Introspect [The Mating Games #3]

ORION KALLIS

He could see their lips moving but couldn’t hear what they were saying. If his mind wasn’t so clouded and he wasn’t feeling like he would combust from the inside, he may have been able to read their lips to decipher what was being said.

Instead, he couldn’t focus on anything other than the ringing of his ears.

This can’t be real, his wolf whispered in a defeated, monotone voice. This has to be a practical joke. And a really sick one at that. There’s no way that any of this can be real.

What exactly did the king say again? Orion asked his wolf, not quite sure if he had heard correctly.

He said we were invited by mistake.

That can’t be possible, Orion denied and shook his head, unbeknown to the fact that the chattering around the office had stopped and all pairs of eyes had now turned on him; watching him carefully. There’s no way that we were invited by mistake. That just can’t happen.

But that’s what the king just said, his wolf told him, but Orion knew that the beast was stating facts more than anything else. I’ve never heard of a mistake being made at the Mating Games before.

Neither have I, Orion agreed, inhaling deeply and exhaling sharply, struggling to get a grip on all the overwhelming feelings and emotions rushing through his body right now.

I don’t understand how they can make a mistake as big as this one.

Me neither, he agreed again. How can we receive an invitation to the Mating Games by mistake? Surely that’s not possible. Surely, they can’t be careless enough to make a mistake as big as this one? A mistake as cruel as this?

That’s what I would think, too, but we’re clearly wrong, his wolf growled, but making sure to keep it down in fear of the repercussions from the Alpha king. Not that it would matter to anyone what would happen to him. What would become of him.

The answer was simple. Nothing. Absolutely nothing.

Orion Kallis didn’t have a mate, after all. He was an orphan and didn’t have a family. There was no one waiting for him at him; looking forward to his arrival. He didn’t have a mate to love and he certainly didn’t have anyone to love, or have love him. He didn’t have anyone, and that was that.

And now, he didn’t have a mate either.

He was part of a pack but he wasn’t really a part of them. He was no longer a warrior. All he did was patrol the borders at night and cook for everyone. But anyone could do that. The Alpha could very easily replace him as both head of patrol and pack chef.

Surely, they must know how cruel all of this is! his wolf growled, pacing back and forth, bashing his body against the walls of his mind each time; harder and faster as this iteration continued.

It truly is cruel, Orion agreed, squeezing his eyes shut.

Orion had lived a whole lifetime without a mate. Other wolves his age had several pups by now. Their eldest pups were gearing up to graduate high school but all he had was a little cottage to keep him away from the rest of the pack; unable to live among their happiness when he felt dead inside.

If he didn’t have his wolf, he truly would have been dead inside.

It was evident to Orion that the Alpha king and queen were truly sorry for having to deliver this news to him, to tell him that he was invited to the Mating Games by mistake, in turn meaning that he didn’t have a mate, but it didn’t soften the blow any.

Instead, it just made him feel all that much worse.

He had lived his whole life without a mate. He had then lived several years without any family. While it wasn’t the life that he wished for himself, or upon anyone else, for that matter, he was able to deal with it. He was able to live his empty little life without any form of happiness simply because that was all he knew.

However, when Alpha Demetri called Orion into his office a few days ago with the good news, for the first time in a very long time – or at least since the very first Mating Games that he had prayed to the Moon Goddess not to be invited to – he was hopeful.

Orion was suddenly hopeful that his life would soon have a purpose; a meaning. Just like he used to when he was younger, he imagined what life would be like with a mate; more joy and happiness than he knew what to do with. For the first time in what felt like forever, Orion saw a future for himself.

He had been immensely excited when he packed his bags. He had prayed to the Moon Goddess the entire flight to Beati a Dea, expressing his gratitude for her forgiveness. He had even been giddy when he first arrived at the hotel, needing to lock himself in his room to deal with the influx of emotions that he wasn’t used to dealing with. The entire time that he had been completing the test with his wolf adding his input to each and every answer, he had been careful. Careful and hopeful that his answers would be enough. That he would be enough.

And now to hear that all of this was a mistake, that he wasn’t supposed to be here in the first place, he simply couldn’t believe his ears.

You better believe it, his wolf exhaled in a low murmur, dropping himself to lay on the ground, burying his wolfish head under his large paws. We both better believe it. We’re destined to a life without a mate. We know that. We knew that already, so I don’t know why we were stupid enough to believe that any of that would change.

But we received an invitation, Orion continued to insist, still unable to wrap his mind around the devastating news that he had been delivered. We received an invitation to the Mating Games just like everyone one else. They can’t have made a mistake with something as big and huge as that.

But they did, his wolf sighed, sounding more defeated and broken than Orion had ever heard him before. The sooner we realise that we’re never going to have a mate, the easier we’ll be able to continue with our normal life.

But I don’t want to just continue, Orion groaned at his wolf, reaching a hand up to rub his forehead, almost as if trying to knock some sense into his wolf. We can’t just continue like before anymore.

We don’t have a choice. This is our life and we have to live with it.

I can’t do that anymore, he denied, shaking his head. I can’t go back to that life anymore. I just can’t.

Do you not realise that we don’t have a choice? his wolf growled at him, not appreciative of the tone that his human was using on him. This is our punishment. The Moon Goddess has destined us for this life! We don’t have a fucking choice.

