Alpha's Secret Bride

Emma’s new house was beautiful.

Brandon had surprised her with it nearly five winters ago. It sat on a quiet hill overlooking a small lake, surrounded by tall pine trees that swayed whenever the wind moved through their branches.

Back then, Emma and Brandon had walked through every chamber together. He had carried Bryan on his shoulders while their pup pointed excitedly at everything they passed.

When Brandon opened the nursery door, he had smiled at Bryan.

"This chamber is yours."

Bryan had run inside, his little footsteps echoing across the floor.

"It’s the biggest chamber in the world!"

Emma laughed so hard that Brandon couldn’t help but laugh along with her.

Now the house was quiet.

The walls hadn’t changed. The furniture was still in the same places, and the view from the windows was exactly as beautiful as she remembered.

But without Brandon, she barely recognized the place.

Mrs Thompson directed the maids as they unpacked the last few boxes. She looked around the living chamber before turning to Emma.

"You still haven’t decided where to put this picture?"

She glanced at the framed family portrait resting against the wall. Bryan had insisted on bringing it with them. It had been taken on his fourth birth moon, with Brandon standing beside Emma, one arm around her shoulders while Bryan laughed in front of them.

She looked away.

"Leave it there."

Mrs Thompson followed her gaze. "You’ve been avoiding it."

Emma bent down and picked up another box. "I have other things to do."

Mrs Thompson quietly took the box from her hands.

"Go sit down."

"I’m fine."

"You’ve said that every day this week."

She sighed and rubbed her forehead. "I just need something to keep my mind busy."

Mrs Thompson set the box down and took both of Emma’s hands.

"You don’t have to do this alone."

She looked at her. "I know."

"I’ve already spoken to your mother."

She frowned. "About what?"

"She’s moving in."

She blinked. "She don’t have to. What about her duties?"

"She has already arranged for her assistant to handle things while she’s here." Mrs Thompson gave her hands a gentle squeeze. "I’ll still take care of anything that needs my attention, but I’m not leaving you here by yourself whether Emily comes or not."

Emma’s eyes filled with tears.

"You’ll get tired of me."

Mrs Thompson laughed softly. "Not a chance."

She wiped beneath her eyes, and for the first time in days, a genuine smile appeared on her face.

___

That moonfall, Evan arrived carrying several grocery bags.

Evan had started dating Nina. It had been Emma’s idea, but before anyone realized what was happening, the two had grown so close that they were practically inseparable. Whenever Nina couldn’t be there to keep Emma company, Evan was always the one who showed up for her.

Bryan Oliver heard the knock and rushed to the door.

"Uncle Evan!"

Evan barely had time to set the bags down before the little prince threw himself into his arms.

"Easy there, Your Highness."

"You came!"

"I did."

Bryan glanced at the bags. "Did you bring snacks?"

Evan laughed. "I knew you’d ask."

He reached into one of the bags and pulled out a box of cookies.

Bryan grabbed it with both hands and cheered before racing toward the nursery.

Evan watched him go, then looked at Emma.

"How are you?"

She gave him a small smile. "I’m surviving."

"Nina sends her love. She’ll be here tomorrow."

"I know."

"How’s your father?"

"The old wolf is doing well. He’s still as lively as ever."

He held her gaze for a moment. He set the bags down and walked over to her, wrapping his arms around her without saying anything.

Emma rested her forehead against his shoulder.

For a few seconds, neither of them spoke.

"I miss him," she whispered.

"I know."

"I keep expecting him to walk through the door."

He gently rubbed her back. "So does everyone."

Over the following days, Evan started coming by almost every day with Nina. Sometimes they brought groceries and cooked dinner. Other times, they spent hours playing with Bryan until the little prince laughed so hard that he forgot to ask when his father was coming home.

On quieter moonfalls, he came alone and simply sat with Emma. He never pushed her to talk, and when she needed space, he gave it to her without asking questions.

One day, he found her standing alone on the back porch, staring across the lake.

"You’ve been out here a while."

She nodded without looking at him. "It reminds me of him."

Evan leaned against the railing beside her.

