Lottery Arena: Escaping my Mate

Ok

AMARIS

Who the hell does he think he is? I was practically fuming.

I think he thinks he’s our mate. Annukka cut into my thoughts.

Just because we’ve been paired together for whatever reason, doesn’t mean we’ll actually be mates. We have to bond with him first, and he definitely didn’t help his case at all with his little ‘I’ll have to capture you myself’ bullshit. I thought, replaying his voice in my mind.

Oooh, do it again, that got my blood pumping. Annukka thought to me howling.

Ugh. Stop! This doesn’t change anything. I’m walking out of that arena a free woman. I don't belong to any man… or wolf.

I didn’t have long to come up with a plan. The first arena I’d been in was the easiest. I don’t think they’d considered a shewolf actively avoiding capture so effectively.

Last year had been difficult, I was exhausted when I finally emerged uncaptured. I hadn’t slept much at all the entire seven days and had spent the entire time on the move trying to cover my scent.

I didn’t like how close Drake had come to trapping me.

I knew this year would be the hardest of them all. It was clear Drake was still set on making me his, and now I had Valerian to deal with as well.

I was nervous at the aspect of not making it out this time. I’d come so far, I had to make sure it wasn’t for nothing.

It was time for recreation/fitness. They allowed us two hours three times a week to spend as we wished.

So generous of them, I thought with an eye roll. The guards walked us to the large rec building in our usual single file line.

The building had a large open floor plan similar to a gym with sectioned off areas for different activities.

The arts and crafts area had stations for painting, pottery, clay molding and sewing.

There was a “beauty” section with chairs and mirrors. Some of the shewolves I didn’t care for hung out there usually… aka Maya and her little gang.

They played with makeup or did each other’s hair, often flirting with the single guards in the process.

The last area was all the way in the back, the gym. It’s where I spent my entire two hours, and the real kicker was I had loved to paint before our world went to s**t.

But painting a pretty landscape wasn’t going to help me, being fit was. I swooped my arm through Marie’s pulling her with me toward the gym.

She’d been relatively quiet since I’d returned from the Commander’s office. I hadn’t had a chance to check on her and see how she was taking everything, I remembered how shocked I’d felt after my first inspection day. I felt violated and humiliated, but more than anything I had felt pissed off. How dare those males think this was acceptable to do to us. I knew better than anybody what she might have been feeling, I’d gone through them every year.

“Pip? Do you wanna talk about it?” I asked her, as I laid back on the bench press. She sat next to me on the empty bench sighing. “It’s… it’s just… they…” she started several times without getting anything out.

I lifted the weights off the rack and started; giving her time to find her words.

“That was awful!” She finally yelled out, causing one of the guards close by to turn his head in our direction.

I sat back up moving over to her “shhh.” I quieted her down not wanting him to come over, that was the last thing she needed right now.

“They asked if I’d ever gone into heat. One of the male wolves upfront asked Ms. Anne if I could do a 360 turn and she nodded her head, she nodded her head at me. The whole process was so…so… humiliating.” She said, hanging her head into her hands.

“I know. I’m sorry, maybe I should have warned you a little. I just didn’t want you to feel what you’re feeling now for days leading up to it.” I told her, rubbing her back gently.

“I was so excited to be selected.” She sniffled. “How stupid was I?” She asked, looking over at me.

“Hey, you’re not stupid. It’s not your fault this is the way the elders and the Alpha have decided to handle things.” I told her honestly.

“I don’t even want a mate anymore, not like this.” She said, fidgeting with a ring on her finger. That’s when it dawned on me, for the first time. I could help Marie. I looked around making sure we weren’t being listened to. The guard that had looked our way had wandered over to Maya and she was giggling while she adjusted his jacket. Yuck.

“Do you mean that? Do you truly want to walk out of the arena alone? And before you answer, keep in mind you’ll have two more years of this. Two more years of inspections, two more years of being watched around the clock, two more years without me here to look after you.” I asked her seriously, searching her eyes.

“Yes, Amaris. I may not have a lot of choices in my life anymore, but I’m sure about this.” She said, shaking her head yes.

“Ok.” I told her, standing up and walking to the treadmills.

“Ok? Ok, what?” She asked, following close behind me.

“Ok. I’m going to teach you how to avoid capture. We only have one week and your endurance sucks. Get on the treadmill, there’s a lot to go over and we don’t have much time to prepare.” I told her.

“Ok.” She said turning it on.