I don’t care! Orion roared back at his wolf, unable to deal with such pessimism anymore. The Moon Goddess has punished us enough. We made a stupid prayer when we were younger. I know that we angered her, offended her, even, but that doesn’t mean that we deserve to be punished like this for the rest of our life.

I didn’t make any fucking mistake, his wolf growled in denial. Orion didn’t flinch at the accusatory tone as this was not the first time that he had heard this. He was willing to bet his entire life savings that it wouldn’t be the last either.

You can’t keep blaming this on me, Orion growled, tired of having to hear this over and over again. If you were really against it, you would have stopped me. Instead, you helped word the prayer.

If you weren’t so fucking selfish and immature, you would have never felt the need to ask for such a thing. I mean, what were you even thinking? That the Moon Goddess was only around to tend to your childish little needs and wants?

I can’t deal with you anymore, Orion growled, squeezing his eyes shut again as he blocked the connection with his wolf. He could never speak with the beast when he was in such a mood.

So, instead, he returned his attention to the two individuals sat in front of him.

“I’m sorry for speaking out of turn, Alpha, Luna” Orion gulped and bowed his head in respect for the royal party even though all he wanted to do was demand answers. However, his wolf and the innate feeling of submitting to those superior to him was too overwhelming a feeling for him to just ignore or push aside. “But I think I may have heard you wrong,” he whispered the last part, barely able to push the words past his lips. “Could you please repeat yourself?”

King Bernard and Queen Talulah both glanced at each other before returning their attention to him, no doubt communicating silently.

“I said that you were falsely sent an invitation,” the king repeated himself, his lips stretched out into a thin line. “The fact that your name is not in the mate database means that you should have never been invited in the first place. But for some reason, you were sent an invitation and for that mistake, I would like to apologise. On behalf of myself, my queen, the island and even the Moon Goddess.”

“Please don’t apologise, my king,” he bowed his head in respect, struggling to get the words out of his mouth. “It was an honest mistake,” he whispered, struggling not to grind his teeth between each word.

“I would like to assure you, Orion, that this mistake will never be repeated,” the king announced as both him and his queen rose to his feet.

“We recognise that this is completely unacceptable and next time, we’ll be far more diligent when sending out the invitations,” queen Talulah sent him a pitiful smile as she accepted her mate’s hand down the steps of the throne, the both of them only stopping once they were stood in front of him. “You can stay on the island for as long as you want. For as long as you need.”

“Thank you, my king, my queen,” Orion forced himself to nod as he rose up to his feet. He kept his head down in a sign of respect, but also because they wouldn’t be able to see the two single tears that rolled down his face of what would now become of him. Of the life that he was now forced to return to.

Bowing his head to them both, Orion walked backwards until he was a safe distance away. Turning around, he returned to Denver’s side and allowed him to lead him out of the office.

“I’m really sorry, Orion,” Denver murmured in a quiet voice as they walked down the hallway and away from the Alpha king’s office.

“I’m sorry, too,” Orion whispered, his head still hung low as more tears escaped.

“Do you want me to take you back to the apartment?” the steward asked in a quiet voice as he continued leading the way, but Orion never answered.

Instead, his head whipped up at the sweet scent that suddenly flooded his sense. He was no longer blocking his wolf as now, together, they were staring at the woman at the end of the hallway.

Her pale, blonde hair was almost like a halo around her as she walked, completely unaware of the man that was currently staring at her like his life depended on her. Her eyes were the richest, deepest shade of blue that he had ever seen, a stark contrast against her pale, almost translucent skin. Despite such an angelic aura around her, Orion could see the fire in her eyes even as she did something as simple as walking.

Forcing himself to continue walking, Orion pushed past Denver. Ignoring the yelp that sounded aloud from behind him, he rushed to close the distance between him and this mysterious woman.

Her eyes were on him now as blue met grey, he felt himself get sucked into her.

At his staggering height of six-foot-five, the height different was large between them. She was barely able to reach the middle of his chest with her dainty figure, forced to crane her head back to look up at him which he found even more endearing than he ought to.

The angel had a curious glint in her eyes as she stared up at him but before either of them could say anything, Orion reached out and wrapped his hand around her arm. Tugging not so gently, he pulled her into his arms, wrapping them tightly around her as he pulled her flush against his chest. Bowing his head, his eyes fluttered closed as he pressed the tip of his nose into her hair, inhaling the sweet vanilla scent of her.

But alas, the peaceful moment didn’t last for long.

Why is she screaming? his wolf asked in a frantic tone; immensely concerned and confused by her reaction.

Orion didn’t have time to ask as she screamed louder and began thrashing in his arms. With his tight hold on her, she was able to escape however, he was quickly forced to let go as the guards flanked him from both sides.

They restrained his arms behind his back as they freed the woman. He tried struggling in their grasp to escape and return to her, but there was far too many hands on him.

Orion could sense the overwhelming power of the royal Alphas and Beta behind him, but he couldn’t bring himself to turn. He couldn’t bring himself to do anything but stare at the woman in front of him; most of her blocked by the two guards shielding her.

At his intent gaze, they shuffled closer to each other which just made him growl louder.

How dare they think that we would ever hurt her! his wolf growled loudly, the ground underneath them shaking with the fiery anger and rage pumping through his body right now.

“I can’t believe this,” he was scarcely able to make out King Bernard exclaim from behind him; his tone stupefied.

Orion could hardly believe it himself but when he could ignore it no longer, the single word rolled right off his tongue like it was meant to be, “Mate.”

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Layla Knight

31.05.2021