Valentine Winters P.O.V
"I don't want to get married," I confessed to my dad.
"You will," he stated, a tone of finality in his voice.
"I'm just 16," I reasoned, feeling the weight of my youth against the impending decision.
The rearmost thing I remembered was sleeping beside Lucifer. His warm body against mine provided solace in a world turning chaotic.
Next, I found myself in the pack house with my dad, arranging a civil partnership for me. The reality hit hard, and I could only hear his cries. Paralyzed, I couldn't speak or flutter my eyes open. I felt like a statue amid an unwelcome sculpting.
It had been a couple of weeks since I last encountered Lucifer. Strangely, I missed him. If it weren't for him, I wouldn't be navigating this perplexing situation.
"You haven't found your mate; that leaves you unprotected," he said, unaware that Lucifer was my mate.
It was forbidden, a stupid law that kept us apart.
"He'll be here tomorrow for a date with you," my dad informed before exiting my room, leaving no room for protest.
As the clock ticked, I grappled with the complexities of fate and desire. Tomorrow promised a date with a stranger, but my heart yearned for the forbidden warmth of Lucifer.
"I can take care of myself," I insisted, a fire burning in my eyes.
The next day, I decided to make a statement. I wore a black shirt paired with a black leather jacket, black skinny jeans, and completed the ensemble with fierce black boots. As I descended the stairs and took my place on the living room couch, my dad's disapproving stare halted him in his tracks.
"Go and wear something like a girl would wear," he dismissed me with a wave.
"Why?" I challenged, unable to see the issue with my outfit.
He rolled his eyes, and just then, the doorbell rang.
My dad opened the door to welcome a couple, probably around my parents' age, and their disinterested son. As they sat down, my mom was in the kitchen, passionately preparing a delicious meal.
"Go have some chat," the boy's mom suggested, pushing him towards me. He shot his mom a disapproving glance before reluctantly joining me.
We walked out of the house, and I couldn't hold back my frustration. "I don't agree to this arrangement," I started.
"Touché, I wanted to wait for my mate," he confessed, interrupting me.
"Then why did you agree to it?" I questioned, genuinely puzzled.
"Parents," he sighed, as if that explained everything.
"Same. What could we do?" I said, feeling a strange connection with him.
He sighed, defeated, shaking his head as if to convey there was no other choice.
"You're the girl that got kidnapped by the hunters?" He interrogated, his eyes searching for answers.
I nodded, a shiver running down my spine at the memory.
"Fishy you're alive," he observed, raising an eyebrow at me.
I shrugged nonchalantly. "Lucky?"
"Or mercy?" he assumed, his eyes drilling into mine.
I gulped, wondering if luck and mercy had played any part in my survival.
"Gabriel, can I ask you something?" I inquired, trying to shift the focus.
"You already did," he said, a hint of a smirk playing on his lips.
I rolled my eyes at his cheeky response.
"I know about your dad's past. Do you know who your half-brother is? I've heard there's a ten-month gap between you and him," I asked, delving into the mysterious past that seemed to entangle us all.
"It happened before he met mom, and no," he answered, a slight frown forming on his forehead.
His features mirrored Lucifer's, yet there was a stark difference—blonde hair replacing Lucifer's dark locks. Despite sharing matching blue eyes, Gabriel's aura exuded a comforting warmth compared to Lucifer's ominous darkness.
Another couple of weeks passed, a month since I last perceived my mate. My wolf yearned for him desperately, but doubts lingered. Had he forgotten about me? The arranged marriage loomed, and my dad insisted it would happen tomorrow. Repulsion welled within me, and I tried to deny, to protest, but my pleas fell on deaf ears. Even my mom, sympathetic but powerless, could do nothing; they valued my safety above all.
The marriage took place in the pack house itself, and I couldn't shake the feeling that this had gone too far. My two closest friends, Octavius and Zachary, both men and holding the positions of delta and beta, sat with me in solidarity. They knew my heart's desires and the struggles I faced.
"Sorry, Val, wish we could do something," Zachary sympathized.
"I just don't want this," I confessed, feeling the weight of the situation.
"What's with you and the man that brought you here?" Octavius asked curiously, delving into the unspoken connection that tied me to Lucifer.
I remained silent, wrestling with the complexity of emotions. They were my best friends, and in this moment of uncertainty, their support was my anchor.
We had known each other since we were in diapers, the bond between us unbreakable.
"Promise to keep it a secret?" I asked, my eyes searching theirs for reassurance.
They nodded impatiently, eager to know the hidden truth.
"Mate," I revealed, dropping the bombshell.
Both of their jaws dropped, and their eyes widened in shock. The gravity of the situation hung in the air, but their stunned expressions would have been comical under different circumstances.
"What?" they both shrieked in unison.
As they exchanged hurried explanations, realizing why he had saved me and piecing together the puzzle, a new tension filled the room.
"Tomorrow is your wedding. Do you want me to inform him?" Zachary asked, a note of concern in his voice.
I shook my head. "I don't think he cares. I'll just have to try and adjust with Gabriel somehow."
Deep down, it hurt to admit that he didn't want me. The realization stung, and the wedding day arrived faster than I could prepare for it. Here I stood, donned in a white wedding dress, an image of a bride with no joy or anticipation. While other brides would be beaming, my face remained emotionless, a façade concealing the inner turmoil.
As the wedding ceremony unfolded in the specially crafted space within our pack house, my heart felt heavier with each step down the aisle. Locked arm in arm with my father, I saw Gabriel in a suit, mirroring my lack of enthusiasm. The wedding song played, and I walked mechanically until I stood beside him.
The priest began the solemn vows, but my mind was elsewhere. 'Will you, Gabriel Zades, take this woman...?' I pleaded silently for him to say no, my eyes betraying my inner turmoil. He hesitated, glancing at me and then at his parents before monotoning, "I do."
Then came my turn. 'Will you, Valentine Winters, have this man...?' My heart, mind, and wolf all screamed no, but the pressure from all eyes on me, including my father's stern gaze, weighed heavily.
"I-i -I do—" I stuttered, almost succumbing to the weight of expectations.
"No, you don't!" A thunderous voice boomed, echoing through the walls, freezing everyone in place.
I turned around to see the one person who was truly made for me—Lucifer—appearing like a storm of rage. Guards attempted to restrain him, but he pulled out a gun, daring them to challenge him. More hunters emerged from the shadows, a menacing force.
He fixed his intense gaze on me and strode towards me, a threatening aura enveloping him. My heart raced, and I cowered involuntarily.
Lucifer? The unexpected intrusion shattered the stifling atmosphere, opening a door to a realm of uncertainty and untold secrets. The hunters had arrived, and the revelation marked the beginning of a chaotic chapter in the story of our intertwined destinies.
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Valentine Winters