip 0 away from me.

"I get it." I felt like my lungs were on fire. "It's done. You said it yourself last night and only confirmed it more now.

He reaches for me again, a desperate attempt to hold me, to have me against him. His hands, his warm hands that were on me just hours ago were so close and I would have taken it.

I would have let him take me.

But I don't. Not anymore.

I pulled out of his reach. "Don't touch me. Don't talk to me.

From now on, you don't know me. Do what you want with your life, but you and I are strangers. You're free to be with whoever you want."

Cowardly, I couldn't bring myself to look at him as I walked away.

And he let me go.

No other words were needed.

We both knew it was done

"Stay away, please." I said to the shadow following behind me. "I need a minute."

I didn't cry as I walked quietly to the lake. In fact, I felt so empty that I couldn't feel anything but that emptiness.

Except as I make it to the lake, I replace my dress from last night floating there. And not just my dress but my other things too.

Other things that were packed for me... only, those things were supposed to be safely in my room.