Alpha's Secret Bride

"Please, forgive me," he said and held her head firmly. She felt the loving warmth of a father for the first time. It wiped out all the ugly fatherly experiences Alpha Daniel gave her. She had no choice but to forgive him. She relaxed as they admired different species of birds jumping from one tree to another.

"You look like your mother, but you speak like my late mother, I mean your grandmother. You got my height too." he said, and Emma kept quiet.

"How are you doing lately?" He asked after about twenty- five minutes holding her firmly to his side.

"I’m doing fine."

"I’d like to be part of your life; would you permit me?" She nodded like a toddler.

"I know I have missed the part of your life when you needed your father most, but consider me. I need you now."

She nodded again and breathed in. He turned and kissed her on her forehead. "I’m going to make it up to you my soft fang. You are a strong pup. You are as brave as my late mother and I’m going to announce and celebrate you before the whole packland," he said and planted another kiss on her forehead and they giggled.

"Start talking," a male voice said behind them. They lifted their faces and saw Ken standing behind them. He walked around and sat on one of the loungers that were in front of them like a watchdog. His wolf was wet as though he had just come out of the training pool.

"Father, I hope it’s not what I’m thinking?" He narrowed his eyes.

"Her face looks familiar and I had been wondering where I saw her and why I feel like she’s...," Ken paused with an unsmiling face, trying to avoid her eyes.

"When did you return to the pack house?" Ashley asked.

"Ten minutes ago. Father, who is she to you?"

"When you were just five winters old, you got really mad at me for fighting with your best moon ally - a she-wolf we met in Belarus," Ashley smiled and continued talking. "You told all your moonallies at the academy about it and I was lucky, no one believed you, even your tutor. You didn’t speak to me for moons.

I was worried and kept trying everything I could to make you forget what you saw that moonfall, but you kept referring to it. I was surprised you stopped talking and making references after nine winters. I couldn’t explain why you stopped. Would you tell me why you suddenly stopped talking about what you saw that moonfall?"

"I grew up and figured out what happened that moonfall that was why I stopped talking about it," Ken grinned and frowned again.

"Father, what are you doing with Prince Brandon’s mate? Who is she to you?" Ken kept asking.

"She’s my Soft fang."

"What do you mean?"

"She is the result of that fight."

"Which fight?"

"The one you figured out."

"You are joking, right?" Ken yelled and stood up and Emma became worried.

"I’m not joking." Ashley said.

"Oh, my Moon Goddess!" Ken shouted and sank into the chair. He lowered and covered up his face with his palms. Tears began to escape through his fingers. At first, Emma thought it was water from his wet hair. However, she figured out they were tears when he breathed in.

"Ken, what is it?" Ashley asked, but he did not answer the question. After a few minutes, he began to wipe his eyes.

"Is her mother here?" he asked with the most peaceful tone as though he couldn’t wait to see Emily.

"Yes," Ashley replied.

"Please, tell her to go. I don’t want to see her around us," Ken said and stood up angrily. He adjusted his tight swimwear and turned to leave.

"Ken!" Ashley yelled. He halted but refused to look at his father.

"What is wrong with you?"

"I...want her mother to go!"

"Why?"

Ken turned around angrily and faced them. His eyes were red.

"Father, I found myself in Brandon’s study chamber last week. I saw and read her stories! This moonpup sitting beside you was subjected to all kinds of ill treatment! Father, she went through hell! I swear to Moon Goddess if I see her mother, I’m gonna say things she won’t like to hear!

If she had sent her to us when she was a pup, she wouldn’t have suffered! She wouldn’t have been treated like a piece of shit! Your only she-wolf. You know I had wished to have a she-wolf sibling!"

"Ken..."

"I don’t want to see her!" Ken shouted and wouldn’t allow his father to talk.

"Do not forget she was your savior. She was your best moonally."

