Introspect [The Mating Games #3]

WENDELL ZERONE

What did he just say? his wolf asked in a stupefied voice, staring with wide eyes over Talulah’s head, struggling to believe what they were witnessing. Did he just call the witch his mate?

Surely, he can’t have, Wendell denied, shaking his head but he wasn’t all that convinced. He’s a wolf and she’s a witch. There’s no way that they can be mates.

Maybe, his wolf hummed. But if they were, it would make a lot of sense.

It’s completely unconventional, though.

It’s also something that has never happened before, his wolf pointed out.

As far as I know, yes, Wendell agreed. But there’s a first for everything. I mean, our Alpha queen is a human. That’s never happened before but here she is; the best queen that we could have asked for.

That’s a very valid point, his wolf’s voice trailed off, unable to fault his logic.

While Talulah was human, none of that affected her ability and suitability as her role as Alpha queen. In fact, her determination and drive to prove herself – not that she needed to prove herself to anyone – made her a far better Luna than anyone could imagine.

However, there was the obvious difference that both Talulah and Bernard had been invited to the Mating Games. While they had to deal with Talulah having to adapt to life among werewolves and vice versa, not once did they have to worry about coming out of the Mating Games without a mate.

In fact, it was completely unheard of.

You can say that again, his wolf murmured, eagerly watching the exchange between the captive and captors, struggling to communicate effectively with how aggravated the situation had become. For a regular wolf, he’s pretty strong, the beast noted aloud.

Blinking back to reality, Wendell returned his attention to the bizarre scene playing out in front of him. The fact that three guards were currently restraining Orion – and struggling, one might add – definitely said something about him and his strength.

He’s strong. We have to give him that, Wendell agreed, watching curiously as another royal guard inserted himself into the situation. However, that was nowhere nearly enough as one of the other guards reached out for Phoenix, trying to distance herself from whom they deemed to be a crazy man.

Stronger than a regular wolf, that’s for sure.

I think he used to be a warrior, he told hi wolf, scarcely recalling this being mentioned in Bernard’s office earlier.

Still doesn’t explain why so many guards are struggling to hold him back. They’re going to need at least another two if they don’t want to risk him getting out.

I guess that’s what happens when a wolf that has gone without a mate for so long finally meets her.

It also doesn’t help that they’re trying to distance her from him.

It’s pretty stupid, if you ask me, his wolf snorted.

Wait, does that mean that you believe that they’re actually mates? Wendell asked curiously, not sure if he was in consensus with his wolf or not.

Just look at him, his wolf instructed. With the way that he’s reacting, she’s either his mate or has simply gone crazy from having to go without for so long.

I’m willing to bet money on the latter, he agreed, pursing his lips.

There are stranger things that have happened, his wolf snorted before sending a pointed look toward the mated pair stood in front of him: Bernard and Talulah. If a human and a wolf can be fated together, I don’t see why a wolf and a witch cannot.

While Wendell was still rather sceptical, the more he pondered over the notion, the less strange it seemed. If it could happen to Bernard and Talulah, then it certainly could happen to someone else.

It was just unfortunate that this had to happen to a man such as Orion who had been waiting for his mate longer than anyone before in history.

“Orion,” Bernard marched up to the wolf, a harsh expression on his face. “I understand that this is a really difficult moment for you but this behaviour is unacceptable.”

“I don’t mean to be disrespectful, my king, but it is the behaviour of your guards that I would deem disrespectful,” Orion said and Wendell could tell that this wolf was doing all he could not to growl at the Alpha king. While he knew Bernard personally, the same could not be said about anyone and so he understood the apprehensions that a regular wolf such as Orion could have.

“They are only restricting you as I instructed them to do so,” Bernard maintained his composure as he spoke, a firm look in his eyes. “With the way you’re behaving now, I can’t trust you.”

“Bernie,” Talulah sighed, turning to face her mate. Instead of voicing aloud what she had to say next, both of their eyes glazed over as they began mind linking each other.

Turning his attention away from them, Wendell watched curiously as Orion continued struggling to escape the clutches of the multitude of guards that swarmed him from all angles. It truly was a valiant effort but with so many hands restraining him, this wolf truly did not stand a chance.

“How can you do this to me?” Orion growled as he alternated between glaring daggers and snarling at the guards that flanked him by all sides. “How would you feel if you had just met your mate but you had obstacles like yourself keeping the both of you apart?”

“She’s not your mate,” one of the guards pursed his lips, a distasteful expression on his face for having to restrain a wolf like this. “She’s a witch. She can’t have a mate,” the same guard said, suffering from more than a simple slip of the tongue.

“What? A witch?” Orion’s jaw all but dropped at the guard that had just spoken to him with wide, disbelieving eyes.

