Alpha's Secret Bride

Gregory frowned and eased the car to a stop.

Scarlet leaned forward and looked through the windshield. "Who’s that?"

The warm glow from the porch lights spilled across the driveway, slowly bringing the figure into view.

Gregory’s grip tightened on the steering wheel. He let out a quiet breath.

"Eira."

She uncrossed her arms and walked toward the car, her eyes fixed on Scarlet the entire time.

Gregory turned off the engine, opened the door, and stepped out.

"Eira."

She stopped a few feet in front of him.

"So it’s true." Her gaze slipped past Gregory and settled on Scarlet. "You two are seeing each other, and you didn’t think I deserved to know?"

Gregory held her gaze. "Is that why you’re here? Shouldn’t you be at your duty chamber?"

She slowly shook her head.

"No. I came because I need to talk to both of you."

Scarlet stepped out of the car, closed the door behind her, and walked over to Gregory’s side.

"We’re both here," Gregory said evenly. "What is it you want to say?"

Eira looked at Gregory, then at Scarlet. She drew in a slow breath before speaking.

"I owe both of you an apology."

Silence settled over the driveway as Gregory and Scarlet waited for her to continue.

"I let my anger get the better of me," Eira said. "I blamed you for something that wasn’t your fault, Scarlet. I said things I never should have said."

Scarlet looked at her for a long moment before giving a small nod.

"Thank you."

Eira turned to Gregory.

"I won’t stand in your way anymore."

Gregory nodded once.

"I’m glad to hear that."

Eira didn’t say another word. She turned, walked back to her car, climbed in, and drove out of the estate.

Gregory and Scarlet stood where they were until her taillights disappeared through the gate.

He glanced at Scarlet.

"Ready?"

She nodded.

He opened the passenger door for her, waited until she got in, then walked around to the driver’s side. A moment later, they were back on the road.

Earlier, Gregory had transferred Eira to the automobile division and promoted Scarlet to Interior Administrator. He had also assigned a junior staff member to work under her, handling the paperwork, errands, and other routine duties. Scarlet’s job was simply to oversee the department, make decisions, and give instructions while her assistant carried out the daily tasks.

By the time they turned into Scarlet’s apartment complex, the moonrise traffic had started to thin.

Scarlet’s eyes went straight to the entrance.

A black SUV sat a few parking spaces away.

The engine wasn’t running, but a woman was still behind the wheel.

Scarlet’s steps slowed as she stared at the vehicle.

Gregory followed her gaze. Without saying a word, he reached for her hand and laced his fingers through hers.

"Come on," he said quietly.

They walked past the SUV together. Scarlet kept her eyes on the elevator doors, refusing to look in the other direction. Even so, she could still feel a wolf’s eyes following them.

The elevator doors slid open.

They stepped inside, and the doors closed with a soft whisper. Gregory pressed the button for her floor before looking at her.

"Don’t look back," he said. "Let’s get your things and go."

Scarlet nodded.

A few moments later, she unlocked the door to her apartment and walked in. The faint smell of coffee still lingered in the air, as if the place had been waiting for her.

She went in and opened the wardrobe. One by one, she folded the last of her clothes and placed them in a suitcase. She slipped her laptop into her backpack, then reached for the framed photo on the bedside table.

She held it in both hands for a long moment, her thumb brushing lightly over the edge of the frame. Then she wrapped it in one of her sweaters and laid it gently inside the suitcase before closing the lid.

She stopped in the doorway and looked around the apartment one last time.

Then she walked back into the chamber. She fluffed the couch cushions, pulled the curtains closed, and switched off the lights. When she reached the door again, she rested her hand on the knob for a brief moment before pulling it shut behind her.

"Ready?" Gregory asked.

She let out a slow breath and nodded.

They wheeled the suitcase to the elevator in silence.

When the elevator reached the ground floor, the doors slid open. Scarlet’s eyes immediately searched the entrance.

The black SUV was gone.

She stopped walking.

"It was here," she murmured.

