A few minutes after Emma ordered her adoptive parents escorted out of the Alpha estate, the air in her chamber felt lighter. She had refused to grant them audience. With quiet authority, she had instructed her assigned pack guards to send them beyond the estate gates. She did not wish to see them—not today, not after everything that had shifted within her.
The heavy oak bedroom door creaked open once more. Emma slowly turned her head toward the entrance. Healer Ben stood at the doorway, offering a professional yet warm smile. She attempted to return the gesture, but her lips refused to cooperate. Her body was still tender from the intensity of her intimacy with Alpha Brandon, and her emotions were even more fragile.
"May I come in?" Healer Ben asked gently, stepping just inside the threshold.
Emma nodded faintly. "Yes."
Healer Ben entered fully, his medical case in hand. A he-wolf assistant followed respectfully behind him. Mrs. Thompson quietly shut the bedroom door and leaned against it, observing in silence.
"How are you feeling, Luna Emma?" Healer Ben asked, kneeling slightly to examine her knees, which bore faint marks from the earlier passion and kneeling posture.
"I'm fine," she responded calmly, though her eyes flicked toward Mrs. Thompson with unspoken questions. She wondered why she had not been informed that the packdoc wished to see her. Mrs. Thompson gave a small shrug before slipping out of the chamber, perhaps misunderstanding the intensity of Emma's stare.
"Alpha Brandon contacted me earlier," Healer Ben continued carefully. "He mentioned he lost control of his instincts and was concerned he might have been too rough. Would you allow me to examine you properly?"
Emma's posture stiffened slightly. "No… he didn't hurt me. I'm fine."
She bore minor bruises—remnants of overwhelming passion—but she refused to let it appear as though she had been forced. The truth was far more complicated. She had desired him just as fiercely. The warmth of their bond still lingered on her skin like sacred fire. In a strange way, the tenderness reminded her of belonging.
Healer Ben studied her expression, then nodded. "Very well. Do you require an emergency contraceptive?"
Emma lifted her chin with quiet pride. "No. I am his mate… his Luna. There is nothing to prevent."
"Understood," Healer Ben replied. "As the Alpha's appointed packdoc, I remain exclusively at your service. If you feel discomfort or anything unusual, contact me immediately."
"Thank you for coming," Emma said softly.
"You are most welcome."
Healer Ben and the assistant exited the chamber, their footsteps fading down the corridor.
Emma reached for the intercom resting on her bedside table and summoned her attendants. Her appetite had vanished earlier after confronting Brandon's visiting she-wolves, but after the depth of connection she shared with him, hunger returned—not only for food, but for comfort. She also longed to sink into warm water and let her body relax.
Naomi and Paige entered shortly thereafter, carrying a breakfast tray adorned with fruits, herbal tea, and fresh bread. They moved efficiently, filling the large marble bathtub with steaming water, dropping in scented bath crystals and essential oils infused with calming herbs used by the pack's healers.
When the bath was ready, they called her gently.
Emma rose from the bed and sensed something within her had shifted. Brandon had awakened something powerful inside her. For the first time, she felt fully claimed—not as a guest in the estate, but as the rightful Luna. Her steps carried newfound grace. She walked with subtle confidence, her posture straight, her movements fluid and assured.
The warm water enveloped her like a royal blessing. She allowed herself to unwind as tension melted from her muscles. The ache in her knees softened. The steam carried the scent of lavender and cedarwood, soothing both her body and her restless wolf spirit.
When she emerged, she felt cleansed—renewed.
A vibration from her phone drew her attention. She retrieved it from the bed and saw a message from Brandon.
"Emma… I'm sorry. Please forgive me."
She tossed the phone aside with deliberate indifference, though anger was not what she truly felt. She was unsettled by how abruptly he had left the chamber earlier. It had been unlike him. Still, she sat gracefully at her vanity table and enjoyed her breakfast, deciding that regardless of whispers about another Luna, her feelings for Brandon were real—and powerful.
She walked into the dressing chamber. Naomi and Paige had already replaced the bedding Brandon had disturbed beside the sofa bed with fresh linens. The two attendants were whispering among themselves but immediately fell silent upon Emma's arrival.
She fixed them with a sharp glance and turned toward the clothing rack. She knew exactly what they had likely concluded. The scent of newly sealed mating still lingered faintly in the chamber. She did not appreciate the possibility of gossip spreading across the estate corridors.
"Listen carefully," Emma said firmly. "I consider you allies. If I hear rumors about what happens between my alpha and me inside our private chambers, I will ask Bernard to reassign you immediately."
"We are sorry, Luna Emma," they replied in unison, bowing their heads respectfully.
She gave a small nod and focused on selecting her attire.
"Luna Emma, your phone is ringing," Paige announced softly.
"Bring it to me."
Naomi hurried to retrieve the device and handed it to her inside the dressing chamber. Emma glanced at the caller ID—Faith, their former neighbor. She hesitated. She had not informed any neighbors of her marriage into the Northern Region pack. They would surely feel betrayed.
The call ended. It rang again immediately.
Emma inhaled and answered. "Hello, Faith."
