2

"This is the right time for you to marry, Arden. We need to expand our clan! You must find a girl to marry!" his mother's voice echoed all over the palace early in the morning as soon as she noticed her not-so-visible wrinkles beside her eyes. 

Aside from that, Arden is the only son who's gonna expand their clan. 

"You can't bring her back! She's gone—"

"Shut up, Mama!" Arden's voice thundered. 

Her mother's mouth automatically shut up. She can feel the vibration of his roar all over the palace. 

"I already told the soldiers to announce in the entire land about choosing your bride! So make sure you're going to choose at least one!" she fired back, her long gown cascading to the floor as she walked out of his room. 

Arden sighed roughly and pushed his back on the bed. He shut his eyes. As much as he doesn't want to marry, he knows that his mother will keep on ranting about it every morning. She will never stop until he gives in and at this point, he doesn't really have a choice.

Expanding their empire, especially their clan is the main priority of the Gunners. They're royalties.

He's the only son of the mighty alpha warrior, Jacob Gunner, and Celestia Gunner, who belongs to a powerful royalty family. After Arden, Celestia can't bear a child anymore, the reason why their only hope to spread and retain the legacy of their lineage is to set up Arden into a marriage for convenience.

The royalties of each town came to the mansion to present each of their beautiful daughters to Arden, who sat boredly on his throne, his head resting on his knuckles and his other hand on the throne's shoulder.

The girls were all giddy upon seeing him. With his massive body, him having a six feet two height, and his dangerous stance, it made him look so brooding and superior. His features are sharp. Brows that are furrowed. Lashes that are long. Pointed nose. Also, thin lips. His jet-black hair matched the darkness of his expression as he scowled in his seat, his fierce eyes casually gazing at the girls as if they were too boring for him.

"This is my daughter, Arienda. We are the Rockwell family. We owned one of the towns in Rockmount. And my only daughter is the heir of our clan. She's royalty by blood," one of the kings said as she presented her daughter wearing her fancy gown and fanning herself. 

The girl held each side of her gown's skirt and bowed a little to give respect while smiling. Arden look at her from head to foot and gestured lazily. 

"Next," he said without hesitation. 

His mother's eyes sharped at her while she was sitting next to him. Her fanning stopped. 

"Arden. Don't you know how enormous their wealth is?" Celestia whispered while glancing slightly at the Rockwells.

"Our wealth is three times enormous compared to their wealth, Mama. If you're looking for someone who's gonna bear my child, to expand our lineage, then I want the finest girl in this land," Arden said. 

His mother shut her mouth and looked at the next royalty family who presented their lovely daughter. 

And just like how Arden dismissed the Rockwell, he also gestured to shoo them away for the next clan. 

His mother sighed. She's frustrated. She knows that his son is looking for that certain girl's presence in each lady presented in front of her. 

"Oh, son, you are looking for a dead lady," she hissed to herself. 

She doesn't want to say it loudly, afraid that Arden might lose his patience again and stop the ongoing ceremony. 

The ceremony already consumed half of the day. Arden is getting bored. His mother getting more frustrated. The line is still long but half of them were already rejected by Arden. 

It's already at the tip of his tongue. He wants to stop the ceremony and just continue it the next day since he couldn't find an interesting girl to marry.

He was about to raise his hand to summon the soldiers to cut off the ceremony when a harsh aggressive voice echoed from outside.

"Your highness! Please let me in! I have my daughter, your highness!" 

Everyone glanced from the back to see the ongoing commotion. The guards blocked his way by crossing their long spears in front of the old man wearing rugged clothes and gripping his daughter's arm. 

"Back off!" the guard pushed his shoulder. 

The old man is determined. "Please, my Lord!" he shouted. "My daughter... she's the finest girl alive! Her beauty is beyond the earth!"

Arden's mother grimaced. "What a dirty old man..." 

Bored in his seat, Arden gestured for the guards to let him in. His mother's eyes narrowed. 

"Are you for real, Arden?" she almost hissed. 

Arden watched how the dirty old man pulled his daughter's arm while she was resisting. With a glimpse of her face, Arden's thick brows slowly knitted. 

"Please no, father..." she pleaded, her lips trembling. 

Wearing a long white dress, her hair disheveled because of resisting while it swayed with each move she makes. She's paper white. Her hair has soft waves and it's glowing. There's something about her face that Arden couldn't help but stare at. 

Freckles? 

His mother noticed how Arden's eyes changed. He looked interested. Her eyes narrowed and she abruptly looked at the girl dragged by his father.

Everyone watched them walk to the red carpet until they reach the front. The dirty old man tosses his daughter who's rebelling and fell to the ground.

"This is my daughter, Erina Riverdale. She's a virgin and a twenty-year-old girl," the old man announced, his voice echoing all over the palace. 

With the interest on Arden’s face, the familiar face of the girl in front of them, his mother knew that there was a high chance Arden will consider her. 

She gasped unbelievably when her son stood and went to the girl. After his long hour of rejecting the other royalties, a maiden summoned him out of his throne.