Alpha's Secret Bride

Days turned into months, and without anyone realizing it, Brandon’s visits became part of life at Moon Estate. Every moonrise, his convoy rolled through the estate gates, and every moonfall, it departed again. The routine never changed, and neither did Brandon. He never arrived empty-handed. Some days, he brought Bryan a new book on leadership or history. Other days, he surprised Charlotte with colorful ribbons or storybooks that quickly became her favorites. Still, he kept the gifts simple. He never wanted the pups to expect something new every time he came. What mattered to him was the time he spent with them and the memories they were making together.

One bright moonrise, he found Bryan sitting beneath the old oak tree in the garden with a notebook balanced on his knees. He walked over and stopped beside him. "What are you working on?"

Bryan looked up and smiled. "My teacher asked us to write about the person we admire most."

He lowered himself onto the bench beside him and glanced at the notebook. "That sounds interesting."

"It is." Bryan quickly closed the notebook and held it against his chest before his father could see the page.

He raised an eyebrow. "You can’t let me have a look?"

Bryan shook his head. "Not yet."

"Is it a secret?"

"A little."

He laughed softly and leaned back against the bench. "I suppose I’ll have to wait."

Bryan grinned. "You’ll know when it’s finished."

Before Brandon could answer, Charlotte came running across the lawn, clutching a tiny flower crown she had made with the gardeners. She stopped in front of him and proudly lifted it with both hands.

"Father!"

Brandon looked at the crooked little crown, then back at her. "Is that for me?"

Charlotte nodded enthusiastically. "For Father."

He accepted it without hesitation. "Thank you, Your Highness."

Charlotte watched expectantly as he placed the flower crown on his head. He adjusted it carefully, even though it sat crookedly across his hair.

Bryan burst out laughing.

Charlotte clapped her hands. "Pretty!"

Brandon touched the crown and smiled. "Very pretty."

From the veranda, Emma watched the three of them, and a small smile slowly appeared on her face.

Bryan burst into laughter. "It actually suits you."

Several nearby maids giggled, and even the gardeners working across the lawn exchanged amused looks as they tried not to laugh. Charlotte clapped her hands happily and pointed at the flower crown sitting crookedly on her father’s head.

"Father is cute!"

Brandon straightened and gave her an exaggerated royal bow. "I shall wear it with honor."

Charlotte laughed so hard that she lost her balance. He quickly reached out and caught her around the waist before she could fall, then steadied her on her feet.

"There we are." He brushed a loose curl away from her face. "You have to be more careful."

She only smiled and wrapped her little arms around his neck, resting her cheek against his shoulder.

From the second-floor balcony, Emma watched everything unfold below. She had gone outside with a stack of estate reports, intending to review them before the next council meeting, but after a few minutes, the papers remained untouched on the table beside her. Her attention kept drifting back to the garden.

She watched him sit beside Bryan and patiently work through a difficult mathematics problem with him. When Bryan finally arrived at the correct answer, he tapped the page with a proud smile, and Bryan immediately sat up straighter. A little later, Charlotte climbed onto Brandon’s shoulders and announced that she was now the tallest princess in the kingdom. Brandon steadied her legs while she stretched both arms toward the sky, laughing as Bryan told her she still wasn’t taller than their father.

Through it all, Brandon never once looked toward the balcony. He never checked to see whether Emma was watching. He simply stayed with the pups, answering their questions, laughing at their jokes, and joining in whatever game they wanted him to play.

Emma lowered her eyes to the reports, but after a moment, she looked back at them.

Something about seeing him that way stayed with her.

That highmoon, Bryan challenged his father to a game of chess. He pulled out the chair across from his father and carefully arranged the pieces before looking up with a confident grin.

"Let’s make a deal," Bryan said, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

"About what?" Brandon asked, studying him with a curious smile.

"If I win the game, you have to stay until moonfall and sleep here."

"And if I win?"

Bryan thought for a moment, then shrugged. "You still stay until moonfall and sleep here."

Brandon laughed and leaned back in his chair. "I don’t believe that’s how a deal works."

