Alpha's Secret Bride

Another week slipped by.

By now, Brandon’s visits had become as predictable as the moonrise. His convoy arrived at Moon Estate around the same hour each day, and he always left before moonfall. He never lingered once it was time to go, never asked Emma to talk about the past, and never brought up the bond severance papers again. He simply spent his time with Bryan and Charlotte, then left when his duties called him away.

And somehow, that made it harder for Emma to keep her distance.

---

Brandon had barely stepped into the villa when Charlotte came running after him, her little feet pattering across the floor.

Meanwhile, after greeting his father and giving him a quick hug, Bryan had already hurried back to his science project, leaving Brandon alone with Lottie.

"Father, wait!"

He turned just as she reached him and scooped her into his arms. Her laughter filled the hallway as he lifted her slightly and carried her a few steps before setting her down.

Charlotte immediately reached up for him.

"Again!"

He laughed and lifted her into his arms once more. He carried her back toward the sitting chamber, gently bouncing her as she squealed with delight. When he lowered her to the floor, she grabbed his hand and looked up at him.

"Again, Father!"

He laughed and caught her hands. "If I keep doing that, you’ll wear your father out."

"No!" Charlotte protested, shaking her head so firmly that her curls bounced around her face. "You are strong."

Bryan looked up from his science project on the garden table. He carefully adjusted one of the wires before glancing at his father.

"I told her you’re the strongest Alpha in the kingdom."

Brandon chuckled. "I think your mother might disagree."

Bryan grinned. "Mother says you’re stubborn."

Brandon glanced toward the veranda before shaking his head with a smile. "No, your mother is the stubborn one. I just know when to surrender."

From the veranda, Emma heard the exchange and looked up from her book. The corner of her lips lifted before she quickly lowered her gaze again, pretending to read.

---

A royal guard hurried across the courtyard and stopped a few feet from Brandon.

"Your Majesty."

He looked up. "What is it?"

"The council has moved today’s emergency meeting forward. They request your presence immediately."

The smile on Brandon’s face faded. He glanced toward the villa, then at the sky.

"So soon?"

"I’m afraid so."

He looked back at Bryan and Charlotte. His gaze lingered on them for a moment before he crouched beside Bryan.

Bryan had already noticed.

"You’re leaving?"

He rested a hand on his shoulder. "I have to."

Bryan’s shoulders dropped. "But you always eat with us."

"I know." Brandon gave his shoulder a gentle squeeze. "I’ll make it up to you tomorrow."

Charlotte hurried over and wrapped both arms around Brandon’s neck.

"Don’t go."

Brandon closed his eyes for a moment before kissing the top of her head. "I’ll be back tomorrow, Princess."

Charlotte pouted against his shoulder but slowly loosened her grip.

He stood and turned toward Emma.

"I’m sorry."

She held his gaze for a moment before giving a small nod.

"Duty comes first."

He nodded once. Their eyes remained locked for another second before he turned away.

Minutes later, the convoy disappeared beyond the estate gates.

She remained on the veranda, watching the empty driveway long after the last vehicle had vanished.

---

Dinner was served at the usual hour.

The dining table was filled with warm dishes prepared especially for the pups, but Bryan barely glanced at his plate. His eyes stayed on the empty chair beside his own.

Lottie looked at the same chair, then at the doors.

Emma picked up her fork and cut a small piece of food.

"Come on. Let’s eat."

Neither pup reached for their food.

After a moment, Bryan quietly asked, "Is Father coming?"

"He had an important meeting."

Bryan looked at the empty chair again. "He said he’d come back."

She set her fork down. "He will."

Bryan lowered his eyes to his plate. "I’ll wait."

She gave him a gentle smile. "He won’t be back today."

"I know."

Bryan folded his arms across his chest and leaned back in his chair. "I’ll wait anyway."

She blinked. "Bryan..."

He shook his head. "I don’t want dinner."

Charlotte pushed her little plate away with both hands. "Me neither."

The head maid exchanged a worried glance with the other servants before stepping closer.

"Your Highnesses, perhaps you could have a little soup while you wait."

Bryan shook his head.

Emma sighed. "Bryan, you need to eat."

