Alpha's Secret Bride

His footsteps stopped.

She never looked back. With her head held high, she walked straight into the mansion. The maids exchanged uneasy glances, then hurried after her without saying a word.

Inside, she looked at her personal maids.

"Pack my things," she said.

The chamber fell silent.

One maid swallowed hard. "My Queen..."

"You heard me."

No one dared argue. They quietly pulled suitcases from the wardrobe and began folding her clothes.

Outside, Brandon was halfway to his duty chamber when Thalia hurried over.

"Alpha... Queen Luna is packing her belongings."

Brandon stopped.

"She said she’s leaving with the dismissed servants."

He closed his eyes for a brief moment and let out a slow breath.

A second later, he pulled out his device.

"Cancel the dismissal," he said to Diego as soon as the call connected. "Tell everyone to return to their quarters. They’re keeping their jobs."

He slipped the device back into his pocket and rubbed a hand across his forehead.

"That stubborn woman..." he muttered as he turned and headed back toward the mansion.

The moment Emma heard the news, relief spread across her face.

Just then, the bedchamber door opened, and Brandon stepped inside.

Emma hurried across the chamber, slipped her arms around his waist, and looked up at him with an apologetic smile.

"I’m sorry," she said softly. "Please forgive me."

Brandon’s expression melted. He brushed a loose strand of hair behind her ear, then leaned down and kissed her lips.

When he pulled back, he wrinkled his nose.

"That fruit’s sharp, bitter taste is still stuck in your mouth," he said with a grin. "Go brush your teeth."

She laughed and pointed a finger at him.

"Fine. Then I’ll make sure it’s served as your dinner tonight."

Brandon’s eyes flew open.

"No way." He shook his head. "I’m not letting that thing anywhere near my mouth again."

She laughed so hard she had to hold on to him. Brandon couldn’t help laughing with her, and before long, their laughter filled the chamber.

Every day, Brandon silently thanked the Moon Goddess for bringing Emma into his life. She carried their pup with quiet strength, never once complaining, even on the days when pregnancy left her sore and exhausted. Whenever she winced or stopped to catch her breath, his chest tightened, but she would always look at him, smile, and tell him she was fine.

Every time Brandon looked at Emma’s growing belly, the same thought crept into his mind.

Every time he rested his hand on Emma’s belly, he found himself thinking about the day their pup would finally arrive.

The thought of her enduring hours of labor made his chest tighten.

More than once, he had begged her to consider a cesarean section. She would only smile, squeeze his hand, and gently remind him that she wanted to give birth naturally if everything went well.

He never argued for long.

He had heard too many stories about the pain of labor, and every one of them stayed with him. The thought of Emma going through hours of agony was enough to tie his stomach in knots.

What frightened him even more was the delivery itself. He had heard stories about mates who fainted in the delivery chamber, and lately he couldn’t help wondering if he would be one of them. He kept those fears to himself, never wanting Emma to worry about him when she already had enough on her mind.

Then July finally arrived.

Instead of feeling relieved, Brandon found himself growing more anxious with each passing day. He couldn’t imagine a world without Emma. If anything happened to her, he didn’t know how he would keep living.

It was finally time to leave.

Their luggage had already been loaded into the sky lounge, where the flight crew waited for their arrival.

Brandon and Gregory sat on one of the sofas while Emma and Lunara went to see Daniel.

The visit had been planned for the previous day, but Emma hadn’t been feeling well enough to make the trip.

Brandon had opposed the visit from the beginning. He had forgiven Daniel, but forgiveness didn’t erase the past. The memory of the innocent pup they had lost still lingered, leaving a scar that would never fully heal. Daniel’s name might no longer be at the top of Brandon’s black book, but it would never disappear from it completely.

The only reason he agreed was because Emma wanted to go.

After a while, he rose from the sofa and walked to the window. He slipped his hands into his pockets and stared outside.

Gregory folded the newspaper he had been reading and set it on the table.

"Calm down," he said. "She’ll be fine."

Brandon let out a slow breath and managed a faint smile before returning to his seat. A few moments later, the two men drifted into conversation as they waited for Emma and Lunara to return.

