Introspect [The Mating Games #3]

WENDELL ZERONE

I don’t understand why you’re so adamant with training with them every morning, his wolf grumbled, awake and energised from their early morning training session. Bernard certainly doesn’t.

That’s because he’s the king, Wendell shot back at his petulant wolf with a chuckle. The only reason you’re complaining is because you don’t like waking up early.

Perhaps, but why do you feel the need to wake me up along with you every morning?

Because the both of us need to train, not just me, he pointed out, and not for the first time. You don’t need to complain anymore because training is over and I’m starving for some breakfast.

Yes, feed me, human.

You’re annoying, he rolled his eyes but couldn’t hold back the chuckle as he jogged into the palace, going straight for the royal floor where he knew everyone had gathered for breakfast like they did every morning.

Their breakfast routine had changed up in the past couple of years. Instead of eating breakfast with his family or with Bernard separately, the Alpha and Beta family now all ate breakfast together. While their previous routine had worked fine, this one made them feel more like a family.

It appeared that having Marisol around changed them all for the better. Talulah especially as he was now more susceptible and empathetic toward the thoughts and feelings of those around him.

You basically just called him soft, his wolf snorted, pacing around in his mind. With the way his tongue was hanging out of his mouth, Wendell knew that if he didn’t feed the beast soon then he would have a rather uncontrollable, intolerable creature on his hands. And this was speaking directly from past experience.

I didn’t call him soft…and you’re in a pretty snappy mood, Wendell snorted but thankfully, his wolf didn’t have a chance to respond as he was now in the dining room where breakfast was readily available and waiting for him.

“How was training this morning?” Bernard called out to him from where he was sat at one end of the table, his father and the previous king sat on the other end. On Bernard’s right was his mate, Talulah and on his left, the spot was empty as it belonged to Wendell. The remaining four spots at the table was filled with both of Wendell’s parents and his two younger brothers – James and Maxwell at ages seventeen and fourteen respectively.

“The usual,” Wendell grinned and shrugged as he took his seat at the table across from Talulah. After shooting her a friendly nod and smile, he glanced around the table to greet everyone else. “Perfectly challenging but definitely not as difficult as training is with you.”

“I’m glad to hear that,” Bernard chuckled, moving to pour him a mug of coffee. “By the way, we might have to put those training sessions on hold next week.”

“Why’s that?” Wendell asked slowly after he took a generous gulp of his coffee; cursing under his breath when it burned the sides of his mouth.

“No reason,” Bernard denied as he shook his head, turning to glance at his mate instead. “Just looking to give myself a break, is all.”

At that, Wendell frowned in confusion. While Bernard and Wendell didn’t train together every day, they did train together most evening. At most, they would skip a day when things were especially busy or if either of them needed a rest day due to other training sessions that they also took part in, but never before had they missed a whole week of training.

Let alone planned to, anyway.

Before he could ask what Bernard meant by that, Talulah was quick to insert himself into the conversation. If she wasn’t her usual joyful, teasing self, he would have found this rather suspicious.

“Couldn’t you have showered before you came for breakfast?” Talulah made a show of turning her nose up, playfully narrowing her eyes at him. “I can smell you from across the table.”

“Talulah’s right. You really do stink!” Max spoke up from a mouthful of eggs, quick to close it before his mother could begin to lecture him on basic etiquettes.

“I’m surprised that you can smell me with that little human nose of yours,” Wendell shot back at her, his lips curling up into a large grin. When her lips parted in shock but her eyes creased at the corners as she began laughing, he laughed harder.

“I’m not human anymore,” she denied, still chuckling lightly. “You’re going to have to come up with some new material because I’ve been a wolf for nearly five years now.”

“Five years and you still reek of human.”

“Twenty-two years and you just stink in general,” Talulah snorted, shooting the insult right back at him.

“I hate to agree but Talulah’s right,” Bryant piped up from where he was sat on the other end of the table. “I can smell the sweat from all the way over here.”

“Fine!” Wendell groaned, giving in, as he helped himself to a slice of toast. “I’ll shower after training tomorrow and then come to breakfast, but that means that you have to leave me some food if I come late.”

“I can’t be making serious promises like that,” Bernard snorted, a humoured glint in his eyes.

As they usually did, James and Maxwell excused themselves once they were done with their breakfast. But unlike most other days, both his parents and Bryant stuck around instead of starting their day as they usually did.

“What’s wrong with all of you?” Wendell finally asked, placing his fork down on the table as he was finished with his eggs. “You’ve all been acting very strange since the moment I walked in here.”

