Introspect [The Mating Games #3]

ORION KALLIS

“As much as I agree with you, Orion, the Alpha king did say that we’re to be treated like everyone else. So, I don’t see how you complaining would change anything,” Phoenix sighed, clearly in two minds over this situation.

“Surely, they must have thought about this as well,” Orion frowned, trying to convince his mate that it was at least worth trying. “You never know, this might be something that they’ve already discussed. What if they’re trying to gauge our reaction on it?”

“I doubt they are.”

“But what if?” he continued to persist, trying to convince her.

“Fine. I guess it’s worth a shot,” she sighed, her lips pursed as she shrugged.

Not wasting a second more, Orion and Phoenix maneuvered around the large field toward the first steward that they laid eyes on. It was very unfortunate that it just happened to be Denver.

“What do I owe you the pleasure of this very fortunate meeting?” Denver chuckled in greeting, clasping his hands behind his back.

“I don’t think Phoenix should have to take part in this task,” Orion announced, cutting straight to the chase. “At least not without her you-know-what,” he said the last part, sending Denver a pointed look so he would understand without the need of it being mentioned aloud in a setting as public as this one.

“She can’t do that,” Denver was quick to deny with a sharp shake of his head. “I’ve already discussed this with my superiors and they have come to the conclusion that this is not allowed. It would be unfair on everyone.”

“Just like how asking me to fight as I’m clearly disadvantaged against everyone else,” Phoenix pursed her lips, finding this situation just as unfair as her mate was. “By no means am I saying that I don’t want to fight, because I do, but I think it would only be fair if we level the playing field.”

“That wouldn’t be levelling the playing field. That would be giving you the upper hand,” Denver corrected her.

“But she’s currently got the lower hand.”

“Not everything in life is fair, I’m afraid,” Denver shrugged, clearly not that bothered as their issue didn’t directly involve him.

“Trust me,” Orion couldn’t help but growl, curling his fingers into a fist. “I know that not everything in life is fair. I’ve gone twenty-five years without a mate and now that I’ve met her, you guys are setting her up to be beaten, and unfairly too as she’s clearly at a physical disadvantage here,” he quickly turned to face his mate, glad to see that she hadn’t taken any offense to his words. All that he had to say would have been far easier to explain if there weren’t so many ears around but for now, he had no choice but to be purposely evasive with his choice of words.

“I’m sorry, Orion, but there’s nothing that I can do here.”

“Well, if you can’t do something then I’m going to do something,” Orion grumbled, reaching out to grab Phoenix’s hand. Giving it a gentle squeeze despite his not-so gentle current mood, he turned around to storm away. However, it appeared that the steward was not done with him yet.

“What does that mean?” Denver called out to the both of them, his eyebrows furrowed together in the middle.

“Since you’re not going to level the playing field, I’ll just have to fight all the rounds myself,” Orion snorted snarkily but was quick to change his attitude as soon as he heard what Denver had to say next.

“That’s not allowed,” Denver was quick to correct him. “The both of you must participate in this task. That means that you can’t go into this thinking that only you’re going to take part in this task, Orion.”

“You can’t stop us,” Orion snorted but the haughty sound came far too early as he noted the defiant glint in Denver’s eyes.

“I’ll have you know that I actually can,” Denver was the one to snort this time before turning his attention to Phoenix. “Phoenix, sorry that I have to do this but you’re going to be the one to fight first.” And with that, clearly wanting to avoid an argument, Denver waved his hand in the air and walked away.

“I doubt that we have to listen to him,” Orion murmured as his eyes remained glued on Denver’s retreating, not sounding so sure as he struggled to decide whether Denver’s word was final or not.

“I think we do,” Phoenix sighed before turning her body to face him. “I can’t guarantee that I’ll win because I’ve never trained in fighting, but I can guarantee that I’ll definitely try my best.”

“That’s all I ask of you, angel,” Orion sighed, holding his arms out for her to walk into. “Although I have to admit that I’m really worried about you, angel. I can’t imagine you getting hurt. Especially right in front of me.”

“I know it’ll be difficult for you but we can’t risk breaking the rules again,” she murmured into his chest, squeezing her arms around him as hard as she could. “I can’t say that I’m looking forward to it either but there’s nothing that we can do to get out of this situation.”

“But what if there is?”

“What are you thinking?”

“I’m thinking that you purposely throw the first round,” Orion murmured, cautious as he tested the waters. “Wait, here me out. You go into the first round, make it look convincing but then submit. That way, you’d technically have participated and I’ll be able to take over from the second round.”

“How are you going to fight nine consecutive rounds?”

“Let me worry about that, angel,” he whispered, leaning down to press his forehead against hers. Reaching a hand up, he brushed a strand of hair out of her face, tucking it behind her ears. “And in no way am I trying to make you feel bad or put you down.”

“I know, Orion,” she murmured, her lips curling down into a small pout as she stared up at him from under her long lashes. “I know that if I was allowed to use my…you-know-what,” her voice trailed off, referring to her powers. “Then you would allow me to go in there and do my thing.”

“It would have at least been a fair fight then,” he murmured in consensus, running a hand through her hair gently. “I wouldn’t have worried nearly as much.”

“You worry because you care.”

