The Mating Game

Chapter 5 - The Mating House

Looking up at the mating house in awe Addie used what little self-control she had left not to allow her jaw to drop; obviously when they said the mating house what they really meant was the mating palace. Situated on a large mountain it overlooked the rest of the forest, but if she was to be honest saying that it was on the mountain wasn't exactly correct; saying it was in the mountain would probably suit as a better description.

The entire building had been carved out of the mountain's side, the walls polished to look like marble. Thousands of windows scattered across its smooth gem-like surface, along with large crystal doors leading onto various different balconies ranging in sizes; each getting more luxurious as her eyes trailed to the top of the 'house'.

It was obviously an old building, with the large antique wooden door worn away from use, as well as the equally as warn down steps leading up to the building glowing under the sun a brilliant white, along with the carved fencing enclosing each of the balconies. Rose vines scaled the building bursting into swirls of colour in various places, obviously having being planted there within the last few years to bring a touch of 'romance' to the overall look.

"Well are you coming or not? We don't have all night, and with the snail pace you're going at it'll be next year's mating game by the time we find the room" Jet shouted from the top of the stairs, looking both annoyed and frustrated with her at the same time.

"I'll get there when I want to!" Addie snarled; she had barely met the man a few hours ago and yet she was already sick of him.

Jet sighed and leant against a nearby pillar, his eyes following nothing in particular, as Addie scaled the steep stairs to what she was sure to be her untimely demise; ok so maybe that's being a little melodramatic but one more hour with Jet and she knew she'd be begging for death, the guy is insufferable. Addie clambered up to the top of the stairs, her body fatigued from the day's events, protesting even the slightest of movements.

"Took you long enough" Jet muttered and she glowered at him, not bothering to grace his comment with an answer, choosing to snub him instead by strolling right past him and into the mating house.

The entryway was packed with elites and lower class males and prizes alike, males snarling at each other as they eyed each other's prizes, girls squealing over who had won them other's looking upset and in some cases crying over the fact that the male that had won them were not who they had been wanting or expecting.

Addie sighed; the divide in the classes was as obvious as the difference between black and white. Elites stuck to one corner, the lower class to another, and both of which avoided each other like the plague. However that could be expected, neither class were used to being in such close proximity with each other but there was nothing that could be done, it had been decided early on that the winning males and their prizes needed protection from both the losing male competitors as well as the accidents that can occur while staying in their 'tents' so it was decided that there was to be a 'mating house' for the competitors to stay in.

At first it had been decided that the lower class and the elites would have separate mating houses but after the lower class house had been attacked by another band of rogues a compromise was made where a single house was used and the security measures were able to be increased. Addie remained in the doorway unsure of what to do, all she wanted right now was to curl up in a nice warm bed and sleep, but since she had no idea how to find the room never mind the nice warm bed waiting for her in it, she was stuck.

A large group of laughing elites sat in the far corner, the males obviously deciding to celebrate their victory in the bottom of a bottle while their squealing prizes discussed mundane topics such as designer handbags and clothes; a conversation Addie immediately blocked out. Some of the elite males noticed her standing in the doorway and gave her an appreciative once over and Addie groaned inwardly as one of the larger drunkards with shaggy blonde hair and caramel eyes stood up and proceeded to make their way towards her.

"Hey baby" he cooed, his words slurred from the alcohol "Which section of the game are you from? And who's the lucky son of a she-wolf who's won you?"