Alpha's Secret Bride-Chapter 98: Emma Returns to Her Blood Mother

Brandon stood at the chamber door, his presence steady and commanding, and to Emma’s greatest surprise, he revealed that Brooklyn’s parents had agreed to support her idea, and she had already arrived at the chamber Emma had once shown her. Brandon’s voice carried calm authority as he delivered the message.

"Moonheart, hope you’re ready for departure in the next ninety minutes."

"I’m more than ready. I have been waiting for this moment since I was still a pup." He kissed her gently and led her toward their shared resting chamber to prepare for the journey. Yet sleep refused to come to her, even when Brandon tried to settle her like a restless pup.

They arrived at Minsk National Skyport at exactly 10:04 am on Tuesday. The customs rituals were swift due to her mate’s rank and influence. They hired three alpha road beast machines and proceeded toward Aden Bloodmoon Lodge & Pack Council resting den, where they secured a royal chamber. Leo and Max were also assigned separate chambers. Emma reached out to Nina, informing her of their arrival, and sent the location of their resting den.

Her heart danced wildly within her chest, her face glowing with unrestrained joy each time she remembered that she was finally about to meet her blood mother. At 11:05 am, the rotary dial device beside the bed began to ring. She slowly shifted to the edge of the bed and lifted the receiver.

"Moonrise wolf."

"This is the reception, a she-wolf by the name Nina Hale is here to see you. Would you like to see her?"

"Send her in," she said, placing the receiver back. She rose and moved to stand by the window. Brandon, who had been resting since their arrival, joined her. The chamber door opened slowly, and they both turned.

Nina’s eyes widened as she stared at Emma, words failing her. Emma bore a striking stare to her age mate, far from the nineteen winters old she-wolf she had expected.

"Moonrise, Nina," Brandon greeted with a warm grin. Nina turned, startled.

"M...Moonrise, Moon Prince," she stammered.

"You are surprised, I see."

"Yeah... very surprised. She... is just a younger version of our mother," Nina said, smiling through tears that began to fall. Emma stepped forward and embraced her, though the tears only grew stronger. Brandon gently separated them and guided them to a seating area at the edge of the chamber.

"How are you, Nina?" he asked. Nina lowered her gaze, still wiping her tears.

"I’m fine," she replied softly.

"Did you tell Emily that we have arrived?"

"No."

"Why?"

"I’m scared."

"Of what?"

"She has a problem, and I’m afraid of triggering it."

Brandon and Emma exchanged glances, concern deepening in their eyes.

"What is the problem?"

"She passes out each time she recalls the cry Emma made when she was taken away from her. I don’t know how to tell her without triggering it."

"Where is she?" Emma asked.

"She is at home."

"Take us there," Emma said with quiet determination.

"O...okay," Nina replied, rising to her feet. Brandon summoned Leo and Max, and together they left the resting den. The three alpha road beast machines they had hired followed behind Nina as she guided them toward Emily’s pack house.

Emma’s heart skipped the moment they stopped before the structure and stepped out. The pack grounds, surrounded by dwarf trees, carried a peaceful aura, yet she barely noticed. She held her mate’s hand tightly as they approached the entrance, while Leo and Max followed closely behind.

Nina led them into the sitting chamber and offered them seats. For over ten minutes, she struggled with how to reveal their presence.

"What am I doing? This is my blood mother’s pack house!"

"What do you want to do?" Brandon asked gently.

"Tell her that I’m here," Emma said, rising and walking out of the chamber.

She heard voices from another chamber and, after a soft knock, opened the door. She closed it slowly behind her and leaned against it, arms folded. Nina, seated on the bed, fixed her gaze on her.

Emily was in a device conversation, standing by her window as she watched the road beast machines parked outside her pack house. From where Emma stood, she could not miss the familiar curve of her mother’s form. A quiet thought crossed her mind.

"So that’s where I got it from," she thought, a faint smile brushing her lips.

The only difference between them was height—Emma stood taller than her.

"Nina, do we have visitors?" Emily asked after ending the call. Nina remained silent, her gaze locked on Emma. Emily turned, sensing the silence, and her eyes landed on the figure leaning by the door.

Their eyes met—and held—for more than thirty seconds. It felt as though she was looking at her own reflection. Overwhelmed, Emily howled and collapsed to the ground. Nina and Emma rushed toward her, but neither could lift her. Brandon rushed in, likely drawn by Emma’s cry, and tried to help.

"Leave me!" Emily gently pushed him away and pulled Emma into a tight embrace. She clung to her so fiercely that Emma could barely breathe.

"No... no... no... You can’t take her away again. Never! You can’t take her!" Emily cried out.

Brandon knelt beside them, speaking softly.

"Emily, your moonpup has returned. She is grown now. No one will take her from you."

Emily shook her head as tears soaked their clothes. Suddenly, she loosened her grip and stood.

"You don’t know what I went through. No one knows the agony... the profound sadness... the emptiness and shock! I felt guilt... regret for ever leaving this territory! I..."

