Emily’s story was followed by stupefied silence. Emily and Emma held each other in speechlessness. They were dumbfounded too.
"Twenty-one winters, Emily you couldn’t write a letter to Ashley Ashford and tell him you have a pup for him?" Brandon asked feeling sowhat angered.
"I was scared it might get into the wrong hands, especially rival packs within the council. It would have been misconstrued and he doesn’t deserve that. I don’t want to be the reason for his royal scandal.
Just when Brandon thought he had sacrificed a little just to be with the only wolf he love, he t sowolf who sacrificed everything to protect the image of the father of her pup. She was right. If she had written a letter and it eventually got into the wrong hands, the news would have spread across territories for winters.
Ashley Ashford is next in authority to the Alpha King. He is the second in command of the entire wolf kingdom. Impregnating a young she-wolf shortly after the death of his Luna would have raised countless suspicions. Wolves wouldn’t have believed he just t her. They would have assud they had been secretly seeing each other even when his mate was still alive and that would automatically make them pri suspects.
Impregnating a young she-wolf is politically damaging and rival packs would have taken it up and twisted it to suit their narrative without trying to find out exactly what happened. He guessed love is not just a feeling but also an undeniable instinct to protect the heart of those we cherish so they may shine brighter under the moonlight. Twenty-one winters, she couldn’t tell anyone just to protect Ashley Ashford, the father of her pup.
"Emily, would you like to see them again?"
"Yes, but I don’t think they will like to see . When I ca back, I did a lot of thinking and I concluded that he didn’t want . If he had wanted , he would have kept his promise. The parchnt he folded and dropped in a trash could an a change of mind. He knew I would clean the chamber. If he had wanted , he knew where to drop it."
"The only way to find out why he didn’t co back for you as he promised is by eting him. You need to see him and see if he still rembers. It has been a long ti, you know."
"No," Emily shook her head after staring into space for a few minutes.
"He needs to know he has a moonpup. Just do it for Emma."
"Alright, I will see him because of my Emma."
"Good! I will arrange your eting with Ashley."
Brandon got a call the mont she accepted to et Ashley Ashford and grinned. It was as if Ken sensed through the bond that he was about to call him. He gave his mate one of the wireless receivers to hear her sibling’s voice.
"Hei BO!" He said, panting heavily. He guessed he was running through the forest trails.
"Big Ken, I was about to call you."
"Seriously!"
"Yeah"
"What happened BO?"
"There are wolves I’d like you to et," he said, and looked at Emily’s face. Her face bead with a wild smile as she stared at him. She couldn’t even control her excitent and he noticed she still loved them after all these winters.
"A he or a she?"
"Shes"
"Oh, my moon goddess! You know I love them thick and fair, right!"
Emma looked at him and grinned.
"I know"
"How is your mate?"
"She is fine"
"I know she won’t like to see again, but tell her that Big Ken is coming to her estate again. I think there’s sothing about her that pulls to her, like a sibling I wanted so badly to have you know!"
"She is listening to you."
"Pretty wolf," Ken called with a calm tone.
"Ken," Emma called with a flat sweet tone and breathed in. Brandon beca a bit jealous. That tone of her voice is solely for him alone.
"Are you crying?"
"No"
"I called to find out how the eting went."
"It was rescheduled."
"Alright, do not forget what I told you. If they gang up against you, I’ll co and take you away."
"Take where exactly? Please, go away," Emma snickered and Ken laughed.
"Why is your voice so low?"
"I...I...N..nothing."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes"
"Brandon, what is it?"
"I’ll tell you what it is when you co."
"Does it have anything to do with Emma?"
"Yes"
"What!! What did you do?"
"When are you coming back?"
"I’ll be there on Thursday."
"Alright, see you on Thursday," he said and hung up. Brandon was feeling dizzy already as a result of the long journey and he needed a short nap. He got down from bed.
"Emily, we will be going back tomorrow and you will go with us. You will be granted passage into the territory upon arrival," Brandon said, adjusting his belt.
"I was banned twenty one winters ago, rember?"
"I can lift it."
"Thank you."
"Don’t worry, it’s nothing."
"Where are you going now?"
"We are going back to our resting chamber; I need so rest. Our driver will pick you and Nina up tomorrow at moonrise, so get ready before he gets here."
"I want Emma here with ?" Emily said.
"No, she’s coming with , I can’t spend a moonfall without her. My moonheart tell her," he said jokingly as he held Emma close to his circle and kissed her passionately.
"Yeah, Emily, he was right, my moonpup can’t do without his..."
Brandon captured her lips again and halted her from saying more. They all burst into laughter.
"Alright love wolves. You must eat before you leave. Yes, you must eat my food," Emily stood up imdiately.
"Emily...I..."
"No!" she shook her head and Brandon could see the seriousness in her eyes. He sat down on the bed and leaned on the bed headboard. He couldn’t wait for them to return to their resting chamber. He needed to hold his mate without interruptions. He quickly pulled his mate between his legs and put his arms on her midriff. She grinned and tilted her head.
"I’m skeptical about eting Ashley. I don’t want him to think I ca up with the story just to gain his favor and have him at my side during the next council gathering."
"What did he tell you on Saturday?"
"He told , "Do not refer to him here as your mate. What both of you did cannot be accepted as a lawful mating in this kingdom. He is the Moon Prince of the kingdom and he is not supposed to be bound without the Alpha King’s authorization! He owes his subjects an honorable royal mating!" Ashley Ashford said those things, looking directly into my eyes, his voice carrying both anger and royal command."
"What did you tell him?"
"I told him that you’re my mate until proven otherwise by law."
"Good, Moonheart listen, being the high fang regent moonpup, won’t have any effect on the matter at hand. The Alpha King has the final say. He won’t change his mind and you know why."
"Of course."
"Ashley Ashford needs to know you are his moonpup," Brandon said and pulled her closer and whispered into her ear.
"Emily still loves them. I saw it in her eyes when I was talking to Ken. She wants to see them too. Let’s do it for her. She deserves to be happy."
"What if he rejects her, I an us?"
"We will be content knowing we tried. Hold on," he said suddenly.
"Hi, My Moon Princess," he called with a sweet tone as soon as he received Elara’s call. Emma lifted her face and gave him a warning stare. He purposely did that to make her feel what he felt when she called her sibling with the sa tone.
"Brandon, I have been trying to reach Emma, but she is not picking up."
"Do you have any ssage for her?"
"Her moonally, Brooklyn was seized this moonrise.
"On whose order?"
"Your father, I an your king."
"What did she do?"
"She struck your other sibling."
He hung up imdiately and began to dial the king’s number. He didn’t bother to ask who provoked the fight because he knew Lunara very well.
" Moon-fall, father."
"It’s moonrise, Brandon. Are you out of the territory?"
"Yes"
"And you didn’t deem it fit to let know?"
"I’m sorry."
"It’s okay. Your pack house was on fire earlier and I just put it out."
"I want my mate’s moonally released imdiately."
"She almost committed murder, My Moon Prince!"
"I want my guest released now."
"How long will you continue giving your father orders, Brandon? You want this, you want that and I do everything for you! She will be released. Please co back ho. There is a new developnt about the oncoming mating ceremony."
"I’m not interested."
"You must be! You have no choice."
"I’m the Moon Prince of Santorini Kingdom father, I have a choice."
"Are you daring your father?"
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