Chapter 21
Stone didn't trust Vesper to play fair. When it came to challenges, Vesper wanted to win no matter what. Vesper tried to get ahead of Stone, but he really couldn't. They were matched in strength, and their cliff faces were similar now, so Vesper couldn't make any faster headway.
But then Vesper swung to the side to try to reach Stone, who moved away from him. He would have gone up if he could have to avoid Vesper. Vesper struck his sword at Stone's rope. Heart pounding, Stone hadn't expected that.
Stone heard Rune and the others gasp down below. At the same time, Elon swung toward Stone and grabbed him as Vesper struck Stone's rope again, cutting it all the way through and sending it to the ground.
Suddenly, a golden rope shot up the cliff face past Stone as he clung to Elon while Vesper figured he was going to win the challenge and continued to climb the cliff toward the top.
He would too. There was no way that Stone and Elon could climb up the cliff together when Elon was the only one tethered to a rope.
"Vesper could have killed you," Elon said to Stone, furious, his breathing as heavy as Stone's.
"I know. He will do anything to win," Stone said, the wind whipping around them. He wasn't sure where to go from there without a rope. He clung to his pickaxe, embedded in the rock, while Elon continued to hold onto him.
Suddenly, the golden rope that had snaked up the cliff face tied around Stone's belt, surprising him to pieces.
The other end of the rope shot up toward the top of the cliff face as he and Elon, both astounded, watched it.
It tied around the piton on top of the cliff in a clove hitch knot.
Stone and Elon feared releasing each other in case the thin gold rope didn't hold, yet it had magical properties.
Then, before he or Elon was ready, the golden rope pulled Stone and Elon up the cliff, since Elon was still holding onto him—and he was still connected to his own rope. They were drawn up the rock face twice as fast as Vesper could climb, soon passing him.
Stone couldn't believe their luck. He just hoped the rope would get them to the top safely.
And it did. As soon as it pulled them over the top of the cliff, he and Elon hurriedly removed their ropes at the top, and the gold rope came after Stone and wrapped around his belt again. He laughed. They saw the flag, and they sprinted for it. But Elon let Stone actually grab it.
Instead of having to rappel down the mountain because Vesper had cut Stone's rope, a couple of dragons came to their rescue and took them down to the ground. Vesper had to rappel down the mountain without the flag. It must have killed him.
"He used magic to make it up the cliff!" Vesper complained when he reached the base.
Stone couldn't believe he would complain about that after trying to kill him.
Tears in her eyes, Rune hugged Stone, and the golden rope moved from Stone's belt and coiled up around Rune's.
"I take it that's a gift from Brett, Ena's mate?" Stone asked, his brows raised.
"Yeah. It sure came in handy for us, and saved your life."
The Game Master announced, “For this final challenge, Stone is the winner. Since Elon helped save Stone on the cliffs, you share in the win. For trying to kill Stone, you will be sent home at once, Vesper."
Elon smiled, looking pleased that he was included in the win.
Stone hugged Rune back and kissed her. He was glad Vesper was being sent home in disgrace. "I'm glad you had a wizard sponsor, and he gave the rope to you."
"For sure."
Then they saw Silas and Xena coming to join them. She was furious. “How long has everyone been here?” she screamed.
No one answered her. Silas smiled.
Rune tried to give Silas the rope. "Thanks for your help."
"You'll regret this," Xena told Silas.
When Rune tried to hand her golden rope to Silas, it tightened its hold on her belt. "Oh, sorry, Silas. I guess I can't gift you the rope for all your help."
Silas smiled. "Thanks for the offer. I believe the rope has claimed you."
"Thanks, Elon, for the save," Stone said. "And thanks to you, Rune, for sending your rope to give us the win."
"The rope has a mind of its own." She explained how they had used it to reach Lolita in the hole.
“Oh, that’s awful about Lolita falling. I’m glad she was all right.”
Lolita talked to the other competitors and smiled.
"It's time to return to the gaming facility," the Game Master said. Then everyone, minus Vesper, returned to the facility.
They all took showers, and then after they dressed, they headed to the cafeteria. This time, Silas, Rune, Stone, Iris, Lolita, Caspian, and Elon all sat down together to eat lunch. Xena was on her own. Talk about an omega wolf.
She deserved to be treated like that after the way she had acted toward everyone else.
They all had steaks, potatoes, and greens for lunch, and their choice of dessert. Even Xena got to enjoy the same meal.