“We haven’t been acting strange,” his father tried to deny but when Talulah snickered while Bernard snorted, he was quick to drop the act.

When the whole table burst into loud laughter and secretive smirks which everyone but him seemed to understand, he found himself growing more and more frustrated.

“Can someone please tell me what’s going on?” he groaned in frustration. “What are you hiding from me?”

“Everyone here has noticed that you’ve been kind of sad lately,” his mother began, a soft, endearing expression on her face as she gazed at him; the laughter having now completely subsided. “What with not receiving an invitation to the Mating Games this year and all.”

“I haven’t been sad,” Wendell tried to deny but it was no use. Especially since his voice wavered around his words which only underlined the fact that they were spot on with their collective observations.

Wendell didn’t like to think about it but these past few days he had been sad. Especially sad. Even more so as the days continued to pass and the last invitation on the island was sent out yesterday, yet his hands remained empty and an envelope with his name on it never arrived.

You’re worse than me, his wolf grunted. I thought I was bad but you’re far more dramatic.

I’m not being dramatic, he denied. I’m just sad that the earliest we’re going to meet our mate is going to be in five years. We’ll be twenty-seven then.

But age is just a number.

Yes, but that’s so much easier to say.

I feel that, his wolf sighed, the sound airy and prolonged. Unfortunately, there’s nothing that we can do about it.

“Wendell? Are you listening to me?” Bernard called out to him, reaching across to snap his fingers in front of his face to grab his attention.

“Sorry, my wolf was bothering me,” Wendell apologised but was quick to correct himself when his wolf growled at him. “I mean, I was speaking to my wolf but what did you say?”

“I said that we have a surprise for you,” Bernard grinned, making a show of reaching into his pocket for something.

“What is it?” he asked but when he didn’t receive a response like he was hoping for, Wendell turned his head to glance around the table. Similar to Bernard and Talulah, his parents and Bryant had large, matching grins on their faces. But instead of answering him despite his continuous questioning, they just prompted to turn their attention back to the head of the table.

“Can you just tell me what this surprise is, please?” Wendell groaned in frustration – not the least bit a fan of surprises as he didn’t like people keeping information from him, especially information that centred around him – and did as he was told.

Except this time, the question was quick to die on his lips.

Staring down at the envelope on the table in front of him, he could hardly believe his eyes.

This is it! The moment has finally come! his wolf cheered loudly but Wendell blocked him out, needing a moment to himself to process the significance of this moment.

“What? Cat got your tongue?” Talulah teased him, a knowing expression on her face.

“Is this what I think it is?” Wendell asked, surprising himself by being able to form a coherent sentence. Especially with all the overwhelming thoughts rushing through his mind right now.

“Yes, and so much more,” Bernard grinned, a wide grin on his face.

“Oh, my baby boy is going to finally meet his mate!” his mother gushed from beside him, leaning over to pull him in for a hug.

With a large, wide grin on his face, Wendell embraced his mother before doing the same to his father and Bryant.

“I’m so happy for you, Wendy,” Talulah cheered excitedly as she hugged him, squeezing him tightly. “I can’t wait for you to meet your mate.”

“I can’t wait either,” he grinned before detangling himself to move over and hug Bernard, feeling so happy and blessed right now.

How could he not when he had just received the best news of his life.

“I know how much you wanted this,” Bernard murmured quietly, hugging him tightly. “I’m so happy for you.”

“Thanks, Bernie,” he grinned and patted his friend on the back as they pulled away from the hug.

The cheers and celebrations continued around the table as this was a big moment for them all; not just Wendell.

Not only would he be meeting his mate over the course of the eight days of the Mating Games, but he would also be meeting the next Royal Beta of all werewolves. After the next Alpha queen that had turned out to be Talulah, Wendell’s mate was the biggest thing to happen to the werewolf world.

Dropping himself back into his seat, he picked up the familiar envelope to pull out the card with the familiar message. Except Bernard had specialised it with the mention that as soon as the Mating Games were over, they would be holding the Royal Beta ceremony at their earliest convenience.

At that thought, his lips curled up even higher. If that was even possible.

Wendell knew that this was a very special moment, not just for him but for everyone around the table as this was the first big step of him finally taking over as the Royal Beta of all werewolves. It was one that years from now, he would look back fondly on and remember.

And definitely not one that he would ever forget.

He truly couldn’t be happier if he tried.

-

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Layla Knight

25.05.2021