“That, I do,” he murmured, bowing his head to press a soft kiss against her plump, awaiting lips. Unfortunately, the moment was quick to come to an end when their number was called: two hundred and thirty-six.

“Wish me luck?”

“The best of luck,” he promised her with one last kiss before letting her go, watching intently as she walked away from him.

If Orion had thought he was worried before, he quickly found out that he had so much more to worry about now. Watching her size up her opponent. If all went according to plan then the round would be over in just a few moments.

It was just too bad that Phoenix was quick to prove him wrong.

What the fuck is she doing? his wolf growled, not angry at his mate but rather, the situation that she was putting herself in. This is exactly what we told her not to do!

His wolf was right. Both Orion and Phoenix had agreed that she would throw the first round which would allow him to fight the rest. But the way she was stood in fighting stance, an evident look of determination and concentration on her face, told him that she definitely wasn’t planning to throw the towel in. When she was the one to throw the first one, managing to catch her opponent on the underside of her chin, Orion knew he was right.

And it was stupid of us to actually believe her that she would listen, Orion couldn’t help but grumble as he watched his mate throw fight after fight, clearly not trying to purposely lose the first round like they had previously agreed.

To be fair, she is holding herself pretty well.

I agree, but at some point, she’s going to get herself hurt.

As her mate, it’s our duty to support her. Just as it’s our duty to support her in everything that she does, and wants to do. Unfortunately, having a fair chance of her own in this clearly very disadvantaged situation is something that she wants to do, his wolf murmured, watching Phoenix fight with the utmost precision, watching her every move, as well as every move of her opponent. The fact that it was a she-wolf made him feel slightly better – which in turn, made him feel somewhat sexist – but not by much. Especially not when Orion knew that all wolves, both he and she, did some sort of training, even if they weren’t warriors.

After the Mating Games, we’re going to be doing some training, Orion hummed as he continued watching his mate, having just knocked the she-wolf onto her back. If things go well now, she’ll be able to force her opponent into submission in no time.

Just as he had predicted, Phoenix straddled her opponent and leaned forward, pressing down on the she-wolf’s chest, winding her even more than she was already. That was enough to give her the win that she had originally planned to throw.

I’m so proud of her, Orion grinned as he cheered on his mate, watching as she was ushered onto the other side of the clearing where she would be fighting the second round.

She did better than I expected, his wolf agreed, just as proud of his human counterpart. If not more. That doesn’t take away from the fact that I’m deathly scared she’s going to get seriously hurt in this. She may have won but all of this is still very unfair and prejudiced against her.

At that Orion, gulped but he couldn’t bring himself to say anything. Not when in this current moment, his hands were tied behind his back. Not when he couldn’t do anything without the risk of earning yet another punishment from the Alpha king and Moon Goddess herself. Usually, Orion wouldn’t care but when there was the risk that the both of them would be separated and the mate bond between them removed, then he cared. He cared a whole fucking lot.

Before the second round started, Phoenix glanced over her shoulder, locking eyes with him immediately. To say that she didn’t look the least bit apologetic would be an understatement. At the grin on her face, Orion couldn’t help but chuckle, but the sound was quick to die on his lips when the steward indicated that she was to now start the second round.

Thankfully, the second round ended in the same result as the first and then, by the end of the third round, Orion had started feeling a little better. Not comfortable at the idea of his mate fighting wolves without the use of her powers but just a little better about it.

The resounding feeling was that he was so, so proud of her. When she had done so well, taking down three wolves with only her wit, intelligence and bare hands, how could he not be proud of her?

She always finds a way to surprise us.

Orion hummed in agreement and replied, our mate is clearly something very special.

And we’re so lucky to have her as a mate.

While Orion had been on the edge of his seat during the first three fights that Phoenix had fought, that feeling was nothing compared the dread and fear that consumed him when his next opponent was revealed to be none other than Wendell Zerone. The Royal Beta.

I know they said that they can’t make any exceptions for us and we’re going to be treated just like everyone else, but surely this is taking it too far, his wolf whined, and not for the first time. Not that Orion could blame his wolf as he felt the same exact way.

I have to agree, Orion couldn’t help but growl. They know that she’s not a wolf. How are they expecting her to fight against wolves without the use of her powers?

To be fair, she’s held up pretty well against the first three.

Yes, but how is she supposed to stand a chance against the Royal Beta, Orion grumbled some more, not that anyone but his wolf was interested in what he had to say. And this is not me discrediting Phoenix in anyway.

No, I know, his wolf agreed. As her mate, it’s hard for us to sit back and watch her fight in a situation that is clearly very against her.

Orion groaned, still struggling at the prospect that this situation was clearly very against his mate.

The moment that the steward waves his arms in the air and took a step back, Orion watched as Wendell all but leaped through the air toward his mate. Orion knew then that this round wouldn’t be like any of the others. That he actually had something to worry about this time.

That mutt better not lay a hand on our mate or he’s going to have to answer to more than just my words, his wolf growled and Orion whole-heartedly agreed.

Though even he had to admit that they wouldn’t be able to stand their ground with a wolf as strong as him.

Wendell Zerone was born to be the Royal Beta, after all.

-

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Layla Knight

19.06.2021