Introspect [The Mating Games #3]

WENDELL ZERONE

“I don’t get this task.” Troy frowned, turning his head to face him. “What’s the point of playing chess in silence?”

“Honestly, I don’t know,” Wendell sighed from beside his mate, still able to see him as the board that was to be placed between them wasn’t in place yet. However, it would go into immediate effect as soon as the gong sounded to announce the start of today’s task which just happened to be a peculiar game of silent chess. “These tasks seem to get stranger and stranger every year.”

“What’s the strangest task that you’ve ever come across?”

“One that my parents mentioned to me,” he chuckled. “It was their Mating Games and on the third task was line dancing.”

“Line dancing?” Troy threw his head back and laughed. “How are they supposed to win at line dancing? Were they judged on their form and technique?”

“No,” Wendell shook his head, chuckling as he found his mate’s laughter infectious. “They would start off dancing with random partners and by the time the session was over, they had to have switched over to dancing with who they thought was their mate.”

“That doesn’t sound too bad.”

“They had to do all of that without breaking the sequence of the task?”

“What?”

Wendell chuckled and nodded his head in confirmation. “I always used to think that my parents were making it up but the former Alpha king confirmed it to me once.”

“I personally think this task is a little strange,” Troy said, sending a pointed look toward the chess board laid out on the table in front of them. “No offence,” he was quick to correct himself at the teenager sat across from them, not the least bit impressed or curious in the conversation that the both of them were currently engaged in.

“None taken,” the teenager replied dryly and huffed, quick to turn his attention away from them.

Troy and Wendell turned their heads to face each other, the both of them battling wild fits of laugher.

When the warning gong sounded aloud, Wendell almost mistook it for the start of the task. But when everyone turned their heads to face the front of the hall where a steward was stood, tall and proud with a Hex Charm in her hands, it appeared that they would be getting a schooling on the rules for today’s task.

In a strong, loud voice, further amplified by the speakers littered all around the hall, she began reading the rules off the Hex Charm.

“This is a game of silent chess which means that there is to be no talking. Not only are you not aloud to verbally communicate, but you are also not to communicate in any other way. Including signals. To do our part of preventing this, we’ll be putting up screens between mates. The only person you are to look at during this game is your opponent who you will both be facing together, but separately. Other than that, the rules of a normal game of chess apply. If you are able to beat your opponent then you win this task.”

And with that, the gong sounded to indicate the start of today’s task. Automatically, the screens started going up and with what felt to be in only the blink of an eye, their teenage opponent had already made his first move and slapped his hand on the clock to indicate that his turn was over.

As they had briefly discussed earlier, Troy took the first move from their side. Once their opponent, took his next move, it was time for Wendell to shine.

Except you’ve never played a game of chess in your life before.

Maybe, but I was up all last night watches chess games on YouTube.

While I don’t think that’s enough, I believe in you, his wolf tried to encourage him but it was on the weaker side. But let’s just hope Troy has played at least a single game of chess before.

Wendell hummed as he watched Troy’s hand stick out from the other side of the board between them, immediately going in for the kill as one of their pawns knocked over one of their opponent’s pawns. It wasn’t a move that Wendell would have made as in turn, it made one of their pieces vulnerable but Wendell’s knowledge in chess was very lacking. But he wasn’t surprised for their opponent to knock that same piece and claim it for himself.

I really wished he hadn’t done that, his wolf sighed, watching the game through his beady eyes with the utmost attention.

He must have a game plan, Wendell murmured back to his wolf.

Very quickly their confidence was squashed as their opponent continued making power moves, very quickly swiping half of their pieces off the board. All while they had only managed to capture one of his.

I don’t think he has a game plan, his wolf murmured.

I don’t have much of a game plan either, Wendell couldn’t help but groan. It would have helped if we had discussed tactics beforehand.

It would have helped if either of you know how to play, his wolf snorted, more frustrated at the actual game than either of them. Especially since there’s a badge on the line.

This would be our first loss, he couldn’t help but gulp, the words feeling sour and wrong on the tip of his tongue.

Do you think you could do better? he asked his wolf, genuinely asking and not taking a jab at his wolf.

I think I can.

Then feel free to take over.

With the switch of power, Wendell was very aware that his eyes switched from his usual dark brown to the golden orbs that ran in the family. When the opponent caught sight of the colour from the corner of his eye, the teenager stilled, his fingers still curled around the knight piece that he was holding.

If, according to the rules, they were allowed to speak, Wendell had no doubt that his wolf would have growled at the teen.

Instead, he flashed his eyes at the teen and hoped that no one was paying attention. Gulping, the opponent finished of his move and pressed down the clock. It was now time for Troy to make his move but after that, it would give Wendell’s wolf an opportunity to show just how good he was at the game. Or bad, as Wendell wasn’t sure if his wolf was just talking out of his ass or was actually good at chess. If he was, when did he have the time to practice? Or more importantly, how did he get good at chess without Wendell realising? They were two entities in the same being, after all.

The fact that they were only halfway into the game and already losing badly didn’t help either of their cases any, making his wolf’s road to redemption even longer and harder than it should have been.

All he could do now was hope that his wolf wasn’t just all talk. If they could at least crawl back a little so their loss wouldn’t be so grave and embarrassing, then Wendell would welcome that with open arms.

But for now, things weren’t looking good for them.

-

Layla Knight

19.06.2021