Chapter 1 - Hunter

In the Calibur Pack, no one was satisfied with the Alpha's wedding, especially himself.

Hunter had spent the last few years being told by everyone that he should find a woman, even if she wasn't his fated mate, and produce an heir for the pack as soon as possible. And now, as he stood at the altar, wearing a suit so old it seemed to be squeezing even his soul, he could hear the agitated murmurs of his wolves, scattered around the small chapel honoring the Moon God, but not quiet enough to his Alpha's keen hearing could not hear.

“Oh, our poor Alpha…” one of the older women in the pack whispered “We prayed so hard for the God to send him a good Luna and now this… What did Hunter do to deserve a woman like that?”

“I heard she once had a maid cut off her own finger so she could eat it.” one of the teens said to his friends, as if telling a horror story.

"This is ridiculous. But the rumor that she has a collection of whips and names them all, so she knows what punishment to give to those who displease her, I'm sure it's true!”

“If I were you, I would start hiding all my money! I bet she’ll want to tax us to buy dresses and jewelry…” a man said, scared.

"Don't say that. The Alpha would never allow something like that! If she hurts us, we can just tell him and he'll sort it out. Hunter isn’t going to start being a terrible Alpha just because he’s going to marry a terrible woman.”

"I don't know. She's the daughter of the Tigers's Alpha, isn't she? What if she makes a complaint to the Valiant pack and they decide to go to war against us or even send assassins to punish the people who displeased her?”

"Dont be silly. It's obvious that the tiger leader doesn't care about a witch's daughter. Everyone knows that he had a real mate for years now and he probably just wanted to get rid of this girl so she would stop causing problems in his territory, that's why he sent her here. Why else would he have created just her away from his entire pack? They're taking a bomb out of their hands and sending it to us, I'm telling you…”

“Poor Hunter. His mother would be heartbroken to see what he was forced to do to keep the peace.”

“And to think that my daughter could have had the chance to walk down the aisle with him today. She is almost reaching adulthood and I am sure that the God would answer my prayers to make her our Alpha’s Mate.”

“Well, who knows. It’s not like this marriage is going to last long anyway.” one woman commented “If this tigress is really like everyone says, I doubt Hunter will be able to put up with someone so sadistic, petty and violent. She will be rejected in at least four months, I bet. Or maybe just one, if she does something that gets on Hunter's nerves. Which we know is not difficult.”

“Did you notice that he is not wearing the silver cross on his neck? Clearly neither of them believe that this union will last long, which is why he didn't even desecrate the symbol of the Alphas of Calibur in a ceremony like this.”

“And he is correct. A woman like that does not even deserve to see the color of the sacred silver that the God himself forged for us.”

“If you really want to know what I think, we should work twice as hard next harvest, to reward Hunter for making that sacrifice for us. Now we will have the support of the tigers to keep the borders secure and there will be much fewer attacks on our territory. This is the time for us to make the pack stronger than ever, so that this woman knows that our Alpha has over a hundred wolves willing to fight for him if he needs it.”

“Hunter clearly doesn’t need anyone to defend him. The only thing that concerns me is his peace of mind. He values ​​tranquility so much and now this girl will probably do everything she can to torment him, when she realizes that he will never touch her or do her bidding... I really hope we can catch the faceless bastards who insist on attacking us and get it over with soon. with this, so that we no longer need the tigers and he can reject this shameful woman once and for all…”

“Hunter?” The call from his cousin caused Hunter to turn around to find Isabelle standing there, with her gray eyes, exactly like his, full of concern.= “It seems that the entourage from Valiant has finally arrived. She’s waiting outside.”

"Finally." he growled, irritated “Did they even have the decency to explain the reason for all this delay? Was she refusing to come here or does her family simply think I have time to waste waiting for their precious daughter?”

“I can't say what happen. But at least she looks like she's already dressed and ready to go. No wasting time asking for a new dress or jewelry, as we feared.”

"At least that. And Jennifer, how is she?”

“Still crying.” Belle shrugged “She said she would stay locked in her room until you gave up on this marriage. But don't worry, she will accept it at some point. You know how temperamental she can be sometimes.”

“I hate to disappoint her… And I hate that I'm being forced to do this… But, it's for the good of the pack. Send her in, then.” Hunter ran his fingers through his hair, not caring if his bride found it completely disheveled or not “The sooner we start this ceremony, the sooner it will end.”

In silence, still with an expression that would make anyone believe he was about to be sentenced to the gallows, Isabelle made a slight movement with her head towards the two wolves that were guarding the chapel door, but that was enough to make they wrapped their hands around the door handles and began to pull the solid wood doors, gradually revealing the brightness of the sun outside, before Hunter's bride. Now, instead of murmurings and theories about the future, the wolves just held their breath, probably waiting, just like Hunter, to see what kind of fancy dress the troublemaker daughter of the Valiant tigers had chosen to get married in. Rumor had it that she loved covering herself in jewelry from head to toe and that she caused a scene whenever she noticed a single person looking at her in a way that she considered wrong. A scene that usually involved whips, blood and the worst kind of physical punishment possible.

