Accidentally Working Together
1074 Words
Celeste should have known something was up the moment Hunter strolled into the training grounds wearing that insufferable smirk.
Her Beta, Lisa, nudged her. “That’s the look of a man who thinks he’s about to win something.”
Celeste narrowed her eyes. “Not on my watch.”
Hunter stopped a few feet away, arms crossed. “Celeste.”
“Hunter.”
His Beta, Logan, sighed. “Are you two ever going to greet each other normally?”
Celeste and Hunter both turned to him at the same time.
“No.”
Lisa and Logan exchanged looks. This was their life now.
Before either Beta could attempt damage control, Rogue and Luna trotted up, looking far too smug.
Luna, Celeste’s wolf, huffed. "He looks too confident. Let’s ruin that."
Rogue, Hunter’s wolf, chuckled. "I was thinking the same thing about Celeste."
Hunter smirked. “Ready to lose?”
Celeste rolled her shoulders. “I’d say the same to you, but you’re already used to it.”
Logan muttered, “And here we go again.”
The task was simple: a sparring match. The first to pin the other down won.
Naturally, both Celeste and Hunter immediately plotted to cheat.
Celeste whispered to Lisa, “Tie his boots together.”
Hunter muttered to Logan, “Swap out her water for saltwater.”
Lisa and Logan both sighed heavily.
Lisa, ever the loyal saboteur, snuck over to Hunter’s bag and loosened his bootlaces until they were an accident waiting to happen.
Meanwhile, Logan, who technically was on Hunter’s side, did the exact opposite of what Hunter had asked and gave Celeste an extra energy drink instead.
Because somebody needed to survive this madness.
Luna watched from the sidelines, amused. "This is going to be fun."
The second Hunter lunged, his boots betrayed him, and he tripped, stumbled, and barreled directly into Celeste.
Celeste, who was completely unprepared, yelped as Hunter’s momentum sent them tumbling together into the dirt, right in front of the entire pack.
When the dust settled, Celeste was pinned beneath Hunter, his face inches from hers. There was a collective gasp.
Lisa froze. “Well, that backfired.”
Logan, who was watching from the sidelines, snorted. “That was so worth it.”
Hunter, still half on top of Celeste, raised a brow. “Looks like I win.”
Celeste huffed. “You tripped on your own feet, dumbass.”
Hunter grinned. “Yeah, but it still counts.”
Luna padded closer, looking far too entertained. "Are you sure you two aren’t already mated?"
Celeste groaned. “Luna, not now.”
Rogue chuckled. "I agree with Luna."
Hunter grinned wider. “See? Even the wolves think we’re perfect for each other.”
Celeste shoved him off. “Don’t push your luck, fiancé.”
After the match, if you could even call it that, the pack conveniently decided that Celeste and Hunter should work together on an upcoming security drill.
Lisa and Logan were way too suspiciously happy about this idea.
“Think of it as a bonding exercise,” Lisa said sweetly.
Logan nodded. “Or a test of patience.”
Celeste and Hunter scowled at them.
The plan was simple: Run a simulated patrol together and identify weak spots in border security, but absolutely, under no circumstances, murder each other.
Hunter: “You’re walking too slow.”
Celeste: “I’m scouting, you impatient oaf.”
Hunter: “Scouting? Or stalling?”
Celeste: “I swear to the moon Goddess, Hunter, if you don’t...”
Rogue, walking beside them, sighed. "Are you two going to bicker the entire patrol?"
Luna yawned. "It’s basically their love language."
Celeste and Hunter glared at their wolves, but did Rogue and Luna care? Nope, not one iota.
Then, mid-argument, Hunter suddenly grabbed Celeste’s wrist and pulled her behind a tree.
Celeste froze. “Hunter Blackwood, did you just manhandle me?”
Hunter pressed a finger to her lips. “Shh.”
Celeste blinked, but then she heard it. A rustling noise. Something or someone was lurking near the border.
Celeste and Hunter immediately snapped into Alpha mode.
Hunter whispered, “Go left, I’ll go right.”
Celeste nodded without argument.
They moved in sync, completely in tune with each other, and within seconds, they had surrounded their intruder.
Only to realize that it was a rogue wolf, but not just any rogue, it was Max.
Celeste sighed. “Of course it’s you.”
Max, looking far too smug, grinned. “Well, well. If it isn’t the happy couple.”
Hunter’s jaw clenched. “What do you want, Max?”
Max leaned against a tree, smirking. “Oh, nothing much. I'm just enjoying the view of my future and her so-called, wanna-be, fiancé.”
Celeste rolled her eyes. “In your dreams!.”
Hunter crossed his arms. “Yeah in your dreams, you will never have her."
Then Hunter paused, "Hang on a second. Did she just blow him off?" The thought made him smirk proudly.
Celeste snorted.
Max glared. “This isn’t over.” Then, with dramatic flair, he shifted and disappeared into the woods.
Celeste sighed heavily. “Why does he always show up at the worst times?”
Hunter shrugged. “Because he has no life?”
Celeste snickered. “Fair point.”
As they walked back to the pack house, Luna and Rogue stayed suspiciously silent.
Then Luna muttered. "You two make a good team."
Rogue agreed. "Even when you’re not trying."
Celeste and Hunter looked at each other.
Celeste cleared her throat. “Wel, I guess that wasn’t a total disaster.”
Hunter smirked. “We didn’t kill each other, so I guess that could be considered progress.”
Celeste chuckled. “Barely.”
The moment between them lingered as Hunter’s smirk faded slightly, his gaze dropping to her lips.
Celeste’s heart skipped a beat as the air shifted, and for a second, just a brief second, Celeste thought he might actually kiss her.
Then, Lisa’s voice shattered the moment. “HEY! Did you two murder each other yet?”
Celeste jerked back.
Hunter sighed. “Great timing, Lisa.”
Lisa grinned. “You’re welcome.”
Celeste glared. “I’m going to kill you.”
Lisa laughed. “You’ll have to catch me first!” And with that, she bolted.
Celeste groaned.
Hunter, watching Lisa flee, chuckled. “You do have the best, Beta.”
Celeste sighed. “Don’t remind me.”
- Writer