Lottie climbed into Emma’s lap on the nearby veranda and looked from Bryan to their father.

"Who will win?"

Emma glanced toward the chessboard with a small smile. "Let’s see."

The game lasted nearly forty minutes. Bryan leaned over the board, studying each piece before making his moves. He never rushed him. Whenever Bryan hesitated, he waited patiently, sometimes asking what he thought would happen if he moved a certain piece, but he never pointed out the right move for him.

Eventually, Bryan moved his knight and sat back.

Brandon looked at the board for a moment before moving his own piece.

Bryan’s eyes widened as he stared at the position.

"I didn’t even see that."

He reached across the table and gave his shoulder a gentle squeeze. "That’s because you were only thinking about your next move."

Bryan looked down at the board again, tracing the pieces with his eyes.

"So I should think farther ahead?"

"Exactly."

Bryan nodded slowly, then looked up with renewed determination. "I’ll beat you next time."

Brandon smiled. "I’ll look forward to it."

From the veranda, Emma watched Bryan reset the pieces so they could start another game. Brandon leaned forward again, ready to play, while Charlotte clapped from Emma’s lap and insisted that she wanted a turn too.

She lowered her gaze for a moment, then looked back at them. Brandon hadn’t simply played to win. He had turned even a simple game of chess into another lesson for Bryan.

---

As moonfall approached, he stood from his chair and glanced toward the clock.

"I should get going."

Charlotte immediately reached for his hand. "Tomorrow?"

Brandon smiled and took her little hand in his. "Tomorrow."

Bryan looked up from the chessboard, one hand still resting beside the pieces. "You always say tomorrow."

Brandon looked at him. "And?"

Bryan’s mouth curved into a small smile. "You always come."

Brandon’s expression softened. He gave Bryan’s shoulder a gentle squeeze. "I always will."

He looked at the pups, who were still gathered around him, and smiled. "How about I take you both out tomorrow?"

Charlotte’s eyes widened. "Really?"

"Really." He reached down and gently straightened her collar. "I’ll take you somewhere fun, and we can spend the whole day together."

Bryan immediately looked up at him. "Can we go somewhere with rides?"

"We can."

Charlotte bounced on her toes. "Can mother come with us?"

Brandon paused and looked toward Emma, waiting for her approval. She smiled and gave him a small nod.

Brandon turned back to the pups. "Yes. Mother can come too.

"Can Zoey come with us, Father?"

"I’ll talk to Aunt Elara tonight and let her know about tomorrow."

Charlotte threw her arms around his waist. "Best day ever!"

He laughed and rested a hand on her head. "You haven’t even gone anywhere yet."

Standing beneath the veranda, Emma heard every word. Her fingers tightened around the edge of the railing as she watched them. Promises had once been easy for her to believe, but now even the smallest one made something inside her pull tight. The more consistently he kept showing up, the harder it became to tell herself that he would disappear again.

As for Elara, Brandon knew she wouldn’t object. She had been hoping to see Emma and him find their way back to each other, and once she heard they were taking the pups out together, she would probably insist on joining them with Zoey. She wouldn’t miss the chance to spend time with her daughter while quietly enjoying seeing Emma and Brandon together again.

She turned away before he could notice her watching.

Below, Brandon glanced toward the balcony and caught the movement just before Emma disappeared inside. A faint smile touched his lips, but he didn’t call her name or follow her. He simply gave the pups one last hug before heading toward his waiting vehicle.

As the convoy disappeared through the gates, Emma stopped beside the window and rested one hand against the cool glass. She kept watching the empty driveway long after the last vehicle had vanished.

She had started listening for those familiar engines every moonrise. She knew when he usually arrived, and she had begun noticing the time each moonfall, knowing that he would soon be leaving. She didn’t want to admit how much his visits had become part of her days, or how strangely quiet the estate felt whenever he was gone.

But there was something else she didn’t want to admit.

The man she had once believed she had lost forever was no longer simply returning to the lives of their pups.

He was quietly finding his way back to her.

And this time, she was afraid her heart might not let him leave again.

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