"I once went with my moonally and his mate to the healing den when she was having their first pup," Gregory said. "He was terrified."

A faint smile crossed his face.

"I kept telling him everything would be fine, but the truth was, I was just as nervous. We waited outside, and after a while, we finally heard their pup cry."

Brandon glanced at him.

"So you just waited?"

Gregory nodded.

"There wasn’t anything else we could do. That’s the hardest part. You want to help, but you can’t. The best thing a mate can do is stay close and be there when she’s ready to see him."

Brandon lowered his eyes without saying another word.

A few hours later, Emma and Lunara came into the living chamber and they all headed for the elevator. Ashley and the King kept calling them, checking on them one last time before the trip.

Brandon noticed that neither Emily nor the High Luna had called. He slipped the device back into his pocket. They were probably busy with preparations.

At exactly eleven in the moonrise, their aircraft lifted into the sky.

Brandon looked over at Emma. She rested quietly in her seat with one hand over her belly. In less than twenty-four hours, everything would be over. The thought brought him relief, but it didn’t quiet the knot in his chest. He trusted the healing den. It was one of the best in the world. Even so, he couldn’t stop worrying.

Their flight landed the following moonrise.

As soon as the resting den received word that they had arrived at the skyport, chauffeurs were sent to pick them up. Elara and Bernard, who had arrived earlier, were already waiting at the resting den.

After checking into their royal suite, they decided to rest for a while before heading to the healing den for Emma’s delivery.

The moment she stepped inside the suite, she let herself fall onto the bed with a long sigh. She stayed there for a few minutes before slowly pushing herself up and walking over to the sound system. Soft music soon filled the chamber.

Brandon smiled as he walked over to her.

"Moonheart," he said gently, helping her out of her jacket. "You should take a bath first."

"Come here, Starlit," she murmured, reaching for his hand.

Brandon joined her on the bed and searched her face. Something was on her mind.

"Moonheart," he said quietly, "what is it?"

She let out a long breath. "I’m tired. I can’t wait to meet our pup... and have my body back."

Brandon chuckled and slipped an arm around her. "Have your body back, huh?"

She nodded with a tired smile.

"I’ll miss seeing you carry our little one," he said, brushing a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "But I definitely won’t miss watching you struggle. You’ve carried our pup with so much strength."

He kissed her forehead.

"Just a little longer, Moonheart. Soon you’ll be holding our little miracle, and I’ll be right there beside you. Then you can finally rest, and I’ll spend every day spoiling you."

A playful grin tugged at his lips. "Once you’ve fully recovered... maybe you’ll be asking me when we’re having another."

Emma pulled back and stared at him.

"Another?" she said, her brows shooting up.

She gave his chest a light smack, laughing.

"Starlit, let me survive this one first."

Brandon laughed with her and wrapped both arms around her.

She settled against his shoulder, letting out a quiet sigh as they sat together in comfortable silence.

"But..." she murmured, a gentle smile spreading across her face as her hand rested over her swollen belly. "The thought of finally holding our pup makes every sleepless moonfall and every ache a little easier to bear. I can’t wait to see our little miracle."

She looked up at him, warmth shining in her eyes.

"And as for making it up to me..." she added with a teasing smile, "I’ll be collecting on that promise every single day."

Before Brandon could answer, both of their devices started ringing again.

He let out a quiet sigh, slipped out of bed, and switched them off. When the chamber finally fell silent, he returned to her side.

The air conditioner kept the chamber cool. He pulled the duvet over them, and the soft melody drifting through the chamber wrapped around the silence.

She inched closer until she fit comfortably against him. Her rounded belly rested against his stomach, and he smiled to himself as he slipped an arm around her.

Neither of them spoke again. They lay there listening to the gentle music, holding each other as the last of the day’s worries faded away.

Brandon rested his cheek against her hair. By this time tomorrow, everything would be different. Emma would be a mother. He would be a father.

The thought filled his chest with quiet excitement, and he held her a little tighter as they drifted off to sleep.

Tomorrow, they will finally meet their little miracle.