"Emma! Where have you been?" Faith's voice sounded urgent.
"I… I…" Emma faltered.
"We are at the healer's den. Your mother fell down the stairs."
Emma's heart slammed violently against her ribs. "What? When?"
"Just now. No one was home, so I called the healing den immediately."
"Which healing den?"
"Lynx healing pack."
"I'm coming right away."
She disconnected the call and pressed the intercom.
Bernard responded promptly. "Yes, Luna?"
"I'm leaving the pack. Inform the driver immediately," Emma said, her tone carrying subtle authority she had not possessed before.
"Will you take your guards?" Bernard asked cautiously.
"For what reason? I don't need them."
"Luna, the Alpha—"
"Call the driver," she interrupted and ended the communication.
She seated herself before the mirror. Without instruction, Naomi began styling her hair elegantly, securing it with polished silver pins. Paige selected appropriate jewelry from the velvet-lined box—nothing too extravagant, but dignified enough to reflect her new status.
Once ready, Emma exited the chamber swiftly. The den's driver was already waiting outside. She considered informing Brandon of her departure but decided against it. Let him wonder for once.
A newly assigned guard stood beside the passenger door. She halted, studying him.
"Luna, please allow me—"
"Fine," she gestured impatiently.
He opened the rear door respectfully. Emma entered the vehicle, and it pulled away from the den's gates smoothly.
As the den receded behind her, her heart pounded—not from fear of the healing pack, but from the looming confrontation awaiting her. Her father and sister would undoubtedly create drama, as they always did.
Yet this time, she was not the same Emma who had arrived timid and uncertain.
She was Alpha Brandon's claimed Luna.
And she now had a pack guard at her side.
For the first time, she did not dread confrontation.
Instead, she welcomed it.
The convoy arrived at the pack healer's sanctuary in the early afternoon, the towering stone structure standing like a fortress within the city territory. Maxwell guided the black vehicle smoothly into the wide parking ground reserved for high-ranking pack members.
Emma stepped out hurriedly, the soft breeze carrying the faint scent of herbs and antiseptic that always surrounded a healer's domain. Her fingers tightened around her phone as she dialed Faith's number while moving toward the front desk. Behind her, the silent shadow assigned to guard her—the pack warrior Brandon had stationed by her side—walked with measured steps.
"Emma!" a voice called from behind.
She turned quickly and saw Faith hurrying toward her, weaving through the busy hallway of wolves and healers.
"Where is she?" Emma asked immediately, fear flickering in her eyes like a frightened wolf pup.
"Come with me," Faith replied softly.
Emma walked beside Faith as they moved through the wide corridor toward the emergency healing wing, where wounded pack members and worriors were treated. Her heartbeat echoed loudly in her ears as they approached the ward where her mother had been taken.
"Emma… we heard everything that happened," Faith said carefully as they walked.
Emma frowned slightly.
"What did you hear?"
Faith hesitated before speaking again.
"How your family traded your future… forcing you into a mating bond with an old he-wolf but luckily, it was actually a young powerful Alpha." Her eyes softened with pity.
"Who told you that?" Emma asked, her voice tightening.
"The news spread through the neighborhood territory. Everyone is talking about it. People are angry that your family pushed you into something like that." Faith shook her head slowly. "Emma, why would you accept something like that even though he's young?"
Emma sighed heavily, the memory stirring old pain in her chest.
"Listen, I'm twenty-three. I'm old enough to live on my own, but I didn't have the means to survive. I accepted their decision because I had nowhere else to go."
Faith stopped walking briefly, staring at her.
"You still haven't told me why you accepted it. My home is just down the road from yours. You could have come to me."
Emma shook her head slowly.
"My father would never have allowed me to remain nearby. And besides… the Alpha I bonded with isn't a complete stranger."
Faith's brows lifted with curiosity.
"How old is he?"
"Twenty-five."
"Do you like him?"
Emma hesitated, remembering Brandon's intense gaze and the warmth of his presence.
"Yes… he is… a good alpha."
Faith smiled slightly in relief.
"I'm glad to hear that."
"Does he treat you well?" Faith asked gently.
Emma swallowed before answering.
"I… think he does."
Faith nodded slowly.
"If you don't want to live near your family anymore, I can move somewhere else and help you find a place too," she said kindly.
Emma shook her head again.
"Don't worry, Faith. I'm fine. What happened to my mother?"
Faith looked at her carefully.
"Are you sure you're okay?"
Emma nodded quickly, though tears threatened to rise. Faith's concern reminded her painfully of everything she had endured under her family's roof.
But things had changed now.
She was no longer the servant of that household.
She was the Luna of a powerful Alpha.
"I heard a noise inside the house," Faith explained quietly. "When I ran in, I found Luna Theresa lying unconscious on the floor near the staircase. I called the emergency healers immediately."
"Is she still unconscious?" Emma asked anxiously.
"No. She regained consciousness about an hour ago."
Faith then glanced back toward the warrior walking behind Emma.
"He looks around forty," she whispered.
Emma frowned.
"Who?"
"Your alpha."
Emma shook her head.
"He's not my husband. He's my personal guard."
Faith's eyes widened.
