Alpha's Secret Bride

The next moonrise, Nightclaw Estate was unusually quiet. The servants still went about their work, preparing meals, cleaning the chambers, and keeping the estate running as they always had, but the laughter and easy conversations that once filled the halls were gone. No one heard Brandon humming while he got ready in the moonrise, and even the servants seemed to lower their voices whenever they passed the royal wing.

Emma stood in the middle of the bedchamber and looked toward the half-empty closet. Brandon’s clothes were still hanging exactly where he had left them. She walked over and reached for one of his shirts, running her fingers slowly over the soft fabric before bringing it close to her face.

His scent was faint now.

Almost gone.

She held the shirt for another moment before placing it back where she had found it. She closed the closet and rested her hand against the door.

"I can’t do this anymore."

She stepped away from the closet and wiped her cheeks before leaving the chamber.

By noon, moving trucks rolled through the estate gates. Servants began carrying boxes filled with Bryan Oliver’s toys, books, clothes, and other belongings toward the vehicles. Mrs Thompson stood nearby, checking each box as it was brought out while another group of servants carefully packed the nursery.

Bryan sat halfway down the staircase with his stuffed wolf tucked beneath his arm. He watched the boxes being carried outside for several minutes before finally looking at his mother.

"Mother?"

She turned toward him. "Yes, sweetheart?"

He glanced at the boxes. "Are we going somewhere?"

Emma walked over and crouched in front of him. "We’re moving to another house for a while."

Bryan’s brows pulled together. "But Father won’t know where we are."

She gently brushed his hair away from his forehead. "If Father comes home, Grandfather will tell him where we are."

Bryan looked toward the front doors, where another box was being carried outside.

"I wanted him to come home here."

Emma’s eyes filled, but she pulled him into her arms before he could see the tears.

"So did I."

Bryan wrapped his arms around her neck and held on.

—

Word reached the palace within minutes.

King Eldric and Luna Alexandra arrived at Nightclaw Estate before the last of the moving trucks had left. Alexandra hurried across the courtyard, her cloak trailing behind her.

"Emma."

She turned from the servants loading the final boxes.

Alexandra stopped in front of her, her eyes already red. "What are you doing?"

"I’m moving."

Alexandra glanced toward the trucks, then back at her. "You don’t have to do this."

She looked around the estate. Her gaze lingered on the garden, where Brandon had once spent an entire highmoon teaching Bryan Oliver to kick a ball. Beyond it stood the swing Brandon had surprised their pup with, and near the house was the porch where they had spent countless moonfalls together watching the moon set.

She looked away.

"I can’t stay here anymore."

Alexandra took both of her hands. "Then come to the palace. Or you can stay at Greendor Castle. You and Bryan can have as much space as you need."

She gently shook her head.

"I appreciate that."

"Then why leave?"

She looked toward the house. "Because every thing here reminds me of him."

Her fingers tightened around Alexandra’s hands.

"I wake up expecting him to be beside me. I hear footsteps in the hallway and turn around because I think he’s finally home."

A tear slipped down her cheek.

"I’m tired of hoping every time I hear a door open."

Alexandra’s lips trembled. She pulled Emma into her arms and held her tightly.

"My Brandon wouldn’t leave you."

She closed her eyes against Luna Alexandra’s shoulder.

"I know."

"He’ll come home."

She held on to her for another moment before whispering, "I pray he does."

___

King Eldric walked over a moment later. He looked at the moving trucks waiting near the gates before turning to Emma.

"Is this really what you want?"

She nodded. "I’ve thought about it all day."

Eldric glanced back at the house. "This is Brandon’s home."

"I know."

"He’ll come back here."

Emma lowered her eyes. "If he does..."

She swallowed and looked up at him.

"...please tell him where to find us."

Eldric was quiet for a moment. His hand tightened around the edge of his cloak before he looked at her again.

"You’ll always have a place here."

"I know."

"And you’ll always be our daughter."

A faint smile touched Emma’s lips. "And you’ll always be my parents."

Eldric’s expression tightened. He stepped forward and pulled her into his arms.

She felt his hand settle against the back of her head. He held her tightly, but when he finally pulled away, he quickly turned his face toward the estate and wiped beneath one eye.

She had never seen him do that before.

He cleared his throat and looked back at her.

"You don’t have to carry this alone."

She nodded and reached for his hand.

"I won’t."