"I’ll eat when Father comes."

"Bryan, your father has work."

"So does Mother," he answered innocently. "But she’s still here."

Emma opened her mouth, but no answer came. She lowered her eyes to her plate instead.

Charlotte rested her chin on the table and looked toward the doors.

"I wait, Father."

She looked between Bryan and Charlotte for a moment before setting her fork down. "What if we finish dinner, and then I take you both outside? We can go to the garden, and you can show Charlotte how your airplane flies."

Bryan glanced toward the empty chair beside him and shook his head. "Not now."

She frowned slightly. "Why not?"

"I want to wait for Father."

Charlotte pushed her plate a little farther away and looked toward the doors. "Wait Father."

She took a slow breath and tried again. "What if I promise to take you both to the lake tomorrow? You can bring your airplane, and Charlotte can bring her stuffed wolf."

Bryan’s eyes lifted for a moment, but he still shook his head. "Can Father come?"

She hesitated. "I don’t know."

He lowered his eyes to his untouched plate. "Then I’ll wait."

Charlotte nodded beside him. "Me too."

She looked at both pups, then at the food growing cold in front of them. "You two really won’t eat until he comes?"

Bryan looked up at her with complete seriousness. "You said he’d come back."

Emma’s fingers tightened around the edge of the table.

The servants tried again a few times, offering Bryan his favorite dishes and coaxing Charlotte to take at least a few bites, but neither pup would be persuaded. Bryan kept glancing toward the doors, while Charlotte pushed away every spoon that came near her mouth.

Nearly an hour passed.

The food on the table began to cool, and the servants eventually stopped trying to persuade the pups. They stood quietly around the dining chamber, waiting.

Emma leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes for a moment. When she opened them again, her gaze went first to Bryan, then to Charlotte. Both pups were still watching the doors as if Brandon might walk through them at any moment.

"Steve."

The chief guard stepped forward immediately.

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Emma hesitated, her fingers tightening around the edge of the table.

Then she lowered her voice. "Tell the communication office to send a message to Nightclaw Estate."

Steve bowed. "What message should I have the communication office send?"

Emma glanced at Bryan and Charlotte again.

Bryan was sitting with his arms folded, while Charlotte had both hands resting on the table as she stared at the doorway.

Emma released a slow breath.

"Tell him..."

She paused.

"...his pups are waiting for him."

Steve bowed once more. "At once."

He turned and hurried from the chamber.

Emma looked down at her untouched dinner, then toward the doors through which Steve had just disappeared.

Outside, thunder rumbled across the darkening sky as the first drops of rain began to fall.

Miles away, Brandon was still seated in the royal council chamber when his personal assistant hurried inside and approached him with a message.

He glanced at the device, then opened the message and read the short text.

His chair scraped sharply against the floor as he stood.

The council members looked up in surprise.

"My High Alpha?"

He locked his device and slipped it into his pocket.

"My pups haven’t eaten."

He turned toward the door.

One of the council members rose slightly from his chair. "But, Alpha, we still have..."

"Continue without me."

He leaned toward High Luna Alexandra and whispered a few words to her before heading toward the chamber doors. Alexandra nodded, then turned back to the council and rested her hands on the table.

"It’s urgent. We can continue without him."

She watched the doors close behind Brandon, his personal guard quickly followed.

Then she glanced down at the message he had left with her. A small smile touched her lips. The pups had been drawing their father back into their lives day after day, and with every visit, Emma seemed a little less guarded around him.

Alexandra had wanted Brandon and Emma to find their way back to each other for a long time. Elara and Brooklyn had both tried to help, but after seeing how Emma reacted whenever Brandon came up, they had stopped pushing. Emma wasn’t ready, and everyone could see it.

Alexandra picked up the next document from the table and looked around at the council.

"Now, where were we?"

Behind them, Brandon kept walking towards the corridor, he didn’t slow his pace as he moved through the hallway. His jaw tightened, and he pulled out his device again.

He typed a short message before handing it to his Personal assistant.

"Have the convoy ready."

"Yes, Alpha."

He continued toward the northern exit.

Bryan and Charlotte were waiting for him.

He wasn’t going to make them wait any longer.

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