"Not anymore father! Not anymore! She was my moonally. I hate her now and I’m going to sue her for negligence!" Ken shouted and walked angrily away. Emma stood up to follow him, but Ashley held her back.

"He is infuriated and his vexation doesn’t last more than twenty minutes," Ashley grinned. Emma sat beside him again, wishing he was right about Ken’s anger not lasting more than twenty minutes.

"This is all my fault. If I had gone back as I promised her, none of this would have happened. You wouldn’t have ended up with strangers," Ashley said and relaxed on the lounger.

"Soft fang, I’ll talk to Brandon; you are going to stay here for the moonfall. The four of us have a lot to discuss. I also need to know more about the strangers who took you from your mother only to make your life miserable."

Emma kept quiet and crouched beside him.

"Brandon won’t allow me to stay for the moonfall."

"He should get ready to stay too. He has a personal chamber here."

"Alright," she whimpered.

"I want to read the story."

"The ones Ken read are not good. I’m writing a better one with the help of Brandon. I’ll give it to you when I’m done."

"Okay," he said and fixed his eyes on the trees.

"Writing is also my hobby. I have published more than fifty political, social, and motivational pack books."

"I know and I have read all your motivational books."

"Oh, my Moon Goddess! Are you sure?" He grinned and she nodded with a smiling face.

"You look like Ken when you smile," he said and fixed his witty eyes on her. "Which of the motivational pack books is your favorite?"

"Knowing Your Place Without Apology, Understanding Your Worth, The Strength of Inner Dignity, A Journey Into Self-Respect and The Grace of Knowing Who You Are."

"Really," he grinned.

"Yes, it kept me going when I gave ’giving up’ a thought."

He pulled her closer and took a sharp breath. "I’m happy you didn’t give up."

I want to talk to Ken."

"Okay, I’ll call somewolf that will take you to his chamber," he said and dipped his hand in the pocket of his thawb and took out his communication device. He forwarded a template and dropped the device back.

She lifted her gaze and fixed it on a she-wolf who had refused to take her eyes away from them. It seemed Ken’s anger confirmed her suspicion and she didn’t look happy at all. She looked at the other three she-wolves that were with her and told them something. They all turned and fixed their eyes on her.

"Are they your moonmates?" She asked, looking at Ashley and narrowing her eyes as if she was apologizing for being so inquisitive. He laughed humorously and arched a brow at her.

"One of them is. The rest are her moonallies."

She did not need to be told who among the she-wolves was his moonmate.

"Are you going to mate her?" She asked. Ashley laughed again and Emma wondered why he found her words amusing.

"I don’t intend to. She has been doing everything to move my mind in that direction. She has also been kind to your sibling Ken, but I’m not giving mating bond a thought."

"I think you should consider her."

"No, not at all," he shook his head.

"High moon, alpha," an aged she-wolf greeted him with a slight bow.

"Take her to Ken’s chamber or anywhere he might probably be."

"Alright, alpha," she bowed and beckoned Emma. She stood up and adjusted her tight denim and crop top. "I’ll be right back," she said.

"Okay."

The she-wolf led her to another Olympic pool that was at the back of the house. She saw Ken relaxing in a hammock hung on a tree, watching a she-wolf that was swimming in the pool. He was holding a cigar in his hand.

The aged she-wolf pointed at the hammock, bowed, and turned.

"Thank you," she said and began to walk slowly towards him, controlling her feet to avoid any sound that would tip him. She stood behind him and slowly slid her hands on his shoulder. He lifted his face and looked at her. He tossed his cigar and placed his palms on her hand. He got down from the hammock after a few minutes and led her to a canopy that was close to the pool.

There were about ten adjustable chaise lounges under the canopy. Ken gestured to one of them and Emma sat down and relaxed her back on the adjustable backrest. He adjusted his tight swimwear and sat close to her. He took her hand but could still not talk due to fury. He was still mad at Emily.

"Ken, I seek to plead on Emily’s behalf. Please, grant her forgiveness."