Alpha's Secret Bride-Chapter 81: Moonbound Crisis of the Luna’s Claim

Princess Elara strode swiftly toward Emma with a warm, radiant smile the moment she stepped into the grand pack house lobby, wrapping her in a tight embrace. Emma could feel the depth of her affection, the unmistakable bond between she-wolves.

"I saw your mate leaving at moonrise and he didn’t tell me you had returned. When Bernard told me, I doubted him!" she said loudly, and they both giggled.

"I came back this moonrise."

"Moonrise, Princess Elara," Brooklyn greeted. The Princess moved to her side and hugged her excitedly. Emma lifted her gaze and noticed Bernard and several he-wolves in industrial uniforms already working on her bedchamber door.

"Is Lunara there?" she asked Princess Elara.

"She has been in the chef’s cookhouse since moonrise with about thirty of her newly employed workers. I heard she is hosting a gathering for her moonallies."

"In my executive cookhouse?"

"Yes."

"Alright," she shook her head and began ascending the stairs. The he-wolves working on the door were clearly skilled; within ten minutes, they dismantled the old door, installed the new one, and fixed the palm scanner onto the wall.

"Any hard knock on the door sends a signal to our server," one of the he-wolves, who appeared to be the supervisor, said while holding the control device.

"What happens when the signal reaches your server?" Emma asked.

"We deploy our security warriors to the displayed location immediately," he grinned. "Place your hand on the scanner," he instructed, glancing at Bernard. Bernard shook his head and pointed at Emma. Her hand was already resting on the palm scanner before he turned. The supervisor quickly set her as the default and showed her how to add more wolves. She immediately added Brooklyn and Princess Elara.

"Bernard, I want to change the cookhouse door too."

"No, Alpha’s mate. The door has a fingerprint sensor, but I deactivated it."

"Why?"

"I..."

"Please activate it. I don’t ever want to see Lunara in that cookhouse again," she said as she walked into her favorite bedchamber—the one with the best view. The same chamber that reminded her of the day she and her mate first sealed their bond. The day she became a complete she-wolf. The day her mate fulfilled his final promise. A satisfied grin spread across her face. She loathed the lingering scent of Lunara’s perfume in her chamber, but she trusted her maids—they would erase it swiftly.

The Princess walked toward the vision hearth to activate it, while Brooklyn and Emma headed into the closet.

"Emma, did you travel?"

"Yes."

"To where?"

"I... left Brandon because of what happened at the royal den, but he came after me."

"What! Why? What happened?"

"It’s a long story, Brooklyn," she said, dropping the door control device into a secure drawer. "I’ll explain everything later. Help me—let’s remove Lunara’s things."

"Lunara? I thought she lives in the royal den at the heart of the kingdom."

"She took over the mansion when I left. She’s hosting a gathering for her moonallies."

"Why? Because they’re getting mated soon?"

"She’s not getting mated, Brooklyn. She needs a mate first before speaking of a bond. My mate is not available! I won’t allow her near him!"

"They’re not getting mated?"

"No."

"Oh my Moon Goddess!" Brooklyn exclaimed, covering her lips with her palm.

"You mean the Moon Prince never proposed to her?"

"Yes."

"Why is she deceiving her admirers? The entire packland believes they’ll bond in December!"

"She and her parents have been working tirelessly to make that happen. But she cannot mate a he-wolf who already has a mate," Emma grinned, finding the situation oddly amusing now. "They claimed the mini pack mansion Brandon gifted me and forced me out. I haven’t addressed that yet." Brooklyn’s handbag slipped from her hand and hit the floor. She folded her arms across her chest...

"Did I hear you correctly?"

"Yes, you did!"

She shut her eyes briefly and turned her back on Emma.

"You mean the mansion isn’t hers!"

"It was my fourteenth birth moon cycle gift."

"I cried that day, if you remember. I was furious with Oliver for forgetting the pure love you both shared. But after reading the note he sent you, I believed he had greater plans for you.

But what were they thinking!!! Do they believe you don’t deserve good things? What is your offense? They clearly want you to be nothing but a martyr maid, draining yourself endlessly!! When you were with them, you never rested unless the pack house was spotless, the lawn trimmed, the gutters cleared, and the laundry complete! Emma, we must confront your blood mother! We must uncover the root of this hatred! Do...not... let them interfere in your marriage, Emma. Do not!! Well, I trust Oliver... I mean Brandon."

"It’s alright, Brooklyn," Emma said as she began pulling Lunara’s clothes from the hangers. Brooklyn joined her. Emma could sense her fury in the way she handled the garments, as though they were Lunara herself. Brooklyn was rarely angered, but when she was, calming her proved nearly impossible.

"Calm down, Brooklyn," Emma added out of courtesy, though she knew it would have little effect.

"No, I won’t! I’m also upset with you! How could you even think of leaving Oliver Brandon for her!" Brooklyn sighed and continued removing the clothes.

"I’m no longer the naive Emma you once knew. I’ve changed."

