Chapter 1: Start it all

Artemis arrived at the airport with 20 minutes to spare after going through airport security and baggage and checking in. All she had to was just wait for the plane to take off. She settled into her seat and pulled the small blind open to reveal the runway of the airport. Security was walking around checking everything for drugs along with their giant dogs that sniffed every bag, it didn't even come close to Artemis which made her smirk at the ferocious German shepherds. 

Her flight number being called out seemed like such a relief until she saw that the line had increased drastically in the last minutes. Artemis groaned and fell back onto her seat with her driver next to her. They waited for a long time until the line had cleared out before checking in with their ticket and boarding the plane. They had been given first class seats because of her parents' generosity and because economy class was extremely crowded and for Artemis who was claustrophobic; planes weren't an ideal journey at all, let alone being squished into an aisle seat.

She leaned her head against her seat, Artemis decided that sleep would be the quickest way to get the plane ride over and done with so she pulled on her eye mask and shut her eyes in hopes to pass out. The next time her eyes opened Artemis was being nudged awake by her driver as the plane wheels were gracing the runway slowly.

After that it was simple, they gathered their belongings into another private car that had been waiting for them and the drive was felt way too short even though it took them four and a half hours and before she could apprehend, they were already here.

With the help of her driver and a guard, she hauled up her millions of suitcases up to her room, even though there wasn't much hauling considering the fact that an elevator had been installed in the extremely large hotel. There wasn't much point in calling it a mansion as the driver kept mentioning that it was, because no mansion, would ever have this many rooms with this many floors. There were five hotels in total that surrounded the large fountain outside; it was shaped in a half circle that towered up to 10 floors. Artemis would stand and awe at the buildings later in the year when she wasn't jet lagged and extremely hungry from her flight.

She had been told that she has to share rooms with people, her driver didn't specify much about the age range of the 'competition' or any of the height of the girls. Artemis didn't even know how many girls would actually share a room but apparently, all of them were already in the room and they were waiting for her to arrive before they could start room distribution. Artemis wished Liza would be here with her so that she could socialize for the both of them but she was here alone. She had to face them and try and make friends with them, she would have to live with them for the rest of her stay, no matter how long they'd last in the competition.

At least she knew they were all girls unless the Alpha had a slight want of both male and females. She didn't want to be rude and say that the man was straight just because he was a man, maybe bisexual, because if he was gay Artemis highly doubted that he would've let girls enter the competition in the first place.

Artemis' thoughts were interrupted as her driver announced that they were here. Artemis had walked slightly further ahead and wheeled her trolley back to him and her guard standing behind him. She stood in front of the door marked 50-D and stood her trolley up on their wheels. She stared at the door in anticipation of her stomach swirling in pits.

Damn Liza for finding her mate at thirteen and leaving her older sister to fend for herself. To be honest, she couldn't really complain because Liza's mate was six years older than her and the fact his mate was so young hadn't sat well with him. It's been three years but the man is just as cold as he was when they'd first met.

"Please... take your time..." the driver said in annoyance making Artemis glare at him, to which he just looked away, Artemis could tell that he was intimidated by her even if he didn't quite want to show it to her. But Artemis knew he was right, she had to go in sometimes and before she could talk herself out of it she raised her fist and knocked on her door. It was weird to knock on a door when technically was hers, to begin with.

The wait for the door lasted a whole 20 seconds which Artemis was completely dreading until she heard locks clicking from inside her stomach began to get butterflies but she didn't have much time to get over herself because the door swung open to reveal a very wary looking face, who took one glance at Artemis before her face lit up.

"Hey!" she greeted opening the door further and extending her hand. "You must be Artemis!" she exclaimed as Artemis took her hand and shook it. The girl looked relieved as Artemis touched her hand and gave her a smile which Artemis returned gratefully.

"Would you like us to leave the luggage here?" the driver butted in impatiently.

Artemis gave him an aggravated sigh before nodding.

"Yes, that would be fine, thank you," although her words were polite, her annoyance was clear enough and she wished that she wouldn't have to see him again, they'd both made a terrible first impression and it would be best if no more impressions were made at all. She was sure if she had to spend any more time in an enclosed space with him, she'd actually rip out of hair from their roots until she was bald or perhaps just punch him... accidentally of course.

The guard and the driver both straightened out the luggage in their hands before the guard stepped out from behind the driver with his hand outstretched about to introduce himself when his gaze settled on the girl for a brief second. Artemis watched their interaction. 

Both their eyes widened and the girl retreated to the room lightning fast and the guard retracted his hand and rushed down the stairs, completely ignoring the functional elevator a few meters from the stairs.

Well... that was weird...