Gregory swept his gaze across the parking slot, then took the suitcase from her. He lifted it into the trunk of his car and lowered the lid.

"Do you think it was Amaris?" Scarlet asked.

Gregory looked around the parking slot one more time before turning back to her.

"Maybe." He gave a small shrug. "Or maybe it was another person hoping you’d change your mind about being my moonmate."

Scarlet’s grip tightened on the strap of her bag.

Without another word, Gregory walked to the passenger side, opened the door for her, and waited for her to get in.

She settled into the seat.

"Either way," Gregory said as he climbed the car, "I’m glad you won’t be spending another moonfall here."

A moment later, he got behind the wheel, started the engine, and pulled out of the apartment complex. The empty parking space slowly disappeared in the rearview mirror.

By the time they reached Gregory’s mansion, the moon hung high above the estate, spilling silver light across the gardens and stone walkways.

Instead of going inside, Gregory turned toward the garden.

"Come on," he said.

Scarlet fell into step beside him. They strolled along the winding stone path, talking about one thing after another. Every story led to another, and before they knew it, they had reached a wooden bench beneath a flowering tree.

Gregory leaned back and told her about the trouble he and his college moonallies used to get into. He acted out one of their failed pranks so dramatically that Scarlet covered her mouth, laughing.

"You actually did that?" she asked between laughs.

"I did," Gregory admitted with a grin. "I wasn’t proud of it afterward."

"Oh, I don’t believe that for a second."

"You shouldn’t."

She laughed again, then told him about her first few weeks in Dublin. She described mixing up customers’ orders, spilling coffee on herself, and apologizing so many times that Amaris finally told her to stop saying sorry every five minutes.

Gregory laughed so hard he brushed the corner of his eye with his thumb.

"I wish I’d seen that," he said.

"You would’ve laughed at me."

"I definitely would’ve."

She nudged his arm, and they both laughed again.

The conversation drifted from one story to the next. Neither of them noticed how late it had become.

Gregory had just finished another wildly exaggerated story about one of his college moonallies when Scarlet burst into laughter. Still smiling, she reached for the glass of juice on the small table beside the bench.

"I refuse to believe that actually happened."

Gregory laughed. "It happened exactly the way I told you. You’re just jealous because my life’s been a lot more interesting than yours."

Scarlet snorted and shook her head. "Interesting? More like impossible."

"I’ll take that as a compliment."

She opened her mouth to fire back, but the vibration of Gregory’s device cut her off. It skidded across the garden table, buzzing against the wood.

Gregory glanced at the screen. The smile that had been lingering on his face faded almost at once.

Scarlet watched him. A second ago he was laughing. Now his jaw had tightened, and the lightness in his eyes was gone.

"Everything okay?" she asked quietly.

He kept his eyes on the screen. "I don’t know."

He picked up the device and answered. "Gregory speaking."

"Sir." The man’s voice came through tight and unsteady. "This is Ethan from the Communications Department."

Gregory leaned back against the bench. "Go ahead."

"I’m sorry to interrupt your day, but there’s been an incident involving Miss Eira."

The corners of Gregory’s brows pulled together.

"What kind of incident?"

Ethan didn’t answer right away. A long pause stretched between them, as if he was searching for a gentler way to say it.

"Sir..." His voice came out strained. "She was found inside her car this moonrise."

Gregory’s hand tightened around his device.

"What happened?"

Ethan swallowed.

"The emergency responders said she was already gone when they arrived. The sentinel officers believe... she took her own life."

Silence settled between them.

The laughter that had filled the garden only moments ago disappeared. Even the breeze seemed to fade into the background.

Scarlet looked at Gregory. The smile on his face slowly slipped away. She searched his expression, trying to understand what she was seeing.

Gregory stared ahead without speaking.

After what felt like forever, he finally found his voice.

"...Are you sure?"

"Yes, sir." Ryan nodded. "The sentinel officers have secured the scene. They’re asking if you can come to the company."

Gregory closed his eyes for a brief moment. He drew in a slow breath, then opened them again.

"I’ll be there."

He ended the call but didn’t move.

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