"You move around with guards now?"
Emma ignored the remark and continued walking. When she reached the entrance of the ward, she slowed down, uncertainty creeping into her heart.
She did not know whether the Luna inside would even want to see her.
A healer stationed at the entrance handed her a form.
"Please write your name and sign here before entering the ward."
Emma accepted the paper and followed the instructions silently.
"Faith… could you please tell her I'm here?" Emma asked softly while still holding the healer's pen.
Faith looked conflicted.
"Emma…"
"We had a misunderstanding the last time I visited and because of that,I refused to see them yesterday," Emma added quietly.
Suddenly, a familiar harsh voice thundered down the hallway.
"What is she doing here?"
Emma looked up and saw her father storming out of the ward, glaring angrily at the healer who had handed her the form.
"Good day, father," Emma said calmly, knowing full well he would not respond.
Another voice soon followed.
"Is her husband still sick? Because I know she isn't here to see my mother."
Lunara approached slowly, her steps dripping with arrogance.
"Lunara, she is my mother too," Emma replied boldly as she stood to face her.
Lunara smirked cruelly.
"Did you see that, father?"
"See what?"
"Her audacity," Lunara said with a wicked grin. "She has grown some courage."
Emma exhaled slowly and attempted to walk toward the ward.
"Hey! Stop right there!" her father shouted. "Do not step into that ward. We already proved with blood tests that she is not your biological mother. Move on, Emma! Leave this family alone!"
Emma turned sharply.
"You tested everything except one thing," she said firmly. "You never explained why her name is written on my original birth record instead of my real mother's name. That record was never changed."
Lunara's eyes narrowed dangerously as she approached her.
"You want to know why?"
Emma met her gaze without fear.
"Yes."
"Would you leave this family forever if I told you the truth?" Lunara asked coldly.
Emma nodded.
"Yes."
Lunara's lips curled slowly.
"Fine. Your mother is an—"
"Lunara!" their father barked sharply.
"But she deserves to know the truth!" Lunara snapped. "Maybe then she will finally disappear from our lives. I hate seeing her face around us."
Their father sighed impatiently.
"And you need to see your mother. That's why you came here, isn't it?" he muttered before turning back toward the ward.
Lunara and several omegas who followed her began moving after him.
Emma felt anger rising within her chest.
This time, she refused to step aside.
She walked quickly and blocked Lunara's path.
"An what?" Emma demanded.
"Move… out… of… my… way," Lunara hissed.
"My mother is an what?" Emma shouted, drawing attention from everyone nearby.
Lunara raised her hand to slap her.
But Emma swiftly pushed the hand aside.
Enraged, Lunara lifted her hand again.
Before it could strike, a strong grip caught her wrist in midair and lowered it calmly.
"Step back, wolf," the warrior guard said coldly.
"How dare you touch me!" Lunara screamed.
Lunara's father immediately grabbed the guard's collar.
"If you touch my daughter again, I will kill you right here!" he roared.
Lunara quickly pulled out her phone and began making furious calls, shouting threats into it.
Meanwhile, the massive female guards who always followed Lunara stepped forward, glaring at Emma.
"We will deal with you and this pathetic mutt you call a mate," the Omegas growled. "You clearly know who Lunara is. We will show you no mercy."
Emma lifted her hand instinctively.
"Leave my sight this instant!"
Her adoptive father suddenly grabbed her wrist tightly.
"You're hurting me!" Emma cried.
He shoved her backward harshly before releasing her.
Lunara turned toward the healer at the desk.
"She is not family. Do not allow her into this ward."
"Yes, Luna," the young healer replied, casting Emma a cold glance.
Faith hurried to Emma's side, examining her wrist.
"Emma… I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have called you."
"It's okay," Emma whispered, tears filling her eyes. "I guess I'll just have to…"
"Move on," Faith finished softly.
Emma shook her head slowly.
"Living with them was hell… but they were still my family. She's the only mother I've ever known."
Her voice trembled.
"I thought leaving that house would change things. But nothing changed. They still hate me… for something my real mother did."
Edith sighed quietly.
"People also said your Alpha cleared your mother's debts and returned every coin your family spent on you."
Emma looked surprised.
"Who told you that?"
"Forget who told me. Is it true?"
Emma hesitated.
"My Alpha and I haven't spoken about that yet. He rarely explains things… but I'll ask him."
She began walking toward the exit of the healer's sanctuary.
As she passed a large glass door, her reflection caught her eye.
She stopped.
Stepped back.
And stared at the Luna looking back at her.
"Emma," Faith said gently. "Please go home. Forget about the Greens."
Emma turned and continued toward the parking area.
But one question kept echoing in her mind.
"An what?"
A criminal?
No.
A traitor?
No.
A rogue?
No...
She could not find the word that completed Lunara's sentence.
And the mystery gnawed at her like a restless wolf.
Who was her real mother and father?
And why were they so desperate to hide her identity?
As the car drove back toward the Northern Pack territory, Emma leaned back in her seat.
One thing filled her mind now.
She needed to see Alpha Brandon.
Because whatever truth her family was hiding…
She had a feeling her Alpha already knew it.