—

Later in the day, almost everything had been packed. Mrs. Thompson moved from chamber to chamber, checking the boxes and making sure nothing important was left behind while Bryan Oliver wandered through the garden one last time.

He stopped beside the swing Brandon had bought especially for him. It had been customized just for Bryan, and he had spent countless hours on it since the day his father brought it home.

Bryan reached out and ran his small fingers along the wooden seat.

"Mother?"

Emma walked over. "Yes?"

"Can we take this too?"

She looked at the swing, then back at him. A small, sad smile touched her lips.

"It belongs here."

Bryan’s face fell. "But Father bought it for me."

"I know." She crouched beside him. "I’ll get you another one when we settle into the new house."

Bryan rested his forehead against the seat.

"When Father comes home..." His voice grew quieter. "He’ll think I forgot him."

She gently turned him toward her and took his little hands in hers.

"Listen to me. Nothing could ever make your father think that."

"Really?"

She nodded. "He knows how much you love him."

Bryan threw his arms around her neck.

"I miss him."

She hugged him tightly and closed her eyes.

"I miss him too."

As the moon began to set, the last box was loaded into one of the trucks. The servants gathered in the courtyard to see Emma and Bryan off. Some had worked at Nightclaw Estate for many winters, and several quietly wiped their eyes as they watched the final preparations.

Leo and Teddy stood near the entrance. They had barely spoken throughout the day.

Leo finally stepped forward.

"Queen Luna."

Emma turned toward him.

"We’ll make sure you’re protected wherever you go."

She shook her head gently. "You both remind me too much of my mate."

Leo lowered his eyes for a moment.

"We won’t stop serving him until he comes home."

She gave them a grateful smile. "Thank you."

Teddy straightened. "We’ll protect this estate until he returns."

She looked at the two men who had stood beside Brandon for so many winters.

"I believe you."

A moment later, Diego approached from the direction of the main house.

She turned toward him. "Diego, this is my mate’s home. I need everything here to continue running as it always has. Keep the staff, maintain the grounds, and make sure the house is taken care of. I’ll try to come by from time to time. If I can’t, I’ll send Mrs Thompson to check on things."

Diego bowed his head. "Of course, Queen Luna."

She looked back at the house one last time before reaching for Bryan’s hand.

___

The driver opened the car door, and Bryan climbed inside first. Mrs Thompson followed him, helping him settle into his seat while Emma remained beside the car for another moment.

Her eyes moved slowly across the estate. She looked toward the balcony where Brandon used to wave whenever she returned home, then toward the training field where he spent hours sparring with the royal guards. Her gaze finally settled on the garden where they had celebrated Oliver’s fifth birth moon only a few months earlier.

It felt like a lifetime ago.

Alexandra stepped closer and reached for her hand.

"Please..."

Her voice broke.

"Stay."

She turned toward her. Tears were already running down Alexandra’s cheeks.

"I’ve already lost my Brandon." Alexandra squeezed Emma’s hands. "I can’t bear to lose you and my grandpups too."

Emma’s tears spilled over.

"You won’t lose us."

"Then don’t leave."

She held her hands a little tighter. "I need to breathe."

She glanced back at the estate, lingering on the windows of the royal wing.

"And I can’t do that here."

Alexandra covered her mouth as another sob escaped. Emma pulled her into a tight embrace.

"I’ll visit."

Alexandra nodded against her shoulder. "You promise?"

"I promise."

When they finally pulled apart, Emma walked over to King Eldric and wrapped her arms around him. He held her close for a moment before kissing her forehead.

"Take care of yourself."

"I will."

His eyes dropped briefly to her stomach.

"And the pup you’re carrying."

She instinctively rested a hand over her stomach and nodded.

"I’ll do my best."

She climbed into the car and pulled the door shut behind her. A moment later, the engine came to life, and the convoy slowly moved toward the front gates.

She turned toward the window and looked back one last time.

King Eldric stood with one arm around Alexandra as they watched the cars leave. Leo and Teddy raised their hands in salute, while the servants stood nearby with their heads bowed.

The heavy iron gates began to open.

She kept her eyes on the estate as the convoy passed through. The garden disappeared first, followed by the training field and the familiar balcony where Brandon had once waited for her.

She didn’t look away until the last part of the estate disappeared behind the towering gates.

Then the iron doors began to close.

She watched them swing together until the view of Nightclaw Estate narrowed to a thin strip and finally vanished.

She lowered her eyes to her hands.

For the first time since becoming Brandon’s mate, the place she had once called home no longer felt like one.

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