"I can't believe what Vesper did to you," Iris said. "Though it was like what Pari and Maeve had done to Rune."
“It was a horrible thing to do,” Rune said. “Between my rope and Elon, Stone survived.”
“I didn’t even have time to think of pushing my button for a rescue,” Stone said. “It all happened so fast.”
Moon Gazer and Star Gazer arrived at the gaming facility and smiled at the gathered fae competitors.
"From across the fae kingdoms, everyone who watched the games voted. If there had been a tie, we would have decided who won. But everyone soundly voted for a team—Rune and Stone—as their leaders," Star Gazer said.
"We hope that they will become mated wolves and continue to show others how to work together and become united," Moon Gazer said.
The goddesses looked like they were in their twenties and were really similar to each other; they had to be sisters.
They were dressed regally in long gowns of lace and satin in soft moss green and ivory.
Moon Gazer’s hair was silky and whiter like Stone’s, and Star Gazer's long hair was pale gold. Both were stunning.
Stone took hold of Rune's hand and smiled at her. She kissed him. That was a sure thing, he was thinking.
“It’s time for you to meet your packs and make them one,” Moon Gazer said.
“And stop the squabbling between them,” Star Gazer said.
Even Ena and Brett were there, and Lolita’s sponsor, Queen Alicia of the Golden Fae, was congratulating them on their successes.
Then Rune and Stone hugged everyone, including their sponsors, advisors, and the Game Master, but not Xena. She truly was an outcast.
"We don't want to delay this joining of packs any longer than we have to, and I know the competitors here want to return to their families. So, we'll send everyone home, except for Rune and Stone, who will follow shortly. But everyone wants to prepare for your arrival," Moon Gazer said.
"We'll join you at the feast once you've met both packs," Star Gazer said.
"See you soon," Lolita said, all smiles, quickly giving Rune and Stone another hug. Then she vanished.
Iris did the same thing. "Can't wait for you to join us." And then she left.
Caspian shook Stone's hand, but then he pulled him into a hug.
"See you soon," Stone said.
Caspian hugged Rune and then took off.
Elon hugged both of them. "You'll do it!" Then he vanished.
Silas embraced them. "The two of you are what we need for the packs’ unity." Then he fae-traveled out of there.
Xena had already left without saying a word. Stone figured they would have trouble with her and that she would cause issues with the pack.
"All right," Moon Gazer said. "We will always be there for you. All you have to do is call for us. And we'll meet you at the celebration."
"Exactly what my sister said. Think of us as your Fairy Godmothers," Star Gazer said.
They smiled. No one ever called them that. But then they had saved Rune and Stone’s lives so maybe that was why.
Then the goddesses hugged them and disappeared.
The Game Master said, "We're so proud of you.
A lot of us didn't believe two lone wolves would be able to win so many of the challenges, but it turned out you were the right ones to bring the packs together.
Good luck, and like the goddesses said, if you need any advice or help at all, call on me or your advisors, and we'll come to your aid. "
Then Kenten and Ondine met with them and shared the same offer.
"It's time for you to leave here now. Your home is with the combined pack," the Game Master said.
"But we can return to our glens, right?" Stone asked.
"For sure. They're your glens still. The goddesses gifted them to you from the time you were first left in them."
Then they were released after hugging the Game Master and their advisors, and they vanished while holding hands and reappeared in Rune's glen.
They stood looking out at the pond where they had fished from the time they were old enough to catch anything.
"Are you ready to go?" Stone wanted to get this over with.
Their lives had changed from the day when they were netted, put in cages, and taken to the gaming facility.
The challenges had made them do things they had never done before.
They had to work with other competitors and give up their lone-wolf status.
It allowed them to get to know each other better while meeting other wolves who were their age, and he had no doubt that Rune was the only one for him.
"We have everyone to help us out if we need it," Stone reminded Rune, his arm wrapped around her, listening to her heart race.
"Yeah. We participated to win, but it wasn't real. I mean, they were just games. But this is real life. What if we screw it up and the packs hate each other more than they already do?" Rune asked, her tone serious.
"Anything can happen. But from what the goddesses told us, we have help if we need it."
"I'm glad you're so calm about it."
He smiled at her. "I'm better at hiding how I'm feeling."
She laughed. "Sometimes. Okay, let's get this done."
Then they vanished and appeared in the territory that her pack owned, and he hoped he wouldn’t have issues with Rune’s pack because he was from the other.