Emma's voice came out muffled and strained as she stubbornly refused to look at him, her eyes fixed somewhere far away as if his presence itself wounded her. "I don't want to see you."
Brandon's brows drew together slightly as he looked at her, confusion flickering across his face while his rare golden eyes searched her expression. "Why? What did I do this time?"
She said nothing at first. Instead, she continued sniffing quietly, wiping the tears that slipped down her cheeks with the back of her palm, refusing to acknowledge him.
"Emma!"
"Go away!"
"Talk to me."
At last she swiveled around to face him, her movements sharp with restrained emotion, her gaze blazing despite the tears still clinging to her lashes. "Your she-wolves told me you have a Luna; do you?"
Brandon did not hesitate.
"Yes!"
The answer struck her chest like a blow.
"Why did you take me as your mate then?"
His voice remained calm, almost frustratingly so. "The truth is before you. Did you choose to ignore it or are you lying to yourself?"
Emma stared at him, anger tightening painfully in her stomach. "Who the hell are you?"
Brandon remained silent, simply watching her. His gaze held steady, unflinching, like a predator assessing its prey yet tempered with something unreadable beneath the surface. His rare golden eyes bore into hers, unyielding, and his voice, calm but edged with quiet power, cut through the storm in her chest.
"You think you know me, Emma… but you've only ever seen the shadow of who I am. The rest… you'll discover soon enough."
Her voice trembled as the words spilled out. "You are black-hearted, do you know? You have gotten your revenge; haven't you?"
Tears slid down her cheeks freely now, her heart twisting painfully. Somewhere deep inside her mind the same thought echoed again and again: he had finally made her fall for him. He had succeeded in binding her soul in the wrong place, and now the truth stood before her like a cruel revelation. She kept repeating the thought silently as Brandon stood there, still watching her.
After a long moment he finally spoke, his tone deceptively calm.
"Please, stop all this revenge talk. You did nothing to me and I didn't do anything to you. Brandon's lips curved into the faintest shadow of a smile, almost imperceptible, but the intensity in his rare golden eyes didn't waver. His voice was calm, deliberate, carrying the weight of both truth and challenge.
"Black-hearted? Perhaps. But Emma… revenge is only part of the story. What you feel, what you see… it is not the whole of me, nor the whole of us."
Emma's voice sharpened immediately.
"Then why did you take me as your mate?"
Brandon exhaled slowly. "I'll tell you later in a clearer language."
"I want to hear it now!"
"It's a long story."
Emma crossed her arms stubbornly. "Summarize it."
Brandon shook his head. "I can't."
Emma bit her lower lip and lowered her gaze as her breathing grew louder, the emotions inside her swirling violently. Unable to endure standing so close to him, she turned away and faced the rain-covered window once more.
Behind her she heard Brandon move closer. His hands settled around her hips again, firm but controlled, and he squeezed gently.
Emma sighed in frustration and pushed him away.
"Can you boldly stand there and tell me that you are not hiding any she-wolf in that secret chamber of yours?"
Brandon lifted a brow and folded his arms across his chest.
"What is wrong with you, Emma?"
Her voice hardened. "Take me to your chamber and tell me everything I need to know."
Brandon said nothing. He only continued staring at her. A long silence stretched between them inside the walk-in chamber.
Finally he spoke.
"Well, I'm not telling you anything. You are going to figure everything out by yourself. You won't believe me anyway. If you want answers, look deep enough!"
Emma shook her head stubbornly while staring through the rain-streaked window. "I'm not looking anywhere, your she-wolves have told me the truth."
Brandon's voice came again, quieter this time.
"Emma."
She spoke slowly, bitterness creeping into her tone.
"I had a packmate who went by his middle name only and promised he would tell me his first and last name when the time came. Now I'm living with an alpha who goes by his first name only."
She turned to face him again.
"When are you planning to tell me your middle and last name?"
Brandon replied without hesitation. "You never asked because you don't care about me."
Her patience snapped. "When?"
His voice cooled slightly. "Do not shout at me Emma."
Emma's eyes narrowed. "What is your middle name Brandon?"
Brandon gestured casually. "It was in the paper you signed. It is on my credit card."
Emma immediately walked toward the table where her clutch bag rested. She pulled out the credit card he had given her earlier and studied it carefully. A faint smirk tugged at her lips before she slid it back into the bag.
As she walked past him she said dryly, "Nice try."
Brandon watched her closely before asking quietly, "Do I look like him?"
Emma answered without hesitation. "No."
His gaze sharpened slightly. "Then why should I pretend to be someone I didn't look like?"
Emma fell silent. She had no answer. After a moment she spoke again, her voice smaller now. "Your she-wolves have told me the truth." She stared at the rain pouring heavily against the windowpane.
Brandon stepped closer, slipping his arms around her waist as his lips brushed lightly against her ear.
"Now you know the truth, you're free to request a bond severance."
The words exploded in her mind. Bond severance… when her soul already felt tied to his? Emma struggled against his hold, but Brandon tightened his arms around her. Suddenly she spun around and struck him. The sharp slap echoed through the room. He released her instantly.
Regret struck her immediately. Fear followed just as quickly. She was alone with him. Slowly Brandon lifted his face. Those rare golden eyes she admired so much darkened and hardened, narrowing into dangerous slits. Emma remembered what Naomi, the omega who cleaned her chamber, had once whispered to her: "You got him angry and you are still standing there."
Her heart began pounding wildly. Emma slowly stepped backward, never taking her eyes off him. Her pulse thundered in her ears. When Brandon began walking toward her, her breath caught in her throat. She turned to flee. But he was faster. His hand closed around her arm and he pulled her back sharply into the circle of his arms. Heat radiated from his body, surrounding her instantly. Her heart beat wildly out of rhythm.
"B-Brandon… please… I'm sorry."
His voice was cold.
"Apology rejected! Who do you think you are? This is the fifth time you have raised your hand on me!"
Emma whispered weakly, "Third time."
Brandon leaned close to her ear.
"Fifth, Emma! I need to show you a glimpse of Brandon! I need to prove to you that I'm an alpha and you are my Luna!" His breath brushed against her skin. "Probably you think you're the alpha here and I'm the Luna, right?" As he spoke, his fingers moved toward his belt. Emma reacted instantly when she felt the belt brush lightly against her back.
Brandon pushed her back until her shoulders touched the wall, trapping her there as his lips captured hers while his left hand hurriedly worked at the buttons of her blouse. The warmth of his touch spread through her body in a way she could not easily resist.
"You will never strike me after today," he murmured against her lips as his bare chest pressed against the soft curves he had just revealed. His voice deepened. "I am an alpha and it is my duty to claim you. You are mated to me." He kissed her again with fierce persuasion. To her own shock Emma found herself responding.
The lingering desire from the night before surged back to life, merging with the powerful pull she felt now until it became one overwhelming wave that blurred her thoughts. She tried to resist the fierce longing overtaking her body, but when his mouth brushed the sensitive peak of her chest while his hand held the other soft curve, the last of her strength slipped away. Heat surged through her veins like fire. Her knees weakened. Slowly she sank downward as he continued exploring her with reckless intensity, and Brandon followed her descent until she reached the floor.
Without hesitation he lifted her again and carried her toward the dressing sofa bed. Emma looked into his eyes as he pulled the remaining layers of clothing away. The anger that had once burned in those rare golden eyes had vanished completely, replaced by something far more consuming. Brandon removed his shirt and trousers before lowering himself over her in the traditional mating position like a hungry creature.