"Emma, somewolf wants to speak with you," Princess Elara called out from the vision hearth, where she had been watching a program. Emma stepped out and noticed the red intercom blinking. She picked up the remote and accepted the call.

"Alpha’s mate, the company contacted me. Are you having trouble exiting the bedchamber?"

"No."

"Alright, they received a notification. Perhaps someone struck the door."

"Maybe," she shrugged, tossing the remote onto the table. She already knew what had happened.

"Have you activated the fingerprint sensor you disabled?"

"No, Alpha’s mate."

"Why, Bernard?" she asked calmly.

"They are not done yet."

"I don’t care. Do it now."

"Alright."

She moved toward the window and parted the curtain to admire her favorite view once more. Below, Lunara’s moonallies danced wildly to soft music in the garden. A tripod-mounted camera stood at a distance, capturing everything. Emma scoffed softly—of course, Lunara had invited a vision hearth crew. They were likely broadcasting live across social platforms or preparing footage for her moon end showcase.

She sighed, drew the curtain closed, and returned to the closet where Brooklyn was already sealing a bag. It was clear she hadn’t bothered arranging the expensive garments properly. She lifted the bag and walked past Emma.

"Brooklyn, wait! We’re not finished. These shoes and accessories are hers. And you’re not taking that bag to her."

"Will you take it to her?" Brooklyn asked, releasing the bag and crossing her arms.

"This is my den. I am the Luna here—I do not run errands."

"Good. I want to see this new Emma you spoke of."

She moved to the shoe cabinet and began removing items. Once finished, she grabbed two grocery bags Lunara had left on the floor, packed them, and headed for the door.

"The door!" she called out as she exited the closet. Emma scanned the space to ensure nothing of Lunara remained before following to assist. But Brooklyn had already stepped out before she reached the chamber. The motion sensor had clearly done its job.

Without asking where Lunara could be found, Emma returned and joined Princess Elara on the bed, and the two began to talk.

"Tell that b!tch that the Moon Prince is mated! The Prince has a mate!! If she is so desperate to get mated, then she should go out there and look for her own mate!"

Emma got down from the bed when she heard Brooklyn’s voice echoing through the garden. She parted the curtain again and looked outside. She saw Brooklyn pulling the clothes out of the bag and flinging them carelessly onto one of the tables. She tossed the shoes aside as well and stormed angrily out of the garden. The she-wolves hurriedly turned off the music and stared at her, confusion written all over their faces. They had even forgotten they were live on social media.

None of them seemed to understand what was going on. However, they all looked up at Emma when they heard her voice.

"Brooklyn!" she called. Brooklyn stopped and looked up.

"You shouldn’t have taken the clothes and shoes out. The bags belong to her!"

"Oh... you didn’t tell me." She turned, threw the bags back at them, and continued walking away. Emma rolled her eyes and closed the curtain. Murmurs broke out immediately after. She could hear them throwing around all sorts of filthy names, though she couldn’t tell who they were directed at.

She liked Princess Elara. She didn’t give attention to those who were unworthy of it. She had clearly seen what was happening, yet she chose not to care.

"You have a visitor," Brooklyn, who had just walked into the bedchamber, announced before heading straight to the bathchamber.

"Who is she?"

"One of your maids. The one who took your bag inside the last time I visited."

"Oh, my Moon Goddess!"

"What is it?" Princess Elara asked.

"The disadvantage of this high-security door! Now I have to open it every single time somewolf wants to see me. I’ll just add her access right away." She stood up and walked toward her closet, returning with the door control device. Princess Elara burst into laughter.

"This is no longer a private door; it’s a public one now. You’ve already added three palms."

"No, two. She’s number three—and the last."

"Your mate?"

"He’ll be number four... and the last."

"Mrs. Thompson?"

"Arg!" she snapped. Princess Elara rolled on the bed, laughing even harder. The door slid open slowly as Emma approached, but she froze when she saw three furious faces waiting behind it.

"W-what the hell are you doing here?" Lunara howled, trembling like a raging storm.

Emma had noticed many changes in her life since returning from Finland. She was alpha’s true mate now, and exchanging words with Lunara felt beneath her—as though she were lowering herself for a she-wolf desperate to steal her position. Speaking to her would be disrespecting her mate. She would rather play hide-and-seek with a pup than entertain somewolf who should be bowing before her, worshipping the ground she walked on. Lunara was not worth her precious time.

"What’s your name?" she asked, pointing at one of the guards who had followed her to Mr. Richard’s quarters.

"Max, Alpha’s mate."

"One, two." She pointed at the two she-wolves standing beside Lunara.

"Throw them out. I mean out of this estate. No visitor is permitted beyond the gate without my consent."

"Alright, Alpha’s mate."

"Emma, I want you out of this estate now!!"

The door slammed violently as she turned and walked back inside. She didn’t even know what she pressed that caused it to shut so forcefully. Lunara’s voice rang out, threatening to report her to the Alpha King. But to Emma, it sounded like nothing more than the ranting of a miserable she-wolf. She was no longer afraid—and she looked forward to that report.