All Chapters of The Mate Games: Chapter 51 - Chapter 60

ALTHEAThe grand hall is colder than usual.My shoes echo against the marble as we line up before the throne. Everyone’s quiet, their heads lowered, waiting. The king sits on his high seat, staring down at us like we’re nothing more than insects. His crown glints under the morning light, sharp and heavy, just like his gaze.I stand tall, but my heart pounds. The queen’s words from earlier still ring in my head. Keep your emotions in check. You’re being watched.Asher stands beside his father, arms folded behind his back, eyes unreadable. He doesn’t look at me. I don’t look at him either.“The time has come for your next task,” the king says, voice deep and loud.No one moves.“This challenge,” he continues, “will test your connection to nature. To power. To legacy.”I see Noor shift beside me, her hands clasped tightly. Caroline stands a few girls away, chin lifted, like she’s ready to burn the world. Elise stares straight ahead, calm and proud as always.“The elemental gauntlet,” the

ALTHEAMy teeth are still chattering when I turn to Asher. My hands are scraped from the rocks, and my legs ache from the fall, but I don’t care. Not right now.“It’s your father,” I say, my voice hoarse. “He’s the one doing this. You saw it. That wasn’t a normal trial. It was like the elements were trying to kill me.”Asher doesn’t answer right away. His jaw clenches. Water drips from his hair, down the side of his face. He looks off into the trees, quiet, like he’s thinking hard.“He’s made it pretty clear how much he hates you,” he finally says. “And maybe that’s why I keep getting pulled to you.”I blink at him. “What?”He gives a bitter laugh. “Because the more he pushes me to stay away from you, the more I want to do the opposite.”Something flutters in my chest, but I shove it down.“This is different,” Asher continues, voice lower now. “He’s cruel, sure. But if he wanted you dead, he wouldn’t be subtle about it. He wouldn’t use the elements. He’d have you dragged out in front

Many decades ago… When I woke up today, I never knew it would be one of those days. The kind that starts off quiet and simple but ends up changing your life in ways you can’t ever take back. The sun was barely out when I got out of bed. My little apartment smelled like coffee and damp wood. Same as always. I got dressed in my uniform and walked to the bar where I’ve been working since I was sixteen. It’s not a fancy place, just a small, dusty building with flickering neon lights and a jukebox that only plays sad songs. But it’s familiar, and in my world, familiar is safe. Being an omega in a place like this is like wearing a target on your back. People don’t see you as a person. Just someone weaker, softer, and easier to blame. They say my life started in death. My mother died giving birth to me, and people whispered that I killed her by just being born. My father, he was never the same after that. They said he drank himself to death, but I think his heart just broke the day she

ALTHEAIt takes two hours to read through the packet. Another full hour just to digest everything it says. My head hurts by the end of it, and I’m not even halfway through making a plan. There are so many rules. So many little things to remember, details to think about, decisions to make.Lady Ivanna said she’d be around to help if we need her. But something about the way she said it makes me think asking questions might make her think we’re not good enough to handle it ourselves. So, I won’t be asking.We’re on our own.One of the first problems is the flowers. We can’t use black flowers, they’re considered ominous. Red flowers are off-limits too because they mean secrecy. Green ones are a no because they’re linked to envy. That alone cuts out half the ideas I had in my head.The wine has to be imported. The food needs to be luxurious. Here, luxury isn’t considered showing off, it’s expected. A statement. If it isn’t good enough, the guests might leave unimpressed. And that could rui

Many decades ago…It’s been days since I was saved from Luca. I still can’t believe it happened. One second I was in that dark alley behind the bar, struggling against his disgusting hands and slurred threats, and the next… he was gone. The stranger had come out of nowhere—tall, quiet, with eyes so dark they didn’t even reflect light. He didn’t say a word. Just grabbed Luca, slammed him against the wall like he weighed nothing, and then… vanished. Like a shadow.I didn’t get to thank him. I didn’t even get his name.Luca hasn’t come back to work since. I’m not surprised. Part of me wonders if he’s hiding out of fear or shame. The other part of me doesn’t care. I’m just relieved he’s gone. I thought maybe now, I could go back to pretending I’m invisible again. Go back to my quiet life—work, home, sleep, repeat.But of course, life never stays quiet for long.Today started out normal. I woke up before the sun rose, swept the floors, fed the shop cats, and opened the bakery on time. Mrs.