Well, he would make her learn quickly that she should keep her hands off his people for as long as he could bear to have her as his wife.

That thought was still echoing with determination in his head, when the doors finally opened wide and the sunlight settled around, revealing... One of her maids, perhaps? But what kind of bullshit was that? Where was the girl and why was there just a woman dressed in a simple satin dress, long and with no details other than what seemed to be an emerald choker above her bare shoulders due to the cleavage?

"Where is she?" Hunter asked Belle, ready to run into the tigers' territory right then and there and ask if they were trying to make a fool of him.

“Uh… I think this is her.” Belle blinked, as shocked as he felt, as the modestly dressed girl approached the altar, allowing him to notice that she had a tiny bouquet of camellias in her hands, as well as having her face hidden by a semi-transparent veil that could not hid a lot of her facial features, especially not in front of eyes like Hunter's “I think… Maybe she wanted to make a good impression?” his cousin asked, looking as unconvinced of that possibility as he was.

“Whatever the fuck she wants…” Hunter growled, watching the most hated member of the tiger clan walk the last few steps to where he was standing “I don’t care.”

Finally, the girl climbed up the step in front of the altar to be at the same height as him and stood in front of Hunter, with her head tilted down, apparently more in a sign of tranquility than fear. However, her state of mind or what she was planning on arriving at the wedding so discreetly and contrary to what everyone imagined, was his last concern, Hunter just turned to the old priestess of the Moon God, silently signaling for her to begin the ceremony. the way he had instructed her.

“We are here today to officiate the union between this wolf and this… Tigress…” the priestess hesitated, clearly uncomfortable “Before the watchful eye of the Moon God. Today, their destinies will intertwine and they must both be aware of what this means, now, they represent a single life, which must be divided and valued... Until the moment when your paths, perhaps, separate.” the old woman sighed, probably because she had never had to change the words of that sermon so radically, which generally spoke of love and companionship until the end of time “Now, please, Alpha, lift your bride's veil.”

Coldly, Hunter followed his orders, expecting to find there golden eyes like those of the Alpha of the Tigers, with whom he had met a few times... However, what he found was white skin touched by the sun, long hair straight and dark as the night cut short up to her shoulders and a pair of turquoise eyes so bright that they looked like the clear surface of an ocean, where he felt like he was drowning, until a part of his soul seemed to have left his body to lock itself inside that woman.

“Fuck…” Hunter growled, making the girl swallow hard, clearly as bothered and aware of this sudden problem as he was.

They were fated mates.

“Uh… Should I continue, my Alpha?” the priestess asked nervously.

"Yes." he grunted, stepping back, determined not to let that evil joke of the Moon God stop him from fulfilling his duty and acting in accordance with what was best for his pack “Do it. Fast."

“So… Uh…” the poor old woman quickly looked through her book, until she took something hidden in the drawer of the table where she was and placed it between them “Here are the silver rings that will represent the union of the two of you. Place them on your spouse's finger and... Uh... Make a silent promise in your hearts to honor this mutual commitment you are making today.” she asked, clearly needing to spend all her creativity to find a better alternative to the kiss and the vows of eternal love that happened in that part “Now, please…”

Before she could finish, Hunter picked up the largest of the rings, a simple and unfinished one that he had hastily forged with the same enthusiasm he felt towards that ceremony and, with his icy gaze fixed on those turquoise irises, he slid the ring in his own finger, wanting that woman to perfectly understand the message he was trying to send. It didn't matter if she was going to be dissatisfied with it or even try to get her claws into him right there.

However, instead of the screams or uncontrolled threats he expected, the girl just picked up her ring almost at the same moment as him and placed it on her own finger, with an expression that was impossible to read, but that certainly didn't look disappointed with what had just happened.

“Well… Uh… So, for the glory of the Moon God, I present to you Hunter Calibur and… Uh…” the priestess trembled a little as she turned to his new wife, clearly afraid of what her reaction would be when the tigress realized that she didn't know her name.

“Corinne.” was all she responded, calmly, with a voice that sounded like a mermaid singing to Hunter's ears, sweet and melodious, but also dangerous and worthy of concern.

“Corinne Calibur! Just my best wishes to the newlyweds!”

A hesitant and low round of applause began, while the wolves looked at each other and, before leaving the altar without even looking at his wife again, Hunter managed to hear just one last murmur, which certainly didn't escape Corinne's ears either.

“Well, I guess now we can only hope that a powerful and respected Alpha like Hunter is able to keep this troublemaker under control.”