Alpha's Secret Bride

The following moonrise, Moon Estate awakened beneath a sky painted in soft shades of silver. A cool breeze drifted through the gardens, carrying the scent of fresh roses and dew-covered grass.

Inside the feeding chamber, seven-winter-old Bryan Oliver sat quietly at the breakfast table, slowly pushing his scrambled eggs around his plate with his fork instead of eating them. Across from him, Princess Charlotte happily kicked her little legs beneath her chair while the head maid cut her pancakes into tiny pieces.

Emma noticed Bryan’s unusual silence as she poured herself a cup of tea. She set the pot down and looked across the table at him.

"Bryan."

He glanced up. "Yes, Mother?"

"You’ve barely touched your breakfast."

"I’m not very hungry."

She watched him for a moment. Bryan lowered his eyes and moved his fork through the eggs again without taking a bite.

"Are you thinking about your father?"

Bryan’s hand stopped.

"I thought..." He hesitated, his fingers tightening around the fork. "...I thought he’d stay."

Emma’s fingers tightened around her teacup.

"So did I."

Bryan looked at her. "But you didn’t ask him to stay."

She looked down at her teacup, turning it slightly between her fingers. "I didn’t know if he wanted to stay, sweetheart."

He frowned. "But he came back."

She glanced toward the window. "I know."

"Then why can’t he stay?"

She was quiet for a moment before looking back at him. "Because some things between grown-ups take time to fix."

Silence settled over the feeding chamber. Charlotte looked from Emma to Bryan, apparently sensing that something was wrong even though she didn’t understand what it was.

"Fafa come today?" Charlotte asked.

Emma turned toward her and forced a small smile. "I don’t know, sweetheart."

Bryan looked at his sibling. "Charlotte, it’s not Fafa."

Charlotte blinked at him.

"It’s Father."

"Fafa."

Bryan shook his head, trying not to laugh. "No. Father."

"Fafa."

"Listen." Bryan pointed toward himself. "Say it slowly. Fa-ther."

Charlotte watched his mouth carefully.

"Fa..."

Bryan nodded eagerly. "Good. Now say the rest."

"Fafa."

Bryan covered his mouth as a laugh escaped him.

Emma couldn’t help smiling.

"Try again," Bryan said, sitting up straighter as though he were her teacher. "Father."

Charlotte stared at him for a moment before carefully repeating, "Fa-ther."

Bryan’s eyes widened.

"She said it!"

Charlotte clapped her hands, pleased with herself.

Emma laughed softly and began clapping too. The maid beside her joined in, and Charlotte’s face lit up at the attention.

"Father!" Charlotte said again, louder this time.

Bryan threw both hands into the air. "See? I taught you!"

Charlotte giggled and reached for him.

"Father!"

Bryan laughed as he caught her hands. "Yes! Now you know how to say it."

Just then, the distant rumble of approaching engines echoed through the estate.

The servants in the chamber immediately turned toward the windows. Bryan’s head snapped up, and his eyes widened as he listened.

"No way..."

He pushed his chair back and jumped to his feet before sprinting toward the entrance.

"Bryan!" Emma called.

But he was already gone.

Charlotte immediately began climbing down from her chair. Once her feet touched the floor, she hurried after her sibling, her small legs carrying her as quickly as they could.

"Father!"

Emma rose with a sigh and followed behind them.

By the time she stepped outside, the familiar black convoy had already come to a stop in front of the villa.

The rear passenger door opened.

Brandon stepped out.

Before either guard could greet him, Bryan rushed across the courtyard and threw himself into his father’s arms. Brandon caught him easily and held him close.

"You came back!"

Brandon laughed softly. "I told you I would."

Bryan pulled back and looked at him, his hands still gripping Brandon’s coat. "I thought maybe..." He lowered his eyes, his voice becoming quieter. "...you’d disappear again."

Brandon’s smile faded. He rested a hand on Bryan’s shoulder and held his gaze.

"I keep my promises to you."

Charlotte finally reached them and lifted both arms toward him.

"Father!"

Brandon shifted Bryan to one side and scooped Charlotte into his other arm before kissing her forehead.

"Moonrise, Princess."

Charlotte giggled and wrapped her little arms around his neck. "You came."

"I did."

"I miss you."

He held her a little closer. "I missed you too."

Emma watched the reunion from the villa steps, her hands resting loosely at her sides. She had expected Brandon to return eventually. She just hadn’t expected him to come back the very next moonrise.

Brandon looked toward her.

Their eyes met briefly.

He gave her a respectful nod and nothing more. He didn’t ask her to come closer or try to start a conversation. Instead, he turned his attention back to the pups, letting Emma decide whether she wanted to speak to him.

