Emma hurried back toward her chamber within pack stronghold, her footsteps quick against the polished stone floors because she did not want to see Brandon. A strange heaviness had settled in her chest — the kind that whispered she was unworthy of being Luna to an alpha like him. The thought lingered like a shadow trailing her scent.
After a long evening bath infused with crushed moon petals and silverleaf oils — the kind reserved for pack royalty — she dismissed Paige and Naomi. Emma needed silence. Needed distance. Needed something that belonged only to her. She climbed onto the wide fur-layered bed and spread her manuscripts — stories of wolves, fate, betrayal, and second bonds — across the sheets. Nothing looked wrong. Yet everything felt… unseen. She pushed the papers aside and opened a fresh notebook, ready to begin another journey beneath the moon.
The crystal intercom rune embedded in the wall blinked softly — a gift Naomi had taught her to use. Emma lifted the small rune remote and accepted the call, her fingers trembling slightly.
"Emma, come to the feeding chamber," Brandon's voice carried through the rune — low, warm, dangerously soothing. Her heart stuttered. The remote slipped from her hand onto the bed. She hated how his voice softened her defenses.
"Are you coming?" he asked again.
"I'm not hungry," she whispered, forcing the words out after a short silence. The rune dimmed immediately, the connection severed with a final flicker that felt suspiciously like disappointment… or anger.
Minutes later, Naomi and Paige returned, balancing trays filled with steaming dishes, spiced blood-wine, and moonfruit desserts. They arranged everything on the round table inside Emma's chamber with careful precision. Emma glanced once, then looked away. No comfort food could quiet the storm inside her.
"Alpha's mate…" Paige began gently.
"I'm not hungry, please take the food away."
"Alpha's mate…"
"Naomi, I'm not hungry. I had a lot of ugly experiences today and I lost my appetite as a result," Emma said, eyes fixed on her notebook though the words blurred.
The attendants exchanged glances, bowed, and stepped back — only to pause when the air shifted. A powerful presence entered the chamber. Emma knew that scent instantly. Cedar. Storm. Alpha.
She refused to look up.
Brandon approached the bed and sat beside her, one foot grounded, the other resting on the mattress — a casual posture that still carried authority. Emma stayed silent. He pulled her manuscripts closer, flipping through the pages slowly, his brows knitting in concentration.
"You mean none of these were accepted by pack publishers?" Brandon asked softly.
Emma nodded. The hand holding her pen trembled. His nearness scattered her thoughts like startled birds. His gaze drifted to the blank notebook before her.
"Are you writing a new story?"
"Yes."
"Wait, until I go through these first. I want to know why they were rejected. Probably, you are repeating a mistake."
"Are… you…a writer?" she asked without lifting her eyes.
"No, but I read a lot and I know what wolves like to hear. I'm going to look into your stories, make some corrections, and share ideas with you if there is a need for them."
Emma finally looked up. Tears blurred her vision. No one had ever taken her work seriously — not her family, not the pack clan, not the world that saw her only as fragile,an outcast. Yet here was the powerful Alpha turning pages like they mattered.
"Thank you," she murmured.
"I see you are passionate about this, but you need to change your perspective. Passion is the fuel behind a successful destiny. Do not rush to profit from your gift. Let your passion lead. If you love what you do, the reward will follow on your terms," Brandon said, taking her hands.
Emma lowered her gaze, embarrassed by how accurately he saw her. He lifted her chin, forcing her to meet his eyes.
"I'm sorry for leaving you behind; I work with time."
"I…I…"
"Don't worry, I know what happened; you will get over it with time."
Brandon reached into his pocket and withdrew a small velvet box carved with pack runes — not an ordinary device, but something far more intimate.
"I got this for you."
Emma opened the box. Inside lay a delicate moonstone bracelet threaded with silver — an Alpha's devotion gift, enchanted to pulse faint warmth whenever he thought of his Luna. Her face brightened instantly.
"Thank you," she smiled.
Brandon watched that smile like it was rare magic. He winked — subtle, almost boyish — before leaning closer. When his lips met hers, the world narrowed to warmth and quiet electricity. Emma's breath faltered. She did not resist. The gentle dominance of his touch wrapped around her like a promise.
"Would you eat with me?" he whispered against her ear, squeezing her hand.
She nodded shyly.
Brandon led her to the table, switching on a soft blue ambient glow rune that bathed the chamber in twilight calm. They ate quietly, the silence comfortable rather than strained. He poured blood-wine into her glass playfully, and Emma drank, laughter flickering in her eyes for the first time that day.
Then the mood shifted.
Brandon activated a brighter rune and fixed his gaze on her.
"Where did you go today?"
"I…went home to get my manuscripts."
"Who did that to you?"
"What?"
"Who slapped you?"
"My…mother…I was rude to her."
The resentment that flashed across Brandon's face was sharp enough to cut. Emma tried to hide her knees beneath the table, but he had already seen.
"And your knees?"
"My… sister's guards."
"What?"
Brandon stood abruptly. The table shifted, glass plates crashing to the floor in glittering shards. Alpha energy rolled through the chamber like thunder. Emma's heart raced. He turned and left, slamming the door with restrained fury.
Naomi and Paige rushed in with cleaning supplies. Paige gathered Emma's manuscripts quickly.
"Where are you taking them to?" Emma asked.
"The Alpha asked me to take them to his strategy chamber," Paige replied before hurrying out.
"Alpha's mate, did you fight?" Naomi asked carefully.
"No, I…can't…explain…" Emma whispered, stepping away from the table.
"He turns into a beast when he is angry," Naomi said.
"Do you think my going out today without informing him made him angry?"
"You made him angry and you are still standing there?" Naomi smirked.
"What do you mean?"
"If he were angry at you, you would know. Calm down, he is not angry with you."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes."
Emma returned slowly to her bed, shaken by the glimpse of Brandon's fury. Confusion tangled with warmth, fear tangled with comfort. Loving an Alpha meant learning the storm as much as the moonrise.
Naomi paused at the doorway, voice quieter.
"Whoever he is mad at is in big trouble; his anger doesn't fade without consequences."
Emma's breath hitched.
"What?"