At the admission, the hallway suddenly filled with an eery silence. The guard in question paled dangerously in colour. Immediately, his head snapped to the right to stare between the Alpha king and queen. While Bernard looked furious, almost as if unable to believe what the guard had just revealed to a non-local, Talulah chose to remain neutral. No doubt the only voice of reason in this rather unfortunate situation.

“Witches have been extinct for several centuries,” Orion gulped around the words. “They were all wiped out by the vampires. There’s no way that witches still exist today,” the words were rolling off his tongue in an anxious rush but he craned his neck to stare at his mate, still being hidden away from him a wall of guards. “Mate?” he called out to her in a soft voice but there was a no point.

There were far too many wolves standing between them; forcing them apart.

“I’m so sorry, my king,” the same guard from before began to apologise profusely, very aware that he had just landed himself in the deep end.

“I don’t want to hear it right now,” Bernard tutted and raised a hand up to pinch the bridge of his nose in frustration, clearly reaching the end of his tether. “Not only have you just given up Beati a Dea’s most well-kept secret, but you’ve just given up the entire population of witches and warlocks that has been hidden for several centuries.”

“Entire population of witches? And warlocks?” Orion questioned in a mystified tone, struggling to decide what to focus his attention on right now: the sudden existence of these magical creatures, or his mate.

Pursing his teeth, Bernard gritted his teeth and exhaled deeply, “I’ll deal with you later,” he sent a pointed look to the guard before returning his attention to Orion.

With the Alpha king’s eyes on him, Orion was forced to turn his attention away from his mate. With how evidently reluctant he was, he somehow managed not to come across as threatening. Not that Wendell would have blamed if he did.

“It doesn’t look good that you’ve declared the first woman you’ve come across is your mate,” Bernard started and when Orion opened his mouth again – no doubt to start something that he would later come to regret – he was quick to continue. Except this time, the glare was much harsher and demanding; enough to render him immovable.

Not that Orion seemed all that affected.

“I’m aware what it looks like, Alpha but I give you my word, I’m not crazy.”

“Don’t get me wrong, Orion. I’m not suggesting that you’re crazy. It’s just very, very strange that after such news that you’ve been invited to the Mating Games by mistake this year, you’ve labelled the first female that you’ve set eyes on to be your mate.”

“Please, please trust me, Alpha. This is far from a coincidence,” Orion all but begged the Royal wolf standing in front of him but with no luck.

This back and forth continued between Orion and Bernard with occasional input from Talulah, Bryant and some of the guards who clearly didn’t know their place in such an aggravated situation.

When Wendell felt like he could hear no more of this pointless conversation, he turned his attention to the woman in question. While he didn’t know Phoenix all that well as she was a few years younger than him, he was somewhat good friends with her older brother who he went to school with.

Unlike her usual bubbly self which was always painstakingly apparent from the very start, Phoenix had stayed quiet the whole time. With a confused, almost stupefied expression on her face, she watched the constant back and forth with between the king and some man who claimed for her to be his mate.

“How about we hear what Phoenix has to say?” Wendell suddenly spoke, sending a pointed look to the witch who hadn’t moved from the spot she was standing on all throughout the recent turn of events.

“I think that’s a very good idea,” both Talulah and Bryant agreed before the conversation got even more out of hand.

“Phoenix,” Bernard turned his attention to the witch, silently instructing her to take a step forward from behind the guards that had been covering her this whole time. While their intentions may have been good, keeping her safe from this strange man that had grabbed and scared her earlier, they had just further aggravated the situation. “I know this is very strange for you as you’re a witch and there’s no sense of mates between witches and wizards, but do you feel the mate bond?”

“The mate bond?” the woman in question asked in a quiet voice, pushing past the guards to take a step forward; now standing directly in front of the man who claimed for her to be his mate. Supposed mate. “I’m not a wolf. How am I supposed to know what that feels like?”

“When you’re near your mate, they’ll be all you can think about and if you’re away from them, you’ll think of them so much more,” Talulah took a step forward, a soft, reassuring expression on her face as she reached out for one of Phoenix’s hands, giving it a gentle tap. “When they touch you, the tingles will be electric. They’ll be the one person in the entire universe that is meant for you, that completes you. They’ll complete you. And as cheesy as it sounds, if he’s your mate, you’ll just now.”

At her words, a thoughtful expression took over her face as she turned to face the man that had openly claimed for her to be his soulmate even though it was near enough impossible.

“Alleged mate,” one of the guards snorted but one sharp look from the queen and he was quick to avert his eyes.

A comfortable silence enveloped them as Phoenix and Orion stared back at one another; unable to look at anyone or anything else. It was almost as if they were the only ones in the world and Wendell couldn’t help but shift uncomfortably for witnessing such a precious, intimate moment.

And to think this was all before it was even confirmed that they were actually mates. Not that he had any doubts in his mind.

“I think he’s right,” Wendell was the only one to say, speaking loud enough to be heard above the commotion going on all around him. “I believe that Orion and Phoenix are mates.”

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Layla Knight

02.06.2021