Bryan immediately reached for his father’s hand.

"Come on!"

Brandon lowered Charlotte slightly so she could settle more comfortably against his arm. "Where are we going?"

"I have to show you something!"

"What is it?"

"My science project!"

A smile returned to Brandon’s face. "All right. Lead the way."

Bryan grabbed his father’s hand and pulled him toward the villa, while Charlotte remained happily perched on Brandon’s arm.

Emma stayed on the steps, watching them disappear inside.

A moment later, one of the maids approached quietly.

"My Queen Luna..."

She turned toward her.

"Should I prepare another place at the breakfast table?"

She looked toward the open doors where Brandon had disappeared with the pups. She hesitated for only a moment before giving a small nod.

"...Yes."

The maid smiled politely and hurried inside.

She remained alone on the front steps, her eyes still fixed on the doorway.

She had expected excuses. She had expected long conversations. She had expected Brandon to ask her for another chance.

Instead, he had come back because he had promised the pups he would.

He hadn’t asked Emma for anything.

Not yet.

—

Breakfast was unusually lively. Bryan talked excitedly through every detail of his science project, leaning closer to his father as he explained how he had put everything together.

"And then I connected this wire here, but it didn’t work at first."

Brandon leaned forward, resting his forearms on the table. "What did you do?"

"I changed the battery."

"And it worked?"

Bryan’s face lit up. "Yes! The light came on."

Brandon smiled and gave his shoulder a gentle squeeze. "Then you figured it out."

Bryan nodded proudly and continued explaining, using his hands to demonstrate how he had connected the wires. Brandon listened without interrupting, occasionally asking a question that sent him into another excited explanation.

Across the table, Charlotte picked up a small piece of pancake with her tiny fork and held it toward Brandon. "Father, eat."

He leaned forward and opened his mouth. Charlotte carefully fed him the pancake, then watched his face as she waited for his reaction.

"Good?"

"Very good."

A delighted giggle escaped her. She immediately picked up another piece and held it out to him. "Again."

Brandon laughed softly. "Again?"

Charlotte nodded seriously and kept the fork raised until he leaned forward and took the next bite. "Thank you, Your Highness."

She giggled again and reached for another piece.

The servants moved quietly around the table, and a few of them smiled as they watched the pups fuss over their father. Bryan continued talking beside his father, occasionally reaching over to point at something on his science project while Charlotte kept offering him pieces of pancake.

Emma remained quiet, slowly stirring her tea. She glanced up when Bryan laughed, and her eyes stayed on them for a moment before she lowered her gaze to the cup again.

A moment later, Brandon looked across the table and caught her watching him.

Their eyes met.

Emma’s fingers stopped around the spoon.

For a second, neither of them looked away. Then Brandon lowered his gaze and turned back toward Bryan.

"And what happened after the light came on?"

Bryan immediately leaned closer, eager to continue. "Then I had to fix this part because it started making this funny sound..."

He listened as he explained, occasionally nodding or asking another question. Emma took a small sip of her tea and kept her attention on her cup.

When breakfast ended, Brandon set his cup down, pushed his chair back, and stood.

"I should be going."

Bryan’s smile faded. "So soon?"

"I have work waiting for me."

He looked toward the doors, then back at his father. "Can I go with you?"

He paused and crouched beside him. "To Nightclaw Estate?"

Bryan nodded eagerly. "I want to see where you work."

He smiled and gently straightened the collar of Bryan’s shirt. "Not yet, Your Highness."

Bryan’s face fell. "Why not?"

"I have a lot to take care of today, and it won’t be very interesting for you."

"I won’t bother you."

"I know you won’t." He gave his shoulder a gentle squeeze. "But when things settle down, I’ll take you with me."

Bryan looked up at him. "Really?"

"Really."

He thought about it for a moment before asking, "When will you come back?"

"Tomorrow at moonrise."

Bryan’s grin returned. "Promise?"

"Promise."

Charlotte clapped her hands. "Father tomorrow!"

He smiled and leaned down to kiss both pups on their foreheads before straightening.

He then turned toward Emma.

"I’ll take my leave."

She gave him a small nod. "Safe journey."

It was the first thing she had said to him all moonrise.

Brandon inclined his head. "Thank you."

Moments later, his convoy disappeared beyond the estate gates.

She remained on the front steps, watching until the last vehicle vanished from sight. She kept her eyes on the empty driveway for a few seconds longer before lowering her gaze.

"He really came back..."

The words left her almost in a whisper.

Her fingers curled loosely at her sides as she looked toward the gates again.

He had promised the pups he would return.

And he had kept his promise.

For the first time since Brandon’s return, Emma found herself wondering if she could believe him again.

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