Billionaire Alpha's 99 Deadly Games novel Chapter 124

Chapter 124

Book II

Elise

I smacked the alarm clock with a groan. Who got up at that ungodly hour? For the last two and a half months, that answer would be me. And why? Because the one person in this world I didn’t want to see had come to town, and he wasn’t leaving.

His auburn hair stuck out like a beacon anywhere I went, and like the coward I was, I hid every time. A part of me longed to look into his eyes and feel that final spark of recognition. What color were his eyes? I had wondered about that too often and immediately scolded myself.

Patrick O’Connell would give up and go home, eventually. He had only come here to kill my brother in that ridiculous mating ritual and take his one true mate. No doubt he hadn’t smelled me coming until it was almost too late.

I had been out with my sister, Lily, and my brother’s mate, Kelsey, to scout Kyle’s latest challenger during the mating challenges. See, once a newly mated pair is announced there’s a challenge period where an eligible wolf can issue a battle to the death for those mating rites.

Kyle and Kelsey’s period was shortened due to extenuating circumstances. Basically, Kelsey’s a super powerful she–wolf witch with all kinds of awesome powers that caused them to bond faster than should be possible. I had totally called it, but even still, they had to endure a month of absolute terror through the challenges.

Sure, Kyle being Alpha of our pack made his position much more sought after, but my position in the pack made me only slightly less desirable, and I didn’t have any super powers to lessen the

challenge period. Four months. That’s what I’d have to endure if I took a mate. Four months of hell. I couldn’t do it.

Currently, Kelsey was expecting their first child. If it was a boy, some of the pressure would come off me. As second oldest in the family, should I take a mate, that would move the line of succession to him until, and unless, Kyle heirs a son. It was such a mess. My plan all along has been to just not take a mate until that happens, but then Patrick showed up and he wouldn’t go away.

Anyway, back to my story. Lily and Kelsey and I went to scout out the Irish challenger that had just arrived. As we got close, my whole body started tingling, almost like I needed to shift to my wolf form, and then, I smelled him. It was the most delicious thing I’d ever smelled and it called to me. I

Chapter 124

saw the tall, strong man with the auburn hair from behind and he stiffened his shoulders and sniffed the air. I knew immediately who he was to me, like some blaring neon sign pointing and exclaiming, this is your one true mate! Of course, I did the only sane thing possible. I faked a headache and ran home with my tail between my legs, scared half to death.

Since that moment, I had done everything in my power to avoid one Patrick O’Connell. San Marco, the town my pack inhabits, is not an extremely big place. Everyone knows everyone, and everyone knows everyone’s business. It’s both a blessing and a curse.

Of course I knew Patrick had gotten whiff of his one true mate, and had no plans to leave without her, or rather, me. He had even reneged on his challenge against Kyle for Kelsey, telling my brother there was no way he could do that after he’d smelled me. My now sap of a brother thought it was pretty romantic and actually gave him clemency in Westin territory, and put him up in Kelsey’s old cottage on the edge of town after she’d moved in with Kyle.

I couldn’t even run through my favorite woods anymore fo fear of running into him. My theory was that there had to be more than just his smell, but I knew if I saw his eyes I’d be a goner. I had heard so many amazing, sigh–inducing stories of true mates. Not everyone was lucky enough to find theirs, and in my head I knew he was the only man for me, but I couldn’t cave to that primal urge to reach out to him. So, avoidance it had to be.

My alarm sounded again, interrupting my thoughts. I turned it off instead of hitting the snooze button again and reluctantly got up, pulling on my robe and headed for the bathroom.

Four a.m. That was my new routine. Up at four meant in the office by five where I could hide out with little to no chance of crossing paths with him. I brought my lunch and ate in my office, alone, every day. It was what I needed to do to survive.

I knew my family was worried sick about me. Some days I even agreed they should be. It had become almost a sick obsession–avoid Patrick O’Connell at all costs. The alternative made me physically ill. Not him. Not meeting him, but I knew from everything I’d compulsively found out about him these past few months, that I’d likely fall head over heels for him. It wasn’t that that scared me, exactly, it was the challenges. It was the thought of losing him. I’d rather just not have him at all

I was twenty–five years old. I was a strong, independent woman. I was a wolf shifter from one of the strongest bloodlines in shifter history. I didn’t need a man. I didn’t need a mate, not even a true mate, and I certainly did not need Patrick O’Connell

I grabbed a strawberry Pop Tart from the pantry on my way out, trying to be quiet and not wake anyone. I was not a morning person, but I guess you had to do what you had to do.

Chapter 124