Mates of a Werewolf Hunter

Chapter 12 Entangled Vows

Valentine Winters P.O.V.

Lucifer's grip on my arm was ironclad as he yanked me away from Gabriel, his forceful shove pushing me behind him like I was his to protect—or claim. Gabriel didn't back down; he met Lucifer's growl with a fierceness that surprised me.

"What is the meaning of this?" My father's voice boomed across the room; his anger palpable. No one disrupted his plans, and certainly not like this.

"Quiet." Lucifer snarled; his voice laced with a dangerous edge. It was a tone no one used with my father—ever.

Instinctively, I bristled. "Mind your tone," I warned Lucifer, though my voice wavered. But he silenced me with a single touch, his finger pressing against my lips as his eyes burned into mine. I gulped, feeling his dominance in the air between us.

"Give her back to me." my father demanded, his authority filling the room.

I tried to move, to step out from behind Lucifer, but his grip tightened around my waist, pulling me back. "And where do you think you're going?" he asked right against my ear, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

Gabriel's voice cut through the tension, raw and possessive. "She is my wife now" His words sent a chill down my spine. What was he thinking?

In a flash, Lucifer tackled Gabriel to the ground, the room erupting in chaos. Bodies clashed as the tension in the air reached a boiling point. Lucifer's fists rained down on Gabriel, each punch a thunderous declaration that echoed through the pack house.

"Lucifer, stop!" I screamed, rushing to him, trying to pull him back. But he was unyielding, lost in a rage that seemed beyond reason.

For a brief moment, Lucifer's gaze softened as it met mine, but that split second was all Gabriel needed. He tackled Lucifer, flipping the tables, and the fight resumed. I used every ounce of strength to drag Gabriel off, my heart pounding as I tried to prevent them from tearing each other apart.

"I'm taking her back." Lucifer declared, grabbing my arm and pulling me toward the door.

"Who are you to call her yours?" Gabriel shouted, his face a bloody mess but already healing.

"She's my mate, you sly dog," Lucifer spat, his words dripping with venom.

My father's eyes widened in disbelief. "Impossible! Never a hunter mated to a wolf."

Alpha Zades, Gabriel's father, interjected, his voice calm but filled with authority. "Unless, he's one of us, aren't you...Lucifer?"

Lucifer's expression darkened, his hatred for Alpha Zades clear. "You're despicable."

"Am I? You don't really think I wouldn't recognize my own heir?" Alpha Zades's revelation hit like a ton of bricks, stunning everyone into silence.

"Your heir? Y-you murdered my mom?" Lucifer's voice trembled, his eyes darkening to a deep, menacing black.

Alpha Zades shook his head, his voice carrying an unsettling truth. "I warned her, but she insisted."

"I don't believe you," Lucifer hissed, his voice filled with raw emotion.

"It's the truth." I interjected, trying to help him make sense of it all.

Lucifer shot me a look of frustration, his anger redirecting toward me. "Did I ask you?" he snapped.

"Whatever, I'm taking her back," he said, his grip tightening on my arm as he tried to drag me away again. But this time, Alpha Zades stood firm, his authority filling the room like a storm cloud.

"This is our territory; you play by our rules," Alpha Zades stated, his voice leaving no room for argument.

Lucifer rolled his eyes, dismissive, but Alpha Zades wasn't done. "Submit." he commanded, his Alpha voice rippling through the air.

Lucifer froze, his confusion evident. The command echoed with power, pulling Lucifer to his knees. The defiance drained from his face, replaced by a mixture of frustration and resignation as he glared up at his biological father.

His friends moved to intervene, but Alpha Zades raised a hand, stopping them. "Stay out of this; he only listens to me now." he warned.

"You'll be marrying her," Alpha Zades pointed at me, his voice final.

"What?" I whispered, the word barely escaping my lips as shock paralyzed me. Was I just a pawn, something to be traded and claimed?

"Noah, agree to this for your daughter." Alpha Zades urged, turning to my father.

My father looked between me, Lucifer, and Gabriel, torn by the impossible choices before him. But then, shockingly, he nodded. My world spun as reality hit me like a sledgehammer.

"Settled. I now pronounce you husband and wife." Alpha Zades declared, sealing our fate with words that felt more like a death sentence than a marriage vow.

The pack members filed out, leaving confusion in their wake. The hunters, however, lingered. Lucifer mouthed something to them—"Cover for me"—and they vanished as silently as they had appeared.

Gabriel broke the tense silence, his voice dripping with accusation. "So, we're half-brothers?"

"Maybe by blood, but not by heart." Lucifer scoffed, his gaze locking with Gabriel's in a silent battle for dominance.

Alpha Zades ordered that I be escorted to my room, a surreal turn of events that left me reeling. How could he trust Lucifer, knowing their twisted history? And what was going through my father's mind? How could he let this happen, knowing it was forbidden?

Lucifer sat on the edge of my bed, his entire body radiating anger. His jaw clenched, fists balled, he looked like a man on the edge. I changed into a black shirt and shorts, hesitating before speaking.

"You okay?" I asked quietly, unsure of how he would respond.

"This is your fault," he accused, refusing to meet my eyes.

"What?" I whispered, shock rippling through me.

"How could you marry someone just like that?" His voice was sharp, each word cutting deep.

"Why do you care?" I snapped back, bitterness seeping into my voice.

"This voice in my head," he grumbled, pointing to his head, clearly frustrated with his wolf's constant nagging.

"Whatever." I muttered, turning away and plopping down on the bed, my eyes shutting tight, hoping to shut out the world.

"Where should I sleep then?" he asked, arms crossed, eyes narrowing.

I pointed to the floor, a small act of defiance. He had treated me like this before; it was only fair.

"Not funny." he gritted out, clearly not amused.

I didn't move, not an inch. "Move before you regret it," he warned, his voice low and dangerous.

This was my territory—at least that's what I told myself. "Keep barking." I mumbled under my breath, barely audible.

But of course, he heard it. His growl was low and menacing as he climbed onto the bed, looming over me. My eyes flew open, wide with surprise.

"I don't bark." he hissed, his eyes darkening to black, a clear sign of his growing agitation.

Curse me and my big mouth! Before I could react, he pinned my hands above my head, his grip strong and unyielding.

Not again!