He rose like the devil and smiled like one.
"What is the meaning of this, Alpha Tiberias?!" Alpha Kerpan sharply demanded before anyone else could speak up. He stiffened as a few people rose to their feet, dressed in full black, guns in hand and weapons at the ready.
Tiberias wolves in disguise.
Alpha Kerpan paled visibly, his pupils trembling as he took a subconscious step back, abandoning his bride. He gritted his teeth. His eyes glowed bright amber with suppressed rage.
Werewolves were religious and traditional. Weddings were sacred to the werewolves. Sacred vows, secret promises, and satisfied faces were expected at weddings. Everything had to be perfect in a werewolf wedding where tradition triumphed all.
An interruption like this would scar Alpha Kerpan's marriage before it even began, not that it wasn't already tainted. What father would marry the woman who put his son to ruination?
"There is no meaning to my interruption, Bruce," Alpha Tiberias finally spoke. His voice was dark and dangerous, like a serpent slithering around Roselia's throat, rendering her mute. "Besides blatant greed of a guest at this pathetic wedding."
Everywhere around him, whispers buzzed like bees to honey, unable to conceal the gossip. They all wondered what the notorious and ruthless Alpha was doing here, objecting to the marriage of one of the most powerful Alphas in the country. Not even the guards dared to stop him when he began to walk towards the altar.
"Get behind me," Bruce Kerpan demanded, gripping Roselia's wrist and yanking her towards him.
Roselia was frozen in place. She gaped at Alpha Tiberias who was as frightening as the rumors made him to be. His stride was effortless. His shoulders straight. His stance dripping with power and devastation— a force to be reckoned with.
"Hello, Roselia. We meet again." His voice was dark and dangerous. He reminded her of a serpent slithering around her throat, rendering her mute.
The world waited on him with bated breaths. When the cruelest Alpha took the center stage, who'd dare stop him? Who'd dare cross his path and live to tell the tale? No one spoke. No one moved. Not even Bruce Kerpan, the groom of the wedding of the century.
"Don't be a stranger, Roselia. Come to me." Alpha Tiberias stretched out his hand, revealing tanned palms still tinged pink with the blood he had recently washed off of his long fingers.
Roselia shakingly peered down at his arm, then, back up at him, feeling the air leave her lungs. He left her dizzy for all the wrong reasons. Her gaze clashed with his. For a second. Heavy and emotionless, he stared straight through her.
Roselia's heart turned cold. Her stomach plummeted. He was a tsunami. And they were all victims fleeing from him.
"Roselia!" Cecil's voice sharply demanded.
Roselia's head snapped to her right, where she saw her father. Cecil reached a hand out for her to take, his expression desperate and his eyes wide. He knew something that she didn't, but what? She couldn't get to him, even if she wanted to.
"Cecil, don't betray me!" Bruce Kerpan snarled, baring his canines that protruded just as his eyes glowed bright yellow with emotion. He was this close to tasting victory and refused to give it up.
"Alpha Tiberias!" the crowd protested in confusion, rising out of their seats, wondering if they should run or fight.
Another man cried out. "To interrupt a sacred wedding is to offend all the guests, Alpha Tiberias. Do you intend to start a war with all the packs present here tonight—"
One look. One glance from Alpha Tiberias and the man smacked a hand over his mouth shut, shushing himself. A split second passed.
"If I must start a war, I will."
The people were scared out of their wits. They warily glanced at each other, wondering if they should scream for help or try to mind-link their people outside.
Finally, an elder Werewolf Council table spoke up.
"Alpha Tiberias," he called out, stern-faced and furious. "This is disrespect of the highest degree! Your actions are—"
"Sit down," Alpha Tiberias warned. He had no Alpha command over the people that didn't belong to his pack. He was directly challenging all of the powerful Alphas and Betas present.
A brief second passed.
Everyone scrambled into their chairs.
Alpha Bruce Kerpan was a paranoid man. He had made sure none of the guests entered with bodyguards or weapons. This was a sacred wedding, after all, and bloodshed was inconceivable.
"Why are you doing this?" Bruce Kerpan shrieked, frantically looking around. "Where are my men? Have they been replaced?!"
"Perhaps," Alpha Tiberias shrugged.
Bruce Kerpan paled in terror, finally registering that the guards in this room were unfamiliar. He had been so caught up in admiring Roselia that he hadn't realized the strange men stationed around the room.
"Who are you?" Roselia finally asked, nervously touching her necklace. She recognized his face from somewhere, but where?
"I see. Your father never told you about me." His smile slowly flat-lined as he tilted his head. All emotions dropped from his face like a blown-out candle. She flinched, his cold features resembling a stranger out for blood.
His attention snapped to Cecil Fiore who looked like he'd seen a ghost. His face paled and his eyes averted. He wanted nothing to do with this mess.
Roselia gulped. She had a feeling who he might be. "What do you want from this mess?"
"You."
Roselia was light-headed. Their single exchange stole the air from her lungs.
"Marry me, instead, Roselia." Alpha Tiberias offered her.
What did he just say? Roselia forgot to think.
"Say yes!" Cecil suddenly agreed, shooting to his feet in urgency, surprising everyone present. "Take his hand instead, Rosie!"
"No!" Bruce roared, yanking Roselia to his side like a broken puppet.
Roselia's mind grew blank. She was choked by the vile scent of cigars and vodka. Her Papa finally called her by her pet name. She saw the urgency in his disappointed face. He was pleading with her to agree before Alpha Tiberias changed his mind.
Better a man her generation than a geezer twice her age.
"Don't take it too personal, Bruce," Alpha Tiberias mused, his attention dropping to the hand wrapped possessively around Roselia's thin wrist. "I've simply come to claim what I want."
"Miss Fiore is my duty," Bruce Kerepan coughed out, using the last bits of his strength to resist. His werewolf strength was beginning to heal him. "Roselia Fiore is my responsibility. My son has already marked her as property of House Kerpan!"
"Not anymore." Alpha Tiberias drew a gun and shot Bruce Kerpan in the chest.
All hell broke loose.