"He brought us here," she continued. "He promised to teach Bryan how to fish."

She wrapped her arms around herself as the cool air moved through her hair.

He glanced at her. "You’ve hardly slept."

She gave a tired laugh. "I close my eyes..."

Her voice faded, and she looked out across the dark water.

"...and I dream he’s calling my name."

Evan stayed quiet for a moment.

"What happens when you wake up?"

Emma’s fingers tightened around her arms.

"I remember he’s gone."

"It’s okay. He’ll come back to you."

"I hope so," she said softly before walking away.

—

Nearly every moonrise, one of Emma’s family members came to visit. Ken and Emily arrived with several containers of homemade food, carefully balanced in both hands. Brooklyn was heavily pregnant and couldn’t make the trip as often anymore, so Ken and Emily had started bringing enough food for all of them.

"You’ve lost weight," Ken said the moment Emma opened the door.

She stepped aside to let them in. "I’m fine."

He gave her a look. "You’ve become terrible at lying."

Emily simply hugged her before heading inside to drop off her other bag.

Ken carried the containers into the living chamber and set them on the table.

"I made your favorite soup. You know, Emily is terrible at cooking our traditional food."

Emma covered her mouth, trying not to laugh.

She followed him. "You didn’t have to."

"I wanted to." He opened one of the containers and filled a bowl. "Come on. You’re my only sibling."

She sat down, and Ken placed the bowl in front of her. He stayed beside her while she took the first few spoonfuls, talking about everything from Lyn’s latest pregnancy cravings to the trouble he’d had getting the soup right.

By the time she finished half the bowl, she was laughing.

"You actually burned the first batch?"

He pointed at her. "Don’t laugh. I nearly threw the whole pot away."

She shook her head, smiling as she took another bite.

"And you said Emily is terrible at what again?"

They both laughed.

Meanwhile, Emily was busy with Bryan, who kept asking her one question after another. She answered some of them patiently and laughed at the others.

Elara arrived not long after, carrying a bouquet of fresh flowers. She set them on the table before walking over and wrapping Emma in a hug.

Emma hugged her tightly. "It still feels strange not having him here. I keep expecting him to walk through that door like he always does."

Elara’s arms tightened around her. "I miss him."

"I miss him more," she whispered, her voice trembling slightly.

She buried her face against Elara’s shoulder and finally let herself cry. Ken quietly moved the bowl aside while Elara held her.

No one told her to stop crying. No one asked her to be strong. They simply stayed close until her breathing slowly settled.

After dinner, they gathered in the living chamber. Bryan Oliver sat on the floor, carefully stacking wooden blocks into a crooked castle.

Ken watched him for a moment before looking at Emma.

"You know Brandon."

She nodded. "Better than anyone."

"Then trust the man you chose."

Emma lowered her eyes to her hands.

"I do."

Ken leaned forward slightly. "Do you?"

She hesitated.

He reached for his glass and took a slow sip before continuing. "The Brandon I know would walk through fire for his family."

"So would I."

"Then don’t let a few rumors make you forget who he is."

She looked toward Bryan, who was now adding another block to his castle.

After a moment, she nodded. "I’ll try."

Ken leaned back in his chair. "I’m staying here tonight."

Elara looked at him. "Me too."

Emily shifted in her seat. "I finally moved in."

She glanced between them, and a small smile touched her lips.

"Thank you."

___

Days became harder instead of easier.

She stopped opening the curtains in the moonrise. She ignored most of the calls that came through and sometimes stayed in bed until Emily or Mrs Thompson came in to remind her that Bryan was already awake.

During the royal physician’s next visit, he checked her pulse and blood pressure before looking through the notes Emily had kept for him.

""You haven’t been eating much."

She sat quietly on the edge of the bed. "I’m just not hungry."

His eyes moved to the untouched breakfast tray beside her.

"I can see that."

He set his notes aside. "How much water have you been drinking?"

"I don’t know."

"Any vomiting?"

"Sometimes."

"Can you keep food down when you eat?"

She nodded.