Emma rose and rested her head against her mother’s shoulder, and together they wept. Brandon sat quietly, allowing them to release the emotions they had long buried. After several moments, silence settled over the chamber, heavy yet healing.

Emily slowly lifted Emma’s face from her shoulder and began to study her features, her gaze soft yet searching. A gentle smile spread across her face, and Emma returned the expression, lowering her head shyly.

"You got his height and smile," she grinned again. "I never knew you would grow this tall."

"How did you find me?"

"I saw one of your letters and the pictures you sent this moon."

"I know that one day Daniel will show you one of my letters."

"He didn’t show me. We moved out of the packhood nine winters ago, and the old she-wolf who rented the pack house gave me the pictures and the letter where I found your number."

She looked up when silence followed, sensing no reaction. It seemed her words had not fully reached her.

"I was banned from entering the territory because I told Daniel that I would come back for you in front of the Pack Border Wardens who took me away, but I held onto hope. I believed you would come for me when the time was right," she said, tears shimmering in her eyes as she grinned through them.

"You are going to stay with me," she said, gently wiping Emma’s face.

"No."

"Why?"

"I am mated."

"What? My soft fang, you have a mate?" she asked with a soft grin. Emma nodded like a pup seeking approval. Emily turned her gaze toward Brandon, who sat relaxed on a chair with his legs crossed, his eyes fully-covered in calm dominance. Emily said nothing to him—only smirked, as though they were too young to bear the weight of alpha and luna.

She led Emma to the bed and urged her to sit. Emma obeyed, her mind still struggling to accept that she was looking at her blood mother.

Emily opened a small drawer and brought out a photo album. She gestured for Brandon to come closer, and he joined them on the bed while she pulled a small chair to sit on. Slowly, she began revealing old memories—images from the time she carried Emma as a pup to the day she was born. Her heart overflowed with joy, and her smile refused to fade.

Emma spotted Lunara in one of the pictures and recognized her instantly, having seen the image many times before. She lifted the picture slightly, smiling in recognition.

"That’s Scarlet," Emily grinned. Brandon lifted his gaze and looked at Emma.

"Who is Scarlet?" Emma asked, unsure if she was mistaken for Lunara.

"My soft fang, you don’t know Scarlet?" Emily asked, her expression turning serious. Emma shook her head.

"She is Theresa’s pup," she said with a heavy tone. Emma was unaware that Theresa and Daniel had lost a pup, as it had never been spoken to her.

"How old was she when you were still in Santorini?" Brandon asked.

"She was just a winter old."

Brandon glanced at his mate before returning his attention to the album.

"Oh... her name is not Scarlet; her name is Lunara," Emma said with a soft smile.

"What?" Emily frowned.

"Her name is Lunara."

"Her name is not Lunara," Emily insisted. "This is what happened. When she was born, I took Emma to the delivery den to see her. A young she-wolf, whose mother had just given birth, saw Emma, liked her, and kept carrying her around. As they were leaving, she came to us and asked for your name. I told her your name was Emma. She asked me to change it to Lunara."

"What?" Emma grinned, and Emily joined her laughter, though she did not understand why she laughed.

"Yes, she said you would rule their kingdom if I changed your name. She also said the name would draw your moonmate to you."

Brandon and Emma exchanged glances before returning their attention to her.

"Even though the wolf’s father claimed that events in their pack unfolded exactly as the young she-wolf predicted, I never believed her. The throne is ancestral, and succession follows order," she added firmly.

"Well, Theresa believed her and changed her pup’s name after you left. Now, they want my mate because he is heir—a moon prince."

"What???" she stood up in anger.

"Emily, please sit," Emma said gently, lowering her tone. Emily obeyed, sitting back down. For some reason, Emma could not bring herself to call her "mother"—perhaps because they had not shared a life together.

"You are the moon prince?" she asked, turning to Brandon, whose eyes remained fixed on a picture of a he-wolf he held.

"Yes," Emma answered on his behalf. 𝐟𝐫𝕖𝗲𝘄𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝕧𝐞𝚕.𝕔𝕠𝐦

"What is this picture doing here?" he frowned, clearly unsettled, his gaze locked on Emily. Emma took the picture from him, her curiosity deepening as she recognized the he-wolf immediately.

Emily hesitated, caught between silence and truth, but under the weight of four questioning eyes, she finally spoke.

"He is your father," she whispered, almost inaudibly.

"So he is the rapist!!" Emma shouted, tossing the picture away in anger.

"My soft fang, calm down; he is not a rapist," Emily said with a strained smile.

"He raped you!"

"He did not. I simply did not see it coming. I wasn’t ready, and neither was he. It just happened. I moved closer to him while he was mourning his late mate. I did something that made him happy... and in that moment, everything changed. The copulation happened."

"What did you do, and where did it happen?" Brandon asked, his curiosity piqued.

"It is a long story, and you have just arrived. You should eat first and rest."

"No, I want to hear it first," Emma insisted.

"Moon prince Brandon, do you also wish to hear it?"

"Of course," Brandon responded.

"Alright...let’s read my story together ...,"