The Mating Games

chapter 16- Game on!

I was counting down the seconds, awaiting my demise; nervous energy bubbled in the air, lingering like a scared child. It clung to me, too afraid to let go and I embraced it, hugging it close to my body for any kind of comfort I could get. My leg bounced, the muscles twitching with force; I had long since given up on the illusion of relaxing before the games. This was it, this is the reason we all came here; people from around the country gathered like moths to a flame, for the game that would start in less than ten minutes. I was shitting myself with anxiety; my stomach turned, rolling uncomfortably.

I wasn't the only one who was scared, I could see it on everyone's face; the furrowed brows, lips drawn into a straight line. The air was palpable, like it shared our fears. There was no difference between the males and females; everyone worried. The men worried about losing, about being permanently injured or if things turned for the worse, killed. It was hard to say what would happen between them, whether they could control the beast within; it's hard to distinguish reason when everything we feel is so primal in that state, so innate it fuels our bodies. The women had similar fears; being forced to mate was the major concern but we had to worry about our brothers, our friends. It wasn't easy knowing the men had to fight but that was what had gone on for centuries, it was tradition. Out in the forest, there wouldn't be anyone to watch over, to keep the order; it was for the wolves within us, to satiate their hunger, their need to find a mate.

Time seemed to move both fast and slow; I was torn, wanting to stay frozen in the past but wishing desperately for it to be over already. It was a mental debate between the rational and the scared sides of me, both pulling just as hard in my over stressed brain. I could feel my breakfast pushing at the walls of my stomach, threatening to come back up; I held my hand over my mouth, taking deep breaths to calm the storm raging inside my body.

"Hey, you okay?" Shane asked, taking a seat beside me on the grass. Many people had gathered outside the forest, anxiously awaiting the beginning of the game. The grass tickled at my arms, the long heads brushing their dainty bristles gently on the bare skin.

"Not really, no," I murmured through my hand, staring straight into the dark abyss.

"Don't worry, everything will be fine. I'm sure of it," he whispered reassuringly, pulling me into his side and hugging me close.

"You can't be sure," I couldn't help my cynicism, it was all consuming at this point. Shane sighed, rubbing at his eyes with tired hands.

"I know but it helps me cope. I'm sending my only sister to the wolves, literally! It doesn't sit right with me."

"I understand," I leant into him, resting my head on his bulky shoulder. Just a few minutes of peace is what I needed right now, just some time to clear all the thoughts from my head and try to focus on what I needed to do, not what I wished would happen.

"Thank you everyone for being here," Greyson boomed out, gathering the attention of the whole field, "it has been a wonderful three weeks and a very successful time. We have reached the end of our journey, today will mark a very important time for some. People will find their mate and start the next part of their lives together. Everyone should know the rules; the girls will go in first, they'll have ten minutes to spread out before the men go in. Just remember that you do not kill your opponent! There will also be no forced mating or stealing of someone's mate; is this clear?" He finished, eyeing up the crowd.

There was murmurs of agreement and nodding's of heads.

"Alright then. We can start the games!" The crowd cheered, jumping to their feet and the girls came forward, waiting in a line by the forest's threshold. I staggered over, my legs unsteady from the hard floor; "Three... Two... One!" Greyson shouted, blowing the horn. The girls took off, sprinting deep into the forest; I ran along-side them, keeping my eyes peeled for the perfect spot. People started splitting off, diverging down different paths; I needed to find the right spot but I couldn't just lead my scent there. A few minutes passed as I ran, getting deeper and deeper into the dark forest; shadows surrounded the trees, shrouding the floor. It was getting spooky, like really spooky. I slowed down my pace, glancing around at my surroundings; everything looked normal but it didn't feel right. The terrain started to slope up a hill, large boulders piled in intervals like barricades for wars; I picked the largest tree, opting to climb it. I probably had just over five minutes before the guys would be released, eager to hunt their prey. The tree was like a tower, standing tall and proud in the still forest. My hands gripped the rough bark as I heaved myself up the thick branches.