The healer glanced at Emily. "She needs to eat small meals throughout the day and keep drinking fluids. If she can’t keep anything down or becomes weaker, call me immediately."

"I will," Emily said.

After the healer left, Emily picked up the tray and brought it closer to Emma.

"You heard him."

She looked at the bowl. "I’m not hungry."

"I know."

Emily sat beside her and placed the spoon in her hand.

"You don’t have to finish everything. Just try a little."

She looked down at the spoon for a long moment. Her other hand slowly settled over her stomach.

She took a small bite.

Then another.

Emily didn’t say anything. She simply stayed beside her while she continued eating, one slow spoonful at a time.

That moonfall, rain fell steadily against the windows while Emily stayed with Emma until she finally fell asleep. The household had already settled for the moonfall, with the remaining servants in their quarters and the staff working at moonfall were taking care of the usual duties downstairs. Emily waited until Emma’s breathing became steady before quietly leaving the chamber.

Sometime after midnight, Emma opened her eyes. She reached across the mattress and found only the cold, empty space beside her. After sitting there for a moment, she slipped out of bed and walked downstairs.

The house was quiet, though a maid that works at moonfall was still awake in the cookhouse, preparing tea for the guards on duty. Emma didn’t notice her as she opened the back door and stepped onto the porch.

The rain had stopped, leaving the air cool and damp. Moonlight shimmered across the lake as she crossed the yard and stopped near the old oak tree.

So this is how it ends," she whispered.

She walked toward the lake, and just as she raised one leg to jump in, a guard on duty grabbed her arm.

"Queen Luna?"

Then a frightened cry came from upstairs.

"Mother!"

Emma’s head snapped toward the house.

"Mother!"

Bryan’s voice broke through the quiet again, followed by sobbing.

She turned immediately and hurried back inside. The maid looked up from the cookhouse as Emma rushed through the hallway and the guard was right behind her.

"Bryan," Emma said breathlessly.

She ran upstairs, with the maid following close behind.

She rushed into his bedchamber and found Bryan sitting in the middle of his bed, clutching his stuffed wolf tightly against his chest. Tears streamed down his cheeks, and his small shoulders trembled as he stared toward the doorway. Mrs. Thompson had already arrived and was gently trying to calm him.

"Mother!"

She crossed the chamber and gathered him into her arms.

"I’m here."

Bryan immediately wrapped both arms around her neck and buried his face against her shoulder.

"I had a bad dream," he sobbed. "I woke up and you weren’t there."

"I’m sorry." Emma kissed his forehead and held him tighter. "I’m here now."

"I went to your chamber, but you weren’t there," Oliver whispered.

Emma closed her eyes as she gathered him into her arms.

"You don’t have to look for me, sweetheart. I’m right here."

Bryan’s fingers tightened around her nightclothes.

"Don’t leave me."

Emma’s breath caught. She pressed her lips against his hair and rocked him gently.

"I’m not going anywhere, sweetheart. I promise."

A moment later, Emily appeared at the bedchamber door, breathing hard after hurrying upstairs. Her eyes moved from Bryan’s tear-streaked face to Emma’s pale expression before she stepped into the chamber.

"Is he okay?"

She nodded, still holding Bryan against her.

"He had a nightmare."

Emily walked over and gently rubbed Bryan’s back. "You’re safe, sweetheart. Your mother is right here."

Bryan nodded against Emma’s shoulder, but he didn’t let go.

She looked down at him. His little hands were still gripping her clothes as if he was afraid she might disappear the moment he closed his eyes.

She swallowed hard and kissed his forehead.

"Let’s stay together tonight."

Mrs Thompson pulled the blankets back and helped them settle into bed. Bryan curled against Emma’s side, still holding his stuffed wolf between them. Within minutes, his sobs faded into quiet breaths.

Emma remained awake.

Her eyes stayed fixed on the dark window across the chamber.

Beyond it, the lake was barely visible beneath the moonlight.

She remembered how close she had been to walking into that water.

Then she looked down at Bryan’s sleeping face and tightened her arms around him.

For the first time in weeks, one thought rose above all the others.

She had almost left her pup without a mother.

Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!