Alpha's Secret Bride

"Would you at least call me mother?" She begged, tears already forming in her eyes.

"What is it, mother," Emma asked again.

"The legitimization."

"Do you think it is a wrong move?"

"No, I want him to legitimize you, but I have a problem with the process he chose."

"He hasn’t chosen any yet."

"I am an adult wolf, and I understood the process he chose the moment he directed the question to me."

"What is wrong with the process?"

"I like Ashley and Ken a lot, but I’m afraid I can’t mate with Ashley. If it is a must that he must mate with me to legitimize you, then I’m going to need some time to think about it. But Ken won’t allow him to give me the time I need."

"He won’t, because I have a meeting with the council of elders next week, and he wants me to appear before them with my identity. Honestly, I was really sad the day I realized I had no surname. The last time I visited the royal throne, I couldn’t answer my mate’s name because his father was there to disagree with me. I couldn’t use Daniel’s surname because his kins were there to deny me. I realized I had no identity yet until the king approved our mating bond."

"By the way, who is talking about mating here? Mother, he is not asking you to mate with him. There are several routes both of you can take in the process."

"What other route do you know aside from mating the moonpup’s mother if she is not mated?"

"He can apply by sending a petition to the superior court in the kingdom."

"Approval in this process takes ages to get."

"With his position, I don’t think it will take him more than a week. But why don’t you want to mate with him?"

"I developed Fear of commitment as a protective response during the days of my traumatic experience."

"Do you mean... you haven’t been with anywolf since I was born?"

Her chest tightened at the question, old memories stirring like wounds that never truly healed. For a moment, she hesitated—caught between shielding her moonpup from the truth and the quiet exhaustion of carrying it alone.

"Exactly," she whispered at last, her voice fragile yet firm. "After everything I went through... I couldn’t bring myself to trust another wolf. I told myself I was protecting my heart—but sometimes..." She paused, swallowing the ache rising in her throat. "Sometimes I wonder if I was just too afraid to try again."

"You need to see a mind healer."

"I don’t need a mind healer. I’m not ready for any mating obligations."

"I’m sure he is not ready; that’s why he chose a moonmate."

"Which means he is still sexually active. Emma, I’m not and no medication will ever make me active again."

"It hasn’t gotten to that part yet," she said with a worried tone, her wolf spirit uneasy because she was just forty-three.

"Do you want me to wait until it gets to that part before telling him? I need to talk to him in private and explain everything to him. If he still wants to continue, it will be fine by me." Emma moved closer to her mother and hugged her, offering silent bond comfort. She understood why she was afraid and she wished she would allow her to help her.

"Mother, I know you went through a lot. This is why I want to politely ask you to give us yourself. Just leave it for me so I can fix it back. Accept all our decisions without hesitation and trust me, you will just be fine. Let’s go back to the feeding chamber. Please, accept whatever decision he will make this moonfall. If he decides to legitimize me by mating with you, accept his decision. I’ll take you to a sex mind healer after the mating ceremony."

"What?" She grinned, her wolf sparkling with disbelief.

"Yeah, he has a moonmate. You can just be his mate. But don’t be jealous of his moonmate when the time comes," Emma said, and they giggled, their spirits briefly light.

"Trust me, I won’t."

"Till then," Emma said as they walked back to the feeding chamber. The three he-wolves in the feeding chamber were chatting and laughing as if they were fine without the she-wolves. Their dominant auras filled the space. They stopped talking as soon as they entered and took their positions. The table had been cleared and cleaned.

"Back to our topic, Emily... what do you think about legitimizing our Soft Fang?"

His voice was steady, but inside, a quiet tension coiled tight—uncertainty gnawing at him. He watched her closely, searching her face for even the faintest hint of resistance or doubt. Part of him feared her answer, feared what it might mean for everything they were trying to build... yet another part of him needed to hear it, needed clarity more than comfort.

"I like the idea," she said without wavering, her tone steady—too steady—like a loyal pack member who had already sworn an oath she couldn’t take back. Yet beneath that calm, something twisted uneasily in her chest, a quiet resistance she refused to give voice to.

"I hope Emma didn’t compel you to accept my decision," he said with a grin that lingered a second too long, as if searching for cracks in her resolve.

Emily shook her head, but even as she did, a spark of doubt crossed her mind. Was this truly her choice... or had she simply convinced herself it was easier to agree than to fight what was already unfolding?

"We will start the process in the moonrise."

"Will you apply to court?"

"That’s a long process and I can’t wait."

"But with your position, they will give you a quick response."

"The court will give me a quick response, but all the required documents are not available. We have none. Not even her birth certificate. The paternity test result is gonna take a while. By the time you are done assembling your documents, one winter has passed. The best and easiest way to legitimize her is by mating her mother. Things would have been more complicated for us if Emily were mated, but I’m glad you are unmated. I know you don’t want this mating, but let’s do it for our soft fang. Are you okay with my decision?"

"Yes," Emily responded, her voice steady—too steady. Inside, her wolf stirred uneasily, as though questioning a decision her lips had already sealed. She now understands that some identities demand sacrifice.

"Ken, are you?"

"Why not?" he replied lightly, a hint of amusement lacing his tone. His wolf was clearly entertained, unbothered by the weight pressing on the others.

Ashley’s gaze shifted to Emma. "And you my soft fang?"

Emma hesitated—just for a fraction of a second. It was subtle, almost invisible, not out of doubt but from the intensity of what she felt. She wanted this—deeply, fiercely, more than she cared to show. The pull within her wasn’t something to question; it was something she was ready to embrace.

Slowly, she inclined her head in total compliance, like a respectful she-wolf before her Alpha—but beneath that calm gesture was a quiet eagerness, a desire she no longer tried to hide.

Brandon checked his wristwatch, his expression tightening with urgency as he rose to his feet. Emma stood as well—not out of courtesy, but because she already knew. His voice had reached her moments ago through the telepathic connection, firm and leaving no space for refusal.

A spark of resistance passed through her chest, sharp and fleeting... but she buried it just as quickly and followed.

"Soft fang, are you going with him?" Ashley asked, his gaze steady as it searched Emma’s face for any hesitation.

"Yes," she replied without delay, her voice calm and certain. Yet inside, something stirred—warm, eager, and almost overwhelming. It wasn’t doubt... it was anticipation, a quiet pull toward what she already wanted more than she was letting show.

"My driver will pick you up tomorrow in the moonrise. Please come with some of your things because you are gonna stay with us until the process is over."

"Is she going with them too?" Ken asked, pointing at Emily.

"No, we have a lot to discuss this moon-fall," Ashley responded.

Ken stood up to see them off, a hint of unease in his expression.

"I hope the discussion won’t lead to another fight," Ken whimpered.

Ashley and Emma understood exactly what he meant. A knowing look passed between them, and before they could stop it, they both let out soft giggles.

To the others, it sounded harmless—but for them, it carried a private meaning that made the moment feel warmer and a little more charged than anyone else realized.

Emma held Brandon’s hand as they walked towards the cars that had been lined up in front of the building, their bond humming softly, and she didn’t know how to thank him for all his assistance so far. She thanked the Moon Goddess for ever guiding him to her.

"Thank you for coming with me," Brandon said as soon as they got into the car. He gave her a series of slow, shivery kisses. "I wouldn’t have had a peaceful moonfall without you, Moonheart."

"Me too! My father said I’m gonna stay with them for a while; what are we going to do?"